The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1841.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-110USE.

THR POOR-LAW IN TIIE CITY OF LoNnoN—Yesterday
Mr. Pontifex appeared before Alderman Hooper, upon the
part of the Guardians of the West London Union, in con-
sequence of a statement which appeared in the newspapers
on Wednesday, tending to reflect upon the conduct of the
gentlemen who act for the poor throughout that extensive
district.

Sir Edmund Head, the Assist Ant Poor-law Commis-
sioner, attended upon the part of the Commissioneks of the
Nor-laws, and tie City Commissioner, and several other
gentlemen who felt an interest in the subject t) which the
statement referred, were also present.

The statement was to the effect that a policeman bad
taken three utterly destitute persons to the \Vest London
Union, and requested the porter to admit and relieve them ;
that the porter bluntly refused, and told the policeman to
take them to the Straw-yard (the Refuge for the House-
less Poor), or where they pleased, and slammed the door
in his face. There were some minor circumstances de-
tailed which were calculated to show that there was a
very rigorous mode of carrying the law into effect adopted
in that Union, and that there was a sort of conflict between
the West London Union and the City of London Union,
by which the ends of justice were in many instances de-
feated.

Mr. Pontirex said that the report having occasioned such
excitement, and subjected the Guardians to most unjust
suspicions, he came forward to deny, in the most unqua-
lified manner, that these gentlemen had ever acted negli-
gently or injuriously to any of the numerous applicants fir
relief. In consequence of an arrangement entered into
betwe2n the Guardians of the West London Union and the
City Commissioner, the gate-keeper was ordered not to
admit any destitute person who should apply for admission
after eleven o'clock at right, without a note from the In-
spector, and the Guardians believed that the man was
justified in the course he had pursued, in conformity with
that regulation. Now, the difficulties which the West
London Union officers had to encounter, were not few nor
light, for as many as 257 applicants had been received
last week after the hour of eleven at night, and Letween
that hour and six in the morning, and the conduct of the
class of persons who applied, was generally as bad as could
b 2 imagined, in as much as within a month, seventeen
complaints had been male against those who were received
for having wantonly broke!' the windows of the house, and
the delinquents mentioned as a reason that they wished to
go to prison, as they were better treated in gaol than in the
Union. As to the charge made against the gate-keeper,
be (Mr. Pontifex) did not know how far it was founded in
truth, but the Guardians believed that if the man erred, it
was from misapprehension, not intmtion, and they by no
means wished to screen Lim.

The Commissioner of the City Police said, he most rea-
dily exonerated the Guardians of the West London Union
from intentional error. He admitted that, for the most
part, they were prompt and exemplary ir, their conduct—.
at the same time, the defence of ttsi ir officer, set up upon
this occasion, was altogether untenable. The three des-
titute persons, whose case was before the Court, had ap-
pLed for relief five minutes after ten at night, whereas
the rest lotion alluded to only referred to applications
made after the hour of eleven. That resolution had been
suggested by himself and adopted by the guardians to meet
two objects; first, that by taking the applicant to the sta-
tion-house, it might be aseerta'ned whether he was an
habitual vagrant ; and next, that the parish in which he
had been found might be known, so that the guardians of
the union might be able to remove bim thither. The fact
was, the resolution was never attended to by the officer,
for it appeared in evidence that he refused to receive the
wretched individuals, and told the policeman he might take
them to the Straw-yard, or anywhere else. The inquiry at the
present moment was of the greater importance, inasmuch as
tne continuance of the Poor-law Act was now before Parlia-
ment, and he would venture to suggest that the state of
the law, in reference to the peculiar circumstances of the
City of London, well merited the attention of all the paro-
chial authorities. It could not be denied that a very un-
desirable conflict was going on between the parishes within
and the parishes without the walls of the city : and that,
in the strife, the condition of the poor was made a very
subordinate object; and he was the more anxious to press
this subject on the notice of his Lordship, because be con-
sidered the existing grievances, as cone( reed the poor,
might be easily remedied.

