The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1825-10-25 00:00:00

LITERARY GLEANINGS. --.400.-- _ _ No. L. Gtrsrn --Team OCCUP ATION II AND Burtormaxes. —if you want to find people who can earn their bread by the sweat of their brow, you must certainly not seek them among the tribe. They abhor all kinds of work which are eittraborious or require application ; and had rather suffer hunger anti nakedness, than exert themselves to procure food and rahnent on such hard terms. They therefore either choose some trade, which is easily carried on, allowing them many idle hours, or addict themselves to unlawful courses, m any body may easily be convince& The gipeics of our time do not like to undertake heavy wea k ; I do not find they go beyond a pair of light horse shoes: in general they confine themselves to small articles, p i a ss rings, jews-harps, smell nails, mend old pots and k et tles, make knives, seals, needles, and sometimes work trifles in tin or bras. 'I heir materials, tools, apparatus, all ate bad, and of the most inferior kind. Their common way is, to coileet small pieces of rusty iron, old nails, broken horse-shoes, and such kinds of rubbish, which they fuse and shape to their pur . The anvil is a atone, the other implements are a pair of hand bellows, a pair of pincers, a hammer, a vice, and a file ; these are the materials a nomadic gipsy carries with him from place to place. Whenever he has a mind to work, he is at no loss for fuel ; on his arrival at a sta tion, where he means to remain a few days or weeks, he takes his beast, loads him with wood, builds a small kiln, and manufactures his own coals. In good weather, the work is carried on out of doors • when it is stormy, or the lire too powerful, he retires under his tent. lie does not stand, but sits down on the ground, cross-legged to his work ; which position is rendered necessary, not only by custom, but the quality of his tools. The 1 044 m by to week she bellows, is which operation, she IS sometimes relieved by the elder children ; the little ones sit naked as they wee* born, round the fire. They are generally praised for their dexterity and quickness, not withstanding the wretched tools they have to operate with. When suy piece of work requires much time to finish, they are apt to lose their patience, and, in that case, be come indifferent whether it be well - executed or not. They never think of labour, as long as they have got a dry crust, or any thing else to satisfy their hutiger. They frequently have orders for different articles, but, if not, as men as a few nail, or some other trifles are manufactured, man, woman, and children dislodge to carry their merchandise, front house to bousc,for sale, in the neighbouring villages their traffiek is carried on sometimes fur ready money, sometimes by barter for eatables or other necessaries. -Another branch of commerce much followed by the gipsies is lwrse-dealing. In those parts of flueoattv where die climate is se mild, that horses may lie out all the year, the gipsiee avail themselves of this circumstance to breath, as well as deal in berm; by which ihey some times not only procure a competency, but grow rich. This last sort are sot very numerous, for the greatest number of *hero only deal in blind wprn out jades, which tlsev drive about to different markets, to sell or barter. Mien not fortunate enough to find a chap for them, they lead them to the collar-maker, who values the hide, and takes him Off their battds fbr a few groscherts. In order to avoid being reduced to this necessity, they often practise the slyest Melt to conceal the animal's defects. In Spain, therefore, Gitano and Gitantrio (Gipsy and Gipseism) are grown into common expreseionb, to imply a cheater in horses with the tricks he makes use of. In the year 1747, they became so notorious in Swept's, that it was taken into consideration at the diet, and their totel expulsion voted to be a necessary measure. To the above two trades, commonly followed by the men, may be added, that some are carpenters or turners; the farmer make 'watering troughs and chests, the latter turn trenchers, dishes, make spoons and other household furniture, which they hawk shout. Others make sieves, or maintain themselves by cobbling shoes. Many of these, as well as the blacksmiths and wliiteamiths, find constant employment its the houses of the better sort of people, for *hal they work the year round. They are not paid in areriq; but, besides other advantages, find a certain subsistence. Those who are not thus provided for, do not wait at home for customers, but throw their implements cities or villages. When any one calls, they throw down the bundle, and prepare the appiratus for work, before the door of their employer. The gipsies have a flaed aversion to agriculture, and had rather suffer hunger or want, than follow the plough, to earn a dtcent livelihood from the grateful earth. But as there is no general role without an exception, so besides the slaves to the Bojars, in. Moldavia and lValischia, who are constraiucd to apply to it, There are some in Hungary, who do it of their own accord. Since the year 1788, the F.rrpress Tutors.