8889 
[ Marcu, 
MONTHLY PROVINCIAL OCCURRENCES. 
NORTHUMBERLAND.—A meeting has been 
‘held at North Shields for the establishment of 
an Asylum for Decayed Master Mariners, and a 
committee formed and subscriptions entered into 
for that purpose. 
A woman has been committed for trial at New- 
eastle, on acharge of having wilfully murdered 
her own mother, Margaret Jameson, widow, by 
thrusting the point of an old iren poker, through 
the breast-bone into her heart! 
A public meeting has been held in Newcastle, 
for the purpose of facilitating the intended rail- 
road between that town and Carlisle. It was 
determined to petition Parliament in favour of the 
measure, 
DURHAM.—The ship-owners of Sunderland 
‘jhave resolved, at a general meeting, not to take 
any freights below a certain rate ; and they have 
published a list of the freights to be taken, which 
are all rather higher than last year. They ex- 
press their decided conyiction, that the great 
cause of the depression is the ruinous competition 
which the ship-owner has been drawn into with 
foreigners; and they have resolved to present 
another memorial to government praying for re- 
lief. 
It isin contemplatian to build a bridge over the 
Tees, at Whorlton, with roads leading to it from 
Stainton and Barnard-castle. The estimated ex- 
pense is £2,400; which is to be raised by sub- 
scriptions of £50 each—repayment and interest to 
be secured on the tolls ; and donations of smaller 
sums. 
YORKSHIRE.—A meeting of the ship-owners 
of Hull has been held at their Mansion House for 
the establishment of an association for the mutual 
insurance of vessels at that port, when resolutions 
were voted for purpose, 
In the last week but one of January, a severe 
frost, with a heavy fall of snow, visited York- 
shire. On this occasion, a species of carriages, 
much used in winter in the United States, as well 
asin the North of Europe, were introduced at 
Hull, viz. sleighs. The thermometer, at York, 
between 7 and 8 o’clock on the evening of the 
26th, stood at 12. 
One of the most lamentable events that ever 
occurred in Yorkshire, took place on the morn- 
ing of the 2d of February. On that day, about 
half past two o’clock, an incendiary, of the name 
of Jonathan Martin, who had*concealed himself 
behind a tomb, in the north trancept of the Min- 
ster, during service in the afternoon, set fire tothat 
sacred pile, by collecting the clergymens’ and 
singing-men’s surplices, &c., and placing them 
in a heap, in the vestry, on the north side of the 
choir, usually called the clergymen’s robing- 
room, and applying a candle to them, which he 
had lighted by means of a flint and steel he 
earried in his pocket. Having seen the flames 
fairly take their hold of the elegant tabernacle 
wood-work by which the choir is surrounded, he 
made his escape through a window in the north 
traneept, by means of a piece of rope cut from the 
one attached to the prayer-bell. The fire was 
not discovered till 7 o’clock the next morning. It 
had then extended nearly the whole of one side of 
the choir, and was making a rapid progress. Had 
there been a few active firemen present at that 
period, we have little doubt but the whole of the 
south side of the choir might have been sayed. 
However, the flames communicated to the organ, 
from thence to the roof; and the latter being soon 
burnt through, the timbers fell upon the hitherto 
unburnt part of the choir, and that was also set 
on firs,and every thing combustible was consumed 
from the southern tower to the east end, including 
the noble organ, and a quantity of music. The 
greatest efforts were made to subdue the flames, 
and the utmost anxiety was displayed by all 
classes of persons. All the engines in York were 
soon on the spot, and more were sent for from 
Leeds, from which place four arrived inthe af- 
ternoon; but the fire was then completely pre- 
vented from doing any more danger, by having 
exhausted the materials on which it had to feed. 
An engine arrived from Tadcaster, and another 
from B. Thomson’s, Esq., of Escrick. After the 
roof had completely fallen in, which was about 
half-past eleven o’clock, the whole floor of the 
choir and chancel resembled an immense furnace, 
and continued burning for hours after. An im- 
mense torrent of water was directed upon it from 
the engines. The rope, by which Martin escaped, 
being left suspended from the window, led to an 
inquiry, which ierminated in his apprehension, 
near Hexham, the following Friday. He is a 
brother to Martin the historical painter, according 
to his own account, and was born at Hexbam; 
and has been a sailor, but has lately obtained his 
living, hawking about a pamphlet called ‘‘ The 
Life of Jonathan Martin.” 
The subscription entered into jfor the restora- 
tion of the choir of York Minster amounts to up- 
wards of £10,000. Mr. Smirke, the architect, 
has just concluded a survey: and a public meet- 
ing of the snbscribers will shortly be held, at 
which the ulterior measures to be adopted will be 
determined upon. 
The Festival of Bishop Blaize, the patron Saint 
of wool-combers, was celebrated at Wakefield, 
by a public procession, on the 3d of February, 
The project of carrying a railway from Leeds 
to Hull is abandoned. The application to Parlia- 
ment will only be for powers to construct a rail- 
way from Leeds to Selby. 
A fine specimen of that very rare bird the 
Waxen Chatterer, was taken a few days ago by 
Mr. Westoley, of Humbleton, in Holderness. 
A meeting has been held at Doncaster, for the 
purpose of considering of a plan for warping and 
draining the level of Hatfield Chace. It will re- 
guire about £110,000. to carry this plan into 
execution, which will forthwith be raised. 
The trade of Leeds and neighbourhood has 
been very bad during the month; so has that of 
the West Riding generally. Sheffield is not much 
better. Indeed, all over the county there are great 
complaints. 
