Monmouthshire Merlin

To the Editor of the Merlin. Sm,—Please tell we in the Iron-trade how it is that the agri- cultural labourers are so badly ofF now, when the farmers have such high prices for their produce—prices full as high as during the war besides a great many taxes repealed in their favour with clothing and foreign merchandise reduced more than thirty per cent., and rents not higher than formerly, nor tythes 1 We on the hills cannot make it out any way and therefore hope you or some of your correspondents, will throw a little light upon the subject, so as to raise our hopes with respect to being able, at no distant day, to obtain the prime necessaries of life at a somewhat cheaper rate than at present. Nobody knows where the shoe pinches so well as those who wear it; for instance—we now give TWO tons of Iron for twenty bushels of Wheat—when, in the days of prosperity," as they-were called (i. e. during the war) we obtained twenty bushels for ONE ton And the same with respect to Potatoes—ONE ton of Iron would then buy forty sacks now it will only pay for twenty There must be something wrong, if not rotten, in the state of Denmark," or we should not have the clamour about want of employment for agricultural labourers at least such, sir, is my opinion, and the opinion of a a great many more sons of Vulcan, whose" labour and toil" they are perfectly willing to exchange at all times for the produce of the farmer, at anything like a moderate price. Expecting you will let us know a little more about the matter I remain, sir, yours &c., Mertbyr Tidvi1. AN OLD IRON MAKER.

ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS BOXES.—On looking into history, we find that this custom derived its existence much about the time that mass was first said by a Catholic priest. Rome, which originally gave birth to superstition, had an incredible number of clergy to support, and among other devices, this was invented as one, and took its name of mass" from the Latin word mitto," to send. This Viord "mitto" was a. Lind of rem.em- brancer, or rather dictator, which said, "send gifts, offerings, and oblations to the priests, that they may intercede with Christ to save your soul, by saying so many masses.' Hence it was called Christ's-rnass, or, as it is now abbreviated, Christmas. The word box" is a part of the same priestcraft trade, and took its origin from the following circumstance :—Whenever a ship sailed from any of those ports where the religious profession was under the authority of Rome, a certain saint was always named unto whose protection its safety was committed and in that ship there was a box, and into that box every poor person put some- thing, in order to induce the priests to pray to that saint for the safe return of the vessel; which box was locked up by the priests, who said the money should not be taken out until the vessel came back. This box was called Christ's mass-box." To vassals and servants, who at that time composed a great part of the lower order of the people, there was allowed a liberty of so- liciting gifts from the rich, in order to enable them to put money into the box, as well for masses and the safe return of the ship, as for the benefit of their own souls and the forgiveness of sins. This proving lucrative to the clergy, they so contrived, in due time, that the custom became universal, and the priests had boxes wherever there was a chapel in which mass was said and as without the penny there was no paternoster, so it became a regu- lar custom at the festivals of the Nativity, of Easter, and of Whitsuntide, to put money in those boxes. In process of time the ship money was totally laid aside, and the priests took hold of Lent as the principal time to collect mass-money for the re- mission of sins but still the old custom of poor people soliciting gifts continued and as the winter season was best adapted to ex- cite charity, the money for Christ's mass-box was solicited at the close of the year, and from that time to this continues a custom, although what was solicited for the benefit of the soul in former days, is in the present time appropriated to the sensual gratifica- tions of the body, as what the priests got for fasting and praying, is now spent by the laity in eating and drinking. ORIGIN OF EVERGREENS AT CHRISTMAS.—Tradition says that the first Christian church in Britain was built of boughs, and that the disciples adopted the plan as more likely to attract the notice of the people, because the monks built their temples in that manner, probably to imitate the temples of Saturn, which were always under the oak. The great feast of Saturn was held in December, and as the oaks were then without leaves, the mbnks obliged the people to bring in boughs and sprigs of ever- greens and Christians, on the twenty-fifth of the same month, did the like, from whence originated the present custom. ORIGIN OF WAITS AT CHRISTMAs.-The custom of music in the streets at Christmas, called Waits, originated from those choirs of angels that attended the birth of Christ; in imitation of these, shepherds, in ancient times, used to usher in Christmas with music and carols, and the pastorati or rural music performed by the Calabrian shepherds on bagpipes are of this nature.

