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animal, that it was the constant play-fellow of Mr. Lloyd's seven young children, and his first visit, on quitting his kennel every morning, was to the apartment which the children occupied. On Monday morning Mr. Lloyd heard the dog making an unusual noise at the door of the yard where the kennel was, and which communicates directly with the house. Most providentially on this occasion, contrary to the usual custom, this door did not happen to be then open, so as to allow the dog to enter the house. On hearing this noise from the dog, Mr. Lloyd looked out at a back window, and saw the animal attempting to force the door, howling in the wildest manner, and his mouth covered with foam and slime. Mr. Lloyd suspecting that something must be wrong, procured a pail of water and dashed it over the animal, which now became ten times more furious, with the fire darting from his eyes, so that no doubt remained of its mad

ness.

Mr. Lloyd sent for a man who had wormed the dog when a whelp, to have his opinion as to his state. On the arrival of this man, he entered the yard where the furious animal was, in the most undaunted manner, with a broom-handle in one hand and a rope, with a noose to it, in the other. At this time a vast crowd of persons had collected at the different windows that overlook the yard; and a court which adjoins it, leading to the Strand, was choaked with spectators, who from that spot could see the whole proceeding. Mr. Lloyd endeavoured to persuade the man not to enter the yard, but proposed at once shooting the dog. Several neighbours made the same proposal, and a supply of blunderbusses, muskets,

&c. was procured. The dog-fancier, however, determined to have an interview first with the dog, who now, rather exhausted from the violent rage and exertions of more than an hour, laid himself down in his kennel. The man approached him, but the dog heeded him not; the man then very dexterously contrived to slip the noose of the rope over the animal's head, which was out of the kennel, while the fire flashed from his eyes. Still the animal did not attend to him, until the man dragged him by the rope out of the kennel. Now began a frightful contest, the dog sprang instantly at the man's throat; but the latter presented the broom-handle horizontally to him, which the animal seized, and tore with his teeth until he forced it from the man's grasp; still the man held the rope, and he now too laid hold of a chain which hung from the dog's neck with the other hand. The dog repeatedly flew at the man's throat, and when on his hind legs stood as high as the man himself, but the latter, by dexterously checking him to the left with one hand, and to the right with the other, each time he flew at him, turned him from the direction of his own throat. At length, however, the man became exhausted from the force and fury of the dog's attacks, and called out to the spectators for assistance. There was a general cry to shoot the infuriated animal, and in an instant some dozen gun barrels were directed to the spot. The man, no doubt, preferring to take his chance with even the dog to the chance of a discharge of musketry, roared out, for mercy not to fire, and then for the first time the armed gentry recollected that the shooting of the dog would be attended with the

like fate to the man. The dog had now nearly got the complete mastery of his opponent, when the latter called, "for God's sake, let some men come down, and knock the dog on the head." This was no sooner said than done; several men sprang into the yard, armed, with iron bars, sticks, &c. and in an instant the dog's head was beaten to pieces nearly in the arms of the man; and thus ended this frightful contest, without the man having received even a scratch.

8. SHERIFFS COURT.-Messrs. W. and R. F. Bell, of Iron Gate, Wharfingers and Warehousekeepers, v. St. Katherine Dock Company

Amount of Claim. Claim for Compensation for

Goodwill..

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£ 29,106

7,000

1,000

880

.£.37,986

The Attorney General opened the case on the part of the claimants. Messrs. Bell, it appeared from his statement, were wharfingers and warehousekeepers, carrying on extensive business at Iron Gate wharf and Tower-hill; they occupied warehouses of great size, and had a very considerable share of the Baltic business, their warehouses being occupied principally with hemp, flax, tallow, ashes, and iron; the whole of which business, he was instructed to state, would be annihilated by the construction of the St. Katharine docks.

Evidence was examined at great length in support of several of the items of claim.

