Star.
London, England, 1830-03-25 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE WITH LOSS

OP LIVES.

MONTROSE, MAsca 20.

On the afternoon of yesterday, a race between a boat belonging to
the lilies Swan. whaler, and a pleasure boat, the property of Capt.
Bobcat Mammy, took place on the river, which wax attended with
most distressing circumstances.
In such occasions, which are of rare occurrence her, great mul-
titudes of people assemble to witness the sport, and on the present
occasion a mere than ordinary concourse of spectators were present :
the view of the river and boats engaged being quite uninterrupted
from the bridge, between SOO and 800 persons of all descriptions
took their stations upon it. After the contest was over, and the
victory gained by Captain Rainsay's boat, and when the boats were
returning down the river, and had just passed under the bridge, the
crowd pressed to the side of the bridge next the harbour to nail the
victorious boa•, when, melancholy to relate, one of the great sue.
pension chains gave way at the top of the north tower, and came
down at the lower part of the curve (exactly the centre of the bridge,
where the dense part of the crowd were assembled, and where many
were leaning over the parapet rail, immediately under the great
chain), and one man and two boys were killed on the spot, the
immense weight of the chain having fallen upon their heads,
which were crushed in a fearful manner. Several other boys
have got arms and Ims fractured, and many are slightly bruised
and otherwise injured. The noise occasioned by the chain giving
way was like the discharge of artillery, and the alarm among the
crowd caused an immediate rush to the end of the bridge. It is im.
possible to convey any thing like a description of the terror and
confusion that now took place. The multitude imagined that the
whole fabric was immediately to give way, the rush became so great
that the crowd trampled down and trod upon one another, and hats,
bonnets, muffs, and reticules, were strewn on the roadway of the
bridge, the owners thinking themselves happy to escape with their
lives. :that fortunately, the end of the broken chain came into con.
tact with, and rested upon the other chain, which runs parallel
with it. Had the whole weight of it came down, the consequences
would have been most appalling. The accident happened a short
time before the arrival of the Mail from the north, and hum the
Nate of the bridge, it was het considered safe to allow the mach to
pass; the guard carried the bags across the south side of the river,
where a post chaise from the south had just arrived, and he proceeded
in that conveyance. In consequence of the chain giving way, other
parts of the bridge have been much injured, and as it is greatly of
the level, hanging to one side, the commissioners have given orders
to stop all communications by horses or carrisges: and the alarm
Is so great that the foot passengers are afraid to trust themselves on
it, and many are ferrying over in boats to-day.
Shim writing the above, another boy has died in the hospital from
the severe bruises be received under the chain.

The above accident is in every view to be lamented ; but we trust
it will not tend to shake public confidence in these useful and ele.
gent structures. It will be observed from the very distinct account
given by our Correspondent, that although the upper chain on one
side gave way, and the whole weight was consequently thrown upon
the lower chain' yet it was found sufficient to sustain it : and as
Captain Brown is already on the spot. the damage will be repaired
with the least possible loss of time. This bridge was pronounced
to be one of the handsomest which has been erected in Britain—it
was inspected by Mr. Telford, who reported his entire astisfaction
with it to the Commissioners who in consequence took it off the
contractor's hands, and settled with him accordingly. The chains
were manufactured at the Chapel Oak factory, near Birmingham.—
Ceskdostaa Mercury.

It is reported that an autograph letter of Don Pruitt)
has within a few days been win to the Sovereigns of the dire.
rent Courts of Europe, notifying to them the establishment of the
Portuguese Government, under Donna MARIA, at Tereeira, to
which Weed the Marquis DR PALMELt.A has lately gone.