The Sun.
London, England, 1833-11-14 00:00:00

FIGHT NEAR WOLVERHAMPTON.

The expected contest between Harry Preston, the Bir-
mingham Youth, and David Davies, alias Welsh Dwies.
for 501. a side, came off on Tuesday within two milts of
Wolverhampton, at a place called Crompton•
Preston's supposed temerity in challenging Dutch Sant
gave considerable interest to the issue of this contest.
At half-past twelve o'clock the combatants met on the
Wolverhampton Racecourse. Harry Preston was seconded
by Dick Curtis and Deaf Burke, and Weis!: Davis
Dutch Sam and Jack Matthews. Upon stripping the
men exhibited a healthy and fresh appearance. Davi•
hod the advantage in weight by one stone. After five
rounds the interference of the civil authority obliged th,
comhatants to separate, and a general movement wa-
effected to a place called Crompton. On the re-com-
mencement of the fight Preston evidently had the ad-
vantage; and, after a lapse of an hour and a quarter,
Davis was considered the victor, in consequence, it was al-
leeed, of a foul act on the part of Preston, who struck hi•
opponent with his head while lie was in the act of failing.
Upon appealing to the umpires a referee was called, who
decided in favour of Davis upon the ground.

M. Matthieu, formerly a member of tilt.
National Convention, died a few days ago at his residence
at Condat, near Libourne. He was engaged in writing
but a few minutes before his death.--French Paper.

DENSE FoG.—Tuesday evening the fog
was so great that the mail coaches leaving town were st
much obstructed by the darkness which prevailed that it
was with great difficulty, notwithstanding the aid of
torches, that they could proceed on their journey, par-
ticularly on the western road. Between Kilburn an
Paddington there was a considerable stoppage of car-
riages for a considerable time, and it is feared many acci-
dents must have occurred.

Yesterday morning the second battalion of the
first regiment of Grenadier Guards, commanded by hi.
Grace the Duke of Wellington, at present stationed at the
new barrack in the Birdcage-walk, mustered on the tisua
place of parade, and marched to the King's Mews barracks,
Charing-cross. Private Orger, belonging to the battalion,
who had been about six weeks in confinement, was also
brought out, and marched a prisoner with them, to hear
read over the minutes of a courttnartial which bad been
held upon him. The battalion having arrived at the bar.
rack, they were mustered in the old state stable in the
Mews. Colonel Doyle, the commander of the battalion,
was in attendance, and private Orger was brought out.
Captain Torrens, the Adjutant, then read over the minutes
of the courtmartial, when it appeared that Orger was
charged with insubordinate conduct, having come, in a
state of intoxication, on duty, and when desired to give
up his arms he had threatened to run the first person
through who dared to take them from him. O❑ the above
charge he was found guilty by a general courtmartial, and
sentenced to receive 500 lashes. He was immediately tied
up, and the drummers commenced their flagellation on his
bare hack, a fresh hand being procured at every 20 lashes.
After he had received 200 lashes, Mr. Harrison, the sur-
geon of the regiment, gave immediate orders to stop the
punishment. A hackney coach was then procured, which
was brought into the Mews, and Orger having been taken
down, he was put into the coach with a guard, and re-
moved to the military hospital, Rochester-row, Tuthill-
fields, Westminster.

BLACKBIRDS.—AII the gardeners with whom
we have conversed (and the number is not small) during
the present season, complain of the ravages committed by
the blackbirds. These sooty vocalists appear to be in-
creasing, while the merle or thrush, whose song boasts of
so much variety, is, on the contrary, rather declining i❑
numbers ; and it is somewhat odd that the same thing
holds good of blackeocks and grouse. An opem winter
with plenty of haws, favours feathered, just as rowtls or
galore of potatoes, favours human, population in Ireland;
and for two successive seasons the tribe have suffered little
from the usual casualties that tend to keep their number
down. Repeatedly, we have been told, particularly in
the case of gardens situated near to woods—" if you
only clap your hands or sound a rattle, you will see
them rising and fleeing off like a flock of crows."
To a tithe of the giens and cherries the blackbirds
have a fair and legitimate claim ; but when they attack
strawberries, peas, &c., and even eat the heart out of
pears and other fruit on standards and walls, the gardeners
grumble very sadly; and as there is no law to protec,
against such wholesale poachers, they hesitate not to take
the law into their own hands. Every gardener keeps a
gun, and formerly a good deal of powder was spent in
warring against the blackbird; but as this method was
found troublesome, and upon the whole inefficient, recourse
has been had to strategy, in the shape of baited rat-traps.
One gardener of our acquaintance, who captured upwards
of eighty offenders in this way, found among the whole
only three thrushes ; and we are aware of experiments on
a smaller scale, in which the result was precisely similar.
The merle may be snore cunning than the blackbird ; but
we strongly suspect the tribe are much less numerous ;
and horticulturists generally seem inclined to spare them,
both from the preference they give to their varied min-
strelsy, and the conviction that they are comparatively
hannless:birds.—Dumfries Cosricr..