WEST BRITON AND CORNWALL ADVERTISER APRIL 11, 1851 LOCAL INTELLIGENCE REAR ADMIRAL JOHN TOUP NICOLAS, C.B. &c - We regret to announce the death of this gallant officer, which took place on Tuesday se'nnight, at Windsor Terrace, Citadel Road, Plymouth. Rear-Admiral Nicolas was the eldest of five sons, (four of whom held commissions in the Navy), and was born near Helston, in this county, the 23rd of February, 1788, and was consequently in his 63rd year. He entered the profession in 1797, and after service in several ships of war, was promoted by the Admiralty to the "PILOT" 18, and sailed in her from Spithead, in April, 1810, with a large convoy of merchant shipping, under Captain DUNDAS, in the "EURYALUS". Captain Nicolas in the "PILOT" did very great service to his nation, while on the East and West Coasts of Calabria, where he captured and destroyed alone, upwards of one hundred and thirty of the enemy's vessels. On the 17th of June, 1815, the "PILOT" attacked the French man-of-war "LEGERE," mounting 28 guns, and caused her to run. On this occasion, Capt. Nicolas received post rank. On the 4th of June, 1815, the Prince Regent conferred on him the companionship of the Order of the Bath, and on the 4th of October in the same year, His Majesty the King of the Two Sicilies conferred on him the small cross of the Royal and Military order of St. Ferdinand and Merat, and on the 26th of April, 1816, he was raised to the rank of Knight Commander of the order of St. Ferdinand. In March and April 1816 the "PILOT" accompanied Lord Exmouth to Algiers and Tunis, when all the Neapolitan and Sardinian slaves were liberated and in July she was paid off. The last active appointment held by Capt. Nicolas was that of Captain Superintendent of the Royal William Victualling Yard. ............................................. LOCAL INTELLIGENCE ECCLESIASTICAL The REV. CHARLES LYNE has been presented to the perpetual curacy of Tywardreath, in this county, by Mr. WILLIAM RASHLEIGH, vacant by the resignation of the Rev. JOHN COVENTRY. Value, GBP 135 per annum. -The following rectories in this diocese are vacant, by the death of the REV. W. MOLESWORTH, and are in the gift of Sir W. MOLESWORTH, Bart., M.P. - St. Breocke, value GBP 859 with residence; St. Ervan, value GBP 400 with residence; and Beaworthy, Devon, value GBP 143 with residence. -The REV. CHARLES HENRY HOSKEN, late curate of Sherborne, Dorset, has lately received a testimonial of esteem and affection from the parishioners. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS Mr. WILLIAM DAVEY HAYE, of Callington, in this county, having undergone the necessary examinations for the diploma, was admitted a member of the college on Friday last. ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY Mr. CHARLES WHITFORD of St. Columb, and MR. GEORGE LOBB, Lawhitton, Launceston, have been elected members of the Royal Agricultural Society. PROBUS FAIR At this fair on Monday last, there was a good supply of cattle and sheep; but sales were not brisk though there were a great many bargains. Beef sold at from 38s. to 42s. per cwt., fat sheep at 5s 3/4d. per lb.; Ewes,and Lambs, 29s. to 37s. a couple. Lean cows fetched 28s. per cwt. There were but few plough oxen, and not many sales were effected with them. GREAT EXHIBITION The Cornwall Central Committee, have, in compliance with an invitation from the Royal Commissioners, nominated the following three gentlemen to fill the office of Jurymen in their respective classes. For Class 1 (Minerals), Mr. JOSEPH CARNE, Penzance. For Class 5 (Machinery), Mr. NICHOLAS HARVEY, Hayle. For Class 27 (Manufactured Stones, Marbles, &c.) Mr. W. M. TWEEDY, Truro. THE MOUSEHOLE FISHERMEN A correspondent writes as follows: The poverty with which the fishermen of Mousehole are at this time contending, cannot but be apparent to the most casual observer. Although some kind friend, within the last ten days, has supplied the wants of a few, still the main bulk of the people are in the most abject poverty, and the scarcity of fish on the coast seems to bode some dreadful deprivations. The fishermen have been industriously trying since Christmas, but I may say that during that time some of them have not earned the bread they have eaten, and I doubt not that many, through a delicacy of feeling to have their cases known, have felt all the severities of poverty. I trust that some kind friends will commiserate the case of these thrifty, but poor people, and endeavour to mitigate the calamity under which they are suffering, and grant them that timely aid which they so much stand in need of. ARSON - A correspondent requests us to contradict some of the statements in the paragraph under the above heading, which appeared in the West Briton of last week. The