The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-08-28 00:00:00

GRAND SAILING MATefl.

Yesterday a very fine competition took place among the fisher-
men of old Father Thames, within the boundaries, for the new
peter boat, given by some gentlemen who are fond of encouraging
aquatic sporzs, particularly where the competitors are hardworking
and industrious men. The match, from the parties engaged, was
known to be on the," square;" and as the boat with its appendages,
is certainly an object worthy the effort of skill, perhaps a more excel.l
lent display has not taken place this season than that of yesterday;
it excited great interest. and a " flotilla" of boats of every name!
and class was seen moving over the "azure flood." From Black.
friars Bridge the river presented a most pleasing spectacle ; the'
start took place float thence, and the bustle of the parties engaged
so deeply in the contest was extremely amusing. Several of the
competitors were engaged to the moment of starting in trimming
their light barks, under the direction of sonic experienced stagers.
while the shouts, and dashing of the oats, with sundry immersions'
and vociferations, kept the mold continually alive. George Heath.
the veteran of the Thames. appeared in his barge, with a •' select"
and, we are informed, " literary" group. Several of the pleasure
boats which have latterly been engaged in aquatic contests were
sailing about, with colours gaily flying.
At three o'clock the following boats were placed at the buoys for
starting :-
1 Deception . - Michael Murphy Blarkwall,
2 Betsy - R. Flynn Bankside.
3 Ann's Delight . E. Cobb, jun, Greenwich.
4 New Unity . -E. Barbery Wandsworth.
6 Favourite . . Thomas Roberts Ditto.
6 Henry . White Chiswick.
7 Victory . Thomas Brill 11'
andsworth.
8 Father a Child Forgot John Garthwaite Greenwich.
9 Friends ttoodwill . Robert Ellmore Ilankaide.
10 William and George G. Banks Lambeth.
11 henry and Jape .J. Ilarbut Wandsworth.
12 Endeavour . . J. Reed Greenwich.
13 Favourite - . Samuel Perkins 'Wandsworth.
11 Thomas and Agnes - Thos. Pridniore Battersea.
And the conditions of the match were stated to be, that the peter '
boats were not to exceed • certain length (22 feet), and to sail I
under spritsail and foresail ; the distance from litickfrlars to Put-1
ney and back. All having agreed to and ratified those terms, the'
wherries moved out of the way t the stream appeared clear for
action, when the " fleet" containing the lookers-on set sail, and
in a few minutes the signal for being at positions was made, and at
twenty minutes to four o'clock the start took place. The Victory
end the Ann's 1/elight having declined the competition, only twelve
boats started. The contest at the setting out was very fine, the
wind blew fresh from the east, and the tide fully favoured the ts.
pectations of the competitors.
The Betsy took the lead, and kept' it in fine style through '
Waterloo-bridge, having evidently every advantage of tackle
however the Father's Child Forgot bore up, and, in a gesnt way,
took the lead, and at Vauxhall-bridge she was passed in tine style
by the Endeavour, Favourite, and Thomas Agra; this last boat,
in Chelses.reach, was slightly fouled, she, however, bore on her
starboard tack away, and had gained the lead, not only at Batter.
sea, but in the far famed teach for trial of skill, at 11 andsworth,
where the Betsy, by bearing to the windward, gained considerably
upon the Thomas and Agnes ; but this boat, by great stress of sail,
pushed upon a contrary tack, and, by dint of the most skilful
management, gained the breeze, and gallantly passed round the
boat stationed off the Powder-house, Putney, followed by the
Betsy ; but this boat had something to do to avoid The Father's
Child Forgot, an 4 at this moment the contest was between the
three boats. The Thomas and Agnes cut on under every
riescription of tack closely pressed by the Betsy, who made
every effort to keep under her wake. At Nine Elms the second
boat was slightly fouled, but she had no chance of winning
the prize, as the leading boat was at least, on every tack, 30 lengths
a-head. At 211 minutes past six, amid the roar of cannon, and
cheers of an immense assemblage, at Cumberland Gardens, the
Thomas and Agnes came in the winning boat, striking the
wit-sail. The order of coining in appeared to be, the Betsy, the
Father's Child Forgot, and the Favourite. The coming In was
very line; there was scarcely any difference in sailing, -but evi-
dently Pridniore, the owner of the Thomas and Agnes, well un-
derstood the weather gage of the River, and consequently distanced
his opponents.
Cuinbezland Gardens were thronged to excess, as were all the
houses on the hanks of the Thames; and we are glad to find that
the gay and animated scene passed over without any accident. The
. whole was -under the direction of Mr. Blackhounie, salesman. A
• number of yachts were out, and came in before the competitor*.

