RES sum levicula, nitidissimâ alâ, Visum me properant quotquot Psychæ vo- Flos et quisque mî præbet odores; Mimosam in primis levibus peto alis, Sic erro levis, et cujusque floris F. W. 167 Near to the church-yard's southern bound bloom; There wafts the rose its soft perfume; The liveliest, loveliest of them all; And left her des'late and undone. She mark'd the change; her cheek, her eye, That lovely and heart-stricken maid. G. MAC. JOHNSON. [168] HISTORICAL CHRONICLE. FOREIGN FRANCE. A complete change in the French administratration has taken place: the Prince de Polignac is appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, on the resignation of Count Portalis The Sieur Courvoisier, Secretary for the department of Justice-Count de Bourmont, Secretary for the War Department-Count Bourdonnaye, Secretary for the Department of the Interior-Baron de Montbel, Secretary for the Department of Ecclesiastical Affairs and Public Instruction Count Chabrol de Carousal, Secretary for the Department of Finance. The Count de Chabrol, Prince de Polignac, and the Count de la Bourdonnaye, are to hold ad interim the portefeuilles of Finance, Marine, Colonies, and Ecclesiastical Affairs, respectively. All these appointments are taken from the right side or right centre, who are more or less opposed to the liberals or republicans, and will therefore be, perhaps, not very popular among that party; but they are understood to be warm supporters of the Charter, and anxious to secure for France its benefits, unshackled either by the liberals, on the one hand, or the party of the jesuits, on the other. Of the proprietors of seventeen political journals published in Paris it is stated that, at least one-third are noblemen or persons of great distinction in the scientific or literary world. To be a known writer in a respectable periodical, is said to be the best passport to good society in Paris. During the last twelve months not fewer than twenty political and literary journals have been started in the French provinces. PORTUGAL. Portugal is in a state of the utmost anarchy. The party that placed Don Miguel on the throne, is now split into minor factions, and some have gone so far as to talk of a rebellion against him who is himself a rebel, and of rectifying the evils of one usurpation by accomplishing another. Don Sebastian, a prince of the House of Braganza, and nephew to Don Miguel, is spoken of as the likely agent of the new revolution. It that prosecutions are going on appears against twenty-one persons absent from the kingdom; among these are the Marquis Palmella, Conde De Sampayo, Conde De Villa Flor, &c. These persons are denounced as forming part of the rebel junta, and commanding part of the rebel troops who entered Oporto in June 1828, coming from England. RUSSIA. A Russian bulletin of the 21st of July enumerates a series of successes on the part NEW S. [Aug. of the Russians, consequent upon the fall of the fortress of Silistria, which event enabled Count Diebitsch to obtain an almost uninterrupted series of advantages over the Turks, until at length he was enabled to attain the most elevated point of the Great Balkan. The Russians appear to have succeeded in deceiving the Turks in Shumla as to their object. While the Turks supposed that Shumla was severely threatened, and directed their whole attention to this danger, the Russians, in order to continue them in that delusion, never moved any troops from Shumla till their place was supplied with troops from Silistria, and the movement took place in the night, in profound silence. Advices of the 26th of July state that after the Russian troops had defeated the Turkish troops opposed to them, they made themselves masters of Aidos. The account states that the Russian army had also taken possession of the important places of Messambria, Achioli, and Bourgas, and were advancing rapidly forwards in the fertile and populous plains beyond the Balkan. The Turks, who were taken by surprise, and instantly defeated, had no time to depopulate the province; and such was the order maintained by the Russian commander, that the inhabitants, most of whom are Christians, quietly pursued their labours. The distance from Bourgas to Constantinople is not more than 120 miles, along the fertile plains of Rumelia, and within a few miles of the Black Sea; and there is said not to be a military position of any importance in the whole route. The Turks have a strong force assembled at Adrianople, in the expectation that their invaders would make that city a point of attack; but the Russians have directed their course to the Turkish capital, by a route sixty or seventy miles distant from Adrianople. Official advices have been received at St. Petersburgh, of the capture, on the 27th of June, of Erzeroum, and the fortress of Hassan-Kale. At Erzeroum the Seraskier and four other Pachas were made prisoners, and 150 cannons fell into the hands of the Russians, of which 29 were taken at HassanKale. The capture of the important city of Erzeroum, leaves all Asia open to the triumphant Russians. ASIA. A letter from the Mauritius, of the 24th April, supplies some additional particulars of the state of the island of Madagascar, since the death of King Radama, which, there is great reason to fear, will lead to the re-establishment of that island as a slave 1829.] Foreign News.