The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-12-01 00:00:00

Al A RV-LA-RONNE OFFICE.

Yesterday Wm. f'orprwie,, a man of respectable appearance, was
brought up for re-examination, charged with having uttered coon.
terfeit money to two different persons, on Friday last. Mr. Powell
attended on the part of the Mint.
Mary Ann VI alker, whose tither keeps a shop in Earl-street,
Liaaen-grove, stated, that the prisoner came into the shop and ask.
ed for a pennyworth of pudding, at the same time laying down a
shilling: at that moment a person rushed into the shop, and said,
" Don't take it, it is a bad one ;" that person is s Mr. Salmon.
Robert Salmon, porkman, of liell•street, Lisson-grove, stated,
that a man came into his shop on Friday evening, and asked for a
saveloy, at the same time throwing down a shilling, which witness
found to be bad a half-crown was then put down, but before he
could lay his hand upon it, the man snatched it up again, saying,
" Take back your saveloy." IVitness suspecting his customer to
be a smasher, followed him, and saw him speak to the prisoner in
the passage of the Robinson Crusne, in Earl-street. The prisoner
immediately crossed over to the shop of the last witness, and ten.
dered the shilling, on which he rushed into the shop and seised the
prisoner, until the arrival of Cooper, the constable.
Chas. Cooper, constable, said he was called to take the prisoner
into custody, when, on searching him, he found one shilling and '
sixpence in good money, and in his mouth a counterfeit sixpence.
Henry Rose accompanied last witness, end observed the prisoner
in Close conversation with the wan who had been in the shop of
Mr. Salmon, but on his seeing the prisonerdetained he ran off with
wonderful speed, and was soon nut of sight.
The prisoner being asked if he wished to put any questions to
the witnesses, said lie did, and endeavoured with much ingenuity
to make the witnesses prevaricate in their statements, which not be-
ing able to do, he was fully committed for trial.
DAZING BUBAILARY.—Between two and three o'clock oa
Sunday morning last, the house of Mr. Hewett, the City of Here.
ford public-house, Bing-street, Charles-street, Portman-square,
was burglariously eaterad by some daring thieves, who succeeded
in taking away about AUL worth of wine, brandy, Ste.
Mr. Hewett gave information of the above robbery at the Mary.
la-bonne office, and stated that the flap of his cellar bad been forced
off, apparently by a cow-bar, as great violence must have been
used to force it from its fastenings. The principal loss was in wine,
and which it appeared they took away in wine baskets. It would
have been impassible, if the watchman on tlfe beat had done his
duty, that the robbers could have ►ucceeled in taking away such a
quantity of wine unobserved ; three of the baskets were found in
the neighbourhood in the morning, empty ; only one bottle had
been drank, it is supposed, on the premises. This is the fourth
robbery of a similar description that has been committed in this
parish within the last three weeks, and the burglars as yet, we are
concerned to say, are at large.
Nelson, the sergeant of the watch, who was complained of last
week. for ill-using sonic females, and attempting to extort money,
was discharged by order of Edmund Griffith, Esq. the Sitting
Magistrate.
UNION HALL.

COXPLAIVT 01, • SCARCITY or WATER. AT A TIRE IX
Ci• AV E I'7 E, Don Tu w A RK.—Yesterday, when the ltlagis-
trate, H. J. CUAMIIERS, Esq. entered the Olive, Mr. Hall, the
Chief Constable, informed hint that a fire had broken out at the
house of Mr. Thomson, a blacksmith, in Gravel-lane, between
twelve and one o'clock that morning. Ile was promptly at the
spot, with a number of the Officer% belonging to ttie establishment ;
and although upwards of a dozen engine% had arrived in the lane,
yet nut one of them could be brought into action, in consequence
of the want of water; indeed, said Hall, two hours elapsed before
the water was set on the main ; and had it not been that there was
an uncommonly strong and thick party wall to Mr. Thompuva's
house, the whole range of buildings on that side of the way must
have been destroyed, as the materials chiefly consisted of wood.
The fire, which raged with considerable fury fur upwards of three
quarters of an hour, was exclusively confined to Mr. Thompson's
premise., by the party-wall ; and after having burned for the above
length time, the house was reduced to a shell. and the fire most
providentially went oat by itself, without the aid of water. After
the damage was done, the Constable said the water was then let on
from the Lambeth Water-works.
Marmon, the officer, who was present during like conflagration,
corroborated the evidence of the thief Constable, and added, that
more than two hours had elapsed from the commencement of the
fire until the water was let on.

Ileddington, the constable of Christchurch, said, that the mo-
ment the tire burst nut, he repaired there with the parish engine,
and, for want of water front the regular sources, he was obliged to
empty all the neighbours' water-butts, kr. to bring his engine into
play. This supply was soon exhausted, and he because 'spec-
tator of the destruction of the premises, without be:ng enabled to
render the slightest assistance. When the water entered the main
from the works, the tire was nearly extinguished.
The Magistrate expr„tssed his surprise upon hearing that there
was still a deficiency of water. notwithstanding the recent calamitous
fires which had occurred in Southwark. lie then directed that a
summons should be forthwith served upon the turncock, whose
duty it was to hoca attended at the lire in question. In a short
time the turncock appeared at the Office, and in reply to the Ma-
gistrate's questions, he said, that his name was John Petheretlge,
that he was tumcnck to the Lambeth Water-works, and that he did
not then apply ter the reward usually given to persons in his situa-
tion upon such occasions. The Illagistrate desired him not to alarm
himself; that no reward should be given to hint, as he was not en-
titled to any. lie went on to say, that when he is icfonned of a
fire breaking out in the district, he immediately proceeds from his
residence to the engine-house at Narrow.wall, which is At the dis-
tance of about half a stile, for the purpose of throwing on fresh
coals to the fire, in order to set th^ engine at work to raise the water
into the main. After having done so. and twisted the Ergineer,
he then proceed' to the place where the tire is, and turns on the
Witter.

The Magistrate observed, that a whole street of houses tr.:ght be
consumed during these preparations. What is the reason, asked
the Magistrate, that other persons are net in attendance at the
engine.hotise, to do the work which appears to me not to be that of
a turncock ?

The tumeeek said, that there was no individual at the engine.
house hut the engineer, the stoker having met with an accident,
and the former being unable by hilt-well to work the engine, which
is one of eighty horse hover, lie (the turneocl) was obliged to do
his own and the stoker's duty. This it was, he said, that caused
the delay.
The Magistrate reprobated the system of carrying on the duties
of water.works in this way, which, he observed, should never be
without the means of instantly supplying water in the event of tires.
which of late had become ad frequent and sn destructive in their
consequences. He then directed that the Him toes of the COM.
pany should be made acquainted with the negligence mani.
fated on the present occasion, and refused to give the reward to
the turncuck.

On Saturday last the Edinburgh Royal Company of
Archers, Body thumb shot for the Goose Butt
Medal, which was won by Win. Napier, Esq. W.S.