425 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



4th'. At a general meeting held 

 ihis day at the exchange in Leicester, 

 convened by the mayor, at the re- 

 quest of the physicians, and clergy 

 of that ancient borough, it was una- 

 nimously agreed to commence a 

 subscription for establishing a hu- 

 mane society on the plan of that 

 trhich has so long been successfully 

 established in London; Dr. Hawts, 

 the treasurer of that benevolent in- 

 stitution, with that philanthropy for 

 ■which he is so eminently distinguish- 

 ed, having assisted in its promotion, 

 and countenanced it w ith his patro- 

 nage. 



5th. So destructive has the small- 

 pox lately proved at Hull, that 268 

 persons, chiefly children, have died 

 in the course of 28 days only ! 



The body of John Archer, late a 

 seaman on board his majesty's ship 

 Theseus, captain Temple, was taken 

 lip at Chatham, after it had been 

 buried, in consequence of suspicion 

 having arisen that he died through 

 excess of punishment. The jury 

 met, adjourned several times, and 

 examined a number of witnesses, 

 wliose evidence appears contradic- 

 tory. A sergeant of marines has 

 gone so far as to state, that the man 

 svas very severely and repeatedly 

 punished ; and that, at the time pu- 

 nishment was inflicted on him, the 

 man could not walk, but was 

 brought up from below by several 

 men, and laid down across a gun, 

 not being able to stand upright, and 

 was llosced in that situation. The 

 surgeon of the ship, on the con- 

 trary, states, that the man has not 

 been severely treated, and that, 

 when lie was called to see him, his 

 case appeared so lenient, that his 

 attendance was not required. The 

 jury, however, have delivered the 

 solemn verdict of — wilful murder. 



lOth. Their majesties came to 



town, for the first time since their i 

 return from Weymouth. About 2 

 o'clock, a council was held at the 

 queen's house ; when an order was 

 made for further proroguing parlia- 

 ment until the 28th of November. 

 It was generally thought, however, 

 that a further prorogation of parlia- 

 ment would take place until the 21st ; 

 of January, when it will meet for i 

 the dispatch of business. 



1 4th. A large meteor, like a ball 

 of fire, fell near the north-west part 

 of Shrewsbury, this evening, about 

 nine. The light produced by it was 

 very great. 



An e.xperiment of a new-invented 

 machine for destroying ships at an- 

 chor was tried in the Downs, and 

 succeeded in the most complete 

 manner. A large brig was anchored 

 abreast of Walmer-castle, about 

 three quarters of a mile from the 

 shore. Two or three gallies then 

 rowed off, and placed the machine 

 across the cable of the brig, which, 

 by the running of the tide, was soon 

 forced under her bottom, about the 

 centre of the keel, where it attaches 

 itself. 1 n a few minutes, the clock- 

 work of the machinery having per- 

 formed its operation, a small cloud 

 of smoke was seen to rise from the 

 vessel, which in a moment after was 

 blown to atoms, without any noise 

 or appearance of fire. In about 27 

 or 28 seconds, not a vestige of the 

 brig was to be seen, as the frag- 

 ments were then level with the wa- 

 ter's edge. General Don, with a 

 number of military and naval offi- 

 cers, went with sir Sydney Smith to 

 Mr. Pitt's, at Walmer-castle, to 

 witness the experiment, and ex- 

 pressed the utmost astonishment at 

 the destructive powers of the inven- 

 tion. 



15th. A great number of large 

 porpoises haVe been lately tumbling; 



a,bou6 



