The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1804-12-28 00:00:00

. the , e boweT, great ideed, iy he ro.hke _ BANKRUPTs ELfMINATION. A meeting of the Commissioners of Bankrupts, i n the commission against Messrs. Castel' and Powell, late bankers, in Lombard -street, was yes terday held in the Court of King's Bench, Guild hall, for the purpose ill the bankrupt's final exa mination. This being the third examination, and a p r operty of not less than three hundred thousand aounds involved, Counsel were engaged on the part ;if the assignees and other creditors, and a very long investigation took place ; both the bankrupts were minutely examined, and, in the sequel, appear ed to have given every satisladion, as the Com missioners signed their depositions, and no postisoue ment took place, as frequently occurs. Mr. Clark, brother-in-law to the bankrupt Mr. Powell, who was solicitor for the family, and a trustee in some Of the family settlements, also nndersvent a long examination ; at the chase of which he begged leave to say a few words, if not considered impertinent, or 77 .vart to the matter : it was in answer to some „ m otion% st hich Lad been thrown out in his ab .:l a oa a Be user examination ;'when it was oh ,c. sed, that, foe the sake of his own charafter, he iorid have attended. 1-16 felt that he should have dour so, but, he declorcd his feelings were strong, twin relative situatiou t..) the parties, he could not prevail on himself to attend. The transac tion alluded to on the former day Was relative to the removal of a box, from the bankrupt's house to his office; in consequence of which, it had been insinuated that he had been privy to the em bezzlement of some of the bankrupts' praTerty. He observed, that the box remained at his oilice about a day, and at a time when he was three hundred miles from Loudon. He was proceeding, to explain further, when the gentleman, who had spi iken on the subjed on the former day, and who was a Counsel employed for some of the parties, interrupted him, and assured him, he did not mean to insinuate any ming personally. There had been prima facie evi dence of embezzlement, but he did not attribute that to him ; he, however, begged leave to assure him, that, from the investigation which had taken place, he was perfeEtly satisfied, and Wily acquitted Mr. Clark et any Such charge. Messrs. Castelland Powell then delivered up their watches, seals, rings, trinkets, &c. as usual in such cases, and the latter Gentleman also delivered up a Lox, containing Mrs. Powell's, rings, watches, &c. all which, at the intimation of some of the Com missioners, were returned to those Gentle Men by the Creditor s. The whole of the examination excited much in terest, a number of persons attended, and the Bank rupts themselves were much affected during the time of their ex imination, at the close of which, they re turned their thanks to the Commissioner, and Cre ditors, and retired. and i ; l 4 • ru!ti na eed "Peaillz thow : h untedo rlirh•.til urtti•v! i. ,; MINDER. !).c On Friday last, the Otficers of the 4th rind sth Folfirshire Vitiuntei-rs, and Forfirshire Tharp sit Anti", gftlrt a splendid ball and supper. Tbs. o:fl.:ers of the Perthshire Genrlcmen N'enrianif CArritiry, and of the Carne of G ,wrie .Vi)t.ter e ere, were present ; to i ;cther itr ain numerous AS• sernbLige of h.auty mil fashion than we ever re member to have seen in Dundee. Dancing com menced at nine o'clock. At one . o'clock. upwards of :00 of the company sat down to supper in MIT. tens; hut they soon resumed the " merry dance," at which they continued till a late hour in the morning. Amongst the comp an y we observed the Right I-1-n. the Earl of Kinnoitl, Colonel the lion. Charles Kiunairds M. P. Brigorlirir-';entoal Sir ‘Villiam•hrskine, Sir Alexander DousjAs, l letculei Ross, E q of ltossie, &c. &c. The Diteaots of the Exc'i n ,e Cudee-room very politely gave the use of that room for the ball. fTPI h tend., alace. PIT 1, At uis tea at iimest ed din tis of It 03 ♦A. td i:t On Saturday last, the sth Forfarshite Volunteers, the Fortarshire Sharpshooters. and the Case of Gowr;e Volunteers, ailed again in brigade, under the command of llrigadier-General Erskine, and acquitted themselves to his entire satisfailion, as he expressed to the different corps on their parades.