28 March 1812 To the sheriffs of the city and County of Londonderry
We, whose names are hereunto subscribed request you will call a meeting of the Linen merchants of the city and County of Londonderry, to take into consideration the propriety of petitioning the Prince Regent, upon the subject of the resolution of the Board of Trade, which permits the granting of licenses to import from France, &c. linens, cambrics, and linen-yarn. Upon a former occasion, the importation of these articles was highly injurious to the sole and staple products of this country and in the present reduced state of our commerce and exclusion from Continental and American markets, we are apprehensive that a similar importation may be attended with equally calamitous consequences. Wm. John Wm. DYSART James ACHESON John SMYTH John ALEXANDER Arthur KYLE LELSIE, OGILBY& Co. Conolly BOYLE Alexander ALEXANDER Adam SCHOALES & Co. James ALEXANDER Robert M'CREA Richard M'ILWAINE John KELSO James SMYTH John M'CLURY John CAMPBELL & Sons James HAMILTON A. PATTERSON Robert KENNEDY James HEMPHILL Robert GORDON John M‘CREA Robert M‘CREA WIlliam BAILEY Hugh H. HANDCOCK William BOND Thomas HANDCOCK J. BLACK James & Michael ROSS Alexander OGILBY Henry ENTWISLE Francis HORNER & Co. William MACKEY Patrick GILMOUR Carey M'CLELLAN & Co. Wm. A. FLETCHER & Co. James WILSON John BOYLE John ROSS Henry ORR John GWYNN William RAMSAY G. M'CONNEL (or G.M CONNEL) Samuel CROOKSHANK In consequence of the above requisition, we hereby request a meeting of the linen merchants of the City and County of Londonderry in the town hall on Wednesday 1st April next at the hour of 12 noon. John MURRAY Thos. KENNEDY sheriffs Dreadful Fire On the night of the 20th inst. the house and offices of Michael M'MULLAN, the Falls, near Ballycastle, were burned to the ground, accompained by very distressing circumstances. The family had been occupied till a late hour at their different branches of industry and retired to rest with that contentment and calmness of mind, which springs from the consciousness of a well spent day. After being a considerable time in bed, the father of the family was awakened by an unusual noise; when he immediately ran out and found his premises on fire; bursting open the door where his cattle were, the first object presented to him was one of his cows and a horse lying dead and all the efforts he was capable of, could not force the remainder out of the flames! The fire had by that time, ran rapidly to the dwelling-house and the sole aim of the man was now to rescue his family, who were still fast asleep. This he happily effected forcing through a window and thereby succeeded in rescuing the whole from a miserable death. The scene at that moment was truly affecting - the mother, with an infant in her arms and six children, in a most tempestuous night, without shelter, or covering, and all that they possessed devouring by the flames. Three cows and calves, two horses, farming utensils, clothing, furniture &c. shared one common fate and what adds to the misfortune of this family, the entire crop potatoes, and most of the corn, were likewise consumed. Thus, in the course of a few hours, has an industrious family been reduced to the most abject poverty, presenting a most forcible claim on the sympathy and protection of their County. Many of the bodies of the unfortunate sufferers of the 'Jane', wrecked on Friday night at Ardglass, have been cast on shore, and have been decently interred. The remains of Captain BUSBY and his mate were, yesterday, conveyed in two coffins to this town. On Sunday, a man endeavouring to save some cloth, part of which he had wrapped round his arm, was, by the force of the waves, dragged into the sea and drowned. transcribed by Teena from the Belfast Commercial Chronicle www.cotyrone.com http://lists.cotyrone.com/mailman/listinfo/ulsterancestry https://www.facebook.com/groups/CoTyroneIrelandGenealogy/ _______________________________________________ UlsterAncestry@cotyrone.com UlsterAncestry Mailing List Searchable Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/ulsterancestry@cotyrone.com/ http://lists.cotyrone.com/mailman/listinfo/ulsterancestry Website: https://cotyrone.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CoTyroneIrelandGenealogy/
