The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-06 00:00:00

ALICE GRAY, THE IMPOSTOR"

Statements have been published to the effect that the
extraordinary young woman who has so recently at-
tracted so much attention throughout the country by her
clever but heartless impostures is a native of Limerick,
and that her mother, a very honest woman, resides there.
Also that her father, who is dead, bore the name of Hug-
garJ, and was Penn Oilgatei in the county of Wexford.
The Manchester Guardian cf yesterday, however, says :
—Mary Atkinson, alias Alice Gray, is the daughter of
a poor but industrious man, a mason, or wailer, in Ken-
dal, who many years ago died suddenly of cholera. Mary
Atkinson, at her father's death, sought the protection
of an aunt, named Askew, a widow, at Old Hutton
about five miles from Kendal, and who took her under
her roof. "Alice" had lived with her aunt—who pos-
sessed a small farm-- -only a short period, when the latter
disposed of her farming stock and agricultural imple-
ments, the precees being deposited in the Bank of
Westmoreland. " Alice" knew this, and in order to ob-
tain the money she represented to her aunt that there
was a kind-hearted lady named Robson, living at Am-
bleside, who took great interest in money belonging to
widows,- and she would give twice as much interest
as the bank to any widow of good reputation ; and that
Mrs. Robson had made several inquiries respecting the
integrity of Mrs. Askew. The bait took. Mary Atkin-
son succeeded in obtaining on different occasions the
sum of 201. from the widow (who withdrew it from the
bank), pretending, in the meantime, that Mrs. Robson
had presented her with Bs. 6d. to purchase clothing for
the children, which Alice bought at a draper's shop.
Alice subsequently persuaded her aunt to withdraw the
remaining 601. front the bank, and deposit it in the hands
of the benevolent lady, telling her, at the same time,
that the Bank of Westmoreland was going to discon-
tinue payment, and that for the 601. Mrs. Robson
would pay her 81. a year interest. Mrs. Askew handed
it to her niece to give to to Mrs. Robson (who of course
was a " Mrs. Harris"), and " Alice" never again re-
turned to her aunt's. These things took place in 1547.
Some weeks prier to this fraud being discovered, Mary
Atkinson had entered upon a house in Kendal, furnished
it in style, and then disposed of the furniture, by night,
to private individuals, and by these means defraued
several tradesmen who had placed confidence in her re-
presentations. She also induced a 1 idy, a resident
Kendal, to entrust her with a package of clothingfor
the lady's son, which she offered to carry to the metro-
pAis, where, she asserted,. she wal going to receive a
large amount of money. Three years after t.,ke death of
her father (about 30 years ago) her mother married a
tailor, who died three years ago, and the mother of
1" Alice" is still living in Busher, Kendal, and takes in
I washing. So much for,the parentage of the Alice Gray
of many aliases I

Naval and Military Intelligence.

A court-riartial, comprising Capt. Sir Thos. Mait-
lanl, C. 8., of her Majesty's ship Excellent, president ;
Captains G. A. Elliott, C. 8., of the St. Vincent ; J. J.
Stopford, of the Calcutta ; G. T. Gordon, of the Vic-
tory ; E. Ommanney, of the Hark° ; R. Harris, of the
illustrious ; G. S. Hand, of the Sampson ; W. Crispin,
second captain of the Victoria and Albert ; and G. L.
Grcethatr, Deputy Judge-Advocate of the Fleet, assem-
bled yesterday morning on board the flag-ship Vie,tory,
in l'ortimouth harbour, to try James Vienor, ordinary
:-cainan, belonging to her Majesty's ship ilastings, on a
charge of having, on or about the2sth ult., deserted that
ship and enlisted as a private in her Majesty's 80th Re-
giment of Foot, with intent to defraud her Majesty, &c.
It appeared that the prisoner was on 40 days' leave from
his ship, which did not expire yet for upwards of a
week, and had enlisted into the 80th at Portsmouth, on
purpose to obtain the bounty of 8/. now given to re-
cruits volunteering for that regiment. In this, how-
ever, he was foiled, for Lieutenant M`Cres, First of the
Hastings, happening to witness the 80th at drill on
the 30th ult., two days after his enlistment, instantly
rzcugnised the prisoner as a deserter from the ship
in spite of his metamorphosis from a sailor to a soldier,
and had him immediately apprehended. The prisoner
tried to make away with his military habiliments on
being taken to the ship, but they were recovered. The
charge was declared proved, and the prisoner was sen-
tenced to receive 50 lashes on board suck one of her
Majesty's ships as the Lords of the Admiralty may think
fit, and to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for the
space of 12 calendar months in the county gaol of Win-
chester.

