The Sun.
London, England, 1822-09-25 00:00:00

CONGREVE ROCKETS.

A letter from Captain KAY, of the ship Mar-
garet, of London, dated September 7, addressed
to Lieut. COLQUUOUN, R.A., says—

" I have taken the liberty of inclosing you an account of a
few trials I have made of Congreve's Rockets. Fearing the
harpooners would not fire it correctly, I had determined to
try its effect myself, and it was not until the Bth June that an
opportunity presented. Early on that morning a whale, of
the largest size, was discovered near the ship ; I immediately
pursued it, and when sufficiently near, fired a rocket into its
side ; the effect it had on the fish was tremendous—every joint
in its body shook, and, after lyino• for a few seconds in this
agitated way, it turned on its back and died. It appeared on
flinching, that the rocket had penetrated through the blubber,
and exploded in the crann near the ribs ; the stick and lower
part of the rocket was taken out entire—the upper part was
blown to pieces. My next attempt was on the 9th July, on a
whale of the same size as the former, but .owing to the rapid
motion of the fish, and a heavy swell of the sea, which ren-
dered the boat unsteady, the rocket entered below the middle
part of the body, in consequence of which its effect was con-
siderably lessened ; its frame, however, was much shook by
the explosion, and it immediately sunk, but rose again, blow-
ing an immense quantity of blood : it was then struck with a
harpoon, and killed with lances. On flinching, part of the
stick of the rocket could only be found ; it therefore appears
probable that the rocket had burst in the inside of the fish.
" I much regret the want of an opportunity of trying them
on the sun fish, which, although frequently pursued, could
never approach sufficiently near for a rocket to have the slightest
effect. The unusual scarcity of whales also precluded a more
extensive trial of them.

" P.S. We have killed 9 fish this season, and have about
120 tuns of oil."

WHlTEnomm.—From our Paper ,of to-day,
and from our last three or four numbers, it will
be seen that the system which struck such
terror into the inhabitants of the country,
during the last winter, has re-commenced,
even at •this early period of the season. It
is not confined to Munster—the Kilkenny Paper
furnishes some cases of it—but the Journals
of this City and of Limerick are, in every publi-
cation, found to contain some fresh instance of
the unsubdued spirit of Whiteboyism. The cam-
paign has been regularly renewed, and the old
course of Rape, Arson, and Murder vigor-
ously entered on. We have learned, from
authority fully to be relied on, facts which
prove that the destruction of property by
fire has been reduced to a regular system. In
the course of one night, numerous notices were
posted in a circuit of twelve miles, enjoining the
inhabitants of the district not to take their tithes,
and threatening to burn not only the tithe, but
all the consumable property of any individual
who should transgress this order.—(Cork Adver-
tiser, Sept. 21.)

CITY BUSINESS.—The LORD MAYOR ,held a
Court of Aldermen yesterday at Guildhall, which was fully
attended.—His Lordship laid before the Court a report of the'
proceedings he adopted in attending his Majesty in his pro-
gress down the river on the 10th of August last on his way to
Scotland, and on the Ist instant on his Majesty's return.—Wm.
St. Julien Arabin, Esq., attended, and was sworn and admit.
ted into the office of one of the Judges of the Sheriff's Court,
to which he had been elected by the Court of Common Council.
The Court, upon a report from a Committee, increased the
number of Livery of the Spectacle-makers' Company, from 60
to 200 ; and raised the tine for the same.—Commissioners of the
Court of Requests for the months of October and November
next were appointed.—The Inquest of Bishopsgate "Ward at-
tending, presented several persons for carrying on trade not
being free of the city, which was referred to the Chamberlain.
The Inquest of Farrar don Ward Within presented sundry
non-freemen, and a nuisance occasioned by slaughter-houses,
which latter was referred to a Committee, and the non-freemen
to the:Chamberlain.—Several persons were sworn, others al-
lowed to be admitted,. and many discharged from the,office of
brokers.—The Court licensed several coal-undertakers in the
port of London.—A petition from the. Upper Rulers, and others
of the Fellowship of Porters, relative to their being refused to
be employed in carrying malt, was presented, and referred
to a Committee for consideration.—Various other business was
transacted.

We have again been assured that the new ma-
nagement of Covent Garden Theatre is under the
controul of a Committee, and not vested in Mr.
C. KEMULE as is still reported.
Miss PATON is not sufficiently recovered to
resume her station on the Haymarket boards,
but with laudable zeal is preparing herself for
her performance of Polly, in The Beggar's Opera,
We have not heard the name of the new Mac-
heath, but report speaks very favourably of his
person and talents.
Mr. COLMAN, it seems, has written an occa-
sional Address for the re-opening of Drury-Lane
Theatre, under its new alterations and improve-
ments. This gentleman's Muse, like his conver-
sation, is prompt, humorous, and inexhaustible.
Mr. CONWAY, whose merit as an actor has
been deservedly admired by the public, contents
himself at present with the humble office of
Prompter to the Haymarket Theatre, and dis-
charges the duty with as much diligence and
zeal as if he had never occupied a higher situa-
tion, though he held a first-rate station in that
very Theatre, and is yet in the prime of life.
Mr. FOOTE, late of Drury Lane Theatre,
is gone upon a theatrical expedition to British
America, and means to proceed with his com-
pany to Quebec, if he can gain permission from
the Governor. Mr. FOOTE possesses classical
attainments and literary qualifications, which
render him very fit for the direction of a theatre,
as well as to support it by respectable talents.

Our readers viii recollect the seizure of the
Dutch dogger Nieuwe Hoop, in Aberdeen harbour, in the
month of August last year. This vessel had on board above 300
tubs of geneva, and other contraband goods to a considerable
amount; and had a crew of 11 mariners, including the mas-
ter and two boys ; all of whom were marched to prison for
breach of the revenue laws, which impose a fine of 1001. upon
every person engaged in foreign smuggling. These poor men
were quite unable to pay such a sum ; and their owners hav-
ing cruelly abandoned them to their fate, they might have lain
in Jail for an indefinite period. We are happy to learn, how-
ever, that Government have at ,length consented to their liber-
ation. Mr. JOHN STEWART, the :Consul for the kingdom of
the Netherlands at Aberdeen, has been unremitting in his en-
deavours for this purpose, and some time ago procured the re-
lease of the two boys. lie has since accomplished the libera-
tion of the remainder of the crew, who were set at large last
week, after suffering a confinement of 13 months..—( Caledonian
Mercury.)
About three in the afternoon of Friday last,
two children playing in the yard of a cottage near Westbrook,
in the parish of Herne, having obtained some live embers
from the hearth, set fire to some loose straw, the sparks
from which were quickly communicated by the wind to the
cottage, which being thatched, and constructed of weather
board, was very shortly consumed, with nearly the whole
of its contents, including a small sum in notes and money,
which the occupier, a labouring man, had laid up foi the
purpoie of paying his rent : from thence the flames spread to a
lodge and an adjacent barn, which also with a quantity of
canary, the produce of about five acres, which it contained,
were wholly destroyed. Assistance was promptly afforded by
the neighbours, and by the officers and men of the Coast Block-
ade stationed at Hampton Hill, but the drought and com-
bustible nature of the buildings rendered the fire so rapid that ,
the only part that could be preserved was a bed and some
trifling articles of the cottage. The canary, barn, and other
buildings, were the property of Mr. James Taylor, of Calcot
-( Kentish Gazette.)