The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-08-01 00:00:00

COMPETITION OF PIPERS

The Annual Competition for prizes, given by the
Highland Society of London, to the three best per-
formers on the Great Highland Bagpipe, was held
in the Theatre Royal here, on Tuesday last, in pre-
sence of a Committee of Judges, named by the High-
land Society of Scotland, and of a more numerous
audience than on any former occasion, among whom
we noticed the greater proportion of the Nobility
and Gentry at present in town.
Tie first prize, being a handsome pipe, properly
mounted, and adorned with a silver plate, upon
which there has since been engraved the proper
inscription. together with forty merles Scots money,
was adjudged by the Committee, and the pipe de-
livered by Colonel A. Macgregor Murray, their
Preses, attended by Sit John Sinclair, Sir John
Macgregor Murray, Baru. General Macdonald,
Mr. Lamont, of Lamont, Colonel Grant, Inver-
nessthite Militia, and the other Members of the
Committee, in presence of the audience, to Malcolm
Macgregor. from Glasgow, who had formerly
gained second and third prizes.
The second prize, being thirty merks, was ad-
judged to Finlay M'Leod, from Glenmoriston, and
piper to the Lite Argyleshire Militia.
The third prize. being also thirty meths, was
voted to John MiArthur. from Ulva, piper to
Ronald Macdonald, Esq. of Stale.
Colonel A. Murray, in delivering the prizes, ad.
dressed himself to the preferred competitors, strongly
recommending a continuance of their exertions to
attain still greater perfeetion as perforate: s on the
bag-pipe, and in particular, that Malcolm Macgre-
gor, an excellent and scientific player, to whom the
first prize had been adjudged, should open an aca-
demy at Glasgow for instru&ing young performers
in this ancient national music. Afterwards the
Preses, at the desire of the Committee, called for
Alexander Mackay, Pipet Major to the Canadian
Fencibles, and informed him, that his style of play-
ing had also met with the particular approbation of
the judges, and that his merit would be accordingly
attended to in the distribution of the money.
From the great improvement nude by the dif-
ferent performers on this warlike instrument, since
the annual competition has taken place, the Corfi
mime had the satkfadion to find, tat in general
those who appeared were good players, and met
with approbation from the numerous and genteel
company who attended. Besides the competitors,
Duncan MiNlab, formerly piper to the Laird of
M'Nab, now to the Invernessshire Militia; and
Donal,' Robertson, piper to the Edinburgh Royal
Highland Volunteer Regiment, who had formerly
gained arum pipes, and 1)onald M'Lean, piper to the
Society. performed various salutes and pieces of
music in an excellent style.
The audience were also much entertained with
dancing of Highland Reels, introduced between
the oats The Competitors in this sport wen re-
peatedly encored by the company, and received suit-
able premiums from the Committee.
F on% the increased countenance and support
w"i,:h not only those conneded with the Highlands,
but in general the company who are in town at the
races, are plessed to give to this annual competition
and exhibition, the Judges were much gratified to
find, that from the receipts of the Theatre, on the
day of competition, with the sum allowed by the
London Society, they were enabled to give addi-
tions in money to the Competitors who obtained the
second and third prizes, besides making a handsome
division among the unsuccessitil candidates. some of
whom had come from a great distance, to encourage
them to further exertions and improvements in this
ancient. warlike, and national music, and likewise
among the dancers of Highland reek.
On the suggestion of Sir John Sinclair, the Com-
mittee direfled a certain number of copies of a Trea-
tise " On the Theeey, Preakiple, and Prettier of the
Greta 111,41.11 J Bagpipe Mauna" lately published by
the Rev. Mr. Patrick Macdonald, Minister of 'Ed-
more and Kilbride, Argyllshire, to be delivered to
such of the performers on this instrument, as have
made the greatest progress in improvement. This
valuable work was composed upwards of forty years
ago, by the deceased Mr. Jo. Macdonald, the bro-
ther to the publisher. then an Officer of the East-
India Company, and discovered in Bengal, by Sir
John Macgregor Murray, and sent some tears since
to the brother of the Compes. r, who has now given
it to the public, whose patronage of a work, that
will fix permanently the favourite music of ancient
heroes, cannot be doubted.

Thu judges of the competition, farther, on the
motion of Sir J. M. Murray, rftolced, that it will
be proper in future to encourage, by suitable pre-
miums, at this annual exhioition, the practice of the
broad-sword exercise, or cudgel ; the dancing of
strathspeys called twasoms, and other species of
Highland dancing.
The thanks of the Committee were unanimously
voted to his Grace the Duke of Buccleugh, the Earl
of Dalkeith, and SirJarues St. Clair Erskine, Bart.
for having in the har.dsomest and most obliging
manner, at the reqsebt of the Cummiuee, put off
the sailing match of boats, advertised for Tuesday,
to another day, so as not to interfere with this na-
tional exhibition.