The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-01-04 00:00:00

ST. BRIDES STEEPLE, FLEET-STREET.

The following account of the destruction of this beauti-
ful structure by lightning, which happened on the Nth of
June, 116 L, is taken front the Annual Register of that
year:--
" Happened in and about London one of the grrattst
thunder-stonns in the memory of man. Some buildiwz,
sulfured by it, particularly the elegant spire of St. 11iitle'F,
Fleet-street, which was shattered so much that it was
obliged to he rebuilt. Several balls of tire were seen i❑
the streets at the sante time, but soon disappeared, without
doing any mischief: some persons, however, were hurt Ls
the stones that flew froth the damaged buildings. A:
Chttham the lightning killed one man, hurt tome others,
and, bad it not been for a heavy rain that attended it.
would probably hare set the Ramillies man-of-war on fitt.
In London there was no rain until the lightning was over
" On the 16th of September, in the same year, when the
workmen were repairing the injury which the steeple licd
sustained front the lightning, the wind blew so violently al
to carry away all that part of the newly-erected seaffoltl en
St. Bride's steeple, which stood above the stone-work. It
was remarkable, that the timbers snapt in two in the
middle, while all remained firm underneath."

BRITISH SETTLEMENT lN UPPER CANADA.

The following extracts from a letter, dated at Queenston,
Upper Canada, 30th Oct. 1824, will be found intertsting.
to Goods are sold very low here, and the number tt
merchants continue to increase. A good living can be
made in this country, but the time for making fortunes is
gone by. I believe a more free and happy people (if the.
only knew it) does not exist on the face of the earth. The
taxes are nothing, when compared with those of the United
States. A man, with a fine farm of ,2uo acres, plenty of
stock, full barn, fine house, and every thing in Plenty
around him, has at the most only thirty shillings of tax s
to pay, and a majority net half of that sum. The moot c•
the farmers have a patch of tobacco for their own use. At
Sandwich, 300 miles above us, this article is cultivated to
a very considerable extent. Your ideas respecting the va-
lue of landed properties in this country arc erroneous. I,
for my part, have no wish to have any interest in lamb,
either as security or property, particularly the latter. Much
trouble and botheration attends it, and the value era
scarcely be called real. The reason of this is that the will
lands are so easily got that the value of property will always
be a kind of nominal thing until the country is mere thickly
settled ; and I do not know of any estate in this countn
that would rent for more than one halt' of the interest of
the money that would be asked for it. A person that hat
money here can get six per cent. interest for it, which is
better than converting it into land, and is also a little better
titan the interest in sour country. The crown and clergy
reserves arc in the heart of the settled country, and if pro-
per encouragement were given upon them to emigrants, it
would add much to the strength of the country, and value
of property. These reserves, besides large grants made
in early times to favourites, has touch retarded the pros.
perity of it.
" This is one of the finest climates in the world. I wish
I could have shared with von some of our fine melons,
peaches, and grapes list summer. Last year the crops
were but poor, and people's ideas of the value of grain rose
much beyond what the state of the markets even then war-
ranted. Many of the Upper Canada merchants have suf-
fered much this year in flour, and some at least lost ten
II shillings on every barrel. The harvest here, this season,
has deem very abundant. Wheat is now about 2s. 6d. per
bushel. A steam flour-mill was ereett d last year near
Niagara, and there is now another building a few miles
distant, which will of course operate somewhat against the
mills driven by water. There is a good deal of stir here
,just now about canals, and if the projects arc carried into
effect the country will be greatly benefited, by affording
facility to transport."

John Holmes, Esq. the High Bailiff of the Borough,
having, in consequence of his election to that situation, re-
signed his office as Prothonotary in the Ancient Court of
Record in the Borough of Southwark, the Recorder, in
wlese gift the place is, has appointed John Newman, Esq.
the son of the worthy City Solicitor, to fill the vacancy,
and that gentleman accordingly attended, and was sworn
into his office,before Mr. Recorder, the Judge of the Court,
at the Town-hall, yesterday.
Ma. O'CoNxxtx.—The Commission will be opened at
Green-street, this day, before Mr. Justice Jebb and Mr.
Justice Moore. The Grand Juries will he sworn and some
bills sent up, but it is supposed that those against Mr.
O'Connell will not come before the (rand Inquest until
Monday. This is thefirst prosecution for words instituted
by the State in Ireland. The indictment contains the ex-
traordinary number of thirty-two counts! Mr. O'Conmll
will conduct his own defence in person; but he will also
have the advantage of the talents and experience of Mr.
Wallace, K.C., in addition to the Gentlemen whose names
have already appeared as his Counsel. Mr. Hickman
Kearney is, we understand, to be the Foreman of the
Grand Jury. The number of persons summoned to attend
as Petty Jurors is said to be ninety-eight.—lrish raper (1
Saturday.
IRISH NORTHERN BANKING COMPANT.—The number
of subscribers, or share-holders, to the Northern Bankinc
Company, is complete, and to morrow it starts for the
first time in the execution of its duties. This is the first
banking company formed in Ireland under the new Act
of Parliament, and becomes additional evidence of the
proud position in which Belfast stands at this moment is
the commercial world. The proprietary body is composed
of large lauded property—of the dust mercantile and manu-
facturing character and wealth in the country. The Di-
rectors are not in trade' consequently the public has ail
the security afforded by the first, amounting to some 'nil-
lions, and all the necessary security attending the mansg
mem of a private establishtnent.—Bellicst Paper qf Friday.
A BENLVOLENT JOINT-STOCK COMPANr.—A project
has been in contemplation for some time, and is, we be-
lieve, now fully matured, for building, by means of a joint-
stock company, houses for labourers and persons in poor
circumstances, and letting them at moderate rents, the rents
to be taken in monthly or weekly payments. The plan
originated in benevolence rather than its calculations of
prolit.—Edinhurgh Paper.
BRUTAL CONDUCT OF • WATCHMAN...-ElTly on the
morning of Sunday last a dreadful transaction took place
near to the Abbeyhill. The watchman of the Abbey w:s
found lying upon the street, all but murdered outright;
and, so precarious was his condition stated to be, that the
Sheriff-Substitute the saute day felt it his duty to take hs
declaration. According to the sufferer's statement, his lan-
tern had gone out, when he went to the watchman a the
next station eastward, to have it re-lighted, and found hivi
stretched on the ground, and much intoxicated. lie er-
deavoured to raise him, which the drunken nun resentei!
by some gruff and inarticulate expressions ; and, finding
his kindness so indifferently requited, he left him. But lie
had not gone snore than a few yards when he received a
dreadful blow on the back of the head, which pierced the
scalp, and felled him to the ground; and next a blow front
the same weapon, immediately above the ear, one beneath
the ear, and another ou the back. It is doubtful whether
he will survive ; and the supposed brutal assassin is i 3
custody. —Ediuhurgh Parer.