The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-17 00:00:00

44,0 tx4 4410 tti
it

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
(THIS DAY.)
A destructive fire broke out this ef.ernoon, in Bag-
nigge- welts-road, Clerkenwell, by which many f imilies
have been rendered houseless, working men thrown out
of employment, and property of immense value destroyed-
The catastrophe originated in the workshops of
Messrs. Johnson and Pask, builders, Baker-street, Bag-
nigge-wells-road, near the police-station, while the work-
men were gone to dinner.
The flames, from the nature of the property on fire'
had gained a most fearful ascendency, and the idea of
saving any of Messrs. Johnion and Co.'s property was
not entertained for a moment. In fact, every room, toge-
ther with the stock, workmen's tools, &c., had by this
time ignited.
Several engines were brought into play in Baker-
street and Granville-square, and in the former place the
fil emen were partially successful, but in the latter, that
of Granville-square, the backs of five houses were de.-
croyed. The houses in Baker-street also sustained
damage.
There is reason to believe that many of the psrlits
driven from their homes are uninsured.

CRICKET.

GENTLEMEN OF ENGLAND v. GENTLEMEN

OF KENT.

This match was commenced at Canterbury on Thurs-
day, and the following is the state of the game up to
Friday night:—

ENGLAND.

First Anings.
Hon. R. Griniston, c and b Fre-
dericks. 3 b Fredericks 1
S. Whitehead, Esq., b Willis .... . 67 b Myna l2
E. Morse, Esq., c ilartnell, b Fre-
dericks

Second Innings.

7 b Myna , 15

W. Nicholson, Esq., c Oxenden,
b Mynn ... ..... . ...... ......... 7 b Fredericks .. .. 3
J. Walker, Esq., run out l9 b Willis 27
C. H. Hoare, Esq~ b Willis
II W. FQllows, Esq , c and b Mynn 2 b Willis 0
C. G. Taylor, Esq, b Mynn . 0 b Mynn 5
E. Hartopp, Esq., b Willis ... . ... 9 Ibw, b Mynn
R. Antrobus, Esq., c Bligb,b Willis 12 not out 3
W. Prest, Esq., not out
Byes :3, lb 5, w b 6 ....... -...... 14 B 2,1 b 9, w b 6 l7

Total .....106

Total • •••• 00000 .•• 153
KENT.

First Innings. Second Innings.
F. Fredericks, Esq., b Prest . 6 b Prest . 9
T. El. Brenchley, Esq., b Fellows l7
A. Delve, Esq., c Taylor, b Fellows 10 not out ...... 14
W. S. Norton, Esq., b Fellows 0
N. Felix, Esq., c Prest, b Fellows 22
Hon. E. Bligh, b Fellows l2
C. V. Oxenden, Esq , b Fellows
A. Nlyna, Esq , .-. and b Prest 8 b Walker
H. W. Andrews, Eq., b Prest 2 not out
E. Hartnell, Esq., run out
C. F. Willls, Esq.. not out ...... ... 2 b Fellows
Byes 8, .wide b 6 ... ..... .... ,14 Byes 2,1 bl,w b 4 7

Total

RACES T
AUG
20
20

O COME.
,lIST.
St iurbridge
M Old ay Pole
Derby 27
Taunton
Chalk Farm 27
Egham....
Canterbury 29
Paisley
,MBER.
Liverpool H. (Hoylake) 11
Totnes ll
Lynn
Dover
Basingstoke l2
Doncaster
Richmond
Bedford
S indbach , 24
Manchester Autumn
Scarborough

Great Yarmouth.
IN
Plymouth.. ......
York
Brtrnet
Tunbcidge Wells
Stirling
Eccles • 26
SEPTE:

Warwick .., 3
Wm
eyouth 4
Morpeth
Lincoln
Rochester
V7e.stern Meeting 5
Bungay • • • 6
Lint:del& 9
Ti.dcliffc
Werneth-Low 9
Cheadle (Staffordshire) 9
11 Leicester

Newmkt.-First October • 1
Chouteifield 2
Chester Autuma ... 8
Royal Caledocir.n. &c. 9

R.

