Star.
London, England, 1817-07-22 00:00:00

HART AND OTHERS.

This was an action upon a Policy of Insurance
effected by the Phcenis Fire Office, to recover a loss
of 43,500 upon a boast, the property of the Bank-
rupt, occasioned by fire, in the month of June,
The trial of this cause excited a' great deal of in-
terest, as well on account of the pecti;i4iity of its
circumstances, as the nature of the defe►:ce set up by
the Fire-Office.

Mr. Guirmay, Mr. BOLLAND, and Mr. SPANKIE
conducted the case on the part of the Plaintiffe
The following is an outline of the case : The ac-
tion was brought by the Assignees of a certificated
Bankrupt, who in the year ISlii, and for some, few
years before carried on the business of a tallow-chan-
dler in Aldersgate street. His father had died in
1813, leaving him two Ireeheld houses, Nos. thirty-
four and thirty-five in that street, the value of which
was estimated at about AEI 000, besides other pro.
perty of considerable amount, in the way of trade,
as a tallow-chandler, to which business the bankrupt
succeeded on his father's death. it so happened,
that in the month of May, 1815, these houses were
destroyed by fire, .ird the Fire-Offices readily paid
the loss, which amounted to about £9,000. The
bankrupt having rebuilt the premises; resumed his.
business, having disposed of one of the houses to ad-
vantage, both of which, including stock in trade, he
insured to the amount of nearly A 9,000, at the Phce.
nix and other Offices. In the Spring of last year,
the bankrupt married a young lady of some expecta-
tions, and took a trip to Paris with his bride, as well
on pleasure as business. Since his father's death, he
had been more than twenty times to France upon
business, which consisted in dealings in hemp and
other articles in which he traded, besides his business
of a tallow-chandler. Jn the month of June, 1816.
he returned to London with his bride, bringing with
him 454 gold Napoleons, which he took in exchange,
for Bank of England notes, with a view to take ad-
vantage of the exchange, which was at that time
in favour of England, and by which he expected to
make three halfpence or two-pence halfpenny profit,
upon eacll piece. Upon his arrival in England be
took tits wife to see a friend in Hampshire, and re-
turned immediately to town himself. On the night
of the 25th of June (the fire having happened on the
26th), he came home about eleven o'clock, and he
and his two shopmen were retiring to bed, when they
heard the dog in the shop barking most violently, it
being alledged that the animil*was never (except on'
orie solitary occasion) known to bark before. The
bankrupt and his servants became alarmed at this ex-'
traordinary circumstance, and immediately proceeded
to search the premises, but finding all sate, they re-
tired to rest. The following night the bankrupt was
seen, about nine o'clock, to go to his iron sale in his
counting-house, where the 454 Napnleans, together
with about seventy-five pounds worth of French sil-
ver were deposited. What lie did on that occasion
was not known, but he immediately left the house,
and did not return again till near eleven o'clock.—
At that time one of his men servants was out. He
went into the kitchen, took off his boots, called for
his candle, and was seen to bed by his other man
servant, who lit his rush-light as was usual. Before
he had got to bed the other mm servant came home,
and the whole family, consisting of the bankrupt,
the two men, and two female servants, retired to rest.
He himself slept on the Second fl tor, and the servants
in the attic storey. Between twelve and one o'clock
the bankrupt awoke in a great perspiration, and tin-
der circun winces the most extraordinary. One of
the pillows of the bed was held by some •unseen
hand over his face, whilst a man sat upon his body
and kept him from stirring from the bed. He heard
voices speaking, and he concluded that there were
two or three persons in thence:sum. NV4iilst he was in
this situation, two silk pocket handkerchiefs, which
he afterwards found take his own (having been taken
from his coat pocket which lay by the bed side),
were introduced under the pillow, and tied round his
head, so as to prevent his seeing. The man upon
his body kept his position, and presently afterwards
he heard a voice say, " I have it"—which the bank•
rupt supposed to have reference to the finding in his
pockets the key of his iron sate in the counting-house.
He then heard either one er two persons go up and
down stairs two or three times. The man upon his
body will held him down upon the bed, and pulling
out a sharp instrument, told him not to stir or mak:
a noise under peril of being murdered. He felt the
puncture of the instrument on his breast once or twice,
and he was assured that if he kept still he should not
:ice hurt. The man hinted that he and his compa-
nions had been in the house the night before, but
were disturbed. Atter a short time he was taken
.from at bed by the supposed robbers, and dragged
out to the landing-place, where his wrists were tied
together with cords, in such a manner that he could
riot get iovse. A rope was then put round his neck,
and he was tied to the bannisters tit the stairs. He
was told by one of the men not to make any noise,
under a threat of being murdered, and he was cau-
tinned not to cry out for help until he heard the street
door closed. During this transaction, one of the
men said, 4‘ D—n it, I. took it tor a bed—it is a light,"
Alluding, as the bankrupt supposed, to something that
oad been set on fire in the lower part of the house.
the robbers presently left him, and he immediate!,
cried out for help, gave the alarm of Murder ! Thieves!
As- lit a tew.anautes the caea-servautt MN down

