The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-22 00:00:00

IRELAND.

GAMBLING LN LONDON.

_~

Dews. Nov. 21.
The mock election at Clonmel, in anticipation of
that for which the Speaker's writ is a necessary pre-
liminary, is at length over, and Mr. John O'Connell
is clonally the putting member. The Rev. than
Burke, parish priest of Clonmel, has been popularly
styled the returning officer for that borough; and iu
the present instance he would appear to have success-
fully established his claim to the office, having em-
ployed his influence so effectually in resisting the
pretensions of the tenant league. On the part of the
latter lady, however, a long report has been put for-
ward, signed by Messrs. Moore, Lucas, Duffy, and
Gray, the league deputation to Clonmel, in which
they give their own version of the whole affair, and
state in the most positive manner that both by Mr.
O'Connell himself, and by his friends, all the pledges',
which they required were accepted by Mr. O'Con-
nell, with the exception of that to sit ou the tory
benches in opposition to every liberal government
a ho would not make the theories of the tenant league
cabinet questions, and that thereupon they did not
think it absolutely necessary to press that paint, and
abandoned their opposition. Mr. John O'Connell quite
as positively denies that he went as far as is thus
pretended in adopting the views of the deputation.
The deputation has retired from Mama, leaving
Mr. John O'Connell and his friends in pussessim of
the field. An out-door meeting was held in Clonmel
yesterday, at which the choice of Mr. John O'Connell
as their candidate had the sanction of the shouts of
the populace. The whole affair would be of very
little interest except as an indication of the present
state of Irish parties at home.
The Cork Reporter, with referense to the Swedish
emigrant ship which has arrived at Queenstown with
cholera on board, says:
The two pumas who remained on board the Prevail-, in
cholera, and who were on Friday reported by the mate to
have been convalescent, died this (Saturday) morning. No
sew ca.e has beta reported since the vessel 'Meted the
harbour; sad Mr. Brecknell gives it u his confirmed
opinion that the disease was caused on board the ship by
the use of impure water. The body of the captain is still
on board. The Kossuth was fumigated this morning, and
may be expected to proceed to sea by Wednesday neat.
Of the latter ship Dr. Scott, emigration medical
inspector, thus reports:
There hu beta one death of cholera and one of diarrhoea
since Thursday, besides one infant, woich died of exhaustion,
its mother being in hospital. There are at present under treat-
ment wo eases of cholera and four of diarrhar I, all of which
are doing well. The passengers have all bern removed
from the vessel, end are now lodged in Queenstown and
Curia.
A circular letter signed by the inspector general
of the constabulary, has been recently promulgated,
the object of which is to check emigration in the
police force. It sets forth that retired policemen
representing themselves as agricultural labourers,
and thereby obtaining passages to Australia, will
subject themselves to a penalty of 501. The alarming
large number of resignations recently received from
policemen who have emigrated, or intend imme-
diately to set out, has induced the inspector general
to adopt the course indicated above for the purpose
of preventing, as much as possible, further emigra-
tion.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY NEWS.
SIP.,--1 have endeavoured to give you a faithful
picture of a man'e way to the gaoibliog-table—of the

alluremen'e which draw him thititer--ef the destereas

way. in which hell•keepers contrive to draw young men of
fortune into their debt. Now, if these temptations resulted
Is the loss of a few pounds, the matter might not be worth
that attentive' which the legislature during the nest session
of parliament are likely to bestow upon it. But the system
as we find it spreads its terrible consequences thr ,ughout

the length and breadth of this country. It has fastened its
horrible fascination upon young men representing some of

the most notable (=like within the realm. Fine Mtates are

falling into the dirtiest of hands; wealth won nobly by
men who have risen from the ranks of the people is fall-
ing, in golden showers, into certain pockets of St. James's-

Sir, could the des.l rise tl see all the fruit of a long and
glorious career dropping into the bank of a hell keeper
—could the dead fige to see chilZren, nursed to do deeds of
statesmanship, glaring with an expression of fiendish mad-
ness over loadcd dice, the sight would assuredly disturb
their rest for evermore. And yet, sir, as I h►ve before
written, ad this gots on undcr the very noec of justice.
Since I lot addressed you another batch of young men has
been pushed into a police court from a suspected gambling
house—sent there only to be discharged. For the law could
not touch them. Even their names are protected from
public exposure—my Lord Knuckledo on appears as

Timothy Simpson, Sir Harry Blowsy gives in his owns
chirpily as John Smith. In truth, to judge from the list of
names given upon the police sheet a casual observer might
inter that only people bearing the commonest names re-
lotted to these suspected hells. Dut most men at the west-
end know better. A cuoversation amongst men used to
elbow-shaking after one of these captures is generally
instructive.

