The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-08 00:00:00

prisoner was then wearing the boots and trousers he
had stolen..

The prisoner, in defence, said he was guilty, and that
it was the first time he In:d ever committed a robbery.
Mr, Sells said he doubted the prisoner's assertion
very much inoeed, and believed lie was one of the;;,.
persons who went on board ships in the river and docks
under pretence of being seamen for the purpose of com-
mitting robberies. He sentenced the prisoner to two
months' imprisonment and hard I:,bour.

TRW WRECKS ON THE JERSEY (UNITED
S7ATES) SHORE.

The winter has scarcely commenced, yet already nume-
rous disasters have occurred on our coast, seeming to
presage a season of unusual calamity. Experience ha.
pointed out certain spots more disastrous to the mariner
than others. Barnega,t and its vicinity have pre•eminence
among the number ; but the system hitherto obtaining on
that shore for the relief of shipwrecked vessels is utterly
inefficient, and it is high time that means were taken to
remedy the growing exigencies of the case. Some year,
since the Government constructed a number of small
houses or shanties o a the Jersey coast for the storage of
lifeboats, mortars, &c., but without reference to affording
shelter to any who might require it. The buildings
are five miles apart, and only a few of them are sup-
plied with the necessary apparatus for effecting com-
munication with ships in distress, such as mortars,
cradles, &c. The cost of the buildings was defrayed by an
appropriation from Congress. Metallic lifeboats were pur
chased, but they are useless for the service required of
them, Upon examination of facts attending the various
disasters on the Jersey coast during• the past ten years, we
find the lives saved have in almost every instance been
due to the exertions of wreckers in common cedar fish-
ing boats. The daily occupation of fishermen on that
shore has taught them how to construct the best descrip-
tion of boat in which to trust their own lives at all times
and seasons. Immediately on obtaining news of a wreck
three or four of them rush to the shore, run the light cedar
barque into the surf, and if the sea upset her they put
matters right in a few minutes, and proceed on their ex-
pedition. The metallic life-boat, on the contrary, is heavy,
and, however valuable in the open sea in such emer-
gencies as those attending the loss of the Arctic and
Lyonnais, is totally unsuited for shore service, requiring,
as it does, the exertions of half-a-dozen men to launch it
iu the face of a tremendous swell and gale setting in-shore.
Those who have assisted iu such moments of excitement
know how seldom a boat is launched on the first trial, and
when the metallic craft is upset a fresh and longer delay
ensues, which may peril the lives of hundreds. The Govern-
ment force at Barnegat is so small that without the assist.
ance of the fishermen scarcely any lives would be saved, and
the willingness with which these men risk their own safety
is so well known that their courage has become proverbial.
Two of them, John Jones and John Parker, have just
fallen victims to their disinterestedness in endeavour-
ing to save the passengers of the New York and Tasso,
and Congreis should immediately look to it that the
families of those noble men do not suffer want through the
less of their husbands and fathers, engaged as they
were in a work which they would never have had
to be called upon to perform were it not for the
remissness of the Government. Every emigrant
ship should be obliged to carry a mortar, with
a complete set of tackling, cradle, &c., so as to com-
municate with theshore when necessary. Something, how-
ever, must be done immediately, in view of present exi-
gencies, for the chronicle of disasters has scarcely turned
the first page, and yet already exceeds the average of
calamity. More houses and suitable accommodation are
required on the Jersey coast, additional mortars and cradles
must be sent there, and the noble fellows who have risked
their lives must be rewarded, so as to offer an incentive to
others. Let it be done quickly. —New York, herald.