Vice• Admiral of the Red Sir George Francis Sey-
mour, K.C.8., G.C.H., will succeed Vice-Admiral Sir
Thomas Cochrane, K.C.8., as Commander•in•Chief at
Portsmouth, on the expiration of the latter officer's
term next month.

The Niagra steam-transport left Spithead yesterday
morning for Heligoland, to embark 500 of the British
German Legion and convey them to Folkestone.
The Queen Victoria screw-transport is alongside Ports-
mouth Dockyard, taking in for Balaklava the last ship-
meet of the huts built for the Government.
Her Majesty's steam-yacht Fairy, having sustained
an injury while at Cowes lately, has been docked at
Portsmouth to remedy the defect, and the opportunity
was taken to give her a little external embellishment.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam•ship
Ripon, Captain Cooper, transport No. 25, arrived at
Southampton yesterday morning from the Black Sea
with invalde, &a. The Rip©n left Balaklava on the 13th
ult., and Malta on the 23d, touching at Constantinople
and Gibraltar. There were on board 23 officers, and
about 70 invalided soldiers, sailors, and other per-
sons. Among them are from Balaklava—Captain Ar-
buthnot, R.A., Lieutenant De Winton, R.A., Quarter.
master Walker, 71st Highlanders ; Lieutenant Maxwell,
R.A., Lieutenant-Colonel Fitzmayer, R.A., Captain
Warburton, 3d Buffs; Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert, 3d
Regiment ; Captain Drewe, 23d ; Ensign Young, 19th,
wounded in left band ; the Hon. Lieutenant Deane,
4th Dragoon Guards ; Major Custance, 6th Dragoons ;
Major King, 49th Regiment ; Captain Pocock, 30th, left
arm shit off, and wounded in right ; 2 privates of the
Grenadier Guards ; General Bentina and t 3 servants ;
Major Armitage, 1 private of the Coldstream Guards, 7
Commissariat labourers, 2 warehouse labourers, 3 dis-
tressed British sailors, 1 sailor from the steam transport
Candia, Messrs. Edwards, Robins, Hartley, Carray,
Cole, &c. From Constantinople—Lieutenant-Colonel
Thomas, 16 naval invalids, &c. ; from Malta—Mr. 0 wen
and Mrs. Eman, 3 children and servant, 8 distressed
British seamen, 5 orderlies of the medical staff corps,
&c. ; from Gibraltar—Major Strachan, Quartermaster-
Sergeant
Goodman, Messrs. Smith, English, Hick, &c.
There were also on board 12 officers' servants, and seven
horses, one of which belonged to the late Lord Raglan.
All of the officers, together with their baggage, were
landed in the course of the day. The distressed British
seamen, however, remained on board the transport all
night, and will be despatched to their various destina-
tions by the Admiralty department at Southampton this
day. Owing to a very dense fog in the Southampton
Water at the time the Ripon arrived, she unfortueately
got aground ; and, it being an ebb tide, she could not
be moved till the evening. The officers, with their bag-
gage, &e., were sent on shore in a steam tug, and very
little inconvenience was experienced by the prevention
of the Ripon's coming into dock. As soon as the Ad-
miralty were made acquainted with the arrival of the
transport a telegraphic message was forwarded to the
Peninsular and Oriental Company, asking what number
of troops the Ripon was capable of conveying to the
Crimea. in addition to 200 tons of coffee, and what
would be the earliest moment she could be got ready to
depart ? The reply returned was to the effect that accom-
modation could be provided for 550 men, and that the
ship would be ready for sea in the course of a week.
The Phoenix, 6, screw steam sloop, Commander H.
M. Elliott, arrived yesterday at Sheerness from the
White Sea, at 9.45 a.m., last from Yarmouth, where she
was detained for four days by stress of weather. She
oft Vardhuus, in Norway, on the 16th of October, in
consequence of the bad state of the weather, the wind
blowing in heavy gales at short intervals from every
quarter of the compass with equal fury. She arrived at
Lerwich on the 29th ult., left there on the 30th ult.,
and arrived at Yarmouth roads on the Ist inst. She re-
ports that the Meander, 44 guns, Capt. Thos. Baillie,
which ship arrived at Yarmouth on the 3d inst., from
the White Sea, experienced a succession of heavy gales
off the Dudgeon; she lied a very narrow escape of go-
ing on shore on the Dudgeon Sand. When the Phoenix
was lying at Vardhuus there was no less than 20 sail of
merchant vessels there bound for Archangel—Americans,
Bremens, Danes, Hamburgers, and Norwegians. Se-
veral of them were known to have been laden for Eng-
lish interest. Some of the American were last from
London, their port of loading ; and at Hatnmersfest, a
port on this side of the North Cape, about double the
above number of vessels was waiting the arrival of the
allied blockading squadron to start on the sane errand
for Archangel. Some of our gun-boats might have made
a rich harvest had they been there, as there was not the
slightest doubt that most of the vessels referred to con-
tain contraband of war, under neutral flags, for the Rus-
sians. All these vessels actually sailed from the above-
named ports while the Phoenix was lying at Vardbuus,
most of them making certain of discharging their cargoes
and of being laden and coming out again clear before
the ice set in.

