The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-12-24 00:00:00

eenees were, bt thk letters of tikstrOlions from
hlejesty to his Goveitribrs abroxit gralted ittpsaliy"
- to Spanish, as well as British sulsjeas, the Pla,ntilfs
were entitled to recover; however, he would save
this aid every other point the Learned Counsel via.‘
inclined to make.
Mr. PARK E. for the Plaintiffs, observed, that this
would be depriving the King of his prerogitive,
who had the power of making war or peace at hiss
Royal pleasure.
Mr. G A RROM. then, in a very able and animated'
address to the Court and Jury, went into a very
long defence. lie contemled, that the case of the
Plaintiff WAS made up of traml and deceit, for the
purpose of taking money out of t: e pockets of the
l'oderwriters, and putting it into there of an enemy
ot Great Britain, for whom Mr. Reid was :he agent.
Ile again pressed the point of insuring enemies'
property, and observed, that he should shew, from
the evidence of Mr. Reid himself, by his letters to his
correspondent, Mr. Frazer, that he was a distressed
man, wholly incapable of ever possessing such a
property as 200,000 dollars ; and from the deposi-
tions of the witnesses, that it was impossible any
thing like dollars could have been on board the
Hector when she was lost ; also, from the contradic-
tory evidence of some ot the parties, it would fur-
ther appear, that this vessel was the property of Mr.
Reid at that time, and not of Don Juan 1)e Villas,
which circumstance alone would render the Policy
void. as it was stated upon the, face of it, that the
ship was Spanish property.
The bill of sale and invoice were then read, by
which it appeared, that they were made oat in a
Spanish name, and the dollars mentioned as a part
of the freight.
Chief Justice M A Pimento thought th;s could have
no weight at all in the scale, it evidently appearing
to be a mask used to deceive the Spanish officers.
The letters of Mr. Reid were then put in, and a
number of depositions, taken by order of the Court
of Exchequer, in the %Vest Indies, read ; those de-
positions were very voluminous, and contained
several hundred folios. From some of them it ap.
peared, that, at one time, Mr. Reid was the owner
of the ship in question i but, from the positive testi-
mony of others, Don Juan de Villers was the real
owner at that time: And some of the 'murk tI f
stated it as matter of opinion, that there could not
be any quantity of specie on board ; from which it
was inferred that the whole was a fraud on the part
of Mr. Ileid.
The Cir:er Jose ice, in summing up the evidence
to t .Tory, wsserved, that the questicn merely came
to this, tt Whether or not there was this quantity of
dollars on board ?" and from the evidence adduced,
the Jury would decide this point. Fraud had been
attributed to Mr. Reid ; but if that were intended,
it was most probable he would have chosen some
more convenient and less dangerous place for his
purpose, where he would have less chance of risking
his own life, or of encountering the prying Tess arches
of the wreckers. If Ire had been guilty of such a
fraud, he became liable to a crirnmal prosecution,
and his life might be the forfeiture. Upon the whole,
however, the Airy would weigh the evidence, and,
in considering their verdict, say, whether the ship
in question was the property of Mr. Reid, er Don
Juan De Villers ?

REll4llt4Aar PER !V5.

lITAACT 'ION •11 VII‘TORIC A I. DICTIGAiit,
OF INA
MOST XEMAIIKABLE PERSONC IN P:NGLAND AND
WALES —PWilihr4l in IG9•L
(Continued (Nal a former hoer )

RICIIAitD WHlfritiatoti,
Was, as the common opinion is, so obsenrel♦
born, that he could scarcely give an account of his
parents. Necessity compelled him from the coun-
try up to London, where, getting into a merchant's
service, he behaved himselt so well, that he married
the merchant's daughter, and became twice Lord
Mayor of London. 11 say nothing of his cat or his
bells, " Turn again Whittington, Lord Mayor of
London," known by every woman and child. He
was a great benefaaor to the city, where he built a
College, and au Hospital, at College-hill. He died
142 U.

