Star.
London, England, 1802-03-18 00:00:00

FIRES.

On Tuefday laft a fire broke out at Portf'.vood,
in Hampthire, in the honk and tenements of Mr.
Woodbud, which, in about an hour, laid the
whole in allies ; the accident was occationcd by a
ipark fallil;g on the thatch. •
Tuefday morning, about four o'clock, st fire
broke nut at Mr. Wright's, New Grove, Mile End,
which entirtly deflroyed the fame : one man was
unfuituuatcly burnt to death.
On Tuetilay night, between nine and ten, a fire
broke out at a baker's, near Alderman Curtis's,
in Wapping, which, for want of water, when the
tint engine came, burnt very fiercely, and threat-
ened rapid deliruilion to the whole neighbourhood,
but fortunately a barge belonging to the Thames.
rolice, with a fire-engine fixed therein, washrought
down by the Officers, and, under the direnion of
Mr. Harriott, the Magiltrate, fupplied the firtt
engine with water, by witch means a check was
loon pat to the estenfion of the flames; and other
engines arriving by the time they could get water,
the whole was eating:ailed before twelve o'clock.
To the Police Officers much credit was due, for as
no other floating fire-engine was brought to the
fpot, and no water to be had (at firfl) but what
the Police engine fupplicd, there is no calculating
the damage that might have been done without it.
Mr. Johnson, the anchorfmith, was likewife very
altive in his Alliance.

On Sunday, about t t o'clock in the forenoon, a
barn, belongnig to Mr. Brett, farmer, near Min-
fter, Sliecrnen, was difcovered to be on fire, the
wind blowing ftrong at the time from the N. E.
every exertion to (top its progrefs proved inef-
feetual. It loon communicated itfelf to two Lige
(lacks of wheat ; and, in a very fhort time, there,
together with the barn, were entirely burnt to the
ground ; and likeuile a confiderablc quantity of
wheat in a granary adjoining (hared the fame tate.
The lots fullained is nearly to the amount of two
thoufand pounds : there is every reafon to believe
that it was wilfully fet fire to by fome wicked mil=
creams. Mr. Brett has offer cd a handlirme reward
for their apprehenfion, which, we hope, will be
the means of dereting.the daring offenders, and
bringing them to merited punifhment.
GREINOCK, MARCH 12.—0 n Sunday morning,
the 2 t ft uh. the dwelling houfe, barn, and byre, oc-
cupied by Peter Campbell, farmer in the parifh of
Rofeneath, were dilcovered to be on fire. The
flames fprcad with great rapidity, and in a fhort
time destroyed clack houfes; nine much cows and
(even flirks were burnt to death, and the greateft
part of the grain in the barn, with the furniture,
&c. of the dwelling houfe, were confumed. The
inhabitants had fearcely time to efcape naked in
order to Cave their lives. An inveftigation has
fine been made by the Sheriff of Dumbartonfhire;
and it appearing the premifcs were wilfully let on
fire, the Duke of Argyle has offered a reward for
the purpofe of difcovering the incendiaries.

Three perfons were haft week committed to
Stamford gaol, for uttering forged bank notes.
Betwixt the night of Saturday fe'nnight and Sun-
day morning, the Ihop of Patrick iinlay, Ar.
broath, was entered by means of falfe keys, and
robbed of lace, filks, &c. to the amount of 3001.
Wednefilay fe'nnight, W. Lifbett, of Plaitford,
a lad about twelve years of age, driving his maf-
ter's waggon, but unfortunately riding on the
flassfts, fell under the wheels, and was killed.

On Thurfday latt, as John Chapman and John
Grimes, both watchmen, belonging to Shadwell-
Dock, were returning from on hoard his Majetty's
Chip York, lying in Long Reach, where they had
been with froth beef from Mr. Mellith, accompa-
nied by a Lady and a Gentleman, named Mrs.
Sarah Hart, and Mr. Thomas Caters, of Shake-
fpear's Walk, Shadwell, who had been viiiting
their friends, on board the above fhip; they were
about half-reach up, and within a half mile of
Ihore, the (Ilea being made fait, when a fudden
guff of wind brought the gunnel of the boat fo
much under water, that the, in an intlant, filled,
and all die four on Pboard, in a moment, found
thernfelves afloat, fometimes in, and at times out
of the boat. Grimes keeping himfelf up with an
aar under his arms, the Gentleman holding the
rigging with one hand, whilft, with the other, he
held by one of the boat's burdens, which kept him
jolt head above water. John Chapman held fait
of a part of the rigging alio, chin deep in the
water. The poor woman, all the while, held him
by the jacket, and kept afloat partly by t!ie wind
getting tinder her petticoats, which, by the bye,
cattle(' her head very often to go under water;
whenever the wind blew her legs up, of courfe her
, head went down, by which means, the feveral
times loft her finks, and let go her hold. They
were in this hopelefs lituation near half an hour, in
momentary expeitation of finking, when, very
providentially, they were all related from a watery
grave, by Mr. Tobias, of Bell-Dock, who, fortu-
nately, was pairing in his pleafure-boat. At the
' hazard of his life, he put his boat fo near, that the
, woman and two men could lay hold of the gunnel
of his boat ; when, by Ikilful management, they
were fafely taken on board. Grimes had nearly
made the thore, when he was alio taken up, but
to benumbed and weak, that he expeaed every
moment to be obliged to quit the oar. The poor
woman was nearly dead flue afterwards declared
that had it not been for Thomas Caters, the mutt
have gone down, for, whenever the was scathed
away, he fwarn to her, and brought her back to
the boat, begging her to keep up her courage, and
keep her mouth (hut, to prevent taking in water,
of which the had already taken a great quantity.
In a limit time, the new Lord Nelfon, a GI ave.
fend fifhing-boat, Pikering matter, came up and
took them from Mr. Tobias's boat. This Gentle-
man very humanely attended them on board the
Lord Nelfon, comforting them with warm liquors,
&c. Every one now began to think of the beg
poilible means to make there poor creatures com-
fortable : benumbed, and nearly exhanlied, no time
was to be loft ; a large fire was immediately made,
the woman put into a cabin, wrapped in blan-
kets ; the reit were gripped, and every one lent a
part of their apparels to put un thefe. poor half-
drowned creatures.