seen, that more than the expense of all these machines is saved, in half a year's use of Coffee. It is strongly recommended to individual gentlemen, particularly interested in Coffee, in order to promote the general consumption thereof, to employ trust-worthy agents, whom they wish to befriend, to sell it on their behalf. A licence would only cost 5s. 6d. It is believed that if any gentleman in the country will take of his merchant his own Coffee, at the rate of 80s. per cwt. (with which it is conceived, under present circumstances, he should be contented) he would find himself repaid, and his agent remunerated, whilst promoting the use of the article, by selling it of the best quality, at 1s. 9d. per lb. unroasted, and 2s. roasted; and inferior qualities in proportion. This experiment has been tried, under the following particular results. One cask of Coffee, weighing 651 lb. at 80s. £. S. d. 23 5 0 Customs, duty, and fees Excise duty West-India Dock charges Officers, cartage, and booking 11 8 60 2 9 0 5 11 090 O 15 0 Broker's and merchant's commission Allowed the agent for retailing every 15th Carriage by canal and storing at 4s. per cwt. Total cost From some unaccountable cause there was a deficiency in the weight, when the Coffee came to be retailed, of 33 lb. The remaining 6171 lb. sold at 1s. 9d. producing 531. 17s. 3d. Leaving an overplus, to pay extra carriage, &c. independently of the profit to the agent, and the above enormous deficiency, of The agent was extremely well satisfied with the allowance of 1 in 13 lb. The waste ought not to exceed (and will not in general) 2 oz. on 10 lb. or 14 lb. on every 100 lb. but great care should be taken that the agent is furnished with good scales. It is the practice of grocers in the country, to allow the hawkers one halfpenny per pound for all sugar, coffee, and other articles, sold; and it is delivered to them in any quantities they like, packed in paper: paper: the above allowance is of course greater. Supposing the planter to sell his Coffee, in London, at 80s. per cwt. it will stand the retailer, or person who buys at the Docks, as follows, viz. By this calculation, any person who feels sufficiently interested in the subject, may, if no other and better expedient suggest itself to his own mind, govern himself in promoting and superintending the diffusive sale and consumption of Coffee. It would be well worth gentlemen's attention to supply the article to their servants, instead of the usual allowance for tea, which every day becomes less sufficient for the servants, and more expensive to the master. In the distribution of comforts to the poor, it is submitted that, next to fuel, Coffee is the most useful that can be furnished at a cheap rate and as its cheapness will admit of benefactions being frequently made, they will serve to originate and to sustain a general and salutary habit for Coffee among the poorer classes. When Coffee is sold at 2s per lb. the division of that sum amongst the different parties interested, is nearly as follows: So that the person who buys a pound of Coffee, pays to the exigencies of the State, about one-sixth more than to the man whose labour and capital produce it; that man lays out the money he gets in maintaining his family (who depend upon it for support) and in purchasing English manufactures and stores for the comfort of his negroes, which must of course very much depend upon the master's sale sale of that which is to furnish him with the means of buying them. The principal reliances of our enemy for the ruin of this country, are, the exhausting our stock of gold and silver, thereby creating a necessity for an increase of our paper-currency, (which, as he thinks, is already superabundant,) and filling our warehouses with unsaleable merchandise. When, therefore, we buy tea, for which we send bullion out of the country, we act according to his wishes; when we buy Coffee, we directly thwart him, by disposing of our own colonial produce in the purchase of our home manufactures; thus relieving two classes to whose particular distress he looks for the success of his schemes. That the article of Coffee is most agreeable and nourishing, is in some measure shown, by its being preferred by the population of almost the whole of Europe, (who drink it even without milk or sugar,) as well as throughout the greatest part of Asia and the United States of America, where the consumption is progressively increasing. Several eminent writers on the subject of health and diet, confirm the opinion of Coffee possessing many medical virtues, and of its containing a great deal of nourishment, being very strengthening, and particularly refreshing after hard labour; especially Dr. Mead, Sir John Pringle, Drs. Fothergill, Mosely, and Willich, of our own country; and the celebrated foreign physicians, Prosper Alpin de Barglivé, De le Febre, M. M. André Bourdellin, De Jussieu, and a learned Turk, named Kealib Chilile. Dr. Thomas Percival, a late very eminent and accurate physician, in his experiments, (as published) found it to moderate and prevent alimentary fermentation, acidity, and putrefaction:' and in the introduction to the London Practice of Physic, we find the following remark: It is a pity that Coffee is not substituted for tea, since it is much more wholesome, especially when it is boiled over-night with an equal portion of milk; this not only renders it palatable, but it is a very desirable breakfast. Coffee strengthens the stomach; tea, on the contrary, relaxes it." The above is the substance of a paper which has lately been put into circulation by the standing committee of persons interested in the sale of coffee, and we give it insertion on account of several points of information which it contains. As to the public benefit which it is attempted to be insinuated would arise from an increased consumption of coffee, it is to be recollected, that every item which is here displayed in behalf of coffee, is equally to be taken into consideration in behalf of tea, and that even in regard to the exportation of bullion it may be observed, that bullion has this year been received in England from China, and that a signal alteration of the course of trade in this particular is understood to have taken place. (See General Chronicle, vol. ii, p. 300. For a statement of the the late increase in the growth of Coffee in Jamaica, see vol. i, p. 210. For our present consumption of Tea, see Domestic Intelligence, in this number. AN ASTRONOMICALL DESCRIPTION OF the late Comet from the 18. of With certaine Morall Prognosticks or BY VIGILANT AND DILIGENT observations of IOHN BAINBRIDGE Doctor of Physicke, and louer of TO THE IMPERIALL MAIESTY of GREAT JAMES, &c. Most gracious Soveraigne. IT T was the counsell of Aristides, τοὺς μὲν νέως τῷ Θεῷ καθιεροῦν, τοὺς δ ̓ ἄνδρας τοὺς ἐλλογίμους τῇ τῶν βιβλίων ἀναθέσει τιμῶν. Το worship GoD with consecration of Temples, but to honour Noble personages with Dedication of bookes: following this aduice, I beganne not long since the description of Great Britaines Monarchy in three Columnes, Historicall, Panegyricall, and Prophylac ticall; intending thereby to stir vp your leige people to a religious admiration of Gods wonderfull Prouidence in vniting these two famous Kingdomes into one Monarchy; to a iust acknowledgement of our exceeding happinesse therein as also to an vnanimous desire, and endeauour for the absolute Vnion and perpetuall preseruation thereof. In the meane time Heauen it selfe offered a faire occasion to manifest the feruent zeale long smothered in my loyall breast towards your MAIESTY, the late strange, and admirable Comet, which hath filled so many eies with his rayes, and their thoughts with Meteors, or doubts. An Astronomicall description whereof delineated in a celestiall Plani-sphere, with some briefe touches in the Prognostickes, and Morall applications thereof, I humbly offer to your princely Excellence, beseeching you to proiect the beames of your sweete, and gracious influence both on it, and the Authour; that, as the glorious Sunne of Heauen with his resplendence enlightened this (otherwise obscure) Comet: So your MAIESTIE our terrestiall Phabus would vouch safe to illustrate Your Maiesties most humble, and loyall Subiect, |