tiairk to his assisreUre, UMW his bands, and releaied
him from crllfinement: He told them what had hap.
pened to him, and one Of them went to a window to
give the alarm, when he saw smoke breaking out from
the cellar windbw in the lower part of the tyro e.—
He immediately exclaimed that the house was on fire.
No smell of fire, or appearance of smoke was, how.
ever, at that time, observable in the house ; but the
I bankrupt immediately gave directions that the m
aid-
servants should be alarmed, which was accordingly
done, and, without any further investigation, the
whole family were seized with panic, made their way
to the top of the house, and escaped by a forcible en-
try through the cocklolt of the adjoining house (Mr.
Cockertou's), and got into the street. It was then
raining very hard. The alarm of fire was soon spread
through the neighbourhood, and in a very short time
the house WAS in flames. Some person in the street
broke the fanlight of the door, entered the shop, and
then unlocked the door, which it appeared was dou-
ble locked. All the other doors of the house (there
being three exits from it) were also locked, and there
was no appearance of any person having recently left
it. The windows were all shut. During this time
the bankrupt attempted to get into the house, hut
Was restrained by the %vectors:it and other persons
who had assembled. lie appeared to be in the
greatest agitation ; was much alarmed, and fainted
with fatigt;e and anxiety. Next morning, as soon as
the fire was extinguished, the rubbish was removed
from the iron sale, and in it were found some of the
bankrupt's Iscoks and papers untouched by the fire.
The sate was unlocked and the Napoleons gone.
There remained, however, the French silver, which
was concealed bciind one of the account books, and
which it was supposed the thieves in their hurry had
nut seen. In consequence of several reports having
gone abroad to the bankrupt's prejudice, he volun
tarily tendered hes conduct for investigation by the
Lord M .yor ; and the case was repeatedly inquired
into by his Lordship and Alderman Cox. It ap-
peared that at the time of the tire, the bankrupt had
property on his premises to the amount of nearly
£35000 uncovered by the policies ; that only the day
before he had purchased about 4'200 worth of tallow
and other articles, &c.

The Bankrupt .undetwent a very long' and strict
examination and cross examination. He demeaned
himself with great coolness and propriety.
His testimony was confirmed by his male aoil fe-
male servants, in every particular, as far as they were
concerned in the transaction. Several other witnesses
were examined, whose testimony went to give the
story probability iii collateral circumstances.
Mr. SconL►Tr addressed the Jury at con4derahle
length for the defendants, and with him were Mr.
blonnvor and Mr. F. Pra.Locii•

The following witnesses were examined with a
view to shake the credit at the bankrupt's testimony,
and that of other witnesses examini.d for the plaintiff:
Thomas Robinson, a fireman, at the Loud. n As-
surance Office.—hound some plate on the third stait_
case of Mr. Cockerton's house on the mortiiiig of the
'27th of June, in turning the rubbish over which fell
from the ruins of the house. It was found in dif-
ferent places upon the third floor of Cockerton's
house. The sv ill of Dankin's house was abaut P 2
feet above Cockerton's house. It was found between
six and seven in the morning.
Cross-examineJ.—There bad been several firemen
backwards and forwards during the morning, over
the premises, before the plate WAS found The fire-
men were working with the branch of the engine.—
Cockertun's roof had fallen in about an hour before
the plate was found.

Mr. GURNEY admitted that the plate found was
the plate which had been lucked up in Dunkin's
bed-room.

Mr. DAWES. the solicitor, said that he had heard
Mr. Dunkin describe the manner in which his hands
were tied. Witness's son bad shew•n him the way I.)
do the same thing. It might 1)r done in such a man-
ner, by a person, so as to prevent the appearance of
having been done by third persons.
Li_rd ELLENS3EOUGH said, he had known an in-
stance of the case of a mats named Smith. 'A'llO had
been executed, ai:d who had robbed his Lordship's
house, where the same sort of thing had ken exhi-
bited. It was matter of notoriety that such tricks
had been performed in a variety of instances, by per-
sons who resorted to them for the purpose of effecting
robberies.

Mr. Dawes swore, that he had performed the ex-
periment, and he now attempted to exhibit it to the
view of the Com t, for the purpose of shewing the fa-
cility with which it might have been done, but the
exhibition did not seem very successful ; had heard
the evidence of the witness Mr. Danald, and now
contradicted the statement, which he had made re-
specting the state of Dunkin's lion safe. when it was
examined after the fire.