CHARGE OF BARON VAUGHAN, AT THE HANTS SPECIAL COMMISSION. The following plain, sensible, and impressive charge, which want of space obliged us to omit last week, ought to be generally circulated, and it has been, or will be, printed in a separate form for that purpose:— Gentlemen of the grand jury,—We are assembled by virtue of an extraordinary commission, which his Majesty has been ad- vised to issue, for the purpose of exercising the criminal judica- ture of the country, at a season of the year not usually devoted to such solemnities. In approaching the discharge of the grave and important duty confided to me, and to those with whom I have the honour to be associated, I must be permitted to express the peculiar satisfaction I derive from observing so full and truly respectable an attendance of the grand inquest at this alarming crisis. The alacrity with which you have obeyed the call to assist in the suppression and punishment of acts of outrageous tumult, violence and rapine, which have recently agitated your county, evinces a zealous attachment to the institutions under which we have the happiness to live, a firm determination to up- hold them, and an earnest desire, both by your exertions and example, to cherish and promote a spirit of obedience to the laws. An unlawful and riotous assembly acquires additional strength and courage every hour in which it is suffered to triumph un- checked. Its numbers increase, its demands are raised, and when once they have violated the law, experience teaches that the mis- guided are easily seduced into further acts of aggression, until they are at last betrayed into the commission of the most atrocious crimes. It is hardly necessary to speculate on the causes from whence that spirit of tumult has arisen which has recently dis- turbed so many parts of this kingdom. It is said to have orio-i- nated from the severe distress of the lower orders. To a certain ex- tent, no doubt, it may be so, and every man possessed of the feel- ings common to our nature, must deeply lament it, and endea- vour to alleviate it (as you, gentlemen, have no doubt done, and will continue to do), by every means which Providence has placed within his power. Yet it is to be feared, that there are persons who, for the basest purposes, have greatly exaggerated the pressure and extent of the evil, and instead of attempting to mitigate it, have used it as a means of carrying their own wicked designs into effect. One of the means employed in order to cap- tivate the labourer, and to engage him in tumult and crime, has been to persuade him that the use of machinery occasions a de.. crease of the demand for personal labour, and a corresponding decrease of wages, and consequently that it must of necessity operate injuriously on the lower orders of the people. But this is, as it seems to me, taking a very limited and erroneous view of the subject. Thrashing machines facilitate the operation of extracting the corn from the ear, and perform it more effectually than manual labour, whereby the produce is increased, the ex- pense of preparing and bringing it to market reduced, and, con- sequently, the price of this essential at tide of life in some degree at least diminished. Besides, the same argument which justifies or recommends the destruction of the thrashing machine would also apply to the abandonment of the use of the flail, the spade, the hoe, the axe, or any other, even the rudest instrument, by which agricultural labour was abridged or rendered more effec- tive and if this right were conceded to the agricultural labourer, what reason can be assigned for denying the exercise of a similar right to those who are employed in the fabrication of cloth, linen, cotton, or any other article wrought in the various manufactures of the kingdom ? And if all were to act upon these supposed rights, and machinery to be prohibited altogether, can any one doubt what fatal consequences must result to all the agricultural, commercial, and manufacturing classes of this great kingdom? But, admitting the low rate of wages to labourers in husbandry to be a just and legitimate subject of complaint, will employment be procured by the ruin of the farmer, or wages be raised by the destruction of the property of those, who are required to furnish the one, or to pay the other? I forbear to enter further into a question, which it is not within our province as ministers of the law to discuss. The office of the judge is to declare, expound, and execute the law. It may be sufficient, therefore, to observe that, it is the undoubted right of every subject of the kingdom, to employ his capital and to conduct his business, whether engaged in agriculture, commerce, or manufactures, in such manner as he may think most conducive to his own interest, unless where the wisdom, of parliament controlled him by legislative restrictions. He has the unquestionable privilege of availing himself of his own discoveries, or by agreement, or purchase, of the discovery of others and no reason can be assigned why thrashing machines should not be protected by law, as much as any other species of property. Nor is it easy to discern the difference, in moral turpitude, between the act of destroying one, for the purpose of advancing the private interests of the offender, and the felonious taking and appropria- tion of it to his own use. If individuals have reason to complain of any violation of the law by which their personal liberty has been infringed, their personal security endangered, or their pri- vate property injured, their course is to appeal to the ordinary tribunals of their country for redress. If they feel themselves aggrieved by a state of society which subjects them to privations, or to injuries for which the laws at present afford no remedy, and which they persuade themselves they ought not in justice to en- dure, the legislature alone is competent to reform the law if it works partial injustice or private wrong. But it can never be tolerated in any country which professes to acknowledge the ob- ligations of municipal law, that any man or body of men should be permitted to sit in judgment upon their own wrongs, or to arrogate to themselves the power of redressing them." The learned Baron then referred to the various bills of indict- ment which were to be laid before the grand jury. The capital felonies, he said, would be probably reduced to four several heads, viz. -1st, Such as arise out of the statutes passed for the pre- vention and suppression of riotous and tumultuous assemblies; 2d, The crime of arson 3d, Robbery from the person 4th, Robbery or stealing in dwelling-houses. To which may be added other felonies not capital, viz.:—1st, The sending of threatening letters 2d, The destruction of or damaging with in- tent to destroy, or render useless, thrashing machines, or any machine or engine prepared for, or employed in any manufacture and having expatiated upon the various degrees of crime, and explained the law bearing upon such crime, concluded as follows "I cannot conclude without expressing my belief that the country may safely rely at this momentous crisis on the vigilance and attention with which you will discharge the duty of examin- ing with care and anxiety the different charges which will be brought before you. As the grand inquest of the county, you are, by our constitution of government, placed, as it were, in the centre between accusation and conviction, to hold the balance even for the suppression of private malice on the one hand, and the pro- motion of public justice on the other and I am persuaded you will not allow your indignation at the outrages which have been Z!l committed to excite any prejudice in your minds; when weighing the evidence against each individual accused, and deciding upon his participation in the crime imputed to him. Having discharged the duty which has assembled you together at this unusual season of the year, and having returned to those parts of the county where you reside, your earnest endeavours will be exerted to re- store peace in your neighbourhood, and to convince those who are liable to be seduced from their duty by the arts and delusions of wicked and designing men, of the fatal consequences of yield- ing to evil solicitations or engaging in any disturbance of the public peace. It is of the highest importance to the good order of society, that all classes of persons throughout the realm should be taught by the awful lesson which may be afforded here, that whatever notions may be falsely entertained of the power of a riotous multitude, armed for rapine and plunder in defiance of I the law, their success and triumph can be for the day only. j That the law of the land, fouhded in wisdom, endeared to us by long experience of Its benefits, and consecrated by time, must ultimately be found too strong for its assailants. That those who deride and defy its power, and continue in arms against it, will in the end be subdued by it, or compelled to submit to its justice, or to sue for its mercy. Gentlemen, I have done I have been much gratified by your attention to me. You will retire to your chamber, and proceed to despatch the important business which awaits your deliberations." The calendar contained the names of 300 prisoners for trial, who might be classed as follows, viz.:—101 for riotously assem- bling together and breaking machines 106 for riotously assem- bling and extorting money one for stopping Lady Lethbridge's carriage, and committing a highway robbery one for robbing a clergyman several for pulling down poor-houses one for threat- ening to set fire to a dwelling-house one for compelling a cler- gyman to sign a paper, agreeing to take a certain sum annually for tithes, being much below the value and the remainder for riot and divers acts of assault and violence.

