The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-11-04

NOVEMBER T. 1S56.--~-~~
WESTERN DEMOCRAT.
90 CHARLOTTE o.
APPALLING BURNING OF A SHIP

The following details of horrible case
of piracy and bnrning of ship at Macon
have been received at Lloyds:
THE Dutch ship Banca, Captain Hey
mans. 70u tons burthen, with between 300
and 4O0 emigrants, (coolies,) for Havana,
| put back to Macoa, about a month since,
| (the dspach is dated Hong Kong August
1O,) with her water casks leaking and cargo
shifted, having encountered boisterous
weather, and On reaching the outer roads
brought up to an anchor. There she re-
manned repairing, the officers exercising
strict vigilance in preventing their escape.
For three weeks, whatever discomfort may
have prevailed, no fears of an outbreak
would seem to have been entertained, until
a Chinese doctor warned the captain that
mischief was brewing. In preparing for
such a contingency as a rising of the
coolies, the small arms were placed on the
poop, and two guns were loaded with grape
ard pointed forward.
About nine O'Clock on the night of the
9th, the disturbance commenced, and tAe
crew took refuge on the poop. The cap
tain first fired shot or two overhead, but
as that had no effect, and the coolies ad
vanced towards them, yelling frightfully,
armed with Delaying pins, bricks torn from
the cooking places, &c, the captain gave
orders to his men to fire, and Immediately
volley was poured into the infuriatcd mass
from the two guns and also the small arms.
This had the effect Of checking and putting
down the riot, and the coolies were driven
below, but they sought revenge by setting
fire to the ship, and in few minutes the
captain was appalled, by seeing flames issu-
ing from the fore hatch. A frightful scene
of carnage followed, the coolies rushed upon
the deck, and no doubt murdered all the
officers Of the ship.
None of them, nor the captain, were
afterwards seen. The ship was soon in
blaze. fore and aft. In about an hour the
mizzen, and about midnight the magazine
blew up with e tremendous explosion. The
ship was hurled into fragments, and vast
numbero of poor creatures, who, clinging on
the chains, perished with her. Ofthe num-
Der who were on board, including crew and
passengers, about 500, only $50 escaped
with their lives the remainder were either
burnt in the ship or drowned. The affair
has produced a great sensation at Hong
Kong.
WEARING FLANNEL.-In our climate,
tickle in its CLEANS Of sunshine and balmy
airs, as a coquette in her smiles and favors,
consumption bears away every year the
ornaments of many social circles. The
fairest and loveliest are its favorite victims.
An ounce of prevention in this fatal disease,
is worth many pounds Of cure, for when
once surely seated, it mocks alike medical
skill and careful nursing. If the fair sex
could be induced to regard the laws of health,
many precious lives might be saved, but
pasteboard soles, ow-necked dresses. and
lilliputian hats, SOW annually the seeds of
fatal harvest. The suggestion in the fell
lowing article from the Scientific American,
if followed, might save many with consump-
tive tendencies from an early grave:
Put it on at once; winter or summer,
nothing better can be worn next the skin
than loose, red woollen shirt loose,' for
it has room to move on the skin, thus caus-
ing Utilization which draws the blood to the
surface and keeps it there; and when that
ii &nly for
white flannel fills up, mats together, and
becomes tight, stiff, heavy, and impervious.
Cotton wool merely absorbs the moisture
from the serface, while woollen flannel con-
veys it from the skin and deposits it in drops
on the outside of the shirt, from which the
ordinary cotton shirt absorbs it, and by its
nearer exposure to the air. it is soon dried
without injury to the body. Having these
properties, red woollen flannel is worn by
sailors even in the mid summer of the hot
test countries Wear thinner material"
Halls Journal Of Heath
IMPoRTANT DECIsIoN.-We clip the fol-
lowing from one of our New York ex-
changes:
AT a recent religious meeting in one of
the towns in Erie county, in this State, the
preacher under: 1ok to instruct his hearers
in the coming election. lie denounced the
present national administration of the gem
eral government, as well as the Democratic
and American parties, i'll the most violent
manner, and called upon all the voters in
the congregation TO vote for free speech,
free Kansas, and Fremont. One of his
hearers, an American, being somewhat ex-
cited, exclaimed, ''Old fellow, l will bet
you ten to five dollars there are more Fill
more men present than there are of the
negro-worshippers." The offer was declin-
ed by the preacher, and the person making
the offer was complained Of under the statute
for disturbing a religious meeting, The
facts being submitted to a jury, they decid-
ed that the meeting was not a religious but