The Sun. — London, England, 1825-01-19 00:00:00

A DEFENCE of the PROTESTANT CHURCH from the ATTACK of the MODERN HISTORIAN of the REFORMATION, W. COBBETT. Ma. EDITOR—As I have long known The Sun to be the Church Paper, which is willing to rally as many advocates as it can round the good old standard, I make no apology for sending some thoughts that have arisen from the numbers of this modern History of ,the Reformation which have just fallen into my hands. It is a work likely to attract, not only from the novelty of its subject, but also from the character of the Historian, who once declared himself a Protestant of the Established Church yetnow protests against Pro testantism ; who was once our renovator general, yet now is struck blind with a veneration for an tiquity ; and once a Radical Reformer, yet now seems horrified at the very idea of the Refor mation. Not to dwell, however, upon the Historian who is here -to be put into the scale with the most --splendid for their talents and integrity who have been the patrons of that Reformation ever since it began ; and as it is our own disposition, and accords with the spirit of the times, to weigh ar .guments and not authorities, we will just look into the History itself, that we may be able to .tell whether there is any such reason for believ ing that this Historian is right, while all other ,Protestants are wrong; and by what address or ingenuity he can all at once so fascinate the minds of the people as to bring them back again into -what. they have _been. brought up from their in • fancy to consider the abominations of Popery. The outset of. this History breathes by no means the spirit lu which all History should be ritten, but such, perhaps,.as is more likely to .attract the people to whous he chiefly addresses :himself, than abstract reasoning for which they ,have but little taste. He sets out•with person ality; and upon whom doesilefix for its object? •The man of all men the most likely to call forth the irony of an adversary to the good cause which be takes every opportunity to support. Mr. , Joshua Watson, it seems, is appointed " Trea surer to receive the sums collected in the several parishs‘s by an order from the Bishops ;" and this -same Mr. Watson is declared to be " the head -.man of a Society for promoting Christian Know -. ledge, and he is, or lately was, a Wine and Spirit dealer in Mincing-lane.'' He is, therefore, sup posed unfit to be the Treasurer of an " educa tion concern," though he has nothing to do with the education itself, and has - only to keep the _purse ; for which duty, as a merchant too of the most unexceptionable integrity, he might have 'beets presumed to be the most competent. He is declared to be also, in the same spirit of irony, -tbs. " Head man of that Society," but with what authority, remains to be proved. If we look to _facts, we find upon inquiry that this very disinte rested layman,amoug the rest of the good deeds by :which he exposes himself to calumny, some little while ago purchased a chapel out of the hands of the Evangelicals, and having laid out another _Atm of money to repair and improve it, made a ,handsome present of it to the Church ; thus ac t•ozninodating, at his own expellee, a great num ,ber of the Establishment in a very populous -parish, in which the Minister who performed it 'has so recommended himself by his zeal in the service, as to he appointed one of the Bishops stately made to fulfil the most arduous duties. This honourable layman presumes not however ao be the " Head man of the Christian Society," -or to be the " teacher of religion to the people." Like every good and honest man, who has the comforts of the people at heart, and reckons 'among their chief comforts a religious education, ftuditog a Society already formed to his hand for 'that laudable purpose, he naturally comes for s-ard to assist it with all of his time and purse he can afford, without affecting any pre-eminence, to which his own Christian httinility would for bid him to aspire, and which his own good sense ..would inform hiir. he would never be able to attain in a Society so coestituted of the highest dignitaries of the Church and State. This we veature to assert, upon the strength of Mr. Wat soe's general character ; and we cannot hut con gratulate the country that there are such good feristians among its laity, who, having reared - a fortune far exceeding their own wants, are ready to minister to the wants of others s from their superfluity ; merchants, the rich and honourable of the land, rich in good - works, and honourable in humility, emulating one another not in vain distinctions, but in the labour of love, and not to be deterred from this their generous pursuit in the several charitable societies, which adorn while they support the country, either as Treasurers or in some other t:haracter, however subordinate, in which they can do good. In whatever trade or profession they may have been bred, how low soever its degree or mercenary its nature, their motive is excellent, and their example most salutary to the people among whom they are eager to spread their good principles, which, in the midst of all their attention to this world, they have been able :Jo cherish in their own minds, to prepare them selves for the next. Such Christians are not surprised at any irony —or ridicule which is attempted to be cast upon them by the malignant jealousy of men who have sprung from the same Plebeian order, but breathe not the sameingenuous and truly Patrician spirit ; and they are proud to share the censure passed by such men so naturally Upon the Society