The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-30 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 30, i 844.

several bottles of wine, the property of James C. P.
Lowe, the landlord.
Police-constable, 226 M, said that about twenty
minutes past five this morning he was passing the Pa-
goda-tavern, when he beard a noise in the lower part
of the house. He then perceived the cellar-flap partly
open, and heard the rattling of bottles. He opened
the flap, when he perceived Smith about to get out
with a bundle in one hand. On seeing him about to
descend, Smith went down again, and crossed the
cellar. He then called the assistance of Ward, 220
M, who remained outside, while he awoke the land-
lord and searched the premises with him. They dis-
covered the prisoners in the middle of the cellar,
each drinking a bottle of port wine; They seemed
quite unconcerned. The floor was strewed with
broken bottles, and the wine was running about.
lie then secured the prisoners, who were quite drunk,
and conveyed them to the station-house.
Mr. Lowe said that after the prisoner left the house
he minutely examined the cellar, and found that the
flap had been wrenched up with a crow-bar, and the
chain which fastened it down had been broken. In
the middle of the floor he found a crow-bar, a piece of
candle, and some matches. In the fining cask, which
had the head out, he found six bottles of port wine
tied up in a pocket handkerchief, which had been
seen in the possession of Smith by the constable. On
examining the door which communicated with the
interior of the premise., he found that attempts had
been made to force it open. The crow-bar which
was found on the floor corresponded with the marks
on the door post. He (Mr. Lowe) considered that
about three dozen bottles of wine had been destroyed.
226 M remarked, that as soon as the prisoners found
they were discovered, they began to break the bottles.
Mr. COTTINGUAM asked Mr. Lowe whether he knew
the prisoners ? Mr. Low replied he had no recollec-
tion of ever seeing them before.
In answer to the charge, Smith said that he was
drunk, and not aware of what he was doing. Taylor
made the same defence.
Mr. Lowe said that they were seen loitering about
his house by the man at the toll-bar at three o'clock.
They were then perfectly sober.
Mr. COTTINGIIIM said, that there was not the least
doubt that their intention was to rob the interior of
the premises from the marks upon the door, which
corresponded with the crow-bar found near where
they were found. He should remand them until Wed-
nesday next, to give the officer an opportunity of
making inquiries into their characters.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
THE LATE ROBBERY AT THE EARL OF HAR.
ROWBY'S.—Alfred Walker, bug-destroyer, who stands
charged with having stolen between 400. and 500/.
in money and some jewellery from the residence of
the Earl of Harrowby, in Grosvenor-square, was yes-
terday brought before Mr. Hardwick for re-exami-
nation.
The detective police have been unsuccessful in ob-
taining a clue to the place to which the bank-notes
have been conveyed, but they have acquired informa-
tion sufficient to satisfy them as to the mode in which
the robbery was effected.
Mr. Pelham, who appeared for Mrs. Tarbox, the
housekeeper, to whom the whole of the stolen money
and goods belonged, said, as there were other wit-
nesses to be brought forward who could speak to
important facts connected with the charge, he had to
apply for a remand in order to afford a sufficient time
to perfect the evidence.
Mr. HARDWICK said, on the understanding that the
police would be prepared with fresh evidence at a
future day, he would remand the prisoner until
Saturday week.
A person, who attended professionally for the pri-
soner, hoped the Magistrate would remand to a
shorter period.
Mr. HARDWICK said there was the strongest ground
for suspecting that the prisoner was implicated in a
very serious robbery, and therefore he felt bound to
give the police a sufficient time to complete their in-
vestigations.
The Solicitor then asked for the money to be given
up which was found in the prisoner's lodgings, as the
prisoner was without money to conduct his case, and
his family were in distress.
Mr. Pelham said he was always sorry to oppose
an application for funds to enable a prisoner to avail
himself of professional advice, but in this instance he
was obliged to object to the request. There were
five sovereigns found between the mattress and bed of
the prisoner. A considerable sum in gold had been
stolen from the residence of the Earl of Harrowby.
The prisoner had stated that the gold he had re-
ceived in payment of the job which he had been
employed to execute at the residence of his Lordship
was the gold found under the mattress. On a future
day he should be prepared to prove that the money
found was not the money received as stated by the
prisoner, and as the state of the gold found in the
prisoner's room would form an ingredient in the
case, he must object to the gold being parted with.
