The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1825-01-28 00:00:00

INDIA. (Supplement to the Bombay Carrier, Sept. 4.1 By our last letters from the SyMei Fruitier, doted the 31st ult., g ham, that, in consequence of the position which Colonel limes hs.loccu; , ied at Jattrapore, proving to be very unhealthy, the force o rder his command had dropped down the river, and taken up c omers for the remainder of the wet season, in some elevated and rare healthy situations, in the vicinity of Budderpoor. The first vision of gun-heats. undo' the command of dlr. Kepner.. had ,coed the Colonel's force. The enemy, it appears, had not of late featured to lezve their hills suet fortresses on marauding mut as they had formerly been in the habit of doing. Our raps a:e represented to be in the best possible spirits, and to paiplain of no privation, except that of tieing kept from the cony, by the constant heavy rains, and the Inundated state of the omtry. c ur „counts from Chittagong extend down to the 3d instant. .•rhitr,t part cular hail occurred in that quarter lately. haters ' m Ilhopalpote, dated the 26th ult., make mention of rilliant little alFaic which took place on the preceding day Iv or+ a detaehnunt uralcr die command of Captain I)ewaal, of the job Native Infantry, and the adherents of Koonur Chyn Sing, eta Er-Chief of Nursingtur. The Ex-Chief was killed, together , c h Gu of his ft:Rowe:a ; while ' on our side. a Subadar, a II avildar, ell six Strove, were wounded. Great praise is given to Captain .coati, for the skilful manncr in which he conducted this affair. (From Int Ronibay Courier, Aug. 28.] The weather at the Presidency continues to he seasonable, and tie fall of rain' dining the week has been sufficiently abundant. front Kaira the accosts arc still unfarourable, as well as from n opyore, and the coon ry round it ; but we are happy to lean, sat min Ins fallen in other parts, in sufficient quantity, to pre pod hope that there will be no very peat scarcity. The want of :rap and the mortal ty of cattle are sorely felt in the Southern gsbratta country. We understand that his Majedy's 47th Regiment is to leave Fruition the 26th insta t, and will embark from Penwell on board t..e ships Lnedun and k;haa for Bengal, on the Ist proximo. (From the Client& Gazette, July 29 1 Bontse.—Tl e only arrival from sea, since our last publics- Pm, is the Ktillaytee, on Arab ship, from 3locha the 22d June, which came in yesterday. We have been kindly favoured with the hillowing articles of intelligence brought by her, giving a view of Arabia and Upper Egypt:— The communication between Mocha and Senna, still continued blocked up by, the Kubilcs, the !mum refusing compliance with tdir demands. This state cf things was extremely detrimental is trade, the imports and exports being thus almcst entirely pre vented. Sluice February. the country In the vicinity of Kosseit had been a state of rebellion, owing to the oppression and conscription reedsed by the Puha of Egypt. LONDON CO.OPERATIVE SOCIETF A Pleming of the London Co-operative Society was held at the (town sod Anchor Therm, Strand, last evening, pursuant to lablicadr,rtisent.nt, winch uas numerously and respectably at ended. . . Mr. :lista having taken the chair, briefly adverted to the objecns of the Meeting. Mr. G. M Dix entered at considerable length into the principle, ist el wealth is created by the labour of the working classes, which se Wiled to be the foundation of Mr. Owen's system. Paupers ere often considered an evil of no ordinary importance, but lie con sidered them an incalculable public benefit. That class of society unapt ehending the merchants, traders. members connected wita the army and navy, and individuals belorging to the liberal professions, wee very ready to complain of the burden of the poor rates; but its class of persons had little reason to complain, as they were in net nothing hut burdens themselves—burdens on the labouring noise,, from whom all wealth is derived. The complaint of high rages was also very general, but it was equally ill.founded. The ibourieg classes were self.paid, they received nothing, but were allowed to retain a very small proportion of their earninga, which ass necessary for their subsistence, The remit proportion of their :diem went to defray the expenses attendant upon the present sys.. :en of poor rates; and a still larger proportion to suppmt the sedan: classes, to support that magnificent system which had teen so highly extolled. Mr. AI wide, on behalf of himself and the Society, disclaimed all idea of creating dissatisfaction in the minds o: the labouring classes, or of abridging the comforts and luxuries at present enjoyed by the higher classes. Some years ages Dr. Hall had estimated that the labouring classes enjoyed only one-fin:li of the profits produced by their labour; in other words, that the la bourer worked one day out of nine for himself, and the other eight for the support of the present system. The application of ma. shinery, and the advantages produced by a more judicious distri bution of labour, had caused a great alteration, and it was calculated by those wall qualitinl to judge, that the labourer now enjoyed only the twenty-fourth part of the produce of his labour, and that the re. staining 23 parts were taken from him to support the paupers and the higher claws. Thia might be considered the birthright of the infmt system, and he (Mr. 31odie) was extremely desirous that it thouhl be well understood, and a knowledge of it diffused, through tie agency of those who now heard hint. The advantages of the sew system were, that the condition of the humbler classes might be anehorived, without trenching upon the enjoyments of what are ulleit the upper orders. This desirable consummation is to be ef fected by withdrawing what may be considered a small number, from the pauper population or the urrYmductive classes, and adding this number to the labouring clue. This plan wen interesting to all persons. Setting aside the general principle of humanity, which must renalct it desirable that our fellow-creatures should enjoy all the comforts consistent with their condition, the new system was interesting. as it came home to every man's selfish views. No con flation of society is so exalted, that it is no longer liable to depres sion, and every man must feel, that he himself, or at all events hi children and his grandchildren, may one day sink, either :amongst the labo firing classes or to the paupers. It hilst a chance eon apoeared, that such a fall may one day come, it was only sic to provide a soft bed. (A laugh.) Such was the simple plan - , which he, and the individuals who agreed in opinion with him, had to propose to the public. Their exertions