The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-01-13 00:00:00

FROM LLOYD'S LIST.

F4LXOIITH, JAW. 10.—Sailed his 3lajesty's ships, the Thetis.
Orestes, Pyladrs, Champion, Jasper, and Camelion. on an expe-
rimental cruise.

PLYMOUTH, Jar. 10.—Sailoil the Proiidenee, Cowley, for
Sierra Leone.

SCILLY, JAN. 4.—The Janus, of North Shields, lately brought
in here, has sustained the following damage: her bottom much in-
jured on both sides amidships ; -four foot broke or carried away I
stern post and 'keg broke and damaged ; rudder broke and pan
gone; mizenrnast cut away, and all her cables, sails, and a great
quantity of tope guns.
BRISTOL, JAN. o.—The Sylph, Brown, from Priam Edward's
Island, which was on shore, has been got on' without damage,
after discharging part of her cargo, and is now in the Floating
Harbour.

COWES, JAX. 11.—Tbe Busiris, for Grenada. in warping out of
harbour yesterday,grounded, and remained until this morning's tide,
when she floated and proceeded into the Roads, and remains with rife
.Danish ship George, from Charleston.

PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 11.—Arrived from the Downs, :he Lady
Campbell, Irvine, for India; sailed the Lord Suffield, Dipnall,
for Madras; and the Stella, Simpson, fur Newcastle.
DEAL, Jtw. 11.—Passed through, the Lady Campbell, fur
India; sailed the Kahn. transport, for Woolwich.

G YayFSExn, Jax.ll.—No arrivals. Sailed the Maria, MAN I,
for St. Michael's g Woodlark, Brown, for Batavia ; Jenny. Do.
nald, for Cantons ; Jane, Reddall, for Madeira ; Julius Cesar,
Stafford. for Jamaica and Mexico.

Lt•snroot., Jsx. 10.—The Alcvon, from New Brunswick,
was got off on Saturday, and is now in the Brunswick Dock Basin.
The cargo of tie Leeds, bound to New York, will prove to be very
generally wet.

HULL. JAW. 10.—The Ebor, Berriman, from St. Petersburglt
for London, arrived here yesterday, with damage, very leaky, and
part of her cargo thrown overboard; will have to discharge to re-
pair. She sailed from Norway three weeks back, in company with
the Minerva, Carrick.

ALDaoanuon, Jaw. 7.—On Wednesday morning hat the
brig %mina, of Sunderland, Alleo, master, coal laden, bad the
misfortune to strike upon the Knowl, a little below Orfordness,
which caused her to make so much water as to oblige them to run
her for the shore on Orford beach ; in effecting which she sunk at •
small distance from the shore. Crew and materials saved; but it
is supposed the vessel wiil become a wreck.
MILFORD, Jaw. 7.—The Dunlop, Mundell, from Belfast to.
Charleston, put in here yesterday leaky, and must discharge.
ABRIIDEEN, Jaw. B.—On the 4th instant, the Pursuit, Lein_
eta, arrived here hom Lerwick, with twenty-two of the crew of
the Dundee, of London, from Paris's Straits, she being in such
a leaky state as to be unfit for sea until repaired in the spring.

Coaß JAN. B.—Arrived the Three Sisters, Pa!lock. from Tri.
nidad; the Brougham, Bell, from St. Juhn's, New Brunswick ;
and the Jackson, If ewe, from Newfoundland.
ANSTYRDAII, JAN. R.—The Kitty, Ansdcll, from Bull for
Rotterdam, put back to the Texel 29th ult. with kiss of anchors,
&c. and sailbd for the Nieu Diep. The Amsterdam Packet, Don-
ner, from hence to Copenhagen, was brought into the harbour of
Teed 4th inst. with loss of two anchors and chain cable, and
damage in her sails and rigging. The Surinanische Vriend, Claus,
from this port for Surinam, in sailing out of the Nieu Dicp fur the
Roads, struck on the Oudehoofd, and wan in great danger, but has
been got afloat with the assistance of boats.