for Propagating a-ny thing so useful as religion among the people, and upon the Bishop of Winchester 'for calling that " Society the correct expounders of Evangelical Truth, and firm support of the Established Church." All this they take for • granted from their own observation and expe rience, just as all good Protestants take for iranted the blessings of the Reformation, and reqUire something more than mere personality but demonstration itself to shake their firm con viction. • - A PROTESTANT. ON THE RECOGNITION OF TrIE INDEPENDENCE OF SOUTH AMERICA. ( From the Journal des Debats of Sunday lost.) PARIS, Jaw. 15. A great cry of alarm has been raised iri consequence of the recognition of the Spanish American States. It is pretended that. we may perceive ip this Measure a triumph of revolutionary principles ; that it is a signal for disclaiming the principle of legitimacy, and that it gives encouragement to all Colonies to revolt. However, the question of the Independence of the new States of America has been often and so fully treated in this Journal, that, in order to bring it back to its seal point of view, we need only recapitulate our previous ar guments on the subject. It is the interest of civilization and true liberty to support everywhere the legitimate autho rity against all usurpations effected by violence and disor der. Society will never be able to advance towards a state of peace and solidity, while the people are misled by the idea that revolt is the only road to liberty. But the legi timate power ought to fulfil the purposes for which it is designed without delay ; that is ft condition annexed to all authority ; so that if the religion, the institutions, the se curity of the territory, the preservation of the existence of the country as a nation, can no longer be reconciled with the extreme weakness, or the remote distance of the seat of the legitimate authority, then these revolutions seem td come as the will of Heaven—" rine vent l'ordrc celeste." Then the sceptre is transferred from the 'house of Saul to the house of David, for society must subsist; that alone is clothed in the character of absolute legitimacy; that alone is necessary to the world, and which emanates from God alone. In applying these principles to Spanish America, it is not necessary for us at present to inquire whether Spain has go verned it well or ill.a question obscured first, by the calumnies of a false philosophy, but certainly an idle question, since the Ame ricans were contented with their situation ; they had not revolt ed for ages, and their actual separation from their mother coun try was not the effect of an insurrection directed against the legitimate King. It was the destruction of the throne of the Bourbons of Spain—it was the prolonged captivity of the legi timate Monarch—it was the total dissolution of the Spanish monarchy, which in 1810 compelled all the men of influence among the Spaniards of AMerica to embrace a society separated from its legitimate Chief. It was even in the name of Ferdi nand VII., and conformably to his order addressed to the Council of Castile, that the first American Juntas proclaimed their independence of every Government residing in Europe, at the same time that they invoked, with their most ardent wishes, the presence either of Ferdinand or of one of his brothers. The separation of the Americas was directed not against legitimacy, but against the usurpation of Joseph ; years passed over, public opinion became divided, the com mercial interest in some of the cities was anxious for . an organization similar to that of the Hanseatic towns ; the proprietors of the soil and the Catholic Clergy re jected all republican ideas ; and the principal States, even whilst adopting the external forms of a republic, pre served their old civil and religious institutions, which, as well as the manners and social existence of these people are incom patible with the ideas of political and religious indifference.-- But Ferdinand was restored to the throne °fills ancestors. Why did not the Americans throw themselves immediately at the feet of their legitimate King ? They have done so, at least a great portion of them, but they have done it as free, as enlightened nations, who understand the principle of legitimacy in its true sense, as a principle of society, not as the mysterious expression Of an absolute hereditary power. They have said to King Ferdinand, " We are, we wish to remain, Spaniards; we at tach ourselves once more to your throne, distant as it is, but we require that you guarantee to us the improvements of our in stitutions, of which we have tasted the beneficial results. We ask for local representation and a certain liberty of commerce. These conditions, just, wise, and in all respects calculated to support the true interests of legitimacy, were repelled with all the arrogance of incapacity. The avaricious Camarilla grasped at absolete power; that it might partake of the plunder of the Americas, it transported to the new Continent armies adequate to conquer, but who could not retain their conquests. America, ravaged, exasperated, became more and more alienated from the mother country. There were, moreover, some loyal and generous propositions which failed to effect a reconciliation between the countries. There was proposed in the second Ses sion of the Cortes at Madrid a plan of union, which had for its foundation a representative system, local as well as general, under the supreme authority of the King, who was to take the title of Emperor of the confederation of Spain and the Americas, the latter having for