The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-01-04 00:00:00

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

By an arrival from the Cape of Good Hope, we have re-
ceived a file of the South African Commercial Advertiser
to the 22d October. In one of the papers we observe a
memorial of old date, which had been presented to the Go-
•crnor for transmission to Ministers, praying that the free-
dom of the press may be extended to the ('ape of Good
Hope. The alteration in the currency, anti di-, reduction
of the duty on European wines, without a proportionate
extension of the measure to Cape wince, appear to have ex-
cited much sensation.

A great portion of the colonists have stiffereil materially
from drought and the excursions of the ('afros and Bush-
inen. The latter evil seems to have become a terrible
scourge upon the peaceable settlers. The Enterprize re-
mained at the Cape at the date of these advices, and Capt.
Johnstone bad issued cards for the inspection of her machi-
nery. Lord Charles Somerset and a large party went on
bond, and partook of a splendid collation. She watt to
sail on the 22d for India, after taking on board two chal-
'drons of coals. We subjoin a few extracts :

[From the South Aft ban Contwreial Aieerfigrr of Oct. 191
. Extract of a letter from Ilavian's Ricer (District of Somerset),
Sept. 22:—" A severe drought prevails in this part of the colony
at present. We have scarcely had a shower of rain for Mx or seven
months, and little or no snow on the mountains during, the winter.
'The consequence is that the country it entirely parched, and most
of the streams and fountains are either dried um or so weak, that
yhey cannot be used for irrigation. The gartlens and corn fields of
many of the settlem and others on this fiver are already in a great
-measure ruined for the season : unless we have rain in a fortnight
we shall not have a vegetable nor a blade of corn at this place._
Nevertheless, we have not yet suffered ao much as some other parts
of this district, and of Graaf-Reynet. Our cattle and sheep are still
in tolerable condition here upon the old grass. hut in the Camtleboo
and other Karroo soils, the sheep are beginning to perish in num-
bers, of the scab and louse sickness—the consequence of extreme
leanness. Swarms of locusts are also beginning to re-appear in
this vicinity, and along the Snectiwberg, and in several places have
Otlready devoured the young crops.
The country to the westward, however, between this and the
new raffre Frontier is still covered with grass, and the Kounap
River, and its tributary streams, are running full and strong. This
Is owing to the fountains of these streams generally flowing E. m
mountains and kloofs covered with thick woods, which both attrAct
the light clouds, and longer preserve the moisture. This line
country is now in the act of beingdivided among the frontier Boors,
and is already covered with their flocks and herds.
We have been exceedingly plagued by Bushmen in this quarter
of late; they had taken possession or the ceded territory. and as-
sociated themselves with Schelm Carlin and a number of runa-
way convicts from the Colony, and for a eniv:itlerahle time have
much disturbed this field tornetre, by carrying off or killing
tattle and horses, and sometimes murdering the herdsmen. They
carried ofra boy of la years of age from the place next this, about
a month ago, and kept him two days, and severely woundcd an old
Rasta-d llocentot with poisoned across. Within these few weeks,
however, they were surrounded in their haunts by a Commando of
the Cape Corps and Burghers. and the principal riegleader shot,
The others refused to surrender, and made their escape in the
thicket. What rtniera them more desperate and mischievous is,
that they consist, for the greatee pert. not of real wild lloshmens
but of runaways and maletactors from the colony, who will rather
risk their lives than be retaken. This ton, is even when successful
Dan a miserable and melancholy sort of warfare to be engaged in.
I cannot help thinking that some mode might be devised for re-
claiming or conciliating even the wets: of these poor wretches,
by lenient measures; if this could be effected, it would nat only be
infinitely better for therm but for the unfortunate colonists, whose
lives end property are continually enosed to their cupidity or yen-
xenon."

