attempt to obtain possession of his valuable privileges, it will be found that added pecuniary difficulties have to be encountered. Sir Oswald is believed still to have no objection to the sale. Salford possesses a good market connected with the Town Hall, now the property of the inhabitants. The market days are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; the first named is the great market of the manufacturer: the last the principal market for agricultural produce and provisions. The "fairs" are that already spoken of as "Aca's" Fair, formerly of three, now of two days' duration, held originally on the site of St. Ann's Church, but thence removed to Smithfield by the Lord of the Manor; a fair in Whitsun week, and another commencing on the 17th. November, (known very correctly as "Dirt Fair") which are held in the principal thoroughfares of Salford; and the Knott Mill Fair, commencing on Easter Monday. This is a mere popular festival, with "shows" and other rarities, which cover the entire plot of vacant land at Knott Mill, near Deansgate. The others are cattle fairs. Aca's Fair commences on St. Matthew's Day. Manchester is singularly destitute of those resources which conduce at once to health and relaxation. With a teeming population, literally overflowing her boundaries, she has no public walks-no resorts either for the youthful or the adult portions of the community to snatch an hour's enjoyment. The prospect of obtaining any wide area, to be appropriated as a public walk or otherwise for the use of the humbler classes, becomes more remote each year, as the value of land within and in the neighbourhood of the town increases. Much, however, may be done by the encouragement of judicious alterations in what may be called the old town, but still more might be achieved by the enforcement of an uniform plan in laying out new districts. Of the Post-office, which is under the able management of R. Peel Willock, Esq., no information can be added to that which is comprised in the return already given of the annual proceeds.* The military stationed in this district are under the control of Colonel Wemyss, Assistant Adjutant-General, who recently succeeded to that appointment on the retirement of Lieut.-Colonel Shaw Kennedy, a highly-esteemed officer. The Cavalry Barracks are in Hulme, those for the Infantry in the Regent's Road, Salford. The former have accommodation for 2 Field Officers. 10 Subalterns. 399 Non-commissioned Officers. 362 Horses. 31 In Hospital. William Braybrook, Esq., Barrack Master-Mr. Browne, Clerk of Works. The Infantry Barracks are calculated to accommodate 3 Field Officers. 10 Captains. 22 Subalterns. 700 Men. * Nothing can prove the rapid increase of this town more than the fact that, in the year 1794, memorable for the victory obtained by Lord Howe over the French Fleet, an account of the event was received by Miss Willett, the then Post Mistress, whose office was upon the site of ground now laid to St. Ann's-street; Miss Willett, at that time, conducting the business of the Post-office for this town, with the assistance of two clerks! CHAPTER II. The Police Magistrate for the towns of Manchester and Salford is John Frederic Foster, Esq., a barrister-at-law, who has filled the office during several years, in a manner to win universal applause. The salary of £1000 per annum is provided by a magisterial rate levied on the inhabitants of the two towns, according to proportions defined in the Police Acts. Since the appointment of the learned gentleman, the burden of his duties has continued to increase, and at the Police Court, which is held at the New Bailey daily at twelve o'clock, it not unusually happens that a hundred prisoners are brought before the Bench, in addition to the cases by summons and the other subordinate calls upon the attention of the Magistrate. The following are the numbers of prisoners brought up during each month for the last four years : NUMBER OF PRISONERS ADMITTED DURING EACH MONTH INTO THE NEW BAILEY, MANCHESTER: 1831. Dec.. 1832. Nov.. 488 Jan 571 Jan 1836. 816 Note.-An analysis of the prisoners taken in six days gave 66 English, 26 Irish, and 1 Scotchman. At the Manchester Police Office alone there has been a very great increase of charges, as appears from the sub joined return: From 20th. January to 31st. December, 1825, inclusive..... Number. 1,679 1st. January to 31st. December, 1826, In Salford the numbers have been From January, 1835, to June, 1836, 344 felons, and 339 disorderly vagrants. The following figures go far to account for the frequency of crime in these districts: The The Session for the hundred of Salford is now held eight times in the year, instead of quarterly as heretofore, The Chairman of the Magistrates, James Norris, Esq., barrister-at-law, has a salary of £800 per annum. Session Court is attached to the New Bailey prison and House of Correction, erected in the year 1790. The duties of Mr. Norris also have somewhat increased, as the following table shews: From this time the watchmen's cases are included. STATEMENT OF THE NUMBER OF PRISONERS TRIED AND CON- Total committed from 22nd. January, 1794, to the 9th. January, 1836....90859 This table comprises only the more serious class of cases. |