Star. — London, England, 1830-04-22 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. Dias., APRIL 21.—Whtd W.S.W.— Arrived from the River, aiJ remains, the Lady Rowena, Russell, for New South Wales. Mortuary, Army 21—Off the port, the Canadian, Henderson, ::ont the South Seas ; Nesbitt, Sampson, from Jamaica ; and the Coburg, Fraser, from St. Mary's, Africa. Dorris, Arm. 21.—Arrived off the port, the Hibernia, .---, nom Honduras ; Anna Margarette, Bruin, from St. Thomas's; and Falcon, Burrows, from New York. PORTSMOUTH, APRIL 21.—Wind S. W...-Sailed the Amity transport, Gray, for Deptford. Far-mourn, APRIL 20.—Wind W.—Arrived the Zephyr packet, from Buenos Ayres—sailed the sth of February, and from Monte Video the 10th. • CLYDE, Aram 20.—Arrived the Essequibo. Melville, from De merara ; Isabella, Haddock, and Pleiades, --.—, from New Or leans; and Cartha, Smith, from Savannah. INFANT ORPHAN ASYLUM. The first dinner of this excellent charity was celebrated yesterday, at the City of London Tavern (GEORGE BENG, Esq. o n; of the Presidents, in the Chair). About 200 gentleman of the tint uspectability, sat down to a most excellent dinner. Ara the usual toasts had been drunk, and appropriate songs ad nur.thly sung by Messrs. Broadhurst, C. and E. Taylor, and Master Phillips. of the Royal Institution, " Prosperity to this infant In stitution" was given with extraordinary honours ; when tLe Rev. A. H. Kexx EY, D.D., the Secretary, gave a short history of the institution, and the object contemplated in its formation. This charity was established in July 1827, for the relief of orphans under the age of seven years, without distinction of sex or place. There is no other charity which embraces this class of orphans; it therefore interferes with no other benevolent institution, while it may ',become a nursery to the many other charities which receive the fatherless child at seven years of age. There were at present on the foundation 36 children, and at the ensuing election, on the 26th of April, an addition would be made to that number. Meanwhile the expenses arising on the care, nursing, and education of such young children,were,very considerable, and the rate of subscription but small, so that it required the greater acts of voluntary benevolence to give efficient support to the charity. The Committee were satisfied that it was only neeeasary for the fact to be known to realise all that was requisite. They pledged themselves to the most economical use of the subscriptions of which they might become the trustees. —They were confident that the cause of the orphan whose parents and connexions had seen better days--of the orphan, exposed, in infancy and helplessness, to all the bitterness and want of a fatherless condition—would sufficiently plead for itself with every one possessing the sympathies proper to humanity. The Chairman, on the health of hie Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, the Patron of the Society," being drunk, an nounced a donation of 101. 10s. from his Royal Highness, who would have presided at the dinner, had not he been pre.engaged to dine with the friends of the London Hospital, on the other side of the street. The Worthy Chairman gave twenty guineas, and this example was so liberally followed, that, in the course of the evening, the subscriptions and donations amounted to upwards of 7001. LLATIIERTRADE.—In the opinion of those best quali fied to judge, the removal of the leather tax bids fair to produce at no distant date, something like a complete revolution in the trade. The duty resmes on the sth July, and we are acquainted with manufacturers who are determined not to stamp another hide till after mid-summer. Among other changes, tanners will become leather cutters, and shoemakers tanners, at least in re. mote and inland situations. We have conversed with many persons who well remember when it was customary for farm. era to send their hides to the nearest saddler or shoemaker, who not unfrequently tanned and dressed the same ; and, in settling with his customers, deducted, on the good old principle of barter, the value from his annual bill for makings and mending.. That this system will be revived, particularly in the Highlands seems exceedingly probable ; wherever t h ere are woo d s , b ar k can b e procured, whether in small or large quantities ; where there are kine, some of them must be killed for home consumption, while others die from disease or accident ; and with these facilities at hand, there are probably many shoemakers who will think a tan-pit as