The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-01-31 00:00:00

I A NSION4i oust.

Saturday Rver Prsti, an Excise watchman, was
fully con:mit:ea for trial by the Lord )I.ayor,
charged with s:ealiug china from the warehouse, at
the Custom-House, where he was upon duty.
Rek:ca ,tisrp.Ars was likewise fully committed, for
sealing muslin, corded dimity, &c. the property of
Iteisrs. Hartwell and Beaman, merchants, Wal-
brook, vrith whom she lived as servant; she got
access to their warehouse by Ricans of false keys,
which she rlundered of goods to the amount of 601.
part of which was found in her possession.
A ir.an surrii.ed to be concerned in robbing the
prei•iises of Mr. Morris, of Aldetsgate-street, was
.sounuitted fur further examination.

MARLIOIIIOI:GH4ItEr7.
STEALING DEAD BODIES.

On Saturday Noss it Twr..xev was brought be-
fore the sitting Magistrate, charged with opening
the doer of a respectable house in Marlborough
street. by the means of a false key. It appeared
that the prisoner went to the house about eleven
o'clock on Saturday morning, and after letting her-
self in, was posting along the passage, with a bun-
dle concealed under her apron, a person belonging
to the house saw her enter, and demanded her bust.
ness, and by what means she got in, as no one had
opened the door to her. Not being able to give any
satisiactorY account of herself, a police officer was
ra.e.: for, who took the prisoner into custody, and
conveyed liar to a contiguous public-house, where
he insisted upon searching her. This she strongly
resisted, and expressed much indignation at such an
attempt. Ile, however, searched her, and found a
bundle placed under her apron, containing the dead
body of female infant,about two years old. She was
immediately brought before the Magistrate, who
ordered her to declare how she came in possession
of the body, and her motive for entering the house
with a false kev. She pretended, that a gentleman ,
lusd given her half.a-crown to carry the bundle to a
Mr. Carfew, and that the key was also given her
for the purpose of going into the house. She said ,
she was a stranger to the contents of the bundle, and
did not know there was a.dead child in it until she
saw it opened. Very luckily for the detention of this
rovsterions affair, a woman, who said her name was
Anne Harnet, happened to be present, who informed
the Magistrate that she knew the prisoner, who
lived with her own husband in Butcher-row,
WhiteclusPel, and that he had long been engaged in
the horrid praftice of stealing the dead front their
graves, to sell tie bodies to the surgeons of St.
tartbolornew's Hospital. She had frequently
known the prisoner carry such bodies about to
}anises in different parts of the town ; and that she
was a dealer in dead bodies, otherwise a reaurredion
TVOSILM•
The testimony of this witness appeared to carry
every mark of probability. She produced a certi-
ficate of her marriage with the man the prisoner
lived with ; and further stated that she had long
'horrid
left him front the terror occasioned by the
'horrid trade he had chosen to follow.
surgeon examined the child, and found it had
died of the small pox ; no marks of violence were
seen about the body, or any appearance to indicate
that its death was occasioned by any other'circum-
stance than the disorder.
The Magistrate committed the prisoner until the
Coroner's Inquest should set upon the body..
Mr. Charles Newman, the proprietor of one of
the Richmond coaches, was charged with assault-
ing John Boaden, the man who takes the toll at the
Sunday Bar at Kensington. The prosecutor stated
that last Sunday the Richmond coach passed
through the bar in the morning, and the driver
threw him down sixpence. When the coach re-
turned in the evening, he demanded another six-
pence, which was refused : he then stopped the
horses, and Mr. Newman, who was on the roof,
jumped down and struck him. For this assault,
Boaden said his muter had desired him to prefer
his complaint to the Magistrate.
Mr. Newman said, that when the coach had once
paid sixpence, it was entitled to pass and repass
throughout the day without paying any thing fur-
ther. The prosecutor had no right to stop him; in
fad he had been the means of breaking the reins,
nearlY ovestsurning the coach, and endangering the
lives of the passengers.
Mr. Bivdie, the Magistrate, ver7 properly dis-
missed iloaden's complaint, and severely repri-
nianded him. He recommended Mr. Newman to
tetort the charge of the iilegal detention of the
coach, ilthough the toll had been paid, and to indict
Boadokfor the aterault upon him. He did so, and
Boadete was con,mitted.to prison till he should find
'
The English continue to leave Pat is in great num.
kers, acme of them for the South of France, and for
Italy, and others, ou their return home. The num-
ber of Diligences established between Calais :uid
Paris is so great, that now the passengers are uhni-
rashieg, they &ken come with onetn two persons,
;tnd eimpeomes even empty. This will of course
ocipuiegi. nutty Whines an that deperdnent.

