Monmouthshire Merlin

LONDON NEWS. Boy DROWNED IN THE THAMES.—Henry Knight, a lad fifteen years of age, the son of a gentleman residing in Pic- cadilly, was drowned on Friday last week, while bathing at Battersea, in company with two companions about his own age. After they had been swimming about some time, his two companions came out of the water, and on looking round, were unable to perceive any trace of Knight. They waited all day, and in the evening took his cloths home to his father's. On Monday morning, some men, employed at Mr. Chillingworth's, boat builder, Vauxhall, saw a body floating, which they drew ashore, and which was subse- quently identified as that of the unfortunate youth. FRAUDULENT BANKRUPTCY.—The Lord Chancellor has made an order, that the Commissioners of Bankrupts do, where a person'becomes a bankrupt twice, inquire very par- ticularly into the cause of such failure, and the time since he was a bankrupt before, and certify the same to him; his Lordship being determined, where there shall appear the least fraud, not to grant-a oertificate." PRECIPITATE RUIN.—A younggentleman, of Brunswick- square, lost, on Friday night, the whole of his fortune, up- wards of S22,,000 in money, at play. An engraver at Kentish-town, named Whelan, a few days ago was drinking tea, and, according to his usual practice, when seated and reading a newspaper, was balancing him- self upon the hinder feet of the chair, when he lost his equi- librium, fell backward, and struck his head against a marble slab; he died since from the wound. CURIOUS W AGER.—The other day a gentleman at a coffee house in the City laid a wager of five guineas that he would walk the length of Brokers'-row, Moorfields, without being asked to walk into one of the shops. He then offered the same wager, that immediately after the determination of the first he would walk the ground over again, and receive an invitation from every broker to inspect his repository. To determine the first wager he assumed the appearance of a tax-gatherer, with his Morocco-backed book open in his left hand, in his right a pen, and an ink-bottle suspended at his left breast. This wager was won by him. He then resumed his own dress and character, and sallying through the row, with a fair damsel under his arm, his attention to whom bespoke a recent or intended trip to the Altar, he received rather a pressing invitation to walk in from every hero of the chips," and the wager was again determined in his favour. 0 BEES IN LONDON.—Some of the citizens keep bees in town. A bee amateur, residing in Holborn, was able to ascertain that his own bees went for honey to Sydenham- common. He suspected this to be the case, and satisfied himself that it was so, by throwing flour over his bees as they came from the hive in the morning. In the course of the same day he discovered bees, as dusty as millers, on Sydenham common, which is seven miles off.

COUNTRY NEWS. THE ELECTIONS.—A new writ has been issued in the case of Carmarthen borough the impression of the Committee was, that no such violence was practised as justified the Sheriff in not making a return. Sir A. J. Dalrymple has been declared duly elected member for Jedburgh Mr. Stewart in consequence is ousted: Mr. Stewart's election was declared vexatious. REPRESENTATION OF YORKSHIRE.—Mr. Mark Milbank has offered himself as a candi^ste to represent *he North Riding after the passing of the reform bill. REPRESENTATION OF STAMFORD.- It is expected that Stamford will at the next election return two reformers in- stead of one. Mr. D. Wakefield, junior, has already com- menced a canvass, and has, we understand, met with every encouragement to persevere. His avowed object is to achieve the other half" of the independence of Stamford, by claiming, in conjunction with Mr. Tennyson, the suf- frages of the electors, in opposition to the Marquis of Exe- ter's nominee: if another candidate with preferable claims shall come forward on the popular interest, he will retire from the field in that candidate's favour. Mr. Wakefield's address is a spirit-stirring production: it places the relations r of constituent and representative on the true footing, and, vindicating and exacting pledges on such occasions, he offers 'v a specific pledge on every topic of present or prospective legislation which now interests the. community of Great Britain. A MORAL MONSTER.A man named Hogsden was con- victed at the Croyden Assizes, on Wednesday, on the clearest evidence, of violating his own daughter The girl, who was of an extreme decent exterior, had, it appeared, had a child in consequence of a previous assault o, £ the same infamous and brutal kind. The night before the commission of the crime, Hogsden had passed by the grave of his mother, who had been buried the previous day, and whose remains he was watching, for fear of their being carried off. SUDDEN DEATH.