The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-20 00:00:00

GRAND BOAT-RACE BETWEEN •
CLASPER AND COOMBES.
(Prom the Newcastle Advertiser of yesterday.)
This long-expected match between the champions
of the north and south waters came off yesterday ; the
distance being from Tyne-bridge to Lemington Point,
for 1801.; Coombe. staking 1001. to Clasper's lied.
Tb. length of time to whieh the preliminaries were
extended gave more than an usual interest to the
race, though the mere fact of two such men as Clasper
and Coombes was sufficient of itself to create much ex-
citement. For the last four or five days scarcely any-
thing else was talked of, and bets to a considerable
amount were laid, the friends of both parties being
equally sanguine of the success of their favourite. The
" London Merchant" brought down a large acces-
sion of visitors, who added much to the bustle, by the
freedom with which they backed Coombes, and most
of them visited many of the inns on Tuesday night
offering 5 to 4 upon him, which in many instances was
taken. At at early hour, the morning being extremely
mild for the season, with a slight breeze from the
south-east, every spot which commanded a view of the
west side of Tyne-bridge was crowded with spectators:;
the banks of the river presented a similar spectacle,
and in one instance, an employer finding that the
match was more interesting to the men than wages,
made a virtue of necessity and gave them a holiday.
Many boats were out, and a number of steamers
-went up the water, and the Carlisle Railway
Company ran special trains on both sides of
the river, so that there was no lack of accom-
modation ; in fact, until the parties began action,
the town appeared to be comparatively deserted.
Bbth men came to the starting place in excellent
condition, and in boats which excited universal admi-
ration, that of Clasper's in particular, as much from
its beauty u from the ingenuity displayed in its con-
struction, and from its being of his own building.
All being ready, at the appointed signal they started,
Coombes gradually drawing a-head ; when off Skinner
Burn, Clasper unfortunately run into a keel
—an accident which his opponent did not
take advantage of as he might have done,
but kept leading him by about five or six boats'
length ; when, however, he had got this distance, he
ceased to exert himself as powerfully as he had done,
apparently reserving his strength for any push which
Clasper might make; at this time 401. to 101. was
offered upon Coombes and accepted. At the Curds
and Cream House, Clasper made a desperate effort,
and decreased the distance between them to about 80
yards, and, that space apart, they rowed beautifully
evenly to the winning point, neither of them gaining
or losing scarcely an inch in the whole distance,
which was done in 341 minutes. The race was good
throughout, and has added to the fame of
both the men. Coombes (though never doubtful
of the result) admits that Clasper would probably beat
many of the best London men. A dispute took place
in reference to an alleged infringement of the articles
of agreement, upon the supposition that Parish had
signed to Coombes that he was going too near the shore,
and who, taking the hint, altered his course accordingly.
It was at first proposed that the match should be rowed
over again, but this proposition was decidedly negatived
by Coombes, who declared that the matter should be
left to the referees, and if given against him, he
would present the money to Clasper. 'The affair will
not be decided until this day (Thursday). Mr. Went-
zell, of the firm of Cowden and Wentzell, the builders
of the champion's boat, with Newell, Parish and
others from London, were present, and the best feeling
was manifested towards both parties, though from the
cheering it was evident that the Tyne-eiders wished
their man to win. It may be stated that Clasper dis-
claimed all connexion or sympathy with a few black-
guards who hissed Coombes at the beginning of the
race ; and Coombes publicly acquitted Clasper of any
participation in it.
It is likely that Clasper and Newell will make a
match before the latter leaves on Saturday.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

PROM TINZ ETPJNING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.

