The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-26 00:00:00

SINGULAR OCCURRENCE AT llightening the ship, she floated off and was
Ii AIMERS ill IT subsequently brought to an anchor in the roads.
During the last two days, much conversation has i About three o'clock in the morning the Royal George
been occasioned throughout the neighbourhood of Margate steamer came down to her assistance, and
Hammersmith, by an occurrence of a singular and ex- the captain offered to tow the ship into Ramsgate har-
traordinary nature. From the inquiries made on the hour. It was,
spot, it appears that the friends of a lady most highly refused. On however, strange to say, indignantly
Sunday afternoon, upon the storm some,
connected, and now about thirty years of age, finding I what abating, she was got under weigh and reached,
some considerable period since, that, although not Ramsgate in the course of the evening, where she still
labouringunder any distinct form of insanity, so as to remains to repair damages. The Royal George
require restraint, her mind was exceedingly weak, by steamer afterwards saw two ships on shore at Deal,
the advice of Dr. -, an eminent physician, placed having been driven, through the violence of the storm,
her under the care of Dr. , a medical man, resid- from their moorings in the roads. From the position
ing at Fulham, who, although not keeping a private in which the vessels lay, it was fully expected that
lunatic asylum, professed to take the charge of per- they would become wrecks. Since then several other
sons so circumstanced. The lady in question accord- vessels have been ascertained to have been lost in the
ingly remained at Fulham until about four months course of the night, as the coast, both in a northerly
since, when it reaching the ears of her friends that and southerly direction has been strewed with spars
she had formed an intimacy of rather too close a and pieces of wreck.
nature with a son of the medical man at whose house - - - -
she had been, it was determined to remove her to a
more suitable situation, and she was immediately
conveyed to the residence of another surgeon in the
neighbourhood of Brook-green, Hammersmith, where •
she remained until Monday le.t. About ten days
since the friends of the lady received informa-
tion, that, notwithstanding her removal from the
care of the father of the young man above alluded to,
they had contrived to continue their correspondence,
and had, in fact, been married by banns at the parish
church at Rotherhithe in the early part of September
last, but that no attempt had, however, up to that
time, been made by the alleged husband to claim the
society of his wife. In the course of the forenoon of
Monday last the young gentleman, accompanied by
his father, brother, and other relatives and friends,
went to the house of the medical gentleman under
whose care she then was, and demanded to see her,
which application was, of course, refused; but the
lady, becoming acquainted with the presence of her
alleged husband, opened a front window on the first
floor, and stepping out on the balcony threw into the
street nine or ten sovereigns, which were immediately-
picked up by the claimant of her hand. After several
vain endeavours to obtain an interview with her they
left the spot, but returned in the afternoon, and loi-
tering about the house were observed, about four
o'cloc'as by the lady, who, having secured the door of
her room on the inside, immediately presented herself
on the balcony, and was addresSed from below by her
alleged husband, who asked her, " Mary, am I
not your husband ?" To which she instantly
responded, " Yes, you are," and appeared in
a state of great excitement and trouble of mind.
The strange colloquy attracted the attention of the
numerous persons passing along the high road, and
in a short time a considerable crowd had collected, to
whom the alleged husband showed his certificate of
marriage, and who, from their want of knowledge of
the real circumstances of the case, commended his
exertions to obtain possession of his alleged bride ; he
then told her to put her bonnet, &c., on, and come out
on the balcony, and he would rescue her. She ac-
cordingly retired into the room, and presently after-
wards came out on the balcony dressed for her depar-
ture. She then, by direction of the party below, got
a chair out of the drawing-room, and placing it at the
east end of the balcony mounted the top of the rails,
and then, holding the tep rail, slid herself down
with her back to the rails until her feet found a rest-
ing-place on the edge of the balcony, and she stood
for some time in a position the most frightful to be
conceived, with certain death staring her in the face
should she let go her bold, the persons assembled
outside cheering her, and calling to her to hold
tight. By that time some members of her family,
accompanied by a solicitor, &c., had arrived from
town, and, with the proprietor of the house, procured
a pair of high steps and raised them to the balcony,
while at the same time the alleged husband, with
the assistance of his friends, mounted the wall dividing
the front garden from the adjoining one, when, from
his great height, he was able to assist the lady to
turn round, and before any of her friends could ascend
the steps she lowered herself into his arms, and reach-
ing the ground in safety, she was immediately sur-
rounded by his party, who conveyed the lady to a
neighbouring public-house, followed by her friends
and the assembled crowd. Finding all efforts to re-
gain possession of the lady at that moment would be
futile, her friends determined to watch where she
would be removed to, but, notwithstanding they
showed themselves able tacticians, they were foiled
by the other party, and it is understood that the lady
was unobservedly introduced into a garden adjoining
the public-house, from which there is an entrance into
a bye-lane leading towards Fulham, at the gate of
which a fly was in attendance, into which she was
immediately placed, and driven off no one knows
where. Her friends, being then unaware of the circum-
stance of her having been carried off, remained
watching the public-house, which was still sur-
rounded by a large cross d, until about seven o'clock
in the evening, when a fly drove up to the door, and
two or three persons muffled up in cloaks instantly
got in, and the vehicle was driven off at great speed
in the direction of Turnham-green. An offer
was immediately made of five guineas to any
person tracing the destination of the fly, and some
persons in a cab instantly followed it to Turnham-
green, when the fly turned round, and retraced its
way back to Hammersmith-broadway, the cab fol-
lowing in its wake. At Hammerernith-broadway the
fly turned up Brook-green-lane, in the direction of
Shepherd's-bush ; but before reaching that place it
pulled up, in a dark part of the road, and allowed the
cab to pass by, and again went back to Hammersmith-
broadway, and from thence down the Bridge-road
towards the Suspension-bridge. The persons in the
cab soon discovered that they were on the wrong
scent, and returning to the Broadway, were enabled
to overtake the fly before it could cross the bridge,
and after a lengthened chase through all the bye-
roads in the neighbourhood, the fly finally pulled up
in King-street, Hammersmith, when it was found
that the whole had been a ruse to deceive the lady's
friends, the persons in the fly being only the son of
the landlord of the public-house and other persons
unconnected with the case.
We have abstained from mentioning the names of
the individuals connected with the above singular oc-
currence, as we understand that the family of the
lady intend to institute proceedings in the Ecclesias-
tical and other Courts against all the parties con-
cerned in the affair, when the matter will be more
'ally brought under the notice of the public.

