Gazette Of The United States

BY THIS DAY's MAIL.

LONDON, March 11.

A person who was lately visiting the Museum of Mr. Wallis, the celebrated gunsmith, at Hull, happened to take hold of a very curious fowling piece, and fixed his attention so particularly upon it, that Mr. Wallis, not much liking the appearance of the man, civilly requested him to replace the gun where he had found it: the man replied, "the gun was not charged, and therefore there was no danger of its going off." "True," replied Mr. W. but I had a fowling-piece of the same kind stolen the other day, so that you see it may go off, tho' it is not charged."

March 16.

Yesterday arrived at Falmouth the Princess Royal packet, Capt. Skinner, in 39 days from Tortola. Captain Skinner brings the agreeable intelligence, that his Majesty's ships, the Majestic and Matilda, with several sail of transports, were arrived at Martinique; and it was reported that in all between 2 and 3000 troops of the armament of admiral Christian, had arrived at the place of their destination; so that there are now about 6000 men fit for service in the islands, a force which, it is believed, will at least keep the enemy at bay.

It will be seen, by our report of the proceedings in the House of Commons last night, that the bill for the abolition of the slave trade has been lost by a majority of four. The surprise and consternation which pervaded the House on the occasion, exceeded any thing of the kind we ever before witnessed. To Mr. Wilberforce's complacency, in postponing this question from day to day, for the accommodation of Mr. Dundas, is to be attributed the fate which has thus befallen it.

SHEERNESS, March 8.

At 9 o'clock this morning the signal for execution was made on board the Defiance man of war, by firing a gun, and hoisting a yellow flag at the foretopgallant mast head: a Lieutenant, in a boat manned and armed, was immediately sent from each ship to witness the awful scene: the crews of the respective ships were called on deck, and the articles of war read to them by their captains, who afterwards warned them to take example from the fate of the unhappy men who were about to suffer. The Rev. Dr. Hatherall, Chaplain of the Sandwich, who has constantly been with the prisoners since their condemnation, administered the sacrament to all of them, except Michael Cox and Martin Ealy, who were Roman Catholics. After praying with them until near 11 o'clock, they were brought on deck, and the ropes fixed around their necks, when John Flint, George Whitlock, John Lawson and William Handy, were made acquainted that his majesty had been pleased to pardon them. Handy, who had a wife and child on board, immediately ran down to her, and fainted in her arms, which presented a most affecting scene. The tears of thankfulness and joy adorned the cheeks of the hardy tars; and Lawson addressing the clergyman, said, "I am afraid I shall never again be so well prepared for eternity!" At a quarter past 11, the signal for the execution of the remainder was made by firing a gun, when Michael Cox, Robert McLaurin, John Sullivan, Martin Ealy, and William Morrison, were launched into eternity. After hanging the usual time, their bodies were sent on shore, to the agent at Sick Quarters, for interment. This awful spectacle had a due effect upon the several ships companies, who behaved in a very proper and becoming manner on the occasion.