Page 36 - Reading Mercury

Extract of a letter from West Wycombe, July 8th
“According to your request I send you a short account of the experiments we tried
here last Wednesday to set fire to a room which Lord Le Despencer lately built, the
ceiling having been placed according to Mr. Hartley’s direction. The room in which
we made the experiment is fifteen feet long and fourteen wide; our objects were to try
the power of the fire plates to prevent the fire from ascending to a floor above, and
from descending through an armed floor to the apartment below. Our first attempt was
upon the ceiling of he lower apartment, by setting fire to two cart loads of dry faggots,
which burnt with great fury for nearly half an hour, and seemed like the heating of an
oven, but could not penetrate to the joists and floor above. We proceeded next to our
second experiment, which was to try the power of the ffire plates in preventing any
fire from penetrating from the floor downwards ; accordingly we set fire to several
faggots on the bare boards, and let them burn to ashes, but this was attended with no
other consequence than making the boards look a little c, although the room below
was exceeding hot. This invention may turn out to be of such signal consequence
towards preserving the lives and properties of many thousands, that I am happy to
bear any testimony of its efficacy, and you may declare it in whatever manner you
think proper.

On Tuesday a gentleman was stopped and robbed between Benson and Oxford by a
single highwayman, who was soon after taken, and committed to Oxford gaol, in
order to take his trial at the assizes held there this week.
Friday last, a young woman, servant to a farmer at Colcher, Bucks, standing upon a
chair in the brew house, it gave way, when she, in order to avoid falling, took hold of
a vessel full of boiling water, which overturning, scorched her in so shocking a
manner, that she expired in a few hours after.

nd
Fri 22 July
WOKINGHAM, July 22.
Tuesday evening last a Staffordshire man going from the Globe at Newton to Bath,
in the foot way, was attacked by a fellow armed with a long knife, who demanded his
money, on which he immediately knocked him down with his cane.---two others then
rushed out from a hedge, armed in like manner, at once seized him, and attempted to
cut his throat, but for a while he courageously defended himself, till at length being
overpowered he became an object of their utmost barbarity. They cut him about the
throat, hands and arms, in a shocking manner; and after rifling his pockets of 9s, 6d.
threw his body across a wall, imagining they had put an end to his existence, from
whence he dropped into a ditch on the other side, and there lay quite senseless and
weltering in his blood till the next afternoon; when he exerted the little strength left
him; extricated himself from the ditch, and endeavoured to make for Bath.---
Fortunately a person coming by, saw his deplorable condition and conducted him to
Bath; where all possible care has been taken of him; though it is imagined, should he
survive, that he will never recover the use of his arms, so as to be capable of any
laborious employment.

At Oxford assizes, which began on Thursday last, the following received sentence
of death, but were afterwards reprieved: John Hides, for robbing Thomas Olive, Gent,
on the highway, and Thomas Bromfield, for stealing a pair of silver buckles.

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