The National Register. — London, England, 1820-12-24 00:00:00

IRELAND., -4:- Letters from Ireland, ot . o very recent date, pre sent the state of that country in a most melancholy point of view. Most of the farmers arc luined iu consequence of their land being held at the war rents, which, from the extreme low price of provi sions, they are wholly unable to pay. The following arc the prices in the country markets:—Beef and mutton, priine pieces, 3d. per pound; pork, 235. per cwt.; butter, 31. 10s. to 41. per cwt.; potatoes, one penny per stone; fowls, Is. per couple; turkeys, 3s. 4d. per couple ; geese, as. (hl.. per ditto ; wheat, 2 Is. the barrel ; barley, us. (id.; oats, 10s. ; hay, from 20s. to 21s. per ton. To this must be added, that several of the small farmers are bound by their leases to furnish to their landlords, when required, a certain number of what are called " duty horses and men ;" that is to say, to wor:. gratis, and also a stipulated number of duly finvls , turkeys, or geese, or in lieu thereof, an adequate compensation of money. Another most iniquitous measure is, that the Rector of the parish (generally speaking) will not take their tithes at the low price of the corn, and many unfortunate wretches have ken compelled to sell the whole produce of their little farms in order to satisfy the demands of the rapacious Tithe l'roctor. On Friday night, the Bth inst. about the hour of nine o'clock, as Mr. Armstrong, attorney, was pro. ceeding in a gig, on his way home to Belturbet, from Cuven (having travelled from Dublin in the day coach). he observed, on the b9g road, between Butler's Bridge and Aena, three or four armed men at each side of the road, apparently in a kneel ing position, upon which Mr. Armstrong, uut think ing it safe to approach them, immediately turned, and drove back to Butler's Bridge, which was dis tant about a plater of a mile, but not until a number of shots were fired atter him by the armed banditti, who followed Li:n a considerable distance —none of which, we are happy to say, took effect. This is the first instance we have to record of a similar nature in this peaceable part of the country 14 a number of years; and we can now only at tribute it to the distressed state of the poor, which is most deplorable indeed. On the night of Friday the Bth inst. a formidable band of miscreants, upwards of sixty in number, entered the vicinity of Kilbeggan, in the county of Wcsuncath. There chanced to be billetted in that place at the time, on their route flout Dublin to their quarters at Athlone, a division of the .sth regiment, being apprised of this circumstance, those audacious villains immediately forced into a house in which were lodged some of the soldiers, whom, having effectually surprised, they stripped of five stand of anus, and instantly decamped. Such acts, so disgraceful to civilized society, must solely ema nate from the veriest dregs of mankind. On Sunday night the 10th inst. it murder was committed at Erke, in the county of Kilkenny, and near the residence of John Marum, Esq. a number of whose cattle were recently killed. Four men, three of them tarrying lighted candles, and the fourth a hammer, but without any disguise, entered the house of G. Brophy, tythe proctor, residing at that place, whom they knocked on the head with the hammer, and when down, fired into his body, which closed his existence. They next pillaged the unfortunate man's house, burned his tythe books, papers, &c. and then dispersed. A few days ago a coVey ofPartri‘lges, sever in number, were very closely pursued by a hawk, into the bretvhouse yard of Samuel Wells, Esti. at Big gleswade, and flew with such violence against one of the railings, that four of them fell dead upon the spot, and were picked up by the men at work in the yard; the other three were so stunned as to be unable to escape, and were taken by another person at u few yards distance. Their voracious pursuer made his escape uninjured. An awful event happened on Saturday, the IGth instant, in Stamford. Mr. Wm. Ashby, an eminent saddler (some years ago resident ut Boston), was thrown from his horse in the street called Seotgate, and killed on the spot. lle and his son were tilting out fora morning airing ; the horse which the father rode was a spirited animal, and had vexed the rider by his mettlesome tricks : gallopping into the town, he stumbled opposite the Green Man public house, and threw Mr. Ashby with such force us to fracture his scull in u dreadful manner. The unfortunate man, covered with blood, was immediately token into the public house, but never spoke, and died in two minutes. Mr. Ashby was a very animated politician. 'll he dav ou winch he met with the fatal accident tt us to have be en one of festivity among his Party, and the deceased had ordered the bells to be rung at eleven o'clock; at nine, however, he was awfully called into another world. seu is mak,ng much riOd encroachments At the Eastern extremity at Brighton, that it has been deemed necessary to cell a .!..ipeLiul Sessions of the Connuitioners of the town to devise suutc nude to prevent the future destructive washin;s of tie. water. THE NATIONAL REGISTER GUERNSEY.