THE MARKETS. THIS is indeed the season for good living: droves of lambs, caravans of calves, waggons of vegetables, and loads of fish, are daily pouring into London. The vegetable market, in particular, is now attractive: young peas, early beans, summer cabbages, new potatoes, cauliflowers, fullhearted lettuces, thick-bodied radishes, round-headed onions, with the more costly tribe of asparagus, cucumbers, &c., present themselves in seducing array, and tempt us occasionally almost to forget strict economy; however, these nice vegetables, as they increase in quantity at market, decrease in price. Fine peas are now selling at seven-pence the peck, cauliflowers seven-pence each, new potatoes (dear) three-pence the pound, cabbages a shameful price, three-pence each! lettuces and the raw-eaten vegetables cheap enough. Meat is getting dearer; the supply at market is limited. The retail butchers charge a shilling a pound for rump-steaks, nine-pence for sirloin or prime ribs, seven-pence for a round; legs of mutton eight-pence; prime pork fetches sixpence a-pound by the whole pig. The course pieces of meat may be purchased now cheaper in proportion to the prime parts than they can some times. The town at this season being filled with the gentry, occasions a great demand for superior joints, and leaves the more ordinary ones of fine meat objects for the frugal. An immense number of calves are slaughtered weekly. Friday and Saturday, calves'heads may be bought reasonable: go early on Saturday morning into the wholesale market; its usual associate, "bacon" (that is, good Wiltshire), is dear, eleven-pence a pound, and beans are not yet low enough in price for general consumption; but green-peas are no bad substitute. Veal and lamb's-fry may also now be bought very cheap; as much may be had for sixpence as would some times fetch half-a-dozen shillings. palates (a delicate dish, if nicely dressed) are now, to use the words of a butcher, "swimming down the kennels of the market;" at all events, Ox they may be had at any price, and just as nice now as at any time. In short, let the ECONOMIST now look about him; he has ample room to enjoy himself at a moderate price. Pleasure sparkles in the eye of childhood now: gooseberries, cherries, and currants, are every day getting more plentiful; the first-mentioned fruit is both cheap and wholesome, of course we do not mean RAW; but in puddings, pies, or in that pleasant juvenile mess, gooseberry fool," the dear young folk may freely indulge. PLAN OF THE EQUITABLE LOAN BANK Capital Two MILLIONS Sterling. This Institution, long and much needed in the Metropolis of the British empire, has been established to combine great public utility with ample individual advantage, and will afford capitalists a secure and beneficent employment of their wealth. It is similar in principle to that useful Institution existing in Paris, called "Le Mont de Piété;" and the object is the accommodation of all classes of persons suffering under occasional distress, by advances ou plate, jewellery, goods, and other property, at a lower rate of interest, and on more liberal terms than such relief can be now obtained. The experience of three centuriesrecent official reports published in France and much careful inquiry in England, demonstrate that a very 'priated to those purposes, and that large capital may be well approsuch a public Institution may remunerate the contributors, and yet obtain the blessings of the indigentdiminish crimes and promote the welfare of the state. To ensure both results, the Institution will advance money at a much lower rate of interest than is now demanded; and after payment of the expenses, and a liberal dividend to the shareholders, the residue of the profits will be applied to such purposes, connected with the Institution, as the proprietors may hereafter determine. The capital of the Company is Two Millions, raised by 40,000 shares of £50 each, on which a deposit of £1 per share will be paid, and the remainder by such instalments as, in the judgment of the Directors, the objects and business of the Company may require. For the security of the shareholders, an application for an act has been made to Parliament; and the affairs will be conducted by the Vice-Presidents and Directors, who are all proprietors of shares. And as, from the nature and object of the Institution, all the capital employed will be invested on ample security, and be immediately productive, and will also bestow immediate benefit on the necessitous, it is not surprising that the design should have received unprecedented patronage; and that persons of the highest rank-of great wealth-of much acuteness-and of philanthropic character should