The National Register.
London, England, 1823-03-31 00:00:00

in. Tips - of the poor creatures were shortly
holiniotunt 'snide calling for assistance, anti to be
'.40.4tt, hut the man with din hey wus not to be
%round ; the alarm outside was tremendous, as tlin
door could not bo opened; at ltmrtli a man who
thought lus son was inside :shed tiirward unrl
broke it open, when a drv..iirol ACClie :ented
itself; a rest number these pool boys haying
been suiroossted. Tho ennattrnation in the vi!y on
this Using known wee indevri.,sfie. The bodies
were taken nut, but there being 'au many, no one
knew what to do with them.—Thenty were taken
tsi 404 dnetor's shu and a great - imber to the
• •

. _ • ate..
boopital, Where I saw *none than 9.1 bodies of
reef bah • frost 10 to 14, lying brzathless on the
Sew.
.4" Tie expressions of the ir.ob against the priests
saiiiviara win very violent, as it was attribbted to
them. The smelter lf dead, by a proclamation
•
• from Govenunent, who wish to bush the business,
isolated to be about 100. At least 130 were killed,
.1 • and the general number is stated to be 159. An
investigation is to be made by Goventrnent into
the affair."
(TO AT In/ IPA RTICUL 4716.)
MINUTE BY HIS HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-
GOVERNOR.
His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor having
received a report from the Reverend Archbishop the
Bishop of Malta, relative to the unfortunate catas-
trophe which took place on the evening of the 11th
instant, in the Convent of the Minori Osserventi,
and having also perused the evidence of the persona
examined before the magistrates of police, some of
them companions and survivors of the unfortunate
sufferers, and others witnesses who were on the spot.
at the moment, and the report of the medical men,
he is enabled to publish for general information the
fidlowing details of this truly melancholy accident.
It has been usual, for many years past in this
island, on the last days of the Carnival, to collect
together, in Valetta and in the three cities on the
other side of the harbour, as many boys of the lower
classes, of from eight to fifteen years of age, as chose
to attend—to form them into a procession, and to
take them out to Florian or elsewhere, where, after
attending service in the church, a collation of bread
and fruit (provided from funds partly given by Go-
vernment and partly by beneficent individuals) was
distributed to them; and -this with the view of
keeping them out of the riot and confusion of the
carnival in the streets of the cities.
The arrangement of this procession is under the
control of the ecclesiastical directors of the institu-
tion for teaching the catechism.
It appears that this procession had taken place on
the 10th instant—that the children went to Florian,
just outside of Valetta, from thence returned to the
church of the Minori Osservunti, in Valetta, and
that the bread was on that day distributed in the
convent of that order without any accident or con-
fusion.

On the 11th the procession was formed as usual,
pmceedcd to Florian, and returned to the church of
the Minori Osservunti, and thAread was to be dis-
tributed, as on the preceding day, in the same con-
vent.
Unfortunately, however, the ceremony had been
protracted to a later hour than usual, and it appears
(the carnival being over) a multitude of boys and
full-grown people, passing by the church, and know-
- ing that bread was to be distributed, mixed with
the children in the chinch, with a view of sharing
it with them.
The boys were to enter the corridor of the convent
from the door of the vestry of the church, and were
to be let out through the opposite door of the con-
vent into Strada d'Ursola, where the bread was to
he distributed ; and it had been customary, when
they were collected in the corridor, to lock the door
of the vestry, for the purpose of preventing those
boys „ho had received th...ir share of the bread, from
entering a second time into the corridor.
On the door of the vestry, however, being thrown
open on the present occasion, which took place about
sooset, after the entrance of the boys who originally
attended the procession, and who could not have
exceeded one hundred, the whole multitude of men
and boys, who had subsequently entered the church,
tiirced themselves into the corridor to an unknown
extent, and pressed upon the foremost, pushing them
gradually to the other end of the corridor, where the
d,,or na. only half open with the view of letting
1.1. e out at a time.