statement that a rick of hay was set fire to was, he says, incorrect, and it was also incorrectly stated that any indifference was shewn by the people to the destruction of Mr. Martin's property. Every one who could, assisted most strenuously in putting out the fire, and greater zeal in the matter could hardly have been shewn if the parties engaged had been attempting to save their own property. Our correspondent also contradicts the statement that the barn and stable were entered, and an attempt made to set fire to the building, which was prevented by there being no hay or straw contained in them. It appears that there was both hay and straw at the time, and that there is no reason to suppose that any such attempt was made. FIRE On Sunday last, one of the chimneys at Pendrea, in Gulval, the residence of Mr. J. S. BEDFORD, took fire, and the sparks ignited the roof, but by active exertions the fire was extinguished with but trifling damage. FURZE BRAKE ON FIRE On Monday evening last, about eight o'clock, a furze brake was wilfully set fire to, on Treworgans estate, in the parish of St. Erme, about three miles from Truro. The brake was about three acres in extent, and is the property of Mr. COLLINS, of Truthan. A number of persons were soon collected on the spot, from the neighbourhood, and from Truro, and the progress of the fire, which was burning fiercely, was eventually stopped by cutting a lane in the furze. A reward of GBP 10 has been offered by Mr. Collins for the discovery of the offenders, but hitherto without success. ACCIDENT FROM FIRE ARMS On Thursday evening, the wives of two men returning from Penzance market, had a dispute on the way with a man called HOLLOW, who lives near them in the parish of Sancreed. On arriving home, they told their husbands, named ELLIOT (father and son) of what had taken place, who went out and ill-used Hollow, and pulled him off his cart. He, fearing his life was in danger, ran into his house, caught up a gun, and dared his assailants to approach him - threatening to shoot them. They succeeded, however, in wresting the gun from him; when the elder Elliot, attempting to break the gun in pieces by dashing it against the wall of the house, the percussion cap which was on it suddenly exploded, and the gun proving to be loaded, the charge was instantly lodged in the lower part of one of his legs, carrying away almost all the flesh below the knee, and inflicting injuries which threaten to incapacitate him for labour for the remainder of his life. It appears that he did not believe at the time the piece was loaded. SAINT AGNES At the Polberrou Mines, on Saturday last, another severe accident happened to two men named ISAAC COCK and JOHN JAMES, miners, by the falling of some rocks from the back of the pitch where they were at work, and in the course of the accident, one noble incident occurred which will ever reflect honour on the miners. James was buried first, and Cock ran in to extricate his comrade, during which the ground still continued coming and Cock shared the same fate as James. In mines of this description there should be more timber used, and put into the hands of the men, for, from the modern improvements in machinery, men can obtain a respectable livelihood where some time since it could not be done, they, therefore, will risk in old mines much further than prudence will warrant, unless they have timber. It is politic too for the gain of any mine of this description. Both the men are now declared out of danger, although James will be a cripple for life. CORONER'S INQUESTS On Monday last, an inquest was held before Mr. JOHN CARLYON, county coroner, at the workhouse, Penryn, on the body of a child, named JAMES TRESIDDER, aged 7 years. Deceased was an illegitimate child, who had been deserted by his mother, and resided with a family by the name of MOYLE, in the parish of Constantine. During their temporary absence he caught his clothes on fire in attempting to lift a teakettle from the fireplace, and was so dreadfully burnt that after some days he was removed to the workhouse, where every attention was paid to him; but he died from exhaustion consequent on the discharge from the burns last Saturday. Verdict, accidental death. On the same day at Chacewater, in the parish of Kenwyn, on the body of PHILIPPA BRAY, of St. Agnes, widow, aged 62 years, who died in a very sudden and unexpected manner on Sunday last, whilst on a visit to her daughter at Chacewater. Verdict, visitation of God. Julia Mosman, OPC for St.Austell,Charlestown, and Treverbyn Website at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~staustell W. Briton newspaper transcripts at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~wbritonad Please visit the OPC website at http://cornwall-opc.org