October 1812
From local newspapers in our collection.
Le Publiciste 3 October 1812
ARRIVALS
Le joyeux carillon du bon St Pierre-Port,/Nous dit heureux instant qu’il entra dans le port. Pierre De Havilland, Esq., Bailiff of Guernsey, arrived back in the island at around 2 pm last Sunday from his trip to England. He seems modestly to have chosen this day as it would be quiet and he hoped might stay incognito, he could not avoid the just tribute of homage that well-bred people always accord to our premier magistrate. His presence was betrayed by the silvery voice of the bells of St Peter Port which have for some time now taken pleasure in announcing only good news. Monsieurs the Jurats, the King's Officers, the Constables and other officials paid their compliments to him during a visit the day following his return.
The public will be both pleased and interested to know that T F De Havilland, Esq., who has just been reappointed by the Directors of the East India Company to the duties he had performed with honour and distinction for the last 17 years, is also back in the island.
Mr T Bell and Madame Lauzan, and M and Madame Grut and family also arrived on Sunday from England.
MARRIAGE: Love, respect and friendship have just lined up together under the rule of marriage: Wm BROCK, Esq., and Dlle M Priaulx, daughter of T Priaulx, Esq. &c &c.
DEATHS: Dlle Mary De Saumarez &c.
The following vessels have arrived since the 25th September:The brig Nancy, Capt Frederic, from Foy, loaded with fish—The sloop Orestes, Capt Tuckerman; the sloop Alderney, Capt Vale; the sloop Two Brothers, Capt Taylor, from Torquay, with fish.—The brig Cato, Capt Anderson; the sloop Fancy, Capt Cruse; the sloop General Doyle, Capt Le Masurier; the sloop John and Elizabeth, Capt Simon; the brig Good Intent, Capt Baptiste; the sloop Peggy, Capt Perchard; the sloop Betsey, Capt Bishop; ship HMS Ulysses, Capt Gill; the brig Respect, Capt Atkinson; the brig Fountany, Capt Denson; and the sloop Agenoria, Capt Le Cocq, arrived from Jersey.—The sloop Good Advice, Capt James, from Penzance.—The brig Providence, Capt Coatesworks, from Sunderland, with coal.—The cutter Diligent, Capt McMaster, with flour &c.—the cutter HMS Queen Charlotte, Capt Thomas, returning from a cruise.—The sloop Renown, Capt Forbes, from Plymouth, with limestone.—The sloop Ranger, Capt Wincey, from Pool, stone. The Ben and Susan arrived in Liverpool from Guernsey.—The Algeciras, Capt Ferguson, and the Melpomene, arrived in Petersbourg from Guernsey.—The Hero, on its way from Guernsey to Miramichi, was captured and burnt by the American frigate the Essex, at lat. 46 long 57.
Helier Mauger, of the Varclin, in St Martin, intends to sell for the best offer, on the 15th of this month, a house and close amounting to 17 vergees, item, two hilly reed-beds, a field called La Bouvée and another called the Closture, making 45 to 46 vergees of land in total. He will take payment in cash or rents &c.
Dame Elizabeth Moulin, widow of Sieur Thomas Le Retilley, and guardian of their son Thomas Le Retilley Jr, a minor, will sell on the Thursday following the third publication of the sale, the 15th of this month, a house, yard [parquet], and a piece of land adjoining, in Mount-Durand, belonging to the said minor &c.
Lamp oil for sale, by the barrel or gallon at W Francis’, Fountain Street.
Two Rooms, furnished or unfurnished to let in John Marquand’s house, No 463 Poidevin Street.
A strong Cart-Horse for sale. Apply to J H Terrell, Saddler, Mill Street.
Newly arrived, at Levrier’s, an assortment of Beaver Hats, of the latest fashion and colours. White Beavers cleaned and repaired. The above has furnished lodgings to let.
Several Rooms to let, in house No 89, Smith Street; apply E Barbet, at the New Prison. The above also has caster sugar for sale by the hundred, half-hundred, or quarter.
To be sold or let. A commodious Dwelling House, situated near the Bordage; consisting of a Dining and Drawing-Room, six Bed-Rooms, China Closet, an excellent Kitchen, Stable, Wash-house.
The quantity of water in the well of the new fish market is so great, that the workmen have ceased to sink any longer. The sheds for the market, consisting of tessera roofing, supported by Portland-stone pillars, will be very soon in readiness. It is expected that the whole will be completed in the month of October.
