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long, by more than 100 deep, which seems now almost to separate this immense block from the mighty rampart over which it fearfully impends; and from the rapid disintegration of the shale at its base, it already hangs but insecurely, and threatens, long, to tumble by its own specific gravity. Under these circumstances, Mr. Forsyth had determined to shake off this crag by an artificial earthquake, on the 6th; but, the colonial government hearing of this project, and sir John Colburne fearing, perhaps, that the whole cataract might be blown up, and the Upper Lakes let out to drown his beautiful capital of York, leaving the Welland-canal high and dry, issued an order to prevent the explosion, and avert the dire catastrophe.

"The next exhibition was the descent of a schooner, at 3 o'clock. She was towed to the foot of Grand Island, and left to her own guidance. At first she looked like a little dark spot upon the water, increasing in size as it was borne down the current. The waters above the Rapids were as smooth as a sea of glass; and the sun shone upon them as upon the surface of a polished mirror. Her velocity became quicker as she glided gracefully onward; by and by, her masts were discernible; and then the streaks upon her sides. Approaching the Rapids, she plunged into the breakers, and with a loud crash away went both masts in an instant. Now she was lost in the surf; and now again she rose on the surge; and, though dismasted, plunged gallantly among the successive breakers. But her struggle was short. She had entered the Rapids at too great a distance from the shore; and wheeling round in

an eddy, broadside to the current, she struck upon a flat rock, about midway between Goat Island and the shore, where she now lies, the hull entire, bidding defiance to the impetuous torrent which comes dashing against and rushing by her.

A promise had been made, which nobody believed would be performed, that Mr. Samuel Patch, should leap the cataract on the day following, at twelve o'clock precisely. It was arranged that he should leap from a ladder, erected at the foot of a precipice below Goat Island, midway between the British and American falls. Sam came out from a cleft in the rock, dressed in white, and quickly ascended the ladder, amidst cheers so loud that they would have been heard far abroad, had it not been for the roaring of the turbulent Niagara. At length he reached the pinnacle, where he sat for a moment like a sea-gull upon the corner of a cloud. Now he stretched himself to his full length, bowed as gracefully as he could to the gentlemen, kissed his hand to the softer sex, and made his fearful leap. He sank down, and disappeared in the whirling cauldron, which closed upon and boiled over him. A boat was plying briskly round the eddy, to assist him as soon as he should rise to the surface. But nothing was seen of him, till he was discovered clambering up the rocks."

NEW REGULATIONS RESPECTING THE PORT OF LONDON.The new by-laws, rules, orders, and regulations relating to the Port of London, which received the approbation of the Court of Common Council and the Elder Brothers of the Trinity-house, have been allowed and approved of by the Chief Justice of the Commou

Pleas, in the absence of the Lord Chancellor, and are now in full operation. The day and night duty of the harbour masters has been strictly defined. Formerly the harbour masters were in the habit of resisting the authority of the Port committee, having been appointed by the Lord Mayor to their situations, and no specific arrangements having been made to control them; but, by the new regulations, an effectual authority has been established. Such of the harbour masters, as shall, from time to time, be appointed the principal or superintending harbour master, shall have the sole and entire control of the executive part of the harbour service, to enforce the due observance of the by-laws and other regulations, which may from time to time be established, and shall execute all other matters which shall be ordered by the Lord Mayor, Alderman, and Common Council, or any committee appointed by them. The harbour masters are required to obey the orders which the superintending harbour master may think it necessary to issue for the effectual performance of the harbour service; and the latter is authorized to issue orders independently of the meeting of the other harbour masters. He is, however, to be responsible for issuing orders which shall not be in accordance with the spirit and intent of the act of parliament, and the by-laws and regulations established under its authority. The day duty of the harbour masters, of whom there are four instead of five, as formerly constituted, is as follows:-One of the three, under the superintending harbour master, is to continue upon duty during the whole of the flood tide, and the first two hours after high

