The National Register.
London, England, 1812-06-14 00:00:00

3ITNE 14.

PROVINCIALS.

FIRE IN PLYMOUTH DOCK-YARD.
We are concerned to state, that most destructive fire broke out in
one of the rope-houses, in Plymouth Dock-yard, at an early hour in
the morning of Monday last, by which nearly the whole of that exten-
sive building, supposed to be one of the finest of its kind throughout
Europe, was burnt to the ground. 'The following are the particulars
of the calamity. •
" Plymouth, June 8 —We were all alarmed this morning by the
drums of the regiments beating to arms in this garrison. On inquiry,
i: was found a dreadful fire had broke out in the upper rope-house of
the dock-yard of this port, which raged with uncommon fury for seve-
ral hours, when the height of it was got under by the massy dock-yard
and ordnance fire-engines, and the great exertions of all the regiments
who attended on this occasion, with the artificers of the dock-yard.—
Where the fire broke out, it is somewhat remarkable, no person bad
been since Saturday, nor was ever fire or candle used in the rope-house;
and it broke out in three places at once, and on the weather side of the
rope-house, the wind being at east. .To leeward of it was the hemp-
house and tar-lofts, with 1000 tons of the former, and 1000 barrels of
the other ; beyond which, were vast piles of large timber; so that, had
not this dreadful conflagration been speedily stopped, the conseeuences
might have been fatal to this beautiful well-stored naval arsenal."
6• Dock, June B.—This morning, about four o'clock, a fire was
discovered in the rope-house, near the centre of the building.—The
alarm was immediately given by the centinels firing their muskets, and
the Admiral's ship, Salvador del &Undo, firing her guns ; the dock-yard
bell rung the alarm, and in a very short time the military app ared in
great order and gave every assistance in their power; the artificers be-
longing to the dock-yard, and the engine from the laboratory, and others
from Plymouth and Dock, were assembled, and played with great force
in every direction on the fire, but without the desired effect the flames
raged with such fury, and burnt with such rapidity North and South,
that it almost consumed the whole of the building, nor could a stop be
put to the flames until they had cut through and separated the building,
which was done with great alacrity.; too touch praise, cannot be be-
stowed on the artificers, Soldiers, and sailol.s employed in extinguihhing
the flames. The seamen of the ships in the harbour behaved in a most
exemplary manner, aided by their respeCtive Officers, amongst whom
none appeared more conspicuous OW our Worthy Admiral Sir Edward
Buller ; we are sorry to add,
,a few men have been much hurt in at-
tempting to extinguish the fire."

HORRID Ml:ADEL—Extract of s letter, 'dated Resolis, 4th June,
1812.:" On Tuesday last, the 2d current, Captain Charles Munro,
late of the 42d regiment, and Robert Ferguson, ship carpenter, both
residing at Inverbreaky Ferry, parish of Resolis, Wiring met at a neigh-
bouring work-shop, a trifling dispute arose between them. After a lit.
tie altercation, Ferguson pulled a large knife out of his pocket, and plung-
ed it into Captain Munro's side. Dr. Nl'Donald, at Cromarty, who was
immediately called, dressed the wound.iVith the greatest skill and ten-
derness, and afforded every possible assistance, but all to no purpose, the
wound was mortal; 4nd npxt evening,about 28 pours after receiving the
cruel stab, the Captain died ! Upon perpetrating the atrocious deed,
the base assassin attempted to elude the violated laws of Isis country, by
absconding. In consequence, however; of ttie exertions of Captain
111‘Kenzie, of Newhall, whose activity on this occasion merits the highest
praise, the miscreant was taken on the same evening, and lodged early
next morning in the goal of Taink: Captain Munro has. left an indiont
widow and a numerous helpless family to deplore his cruel death."
On Wednesday was ccmamittecilit the Towh-hall, Plymouth, J. Gil-
son, First Mate of the Queen transport, for the wilful murder of P.
Fitzgerald, a boy about 14 years of age, on a voyage to Port Mahon, in
January last. During their voyage asignal was made to the transport,
by the convoying ship, to carry more-sail, which was answered by the
former : but in lowering the pennant, it became entangled in the main
rays, and Fitzgerald was ordered by Gilson to proceed aloft, in order
to clear it. Fitzgerald, unused to the sea, did not execute the task so
quickly as Gilson wished, in consequence of which he was directed to
stand upon the maintogallant-yard for several hours, by way of pu-
nishment. The weather at this time being peculiarly ibclement, the
boy, terrified by his situation,_ and shivering with cold, cried most bit-
terly, when Gilson went up himself with a rope to beat him; but the
nY, in endeavouring to avoid him, lost his hold, fell into the sea and
Was drowned, without any effort being permitted to be made by Gilson
to save his life, either by lowering a boat, or puttitig thehelm about.—
Gilson is to take his trial, we apprehend, at the next Admiralty Ses-
sions.—(Plymouth Telegraph.)
Last Tuesday morning between seven and eight o'clock, a private in
the
West Kent Militia, now quataered at this place, was flogged on
Woodhouse Moor, for theft. T 40.., populace to the number bf some
hundredsthe officers dunng the infliction of this obnoxious punithment, and two
persons, one of them a recruit, were taken into custody on account of
)their riotous behaviour. A art prevailed, that the military, irritated
by these insults, fired upon the people, hut we have authority to say
that only a fevermuskets were discharged, and that the fire was not
made to injure but to intimidate.—( Leeds Mercury.)
,
he atrocious practice of stealing arms has betql lately carried on to
an arming extent in the West Riding of Iterkslare.