" Was Lord llountebauk in last night's business?"
"Yes, by Jove, he wee Samuel Jackson—it was great
fan."

" Was Montmorency there too ?"
" Yes—he was Willi on Brown."
Now, sir, this would not have been so funny—so very
rich in humenr, had Mr. Montmorency been published in
the papers es Mr. Montmorency—and my Lord Mountebank
as Lord Mousitchank. Exposure of this sort would be very
serious. It would come within the knowledge of various
"governors"—it would reach rich uncles who have no
children. And in this way, I am afraid, it would have n
serious influence upon the prosperity even of silver bells.
Hell-keepers might wen be compelled to curtail their ex-
penses—to have one carriage less—and young expectant
men might have less paper booting about.
It has been said that it is difficult to trace a hell-keeper
to conviction. By the present system of forcible entry and
subsequent law, process I grant that conviction is almost
impossible. Let us trace the process. Certain police au-
thorities on a certain night armed with a warrant knock at
a certain door in St. James's. The inmates are not very
quick in answering. Within the whisper runs throughout
tro premises that the police have arrived. In the room
devoted to gambling are a dozen excited gentlemen, son
nimedied by the officers and machinery necessary to lose
gety amount the visitors may choose to throw down. The
alarm is given, and the police are heard battering at the
lower door. But all is safe enough—the door is covered
with iron—the bolts are strong. Everything is gathered
up dice-boxes everything, and suddenly a huge
gap appears at a convenient spot, and all the bor.
rible apparatus is thrown down a passage that conducts
straightway to the main sewer. In another minute the
gambling table—as by the touch of a magician's wand—
becomes a billiard table. And now tho police may enter at
their perfect convenience. They snake their appearance,
take all persons present in charge, and examine the room.
To all appearances it is an ordinary billiard room, devoted
to the achievement of cannons—truly to pocketting, on the
part of the proprietor. In vain the officers search in every
corner, nothing to prove gambling can be found. Yet all
the gentlemen present are conducted to the nearest polies-
officer. Most of them are well-known men ; and it iffiest be
a difficult task for the officers standing near to suppress a
laugh when they hear notable names changed to Brown,
Jones, and Robinson. Yet the farce proceeds. The polies
know they have wrong names down—yet these are taken.
The names of the proprietors, however, appear in print.
But then these have no reputations to hoe—care not one
pin for the exposure. Bail is procured—the parties appear
on the following morning—evidence to convict is wanting,
and ell are discharged. And so justice rings down the
curtain upon the farce of the Gambling Hew, wit►k skis
promise that it will be repeated at intervals, till further
notice.

