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secretary to the lord high almoner, and Mr. James, groom of the almonry, attended by the Yeomen guards, with an usher, ordered the tables to be covered with damask cloths, and supplied every man and woman with a loaf weighing one pound and a half. The attendants then placed on both tables a number of wooden dishes, on which were pieces of fine beef, weighing three and three quarter pounds a-piece. At twelve o'clock, the sub-almoner, the rev. Dr. Goodenough, entered the room in his robes, attended by the secretary, and having inspected the tickets of admittance of the Maundy people, pronounced the following Grace before Meat:

"Bless, O Lord, this Royal Maundy to the use of these thy servants, and dispose their hearts to the praise of thy Holy Name, with gratitude to their Royal benefactor, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen."

The Doctor then inspected the quality of the meat, and having seen that all were supplied with a piece of beef, said the Grace after Meat:

"Grant, O Lord, in the hearts of these people grateful obedience to the Royal dispenser of these thy blessings, and cause them to look up to thee as the Supreme Author of every good, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The cloths were then removed, and a wooden platter, on which were four loaves, two salt salmon, two salt cod, eighteen salt herrings, and eighteen red ditto, was placed before each person, which the subalmoner inspected. The distributors then produced several leather flagons filled with ale, and a quantity of wooden ale-cups, out of which the sub-almoner drank to

the health of King George 4th, which was also drank by the recipients, who shortly afterwards departed with their load of provisions. At two o'clock the recipients re-assembled in the interior of the chapel, to receive the remainder of the king's Maundy.

Afternoon Service.. At three o'clock the Yeoman usher, followed by eleven Yeomen in their state dresses, and one bearing a large gold dish, on which were one hundred and twenty-eight purses, each purse containing a sovereign, and small silver pennies, as many as the king is years old; Mr. House, the king's serjeant of the vestries; the sub-almoner, followed by two girls and two boys from the Westminster National School, selected for their good conduct; the secretary, and the groom of the almonry, &c. &c. formed in procession, all wearing white scarfs, and carrying nosegays. Mr. Cooper played a solemn piece, on the procession entering the chapel. The procession advanced up the aisle; the sub-almoner and two Yeomen took their station within the altar, the officers and children on seats in front of the organ, and others along the aisle, &c.-The appropriate church-service for the day was then read by the rev. Dr. Vivian, the rev. Messrs. Knapp, Barham, and Pack.-The gentlemen of the chapel royal were Messrs. Gore, Goulden, Molyneux, and the young gentlemen of the chapel royal.

29. BALLOON ASCENT.-Today, Mr. Green made his fortyeighth ascent from the bowlinggreen of the Eagle tavern, Cityroad. He was accompanied by his brother, Mr. George Green, who has already made three aërial voyages with success. Notwithstanding the frequent disappoint

ments which occur in matters of this sort, an immense quantity of the holiday folks had collected round the house, and the area of the theatre of action was tolerably well filled with respectable company. At nine o'clock the process of inflation commenced, but owing to the coldness of the atmosphere, it proceeded slowly for the first two or three hours. When the sun shone forth at noon, the effect of its rays was speedily perceived in the rapid expansion of the machine, which was now full nearly to the zone. An increased pressure being applied to the gasometer, the gas rushed forcibly in, and at a quarter past three a sufficient quantity had been obtained to answer the purpose. In the early part of the day, a pilot balloon was sent up to ascertain the bearing of the wind, which was then about N.N.E. A short time after the car was affixed, a second pilot was despatched, when it was found that the wind had veered about one point eastward. At four o'clock, every requisite preparation being completed, a few minutes afterwards, the aeronauts took their seats, and Mr. Green, after returning thanks to his friends for the liberal patronage he had received, intimated that, in compliance with the wishes of scveral respectable families in the neighbourhood, he should have the honour of making another ascent on the following Thursday. The stay-lines being slipped, the balloon rose majestically from its moorings to the height of two or three hundred feet, when it bore away directly N.E. The atmosphere being uncommonly dense, it was soon lost to the eye, and the company dispersed highly gratified with the spectacle, The VOL. LXVIII.

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balloon was called "The Coronation," but was not the same in which Mr. G. ascended from the Green park on that memorable occasion. The gas was supplied from the establishment in Bricklane. The City-road and its vicinity were excessively crowded, and a feeling of satisfaction was general. Mr. Sadler, the veteran aeronaut, was on the ground, and seemed to regret that his usual pursuits were at an end.

