Monmouthshire Merlin

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. —«?-— The Bank of England on Friday last gave notice of their readiness to make advances, at the moderate interest of three per cent. per annum, on the deposit of Exchequer Bills, and Mercantile Acceptances of undoubted character; the ad- vances to continue till the 15th of next month, by which time the issue of the dividends will have relieved the public from the inconvenience attendant on the large payments made at this season into the Exchequer. This is a repetition of the measure adopted by the Bank Directors in December, and none that they could adopt would be more beneficial in its operation or more unexceptionable in its character. Though the charge for interest is so moderate, the mode of making the advances is such as in no degree to engross the discount business of the City, or to interfere between private bankers and their customers. The proposed loans being made in sums of £2000 or upwards, are suitable to those who deal in Bills and other monied property on a large scale. By affording them a certainty of obtaining money for first-rate securities at any time during the ensuing six weeks, it en- ables them to extend with confidence pecuniary accommo- dation to those who are obliged to apply to them for it on a smaller scale, and with deposits pet /.Itcgeiher sci unex- ceptionable as those expected at the Bank. It thus puts it in the power of a small but very efficient class in the community to continue their aid to a long list of connexions -to persons engaged in trade in a variety of forms, whether as merchants, manufacturers, brokers, or retailers. STEAM PACKETS.—The return of spring bids fair to give extension to this easy and regular mode of conveyance. Notice is already given of two new steam packets in very distinct stations; one from Bristol to Liverpool and back every ten days; the other from Marseilles to Genoa, Leg- horn, Civita Vecchia (near Rome), and Naples, with an occasional trip to Sicily. The latter will be a great conve- nience to travellers, and, in course of time, is likely to be followed by a steam packet to Greece. We have to announce the death of Lady Augusta de Ameland, which took place early on Thursday morning. Her Ladyship was married in April, 1793, at Rome, and again at St. George's, Hanover-square, in the December following, to his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, by whom she has left issue, Augustus, a son, and a daughter named Augusta. To dissolve this second marriage a suit was instituted in the Prerogative Court, by which the mar- riage was declared null and void, in August, 1794. The family name of her Ladyship was Murray, she being the fourth daughter of John Murray, fourth Earl of Dunmore, which she 11 exchanged for that of De Ameland, in October, 1806, by Royal licence, out of respect to her descent from that ancient family.-Globe. The Hon. and Rev. G. Spencer, who renounced Protest- antism at Leicester a short time since, has left this country for the Continent, on his way to Rome. He will there join the English College, where he will remain three years, to qualify himself for the Itoman Catholic Priesthood. A meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants of the county of Northampton is to take place on Friday next, in the Shire Hall, Northampton, to take into consideration the general distress of the country. The will of the late Sir Thomas Lawrence has been proved in Doctors' Commons and probate granted for per- sonal property under £ 45,000. Sir Thomas states that his collection of drawings by the old masters are, he confidently believes, the finest in Europe, and worth £ 20,000 but he directs them to be offered to "His most gracious Majesty for £ 18,000." In case of his declining to take them, they are to be offered to the British Museum, Mr. Peel, and Lord Dudley, in succession and if not purchased by either of these parties, are to be advertised in all the capi- tals and principal cities in Europe for £20,000, and after- wards sold by public auction." Two volumes of paintings, by F. Bartolomeo, are to be offered in precisely the same manner, except that the National Gallery is substituted for the British Museum, for £ 800. A series of original draw- ings of Cartoons by Leonardo dii Vinci, for his Last Supper, for £1000; the Wife qf Potiphar accusing Joseph, by Rembrandt, for £ 1500; and two small paintings, by Raf- faelle, for £1000; all to be disposed of as above stated. His collection of architectural casts he offers to the Royal Academy for £ 250—they cost him £ 500 his magnificent set of Sevres porcelain, given to him by the King of France, he leaves to the Academy to be used on all great occasions. He recommends to his executor, his dear friend William Young Ottley, Esq. to make the sale catalogue of his various