Ma*. 2,] 



THE NEWSPAPER. 



[1844, 



expenses to the amount of Is. U. a week for each house, 

 which sum would include all the necessary watering, 

 thereby saving the present rate of about bd. a house per 

 week, which reduce* the extra expense to only Is. 2d. a 

 house per week. The committee, which consists of 18 

 of the inhabitants of Oxford-street, Regent-street, &c., 

 after adverting to the improvement now apparent in the 

 appearance of those two streets, trust that such general 

 measures may be taken throughout the metropolis as may 

 not only secure to the inhabitants clean streets and pave- 

 ments, but afford employment on fair and liberal terms to 

 the vast bodies of destitute able-bodied paupers who are 

 now either compelled to wander in quest of support or 

 become the inmates of a union workhouse. Lord Ranelagh 

 said this was a most important subject, and one on which 

 there ought not to be two opinions. In the first place, if 

 carried out, it would find increased employment for a vast 

 number of the poor, desiring and seeking an honest means 

 of obtaining their daily bread ; it would bring additional 

 comfort to the middle classes, and it would afford an extra 

 luxury to the opulent. The decent pedestrian, and the 

 rich owner of an equipage, would both be benefited. The 

 shopkeeper at,ked for it as the greatest of boons, and the 

 private inhabitants of the houses of populous thorough- 

 fares prayed for it as one of the first things to be desired. 

 Several speeches were afterwards delivered, and resolu- 

 tions passed in favour of the principles embodied in the 



report. 



Institute of tlve Fine Arts. — At a general meeting of 

 this society on Saturday, Thomas Wyse, Esq.,M.P. in the 

 chair, a petition to Parliament for the establishment of a 

 hall of sculpture was read and agreed to. Its objects were 

 that casts of all the most eminent statues in the world be 

 placed in a building established for the purpose, to be 

 opened to the public during the day, and to artists and 

 patrons of art in the evening, properly lighted for study ; 

 that the casts should be fresh casts, not casts from re- 

 casts, which, it is imagined, the British Government would 

 readily obtain in exchange for casts of the Elgin marbles ; 

 and these new casts would enable the Government to 

 supply the vaiious schools of design at a cheap rate, &c. 



liichmond. — Two robberies, one of them very extensive 

 in its character, occurred on Sunday evening last, at 

 Richmond. It appears that it has become a practice with 

 the London thieves to leave town in small parties on the 

 Sunday morning and disperse themselves through the 

 different villages. They generally take some refreshment 

 at an inn in the neighbourhood they intend to " work " in, 

 and by dint of inquiry and observation, ascertain what 

 families are out or likely to be out, for any portion of the 

 evening, and whether the servants are permitted to go to 

 •church or elsewhere during the absence of the family. It 

 generally happens that they discover one or two of the 

 ▼illas left unguarded, and these as soon as it is dark they 

 enter without making any breakage or disturbance, being 

 •always provided with a selection of skeleton keys. Some- 

 times a finely-finished crowbar, an instrument not more 

 than six inches long, but possessing extraordinary lever 

 power, is brought into requisition, and as no box, drawer, 

 or cupboard can withstand it, the thieves select the most 

 ■valuable and portable booty and decamp. Everything is 

 managed so quietly, and with so much adroitness, that it 

 is almost impossible for a policeman on his beat to detect 

 their presence in a house. Both the robberies alluded to 

 took place in St. John's-grove, between six and nine in 

 the evening. From the house occupied by Mr. Sanderson 

 four 10/. notes, 19 sovereigns, and a quantity of plate and 

 jewellery to the amount of nearly 100/. in value was 

 stolen. From Mr. Blake's, a neighbouring house, were 

 carried off a silver watch and other articles of jewellery. 



Peckham. — An instance of the changes to which per- 

 sons who have moved high in commercial credit and 

 worldly comfort are frequently subjected has occurred in 

 the case of Mr. Robson, the projector and publisher of 

 the w Pott Office Directory " which bore his name. This 

 gentleman after suffering the loss of his fortune sank into 

 poverty, until he was compelled to seek parochial aid, 

 and at length died on Tuesday in Peckham workhouse, 

 of which he had been for a considerable time an inmate. 



Mortality of the Metropolis. — The following is the 

 number of Deaths registered in the week ending Feb. 17. 

 —West Districts, 164; Northern, 206; Central, 209; 

 Eastern, 270; Southern, 297. Total, 1146. Weekly 

 average for the last five years, 946. 