were in conjunction with those of Mr. Owen, of New Lanark, st hose pro positions be (Mr. Ibludie) conceived were founded on truth, and better cilculated to improve the condition of society, and especially of the lower orders, than any which had emanated from other per aAs. They were calculated, he thought, to effect more for the moral and physical amelioration of the human race in one year, than all the prupcisitions of all othrr persons could achieve in a mil. lon of years. Toe errors of the old, and, he should call them, snirious, schemes of political economists, were evinced by the gems which heal been created by them. hock at the phenomenon with Ireland presented a few years ago : that country produced aeperabundant wealth—in other words, a superabundance of the ternaries of life—and yet the poor were actually starving. At this period, corn was exporting in large quantities from Ireland, hei what said the spurious school of economists ? They said, that Li demand had been supplied : the new school said, you know 7r: what demand means—demand is want, and how could the de raid hare been supplied, when the wretched peasantry were raising? There must be something vicious in the principles of tithe theoretical economists. The practical economists had very diTerent views. According to their conclusions, in which lie fully (incurred, the quantity of unproductive Rower which might be epployed. was so great, that, if employed, the poorest family in the kineflom should be placed in as a good a condition as any wilily now possessing five hundred pounds per annum. It might, and it had been urged against Mr. Owen's plan. that by adopting 0, too great emir:artisan of the necessaries of life would be pro.. auced, and none could be found to consume them. This doctrine, however. was extremely fallacious, for, without commenting upon the present conditition of the labouring classes, it admitted of no shad*, that they would consume double as mach—nay, one hundred times snore thao they now consumed—rather than that the extra Frrduction should be lost. Mr. lkludie Was warmly applauded at the conclusion of his animated addr(l4. Jr. IVIIITWELL, an architect, then came tor ward,and described a very ingenious and well executed model of a community, living alder Mr. oweit's plan. The building is Intended to include a coneert-room, ball-room, baths, libraries, and every other domes tic conrenierce and luxury. Mr. TIIOM PSON said, that in rising to propose the three Resolu tions which were committed to his care, he had to congratulate the Meeting on the benefit they must have derived front the lectures they had that night heard ; lie had to congratulate them on the absence of all political or religious acrimony from amongst them. They wete met for the purpose of considering what means were ern adapted for the carrying into effect that system which would bring into play the energies of the entire community, which was funded on the bond of' connection, and not on the exertions of isolated families. Mr. Thompson, after waste further remarks, pro vvded teary, that it did not at all follow from their agreeing to some of the views of Mr. Owen, that they were therefore pledged to all that geraleman's 'schemes ; he, for one differed from him in some coact points ' • he (Mr. T.) had spent much time in the study of tile present su bject, and there were three reasons in particular that islucad him to form his opinion. The co-operative system was e.kulated, in the firm place to increase the general happiness of ran; it was soondly likely to promote, in particular. the liappi vess of that better half of the community, who were hitherto kept vo notch in the back ground_ lie meant the ladies. They could rut fail to derive much intellectual improvement from it, and to re! placed in a state of happiness equal at least to that of man ; and why was it that they were not now on the same footing ? It was because that man being much stronger, and producing more of the necessaries of !ire, exacted from woman the direction of her libeky, in return for the produce of his labour ; but if by the co-operative 'Nem all were reduced, as it were, into one family, then her depen ,,ence would b.: transferred to the entire community, and cons& %nem', not rest on one individual man ' • and besides, from the (me valuable i mprovement i n mac hinery, and its adaptation to almost ow) purpose, mere physical strength was not much required ex 'tpt to ocsupatiiras of the least value; and his last reason was a ceaviction that the practical and theoretical education of every intinberof the community must be advanced by it. Mr. Thorp. bon, after some further obeerrations, proceeded to propose the Hese 'talons, which were to the effect—that it was difficult at present to ul what portion of society endured greatest mental and physical 'utreetuff.—that a means now existed for benefiting all classes, and that, as all other plans had utterly failed, that of 3lr. Owen ought t 3 he adopted. A'yoang Gentleman, whose name we could not learn, spoke in reply to some observation's that had fallen from the Gentleman who '.marled him, and, in opposition to the last Resolution ; lie was re plied to by !Ir. 11l yore, and, after a short discussion, it was tarried. . THE PLAGUE-AND THE QUARANTINE LAWS. The provisions of our law against the plague arc framed on principles the meat destructive of human life ; they assume, most falsely, that the disease is propagated by contagion, whereas it is an epidemic produced by the im pute and corrupt state of the atmosplicre, and the only chance that infected persons have of recovering, is to remove to a healthy and pure air. But the stat. 1 Jac. I. c. 31. which still remains in force, enacts, diet if any per son infected with the plague, or dwelling in an infected house, be commanded by the officer to keep his house, and shall disobey, he may be enforced so to do; and if any per son to commanded to confine himseT, e.t.a abroad and converses in company, if lie HAS NO rLAOUE-SORE vrow nut, he shall be miniskyl as a vagabond by whipping, and be bound to his good behaviour ; but if he 'has any infec tious sore upon hlm uncured, he shall be guilty of retoNV. I - We have here a striking instance of the flagrant evils that arise out of a perverse• and ignorant 'spirit of legisla tion. If, hcliwe an individual is iaketcd, he attempts to leave the spot in which the plaque is raging, that he ma♦ escape it, he is to be publie'y whipped as a vagabond, if after he is attached, in consequence of being thus forcibly confined and made to catch it, he seeks to be cured, by changing his residence to some spot where the malady does not prevail, he is punished with (troth ! If it can be demonstrated indisputably, from the