water, and is, during that time, to have the superintendance and direction of the navigating, placing, mooring, unmooring, and removing all ships and vessels, steam boats, lighters, and craft, in the Thames, between London-bridge and Duke's-shore. The second harbour master is to act with similar power from Duke's-shore to Blackwall. The third harbour master is, on the day on which the two first are on duty, to be off duty, and to take his regular turn. The night duty is this-One of the three harbour masters is, on the first night, to continue on duty for the last two hours of the flood, and first hour of the ebb tides, and is, during that time, to go to the lower station, to stop ships, vessels, and steam boats, if necessary, or to direct them where to go; and, when no more ships, vessels, or steam boats, are likely to pass Blackwall, he is to go up with the last of the tide, and see how the ships, &c. have taken their births. The other two harbour masters are to take their turns. Strict impartiality in the mooring, unmooring, &c. of ships, is required of the harbour masters. They are not to receive any gratuity, fee, or reward, under any pretence, from any person, for anything done or omitted to be done by them, in the discharge of their duties. Buoys are to be placed, marking the passage to be kept clear in the river, and any vessel injuring those buoys will be subject to a penalty of ten pounds. For the purpose of preserving a free and unobstructed passage through the lower and upper Pools, of such a sufficient width, that ships, vessels, and steam boats, of large dimensions and draught of water, may navigate up and down, without impediment or risk, the width of

the passage is not to be less than three hundred feet. Every barge, lighter, or other craft, is to pass along the river singly and separately, under the penalty of forty shillings. The other arrangements comprehend a great variety of directions as to the mooring, unmooring, and re-moving of vessels.

12. MANCHESTER.-This morning, between the hours of five and six o'clock, it was discovered that the extensive warehouses belonging to the company of merchants trading to and from Liverpool, Leeds, York, and Halifax, had taken fire. Many fire-engines were immediately upon the spot, but, notwithstanding the plentiful supply of water (the Rochdale canal adjoining the premises), the fire had proceeded too far to leave any hopes of checking its progress, until the demolition of the premises had been accomplished. The firemen, therefore, directed their labours to the preservation of the adjoining warehouses, belonging to private individuals, which appeared to be in danger. About half-past five the fire assumed a most terrific aspect; the landingplaces were in flames; the roof came down with a tremendous crash: four barrels of gunpowder, which were on the premises, exploded, shook the tottering timbers like an earthquake, and caused them to fall instantaneously down, bringing with them a part of the brick-work. The buildings at this time seemed like the blazing of one enormous furnace, the company's warehouses being full of bales of cotton. The firemen endeavoured amongst the burning ruins to rescue some property in the further end of the premises, which was of very great value: they had played upon it with the engines

for a length of time; and, at last, sixteen or seventeen of them proceeded to venture their lives in endeavouring to rescue it from the flames: but just as they had reached the spot, a part of the wall gave way and buried several beneath the ruins. Fortunately they were all saved, with the exception of one, who was so mutilated that he expired in a few minutes. At four o'clock in the afternoon the fire was still raging. The canal, which runs alongside the warehouses, appeared like a lake of liquid fire, the surface for a considerable distance being covered with burning cotton; the branches of the canal, which lead to the interior of the destroyed warehouses, were wholly blocked up with burning rubbish, and the canal itself had the appearance, from the smoke, of boiling

water.

14. DRURY-LANE THEATRE.Mr. Lister's tragedy of Epicharis, was performed for the first time. It is founded on the story of the widely-extended conspiracy of Piso against the infamous Nero, told in the latter part of the fifteenth book of the annals of Tacitus. The deviations from Tacitus are principally in these points:-the introduction of Epicharis as the betrothed bride of Flavius ;—a change of the scene of interview between Epicharis and Volusius Proculous, from the neighbourhood of Misenum to Rome; and an alteration with respect to the mode of death of some of the dramatis persone. The following are the main features of the plot :-Caius Piso (Mr. Wallack), an eloquent and popular patrician, ambitious of ascending to sovereign power, has formed a conspiracy against Nero (Mr. Cooper). Individuals of various ranks, and having various views, are link

ed with him in the undertaking. Amongst these is Subrius Flavius (Mr. Young), a military tribune, whose only object is to free his country from an abominable tyranny. Between him and Epicharis (Miss Phillips) a mutual affection exists; and, prior to the blow being struck against the emperor, he is induced, in consequence of the patriotic spirit evinced by his betrothed, to intrust her with the secret, and with the names of several of the conspirators. She determines to strengthen the band by winning over Volusius Proculus (J. Vining), and Proculus avows his readiness to join the conspirators, provided that she will consent to bestow her hand upon him, which she had formerly refused. This offer she rejects with disdain, and Proculus proceeds to denounce her to the emperor, before whom she is interrogated. She declares that it is revenge which stimulates Proculus to make the accusation; and, as she has not intrusted him with the names of any of the conspirators, the discovery of which would have given weight to his testimony, her asseveration is believed, but she is still kept in custody. Meantime Flavius, distracted at the loss of his mistress,-for, when she announced to him what had happened, he had advised her, in order to escape Nero's tortures, to give her hand to Proculus-attends a meeting of the conspirators. He informs them that he had made Epicharis acquaintwith their designs, and they, enraged at this betrayal, adjudge him to die. They are about to carry the sentence into execution, when the guards of Nero rush in, and seize Scevinus, Natalis, and Senecio, three of the conspirators, while they unbind Flavius, and set him at liberty. He is convinced that VOL. LXXI.

