The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-01-11 00:00:00

DRAADIVL ACCIDEINT.

On Thursday evening, about eight o'clock, a dreadful ex-
phiniou of gas, by which several persona were seriously it,-
jureil, and an infant killed, took place in Furth-street, in
this town. The facts of the eine, as far as we can collect
them, were nearly as follow :—During the greater port of
that day, the family of Mr. Benjamin Slater, in front of whose
house, in that street, one of the main gas pipes passes, but
wit►out having any communication with the house, had been
veal!), annoyed with the smell of gas, which it appears was
• scaping from the pipe into the house. Information of this
1 ireumstance was essmontiiirated to the proper persous at the
gas works, who promised to remedy the inconvenience
next day, nut conceiving any immediate danger. In
the evening, however, as Mrs. Slater was sitting in
the parlour ronversing with a friend, she sent her daughter
with a candle to the closes, when a most dreadful and violent
explosion of gas took place, by which the upper part of this
Lower, and the whole of the back part of the adjoiniug house
were Wean out, and destroyed, and the houses otherwise
touch injured. Mrs. Slater 'a daughter was scorched most
shockingly over all her body; and a young child was forced
from Mrs. Slater's arms into the fire-place. Airs. Slater was
also burl; Mrs. Fletcher, her friend, we [relieve, escaped ua•
low. But more serious injury was sustained in the adjoining
house, occupied by Mr. John Slater, who was that availing
?islet faining a party of friends. Tbepait of the bowie, where
they *ere silting was quite demolished, and they were so
rush•.d among the rains, that it was some lime before they
be extricated. They were all more or less hod. Mr.
:01111111 Mater had both Isis ankles Intl nut; he also rerrilmj a
*esti wound, sod wee otherwise sanrh burl. Mrs. Delman'
had aloe both her ankles put out, and her arm broken; and
the further misfortune of having her child, a hall of
about five weeks old, which she was heilllllg 111 her arms
unfortunately killed, Mr. Deboam also revised some in-
jury, as did Mrs Jobe Slater, and some other•, but we do
um know the partienkirs. Our remlers may funs some idea
.f the violence of the explosion, from the Gr•l of sonic tnhles
ilia chairs bring thrown ars•ns the street, and a window he-
•n.! blown quite mil, soil slosrram over a wall on the oppo-
nte side of the si reel. Sore persons who were passing
acre
lso hurt by the falliwg hviekas Orr—(Neerccutle Paper.)

The fight between Shelton mod Oliver will take
place in tirrtfordsloirr Ull Thursday, twenty...live
miles horn London. Betiii.g is about mu. but
Shelion for choice.
On Saturday eveuiny, at eight o'clock, Mr. Clio Riekrasu's
"u'ei Nu. 7, Upper Mary-lc-bone-street, was 'styled by
take key, end his brat flour private library brake is urn,
strovig boa, with a Bramati's learnt lock, wrenched with
some forcible iastrnment. Irmo this was niouey and
,ceiro articles, as well as a favourite dint off the eremitic-
piece. All Ibis was dune with very ►kilful tools, for the
"'bleb was airungly locked, anal the strong box, were
seine-fly didgured in lista atrocities' rubbery. The shop WAS
vista, nod several peisous iu ii, and the usual occupauts
were is the kilekeo.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF LING'S BRANCH, C ISILDMA LI, JANUARY le.
•

NADRAGO V. WII.T.ES.

This was an ruction to r-cover 34,0001. Csr
damages done it sieve ship, cargo, sod the pro-
b Ale profits which might have arisen from the sole
thvrrof.

