samouelle's 



the end fell again to 22,000/. ; the amount paid wa^ 

 24,317/. 0*. lie?. In the following year, the sum- 

 mer was remarkably dry and hot ; we could hardly 

 sleep of nights with the sheets on ; the thermometer 

 for several nights continued above 70° all the night 

 through : the crop of hops was immense, scarcely a 

 fly was to be found, and the betted duty, which began 

 in May at 120,000/., rose to 265,000. ; the old duty 

 actually paid was 269,331/. 0*. 9d. ; the gross duty, 

 468,401/. 16*. Id., being the largest amount ever 

 known. From this it will appear that, in duty alone, 

 a little insignificant looking fly has a control over 

 450,000/. annual income to the British Treasury; 

 and supposing the hop-grounds of England capable 

 of paying this duty annually, which they certainly 

 are, it is very manifest, that in 1825, these creatures 

 were the means of robbing the Treasury of 426,000/. 

 This seems a large sum, but it is not one-twentieth 

 part of the sums gained and lost by dealers during 

 the two years in question." 



