The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-08-24 00:00:00

NE is .111..7.110D15T CII.4PEL.

On Monday evening, was performed the ceremony of
laying the first stone of a new 3lethodist Chapel, in the
Back-read, Islington, which was attended by several
hundred persons, amongst whom were many very respeta-
-I.le ladies and gentlemen attached to that mode of wor-
ship,
The ordinary ceremonials observed on these occasions,
amongst the people called Mt:fialists, arc very simple
land unostentatious. The service commenced with an ap-
propriate Hymn, from the Rev. John IVesley's collection,
then a prayer suitable to the'svicasion, and after that
another Hymn was sung, in which the majority of the
spectators assembled, took part.
The Rev. Adam Clarke, L.L.D. who is at the head of 1
the Methodist Conference, was requested to perform the
office of founder, which he did, assisted by several gentle-
men in the connexion. 'Thence. Gentleman subsequently '
delivered an extemporaneous discourse, in which he took
a comprehensive review of the general state of religious
feeling throughout the country, and in the metropolis,
particularly, he observed, that notwithstanding. the ob-
stacks thrown in the way by means of superstitious and
infidel publications, yet, he was hapy to say, the Gospels,
was still pursuing its march, and in many instances, the
Temple of the Lord was reared on the ruins of these
iperishable structures.
As• it was apprehended, from the large concourse of per-
sons likely to attend on this occasion, that some obstruction
might have been offered by idle or ill-disposed persons, a
party of the Bow-street patrol, under the control of • Mr.
Beech, conductor of the Islington division, were in attend-
ance, but happily they bad no occasion to interfere, as
every thing. went off in the greatest decorum and harmony

PROOF'S OF THE FLO9D.

The Director of Manx museum has published, in one
of the Isle of Man papers, the following account of a sin-
gular phenomenon now visible on the coast of the lsle of
Man:—

It is a well authenticated fact that the last winter was
!characterized by a continued succession of heavier storms
from the S.W. than what had been experienced for a great
!number of years. It follows that the bed of the sea on
the southern aide of our island was frequently convulsed ;
that its shingle, shells, and wreck were often cast upon the
neighbouring shore, and its upper stratum laid bare at low
water mark, to the exatnination of the curious.

This was precisely the case in many situations; but in
no place so prominently remarkable as on the coast of the
ocean immediately opposite Mount Gawne, the seat of
Edward Gawne, Esq., lying between the bay of Castle-
town and Port-le-Murray. It may be proper litre to re-
mark that during the prevalence of the late tropical wea-
ther, the reflux title flowed out to a greater distance than
what is on Manx record ; and that, in consequence, the
exposed bed of the sea presented appearances of a novel or
unusual character.

It was not, however, till towards the end of last month
that such unusal appearances attracted any notice, or met
with any investigation. It was not till the 25th ult. that
the family of Mount Gawne, perceiving several children
intensely occupied at low water mark, immediately oppo-
site the house, walked down to learn the object of the
children's research ; when, to their inexpressible surprise,
they found them standing on a bank of decompos:d wood,
generally of hazel, as was evident from the tenure of the
bark, and the existence of several nuts and clusters of nuts
observable in the organic stratum.
The company who visited this grand phenomenon, had
the good taste to select some fine specimens of these ante-
diluvian remains, and they had also the great goodness to
transmit them to the Manx Museum, where they are now
deposited for the inspection of the public. The principal
specimen consists of a cluster of nuts in a matrix of de,
composed vegetable matter; the second specimen is a piece
of hazel, with every feature perfect; and the third is a de-
tached nut, in such a state of florid ripeness, as to be split
at one end.

This discovery—these facts are of stupendous mag,ni-
tude. They decide the question as to the history of the
earth, and the nature of islands. They prove that the
present earth is nothing but the ruins of a former world ;
that islands are only the summits of vast mountains, and
that the lower intervening grounds had been dry valleys,
previously to their having been subject to the irruption of
the waters of the "great deep."
Without dwelling any longer upon generalities, let us
confine ourselves to one particular fact. The stratum, or
bank of hazel wood in question, is of so extensive and
fixed a nature, as not to admit of the hypothesis of its be-
ing foreign to its present situation. It will not admit the
assumption that it was removed from a former site to its
present bed by some superhuman agency. Hence it must
be allowed, that its existing situation was once a fertile
valley, where trees grew and fruit flourished.
But it may be urged, that, as in many instances in other
countries, the waters of the ocean have gradually gained
upon the Manx coast. This argument appears few. In
the case before us, however, it is neither tenable nor sound.
Why? because had the waters gained gradually on the
hazel plantation there would have been no decomposed
foliage—no perfectly ripe fruit ! Whereas the ripeness of
ill.: fruit and the remains of the foilage, indicate a sudden
inundation, and attest that God called for the waters of the
sea, and poured them forth on the " face of the earth."
Even the period of the year in which this terrific visitaticn
occurred is made abundantly apparent. The perfection of
the nuts bears evidence it was autumn ; and that it pleased
him who "measures the waters of the sea in the hollow of
his band," and " who sitteth upon the flood," to de-
vastate the earth when it abounded most in riches and in
beauty.
From the trend of the hazel balk to the coast of Wales,
the natural conclusion is. that the Isle of Man formed the
northern boundary of Wales. In respect to the materiel
of the bank the wood is not in a state of petrifaction ; it is
merely in a preserved condition—in such a one as may be
attributed to the saline and marle strata, on which it re-
poses, or with which it is incorporated throughout. So
remote is the hare' wood Crow a petrified quality, that it
has not even lost its elasticity ; on breaking, it first bends.