Mr. SCAKIATT stated the case. The Plaintiff
was a Spanish mit-chant. of considerable eminence
in his own coutitry. The Defendant was one of a
clam of ;remiss whom be honoured as moch as auy
man, who were very deservedly grtat favourites with
the public. fl meant British naval officers. The
ft ' if had fitted out a vessel called the Vises/-
Saw for the African shave trade, which, though
elotialied be the English laws, was perfectly legal
in/{win. ITbe vessel proceeded in July, 1817,
from flavannali to the African coast, where she
mei* in September, and calling to at two or three
plOrof, had at paired a cargo of '289 Illifef. The
lad of these places was Puerto Novu, where she
tismtnauiceted with a Portogoese vessel earned the
/I(firso, aitn which she exch.:ag,-41 goods for
the slaves that a ere oil 'maul. Ihs Alajesty's
ship Cherub came into the port, and the
blaster of the Discnrodoe, accoriling to the
orders which lie hail rcCeived from its owners,
put to see, for the purpose of ov)itliag any cum•
asonnention with any cruisers, such being the te-
•one of his orders. The (.'hero's gave cha•c, over-
took, and boarded the Discatudor, and after con-
trrytag her to Sierra Leone, the DI LIVeS were landed
tend rrl►ased, the ship afterwards •rut to Jamaica,
there detained until July—then surrendered hack,
of muse, her hull and rtggitig conaidierahly (lett--
stunt d, her cargo lost, her stores either perched
Of Sold off, and the, profits winch most ha►e arisen
trot• the voyage turned to an aluso,t ruinous loss.
He was tit a loss to guess what objections would be
set tip to the (1;11mq:us which he asked. His client
boil done nothing but what was lawful in his own
country, and, as he had pvic!iseil it (far he had
kept, mccoriiiiig to the Itinitotions all•rwerl by
Treaty, within the 6th and 7th degrees of latitude),
allowed by other powers; he was consequently un-
der the protection of the law of stations, nod any
wrong dune to him was an injury dour to the rights
of maws's, and that liberty sil traversing the high seas
which wise were so noxious to protect as the Courts
and Juries of the British emigre. He knew that
he used say nothing more in furtherance of justice,
became ha elicit was a foreigner. Of that Court
it might he said. as it was declared of the ROM4I,
Senate of sold, that no natio., and no people, when
wronged, ever manly appealed to them for protec-
tion. _ _ _

Andres Joseph Paliser was in the service of the
Plaistilt He sailed with the Diseneader front the
liev•ulsehs hoagies an investment on board for the
purchase of $3O slaves, es the 12th July, 1817.
11. w ship arrived on the coast of Africa. and con-
United taking in slaves from September till Janu-
ary. la the meats time the Captain had died ; wit-
arm took the command of the ve•sel. She arrived 11
at Puerto Novo, having on board shout 290 slaves :
goods for the purchase or 200 more slaves were sent
0 i I awe. He had communicated with a Portu-
guese vessel, the /lifers,. His Britannic Majesty's
ship Cherub put into the port, and witness put to
sea to avoid cointnunicating with her. The Cherub
perused, overtook, boarded her, and took her first
to Cape Coast Castle, then to St. Thomas's, rod
filially to Sierra Leone. The slaves were put on
share. The goods which remained were sold. Wit-
loss saw some of the goods in possession of some of
the crew of the Cherub, into which vessel he and
his crew hail been removed. After being detained
for some time at Sierra Leone, he was conveyed in
his own ship, under the command of Lieut. Austin,
of his Britannic Majesty's ship Semiramis, com-
manded by Sir Jltillell Yeo, to Port Royal. Jai,
macs. After detention there till July, the ship was
given up to Mr. Mitchell, agent to the Plaintiff at
that place.
Cross examined by Mr. JARTIL—Caosin %Vil.
les came himself on board the Diseutudor, and
said that he would teach witness how to rub Por-
tuguese vessels in future. Witness did nut know
to what he alluded ; acknowledged that he rod his.
men had gone un hoard the Infers°. also that his
had repeated the visit. The reason was, that he
had exchanged goods for slaves with the Portu-
guese Captain, ors not satisfied with his berg:int,
and returned to demand what lie conceived to be
the full value due to lam. It was customary to
conduct such transactions well armed. lie had not
broke in the hatches of the Piforso ou his last visit.
He had, on the approach of the Cherub, endea-
voured to weigh anch,,r, but being confined, with
one of his crew, by sickness. was unable to ac-
complish it; therefore cut cable and stood to sea.
He had avoided the Cherub, because he had gene-
ral orders not to speak with ally vessel that lie
could avoid. The slaves were 111 good health.—
This was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. J A RV is. for the defence, admitted the
weakness of it in a strictly legal sense. Ile had
circumstances to put before the Jury, however,
which he thought must reduce the damages,. which
in the arnomit claimed were such as issuld.utterlp
ruin his client, to a very moderate compass. Hay
load great reliance on the integrity of a Bntish Jury.
and he knew that they would do as much justice
to a foreigner, perhaps be even more scrupulous
about it, titan to a fellow-subject. This he would
give them credit for. though he eauld not season
his compliment *Oh those allusions to Grecian or
Roman States, with which his Learned Friend had
dressed hi, enlogium. He• would pore, in op.
position to the insinuations and declarations made
against his client. of his having made a wait-
ton aid unprovoked attack ou the Plaintiff's
vessel, that lie had very plausible grounds for
leading him into as error, which be • had Cour
nutted from zeal its the performasce. of his duty.
Ile should &XII the evidence of three naysl officers
who were serving at the time under his lamented
(item! Sir Jaynes Yen, to prove that Captain Wines
hail the best reason* for supposing that he was act-
-1 ing perfectly right in what he was doing. These
were person of credit iu their professiou, and of
unsullied honorer. In the menu time how stood the
case with the Plaintiff? He was Irwin% wholly on
the evidence of one witness. and that • persoirim-
[dictated its tlse transaction, sus! however legal us
.his pursuit. condacting a traffic horrible to hums-
city, and under circumstances of cruelty and