Lord ELLENBOROUGH said, that though this might
be a contradiction of the witness, it did no: much ad.
trance the case of the deter :ants.

Mr. HARMER, the Solicitor. said he had a meeting
with Dunkin on the 15th of August, and on that oc.
casino he told witness, in answer to a question re.
specting the Napoleons he bad lost from the safe,
that he had eighty of them from a moneychanger in
the Valais Royal at Paris, and all the rest he had
from Lieutenant Decree ; that he exchanged with
him at Paris, and gave him Bank of England notes
tor them. At another time, in the October follow.
ing, in speaking of the manner in which his hands
had been tied by the supposed thieves. Dunkin said,
that " the parties," meaning the thieves, 66 had been
with him about five minutes before he heard the
watchman going his rounds, at, he believed, about
hall-past twelve." One of the men was sitting upon
him at this time ; the other of them had said—"
have got it." and had gone down stairs. Just before
the man said, 66 I have got it," they secured his
hands, and blindfolded him " with two of my hand-
kerchiefs." Witness asked him why he had not
called out ? and he said, 66 It was fifty feet from
Shaltesbury-place, and nobody could have . heard
me. I was not in a hollowing humour."
Lord Etiatnsoaotion thought this not a material
contradiction.

Henry Harrison was passing the end of Alders-
gate-street on the morning of the fire; vent to the
spot ; was there twenty minutes belore Mr. Dunkin
came. There were twenty or thirty people then•,
and they were knocking at the door, crying " Fire !
!" Witness got into the house by the fan-light,
ind opened the door, having prestsou,ly borrowed

!the %al-iv:nut's lantharn. 'fte strent.donr Teri Ann.
1;1.--lotked, with the key inside. Dinikin then came
up, and said, " 0, goed Goo ! I ch nor know what
I have done to he osrved so." On the Mnnday fol-
lowing. witness was presvot when Durkin was rr%.
mined helore Alderman Cot, and he asked witness
if he was the ynting man who got in at the fandieht
and, upon aNswer.ng in the affirmative, he said...
Good Gorr 1 ante Fon not afraid of the dog ?"--.
iVitness examined all the steers of the house, and
they appeared to he last.
Cenrge Lovell saw Mr. Dunkin about twenty
minutes after the (*ire broke ont. At a snbseqdent
time, he slid he did not know hat that Harrison,
who got in at the lart•light, might hare been torn to
pieces by the doge
Jol.n Mackay proved, that after the fire broke ours
all the &tors and windows of Dnnkin's hoirse
peared to be shot and fastened. Great tbiliculry
was Lnund in openirg the doo* which had been en.
tered.—Here the evidence for the defence closed.
Mr. Geinete was heard in reply.
Lord Et.t.kNwitioccfn, in summing np, observe&
that the case had long resolved itself into this point,
whether, front the s;ngolarity of the story of Dunkin,
it was wholly to be discredited ? The first improba.
hility was, that thiere.7, cnnt.-mplaiitm such a robbery
below stairs, should come up stairs for the pnrpose of
waking the maser of the hinse : if they came for
the key, they did not ask him for it, hot quietly
searched in his pockets. There was something India
crous in what was related about the sharp instrument
offered to hi, hre.e.t : tt eon!), chance of safety seemed
to be in ma!:ioe a.: much noise as he could ; yet hs
did not attempt it even when he was neater to assia.
tanee np‘u tie st site ice, and without the •Abstruction
I.:f a pillow. Anode r circumstance was the difficulty
of gettine not. How could the thieves retreat;
since all the doors were shut, and all the windows
down ? A third 'fact worthy of temark was, the in.
stamaneous effort to get out at the top of the house?
because :mike, and smoke only, was below, and
without attempting to see how far the fire had est.
tended, or whether the natural Mode of escaping
from the house was not open to them. At the same
time, other observations had been made, and vary
fitly, upon the deficit:clef of motire; there seemed to
be nn considerabl. over.insurance, and it was impro.
bable that a great quantity of tallow and clothes
could have been brought in merely for combustion.
At lost, however, there were many unfortunate err.
hurnstances atvending the case of Mr. Dot k7lll and
she story he had told t one of these was the note
eiven in evidence early in the cause, which certainly
bare t! e construction that Dunkin was severely
pressed for rnor.ey jost before the time of the fire...-
111 cases e f this kit!, it was peculiarly the province
or f1e..1 Hy werA the evidence, and to decide ac-
cording to the balance. The only question was.
Whether this tire had happened is the fair ordinary
m tinter, or whether it had been eccasioned by the
criminality of Dunkin, for the purpose of defraud+
lug the defendants ?
The .luny retired for about half an hour, and found
a vend ct for the plaintiff. Damagess.-.C3,028. ss.
Three other causes are pending on the s one facts: '

COURT OF Ms I ICIARY, EDINBURGICIULY

---
This morning -inderstr Craig, accused of bigamy,
was brought to t!u• liar it the High Court of Justi.
ciary, when lie pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to
12 munllis impinrinment in Edinburgh jail. The
Jury g.ive the sum thusilly allowed them, to thn
ynuny woman whom Craig had last cozened- into
marriage.

