The Sun.
London, England, 1822-10-09 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

. •
MANSION-HOUSE.—NEW AND MOST DESTRUCTIVE
MODE or FISHING.—Five fishermen were brought before the
LORD MAYOR by Howell the water-bailiff, and Nelson his
deputy, charged with' having carried on a new, unlawful, and
most destructive system of fishing in the river Thames.
It appeared from the evidence that the Thames fishermen
from Greenwich towards the Medway have lately adopted a
plan of fishing, which is calculated in a degru; beyond all for-
mer example to thin the river of the broods of young fish. This
system was described to be as follows :—A number of boats
,provide themselves each with a wide-mouthed net of the shape
of a drink net, and of extremely large dimensions, which are
extended as much as possible by long iron rods attached to
beams, which float upon the surface. The boats thus accouter-
ed lie across the stream, and the mouths of the nets are held to-
wards the apprqaching tide. The " take" is in consequence of
this marshalling of the little fleet immense, the fishermen being
by one night's success enabled to combat with a month of ad-
versity and condemnation of nets and fines. Another tempta-
tion to this practice is superadded—the fishermen May lie in
their boats, and smoke their pipes while the work of destruction
is going on ; and it is only necessary for them to appoint a cle-
ver scout to watch for old Nelson," the water bailiff, lest
he should interrupt their labours ; the produce of which is
every day hawked about in Middlesex and Essex, and consists
of young fish of every description. It was stated incidentally
during the examination, that there is a species of fish amongst
those so hawked about, which, if eaten without moderation, in-
evitably produces " cholera morbus." Nelson, as soon as he
heard of the existence of the formidable fleet down the river, set
sail with two men for the purpose of capturing them ; but the
scout was true to his post, and the fleet were informed of the
motions of the enemy, by means of a sort of telegraph. Before
the arrival of the foe, all the nets were in a place of safety.
Disguise was then resorted to, but Nelson's boat was known.
On Wednesday last, however, Nelson got into a strange boat,
and having put on a red coat, a cap, and a false nose, bore
down upon the crews that lay below Greenwich, in a part
called Bugsby's Hole, busily engaged in making preparations
for a " take." But even in that disguise he was recognized
by one of the prisoners, who immediately gave the alarm, and
the nets were in a moment out of the way. A shout of derision
was then set up at Nelson, wha upon the spot swore that he
would get hold of some of the " bad ones." within forty-eight
hours, and kept his word. The fishernien calculated upon 'his
coming down upon them in some new disguise, and were on
one occasion thrown into consternation at the appearance of an
old woman who crossed the river with a sack of potatoes. They
little expected that, old and infirm as the deputy is, he would
pay them a visit on a stormy night ; but he went into the neigh-
bourhood late in the evening, and concealed himself until mid-
night, when he sallied out, and ran direct in upon the whole
fleet in Bugsby's hole. The nets were cut away, and the oars
went to work, but Nelson dragged the river, and succeeded in
getting six large nets into his possession before morning, after
an infinite deal of labour. Having recognized the owners, he
commanded them to appear before the Lord Mayor, and his
command on such occasions is mostly obeyed implicitly, as
• they know how fruitless it is, and what they may
_expect, if
they disobey. One of the fishermen did not appear, and a
warrant was issued for his apprehension.
The fishermen, in their defence, declared that they were
forced by their extreme poverty to make use of unlawful nets.
One of them stated that the parish had purchased him his net in
order to rid themselves of the burden of maintaining him. The
man who had prevented Nelson from seizing the net on the
first expedition, pleaded that it was to save his own net, which
was all he had in the world, that he rowed before, and not to
warn the other fishermen. The whole of them declared they
were too poor to pay any fines, and that as Mr. Nelson had not
only seized their nets, but also the whole of their " gear,"
anchors, &c., they must be utterly ruined if their gear were
taken from them.

The LORD MAYOR expressed his surprise at the infatuation
of the prisoners in so pursuing a system which was manifestly
to the injury of the body, as they destroyed the brood of the
succeeding year. There could be little surprise at the com-
plaints of the diminution of the broods of large fish, whilst the
practices now complained of were carried on. It appeared that
the temptation to the practices arose not so much from any su-
perior profit, but from the hours of idleness it afforded ; for
nearly as many full-sized and wholesome fish might, it was
admitted, be taken with proper labour with lawful nets. His
Lordship felt it his duty to condemn the whole of the nets and
the gear and tackle attached to them. He fined the fisherman
who gave intelligence of the approach of Nelson, Ms., in addi-
tion to the forfeiture of his tackle.