works. After the payment of his just debts, he leaves the entire residue of his wealth to his sister, and nephews and nieces. Among the papers lately printed by order of the Parlia- ment are two reports from Mr. Capper, superintendent of the hulks, on board of which convicts under sentence of transportation are kept at work. These hulks, ten in num- ber, are stationed respectively at Portsmouth, Sheerness, Chatham, Woolwich, Plymouth, and Deptford. The num- ber of convicts on board was, on the 1st of January last, 4250, many of whom are under the age of 20. A register is kept of the labour performed by these men, and entries of its estimated worth are regularly made in the office- books. A small number, rated as artificers, are considered to earn Is 9d a-day but the great majority being employed as labourers, are considered as worth only Is 3d a-day.— Yet, moderate as is this estimate of the value of their work, the amount at the end of a year, or half a year, is not greatly short of the total of their expense. Thus in the first six months of last year the earnings of the convicts in these ten hulks amounted to £31,646; the total expense, including superintendent's salary, was £ 37,626. These statements are followed by short reports from the different chaplains at the hulks on the conduct of the convicts, as regards attend- ance at public worship, and their moral behaviour gene- rally. The chaplains, eight in number, report in general favourably, adding, however, that the orderly conduct of the prisoners is, doubtless, less in consequence of moral im- provement than of the discipline in which they are kept.- The boys are kept separate, from the men, and are made to attend during certain hours at school. At Bermuda there are three convict-ships, and the number of men confined on board is above 1000. The proportion of earnings to ex- pense is here nearly the same—viz, £ 13,000 earnings to X15,000 expense, for a period of six months. DETECTION OF A DARING GANG OF BURGLARs.-About three o'clock on Sunday morning, a most daring attempt at burglary was made under the following circumstances :— Mr. Bishop, a baker, in Clare-court, Dury-lane, was awoke by hearing a noise in his back yard. He immediately got out of bed, and, upon looking through the window, was surprised to see three men scrambling over the wall from the adjoining premises. He then, without disturbing the intruders, proceeded to the front door, and informed a pri- vate watchman of the circumstance. The watchman in- stantly gave notice to the police-constables, a party of whom were soon on the spot. The house was searched, but for some time to no purpose, until one of the lodgers, who had come down stairs, declared that she had heard the footsteps of persons on the staircase a few minutes previous to her arrival below. The policemen again went up stairs, and searched the house, but could not find the burglars and were at a loss to conjecture by what means they could'have escaped, until Mr. Bishop suggested that the apartment of a female lodger should be entered, as he suspected that at the time he heard her go up stairs he also heard other foot- steps on the staircase. This was accordingly done, and they found the three burglars concealed in her apartment. By tins time the whole neighbourhood was alarmed; and Mr. Gray, the baker, of Blackmoor-street, found that the robbers had entered the premises, and stolen therefrom a quantity of copper money, and a sack, which it is supposed they took for the purpose of carrying away more valuable plunder. Upon searching the track of the villains on the tops of the houses, the money stolen from Mr. Gray's house was found tied up in a handkerchief on the top of an out- house, and which it is conjectured they threw from the room of their female accomplice when the alarm was given. The trio, with their female friend, were secured, and taken to Covent-garden watchhouse. There is no doubt that the vil- lains had planned a most extensive robbery upon the pre- mises of three or four houses in a large ready-money trade immediately adjoining where they were apprehended, and expected to have secured the amount of cash taken in the course of the preceding week, making Mr. Bishop's house, where they no doubt first entered, the depot of their intended plunder, until a safe retreat could be procurec". ^nL SHOCKING OCCURRENCE.