The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-18 00:00:00

ON, TUESD

THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR IN

COBHAM PARK.
GRAVESMTD, SATURDAY EVENING.—An occurrence of an
extraordinary character, which at present is enveloped in
considerable mystery, has been discovered at Cobham Park,
four miles distant from this town, the princely domain of the

Earl of Darnley, and which has created the greatest sensa-
tion throughout this part of the county, there being no
doubt that a duel has taken place, and that one of the com-
batants was seriously or mortally wounded. The particulars
connected with this tragical affair, as far as we have been

enabled to glean, are as follow :
It appears that between the hours of one and two yester-
day (Friday) morning, the keepers or watchers in the ser-
vice of the Earl of Darnley, on duty in the preserves of
the park, heard the report of fire-arms in the direction of
the main road, near the Blue-gate, and suspecting that it
proceeded from some poachers, they were :induced to keep a
more than ordinary look-out, but no one was seen. One of
the keepers, however, shortly after daylight, in going off
duty, and passing through that part of the park where the
unfortunate Mr. Dadd was murdered by bis son a few years
since, discovered, probably not more than 30 yards from the
spot where the dreadful affair happened, a brace of pistols
lying in the grass, and in the immediate vicinity were found
the case for the pistols, a pocket-handkerchief, and a ginger-
beer bottle. On his further examining the pistols he was
much surprised in finding one of them loaded with ball and
cocked. The other was unloaded, and apparently had been
recently discharged. The handkerchief, a cambric one, was
saturated with blood, one• part in particular appeared to
hare pressed against a wound, and was stained with blood.
Near where it was picked up was a large pool of blood,
fully showing that the unfortunate individual had bled
profusely, and from footmarks and clots of blood which
were traced some distance, it is evident that he must have
been carried away. On the ginger-beer bottle being drained
it was found to contain a small portion of brandy. The
gamekeeper, on making the discovery, immediately hastened
to the park-lodge and obtained further assistance, so as to
scour the domain. The ground was strictly examined, and
after the spots of blood had been traced some distance the
track was lost. It was, however, in the direction of the main
road.

_
Information having been forwarded to Mr. Day, the con-
stable of Cobham, he took charge of the pistols and the other
articles found on the ground, and since he has been most
actively engaged in endeavouring to ascertain what has
really occurred, but up to the present period all efforts have
failed to solve the mysterious affair. During the whole of
Friday and Saturday the park preserves and adjacent lands
have been strictly searched, with no better success. The
authorities of Cobham have directed the numerous pools of
water in the vicinity to be dragged, and nothing has been .
lost sight of that could in any way tend to unravel this per-
fect mystery. At the principal inns in Rochester, Chatham,
Maidstone, and Gravesend, inquiries have been made as to
whether any postchaise had been heard in the course of
Thursday night, but not the least clue has been obtained.
It should be observed that the pistol which appeared to have
been fired was besmeared with blood. It remains in the hands
of the Cobham constable. Among the many rumours afloat,
it is stated that at a dinner yesterday at Chatham an alter-
cation ensued between two gentlemen, which resulted in a
hostile meeting.
The following account seems to present an explanation :
Amongst the passengers on board the Waterman steamer,
No. 3, which left the Bell Water-gate, Woolwich, en Satur-
day evening, at five o'clock, was a tall, portly, well-dressed
man, about forty years of age, who soon after the vessel left
the pier, seated himself aft, behind the man at the wheel,
with one leg over the taffrail. This unusual position for a
passenger, attracted the notice of Mr. Phillips, the mate,
who was steering, and who told the passenger that he was
acting very foolishly, and that he had better keep his leg on
board. The passenger replied, that he would take care of
himself, and that he always assumed the same position on
board steamers, because it was so much like riding on horse-
back. He then called for a glass of hot gin and water and
a cigar, which were supplied to him, and the mate again re-
quested him to alter his position and take a seat upon deck.
He refused to do so, and said he was very comfortable.
Directly afterwards the mate heard a splash in the water
behind him, and on looking round missed the passenger.
He immediately called out there was a man overboard,
and Mr. Smith, the master, gave the order to ease and stop
the vessel immediately. The engines were reversed as soon
as possible, ropes were thrown out, and a life-buoy was also
thrown overboard. The man floated upon his back on the
surface of the water and made no effort to save himself or to
lay hold of any of the ropes thrown towards him. Two col-
lier brigs were drifting down with the tide, and were hailed
by the crew of the steamer. A boat was lowered from one of
them, and two seamen entered it, and pulled towards the
man, who floated like a cork on the water, and never dis-
appeared from the moment he fell overboard. He was again
taken on board the Waterman, and appeared to suffer little
inconvenience from his immersion in the water. The captain,

