The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-04 00:00:00

CUSTOMS.

It was stated a short time since that some important
alterations were about taking place in the landing de-
partment of this branch of the revenue; and that in
consequence of the pressure of business necessarily so
frequently occurring, owing to the prevalence of con-
trary winds and sudden change, and consequent in-
flux of shipping, an arrangement was in progress for
forming a body of men from the inferior departments
into:three or four classes of " superintendent lockers,"
who were to be available at all times on such occa-
sions to assist in the landing, weighing, and housing
of the cargoes of vessels, in order to prevent delay
to merchants, and inconvenience to trade. The ar-
rangement alluded to has within these few days come
into operation, and a large body of these inferior
officers have, with the sanction of the Treasury, been
formed into a body for the desired purpose, at
at an increase of salary beyond that which they
received in their previous positions, varying from
101. to 401. per annum. This new arrangement
has been a most fortunate tqing for a great many of
these officers, who previously held offices at little
more than half the salary they will receive in
their new position, and performing a very in-
ferior description of duty, and who have been pro-
moted in consequence of their previous good charac-
ter and capacity, entitling them to the benefit of the
new arrangement. Several of them are officers
drafted from the different outports, being inferior
officers of the Customs, or belonging to the Coast-
guard, the collectors and comptrollers at these places
having been directed some time ago by the Commis-
sioners to recommend to their consideration such
persons under their supervision as they might con-
sider deserving and entitled, in consequence of their
merits and good character, to the benefit of a participa-
tion in the new appointments about to be submitted
to the Lords of the Treasury for their approval. For
these men the change is a great advantage, and an
; important improvement in their condition. It is not
' intended, we believe, that this new description of
landing-waiters should perform the whole of the
duties appertaining to that department, but only the
simple routine portion of them, leaving the higher
and more important, as before, to officers of more
capacity and experience. Variothues other alterations
and
have recently been made in
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ticable, in order to meet the increased expenditure
caused by this new arrangement, so that on the whole,
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---- -----
GROSS OUTRAGE.
made A most
the
attemptstviol,eonrtest,bu t at
which proved
robberyh as
urencseunetcl3 ersbsfeu.ein,
in consequence of tLe courage displayed by a female.
The appended are the particulars, as we have learnt
them. Last Friday evening, between six and seven
o'clock, a man dressed in a blue sinockfrock,
with his face blackened, and having on a " billy-
cock" cap, called at a lone house at the top of the
Larkdale, on the Forest, occupied by a mechanic
named Bowers, and asked permission to light his pipe.
The only persons in the house at the time were Mrs.
Bowers and her chi!d, eleven months old. The fellow
was very inquisitive; after at-king a number of ques-
tions, such as " Was Mr. Bowers likely to return soon ' •
I was the dog in the house ?" &c., he retired. Upon
learning these particulars, Bowers told his wife in future
• •
to lock herself in the house on those evenings on which
he was absent. She subsequently did so. On the
next (last) Monday night, about a quarter-past eight,
as Mrs. Bowers was sitting with her infant at her
breast, the house door was suddenly forced open, al-
though it bad been locked, and a men rushed in who
was dressed in a similar manner to the one previously
described, except having a striped worsted cravat tied
round his head, in place of the " billycock,"and with
his face again blackened. The woman immediately put