responsible company to look to, and not, as was contended for in the above case, merely the security of a Leith carter for the delivery of the goods.

Longevity. The King's birth day was celebrated this year at Bexhill, on the Sussex coast, in an appropriate and pleasing manner. Considering the venerable age of our beloved Sovereign, twenty-five old men, inhabitants of that parish, whose united ages amounted to 2025, averaging 81 each, the age of the King, dined together at the Bell Inn, and passed the day very cheer fully and happy. The dinner was set on the table by 15 other old men, also of the above parish, whose united ages amounted to 71 each, and six others, whose ages amounted to 61 each, rang the bells on the occasion. The male population of Bexhill does not exceed 800, and it is supposed not to be equalled in England for its number of old men.

10. Incautious Use of Fire-arms.On Monday evening, the 7th instant, a very melancholy accident, from the careless handling of fire-arms, occurred at Fulwell, near Sunderland. Mr Gregson and Mr Masterman, of Monkwearmouth, with two of Mr Gregson's sons, were in a garden at Fulwell, Mr Gregson having a double-barrelled gun with him. One of the barrels had a few minutes before been fired off, and he was ignorant of the other being loaded. The boys were playing among the gooseberry bushes, and Mr Masterman jo cularly threatened to shoot them if they did not behave. Mr Gregson gave Mr Masterman hold of the gun, when, dreadful to relate, it went off, and shot one of Mr Gregson's sons, aged eight years, dead upon the spot!

Wednesday, 9th instant, a pardon arriv. ed from the Prince Regent for James Fraser, who was condemned at last Circuit Court at Perth, on condition of his sentence being commuted to transportation beyond seas for life.

Court of Session. In the important question between the Earl of Fife and Sir James Duff and others, the trustees of the late Lord Fife, the Second Division of the Court of Session did, on Tuesday, the 8th instant, on advising informations for the parties, the verdicts pronounced by the Juries, and the whole cause, unaniniously reduce and set aside the trust-deed and deed of entail executed by the late James Earl of Fife. By this decision, the present Earl succeeds to an estate of nearly L. 20,000 Sterling per annum.

On Wednesday, the 9th, the Second Division of the Court of Session, on the motion of Mr Jeffrey, granted a cessio bonorum to the Rev. Dr Moodie, minister of Clackmannan, who has been imprisoned in Stirling jail for nearly two years and a half; but their Lordships, at the same time, di

rected that one half of his stipend should be appropriated towards the liquidation of his debts.

15. Waterloo Trophies. Mr Bullock, owner of the extensive museum of curiosities in natural history, &c. in Piccadilly, London, has been for some time employed in selling his splendid collection by auc tion; and on Friday, the 11th, the carriage and other articles belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte, which were captured at the battle of Waterloo, and which Mr Bullock has since exhibited throughout the principal towns in the United Kingdom, were brought to the hammer. The articles were all eagerly bought up, and some of them at most extravagant prices. The following statement of the prices given for some of the things will serve to show in what estimation these relics are held: The carriage, L. 168; small opera glass, L. 5, 5s. ; tooth-brush, L. 3, 13s. 6d.; snuff-box, L. 166, 19s. 6d. ; military stock or collar, L.1, 17.; old slippers, L. 1; razor, (common,) L.4, 4s. ; piece of sponge, 178. 6d. ; shaving-brush, L.3, 14s.; shirt, L.2, 5s. comb, L. 1; shaving-box, L. 7, 7s.; pair of old gloves, L, 1; old pocket handkerchief, L. 1, 11s. 6d. Many other articles were sold for prices equally high.

19. Union of the Secession Church. On Wednesday the 16th, the committees appointed by the Associate and General Associate Synods, to deliberate on the proposed union between the two great bodies of Seceders, met together at Edinburgh, according to previous arrangement. They continued their sittings during the whole of Wednesday and of Thursday; and such was the interest that all took in the business, that, though the members reside in different parts of the country, of 42 who composed the joint committee, 41 attended, and 25 were present at two o'clock on Friday, when their work was finished. As the result of their deliberations, certain articles were agreed on, with common consent, as the basis of union between the two branches of the Secession church, which will be submitted to their respective synods at their meeting in September next.

Dreadful Accident.On Wednesday the 16th, three boats set out in company, full of passengers, from Largs, where they had been attending the fair the day preceding, for Arran and Tarbet, to which they be longed. The wind was a-head, and, of course, they had to beat to windward, Between Rothesay and the Cock of Arran a sudden and heavy squall overtook them, and capsized the second boat, which went right down. The boat to the leeward observing this, made all sail, but when she came up only one woman could be seen. They picked her up, and at that moment she was alive, but in an hour afterwards she expired. There were in whole 25 per

sons in the boat, every one of whom perished.

