Jersey Times 1848 - 9

A change is apparently about to take place in the weather; a rising Barometer, a relaxing of the hygrometic cord; the opening of the pimpanel; and an elastic state of the atmosphere; all indicate that genial weather, for gathering the fruits of the earth and reaping the fully-ripe corn, will providentially be vouchsafed to us.

The 26th Anniversary of the Jersey Auxiliary to the Church Missionary Society will be held in the Temperance Hall on Tuesday the 15th inst. Sermons on behalf of the Society will be preached on Sunday the 13th at St Paul’s in the morning; at St Saviour’s and the Town Church in the afternoon; and at St James’s Church in the evening. The Rev G A Rogers and the Rev R W Pierpont are the deputation for the parent Society.

The Sir Francis Drake, Capt Sadler, which arrived on Friday from Falmouth, Plymouth and Guernsey, brought the following passengers:- Messrs Freeman, lady and servant; Jones and two ladies; Dowle, Wood, Dever and friend, Cleares, Holman, McBride, Alexander, Care, Homer, Ferguson, Burke, Simons, Tae, lady and child, Jackson, Purkins, Couch, McGibbon, Burn and son, Cransey, Mayhead, Honcombe; Mesdames Vivian, daughter and two children; Crocker, Treganna; Misses Kruse and Rundle.

These works, which had been latterly retarded, are to be pursued with renewed activity shortly. We understand that extra hands are daily taken, and that ere long the number will be greatly augmented.

To contractors, quarrymen and others.

A considerable number of Boundary Stones being required for Government purposes, contractors are invited to send in tenders for the same.

Each stone must be of sound, hard granite, 3 feet long and 9 inches square, and the top neatly picked to a cylindrical surface, 9 inches deep and 8 inches diameter, with the Government mark plainly cut thereon.

The price per stone must include all workmanship and expenses of cartage and delivery upon the Government property as directed.

Tenders for the above to be sent to the Office of Engineers, St Catherine’s Bay, on or before 31 August next.

The steam packet Atlanta passes the Isle of Wight en route from Southampton to Jersey

When the change took place in the departure of the Channel Islands’ mails a short time since, the time fixed by the Admiralty for the mail packets leaving Southampton was immediately after the arrival of the London night mail down train.

Although the packets travel with extraordinary speed, it was found to be late in the day, according to this arrangement, before the letters could be delivered to Jersey; and at the earnest request of the inhabitants of the Island, the South-Western Company accelerated the mail train a quarter of an hour.

Arrangements are now in contemplation by which the mail train will be in a greater degree accelerated for the convenience of the inhabitants of the Channel Islands. The Channel Islands’ mail packets will, on and after the 1st of September, leave Southampton at midnight, instead of, at present, not before a quarter to one o’clock in the morning.

A meeting of delegates from all the parishes of the Island was held on Tuesday evening at the Victoria Salon, St Helier, under the presidency of David De Quetteville, Esq, to take into consideration the late reply of Sir George Grey, Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for the Home Department, to a question put to him by Dr Bowring in the House of Commons.

Among those present were the Constables of St Lawrence, St John, St Brelade and St Helier; Mr Thoreau, Mr Philip Simon, Dr Lowe, Lt-Col Mourant, Mr Ph Picot, Jun, and numerous other leading men of both the Island parties.

Mr David De Quetteville introduced the business of the meeting, and expatiated upon what was due from Jerseymen to themselves and their posterity. The object they had in view was not to beg a favour, but to demand the conservation of their rights, acknowledged and confirmed by numerous Charters. It was true that they did not know exactly what were the intentions of the Government, and he thought that the first step to be taken would be respectfully to enquire of Sir George Grey what precisely they were to attach to the answer which he had made to the question of Dr Bowring.

Constable Le Sueur

The Constable of St Helier said that it would be well to inform Her Majesty’s Minister that the entire Island demanded nothing but the conservation of its privileges. All other countries, he remarked, sought to change their institutions; and was it not to be wondered at that it was in the only country which was content with its institutions that the Government contemplated the introduction of changes.

Mr Le Sueur concluded his address by proposing that a Committee of Delegates be commissioned to write to Sir George Grey to enquire of him the extent of the changes intended by the Government, observing that when they would be in possession of the Home Secretary’s answer, they would be better able to decide upon the nature of the measures to be taken for the defence of their country’s liberties.

The Rev Clement Perrot seconded the proposition of Mr Le Sueur, which was then put to the vote and carried unanimously.

It was also decided that the Constituencies of the twelve Parishes should organise themselves for the preparation of petitions to Her Majesty in Council, in the event of the Home Secretary’s reply not being satisfactory.

We further understand that, after the meeting, a Committee of Delegates drew up a letter to Sir George Grey, which was despatched by the mail on Wednesday morning.

A correspondent complains of the arrest and committal of a lad for rude conduct to an officer of the Royal Court a short time since; attributing the behaviour of the lad to the fact that the officer wore no insignia of office, and to a consequent non-recognition of him as a “person in power”.

We certainly think, with our correspondent, that every officer of a Court of Justice should appear in Court with some badge to indicate his calling, The English parish beadle, we all know, is indebted to his laced coat and cocked hat for urchin-deference; and we would certainly have the Huissier of the Royal Court of Jersey invested with some respect-enforcing garb of authority.

