The Sun.
London, England, 1834-01-03 00:00:00

THE MAGAZINES.

TEE PARLIAMENTARY RE VIE W.
The Thirty-fourth Number of Mr. Bucking-
ham's periodical, weekly during the sittings of
Parliament, but monthly at present, is now be-
fore us. It has not so much attraction as it
had during the last session of Parliament, and
'as we doubt not it will have the next. In fact,
its chief source of interest arises from an actual
witness of Parliamentary manoeuvres, giving us
his account of them fresh and fresh as they oc-
cur. There are, however, one or two good
papers in the present number, independently of
Mr. Buckingham's reminiscences of the East.

TEE UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL.
We are glad to find that the present number
o his favourite Magazine is much better than
the st. It contains a greater variety of matter,
and m st, therefore, we should imagine, be more
interesti to the professional, as well as the
general re er, than an unbroken string of dry
military staAcs. The leading article is en-
titled " War a the War-office," and although
we cannot altof.Y, er concur in the doctrines it
promulgates, it mu be confessed that it is proper
for the magazine in w .ch it appears. We shall
be understood when we. say that it is an elabo-
rate article against the Whigs for their reductions
of some of the expenditure connected with the
army, for others that they have not made, in
favour of increasing our force, and periodically
making promotions, &c. &c. The two next
articles fight directly one against the other. The
first represents Russia as meek as a lamb, not at
all to be feared by England either in Europe or
Asia, unless we purposely provoke her ; whilst
Major Mitchell, in the second, devotes a score
of pages to proving that Russia is so dangerous
an enemy that we are justified in at once seizing
upon Candia and Egypt, in order to prepare
means of defence for India ! We must confess
that we do not exactly see the necessity or
morality of the course the gallant Major recom-
mends, but he forms an excellent makeweight to
the pro-Russian article of his fellow contribu-
tor. Of the other articles, the " Cruise of a
Revenue Cutter" is the most entertaining ; and
the account given of Prize-fighting, the most
instructive. The following yarn is spun by a
petty officer of the Revenue Cutter ;--
" How long ago was this ?'
" Let me see; it must have been about 1804, or 1805.
We were laying-to cff Beachy Head, when about 2 o'clock
in the afternoon, the wind blowing strong from the son'-
west, we saw two lugger privateers board a brig to wind-
ward, and then all three make sail for the French coast.
Our mate, who was at that time commanding officer, as
the Captain was ashore with a boat's-crew, said, Now,
lads, we must try and recapture that 'ere brig.' We lay
quiet enough for some time, as they were all coming down
on us, until the brig was some distance from the loggers,
then we made sail ; but the loggers soon spied us, and Ibe
dom'd if they didn't give chase to us. My eyes !' said the
mate, do you see that ? Clear away for action, or by G--
we shall be taken by those Frenchmen !' Our boarding
nettings were up fore and aft in a crack, and all our guns
were loaded with grape and cannister up to the muzzle.
We then hauled our wind, which brought the small lugger
on our lee.bow, and the large one on our weathet.quar. -
ter.
At this time it was about 10 o'clock, but moonlight,
so that we could see the large lugger's leeks full of peo-
ple ; they were as thick as bees, all ready to board us :
when she got near us, not farder off than that 'ere boat,
our mate says, Now, lads, keep your weather eyes to
windward, and stand by to fire the two double-fortified
four and Old Sal ; now then, !off right across her bows,
and fire when I tell you.—Let fly ! says the mate ; and so
we did ; Old Sal giving them such a dose as they hadn't
had for many a day ;—it would ha'e done your heart pod
to have heard the chattering and jabbering among the
Frenchmen. Dom the word could we understand ; but
they didn't trouble us any more ; so away we went arter
the small lugger, our mate swearing he'd tun her down, if
he could come up with her; but we could not. We
chased her until daylight, and then they run her ashore
under batteries at Dieppe; but we hadn't done wi' her,
for we stood close in and fired seven guns right into her.'
" 4 But, Mr. Blowhard, what became of the battery all
this time ?'

O, I'm dom'd if I know, except they had had a
drop overnight, and hadn't turned out. Howsomdever,
they never fired a shot at us.'
.‘ And was this all you did?'
All ! and I think enough too ; but it was'nt all :
for arter we stood out for some time, the man at the mast-
head sung out, ' A strange sail !' and presently arter,
" Two strange sail !' This was the other logger with the
brig in tow, making all sail for the French coast. Now,
my lads, at 'em again,' said the mate ; but the Frenchman
didn't want such another dose ai Old S,l had given her ;
so she cast the brig off, and run for it. I went in the
boat that boarded the brig, pulling the bow oar, for I
wasn't an officer then; we didn't find a soul on board the
brig but the owner, whom the Frenchman had half killed.
Sbe was called the Paddy of Cork, bound to Lunnun.
She had a great quantity of fowls on board. Wbat a
blow out the Frenchmen were determined to have that
day, if we hadn't disturbed them, for I'm dom'd it they
hadn't cut the beads off all the fowls, and there the poor
things were running about the decks cutting as many
capers as a parched pea in a frying-pan.'
Is this all your yarn?'

