The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1804-08-17 00:00:00

SHAM FIGHT. Yesterday morning, about 11 o'clock, the West minster Cavalry, the London Cavalry, and City Light Horse, were brigaded on Finchly Common. under the command of general LuMIL EY. They mustered four squadrons, besides a com pany of dismounted, belonging to the London Ca valry, and the Flying Artillery belonging to the City Light Horse. After they formed a line two deep, they dismounted, and examined the girths, &c. About twelve o'clock the review commenced, which consisted entirely of new tadics, which they pradised with considerable correelness : the whole of them were considered as the English army, the eae my !wing imaginary. Finchly Common is a spat well calculated to enure them to the difficul ties of adual service, as every difficulty that can pos sibly be met with to impede the progress of an army, is there to be met with, consisting of wide ditches, bogs, bushes, hedges, Ike. The sham fight did not .iish till four o'clock. Gen. LustLcY gave the word ef command, and expressed himself highly satisfied sei-h the manner in which they had gone th ough she manceuvres ; and said they would - be called out again in ()Bober to a similar day's exercise. A great number of carriages, and persons on horse back, were present, and continued during the day, although several very heavy showez s fell. Numbers of them were thrown from theii horses; one of them, when thrown, stuck so fast in a bog, that he could not get out without assistance, and several fell into the ditches; but we did nut hear of any serious ac cident. LORD G. 1.. GOWER. Part of Lord C. L. Gowte's baggage, with ten fv.rses and four carriages, was embarked on Mon day, and sailed on Tuesday, for St. Petersburgh, from Northfleet, near Gr ivesendi and on Wednes day ext, his Lordship .ind suite will leave White hall for Yarmouth, %,11(TO the Ansdurcade frigate is waiting to receive hon. His Lordship will be ac companied by the l-Ln. Mr. PONSONIIY, youngest son of the Earl of Bt.snosouou. with his private L-ecretary, Mr. Sx EWA Rr, and his public Secretary, \!r. Russ, an i eleven domestics. The state livery prepared on toe occasion is the grandest ever car ried rut to Russia by any Ambassador. Mrs. Ross accompanies her husband. EPIGRAM. Says Britannia, one day, to an Adm'ral of France, "t Come, partake of our excellent fun." la reply, said Linais, the I can't Join a Dance, Tou shall soon see how fast I can run." This day Their MAJP.STICS will give a Grand Fete in honour of the Birth Day of the Duke of You. Ta-morrow the ROYAL FAMILY are expelled in town, and :shout the middle of neat week, will ',et ffhir Weymouth. _ . On Wednesday, the Duke of K eNT left Brighton. Early yesterday morning the Duke of Cr. A R cr.c t. kft Brighton, and arrived at Bushey Park to dinner. On Wednesday the Prince of WA L as gave a grand entertainment to three hundred persons of distindtion, at the Pavilion, Brighton, which concluded with a Bill ; and the company continued dancing till five o'clock. yesterday morning. which finished the Prince's entertainments during the Races. His Royal Highness the Duke of YORK, ac eornpan:ed by Colonel \V vm v A so, arrived in town on Wednesday evening, sites paying a visit to the (Amps at Chelmsford and !pp% ich. In the evening, His HIGIONrss set off for Oatlands, where the Dv- CHM was in waiting with a large party. Yesterday, beitsg His ROYAL iIIGIIMESc'S Birth day, he entertained a large pasty at dinner ; and in the evening there were strand hall and supper in the saloon, given to several of she nobility, all the neighbouring farmers, families, domestics, ac. The Earl of %Vs NcusisEa gave his grand fare well dinner for the season, on Tuesday last. On the 341 instant, his Grace the Duke of ATHOL gave a grand dinner, at his new mansion (in the Isle of Mann), which is to be called Castle Mona. The next day, Lord Hrsav MURRAY was sworn Lieutenant-Governor of the Island. 