in. dispensable as a stool or a last. In large towns, those who trade on the largest scale will be able to manufacture the cheapest article; but the privilege of cutting and retailing leather, which the tanner is excluded from by law at present, will lead to a degree of com petition that will ultimately benefit both consumer and producer. To get rid of the exciseman is a great object with all and sundry; at present he hampers both the manufacturer and the retailer ; no. thing sin be done unless he is at the head of it; even in the ease of trifling operations he requires twenty-four hours' previous notice; and in winter, when the weather varies continually, the tanner fie. suently loses an excellent lid for drying, by reason of this teasing and vexatious formality. Indeed, we have heard of a case in which an officer fell into an empty tan-pit, and who when he bawled to the workmen to pull him out, was told jockingly in the first in. stance, that he had forgotten to give them twenty-four hours' pre vious notice ! Altogether, the total repeal of the leather duty will do a deal ofgood. An article which passes through various hands before it reaches the consumer, is, and must be enhanced in price; and we could quote the name if we chose, of a gentleman intimately connected with the trade, who has repeatedly given it as his fixed opinion, that a pair of shoes which at present coat nine or ten shilling, will, ere long, be purchased for two-thirds of the price. It is true the former reduction of the leather tax never reached the pub. he, but was on the contrary entirely absorbed by the dealers; but that in the opinion of many arose mainly from the continuance of those restrictions which checked and hampered freedom of trade, and along with that the spirit of competition.—Dusspies Courier. Ilu x o u.Y.—A paragraph is making the round of the newspapers, which states in substance that out of seven !Anions of sheep retired in Hungary, three millions be-' long to Prince ESTERH A Z . This is enormous, and as ' we have no reason to question the accuracy of the informs tica, the Nobleman alluded to must be the greatest store fanner in the world. So great a breadth of " woolly people" was never owned by one man before, not even in the days of the patriarchs, w hen one went east and another west, and, as Milton beautifully remarks of our first parents—" the world was all before them, where to choose their place cf rest.'' But what can induce Eaterhazy, to keep so much land in his own hands ? Cattle and swine, corn, wine, hemp, flax, silk, tobacco, honey, &c., &c., are reared in Hungary as well as sheep, and judging from the above data, ho must be a Prince in every sense of the word, and is richer than the Duc D'Orleans, whose property, though it lies chiefly in Paris, is said to yield a revenue of upwards of half a million sterling yearly. In Scotland the sheep are as near as may be in the mile of the people; that is, about two and a half millions: and what would we think if the sum total of these, with the thousand and one hills on which they browse, were the property of a single individual ? The sheep in Hungary, in 1821, were estimated at eight millions ; the cows and bullocks at nearly two millions and a half ; while the pigs were so multitudi nous, that the people lived on them almost exclusively, and exported after all about 250,000 head annually. At the l same date the population was estimated at 8 millions, and the reader will not fail to remark the coincidence, that in Hungary, as in Scotland, there is as near as may be a sheep for every human being. W iae is produced in great perfection and abundance. The annual supply, according to Blumenbach, is 4,500,000 hogsheads, the value 10,000,0001. sterling. Even the feathered tribes furnish no inconsiderable part of the wealth of the country. The greater part of the goose feathers, in Mdcli the Jews of Prague trade, come from Hungary,and the c; pital of the Austrian dominions is supplied from them t. with that commodity. Grellman states that the extent of land is thirty-nine million odd jochs, which are nearly equal to an English acre. Of this little more than the half is cultivated; the remainder is composed of sandy desert,, lak, , morasses, and barren mountains. The pro ductive lands are thus divided :-4,897,218 arable, 638 , 7 67 gardens, 2,129,225 meadows, 5,586,000 pas tures, 850,000 ponds, and 8,940,740 woods. The sheep are most numerous, and are found in prodigious flocks " that never owned a fold," on the plains between the Danube and the Thesis, and on the elevated grounds in 'bat district. The wool is coarse, and the owners esti late the cheese, milk, and fl es h, m ore t h an t h e fl eeces. i n n Western Hungary, on the contrary, the flocks have been ninth improved by crosses with the Merino breeds, and with the sheep of Padua, yield fine wool, which, to the value of 5 00,000/, sterling, is annually exported to all parts of tho world. DIORAMA. The views at the Diorama are again changed, and France and Switzerland are once more placed before our eves without our en. countering the nausea of crossing the Channel, the roguery of con tinental innkeepers, and all the other innumerable and indescribable miseries of foreign travel. 