—On Friday, the 29th ult., aged 83, Mr. Geo. Jackson, clock maker, of Gainsborough, died suddenly. He was a man of great eccentricity of manners and peculiar habits. For upwards of 60 years he had lived on one spot on the Corn Market, where he dealt in jew- ellery, &c.; and ever since the marriage of his daughter some twenty years since, and whose bed is said to have re- mained in the same state as she left it/had lived wholly by himself, his only companion being his faithful dog. Tea, that common beverage, was a stranger to his lips, some common English plants, egremont principally, being his substttute-and it was in seeking for this in the neighbour- hood of Aiseby that he died. He was attended by his grandson, who seeing him poorly, asked if he should go for assistance, and his last words were that he might; before his return, the poor old man was a corpse, probably over- powered by the heat of the weather. His dog was found trying to lift his head from the ground, and it was with much difficulty it could be removed from the body when human assistance arrived. After the funeral the faithful dog took up his residence at the door of his shop, and although offered food, it was long before it could be prevailed upon to quit. t, SuicmE.—Mr. Thomas Browning, of Birmingham, after passing through a series of misfortunes, put an end to his existence last week by taking a large dose of laudanum.— Some few hours before his death he wrote the following on a slip of paper :—" Descended from an ancient and honour- able family, I have for eleven years past suffered more indi- gence than ever man before submitted to; neglected by my acquaintance, traduced by my enemies, and insulted by the vulgar, I am so reduced, worn down and tired of my life, that I have nothing left but that last. repose-the joint in- heritance of all!" HORRIBLE MURDER.-A most dreadful murder has been recently committed in the vicinity of Brighton. A fisher- man of that town, at an early hour on Saturday, having gone into a copse, midway between Brighton and Preston disco- vered part of a woman's dress protruding through the earth; he went for the constable at Preston, who accompanied him to the spot, and upon clearing away the earth, discovered the trunk of a human being; the head, arms, thighs, and legs, severed from it—the thighs only were found with the body; the head, arms, and legs, have not yet been disco- vered. On a surgeon opening the body, a male child about eight months old was taken from the womb. The deceased has been identified by the drees, and appears to be Celia Halloway, the wife of John Halloway, both natives of the county. It appears the husband, for several years, had not lived with his wife, only visiting her occasionally. About a month back he called at her lodgings, and induced her to accompany him from it, since when she has not been seen. Some time back the husband was compelled by the parish to allow her 2s a week for maintenance, which he usually sent by a woman with whom he cohabited. Halloway and this woman are both arrested, and were present at the in- quest. By the testimony of several surgeons who have been examined, it appears the deceased must have been mur- dered three or four weeks back, which corresponds with the time of the husband taking her away from her lodging. SINGULAR EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING.—^During one of the late storms, as Mr. Edward Young, farmer, near Ravens- worth Castle, was in the act of priming his gun from a small tin canister, a flash of lightning made the contents of the canister explode, and the gun go off. Mr. Young and a friend who had accompanied him, were severely burnt and bruised. The cock of the gun remained back after the occurrence had taken place.— Tyne Mercury. DEATH BY DRINKING. -Last week, two young men drinking together at the George public-house, in the village of Spaldwick, near Huntingdon, fell into a conversation as to who could drink most without being intoxicated." One of them said to the other, "I will call for a half-crown's worth of gin; if you can finish the liquor, I will pay for it -if not you shall." The other, whose name was Bland, ac- cepted the challenge, drank until he fell from the chair, was carried home, and soon after died.

