Star.
London, England, 1831-05-27 00:00:00

CRUEL PRACTICES AT SEA.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.

_
Cheapside, May 25, 1831.
Sza—Considering, as I do, that the crime of inhumanity is the
greatest of all crimes, I am induced to offer a Sovereign Reward, to be
paid at your office, in the first week of January in each year, for a List
of the Cases which have been noticed in the Newspapers of the preced-
ing year of Cruelties at Sea. My attention was especially called
to the consideration of this subject, by the mention made in
your valuable Paper (the
li STAR of Saturday last), of the 111. usage
of a Seaman by the ate of a Ship. Having myself witnessed the
most revoltingly ferocious, cruel,and at the same time cowardly, (because
death is the punishment of resistance at sea from a sailor) conduct of a
Captain of a ship; I feel convinced, that were the frequent occur-
rences of these monstrous abuses of power regularly laid before the
public, the commission of them would be less frequent. What
parent can suppress his feelings of horror at the poor bey Heri-
tage's throwing himself into the sea to avoid the barbarous treatment
of a boatswain ? or can read of a fellow-creature being ruptured by a
merciless kick upon his testicles, which, at the moment, as was de-
scribed, "doubled the poor fellow's body up," from the agony of the
torture he was enduring ! Another horrid case was a lad being com-
pelled to remain at the mast head in the severest weather, till nature
gave way, and life became extinct, to gratify the pitiful revenge of a
cruel Captain. In the hope that your pen will assist my own feeble en-
deavours to arrest, if possible, the progress of cruel practices at sea,
I remain, Sir, your humble servant,
HUMANITAS.

THE COAL TRADE.
NRWCASTLE.UPON-TYNE, Maw 26.
(neon A CORRESPONDENT.)
Yesterday afternoon the Marquis of Londonderry paid a visit to his
chief agent, Mr. Huddle, at Walisend, supposed to be In consequence
of a fresh " strike" on the part of his pitmen—who, notwithstanding
his Lordship very gtnerously acceded to all their demands,i prior to his
setting out for Ireland about a fortnight ago, have again become refrac-
tory. and put forth fresh claims, which they assert must be complied
with before they will return to work. This, really, is very inauspicious.
after the liberal concessions that bad been made. The same dissatisfied
spirit seems, unhappily, to be prevalent in other places on the
Near ; for, although the Hettoo pitmen had engaged to go to work
as yesterday morning, the managing owner of that great con.
cern (William Redhead, Esq. of this town), received an express
yesterday evening, stating that the men had absolutely refused to go
down the pit, and that things were in aloha quo, as to the refractory dis-
position of these operatives. Mr. Redhead immediately intimated to the
Commanding.oflicer here, Lieut.-Col. Power of the Artillery. that under
the present circumstances, it was very probable the military would be
required to move into the county of Durham, at an early hour in
the morning. As this, however, has not been the case, one ma rea-
sonably venture to hope that an adjustment is deemed pnedab by
other and more gentle mow
Last week the gardenias/ received an accession of 4 Comppaannies of
the 6th Regiment, (Rides) under the command of Major
and another woop of the 3d Might Dragoons. Several of the collieries
on the Tyne hang bound disk Mass, (indeed some of them were at
work), and things in postal asiothag the phases of returning ender,
the magistrates of Nertlmmaberiend Judged ft exprdimt to dismiss the
Newcastle and Northumberland Toessesay Cava, who had been on
Permanent Service in this town and nsißlabouthood for about five weeks.
The military dialog and good essiset of this excel lent corps, are
thus noticed in an official letter to Lieutenant-Colonel Bell, the com-
manding officer on the part of the magistracy.
" We the acting Magistrates of Castle Ward, in this County, offer to
you, Sir, our thanks for the readiness with which your Regiment left
their homes to assist In preserving the peace and protecting property in
this part of the County of Northumberland. And we beg to assure you
that we have remarked, with the greatest satisfaction, the orderly and
praiseworthy conduct of the officers and men under your command.
We request you, Sir, to accept our best acknowledgments, and that you
will be pleased to communicate the same to every individual of the
regiment."
NEWCASTLE, MAY 21.—Notwithstanding what is communicated
above, as respects the pitmen of Lord Londonderry, and those en-
gaged at the Hetton Colliery, there can be little doubt that the " strike"
is rapidly falling to pieces. Since Saturday last, the following Col-
lieries have bound their men—namely,
Jarrow,Walbttle,
Townley Main, and
Cowpen.
A large portion of Lord Durham's men have also come under fresh
engagements, so that it is to be hoped the transport of coals by sea to
the metropolitan and southern markets, will again give employment to
our shipping, and bread to our hardy and meritorious seamen, several
of whom, on the Tyne, have been very badly off during this long inter.
regnum of the coal trade. In point of fact, so pressing were the wants
of these men, according to a statement transmitted by them to the
Mayor of Newcastle, a few days ago, in tire shape of a petition, that his
worship. Archibald Reed, Esq. promptly headed a subscription for
their relief, by a donation of Fifty Oueas on the part of the Cor-
poration.

Dr. Forster has withdrawn his name and support from
the Essex Horticultural Society, and is turning his attention
to the science of Aerostation, in which he thinks some im-
provement can be made.
The popular rage for Bible Society Meetings, has at
length given way to that for Reform Meetings ; and in pro-
portion as the schoolmaster extends his influence, we hear
less of anxiety about distributing the Sacred Volume in
foreign parts, and more about congregating to rectify poli-
tical abuses at horns.

The Duke of Northumberland arrived at Newcastle-upon-
Tyne rather unexpectedly, on Tuesday last. The day fol-
lowing, his Grace honoured the Mayor (Archibald Reed,
W.) with his company to dinner, at the Mansion-house.
A select party was invited to meet the noble duke.
The Pitt-Club manceuvre is already frustrated. The grand
camp of the " Army of Conservation for all England," has
dwindled into a poor group of one two or three dozen elderly
gentlemen, who teltspire to eat mutton and drink port, for
the purpose of opposing and overthrowing the declared
will of crown and people ! The " Conservators "
dare not even sell their tickets openly, lest they should
be overpowered by their own guests. There never was a
humbug so thoroughly exposed, nor a band of twaddlers so
withered by public contempt.—Times.
Four London booksellers in the two last Gazettes, prove
that there is " somethtng rotten in the State of Denmark."
The march of intellect ought to have increased the trade in
books, and improved the condition of authors; but this last
effect has certainly not taken place, and the Gazette proves
that the booksellers have not profited by the increase of
readers. In fact, the literary capital seems to be directed
to a profitless competition in cheap reprints of books out of
fashion, or already in every body's band ; and hence authors
are starving and publishers breaking. Original literature
and science yield to commercial quackeries, and the bashing
up of stale dishes. Discredit is the consequence.