The case of Messrs. Bell having been closed, Mr. Adam addressed the jury on the part of the Dock Company, who had unsuccessfully used every possible effort to nego ciate with Messrs. Bell; and had proposed a reference to arbitrators, which had been declined. Messrs. Bell had also refused to furnish any particulars, or even explanation, of their demands; they resisted the inspection of their books and accounts, and had declined a proposal on the part of the Dock Company, to appoint accountants on both sides, upon oath, by whose examination of those books and ac counts, the Company were content to abide. Messrs. Bell having thus refused every overture at amicable arrangement, the Dock Company were reluctantly compelled to meetthem before a jury; and, in the absence of every information, were prevented from making any offer. Under these circumstances, a nominal tender of five shillings had been resorted to, so as to bring the question fairly to issue. Mr. Adam proceeded to state that this was the only case which the Dock Company had not hitherto been able to adjust without having recourse to a jury. Purchases exceeding 200,000l. had already been made by them in furtherance of the purposes of the act.

The Under Sheriff summed up, and, after the Jury had retired for a considerable time, they returned a verdict of 280l. as the value of the claimants' interest in the lease, and 8,720l. for the good-will, fixtures, utensils, improvements, and expense of removal of the merchandize from the warehouses in all, 9,000l.; the fixtures and utensils to be the property of the Dock Company. This cause occupied the Court from ten o'clock in the

morning until six o'clock in the evening.

9. DANGEROUS FIRE.-This GEROUS morning, between one and two o'clock, the inhabitants of St. Mary Axe were alarmed by cries of" Fire," which had suddenly broken out in the house No. 21, occupied by a respectable widow lady, named Gonne. It was first discovered by the watchman, and appeared to have commenced on the second floor. The lives of four young men, who slept in the attics, were exposed to imminent risk. Some of the watchmen rushed up through clouds of smoke, in order to arouse them; but on gaining the second landing, it was ascertained that the staircase leading to their apartments had fallen in, and considerable apprehensions were entertained for their safety. They were at length aroused by the shouting of the people in the streets, and they soon after attempted to effect their retreat downwards, but the attempt was hopeless, for the stairs were now wholly consumed, and the flames were rapidly closing around them. In this dilemma, they be thought them of getting out on the roof, and after some exertions they forced the attic window, which was fastened, and escaped to the leads, but not without having been seriously burned on the hands and arms. The upper part of the house, however, was totally consumed, and the rear of the next partially injured.

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10. SIX PILOTS DROWNED.(From the Liverpool Courier) On Monday last, in the forenoon, the twelve men belonging to No. 8, pilot-boat, crossed, by land, from Seacomb to Hoylake. Upon their arrival, they found a heavy surf upon the beach, which baffled several efforts which they made to

launch their punt, for the purpose of going on board the boat, then lying in the lake. Soon after one o'clock, anxious to get on board to do their duty, they forced their way through the surf, and, notwithstanding the swell, succeeded in reaching the side of the boat. J. Hughes had the command of the tiller, and being aware of the critical state in which they would be placed in nearing the boat, advised his companions to sit still and be steady; this caution was also repeated by capt. Parry, the second master, who was then on board the pilot-boat. Upon the approach of the punt, a slight collision against the side of the pilot-boat took place, which was not to be avoided; the punt heeled, and several of the men rising, lost their equipoise, and, the punt turning keel upwards, the whole crew were dashed under water. At this trying and perilous moment, the commander of the pilot-boat, and four men, who were then on board, with admirable presence of mind, threw the scuttle, roughtrees, oars, and other things, overboard, to enable the poor fellows to keep above water; in addition to this, they also succeeded in righting the punt, and saving one man who had seized the scuttle; two others, one of whom had clung to the cable, were saved from the deck of the pilot-boat, by means of ropes. The unfortunate situation of the boat's crew had also been observed from the shore, and the Custom-house boat pushed off with the greatest promptness to the relief of the sufferers. By this means three more of the crew were, happily, picked up, after they had been struggling for near half an hour, partially supporting themselves by the oars, &c., which they got hold of; and, during that

period, they bid cach other "good bye," judging that their final hour was come. Five of the six men, thus providentially snatched from a premature grave, were immediately taken on shore, and experienced the most marked and humane attention from Mr. Evans, at his hotel. The other was taken to a neighbouring puhlic-house. The bodies of the six unfortunate sufferers have not yet been found, although every exertion has been made to find them. Their names are, William Jones, Thomas Jones. Owen Thomas, Henry Priestnell, Thomas Bennett, and Angus Clarke, four of them journeymen, and two apprentices, all strong, active, and efficient young men.

If there be any cause for blame in this melancholy affair, it will, we believe, be found in the ardent zeal manifested by the entire boat's crew to get on board as early as possible, and to accomplish at one trip that which they ought to have done at two, and thus crowding a small boat with a greater number of men than she ought, in such weather, to have had on board.

