The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-18 00:00:00

EXTENSIVE ROBBERY.

WALTHAM-ABBEY, APRIL 17.—A great deal of ex-
citement has been occasioned in this neighbourhood
during the past week, owing to its having become known
that a daring burglary, involving the loss of cash
amounting to nearly 5001., had been committed at the
Storekeeper's-office of the Royal gunpowder works
situate near this town.

The robbery was effected during the night of the Bth
inst., and all the efforts of the local police were imme-
diately directed to the discovery of its perpetrators. The
lapse of two or three days without any satisfactory clue
to the burglars having been obtained induced the autho-
rities to apply to the Metropolitan Commissioners of
Police for assistance, and by their direction Inspector
Lund and Sergeant Whicher, two intelligent and very
active officers of the detective force, were sent down to
assist in the investigation.
From inquiries instituted by these officers, it appeared
that Mr. Topham, who holds the responsible office of
storekeeper to the Government works, had, on the
afternoon of the Bth inst., placed the sum of 4501.
in notes and gold, to be used in the payment of
the usual monthly accounts, in an iron chest, en-
closed within an iron closet, in his own office.
Mr. Topham loft the works at half•past five o'clock
on the evening of the Bth, when all the locks were
securely fastened, and everything quite safe. At six
o'clock the following morning the porter, whose duty it
was to open the storekeeper's office, on inserting the key
into the lock of the outer door found that it was unfas-
tened, and secured only by the ordinary catch. On en-
tering he found that an inner office hat been forcibly
broken open, and the iron doors of the closet containing
the money chest wrenched off. The chest itself had
been lifted out of the closet, and its shattered appear-
ance soon showed that the burglars in the pursuit of
their nefarious calling had availed themselves of the
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gunpowder had been gradually poured until a sufficient
quantity had been inserted to blow off the outer lid. It
is conjectured that the robbers laid a train for some
short distance, and then fired it. The effect was shown
in the entire destruction of the outer lid, on the removal
of which the thieves had little difficulty in wrenching
open the inner partition; having done which the booty
was at once secured.

The money_stolen consisted of sixteen 201. Bank of
England notes, and about 100 sovereigns in gold.
Inspector Lund has been most actively engaged in
endeavouring to sift the affair since his arrival, and the
result of his inquiries has led to the apprehension this
day of four men—one of them moving in a respectable
class of life, and two others employed on the Govern-
ment works.

The persons apprehended are George Rowe, a licensed
victualler, and landlord of an inn called The Compasses,
in this borough; John Cornish, and Charles Eves, two
night-watchmen on the Government works; and Jesse
Griffiths, a coetermonger and fish-dealer, living in the
neighbourhood. The last-named prisoner has been re-
peatedly in custody for felony.
Inspector Lund having obtained information against
Rowe, went to his house this morning for the pur-
pose of apprehending him. On inquiring for him,
Mr. Lund was told by his wife that she believed he
was in the back-yard. On going there, Mr. Lund
could not find him, and some bystanders referred
the officer to the stable. Into the stable Mr. Lund
went, but here also he was unsuccessful in finding
the object of his search. Perceiving, however, in
the corner of the stable-ladder leading up to a loft, Mr.
Lund ascended, and immediately discovered Rowe ex-
tended upon some bay and straw, in which he was partly
buried. On the officer acquainting him with the nature
of his suspicions, Rowe resigned himself into custody,
and having descended from his hiding place, he sub-
mitted to be searched. Upon him were found 27 sovereigns
and five 101. Bank of England notes. On being asked if
he had any more money in his possession, he accompa-
nied the officer to his bed-room, and pointing out a few
shillings in silver said, "That's all the cash I have."
Mr. Lund now intimated to the prisoner that he should
feel it his duty to search the loft in which he had found
him, and inquired if he had any more money there.
Rowe replied, "Is it likely, now? But if you have
come to search, you had better do so." Mr. Lund, with
Seargeant Whicher, then returned to the loft, and in a
very few moments the latter officer discovered, amongst
some old iron and other rubbish, a tin canister, which
on being opened was found to contain 100 sovereigns in
gold.
Cornish and Eves were taken into custody about the
same time by the local police. The former prisoner has
expressed a desire to confess his share in the transaction,
bet the officers have great hopes of obtaining sufficient
evidence to convict without availing thetrispiNe! of the
testimony of an approver.
Among the gold stolen there was about :01. worth of
half-sovereigns. At k vas's lodgings, among IW. in gold,
14 half-sovereigns were discovered, and from the person
of Cornish five half-sovereigns and one sovereign were
taken.

The three prisoners, with Jesse Griffiths, were all
taken before the local magistrates at the police-station
this afternoon, and formally charged with the robbery.
After hearing a statement of the circumstances, the
Bench, on the application of Inspector Lund, at once
granted a remand, and the prisoners were removed in
custody.
The robbery, as before stated, has created no little
excitement .here, and a Government reward of 501. for
the apprehension of the thieves was issued on Monday.

METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.—Yesterday work-
men commenced moving the range of buildings from the
south-eastern angle of Cannon-street to Lawrence Pountney-
lane, and thence westward, so as to effect the improved
widening of that thoroughfare. Similar alterations were
also commenced in Fetter-lane, Rolls-buildings, and vici-
nity, to clear a site for the new Record Office, and to pre-
pare for the new streets which are to radiate therefrom to
Farringdon-street, eastward, and to Lincoln's Inn and St.
Martin's-lane, westward, with branch and avenues by which
the lines of communication between Fleet-street, the Strand,
and Holborn, will be materially increased, while each of the
many thoroughfares will be relieved of a considerable por-
tion of its-present vast amount of traffic.
Tun GOVERNOR OF HONG-KoNG.—The installation
of Governor Bonham as Knight Commander of the Most
Honourable Order of the Bath, took place at the Government
Office en the 22d of February, with all the usual ceremony.
Major General Staveley, under a warrant from Prince Al-
bert, the head of the Order, invested Sir George with the
insignia.—Hong-Kong Register.
He that would make a real progress in knowledge
must dedicate his age as well as his youth, the latter growth
as well as the first fruits, at the altar of truth.—Eliza Cook's
Journal.
LAUNCH OF ANE VV IRON STEAMSHIP.--In non-
pliance with the invitation of Captain Jackson, a numerous
party' assembled 'yesterday at the works of Messrs. Robin-
son and Russel!, Mill-wall, to witness the launch of the new
iron steam-ship the Baron Osy, which is intended to run be-
tween London and Antwerp. The good ship (the largest
iron merchant vessel ever built in the port cf London) is
800 tons burden, 200-horse power, 16 feet hold, and 23 feet
beam. Her estimated cost is 20,0001. She is expected to
achieve the voyage between London and Antwerp in four-
teen hours. She was duly "christened" by Mrs. Lichfield,
the lady of an old naval officer, and at three o'clock was
launched amid the cheers of the bystanders, and the gratu-
lations of the many friends—ladies as well as gentlemen—
to whom Captain Jackson' s previous high professional repu-
tation rendered his career matter of interest and importance.
The company next
i adjourned to the lunch which he had
provided for them n the neighbouring offices, and there
toasted him, " The Antwerp Company,,, with which he is
connected, " the Baron Osy," " Messrs. Robinson and Rus-
sell," &c. Frequent allusion. was made by the speakers to
the value of ofh theis p
private and
ds services,
professionaland thecharacter, amount ofhi a
generalpatron-
age
complaisance, and unvarying care had brought to the vessels
of which he had previously had the command. To these
compliments he returned a fitting response; other speeches
followed, and the party broke up