IRELAND. DREADFUL EFFECTS or THE STORMS.—On Thursday se'nnight, about one o'clock, a water-spout burst upon the Clidagh mountains, county Kerry, within two miles of the Ballyvourney road, by which a vast tract of ground under tillage was totally destroyed, and nine persons lost their lives. The bed of the Flesk river is thirty-eight feet from the centre arch of Glenflesk bridge; and some idea may be formed of the rapidity and swell of the mountain torrent, when in the short space of five minutes the water flowed over the battlements. Three houses have been swept away. One of the houses was occupied by a comfortable farmer named Lucy: he, his daughter-in-law, her two children, and two servants, perished. Another of the houses was oc- cupied by a woman named Lehane. This woman and two of her children were lost. The third house (a shooting cottage belonging to John M'Carthy, Esq., of Headford) had in it when the spout burst, two carpenters, a man named Donovan, servant of Mr. Green of Lota, and one Connor, Mr. M'Carthy's sportsman. The first intimation they had of their danger was the bursting in of the back- door by the flood which in its passage took away the front- door and windows, and in a few minutes after, the front- walls of the house gave way the carpenters and Connor saved their lives by swimming, and Donovan took refuge on the chimney. In this trying and awful situation, he re- mained for a short time when the chimney gave way, and he was precipitated into the flood; from which he was extricated by Connor, who had already saved two of Le- hane's children, whom the torrent was carrying with it. On Saturday the bodies of the nine sufferers were attended to their last home by the entire population of the neighbour- hood, the scene of the fatal and sad catastrophe. The flood when at its height, appeared like an arm of the sea; its depth in the valley from fifteen to sixteen feet, and in breadth upwards of three hundred yards. The ground, which, a few minutes before, presented a rich and luxuriant harvest, is now covered with sand, rocks, stones, &c., three feet deep; and it will require years of labour before it will be again productive to the owners.— Cork Chronicle. TiiUNDER SroRM.—On Thursday last, between twelve and one o'clock, a most awful thunder-storm passed over Skibbereen. Two lives were lost; and two small houses, at the entrance of the town from the Cork side, were burned to the ground. The unfortunate people who inhabited one of them were sitting under the chimney when struck by the lightning. One, an old helpless woman, lived about an hour after the shock, but in a state of insensibility the other, a roan in the prime of life, died instantaneously.— Cork Paper. FATAL PRECIPITATION.—On Friday about nine o'clock, FATAL PRECIPITATION,-On Friday about nine o'clock, two gentlemen and a lady went to see the Rock at Cashel and after viewing all the beauties of this splendid relic of antiquity, they were in the act of descending from its sum- mit, when the lady, a most aimable creature, about sixteen, stepping on a shattered-looking spot, was precipitated from a height of three hundred feet. She died almost immedi- ately. — Clonmell Advertiser. EXECUTION OF PATRICK STEWART.—The execution of Patrick Stewart, for the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Lyle, took place on Monday, at one o'clock, in front of Lifford gaol. He came out on the drop, and, in an audible voice, pro- tested his innocence. He then returned into the room, and soon after came out again with the cap drawn over his face; in a few minutes the drop fell, and the rope broke, when the unfortunate man came to the gf-ound. He fell back on the stone steps at the gaol door, and the back of his head or neck was cut, and bled profusely. He was immediately neck was cut, and bled profusely. He was immediately taken into the gaol by the turnkeys, and shortly after brought again to the drop. He stood firmly, without assistance. The executioner did not allow such a length of rope as at first, and let the drop fall more gradually. He soon ap- peared quite dead.

FOREIGN NEWS. FRANCE.—On the 9th inst. the French Chamber of De- puties met to receive the report of the Commission upon the Address to the King. It is an echo of the Royal Speech up to the passages relating to Poland, and upon that it speaks in warmer terms than the King did. The paragraph referring to Belgium is-" That France associates herself with transport to a generous movement, of which the object is to defend and establish the principle of our glorious revo- lution, to fix definitively our relations with our neighbours and to dissipate all the doubts which painfully ao-itate France." It afterwards says—"France will guard with jealous care her own independence," and compliments the King upon the valiant example which his sons, after him- self, have set in hastening to fire the first cannon in the cause of liberty." This Address is in a firmer tone than the King's Speech, but equally expressive of hope that the general peace would, "under existing grave circumstances," be still maintained. After the Address, which had been referred to the bureaux, was reported, M. Casimer Perier ascended the tribune, in the Chamber of Deputies, and in along speech explained the future views and justified the past policy of his Administration. The leading and least popular article in his ministerial profession of faith was his allusion to unhappy Poland, and his declared intention of not recognising its independence or interfering further on its behalf, otherwise than by bold negotiation, fell as flatly upon the Chamber as it has been since universally denounced out of doors. The discussion was continued on the follow- ing day, and General Sebastiani, who seemed to be aware where the shoe pinched, laboured to justify the policy of the Government with respect to Poland. FATAL DUEL. — DEATH OF MR. BERKLEY BOND AT BOULOGNE.