Viceroys the Princes of the Blood. At a later period, Mexico, the most important portion of Spanish America, declared itself ready to acknowlege either the King himself or one of his brothers, provided he establish ed his residence in the country. The most considerable per sons at Buenos Ayres, at Guetimala, at Lima, repeatedly ex pressed their anxiety to see a Bourbon at their head. All these loyal propositions, all these views of sound policy, were sacri ficed to the chimera of an absolute legitimacy, as if there could be a. - y thing absolute upon the earth—as if there was any right which was not subject to conditions—as if reason could ever approve or a principle being acted on which was in direct oppo sition to all moral and physical possibility. Such has been the conduct of Spain to the Americas. Now what has been the policy of France and England, the only two great powers who, having a considerable navy, could have interfered in an efficient manner —let us consider what have been the antics and the interests of these two Powers ? The Treaty of Chaumont, which was the basis of the alliance Of the five great Powers, imposes upon England the duty of repressing every attempt at renewing those troubles, spring ing from the anarchical principles of the French Revolu tion. NVe have seen that the independence of Spanish America is not founded upon revolutionary spirit, but, the contrary, it was first provoked by a legitimate resistance to usurpation, and afterwards continued by the refusal of the an cient authority to give any guarantee to those people, whom an event, independent of their inclinations, had placed under . new inetirutions. England represented to the Cabinet of Ma drid the necessity and the utility of treating with nations not actually in a state of rebellion. Spain refused this wise coun sel. England then declared herself neutral ; she denied to both the belligerent parties the power of recruiting or making hostile pteparations upon British soil. This was an injurious denial to the Americans ; she renewed her offers of mediation ; they were once more refused. She announced that she would wait some months, to give Spain time to arrange her affliirs. She has wait ed a year ; her duties to Europe are fulfilled ; but England has also duties to perform towards the Americas, which, with the consent of the Royalist Regency of Spain, she sup ported in 1810 against the effbrts of the partisans of Jost ph. She has also duties towards her own subjects, to whom at the period above mentioned she gave encouragement to furnish arms and ammunition to all Spanish subjects who had risen against the Usurper. The consequence of these connexions has been the employment of a great amount of English capital in American commerce. England has fulfilled this double duty in regulating, by commercial treaties, her existing relations with America, and she cannot conclude a treaty with a State without acknowledging the fact of its independent existence. The interest of England, as a - free, industrious, and commercial nation, he comprised in these words, liberty, civil, religious, and commercial, throughout the entire world. Let us now consider what have been the duties and interests of France. As a Member of two great European Alliances, it owed all its efforts and all its counsels to the re-establishment and consolidation of general order. As a Constitutional Monarchy it ought, in justice to itself, to have assisted in effecting a state of peace be tween the rights of thrones and the rights of the people. It owed to the glory of its ancient dynasty the maintaining the Bourbons upon the greatest possible number of thrones; it owed, in short, to the prosperity of the French nation the in crease of our channels for exporting the products of our manu factures, and the extension of our commercial activity. In enumerating its duties, we have enumerated its interests. No thing was more easy than to have performed the one, and to have secured the other. France, too wise not to have judged it impossible to regain America by arms, ought to have essentially applied to the pre serving of that which could have been so easily preserved in the American Colonies—the Monarchical Government, and the Dynasty of the Bourbons. We speak not of the Ca tholic Church, which in that country defends itself, and go verns, even now, all the other moral powers. It was by instantly enlightening the Cabinet at Madrid, and in case of failing to do that, by supporting the plans of the American landed Aristocracy, and of the Catholic Clergy, for creating at Mexico, Lima, and Buenos Ayres, three new throne,, upon which there should he placed as many branches of the House of Bourbon. There would then have resulted a system of Bourbon Monarchies, embracing the finest part of the two hemispheres, a system of which France would have been the centre, as much by her naval power as by the influence of her civilization. There have been moments, when, with a little firm ness and a little address, it would have been easier anti less expen sive to have executed this project than to have gone to Cadiz. England would have had no means of opposing the wishes.of the Spanish people of America ; neither would she have any in terest in doing it, for good sense would have dictated to these new monarchs the maxim of commercial liberty. The example of such an emancipation would have given no advantage to revolu tionary principles, even though there were left sonic free cities in the vast whole. It would have extinguished those liabilities to political strife which the forced and unnatural situation of