The following paragraph would seem, at first sight, rather harsh—but it must be borne in mind that the War was a cruel drain on our fiscal resources—and not one penny that had been granted by parliament could be bated.
The Assessed Taxes taking their departure.
"The Commissioners of the Stamp Office having been informed that the practice of letting out newspapers for hire, was carried on to a very considerable extent, to the great injury of the revenue, the Commissioners ordered a prosecution to take place, and a newsman was yesterday summoned before the Lord Mayor, and convicted in the penalty of £5, as the Act directs."—(Times, Oct. 23, 1795.)
"Lending Newspapers. James Berridge, a Newsman, was, on Saturday, brought before Sir William Addington, and R. Ford, Esq., charged with letting out Newspapers for hire, from house to house. This was a prosecution instituted by the Commissioners of the Stamps. A great number of complaints were brought forward against him, and he was convicted in six penalties of £5 each. A variety of others were about to be exhibited against him, but in consideration of his having a large family, the Solicitor declined going into them."—(Times, Jan. 2, 1798.)
"The keepers of several reading-rooms in Fleet Street, and Shoe-Lane, were, on Saturday, fined £5 for lending newspapers for hire."—(Times, Sept. 26, 1798.)
"Government intends to have one fixed standard for Weights, and Measures, over the whole Kingdom; as the greatest frauds, for want of that regulation, have, for ages, been practised with impunity. These regulations are much needed, and are an excellent subject for taxation. The lower orders of the community are grievously imposed upon, for want of them, and, doubtless, it will be a popular mode of taxation, and can give no offence to any class of people, but those dishonestly employed."—(Times, Sept. 15, 1796.)
"The following curious view of the incredible loss sustained by raising weekly loans of money, at the Pawnbrokers, it is hoped, will prove an additional incitement to frugality; for certain it is, that in many instances, 1/6th, and in some cases 1/5th, and even as high as 1/4th, of the annual earnings of the more thoughtless, and dissolute part, of the poor, is paid for temporary accommodations. For instance,
"The person who borrows 3d. in pawn, pays 6d. a year, interest, but, if taken out weekly, (a thing very common, particularly during the Lottery),
| It is | 1/2d. | per week, | or | 850 | per cent. on the sum borrowed. |
| If | 6d. | it is the same | " | 425 | do. |
| If | 9d. | do. | " | 285 | do. |
| If | 1s. | do. | " | 215 | do. |
| If | 2s. | do. | " | 107½ | do. |
| If | 2s. 6d. | do. | " | 87½ | do. |