—On Thursday evening the only son of Mr. Hunt, the proprietor of a seminary for gen- tlemen, at Hammersmith, was missing from the usual even- ing exercises; and the servant having in vain sought him through the play-grounds, Mr. Hunt went up to his bed-, room, the door of which was fastened inside. Having called repeatedly without receiving any reply, he burst open the door, and a scene of the most dreadful description was presented to the sight of the unhappy parent-the corpse of his son lying upon the bed, the clothes of which were satu- rated with blood, proceeding from a wound in the left side; and a recently discharged pistol was found on the floor at the opposite end of the room. The unfortunate lad, who was only thirteen years of age, apnear JC1 have been dead some time. Yesterday an T. -juest was held on the body, when it was stated tLii. ill. w-d .on the morning of his death, purchased the pistol fcr ore pound, of Mr. Owens, in the town; and it would seem that he had loaded it with shot, and was Examining the piece when it accidentally went off, and the contents entered his body. There had been nothing to disturb his state of mind, or to induce him to commit suicide. The Jury returned a verdict that he was killed by the accidental discharge of a loaded pistol. On Saturday last a melancholy accident happened to the infant and only son of Mr. Richardson, of the High-street, Abingdon. The child (not two years old) had been laid in the bed in the day to sleep, and by some means got its head into the loop of the curtain, which was rather long, and sup- posed to have been lying on the pillow, and on turning about, almost slipped from off the bed, and shocking to re- late, was strangled by the loop, which kept it hanging with its feet a few inches from the ground. In this state it was found by the nurse, and medical assistance immediately procured, but all attempts to restore animation were useless. The feelings of the afflicted parents may be more easily con- ceived than described. The 116th anniversary dinner of the Loyal Society of Ancient Britons, was held at the Freemasons'Tavern, in London, on Monday, Lord Willoughby D'Eresby in the chair, supported by Sir W. W. Vlynn, Sir Charles Morgan, Hon. Rice Trevor, Right Hon. C. W. W. Wynn, Sergeant Jones, &c. &c. After the cloth was drawn, the noble chair- man, in proposing the health of his Majesty, adverted to the bounty, and to his continued annual donation of One Hundred GUlncas.- The following will give an idea of the munificent benevolence of his Majesty and other supporters of this excellent Institution. The King has given towards it £7140. Sir W. W. Wynn and family, £3500. Sir Charles Morgan and his eldest son, £ 2500. Lord Clive, £ 950. Lord Kenyon, X925. Sir Thomas Mostyn, £ 550, and a number of other Noblemen and Gentlemen connected with the Principality have contributed largely towards its funds, so as to-enable the establishment to maintain, clothe and educate one-hundred and fifty children born of Welsh parents, having no parochial settlement in London. Sir W. W. Wynn introduced his son and heir to the Welch School on Monday last, to witness the gratifying scene of the children's public dinner, and to impress thus early on his mind, his anxious wish that he should continue the sup- port which the Wynnstay family has ever given to that benevolent institution, We mentioned last week a distressing case of matricide and suicide. It appears that the unfortunate woman who put an end to the existence of her mother and herself, had been unhappily married; that her husband had been unlucky in his speculations, and, after depriving her mother of all her property, had threatened to disown the marriage, and attach himself to some other female. These misfortunes had affected her brain. Miss Elizabeth Ann Wolfe, niece to the late Lord Kil- warden, who was murdered in the rebellion of 1803, poi- soned herself in Dublin last week. She was to have been married to a gentleman to whom her aunt objected on the ground of his being a Roman Catholic. Lieutenant Edward Bassan, of the Royal Marines, hanged himself last week, in a state of derangement. About half an hour before his death he wrote this letter, which was afterwards found in his pocket. My dear Wife,-I have only time to say I shall suffer death for presuming to the Crown of England, as it is stated by some evil-minded persons. I am, my dear wife, yours truly, Feb. 23. "EDWARD BASSAN." An elderly female went, on Monday, into the cashier's office in the Bank of England, to obtain change for a £5 note. One of the clerks gave her five sovereigns, and she left the office, but was followed by a well-dressed fellow, who had seen her receive the money, and who, representing himself as the clerk who had paid her, said he had by mistake given her a counterfeit sovereign. She foolishly showed him the sovereigns she had received, from which he selected one as the bad one, and, desiring her to wait, said he would bring her another in exchange. The woman waited nearly an hour; but the pretended clerk never returned. IMPROVEMENT IN TRADE.