-ii-

CROWN LANDS.

W. this day present our readers with an abstract
of the second Report of the Surveyor-General of
the Land-Revenues of the'Crown. It will abe re-
colleded, that the Crown Lands formed, at one
time, the only regular incothe of the Crown; and
that it was only in times of extraordinary emergency,
that v;me imposts of the nature of the taxes of the
present day, were demanded in aid of that income.
In the course of time, however, the revenue of the
Crown Lands Was so much reduced by grants to
favourites, that it became totally inadequate to the -
maintenance of the Royal Dignity, and hence origi-
nated the necessity of permauent taxes. The rem-
nant of lands in the possession of the Crown was,
however, considerable, though, fora long time,
counted fur nothing in the revenues of the Crown,
when they fiat became an olirct of Parliamentary
care in the reign of Queen Anne. Some useful re-
, gulatior.s were then adopted, which, however, were
' not sufficiently precise in the letter, nor sufficiently
enforced to obtain the proposed benefit of deriving
such an income b; fair mean; of increase from the
Crown Lands, as would give such aid to the
Civil List as wosli relieve the subject from a great
part of the burttwns attached to that service. The
' provisions of the Act of Queen Anne being thus in-
adequate and imperfectly enforced, the Act of the
3.lth of Geo. 111. was passed, and the report from
which the inllowing abstract is made is the second
, formed upon that Act. In consequence of the regu-
lations of the Act of Geo. 111. various improve-
ments have talzen place in every branch of this re-
venue, which, from the introduction of a better ma.
nagement in every respect, is now made to yield a
vast increase of income. In the first dabs of estates
comprised in the Report, lands of which leases had
before been granted, the rents received by former
leases amounted only to 4-781. 4s. 84d. whereas the
rents now reserved amount to 273:A. 9:.:i4. with
a proportionable increase in fines. In the second
class, lands of which lc uses were not granted before,
the rent is 9131. 12s. 6d. The increase in rent by
leases of both classes is 32531. and the increase of
fine.; 505'21. '2s. Id. There are also some trifling
grants in perpetuity, and some sales for a full con-.
sideration in money, the price of which has been
vested in the 3 per cents. A number of new kases
have been agreed for, in Nvl lit: h the increase of rent
is 7,3431. with an addition of 8,0011. 10s. 4d. in
fines. Other kases have been proposed, affording
an advance in rent, of near 7,0001. and the advance
in fines near 7,:.i001.
The sum derived from the falc of fee farm rents,
and laid out in the purchase of stock by the late
Commissioners of the Land Revenue, amounts to
118,1081. 10s. 2d. in 3 per cent. Consols, which, by
the additions in consequence of the Lite sales,- is
now carried to 123,4421 14s. 3d.

The sums arising from the sale of the lands dis-
posed of were intended to be applied to the redemp-
tion of the land tax of the lands not sold, but the
distance and irregularity of the termination of the
leases of those lands has retarded the execution of
this plan for some time. A very large sum has
arisen from the sale of royal manorial rights, royal
manors, small dispersed parcels of land, tithes,
mills, fisheries, forties, and Wastes, amounting to
74,1581. 18s. 7d. which has been laid out in the pur-
chase of 111,6661. 16s. 9d. 3 per cent. stock, af-
fording a dividend of 3,8.501. Os. 14. instead of
2011. 2s. .scl. annual rent, and 5,49b1. ss. 4d. in fines
on the renewal of the leases. _ .

