malhai and of Obidos, the excursions of the enemy's detachments are so confined and checked, that he in fact possesses no ground in the country, except that on which his army is posted.

About the end of October, the French had pushed some troops across the Zezere above Punhete, principally cavalry, apparently to reconnoitre the roads in that direction, and the fort at Abrantes; but it was thought that the rains which had

fallen would swell that river, and oblige them to retire.

1

There being still reports that the enemy were at work upon materials for a bridge both at Santarem and Barquinha, Lord Wellington, about the beginning of November, detached Major-Gen. Fane, with a body of cavalry and infantry, to the left of the Tagus, who was to endeavour to destroy these materials, if it should be practicable.

On the morning of the 7th September, a guard-house and battery in Quiberon bay were blown up and destroyed by two boats' crews from the Surveillante, Capt. Sir G. R. Collier.

Two boats belonging to the Hero and Dictator ships of war carried, on the 15th September, a Danish privateer of six guns and 30 men, lying at Marstrand, (Swedish port) by boarding; but, finding it impossible to get her out, in consequence of the wind being contrary, they abandoned her, after running her on shore. During the attack, the alarm was given to the castle, and a military detachment embarked for the purpose of frustrating the design. They came up with our boats just as they grounded, when the summons to surrender not being immediately complied with, a firing commenced, by which two British officers were wounded. Ultimately the boat's crews were made prisoners, but released in a few days by order of the Swedish minister.

The combined squadron, British and Spanish, under Commodore ends, having, about the end of October, proceeded eastward along the north Spanish coast, intended to have made an attack upon Santona; but, finding the enemy stronger there than they expected, they returned and landed the troops at Viviro, having been under the necessity of destroying the Spanish gunboats, which had suffered much by the weather. On the 2d November, the squadron being at anchor off Viviro, it blew a heavy gale, when the Spanish frigate Magdalena broke from her moorings, ran foul of the Narcissus British frigate, and carried away her bowsprit and all her masts, by the fall of which the surgeon and a marine of the Narcissus were killed. The Spanish frigate afterwards fell on board the Spanishman-of-war brig Palomo, and both vessels @truck and went to pieces on the rocks,

when the crews of both, nearly 600 in number, excepting two belonging to the frigate, and the captain of the brig, perished. The Narcissus was towed into Plymouth. Happily no other damage was sustained by our squadron,

The Amazon and Eliza French frigates, of 44 guns each, sailed from Havre on the 12th inst. for Cherbourg, and were chased on shore, on the 14th, by his majesty's ships Donegal, Revenge, Diana, and Niobe. One of the frigates, it is thought, will not be got off again; the other is in a dangerous situation likewise. On this important service the British had in all two men killed, and 12 wounded.

We have to notice this month, that the number of shipwrecks, and the extent of damages, particularly on the east coast of England, occasioned by the dreadful gale on the 10th inst. is almost unprecedented. To enter into particulars would far exceed our limits.

French privateers have been unusually successful this month in the Channel, as will appear by our list of British ships captured. On the other hand, the vigilance of our own cruizers has also been conspicuous, if we may judge from the following list of valuable prizes taken by them.

NAVAL REGISTER.

Enemies' Vessels taken or destroyed by the British.

L'Hirondelle Fr. lug. priv. 4 guns and 30 men, by Niobe, Capt. Loring, Oct. 21.

Edouard Fr. brig priv. 14 guns and 90 men, 210 tons, by Sybille, Capt. Upton, Irish station, Oct.

Somnambule Fr. priv. 18 guns, 56 men, taken and afterwards sunk by Apelles SW. Capt. Oliver, Oct.

Danish cutter priv. 1 gun, 4 swivels, by boats of Saturn, 74, off Jutland, Oct.

ENGLAND.

HIS MAJESTY.

His majesty has been afflicted with a severe indisposition since about the end of October, and has been attended for some time by five physicians, namely, Sir H. Halford, and Drs Reynolds, Heberden, Baillie, and Willis, whose reports or bulletins are now published twice every day. About the middle of this month it was confidently reported that the disease had sensibly abated, and that his majesty was in a state of progressive amendment. The accounts we have had since, however, have not been so favourable. For further information on this subject we must refer to the parliamentary proceedings of this month (page 544.)

The ex-king of Sweden arrived at Yarmouth on the 12th Nov. His intention of coming to Britain has been known for some time; it was carried into execution in the following manner: Haying embarked in au American vessel at one of the Russian ports, he fell in with the Ruby man of war on his passage down the Baltic, and availed himself of that opportunity to throw himself under British protection. He went on board the Ruby, and afterwards changed from that vessel to the Tartarus, in which he reached Yarmouth, as above stated. His majesty has since arrived in London; and, it is said, Hampton Court palace is to be fitted up for his future residence.