! 



ipobmcinl Neto. 



Agricultural Meetings. — The following meetings in 

 favour of protection and for the adoption of measures to 

 oppose the League have been reported since our last. 

 -—On Thursday the 22d, at York, the-Earl of Harewood 

 in the chair, supported by the Earl of Tyrconnell, Lords 

 Feversham and Beaumont, Sir R. F. Russell, Bart., 

 R. Betheil, Esq., M.P., H. S. Thompson, Esq., Godfrey 

 Wentworth, Esq., H. Willoughby, Esq., the Hon. E. 

 Lascelles, and about 1000 agriculturists. Upwards of 

 .2000/. was subscribed at the meeting. — On Friday at Ely, 

 Mr. Layton in the chair, supported by a large number of 

 tenant-farmers. About 500/. was subscribed in the room. 

 — On Thursday at Epping, Mr. Baker of Writtle, in the 

 chair, supported by most of the tenant-farmers of the 

 western division of Essex. — On Wednesday at Kings- 

 bridge, Mr. Helraore of ShiUton, in the chair, supported by 

 a large numberof landowners, farmers, and others, connected 

 with the agriculture of the South Bams. — At Sherborne, 

 Mr. T. Ensor in the chair, supported by Sir W. C. Med- 

 licott, Bart., Sir H. Willoughby, Bart., Rev. Dr. Lyon, 

 &c. — At Guildford, on Thursday, Mr. Holland in the 

 chair, supported by Mr. Trotter, M.P., Mr. Mangles, 

 M.P., Messrs. C. Barclay, H. Drummond, H. Currie, 



Colonel Delap, the Mayor of Guildford, Colonel Holme 

 Sumner, Mr. M. Molyneux, Mr. H. T. Hope, &c— On 

 Monday at Welshpool, Montgomeryshire, J. Owen, 

 Esq., High Sheriff, in the chair, supported by the Earl of 

 Powis, David Pugh, Esq., Martin Williams, Esq., 

 Bonner Maurice, Esq., John Turner, Esq., the Rev. 

 Mostyn Pryce, and a large number of tenant-farmers. — 

 At Uxbridge on Thursday, Mr. James Tillyer, a tenant 

 farmer, in the chair, supported by Mr. Newdegate, M.P., 

 CoL Wood, M.P., Mr. Dupre, M.P., Mr. Pownall, Sir 

 John Gibbons, Rev. W. Hewson, Col. Vyse, and about 

 500 farmers.— At Harleston on Wednesday, Mr. Ethe- 

 ridge, a tenant farmer in the chair, supported by a 

 large number of the agriculturists of Norfolk. 



On Monday a meeting called by the Anti-Corn-law 

 League was held at Thirsk in the North Riding of York- 

 shire, for the purpose of hearing addresses from a deputa- 

 tion of the League, consisting of Colonel Thompson, Mr. 

 Prentice, of Manchester, and Mr. Plint of Leeds, on the 

 expediency of free trade in Corn. The meeting was 

 attended by a large number of landowners and farmers of 

 Thirsk and neighbourhood. Addresses were delivered by 

 the deputation in favour of free-trade principles, which 

 were opposed by Mr. Crompton of Sion hill, and Mr. 

 Rutson of Newby Wiske. At the conclusion Mr. Cromp- 

 ton proposed a resolution to the following effect : — " That 

 a free trade in Corn would reduce to a state of destitution 

 all who had invested their capital in farming operations, 

 materially injure the landowners of Thirsk, bring want and 

 misery on the agricultural labourer, and involve in one 

 common ruin all classes of the community." The 

 resolution was carried by a large majority. — On 

 Friday and on Saturday Anti-Corn-law meetings were 

 held at Gloucester, the first being the city meeting, the 

 second the county meeting. At the first Mr. S. Bowly 

 presided ; and Mr. Cobden,Mr. Moore, and Col. Thom- 

 son addressed the meeting as a deputation from the 

 League, after which resolutions in favour of free trade 

 were carried. At the county meeting on Saturday, Earl 

 Ducie presided. Mr. Cobden spoke at some length, 

 after which a resolution in favour of free trade was moved, 

 upon which Mr. Clark, a farmer, moved an amendment 

 in favour of protection ; but on a show of hands the free 

 trade motion was adopted by a large majority. A vote 

 of confidence in the League and thanks to Earl Ducie for 

 his efforts in behalf of free trade were then carried. 