Sir Edmund Head said that he attended, by direction
of the Poor-law Commissioners, whose usual bourse, under
circumstances of complaint, it was to institute intmedia•e
inquiry into the conduct of the officers ;mewed. The case
before the Magistrate had been heard of by the C Anmis-
sioners, and he begged to state that if it appeared that
the conduct of the officer, against whom the charge had
been brought, deserved animadversion, an inves:igation
should be commenced. He agreed with the Commissioner
of the City Police that the most marked distinction should

be drawn betwe.n the destitute and the designing, and
some of de officers of unions, who had acted without pay-
iag due regard to that distinction, had been dismissed.
It could not be for a moment said that a destitute person
was not to be me, iced. With respect to the sugge,tions
which had been just submitted by the Poor-law Commis-
sioners, he considered them to be very valuable.
Mr. Pontifex begged to be allowed to correct an
omission he bad made in his statement. It had been said
that the Ui ion house bell had been muffled. The reason
was that last summer crowds of sturdy beggars used to pull
for hours at the hell, to the annoyance of the whole neigh-
bourhood ; and he assured the Alderman that so anxious
win: the Guardians to do everything humanity could
suggest that they appointed an additicoal porter for the
night work.
Af,er some further conversation the Alderman men
tioncd to Mr. Edmund Head that the City Police Com-
missioner did not wish to proceed further against the gate.,
keeper cf the West London Union, whose refusal to ad-
mit the destitute, from whatever cause it originated, bad
been very prorerly brought before the public.

by the naivete of the answer, and yet unable to sup-
press a joke, " I hope you aro able to run alone ; but
come to-morrow and I'll see what can be done for you."
The little man went, and was appointed tooth-drawer
to the hospital ; though this was the only instance in
which Sir Astley departed from the old rule of " keep-
ing good things in the family," so rigidly observed in
these institutions. Sir. Astli-, indeed, carried nepotism
to no ordinary extent. had two nephews installed
as surgeons at Guy's, another at St. Thomas's, and he
appointed more distant relations to we know not how
many metropolitan charities.
Sir Astley's first marriage was odd and accidental.
While rolling into the city one day, his carriage got
locked with that of another gentleman on Ludget_i-hill.
The coachmen interchanged civilities in the customary
style, but their masters conducted themselves with ex-
emplary patience. " Steady, steady, John ! don't
swear so touch," said one of the gentlemen cooped up.
" I think I know that voice," observed Sir Astley,
" A'ot your name Jones ?" " Yes," said the other,
" and yours ?" " Cooper." " Alt ! I thought so,"
continued the surgeon, " and what's become of our old
filmes, the Bliss Cocks ?" " lam married to one of
them," was the reply, " and the other's waiting for
you." " The deuce sbe is!" was the rejoinder, and Sir
Astley lost no time
in driving down to his old c/ieee
wale, whom he married in less than a month, and re-
ceived with her a fortune of 30,0001. The lady was
the daughter Of a wealthy apothecary in the Borough.
Sir Astley obtained an equally large dowry with his
second wife ; but notwithstanding this, and bis large
professional emoluments, he was always frugal, and
latterly evinced no small share of the " gentlemanlyvice" of avarice. In his latter days he was unwilling
to give advice to medical men, from whom it is not
customary to exact a fee. To an old friend who cal'ed
on hini some time ago, and tendered a sovereign in-
stead of a guinea, he exclaimed—" No, no, it won't
do ; I must have the shilling too ;" and he resolutely in-
sisted on giving change for a five-pound note, in order
to get possession of the coveted coin. This, however,
may in part have originated from a cherished attach-
ment to old recollections ; for, on the whole, he was
one of the most liberal-minded of his profession. J.
n* We lieve teen, informed that the tumour was not on
the posterior of the Royal scalp, but on that of the most
bulky portion of the Piirice's bulky person, aid tha it
was removed at the desire cf the Marchioness of C-,
lecause it produced no trifling inconvenience when tits
" first gcrtleman in Europe" sat down upon the throne, cr
sunk into a common chair. Lord Liverpool's ludicrous
expression of an " eye sore" in such a locality was of course
thus renderel irfini:ely more ludicrous.

