152 RECORDS OF OLD TIMES 



berry. This seemed very fair and reasonable, 

 especially as a protection to the revenue. But here 

 was this just and honest reply, viz. : ' T/ia^ every 

 ounce of date coffee brought into England. paid through 

 the Custom House the ful/cst amount of duty, 

 precisely the same as Ceylon, Brazilian, or produce 

 from any other country I ' The fact was, the Mincing 

 Lane people had got hold of the right hon. gentle- 

 man, and, inasmuch as we were somewhat interfering 

 with their trade, had placed this disgraceful and 

 most unjust proposal before him. A meeting of our 

 directors was called, and as I happened to be a 

 personal friend of the late Sir Charles Du Cane, 

 then chairman of the Customs, the Board deputed 

 me to wait on him, and learn the real position of 

 matters. I went, therefore, to the Custom House, 

 and was met by the worthy baronet with his habitual 

 courtesy. In the course of our interview I was in- 

 formed that what we had stated was true, namely, that 

 three or four tons of ground dates were passed 

 weekly by us through the Customs, paying the full 

 amount of duty, the same as the produce of the coffee 

 berry. Mr. George E. Russell, who was one of the 

 subordinates of the Ministry, and represented my 

 native town of Aylesbury in Parliament, although 

 I had been his bitter but unsuccessful opponent at 

 his election, received me very cordially, entered upon 

 the subject at once, and promised to make every 

 inquiry. I then waited on several other members 

 of Parliament, who all expressed their utter astonish- 

 ment at my information, and promised to oppose 