11. ROYALTY THEATRE BURNED. -Monday night, after the play of Richard the Third, a new Melodrame, called Kenrick the Accursed, was produced for the first time; in the last scene of the second act of which was a representation of Mount Etna, in a state of eruption; and, in order better to represent the burning fluid from the crater, a quantity of composition was employed to represent the red fire. In this performance only about half a pound of the powder was used, which in itself is perfectly harmless. About one, or a little after, the whole of the performers had left the theatre. Evans, a man employed in the gas-works of the theatre,

which are contiguous to the stage, was at work at the furnace, making sufficient gas for the use of the house for Tuesday night; when, on looking to the stage, he discovered one or two of the set pieces to be on fire. He immediately aroused an old man, named Barney, and his family, who have resided many years in the theatre, and they, with the utmost difficulty, effected their escape into the street.

The flames soon burst through the stage-door; and such was their fury, that they reached completely across Well-street. It being impossible for the fire-men to stand facing the burning building; they took their stations at either end of the Theatre, and threw the water upon the flames as well as the situation would allow.

The utmost fears prevailed for the safety of the whole neighbourhood, as, at the rear of the Theatre, were the spacious sugar-houses of Messrs. Croucher and Bishop, and Messrs. Clinker, and if they had caught fire, the whole of Dockstreet, which is inhabited by poor families, must have fallen a sacrifice. At three o'clock the roof of the theatre fell in. This circumstance somewhat damped or smothered the flames, and the firemen were enabled to approach the front of the building, and play upon the ruins with more effect. About half past four o'clock, the conflagration was so far subdued, that there was no danger of further mischief.

The cause of the fire is believed to be owing to the gas used on the stage as side lights not having been properly turned off at the close of the performance, and having communicated to the set pieces of scenes near them.

The loss is estimated at about 18,000.

12. THE NEW COMET.Augs burgh. The new comet passed, since the 1st. instant, from star d of the Bull, from the right forefoot, into the constellation of Orion, where it passed between the star n and o; and on the 8th was near the star h in the Lion's skin, which Orion wears in the left arm. On the 8th of April, at 8 h. 40 min. 25 sec. 5. mean time in the evening, its north inclination was 10 deg. 11 min. 35 sec. Notwithstanding the goodness of the telescope, the comet appeared very faint, and its nucleus was hardly visible. Its course is now towards the head of Orion.

The spot in the sun, which entered the disc on the 28th of March, passed out of it on the 10th of April, in the afternoon. It increased in magnitude to such a degree, that on the 4th instant it was above thrice the size of our earth. On the 8th, at a quarter past three in the afternoon, Reaumur's thermometer was at 31 deg. 2 min. in the sun, and 16 deg. 3 min. in the shade, when Saussure's hygrometer indicated dryness of only 1 deg. On the 10th, fine weather changed, and the nights were gloomy. Yesterday only one small spot in the sun was seen, which had just entered the disc.

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deceased came to lodge at my master's on Tuesday, and towards morning became very restless. About twelve o'clock on Wednesday morning, I went up stairs, to put the room in order, and to make the beds; when he unfastened the door, by removing a chain from it. On my going into his apartment, he held up his throat, in which there was a wound, and desired me to look at it; I did so; and he then told me "that the devil had been with him all night, and had cut it;" there was, at the same time, some broken glass in his hand. He afterwards came down stairs; before he did so, he pushed the bed from the fire-place; I saw a piece of handkerchief. master asked him what he had been doing to me; but he made no answer: he afterwards, however, told him that the devil had cut his throat. He had a nail in his hand when he came down ; and in his bed-room I saw a pair of snuffers, covered with blood. He was removed into the tap-room, and a doctor was sent for; after which he was sent to the hospital. I never heard him say any more than what I have mentioned. He slept by himself, and I have no doubt that he committed the fatal act himself, and that he was insane at the time. The deceased was advanced in years, and was, I believe, a dog-fancier.

My

Joseph Ensom examined.—I am proprietor of the Swan; the deceased was a stranger to me, but was, I understood, a weaver out of employment. The servant called me as he was coming down stairs ; I saw some blood and glass in his room. I asked him what he had been about; and he said that the devil had been busy with him.

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