The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-17 00:00:00

whichAD VanEßacTculSraE.D
teße—stimaata are no
estimate may
aybwe ffuorrnmisehdedoffrtohme
value of the squirearchy--of that intelligent body'
which, on all occasions, is found steadily opposed t`o
those general improvements in government by, which
the character of the nation is continually advanced.
A Parliamentary return has just been published of all
the inquests on the bodies of gamekeepers, taken by
the coroners of England and Wales, since the year
1833, together with the number of persons convicted
of offences against the game laWs during the year
1843. Though fully aware that much of the immo-
rality with which the agricultural districts are charged
is directly attributable to the strict preservation- 'of
game, we were by no means prepared for the extent
of the misery which the magnificos of the plains, the
illustrious vendors of hares and rabbits, annually in-
flict upon their respective neighbourhoods, for the
sake of the paltry profits derived from this species of
traffic. Before the French revolution there were
poachers, but they were the exception to the rural
population. The peasants then met with regular em-
ployment, their wages were either se.gicient for their
wants, or the commons and wastes supplied wha.%lbeir
labour failed to procure, and there being no pro7:ilii:ion
against importing corn, the necessaries of life were
within the reach of the humblest. Few men fors'ake
the advantages of a constant and reinuneratin&m-
ployment for the precarious occupation of a poacher,
subject to the horrible contamination of a gaol, or
the everlasting disgrace of transportation. The pea-
sant was generally contented, and the squire Conse-
quently enjoyed the undisputed monopoly of the
rabbits, hares, and vermin, the possession of which is
the proud characteristic of his caste. .Afatters have
somewhat changed since then : the squire'll'assaeized
upon the commons and wastes, as profitable addititins
to his preserves, and the peasant is, consequently, de-
prived of the means by which he was enabled to eke
out his subsistence. In order to obtain-a higher -rent
for his land than it is worth in the market, the Stye
has raised the price of food, thus causing an 'advance
in every other article essential to life, and the difficul-
ties of the peasant atreincreased. The means'. of `the
farmer are crippled by the same cause, and be, to eke
out the rent demanded by the squire, is cotripe4,4l to
give only half employment., with less wages than•fer-
tnerly, to the impoverished. and Stareing-'-iaticinter.
That the latter should beCerne an offender against the
game laws under the circumstances, equally exa.'pe-
rating and tempting, in which the squire has con-
trived to place him, is not surprising, since men have
been known to commit robbery and murder under
less exciting causes. Having converted the work-
ing population in the neighbourhood of his
estate into famished depredators, the squire
next entered into a sort of league with the
more desperate and notorious poachers, .010, -re-
ceived into his service, now patrol those grounds
which they formerly plundered, and with deadly
weapons, furnished for the purpose, occasionally maim
or murder their old companions. The latter natu-
rally endeavour to defend themselves, and, always
fighting at a disadvantage, are frequently worsted.
No wonder, then,. that ex-poachers or gamekeepers
are sometimes waylaid and murdered. A similar
esprit de corps actuates•both parties, and every assize
in the agricultural counties furnishes several instances
of the very frivolous pretences on which these ruf-
fians will destroy each other's lives. It is not twelve
months since a gamekeeper attempted the murder of
a man, whose whole offence was frightening a couple
of partridges, and the-niaa himself was nearly hanged
for a necessary act of self-defence. We defer enter..
ing into this part of the subject, as a ease not very
dissimilar, the aggression having been committed by
the game-keeper, awaits adjudication. If the game-pre-
servers can acquit themselves of the guilt of blood,
which these returns fix upon them, they will accomplish
more than their countrymen will be able to, do for them.
The document which his suggested these few..nbser-
vitions, is a most valuable addition to the statistics
of crime in England and Wales. It furnishes us also
with a clue to tEe mystic causes of the extravagant
amount of county-rates in the- agricultural districts,
as compared with those parts of the country Where
extensive manufactories and a dense populathin.sre
always certain to find employment for the adminis-
trators of criminal justice. In the thirteen-l Wish
counties that have the largest proportional population
engaged in agriculture, in none of which it is less
than 45 per cent., it is found from official tables that
the numbers committed for trial vary every year but
little from 4,290, two or three more or less. On the
other hand, in the thirteen English counties having
the largest manufacturing and mixed population, the
numbers committed are about 16,000. It is scarcely
necessary to observe that these manufacturing
counties are not noted for abundance of game,
and that, consequently, it is not here that we
are to look for offenders against the gaM-e-laws
in any number worth taking into consideration.
From the return, just published, it appears that dur-
ing the past year the number of convictions for of-
fences against the game-laws in England and Wales
amounted to 4,577, of which 4,402 belong to the
former, corresponding very nearly to the annual com-
mitments in the agricultural counties, where game
preserv. 3 abound. Putting down the annual amonnt
of miscellaneons offences, not against these laws,- at
the excessive number of 1,400, we have no fewer than
3,000 criminals whose offences are directly connected
with the system of game-preserving. There is
another consideration which this return suggests, and
that relates to the administration of the game-laivs.