A letter from Audern states as follows :—Found on the roast
of this bay, on the 26th of December. an boat, marked
"Britannia of Yarmouth, B. Lane ;" eighteen bales of cotton, and
some broken masts, by which it is supposed that an English ship
of between 300 and 400 tons has been lost on the Isle of Saints.
The Earl Bathurst, Gibbs, from Rotterdam, tailed on Toescley
morning from the Detract, and arrived yesterday at Gravesend ;
left all the outward-bound vessels at Ile!core without any appear,
sue of their getting ostler weigh.

LIVES OF FELONS.
____........._
The following consideratione on the tendency of lb.
' publication of the Lives of' Felons, are extraaeoef froM a
' new periodical work emitted the Proviticial ilagoeiur, a,
bold and praisewo-thy attempt to establish a monthly pro.
duction on subjects of general literature, at Leeds As tiro
taste for reeling is spreading wider every day, we may ex-
pect aI so distant period, that every lame and opulent
1 county will have its own publication of this kind, with a
! larger :pace devoted to local matters than a metropolitan
magazine 'mild be disposed to grant. Of the one before
us, we have no hesitation in saying that it has " life in't."
". The point, however, upon which we may possibly he
met by the advocates for such biographies, is this—that
e the end of these things is death, literally, and without
, metaphor,--that every one, who forme the subject of such
t memoirs, ends his life upon a sc.:W(l(l,—am! that, conse.
I quently, every previous enjoyment Imes is relish, and is
divested of all attraction in the mind of the peruser, from
the eoasideration that these are paths, which, flowery*
they may be, lead but to au unliononred grave. This argue
ment, though abundantly specious, it is 00 difficult matter
to answer. Were this concluding scene of the fehte'a life
the last link of one coneected phain,—were the &es:Whitt
the apparently inevitable goal to a life 'of crime,—could the
ignominious caffastrophe that closes hie life, and cute short
hwerimes, be tweet m a elect-sure centrequeuce of hie eon-
tinned enormities, then, indeed, he. would pause ere en-
tering upon a course which could have no other termina-
tion than the scaffold ; but, unfortunately for our oppo-
nent's argument, it. has never appealed in the life of any
felon that we have road, that this event heekorly dedu-
cible from the train of previous enormities which the crimi.
sal has committed. In the course of his life, he has been
guilty of, perhaps, a hundred violations of the law. Frain
'line:el-nine of these no consequence has resulted,—norie,
at lea*, pernmeently affecting the felon's enjoyment of' life.
Had the hundredth enormity never been committed, it
teems torobable-that his life would not have been forfeite4
to tie ? I**
iresurse:tyter naturally infers, that the last cause
good reason
but of the last crime, and he sees no
eoneluding, that a little more dexterity,
or at all events a... Teaser degree of that Good fortune eh': lt
had attended hint before, might have carried him through
this, as well as his other diffloulties. Mir, besides, will it
be contended, that the mere u einem intirnition of a certain
felon's having terminated his life cool the scaffold, is more
likely to deter than a view of the ga. Nits and of the death
of a criminal. If the latter have not the eifeot of deterring
from crime, surely the former must prove but a feeble
warning. These awful, and one would think awakening
exhibitious. are frequent ; and there are few youths, none,
perhaps, of those who take pleasure in perusing felons'
lives, whose curiosity has not led them to the scene. In
these exhibitions there seems, to the beholder, to be an
evident and necessary connexion betwixt the punishment
and the crime which has led to it—they appear to be linked
together. The spectator is not presented there, as be is in,
the felon's memoirs, with the gay picture of a previous life
spent in pleasure and idleness,--all that is present to him
is death, ignominious anti painful. It would be a mockery
of the spectator's feeling: to tell him at that moment, that
the dying wretch, whom he sees in the agony of life's last
struggle, enjoyed many pleasant days. and led a life of
gaiety and enjoyment ; and yet, the effect of such exhibi.
Lions is acknowledged, by all who have inquired into the
subject, to be absolutely nugatory. If this be the fags,
surely the mere annunciation of a felon's fate, presented
too, as we have already shown, not as the last link in con-
