The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-10-11 00:00:00

FATAL DUEL IN INDIA.

Mr. Charles Gerrans Phillips, Mr. Thomas Etheridge,
and Mr. Frederick Henry Thompson, were lately tried in
the Supreme Court at Bombay, for the murder of Mr.
Witchet Kean Hawkins in a duel fought at Singapore.
The deceased was a midshipman on board his Majesty's
ship Curacoa. Mr. Phillips and Mr. Etheridge were
mates in the same vessel. Mr. Thompson was a super-
numerary mate waiting to join his own ship. The wit-
nesses who were examined proved that on the 19th of last
August, when the Curacoa was at Singapore at the south-
ern entrance of the Straits of the Malacca, the prisoners and
the deceased went ashore, having obtained leave from the
lieutenant; who was not aware of the intended meeting.
The first lieutenant, Mr. Fletcher, went ashore the same
afternoon, accompanied by Mr. Foley, the second lieute-
nant, Lord H. Russell, and a midshipman, and met the
prisoners at the Residency at three o'clock. Mr. Fletcher
afterwards met them at an inn at Singapore, and asked
them where they were going? They said they were go-
ing to take a walk, and they parted, the prisoners going
one way and Mr. Fletcher another. Mr. Fletcher, on
returning from the Residency between seven and eight
in the evening, again met Mr. Etheridge and Mr. Thomp-
son. Mr. Etheridge said he had something serious to
communicate. Mr. Fletcher asked him what it was ? and
he said a duel had taken place between Mr. Phillips and
Mr. Hawkins, in which Mr. Hawkins had been wounded,
and that the parties themselves wished the captain to be
immediately informed of it. Mr. Etheridge added, that
it had been a very fair duel—that ,he had seconded Mr.
Phillips, and that Mr.Tliompson had seconded Mr. Haw•
kins. It appeared that the deceased received his adver-
sary's shot in the hip, and instantly fell. ~ Mr,
. 'hillips
immediately ran to him, and, shaking him by the hand, said,
" Well, Hawkins, this must settle all our differences." The
deceased was taken on board the ship, where he survived
six days. Mr. Fletcher stated, in his examination, that
Mr. Phillips told him, with a great deal of earnestness
and fervour, that no man in the world could more deeply
deplore the lamentable issue than himself, and that what-
ever form of trial took place he was perfectly resigned to
meet it. The prisoners, at the suggestion of their coun-
sel, declined making any defence. Several of their fellow
officers proved that each of the prisoners possessed a most
humane and amiable character. The jury, after a con-
sultation of fifteen minutes, brought in a verdict of not
guilty in favour of all the prisoners, who were 'immedi-
ately discharged, and received the warm congratulations
of their numerous friends and brother officers.

