The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-08-23 00:00:00

N)LICE.
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AT I

Maitatow Ifeass.-4-Yeeterdsy, two fishermen. named
Pocock tad Bressell. were brought before the Loa* Maros
at the lenience of Naomi, the assistaet water bailiff
Nelms stated, that, on Thawed's', he went down to Weth-
erell, ma the look mit after the offenders on the riser. As
soon as he had Marsha i particularly favourable part of the
river, he sew thirty mile( fisbieg boats hard at work with
standing nets. The utmost caution was necessary in the ap-
proach to them, for they kept a regular guard against him,
and a long look out with telescopes, and be knew that if
they got a glimpse of him they would all cut and run. He,
therefore, goton board a steamer, with his men, and bore
down upon the Writs ratherseddenly. The greatest cools-
sloe prevailed; some of the fishermen in an instant cut
their sets. Of the thirty nets he succeeded in taking no
more than two, which were those belonging to the prisoners,
after long and bard work in dragging for them. The nets
mere large and wide, with small meshes, which not only
took the white bait now in such esteem, but immense
quantities of the spawn of other fish. Indeed those be
took contained a large quantity of spawn and young fish
which Could be of no possible use, and were utterly de.
stroyed.
The fishermen both admitted that they were fishing for
white bait in the manner described, but denied that their
nets Were destructive to young fish. It was supposed, that
the deli Cate fish called the white bait was the fry of a large
species, but this certainly was not the case. It was ascer-
tained that they were a distinct species, and at the full size,
and therefore the Thames fishery could sustain no injury by
the take of white bait, which was a delicious dish, and
soeghtafter by Noblemen, and even by the King himself, who
was very fond of it. Any thing dose, therefore, to prevent
poor fishermen from catching this delicious fish, would be
an attack upon the palates of the respectable part of the
community. If there were no eaters there would be no
catchers; and it was the rich who determined upon having
unlawful luxuries that otsghtto be penished, rather than the
poor starving fisher Men who were tempted, by the hope of a
bit of bread,to administer to their palates.
The LORD MAYOR, after referring to the Act upon the
subject, said the law was positive against fishing with nets
of so anal' a mesh, and against fishing with nets fastened
to anchors. Without deciding whether white bait ought or
ought ootto be taken, he mast say that the means adopted
for the purpose were contrary to law, and consequently could
not he elk wed.
It was here observed, that so general and open was the use
of white bait become, that several taverns had the boldness to
advertise it as a delicacy to be bad within.
Nelson said be would make it a still greater rarity. He
would raise the price of it by keeping a constant look out
after those who %sere most active io providing it.
The fishermen prayed hard to be allowed to fish for the
white bait, declaring that it was most delicious, and endea-
vouring to get an opinion of the flavour front his Lordship.
The Kum. they said—the King ate of the dish ; they caught
it for the King.
The LORD 'Halve said, that those who ate white bait
must pay those who caught it for the risk of taken in-
terdicted fish ; but the use of such nets could not be
countenanced.
The nets were condemned, but no penalty was inflicted.
Gut LOU A LL.—Yesterday a watch-house ease was heard, in
the circumstances of which there was not the slightest
interest, but which derived some peculiarity from the inter-
pretation given to the various Acts relative to watchmen
and constables of the night. It was held by Sir James Shaw,
assisted by the City Solicitor, that the constable has no
power to dismiss a charge, or to liberate 'parties who have
once been committed to his custody, on a distinct charge;
on the contrary, that lie is bound to ir spire into the com-
plainant's name and address, with a view to hie appearance
before the Magistrate.
' Orders were issued for removing the various stalls and
harrows that now obstruct the open way through all the
great streets and thoroughfares in the City; and the law, it
is presumed, will be now speedily put in force with regard to
many of these minor traders, whose manners are not always
circumscribed by the nicest rules of propriety.
Bow STRERT.-1110 Magistrates at this office were yes-
terday engaged in privately iovestigating a charge preferred
by some soldiers against one of the Bow Street patrol, for
indecorous conduct in Hyde Park. It appeared, that a cer-
tain number of the Bow Street patrol have been stationed
in the Park, for the purpose of preventing those indecencies
which were heretofore but too frequently observable, and
which rendered it unsafe for females to pass, even in the
• day time, unless accompanied by a protector. Some time
back a charge was made by one of these patrol against a
soldier, for improper conduct, and the soldier was in con-
sequence sent to the House of Correction for a month. This
excited a good deal of rancour among the comrades of the
offender, and they now preferred a similar charge against
the officer. After the most minute inquiry, the charge was
found to be destitute of truth, and tne complaint was dis-
charged. The soldiers, however, were called upon to enter
into their own recognisances, to answer for their conduct
towards the patrol at the next Westminster Sessions.
Quests SQUARlL—Yesterday William M'Quia, private
in the Guards, was finally examined upon a charge of in-
famously assaulting Eliza Taylor, a child about seven years
of age. The office and the whole street was crowded to'ex-
cess with persons of both sexes, alt anxious to see the pri-
soner, upon whom they would have inflicted immediate pu-
nishment bad he not been strongly escorted by the officers,
who found it necessary to bring lion through Saint James's
Park by Queen Square Gate, and into the office by the pri-
vate door; all the doors werethen closed and locked during
the whole of the examination. The same precaution was
likewise adopted on conveying the prisoner back to the
prison. The child was attended by her father and mother;
he is a respectable tradesman in Westminster, and has borne
a most excellent character. It appeared that the soldier
had been-farmed out from his quarters on Friday last, and
that he gained access to the house of the child's father.
The child, in a very intelligent manner, related his conduct
tort ards her, and he was taken into custody and brought
before the Magistrate. • A serjeant from the regiment at-
tended, and gave the prisoner a good character as a soldier;
he had served 20 years in the regiment, but now they de-
clined taking any part in his favour, leaving him to the
civil power. A surgeon proved the injury received by the
child, and, after a long examination, the prisoner was fully
committed.
Al say-LE-no\ NE °rms.—The Surveyor of the Edgware
Rood, applied for the assistance of the police, under the fal-
lowing circumstances :
Within two days past the regular thoroughfare of the
road had been completely impeded by a man of very singu-
lar appearance, walking for a wager, a distance of half a
mile out and in, there being an undertaking on his part
to perforni 1400 miles in twenty days, at the rate of 70
miles per day. In consequence of the nuisance caused
by crowds collecting it was requested he might be stopped.
Hewitt, the Chief Constable, was dispatched, and he
found a thin, meagre looking man, whom floor recognised
to have followed the occupation of a cobbler ; he was dress-
ed in nankeen, and walked with great quickness, although
with a peculiar gait. He was attended by a short man
dressed in flannel. Oa the officer mentioning his errand,
the walking gentleman said he was backed for a large sans ;
he had no wish to cause a crowd, and lie would, on finishing
his day, remove to Nelda Hill, where he would con-
tinue the undertaking. He finished befure ten o'clock
on Wednesday the 70 miles. He had performed 60 miles
by Line o'clock on Thursday night and finished within his
time.
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TOWN HALL; SOUTUWARK.—Yeetertley Thomas Kaimes
was charged ti ith a deaperate assau.:t upon Eliza Kainses
his ails.

The complainant besought with tears the prwection of
the Magistrate against the ferocious cruelty of her husband,