misery the end appellier. not witness had
informed Ike Court. *al the ship, which wag
or *Ay Sllktene beetles. was Stied for the re-
ception e 4 Am bemired mod thirty slaves! Let the
Jttry issieee what o slave trader of such • six-
meta be. irith the Iletwriotos wont of discipline and
deeoliates is Spaiiirli ships. and with no ragulations
fur bettering the horrors a the Middle Passage, as
there used to he sa this country ! The foci was,
I lie *mild prove it to them, that the
as well as the crew, were fast 'nuking under the iii-
fldPwee of the dysentery. The small-pox also was
ragas* among them, and it required the utmost
medical skill, on their arrival at Sierra Leone, to
preserve their existence. When lie had made these
points gond, the Jury would hare to consider of the
proper amount of damage. doe to the Plaintiff.
Ile war sorry to have to call on a British Jury to
weigh the value of human flesh and Wood, but it
was forced upon them. His Learned Friend told
claimed it the rate of 1001. for each slave. This
was the price of ;while slaves. But surely the
Plaintiff would not presume that the whole cargo
was of prime slaves ; so far 01 IteMiSe was the (ii t.
that not nue-half of them would dosser ihat
firm. That was the titat deduction they were roll-
ed oh to make. They would then take into the ac.
coma that tool. for a prime healthy slave. wits the
price paid at Hammel), whereas the voyage was yet
to he made at the time of "leisure, mod the cargo ill
a slate of trrriltle and lienlisome
The CIIIET JUSTICE Ito•re interfci ed, informed
the Plaintiff',. Counsel that a doubt which lie could
not get over hal entered His 'plod, as to the 1101.111•
hility of a foreigner recovering ilaiii..ges in a Bro.
lish Court of Justice. for losses incurred in • init.
he, which is punishable in • very high degree if
carried on by British subject..
To this Mr. SCAILLETT objected. that the slave
trade was guaranteed to Spain rimier certain tie.
curostances contained in the Treaty esecutell be-
tweet' the two countries, and so palpably was the
right of Swim admitted in the slave traffic. that
one coodition agreed to in Colmi,irratioll of her pre-
aprctive and gradual abolition of it, was, that Spain
was to receive from Great Britain 400,0001.

Lord Chief Justice Assere tt ght dirt the
appeal to the grant to Sprits for ■ pro•perlive also.
Istiote of the slave trade, rather an unlucky proof of
her absolute and tottalierahle right in it. fie did
not intend to decide of himself against the chaise
fur damages. He would direct the Jury to semi.
►rte those which they awarded for the ship •wd
goods from those which they would give for the
slave*, and the profit on them, and she latter
should l►e submitted to the decision of his brother
J edges.
Mr. SCORIA?? offered, as he said he bed dem
on Sraturdray, to withdraw • Juror, and *Weil
the damages to the award of ally two respectable
gentlemen competent to judge such a tratisraetiess,
who should be appointed. He would not offer this
again, if now rejected.

