The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-02 00:00:00

AQUATICS.

DOGGETT'S COAT AND BADGE—THIS DAY.
This interesting race for a coat and silver badge, the
gift of and fixes by the will of Mr. Doggett, a celebrated
comedian in the early part of the last century, to take
place annually on the Ist of Au4ust, took place this day,
the 1 t falling on a Sunday, the gift being the interest
of a legacy by the testator, for the purpose of encourag-
ing the apprentices of watermen, and also to commemo-
rate the accession of the house of Brunswick to the Bei-
tishithrone. The conditions of the wager are that it
shou'd be rowed by six watermente apprentices duly qua-
heed, and elected by ballot for choice out of young as
termen apprenticed at Fishmongers' Hall. In addition
to the coat and badge, the successful competitor is en-
titled to the freedom of the Watercean'e Company, yeti-
cus other prizes in money being awarded amongtt the
21, 31, and 4th men, the sth and 6,,h also each rece sing
11. These prizes are the gift of the Fishmongers' Com-
pany, and the interest of a legacy by Sir W. Jolliffe,
Bart., deceased, to the company for that purpose. The
distance and conditions of the match are that it should
be rowed against tide from the Old Smut) at Landon-
bride to the Swan at Chelsea.

The competitors chosen were :
John George Wyatt, Custom House.
Joseph Henry Mills, Thames Bank.
Charles John Turner, Rotherhithe.
Joseph Goddard, Tower.
Jacob J. Bartholomew White, Bermondsey.
John Charles Young, Woolwich.
A t 12 o'clock the men assembled at the Waterman's
Hall, and afterwards proceeded to Fishmongers' Hall,
where each man, having produced his qualification, re-
ceived a glass of wine and a wish of success. The prizes
are to be distributed thus—the Ist man, in addition to
the Coat and Badge and Freedom, 1/. ; the 2d prize is
Iths of the interest of 2671. 17s. 3d. 3 per Cent. Reduced,
formerly 2001., South Sea Stock, bequeathed by Sir W.
Jolliffe ; 31 priz9, the remaining sths ; the 4th man,
1/. 11s. 6d., and the sth and 6th 11. is., if they row the
distance.

The men took up their stations soon after one, bat it
was not until 20 minutes to two before a start was
effected.

Mills and Turner were the favourites at the start. On
the signal being given the men got away well, and a
most spirited contest took place. Turner took the lead,
ful'o‘red by White—after a severe struggle f:r the
second place on the part of Mille, who obtained that di..
tinction to Vauxhall, White being third, the others
dropping behind. Turner, the favourite, maintained
his position as first during the entire race. Coming in
Match—Turner first, Mills second, Young third.

RIOT AT A FIRE,-A BRIGADE MAN
STABBED.

-

Late on Saturday night the inhabitants of White-
chapel were thrown into a state of considerable ex-
citement in consequence of the sudden outbreak of
a fire in some premises belonging to Messrs. Merry
and Nutter, wholesale cheesemongers, carrying on
business at 133 and 134, High-street, Whitechapel.
The fire commenced from some unexplained cause
in the cart-house, situate in Old Castle court, and
separated from the stabling by a narrow paved
yard, so that at one time the destruction of several
valuable horses appeared inevitable. The moment
the fire was seen several persons entered the yard,
and fortunately succeeded in getting the whole of
the horses out, and they were taken to Messrs.
Manners' brewery for the night.. Owing to the in-
flammable nature of the property in the cart-house
the fire extended with unusual rapidity, and in the
course of a few minutes three vans, two carts, and
a chaise I..came ignited, when the flames shot
through the roof and rose so high as to illuminate
the whole of the East-end of London. This bad the
effect of drawing to the spo', almost immediately
afterwards, three or four thousand persons, who
took possession of every spot leading to the scene
of conflagration. _ _

The engines having been sent for, several of the
London brigade from Jeffrey-street, Wellclose-
square, Watling-street, and Whitecross-street at-
tended, under the direction of Mr. Fogo, the fore-
man, and Engineers Bridges, Baylis, Maidman,
and a full corps of firemen. This force was attended
by a private engine from the brewery, that of the
parish, and the one belonging to the West of Eng-
land office.