—This melancholy affair took place on the 11th inst.; the dispute originated in a debt at cards, which being claimed by Mr. Esse, was denied by Mr. Bond. The lie direct" was given by one of the parties, retorted by a blow from the other, and an offer of honourable satisfaction. The manner of settling the duel is represented as remarkable. The parties were placed at twenty paces distance, and sticks were planted in the ground between the combatant, ten paces from each other, with liberty to the principals to ad- vance upon each other, keeping within that limit. Mr. Esse pointing his pistol steadily at his adversary, from the moment of the signal, did advance till he reached the pre- scribed limit, and then fired with fatal effect. Mr. Bond, it is said, did not fire at all. The unfortunate man died about 11 o'clock, (the ball having passed through his body,) leaving behind him five children and a widow to deplore his loss; and this is what in a Christian country is called" an affair () f' honour." Another rencontre took place at Gibraltar, while the Britannia was lying there, between an officer of that garrison and a titled military young officer, and we are informed that the seconds on the occasion permitted them to stand at only four paces distant, and even at this close quarter to toss for first fire. Providentially the first pistol missed fire, when the .opponent immediately discharged his in the air. The aggressor very handsomely instantly made an apology. Had death ensued at this meeting, all the living parties would most assuredly, have been hanged. NETHERLANDS.—The Brussels papers of Saturday give details of the progress of the war between the Belgians and the Dutch, and, we are happy to say, an account of orders from the Hague, which must lead to its termination. A French cabinet messenger arrived at Brussels from the Hague on the 11th, with despatches, announcing that the Dutch troops had orders to retire before the French, and to return within their own frontier. The Dutch Government represents itself as having taken this step, from considering the French army as the instrument of the London Confer- ence, and from having agreed to submit to the award of the Powers composing that conference. The French Ambas- sador at Brussels would of course communicate this grate- ful intelligence to Marshal Gerard, the Commander-in-Chief of the French army. A similar communication would be made to the same officer, and to his government, by the ministers of his Belgic Majesty. This wise resolution of the Dutch Government has been, however, too tardily adopted to prevent the entrance of the French on the Belgic territory. The following extracts from a letter dated August 12, re- ceived from Brussels, will be read with interest:— Friday Evening, 8 o'clock.—It is difficult to obtain details of the battle of this morning, for the Belgians cannot convince themselves, that they who yesterday entertained such a contempt for the Dutch, should this day have been beaten by them. I have, however, seen an Englishman who was near the King and from him I have learned, that the battle began at day-break, on the road leading from Louvain to Tirlemont,—that the Dutch advanced in close columns.-and that after having sustained a few grape-shots, the officers, who of all the Belgians showed most fearfulness, began to run aw-av. Leopold, with his usual coolness, endeavoured to place various corps of his army in a proper position but the moment he quitted one to arrange an- other there was confusion. The fright of the infantry was so great, that even the 9t.h Regiment, after having sustained a few grape-shots, the soldiers, being deserted by their officers, threw down their arms and fled. Some, however, of the civif guard, fought like desperate men even while raked by the Dutch fire; but the mass, on seeing the Dutch columns advance amidst a heavy fire from their artillery, ran off the field. In the mean time Sir Robert Adair, who had left Brussels at a very early hour, arrived in Louvain, accompanied by Lord William Russell, and immediately communicated to the King the information re- ceived from the Hague. A flag of truce was sent to the Prince of Orange and Lord William Russell, (who was personally ac- quainted with the Prince, they having been brother ades-de- camp in Spain under the Duke of Wellington,) went forward to announce the order sent from the Dutch King for the cessation of hostilities, and for the withdrawal of the army, without fighting, from Belgium, in case there should be no molestation offered to it. The intimation of the order for the cessation of hostilities must have been highly vexatious to the Dutch, who have thereby been deprived of the advantages of their victory. The conduct and coolness of King Leopold is the theme of praise for all; but still, as a heavy filing has been heard ever since Lord William's notice, the results of the battle are not known. I have made earnest inquiries respecting the fate of the King, and cannot ob- tain any information whatever. Outside the Tirlemont gate of Louvain a party of Chasseurs were stationed who endeavoured, even by inflicting wounds, to prevent the Belgian runaways from quitting the field, but it was in vain, crowds succeeded crowds. One officer of the Staff, indignant at the cowardice of the officers of the runaways, tore the epaulets from the shoulders of nearly 20, and flung them into the air. He entered a house and endea- voured to force those who had taken refuge therein to quit but blows, cuts, or entreaties were in vain. All I can learn respect- ing the King is, that he was the last man in the field, and at- tended by not more than twelve persons. Saturday, half-past 9 o'clock.