Star.
London, England, 1826-05-17 00:00:00

VAUXHALL.

' The following is a sketch of the alterations and im•
provements which have just been completed is this
delightful summer retreat :
The Rotunda has been completely metamorphosed ; it has been
stripped of all its gaudy eastern embeitt4unents, and is now fitted
up as a Concert Room, capable of containing about 4,000 persons.
A capacious Orchestra has been erected on the left hand side upon
.entering from the Gardens, sufleiently large to accommodate a
very numerous band, which will be constituted of a considerable
postings of the Qpera House Orchestra, led by SPAGNOLIITTI ; and
Assn*, the Composer, will preside at the pianoforte.
The Picture Saloon, which led from the Rotunda towards the
Theatre erected for the Ballet, has at the bac% of it a large gallery,
which holds sonic hundreds of spectators; and on each of the sides

bearing from it towards the Orchestra. are two tiers of bores,
re-
sembling those at the Opera, most of which will hold about a dozen
persons, and two or three of them will contain perhaps twenty.
The entrance iuto the Concert Room has been mate ria 11 y widened,
and the whole of the interior decorations are in perfect keeping with
the general design : they are neat and elegant, and, by candle light,'
will hare *most beautiful effect.

The long room, leading out of the Concert Room, has also ex-
perienced a great change; it now represents a grove of line trees,
.and the walls on either side have some well-executed paintings on
them, one of which (the Bay of Naples) entitles the Artist to great
praise.
Artbe end, where the Scotch Band has latterly sat, is contrived,
with great ingenuity, the Fall of the Tivoli. fhe affect of this
grove, when lighted up, is so managed as to give the spectator in
idea of walking between two rows of trees, the boughs of which
have, through age, become so closely interwoven at the top as to
preclude almost the entrance of daylight.
Among the present vocal engagements we Ind the names of
Misses &farness and. Love, and Madame Messrs. nRA•
/Lk /11 and SINCLAIR, Signor de Bursts, and our old friend C. Toe.
Loa.- !tlany other engagements are still pending, and the arrange-
ments altogether are of such a liberal character, and so judiciously
Made, as so entitle the proprietors to that support and encourage-
ment which a British public is at all times ready to give where the
merit of the parties is such as to deserve it.

WONDERFUL PRESERVATION.

Rtilf THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE CHRONICLE.

An afflicting accident happened on the morning of Thuraday
atifnnight, in the neighbourhood of Amersham, to two men who
were sinking and stewing a shaft for a chalk pit. They had worked
the shaft to the depth of nearly 40 feet, of which about 35 feet
were suppoicd secure, having passed through a stratum of clay
about
.10 feet deep, and nearly YO feet of fine red sand, and bad
just rescind the chalk, when the earth, with a large quantity of
bricks lying near the mouth of the pit for stelning, suddenly gave
way; and filled up the pit to within 19 feet of the surface.

A man named Abraham Andrews was sent for from a distance
of seven miles, who had much experionee in the working of pits,
acd who brought with him a man named Carter, of the sante occn-
pation as himself. On their arrival, they instantly began their pre.
parations for clearing the pit; though when night came on they had
made but little progress.
With the return of day-light, Andrews and his companion re-
sumed their labours, and continued their taints until between one
and two in the afternoon,,when their attention was suddenly excited
by noises which they imagined were tho groans of a person below,
and in about half an hour they had the satisfaction of ascertaining
that one of the men who had been overwhelmed was living, and
that be was set the foot of the pit, and that his fellow-sufferer was
dead, and lay above bins, nearer the surface. The names of these
poor men were John Penn ani John Blackwell, Penn was the
survivor. After the lapse of another hour, the body of Blackwell
was brought up front a depth of 3S feet from the surface. The
body was found in a position nearly• upright, and according to the
opinion of a Ikdical Gentleman, who was in attendance, the de.
ceased bad been for many hours dead, and had died of suffocation.
In an hour more the excavators reached the spot where Peels was
lying prostrate. His head was speedily noes tl, and he was
found with his face downwards on the chalky side of the pit. The
left arm was immovably fixed in an acutely bent position, crossed
against his breast ; the right arm was extended ; the legs straight:
The difficulties which ensued to disentangle Penn's body &but
the load which pressed against it appeared insurmountable. Such
was the nature of the soil, thht after Andrews bad uncovered him
to his breast, the earth made another slip, and covered hint up, and
Andrews was with difficulty drawn up the shaft. AU hopes of
saving the poor fellow seemed now to be at an end ; but puck wal
the humanity and courage of Andrews, that he determined to stake
another effort, and after the greatest exertions until ten o'cloek at
sight, be succeeded in fastening a rope round the body of thesuf-
ferer, and they were both drawn up together. •
It was SS hours sine* the accident at the pit occurred; it is
therefore wonderful that Penn, wbeo brought out. was perfectly
sensible, and hia n 6 dillicalty in speaking. It was not until Tues-
day morning that his pulse regained its natural force, and even now
he still sufersgreat pain id one of his legs and arms, and has not
Ft:tweeted their perfect use.
• l'cun is'a young man, about 35 years of age, and has a wife and
nae child. Blackwell was about. U years of age. His poor widow
I,ciatue a mother en the very day of his being brought out, and be
had one other child.
To relieve the widow of the unfortunate Blackwell and his two
children, to assist poor Penn under his disability, and to remunerate
the meritorious services of the Intrepid fellows by whom the life of
licit has been *reserved, a subscription bas been • succesafully
commenced in thiolsinglibouriaood of Amersbam..
Towards the close of. the jet., war, a gray-headed
assigns h a starching reginiatt, was accosted by an kids beggar
woman, ailonowst—u Plase youthonour, &wet. gho the poor
VIM; a tilipearty." Upon which the nettled standard bearer told
her to go to AN dchlUalliding, 44 ne Gesserot." " Ayrah l then
Goa bless youx
sr 844 the aseadicant,., sere mire slit
ensue to use
*),Jr