nexion with a series of crimes, but merely as an almost ac-
cidental result of one individual act, cannot be supposed
capable of producing any of set whatever upon the mind of
the reader. And stripping, then, the argument of this
great key-stone, the felon's life presents little else than a
tissue of idleness, merriment, and incident, sprinkled.
with that degree of peril, which to minds constituted in 4
particular way, has in it to-nething rather attractive than
revolting. Our opinions upon this division of our subject,
although, as we think, already sufficiently proved, receive
strong additional support from the effect which fictitious
narrative produces upon rite mind, and which it has pro-
duced even upon the lives and actions of individuals. It
must ever be kept in mind, in considering this point, and
with reference, too, to the main question we are discussing',
that the minds of men differ in their eatural susceptibilities ;
every species of writing falls into the natural channel teepee
is already cut for it. One class is attracted by philosophy;
another by romance; and a third by perilous narrative--
and each of these must necessarily find its respective mar-
ket. The sentiment of romance, the variety and interest
of an adventure, are not addressed to the sympathies of a
philosopher, nor philosophy to the sympathies of these
other classes of readers. Now, keeping this in mind, cats
it be doubted that fictitious writings have produced a most
powerful influence upon the minds of their admirers—an
influence so powerful, as in many cases to have extended
itself to their actions? Is it not true, that the sympathies
of the reader are attracted towards those in whose cha-
racters there is frequently nothing of virtue, but a false and
imposing glitter, a lofty but fictitious sense of honour per-
haps, an uncalenlating bravery, and contempt of danger. e-
a sickly and sophistical sentimentalism? And such the-
racters are not less the idols of the reader, that their career •
usually terminates in misery and death. Is it not a fact,
that Schiller's tragedy of the Robbers was interdicted in
Germany from the effect which its representation produced
upon the minds of youth, who formed themselves into bands
of generous and honourable depredators, in eeample of the
robber Moore? What ardent mind, reading the Calve
If Albe of Madame Cottin, but is more attracted by its
pictures of voluptuousness and of fevered enjoyment than
repelled from vice by the iniserable end of the guilty
Albert and his cousin ? And who is there, that does not
feel more sympathy with Parasina. and Hugo her loves:
than commiseration with the injured husband and the
afflicted father? Instant, upon instance of this disposi-
tion of the human mind might be multiplied. There seem
to be certain sympathies in men. which only need to be
addressed in order to be calker forth. • These sympatbiee
may be awakened, whether the characters towards whom
they are impelled be virtuous or vicious. And it appears
that the punishment, which is usually made to fall upon
the guilty, is altogether impotent to destroy the impressions
previously excited in the reader's mind. It is surely un-
necessary for us to apply to the main question, the deduc-
tion which every reader tnust himself have drawn from tile
illustrations we have offered. We shall not pruiscule this
branch of our inquiry farther. So far as regards the on-
corrupted, we think we have incontrovertibly esutbFahed,
first—That separating the life of the felon from the ea:as.
trophe that closes it, there is nothing repulsive in the pic-
ture to him whose natural tendencies, or acquired habits,
whether arising from neglected education or otherwise,
dispose him towards idleness and adventure: especially, if,
though not descended into the arena of crime, he has
already contracted habits of dissipation and restlessness:
Secondly—That bringing into view the catastrophe itself,
it is regarded by such persona rather as a fortuitous cir-
cumstance, by no means inevitable, than as the last link of
a long chain of iniquity. And, lastly—That in whatever
way this catastrophe may be regarded, it cannot in reason
be supposed to produce so deep an impression upon the
mind of the reader as the actual spectacle of she felon's
death, in all its agonies and shame, and apparently in toe.
mediate connection with a life of crime, must produce upon
the mind of a spectator. And let it not be forgotten, that
this exhibition, awful as it seems, is well known to be ix
reality productive of very limited and feeble effect.'