Mr. HARDWICK concurred in this view, and made
no order.
OBTAINING MONEY.—John Bowes, Esq., M.P.,
charged a man, who gave the name of Thomas Thwaites,
with having obtained money from him under false
pretences.
Mr. Bowes said he lived at No. 54, Conduit-street.
About the beginning of August he received a note
commencing "Dear sir," in which a request was
made to see the writer, who represented himself to be
a native of Durham, which place he (Mr. Bowes) re-
presented. He saw the writer, who proved to be
the defendant. The defendant said he was the son
of Mr. Thwaites, of the 'Waterloo Inn at Durham,
and that he had been very useful to him at the last
election. He said when the last strike among the
pitmen took place he left Durham and had come to
London. Having heard that his wife had been taken
ill, he was anxious to go down to Durham, and he
hoped a sum sufficient to carry him there would be
advanced. He (Mr. Bowes) gave the defendant
21. 10s., and the defendant went away. On the
19th of August he received a second letter, stating
that the writer was sorry to have to come
upon him a second time, but after receivin
the• money advanced on the first interview
he had been taken ill, which he attributed
to a change in his food. He had got better, and
wishing to go home he wanted 255. more advanced,
which sum he should be able to repay as soon as he
ranched Durham. He (Mr. Bowes) sent an answer
back that he could not see the writer. A day or two
ago the defendant sent a third letter. It commenced
" Dear friend," and went on to say that the writer
was sorry to trespass again, but being unable to get
work, and his wife having come to London, leaving
him poorer than he was before, he was obliged to bog
the loan of Ti., which should be faithfully repaid at a
future time. The writer ended by declaring that he
had ventured his life for him during the last election
for Durham, and that when another election took
place he would do all he could, being satisfied that he
(Mr. Bowes) would never have it said of him that he
allowed a freeholder and a freeman of Durham to re-
main in London without food. Mr. Bowes said before
he received this last letter he had written to a friend
in Durham to make inquiries into the truth of the
defendant's story. The answer to this letter stated
that the writer had asked Mrs. Thwaites, of the
Waterloo Hotel, and she had told him hat the
person was an impostor. Mr. Thwaites had also
declared that he had no son in London who was a car-
penter or joiner, and that Mr. Boxes had been im-
posed upon. In order to make certain, he (Mr. Bowes)
put the question to the defendant that morning, hav-
ing previously sent for a policeman, and the prisoner
again declared he was the son of the landlord of the
Waterloo Hotel. When the prisoner was given into
custody, he said he was a relative only of Mr.
Thwaites. It was not his wish to have the defendant
punished, if it should turn out that he was a respect-
able man ; but as Members of Parliament were im-
posed upon to a very great extent by representations
similar to those made by the defendant, he thought
that something should be done to put a stop to such
a system.
The defendant admitted that he had received 3/.
from Mr. Bowes, and had applied for money, but he
denied having represented himself to be the son of
Mr. Thwaites, the landlord of the Waterloo Inn. Ile
had stated himself to be Mr. Thwaites's cousin, which
was true.
Mr. Hannwicx said it was clear the defendant
had obtained money under a false and fraudulent pre-
tence, and had subjected himself to punishment for
this offence.
Mr. Bowes said, as it would put other parties to
great trouble, he would not press the case.
Mr. HARDWICK cautioned the defendant (who said
he had also written to Lord 11. Vane) against conti-
nuing the practice, and, after a suitable admonition,
dismissed the case.
MARYLEBONE.
Yesterday George Henry Ward, alias Jockey
Ward, and George TVard, alias Glass, the former
between 40 and 50, and the latter about 20 years of
age, were brought up in custody, and placed at the
bar before Mr. Rawlinson, charged with having con-
spired together to defraud the public, and with having
by a false and fictitious warranty of horses advertised
for sale, obtained the sum of 115/. 10s. from Mr. Wm.
Angerstein, residing at present at North Cray-place,
near Bexley, Kent.
Mr. Ballantine, the barrister, attended for the pro-
secution ; and a gentleman from the office of Mr.
Humphreys for the prisoners.
Mr. Angerstein, on being sworn, said, at the period
of my having the transaction with the prisoners, I
lived at Blackheath, but am now living near Bexley.
Having seen an advertisement in the Times respecting
three horses which were for sale at stables in Glou-
cester-mews West, I went there on the 9th of last
month, and on entering the stables I saw the younger
prisoner, George Ward, by whom I was shown the
animals, two of which were described as phaeton
horses, and the third as a brougham horse. In a
short time the first prisoner came in, the other having
told me that Mr. Ward would be there presently ; and