1 hanks to the contrivances of modern ingenuity, the " long drawn aisles and fretted vaults" of the Cathe dral at Rheims are now fixed snugly in the Regent's-park, and the rocks of Mount St. Gothard, torn from their old foundations, are reposing quietly in the same vicinity. All this is owing to the magic pencil of Messrs. Daguerre and Boston, who, if they have not given us the realities of these magnificent objects, have at least given us imitations of them so wonderfully minute and vivid, as to appear more like the illusions of enchantment than the mere crea tions of art. On entering the parterre, the tint object that presents Itself is the Cathedral at Rheims, as viewed from behind the choir ; the back only of the great altar is to be seen; this is in the form of an ancient tomb; upon it are placed the cross, and six candelabras presented to the Cathe dral by Charles X. previous to his coronation. This ancient and celebrated structure, in which the Kings of France are always crowned, was built by order of Alberic de Humbert, Archbishop of Rheims, was. 1211. It was almost totally burned by an accidental ire in 1481 ; was restored, as it now stands, by Charles VIII. for his coronation. Its dimensions are 400 feet in length, 100 in breadth, and 160 in height. The great window is 124 feet high. The noble simplicity of the interior is most happily imi tated by the artist, M. Daguerre. The numerous stained glass windows, mingle their vivid hues and refiexions with the tesselated marble floor of four colours, the whole combined in broad and effec tive masses of light and shade, presents one of the most agreeable scenic deceptions that we have ever seen. To this succeeds the Alpine Pass up the acclivity of Mount Saint Gothard, at the well known point called " Le passage aux Roches," in the " Val Levantine" from Faido, the principal town In this district. The view is taken from this station ; the road fs seen traversing one of the bans of St. Oothard, called " Mount Ptotino." This nar. row way was formed by cutting through the rocks at a vast expense ; travellers on it are thenfore charged a trifling toll. The river Terein rolls its precipitous and murmuring course under the single arch, which is thrown boldly across the deep chasm that separates the two mountains. It looks like the work of enchantment, more than of mortal hands. The rocks on the right are part of Mount Piotino ; to the left are the blue summits of Val Bendutto. In the back ground is seen towering to a stupendous height the summit of " St. Oothard," covered with perpetual snow. We think it would not be possible to find in the vast range of Alpine scenery, a subject containing a higher degree of romantic grandeur than the present representation ; for along with the great physical forms, the magical effect of elder° oscuro is so happily united, that the combi nation forms one of the most powerful and complete deceptions we ever yet beheld. There was a great deal of company in the rooms, amongst whom were many persons of distinction. The Paris papers have lette r s f rom M a d e i ra , indicative of a conspiracy in that island iu favour of the young ' Queen. According to these journalists, the dread of an attack from Brazil is so strong at Lisbon, that defensive fortifications are erecting on the banks of the Tagus. Works begun by the French twenty years ago to ward off . British men of war, are now to be completed to repel in vasion from Terceira. A Dublin paper, criticising a paper war between Mr. Harry Grady and the attorneys of Lord Donegal, takes occasion to lament that such exalted individuals should have any difference between them. Metro STEEPLE CHASE.