The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-10-09 00:00:00

I IfbLAND.

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C LOP WILD, 7IPT. 7.
A letter frees Waterford. dated on Friday the 2d,
says, a division of the 83d Regiment disembarked
from on board the transports at Passage, and ar-
tived in this ci:y day. under the command of
Carain Somerville, on their way to Cork. Their
numbers were coma:rabic. There were also many
Volenteers.

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DUBLIN, SITT 4.
New regulations have been uansmitted from the
General Post Office to the Deputy Postmasters of
this kingdom, horn which it is expeBed much ad-
vantage will accrue to the public and the revenue.
The sew regulations. though highly advantageous,
augment the trouble. without adding any thing to
the income of the Postmasters ; but it is well worth
the contideration of the Postmasters General, whe-
ther it would not be as prudent, as it appears to be
just, to excite attention and diligence, by making
more suitable remuneration to this awful and really
important class of public officers.

Wednesday evening a shocking accident happened
at the Sun public-house.Peascod-street,Windsor; two

soldiers quarrelled, when blows followeJ, and being
both Lisucashire men. they fought in their own
country's usual manner, which is up and down. and
when one is down the other kicks hire till he acknow-
ledges the other •ittor. One of them belongs to
the Royal Horse Guards ( Blur), the other to the
Royal Stafford Militia ; the Blue, who is the sur-
vivor, kicked his antagonist so •iolently, that
he only survived two hours, and died in the
most excruciataig pain. The Coroner's Inquest
is sitting; the particulars of which we shall give tu.

morrow.
William Richards. the licensed Methodist I
Preacher, who was coaviersd of an abominable of-
fence,
stood in the Pillory yesterday, opposite to
Hicks's Hall, Clerkenwell Careen. He appeared to
be upwards of Csa years of age. His years, how-
ever, by no means moved the compassion of the
enraged populace, for they. on the contrary, seemed
to be upon that account the more exasperated against
him. The speEtatois were so enraged at the coadua
of this hoary wretch, that rotten eggs, mui, and all
the filth that could be found, were discharged upon I
him. When the appointed hour was expired, he
was put into a coact', in order to be conveyed away
from the place of punishment but this did out en-
tirely rescue him from the further resentment of the
multitude. A vast concourse of people followed the
carriage, hissing, hallooing, and throwing mud I
and rubbish into it They broke the windows ; and
the Officers who were with him, were obliged to
stop them with the cushions from the seats.
At an early hour on Wednesday morning, as a
file of the Foot Guards passed along the Serpentine
River, Hyde-park, in order to relieve the centinels
on duty, they observed a man close to the water side
snip off his coot and waistcoat, as they thought,
with the intention of bathing: but perceiving that
he plunged lobo the water wunout stripping of any
more of his clothes, they tan forward, and arrived
in sufficient time to rescue him from an untimely
death. They took him to the guard-house, share
he hid his clothes dried, and, atter recovering suit-.
timely, as it appeared he was very much in 1 quire,
he requested his name might be kip& a secret, as he
bad dune it through intoxication, without toe small-
est cause whatever that be *es could recoils&

asap.

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POLICE.
YATTOtt•OAIDIt.
eindresr MGR was brought before the Sitting
Magtarate, Mr. Bates, charged with robbing sc
•oral coffee-houses of clothes, watches, &c. and
avers other articles.