however, told the men to keep a sharp look out after him.
He was taken into the fore cabin, and as he complained of
being very cold, he was supplied at his own request with a
glass of rum and water. Just before the Waterman reached
the Blackwell Railway terminus, he put a sovereign on the
cabin table, and said that was for the men who had
saved his life, but soon afterwards picked it up, and
put it in his pocket. On the arrival of the vessel at
the terminus, Mr. Smith gave his passenger in charge
to a policeman on the wharf, who said he could not detain
him unless the captain proceeded to the Poplar station-house,
and signed the police-sheet. Mr. Smith declined leaving the
paddle-box, as he had a great many passengers on board who
were proceeding to the Adelphi-pier, and said if the police-
man thought proper to release him he would do so on his
own responsibility. The vessel proceeded on her voyage, and
about half-past nine o'clock the same evening Mr. Smith had
occasion to go aft to inspect some trifling damage, when he
found a large pocket-book behind the steerage-wheel. Cu-
riosity induced him to open it, and the first thing he saw was
a sealed letter with the following address upon it :—" To the
captain on board the steam-boat Igo in. I believe it will
be one of the Watermen's boats, but whether five or half-past
five I cannot say." The captain, not doubting that the letter
was intended for him and that it was written by the passen-
ger who threw himself overboard, opened it, and found the
contents to be as follows
" Woolwich, Nov. 15, 1845, Two o'clock.
" Sir,—l, whom may the great God forgive, expect to be
no more before you receive this. This is my second attempt
at suicide. lam now suffering with a black eye, and part
of my face blown away through a pistol shot. I was not, it
appears, to die with my own hand with a pistol. lam now
going to try water. Inclosed is a half-sovereign to defray
any expenses you may be at in sending the inclosed letter to
my house, and letting my unhappy wife know her husband's
untimely end.—l am, Sir, yours obediently,
" J. P. PALMER.
" P.S. I say the inclosed letter, I mean another letter in
my pocket-book addressed to my wife. "J. P. P."
In the same pocket-book were a quantity of papers and
memorandums, and three sealed letters, of considerable thick-
ness, all addressed " Mrs. Palmer, 3, Beauvoir-terrace, Kings-
land-road," and upon each the following direction, which was
written above the address :—" To the Captain—deliver this
with the other two." On the back of one of the letters there
were three spots of red sealing-wax, and below them the fol-
lowing words were written :
" My dear wife, kiss the three wax spots and you will know
my lips have been there. lam in death yours truly, P."
Mr. Smith had no sooner read the letter addressed to him-
self and the address upon the others, than he proceeded with
all possible expedition to the Kingsland-road, with great mis-
givings as to the fate of his passenger, whom he never ex-
pected to see alive again, supposing that he had been liber-
ated by the policeman, and that he had sought his death some
other way. On reaching the house No. 3, Beauvoir-terrace,
he made known his errand as delicately as possible to Mrs.
Palmer, who at first denied that her husband had reached
home, and delivered to her the letters and the pocket-book.
She was much agitated on hearing that her husband had at-
tempted to commit suicide in the river, and then admitted
that he had been brought home in the course of the evening
by one of the police of the K division, and a porter belong-
ing to the railway station, and that he had informed her
he had fallen into the water by accident. After some
delay Mr. Smith was introduced, at the patient's own re-
quest, to Mr. Palmer, whom he found in bed, and labour-
ing under delirium tremens. Mr. Palmer immediately re-
cognised the captain of the steamer, thanked him for his
kindness, and said that he had left Erith in the after-
noon in a gig, and that on his way to Woolwich the horse
had taken fright, and the vehicle was dashed to pieces. Mr.
Smith asked him if it was true that he had shot himself with
a pistol, and he said that he had received a wound in a duel
in Cobham-park on Friday morning. On being asked how
the affair originated, he said he was dining with a party at
an inn " the other side of Rochester," and that a gentleman
gave him the lie, and he called him out; that he received
his adversary's ball in the mouth, and that Mr. Coward, a
surgeon, in Beauvoir-square, had extracted the bullet since
he came home. He also stated that he was a little excited
when he wrote the letter addressed to the captain, and that
he never had any intention of shooting or drowning himself.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Palmer appeared very anxious to obtain
possession of the captain's letter ; but he declined parting with
it. After a long interview with Mr. Palmer, who assumed
an air of indifference and jocularity, and said his adversary
was too high to get a shot at, Mr. Smith proceeded to the
residence of Mr. Coward, in Beauvoir-square, and learnt
from that gentleman that he had been called upon about eight
o'clock the same evening to attend upon Mr. Palmer, and
found him in a highly excited state, and very cold from his
immersion in the water, and that Mr. Palmer informed him
he had fought a duel, and that a pistol shot was lodged in his
mouth. Mr. Coward added, that he discovered, by the light
of a candle, a bullet fixed in Mr. Palmer's upper jaw, and
succeeded in extracting it. In doing so, he was compelled to
remove a small portion of the jaw. The ball entered Mr.
Palmer's mouth in an oblique direction, carried away part of
the upper lip and two of his front teeth, and then entered the
upper jaw. The ball, when extracted, was nearly flattened.
Mr. Smith handed the letter he had retained to Mr. Coward,
whoperused it with great attention, and said it was his firm
