266

Action near Baltimore-Madison's Proclamation.

rane and General Ross was directed. The troops disembarked on the 12th of September, near North Point, on the left bank of the Parapsco River, about 13 miles from Baltimore. Not far from North Point the enemy had entrenched himself across a neck of land, but on the approach of the British troops he retired precipitately from this position. About two miles beyond it our advance became engaged, and the gallant General Ross received a wound in his breast, which immediately proved mortal, and the chief command developed on Colonel Brook. The advance continuing to press forward, the enemy's light troops were pushed to within five miles of Baltimore, where a corps of about six thousand men, six pieces of artillery, and some hundred cavalry, were strongly posted under cover of a wood. Dispositions were immediately made for a general attack. The enemy's force being utterly broken and dispersed at the first charge, fled in every direction, leaving on the field two picces of cannon, with a considerable number of killed, wounded, and prisoners. The day being far advanced, and the troops much fatigued, they halted for the night on the ground from which the enemy had been driven. At day-break, on the 13th, the army again advanced, and took up a position eastward of Baltimore, about a mile and a half distant. Arrangements were made for a night attack; but during the evening, Colonel Brook received a communication from the commander-inchief of the naval forces, apprizing him, that, from the sinking of vessels in the harbour, naval co-operation against the town and camp was impracticable. Under these circumstances, it was determined not to persist in an attack upon the town, where the force of the enemy was estimated at 15 or 20,000 men; the troops were withdrawn on the 14th, and the following day re-embarked at North Point, with the loss of 39 killed and 251 wounded.

On the 26th of August, an expedition under Lieutenent - General Sir J. C. Sherbrooke and Admiral Griffith, sailed from Halifax, in Nova Scotia, for the Penobscot river, which divides New Hampshire from New Brunswick. Fort Custine, which defended the entrance, As carried after a short resistance; and the John Adams frigate which had ken refuge here, and was supposed be secure against every attempt, was, other vessels, captured and deBy the subsequent reduction

od.

[Nov. 1,

of the strong position of Machias, the whole country between Penobscot river and Passamaquoddy Bay is now in our possession.

It may easily be conceived, that the destruction of the capital and the alarma excited by the different attacks on various parts of the coast, must have filled the people and government of the United States with consternation. Did we went other proofs how deeply these humiliations were felt, we should find abundant eridence of the fact in the snivelling proclamation of President Madison, who impudently denying the atrocious outrages committed by his countrymen, talks of "the wanton destruction of public edifices, having no relation to the operations of war," and the "undisturbed plunder of private property." And," continues he, "whereas these proceedings and declared purposes, which exhibit a deliberate disregard of the principles of humanity and the rules of civilized warfare; aud which must give, to the existing war, a character of extended devastation and barbarism at the very moment of negociations for peace, invited by the enemy himself, leave no prospect of safety for any thing within the reach of his predatory and incendiary operations, but in manful and universal determination to expel the invader"he therefore exhorts the good people of the United States, to join their hearts and hands for that purpose, and all officers, civil and military, to exert themselves in executing the duties with which they are respectively charged.

The false colouring given to this official document issued by the president since his return to Washington, does not fail to strike even the Americans themselves. One of their public writers, in refutation of the charges which be prefers against our troops, asks this question:

"Is it supposed that the capture of York is already forgotten? York was the capital of Upper Canada, and there ALL the public buildings were destroyed, including the Capitol, where a sealp was found in the Executive and Legisla tive Chamber, suspended near the Speaker's chair, in company with the mace and other emblems of royalty. This destruction was not only never shewn to be authorized,' but was the theme of continued exultation during the whole of the second year of the war. We regret as much as Mr. Madison himself the destruction of the costly monuments of taste and of the arts at Washington, and

1814.]

Incidents in and near London.

more particularly of the public archives, because we fear that the conflagration has removed evidence of the origin of transactions,' which ought to be preserved; but complaint certainly comes with an ill grace from the captaingeneral of our armies, under whose auspices similar atrocities have been committed."

Mutual criminations have succeeded the capture of Washington. Armstrong, the secretary at war, is charged with having neglected to provide a sufficient force for the defence of the district; and

367

he, on the other hand, asserts, that if the troops assembled at Bladensburg had behaved as they ought our force must have been beaten and the capital saved. It appears, however, that the popular feeling has been so strongly expressed against Armstrong that he has been removed from his situation, and succeeded by Colonel Mouroe.

