The National Register.
London, England, 1817-07-14 00:00:00

meter the reproach of this trade, is a great step towards
its final abolition; but it cannot be denied that, as yet,
the interdiction of the trade to British subjects is at-
tended by no other advantage. We have only delivered
up the Africans to foreign, and, perhaps, more cruel
speculators ; but our own self-denial justifies our ap-
plication to the other Powers of Europe. In this oh
ject we have partially succeeded; but while the trade
is continued by those two Powers, which, from the
state of their colonial possessions, are most interested
in exten'ing it, our own sacrifices, and our }swill suc-
cesses with other nations, are nugatory. The sum of
individual misery is not dimiaished—we may count as
many tears, and groans, and chains, us formerly ; and
while we exult in the reflection that we have not caused
the one, or inflicted the other, it is galling to think
that such sufferings are the work of the two most con-
temptible nations in the world, which have existed
from our mercy, and, in fact, persists in outraging
humanity at the sufferance of Great' Britain. It is
time to turn our serious Intention to this consideration:
no feeling of respect to national rights should prevent
our interference. If Great Britain were justified in
protecting Spain and Portugal from the gripe of France,
no principle of national law can refuse to sanction simi-
lar exertions in favour of Africa, outraged by the null-
Yidual cl Portuguese and Spaniards.
Earl Percy succeeds, by the death of his father, the
late Duke of Northumberland, to a property of upwards
of 100,0001 per annum. His Grace has left 100,0001.
to each of his younger children.
The remains of the Right Hon. Gco. Ponsonby were
removed yesterday morning, at six otelock, from his '
house in Curzon-street, May-fair, in a private manner
for interment, in the vault at Kensington, where the
retrains of the late Lord Ponsonby are deposited —A
few of the deceased's particular friends attended the
funeral ; among them was the Earl of Shannon, the.
Earl of Besborough, and Lord G. H. Cavendish
Two of the late ever-to-be-lamented Mr. Ponsonby's
sisters survive him, viz.—Catherine, Countess of Shan..
non, mother to the present Earl of Shannon and to the
late Countess of Bandon, and Frances, BiI7CMCSE Lis-
more, mother to the present Viscount Lismore.
The failure of the late embassy to China has been
ascribed to certain impositions practised by the Chinese
Officers of State on the Emperor; and the fact is now
placed beyond doubt, by an huperiel edict, published
in the Pekin Gazette of the 4th September, 1816.
The Emperor Alexander paid a distinguished com-
pliment to Lord Cutlicart, Jn. Ambassador, and the '
nation he represents, on the 4th June ; perceiving his
Lordship on the parade at St. Petersburgh, dressed in
his orders, he inquired the cause, and finding it was the
birth-day of his Sovereign, his Imperial Majesty order-
ed a fee de joie to be fired, invited himself to a bail
given at night by his Lordship, and appeared there
dreseed in the English Order of the Garter.
The public will be surprised to learn that a Bill has
passed both Houses of Parliament, by the provisions of
which, the great obstacle to the entry of Roman Ca-
tholics into the Army and Navy, and to their advance-
ment to the highest rank in the serviec, is compleatly
withdrawn. They are not to be called on to take the
oaths before entering the Army and Navy ;—and after
they have entered the service, all further obligation of
taking the oaths, or the sacrament, is done away by
the auneal Act of Indemnity which is passed at the
beg-hitting of each Session. All religious distinction,
therefore, is removed us to the military and naval ser-
vice ;—and there can be in future no obstacle to a
Roman Catholic rising to the command of an army—
or to be the Lord High Admiral of Englund, if that
office shneld cease to he in commission.—This Bill,
which was introduced by Ministers, is said to be ex-
lastly similar in substance and cflect to the one intro-'
dutaxl by the Administration of Lords Grenville and
Grey, and which was the cruse, or pretended cause, of
their dismissal front office.
The Dublin Evening Post states, that it is resolved
to re-embody the Catholic Board, and that its first.
meeting was fixed for this day. The same paper
acknowledges the receipt of letters from Rome, the tent-
tents of which are as disastrous as important to the in-
terest of Irish Catholics. The management of Eccle-
siastical aftltirs is, for the first time, tansferred from the
Propaganda to a Council composed of Politicians. Mr.
Parke, the Bsitish Consul, and Baron Omptcda, the
Hanoverian Minister, have obtained a complete con-
troul. Mr. Hayes is lying ill of a fever in a convent,
guardedhy two constables, and a Bens d' antler. All
admittance is refused, except to his medical attendant,
who though a British subject, is not allowed to address
him in another language than Italian.
The Waterloo Committee have sent to Marshal Blu-
cher an additional 10;0001. sterling to be applied to the
use of the children of Prussian soldiers who fell in the
campaign of 1815.
The experiment of haulingsup a lino-of-battle ship,
by means of ruffles, has fully succeeded at Plymouth
Dock-yard. The Keot, of 74 guns, and 1964 tons,
was, by the simple but most powerfal mechanical in-
strument, drawn out of the water and securely placed
on a entitle, tin repeir.- The experiment -was never
before tried with a ship of greater 10111144 than a 38'
.gun frigate.