A crowd of curious persons collected at the harbour on Thursday alongside the St Aubin, Captain Priaulx, with a tame young brown bear on board. The creature played with a dog belonging to the ship, and the sailors caressed him familiarly. In the six weeks he had been on board he had eaten no more than 10lbs of bread, which was all his diet. He had, however, drunk a great deal at his otherwise temperate repasts.

Before the Bailiff and Judges Bisson, P W Nicolle, Bertram, Le Couteur, Picot, Pelgue, Le Gallais and Arthur

Thomas Alger and Ann Hicks, his wife, appeared to take their trial before the Grand Jury, accused of having, on the night of Tuesday the 10th to Wednesday 11th of May last, wilfully set fire to their premises, situate in Mulcaster Street, with intent to defraud the Phoenix Fire Insurance Office.

The prisoners pleaded not guilty.

The Attorney-General, having read the act of accusation and the depositions of witnesses, Mr Advocate Marett made an eloquent and able defence of the prisoners, for which the Bailiff in his charge to the Jury, applauded him.

The Jury, having retired, after an absence of half an hour returned to the Court, finding Alger guilty, and Ann Hicks, his wife, not guilty. Alger was then sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment, with hard labour.

Before Thomas Le Breton, Bailiff, and Jurats Bertram and Arthur

John Cockling was brought forward and accused of being concerned in the late Post Office robbery. He was arrested in consequence of about 150 penny pieces being found on him, some of which were recognised by persons at the Post Office. The prisoner denied the facts and was remanded.

Jane Lambert, wife of Moignard, found guilty of stealing a saucepan, the property of Mrs Milligan, was condemned to 15 days imprisonment.

Eliza Rafferty, brought up for drunkenness and vagrancy, was condemned to eight days solitary confinement, the last two on bread and water.

Elizabeth Trisdale, widow of Dennis Green, appeared before the Court, under the following circumstances: herself and family arrived in the Island in May last, and about a month ago her husband died. She now applied for relief, saying her husband had been born here, and that she was born at sea.

The parish registers had been searched, but no registry corresponding was found. She was ordered to the hospital, with her three children, until information could be obtained.

One of those fatal occurrences which often are the results of intemperance occurred near the Town Mills on Sunday evening last, by which an aged woman was unfortunately deprived of existence. It appears that a young man, named Ahier, on returning to his house on Sunday evening, in a state of intoxication, quarrelled with his wife and was in the act of striking her when her mother, Mrs Wyatt, interfered and fell.

On her being raised, it was found she was insensible. Medical assistance was immediately procured, but it was of no avail; she died a few hours afterwards. An inquest was held on the body yesterday afternoon, with a verdict of ‘Died by a Visitation of God’ returned.

On Thursday, at midnight, one of the stokers of the Despatch mail steamer was going along the South Pier towards his vessel, he was set upon by four men and two women who, after ill-treating him half to death, robbed him of 14 shillings and 3lb of butter.

His cries alarmed the inhabitants of Mr Pugsley’s house, at whose arousing the murderous thieves fled from their victim. Mr Pugsley took the poor fellow into his house, rendered him every succour, and saw him on board the Despatch.

On Friday morning Mr Centenier Chevalier came on board to obtain information as to the assault and robbery; but the stoker could afford him no clue to his atrocious assailants. A stick was found in the morning in Mr Le Sueur’s gateway, covered with blood.

Havre des Pas shipyards

Tomorrow morning, a handsome schooner, built by Messrs Valpy, will be launched from their building yard at Havre des Pas. This vessel, which is of about 100 tons, new measurement, is a very handsome model, and will be an ornament to our mercantile marine.

The late rise in the price of flour in Jersey was not, we are glad to learn, by any means general.

It is gratifying, too, to know that many of our bakers are supplying themselves from France – the best possible way of destroying the monopoly of Island millers.

The performances of the Female American Serenaders on Monday evening drew a full pit and crowded gallery audience, but the upper boxes were but moderately attended, and the dress circle was almost without occupants.

The evening’s entertainment gave unquestionable delight to the rough auditory assembled on the occasion; and they displayed it, during the entire two hours singing, in the least sophisticated manner imaginable.

The seven Ladies were, in fact, triumphant in their efforts to amuse and captivate the noisy crowd beneath and above them.

They were to give their fourth soiree last evening, and will repeat their entertainment this and tomorrow nights.

On Monday afternoon last, this Island was visited by a most severe thunder storm.

About three o’clock, during a hail storm, the electric fluid fell on the flag staff at the top of Mount Orgueil Castle, which it tore to pieces.

Two gentlemen, who were on the top, were also slightly wounded.

During the late storm, a heifer was killed by lightning and knocked over the cliff on the property of Mr Revans, Sorel, St John’s.

On Tuesday evening last, the Parochial Committee, having received a communication from London informing them that the repairing of the old clock would cost £30, while a new one could cost £130, unanimously decided to have the old one repaired.

Perhaps the most expeditious change of flour from the mother country into bread in this island has been the following:-

On Wednesday afternoon last, Mr De Gruchy, baker, of Morier Lane, sent a letter by the South Western, to England for flour.

He received the flour on Friday, and on Friday afternoon sold bread made from it to his customers. The time thus expended was less than 50 hours.