% has commanded that the Hungarian and Tranailvanian gipsies should be instructed in hus bandry, but these orders have been very little attended to. At this time there ate so few of them farmers, in this caun try, that they are not worth mentioning. though in Spain, and other European countries, they are still more scarce, as it would be difficult to find one who had ever made a furrow in his life. It was formerly very common in Hungary, and in Tran silvaaia, almost universally the custom, to employ the gipsies for hangmen and erecutioners. They still perform the business offloyert in Hungary, and of executioners in differer.t parts of Tranailvania. Their assiduity in tor luring, their cruel invention in tormenting, are described by 'forest its to be so shocking, as plainly proves no people so well cultivated for works of bstbarity as the gip ties. Flaying is not their regular profession in any place, but merely a casual occupation, which they follow, over and above their smith's or other work. Whenever a beast diek near where they chance to b-, it is a fortunate circuits- Eine:, if there happens to be no skinner in the place ; not because they can make much of the skin, which they always leave with the owner fora trifling consideration, but they are awe thereby to procure a plentiful provision of flesh for the family. Such are the men's employments. I shall now proceed to the women, and show their particular methods of getting their bread. It was formerly, and still is the custom, among the wandering gipsies, especially in winter, that the man does not maintain the wife, but the wife the husband. Where this is not quite the case, as in summer, when the men have the before recited occupations, or among those, who have a regular settlement, yet the women always endeavour to contribute their share towards the maintenance of the family. Dancing is another means they have of getting something, they generally practise this w hen begging, particularly from men in the streets, or calling in at houses asking charity. Their dances are the most disgusting that can be conceived, always ending with fulsome grimaces, or the most lascivious attitudes and gestures, uncovering those parts, which the rudest and most uncultivated people carefully conceal ; nor is this in decency confined to the married women only, but is rather more practised by young girls, travelling with their fathers, who are also musicians, and for a trifling acknowledgvnent. exhibit their dexterity to any body, who is pleased with these unseemly deuces. They are trained up to this im pudence from their earliest years, never suffering a pas senger to pass their parents' hut, without trying to get some thing, by frisking about naked before him. I shill not Ray any thing concerning jertuae-telling, thwhich they impose on people's credulity, in every and corner of Europe, this being a thing univer liown. ' it is extraordinary, that women, gene .'o not till they becOme old hags, should be so sharp :o, as to discover, in every person's hand, the dark iy of futurity. A few instances there are of men thus gifted, but they are so few, that they arc only Sons to a gen e r a l r ul e . I t i s t h ere f ore owing to the 'rumen alone that faith in divination still temains minds of millions of people. It is true, Europe is iginally beholden to the gipries for it, it being deep in the stupidity of the middle aes, when they .11 and brought it with th em a l so . this science was by brought to a greater degree of perfection shin is them, rules were invented to tell lies from the M ion of the hand, whereas these poor wretches were led mere bunglers. During the last, and beginning is century they ware looked upon as only a supernu rY party' as there were men of great learning, who sly read lectures in college, on the divine art ehiro y, but wrote many Irtoks, vilifying the Gipsies, and , touring to spoil their market by exposing their igno ranee. But these enlightened men are no more, their "knowledge is deposited in the dead archives of literature ; and probably, if there were no Gipsies, with them would also have died the belief in chiromancy, in the same man ner as, in astrology, necromancy, and the other offsprings iof fame . By these alone will this deceit be kept aliv e , t ill if constrained to acknowledge some country. rili el lh some ostensible mode of gaining a livelihood. ,We can only pity the poor deluded wretches, who pay their money for a few unmeaning words; as if it were possible for people to instruct us concerning our future fortunes in life, Who are ignorant of their own; being unable to determine *tether a (ley or two hence they may still be telling fortunes, ge taken up by the magistrates, and hanged for theft. I must add to the chiromantic deception of the Gipsy women, that they also, but not exclusive of the men, cure bewitched cattle, discover thefts, and possess nostrums of various kinds, to which they aseribe great virtues. These nostrums consist principally of roots, and amulets made of unfermented dough, marked with strange figures, and dried Io the air. Gatastest says, in the Banat of Temeswar, they sell certain small stones, chiefly a kind of scoria, which they say possess the quality to render the wearer fortunate in love, play, and other things. Were that true, they are the nearest, why deliver to another what they have so much occasion for themselves ? Why do they beg i and eteal, when, with the assistance of these stones, they might honourably acquire riches and good fortune? Yet I these stones ale purchased not only in the Banat, but in GERMANY. People use their quack medicines, call the Gipsy women into the stable, to exorcise their bewitched cattle, without suspecting any t-ick, although the whole is founded on deceit. So the open-hearted farmer in Seem.' and BAVARIA has recourse to the Gipsies on many war sions, making ore of them as doctors for math and bent; and constantly, in cases of enchantment, dies to Me Gipry. This circumstance happens• ofteneet among those of the common people, who rail moat against. witches and witch craft. 