Star.
London, England, 1830-10-18 00:00:00

WHALE FISHERY.

The details which we gave on Monday fiom Davis' Straits were as
full as have since been published ; and, we are afraid, contain the sum
total of the fishing for the season. From subsequent arrivals we learn a
tor particulars of the causes of the disasters of the season, which we
now .apply; and, in the first place, it affords us pleasure to learn
that the crews of the lost vessels were all picked up. although a
considerable number of deaths have occurred from privation or fatigue.
Captain Dannatt, of the Progress of Hull, who returned in the
Abram of that place, left Cape Searle on the 21st September, and gives
ae a Ti ',ton for the want of success. that the ships were compelled to
renla'll much too long in Melville Bay, as the wind blew a strong gale
from the south, and blocked up the entrance to the bay. Here the ships
were detained twelve weeks, and when they at length eacted their de-
parture and steered to the west, they could neither discover fish nor ice,
Capt. D. states, that many individuals died of excessive fatigue.
Captain Dannatt suffered severely. He and ethers were forced to travel
a ertet distance over the ice in order to effect their escape.
A letter, dated on board the St. Andrew of Aberdeen, (arrived) at.
tributes the failure of the fishing, and the losses sustained, to the re.
it ricably quick passage which the whalers had out, having arrived at
tib first barrier of ice much earlier than was anticipated. This, instead
of being an advantage, turned out the reverse ; for, on endeavouring to
push forward, they were completely frozen in, and lay fur upwards of
two months in Melville Bay, which is on the north shore of Baffin's
Bay, about lat. 75 deg. The Achilles of Dundee, the Resolution of
Peterhead, the Rattler of Leith, with five or six others, perished on the
25th of June. The Rattler had previously been hove upon the ice, and
on regaining her position, the crush which came upon her when the ice
bad broken up, cut her completely through. By the time the ships
got extricated the season was far advanced, and the fish had left the bay.
The crew of the Rattltr and of the Ville de Dieppe were got aboard the
St. Andrew, which lay within two or three miles of the Harmony of
Hull, both of which made the most vigorous exertions to get free. The
crew of the Harmony had made considerable progress by .towing and
tracking the ship among the broken floes towards what is called a "lane
of water," and had every appearance of reaching it. Their progress
encouraged the crew of the St. Andrew to attempt sawingthrough the
ice, and they succeeded in cutting a lane, in a few hours, upwards of
30 feet broad, and three quarters of a mile in length--a task which in
the outset was considered an impossibility. Some of the ice was 12 feet
thick.

The St. Andrew brougEt 00 men whom she picked up in the voyage
kotnewards, and reports the number et' met lost, belonging to Aber-
deen to be 25. For a Ittig time their allowance had been a biscuit per
day, and son.e were reduced to such extremity as to cat of the whales'
flesh. Between 40 and 60 of the crews of the lost vessels were on board
the Horn of Dundee. _ _ _ _

A letter from Captain Cameron of the Three Brothers, of Dundee (a
lost ship). dated on board the ship Traveller, of Peterhead, says :
•` After having go: anions the flocs in Melville Bay, we met with se-
veral interruptions of a trivial kind, which would have been easily sue-
mounted, had we not been overtaken by a most violent gale from the''
sou th.west upon the 2d of July, which set the ice in upon us so furiously
that we were obliged to cut a dock for the safety of the vessel. which
was accomplished without loss of time ; but we found it impossible to
clear it, as the ice was then so rapidly setting in upon us. So prodigious
was the compression that it laid four vessels. then lying beside us, quite
on a level with the surface of the ice, before it had the same effect upon
us ; and it was not until the last shock, which came with irresistible
force, that we joined the rest."
The Princess Charlotte, of Dundee, arrived there on Tuesday morn-
ing, but brings no particulars in vidition to what we have given
above.

One consequence of these disasters is, that oil in this quartet has
risen 100 per cent. in price. One house in Edinburgh, we hear, who
were early possessed of the intelligence, bought up what little could be
bad amongst the retailers, on Monday morning last, before the news
became generally known. But we believe there is very little oil in the
country; and unless, in anticipation of this year's supply, which has
tailed, it is impossible that any bargains could be made which would
Materially affect either the buyer or the seller.
The insurers of the lost vessels will suffer severely. There is, we
bear, about 40,0001. insured in Glasgow, and nearly 6,0001, in Dundee.
The insurance effected in Edinburgh is, we understand, under 2001—
But there is a class, who, unless the hand of charity is stretched out to
succour them, must, with their families, suffer the extreme of want;
we mean the crews of the lost ships, who, according to the usage of
the trade, lose all claim to wages. We can scarcely conceive an occa-
sion, where a public subscription is more Called for ; and we trust there
will not be wanting in this country, which bouts so much of its chari-
table and benevolent institutions, philanthropic individuals alio will set
such e subscription on foot.