Irnbrl Alarwrll was afterwards brought to the bar,
and pleaded guilty of tiregaising, when she
Was ser.tenced to Wiwi's) years transportation.
Ge rge r Al.Ginnes, accused of theft and
being habit ai,al I, pint a thief, also pleaded guilty,
and received sentei.ce of seven }eats transportation.
The Court next pf.lceeded to advise the inform•
tion in the cass. of Jane camp/el/alias Brute, the deaf
and dumb woman, accused of crooning her child.
Lord lim;wiNo was of opinion, that the prisoner
wa. nut a tit ol,lect for trial. She was deaf and
dumb from her infancy—had had no Instruction
whatever—was unable to give intern:ration to her
Coun.el —to corrinitigicate the names of tlt r exculps•
t ry witnesses, it she had any, and was unable to
plead to the indictment, in any way Whatever, el•
eept by certain signs, which he considertd, in point
of law, to he nn pleading whatever.
Lords JusTica Cl.sata, PiTmILLY, mid
Etitrov, were of a different tpinion. tom the twi.
dence of Mr. Kinniburgh and Mr. Wood, they wow
of opinion, that the panne! was ddi rafiax gonad*,
actu:4 crime she was charged with. It was true that
this was a new case in Scotland, but in England%
case of a similar nature had occurred. One Jones
was arraigned at tl:e Old Bailey in 1773, for stealing
five guineas in a dwelling.hoti.se ; he appeared to bat
deaf and dumb—a Jury was impanelled ty try whe-
ther he wilfully stood nude or from the visitation of
Goo—they returned a verdict " from the Visitation
of GOD;" and it having appeared that the prisoner
had been in the use of holding conversations, by
means of signs, with a woman ot the name of Fanny
Lazarus, she was sworn an interpreter. Ile was
tried, convicted, and transported. In this case the
prisoner had described' to Mr. Kinniburrh most mi•
nutely the manner in which the accident happened 10.
her child, and from the indignant manner in whic►.
she rejected the assertion that she had thrown it my'
the bridge, it was evident she was sensible that se
murder it was a crime.

It was also observed by Lird Resrow, that it
would be an act of justice towards the prisoner her-
self to bring her to trial ; because, if the Court found
that she was a perfect nun-entity, and catald not be
tried for a crime, it followed as a naturateunsequewear
that the unhappy woman would be confined for life;
whereas, if she was brought to trial, and it turned
out that the accident happened in the way'she
scribed it, she would immediately be set at liberty.
The C.,urt then found the prisoner a fit object fOl/
and she was ordered to be sent to Glasgow.
JULY 18, THREE O'CLOCK, P.M.—The High Coors
of Justiciary have, this momettt rich ; the Judges
have delivered their. ..pittilsos its tl:c case of .Ifackink.ry
for adminitering unlawful oetlts. T!ley have loud
the third indictment by a majiwilk of four Judges to
one, relevant, and have sent him to .Ivry for trial.
For the Relevancy, Lords JusricECLiarg, lIERMAND,
PITNILLY, and Rusiom —Against it, Lord Gams%
The trial proceeds to-morrow morning at 9 Vend'.

COUP t OF (X) N -CCU CIL.

Yesterday a Conn of Cirtaurn Council vra held
t (1..i1411.411, which was numerptisly atittided.
l'lte Conti oitinittiously (4,!ered th.it the City Seal
s'inuld he -tiiited to the Doput.ttion I•ppointing JOHN
l'itivr!:es, Esq. to. Ili.- c.nic, o 1 High L.tiiil of the
ISorough of S•Jutliwaik, subject to a revocation there-
rnertiotird.

Mr. OLIMA:4 rose to give notice of a motion to be
taken into comideratinn on a future day. the object
which was to prevent dist:us:ions un the tiernatins
preached fame die Corporation. He likewise gave
notice of a looti,irs to take into con.oleration the ex-
pedttucy rif ili,cuntinuiag the puska of piloting
surf) i imons.