'lle Duke and !)"chess t,f Roxnuacm honoured Kelso races with their presence. His Grace will be one of the Stewards next year. Lady Joss Ls is indisposed at her house in Bolton- Mrs. THORNTON has covenanted with Mr. FL IMP against all (Patin, end jostling. The Duke of MONTROSS arrived at Edinburgh from London on Sunday last. Lord SonEAvrsr.E passed through Edinburgh on Monday, on his way to the South. The Countess of HA • DWICKE arrived at Edin burgh on Friday last, on a visit to her mother, the Countess Dowager of BALCA a q as. The !lath Giron,rls contradids the death of the junior Mr. DJMOMH. The regiment of Perthshire Gentlemen and Yeo manry Cavalry, commanded by the Right lion. the Ears of Ktmmout i was reviewed at Montrose, on Tuesday, by Major-General M 4 C DOS ALI). Yesterday, being the Duke of YORK'S birth-day, ail His Royal Highneta's tradesmen were brilliantly illuminated at night. 0 ;11 ovs PLAuTs.—A ship has recently arrived in tie River from China, having on board a great num bta. , f Plants, most of them new to Europeans, which ktve been collected by a botanic gardener. w!:ich His MAJESTY. ever attentive to the interests of sci ence, sent out some years ago to reside in China t!.ey are expeied. in the course of a few days, at the Royal Gardens, at Kew. where Sir JOSEPH /IA %ICS is to insped them, previous to his leaving spring Grove, fur his summer residence in Lin colnshire. A s!' king accident happened on Wednesday at the c.in:ertnny races. flee winning horse WAS Mity3,3l with the same rider against a fresh horse "" jockey, and was coining in head and girth his competitor to the winning post, when the Litter crossed hien. • The rider of the former was thrown off by this movement, and killed upon 'Pet This circniiiitance threw a great damp upon the sport of the dvy, which was excellent. Can terbury was never so full t,l . comony. A lied could "I be hull under three guineas. SALE OF PART OF MS MAJESTY'S FLOCK OF SPANISH SIILEP. It is a singular circumstance, considering the great length of time that fine, or broad woollen cloths have been in use in Europe, that the wool from a particular breed of sheep, kept only in Spain, where there are exceedingly large flocks of them, should have been essential to its fabrication. These sheep are known by the name of the Merin., breed, and were peculiar to Spain till about the year I 78ti, when the mifortimate Louis XVI. introduced a flock of them into France, the progeny of which are still subsisting, and their wool possessing all its original qualities, upon the national fArm at Ram huritlet, and in the neighbouring communes. His Britannic Majesty was not unmindful of this objeft, and within a year of the same period, began, and continued front time to time, the importation of small Rocks of Merino sheep, which were, with His Majesty's known liberality, presented to different Agriculturists and Breeders, or sold, with a view of disseminating the breed, at the common prices of English sheep at the time. In the year 1792, thro' the medium of Lord Auckland, who had been Am bassador to Spain, His Majesty procured from the Marchioness Del Campo di Aiange, forty of the best Spanish sheep, in exchange for eight fine English coach-horses; this flock His Majesty confided to the care of Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. President of the Royal Society, who has paid more attention to the suhjeft of wool, and is without doubt the most perfedly informed on all points, ;elating to its pro de.fhon and u'es, of any other man. His Royal Highness the Duke of York's Park, at Oatlands, being selciled as the scene of these interesting and national experiments. - Sir Joseph Banks had assiduously employed him self upon his estate in Lincolnshire, since the first introduCtion of Spanish sheep, in trying the ere& on wool and carcase, of all the crosses which could he made between them and the different breeds in England; hut on receiving ch tree of the royal Merin flock, its 1792, he dispose.' of all his own sheep, in which there was any mixture of Spanish, and has confined his views in the management of the Royal flock to the preservation of the original breed of 1792, having since admitted no crosses, not even of newly imported Spanish sheep, however superior their pretensions. These sheep are very far from handsome in their shape, and ton gene rally InAc thin and poor ; they are principally dis tinguished from other sheep, next to the superior fineness of the fibre of their wool, by the dirty ap pearance of their fleece outside, though beautifully white