mills of Messrs Aiken and Lord, Chatterton, and Mr. Haughton, Grimshaw Park, the number of which is not stated. The total number of looms destroyed is estimated at 1000, and their value at 30,000l.

30. BURSTING OF THE PADDINGTON CANAL.-The new sewer now executing at Paddington, having been left in an insecure state on Sunday night, the water from the canal forced a passage into it, and blew it up in every direction, forcing the earth along for several yards into a brick-field, sweeping down thousands of new bricks; thence taking its course along the fields towards Bayswater, it fell into the Westbourne, which it swelled into a rapid river. The fields over which the current passed presented a curious spectacle in the morning, being literally covered with people catching eels and other fish which had escaped, and which they were hunting for among the high grass. One man is said, in the early part of the morning, to have taken away two or three hundred weight of fine eels, and sold them at the market.

NATURAL HISTORY.-In 1820, Mr. Bogie, having procured three gulls of the black-cap or pewit species, cut their wings, and endeavoured to domesticate them in the pond at Terraughtie garden, Scotland. But their curtailed pinions soon began to shoot again; and while one of them flew away and never returned, a second was unfortunately found frozen to death one cold December morning. The third pewit was thus left quite solitary; but, as he had plenty to eat, he seemed to like his quarters passing well, and gradually became more and more tame; until his natural instincts, and the example of the wild gulls flying

about in the spring, induced him to resort to the marshy grounds, where the species are known to breed and rear their young, previous to returning to the sea-coast in winter. Mr. Bogie soon forgot his truant gulls; but the last of them, so far from forgetting him, re-appeared in April 1822, and after screaming repeatedly to announce his approach, was seen swimming in the pond, and hopping about the garden with the familiar air of an old acquaintance. From this time forward the bird became a great pet, and for five years in succession has not only come with the cuckoo, and gone away with the swallow, but has varied so little in point of time, that the gardener can almost tell the day of the month from the departure or re-appearance of his favourite gull; and, as he uniformly flies away in the same direction, it is believed that he bivouacks among some of the marshes beyond the estate of Castle-hill. Though his first approach is always announced by the loudest screaming, he becomes perfectly quiet afterwards, and is so tame that the gardener can call him down on the public road, or at any other spot where he may happen to see him flying over-head. In 1824, this sagacious bird actually brought his mate and family with him ; but, for want of proper training in their youth, they were afraid to alight and partake of his food; and he never tried the experiment again.

STEAM-BOAT VOYAGE TO INDIA. The Enterprise steam-vessel has at last reached Bengal. She sailed from Falmouth on the 16th August, reached the Cape on the 13th of October, and arrived at the mouth of the river Hoogly on the 9th of December, after a passage of 47 days from the Cape, having

expended all her coals. The whole time spent in the voyage has been 16 weeks and three days, which is very nearly the average length of the voyage in sailing vessels. Thus nothing has been gained by the use of steam; but, were depôts of coals established at the Canary isles, St. Helena, the Mauritius, and Ceylon, the steam voyage might probably be made in one month less time. Captain Johnston, by carrying the Enterprise to India, has earned the prize of 10,000l. subscribed at Calcutta as a reward to the first person who should make a steam voyage from England to India.

MAY.

1. Mr. Richard Gower, of Pembury, accompanied by his wife, and a young woman named Hannah Jarrett, had set out in the morning from Pembury, in a small cart, to attend the anniversary of the Baptist chapel at Hadlow, and on attempting to cross the Medway by the wooden bridge at the Hartlake, the horse took fright and became restive; and unhappily the horse immediately backing the cart against the bank, they were all precipitated into deep water, the cart turning over, and overwhelming the whole party. After sinking and rising two or three times, Hannah Jarrett found herself entangled with the horse, clinging round his neck; the poor animal at the same time plunging, and endeavouring to regain the land, which he so far effected as to enable the young woman to catch hold of a small willow twig, from which she was, however, immediately torn by the struggles of the horse. She soon seized another twig, by

which she retained a firm hold; one of the reins being entangled round her arm, she was a second time in danger of being torn away, but having a knife open in her hand, she severed the rein, and the horse plunging backward, was immediately drowned. Whilst the young woman was in this perilous situation, she saw Mrs. Gower rise to the surface, clasp her hands, and immediately sink. Having a little recovered herself, Jarrett crawled up the bank, and made her way to an adjoining cottage, but Mr. Gower was seen no more.

