DOMESTIC MATTERS. So much has recently been said on the rise which has taken place in the prices of the ordinary necessaries of life, as compared with the prices of the same articles one or two years back, that we have been induced, to lay before our readers a scale of the actual retail prices at which most of the articles of common consumption are now selling in the metropolis. This may prove useful not only to those who inay be in the habit of placing implicit confidence in their servants and tradesmen, but may also lead to an interesting comparison between the town and country markets. BUTCHER'S MEAT. Perhaps at no period during the recollection of the major part of the existing generation were the prices of butcher's meat at a lower rate than in the year 1822, a fact which, afforded but too conclusive a proof of the distress to which the farmer must neces sarily have been exposed, and the impossibility of his being long enabled to support the burdens which he was called upon to bear. In this case, however, as in many others, what was the loss of the few was the gain of the many, and the public at large were benefited by the state of things. The markets were evidently overstocked, and the prices, as a natural consequence, proportionably low. For a considerable period the retail prices were known to be in no respect proportioned to the wholesale. The butchers seemed to have silently acquiesced in taking to themselves a larger proportion of profits than usual, and excluding their customers from any participation in those advantages which in fairness ought to have been generally diffused. A few spirited individuals soon put a stop to this system, by opening shops, where the best meat might be purchased at very reduced prices. At first, as might naturally have been expected, these interlopers on the regular traders were pronounced mere impostors, and the articles in which they dealt were described as "the refuse of the market," as meat of very inferior quality. A few trials soon put these imputations to the test, and the public finding that they could, at the "cheap shops, buy meat as good, and at two-thirds of the money exacted by their ordinary tradesmen, the good effect of competition became visible, and an immediate and very general reduction took place in all quarters. It is still to be remarked, however, that there are yet two, if not three prices, obtained for meat of the same quality, a circumstance which is to be attributed to various causes, some of which are sufficiently cogent; for instance, a fair distinction is to be made between a ready money and a credit customer. The man who exacts a credit of one, two, three, or four years, and sometimes of longer continuance, cannot expect to be served on the same terms with the individual who carries his cash in his hand. Some allowance ought also to be made for the situation in which a butcher may live. If, for the convenience of his customers, he occupies an expensive house, where his rent and taxes are heavy, we think he is also entitled to some consideration. There are other causes, which will naturally suggest themselves to our readers, and which ought likewise to operate as an excuse for what might otherwise seem extortionate. The same causes apply to the prices charged for all the other articles which we shall hereafter enumerate; and candour having called upon us to make this admission, we trust we shall not be considered as intending to interfere with the reasonable and legitimate profits of any class of tradesmen, or improperly to expose them to animadversion. The prices we shall quote are for " ready money only ;" and in almost every case, we can speak from personal experience of their accuracy. BREAD. quar We lately read a very sensible Essay, by which it was proved that the price of flour is by no means proportioned to the price of wheat, and that, in consequence, the price of the tern loaf is enhanced beyond the fair price at which the public is entitled to receive it. The miller, perhaps, rather than the baker, is the individual to whom the imposition is attributable; and we have only to hope that some respectable man of this class, cooperating with a baker, may adopt a plan by which both himself and the public may be benefitted. If the agriculturist were to be the gainer by the present prices, as they exist, we are satisfied the consumer would never complain; but, unhappily, the fact is known to be otherwise. There are Cheap Bakers" as well as Cheap Butchers ;" and with bread, as with meat, some advantage have been derived from that circumstance. The prices at present obtained for bread are as follow : 66 66 The best wheaten, from 10d. to 11ąd. per quartern. Household, from 8d. to 94d. per quartern; the quality of the lower price being quite as good as that of the higher. Independent of the tricks of the miller, we have endeavoured to find some