Now, Sir, might not this farce be turned into a drama of
very strong in ? Instead of leaving all these unhappy
men to return to their terrible vice, might not the law so
contrive matters uto pinch severely one of the party ? As
the system of dealing with gambling stands, all persons
found at the table are made subject to punishment,. Now,
sir, may not this " enchanting witchery, gotten betwixt
Misses and avarice " (as Cotton describes gaming) be
dealt with in a maws mace effective ? Say that, instead
of ,messier. sepia all parties present, the police were
le @that eme—the proprietor, for butanes—and hold the
Ma In witnesses. This proceeding would bind all the players
Moen Wes With to state to the magistrate whether or not
the leuelontered was a common gaming.house. Now, sir, the
set 8 sad 9 Vitt., e. 109, greatly facilitates the prosecution
of these mussed is a gaming-house, by enacting that " in
default of other evidence, it shall be sufficient to prove that
such house or place is kept or used for playing therein at
any unlawful game, and that a bank is kept there by one or
more of the players enionvely of the others, or that the
chances of any game Owed therein ses not alike favour-
able to all the players, Wending awing the players the
beaker or other person by wham the yin ie managed, or
against whom the other players stake. play, er bee ; and
every seek house or plats shall be dearth a gowns
gaming-bouse." It is net asemeary under this act W peeve
that say person found playing at any game was play-
ing for any money, wager, or stake. The act dis-
penses with the necessity of enabling the allege-
tioa of two householders that any house is a com-
mon gaming-hoses; sad provides, that ea the report of
a superintendent of netiopelltia polies, it shall be lawful
for either of the ocenstimiosers of polies to authorise the
superintendent, by a written order, to eater say house or
room with ethetablem, and, if onesery, to the force for the
purpose of effecting such entry, whether by breaking open
doors or otherwise, and to take into custody all persons who
shall be found therein. and to Mize and destroy all tables
and instruments of gamin found is nth hoses or pre-
mises, end also to min all nooks, and esessities for nosey,
found therein. If any cards, dice, belle, nunters, tables,
or other instruments of gaming used in playing any unlaw-
ful game be found is any house or roan which the Folios
have emend as a suspected gaming-hosse, or about the
person of any of those who shall be found therein, it shall
be evidence, until the cookery be made to appear, that
such house or room is used as a mason gaisiag-house, and
that the persons found in the [OM where suck instruments of
gaming shall have been fousd,were playing therein, although
so playing was actually going on in the presence of those
who made the entry. Before this set was passed, persons
found in a gaming-house could not be searched ; and proof
of play was necessary before entry.
This analysis of the law clearly shows that facilities have
bees girth to the polies for the gunneries of gaming-
houses; experience shows that the police have entirely
failed is their endeavours to bring offenders to justice.
Now magistrates may give convicted gaming-house keepers
six months' hard labour in prison ; and It is this power
that must be used to suppress these shameful nuisances.
Send two or three of the wonderfully dressed gentlemen to
be sees about Piccadilly to pick oakum seder the ears of
Colonel Chesterton ; clip those ambrosial locks; repine
that elegant apparel by prison clothing, and gusiag-house
keepers will not be quite so bold or numerous. Fory If
their customers are made witnesses against then—
s 4 witnesses on oath, instead of standing beside
them as accomplices, we shall have a very different
result The players must tell the story of their wrong
deffees. And, let us remember the players are sufficiently
punished by their losses. It is the cheat, not the dupe,
the police should follow.
Another point may be urged. Let real names of players
be given, when thus are summoned ea witnesses. Let not
Brown, Jones, and Robinson suffice ; let the public know
that Montmorency has been found in a gaming-house ; let
all his friends and relatives know it; and let Lord Mounte-
bank appear before the country, in the capacity of gambler,
as my Lord Mountebank. Seize the cheats and expose the
dupes, and a beginning will have been made towards the
suppression of a vice that desolates bright homes daily,
robe children of their bread, and wives of every comfort.
J.

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 22, 1853.

ill-doers. who wanted only the virtues rf personal courage
and outspoken !lineally to dente them to the level of the
burglar and the highwayman.
It is some years since we became thus aware of the
existence of this atrocious system of plunder, and we have
since frequently detected it in operation where we little
expected to meet it. At book-sales it is a perfect nuiciucc.
There are several scores of petty scoundrel, who pass their
liveript book auvions, rarely bidding, and never buying if
they cast avoid it, and whose sole means of subsistence is this
meanest of all possible modes of plunder. From inquiries
we have cautiously made—for it is not an easy matter to
obtain reliable information from the parties impeicated—we
are induced to believe that the majority of the real buyers
would be glad to abate the practice, or put it down alto-
gether, if possible. They Had that where, as is generally the
case with regard to boosts, the separate purchases are rarely
of any great value, the trouble and inconvenience the prac-
tice entails are not compensated by the profit it aft.iris; hot
the miserable wretches to whom such stolen scrape ere
daily bread, stick too hard upon their skirts to be readily
got rid of.
It is a melancholy thing, and one that speaks volumes
upon the demoralising effect of bargain-hunting upon the
character, that among these plunderers of the weak, the
friendless., and the prostrate in circumstances, should be
numbered names of respectable standing in commerce—
names well known and trustee among connoisseurs sod col-
lectors of works of art, relics of antiquity, or objects of
vertit. But there is unhappily so margin left for doubt
upon the subject. It would be in our power, on any given
day, in the course of a few hours' visit to some of the finest
collections of the first-class dealers iu such matters in the
metropolis. to pitch upon a score or two of valuable speci-
mens which have come into the possession of the present
owners through the scandalous medium of the "knock-
out." These men, be it remembered, have not the plea of
nects.ity to advance in mitigation of their acts; they are
surrounded with the materials and appliances of luxury,
and have wealth at command, and might reasonably be ex-
pected to set an example of honesty in the pursuit of a pro-
fession which is sadly in want of it.