while I was examining the horses he (George Henry
Ward) informed me that the animals had belonged to
a deceased gentleman named Lloyd, of Stratford-
upon-Avon, and that he was commissioned by the
family whose property they then were to sell them
upon commission. They were taken out, and after a
certain time I agreed to give him 1151. 10s. for them.
I handed to him a cheque for that sum upon Glynns,
my bankers, and to )k from him a receipt for the
amount, as also a warranty, which set forth that the
horses were sound, fit either to ride or drive, and
quiet either in single or double harness. It was further
stated, that if not approved of and returned within
seven days, the money paid for them would be refunded.
Mr. Ballantine—Having made the purchase, as
you have stated, what happened next ? Mr. Anger-
stein --The horses were all brought away by my
groom and the younger prisoner, and by my direc-
tions they were taken to the Veterinary College im-
mediately after the, purchase. In a short time after
this I received a communication from the College that
the horses were not what they were represented to
be, and I accordingly sent them back to the stables
from which I had had them, together with a letter. On
the next morning I went to the stables, which I found
locked and deserted, the horses having been removed

away ; the prisoners too were gone.
Mr. Ballantine—Had the younger prisoner told
you at any period of the transaction who he was ?
Mr. Angerstein—Yes, he described himself as having
been a servant in the late Mr. Lloyd's family. He
had also undertaken to assist my servant in conveying
the animals to Blackheath fur me.
Mr. Angerstein, in his cross-examination by the
solicitor for the prisoners, said, I drove one of the
horses a short distance myself, and did not then dis-
cover that it was unsound. The contract was corn-

pleted before the younger prisoner made a represen-
tation as to who he was.
William Wistler, groom to Mr. Angerstein, corro-
borated a great portion of his master's evidence.
Mr. Ballantine—Since you took the horses back to
the stables in Gloucester-mews West, have you seen
them any where else? Witness—Yes, I have since
seen all three of them in Fitzroy-mews, Fitzroy-

square.
Hannah Potter examined—l am a widow, and my
husband let stables to the elder Ward in Gloucester-
mews. The younger prisoner was continually there
with him, and they occupied the said stables 15 weeks.
Mr. RAWLINSON—What did you understand their
names to be ? Witness—Ward; and I have heard
the young one say that the other was his uncle.
Mr. Ballantine—State all that you know further
about the matter ?—I recollect the three horses going
away. I cannot say how long they had been in the
stable. I remember also their being brought back,
and a letter being left with them.
Mr. Ballantine_When were they taken away from
your stable ? Witness—The next morning, quite
early, by the younger prisoner.
Mr. Ballantine.:—Did he leave any address with
you ? Witness—No, Sir.
By the Solicitor for the prisoners—They (pri-
soners) have been at the stable since, but I can't say
how often.
Elizabeth Hembrow, 4, Boston-mews, Dorset-
square, gave evidence to the effect, that on the 10th
of July (the day after the sale of the horses to Mr.
Angerstein) she let stalls to the elder prisoner, who
brought three horses there, and left on the 28th,
taking the animals with him ; he had not paid a
single farthing for rent.
Mr. Ballantine—What do you know of the younger
prisoner ? Witness—He was frequently at the stables
with the other, and they seemed to be acting together.
George Weldon, 26 stable, Fitzroy-mews, stated
that five weeks ago he let a three-stall stable to the
elder prisoner, who brought with him three horses,
and they remained there until the police came and
took both the prisoners into custody last Tuesday.
To prove that a second sale of the horses had been
endeavoured to be effected,
Mr. John Prior, of Herne-hill, Camberwell, was
then examined, and his evidence was as follows :
On Monday last, from an advertisement which was
inserted in the Times, respecting some horses which
were for sale, I went 26 stable, Fitzroy-mews, and
there saw both the prisoners. I looked at the horses
there, and said, " Are these the horses belonging to
the widow ?' " (meaning the lady alluded to in the
advertisement) ; to which the younger prisoner re-
plied, " Yes." I examined two of the animals, which
according to the description given of them in the
paper I thought I should like to purchase, and while
I was looking at them I observed two persons stand-
ing by in plain clothes ; they afterwards proved to be
policemen who had been in quest of the prisoners.
It was also shown that, the two horses which Mr.
Prior was about to purchase, was part of the " lot "
for which Mr. Angerstein had paid.
Mr. J. Burt, assistant professor at the Veterinary
College, said he had examined the three horses pur-
chased by Mr. Angerstein, and found that one of
them was a " roarer," another had been unnerved in
both fore feet from a chronic disease, and the third
was also lame ; all these diseases and defects in the
animals must have been in existence antecedent to
the 9th of July.
By prisoner s solicitor.—l consider that the horses
would not at Tattersall's, in their present condition,
fetch more than 121. each. I think they would be
sold well at that price ; but if the same parties were
to get hold of them again, with the view of disposing
of them in the best manner they could, they might
perhaps be able to make more money of them con-
siderably..
The prisoners solicitor contended, that as common
prudence had not been used by Mr. Angerstein in
his dealings with regard to the horses, an indictment
at common law could not be sustained, and that the
only course which could be at all open for the com-
plaining party to adopt was an action upon the
warranty."
Mr. RAWLINSON committed both the prisoners for
trial, but expressed his willingness to take bail (with
48 hours' notice), each in his personal recognizance
and sureties to the amount of 2001.
tg