The dreadful storm of wind and rain on the 9th and 10th Nov. was productive of infinite damage at sea on the coast of England; but the loss and devastation on land also has been incalculable, occasioned by floods in the south-west of England, and by a remarkably high tide which overflowed a great part of the low grounds in Lincolnshire. The following are the most important particulars: At Boston, Lincolnshire, several of the sea-banks were on the 10th washed away by the high tide, which was raised several feet above its level by a hurricane that blew from the E. S. E. from 11 in the day till six in the evening. Whole streets contiguous to the river were overflowed, and the groundfloors of the houses inundated'; the distress of the inhabitants was greatly increased by the heavy rain which fell.

surge

The passed over the old sea-banks, and the county from Wainfleet to Spalding, a distance of 30 miles, almost exceeds the

powers of description. At Fishtoft, Mr Smith Jessop lost his life in attempting to save his father's sheep, mistaking the approaching deluge for a fall of snow. All the ditches, ponds, and wells, are filled with salt water, which will render it difficult to preserve the sheep whịch have escaped. The loss of lives has not been ascertained; that of stock is computed at half a million of money. The tide was six inches higher than in the New Year's gale. A vessel was carried on to the turnpike, between the Black Sluice and the town, while two others stuck fast in the breach behind her. A sloop of war was sunk at Hobhole, with 30 men on board, who all perished. Another vessel shared the same

fate.

Several houses were blown down, and many others have been unroofed.

At Exeter and its neighbourhood, owing to the heavy rain and high wind, all the low ground was flooded. Three vessels were thrown on the quay, and the Clarence coach from Plymouth was washed away near Alphington, and two of the horses drowned; the passengers escaped. At Dawlish, nine or ten houses, with their furniture, were swept into the sea. beautiful canal at this place, with its bridges, is so entirely destroyed, that not a vestige of its original form remains. The damage sustained by one gentleman is estimated at £10,000. At Budleigh

The

Salfelton, two houses near the beach were also washed away, and the force of the water was so prodigious as to make a channel of about 60 feet wide and 12 deep.

By an order of council of the 17th Oct. a thanksgiving is ordered to be put up in all the churches throughout the united kingdom for the abundant harvest.

October 31.-At London, the court of common council voted a statue of his majesty to be erected in their hall, in com→ memoration of the jubilee.

The list of bankrupts in the gazette of Saturday the 17th Nov. amounted to no fewer than 54! a number, we believe, altogether without precedent. The gazette of Saturday the 10th contained 32, and that of Tuesday the 13th an equal number; making in the aggregate, in the course of eight days, 118!

Nov. 26.-Mr Gale Jones received sentence in the Court of King's Bench for the libel on Lord Castlereagh. He was ordered to be confined twelve kalendar months in Coldbath-fields, and to find se

curity for his good behaviour, himself in £500, and two securities in £250 each.

Some persons convicted of the rioting at Liverpool theatre also received sentence; two of them were ordered to be confined in Lancaster jail for twelve months, two for three months, and one for two months.

An account of the reduction of the national debt, from the 1st August 1786 to the 1st November 1810:Redeemed by the sinking fund

Transferred by land-tax

redeemed

}£167,191,530

23,643,549

On account of Gr. Britain £192,114,159 Ditto of Ireland 7,412,310 1,107,925 43,618

Ditto of imperial loan
Ditto of loan to Portugal

Total £200,678,012 The sum to be expended in the ensuing quarter is £3,131,399, 3s. 9d.

IRELAND.

Oct. 30. The countess of Annesley was tried at Dublin for bigamy in having married the earl of Annesley, although Martin Connor, her first husband, was alive. After a long trial, Judge Daly proceeded to charge the jury, that the first marriage had been proved, but that of the illegal marriage no proof had been adduced, and directed the jury to acquit the pri

soner.

Nov. 2.-The adjourned general meeting of the Catholics took place at Stephen's green, Dublin. The earl, of Fingal was expected to take the chair, but, not making his appearance, Counsellor O'Gorman officiated. Mr Finnerty, now under prosecution in England for several libels published by him, addressed the meeting in a vio lent speech. He entered into the usual declamatory topics, stating the tyranny of England towards Ireland, and mentioned that the liberty of the press was so shackled in England and Ireland, that no man could publish his sentiments without running the risk of being sent to jail. He observed, that some persons thought we ought to petition for a repeal of the union, rather than for Catholic emancipation, "but why not for both? ay, and for parliamentary reform, and for a commutation of tithes also! Let us ask for every thing we have a right to claim, and let us, ask for it as often as opportunity offers." Mr Finnerty then addressed the meeting on Vol. I.