Fire. Yesterday morning the mansionhouse of Ballony, in the neighbourhood of Maybole, was burned to the ground. The fire had most probably originated on the second floor, and was first discovered about one o'clock by one of the tenants in the ground flat, by the flames coming down through the floor above him. He instantly gave the alarm to the other tenants, who escaped without injury; but the flames had by this time made such progress, and raged with such fatal rapidity, that all efforts to subdue them proved ineffectual, and it was with the greatest difficulty any part of the furniture was saved. About two o'clock the roof fell in, and by half-past three the house had become a complete ruin.

21. Large Whale.-An immense whale has been taken at Roundstone Bay, in Connemare, at Errisbeg, Ireland, the estate of Colonel Martin, M. P. It was observed on Sunday last by some people, who pursued him, and, as the tide was falling fast, he soon got on ground. In this state, weapons of various kinds were employed for his destruction, and, after considerable risk, the country people succeeded in destroying this monster of the deep. He proves to be of the spermaceti species, and is 72 feet long, 48 in girth round the body. One of his teeth was seen here, which weighs two pounds and a half. This fish produces three kinds of oil, which, together with the bone, are estimated to be worth L.600.-Galway Advertiser.

24.-Yesterday, Alexander Short was publicly whipped through the streets of Perth, by the common executioner, for returning from banishment, in violation of a sentence awarded against him by the Sheriff for theft.

Imitation Tea. This day a quantity of imitation tea, amounting to no less than 727 pounds, was discovered in a cellar in Byres's Close, Edinburgh, by Mr Mackenzie, supervisor, and Messrs Gorrie and Macleod, officers of Excise. This spurious mixture was contained in four boxes, and it is supposed that above 100 pounds of it has been disposed of, as one of the boxes was more empty than the others.

Monument to Thomson.-This day the foundation-stone of the monument to be erected to the memory of James Thomson, the immortal author of the Seasons, was laid by the Right Worshipful Master, John Rutherford, of the Kelso St John's Lodge, assisted by numerous deputations from the Hawick, Jedburgh St John's and St Andrew's Lodges, the Beaumont, Tweed, and Galashiels Lodges, and a number of visiting members from other lodges. The brethren convened in the Town-hall, Kelso, at one o'clock, and walked from thence

in procession to the spot, accompanied by a band of music.

Emigration.-Extract of a letter from Argyleshire.—“ The weather since Sunday the 20th has been uncommonly wet here. The emigration from this country is immense. When I passed Crinan a few days ago, a vessel named the Harmony had 275 passengers on board, and one called the Hope had about 250. The Speculation sailed also this week (June 20th) from Fort William, with between 200 and 205. They are all destined, I understand, for Quebec. From so many poor people being crammed together in one little vessel, their situation must be miserably uncomfortable. Though the great bulk of these poor Highlanders are in the most abject poverty, you will be surprised to learn that a good many of those who are going out were in fair circumstances; and it is supposed that the Harmony will carry in specie about L. 12,000. One man exchanged -L. 1500 for gold and silver, for which I heard he paid 5 per cent."

Glasgow and Carlisle. The improvement of the road between these cities, which runs almost diagonally through the county of Dumfries, is going on rapidly, and will not only enhance the value of property of every description along the line, but will shorten the distance of the greater part of Dumfries-shire, from Carlisle and the north of England, about 4 miles. The operations of the newly laid out line between Graitney and Carlisle are now going on with spirit. The new bridge over the Esk, which for 70 years back has been contemplated, was founded about a month ago, and will be finished in June 1820; it will have two cast-iron arches, one of 150, and the other of 100 feet span. Another bridge will be built over the Sark, near Allison's Bank; it will have two stone arches, one of 40, and the other of 30 feet span. Several other improvements are making on roads in that part of the country.

28. Burgh Reform.-An order from the Farliamentary committee now sitting on the subject of a reform in the municipal government of the Scots burghs was recently received by the Magistrates of Edinburgh, directing them to give certain persons belonging to the guildry, and other public bodies, petitioners to Parliament, access to the books of the burgh, that they might make such extracts from them as they might conceive it necessary to transmit to the committee in support of their petition. Upon advising this order, the Magistrates thought proper to refuse compliance; and last week a summons arrived for the Lord Provost, the Dean of Guild, the treasurer of Heriot's and Trinity Hospitals, and the collectors of the cess in Edinburgh and shore-dues in Leith, requir

ing their personal attendance in London. These gentlemen, accordingly, left Edinburgh for that purpose to-day. Delegates from most of the public bodies complaining have been for some time in waiting up. on the committee.

