The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-01-22 00:00:00

SERIOUS TUMULT AT ALICANT.

Letters from Alicant, of the 30th December, relate a moat ne
furious attempt by the (inventor, .11calde, and Military Officers
of that place, to interrupt public tranquillity, by insults to the
lower orders, with the view of representing afterwarda to the tio-
yertimect at Madrid, that the town was in a state of rebellion, and
of diluting the merit of having wuppreised it.
The following account of this affmy is communicated in a private
letter from the ripsnish capital:—
" MADRID, JAN. 6. 1
_ _ .

" In Alicant there has Leen a serious disturbance on the .Nth.
Some boys were playing with money, and some soldiers passing,
either in jest or earnest, laid hold of the pieces, and cried out, " Viva
el Rep .11.oluto !" The Imp, in playful opposition, cried out,
" lc Comitirucion !" L ;ion this the soldiers began to beat
them violently ; their parents, hearing the noise, came out of their
houses,. and remonstrated with the soldiers; words ensued, and
they cut on both sides with their knives. The Governor was made
acquainted with it; he ordercd the gsrrison under arms and the
gates to be shut; it was tin n about four o'clock. lie then ordered
the troops to take up every body they found in the streets, which
they did, wresting above two hundred, who were conveyed to the
dungeons of the prison. The people returning from their walk,
surprised at being shut out, did not bear it quietly. The (lover-
nor then ordered them to be let in one by one, inquiring who they
were, and of these about 3011 were marched Ono prison. Mr.
Athy, an Englishman, was one of the number ; the Consul went to
reclaim him, but was not listened to. When he returned home, a
shot was fired at his window. The next day, the Governor request-
ed of some clergymen and friars to give an account of the prisoners.
who ;hey were, their conduct, Ike and they gave favourable an-
swers ; hut four Aleahles esserted quite the contrary ; and. at the
end of 1111 hours, only 13 persons had been released, and those of
the lowest stamp, friend, of the .I.lcaldes. We wait the publica-
tion of the Governor's story (which will, no doubt, be figured into
a grand plot of the Negros), or for the private letters by next pat."

The Marquis Alfieri. the Ambassador of Sardinia, pre-
sented to the King of France, in a private audience, a letter
from his Sovereign, announcing the death of Victor Enitna-
nuel, late King of Sardinia.
The Bishop of Lichfield, we hear, is dangerously ill, and,
front the nature of the disorder, as well as his Lordship's
advanced ,time of life, his recovery is considered almost
hopeless.
Died at Bath, on Monday last, in his l'eth year, Thomas
King, Esq. For ihe two last years the state of his health,
owing to an attack of apoplexy, had occasioned him to re-
tire from the Metropolis. ana to reside at Bath. Ile was
an Elder Brother of the Trinity-house, and whatever func-
tions he had to perform, either in that or in any other capa-
city, derived always an advantage from his manner of per-
forming them. lie exerted himself with extraordinary
activity and public spirit, in promoting the establishment
of the London Docks, of which he was a Director. He
was always among the most earnest to promote the in-
terests of every vauable public institution; on such oc-
casions, the suggestions of his intelFgent and well-informed
mind, were always useful, and his beneficent exertions
were never withheld froM carrying them into effict. It,
may be truly said of him, that his death closed a most
excellent anti exemplary life.
SA NI/WIC/I, Jnx. 20.—Yesterday being appointed for
the funeral obsequies of the late Joseph Marryatt, Esq. M.P.
the inhabitants of the town of Sandwich, actuated merely
by a simultaneous feeling of respect for the memory of
thei7 depart.. d representative, evinced their sense of duty
on the mournful occasion, by closing the windows of
their houses, shops, &c. The most decorous and respect-
ful silence seemed to pervade the dwellings of far the greater
part of the inhabitants, both freemen and others, for even
those who possessed no direct interest in the representation
of the ancient borough, very properly united in testifying
their esteem, for integrity, merit, and departed excellence.
Galietee.

We have heard that a very numerous and respectable
portion of the electors of the port of Sandwich have ten-
tcrcd to Mr. Marryatt the scat in the House of Commons
so long tided by his regretted father. That gentleman,
under the pressure of Lis finnily affliction, has, we under-
stand, felt it his duty, with the deepest sense of such an
expression of rtspect for hi 3 deceased parent, to reuse an
Mier etinally creditable to both parties. A number of can-
didates have been invntioped. Sir John Sewell, doubtless
on the notoriety of his services to the Bridge-street Asso-
ciation, has hinted his pretensions; but we believe a wet
blanket has been thrown upon claims hacked by such a
:•ecounnentlation. Alderman Atkins has been also feeling
his way ; but, like his Mayoralty experiments, it is sus-
pected the etrort will end in smoke without fire. Mr.
Bonham, on the independent interest, was expected at
Sandwich yesterday. Sir B. T. rarquhar's name has been
mentioned, but upon what grounds we have not heard.—
Evertiv Papa..