There are no set of public functionaries that have a worse
training for their situations than the Judges. They defend injustice at
the Bar tin they are raised to administer justice on the Bench. It is
wonderful that they are men of such integrity as they are. We remem-
ber an anecdote of a Counsel being so conscientious as to renounce his
prospeets of preferment rather than defend injustice. The then King
said that such a Counsel would make a Rood .forlge. Surety no other
King has ever thought so, or the system would have been changed.
A Razor NDER.—At the Dublin mansion-house dinner,
the other day, one of the livery-sensate went up to a gentleman who
was carving a joint of beef, and said, " I'll trouble you, if you place,
for a slice for my master." The reply was, " Certainly, how does
your master like it P" Upon which the valet retorted, • Man alive,
bow can I ten how he likes it, until he bas tasted a bit of it."
TOBACCO SMOBING.—A decree, beaded " The young
tobaccannokers," has been issued in the Rhenish states, appertaining
to the crown of Bavaria, for die purpose of prohibiting the smoking of
tobacco by young persons and boys!
LEGAL SUBTEREUG IL.—An attorney at Hesse Darm-
stadt was accused, not long since, of peculation in about twenty-two
cases; nevertheless, be had reason to believe that the whole Court, ex-
cept the President, were favourable to him. He tlimeibm subponsed.
the Grandee as his witness, and when about to be In_wessioni in Court,
refused to answer the questions put to him by the rtooliont. who, he
p =terd
insisted on being a material witness in his ass, thmoilsrs couhl use
sit as his Judge. In vain the dignitary his pound kninants
of the defendant's affairs, and mound dm that his lisokti sow
roartod him was nothing but a trick for do pipes d orbs him
from his seer. the Court Bodoni to dslittenoto. onehtilng President
ass party covceraed,from Its ddlbersdce; and, alters olt's dhintdog,
coos to the decision, thud the President mold not pundiat this trial,
and the atessuey was acquitted.

LAW REPORTS.

CONSISTORIAL COURT OF EXETEIt.
HADDOCKS V. HAWKER AND OTHERS.

This was a suit promoted in the name of the plaintiff, against
the defendants, for blasphemy, &c. as the citation has it " touch-
ing and concerning their souls health, and the lawful correction and
reformation of their manners and successes," Itc. The facts of the case
are these.

Alr. Hawker and his neighbour, a Mr. barley, have, at different pe-
riods, had words with each other, and on the 16th of February last,
Mr. Hawker, on being about to plantseme trees in a hedge which divides
his premises iron, .31r. Darley's, discovered that a large poplar tree
had been barked about a foot from the hedge, in order to destroy it.—
Several expressions were made use of as to who barked the tree, &c.
when Mt. Ilarley charged the wife of Mr. Hawker with having had an
' illegitimate child before she was married, for which, he said, she had
been properly punished. In consequence of this tree having caused such
strife, Mr. Hawker said he would christen it " Strife and Envy ;" and
on the 10th of July, after he had plk.ited his young trees, he told his
man to get some cider, and lie would christen the tree. The cider was
procured, and slr. Hawker being un old man, and not able to get up
on the hedge, did not perform the christening himself, but told his ser-
vant, Wills, to throw the cider upon the hedge, and christen it " Spite
and Envy." Wills did get upon the hedge, had the cider handed up to
him, and then threw it on the tree, and repeated the following words :
" I christen thee Envy and Strife. In the name of the Father, Son,
and Sorrel Horse, all glory be therefore. Pray, father, stop the sorrel
horse, for the bridal is a torn." The suit was some time since brought
before the Archdeacon's Court, who at once dismissed it, as being fo-
reign to the jurisdiction of the Court. The complainant, not being,
satisfied with this decision, appealed to the Consistorial Court of the
Diocese, and urged that the defendants had treated the Court with con.
tempt, they having exhibited the citation against a door near a public.'
house.

The Chancellor did not decide the ease as some of the proceedings
were not in a perfect. state, but he (intimated that, as far as he could
judge by the papers before him, he thought he should confirm the de-
cision of the Archdeacon.

ASSAULT IN COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

Saturday evening, at the close of Bow-street Office, the Magistrates
and those present in the Office, were put into some contusion by a great,
h•tstle outside the door, and the appearance, shortly afterwards, of Mr.
Charles Kemble, the Manager of Covent•garden Theatre ; Mr. Tho.
mas, the Superintendent of Police ; Mr. Meadows, the comedian ; and
several other gentlemen and noted performers. On their entering the
office Mr. Halls appeared greatly astonished, and then cast a look to-
wards Mr. Thomas tor an explanation of the unusual appearance of so
many gentlemen of the drama at such an hour.
Mr. Thomas stepped forward, and whispered to his Worship that
Mr. Westmacott, the edi•or of a well-known Sunday Paper, nul been
most severely beaten by Alr. Kemble. He happened to be present at
the latter end of the affray, and indeed prevented Mr. Kemble from re-
peating his attack upon Mr. Westmacott, who charged hint at his peril
to take Mr. K. into custody, and convey him to Bow-street, where he
would appear immediately, to make a charge against him. On his com-
municating this to Mr. Kemble, that gentleman at once said that he
would walk up to Bow-street, to meet any accusation that might be
preferred against him.
Mr. HALLS—Is there any one present now to snake a charge against
Mr. Kemble