conviction that Mr. Palmer was labouring under temporary
insanity, and that he had givendirections he should be kept
very quiet, and not allowed to receive any visitors.
The mystery in which this extraordinary affair was in-
volved at Chatham and Gravesend is partially cleared up by
the subsequent conduct of Mr. Palmer, and the letter addressed
to his wife, which contained a full statement of his affairs.
There is no doubt whatever that he shot himself in Cobham-
park, and after he had discharged the pistol, threw it on the
ground, where it was found, with a loaded one beside it. What
favours this suppAtion is that his left eye was blackened, and
his face slightly burnt with the powder. This could not have
happened if he had been shot in a duel by another man, a few
paces distant. On the other hand, it is stated, among the
many rumours afloat, was one that two gentlemen quarrelled
at a dinner in Chatham, which ended in a hostile meeting.
This tallies with the statement made by Mr. Palmer to the
captain of the steamer, that a gentleman with whom he dined
gave him the lie, and he called him out. The report of one
pistol only was heard in Cobham-park, between one and
two o'oloek on Friday morning, a most unusual hour for
an affair of honour, and the statement in Mr. Palmer's letter
negatives the supposition that he was wounded by
any other person. The pistol, not loaded, found in Cob-
ham-park, was besmeared with blood. Had it been fired by
any other person than the wounded man those appearances
would not have been observable. A cambric handkerchief,
saturated with blood, was also found in the park, and there
is no doubt it is Mr. Palmer's ; for, during the conversation
with Mr. Smith, he observed to his wife, " I have lost my
handkerchief ; I left it in Cobham-park."
Mr. Palmer is a leather factor, and has offices in Coleman-
street. He left home on Thursday evening, and proceeded to
Rochester rid Gravesend, where he is supposed to have slept on
Thursday night, and to have strayed towards Cobham-park
on Friday morning. There is no doubt he lost a good deal of
blood, and it is extraordinary enough that he should have
been enabled to proceed to Woolwich afterwards and write
several letters in a firm bold hand while the bullet was in his
mouth. His escape from drowning was as miraculous as his
escape from another and more violent death. He was
actually in the water a quarter of an hour, and in addition
to his ordinary dress, he carried a large top coat under his
arm, but he never mink.
Last night at eight o'clock, a gentleman connected with
the Waterman's Steam Packet Company called at No. 3,
Beauvoir-terrace, to inquire after his health, and was in-
formed that notwithstanding his dangerous condition, and
in opposition to the wishes of his medical attendant, he had
been removed into the country at an early hour in the
. morning.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
Powrsmotrrn, Nov. 16.-The Thalia, 42, Captain Charles
Hope, arrived yesterday morning at Spithead, from the
Pacific. She saluted the Commander-in-Chief, with 17
guns, before she brought up. She sailed from Mazatlan, on
the sth of June, St. Tllas, on the 15th of June, Valparaiso,
on the 14th of August, and Rio de Janeiro, on the 23d of
September, having on board on freight 1,750,000 dollars on
merchants' account.. The Nereus store ship, Master Com-
mander Bateman, was the only ship she left at Valparaiso,
the Commander-in-Chief, Rear Admiral Seymour, having
sailed in the Collingwood, 80 guns, and taken with him the
corvette Modeste, 18 guns, Commander Baillie, to Otaheite,
to meet the Admiral of the French squadron, and arrange
respecting the indemnity to Mr. Pritchard, the British
Consul ; after this arrangement Sir George Seymour had
notified his intention of sailing to the Sandwich Islands,
thence to California, and the western coast of Mexico. The
America, 50, Captain the Hon. J. Gordon, was, on the
coast of California, about to visit the British
settlements on the north-west coast of America. The
Frolic, 16, Commander Hamilton, had proceeded to
meet the Admiral at the Sandwich Islands. The
Talbot, 26, Captain Sir T. Thompson, Bart., was
hourly expected at Valparaiso from Otaheite when the
Thalia left. The Fisgard, 42, Captain Duntze, was at
Callao, and Captain Duntze had hoisted a broad pendant as
Commodore of the second-class, being left senior officer on
the coasts of Chili and Peru during the absence of Admiral
Seymour. The Salamander steam-sloop, Commander Hamond,
was stationed at Otaheite ; the Cormorant steam-sloop, Com-
mander Gordon, had gene to Panama to meet the June mail
from England ; the Daphne, 20, Captain Onslow, had gone
to Navigator's Island nth Mr. and Mrs. Pritchard, whence
she would proceed to New Zealand, in consequence of ac-
counts having reached the Admiral of the alarming state of
that colony. Lieutenant Hunt, and the crew of the Basilisk
ketch, were in the Talbot, on their way to Valparaiso, en
route to England from Otaheite.
The Thalia brings home dispatches from the British Minister
at the Brazilian Court, Mr. Hamilton, and letters from Rio
Janeiro to the 22d of September, by which we learn that the
Reistance troop ship, Commander Patey, had arrived at Rio
prior to the above date, with the 45th Regiment on board,
originally destined for the Cape of Good Hope, but on her
arrival at Rio she was ordered to sail with her troops for Monte
Video direst, and she sailed on the 14th of September. This
alteration in the destination and service of these troops was
consequent upon orders waiting the arrival of the Resistance
in the Cyclops steam-sloop brought from England by Captain
Lapidge, 30 days from Plymouth.
On the Ist of September, in hit. 54 14 S., long. 59 22 W.,
the Thalia spoke 'the Julius from Valparaiso for Hamburgh ;
oa the 22d of October, in lat. 19 42 N., long. 36 32 W., spoke
the American ship Splendid, from Liverpool for Mobile; on
the 29th of October, in lat. 29 59, berg. 37 29, spoke the