'Whenever a cow does not feed kindly, something is immediately suspected, and Me Gipery woman is called, who is often so successful as to remove the complaint. She goes into the stable, orders the cow to be shown to her, re mains a few minutes alone with it, after every one else is gone out: having finished her operations, she calls in the master, acquaints him with the beast's recovery. and beheld it eats heartily. Bow happens this ? Was it not a piece of enchantment, wherein the Gipsy really acted the magi ciao? Certainly not. The fraud is this: When the cattle are feeding abroad, the Gipsy woman takes advantage of the keepeti absence to entice some of them with a handful of fodder to follow her; then smears them over the nose and mouth with some nastiness she has ready to the other hand. From that moment the creature !oaths all kinds of food or drink, as evtry thing smells of the nastiness. When she is called in to apply a remedy, the whole skill required is to wipe orke stsypsie had put on a day or two bcfbre. By this means the true smell is restored, and the cow being hun gry, it is no wonder she should fall to greedily. From this single instance, a judgment may be formed of other cases. These are the customary transactions and occupations of Gipsies in the different counties and sratesof Europe. People must not imagine that their smiths shops are con tinually resounding with the hammer, or that those of other professions are so attentive to their callihgs, to provide even a daily subsistence, not to think of a comfort ble maintenance. Their laziness, on the contrary, makes . . _ .. so many idle hours in the day, ~- reduced to the greatest distress; l' or stealing are by far more comr and assiduous application to hunger. 'They seem only to in order the better to carry which they prepare furnish an excellent ' where there is any tt. themselves. This kind 'ince of the women, dextrous this,' the mom monly take children main behind in the what they can, while ber. It is generally the boar's geese and family, but, if by from the village that keep it alive to sell time when the women generally are most called upon to try their skill in this way ; during that season many of the men remain in their huts, sending the women abroad to forage. 'I hey go about under the disguise of beggars, in a very scientific manner, and commonly carry with them a couple of children, miserably exposed to the cola and frost; one of these is led in the hand, the other tied in a cloth to the woman's back, in order to excite compassion in well disposed people. They also tell fortunes, and impose on the credulous with amulets. Beiides all this, they seldom return to their husbands without some pilfered booty. Many writers confine the thefts of Gipsies to small matters, and will not allow that they are ever guilty of violence. This is not only denied by the testimony of others, but absolutely contradicted by some recent instances. Occasionally we have more than one proof that they make no scruple to murder a traveller, or plunder cities and villages.—Grellmann'a Dirsertatiox on the Gipsies, translatedfrom the German. THE SHIPWRECK. But list ! a low and moaning sound At distance heard, like a spirit's song, And now it reigns above, around, As if it call'd the ship along. The mow is sunk ; and a clouded grey Declares that her course is run, And likes god who brings the day, Up mounts the &Home sun. Soon as his light has waved the seas, From the parting cloud fresh blows the breeze ; And that is the spirit whose well.known song Makes the vessel to sail in joy along, No fears hails she; her giant form O'er wrathful surge, through blackening storm, Majestically eaten, would go 'Mid the deep darkness, white as snow ! Bet gently now the small ways glide Luke playful lambs o'er a mountain's side. So stately her bearing, so proud her array. The main she will traverae tie ever and aye. Mar; ports will exult at the gleam of her mast ! Hush, hush, thou vain dreamer ! this hour is hey last. Oh ! tinny a dream was in the ship An hour before her death ; And sights of borne with sighs disturii'd The sleenris long-drawn breath. Instead or the murmur of the sea The tia:lor heard the humming tree Alive through all its leaves, The hum of die spreading sycamore That grows before his cottage-door, And the swallow's song in the eaves. Ills arms enclosed a blooming boy, Who listen'd with tear of sorrow and joy To the dangers his father had pass'd ; And his wife—by turns she wept and smiled, As she tooled on the father of her child Returs'd to her heart at last. —He wakes at the vessel's sudden roll, And the rush of watery is in his soul. Astounded. the reeling deck he paces, Mid hurrying forms and ghastly laces; — The whole ship's crew are there. Wailings around and overhead, Brave spirits stupefied or dead, And madness and despair. Leave not the wreck, thou crud boat, While yet 'tis thine to save. And angel-hands will bid the float Uninjured o'er the wave, Though whirlpools yawn across thy way, And storms, impatient for their prey, Around thee fiercely rave ! Vain all the prayers of pleading eyes, Of outcry loud, and humble sighs, Hands clasp'd, or wi'Ally tosi'd on high Despair and resignation vain ! Away like a strong-wing'd bird she flies, That heeds not human MiUTIC., And far off in the sunshine diaa Like a watt of the tentless main. How quiet the once noisy crowd ! The sails now serve them fora shroud, And the sea-cave is their tomb. And where Is that loyaiist being gone ? Hope nut diet she is sued alone, Immoral tboup such beauty seem's' to be. She. and the 1 oath that loved her toes, Went down with the ship and hue gallant coy— Nc !atuurates bath the us. 'PON IT-dimes r- THE Bit PRESS. LOSS OF THE COMET STEAM-PACKET OF GLASGOW. Irrem the Gresers eotarier of Saturasyl It is With feelings of deep regr e t and sorrow, that we have to communicate to our readers the account of an acci dent of the most melancholy kind: The details are as yet few—the resale most fatal. Durink the whole of yesterday the anxiety and sensation created in this city by the intel ligence waaery great. The alarm was greatly heightened by the knowledge of the fact, that another steam boat was to leave the same quarter about the Name time, and many individuals remained ignorant in which of the boats the friends whom they expected might have taken their passage. Yetterday morning, the steam-boat Comet, with pas sengers from Inverness and Fort-William, 'was ran down off Kempock Point, between Gourock and the *Clough Light-house, by the steem-b:lat Ayr, outward•bound. In rounding the point the vessels came in contact with such force and vielencc, that the Comet went do , m almost in stantaneously, when above 70 persons were, in a moment, precipitated into the deep—into eternity ! Ten only are. saved, out of above 80, which were believed to be on board. Amongst those escaped is the Master, who was got on shore, but in such an exhausted state, that, at the date of our latest accounts, he we; unable to give any account of what had taken place, or of the passengers on board. There is too much reason to dread, that the greater number of thole who have perished arc persons in the superior ranks of life. 