~ ' All ! and I think it enough too ; but it a'n't all ;
for the mate chased the other lugger, and drove her ashore
too: we lamed arterwards by the cartel that they were
both lost.'

" Now that is all I suppose, Mr. Blowhard?'
" All ! and enough too; but it a'n't all, for the worst
part is to come; for we fell in with a man-of-war cutter,
who claimed our prize, and took her from us, as we had
no business, being a revenue cruiser, to go in chase of
privateers.'
" The Commander's appearance on the deck put an end
to old John's yarn."

The article on " Prize Fighting" will be suffi-
cient to open the eyes of the few dupes whom
the cant of its fostering " English spirit," and
" manly courage," may still impose upon. The
whole is well worth reading, and we are sure that
the following extract, though long, will be read
with pleasure :

"We may be allowed, e
passant, to narrate a fact
which once occurred at
ricrirg-fight. It exhibits the
extraordinary dexterity of
pickpockets, and the good un-
derstanding existing among then, the boxers. The
celebrated Joshua Hudson was talkingald to another bruiser
outside the ring at Moulsey Hurst before pitched battle
to him, and
commenced, when a pickpocket came a
purHudson, here is
respectfully touching his hat, said, , Mr. P
which the
your property,' presenting to him his
Josh.
to
thief had previously picked his bre,•chesle' of
:1,1%7:nu, tee the
Hudson smiled, thanked the thief,
purserestot:ePrket.
the same pocket, and walked on. In a fegw
thief again came up to him, and, touchia
peated the ' Mr. Hudson, here is your propertia,t, re.
presenting to him the identical purse. The boxer cooked
and
rather puzzled, but, securing his purse well in his breeches_
pocket, he walked off, saying to the thief, ' I'll be es-
if you get it again, if you Rhea% keep it.' Before the
fight had begun, the thief came to him a third time, with
his bow, and M . Hudson here is your property,' hold.
ing up the fated purse. Hudson merely took the latter,
and swore that his friend was too much for him.
" We will now give a breviary of the morale of the
prize-ring ; and its perusal will, we think, convince the
most infatuated dupe of the ' Fancy that our apparently
overcharged statements are strictly within the limits of
sober truth.

" LIST OF PRIZE-FIGHTERS.
" Thurtell,—banged at Hertford for the murder of
Mr. Weare, his friend and brother-gambler,—was a Fiat-
fighter and patron of pugilism. He seconded Martin
against Randall—a cross—and got up the cross between
Oliver and Painter of Norwich, by which he cheated
thousands of foolish people. Thurtell kept the flash or
porting house in Carey-street once kept by Gully, and

wu the bosom friend of Spring. When under the gal-
lows, Thurtell turned from the exhortations of the chap-
lain, and inquired eagerly if news bad arrived how the
fight bad gone (between Langban—the Irish Champion
and Spring). Being told that Spring had won the fight
he replied, lam glad of it, for Spring is a good fellow.'
These were his last words. What a complication of the
ruling passion and the honesty of friendship in the ring !
What a compliment to the Champion of Enilind !
" The next murderers, convicted murderers, of the prize-
ring are Bishop, the murderer or Burker of the Italian
boy, his accomplices Williams, and Harris, Cie attempting
murderer of a woman ; —all examples of the manly spirit
produced by pugilism. But let them be taken alphabe-
tically amon.; the mass of the fraternity.
. .

Adams, John. Transported for seven years for robbery,
and on hi; return from the hulks fought Donovan,
Richmond, &c. Adams is now a leading member of
the prize-ring.
Allen, Wm., alias Jack the Painter. Transported for seven
years for robbery.
Ayres, Dick. Twice transported for robbery. Released
from the hulks, he fought Dick Curtis (a cross) and
Barney Aaron. He became an utterer of base coin,
and was detected ; then reverted to his old trade of
picking pockets, and is now again on board of the hulks
under sentence of transportation.
Bishop, -. Hung at Newgate for burking the Italian