within, owit:g to the greasy matter, or - coil, as it is called, with which it ahminds, eau.ing the dirt of the land to adhere to the wool ; they have also white faces, of a peculiar si Ihy appearance, just above the nose are two or three singular wrinkles, and upon the head, behind the horns, is a soft pro tuberance of flesh ; they are also less in size than a great portion of the English sheep. The Merino flock continued healthy, and encreased very fast, but the buyers of wool were averse to ,ice idea that any wool grown in England could *newer the purpose IV that impot ted from Spain, in the manufacture of fine cloth ; and Sir Joseph Banks was unable to ob tain more than 2s. per pound for the wool of these sheep in 1796, and only 2s. 6d. in 1797. In 1798. this wool was washed previous to the sale, and sorted into three different parcels, according to its fineness, as is done in Spain, viz. prime wool, or fleFees (R), which sold for ss. choice lock, or Froos (F), at 3s. 6d. and 1: ribs or Trreeros (T ), which fetched ?s. 6d. The fleeces of 1799 from this increasing flock, treated in the same way, was sold, the prime wool, or R's, for ss. 6d. the choice locks or F's., for 3s. 6J. and the Frihs or 'Ps for 2s. five shillings and six-pence being in these two last years the standing price of the very best imported wool. The Royal feris, flock at Oadands, continuing to increase, in ISIO. the R's produced ss. the Ps 3s. and the T's I s. tid. In 1801, the R's fetched Ss. 6d. the Ps as. 6d. and the T'sts. 9d, Klein vredier, or cas trated sheep, were this year fatted, and at Christmas, I sot, sold at good prices; the mutton also proving excellent in quality, and very unexpectedly the pelt wool, or that obtained from the skin, by the fellmonger, produced 10s. for each sheep, after all expenses attending it were paid. In 1803, Sir Joseph Banks obtained for the wool of His Majesty's Spanish flock, the It's 5s 9d. the F's Ss. aid. and the T's 1 s. 9d.: and in the year 1805, the prime, or R's, produced his. 9d. the P's 4s. 6d. and the T's 2s. The quantity of the inferior sorts of wool from each fleece has evi dently decreased since these sheep were in England, and at this time, less of the fr,bs will be found in any numher of fleeces of His Majesty's wool than in the same number and weight of fleeces produced in Sp tin ; a proof that the wool is not disposed to de generate in our climate. The wool of the present sea,oo was washed on the backs of the sheep in the English way, and sold altogether without 'cowering or sorting at 41. 6d. per pound. The Royal Merino flock then consisted of 11.0 ewes, 5 rams. and 78 lambs ; these 78 lambs being the produce of 90 Ewes. with which 4 rams were used; also 423 "beading rams, 7 rams of greater ages, and 14 ewes which were srleted for the intended sale, which took place no Wednesday last, in a p.tJdock in Richmond Park, by the side of Kew Foot-lane. not far from the Pagoda. Among those who have most distinguished them selves in seconding the noble views of His Majesty in introducing and extending the breed of these sheep, are to be named. Lord Somerville, Dr. Parry of Bath, Mr. Bridge of Winford Eagle, Mr. ItidAway of Upper -ton, Mr. Tollett of Gloss. esstershire, and the Bath Agricultural Society; while Mr. John Maitland of Basinghall-street, Mr. La) cock of the Borough. and Mt. Earidge of Chip. pcnh am, have done themselves great honour in their erJeavours to promote the sale and manufacture of lingh.h Nleiitio wool. Mr. Giblet of Bond -street, and Mr. King of Newgate Market. are also deserv ing o 4 great praise for their exertions in removing thc pre; ioi e which was generally entertained against Spanish mutton on the first introduttion of the Merinos into this country. • Mr. Toilet possesses a ran, bred from a rim and ewe Fold to him from the roycl flack in 1801, which, in June last, yielded of wool, of the my firs t (in tlity. The same cnre and attention which have been for :orne years past paid to the improves meat d other breeds of slump in this kingdom, by • breeding constantly from the most perfeCt animals in the flock in preference to others, have succeeded in the carcases of several of the Royal Merino flock; and as Sir Joseph Banks. in a late Address to the public, observes, Give a