"Monday, in consequence of an information, Mr. Justice Addington, attended by several officers, went to a Baker's shop, in Holborn, where they found 70 loaves, short of the standard weight, 181 ounces. The Magistrate fixed the penalty of 5s. per ounce, which amounted to £45, 5s., but which was mitigated to £40. The Magistrate, and officers, then went to a Baker's in Little Turnstile, and found 54 loaves short of the standard, 142 ounces, amounting at 5s. an ounce to £36, but which was mitigated to £30. The loaves were distributed to the poor in the neighbourhood of Covent Garden."—(Times, July 8, 1795.)
"A Baker was convicted, yesterday, at the Public Office, Whitechapel, of making Bread, to the amount of 307 ounces, deficient in weight, and fined in the penalty of £64, 7s."—(Times, Aug. 27, 1796.)
"A Baker was, yesterday, convicted in the penalty of £106, 5s. on 420 ounces of bread, deficient in weight."—(Times, Aug. 30, 1796.)
"On Thursday a great deal of bread was brought before Alderman Cadell, by the Inquest of one of the City Wards, being under the regular standard of weight. The Alderman ordered the loaves to be all weighed before him, and desired the Bakers who were present, to attend to the weights.
"The Bakers expressed their sorrow for it, and said it was an accident occasioned by the carelessness of their Journeymen, in suffering it to be an hour too long in the oven. They not bringing the men forward, to substantiate the defence, the Alderman told them he should fine them the full penalty, of five shillings an ounce, for all deficient; which came to above twenty pounds, besides the forfeiture of the bread. Mr. Kirby, the Keeper of Newgate, being present, solicited part of it, for his prisoners. Some of the Inquest likewise solicited the bread, for the poor of their ward: but the Alderman told them that half of the penalty came to them, which would compensate for the bread."—(Times, Nov. 30, 1799.)
"Forestalling" and "Regrating" were heinous sins.—They consisted in buying any thing on its way to market, before it had been exposed for public sale—and in purchasing at any market at one price, and selling it again at a higher.
"In consequence of the serious enquiry making into the infamous practices of the salesmen, in Smithfield market, and the conviction of a leading man among them, for regrating, mutton, and lamb, fell 1-1/2d. per pound, in Friday, and yesterday's, market. If the Magistrates would but exert themselves, to put in force the laws against monopolizers, and forestallers, provisions would soon be at a moderate price, as we are convinced there is no real scarcity: and are of opinion that the farmers and graziers, who are now holding back their corn, and cattle, will experience the fate of those, who, in the hard weather, refused to sell their potatoes under 2-1/2d. per lb., and now cannot get 1/2d. per lb., but have the well deserved prospect of being obliged to give them to the hogs, for want of a consumption."—(Times, May 26, 1795.)
"HIGH PRICE OF MEAT. This alarming circumstance is not owing to any real scarcity of oxen, sheep, or hogs, but, partly, to a combination among the carcass-butchers in the wholesale markets, and the salesmen in Smithfield, who fix the prices, and who regulate what quantity of cattle shall come to town: and, partly, to a very shameful practice among the retail butchers, especially where a contract is made to supply a family at so much per pound for the year. When the butcher has made his contract at 5d., 5-1/2d., or 6d., he can make a very great profit, although, as is now the case, he can purchase a carcass at 7-1/2d. in the wholesale markets: and the mode by which he does this, is in defrauding his customers of the due weight, to which the person, who attends to see the meat weighed, too often connives at, for a Christmas present, or an Easter gift. The weight, no doubt is in the scale, at the time of weighing: but when the meat is put by, in order to be sent home, a considerable part is purloined: and it is a well known fact, that, in these large lots, the same leg of beef(?) has been weighed to, perhaps, ten or twelve families, in the same day, and not sent to any of them. The leg is considered as the most convenient for this theft, because it is so large, and is, when weighed with the lot, hung on the end of the beam of the scales, from whence it is taken down, and thrown, not where it ought, with the meat, but to another part of the shop. If this was not the case, how is it possible that a butcher can make a livelihood, when he buys 2d. per pound dearer than he sells? The fact speaks for itself. The mode which all families should adopt, is to weigh their meat when it is sent home."—(Times, July 3, 1795.)
"A few days ago, 11 acres of growing wheat, belonging to the Duke of Hamilton, in Scotland, were sold at £20 per acre. This species of forestalling, we fear, is now too generally attempted, which is evidently most injurious to the community, viz., 'to buy corn growing in the fields.' This practice, surely, has a direct, and apparent, tendency to enhance the present price of corn: also, that of 'selling corn in the sheaf.' We think it expedient, however, to notify, that both these practices are deemed highly criminal by the 'common law of England,' and for which the offenders may be indicted, and punished, as they deserve, with great severity, viz., by fines, pillory, and imprisonment. See Inst. 197: also Hawk c. 30."—(Times, Aug. 19, 1795.)
"The contrivances to keep up the price of wheat, having been discovered, and defeated, we hope the attention of the worthy Chief Magistrate will now be directed towards some plan for the relief of the Metropolis, against the extortion of the Graziers, and Salesmen, in Smithfield Market. The prices of the latter, on Monday, were higher than almost ever remembered, and mutton is now sold at 7-1/2d. per lb. What real cause there is for such extravagant prices, after such a mild winter, is a matter we are at a loss to account for."—(Times, April 13, 1796.)