to the underwriters, because there was an account of all the cargo that was saved, and which, if they had seen, would have at once opened their eyes to the genuine and overwhelming fact that the goods were never put on board which I had insured. Accordingly the papers were taken away by my brother to a counting-house, and thence to his house in Tredegar-Square, Mile-endroad, which was subsequently found deserted and in confusion by the metropolitan police.

"The £915, seized by the prosecutors, in the funds in my name, formed part of the insurances I received; the remainder I paid my debts with, and in the manner in which such money is usually expended by those who obtain it unconscientiously.

"The above is the part I acted in the transaction of the casting away of the Dryad, which is all truth, as I shall answer to God.

"Statement made to Mr. John Pirie, alderman, respecting my knowledge of other vessels which were and are about to be cast away.

"One day last year, either in the latter end of the month of May or the beginning of June,-came into my counting-house, and after come conversation said to me,' Wallace, why dont you ship some ale by the to St. Domingo?" I said it would not pay at that market. He said it would pay if I insured it, as he did not think it would ever arrive at that pretended destination. I declined at that time having anything to do with the business. About six weeks or a couple of months afterwards, he and I were looking over the book of shipping at Lloyd's Captains'-room, 80 Bishopgate-street, when the loss of the-was written down, and he said to me, Are you not vexed now for not doing what I desired you? and then he told me that he heard the scheme concocted previously to the sailing of the vessel from London, and that went in her to see the job properly performed.

"With respect to the other vessel, the--, she was a large St. John's-built vessel, which was loaded, I think in the St. Katharine's Dock, my informant being at that time clerk to――. The vessel from London to new South Wales, about the month of August or September last year; so that if she has been cast away the accounts will arrive shortly. About the time of the vessel's sailing- -told me he was sure she was intended to be wilfully wrecked, as the owners had mortgaged her to a ship-builder, and had insured her in different offices for three times her value. He offered to go halves with me in €1,000. on goods by that vessel, but I declined the proposition, and it is my firm and positive belief that he has insurances done on that vessel without interest. A young man of the name of--, who lives with his sister, and who was a prisoner in the Compter along with Stott and me, when we were taken up on the Dryad charge, corroborated- -'s information respecting the vessel, he having received the information from another party.

"The above is the exact truth, to the best of my knowledge and recollection,

as I shall answer to God.

In another addition to his communication to Alderman Pirie, Patrick M. Wallace details the conversation which he had with the young man who was confined in the Compter on another charge relating to the vessel alluded to in the last paragraph. That young man, who had been apprehended on a charge of robbing his master, was afterwards taken up for smuggling by the solicitor of the Customs, and placed in a cell at some distance from the place in which P. M. Wallace was confined; but they, notwithstanding, kept up conversations, although heard by other persons in the prison, on the subject

of the Dryad and the Lucy, in which fraudulent insurances were also said to have been effected. One of the turnkeys subsequently confirmed this account, and Alderman Pirie saw no ground for discrediting any part of the statement of the delinquent.

"Statement by Michael Shaw Stewart Wallace to Mr. John Pirie, alderman, setting forth the part he took in the casting away of the Dryad, for the purpose of defrauding the Underwriters.

"I purchased three-fourths of the Dryad about December, 1837, for £1,200, £1,060 of which was paid in cash, and the remainder by a bill. I went as master of the Dryad to Rio Janerio, and returned in her to London. Loose was the master at that time. Next voyage Loose went as master, with my instructions to proceed to Rio, and take the berth for London. The vessel was consigned to a person at Rio, who had similar instructions from me, but he deviated from those instructions, and sent the vessel to the Cape de Verd Islands for salt, and drew upon me for £315. When I received this intelligence my friends advised me to go out to Rio and look after my property. I went out to Rio in the bark Blair, from Liverpool, and upon my arrival found the vessel a complete wreck, and was angry with the master for his conduct but he threw the blame upon others.

"I was on board the Dryad, dining with Loose, the master, one day at Rio. After dinner he asked me to go forward, and he would show me that I had made a blind bargain, which he did, and at the same time he said that if he had known that the vessel was unsound she should never have seen the Cape de Verd Islands. I said to him that I did not believe that he had the spirit to do such a thing, to which he replied that he wished I would give him the chance. Some other conversation relating to the manner in which he would manage such a business took place at that time, and I began to feel much interested indeed in his way of treating the subject.

"When the Dryad discharged the cargo of salt she took the berth for Liverpool, and I took my passage on board. During the passage Loose and I agreed that if he would cast away the vessel I would give him £200 in cash, and advance him sufficient to purchase a quarter of a new vessel, which he was to have the command of on his return. This was regularly agreed to between us,

upon the most perfect understanding.