— The sth Fnrfarsbire regiment marched to the High -street, where they were drawn op in line, and sainted the General, who ad,lre,sed them with energy in a high rtyle of panegyin- " I am happy," says be, "to your appearance and dis cipline. Your condita in the field this day ',loves to me that you are tit fur aclnal service. and so I shall report to the Commancl-r in Chief. I am proud to have such a regiment in my distsia. I hope soon to see you again in the same order and e. , od state of discipline, and should not wish to see in a Metter. I know that Saturday is more :l.able to you than any iriiher day in the week ; i . anelore I thank you, pattnularly , for the alacrity Find chcerfulneis with which you assembled to-day. our private interest to a:tend me in the This regiment is riot on permanent duty, and having attended two brigade slays last week, tieir full attendance nn the third brigade on Sa t.:ldly, which is settling day amongst mannfac uirers, was much to their credit, and spewed their :imam s desire to have the advantage of the military tslents of the General. ft cam her, t. - 211. rks ek; e After • period of twenty-one day: permanent duty, the following corps marchrd from Dundee for their respeilive homes, viz. On the 13th car rent, the Athole Volunteers, comfit-m(1;d by tenant-Colonel Butter, of lastally. On the I kit, the Yeomanry Cavalry, commanded by the Right Hon. the Earl of Kinnoul ; and on the 7th, the C.,rse of Gowric, or Moir.: of Wale.', Volunteer Light Infantry; and the Forfai shire Sharpshooters, commanded by Colonels the I kn. Charles Kinnaird alid Guthrie. The Sd b*talion of Forfaxshire Volunteers, com manded by .Major Dun, marched in here from Forftr on the ilth current, to d.) garrison duty. This is the third time within the year, that this excellent battalion has been called out on iscrm.usent duty. On Wednesday last, the remains of Lieutenant James Allan, of the Cam of Cowrie Volunteers, were. with military honours, interred in the bury ing ground here. He died on the Itkh current. much re l y cited- The Mediwor, Sir T. Ltvieurross, one of the recently purchased teak ships, of St guns, was 'sunned a few days since, and received orders to .us Lord Ksirm. PETERSRCIRGII, Nov. 30. According to the laws of Russia, but one son out of every peasant's family can be obliged to enter into the army ; and when there is but one son in a family, he is entirely exempt from military services. Notwithstanding, the eldest son of a peasant's fa mily in the Government of Teven, having been kill ed in battle, the second was taken, and the third also, in the late enrolment, leaving to the unfortu nate parents, to support them in their old age, only a blind girl, and a dwarf, who was the fourth sun, who had been most unkindly treated by nature.*The mother fell a viaim to the distress in which they were involved. After her death, the dwarf formed the resolution of coming to this capital, although he had five wersts to walk. He set out on his jour ney, without knowing an inch of his way, and sub sisting entirely on charity. Having arrived here, he procured a person to draw up a petition for him, containing an exact narrative of all those particu lars. He went to the parade, with the intention ut presenting it to the Emperor ; but he came too late ; he went there again, the next day, but his heart failed him. The third day, having acquired ntore resolution, he threw himself at His Majesty': lot, and presented his petition. As soon as the f had returned to the palace, he instantly read the petition, and was so affeaed by its contents, that he gave immediate order• that a stria enquiry should he made into the wliole arair. The petition was found to be perfediy correa in all its circum-aances. Hi. Majesty commanded the Moister of Justice to issue orders for the immediate freedom of the dwarf's brother, and that 500 roubles slionld be given to the dwarf, as a reward for his trouble. The Minist-r sent for him, and communicated to him His Majes ty's pleasure, adding, that there was a carriage at the door, at his service, in which he might have the satisfaction of going himself for his brother, whn was quartered at Gatschina. The poor dwarf coul•t scarcely believe what he saw and heard ; when he was cons inced of the truth of it, he forgot all dis tinctions of rank and state ; he leaped about, laugh ed, and committed every sort of extravagance. At length he got into the carriage, arrived at t latschi na, chewed the Emperor's Order, and br , aight his brother hack to his aged tamer, and his