EXTRAORDINARY FACTS.--Itl the course of
an inquest held on Tuesday before Mr. Wakley, M. P.,
at the house of Correction, Collbath-fi Ids, on the body
of a primer who died therein, the chief turnkey, in
answer to a question from a juror, said that the Prises era
sent there invariably denied their guilt, even alter they
had been tried and convicted. Mr. Wakley said it was
generally supposed that all persons convicted of an offence
were guilty, but, from his own experience, in a case, ti.e
facts of which had never been made public, but which he
would then shortly relate. he was convinced of the contrary.
About twolears ago a surgeon residing in the Camberwell-
road, was, with his groom, charged with stealing from
dcielling-houseadjoi itig hie ovvn a quantity of futniture, en
which charge he was tried at the Surrey Sessions two days
alter being taken into custody, found guilty, and sen-
tenced to twelve months' hard labour in the House of Cor.
rection for the county, and his groom to three months.
He (;Mr. Wakley) hearing of tee case, and believing tee
charge to be uefounded, instituted inquiries at the Home
Office, where he was informed that the charge had hen
so fully estiblisbed as to render all ettemos to n
a mitiga i,,n of the sentence fruitless. H-, howesesr, per_
severed, and, waiting upon Lord John Russ( 11, requested
bins to allow the Attorney-General to fully investigate
the whole case. His Lordship kindly acceded to his
request, and the result was that the charge was found
to be a gross conspiracy, and the gentleman and his
groom were consequently yet at liberty. The facts were that
the house was let to a foreigner, who had gene abreael,
having previous to his departure authoti ed the laedlort4,
if he was not back within a certain time, to take away the
furniture. The foreigner not returnir g, the landlord, as
empowt red, remen ed the goods, aen subsequently the
charge as above stated was made against the surge or. The
surgeon, in consequer cc cf such an unfounded charge being
made against him and the sentence passed upon him, went
out of his mind, and was removed to 13ethlem Hospital, from
whence, after an ork'cr for his liberetion had been given,
haling regained his reason, he was brought up agaia to the
Surrey Sessions at tee instance of the same prosecutor,
charged Mali forging a will The charge being appareet'y
preyed so as to leave no doubt of his guilt, he was sentenced
by the very Chairman who presided at his fstrtue; trial to
seven years' transportation ia pursuance of which tea:eace
he was conveyed to the hulks et Woolwich. His f lends
again bestirred themselves, and several Members cf. Par-
liament, among whom were Sir De Lecy Evans, Mr.
Leader, Mr. Warhol ton,* Mr. Hawes; &c., &c., lat( r!en d
in his behalf, but were told at the Home-office that leis
was so clear that ntthieg could be done for n.
He (Mr. W.) then again exerted himself, and succeeded
in prosiag that the witnesses in support of that case, as
well as itr the other, had, at the instance of the prosecu-
tor, grossly perjured themselves, and that there were not
the slightest grounds for the accusations. The surgeon was
then a second time liberated, and cams direct to Lis house
from the hulks to thank him for bit interference.

.-A CAse• FOR TIIE BENEVOLENTAII:WhO
have del ghted i r Robinti n Crosoe—and Who has not ?
will feel interested in learning that there is at present re-
sidipg at Canonmills, near Edinburga, a grand-nephew of
fie verq Me Alexander Selkirk or Suleraig, the
it is supposed, of th:-,t rematk4 La character. We nued
not r:minfl err readers that Alexander Sell; i k resided
four Scars and four months in the uninhabited island
f Juan Fernandez, and that it is upon his adventures
dtr.-irg that pe,i id the immortal work •of Do Foe
is ell,ged t be founded. Selkirk's grand net.h:w,
to whom we have alludetl, is Mr. John Seleraig, an
aged and respectable min, struggling with ads-v.,,rie
f.rtune. Knowing his indigent circumstances, we have
suggested that he might leave the relics of his grand-
untie, which have- faben into his possession, at our
office, and that they might be the means of at-
tracting
numbe,-, a walking-stick. and
a
is thus
for him some l'ttle contribe-
t 3c. y notice
are
en onllattery
t
two
i
i'i
Life of Selkirk. "By far the most interesting relic is
the flip-can, in the possession cf his great grand-nephew,
John Selcraig. It holds about a Scottish riot, end is
i ai
made of brown stoneware, glazed: it resembles a common
porter- jug, as used at the present day. On it is the fol-
lowing inscription and posy, as, in farmer times, ever.i.
thing belonging to a sailor that would admit of it had its
rhyme:—
" mir
cia'er Salkurke, this is my one.
-- When you me take on bord of ship,
Pray fill me full with punch or flipp.
Fulham.'