Trott. the Officer, received information
from Mr. H•dmes. of the White Horse Inn, Fetter-
lane, yesterday morning, and he and Mr. Holmes
proceeded, accompanied by one. of the waiters, in
search of him, After blaring for some tune, they
apprehended him in Upper Berkeley-street. He had
on, when taken, a pair of irnallclotaes, and a pair of
black silk stockings, the property of one of Mr.
Holmes's waiters. besides a watch, which be-
longed to one of the porters.
It appeared that some time since, he drove to the
White Horse Inn, letter-lai.e, where he was accom-
modated with one of the best rooms in the house, in
which he deposited his trunks, and left a charge
with Mrs. Holmes, to take particular care of them,
He did not sleep there until the third night. and it
was afterwards discovered that the room nest to the
one the Prisoner occupied, was euieped of serval
articles of wearing apparel. He decamped from the
White Horse, and left his trunks behind him ; as
he clil not return to claim them, suspicions arose,
and the trunks were opened, *hen it was found
they were filled with bricks. when called upon for
his defence, he confessed his having committed este
out of the many crimes he was charged with ; some
time back his circumstances became erOarraned
when he went to Ireland, where he remained thrte,
years and a half, he returned to London, aid follow-
ed his profession of a Master Tailor. bet finding his
circumstances becoming worse. he unfortunately was
led to the commission of the clime which be had
acknowledged.
He was remanded for a second examination, when
a number of persons at whose houses he has cons-
: misted depredations, are expemted to attend. '
The prisoner is a genteel looking man, about forty
years of age, he had on black breeches and sick
Stockings, striped waistccat, and blue coat, with his
hair powdered.
sow-svaetr.
Yesterday, a question came on to be deter mined.
hslore J. Rase, Esq. the Sstting Magistrate. of CO4
Ilhierable importance to the coal trade in general, but
perticulatly to those engaged as hawkers of coals ;
a description of retail venders. who have started
up within the last few year., using cal ts in all parts
Of Loudon, with bushels of coals and other small
quantities, in srnaU wicks, with bells to the horses
heads. This pradlice pr sees to be very injurious to
the regular traders, as well as a great evil to the hei
clout Mg poor, who are the chief purchasers of foals
in tons way, as in general the coals sue of the worst
sort, and the purchasers have no possible check upon
the measure.
The question came, yesterday, before the Magis-
trate. in the form of an iatormadon, brought by Mr.
Baker and Mr. Tullock, two of the principal coal-
meters belonging to the Westminster uleter's office,
for regulating the measurement of coals. against
William Coolie. of Clevelaosl-street, Fuswoy-square,
a licensed hawker of coals.
The information was filed with a view to check an
attempted evasion of the Coal AA, which states, that
all casts sold, or loaded to be sold, from any wharf,
in Routines exceeding eight bushels, shall be mea-
sured in the presence of a Meter, or be subject to a
penalty of 101.
It appeated from the evidence, that on the 111111111111*
ing of the sth inst. Mr. Baker, one of the /Wiest*
,Vleters. and Robert Hall and Wean% Taylor,
two sworn labouring Meters, attended at their
stations in Scotland-yard Coal Wharf, when they
observed Ore.: gangs of men at work, in three dih
term rooms, in one lighter, put the coals into
bushels, and thee into different sized sacks, and
were loading three waggons with them, witch had
the Defendeut's name upon them.
The met were asked by Mr. Baker whom they
were at work for? they replied for the Defendant.
who was present ; Mr. Baker told hits he was
doing wrong by measuring the coals without a
Meter being present z he replied, that Meters hid
nothing to do with it, as the coals were net sold,
and he intended to sell them in small quantities,
not exceeding eight bushels, and persisted ia mea-
suring the coals without a Meter super ituesiding the
filling of the bushel.
MA9III , after hearing Mr. Com' in
support of the information; and Mr. MA itutio, the
Attorney for the Defendant, convifted the Defend-
ant in the full penalty of 101.
The Attorney fur the Defendant gave notice of
his intention to appeal against the convierton, at the
ensuing Quarter Sessions.
It has transpired, that the Hawkers of Coals have
had a meeting, and raised a fund for the express
purpose of resisting the execution of the Clauses in
the AEI under which the convailion was made.

A frigate, of 38 guns, to be called the Mose-
rb./..ad, Is to be built at Woolwich.
On Wednesday night, Mr. Fun, a Magistrate,
attended by a pasty ot eulice Officers, went to the
work-shop ot Mr. GAIIIITT, a basket-maker, in
datii•place, London-road, in consequence of an in-
formation that en attempt had been made a few
days ago, till break into Mr. G e's premises,
and the Tinian, bad succeeded in stealing his dog.
They tenewed their attempt on Wrdneiday night,
by biingiog a ladder to get in at a bed-room win-
dow over the week-shop, in which a lad. seventeen
years of age, bi,longing to Mr. Gs aura, slept.—
. On their hest attempt, which was at twelvo
at night, the young man fired a pistol at them,
which was only cnarged with powder ; the thwves
ran away, and returned in twenty minutes atter,
with a determination to force their way into the
house. During the interval, the yOung man was
provided by the Police Offi‘ers, who ware upon the
alert, with a loaded blunderbuss, which, on die re•
turn of the robbers, he tired et them, killed one. and
desperately wounded a second, who survived may
a few minutes. A third man was perceived by
the ()Sows running away I they fired, wounded
him in the leg, and took him 11 appears that the
intention of these men was to eft& a Farago
through the premises of Mr. Gaselier, into some
ot the houses that lace the London-road, the back
ot which commaicataa with Mr. aaaaa work-