SHEEP-STEALING.-Two hundred and eighty-eight persons have been convicted of this offence in England, in the years 1823, 1824, 1825; of whom only two were left for execution. The persons reprieved were sentenced to various punishments, extending from six weeks' imprisonment to transportation for life.

PHENOMENON. This night, a beautiful phenomenon made its appearance in the heavens a little before eight o'clock, and continued visible for the space of fully two hours. Its form was that of a rainbow, but much broader, and its direction was almost due east and west. At the western extremity it dilated considerably, much in the form of a fan, and from thence to beyond the middle of its arch preserved a pretty regular breadth, when it gradually became more dense and brilliant, until it at last terminated in a sharp point, a few degrees above the eastern horizon. It inclined from the zenith a few degrees towards the south, and latterly so much so, as nearly to represent a bow half brought to a level. The outline continued, from the first, well and boldly defined, and the body extremely luminous and beautiful. Its density varied at short intervals, particularly in the western section, sometimes almost E

obscuring the stars, and again becoming so transparent as visibly to transmit their rays. In one part of the arch, several degrees above the western point, a slight bending from the direct line was visible, and, as it were, a splitting of the body into separate lines,so as in some measure to resemble a cataract; after which they again collapsed, and ran on united to nearly its termination. At half-past nine it began to assume a more transparent appearance, and gradually diminished in lustre, until it altogether vanished about ten o'clock.

30. WARWICK ASSIZES.-Trial of Michael Ford for Murder. Mr. Justice Littledale having entered the court, Michael Ford was placed at the bar.

Mary Perry deposed as follows: -The deceased, Richard Perry, was my uncle, and kept a huckster's shop, in Mary-Ann-street, Birmingham. I had known the prisoner perfectly well by sight, for five weeks previous to the murder. He was in the habit of coming to the shop for goods, for which my uncle gave him credit from week to week. On the night of the 6th of December, soon after ten o'clock, being in the kitchen of my uncle's house, I overheard a conversation between him and some person in the shop, and, on going into a sitting-room between the kitchen and the shop, I looked through a window, and observed the prisoner talking with my uncle and aunt. I heard him say he would have a hough of pork, which he would pay for, that his bill might not be so large on the Saturday night. The prisoner was at this time standing about the middle of the counter, and my uncle on the opposite side, where he usually served his customers. The candles were

lighted, and the door of the shop was open. Having seen who was in the shop, I returned into the kitchen, and was immediately followed by my aunt, who went into the cellar for a bottle of beer; I then heard some chopping upon the block in the shop; the sound was like the chopping of meat, and having long been accustomed to that kind of noise, I took no notice of it. About two minutes after, I heard the moneydrawer in the shop fall, and the money rolling on the floor. I instantly rose from my seat and was going towards the door of the shop, when I met the prisoner in the sitting-room with his arms uplifted, and a cleaver in his hands. He was making towards the kitchen when I advanced, and I told him that he had killed my uncle. I then wrenched the cleaver from him, and in endeavouring to pass by him, I pushed him down upon the floor, ran through the shop into the street, and gave an alarm, by crying out "Murder!" The prisoner immediately followed me, and made his escape before I could get any body to my assistance. As I ran through the shop I saw my uncle lying behind the counter, and blood issuing from his face. While I was screaming, my aunt came out of the cellar, and was in the shop when I returned into it. We then went to my uncle, and tried to lift him up, but could not, till some persons came to our assistance. On examining him we found that he had received some wounds on the head; we at length succeeded in removing him into the kitchen. My uncle had a black straw hat on while he was talking to the prisoner, which was given, together with the cleaver, to Mr. Adkins, the police-officer. [A

cleaver was here produced by Mr. Adkins, who stated that it was a sharp instrument, and that it had some blood on the edge when it first came into his possession. On its being shown to the witness, she was so much affected that she could not proceed in her testimony for some minutes.] This cleaver is the same I wrenched from the prisoner's hands. The drawer now produced is the same I found on the floor of the shop, and it is spotted with blood. My uncle's black hat, which is also produced, is now full of holes, and is my own make, and was delivered by me to Adkins. My uncle died on the 7th; he never spoke from the time he was found on the floor to the time of his death.

Hannah Perry, the widow of the deceased, deposed to nearly the same circumstances.

