Star.
London, England, 1825-07-25 00:00:00

UNION HALL

Saturday an investigition took place at this Office. before 741".
SWANEY and R. Henault, &Ars. relative to an attempt watch was
made by two girls, apprentices to Mr. John' Batiks, lace-manufac-
turer, in the Orangv.road, Bermondsey, to set his extensive pre-
mises on fire. The names of the delinquents are, lour Guthman
Jefeiies, and Louisa Bangles ; the forme, was hound apprentice
by her parents, and her companion by the parish of Clapham.
Althinizh both of them bad nearly completed the term of their
apprentice.hips (seven years), nu complaint of ill usage could have
been alleged against their employer.
The first witness examined was a girl named Matthews, an ap-
prentice in the saute manufactory. who stated as Gallows t—Uo
Tuesday last, when all the apprentices were stated at the dinner
tabk, Jefferies, who sat next to me, whispered in my ear, and said,
" Matthews, I shall set this house on fire next Tbursiley." Upon
my expressing astonishment at such an observation, and asking lux
what could put suci a thing into her head ? in answer she replied,
" I do not like the work, and am afraid of running away, for tear of
being afterwards brought back and punished." She also said that
she should be assisted in her plan to bprn the house by Ihnington.
The fallowing day, W4.sinestlay, witness bend Billington and Jefe-
ries in conversation together; the Cornier of whom was entiravour-
Ins to prevail on tke latter to set fire to the house that night, but
.1.-fferies ref ased, saying, that all their fellow-apprentices might stand
a chance of being hurtled in their beds, if they set fire to that which
they had placed in the cellar. The next morning, Thursday, about
six o'clock, when witness came down stairs from the bedarouni, she
sass the two prisoners standing tugether at the• head of the cellar
stairs, they were apparently talking about what they intended to
do, for soon afterwards witness observed Billington provide herself
with a tinderbox, with which she struck a light, and having done
so, gave the lighted candle to Jefferies, who, upon receiving it, ins-
Mediately ran down stairs into the cellar. Billington remained be-
hind, and did not proceed with her companion. After a short int n.
val, Jefferies came running up stairs, and exclaimed in witness's
hearing, to the other prisoner, " that she had done the thing."—
S• 00 afterwards, the witness added, a dense smoke arose out of
the cellar, which filled the staircase, and caused a strung scull of
fire. In about three minutes subsequent to Jefferies having returned
from the cellar, Mr. Simpson, the Superintendant, came relining
down staira,who, having entered the cellar, the smoke soon ceased.
The witness, in answer to the Magistrate's interrogatories, said
she did not meal the conversation she bad overheard, being fear.
ful the girls would have been punished. Mr. Simpson said, on de-
scending the cellar, he found the fire to have been caused by a mats
of old rags daubed over with printer's ink.—They were remanded.

Shipowners should be aware, that 'by Act 6 Gee.
IV. cap. 41, stamp duties are :nide no longer payable
upon any deed of sale, or any conveyance, assignment,
or other deed or instrument whatever, for the sale, trans-
fer, or other disposition. either absolutely or by way
of mortgage or otherwise, of any s'.ip or vessel, or
any part, interest, share, or property, of or in any
ship or vessel.
Several outrages are daily committed on persons in
the neighbourhood of Alud Island, Dublin, by pelting them with
stones. A Gendeman who with his wife and child were thus
assauked, complained to the Police, and was informed that the
inhabitantsisf Mud Island were such people, that no stranger fright
to go rear the neighbourhood.

BIRTH.
Monday, thu Lady of Sr John Kingston James, of a son.

BIARRIED.
Rev. Thomas Brigstock, Rector of Whitton, Radnorshire, and
Incumbent of St. Catherine's, Milford Haven, to Caroline Bu-
chanan, youngest daughter of the late Rev. Richard Width, of
Northwold, Norfolk.
At Seaton, Devon, the Rev. Cecil Robert Str.ith, to ItlaryJane,
eldest daughter of the late Colonel Warren, of the 3d Guards.
At Repton, Derbyshire, the Rev. James Cutting Stafford, B.A.
Vicar of Metringham, Norfolk, to Louisa, only child of the late
Rev. J. Chartres, formerly Fellow of King's College, Cambridge,
and Vicar of Godmanchester and West Haddon, Husidngdonshire.
Rev. Edward B. Frere, Vicar of Biggleswade, to Elizabeth, Only
daughter of J. H. Williams, Esq. of Yarmouth.
Rev. H. Salmon, to Charlotte, eldest daughter of the Rev. John
Washington, late Rector of Chilcombe, and Vicar of Hurstborne
Priors, Hants.