A FORM OF PRAYER, ON ACCOUNT OF THE TROUBLED STATE OF CERTAIN PARTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, To be used immediately before the-Litany and when the Litany shall not be read, before the prayer for all conditions of men; in all cathedral, collegiate, and parochial churches and chapels in England and Ireland, as soon as the ministers thereof shall receive the same. "0 God, our Heavenly Father, who art rich in mercy and grace towards all who obey Thy will, and hast promised forgive- ness and remission of sins to them that truly repent, and un- feignedly believe Thy Holy Gospel, we humbly beseech Thee to look with compassion on Thy servants, and relieve their affliction. Wre have sinned, we have grievously sinned, and transgressed Thy holy laws we confess our iniquity, we lament our unwor- thiness, and meekly acknowledge, that by our manifold offences we have justly provoked Thy wrath yet deal not with us, 0 Lord, according to the multitude of our transgressions, but in judgment remember mercy. For Thy dear Son's sake, 0 Lord, give ear to our prayer, and withdraw thy chastening hand from u s. To Thee alone we look for deliverance without Thy help and direction the power and wisdom of man are of no avail.— Restore, 0 Lord, to Thy people the quiet enjoyment of the many and great blessings which we have received from Thy bounty; defeat and frustrate the, malice of wicked and turbulent men, and turn their hearts have pity, 0 Lord, on the simple and ignorant, who have been led astray, and recall them to a sense of their duty and to persons of all ranks and conditions in this country, vouchsafe such a measure of Thy grace, that, our hea:ts being filled with true faith and devotion, and cleansed from all evil affections, we may serve Thee with one accord, in duty and loyalty to the King, in obedience to the laws of the land, and in brotherly love towards each other; and that, pressing constantly forward towards the high prize of our heavenly calling, under the guidance of Thy Holy Spirit, we may finally attain to life ever- lasting, through the merits and mediation of our only Redeemer and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord.—Amen." "O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, the Prince of Peace, give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions.- Take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatsoever else may hinder us from godly union and concord that, as there is but one body, and one spirit, and one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of its all, so we we may henceforth be all of one heart, and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may, with one mind, and one mouth, glorify Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord.—Amen."

ENGLISH LABOURERS. (From Cobbett's Register.) In the first place, I, as was my duty, kept my labourers chiefly in the house. I had, on an average, always, four men and four boys, and always a maid-servant. If every hundred acres of land, aye, or every four hundred, had kept in house a number of young men and boys equal to what I kept on my 88 acres (20 of them meadows,) we should never have heard of Swing." And let me, before I forget it, give a proof of the character of the English labourers. Mine all came from the country, and one of my conditions was, that they never should have lived, one week at a time, within forty miles of London another was, that they should have lived in farmer's service, or be the sons of farm- ]a labourers and the last condition was, that they should come in smock-frocks and nailed shoes. So that they were all clod-hop. pers, and I deemed this necessary to my security in person as well as in property. The farm-house is as solitary a one as any that I know in Englond assailable from the Thames, and at nearly half a mile from any house. Just after I began, and while I had in the house men of the neighbourhood, there was an attempt to rob my dairy. But there I was, for the rest of the three years, with numerous pigs of all ages, poultry of all sorts, sheep, lambs, and never any part of it under lock and key, a granary full of meal and corn and seeds of various sorts, and that, very often, not locked up for a week at a time a smoke- house full of bacon, a pantry with cheese and meat, some fresh and some salt, to which men as well as maid had, or might have. access at all times. And I am convinced that an act of theft never was committed on me by any one of these chopsticks in the course of the whole time. Who else could have kept, under such circumstances, such a collection of things 1 Is there any body else that can keep a hen-house within four miles of Lon- don ? Dogs and locks are of no use, if robbers have a mind to come. Guns are good, but there must be somebody to use them. It comes, at last, to the person; and, if you have no security there, you have in reality none. The fact of our having eight young country fellows in the house every night was soon well known and that fact was enough. That bare fact, and that alone, preserved the poultry, the pigs, and the linen on the hedge. But, now, how did these fellows fare ? Let us see, and then we-shall see, in its true light, all the real cause of the riots and the fires. I kept them as cheaply as I could consistently with what I deemed sufficient food and raiment. I gave the men 3s a week in money, the boys 2s or Is 6d, according to their size and ability. Their food was, as nearly as possible, as follow For a Week, s. d. Meat 71b. at 4d 2 4 Flour in some shape or other lOg lb 1 2 2 Chesse lflb 1 0 Small Beer. 1 0 5 6 I bought my mutton by the carcase, my beef by the large lot, my pork by the barrel, my bacon I killed, my cheese T got by the hundred, my meal and flour I ground by my men, they brewed the beer, and the maid baked the bread, and to this maid, who had had t4 a year in the country I gave £10, and quite little enough, considering the work she had to perform for, besides all the rest, she had a cow to milk and butter to make. The men, then, cost me 8s 6d a week, and the boys 7s 6d, exclusive of good warm lodging, a good fire to sit by, and candle- light. Not one morsel too much, not one drop too much had they. The pound of bacon and p°rk sometimes beat them, but the mutton and beef never. I tried them many times; weigbed them out the eight pounds of beef without hone and they al- ways cleared the dish, though they had the same fare every day. To be sure; and this is the way they ought to be kept, and then you can, with a good conscience, scold them, if they be idle you can send them out in the cold you can make them run and jump at your call, and you can punish them for grave miscon- duct, and sleep quietly afterwards. Now let us see what share they had of the produce of this farm. This last year, the produce, the grass produce, will amount to about £ 1000, the meadows having kept the oxen which worked on the farm. I gave an account of my crops in the last Register. Now let us see the out-goinss. Rent X577 Tithes. 41 Church-rates. 6 Highway-rates 6 County-rates. 8 Assessed-taxes 10 Smith, wheelwright, collar-maker, wear and tear 50 Poor-rates 29 Labour log 925