_

LAW INTLLLIGENCE.

•-~• ---

st:

In the Court of KING'S Envoi, .yesterday, HENRY Wise,. Esq. jun.
an Officer in the Navy was brought up for judgment, h ving suffered
judgment to go by default, upon an indictment for assaulting ANDREW
HORSE BRADLEY, Esq. a Magistrate of the County of Rent, and using
threatening language to him, In order to provoke him to fight a duel. It
appeared that a servant maid of the defendant's mother had sworn an
assault against him before the prosecutor, who sent a copy of a warrant
by a constable to the lady's husband, desiring he would bring him be-
fore him. 'The defendant conceiving this to be an insult upon his mo-
ther, and soon after meeting the prosecutor upon his own grounds, held
up a stick in a menacing attitude, desiring him to consider that as a
horsewhipping, at the same time telling who he was, and giving his ad-
dress, adding, that if he (the Prosecutor) was a Gentleman he would
know how to resent it.

An affidavit was put in on the part of the defendant, wherein he ex-
pressed his sorrow and contrition for the offence be had commit/1:d in
the irritation of the moment. And the Court conceiving that the case
was not an aggravated, one, but that the defendant had acted through a
misconception, and the irritation of the moment, at the same time ob-
serving, that it was their duty to protect the Magistracy from insult.
lie was discharged upon a nominal fine, undertaking to pay the costs of
the prosecution, and entering into recognizance in 1001. fin his future
good behaviour.

POLICE.

BOW STREET.

come time since the Portsmoutl.coach was robbed of a parcel, con-
taining Bank-notes to a considerable amount, and no trace could be
made of them tilt lately, when it was ascertained that great numbers
of them had been paFsed in the:city. One man, a gold and silver-
smith, took 2001. worth` of them for the sale of some doubloons, from
a man calling himself the Captain of a vessel, who said he was going to
Lisbon, and wanted doubloons. The notes had been cut in two.. On
their being paid into the Bink cesnilderable difficulty arose ; there•was
doubt of the notes being Bank-notes, but the numbers of the notes were
ascertained to be erroneons, and on a close investigation and examina•
tion, it was ascertained-that the original numbers had been very Inge. -
Piously taken out, and others substituted, and on further tracing the
notes, it was ascertained that they were some of. the notes that bad
been stolen from the Portsmouth coach. Information was in conse-
quence given at the above office, and from the description of the man
who had uttered the notes, and the ingenuity used, the well known
Robert Roberts was suspected to be the man, and Lavender, Adkins,
Vickary, Mance, and others belonging to the office, who knew Roberts's
person, were dispatched in different directions in pursuit of him, which
they continued for several days, and
.at length be was apprehended on
Viiesday, in Holborn, and brought to the office. In the evening the par-
ties who had received the notes attended, and Roberts underwent an
examination, but the witness not being able. to identify his person, he
was discharged.

ACCLOENTS 'AND OFFENCES.

A era tun:SION or Bo we ER.—Bowler was apprehended on Seturday
se'nnight at his Own h ,ese. It appears that he rode his horse after shooting
Mr. Burrows, to \Vaddcsdon, five miles from Aylesbury, where he
arrived at three in the afternoon, and remained until six next morning,
after having given a man named Griffiths some money to take his horse
back toldarrow. Teeo'officers of MarlhoroUgh-street"traced him du-
ring the last week, about the cross roads, betwixt Aylesbury and Ban.
bury, -.and ultimately back 'to Prince Risborough, the place of his
birth. He went to a lemaie relation at that place, and mitle known to
herhis situation, which she disclosed to a neighbour, and the secret be-
anie the talk of the village. Bowler had intended to sleep at his rela-
tion's that night, but the hue and cry prevented him. Men, women,
and children sallied forth, and scoured the woods in pursuit, but to no
purpose ; as Bowler, finding himself so closely pursued, had returned
to his residenCe at Alperton, where he was taken by his neighbours.—,
The Police officers conveyed the prisoner to London at ten o'clock on
the same night, and be underwent an examination before Mr. Connent
He acknowledged having discharged the blunderbuss at Mr. Burrows,
but said he was m d at the time. He pressed strongly for bail, was
• very anxious to 'return home, and offered to deposit 10,0001. for his ap-
pearance. He was committed to Clerkenwell Rrison for re-examination
at a future day.
Previous to, and since the apprehension of Bowler, various attempts
have been made to intimidate the witnesses on the part of the prosecu-
tion •, and particularly Jones,4be blacksmith, at Alperton, who is a ma-
terial witness. George Bowler, the nephew of the prisoner, and a po-
tatoe dealer in Clare-market, was apprehended on Wednesday, under a
warrant from Marlborough-street, for an offence of this kind. Mr.
Redfe.rd, a hay salesman, stated, that he was at the Thistle and Crown
in the Haymarket, a few evenings since, when the conversation turned
on the attempted assessitiation of Mr. Burrows. The defendant, in
get:eral terms, held oto threats egairist any person or persons who shoeld
aivvea aping his uucie ; and one observation was particularly noticed,

OP

JUNE 14

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