—-Much activity is prevailing in the cotton trade in all its departments. The sales of the raw material, from the 1st of January to this period, at Liverpool, amount to 142,170 bags against 120,800 during the same period of 1829. A person connected with the woollen trade, just returned from Gloucestershire, states, that although much of the trade has of late left that part of the country and gone to Yorkshire, yet that there was much more business doing there than for a length of time past, and much more employment for the working classes.- Goods were going off faster than they could make them. As to the silk' trade, a letter dated Coventry, Feb. 26, says, Nothing will gratify me more than to do a safe and good business for you here, and ibis of course will depend on your attending to the quality and description of silk con- sumed by our manufacturers, and, thank God, not now so much on the terms upon which the article is offered for sale. Things have assumed an entirely new aspect here, and cash customers are as easily obtained as credit buyers. Abridged from a long and able article in the Times. We had great pleasure in hearing one of our oldest and most respectable woollen cloth merchants in Leeds say, that last Tuesday, being the first Tuesday in the month, when the clothiers usually repair in considerable numbers to the merchants' warehouses, he asked each of them in succession, as he came, what sort of market there had been; and that every one of them, without one exception, agreed in saying that he had had a very good one. They generally added, there was not any advance in prices, but that, they expected, would come next, as the year had begun well.- Leeds Mercury. A very full meeting of the persons engaged in the beer trade was held on Monday at the London Tavern, for the purpose of considering the best means to be adopted to pro- tect their interests, which are likely to be materially infringed by the measures which are in progress by Government for throwing open the beer trade, and to petition Parliament on the subject. On Saturday morning a lad called at the house of the superintendent of police, at Kennmgton, and stated he had been sent for a pair of boots to new foot. The servant in- quired of Mr. Dowling if he had any boots to mend, who, suspecting something, answered in the affirmative, and took the lad into custody. Suspecting he had an assistant in his villany, Mr. Dowling sent a policeman to look around, who soon returned with a man named Sumner, having the appearance of an old clothes man, and in his bag were found a pair of boots, a superfine cloth great coat, with a case of surgical instruments in the pockets, a hat, and two waist- coats. The boy gave his name Foster, and first stated that Sumner was his master—then his father, and, lastly, that they were partners. The man denied all knowledge of the boy. They were taken to Union-hall, and committed for re-examination on Saturday next. Since which, it has been ascertained that the coat and instruments were stolen by the boy in the morning from the passage of Mr. Mitchell, a surgeon, in Harleyford-place, Kennington. Many of the inhabitants of Kennington have lately been imposed upon by similar means, and in cases where the person did not obtain boots, while left in the hall he helped himself to whatever happened to be in the way. I Mr. John Vince conformed to the order of the Ecclesias- tical Court on Sunday last, by doing penance in the vestry- room of St. Mary-le-Bone parish church, for having slan- dered the character of a lady named Wells. The recantation was dictated by the minister, and repeated by Vince in an audible voice, in the presence of the churchwardens and the friends of the young lady, after Which he was ordered to be more discreet in future, and dismissed. The young lady alluded to has obtained great fame as a vocalist in her pro- vincial excursions, and was a great favourite at Sinclair's Tivoli last summer. We understand that Prince Leopold, accompanied by the Earl of Aberdeen, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, proceeded to Windsor on Monday morning, to wait upon the King. The visit of the Prince was for the purpose of taking leave of his Majesty previous to his final departure for the Continent. It is said lhat Lord C'nr" has been proposed and ap- proved by the Court of Directors, as the successor of Sir John Malcolm, as Governor of Bombay. The Glasgow Chronicle gives the following aslhe rates of wages earned by cotton weavers, which shows that, if the trade has improved, the operatives have not partaken of the improvement: Weavers of the lower sets of lawns are earning only 4s a week, and those of the middling and higher qualities are earning from 5s 6d to 6s, from which their whole expenses are to be deducted, which seldom are below Is to Is 6d a week. A weaver in Camlachie informs us that, for the last fourten weeks, he has been employed working a 16QQ 5-4th jacconot, paid 3|d per ell, 4 shots over; during which period his average wages has not ex- ceeded 6s per week. With this sum he has to support himself and family, pay loom rent, oil, and every other necessary expense attending weaving, and labour 16 hours per day for the same, as will be proved by the warehouse books."