FIRE AT LF.WISHAM CHURCH.'—Sunday morning, about seven o'clock, that ancient edifice, the parish church of Lewisham, w.as discovered to be on fire, and the consternation of the parishioners, and the inhabitants of the surrounding villages, heightened by the late conflagrations caused by incendiaries, was extreme. From the most careful inquiries, the file originated in mere accident. It appears, that at the early hour above mentioned, a fire was lighted in the stoves of the vestry-room, to which several flues were attached for the purpose of warming the church. From some inadvertence the fire was not properly guarded, and the pipes being over-heated communicated to the wooden wainscotting of the room of the vestry and parish registry, which was entirely destroyed, and the flames extending to the adjacent gallery, the venerable edifice was for some time in the most imminent danger of being completely destroyed. The ornamental work of the ceiling and the oak carvings were very much burnt and injured, as was the organ lately repaired, the pipes and metal works of which were melted by the intense heat. The organ loft and the western galleries were entirely destroyed, and every window of the church is broken to pieces, and the jrainework partly con- sumed. The interior of the edifice, 1 a^ar> ar>d the chancel, have sustained considerable injury by e cischarge of water and the exertions made to extinguish the *;ames- fortunately water was early obtained from the river Ka\ensoourne, which flows through the village, and engines arriving in quick succession from Greenwich, Deptford, and London, the hrewas got under by nine o'clock. The assembled multitude and the new police reni dered the most praiseworthy assistance, and every person did their utmost to preserve the church from o a festruction. Xhe parish records in the vestry-room weie pieserved. Soon after the commencement of the fire a policeman was senously injured by the falling of one of the burning rafters. EXKCUTJON AT CHELMSFORD.—Oa Friday J.Eweu, for arson, and Thomas Bateman, for highway robbery, accompanied with circumstances of savage barbarity, underwent the extreme penalty of the law in front of Springfield gaol. Ewen had been found guilty of setting fire to the barn and stack of Mr. Sach, farmer, at Raleigh. The circumstantial evidence to connect him with the fact was very slight, but the principal witness, a man named Richardson, who had been imprisoned as an accessory to the crime, swore that the prisoner had, unsolicited, told him, after the fire, that he was the perpetrator, and urged him at the same time to join him in firing another stack the next evening. Ewen protested his innocence, though he freely confessed that in his life he had been guilty of many offences. His wife and two children took their farewell of the unfortunate man a few days previous, and his brother was admitted to him on the morning of his exe- cution. No commisseration was excited for Batemam, who had robbed and cruelly ill used an old man upwards of seventy, by stamping his head into a ditch and crushing his ear off, which was found buried six inches in the mud. About nine o'clock, after leaving the chapel, the culprits ascended the platform, Ewen with great firmness, and Bateman discovering, much agitation. Upon placing the rope round Ewen's neck, it was found to be too short, upon which he observed, It's rather a tight fit." The halter was obliged to be spliced, and while this was accomplish- ing, Ewen remarked to a person who stood near, It's rather cold standing up here." The ropes being adjusted, the bolts were withdrawn, and the prisoners were launched into eternity. CONFESSION OF THOMAS GOODMAN.—COBBETT'S LECTURES.— The unfortunate young man, Thomas Goodman, who was con- victed of setting fire to the barn of Mr. Alderton at Battle, and sentenced to death, has made a full confession of his guilt, and attributes his untimely end to William Cobbett, who delivered a public lecture at Battle some time ago, in which he told his au- ditors that unless the farmers would consent to pay better wages to their labourers, the fires which were then going on in Kent might also take place in this county, and that the boundary between the counties was but imaginary. It is a singular fact that in less than a fortnight after the delivery of this lecture, the first fire— namely, that which broke out on the night of the 3d of Novem- ber, took place in the parish of Battle and it is still more singu- lar that the property destroyed on that occasion belonged to Mr. Charles Emery, landlord of the George Inn, at Battle, who had refused Cobbett the use of his principal room for the purpose of delivering his lecture. The unfortunate young man, who is only eighteen years of age, confesses that he was so stirred up by the words of Cobbett, that his brain was nearly turned and that he was under the impression that nothing but the destruction of property by fire at night would effect that species of revolution, the necessity of which was so strongly enforced by the arch lecturer. Of the eight fires which took place in the parish of Battle within one month, the unfortunate convict has confessed that five of them were occasioned by his own hand. The following are the words of the culprit with reference to Cobbett, as taken down in the presence of the Rev. Henry John Rush, Curate of Crow- hurst, Sussex I, Thomas Goodman, nevei should af thought of douing aney such thing if Mr. Cobet had never given aney lectures i believe that their never would bean aney fires or mob in Battle nor in alley other places if he never had given aney lactures at all."—Mr. Cobbett has published a letter in the Morning Chronicle, giving a direct contradiction to the charges brought against him in the above statement.

