The National Register.
London, England, 1818-01-05 00:00:00

SWEDEN.

A Hambnrgli mail contains a document, signed by Bee
King of Sweden, on the events which have taken place
since the last Diet, and on the general state and prospects of
the kingdom. By this it appears, that a treaty of com-
merce has been concluded between Sweden and the United
States, and a treaty with Russia respecting the commercial
relations between Sweden and Finland, her furrier province.
Prussia has made considerable progress in paying op the
sums agreed upon as an indemnity to Sweden for th•• Iwo
of Pomerania. The Swedish rovenne of customs has
proved, and her foreign debt has every o here been discharged
ur diminished.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A variety of American papers have reached town. A pro-
minent article in the Baltimore Gazette holds tOitli to the
people of tie United States, the necessity of .eiaing ou
Amelia Island, which is represented to base become the
common receptacle of pirates and freebooters, who prey
upon the commerce of all trading nations; and which it
therefore behoves the Government of the United States to
occupy at least provisionally, in their own defence. The
writer conclndes with confidently asserting, that " the time is
near at hand when both Amelia and Galvestown will he takes
possession of by his Government, and heid far future dia.
posal." Col. Bankhind, the account goes on to say, was to
leave Charleston about the 25th ult. for Sasannah.
dcrnble reliance is placed on the opinion, that immediately
on the meeting of Congress, Fast Florida was to be ceded to
the United States by Siiaiu ; and Amelia is regarded as Com-
ing an understood memberof the territory so to be. given up.
The New American Navigation Act continues to be euloreed
wilt exemplary rigour.

A private letter from Paris, dated Der, ep, says
" The Duke of Wellington has arrived Pafis. Ilia
Grace, it is said, has no other object in this visit to
the capital but to pay his respects to the King •at the
new year. The presence of the noble Duke, at Pari.l,
will, however, it is hoped, accelerate a little the nego.
ciations about the foreign claims, and the stay of the
Allied Armies in France, which f►r some time have
threatened to be intLiinitely prolonged. *rite Duke,
after remaining some time at Paris, will proceed. to
England. Up to this time, there is no appearance of
a change of Ministry, though the resent Administru.
tion have lost much in pablic opinion since the opening
of the Chambers. The King has warned, within these
few Says, persons of the Court, and principally iliose
who sit in the Chamber of Peers, to take care how they
vote against projects of'laws or measures of his Ministers,
on peril of being disgraced."
A coinage of crowns or five-shilling-pieces will corn-
menee in the course of a new days at the Mi.►t. Oa
one side will be a head of His Majesty, and on the re-
verse the figures of St. George and the Dragon. The
number to be struck in the first instance will be five
hundred thousand ; when that number is completed,
they are to be issued to the Bank, wldeh, it is said,
will he in about a muntli or live a..ck.:;

REVIEW OF LITERATURE.

ON TILL• DETERIORATION OFTIIE CLIMATE OF

GKIAC BRITAIN.