2. AFFRAY WITH SMUGGLERS. -On Thursday last the guardboat of the night, at the mouth of Rye-harbour, observed a smuggling galley a short distance off, and immediately chased her; the smugglers, finding the guard-boat nearing them, pulled for the beach, and, at the moment of grounding, when the guard-boat had got alongside, opened a fire from small arms on the crew, which the blockademen returned, boarded, and drove the smugglers out of her. The firing from the boats brought the blockade-men, who were looking out near the Camber watch-house, to the spot nearly as soon as they had landed, when a petty officer seized one of the smugglers, and placed him in the custody of the men. At this instant a body of armed smugglers, not less than two hundred, rushed from behind the Sand hills to rescue their people, and they also commenced a heavy fire upon the blockade sentinels, killed one man and dreadfully. wounded another. The blockade, however, captured the galley, 42 feet in length, rowing ten oars, with some tubs of spirits in her, and drove off the smugglers, who carried off their wounded,

RETURN OF THE COMET OF 1825.-Spires.-The great comet of last year, which was expected to appear again this spring, was observed last night in the southern horizon, precisely at the place where the preceding calculations led us to look for it. As the tail is now turned from us, the comet seems to be only surrounded with a nebula, which, however, is bright enough to be visible to the naked eye, were it not so near the horizon that the density of the atmosphere prevents it. It crosses the meridian at midnight, at the elevation of 8 degrees.

Manheim.-The lovers of astronomy remember that the comet, which was discovered last July, in the constellation of Taurus, and was visible in Europe till the middle of October, after which it appeared in great splendor to the inhabitants of the southern hemisphere, ought to appear again this spring above our horizon, sufficiently luminous to be again observed in Europe before it finally takes leave of us. This expectation has been fulfilled. The comet was discovered last night in the constellation of the Wolf from the observatory. It can only be seen with a good telescope, is very pale, and resembles a second nebulous spot, 3 or 4 minutes in diameter. We saw neither tail nor nucleus. The observed position is, May 1, 12 h. 33 m. mean time, at Manheim; right ascension, 228 deg. 4 min.; south declination, 33 deg. 3 min.

with the stars g and ƒ in the Wolf. Mean time, 11 h. 6 m. 17 s. Right ascension, 224 deg. 27 m. 21 s. South declination, 29 deg. 35 m. 26 s.

ACCIDENT. On Tuesday afternoon Mr. Green ascended in his balloon, from the Eagle Tavern, City-road. At the back of the tavern, a scaffold was erected upon a shed, which being let out in opposition to another, the price of admission was reduced to one penny and two pence. Owing to the lowness of the charge, the scaffold in a short time was crowded to excess, and being slightly put together, a few minutes before the ascent, the centre pole broke, and instantly the whole of the platform fell in towards the middle, people and planks intermingling together, with a tremendous crash, which was succeeded by piercing shrieks from the unfortunate persons and the by-standers. Immediate assistance was rendered, and in the course of half an hour the whole of the unfortunate beings were got out, when it was discovered that between 50 and 60 were more or less wounded by fractures and bruises, and three or four killed.

DISTURBANCES IN LANCASHIRE.-Manchester. During the day many meetings of the workingpeople were held in St. George'sfields and their vicinity. Some of these assemblages were very numerous, estimated as high as 15,000 or 20,000. The meetings were from time to time harangued, by those who appeared to be their leaders: and the theme of the speakers was, invariably, "destruction to the power-looms, and the factories containing them."

Affairs remained in this state during the greater part of the afternoon; the mob dispersing at the

approach of the military, and reassembling on their departure. About half-past four a considerable alarm was excited by a statement that the rioters were assembled in immense force in St. George'sfields. A large body of constables, accompanied by a detachment of Dragoons, repaired to the spot; but the meeting had broken up before their arrival. Shortly afterwards, papers were stuck up in the neighbourhood of the New Cross, inviting the people to assemble at the old place of rendezvous. In compliance with the invitation, the mob again collected, and were again addressed in a most inflammatory strain by their orators. One of these was in the act of earnestly recommending the destruction of the power-looms, when part of a heap of bricks on which he was elevated fell with a loud crash. The momentary confusion created by the accident induced a belief that the cavalry were approaching, which was confirmed by some individuals exclaiming They are coming! they are coming!" The crowd instantly fled in all directions, the orator being amongst the foremost of the fugitives.