THE MARQUIS OF WORCESTER'S CENTURY OF INVENTIONS, EXPLAINED AND ILLUSTRATED. (CONTINUED.) No. L VII.-An ebbing and flowing water-work in two ves- sels, into either of which, the water standing at a level, if a globe be cast in, instead of rising, it presently ebbeth, and so remaineth, until a like globe be cast into the other vessel, which the water is no sooner sensible of, but that the vessel presently ebbeth, and the other floweth, and so continueth ebbing and flowing until one or both the globes be taken out, working some little effect besides its own motion, without the help of any man within sight or hearing but if either of the globes be taken out, with ever so swift or easy a motion, at that instant the ebbing and flowing ceaseth for if, during the ebbing, you take out the globe, the water of that vessel presently returnetli to flow, and never ebbetb after, until the globe be returned into it, and then the motion beginneth as before. Note. 1 his invention, which is evidently more a matter of curiosity than of real utility, is no doubt effected upon the prin- ciple of an ebbing and flowing spring the throwing in of the ball, by causing a commensurate rise of the water, fills a syphon, and sets the water-work in motion, but as the effect of this would cease after the two vessels attained an equilibrium, the machine must be assisted by a moving power attached to one or both of the vessels, as the marquis merely says, that it may be performed without the help of any man within sight or hearing." LVIII. How to make a pistol to discharge a dozen times with one loading, and without so much as once new primino- re- quisite or to change it out of one hand into the other, or stop one's horse. Note.—An attentive examination of this and the subsequent articles has suggested what appears an improvement of consider- able importance in the principle of modern fire-arms. The ex- pense attendant on the manufacture of double- barrelled guns, and the inconvenience which arises from their additional weight, have hitherto prevented their coming into general use, though their utility in the field is very generally allowed. An economi- cal gun uniting all the advantages of the one, with the lightness and portability of the other, must therefore be considered as a desideratum of the first importance. To effect this, a common gun barrel must be pierced with the required number of touch- holes, at a sufficient distance to allow of an equal number of charges. A detonating magazine gun-lock may then be made to slide on the lower part of the barrel, with a parallel ratchet and click to fix precisely opposite the touch-hole to be inflamed. The gun must then be loaded by a graduated ramrod, the powder of each charge being brought opposite its proper touch-hole.- After the first discharge, the cock must be moved back one tooth of the ratchet, and this motion continued till the whole are ex- ploded, each hole being covered successively by a plate attached to the lock. No. 60 is evidently performed by filling a cylindrical flask, made the same size as the barrel, with the required number of charges and afterwards forcing the whole of them into the barrel. Nos. 61 and 67 may be performed by filling a flask previously made to fit the breech of the musket, and forcing forward each successive charge by a screw or lever, in the same manner as the charging is effected in a magazine air-gun. LIX.—— Another way, as fast and effectual, but more procer for carabines. 1 Vide article LVIII. LX- A way, with a flask appropriated unto it, which will furnish either pistol or carabine with a dozen charges in three minutes time, to do the whole execution of a dozen shots, as soon as one pleaseth, proportionably. Vide article LVIII. ♦ ,LXI;rVhlrd^Way' and Partieular]y for muskets, without taking them from their rest, to charge or prime, to a like execu- tion, and as fast as the flask, the musket containing but one charge at a time. 6 charge at a time. 6 Vide article LVIII. LXII.-A way for a harquebuss, a crock, or ship musket, six upon a carnage, shooting with such expedition, as, without dan- ger, one may charge, level and discharge them sixty times in a minute of an hour, two or three together. Vide article LVIII. LXIII.-A sixth way, most excellent for sakers, differing from the other, yet as swift. ° Vide article LVIII. LXIV.—A seventh, tried and approved before the late king (of ever blessed memory), and an hundred lords and commons, in a cannon of eight inches and half a quarter, to shoot bullets of sixty-four pounds weight, and twenty-four pounds of powder, twenty times in sijc minutes so clear from danger, that, after all were discnarged, a pound of butter did not melt, being laid upon the cannon britch, nor the green oil discoloured that was first anointed and used between the barrel thereof, and the en- gine having never in it, nor within six foot, but one charge at a time. ° Vide article XXIX. LXV.—A way that one man, in the cabin, may govern a whole side of ship muskets, to the number (if need require) of two or three thousand shots. Note.—The plan of this and the following articles, though not of much practical utility, may yet be acted upon with a certainty of success. The powder may be ignited by the means of a pow- erful electrifying machine made to communicate with each sepa- rate piece, and the charging must be performed by conducting wires or rods made to act upon the magazine lever described in article LVIII. Since writing the above, an article has appeared on the subject in one of the French journals, of which the following is a trans- lation :-At two o'clock in the afternoon M. Bouche made an experiment in the Jar din des Plantes at Paris, to try the effect of electricity applied to. glin batteries. Instead of guns he had fixed about one hundred rockets on long sticks, disposed in the garden. The rockets were all connected by an iron wire, and the same spark produced a spontaneous explosion. The concourse of people was very great, the weather being remarkably fine. This new invention is not intended to increase the destructive powers of those formidable weapons but it is expected to afford the means of using them without exposing gunners to the fire of the enemy. LXVI. A way, that against the several avenues to a fort or castle, one man may charge fifty cannons, playing and stopping when he pleaseth, though out of sight of the cannon. Vide last article. LXVII.-A rare way likewise for muskettoons, fastened to the pommel of the saddle, so that a common trooper cannot miss to charge them, with twenty or thirty bullets at a time, even in full career. Note by the Author.—When first I gave my thoughts to make guns shoot often, I thought there had been but one only exquisite Ite way inventible yet, by several trials, and much charge, I have perfectly tried all these. LX VIII.-An admirable and most forcible way to drive up water by fire, not by drawing or sucking it upwards, for that' must be, as the philosopher calleth it, infra sphccram activitatu, which is but at such a distance. But this way hath no bounder, if the vessels be strong enough for, I have taken a piece of a. whole cannon, whereof the end was burst, and filled it three- quarters full, stopping and screwing up the broken end, as alsfr the touch-hole and making a constant fire under it, within twenty-four hours it burst and made a great crack so that having found a way to make my vessels, so that they are strengthened by the force within them, and the one to fill after the other, have seen the water run like a constant fountain stream, forty feet high one vessel of water, rarefied by fire, driveth up forty of j cold water and a man that tends the work is but to turn two | cocks, that one vessel of water being consumed, another begins to force and refill with cold water, and so successively, the fire being tended and kept constant, which the self-same person may likewise abundantly perform in the interim between the necessity- of turning the said cocks. Note.-—Vide article C., to which is prefixed a briefhistoricaf and descriptive account of that stupendous machine, the steam- engine. LXIX.-A way how a little triangle and screwed key shall b# capable and strong enough to bolt and unbolt, round about 3 great chest, an hundred bolts through fifty staples, two in eacllf with a direct contrary motion, and as many more from both sidell" and ends, and at the self-same time shall fasten it to the place, beyond a man's natural strength to take it away and, in one and the same turn, both locketh and openeth it. Note.-This invention, with its two following modifications, is evidently intended to operate on the principle of applying a screw for the purpose of forcing the lock bolt, in lieu of using the handle of the key as a lever for that purpose. That this plan might be applied to locks generally, there can be no doubt, and by a i similar contrivance the large keys at present in use for outer doors, iron chests, &c. might be advantageously reduced to the size described by the noble author. By employing the escutcheon mentioned in No. LXXI1. these locks would be equally safe and much more simple than those in common use. Forthelattet part of the article, any ingenious smith may make a lock with an ) hundred bolts and to fasten it to the place, the power of a screw key is abundantly sufficient to force an iron bar through a previously fixed in the floor. I LXX.—A key, with a rose-turning pipe, and two roses pierced through endwise together with several handsomely contrived wards, which may likewise do the same effects. LXXI.—A key, perfectly square, with a screw turning within it, and more conceited than either of the rest, and no heavier than the triangle screwed key, and doth the same effects. LXXIl.-An escutcheon, to be placed before any of these locks with these properties. 1. The owner (though a woman) may, with her delicate hand, vary the ways of coming to open the lock ten millions of times, beyond the knowledge of the smith that made it, or of me who invented it. 2. If a stranger open it, it setteth an alarm a going, which the stranger cannot stop from running out; and besides, though none should be within hearing, yet it catcheth his hand, as a trap doth a fox and though far from maiming him, yet it leaveth such a mark behind it, as will discover him if suspected the escutcheon, or lock, plainly shewing what money he had taken out of the box to a farthing, and how many times opened since the owner had been at it. LA jyote. —iae two principal properties of this escutcheon may uu readily contrived and the first of them has, in fact, been already applied to a very ingenious padlock, invented by Mr. Marshall. and for which the Society of Arts voted him a reward of ten guineas. In Mr. M.'s escutcheon the letters or figures commonly. used in the ring padlock allow an almost endless variety o' changes, and the owner may in one minute alter the arrange* ment in such a manner that even the maker would experience aS much difficulty to open it, as all entire stranger to its construc- tion. To render the combination of letters variable, the characters must not be engraved upon the outside of the rollers themselves, but upon a thin brass hoop made to fit on its outer surface and a spring fastened to the roller, and pressing upon the inside oi the hoop, will cause a sufficient degree of friction to make them move together. The other part of this invention is equally simple with tbe preceding. An alarum, such as is attached to a clock, ma/ easily be wound up prior to closing the box and the lid V1?' vided with a chamfered bolt or staple, capable of effecting its discharge when the box is opened. To register the amount of money taken from the box, it will be necessary either to place each distinct piece of money in separate divisions, or to put a number together in one deep recess capa"le of admitting but one piece to pass at a time. As the pieces are shaken out, they will in their passage raise a lever capable moving a wheel one division in the passage of each piece.. The Bank of England have a method somewhat similar wt registering the number of notes worked from the printing press oi that establishment. (To be continued.)