During the cruise of the Phoenix in the White Sea the
exertions made were principally confined to enforcing
the blockade, which has up to the time of leaving been
done most strictly, and in destroying the coasting trade
between Archangel, Onega, and the ports in Norway.
She has destroyed a great number of small fishing craft,
principally laden with fish, intended for the markets at
Archangel, and which has had the effect of making fish
exceedingly dear there. The privation is greatly felt by
the Russians, as the fasts ordered by their religion are
very numerous, and on most of these occasions fish con-
stitutes almost their only article of food. She has also
destroyed several ifihing ports and villages, which would
have bseu spared had not the villagers and fishermen, on
the approach of the boats for the purpose of purchasing
supplies, fired on the boat's crew. On one of these occa-
sions a seaman named Horton was unfortunately killed
by a rifle ball through his head. This was the only casualty.
On the 27th of September last the ships forming the
squadron were compelled to leave their anchorage at
Cross Island in consequence of the severity of the wea-
ther, the Phoenix losing an anchor and cable, and being
forced to run to Soriatoi Nos, where she remained until
Oct. 10, with the allied squadron, consisting of the
French frigate Cleopatre, the steamers Cocyte and Pe-
trole, and the English frigate Meander 7 the steamers
Phoenix and A.riel, also the collier Nautilus in tow, in
company together, except the French part of the squadron
which had previously left. The Phcenis rolled so heavily
as to carry away her foretopmast, and spring her main-
topmast, thereby endangering the lives of seven seamen
on the foretopsail)ard at the time. On the morning of
her departure from the White Sea a keen frost was ex-
perienced, the thermometer being 10 deg. below freezing
point. The whole coast was deeply covered with snow.
Heavy showers of snow have followed them as far as the
Shetlands, with a very low temperature.
The Otter, 3, paddle-wheel steam-vessel, Lieut.-Com-
mander J. 11. Glover, was put out of No. 1 dry dock,
Sheerness, on Saturday, to complete her defects in the
fitting basin.

The gun-boat Thistle, Lieut.-Commander D. Spain,
was taken into No. 1 dry dock, Sheerness, for repairs
yesterday:

The Pelter gun-boat, Lieut.-Commander W. F. Lee,
was also taken into the fitting basin fur making good de-
fees yest rday.
The Magpie, gun-boat, Lieut.-Commander B. C. J.
Piny, left Sheerness yesterday for Plymouth.
The Basilisk, 6, paddle-wheel steam-sloop, Commander
Robert Jenner, received orders at noon yesterday to pro-
ceed from Sheerness to Portsmouth ; she takes supernu-
meraries from the flag-ship Whterloo.
s
The old paddle-wheel steamer Janus,
Lord Dandonald's principle, was taken constricted on
into
evening to
ro
wujenh.
basin on Saturday to be broken up.. is
-
p
fit for further service, and the work of demolition
gressing rapidly.
The Merlin, Captain Sullivan, arrihvedcaet IV:
embarkedt.) l Wi ell o n
Saturday evening from the Baltic, . wen
an invalided seaman of her Majesty's ship Firefly, who
died on
It will be recollected that
the Merlin the
passive home.
had the whole of her crockery broken by the
explosion of a Russian infernal machine. The offi-ers of
the ship succeeded in obtaining one of these machines
before their departure from the Baltic, and have much
the ready process by which thePe
pleasure in explaining
destructive instruments aro worked. The Merlin is at
present anchored off the dockyard, and will be taken
into dock to be overhauled,.
adviceßy \\
received at oolwieh from Bermuda it is
understood that the 21st company of Royal Sappers and
Miners, under the command of Captain White, Royal
Engineers,
were to embark thence on board the brig
James on the Ist of the present month. They will ar-
rive in England in the early part of December.
Considerable numbers of Colt's revolvers have been
recently landed at Woolwich and received in store there,
and yesterday several cases coctaining 50 each were un-
loaded there for reshipment for Bala,klava, to the charge
of her Majesty's storekeeper there.
John Thomas has been prometed to be a retired com-
mander.