" That the flip-can accompaniei him in all his wande:-
iogs and way on the island, I have no heiitwi )n to affirm.
lie had no opportunity to get it made after he I.:ft Eng.
land upon his last cruise, and that, it was manutact rr.d at
his own request, the inscription, evidently showy. That he
would get it made upon his return is not probable, as he
came to Lcrgo soon after, whcro he would have no use for
it; besides, ever since he went away from thenc', it has
been generally iodic! up, and, at one time, by a niece,
during fifty years together. It being cracked, there is a
patch of pitch upon it, to strengthen and prevent the crack
from extending. This must have been put on while at w.a
by Alexander himself." Thit jug, and the staff which elso
belonged to Selkiik, may he seen at our office, where any
trifle telt fcr their present owner will he the means of alle.
viating the distress of an aged and indigent man, whose
life has latterly been spent in unrewarded labours as a
teacher of the young.—Scotsman.

WRECK OF A CHINESE JUNK.—Extract of
aletter from Captain Codman, of the brig Argyle, of the
port of bfaltimore:—" On my passage from Canton to Val-
paraiso, on the 9th June, at 8, 30 p.m., ( discovered a ves-
sel bearing E. S. E., apparently in disnrss, being under
jury-masts. By 8 o'clock came up with and found her
to be a Japanese or Chinese junk, dismasted, and in
a totally disabled state. The vs r.iek was heading
to the N( rth, with three poles up, on which were
bent some old bits of canvass, having been dismasted and
lost all her sails. Saw three persons on board of her,
who made signs by dropping on their knees, and with
uplifted hands praying to be taken off. The weather
lacing mild, with light winds and smooth see, I have to a id
dropped down alongside c f her. The three revs, ns hove oil
their baggage on board oflis (which they had al ealy packed
ready for leasing the wreck), and they jumped on board the
Argyle thernselvo. As we could not understand a wArd from
them, and as they appeared perfectly reconciled to lerv~
their junk to Ler fate, I thought it advisable to deapetch a
boat to her, and examine if there was anything va'utll.l:
which alight be saved, end to note the condi ina of ti
wreck, as also to obtain any provisions she might have oa
beard. She was found to be a complete wreck, her masts had
been b
carried away by the
tleek.,:g perfectly her entirelyrurfoddoetlyr gone, her
iol in fa
hull strapped round and round with ropes to keep her
from
unmanageable.
She was about 30 tens burden, with a part of hat-
cargo of rice, is bags, the greater pant of which was
wet and spoiled. We found nothing else on board of her,
saw bagseafe few articles
lesbbeesltonrigeiatg to the .They had about
40 gallons of rain water onboard ; no food, except the rice
an a few decayed pieces of fish (shark). We took from her
a
a f
nothing else worth saving, recalled
diect2hs of
elxrtotp,e, and seeing
anileitethe
junk to her fate. The wreck was covered with b srnaeles,
or clams, from two to five inches in lergth. She had lost
none of her crew. Her appearance indicated having
been at least four er five months in that situation. She could
not have floated many days longer, as her hull was already
bursting from the swelling of the rice and the decay ..f the
wood. It is worthy of notice that this wreck had drifted
or been blown due east from Japan 2 400 mil .F. This faci
mar lead to many interesting ingot le'. The thu cc men, the
only ones that had ever been teen on board of her, were in
good health, and we have since learned, from undou'itod
facts, that they had been 188 days on the wreck, after h
distraied ; thrt they lefr. one c f the small islands eat Japan
to go to a neighbouring one with /ice, that she was die-
masted in a fungus tiphooe, a few hours out of poet, and
never saw land sif,eroards. Site was but a small coasting
junk. They had a corupasg, but no other guide.",llamp
shire Telegraph.
The Corporation of the Trinity House give
grand banquet this evenirg, at Trinity Bola; e,
Tower-hill, to his Royal Highness Prince Al'nert, who
we understand, is to be enrolled as one of the cider brethren
of that CorpOratiOn. Tho Duke of Wellington, al teas.
ter, will preside, and among the noblemen and gentl roe
who dine together, are Viscount Melbourne, Sir Robert
Peel, B,rt., M. P., Earl of Mode. Sir James Graham,
Bare., M. P., Admiral Sir J. B. Martin, Captain E. C.
Bradford, &c.

FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE

WAR-OFFICE, FEB. 26.

2d Regiment of Dragoons—Lieut. R. S. Forlong to le
Captain, by purchase, vice Macquarie, who retires; Cornet
G. A. F. Sulivan to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Forlong ;
W. Grant, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Sulivan,
Feb. 26.

6th Regiment of Dragoons--Lieut. W. J. T. Walker, from
the 61st Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Mansel who exchanges,
Feb. 26.

_
10th Regiment of Light Dragoons—Lieutenant R. 11. Smith
Barry, from, the 14th Light Dragoons, to be Lieutenant, vice
Lord F. G. Lennox, appointed to the 13th Light Dragoons,
Feb. 26.

13th Regiment of Light Dragoons—Lieutenant Lord F. G.
C. G. Lennox, from the 10th Light Dragoons, to be Lieute-
nant, vice Boalth, appointed to the 14th Light Dragoons ;
Cornet J. W. M. G. Hughes, from the 14th Light Dragoons,
to be Cornet, vice Rosser, who exchanges, Feb. 26.
14th Regiment of Light Dragoons—Lieut. J. Boalth, from
the 13th Light Dragoons, to be Lieutenant, vice S. Barry, ap-
pointed to the 10th Light Dr..goons ; Cornet C. P. hoser,
from the 13th Light Dragoons, to be Cornet, vice Hughes,
who exchanges, Feb. k 6.
2d Regiment of Foot—Ensign A. J. Otway, from the 51st
Foot, to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice .ti,cane, promoted,
Feb. 26.

10th Foot—Lieut. J. G. Paley to be Captain, by purchase,
vice Lecky, who retires ; Lieut. G. H. J. Leigh, from half-
pay of the 20th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Goode, promoted ;
Ensign J. W. E. Penrose to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice
Leigh, who retires, Feb. 26 ; Ensign G. J. Thomas to be
Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Paley, Feb. 27; H. Fitzgerald,
Gent. to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Penrose, Feb. 26; t .e
Hon. P. F. Lysaght to be EnAgn, by purchase, vice Thomas,
Feb. 27.

11th Foot—Lieut.-Colonel J. T. Pidgeon, from the half-pay
Unattached, to be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice G. L. Goldie, who
exchanges, receiving the difference ; Major B. V. Derinzy to
be Lieutenant-Colonel, by purchase, vice Pidgeon, who refit e 3 ;
Brevet Major H. K. Bloomfield to be la.jiir, by purchase, vice
Derinzy ; Lieut. B. C. Mitlord to be Captain, by purchase,
vice Bloomfield ; Ensign W. F. Clerk to be Lieutenant, by
purchase, vice Mitford ; Gentleman Cadet 0. F. L. Ward, from
Royal Military College, to be Ensign, by purchase, vice
Clerk, Feb. 26.

