Carlisle Patriot, 22 Oct 1825 - Local News (2)

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Saturday 22 Oct 1825   (p. 2, col. 3-6 and p. 3, col. 5-6)     [continued]

 

We stated in our last, that Professor WALLACE was about to commence a course of Lectures before the members of the Carlisle Mechanics' Institution. On Saturday Mr. BROUGHAM arrived, and all was bustle in the evening, for the Learned Gentleman, it was said, would attend the first Lecture and make a speech. He did attend, accompanied by Mr. HOWARD of Corby, and other gentlemen, but remained silent, though called on by one or two persons who were not real friends to the Institute, for the readiest way to ruin it, would be to connect it with party politics, enforced in one of Mr. BROUGHAM's racy orations. We understand that the Hon. and Learned Gentleman came with a full intention of addressing the audience; but he was advised to refrain, and wisely acquiesced. It is said that Mr. WALLACE, the Lecturer, is a clever man: if so, he certainly had a most unfortunate method of showing it. His accent is particularly harsh; his language singularly incorrect; and his manner ungraceful—all sad drawbacks upon a public teacher. He has also very odd notions for a man of enlarged mind. He talks as if the union of mechanics' institutions and magazines were the one thing needful—calculated to convert the whole population into WATTs and ARKWRIGHTs. He will perhaps live long enough to see the folly of this doctrine.

 

The shipwrights employed in the building-yard of Messrs. BROCKLEBANK, Whitehaven, have given a specimen of their gratitude. It is well known that Messrs. BROCKLEBANK have always been most indulgent and liberal masters. They never acted upon the system of doing all their work with apprentices; they paid their men 18s. per week, when many paid only 15s.; in slack times they constantly employed their hands, though to their own loss; and recently they yielded to a demand of their men, and advanced their wages to 21s. per week. Of late, however, the combination mania has got into the yard, and insolence and insubordination have since been the order of the day. Last week Mr. B. engaged a man recommended to him from Harrington, and on Monday morning the new hand went to commence work, but he was not one of the right sort: the apprentices collected around him, and told him what he had to expect if he dared to violate the law of the yard, and the man was so intimidated that he determined upon looking on merely till one of the principals arrived; but in the meantime he was seized by the apprentices, mounted upon a pole, and carried from place to place, and finally through part of the town to a public-house, in triumph and derision. After this feat, the precious apprentices returned to work; but they soon determined upon another freak. They picked out a man whom they called a scab, not having exactly conformed to the "union rules," and this man they also mounted on a pole, and were taking him through the town, when they were met by Mr. BROCKLEBANK, who ordered them to release the victim, and on refusing, Mr. B. pressed forward, and was either pulled or knocked down by one of his own apprentices—his clothes were soiled, and his face was bloody! He instantly went to his yard and discharged every shipwright employed in it, and has commenced proper proceedings to bring the offenders to justice: on Thursday afternoon, the yard remained completely shut up.—On Friday morning, the ship-carpenters in the employ of Messrs. Kelsick WOOD and Sons, Maryport, voluntarily left their work, because Messrs. WOOD were so oppressively unreasonable as to refuse their servants the power of dictating the internal management of the yard! Matters are thus coming to a pretty pass. But nothing else was to have been expected from the plans and principles promulgated by Mr. HUME. Every kind of trade lamentably suffers from the same cause—and it is now become evident that the strong arm of the legislature can alone stem the tide of the growing evil.

 

Among the many proofs of the mildness of the season which have come to our knowledge, we may mention that on Monday last, the white hedge rose was seen in full bloom, by the road-side, near Pooley-bridge; and on the same day a ripe strawberry was sent to us, plucked in the garden of Mr. HANSON, of Shaddongate, near this city. We have also this week seen very fine ripe grapes, of the purple kind, which grew in the open air at Stanwix. The mild weather, however, gave way on Thursday morning to a sharp frost, and a most biting blast from the north, which at once put fires and great-coats in requisition, and gave us a severe foretaste of winter.

 

"There is no longer any doubt" says the Whitehaven Gazette, "that Mr. BROUGHAM will be returned for Westmorland at the next election." Aye, that he will; as surely as he was returned last election, and as certainly as he was returned for Liverpool. Mr. BROUGHAM has about the same chance of sitting for Westmorland as he has of sitting for the University of Oxford. He will try, we dare say; but he will have two strings to his bow, and secure his return, as he did in 1820, for the populous and popular Borough of Winchelsea.—Courier Oct. 13.

 

It is confidently asserted that a Right Hon. Secretary, on his late visit to Col. BOLTON, at Storrs, in the most handsome terms informed his liberal host, that he had it in command from his Majesty the King, to make him an offer of a Baronetcy, as an acknowledgment of Col. B.'s public spirit, and his uniform zealous attachment to, and steady support of, the government of the Country; but that Col. B., in the most dignified manner, immediately and unequivocally declined to avail himself of his Majesty's most gracious and flattering condescension, requesting, at the same time, that his Right Hon. friend would not fail to assure his Majesty, that the Sovereign's approbation of his conduct was the highest reward he wishes for, and even more than he had hoped to receive for the mere performance of those duties, which every good subject owes his King and Country.

 

On Saturday evening last, the premises occupied by Mr. William CAPE, joiner and cabinet maker, of Cockermouth, as workshops, were discovered to be on fire. The alarm-bell was rung, and an immense number of people immediately repaired to the place, who promptly rendered every assistance the nature of circumstances would admit. The premises are two stories high, and the fire brook out in the upper, which allowed a short time to remove a quantity of wood, laths, and some of the workmen's tools which were on the ground-floor: these exertions were continued until most of the floor had fallen in, and at the imminent danger of those who braved the devouring element. By some unaccountable neglect the fire engine has been for some time without an attendant, consequently a considerable period elapsed before it could be brought to the place, and when there, (as might be expected) was found to be out of repair. Fortunately the building is detached from any other, and contiguous to the river Cocker. Immediately on the arrival of the engine a number of spirited young men plunged into the rapid stream, and wrought it with considerable effect; the fire however had made too great a progress to be subdued, and it continued to rage with unabated fury till every thing combustible upon the premises was entirely consumed. Both the building and its contents were partially insured.

 

On Wednesday week, as Mr. WALKER, of Flatt, near Calderbridge, was turning a horse out of a coppice wood, he was attacked by a bull belonging to himself, which was depasturing in the same place. On getting over a fence to escape from the furious beast, Mr. WALKER stuck in the soil; the bull followed him and stuck also, but sufficiently near to inflict severe punishment upon him, breaking two or three of his ribs.—Mr. W. was at length extricated from his perilous situation; and the bull also getting disengaged, followed him to the door of his house, which he had just entered.

 

The Earl and Countess of Lonsdale are expected to arrive at Whitehaven Castle to-morrow, and to remain about three weeks. The Hon. Col. and Lady Eleanor LOWTHER left Westmorland on Thursday last for Cottesmore; and the Rt. Hon. John and Lady Ann BECKETT quitted Lowther Castle, for the south, on Monday.

 

On Sunday last, the Duke of St. Alban's and Mrs. COUTTS, called at Lowther Castle, on their way to Scotland, and took refreshment; but they departed without having seen either the Earl of Lonsdale or the Countess.

 

The Breakwater of Workington is fast approaching to completion, and is already of the greatest advantage.

 

Sir James MACKINTOSH, accompanied by his daughter, paid Keswick a visit last week.

 

 

[to be continued]