—With respect to the trade of Leeds the Patriot observes that there is a general complaint amongst the tradesmen in Leeds of a scarcity both in money and orders. On the other hand, some few amongst the overgrown houses declare that things were never better; and we believe them, so far as themselves are concerned. The truth is, that im- mense capital is pressing down the manufacturer of mode- rate means, whilst machinery, which neither eats nor drinks, is diminishing the use of consumable articles; and is fast reducing the industrious mechanic to the level of the pauper." IRISH OUTRAGES.-About a fortnight since a body of men, well armed, broke into the dwelling-house of a man named Pope, near Cloone, beat him severely, and threatened to cut off his ears if he required his children to attend Church. After administering some oaths they departed. Pope is a Protestant, but his wife happens to be a Roman Catholic. The same party afterwards proceeded to the houses of Redmond Clark, of Drumhalla, and Bernard Boyle, of Edergaole, whom they beat severely, and swore them not to take land from Mr. Sexton, of Drumhalla, which he has to let.-Sligo Journal. Our readers will recollect, from our publication of the 11th of February, the chief particulars therein given of a sanguinary conflict near Maryborough, between part of the Queen's county police, under Lieutenant Wray, C. C. and a body of Rockites, on the night of the 4th previously. It will have been seen that some of the latter were shot (of whom one or two are since dead,) several wounded and taken prisoners, and spoils secured by the police. The whole rencontre originated in an intended attack by the nightly legislators upon the house and family of a man named Finnegan, of Ballyknocker, where the constabulary, entering upon previous information, had lain in wait. Since that period, Finnegan had received protection from two policemen, stationed at his house. We are just now in- formed, by a gentleman who has travelled through Mary- borough, that, on last Tuesday night, Finnegan's residence was surrounded by a great multitude of the country peo- ple, who discharged shots and missiles of various kinds at and into his house. The volley was returned by Finnegan and the two policemen, with fatal effect to three or four of the assailants. The Rockites, maddened by the resistance and loss, as well as having doubtless contemplated the de- struction of the man and of all that would oppose them, burst into the house with the fury of a torrent, and left Fin- negan and the two policemen mangled corpses. We were not prepared for these sanguinary proceedings in a county whose population we had reason to think universally re- turned to peace and order.-Carlow Morning Post. The following has been given in a London Paper as an authenticated copy of the letter which Lady Graves re- ceived from her unhappy Lord prior to his lamented sui- cide. Who shall repair the injuries which the breath of calumny has inflicted on the amiable lady to whom the letter is addressed? The writer is beyond redress; but the I lady lives to linger on. It is not the endearing solicitude of her family, relations, and friends, which can compen- sate for the loss which she has experienced.—Time alone can mellow her grief. But when that time shall arrive, who can tell! My DEAR MARY, I cannot allow this day to pass over without writing to you, as I know you feel greatly the situation in which, by the in- cautious folly—I call it so, for I will not deem it crime—with which has acted. Every body, my dear Mary, as you say, are judges of our actions now. Why say our actions, when I tell you that You are free from blame ? It is not that because an evil spirit has chosen to promulgate a falsehood, and has satisfied his rancour, by a circulation as abominable as ever was invented, that I must therefore believe it. Yes, though the stern commands of some have staggered my faith -have, indeed, made me wish to believe what I ought to know to be untrue, I still feel that the affectionate wife of my bosom, my dear, my amiable, my ever endeared Mary, is entitled to that place in my affections which for so many years she has main- tained. The stern decrees of fate who can brave-the finger of scorn who can avert,-it is not the assurances of him who, by his conduct, has loosened the bonds which bound us together, which can on the instant calm my aching heart* (Here the letter is considerably blotted, and an erasure made of the words following aching heart.") I wiM., however, calm it, and be with you, my dear Mary, this evening, where the endearing circle, which has often softened the troubles of this world, shall bury the past in oblivion—shall