"On my arrival at Liverpool I proceeded to London, and chartered the Dryad out and home. I informed my brother Patrick at this period that Loose and myself had agreed to destroy the vessel, on purpose to defraud the underwriters. He consented to become a party in the affair, and filled up bills of lading for goods to the amount of £715, done in the Alliance Insurance Office, and £698 done in the Neptune,

"The bills of lading signed by Loose were procured in the following manner. I bought two sets at Liverpool, and Loose signed them in blank. I then brought them to my brother Patrick. Before the Dryad sailed from Liverpool I proceeded to insure as follows:-£2,000 on the ship with Messrs. Howden and Ainsley, and £300 on the freight with the same; £700 with Seldon and Johnson on the ship and outfit, and £700 on the freight out and home; with Lyndall and Hall £600 on the chartered freight; and with Behr, Behren, and Co, £500 on the ship at Liverpool. Loose also, to my knowledge, effected £150 at Liverpool on his effects, and £100 in London.

"The Dryad sailed from Liverpool September 7th, and I had no letter from Loose till the 25th of December, when I received the protest from Falmouth, in Jamaica." (Here Michael Wallace enters into details implicating other parties in the transactions with regard to the destruction of the Dryad, which details we, of course altogether exclude, and which may have been fabricated, with a view to diminish the atrociousness of the plot by dragging others into

participation.) Nothing of consequence occurred till July, 1840. One forenoon I came into my brother's office, when he showed me a large bundle of papers which Mr. Frost, Loose's executer, had left for me. We examined them, and found that all the cargo had been saved but the salt, and had been sold by the Vice-Consul. It appeared to us that the net proceedings from the cargo saved amounted to about £1,500, which I know nothing about. The wreck of the vessel, with all the stores and cables, were sold, and the bill that was found in Loose's possession appeared to us to be the salvage of the vessel. The bill was drawn on a house in Liverpool by a foreign name, which I forget, and was endorsed by the Vice-Consul, and handed over to Loose by him.

"The papers were taken by me to my house in Tredegar-square, and were destroyed on the night my brother was taken into custody. The papers set forth that Loose had been accused by his crew before the Spanish authorities for casting away the vessel, but was released from custody. This is all that I can think of relative to this most unfortunate affair, and is all truth, as I shall answer God.

"Newgate, March 23rd, 1841.

"MICHAEL S. S. WALLACE."

"Addition to my former statement made to Mr. John Pirie, alderman, respecting the money I defrauded the underwriters of :—

From British Indemnity Company

From Howden and Ainsley

From Seldon and Johnson

Cash from my brother, being a balance from Alliance Company

by Roe, the officer

Left with my wife when I left my home, and given to Mr. Humphries
Expended during my concealment, &c.

£414

1,590

1,284

458

667

215

£4,628

£1,100

2,200

116

100

50

Furnishing my house, and various expenses at the time of my marriage 600

"By referring to my books and other accounts, it will be seen how this balance has been expended.

"About May last my brother told me that told him that — and had made it up to cast away the Falcon, and that --was going out to see it was properly managed. He also told me, about the latter end of September, that, wanted him to make some insurances on the ship —— as he knew that she was going to be cast away. At the same time he said that a vessel called the was lost, and the insurance companies were not willing to settle the loss upon her.

"I now consider it proper that I set forth a part of my life. Up to the latter end of the year 1836 I was a steady hard-working fellow. At that time I commanded the Delta, and unfortunately went into Liverpool with a cargo from Brazil, and was there introduced into the family of Mr. ——, whose foundation is well known to have been buying old ships and casting them away. I was encouraged by him and Mrs. to seek their daughter, and I must confess that ambition tempted me to forget my old playmate and my present unfortunate wife, so far, that I did so, and I believe that I would have done anything to gain Miss -'s affections. My mother was sorely grieved, and told me that our friend Mr. warned me that --was a bad man. All this I did not

heed, but would go forward, led by Satan.

encouraged me to get money and advised me, saying, 'Get it, never mind how, so as you have it.' I was too willing to follow this bad advice, and have not only ruined myself, but my beloved wife also. This I know, if I had never forgotten her I should not have been in this situation to-day. Although I cannot give any proof respecting the person at Liverpool to whom I have alluded, and his black deeds, watch him narrowly, and I think you will find him out. His ships cast away, should I not warn him by my fate. he would do so.

"Newgate, March 28th, 1841.”

and

will be

He has often informed me that "MICHAEL S. S. WALLACE."

"I forgot to state that at the time I went into Liverpool I was master of the Delta, and had about £200 of my own. thought my father had money, and therefore encouraged me, I believe,

"March 29th, 1841.