Mr. Hammy said he weuld trespass but a short
time upon the Court, while he submitted a niutiim,
arising out of a system of eeneoniy, which btu too
late seiz-el the Court, and nut of an Act of Parlia-
ment, enabling the City of London to purchase
houses for improving St. Martin's-le.Grand, and
eventuahy erecting a new Post Office there. The
object of this motion was to move for a return of the
various cases where the parties posseimed interest* in
the several prernil.s which had been valued tidier by
estirpauon of the City Surveyors, by arbitration or
reference, or by the verdict of a Jury. Ile was in-
duced to adopt this proceeding from the extraordi-
nary degrees of valuation he liaJ heard ot, and had
seen were made; and from the enormous expense
incurred, by arbitration, but more particulany by
Special Juries. In cases so much did the City
Surveyor mistake the valuation, that %%here he bad
offered 4200 as a fair compensation, the matter was
sent to a Jury, and they thought against him by
kwartling double that turn. Two instanct.,, tit this
name bad, he perceived by the public
red last week, and he thought the subji:ct wo thy the
grave consideration of the Court.
Mr. Davis thought, that in every case the Sur-
veyors acted conscientiously, and that their LtatiilliaeS
generally were found to be correct.
The Cost:eon SIRJEANT observed, that he was Pn-
gaged in the inquiries in the Mayor's Court, to which
I,lr. Harvey had alluded. The tact was, that one of
them was entirely a question of good will. Of this,
it was not to be supposed that the Surveyor cool,'
furhisli so good an estimate as aJury, who had made
-a liberal compensation for that good will, over and
above that which the former had made for the
premises.
Atter some further observations on th: propriety
of entertaining the question, the Court gradually
became thin tit its Members, and Mi. liaiteLe with-
drew his tuoticn.

Bow-vvitEF.T.—The gr,,unds of several Noblemen
a!1..1 Gentlemen, about Fulham, have been robbed
lately of choice fruits and vegetables to a considerable
amount. A man named Lipscomb, who octupies a
bit of land in the neighbourhood, and who has been
olserved lately to sell the most exquisite articles of
garden food at a moderate price, was suspected to
he the thief. A search warrant was issued, and se-
veral Articles being found on his premises of a suspi.
cious nature, he was apprehended yesterday, and alter
an ex imination.CoMmitted for trial.
Cr/turnip and Smith, the two men su;peeted of
having broken into Gordon House, litsotis:i Town,
were fully committed for trial.
II ATTON GAttD!N.--L:IRD EIISKIKei BROOMS.
Yesterday, the adjourned hearing, in the case of an
information. laid under the Hawker and Pedlar's
Act, against David Mason, a dealer in brooms, for
hawking and exposing them for sale, from house to
/rouse, without a hawker's licence, contrary to the
statute, cime on to be heard. Mr. ALLeY and Mr.
HAtuarrr attended for the prosecution ; and Mr.
AD: Pirus and Mr. PATTZRGON for the defendant.—
The evidence of Huggins,_the witness for the prose-
cution, was read over. It stated, that on the 23if of
Jast month he saw the defendant going along (MOW-
atreet, driving a cart, loaded with b;rch briarns ;
the defendant carried two bundles of the brooms into
Riaordson's Livery Stable-yard. and gave dim to
the ostler 1 and he S4W him receive money for them.
Witness then folloa ed defendant and asked him if he
bad a Hooker's Licet.le ? and he told him not, on
which the present information was laid. The defence
was, that the defendant, who is purchaser of all the
broom on Lord Erskine's estate, employs several ser-
•ants in manufacturing it into brooms for scavengers,
stable-yards, &c. and has persons to deliver the
brooms according to order ; Ilia he never hawks
them nor sells them by retail, but merely acc(,rditig
to ord. r, and newer less than a bundle, which is two
dozen small brooms and one dozen large bro..nis ;
that so far from hawking his brooms, he was 270
dozen short of the number he had orders for on the
day laid in the information. The defendant thea
called his witnesses, who were examined as to the
above facts. which they established to the satisfaction
of the Magistrates, and the information against the
defendant was dismissed.

FestALS HuUSIBREAKER.---Saturday morning,
about four o'clock, as the watchman on duty in East.
street, Manchester square, w..s going his rounds, he'
obseived, a young woman going about trying the fas-
tenings of the different doors and shutters, and with
the greatest dexterity mounting the railings, to see, as
he supposed, if the larder was in the area. Suspec-
ting her intention was to commit felony, he concealed
himself where he could observe her actions;—she
*eat up to a door, and alter looking about for a few
minutes to see ,f she was watched, she at length
polled nut her keys, opened the door, and very deli.
berately entered, shutting it atter her; he then emer-
ged.from his hiding place, and waiting at the door
fsr her return, she at length came with a large
bundle in her hand, upon which he seized ker ; she
seemed mach surprised at such zudeuess, and said
she should call her husband, but in vain, be took her
to the watch•hruse. On inquiry it was found she
had entered nearly all the morns, and had stolen a
great quantify of wet clothes. She was brought to
Marlborough-street Police Office, and fully commit-
ted•for trial.
Friday,' the first conviction under the Metropolis
Raving Act wok place at Marlborough street Police
thici, where J. Trilds, a master nightman in Mary.
'l4.lionne-lane,vras fined £5. and 15s. costs, for Ma-
i:LW:a; throwing, or causing to be thrown, a cart.
ioad of night-ioit.on the earriage-vsa y, so 1 °within,.
smut-toad, to the annopecc of thg Utbabitants.