Francis Elkington, surgeon, was called to the deceased, and examined the wounds on his head. There was one in the forehead, six inches in extent, which had cut through the bone and severed the membranes of the brain, about an inch deep. The other wound, which was on the back part of the head, five inches and a half in extent, had penetrated into the substance of the brain, a part of which lay on the surface of the wound. Death was a necessary consequence of either of these wounds. The cleaver produced was a very likely instrument to cause such incisions. Robert Boughey, a police-officer of Liverpool, in consequence of some hand-bills he received, went in search of the prisoner, and met him on Friday, the 9th of December, about eleven o'clock in the day, on the Pier head, in Liver pool, and afterwards apprehended him on board the City of London

steam-packet, which was bound for Ireland. On seeing him, he asked him to take his left hand out of his pocket; he did so, and witness then perceived the first joint of the third finger missing, and the little finger crooked; he observed also the hole in his cheek. On inquiring what his name was, he said John Hanbury. He took him to Bridewell, and read over the handbill to him, which charged him with the murder of Mr. Perry. Witness then asked if he had come from Birmingham, to which he replied, that he had never been there in his life.

The case being closed on the part of the prosecution, and the prisoner being called upon for his defence, he said he was innocent of the crime imputed to him, and that he " never had any thing to

do with him."

The jury, after five minutes consultation, found the prisoner Guilty. Sentence of death was then passed upon him, and ordered to be carried into execution on Monday following.

31. ST. PETERSBURGH.- -His majesty, the emperor of Russia, has addressed the following letter to the duke of Wellington.

"To our Field-Marshal Gene

On

ral the Duke of Wellington. "In order to testify to you my particular esteem for your great qualities, and for the distinguished services which you have rendered to all Europe, it will be highly agreeable to me if one regiment of my army bears your name. this day the 19th (31st) of March, on which Paris was taken twelve years ago, and an ever memorable contest, in which the good cause, indebted to you for such splendid triumphs, was terminated, I have given orders that the Smolensko

regiment of infantry, formed by Peter the Great, and one of the most distinguished of my army, which was formerly under your command in France, shall henceforward be called the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, as I wish hereby to give you a proof of my constant and sincere regard."

(Signed) "NICHOLAS."

APRIL.

1. ACCIDENT. The Dorking coach left the Elephant and Castle at nine o'clock, full inside and outside, and arrived safe at Ewell, when Joseph Walker, the driver and proprietor, alighted for the purpose of delivering a parcel from the back part of the coach, and gave the reins to a boy who sat on the box. While he was delivering the parcel to a person who stood near the after wheel of the coach, the boy cracked the whip, and the horses set off at full speed. Several attempts were made to stop them, but in vain; they passed Ewell church, and tore away about twelve yards of strong paling, when, the wheels mounting a small eminence, the coach was overturned, and the whole of the passengers were thrown from the roof. Some of them were in a state of insensibility, showing no symptoms of life. One female, who was thrown upon some spikes, which entered her breast and neck, was dreadfully mutilated, none of her features being distinguishable; she lingered until the following day, when she expired in the greatest agony.

3. STATE OF NEWGATE.Prisoners under sentence of death, 14; transportation for life, 12; transportation for 14 years, 7; ditto for 7 years, 32; under sentence of imprisonment for various periods, for

felony and misdemeanors, 13; insane, 1; committed under the bankrupt laws, 2; committed by the court of King's-bench, 1; for trial for a misdemeanor in the court of King's-bench, 2: judgments respited, 2; remanded from last session, 3; for trial at the ensuing sessions, 366: total 453.

Of the above number there are 339 males and 116 females.

4. ATROCIOUS ASSAULT.Samuel Gilbert was found guilty at the Taunton assizes, of robbing Charlotte Smith. The conduct of the prisoner towards the prosecutrix surpassed in atrocity that of almost any person who had ever appeared at the bar of justice. Having enticed her to walk with him to his aunt's, he on the road attempted to violate her. She resisted; he threw her down, stamped upon her, and tore her clothes into strips: he then took her in his arms, and carried her to the river, threatening to throw her in if she would not comply with his desires: she begged for mercy; he then dragged her into a lane, threw her over a gate, and cast her into a muddy ditch; still he could not accomplish his purpose, owing to her determined resistance. He afterwards pressed her head into the mud, and nearly suffocated her, and would probably have done so, if he had not heard the barking of a dog; she then, hoping to get rid of him, feebly said, "The lord be praised, here's my father!" when the prisoner tore off her pocket, forcibly pulled out her ear-rings, and ran away.

6. ENCOUNTER WITH A MAD DOG. Mr. Lloyd, hatter, near the Adelphi, had a very fine Newfoundland dog, of enormous size, which he had reared from a whelp. So docile and kind was the

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