The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-02-05 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN

THE -KING.
BRIGHTON, Wednesday, Feb. 4.
Th• reply to on lui,les at the Palare this day is—
•• His SIAJESTV tali' continues better."

Yesterday a Court of Directors was held at the E ist India
House, when Rt. Fullerton, Esq., was appointed Governor of
Prince of Wales Island.

The following Commanders took leave of the Court previous
to departing for their re.pective destinations. viz.—Captain P.
Cameron, of the larl of lialcarras, and Capt.J. Armen Tween,
Sir David Scott, fur Bengal and China. Capt. Marquis, was
sworn into the commend of the ship Rose, consigned to Madras
and Hengal.

The gest India Company's ship Sealehy Castle was at Bom-
bay on the 4th of August, and was to sail for China on the fol-
lowing morning.

MR. PIERCE: OF BRISTOL.

In order to permit a more satisfactory select', the Direc-
tors of the lloistol Dock Company gave Direeti 111 l s for the
Float to be emptied once more ; and all the slipping being
removed without the basin, several excavators commenced
clearing out the mod under the direction of same gentle-
men who stationed themselves on the sides, for the purpose
of inspecting the operations of the men thus employed.
Several other persons were attracted to the spot from
various motives, and not a few entered the Float in order
to assist in the search ; a party of labourers were thus
engaged near the entrance to Cumberland Basin, where
the water had not been effectually drained. off, when they
observed a body rise to the surface, and the discovery was
communicated to some of the gentlemen who had undertaken
to conduct the search, and on their coming up the fellows
who found the body were endeavouring .10 rill. it of a
part of the property, and the watch-chain was broken from
the exertions they had made to force the watch from the
fob. This lawless attempt wa•, however, frustrated, and
the body brought to shore. Several of Nlr. Pierce's friends
were immediately assembled, and they all declared that they
should not have been able to recognise the body as that of
Mr. Pierce, if it were not fur his clothes and the property
found about it, which nas directly identified as his. The
limbs and body were much a% ollen, and the features mast
materially altered ; but no marks of violence could he
traced, so as to indicatethat he bad been murdered, or even
that he was forced into the water. He was in every resuect
the same as when he left Mr. Pretheroe's house in Park-
street, on the fatal night of his disappearance. All his
law papers, filleted in the usual way, were in his coat
pocket.
On Monday afternoon, as soon as the body of this unfor-
tunate Gentlemen was found, a Jury was immediately
summoned at the Rounhatri Ferry-house ; who, after most
patiently and attentively investigating the case, returned
a verdict of—" Found Drowned." _

No doubt seems to be entertained Ipit that the deceased

came by his death accidentally, as the following property
was found on his person, wis.—a gold. watch, chain, and
seals, a gold pencil case, two 101. and three U. notes, a
promissory note for 301. and smeral drafts and letters.
From lying in the water so long the body presented a most
shocking spectacle, the head being ♦e►y wuch swollen.

SHERIFFS' COI/RT.—Tuts D%Y,

LIBERATION OF THE GREEK PRISONERS AT

TUNIS.
--.Q...-

Throng!) the energetic conduct of the British Scinadron
in the Mediterranean, the liberation of the Greek prisoners
taken to Tunis, out of a vessel hearing the British flag,
has been promptly effected. Captain HAMILTON. of the
Cambrian, to whom the task was committed, was instruct-
ed to admit of no parley, and he nobly acted up to the
spirit of his mission. The sonaJron under his command
consisted of his Majesty's ships Cambrian. Buryalus, Me-
dina, Rose, Dispatch, and Aid. The following is an
extract of a letter upon this subject:—
Portsmouth, Feb. 3.

" This afternoon arrived his Majesty's ship Medina, of
26 guns, Captain Hay, with dispatches from Tunis, rela-
tive to the interference on the part of the squadron in the
Mediterranean, with the bay of Tunis, having fur its ob-
ject the release of certain Greek and other Christian
captives, which the iiey has thought fit to capture and pat
into slavery. We understand Captain G. W. Hamilton.
C.R of the Cambrian frigate, a very spirited correct ffi er
(who had shown much talent and propriety of conduct at
Smyrna, Sc.) was charged with the remonstrances of our
Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean on the subject,
having the Euryalus frigate, Captain Clifford, CAI., and
the Medina, Captain Hay, under orders. Captain flay
got pratique immediately, and at tire o'clock this afternoon
he set off for the Admiralty, with the dispatches with which
lie is charged. The Medina left Tunis on the 4th, and
Gibraltar en the 7th ult."