delight and comfort me. I write unintelligibly, but I write, I don't know how -a thousand conflicting sentiments rush across my mind, disturb my repose, and make me almost wish I was neither HUSBAND nor FATHER. The thought The world aye, the ungrateful, the unfeel- ing, the irreligious, the suspicious, I had almost said the world, destroys my quiet and racks my brain. You will say, as you have always said, What cause, Graves, have you to fear the scorn of any one1 Sincerity is an attribute which all do not possess." True, my dear Mary; nor is sincerity what I look for from the unnatural world. I have it all in you. YOU ARE TRUE. You never allowed an improper approach. I do not believe the horrid rumour. I defy the calumniating world, and hurl back upon the heads of the vile slanderers their audacious venom. But does the world do this? This thought maddens me. It is that which almost drives me beyond the grave it sickens my heart, and makes me despair. I will be calm, will be with you—the dear children—my ALL will be there and shall I not in the bosom of my family feel comfort from my affliction, and safety from the storms of fate ? I will bear with it. I must bear with it. Do thou, oh God enable me to go through with the meeting Do thou ex- tend thy benevolence, and grant me thy protection! I am much better my heart is greatly relieved. Eternal light breaks in upon me. I see my dear children and you, Mary, thought miserable from the pity of the world. Pity What is pity'! You need it not. It is the base and grovelling wretches who have nothing to do to employ their weak and wicked minds in torturing the happy, who deserve pity. You are innocent, and I am happy. I will be with you at six. I will forget the past, and hope for the future. Tell ;¡< 'it ¡¡¡ 'Jft I am tranquil my mind is easy. I will speak no more of the past. Yet, gracious God, the finger is even now pointed at thee. Look at the contents of this packet. Mark it weH What is it? What does it mean ? Can it be endured? I can say no more, my head is giddy—but— I will see you, and then all will be well. It is now ten-the packet-soon all will be well. °" It is just ten o'clock. A few hours more, and all will be well. With my sincere prayer to the Almighty Father for my much iniured Mary, I beg she will believe ''I' -:¡< ;¡¡ {'" Princes-street, Saturday Morning. GRAVES. The business at Westminster school has been suspended for a month, in consequence of the appearance of scarlet fever among some of the pupils. The young gentlemen have been sent home to their friends, as a measure of pre- caution. DRURY-LANE.—Mr. Kean went through the part of Henry the''Fifth on Monday night, but in a manner which all that we have heard lately of his melancholy loss of me- mory had led us to anticipate. Remembering the enter- tainment he has afforded us, we cannot bring ourselves to dwell upon the details suffice it to say, that on the rising of the curtain in the fifth act, the whole of the leek scene between Fluellen and Pistol proceeded in dumb show; and on Henry's appearance in the following scene the up- roar was such, that he at length came forward, and threw himself on the candour of the house:—" Ladies and Gen- tlemen—For many years past I have been in the habit of contributing to your entertainment; this is the first time I ever experienced your disapprobation. You must allow that lapse of time and circumstances produce some effect upon the mind. I stand now before you in a degraded situation. (Noise, and cries of' No, no!') Gentlemen, you are my countrymen!—on that fact I rely for the candour and generosity for which Englishmen are noted." This appeal was so far effective as to produce a quiet hearing for the little of the play that remained. As for the generosity of Englishmen, about which Mr. Kean said something very common-place, we are sorry to say he had no cause to boast. A more ungenerous, unjust, and illiberal audience never entered the walls of a theatre. If Mr. Kean's acting had been despicable, which it was not—if his loss of memory had been complete, which it was not-if, in short, he had been staggering drunk, which certainly he was not-the audience (we mean, of course, the ill-behaved part) could not have demeaned themselves more cruelly than they did last night to this unhappy man, who was first ruined in health, in mind, in reputation, by their fulsome incense to him, and their ridiculous partisanship when he had the means of gratifying them, and who is now abandoned with scorn and insult. One would have thought, to hear the hootings and hissings of these patrons of the drama" throughout the play, that Kean, and not Shakspeaie. or rather Shakspeare's libelling catch-penny illustrators and commentators—for the trash and nonsense of this play have been interpolated—was responsible for the dtillness of the performance. Surely