evi dence of facts, that the pra„'ue is not a contagious disease, ft follow 4 of course that all the severe restrictions and penal ties enacted by our quarantine laws to prevent its introdue tion, and which are replete with the most oppressive and mischievous c.v.sequences in every part of their operation, ought forthwith to be repealed. By the general provisions of those acts (26 Geo. 11. c. explained by 29 Geo. 11. c. 8. and further enforced by stat. 28 Geo. 111. c. 34.) which direct the method of per forming quarantine, orfirty d its probation by ships from foreign ports, masters of ships arriving from infected places, and disobeying the directions given, having the plague on board, and concealing it, and in certain other cir cumstances, are guilty offetotty without clergy. Penalties, even to felony in some cases, are imposed on persons escap ing from the place wherein quarantine is to be performed, on officers or watchmen neglecting their duty, and on per sons conveying goods or letters from ships performing qua rantine. A penalty of five hundred pounds is imposed on the Captain quitting the ship, and two hundred pounds and six months' iron' isonment on any other person quitting it. Now, supposing the disease capable of being propagated by contagion, it is certainly a most extraordinary law that thus prevents the Captain and every other person on board front attempting to escape the infection! The Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons, appointed to inquire into the validity if the doc trine of CONTAGION in the plague, has been before the public since the year 1819 ; and last year (1824) we had the Report on Quarantine of the Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Foreign Trade. The latter Committee, proc-cling in that spirit of precaution which is called for by the consequences which would attend any precipitate measure, have thus recorded their opinion : " The influence which this law ( that of quarantine) is supposed to have in the protection of public health ; its bearing on some of our strongest prejudices; and its containing the various precautions which have been long deemed our safeguards against the introduc tion of contagious diseases, from whatever part of the world the danger may be apprehended, renders every recommendation that may affect it, a matter at once of general interest and peculiar de licacy. On the one hand, care is to be taken that in the attempt to relieve commerce from burthens and inconveniences which press upon it, and to AMA it the greatest freedom of which it is suscep. tible, we do not expose the country to the most formidable risk. On the other hand, that neither ancient prejudices, nor an excess of anxiety to avert possible danger, should indnce the continuance of restrictions inessential to their object; and ohould thus deny to the trade any of those facilities, which, consistently with every pruden tial regard to considerations of protection and safety, it may be per inittedto enjoy." . . . . This mtist interesting subject is again to undergo the in vestigation of Parliament early in the ensuing Session ; and it becomes therefore essential that every Member of the House should make himself master of it. We had intended to go into an examination of it at full length, but we find it so convriliensively treated, in an article in the last number of the If estminster Review, that we feel it our duty to point the public attention to it, in preference to any remarks of our own. The extracts we shall make from it will sufficiently show the masterly manner in which it is treated. We consider the generally-received prejudices on the subject of the contagious nature of the plague, which gave rise to the quarantine laws, as completely overthrown by the conclusive testimony, both from reason and experi ence, which the Reviewer has there brought together. A contagious disease is a disease capable of being com municated from one person to another. The character ts tsential to it is, its power of infecting any healthy person that conies within the sphere of its morbid influence. The small-pox, measles, and other contagious diseases of this class may be, and are, conveyed through the mediae:ly* their air, but do not derive their origin from the state of air; whereas epidemic diseases are caused by the state of the air, and cannot be coszreyed through the medium of the air. Of this latter class is the piugue. " Though there is the greatest possible diversity," says the Reviewer, " in the phenomena of epidemic diseases, yet in all countries; the periods at which they commence, decline, and cease, are determinate and exact. These periods correspond with certain states of the seasons. They differ in different coun tries according to their geographical position, and they may be anticipated or postponed by circumstances, hut in general they are remarkably uniform. In Asia Minor, Egypt, and Syria, they commence in March or April, and cease in June or July : in most parts of Europe, end in North America, they begin in July or August, and end in Novemba or December. The 'pi ' dentin which prevailed at Gibraltar and in Spain. in 1800, 1801, 1810, and 1814. prevailed in these autumn's] months. Not only in Gibraltar and Spain, but in Italy also, anti ii all the places which they attacked, they uniformly commenced at one period—they ter minated at one period. The yellow fever is stated by Dr. Rush to hare appeared in America six times successively : it always com menced from the Ist to the middle of August ; it always terminated about the middle of October. It is remarkable; that all the epi demics' ill Great Britain, of which we have any certain record, pre vailed in autumn, and committed the greatest ravages in August, September, and October. The history of epidemic, in every part of the world confirms these observations. Now, that diseases, which depend spots the state of the air, should be thus influenced by season, should commerce, come to their height, and cease, at determinate periods of the year, is what might be expected ; con tar;ous dkeasea, on the contrary, from the very nature of contagion, could not possibly be subject to such a law." Proceeding still further to prove that epidemic +diseases observe certain laws, and that those laws are the complete contrast of those which regulate contagious diseases, he carries on his reasoning in a manner so forcible as to make its way irresistibly to our conviction. " Epidemic diseases commence, spread, and cease, in a man ner perfectly peculiar. They arise, for example, in some particular quarter of a town, or in some district. They do not proceed to at tack other places in regular succession, according to their proximity to the quarter first affected, but they