was made to Mr. Southon as the agent for the Receiver, for permission to exhibit the barnacles, and which it was believed was granted on certain easy conditions; but instead of complying with those conditions the boatman proceeded to strip off the barnacles, and he was then stopped by the Custom-House and Coastguard authorities. Within the preceding three months the Board of Trade had obtained convictions on the East Coast under section 450 of the Act against two masters of fishing-boats. In one case a fine of £50 (with three months imprisonment, for default) was inflicted on the defendant for neglecting to deliver to the Receiver of Wrecks, two anchors and a chain taken from a derelict vessel. In the other case a fine of £10 was imposed for the non-delivery of a warp which had been slipped from another vessel.
A Chase at Sea.
Late on the evening of June 13th, Her Majesty’s revenue cutter “Active” was observed to be chasing an oyster smack which had been found dredging for the bivalves, which being out of season, the operation was an illegal act. The boat having been twice before boarded and the men cautioned, stronger measures were contemplated. The Active, however, was not sufficiently active for the smack, and the latter having the advantage of a light wind, took no heed either of blank cartridge or shot which was fired at her as a signal to “lay to”. The chase was continued to the eastward until the pursued craft in the darkness of night, was hid from view among the numerous other boats and vessels, then in that part of the Channel.
Christian Association.
The first public meeting of this association (established in 1860) was held in the lecture room of the Wellington-square Chapel on the 25th of October, in the form of a soirée. The room was filled with members of various denominations. After tea and coffee had been disposed of, the chair was taken by the Rev. Jas. Griffen, who stated the object of the society in a very appropriate address.
The Harbour Question.
The following extracts are from a well-written editorial article in the Hastings and St. Leonards News, of Nov. 29th:-
- “.....Are we in trade or life suffering for the want of a harbour; or is it only a fitful fancy that flashes through our minds when light from strangers’ lanterns sheds a ray upon our darkness and reveals an unfelt want? The question is again revived here. The Town Council has given its “moral support” [See pages 101 to 104] – rather in the dark as it appears to us – to a problematical scheme for a pier or harbour; and speculators now stand, in some -
