Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser (Hobart, Tas. : 1825 - 1827), Friday 2 February 1827, page 3


CHIT CHAT

We have been informed, that the inhabi-ants of Macquarie-street have been raising a subscription for the payment of two private

watchmen.

Some people take upon themselves to say, that a certain Gentleman, holding a high office, is about to commence retrenching his expenses. God knows there is need of it on £1000 per annum.

It is also rumoured, that the " Hope" brings Hopeless tidings to some of our great little men, who are between hope and des-pair- one thing is very certain, that the par-ties alluded to are all on the qui vive, let the cause be what it may, and a greater stir has been made among the courtiers than has

been known for some time.

We hear that a certain person, not 12,000 miles from Maria Island, thinks it " amusing" to be mentioned in the Colonial Times. We, beg to inform him, that we shall frequently do ourselves the honour of contributing to his mirth, if things continue as they are, for we like to please great folks - when they are pleased with truth.

FATTENING STOCK.— We are happy to find that some Settlers, convinced of the utter i-practicability of finding a market or con sumption for their yearly increasing produce of wheat, which cannot be found without ex portation or distillation, and seeing that nei ther of these objects are likely to be entered into, have commenced laying down their lands with grass and turnips, for the pastu rage and fodder of sheep during the winter months. We have always been of opinion, that this must be eventually done, to procure good meat for the winter, as during that sea son the pasturage falls off, and consequently the quality of the meat suffers in proportion. Was it not for the undulated surface of the country, its rich valleys, and fine brow sing hills, we should not have a single carcase in the wet season fit for the table. As it has

been commenced by Mr. John McLeod jun. of the Elizabeth River, who will shortly have a field of turnips, fit for the reception of 300 sheep, we would call the attention of him and other Gentlemen to that valuable root, man gel wurzel and Swedish turnips, which are both such admirable food for cattle and

sheep, that the former will never stray away from a farm where they are once grown.As they both grow very luxuriantly in this Colony, the following may not perhaps be to- tally void of interest to the farmer :—" An experiment has lately been tried on Lord Althorp's farm, at Chapel Brampton, with a view of ascertaining the relative merits of Swedish turnips and mangel wurzel. The food consumed by two oxen, which were tied up on the 26th of December 1825, was weigh ed, and the increase in the weights of the oxen ascertained. In the first month, No. 1 consumed 1,624 lbs. of Swedish turnips, and his weight increased 34 lbs. In the same time, No. 2 consumed 1,848 lbs. of mangel wurzel, and his weight increased 52 lbs — In the second month, No. 1 was fed upon man gel wurzel, and No. 2 upon Swedish turnips. No. 1, during this second month, consumed 1,884 lbs. of mangel wurzel, and his weight increased 32 lbs. In the same time, No. 2 consumed 1,880 lbs of Swedish turnips, and his weight increased 14 lbs — therefore, in the first month, 1,848 lbs. of mangel wurzel produced 52 lbs., increase ; in the second month, 1,884 lbs. of mangel wurzel pro duced 32 lbs. increase ; total of mangel wur zel consumed, 3,732 lbs. ; total increase, 84,lbs. In the first month, 1,624 lbs. of Swedish turnips produced 34 lbs increase ; in the second month, 1,880 lbs. of Swedish turnips produced 14 lbs. increase ; total of Swedish turnips produced, 3,504 lbs. ; total increase, 48 lbs. The weights of the oxen were ascertained by measurement."

HOBART TOWN MARKET.-The want of a market in this town is most severely felt, and becomes more and more so every day. The Settler, having no place to bring his produce to, where he might enjoy the benefits arising from a public competition, is obliged to hawk his property about, and take just what price he can get offered for it. We have often be-fore dwelt upon this topic, whihc so very ma-terially effects the interests of the Colonists; and we again urge it upon the Government to complete the long-talked of market. By the steps which have been taken by the Co-lonists in the interior towards the formation of markets for themselves we are convinced that the inhabitants of Hobart Town would long ere this have had one here, had not the Government taken it in hand. To see markets being established in all parts of

the country, while no steps have as yet been taken towards so desirable an object either in Hobart Town or Launceston, is most sin-gular ; but we are of opinion, that if the people do not establish a market for them-selves, they will have no market at all, as the Government does not appear to be either able or willing to do it for them. But the " Official" says that " the Colony (meaning of course the Government) is insolvent,

therefore it is not to be wondered at, that they have " no means" to establish a Hobart

Town market.