some of these republics still presents. They would he combated by manners, customs, and religion. This emancipation would have presented an event as fortunate for legitimate thrones as for civilized people. France has done nothing either to fulfil its duties or to assure its interests. Whose is the fault? As suredly it is not that of France. In lieu of all answer, the 111 i, nisters tell us—Can we believe that England, a Power with co lonies, can ever think of acknowledging the independence of the Spanish colonies, so as to provoke a revolt of her own ? and no doubt you may, you ought to believe it. The view which appears to have inspired us with such a fatal sloth, is founded upon our ignorance of the English colonial system. India is an empire held by military occupation, where there are 100,000 English and foreigners in the service of the Company. Canada is a free country governed by its Parliament. Jamaica has its two Chambers ; everywhere, except, perhaps, at the Cape, English policy has calculated upon the institutions and even the illusions which gratify the moral wants of the inhabitants of these distant possessions. How then can these colonies be compared with the Spanish Americas ? The latter are real nations, which cannot be governed as colonies ; their emancipa tion, therefore, will not have the least influence upon the inha bitants of the English colonies. JAMAICA. We insert an axtract from the Postscript of the Jamaica _Royal Gazette, which will be pe rused with interest by every individual who is anxious for the moral and religious amelioration of our Colonies. The House of • Assembly, it will be found, are taking measures for the effec tual support of the Church Establishment, and for the improvement of their prisons and work houses, with the view to the reformation of crimi nals. In these good works they require no actual contribution from the Mother Country, but aid in the shape of loan, and we sincerely hope that means may be devised for effecting such desirable objects. [Extract from the Postscript to the Royal Jamaica Gazette dated Dec. 4, 1824.] Mr. STEWART rose to submit a bill to ap point Commissioners to contract for a Loan or Loans of Money in England, on behalf of the credit of the island. Before lie would offer the bill, he should request the indulgence of the House in giving his reasons for submitting this measure to their consideration. The island had for several years been afflicted with a series of severe dry weather, and our staple commodities had, at the same time, been depreciated in price to a degree not to reward the cultivator or manufacturer. Under these circum stances of distress and hardship, it was difficult to discover means to assist the Colony, or to supply resources at this alarm ing crisis. Several objects had occurred to him of vast import ance, which should be upheld, and others to be placed on a new establishment. When we considered that in Kingston alone there was a population of 30,000 people, and that there was only one Church of the Established Religion, quite insufficient for such a population, and - from want of necessary accommoda tion many persons were induced to go to other places of wor ship, it was obvious this should be remedied. Here then was a great want. It was for these reasons he thought that part of the projected L'an should be applied for the increase of Churches. He believed that the want of sufficient accommo dation in the Established Church • induced persons to fre quent other places of worship, and which had occasioned the very great increase of Methodism. He was not intolerant, for Homo sum, nihil humanum a me alienum puto ; he conceived Church and State ought to go together ; he was therefore for increasing the Episcopal Churches; and, if the measure he proposed should take effect, a great part of the money so raised should be applied to the erection of Churches and Chapels. The House of Commons had lately voted one million of money for an increase of fifty Churches, and he thought that House should follow so laudable an example. Another object he had in view was the improvement of our gaols.—Any Gentleman visiting Kingston might soon inform himself of the state of the gaol in that city, which was inade quate to all its purposes, and in a wretched condition. It was some years since he had visited it to report its condition, which was on their Journals, stating its scite to be an improper one, as it ought to be some distance from the city. The gaol of Spanish-Town was in such a shocking state as to be it shame to the country, and was a dungeon not fit for the reception of prisoners, who, though unfortunate in trade, should not on that account he treated with vengeance. It never was intended that their walls should be so confined as to deprive the prisoners of the common air, rendering the prison so extremely hot as to preclude them from taking necessary exercise; their families might wish to visit them, which, in the present horrid condition of the prisons, they were obliged, in many instances, to refrain from. These objects might be provided for with part of the proposed loans. Another object which would require a portion of this money he should also notice. It was well known that we had no means of transporting criminals—the places to which they formerly were sent now refuse to receive them—many were consequently concealed in different parts of the island at this moment, and were a very dangerous description of persons. He should therefore propose, that the Workhouses in the coun try should be established on a larger scale, so as to give public employment to such criminals in the island.