The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-25 00:00:00

been remitted by the euperinteneent to Cape Town. In the early
.—.0.-- periods of the establishment, viz. from 1814 to 1818, the account'%
GOOD HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, NriAT BENNET, REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF INQUIRY dm, giving credit for the proceeds of every thing that was hold.
. exhibit balances against the colonial goeernn en ; bet team the
CHAISE, &O. AT THE CAPE OF 000.11 HOPE,
I.month of July, 1819, to the end of the year 1824, in the course of
By Mr. BULLOCK. DATED THE 7TH or necitieson, 18'5. ILTPON THE con.
Al his Rooms, 211, High Holborn, TO-MORROW, at H. PLAINTS ADDRESSED TO THE COLONIAL GOVEINMENT, which the number of rations issued to the army es well as to the
settler, had greatly increased, the annual balance', were consider-
A La.rge Amortment of genuine Property (chiefly FUR- AND TO THE EMIL BATHURST, 13T MIL Bomar •u 1 .TT,
ably in its favour. Remittances were rustle by the superintendent
NCITItEI, tomprieing elegant ronewond cud mahogany (Com-laded front our raper of yesterday.) of the farm to the colonial secretary, and mre either placed to the
tables, chairs, and couches, chimney and pier gismos, carpets, bed- Cape Town, Cape of (load Hope, Dec. 7, 1825. credit of the land revenue, or to that of the Somerset farm account
meads with suitable bedding, mahogany climax of drawers, ward- It is also to be obeerved, that as the officers had a priority of i that wan kept at the Discount Bane. From the tad, January,
robe, mem' capital pianmfortee, a hogshead of inferior old claret,
mune pictures. two handenme bookcases. useful china and selection, they secured the best situations in the town, and the 1820, to the 27th February. 1821. the period in which the govern..
glass'. onernment has been on more than one occasion reduced to the ne. meat was administered by Sir Hotline Ontikin, the sum of one
Oileltillls. percuotion gun by Nock. large weither.glass, nest of Ms I.
enmity of purchasing from them an accommodation for public par- hundred and eighty five thousand rix dollars was carried to tins
(leavers and glazed petition, middles, and a variety of other effects, )ome, which n greater degree of caution would have enabled it to credit of the land revenue. and blended In the public accounts with
forming together upwards of 3110 lots.
viewed and catalogues had the day prior. venetian& also,
We bed occasion to observe that allotments near other 'tourers. We do not, however, find that the colonial auditor
To be view : (holism's Town had been conceded to nnlitaryofficers who hed held ha, ever noticed in his annual reports, either the augmentation that
1 eempeeary commands in the district, as well as to others, Oithout was thus made to the general revenue, or the causes of it; but he
iffy condition or stipulation for their occupation or improvement. attributed the diminution of the land revenue that took place in
In case of their being unenclosed and cultivated, they form a great the year 1320, to the effect of the general blight that produced a
I
temptation to the treseames of the town herds, occasioning a tax failure in the crops. The sum of one hundred and setty•seven
upon the inhabitants fur the damage sustained by each creepage i thousand and thirty-six rix dollars wan expended partly in the pay-
and in some instances they ate retained by the grantees in an un- ment of articles for the use of the farm and merchandise, in dim
occupied and unimproved state, until the increase of population shall I charge of part of a debt due by the farm to the connnieseriat do.
have augmented their value. partruent on account of supplies, and in the purchase of a stallion.
The situation of the land near Graham's Town that was granted The stain of ninety-five thousand and eighty rix dollar was ea.