concur to found the Institution, and to tender subscriptions and support. VICE-PRESIDENTS John Bent, esq. M. P.; Sir Richard Birnie, knt.; Mr. Alderman Bridges, M. P.; Hon. W. K. Douglas, M. P.; John Charles Herries, esq. M. P.; William Holmes, esq. M. P.; Stephen Lushington, esq. LL.D. M. P.; John George Lambton, esq. M. P.; S. Marjoribanks, esq. M.P.; Samuel Scott, esq. M. P.; J John Smith, Esq. M. P. CHAIRMAN-Sir William Congreve, Bart. M. P. DIRECTORS-S. B. M. Barrett, esq. M. P.; John Burnell, esq.; James Brogden, esq. M. P.; David Barclay, esq.; Benjamin Carr, esq.; Joseph Clarke, esq.; Henry Clarke, esq.; Francis Cresswell, esq.; Colonel Davies, M. P.; John Dunston, esq.; Joseph Fry, esq.; Isaac L. Goldsmid, esq.; Mr. Alderman Garratt; Thomas Hamlet, esq.; George Harrison, esq.; Mr. Alderman Key; Mr. Sheriff Laurie; C. Elton Prescott, esq.; M. Surtees, esq.; A. Surtees, esq.; Robert Sutton, esq.; William Thompson, esq. M. P. Ald.; Joshua Walker, esq. M. P.; John Wilkin, esq.; T. Wilkinson, esq. AUDITORS-M. Attwood, esq. M. P.; W. Stanley Clarke, esq.; T. Carr Glym, esq.; M. Lievesley, esq.; Thomas Metcalfe, esq.; Richard M. Raikes, esq. TREASURERS-Messrs. Frys and Chapman,; Messrs. Spooner, Attwoods, and Co. SOLICITOR-John Wilks, esq. THE PAWNBROKERS' RULES OF Although by act of parliament every pawnbroker is obliged to have a copy of the following rates of profit. affixed to the wall in his shop, they have always taken the precaution of hanging some article of dress over it, so that their profits may not be seen by their customers: we therefore think it necessary to publish it. Over and above the principal sum or sums which shall have been lent and advanced upon the respective pledge or pledges, are directed to be received and taken before any such pawnbrokers shall be obliged to re-deliver the same, viz. For every pledge upon which there shall have been lent any sum not exceeding two shillings and sixpence, one halfpenny per month, and the same for every calendar month afterwards, including the current month in which such pledge shall be redeemed, although such month shall not be expired. For every pledge of five shillings, one penny. For every pledge of seven shillings and sixpence, one penny halfpenny. For every pledge of ten shillings, two-pence. For every pledge of twelve shillings and sixpence, two-pence halfpenny. For every pledge of fifteen shillings, three-pence. For every pledge of seventeen shillings and sixpence, three-pence half there shall have been lent any sum exceeding forty-two shillings, and not exceeding ten pounds, at and after the rate of three-pence, for the loan of every twenty-shillings for all such money so lent by the calendar month, including the current month, and so on in proportion for any fractional sum. And that in all cases where any intermediate sum lent upon any pawn or pledge, shall exceed the sum of two shillings and sixpence, and not exceed the sum of forty shillings, the person lending the same shall and may take, by way of profit, as aforesaid, at and after the rate of fourpence, and no more, for the loan of twenty shillings by the calendar month, including the current month as aforesaid. Persons unlawfully pledging the property of others, are subject to three months imprisonment. Duplicates Lost. - Where duplicates are lost, mislaid, destroyed, or fraudulently obtained, a copy to be delivered to the owner on application (provided the pledge is not redeemed), with the form of an Affidavit, at the following rates: All copies of duplicates, not exceeding five shillings, one halfpenny; and all copies exceeding five shillings, and under twenty shillings, one penny; and where the sum lent is twenty shillings, or upwards, then the original price of the duplicate is to be paid. Persons redeeming the property of others, having no right or title thereto, are subject to three months imprison ment. duced by the action of the atmos phere, moisture and light, on the stuffs exposed to them. Health and cleanliness rendered it necessary to devise quicker methods than these; and the properties of soaps and leys of wood. ashes were therefore soon discovered. In the present age, the arts have taken advantage of processes and detersive menstrua, the existence of which was before unknown; these discoveries have succeeded each other with such rapidity, that the last twenty years have effected a complete revolution in the art of bleaching. This art is naturally divided into two distinct branches---the bleaching of vegetable and of animal substances. These being of very different natures, require different processes for whitening them. Vegetables consist of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon, of