OLD COURT HOUSE
T Burley, Jr, has just received a fresh consignment of India goods, which are now on sale at the above place, at very reduced prices, consisting of Nicanies, blue and white Salempores, Chiloes, Long Cloths, Bafties, India Silk Handkerchiefs, ditto, Cotton; also, a fresh assortment of Irish Linens. NB New and second-hand furniture constantly on sale.
Mansell, Collings and Betts have a parcel of superior Champagne Wine in Cases of 6 Dozen each, and Catalonia wines in pipes, for sale.
All persons having claims on the firm of Luckis and Betts, dissolved by mutual consent, are requested to bring their accounts without delay to Mr F C Lukis, that he may liquidate the same, and those indebted to the same concern will please to settle the same as soon as possible.
For Sale, at Joseph De Jersey’s Store, Truchot-Lane, Good English Flour, by the sack, Ditto, Barley, by the sack or bushel, Ditto, Malt, Ditto, Barley Meal, at 10s 6d per bushel. Also Gothenburg Deals, at a reasonable price.
John Martin, Glatney, has the following articles for sale: 100 crop and butt Hides, a parcel of Cordovan and wax leather, a few bales of Woollen goods, and several pieces of Carpeting; also, 15 to 200 tons of English and Foreign Bar Iron, andf an assortment of Tin Plate in Boxes, all which will be sold at very reduced prices.
Wanted, a Young Lad, to attend a Billiard-Table. Inquire at Phillips's Sail-loft on the Quays, or at the Billiard Room, over said loft.
At a most numerous meeting of the inhabitants, held at Cole's rooms, in the market-place, on Wednesday 30th September 1812, to take in to consideration the propriety of adopting some measure to preserve gold and silver currency in this Island, and the undersigned having been desired to take the Chair.
The meeting was unanimously of opinion that the only means of doing so was by raising the denominative value of the foreign coins now current, and it was then RESOLVED: That it be recommended to the inhabitants in general to give currency to Spanish dollars of all sorts, at the rate of six shillings per dollar.
To French crowns, at the rate of six shillings and six pence.
To French half-crowns, at the rate of three shillings and three pence. The Guinea continues of course worth four French Crowns and a shilling; or Four Dollars and three shillings.
DANIEL DE LISLE BROCK, Chairman.
The reasons that have induced the meeting to adopt this measure, appear principally to have been founded on the following view of the question.
It is not two years since the inhabitants held a meeting on the same subject, and tho' many hesitated in coming to a resolution tending to raise the gold and silver currency, yet all are now convinced that it was a necessary measure, and that it would have been fortunate, if the rise had been more considerable.
To those who object to such a measure, on the grounds that changes of this nature are to be deprecated by reason of the many evils that may arise, the answer is plain, and the meeting ma say, we are aware of the delicacy of the question, of the evils that may be pointed out, as resulting from a a change in the value of the money, but it is now we that are about to bring it about, it is not we that can by all the resolutions in the world, change the nature of things, or fix a value on gold or silver.
The change does already exist, and the question is, whether it be better to keep a gold and silver currency, at the price it is intrinsically worth, or go without one altogether? for it would be ridiculous to suppose that dollars will remain in circulation at 5s when the silver they contain is worth by weight nearly 5s 11d and is daily rising, as may be seen by having recourse to the London price currents. [List and calculations follow.] The above calculations will prove that it is not the meeting that changes the value of any coin in question, but that the charge existed before the meeting was thought of; and it is only to be regretted that it did not assemble before, to apprize the people at large, of the real value of coins, which have disappeared as fast as they were brought into circulation, to the benefit of strangers. These calculations will also prove the necessity of the change in the denominative value of foreign coins recommended by the meeting; since without it, the Island would soon be reduced to a paper currency of ten shilling, five shilling, half a crown notes emitted by persons who would thus exchange their paper against the gold and silver of the public, as is, in great measure, the case at this moment in our sister Island, Jersey. Many persons were of the opinion that the rise, in order to be effectual in keeping the dollars in circulation, ought to have been sixpence per dollar more; and on reflection no one will think that it could be less than the price recommended by the meeting.
Le Publiciste 10 October 1812
By Order of the Royal CourtAt Easter Chief Pleas, 11th April 1763, before Monsieur the Bailiff, in the presence of &c. The Court has heard the opinion of the King's Officers, that the sheer number of Shrimps [Chevrettes] &c.
SETTING OF RENTS Rents for the year 1811 were last Monday set at the modest price of 28 livres tournois a quarter!