to leemenent-Colonel Sitmereet, we observe, has been adverted to Pouted in the construction of barracks at Graham's Town; of a
by itin Burnett. This land has been built on and enclosed ; but custom-house and store for the reception of goods at the mouth of
we cannot omit to express the strong sense that we entertain of the the river Kowie, and in payment of a quantity of wheat that was
inexpediency of conceding lands contiguous to the towns, and pee. aent to the Albany El:strict, in a period of scarcity, for the use of
sessing the advantages that are peculiar to dd. Pant. in the teen. the settlers. Althotothene see no objection to the app'epriatic
misery accommodation that It ME aln pasturage and water for that has thus been made of the several sums that were placed at tine
the cattle of the boors who frequent the marketnand which, under disposal of the colonial government, yet we cannot helpolaerving,
the name of " Interim" is (mimed by several instructions to he that the sources from which they arose do not seem to besufficiently
held in perpetual femme, as indispensable to the public comm, explained to his Majesty's tiovernment ; and that for meta pore
nienee. done as were placed to the credit of the Somerset Farm act want at
The establishment of the Somerset Fern. and its immediate the Discoing IMnk, the mode of drawing that was adopted by
connexion with the cerninireariat supplies, that is noticed by Mr. means of drafts of the town agent, countersigned by the colonial
Berme, had been a 'entree of perpetual dissatisfaction to the Eng. secretary, was utterly at variance with the instructions of else laid'
lish etettlette from their location in the district of Albany, in the of the Treasury, under which, all payments of the col mial revs.
year 11119„ while the manner in which the purchases were made by nue, are 'equined to be regulated and made by the warrant of the
the superintendent, deprive(' them of the ndvantages of disposing Governor ahem.
of the very onall surplus that the effect of the blight and depreda- The manner as well as the periods in which the (sleets of the •
tiou had left to them, under the system of open tender, by which commissariat e department drew their bills upon the British trea-
dle supplies to Geveratitent are usually purchesed. Tile esta- nary, previous to the introduction of the late regulation by which
blielement of this farm. in the year 1814, originated in the disap- the rate of' exchange of bills drawn upon the British treasury is
poinimente that were experienced by the different detachments of fixed. has been a subject of observation by Mr. Burnett; and ho
the military force stationed on the frontier in receiving their sup. has stated that they were made subservient to the interests of the
plies, awl en the objectionable manner ill which they were made.. Governor, who was them enabled to avail himself of the most ad-
Front the represented:inn of an inilividual who had Ginn some vantageous opportunities that the fluctuations of exchange pre.
attention to the state of the frontier district. an expectation was en- ?tented, both in the operations of drawing foe money on England..
tertained, that by the establishment of a farm in an advantageous or of remitting it.
position, tinder the control and support of the colonial government, It has been stated to us by the genieman who was at the head
means might be devised of obviating disappointment to the troops, of the conimiseariat department from the year 1815 to the month of:
by the timely fcrmation of a depot for grain and animal food, to April 1623, that after an estimate of the money required for the
which eso the farmers of the frontier district would be glad to con- public service had been made out (generally in every month), and
tribete by the sale of their stock and produce ; aril it was hoped, afterwards approved by the commander of the forces, an advertise-
that by the yrommeive cultivation of Lund and rearing of stock, ment for the amount required either in specie or colonial currency
the farm would enalile the colonial government to relieve the Bri- was inserted in the Gazette, to be paid in bills drawn upon the.
tied Treasury of all expense in the subsistence of the troops em• Lords o ware Treasury,su arid for whim' tenders were required ; therm
ployee in the defence of the frontier.
tenders
As the interests of certain intlivieunle whn had shared in the mender of the fumes ; bat by a later ordeeof the Lords Commis,
fernier defective system of supply were found to be opposed to the , sinners of the Treasury., they were opened in the presence of the
success of this establishment, it was deemed necessary to give it officer at the head of the commissariat department, and the come
1 the benefit of all the protection and support that the government missary of accounts. A schedule of the tenders was then made,
could afford. We accordingly find that an order was Mined by the and, amompitiied by a reporter the officers of the department, wan
Commando of the Forces, timed 3d Octaher, 'MI6, announcing, submgted to the commander of the forces for his approval.
" That the !prevenient had taken upon itself the supply of the It is further stated by the same officer, that the highest tendert
troops on the frontier districts hom its own farm, as far as its re. , were always accepted, but that be invateably found a di-position tel
sources would allow, and declaring that his Excellency was deter- the part of Lord Charles Somerset to resist the combinations that
mined to Visit with the severest penalties any person who should he alleged to have been frequently attempted, by the most opMeer.
presume to throw obstacles in the way of the government agent in and influential members of the commercial community, to raise the
furniebing the supplies, or who should not be found ready to tend price of specie, or to obtain an influence over the disposal of bil:s
the moseeffectual aid to a measure of such impertance to the troops in the marker.
sad the colony." As the rate at which the salaries of those of the civil servants who
With a view to facilitate purchases front the farmers, and at the were peel in sterling wan regoleted by the average amount of the
same tine to pima ids for their demand for articles of consumption tenders that had been made to the commissary during each pre-
that they with difficulty procured at that period by indirect means ceding quarter, it has been the subject of frequent observation that
from Cape Town, the agent of the fame there was authorized to t'.e interems of this class of the colonial servants, at the head oe
make purchases of goods. which were dimmed of at the farm in whom was the Governor, could naturally dispose them in favour
Darter for cattle and corn, or were paid away in the shape of wages of a system that was calculated to afford the highest rate of concer-
to labours. slop for their minim in colonial currency, and that no measures of
An advantageous position was chosen in the north-western boon- an opposite tendency were likely to be adopted by them, however
dory of the district, that was then called Uitenhage, and some ex- imp maul to the interests of the coloity. Mr. Burnett, however,
poem was incurred in the erection of building( the collection of hats gone a step furder, and has insinuated that. the fluctuation'.
agricultural implements, and the clearing of land ;Mtge. The that have taken place in the rates uf exchange hive alternated with
combination of these advantages enabled the Colonial Govemstrent the personal interest and convenience of the Governor, both at pe.
to aid the supply Of the troops on the frontier, and to render it nods of drawing or remitting.
More independeut of accident, but nee to supersede the necessity of Without denying the existence of an intercoms' motive in the,
a Commissariat Establishment. Whale the Somerset Fenn had to civil 'mann for keeping up the rate of exchange at which their
contend with the dimettous visitations of blight, with which the minim were paid, yet we do not admit that the Governor, in his
aericultural establishments in the countty were effected, the amine capaci.y. of 'commander of the forces, would hare bccu justined
once of the commieseriat department was resorted to fro eapplies'et In teepoang hio:s,7ll' to the very systematic vigilance that was shown
grain in times of scarcity, which were sold by diem to the farm at by the officer at the head of the conpoissarint department in obtain-
coat price, and conveyed in the colonial yowls from Cape Town ing the highest rate of premium for the bills that he drew upon the
to Algoa Bay. The superintendent, therefore, acted as purveyor Ben all treasury.
of a certain portion of the military supplies, at rates and prices that We have rot found that the Governor ever sanctioned the apple.
one fixed by the commander of the forces, while the colonial go- cation of any pecuniary influence of the Lombard Bank, or re-
cm nment was enabled to combine tee eralit of the contractor with strictest its accommodations with's view to raise the compeate n for
greater regularity of supply then had been experienced froin the bills at the approach of the periode for drawing. It has been with
intervention of such persons, but without the need!), modest tenth observed by the resident of the bank, that as its accommoda-
failures that the usual conditions of a contract aff eed. tons depended solely upon the amount of the commercial depo in.
The mice of the rations delivered by the Somerset farm to the the former necessarily became liable to restriction at a period when
Commissariat Dertment was fixed in the year 1818. by the COM. the dummies woe required by the merchants for the purchase of
'pander of the Forpa ces, at thirteen Meyers and four-fifths (lid. stem nine.
ling), but was afterwards regulated by the average rate of the con. Is appears that in aid of the public service, the commissa-'at re-
tracts fur which the supplies that were nut furnished by the farm fleer was in the habit frem dma to time of claiming payment . k
had been taken, varying from sixteen and a half StiVerS to eighteen debts due by. the colonial government ; and at different paid ds, e• -
and one-fifth btiveri per ration. From the month of June, 11320, to pecially during the last three years, considerable sums have be n
the same period in 1821, the supply of five stations, that had been received ; but at no period were these payments made' under dr.
taken by contractors at an average of eighteen and one-lieli stivera cumstances that justify any suspicion of an attempt to raise the
per ration, was abandoned by them after notice in April 1821, and premium on bills by diminishing their number ; on the other hane,
new contracts were entered into for the remainder of the year (not we have not been able to trace the occasional depressions that may
exceeding two neeithe). at an average of twenty-three and one-sixth hive taken place in dm rates of exchange to die exertion of any
slivers per ration. This is the period selected by Mr. Burnett in personal interest in the Governor, or to the use of any power or
his petition to the House of Common!, in which lie states that be the adoption of any measures by which such an effect could be pro-
should have been glad to have furnished the rations at tea stivers. duced. Upon the general question, we have already had ocessimi
We conceive that this assertion is suteciently refuted by the fact to express our regret that efficacious measures for repressirg the
we hare just stated, of the abandonment of se many contracts, and progress of the evils of a depreciated weenier had not been ravened
the formation of the only one that was subsequently made at a to at an early period by the colonial government.
much higher rate than that which 3k. Burnett has specified ; are- The grievance with which Mr. Buruett concludes his statement
ferencc also to the very high prices of wheat, and the difficulty of relates to the criminal prosecution that was instituted against him
ptocunng it at the same meted, negative the probability of any by the fiscal fur addressing a memorial to the Governor, in which
contract being succcaaiuhiy executed for the supply of the frontier he charged the commissioners of circuit, who tried his causes at
districts at ten shivers. from file month of June, 11121, to 'the Graham's Town in the year 1823, with gross ignorance of their
month of December, 1822, the Somerset farm was paid for the fa- duty, injustice, oppression, mei corrupuon. A translation of the
thins it supplied at the rate of nineteen' stints; and for the next ill proceedings is annexed, and we find dial the memorial in which
months, ending July, 1823. the price of the only contract that them theee charges wcie made was transmitted by the secretary to
existed being reduced to thirteen severs, a corresponding reduction government to the fiscal. with a direction io him to prosecute Mr.
took place in the rate of charge made to the Commiesariat Depart- Bishop Burnett for his libellous attack upon the character of the
ment by the farm, amounting to thirteen slivers; but as it appeared two commissioner'', Messrs. Touter and Borchert's. The pi osecu-
to the Commander of the Forces to be unjust to regulate the price tion was delayed for some time on account of the distance uf the
of supplies made on the detached and distant stations by the Somer. district of Albany from the seat of judicature at Cape Town; the
set farm, by that of the supplies procured in a place (Algol' Bay) illness of Mr. Burnett after his arrival; and the application that he
that pnmemed peculiar facilities, and at which consequently the node for the attendance of a witness, and copies aid translations of
rate of contract was always lower than anywhere else, an order the proceedings of the Courts of Circuit.
issued by which the Commissariat Department was directed to be Ile complained that his applications to the secretary of the Court
charged for rations supplied by the Government farm, from the of Justice had not been attended to: and it appears that under the
period commencing 25tii December, WM. and ending July. 1823, expiration of Ito arrival in Cape Town, an immediate answer was
at nineteen savers, being the prices at which they were paid for in not sent, and the copies were not undertaken until he had made
the preceding year. Oa the application of the officer who succeeded two applications through the secretary of the Court of Justice, wit •
to the Commissariat Department in July, 1823, the supply of the gave orders that they should be made for him, provided he would
European troops was allowed to be opened to public tender and con- point out the documents that he required. While the copies an I
tract for the year ROI, anti which was effected at the rate of thirteen translatione were in comae of preparation, lie stated to the Cons-
' stirrers per ration at Graham's Town, and eighteen minas at the 'lenience' of the Court of Justice, that it' they wete ready to pro-
-1 advanc:4 posts. Until September, 11124, the Somerset farm coml. nounce sentence upon the case as it stood, he was prepared to
need to ration the Cape Corps ; but during the present your the receive it, and would dispense with the copies that he bad required.
native Ai well as the European troops' upon the frontier have been The conintiesioners declined to give any pledge as to the course
supplied by open tender ; and such bas been the combined effect of they would pursue at the trial. and Bishop Burnett declared aim
the measure, and of the increased resources of the district, that the lie was ready to appear before them, and to receive judgment.
whole military force is now supplied with rations at four pence Notwithstanding this declaration, he prayed for further time, unttl
farthing rtcritug, being a fraction more titan twoehitelt of the de-
e copies should be executed ; and without making Outlier com-
duction of sixpence that is made on that account from the daily pay plaint of not having received theist, he declared his williognem to
of the soldier. appear on the day Mee was ultimately fixed by the court. We
From a reference to the accounts of the Sontereet Farm. it am find that the translations were delivered to him before that dm.
petite that very considerable balances have accrued in favour of the and that they were in his possession during his attendance.
calonial government, hoar the supplies that it made through this An admission having been made by Mr. Burnett of his having
establishment to the Commissariat department. These balances composed and sent the memorial to the Governor, the fiscal ad-
have amounted, in the period commencing 30th August, 11118, dressed to the court some observations upon the nature of the
and ending 31st December, 1824, to the sum of 442,631 rix dollars ; offence that was stated in the act of accusation, in which Mr. Rue-
and they may with propriety be attributed to the economical system nett was charged with maliciously intending to expose to public
upon which the purchases were conducted, the low rate or wages contempt the judicial dignity of the commissioners of circuit, and
for which the labour on the tent was procured, and to the prices with havingedefamed them, by publishing. and presenting a certain
that were ordered to be paid for the supplies. libellous writing in the form of a memorial, addressed to his Ex.
We are not aware that the advantageous circumstances under cellency the Governor of this colony, praying that lie winld order a
which thole supplies were made acre directly brought to the know- revision by the Court of Justice art the proceedings held before the
l edge of the horde Commissioners of the Treasury until July, commission of circuit, and accusing the two members of prejudice,
e
1823, although the additional trouble and expense that the system partiality and a corrupt violation of the laws, and declaring that
occasioned. and the authority under which the prices were charged they had been guilty of manifest injustice, anti a wanton aseassi.
anti paid fur the rations by the British Government, had been nestle nation of his character, tending to prejudice the causes wherein he
the subject of incidental communication. The deliveries are stated was appellant, and to forestall a corresponding judgment ; and thee
te have been made in a satisfactory manner by the superintendent he had further declared the proceedings against him to be one of
of the Somerset farm, upon a very extended line of frontier; beet flagrant injustice, of legal error and perversion of eetraejudieial
pmeedure, of scanealous oppression and intolerable persecution.
rniotitjbleeGnovaelernlenitoenats, ascertain that tghraetataenrydseagyrienegoteateaciociitcyasiion occasioned
The fiscal stated to the court that the prosecution was founded
the frontier ncat i e,reridagi set nhcattst
gree or attention paid by the officers of the Commissariat Deport. wtsore. supply, than than might have been fairly expected from an ordinary de- upon the Roman law, which, as subsidiary to the Dutch law and
to local regulations, he contended was the rule by which the courts
of the colony were bound, anti hail been accustomed in
thes supplyof
in civil and criminal cases. He denied tee right of Mr. Burnett
been established in the course of the third year alter the arrival ofproceed both
expand,
do,tlaienrdhaancelm,n as
ttiitmieonr"foourrthe
to appeal to Englieh authority upon this Marge, or that Of being
the Biitisb emigrants on the eastern coast; and as the continuance tried by any other law than Mat which was in existence at the pr-
of the Somerset farm was observed to operate unfavourably to their or had
rind of the last surrender of the colony to the British anus,
interests, it was with satisfection that we learnt the decision of this
beganment. toOenx
since received the sanction of the British Government. He nett
liovernmtilt to pet an end to the establishment, to dispose of the quoted the 45th and 47115 laws of the 10th title and 47th book of the
stock and materiels, and to convert the house of the superiatentlent Paildects, in the first of which it is declared, that any person who
into a residence for the landdrost, secretary, and district clerk of shall have attacked the reputation of another in a writing delivered
the new district of Somerset, that was funned out of a certain per. to the chief of the government, shall be liable to be prosecuted for
lion of Mom of " craft Hyena" and " Albany." tTlie arable the crime of" injuria scripts ;" and in the second, where extraor-
lands were laid nut in allotments, and have been sold advantage- dinary punishment:4 arc declared to be annexed s° this °Ku"' vs'
ously at long credits. vied according to the condition and motive of the criminal, and in
Upon examining the accounts of the Somerset Farm, our attext. which theta temporary banishment is included
(ion was directed to the considerable amount of the SUM that had . Ili closed his address to the Court with a claim for its sentence

►Original OXYGENATED SODA POWDERS,
1 for MAIN° SODA WATER, continue to be prepared
and sal by the Inventors and Proprietors., Messrs. O. MAR-
SHALL and CO. Cheni istr, Brewer-street, Golden-square, and is
sold in Boxes, at 2s. 9d. each, and in Bottles, at Vs. each, duty
included.
The Oxygenated Soda Powders having acquired a great reputa-
tion, at home and abroad, many inefrective and spurious sorts have
been imposed on the Public. The genuine will have the words,
Prepared by Messrs. 11. Marshall and Co." engraved on every
Box and Bottle.

W.

To be had as above:—
Ills 3lajesty's Sa'volatile Lavender Vinegar
Superior Seitllitz Powders Eau de Cologne
Cheltenham Salte in Crystals Arquebusatle %niter
Ditto ditto in Efflorescence Lavender Water
Meat Calcined Magnesia Ditto ditto Perfumed
Pectoral Cough Drops Ditto ditto MlHellen/
Aromatic Vinegar Vegetable Extract
Camphor Tooth Powder Kspnts—Various
Vegetable Tooth Powder Wee iloyale aux 111illelleurs
and every genuine Drug and 11 edieine of the finest quality, for
home and for exportation.
31edicine(:hests. of all prices. completely fitted for any climate.
Merchants, Ate. supplied on liberal terms.
All other advertised preparations for making Soda Water under
the same name are spurious.
Prepared and sold also, as above, very superior FRENCH
POLISH for all kinds of tine Wood, Furniture. &c.

, •
1 •
.. I. .
. ,
,/ ' 7 ~. ~•,. ...• / ''')
/ "„,4q° V - ),'
/7, 7 ...-7 e. i-, -
. fliik •
-, - ,• .... ~ •
. ,
,/• . • ‘ 'k.-•", 2 A 1- .
C .. ..._...,
••• / .
-......
/ •
,' .
%.. ..
..
I,
i &I
s i - •Ti, -
it'' ',
I'. A ' "' '
/ '1
fi•*- • r-'!•7 '',.. 4 ',,ie. 4 .
*, • 4,...... ..,,./.--iseu 1.1.4-
~,., ~..,5if,....4„4,11,.-4•,:.\ •,,__••,,,?,„, i
i ..1!,,,s • ~..,,:....*„., i p
, . )
\ +
I -,---,. • ~,.. ,\,... ...F., it .t , ilt, A
../.
..itirl I )
Ortti ) '...
.A 1 tSAI ‘ -7:Ct ..i..k7i.,,-` `, .11 ~, ' ),`-e; '..\,' . is
,F • V,. -
e. • "A, VI 'As .. 4, •••
ir
513 i,
„,,,,,A -.•` . li".er •
~,,,," '''' • • I's • 1r
-, ia • -.1471; 7..-cii . lip • •••• -
, __,s„:llo,-2.* ' ✓
►
OM 4F
-AP-1.- --•
'' ' ' ''' ' -3'l-4...:!"" ....t". '
at'efi!P,o•ftt,.....a4. • •• . . _. - I 1
25
TlC___
SI
---.------
Price 7d.
,
1
as '.
US. 1.4.26.
It
-...
I
1
, , •
i I
t
1 1 #‘
I #
) ' 4
.
,
1
• ,
' l
. .I$ .
I
I i il
i
.1
i .
1
11 •