The Sun.
London, England, 1829-08-14 00:00:00

IRELAND.

WATERFORD ASSIZES, AUG. 7.
(From the Cork Constitution.)
Shortly after ten o'clock Judge MOORE entered
the Court.
Some few criminal cases were then disposed of,
of which the following were of the greatest im-
portance :
Michael Ilizophy stood indicted for stealing two
half crowns and other silver coins to the amount of
sixteen shillings.
Daniel Riordan sworn—(This witness was a
dwarf of the most extraordinary appearance, aged
about fifty. He was about three feet four inches
high, with a large head, but like that of an ordinary
man ; his body was long in proportion, but his legs,
arms, hands, and feet, were like those of a child of
five years old. He spoke Irish only, and very
fluently, and did not appear at all deficient in intel-
lect).—(Through an interpreter)—l was at Lismore
shelving myself, when on the morning in question
the prisoner came to see me ; he came very early,
and I was in bed. He paid a penny for admission.
I called for my shift and clothes to dress myself, and
as they were being reached over to me, some silver
fell out of the Ivaistcoat pocket. The prisoner staid
but a short time. Immediately afterwards I found I
was robbed.
The police constable who took the prisoner proved
having found money about him corresponding in
amount and otherwise to the sum which Murphy
alleged he had lost.
Judge MOORE to the Dwarf Riordan—What do
you get for exhibiting yourself? Dwarf—A shilling
from a gentleman, my Lord, and from half a shilling
downwards from others.
JUDGE-But what will you do now we have all
seen you for nothing?—(A laugh.) Dwarf --111
Lord, I expect your Lordship will pay for all the
company.—( Loud laughter.)
The dwarf then made a strong appeal for his ex-
penses, and said he had four children and no mother
for them.—(Laughter.)
The Learned Judge ordered
JUDGE (addressing himself to Mr. Smith of the
bar)—Well, Mr. Smith, I suppose the witness must
be allowed his expences.—(Much laughter.)
The prisoner had no witness, and was found guilty.

WHITWELL ESTATE IN YORKSHIRE.

IThe sale of this fine properly, belonging to Sir
Bellingham Graham, has cats ed :I considerable sensa-
tion in the monied and age icultural world, and more
particularly in the county where it is situate; as the
result cannot fail to be very influential in directing
the opinion of the Landed Interest, we make no
apology for appropriating a larger space than we
usually devote to these matters. To our readers in
London, and counties far distant from this property,
it may be necessary to state that very few of the
size hold the same rank in public estimation. The
Whitwell property (to use the words of Mr. George
Robins, who officiated on this interesting occasion),
has long held a distinguished place in public opinion,
and yet it is difficult to do justice to it without en-
countering the risk of too highly colouring the pic-
ture. It should be added, this observation only ap-
plies to those who hale not been so fortunate as
to have had ocular proof. To those who are
familiar with -this proverbially beautiful estate,
the remarks may appear to partake of the
works of supererogation. It is therefore to the
former the following summary is more especially
directed. Whitwell is distant twelve miles from
York, on the direct mail road to Scarborough ; it
embraces near 1,600 acres of good land, in a high
state of cultivation, the river Derwent forming its
boundary. Of the houses, it was observed they
were of that description which made it refreshing to
view such comfortable abodes, as in contradistinction
to three-fourths of the farmers' houses throughout
England. By reference to, the plan, it was quite
manifest that for compactness it cannot be exceeded,
and the quality of the soil, and respectability and long
standing of the tenantry, will not yield to any in the
county. One fact he thought would be quite
ample to demonstrate his position, that there was not
an instance on record of a single arrear of rent on
this highly-favoured estate for 23 years. Proceeding
in this strain, with an earnestness in the good cause
that augured well of the result (but which our con-
fined space forbids us giving in detail), he panegy-
rised the tenantry in terms that must be equally gra-
tifying to their liberal landlord and themselves. He
then took a comprehensive view of the great advan-
tage of investing in good land, and more especially in
a property that possessed the grand desideratum of
being free from tithe and extra-parochial; for it
must never be forgotten (said Mr. Robins) that in
times (happily gone by) of agricultural distress,
which be had witnessed occasionally during the last
seven years, the exemption from a heavy poor rate
and tithe rendered such estates (even during adverse
times) a source of certain revenue, while the poor
land must always necessarily submit to a heavy
abatement in rent. He then proceeded to enume
rate the present rent-roll; it consisted as follows :
Acres. Rental.
X. 3. (1.