—The House, he thought, should adopt evary means in its power which would conduce to the welfare of the island ; and in times so extremely dangerous, he conceived it would be wise policy to improve and strengthen the ; and measures should he taken to in duce emigration either from England, Scotland, or Ireland, in families, to be settled in the interior of the island, and thus lay the foundation for an increasing white population. The in terior of the country was not settled, and the immense woods and fastnesses were receptacles for hordes of Runnaways, in the highest degree dangerous to the safety of the country. Another object which would require great attention from the House was the improvement of the public roads. The Hon. Member concluded by presenting his bill, which was read a first time, and then ordered a second reading. DARTMOUTH HARBOUR. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin—l have been requested by many of the inhabitants of this town to address you on the subject of a Re port, stated in your Paper of the 17th of December last, to have been made by a Captain Nichols respecting the harbour at Beer, in which he is made to say, " that such a harbour is " much wanted, as at present Mere is no place of shelter along " the u/wEe coast, from Portland to the Start, and vessels em " bayed between these points in strong South-easterly gales are " exposed to hazard." My friends are satisfied that there must have been some great mistake in the copy of this Report, as it must he known to every man of the high nautical character which Capt. Nichols is reported to possess, that there cannot he a finer harbour than this from which I now address you; that there is not any situa tion in which a vessel, whilst passing between Portland and the Start Point, if caught -with the wind at S.E., from whence she could not run into this harbour. Through the whole of its entrance she will have from eight to twelve fathoms of water, and may moor in the strongest holdirp , ground, completely landlocked, in water from four to nine' fathoms deep at low water, spring tides. Dessiou in his chart describes it as being " about N:N.E. three leagues from the Start Point, and two " leagues to the Westward of the Berry-head ; that the wind " from S.W. to E. blows true in, and from N.W. to N.E. " true out ; and that the tide rises eighteen feet on the spring " tides." As Reports, such as that to which I have alluded, are pecu liarly prejudicial to those who .re connected with shipping, you will do but an act of justice in correcting the statement to which I have called your attention. , I am, Sir, your most obedient, A. H. lIOLDSWORTIL Dartmouth, Jan. 14. Mayor of Dartmouth. *,,,* It is proper to inform the respectable Author of the foregoing Letter that the Article in question was derived from one of the Public Journals. A Court-Martial has been held at Chatham on Mr. FL S. MANN, Purser of the Perseus receiving ship for volunteers off the Tower, on charges brought against him by Captain Couch, which has sentenced him to be dismissed from his Ma jesty's service. At Little Chart, two dogs belonging to Mr. GonnEN, hunted ten sheep belonging to Mr. CBEESEMAN, of that place, and the like number of Mr. GOIMEN'S. The dogs killed several, and it is feared that the remainder must be killed. • INDIA. Calcutta Papers, by the Atlas, CLARE, from Bengal, have been received, which, although of less recent date than those already noticed, are not destitute of interest ing intelligence. The Atlas sailed from Bengal on the sth of July, but remained at the Mauritius to the 7th of October, and left St. Helena on the 2d December. The capture of Che duba was known in this country nearly two months since ; but the following extracts from the Calcutta John Bull contain more detailed particulars of that affair : We have the pleasure of announcing the arrival of the Hon. Company's yacht Nercide, from Cheduba, the 24th ult., bring ing intelligence of the capture of that place, after a struggle of four days. The Rajah of Cheduba and his family are brought here in the Nereide. The Nereida experienced rather bad weather in her progress up the Bay, having had constant rain for six days, with heavy squalls, wind chiefly at S. W. by W. to W.S.W. The family of the Rajah of Cheduba consists of his wife,- and seven fol lowers, servants, male and female. The Hon. Company's fri gate Hastings had not arrived at Cheduha ; his Majesty's ship Naney and Francis Warden transport were there. We under stand that several European soldiers and sepoys have been killed in the capture—but no officers. The only artillery with the detachment was that landed from his Majesty's ship Stoney. The want of it was rather felt in the delay it occasioned in the capture. The climate of the island is described as pleasant and healthy. Since writing the above the following has been communi cated to us : The troops on board the Hon. Company's ship Ernard, and transports Anna Robertson and Francis Wardell, arrived under convoy of his Majesty's ship Slane'', on the 20th of May. The following clay arrangements were made for landing, which was effected after a most determined resietande by the - Burmese.