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Having recovered from their panic, they reassembled for the last time. A person of the name of Johnson, formerly employed in the Manchester Police-office, but who, some time since, was discharged from his situation, was now observed in the crowd, and recognised by some of the mob. Instantly a cry was raised of "A spy, a spy!" and an attack was made on the unfortunate man, who was abused and beaten in a shocking

manner.

About half-past seven the mob determined on attacking the fac

tory of Messrs. Johnson and Brookes, which is situated at New Islington, and contains between sixty and seventy power-looms. Having reached the mill, they proceeded to attack it on both sides, in order more readily to effect an entrance. Every pane of glass within the reach of their missiles was instantly broken: they pulled down part of a wall, and had just effected a breach in a postern door leading into the factory yard, when Messrs. Johnson and Brookes' foreman, and a few watchmen who had been left to protect the premises, saw that resistance on their part was now necessary. At this moment there were not fewer than 3,000 men crowding through the narrow passages that surround the building, who, perceiving a breach made on one side, rushed towards it amid loud shouts of, “Come on, come on!" The men stationed within the mill now fired two shots from the front windows, both of which took effect. The mob fell back for a moment ;— three of their party appeared to be wounded, and one fell. He was picked up by his companions and carried to a neighbouring shop, where it was suggested he should be taken to the infirmary. Having carried the wounded man a short distance, they stopped, and appeared uncertain whether to proceed to the infirmary with their companion or return and again attack the factory. For a moment the advisers of the latter proceeding seemed to prevail. The wounded man was laid on the groundsome of the party cried out, is dead" and others exclaiming "Back, back," and "When, when!" (this latter is their watchword and signal of attack.) Finally, the rioters retired, carrying their com

"He

rade with them to the infirmary. The two others who were wounded, were not seriously injured.

Soon after these occurrences, the military, headed by Mr. Foster, the magistrate, arrived at the spot, but the rioters had disappeared, and a few stragglers who remained, quietly dispersed on the Riot-act being read.

Johnson and Brookes' factory having been attacked the same night that Mr. Beaver's mill was set on fire, the proprietors had procured a supply of ammunition and fire-arms, and stationed watchmen to protect their premises; and to this timely precaution their escape last night is to be attributed.

During the remaining part of the night all remained quiet.

3. AFFRAY AT BRADFORD.Every thing here remained quiet till this day, when a meeting was held upon Fairweather-green, in pursuance of the following notice: "PUBLIC MEETING ON FAIR

WEATHER-GREEN.

"At the suggestion of some of our employers, we, the Woolcombers and Stuff-weavers of Bradford and its vicinity, hereby convene a meeting on Fairweathergreen, on Wednesday, the 3rd of May, 1826, at one o'clock, to take into consideration the present unparalleled distress and famishing state of the operatives, and if possible, to devise some prompt and effectual means to afford them relief.

"A numerous attendance is particularly requested."

(No signatures.) At one o'clock not more than a dozen people were on the ground, but they continued to increase till near three, when there were perhaps 1000. They seemed quite at a loss what to do. There were no

hustings erected, or other preparations made; and being without leader or spokesman of any description, they appeared quite undecided as to the object of their meeting, except what was contained in the general terms expressed in the hand-bills. Nor could it be ascertained, although inquiry was made on the spot, who it was that called them together. There seemed, however, to be an understanding amongst them, that they were going to march to the mill of Messrs. Horsfall, as they did on Monday. After forming in several groups, they again moved in a body to Messrs. Horsfall's mill, where they arrived a little before four o'clock, and began throwing stones at the windows as before. The squares, which had been broken on Monday, about 240 in number, had been since glazed. They continued at this work for about half an hour, till they had completely driven in three of the windows, stancheons, frames, and every thing connected with them. On Tuesday workmen had been employed in fixing iron bars in front of the lower windows; and, as the doors were secured by strong threeinch-deals, it was almost impossible to force an entrance. At halfpast four o'clock, colonel Plumbe Tempest, accompanied by a number of special constables, stood on the ground adjoining the mill, and read the Riot-act. The mob still showed no disposition to disperse, but continued throwing stones at the windows for some time afterwards. All other efforts hitherto adopted proving unavailing, the persons who were in the mill, amounting to about 100, fired upon the mob. wounded several, and made the others leave that part of the ground, and go to