ARRIVALS
The following vessels have arrived here since the 2nd October:
The schooner Mantle, cargo of fruit.—The brigs Mary, Capt Wills; John and Sisters, Reynolds; Cepheus, Capt Lowes; Bellona, Capt Wilson, and the Lydia, Capt Pulin, arrived from Neufchâteau, with coal. The brig Alfred, Capt Lainé, from Havana, with a cargo of sugar &c.—The sloops Two Brothers, Arthur and Sybella, Thomas and Susanna, Two Brothers, Captains Paten, Deacent, Deakers and Taylor, from Torbay, with cargoes of fish.—The schooner Eliza, Capt Sprigues, from Torbay.—The sloop Prosperity, Capt Oliver, from Weymouth.—The sloops Betsey, General Doyle, Two Brothers, Reward, Rover, Experiment, and the Peggy, from Jersey.—HM’s cutter Queen Charlotte, Capt Thomas, from Jersey. —The sloop Elizabeth, Capt Thomas, from Foy, with fish.—The sloop Princess Augusta, Capt Tullidge, from Alderney, and the scout Friends, Capt Young, from Jersey.
Notwithstanding the wetness of the weather for some days past, the St Andrew’s Road is in a state of great forwardness. The raising and sinking of the ground in different places, has entirely changed its former appearance, and several new objects have been developed in a manner truly picturesque.
GUERNSEY SOCIETY The Committee of the Guernsey Society for the Education of the infant poor, in the principles of the established church, have the satisfaction to acquaint the public, that their success in forming this benevolent institution, has equalled their most sanguine expectations. On Sunday next, at 12 o’clock, between two and three hundred Children will attend the English Divine Service in the Town Church, where a Charity Sermon, appropriate to the occasion, will be preached by the Very Reverend the Dean, for the benefit of this rising Seminary. NB. A General Meeting of the Committee, will be held at the School for Boys, on Monday next, at 12 o’clock. The day of receiving children upon the foundation, will, in future, be on the Monday, and on no other day in the week.
Leases, indentures, agreements, and in general all kinds of writings, both English and French, drawn out by Th. Trachy, late clerk to the King’s Procureur, at his house, near the upper burying ground. He takes power of attorney, &c. and also takes orders to receive the wages and prize-money of deceased seamen or others, in the King’s service, or of such as may have been discharged the same. NB He has a stable to let.
Arrivals of vessels in Guernsey, from 9th to 16th of this month:The transports Argus, Capt Simpson, and Caledonian, Capt Brown, de Jersey.—The brigs HMS Escort, Lieutenant Crosbie; the Hope, Capt Garrett and the Sharp Shooter, Lieut. Goldie, from Jersey.—HM's cutter Queen Charlotte, Capt Thomas, and the sloop Peggy, Capt Perchard, from Jersey.—The lugger HMS Sandwich, Lieut. Drake, and the ship Magdalen, Capt Anderson, from Portsmouth.—The scout Mary, Captain White; the sloop Brilliant, Capt Belin, and the scout Speedy, Capt Basin, from Southampton.—The sloop Active, Capt Walker, from Lyme, with a cargo of animals. The sloop Glauceus, Captain Dodge, from Weymouth.—The sloop Thomas and Nancy, Capt Crispin, from Magavissey. The sloop Fancy, Capt Crews, from Plymouth.—The sloop Phoenix, Capt Hamilton, from—with a cargo of eau-de-vie.—The brig Ceneus, Capt Richardson, from Neufchâteau, with a cargo of coal.—The sloops Thomas and Susanna, Capt Deakers; Favorite, Capt Reaves, and Two Brothers, Capt Taylor, from Torbay. The sloop John, Capt Wilson, from Fevershamp.—The sloop William, from Plymouth, with a cargo of lime.
For sale, at William Clark's, nurseryman, at Haviland, fruit trees and similar; fruit bushes and currants of different sorts; the prices are very reasonable, as the land has been sold.
The houses and land of Mr Charles Mollet are for sale or rent; he has apples for sale, by the barrel.
The house and yard near the Longue-Store, belonging to Anne Carré, are for rent to the highest bidder &c.
The heirs of the late Seigneur George Fénien, are to sell or rent to the highest bidder the following houses and land, belonging to the late man's estate:
A house and cottage (Maisonette) at the top of Fountain Street; A house and land at the Vaudinerie, commonly known as the ‘Fighting Cocks;’ and two meadows comprising around 11 vergées on the Rohais, bordering the high road &c.