566 



Provincial Occurrences: Oxford) Bedford, 



transportation against one, and 17 were imprisoned 

 for various periods. 



At Gloucester assizes, the learned judge, in ad- 

 dressing the grand jury, said " I must attest the 

 melancholy truth, that in every county through 

 which we have passed, we have unquestionably 

 found that crime is more prevalent, and the gaols 

 more crammed than ever they were known to be 

 at former periods." 38 were recorded for death, 

 27 transported, and 67 imprisoned for various 

 periods. 



Died.] At Gloucester, 85, Rev. Martin Barry; 

 S4,Mrs.Drayton; SO, Mr. W. Butt. 



OXFORDSHIRE. 



The amount received up to Nov. 20, 1826, of 

 the Banbtiry Savings' Bank, appears to have been 

 .'52,391. 10s. 6d., as verified at the annual meeting 

 of the trustees at the Town-hall. 



Died.] At Oxford, Mrs. Rigaund, wife to the 

 liadcliffe Observer and professor of astronomy. 



BEDFORD. 



At Bedford assizes, 11 prisoners were condemned 

 to death, 3 transported, and 11 imprisoned for va- 

 rious periods. 



NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK. 



In consequence of the number of prisoners in 

 custody for poaching, at Norwich, it was thought 

 indispensable to convey them to Thetford in three 

 detachments, under a military escort, a rescue upon 

 the road being apprehended. 



At the Bury assizes, sentence of death was re- 

 corded against nine prisoners, two of whom were 

 g-ypwei. 



A project is on foot to establish regular steam- 

 packets between Lynn, Hull, and Gainsborough. 



Married,] At Wixoe, Rev. W. Mayd, to Miss 

 E. M. Jardiue. At Great Yarmouth, W. Browne, 

 esq., to Miss M. Starling. 



Died.] At Ayleham, 93, Mrs. A, Fish. At 

 Peasenhall, 102, Ann H award, learing 5 children, 

 21 grand-children, 50 great-grand, and 19 great- 

 great grand-children. At Wicklevvood, 100, Mrs. 

 Mar> Spraggs. At Bungay, M.Kerrison,esq. 



HANTS. 



Died.] At Adbury-house, 90, Dr. W. Fellowes ; 

 he was formerly the confidential physician of his 

 present Majesty when at Bath. 



DORSET AND WILTS. 



On the north-eastern coast of Weymouth Bay, 

 at Osmington, opposite the Island of Portland 

 rises a chalky cliff, considerably higher than the 

 rest of the coast, called the White Nore. On Fri- 

 day, March 16, a flame was observed playing on 

 the surface of the cliff, on a particular spot' 

 which has now assumed the character of a sub- 

 terraneous fire burning continuously, and may be 

 seen from the Esplanade at Weymouth by night. 

 The chasms from which the fire issues cover a 

 space of earth 20 feet sqsare. Upon looking into 

 the cracks in the earth, the fire appears as clear 

 as that of a furnace. The atmosphere around is 

 sultry, and a steam arises from a larger portion of 

 the surface of the cliff. The coast in this neigh- 

 bourhood produces a slaty coal, of a very sulphu- 

 rous nature, and which exhales a gas so offensive 

 that none but those who are driven by poverty to 

 burn it can endure the odour. 



At the Dorset assizes, 2 prisoners were recorded 

 for death, and 25 were sentenced to imprisonment 

 ier various periods- 



DEVON AND SOMERSET. ^ 



At the assizes held at Exeter, 15 prisoners re- 

 ceived sentence of death, 8 were transported, and 

 33 were ordered to imprisonment for various pe- 

 riods. The judge complained of the local juris- 

 dictions of the county at these assizes, and threat- 

 ened to impose a fine upon the chief magistrate of 

 Exeter, if the precincts of the court iff which he 

 was sitting were not kept free from the disturbance 

 of noisy children ! 



A measure of great importance to the town of 

 Newton, and to property of every description near 

 it, has been determined on, viz. the cutting a canal 

 into the centre of the place, the work of a few 

 months, from which shipment may be made at once 

 to London, &c. It is contemplated to connect an 

 iron rail-road, running it towards Ashhurton, and 

 branching it off to Sigford, which is a short dis- 

 tance from the Dannemore iron-mine, recently dis- 

 covered near High Tor. 



At the Somerset assizes, held at Taunton, the 

 calendar contained the number of 210 prisoners. 

 Mr. Justice Park noticed the increase of crime, 

 particularly at Bath. 34 culprits were recorded 

 for death, 30 were transported, and 69 imprisoned 

 for various periods. In addition to this melan- 

 choly list, there are about 230 in the different 

 gaols of the county on orders, a great number of 

 whom are very young. It seems to be the general 

 opinion that the alarming increase of criminals in 

 this county, as compared with others, is, in a great 

 measure, owing to the failure of trade, and the 

 excessively low rate of the wages of labourers in 

 agriculture. 



On Easter Monday, the Thorveston Sick Clubs 

 dined together ; the members, 800 strong, paraded 

 the streets with music playing and banners flying. 

 l,3001bs. of prime and solid meat were dressed for 

 them, and their visitors from the neighbouring 

 villages. 



Married.] At Stonehouse, R. Bailey, esq., to 

 Miss H. Courtis. At Stuke, H. Tonkin, eso to 

 Miss C. Wood. 



Died.] At Teignmouth, 108, Mr. R. Cotton. 

 At Plymouth, 74, the Rev. Dr. Hawker, 50 of 

 which he had been the pastor of the parish of 

 Charles, and author of many popular works ; he 

 was so much respected, that the day after his 

 death, the windows of most of the shops remained 

 half closed, the bells of the several churches tolled 

 at intervals, and the flags of the merchant ships in 

 the harbour were hoisted at half-mast, and con- 

 tinued so until his burial. At Bath, 75, Alderman 

 Clarke. At Bristol, Mr. J. Embden ; he was a 

 most successful amateur composer, and author of 

 many elegant ballads. 



CORNWALL. 



At the assizes for this county, held at Launces- 

 ton, a variety of nisi prius causes were adjudged ; 

 but on the criminal side few prisoners were found 

 to take their trials ; 2 were sentenced to death, 2 

 transported, and a few imprisoned. 



At Truro, the first stone was lately laid for a 

 new church, designed chiefly for the poor of that 

 place and its immediate vicinity. 



The Blucher smack, belonging to Newlyn, and 

 manned by six men and a boy, lately left Mount's 

 Bay for Bristol, with about 9,000 mackarel which 

 they had taken, with intent of disposing of their 

 fish. When off Padstow it blew very hard, and the 

 unfortunate crew thought it best to make for that 

 harbour, in doing which she ran o the Dunbar 