—On Monday last five horses ran over a steeple chase course on the plains of Mayo, with six five-feet walls, for the M'Donnell Stakes. Lord Clanmorris's horse, which was rode by his Lordship, came in first, and was closely followed by Joseph M'Don nell's, Esq. of Caranacun. Lord Clanmorris's horse baulked at each leap except the last; but Mr. M'Don nell's, which was rode by Mr. Brannick, never baulked at either. Some altercation arose as to the probability of Mr. M'Donnell's horse not having got fair play, or he would win the race. It was left to a number of gentle men present, who decided in favour of Mr. M'Donnell; accordingly, it was agreed that both horses should run the same race on Wednesday, when Mr. M'Donnell's was the winner. On Monday a young woman incau tiously stood so near the way the horses ran, that one of them came in contact with her and almost left her lifeless on the plain; she has since expired. Tuesday's running was very numerously attended. Lord Clanmorris's horse was the winner of the Blake Stakes on that day.—Free man's Journal. LLGACY UNDER BONAPARTE'S WILL....•SeverSI of the bequests under Napoleon's Will have given rise to law-suits in France, and the papers received yesterday have added another to the list. The public man who was first struck with the talents of the future Emperor was Gasparin, Deputy from the town of Orange to the Na tional Convention, and who, according to the usage of the time, was stationed with the army engaged in 1793 in the siege of Toulon. The General who commanded this army was Dugommier, a direct and straight forward' character, who, without possessing any great share of dis. crimination, became prepossessed in favour of Bonaparte, as well by his activity and resources, as by the re commendation of Gasparin. Dugommier fell in the field long before it was in the power of Napoleon to reward him ; but a short codicil, affixed at St. Helena to the Ex-Emperor's will, " bequeathed to the son or grandson of General Dugommier the sum of four thousand pounda l sterling, as an acknowledgment of the friendship which that intrepid officer had shown to him." The money, it' seems, has not yet been paid, in consequence of the un defined terms of the bequest, and of contending claims on l the part of the heirs of the General, one of whose sons claims the legacy, but is opposed by the widow of another son. The case was brought on in Paris on Friday, but adjourned for a week, a very usual course in civil suits in France. FIRE ESCAPES.—TriaIs were made of various descrip tions of fire escapes yesterday afternon, in front of the National Repository, Charing-cross. A large concourse of people, notwithstanding the incessant rain, assembled to witness the experiments, which were attended with indifferent success. Bags hoisted to the windows by ropes and pullies, let down by the same means, were first exhibited, but much improvement is necessary in this plan before it can be ventured in cases of danger. At present the attempt to escape from the flames would be merely to exchange one peril for another, an idea which no doubt suggested itself to the men who yes terday embarked their persons in these conveyances. Their utmost activity and strength were requisite to pre serve themselves from prematurec ontact with the ground; the balance indeed was duly kept in very few instances, and much merriment was excited among the crowd by the descent of the airy navigators in a ludicrously horizon tal and supine position. The plan which appeared most likely to be adopted with efficacy was that of a basket attached to the top of an instrument which we can liken to nothing more similar than a huge telescope, and by the gradual lengthening of which it was raised to the windows. Its movements, however, were considerably too slow. Ce lerity in these matters is the great desideratum, but con trivances which require much arrangement on the one side, and the utmost coolness, deliberation, and pre sence of mind on the other, we can never hope to see used with effect in the moment of danger. The plan is nevertheless a creditable one to the projectors, and any further attempts to bring it to perfection will merit pub lic gr.ititude, whatever may be their ultimate success. One accident ,only occurred during the experiments of yesterday. In consequence of the breaking of a wooden bar to which the rope was attached, one of the men fell to the ground from a height of about thirty feet. He was of course severely hurt, though fortunately no limbs were broken. LEA UNION CANAL. 