The Sun.
London, England, 1824-03-25 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.

A painful sensation was excited at the West
F.nd of the town yesterday, in consequence of a rumour which
obtained circulation, that a Naval Officer of high rank had put
a period to his existence. We regret to state, that on inquiry
we found this rumour was not without foundation, and that
the unfortunate individual who had thus fallen by his own
hand, was Sir GEORGE RALPH COLLIER, K.C.8., a Cap-
tan in the Royal Navy. This gallant officer, it appears, has
been residing for some time back at Gordon's Hotel, in Albe-
marle-street, and during that period was observed to be consi-
derably depressed in spirits. On Tuesday he called at the
Admiralty, but there was nothing in his manners at that time.
which indicated an aberration of intellect. On the same day
he called at the United Service Club House,. in Regent-street,
of which he is a member, and,here he shewed strong symptoms
of irritation, in consequence of some severe strictures upon
his conduct, which he said were contained in " James's Naval
History." On his return to Gordon's in the evening, the
uneasiness of his mind, became more apparent, and on being
visited by his brother, who is a highly respectable Navy
Agent, conducting his business in Brick-court, Temple, that
gentleman prevailed upon him to accompany him to his own
house in Sobo-sauare; where he used every argument in his
power to soothe his agitation. These arguments seemed to have
had the desired effect, and the unhappy gentleman retired to
rest in aastate of mind comparatively easy. Yesterday morning,
however, his feelings were again excited to a state.of momentary
phrenzy, and, while labouring under this paroxysm, he
seized a pistol, and, in a moment, deprived himself of
life. His body was discovered weltering in blood almost
immediately afterwards, but all surgical aid proved in-
effectual. It is expected that an loquest will be held on
the body in the course of this clay, when we understand
evidence will be adduced to shew most clearly that the un-
fortunate officer had for some time laboured under a state of
nervous irritability, which rendered his conduct a subject of
general remark. 'The deceased was the son of Admiral Col-
lier, and was related to the family of General Gwynne, a fa-
vourite Equerry to his late Majesty. Ile has a half brother,
now holding an official situation in the Isle of France. Ile was
himself, raised to the rank of Captain in the Royal Navy, on
June the 30th, 1790, and was created a Baronet in 1814. He
distinguished himself by his meritorious services on many
portanito
,hreoccasions,oiilolpmid of the Victor,atticulalrlybyhis in o
perseverance, and bravery
when
b
Roche, subsequently in the assistance which hee captureda ffordete
1 the
British troops under the command of Sir John Moore on the
coast of Spain during the war in the Peninsula. Since the peace
his activity in unppressina• the traffic in slaves on the coast of
Africa has Obtained for him the warmest commendations of his
Majesty's-Government. He was at all times esteemed as a
zealous and gallant officer—alike an honour to his country,
and an ornament to society. In private life he was universally
esteemed, and his prompt benevolence will long live in the
memories of those, who, in the hour of need, have partaken of
his bounty.
Since 'writing the above, we have been informed, that during
the last three months, the conduct of Sir George Collier has
excited the alarm of his friends. The constant theme of his
observations was the charge made against him in Mr. Jarnes's
work. His mind, naturally sensitive, could not be diverted
from this subject, and at the very moment his friends were
consulting on the best mode of placing him under temporary
coercion, he fell a victim to those feelings which a constitution
already broken in the service of his country rendered insup-
asortable.
On a reference to Mr. James's Naval 'History, the following
passage bathe only one we can find which could possibly have
any irritating effect on the mind of the—Gallant Officer :—" On
the 7th of March, 1815, the Constitution (an American fri-
gate) anchored with her two prizes (the late British sloops
Cyane and Levant) in the harbour of Porto Prays, island of
Saint Jago. On the 11th, at a quarter past meridian, the
British r,O gun ships Leander, Captain Sir George Ralph
Collier, K.C.13., and Newcastle, Captain Lord Geo Stewart,
and 40 gun frigate, A casts, Captain Alexander Robert Kerr,
standing in for the harbour in thick weather on the star-
board tack, discovered the three American ships at anchor.
Insess than ten minutes, the latter cut their cables, and
stood out on the larboard tack. At this time the Consti-
tution was between four and five miles to windward of the
Acasta, who was one mile on the weather quarter of the
Newcastle, and the latter about two miles a-head of the
Leander. The three British ships presently tacked in chace,
and the Constitution cut away her first cutter, and gig tow-
ing a-stern. Finding that the Acasta was gaining, her wake,
and that the Cyane, the rearmost ship, was rather dropping
astern, the Constitution, at ten minutes past one, signalled.
the latter to tack, and the Cyane did so. No British ship
tacked after her, but all continued in chace of the Constitution
and Levant. At three o'clock, observing that the AcaSta was
drawing fast upon the Levant, the Constitution directed the.
latter to tacit ; the Levant did accordingly tack, and strange
•to say, the Leander made a signal not
,for one but for sill the
British ships to tack Vier her. This little paltry ship, as
She. afterwards bore up towards the anchorage, was honoured
by receiving the fire of the Leander ; a fire that, heavy as
it was, and destructive as it might have been, appears to
have done the Levant no injury in her personnal, and very
little, if' any, in her materiel. The Levant was, of course,
re-captured (the Acasta took possession of her), but the Con-
stitution and .Cyane effected their escape. What could have
possessed. Sir George Collier to act in this manner ? In less
than three hours the Acasta would in all probaiility hare
brought the Constitution to action; and as the latter must now
have been sixty or seventy men short of her compliment, from
having manned her prizes, that fine Thitish frigate, mounting
Ertl guns, and manned with 350 men, wanted no assistance what-
ever from the Leander or Newcastle. It is a fact that Captain
Stewart and the Officershad made up their minds to be cantured ;
they betrayed to the British Officerson board an alarm on the sub-
ject, such as British Officers ought not to feel, and appeared, using
a seaman's phrase, so lubberly in all, that they, contrary to
what is usually an opponent's best hope in action, rested on
their surviving to give confused orders, rather than on so fine
and effective a crew' having, by the deaths or disability of their
Whenrtsh
we
athsraees
OnffiriCtiesrist,sfloirms atnacpciuev(ii: tthhee shipjoy of the
the themselves.
earavagant as their fears had been well grounded ; but what
were the feelings of Captains Douglas and Falcon and the other
British officers ? What were they, indeed ! What was the
capture of the Guerriere, Macedonian, and Java, or half a dozen
other such frigates, to the disgrace entailed upon the British
navy, by this third and last escape of the Constitution ?"
Mr. James adds, in a note, "Justice to Sir George Collier
requires us to mention that the Leander, a ship fitted out ex-
pressly to fight the large American frigates (as a proof hew
much those who sent her to sea cared about the national
honour), possessed one of the worst crews in the service.—
Well was it, indeed, that the Leander never fell in with one of
the American forty-fours. The Newcastle was
.not much better
oft'. The Majestic, with her fine crew, was a match for both of
them."—( Morning Chronicl.%)