Dutch brigantine De Vrow Elizabethe, No. R. 183, from Rot-
terdam for Havannah, 34 days out; on the 3d of November,
off the Island of St. Michael, passed the American ship
Saxony, of Boston ; on the 4th spoke, in lat. 37 37, long.
23 41, the Azores packet, 11 days from Plymouth, for St.
Michael's ; on the sth, in lat. 38 22, long. 21 27, spoke the
Courier, from Greenock, for Jamaica ; on the Bth, in lat.
43 27, long. 15 1, exchanged colours with the American ship
Mary Ann Cleaves, of Kentucky, steering to the westward;
on the 9th, in lat. 44 27, long. 13, exchanged colours with a
Dutch ship, No. 66, and a Dutch brig, No. 635, both out-
ward bound; on the 10th, in lat. 46 38, long. 10 36, passed
the ship Fyfe, outward bound ; on the 12th, off the Start,
the ship Auvergne, from Honduras for London ; same day,
off Portland, passed her Majesty's ship Juno, 26, Captain
Blake, from Spithead for the Pacific direct; on the 14th, off
the Needles, passed,a Russian line-of-battle ship and a cor-
vette bound to Plymouth, believed to be the Ingermanland,
with the flag of Vice-Admiral Lulka, having on board the
Grand Duke Constantine, second son of the Emperor of
Russia; same time, exchanged numbers with the barque Iris,
outward bound.
The Thalia will come into harbour to-morrow to discharge
her freight, after which she will be dismantled and paid off
here.
The President, 50, Captain Stanley, flag of Rear-Admiral
Dacres, made preparations for sailing yesterday morning, but
in heaving the anchor she carried away her capstan-a new
invention by, and brought forward under the approbation of,
Rear-Admiral Bowles, one of the Lords of the Admiralty (!)
Workmen were sent out this morning to replace it. She
has on board six 9-pounder field pieces, 300 rounds of am-
munition and gun-carriages, for service at Madagascar.
The Geyser steam-sloop, Commander Carpenter, came into
harbour yesterday morning to replerish fuel prior to going
round to Woolwich to be paid off. She left last night.
The Cyclops steam frigate, Captain Lapidge, arrived at Rio
on the 11th of September, from Plymouth.
The Racer, 16, Commander Reed, sailed from Rio for
Monte Video on the 14th of September.
The Ajax, 72, will be towed down to Cowes to-morrow, by
the Driver steam-sloop, Master Commander Driver, to be
converted by Mr. White into a steam guard-ship for this
port. Mr. John Fincham, foreman of shipwrights at De-
vonport Dockyard, has been ordered to Cowes to superin-
tend her conversion, and Mr. May, inspector of shipwrights,
whe superintended the fitting of the Avenger steam-frigate
in the river, is appointed acting-foreman of DevonportlYard
during Mr. Fincham's absence.
PROMOTIONS.
Commanders-C. H. M. Buckle (1836), late of the Growler,
and John Russell (b.), late of the Ardent steam-sloops, to the
rank of Captain.
Lieutenant-Henry Harris to be retired Commander on
the list of 1830.
Second Masters-J. D. Taylor (1830), late of the Ferret;
W. J. Olive and J. Dillon to the rank of Master.
Mate-H. D. Graham to the rank of Lieutenant.
Midshipmen who have passed their examinations for Lien-
tenants-Mr. Purvis, of the Excellent, and Mr. A. E. Drum-
mond, of the Vanguard.
APPOINTMENTS.
Commander-F. W. Austin, to the Alecto.
Lieutenants-Murray, to the Terrible ; J. Hunt (first),
and L. B. M'Kinnon, to the Alecto ; Hon. J. R. M. Byng,
to the Retribution; A. Tower, to the Shearwater.
Master-J. D. Taylor, to the Aleeto.
Surgeon-Dr. Rutherford to the China convict-ship.
Purser-C. H. Niblett, to the Alecto.
Second Master-T. W. Sulivan, to the Medusa.
Assistant-Surgeons-R. Sparrow and D. M'Bride, to the
Caledonia, for service at Plymouth Hospital ; T. C. Millar,
to the Lizard; Dr. Main, to the Poictiers.
Mate-J. C. W. N. Taylor, to the Trafalgar.
Naval Cadet-The Hon. - Chetwynd, to the President.
SHEERNESS, SATURDAY.-The Blenheim, 72, having been
stripped of her copper and poop, was towed to Blackwell on
Thursday, by the Monkey steamer, to be fitted by the Messrs
Wigrams as a steam guard-ship.
The La Hogue, 72, passed out from Chatham yesterday
in tow of two steamers, also for Blackwell, where she is to be
fitted by the same contractors.
The Dee, steam transport, called in here on Tuesday from
Woolwich, and took some supernumeraries on board for Ports-
mouth.
The Ocean, 80, has all her guns and heavy stores on board,
and being complete, with the exception of a few light jobs
connected with the cabin fittings, will be discharged from the
basin on Monday.
The Fury, steam-frigate, will be ready for launching about
the 20th of December. A party of caulkers were put to
work on her bottom yesterday.
The Sampson, steam-frigate, it is rumoured, will be very
shortly commissioned by Captain R. F. Stopford, son of Ad-
miral Sir R. Stopford, Governor of Greenwich Hospital.
The Bittern, 16, has been seported ready for the pendant.
The Havannah, 20, razee, has again been taken in hand to
complete her for the pendant; quarter galleries are being
added to her present unsightly stern.
Sir W. Burnett, the Director-General of the Medical De-
partment of the Navy, paid an official visit to the Dockyard
on Wednesday, and the Hon. Mr. Fitzroy, with Captain
Brandreth, the Director of Engineering and Architectural
Works, on Thursday. The latter gentleman also visited the
new fortifications going on here under the direction of Captain
Alexander, R.E. These works are progressing very rapidly,
together with the repairs and alterations of the old fortifica-
tions. The earth battery now erecting opposite the Dock-
yard-gate is already carried to a considerable height, and a
foundation of concrete is now being laid down in the excava-
tions which have been made for the musquetry walls, of
which there is to be one at each angle, connecting it on the
one hand with the old works at the garrison, and on the other
with the works extending from the Medway to the Thames;
which also are to be put in a state of thorough repair, and the
ditch along these works is to be continued around the battery
now forming.

