The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-07-05 00:00:00

AFFGHANISTAN

General Pollock arrived at Jellalabad, and effected a junc-
tion with the troops composing the garrison of that fortress,
on the 16th of April. The British force met with no oppo-
sition or annoyance after passing Ali Musjid, except that
arising from the attempts of a few marauding bands of Ky-
berriesiivl
there
raaefmettewyl
os
t,
oo Jellalabad.
everythingetihi
ari eaeb adda.b.
se ls oonogni
Generalsooner,
to plunder and carry off the baggage. with the
e rb,raoorufr
giavhetfde
tpootexception,ll
Pollock
Ictr
wouldo
but as the defeat of Akhbar Khan on the 7th of April had
secured the safety of Jellalabad, and rendered rapid improve-
ments on the part of the advancing fore
troops
pl'
so ww
haveen vs
force unnecessary, the
general halted on the bank of th Cubal river, and sent
strong detachments of cavalry and infadtry to La'llpoora on
the opposite side, for the purpose of restoring Torabaz Khan
in bights over that place. This chief has invariably been
faiendly to the British. He supplied Gen. Sale's force with
provisions for a considerable time. By this means he drew
on himself the enmity of Ahbar Khan, and was compelled
to fly to Peshawur. The worthy chief was reinstated in his
poss. • essions without difficulty,, but we regret to say that
three men belonging to her Majesty's 3d dragoons were
swept away by the current and drowned in attempting to
cross the river.
On the 27th of April. Captain Colin Mackenzie, of the
Madras army, arrived at Jellalabad. This officer had been
released on his parole by Abkar Khan, and was the hearer of
proposals from that chief and Mahomed Schah Khan, the
Ghilzie, to General Pollock, for the release of the ladies and
retreat from
other persons taken in the disastrous _ Cabal.
How far the negotiation has progressed, or what may have
been the nature of General Pollocks reply, has not yet
transpired. The whole of the prisoners were confined in two
small forts in the Tezeen valley, and were tolerably well
Captain Mackenzie brought Intel_
treated by their captors. Cap _ . .
's death, which took place
ligence of General Elphinstone The General' remains
were to be brought to the British camp i s
either on the 23d or 24th of April.
for interment, Akhbar
to
body
Khan having offered to forward the
night Jellalabad,
which place it was expected to reach on the
his following
' arrival. The day previous todeath
Captain Mackenzie 's
the unfortunate General signed a document containing a de-
tailed account of the proceedings connected with the Cabal
insurrection. This narrative cannot but prove highly inte-
resting; and, as Lord Ellenborough seems laudably deli-

1v( pari, 1

the assassination of Sir William Maenaghten is no'
end ; Captain Maelier4ie having asserted that he saw

Akhbar

Khan perpetrate the murder.
The brigade under Colonel Bolton, consisting of Her
Majesty's 31st foot, one troop of horse, and a half battery
of Foot Artillery, the 6th Bengal Native Infantry, and the
3rd Irregular Cavalry, having under their charge a large
quantity of treasure, together with the whole of the ordnance
and commissariat stores, as also the greater part of the pri-
vate baggage of General Pollock's army, reached Ali Musjid
on the 20th of April, without having experienced the slightest
molestation from Khyberries. On the following day Colonel
Bolton effected a junction with Colonel Monteath; the latter
officer having been detached by General Pollock with the 33d
and 35th Regiments Native Infantry for the purposeof assist-
ing in guarding the passage of the stores and treasure through
the defiles. It was generally understood at Jallalabad, that
immediately the convoy arrived, preparations would be made
for the advance of the army towards Cabul. There is no
doubt of Shah Soojah having been murdered. The city and
adjacent country is in a state of anarchy consequent on the
dissensions between the rebels and the partisans of the late
Kihg. It is not probable, therefore, that the British will
meet with any serious opposition in their progress to Affghan
capital. The numerous followers who formerly adhered to
the standard of Akhbar Khan have dwindled down to a small
party of about 100 horsemen.
GflUZNI.—The following officers who were quartered in
Ghuzni at the time of its capitulation are said, on the au-
thority of a native horsekeeper, to have escaped with their
lives, and now to be in the hands of some of the insurgent
chiefs :—Colonel Palmer, Captain Alston, Ensign Williams,
Lieutenant Harris, Lieutenant Barnes, Lieutenant Crawford,
of the Bombay establishment, a doctor, and another officer,
whose names were not known. Lieutenant Lumsden and
his wife were killed. The greater number of the Sepoys,
after having been plundered and otherwise maltreated by the
Ghilzies, were permitted to take shelter in the adjoining
villages.
SCINDE.—From Scinde our latest intelligence is also of a
favourable nature. Pursuant to peremptory orders from Ge-
neral Nott, Brigadier England with 2,500 men left Quettah,
on the 26th of April, for Caudahar, a portion of the force at
the latter place having been detached so as to meet General
England, and aid him in getting the convoy through the Ko-
juck Pass. On the 29th of April the General reached the
heights of Hykulzie, the scene of his late discomfiture (re-
ported in our last summary). No time was lost in attacking
the enemy's position, and we are happy to say the attempt
was successful. A well-directed fire from the artillery com-
pelled the insurgents to evacuate their outposts whilst the
British infantry were ascending the bill. The enemy lost
five standards, and had above fifty killed. The casualties on