AUCTION GANGS.
[From "Curiosities of London Life.")
It would appear to an uninitiated observer that
property of any description, which has been consigned to an
mactioneer for disposal by public sale, which is submitted is
public competition, and which can be sold only with the
auctioneer s cement and complicity, is pretty sure of pro-
ducing. if not something like its actual value in the orme.,
merciel market, at least its value to the parties present nal
the tele, minus that fair retailer's profit which it ought es
be the effect of general competition to reduce to its minimum
amount. However reasonable such an expectation, nothing
is more uncertain than its realisation in the numerou tee-
lion marts in the metropolis. There exists a system of
wholesale theft and robbery so widely diffused, and so
universally carried into ekeeution, that it is impossible to
form any estimate of the plunder, which must be enormous
in its aggregate amount, end which forms the daily and
hourly booty of a set of heartless and unprincipled harpies,
who crow rich and fatten upon the domestic misfortunes of
their fellow men. By the operation of this nefarious sys-
tem, the apparently fair and honest procedere of sale by
publiewoup is utterly vitiated ; sad the auctioneer—who in
a ease of unreserved sale, such as that in which the pro-
perty is a•ljudged to the hammer under a distress warrant,
has no power either to protect the rights of the unfortunate
owners, or to save himself from the degraded position he is'
forged to ettupy—is made the unwilling toll of a set of
re .undrels, to whom he is compelled to assign, one after
another. articles frequently of high finish and sterling
value, fir sums paltry in the extreme, if not merely nominal.
Those who have noticed the rapid, almost sudden, growth
and expansion of certain brokering chapann and dealers in
articles of furnitu e, pictures, musical instrument.,
etariatitiee, bronze!, Woes' and objects of radii, must have
been often s'ruck with surprise at their miraculously
speedy prosperity. The small front shop soon bursts into
the back parlour ; it then creeps up stairs ; then the pre-
pfstor buys out his neighbours, and overflows first on one
aid ~ then en the other, with his fast-increasing stock, till at
length half the street, or the whole of it, is one huge re-
pository of everything domestic which necessity, luxury, or
a inity can demand and industry supply. The course of
knavery we are about to describe m.y Terre to moderate the
surprise of the observer.
Be it understood, then, that there exists a species of
federal union, talked about, yet open to all whose
trade it is to buy b auction for purposes of retailing. The
primary object of this union is, to suppress and prevent that
ti competion which it is the purpose of public sale to elicit.
Ar a general rule it may be affirmed that of this union every
broiler, dealer, or buyer by trade, whose principle of in-
, tegrity is not sufficiently strong to resist the temptation, is,
tautly at least, a member, And, indeed, however honest a
dealer may be, he is often compelled is self-defence to wink
at the proceedings of the gang, even though he refrain from
participating in their vile gains. We must net be supposed
to infer that this iniquitous confederation is organised upon
say regular system—that it boasts of any rules or written
documents of any kind. Such a tangible embodiment of
its principle, would of course be fraught with peril to the
parties concerned, and is therefore avoided. The phrase
" honour among thieves" expresses the sole law by which
the proceedings of rte numerous members ore regulated;
and though they often quarrel bitterly over the division of
the spoil, and have been seen to flight furiously for their
imagined rights, they are never known to have reeourse to
the law for protection. From all we can gather concerning
the origin of this foul conspiracy—and we have taken some
pains in the investigation—it would appear that it has been
of slow and gradual growth, and that it was, in the first
place, the spontaneous ofl'spiing of the cupidity and dis-
honesty of a very limited group of confederated rascals.
It is affirmed—with what truth we know not—that it was
first detected in operation among the Jews of a certain
locality, and that it was immediately imitated on all
sides, instead of being suppressed, as it might have been,
by the strong arm of the law and the forth of public re-
buke, had the infernal machinations of its members been
made known. However this may be, it is pretty certain
that since its first ri.e, which might be dated at less than a
score of years back, it has spread like a pestilence to every FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT MANCitr.s...—
On Saturday evening last an inquest was held by Mr. G.
part of the metropolis; and that, at the present moment,
it 'unmet be predicated with absolute certainty of any 0. Rutter, county deputy coroner, on the body of Edwin