•LICE WILIER.
A poor maid at Islington, by London, where her
cap WAS casually that through with an arrow, with-
out any hurt to her head ; in memory of which deli-
verance, she built near to that place an alms-house,
well endowed, expending it,JOOl.
wi LLIA At 20, CUCNAMID cures.
He won the affettions of his subjeEts, by his pro-
Fula liberalities to the chief of the nobility. He went
to the Holy Land, at the exhortation of Petcr the
hermit : and, being very choleriek, he undertook
other wars rashly. /hinting in New Forest, in
llantshire, he was accidentally shot with an arrow,
by Walter Tirel, wher-of he died in 1101.
SIR ROGER WILLIAMS,
Born of an ancient family at Penrose, in Mon-
mouthshire, was a soldier of fortune, a man extreme-
ly forward to fight. When a Spanish captain chal-
lenged Sir John Norris to fight a single combat
which was beneath him to accept, being a General
this Roger undertook the Don. Su., after they had
fought some time, both armies beholding them with-
out any hurt, they pledged each other in a deep
draught of wine, and so friendly departed.
JOHN WINCHCOMR,
Commonly called Jack of Newbery ; was indeed
the most consicierable clothier England ever beheld.
He kept 1004063 in h:s house. each of them ma-
naged by a man and a boy. •fn the expedition to
Flodelen-field, against James, King of Scotland, he
marched with 100 of his own men c ell mounted. to
shew that the painful in prate, could he valiant in
war. lie fintsted King lisory VIII and his Queen
Het
died about./.sfo.arine, at his owes hott.p, jet ext int in Newbery.
RORERT wifecusstev,
Bore in Sussex, bred in £4. non College, where he
proceeded Dr. of Divinity. a:,cl by degrees Arch-
bishop of Caoterhui y. Fie went to Rome. and ob-
tained his Pall, refusing a Cardinal's cap offered u
him. A worthy pielatit, an .I excellent preitil
Being learned himself, he both loved and preke
learned men. Prodigious his hospitality, being re-
ported, that Sundays end Friday., :,e fed no less
than 4,00(1 men, when cnrn was cl:eap, and 5,000
when it was dear. He died in lII', iw septscasieet Of
a saint, to whose tomb people used to repair.

The Jury recited for about twenty minut►s, and
then brought in a verdiet of 34h1. 7s. 6d. for the
Plaintiffs, being the amount of the average lass upon
this policy. 'They also timnd that the Meter be-
longest to Don Joan Dot Villers.
Two other aftions, of the same nature, against
other underwriters, to a very large amount, are still
pending.
This was the oily cans. tried this d-sy. It oc-
cupied the Court from ten o'clocic in the morning,
till rear fishy at night.
Mr. Serrant SIIEI.IIEIIO, Mr. Pa BM, Mr. Sttieant
Bzsr, and Mr. CAlln,were retained tor the Plaintiffs
—and Mr. G/ nkow, Mr. Serjeant LeNS, Nlr. Ser-
jeant Battey, and Mr. Mantorr, !Os the Unatr-
writen.

114AgTeri OP TIM CEP emoms.
This nate was in,tituted by King James 1. for
the more honourable reception of Ambassadors and
strangers of quality. The badge is a golden chain
about his neck, with a medal.
CLERGY lILNETIT.
A term, signifying a plea to an indiftierst; when
the pricnner prayeth to hare his book. Heretofore
only clergymen, but now all men have the benefit of
their Ordinary, who gives the prisoner a place in
the Psalms to read, by the reading of which a felon is
saved from hanging for t'.lo first time, but not from
being 'Arta in the hand with these letters 7'.M. for
our laws are not so severe, fur stealing either
sheep, cows, or money, when it is not forerahly
dune on the highway, or in the night, or without
frighting the party.

Serious apprehensions are entertained for the
rafety of the Fly sloop of war, which was laiely
launched at Bridport„ and sailed from thence tor
Plymouth, under jury-masts, on the !lib invant, on
which night it blew a violent gale at N. E. and she
has not since been heard of.
It is rornonred, but, we trust, without foundation,
that Admit al Ccreuw a sus is about to be removed
from the Channel Fleet. The zeal, the patient
perseverance, and the gallantry which he has dis-
played dnting hit conansand, prove that it cannot be
'vest. ,t in abler hands. In the event of Admiral
Conan Lc WI retirement, Lord Gs NDI/E1 is men-
tioned as his successor. The appointment is esti-
.tnated to produce, oa a outage, from 23 to
1tt,41501. a year.
White the Prussian Army of Reserve was Ming
off !More the K,we, at Berlin, His Maissr v
addressed General Most.r.toorserr, telling him
that it had ' been his design to have left him in
charge of the capital, as presenting less laborious
service than that which he was likely to encounter
at the head of an army ; on which the veteran replied
—" My age does not yet prevent me from serving
say king; at the head of the array, i shall feel
young again ; and should I fall, I shall prefer dy-
log in the bed of glory, than on the bed of sickness."
The King warmly shook him by the hand, and the
auditors of this interesting discourse were deeply
trived. •
The erettion of v.:l.:graphs from London to n--
'month is tarrying on with the greatest dispatch. It
supposed they will be completed by toe end of
tille-ch. It is in contemplation to complete a chain
if th►m to Falmouth.
' The following regimental orders were circulated
tut week among the Members of the Law AS44)Ciil•
Sion, by the Hou. Col. EasKint:—
" The ueutenuit.e.itoilet haring rta•on t, expect, that
ihe Volunteers of the Met:orolis will he requested to apts..,
Wader arm•, At the Firoetal of the Its, Admiral L Nell. sr
be flatters traxsolt that the Coen wit etreedsetenbrace the op-

Of MTLEM
Are those that are either descended from ancient
families, or such as have attained to a fair estate, of
about 5001. a year, by their virtuous endeavours,
and qualified with endowments to serve their coun-
try, both in peace and war, and are rnade Gentle-
men by the Lad Marshal, who al!ows them a coat
of arms. These are received as fellow-companions
with the highest nobility.

iscsesen.
The law of England suppseth In the hushand
paver over his wife, as over his children, or servant,
to ceirred her, when :!se offends ; and, therefore, he
must answer for his wife's Luis, so that if she wrong
any other, he must make satisfa/lion.