boy.
Belasco, John. Transported fur 14 years for a robbery at

Epsom.
Byrne, Simon. Killed Mackay, who was hocussed (poi-
soned) in the fight. Byrne was killed by Deaf Burke.
Belasco, Abraham. A keeper of a notorious brothel,
and I,efore the Magistrates a dozen times for assault, in
that house. Fought Randall, Sampson, and others.
Burke. Transpr'rted for life for a robbery in Tottenhatn
Court-road. Fought Jem Belcher, the Chicken, &e.
Baldwin, Edward, alias Whiteheaded Bob. A huge
monster, celebrated for a friendship with a man of
fashion, a patron of the ring ; committed at Bow-
street for robbing a shawl off a girl's shoulders in a
brothel, &c.
Cribb, Thomas. A coal-beaver, now a publican ; had
up at Bow_street for ill-using his wife, and leaving her
and her children utterly destitute, whilst he was living
with another woman.
Clarke, Wm. Executed at Bristol as the most desperate
leader in the riots; so atrocious was his conduct, that
his friends could plead nothing in his behalf but mad-

ness.
Carter, Jack. Transported for seven years for robbery.
He fought Oliver, Molyneux, Spring, &c. ; and on his
return from the hulks, he resumed his occupation as

boxer and resurrection-man.
Crockey, —. Sentenced to death, but transported for
life for highway robbery. Fought Robinson, Harry
. —. .

Lancaster, Bone, and Fisher. -
Cooper, Gipsy, and his brother. Two well-known
thieves. Thomas Cooper, who fought young Dutch

Sam, was sentenced to death at the last Chelmsford

Assizes for robbery.
Curtis, George. Twice transported for seven years, each
time for shop-lifting. Fought P. Inglis, &c.
Curtis, John (brother). Killed by Turner in a prize-fight,
the unhappy victim being in a state of loathsome disease
at the time of fighting.
Curtis, Dick (brother). " The Pet of the Fancy." Leader
of a gang of pickpockets; received 6501. for fighting
the cross with Perkins.
Dick, -, West Country Dick. A bully to a house in
Shire-lane, and after many atrocities, transported for
robbery. He fought Cooper, and was a great favourite

of the Fancy. -
Delay, Morris. Captain of the East•end gang of thieves.
One of the most desperate of the London robbers.
Imprisoned two years for robbery, and at last trans-

ported for life under another name.
Flynn, Paddy. Transported for life, with two minor
boxers, all notorious burglars. His wife a celebrated

smasher.
Giblets, Charles, alias Grantham, alias White, alias &c.
&c. Transported for seven years for sheep-stealing,
then imprisoned for six months for body-snatching, and
finally transported for 14 years for robbery, accompanied
by horrible violence on a French sailor, in his (Giblet's)
own - house. He fought all the leading men of the
day, and fought a celebrated cross with Rough Robin.
Guest, -. A notorious receiver of stolen goods. A
friend and patron of the ring, with Ikey Solomons and
Bill Price, who were transported.
Harris, Kiddy. The most promising boxer of his day.
Hung at Newgate for horrible cruelty in an attempt to
murder a woman. By original profession a house-

breaker.
Husband, John, alias the Spr;g of Shamrock. Transported
for seven years for robbery. He was an agent i❑ the
duffing line—connected with certain well-known
gamblers. He fought Norman and the Portsmouth

champion, and was a star among the light weights.
Holt, Harry. A duffer by profession origin illy, and even
described in Boxiana as a duffer by trade. A star in the

ring.
Mendoza, --. Most celebrated in the old school. Now
in a state.of destitution—his daughters on the streets

and his son transported.
Norton, Joe. Beaten most cruelly, and died, at the Castle
Tavern. It was contrived by the Fancy at no small
expense, that the case should he brought in " death
from apoplexy."
Oliver Tom. Once champion of England, and the best
fighter of a cross tbat.was ever known. His son sen-
tenced to death, but transported for life for robbery.

Whilst his son was under sentence of death, Tom was

gaily at the Bash-housk s sporting his old tricks.
Owen, Torn. A leader of a prey.-gang at Portsmouth ;

a sheriff's officer, and a London crimp.
Pope, Maurice. Sentenced to death, but transported for
life, for robbing a woman on the highway. He fought

