The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-07-16 00:00:00

PORTSMOrTH.-J1 tr 14.

His Majesty's yacht the Royal George, Commodore
the lion. Sir Charles Part, went nut of the Barbour
this morning, completely fittetl, to aordit the pleasare and
orders of his 3lnjesty. It is ergoce•ell that his Majesty
will embark at Brighton. His :d.rjesty's yachts the
Royal Sovereign, Sir Edward linen, E. B. and the
Prince Regent. Sir M. Seymour, K. C. B. arrived from
the River, on Thursday.
It is the intention of Government to retain possession
of the Island of Ascension fur which purpose Major
Asko Causplwll, Lieutenants Illennerhassett and Aitche-
son, (the latter of the Royal Marine Ar:illerv) with two
serjeants, two corporals, four gunners, a &moonier aml
fifer, with eighteen private% of the Rut 31 II 4r I e:ii-
barked and sailed on Wednesday, in the Heron brig,
Captain Balmier, to garri•oo the Howl for three years.
Aseeogion is almost a hirren r'.l:. The Ileroo took
despatches for Sir Hudson Lowe and Adm.
'1 he Aurora frigate, Captain Ilettry Prescott, C. B. is
expecteol :o sail on Wednesday next, fur the River Plate,
to join the squadron under Commodore Sir Thomas
Hardy, C. 11. The Doris frigate, Capt. T. lirahaui,
which arrived litre on Soon lay from the River, will pro-
bably sail in a few ilav% af:erivarls.
Yes' erolay one Itom!reil atoi tifty-two rootlets were
transhipped from the hulks ;ten., on bond the Hindus-
torn. at Spithead, for Nee. south Hales.
The Coon 3lartial which assembled on the 3d inst.
on capr.iin George Bennie, of Isis lajestv's ship Ters,
on charges of cruel, oppressive, and mooing-et like con-
duct towards the crew of the Tess daring the time he
commanded that ship, vonc:noleol this afternoon: when
the Court pronounced the folloning sentence:—

'fhe Court agreed that the charge t.f cruelty to-
wards several of the 'weir bail not been proved against
the said Captain George Rennie, and did adjudge him
to he acquitted thereof. But that the other part of
the charge, inasmiteh as it appeared that irregular
punishments had been inflicted on several of the crew,
hart been proved against the said Captain Rennie, and
did ad;udge him to be dismissed from his Majesty'
service. The Court, how ver, felt themselves hound
to express their great regret that they were under the
necessity of adjudging so severe a punishment by the
33d article of the Act made for " Regulating," &r.
under which the offence hail fallen, especially con-
sideting the very high haracter given Capt. it. by
several Officets of the Royal Navy, and the licentious-
ness, drunkenness, and great insubordination mani-
fested by the crew, and the situation in which his
Majesty's ship Tees was placed at the time of the in-
fliction of the sane, and also his having been aetnated
by a comic-lion that be was exereising his authority
in the most lenient manner ; and the Court, therefore,
most earnestly recommend him t the favonrable con-
sideration of the Lords Coa,thi,:sioners of the Admi-
ralty.—The following °dicers bore testialooy to the
high character of Captain Rennie fur huntanit:, officer
like deportment, and valour :—hear-Admiral Sir A.
Dickson, Bart.; Captains !target% Prescott, Davie,
Purvis, Graham, Festing, 11. Forbes, and Plumrldge.
Capt. A. P. Bolles was ?resident.

A few counterfeit foverei..ns are in circulation in
some parts of the country ; titer• are of silver, gilt, but
are easily detected as they weigh 1 dwt. 14 grains
less than the genuine coin.

VOLUNTARY STARVATION.A man named 'Mortimer
died last week at Cullompton, of voluntary starvation.
He had a small property by which he had been sup-
ported for sonic years ; but finding he was likely to
outlive it, as it was reduced to ab.,ut hint and feeling
the api.rebension of want more than the natural love
of life, be came to the resolution of ending his days
by starvation. To effect this dreadful purpose, he
took nothing but water for a month before he died ;
at the end of three weeks his body was wasted to a
skeleton, and a modieal gentleman was eAled in, who
advised him to take some nourishment. Litt this
r.lnseil, and even discontinued the us.. of water. In
this way lie subsisted another wee' en nature
yie'de:l the cou'rst.

4V.