ME LA NCIIOLY CATASTkorne.—BurelrFss, Aco. IT.-
1 ant sorry to inform you that a melancholy occurrence took place
here this morning. Captain Hamilton, Chief I Meer of Water_
guards at Tr)bnnce atation, in St. John's Point, was on duty last
met, a-rompanied by three of his men, named 11111, Keating. and BASE or GIINAT DISTRE/13.—The Liverpool Courier
Redmond, when he was returning this IllOrning about six o'clock, !
within two miles of shore it began to blow a inter' gale, and the of AVednesday, says--" It may be recollected, that, in the month
an to run high. The boat, either from carrying ton much sail, of December last, we mentioned the loss of the ship Ilrytna,
or her tackling being disordered, upset, and immediately sank. bound from kliramichi for this port. The whole of the crew (in.
Capt. Hamilton laid hold of a piece of board, which he retained, eluding the master), twenty in number, were lost, with the ex.
until perceiving Dill almost exhausted; he then, with a chive'_ ception of two inert, viz. Samuel Burrows, the mate. belonging
roue and unexampled generosity, threw it towards him, at the to Hull, and Edward Tailor, a seaman, of Dainstsorough. Theis
sante time cheeriog hint to strteigle h. life. Hill eagerly grasped ince, after seeing most of their companions perish, providentially
the gift of his noble fellow.sutierer, and preserved a buoyant po. arrived in the small skiff at a French settlement in Cape !Ireton,
s;tion until a boat, with much difficulty, arrived and rescued them where they were humanely attended by .he inhabitants, who car.
from a watery grave. after struggling nearly an hour. Keating rietl them from the skiff to a fisherman's hut; but, from the 1
and Itetimond, two of the bravest men in the service here, were i hardship they underwent, and the severity of she weather, they
unfortunately drowned. They continued only about five minutes
".
I have each of them lost both their fort. They have lately arrived
above water the boat sunk. The former has lett a widow and' at this port
child to deplore his untimely !etc.—lrish Time:. I)EATM FROM WANT...—An inquest was held yesterday ,
Stlit (AMC: ACCIDENT AT rut: St' lIREY TDEATIM. evening at the Hose and Crown public-house, l'ommercial-rmid
llii Thursday night list, during the performances at the Surrey Lambeth, before Charles Jemmett, Esq. l'oroner for Surrey, on the
Theatre, the andi:nee was thrown into the most sensitive alarm, by body of William Payne. It appeared from the evidence of the
tin accident which took place on the stage, and which was likely to WitliCallol that the deceased was forinerly a Trip:liable master
have ended fatally in its consequences. At the conclusion of the sawylv, but a long s. ruggle with misfortune had reduced hint to
piss, entitled The Burning Brillqr, a Speette (pctfornted by Mr. the necessity of seeking employment as a journeyman, and even
lasd:e), basin make its appearance to koming Otosbotham), sue- that scanty employ seldom fell to his lot; indeed, for the last six
rutintled by clouds, while seated in a car. In descending from the months, he had been entirely destitute of work or other means of
top of the star, by some accident the machinery cattle in contact support to his distressed wife and three children. On Thursday hr
with some of the burning materials, and the trappings with which left hone about five o'clock in the morning, as was his daily cue-
' the young gentleman was surrnundesi caught lee, and, in a short tom, to endeavour to obtain employment, but he returned in half an
period he was enveloped in Eames, and in that awful situation he hour, and complained of being very ill ; and about two o'clock in
remained for some time, the car being too elevated for hint to leap the day his poor wife called her landlady, stating that her husband
out, and he arented not to he swan of the danger that threat. had dropped down dead. Ott going up stairs the deceased was
eneil him until the car was about eighteen feet from the floor of ths found on the floor with his head resting on his wife's lap. lie only
,Wage. The atedierce, on virwing the dreadful dilemma in which I gave one groan, and expired. Two surgeons were called in, but
,lt.r was placed. expressed a feeling of horror, and several ladies' the vital spark had fled for ever. The Jury returned a verdict "that
hinted. The genes at length becameso powerful, that Mr. Leslie I the deceased died by the visitation of Clod, but that they thought
leaped from the car to the stage, and fell with considerable vbs. his death accelerated by a want of food."
knee, in cousetitti•nee of which h, was dreadfully injured about the I Yesterday, about two o'clock, as a labouring man, natned
lags, /Ice. The curtain imnietliately dropped, and the unforttqatte Sullivan, was pm-ceding front the Ilorougfi.market, where he had
1
mg gentleman was carried into the tin en !Nom, and a sukeon tussle a trifling purchase, sud passing by the Town-hall, he fell
nay procured. It was afterwards announced to the audience down, in a state of insensibility. Alderman Smith immediately
that c was not dangerously hurt, which seemed to appease their i despatched Beeves, the Marshaltitan, to Mr. Couttney, the head
fears, its he was enasidered to be severely injured. lie was con. beadle of St. Saviour a parish, who, with the utmost promptitude,
veyed home, and •we .understand that he is doing very well at . attended, and had him conveyed to the Il'orkhoute3 where in less
present. ' than an hour be expired.