MINING EXPERIMENTS AT
CHATHAM.

Some interesting experiments, illustrating the me-
thods of blowing up 'stockades, bridges, counter-
scarps, &c., and also exhibiting the mode of attack
with hand grenades, &c., were exhibited yesterday, on
the engine ground for field practice at Chatham.
Notwithstanding the very unfavourable state of the
weather, there was a large company of spectators as-
sembled, and a very strong muster of military men.
The whole of the arrangements were under the direc-
tion of Sir Frederick Smith, Lieutenant-Colonel of the
Engineers, to whom it is only justice to say, that
they were excellent, both for the practices intended to
be afforded to the military employed, and for the faci-
lity given to the public of witnessing what wi.s goiug
forward.

In order to prevent accidents and give sufficient
space for the operations, the ground was kept by the
soldiers of the East India Company, from Mount
Pleasant Cottage to the salient of the Duke of Cum-
berland's bastion, and thence along the front to the
salient of Prince Frederick's bastion ; from that point
to the right flank of the casemates, and from the left
flank of the casemates to the St. Mary's guard.
The first operation, viz., what in military phrase is
called breaching a stockade by. bags of gunpowder,
commenced shortly after one o'clock, when Lieute-
nant King placed his charge, consisting of four bags
of gunpowder, each bag containing 601 b., on the west
side of a stockade of very great strength, erected for
the purpose; three bags of powder being placed on
the lower tier, and one on the upper. The hose was
attached to the middle bag of the lower tier, and the
other end passed through the stockade to the east
side, two inches of portfire being attached. The sig-
nal to advance was then given by the bugles, and
Lieutenant King, with a party of ten Sappers, imme-
diately debouched from St. Mary Guard across the
creek on a pontoon raft. The Sappers carried four
bags filled with sand (representing gunpowder), these
were quickly placed on the eastern side of the stock-
ade, and the bugle having given the sigrial to fire the
train, it was lit, and the Sappers retreated as quickly
as they could. The experiment was perfectly satis-
factory ; the explosion took place within two minutes
of the light being applied to the portfire, and the
stockade was riven in pieces., The breaching party
then advanced, augmented by a fresh party, under the
command of Lieutenant Lovell, provided with hatchets,
and passed with great rapidity through the breach,
taking possession of the first parallel and the batteries,
from which several rounds of artillery were immedi-
ately fired. The next operation was the attack of a
block-house, similar to those erected in American
warfare, by a party, under the command of Lieut.
Grain, with hand grenades. The party consisted of
40 men, who threw the combustibles into the block-
house, and then retreated behind the adjoining para-
pets, until the destructive missiles burst within the
devoted building and exhibited their force by tearing
the planks of which it was constructed into holes and
fissures. The third operation was the blowing off the
crown of the arch of a strongly built brick bridge,
which was accomplished with success by a minimum
charge of gunpowder. The effect of this operation
was magnificent, the explosion was terrific. The
brick-work was hurled several hundred feet into the
air, and the fragments carried to a distance of several
hundred yards. Two operations upon the piers of the
bridge were then performed with equal success, and
the whole mass was overthrown amidst the loud explo-
sions of the formidable agent employed.
The last operation—the blowing away a portion of
a counterscarp, in order to enable the depression of
guns to an angle to hear upon a battery—was the
most curious. This operation was, like the others,
completely successful. The earth was blown away
with a tremendous noise and force, and the object in-
tended fully accomplished.
The whole of the operations were carried on with
the precision and accuracy of actual warfare ; the
troops employed, viz., the Engineers, were manoeuvred
as in an actual attack, and the whole conducted accord-
ing to the strict rules of the military art. 'Mire was
at intervals, and after the termination of the mining,
some excellent ball practice with 24-pounders by the
gunners of the East India Company.