Royal Christening-Friday the 25th instant being the day appointed for the private christening of the infant Princess, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, preparations were made for the ceremony at Kensington Palace. The Royal gold font was removed from the Tower of London, and it was fitted up in the grand saloon, with crimson velvet coverings from the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace. The ceremony was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, assisted by the Bishop of London. The infant Princess was named Alexandrina Victoria. The sponsors were his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, his Imperial Majesty the Emperor Alexander of all the Russias, who was represented as his Imperial Majesty's proxy by his Royal Highness the Duke of York; her Majesty the Queen Dowager of Wurtemberg, who was represented as her Majesty's proxy by her Royal Highness the Princess Augusta, and her Serene Highness the Duchess Dowager of Cobourg, who was represented as her proxy by her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester.

The important appeal cause, respecting the old leases of Panmure and rechin Castle, was decided on Friday last by the House of Lords in favour of the Hon. William Maule.

rooms.

Dreadful Fire. An alarming fire broke out on Saturday the 26th, in the printing office of Mr Bensley, in Bolt Court, Fleet Street, London. It happened to be the annual festival of the workmen, so that none of them were on the premises. The flames were first discovered by a female servant, who saw them issuing from the upper She communicated the circumstance to Mr Bensley, jun. who was in the counting-house; but such was the rapid progress of the devouring element, that nothing was saved, and the extensive building, as well as several contiguous houses, were either burnt down or seriously damaged. Mr Bensley, who was the first to apply the power of the steam engine to the printing press, is a printer of considerable reputation, and his loss has been proportionally great; including books which were printed, paper, type, and other materials, this loss is estimated at L. 40,000, and it is thought he is not insured for more than half this sum; another account states the loss at L. 80,000, and the insurance at L. 30,000. There is no pretence for attributing the accident to the steam engine, which remains almost uninjured amidst the guins.

Steam-Ship-The Savannah, a vessel

impelled by steam, of 315 tons burden, arrived at Liverpool on Sunday the 20th instant from Savannah in 25 days. The want of fuel protracted the voyage to that length, as it was calculated on her sailing that she would make the passage across the Atlantic in 15 days. Several days before her arrival the Kite revenue cutter on the Cork station chased the Savannah a whole day, going ten knots, supposing her to be a ship on fire, when at length perceiving the Kite in chace, she stopped her engine, till the latter came up.

High Court of Justiciary.-Trial for Murder.—On the 14th instant was brought to trial Peter Bowers, journeyman millwright in Haddington, charged with the murder of John Sandilands, day-labourer, or farm servant, to the Earl of Dalhousie, upon the 15th day of April last, by striking him on the head with an axe. It appeared in evidence, that some young men had been amusing themselves by leaping on the high-road opposite to Coalston tollbar, when they were joined by the prisoner and his master's son, who had been working in the neighbourhood, and after finishing their job, had regaled themselves with some gills of whisky at different publichouses until the prisoner was much intoxicated. The deceased was standing enjoying the amusement, when the prisoner said he would jump with any of them for twopence; and having lost his bet, refused to pay it, when some trifling altercation took place among the parties, and the deceased said, old as he was, (66,) he would either jump with him, or fight with him, for any thing he liked. Some high words then ensued between the prisoner and the deceased, the import or amount of which was not distinctly recollected by any of the witnesses present; but it ended in this, that the prisoner advanced towards the deceased, and struck him a blow on the head with an axe, which he then had on his shoulder, and inflicted a severe wound on his left temple, out of which part of the brain protruded. The Jury by a majority brought in a verdict of Guilty, but unanimously and earnestly recommended him to mercy, and the unfortunate man has since been respited by the Prince Regent for fourteen days.

Violating the Sepulchres of the Dead.-On the 21st George Campbell, John Kerr, and George M'Laren, were tried on a charge of attempting to carry off a dead body from the church-yard of Prestonkirk, county of Haddington. The charge was clearly proved, witnesses having deponed to catching the prisoners in the act of digging a body from the grave; and after a severe admonition from the Lord Justice Clerk, in which his Lordship observed, that, had they completed the crime, they would have been visited with the heaviest arm of the law;

they were sentenced to one year's imprisonment in the jail of Edinburgh, and to find security for their after good conduct, under a penalty of L. 40 sterling each.

JULY.