break out, at once, in the most distant and opposite directiona. They prevail, suppose in a certain district, suddenly they diminish or cease there, and appear in an other quarter, it may be, the most remote from the first ; then they may again return to the piece first attacked, or they may suddenly appear in a spot near to it, or in one in an opposite direction. People are attacked, not In proportion as the inhabitants of the affected mix with those of the unaffected places, but in proportion as the inhabitants of unaffeeted expose themselves to the air of affected places. The visits of the sick to unaffected places is fol lowed by no increase of disease ; the visits of the inhabitants of an unaffected, to an afflicted place, is attended with a certain increase of sickness. On their removal from a noxious to a pure air, the sick otten rapidly recover; but they du not communicate the disease At the inhabitants of a pare atmosphere; in the history, of all the epidemics which have ever prevailed, in all parts of the earth, there is not on record a single example of Om communication of the disease from the sick to the healthy its a pure atmosphere. Again, the manner in which epidemic diseases terminate is most peculiar and characteristic. It is precisely at the period when the greatest number of persons are affected, and when the greatest mortality prevails, that these maladies rapidly decline and sud denly cease. There is scarcely an exception to this law in the history of epidemic diseases. It perfectly accords with the nature of the cause morn which epidemics are here supposed to depend : it is totally inexplicabk upon the hypothesis that they are produced by contagion. To suppose that a disease which is propagated by contagion can rapidly decline, and even suddenly cease, at the very period when the greatest number of persons are affected, and when the greatest mortality prevails, that is, when the contagious matter is proved to be in its most active and malignant state, is utterly absurd. So true is this, that the most intelligent and candid con tagioniots acknowledge, in so many terms, that this important fact is perfectly inexplicable upon their system. •• It it; • very curious fact," says one of the most distinguished and able advocates of the common doctrine of contagion, •• and perhaps isthol:y unac countable upon any theory qf the propagation •J contagion, that pestilential diseases, after running an indefinite course, notwith standing all the measures adopted to restrain their progress, fee uently cease spontaneously, at a time when the walls of the THE BRITISH PRESS. houses, furniture, &c. must still he supposed to lie highly impreg nated with ths contagion. The fact is authenticated by Doctor Humell, Doctor Lind. and several other physicians of equal re. spectabi!ity." The fact is indeed certain ; it is most distinctive of those two classes of diseases ; it is abac sufficient to prove that they are essential'y different." The writer conducts his reasoning to its conclusions with the utmost clearness, and unfo4ls the peticipl.:s of conta -1 gion with a simplicity that leaves the inquirer nothing further to learn. It requires no little skill to conduct the bun: of mankind successfully out of the tracks of common opinion ; but here every step we tyke is satisfactory; no one, however strongly in:pressed with the common doctrine of contagion, can peruse the following without feeling his opinion gradually giving way : " Epidemic diseases are not contagious, not only because, there is no evidence that they are, lint hcsause the evidence that they are not, is as complete as t.te proof of a negative can be. It has been shown. that the causes, the phenomena, and the laws of epidemic, are dissimilar and opposite to those of contagious diseases. But diseases which are &salmi:sr and opposite in their causes, in their phenomena, and in their laws, must necessarily be ineonvenible and incompatible. " Epidemic diseases are not contagions. because if they were so, there must be a spontaneous generation of a specific animal pouch in tire progress of every epidemic. This, it has been shown, is contrary to the ascertained laws of the animal economy. We re peat, that no man of sound understanding can consider what a con tagious disease really is. and what the ascertained laws of the ani mal economy are, and believe, for one moment, that a disease non contagious in ft% commencement, can become contagious in its pro gress; or that a disease contagious in its origin, can cease to be so in its course; we repeat, that such an event in the animal economy would be as contrary to the laws of nature, as it wetild be in the vegetable, were an atom, by a change of soil, or of climate, to cease to produce an oak and to generate a bramble. " Epidemic diaesaes are not contagieca, becsuse the human race continues to exist. Were these maladies really capable of spreading by esimagion, saaakind must long since have been externiinated. To the devastation of acute contagious diseases, nature has set limits, by rendering them capable of affecting the same person once only ; but epidemic diseases are capable of affecting the same person repeatedly ; and, in point of fact, the same person is often attacked, several times auceessively, by the ssnie disease, during the prevalence of the same epidemic. Were such a disease capable of propagation by contagion, it is obvious that it would be impos able to set any bounds to its ravages. Every person in health, who came within a certain distance of the deceased, would become affected; these would communicate it to others; as the disease spread, no person in society could long continue beyond the sphere of its influence; the separation of the healthy front the sick would be impossible; no one could remain healthy, because even those who had had the disease would be again and again seized by it. Whilst a single individual of the community remained alive, it could never cease. Had the contagion of the small-pax been ca pable of affecting the same person repeatedly, on precautions could possibly have prevented it from being in a owe of constant circu lation ; wherever it once broke out it was never disappear, so long as there was a healthy person to be seized. Fortunately fur the butnan race, epidemic diseases do not t: us spread--do not thus per petuate their devastation. Even in the places and the seSsans in which they exert their most powerft.l and malignant influence, the number of individuals is always small, compared with the bulk of the community which remains unaffected ; and, is has been al ready stated, it is precisely at the period when the greatest number are attacked, and when the greatest number perish, that is, when the contagious