MIDDLESRI HOSPITAL, JAS►. 11, IML

Monthly Return of Patients fu► December, front the Ist
31st, inclusive:—

in-petients admitted by Letter . . . . is
ihtto
Outpatients sdAtuccidn
itteictbta- y
Letter 1 . . 131-122
20
Ditto Accidents
In-patients discharged - . _ _ _
MS
Remaining in the hospital
kj..EX. SIIEDDEN, Sec.

r

i. PRICES or BRITISH
Book Stock 229 i I
Ditto Acct.
3 per Cent Red. 944 I
3 per Cent. tong. P3l I i
Altos Acre 931 i I
t 3i per Cent.
34 per Coil. Red. 101 100 j
New 4 pre Cent. L( i i
loka Stott 21114 i
Ditto Aect.
1 hue Bonds 90 100 03 Pm
It

I •

PRICKS OF FORERUN
Altura:in Borkls 66i
Ilicto Acct.
,ariliari Bonds 31 fle
Otto Acct. 991
Ditto Scrip 17 134 16153 pen
Ditto Amt. 17 ISS 16 pin
Buenos Ayres Boods24i I 'adjs.
Dttto Acct.
Chilian Bondi. 118
Ditto Acct. 98 1 8
I 'olonihian Bonds 1131
Diem Acct. 94
Dit'o Bonds ,162-1) 98 Si I
Ditto Acct. 98S i6St 6
Danish Bonds 101 102
Ditto 31arks Baer°
Dutch Co:u. 4S per Cent.
Kachange
French Bente. 11121.30 c. 103 f.
Exchange 25f. Ilk.
Ditto Scrip 15 pat
101tt0 Acct.

14. Vl •

4TOCKN VESTEII I/A V.
hoot! Ann. 2 15-16 23
South Sea Stock ltKit
South Sea Old Annuitiot,
South Sea New Annuities
Ex.! I .000/. 69 60 pm
Ditto, 6901.
Ditto, Small
Ditto, I id. 1.060/. 60 pm
Dinw, 3110/..611 toi pen
Ditto, Sntail ,u 61 pin
I.ottely Tickets

.1.11111101 TERIt.IY.
area* Bonds 6a 76t a
Ditto Acct. 57 6t
Meolean Ponds i 9/ jiaj9j
9 r•it 91 11
Ditto Acct. 7: $O 794 14
1104 84)
Neapolitan Bonds 914 2
Ditto Bonds (Ma)
Ditto Scrip
Peruvian Bonds C 2.4
Ditto A cct.l:3
Portuguese Bonds 89 900 a t
Ditto Acct. nUa 90a 91 20i
Prussian Minos
Ditto Bonds (11:22) 914
Russian Bonds 911 a a 4
Ditto Arct. 011
Ditto Metolli.: 90
Snanislt Consols 21a 1 203 1a
Dim, Acct. 2111
Ditto 5111 Bonds
Ditto 170 and 255 Bonds 211

',Ricci or !SHARES YESTERDA y.
Anglo-Mexican Minn - 100/. Share. 1111. paid, .7.7130 110
United Mexican Mine . 40/. - IUI. - 110 poh
Arigna iron and Coal Mines 1001. - 51. -
SU 20 ta pm
I r.:4miltinn 3line . 1001. - M. - I'd pr sh
!teal del 'lonia Vine - 4107. - 70/. - 1300 pr sh
Bras.lian Mine - 100/. - ;7. - 50 32 pm
i:io de la Plata Mint - 1001. - 51. - 52 30 pin
!I thernian Vine . 5411. - 21 - 7t 61 pin
Australian Company . 100/. - 11. - 21 27 pr sh
4•Ansula Company . 1001. - 51. - 21 20 pr sh
l',:.ii table Lain 'Bank - - 11. -1/ 3pr sh
t'eneral Steam Navigation 1007. -50 s. - 91 10 pm
Pearl Fishery Company 251. - 21. .- 20.4 lb pin
A Lisnce Company . lOW. - 101. - RSA IV pr 511
Amine Alliance Company 1001. - :a. - 7t pr ah
I 'outinental Gas Company WO/. - 1:1. - 2pm
Provincial Gas Company - . 2 11 pm
-
I:nited General ditto . 507. - 71. - 61 pm
Bath and Bristol 1161-road 5141. - IL -
Kentish Rail-road - 50/. - IL -
London and Bristol - SOL -
Birmingham and Liverpool II'!. -
Birmingham and London Railway

IJ.