'f he Ayr, we learn, had a light out upon her bow, but the Comet had none. As the night however was clear, it is obvious that a bad look-out had been kept up, and most reprehensible neglect shown on both sides. The Ayr re ceived such a shock, aled.sas so smelt damaged, that she reached Greenock wltlrmteh difficulty, in a sinking state. It was blowing fresh, with a heavy sea. It was also ex ceedingly cold ; and at the moment the accident took place, those on the deck of the Comet were, it is said, enywged in dancing, to whith amusement they were probably induced to resort in order to keep themselves warm, there not being sufficient accommodation below for the number of passen gers on hoard. Much valuable property had floated ashore yesterday morning. Every exertion was making to save and to lodge it in a place of security. Our respected townsman, Mr. Andrew Rankin, was particularly active on the occasion ; and, at an early hour in the morning, Mr. Marshall, She riff; from Greenock, bad reached the spot, to give his ad vice and assistance on this distressing occasion. Twelve dead bodies had been washed ashore by an early hour yes terday morning ; amongst these were two genteelly dressed fernlike, two black servants, and Mrs. Wright, the widow of thelate Archibald Wright, druggist of this city. In the pockets of the body tit a gentleman washed ashoro, 70/. was found. Amongst those who perished, anti whose names we can state from good authority, is Mr. Graham of Coe. poch, Mr. Macallister, W. S. Edinburgh, and Captain Sutherland of the 33d Rririment, and his lady, who were only five days married. The bodies of Capt. Sutherland, and another passenger, were found in the yawl this morn ing. It is supposed she upset after they had got into her. Mrs. Sutherland caught hold of Mr. Colin Alexander An. demon, from Appin (the only cabin passenger who is saved) and fur some tune clung round him, but in the --Ae with the she lost her hold and arrived in Glasgow, r. is in a state bordering on delirium. To him Mr. Campbell of Corpach clung for a considerable time. when a wave threw the great coat of the latter over the head of the former, which compelled hint to throw Mr. Campbell off, just as both were upon the point of sinking. At the moment the fatal accident took place, we are in./ formed, upon the authority of Mr. Anderson, just arrived in Glasgow, that the passengers, who were below, went in high spirits, amusing themselves, telling and listening to diverting tales. The first stroke bit about the paddle of the Comet. The Captain and passengers immediately run upon deck to see what was wrong, when the next fatal stroke took place with such force, that the Comet filled, and in two minutes went down head foremost. Mr. An derson, we regret to add, states that the nr.oment this took place the Ayr, instead of lending them any assistance,ve her paddles a back stroke, turned round, and went Of e le Greenock, leaving them to their fate. If assistance bed been rendered, he thinks many of the sufferers might have been saved ; but in the state of alarm in which he was, he may have been mistaken. [From the Glaegote elweniele of Ssturday.l It gives us great pain to record one of the most melan choly accidents that ever occurred in this part of the coun try. The Comet steam-boat was on her way from Inver in=s to Glasgow, with between 60 and 70 passengers ; of these it was stated that 26 passengers were in the cabin; and yesterday morning about one o clock, while - di • of' - the r - struck in the side The passing point KeMpoch, she was stn.._ ,c by the Ayr steam luggage boat. The hands on board the different-ves sels were prevented from seeing each other by the head land, till it was too late to prevent the shock ; and as both were going at full speed, the crash was treinetulous. The starboard bow of the Cornet being stove in, she filled with water, and almost instantly sunk ; sad, with the exception of the following persons, the whole of the passengers were lost:— Saved.—Captain M'lnnes. the Pilot, an Engineman, a woman, who lost her child, a young girl, the carpenter, Mr. Colin Alex. Anderson, !fir. Cameron, jun. Ft.-IVilliam, and three others. Names of five of the pawns lost.—Caytain Sutherland and his wife, only five days msrried, Mr. Graham, of Corpach, Mr. 31`Aliiter, W.S. Edinburgh, Mrs, Wright. We have seen a young gentleman who escaped, and have learned from him the following particularst—The vessel was about a quarter of a mile distant from the shore when the a:cident happened. About half an hour before several of the passengers were engaged in dancing upon the deck, bat they had almost all gone below. The first alann heard was from a person hailing, but from which boat was un certain. Almost immediately the shock was felt, anti every body ran on deck. The water rushed in so rapidly that the engineman was up to the knees before he could reach the deck. They tried to keep the engine going, thinking she might drive them ashore; but the influx of water was so strong that the engine was almost immediately stopped; end in three minutes after the vessel was struck, she went to the bottom. During the short period which elapsed be tween the stroke and the sinking of the vessel, about thirty people crowded into the yawl before it was cut loose, and so hastily was this done, that the one end of the boat was seine time under the water before the other end could be lowered, by which means the boat was upset and threw them all into the water. The steam-boat went down bow foremost The screams of the drowning people were most appalling, and cannot be described. They shouted to them on board the other boat to return to their