YORK AND CARLISLE AND DURHAM, WESTMORE-
LAND, AND LANCASHIRE JUNCTION RAILWAY COMPANY.—
The Directors of the above Railway Company have at length
succeeded in purchasing from the Stockton and Darlington
Railway Company, the Haggerleazes branch of the latter
railway, from West Auckland to Cockfield-fell, thus securing
the influence and assistance of the Stockton and Darlington
Railway Company, as well as getting several miles of railway,
already made over a difficult country.
ARRIVAL OF THE GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE OF
RUSSIA.—For several days the arrival of his Imperial High-
ness the Grand Duke Constantine, second son of the Emperor
of Russia, has been expected at Plymouth and Devonport,
and the Russian Ambassador, Baron runnow, andsuite, have
been staying at the latter place for more than a week in
readiness to receive the Grand Duke. About three o'clock on
Saturday morning the Russian line-of-battle ship, Ingerman-
land, and the flag of Vice-Admiral Lulka, of the -Russian
service, having his Impenal Highness on board, entered Ply-
mouth Sound, and just before nine o'clock the Port Admiral,
Sir John West, went alongside to pay his respects to the Royal
visitor, the Mount Wise battery firing a salute of 17 guns,
which compliment was returned by the Russian man-of-war.
The Russian Ambassador and suite in the admiral's tender
the Sylph, accompanied by the admiral's barge, a short time
after proceeded to the ship, and it was expected that the
Grand Duke would come ashore, but to the disappointment
of a great many persons who had assembled at Mount Wise,
his Imperial Highness would not land until Sunday morning.
THE MINISTERIAL DIFIPERENCES.—Mr. Cobden in
his clever speech at the Birmingham Free-trade meeting, al-
hiding to the late Ministerial differences, supposes that Sir
Robert Peel was for opening the ports, and that the Duke of
Wellington opposed it. We believe the truth to be that Sir
Robert Peel obstinately adheres to the sliding scale, and we
doubt whether it was on this question that the Duke dis-
agreed with him. The question whether some thousands of
the people should perish of want or not is not of sufficient
importance to cause a difference between Ministers. They
are much more likely to quarrel about so momentous a mat-
ter as whether Lord Ellenborough should have a place in the
Ministry or not; or whether our claims to some barren ter-
ritory should be carried with a higher hand, and the peace
of the world endangered for the pride of insisting on an ex-
trel.ne and sterile nght.—Exciminer.
ACCIDENT TO SIR C. CONSTABLE, BART.—We
regret to hear that Sir C. Constable, Bart., while out with
the staghounds on Friday, met with an accident which in-
jured his arm, and prevented his joining the'annual dinner at
the Holdernesse Hunt on the following Monday. The injury
is not, however, of on alarming nature, and we are happy
to understand that the Hon. Baronet is doing well.—Hull
Pack/!.
ADELAIDE GALLERY.—CURIOUS OLD PAINTING.—
We have seen a very fine painting by the great artist Ribera,
generally known as Spagnioletti, now exhibiting in the Ade-
laide Gallery. It is a full-length portrait of the famous St.
Anthony of Padua, and its history is very curious. It was
purchased from the Pope in 1780, by Archbishop Dillon, Duke
of Narbonne, who lied to this country from the horrors of the
French revolution, and was interred in St. Pancras old church
in 1806. On the Duke's death, this painting became the
property of Henry Count Dillon, Commander of the Irish
brigade in the French service, who discovered it among the
lumber in a garret, from whence it was withdrawn in 1829,
and has recently come into the possession of the present pro-
prietor belonging to the same family, by whom it will be
transferred to some of the Catholie Nobility or Hierarchy
previously to his embarkation on a distant voyage of dis-
covery.
DEATH OF Ma. BACKHOUSE. -- A considerable
pension has reverted to the Crown, in consequence of the
demise of John Backhouse, Esq , Under-Secretary of State
for the Foreign Department during the administrations of
the Earl of Liverpool, Mr. Canning, the present Earl of
Ripon, and Earl Grey. Mr. Backhouse died at his resi-
dence, in Hans-place,
peeitieue..observer,
on Thursday, after a lengthened