— From a deficiency in the number of boats, only 309 men, Eu ropeans and natives, could be disembarked at once ; they proved however, it appears, more than enough for the enemy, who consisted of about 500, and were posted behind a breast-work. lined with jingals, and having an entrenchment behind it, ex- , tending along the whole of the shore where a landing could be possibly effected. They allowed the boats to pass the left of their position in perfect silence ; they then at once opened a fire, which was re turned both by musketry and great guns. This continued for about a quarter of an hour, when the fire from row-boat. No. 22, did such execution, and so astonished them, that they fled in all directions to their stockade. The Brigadier, it is said, rather than risk the loss of many valuable lives, which would have fallen a sacrifice to a hasty attack, allowed them to remain till the evening of the 17th, when having battered the gate with shot and shells sufficiently to make an entrance for the troops, the storming party pushed on, headed by seamen, with ropes to pull down the frame-work. The stockade was thus stormed and carried, without any loss on our side. The enemy lost, by the shot and shells which pre ceded the assault, between three and four hundred killed and wounded, but none (luring the storm, except their Commander in -Chief, who is described as a brave little fellow. The Rajah made his escape, leaving his wife in the fort, but he was taken three days after in a neighbouring village. They are said to be natural curiosities. Th e island is described as one of the most beautiful spots in India, and capable of being male a most valuable acquisition. Rice is so abundant, that although the natives had lately been drained by the rapacity of the Burmese, our Seapoys buy it at 60 seers for a rupee; and when the crop now on the ground is reaped, it will be at 90 seers. Cattle of every description is abundant, and procurable for three or four rupees each. Fish are plentiful and delicious ; and poultry, with the exception of ducks and geese, equally so. Indigo thrives, we are told, better than in Bengal ; and is made in ked geree pots from want of better means. We have heard nothing farther from Rangoon, except that the crew of his Majesty's ship Li f fey had been rather sickly ; and the Commodore himself had been among the sufferers. By the Longa, WEST, from Bombay, papers have arrived from the Presidency, to the 4th of September in clusive. The Lonacli sailed from Bombay on the 7th of Sep tember, and from the Mauritius on the 16th of October. We extract the following particulars of the evacuation of Ramoo by the Burmese, from The Bombay Courier of the 4th of Sep tember : _ _ _ CALCUTTA GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, AUG. 16, 1824. RASIOO. The following particulars respecting the stockades at Ramoo have been received from a party from the Vestal cruinr, who visited it on the 10th inst.. _ _ The stockades, three in number, are very strongly built, and about one mile square; in the centre is a rough mound, erected as a place of look out, and for the Burmese officers to retire to, as they have not spared any trouble to make themselves comfort able. There are sufficient barracks in each stackade for the ac-- commodation of 10,000 men ; but from'the horrid stench inside, it would be impossible for our troops to remain there during the rains. The houses are perfectly dry, and very well built. They could not have had less than 20,000 men to have built the three stockades and houses in so short a time. They appear to have gone away in a great hurry, leaving their shoes behind them, and a great quantity of rice and paddy. A golden chatta also was found by one of the party, and is now in his possession. An account of the retreat of the Burmese has been obtained from a mug, who was a prisoner in their camp, and contrived to make his escape in the neighbourhood of Tex Naaf. He states that the Rajah of Arracan, and two sirdars from Ava, evacuated their respective stockades, and proceeded, without halting, by Rutna 1 tinting, to the sea-beach as far as Burdel, near Tck Neat. The mug, although in fetters, and with a collar of iron round his neck, contrived to get away while the Burmese were asleep. He heard them say that their retreat was in conse quence of an order from the King, the English having taken Rangoon, and attacked other parts of the country. Yesterday accounts were received from Chittagong of the evacuation of Ramoo by the Burmese. This information is founded on the deposition and letter of two native from that quarter.' One of them, with 17 others in company, on reaching the Bucklialee river on July 27, met with a mug woman, who on being asked why there were no Burmese about the place, re plied that they had all fled from Ramoo. The party crossed in a boat and went into the fort, where they found the fires burning, the food ready dressed, but not a single man. They entered several houses, which were all deserted. Two of the party went to the Southward towards Rutna Pulling, to look after some of the Mussulman Ryots, but they saw no one. They then went to the eastward, and on returning, reported that the Burmese must have retired by the road over the Sonacharry or Mugla tung hill. There were many broken dhows and digging tools scattered about the forts, but no other weapons. These parti culars arc corroborated by others who had also visited the stoc kade at Ramoo. The most probable cause of the evacuation of Ramoo'hy the Burmese, is the alarm excited at the Court of Ava by the failure of the grand attempt to drive our army into the sea at Rangoon on the Ist of July, and the tremendous overthrow which the Burmese troops received on the Bth. On the receipt of these accounts, nothing is more likely than that an immediate order for the recal of the Burmese force from Ramoo and Aracan would be issued, for the purpose of their proceeding to the as sistance of the armies opposed to us at