AUGUST.

2d. At the Sussex assizes, which were held at Lewes, the following cause (for cruelty to a dog) came on: -Hicks versus James Collard. Mr. Morris said, the declaration set forth, that the plaintiff had a valuable dog; that the defendant beat him, and rubbed his sides with a caustic liquid; in consequence of which it became necessary to destroy the animal. To this the defendant had pleaded, that the dog trespassed upon his premises, and that he beat him to keep him away.-The plaintiff was a stable keeper at Brighton, and the animal destroyed was his yard dog. The defendant was a druggist and chemist, who had a bitch in his house, to which the dog paid occasional visits. In one of those visits the defendant secured the dog, most cruelly poured on him oil of vitriol, and turned him out. In the course of the next day, it corroded the flank of the poor creature until his bowels actually dropped out, and it became necessary to put the animal out of its misery. It was stated in confirmation by a witness, that the morning after the liquid had been applied about five o'clock,he first saw the dog; it was then running about the yard in great agony. The hair on the back was hard, as if burnt, but on the sides, where the dog had licked himself, the flesh was torn away, and there was but a thin skin between that and the bowels. The tongue of the animal, by licking itself, was burnt as hard as a coal, and was so stiff that it appeard as if it had been bent. About twelve o'clock, the skin on the flank was eaten in holes, and the bowels dropped out on the ground. In this

state they shot the dog. Two other witnesses proved to the same effect. --At the conclusion of the examination of witnesses, the judge (Baron Macdonald) observed, that his feelings had been so deeply lacerated by what he had heard, that he could not recapitulate the evidence. Such an act of wanton wickedness and cruelty, he said, he had never before heard of, and he hoped that he never should again. He regretted that the law would not permit him to punish such a miscreant as he deserved; but advised the jury to give the most ample damages that the law would allow. The damages were only laid at five guineas, the, value of the dog, consequently the jury could give no more.-Five guineas were therefore awarded.

At eleven o'clock A. M. there was an awful thunder-storm in East Lothian. The morning was fine, but between ten and eleven the sky became dark and stormy, and soon burst into loud peals of thunder, preceded by flashes of lightning uncommonly vivid. The lightning broke upon the manse of Gladsmuir, and struck dead a female servant. The manse was for some time filled with smoke and sulphur, but no other damage happened to it, than the falling of some slates from the roof.

In the north of Scotland, large tracts of land still remain under water. In the parish of Urquhart, about 18 miles from Inverness, a bridge was carried off by the current, and three men who were on it at the time perished.

4th. This day was cut, in the garden belonging to Thomas Taylor, of Norton, near Stockton, co. Durham, a melon, which measured, in circumference over its two ends, 36 - inches,

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inches, and betwixt them, in a direction perpendicular to its axis, 28 inches; weight, 16lbs. 0 oz. It is thought to be the largest ever grown in this part, or perhaps in England.

6th. A party of boats at Weymouth went on a sailing match, when one, the May - Flower, with five hands, upset, and immediately went down; the men were all saved except one of the name of Strictland, a shoemaker, who sunk with the

boat.

7th. A grand conference of the methodists closed at York on Saturday last. The increase of the society this year amounts to near 9000. Seventeen preachers have been admitted into full connection, and near forty more on trial. Fifty additional chapels have been erected in the course of the year. At the above conference the rev. Adam Clarke sat as president, and Dr. Thomas Coke as secretary. Upwards of 20,000 members were present on the occasion.

About one o'clock this morning the sugar-house of Mrs. A. Moles. worth, in Union-street, Shadwell, was discovered to be on fire. In two hours the interior of the sugarhouse was entirely consumed: the dwelling-house escaped with little damage. The premises, we hear, were insured for 7500l.

This day, at 12 o'clock, the operation of tapping was performed by Mr. Cline on Mr. Secretary Fox, and upwards of 16 quarts of water were removed. The operation was performed in the presence of Dr. Pitcairn, Dr. Vaughan, Dr. Moseley, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Tegart, and Mr. Cline junior.

The same day, James Branscomb, esq. was chosen sheriff of London;

and has accepted the office, together with Jonathan Miles, esq.

A dreadful fire broke out this evening, in the extensive warehouse and stores belonging to Mr. Bennet, sugar-baker, at the corner of Conduit-strect, Shadwell, by which the whole of those valuable premises were destroyed, together with sugar, molasses, &c. to an immense amount.

An effort, by two motions, in the court of chancery, was made to revive the question of the sanity or insanity of the late lord Chedworth; and the main spring by which the point of insanity was to be insisted on, was an affidavit of the rev. Dr. Parr, of Hatton, in Warwickshire. The doctor, in his affidavit, states, that he very reluctantly came forward, at the instance of the heir at law, lientenant-colonel Alexander Wright, of the 77th regiment; he nevertheless states, that notwithstanding lord Chedworth's highly cultivated mind, his brilliant fancy, and his superior talents, yet he believed him at times to be deranged, and of so unsound a judgment, that it would have been proper at those times to have placed him under personal restraint. This affidavit was repelled by the counsel on the opposite side, by the production of several letters from Dr. Parr himself to lord Chedworth, written in the life time of the latter, all of which conveyed the most exalted idea of his lordship's understanding. -The lord Chancellor (after adverting to the strong and powerful evidence produced on the trial, in the court of King's bench, of lord Chedworth's sanity) particularised the case of the attorney general e. Panther, in which lord Thurlow laid down a maxim, from which he said

no judges should depart: It was, that the onus should be with those who asserted the insanity, and that it was not sufficient to show that the party had been suspected of a morbid imagination at particular periods of his life; but it must be proved that he was actually deranged at the time of doing the act, the validity of which was questioned. His lordship concluded, by refusing to grant a new trial, and hoped that the matter of costs would be the only thing hereafter to be discussed.