which the latter is in the greatest proportion; while animal substances, besides these, contain also a large quantity of azote, and also phosphorus and sulphur. Bleaching of Flax and Hemp. If ripe flax be examined, it will be found to be composed of fibres or filaments united together by the sap, enveloping a semi-ligneous substance, and covered by a thin bark. It is the fibrous part only that is used for making cloth, and it must therefore be previously separated from the other matters. The sap, or succulent parts, is composed of extractive principle and water, and the first process is to separate this substance, which holds the filaments together. As soon as the flax is pulled, it is steeped in soft water until the putrefactive fermentation take place. This degree of fermentation begins with the succulent part, as being more susceptible of decomposition than the rest. Were the flax to be continued long in this state, the whole substance of it would be decomposed or destroyed, upon the same principle that malt is injured by too long steeping, or that wort loses its substance by too long fermentation. It must therefore be taken out of the water while yet green, and be fore the whole of it is separated. Well-water and brackish water, must be carefully avoided, as well as that which flows over a gypseous soil. Such waters accelerate putrefaction, and hurt the quality of the hemp and flax. The flax, when taken from the water, is spread out upon the grass to dry. During the fermentation and decomposition which thence result, there is speedy combination of oxygen and carbon. Exposure on the grass facilitates the escape of the carbonic acid into the atmosphere, and the plants become of a whitish grey colour. It is known that a ley, very slightly alkaline, may be substituted with advantage for this long and noxious operation: it is therefore certain, that a chamber from 20 to 30 feet in length, into which the steam of alkaline caustic water (of the strength of one-fourth of a degree only) is introduced, will be sufficient to produce the same effect as watering an immense quantity of hemp and flax suspended on basket-work, and that, too, in less time, and at less expense than would arise from the different manipulations of watering. The losses occasioned by the negligence of workmen, who, by suffering the hemp or flax to macerate too long, give time to the decomposition to reach the filaments, which renders them brittle, and causes a considerable waste, will also be avoided. In this process, the artist can follow every moment the progress of his operation, and stop it at the favourable period. Nothing now remains but the wood, and the flax or fibrous part. The wood is a hollow tube covered over very completely with the flax. To separate this wood, it must be kilndried, in order to render it frangible or brittle; but care must be taken not to apply too much heat, for fear of injuring the flax. It is next to be beaten or broken, by which means the flax is not only divided into small fibres, but most of the wood is separated, and the part which adheres is reduced to small fragments. To separate these again, the flax is to be thrashed, in small parcels at a time, either by manual labour, or mills contrived for the purpose. Hackling is the last process, which is drawing or combing the flax, in small parcels at a time, through a pile or group of polished and sharp iron spikes, placed firmly in wood, through an iron plate. The linen, as it comes from the loom, is charged with what is called the weaver's dressing, which is a paste of flour boiled in water; and as this is brushed into the yarn of the warp before it is woven, it is sometimes difficult to separate it when dry. To discharge this paste, the linen must be steeped in water for about 48 hours, when this extraneous substance undergoes a kind of fermentation; this does not extend to the substance of the linen itself, upon the same principle that the green sap is disengaged from the flax without injury to its texture. When the linen is well washed after this last process, it contains nothing that water can separate; it is of a greyish white colour, although the fibres of which it is composed, when divested of every adventitious substance, are naturally very white. The matter which thus colours the linen, is of a resinous nature, insoluble in water, and from its intimate union or dissemination through the very fibres of the flax, is difficult of separation, even by those substances which have a solvent power over it. To disengage it, however, in as cheap and expeditious a manner as possible, without injuring the texture of the fabric, is the sole object of the process of bleaching. (To be continued.) |