justifiable hope, that by a due selcaion of rams, and a correet judgment in matching them, Merino sheep will in time he pro duced, with carcases rrfeetly fashionable and wool as perfedly fine." The same address, after noticing that the demand for Hi: Majesty's Merino sheep increases prodigiously, particularly in Glou cestershire, thus introduces the notice of the pre sent sale from Ilk Majesty's flock : " As specula tion on the value of Spanish sheep is evidently on the increase, and a reasonable probability now ap pears that His Majesty's patriotic exertions in intro ducing the breed, will, at last, be duly appreciated and properly understood ; it would be palpably un just, should the views of those who wish to derive a fair advantage from the sale of the progeny of Spanish sheep, purchased by them from the royal stuck, be in future impeded by a continuation of the sale of the King's sheep, at prices below their real value. " This circumstance having been stated to the King. His Majesty was graciou s ly ple ase d to p erm i t the rams and ewes that are to be parted with from the Royal Merino Rock this year, to be sill by auflion, in the same manner as is done at Woburn, by his Grace the Duke of Bedford. and at ifulkhain by Mr. Coke. et the presumption of this being the most likely manner of placing the best individuals of their improved breeds in the hands of persons most likely to preserve, and further to improve them." Notwithstanding the heavy and almost incessant rain on Wednesday morning, near fifty Gentlemen and breeders of sheep assembled soon after eleven o'clock, at the pens ct sheep intended for sale, and minutely . ' examined them. Sir Joseph Banks, who has but just got abroad from a severe fit of the gout, ventered out, and staid in the field the whole time. About two o'clock, Mr. Farnham, the autlioneer. of Richmond, opened the business, by a short, but neat speech, on His Majesty's gracious views in pro moting the breed of excellent sheep before them, and read the printed conditions of the sale ; after Sir Joseph Banks had stated, thi.t his friends, Sir Richard Wcorsley, of the Isle of Wight, and Sir James Reddal. of Scotland, not being able to attend, had commissioned him to bid for six or more of the sheep, the sale commonced ; at which much keen bidding was seen among the amateurs and breeders present. The first twenty.tbree lots consisted each of a single shearling ram. Lnt I, was a rant, labouring under a temporaty privation of sight, which Sir Joseph Banks, and Ri chard Stanford , - the King's shepherd, stated to be not very uncommon with these sheep at this season, but from which there was no doubt but he will per feftly recover; the weight of his fleece was stated to be, at the last shearing, 3 lb. ' 4 oz. ; he was knocked down to Captain MacArthur, at fil. 15s after Sir Joseph had apprised hint, that an old AR of Parliament stood in the way of exporting sheep from this country. The Captain's object being to take the sheep, which he was purchasing, to New South Wale-. in about three weeks time, to add to the flock which he is rearing near to Botany Bay, with a degree of success, which promises to be of the greatest national importance. The sheep in tended for Lot 2, was unwell, and not offered for sale. Lot 3, fleece 4 lb. 3 oz. was sold to George Home Sumner, Esq. at 71. 12s. Lot 4, fleece 316. of very fine wool. was sold to Mr. Knowles, at 91. 10s. Lot 5, fleece 4 lb. was bought by Mr. Andrews, for Mr. Beckingham, near Canterbury, at ten guineas I.ot 6, a very lively sheep, was bought by Capt Mac arthur, at 111. Lot 7, fleece 31b. 12oz. with bat eves at present, was knocked down to Sir- Joseph Banks, for one of his friends, at 61. 7s. Lot 8, fleece, 51b. 4oz. was sold to Mr. Knowles, at 10 guineas and a half. Lot 9, fleece 31b. 12 oz. swiss bought by J. W. Allen, Esq. near Bury, at 3u guineas. Lot 10, fleece 31b. ti oz. was sold to Mr. Leith, at 10 guineas and a half. Lot 11, these 3111. 