REPORTV'sk COMMITTEE rt STE2IM BOATS.

(Coutfosed from the STAR of yesterday.)
'lllr. Colliagez evidence conehuled.

Do you-mean the,best is appthed only to safety or
fur use N—For safety may.
ant it a high pressure engine could be made with
egisil security, would not that be more convenient to
be used on board a boat than a condensing engine
—lt would take less room.

Would nett it in many cases as they are now con.;
gructed, consume less f net in propurtim. to the pa wet ?
—I am not acqu.tinted with that tact ; htit I have
frequently asked. and I find in the COITIVTIon high pres
sure engine there is no string in the fuel. but they
are cheaper and mote simple irt,their Construction.
Do y•!tt apply that to the high pressure engine
which they call the Trtretltick engine ?--Yes.
Not to any other ?—Not to Woll's.
Nor to Sints'st—l have never seen either the one
or the other.

Suppose that a high pressure engine was to be used
in a boat, what construction of boiler or slimy valve
applied to that boiler should you advise, in order to
give it the greatest possible security ?-1 really Lin
unable to answer qoestion satisfactorily; of
ce.urse, the nitire Fal ety valves there are employed,
the greater security Mete will be against the chance
te,.losion ; I believe that the principal source of
the exploeion of high 1-.ressiire engine boilers of cast
lion, arises inim allowing them io get cool tco
denly, and renting the st.,am to suddenly, the metal
contracts and expands et a period v.hen we cannot
investigate its occurrence.
Wrought iron would not be attended with that
danger ?•-Not to the same extent ; the rivets world go.
But not with the same degree of explosion ?—No.
‘Viaild it not be a great safeguard, in the construc-
tion of a titer, if a safety valve was so made as to
be pit out of the rawer of the engineers to get at it?
No doubt, it ought in all cases to In so.
It could be so constructed ?—No doubt if the pres-
sure, however, is greater than what the safety valve is
intended to relieve, there might be an accident from
the causes which I previously stated; that is, that a
boiler might be defective without its being !mown.
You apply that to cast iron boilers?—Yes, and in
a small degree to wrought iron boilers.
IY) you conceive it impossible, or even difilcult, to
construct a wrought metal boiler, with safety valves
properly adjusted to its capacity, and a mercurial
gauge, supposing that to be capable of bring applied,
which should render a high pressure engine on board
a steam boat, what might be called peifectly safe ?
No. I do not think it impossible, and I hope some
time or other it will be accomplished.
Wherein do you apprehend that the difficulty of so
constructing a boiler would consist?—Because I have
sound that difficulty in making b‘iilers myself steam
tight, even for condensing'engines, where the plates
were of a thickness fit to undergo high pressure.
Do you apprehend that any danger of a fatal acci.
dent could arise .from that mere want of tightness in
the nvetting, which would permit some steam to
escape ?- That danger would depend up`on the degree
of the pressure and the extent of the aperture through
shier the mean: esc...per!.
What is the sp;:cies of danger which you would
expect to occur in such a case ?—I am nut able to
answer the extent of it. If the safety valves acted,
of course the danger would be removed ; supposing
that the safety valves arc properly constructed, and
their operation le secured, the danger would not be
extremely great ; it is only from their defect of action
that the danger is to be qprehencled..
Then do you mean to say, that ifthe valves were
! really in point of tact performing their functions pro-
perly, in that event you would not consider there was
any, danger ?—Certainly not, if the boiler was ad..:
quate to the pressure. •
What is the pressure per inch which you conceive
to be generally used in the condensing engine From two and a half to lour pounds.
Do you not apprehend that the strength of the
boiler is calculated upon what may be required to
resist that low pressure?—Yes.
Is it not extremely possible in the common use of
a condensing engine, that by accident or the inattem
lion of the engineer, the pressure may be increased
very much beyond that which you have :rust mentioa-
ed ?—No inattention would produce it while these
securities exist; because the water would be discharged.
through the feed pipe, and the mischief prevented.
Did you ever know the steam pipe used in any
condensing engine on board a steam boat ?—I fancy I
they never are.
Did you not hear that the Norwich boiler was
b!own up by the very fact of the inattention or telnt-
r.ty in the engineer ?—I did hear that.
Is not that Inattention or temerity equally to be ap.
lied to a condensing as to a high pressure engine ?
The Engineer may tie down the valve occasionally ;
it is very tnatural to expect it in steam boats. I fancy
it is too frequently done ; there are instances where
something of that sort was said in conversation at
Norwich, that where. a man waited for passengers,
and wanted to get up with the other boats, he did it.
Could a mercurial syphon be applied to a boiler,
so that it would meet the observation of all the pas-
sengers on board the boat ?—I should think it could ;
but the discharge of mercury, in case of explosion
might produce very serious effects.
If the syphon was of a sufficient bore, it world be
the means of preventing the effects you have spoken
of ?—No doubt.