8th. This evening, on finishing a house in Brick-lane, Spitalfields, the bricklayers went on the most elevated part of the building to drink a gallon of beer, with three huzzas. In their hilarity, four persons fell to the ground; one was killed on the spot, and the others were taken to the London hospital; one of whom is since dead, and the other two not likely to recover.

9th. A wooden house in Lambeth Marsh took fire, owing to the boiling over of some varnish. The adjoining houses were pulled down; and the flames prevented extending. On Bushy Heath, near Rickmansworth, several men and women were employed in the making of bricks. When the storm came on, one of the women, to appease the crying of her infant child, placed it on her breast, and ran towards her cottage, which she had nearly reached, when the lightning struck her in a terrible manner; it burnt her body to a cinder, and tore her limbs from their places one of her legs was found 20 yards from her body; but the child remained unhurt. The light. ning next set fire to her thatched cottage, in which were her four other children, one of whom was killed, and another so dreadfully VOL. XLVIII.

scorched that its life was despaired of, though hopes are now entertained of its recovery. The cottage, and the whole of the poor man's furniture, were entirely consumed.

The storm at Newcastle was extremely awful. A violent squall of wind arose from the S. W. which sunk a pleasure boat belonging to a gentleman in South Queensferry, then near the island of Inchcolm. The owner of the boat, his servant, a skipper, and two tradesmen, all residing in Queensferry, unfortunately perished.

CARLISLE. This afternoon came on a most dreadful storm. It com. menced about 4 in the afternoon, and continued till near 8, at which time it was as dark as it used to be at 9. The lightning was amazingly vivid, and appeared one continued flash; the thunder, too, was tremendous. A large barn at Linstock (farmed by John Lennox), two miles from this city, was struck by a fire-ball. The barn contained 80 cart-loads of hay, valued at 2507.

As 5 or 6 people were employed in the cellar of the new brewery here, a thunder-bolt penetrated into it, and struck all to the ground. The eldest son of Mr. Ross was se verely injured, but there are hopes of his recovery. At Coldbeck, the storm was equally severe. A cow, the property of the high sheriff, was killed by the electric fluid.

10th. This morning as several young men and boys were bathing in the Serpentine river, a young man named Smith, a good swimmer, was seized with the cramp, and sunk. The spectators ran to the receivinghouse to give the alarm. The body was found in about 20 minutes, and taken to the receiving house; and in half an hour life was restored. Fi

14th.

14th. This day a fire broke out at Pill, owing to the obstinacy of a gentleman's servant, in setting fire to the thatch taken off some old buildings; which communicating to the adjoining houses, three were burnt to the ground. Three poor families have been deprived of a home.

19th. The thunder-storm of this day has done infinite damage in various parts of the country. At Northfield End, near Henly, a fire ball entered the chimney, and passed through the windows, after greatly injuring the house. Two men and a boy, who were dressing wheat in a barn, at Harrington Tiger, near Huntingdon, were struck dead by the lightning, and the barn burnt; as were a fat cow and three sheep, belonging to Mr. Handley, of Deeping Fen.-In Haddon lordship, two beasts, the property of Mr. Dean, and a horse near Cambridge, perish ed. A fire-ball entered the workhouse at Godmanchester, but passed out at the front door, without doing any injury. It afterwards entered the hut of a poor man opposite, M. Budge, who was killed while sitting in a chair; after which it exploded. -Three fat bullocks grazing in a field, and belonging to Mr. T. Sadler, of St. Osyth, were destroyed by the lightning.-A barn in the possession of Mr. B. Wiggins, of Hag geley, near Maldon, was consumed, together with the contents, part of the corn of this year's growth.

This evening, about seven o'clock as Mr. Nettlefield, stockbroker, with a female relation, was driving his gig towards Maidenhead, the horse took fright, and running on a bank, the lady was thrown out, and killed on the spot.

Three children amusing themselves a few days ago in a sand-hole, at

Bank Top, Manchester, a part of the rock above them gave way, and killed them all on the spot.

At Rudford, near Gloucester, two sheep were killed in a field; and, on the Tewkesbury road, a post-chaise horse, belonging to the Bell inn, was struck down, but soon recovered the shock. A poor man was killed near Stapleton; he had a scythe on his shoulder, which, no doubt, served to attract the electric fluid. A very fine horse was killed at Tortworth, in Gloucestershire. A valuable horse, the property of Farmer Daily, was struck dead at Witney; and two others were killed near Henley. One of the Bath coaches was overturned on Twyford bridge, by the horses taking fright at the lightning; but none of the passengers were injured, though the coach was thrown into the stream. At Godstone, in Surrey, the lightning struck two men who were hoeing turnips in a field, and killed one of them on the spot. The other, after remaining some time senseless on the ground, re. covered as from a swoon, and appeared much surprised and shocked at finding his companion dead. At Dunstable the lightning fell on a house, formerly the Bull inn, but now fitting up for a brewery, and fired a stable in which were five waggon-horses; they were got out safe.-Joseph Bridge, employed by Mr. Ford, of Rayleigh, near Shrewsbury, in mowing oats, endeavoured to shelter himself under an oak, which he had nearly reached, when he was struck dead. -A large oak growing in a field in the parish of Sherstone, Wilts, belonging to Mr. John Deverell, was struck by the lightning. A large limb, weighing four or five cwt. was

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severed