The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-12 00:00:00

A HORRID CIRCUMSTANCE.

A discovery of the most painful and revoltin; descrip-
tion was made on Monday last, on board the ship Latona,
which had just been freighted, and was about to sail from
Liverpool to Leith. Whet) the vessel was on the point of
leaving the former port, a most disagreeable effluvium was
perceived by the persons on board, but without the cause
being immediately known. The smell, however, became
more and more offensive, and, on endeavourir•.g to trace
whence it proceeded, some of the crew suspected it to
issue from three casks which were on board, and had
been shipped for Leith. A hole was immediately bored
into one of them, and no doubt then existed as to the
cause; but such was the nature of the stench it emitted,
that it excited the tnost painful suspicions. The casks
were instantly opened, when the horrible discovery was
made that they contained several human bodies, some of
them perfect, others mutilated, and all in the most
shocking state of-decomposition. No time was lost in in-
quiring ftom whence the casks had come, and upon that
circumstance being learned, information was instantly
given to the police, who despatched several officers to the
premises. On their arrival they made strict search, and
ewe breaking open the doors of an underground cellar, a
place well calculated for concealment, they succeeded in
finding eleven other casks of a similar description to those
on board the Latona, all of which, on being broken open,
were found -to contain human balks, in a state too
painful to describe ; some were perfect, others dissected,
and some, we shaidder at the recital, were put into pickle !
On extending their search several sacks were discovered,
containing also the violated remains of the dead. The
whole number of bodies thus found to have been taken
from the silent tomb is no less than thirty-five. The dis-
tressing sensations which this most extraordinary affair has
occasioned to the inhabitants of Liverpool cannot be de-
scribed. The agitation of those who have bat,Tally lest either
a relative or friend is extreme, from the dreadful appre-
hension that the corpse they had so recently consigned to
the grave might be among the number of those which
have been so sacrilegiously torn front it. We are not yet
aware of what proceedings are to follow this most strange
event, but certainly a very rigid investigation will be im-
mediately commenced.

DREADFUL OCCURRENCE AT THE TIVOPENNy
POST-OFFICE, LOMBARD-STREET.

Yesterday evening about six o'clock, the neighbourhood of the
Post-office was thrown into a considerabli,degree of alarm, in con-
sequence of a loud report, proceeding from the office where the let.
tens to be forwarded by the Twopenny.post are stamped. It was
immediately conjectured that an explosion of the gas had taken
place : but this was no: the case, the report having proceeded from
quite a different cause. A more shameful transaction than that
which occasioned the accident has not bean made public tat some
time; the particulars are as follow :
It appears that a man named Westbrook, a letter-stamper at the
Twopt nny Post-office, was, at USW!, marking the letters, previous
to their being despatched from toe office to their various destina-
tions ; and lie had not long commenced his work ere a loud report,
equal to that of a small cannon, completely paralyzed ell the
officers of the establishment, anti the gas was partially blown out.
This was occasioned by a letter having been put into the Post-office,
possibly for a joke, or perhaps from some had motive, in which was
contained a large quantity of detonating powder. lYhen the
►tatup was thrown upon the letter by lt'estbrook, it of course im-
mediately exploded, and, dreadful to relate, the stemper's right
hand was nearly blown to pieces. The nails on each hand were all
blown away, and the flesh from the tip of the third, fourth, and the
little linger, to the knuckles, was severed from the bone, which
also was fractured in various places. The !loft nearly up to the
elbow presented the most horrid aspect, and the poor man's face
and neck aim met with a severe aeon Idng.
Another man, named Sadkr, who was standing next to
ll'estbrook, was blown down by the violence of the explo-
sion, and his face very much disfigured. A third person also bad
lis hand very much burnt. The board on which the letters are
stamped, such was the force of the powder, was completely burnt
through, and many of the letters were destroyed. As the one
which contained the powder was instantaneously burnt, it will be
impossible to find out the individual who has thus shamefully re-
sorted to such n monstrous proceeding.

Westbrook was taken immediately to the Mail-coach public-
house, in Sherboume-face, and medical advice procured. The
fractures are very intricate, and the medical gentleman feared am-
putation would be necessary. The pain endured, on the hand be-
ing thrust into cord water, if we may judge from the torture
evinced by the patient, must, indeed, have been very severe.
Poultices were administered as soon as possible, and the titter man
will be removed to his house as soon as it is thought prudent.

There can be no doubt that this scandalous transaction will he
fully investigated, and a reward offered for the apprehension of
those who have risked human life. Bad the man's face been near
the letter at the time of the explosion, it must inevitably have killed
him.

MA UK E TS.
CORN EXCHAN(iIi, u
..00TAL7EDNESDAY,
. . .

We had scarcely any fresh arrivals to.dsy, but the greater part
of the supply of Oats being left over from Monday made a great
show. Our Marl:et 51:1! Very dull this morning he all sorts. bf
()rain, without any material variation in the prim. of any article,
except the middling and interim nullities of Feed Oats, which
acre 6J. to Is. per quarter cheaper than on Monday.