The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-09-23 00:00:00

THE EXPLOSION AT OSTEND.

(TURTIIER PAUTtCUI.ARS.)
DOVER, SEPT. 21.
A sensation of the most dreadful kind was experienced
at Ostend, on Tuesday morning last, by the explosion of
the new magazine at that place. which contained upwarda
of 1,400 barrels of powder. This dreadful circumstance
took place at ten o'clock in the moraine, when the greatest
part of the people were about, and all were panic-struck
who were not killed ; the latter amounted to about forty,
chiefly soldiers; the wounded almost innumerable. Nearly
every house, more or less, damaged, and scarcely one but
heit the windows broken—many are unroofed. and several
have large chasms from top to bottom. The Waterloo
Hotel, it is said, must he entirely rebuilt. Stones and
bricks were thrown to a distance of three mates; one man
in a boat bad his head completely taken off; and another
his arm, at a mile distant. A woman, who was making
her bed, had bvr chamber door driven from the hinges, and
thrown across the bed ; the ceilings fell down, and the win-
dows were broken, but she escaped with no injury, except
a few slight bruises and fright. The Priest performing
Mass was knocked down in the Church, the windows of
which were broken, but no lives lost.
Several poor men fishing near the magazine were killed
instantly, and the captain of one of the barges coming up
with pappengers was so alarmed at the explosion, that he
jumped overboard. It is not ascertained how the accident
41appened, but it was thought to be the work of come
wicked incendiary. Ilad not the magazine been nearly two
miles from Ostend, and WO barrels of powder been the
Iday before removed, the consequenc.'s would have been
mote dreadful.

A dividend t,f ss. in the pound was paid on Thursday
last, on the estate of Messrs. Dobson and Sons, late bankers,
lluddersfield.
The Sheffield manufacturers have produced an alloy,
which they have named " Peruvian steel," that is reckon. d
superior to the best Indian wootz, of which the far-fatned
Damascus blades are manufactured.
The intensity of distress experienced at present by the
manufacturing population of Great Britain, cannot be sa-
tisfactorily accounted for, but by supposing a scarcity of
provisions in that island. If food was abundant, it would
necessarily reach the labouring classes, if not in the shape
of wages, in that of alms, or of poor rates.—Phihdelthia
Gazette.
The following notice was posted, on Tuesday last, on
the wall of a house on the lands of Ballyglasheen, the
property of George Robbins, Esq., and on the same night
the windows of the house in which the keepers were, were
broken, ODA two shots fired into it:—
"Take notice, that any person in this neighbourhood is not to
pay more than half year's rent this year, in consequence of the
year being so bail—any person after this notice that do attempt
paying more, wi 1 be made a public example of, as we are deter-
mined to put a period to the drivers and keepers of this place, par-
ticularly Isle. Ryan Putleen and his keepers, as his doom is a long
time due to him. JOHN Roca."
On Monday last twelve convicts, sentenced to die hulks, i
attempted to make their escape. It appeared that they
were confined on board the Justitia prison-ship, lying off
Woolwich, and being sent on shore to work in the Duck- I
yard, the sentinel on duly observed them jump into a boat
moored elengside the yard, and attempt to make their es-
cape. Ile called out, desiring them to return, but the
more he called the stronger efforts they made to get away.
The sentinel then levelled his musket, and shot one of the
convicts, named Gardiner, in the leg. The test of his
companions, becoming alarmed, returned, and delivered
themselves up.
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF CAPTAIN HILE.—
(Extract of a letter from Armagh, Sept. 17.)—Capt. Hill,
returning late on Wednesday night, or rather early on
Thursday morning, heard a noise in his field, shout fifty
yards from the gate that leads to his house at Clantilen.
He called, " Who is there?" No answer being returned,
he got oft' his horse, and earning close to the road side,
looked over the hedge, where he saw four or fire men with
guns. One shot was immediately fired at him. On this
lie got on horseback, when six or seven shots were fired at
him. One passed through his coat, another passed through
bis hat. None of the shots, however, struck his person.
Capt. Hill had lately received two anonymous letters, de-
nouncing him ; the first, stating that it was expected he
would wear an Orange lily the Nth of July last; the other
signifying, that if he went to the dinner given to Colonel
Verner, at Portadown, Friday, the Bth, they would forgive
him. Neither of these commands he noticed. Capt. Hill
lately retired from the army, in consequence of bad health.
He does not interfere in polities, nor does he favour the
Orangemen. He is universally considered mild and oblig-
ing.—Dublin Paper.
There is a sunflower growing in the garden of Mr. Lo-
theon, tallow-chandler, Cockermouth, Cumberland, the
height of which is seven fe..t one inch, girth of (tem five
inches, circumference of the principal flower thirty inches,
and the number of flowers thirty-ft ve. It is considered by
all who have seen it to be a very great curiosity.