influence, if it really existed, must be most exten sive and most active, that these maladies rapidly decline and sud denly cease. This fact, as has been already shown, is utterly in compatible, and is acknowledged to be so, with the property of contagion : it is clone decisive of the question." This subject is of such extreme public interest, and is so soon to be brought under the consideration of the.Legisla tore, that we shall take the very earliest opportenity of recurring to it. SIIOCKINa ACCIDENTS IN FRANCE. It will be remembered, that on the 19th of November last one of the walls of a house that was being built in the Rue du Coliste fell down, and that in consequenceof this fatal accident three of the workmen lost their lives, and that two others were dangerously wounded. An account of this accident was required, that the cause of it might he known and determined on. The Council has sent for Reqj f atono builder, and half proprietor of the house, and moreover charged with the direction of all the works. Neglect of one of the most common rules of architec ture was particularly imputed to this individual, and also of having raised to a very great height the gable end of one of the walls, without having taken the precaution to fix the beams or joists destined to receive the flcors, an indispensable precaution, which was calcu lated to maintain between them the different parts of the building, and to prevent the occurrence of any vexatious accident. These facto being acknowledged correct, the Correctional Tribunal (Seventh Chamber), in the audience of the 15th of this month, considering Rene Teton as guilty of imprudencei inattention, and inobservance of the police rules, condemned him to three months impri sonment, and to be fined 300 francs, besides the payment of costs.—Jotirnal des Debuts. On Tuesday evening, at a quarter to six, an unfinished house, situated in the Chemin Neuf (in Lyons) opposite the situation of the ('hatnber of Notaries, fell down with greet noise. This house was built four stories high, had been built on the site of a title house which had been de molished. The back wall of the old house had been made to form a part of the new one ; this wall was of masonry for one and a half story high ; upon this there was six feet of plat, which supported the rest of the masonry. The fall happened from the piss becoming damp, and in con sequence was not longer able to bear the weight with which it was loaded (30 feet of masonry.) Five workmen hap pened to be in the house at the tune of the fall. They endeavoured to descend by the stairs, and arrived as far as the door, where they met their death. A young la bourer, sixteen yews of age, was buried at the very nio ment he was locking up the tools. A great number of per sons have arrived on the spot to render their help, and have worked the whole night. A man named Manissier, 62 years of age, was found with his legs jamnard in the ruins at the entrance of the great door of the house; one leg was disengaged, but the other remained, so that this unfortunate man remained from six o'clock till half-past eleven, when he died in the most shocking agonies. His head was much hurt, and one eye was torn out. This unfortunate man begged, be fore his death, for a pillow to die on. The consolations of religion were administered to him. He has left a widow, but no children. The names of the two other workmen who perished are—lialtba zar Cancalon, uncle of the builder, and Etienne Giraud ; Cancalon also died near the entrance door, at the very instant he was about to come out. His body has been ;ince found black and bruised, and without the least sign of life. The body of -Etienne Giraud has not yet been discovered, but it is presumed that it must be in the midst of the ruins, so that it will not be removed till the rubbish has been cleared away. Cancalon has left a wife and several children ;he was 42 years of age. lie always used to say that it was his last campaign, and that he should end his days in his native country. Guaml was of the same part of the country; he was a bachelor of 2$ years of age.--Journal de Lyon. We announced last week the ariral of the Upton Castle, Capt. Thacker, at Bombay, after four monthi pas sage, and have the satisfaction of inserting the following letter from the passengers 750 miles off Ito•nbs) Light.llouse, August 27, 1824. To Captain J. Thacker, Commander of the Upton Castle. DEAR Stw.—Our voyage to Bombay being now so really ac complished. we, the passengers of the Upton Castle, have great pleasure in unanimously expressing the 501111 C we entertain of the very liberal treatment which we have caparienced during the voyage ; and whilst we bog you to receive our gra.eful rreknow ledgments fur a line of conduct on your part, which has so ma terially contributed to our comfort, we nt the sante time request your acceptance of a piece of plate, of the value of It* gainers, as a token of our regard, with the assurance of our goo.' wishes fur your future happiness and welfare. %l'e have the pleasure to be, Dear Sir, Your faithful and obedient Servants, J. Pruen, Capt. Bombay E. 'Syne, Illsjor 4th Dragoons Al *rine W. Gall, Surgeon Bombay Es. 8. Bruen tablishment S. 'l'. Prim J. 8. Canning, Capt. Bombay J. Hickes, Lt.-OoL Bombay Army Infantry R 0. Mereton, ditto A. M. Ifickes C. Ir. Harris, let Lieutenant A. H. Forbes Bombay Marine J. Hawkins, Capt. Engineers J. Bowman, merchant S. Hawkins W. Troup, Assistant Surgeon, J. Falconer, Capt. Bombay Bombay Establishment Army F. B. Hamilton, Cadet E. Falconer li. If. Doherty, ditto Elba Mileages O. Money, ditto D. S. Elliot, Civil Service John Penny, ditto H. T. Elliot A. Shepheard Mary Vye W. Thatcher, ditto. WEST INDIES. TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE BRITISH PRESS. Sia.