Star.
London, England, 1824-12-01 00:00:00

ASSASSINATION OF MAJOR CHAMPION.

/DOM TUE NEWFOUNDLAND OAZETTS OF NOV. 9.
ST. VINCENT, OCTOBER Is. •
• It is our painful duty to record, in this day's Gazette,
the melancholy death of Major Champion, 21st Royal
North British Fusileers, commanding the troops in this
garrison. On returning to the tort on Wednesday even-
ing last, at about seven r.m. he was shot by the sentry
pos•ed at the drawbridge, and expired before ten on the
same evening. The wretch who committed this diabo-
lical act is now given over to the civil authority; and
as this is the second instance of a similar nature which
he has endeavonred (though in the first instance happily
unsuccessfully) to perpetrate, it is hoped he will soon meet
with that fate which he so richly deserves. The body
of Major Champion was interred with every military
honour due to the much•laniented deceased on Thurs-
day evening, and marked respect was paid to his me-
mo! y by the principal authorities, civil and military,
topther with most of the respectable inhabitants.
The foregoing particulars (transmitted to us from the
regiment) comprise a faithful detail of as shocking an
event as ever was recorded—one, we are happy to say,
hitherto unprecedented in this colony, and of which,
perhaps, scarcely a parallel can be found in the annals
of the British army. It has thrown a gloomy melan-
choly over this community, which at once marks the
detestation and horror in which the crime is held, and
the deep commiseration that is felt by all for the fate of
Major Champion, and in the affliction of his widowed
Lady, and five fatherless children, when the melancholy
tidings shall reach them in England. We halm but few
particulars to add to what is communicated officially
aly,ve, respecting the death of this gallant Office!. He
was on his return from town to his quarters in the fort,
and had reached about the middle of the drawbridge,
when he Wa • challenged by the sentinel on duty at the
end of it, who inquired particularly as to his identity,
and being assured it was the Major who approached, he
immediately shot him, and he fell from his horse on
the bridge, the distance between him and the assassin
being about six yards, and the shot passing below the
left breast through the body.
An inquest was held on Thursday on the body, and
a verdict of wilful murder was returned, when the cul-
prit was committed to gaol upon the Coroner's warrant.
ijor Champion was in his 37th year; he had seen
much service, principally as an Officer of the Staff, in
various parts of the world, and was much esteemed by
his brother Officers, as well as all those who had the
pleasure of his acquaintance. A vessel was sent express
to his Excellency the Governor, on the night of the Ma-
jor's death, and he returned here early yesterday morn•
ing from Canouan, since which he has directed a Cow t
of Sessions to be called for the trial of the prisoner,—
The wretched assassin is named James Ballasty; he is
a native of Ireland—has been about ten years in rte
Regiment, and boie a bad character in it. He acknow-
ledged his guilt at the moment of the murder, and re-
peatedly since: indeed, the savage and unfeeling man-
ner in which, we are assured, he exults in the deed,
almost exceeds belief, although his victim not long
since is understood to haye solicited sad obtained a
.remission of his punishment for an attempt to commit a
similar -crime.

r % 14; N Mr:t R •

IMAM/A.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1824.
STOCK EXCHANGE., TWELVE O'CLOCK.
Consols opened at 91 to A fur the Account there was some bustle
in the Market at the opening, but it soon subsided, and Consols re-
main at the above price up to tl:is hour.
Canada Shares are now from 91 to In prem.
FON EIGN FUNDS.
Current Prices; New Spanish 161 17, OW d 9 23, Rucsian 951
Mexicali 66i, Co!ombisn New 831 to 84, Chilian 77, French Scrip
12 pre. Brazilian 2} 1 pre. Buenos Ayres, 4 I pre. Greek 531, New
Neapolitan j tf pre. Alarine Alliance 14 pre. Colombian Mines
18 to 191.
I'ZI ICE OF STOCKS AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Bank Steck '231 2301,
3 per:( ent. lied. 9414
3 per Cent. Cons. 94) 95 •
3i per Cent. Red. 10054 .1/4 liSt %
4 per Cent. New 108%
Long Ann. 23 1-16—India Bonds 97 99
£3.0410 F.T.ci;eq. 12d.) 55 6; (1 Vid.) 54 6
£5OO ditto (2d.) 55 6; (114 d.) 54 6
•
£lOO and £2OO ditto. (2d.) 55,6
Advertised (2d.) 54 5
Lofts. for Acct. 9514 14

Dispatches, dated the 18th October, were this morning
received at the Colonial-01fice, from his Grace the
Duke of MAwcuzirraa, Governor of Jamaica, at which
time the 1.14nd was perfectly tranquil.

Letters from Bogota of the 29th of September have
bfea received, stating that CANTERAC is retreating so
rapidly, that Bouumt ca-inor come up with him.
We have received ante tio•ton Papers to the 4th
tilt. They state that the Colombia steam-boat, Captain
CLARK, in her passage from Char!e,ton io Georgetowr,
sunk within two miles of Sullivan's Island, and four
persons on board were drowned the crew and the rest
of the passengers were rescued with great difficulty.

Letters have been received trom Mexico o) le _
September. They state that all v.-as tranquil, and that
the Cogigtess was occupied a ith discussions on loans.

If th

29th

A Jamaica Mail hai arrived, with papers to the 20t1
of October, at which time all was tranquil.

This forenoon we receivthe I toile of ye,terday,
by Express. It contains, via Aleppo, letters-from Shiraz
or Chiraz; stating, that in the month of April last there
was an earthquake which lasted six days and nights, so
rapid were the succession of the shocks, thai it might be
said to be one continued earthquake. More than half
the town of Shiraz is said to have been swallowed
up, and only five hundred persons escaped. Ka:-
roue, a town between Bother and Shiraz, was also
swallowed up, with nearly the whole of the inha-
bitants: several mountains in the neighbourhood of
Kasroun are said to have sunk, and left no trace of
their existence.

The following are further extracts from the Etoile :

PARIS, NOVEMBER 29.

- .
The King heard Mass in the Ch tpel of the Castle•
at nine o'clock this morning : he afterwards visited the
Magazines of Provisions, and then went a hunting in
the Wood of Vincennes.

Mesopotamia has been the theatre of great events
amongst the Arabs ; for a long time the numerous
tribes of Anazes have invaded the deserts of Meso-
potamia, principally inhabited by the powei ful tribes of
Get bas ; but this year, aided by the Pac ha of Bat; dad they
were defeated by the Gerbas, who cau ed them to re-
pass the Euphrates, and their flight was pi t.cipitate,
that they lost most of their fine horses and cattle.

In a short time -the Pachalick of St. Jean d'Acte
and Mount Lebanon will become the theatre of great
events, and a rebellion which will cause great trouble
to the Porte. The Ottoman Government are dissatisfied
with Abdalla Pasha.
CONSTANTINOPLE, OCTOBER 26.

When Lord Strangford descended the Dardanelles,
he paid a visit to the Capitan Paella, and it is said he
found him much composed after the result of the fourth
campaign, even more disastrous than that of the pre-
ceding one. It is generally thought, that the Turks
dare not hazard a fifth, at least on the sea.