Extract of a letter, dated Graham's Town, ()ember 11. JIM:—
`• Last Thursday, the 6th instant, the tallies a:tacked three herds-
men I had with my sheep and antic, killed one of them, wounded
another. and bound the third to a tree. They then carried off 40
he►d of my cattle, part of which have been retaken by the pa-
stoles as they were entering ('atilt land ; two nights afterward, the
Gallen attacked a wagon that was coining from the Caffiefair,
and wounded a settler that was driving it : and I understood that
assagais were thrown at the postman, on his way from Fnrt Will-
'hire to Graham's Town. On Saturday, the 11th, the Cagle, were
all night about my house, with the intention, I suppose of taking
tie rattle from the kraal ; and it was not till nearly four o'clock in
the evening that I got quit of them, by firing shot at them. The
attack on my people took plate at two o'clock in the afternoon,
ahem four miles from Graham's Town."
A PROOF THAT CAPE WINE BRINE% HIGH PareEs.—Es.
trac! of a letter from London, addressed to merchants at the Cape,
hearing date 18th July, 181.5. " We have received the wire which
you have sent us per Cornwallis, for account of Mr. A. P. filch-
Tier, at the Past), and we have sold some of it as high as 301. per
per pipe of 110 gallons."

STEAM NAVIG:fTION TO INDIA.

(From the Cape Tines Gazette, Oct. 211
Yesterday morning soon after eleven o'clock his Excellency the
• Governor, Lady Charles, and Miss Somerset. attended by a large
party of ladies, and many of the principal civil and military autho-
rities of Cape Torn, visited the steam packet Enterprise in
Table Bay.
Shortly after the arrival of his Excellency, Captain Johnson
caused the cable to be slipped, and manteavered about the Bay,
displaying to the company in a most masterly and interesting man-
ner the peculiar powers of the steam engine, in propelling the yes.
eel against wind, current, and a heavy sea.
At half-past one the party sat down to an elegant tiffin, consist-
ing of every delicacy that ennld be procured ; after which his Es.
ceilency, In 'speech complimenting Captain Johnson very highly,
proposed that gentleman's health, which 'was drank with three
t wes three.
Captain Johnson returned thanks, end expressed the extreme
pleasure he felt at having been honoured with the company of Lord
C. Somerset and his family, and by the other distinguished persons
pros-nt. To his Lordship he felt particularly grateful for the
marked facilities that had been rendered to hint in the prosecution
of his arduous undertaking, lvttli prior a”tt subsequent to his ar-
rival at the Cape of Good Hope ; he Auld enumerate many obli.
gstions which he owed to the government of this colony since his
kojoom here ; they would h • i. nit cherishes! in grateful reenem-
branee by him. Captain J. then cohclutled by propo.ing the health
co his Excellency Lord C. Somerset.
His Excellency, returning thanks, observed, that whenever the
Enterprise should touch at that place, (:aptnin J. had only to com-
mand every facility that was is his power to give, in forwarding
the object of his voyage.
His Excellency. a.•tir passing, a high enromliim upon the courage
of Mrs. Johnson in being the lint to embark on a voyage of such
an extent in a stetern.ve•sel, proposed her health. Several other '
toasty were drank, and after cruising about the bay for some time,
Ithe ifiustrioiis viritera quitted the vessel, expressing the gratifies-
it,o, they her! experienced, amidst repeated cheers.
Captain Johnson having made public that the vessel and machi-
nery would he shown on Wednesday. no lam than 4,000 of the
most respectable inhabitants of Cape Town availed themselves of
the opportunity of inspecting her.
Should the unti._xtaking ultimately be taken into effect of eats.
bushing steam vessels to sail monthly from Calcutta to England,
we understand it will be proposed to establi-h depots of coals at the
Azores, Madeira, Santa Cruz, St. Jags, Bt. Thomas, Benguela,
and St. Helena. To the eastward of the Cape of Goad Hope, at
Cape St. Mary, (Madagascar) Johanna, Port Louis, the Maldivies,
Pointe de Guile; and Cape Nicobar, in order that the vessels may
be enabled to receive fuel at whichever station circumstances may
render most eligible. The average quantity of coals cor.sumed on
beard the Enterprise in 24 hours, is about *even chrildrons—(a
chatdron- weighs 28 cwt.) The two engines of GO horse power
each; by which the vessel is propelled, are supplied with steam
be a boiler in which the. water is heated by seven furnaces. The
wheels, of 15 feet diameter each, revolve, in moderate weather,
25 times io a minute. The ship hew enharked about 280 chat.
drone of coals at this place, end draws 14 feet seven inches
water; on her arrival in Table Bay she drew only 124 feet water.
The Enterprise was expected to tail on the 21st.

It appears that there is no truth in the report circulated
by the Amsterdam Courant respecting the destruction of
Palermo by an earthquake. Letters from that city, dated
the 14th ultimo, and from all the principal Italian ports to
the 20th and 25th of December, ar entirely silent on the
object of any new convulsion of nature in Sicily.