The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-02-21 00:00:00

be heard; he usel several (rotations from Bishop
Taylor in opposition to Mr. Parke's arguments.
Mr. 1-Iswt.ETT appealed to the Chair, whether
the discussion should be continued against the tense '
of the Meeting, and said, the no new matter, he
thought, could be brought forward.
Several Gentlemen attempted to speak, particu-
larly Mr. Macatily, who said, he had a tight to re-
ply ; but the Meeting beer:re so clamorous, that
Mr. Bow tat said, ha would propose something
that s* add pacify all parties ; he would pledge that
the Committee should. before the next Quarterly
Meeting, turn the suhje.t in their minds, and devise
some plan that should meet the sense of all parties
without hurting the s:ruples of any.
Mr. MAGAULT said, upon that being entered in
the Minutes of the Society, he would withdraw his
Motion.
The CHAIRMAN informed the Society the Motion
was withdrawn, and no Question was put on either
side. The Meeting then dissolved.

NATAL INTELLIciENCE.

PORTSMOUTII, TES. 19.

Arrival the Nano, curt-r, from off Havre; Jeogiv,
Cleare; and two other vessel, from Guornsey.—
Wind E.

PLYNOt TH, Tell. 18.

Came in the Spanish sebn,nter Si. Canine Baptista,
from Bilboa, captured by the Suere.s privateer, of

Jersey.
Sailed the Circe frigate on a cruise.—Wind E. N. E.

FALMQUTH. FEB. 17.

Arrived yesterday, His Majesty's ship Alkever,
of 18 guns, Captain Henniker, from a cruise, with
the schooner Love and friendrhip, and sloop Fear-
sougbi, both belonging to Galway, laden with to-
bacco and spirits, from Guernsey, bound to North
Bergen, which Captain H. detained, on suspicion
of their being staugglers.
Also the Gannet and Caroline brigs of war, from
a cruise; and the Lilly, of 16 guns, Capt. Morrison;
also, two more French gun-brigs, with one 24 and
two 18-pounders each, part of the number taken by
the MeCampus, as mentioned in my last.
Sailed this morning, His Majesty's ship Avenger,
of 18 guns, Captain White, with six merchantmen,
to join the Ambuscade, of 32 guns : the outward-
bound Mediterranean fleet is now of this port.
Also His Majesty's ship of 16 guns, to join
the Magkitnne, of 32 guns, Captain Mackenzie, and
outward-bound West India fleet; also the Thisbe,
of 28 guns, Captain Shepberd,lon a cruise. No ships
are here bound to the West Indies.

The Prince of Wales packet will sail to-morrow
with two Mails for Lisbon.—Mind E.

-.....--
P S. Three large ships are just come in, one of
which is said to be an homeward-bound East India-

man. lag from Milford : shall not be able to get
particukars in time for the post.

HARWICH, raa. 19.
The Elisabeth bye-boat, Capt. /tart, is just ar-
rived with six Mails front Gottenburgh. No pas-
sengers.
A Dutch sehuyte arrived last night with a bag
of letters from Katwyck The weatoer on the other
side is tolerably mild, and the ica is breaking away.
The Mails of the 15th for Husunt and Gotten-
burgh are detained here, these being no packets on
this side to convey them to their places of destina-
tion.

We are informed that a floating mortar battery,
for the bomb.udment of the enemy's ports, has
been invented, which is proof both against shills
and red hot balls. It is said to be so connived, that
though provided both with masts 2nd sails for any
voyage, yet they can be securely disposed of in less
than a quarter of an hour, so that the battery then
presents nothing but a mere bull, with sloping sides,
upon the water, which is rowed by forty men under
cover of the bomb-proofs, and may, by the peculiar
construdion of the masts and rigging, be brought
under sail again as expeditiously as dismantled. 'llse
rudder and moorings are entirely under water, and
prote&ed by the bomb-proof, so that no disappoint-
ment as to them can possibly arise. 'l'he battery is
armed with four large mortars for bombardment,
and four 42-pounder earronadcs fur self-defence ;
though, from being covered with plates and bars of
iron, she can neither be set fire to, nor carried by
boarding. Four such vessels, though they are not
more than 250 tons burthen each, and draw less
than twelve feet water, would throw upwards of
300 shells into any place in one tide, and with the
greatest effect and precision, both because, from their
construCtion, they have nothing to apprehend from
approaching the enemy's batteries ; and bee 'use,
from the peculiar construdion of the mortar-beds,
the elevation of the mortars is not affeeted by the
rolling or pitching of the vessel. Several of our
most eminent naval men have seen and approved of
the contrivance, and it is said that Ministers have
attended to this plans and have it in contemplation
to institute, with All expedition, vigorous and regu-
lar bombardments of such of the enemy's ports as
contain any considerable accumulation of their Ao-
tills.

- -Tuesday se'nnight acre was a respeElable meet-
ing in the Old Justiciary Court House, Edinburgh,
of the Freeholders, Justic,3 of the Peace, and He-
ritors of the County of Edinburgh, who unanimously
resolved to present a Petition to the Lords of the
Treasury, requesting to obtain an Oflice for Sramp-
ing Paper at Edinburgh.
Tuesday the Duke of G o est It'S Volunteers
commenced field exercise for the season by firing
ball at Killburn. The first shot being fur a sub-
scription prize, was won by a Serjeant in the Light
Company, whose shot happened to be the last of the
battalion.

On Tuesday last, a very respetable man, an en-
graver, was thrown down by a coal waggon in the
Strand. The wheel pissed over him, by which
three of his ribs were broken, and be was severely
lapsed otherwise. Mr. C swreOltt4 I, the Bookseller,
assisted in conveying him to surgeon STANIOh'S.
opposite Senserset House, where be received every
medical assistance.

The Ordnance Office has given notice of the inten-
tion of Government to purchase a considerable traft
of land in the neighbourhood of the fortifications of
Chatham, in the parishes of Lipner, Gillingham,
&c.; as also at Woolwich and Watley Common, for
the purpose of improving the military works in those
places,