The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-17 00:00:00

THAMES POLICE.

Yesterday afternoon a Malay, naniedliandromon, was
brought before Mr. Ballantine, charged with cutting and
wounding a Chinese called Howsung, who appeared be-
f()re the Magistrate in a dreadful state. his face had
been cut down from the temple to the chin, and his gar-
ments were covered with blood. The parties were sea-
men on board the Scaleby Castle, East Indianian, from
Canton, which was navigated homewards by a mixed
crew of Lascars, Malays, and Chinese, of whom little
care has been taken since their arrival in the port of
London, and who have made complaints to the Magi-
strates, of the want of proper clothing and provisions.
Luke, a constable, said this day, at ten o'clock, Sir, I
was informed the Chinamen and Malays had got fighting
en board the Scaleby Castle, and that one man had been
nearly killed. On reaching the vessel I found her in a
state of great disorder ; there had, indeed, been nothing
but fighting and noise all the morning. The wounded
man had been removed from the ship before I got there,
and this Malay was pointed out to me by a Chinese sea-
man as the person who cut his cheek open.
A Chinese sailor, with a long tail which nearly
reached to the ground, was here put forth to interpret
the evidence, but he could only speak a few words of
English. It, however, appeared that he saw the affray,
and he stated that the Malay took up a long knife and
cut the man Howsung on the face, and there was a good
deal of lighting.

Mr. BALLATINE—Ifere is a pretty state of things—a
parcel of Malays and Chinamen fighting, and with knives,
and they are under no control at all. There should be
some English person invested with authority to manage
them, and superintend their provisioning and control
them. Where are the European officers of the ship—
don't they look after them ? Luke—The European
officers don't care a farthing about them—they don't
care if all the Lascars, Malays, and Chinese kill each
other after the ship is brought home.
Mr. BALLANTINE—There ought by all means to be an
European boatswain to look after them and prevent
them getting into disorder. Does the captain of the ship
look after them? Luke —lie is not often on board, Sir.
I do all I can to keep them quiet, but they are too
much for me.

The officers said the Captain of the Scaleby Castle
had waited on Mr. Broderip in the early part of the
week, and complained that many or his Asiatic crew
were annoying the owners of the vessel, and loitering
about their offices in the city.
Mr. BALLANTINE said it too often happened that the
Lascars became vagrants in our streets, because they
were not properly looked after. 1)o you expect any
more of these men ? Luke—Yes, Sir ; the Fort Wil-
liam, a 1,200 or 1,300 ton ship, is coming in to-morrow,
full of these black people.
Mr. BALLANTINE then directed that the prisoner should
be detained until to-morrow (this day) at the station-
house, and that in the meantime a proper interpreter
should be engaged to explain the evidence to the Court.
Ife would suggest also while the Lascars, Malays, and
Chinamen were in the East India Dock, that policemen
or some persons armed with sufficient authority, should
be stationed on board the different ships, where they
were to prevent similar outrages, and see that the men
were properly treated. The state of things which existed
at present was quite disgraceful.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
Yesterday a Court was held for the dispatch of pub-
lie business. There was a full attendance of Memb, rs.
The Report relative to the Medicated Bath Institu-
tion, recommending the grant of the sum of .501. in aid
of the Charity, was brought up and agreed to.

GRATUITIES TO THE OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION.

A Report was brought up from the Committee in
relation to officers and clerks of the• Corporation, re-
commending that a gratuity be paid to Mr. Goldham,
the Clerk of Billingsgate Market, for his extraordinary
exertions during the past year.
Sir Chapman Marshall, Alderman Thomas Wood,
Mr. Jupp, Sir Pt;ter Laurie, and finally Mr. Wells,
bore warm testimony to the merits of the Cleik of Bil-
lingsgate Market, and the Report was agreed to by
acclamation, and sent back to be carried into effect.

PROPOSED PIER FOR STEAM-VESSELS AT BLACKFRIARS

BRIDGE.

Mr. PRIOR, the Chairman of the Blackfriars-bridge
Committee, brought up the Report, to which he intreated
the most particular attention of the Court.