—Last summer a pedlar, known by the name of Welsh Tom, while strolling on this island picked up a piece of native copper ore; the casualty led to inquiry, and the result is, a discovery of a productive mine of this valuable metal. The piece of ore was left. at a pot-house at St. l'ietre, by the wretched pedlar, who had fortunately scratched on it, in ill-formed characters, the words " Thomas Roberts. The metal has been examined by a very able chemist, who pronounces its specific gravity, 8.9)99 to 1.0000, almost equal to Japan copper,and when treated with the sulphuric acid, he finds 100 parts of the sulphate of copper produced, to contain 80 parts of copper, 32 of acid, and 28 parts of water of crystalization. Caurtox.—A fellow is travelling the country defrauding tradesmen, innkeepers, and others, under the ful lo ing eircumstances:—llc takes lodgings (or, if near the metroplis, visits the town) for about a weck,during which time he makes himself acquainted with those he may have a design on by purchasing goods, exchanging country bank notes, Ste. and when he supposes the parties suffieiently satisfied as to his respectability, he ()dims them a check on the house of Whitmore iand Co. drawn by a man of the name of Edward Smith B. It is his method to get abort half the change, with which he decamps, the check not [king worth a farthing. The above rascal is about 5 feet 7 inches very stout, Mir com plexion, about 30 years of age ; wears a blue Cod, yellow waistcoat, drab coloured pantaloons; calls himself Mr. Fox, and pmends to be connected with the house of Junes, Fox, and Co. bankers, Manehes er. lie is charged with felony. E. Smith, the drawer of the cheek, :s supposed to live at Oxford. High price of Butchers' heat complaints are wade in the metropolis of the price of butcher's meat, which is stated to be nearly as high as it was five years ago, although the price of cattle, &c. has been must materially reduced. The same complaints are made with great reason in many parts of the country. It is plain that the public are very little benelitted by the fall in cattle; some graziers arc actually slaughtering their own beasts. Film—Wednesday morning, about two o'clock, a fire broke out in one of the houses adjacent to Kensington Palace, adjoining to that in which Mr. Sieard resi.les ; the flames were got. under by the arrival of the engines from London; but the roofs of two houses, that of Mr. Sicard's and the one adjoining„ were completely destroyed. A map ha; been received at the Ailm:rahy of the Coast of the Island disJivered by the Captain and crew of a vessel driven in by a tremendous storm to tl:c South olCupe Horn. An immense nunwer of seals and porpoises lined the shores, but the mari ners did not land, and the vessel sulibred much in the gale. Intelligence having been communicated to Admiral Hardy o 1 the haa, he dispatched an intelligent Lieutenant with a schcouer, to make fur ther discoveries,whose report is waited for with much anxiety, as it is not known whether this newly dis covered island is inhabited or not. On Friday last, Mr. Joseph AlJenson, who died in the 7(ith year of his age, in the Goldsmiths Com pany's alms houses at Acton, was buried in Acton chinch yard; he was tiillowed to the grave by his son :Loci five daughters, and their husbands. On their return home from the funeral they found his wife (about the same age), who was in good health when ti:ey %Vela out, lying on 11 , :r bed, and she died the same night. Such has been the peculiar mildness of the season sonte time past in the neighbourhood of Plymouth, that primroses nerd violets i n wall y p l aces may L c seen ready to 'past into flower. Sir E. B. Sandys, Bart. iligh Sherlll . of Giou cestershice, has refused to call a County Meeting to consider the propriety of addres..ing the King on the illegal and unconstitutional measures pursued by his Majesty's minister , , in the late Parliamentary pro ceedings. The requisition was nuukaously and most respectably signed. Lords Dacia and Sher bourne were at the head of the list of signatures.— Tha High Sheriff of Berks has also refu.scil to call a county fleeting for the like purpose. Eleven acting magistrates in the county, including Lard Folle stoue, have invited the nobility, gentry, clergy, freeholders, and other inhabitants of the said county, to meat them at the Crown Inn, Beading, on Mon thly, the Bth day of January next, to consider of the ohjetts specified in the requisition to the High Sherill; and also of an address of congratulation to the Queen. The Cantacon, Capt. Mingay, sailed from Wool wich on Tuesday, with a precious cargo on board, consisting of Madame Dumont, soi-di.vunt Countess of Colombia, 'Theodore Alajoeci, and several other foreigners of the same rank and character. The Canalton pr. ceeds to the Ilediterranean, and will land the cargo on the coast of hilly. Thus these wretches have a King's ship to curry them home, while the Queen of England was lett to make her way to Ei i ,ltuul in a common packet-boat ! The Cumloos was one of the little squadron attendant upon the lllut , utl his late aquatic. tl•iU3ithl. BOXING. A trementlous battle was fought on Wednesday morning in Kilburn Fields, between J. Edwards, the Iltti•tingion drover; and Matt. Crisp, a navi gator. It w.ls made up on the pfeeoling. night at a public-house in tile Edgeware-road, for !?01. its Well as love, and it was a match unknown even to the fancy. Crisp wits seconded by his brother, and G. Hooper officiated for Eiwards. Five rounds were fouLdit in an hour and a half, and it was all slaughtering rail/i,4r. 