- shrieks of __ aby
the persons employed in the distrilvd:,ai of the
!maid, which they had just commeoced iesisingtpel
by the inhabitants of the n.iglihnurhondiiiii
pears that every aid was ininsedietely given. 011111*
persons, after endeavouring in vain to get the boys
out of the hall-zle,ed door, roshed into the churA
and got theteys of the vestry door, winch was then
opened; wade others uttered the corridor from the
vestry, Fussed through dm crowd to the other end,
and broke down the door at the bottom oldie steps;
but unfortunately these exertions were not is time
to save the unhappy sufferers. Many,however, were
taken out fainting, and Peon recovered ; other', ap.
patently lifeless, wens efteremeds brought to their
names; but, we rent to add, that 110 hops, from
eight to 15 years et age, perished on this occasion.
front suffocation, by he'tig eriaiset. to,;ether in su
small a apace, -or truriplcd upon.
. On cefiorting upon thi. fatal occurrence, the
Lieutenant-Governor is convinced that now hut
persons of the most depraved or perverted minds can
suppose for a moment that there has been the small-
est wilful or intentional auk on any part. That
if t.l( :ue, however, Inc is above isetcrip-
lions in the island is but too evident, as reports of
the most malignant nature have been raised and
circulated on the occasion. it will be the first duty
of Government to sift these reports to their founda-
tion, and the authors, if discovered, will meet with
the punishment they deserve.
That a fidelity of such an extensive nature, so
unexpectedly and unaccountably produced, should
excite at the moment a . trong sensation among the
relations and friends of the unfortunate sufferers,
cannot be wondered at ; hut the object of this an-
nual institution is so well known here, aril in itself
is so praiseworthy and so beneficial to the younger
classes of the community, that they ought to have
been satisfied—and, indeed, it is but justice to say,
that, generally speaking, they were satisfied—that
accident alone could have caused such a disaster.
The Lieutenant-Governor, however, in thus ac-
quitting the parties concerned in superintending the
arrangement of this institution from all intentional
blame, deems it to be his bounden duty, as the na-
tural protector of every individual in these islands,
especially of the lower classes, to remark, that the
regulations originally laid down on this head were
on the present occasion so far deviated from, that
the ceremony had been too long protracted, and that
the children were brought back from Florian into
the city for the purpose of having the bread and
fruit distributed to them, thereby creating a delay,
which, in the first place, caused the accession of a
number of nearly full-grown persons, (not included
in the procession) who had been engaged in the car-
nival, and who afterwards docked to the church to
get a share of the bread, and thus increased to an
extent unknown by the superintendents, the number
shut up in the corridor of the convent, and which
delay occasioned in the convent that darkness,
which, if not the principal cause, must at all events
have materially increased the mortality on the oc-
casion.

In closing the account of this melancholy business
it becomes the duty of Government to notice, in the
highest terms of approbation, the gerienil good con-
duct of the inhabitants in the neighbourhood of the
Convent, and even of the miserable parents of the
sufferers, who not only obeyed the prompt and salu-
tary directions given by the Deputy Inspector-Ge-
neral of Police on the spot, but who assisted the
police-officers and the soldiers of the Malta Fcncibles
in clearing a passage through the crowd in the nar-
row street where the
accident happened ; by which
they were enabled to carry the bodies of the suffer-
ers, without loss of time, from the Convent to the
Civil Hospital.
The thanks of the Government are equally due
to the medical officers, civil and military, who, in.
shindy on hearing of the accident, proceeded to the
hospital, and assisted in the most zealous manner the
medical gentlemen attached to that establishment;
a'io to the Malta Fencibles under the immediate
command of captain the 'Marquis de Piro, and to
the Deputy Inspector-General and the subordinate
officers of the Police. By their general exertions
the loss, great us it unfortunately is, was conzider-
ably diminished. _ _

By command of his Honour,
Palace, Valetta, RICHARD PLASKET,
Feb. 111,1423. Chief Secretary to the Government.

By the late arrival of foreign papets we !ear*
two important facts—first, that the Cortes hsd re-
solved on the removal cf do Xing, the govent•
ment, and their owe sittings, to Seville—that the
King was attatled by a polnicol indisposition, and
thut tha Corte; consented to. postpone his journey
from the 17th to the 20th instant, oa which day
the whole mesh:ale left Madrii-:-the second im-
portant fact is, that a formidable conspiracy has
been discovered in the French invading army, and
that its ezkuit With ouch as to render it necessary to
tlisystalt Mondial Victor from Paris, appointing
sem: ease, eLse to officiate in his absence as Nliniiter
at Was—we arc nut surprised it mach a movement
in th:: French la my, and we rejoice at it—the pas-
sibility of the soldiers of France joining the consti-
tutional Spaniard.. appears stronger every day, and
pp.huldity of tlac united armies beheading the
LA.) Qom'? as, 1.1.11, XVI It and Ferdinand VII..
is highly gratifying to every friend of liberality—
would to Heaven they could add the laudable deca-
pitation of the three leading characters of The Holy
Alliance!

DEPARTURE OF THE KING OF SPAIN FROM

qI

MA MUM.