other excuse for the maintenance of high prices, but can discover none. Allum, so "necessary" an ingredient in the manufacture of the loaf, has not advanced a farthing; and potatoes, frequently a substitute for flour, are as abundant and as cheap as they have been for many years. Under these circumstances we may fairly conclude, that in the article of bread, a gross imposition is practised on the public. While on this subject, it would be as well perhaps to suggest to the baker, that when bread falls in price, it would be desirable for him to increase, in the same proportion, the size of his penny rolls. We have occasionally seen rolls at the present price of the quartern loaf, and for which a penny has been exacted, not one atom larger than when the price was 18d. FISH. There is perhaps no article in the London market in which the prices vary so much as in fish. So much depends on the supply at Billingsgate, and so much on the circumstances under which the sale takes place, that it is difficult to fix an aggregate price. It has been observed, however, that there are few classes of tradesmen who make more rapid fortunes than fishmongers, having good connection. We have known instances where the same description of fish, both as to size and quality, has been charged in one place double the price at which you could have obtained it at another. Of late years, however, the establishment of numerous competitors has tended greatly to prevent these impositions. Nevertheless we have heard of instances in which we think One case will suffice. Some years a large extra profit was fairly due. back an old gentleman, dressed in plain attire, and of venerable appearance, entered a celebrated fishmonger's shop in Piccadilly, and, addressing himself to the proprietor, proposed dealing with him for fish. The man expressed his willingness to supply him. This must be, however," said the old gentleman, "upon one condition namely, that during my life you never ask for payment!" The fishmonger considered for a short time, and finally acquiesced in the terms proposed, and did accordingly furnish the necessary supplies. The old gentleman was the late Duke of Portland, and at his death the fishmonger's bill amounted to 80001. It was honourably discharged by the noble Duke's executors. We do not mean to state that many such eccentric bargains as this have been made, but we know it very often happens that extremely long credits are taken, and that, not unfrequently, the pay-day never ar rives. Persons dealing on such terms must not expect to have their fish at ready money prices. We should not forget too, that all the great fishmongers are at considerable expense in providing a large assortment, which is often not sold, and consequently lost, and that they incur heavy charges in keeping ice to preserve their fish in good condition. Such men cannot, of course, afford to compete with a hawker whose whole shop is simply a basket, and whose stock in trade frequently consists of the refuse of the market. Fishmongers also at times send fish on shew to the larder of large taverns, which is often returned unsold. COALS. We now come to the prices charged for coal, at this season of the year a most important article of family consumption. Of all the things which we have enumerated, we believe there are none in which more gross impositions are practised than in coals. The generality of our readers may not be aware, that in the printed list of coals brought into the port of London, and sold on the Coal Exchange, there are no less than seventyone different sorts enumerated-namely, forty from Newcastle, fourteen from Blyth, Scotland, Wales, and Yorkshire, and seventeen from Sunderland; all these coals come from different mines which are more or less celebrated, and in proportion to their quality obtain a greater or less price, Of these, Russell's Wall's End are considered the best. On the last market day these fetched 43s. 6d. and 44s. per chaldron, in the Pool; and the vendor being allowed to add 8 or 10 per chaldron to this price to cover the various charges which he incurs before be delivers them to his customers, the retail price for these best coals at present may be taken at 53s. and 51s. per chaldron. If the coal merchant were satisfied with the profit which is thus afforded him, the consumer would have no reason to complain, but unfortunately this is not the case; he wishes to take a quicker road to for tune, and he does so, according to the well known plan adopted by most of our speculating speculating fortune-hunters, namely, by "matrimony." To speak plainly, but at the same time to use the technical term of the practised coal dealers, he "marries" a bad coal with a good one; and thus it often happens, when five chaldrons of the best coals are ordered and paid for, two-thirds of them are of inferior quality, purchased in the market at perhaps 