To the 'Bears,' who speculate for a fall, national calamity
is a God-send. Especially a failure of the harvest, or a great
military disaster like that which befell the Cabool expedition, is
an almost priceless blessing--a cause of jubilant thanksgiving and
joy. The 'Bulls,' on the other hand, whose gains depend upon a rise
in the funds, are ever brimful of boasts, and paint all things
_couleur de rose_. If the facts bear out the assertions of these
bands of _speculators_--we prefer a mild term--why so much the
better for the facts; but if not, sham-facts will answer the
purpose, and to manufacture _them_ 'is as easy as lying.' It is a
remarkable fact, by the way, that out of the multitude of British
fundholders there are not more than about 25,000 persons who are
liable from that source to the income-tax--that is, who receive
dividends to the amount of L.150 and upwards annually. The most
numerous class of the national creditors eleven years ago--and there
has, we believe, been no later return--were those whose annual
dividends did not exceed L.50. These numbered 98,946: the next
largest class, 85,069, were creditors whose yearly dividends did not
exceed L.5; whilst only 192 persons were in the receipt of annual
dividends exceeding L.2000.
But leaving these haunts of money-dealers, let us pass over to
Leadenhall Street, turn down Billiter Street, and walk on till we
reach Mark Lane and the plain, spacious, substantial, Doric-fronted
building on the left hand, in which the great London Corn Market is
held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday--the chief market, however,
being that of Monday.
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