'I here is just opened at the Eastern part of the suburbs a Canal of great merit, which, however, except amongst the scientific, and in the immediate neighbou r h oo d of the Canal, appears to have been begun and completed without exciting the attention aed notice ex ceeded to many weeks inferior in point of utility, excellence, and twerprise ; for, though it i s est i mate d to h ave cost about 60,0001. it is said to have been e;ecuted at the sole expense of one individual, Sir George Duckett. Accident took me to its neighbourhood two or three days ago. Its imposing and complete appearance led me to examine it ; and as it is opened this week (the ceremonial opening of it is postponed till the completion of a large steam-engine at the reservoir for keeping the Canal supplied), a sketch of it cannot be uninteresting. It deserves a more scientific notice than I feel com petent to prepare. It is called the " Lea Union Canal." Its object is to form a junction between the Regent's C a n a l an d t h e L ea River Navigation, both which courses empty themselves into the Thames, to prevent the inconvenience felt in navigating the river Lea in neap-tides. On arriving at Old Ford Lock, on account of want of water, barges could not proceed into the Thames but were obliged to wait for the tides. The j u n ct i on w i t h the Lea River is formed near Old Ford, and with the Regent's Canal, near to the bridge at Bonner's Hall, Bethnal-green. This junction, besides allowing barges to proceed to the Thames out of the Lea river, without waiting for favourable tides, is advantageous in another point of view—it super sedes the necessity of barges coming from Ware going down Bow Creek, and through Lituehouse Cut into the Thames, which used to be occasionally attended with days' delay, as well as considerable ex pense. It is also advantageous to the Regent's Canal, by enabling craft to proceed from it along the Junction, and thus enter the Lea River ; thence t• Ware and Bishop Stortford Canal, without entering the Thames, which is likewise a great saving of time and expense. The extent of this " Union " Canal is about a mile and a half. Its depth is seven feet. There are three locks, with a rise of ten feet each. The gates (as indeed may be truly said of the whole work) arc of a more superior and scientific finish than I have seen on any other canaL The levers arc of cast iron, weighing about four tons each, and so adjusted as to turn on pivots with amazing ease and quick nevi • and the gates are so constructed, by being ground in, that, when closed, not the smallest portion of water escapes, notwithstand. ing the pressure of ten feet of water. The atone and wood-work were ground together previously to water being admitted. There are also stop-gates to every pond of water. The locks are 48 feet long, so as to admit the largest description of barges and craft. There are eight bridges over this short piece of Canal—seven con. tinning public roads, and one connecting private property (Mr. (Scales s), which was cut through to form t h e C ana l. The bridges are all cast iron, of light and elegant appearance, and of good height. There is a reservoir, occupying about five acres of ground. supplied from the Thames on each side ; sad there is erecting at it a steam engine, by means of which the summit level of the Canal will be supplied with water. The ceremonial opening of the Canal, it is mentioned, will take place when this engine is finished, which will be in the summer. This Union Canal is formed in a straight line. As already intimated, it has been completed at the expense of one individual (Sir Geotge Duckett, and whose family, I be lieve, wholly own the Bishop Stortford Canal) ; and, though it goes through great variety of property. as may be Imagined, from its contiguity to Bethnal-green, Stratford, etc., all was arranged to the satisfaction of every party, without, as far as I could learn, one instance of litigation ! Mr. Giles (a nephew, I think, of Mr. Tel ford) was the civil engineer, and Mr. 111 6 Kay, the working engineer. EXCISE—DUTY ow WIIISKEY.A Board's Order has been received by our Excise Collector in this City, to enforce the payment of the late additional Duties on Whiskey. The duty was consequently obliged to be paid yesterday on spirits taken out of she King's stores. —Cork Constitution of Saturday. GRIaVANCES.—Mr. O'Connell has taken Irish whis key and tobacco under his special protection, as things necessary for the moral and physical happiness of ould Ireland. It seems to be for the sake of the distillers alone this comprehensive statesman takes up the cudgels for the native ; which is pretty much the same thing as if a man should deprecate a stamp duty upon dice and cards, for fear of injuring poor Crockford. Let the Mi nisters only protect agriculture by leaving malt free, and then, if they think proper to put a guinea a gallon on whisky—so much the better. MR. COMYN.