The squires make these laws in Parliament, and they
put them into execution in their capacity as justices--
a truly convenient system. Of the 4,402 poachers,
only 144 were convicted at the assizes, where a judge
administers the law ; but at petty and quarter sessions
their worships, the confederated Noakeses of the fieldand the bench, convicted the enormous number of
4,258. In Wales only eight were convicted -at the
assizes, but 125 were variously punished, at the dis-
cretion of the game-preserving Justices. These are
open mouthed facts, and require little comment. We
had once thought that the frequent recurrence of
sanguinary affraysTheiween armed partio of game-
keepers and poachers, often terminating fatalry;•weuld
have occasioned some little relaxation of a system
which is altogether indefensible upon any rational
principle. But when it is found that the game-pre-
servers are the chief cause of the criminality of their
counties, and that the honest and industrimis rate-
payers are severely taxed for a purpose by which in-
dustry is checked, honesty corrupted, and families
recklessly plunged into the deepest miser, from des-
titution, people may be induced to pay a'little closer
attention to the legislative and magisterial doings of
their game-preserving neighbours. '

CIIEESEN:ONGERe BENEVOLENT INSTITLITION.—The
members and friends of the above institution held their
annual festival onThuraday, at the White Conduit Tavern,
when about two hundred gentlemen sat down to an ex-
cellent entertainment, at which Mr. R. D. Rea presided.
The usual loyal and patriotic toasts were given and duly
responded to, which were followed by that of " Pros-
perity to the Cheesemongers' Benevolent Institution ;"
after which the chairman addressed the. meeting at some
length in an eloquent and energetic speech, intimating
that the institution had been established for granting
annuities and otherwise relieving distressed members of
the trade. The institution had, by the exertion of its
friends, gradual), progressed, and ,hour! such exertions
be continued, they would soon be en tbled to assist a
greater number as well as to establish the contemplated
alms-houses. The eloquence of the chairman's address,
followed by a donation of 10/ los., had tl;o effect of pro-
ducing contributions to the amount of 3001, in addition
to the annual contributions of 700/. The present funded
stock is about 6,5001., and there are at this time thirty-
, two annuitants at 241 per annum. The evening was
spent in general hilarity, and the health of the chairman,
and of Mr. Simpson, the secretary, &c., having been
drank and duly acknowledged, the company broke up.
THE NATIONAL SWIMMING SOClETY.—Yesterday
the swimming matches for prizes given by the Society
were brought to a conclusion. The matches commenced
on Monday morning, in the Serpentine, Hyde Park, and
the arrangements made were, that the list of contending
parties should be divided into four 'classes, and that one
class should contend' each successive day previous to this
morning, and three of the winners from each proceeding
should be selected, when the grand heat for the cham-
Pionship should take place, and the medals awarded, and
accordingly all parties were on the spot by gxo'clock
the spectators amounting to between, two and three'
thousand. Flags were staked on either side of the water
for the direction of the swimmers, and other
efounder
preliminaries(bythe competitors,ri.Onfutmhe.
Society, Mr. Strachan )
ber, all of whom were winners on the preceding mo'rn-
ings, were placed in equal positions for the start, and the
signal being,; given, they simultaneousl y plunged into4he
water, each strenuous efforts for the lead. The
distance to be contested is once across
f and ba.cli,,which
is about 400 yards. The e:c.ihthchonleteitedrh
iaph-
geared to be different, one swirmion
out of the water, while another was scarcelyswimming
perceptible;eg
some making short and rapid strokes, and others took a
long and easy one. They made great exertion for the
winning goal, and came in as follws:—Antonia, first;
Turner, second; and Nicholson, third. The time oc-
cupied in swimming the distance was live minutes and
twenty-eight seconds. During the race, Townshend,
one of the competitors, when within 100 yards of hope,
was seen to go under water, from exhaustion, when
Pewtress, another competitor, swam to his assistance.
and a boat being at hand he. was safely rescued. •
INCENDIABISM IN YORKSlllRE.—lnformation was
on Thursday received at Bow-street Police- office, thatearly
on the morning of the 10th instant several stacks of
wheat, belonging to,Mr. Brigham, of Slingsby, in the
county of Yerk, then standing in a close in • he parish-of
Slingsby, were feloniously set on fire and destroyed.
The following rewards have been offered for the appre-
hension and conviction of the incendiaries, viz.:—By the
Right Hon. the Earl of Carlisle, 101; by the County Fire
I
Insurance Company, 100/; by the Yorkshire Fire In-
surance COmpany, 501; and by Mr. Brigham,. 5!. It has
also been intimated to the police authorities that prolier
means will be used to obtain her Majesty's- gracious
pardon to any accomplice who will give such information
as shall lead to the conviction of the principal.
Camels are the only animals that cannot swim. '
is an extraordinary fiet that the moment they lone thlir
footing in a sir am they turn over, and can make 1.0
effort to prevent themAelve3 from being drowned,