Newmkt, Second Oct 14
Wrexham
Newmarket Houghton 2B

THE ARMY AND NAVY.
(From the United Servioe Gazette of this day.)
FURTIIIIR REDUCTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
FLEET.—We have heard from good authority that a
forrh-r reduction is to take place in the naval forces in
the Mediterranean, by the withdrawal of the Belle-
rophon, 78, Captain Baynes, C.B. and the Hogue,
GO, screw two-decker, Captain M'Dougal. The former
has served her time and will be paid off on her arrival
at Portsmouth, and tho latter will most probably be
kept as a Channel guard-ship., Gibraltar would be
an eligible station for such a 144.
INCIIRASE OF THIS STEAM NAVY IN COMMISSION.
is reported that the Admiralty contemplate com-
missioning, within the next few flays, six steam
sloops, and among them Basilisk, Devastation, Hecate,
Virago, Vesuvius, and Flamer. Their Lordrhips can
afford to do this, and still have no excess of men
borne on the books.

THE:ADMIRALTr.—The prorogation of Parliament
(In Thursday having released the Admiralty from their
lz gisiative duties, their Lordships commence their
annual official visitation's and inspections of the
dockyards and ports to-day. To-day they go to
Woolwich; on• :',londay and Tuesday they are ex-
ppcted to visit Chatham and Sheerness. The Ad-
miralty. steam-yacht Black Eagle, Master Com-
mander B. Cook, left Woolwich on Thursday after-
noon, to be in readiness to attend on their Lordships
t.n their arrival at Chatham, and to convey them to
Sheerness. Captain floustoun Stewart, C. 8., is at
Mentz ; the Hon. •W. Cowper, M.P., has left the
Admiralty on a visit to Chatsworth. Captain W. A.
B. Hamilton, the Second Secretary, has returned to
the Admiralty from the Continent. •
LAUNCH OF THE LEOPARD STEAM.FRIGATE.—TiIiS
powerful steam frigate, about which so muth has been
written, will be completed at Deptford, and launched
during the ensuing month. She is of 1,400 tons, and
is to have engines of 560 horse-power, and will carry
a heavy main-deck armament.
THE EXPENSIVE DOVER PACKETS.—The Admi-
ralty steam-packet Princess Alice is again at Wool-
wich, requiring new boilers, and it is reported that
she will be no less than four months under the hands
of the artificers and engineers. Is the cost of these
new boilers and repairs ever taken into account in
the returns of the expense of the conveyance of the
Dover and Calais mails by the Admiralty packets ?
THE EMIGRATION DEPARTMENT.—No less than
four out of eleven Emigration Officers of the Royal
Navy have died during the last four months, viz.:—
Lieutenant Forest, of Greenock, Lieutenant Shuttle-
worth, of Sligo, Lieutenant Ramsay, of Londonderry,
and Mr. Lynch (Master), of Limerick. Captain
Petey, R.N . succeeded at Greenock, Lieutenant
Higgins. at Sligo, Commander Ellis has been removed
from Waterford to Limerick, Commander Rowlett
being appointed to Waterford, and the Londonderry
vacancy has been conferred on Mr. C. Smith, Pay-
master and Purser, R.N., of the Chief Emigration
Office in London.

