The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-02 00:00:00

BOULOGNE-SUR-211ER, &LI- 27.

This favourite Continental bathing-place has Ihereased
in popularity since the visit of the Duchess of Berri last
season, but there are not so many Enelish at present as at
that period or the preceding years. This is mainly attri-
butable to the rise in the price of lodgings, &c. and the
inhabitants would do well to reduce them to that standard
which they had adopted for many years. A splendid suite
of rooms for the accommodation of the bathers has lately
been erected here, and reflects great credit upon the entre-
preneur Monsieur Vcrsial. They are much frequented,
more especially in the evening, when they offer an agree-
able promenade to the visitors and residents of Boulogne.
Although the spot selected for bathing is almost unexcep-
tionable, yet so many accidents have occurred from persons
incautiously venturing out beyond a certain distance, ►hat
a Ilumanelociety has been formed, at the head of which
tha Preet 0.20142 of-this toot,. It is most gratifying
to find that the contributions, received by the Gentlemen
employed in making the general collection in behalf of this
Society, have been given with a cheerfulness and liberality
that most abundantly bespeak the cordial and universal in-
terest which both the residents and visitors in this town
have taken in this benevolent enterprise. The activity
with which the objects_of this institution are pursued by
its zealous functionaries, under the superintendence of the
Chief Magistrate, as its President, has been rewarded by
an honourable proof of its utility in the protection afforded
by its nageurp(or swimmers) to two women, whom their
prompt inenstant succour at the critical moment rescued, a
few deli ago, from a most perilous hazard of being drowned
by the tide surrounding them near the Fort on the Sands.
A life-boat on the most approved principles is also in a
forward state of preparation, and will be launched in a few
weeks. Preparations are making for the annual fair, which
is held early in August, at which period it is confidently
stated that the King of France intends honouring this
town with his presence, for the benefit of sea-bathing. Ile
has chosen Boulogne for this purpose, at the recommenda-
tion of his Physician, who affirms that Boulogne is the
most healthy place in France. A grand Military Fete is in
contemplation in honour of his Majesty's visit ; troops are
to be brought from camp at St. Omer s (a town about 30
miles from Boulogne), and the town of Boulogne is to be
taken after a siege of some days !

APPREIIENSION OF A FORMIDABLE BAND OF
TIIIE V ES.

Incredible as it may appear, a numerous gang of robbers,
with the necessary appurtenance of romance, a cave, has
existed at Wickwar, in this county, for more than seven
years; during which period, although they have been the
terror of the neighbourhood, and have extended their de-
predations over an extensive tract of country, they have
contrived to elude the prying eye of justice. Last week,
however, in consequence of some suspicious circumstances,
the police were induced to pay a visit to Yate Common,
where they took into custody an old man of the name of
Mills, his wife, and their four sons; and immediately after
their apprehension, these persons disclosed the history of
the lawless community with which they were connected.
The whole gang is supposed to have amounted to 10 or .50,
of which number we understand thirty-one men and wo-
men have been apprehended.
It appears that, connected with a kitchen in old Mills's
house, on Yate Common, these well-organised bandits had
constructed a subterraneous cave or store-house, the en-
trance to which was behind the fire-place, where the soot
and a large pot effectually prevented the slightest suspi-
cion; and in this cave the officers found twenty sides of
bacon, quantities of cloth. wheat, barley, oats, malt, cheese,
two bedsteads, and 50/. chiefly in half-crown pieces.
The accounts which have reached us of the depredations
of the gang almost exceed belief. It has been no uncom-
mon thing for a farmer to rise in the morning, and find
the greater part of his furniture, fat pigs, poultry, cheese,
&c. swept away ; and the cave or depository for the stolen
goods was so well contrived that all search for the property
was invariably made in vain. Besides the family of Mills,
a man of the name of Gardiner, his wife, mid two sons.
are in custody. We understand that among the prisoners
is a parish-clerk ; and that a respectable shopkeeper at
Wotton-under-Edge stands charged with having been
employed in the purchase and sale of the stolen property.
—Bath Journal.

CIIAROE or mare.—We have already to notice the
committal of a prisoner, charged with a most flagrant
offence. John Frost, a labourer, aged 17, for an assault
and rape, near Ilenham, in this county, upon a woman
much older than himself. What renders the prisoner's
situation extremely fearful, if convicted, is, the circum.
stance of his having been tried upon two indictments at
the Assizes here, in the conrse of the year ts'z.l; one of 1
the charges was similar to that with which be now stands
indicted; he was not found guilty, however, on either
case. This youth appears to have had but a bad example
in the father, who was a member of the notorious gang of
sheep-stealers that infested Ilenham and that part of the
county, in the year IBIS, and who were so daring as to
bocame the terror of the neighbourhood ; they blacked
their faces, to preve.:t their persons' being knowtt.—
Eisex Ifcraltl.