DREADFUL FIRE and LOSS of LIFE

IN FINSBURY.
On Sunday morning, between twelve and one o'clock, a
fire of considerable extent broke out on the premises termed
the St. Agnes-le-Clair Baths, at the north-cast angle of Ta-
bernacle-square, Finsbury, and which, we regret, to state,
was attended with the loss of two lives, under circum-
stances of a very distressing character. The premises were
old, being principally composed of wood, and some years since
were much resorted to for bathing. Latterly, however, they
were divided by a thin lath and plaster partition, one portion
being occupied by a Mrs. Moore, the proprietress of the
baths, which were at the rear of the dwelling house, and
the other by Mr. C. Peel, as a coffee-shop. The fire was
discovered about half-past twelve o'clock by the police-con-
stable on duty in the square, who, perceiving a quantity of
smoke issuing from the parlour shutters of the baths, instantly
proceeded to alarm the inmates by knocking at the door and
springing his rattle. The residents were quickly aroused to
a sense of their danger, and on attempting to make their
escape by the staircase, found it impossible, owing to the
dense body of smoke that was rising from the lower part of
the building. They immediately hastened to the back
windows that overlooked a narrow thoroughfare that led to
the rear of the baths, and an adjoining public-house called
the Angel and Crown. Here their critical position was in-
stantly discovered, they were desired to wait a few moments
for the arrival of the escape and other ladders, which were
on the way to the fire. Ere they reached the scene several of
the terrified inmates jumped to the ground, but those at the
more lofty windows were persuaded still to wait a few mo-
ments longer, when they would be rescued. The ladders
were at length brought to the spot, and after several had
been got out of the burning property, active measures were
adopted to preserve Mr. C. Moore, a son of the proprietress,
his wife, and their little boy,who were supplicating for assist-
ance at one of the uppermost windows, looking towards Pit-
field-street. Mr. Moore succeeded in making his escape, and
on gaining the ground was perfectly exhausted—his unfortu-
nate wife, however, and child perished, the body of smoke
being so dense as to completely overpower them. He states
that he used every means to preserve them, and if he had
waited a minute longer in making his retreat, he must have
perished also. During this period the inmates of Mr. Peel's
coffee-house fortunately escaped by the front door, and Dear-
man, the constable, very prudently prevented the street
door of the baths being broken open until the arrival of ad-
ditional assistance and the engines—a step which, probably pre-
vented a greater loss of life. The Shoreditch parish engines
and those of the brigade from the Whitecross-street station
were the first to reach the scene of destruction, but in conse-
quence of *the combustible character of the premise', the
flames extended with fearful rapidity over them. Water
from the main was flowing abundantly, and every endeavour
was made to preserve some portion of the property. Other
engines kept arriving alongside the blazing building, and in
less than twenty minutes a powerful force was in operation,
under the direction of Mr. Braidwood, the superintendent of
the fire brigade. All hope, however, of saving the premises
was given up, therefore the exertions of the firemen were
directed to the preservation of the adjoining buildings—the
Angel and Crown, belonging to Mr. Gurney, on the one side,
and Mr. Beeson, a potato-dealer„ on the other. In this they
succeeded. The flames were gradually subdued, and by three
o'clock they were. safely got under. The firemen kept play-
ing upon the ruins, however, which were sufficiently cooled
by five o'clock to allow a search being made for the missing
bodies. On the floor of the apartment in which Mrs. Moore,
jun., was last seen were found her remains considerably dis-
figured, and in the course of an hour afterwards those of the
child were discovered close by. Shells being procured, the
bodies were removed to a neighbouring house to await an in-
quest, which will be held this day.
How the fire originated is at present a mystery. It is
supposed by Mrs. Moore, however, to have been caused by
some embers from cigars, as there had been parties smoking
in the coffee-rooms the previous evening.
Since the above was written the subjoined statement has
been made by the undernamed sufferer :
Mr. Charles Moore, husband of the deceased, said that he
retired to rest with his wife on Saturday night last, about
half-past eleven o'clock or twenty minutes before twelve.
His wife's son, a youth about twelve years of age, named
George Hall, was also in bed in the same room. Having
been asleep for a few minutes he (Mr. Moore) was awakened
by his wife, who expressed her fears that a fire had hap-
pened. She also asked him whether he did not hear the
people knocking at some door and calling " Fire 1" Having
listened for a minute or so he became convinced that an out-
break had occurred somewhere, from the fact of his hearing
the springing of rattles and repeated knockings at the
street door. He jumped up immediately and got out of
bed, laying hold of his wife and dragging her at the same
time to the door, calling also as loudly as he was able
to her son to get up and follow them. Upon opening
the room-door a large body of smoke and flame met
them upon the staircase and compelled them to return
to the bed-room. Upon re-entering he closed the door,
hoping to be able to get out of the window and procure
a ladder, so that he might be instrumental in saving his wife
and child, and any other of the inmates with whom he might
meet. Having opened the window, he was about to jump
out, when some one cried out, " For God's sake, don't jump
out; wait a minute, and I'll try to get a ladder." Being
apprehensive that if he stayed 'longer his wife would perish,
he leaped from the window, and fell upon what he has since
been informed was a water-butt. He had since been insensi-
ble, nor could he recollect what afterwards took place at the
fire. He had not the least idea how the fire originated. It
was not from gas, because none was ever burned on the pre-
mises; the baths are lighted with oil.
The police-constable on the beat, 173 G, states that he was
passing on the opposite side of the road when the outbreak
occurred. He instantly gave the alarm, and sprang his rattle
for assistance. Having got the front door opened, he
attempted to ascend the staircase, but the force of the fire
was so fiercely strong and the smoke so dense that it was
impossible to do so. He then went to the rear of the pre-
mises, and at that moment he saw Mr. Moore fall from the
window with his head upon the water-butt, as previously
described. The constable then conveyed the sufferer to the
New Tariff public-house.
The following is a copy of the
OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE DAMAGE.
"Nov. 16, 1845 12 30 A.M.—Fire at the Agnes le Clair,
swimming, Su, baths, 3, Tabernacle-square, Shoreditch,
occupied by Mrs. R. M. Moore, landlord Messrs. Roper and
Moore, Thornton-heath, Croydon ; cause unknown. Fire
broke out in the front parlour, ground floor. Nearly the
whole of the front dwelling-house is consumed, as well as the
contents therein, and the roofs of the baths at the back
damaged by fire and water; extinguished by firemen. Three
Brigade, the West of England, and the parish engines
present; 81 assistants employed; building insured in the
Royal Exchange; contents not known if insured. Two lives
lost, and several of the inmates severely burned.
"No. 3. Charles Peel, coffee-house-keeper (adjoining),
house gutted, and the whole of the contents of a seven or
eight roomed house destroyed; contents insured in the
Phoenix; building in the Royal Exchange.
" Tabernacle-square (no number) Henry Gurney, licensed
victualler; side front considerably damaged ; part of the roof
in the spirit-room, bar, and back parlour materially injured
by fire, water, and smoke : contents insured in the Sun,
building in the Phoenix fire-office.
" No. 2, Tabernacle-square, Mr. George Beeson, potato
dealer, &c.; window-frames damaged on the first floor back ;
roof off, and sheds damaged : insured in the Royal Ex-
change."
The calamitous *vent has caused throughout the neigh-
bourhood the most intense sensation ; and throughout the
whole of Sunday the ruins were besieged by persons anxious
to ascertain the fate ofthe sufferers, an the state of the ruins