4 A

The first report of the commissioners appointed to inquire into the nature of the several begs in Ireland, and the practicability of draining and cultivating them, has made its appearance. The commissioners state that there is one million of acres of bog in Ireland, exclusive of mountain-bogs, and bogs of less extent than 500 acres, which would make a great addition. If, therefore, the above million of acres were drained and cultivated, so as to produce a rent of £3 per acre, the annual value would be three millions sterling, which, at 30 years purchase, would amount to ninety millions; and if we add ten millions additional for the other bogs, the whole would amount to one hundred millions, which is more than the national debt of Ireland. These improvements would afford employment and subsistence to a vast number of people, who would consume the manufactures of Ireland, and a great additional quantity of corn would be raised to supply the inhabitants, in place of our being obliged to get it from France, and to pay for it in specie.

SCOTLAND.

HIGH COURT OF JUSTICIARY.

Nov. 26.-Walter Redpath, grocer in Ford, Path-head, accused of the murder of Andrew Mackechnie, shoemaker there, by shooting him with a musket on the 10th August last. The prisoner pleaded not guilty; and it was stated by his counsel, that the piece had gone off accidentally. From the evidence it appeared that seme misunderstanding had existed between the pannel and the deceased previous to the above date, the latter having the very day before complained to his landlord that the pannel had thrown down a sow-house of his, at which he at the same time expressed a good deal of resentment. On the forenoon of the 10th August, the deceased was

observed

observed to throw up a trench on the road, by which the pannel had access to his stable, which completely shut it up. In the afternoon, the pannel's boy, leading a horse, with a cartful of grass, came up to the spot; but, as he could not get through, he gave notice to his father, who came out; and, while attempting to make the road passable, the deceased made his appearance, and struck him either on the arm or shoulders with a pretty large stick. On this, the pannel lifted a stone from the ground to throw at him, which, however, he did not do. He then lifted another, but this he also threw down, without aiming at the deceased. He then went round to his own house by the front-door, and almost immediately after came out at the back one, with a musket in his hands, which he held, presented breast-high, towards where the deceased stood. This was in his own yard, which is separated by a railing, about three feet high, from a road at the back of the house, leading to where the trench was thrown up. On arriving opposite to where the deceased stood, he struck at the musket in the pannel's hand to beat it down; but whether with his hand or with a stick, was not quite certain, when it immediately went off, and Mackechnie fell down dead. Five witnesses agreed that the deceased struck the gun in the pannel's hand. Mackechnie's widow, who was present also, insisted that her husband was standing too far off to have done this. Baron Clerk, Mr Dewar of Vogrie, and others, gave the pannel an excellent character for peaceable and quiet behaviour. On the other hand, the deceased was represented to have been rather quarrelsome. The jury returned a verdict of guilty of culpable homicide, when he was sentenced to transportation for life.

HIGH COURT OF ADMIRALTY.

James Telfair, merchant in Ayr, was tried for effecting insurances on a vessel which had previously and with his knowledge received damage, the circumstances regarding which he had concealed from the underwriters. The prisoner pleaded not guilty. After a long and elaborate debate on the relevancy of the libel, the judge ordered informations to be given in, and the prisoner was admitted to bail.

COURT OF SESSION-SECOND DIVISION.

City of Edinburgh v. Builders in the Extended Royalty.

The question at issue between the parties in this case was, whether or not the

defenders, carrying on their professions in the extended royalty, were bound to enter with the city as burgesses?

It was maintained by the magistrates of Edinburgh, the pursuers, that by old statutes, and by the constitution and practice of royal burghs, the magistrates could compel all who carried on any professions or trades to enter as burgesses, and that they could even raise the dues of entry when any expensive alteration or improvements were made in the burgh. That, upon building the North Bridge, an act of parliament had been passed, extending the liberties of the city over the lands now occupied by the New Town; and the city of Edinburgh never intended to part with so important a branch of the city's revenue as that arising from the entries of new tradesmen, and from which it was chiefly intended to defray the expense of building the bridge. By the act extending the royalty, the magistrates and council are declared to enjoy the same rights, privileges, and jurisdictions, over the grounds annexed, as they enjoyed over the ancient royalty, and are entitled to levy the same duties, customs, and other taxations, within the annexed grounds; and since the year 1767, when the act was passed, the magistrates had been in the practice of compelling all who exercised

any

trade within the new limits to enter as burgesses with the city.

Answered by the defenders-That the old statutes founded on by the magistrates merely applied to those who exercised their respective trades within the ancient royalty: That the act of parliament extending the royalty of the city of Edinburgh did so under certain limitations and reservations, declaring it lawful to every person to exercise any trade or calling within the lands so annexed, in the same manner as formerly. The clause in the act is as follows : "And it shall and may be lawful to all and every person or persons to exercise any trade or calling within the limits of the lands hereby annexed to and comprehended within the said royalty, any thing in the present act to the contrary notwithstanding." The building of the North Bridge, it was contended, had no connexion with the present ease; it was abundantly clear that the expense of that building could not be defrayed from the dues of entries of burgesses, but by the feu-duties, poors" stent, imposts, road-money, &c. for which the extended royalty is assessed. The simple question was merely the right of

the