'he first room' lasted 12 minutes, and both men were hit to pieces, to use the slang diction. At the close, Crisp was thrown, and the ring raembh.sl a crimson hue in the real War.!rloo style. ...In the second round both were piping nt a distance, when Crisp made play and flattened tile bridge of his adversary's nose, but the ilmver shook his head, and went very sulky to work, and like the first round, the Aire and take was the time of day.— After a manly hint Crispin was floored by a lie-up in the wind. In the third round, both were hit blind, and there were at least twenty exch.tn :4 -e blown. The men fought until they rolled against each other, and fell as helpless as babes. The thurth round b...et Crisp by his adversary cracking his rib; but he fought the round out without apparently knowing what had happened, and he had the best of it, and hit hisadversary down by a mood blow on the throat. In the litlh round Crisp was brought to the scratch doubled up, and his action ;one, when Edwards hit hint down, and won the fight, which was a very gallant one. A fire broke out on Thursday morning at Allthorp, Northamptonshire : it was extinguished after the destruction of one of the offices (we believe the laundry) where it originated. Owing to a plentiful supply of water, and the engines belonging to the house b:•ing in excellent order, and well served, the flames, which raged furiously, did not extend beyond the premises just noticed, Thus, probably, the most magnificent private library in Europe has been saved. The celebrated Colonel Browne is now ut Milan • with Vilmacarti, winding up the business of the no less celebrated Milan commission, which, according to Powell, has su long ceased to be in existence. It - is worthy of remark that an individual of the name of Larpcnt, a lawyer, who was attached to the at my in the Peninsula during the war, as Deputy .111 , Ige-Advocate, and has, since that time, been on • the staif of the gweri,‘lnt of Gibraltar in rt similar capacity, has been absent from his duties since January last, during great part of which time he has been employed on the business of this honour. able commission at Milan, which he has but very lately kit. The Duke of Norfolk has lately presented the • borough of Horsham wiLli a new costly town clock, which is added to the new Town Hall, erected there by the late Duke, in which the assizes are annually holden. Tuesday was the last Seal Day of Term in the Court of Chancery. The Lord Chancellor entered the Court .!.. hail-past tea o'clock, soon after which he addre.:stal the Bar in the following terms :—" If I should meet you oler flee Hollidays, I will not take motions two days together, but take them and appeals upon alternate days." Tws hypothetic no. tire would scent to convey a doubt in his Lordship's mind respecting his cahtinuanee in office, and made an impression to that etle.:t on many of his auditors. This is not, however, the lirst time his Lordship has used words of like doubtful import. We remember several instances, on which expressions have fallen, front hint that were construed at the time into a notice to quit, but his Lordship remained, notwith standing, in the undisturbed possession of his high office. Thomas Dillon, who lately . forwarded petitions. to th , _! King and House of Lards, claiming the titles .lignities of the Earldom of Roscommon and of Kilkenny, in Ireland, as being the first descend—it of Christopher Dillon, the fourth son of the first Earl of Dillon, was drowned, last week, off Fowcy, in Cornwall, by the upsetting of the preventive-boat. in a 11), , , on board which he was n private seaman. He has left a widow and four children, the eldest a boy, naincd Thomas Went worth Dillon, about nine years of age. Christopher,. first Earl of Roscommon, lied froat Ireland about the year 1640, during the massacre of the Irish Protestants, crossei tne Channel in an open boat, and lauded near the spot where the above unfortu nate man was drowned. Captain Holt's in riot to un on foot NO miles in Eve days, and to totien on ten cimaties, WaS won on Salts,- day nigtil by tile arrival 01 tit. captain at Hammersmith. He 44 miles it) do on fifth day, from I)orehester and (Jam., ail.' tie dill it nl twelve hiatus, and upon the whole %tattoo' oiteeit fitigwd. Toe Watch. ranks amongst the first ',talesman feats. It a northers town, a few weeks ago, an homst Crisiiiii, who officiates as sexton, was lino ad. dressed by tits better halt 'Thomas, we shotilil have a goose, every hotly is genii% oily." " A goose, indeed!" replied the ate has'tii, buried a 11%1114 soul these three weeks " About ILW-past tight o'clock o i Suml ty even n 14 a a boy, grit An. tie Mr. ;swots IL ey, Lower 110,0, Isho4toto, W..s g gto a sov.tle hots chaise .0 fetco Ii mistress Moor Innis rite l'h.lw•l, tie was Ntoppe.l in at: Se Um& I, near the B. ttiJr.. b$ two 1.011I•jd3. W,lO ruuhrj him of his mistress's tir lu area tiaed *volt silk of the smite (N 4.40. atta likrw.ae of I hi, bat 414 4 hatllaitiClii4.l, 444 ltkvkJ their 4:1I ge:e. 415