The Sun.
London, England, 1829-03-26 00:00:00

THE FIGHT.

At three minutes to one all was in readiness for business,
and the seconds and bottle-holders retired from their men.

Round 1. Brown covered his front well, and throwing
his arms across his face, looked smiling through them at
his antagonist. Dobell seemed serious, and was evidently
preparing to hit. He made first play with his left, but
was out of distance, and was stopped. He tried the same
hand again, but was again too far off to make an impres-
sion. Brown seeing that nothing was to be done by act-
ing on the defensive, made up his mind to begin—made' a
feint with his left, and popped in his right slightly on
Dobell's mouth ; he then drew back, but again advancing,
quickly delivered his left on Dobell's eye, and his right en
his cheek. The former blow filled Dobell's eye with
water. Both now made quick play, and slight hits were
followed by a tremendous smack on Dobell's conch, which
drew claret, and dropped him like a sack of malt. First
blood and first knock-down blow announced for Brown,
amidst the deafening shouts of his fiiends, who offered ten
to one in his favour. Neal, too, was in high glee, as it
made him the winner of two fives, which he had bet on
these events.

2. Dobell came up serious, but ready for the affray ;
and Brown smiled good humouredly, as if it were all his
own. After a short spar Dobell tried his right, but
Brown jumped actively away ; Brown returned again to
his man, and with great quickness planted his left and
right on his pbiz, and broke away. Dobell, somewhat
annoyed, rushed in and delivered his right on Brown's
check, and his left on the body ; but did not seem to make
much impression. Both now got to a rally, in which
some heavy blows were exchanged. Brown then drew
back, and Dobell rushing after him, received two flush
hits in the face, right and left. Dobell would not be
denied, but rattled in, while Brown retreated, stopping
and hitting with great severity. Dobell was not idle, but
his blows fell short, and at last Brown caught him a ter-
rific hit over the right eye with his left, making a deep
incision. Dobell stood it like bricks and morter, and
rushed to a close, when Brown slipped down rather ques-
tionably.
3. Brown came up playfully, while Dobell's dexter ogle
cut a most formidable appearance. Both stood quiet for a
time; but at length Brown, seeing his man inclined for
reflection, rushed in with great rapidity, and catching
poor Dobell a heavy slap on the left jaw with his right,
dropped him again amidst loud shouts and encouraging
exclamations from Sampson. Few, in fact, seemed to
think that the poor Londoner deserved any quarter.
4. Dobell found there was no use in out-fighting, and
therefore determined to rush on to business. Brown, how-
ever, who was active on his legs, jumped back, and again
caught " the Bull's head" on the grinder casket, and
downed him again._(" Bravo, Brown—it's all your own
—take him away.")
5. Dobell, no way daunted or discouraged by the shouts
of victory, rushed to work. Brown missed his tight and
left as be came in, and Dobell planted his right on his
throat.—(Well done, Dobell.)—This he followed with a
slap from his right on Brown's scent-box, and drew blood
for the first time from the Pride of Bridgenorth. This
seemed to give Dobell new life, and in rushing in, Brown
went down.

6. Brown ready—skewed the superiority of length, and
again jobbed heavily right and left, and brole away. .This
he repeated, when Dobell charged him courageously ; on
grappling him, with intent to fib, Brown wouldn't have
it, and went down—Dobell on him.
7. Brown planted his left on the cannister, and his right
on the body of the publican. Dobell took it bravely, and
without flinching ; he then rushed to in-fighting—he
missed several of his blows, and after mutual, but ineffec-
tual attempts to fib, Brown got down. This shew of
caution did not suit Dobell's friends, and they cried out
" fight fair." Brown's friends, however, replied " all
right,". " nothing wrong." Indeed Brown did not seem
to keep hit legs with certainty.
8. Dobell on the defensive, but not sufficiently quick to
stop his antagonist, who jobbed him twice on the head.
This long shooting did not suit Dobell, and he had re-
course to his rush, and planted his right on Brown's jaw,
and in the scramble which followed Brown went down.

9. Dobell popped in his left rather unexpectedly, but
made but little impression. Brown was not long in re-
turning the compliment right and left. This he repeated,
when Dobell bored in desperately, as the only chance.
Brown retreated,:fighting and meeting him as he followed.
At last Dobell caught him round the neck, and fibbed
slightly; in the tussle which followed, Brown fell ; and
Dobell, in hitting as Brown was on his knees, caught him
with his right on the breech. Brown called " foul," and
it was foul, but was not noticed by the umpires; indeed,
the blow was purely accidental.
10. Dobell again rushed in, bitting right and left, but
Brown retreated, stopping and jobbing in turn. In the
end he was bored down on his knee.--(More chaffing from
Sampson and Brown's friends.)