assistance, but without effioct. Our informer remained in the vessel till she sank from beneath hit feet, and then swain as he best eouTtl. An engineer held him by the neck, and nearly drowned him. Fortunately he reached the overturned boat, which lay keel uppermost, to which the pilot and another were bolding on either side. He seized hold of one side of the boat, the engineman still clinging to him, sad by this additional weight the boat was righted. The whole four .then got in. She was nearly filled with water, and being without oars, they were unable to make any ex ertions to gain the shore. They remained in this situation Or about 2S minutes, when a pilot-boat, whom the screams . . , . . . . rof the sufferers ,had alarmed, reached them, but in the struggle to get in they nearly upset the pilot-boat, and were brought ashore clinging to the outside, or held by the hands of the crew of the Goutock pilot -boat. One old Highlander s*am ashore; and a woman, whose child was drowned, came safe on shore on some article of furniture; she had kept hold of her child till she perceived it was dead, and then reluctantly resigned it to the deep. Our informant considers there would be about 70 people on hoard ;of these eleven were saved. %lien he left by the Greenock mail this afternoon, eleveu bodies had been drifted ashore. Besides many respectable people, on their way to Edin burgh and Glasgow, there were, we are led to believe, I traders proceeding to Glasgow, to make purchases for the approaching Fort William fair, god who may natu rally be supposed to have had considerable property on their persons. A passenger on board the Ayr relates, that he was one of four cabin passengers who were All below when the ac cident happened. He had lain down on a sofa undressed, beard a noise forward which alarnied him, and before he had time to disentangle himself from the clothes he had thrown over him, the vessels struck with a tremendous crash. On reaching the deck he saw the Comet drifting from them, and wheeling round: there was light enough from the moon to enable him to distinguish the hills on either side, and the various objects around. On board the Ayr the utmost confusion prevailed. The Cornet was in sight for about three minutes, when a most appalling shriek arose from the passengers on board of her, evidently crowding to the sidenearest the Ayr, and with outstretched arms imploring help: not a cry reached his ears after the vessel went down, and in a few moments the river was as unrolled as ever. AlI on board die Ayr were in the ut most consternation, and it is much to be feared iu down right stupefaction, with the exception of two seamen be longing to the Harmony, who, after endeavouring in vain to rally the men belonging to the vessel, lowered the boat at the stern, for the purpose of rendering whatever assist ance was in their power; but at the moment when she reached the water with one of the men in her, and before the tackles were yet loosed, the steam was unfortunately set on, and boat and man dragged render the water; he saved himself by clinging to ;lie ropes, and, providentially for all on board, reached the deck, when he and his com panions had enough to do to keep the vessel from going down. She was evidently in a sinking state. At the time of the accident the Ayr had a light at the bow, as well as a man on the look-out. [From the Greenock Advertiser of Friday.' The Comet steam-briat ' on her passage from Inverness to this port, had reached the point of Kernpoch at nearly two o'clock, when she was met by the steam-boat Ayr, 11('CleHand, of Avr, which was on her way to that port from Greenock. The two boats going with considerable velocity, were very near each other before mutually ob served. As soon as perceived, the person on the look-out on board the Comet, cried to the pilot to put the helm a starboard, which order the pilot of the Ayr understood to be meant as instructions to him ; both vessels were in con sequence directed towards each other, and before the mb fortunate mistake could be remedied, they Caine in contact with such violence, as to stave in the starboard bow of the Comet, which vessel in a few minutes went down, and, melancholy to relate, the whole of the passengers, with the 'cception of nine, and the muter and pilot of the vessel, • drowned ; Two of the latter, t o lady and child, have The total number of, passengers on board en to have been between sixty and seventy, but we _ to obtain any certain account. most prompt and humane assistance was affordett survivors by Mr. Andrew Rankin and M r . G Gourock, and Mr. Robert Maitland, of this town, Ole •;11 actively engaged in securing the property, %villa, bodies of the sufferers, is hourly coming ashore, ire unable as yet to furnish any account of the names drowned on this melancholy occasion, but from a watch, with the name " Archd. Grahame," engraved t, and several bills drawn in favour of Archd. Gra , Corpack, being found on the person of a young gen tieminir washed ashore, wo have little doubt of his being of that WOW t also Mrs. Weight; of Glasgow, ,ody has likewise been got. A Captain Sutherland J lady, from Inverness, were on board, whose bodies are not yet found. There hare also been washed ashore, besides the two above named, the bodies of four men, four women, and two children, whose names we have not hi therto been able to learn. Too much praise cannot be bestowed on the people of Gourock, generally, for the readiness with which they gave their assistance, and the honesty which has been shown in delivering up the property picked up along the beach, one instance of which deserves to be mentioned. A young girl, daughter of James Mains, of Gourock, found a fifty-pound Bank of England note, which was instantly, in the most praiseworthy manner, delivered to Mr. Rankin. Great blame is attached to the Captain of the Ayr, for not attempting to afford assistance ; he almost instantly, on the catastrophe occurring, put shout, and made for Greenock : had he, on the contrary, stopped to pick up those who were able to struggle for a short time on the sur face of the water, the chance is, that marry might have been saved who have nor meta watery grave, and his ves sel might have been run ashore at Gourock, had he found her so leaky as to be unfit to proceed back to our port. Those saved were chiefly rescued by wherries belonging to Gourock, which instantly put off when the alarm was given. 