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idijoitt : . ,, •
or tai c•liiiiiiii O. TN/ Offeneffinfffille. Off
was striper or rearirriao sea gamma of
Caw yoke. ... ,
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The Committee that was appointed to carry into
age the resolution of the Corporation, dated the
13th July last, offering to cede to the United State%
such pan of the public ground as the Secretary ei
War may require, for the purpose of treeing ford.
fi:ations for the drfence.of this city—and atm lei
resolution. dated 4th Aughst, offering the aid of
this Board to the Executive of this .State, to enable
him the more effe6ually to put in proper condition.
for immediate service. the aims and ordnance be.
lowing to the state, and to preset** such neilicary
stores. as the present exigencies may require-Vso
to devise such other means of defence at may bil is
the power of this board to execute;
REPtirtT :
That the Secretary at War, with the other Como's
missioners of the United States. have determined
not only to enlarge and make durable the works oat
Governor's Island, but are now about westing a
very strong anti powerful m seine battery on the
North-west point of that Wand, to extend on the
reef, beyond low water mark. into the river. The -
works on Ellis's Island are to be extended, and the
number of guns and weight of ,the metal greatly
increased. It is also doermined by the general go.
vernment to erect a strong fait, with two or thrall
tiers of guns, to extend beyond the present battery
in front of the flagstaff : also to build a block in
the North River, at the foot of Duaneostreet. of 100
feet square, and to iron a battery thereon. When
these works are completed. it is understood they wit
be able to bring 120 suns to bear upon any point is
the bay, between Bedlow's Island and the city. The
Commissioners have also fixed upon the old Potter's
Field, as a proper plaza to erea laboratories and sr-
sends. for depositing and repairing arms and mili-
tary stores. The several scites where these works are
to be erected, and which are within the jurisdieloo
i of this Board, yow Committee have offered. on the
part of the Corporation, to cede their right, maim'
as a survey can be made to designate the proper
Metes and bounds.
Although the works which are 'relies tinder tlit
diroftion of theUnitedSMtee.are proper, and maybe
considered very useful, as part of a gmeral
of defence, they are. however, deemedsoot sttlfisfest
in themselves to afford that protettiou &pinta Mae
ritime force which will insure us safety is ease arse
attack. Your Committee have deliberately con&
dered the several plans for the defence of the bar-
bour that have been published, and whets that ha
been handed to them; they have also tabard myerai
soundings to be made of the harbour, from the Nara
r iw; to Bedlow's Island. and find the shoal,* want
to be in a line between Red , fleet and a rod 4
rocks on the west flat. abut half a mile below ,
low's Islands and from the various informatioo
coined, have thought it most adeisaidrt to moll*
mend t e following plan :
To begin at a reef of rocks that is bate de Will.
water, about half a mile to the o.utli of ersdlowlos
Island. and run a course east by south, to themes.
therly point of Red-Hook, on Loog-Islasd. no "1
distance across, on this line, i. Amu 3000 yards. of ,1
ii