blind sister. The perpetrator of this ad of injustice to those poor people is to be criminally prosecuted for the same. MR. VANDILLE Was the most remarkable man in Paris, both on account of his immense riches, and his extreme ava rice. He lodged as high up as the roof would ad mit him, to avoid noise or visits ; maintained one prior old woman to attend him in his garret; allowed het only seven sous per week, or a penny per diem. His usual diet was bread and milk ; and for indulg ence, some poor sour wine on Sunday ; cn which day he constantly gave one farthing to the poor, being one shilling and a penny per annum ; which he cast up, and, skier his death, his extensive cha rity amounted to 43 shillings and four-pence. prudent economist had been a magistrate rr 'officer at Boulowte, fro.n which obscurity he was poi:noted to Pan•. for the reputation of his wealth, which he lent upon undeniable .ecurity to the pub lic filmic, not eating to trust individuals with his life and soul. While a magistrate at Boulogne, he maintained l imse7f ley taking upon him to he milk taster-general at the market ; and from one to ano ther filled his belly, and washed down his bread, at no expence of his own ; not, doubtless, from any other principle than that of serving tile public, and reeulating r,e on' iciness of the milk. When he Was called to Pori knowing !hat stage vehicles we-e expensive, he determined to go tiither on trot; to avoih being r.lihed, be took rare to export with himself neither 1:1:1re nor less thm the cinsiderable sum of three-p••nct sterling, to carry him one hun dred and thirty ,ndes; and, with the greatest faci lity to execute hi- plan of operation, he went in the quality of a poor priest, or mendicant, and, no doubt, gathered sonic few pence on the road, from such pious and well-disposed persons of the country ■s were strangers to him. The great TA 1:e a miser annexes to a farthing, will make us less surprised at the infinite attach ment he must have to a guinea, of which it is the seed. growing by ge. tie gradations, into pence, shillings, pounds, thousands, and ten thousands; which made this worthy connoiseror say, " Take care of the farthing:, and the pence and shillings will take rare of them s e lves ; these semina of wealth may he compared to seconds of time, which generate years, centuries, and even eternity itself." When he became immensely rich, being, in the year 1735, worth seven or eight hundred thousand pounds, which he ,begot or multiplied on the body of a single shilling, from the age of sixteen to the age of seventy-two, one day he heard a w•ooiman going by in summer, at which season they stock themselves with tucl for the winter : he agreed with him at the lowest rate possible-, but stole from the poor man several logs with which he loaded him self to his secret hiding-hole and thus contra:led in that hot season a fever : he then sent for a surgeon, to bleed him, who asking half a here for the opera tion, was dismissed : he then sent for a poor barber, who undertook to open a vein for three pence a time ; " But," says this woi the economist, " how often will it be requisite to bleed ?"—" Three times," said he."—And what quantity of blood du you in tend to take?"—" About eight ounces each haw," answered the barber. " That will he nine•peace ; too much, too much," says the old miser. "l am dokermined to go a cheaper way to work ; take the whole quantity you design to take at three times, at one time, and that will save me six-pence ;" which being insisted on, he lost twenty-four ounces of blood, and died in a few days, leaving all his vast treasures to the king, whom he made his sole heir. Thus he contracted his disorder by pilfering, and his death by an unprecedented piece of parsimony. The Naval force that the present Board of Admiralty have destined for the prowation of the Coast of Inland, has put that part of the United Kingdom perfelily at ease with regard to any at tempt from the French. In addition to the flibersti,:, the largest ship that Itiiu; ever been built in this coun try, and which is intended for Lord GA RDS ER% flag, seven or eight sail of the line arc appropriated for that station ; among which, we understand, are the Moiderer, the Pri Icess Ro9a4 the Prince of Oramgc, the Garath, and the RalsonaVe. " 1- rr • TO THE EDITOR OP THE RHITISH PRESS . . SlR—Havinz seen, in your Paper of Wednesday Last, a most melancholy account of a dead Old