The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-17 00:00:00

PIGOT'S LIFE-PRESERVER.

The following detail of trials of a defensive agent, and, at the
same time, a life.preserver, adapted to the use of boarding partici,
to crews of boats employed in cutting out ships, and troops in the
passage of rivers, promises a valuable acquisition to the service, as
fnrnished in a condensed extract from the recent letter of an officer
to the inventor. It may be necesary to state that the Humane
Society have adopted Mr. Pigot's apparatus, in preference to the
belts, and that he has furnished eighty.seven to that institution.
" No. 2 Battery, New Romney, Kent, June 4th, 1845.
" I have now the satisfaction of replying to yours ; and having

tested your life-preserver, will pass my unbiased opinion of them,
and have to observe that, having seen many, I consider both to be
the ne plus ultra. It is of importance to inform you that, in the
event of the latter (the war life-preserver.) being wanted for
particular service in the navy, you can inform your patronisers that
a war in the sea or water may be carried on in it; but I will give
you a sheet description of our trials—l may say official, as I had
conferred with Capt. Peat, R.N., on the subject, who, some time
ago, had been trying several others.

" Trials.—First Day—Having put the air-chemisette on the
chief boatman, with his lower garments on, and myself with the
war life preserver at the same time (having a percussion port•flre
with me), we both dashed from the steep beach into the sea, at
which time I had worsted stockings,' flannel drawers,' heavy or
flushing.trowsers, flannel shirt, over shirt, waistcoat and cap.
After swimming out sometime I fired my blue-light (or port_
fire), as if for assistance : he swam mid offered it. After being
some some time in the water we returned to the shore. I then
tried a patent life coat, but found I could not, by all my exertion,
get off my back, consequently I was obliged to swim ashore on my
back ; this ended first trial. Next—Second Day—l reversed, by
giving the chief boatman the war-life preserver, giving him a port-
fire, and without clothing, except his drawers and hat. I told
him to makea signal after being some little distance off; he fired
_ . . .

his port-fire; I then left the shore as though to either assist or
engage him, and, when arriving at him, challenged him, when he
replied, Don't touch me, or I will set fire to you.' I then snapped
the pistol and the cap fired, but owing to my swimming after him I
suppose some water got into the touch-hole (as the pistol exploded
afterwards) ; the pistol was carried in my hand during the time.
The buoyancy of the war ones and the uses to which they would
be applied are, in my opinion, so numerous, that I leave this to
yourself. I wish you to understand from me that I entirely ap.
prove of them from these trials, under all circumstances, and will
report the result to Captain Peat. The air-chemisettes will
answer excellently for boat service of coast.guard in rivers and
creeks, and for stations on marshes, where there are so many
divisions of the land by ditches, &c., for the prevention of
smuggling. (Signed) " M. COMBS, R.N.
"ITo It. G. Pigot, Esq., Hammersmith."
* Uninjurable by sabre-cut, pike-thrust, or pistol-shot.

ILLICIT DISTILLATION.-EXTENSIVE SEISURE.-
About eight o'clock on Saturday evening an extensive seisure of
illicit spirits was made. and two private stills were discovered, on
the premises, 64, Silver-street, Stepney, by George George, and
John Diver, officers of Customs. Suspicion was first excited by
complaints made in the neighbourhood that by some means or
other the supply of water had been most inconvenien ,ly reduced,
which fact was ultimately explained by the discovery of a new
pump at the " distillery," which diverted the water away for
the purpose of cooling the worms. The place had been taken
for the ostensible purpose of a blacking manufactory, and undar
that pretext the spirit was carried away in a cart through a gate-
way, being at the hack of the premises. The officers came in the
nick of time, just as the cart was leaving the premises. It was
driven by a person named John Cherry, who, together with the
horse and cart, were left in the custody of Bonner, a constable of
the K division, whilst the officers searched the premises. In what
was the back parlour they found two complete stills, one capable of
working ninety and the other between thirty and forty gallons,
and two worms running through a hundred gallon tub or cooler,
for the supply of which the dearth of water which led to the detec.
tion had taken place. During the time the officers were forcing an
entrance the person who was working the still contrived to make
his escape. Fifteen gallons of spirits, under proof, with all the
paraphernalia of a large distillery, were found upon the premises.
In the cart, which bore the inscription Wm. Cherry, Old-street.
road, St. Luke's, there was found 20 gallons of spirits '25 degrees
above proof, in carboys and tin cans, packed away like blacking in
hampers.

SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. HUMPHRYS, DEPUTY
CHAIRMAN OF THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY.—
(Fvm a Correspondent.) —lt is with extreme pain I inform you of
the sudden death of a most worthy and esteemed gentleman, Mr.
Ambrose Humphrys, of 22, Upper Wimpole.street, Cavendish.
square, Deputy Chairman of the Great Western Railway, which
took place at his residence on Saturday, at a quarter past four, F.M.
He had attended, during the day, to his usual business, and had
proposed an early dinner, with the intention of getting to the Opera,
with his daughter, In good time. When at dinner, he complained
of illness, and retired to the sofa in the dining room, and was a
corpse in a few minutes. So sudden was his demise, that the family
present thought it a fainting fit only. Drs. Wilson, Leicester, and
Heavyside, were immediately called in, and they pronounced him
dead.