auction-room situated between Knightsbridge west and Platt, a railway labourer, 32 years of age, who met with
Mile.end east, or Highgate north and Peckham south, that his death under the following circumstances :—On Satur-
,on any given day in the year there shall be • fair sale off day morning he and four others were engaged on the Lan-
any specified kind of portable property. If the gang be cashire and Yorkshire Railway, at Miles Platting, in
present—and they are always present if the property „shunting " •geods waggon by means of a erese•rail turn-
to be
disposed of offers them any considerable advantage—they table, from a main to a side line. All the men were push-
, , will be sure to accomplish two things : in the first place, lug, and the deceased;was in a stooping posture with his
they will get most of the lots the desiderate knocked
shoulder against the back of the waggon, and his heed
down to them at a low bidding; and, in the second place, close to one of the buffer planks. They had turned their
waggon and had moved it partly off V e table to earls the
they will prevent any stranger, who is not a professional
buyer, from obtaining any article for a sum much less than side line, when another's waggon, which had been stand-
double its value. , in gon the main line and which had to follow the first to
On a certain day in the year 1847—we do not choose, MT
the ode line, came down to the edge of the turn-table, and
certain reasons, to be more particular as to date—we at- one of its buffers, which projected a good way over, came
tended a sale, where, among other valuable species of pro- in contact with the back of deceased's head and crushed it
perry, a pretty large collection of pictures was to be sold. fearfully against the buffer plank of his own waggon.
Our object was to purchase a clever production of Fuseli'e, Blood flowed profusely, and in a few minutes deceased was
should it fall within the limited range of our pocket. Being quite dead. There were five men about the second won '
pressed for time, we had net leisure to change an old office ready to push it after the first, and there is a slight incline
coat in which we bad sat all the morning, and consequently on the main line spoken of, dean to the turn-table. In
made our appearance at the sale-room in somewhat seedy the absence of evidence, as to whether any of the fire men
trim—th which accidental circumstance may be, doubtlew._, pushed the second waggon down to the cross rails before
attributed the revelation we have to make. It should be the first had time to get clear of the table, the jury returned
mentioned that Use property was that of a defunct dealer, a verdict of " Accidental death." Deceased: was a married
and that his widow was then In the house awaiting with man without children.
anxious heart the result of the sale, upon the proceeds of w
mLECTRIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY OP IRELAND.—
which her prospect of future comfort depended. We found
the reettme, et. the ette,re.te„, eemeeeee by she fleece.
.Her.MsJest_y_'s sthatnernsp,.nder the command of Lieut.
Abridge, R.N., arrived at Belfast on the 15th instant. This
gang, among whom, all unconscious of their honourable
vessel. has been sent by the Ainsiralty to render every
fraternisation, we with considerable difficulty shouldered our
assistance in their power to the above company, and to
way, and obtained a standing position in front of the re- p ilot the Albert, with two submarine lines, across the
volving easel upon which the paintings were then exhibiting
to the crowd of bidders. Channel. These lines are expected to be submerged on
Tuesday and Saturday in the ensuing week. There are two
" Are you in ?" said a greasy, grizzly-bearded face, reek- large waggons employed in bringing the cable from a field'in
lag over our shoulder. the Craigie-road, each load contains nearly five miles lengtliof
" Yes, thank Heaven, we are in," said we, mistaking the
line, where it has been undergoing the operation of testing,
purport of the question. dtc., under the superintendencisaosfg George
of
Deriag,
Esq.,
' Oh, it's all right," said the questioner, turning to those who has lately patented the Iv • down submarine
behind him ; " he's tn." cables without any insulation. That gentleman, with the
We need not detail the whole of the conversation we Hon. Mr. Massey, a director of the company, have been
overheard ; enough to say that we soon discovered some- some time staying at the Donegal Arms, and we wish them
thing of the nature of the conspiracy, and saw its profitable that thecae which their unremitting exertions so well de-
but villanous operation in full swing. Most of the pictures serve. We understand this company's telegraph wires are
of greatest value were knocked down at wretched prices to joined to the British Telegraph Company's at Dumfries.—