Bachelor, I know of no reason why the public may not be as deeply interested in the deplorable history of a living Old Maid ; if you think the events my life worth your attention, they are most heartily at your service. My infancy WAS entrusted to the care of an anti quated Aunt, and a superannuated Uncle, who, having .never submitted to the silken bands of Hy men, had contras ed :ill the humours and caprice natural to those who exist only for themselves As they could never agree in any one thing, it may well be supposed teat my education was but indiffe-ently managed ; the Lady insisted on my unceasing at tention to the classics, and the Gentleman thought it was but reasonable that I should attend with di ligent assiduity to my knittlng. I led bur an indif ferent life till I arrived at the age of when, notwithstanding my prolo!ind venera:ina for their years and wisdom, I could not he blind to their con trariety of ,ipinions; and so, from discovering that both coald not be tight, I very soon concluded that bath were wrong, and accordingly adopted the pru dent resoln:ion of taking my awn way:. I now turned my thoughts towards that goal for which we women are originally destined ; and, hav ing taken warning by my aunt's fate, I determined to exert my industry, and avoid a similar one. My first adds k was on a gentleman, whom my uncle introduced to us under the brilliant appellation of an Ambassador. My aunt, as usual, spread lie:- snates ; but I was the more aaive, and would cer tainly have brought him to a declaration, when I (mini ornately asked him, one morning, whether he was a Spanish or a Dutch Ambassador ? He stared in amazement, and very candidly owned that he was merely a fustian Ambassador, or traveller for a manuiadory. Disappinted as I was, I could not resolve to dismiss him ; but my aunt having disco vered some sly looks between him and a favourite maid ; she watched them close, and, ascertaining her suspicions, she rang them such a peal of abuse, that they both decamped with ail possible celerity. My courage, however, was not damped; I went with my aunt to see a play Coat was performed in oar town by a parcel of strollers ; the manager exerted his endeavours for our accommodation ; and my aunt, who never suffered an opportunity of con quest to escape her, was aery liberal of her glances and acknowledgments. Whether he saw that I was equally obliging, or whether he wanted a good dinner and comfortable abode, I know not, but certain it was, that ire waited on us next morning, and, while he kissed my aunt', hand in pretended rapture, he squeetti mine with such a tender pres sure, that my ! cart surr:rdered to my hopes, and we certainly should have been married, had I not heard, by mere accident, that he had two wives already : he was dismissed with opprobrium by my anat, and with tears isy me, which, however, were soon dried up by an officer who called himself captain, though, in fact, he was hut a serjeant, and cAtitc among us to recruit. I was very willing to enlist under his banners, and made the utmost ex trtions t.• bring about a capitulation, which I had no doubt of eoncluding on honourable terms, when he was arrested on a charge of having purloined the public money, and lodged in the county gaol, from whence he was taken to be hanged. I was very sorry indeed, but considered the - folly of use less grief, and soon commenced a new attack upon the apothecary, to whom I recommended myself by making him a present of a pair of knit gloves. The families became very intimate, but my poor dear aunt and he had a medical dispute; she insisted that plain water was bad for the stomach, and he sneeringly agreed that, to ladies of her standing, it was certainly more wholesome when well qualified; she flew into a violent passion, reviled him in the bitterest terms, and, from that time, lie never was admitted into our house. 