-Domestic Occurrences. Thanh The writer observes-" From the period of the king's death matters have progressively gone on from bad to worse, so that the country has been, and continues to be, torn by the contentions of different parties, and the Queen had some time since refused the annual subsidy from England, or in any way to acknowledge the treaty entered into with Radama for the abolition of the slave trade. About the middle of last month, the resident agent of the English government, while stationed at the capital of Tauanarive, was seized upon by order of the parties in power at Madagascar; he had been tried according to the usages of the country, on a charge of sorcery, divination, and conspiration, against the decrees of the gods of the natives; and for these offences had been ordered to quit the country, and was making the best of his way towards the coast. AFRICA. The first accident which has befallen the French fleet off Algiers is rather unfortunate. On the appearance of two boats' 169 crews containing twenty-four persons, the Moors made an immediate descent upon the adventurers, and, agreeably to established custom, cut off the heads of twenty-three, which they sent into Algiers under the guardianship of the twenty-fourth, who was reserved to take charge of his headless companions, and carry the news of their massacre to the Dey! SOUTH AMERICA. Letters from the Havannah of the 7th July, communicate the important intelligence of the departure of a Spanish expedition against Mexico, under the command of General Barados. It sailed on the 5th. The expedition consisted of six American transports and a Spanish brig, having on board 3,500 troops, under the convoy of Admiral Laborde, with a ship of the line, two frigates, and two brigs. The Admiral will land 800 marines, well armed and disciplined; and the expedition is stated to be furnished with from 350,000 to 500,000 dollars. Proclamations have been addressed to the Mexi cans. DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES. INTELLIGENCE FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. The great cause which has been many years depending in the Court of Arches relating to the estate and effects of the late Sir Thomas Millington, an eminent physician in King Charles's reign, has been finally determined in favour of Dr. Boucher, with full costs of suits. The case was briefly this:-Sir Thomas left three daughters, who all died without issue, and the last survivor of them, who lived to the age of 90, became possessed of the whole fortune, and left it, to the value of 40,000l., without knowing the person who was heir-at-law. Nearly thirty different parties put in their claim; who, after having many of them spent their whole substance, dropt their suit, and gave place to others. The determination was rendered the more difficult, because Sir Thomas, having risen from an obscure condition, never mentioned his relations; so that to prove a collateral affinity it became necessary to send to Rome, where, Sir Thomas being a Papist, it was hoped some register of his birth, or record of his family, might be found. The proceedings by this means became expensive, and for several years Dr. Boucher and a family of the name of Millington, in Staffordshire, were the only parties to the suit. There are several societies in Leeds bearing the designation of Co-operative Societies, the principal object of which is to afford their members good provisions at a GENT. MAG. August 1829. cheap rate. Each member of the society contributes sixpence a week towards the creation of a capital, which is laid out in provisions at the wholesale price, and sold to the members on advantageous terms. Other persons, not being members, are also allowed to purchase at the store on as good terms as at other places. All the transections are for ready money. The co-operative societies also relieve their members in sickness, and by these combined operations become at once capitalists and protectors to each other. July 25. Mr. Gurney's steam-carriage, on its route from London to Bath, passed through Devizes, under the direction of Mr. Gurney, accompanied by Col. Viney, Capt. Dobbyn, and a party of friends, in different carriages. On arriving at Melksham, they were surrounded by a concourse of persons, many of whom were impressed with the notion that the steam carriage was calculated to reduce manual labour; and cries were set up of "We are starving already; let's have no more machinery!" "Down with the machinery! "Knock it to pieces!" &c. The mob quickly increased, and when the carriage arrived on Melksham bridge, the gentlemen composing the party were grossly insulted, stones being thrown at them from all directions. The steam-carriage is about 12 feet in length from the extremne end of the boiler to the dashing board in front, and weighs about 16 cwt. Its speed on level ground is very great; it performed the first part of the journey from Cranford bridge to " Reading, at the rate of 16 miles per hour. Hills were ascended and descended with the greatest facility and safety. Marlborough hills, the ascending of which it was thought would put the powers of the carriage to a severe test, appeared to afford not the slightest obstacle. And as to the manageability of the machine, it far surpasses that of horses, or indeed any