In order to give security to the public in travelling
by steam boats, do not you think that it might he ne-
cessary to have an examination of each cngine two
or three times in a year ?—Ceriainly ; once every six
months. I think it would create con6ilence, and that
is a great object.
And that is your opinion, whether the boiler is con.
strutted of cast iron or wrought metal !—Yes.
You think that without this examination a con-
densing enk,ine would be unsafe ?—I think it would
be advantageous to have an examination.
In your judgment,would an in►pection of the boilers
of a steam engine, of a condensing engine, and an high
pressure engine, be equally necessary, with a view to
give security against accidents by explosion? Yes,l
both.

Do you think any danger to lives is to be appre-
hended from condensing engines without examine•
Lion ?—I do not think any material danger would arise.
Mr. N'm. Chapiwaa galled in, and examined.
What is your profession, and place of abode ? My

profession is civil engineer ; my general place of abode
is WCA stk.-upon-Tyne.
Have you, as engineer, turned your attention t.•
the construction of Steam Engines for Stearn Boats ?
—As to Steam Ba4t) I have not riarticule.rty ; but I
have been concerned in Steam Etigiites of every de-
scrlp!ion, from being connected with the cc:Uß:tie:4
where we haie many engines.
Have you any Steam Bunts upon the Tine
hate.

HAve you seen those Steam Buts ? —Yes, I have.
How many have you ?—I think it is three; but I
have only been in one cif them.
Do you know the weqtruction cif the Steam Boats
ersi,loyei upon the Tyne ?—L,Av prestx:e ccnartainb
_ _

Are you aware of any reason which would render
it expedient to lASI.. the use of high pressure en-
gines on board Steam Boats ?—1 look upon all en-
gines, whether high pressure or low pressure, as
dangerous to the passengers, unless due precaution
be taken to emit the steam when exceeding a given
pressure; for in low pressure engines the boilers are
always liable to burst or to alter their frrm, trim
the pressure beco.nes sopertor to th.: resistance; all
boilers but those that are cylindrinl ht the st:ction,
and with hemispherical ends or portions of spheres or
cones or conoids, are liable to alter the form by me
natural expansive force of the steam, and therefore all
boilers but of those' forms owe their safety to their
weakness, because if weak they will alter their form
without danger, and it strung, they have hertz known
to bend the iron.so abruptly as to break asunder.
Are you speaking of wrought or cast iron ?—I
speak of wrought iron; and consequently they ex-
plode, and in many instances have destroyed several
of the passengers, they are so far more dangerous to
the passengers that they frequently scald them, and
do not actually kill them; there are a descriptions
of engines in use in the counties of Darharn, Nor-
thumberland, Cumberland, and York, that are tvz tryid
loco-motive engines ; the form of dick boilers is cy-
lindrical, with curved ends.

Are those applic ible to boats ?—Certain!y, they are
high pressure engines working with a face of from
50 to 65lbs. per iitch, and no accident has happened to
any of them but to one, the safety valve of which was
stopped by a man sitting upon it or holding it down
purposely, lie said, We will have a good stint and sur-
prise them, ne will go off so well ; the consequence
was that the boiler blew up and killed and wounded
a very considerable number of people ; I believe to
the extent of 45, but 1 am not certain. _

