Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-11-27

that no boat applicable To the fishery Of Whale
can ever he made capable of sustaining the
siioci. neeessary To produce the same. or any
thing like The effects ofthe six or twelve pound
shell, by the ordinary means of artillery.
In iactnothing larger than the harpUou gun |
could be applied and the missile, which |
could be discharged from such ain Implement, !
could neither have penetration, nor explosive |
force, sufficient 10 do any serious injury To the |
fish.
With respect 10 the rocket however, it is |
Il Fact, that some ofthc smallest fired in the |
late experimental the Fame, penetrated COM
pletely through the body of the fish, so that
the effect OF the explosion was visible on the |
opposite side-the fierce fire of the rocket,
liked IN the animals inside, rapidly destroying
lie 4; and the ELECTS and report of the cXplo-
sion, heing distinctly perceivable within him,
as IN one instance, above stated, producing
nnme tlate death. Indeed il is certain, that
thus might, IN almost every case, be insured BY
Increasing the power Oi the rocket, without in
creaslng tho Inconvenience or incumbrancc of
the apparatus required to discharge it. and
equally Without reaction on the boat, rs when
The smallest rockets are used. In addition to-
This, IT may be stated that there is no doubt of
the rocket dispensing with tire operation of
the hand harpoon, by conveying the line aud
destroying the animal at the same time aud
that without requiring the approach of the
boat to the fish, within the limits of perfect
security. 1t is also equally certain, that the
large iinners, never, or rarely attempted in the
north, Will be rendered an easy prey by the
.p'diclous application of the rocket
London Police, Bo,c Srett.-A poor, and
apparently ta!ttfamished Old man, of di,ninu-
tive stature, was brought before the magis-
trate, On Saturday evening se'night, by BAL
las, toe strcct-k"epGr of ST. Mary lie Strand
IN q, inf tod, al
following extraordinary circumstances =
About iorr O'Clock in the afternoon Dallas
observed the poor old creature earnestly en-
gagged in whcttlng Il worn out penkniic. ON the
boards under the gateway of Swan yard.
There was something SO strangely agitatcd in
lis manner OF doing this that The attention of
me oHicer was attracted, and walking To a
niue distance, me continued 10 watch him mi
observed. Several times the old man ccnscd
iroih the operation of whetting, TO feel the
edge aud point of his knife; aud at length
turning to the wall, he nluttered IA few words.
and suddenly plunged the knife into his throat
ne oihcer Immediately ran up, and sczng
ms hand, endeavoureG to wrcst the knife
from nm. The Old man struggled vinlcutIy
10 repeat his blow, but the officer succeeded
IN preventing him. Feeble rs lie was howe
Yer, he grasped the knife so firmly, that it was
wllh difficulty it was taken from him. The
blood was now flowing profus,Iy from the
wounds nc had given himself and he appear
cd dreadfully exhausted. Dallas immediate
W carried him 10 surgeon in the neighbor-
hood, who dressed his wounds There were
two deep incisions, but neither of them NOR
ial. These having been dressed, he was taken
'eiore the oyersecr of the parish, who bolInti-
fully gave him a whole shilling, and directed
that he should be carried before the magis-
lrate IN the evening. In the interim, Dallas,
with humanity not often found In persons of
ms description, took him home 10 his own
mouse, instead OF the watch house, and, to use
las own words he there fed and comforted the
poor Old creature with the best he had. Dur
ing his repast the old man informed him thai
lie was native of america, that be left bis
sountry forty years ago, and had spent the
last tWenty-nine years as seaman, in the
British service; but becoming past further La
hour, he was turned adrilt some few months
sSo, and since then had been gradually starv-
Flg in andab Plymouth that he had stroll
ed up to London, with the hope of being sent
Rome by the American ambassador; hut that
gentleman could do nothing for him, because
ne had served in the British navy ; and after
wandering about the streets for two or three
days and nights, without either food or lodg-
ing, he bad made up his mind to end his life
and his miseries together.
While the officer was relating these rircum-
stances to the magistrate, the old man ap-
Feared totally unconscious of what was GO
ing ON he stood gazing upon the floor in
melancholy abstraction; and it was not until
the magistrate had spoken to him several
times, and elevated his voice considerably
that he lifted up his face to reply.
The Magistrate asked" Is it possible that
You seriously intended TO destroy yourself p"
The old man regarded him in silence for
nearly minute, and then, in a voice scarcely
audible, Inc replied Why should live p
am sixty one years ofagc--i am forgotten
by every body can labour no onger-and
am starving in these wearisome streets. |
have asked three people to day for food or the
means to purchase some, and they passed me
unheedcd and have not tasted any thing
suce nine o'clock yesterday morning, till this
good man gave me something this afternoon.
Old, and poor, and forgotten as | am, why
should live have no home, no country,
I'D friends ] am full of pain and misery, and
why should live:"
The magistrate pointed out To him the
wickedness of selG-destructOn. The old man
shook his head and sighed.
In answer 10 the intcrrogatiors which were
put TO him, he stated, that his name was
George Bailey, and that nc was native Of
Norfolk, in Va. ; that nc left America in the
year 1881, and went to France, where he re-
1,'''N via VIZ J o"I i'00 tudl Hctueii, 10 AVOID
The CONSUMPTION, entered as 4 volunteer on
board a French privateer, the PhaetoD, in
which vessel he vas taken prisoner 10y the
- sloop of war, and transferred to the
British service, IN which me had remained ever
since, sometimes in the merchant service aud
sometimes in tie royal navy. The books at
Somerset house, he said would shew the truth
VI bis statement, as he could name every yes
sci ig mad served in.
The magistrate told him he could d. no
thin for him exrenf IL ,v,s IN ee,d h;,,, -,