POLICE.
Wonsutr-srastr.--.loliss Real was charged with
most extensive-depredations. It appeared from the evi
deuce of Samuel Miell, one of the Row-street patrol,
that he was passing over Hackney-fields about half-past
one o'clock in the mornioF, whett he met Read with a
basket. Miell stopped him, and examined his basket,
in which he found seven roots of dowers; and baying
his suspicions, he detained the prisoner. The next day
Miell searched the prisoner's house, and foetid property
of almost every description, stolen from nineteen dif-
ferent persons who appeared at the office. Amongst,
other things, was a spring gun, which, io the place
from whence it was stolen, had formerly, shot two men.'
The prisoner was committed for trial by Wm. Benett,
Esq., and many of the parties bound over to prosecute.
It is intended to prefer nineteen indictments against him.
DARING STREIT RODSCRIIII.—Man] suspicious per-,
sons were brought within the last few days to this office,
for the purpose of being identified by a number of Oen-,
tlemen, who have lately been robbed •in the most violent
manner by organised gangs. Thomas Thompson, one
of these desperadoes, was committed for trial, who at-
tacked Mr. Trust, iii Sun-street. Mr. Trust, clerk to
Sir Welkin Lewes, was walking with Miss Smith about
half-past nine o'clock, along Sun-street, towards Bishops-
gate. The prisoner came against him, bit him with one
hand on the breast, and with the other seized his watch
chain, and swinging him round tore off the chain and
seals, and ran down a passage. Mr. Trust pursued
him and laid hold of him at the bottom of the passage,
when the prisoner knocked him down. Mr. Trust was
in the art of rising when he was beset by four or five
of the prisoner's gang from behind, who kicked him on
the alidonirti and loins. The passage, however, being
very narrow they could not get before him, and Mr.
Trust again pursued the prisoner, and overtook him
again at a corner, when one of the ruffians who hid
kicked him, laid hold of him by the collar. Mr.
Trust struck this man over the face with Isis
cane, forced himself out of his grasp, and again
pursued the prisoner, who had now turned into
Son-street, and was running towards Bishopagate-street,
which lie crossed, still pursued by Mr. Trust. In Union-
street he was stopped by a man named Chapman, but
the gang struck him, and he let the prisoner go. Mr.
Trust, however, still toirsued him, calling out all the
way Stop thief, will no one stop a thief!" But the
people seemed alarmed, and let the prisoner pass. Mr.
Trust was on the point of seizing him in Duhe-street,
when one of the gang laid 110141 of him by the throat,
and then, for the first time, be lost sight of the prisoner.
Ileing now quite faint through running, and the blows
lie had recei% ed, he gave tip the pursuit. At this i
in-
stant, lliller, a special constable, n Union-street, hear-
' ing the cry of " stop thief," ran into Fore-street, where
the prisoner crossed him. Miller pursued hint, anal laid
hold of him, when the prisoner held up his hand crying
Charley, Charley.- Something fell on the ground, but
Miller seized the banal hell np, and took from it a
gtilil chain anal three gold seals, o Lich proved to he
the same of which Mr. Trust had been robbed. At the
watch-lionse Trust perceived that a fourth gold seal
hail been torn off, and Miller recollecting the spot
where he heard something drop from the prisoner's
baud, went l'arre awl found the other gold seal, which
was also irlristilied lay Mr. Trust. The prisoner wa‘
asked by Mr. So alley, the 31.taiatrate, wit at he hail
to say, as this ease Wil;IM probably affect his life ? The
prisoner said some one threw the chain and seals be-
hind them, and lie picked them up, and ran on joining
in the cry " stay thief." when he was surprised at Mil-
ler's laying bold of him and accusing him of the rob-
bery.

Satnrilay et-piling an inquisition was taken in the
board room of St. Bartnisionsear's Hospital, before
_ . _ _

Thum to tint.lton, Esq., coroner, on the body of Itobrrt
Franham.

It qmpeared in evidence that the deceased was by
trade an iron founder. lie nas returning borne from
his nork about nitt! o'clock on Thursday night, when
in passing Clerker.well Breen, his attention was at-
tracted by the tire which broke out at the house of Mr.
Clarke, broker and undertaker; be proceeded thither
to render what assistance he could, and entered the
lower part or the house, together with two shopinates,
named Godard and Lung ; after they had emptied
that part of the greater portion of the furniture, they
proceeded to the first Boor, u here they acted in like
manner, to the very great risk of their own lives, the
stairs being then on fire. tiotlaid and Long effected
their escape mint of the windows; but the deceased'sl
zeal was such to save the property, that although re-
monstrated with on his impending danger, be refused
to follow the example of his helpmates, and remainedl
in an apartment, endeavouring to get out a bedstead
and some valuable books, when the roof gave nay,
bearing down all before it, and buried the deceased
beneath the ruins; time fire being shortly after par-
tially extinguished, lie was, by some means, extricated
all but dead, having several of his limbs fractured.
Ile was removed to the Hospital, where he died shortly
afterwards. Verdict— Accidentally burned to death.
Some time since we had to record a robbery upon
the premises of Mr. Brownfield, manufacturer, of
this city, from it hum silk of the value of 4001., V. as
stolen. Some suspicion having of late attached to mt
man of the name of Irwin, residing at Cambridge,
and lately in the employ of Mr. Brownfield, his
lodgings were searched, and the whole of the pro-
perty, with the exception of about 40/. worth, eras
discovered. Be was Immediately taken into custody,
and confessed that be, in company with three men of
the names of Parish, Brown, and Beaty, of this city,
committed time robbery. I ruin arrived here :esterday
stennighr, in custody of two officers, and next day
nnmkrwent an examination before the Magistrates ;
he then a second time declared that the above three
men were concerned with him in thq robbery, and in
consequence of which, he and Parish were fully corn-
omitted, and Brown and Beaty remanded for further
examination. Irwin's wife followed him. IVlmen the
tysggon arrived on Monday she was apprehended,
and confessed before the Magistrates that her hus-
band's story was totally false, no one having any
knowledge of the robbery l.nt herself and him. An-
other investigation took plare on Wednesday last,
and Irwin then acknowledged what he had stated was
positively false, Brown and Beaty were discharged,
and Mr. Brownfield, the prosecut4r, very handsomely
offered bail in •he sum of lUD/. for the appearance of
Parish, (he bring fully committed) at the next as-
sizes. The bail was accepted, and Mr. Brownfield
presented Parish with 10/. and Brown and Beaty with
5/. each, as a remuneration for their confinemeat. Ir-
win was taken hack to Bald to take his trial for time
rolfb,-ry, and his wife to Bridewell for seven days, and
then to he passed hotne.—(Arortriemi Mercury.)