A mistake has been made in reference to the officer
commanding her Majesty's ship Tribune. Capt. H. E.
Edgcll was appointed to that ship last Aug. He took the
command about the 20th of Sept., and still retains it.

The following promotions appeard in our late edition
of ye.terday :
PROMOTIONS FOR THE CAPTURE OF
KINBOURN.

The following promotions have been made by the

Board of Admiralty this day, k congequenee of the, sue•
ccssful operations atKinbottrn

Lieutenant G. H. Marryat, of the Cracker, to tLe
rank of Commander.

Mr. E. V/. Brooker, mister of H.M.S. Spitofnl, has
been off ref a commission as Lieutenant in the Loyal
Navy.

P;e follow;ng appointments were also been made yes-
ttrday

LIEUTENANT.
Colin C. A. Kane, additional of Royal Albert, for
service in the Cracker.

PAYMASTER.
Arthur G. Thomas, to the Salamander.
Mr. John Thomas (a) has been promoted to the rank
of retired Commander.

DEATH OF REAR-ADMIRAL PREVOST.
We regret to announce the death of Rear-Admiral
James Prevost, retired under her Majesty's order in
council of let September, 1816, which occurred at
Southampton ou the 28th ultimo, at an advanced age.
The following account of his services are extracted
from O'Byrne's "Naval Biography :”-
" This officer entered the navy in 1754, as captain's
servant, on board the Culloden, 74, Captain Cotton,
guard-ship, at Plymouth. From March, 1785, until
June, 1793, he served on the Newfoundland and Jamaica
stations in the Leocadia, Captain Alex. Edgar ; Expedi-
tion, 44, Commodore Gardner ; Chichester, 44, Captain
H. Brydges ; Nautilus, 18, Captain John Trigge ; and
Salisbury and Europa, flag-ships of Admiral Milbank°
and Commodore Ford. He was then, ou the 19th of
the month last mentioned, promoted to the rank of
lieutenant and placed in command of the Flying Fish
schooner, in which vessel he witnessed the surrender
of Jeretuie, St. Nicholas Mole, Leogane, and othtr
places is St. Domingo. His appointments, after he
l' ft the Flying Fish, were-March 9, 1794, to the
Hound, 18, Captain F. Gardner, on the Jamaica sta-
tion ; April 20, 1795, and April G, 1796, to the Defence,
74, Captain Thomas Wells; and Barfleur, 9S, flag-ship of
Rear-Admiral Hon. Win. Waldegrave, both in the Medi-
ttrranean ; Feb. 22, 1793, to the Agincourt, 64, bearing
the flag of the officer last mentioned at Newfoundland ;
and August 29, 1800, to the Foudroyant, 80, flag-ship
of Lord Keith, again in the Mediterranean. In the De-
fenci he fought in Hotharu's first partial action, March
14, 1795 ; in the Barfleur he took part in the action off
Cape St. Vincent, Feb. 14, 1797, and assisted, in com-
mand of the launch, in Nelson's bombardment of Cadiz ;
and in the Foudroyant he obtained the Turkish gold
medal for his services on shore during the operations of
1801 in Egypt. On the Bth of October, in the latter
year, he wav promoted to the command of the Bonne
Citoyenne sloop, also on the Mediterranean station
where, in 1802, be removed to the Vincejo brig. In
August and December, 1804 (he had left the Vincejo in
1803), he assumed command, in succession, of the Ex-
plosion bomb, and Saracen, 18 ; in the latter of which
vessels we find him recommended by Rear-Admiral Mur-
ray to the protection of the Admiralty as 'an active and
very zealous officer,' for his conduct during the opera-
tions in the Rio de la Plata, whence he was sent home
with the naval and military despatches announcing the
disastrous result of the attack upon Buenos Ayres, July
5, 1807. He was advanced to post rank March 13,
1809, and was lastly, from Dec. 11, 1812, to June 4,
1814, employed at Chatham, in the Ceres, 32, as flag
captain to Rear-Admiral Thos. Surridge. We may add
that for a short time in 1802 he acted as captain of the
Success frigate at Malta. He accepted his present rank
October 1, 1846."