Commercial Distresses and Political Meetings. In our last number we adverted to the resolutions of the Carlisle weavers, who, in common with other workmen employed in the manufacturing districts, have been suffering grievous privations in consequence of the late general stagnation of trade. We are sorry to observe that the extensive distress felt in the manufacturing districts has at length resolved itself into political discontent. In the course of last month, numerous meetings of the labouring classes, a large proportion of which are out of employment, or unable to earn sufficient to sustain themselves and families, have taken place at Glasgow, Leeds, and some of the manufacturing towns of Lancashire, at which the subject of discussion is no longer the means of obtaining relief for their present wants, but a radical reform in the system of representation. At these large and important towns, the number of persons assembled has averaged from 10,000 to 15,000; at all the meetings a large portion of ardour and ignorance has been displayed by the speakers. The attractive doctrine of annual parliaments and universal suffrage has been adopted, and resolutions embody ing that doctrine have been proposed and carried with loud acclamations. These meetings have as yet been conducted with some appearance of decorum, and no symptom of riot or turbulence has appeared. A regular continuance and re-appointment of them, however, are liable to very serious objections, from the opportunities they afford to violent and designing men, to disseminate principles of the worst nature, and to effect the most treacherous purposes, under the mask of simple and honest zeal. At one of these meetings, held at Stock port, a Sir Charles Wolseley, said to be of an ancient family of Staffordshire, was in the chair, and addressed the multitude in language the most violent and inflamma. tory, stating, that, among the feats of his youth, he had mounted the walls and assisted in pulling down the Bastile in France; and that he was ready to do as much for those of his own country. Lords Castlereagh and Sidmouth were stigmatized with the epithets of traitors; and the multitude were encouraged to take into their own hands the redress of their grievances, and the reform of the existing government. Justly alarmed that these meetings may generate tumult, violence, and sedition, the government of the country, we under stand, have sent circulars to the Lords Lieutenants of the different counties, in culcating a strict watch over the peace of the districts under their charge, and their

being prepared to put down the first appearance of any thing like a disposition to disturb the internal tranquillity of the county.

Caledonian Canal.By the sixteenth report of the commissioners given in to Parliament, it appears that the expenditure upon this most important national work, from May 1818 to May 1819, amounted to L.47,000; that the whole expenditure, from the commencement to May 1819, amounted to L.742,000; that a moiety of the Parliamentary grant of last year, L.25,000, has not yet been issued from the Exchequer; and a farther grant of L.50,000 has been voted in this session of Parliament. It appears likely that this great work will be completed in the course of the two next years. The navigation from Inverness to Fort Augustus is already open; and there is a near prospect, at the other end of the canal, of a similar approach towards the completion of the navigation from sea to It appears from an inquiry, that a proportion of about 59 in 60 of the workmen employed on the canal have been Highlanders.

sea.

Burgess Oath.The Magistrates and Council of the Burgh of Rutherglen, at their meeting upon the 29th ult., unanimously resolved that an oath ought not to be required from any person at becoming a burgess; and that the oath which hi therto has been required is altogether unnecessary, and in many respects improper ; and they therefore enacted, that in future an applicant shall be admitted a freeman, burgess, and guild brother of the burgh, without any oath, upon payment of the freedom fine, and upon becoming bound to perform all the civil duties and obligations incumbent upon a burgess and guild brother.

6. Explosion of the Boiler of a SteamBoat.-A serious accident of this nature happened yesterday afternoon at Grangemouth. The steam-boat Stirling Castle was preparing to start from the harbour for Newhaven, when, in consequence of the safety valve not being opened sufficiently to allow the escape of the accumulating steam, the boiler exploded, and nine persons were more or less scalded, three of them severely; but although a number of passengers were on board, and many people on the wharf, no lives were lost.

Revenue. The account of our revenue for the last quarter, and for the last year, which has been made up to the 5th July, considering the general commercial distress which prevails in the country, presents more favourable results than we could reasonably have anticipated. The excess of revenue for the year ending July 5, 1819, compared with the corresponding quarter of the year 1818, amounts to L.422,893, and the excess for the whole year is L.2,265,363,

CAP. I. An act to provide for the care of his Majesty's Royal Person during the continuance of his Majesty's illness.-Feb. 12.

Cap. II. An act for reviving and further continuing, until the 1st day of May 1819, an act made in the 51st year of his present Majesty, intituled, An act to extend an act made in the 18th year of his late Majesty King George the Second, to explain and amend the laws touching the elections of the knights of the shire to serve in Parliament for England, respecting the expences of hustings and poll clerks, so far as regards the city of Westminster. Feb. 12.

Cap. III. An act for continuing to his Majesty certain duties on malt, sugar, to bacco, and snuff, in Great Britain, and on pensions, offices, and personal estates in

England, for the service of the year 1819. Feb. 18.

Cap. IV. An act for raising a sum of twenty millions, by Exchequer bills, for the service of the year 1819.--March 23.

Cap. V. An act to ascertain the tonnage of vessels propelled by steam.--March 23.

Cap. VI. An act to enable his Majesty to direct the distribution of any reward awarded by the Commissioners of the Customs or Excise to the officers of the army, navy, and marines, in such manner as his Majesty shall be pleased to appoint.—March 23.

Cap. VII. An act to regulate the cutlery trade in England, where articles are formed by the hammer, the manufacturers to have the privilege of making them with the figure of a hammer.March 23,