before the Sheriff, who has ordered medical men to inspect the body of James Thomson. We understand that Neil Stevenson, another of the four men, was also very seriously wounded in the side. He is at present at Kilsyth, and considered in a very dangerous state.

Fire. Wednesday, the 29th ult. a melancholy catastrophe took place at the house of Mr Fulford, bookseller, in Little Bellalley, Coleman Street, London :-Mr and Mrs Fulford in the morning went to see the procession of the Queen to St Paul's, leaving the house and four children in the care of their servant maid. About three o'clock the neighbourhood was alarmed by the servant calling "Fire!" Scarce a moment elapsed before the flames burst out from the first floor window, she exclaiming, "For God's sake, save the children." A Mr Hughes procured a ladder, and endeavoured to get in at the window, but in vain. On the arrival of the engines, the flames were impeded, but not till they had communicated to the adjoining house of Mr Williams, bootmaker; by this time Mr and Mrs Fulford returned, when Mrs Fulford swooned away whilst her husband ran about in a state of frenzy, endeavouring to find his unfortunate children, two of whom were found in a neighbour's house, where they had been the whole of the day; but all search for the remaining two, a girl about two years old, and a boy about six months, were of no avail, and it was afterwards discovered they had fallen victims to the flames. Not an atom of Mr Fulford's furniture was saved, and the house is in ruins, and that of Mr Williams has suffered considerably.

7.-Shocking Accident.The following shocking accident occurred last week:As the Rev. John Reid, minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Lauriston, was passing some carts laden with hay, at the Boat-house Bridge, near Linlithgow, he was forced from his horse, and, melancholy to relate, a wheel of one of the carts passed over his head. He was carried in a hopeless condition to a neighbouring house, where every attention was paid to the unfortunate gentleman, but he died on Monday the 4th instant.

The following was the state of Newgate on the 1st instant :-

Total 316 132 11.-Yesterday afternoon, at five minutes after five o'clock, the Duchess of Clarence was happily delivered of a Princess. His Royal Highness the Duke of York, the Lord Chancellor, and the Right Honourable George Canning, First Commissioner of the Affairs of India, were in attendance. Her Royal Highness is, God be praised, as well as can be expected; and the young Princess, although prematurely born, is expected to live.-London Gazette.

Destructive Fire.-A most melancholy occurrence took place on Thursday night, the 7th inst. at Kirby-Lonsdale, in the total destruction, by fire, of the Rose and Crown Inn, (kept by Mrs Roper,) and the death of no less than five young women, who perished in the flames!—On the alarm being first given, Mrs Roper, her two daughters, and a servant girl, appeared at the windows of the second floor, and, as their escape by the stairs was cut off, they were compelled to leap from the windows, with nothing on but their night-clothes, in order to avoid the destruction which was inevitable, if they remained longer in the house. The five unfortunate females all lodged on the same storey. Their shrieks were heard by the people in the street, and one of them was seen struggling at a window; but their sufferings were of short du ration-they were all quickly engulfed in the burning ruins! An attempt was made to rescue the poor sufferers, but the door which led to their apartments was found to be fastened in the inside, and the person who made the humane attempt narrowly escaped destruction.

14.-Execution.-Yesterday morning, pursuant to his sentence, John Dempsey, late private in the 13th regiment, was executed at Edinburgh, for the murder of Robert Simpson and John Pearson, at Greenock, on the 30th July last.-Dempsey was a native of Ireland, and a Catholic, and has been attended by one of the Catholic clergymen here, as well as by Dr Thomson, of the established church, to whose instruction he paid decent attention. After prayers by the Rev. Mr Porteous, he bowed respectfully to the magistrates, and shook hands with those around him, and then mounted the drop, assisted by the execu tioner. where he continued a few minutes

in most earnest and fervent prayer. After the rope was adjusted, he exclaimed, in a loud and distinct voice, "I am innocent of the charge against me!" and instantly dropt the fatal signal, and was launched înto eternity.

Libel. In the Court of King's Bench on Monday, Mr Wright, who was formerly concerned with Mr W. Cobbett, in his publications, obtained a verdict of L. 1000 damages against the said W. Cobbett for several libels inserted in his Register against Wright, in consequence of his hav. ing given up a letter of Cobbett's to Sir F. Burdett's committee, written in 1808, respecting Hunt, and which he charged Wright with having forged. Cobbett, on this occasion, as in the former action, brought by Mr Cleary, (who read the let ter on the hustings,) conducted his own defence, and in defiance of repeated interference by the court, contrived to aggravate the injury, and proved that he is totally re gardless of what he either writes or speaks, and as indifferent to truth or falsehood, as he is against whom his abuse is directed. He brought his sons to swear that the Register was not his property, but the eldest son's, and that he was only the editor upon a salary.