Oa Tuesday evening, the 16th instant, as a number of
young persons were fishing at Mutton Cove, Devonport, a
fine boy, aged about seven years son of a respectable ship-
wright of the Dock-yard, named William May, fell into
the sea off the pier. Mr. Fitzgerald, Purser of the Britan-
nia, who was at some distance, witnessed the rush of the
people to the spot, and concluding, as the event turned out,
that some person was in imminent danger, ran to the scene
of confusion and dismay. A few seconds would prove
fatal ! Mr. Fitzgerald threw oft' his coat, and sprang off'
the pier into the water. After having arrived upon the
surface, and on looking around him, he found the boy bad
'disappeared. Mr. Fitzgerald, after recovering a little
breathing, dived, and both continued under water for such
considerable time, as to excite serious apprehensions in the
minds of the spectators of this scene, that neither would
make his appearance again : all this time, Mr. Fitzgerald,
as it will be easily conceived, was in search of his object.
Both, however, soon did appear, the boy being held by the
left hand above the water, while his preserver struggled
with the other fur the shore: The tide was at ebb, which
drifted them to leeward. They reached that part of the
pier which unfortunately did not admit Mr. Fitzgerald by
any sort of projection tthe surface being smooth) to lay
hold of any thing to afford him support. The boats were 'I
in the next basin • and, amidst the confusion, not one was
at hand. Providentially, however, two marines arrived,
whose timely assistance rescued Mr. Fitzgerald from his
perilous situation. The boy was immediately taken to his
parents, and is now perfectly recovered. Mr. Fitzgerald,
on his landing, was much exhausted, and appeared under,
the influeme of a lethargic delirium, totally unconscious
for some time of the occurrence that had taken place. On
his recovering himself, his first impulse was to feel his
waistcoat pocket, where, we understand, he had a consider-
able sum, received that morning at the Victnalling-yard—
but it ass gone ! nor has any part of it been traced, although
two confidential people have been since in search of the
property at low water. We are given to understand, that
this is not the first instance that this highly respectable
gentleman has hazarded his life in the cause of humanity.
The parish church of Aston was, in the course of Tiies-
day night last, entered through one of the windows, and a
considerable number of. prayer-books stolen thereout.
Bit minghas, Galsele.

WELSH ASSIZES.
BRECON GREAT SESSIONS, AUGUST 19.

MURDER•
John Evans wan indicted for the wilful murder of Matgaret
Williams, of the parish of Islandulu.
It appeared that about two o'clock in the morning of Monday,
the Bth inst. tht unfortunate woman was called from her bed by
some one, when she went out of sluts, thinly clothed, and did not
return. On its being ascertained that she had disappeared, a sus.'
picion was raised that she had tome to an untimely end ; and as
she was pregnant by the prisoner, means were taken for his appro.-
hettsion, and he Inn next day secured and committed to prison.
The matter having caused a very strong sensation in the neigh-
bourhood, great exertions were made to discover the supposed mur-
dered body ; but Evan., all along denied any knowledge of it. It
was still, however, confidently believed that he had perpetrated the
mime; and it was also thought that his brother-in-law. Daniel
Rowlands, was likely to know something of the !DRUM On some
address being used by the constable, a few days afterwards, the
bloody secret in a great measure cattle out ; and Rowlands stated
that Evans brought the dead body to the house. on horseback, in
the night, requesting him to lend a spade, and afford his assistance
in burying the corpse. Rowlands likewise stated that the spade
was lent, and that he went some part of the way with him, but
from a horror of the proceedings he soon returned : he also de.
scribed the direction in which Evans had taken the body, and the
spot was at last discovered in a retired situation. On removing the
earth the remains of the unfortunate woman were found buried,
with the clothing she had on when she left her house, on her side,
about two feet below the surface; the person burying her having
covered the grave with the original sods, and trod them with his
feet without shoes, and carefully spread the spare earth at some
distance, to prevent a discovery. On examination of the body it
was found that death was occasioned by the dislocation of the neck
of the unfortunate woman. \Viten the circumstances attending
I the discovery of the body were made known to Evans, lie acknow.
1 ledged his having buried it, but denied his committing murder.
The Counsel for the prisoner matte strenuous efforts to substan-
' tiate a flaw in the indictment, from an alleged inaccuracy in its
legal technicalities; but they were overruled by the Court; and,
after a trial of nine hours, the Jury returned a verdict of Guilty.
The JUDGE then pronounced the awful sentence, that the pri-
soner be executed on Monday at Brecon, and his body given for
dissection.

The unhappy criminal, who appeared to be under thirty year,
of age, and is said to be possessed of considerable property, heard
his dreadful doom with leis apparent emotion than many of th,:
auditors._

The miserable victim to the lawless passion of the prisoner, be-
sides being again pregnant, had a child livOlg bx tie same barba-
rous father; and it has been stated that he WM paying his addresses
to another female, who had discouraged his suit, in consequence of
his former guilty connexion.