the exhibition of a once great mind was one of pain and regret, and not a fit subject for wanton sinking under the influence of time and circumstances" opposition. The followers of this unhappy man might have been satisfied with cold abandonment; but they, like the senseless worshippers of greatness in other walks of life, know neither delicacy nor justice when their idol falls they cover not its face from the gaze of the multitude, but, as if to atone by insult for their own past folly, spit upon and de- grade it. Mr. Kean has now had a lesson which may do him some service. He is not too old yet to mend, both in mind and constitution. He has tried the vainness of adu- lation-he has experience(I the bitterness of insult—may he learn to despise the one edier rise above the other.- London paper. A merchant vessel has brought intelligence which she gained at sea, that a great quarrel had arisen between the English and the Chinese, and that the Company's ships had no communication with the shore. We should perhaps add, that the vessel giving the news was an American. IKEY SOLOMONS.—A messenger arrived by the Lady of the Lake, with a warrant from the Secretary of State for the apprehension of the notorious Ikey Solomons, who had done us the honour of making choice of this island for his resi- dence. The warrant was put in force the next day, when. Ikey was lodged in gaol, where, we understand, he is care- fully watched, until he embarks for England, there to abide the course of the law.—Hob art Town Paper, Nov. 6. The Flora transport, Lieutenant Wentworth, agent, has arrived from Fernando Po and Ascension. She left the former settlement the 8th of December, the latter the 9th of January. The Hecla, Captain Boteler, had been obliged to put to sea to get rid of the fever which had prevailed to a lamentable extent on board of her, having lost nearly all her officers, and upwards of 40 men. The Black Joke lugger had lost 16 of her crew; she had recently captured a vessel with 276 slaves on board. The slave trade was still car- ried on with the greatest activity, and nothing but a steam- boat or two could effectively check this abominable traffic. The Clinker had lately taken two prizes with 300 slaves on board of each. The boats of the Eden, under the command of Lieutenant Mercer, had also captured a fine Brazilian schooner called the Esmenia, in the river Cammaroons, but unfortunately before the slaves, who were waiting on shore, had been embarked.-Portsmouth Paper. At a Meeting of the Agricultural and Horticultural So- ciety of India, held in Calcutta, for the purpose of distri- buting premiums to native gardeners and others, for pro- moting the Society's objects, an ingenious native blacksmith received a reward of fifty rupees for a model of a steam- engine, which he had executed without assistance, from an inspection of one in the Mission-house at Seram-pore. The Hamburg Papers state that there is great sickness at Copenhagen; 30,000 persons are under medical care, and it is supposed that there are 10,000 others who are endea- vouring to effect their own cure. The diligence from Avignon to Marseilles was stopped in the night of the 24th ult. between Orgon and Senas, by a band of highwaymen, who took it for one of the Government vans conveying money to Toulon for the expedition to Algiers. They abstained from robbing the passengers, and even gave up a purse that had been delivered to them, say- ing they would have no money but what belonged to Go- vernment. Extract of a letter from Paris :-At Madrid four thousand women, who manufacture cigars, have revolted against the Governor, because they were reprimanded for not making the cigars aforesaid good enough. This wonderful revolt was, however, suppressed by six soldiers, so that according to Cocker, and the rule of three direct, one man in Spain is equal to 700 women. This was King Solomon's calcula- tion At Cadiz, the Consuls have been amusing, if not themselves, at least others, by hoisting colours and firing salutes on the accouchement of a consul's wife-and after- wards by hoisting colours half mast high out of compliment to the dead accoucheur of the consul's wife aforesaid. As Mathews says, It created much laughter in my time;" and well it might. At Madrid the first regiment of Royal Guards has served a good trick on the tax collectors of "our good town." The Custom-house officers of the city demanded a tax upon certain new cloth trousers before they could be allowed to enter the Spanish capital. The soldiers said they would not pay-and the municipality would not relax. So in order to defeat the municipal government, all the regiment proceeded to Carabouchal, a short distance from the city, took off their old trousers, and put on their new, and then marched into Madrid in military order, pre- ceded by drums and a band of music.