25. Death of Moffat, alias M'Coul. It is believed that James M'Coul, alias Moffatt, alias Martin, alias Wilson, alias Mofot, was a native of Berwickshire, and was bred to the business of a tanner, which he for some time exercised in this country. He afterwards went to London, where he connected himself with the most notorious sharpers, and subsequently became himself an adept and a leader. He was, like our famous Brodie, celebrated as a cock-fighter; and, in pugilism, was what would now, in the elegant language of that science, be styled a demi-professional demi-amateur of the fancy. The connections of his gang, of whom the notorious Huffy White was a prominent member, were, it is said, so extensive, that he might with some propriety be called the robber of the world; its ramifications extended over great part of the Continent of Europe, himself at times residing in different towns in Holland. He was in Hamburgh when that city fell into the hands of the French, where he was of considerable service to the British troops, which subsequently saved him from an igpominious death. About fifteen years ago, as a mask for his real intentions, he commenced a morocco tanning and dyeing concern in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, more, as it is thought, with the intent of cloaking his character, and assuming a *visible means of subsistence," than for the purpose of fair gain. About that time he was taken into custody, charged with robbing a gentleman in the theatre, but he got off from want of evidence. His his

tory from this period is less perfect with us than in the records of Bow-Street, down to the robbery of the Paisley Bank's branch at Glasgow. Soon after that transaction he was taken into custody, and after remaining long in Glasgow gaol, obtained his liberation, by restoring, through the medium of a friend in London, about ten thousand pounds of the money of which the bank was robbed-having, as it was well known, still a large sum of the money then lost to the Bank. He made repeated visits to Aberdeen and Dundee, in order to convert the notes into bills on London, in which he succeeded. At last, with a large sum of money still on his person, he arrived at Leith, and succeeded in converting it also being, as was proved, the indentical notes of which the bank was robbed-into bills on London, when he was again apprehended, and sent up to the Police Office here; when, after another imprisonment, and much discussion, these bills were, by desire of a very active magistrate of this city, lodged in the bank of Sir W. Forbes and Co. In order to recover this money, Moffat had the audacity to raise various actions in the Court of Session, and unsuccessfully litigated, for a period of eight years, during which he was for the most part to be found about the Courts of Law, or at certain tap-rooms, denouncing city Magistrates, Judges, and Juries. At the final determination of this cause against him in the Jury Court, in May last, the witnesses, it will be recollected, so completely established his being a principal in the robbery, that he was then taken into custody, tried before the Court of Justiciary in the month of June, convicted, and sentenced to be executed, which sentence was afterwards commuted to transportation; but his health, from the time of his trial, being in a declining state, and being advanced in years, he was permitted to remain in our gaol, where this veteran in villany, contrary to the expectation of all who ever heard of him, died a natural death on Thursday the 21st instant, instead of ending his days in a foreign land, or expiating his crimes on a gibbet.

Destruction of the Lower Assembly Rooms at Bath by Fire.-We regret to have to announce, that on Thursday night the 21st inst. those extensive, elegant, and far-famed premises, the Kingston, or Lower Assembly Rooms, Bath, were totally destroyed by fire. The loss of property is stated to be very great. The insurances effected amount to L. 13,000. How the accident happened is not known; the vaults, or rather the rooms under those appropriated for balls, reading rooms, &c. were used as a private theatre, and a play had been performed there that evening; next to which was a carpenter's shop, and adjoin

ing that a large quantity of oil; consequently a fire breaking out amidst such inflammable matter, could not be otherwise than destructive. A gentleman named Houlton, one of the proprietors, had lately fitted up a suit of rooms in the premises, with much taste and elegance, for his residence, where he had collected musical instruments, pictures, and many fine specimens of art, which can never be replaced; the whole of these were destroyed. The loss to the renter, Mr Mills, a worthy industrious man with a large family, is very great. Fortunately no lives were lost. The elegant chandeliers, pictures of Beau Nash, &c. were all consumed.

