The Sun.
London, England, 1829-07-07 00:00:00

THE GRAND SCULLER'S MATCH.

The much-talked-of, and twice postponed match, be-
tween eight of the best watermen on the river, for a purse
of sovereigns subscribed for by the Noblemen and Gentle-
men of the Red-house Club, Battersea, took place yester-
day, and the interest it excited, and the numerous assem-
blage of the aquatic fancy, of high and low degree, which
it caused to congregate, has been rarely equalled, certainly
never surpassed. Three o'clock was the hour announced
for the first heat to take place, and between that time and
four o'clock about 2,000 spectators had assembled, and the
stairs and the shore for a considerable distance on either
side of the Red-•house were densely crowded with boats of
all descriptions, amounting in number to nearly 200.
The afternoon was extremely windy, indeed so much so
that many boats, between Vauxhall and Battersea, were
swamped by the violent swell of the water, and the persons
in them immersed in the river to the imminent danger of
their lives. A female and six other persons hail a narrow
escape by the sinking of their boat off the Red-house.
Fortunately, however, a skiff picked the whole of them up ;
and in every instance, as far as we could ascertain, by the
prompt assistance which was at hand, no lives were lest.
About half-past four the following men took their respec7
tive stations, from buoys moored off the Red-house, to row
round a boat near Battersea-bridge, down the Surrey shore,
round a boat off Nine Elms, and back to the Red-house:—
William Noulton Lambeth Scarlet
John Cobb
John Harris Bankside White

Charles Campbell Westminster ...Light Blue.
On the pistol being fired, Campbell took the lead, fol-
lowed by Cobb ; Harris and Noulton being stem-apd-stem
for some distance, when a galley fouled Harris, and he was
consequently thrown out of the heat. Campbell con-
tinued the lead, Cobb being second in coming down, and
Noulton about eight or ten boats' length in the rear.
When the latter was near the Red-house he was also
fouled, and although the pistol was fired for the other two
to return, they rowed their distance. Mere began the first
and grand dispute. About half an hour after. the above
heat the following men started for the second :
James Parish Stiand-lane Pink

John Mitchell Ditto Green
John Williams Waterloo Yellow
, John Goatley Temple Stripes
Mitchell took the lead, followed by Parish and Goatley.
A great alteration, took place near the boat at Battersea,
Williams passing. Parish and Goatley, and coming down
scull and scull with Mitchell. Goatley's boat could not
live in the grcit swell of the water, and be was obliged to
give in. It would be impossible to describe the treat which
was witnessed on the coining in of the three boats ; a sheet
would have covered them. Mitchell was coming along
first, with Williams close on his quarter, and Parish about
two boats' length astern ; but, on their nearing the Red-
house, Parish came up with Williams, and by a quick
stroke or two, succeeded in getting inside, thus popping
his boat's nose a-head in time to become second in the
beat. Williams, however, disputed the heat, and here
commenced dispute the second.
After nearly two hours' dispute among those concerned,
it was decided that the first heat should be rowed again.
Cobb would not agree. to this, and the three others pre-
pared to row it, but nothing could bring bring the match
to a determination.

EARL FITZWILLIANI.—We - have the
pleasure to find that the tranquillity of Wentworth has
restored the health of this venerable nobleman, and that
his Lordship is so much recovered as even to meditate a
journey to Ireland during the summer.—Leeds Mercury.
Lord DALHOUSIE and Sir SYDNEY BECK-
wyrn, the two new Commanders-in-Chief in India, are.
both at Portsmouth, awaiting the sailing of the ships which
are to.take therm to their respective destinations.
1-11 Grace the Duke of NORFOLK will so-
journ at Arundel Castle, until the middle of the present
week, when he will leave for his new residence at-Cowes,
late in the occupation of Mr. HALLIDAY, the banker, in
St. James's-street. Lord and Lady Suaafy, and a few
friend', are staying at Arundel Castle...—Sussex "Myer.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.

Yesterday, a case came on before the LORD
MAYOR, which in some degree illustrates the errors
of the present police system, and shows the neces-
sity for a radical reform in many of the details.
A !nail named Weller, was charged under the
f Uorring circumstances :
_ _

