who came to the seaman’s assistance, inflicting various injuries, under which he is still suffering. In consequence of this outrage, George Boreham and Spencer Kent and his brother were lodged in the gaol of this town, and are indicted to appear next Tuesday before the Criminal Court to receive judgment. The French law is severe against persons who injure any officer of justice; and although every attempt has been made to obtain the release of the offenders, no further concession has been allowed, but that of hastening their trial. A clever lawyer has been engaged, and it is thought an official testimony of their general good conduct at Hastings might serve them; this, of course, if they are entitled to it, which they affirm they are, they never having broken the laws of their country. They say that they are personally known to you. If therefore you accede to their request, which I understand they have forwarded to you, it is necessary that no time should be lost, and every use shall be made of the document to favour the cause of the seamen.
I am, Sir, your very obedient, W. Featherstonhaugh.
It was stated that the letter was only received that morning, it having laid at the office on Sunday, through the mischievous operation of the new postal regulations. It was questionable whether there would be time to comply with the request of the Consul, as the trial would take place tomorrow.
If the appropriateness of placing this later case of ruffianism under the heading of “Magisterial Dictum” be questioned, the reply is that as the rowdyism of the drunken “gents” sprang out of the indiscreet remarks of a magistrate, so the rowdyism of the drunken fishermen has associated itself in the mind of the writer with the debasing conduct of those who assuming the character of gentlemen should have been exemplars of gentlemanly conduct. The sentences on the three fishermen were 60 days’ imprisonment for Boreham, the master; 30 days for Spencer Kent; and acquittance for Robert Kent.
Getting into difficulties.
The Hastings “gents” and the Hastings “tan-frocks” were not the only Hastings people who got themselves in difficulties; for, there was another Hastings body-yclept the Hastings Commissioners, who in a review by the Hastings News, were “Getting into Difficulties”. There is so much history of the financial career of this large and unwieldy board of our old-time rulers, as to justify a reproduction of that journal’s criticism. On July 8th the Editorial article appeared as follows:—
"We have heard of throwing away a sprat to catch a herring; of a