Rangoo. We know that the „Burmese at Rangoon were badly armed, and that the Ramoo force was most efficient in that respect. By our last letters from the Sylhot frontier, dated the 31st ult. (July), we learn that in consequence of the position which Colonel Innes had occupied at Juttrapore proving to be very unhealthy, the force under his command had dropped down the river, and taken up quarters for the remainder of the wet sea son in some elevated and more healthy situations in the vicinity Of Budderpoor. The first division of gun . -boats, under the command of Mr. Kepner, had joined the Colonel's force. The enemy, it appears, had not of late ventured to leave their hills and fastnesses on marauding excursions, as they had formerly been in the habit of doing. Our troops are represented to he in the best possible spirits, and to complain of no privation ex cept that of being kept from the enemy by the constant heavy rains, and the inundated state of the country.. Our accounts from Chittagong extend down to the 3d inst. (August). Nothing particular had occurred in that quarter lately. ( Front the Bengal litsrkaru, August 10.) issr anti t followers; o skilful the s,k w he ei d ur i a refs Letters from Bhopalpore, dated the 25 th ult. (July), make mention of a brilliant little affair which took place on th e pre ceding day, between a detachment under the command of Capt. Dewall, of the 60 te ts praise killed,asiu sbeii,s a ßegiment grt,oivgaee n o t hhe to Capt. f a N vr a l wd ti ai v tr e h , Infantry,. DatinOetwi a ofaili x h e rents of Koonur Chyn Sing, the Ex-Chief of Nursinghur.— w S T V o h h t i e l l n e de Ex nd-.Chief r s e i w c a l a manner in which he conducted this affair. THE LATE EARTHQUAKE IN PERSIA. • ( From the Bombay Gazette of Sept. 8.) We are indebted to a correspondent in Persia, who was an eye-witness, for the following account of the dreadful earth quake that has devastated so much of what is interesting in that ill-fated c,ountr3. JEHAN NUMAH NEAR SHIRAZ, JUNE 25,.1824. This morning, about half-past five A.M. I was disturbed out of a sound sleep by the violent commotion of an earth quake, of much greater, force than the one I sent you an account of from KhonaAueta on the 2d instant. Illy first object was to move out of the house, but to accomplish it was difficult and dangerous, owing to the number of large bricks, pieces of - wood, and mortar, falling from the roof all round the outside of the house, and a few stones and cha nam from the ceiling inside that had been previously in jured. Having happily effected my escape without injury to myself or servants, I walked out of the' garden to see what damage Shiraz had suffered : the first sad effect that I ob served was the complete destruction of the Shaw Meez Ally Ebna Hoonza, a beautiful mosque about 400 yards in frOnt of this garden, and perhaps the same distance from Shiraz; its finely ornamented cupula had fallen in, and the body of the building was rent in every part; Shiraz itself was enveloped in dust, nor could I for many minutes see any thing else, but this sad sight was enough to show that it had suffered severely. As the dust cleared away, it was truly awful and distressing to see the ruins of the fine stately mosques and minarets, a few mi nutes before the chief ornaments of the town, but now a shape less mass, and each succeding minute, as it vanished, some fresh object presented its shattered form. he eastern side of the wall that surrounded the town, and the only face discernible from hence, has fallen in, and most of the towers were laid level with the ground, and the remainder much injured. But melancholy and distressing as what I have attempted to describe may he, what is it compared to the sufferings of the unfortunate inhabi tants ? The cries and lamentations of thousands, bewailing the loss of relations, friends, and every thing dear, resounded in the air, and were enough to soften the hardest heart: you may then easily conceive what my feelings were, indeed are at this mo ment, hearing dismal cries and mournful lamentations in every quarter. To get any thing like an accurate account of the suf ferers will take some days. Since the first great shock, and be ' tween that time and ten o'clock, there has been three shocks, though smart, nothing compared to the first. I have pitched my tent in the garden, and intend occupying ;_ the compara tive degree of safety will more than have for the corn forts of the house. The inhabitants have quitted the town, and are living in tents -routies, and under cumlies outside. Ally Aebor (our Agent), poor fellow, and his whole family, are living with me; his house is completely destroyed ; and Zak-2e Khan's (the Minister) quite in ruins; the Prince's state room ti c stroyed, and every part °file palace has been much injured; to he short, I believe nor a house has escaped without . some injury, and most of them in ruins ; the fine Bazaar is still standing; but . much shaken and injured. The exact number of those who have perished in the ruins I cannot ascertain. Merza Ally . Aebor assures me that 2,000 - is under the number, but receive this as mere conjecture ald report only; I should. think half the number nearer the mark. THE ARMY. The 31st ( Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot, which marched from Gosport on the 13th inst., will arrive at Chatham on Friday next, for the purpose of embarking at Gravesend for Bengal. A Company belonging to the Royal Artillery from Woolwich, arived at Dublin on Thursday, and marched to Island Bridge Barracks. A further reinforcement of this corps was daily