POST-IIORSE AND OTHER DUTIES.
A general meeting of the Postmasters of the metropolis was
terday held at the Freertrisora"Pavern, for the pnrpoae or rs,
ing the Report of a Committee appointed to cnntir with flute's:
meat respecting the new regulations fur fixing the duties on
hones, and all horses let for hire. Poe.
The SECRETAKY then read the Report. It stated, that in their
conferences with Government the Committee had made aemia.
exertions to obtain an exemption of %retitle-horses from the ps,-
mentor duty, but without success. 31iich dissatisfaction had bag
manifested at this circumstance ; but when the public ronsiderej
that the only power which the Committee had to exert was rawm
or persuasion, they would be surprized that so much had been gaia7,
in the new Act, in clear regulations and fair duties (applause).
31r. WHITE, the Chairman, said, as he had been artiveiy eT
Gaged in the intercourse with Governtuent on (Ms marine, 1.,
could 'whims state more distinctly the concessions than Lad yen
made to postmasters throughout the kingdom. In the tine ph;
it was not now necessary to have the name and number affixed ro
any carriage except post-chaises. or those which travelled be eye
mile or stage; therefore they might let a gig for the day, ate a Ca,.
riage to a family, without its being requisite to proclaim that i; sty
not their own by any invidious or galling stamp. Vial
to saddle horses, it bad been warmly contended Ly the solieirie
the Stamp Office, that those who role hired horses shemd be oh,
liged to take and chew a ticket of the duty at the turnpike-eta
It was objected to this measure that it would subject evcri
man who rode a horse in the kingdom to be challenged as the ti r
of a hired nag, and insulted by the toll-collectors. '!'hose whom-,
hired horses, and especially those in the metmpons, wire ve.,
anxious to preserve appearances ; then why should they be cumpad
to make a galling disclosure producing a ticket at every tampts.
gate ? These reasons prevailed with the Government, and the
had withdrawn the obnoxious measure which would have tendsk,
destroy altogether the extensive business of letting 'addl.: harm
(applause). But above all, inucad of twelve acts, each of eb,th
was more obscure than the erher, and which were the delights(
lawyers, for they could explain them any way, the trade had rev
the rare felicity of being regulated bv one Act, which was sock,
simple that any man of common capacity amongst them en*
tend it. 'Phis indeed was a great fitivaotage gained. tie
would tend to do away with those vexatious actions which was
often brought by sosr.e of the farmers of the duties, who tel
vantage of the obscurity of the laws, nail the ignu.-ance of ;hoe
who were under them, for the purpose of plundering and opres,i.c
them. lie had in his hand a document, or rather a volume, sho.3
had been given him as a curiosity. A postmaster was clung d she
having transgressed some one of the regulations of the twit,: ma.
trary acts, and an action was brought against him with a isttam,
non of t,200 folio.. There was so much repetition, anther..
were so many points interwoven, that the defendant's atteney
could not undentand it. and the consequence was, that the
defendant, for fear there might be something from al:6
might be hit in this mass of pleading, compromised r is
enormous expense (hear). All such work as this was now dote
away with. The farmers of the duties would rot be allowed whorl
such actions as they pleased, hut must first submit the casts tett;
Stamp Office, and none but proper eases would be sutfertd to be
taken into Court.—(Applause.)—There was one word in the bey
Act which excited much alarm, and was supixried to affect note
entity the trade and the public ; and opinions of Counsel had been
taken on the subject. In the course et the Act the word
occurred in conjunction with " let." 31any opulent past.tiseess
were in the habit of lending their hones or vehicles to their trinsis
or branches of their families, gratuitously, for short jaunts, urine
and thee. a pleasure party. The Counsel to whom it was pre.
(erred had declared that this word " used" rendered the
boric; used on such an occasion liable to the payment of d:;);
and one of the Counsel had gore an far as to say, that a gentler=
who lent his carriage and horses to a friend for six weeks must par
duty tbr them dunng that time (hear, hear). But lie begged to:;
no one would be alarmed at this word or the construction put con
it by CounseL It was all mere special pleading. Ile was sure the
point could not stand in a Court of Justice; and that the Commis.
scones of Stamps could not allow any farmer of taxes to benign
action upon it. So confident was be of this, that the gentian
might be tried. Government having determined upon exerting the
duties, had shown an enlightened desire to have them collect!,
and the trade put under regulations of the most easy and mm.
factory nature (applause).
A long discussion teas then entered into as to the minute deal
and regulations of the duties with the farmers, when ultimately the
Report was agreed to, and ordered to be published.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman and the Committee.

Yesterday a Court of Directors was held at the Ee,t
India Blouse, when John Pearson, Esq. took the usual
oath on being appointed the Cetnpany's .Advocate-General
in Bengal.