By the latest accounts a temporary wooden building was erected at Washington, for the accommodation of Congress, which was expected to meet on the 22nd of Sept.

INCIDENTS, PROMOTIONS, BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, DEATHS, &c. IN LONDON AND MIDDLESEX;

With Biographical Accounts of Distinguished Characters.

IN consequence of an enquiry, instituted with the sanction of Government, it has been ascertained that the number of persons in the metropolis, who subsist by begging, amounts to about 6000 adults and 9288 children. The gross amount of the sums extorted annually from the public, by their importunities, is at the very lowest calculation, estimated at 97,1261. 10s.

Notice has been given of an intended application to parliament for an act to establish a ferry over the Thames, from Greenwich to the Isle of Dogs, and for making and maintaining roads to communicate with it.

The perfection to which the system of house-breaking has been brought appears from the following extraordinary circumstances:Information was lately received, that a gang of thieves intended to break open the General Post office, and to C-ry off the contents of the iron chest, in the Receiver General's office, which frequently contains Bank of England and other notes to the amount of twelve to eighteen thou-and pounds Though such an attempt was considered at the Post-office as impracticable, every door, place, and lock, being deemed thoroughly secure, there is no doubt that the office has been entered, several of the locks, and even that of the iron chest opened, the contents examined, but nothing taken out; the booty perhaps not having been deemed sufficiently large. Lavender and Vickery, the police officers, having ascertained the existence of the plan, and discovered the persons who were to have effected the robbery, produced a master key which passed all the locks leading to the place where the iron chest is deposited, and another key which opened the iron chest itself, without any noise or difficulty. This was thought the more extraordinary, as the key is never out of the possession of the person who has the care of the chest, and who is accountable for its contents.

A new engine of annoyance was tried on the 19th Sept. in the neighbourhood of Uxbridge. It is intended to be used against ships; one discharge is sufficient to cripple a vessel under weigh, by setting fire to the ropes, sails, and rigging. Two globes of fire were shot at a high tree at the distance of several hundred yards, to which they clung and burned with great fury; but on the eighth discharge the bursting of the engine interrupted these curious experiments.

Oct. 10, at two o'clock in the morning, a fire broke out in the High-street, Shadwell, opposite to the Police office. It commenced in the house of Mr. Andrews, haberdasher, and as it was two hours before water could be obtained by the engines, the flames communicated to the adjoining dwellings with such rapidity, that a very small part of the property, chiefly belonging to poor persons, could be saved. Twelve houses were consumed, and several on the opposite side of the street were greatly damaged.

Oct. 11, the Temple of Concord in the Green Park, from which the paintings had been early removed, fell ingloriously under the hammer of the auctioneer, having been ineffectually offered for sale by private con

tract.

It was divided into 100 lots, which fetched very little more than 200!.

Oct. 17, in the evening one of the vats in the extensive brewery of Messrs. Henry Meux and Co. in Bainbridge-street, St. Giles's, burst, in consequence, as it is sup posed. of the hoops giving way. It contained 3,500 barrels of porter, and the shock was so great as to break off the cock of an adjoining vat of the same size. The adjoining houses and streets were in a moment deluged by the fluid, which rushed out with such force as to sweep every thing before it. Two houses in New-street, adjoining to the brewhouse, were totally demolished. The inhabitants, who were of the poorer class, were mostly at home, and seven perished in the ruins. The back parts of several houses

363

Appointments, Preferments, Births.

in Great Russell-street, were nearly destroyed, and the servant maid at the Tavistock Arms, who happened to be in the yard, perished. In the brewhouse itself the havoc was extreme. Out of the two vats not more than soo barrels of beer were saved; the pipe communicating with a cell capable of holding 2100 barrels was broken, and the beer destroyed, so that the total quantity of porter lost was between 8 and 9000 barrels. Three of the men employed in the premises were rescued with great difficulty by the people collected to afford relief, who had to wade up to their middle through the beer. The site being low and flat, without any declivity to carry off this deluge, it inundated the neighbouring cellars, all of which are inhabited, to the depth of several feet. The distress of their inmates may easily be conceived. Labourers were employed in the following days to clear away the rubbish, and on the 19th a coroner's inquest was held on the bodies of the eight persons, all of them women and children, who had fallen victims to this accident. Mr. Henry Crick, storehouse clerk to Messrs. Meux and Co. stated that about an hour before it happened, a hoop near the bottom of the vat which burst had started; that it was an old beer vat; and that it had a flap in the cover at top, which must have given way had the action of the liquor been upwards. Each of the hoops upon this vat weighs about 7 cwt.; but in the brewery at Liquorpond-street there is a vat, 21 yards in diameter, containing 18,000 barrels, and on which there are seven hoops, each weighing three tons. On the side next to Russell-street, the force of the liquor broke down a brick wall belong. ing to the brewhouse, 22 inches thick, and about 25 feet high, that is about three feet higher than the vat. The Jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death. The damage sustained at the brewery is estimated at 15,000l. This catastrophe sufficiently shews the imperious necessity of the utmost precaution in the management of these prodigious vats, which may otherwise prove engines of destruction to all around them. Supposing a similar accident were to befal the vat above-mentioned in the Liquorpondstreet brewery, who can calculate the extent of the mischiefs that might ensue? We consider this to be a subject which calls for the serious attention of those to whose care the public safety is committed.