idea that could be formed of it. The proprietors consider this trial so decisive, that it is supposed they will take immediate measures to bring carriages of this sort into action on the roads. July 31. The grand Railway Tunnel, that runs under the town of Liverpool, was opened for inspection. A small tunnel, 270 yards long, leads to a larger one. The large tunnel, down which the day-light penetrated for several hundred yards, was lighted with gas throughout its whole exteut, and the effect was grand and beautiful. The Mayor and his friends, including several of the proprietors, took their place in a common rail-way waggon, fitted with seats for the occasion (the handsome machines intended for passengers not being yet finished), and, being pushed to the mouth of the great tunnel, set off, down the gently inclined plane, without horse or other drag, at a rapid rate. After a ride of about 8 or ten minutes, the road taking a slight turn, brought the company again to day-light. Aug. 5. A meeting of the bankers, merchauts, and other inhabitants of Leeds was held, for the purpose, principally, of receiving the reports of the Leeds deputation to London, respecting the East and West India, Trade. This report consisted of a succinct statement of proceedings in London of the various deputations sent from different parts of the country, and of the reception their proposals to open the India and China trade had received from ministers and in parliament, with some observations on the favourable prospect which existed of the opening of the trade to the East at the expiration of the East India Company's Charter (which will take place in 1834). This report was received with the warmest approbation, and a committee was appointed, to be called "The Leeds Committee for promoting the opening of the trade to India and China," and to act in concert with the central associations in Liverpool and London. Aug. 17. At Leicester Assizes, an action was brought by the Rev. Mr. Trimmer, grandson of the celebrated Mrs. Trimmer, against Lord Huntingtower, for erecting nuisances and writing certain letters with a view to injure the plaintiff. It appeared that the plaintiff was appointed to the vicarage of Buckminster by the Duke of Devonshire, and that the defendant, who lived in the neighbourhood, and who was not on good terms with the plaintiff, wished to remove him from thence; being lord of the manor, he erected a penfold (or pound) in front of [Aug. the plaintiffs residence, the plaintiff having a wife and family, and two or three young gentlemen as pupils. The noble defendant, with a view to annoy the plaintiff, occasionally put into this pound bulls and cows, male and female donkeys, a horse and mares; thereby causing unpleasant noises and sights. His Lordship also built a cottage near the vicarage, which he let to fen.ales of light character. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff for the full sum laid in the declaration, namely 2,000l. damages and costs, with a recommendation that the nuisance should be abated. Great damage has been occasioned in various parts of the country by thunder-storms, accompanied by hail and rain. In the neighbourhood of Boston, Lincolnshire, the crops of numerous farmers were totally destroyed. The narrative of these calamities concludes thus:-"From Brothertoft to Langret Ferry, and thence to Sibsey and part of Carrington, scarcely a single farm has escaped, and, judging from what we have seen and heard, we should certainly say that the damage sustained there exceeds 70,000l. in value. The dreadful line of devastation appears to extend about a mile in breadth, and eight miles in length, through one of the most fertile parts of Lincolnshire." At Brookland, a village near Rye, the severity of the late tempest has been felt most seriously. Almost every pane of glass in the church was demolished, and almost every cottage in the village was partially unroofed; in the wheat fields the corn was forced down and broken as if an army had passed over. At Haydon-bridge, Northumberland, July 31, the storm continued without intermission for nearly five hours. The new bridges at Langley Castle and Gee's-wood, were entirely swept away, together with the new wall or quay, erected at a great expense, for widening the road in the Erp Hill Cleugh. In Scotland the heavy rains have occasioned inundations more extensive, and, it is feared, more destructive, than any in memory; and in many instances attended with loss of life. On the night of Monday, Aug. 3, the Dee in some places reached eleven feet above its ordinary level, and the harbour of Aberdeen was filled at the time of low water above the height of an ordinary spring tide. A little below the bridge of Dee, the water rose at least eighteen inches higher than in the flood of 1799; and the Lossie, at Elgin, surpassed in height fully fifteen inches the vast flood of September, 1768. It has been noticed as remarkable, that the last four great inundations by which this part of the kingdom has been visited, have occurred at intervals of thirty years, viz. 1738, 1768, 1799, and 1829. With the exception of the bridge near Aberdeen, and that at Potarch, all the bridges over the Dee have either been swept away, or sus tained more or less injury. The bridge at Ballater, that at Mar Lodge, and the suspension bridge at