I rill
41i 6 pm
Ii I pm

ANGLO-MEXICAN 'MINING ASSOCIATION.
V IIE Directors of the " Association for assisting in
Workinf the Mines of nrxico„ and other parts of Spanish
Arteries,;' having made aCA LL of FIVE POUNDS on each
ut the SHARES of the Association, under the powers vested in
them by the Deed. the Proprietors are requested to pay the 'awe
an the amount of their respective Shares, to Messrs. Bards'', Trit-
wo, Bevan, and on or before the Pith day of February next.
JOSEPH LOWE, Secretary.
147, Leadtnhall-street, Jan. 12, lit2s.

the Li,rittOlt, Sirtoo.

THEATRE R 01.41„ DRL'III-LANE.
Thus Evening, TH CRS DA V. Jan. 13. will be performed
DER FRENCH', rz.
Ottani*. the Prince, Mr. Mercer; Bernhard. Head Ranger Mr. Bed-
ford Hermit. Mr. G. aunt ; Adolph. Mr. T. Cooke; Caspar, Mr.
iiwu: K4iu4 Kinsman to the Head Mower, Mr. Knight: Demon of
tler Bartz. Mr. Howell: Zamiel. Mr. 0. Smith; Witch ~f the Glen, Mr.
Wauchard. Linda. Miss Graddem ; Rose, Mrs. Bedford.

After which,
HARLEOVIN AND THE TALKING BIRD.
Till: SINGING TREES. AND GOI DEN •RATERS.
Harlequin, Mr. Auld; Panntlism. Mr. Blanchard: Clown. Mr.
Kirby. Columbine. Mi 1 Barnett.

To-tnoreow, The Merry Mires of Windsor.
The very extraordmarily popular new Pantomime every Evening.

TIITATNE 110 EAL. C(VENT-GARDEN.
This Evening, Tilunso AV..latt. 13. will he performed
THE INCONSTANT.
• VII Ilirabal, Mr. W. Ptrron: Yuma,/ Mirabel. Ur. C. &Mita',
Bizarre, ire. Chatterley.
After which.
HARtr.rjerm ANn THE i)R %cox OT WAXTLEY:
Or, Muni: oF MORE HALL-
_ _ _

Fisr!equln, Mr. EMT: Pantaloon. Mr. Barnet: Clown. Mr. J. S. Gri-
maldi. Columbine. Miss Kutner.
'ro.niorrovr; A VAnnwn Never Vext.
T4e nes Panu...minis awry Evening.

ADELPHI THEATRE,
STRAND.

Ito,: Evening. THURSDAY. Jan. 13. will be presented a new Comle
Barletta, called
TIIE I,IFE OF AN ACTOR.
The Principal Cliasneters by Mows. Wrench. J. Reeve. Wilkinson.
P )wer. Lee, itrown. Campbell, Salter. and Enka/ ; Mlsscs Butlen,
Daly, Searle, and Bryan, dee. Se.
-- •

Attar whi:h a uew Comic Pantomime. called
MIOTHEI4 HED CAI
or. HAnt.tgunt AND THE FAIRIES OF THE IIoSE.
Itarlennili, Mr. Kirby ; Pantaloon. Mr. Filiutt ; Clown, Signor Paulo'.
k'ulunibine. Mrs. Searle.

77TE APOLLONICON.
VIDCWIVE UMMRDIATIC VATROWAOU OF XIS roam.
On 3i %TUX DAY NEXT. at Two o'Clock,
The following SCLEcTION of MUSIC will be performed by Mr.
PUNK'S on the XPOLLONICON, a Oran Musical Instrument,
invented and constructed by Messrs. Flight and Hobson, Organ
I.:6,:ddrs, WI. St. Martin's Line :
PART 1.
symph,ny (Mosare)—Cavatlna, • In Placer' (Rneslnl)—Glee, • Chough
ar.l Crow' (lilshop)-11r. • Here's the 11.w'Y ( Muoret Chorus.
llar Ficischuth (Weber).