PROVINCIAL. Monmouth, Friday, December 24.—Wheat, 70s Od to 72s 8d Barley, 3os 2d to 38s Od Oats, 19s 8d to 22s 4a per Imperial quarter. Abergavenny, Dec. 24.—Wheat, 69s 10Jd Barley, 40s 10i&i Oats, 00s Od Beans, 00s Od Peas, 00s Od per Imperial quarter^ Swansea, December 24.—Wheat, 7s 6d to 8s 4d Barley, 4s 4d to 4s 8d Oats, 2s 4d to 2s 8d per bushel of eight gallons. t r Carmarthen, Dec. 24.-Wheat, 65 6d to 8s 6d per Winchester > bushel of 641bs Barley, 4s Od to 4s 4d per imperial bushel; Oats, ls 8d to 2s 3d ditto Butter, in cask, 9id to 9|d per lb-' Cheese, 3d to 3^d per lb. Hereford, Dec. 24—Wheat, per bushel weighing 801bs, Ws 6tl to lis 6d Barley, 5s 6d to 6s Od Oats, Os Od to Os Od Beans. 7s 6d; Peas, 6s Od to 7s Od per bushel of ten gallons. Gloucester, December 24.—Wheat, 64s Od to 70s Od • Barle^' 31s Od to 39s Od; Beans, 34s Od to 48s Ocl; Oats, '23s 0d to 30s Od per Imperial quarter Flour, first 57s to 59s, seconds, 5'5 to 55s, inferior, 48s to 00s per sack of 2801bs Quartern loafl°a' Bristol, December 23—Wheat., 7s 3d to 8s 9d Barley, 3s 9^ t0 5s Od White Peas 5s 6d to 7s Od; Beans 4s 3d to 5s 6d; Of*' 2s 3d to 3s 6d Malt 6s 3d to 8s Od per imperial bushel; Flour 52s to 54s, seconds 49s to 51s per sack.