Charlestown of Aboyne, are completely destroyed. The bridge at Invercauld has lost one arch; the bridge of Banchory is so much damaged that it is believed part of it must be taken down; and the parapet of the bridge of Feugh has been carried away. The low grounds in the neighbourhood of the Don shared the same fate as those near the Dee. Opposite to the manse of Towie the river has completely altered its course, striking out for itself a new channel, and leaving its former bed, and the bridge which crossed it, quite dry. At Banff great damage was done. On the road between Fochahers and Keith, the bridge of Haughs is almost entirely thrown down, and two smaller bridges are swept away. At least twenty others in the branch roads of the neighbourhood are also either thrown down, or so much damaged as to be rendered impassable. The river Isla has destroyed several houses; five bridges between Perth and Inverness were swept away, and almost all in the vicinity of Grantown. In Perthshire the storm was extremely violent. At Duplin Castle from 300 to 400 trees have been blown down. At Scoon 250 trees met a similar fate. For several miles round Crieff, the woods exhibit a most mangled appearance, thousands of the trees being torn up by the roots. The excellent bridge of Bishopmill, on the Lossie, erected about eighteen years ago, at an expense of many hundred pounds, is now a heap of ruins. The Rothes bridge is broken down, and the splendid bridge which crossed the Spey at Fochabers, has been destroyed. This bridge was erected in 1801-4, at the enormous expense of upwards of 14,000l. LONDON AND ITS VICINITY. In consequence of the numerous complaints respecting the impetuosity with which Steam-vessels perform their transits through the Thames, the Lord Mayor has ordered, "That all those vessels when bound up the river, upon arriving off the east wing of Greenwich Hospital, do reduce the steam or velocity of the vessel, so as not to pass through the water with a flood-tide at a rate beyond four miles per hour, or against the ebb-tide at a rate beyond six miles per hour, until their arrival abreast the Limehouse entrance of the West India Docks; and that from thence to their moorings they do reduce the steam so as not to pass through the water with a flood-tide at a rate beyond three miles per hour, or against the ebb-tide at a rate beyond five miles per hour." The existence of the ancient Baronial Court in Red Lion Square is not much known to the public. It is held monthly before the sheriff of the county, or his de 171 puty. The power of the Court in judgment is as great as the present Courts at Westminster; is more expeditious, and less expensive; persons seeking to recover debts may do so to any amount, at the trifling expence of six or seven pounds; nor is it confined to actions of account; it extends to detenue, trover, scandal, &c., and personal service of process is unnecessary. This Court was instituted by King Alfred, upon dividing the kingdom into shires, and subsequently sanctioned and continued by Canute the Dane, William the Conqueror, and various statutes, more particularly Magna Charta, caps. 17 and 35; 9th Henry III. cap. 35; 2d Edw. VI. cap. 25, &c. and is treated upon by many late eminent legal authorities, as Judges Hale, Lambert, and many others. The following is the substance of the resolutions relating to the admission of persons in the Inner Temple, which came into operation on July 10, 1829: "Resolved, that it is expedient to exclude, as far as may be possible, from admission to the Bar, persons whose education and previous habits of life do not afford sufficient testimony of the integrity and learning which are essential to the dignity of a liberal profession, and the best titles to the respect and confidence of the public. Second, That with a view to effect this desirable object, no person be hereafter admitted a student of this society, without a previous examination by one barrister of the society, to be named for that purpose by the Masters of the Bench, and a certificate, to be signed by the examiner, of the competency of the candidate for admission in classical attainments and the general subjects of a liberal education." The new Police System will shortly come into operation. It is intended to have the men regularly drilled by serjeants of the Guards, and other soldiers, who have entered the new service. The persons who were to have been constables, are to be styled serjeants; and the superintendents will be called lieutenants. During the day the men will not be allowed to wear their arms except upon some actual service, and they will be vigilantly watched by the superintendants, and reported either for good or bad conduct. July 24. A number of scientific gentlemen assembled to witness an experiment by Mons. Chabert, the person who has gained such notoriety by sustaining heat far beyond the temperature to which it was supposed any human being dared to expose himself. An oven was erected for the purpose, into which M. Chabert entered when it was heated to 400 degrees. He took in with him a beef steak, which, on his retiring (in about eight minutes), was completely cooked. He swallowed twenty grains of phosphorus, three grains of which, divided into three doses, killed a man not long ago. He also swallowed heated oil at a temperature of 350. |