1 which, near 400 yards, the water is 60 feet dolt at
low-water, and the remainder varies from 40 to
16 feet in depth. A considerable part of the dis-
tance, say about 700 yards, does not exceed le
feet at low-water.
To secure this place against the passage of shim
whose draft of water exceeds 18 or 111 feet. it Is :
proposed that blocks be sunk, to consist of timbat
and stone, in the manner the piers to cur *hone'
ate made, the vise of which to to in proportion to
the depth of the water, and to secure their stand.
ins firm, to have the base always greater than the
height. These blocks to be 50 feet wide in their
position across the river, and to approach within 10
feet of the surface of the water, at low tide, and
to leave a space between each bkck of SO feet. To
commence sinking the blocks at Red-Hook, and to
continue them until they come within 210 yards of
the reef of rocks on the flit before•me .bone ~ If
it should be feared that ships might pass bimetal
*the blocks, where the space left is SO feet, that
Gould be remedied by projeCting 3 or 4 large tim.
bars obliquely, on the upper pan of the blocks,
with their points faced with iron, ia the manner of
II chevaux de frixe ; these might eaten I from each
block 10 feet, which would then le .ve the space
but 50 feet. these oostruetions, being thus placed,
would compel all vessels, drawing more than 16 or
le feet of water, t s pass within the space of 4200 a
yards, next the reef of rock. At that place a fort
of such strength might be eroded. with two or three
tiers of guns, as should be judged sufficient to dos
I fend this passage against any hostile lost. The
fort could be 'reeled without difficulty at this place,
there being several acres cf ground bars aglow
water, which is hard and firm. But as an adilidroid
security against a fleet poising the fort, a atteleer
of chevanx de friss might be made, and as Asp&
In case of a hostile fleet appearing, they Oeitill he s
placed in the passage in a short time. Timm wills
be removed whew the danger disappeared.
A further security against forcing this passage by
an enemy, would be by placing in it a ts,ons, ass.
strafed in an angular form A. with the point out.
wards, to be moored with a number of grappling.
and anchors. If. irowever, it should still be be.
Leved possible that these obstrWeions may be re.
moved, and a fleet pass through the passage Y.
tended to be left open, it is propped. dna at the
distance of two hundred yards to tber smothered
from the line of obstruitioai lode, reef balm nos.
tinned, four or five blocks he sink. sessubassig
from the tlat that borders the west sided do dm.
eel, to extend into the chatted two bassind Yards,
so as to be parallel to the last binds of Mr.. •
tending from Red Hook. and pa assered the
ward blocks or extremities of sob lanai
with a strong boom or chain which can hair :=
with great ave. as it will ride parallel wish Es
'tide and not across it. It will this" be avidantabie
a ship coming to New-York mast amp bra
mane and stand dsreilly for the lost. add it ie
tillibirstts:certain. that her crossing the tide Waled to
impede her way. that use chain VOW ea. '..
tinily arrest her proves!. when she would be sweps.%,
by the current. throaty *a me blocks, andieftgallmt.
mercy of the lent.
1,1 it should be thought necessary. and
that this chain might pcsably be forsed. a