11. Good stopping on both sides, but Brown succeeded
in making two jobbing hits. Dobell again had recourse
to his desperate rush, and a close followed, when both
tried vigorously for the fall, but neither of them could get
the lock, and in the end Dobell dragged Brown down,
showing that his strength was still unimpaired.

12. On getting to their seconds' knees, both piped a
little, but Dohell most. Dobell came up as game as a
pebble, and tried his left at Brown's body, but was out
of distance. He then hit with his right, but was stopped.
He found that nothing but close contact would do, and
pursued the rushing system. Brown retreated round the
ring before him, and actually turned round to avoid, but
in again meeting his man, he caught him with a flush hit
with his left, and Dohell fell on his face.—(Chaffing now
commenced on the part of StoCkman for Dohell. He
swore that Brown's shoulder was out, and that all Dobell
bad to do was to go in and win it. )—Brown had certainly
hurt the thumb of his right hand, but no material mis-
chief was done.

13. Both now shewed distress, but Dobell was most
winded. Brown smiled, and, after a short pause, let fly
right and left, planting both blows heavily, and repeating
the dose till he hit his man down. Brown fell himself on
his knees, spewing weakness in the pins.
14. Dobell now shewed additional symptoms of weak-
ness, and was slower than ever. After a short pause,
Brown rushed in, planted his left and right, and dropped
him heavily.

15. Dollen vindicated his cou►age by again rushing in ;
but Brown met him with two terrific jobbing hits right and
left, and again floored him all abroad, and amidst the tri-
umphant shouts of the Shropshire lads.
16. Dobell evidently felt that his chance of winning was
but trifling; still summoning all his remaining energies, he
rushed to in-fighting—he missed his right-handed hit and
was met with a terrific left-handed job in the muzzle. He
would not be denied, however, and fought away gallantly,
making some wild hits. Brown was active, and had him
at all points till he fell almost exhausted.—(Dobell's brother
now endeavouri.d to persuade him to give in, but he re-
solved to have another shy.)
17 and last. He once more rushed in, but Brown re-
treating, met him as he came forward with a flush hit in
the mouth and dropped him for the last time. On again
getting up he consented, though reluctantly, to say
" enough," and the hat was thrown up amidst shouts of
victory for Brown, who has thus regained the confidence
of his Shropshire friends.

The fight lasted 22 minutes, and a:bell was taken from
the ground dreadfully punished about the head. Brown
showed but a slight scar under one of his eyes, and was so
fresh, that he seized a whip with intent to administer it to
Stockman for his chaffing, but was prevented by Tom
Spring. The chaffing on both sides was bad, and parti-
cularly towards Dobell, who, as a stranger in that part of
the country, ought to have been protected. It is but just to
state, however, that the old ring• goers were most to blame.

REMARKS.
During this tight Brown had it all his own way,

and shelved the superiority dt length and science
over mere weight and muscular strength. hobell;
although the first to attack, almost invariably hit
short; and was unable to plant his blows well home.
At in-fighting- neither was clever, and there was not
a good throw throughout the Contest. Brown, in
getting away from Dolyell'srushes, was deemed by
some to be over cautious; but the fact is, he was
weak in the legs, and was glad to shake him off in
any Way, preferring that which was of least incon-
venience to himself; if not a good fighter, Dobell
has proved himself a game man, and with this
praise he must be content, for it is too late for him
to hope for improvement in the fistic art, It was
clear throughout that Brown was not in the best
condition; but had he been less fresh, we think he
understood his business too well, and was too good
an out-fighter, to give:Dohell a chance. Neither of
the men had arrived in town last night; elthough
Dobell reached Birmingham on Tuesday evening.
Neal has returned, and will set out for his training
quarters this day. Brown's right hand was dread-
fully puffed after the battle was over, and the in-
jury is supposed to have been sustained in the third
round.

SILK TRADE.-REMARKS ON THE MAC-

CLESFIELD PETITION.