36s., or at the most forty shillings, per chaldron. Hence the difference which is often observed in fires made by coals taken from the same cellar. The best Wall's End is a fine bituminous coal, yielding a good black cinder, with very little dust. Whereas the inferior coal is a dry substance, burning quickly, and yielding a dirty red and white ash, the ill effects of which most good housewives have had but too much reason to deplore. Such marriages as we have described, are prohibited by law; but nevertheless, from experience, we know that they are but too frequent; and a sop to Cerberus," otherwise a douceur to the cook, often prevents exposures which might otherwise prove dangerous to future custom. It may not be unprofitable to state, that these frauds, if discovered, are punishable by heavy penalties; and we know, where suspicion exists of the practice, that there are persons to be found perfectly competent to distinguish the best Russell's Wall's End from any inferior coal. The same safeguards exist against short measure, but still we see that the coalmerchant is not always in the habit of " remembering his friends" in 66 bumper bushels. With these few hints we have only to add, that coals of various qualities may be purchased at retail prices, from 40s. to 50s. per chaldron. We would only recommend that those who pay the best price should see that they have the best coal, and where they discover the contrary, that they will not fail to punish the author of the fraud. Be it remembered also, that persons purchasing five chaldrons of coals are entitled to receive 63 sacks, being three sacks in grain, and that where two chaldrons and a-half are purchased, one sack ingrain is due. Among petty dealers this little advantage is sometimes forgotten. We know those in the trade, however, who would not sanction any of the fraudulent tricks which we have enumerated. MILK. This innocent beverage maintains the prices obtained for many years, namely Best milk 4d. per quart. Cream 4s. to 5s. per quart. The consumer is at the mercy of the retail dealer as to the quantity of water which his anxiety for the delicacy of his customer's stomach may induce him to mix with the genuine commodity. Enteresting Varieties. WHITE BAIT.-Sir Joseph Banks once assured a gentleman that he and several of his friends had occupied themselves in endeavouring to ascertain the species of fish those called White Bait belong to, and the result of their inquiry was that they are nothing else than Young Sprats. This opinion, however, has been strenuously disputed, and the question still remains undecided. POPULATION. Some faint idea of the mass of people crowded together in the metropolis, may be gathered from the subjoined statement of the number of persons resident within the city boundaries and two parishes only: City of London 47,000 St. Marylebone St. Pancras 90,000 80,000 ANIMAL STUPIDITY. A camel belonging to a gentleman at Delhi was delivered of its first born at the usual season. It happened, however, that after the birth, the young camel was taken from her, and the first object on which the dam cast her eyes was a young man who had been sent to attend her during the delivery. The camel mistaking this youth for its own offspring, caressed him as if he were actually her young one, and became so jealous of his moving from her, that he could never get away without throwing his outer garment round a person of his own size, and leaving him to keep his place till his return. To add to the excessive stupidity of this animal in making so unatural a mistake, it should be mentioned that, when its own real offspring was brought to her, she rejected it entirely, and continued her maternal attentions to the young adopted son for months afterwards. (Calcutta Paper, Sep. 1823.) in tow A Wharfinger's daughter at Stratfordle-Bow, When, lo! pert and priggish, all congrees and shrugs, Approached to adore me, a dealer in drugs! I shuddered I sickened-I paid nature's debt And died, sad and single, a Village EQUIVOQUE. A false report was lately circulated in the town of R-, that Mr. H. a wealthy resident, intended, on a certain day, to distribute amongst the poor, a roasted Sheep. The rumour was communicated to Mr. H. who, apprehensive that it would, if suffered to remain uncontradicted, be the means of bringing upon him many troublesome visitors, ordered the town-crier to parade the streets, with the following announce G. SNEYD might very naturally imagine that what we had promised, would never be performed, but Now we trust he has a more favourable opinion of our good faith. With respect to the lapse of memory he alludes to, we scarcely know how to credit it; but, as we are unwilling to be rude, we shall state our objections in as delicate a manner as possible-thus: Suppose that you should ask a man Why, you might very well expect He'd say, he could not recollect. |