The Sun.
London, England, 1831-06-11 00:00:00

ALLEGED MURDER AT SEA.

On Wednesday last Mr. Charles Bussell, the I
saloon keeper of the Royal Pavilion Theatre,
Whitechapel-road, waited on Mr. Ballantine, the
presiding Magistrate at the Thames Police Office,
to give information of a murder committed on the
High Seas, more than seven years ago, under cir-
cumstances of a most extraordinary nature. He
said, that in the later part of 1824, he went out as
musician in a ship belonging to the East India Com-
pany. In January, 1825, while the ship was lying
off the shore at Second Bar, near Canton, the
Quarter-master committed some offence, by which
he incurred the displeasure of the third and fourth
officers, who se:zed him on the gun-deck, fastened
a rope round his body, and lowered him down the
after hatchway, using bbn very roughly during the
lowering. They th, n called for the gunner to put
him in irons, which was accordingly done, and he
was placed-in confinement in the spirit-room, a very
small place, and the door closed upon him.
The acting master of the band, who witnessed
the manner in which his shipmate Was used,
said it was a great shame to use a man in
smallnessfor ddeGtt
vot to
that way; and he had no sooner uttered the words
than the two officers collared him, put a rope round
fellowsplace. : anyEv efroyo one
was
his body, ironed him, and lowered him by the rope
the room and the heat of the weather innst have
been dreadful : they continually exclaimed,
us water !" " Open the hatches !" " Let us
out !" but their cries were unheeded. Towards
giveio thete spaomoer
morning the cries of the men gradually grew fainter
and fainter, and they appeared to be quite exhausted.
At six o'clock in the morning hr,ches were un-
barred, and the doors were oprAed, when the
Quarter-master was brought out suffocated, and
quite dead% Ev!.try attempt was made to restore
animation, out without success. The Reting master
ryas much exhausted, but he eventually recovered.
Collateral circumstances strengthening this state-
ment being proved to the Magistrates, they have
caused rigid inquiries to be tnadc, end the' affair, in
the course of a week, will be investigated.

ABDICATION OF THE EMPEROR OF BRA•
most interesting and authentic account of the
transactions between Great Britain, Portugal, and Brazil,
previously to the separation of the Is: 'et' countries, is to be
found in STAPLETON'S Life of CA:•UaNi;,, lately published.
THE MAJORS AND THE MINORS.—We
understaml that some serious differences have just taken
place between the " authorities" at Drury-lane Theatre
and Mr. WALLACK, the stage-manager, in consequence of
some alleged neglect on the part of the latter. It appears
that it is the duty of a stage-manager to examine every
play-bill, and affix his signature to a proof, before i: goes
to press. By some unaccountable oversight this preeau-
ton was not adopted with the play-bill on Tuesday last,
on which evening the joint benefit of Messrs. BARRY-
MORE, BEDFORD, and' fltruilEs took place, when Mr.
KEAN, who is flow engaged at the City Theatre, per-
formed Sir Edward ihrtirner. This gentleman's ap-
pearance at Drury lane upon this occasion was thus an-
nounced in the bills, highly to the annoyance of the lessees
of that theatre :—" By permission of JOHN KEMBLE
CHarMAN, Esq., of the City Theatre, Mr. KEAN for thi-
night only !" When it is remembered that proceedings at
cotmnenced by the proprietors of the National
Theatres, are at the present moment going on against Mr.
CuAr MAN, for performing the
" regular drains" at the
time that gentleman had the Tottenham-street Theatre, it
certainly appears not a little strange to witness Mr. KEAN
performing at Drury-lane "by permission" of the pro-
prietor of one of the metropolitan minors! Yet such was
absolutely the Let on Tuesday evening. We are informed
that this fact will he _brought forward by Mr. Ctrar-
AN'S Counsel, when the case comes on for trial, as a
important argument in favour of that gentleman's "right,"
which is disputed by the larger bowies.