—l was gratified to see in your literary notice of Mr. Young's Discourse, so faithful a description of the real stale of the slaves in the West Inds s, which, being given on the authority of a respectable Mibsionary, will not, I presume, be impugned by the mcst violent Abolitionist. I send you herewith a petn:ll,l, taken frgia an account of the condition of the free labourers of OW country by the Operatives of Manchester, at a meeting held in that town no longer ago than the 13th instant, given in the Times of the 19th. Relying on the impartiality which has characterised your Paper throughout, iu regard to the West India frit stion, I request you to insert this, as a means of assisting the public to form an impartial judg ment on a subject which has lately excited so much dis cussion, and your compliance will much obliee 27th January. A WEST TROY 511. lITITTWO% MS- FROM THE OPEIATIVE3' COURNE. SPEECH. When you here performed A spinner set ip front your appointed work, ton ate amongst the dense mans, and. InippilYdeliveredfrornallanxiely in an elcquent and Pathetic oad tormenting re, e, and in Me style, drew • very afFeotirg pic et,eninz of each day coo return ture of the misery iif the (Au to your hamble cabin mig4 rya- gow Operatives, par:kid/01y of fileorc, beirr assored that no tne unoffending women and creditor ,sill be fr ond there, children, who were guiltless of (*inane the liltk preperly of their husbands' or their fathers' which yen may be d ; deeds. "Let any one," said he, wo sick wife or sick child mill he "imagine en anguished mother, there,witliont the aid of ottedi- worn to the Lune with !flinger. rise, bpd, if required, the astirt. wretchedness, and n.riety--her owe of a tnirae ; neither will little ones saint!, sfretrhing their your children meet you at your skeleton hands to her for food-- doors with looks expressive of the firrnished babe at the breast, warvation, and pierce yonr 04oppointed of its natural ans hearts _with cries of hunger. insure, eagerly suckinz blond No! ouch scenes of misery are and water front the life fountain rot found in your dwellings, for of its mother." your " bread is given to you, In the address of the Bolton and sour waters are sure." weavers to the manufacturers of Such, however, ere the trials of Lancashire, in the same Paper, many of the labouring poor in I find the following : —" ll'e England, as can he abundantly are obliged to toil early and late testified ; and I fel no rebid- for a bare subsistence, which our awe in ttatisz, that many of haggard and emaciated looks too them hare cmcls harder labour, plainly indicate. (Mir progeny and onion flyer onaforte, tliwi are unclothed, unftd, and void the generality of slaves in Ja. or instruction, eseept what they obtain form Sunday Schools ; and we can assure you, that the want of proper clothing deprives many of our children of the be netias arising from those excel lent institutions." LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY EVENING. Wind. S.S.E.-11 igh IVater, 13 minutes past 3. Arrived, the Earl Kilmorey, from Newry ; Cunning ham, from Strangforii ; Royal Rteovery, from Belfast ; William, from Dublin ; Intrepid, from IVexfortl ; and Ocean, from Cardiff. Off—The Columbia, from Alexandria and Milford. Four o'Clock.—Also one ship, six brigs, and one snow. The Cririe, —, from Charleston for Liverpool, was lost in Carnarvon Bay on the night of the 24th instant : crew savcd—part of the carnexpected to be savcd. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. CUSTOM-HOUSE, J. 26. Sines ENTERED INWARDS.—The Atlas, Clarke, from Cal cutta and the Mauritius ; Vrow Engelina. De Grooth, from Rot. terdam ; and blercurius, Dicks, from Harlingen. CLEARED OIUTWAIDS FINALLY AT GIATEACIdi.--Tht Portland. Just, for Jamaica ; Prince of Waterloo, Deere, for Sierra Leone ; Alliance, Whitrong, for Nevis and St. gitt's ; Royal George, Timitis, for India and China ; Sarah, Milne, for the Cape of Good Hope ; Hens. Faillant, fcr Calais ; Dotal! Castle, Hart. for Hamburgh ; Edinburgh Packet, Ellis, for Rotterdam ; Elizabeth Crown Prince, Moritz, for Elaineur and Copenhagen Royal George. Ellerby. for Tenerille and Bombay ; and Ellice, Livingston, for Grenada. Cut•atatt Ottw•ups—The Cambria, Cooke, for Madeira, Vera Cruz, Alvarado, and Tombuctoo ; John, Dawson, for Jamaica; Sarah, Drummond, for New York; and City of Lon don, Nickol, for Baum. FROM LIAA*D'S LIST. FA L JAN. 25.—S.ailed the ANIMA, T.ringloig, for Jersey ; Union, Brokenshire, for London ; and Industry, Keen, for Cork. PonTsmorrn. JAx. N.—Arrived the Chrintooal Colon. Pa bowler, front Stockholm. for Colombia ; and the Walworth Cantle, Walker, from IlArnburgh. for Mexico. _ _ _ I.lsai., JAN. 26.—Pineal through yesterday and to-day the fol lowing outward hound, viz.—The Prince of 11 aterloo. Deary, for Sierra Leone; Caledonia,Crichton, for slogadore; Thistle. Brodie, for 'frnerilf.; ; Amphiun, Falck ; and Scandinavia, CI • ophcr, for Alieont •. Bee. IVishart : and Dove. Miller, for Smyrna ; Ocean, Kidd. for Trieste ; Amelia. Bul for Cadiz ; Arid, Rope!, fUr the NV est Indies ; Lucy Davidson, Williams.%V for Rio Janeiro and Jamaica ; Romulus, Gale, for Charleston ; Sarah, Aysh. for Lisbon ; Portland, Just, for Jamaica ; and the Charlotte, But. sorng, from Amsterdam for St. Thomas's. GRAVESEND. Jay. 26.—Arrivcd the Hope, Frazer; Her. mione, Nalhurn; Lyra, Chaters ; Kate, Creswell ; Fame, Hat field ; Mayflower, Hague ; and Young George, Dolman, trout Hamburgh ; Sceptre, }baton, from Memel ; Bones. Storm, front Finland ; Swallow. Kung, from Petersburgh ; Helena, Ander, front Embden ; Aletta, Slater, from the Bay of Rosa ; Mercurio', Moss. from Antwerp ; Calthrwp, Newton, from Copenhagen ; Two Brothers, Oversee, from %Vorcum ; Elizabeth, Slade, front Me mel ; and Briton. Martin, front Sierra Leone. Sailed the Choice, Wheatley, for St. Domingo ; flagella, Evans, for Madeira ; and Naples Packet, Walsh • and Ariatlne, Pitt, for Naples. HARWICH, JA X. 26—Arrived in tits East Swin, the Agenoria, Barker, from Memel, for London, with loss of bulwarks. She has been seven weeks wind-bound in Norway. HULL, JAW. 25.—Arrived the Glendow. Taylor, from Cha. rente : Alfred, Moore ; and Enighcit, Gorff, from Rotterdam : Fame, MtEwan ; Vintage, Fraser; Osprey, Simey ; Hope, Fee; Triton, Denton ; Ann, Lumstien ; Ebenezer, Jameson ; Alster, Brady ; Guard, Adam ; Primrose Laycock ; Mary, Smith ; %Voodhall, Meggitt ; Leeds, Mars h ; Ilarper ; Bonnita, Hornsby ; Laurel, Dible ; Frankfort, Williams ; and Oillsland, Gray, from Hamburgh : Ann, Mitalson, from Memel : Louisa, Bruce, from Fain. : Fame, Fos, flow Petersburgh : Isis, Lilburn ; and Thornton, Brigham, front Hamburg!): Pearl. Frost, from Cronstoult : Packet, Arnott ; Eliza, Champion ; Bishop Maize, Tunge ; Maria Martha, Threatlgold ; and Christian, Henderson, from II amhurgli : Henry, Mcggitt, front :Bernet : Margaret, Creighton, from St. John's : and Maria Elizabeth, °wetland ; Vrow Alide, Jongev ; and Jonge Jan. Kuyt, front Amsterdam. Sailed the linuahopper, Knott ; and Elizabeth, Murray, for Ham. burgh. The Collings, Jackling of and fur Brancastrr, from Newcastle was lost upon Sand Hale on Saturday morning. The master and mate drowned. Two of the crew were taken out of the rigging by a small vessel, connnanded by Sir. Dobson, of Grimsby, and landed there.. Part of the Collinga's stores saved. 11 . 1trrEitarza, JAW. 24.—The Shillelab, Briton, from Bel fast, for Workington, was driven on shore near Kirkcudbright on the 17th instant, but exp.•cted to be got off. The Hope, Rodger. son, from :Bayport, for Carlisle. got upon one of the banks in going up a few days ago. ant is totally wrecked. Crew saved. Pw et; E t, Jay. 25.