Carlisle Patriot, 21 Jan 1826 - Local News (1)

[petra.mi...@doctors.org.uk]

Saturday 21 Jan 1826   (p. 2, col. 6 and p. 3, col. 1-2 + 5)

 

There is a report in circulation that Lord LOWTHER is about to succeed Lord PALMERSTON in his official situation. We know not on what authority the assertion is made.

 

The severe frost noticed in our last, continued, with increased severity till Monday, when a thaw came on, and on Thursday the temperature had so greatly increased as to remind one of an April day. All the rivers and lakes of the neighbourhood were frozen over; the navigation of the Canal was also completely stopped: Commerce, therefore, as the song says, "shut its day-book," but the skaiters were on the alert, and eleven miles of fine smooth ice presented no contemptible field of exercise. On Friday, we understand, some artillery officers, stationed here, and others, skaited the whole length of the Canal (eleven miles) in about an hour and a half. On Saturday, a man named TINNING set off from Burgh, on the ice, in skaits, with his market basket. Gliding onwards with great velocity, he suddenly came to a breach in the ice, caused by the opening of the reservoir sluice, and, not being able to check himself in time, he plunged into the water, overhead, and narrowly escaped drowning! The navigation is again open. Immense masses of ice, from two to four inches thick, have passed down the Eden during the last three days.

 

Depth of rain that has fallen at Wigton during the year 1825, as accurately measured by Mr. W. SIMPSON: Jan., 2.82 in.; Feb., 1.35 in.; March, 0.86 in.; April, 1.41 in.; May, 1.40 in.; June, 2.66 in.; July, 0.32 in.; August, 4.72 in.; Sept., 3.42 in.; Oct., 3.79 in.; Nov., 6.42 in.; Dec., 2.55 in.; total, 31.72 in.: being 5.84 in. less than the year 1824, and 9.86 in. less than in 1822.

 

The principal Gentlemen of Penrith have caused the distribution of a considerable quantity of coal to the poor of that town, during the late severe weather.

 

The Directors of the Newcastle and Carlisle Rail-road, have given notice, that they will continue to receive applications for the shares in that undertaking reserved for the Land-owners, until the 28th of January inst. All such shares as shall not then have been applied for will be offered to the present subscribers; and any that may finally remain undisposed of will be offered to the public.

 

Messrs. George HARRISON, of Whitehaven, banker, Thomas MILWARD, of Parton, and Thomas BRAITHWAITE, of Maryport, were on Friday last chosen assignees of the estate of Messrs. JOHNSTON, ADAMSON, and HOPE, bankers.

 

Ulswater and Derwent Lakes were last week completely frozen over.

 

On the afternoon of Wednesday the 11th inst. a workman of the name of PALMER fell from the top of a ladder, in a warehouse at Annan, and was so severely injured that he died next day. Having lost his wife three or four years ago, he has left three orphans, totally unable to provide for themselves, in a truly pitiable situation.

 

We have at various times related occurrences tending to shew the disorderly state of our streets at nights, and the strong necessity there exists for the establishment of a police or some other efficient means for the protection of individual property and the public peace. It is quite idle to suppose that two constables, however active they may be, are sufficient either to protect the one or to guarantee the other, in a manufacturing town, the increased and rapidly-increasing population of which renders crime not only more frequent, but allows depredators to commit offences with greater impunity. Impunity is the nurse of crime; and therefore if a regular police were established, the very idea of its existence would operate so powerfully on the minds of those juvenile depredators, by whom the majority of offences this winter have been committed, that it would exemplify the humane maxim of Mr. Justice BAYLEY—that it is much better to prevent crime than to punish it. During last week, the flag-stones in our streets were rendered almost impassable by children pouring water upon them, and making slides, which were the cause of several accidents occurring to grown-up and elderly people, by falling, though fortunately none of them have been of so serious a nature as some which occurred in the preceding winter. Surely a few individuals, clothed with authority, could put a stop to such proceedings. The other evening, an old man was carrying a large fish down Abbey-street, four or five youths went behind him, struck him down, snatched up the fish and the old man's walking stick, and made good their retreat, leaving the poor old man lying on the ground, till a person, passing by, rendered him assistance. This wanton outrage was committed in one of the principal streets in our city, at an early hour of the evening; and, as matters are at present, there is no probability that the offenders will be brought to justice. On Saturday evening last, two women went into the shop of Mr. CLARKE, grocer, in Scotch-street, leaving a companion standing at the door, and asked for a quarter of an ounce of tea. In the mean time, one of them was observed to gather something off the counter under her cloak, and go to the door and return again. As they were about to leave the shop, a pound of tea which had been lying on the counter was missing; one of the women was seized; the constables were sent for; and two of them were eventually taken into custody, one of whom afterwards made her escape, but the other, more unfortunate than her sisters in crime, was consigned to durance vile. Last week, the hen-roost of Mr. CREIGHTON, dyer, Willow-holme, was plundered of its feathered tenants; and a quantity of coals, kept in the same place, was also carried away. A reward has been offered for the offenders, but hitherto without success.—On Sunday evening, about five o'clock, a man went on board a vessel (the Rebecca) lying in the Canal Basin, and carried away about three stone of beef, and four stone of bread. The mate of the John (also lying in the Canal Basin) observed the plunderer going back and forward to the vessel; but being at some distance, and daylight nearly gone, he mistook him for the Captain of the Rebecca; and the thief thus effected his escape.—These few facts are very stubborn; they shew the state of the town; and they speak too powerfully as to the necessity of a police establishment in this city, to be stifled by the unmeaning cry lately set up by a contemporary print, for no other observable purpose than that of casting unmerited abuse upon our Corporate body, which no one, for obvious reasons, thought proper to reply to.—(A Correspondent.)

 

Committed to Carlisle Gaol, Jan. 14, by Wm. HODGSON, Esq. Mayor,—John NICHOLSON, charged with feloniously stealing and carrying away five pieces of iron, the property of Messrs. Robert and William PORTER, of this city, iron-founders. Also, on the same day, Mary GRAHAM, on a charge of feloniously stealing and carrying away one pound of tea from the shop of Mr. Joseph CLARK of Carlisle, grocer.

 

Early on Wednesday morning last, a farmer named NICHOLSON, residing near Brampton, was robbed, on the highway, of a considerable sum in Bank notes, by three men, T. DAWSON, Robert SKELTON, and Thomas ROBINSON, with whom he had been drinking a great part of the night in a public-house, and to whom he foolishly exhibited his money. DAWSON has been fully committed for the offence. The others, we understand, are not expected to escape.

 

Last Saturday night, as George SAWYER, a stone-mason, in Kirklinton, was returning home from our market, he was attacked by two footpads, near White-Close-gate, and robbed of £17 and some shillings, which he had received that day from his employer. The unfortunate man, being stunned by the blows which he received from his assailants, who were armed with bludgeons, was unable to make such observations on their persons and dress as might lead to their discovery.

 

 

[to be continued]