The following important communication has been
received from Paris, together with the journals of
Thursday, and Madrid papers to the 21st inst.
PA Rah MARCH courier arrived to-day
from Madrid, bringing accounts from that capital to
the 21st. The King left Madrid on the 20th, ac-
cording to the preconcerted arrangement. His Ma-
jesty was accompanied by nearly 6,000 men. who.
will probably escort him as far as La Mancha. The
hopes that were founded by the enemies of public
order, on the resistance that his departure would en-
counter either from the inhabitants or the faction.,
have been entirely de:Clued. The King and his es-
cort left the capital as if to make a grand prome-
nade, amid the acclamations of the people. The
Cortes have not left the capital, and theist departure
is not yet fixed. Probably they will nos set out till
the danger from the invasion beeomas imminent.
Bertrun tie Lys writes to a friend in Paris, that
before the Cortes leave the capital, they will proba-
bly take a resolution to make some changes in the
Constitution, when the time fixed for its revision
arrives. The English Ambassador had set out for
Seville the evening before the King. The persons
of his legation still remained.
The journey of the Doke of Belluno, who left
Paris so precipitately for the army, was retarded by
an accident. His carriage broke down near Or-
leans, and was so much injured as to require half a
flay to repair it.

CONSPIRACY IN THE F1ir.,c1.;." ARMY.
PARIS, MARCH 24.—A conviracy of the most
formidable kind has been detectal in the Army of
the Pyrenees. The conspirac) is of that nature,
that the King dares not send the Doke of Angou-
leme to quell it; but Victor has been taken from
his administrative functions, and despatched with all
speed to the Pyrenees.
The following are the particulars transmitted by
a private letter:—
** PARIS, Alwacit 24, 3 o'cLoct P.Y.

" f send you the Moniteur of this morning,
which contains two Royal ordinances, the first ap-
pointing the Minister of War, Major-General of the
Army of the Pyrenees; and the second, nominating
General Digeon his interim successor. Marshal
13elluno, the Slinister, has set out for the army at
an early hour this morning. This precipitate and
unexpected measure was only decided upon in the
Ns-
RACY IN TIIE ARMY.
Council of yesterday ; but perhaps is not more pre-
'
pt eipitate and unexpected than it was necessary. The
ofiprsetraduty
loperationsoufAirlitstExecikicY wilSpain,l
o
b QUELLe , noto
co direct

...TO It \via be seen by the newspaper*, that on
Friday night the Bourdeaux Diligence wits stopped
in the neighbourhood of' Paris, and that several
officers, who occupied places in it, with false pass-
ports, had been arrested and carried to the police.

WIIIIIIUIIIIIIMIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPEIMFWRIIINIIIIIIROIIIE
i ----711PPIETririrsimywor.,-.... - :-.----.• --.:
100. _ • • ~- L .
. • THE REGIS_ NATION ____. _ . _._ - A
' --
-•- -- e had all entered the core;- PRICE OP SPOCiII.
, s MONltlill CATIV72O—PIit: tlisielais-0.
i As 'awn as the „sold locked, and though 11" k St•rl
antesuarr OP Imam 1 dog the y 4..1 ra,htedal .i per Cent. Red. doit 127.3 per Cent. /1.
• I.lltWrlla rum MALTA. Is 4TED TU. 21. '
..,..Veit.,:r j. _r _ in the corridor, it 11). i, per cy,,,,,t.ciorols it. Ludt 1471,
Ls 24
\ '-'r An accident took place here on Shrove Tuesday there ^-• ''''ritecadent, to hive ken early put oat, -t per —oi•
of the ISOM fetal and appalling todole. It is thel,,iewer:...eisi t • Art Exclirquer dill. Ilk. Frees.
P''ltrs, by cotethis immens, crowd entirely in the
tr, u.s. fur At. 711
*Sees on that day to attract the poor hp away thnts. jea.,v4;cec being uulortunately u flight of eight i,„„, Zatar..'l9ttt‘ Lt—tery Ticket. tell 19..
Atm the crowd and riot in the streets (it being the rotor, at the opposite end
alr.''in the lialf.clo.ed .
last day or the Carnival), hy makine d tlpf‘ .4-11"•irille corridor. the crowd behind, who pressed upon
10 one t( the churches, und aticrwatpli''''"Westray. I the Nutmeg :limed the by down the steps, it lio TILE NATIONAL REGISTER.
bread to them. Previous tot leleee4ilg """ fell tats upon the other, thus unfortunately choking - ----- • --
Ines& they were A!! elle ,t.- . r about 700) tip the halfshot door at the bottom (which opened
LONDON, MONDAY, MALCH St.
coin the miry,: wile a nrcnt—a room where, inward.) and added to the distress.
•„ siwe were on windows—and there locked t
its. The -:frin of the mew creatures were shortly 1 shrieks of the cb4idwere leer. soon heard I
The , .
._,L
.. ar ,y I By the late arrival of foreign pipets we }earn