12oz. of better wool than the last, sold to Capt. Macarthur, at 15 guineas. Lot 12, fleece 5 lb. 4 or.. was sold to o.li. Sumner, Esq. at 27 guineas. Lot 13, fleece 31b. 4oz. was bought by Capt Mac aithur, at 16 guineas. Lot 14, was sold to Mr. Wanen, at 15 guineas. Lot Li, a sheep at present blind, fleece 41b. 13 oz. sold to Capt. Macarthur, at St gaineas. Lot 16, a very perfelt sheep and fine fleece, 41b. 4oz. sold to Sir Joseph Bails, at SO guineas. Lot 37, a sheep having the disorder called the toot rot, deeze 41b. 12oz. was sold to Mr. Warren, at 12 pounds. Lot 18, fleece, 41b. fioz. was bought by Sir Joseph Banks, at four teen guineas. Lot IP, leece 41b. leas. very fine wool. was sold to G. H. Sumner, at 20 guineas. I.ot 20, fleece 41b. 6or. was bought by Sir Joseph Banks, at fifteen guineas. Lot RI. &we 31b, to Mr. Beckingham. at twenty-five guineas. Lot 112, fleece 416. 4oz. to Captain Macarthur, at twenty one guineas. Lot 43. fleece, 41b. Not to Sir Joseph Banks, at twenty guineas Lot 24, fleece 31b. Itoe. to Mr. Fr.vroan. near Henley, at forty-two guineas, which finished the shearing rams. Lo' 25 was a full mouthed ram, which had not heen used, though so expressed by mistake in th- ; lie sold to 5..e -neral Robinson, of Scotland, f servo gomeas and Lot 20, a full mouth ram, called re.ng Snag, four years and a half old, whose sire was in as much repute among the King's sheep as Eell , ..te among race-horses, and who had been used in the King's flock, fleece 5,1 b. was sold to G. H. Sum ner, for eighteen guineas. Lot '27, a four-toothed rain, which has not been used in the royal flock. fleece 71h. cos. was sold to Mr. Jefferson, at thirty eight guineas. Lot 2E, a ditto, fleece 231 b. was sold to Mr. 'leaven, at twenty-five guineas. Lot 29, a four-tooth ram, which was used lAA year in the King's flock. was sold to John Praetor Anderdon, nut. at twenty-four guineas. Lot 90, a ditto, fleece 71b. toz. was sold to Captain Macarthur for twenty-seven guineas. Lot 31, a good ditto, fleece bib. Boz. was sold to Mr. Kidd. at twenty-tour gui neas. which completed the lots of rams ; the re maining fourteen lots being full mouthed ewes, Which had been bred from in the Royal flecks, and were warr..nted to have good ba g 's. Lot 32 sold to Mr. Beckingham at nine guineas. Lot 33 to Mr. Hallet at eight guineas. Lot 34, to Mr. BeckMs• ham, at seven guineas and a halt. Lot 33. to s . , Freemen, at levet guinea,. Lot SC, to Mr. Teen. man, at eight guineas. Lot 37. to Mr. Leith, at nine guineas and a half. Lot 3N, to Mr: Eytnts, at el-veo guineas. Lot 39, to Mr. Knowles, at Seven guineas. Lot 40, to Mr. lieckingliarn, at Licht guineas. Lot 41, to Captain MacArthur, Jr olevAi guineas. Lot 42, to Mr. Cyr!Phell, at nitre gei. neas. Lot 43, to Colonel Graille, at nine guineas: Lot 44, to General Robinsi'n, at seven guineas: and Lot 45, to Mr. liallet, at six guineas. The sale ended about a quarter past four o'clock, when Sir Joseph Banks stated that the prices at which the sheep had been sold ex ceeded His Majesty's and his own expeßatiuns and wishes on the subject; Hii'Majesty never hav ing before sold• a Spanish . sheep. for more than guineas ; they were Always betore said by private cur traCT, while he had given gsVarinOre than 170 sheep : but from the eagerneis exhibited this day it bidding, he had no doubt but His Maiestt'S tions of placing the sheep in those gentlemeL's hands, who would most value and attend to the in creasing of the breed, would be fully answered. It was st.ued, that the sheep might stay three days in His Map.,!y's pasture, oteven a Vriger tithe, at the risk of die purchaser, if not convenient to remove them sooner ; but such was the eagerness of the buyers to bear off their lots, that two or three carts appeared in the field in a few minutes, and were loaded with the sheep ; and one gentleman took away a sheep he had bought, in a chaise with him ! Besides the gentlemen mentioned above, as pre sen s s . we noticed Henry -Flagh Hoare, Esq. Mr. Chute, Mr. Sant, superintendant of His Majesty's farm at Itichmond,-Mr. Lawrence, author of The Nisi Farmer's Calendar," &c. Mr. Farey, ace Ste. This thew and sale of sheep is intended to be an nual ; and, next year, a larger number of ewe, are intended for sale, His Majesty's flock having now arrived at the number intended to be kept. CORONERS INQUEST. Last night, at seven o'clock, - Stratton, Esq. one of His Majesty's Coroners, held an inquest at the liticklayers' Arms, Earl -street, Blackfriars. on a view of the body of Samuel Sewell, killed on Tuesday last, at the