—The Cfirie, from Charleston, for Liver. pool, was driven on a rock at tits creek of Porthacaden last night. Crew saved ; cargo expected to be saved ; and the vessel, it is feared. will go to pieces. Pesir.Gt.ssnow, JAN. 24.—The Commerce, Ritchie, fee Charleston, which was driven on shore, has been got off with little damage. The Lady liarewond, Lewis, from St. John's, New Brunswick, is arrived off Margate. The Live Oak, front Gibraltar to Havannah, was wrecked about the Ist incant, on Harbour Island—crew and cargo saved, and carried into Nassau. The Dnnegal, bound. to Liverpool. was on shore at Dun dalk about the 20th instant. and discharging. '1 he Sisters, Forster, from Mem:A to Hun, was on shore near Magoe on the 10th instant, and it was feared would be wrecked. Extract of a letter from Berlin :—" A large eagle, hold ing a heron in his claws, was shot on the 9th November, near the hunting lodge of Tempelberg, belonging to the Comte de Hardenberg. It fell with great noise in the meadow between the forest and Spree. The size of his bones, his breadth from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other, which is seven feet two inches of the Ithin mea surement, is something astonishing, and proves that this bird, whose presence in our climate is of itself remarkable, had attained a very advanced age."—Journal des Debats. The workmen, on Monday last, began pulling down the gallery on the north-eastern side of the Church of Taunton St. Mary Magdalen, for the purpose of eff•.czing tha pro jected alterations in the interior of that beautiful edifice. The improvement is already agreeably obvious, and will, when the other arrangements in contemplation are accom plished, confer on the church that cathedral-like aspect which it was doubtless the aim of its pious founders to be stow, and which is indicated in every feature of this- vene- Table structure.—Taantun Courier. LA W INTFLLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY. THURSDAY. JAI!. 27. COMMITTAL TO THE FLEET FOR CONTEMPT. • BUTLER IP. 3101 TOP AND OTHEUS, In this tare the Court was called upon to proceed against t're de. fendant and others by committal to the Prison of the Fleet Is ft contempt of its order, made in a case in which Mr. Charles Butler, who was devisee in trust of certain lands and estates In Hamp shire. and who, acting in this capacity, had obtained an injunctimi to restrain the defendant, Bortop, from cuttirg down timber not• itlistanding., awl in defiance of the order of the Court, the defan• dant and others did cut and carry away the timber. An application illas made to the Court in consequerce of this violation, and the ptrdes were ordered to appear and show cause why they should not be committed. The defendants, flattop. Iter.ior and junior. and R. Parham., ap. peared in Court; they lutd the oppearar.ce of farmers. Mr. irAll in support of the injunction, molted that they be 'committed. Mr. Hourrt.r.„ for the defendants. did not feel disposed to enter into any thing like a justification of the conduct of his cheats: there were, however, some statements made in their affidavit td which he would venture to call the attention of the court, and which. though they may not justify, would, he hoped, paNate theif conduct. According to this affidavit, it appeared that sd far back as the year Ililf, a bill was filed in that Court by Mr. Dude, at trust devisee to the estates in question, praying the a reference tc the Master to ascertain what and how much timber rosy be ea? upon the lands. Horton senirr being interested in the agile of the timber, if it were permitted to be cut down, was made a party tc the bill. The decree which 't was the object of Mr. Nutlet to ob• taro. and for which he filed his bill, was not made by thc.Court until the month of February IP.'O. and his Latilship would ob 4 serve that five additional years were allowed to three before that decree was carried, or attempted to be carried, into execution. The Lone t'itssrcEr.t.ou wished to infomied if inch were the case, if such a length of time were suffixed in rlspse, whet were those on whom the blame was to he thrown ? Libels of thill scription should not be uttered day after day upon that Court, in consequence of those delays ; it was the dutt of the parties imme. Mutely concerned to call upon their solicitofe to carry the decree of that Court into effect and execution. .Mr. Roo rem. rem.pitulated perm of the effidavitit. Me' Mated that the elder Poem) :vas a party to the original Lill. itefereeket was had to the Master, and it was nine years from the fiiirg of the bill, anti five from the obtaining of the decree, thnt any literature were taken to give efficiency to the order. The defendant,. accord ' irg ti the affidavit, are almost illiterate. They ,beat they are ignorant of the nature or of the consequences of an injunction from that Court ; they are merely able to write their names, and are utterly incompetent to onderstar.d written documents. It Was bat ' a few days since, on their arrival in London, they were made no ' (painted, through their solicitor. of the consequences of the pro• readings against them. Upon receiving this Information. they surrendered to the authority of the Court, and he trusted his Lord ship would look with mercy upon the conduct of the defendant*. which had arisen, not from wilfulness, but from total ignorance or the otter of the Court. Mr. never felt disposed to say any thing in eggs, i ion of punishment but upon this recession he felt it imperative upon hint to deblare lie never witnessed a more flagrant instance et contempt as to the delay in the etecution of the decree ; thos e could not be admitted a. an apology to- the defendants ' • and as le/ the ignorance of the nature o f an i n j unct i on ac t by by the dr • fondant Hortop, how co I I this be reconciled with the other parts ref the affidavit, in which he undertakes to explain all previous proceedings, and accuses the plaintiff of delay If thee partial were not committed, there would be no safety for the suitors of that Court. Defendants placed in similar curuntstaneas would pierwl the same justification, and this would afford a ready precedent. The Loan CHANCELLOR thought questions of this nature were most Important to the Court in all ha proceedings; when * Process for contempt war. applied for, he looked ct it with the greatest caution and anxiety ; and if any satisfactory answer could be given by the defendant he would not Mane the order. Ha looked upon these violations not alone as contempt, of that Cour:. but as contempts of the Court in Its endeavours to defend the pm.. petty of the subject. A prneerts of contempt was, in his opfnion, a civil procFas to protect the subjects of the land