His Majesty's property in the mooring chains in
the Thames, lett on lease to Lord Gwydir for one
eight of the profits, is also among the parts of the
land revenue sold. The purchase money given by
the London Dock Company, together with an ad-
ditional sum derived from the sale of some private
chains, amounting to 73,0221. 12s. 9d. with which
has been purchased 124„,931.35. •Id. the annual di-
vidend on which is 3;7371. 15s. •Ild. whereas the
average net produce of the chains in the last eighteen
years, was about 20001. and the reserved eighth
part only 4731. 17s. 9d.
The monies arising from the sales of lands,
amounting to 74,1581. 13s. 7d. and from the ap-
propriation of the mooring chains, amounting to
73,02'21. 12s. 9.1. making together 147,1811. I Is.
-id. having been paid into the Bank of England to
one account, entitled, " The Account of the Com-
missioners of his Majesty's Treasury," and the sums
of stock purchased therewith, viz. 111,6661. 16s.
9d. and 124,5931. 3s. 4d. as before stated, making
together 236,2601. 05..1d. having been transferred
to an account under the same title, are not distin-
guished in the accounts transmitted to me front the
Bank of England, and inserted in the Appendix.
horn this Stock the sum of 15,1221. ss. 7d. having
been transferred to the Commissioners for the Re-

duction of the National l)ebt, as the consideration
for the redemption of those parts of the Land Tax
charged upon the Land Revenue which have been
already redeemed, the amount of Three per Cen-
tutu Consolidated Bank Annuities, now standing
in the names of the Commissioners of his Majesty's
Treasury is 220,137 L 9s. Id. and the annual divi-
dend thereon 66041. 2s. Id. The total increase in
the Land Revenues, by these means, amounts to

21,4381. 2s. 9d. a-year.
The principal improvement stated in the sche-
dules, is on the sunk island, in the Humber, the
history of which is extremely curious. It was
formed by the accumulation of mud, &c. and con-
tinued increasing till in 1662, it was of sufficient
magnitude to be demanded as a grant by Anthony
Gylby, Esq. to vhoin a grant was made for an
annual rent of 51. to commence from the embank-
ment of the first one hundred acres. Little pro-
gress was made till a new lease was made, in
the course of which the estate devolved to Wil-
liam Gylby, by whose exertions 1560 acres were
embanked and divided into farms, by the year 1744..
In 1755, a third lease was made to Margaret Gylby,
which expired 15th March last, rent 1001. fine
1,5501. The representatives of the family of Gyl-
by have now agreed to expend 10,0001. on a new
lease within these three years, and to pay a rent of
7041.25. Bd, in the first year, 30901. for the second
year, and :31901 for the remainder of a term of
31 years. The lessees have already expended
'20,0001. and '2835 acres have been added to the
lands already reclaimed, the whole secured by em-
bankment.

By the system at present adopted for the manage-
ment of the crown lands, it is intended to take no
tines, except on lands lett for building, in which case
a small tine is thought a necessary security. The
nioq adviseable of the new improvements the
man tgement of land, are imposed on the tenants of

the crown in the way of covenant as new letr,irs,
and where any improvements are made on old leases,
a teas enable extension of interest is allowed in in-
demnification. This is particularly the ease on the
crown lands within the City of Landon, where
every inducement has been held out to the royal te-
nants to make improvements. In most cases within
. the precincts of London, the improved.rents from
the ground of the areas, would exceed the rents none
derived from the existing superstructure.
From this system of management there appears
' just reason to conclude, that there will at length
result such advantages as will tend very much to
effect the benefit proposed by the various acts re-
' lacing to this subject, the reduction of the burthen
of the Civil List Revenue upon the subject.
We have already observed, that the advantages
which the subject had a right to expect from the tan
management of the Crown Lands were retarded and
diminished by the hardship which the tenants of the
Crown affected to find in allowing a fair value for
the Crown Lands, and the tenderness which the
officers of the Crown concerned with the business
had (we suppose not without good reason) for these
hardships. Between both these descriptions of pep.-
' sons the Crown Lands were managed in the same
manner in which many other Evanches of the Royal
Revenue arc between smugglers, who think it no
matter of conscience to cheat the Crown in any case,
and collusive revenue-officers, who would wink at
every violation of the laws with which they arc en-
trusted, rather than be urcivil. This system has
now, at least among the upper ranks, undergone an
entire alteration, and :t is at present understood, that
the property of the Crown, which is, in these cases,
the same thing as the property of the public, may,
and will, be managed with regard to the interest of
the right owners.
We arc, therefore, not a little surplice] t cee,
among the papers, a copy of a memorial presented
by a number of the tenants of the Crown, complain-
ing of the general hardships of leases granted in the
manner now adopted, and putting several extreme
cases cf distress which may occur. It is rather re-
markable, that among the tenants complaining of
these great hardships and possible distresses, the
greatest number of names are those of peers, of
the highest rank, members of parliament, and pri-
vate individuals, of high distinction and fortune.
The titles of Richmond, Marlborough, Leeds,
Queensberry, Essex' Harrington, Gower, Fife, Shef-
field, and Whitworth, are not the only remarkable
Ones • and some of them, to make their of
hardship the more laughable, have theft names
signed by J. Bannister, pert The answer of the
Lords of the Treasury was, that it was impossible to
make any general regulation where every two indi-
vidual cases were dit&renf, but that no individual,
who had a real cause for redress, should suffer hard-
ship from the crown.
No leases are now renewed till within five years
of the expiration of the existing lease. It has been
strongly recommended to sell those lands which
are capable of greater improvement in private hands,
and to vest the produce in the three per cents.
where, by vesting the accumulating interest also,
the advantage arising will, at the end of 31 years,
be double as much as can be derived from the re-
tention of the lands.