PAST 11.
Overture, ' La Garza Lads' Olosainii—Sane. ' Should he upbraid'
Song and Chorus, per Freihutz DVeberi—Song,
• Th.. clouds by tempests may be driven,' Der Freisehuts
CianeertoV•itiebelt)-
%.111: Mr. Purl/ifs Performanees will be continued every Saturday
our.ao the Seaman.
I :le Mechanical Powers of the Apclionleon are exhibited Daily.
from olie till Four (except during the time 44 Mr. Ptak ife attendance).
I.lrf.trinitig Ileetitoven'e celebrated Overture to Prometheus. Mozaret
Ores tare to Zeuberdote, and ila)dn's Grand Military Movement
his Twelfth Soinplions. in the execution 44 which it has been
h./reamed with the egnetion of the meet eminent meehanical and
men 44f the age, end Is allowed to pusses* a grandeur and
ee-iety of eribet. with a yreei.i..ll nod a delicacy of expression, supe-
e.r to any other Inm/us:tent in Europe.
Tie Music arranged (.Saud act on the Cylinders by Mr. Flight, jun.

Ti:e Museum Pants commenced poldiihing yesterday morning
at live o'clock.

LONDON, THURSDAY. JAri•Ar.Y 13, NYS.

Last night the Paris Papers of Monday arrived. Ac-
cording to the Floile, all doubt must be at an end with
1- Tect to the evacuation of Moldavia and Wallachia.
!!e Porte has formally announced it, and a day bad
Len fixed for the reception of M. de Mixztacay,
I iarge &Alf:Aires for Russia.
The Journal des Delves states, that it is expected
t: e Government of the Netherlands will immediately
fa!low the ersmple set by the British Cabinet with regard
is the new States of America. The wretched Government
or Spain, it is said, intends to rasc 40,000 men, for the re-
conquest of its colonies. ND may issue his
Decrees, but from whence will lie draw the funds

for the equipment of his new anny ? His dishonesty
Las fortunately rendered him powerless as to the mis-
chief he contemplates. Before he can settle the dis-
-1., rite between Last. KNA and OLANETA, whose envoys
ure now pleading before the Council of State, the last
Spanish soldier will, in all probability, become the captive
i or those freemen whom he will in vain have endeavoured
to make the vassals of his master.
From Greece, we learn that the siege of Patras was soon
to be commenced, under circumstances which promised
~' success. Coron and Modon were expected shortly to capi-
tulate for want of food. The Greek Government seems to
possess fully the confidence of the people. The elections
had closed, with few changes in the Members of the Ex-
ecutive and Legislative Bodies. The principal was the
elevation of Nol Alias to the Presidency of the Senate.
i This eminent patriot belongs to one of the most opulent
and distinguished fotnilies in the Peloponnesus, and during
the revolution he has made the greatest sacrifices for the
independence of his country. Ile has been always a
Arm and steady supporter of the Gcvernment. lie tack a

• ,

t•

very decided and zealous part in putting down the factious
chiefs.
lasses FUXDP.—PAnts, Jsse. 10.—Firs per Cents. opened at
102 f. 80e.; closed at 1021. 70c.—Bank Stock, 1.9851. ; Neapolitan
5 per Cents. Certif. Ealmonet,llll4; Rentes d'Espagne, 18; Ex-
change on London, oat month, 2(,f.; three months, 24f.
Cot; rs Acthostique, Jan. 10.
We regret to say, that the late accounts from Greece
state that very serious dissensions had again broke out
among the Greek Chiefs. Two of tot °co-riot:l's ions
had been killed, and their father had in consequenceopenly
declared against the Executive Government. In this state
of the struggle, much more is to be feared front the jea-
lousies of rival facticns, than from the attacks of the foreign
enemy ; and it is distressing to observe this interesting
cause retarded in its progress by the ambitious disputes of
its well-intentioned but most dangerous friends. We are
not apprehensive that the independence of Greece is ex-
posed to much peril by these intestine quarrels, highly
mischievous as they undoubtedly are; but there can be no
question that the Turks are encoutaged to proloug the
ruinous and sanguinary contest ; and the l'uwers of Europe,

reluctant, we fear, under any circumstances, to countenance
successful insurrection, even though against barbarians and
infidels, readily avail themselves of these dissensions to
defer their interference with the 06-toman Government
fur the termination of the war. As to the present
schism, we feel no immediate al.:ern. Twelve months ago,
COLOCOTRONI would perhaps have been a rebel nut to be
despised ; he was one of the boldest and ablest of the
Greek Chieftains, and had a large body of attached and
admiring followers: but, since the organisation of the re-
gular army under the general Government, his influence
must have decayed considerably; and at this moment we
should not augur so ill of the patriotism or prudence of the
Greeks, as to suppose they would espouse the quarrel of a
discontnited leader, to the imminent hazard of the public
cave. We shall regret the fate of CoLocovaosi, be-
'Atm, whatever may he his faults, he was one of the
earliest and bravest assertcrs of the freedom and inde-
pendence of his country.

