Wellington Seeks to Retain Funding for London Bridge and to Root Out Corruption

blockquote> There are so many fictions in circulation on all subjects that I recommend to you do not send any information that cannot be proved By the end of the 18th century, it was apparent that the old London Bridge, by then over 600 years old, needed to be replaced.  Work began in 1824.  This was a very expensive process.  Perhaps the greatest single source of funding for the Bridge was a duty on coal, then the most important heating fuel and a major product that England consumed and exported.  The amount of money changing hands during a time of great industrial growth resulted in abuses and corruption in this duty, and higher prices to consumers.  

At the time, the Duke of Wellington was leader of the opposition in Parliament, and he sought to eliminate duties only in such a way as would not stifle efforts to build London Bridge.  Corruption, he concluded, was furthering the interests of the major coal monopolies, which dictated the prices and production as they pleased. This meant less money coming to the national coffers as well as higher prices to consumers.  A continued source of funding for the bridge must be found, he concluded.

In March 1831, a group of Lords and the King’s representatives chaired by Sir George C. Lewis met to address issues in taxation.  In the new bill, they maintained the current duties but put restrictions on how the duties were collected, restricting collection to certain districts and certain collectors, which effectively lowered the duties, though not as much as critics had wanted.  This was to ensure that a reduction in taxes lowered the burden on business and customers, but not to a degree that the government lost funds needed for the bridge.  However, as Wellington wrote to a friendly coal merchant, the price of coal was not going down at the same rate as the King’s duties reduction, meaning that local London merchants were pocketing the difference.  

Autograph Letter Signed, October 31, 1831, to successful coal merchant Robert Pate. “Sir, I have received your letter.  There is no subject in which the public at large is more interested than in the price of coals.  Since the month of March last the King’s duty of six shillings a chaldron has been repealed. The abuses which existed in the City of London have been put an end to by an Act of Parliament brought in by Mr. Lewis.  These abuses could not have enhanced the price to the consumers of coals less than the amount of the King’s duties.  The whole diminution of expense on a chaldron ought not to be less than twelve shillings.  The diminution of price in the London market has been only two shillings.  If you have any accurate information founded upon proof which can be produced of the real state of the case, I shall be happy to receive it.  But there are so many fictions in circulation on all subjects that I recommend to you do not send any information that cannot be proved.  Wellington”