The Sun.
London, England, 1825-09-20 00:00:00

[MORNING CHRONICLE.

It is now scarcely possible to take up a News-
paper without observing some instance of mis-
conduct on the part of Watchmen or Constables ;
and yet we never, by any chance, find that the
offender has been visited with any sort of punish-
ment for the abuse of his authority, and in no
one case that has lately come before the public
have had the satisfaction of learning that the
ruffian had been deprived of the power of
annoying. These offenders are commonly re-
buked by the Magistrates, and there the matter
ends; for, who cares to prosecute a watch-
man for an act of illegal violence ? Who would
waste time and money on the correction of a fel-
low of this stamp ? Yet it is undoubtedly an
evil, thafa number of licensed bullies should be
let loose on the town, armed with a certain de-
gree of authority, which they generally exercise
for any one purpose but that for which it is espe-
cially entrusted to them—the peace and security
of their districts. Your house may be robbed,
or you may be hustled or knocked on the head
by a gang of pickpockets, while the watchman
is levying taxes on the prostitutes, or resenting
personal affronts, by imprisoning the contemp-
tuous passenger. But the Magistrates, who are
generally supposed to hear these frequent outrages
with far too much lenity or indulgence, are, we
believe, not authorised to apply the most efficient
remedy, for it not in their power, as we under-
stand, to direct the removal of a watchman who
has misconducted himself. This should not be.
The machinery of the Police is defective in this
particular, and requires a complete re-organiza-
tion. We are persuaded that one of the greatest
improvements that could be effected in the Lon-
don Police w0u1.5 be, to do away altogether with
parochial watchmen, and to make over the duty
of guarding the metropolis to a regular police
establishment ; to the support of which parishes
might be con tributary to about the same amount
that they have been hitherto chargeable for the
maintenance of their crazy, inefficient, nightly
forces. In this way we might have for the preserva-
tion of the public peace an organized body of active
men, accustomed to a particular duty, and under
the immediate controul of the Magistracy; officers
of this description must of coarse be much better
paid than the watchmen, but it must be consi-
dered that a much smaller number of them would
be necessary. One able bodied active man would
do the duty of six of the poor, infirm, bewildered
creatures that are commonly appointed for the
public protection. A parish Dogberry is gene-
rally half blind, half deaf, and wholly powerless,
or, if he has the blessing of sight, hearing, and
well-strung sinews, he turns all these rare advan-
tages to the annoyance of his Majesty's Lieges,
sees ten thousand nonsenses that are better left in
the dark, has a delicate ear for affronts,
and rerents them by putting the strong
hand on the man that has insulted his dignity.
For this or worse misconduct he is rebuked
by the Magistrates, but the power of removing
him rests with the parish, and on parishes, no one,
that knows what they are, can have any reliance.
We should be glad to see this clumsy system
give place to a better organization. Watching
and warding by districts was a very clever con-
trivance a few centuries ago, but in a great ca-
pital of the present day it would seem that it
might be usefully superseded by the adoption of
a more modern invention—a regular police.

[NEW TIMES.]
In the English Money Market yesterday there
was but little doing. Consols for the Account
were very steady : they opened in the morning
at 884, and for Money 88H, and closed at the
same price. Exchequer Bills were at a premium
of is. The Foreign Market was equally dull,
with the exception of a few transactions in the
Spanish Funds, which were 20H, and 20-i for
the Account 30th September. Mexican Bonds,
734 to 74 ; ditto Scrip, 81 dis.; Greek Scrip,
17 dis. ; Danish Scrip, 6 dis.—ln the Shares of
the different Companies there was a considerable
stagnation ; in fact, the Money Market, at dif-
ferent periods yesterday, appeared almost de-
serted, and there seemed a cessation of business.
A New Mining Company was announced, whose
operations are to be carried on in Germany, where
the mines are reported to be situated. The Shares
came out at a small premium. They fluctuated
between fi and 1 premium, and left off at the
latter quotation. Potosi, 11 prem.; British Iron,
24 dis.; General Steam Navigation, 1, prem.;

Scarlet Dye, 3 prem. A few transactions in the
Shares of the Hoomeavy Mining Company took
place. They closed at from 2 to 3 prem., and
are expected in the Market to-day. Report
speaks highly of the probability of success of the
New Vigo Bay Company ; 3001. prem. has been
in two or three instances paid, and sums near that
amount have been repeatedly offered and refused.
It is said they will not be generally on the
Market.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

EXTRAORDINARY CLAIM UPON THE DUKE OF
NORTHUMBERLAND.