PRESENT TO H. R. H. PRINCE
ALBERT FROM THE ROYAL HUMANE
SOCIETY.
WINDSOR, TUESDAY EVENIN6..*-ThiS morning the
following Gentlemen, forming a deputation from the
Royal Humane Society, had the honour of an audience
of his Royal Highness Prince Albert, at the Castle,
for the purpose of presenting to the Prince one of the
Society s double breaker ice-ladders, of the same con-
struction as similar ladders which are constantly in
readiness for use during the winter season, in the
event of accidents occurring by the breaking in of
the ice upon the Serpentine river, Hyde Park :—Sir
Tsambert Brunel, E. R. Adams, Esq., William Allen,
Esq., John Curtis, Esq., Benjamin
(Treasurer), and Berkeley Westropp, Esq. (Secretary).
The Royal Humane Society, from the experience
Hawes, Esq.
which it had had of the great utility of this humane
invention in the preservation of the lives of persons
who bad been immersed in the water while skating,
in consequence of the breaking of the ice, determined
upon requesting his Royal Highness Prince Albert to
accept of the ice-ladder in question, to be always in
readiness for use when his Royal Highness enjoys the
delightful and healthy recreation of skating upon the lake
at Frogmore House, the residence of her Royal High-
ness the Duchess of Kant, or at Virginia Water.
His Royal Highne
. (who (vho received the gentlemen
forming the deputation St. George's Hall, where
the ladder had been previously conveyed upon its ar-
rival at the White Hart Hotel from town) was gra-
ciously pleased to accept of the present, and to express,
at the same time, in elegant and feeling language, his
high opinion of the excellency and usefulness of this
praiseworthy and benevolent institution.
In the course of the interview the Prince alluded,
in a playful yet feeling manner, to the accident which
befel his Royal Highness last winter while skating
upon the lake at } rogmore, when, it will be remem-
bered, her Majesty, with the greatest presence of
mind, and with that fortitude and coolness which have
ever characterised the Sovereign, providentially res-
cued her illustrious consort from the most imminent
peril, and enabled the Prince to reach the bank.
The deputation, who experienced a most gracious
reception from the Prince, after remaining for nearly
an hour at the Castle, explaining the properties and
mode of using the ladder, retired. The ladder, which
is upwards of 24 feet in length, is most beautifully
finished. It is composed of a peculiar wood, and
grained to resemble mahogany. On one side are the
arms of his Royal Highness, richly emblazoned, and
underneath a medallion of the Society.
It has been arranged that as soon as the frost has
set in and the season for skating has arrived, the Royal
Humane Society shall send down to Windsor one of
the most efficient and expert men in their employ, to
be in attendance when his Royal Highness skates, and
who has a perfect knowledge of the mode of using the
ladder shoul.d it be required.
A ladder, of precisely the same construction, has
Duke of Northumber
before the coin-
blmaenee
ndn
teoornr ordered
sent to A
nr
te dby
of th he i sGr
winter
invNticieckt Castlehe
season.
It should be observed that his Royal Highness is
an honorary member and a liberal subscriber to the
unds of the Royal Humane Society.

DREADFUL SHIPWRECKS OFF
RAMSGATE-LOSS OF LIFE.