FURNITURE-BROKERS' BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.
—Yesterday the annual meeting of the subscribers, &c.,
to this Institution was held at the Crown and Anchor
Tavern, Strand. James Winter, Esq., the Treasurer,
presided. The object of this Institution is the establish-
ment, by donations and subscriptions, of a fund for the
relief of decayed and distressed furniture-brokers (being
members of the trade) and their widows, and orphan
children of members of the Institution. It appears that
the Society was formed on the 29th of June, 1839, and
enrolled according to Act of Parliament July, 1840.
Since its commencement the proceedings of the Com-
inittee have been attended with much success. The pen-
sioners receive 15/. each per annum. The Secretary
read the report for the last year, which congratulated
the subscribers on the continued prosperity, there being
altogether an available balance of 1,000/. after the deduc-
tion of all expenses ; 8001. of the same is invested with
th e Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt,
2001. being in the hands of the Treasurer. An addi-
tional sum of 100/. had been added to the amount of
stock during the
past year. The report having been re-
ceived and adopted, the meeting proceeded to the election
of additional pensioners, after which a vote of thanks
was passed to the Chairman, who, having acknowledged
the compliment, dissolved the meeting.
FATAL CURIOSITY.—TRYING WHAT THE SENSA•
TION OF HANGING Is.—On Saturday night last, C.
Swann, Esq., held an inquest at Mr. Smith's, the sign
of the Wrestlers, Sneinton, on the ,body of Frederick
Smith, 14 years of age. It appeared deceased was Mr.
I Richard Morley's servant-boy, and was of a lively,
cheerful disposition, happy in his place, and not at all
likely to commit suicide. In the evening of the day
Saville was executed, he asked Thomas Hallam, Mr.
Morley's farming-man, if he had been to see the exe-
cution ; he told deceased he had not, and here the con-
versation ended ; but the same morning, he said to Wm.
Keep, the farming-servant, " I wonder how that man
will feel as he was goig to be hung. On Sa-
turday last it seems he determine
tr d . to
a n gexratify
this foolish and dangerous curiosity, by ying pe-
riment, which proved fatal to himself, as it has done to
many other thoughtless lads. William Straw, Mr.
Morley's gardener, deposed to telling deceesed to
, water some trees about four o'clock in the af-
ternoon of Saturday, and to discovering him hanging,
under a shed, in the orchard, about an hour and a half
afterwards ; he gave an alarm and the body was
immediately cut down, but life was extinct ; his hands,
face, and arms were quite cold. Mr. Burrows, surgeon,
was soon in attendance, but of course all attempts to re-
store animation were fruitless. The witness Hallam saw
the cord was is four or five doubles, but was not quite
round deceased's neck, and the otherend was fastened
round a spar of the shed. His shirt, acket collar, and
j
frock were between the cord and his neck, and the cord
was not in a running noose. The witness Hallam said
he believed deceased took the cord with which h e hung
himself off a post, near to the shed. There
is some
timber lying near to the place where he was hanging ;
witness thought, by some dirt which he saw, that de-
ceased had stood upon the timber to tie
himself up, and
then swung himself off. The jury, having fully consi-
dered all the circumstances, returned. the following ver-
dict:—"Hung himself accidentally, in trying what the
sensation of hanging was, and not with an intention to
destroy himself."—Nottinyhani Mercury.
EDINBURGH Towx COUNCIL.—At a meeting of the
town council on Tuesday, the Lord Provost (Mr. Black)
called the attention of the council to the present trans-
mission of the London mail to the city, which he thought
admitted of great improvement. At present it came
round by Carlisle, and occupied twenty-eight hours in
the journey; whereas, on the Newcastle Railway, the
train only occupied fourteen hours fourteen minutes
between London and Newcastle, and the coach to Edin-
burgh occupied only ten hours more—making. in all
twenty-four hours fourteen minutes. But if the mail
heivpitto
were transmitted by Newcastle, letters might easily be
delivered in Edinburgh at latest by
.twelve o'clock—
whereas at present they were not delivered till 'about
four o'clock. It would appear,
.indeed, as if the autho-
Tprheepacroeuanncidl
rities had looked for the longest taste td of the shortest
road. He suggested that it should be remitted to a
committee to prepare a memorial. to the Postmaster-
at General,ene e a gprreeaydi praying for
aat
ha
ee remedyh tot Lordship
i transmit a memorial to the effect referred to.