—It is reported, we should hope without foundation, that the Irish Government have decided that the sentence upon Mr. COMYN shall be carried into effect.—Dublin Morning Register. Mr. Co )11'n, the gentleman who burnt the thatched cabin in Clare, supposing it to be his own, he himself having built it, is, it is said, to suffer the extreme penalty of the law, and pay the forfeit of his life, for having vio lated the technicality of an Act of Parliament. We pro test we do not understand this mode of administering jus tice ; for we are of those who draw a strong distinction between moral and legal crimes. The ruffians who con spired, and who actually did attempt to murder Mr. CREAGII and Mr. GEORGE BOND Low, are pardoned. The murderers of the unfortunate SCARLETT are re prieved, and Mr. Cost VN, after having been respited for a season, and of course induced to suppose that his life would have been spared, is to be executed—Dublin Evening Mail. SOCIETY OF UNITED IRISHMEN. • The " body" met on Saturday, and several subjects of agitation were dis cussed with a becoming spirit of faction. As a text for the debate, Mr. O'CoN NELL asserted, amidst vehe ment cheering, the following words—" Emancipation, the Government thought, would crush the spirit of agitation—while I live that shall not be."—Mr. O'CON• NELL is unquestionably a great man in his way, and possesses in an extraordinary degree the elements of turbulence in his composition—he has moreover grown brave with the success which his system of intimidation has produced upon the Duke of WELLINGTON'S Ca binet; but he mistakes himself. His strength does not consist in himself ; it arises out of the weakness of the Government. His powers of doing mischief are not the result of his own capabilities—they are produced by the fears of those against whom he contends ; and we protest we are far from being displeased at the open defiance with which he treats the laws and authorities. The Go vernment would put him down if it dare. There is a poor man --a respectable man too—a Mr. Antisell, a Bar rister, who has been seduced into this society. This Gentle man—Go nhelp his silly head—thought that matters were going rather too far, and upraised his voice for moderation. He was, as a matter of course, laughed at. His description of the body, and the mode of doing business, is, however, worth quoting: " He was disappointed at hearing some of the speeches mado this day Though his learned friend wishes for peace, his language leads to an opposite conse quence, and must have the effect of arousing the passions of the peasantry of this country—than whom there was no bet ter species of men on the face of the earth; he knew them well, he was educated amongst them, and ho could say there aas no more grateful or generous people to be met with. Mr. A. as on former occasions, strongly urged the disarming of the peasantry, and declared that it was the only means of putting an end to absenteeism. He condemned one of the resolutions of the society—that which promises protection from legal oppression—and instanced a case in which Lord Castlomaine was a party, to show that such protection had the effect of encourag ing men to bring actions against their landlords, if the latter turned them out for not voting according to their direction. He conceived that much of their time was occupied in debating subjects from which no immediate good would result ; and he did not think they should sa tisfy themselves by making speeches without some prac tical measure that would really benefit the people."— Dublin Evening Mail of April 19. The Independent chapel in Queen-street, near the Cobourg Theatre, was forcibly entered between the even ings of Wednesday and Saturday last week, and the fol lowing articles stolen, viz. :—Bagster's Comprehensive Bible, ten brass branches, a brass candlestick, a quantity of candles, and the covering of the table and cushions. TAX ON NEWSPAPERS. ,eqnisition baying been addressed to the Ccmmittee of the City of London Literary Institution, setting forth " the heavy annual expanse of the institution for its present inadequate supply of daily r.ewspapers," stating that " the taxes on newspapers were taxes 0:1 information ;" suggesting that a " reduction of those taxes would, by eccasioning an increase of consumption, produce an In man of revenue to the Government," and, at the same time, prove highly beneficial to this and similar institutions, and