GLOBE.—Petty Sessions justice has passed into a
proverb of reproach for its dissimilarity to that substan-
tial justice which under the forms and by the sanction of
law, ought to be admiuistered in a free country. The vast
disproportion between the fines imposed by magistrates on
summary convictions for trifling offences, and the fees
demanded on those convictions by their clerks, has been
the subject of frequent remark. The latter, being often
from ten to twenty times the amount of the former, and,
being beyond the means of payment by the defendant;
have caused the petty delinquent to be imprisoned
for several days or weeks, at the discretion of the ma-
gistrates, entailing all the consequences, personal and
relative, which such a proceeding is calculated to pro-
duce. The evil has been somewhat modified ; and, to a
blight extent, mitigated. The source of the mischiefs
has, however, remained untouched. The system of pay-
ing magistrates' clerks, and the other functionaries—
whose " expenses" press in such cases with ruinous
severity on the class of persons who constitute the great
snags of those who are summarily convicted—by fees,
instead of by salary, required to be abolished.
That system, however, was retained ; and, while it
continues, will operate as an engine of oppres-
sion, and source of misery and demoralization
sm the lower classes ; while it will increase the burdens
upon the county and perish rates —upon the former, for
the expense of maintaining the poor defendant in the
gaol; and to the latter, to support his wife and family in
the union, or by an allowance in money to prevent them
from going thither. This, however, is not the only form
in which the system works to the discredit of justice, as
administered in petty sessions. The defendant is not the
only party who is made to suffer by its operation. If the
convicted party be unable to pay the fine and the fees,
he or ehe is committed to gaol ; and thus pays in person
through inability to pay by purse. The Queen loses the
amount of the penalty, whether it be a penny or a pound.
But not so the magistrates clerk, and the other fee:paid
officers of the petty sessions court. The complainant
must pay them. He may be a poor cottager ; his garden-
hedge or gate may have been broken by the act of a
malicious neighbour, and the growing crop of vege-
tables, on which he has bestowed great labour and
care, may have been extensively injnred by the act ; he
may have been also assaulted by the person who has
perpetrated the offence against his property. For the of-
fence he causes the party to be brought before a magis-
trate, who convicts him summarily, and inflicts a tine
and costs—and, on the non-payment of which, to
be imprisoned for a specified period. The de-
fendant does not pay, and is committed. And
there the matter ends, so far as the complainant
is concerned, would be the conclusion to which every
one who, in ignorance of the law and practice in such
cases made and provided, had merely watched the pro-
ceeding up to this point. The poor man had been
seriously injured. He had obtained no compensation for '
the wrong ; but he had caused the wrong-doer to he
punished by the law ; and had thus taught him, and
taught others actuated by mischief or malice, that
they cannot indulge their propensities or passions
with impunity. A person who would so reason
would obviously reckon without his host. The law,
in the person of the magistrate's clerk, has yet a hold
upon the person, or purse, of the poor complainant.
And, if he be unable to meet his claim fur the fees
incurred in obtaining satisfaction and protection
against the party who injured him—why then, as,
an illustration of petty sessions justice, he will by sum-
mary process be sent to keep company with the party he
has prosecuted We are not drawing an imaginary
sketch. Our observations are founded on facts, for
which we are indebted to a correspondent, to whose for-
mer communications respecting petty sessions practice in
his neighbourhood, we have been indebted for some
striking illustrations of " Justice's Justice."

STANDARD.—We do not think that by any means
too much importance is attached in this country
to. public dinners, though it has been a fashion
with many abroad, and to some among ourselves,
to sneer at such demonstrations. The principle
of centralisation, now contended for with so much zeal
by particular schools of politicians, is neither congenial
to the feelings and habits, nor consistent with the con-
stitution of thisifree country. Englishmen like to form
their own opinions, and to express those opinions in their
own way—like to express their personal indignation,
when they think they have reason to be indignant, in
their own words, and when the debt of gratitude is to
be' paid to a great public benefactor, they will not
itirego the high gratification of paying their share
of • the debt in their own persons. The Constitution
allows them this indulgence, and the effect is in the
highest degree beneficial ; for the punishment of mis-
conducti or the reward of merit is thus multiplied n-
nitely beyond the force of a single censure from
any authority hew hig,,h soever, or the greatest fa-
vour in the power of the Crown or the .Legislature
to confer. Public dinners, however, present one of
the must convenient channels for the expression
of the public sentiment, and there is no danger that
they will ever have the effect of perverting that
sentiment, for they will be always estimated at
their proper value. A dinner to Mr. O'Connell at
Covent -garden, presided over by Mr. Thomas
Duncombe, and enriched by the speeches of
llr. Coppock (we forget the other speakers), is a dif-
ferent matter from a public dinner given to Sir H. Pot-
'Luger, under the presidency of the chief magistrate of such
a town as Liverpool, attended by a principal Minister of
the Crown, Lord Stanley, and by such men as Lord &m-
-elon, Mr. W. Patten, Mr. Entwisle, and the leading mer-
chants of the second commercial emporium of the world.
importance
a dinner as the latter is not inferior in interest and
aniportance to the moat serious and most dignified
discussion of the Legislature ; and it presents the
advantage of a gratifyin4hleisaermony, never found in
Parliamentary debates. reflections
t Liverpoolare sug-
esWd by the proceedings at thel.
dinner, a report of which will be Lenodtinu
first page. the reader forgive one
reflection, before alluding particulaerrl pre-
liminary
the incidents of this splendid national eelebratir.onto?
We are, unfortunately, old enough to remember the
address of the House of Commons to the Duke
of Wellington, upon his return from the Penin-
t ula, delivered with such feeling and eloquence by
he then Speaker, the late Lord Colchester. It was
remarked upon the occasion, for the scene made
great impression through the whole country
" That such rewards must make heroes."
''No," replied a veteran fellow soldier of the Duke's,