The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-14 00:00:00

CALAMITOUS OCCURRENCE AT

THE HERRING FISHING.
1
(From the Berwick Warder.)
We regret to have to record this week an accident of a
peculiarly distressing nature which has taken place on
.this part of the coast, in addition to others, involving
the loss of property to a greater or less extent, caused
by the state of the weather, and tending at once to
cripple the exertions of those engaged in that important
branch of industry, the herring fishing, and to cast
around them the gloom of affliction arising from the
loss of relatives and friends. On Friday evening last,
although the sky was overcast, the weather was • yet so
fine that it was scarcely possible to anticipate the slight-
est danger to the boats engaged -in the fishing, and all
of them at the various stations on this part of the
coast put out to sea as usual, while some, as in the dis-
tressing case more immediately under notice, were en-
couraged by the apparently settled calmness of the night
to risk their floats nearer to the rocks than is their prac-
tice. The aspect of the weather continued unchanged
till about 12 o'clock, when a tremendous gale sprung up
from the north-east, placing the lives of the boats' crews
in the greatest jeopardy. Most of them hauled their nets,
mt.ny of which being full of herrings, were lost in the
hurry and confusion consequent upon the exertions of the
fishermen to escape the danger. One of them, however,
the Jebus, of Eyemouth, having unfortunately taken up
a perilbus position near the shore at Marshall Mea-
dows, from which the crew were unable to extricate
themselves, the consequence was that the whole
on board, five in number, perished. The details of
the accident have not, of course, been ascertained ;
but it is supposed that while the crew were in the
act of hauling their nets, and before they could sail, the
boat had been caught by the gale, and driven amongst
the rocks, after which it had capsized. The crew con-
sisted of Thomas Dougal, the skipper, aged 52 ; John
Dougal, his son, aged 15 ; George Dougal, sen., and
George Dougal, jun., his nephews, both aged 3S ; and
John Grieve, a labouring man, aged 24. The body of

the•boy and one of the I)ougals, who, it is thought, had
attempted to swim ashore, were found on the beach on
the following morning, and conveyed to Marshal Mea-
dows barn. The body of the other George Dougal was
recovered during the day, and the other two were found
entangled amongst the nets in the water. On Monday
morning an inquest was held by the Coroner on the
bodies at Marshall Meadows House. The evidence
related entirely to the finding of the bodies by the
servants at Marshall Meadows. There being no
evidence as to the cause of death, the Jury, in com-
pliance With the technical requirements of the lass, gave
verdicts of "Found drowned" and "Found dead," ac-
cording as they were taken out of the water or picked
up on the beach. On the same day the bodies were put
into coffins and removed by their sorrowing relatives,
and on Tuesday the remains of John Grieve were in-
terred in Ayton churchyard, and those of the other four
were deposited in Eyemouth burying-ground. By this
lamentable occurrence three widows and seventeen chil-
dren have been left in destitute circumstances. Thomas
Dougal has left three sons and two daughters, the
• youngest about five years old ; George Dougal has left a
widow and five children, the youngest four months ; the
other George Dougal has left a widow, at present preg-
nant, and seven children, the youngest eighteen months
old ; and John Grieve has left a widow without chil-
dren. We are happy to, learn that a subscription has
been opened for the relief of these destitute families.

CORONER'S INQUEST.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE RIVER.

Yesterday afternoon, at two o'clock, a Coroner's In-
quest was held before Mr. Carter, and a highly respect-
able Jury, at the George public-house, Bankside, on the
bodies of John Clemence, aged 27, John Joseph Oxley,
aged 34, and Robert Clarkson, aged 27, who, with
Joseph Thomson (not yet found), were drowned in the
River Thames, about half past one o'clock on the night
of Friday last.
The following witnesses were called :
Edward Reader sworn—l am waterman on board the
Pearl Gravesend steam-boat, which was lying off South-
wark-bridge, on Friday night. About ten O'clock Clarkson,
Oxley, Thomson, myself, Wheeler, and Mr. Gunn, the
steward, went to the George public-house, where we re-
mained until half-past one o'clock, when we all left to
go on board of the Pearl, as we all slept on board.
Clemence was a stranger to me. On saying he wanted
to go on board of the Orion, to which he belonged, he was
offered to be rowed to her. The boat belonging to the
Pearl, which was a skiff, was then unfastened from the
stairs, and Clemence entered, followed by Clarkson,
Oxley, and Thomson. Wheeler then said, "row, and put
three on board, and then return for the rest." I then
pushed the boat off, Clarkson having the sculls. When
the boat had gone about twenty yards from the shore I
heard some one call out that either Clarkson, or Thomson,
was overboard, but which I cannot say, and the rest seemed
to go over. I heard no one cry out. There was barely
any light at the time of the accident. An alarm was in-
stantly given, and the drags were procured, and in the
course of half an hour Wheeler and another man found
the body of Clemence. The other two bodies were after-
wards found, but the body of Thomson has not been re-
covered. I cannot say what caused the accident. We
were all sober at the time.. _ _ _

Ingram Gunn—l am steward of the Pearl, and the
evidence given by the last witness is perfectly correct.
CORONER—DiaI you see anything in the conduct•oF
Thornton or Clarkson to lead you to suspect that either
one or the other of them intended to destroy himself ?
Gunn—No, I am quite satisfied the deaths of all was
the r,-!suit of accident.