to the commu nity at lurgc ;" a meeting was held in the theatre of the institution in Aldersgate-street, on Monday evening, for the purpose of con sidering the propriety of petitioning Parliament, and me:norialising the Lords of the Treasury, for a reduction of the duty on newspapers and advertisements. Dr. Southwood Smith was called to the Chair. A resolution in the spirit of the requisition was then moved and seconded, and a long discussion succeeded, which terminated in an adjournment to the following evening. The question was resumed on Tuesday, and the resolution, after a stormy discussion, carried by a majority of two to one. The length of the proceedings prevents our entering into a detailed report. It was stated that the present period had beer. chosen fur the rurpose of bringing the subject betore Parliament, because the proposed alterations in the Irish Stamp Duties would present a favourable opportunity for discussing the matter. The state of newspapers in France and America was adverted to—in France the circulation dame of the newspapers amounted to between 40,000 and 60,000 daily ; and in America, where not a town with 8,000 or 10.000 inhabtants, was without its newspaper, the number of newspaper:, which in 1810 was 368, now amounted to 828. In those countries the number of persons who were able to read—the reading public—fell infinitely short, in proportion to the population of the numhtr milarly circumstanced in Great Britain ; and it was, therefore, fair to infer that the modification of taxation would increase the number and circulation of the public journals, and ultimately tend to the ad vantage of the revenue. To show that the meeting had not been called to discuss a subject foreign to the interests of the institution, it was stated that newspapers formed one of the most important items in their accounts; and of the sum thus expended, more than one-half passed into the Exchequer. The duty on advertisements rendered it necessary that booksellers, in order to cover their ex penses in this respect, should materially increase the price of their books, by which also the institution was materially affected. The petition was opposed by two different parties. By the firs and most numerous it was objected that, however desirable the pro. putted reduction might be, still it was not a •übject which ought to be entertained by a literary society; that it was, in act, essentially a political question ; and that, if they were to petition at all for redaction, they might as well call for an alteration in the taxes on coals, or on windows, by which they were by far greater sufferers. It was also resisted on the ground that no abolition of existing re strictions would be likely to make newspapers more extensively circulated than they were at present ; and that the high duties ren dered it necessary that great capitals should be embarked in news. pap tr property, which had been the principal cause that the English newspaper was so superior in every respect to the flimsy sheet— flimsy, like the nation among whom it circulated—which was the characteristic of the French press. In reply to this, It was urged that newspapers formed an im portant part of the literature of the country, and that the tax upon them acted as a most galling restriction--as a•t barbarous tax" upon knowledge. That their high price prevented the great body of the people from seeing more than one or two of the newspapers, by which means they were unable to compare opinion with opinion, and to conic to a sight judgment upon different matters. Ina' Iy, that though, indeed, a political question, it could not be considered as coming under the denomination of party politics, which were alone excluded by the rules of the institution. It was a subject which concerned the diffusion of knowledge and the interest of literature— objects for which the society was originally established; and no com parison could be instituted between it and the window tax, inasmuch as the removal of the one impost was calculated to enlighten the human mind—the other merely to throw light on the body. DETERMINED ATTEM.ICTAT SUICIDE. On Sunday evening the Inhabitants of Barnet were thrown into a state of considerable excitement by an attempt, on the part of a highly respectable young man named Frederick Clements, to commit suicide by shooting himself. Mr. Clements, who Is 19 years of age, is the son of wealthy parents residing In London, and be has been for some time at Barnet with his brother-in-law (Mr. COW. ing). He became acquainted with die family of