A Gentleman walking through Holborn,some few
years since, accosted another who was coming the
contrary way with the common-place salutation—
" How do' do ?" He was a stranger, and civilly ,
replied, " Sir, I believe you are Mirk:len." " I am,
Sir," says the other (upon (loser inspection), " but
hope I am not Wm, a-Niiss." " Certainly not," re-
plied the Gentleman, " it is a Miss-chance that we
often pick up in this populous town, and he would
be ill calculated to be Master of himself who suffered
such Min-hap: to affect his passions." 44 Give me
your hand," ejaculated the other, " 6 and I hope it
will not be Misv-applied in the grasp of a friendly .
shake." This was an actual occurrence about three
years back, and the two gentlemen have continued
very intimate ever since. Whenever they meet in
a mixed company, they take care not to Minn an
opportunity of explaining their accidental Mist-tabs ;
and though they are both married men, they seem
to take Much delight in playing punning-pranks
with those Mum— l'he following sentiment is com-
monly given by one of the Gentlemen,—" May we
never Aiiti-trust innocence, nor be deluded by Ma,-
fortune."
The circumstance of an innkeeper of Deal, who
for several years has enjoyed a high reputation, be-
lag committed for trial on suspicion of having been
concerned with two other persons in perpetrating
a murder twelve years ago, in Lincolnshire, re-
minds us of the many extraordinary cases in which
the crime of murder seems, by a peculiar interposi-
tion of Providence, sooner or later to meet detetclion.
The most remarkable case which has occurred in
latter times, in support of this opinion, is that of
the niurtkr of one Daniel Clarke, a shoemaker, of
Kn:uesborough, in Yorkshire, in the year 1745.
The man who was murdered had in his life-time
entered into a confederacy with Eugene Aram, and
one Houseman, a flax-dresser, to defraud several
persons of plate and goods, under pretence of hav-
ing received a good fortune with his wife. This
Clarke effectually did. Soon after which circum-
stance Clarke was missing, and a suspicion arising,
from the intimacy between him, Aram, and House-
man, that they might be concerned in the fraud,
their houses were searched, and some of the goods
were found at Houseman's, and others in Aram's
garden;' no more thought of till the year 1758
(thirteen years afterwards), when, as some work-
men were digging about Sir Robert's Cave, near
Knaresborough, they found the remains of a human
body, which revived the • recollection of Clarke's
sudden disappearance.
The wife of Eugene Aram (who had withdrawn
from this part of tfie country) intimated a suspicion
that Houseman and her husband'. had murdered
Clarke.
This turned the people's attention on Houseman,
who being shewn the skeleton, discovered every
mark of fear and guilt.
• From Aram's trial, which took place on August
S, 17.19. It seems that Aram and Houseman mur-
dered Clarke, and dragged his body into the cave,
where it was found.
Eugene Aram was a man of most considerable
genius and learning : his speech in his defence was a
master-piece of eloquence and sophist..y.
Notwithstanding the subtility and plausibility of
his speech, the fury without hesitation found hint
cmiby, and he was hung in chains at. Knaresbo-
rough Forest.

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