For some time a scene that baffles description
took place, for the mob seiz-d th- engiLe.i and
would not it.tgo iii it held of the handles or levers,
so that the firemen and police had the greatest
difficulty in get ing their machines into working
order ; and one man, who had been ordered away
from the Jeffrey-square engine, drew a poniard
from his belt and deliberately plunged the weapon
into the leg of a fireman, named William Withers,
whilst he was on the engine, stooping to take the
dam out to feed the engine with water. The un-
fortunate fellow cried out that he was stabbed, and
blood instantly flowed from the wound and ran.
down his trousers. He was removed to the Pun-
ces Alice Tavern, where the landlord strapped up
the wound, and applied all that was necessary to
meet the emergency of the case. The firemen,
finding the crowd was completely crippling their
exertions, were, as a dernier resort, compelled to
fight their way with their engines tc get near the
burning pile. The mob, however, would not be
interfered will, and they struck right and left at
r
the firemen, until they were obligd to use their
belts and
sPliiit
'-bats to protect themselves. The
man s
whostabbed the fireman was seized by some
l
of the bystanders, but the mob tore him away, and
up to last night he had not been recaptured.
Mr. Superintendent Stead and Inspectors Gornon
and Constable, with Acting M 1 „,- Acting-Inspector or e oy,for-
tunately calve up with a reinforcement of officers,
and by great perseverance they managed to get a
way clear for the engines to pass to and fro ; and a
good supply of the East London Company's water
having been obtained, the firemen went to work in
an admirable manner ; but during the time that
had previously elapsed the flames had made fearful
progress, and they were attacliii g the private resi-
dence of Mr. J. Kingstone, and the stables and
stalls on the opposite side of the yard.
By a judicious distribution of water over the
burning buildings, the firemen were enabled to cub
off the further extensien of mischief ; but the fire
could not be entirely extinguished until a serious
loss of property had taken place, which is thus
officially reported by Mr. Braid wood, the super-
intendent of the London Brigade :
"July 31, 1858.—Calle1 at 1.30 p.m., to a fire
at Messrs. Merry and Nutter's wholesale cheese-
mongers, in Old Castle-court, Whitechapel. Three
vans, two carts, and one chaise, with loft over,
burned, and roof off—insurance unknown. Ditto
(opposite), windows of stabling and stalls damaged
by fire—insurance riot known. Ditto, Mr. J.
Kingstone, private side windows burned out, ceil-
ings damaged by water, and furniture by hasty reo
moval—insured for contents in the Union Fire-
office."

Several of the other firemen were much knocked
about by the mob, and so great wits the pressure
that some of the wooden railings in Commercial
street were forced down, and the crowd fell into
the excavation for the new houses, but it is under-
stood that none are seriously injured.

LEER MAJESTY'S VISIT To LEBDS.—We bear with
great satisfaction that Her Majesty has intimated her
intention of visiting Leeds on Monday, the oth of Sep.
tember, and opening the Town hall on Tueschi), the 7th.
We believe this will be the most desirable thing possible
for the town, and it will bring immediately together
inhabitants, also, who receive gues.ts, or who make pre.
Her Majesty's visit and the Musioal Festival. To the
parations for both events, it will he a convenience
that they should be on days immediately consecutive.
Her Majesty is to reach Leeds at 6 o'elock, in the
evening of Monday, and to, leave the town on Tuesday
punctually at hal
f.past 1 o clockm
p.. The Mayor, we
understand, is still is London, in consultation with the
authorities on the subject of the arrangements for the
Royal visit, and it is stated,
s that the programme, so far
entry into the hall, 'will be
saisigrhetglayrdmsoildiefiredM!;jbeustty,
as the official programme will
most likely be published ntxt week, we need not men-
tion the rumours which are current.—Leeds Mercury.
It is stated that Filact Pa,ha is expecte' in London
from Paris, with the view of entering into arrangements
with Messrs. Rothschild and Baring for the long•talked
of Turkish loan,