Ct Vrnuiurrg.
The military are-very active at Dover in repairing and improving parts of the fortifications ; and a new battery is in progress on the Western heights, which will command the harbour and part of the Deal road.
Forts are to be erected at Carey's Sconce and Warden's Ledge, at the Western extremity of the Isle of Wight. Batteries existed on these spots three hundred years ago.
There has been a general strike of the seamen employed by the Peninsu- lar and Oriental Steam Company this week, at Southampton ; and their example has been followed by the sailors of the Royal West India Mail Company. The cause assigned is, that the General Screw Steam-ship Company allow their men fifty-five shillings a month with grog, and the others demand to be placed on the same footing. The Companies feel aggrieved that the men should have suddenly refused to sign articles on the eve of ships' being ready for sea ; and as the mail-packets are bound tinder heavy penalties to sail at an appointed time, steps were taken to obtain men from London, rather than to employ the old hands, after such conduct.
At the Lancaster Spring Assizes, there was an action at the suit of Mrs. Jane Angus Robertson, against Mr. Thomas Butler Cole, a Magistrate, pos- sessing a large fortune, and' residing near Lancaster, for breach of prbmise of marriage. It appears that Mr. Cole advertised for a housekeeper or com- panion, and that a Miss Morton consulted Mrs. Robertson as to the propriety of answering the advertisement. This led to the introduction of Mrs. Robertson to Mr. Cole, at that time a married man, though living apart from his wife. In 1851 Mrs. Robertson visited Mr. Cole, at his seat, Beaumont Cote, in Lancashire, and staid there several days. Subsequently he visited her in London ; and, in the presence of a Miss Murray, during a dinner at Richmond, he spoke of marrying Mrs. Robertson, of taking a house for them, and pressed Miss Murray to act as bridesmaid : March 1852 was fixed as the time for the marriage. In the mean time, the lady had learned that women of a doubtful character had been staying at the house of Mr. Cole, and she reproached him therewith. Ultimately, he broke off the engagement, and refused explanation ; and when Mrs. Robertson, bent on obtaining one, went to his house, his servants were ordered to expel her. The breach of promise was admitted, and no justification was pleaded. The case did not go to the Jury, but was settled by a private arrangement.
From the evidence of the surgeon who examined the body of Mr. Elms, who was found dead near Bishop's Sutton, on the 8th, it seemed most pro- bable that the cause of death was apoplexy. The cuts and bruises on the face and other parts were merely superficial, and insufficient to produce death. Elms, it turned out, had drunk a great deal of cider, brandy and water, and
gin, though it seemed to take little effect upon him. It is conjectured he ran against the cart at the side of the road, or fell on the road ; that an apoplectic fit ensued ; that he fell again where he was found, and expired. The Jury returned a verdict of "Found dead."
Two new 'garotte robberies have occurred at Leeds—a town which was formerly notorious for that crime, but which had recently been free from it.
most extraordinary robbery has been perpetrated at Macclesfield. Mr. Dean, an upholsterer, lives at Park Green, one of the most frequented tho- roughfares in the town : he is treasurer to a loan society. Last Saturday evening, he took home in a carpet-hag upwards of 200/., 1381. of which was in silver and more than 201. in gold. On Sunday evening about seven o'clock, Mrs. Dean, an elderly lady, was seated in the back parlour, conversing with two neighbours—Mr. Jackson a draper, and Miss Newton a dressmaker : Mr. Dean was from home. When Mr. Jackson entered, a quarter of an hour before, the shop-door was left unfastened—by turning a 'mob outside the latch would be raised. A noise was heard in the shop, and Miss Newton discovered that five men had obtained admission. They. entered the parlour —all masked, and armed with pistols. At first Mr. Jackson and the women thought that some neighbours were playing off a foolish joke. But they were soon undeceived; for the intruders demanded of Mrs. Dean the deeds of the loan society. She said she had none. The robbers tied Mr. Jackson to a chair, and three kept watch in the parlour while their companions searched the house. The robbersienew the names of their prisoners; and they did not rob Mr. Jackson of a gold watch which he had in his pocket: one of the men told him they did not want anything belonging to him, and after looking at the watch returned it to him. The leader of the gapg came again into the room, and de- manded her keys from Mrs. Dean ; putting his pistol to her face, but himself taking them from her Rocket. After remaining in the ileum about half an hour, the robbers, having first bound the women to their chairs,. left the premises by a back-door. They carried away the carpet-bag containing the money and a silver watch. While this cool burglary was proceeding, hun- dreds of persona were passing the shop, and twenty yards from the back of the house was a chapel filled by a crowded congregation. As soon as Mr. Jackson could free himself, he gave an alarm to the Police • but no trace of the robbers was discovered. Several circumstances have Police; remembered
which seem to show that the outikge was very deliberately planned. The demand for the deeds of the loan society is considered to denote that the thieves were connected with some of the borrowers, or borrowers themselves. A reward of 1001. has been offered.
Mr. Edward Horrocks, a silk-manufacturer on a small scale at Maccles- field, has been fined 20/. for the unlawful possession of silk, and the silk itself was forfeited. The Magistrates considered the circumstances of the possession of other silk very suspicious, but gave Horrocks the benefit of a doubt. The large manufacturers of Macclesfield have formed an association to prosecute cases similar to this : it has been estimated that they are plun- dered of silk worth 15,0001. every year. Children are taught to pilfer small quantities; it is purchased of them at a very low price, and is worked up by small manufacturers, who are enabled to undersell the honest tradesman.
Josiah Pitt, a respectable-looking young man, has been committed for trial by the Liverpool Magistrates for uttering a forged cheek. Pitt was clerk to Mr. Mavrogodata, a merchant; a blank check was abstracted from the mer- chant's book ; a check for 51/, was presented by the prisoner at the bank, and it was cashed : this check, it turned out, was forged.
While Mr. 011ivant, a silversmith of Manchester, was counting up money in the evening at a desk near the shop-door, a man suddenly darted in, matched a bundle of hank-notes, and attempted to regain the street with his prize ; his foot slipped, and in the effort to save himself from falling he broke the string round the bundle of notes, and they were scattered on the floor : he made a clutch at some of them, and carried off about 2001. ; but he had left 13001: of notes behind.
Mr. Phillips, a Southampton solicitor, has been missing from his home for nearly a fortnight. It was stated that his mind was affected. The general impression in Southampton was that he had been murdered while wander- ing about the country, and his body concealed. No intelligence reached Southampton concerning him till Thursday sennight, when a policeman arrived with the news that Mr. Phillips had been found in an outhouse- at Droxford, about sixteen miles from Southampton, perishing from cold, hunger, and distress of mind.
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