28.-Friendly Societies. A case, important to the members of friendly societies, was lately decided by the Justices of the Lower Ward of Lanarkshire. A society had advertised its intention of shutting, with an ulterior view to total dissolution, should the funds not recover within a specified time. By Mr Rose's act it is provided that such a measure is only justifiable when 4-5ths of the members consent, and also all the members receiving, or entitled to receive, aliment. A member of the latter description alone opposed the shutting or dissolving of the Society; and, having applied to the Court for an interdict, he succeeded, and compelled the Society to keep its box open.

JANUARY.

1.-Edinburgh.-The new year was welcomed here this morning with the usual noisy festivities. The streets were crowded with parties on visits of congratulation to their friends. Harmony and good humour, however, generally prevailed; but such an occasion was not to be neglected by the numerous pickpockets who have of late infested the city; and we accordingly hear of many individuals who have been relieved of watches, snuff-boxes, handkerchiefs, &c.

6.-Monument to the lute King.—The plan of an appropriate monumental groupe, to be executed in bronze, and erected in some public place, in commemoration of his late Majesty, has been submitted by an eminent artist to the principal Members of the Royal Family, and several of the nobility most distinguished for their taste in the fine arts. It has met with the most flattering approbation, and a committee of noblemen and gentlemen has been formed, under the immediate patronage of his Royal Highness the Duke of York, to carry the plan into immediate execution.

13-PUBLIC MEETINGS.-Previous to the assembling of Parliament, the two great parties, Whig and Tory, have been making strenuous exertions throughout the country, for obtaining addresses to the throne, expressive of the views and opinions they entertain on the state of the nation, and the administration of its affairs.

With this view, meetings have been convened of corporations and other public bodies, presbyteries, counties, and the inhabitants of great towns. At these, the ministerial party have generally carried addresses expressive of their loyalty and attachment to the king and his government, and of their determination to support the constitution against the attempts which they assert have been made to subvert it, by the exertions of disaffected persons, in spreading seditious and irreligious opinions among the people. The opposition party, on the other hand, denying the existence generally of such a spirit, impute the distress and discontent which is acknowledged to prevail in the country, to the misconduct of the administration; and in several county meetings have moved amendments to the addresses expressive of this conviction, and praying his majesty to dismiss his present advisers. The fate of these amendments, in general, has been their rejection by considerable majorities, with the exception (in Scotland) of the county of Lanark, where the Whigs triumphed by a division of 94 to 90. In Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, and other places, petitions to the king to dismiss his ministers have been carried in gcneral meetings of the inhabitants. The meeting in Edinburgh took place in the Pantheon by public requisition on the 16th of December, and was attended by about 4000 of the inhabitants, Mr James Moncreiff, advocate, in the chair, when the resolutions were passed with only one dissentient voice. The same week, a meeting was held in the Council Chamber, where a counter address was prepared. The strongest efforts were made by the two parties to obtain signatures to their respective addresses. The public were invited to sign them by the circulation of pamphlets and the exhibition of placards in different parts of the town. The result was, that the Pantheon address obtained upwards of 17,000 names, and the Council Chamber one about as many hundreds. In the first, the middling and labouring classes of society greatly swelled the numbers, while the latter was mostly confined to persons of rank and property. Another display of strength took place yesterday in Edinburgh, where the adherents of the late great statesmen, Pitt and Fox, celebrated their anniversary, the former in the Assembly Rooms, and the latter in the Waterloo Hotel. The Marquis of Huntly presided over the Pitt party, to the number of 700, and the Earl of Rosslyn headed the other party, amounting to about 500.

Throughout England the parties have been equally industrious; and in several of the counties the opposition have carried addresses strongly condemning the conduct of ministers. At Chester county meeting the high sheriff declared the loyal address to be

carried by a show of hats; which decision was objected to, and a vote demanded by the opposite party. The sheriff refused this dissolved the meeting-and Earl Grosvenor and others entered a protest against the proceedings. The Common Council of London on the 9th ult. presented an address to his majesty, praying him to dismiss his ministers. In his reply the king expressed deep regret at the sentiments contained in the address, and observ ed, that "Whatever may be the motives of those who brought it forward, its evident tendency is to inflame the passions and mislead the judgment of the unwary and less enlightened part of my subjects, and thus to aggravate all the difficulties with which we have to contend." This answer gave great umbrage to the Common Council, and was at a subsequent meeting engrossed in their records, along with an expression of their dissatisfaction.