Was that a cast ur a wrought iron boiler?—lt was
wrought iron.
Can you suggest the means by which a high pres-
sure engine can be rendered sate on board a vessel ?
—lt can only be rendered safe by having the form
of the boiler such as I have described, and the cylin-
dric part of a limited diameter, with a competent
thickness of wrought metal, either iron or copper,
and the plates secured to each other by a double rine
of rivets ; it is also requisite that thete should be two
safety valves, each laden with a determined weight
per superficial inch of the ra.rtowvt part of the teat
of the valve ; one of those elves should be at perirc
liberty to be raised at the pleasure of the n:km.i;er,
because sometimes it is expedient to raite it ; the
other should be under a cover of such descriri,;:i as
not to be opened at all at the discretion of the engi-
neer, but with sufficient apertures fur the emission of
the steam, and for any of the passengers to see that
the valve is not made fast. It is also requisite that
there should be a mercurial gauge of not less than
an inch diameter, and whose longest limb shall not
tr greater than two inches and thie eighth for esetiy
pound per inch upon the safely valve ; it is necessary
by occasional inspection to take care that the mercury
does not stiffen by osydation occasioned by the heat
and motion to'which it is in a slight degree liable.
Do you conceive that a high pressure engine thus
guarded might be used on hoard a Steam Boat with
safety to the passengers ?—Yes, so long as the boiler
is kept in order; but the boiler's bottom is usable to
erode or consume by the action of the fire, and there-
fore requires watching.
How long do you think a boiler would last under
the action o. fire ?—A boiler may last twelve months
safely, provided its bottom be made of charcoal iron,
beat, not rolled, because there is a great deal of Jae-
fence in the grain. if
Would you not always recommend a !viler to be
made of wrought metal on board Steam Boats?—
Oa board Steam Boats I would recommend them ail
to he made either of copper or charcoal iron plates,
beat under the hammer, and not rolled ; the resist-
ance of cylindric boiler* will be in the perverse ratio
of their diameters.

Saturday se'nnight, a circumstance, as novel in its
nature as it was fatal in its effects, took place at
Caldcoats, near Carlisle. Two respectable elderly
Ladies, named Gib.on, had been walking on Prim-
rose Batik, and in their return, when passing Mr.
Birch's sizing house, they found two lads, Thomas
and John Gillesby, weavers, of Caldcoats, irritating
the watch Jog, to which they had given more than
the availl length of rope, and in consequence, it stood
on the public tout path barkint•, in a furious manlier.
The Lades wished to pass, but the lads tluiratened
that unlass they gave them sixpence they would let
loose the dog, winch so friiJiteited one of them, that
she dropped down and expired immediately !
Arr:',:l7 AT MURDER IN lavrateon.--Thursday
mo►ning, about two o'clock, Mrs. Inglefield, of Mil-
ton-street, was awakened by a raglan, in the act of
forcing his hand into her mouth, and who endea-
voured to smother her, She struggled with him,
and screamed murder ! he then struck at iar with a
knife, with which he wounded her head, and attemp-
ted to cut her throat ; but, fortunately, he made but
a slight gash, for, in the scuffle, the blade became
loose, and fell out of the handle ! Mrs. 111314i:id's
daughter rushed out of bed to the assistance of her
moth.er, and *eta-illy got hold of the villain, but he
' tore himself away and escaped. The knife blade and
handle were found on the door, and in the yard a
shabby oil-cased hat, and handkarchief, with SGMe
halfpence in it, were also fiend. A quantity silver,
&c. was taken away, and it is probable that the rob-
bery would have been ninre extensive, if the intended,
murder had bees accomplished. An examination
Rico the circumstances took place in the course of the
day at the Town Hall. Mrs. Inglefield's description
of the horrid business was most atfecting. Exeruoas
are making to bring the miscreaut &vitt:Lice.

ISIK
Or tlie noth ult. at Geneva, the Counters of Minns, of a or.

hIARttlk.D.
July 16. at Edinburgh, Ruben Hunt( r, rrq. advocate, to Cat
thatit.e, eldest e.auglocr of Mr. Archibald Gibsoni W. S.
Saturday, at Mary la-Bonne, Major Peter I.tsrls Grant, to
Anne, daughter at Gramm Puwuey, hrti. of Grosvesior••qoace.
January ta, Madrar. Capt. lobo Mayne, of the Hon. Cont•
yetu).r that) Batavia, to Mrs. T. h. White, widnw cf the 1...-•!
Capt. John Whitt:, Artist:on Commitoary•Getretal or. am 1::...a-
-bhcbunott.

July 7, et Edinburgh, William Black, lisp. Aber,lerr, to •'-s
los ri.t. lea Blair rt ild. daurb wr of the iAte Dr. James ricile, y-
siciati at Petersburg's, bl•irth .I.merlea. _ •
. .

July 10, at Ilidateotosto, L.leut. J. R. Gto.lfrly, R
of Mika' GUdfre f, to Aujii.poo Maria. Sticond darghtcr
Marvin Ell.
'1 taccJay, at St. Drfiltit claire.). the Rev. three A'l-
- of I.lantyllitt, Mra: ontery-hue. ve:egt.:
clau. htli of David Wit:toran of era •;-I.:,:tt,