CHRONICLE. 



149 



that the firemen were permitted 

 to approach. All the damage 

 done by the flames, and the total 

 Avant of arrangement, could not 

 be estimated on the day following. 

 The interior of the principal uing 

 is absolutely destroyed. The loss 

 in rich furniture, clothing, &c. is 

 immense. 



^8. St. Croiv CTeneriffeJ. — Se- 

 veral corsairs, who are thought to 

 be independent Americans, deso- 

 late ovir seas, and seize on aU 

 Spanish vessels they meet. Their 

 object is principally to procure 

 arms and ammunition ; they some- 

 times respect merchandise, but 

 ships charged for the government 

 never escape them, and after 

 plundering, they generally sink 

 them. The galliot the St. Anne 

 experienced this misfortune five 

 days since in our seas. The Spa- 

 nish government displays great 

 energy in repressing these rob- 

 bers, who are the scourge of all 

 nations ; but their audacity de- 

 langes the wisest measures. The 

 forces that we expect will put an 

 end to their excesses. Some gun- 

 vessels have been equipped to pro- 

 tect the coasting trade. We have 

 also established watch-towers and 

 new batteries. 



This being the day appointed 

 for opening the navigation of the 

 " Weyand Arun Junction Canal," 

 the Eiirl of Egremont, with a nu- 

 merous company of friends and 

 • hareholders, attended by the 

 Mayor and Aldermen of Guild- 

 ford, assembled at Alford, where, 

 after having prrwided a plentiful 

 entertainment for the navigators, 

 consisting of a rf)asted ox and 200 

 gallons of ale, they embarked on 

 the canal in four barges, enliven- 



ed by two bands of music. The 

 weather ii) the early part of the 

 morning was rather inauspicious, 

 but towards noon it cleared up, 

 and the procession, a little after 

 three, was discei'neci from St. 

 Catherine's-hill near Guildford. 

 The sunshine which now broke 

 out, combined with the unrivalled 

 scenery of the favourite spot, the 

 music, and numerous assemblage 

 of spectators, and the merry peal 

 of the bells of Guildford, Shal- 

 foid, and Godalming, all heard 

 at this time, gave an eifect to the 

 scene which could not be con- 

 templated but with the most lively 

 and pleasing emotions. About 

 four o'clock the interesting spec- 

 tacle reached Guildford biidge, 

 when the Mayor and Aldermen 

 landed, and having assumed the 

 regalia of the corporation, and 

 being joined by the other branches 

 of it, accompanied by one of the 

 town Members, neighbouring 

 gentry, and magistrates, and at- 

 tended by a band of music and 

 colours, they welcomed the arrival 

 of Lord Egremont and his friends. 

 The whole then went in procession 

 to the ^Vhite Hart inn, where one 

 hundred and thirty persons par- 

 took of a sumptuous dinner. The 

 Canal, ft'om its leaving the Arun 

 at Newbridge, to its junction with 

 the Wey, near Bramly, is a cut of 

 18 miles, and has been three 

 years in completing, having been 

 commenced in July, 1813. One 

 of its leading advantages a\ ill be 

 a great reduction in the price of 

 fuel, as coals, which, within a 

 month, sold at Guildford at 31. 3s. 

 per chaldron; are now offered at 

 .50s. It V ill also afford a facility 

 to the agriculturist for the disj 



posal 