HANOVER OCT. I.—The determination of His Majesty the
Rill, with respect to the proposals of the States, concerning
the fundaniental law of the kingdom, was received this day by
the Ministry, together with the Royal rescript, dated the 26th
of September.—Haneversche Zeituny.
QUITE A GENWS!—A gentleman of Wakefield received on
Tuesday the following brief evidence from Manchester of the
Schoolmaster's boasted march ;—" Sir I am sorry to inform you
that your hore is dead. His longs and his liver was quite
destroyed as I have scen him hopened. The medicine is 4
shillings Attendance 4." Then followed the name, which we
omit; and the learned phy.sicker of horseflesh writes himself
" vetney surgent." The rin the last word is an after-thought,
and is honourably distinguished wite a towering situation over
thejq.
SQUIRES AND GENTLEMEN.—On Friday, a return was made
at Chelmsford by the overseers of the jury lists in the different
parishes, and a long discussion took place as to who were
in reality " Esquires," many persons being described by that title.
The Bench said esquire was as much a title of honour as baron or
knight.
.Blackstone Burn, and other authorities, were referred
to, and the Bench said it seemed to be a general oninion that
Property to the amount of £3OO or £5OO a-year woukt confer the
title ; but this was a mistake. No property, however large,.
would confer it. They, therefore, would give the parties notice
that, if they did not appear on Tuesday, and show cause to the
contrary, the " Esquire" would be struck out. No one ap-
peared, and the " Esquire" was accordingly struck out, the
word " Gentleman" being substituted.—Colchester Gazette.
MOST EXTRAORDINARY AFFAIR AT MILTON, NEAR NORTH-
AMPTON.—On Friday week, John Benton, Esq., accompanied
by two legal gentlemen from London, arrived in this quiet vil-
lage, and was received with cries of " Benton for ever." He
stated he came to take possession of an estate of which he had
been illegally deprived. He took four men of Northampton
with him, and on reaching the first gate on the property he put
a, lock upon it, and also upon other gates on the farm. He
ordered the men to drive off the cattle, which was done, and
his party then went to the homestead, where he forcibly entered
the yard gates and proceeded to the house-door, which Mr.
Gough, under-tenant of Mr. Sharman, the tenant in posses-
sion, locked. Mr. Benton, however, succeeded in entering
the house. On the following afternoon, Earl Euston, Mr.
Wilkinson (partner of Mr. Peppercorn, who holds the estate,)
and Mr. Sharman, came to remonstrate with Mr.:Benton. He
told them he was acting under advice, and was prepared to
abide the consequences. The party then admonished Mr. Ben-
ton not to touch the corn; but Mr Benton, on Monday, or-
dered a thrashing-machine to be erected, and several' men,
about 2 o'clock, commenced thrashing out the corn. About 3
o'clock a party of eight constables appeared wills a warrant to
arrest Mr. Benton and the four men in possession of the house.
Mr. Benton requested the manager of the machine to continue
thrashing, and also ordered four of the thrashers to take pos-
session of the house, which they did. On Tuesday another
party of constables apprehended them, and also five men en-
gaged iu thrashing. Earl Euston, Mr. Bouverie, and ' Mr.
Rokeby, the magistrates, committed Mr. Benton on a charge
of felony, and the nine thrashers on a charge of felony, and
three of the Men first apprehended on a charge of riot.—North-
anipton. Herald.
DUNDEE.—INCREASE OF TRADE.—No less than 73 vessels
have arrived in the month of September, from foreign ports,
whose registered tonnage amounts to 11,200 tons. Of these
upwards of 60 are from the Baltic, including Archangel, with
cargoes consisting of flax, hemp, and codilla, to the extent of
nearly 8,000 tons, being more than the whule amount which
was imported a few years ago. Of the above number of vessels
11 are Prussian, from the lower ports. Their rate of freight is
from 335. to 375. per ton, for flax, which shows the advantage of
free trade to our manufactures, while, at the same time, it must
be obvious that the expense of outfit and wages to our ship-
owners aie such as will not admit of their contending success-
fully with foreigners. In these circumstances, government
should give every aid in their power by the reduction of taxa-
tion on every article connected with our shipping. The heavy
arrivals have occasioned a temporary dulness in the.flax market,
which may be quoted at from 20s. to 30s. per ton lower within
the last ten days; but, considering the increased 6ansumption,
arising from the additional machinery now in motion here, and
the demand from other places, this town being now the empo-
rium forelax, it is calculated that 20,000 tons of flax would re-
quire to be imported this year to meet the demand in the
market.

DUEL BETWEEN TWO FRIENDS.—OBC day, after dinner, two
officers in a celebrated Irish regiment, and very intimate friends,
haying.carricd'their badinage beyond the precision of military
punctilio, a major and a captain, well known for their Jove of
duelling, interfered, and at length gave the young friends to
understand that they must have a shot or two at one another.
As they walked to the field of blood, without a grain of ani-
mosity against one another, but of no little displeasure against
their friends upon the occasion, who would listen to no excuse,
apology, or explanation, Calamy, having a moment's oppor-
tunity of speaking to Trollope apart, whispered—"l'll lire at
your second, if you'll fire at mine." "Agreed," replied Trol-
lope. When they came upon the ground, and ail due pre-
liminaries had taken place, off went their pistols together in a
straight line at their seconds. The major and the captain were
startled, and were found very ready to settle the aficiar.—From
Consequences of an Irish Ckaring.