'We could have wished that no cause had existed to sus pect depredation of the property cast ashore; but from the circumstance of a trunk being carried up to an adjoin ing field by two men, who have since absconded, leaving the trunk open, which was found by a person who brought it to Mr. Rankin, containing some wearing-apparel, it is strongly suspected that money had been abstracted. The information of the accident was speedily made known here by the arrival of the Ayr, and, both before and since morning dawned, the most active assistance has been supplied from hence, for the purpose of recovering the bodies, collecting the property cast ashore, &c. Of the latter a great quantity has been safely stored in the cellars of Mr. Rankin's house. The money found is likewise in safe custody. C. Marshall, Esq. Sheriff-substitute of the Lower Ward, went down early this morning, as likewise several gentlemen in the commission of the peace, to render every assistance. Shells have been ordered to be prepared for the bodies, as also the customary appareling of the dead, and the hapless victims have been conveyed to Gourock Church, to await being claimed by their relatives. In short, whatever sympathy, humanity, and the most honour able and judicious feelings could devise, has been resorted to, on all hands, to pay respect to the remains of those who have so suddenly been called from this scene of transitory existence. This melancholy event will at once revive the recollection of the loss of the Catherine, of lona, from being run down by the Hercules, steam-boat, on the night of Saturday, the 10th August, 1822. A strong coincidence prevails in the two cases. In both the calamity was occasioned by steam vessels, in the very• outset of their career. The time was nearly the same: the accidents occurred almost at the same place, and had similar causes assigned them, In the case of the Catherine, forty-two persons perished out of forty six ; in the present instance, it is to be feared, however, a much larger number has been lost. An investigation into the whole matter is now going on, and may be expected to continue until the causes and con sequences are fully developed. We shall leave no effort untried to collect whatever information is attainable regard ing it, which, as far as we may then have acquired, shall he reported in our next. Meanwhile, we trust the imper fections and irregularities of the present narrative will be ascribed to their proper source—the impossibility of pro curing and arranging, within so short a time, anything like a complete detail of so great a calamity. THREE o'CLocx. We have just learned that the Captain of the Comet, corroborated by one of the other survivors, states it as his opinion that there were not more than sixty individuals on board when she went - down. Four English gentlemen had been landed at Rcthsay last night. There were twenty-six cabin passengers. At two o'ciock only twelve bodies had yet hen recovered. Besides those lost whose names have already been men tioned, are the following:—Mr. WAllister, writer, Edin burgh ; Mr. WAllister, said to be a relation of the above; Captaht Campbcll. Mr. Cameron, jun. Fort William, saved. LAW INTELLIGENCE., COURT OF KING'S BRICCII, 431:11.DILAtt., MONDAY, OCTOIXR 94. lINDLA AND OTHERS V. PINNEY AND OT s. This was an action of trove? , " bl the plaintiffs •• nees of Mr. Sykes, a bankrupt, ' &Matte, f certain goods and chattels, the 'the defendant had taken in etc Dlr. Sykes, it appeared, n. nsieo business st Bedminster. had dealings with a Mr. in a large sale of wool I for this-wool, Mr. Syl month on the 911 June judgmebt upon It, entered whole df his property at seek a bereamtunt and found lilt. Sykes tie. bankruptcy. A commission were appointed assignees, te very of the property whic , the defendants, who are t his bailiffs, and Mr. Edmonds. BIT. Se aft Levi. having proved the cornarbision„ sad g creditors' debt, in order to prove the commirlon of sea set of of - ruptcy previous to the execution levied by Bdmeede, e.llati the following witnesses : Samuel Paine was in the employment of Mt. Mills WM& to the Febrnaij of this year, he was sent to Mr. *keit to Monist the payment of an account due to his master. He was tale that el*. Sykes was not at home, though at the very time let raw him in an inner office, through a door which was not trete Mewl. Cross-examined by the Avloanest-Getrileal....-erhen wit. ness sew Mr. Sykes, he (witness) did not rota round Ned speak to him ; that was net his business ; he went hews mid WM Mr. Mills what had transpieed. William Mills, the master of the tut whose. Ilsiis4.t era. mined in thief, was asked by the Attorney-fisheelle M den pur pose oedisqualifying him from giving his ye wee not • creditor of Mr. Sykes ? Re said let had himself been a bankrept,and that hiscredit Mr. Mills was then asked whether he had given alp Mn Sykes? Ile said he had. The ATTORNEY-ORSICRAL was *boat to aidil e /4 - fldeltse when Mr. Scelteneer laid, It is not necessary ke*le-ese Rake after that declaration. It has never bees the itud L wilt not establish a precedent for it. The ATTORNWT-GENsaAL admitted that his laraneed Friend bad rightly mated the practice upon that rested. Mr. SCARLETT.-11 we -were to maks itreenlettatyairethe production of the ranee in a case like ie s iee sretAdsees be called on to goa step further, and p7adace the . wheels also* The LORD ORLEY JUSTICE-1 act Yer'y • Mr. Scar. lett, :fir. Mills was then examined.