ON CANDLES, TALLOW, AND FUEL. 387 



coal is not habitually bought at Oxford till 1657. I conclude 

 that in these three years the part of the Thames between 

 Burcot pier and Oxford, the navigation of which was always 

 difficult and generally impossible, was sufficiently in flood for 

 water carriage. 



Towards, the end of the period the price of coal at Cam- 

 bridge creeps up, and in the last two years it is comparatively 

 high, 30^., though it is never near the rate occasionally quoted 

 in the years referred to above. I think it highly probable, 

 that as time went on, and the use of the article became habitual 

 and regular, the College watched the market, and laid in the 

 store which it needed at a time when the supply was pretty 

 regular and the price low. I do not see any evidence that 

 they contracted for it. 



Eton begins to purchase sea-coal in 1652, and gets it pretty 

 regularly afterwards, sometimes using or buying no other 

 fuel. In two years, 1671-2, it is very dear at Eton, but it 

 will be remembered that these were years of war with the 

 Dutch, when the coasting trade was likely to suffer, especially 

 after the sea-fights with De Ruyter and Van Tromp. In one of 

 these years, 1672, it is dear at Cambridge. In both these years 

 it is, as might be expected, dear at Oxford, and for the same 

 reason. In the last two years of the period it is also very dear 

 at Eton. In general, unless very abnormal circumstances 

 affect the market, coal at Eton is about 4^. to 5r. dearer by 

 the chaldron than it is at Cambridge. 



In 1610, ten chaldrons of coal are purchased by Dorothy 

 Wadham, who was just beginning to build her College. It is 

 possible that on exceptional occasions sea-coal was carried to 

 Oxford. I have already adverted to those of a somewhat 

 later date. In 1657, however, the use becomes frequent. 

 Even after this date it is not bought by all the Colleges whose 

 accounts I have examined. Most of them supplied themselves 

 with firewood from their own neighbouring estates, all used 

 charcoal largely, and one or two invariably. Towards the end 

 of the period sea-coal is purchased in Oxford almost every year. 



c c 2 



