152 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



with sixteen smaller, complete the 

 set They are to be the ornaments 

 of the palace at Hyderabad. The 

 great chandelier is to be suspended 

 at the head of a state staircase, 50 

 feet high ; the two smaller, crowned 

 with golden circlets, and wreathed 

 at the foot with ornaments of grapes 

 and vine-leaves, to be in the cen- 

 ter of the banqueting-room ; the 

 sixteen others to range along the 

 wall. The whole are designed by 

 Mr. F. Jones. 



18. The Alban cutter, Lieuten- 

 ant Key, was driven in from her 

 station on the coast of Holland, 

 and being forced on shore at Aid- 

 borough, in Suffolk, became a 

 complete wreck. Out of a crew of 

 56 men, only one seaman was 

 saved. The surgeon, Mr. Thomp- 

 son, came on shore with some life 

 in him, but died immediately after. 

 There were also three women and 

 two children on board, of whom one 

 woman, the servant of Mrs. Key, 

 was saved. 



The following particulars of the 

 loss of this vessel are stated by a 

 gentleman who was a spectator of 

 this deplorable catastrophe. He 

 says, that the cutter had been 

 cruizing, or was going to cruize, on 

 the coast of Holland ; — that, ow- 

 ing, it is supposed, to tlie ignorance 

 of the pilot, slie had struck on a 

 sand-bank, when they were obliged 

 to throw the guns overboard, and 

 cutaway their mast,after which they 

 drifted at the mercy of most tre- 

 mendous weather for three days, 

 when they were driven, on Friday 

 morning, at eight o'clock, on the 

 beach in front of the town of Aid- 

 borough. The surf was so high 

 that no boat could be put off; but 

 the beach being steei , the vessel 

 was thrown up very high, and the 



tide retreating, the people of the 

 town were soon able to reach the 

 Vessel. Though all the crew seemed 

 to be safe at eight, by nine there 

 were only three remaining alive— 

 a young man, a woman (servant to 

 the captain's wife ) , and the surgeon. 

 The crew consisted of 56, Mrs. 

 Key, wife of Lieutenant Key, who 

 commanded the vessel, and two 

 children. The surgeon unaccount- 

 ably jumped overboard at the time 

 that relief was giving to them, and 

 was lost. The great loss of lives 

 seems to have been occasioned by 

 the state of intoxication of the men, 

 some of whom were found drowned 

 in the vessel. As the cutter did not 

 go to pieces, it is difficult other- 

 wise to account for such a melan- 

 choly catastrophe. 



18. On Friday night a fire broke 

 out at the Swan Inn, Wangford, 

 Essex, which in less than two hours 

 destroyed the whole of those exten- 

 sive premises, together with the 

 stock, furniture, &c. Great fears 

 were at one period entertained for 

 the safety of the greater part of the 

 village ; but fortunately, by the 

 activity of the inhabitants, the 

 flames were prevented spreading 

 further. A poor old woman, 83 

 years of age, who was an in- 

 mate, perished in the flames. 



Belfait,Dec. 1 9^/2. —On Thursday 

 morning, about three o'clock, the 

 new raised men on board the Nep- 

 tune tender, lying in the Lough, 

 broke through the pressroom, and 

 took possession of the vessel. After 

 confining the crew of the tender 

 below, and securing the hatches, 

 they lowered down the boats, and 

 twenty-six chiefly impressed men, 

 effected their escape,and proceeded 

 towards the shore. Owing, how- 

 ever, to the tempestuous weather, 



or 