Various reports are in circulation as to the desti-
nation of the Blenheim, screw guard ship, now at
Spithead ; some alleging that she had been ordered to
the Scheldt, &c., and that the Ajax screw guard ship
has been ordered to Spithead, from Queenstown. We
believe that the only order at present issued with re-
spect to the Blenheim, is for her to prepare for the
usual summer exercise. It is likely that in the
eourse of a cruise she will be joined by the Ajax, and
that the Thetis, 38, Captain Kuper, will be ordered
from Devonport to Spithead, And accompany them, as
also the Iwo Naval apprentices' tenders.
SEAMEN RIGGERS IN THE Docxyanns.--When it
was determined to open the dockyards to the entry of
seamen of good character as riggers, it was laid down
as a rule that the period for which these seamen rig-
gers should be entered should not exceed 18 months.
Upon experience, however, of the working of this
arrangement, the Admiralty have been induced to re-
vise their order, and, upon re-consideration, it has
been decided to enlarge the term of service in the
dockyards to three years instead of 18 months.
MILLTARY DESERTIONS ABROAD.—WE are in-
formed that no less than 11 men of the 59th Regiment
deserted from the regiment whilst encamped at Ille
Grande, coast of Brazil, during the period that her
Majesty's ship Apollo was being cleared out and fu-
migated,.previously to pursuing her voyage to China,
and that, too, notwithstanding that the troops were re-
peatedly warned that any man discovered beyond the
boundary as,igned to the troops by the Brazilians
would immediately be shot. The deserters are re-
ported to.have asserted that they would rather march
to " Chayney" than go on shipboard again. We are
also informed that 15 men of the 95th deserted at the
Cape, on the homeward voyage of the Apollo.
We regret to hear that Major-General Brotherton
is suffering from severe indisposition.
MILITARY NORMAL SCHOOL,
gent young soldiers from regiments of the line are
now received for tuition in this establishment prepa-
r.ttory to obtaining appointments as schoolmasters.
This is as it should be, and ought to have been at the
formation of the school: we have plenty of men al-
ready enlisted lully capable of being instructed to be-
Come regimental or garrison schoolmasters.

SPIRIT=.-- According to a recent return, the
number of gallons of British sriiits at proof, on which duty
been Nil(' for consumption in Scotland, has ranged for
last 10
,pears from 5,093,798 (1844) to 6,975,091 (1847).
The quantity last year was 6,933,005 gallons. By another
return it appears that the total annual quantity of British
and colonial spirits on which duty has been paid for con-
sumption during the same period has varied from 20,939,637
gallons (1842) to 21,790,398 (1846). The total quantity last
yaar was 26,002,354.

CHINESE CARPETS.—An importation of some bales
of carpeting :has just taken place, as a portion of a large cargo
of ( pn Aluctiow, by 4 venel arrived from Canton.