The Jury returned a verdict that the three deceased
persons were accidentally drowned in the River Thames.

STOP?ING THE SUPPLIES.
(From the Manchester Times.)

A rumour has reached us of the intention of holding a
preliminary meeting in this town, to deliberate on the
grave question of refusing to pay any direct taxes to the
Government, until the Corn-laws be abolished, in imita-
tion of the course adopted by Earl Fitzwilliam and
others, during the agitation for the Reform Bill. We
think any such course would be illegal, if carried out by
a public meeting, or recommended by any Association.
Individuals may refuse to pay assessed taxes in money
without violating the law, which provides for such cases
by a distraint and sale of the property of defaulters. To
stop the supplies, so far as the assessed taxes go, it would
be only necessary for the Corn-law abolitionists to obey
the law by quietly and peaceably letting its officers take
their course. We question if any auctioneer in Man-
chester, or other towns of Lancashire, would be found
willing to sell goods so distrained, and we are sure there'
would- be no purchasers.
A respectable Correspondent has furnished us with
the following note on this important subject :—" We have
heard from several quarters repeated intimations that in
this town parties of the highest respectability have re-
solved they will not voluntarily pay any more taxes to
the revenue till the trade in corn is free. We believe the
resolution is not confined to secular persons. How will
it appear if Ministers of religion, whose hearts bleed for
the oppression of their brethren, and who have resolved
to mingle their sympathies with the poor and suffering,
shallbe dragged to prison, or their property confiscated,
for the maintenance of an unrighteous system."

DEPENDING ON ONE'S WITS.—A journey-
man tailor, who left this neighbourhood on tramp a short
time ago, played off the following not very creditable
trick. Being " hard-up," (as the phrase goes), and rather
fatigued, he rested his arms upon a gate leading to a corn
field; and.was ruminating, when a body of Irishmen came
up. Fancying, from the tailor's manner, that he was the
owner of the field, and in the act of looking at the crop to
see if it were ready for the hook, they at once asked for
" the job." The tailor hesitated for a moment, as if in
deep thought, and then (rave a half negative. The hesi-
tation of the tailor caused the poor Irishmen to renew
their entreaties, and at last the tailor said he had an ob-
jection to Irishmen, having employed some last year that
did not do their work properly. The reapers assured
" his honour" that they would behave " dacently" and
do the work as it ought to be ; but his honour was not
disposed to trust them, unless they would deposit a cer-
tain sum in his hands. The poor fellows raised several
pounds, the fruits- of their industry, which they placed
in his honour's hands, receiving, in return, orders to
commence cutting the wheat on the following morning.
We are sorry to add, the tailor, who practised the decep-
tion, got clear away with his booty before the " mistake"
was discovered. lie may yet receive his deserts.—Der-
Nish:re Chronicle.

SIR ROBERT PEEL AND LORD
eAx
psliaiiLniEnYl:7l,
The following letter from Lord Ashley,
reasons for not accepting office
with`
Sir Robertf
has been communicated
Itno
auns,swei h. a request
_no
uil
,r,
on behalf of the operatives of
sertion :—" Mr. --,
Peel. that rLaton our )
I have
Rtoobreerptl3rHaving, however, l from him
that his opinions • tory question
aesvert,enadsecreerdtaciatnos:m; by Sir
on the subject of the factory ac
were not matured, and that he required further time
for deliberation, I declined the acceptance of any place,
under circumstances which would impede, or even
limit, my full and free action in the advancement of
that measure, which I consider to be vital both to the
welfare of the working classes, and the real interests of
the country. In taking this course, however, I neither
express nor feel despair. It will be your duty and
mine, not only to preserve, but to redouble our efforts;
and I still entertain a hope that her Majesty's advisers,
after an investigation conducted with sympathy and can-
dour, will, under God's good providence, give to us all an
answer of happiness and peace.—l remain, your very obe-
dient humble servant, ASHLEY.—September 4, 1841."
Manchestcr Chronith.
On Saturday afternoon an inquest was held at
the William the Fourth, Lewisham-road, before Mr.
Carter, on the body of Mr. Archibald Trollope, aged 53,
wild committed suicide by hanging himself under very
afflicting circumstances. The deceased was in early life
in the merchant service, and for a number of years com-
manded a West Indianian. After leaving the service he
became a general merchant, and carried on business in
the Commercial-road. He retired about four years back.
The Jury returned a verdict of " Temporary derange-
ment."
We were amused the other day at a little boy
(says the John o'Groat Journal). He was seated on the
step of a stair weeping bitterly, and had just recovered
from a rather severe illness, which had left him very
weak. " What is the matter, Andrew ?" inquired a
person of him in passing. "My legs winna gang," was
the reply,