JANUARY.

2d.-Messrs Brander, McLeod, Grant, Blakiston, Lewis, Tattnall, Hall, and Meek, midshipmen of the royal navy, arrived in London on Tuesday last, having effected their escape from the prison of Givet, in France, after nearly four years' im. prisonment in that country. On their way towards the coast they picked up and brought with them a poor British seaman with a wooden leg, who effected his escape from the prison of Arras.

3d.-Monday night, about eleven o'clock, a dreadful fire broke out in the premises of Mr Pocock, a coal and timber merchant, at Whitefriars Wharf, between Blackfriars Bridge and the Temple. The whole of these extensive premises were soon in flames, and continued burning until the whole of their valuable contents, consisting of immense piles of coals and timber, were entirely consumed. The extensive range of stabling, belonging to Mr Pocock, and several valuable horses also, shared the same fate. The greatest apprehensions were entertained for the houses which surround the

VOL. III. PART II.

timber-yard, but they escaped destruction, though not without considerable damage. The great heat which this immense body of fire threw out, prevented the engines from approaching near enough to produce any effect. The blaze of light which issued from the conflagration illuminated the metropolis, and created so much alarm as to crowd almost all the streets with people, who fancied the next house to their's was in flames. The damage done is estimated at several thousand pounds. Some apprehensions were entertained for the Grand Junction Canal store-house; and, even in the Inner Temple, seve ral engines were brought down to the bottom of King's Bench Walk, under the idea that the fire might possibly extend to that quarter.

UNION-HALL.-A person who lives in Bermondsey-street, attended at the office, and stated, that in the house where he lodged, he had reason to believe there were a parcel of human bones concealed in the cellar, and that, in fact, his wife had seen a hand, the fingers of which still retained some of their flesh, although in a mouldering state. Upon this in

A