liKft

Cement was

occasioned throughout the metropolis, by
circulation of a report that another treasonable attempt
had been that day made upon the life of the-Queen, as Her
Majesty was proceeding from Buckingham Palace to the
Chapel Royal, St. James's, to attend divine service in ac-
cordance with her usual custom. To describe the feeling of
indignation excited among all classes on hearing the report
is beyond our powers of description.
The following evidence may be relied upon, as being the
major part of the statement of the witnesses examined by
the Privy Council, it having been obtained from a source the
most authentic, and will sufficiently explain the facts of the
case.

The first witness examined was police constable John
Partridge, A. 136, who deposed as follows :—About twelve
o'clock at noon this day I was on duty in the Green-park,
but proceeding down to the Mall in St. James's-park, on
seeing the Royal carriages leaving Buckingham Palace to go
to the Chapel Royal. After the entrance into the garden
gate of St. James's Palace, by which Her Majesty usually
proceeds to the chapel, I returned towards the Green-park,
when my attention was attracted to a crowd of about 300
persons near the Duke of Sutherland's residence, and on
proceeding to the spot I saw a young man, whose name I
hare since understood to be Dassett, standing with 'a pistol
in his hand. I asked him what he was doing with the pistol,
when he replied, that he had taken it from a boy with a
humped back, because he had presented it at the last carriage
of the three, in which carriage the Queen was sitting. I
immediately took possession of the pistol, and also took
Dassett with me to Gardener's-lane station. He told me
that his brother and uncle were present with him when he
seized the boy and took from him the pistol. 1 looked down
the barrel of the pistol, and could distinctly see some paper
and grains of coarse gunpowder, _ _