The report extended to a great length, and was, after
some discussion, adopted. The Committee approved of
the plan laid down by Mr. Walker, and recommended
that 9,000/. be paid out of the City funds for the erec-
tion, and that such fees should be paid for the use of
the pier, as the Bridge Committee might think fit. The
following letter of Mr. Walker to the City Clerk gives
every necessary information respecting the work :
" 23, Great George-street, April 6, 1841.
" SlR,—The model for the proposed steam-boat pier
of Blackfriar's bridge, prepared by order of the Black-
friar's-bridge Committee, is sent herewith, and is so ex-
planatory as to require but little written description. It
starts from the line and level of the footway paving on
the west side of Chatham-place, and is extended by
means of two cast-iron arches of 84 feet span, resting
upon cast-iron piers, placed in nearly the line of the
bridge piers, to the third opening arch ; the whole
length of the passage or way being 205 feet, and the
width 12 feet. From this a flight of steps descends to
a fixed platform upon piles, to which is attached, at
each cad, a sloping stage, the low er ends resting upon
the floats or barges, which rise and fall with the tide.
The floats or barges have a covered accommodation for
passengers. _

The whole cost, including deepening to give 6 fee
water at low water spring tides, is estimated at 9,0001.
" I am, Sir, your very obedient servant,
" Mr. Henry Woodthorpe. " J. WALKER."

THE DEATH OF SERGEANT ARABIN.
Information having been received of the death of
Sergeant Arabin, some conversation arose upon the
propriety of appointing a gentleman as soon as possible
to one of the offices (that of Judge of the Sheriffs'
Court) held by the deceased Sergeant. The matter
was postponed.—Adjourned.

METROPOLITAN YOUNG MEN'S
ANTI-MONOPNLY ASSOCIATIGN.
A full Meeting of the Central Committee of this As-
sociation was held last evening at Hart's Hotel, 159,
Aldersgate-street, Mr. R. H. Pugh in the Chair.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the business of the even-
ing, alluded to the recent meeting of the members of
the Association, where they had unanimously pledged
themselves to " use, collectively and individually, every
exertion in increasing the numbers of the Society, and
to render the Committee every assistance in their
power." He regretted so few had redeemed that pledge
—(Hear, hear)—as he had considered the Committee
would have received some relief from their difficult un-
dertaking, the labours of which were daily increasing.
The SECRETARY (Mr. H. Preston, jun.) then laid
before the Committee several letters which had been
received since their last meeting,—among others a com-
munication was received from Dr. Oxley, of Hackney,
offering the use of a public room to the Society.
Mr. CUNNING moved that a Course of Lectures be
delivered at Finsbury Chapel, South•place, in connec-
tion with the Association, upon the Corn and Provision
monopolies, to commence on Wednesday evening next.
Mr. HILL, in a neat speech, seconded the resolution,
which• was put, and carriel unanimously.
Mr. W. Lyon, of Camberwell, and Mr. H. Booth, of
Clerkenwell, were elected members of the Committee.
The names of several new members were then handed
in, a vote of thanks was passed to the Chair, and the
meeting then adjourned at a late hour till Thursday next.

TUETHAMES ROYAL MAIL STEAM-PACKET.
—An excursion down the river from the Brunswick-
wharf to Greenbithe and back was made in this vessel on
Wednesday by Mr. Mandslay, the engineer, Mr. Filcher,
the ship-builder, and builder of the Thames, and a
numerous company of gentlemen connected with or
interested in the Royal mail steamers. The vessel pro-
ceeded down the river shortly after 11 o'clock, and re-
turned to her moorings a little before 3. Iler perform-
ance gave great satisfaction to all who witnessed her
progress down and up the river, and fully equalled the
expectations formed of her by those who had in-
spected her previously and were on board during the
trip. She is one of the vessels destined to carry the mails
to the West Indies. Five of these vessels -are now at
Southampton, and are about to sail for their respective
destinations in a few days ; and three are at Blackwall
or in the East India Docks, being prepared to proceed
on their several voyages. They are all very fine ves-
sels. The Thames is of 1,800 tons burden, and of 400
horse power ; she measures from stem to stem 246 feet ;
her breadth of beam is about 46 feet ; she is rigged with
three masts ; her deck is flush, and not divided by the
paddle-boxes, as in smaller steamers. She was built at
Northfleet, and is a very
_superior model of her class of
vessels.