WORSHIP-STREET.—CAUTION TO PUBLICANS. IR
consequence of the numerous complaints which have arisen
through the inattention of publicans to the last Act of Parlia-
ment respecting licensed Victuallers, the Magistrates, with a
praiseworthy attention to the morals of the lower classes, who
generally frequent those houses at late hours of the night, have
directed all landlords to be summoned who shall be found to
suffer tippling at unseasonable hours. According to this deter-
mination ; no less than twenty-three landlords of public houses
appeared yesterday at this office charged with the above offence,
and after a patient investigation of each case by the sitting Ma-
gistrates, Mr. BEVILL and Mr. BENNETT, the• whole were
disposed of as follows :—Samuel Taylor, of the British Oak,
Baltic-street, St. Luke's ; Samuel Hewitt, Jacob's Well,
Church-street ; Barker, the Butchers, Newington ;
Cochrane, Crown and Cushion, Grub-street; John Farringdon,
Black Dog, Church-street; Thomas Edwards, Duke of Wel-
lington, Three Colts-lane ; Abraham Barker, King and Queen,
Hare-street ; -- Barry, Bell, Shoreditch ; and William
Ilett, Ship, Baker-street, were found guilty, and sentenced to
pay each a fine of 505., with 6s. 6d. costs. Joan Adams, Bull's
Head, Thomas-street; Crispwell, Coach and Horses,
Newington ; and Sarrah Henderson, Admiral Keppel, Church.
street, fined each 255. and costs. The others were dismissed
with a repremand, and cautioned not to peep open their houses
late at night. . .

The worthy Magistrate wished it to be distinctly unders-
stood, that the Act of Parliament says, that no public-houses
shall be kept open at late hours, under a penalty of 5/., with
power to mitigate it to one half that sum ; and the second of-
fence is lig., without any remission. Although it is not stated
precisely the hours at which the houses must be closed, yet the
Magistrates, after due consideration,lave declared that half past
eleven o'clock on Saturday nights, and eleven o'clock on other
nights, should be the latest period ; and if after that time
persons were found in houses drinking, the landlords must be
liable to the penalty, according to the Act of Parliament.—
Many landlords made their excuses that although persons were
found at their houses at improper hours, their doors were closed
but the Magistrates would not listen to such an excuse.
The office was crowded to excess with the persons sum-
moned, and others anxious to hear the decision of the Magi-
strates.

HAT TON-GARDEN.—The wife of a very eminent copper-
smith, in the vicinity of Fleet-market, was brought up in
custody of a constable, and underwent a very long private exa-
mination, charged with stealing a piece of gingham out of a
linen-draper's shop in Holborn. Several gentlemen, friends of
the prisdner, were present, who felt themselves hurt-at the scan-
dal brought on them through the charge against her. The lady
was committed to Clerkenwell prison for another examination
on Thursday nest. Ten thousand pounds bail was offered for
her appearance, which the Magistrates refused to accept.
OFFlCE.—Yesterday a ragged apprentice
girl was brought before the Magistrates by one of the Officers
belonging to Mary-le-bone, who charged her master and mis-
tress with cruel treatment. The girl stated, that on Saturday
last she informed her mistress she was unable to do the whole
of the household work, when her mistress beat her most un-
mercifully with the hearth broom, that she was compelled to
leave the house, and was in the street all the night. She had
to do the whole of the work, including washing for seven, be-
sides herself, and was repeatedly beat by her mistress. An
elderly Lady here stepped forward, and said, that the child on
Sunday morning was sitting at her door in a most miserable
condition ' • she took her in, and gave her an asylum until the
following day. The parochial officer in attendance said this
was not the first complaint that had been made. The Magi-
strate observed, the statement of the girl herself and her ap-
pearance were fully sufficient to prove that she had been most
shamefully treated. The master who appeared to the sum-
mons, said he knew nothing of the transaction, and his wife
was unable to come on account of her family.—The Magistrate
ordered that the girl should not go back again to her mistress,
and that the master should refund to the parish the Fernium of
3/. ls. given with her.

A CAUTION AGAINST SWINDLERS.—There is a
family of great boys and girls, with their pretended mother and
grandmother, assuming the title of ladies i the children are re-
ported to be minors, and when of age they are to have 2,5001.
each. These depredators are in the habit of taking genteel
houses in the vicinity of London, which they furnish, and in a
short time establish credit with all tradesmen. When bills are
delivered, one pretends no knowledge of the matter—others that
they belong to her ladyship, and she is not at home. 'When the
visiters become warm upon the subject, the swindlers travel by
night, and elude- detection. Croydon, Mitcham, Bedington,
and the intermediate places, have more or less contributed
against their wills to support them.
In 1791, a pound of fine cotton, which cost 7s.
6d. was spun into yarn, measuring,97 post, miles,
of the value of 221. It was sent to Glasgow,
and there made into muslins, which was pre-
septed to her late Majesty Queen CHARLOTTE.