The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-06-06 00:00:00

THE MARCHIONESS OF WESTXESTE V. THE MARQUIS OF

WESTMEATH.
This was a suit instituted in the year 1820 for a divorce, by rea-
son of cruelty and adultery. •
It must be in the recollection of our readers that a recent decision
in Ireland has impugned the testimony of several of the alarchio-
ness's witnesses
This day an exceptive allegation to the evidence of another of her
witnesses, Miss Frances Elix3heth Wood, was tendered on behalf
of the Marquis. The ground of exception was, that this young
lady had, in her answer to interrogatories. stated, that she did not
recollect being, in the year 1818, at a ball given by Lady Robinson
at her mansion in Albemarle-street; nor did she recollect having
ever said "that the Marchioness was endeavouring to get all she
could from her husband-by bullying him." In contradiction to this
part of her testimony, it was prayed that the Court would permit
Daniel Giles, Esq. to be examined.
Dr. LUSHIRGTON. in reply, argued that. admitting this young
lady to be in error as respected these points. still it was more pro-
bable that it arose from a larvae of memory than from any in-
tention to commit the serious offence of deliberate perjury. He did
not perceive that there was any thing so very peculiar in a young
lady's going to a hall, as to cause her to retain a recollection of the
circumstance three years afterwards ; and it was still more impro-
bable that a conversation taking place there should be impressed
on the mind. He had not been at a ball for twenty years put,
1 but from what he could recollect it was a scene of gaiety and
confusion, in which the whirl of the dance, the play of the music,
the glitter end glare on all aides, sad the multiplicity of remarks
and compliments, were well calculated to prevent any mere cursory
observation from making a deep impression on a young lady's
memory ; the more especially when, as in the present cue, it oc-
curred in a conversation with an elderly gentleman.
Sir C. Rontsisow thought himself bound to admit the exceptive
allegation, and permit evidence to be taken in support thereof.
The question of its Importance, as weighing against this young
lady's testimony, he should lure to betdiscussed at a more mature
stage of the proceedings.
SLANDER.
RICHARDS v. CLARICE.
This was a suit instituted for defamation of character. The
parties are sisters-in-law, resident at Paddington, arid it appears
defendant entertained a suspicion that her husband maintained a
criminal intercourse with Mrs. Susannah Richards, the plaintiff ii
this cause.
Five witnesses were examined, who swore to different defama-
tory expressions. One witness was told by the defendant, "that
Mrs. Richards was walking in her shoes; that she was a w—,
and that she was her husband's w— ." Another swore that the
defendant, seeing her nnsband coming out of the plaintiff's house,
called to him, " Von have been to see your w—, have you ?"
At another time, the defendant seeing the plaintiff standing at her
own door, called to her, "tin in, you nasty w—;" with other
equally conTlimentary expressions.
No defence was attempted.
lair C. Rontrisow pronounced judgment. No reply had been
given to the libel exhibited, and the Court therefore must consider
it to be fully proved. it therefore pronounced its sentence to be—
" That the defendant do, on Sunday, the 12th inst., perform penance
in the parish church of Paddington; and that she pay the costa of
this suit."

POLICE.

MANSION-HOUSE.
On Saturday, a fisherman, named Williams, was brought before
the Loan 'klaxon, charged with having used a white bait-net,
contrary to the Act of Parliament.
Nelson, the assistant water-bailiff, stated that the river was co-
vered by illegal fishing-boats; that as the white bait was now in
season, the most destructive means was taken to get at other fish,
such as smelt and flotanders, under pretence of fishing for white
bait alone. The defendant was not only guilty himself of using a
net calculated to take the smallest fish, but had at the moment he
was speaking some men at work in the river.
The fisherman said it was notorious that the whole world now
fished for white bait ; that the delicacy was required daily by his
Majesty. who was pleased to countenance the practice of fishing
for it by eating it; that the river, in fact, was overrun with white
bait, and that in fishing for it, he (defendant) avoided as much as
possible touching any other fish. Under those circumstances he
thought it would be very hard to fine him and to deprive him of
his net.
Nelson produced the Act. and declared, that unless his Lordship
did something decisive against the practice. the river would be
robbed of all its most valuable spawn. He informed his Lordship,
that notwithstanding the prohibition by Act of Parliament, several
persons in the (;ity of London had advertised that they devised it
daily ; and last year the public could get supdlied, before his face,
with the fish in the greatest abundance. The consequence of this
general disregard of the Act was, that he was laughed at down the
river by the fishermen, who, the moment he appeared, gave the
signal to their fellows, and away went the nets, notwithstanding all
his vigilance and labour.
The Loan MAYOR strongly approved of Nelson's anxiety to
protect the fish, and said he should at least condemn the nets. Ile
had it in his power to inflict a penalty of W. upon the offender, but
be should remit the penalty in the present case, although, perhaps,
it would be more advisable at the commencement of the season to
set an example to the rest of the fishermen. His 1,7414 said he
should write to Mr. Alellard, at Blackwall, not to dress any of the
favourite fish at the Conservancy dinners, as he could not conscien-
tionstly think of eating white-bait, when he condemned the nets by
which it was caught.
Nelson highly approved of this plan, and said that the present
Chamberlain of London, wben an Alderman, had prohibited it.
His Lordship then condemned the net, but remitted the tine.
The fisherman went away declaring that Nelson never gave the
poor lellowsppon the water any chance of catching any thing but
hunger and cold.
Way ON St:l RIII:R.—We understand an official com-
munication ha* been received by the Chamber of Commerce,
whereby it appears that the duty on Sulphur is to be re-
duced from 20s. to Los. per cwt. To bleachers, calico
printers, and some other classes of commercial men, this
alteration is important.—Manchester Guardian.
Within those few days past nearly sixteen hundred tons
of flax have been imported from the Baltic into Dundee.