A man and a woman were each tined by the
Lord Mayor on Tuesday, for having smuggled brandy and tobacco in their possession. 'the contraband trade is carried on to a great extent, with the assistance of the numberless steamers which come to the port of London daily.—Mornirly Parer.
Of course the contraband trade will be carried on to great ex- tent, as long as brandy can be landed in the London Docks at from 3.c. to 5s. a gallon, and the duty is 2:2s. 6d. The consump- tion of brandy, that is of duly-paid brandy, a hundred and fifty years ago, was 1,512,000 gallons: in 1830 it was only 1,285,000; but at the former period the duty was a mere trifle. Then as to tobacco, the price in bond seldom exceeds 6d. a pound for the best qualities, while the duty is 3.v., or 600 per cent. In one year, more than three millions and a halt' of pounds were !muggled on one part of the Irish coast only. Yet Ministers suffer all this fraud upon the revenue and the fair trader, rather than act manfully
upon the principles they maintained for years when in Opposition. What a mockery it is to be legislating upon beer-houses and the Sabbath amusements of the poor, while the enormous immorality of contraband trade, with all its horrid accompaniments of perjury and bloodshed, is obstinately patronized by the Government !
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