1 did not, however, despair of success, till he, having administered a sleeping potion to a patient who ne ver awoke, the poor Doctor was obliged to ab scond, to avoid a prosecution. I could not help bewailing Myself as very unfortunate ; but im mediately set about repairing the breach in my helrt, by procuring a new fiver. I now soared very high indeed. A tine, elegant Gentleman, who came down to our country to eledioneer, drove up to our door, in a phaeton and four; we were all in commotion from this phenomenon ; but, what was our surprise, and my ecstacy, on finding that the great crimson bed was put to air, and the chamber well scoured out for his use ! I called up all my charms (though, between you and me, there were none to spare), and was determined to eclipse my aunt, who had her yellow paduasay shortened in the waist, and otherwise altered to the t.,silion. I soon tliund that I made a rapid progress in his at- ! fedions, far, though he was equally civil to my aunt, and she, good woman ! flattered herself with being the chosen lair, vet I could perceive that he sighed for me, and, ues.des, lie kissed me twice, and her only once. Well, Sir, the cletion came on— there were halls evevy evening during the pull, and be insisted on oeening them with me. I was now certain of happiness, beyond my most sanguine hopes. I rejeded the prof .red civilities of all other competitors for the ootion: of my hand in the dance, and was exalted to the higasest pinnacle of sail-exul tation ; the ele went forward, and, through the interest of my ...air, was carried by my lover.— He returned CO our house to make his a.htnowledg ments for the service. I waited, ready (hewn, in eager expeaation of being called down. I planned over what answers I should make to his solicitation,; for I entertained no doubt, but that his principal business was to offer me his heart and hand : when, lo! he drove off, and, on enquiry, I found that he had not even asked for nee, and that he was besides engaged to a young lady with a great fortune and a tide, and I know not what else. I own to you, Sir, I was heartily vexed at this in formation—all my airy castles tumbled dawn ; but, said I, ou reirleaion, what's the use ~, fretting, there are good fish in the sea as ever s ere :aught, and I spread my net accordingly. A yumig clergyman came down to take possession of cur curacy, he was handsum: and polite ; but it was a long time belore i couid flatter myself with having made any impres sion, till at length I perceived be began to droop and gmw pale and melancholy. I now believed that 1 had succeeded in engaging his affedions and wa: confirmed in my opinion by hearing bin; tine day, 1 , . • • . . i m When he fltought nobody wee present; Mutter to himself "Oh fortune, forrune!!!' • : • , I determined that shou:d not be any obstac!e toonit - union, and thought it most adeiseable, though .con trery to custom, that I sheuld give bins te hint dc cordioely ; but a few days after. he came with 4 joyful i ountenence, and told us, that he was e'oifig oif immediately to London, whither he had been se inmoned by the father of a young lady to whwi he fled been attached from his infancy, and thet the old gentleman had coretented .to make tbem happy. • He went away in the highest spirits, and left me alas ! very low indeed ! but, theught I, "• sure if I camot get di ! Parson, perhaps I may the Clet It." • No sooner said than done. I commenced the in- ' tack by begging him to instruel me in the siuginfeeli Psalms, in which I made a wonderful . progress, and . looked for nothing less than an offer of his hard [ when our Exciseman died, and my dear Clerk mar ried his widow. Well, th• tight I. the seveeth it', ere chartn, years arc going over, and I have a"•ome !! to lose: I now commence•J a spirited attack on the :I heart of a Yorkshire grazier. This was certainly the most difficult undert 'king ! had ever attempted ; • , I could get neither a civil word or loelt, when luckily an expedient suggested itself to my imagin -1 ation, which proved successful ; this was to get on: I of the servants to inform him that my uncle • was immensely rich, and intended to make me hit heir ; the story was probable enough, at the old , gentleman had no relatives in the wide world but . my aunt and myself, and my Yorkshire swain proe ' ceedect to the question. He obtained my consent s and went in eager expeaation to solicit my uncle's, whets he found the good old man lying on the door, • ( in an apoplelic tit, in which he sown expired; and: on opening the will, it was discovered, that the balk • of his fortune went to endow an hosp i tal.. I 130 found, that with my uncle, I had lost. a husbasde for he immediately set off for Yorkshire, exulting in his good fortune, in not having said any thing to me in presence of a witness, by which I could re cover damages. This, Sit, was my last trial of skill. I now love all men, but cannot get one man to love me; however, I have a ticket in the Lottery, and, should it turn