Bath. — On Tuesday week, after a sharp run of the 

 Badminton hounds, the fox took refuge in a farmyard. 

 The Duke of Beaufort was quietly watching his seizure, 

 when his horse suddenly took fright and reared so high, 

 that his Grace being off his guard could not keep his seat, 

 and fell to the ground on the keys of the park-gate, which 

 he carried at his side. His Grace, however, rode home, 

 and went hunting the next day ; but a pain in the side 

 from time to time indicated that some mischief had been 

 done, and a surgeon having been sent for from Bath, he 

 declared that his Grace had broken one of his ribs, and 

 ascribed the injury to the pressure of the keys when he 

 fell. His Grace however is doing well, and is not likely 

 to experience more than temporary inconvenience from 



the accident. 



Brighton. — At the East Sussex adjourned Sessions on 

 Friday, a corporal and five privates of the 7th Hussars, at 

 present stationed in this town, were indicted for a riot and 

 assault on the 31st January last. It appeared by the 

 evidence that a large party of soldiers had assembled in 

 Thomas-street, Brighton, and attacked two houses rented 

 by a Genoese named Lourieno, who let out the rooms to 

 itinerant Italian musicians. The windows and furniture 

 were broken to pieces, including several organs and pianos, 

 and Lourieno in endeavouring to protect his property had 

 his arm broken. The two houses were left perfect wrecks. 

 The affray arose through a violent assault being committed 

 by some person residing in one of the houses on a private 

 in the 7th Hussars, and his comrades committed the out- 

 rage to avenga the insult. The Jury found all the pri- 

 soners guilty except one, and the court sentenced them to 

 imprisonment and hard labour in the House of Correction 

 for ten months. 



Chichester. — A new window has just been put up in 

 the cathedral, the expense of which has been defrayed by 

 subscription. The three ancient quatrefoils in the cen- 

 tral light are occupied by designs representing the ap- 

 pearance of the Burning Bush to Moses, the Baptism of 

 Christ, and the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of 

 Pentecost. The Resurrection occupies the northern side 

 light, and the Ascension the southern. Emblems of the 

 four Evangelists are placed in the upper and lower parts 

 of the side lights. " 



held a Bank-note for 50/., which he cut in two, and 

 taking one of the portions to an acquaintance, informed 

 him that he had just received it by post, the other por- 

 tion being to follow in the course of a day or two ; but as 

 he wanted the money immediately, he could not wait for 

 its arrival. This friend in need, on receiving the half 

 note, advanced the cash ; and another friend did the same 

 on receiving the other half. Here were a hundred pounds 

 made out of fifty, but the business was not yet com- 

 pleted. Taking his hundred pounds to one of the banks, 

 he procured a note for that amount, and having again 

 recourse to the process of cutting, actually obtained 200/. 

 on the two halves, with which he decamped, and has not 

 yet been heard of." 



