The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-07-09 00:00:00

WEST INDIA DOCKS.

A General Meeting of the Proprietors of the West
India Dock Stock was held on Friday, when Nlr.
Hilmar, the Chairman, after noticing some ma-
levolent reports respelling the Company, which he
imputed to those who had experienced a diminution
in their trade, from the success of the Docks, hut,
For whom the Legislature had provided liberal in-
demnification, proceeded to take a general view of
the Company's situation, of which he drew the most
encouraging pi.fturc. He shewed its perfea solidity,
and declared his conviction of its complete success.
He noticed the quantity of trade, which, although
somewhat later this year, might soon be looked for,
and observed, how great a quantity might be ex-
peeked from the captured possessions of the enemy.
So rations!, indeed, and well-grounded was this
expectation, that the Diredors had thought it their
duty to provide for its reception, by contraCting fur
an additional nnmber of wareh-uses, in the erecting
of which, as well as of every other work, the Proprie-
s might be assured, the utmost economy would be
used. He said, the Diredors could not be account-
able for any occasional depreciation of the price of
the stock, it was what the funds of all public com-
panies were subject to ; but he could safely say, that
he knew of no reasonable cause for it at present : on
the contrary, he observed, that there were consider-
able resources of the Company yet untouched, and
that their spare land alone would produce a con-
siderable rental, whenever they should receive the
rile from the City, and be disposed to lett it.
A conversation of some length followed, in which
Mr. Slade, Mr. Milligan, Mr. Johnson, Mr. R.
Jackson, and other Proprietors took a p:i•-t.
Mr. JacKsos ofr.-rved, that all tltxt arned to
him to be iiereasary ti. put their a rock,
and tic them in the public estimation, w is, a rule or
by-I to- of the Company, to restrain the preent and
all lutare ItireChns from any further extension of
works, not enjoined by law, unless such extension
were consistent with the due payment of the dividend
assigned by the \R, which, he contended, good
faith towards the Proprietors required to be kept in-
violate; any extension consistent with that good faith,
he, and every other Proprietor, must rejoice to see
occasion for.

After an assurance from the Chair, that the Di-
reaors entertained no such idea as had beri alluded
tri, and required no law to prevent them from whit
he hoped their own prudence would sufficiently
guard them against, the Court adjourned see dir.

A very gallant action has been performed by the
boats of the Re abut, of 44 guns, commanded by
Captain Boys, who cut out two of the enemy's
vessels from under the batteries near Cape Grisnea.
The prizes prove, however, to be wretched craft, of
a very bad coneruCh.n, whbout any troops on
board, and kith (sly thirteen men in both of them.
The Dollars taken by the Ms schocr...r were d,-
posited in the Bank on Saturday. The private n..n
will share about 3001. a piece.
A new frigate of 44 guns, to be called La Forty,
is to be immedia•%4 built at Sheerness.
The Flushing squadron n-sw consists of the As.
telope, C•rseeal, Pew:lope, Ranier, Issepeaor. Ga
with some guts-brigs, cutters, and lugger,, extending
from Flushing to Ostend. A report was revalent
in the squadron on Thursday, that the whole of the
enemy's flotilla is to put to sea on the 15th of this
month.

A private letter from Rotterdam, dated the 9i!
instant, says, '. The idea of a rupture between
Russia and France has subsided, and several Rus-
sian famires in Holland and on the Rhine 'iave
engaged apartments at Paris, in order to be present
at the ensuing Coronation, which is to be splendid
beyond all precedent."
. .

A letter received on Saturday from Dover, says,
" Our Boulogne squadron has been reinforced; it
consists at present of two ships of the line, one fri-
gate, nine bomb-ships, and about twenty gun-brigs,
cotters, and loggers ; the enemy remain as usual .
they frequently exercise their flying artillery, &r
and have lately had a grand sham fight. From the
appearance of their troops, there seemed to be about
15,000 meo ; they kept them out about eight hour,,
advancing and retreating, and the fire from their fly-
ing artillery was very quick, to cover their retreat."
-The fortifications at Dover proceed with the
greatest activity ; the whole of the western height is
to be surrounded with a sod parapet, and dry ditch
on the other side of it, and the different batteries and
lines will have about 300 guns mounted on them ;
Dover will be thus rendered the strongest place in
the kingdom. A grand military toad is planned
out, to keep up a communication between the
heights and the Castle, and the fortifications will
extend to the Round Down and Shakespeare Cliff,
wide strong pallisades and gates along shore.
The Yarmouth llrater Frolic will be on Wednes-
day next, ,hen the Mayor and Corporation, with
many Gentlemen of the army and navy, and of the
Yarmouth Volunteer Corps, will proceed up the
River Yare to Hardie)? Cross, and it is thought they
will he accompanied by a greater number of boats
thus has been known on the like occasion for many
years. A subscription silver cup will be sailed fer
in the course of the day, on Braydon, near the en-
trance of the Norwich river.

Extra& of a letter from Liverpool, dated July S.
" Lit night the Westwrvelaud, ktt.tv, , from Eat..
badoes, in coming up the River, was met by a boat
with some passengers, who were very anxious to go
on board to si eet their friends; they %titre ordered
by the Mate, who commanded in the absence of the
Master, who had gone on share, not to come on
board. They, however, persisting, the Pilct rashly
took up a musquet, and fired it into the boat, by
which a young man, a carpenter, was unfortunately
killed. The Jury are sitting, and I have not heard
their verdia."

Oa Monday last, a shockinz accident happened
at the blast furnace of Messrs. Li TTL ZWOOD lad C.
in Shetfield-Park. Among many pieces of old can-
non that were put into the fttra.-.:e for melting, it
appears that 'ne contained a ball with its charge,
which suddenly exploded. and blew up a pa. t of the
surrounding wall, by which several pens were
wounded. Mr. Wa, Laza, foreman to the founderv,
was struck on one of his legs by the contents of the
gun, and so severely injured, as to be ebliged to
suffer amputation above the knee. It is supp•ed
the contents had been in the piece for a vast num'oer
of years.

FROM S kTUaDAY hlclrrS CAZETTI!.

IIIILIT•RY PROMOTIONS.
Wat-qgce, July 7, 1804.
4th R•Tineent 0f1)ra...u0., Guards—D. J. Webb, Gent. to he
Cmom, by porchze •, promoted.
Cat Llitto-.Liesitmant Soo •mo T. French, from half-pay of
the etch Dmgoooi„ to ht I,ientenant.