MANsrox-HousE.—lt will be recollected that a poor wo-
man applied a short time ago for advice as to the manner in
which it would be advisable for her to proceed in order to make
known a claim which she had upon the Duke of Northumber-
land, to his Grace, and that she stated that her grandfather,
Mr. Lomas, who was married to the Dowager Duchess of So-
merset, had magnanimously given up to the Percy family
80,0001., for which he had the bond of his wife. All the cir-
cumstances stated upon that occasion were, it appears, well
founded, but there were two or three inaccuracies, which, as
the case is extremely important to both parties, we think it ne-
cessary to correct. The name of the unfortunate grand-daughter
of Mr, Lomas is Webster, and not Lomas. Her father was a
citizen of London, and carried on business at N 0.87, Newgate-
street. Mr. Cmser, one of the parish-officers who investigated
her case when she was compelled by the sudden death of her
father, and the refusal of the Northumberland family to make
any permanent provision for her, to seek relief, states that he
believes it to be true in all its leading particulars. The state-
ment that the applicant's mother had received a pension
was erroneous, for her mother was no more before her grand-
mother, who was the wife of Mr. Lomas, died.
Notwithstanding the fact that many days have elapsed since
the publication of the remarkable circumstances of the case,
and that the Duke of Northumberland has been applied to
by petition and by letter, no notice whatever has been taken
of the matter, and the unfortunate pauper has often expressed
a wish that if the Duke supposes her to be an impostor, he I
would vindicate himself by prosecuting her a course by which
her claim would be settled beyond the possibility of further dis-
pute. When the widow of Mr. Lomas died, her only sur- j
vivor, the complainant, applied to the Rev. Dr. Macleod,'
the Rector of St. Ann's, Soho, and put into his possession,
according to her statement, the original letter of the late Duke
of Northumberland, promising to take care of the descendant
of Mr. Lomas, in order that he might interfere with the Percy
family in her behalf, and procure a continuance of the annuity
of 251. per annum, which had been paid to Mrs. Lomas for 32
years. The Duke of Northumberland, it was stated to the
parish officers, excused himself from making any provision
for the descendant of Mr. Lomas, on the ground that the
Earl of Beverley, the second grandson of the Duchess
of Somerset, was in possession of the magnificent fortune j
which Mr. Lomas gave up with such noble disinterestedness.— j
In August, 1820, the Earl of Beverley paid a visit to the
widow of Mr. Lomas, and gave her a guinea. He was exceed-
ingly desirous that she should give up the letter of the late Duke
of Northumberland, acknowledging the obligations of the family
to the descendants of Mr. Lomas, but this additional evidence
of the disinterestedness of her family she positively refused to
give; and being a woman of a high spirit, addressed his Lord-
ship in terms not by any means agreeable to the delicate ear of
prosperity, especially from one who was considered by some in
the light of a poor relation. The Earl has mostly resided in
France since that period, and therefore has not been applied to.
I We have learned, that soon after the pauper had put
her case into the hands of the Reverend Dr. Macleod, and in-
trusted him with the letter of the late Duke, she was asked
by him whether, if the Duke made a permanent provision
for her, she would consent to give up the letter containing
the secret. To this she readily consented, understanding
that the Reverend Gentleman had been •in communication
with his Grace. She was somewhat surprised a short
time afterwards upon learning from the Doctor that his
Grace would give no more than 251., and that upon
the receipt of that sum, he (the Doctor) had given up the let-
ter. She then had no alternative. She was in a deplorable
condition, and she took the 26/. No application was made by
her until about two years afterwards, when site applied in a
supplicating letter to Lord Prudhoe, the brother of the Duke
of Northumberland, stating the nature of her claims. From
his Lordship she seceived Si. When this pittance was.ex-
hausted she applied again, and the Duke sent her 201., on
which she lived for 12 months. All her subsequent applica-
tions proved fruitless, and she was driven, as was before stated,
to seek relief from the parish. The parish-officers, although •
they can make no distinction in their allowance to the descend-
ant of the Gallant Gentleman to whose generosity the Noble
family are indebted for so large an addition to their wealth,
treat her with great respect and kindness. Mr. Cresar, the
hosier, of Newgate-street, when in office as an overseer, very
benevolently exerted himself in her behalf.