up a prize, I have very little doubt of the retina of my Yorkshire lover, aid them, It. Editor, who knows ? I remain your's, Ike. PAitt%CL. Gll/221.i. The followiog account of Cie toms of tlAt Sepals ship of war on the Jersey and Cum.'', etatano, ie given in The Jersey Gazette of the 22i December, wide a copy of which we have been favoured : "The violent gales which have prevailed for the • last few days, obliged His Majeste s ship Scorer tO part anchor the day before yesterday, and in spite .i of every possible exertior she ran ashore at Granville i in less than two, hours. We are happy to state, that• 1 ; notwithsteuding this distress': g marettmsteece no . 1 lives were lost ; and that the firm and courageous . e l conalua of the Offizems and whole of the crew 7t deserves the highest praise. The activity of the ~ Duke De Bat:HAl:no seconded by the zeal '' and example of his k:xeeketacy Gener.,l Goa- h Dot (who in similar circumstances on a former occasion particularly distiagui.lied himself ), was r i worthy of public ettenjon. According to their cr. der., the crew received every peubte degree of " attention, and were provided with hind and all ne cessaries ' • requisite to their situation. if the weather should moderate, some hopes may be entertained of getting off the vessel ; but the contrary is much to be dreaded." The Utrecht, some days since, was paid six months wages, when she anchored to the Eastward clear of all the ships at the More, waiting a fair wind to resume her station as guard skip in the Downs, on the 22d got under weigh, and proceeded into Sheerneis Harbour, Imports and Exports at the Port of Leith, from the 17th to the 20th of December : istroars.—F,ons Tonningen ; raw hn-a yarn, 114 cwt ; .malt:, 1,064 lb ; cue and hides in the 100; beefy 1 I cwt ; butter, cwt. ; rnttau goods, "vac baa ; cal( skin; WI. dreased,Se &men. From Peteriburgh ; eurdagc, 31 cwt. mast, one; spar, onr; mull one. Earners—Ts Jamaica; great coals, 84 tons; bar iron. 5 to PI, 19 o•t. 291 b.; white iterritlo, 1,010 barrels ; pave neat Cones, tO tons. T., Gtbraltzt and Mau ; lugwood, 6 taus; beer in bottles, 538 gallants; empty quart bot^l Cud grove. We formerly noticed, that the Afar, 44n:, of Dundee, Wyllie, MOM. was run down And Ina Oir Cromer, by a Shields eullier, the crew of which, after cutting their vessel clear, inhumanly deserted her, leaving the crew of tile Mary Arent • in the utmost danger. We have now the pleasure t , announce, that ample damages have been ;iv/aided * azainst the owners of the Shields vessel, which it: the more gratifying, As the infamous praetice of run• sung down vessels has too often escaped with im punity.—( Ed:now/wit Couran(.) PErTIwARD, of Putney, dyrriteitt:d Christmas Day her usual bounty 3 5,):!, of ripe beef and plum pudding, to all the labouring pat,: inithat village and its vicinity Every lhobr man WAS regaled with a pot, and every woman with t pint, of string ale. The Officers belonging to Shadvrell Office, paid I, domiciliary visits to several suspeeted houses in the distria of the office, which conceal des,:tters both from the army and navy, and picked up a number of useful hands, within these few days: comb were seat to the Savoy, and others on board the tender. A man was committed yesterday for trial, from the above office, on a charge of stealing came fowls. valne 51. the property of a man in Old Gravel-lane. • IL was traced by means of a pocket-book, contain ing pawn-brokers' duplicates, which he dropped is the hen-roost! As two philosophic gentlemen. belonging to a club at the West-end of the town, were talking v •re learnedly, the other evening, about the nregnefie ~etelle and toe centre. of gravity, a Ltltlllr'llTOU'l 111 li•se not a little dis:omp te d th e m by askin g , .• he magnetic needle pointed due North, And isth lay the centre of gravity r A silence en•ur , / Now," added the member, " I know a major needle in the British Metropolis that points d East, and to a centre of gravity too." " Ay, ay, IP !. replied one of the Philosophers sarcastically, •• y centre of gravity lies in Ler*,l-Hall Street." !* N , no," cried his assailant, a but in a strvet where they* is a golde n ,nioatt4lnall.etr,i;:asnllteaetdnadeC.poJenprvilrai:Tl Hfibal.eriltie:•••••thots,Ate:reotr,Feoi, g t 7a e vi s ry, Pouwos Sterling! The glorious Loy ran v , ru short, which now proves so universally attiaclire. and so weighty in Capital Prizes I" Awass.._