Mr. Jaavts thanked his Honourable Friend for
what he called " his small mercies," bet he was '
not at all afraid of the verdict of the Jory. They
must feel obliged to his Lordship fur bis hied in.
terposition, which had for the present rosteiderably '
narrowed the question. He had now only to treat
of the damages which they were llama to award
for the goods said to have been kft in the ship, and
for the deterioration of the ship and stores during
the time of her detention. As to the first. they
would hardly take the estimate of the Plaintiff's
only witness. of 6,3001. for the goods left in the
ship. According to the witness's own shewnig. the
original investment was in nominal value 26.000/.
with which it was proposed to purchase 530 slaves.
Now at the time of the departure of the Dis-
eutedur from Puerto Novo. she was said to have
290 staves on board. and goods fur the purchase of
200 more were then lying with the agents on shore.
The proportion of 6,300% was more than could
have remained after the purchase had been with-
draws foe 490 slaves out of 530, the intended cargo.
The lost consideration was the value of the ship and
rigging, with any deterioration occasioned by her
deteution. This he was must rrady to grant. The
estimate of the ship. rigging, &c. at the time of
capturing her was 2,2501. But then he had it un-
der the hand-writing of Mr. Mitchell, who, strange
to pre, was, though a British subject, resident in
the King's doinmions, agent to a Spaniard in a
trade prohibited by the laws of his Government,
that the ship was received back " with her hull, rig-
glitz, and apparel, as perfect as at the time of her
seizure." He Duce more impressed it upon them
that his client was led into the present difficulty by
his seal to bring to justice what he had good reason
to believe was an act of piracy. namely, the con-
duct or the Plaintiff', witness towards the Portia-
guess vessel. the Commander of winch had com-
plained of the aggression, and thus induced the
Defendant to act as be hod done.
Lieutenant Stokes was an officer of the Cherub.
which formed part of a squadron sailing under the
orders of Sir James Yeo. for the prevention of the
Slave Trade. They fell in with the Ettore() at
Puerto Novo, and in consequence of the informa-
tion they received of the injury done on board by
tlte• biscutudor, they followed and overtook her.
Witness went on boatd with Captain Willes.
likr was on deck. They asked for the Com-
manding Officer. Puliser pretended a pas.
senger. and said that there, was no orits pore
ticular on board. Witness asked what number of
slaves were on board ? He afterwards took the
unmber himself. Their condition was shocking ;
they had the dysentery and small-pus on board;
there was no surgeon ; the summit of the Cherub
came on board and attended them. They were
taken round to Sierra Leone. For tome months
after very few of the slaves could stood. On their
arrival at Sierra Leone, they were more regularly
treated ; they had medicines and a daily allowsuce
of wine.
Mr. Benson strengthened the former evidence.
Lieut. Austin deposed to the particulars of the
Jamaica voyage, whither he wet commissioned to
take the ease for trial, one charge of piracy, against
the Diseutador, which charge could not be sub.
stemmed, and the ship was restored.
Mr. Keunet Macaolay, Memberof his Majesty's
Council or Sierra Leone, testified also to the wretch-
ed condition of the slaves, and their manumission by
the British authorities at Sierra Leone. From the•
Spanish manner of stowing sud tending *love, in
the Middle Passage, seldom more than SO or 40

nut of 70 ourvived the voyage.• Frew ti►a condi•
Riau of the 'laves in question, he did not believe
that any of them could have reached the Havau-
nal► alive.

Mr. SCARLET? cross-examined the last witness
to prnt.nr, hes evidence of the value of sound and
liesithy •lart-s in the flavanttah, dod theta replied.
The Lunn CHIEF Justict summed op with
more than orllinsty perspicuity, directing the Jury
to stints:oe the damages they might be disposed to
give into two portions—one for the cargo I its
probable profits, the other for the ship, stores, goods
contained, and deterioration ; the former would be
Fe...erred for confirmation, until the opinion of the
Judges had hems pronounced upon it.
The Jury retired and in about ;in hour returned,
soul pronounced their verdict fur the Plaiottff—
d images 3,0001. for the ship, stores, and goods. and
18,1801. for the blares mid probable profits of the
auysge.
_