The Sun. — 1807-05-30 (London, England)

MUTINY AT ..31.4 LTA.  . xfia4 of. a Letter from Mr. T. G. merchant at Malta, to a friend in London :-" MALTA, Aillll. I 3.—Lasfiiight, another inaga.zine of 560 barrels of gunpowder was blown up ; but,: thank God, with the loss of only three lives Of anyvalue. It originated from a most disgraceful and determined .Mutiny which broke out in Fort Recazoli, among a new raised regiment called .Fro. berg's, Consi-sting of thirty-two different nations, at least. tongues. This Mutiny made its appearance on Saturday, the 4th instant, when they overpowered their Officers, murdered three, and wounded many others. The Garrison was immediately put under arms, and it was hoped the Mutineers would be im'..mediately subdued ; however, the General conceiv' ing lenient measures, from the vicinity of the Fort to Valette, to be best, only planted a sufficient:body of troops to prevent their escape. This' measure had no effeet on them ; the next morning they loaded all the guns and mortars in the Fort, and pointed. them on the City ; at the' same" time sent out a message to the General, that if he-did not immediately send them provisions, orant them a free pardon, ,and provide suffiCient itessels to carry them to; their own countries, they 'would murder the whole. of their Officers, and all the English -Inen, women, and children, they bad in their power. It was now deemed necessary. to man all the batteries ; and about 150 pieces of cannon, besides mortars, were brought to bear on the, Fort, and ordeis were given at each battery that, should the rebels fire, they ‘frere. immediately to be fired on from all quarters. These preparations appeared, in some .measure;:to damp their spirits : they. thought proper not to fire on the, town, though they put many to death- who attempted to escape from them. This was the situa-; • lion of affairs from'Stnidav to Thursday, they daily • sending threatening messages to' the General. On the Ilatter day, provisions beginning to grow scarce amO'ng them, and no probability that the, General Avouldaccede to their demands, and no prospect of ' escape left. for them, difference's broke 'out among tthernselves; and the most of the reg3ment rushed out tfcl- surrendered themselves, having first massacred the sentinels that bad been placed at the gates. In -this-conftision, the Officers and English .men„Wo., and children, gut out of the Fort. There were now not supposed to be above .et) left' in the Fort of -the Mutineers ;. but these were'the ring, leaders, and conseqiiently could not hope for pardOn,; however tfiey still deManded it, and woUld:surren-: -der on:no other terms thafithey at first:•de.Manded; • threateping still\ ttr. bombard. the city., and when they could do no further rnisthief, to' ,blow up' the ~Fort : -and; in order to skew that they were in earncst; op:Frilly, evening; they threw two shells and ::,several shot, but fortunately without doing any misphie'l. The General determined to carry the Fort in -the night by assault ; but unfortunately, a dog which.the Mutineers had with them, and a mus_ „OLT, going off by accident; alarmed them; and after a few shots and shells •fired, they made their escape into the powder magazine ; our people• having se-, cured Nit two of them. • 4“  ,Here they were entirely cut oft from an pro-' visions and water ; yet they would not surrender, but fired 'on our people whenever they could get a shot at them. Thus they remained until last night, at nine o'clock, when they sent out their last message, declaring if provisions and 'water were not sent them in half an hour, as they were starving, they would end their miseries by blowing up the magatine. They kept their word ; and at thirty-two Minutes past nine the explosion took place, but most fortunately indeed did no further mischief than destroying part Of the works, and killed three centincls. Thus has ended the most determined Mutiny I ever witnessed ; but punishment, I trust, .aWaits the greater part of the Regiment : never did Of so general a Mutiny; very few stood by •their Officers.  " On Saturday 24 of the worst of those taken were tried, and executed the same day. A Court-martial twill bbassembled to-morrow to try a further num:;b6r, Who, it is supposed, Will suffer the fate they so Hvighly peril directly after... About .iOO of them laye been; so very desperate, that it . is aln")ost impossible selea:the worst : those executed on Saturday died in .'the, most hardened Manner possible, sWearing, blaspheming, dancing, singing, and darina.their fate to the .veryitnornent.they were launche/ into eter-nity. I believe, was such a seene.of hardened -villany exhibited." --"