three or four members of the gang; and mice when a Beitan Chronicle.
stranger endeavoured to secure a piece of moms merit, the
MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.—The extensive line of
bidding. were run up against him to an amount far beyond
magnetic telegraph which is deli eat to bi.ng this city and
its utmost value, until be ceased to bid, when the lot was
knocked down to one of the gang, who immediately re-
Queenstown into iostantaneous communication with
pudiated his bidding, and swore that he did not intend to Dublin, Belfast, Liverpool, and London, has now sp.
proaehed completion, the only work of any consequence
bid more than a certain sum. After some squabbling, the
lot was put up again, and bought by the gang against the
et unfinished being a small portion of the line between
stranger for far more than its worth. Once when we tort Patrick and Dumfries, on the Scotch side. A month,
hazarded a bidding for the lot we came to purchase, we it is considered, will Pat the entire line into complete
end efficient working order. Commencing at Queens-
were stopped with, " Shut up, von foe ; that's —*a
town, it proceeds
.along the old read crossing Dunkettle
bidding : hold your month—you'll get it for nothing if
Bridge by submarine and by the North' road to the office
yon want it, at the knock-out."
.4 At the k„ek_eat 1.. we mentally ejaculated ; 4. whet in Winthrop-stroet. The line is quite complete from Cork to
Dublin, and messages have been transmitted from the Black-
epee earth is that ? " We had heard the expression before, ETI terminus to nth Kingabnidge terminus. Some delay
Black-
thou enthally, and it had steeped oar memory; but we
meshed tide time, if pendbm, to penetrate the mystery, Ma. been caused to the opening of the telegraph to the
public In consequence of** accident to Patrick's bridge,
and learn whether it really was what we already began to
suspect it to be. which has prevented the bringing of the line to the office of
the company in the city, but arrangements are now being
" And when," said we in as careless a tone uwe could
made by which this difficulty will be. speedily obviated.
asnuns, "doe the knock out come off this time ?" of the speedy tranamission of inteUi emu
"Oh, at the old place ;at —'a beck room up stairs." The consequence 4
and this
awe was a leading question, between the great centres of trade and commerce
knewcourt.)
as W" Ws et! Cs-0
oness— courtc ?"city and Queenstown, will be of vast importance to those
"No; at W— street." interests. Owing to the variation of time, messages from
" To-night of course ? " Liverpool and London will arrive here actually before the
"To be sure—half-past eight or nine." hour at which they shall hen have left those p.—Cork
Examiner.
We did not fail, shortly Deforests. o'clock, to mead the
shin to the back-room of the house indicated I. W— SOOTHWICIL—THE BOTTLENSKEItie STRIKE —The
street. Before ths hour had strath. the whole of the gang strike of the bottlamsaken bore was brought to an apparent
was present, and oompreliesdod a math larger number Albs is of last week; but it appears
than we had expected to wet. Among them we mow. LakiMient•Al. Oftsifi wjek ea Monday last 240 of them
wised several owners of first-rate shops, men of property E the 14em.ao of making another *lron to
and capital—one especially, who had recently pw.ed his ask kusalle, and again strue . These repeated
daughter with thonesnds, gen with others of undoubted lave abenty had the effect of raising the prices
reepsetabiiity. Seating ourselves near the door, and calling staddelaWYs EA bays seriously interfered with the means
for grog on the principle of doing at Rome aißomans do, el weatlj,lff legleggiagle eedeeLte„eeleede hI the thalthrec-
we s-waited with interest the result of the proceedings. A nom. age °me mat It" tw finishers have had 24..
number of the smaller and more valuable paintings—gams Pet weeks the " blow= ' 20er. the " gatherer/ " 17s. ; and
about a fortnight sge thry received the following advance,
of the Italian and Flemish schools—a few English specs-
yin, "Omahas" Elle. per week, "blower" 240. "Ira-
mesa, sad semeral finely-wrought vans and bronzes,
had been already " cleared," and deposited in the therm" 21s. The beolisesaken at Shields then struck for a
similar advance et mesa which was refused by their
old-fashioned window-recesses, and upon tables in thereon.
employers. The Bookirland bettlemakers subscribed
As it was now past the hour, and all were supposed to be
went, the door was closed upon the ejected waiter, and the amount of their advance to support those of the
illa °Mock-eat," which, as we bad suspected, was sloth Shields bottleinakage who were out on strike. The man-
mat R less than the real sale of the property, commence
(amerces alike Wee=fave their workmen notice that
sloth,
As Indiv!dual, whom we shall dmignam Smash, whose their warn win be to the former standard, and on