Whitwell Villa, with Gardens and
Plantations (suppositious va-
lue), in hand B2 220 0 0
The Farms 1,475 12,511 12 6
The Cottages and Land in the
Village of Whitwcll

63 14 0

Total 1,557 12,795 6 6
To this might be added the Manor and the under-
wood on fifty acres of land.
From this statement it appeared that the actual
receipt from the farms and cottage rents was
2,575/. 6s. Gd., and the supposed value of the house
and grounds 220/.; and he argued that an estate
possessing so many advantages was evidently under-
let. This led him to suggest, that at a time when
money was so abundant. (for, (plod' Mr. Robins, it
is going about begging at 2 per cent. in the city upon
bona fide security), any one purchasing this estate,
to net 2i- per cent, ought to be well satisfied.
At this period of the sale Mr. Robins observed, he
was anxious to call the attention of the Funded In-
terest to an observation he intended to make—
without being of that description of persons called
croakers, lie would ask in the name of common
sense, if any of his numerous auditory could doubt
that the funds were at an exceedingly high price
he knew full well it would be argued the interest
would not vary; but he would repeat, is it no-
thing to lose a fifth part of the principal,—and to
illustrate this position, lie would ask, what would
be the result of an angry message from Russia, in
case we interfered in the present dispute with
Turkey—we should not need the ghost of Hamlet to
foretell a fall of 10 per cent.; and if that message
was followed np by any thing wearing a more
hostile aspect, another fall of 10 per cent. would
quickly follow,—who then would hesitate, the
more especially when it is considered that the cause
which must of necessity produce this diminution in
the value of stock, will increase in the exact same
proportion the value of land. These and a hundred
other observations followed in quick succession, and
at length the auditory were intreated to begin with
120,000 guineas; but supplication was vain, and
after much hesitation 70,000 guineas was the first
offer. A considerable pause ensued, when they were
again intreated to " break the ice," for when this is
done (Mr. Robins added) he was sure the biddings
would follow in rapid succession; his conjecture
proved well founded, for on the instant they pro-
ceeded with unusual rapidity until they reached
95,000 guineas; a pause again ensued, when
Mr. Robins very humorously observed, that
if it were actually sold at such an inadequate
price, the good folks of York (who entertained a
sort of parental, he would add, a reverential feeling
for the \Vhitwell property) would, on the arrival of
the mail to-morrow, with the sad tidings, go into
mourning for its untoward fate; nay, he even be-
lieved it would produce as much excitement there
as the destruction of York Minster.—(Considerable
applause.)—This observation bad the effect of re-
newing the biddings, and it was at length actually
sold for 96,200 guineas, to Joseph Haigh, Esq., a
large landed proprietor in Yorkshire. We have
been thus explicit in our narration, because (as we
said before) it must be influential in establish-
ing the real value of land. We have argued
(and it appears successfully), for some time past,
in favour of the staple commodity of the coun-
try, and our readers will see the result. The pro-
perty produces only 27954, 6s. Gd. per annum, and
in this sum is included a suppositious rent (for the
villa and plantations) of 2201. a year ; yet upwards
of 36 years' purchase, was produced for the whole
after this; let it not be argued that land is de-
pressed, or the agricultural interest in a situation to
complain. The large room at the Auction Mart
was literally crowded almost to suffocation, includ-
ing most of the great capitalists in London, and
from Yorkshire.