POLICE ACHIEVEMENT.-The other day, one of our Police Officers, big with something,

though he did not know what, went out determined to do something. The first thing he noticed was the cart of a poor Settler, who by the way rents his farm, having four gal-lons of wine on board ; this he immediately seizes, but the cart (being his own), he sufferin opposition to his duty to depart in peace. Oh! tempore; Oh! mores. If this valiant cham- pion had happened to have been as much on the alert, when on board the Ellen on the Sunday morning she sailed, as he was on board the poor Settler's cart, he would have rendered the Colony an essential seivice, in-stead of having deprived a poor hard-working man of a glass of wine, and would have re-ceived the esteem, instead of the disappro-

bation of the Colonists.

THE PIRATES.- Another week has elapsed, and no tidings yet received of those piratical runaways who took the cutter Ellen belong- ing to Captain Walker. This Gentleman, im-mediately on hearing of the capture of his vessel, proceeded from Pitt-water, accompa-nied by a party of Military; but returned un-successful. The Government brig Prince Leo-pold, Captain Welsh, with the men under his command, who also went in pursuit, have not been heard of since the arrival of the Recovery sloop, Williams, master, who spoke him off the Scoutens' Islands', the early part of the last week. We trust that nothing has happen- ed to the brig ; and we sincerely wish she may return, bringing back with her the objects of her pursuit, namely, the Ellen, and her run-away crew. We think it is not improbable, that H. M. S. Success may fall in with her, as we have no doubt that the description of the pirates were sent on board. We cannot help expressing our surprise, as it was known that

the men had absconded on the Saturday night,

that the cutter Ellen should have been suffer-ed to proceed on the Sunday morning, with-out additional protection, and even without

any arms whatever.

SAILING MATCH.- We have been request-

ed to insert the following account of the Sail- ing Match, which we briefly noticed in our last:- On Thursday, a Sailing Match took place, for a Dinner for 30 Gentlemen, be-tween Mr. Barker's boat. Platypus, and a cutter belonging to the Sir Charles Forbes, steered by Captain LANGDON, R. N.- A boat

was moored off Sandy Bay Point, with a flag hoisted; which the boats were to sail round, and return under the ship's stern. At 1 P. M. a signal gun was fired from the vessel, and the boats started with a fine sea breeze ; betting nearly equal ; but, on the first tack the cutter weathered so much on the Platypus, that five to one was offered and taken. At 36 minutes past 2, the cutter rounded the distance boat, and returned to the ship at 5 minutes before three. The other boat gave up the contest ; or there were bets offered, that she would not have reached the dis-

tance-boat before the cutter had returned to her place of starting.- We understand ano-ther match is in contemplation.

THE TREAD-MILL.-We have frequently heretofore mentioned, that a Tread-mill was in progress, and to be erected adjoining the Prisoners' Barracks ; and so frequently have we been contradicted by the soi disant Hobart Town Gazette, asserting that it was disap-proved of in England, and would not be erected here. Notwithstanding all this, we see in last week's Gazette (we confess rather to our surprise) the following paragraph :

"The Tread wheel, we are glad to see, is in a forward state at the Penitentiary, which, as far as it goes, will be of great benefit in correcting a certain portion of male offenders."    

Most undoubtedly, we again say, that the

Tread-mill is a preferable mode of punish- ment to the cat-o'-nine tails, especially for assigned servants, for many obvious reasons. We subjoin an extract from a late English Paper:- " At Lewes, each prisoner walks at the rate of 6600 feet in ascent per day ; at Ipswich, 7450; at St. Alban's, 8000; at Bury, 8950 ; at Cambridge, 10,175 ; at Dur-ham, 12,000; at Brixton, Guildford, and Reading, the summer rate exceeds 13,000; while at Warwick, the summer will be 17,000

feet in ten hours."