CORN EXCHANGE, MARK LANE. Monday, December 27.—Tbe past week's arrivals of most de- scriptions of gram were moderate. Of flour the quantity tolerably good. There is not much corn of any kind fresh *3? this morning. The navigation of our river being partially Ime peded by ice, occasioned very little business to be transacted her to-day. From the few sales that were made, wheat may be re' ported rather higher, and fine oats full ls per quarter dearer. -1 » other articles no alteration can be reported. The top price oj flour remains undetermined, but is expected to be shortly" at 65s.

SMITHFIELD MARKET. t Monday, December 27.—This day's supply was throug -th limited, but fully equal to the demand. The trade was f'1 t each kind of meat very dull with beef at an advance of 2d per stone with mutton, veal, and pork, at barely Thursday I prices. (Per stone of 81b. sinking; offal.) n Inferior beef, from 2 2 to 2 4 Prime beef, from 3 2 to Ditto mutton 2 2 to 2 4 Ditto mutton 3 8 to f n Middling beef 2 6 to 3 4 Veal 3 0 to 5 Ditto mutton 2 8 to 3 2 Pork 3 2 to 4 Supply of Cattle at market :-Beasts, 1790 sheep and la.tB" 15,220; calves, 170; pigs, 120.

HOPS. Borough, December 27.—Our hop market remains with0" alteration, but rather more demand. Currency new Sus^ pockets £ 7. 10s to £ 8. 15s Kent, £ 8. to £ 10. 10s choice £ 13 1829, £ 7. 10s. to £ 8 1828, £ 6. 10a to £ 7. 10s 1827, 86» J to 100s 1826, 84s to 100s.

BRISTOL LEATHER MARKET. 1 Per lb. d. d. Per lb. d..aj Heavy Crops 17 to 19 English Horse Hides 15 to Light and middling.. 13 to 15 Spanish ditto 20 to Buffaloes 13 to 15 Best Pattern Skins ..22 to W Middlings 16 to 18 Common ditto 20 to Butts .17 to 19 Heavy ditto 15 to j Close Butts (strong) 20 to 22 Irish ditto 14 to Best Saddlers' Hides 17 to 18 Welsh Skins 17 to W Common ditto 14 to 15 Light Welsh ditto.15 to 1" Shoe Hides 15 to 16 Kips 15 to Welsh Hides 14 to 15 Foreign Kips .16 to jL Bull ditto 13 to 14 Small Seals 21 to Shaved Hides 17 to 21 Basills 8 to MONMOUTH: 1 1. Printed and Published by CHARLES HOUGH, at the ^e't'|'e General Printing-Office, Monnow Street, to whom, or to tile Editor, all communications should be addressed. ,e, London Agents:—Messrs. Newton and Co. Warwick Squa\.v Mr. R. Barker, Fleet Street; and Mr. G. Reynell, C\^nCJ( Lane, where, as well as at the Colonial Coffee House# Skmi1 Street, this Paper is regularly filed.

