The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-02 00:00:00

THAMES POLICE.

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Yesterday, Mr. James Smith; the proprietor of a coffee-
house, at No. 38, Mitre- street, Aicigait; earns before Mr.
Broderip, to complain of an imposition practised upon him by
the master of an above-bridge steamer, called the Snowdrop.
Mr. Smith stated that himself, his sister, wife, and three
young children embarked on board the Snowdrop, at Chelsea
pier, on Sunday night, for London-bridge, the same vessel
having conveyed them an hour or two previous from London-
bridge to Chelsea. Directly he and his family got on board,
a man on the gangway began calling out " Hungerford
Market" only, and he inquired of him if the boat would pro-
ceed as far as London-bridge ? The man answered in the
negative, and he therefore called to his family to come again
on shore, and get their money returned. As soon as the man
saw them making preparations to leave the steamer, he said,
"Don't make yourself a fool, we are going to London-bridge,"
and the captain and another man also assured him they were
going there. They all remained on board, and, on arriving
at Hungerford-market the captain ordered all the passengers
on shore, and said the vessel did not intend to proceed any
further that night, but was going back to Lambeth to her
moorings. Complainant insisted on being conveyed to Lim-
don-bridge, but the captain and crew, who behaved in a very
insulting manner, said they were not going there, and com-
plainant and his friends were conveyed to the moorings at
Lambeth, where the hands informed them, in a
taunting way, that they were going on shore in
the boat, and invited them to follow. As he had bar-
gained for a passage to London-bridge, he remained on
board, and warned the captain that if he did: not convey
him to his destination, he would summon him before a ma-
gistrate. About an hour afterwards, some of the crew re-
turned and repeated the offer they had previously made, to
convey him to Lambeth, but he still declined going there,
and the people belonging to the Snowdrop left her for the
night, with only a lad on hoard, who soon afterwards went
to bed. At half-past twelve o'clock, after more than two
hours' exposure to the night air, he became alarmed for the
safety of his sister, who was in a bad state of health, and his
family. He awoke the boy, and, after creeping over several
coal barges and other craft, the lad put them ashore in a boat
half full of water, and he was obliged to hire a conveyance
at a very heavy expense to convey them to Aldgate, where
they arrived at half-past one o'clock in the morning. A very
respectable young man was with him during the whole time,
and he was present to confirm his statement.
Mr. BRODERIP said, if what the applicant stated was true,
he had very good reason to complain, and if the matter had
happened within his jurisdiction he would have granted a
summons against the master of the steamer. By a late regu-
lation, the magistrates of the Thames Police-court only took
cognisance of matters arising below London-bridge, but if he
made application to a magistrate of one of the Police-courts
above the bridge, he would receive every assistance.
Mr. Smith said that he had already applied to Mr. Twy-
ford at Bow-street, who said the ew of no summary
remedy which could be applied in e e, and he was ad-
vised to apply to the Thames police magistrates, who were
better acquainted with the laws relating to the river.
Mr. BRODERIP apprehended there was a remedy against
the master for detaining a passenger or using abusive lan-
guage, independent of the right of action.
Mr. Leadley, the clerk, pointed out the 23d bye-law of the
Watermen's Company, under which the Magistrate had re-
cently convicted the master of a below-bridge steamer for
detaining a passenger and using abusive language towards
him. The defendant was fined 40s. and the costs.
Mr. Smith asked where he should apply for a summons?
Mr. Leadley said, as the applicant was detained at Lam-
beth, he must apply to a Magistrate at Union-hall.
Mr. Smith was obliged to the Court for making him ac-
quainted with the law. He and his family had been put to
great inconvenience, and he should certainly follow up the
case, for similar detentions were of almost daily occurrence
on the river, and the steam-boat masters did just as they
pleased. He bad written to the Lord Mayor on the subject,
and he hoped .the new by-laws for the regulation of steam-
vessels would now come into operation.