SANGUINARY AND BRUTAL

ASSA ULT.

Late on Saturday evening last a number of Irish- I
men, who are at present employed at theth=e iron-works
near Kilbirnie, called at a public-houie kept by a
respectable old man named Peter Hughes, on the
road to Dairy, and ordered some whisky. After i
they had been supplied, they rose to go without
having paid for the spirits. Hughes attempted to
detain them, when the miscreants set upon him
an I his wife, and commenced beating and mal-
treating them in a most shameful manner. The
cries of the old people brought a neighbour to
their assistance, and on his attempts to interfere
he was likewise attacked with equal fury. The
son of this person, a stout young man, came in at this
juncture, and having seized a poker, he knocked se-
veral of the ruffians down one after another, but was
at length overpowered, and the poker taken from him.
He with difficulty escaped from their hands, and
having returned with some of the noighbours, whom
I he had called to the rescue, they found the whole of
the windows burst in, and the furniture broken to
pieces. Hughes and his wife were in a state of in-
sensibility ; the former had his legs broken, and his
body covered with contusions ; his wife also had been
dreadfully maltreated ; and the young man's father
had his skull fractured, and was otherwise very
much bruised. The whole three remain in a very
precarious state. The county police were speedily
on the alert, and early on Sunday morning suc-
ceeded in capturing four persons, who un-
derwent an examination before a magistrate on
Sunday. Two of them were instantly identified by
the young man, and their persons bore the marks of
hadthe blows he inflicted on them with the poker.
The party who made the attack consisted of seven,
and it is expected that they will all shortly be in cus-
tody. Four very suspicious characters, whose accent
betrayed that they were Irish, were seen on the
grounds of Grangehill, belonging to Captain Reid, on
Sunday morning; but before the police arrived, they
had disappeared. They are strongly suspected to
have been of the party ; and it is said the clothes of
one of the four were stained with blood. We under-
stand that the inhabitants of the district complain
greatly of the riotous conduct of some of the parties
engaged at the iron-works • and it is hoped measures
will be adopted to prevent tile recurrence of such out-
rages.—Scotch Paper.

SUBMARINE OPERATIONS
AGAINST THE WRECK OF THE EDGAR AT !

SPE 'MEAD.
These have been proceeding with RITA vigour
under the able and ze.tions superintendence of Li,su-
tenant Barlow, the executive engineer. The great
mass of timber imbedded in mud, composing the
centre of the hull of the Edgar, which was discovered
_ _

on the 23d of May, and which from an accurate sur-
vey taken by that officer stood 13f feet higher than
the general level of the bottom, has been lowered ten
feet by the continual removal of pieces, which have
Dither been loosened or fractured when necessary by

