surer become insolvent, it would be strange indeed if his constituents should have selected a Treasurer so mean that his goods, stock, and debts would not cover 2001. or 3001. or ten times the amount; and upon all these the Bank would have the first claim, under the act, to the exclusion of all other creditors. Under these circumstances, it is presumed that we may quite as securely invest limited portions of the amount of deposits, in the hands of persons of reputed opulence in England, although not bankers, as whole accounts in the hands of persons of reputed opulence in Scotland, who are of the profession of bankers.

From being practically conversant with subjects of this kind, the author feels some confidence in saying that the plan here laid down will answer the intended purpose; but he is not so vain as to imagine that experience and wiser heads may not discover further improvements. He must, however, once more presume to caution gentlemen who aim at improvements, not to disturb the simplicity of the design. To mix with the easy and efficacious operation of receiving, accumulating, improving, and, as required, returning to the poor man his savings-restrictions of various kinds, and contingent benefits connected with the doctrine of chances, is to relapse into the hundred-times-tried and abortive schemes from which we have emerged. It is now ten years since the author projected the Bank for Savings, of the Provident Institution; but being encumbered with restrictions and scientific calculations, after several years unsuccessful trial it was given up: experience has now stript the plan of every thing but the simple process of receiving, improving, and paying, and it thrives beyond expectation. Be all this remembered,

and be it considered too, that there is more merit in seizing one useful principle, when elicited, and adhering to it with constancy, than in quitting it for ingenious conceptions, which endanger the stability of a valuable foundation.

PROVIDENT BANK,

ST. PAUL, COVENT GARDEN,

ESTABLISHED FOR

The Security and Improvement of the SAVINGS of Tradesmen, Artificers, Servants, &c. until required for their future wants, or advancement in life.

The BANK is open every MONDAY Evening from SEVEN until EIGHT O'Clock, in the Office, at the South Entrance of the Church. No sum less than a Shilling can be received, but any part of the deposits, or the whole, may be drawn out whenever desired.

Interest, at Five per Cent. computed by Calendar Months, will be allowed on the deposits, as often as they amount to one pound, and be paid at the end of the year:

But no fraction of a month, or of a pound, will be taken into the account of interest; and it will be necessary for the depositor to retain not less than one pound in the Bank until the end of the year, to be entitled then to receive interest.

Persons who wish their names to be concealed, may open an account with a number.

A SHORT

LETTER

TO THE

CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER,

ON THE

DANGEROUS COMPETITION

OF THE

DISTILLERIES WITH THE BREWERIES.

BY A FREEHOLDER.

LETTER,

&c. &c.

SIR,

I TAKE the liberty of addressing you, in the interval which allows you some repose from the close of this week to the afternoon on Monday next, on a subject which will engage the early and most serious attention of the Legislature, and influence the most important interests of the People, in the fate of the various Petitions which have already been, and will still be presented to the House of Commons; praying the immediate Repeal of the War Tax on Malt, for the relief of the Barley-Growers, as one means of lessening the distress of the farmers, so generally acknowledged throughout the Kingdom.

I am persuaded, by much inquiry on the subject, that the Barley-Growers cannot be effectually or promptly relieved, without the most speedy interposition of the Legislature to encourage the Brewery; and that the Repeal of the War Tax on Malt, will be very inadequate to the Relief of the Barley-Growers, without an increase in the duties on Gin.

In this view of the question, I take the liberty of inclos

ing to you with this letter an important Report of the Magistrates of the County of Surrey, to restrain the alarming increase of Shops for the sale of Gin; and to express my conviction, that all regulations of Magistrates for that purpose will be futile, and will give the go-by to the prevention of the dangers and miseries occasioned by the excessive use of Gin, without the interposition of Parliament to lessen the temptation to drink Gin instead of Beer, from the cheapness of Gin in proportion to the cost of Beer; according to the relative potency of exhilarating, to the pungency of the one, to the flavour of the other, and the relish for each.-Gin is putting down Beer, and will continue to do so, until the relative cost and price of each may again recommend Beer, as a preferable refreshment to all the laborious classes of the People.

The effect of this to the Barley-Grower is important, and is of ten-fold greater importance to the victims of dram-drinking; the truth of both which assertions will appear, from the following statement, which I believe to be

correct.

The Coal-Whippers, who discharge the vessels in the Pool, are enabled to work from sun-rise to sun-set, through the heat and labour of a long summer's day, by the refreshment of sixteen pots or four gallons of beer in the day; and I am informed, that the heat and severe labour of Anchor-Smiths requires a still greater proportion of beer to enable them to perform a hard day's work. This statement will appear incredible to persons unacquainted with the quantity of beer required for hard labour, and the quantities which can be taken by persons drinking beer to great excess. Three persons drank 101 pots of beer in a day, at the Queen's Head, the corner of North street, near Whitechapel Turnpike-eight gallons each and five pots over; and this, not for any wager, but for a trial of their NO. XIV. Pam. VOL. VII.

2 K