The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-09 00:00:00

Z/TRACT OF A_PIIIF•TE LtTltll.

The Holy Year, or the Year of Jubilee, goes on rather
stupidly. It is thought that the Pope is sadly disappointed
in bis expectations ; none of the ceremonies have excited
touch attention. The church Li which the Holy Infant
is exposed, in the real cradle, had been strongly protected
and barricaded, to save it from the rush of the pious mul-
titudo—but no multitude came. and the whole represent-
ation and procession, cradle, bambino, and all, were allowed
to pass unoiserved, except by a few strangers, attracted
snore by curiosity than devotion. The breaking open the
holy door at St. Peter's excited more attention.
'this door is never opened but on the Year of Juhilce ;
th • Pope is the principal actor in the scene; he comes in
state, supported by the Cardinals, and, with a hair mer in
his hand, and a few Latin words in his mouth, he knocks
down the impediment to the ingress of the faithful, and
opens the way to the Holy of Holies. Through thin door
no one must enter but on his knees. I have seen people of
all ranks, all agt s and sexes, from the dignitary of the
church to the most humble layman—from the powdered
Marquis to the shirtless beggar—all crawlin.; up the steps,
and prostratng themselves at the top to kiss ►he holy
gruird. Women with their petticoats look very awkward
at this work ; and the prostration at the third or upper
step is not the most convenient, as they of necessity fall on
their noses, from the embarrassing exertions of the ascent.
But the greatest disappointment of all, and that which has
excited most uneasiness in the Papal Court, is, the extra-
ordinary deficiency of pilgrims. It has been usual in the
Year of Jubilee, to see travellers from all quarters of the
world, with their cockle hats and staves, coming to Rome,
to enjoy the advanta;es of the occasion, and to have their
feet washed by the Pope and Cardinals. In the confident
expectation that numbers of these holy and privileged
people would be eager to show their veneration for the new
Pope, beds were prepared, and all arrangements made,•for
the reception of two thousand persons; and how many do
you think arrived ?—only thirty men and two women ! !!
Those about the Court, who cannot hide the fact, but are
afraid to admit the consequences deducible from it, are
willing to attribute the deficiency to political reasons ; they
say that the Emperor of Austria and oak:. Powers, owing
to some differences with the Court of Rome, have been re-
luctant to grant passports to cockle hats and staves. But
there are many others, who, with shrugging shoulders and
sundry significant nods and winks, are obliged to confess
that they see in this occurrence the certain indication of
the decline of the Papal power, and the breaking up of a
system which has so long enthralled and enslaved the hu-
man mind.

The Lord Mayor has received several letters from per-
sona who have met with accidents on Blackfriat s' Bridge,
in consequence of the late alterations made there, by which
the carriage-way has become so much lower than the path-
way. The committee have been applied to cn the subject,
but they pay no attention to the application.
Yesterday a .Court of Directors was held at the East
India House, when Captain John Charritie was sworn
into the command of the ship Bombay consigned to
China direct.

The Hyperion, a 33-gun frigate, about tea o'clock on
last Saturday morning, took her station as a guard-ship in
Newhaven harbour.
AGAICCLICRAL SOCILTIES.—After the Britons retired
into Wales, it was enacted that no man should guide a
plough that could not make one, and that the driver
should make the ropes of twisted willows with which it
wan drawn. It was usual for six or eight persons .to form
themselves into a society for fitting out one of these
ploughs, providing it with oxen and everything necessary
fur ploughing; and many curious laws were made for the
regulation of such societies. If any person laid dung on
the field with the consent of the proprietor, he was by law
allowed the use of that land for one year. If the dung was
carried out in • cat t in great abundance, he was to have
the use of the land for three years. Whoever cut down a
wood, and converted the ground into arable, with the
euusent of the owner, was to have the use of it for five
years. If any one folded his cattle for one year, upon a
piece of ground belonging to another, with the owner's coin?
sent, he was allowed the use of that field for four years.
Thus, though the Britons had in a great measure lost the
knowledge of agriculture, they appear to have been very
assiduous in giving encouragement to such as would at-
tempt the revival of it.
Isritstuaes or APPAENTICISHIP.—It was finally
decided by Mr. Norris, at the New Bailey, on Tuesday
last (after the case in which the point arose had been
several times postponed for further consideration), that
unless the paper on which an indenture of apprenticeship
is engrossed, be indented, or notched at the edges, the in-
strument will be void, if it begins in the usual way,
" This indenture," notwithstanding the provisions of the
Act of the 34 Geo. 3. ; but if the instrument purported to
be an agreement, instead of an indenture, it would be valid.
—Manchester Paper.
The Sheriff of Stirlingahire's interference to quell the
disorderly conduct of the men at the Redding and Brigh-
ton collieries, has not produced all the good results that were
anticipated. The proprietors have not yet had recourse
to the execution of the ejectments issued against them;
but in many instances the workmen have voluntarily re-
incited with their families. The chief cause of discontent is
now alleged to be the employment of those labourers who
were merely engaged in the absence of the regular opera-
tives. The labourers hays been repeatedly attacked, but
they fearlessly continue to persevere, and during their first
week they wrought, each man, nearly a ton of coal a day,
or as much as brought them ua. 61d. daily wages, whieh
has induced many labourers to abandon their scanty pay,
and uncertain employment and join the coal-workers. ICor
di they require to work extraordinary long bouts to earn
this gum, as they go down about seven or eight in the
inoraing, and come up by four or five in the afternoon.
Cowes, Mgaen 7.—On the sth inst. Mr. R. Stephens,
Tide Surveyor of the Customs at this port, seised 110
half-ankers of foreign spirits.
Pacsstax LOAN Nel.ooitted by N. M. Rothschild in
London in 11318.—The half-yearly dividend on the above
Loan, which becomes due on Friday, the Ist of April
next, will be paid by Mr. N. M. Rothschild, on that and
every succeeding day (Sundays excepted) between the
hours of ten and two, at his counting-house, No. 4, New-
court, St. Swithin's-lane. The I hi:Wend Warrants, with
a list thereof, in numerical order, must be left one day
previous for examination.