The Sun.
London, England, 1833-08-08 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, AUG. 7.

PENNY THEATRES.—Robert Fisher, aged 17,
was charged with having feloniously stolen a two-
pound weight, value 6d., the property of George
Matthews.
Mary Smith deposed, that upon the evening of
the Bth of July the prisoner came into the shop of
her master, for the purpose. of purchasing a ticket
for a private theatre,. situated in Ironmonger-court,
10,elitsyt.reeTt.herT.ehwe.apiraic.e2lobf.
wth.eeigthictkuept:natsheocnolyunotenre,
which was missed a short time after the prisoner
had left the shop. In consequence of this, witness
went to the theatre with a police constable, and
found the prisoner comfortably seated, and seem-
ingly prepared to enjoy to the full the amusement

of the evening. When the prisoner was searched,
the weight was found upon him.
Another witness, named Pritchard, corroborated
this statement.

The police constable who took the prisoner into
custody stated that this theatre was a most infa-
mous and blackguard place—a complete nursery for
thieves. The name of the play was Shakspeare
Murdered.

The prisoner was found Guilty, and sentenced to
three months' imprisonment and hard labour.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION HO USE.
THE CORPORATION AND THE WATERMEN OF
GRAVESEND.—Mr. Drinkald, the Common Coun-
cilman, appeared at the Justice-room for the pur-
pose of replying to the charge made against him by
the Deputy Mayor, of having misrepresented the
present condition of the watermen at Gravesend.
The affair had made a great noise, and he had given
notice to the Deputy Mayor, who had made the
charge, and the Town-clerk, of his intention to
make his public contradiction at the Mansion-house.
The LORD MAYOR postponed the hearing for an
hour, and then, neither Deputy Mayor nor Town-
clerk, nor any officer at Gravesend having appeared,
desired Mr. Drinkald to proceed.
Mr. Drinkald stated that the Deputy Mayor's
statement was wholly at variance with the fact.
That the present wooden erection at Gravesend was
a nuisance, and a most decided obstruction to the
navigation of the Thames, was acknowledged and
urged by Admiral Sir Edward Codrington, and
several other Admirals and high officers of the navy,
pilots and others, who gave evidence before Parlia-
ment.

The LORD MAY0R.....-It struck me that one of the
Deputy Mayor's assertions was rather odd. It was
that, notwithstanding the erection of the pier, the
watermen were as much employed now as they were
before the pier was built. I should like to know
that for the poor men's sake.
Mr. Drinkald declared that the statement was a
gross exaggeration of the receipts of the unfortunate
watermen. He had ascertained all the facts relative
to their condition. The consequences of the erec-
tion were actually ruinous to them. The number
employed in taking passengers to and from the steam
boats use to be 375. Seventy-five men each day
took their turns five days in the week, as well as
others who were not in the turn way. These men
received fourpence each passenger. At the present
time, no more than 24 men were employed each
day, at three shillings each day; so that if all the
men were employed, they would only get one day
out of 15. No doubt, after next month, not more
than 12 men would be employed, and then the men
would have only one day out of 31—there was a
support for the poor men and their families !
The LORD MAYOR—Under such circumstances,
and finding that the Corporation have not, as you
say, complied with the Act of Parliament, it would,
in my opinion, be prudent to proceed against the
body for a violation so unwarrantable in every
respect. But it has been said that the Navigation
Committee are the best judges.

Mr. Drinkald said that aridiculous assertion of
that kind had been made. Was there, he would
ask, a single nautical man on that Committee, or
could any person en it be put in competition with
the high naval authorities who were examined before
the Parliamentary Committee? Barges were moored
at the end of the pier, beyond the lights, so that
the lights might now prove a deception, and be the
occasion of the loss of lives as well as an obstruction
to the watermen in landing passengers. Corpora-
tions were often spoken of as systematic jobbers.
The Corporation of Gravesend were certainly very
kind to themselves. The Town Clerk acted as
solicitor, the Chamberlain as carpenter and builder,
and the blacksmith, painter, and others employed
in the job, were also members of the body. They
were now exacting money which, until the new pier
should be erected, they could have no legal claim
to. If the temporary pier were not in existence,
all the watermen would be in full work, and the
parish books would not be swelled with lists of
paupers from amongst the industrious and hard-
working classes.
The LORD MAYOR observed, that a number of
boatmen had signed their consent to the regulations
of the Corporation.
Mr. Drinkald declared that the poor men signed
on the apprehension (and a well-founded one it was)
that they would not obtain relief from the parish if
they were not obedient. With respect to the ex-
citement said by the Deputy Mayor and Town
Clerk to have existed, that excitement was made
not amongst the boatmen, but amongst the other
parishioners, on the question how they were to pay
the poor-rates during the winter months. It ap-
peared from the report in the newspapers, that he
(Mr. Drinkald) was an exciter or agitator amongst
the boatmen. What he had endeavoured to do was
to prevent excitement ; and certainly the way to
check it was not by depriving the poor of the means
of supporting themselves and their wives and
families.

The LORD MAYOR thought there was something
extraordinary in the Deputy Mayor's statement,
that such numbers of watermen were employed
about the pier, for he did not show how they were
employed. •

Mr. Drinkald—The whole matter has been mis-
represented to your Lordship. I gave the authori-
ties of Gravesend due notice of my intention to
come here and meet them publicly, and they have
thought proper to decline the invitation, although
the interests of so many poor families are con-
cerned. They have insinuated that lam an in-
terested party in this affair. The accusation is most
false. The only interest I feel is in the fate of these
poor men, who, with the power and the will, and
the right to work, are thrown out of employment
and turned into beggars. Mr. Dlinkald said that
he knew that multitudes looked for his contradic-
tion to the erroneous and URiUSt statements of the
Deputy Mayor and the rown Clerk, whose asser-
tions were likely to prejudice the case of the water-
men.