Jonathan Bisset!.
Perkins, -. Fought the celebrated cross with Curtis,
and was finally transported for stealing a watch.
Parish, -. Transported for life, for stealing a watch
at a fight in the Borough. Fought Randall, Holt, &c.
Reubens, Scilly. Transported for highway robbery. Long
a celebrated thief, and leader of thieves, at the East
end of the town. Brought before the Magistrate for

cruelly beating his wife. Fought Brown, the Sprig of
Myrtle, Smith, the Sailor-boy, &c. &c.
Randall, -. His widow appeared before the Magis-
trates destitute, and in a horrible state of disease.
Spring, Tom, alias Thomas Winer. Fought a cross
of notoriety with Painter. Vide Thurtell.
Savage, William. Imprisoned six months for a criminal
attempt on his daughter. Fought Harry Jones.
Symons, Fought Jem Belcher. A celebrated ring
dropper.
Scroggins, A vile character ; severely flogged in
the navy, and now a beggar in the streets.
Ward, Jem. Fought a cross with Abbot, and was turned
out of the ring. Re-admitted, and fought another
cross with Josh. Hudson. Intended to fight another
cross with S. Byrne; was detected, and agai❑ turned
out of the ring. Re-admitted; was matched to fight
S. Byrne, and offered to sell his fight for 500/., but
demanding his money beforehand, was refused, but not
exposed. Several times imprisoned for deserting his
wife and leaving her on the parish. Now keeps a

tavern in LiverpO,,l, and is a man of property.
Western, George. The captain of the Whitechapel gang
of thieves. Transported for a street robbery. Fought

Ab. Belasco, &c. &c.
Williams,-. Hung at Newgate for burking the
Italian boy. A bodysnatcher by trade, but a patron
and ally of ti.e ring; a better, backer, and general

agent fur pugilists.
To these we may add the names of Thompson and
Yandall. The former fought an Irishman, and, being
able to beat his man, the Fancy, or Irish party of the
Fancy, broke into the ring, and kicked Thompson so
violently, and struck him such blows on the beck of the
head with bludgeons, that he died. Yandell fought an
Irishman at Wingfield, won the fight, and received the
stake .money. A short time after he was brought home
with his head beaten to pieces with bludgeons, and be
could merely mutter the word fight' indistinctly before
he died. There are scores of similar proofs of the manly
spiri•' promoted by prize-fighting."

The following are taken from the miscellaneous
correspondence at the end of the number. The
first is of some interest ; and the second will,
we hope, have its proper effect upun the cox-
combs the Dragoon Officer refers to ;--
" several Englishmen have been speculating in the pur-
chase of lands.
Sir Pulteney Malcolm, who some years
ago Purchased an estate at Athens, on which he built a
very good house, has lately sold it, with great profit, to
K. ing Otho, and has since bought the Pmtalian or Spili
islands, off the south-west extremity of Egripo. They are,
I believe, seven in number, and naturally fertile, though at
present, from want of cultivation, not productive. A
number of Maltese are going over shortly to Greece as
labourers and artisans, in order to cultivate the soil, which
it would appear the Greeks themselves are incapable of
doing. This emigration will be productive of great
advantage, both to Malta, which will be relieved of a por-
tion of its over numerous population, the greater part of
I which is in great distress and poverty, and to Greece, by

introducing among its klepht or robber inhabitants, the
example of industry and the knowledge of agriculture."
" BRITISH YEOMANRY UNIFORMS ABROAD.
" MR. EDI rox,—Having attended the manoeuvres of the
Austrian army in Lombardy last autumn, I was enabled to
make a few remarks, one of which I wish to present to
you, viz.—' the attendance in uniform of officers of our
Yeomanry corp..'
" It is natural to conclude that the object in presenting
themselves in uniform is, that they may be supposed officers
of our army ; for, in confirmation of this conclusion, they
are generally (if not always) returned in their passports as
majors or captains, or by whatever rank they may happen
to hold in the corps to which they belong. This, how-
ever, the scrutinizing eye of an Austrian or Prussian
would, I imagine, generally see through; but there must
be some instances to the contrary, and consequently, until
an explanation is entered into, it subjects the actual officers
of our army to the doubt of foreign officers, as to their
being really soldiers by profession.
" 1 have no doubt that it has happened to other officers
to meet with observations similar to the following, which
arose in general conversation. I became acquainted with
an Austrian officer, who asked me to what part of the
service I belonged ? and on my replying ' to the dragoons,'
be delicately observed, Yes; but you are really in the
army, are you not?'
" You will, I think, agree with me that an officer
attending reviews in a foreign country represents, for the
time, the part of the army to which he belongs. He goes
there to improve himself in military knowledge, by view-
ing forces on a larger scale than he has the means of seeing
them in England, and which knowledge may naturally be
of service at a future time. The Yeomanry officer, how-
ever, can have no reason of that kind to produce, as the
utmost to which his exertions can be required of him is in
the county to which he belongs. Consequently, as no
advantage can be gained by his appearing in his provincial
uniform, and mistakes are liable to arise from it, I think
you must concur with me that it would be well if such a
practice were discontinued.
" I am, Sir, your humble servant,
" A DRAGOON OFFICER."