SUICIDE PREVEX r Yesterday evrtiing,
about seven o'clock, as a Gentleman was passing through the
Green-park, he observed a respectably dressed female walk-
ing near the basin ; he watched her for some time, at length
she off her bonnet, and was about to precipitate herself
water, when the Gentleman caught hold of her in
prevent the commission of the rash act, which she was
i
having
previously taken arsenic, without
effect. The Marchioness of Cholmondeley, who observed the
unfortunate young woman walking about the basin at twelve
to
o'clock at noon, on hearing of the above circumstance, very ftin i tte
determined upon,
hu-
manely sent one of her servants to the Lodge in the Park,
where the wretched female was conveyed, and ordered her to
be taken care of, for which purpose she was conveyed to the
workhouse. It appears that she resided at Holloway, where
being in arrears for rent, she was turned out of doors, after
leaving behind her what few things she was possessed of as
security, and being thus driven to despair, she took the rash
resolution of putting an end to her existence.

Bo W.,STR EF.T.—(THIS DAY.)---JOhn Hill Wag-
stag, the person charged with forgery, was again
brought up this morning for further exami-
nation, and the of was crowded to excess.
—Sir Itscirtnn BIaNIE asked if any persons
present, had fresh charges to snake against
the prisoner, in addition to what took place
on Saturday last ?—but no one answered. Sir
RICHARD BIRNIE said he had put off the final
examination until this day, in consequence of
a gentleman stating that he would come for-
ward and prove that he had seen forged checks
in the prisoner's possession ; that gentleman,
however, not attending, he could not delay the
proceedings, and if any further charges were
to be brought against him, they could do it at
the Sessions.--The prisoner was then fully com-
mitted for trial.

We are happy to hear that Mr. SPANKIE, late
King's Advocate at Bengal, whose state of health caused him
to resign that important office, is returned with his amiable
Lady and family, apparently much recovered.