frequent small explosions. The quantity of gunpow-
der expended in this manner, from the commencement
of the season to Saturday, the 17th instant, inclusive,
was more than 3,9001b3. Amongst the large masses
of wreck recovered, the greater part of which has
been piled either on the watering island in-the dock-
yard behind the rigging-house, or on the island in the•
harbour, near Clarence victualling-yard, 401 feet in
length of the keel has been' sent up. Thirteen more
guns have been recovered since our last notice of these
operations, of which nine were sent up in one week,
from the Bth to the 13th of July. The first of these
guns was discovered by sweeping, and the others
found not far from it, at the distance of from twenty
to twenty-five fathoms nearly north-east of the two
lighters then moored over the hull. Of these guns
Corporal Jones sent up four, viz., one 32-pounder,
two 18-pounders, and one 12-pounder. Lance-Cor-
poral Girvan sent up one 32-pounder, and one
6-pounder ; and Private Herbert, of the East India
Company's Sappers and Miners, sent up two
18-pounders, and a very large fragment of a 24-
pounder, wanting only three feet near the muzzle of
its total length.
On the 10th instant, the volunteer seamen of the
Excellent, who had been practising diving for two
months at Spithead, taking it in their turns for one
day,at a time, ceased to be employed, and afterwards
returned to their ship with a certificate from Major-
General Pasley, chiefly in consequence of the favour-
able report of Lieutenant Barlow, but also partly
from his own occasional observation, not only of their
being well qualified as divers, and of their zeal and
diligence as workmen, but also of their regularity and
good conduct when off duty, and of the friendly
manner in which they had behaved to the sappers and
miners, riggers, and pensioners, and others employed
in the same service. In this satisfactory communica-
tion, addressed to Sir Thomas Hastings, their com-
manding officer, the fact of one of their number,
Quartermaster Germain, who took the place of one
of the constant military divers when ill, having on
that occasion sent up a piece of the keel of the Edgar,
was noticed. Lieutenant Fairholme, R.N., an officer
of the Excellent, also had authority from his com-
manding officer to remain at Spithead one week with
Lieutenant Barlow, with the laudable view of learn-
ing the art of diving, as well as the use of the voltaic
battery for submarine explosions, &c., and went re-
peatedly to the bottom, as Lieutenant Barlow had also
done. On one occasion Lieutenant Fairholme met
with one of the regular: divers at the bottom, and
from want of experience went round him before he
returned to his own ladder, in consequence of which
his breast or signal line became entangled with this
man's, and on being hauled up his feet were upper-
most. This accident, which only caused him a tem-
porary headache, was another confirmation of the su-
periority of Mr. Siebe's improved diving apparatus.
Had the same thing happened with the original diving
apparatus of Deane's pattern, in which the helmet is
open at bottom, this valuable officer must inevitably
have been drowned. An accident had previously
occurred on the 12th of June, by an air-pipe separat-
ing from the pump on deck, whilst one of the volun-
teer seamen divers was at the bottom ; but no injury
was done to the individual in consequence, as the
safety valves with which that and all the other helmets
had been fitted by General Pasley's directions, and•
which at the time were all in perfect order, prevented
the air from escaping, and the man was drawn up
perfectly unconscious that anything was amiss. The
same accident happened to Lance-Corporal Girvan,
on the 27th of July, whose air-pipe on deck separated
from the pump, on which, being fully aware that
Something had gone wrong, he made the signal, and
was drawn.up sensible, but much injured, especially
about the throat and head, as the air rushed violently
out of his helmet, in the Same manner as if no safety-
valve had been attached;' to it. General Pasley, on
receiving the report of 'this accident—the third that
happened in the course of three seasons from the same
cause—was very much grieyed, and at the same time
surprised. The first two accidents alluded to were
easily accounted for, as' the helmets of the divers had
not been all provided with safety-valves at that time.
But this last accident at first appeared in some mea-
sure unaccountable, fur no report of the state of the
helmet had been made in announcing it. But as soon
as the helmet was carefully examined, the cause became
apparent. Owing to the safety-valve not having been
taken to pieces since the commencement of the sea-
son, it had- become• clogged with verdigris, so that it
could not shut properly, and a great portion of the air
was enabled to escape in consequence. Girvan was imme-
diately sent to Haslar Hospital, and, under the excellent
' advice and treatment there, is rapidly recovering, his
general health fortunately not having been injured,
and his eyes only remaining weak and bloodshot.