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3,6:10f blocks might be made, four • hundred
1: to the north of the last mentioned line, to ex-
tend into the channel two hundred yards, and be
• conneled in the sense manner as the first, with a
boom and chain ; this would again oblige a vessel
to alter her course, and stand directly from the
fort ; her headway by this time would be so im-
peded. that this second chain would certainly stand.
It may be said, that a feet of ships would take the
fort, and then remove the obstruaions. • This is ad-
mitted to be possible : but it the fort be .yell de.
fended, and of suitable strength, with the aid of
gun-boats, which can here be used with great cf.
fel. it is reasonable to believe the fleet would be
also crippled, and some of them d .stroyed. What
then wield be their situation ? they cannot hold the
fete. yew it is entirely commanded by the works on
Illedlow's Island, AA it cannot he suppoQed they
would attempt to come to town in their disabled
slate, to encounter ether and more numerous and
powerful fortifications.
The pith of defending the city of New York, by
submarine obstrufli arse, have been objefted to on
several grounds. First, it has been doubted by
some, wheth-r blocks can he stunk where the water is
BO feet deep, and if they can be sunk, whether they
will stand the force of the current and the storms.
Second, that by placing obstineions in the channel
to such an event, it wl.l have an injurious effect
epnn the current, and probably effect the ebb and
Aor of the tide. l'hird, that if they could be sunk
and made to stand, and would have no bad effea
upon the tide, the worms in a few years would de-
stroy the timber, and the stones would fall out,
woo it would require the same expense to renew
them again. And fourth, that providence has
g've us one of the best harbours in Vie world, and
the obstructions would exceedingly injure the pas-
sage of ships going out and coming an, and they
would occasionally get on these blocks, by which
they might be injured or lost.
As to the first objection, it is answered, that, upon
invite, from the m st experienced dock builders,
they anuresis there is no difficulty in sinking blocks
"there the water does not exceed sixty feet in depth,
and they have no doubt of their misting the force
pf the current. We see, almost daily. blocks of only
thirty feet square, sunk in the East. and North Rivers
opposite the city, where the water is thirty-five or
forty feet deep. and the current opposite to the
town is =itch stronger than it is in the bay, where
thecestrestions are contemplated to be made. Old
Mariners assert. that the agitation of water in a storm
m principally on the surface, aid the bottom of the
me is not disturbed in any proportion to the surface;
ifda being the case, there can no danger arise from
Jfeems, es the blocks will not be within tea feet of
'he surface of the water at low tide.
• o The seen ,I objeoin.i lies more weight, as this is
jfnew thing, and we have ne experience to guide
If it should have the iejurioua effect upon the
Ma to the extent that some suppler, the obstruc.
:elms ought certainly to be abandoned ; as we have
pd guide to direa Ud, eatery one must exercise his
sun judgment. Your Committee have, however,
nude various calculations, that the public mind
play have some dame to form an opinion.
Is will be observed, that the extent of the bar-
ber, from Ited-11:rok on Long Island, to Cowan's
Wu. on the Jersey shore, is near four miles; that
the distance of the obstructions contemplated to
be made. is about one and an half miles; that the
blocks take un only half the space as far as they go.
and that they do not come within ten feet of the
itutface at low water; the whole column of water,
flowing between Long Island and the Jersey shore,
at low water, amount' to 350.000 square feet, and
the proposed obstructions amount to 77,000 square
feet ; not one-quarter of the whole column of the
water will use obstructed, and if the number of
square feet be taken at halt tide, the obstructions
will only be one-exth past of the whole space. It
woull appear from these calculations, that the ob-
strudions could have nn injurious effea upon the
ebb and flew of the tide ; the ground and the
whams made on the east side of this city, have
ennoaeled the river mere than one-quarter of its
original breadth, and our piers now, are in the deep.
est pan of the river. It has not been observed,
that the tide flaws less at this time at 'Hell Gate,
than it did a century past. The current, nn doubt,
is stronger opposite the town than it was fo:rnerly ;
but it is believed that the same quantity of water
passes in the river now, that did before the river was
eontraaed.
e tenet objection is against the duribilee of the
,sleeks. Your Committee Dave taken to
elanitee some of the oldest wharves in this city.
The Crane Wharf, which has been built about IC
years, has b.en searched under wilier at low tide ;
the timber appears to ha pettedly sound. and not
the lea: decayed. We have claming d another
wharf, which was said to have been built previous
to the revoiution, the umber of which appeared to
be sound. There is no doubt there are maims iii
the timber ; they make 'mail holes into the logs
where they enter, but do not entirely destroy the
wood Fri = the information of dock-huilders who
have broken up old docks that have been built fifty
year... the timber some distance below low water
mask has been little worm eaten, bet such pots as
the stones have covered,have not been touched by the
worms, and were as sound as when put into the
wharf.
To the fourth and last objection. that it will injure
the navigation, it is answeied, that there will be
tia:er suffii ient for nine-tenths i:f our vessels to sail
over the ebstrudions, and such as require a larger
draft of wat:ir. at all times when the wind is. lair,
can pass through the space of 200 yards intended
to be left onobstrueled ; but is may sometimes hap-
pen, when the wind is a-head the ship will lose a
few td o before a suitable time offers to come up ;
and there is a posobility of some being lost by get.
ring on the blocks; but, considering the great obe
j-a of having the city safely proteet:d from invite
stem these objections are cf small moniere.
The calculations of expense to make the obstroo.
lions in the channel, will not exceed eue,ooo dol.
lats. and to raise the flat IW:5.k-slily high to eret*a
fort upon. of 1000 feet in length. and 100 feet in
breadth, will not be more than 100.000 dollars le
the cast of boilding the fort and its necessary ap.
pend.g. 1. jour Committee here not military expo.
eience sutfi:ten or determine.
If the Corporation should think proper to adopt
• glee plan of defeacee and to proceed immediately