Manchesttr. — The committee appointed at the annual 

 meeting in October last to investigate the affairs of the 

 Bank of Manchester have presented their report to the 

 proprietors. They state that having exercised the utmost 



discretion in the estimates placed on the value of the 

 assets, whether in the form of real securities or personal 

 obligations, they have arrived at so near an approximation 

 to the statements contained in the report as to justify 

 them in pronouncing the balance-sheet exhibi'ed to the 

 shareholders on the 20th October, 1843, to have been (as 

 far a3 could be ascertained) a true and accurate statement 

 of the position of the bank on the 30th of June in that 

 year. The committee have also examined the balance- 

 sheet for the half-year ending the 31st December, 1843, 

 and report that this balance-sheet shows a considerable 

 realisation of assets, and consequent reduction of liabilities, 

 from 440,936/. to 314,778/., during the half-year, and 

 justifies the hope that no further loss will result to the 

 shareholders than will be provided for by the payment of 

 the second call. — On Monday afternoon the inhabitants of 

 Port-street, Manchester, were alarmed by a noise proceed- 

 ing from an iron warehouse, one of the most extensive in 

 the town, and occupied by Messrs. Horton, Simms, and 

 Bull, proprietors of the S wades-hill iron- works, Shrop- 

 shire. It appears that some men were in a large shed, 

 the roof of which is supported by ten iron pillars against 

 each of which large quantities of iron were piled. The 

 men were engaged in "sorting" the iron and rearing it up 

 against the pillars, when in an instant and without the 

 least notice one of the piles of iron so laid up against the 

 pillar gave way, and falling in a direction towards the next 

 pillar came in contact with and carried it away; the second 

 pillar also gave way, and in the same manner carried off 

 the third, and so on until the whole of the five pillars went 

 in succession, and ultimately came in contact with the 

 gable end of the shed and drove the whole end of the 

 building, roof and all, into the canal, which runs close to 

 the warehouse. A woman was standing on the opposite 

 bank of the canal with a child in her arms; a large portion 

 of the falling building threw her down and d ished the 

 child out of her arms into the canal ; on being extricated 

 from the ruins it was found that her thigh was broken, 

 but the child was got out of the water unhurt. A gentle- 

 man who had just entered the warehouse to purchase some 

 iron, and a person named Wilkinson who was in the 

 employ of the company, were buried in the ruins and 

 killed. There were five other persons in the shed at the 

 time, most of whom received more or less injury. The 

 navigation of the Rochdale and Manchester canal is for 

 the present stopped by the rubbish. The amount of 

 damage will not exceed 1000/. 



Oxford. — On Tuesday morning a fire broke out in the 

 house and shop of Mr. Aaron Jacobs, a Jewish Pvabbi, 

 who kept a general warehouse in St. Ebb's-street, in this 

 city. Six persons slept in the house— Mr. Jacobs, his 

 wife, a son, three daughters, and two lodgers. Out of 

 these, four escaped in a state of nudity. Mr. Jacobs 

 assisted his wife, son, and two younger children toescape 

 out of a window, and they were caught as they alighted, 

 without injury. Mr. Jacobs, however, and his eldest 

 daughter perished in the flames. He was reputed a 

 wealthy man ; and from the situation in which he was 

 found (a small closet in the top of the house), it is pre- 

 sumed that he had gone there to secure his property, and 

 was suffocated before he could make his escape. What 

 adds force to this conjecture is the fact, that a heap of 

 gold and silver coin, with other valuables, were discovered 

 under the body when found. 



Pontefract. — Mr. Monckton Milnes has received a 

 remonstrance from the electors of Pontefract, in which 

 they dissent from the sentiments expressed in his late 

 speech having reference to the measures to be taken for 

 the benefit of the Roman Catholic population in Ireland, 

 and express their unalterable determination to maintain 

 unimpaired the Protestant character of the Government, 

 and to prevent the nation from becoming responsible for 

 the errors of the Roman Catholic religion, by contributing 

 to the support of its priesthood. This protest has ^ been 

 signed by nearly all the most influential friends of Mr. 

 Milnes in the borough, including the mayor, clergy, all 

 the magistrates who supported Mr. Milnes at the last elec- 

 tion, excepting one, and all the members of the town 

 council who voted for him on the same occasion. M£ 

 Milnes has published a reply to this remonstrance, m 

 which he declares that his object and that of his con- 

 stituents are the same— the preservation of the Protests 

 Church in Ireland ; the only difference between them 

 being as to the means. He says, " There is now former 

 in the House of Commons a considerable party of aw 

 men, banded together to destroy the Protestant Lhurca 

 of Ireland. They will be assisted out of doors by a con- 

 siderable body of Dissenters, who are opposed to a 

 establishments, and in Ireland by 2000 Roman Catholic 

 priests, who, under the present voluntary system, ■* 

 their daily bread to political agitation. I own 1 can a 

 view such a confederacy without alarm. It will oe 

 at the least to keep Ireland on the brink of a rebellion, 

 inflict on England the expense of an immense muu / 

 force, and to cause much anxiety in our relations w 

 foreign countries. The only hope of meeting tni* ^ 

 seems to me to rest on the improvement of the i 

 feeling of the Roman Catholic clergy in Ireland. "f 

 not diminish their power— the penal laws themselves ^ 

 failed to do that ; but we may possibly divert it ir ^ 

 destructive course. We cannot alter what we bene 

 be an erroneous religion— the zeal and piety 

 Protestantism has failed to do that ; but we may* ^^ 

 it to the general influences of order and law. lt t s&e 

 it as it is, in its independent, irresponsible authority, 

 no alternative but repeal or civil war." Hobson, 



Preston.— The local papers mention that Joe. i 

 who was recently committed for trial at Birkenbeaa, ^ a 

 choree of having, in conjunction with the womaa ^ 

 been convicted, robbed Mr. Marquis of l!WW-i » 