111 r. Kemble—[ was about to ask that question myself—l have at-
tended here voluntarily.
Mr. Thomas stated that there was not then, but he had sent a
messenger down to Mr. Westmacott (who had gone home after he had
received the beating), to apprize him of Mr. Kemble's attendance at the
office.
Mr. liatts asked If tnt., was any one who saw the assault, and
could make a charge against Mr. Kemble ?
Mr. Thomas-1 saw part of it; but I have no charge to make.
Mr. HALLs...Then I feel it my duty to say that Mr. Kemble is at
liberty to go away if he pleases.
Mr. Kemble, after s whisper with a friend, said that as a messenger
had been sent down to Mr. Westmacott, he would wait for his re-
turn, and give every opportunity of any one making a charge,
against which he was ready then, or at any other place or time, to
appear. About five minutes after a policeman came in, accompanied
by a young man, who said that he was deputed to tell the Magistrates
that Air. 11'estntaeott was too ill to attend.

Mr. limble—Dangerously ill, do you say ?—The young man said,
that he was extremely ill, and lying on his bed.
Mr. &nthle—Pray, then, how was he encbled to walk home after
the thrashing ?—The young man could not say ; but he knew be was I
now very ill, and unable to attend.
Mr. Kemble—What ! do you mean to say that he Is disabled or
unable to attend ?—Young man—l said unable, Sir ; but Ido not
know what right you have to cross-question me in this way ; you ars
not the Magistrate.
Mr. Kemble—Certainly not ; I merely asked you.
Mr. HALLS—Then, Sir, I have nothing to do in the matter.
The young man said that Mr. W. wished the cm to be put off till
Tuesday.
Mr. HALLS said he had no objection; and Mr. Kemble replied that
he would be ready to conic forward whenever Mr. Hans chose to send
for him. He then retired, accompanied by his Mends.
It appears that Mr. W. who has an extensive acquaintance among
the members of the theatrical profession, was sitting on Saturday even.
ing, about eight o'clock, in the second tier of the boxes of Covent-
Garden Theatre, when he was told that he was wanted, either by a gen.
tleman, or Mr. Charles Kemble, we know not which. He immediately
went out, when Mr. Kemble, who had told the boxkeeper in attendance
to go out of the way, and appeared in a considerable state of excite.
ment, said to Mr. W. in an agitated tone, at the same time lifting up a
large bamboo stick, about three inches in circumference, 64 You ailed
my daughter a w—.—, you villain ; I'll teach you to do that." He
then struck Mr. Westmont a severe blow with it across the fore.
bead, and followed it up with several others upon various parts of his
body, at the same time repeating the words we have already reported,
with the strongest expression of feeling. 11r.Westmacott put up his arm
to defend himself, and cried for mercy, intimating that he would be
killed by such a stick. This appeal, however, had no effect, and Mr.
Westmacott sunk under the repeated blows of Mr. Kemble. Mr.
Thomas, the Superintendent of Police, who happened to be present,
stepped forward at this moment, and declared he could not suf a such
a breach of the peace to be committed fn his presence. Mr. Westma.
cou, who lay on the floor, exclaimed, " Send for a doctor to bleed me—
feel here, feel here," putting his hand on the places where he had re.
ceived the blows, and Mr. Thomas took Mr. Kemble into custody, in
order to prevent their repetition. Mr. K. then, in his presence, retired to
the green-room. During the scuffle the doors of the box in which Mr. W.
had been sitting being open, some of the audience became ac-
quainted with the persons of Mr. Kemble and Mr. Westmacott, and
several opprobrious epithets and cries, such as " put this into your
paper," were applied to the latter. Mr. Westmacott several times
charged Mr. Thomas with having acted unfairly, and told him at his
peril to go and take Mr. Kemble into custody, and convey him to Bow.
street, where he would attend immediately. Mr. IS'estmacott, who
must have suffered severely, his forehead being greatly bruised. then
walked away, and Mr. Thomas went to Mr. Kemble to tell him
whet he had been desired to do. On this Mr. Kemble said he
would walk up directly to Bow.atreet, and he came accordingly. His
feelings appeared to be much excited, and be was heard to say that
the thrashing he had given Air. Westmacott should not be the last,
if he dared to utter any thing again derogatory to his daughter's honour.
Whether the expressions which have caused Mr. Kemble to act in the
above way were uttered in some public place, or appeared in the paper
of which Sir. Westmacott is stated to be the editor or proprietor, we
certainly do not know • but the allusion must have bass very gross, as
51z. Kemble went fromi the green room to the recess behind the box in
which Mr. Westmacott had been sitting, for the express purpose of
beating him. The greatest part of the audience were unaware of this
occurrence, not excepting Mrs., Kemblet and her daughter, who were
sitting in a private box the whole of the evening. The occurrence will
create an extraordinary sensation in the theatrical world, in which Mr.
Westuracott has an extensive connection.