GREAT FIRE IN TURKEY.
One-half of the town of the Dardanelles has been de-
stroyed by fire. At half-past eleven A.M. of the 25th October
the fire commenced in the Greek quarter, a gale of wind
from the north-east blowing at the time. Although it was
so early in the day, and 2,000 Turkish troops, with twelve
fire-engines, were on the spot as soon as the alarm was
given, it was impossible to stop the ravages of the all-con-
suming element, and twenty houses were destroyed before
any efficacious aid was given. Much might have been done
had the engines been in good order ; but, owing to the
gross neglect of Ibrahim Pacha, the governor of the town,
not one of them could be made to work. Had it not been
for the assistance of two Turkish Colonels with a handful of
soldiers, and the European residents, who occupied them-
selves in pulling down houses, and regulating the scanty
supply of water, the fire would never have been arrested in
its progress. The presence of the Pacha was of little use, as
his commands being enforced by the whip, no one would
work with good will. This terrible fire was not subdued until
half-past two A.M. of the 27th, having lasted 39 hours. The
whole of the Greek and Jewish quarters, with the exception
of about 40 houses, one-half of the Armenian quarter, about
100 Turkish houses, three mosques, a synagogue, 100 shops,
and a large bath, have fallen a prey to the flames. At least
600 houses have been destroyed, and as in many of them four
to five families lived together, there are about 1,200 families
without a home. Of this number, one-half have taken
refuge in the barracks and two adjoining villages, 300
have found an asylum in the remaining, part of the
town, and the rest are exposed to the inclemency of
the weather, or are sheltered for the time being in tents,
The misery is very great, and the winter approaching. A sub-
scription was immediately set on foot by those who were
fortunate in escaping, but will afford only a temporary relief,
as most of the families have been rendered completely desti-
tute. It is to be hoped that the Sultan will send succour
before long, and that charitably disposed persons will be in-
duced to raise contributions in Constantinople, and in dif-
ferent parts of Europe, for the relief of the poor people.
These evil consequences might have been avoided had
Ibrahim Pacha paid attention in time to the earnest and often
repeated requests of the consuls that the fire-engines in his
charge should be kept in good order and frequently exercised.
All classes of people regretted the unavoidable absence at the
capital of the military commandant, Thussein Pacha, and
there is but little doubt that, had he been present, under his
able management, added to their veneration for his estimable
qualities, his commands would have been obeyed with
alacrity, and the fire would never have made such awful
ravages.