12th F.,ot—Lieut. F. G. Hamley, to be Adjutant, vice
Hersse. who resigns the Adjutantcy only, Nov. 10.
21st Foot—Assistant-Surgeon F. Laing, from the Staff, to
be A mist ant-Surgeon, vice Richardson who exchanges, Feb. 26.
Donald,24th Foot—Assistant-Surgeon J. ;onald, from the Staff, to
be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Drysdale., appointed to the 33d
Foot, Feb. 26.

33d Foot—Assistant-Surgeon James Murray Drysdale, from
the 24th Foot, to be Surgeon, vice Hall, appointed to the Staff,
Feb. 26.

37th Foot—H. C. Foss, Gent. to be Assistant-Surgeon,
vice Logic, deceased, Feb. 26.
42d Foot—Assistant-Surgeon J. M‘Gregor, M.D., to be
Surgeon, vice J. Patterion, who retires upon half-pay, Feb. 26.
51st Foot—D. Stephenson, Gent. to be Ensign, by pur
chase, vice (Away, promoted in the 2d Foot, F. b. 26.
61st Foot—L. H. Mansel, from the 6th Dragoons, to be
Lieutenant, vice Walker, who exchanges ; A. vVedderburn,
Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Forbes, whose
appointment has been cancelled, Feb. 26.

'74th Foot--As,istant-Surgeon W. L. Langley, M.D., from
the Staff, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Honibrook, deceased.
81st Foot—Ensign F. E. Sorell to be Lieutenant, without
purchase, vice Kerr, deceased ; D. A. Murray, Gent., to be
Ensign, vice Sorel!.

82d Foot—Ensign T. V. Isaac to be Lieutenant, without
purchase,'vice Sherlock, deceased; Ensign G. H. Nicholls to
be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Isaac, whose promotion, by
purchase, has been cancelled; Quartermaster-Sercicant B.
Stoodley to be Ensign, vice Nicholls, Dec. 26. •
93d Foot—Lieut. It. M. Banner to be Captain, by pur-
chase, vice Trevclyan, who retires; Ensign E. D. Macpher-
son to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Banner ; H. 11.
Stewart, Gent„ to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Macpherson,
Feb. 26.

Ist West India Regiment—Ensign M. Matthews to be Lieut.,
without purchase, vice O'Donoglque, deceased, Nov. 23; En-
sign P. Hackett to be Lieutenant, vice Matthews, whose pro.
motion, on Bth January, 1841, has been cancelled, Jan. 10 ;
W. Steevens, Gent., to be Ensign, vise Hackett, Feb. 26.
BKEVET.—Major T. W. 0. 111‘Niven, on half-pay Unat-
tached, to have the local rank of, Lieutenant-Colonel, •on a par-
ticular service, Nov. 17.

STAFF.—Lieut.-Colonel J. Bazalgette, on half-pay Unat-
tached, to be Deputy. Quartermaster-General to the Forces in
Nova Scotia, vice Lieut.-t. olonel Snodgrass, deceased, Jan. 15.
HOSPITAL STAFF.—Surgeon J. Hall, M.D., from the 33d
Foot, to be Surgeon to the Forces, vice Elliott, promoted;
Assistant- Surgeon J. Richardson, from the 21st Foot, to be
Assistant-Surgeon, vice Lai►,g, who exchanges, Feb. 26.
To be Assistant-surgeon to the Forces, A. T. English,
Gent., vice Donald, appointed to the 24th Foot, Feb. '26.

MEMORANDA.—The names of the Lieutenant, on half-pay
of the Royal West India Rangers, are John Elly," not John
Elley," as erroneously stated.

The Chri,tian names of Ensign and Lieutenant Hepburn, of
the Scots' Fusilier Guards, are Henry " Pooh," not Henry
" Park," as before stated.

The Christian name of Ensign Neweomen, of the 59th Foot,
is " George" only, not '= George Brabazon," as before stated.

Commission by the Lard Lieutenant of Wigtownshire.
Wigtown and Kirkcudbright Militia—Sir W. Maxwell,
Bart., to be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice John William Henry,
Earl of Stair, deceased.