The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-10-16 00:00:00

(To 6. ornHassod.)

A shocking accident happened on Friday at a
manufactory in George-street, Lawford•a•getr.
B.i•tol. A young man. named Gtoaux Jousts,
•as in the act of tying • rope to the durtaer•hell.
when his foot slipped. and he fell ou the fly-wheel
of the sterai-rugine. which was at work at Ilia time.
aid winch ac•ually steered II:, trod from his body I

FALMOUTH PACKETS.
Motu the Weil /Weal!
On Monday R meeting of the Corporation and
Inhabitants of Falmouth took place at the Gui:d-
Hall,, when the Mayor bring called to the Chair,
letters were read from I Noblemen and Mem-
bers of Parliament, to whom application had been
made ow the subject, and who all expressed them.
selves desirous of using every means in their power
to avert from the county • calamity so serious as
the removal of the packets would be. A second
letter, received that morning, from one of the No.
blensen. was also read, which stated, list his Lord-
ship had applied at the Admiralty on the aubject, and
was informed that " nothing had then been decided
no with regard to the removal of the packets from
Falmouth." This statement naturally led to the
supposition that the subject was actually under
comideration ; and a Committee, composed of the
principal Gentlemen and Merchants of the town,
was appoiuted, with power to adopt such measures
as they may judge expedient. Memorials to the
Treasury and the Postmasters-General a ere adopted,
after which the meeting was dissolved. We under.
stand it is in contemplation to call • meeting of the
inhabitants of Truro for • similar purpose, and, no
doubt, the example will be followed by several
miser towns. In fact, as the removal of the packets
from Falmouth would materially affect the interests
of • considerable part of Cornwall, we have no
doubt that should it be found the question is really
entertained by Government, steps will immediately
be taken to cull a county meeting on the subject.
The measure is one on which no difference of opi-
nion can exist, at least amongst the people of Corm
wall : it involves none of the topics on which the
county has been divided, and Gentlemen of different
political opinions may, and unquestionably will,
cordially unite its furthering an object of such ac-
knowledged public importance.
The population of Falmouth and Flushing
amount to about 18.000 ; of these a considerable
majority are either directly or indirectly connected
with the packet establishment, and derive their
means of subsistence from it. The removal of that
establishment would throw two-thirds of the labour-
ing classes, or one-half of the whole, out of employ-
ment; and the consequences would be severely felt
in every part of the county which has any connexion
with the place. The packets have been established
at Falmouth for about ISO years, and the security
which this long period had given for their contima.
ance there has induced the expenditure of a coast.
derable capital in various establishments connected
with them. We are satisfied that we underrate
the amount of the property thus invested when we
state it at 200,0001. Almost the whole of this
would be sacrificed by the removal of these vessels;
numerous individuals now possessed of a competence
would be reduced to indigence, and many involved
in irretrievable ruin. This is a most Petioles cons,.
deration, especially at a time of general distress like
the present. , ,
To these lota cenaiderations must be added
others of a public and meat important adore. Fol.
mouth, which is the most westerly port in Great
Britain, is peculiarly calcohlted for furthering all
communications with foreign stations which be so
the Atlantic Ocean. The ease with which the her.
hoer may be entered in all weathers—the packets
having invariably entered the harbour during the
darkest nights, without difficulty or danger; and
being able to sail into the port even in strong
southerly gales, under topmast stay-sails—the safe.
ty us which vessels ride there—and its extensive
capacity. have secured to it the testimony of some
of the first nautical characters known to the coun-
try. The opinions of Admiral Boseawen, Lord
Barham, Admiral Patten. and Admiral Cornwallis,
on this subject. are well known. The official re.
port of the Earl of St. Vincent on the same subject
in 1106, is matter of public record ; *ad the very
able letter addressed to the " Pisan Minister and
the First Lord of the Adsniralty, by • Captain in the
Royal Nary," in 1810, has placed the question in
• point of view that excludes controversy. The
opinion formed by the late Mr. Pitt and the late
Lord Melville. from the investigations that had
takeu place. was decidedly favourable to Falmouth;
and hod hie Lordship continued in office, there is
no doubt it would have become a naval station. for
which it is so eminently calculated, and which it
could be made at a comparatively trivial expense.
Add to this, the fact that no material injury had
been sustained by any of the pockets in Falmouth
harbour within the memory of any now living ;
whilst one of these emelt', the Prince's Mary,
Captain Pocock, whilst lying in Plymouth harbour.
imistotally. lost during • gale of wind, mud every
• plisse ea board perished.