Star.
London, England, 1810-07-05 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

Notice was this morning issued, that the half yearly
pay to the Half-pay Officers in his Majesty's land
forces, will commence payment on the 9th instant.
Three transports which arrived at Plymouth on
Monday night from Lisbon, were filled with deserters
from the French armies in Spain. They are mostly
Germans, and are to be sent to the depot at the Isle
of Wight, to be incorporated with the foreign corps.
An embarkation of part of the 16th dragoons was
to take place this day at Falmouth, for Lisbon. The
waggon-train are embarked on board the transports;
and ships of war are daily expected at Falmouth, to
convoy the troops to their destination. A regular re-
' giment of infantry is hourly expected to arrive at that
port to embark for Portugal.
The Royal Cornwall Militia have marched from
Uxbridge for Taunton and Tiverton.
The detachments which have lately been drafted
from the Foot Guards for foreign service, were last
night countermanded, and have this morning again
returned to their customary duty.
Monday se'nnight 34 men of the 9th Veteran Bat-
talion were embarked at Leith for Orkney, to replace
the like number there, who have volunteered for Ca-
, nada.

Yesterday a Ballot was taken at the East India
House for determining the questions exonerating the
owners of the ships Calcutta, Jane Duchesv of Gordon,
Lady Jane Dundas and Bengal, from any blame re-
specting the loss of those ship:, which questions were
carried in favour of the owners.
Private letters from Bengal, via Madras, advise the
arrival of the Lady Lushington, Sarah Christiana, Sir
William Pulteney and William Pitt, from England.
The accounts from the Cape of Good Hope, by the
E tst Ird:a fleet, we regret to state, afford some me-
lancholy proofs of the impossibility of preventing the
piratical expeditions from the Isle of France, to which
the British commerce in those seas is perpetually ex-
! posed. The following prizes were carried-into that
Island in the course of one month only, Febrwlry
last :—Charlton and United Kingdom, bound to Ben-
gal ; VICTOR sloop of war ; Minerve, Portliguev.! fri-
gate ; a Portuguese ship of 450 tons, half loaded, and
with 300,000 dollars on board ; brig Ann, )ound
from Bengal to Port Jackson ; a Grab privateer, and
two merchantmen, particulars unknown.
There also arrived, during the same month, three
ships from 16 to 20 guns each, and three ships of
about 400 tons each, with cargoes from Bourdeaur.
And about the end of February, or early in March,
the Bellone and Minerve (now mounting 50 guns)
I frigates, and Victor sloop of war, sailed from thence
on a cruize in ,the Bay of Bengal, where, judging
from the former successes of the enemy, it is much
`feared they will do infinite mischief to the trade.
Mr. Sanderson, of Whitecross, Hants, started on
Monday last, from his own house, for a wager of
500 guineas, to go 72 miles a day for seven days,
which is three miles an hour for the whole time,
without stopping. The pedestrian, who is an ath-
letic man, had finished his third day's task ott Wed.
Inesday, but betting was two to one on time.
Tuesday afternoon as Lord Lowrnrtt and Mr.
Caoaßa, Secretary to the Admiralty, were riding to-
gether in Richmond Park, the latter was thrown from
his horse, and dragged some yards with his foot in the
stirrup. The horse did not take fright, but stumbled,
and in the sudden shock Mr. Crtorcea was thrown.
Mr. CROKER is much bruised, but has received no es-
sential injury. He was obliged to return to town in
a chaise, and is now confined to his bed.

A servant maid in Westminster was struck bVncl
by ligl. tning on Sunday night, but recovered the ight
of one of her eyes on Monday evening.

Sunday evening, about eight o'clock, as a youth of
about l 7 years (4 age, was walking along the road
near Brc'okshourn, Hertfordshire, he was struck down
by the lightning in a senseless state : he was token to
a house in the neighbourhood, and did not survive
an hour.

Sunday evening, about eight o'clock, the parapet
of the house of Mr. HILL, trocer, in Whitechape.,
fell from the top of the building into the street with a
dreadful crash. Fortunately no person was passing at
the time.

A shocking accident happened on Sunday last, at
a village called Llansamlet, abut two miles from the
opposite shore of Swansea. During a storm,. about
forty persons were induced to seek shelter in a mill,
which being struck by the lightning, killed three men,
William Hopkins, David Thcmas, and David Jen-
kins, and wounded about twenty others ; and we learn
another man has since died. The miller who was at
work, escaped, but the mill was burnt down to the
ground.

The body of a well dress'A young woman was found
in Chelsea Reach, on Tue,day evening, by some fisher-
men. It was owned yesterday morning, and turned
out to be that of Jane Sanford, upper servant in a
gentleman's house in Parliament•street.* She is sup-
posed to have beta blown into the water, or upset in
a boat. She had permission to spend Sunday last
amongst her friends, and was not seen afterwards.

DREADFUL Fritx.—The sad catastrophe which took
place at Castle Blaney, last week, affords another
awful warning to those who neglect to provide against
the danger of fire.—Mrs. FAUGIIRY and her two in-
fant children, while her house was in flames, were
seen at the window, soliciting assistance from the by.
standers, but which they were unable to afford ; and
she and her helpless offspring perished in the sight of
her husband. A maid-servant and two men also fell
victims to the devouring flames; and another maid.
servant precipitated herself from it window, and was
dashed to pieces. It must occur to every one who has
seen the Patent Self-operating Fire.rscape, lately ex-
hibited at No. 17, Pickett.street, that, ilcMr.F.tviongv's
house had been furnished with it, the liv :3 of his family
would have been preserved, but fortunately
for the
he cannot
future peace of this hard-fated Gentlem an,
reproach himself of having omitted a precaution
which has not as yet reached Irelaucl,, although for
some months past every one in this country has had
it in his power to avail -himself of it for the trivial
sacrifice of five guineas. The escape is so advnirably
calculated to rescue children in the moment of a anger,
that parents omitting to furnisl4 their nurseries with
this most excellent invention, certainly tak4 'eon
themselves an awful responsibility.