Mr. Britton, a gentleman who resides at Clap-
ham, stated,that on Monday last, in the afternoon,
he was Passing along Gracechurch-street towards
London-bridge, he observed the defendant driving
two fine spirited horses in a cart in the same direc-
tion. Defendant drove up, to all appearance inten-
tionally, against a stage-coach at the moment a
gentleman was stepping in, and it was a miracle
that serious mischief was not committed. Defend-
ant drove on, quite careless as to the consequences,
until he reached Fish-street-hill, where he drove,
aidently in the same spirit, against another coach
and broke the splinter bar. Witness, seeing that
the public incurred great danger from the wanton
conduct of the defendant, called to some officers
who were at hand, and directed a constable to take
him into custody, stating at the same time that he
should attend next day to complain, and giving the
constable his card. Upon appearing at the Mansion-
house next day, however, he learnt that the man
who bad acted so offensively was not in custody.
As he considered that the officer who took upon
himself the power of discharging the prisoner from
custody, had, by so doing, usurped the power of
the Magistrate, Mr. Beaton considered himself
bonnd;to-have the affair properly investigated. He
had heard from the officer whom he had given the
directions to, that there were five others of the
police aiding and assisting in the appreheusioa of
the accused, who, notwithstanding, contrived to
get away.
• '1 he Bridge-keeper (oritof the officers concerned)
said, that the man had 'been safely deposited in the
watch-house by another' Officer, whilst he (the
bridge-keeper) went after the horses and cart, for the
purpose of taking care of them. He did not consider
the defendant to be in his charge at all. When he
took hold of the horses, he noticed-the brother-in-
law of the master of the defendant, whom lie knew,
and he delivered the horses and cart to that gentle-
man. The defendant, however, contrived to get
out of the watch-house, but how on earth he
managed to do so nobody could tell.
The LORD MAYOR said, that this -was a,. most
bungling way of doing business, that the, person
charged could not amongst so many officers be kept An
safe custody, and the cart and horses, instead oferig
sent to the green-yard, were given up at the Nis-
cretion of the officers.

The Bridge-keeper said, he thought the other
city officers ought to be responsible..for the escape
of the defendant.

The other city officers thought that the ward-
officer was responsible. Every one of them did all
they could to shove the business off his own
shoulders upon those of the bridge-keeper or the
ward officer, who in their turn endeavoured to prove
that they had performed their duty to the uttermost.
In fact, if the statement of all of them were to be
credited, it was as much their duty to keep the de-
fendant in safe custody, as it was the Lord Mayor's.
The LORD MAYOR said that this was one of the
cases which reflected such disgrace upon the police.
For the sake of the public it was most necessary
that persons charged with offences should not haVe
the option of walking off at their pleasure.
The Bridge-keeper said he had known the .de-
fendant six or seven years, and believed him to be a
very civil,' unoffending person when sober. No
suspicion was entertained that he would run away
on the occasion of the charge, and how he got away
was the wonder.
The LORD MAYOR asked the defendant whether
be had any objection to mention how he contrived
to get out of the hands of so many officers and
through the bars of the watch-house.
Weller said that he had been taken hold of be-
cause a bit of an accident, what he couldn't help,
came across him. He was in doubt whether he
would let them take him or not, and if he hadn't
Seen his master's brother-in-law,' who would take
care of tfie horses, he'd if he would ha'
let a dozen on 'em lock him up in that ere vetch-
us.—(Laughter.)
The LORD MAYOR—But, being in the watch-
house, how did you contrive to disappear ? De-
fendant—Vy, your Worship, you see ven I was
alone I looked about and I sees a vindor at the top
of the vatch-us, and so I goes up, and as it vas
open I puts out my head, anti my body followed
arter. NoW, says Ito myself, if I leaps into that
'ere road, where the people walks, these here hoffi-
cers will see me again, but if I leaps into that 'ere
river, vy your Lordship, they would'ut see none
o'nie.—(A laugh.)
The LORD MAYOR—And so you leaped in the
water ? Defendant—No, your Lordship, I leaped
into the mud; and if they had seen me aterwards,
they would'm ha known me, because your worship
I w ant clean by no means.—(Laughter.)
The LORD MAYOR thought that the watch-house
appeared to be just worthy of those who superin-
tended it, and who had not the sense to secure a
prisoner even when under lock and key. His Lord-
ship having ascertained that the defendant was drunk
when he drove so outrageously through the streets,
fined him five shillings, the only penalty his Lord-
ship could inflict, as the person whose coach had
been injured was not in attendance to make a charge
Which would subject the fellow to a more severe
punishment.
Mr. Britton submitted that the conduct .of the
officers deserved strong animadversion. It appeared
to him that the power of the Magistrate was fre-
quently usurped by persons of this kind.
'I he LORD MAYOR thanked Mr. Britton for the
great trouble he had taken to follow up this matter
for the sake of the public. The attention of the
police should be much sharpened. If, indeed,
things of the kind described were to be repeated, it
would be, better to get rid of the police as an useless
expense.
It is necessary to observe that the officers com-
plained of are all steady and active men, and have
never been complained of before. The fact is, the'
system is so excessively loose, and the officers have
so Many Capricious and ignorant directors, that it is
no wonder there should be frequent mistakes as to
ptllewierars.
ture of the duties as well as the extent of the