It is evident that the recognition of the new American
States, though his Maisel- v's Government bad so clearly,
from time to time, made known their intentions on the
subject, has excited a deep sensation on the Continent.
All parties regard it as a declaration against the principles
of the Holy Alliance, and they seem to be quite aware that
it is an act which this country is resolved, if necessary, to
maintain at every cost. There can be no doubt that the
Allies have no just ground of complaint against us, how-
ever their prejudices may be hurt by our acknowledgment
of a fact, which it rested neither with us nor them to pre-
vent. Our coarse has been candid and open throughout
the negociations respecting Spain and her colonies; we
have gradually admitted the Americans to our ports,
on the footing of an independent people ; we have ob-
served the strictest neutrality between the belligerents,
but as time and eircutnstances have advanced the colonies
struggling for independence, to the character they had as-
sumed, we have, on principles that admitted no colour of
ambiguity in their declaration, takes preparatory measures,
with the express view of recognising the political existence
of such of these States as, deflicto, had established their
separation from the mother country. The Allies have never
pretended that they hail a right to object to any part of the
conduct we have adopted in defence of our commercial in-
terests. It would be strange, therefore, if they were now
to complain, because we have taken the last step of a series
which they nowise opposed one entering upon. If there
have been any error in the policy of the British Govern-
ment as to this question, it has, we think, consisted in the
refined delicacy and misunderstood generosity which in-
duced them to solicit and urge Spain to precede them in the
act of recognition ; but if Spain would listen to no reason,
and chose to sacrifice to absurd hopes the real advantages she
might have insured by renouncing a title which was as empty
as her antiquated pretensions to the sovereignty of Jerusalem,
were we bound, in honour or justice, to wait till she
thought fit to give us liberty to protect our commerce?
Yet we are told by the French papers, that the recent de-
termination of our Cabinet will derange the relations that
subsist between this country and the Continent. The Quo-
tedienne affirms, " that the representatives of the Holy
Alliance (at Paris) assembled on Sunday, and that a
Note from them bad been transmitted to the English
Government." On the other hand, we arc infonned
that our Ministry, in anticipation of the consequences
which are said to be likely to result from the recog-
nition under considelation, have applied to Portugal,
and required to know what they have to expect from that
Power in case of a rupture with the Holy Alliance. We
place not much reliance on the latter statement. No such
demand may bare been made upon Portugal. The mode,
however, in which it is affirmed, shows that strong feelings
arc known to exist, and thet it is believed they will have
vent in some shape, perhaps that of angry remonstrance:
war is wholly out of the question. If the malice of the Al-
lies would lead them to mischief, how are they to inflict it
upon us? We are happily ,beyond their reach, and the
only effect of proscribing us from intercourse with their
States, would be to throw mo►e completely into our hands
the trade of all the rest of the world.

Iu following out our remarks on the utter absence of all
discretion which distinguishes the present rage for mining
speculations, we feel induced to bring under the consi-
deration of those who are thus inconsiderately embarking
their property, certain points upon which they would do
well to inform themselves, before they engage further in
these delusive schemes, in which too many, we fear, will
involve themselves in haste, and repent at leisure.
In the first place, have they sufficiently, or at ail, con-
sidered the many ways in which they may be defrauded,
before the dividends on the shams will ever reach the sub-
scribers—the agents, through whose interventian these di-
idends must come, being beyond the reach of all ef-
fective control ? It is well known that great frauds were
practised on the King of Sears, by the workmen and su-
perintendents of the royal mines in Southern America ;
and we doubt if the subscribers to the present projects arc
even half so competent to protect themselves against
im-
position.