RAMSGATE.—The immense quantity of herrings
caught here within the last few days has exceeded all former
herring catches on this coast.
Government has determined upon making a great
harbour of refuge at Dover, and the works will be commenced
at an early period.
VICTORIA PARIL—The operations for the forma-
tion of the new park may be considered at an end for the
present season, and much disappointment is manifested that
planting has not been commenced. The operations of the
year have, however, been extended to the completion of the
park palings and iron railing, to the erection of a neat and
commodious lodge entrance from Bishop Bonner's fields,
whilst the handsome bridge adjacent is nearly finished.
SEIZURE FOR EASTER DUES AT NETHERTON.-011
Wednesday last the agent of the Rev. Lewis Jones, Vicar of
Almondbury, made a seizure upon the property of John
Beaumont, of Netherton, by trade a weaver, having a family
of seven children, but who, it appears, had for conscience-
sake refused to pay the sum of ls. 7d. due to this functionary
for Easter-offerings. The original demand had augmented
to 155., is consequence of expenses; to meet which four
chairs, valued at 165., and the poor man's Bible, were taken
away from him. To show a contrast between the spiritual
and temporal officers of the Church, we may mention that
this type of apostolical succession was engaged at the same
time the officer was conveying Beaumont's goods away, in
assisting the Bishop of Ripon at the consecration of the new
church of St. Lake's, Milnsbridge.
THE WATCH TRADE.—In the table of restrictions
and prohibitions with respect to the exportation of goods and
merchandise from any part of the United Kingdom to foreign
parts, set forth in the 104th section of the Regulation Act, of
the 3d and 4th William IV., cap 52, the provisions of which
are re-enacted in the Bth and 9th Vic., cap. 86, of the past
session, clocks and watches, that is to say, any outward or
inward box, case, or dial plate of any metal, without the
movement in or with such box, case, or dial plate, in every
instance, made up fit for use, with the clock or watch maker's
name engraven thereon, in a legible and permanent manner,
are prohibited to be so exported from the United Kingdom ;
and by the 31st section of the Act of the 3d and 4th William
IV., cap. 53, re-enacted, in the 32d section of the Bth and
9th Vic., cap. 87, of the past session, any goods prohibited to
be exported, which shall be brought to any wharf, quay, or
other place for ribislenti al WO&

LA W INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF CHANCERY, Nov. 17.
Continued indisposition prevented the Lord Chancellor
sitting to-day.

ROLLS' COURT, Nov. 17.
His Lordship sat at half-past ten o'clock.

STOCKEN V. DAWSON.
Mr. KLNDERSLEY replied to the arguments of the counsel
on the opposite bide.
Mr. Gordon followed on the same side.
The case occupied the whole of the day, and was postponed
tall to-morrow.

VICE-CHANCELLORS' COURT, _Nov. 17.
(Before the VICE-CHANCELLOROf ENGLAND.)
His Honour took motions, causes, exceptions, and further
directions to-day.

WHITEHEAD V. BENNETT.

This case came before the Conrt upon motion on behalf of

the plaintiff for a receiver of the estates of the testator in the
cause, a gentleman of the name of Barker, who died in the
year 1834, leaving several daughters, and possessed of real
property to the extent of 4,0001. a year, and leashold to the
amount of 5001. a year. 'rile property of the testator was
situate near Manchester, and by bis will he appointed the
defendant, Mr. Robert Bennett, a solicitor of that town, and
three other persons, his executors. The defendant Mr. Ben-
nett, who married one of the daughters of the testator,
al me proved the will and acted. The plaintiff,
who had married another of the daughters of the testator,
not feeling satisfied at the course adopted by the defendant,
filed his bill for the administration of the testator's estate,
and a decree was obtained for that purpose. The plaintiff
still feeling dissatisfied with the course pursued by Mr. Ben-
nett, made the present application'for a receiver.
At the suggestion of Counsel the case was ordered to stand
over till to-morrow, for the purpose of seeing whether the
parties could not come to some satisfactory arrangement
among themselves.