On Sunday morning last, at an early hour, the town
of Ramsgate was thrown into excitement on account
of two large vessels being wrecked on the Goodwin
Sand during the storm, which raged furiously the
whole night from the north-west, not equalled in vio-
lence since the hurricane in November last. Directly
upon the wrecks being observed from the shore,
which was not till near nine o'clock, a party of the
coast-guard service, under the direction of the Lieu-
tenant of the Ramsgate station, pushed off in their
lugger to render assistance to the unfortunate
creatures who might be on board ; and a number of
fishing boats put off for the same charitable purpose.
The weather at the time was still extremely severe,
the wind blowing almost a hurricane, with a tre-
mendous rolling sea; and the greatest fear pre-
vailed that the boats would not be able to outlive its
fury ; but nevertheless the gallant fellows stood the
buffet of the waves with singular courage, and in the
course of a short time they succeeded in gaining the
distressed vessels. The first gained proved to be a
three-masted vessel, a barque, called the Hope, be-
longing to London, commanded by Captain Steel, on
her homeward voyage from Quebec. She had struck
on the outside of the Goodwin Sands, and was break-
ing up rapidly. There was no person on board, which
at first led to a supposition that the crew had been
washed off by the sea, which was making a complete
breach over her, but upon inquiries of a master of
a schooner lying in the roads with two anchors out, it
was ascertained that they had been saved by a vessel
belonging to Broadstairs, named the Tartar. It ap-
pears, from the accounts given by the crew, that the
ship struck shortly after midnight, when running for
the mouth of the Thames. They instantly resorted to
every possible means to get her off, by cutting away
the masts, but it had not the slightest effect; and, as
the storm increased, she was thrown higher upon the
sand, thereby rendering it utterly impossible to pre-
vent anything else but the ship's total destruction, for
in two hours afterwards she commenced breaking to
pieces, and her cargo and timber floated out of her.
Very happily a vessel, which afterwards was found to
be the Tartar, came up a few minutes after the ship
had struck, and, by the aid of its boats, succeeded in
saving the whole of the crew. They were, however,
much exhausted and cold, in consequence of the waves
passing over the vessel's deck. Since then the wreck
has entirely disappeared. Her loss is estimated at
Letween 5,0001. and 6,0001. The other wreck, upon
the coast-guard reaching it, was discovered to be that
of a barque, also nearly of the same size, named the
Nancy, but they were unable to apprbach it, on ac-
Ittrewmasencdloosues
tosutih-feaLboigt
utthofe
All Nations,
awtilloenrse,
cshouensttroufck. the
which is reported to have been destroyed about the
same time, it was supposed by the shipassi • • png over
it. From the fact of the boats being still attached to
the wreck there is little doubt but the entire of her
crew perished. rs none of them have since been heard
of. The ship is valued at 8,0001. During the morn-
ing, and while the storm was at its height, his Bel-
gian Maj es y's man-of-war, the Courette, 18 guns,
Captain lii de, commander, had a narrow escape of
being lost (n the same sands. The ship, which had
hut a day or two before sailed from Ostend, on a
voyage of discovery round the world, was bearing
down through the IN orth Foreland when taken by the
storm and drove back on to the sands. For a length
of time her situation was extremely perilous, and
tl e consternation on board among her numerous crew
It as, asi may be supposed, excessively great. After
utting away the foremast, and otherwise

PENSIONERS.—We are led to understand that it is
the intention of the Government to place all able-
bodied pensioners, who are willing to assist the civil
authorities, under drill at stated intervals; and that
arms and accoutrements for 200 of these aged veterans
are shortly expected at the barracks in Birmingham.
This is as it ought to be : a force like this upon the
spot is worth ten times a greater one at the distance
of 40 miles.—Birmingham Advertiser.
We are happy to state that the Right Hon. the
Vice-President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Glad-
stone, has quite recovered from the effects of his re-
cent severe accident at Hawarden Castle, but he is
still obliged. to carry his left arm in a sling, having,
as already stated, had the misfortune to suffer ampu-
tation of the fore.finger of that hand.—Liverpool
Mercury.
STRUCTi:RE OF THE LuNGs.—ln a paper lately
read before the Academy of Sciences, M. Bourgery
is of opinion that man and, in general, the mammalia,
at the two extremities of their lives, approach the two
classes of yertebrated animals which display the two
extremes of aerial respiration. In fact, says the
author, as adolescence approaches, the lungs, from
year to year, present fresh sanguineous surfaces to
the air, so that the breathing, by its development, if
not bby the
rfoerspmirsatoiofn itsof orbgid
arnss. In the old man, in, more and more re-
semblesproportion to the advance of decrepitude, the lungs are
gradually decomposed into aerial caverns, which di.
minish the sanguineous surfaces in proportion ; so that
his respiration, both by its actual volume, and by the
alterations of the structure of the organ in which it
takes place, resembles that.of reptiles. Medical Gaz.