COURT-MARTIAL ON LIEUTE-
NANT SYMO.NMS, R.M.
PLYMOUTH, AUGUST I.s.—This morning, at nine
o'clock, a naval court-martial assembled on board her
Majesty's ship Impregnable, 104, for the purpose of
trying Jermyn Charles Symonds, a first-lieutenant of
Royal Marines, on the following charges :-
1. That the said First Lieutenant Jermyn Charles
Symonds, of her Majesty's Royal Marine forces, while
borne on the books of her Majesty's ship Trinco-
malee, in commission, did not, on the 4th of April,
1850, return to the said ship, then being in the har-
bour of St. Jago de Cuba, until after eleven o'clock
P.M. that day, whereas he ought to have returned on
board the said ship at eight o'clock on the evening of
that day.
2. For that the said First - Lieutenat Jermyn
Charles Symonds, while so borne as aforesaid, when
he returned to the said ship after eleven o'clock rm.
of the said day, as aforesaid, did force his way on
board the said ship, when ordered by the officer of
the watch and the sentry on the gangway of the said
ship to keep off.
The Court was composed of the following officers:
—President, Lord John Hay, C 8., commodore of
the first class, and second in command of her Majesty's
ships and vessels at this port; Captain Sir Thomas
Maitland, C. 8., of the Impregnable ; Captain Nies,
C.B , of the Agincourt ; Captain William Hope John-
stone, of the Albion ; and Captain Augustus L. Kuper,
of the Thetis. Mr. William Eastlake officiated as
deputyjudge-advoc ate.
The usual warrants for ordering the holding of a
court-martial having been read, the prisoner pleaded
not guilty to both charges. The first witness then
called was—
Lieut. John Seacombe, who said—l was first- lieu-
tenant of the Trincomalee on the 4th April last, at
St. Jago de Cuba. The prisoner was borne on the
ship's books, and was doing duty on board that ship.
During the prosecutor's absence from that ship on
that day I gave prisoner leave to go on shore. I ac-
quainted him that he must be on board by eight P.M.,
telling him that it was the captain's ordere that every-
body should be on board. He did not return at
that time. I reported his absence to the captain on
my reporting my . usual rounds • a few minutes
after nine o clock. I gave other officers leave on
that day. They all returned at the time, to the beat
of my knowledge, with the exception of Mr. Bes-
tow, the acting mate; but I have for the first time to-
day officially known that he was out of the ship—so
much so, that on the captain asking me et nine
o'clock on the evening of the 4th of April, if all the
officers were on board, I told him they were all on
board, with the exception of the prisoner.
By the PRESIDENT—It was not the practice of the
ship to name any particular time to be on board when
giving officers leave. On every occasion when the
ship was under sailing orders, the officers were de-
sired to be on beard at eight o'clock. Mr. Bastow
might have got leave to be later, as the captain was
on shore ; but when the other officers came on board
I thought that $e was amongst them.
By Captain JOHNSTONE—I was not on deck when
the prisoner returned that night.
By Captain Sir T. MAITLAND—I said publicly at
the mess-table that there was no leave after eight
o'clock. I don't think that I gave prisoner clearly
and distinctly to understand that the ship was under
sailing orders, but I said, " You know the orders."
By the PRESIDENT-1 am not positive that the
prisoner was at the mess-table when I gave the
orders.
By the prisoner—At the time, I did not know
that Mr. Bastow came on board with you, but I
heard it some time afterwards rumoured that there
was some person in the boat with you when you
came on board on that occasion. When the officer
of the watch and the sergeant of the marines made
their report to me the next morning, neither of them
mentioned anything about Mr. Bastow being in the
boat. I said to Mr. Bastow a day or two atter that,
when I heard that there was some one in the boat,
I thought he was the likely man, and it was lucky
for him that I dill not know it.
Second-Lieutenant Charles Goodwin Fagin stated
that on the 4th April, on the captain leaving the
deck, he ordered witness to allow no boat alongside
without the captain's permission. The prisoner got on
board during his watch about 12 o'clock. The boat that
the prisoner was in hailed before she came alongside, and
was ordered to layoff. After the boat had been hailed
by the sentry on the port gangway several times, the
mate of the watch; Mr. Dent, made a report to witness,
