The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-31 00:00:00

7 WO WRECKS ON THE NORTH COAST.

During a heavy gale from the E.N.E, on Friday night, a
very shocking shipwreck took place within a few miles of
Hartlepool, which resulted in the loss of the whole of the
crew. The ill fated vessel was the brig S. Laurence, of South
Shieleli, Captain W. Smith, master, She was on a voyage
Bona Hull, and, it is presumed, that she was overpowered by
the force of the gale, and was driven on the rocks a little to
the northward of the Haigh Lighthouse, near Hartlepool. The
coast guard, on discovering the position of the wreck, with
their accustomed alacrity, were early on the spot, with a view
of rescuing the hapless crew. In two or three hours or so,
the tide having rose, the doomed vessel fell over on.her beam
ends, and broke in two. The unhappy crew had taken to the
fore part of the wreck, and they could be descried clinging to,
the bowsprit, and their cries for help were of the most
heartrending character. In consequence of the poi-
don of the wreck on the rocks none of the life boats could
be of any avail in preserving them while inch a heavy surf
beat over the reef. The poor creatures remained in this po-i-
-tion for three or four hours, continually calling for help, when
about two o'clock on Saturday morning a fearful wave broke
over the wreck, and swept them all off into the deep, for their
cries immediately ceased, and they were seen no more. Early
on Saturday morning, in the same line of coast, near Redcar,
while the gale was at its height, a fine schooner called the
Banff, Captain Gorsall, of Barwick, was driven ashore at
Coatham Sand, and it is feared that the crow have perished.

THE RECORDER OF BIRMINGHAM ON THE
TICKET OF LEAVE SYSTEM.

At the Birmingham sessions, on Monday, Mr. Hill, (I 0.,
the recorder, well known as a supporter of the ticket of leave
system, delivered to the grand jury a lengthy charge on the
present state and• prospects of crime and criminals. After
remarking that this was not the first year in which the winter
months had been signalled by the turpitude and number of the
outrages committed-1850 and 1851 being instanced—and
that, therefore, too hasty an inference as to the permanent
increase of crime must not be drawn, Mr. Hill proceeded to
consider the causes of the increase. At the" head of these he
placed the reluctance to visit crime with heavy punishment,
which was the result of tho course of legislation pursued for
many years. Penal servitude for ten years is the highest
penalty which can be incurred for simple larceny, not long
since punishable by transportation, thus necessarily involving
the return of the criminal to liberty in tkissountry. We must
not forget that the evil under which we are suffering is the-
discharge among us of unreformed criminals. If the necessary
discipline in gaol fails to prevent them giving proof that their
habits and dispositions were changed for the better, was it not
unquestionably right that their seclusion should continue, even
if it lasted for life ? Many looked upon transportation as the
best remedy. If those who advocate a return to transportation
can find a suitable territory— if they shall be able to deal with a
convict population in any way (save by imprisonment) so as
to preclude their reebrrence of the multiplied crimes and
mysterious abominations which would form the darkest page
of our history, did not their very atrocity shield them from
disclosure—if they shall devise the means by which the most
nefarious of the convicts can be prevented from gradually
filtering down into the nearest states, whether our own posses-
sions or those,of the foreigner—then, gentlemen, I, for one,
though not unmindful of the many difficulties and of the
enormous expense essential to such a project, will rejoice at
that, as I should at almost any other solution of our most dis
tressing problem—" What shall we do with our criminals ?''
But, gentlemen, to send convicts thousands of miles to remain
in prison at the end of their voyage does appear to me repugnant
to the most obvious dictates of common sense, to say nothing
of its being condemned by all authority. And as lam now
on a question of pecuniary advantage, let mo not forget to
assure you that whoever favours transportation by reason of its
alleged economy, has fallen into a grievous delusion. Now,
the ticket of leave, as dealt with by the authorities, might just
as well be a piece of blank paper. It purports to hold the
bearer to the liability of being sent back to prison if he shall
associate with notoriously bad characters, or in any way not
" prove by his subsequent conduct that he is worthy of her
Majesty's clemency." This is the theory. The practice is
to indulge him in every_ species of misconduct. The step
which I propose is simply to make the condition endorsed on
the ticket of leave a truth instead of a fiction, to carry into
effect the following resolution of the Transportation Committee
of the House of Commons :—" That to render this system of
tickets of leave adapted both for theireformation of offenders,
and the interests of the public, tho conditions endorsed upon
the tickets of leave ought to he enforced more strictly than
appears to have been hitherto the case."