Promotions and Appointments] William à Court, esq. to be envoy extraordinary, and minister plenipotentiary, at the court of Palermo.

Henry Fuller, esq. of Trinidad, to be Attorney General of that island.

Sir Chas. Stuart, K. B. to be a member of the Privy Council, and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the sovereign Prince of the United Provinces.

[Nov. 1,

Peter Carey Tupper, esq. to be consul at Barcelona, and in the province of Catonia. Rich. Belgrave Hoppner, esq. to be consul at Venice, and the Austrian territories on the Adriatic.

The honour of knighthood is conferred on
Neil Campbell, esq. colonel in the army,
major in the 54th foot.

Ecclesiastical Preferments] The Rev.
John Ibbotson, to the vicarage of Hope,
Derby.

The Rev. S. Savery, chaplain of St.
Thomas's hospital, London, to the vicarage
of Sutton Benger, Wilts, on the resignation
of the Rev. H. Kett.

The Rev. H. Kett, B. D. to the perpetual cur cy of North Highcome, Lincoln, on the resignation of the Rev. S. Savery.

The Rev. J. R. Roberts, B. D. fellow of
Trinity college, Oxford, rector of Hornblow-
ton St. Peter, Somerset, to the rectory of St.
Bartholomew the Great, in the city of Lon-
don; vice, the Rev. O. P. Edwardes.

The Rev. Warre Bradley, vicar of Chare,
Somerset, to the prebendal stall of Ashill, in
Wells cathedral; vice, Dr. Sumner, de-
ceased.

The Rev. I. Crouch, M. A. to the rectory
of Narborough, Leicestershire.

The Rev. Evan Holiday, vicar of Llanarth-
ney, to be chaplain of the Royal Dock yard
at Sheerness.

The Rev. George Hayward, vicar of
Nympsfield, to the vicarage of Frocester.
The Rev. Mr. Haygarth, to the living of
Upham, Hants..

The Rev. Robert Linton, to the vicarage
of Fotheringhay, vacant by the death of the
Rev. Dr. Tait.

The Rev. Jacob Geo. Wrench, of Trinity hall, Cambridge, to the rectory of Stouting, Kent.

The Rev. George Ion, M. A, to the rectory of Thorndon, Suffolk.

The Rev. R. Webb, to the rectory of the
united parishes of St. Mary Magdalen and
St. Gregory, London.

Births. In Great Cumberland-place, the
Hon. Lady Emily Murray, of a son.

In Seymour-place, the lady of the Rev.
Algernon Peyton, of a son.

In Harley-place, the lady of J. H. Stracey,
esq. of a son.

In Belgrave-street, Pimlico, the lady of
Rich Curtis, esq. of a son.

In Gloucester-place, the lady of Colonel
Hughes, M. P. of a daughter.

In Grosvenor place, the lady of Major-
Gen. Wilder, of a daughter.

In Cumberland place, the lady of Sir John
Read, bart. of a son and heir.

Married.] The Rev. S. C. E. Neville,
eldest son of Major-gen. N. of the Royal
Artillery, to Miss Fawcett, only daughter of
Henry F. esq. M. P. Portland-place.

Capt. Wm. Wildey, of the 19th Foot, to

Marriages and Deaths in and near London.

Capt. Fred. Hunn, R. N. to Emma, only found dead in his bed, to which he had redaughter of Vice-admiral Pickmore.

Account of Mr. O. Jones-Dr. Reeve-Earl Wilton.

In Goodman's Fields, Mrs. Robson, wife continued his studies at London; and visited of the Rev. Mr. R.

PROVINCIAL OCCURRENCES,

IN THE COUNTIES OF ENGLAND, ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY.