The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-10-15 00:00:00

• THE ISLE. OP MALVA:
-.--etnei.--
. . .
EXYSACT OF A LIt4TIFIL LATELY lISCIIVIIOIIIOIIIIrOVGLAL
There are few trlices we ep ehend so little known as
in °k this island ; and when indly. to England is
con-
sidered, it appears not a little nit'prising. Provident., has
been most bountiful in its dispensations !Inc, and in no
case more decidedly than in placing this iste, as It were, in
the very centre between England, Ireland, and Scotland;
from Liverpool it is but 73 tulles, or eight house sail ; from
Scotland only 20 miles ; and from Ireland but little more.
The ports sod harbours of Douglas, Ramsay, and Castle
Town, afford safe anchorage in all weathers. The growl
revenue of this island in the year 1776 was under 1,4001.
In the year 1824 it exceeded 20,000 L During the list few
yeara the improvement has been rapid, originating mainly
in the great advantage derived from the steam vessels ; tt
was no uncommon thing, before their introduction, for five
weeks to elapse without a vessel touching at this poit, and
mercantile pursuits were frequently interrupted far six or
seven weeks. The mails are now regularly brought by the
steam packets three times a week, and during the summer
and autumnal months, each day brings visitors of a moderate
clan to this favoured isle. I say favoured, for 1 believe no
other can be put in competition with it. First, it is
exempt from taxes of all torn ; pro Visions are not half
so high as in England—in this month (October), the finest
beef and mutton are sold at 3itl., and bread proportionably
low ; and French and Portugal wines and spirit. arc little
more than they originally cost in those countries. House
rent also is very undo-ate ; thirty guineas a year is the
price of a good furnished house, and no taxes. Approach-
ing the walls of Castle Mona, the heat of the Duke of
Athol, two crescents arc forming, and will be complete next
year; betides this, around the town of Dougish may be
seen lots of excellent residences, adapted to most respect-
able visiters. If the climate alone were taken into con-
sideration, it must give it pre-eminently the advantage—it
is five degrees warmer than at Sklmotith, and may compete
safely with the most southern parts of France. For
beauty of scenery, it would be idle to compare any watering
place in England to it—the beautiful inequality of the
grounds in this territory, the immense variety of hill and
dale, its lofty mountains and its terrific glens, are varieties
not to be found elsewhere. But it has been said the society
here is not good. I admit it was fair to say so a few years
sinee,when persons were privileged to liveliere free frOmEttg-
lish arrest. This has long since been done away, and every
succeeding year has brought an accession of respectable visir-
era, hut not to the extent the Isle deserves. The distance
would, at no distant period, have appeared an insuperable
bar, but it cannot operate so now. The distance from
London is 270 miles: by leaving the metropolis at night
(say Sunday), you may dine at Douglas on Ttiesday,
and take 16 hours rest, at Liverpool, out of the 48. Thy
hotels here are well fitted up; the one in the Crescent
I may compete with the York, at Brighton. In this hotel
you may be bearded for 251. a week, and sit down regu-
fatly to three courses. If to this expense you add a bottle
of wine regularly (and that wine shall be champagne, if
1 you please, the price of which is here .545. per dozen),
you may live here for .56t. a week ; and a family upon
much easier terms, as it may be supposed the lathes will
not (for a long while at least) regularly attack a bottle of
champagne each. The result of this is manifest. A
man may have his family here for four months in a year,
and live in princely state all the while, for 1001.
When the Duke of Athol is here his Castle is the con-
stant seat of hospitality and good fellowship ; and at
Bishop's Court, the episcopal palace, resides the Lord
Bishop of Sodor and Mann.
Government, we learn, have at len;th come to the re-
solution to purchase the remaining sovereign right and vast
possessions of the Duke—the Act of Parliament authorising
this/ale passed last Session. It has been the fashion for
some years past, for the " House of Keys" to be opposed
on all occasions to the Duke ; why or wherefore is best
known to theo.selves. One thing, however; is very cer-
tain, that they show great inquietude at the change they
are about to undergo. We believe that since the arrival of
Mr. George Robins in this island, they have felt the un-
certain tenure by which they hohl their scats. The object
of his visit was at first douhtful,• but so soon as it was as-
certained he had taken up his abode alternately at Castle
Mona and Bishop's Court, the mist that coverts% their eyes
at once disappeared, and the length of their rites demon-
strate pretty clearly the sad reverse they now anticipate.
Mr. Robins has already been in the island a month, during
which time he appears to have been busily occupied in sur-
veying and valuing every thing belonging to the Duke ; in
most of his excursions he was accompanied by the Lord
Bishop, whose local knowledge, no doubt, was very use-
ful. By the way, a wiseacre in this town, who has been
fnrnishtng the Morning Herald with copious extracts of
the " birth, parentage, and education" of the people of
this little Isle, has in one of his late attacks, shown too
much of the cloven foot ; he has wanted the dexterity to
conceal that he is employed by the " House of Keys"
to underrate the value of the Duke's property. To illus-
trate this fact, we may state that the Duke of Athol is
Sovereign Lord of ail island containing 300 square miles,
the value of which may be estimated at about 200,0001. a-
year, independent of tninerals and mines with which it
abounds: and yet this Manxman states Mr. Robins's va-
luation to have reference only to one point, viz.—the fee
simple of the Duke's property, which he bays is only worth
.300,000/. ; adding that Government had only offered
280,0001. It is not worth while to controvert such mani-
fest nonsense. Mr. Robins set out on Wednesday on his
return to England. The Duke is expected here from
Dunkeld, the first week in November. I shall watch the
movetnenta of the Manx Reporter, and be inured you
shall bear again, if it be necessary to expose his mien-
. presentations.

THIC WIL.TON CARPET WL•VERE.--Aiefrs. Sergeant,
Thring, and Blacktuore, having refused to allow the same
prices to the workmen in their employ as that given by the
manufacturers of Kidderminster, they refused to work ; a
very respectful representation was made by them to those
gentlemen, and twopence only is the cause of the remaining
difference. The ground upon which the workmen stand
is, that no man has a right to value another's labour, and
also that the wages are so low, that they cannot maintain
themselves and families on what they receive. At Kid-
derminster, they receive the full price, and besides ere paid
for all alterations in pattern. In it is not so ; the
whole burden is laid upon the workman, and if he does
not choose to submit to the arbitrary rules produced for
his acceptance, he is immediately denounced. By such
measures, forty-two men have been thrown out of employ-
ment, but their brethren of Kidderminster remit them
weekly 7/. in order to prevent them from conceding to any
reduction of wages, which mutt eventually be productive
of a spurious article.—Dreizes Gazelle.
A very material improvement has been effected in the
London road from Cheltenham, by a new branch leading
past Cudnal, which opens some beautiful scenery to the
traveller. On Thursday se'night the new line of road at
the foot of Dowdeswell Hill was opened.
The Journal des Bourhes du-Rhone contains the follow-
ing anecdote, of which it guarantees the authenticity :
About dB years ago an individual was condemned to hard labour
for life, and in pursuance of his sentence he was coneucted to
Toulon, whence lie enittrived to escape. lie has lived fur the last
forty.Gve yeses at Reanme, where he enjoyed an honourable
reputation. The world was ignorant of the sentence with
which he had been branded, and his conduct was most exemplary.
At the end of the above mentioned time. hie cousin, who was the
only person in the world acquainted with his secret, borrowed a
hundred crowns of him. The appointed time for repayment has-
log arrived, and being in want of the money, he begged his cousin
rather earnestly to let him have the money. The cousin, io order
to be revenged for the demand, which was in fact quite (*Met, had
the baseness to inform the gelid armevie of his beings runaway gal.
ley slave. Upon being questioned. the old man confessed the
truth. Touched no doubt by a sentiment of generosity towards an
old man of sixty-five years of nge, whose grey hairs inspired re-
spect, the agents of the authorities forbore arresting him ; but ad.
wised him to terms to Toulon, and then throw himself on the
King's mercy. The old man did so, and on the following day fur.
nished himself with a pennon, and directed his stepi towards Toss.
100, where he arrived a few days Jack. On the day of his arrival,
he went before the Cnnitnissioner of the Navy to make his deposi.
tion. The Cotnmioduner directed Min is enure to the arsenal on
the following morning. lie went there, and persisted in his de.
sign. His register was referred tn. his person identified, and his
escape proved. lie was then received into the place appointed for
the galley slave., but was treated with that eare which his age and
situation req • I. tie has made application to obtain his Ma.
jesty's pardon, and there is the greeter hole of his success, es he
was only condemned as • vsgabord, the laws bring at that Ilan
very setae upon tat point.