At a general meeting of the Manufacturers,
Silk-Throwsterß, and Dyers of Macclesfield,
held on the 12th instant, the Mayor in the
Chair, a long and argumentative petition was
agreed upon, to be presented to the House of
Lords by the Earl of Eldon, and to the Com-
mons by the Members for the county. This pe-
tition describes and compares the past and the
present state of the trade of Macclesfield. It
attributes all its evils to the introduction of fo-
reign silk goods ; and it finally prays for the re-
enactment of the prohibition of foreign manu-
factured silks, and that the duty of ss. per lb.
still paid on foreign thrown silks, instead of be-
ing taken off, as proposed (it is said) by " some
persons interested only as manufacturers," should
be " restored to the amount fixed by the Act
of 1824," viz. 7s. 6d. per lb.
A few remarks may suffice to set this matter
in a more correct point of view. For the sake
of the argument, let us admit that, from some
cause or other, there is great want of employ-
ment, and great distress, in Macclesfield. Does
not the same distress exist in the cotton and
other manufactories ? Are not complaints at this
time prevalent in all trades ? And is it not a well-
known fact, that, if we look at the silk trade, we
shall find the same distress equally complained
of in Spitalfields, at Macclesfield, and at Lyons ?
How, then, can the British manufacturer be
justified in attributing his distress to the admis-
sion of French silk goods ? It is a curious fact,
that the local press of the South of France has
now for some time been employed (in " leading
articles" of their newspapers, &c.) in accounting
for the depreciation of the French silk trade,
and the distress prevailing amongst their weavers.
They, too, assert, like the meeting of Maccles-
field, that their wages are lowered, their looms
unemployed, and profits lessened. And all
these effects they also attribute to competition,
and to their being undersold by foreign manu-
facturers. Both parties probably honestly be-
lieve what they say ; but surely the Legislature
should pause before they act upon such conflict-
ing testimony.
Upon this subject, indeed, the Macclesfield
petition completely answers itself. Foreign
nations," it says, " are adopting the system this
country has abandoned, and are encouraging
their own manufactures at any cost. By acting
upon this principle, France has fostered her silk
trade until it has outstripped every competitor."
—Would it be believed, that the very next sen-
tence but one of this petition begins as follows :
- Your petitioners are informed, that the silk
manufacture of France is now in a depressed
state, but they submit this fact has no bearing
on the case." Thus the French silk trade is
described as prosperous and depressed in the
same breath; its prosperity is cited to induce us
to follow its example, but its adversity is asserted
to have no bearing on the case. Surely this is
strange logic.
But this seeming.contradiction is attempted to
be reconciled. " The silk trade of France," it
is argued, "-is, principally an export one, and
therefore subject to all its incidents and fluctua-
tions, such as those under which many of our
export trades are now labouring." But, accord-
ing to these petitioners, a most favourable " in-
cident and fluctuation" has oflate years occurred
to France—namely, so immense an import into
England as to ruin the whole English manufac-
ture ! Why, then, are the French not prospe-
rous ? And if the cause of their want of pros-
perity be the state of the whole trading world
(and it is admitted that our own " export trade"
is bad), may not that account for the distress at
Macclesfield, without conjuring up a trade with
France which has never existed to the extent
these arguments imply, and which has certainly
never produced the evils attributed to it.
But some facts are stated to prove that all
these evils arise from French competition.—
" Four years ago, it is said, a great proportion of
the looms of this place were employed iii the ma-
nufacture of light and fancy articles ;" but it is
added, " the introduction of similar articles, or
substitutes, from the foreign loom, at prices below
their teach, has almost entirely annihilated this
most valuable branch of the manufacture."

Now let us look at dates : " four years ago"
brings us to 1825, a whole year before the ad-
mission of foreign silk goods ; but a time of ex-
cessive speculation, when manufacturers, " light
and fanciful" as the articles they made, spread
up, and when they disappeared as quickly. This
very petition states, that " in the latter part of
1825, and the early part of 1826, the trade (of
Macclesfield) became greatly depressed—great
numbers of those embarked in it failed, &c."—
Now, it is a well known fact, that in and pre-
vious to the year 1824, numbers of persons en-
tered into the silk-trade of Macclesfield without
capital ; and, speculating upon the chances of
large profits, it is well known that such men, all,
or nearly all, failed during " the panic which
followed, and that the trade is now in the hands
of comparatively few ; but these men of capital
and talent, one of whom might be named who
does the business, awl holds the machinery and
property of perhaps twenty manufacturers, whose
failure " in the latter part of 1825" this petition
so feelingly deplores,—a state of things ob-
scurely alluded to in the petition itself, which
speaks of " transfers of property, in cases of
mortgagees who are compelled to take the secu-
ritiese money
are
of
isistn
rg
itpachede(semat.l
ii.naa"eti
period,
:osnhey eef
tnrhatdei fleoeisira.t trtual
nsitions, at.
all
the
of
was
no place carried to such an excess as in the
" borough of Macclesfield ;" and it is surely
" too bad" to attribute the failure of those spe-
culations, or the consequences of them, to an
act of enlightened legislation, calculated at once
to benefit the nation and the manufacturer.