Charles Edward Dassett, aged 16 years, was the next wit-
ness examined, and being sworn, said—l reside with my
father, who is an oil and colourman, at N 0.42, New Church-
street, Portman-market. At about ten minutes before 12
o'clock, I was standing in the Mall, St. James's-park, about
half way between Buckingham Palace and the milkhouse
gate, when a hump-backed youth, about 16 years of age,
dressed in a long brown surtout coat, elbowed his way to the
front. There was at the time a great number of persons
collected, and the line of spectators was two or three deep.
The second royal carriage had passed, and the third, which
contained her Majesty, was coming up, when I saw him pull
a pistol from the breast pocket of his coat. I saw him pre-
sent it at the carriage—l should say the back of the carriage,
because it was passing quickly at the time. I distinctly
heard the " click," and saw the hammer go down. There
was no flash in the pan and no explosion. I immediately
seized him by the wrist of the hand which held the pistol. I
at the time made the remark to my brother Frederick, who
was standing near me, " Here's a young gentleman going to
have a pop at the Queen." Seeing two policemen walking
along on the opposite side of the Mall, I took the youth
with me over to them. I showed them the pistol, and said
to them. "This lad has been attempting so shoot the
Queen." They laughed at me, and Hearn, 56 A. said it did
not amount to a charge. The greatest portion of the popu-
lace sided with the hump-backed youth, and cried out, " Give
the pistol back to the boy ;" others said, " Give it to the po-
liceman ;" and some said to the lad, " Put it into your
pocket and run away with it." I still continued my hold of
the hump-backed youth, and had proceeded some distance
down the Mall, when the pressure from the crowd became so
great that I was obliged to let him go, otherwise my arm
would have been broken. Soon after this, Partridge, 136 A,
seeing me with a pistol in my hand, took me into custody.
Just before this I saw the youth go into the Green-park, and
I believe he went through that gate by Stafferd-house which
leads into Cleveland-row. The policeman took me to the
station-house, and told the inspector on duty that he had
found me in the park with the pistol in my hand, and trying
to excite the mob, I then said to the inspector that I had
taken the pistol from a deformed boy, who had attempted to
shoot the Queen. I afterwards gave a description of him.
Cross-examined.—l think the boy was two or three yards
from the carriage at the time he attempted to fire the pistol.
I am certain he was not more than three yards off.
The next witness was an officer attached to the recruiting
department, who proved that he had attended at the station-
house and examined the pistol, which had an old flint, lock
with screw and rifle barrel. Upon detaching the barrel,
which was done with some difficulty, from the screw having
become exceedingly rusty, owing to its long disuse, he found
in it a portion of very coarse powder, a piece of tobacco-
pipe, and some paper wadding. The pistol was decidedly
in such a state that it could have been discharged.
William Jones, an old man of impoverished appearance,
was next examined. He said,—l am a wood-turner, living
in Paul-street, Finsbury. I was in the park about ten mi-
nutes to twelve o'clock to-day, and saw the young man, Chas.
Dassett, take a pistol from the hand of a deformed boy.
When I saw Dassett taken into custody by a constable, and
heard the people tell the constable that he (Dassett) had
been attempting to shoot the Queen, I followed him to the
station-house to refute that statement.
Cross-exarnined.—l did not see the attempt made by the
deformed boy, nor do I know how he got away ; but it was
very easy for him to do so, as there were 500 or 600 persons
collected.
Frederick Dassett sworn.—l am in my 15th year, and am
brother to Charles Dassett. I was in the park with him to-
day, and standing on his right side, when I saw him suddenly
lay hold of a deformed youth's wrist, who I saw had got a
pistol in his hand. He addressed me, saying, " Look here,
Fred, this chap is going to have a pop at the Queen—l think
he wants to be provided for for life." My brother took the
pistol out of his hand, and said, "We 'll go over to those
two policemen." We went over. The remainder of this
witness's evidence was confirmatory of his brother's. He
added, that he had also given a description of the accused
at the station-house.
Mr. W. Abercromby, an independent gentleman, being
sworn, said-1 witnessed the taking by Charles Dassett of a
deformed boy to two policemen. I heard him charge that
boy in their presence with having attempted to shoot the
Queen, and I heard them refuse the charge. When I found
Dassett was taken into custody, 1 accompanied him to the
station-house, and told the inspector on duty what I had
seen. I left my name and address there, and was afterwards
sent for to give evidence here.
Mr. John Jones sworn.—l am uncle to the witnesses
Charles and Frederick Dassett. I was with them in the
park this morning. I stood rather behind them. My at-
tention was attracted by Charles laying hold of a pistol in a
deformed youth's hand. I then saw him cross over to the
police, and heard him charge the deformed youth with shoot-
ing at the Queen. The police refused to take the charge,
and treated the matter with the greatest possible contempt.
This witness was questicned most minutely as to the dis-
tance the boy might have been from the carriage when it
passed by him. The witness said, certainly not more than
three yards.
The police constables, Hearn, 56 A, and Claxton, 134 A,
were afterwards called in, and having been severely repri-
manded by the Council for their conduct on the occasion,
were informed that they must consider themselves sus-
pended for the present from further duty.
The Council concluded the inquiry at eight o'clock last
evening.
At this time Sir James Graham, the Secretary for the
Home Department, through Mr. Taylor, the. office-keeper,
desired our reporter to state, from authority, that the Coun-
cil had most fully investigated all the circumstances of the
case, that the pistol was loaded only with a small portion of
coarse powder and paper wadding.
APPREHENSION OF THE SUPPOSED ASSASSIN.
The supposed assassin was apprehended about seven o'clock
near King's-cross, Somerstown, having been identified as a
person who had recently been in the employ of Mr. Simpson,
surgeon, of Skinner-street, New-road, where be was employed
as an errand-boy.
After undergoing an examination before the Privy Council,
he was remanded, and will, it is stated, be examined again this
day.—Morning Herald of Monday.