Mr. Hudson, a respect. able tradesman, and was observed to pay particular attention to one 'of the daughters of that individual, a pretty-looking girl about his own age, but his attentions were not received in so flatter ing a manner as a youthful lover both desires and expects, and he became restless and uneasy. On Sunday evening at ten o'clock he met Miss Hudson in the street, with her sister and another young lady, who were returning from a visit, and for some time conversed with them. Bliss Hudson appeared [tore cool than usual, and Mr. Clements remonstrated with her on the subject, and a slight alterca tion having taken place, they separated, and he went home. He was much agitated, and retired, as they supposed, to bed. In a quarter of an hour, however, the f a mily were dreadfully alarmed at hearing the report of fire-arms in the upper part of the house. and Mr. Cowing rushed up with a light, and on entering Cie ments's bed-room, found the unfortunate youth stretched en the floor, with a pistol grasped in his right hand, and weltering in blood, which was pouring forth from a wound in the side. He was insensible, and appeared to be dying. Mr. Morris, a surgeon, was sent for, and examined the wound, and administered every possible remedy. Au express was sent off to London for further medical assistance, and to convey the melancholy tidings to his parents, who, with au eminent surgeon, arrived at Barnet early on Monday. The ball entered between the ribs on the left side, and lodged in the body, and up to yesterday the surgeons had not been able to extract it, nor did they hold out any nope that such an operation could be effected at all. The young man lingers without the smallest hope of his recovery being entertained. tie is much re spected in the town, and this unhappy event has produced a general feeling of sorrow among the inhabitants. MACKAREL FISHERY.—During the past week the St. lye's fishing-boats have had tolerably good success ; the fish appear to be drawing nearer the shore, =I hopes are entertained that the season will prove a favourable one. We are sorry to say that the fishery in Mouut's Bay has not been equally successful ; the boats there have taken very few fish since our last publication.-- West Briton. Yesterday evening, between eight and nine o'clock, the lea of a house, in Castle -street, Leicester-square, occupied by Mr. Armstrong, oilman, suddenly gave way. to the imminent danger of the inmates and persons pass ing through the street. The second fluor, fortunately, was strong enough to support the weight which fell on it, otherwise the consequence must have been serious, as several persons were in the lower part of the house tit ihe time. A policeman, named Fatly, L 136, was struck, and seventy bruised by the fragments of the parapet, which fell into the street. He was picked up in a scr e state by Mr. Gieen, a surgeon, and conveyed to a house near at hand, %%here Mr. Gieen rentkimi him every attention, and afterwards accompanied him in a coach to Middlesex Hospital. He is not cons'clered in danger. Respites have been received by the High Sheiiffof the county, for Patrick Lynch, John Leary, William Slane, James Roche, and James Mayrath, against whorl sentence of death was given and reecrtled at foe late assizes, for being concerned in the Doncriii4 cot opiracy.— Cork Southern Reporter. SMITHFIELD, i ram - 22. !feasts. She and Lambs 8,150 . Figs .. ..... ..... .......... 190 We( •.. ....... zs 4J to 4. Od Veal • ...... ...is Od n, to Od Mutton .... —4l Od 4. 6•1 Pork :a 10d 4, ed Lamb Hay (per load), 42 10s. to 44 Straw, 42 51. to 44 101. 15s. (lora, 4'3 10% to £5 tpi. NEW FARRINGDON MARKET, APRIL 22. Prices per IL to the cc sumer. Bear—Flmst lloaqing, 64d. and 7d. Do. Boiling, 44d. l'qual quantity of each, 5,d. Rump Steaks. 9d. Beet Steaks, Id. Hump of Beef, 4d. Wrreess Wyne—Leg, 7d. aml 641 an.l 7d. Saddle, 6J. Loin, 61d. Shoulder, bid. and cd. Neck, sjd. Breast, 4id. VEAL—Leg, 61d. and 7d. Fillet, 9d. Loin, 7d. and 7,141. lireast, V i d: Shoulder, Std. and id. POUIC, sd. to 61./. Lassa, 94d. ami 10d. NEWGATE AND I.EADENIIALL, AIME. ie: — By the atea‘e.--Ver stone of Sibs. Beef, 2i Sd. to 3.t. 4d. Mutton. 3s. to 3.. t Od. Veal, 's. to 4s. 54. Pork. 21 fa to 31. 10d. Lamb, st. S.i. to 6s. 54. ST. JAMES'S HAY.IIAIIKET, Aram 22. Coarse Heavy Lowland Meadow Hay, A 2 ss. to £2 15s Useful ditto, .d 2 15s. to 13 15s. Fine Upland Meadow and Rye Grass Hay. 44 Os. to AS Os. Clover Hay, Al 10s. to 45 is. Oat Straw, f 2 Ls. to Wheat Straw, £2 is. to see lOs, per lead of 34 trusses. (. ~i ,~