Ik'harf, Upper Thames street, by a cart-wheel. Tire first witness examined was H.nnah Still, who stated that, about one o'clock on Tuesday last, she was in the kitchen of Mr. Whipple. suz.tr-Kik”r, at the corner of the lane leadinz to the Bell Vh. bar. ; witness heard a cry of Stop ! Stop ! and rnnn'ou to the window, saw a cart going towards !'lame3- , treet up the lane. '1 he deceased was standing be tween the near wheel and the wall, and the wheel continuing to go round, it appeared to crush :he de ceased, who fell behind the cart with his brains scattered at some distance; he el I not move after, and witness saw no signs o' life Se.eral persons cone to the spot, :Ind removed the deceased from the wharf. James Sturges sail he was a I ihonrer at Griffith% Wharf (called lien's Wli. tf), and lives in New-s-r:et, Blackfriars. On Tuesday he assisted in filth. a cart with card for the Brick-fieldi; it led, me I .n Mr. cock if Islington, ald when loaded t.,, cairn in throve towards rhames street ; witness follow it at the distance of twenty-yards, as he was then going to dinner, and had not proceed !.I far before b.: b ler ved the deceased jammed between the near wt ett and a door post at the back of Mr. Rabic's, a coal merchant's stables—witness, perceiving .he dr, adful situation of the deceased, ran to Afford alt the as. sistarce he could ; but, by the time he got to ti e spot, the deceased had been turned by the ;rats ere of the wheel, with his legs up, and head inclined tai the ground; and finally fell behind the cart, with his head crushed in a dreadful manner, and braini scattered about two yards distance from the Irecr!: the deceased had then no appearance of life. Wit: ness had never seen the carman before, anti supp set he was uayquainted with the narrowntss of the - lane, where the deceased was crush •1, .or . e wr aid not have attempted to :rive the c:trt, as it was ins. possible to pass, without doing the deceased an in. jury. Witness heard the carman .cry, Wo ! h. and stop his horses; but afterwards saw him go cn, in consequence of the deceased having stood against the wall, and said, there was room enoui:h. After deliberating near an hoar, the Jury were of opinion the deceased came aka his death arciilentedta, 'lire cart wheel, which occasioned the death o f the deceased, was valued at four pounds, and forfeited as a deadeird. Yesterday evening, as a cart loaded with timber was passing up Chandns-street, a piece fell on a min passing, and killed him on the spot. A young than very genteelly dressed, and whose manners bespeak a superior educa , inn, ass g me to several tradesmen under the pretext of purchasing goods, and given them drafts on the r srst-etable house of Messrs. Slavin and Co. in M susion-hmtse streets having received half the draft in each, he gives a dire&ion for the goods to be sent home, which leads to the discovery that he is not to be found. Extra& of a letter from Kendal in Westmore land, August 12th t “ We have I:ad the most tre mendous storm this morning (Sunday) that w:ts ever know:: in the memory of the oldest man ; the havoc occasioned hy the torrents in on half hoar is inconceivable. and only to be attributed to .the bursting of waterspouts in the fells. The rnadi torn up and wrought, would bury a waggon and horses. The soil of whole fields washed a way with their crops, and thonsands of IA Is of rubbish and stones lett on others. Winder.ncre was never so high since it was a lake." The first 20,0001. Prize was drawn in the yeat 1767, and was obtained by the fortunate Co per of Abingdon. Hoe user and Co. beg leave to notice that the number of Tickets in tit it Lottery were 50,000, and vac 2u,0001. Prize, yet Titketa were sold as high AS Salo., Guineas before the commencement of the Drawing. The present State Lottery. which begins drawing the 24. th of neat Months con sists of bat! the amber 401 Traits. 25,000, and gives a Chance to the Adventurer of three 20.0021 three 10,0004 three 5.0001., &c. which are benefits never before equalled in any Lottery. Tickets and Shares ate selling by Ho 4ass v and Co. No. 2G. wjao recommend an early purchase, as Tickets will rise as the Drawing approaches. N. B. Orders, by Linter or Carrier, executed ez.. anly oa the same Terms as If present. i i.