—He had called eevenaletimes en Mr. Sykes for the payment of his account, and had always been refuced, though on one occasion, when he called agreeably to an appointment, he happened to be oa horseback, and andally saw 11r. Sykes over a gate. This was the plaintiff's case. The A TToRYEY.CitINER•L, fee his Lordship whether, or • say whether or not there The Loan eftIEF doubts might be entertained though even on that he had could be none at all on the The Jury accordingly " WINDER AWD The plaintiff's are the who resides in London, \ is brought to recover can 1,8001., which Mr. Sykes Butterworth, who resides money to Mr. Sykes, and the proceeds of sales ye and which he had set . ' plaintiffs contended, that act of bankruptcy, he ought , among the rest of the creditors. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL contended that iris client had se tient to retain the proceeds of these sales, by vintner' a deed In which Mr. Sykes agreed to this arrangement, and which deed, as it wan executed more titan two months previous to duteelencolsaioc, would, by Sir Samuel Romilly's Act, be valid. The Loan Cwrxr Jtreet ex Wes ef 'Onion dogeltheised etteuhl rot be of much avail. After sonic further oonvertation and settliog Mietounte, it wee agreed that there should be a verdict for the Pisani 'fey WL with leave for the defendant to more for a notionit e if the Conn should be of opinion that there might lie an aceauet of tanned ceidit, not withstanding the bankruptcy. interet U. HARDZW. This was an action of nova, to receive* the YAW .Of thher puncheons of French brandy. • Mr. Braine, the plaintiff, was a broker in the City of Londe* ; the brandy in question bad been shipped oseginglisr tathelseuse er Mews. !Hutson and Co., trine-merchants in Trivrecietreet. Oa the %Oh of last February, Meenseelletterie, ben, they tad as, rived in this couquy, delivered over the bill of lading, and other documents necessary for a transfer of them, on a connect of sale, to Mr. Braise, and received in payment a bill antedated by six days, payable in four months. On the 21st February, Messrs- Manson stopped payment, and shortly after the good* strived, and Mr. Harden, the agent of Messrs. Meunier and Co., the French merchants, stopped the goods is transits. Alt. Braise claimed them by virtue of his contract with Messrs. Manson, and the ' owners of the London Dock, where the brandies were deposited, filed a bill of interpleader in Chancery, for the purpose of saving them selves from trouble, and ascertaining who was the real owner. Out of that proceeding the present action originated, which was to try the question of ownership. Mr. Blaine, the plaintiff, had, in the mean time, failed, and the bill which he gave for the brandies had Dever been paid. Charles Manson was called by file. IfteeteneT, for the Tillie. tiff.—l and my brothers were wineenerthants on the 20th of Fe. bruary last. We had dealings with Messrs. Meanies. and. Co. in cognacs. We had an invoice and bill of ladiog fin 20 puncheons. 14'e sold them on the 20th to .Mr. Braine, the plaintiff. 111 r. Braine is a broker ; we knew he was acting for himself. We had a bill for the value, payable at four months ; it was dated the 14th of February ; it sat antedated, because the brandy had am yet ar rived. We gave him the bill of lading. The ATTo aNET.GEN ERA L, who was for the defendant, hay ipg repeatedly risen in the course of the examination, to object to the giving prattle evidence cf the dontract of wale, when thecontract Itself ought to be eroductel, now rose again, and said, "They want to get out of the contract by showing these documents ; they show that these documents were given to Bruin*, but they do not explain in what manner. Mr. SCARLETT.—If this was action between the eentreeting parties, It would undoubtedly be necessary for us to produce the contract ; but I am not bound to show the contract in an action spinet a wrong doer. It is sufficient if I show a title to tbp pro perty in my client. The LORD CHIEY JUSTICE thought that it ought to be pro duced. 51e SCARLETT.—We have no objection to produce it: We know not what fine speculations may be built upon it ; but there is nothing in it which need alarm us. The contract was accordingly put in and read. Cross.examined by the ATTORNET-GENERAL—I owed Mr. Braine about 6,0001. I sent the bill for acceptance os the 21st; it was not left for acceptance according to the usual course of busi ness, but was accepted immediately and returned the samsday. 1 Sixpence-halfpennywareth.llinshthoeu should be was necessitynh o a t v , e when i payment d or l rn s y t e g o p l c d p re in d t (c h it e ors bra pointrnent in the expected receipt of a sum of money. es on the 21st. I met with a diaap. The ATTORNEY-OENERAL now addressed the Jury for the defendant. He adverted in succession to the different circeimstangee Indicative cf fraud, which accompanied the transfer of brandies from Messrs. Manson to Braine. First of all he soM brandies on the 20th February, and became a bankrupt on the lowing day, and since then has paid his creditors not more OW sixpence, or sixpenceenefpenuy in tin pound. Is it possible de he could have been ignorant of the state of his affairs at the time Next it appeared that he was at this very time owing 6.0001. to Mr. Braiue, and was it possible foe any man to bejleve for `moment, that this sale ivy; not intended for his accommodation ? According to the law of the city, a broker is not allowed to purchase on his own account. lee eaters into a bond that he will make no pttr. chases on his own account. Again, the bill is ante.dated, not as Mr. Scarlett saw, beCause it m ig ht make all things square, but because Messrs. Manson knew that they were on the suit veep of bankruptcy, and it is dated six days before, that the temeetales might not appear to have taken place on the very day of diets bankruptcy. Under these circumstances, hesbaild leave the case confidently in the hands of the Jury, conscious that his chart MR have a yerdier. By such a verdict no party would suffer any wrong. The consignee had paid nothing for these brandiee—the present plaintiff had paid nothing for them —these parties, therefore, would