The following, we are assured, is a verbatim copy of the let-
ter from the late Duke of Northumberland, to suppress which'
such strenuous exertions were made

"Alnwick, Jan. 1, 1790.
" Dear Sir,---I have received yours, enclosing one from Mrs.
Lomas, and in consequence of your information and her dis-
tress, I am very willing to allow her 50/. a-year for life, which
I shall commence as from Christmas last. I have therefore en-
closed a check for 251. for the first half year. I should not have
troubled you on the occasion, but I thought it would give Mr.
Lomas an additional pleasure to receive this information from
your hands, and I have no doubt but my brother, who is in
possession of my late grandmother's personal fortune, which
Mrs, Lomas undoubtedly might have claimed, will make any
addition as may be thought necessary to the above sum.
" Yours sincerely,
"To John Cowslade, Esq. NORTHUMBERLAND."
The Duke afterwards made use of this remarkable expres-
sion—" Whilst a Percy lives, a descendant of Lomas shall
never want."

The unfortunate pauper, to whom, God knows, it would be
charitable in some one of this great family, which is, perhaps,
the wealthiest in all England, to bear in remembrance the im-
mense sacrifice made in their favour, and the honourable
assurance given by the late Duke of the eternal gratitude due
to his benefactor, appeared yesterday at the Mansion-house to
make inquiries as to whether any thing had been heard re-
specting her case, and was, answered in the negative. Her
condition is, indeed, miserable ; and it appeared to those who
saw her that she was not at all likely to be long a burden to
any one.-..-(iTiorning Paper.)
CONDUCT OF WATCHMEN.
BOW-STREET.—Two young men, brothers, of genteel ap-
pearance, the one a compositor, the other a smith, were brought
yesterday before Sir R. BIRXIE, charged in the usual vague
and indefinite phraseology of the watch-house gentry with being
" disorderly.'
The charge was made by two watchmen, who stated that
the defendants were in the street, drunk and disorderly, late on
Saturday night, and that they abused them (the watchmen)
when they told them to go about their business.
The young men denied that they were drunk, disorderly, or
abusive, and said, that the true state of the matter was this
They happened to have the misfortune to get among a gang of
thieves, in Drury-lane, about 12 o'clock on Saturday night, as
they were going home, and one of them was robbed of his hat,
by a fellow in the garb of a chimney-sweeper. He called to a
watchman on the opposite side of the way, to take the thief in
charge, but he refused to come, because he said the spot was
out of his parish. The thief got away.; the defendants remon-
strated with the watchman (one of the present complainants),
and he, with the other, dragged them to the watchhouse, and
there charged them as disorderly, observing, one to another,
when they had done so, " we have booked the —, however."
Sir R. Brasrm, when he bad heard the defence, censured
the conduct of the watchmen, and added, " I don't know how
it is, but you watchmen are extremely active in raking up
trumpery charges of disorder,' as you call it, and make your-
selves very busy in laying hold of two or three drunken people
in the street, or dragging poor unhappy wretches of women,
who have misery enough without your interference, to the
watchbouse, but you never by any chance bring a thief or a
burglar before me. Some people seem to imagine that you are
appointed by me, or that you act upon my authority, or, upon
my instructions; but that is not the case. Watchmen are ap-
pointed by the parish, and I suppose act, or at least profess to
do so, upon the orders given by the
parochial authorities."—
The Chief Magistrate then ordered the beadle of the night to
be sent for, in order to ascertain if it was true that the watch-
men had used the language described, observing, that, if they
had, the matter should not rest where it was with respect to
should once
forget et
them. The messenger could not find the beadle, and the young
men
the discharged,eonduSctirolftt.hße rwßaxtcihEmteenll.ing them that
he
at
not

We are told that a basin is to be excavated in
the field south of Waterloo-road, for the purpose
of receiving lighters and small craft entering the
wet dock now making at Waterloo Bridge. The
canal leading to the basin is to intersect the 13e1-
videre_road, and consequently a bridge will be
thrown over the carriage-way.