Epicharis has betrayed the cause, and his mind is wrought up to a state of desperation. From this he is relieved by his friend Asper (Mr. Younge), from whom he learns that the plot had been revealed, not by Epicharis, but by Milichus, the freedman of Scevinus. His hopes revive, and he hastens to the house of Piso, to stir him up to action; but Piso, having heard that he was denounced by his friend, Natalis, has taken poison, and dies in the arms of Flavius. Still he thinks that a blow may be struck to rid the world of Nero, and he is anxious to attempt it. He encounters Fenius Rufus (Mr. Aitken), præfect of the prætorian guard, and also a conspirator, to whom he communicates his intention. By him he is informed that Epicharis, immediately after the discovery of the conspiracy by Milichus, underwent the torture of the rack with unbending constancy. Flavius, on receiving this intelligence, becomes madly eager for vengeance; and Rufus, who secretly hates him, urges him on to the deed, basely intending, when he makes an attempt on Nero's life, to foil his purpose, and thus bring down ruin on his head. Through the influence of Rufus, he obtains access to the dungeon of Epicharis, and acquaints her with the scheme which he has formed for the destruction of Nero, when she is next brought before him. He gives her a written paper, in which he denounces himself, and counsels Epicharis, when again questioned, to call on the emperor to allow Flavius, and none but Flavius, to receive the scroll of confession from her, and to place it in his hands. After much entreaty she consents to take this course. She is again examined, and refuses to declare

N

what she knows of the conspiracy. By Nero's order, a poisonous draught is presented to her, and she is commanded to confess or drink. She at length, as had been arranged with Flavius, consents to give, through him, the fatal scroll to the emperor. Flavius advances, intending, as he presents the paper, to slay Nero, but is treacherously betrayed by Rufus, and is seized by the guards. Rufus, at the moment of his treachery, falls by the hand of Asper, and Epicharis, seeing her lover about to be led to execution, swallows the poisonous potion, and dies. The deficiency of incident and action caused some of the scenes to pass off heavily. The tragedy was however announced for repetition with the applause of the audience.

16. Loss oF THE DOLPHIN.— The Dolphin, which was a very old store-ship, had been laid down as a convict hulk for above twelve years, and had become somewhat crazy and wall-sided. There had been erections made on the deck, and she was top-heavy. At ebbtide, she was supported by piles, being moored within one hundred and fifty paces of the dock, which was left dry when the tide was out. From the hulk to the shore was affixed a platform, on which two persons could walk abreast. The overseer of the Dolphin, Captain Lloyd, retired to bed with his wife in his cabin, on Thursday night before eleven o'clock, and left the quarter-master in care of the vessel. In consequence of the high tides in the Medway within the last few weeks, a great quantity of mud had settled under the bottom of the ship; and the accident, which ensued, was owing to this circumstance that the bottom of the vessel adhered to the mud by

suction, till the water had risen six feet higher on the side of the vessel, than it would have done had the vessel risen with the tide; so that the hold became filled with water, which forced its way through the scuppers. Before any alarm was given, the lower deck was covered with two feet of water, and at that moment two hundred human beings, buried in profound sleep, were locked in, totally unconscious of their perilous situation. There were nearly two hundred more convicts on the second deck, and, in all, the vessel contained nearly five hundred persons. It was precisely one o'clock on Friday morning, when the Dolphin fell upon her beam ends. The cries, groans, and yells of the convicts were terrific; and the inhabitants of the village of Upnor, which is about half-a-mile distant from the part of the river where the Dolphin was lying, were alarmed by the dreadful sounds which had broken their slumbers. In a few minutes the alarm was given that the vessel was sinking; a gun was fired as a signal of distress, the bells of the dock-yard and garrison were rung, and blue lights were hung out at the mast of every vessel on the river. The troops in the garrison, -in all about two hundred-were mustered in about twenty minutes on the beach in the dock-yard; and during that period captain Lloyd, the quarter-master, and the boatswain, were actively engaged in using all their efforts to save the lives of the convicts. About one hundred and fifty of the convicts had by that time escaped from the lower deck; many having been pulled through the port-holes (the stanchions of which had been beaten in), and others having es