By whom, and under whom, are these mining schemes
to be carried an ? Are they to be trusted to the natives?
We take it fur granted they are. Now the ignorance of
the Spaniards in the art of mining is excessive ; those best
acquainted with them,. and who derive their information
upon the spot, represent their mode of conducting the ope-
rations of sifting, washing, quickening, and roasting the
ore, as most ►luvenlv,' wasteful, and unscientific. Their
process of amalgamation is so defective, that they are
scarcely able to extract two-thirds of the silver contained
in the ore, and for every mark of silver which they obtain,
they lose one, end frequently two, marks of quicksilver.
How, under the present schnnes, are thtsc sources of loss

1'

THE BRITISH PRESS.

to be provided against, or in what manlier are they to be
compensated ?
/lave the shareholders taken due pains to ascertain what
is the average annual produce of the Spanish silver mines
at present in operation, and whether the supply is equal to
the demand? This is a point of great importance to be
previously ascertained ; because if the supply is already
equal to the demand, or if, supposing the demand to in-
crease, there are already adequate resources to meet it,
in this case mines must be a most disheartening specula-
tion, for where can the profit come from? That the
supply both of gold and silver does fully equal the de-
mand, there is every reason to believe ; and there is equal
reason to believe, that their quantity could be raised to
meet any increased demand. The mines of Spanish Ame-
rica, taken collectively, produce somewhere about eight
millions sterling. Now there is no market so easily glut-
ted as the market of gold and silver. The stability of com-
mercial credit, in the present peaceable and prosperous state
of Europe,—more especially of Great Britain,—has an in-
evitable tendency to lessen the demand for silver as a dr-
, (Voting medium ; the increase of private wealth may make
it somewhat more in request with silversmiths for fabricat-
ing into various utensils, hut less will be called for at the
Mint ; this alone would make any speculation for increas-
ing its quantity ill-timed, and consequently full of hazard
to those who engage in it.
It is clear that smelting-houses, guard-housee, an; other
indispensable and expensive works, must be erected ; that
there must be an adequate system of superintendence ;
directors of the smelting-houses lutist be appointed—skil-
ful assayers, and managers of various other concerns, with
honest and faithful overseers, over the whole body of
miners;—all this is essential. The Spanish overseers,—and
we tuppose it is to them the management is to be entrusted,
—are for the most part equally ignorant and dishonest.
What security do the present schemes give for their
fidelity? Have the shareholders calculated what is likely
to be their net surplus of profit, after deducting, under all
these circumstances, the expense of labour and the cost of
management. We suspect they have not.
Have they turned their attention to the improved state
of mechanical science, as connected with this subject?
Have they at all reflected on what is likely to be the effect
of the application of the steam-engine in drawing off the
water, and thus reducing the price of silver, in consequence
of the mines being worked with so much more facility, and
the expense of obtaining the ore being so greatly dimi-
nished? Have these adventurers: who are stripping them-
selves so carelessly to bathe in the silver stream, properly
weighed the value of this metaphor, so familiar to our
poetry, against its value as an article of commerce? Ilas
the GaaNTk. e, or Lessee, whichever he may be, of
these respective mines, produced any duly authenticated
instrument of conveyance,—whether a royal grant or any
other,—to himself, under which the share/odder/can derive
a legal, valid, and indefeasible tifle, in the event hereafter
of any di.puted claim? Have they at all paused while
they made such inquiries as might satisfy them on this
bead ? If they have not, we may indeed say, great is their
fordo ; but we cannot say as much fur their prudence.
The delusion seems, however, to be every day coming
nearer to its close. New mining projects are, we know,
in contemplation ; but sober reflection, we hope, will in the
interval develop the frauds which lurk in these undefined
projects, set on foot, as they have been, by insolvent
speculators, who, having made an ample fortune out of the
folly of those who first took the bait, laugh in their sleeve
at the result of the schemes which they held forth so
successfully to others, but from the consequences of which
they have theniselves taken good care to retire.
The following are among the number of those projects
adverted to in our Paper of yesterday, which drew so many
millions from the unwary a century ago, and all of which
ended in moonshine, but not till they had in‘olved thou-
sands in utter and irretrievable ruin.