Star.
London, England, 1828-12-10 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.

--wain .--

Stn—ln this enlightened age, when man is so deeply
employed in searching inn the hidden paths of science,
and in bringing to pelf tion every as ful diecoveiy,
whether in art or in net-re—at a period, for example,
when man laughs at the pineal steed, and tells him to
go an.t frolic in the meadow., frr that he has now no
longer want of him, and substitutes in his stead his
mechanical discoveries in vapour to convey his chariots
along—at a time when genius rushes beneath the bois-
terous Thames, and bind. up its unwieldy body with a
girdle, to obtain beneath it a clear and firm passage for
the ease and luxury of man—how is it, I ask, that dif-
ficulties and contrivances of such magnitude are every
day overcome, and which seem to require the greatest
exertion of the mind, while many are sinking under
private calamities which the most common sense and
one moment of reflection might do away with ? There
is one deplorable accident in particular. to which I
would wish, were it permitted me, to call the attention
of your female reiders—l mean that of being buent to
death by the wearing apparel accident Illy taking fire.
It every winter occurs that several females are burnt
to death, or perhaps dreadfully disfigured for the te.
mainder of their lives by theirolothes taking fireeoust
the fatally of 04 accident is entirely owing to the
want of reflection, and the ignorance of the nature of
file. A woman always carries about her person he.
defence against this calamity—a petticoat, a hether
flannel, cotton, or camlnie muslin, if drawn up and
wrapped close round her shoul•fers, will not fa•l, by
minding the air, to extinguish the filmes. If any rne
should doubt of the efficacy i t this plan, let th. m take
a, block r f wood or some o her object, throw around it
any gown they please, set it on fire, and let the flames
make as great a progress as they may think might very
probably happen before a female could turn her atten•
Lion to it; they will then find, by taking a petticoat
And wrapping it tolerably close round the ohkct, the
fire will almost immediately be subdued. With one
and the same old cambric muslin petticoat I extin-
guished the flames upon a figure more than a dozen
times running. to effect which I covered it in a very
hurried and careless manner, for the purpose of con-
vincing myself c f the efficacy of this plan in the mo-
ment r f confusion and alarm. The ab •ve method I
only cropose as a resource when no other is at hand ;
but should, for example, a Tema e set fire to her clothes
in her bed room, airy part of the bed clothe', whether
count rpane, blanket, or sheet, would, with the least
presence of mind, make her as secure against all din.
ger as if a bath was standing ready, or a fountain was
playing in the room. Hoping these few li et, addressed
for the benefit of females, by one of their own sex, will
' meet with a reception in your Paper, I am, Sir.
Your obedient servant and constant reader.
A. M.

His MAJESTY has been pleasei, by an Order in
Council, to direct that a pension of SOU per annum be
granted to Lady Gm, wiJow r f the lion. Sir Grroaesa
GREY, Bart. Commissioner of Portsmouth Dock yard.
Captain R tcu is appointed to command the S uth-
anspton, of 50 guns, at Chatham, which ship is to bear
the flag of Rear Admiral Sr EDWARD W. OWEN, Com-
mander in Chief in the East Indies, in the room of Ad-
miral Garlic, whose period of service is expired.
Sunday died, Captain Sir WILLIAM HOSTS, Bart.
K.C.B. a very distinguished Officer, who commenced
his naval carreer under NELSON. By his death, the
command of Royal George yacht, at Portsmouth, has
become vacant.

The guard of the Manchester and Sheffield mail, on
Sun Jay, while travelling between Manchester and A,ll-
- lost the Howdonshaw letter bag. It
was picked up by an Irishman, and 'delivered to the
Postmaster at Ashton, but not before he had broken the
seal of the bag, and examined the contents, for which
off-nee he is now in custody. On b ing asked why he
had cut the string, Pat acid, di and sure I thought it had
been some old woman's leathtr pocket, and I thought
I would just see what there was in it."—afeld Cour.
The health of thi Master of the Rolls (Sir J. Lancet)
has very much declined since last Friday night. He
took his seat in Court on Monday night, but a very vi-
sible change had taken place in his appear ante ; and ue
were sorry to learn yesterday m Ining, that he was so
much word as to render it doubtful when be may be
able to resume his sittings.
The property stolen out of Mr. MURRAY'S house, in
Argyll-street, considerably exceeds the amount stated
in yesterday's Paper ; as it appears that Mr. MURRAY
had to pay the sum of 139 guineas for one portion of
the publication missing, and bis total loss is estimated
at nearly 400 k