looking physiognomy is too well known to the fro-
that aormaat the whale el the men have struck work. The
Of certain sale-rooms, was the unlicensed atm-
only bottle snanafaff now. employed is that of Mr. Fee.
i.f the evening. Catalogues being produced, all the denek Snowdon, at MllMaaa BaliT wks continue° to pay
the advanced wages.—Sunderland iala besaht by the gang were gone over seriatim, and now
hr the first time put up to serious competition. One by one DESTRUCTION OF STATE FAPERS.—Not very long
they were knocked down to eager purchasersat prices vary. ago, a person well known for his large and accurate know-
ing from double to ten times the sums for whthh they had ledge of the sources of English history, found himself by
1 Isis elllebed but a few hours before. Cash was paid down accident in one of our great dockyards. In one part of the
ger ea* tot as it was sold, and deposited in a small tray in yard he noticed some preparations for a bonfire ; and, with
Awe of the seller, the lots, or an order upon the auctioneer the instinct of an antiquary when old papers are in peril,
fee es& lots as had not been cleared, being delivered to the he ran off te the scene. • What are these bundles ?" he
respaelive purchasers. When the whole of them bad been inquired of the ready minister of destruction. " Nothing
dimmed of, the mass of gold and silver in the tray had eas. but rubbish," said the man. The very tie of the parcels
camalated to a considerable size. Smash then resigning told the antiquary that they were letters, and of old date.
the hammer, reimbursed from the heap before him the " Where do they come from ?" he asks. " Ob, they have
been lying here no one knows how long ;cos want the
peels who had cleared the lots present—those who had
pedaled lots yet in the custody el the auctioneer having, room, and we are going to burn them out of our way." The
et ewes, paid to the heap the difference only between the antiquary took up a bundle of the doomed papers, opened
dad biddiags at the sham sale and the cal one. These the first letter, and found that it was the original
payments concluded, a considerable sum, the produce of despatch announcing to the government, with all
that day's diabolical robbery of a forlorn and widowed its details, one of the moat important events in the
woman, remained to be divided among the wretches who reign of Charles the Second. Commanding the dock-
bad thus successfully combined to plunder the helpless. yard men not to set fire to the pile until superior orders
When the sale was over, we could not help remarking that could arrive, the antiquary posted to London, repaired to
the whole of the property rested finally in the hands of the Admiralty, stated the fact, and saved the papers.
three or four persons, Smash being one of them, as he had When carefully examined they proved to be as interesting
bid pretty freely, and consigned several good lots to him. a series of state documents as any in our national archives.
self. A few of the articles which had been run up to a Our readers will not have forgotten the arrested destruction
high price, in opposition to parties who, not being in the by burning, not many years ago, of the old papers stored
gang, had presumed to bid against it, hardly realised half away in the Chapter House at Westminster—which made
the sums they had test ; but the loss upon then was eon.. so much noise at the time ; and if we be not mistaken, an
pensated ten-fold by the gain upon the remainder. And almost similar accident restored to the presses of the Admi-
now came the division of the spoil, which was eventually ratty some of the lost letter-books of the Commonwealth
managed upon a principle too complex to be fathomed by period—othen of which are still wanting in the series.
a casual observer. We noticed, however, when Smash read It is well known to historical writers that a great
over the schedule, which occupied some time in preparing, many of our most precious state papers are either missing
that the individials who had paid most money were to re• or in private hands. It is not in the State Paper Office that
cries the largest share ; and that those who bought nothing the history of the reign of James the Second can be read—
and most probably never intended to buy, were to be paid but in privatecollections, like that of Sir Thomas Phillips.
at a lower rats. We did not witness the final distribution
Pepys was not the only man of the time who made free
of the cash. Having no desire to pollute our fingers by with the things of his office.—Athena ton.
the touch of such ill-gotten gain, we feigned a sden ex- Jews IN BOHEMIA.—The Provincial Government
ease for quitting the room, and requesting our grizzly- of Bohemia has issued circulars forbidding Jews to give
faced friend to take charge "for two minutes" of our their children Christian names, or to keep Christian
untested grog, we quitted in sovereign disgust this den of servants.