The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-07-25 00:00:00

THE COVET STEAM PACKET.

From die Grrenack Advertiser.]
The opetvions for-the raising this vessel having drawn
near to a conclusion, sine* the commencement of this week
much interest regarding it has been excited here, and num-
bers have been daily attracted to the spot, to mark the pro-
gress of the undertaking, and witness the first appearance
which the shattered bark exhibited when raised above the
water's surface; among the earliest indications of its near
approach was the discovering of the body of an elderly
stout made female, on Monday evening, supposed to be the
last person to have been on board the Comet; notwith-
standing the great length. of time it hal been in the water,
the body was but little decayed. Having been taken up
the river until opposite Gourock Church-vard, it was then
put into a shell and interred. On Wednesday afternoon a
pair of bag-pipes were fished up from the deck of• the ves•
ad, and it will be recollected that to the inspiring strains
of this instrument some of the passengers were enjoying
themselves in the dance, not an hour before that dreadful
collision which ushered them into eternity.
It was till Wednesday before any part of the wreck
was got above the water, and yesterday (Thursday) some
further progress was made in bringing the vessel close to
the shore ; and this morning, when the tide had com-
pletely ebed, a considerable part of the deck was above
the surface ; but that portion of the vessel which compre-
hends the main cabin, from lying obliquely on the face of
the bank, yet remains immersed. The how of the vend
is completely shattered, and the funnel thrown down and
resting lengthways on the deck. A variety of articles have
been lobed up from the fore cabin this morning, including
several pieces of silk dresses, children's frocks, shoes,
thread cases, a small trunk, &c. &c. all of which are in the
care of proper authorities.. A man's hat, and a part of a
jaw-bone, have been likewise brought up. The whole ex-
hibits a very melancholy spectacle. It ii expected, with
the assistance of a tide or two more, the vessel will be
hauled altogether on the beach.

EFrom the Edinburgh Cantrairil
We have been politely favoured by the Lord Provost
with the following letter, regarding the raising of the ill-
fated vessel, addressed to him by Mr. Cleland, of Glas-
gow. It will be read with much interest :
Glasgow, July 20, 1826.
MY Loan-1 beg to inform you, that I went down to Gourock
yesterday morning, to witness the raising of the Comet ; and know.
mg that a detail of what I saw there would interest your Lordship,
I now inform you, that the, Cornet, which went down in sixteen
fathoms water, is now.in two fluhoms : and, from being in channel,
is now not more than sixty yards from the shore. When 1 went on
board one of the two lighters used for raising the vessel, I found
Mr. Brown and his men much annoyed with waves from a heavy
sea; he told me, that he was much afraid of lasing that tide, but
hoped that when the weather abated, in two tides thereafter he
would have the Comet ashore. In the same lighter, I found Mr.
Claud Marshall, the Sheriff Substitute of the West District of Ben-
frewsbire, with two men, for the purpose of taking charge of what
property or dead bodies might be found in the vessel. You will
recollect that the exertions of this gentleman were very great, and
very properly appreciated, on the melancholy occasion ofthe Comet's
going down.
The body of one woman only has yet been found, with no other
dress than corsets; it is much mutilated. A large dog has come up,
and is now floating near the shore.
Before I took to the small bas it, the bow of the Comet was about
five feet above the water ; the funnel seemed to be lying at an angle
of about 46 degrees from the deck.
Sir. Brown, who has been so successful in lifting the Comet, is a
ship-carpenter at Perth; his skill and exertions are very praisewor.
thy. At first, 'and while the Comet was in deep water, he
moored the lighters close together, immediately titer the wreck.
Having placed a strong chain cable under her bow and another
under her stern, he laid an oak log, about fifteen Inches square,
across the lighters. When the tide raised the lighters, the
Comet, from having taken fast hold of the mud or sand on the bet.
torn, was so dillienit to draw up, that the oak log actually broke
In two. On this, Mr. Brown used two logs, one on the top of the
other, and at the height of the tide brought the lighters and Comet
nearer the shore, by means of a strong windlass, which he had
erected on shore. When the Comet arrived at its present position,
Mr. Brown placed the lighters at such a distance from each other,
as to allow the Comet to get u_p between them, It is melancholy
to recollect, that at the first effort at the windlass, the master of
one of the lighters, a fine young man, lately matried, was tilled on
the spot, by a too sudden revolution of the spokes.
Should the remains of any unfortunate passenger be still on
board, it may be some consolation to the friends to know, that this
ill-fated vessel will very soon give up its contents.
While Mr. liPlnnes, the late master of the Comet, was standing
on tte lighter opposite to me. the Ayr steam-boat passed, crowded
with passengers, on a pleasure excursion, to see the steam-packet
United Kingdom, before she went round to your port. This cir-
cumstance, trivial in itself, could not but bring up recollections,
alike melancholy and distressing.
I am, my Lord Provost,
Your Lordship's very faithful anti obedient Servant,
JAMES CLELAND.

The number of bankrupts in the first six months of the
present year has been 1,641. The greatest number in any
whole year of the seven preceding was that in 1819, viz.
1,578. • The insolvents who have applied to be discharged
from prison, from January 1 to June 30 last, are 3,39'2.
The compositions with creditors, not attended with bank-
ruptcy or imprisonment, have been very numerous, but, of
course, cannot be exactly ascertained.
A deputation of the weavers appointed to wait on
his Grace the Most Rev. Doctor Magee, Archbishop of
Dublin, its the absence of his Grace. presented to his son,
the Reverend Thomas Magee, the following petition :
" MY Loan—We, a Deputation, appointed to wait on your
Grace by the Weavers now working on the roads, for the purpose
of submi:ting to your Grace that our Funds, at the Royal Ex-
change, being nearly exhausted, approach you, confident In the
hope that your Grace will befriend us by using your influence with
the Clergy of the respective parietal of your Archdiocese to ad-
vocati: our cause to the public, for which act of Christian charity
and benevolence, we will, as in duty bound, ever pray."
To which the Rev. Mr. Magee returned au answer to the
following effect :
" That he considered it right that the prayer of their Petition
about,' be attended to, and for that purpose ha would therefore im-
mediately communicate with his Grace the Archbishop on the
t.'
subjec
INEQUALITY OF POOR'S RATES.-7--IR the township of
Leeds the rate on laud is nine shillings in the pound, as-
sessed at $ fifth part its annual value. In Potternewton,
an adjoining township, the rate on land is sixpence in the
pound • and in Thorp Stapleton, whith alto adjoins this
township, there is no poor asacennent whatever.