experience no wrong, and .51essrs..51ounier and Co. the real einem, would recover back their property. Thlt home CIIIEY JUSTlCE—l:,pperirs to me that the only question Is whether the transaction between Messrs. Manson sad Mr. Braine was a real and boaa fide sale. Now, Menet. Manse* ordered' the brandies of the French house ; an invoice and bill of lading are etanstretted to them, • said' they deliver then over to Mr.. Braine a little before the 2lat of. February. AU this is in the or. dinary course of things. This might undoubtedly convey a good title to a bona fide purchaser. You find then chit on the very same day they send to him for • bill. They don't leave it for acceptance, but send fbr it, and have it back the came day. Again they do not date the bill on the day it wan drawn; but on the 14th. six days before. When the witness is asked why the bill is yntedated, he Ilya because the goods were not arrived. Mr. Noble, the Foreman of the Jury, here interrupted the I s h Y s s t a h f e te r P Th ra e e t c a e rr a i ni va c T g c of m ai on w C h l a ti n e t f . J t U o s d e ra ce . , an th i e l ir sai bi l is t that c lt uee traS good., when their quantity wan known. The loan Cater Jeer ter. resumed his obte-vatiorse. Thin is putting the ease notch eteonger against the plaintiff than I did. Well then, Gentlemee. theme arc an the pircumsteaces of the cage I should judge from them all. that a stoppage of payment wee *art: templared when this hurried transfer was effected. If _you think that it no case of Lose Ale gale, tnen I think the plaintiff if entitled to your verdict ; if you should think otherwise, you will of course 'and for the defendant. The Jerry instantly returned a verdict for the defendaet. -. al with wl district ill sally kr rally 1.1 flighted ttd eiystet on bein g 01- excepti tat it th e id% rot ori l of too' d oa- aniscd It : air:ady atn l a 7 the 'Pectin .n- r''fferr., Bin ot this Illerar% bit. tct DUI ath. rusty _ Their laziness, on the contrary, makes strug gl e w i t h t h e waves s h e lost her hold and perished. melancholy rs in the day, that their family is often While swimming, much exhausted, and not knowing well exception c Meat distress; for which reason begging i n whi c h direction the shore by, Mr. Anderson was seized were drowt ar more common methods than diligence closely by the engine-man, from whom he found it impossible wince died. olication to business, for quieting their to disengage himself, and just u they were upon the point estimated rm only to make a pretence of working, of sinking they fortunately tame in eontact with the boat's are unable to carry on their thieving, as fife articles yawl, whin they hritniately caught bold of, and, in The mot re for sale in the cities and villages, doing so, she fortunately righted, when they both clung the few an t blind for sneaking into houses, to pry to het, and reached the shorein safety. lnstuwalsaahensted. of Gourock iy thing which they may appropriate to It is reported that amongst the sufferers is the lady of a are still act kind of artifice is particularly the pro- Colonel of the army, with a family of seven 'children, from with the be n, who have always been reckoned more Inverness ; a Mr. Campbell of this city ; with a young We are i men in the art of stealing. They corn- gentleman, the may son of Mr. M'Braine, also of this of those dri en with them, which are tutored to re- city. We forbear to state further the reports which we gold watch he outer p ort of the house, to purloin have heard of the names of the sufferers, lest we make on it, and le the mother is negotiating in the chain- mistakes, and wourwl, without reason, the feelings of home, Coq y the women's office to make away with friends at a distance. denenrir wa d fowls, when they are to be found in a Besides Mr. Anderson and the engine mart, already men- the person If the creature makes a noise when t i me d, ther e isesssieggisrefferititiiiilkplist, the car- 'hese bed and dressed for the comsurnption of the pen ter, a man a steerage paellingee from Vert George, a and his led chance, it should have strayed so fiar young girl, r.nd a woman who was floated ashore safely be- ere not yet at its crying caneot give any alarm, they tw i xt two ta bl es, b ut w h o un f ortunate l y l ost h er c hi ld b y b es id es t h e at the next market town. any is the the way. The poor man from Fort George, and who is women, an . ', . - - - - - --- of troves, brotrght kyl the plaintiffs as strip bankrupt, to recover &two* for thanks* of atria, the property of the bankrupt, whisk the in execution, under a wsrrant of attoeuep. aced, bad tymn a clotkier, carrying oa ea efii edaiinster, in the county of Somerset. Be ht 4 lir. Edmonds, a Cool (actor, which terminated 1 by the latter al Mr. Sykes; gisetture payaLenk tykes gave a warrant of attotot7 le Me. Ed, is 1023; this gentlemen imniedieteig tend the premises of Mr. Sykpst sotto in execution. His other creditors., nee, very naturally began to make Vigo Hat, is had previously committed several sets gt mission was immediately Wised, ibt plaint.% lees, and this action was bsougbt forth, rim- y/high Edmonds had taken in 111141111Wpiest ire the e her ifr o S omenewsklre fat elle of JrZICERAL, for the decade, anhoritted it to , on this evidence, it was not for the Jury to ere had been an set of bankruptcy. F was of opinion that whatever lained as to the acts 'politic to by ➢lr. Mills, he had himself very hula doubt, yet there n the evidence of Pala& f ly found a verdict for the pliaintift WD °TRIMS r. sl7TTtattottt3. tie tarns as in the last action. The defendant, was a factor of Mr. Sykes, and this action certain sums of money, amounting to !bolt ekes paid to him after his bankruptcy. Air. ides In London, had admitted Imp MOD of and the monies sought to leo mcorcrod were which he had teemed for the beakropt, et against his advances to Ik. ifykat. The that as all these monies wad paid *Meths ought to have come in under dui commission ii . ' I i. • t ' tt ! 1 • t ‘ i s • , • 11 ,I it