"M. S. S. WALLACE. "W. W. COPE."

The two Wallaces, who were recently convicted at the Old Bailey Sessions, and Alfred Baldock, of Chatham, for a post-office robbery, have embarked on board the Westmoreland (transport,) together with 122 convicts from the hulks, at Chatham. The Westmoreland sailed immediately from Sheerness,

TABLE AND SIMONS BAYS.

Bodmin, June 22, 1841,

SIR.

Believing that no ship will follow the example of the unfortu nate "General Palmer," in going to Simons Bay for repairs and supplies, I shall not tresspass on your valuable space by prolonging an unprofitable discussion; but shall be perfectly satisfied in submitting to those of your readers who have had an opportunity of judging of the subject at issue between Lieut. Barrow and myself to decide on whom the charge of "misleading your readers," justly rests.

I request, however, the favour of your inserting a few remarks on that portion of Lieut. Barrow's letter, which appeared in this month's Nautical, relative to Capt. Bance, against whom unjust insinuations are thrown out, which might be prejudicial to him in the eyes of those unacquainted with the high character of that most zealous and excellent officer, to whose invaluable services, while port-captain of Table Bay, during the last fifteen years, so many, and especially all our governors and admirals on that station, have borne the most flattering testimony.

Lieut. Barrow states, that ships choosing Simons Bay would " escape the anxiety and probable contingency of having to pay Mr. Bance on the very common occurrences 70l. to 120l. for the transport of an extra anchor and cable, and 801. or 100l. for the materials." There is some difficulty in discovering the meaning of the sentence just quoted, as it can hardly be imagined that the " materials" for any thing larger than a barge can cost so little as "80l. to 1007.;" but it is quite clear that the writer intends to tax Capt. Bance with very exorbitant charges in the transport of them. Now, Sir, I have it in my power, from long experience, to declare that Capt. Bance's charges have invariably been

characterized by extreme and unprecedented moderation. Permit me to give one instance, and, if necessary, I could produce many similar

ones.

In the year 1836, while drifting out of Table Bay in the Wellington, in the heaviest south-easter I ever witnessed, I was supplied by Capt. Bance's launch with an anchor and cable (having none on board) in an incredibly short space of time after the signal was made, the whole cost of which for "materials and transport" did not amount to two-thirds we had paid some years previously for a similar anchor and cable in the Downs, though in the latter case the weather was fine, and we were lying quietly at anchor. Capt. Bance's charge for the transport of the anchor and cable was 25l., and in the Downs the Lord Warden's court awarded 751.!

The following passage proper circumspection consists in the rejection of expensive boards of surveys from rival ships, headed by Mr. Bance, and travelling in coaches and six en prince," I shall make no comment on, for the simple reason that it is beyond my comprehension; and, in conclusion, I would, with all deference, recommend to Mr. Barrow, when he next favors us with a communication to suit his style to the capacity of such humble individuals as myself, and to deal more sparingly in those hints and inundoes, which, I am quite sure, would "puzzle a Philidelphia lawyer to understand."

I am, &c.

JAMES LIDDELL.

NOTICES TO MARINERS.

FLORIDA LIGHT-VESSEL. A doubt has long prevailed respecting the real position of this light-vessel, which, on the authority of Lieut. T. Smith, commanding her Majesty's ship Lark, under the orders of Com. E. Barnett, of her Majesty's ship Thunder, we are now enabled fully to clear up. It appears, that this vessel carrying two masts is moored inside or near the western edge of the Carysfort reef, which shews dry patches of sand and coral heads in many parts above water. The vessel by Lieut. Smith's observations is in latitude 25° 12′ north, and longitude 80° 16′ 30′′ west, the variation of the compass being 4° easterly. The northern edge of the Carysfort reef is six miles to the northward of her, and she lies about three miles and a half from the shore.

LIGHT ON GALVESTON ISLAND.Collector's Office, port of Galveston, May 17th, 1841.-Two lights have been placed on the east end of Galveston Island, elevated forty-five feet above the level of the sea, distance 600 yards apart, bearing east and west of each other. A buoy has also been placed on the har about four miles distance from the lights, and in range with them. Vessels should not attempt to come in at night without a pilot, nor approach nearer than five fathoms, when they should bring the lights to range, and come to. Latitude of the bar 29° 15' north, and longitude 94° 49' west.

A. A. M. JACKSON, Collector.

We give the foregoing as it appears in the Shipping Gazette, but we recommend the collector at Galveston to get a nautical friend to assist him, in putting his information into Nautical phraseology, when he has any to communicate, A buoy in range of two lights may possibly mean within sight of them, range generally signifying distance; whereas, we suppose, he means that from the