240 HSH CULTURE. 



e£fect. Our readers will scarcely need to be reminded 

 of tlie disastrous results -whicli this particular form 

 of swindling brought about in the Crimea. 



"For many years past there has been a constant 

 endeavour in the House of Commons to upset this 

 branding system, and various members (prompted 

 thereto, no doubt, by individual cujers) have returned 

 to the charge, sometimes not only in hope of dis- 

 continuing the brand, but of abolishing all superin- 

 tendence whatever. Greatly as we dislike G-ovem- 

 ment interference with individual industries, we 

 heartily hope that these attempts, if repeated in the 

 future, will be as unsuccessful as they have hitherto 

 been. In 1849, the Eight Hon. J. G. S. Lefevre.^ 

 having been commissioned to inqioire into the matter, 

 presented a very elaborate and interesting report, in 

 which he seems to have exhausted the whole ques- 

 tion. Mr. Lefevre went into the matter thoroughly, 

 and after expressing a strong opinion that 'the 

 system of authenticating the quality of goods by 

 the agency of a Government officer is objectionable 

 in principle,' he goes on to declare that, ' as respects 

 the foreign trader, which is sufficiently large to be an 



^ Mr. Lefevre is one of the members of the present commiBWon, 

 and it is to be hoped he will ncft see fit to recant opinions So ably 

 and clearly expressed. 