131.MICIR A L iosr orittct.
lu London is an exceeding great eonveniency in
the coney:, ance of letters to all parts of the kingdom,
and to other nations, at easy rates, an i such quick
dispach, that an answer may be received in five
days, though •./.50 miles off, far above that former
tedious way by the waggon, carrier, or srage-coach.
Upon the grand post-office depend ttti deputy
Post-Masters in England and Scotl.md, who have
al-o sub-post-officers in their hi arches to market-
towns, not seattal in the high roads.
PRIXCA 01 Wit 1,,
Is the King's eldest son, born hike of Cornwall,
and, ab ut the age of seventeen ;ears old, is usually
created Prince of (Vales. He i• invested with a co-
ronet on his head, a golden tint on his finger, and a
golden wand in Isis hand.

Fumigant:vv.
Hanging is the common punishment for mu, der
and reubery ; -yet the bodies of some nutnrions n,ur-
deters are hung in ch sins, till they rot away. 2. If
the wife kill her husband, she is to be hurrt alive.
3. if the servant kill his master, he is drugged on
a sledge to the gallows; that is called petty treason.
4. poisoning, which is seldom in this nation, is fe-
lony, without benefit of clergy, and therefore the of-
fender is ;Jed death.

_
--•"4,11M1.10011r."•••••-
. ,
. .

AtirldL INTELLMENCE,
POKTIMOUTtI. MC. 2.4.
Arrived the London gnc4 Na.avf Med of war, iron
Plymouth ; and the folloWing transports from thl
Mediterranean, which are pnt under quarantine,
Fanny, Pim., L., Etitibeth, iharer,34,
afire, Erertuve, Liirn, and Cokntriur.
Sailed the Metesr bomb, with a convoy for tho
Downs.
Dropped down to St. 'Wen's, His Majesty's ship
Trriar, /llostrioas, and fturrtiii,r.—Wind, S.W.

• PLYMOUTH, DEC. 21.
Arrived the Ocean cartel, from Lit.hon ; she
hoarded on the I 3th in‘tant, in lat. 47. 30. long. 7
by n French frigate, bel .nging to a rguadron of I
nicn of war, seven of which appeared to he of the
line, when, after plundering him of every moveable
article, they returned to their ship; they said they
came out of Brest the day before.
Arrived the Decade frigate, from the Channel
fleet ; Pfarer sloop of war, from Scilly ; Deh.. C/a.
ron,lus, Cy ape, Eagle, Thomas bad Marry,
Ilero, Harmony, Marton, Dade, and Corn, outward..
bound vessels, all from the Downs, having been
blown nut in a gale of wind ; also the Calikla, 01-
ton; Gwiam, Meeson ; and the Aurora, Lindagreen;
from &doe.
Sailed the London, Hero, and CouPasrur men of
war, for Portsmouth.
HARWICH, DEC. 2'.!.
Two packets sailed this morning with the Mails
of the 20th; one for CuAaven, an:l the other for
Gottenburg. Mr. Johnson, the Messenger, was
among the passengers on board the Lad of Lticethr,
for Cuxhaven, charged with dispatches for the Court
of Berlin.

The Ammo/Cite frigate, which was expetted here,
for the purpose of conveying the Duke of Cambridge
to the Continent, came in this morning; but, report
says, that the departure of his Royal Highness is
postponed.
An Express arrived here last night, for Mr.
Johnson, in addition to the dispatches with which he
was charged on his departure from London ; it over-
took him, as the packets did not sail till this morn-
ing.
DFAT., DEC. 22.
Sailed this morning, the Zropord man of war,
Fere bomb, and the Content g„tm-1)1 ig, with a fleet
of transports with troops on hoard, for the tVeser.
Ariivedohe C4,pre, . die other
sloops of war and gun-brigs; fro . a cruise ; the
Kits-sloop of war, from Sheerness ; and Afriegine
frigate, with a convoy front the Westward, which
are sailed for the River. L'Afrieeine remains in the
Downs, with the rest of the ships as per last.—
Wind ISM&
SHEERNEAS, DEC. 22.
1. ailed, this morning, the .I,,sizoff sloop of war,
w foitr sail of vessels under convoy for the Elhe,•
tteser, and Tonaingen, with a tine breeze at S.W.;
also, His ltfajesty's ship 1t,,,e/tic, with a large fleet
of transports under convoy for the Continent.