Mr. ri'arren, it is said, has been engagferby Mr. Merit
for neat season, at the Thews IWO, Alairligi•
An elopement has recently taken place Paris; the
parties are Mrs. the grand-dsughter of the al,
Lady A—, and Lord ll—, which has occasionol s
great deal of gossip and scandal in that gay city. Lily
A— is highly incensed at the imprudence of her gram,
daughter, and is reported to have destroyed a codicil to ha
will, by which the fair fugitive, in the event of the 62
Lady's death, would obtain twenty-five thousand pound;
and her valuable diamonds.

BsiTrau PE E. RA a E.—There is an investigation
going forward, proving a claim to a title supposed tea
extinct in the Berkeley family. The claimant is DOI
Berkeley, Esq. great-grandson of Pr. Hurry Berkeley
(formerly of Ardustan, in the county of Cagow, and at
that period one of the Masters of his Majesty's High Cour
of Chancery, in Ireland, being appoints d to that situation
by his near relation, the first Lord Berkeley, of Stratton,
when Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in the reign of ('harks
the 2d), by his first wife Catherine, dau7liter of Essex
Rigby, then Bishop of Dromore, and sister to the thea
Bishop of Elphin, and which Essex I)igby was the son of
I Sir lt. Rigby, and Lettice Lady Opbaly, the daughter and
then sole heir to Gerald, Earl of Kildare, the ancestors of
the prssent Lord Digby. This claimant's grandfather, also
a Digby Berkeley, succeeded his father in the toms in
the county of Carlow, who married an Elizabeth Pretty
man, the daughter and sole heir to the then Sir William
Prettyman, of Loddingbon, in Leicestershire, Bart. From
the recent discovery of certain documents, and the succor
which has hitherto attended the necessary searches, link
doubt is entertained of the ultimate establishment of his
claim. A case is now pending, to be laid before the LT
officers of the Crown in England ; and if they should girt
their opinion in the claimant's favour, a question of cote•
derable moment will take place en an ejectment about to be
brought for the recovery of the whole of the property in the
county of Carlow, where the only difficulty that can ma
will be, whether Itwth of adverse possession, connectel
with the grossest fraud, can bar the right of remainder•

men.
Yesterday being the anniversary of the decapitation of
Louis XVI., the sante was observed at the French Catholic
Chapel in London. A solemn high mass WAS read, st
which all the Priests belonging to the Chapel, dressed in
splendid vestments, assisted. The Chapel was hung with
black cloth, and brilliantly illuminates with lamps soil
wax candles. The Chapel was crowded to (ACM is
parts, and many distinguished characters, both Catholin
and Protestants, were prisent during the ceremony.
A despotic act of the French government is moat tailed
of at Paris. A short time ago, a kind of convivial club:
consisting of nearly too members, the rester pet of
them merchants, was held in the Rue des Menar.s, but
their lease being expired, apartments were hired at;-'
splendidly fitted up by the managers, in the Rue Si. Nian
Feydeau. Just as they were on the point of taking possis-
rdou, however, the landlord of the house received 1101.1
from the police that the meeting would not be pertnimd
the managers of the club, who had expended Arm'
thousand franca in peeparations, immediately applio!
the NI inieter of the Interior, to be informed of the gronob
on which the meeting of the club was forbidden, as thcr'
was nothing political in the Institution. After mu.ll
shuffling it was CollreF,4eil by the :Minister, that tl:c oSuY
ground of offence was the Mimber of Liberals in the !'"•
ciety, and amongst others, he nientioaed NI. dotty, es:
proprietor of the Diablr Th.itritr, and one of the editors et
the Constitutioaad. It seems, however, that upon a
trial, in which a M. de la Marr, the brother-in-law of ti.
Minister of the Interior, was defendant. some informate-:
was given which the Minister wished to keep out of
journals; and a meeting took place between hint and
liberal editors, in which it was a!zreed that on condition e.
their silence, permission should. be granted for the clob to
assemble. The Liberals have kept their word, but the
Minister has not yet kept his, and the Members are potting
inpatient.
Accounts from Madrid of the 6th instant state, that ew
Royal Schools of Artillery and Engineers arc going toile
re-established on a religious and inotor-chical plan. Tb
same principles will he app'ted to the I7nieersitics. Tb:
education of voath is to be entrusted to a hatted bay
(the Jesuits). which, noi withstanding the imligioln
principles,its esc;lhnt
sarc:lstl:
s whirr
r sll it has 1
drawn
itself
i munY:
ortalirrd the
. ago of Louis Nil".
B:iterroNA, JAN. 1,1.-011 the 3:11 inst. at noon.risu
•,
the promenade of the , Was crowded ta
Targaeonne was insolted on the public walk ; he TO:rot
Ibv the rue des E. cudillers and the rue Large ; a ste;:e
'struck his head the Colonel took rt•fuge at the
French pust wbiigt was within his reach. The thwerP-r
;of the fi:rtrels ropaired thither, and called a stri:ecr:
dress his weunds.