ex pected from Liverpool. ( Flom Last Night's GAZETTE.) Office of Ordnance, Jan. 17, 1825. Royal Regiment of Artillery—Second Captain Wm.. Kin gdom Rains, from half-pay, to he Second Captain, vice Atchi son dismissed the Service ; First Lieutenant Wm. Swabv, to be Second Captain ; First Lieutenant Wilkinson Lester K:aye, from half-pay, to be First Lieutenant, vice Swabey ; Second Lieutenant George Mark Glasgow to be First Lieutenant; Gentleman Cadet George Rogers to be Second Lieutenant, vice Glasgow.. _ _ . First Lieutenant Robert Atkins Rogers, from helf-pay, to be First Lieutenant, vice Dawson, dismissed the service ; Se cold Lieutenant Thomas Martin Mottley, to be First Lieute nant; Gentleman Cadet James Turner, to be Second Lieute nant, vice Mottley. Second Captain Henry Scott to be Captain, vice Pierce, de.. ceased; Second Captain Irwine Whitty, from half-pay, to be Second Captain. First Lieutenant Robert Andrews to be Second Captain, vice , Whitty. First Lieutenant Thomas Congreve Robe, from half-pay, to be First Lieutenant; Second Lieutenant Richard Basset to be First Lieutenant ; Gentleman Cadet Richard D. French to be Second Lieutenant. • First Lieutenant John Dyson, from half-pay, to be First Lieutenant, vice Onslow, retired on half-pay. First Lieutenant Anthony Runnacles, from half-pay, to be First Lieutenant, vice Weatherall, deceased ; second Lieu tenant William Wallace Darley to be First Lieutenant; Gen tleman Cadet Ashton Ashton Shuttleworth, to be Second Lieu tenant, vice Darley. • Commission in the - Royal Cheshire Regiment of Militia. George Cornwall Legh, Esq. to be Captain. BAUrICTItADIC Comparative Returns of the Number of Shipping which passed through the Sound to and from the Baltic during the Years 1823 and 1824 : 1823. 1824. Number. Increase. Decrease. British - 3016 - 3540 - 524 Hanoverian - 316 . 358 - 42 : Danish - 637 - 756 - 119 Swedish - 1133 - 1302 - 169 - - Norwegian - 946 - 715 - - - 231 Prussian - - 1535 - 2081 - 546 - Russian - - 306 - 369 - 63 - - Dutch . 461 - 399 - 62 French - - 32 - 51 - 19 -•— Mecklenburg - 496 - 557 - 61 Hamburg - 23 - 29 - 6 Bremen - 41 - 33 8 Lubeck - - 59 - 115 - 56 . Oldenburg - 42 - 30 - - 12 American - 158 - 177 - 19 - - Portuguese - 2 - 6 - 4 - 0203 10,518 1317 Copy of a Letter received yesterday from Sir DANIFL BAY' LEY, addressed to SAMUEL THORNTON, Esq. Chairman of the Russia Company, dated " St. Petersburg, Dec.l6-23, Mt. " Srn—ln my dispatch, No. 41, I took occasion to mention that I had good rounds for supposing that the New Edi tion of and alterations in the Tariff would be postponed for the present. " It has sirce been deemed expedient to publish a Supple ment to the Tariff now in force, but in which I find nothing particularly interesting to the commerce of Great Britain with the country. " The duties on manufactured silks are augmented from 33 roubles silver per pound to 4 roubles. The colours of cloths prohibited are rather more clearly and particularly defined- Linens of several kinds--that is to say, ravenducks, fierns, and sail.cloths, and dressed hides, are to be exported duty free. —These appear for the present to be the only articles worth 4oticing to you. I shall, however, take the earliest opportunity in my power to transmit to you a translation of the whole Sup plement, and of the Ukase which accompanies it. " The weather has been most uncommonly tempestuous and changeable, and we have had several alarms of high water within the last ten days, but, thank God, without any mis chief being done. There are reports in town of great damage having been sustained at the town and port of Liebau, but I am as yet without any official accounts. " I have the honour to he, &c • " DANIEL BAYLEY. " To Samuel Thornton, Esq." _ ATTEMPT AT MURDEIt.-011 Saturcb c v(.11- ing last, about eight o'clock, as Mr. Jennings, of Ne• ,, •1* Stowey, was returning homewards from Taunton-market,l‘l:e about 100 yards clown the lane from Buncombe-hill, he I a rustling in the hedge on his right hand, and presently a whisper, and as he came opposite the spot, a pistol .shot Wai fired across before him ; he heard the ball plainly whiz past him. Thinking it might be the act of poachers, he cried out, " Hallo ! you'll shoot people passing the road," and thought no more of it; hut when he came to the entrance of Hawkeridge common he saw two men standing on the left side of the road, and as he came opposite them, one fired another pistol at him, the ball of which passed so close that he thought it struck his hat ; being alarmed, he took out his penknife, the only weapon he had, and rode as fast as he could until he came to the top of the hill towards Mansfield, when one of the same men laid hold of his horse's bridle with his left hand, and his side with the right hand, whilst the other at tempted to jump over the hedge, but in doing so fell violently on the ground with a groan ; Mr. Jennings then with his left hand struck the man holding his bridle a smart blow with his whip across the face, having his penknife open in the same hand, by which he let go his hold, and put up both hands to his face, when Mr. Jennings seizing the moment, rode off, but heard the fellow exclaim, " d—n his old eyes, it is not him now." It is supposed the thieves mistook Mr. Jennings for another person who had that day been to Taunton market.-- ( Cheltenham Journal The plan which has lately been carried into execution for purifying the unwholesome atmo sphere of the Sessions House, at Clerkenwell, ap pears to have entirely failed ; the difference between hot and fetid air being scarcely wortlt the experiment, I