In Ireland, a great sensation has been Excited by a circumstance which occurred

at a meeting of the county of Dublin on the 30th ult. A difference having occurred between the parties regarding a proposed address, the Sheriff, Sir Richard Steele, put the question affirmatively, and declared it was carried; he then vacated the chair, and pronounced the meeting dissolved. The other party, not satisfied with this decision, voted Lord Cloncurry into the chair, and were proceeding to carry a counter-address, when the sheriff, with a body of military, drove them forcibly from the county hall. This circumstance naturally caused a great outcry against the sheriff, and several meetings have subsequently been held in Dublin, to concert means of obtaining redress for the outrage committed upon their liberties.

Petitions to both Houses of Parliament have also been prepared in various quarters, praying that the Queen's name may be restored to the liturgy, and her majesty immediately put in possession of all her constitutional rights and liberties.

1F.G.

11 F.

35

Brevet Major Onslow, Major by purch.

Lt. Hodgson, fm. 10 Dr. Capt.by purch.

do.

J. N. Musgrave, Cornet by purch. vice Lord Loughborough, 21 Dr. 16th do. Comet Hon. R. Watson, Lieut. by pur. vice Hodgson, 4 Dr.

80

23d do.

86

do.

88

14th Dec.

89

T. Trollope, Cornet by purch. Serj. Hambrick, Cornet, vice Crole, prom.

ret.

Cornet J. A. Lord Loughborough, fm. 9 Dr. Lt. by purch. vice Thompson, 9th July. Surg. Gibson, fm. 62 F. Surg. vice Bacot, h. p. 21 Dr. 14th Dec. Ens. Kerr, Lieut. vice Lander, 7 R. V. Bn. 23d Nov. Ens. White, fm. h. p. Corsican Rang. Ens.

do.

Quar, Mast. Edwards, fm. h. p. Bourbon R. Quar. Mast. vice Coghlan, ret. full pay 14th Dec. Lt. Petry, fm. h. p. 89 F. Lt. paying diff. vice Hart, 86 F. -23d Nov. Quar. Mast. Matthews, fm. h. p. 2 Greek Light Inf. Quar. Mast. vice Foote, 2 R. V. Bn. 2d Dec.

Ens. Plumbe, Lt. by purch. vice Schonfeldt, ret.

Ass. Surg. Gibson, fm. Gr. Gds. Surg. vice Mackesey, 65 F.

23d Nov.

14th Dec.

Surg. Spencer, fm. h. p. 21 Dr. Surg. více Gibson, Gr. Gds. J. Gilchrist, Ens. vice Eliot,

Hosp. Assist. J. Trigance, vice Gilder, prom. Staff Lt. Twigg, fm. 89 F. Lt. h. p. 75 f. rec. diff.

Lt. Hart. fm. 35 F. Lt. vice 89 F. rec. diff.

prom.

23d Nov. Ass. Surg. 9th do.

vice Darke,

7th Dec. Leche, h. p.

23d Nov.

W. S. H. Fitz Roy, Ens. vice Wynne,

Cape Corps

do.

Lt. Cowell, fm. h. p. 73 F. Lt. paying diff. vice Twigg, 80 F. 7th Dec.

30th Nov.

2 W.I. R. Lt. Dunn, fm. h. p. Lt. vice Dawson, 53 F. Ass. Surg. Spry, fm. h. p. 55 F. Ass Surg. vice Maclauchlan, Staff 6th do. Quar. Mast. Serj. Dukes, fm. Depot, Isle of Wight, Quar. Mast. vice Fair, 7 R. V. Bn. 14th Dec.

1 Ceyl. R. Lt. Dely, fm. Paymaster 2 W. I. R. Lt. vice Page, prom.

Lt. Dyas. fm. 51 F. Capt. vice Cleather,
dead
Ens. Wynn, fm. 88 F. Adj.

30th Nov.

7th Dec. Depot, Lt.

do.

53

Lt. Dawson, fm. 2 W. I. R. Lt. vice Trevenen, h. p. 2 W. 1. R. 30th Nov.

E. C. Fletcher, Ens. by purch. do. Ens. St. Maur, Lt. by purch. vice El16th do.

E. J. Johnston, Ens, by purch.

do.

Lt. Agar, Quar. Mast. at Cav. vice Tisdall, canc.

Munro, fm. '86 F. Lt. vice Simpson,