But the fact is, that the articles made at Mac-
clesfield are not, generally speaking, imported at

all from France. The Spitalfields manufacturer
may with some show of reason complain of the
smuggling of broad silk goods, but the staple
manufacture of Macclesfield is that of silk hand-
kerchiefs, which are not imported from France
either by the smuggler or the regular trader.—
If their figured handkerchiefs have been in any
degree injured by the crape handkerchiefs of
hasa
:A la c t c
France, they have been superseded in a much
t
greater degree by the gauze handkerchiefs of
Scotlandand iefs made
; been computed
ana
lesfield
have increased since 1826, as four, or even as
five, to one. And yet it was predicted that the
allowing the import from India would ruin the
home trade. We may soon expect a petition
from the Hindoos, complaining of the ruinows
effect of a free trade, and praying for a prohibi-
tion of Macclesfield handkerchiefs. One of the
prayers of the petitioners is, that, for the pro-
tection of the throwsters, the duty on imports
should be increased from ss. to 7s. 6d. per lb.,
that is, as it existed in 1824. Is that increase
necessary for such protection ? Let
figures,
which cannot err, answer the question:
Italian silks imported into England
Years. Raw. Thrown.
1824 2,080,906 lb 452,469
1825 1,951,057 548,777
1826......... 769,325 .280,999
1827 1 747,832 391,757
1828 9,310,02 ....435,430
It will be seen from this table, that the quan-
tity of thrown silk imported in 1828 is abso-
lutely less than the quantity importedin 1824;
and this disproportion is further increased on a
comparison of the importation of raw silk in the,
same years ; and if the sales of raw silk at the
East India House were taken into the, aeounti
the disproportion would be found to, be very
much greater. As, therefore, under the reduced
duty, the importation of foreign thrown silk has
lessened and not increased, it cannot be con-
tended that a restoration of the larger duty is
wanted for the protection of the British throwster.
But the manufacturers of Spitalfields, or a por-
tion of them, have at length petitioned for the
abolition or the reduction of these protecting
duties. These individuals are described by the
Macclesfield petitioners as " some persons inte-
rested only as manufacturers," who make propo-
sals " in feelings of despair rather than from a
mature consideration of the subject." The
Spitalfields manufacturers would appear at an?*
rate to have some " method in their madness,
as their views agree with those of the most en-
lightened men in the kingdom on the subject,
and they would appear to have considered the
matter at least as maturely as the counter peti-
tioners of Macclesfield.

RUMOURS OF THE DAY.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

The little kingdom of Portugal, ruined as it
is, still continues to be the object of a thousand
petty intriguings from diplomatists of all sorts,
recognised or unrecognised. Certain gentle Men
in the vicinity of Portman-square, alarmed at ON
publication of Don Pedro's " avant courier de la
guerre•, in the London Journals, and terrified ont
of their wits at the probably dreadful effect this
intelligence, by itself, might have had on
the sensitive nerves of their Royal Master and
his friends in Portugal, convoked a solemn con-
clave in the neighbourhood aforesaid, and there,
we hear, was hatched in time for yesterday's
packet—the innocent " rumour" of the young
Queen's immediate departure for the Brazils.
—A ship of the line (sailing from Port-
man-square probably; for there happens to
have been nothing of the kind at Rio),
has left the Brazils for the express purpose of car-
rying off our beautiful little visitor, and restoring
her to her transatlantic friends. We should b
glad to learn by what terrestrial channel of corn-,
munication unopen to mortals of a meaner mould,
the Caes de Sodre diplomatists would have re-
ceived intelligence of the asserted departure of
their Ship of the Mist from the Brazils, and of the
intended embarkation therein of the little Queen
of Portugal, whose continued presence in Eng-
land seems to cause so much annoyance to these—
her faithful subjects in England. Howevsr, the
rumour has done its duty ; the present contra-
diction of their insidious assertions they will of
course honour with their right loyal laughter.
The packet and the mail-bag are gone, and the
sooner certain characters are gone after them, we
think, the better.