and in censequence of that report he went over.to the
port gangway, and saw the shore-boat, at a little
distance from the ship, with the sitters in her. Toe
sentry at the port gangway was standing at the time
in the gangway. Witness immediately ordered Mr.
Dent upon no account to allow the boat alongside
until he had reported the circumstance to Captain
Warren. Witness went below, and Captain 11.arren
ordered no shore-boat to come alongside till daylight,
or after. Witness at once went on deck towards the
port gangway, where he saw the prisoner talking to
' the mate of the watch. The boat was at some dis-
tance. 'thathe following morning witness reported
that the prisoner on the night before had forced the
sentry's post on the port gangway.
By Captain JOHNSTONE—When I saw the prisoner
on deck, Mr. Dent reported that the sentry's post
had been forced by the prisoner, or words to that
effect.
By Sir T. MAITLAND—I saw the boat et the end
of the swinging boom ; there was at the time a light
breeze, and it was starlight.
Albert Dent examined—l was mate of the Trinco-
malee on the 4th of April last, at St. Jago de Cuba.
I was then officer of the watch. A boat came along-
side about seven bells, in which was the prisoner. I
heard her hailed, and ordered to lay off before she got
alongside. In my opinion she was sufficiently near
to hear the hail to keep off. The officer of the watch
went down to report it to the captain, and during his
absence I had charge of the deck, and while be was
away I looked over the gangway and said to the pri-
soner, " You must not come up the side until the
officer of the watch has seers the captain." I walked
aft, to see if the officer of the watch was coming, and
on returning towards the gangway I saw the prisoner
standing on the gangway. I told him he would get
into trouble, it being the captain's order that no boat
should come alongside. The officer of the watch then
returned.
By Sir T. MAITLAND—The prisoner came up the
side of the vessel, but I did not see the sentry op-
pose him.
By the prisoner—When I reported to the officer of
the watch that the boat was alongside, he was leaning
on the netting, on the starboard side of the quarter-
deck, by the main rigging. I did not hear him inti-
mate to you, in any way, that you were not to come
on board or alongside.
Sergeant Smith, a non-commissioned officer, proved
that he was on deck on the night in question when
the boat came alongside, and that he heard it said that
no one was to come on board, and that after that the
prisoner came on deck.
By the COURT—The orders were given clearly,
loudly, and distinctly to the boat to keep off, and for
no one to come on board.
Private -Slater, of the Royal Marines, fully cor-
roborated this.
This was the case for the prosecution.
The court having been cleared for a short time,
The prisoner made a statement to the effect that
he did not force his way on board on the night in
question. But he believed there was a strange feel-
ing exhibited towards him by having him kept four
months' in confinement, without asking him for an
explanation. When he was alongside in the boat,
the midshipman of the watch looked over the side,
and, laughing, said, " You must not come on board,"
and he thought it was a joke of his, and he treated it
as such by walking on board immediately after. He
then called
John Parker, the quartermaster of the watch, who
stated that the officer of the watch was asleep in the
Jacob's ladder when the boat was first hailed. Mr.
Symonds was not made a prisoner of while he was
there. He heard a reply from the boat after the
hail, which was " aye, aye."
Private Robert Witcher fully corroborated this
statement, and
_ The prisoner then called the midshipman, Mr.
Fortescue, who denied laughing when he looked over
the side.
Louis Psstow was also called, and a question was
put to n
Ihe btyhethneigpir soionfetrh,
e"4littrheorfe
Ayopurililnastthae
tboatst.
tan
Jago de Cuba?"
The PRESIDENT,—Yon need not answer any ques-
tion that will tend to criminate yourself.
Witness—Then I decline to answer.
Prisoner—l shall ask nothing else.
Private James Brielle deposed to the .prisoner not
being taken into custody when he came on board.
The court was then cleared for two hours, and On
its re-opening, the Court declared the first charge to
be in part proved, and the second charge to be fully
proved; and adjudged the prisoner to lose two years
rank as a lieutenant, and to be severely reprimanded,
and he was reprimanded accordingly.
The Court then broke up.

CHARGE of ATTEMPTING to DEFRAUD

the ROYAL LVSURANCE COMPAIVY.
At the police court, Liverpool, yesterday, a very
serious charge against Mr. George Smith, of 169
Scotland-road, tailor and draper, together with a per
son called Mark Carson,. was preferred.
Mr. S. Booker, of Castle-streer, conducted the case
on the part of the insurance company.
From the statement of Mr. Booker it appeared than
Mr. Smith applied to the Royal Insurance Comprmy
for the purpose of effecting a policy of insurance upon
his stock -in-trade and shop fixtures. The amount ()
the policy was 8701., and the date of :he same was 15[t
of May. On the following 13th of July the prernisk.,,
were partially destroyed by fire, and on the following
26th he (Smith) put ill a declaration, which was take')

before Mr. Rushton, in which he stated that his losses
were over 1,500/. for goods, and 50/. for fixtures. Tee
fire took place en a S .turday night, and was tif,er-
wards extinguished. In Smith's declaration he averred
that he had lost the whole of his books of
accounts, except two ledgers, and that he
was therefore unable to make an accurate
and detailed statement of his losses, and that the
amount claimed in the declaration was under the
actual sum. That in March previous he had taken
stock, at which time he found it was then worth
1,6001., and he bad added to his stock to the extent of
801. It should have previously been stated that the
charge now before the bench arose from the fact of
three men, Edwin Roe, William Roe, and Mirk Car-
son, having been brought up previously for having in
their possession a quantity of woollen cloth, supposed
to be stolen. This charge failed, but it turned out in
the evidence that it was got from Smith's, and that
the numbers on it corresponded with those in his in-
voices. The two Roes were discharged, hut Carson
was kept in custody, and an application made by Mr.
Booker fur a warrant to arrest Smith on a charge of
conspiracy to defraud the Royal Insurance Company.
In support of this charge, Mr. Booker called
Mr. Percy Dove, the manager of the Rayal Ex-
change Company, who stated that in May last the
prisoner Smith applied to have his stock-in-trade and
shop fixtures, 169, Scotland-road, insured. It was a
new policy. The sum insurred was 8701. A tire
took place on the premises on the 13th July, and on
the 26th Smith handed in his declaration, for the
purpose of having his claim adjusted. The declara-
tion now produced is in the same state as when re-
ceived by the Royal Assurance Company. Along
with the declarations were extracts or copies from his
invoices, one of which was headed from Ellis and Co.
29th May, 1850, for the sum of 271. 7s.
Sarah Roe was next called—She said she was the
wife of Edwin Roe. They live in Roscommon-street,
where they keep a beer-house. Oa a Wednesday morn-
ing Mr. Smith came to their house about nine o'clock.
He first came to the kitchen, and afterwards up to the
parlour, with her husband and the prisoner, Mark Car-
son. Witness followed up to the bar, and was in the act of
wishing the glasses, when her husband came to her
and said, " Sarah, you are wanted to go out.' She
replied that she would not go until she had done her
work, as she had no servant. lie then said that
Smith wanted her to go for an inch measure to
Whitechapel. Witness replied it was " such a way"
to a piece-broker's in Whitechapel. He replied that
she might take her time, as she was not wanted back
until twelve o'clock. She then went to dress herself,
and when she went into the bedroom for her bonnet
she found Smith " prizing" the old lock of the box now
produced. Sne took no notice of the circumstance, and
went and obtained the measure as directed, and re-
turned at ten minutes to twelve o'clock. She gave
the measure to Smith, and he and Carson left. She
afterwards mis:ed the box. The box belonged to her
husband's father, who made them a present of it when
they were married. She saw it at the police. officeto- day.
It is the same box that she has had at her house, only
that it has a new lock upon it. On last Sunday
Smith sent a boy to their house, and etated that he
wanted to speak to witness; he afterwards came to
her house, and said that if any one spoke to her about
the box she was neither to own or to mention it.
Smith was frequently at their house since the fire.
When she saw Smith on Sunday she asked him it
her husband would get out, when he replied, "Yes,
Counsel, to the police, and that he would be home
by three o'clock on Monday ; as it was his hi-seller
Willy who had stolen the cloth from off the railway."
The prisoner Carson was present at several interviews
with Smith in the house.

Mr. George Smith, on being sworn, said that he
was engaged to investigate the amount of the claim
made by Smith, the prisoner, on behalf of the Royal
Insurance Company. He saw the invoices now pro•
duced, and believes that it was Smith who showed
them to him. He saw the one now handed to him
from Ellis and Co. It has marks on the margin of
the invoice, namely 5,853 and 5,852. The prisoner
Smith claimed a loss upon those goods. The cloth
was produced; and the witness identified two pieces
as being those mentioned in the invoice. [Mr. Rtish
ton here said—Grant a warrant.] When tie went to
the premises he and his colleague in the investigation
formed an opinion as to the extent of the loss sustained
by the fire. It was not over 2001. or 3001., and
Smith's claim was over 1,5001. It was not usual for
a person having tire business that Smith had to keep a
stock to the extent he stated.

Detective-officer Markes proved getting the box in
Latimer's. It contained the cloth now' produced,
among other things.
Mr. RUSHTON here said that the present prosecution
was a very proper one—not only in just►fication to
the Royal Insurance Company, but to the public
at large. He would remand the prisoner to Wednes-
day next.