Account of Wheat, Sfc. arrived in the Port of London, during tha n_- Week ending December 24. Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Beans. Qrs. 6,288 9,668 j 6,276 9,375 1,402 Flour—9,942 sacks, and 50 barrels. Imperial Average Price of Corn and Grain, for the week ending 1 December 24. Wheat 67 2 Oats 23 7 Beans ?7 9 Barley 37 4 j Rye 40 2 Peas 45 Aggregate Average of the Six Weeks, which regulates Duty' Wheat 65 3 1 Oats 23 5 Beans q Barley 37 11 Rye 37 10 j Peas ••• j Duty on Foreign Corn.$ Wheat .21 8 ( Oats 12 3 Beans 0 Barley 6 4 [ Rye 14 0 Peas 1

DR. KEATE AND SWING. The following is the original threatening letter received by Dr. Keate, Head Master of Eton School:— Dr. Keate-Dr. Keate— There's distress in your beat, So the sufferers assert, great and small- And tis plain to be seen, That yourThrashing Machine Must be at the bottom of all. Now I you advise, Dr. Keate, if you're wise, And would keep your own tail from harm, To desist while you can, And adopt a new plan, Of grand Fundamental Reform (Signed) SWING. To which the facetious Doctor is represented to have re- plied thus:— Mr. Swing—Mr. Swing- It's not a true thing, What your sufferers assert, great and small- And you Sir, at once, Are convicted a Dunce, And must go to the bottom of all. Some though, perhaps, Have deserv'd my hard raps, As you, Sir, shall soon understand But this cannot apply To my system, for I Do the whole of my thrashing by hand. And whilst some Masters pay But a shilling a day To labourers tilling the sod It is very well known, That on grounds of my own I have handsomely paid-by the rod Query beat.

To the maestcr o' the Merlin, at Munmouth. SIR, your sarvant; this cums hopin you are we], as it leves me at present, onli i a been kep a wake for six dais and nits wi tha tuth ake, thank god for it; an i will gi you my unble thanx if you ull be so kind as to sai in a cornel of your paper, as how i was toud by our ecksismun that ther was goin to be rare doins shortly in monmuthshire for he sed he met one mister aklan the tother dai, who tould him as how he was goin up into the parla- ment ouse, an that he would take a greet besum wi im an sweep out all thee mortificashun and corrupshun, i thinks he cauld it that was there, an make the place as cleen as a penni; an how that he would desire the king to speck to the priam inister to tel the lord chancerer to go strait to the ducke an bofurt, an order im to make all them that vote for Free trade to keep open ouse, wi meet drink and login for evri bodi evri dai in the ear, wi work for all that likes it; an how that they are to giv does an shues, together wi all their ould ats to evry bodi that wants um an that the measter is to give af a pint o' rum wi is own ands evri mornin to all the bachlors, an the missus a noggin an wiske to all the maids an widos for 10 miles round, sundais respected, when evri one is to ave dubble lowance the ecksismun was howsumdever contradicted an put to rites i suppose in this matter by one paddi molloni, wo appuned to a cum'd up an hard the nuse; for paddi sed as how he shud think tha maester would sarve the maids and widos wi tha wiske and the missus help the bachelors wi the rum so you se sir we shall ha fine doins shortly, which ul be a ca petal thing for the poor, an make um all as merri as grigs, like it was in the days afore we wer born-urra then for lots of rost beef an plum puddin :— Urra for the rum an the wiske, Urra for a free trade and frisky Tba does, the shues, an old ats, An a fig for the wigs and the rats. i forgot to menshun that the ecksismun sed he did not like to sai much before paddi molloni wo was a koresponder of master ak- lands an woud tel im evri word that was sed, an so praps we shud get oursels into a scrape but sisrnun thinks the bristolier was but a ummin im, for that he mainly beleves he was bent upon goin up to the ouse o parlament onli for wat he cud ketch, as there was more to be ad there than in munmouthshire, onli e wanted to tri is and at makin spe^hes, so as to be ahle to tel um a tuf stori or too, an make um laf til the teers com'd in ther ies so that they may not see im wile he pocketed sum o the loves and fishes which they sai is kept up in the cornel-cubburts in that great ouse so no more at present til i rite agen, from your umble sarvant in yarnest GILES SCROGGINS. i lives just by Charles bowels, of the sign o the Lantern, at Pon- tisaison, neer Abby, were i makes an mends al sorts of shues an butes, an repares ould souls as good as nue an i aulso makes an mends club-barticals, loviers letters wi ansers to tim, crisning sungs, for bois or girls, an epetafs for yung or oud pepul, an shud be appy to sarve you wi thum at ani time, on the lowest terms an my wife teeches childrun their katekisn, an aulso nurses sik peple. N.B. plese take notis that i be no relashun to mr giles Scrogginss gost that fritun done o mr Bailies famili into fits some ears ago. P.S. they tells me as how master akland rites sarmons an all them there sort o things now i'll lai him three pints o gin hot, one for im, one for me, and one for my wife an er sister that lives up on brokkers common, (as goodatungclawerasamfor ten miles round, mr merlin,) that I'll make a better sarmont than im any dai in the week and jack Coslet, one of our forgemen, shall be the juge, and charls Howell the humfire, and missus howel shall make the gin-hot, an if i dont beet un, mai i never ave another job for my last, brissle, lapstun, strap, peggin-all, and wax.