in the enjoyment of their civil rights. The parties at present before the Court violated the law ; they took the laud into their Own hands, in violation of the orders of the Court. As to their excuse for the delay of en forcing the decree, if it were ehown to his satisfaction ' he would be happy to alloe them all th e ben e fi t ar i s i ng from it, but as the ease stood at present, their conduct required committal, and commuted they should be. Mr. II•ax reminded his Lordship, that as no order of com mittal was made out, they should remain in custody of the tip. staffs. The Loa D CHAWCFI.I.6R ordered them to be so committed. They were then removed in custody of the officers of the Court. The remainder of the day was occupied in hearing the case of SIR W. ISOSIERTS V. BOSIOX, Upon which further argument will be heard to. morrow. COURT OF KING'S BENCH, .: It ESTMIYSTER, THeItSDAT, AW . . TOCTER TVARTII. This was an action air Siist Sir Gregory Page Turner. for certain liquors supplied hint. It wes a second trial, a nonsuit having beet previously awarded to the plaintiff' Mr. fistoec lIAM now stated, that a clandestine verdict had been obtained by the plaintiff's attottey in this cause. inasmuch as the cause wee brought on at the Past Sittings at Guildhall. as an un defended cause, when in fact the attorney knew that the cause was defended; he therefore not only applied to set aside the verdict, but also that the plaintiff's attorney should pay tht costs of the application. The Court granted a rule to show cause ELOXITAPi P. ELSEE. This was an action tried before the Lord Chief Justice at the last Sittings at Guildhall, London, for an infringement of a pate for malifng a machine for the manufacturing of paper. The % ertlieC was given for the plaintiff. 3.000 f. damages. Mr. Scam LE7T now applied for a rule to show cause why that verdict should not be set aside, and a nonsuit entered, or a now trial granted ? The principal grounds on which he moved were. first, that the machine of the plaintiff' was not calculated for the purpose intended, and that therefore the patent would net protect' him, so that the defendant was justified in making those improve mer:s in the machine which he had, and by which atone paper could ba manufactured from it ; and, secondly, that the specifics. tion and plan, taken together, were not intelligible, so as to parti ci' , larize in the manner required by law the of the machine fut which the patent was obtained. These points the Learned Counsel said had been sustained by evidence at the trial; and be thew fore hoped their Lordships would grant him his motion. After some consultation, the Loan Otter JUSTICE said, that' some of the arguments of Mr. Seariett deserted mature deliberation, and he might therefore take a rule to show cause generally, but with this understanding, that if the other parts of his arguments should be considered by their Lordships as not being of any wight, then those points were not to be Introduced in the argument of the kien tleman who should show cause against the rule. TUE WIDOW AND EIRCUTRIX OT MAJOR SZTRING T. CO": 6n EE ?MOOD! This was an action tried before the Lord Chief Justice, at the Sittings after last Term, to recover from the defendants. who were the army agents of the deceased M‘jor Skyring, the balance due from them to the plaintiff. as his widow and executrix. The defendants, on the trial, dahlia to be allowed to aet-of certain sums advanced by them to the Illajor, by order of lbw Board of Ordnance, being an increase of pay of I3d. per day, but which it subsequently appeared was made by theta under a Lis_ construction of the order of the Board. The Logo CHIEF Jevrtce. however, was of opinion- that the defendant% having, in the accounts rendered by them to thelnjur in 11121, admitted to have received this money, they could not rem seind what they had done, and he advised the Jury to tind for the plaintiff; giving, however, to the defendants tilt right to appeal Li the twelve Judges upon the ground of his misdirection. The verdict was accordingly found for the plaintiff kr 14:01. Ss. bd. Mr. Ou nitre' now applied to the Court for leave to make the question a special ante foe argument before the twelve Judges. lie said the money was stated to the declaration to have been se , ceived by the defendants to and for the use of the plaintiff; now the fact was, the money had not been received at all ; and he troat• ed that he should make it appear to their Lordships, that the ortiet. of the Board of Ordnance were not stitseient to hold the defendants I liable ; nor was the fact of their having given credit to the Nlaisse I for this stun, under a misconstruction of those orders, comet s• do so. The Learned flentleman then commented at some lenetlt upon the &Teets of the different general orders as ro the pay of cit. I ears on foreign stations, and concluded by hoping their Lordships I would grant him his motion. The Loa° CH lEF Jcsir tee said he might take a rule to those cause why a new ttial should not be bad, unless the parties agreett to a case in the mean time. COURT OP COMMON PLEAS. Wicirrutsrret, TuullsDAY, JAW. 27. TIIE WARDEN OF TTIE FLEET. The ('rugs JUSTICE stated. that a petition (of which Mr Justice Park made mention on the first day of Term) had Deco presented to the Court, compltening of the condivet of the Warden of the Fleet ; and although he (the Chief Justice) well knew, fort his own knowledge of the honourable character of the IPanlen, that this accusation was false and scandalous, yet, as it WIA the practice of the Court to pay immediate attention to the complaints of those in custody, an officer of the ( was sent to investigate the cumstancea ; and, from his report, the Court had thoroughly exa— mined into the matter, and was happy to NIT there was not the least shadow of a cause for complaint; and it sruitil be satisfactory so the Court and the public to know, that the tenth of the investiga tion was a most complete exculpation of the Warden from the scandalous attack contained in the petition. WYATT V. COT. This was an action tried at the last Sittings after Term, helot* the Chief Justice, brought by a female servant against her former mistress, for having given her a false character. The Jury found a verdict for plaintiff--damages 1001. Ida Sergeant Varottax now moved for a rule to oho+ caulks • ,17 1 1 , alas Lordship phat thoughttheTe oat e :l w o ise ev . iden T e h e is to was totacb rust e J why the verdict should not be set aside, and a nonsuit en tere d. H e contended that a false interpretation had been p u t on t h e tent. '• u u r7 "d alth ill o ef ugs h: . " ) I I A i. } l 1 ~~ '14141 IN 9 ~- ,~. ~ 7 ' •. S. tale Ka& rv.. ince Two sin, nom the ions tn.. liCh MT. tall