After this accident, Lieut. Barlow had the safety-
valves of all the helmets taken to pieces and cleaned,
and this practice, which has thus been proved to be
.indispensable, will be repeated once a-week for the
future. Before this occurred, even the divers them-
selves placed such confidence in these valves, that they
were not aware of the necessity of overhauling them.
Another accideit, but of a less serious nature, after-
' wards occurred to Private Sticklen. After having
done his work at the bottom, whilst being hauled up
by signal to the lighter whence he had descended, his
helmet struck against a pig of ballast attached to a
diver's rope-ladder hanging over the side, which broke
one of his three glass eyes, so that the water rushing
in filled his dress and rose nearly to the top of his
helmet ; but, as this occurred near the surface, he
sustained no injury or inconvenience, except swallow-
ing some salt water.
Besides the volunteers of the Excellent, three vo-
lunteer seamen of her Majesty's ship Collingwood,
now at anchor at Spithead, and carrying the flags of
Rear-Admiral Sir George Seymour, were instructed
in the art of diving under Lieutenant. Barlow, and
the system followed was personally inspected and ap-
proved by the Admiral himself, whose ship is provided
with a complete diving apparatus. The air-pumps
had always been examined and cleaned ; the necessity
of which, if neglected, constantly forces itself upon
the attention of the divers and their assistants, but the
state of the safety-valves, unless periodically exa-
mined, could only be known by an accident.
The operations at Spithead were much impeded
and retarded by such very violent gales of wind
in the early part of the month of August, that the
divers were prevented from working from time to
time. The Success frigate, in which they were quar-
tered, rolled and pitched violently. The Drake sail-
ing lighter was obliged to take refuge in Portsmouth
harbour, and the operation of sweeping for guns and
wreck, which was carried on at all times when prac-
ticable, by Major-General Pasley's orders, was
necessarily suspended; but on the 23d of August
when he again visited Spithead, he was pleased to find
that an 18-pounder had been sent up that morning by
private Sticklen, of the East India Company's Sap-
pers and Miners, which was discovered by sweeping
at the distance of about 15 fathoms to the north-east of
the lighter. Next day, when he repeated his visit, a
large floor-timber, broken by some of the previous
explosions, was sent up by Corporal Jones, who after -
wards took down a large crate, in which he sent up,
besides staves of casks, &c., 91 shot of various sizes,
chiefly 32-pounders, lying over a mass of shingle; for
no other sort of ballast was then used at the time when
the Edgar was fitted out. It now seemed almost cer-
tain that the whole of the remaining woodwork would
be removed this season ; but doubts were entertained
as to the guns until the evening of that day, when, at
the last slack tide, a 32-pounder, discovered by sweep-
ing, was sent up by private llerbert, of the East India
Company's service. This gun was found at the dis-
tance of about 80 fathoms to the northward of the
position of the hull of the wreck, over which the
lighters are moored, and only twenty fathoms south
of the Success frigate hulk, and, as other
guns had previously been found twenty fathoms
south of the lighters, it follows that the explosion
of the magazines of the Edgar had scattered the
guns of that ill-fated vessel to the distance of 100
fathoms from each other. The cause of this explosion
is as much a secret as the so-called invisible shell by
which Captain Warner recently destroyed the John
o'Gaunt off Brighton ; but the fact of the Edgar's
guns being thrown to such unexpected distances by
the force of gunpowder, which is not to be despised,
renders it possible, that by extending the sphere of
action of the boats employed in sweeping, most, if not
all of the missing guns, may be discovered in the
course of the season. The number of those now re-
maining at the bottom is nineteen whole guns, and
three small fragments of guns broken to pieces by the
explosion of the magazines ' • certainly not by any of
the submarine charges fired by Lieutenant Barlow,
to separate the parts of the wreck. The removal of
the lighters from their moorings being exceedingly
troublesome and inconvenient, they have remained in
the same position over the hull of the' Edgar ever
since it was discovered, whilst a launch has been de-
tached to a distance with a diving apparatus to search
for guns, which, if found, are got up by means of the
masthead tackle of the Drake sailing lighter. In
sweeping for guns and wreck a great number of
sinkers, or large stones, by which the wreck
buoys were moored, have been discovered,
and sent up from time to time by the divers,
at considerable distances from each other, and even
from the wreck ; for one of them, with a chain and
the skeleton of a buoy attached to it, was found at the
distance of 50 fathoms to the north-east of the- spot
where the remains of the hull—that part of the wreck