—I have learned to my great satis- faction that his Majesty King Leopold has safely anived in Ma- lines. All are heartily glad of his safety. The greatest dis- organization, disorder, and confusion continue to prevail in all the military offices in this city. Twelve o'clock, Noon.-It is now stated that a capitulation was yesterday -agreed upon between the city of Louvain and the Prince of Orjirtge, by. which the Belgian army was allowed to re- treat with their arms and the honours of war. The King, at the" head of the troops, retired from thai city to Malines, near which they bivouacked. It is affirmed, on good authority, that Saxe Weimar's artillery fired on the King as he was withdrawing from the city, and that a ball passed between the legs of his Majesty's horse. I have heard it asserted, that the partisans of the Prince of Orange have found means to correspond with him b'means of pigeons, and that two of these birds were let off this morning, on the departure of the French. Saturday Evening, 6 o'clock.—This city continues in great alarm, for as the corps of Saxe Weimar bivouacked last night near Cortemberg, it is feared that they move on this town now without any powerful means of defence. It is said, that head- quarters wiil be immediately removed from Malines to Vilvorde. Up to this hour no intelligence respecting the retreat of the Dutch has reached this city. LISBON.—The Stanmer arrived on Saturday morning from Lisbon, whence she sailed on the 23d ult. At that time the Don Juan and another of the Portuguese men-of- war had been given up by the French, who had received from the Government of Don Miguel the sum of £ 40,000, the amount demanded. Some other conditions remained to be fulfilled, on the performance of which the whole of the captured ships would be given up. The French fleet, with the exception of one or two ships of war, would leave the Tagus within a day or two after the sailing of the Stanmer. The city cotftinued tc¥be well watched by the police and the army, which, together with volunteers, Sec., amounted to about 20,000 men, all well armed. Major-General Sir George Elder, who had resided for some months in Portu- gal for the benefit of his health, Mr. and Mrs. Roughten and family, and Sen. Jose Pessoa da Cunba, came passen- gers in the Stanmer.-Falmouth Packet. POLAN D.-Accounts have been received from Warsaw, which state that the Polish Government have received, for the first time, an official communication from the French Government, in which they advise and recommend to the Polish Commander-in-Chief not to risk a general battle with the Russians, and at the same time the French Government will make every endeavour to mediate for the settlement of the affairs of Poland. The above account states that 270 pieces of cannon are placed on the fortifications of Warsaw, which is now rendered almost impregnable. Accounts from Vienna, dated the 30th of July, announce the passage of the Vistula by the Russians under General Rudiger, at Solce, near Pulawy. This must have been of course facilitated by means of the bridge constructed bv Austria, who has thus put forward a double claim to the execration of freemen throughout Europe. The Russians will now be enabled to carry on the war in that part of Po- land whence Warsaw derived its supplies, and in case of defeat their army can fall back on Prussia—the inactive" but passive ally of Russia. ALGIERS.—A letter from Toulon, dated the 30th ultimo, contains the following account of a decisive defeat of the barbarians by the French in the neighbourhood of Algiers: The Kabyles, who had assembled on Mount Atlas to over- whelm our troops, being emboldened by a momentary suc- cess, had remained at the foot of the mountain, intending to increase their numbers and then advance against Algiers. General Berthezene had divined their projects, and had caused a strong battery to be placed at the Model Farm, and at another habitation. Masses of Kabyles, in close columns, attacked these two farms, and were going to lay waste every thing with fire and sword, when the two batte- ries being unmasked, the artillery crushed them; the balls and the grape-shot carried destruction into their ranks. Their route was soon complete. They retreated to their mountains, leaving the field of battle covered with their dead. We had not a single man killed. Some of our sol- diers were wounded. The army has entirely recovered its confidence."

FRIDAY'S LONDON GAZETTE, AUGUST 12. INSOLVENTS. George Deudney, Deptford, seed crusher. William Dufton, Basinghall-street, wool dealer. BANKRUPTS. James Buckler, Coventry, builder. Luke Buttress, London-terrace, Hackney-road, builder. Edward Cowling, Poultry, haberdasher. Titus Dewhurst, Liverpool, ironmonger. William Hebblewhite, Manchester, commission agent. John James, Meeting-house-court, Old Jewry, merchant. Walter Palmer, Pencoyd, Herefordshire, clothier, August 29, 30, September 23. Solicitors, Messrs. Smith and Son, Red Lion- square and Messrs. Hall and Humfrys, Ross. James Petty, Liverpool, coal merchant. William Thirlby, Ibstock-Iodge, Leicestershire, farmer. Henry Wilson, Riding-house-lane, St. Mary-le-bone, timber merchant. Joseph Wilson, Liverpool, mercer.