It appears from the report of the council of King's College,
that the total receipts of the past year amounted to £21,569
and that the number of students who matriculated was 813;
VALUABLE RECIPE.-It is said that life is to be prolonged
by inhaling the breath of young women. We have no ob-
jection to take some of that medicine, if the ladies have rich
strawberry lips.
Out of 2,787 houses in Pontypool and the parish of Tre-
vethin, nearly one-half are at present unoccupied, the late
residents having emigrated.
The subscription raised for the purpose of erecting and
endowing an episcopal college in Scotland, amount, at pre-
sent, to £17,000, including £l,OOO from the Society for
Promoting Christian Knowledge.
C. B. Adderley, Esq., M.P., has contributed £5OO, and
H. D. Williamson, Esq., £3OO, towards the erection of a
church, parsonage-house, and school, at Brown Edge, Nor-
ton-in-the-Moors, Staffordshire.
THE MURDER OF MR. HALL IN IRELAND.—At the
Tipperary special sessions last week, Patrick Byrnes was
found guilty of the murder of this venerable gentleman.
William Kent was found not guilty as the accessory.
It is stated that there has not been a single death, with the
exception of two young children, within the last month in
the whole chapelry of Barnard Castle, Durham, containing
a population of upwards of five thousand persons.
The united vicarages of North Newton and West Knoyle,
Wilts, 22 miles distant from each other, have, for the inter-
ests of religion, men disunited by an order of her Majesty in
Council. The livings will therefore henceforth be distinct
benefices.

led special meeting of the proprietors of the
Glasgow, Paisley, and Ayr Railway Company was held last
week in Glasgow, at which it was resolved, under powers
granted by their act, to augment the capital of the under-
taking to the extent of £156,250, by the creation of 12,500
new shares of £l2 10s. each.

In adjour

SNAILS.—The present rainy weather being likely to pro-
duce a large quantity of snails, persons whose gardens are
infested with them may easily get rid of them this season by
placing small heaps of bran—say a good handful in each—
near the crops which are liable to be attacked. On carefully
examining these heaps night and morning, they will be found
to have attracted great numbers of snails, which may be
readily collected and destroyed. Such is the fondness of
these reptiles for bran, that they will desert any growing ve-
getable, however succulent and palatable, to feed upon it.—
Birmingham Advertiser.

THE CONVICT FRANCIS.—The Times of Saturday says,
" The following announcement appeared in an evening
paper on Saturday. The intelligence is perfectly correct :
" We are enabled to state upon authority that Her Majesty
has been most graciously pleased to signify her commands
that the life of John Francis, the convict in Newgate under
sentence of death for high treason, shall be spared. The
sentence of this prisoner will, therefore, be commuted to
transportation for_life,and under such commuted sentence
he will be forthwith transported, and subjected to hard
labour in the most penal settlement iu the Australian
colonies.' "

COURT OF EXCHEQUER, SATURDAY.—THORNTON V.
BYNG AND OTHERS.—This action (which, from its connec-
tion with what is called the " Gurney:affair," appears to have
excited a very unusual degree of attention amongst those
interested ;in sporting affairs) was brought to recover com-
pensation in damages for the publication of a libel reflecting
on the Echaracter of the plaintiff, by the defendants, the
Right Hon. G. S. Byng, the Duke of Bedford, and Colonel
Anson, as the stewards of the Jockey Club. The defendants
pleaded not guilty, and also justified on the ground that the
alleged libel was true. The jury returned a verdict for the
plaintiff, damages £2OO.
FATAL ACCIDENT.—Wednesday morning, between three
and four, o'clock, one of the Fisherrow fishing boats coming
home from the white fishing with their foresail full reefed,
when about a mile a half off Inchkeith, the crew, consisting
of five men, while employed in hoisting the aft sail, a sudden
gust of wind blew right ahead of the boat, and turned her on
the lee bow, when she almost instantly sunk. The men swam
for sometime, and endeavoured to catch hold of anything
within their read ; one of them, James Hamilton, got hold
of two bladders, which he fastened nnder his arms, and thus
kept him afloat ; another, Andrew Banks, laid hold of an
oar, by which he sustained himself until a Newhaven boat
came to their assistance. The men in the boat were drawing
their lines when they saw the accident ; but they immedi-
ately cut their lines and hastened to the spot; but before
they reached it half an hour had elapsed, and by that time
three of the crew of the unfortunate boat had sunk—they
were Robert Langlands, 22 years of age, Archibald Banks,
18 years, both unmarried, and William Brown, a married
man, who has left a widow and five children. The two men
who were saved were conveyed to Fisherrow in the Newha-
ven bogt.—•Edinburgh Standard.