[Prom the Joinnal of Science and the Arts."
'Cho la't number of the "Journal of Science anti the
Arts," contains the following most interesting paper,
limn the pen of' Mr Braude, on the Deterioration of
of the climate of this country, a subject on which we
ail take frequent occasion to complain. Whether we are
about to be revisited by those genal gales and warm-
er suns, which cheered the days of our ancestors, we will
not pr,•tlict, lest we be disappointed; but if the accounts
be true which have been received from the Northward,
we may safely conclude that some convulsion in na-
ture, has detached those masses of ice, the accumulation
oi ages, which have wrought su unfortunate a change
in our climate.
That for several centuries past the climate of England
has midi retitle a very material change for the worse, appears
demonstrated by the most irresis'ible historical evidenee ; nor
Call there indeed 1w a doubt that the springs are now later.
and the siiiiimern shorter, and dial those seasons arc colder
and mitre humid than they were in the youtlifol days of many
persons, and those not very aged, who are now alive. We
learn from our old chronicles, that the grape has formerly beet,
cultivated in England, for the manufacture of wine, but we
now know that even with much care and attention it can
scarcely lie brought to ripen a scanty crop tinder walls expos.
ed to the
In the most favourable aspect; and it would be fully to
attempt it. growth in the method of a vineyard, as a stand-
ard. Of this real luxury of snore genial climes, we have so
long been deprived, that we tronble ourselves little about
those golden days when Bacchus smiled upon our hills. But
what may lie considered as coming inure home to the business
and 60,0,11 s of the present generation is, that Pomona is
about to desert our orchards, and that on ground where the
clustering vine olive thairislied, the apple has of late years
scarcely roweled. Indeed we are informed upon good autho-
rity. that it is now sixteen years since the orchards have af-
forded a plealitilt crop. It is really melancholy to think that
at no vciy remote period our posterity may ill all probability
be in the fame situation in regard to cyder, that we are now
placed in, in respect to wine ; when the apple tree, like the
sine, will I bitty afford a penurious supply of sour fruits, and
will be cultivated in forcing houses to supply the tears of
the rich.
" Lest, however, we should be set down among the screech.
owls of mankind, whose race, we are sorry to say, chews no
symptoms of evtiection, and who make it their business " to
lessen the little comforts, and shorten the short pleasures of
our condition try painful remembrances of the past, or melan-
deity plot:mastics of the future;" we Shill now beg leave to
give our readeia a few facts connected with this change of
climate. which may perhaps throw a little light upon the
siihket, and tend to exhibit the cause of those effects which
We has t' jest deplored.
" It is demonstrable, that in the nothern parts of our hemi-
sphere the mean annual temperature is on the decline, and on
recurring to die accounts of modern travellers, it appears that
ill mountainous parts of Europe the accunuulatiuu of ice and
snow is very sensibly increasing. 'this is perhaps particu.
lily the case, and easily observable, in the vicinity of Mont
Blanc ; and the Glaciers which, descending from the suns.
nits of that and the adjoining peaks, invade the adjacent
valley of Cliamotiney. arc making such progress as to threaten
at no very remote period, to resider the heart of that district
inaccessible to the traveller. In a recent number of the" Bib-
liotlueque de sciences et des Arts," Professor Pictet informs
its, that the Glacier des Bunions has very lately advanced
Arty feet, much to the dismay of the neighbouring villagers.
But if we resort to more northern dhows we shall find }et
more alarming evidence oldie great increase of snow and ice
and of this, the history of Greenland furnishes perhaps the
most remarkable facts upon record. We know that that
country, which was probably first peopled by Europeans from
Iceland, received its name from its verdant appearauce, and
that the original colony continued to prosper, and to carry on
an extensive commerce with Norway, mail the beginning
of the lath century, since which period all communication
'with East Greenland has ceased, and what was once known
respecting it is almost buried in oblivion. Since that period
too, the test coast of Greenland, which once was perfectly
accessible, has become blockaded by an immense collection of
ire, so that till within these few months no vessels could ap.
prom+ near enough even to see land in that direction.
"'the following quotation flout Fabricius• will, we pre-
sume furnish satisfactory proof of the great increase of the
inland ice of Greenland, and seems particularly apposite to
our present purpose.
" "Ilte land-ice (Fishrac) in Greenland is one of tbs. most
remarkable phenomena its nature, and in extent far ..:xceeils
any other hitherto known, running from one end of the
country to the other, and covering it with an eternal ice,
leaving only some taps of niunntaius. which rise black and
naked above it. When you ascend any of the highest moun-
tains free from ice on the sea-coast a dreadful view is pre •
aruted. As far as the eye can reach in every direction
nothing is seen but a glitteriug surface, which merits the ap-
pellation of any icy ocean.
" This ice is extending every year, increasing in height
as well as breadth, and has alit atly occupied the greatest
part of the country. When it meets With high mountains it is
checked in its progress till it has reached an equal height, and
then proceeds farther without obstruction. Ail expei intent
bas been juaile of placing a pule in the earth at a consider.
able distance from the line of ire, and that place has been
hand occupied by die ice the following year. Its progress is
indeed so rapid that Greenlanders, who are still living, re-
member their father's hunting reiii.deer ;inning naked moun-
tains, which arc now completely covered with ice. I have
myself seen foot-pattis leading to the inland of this part of the
country, which are now obstructed by glaciers. It is chiedy
in the vanes s that the ice is accumulating, and where these
reads the sea, and the inner part of the bays, the ice projects
in large blocks over the water. Part of the it e appears to
he eve, and smoothy particularly in the middle, but a part
of it very uneven, eloseially at the extremities towards the
naked land, sad in those places, where small hillocks have
been covered. lint if you proceed thither on the ice, that
which seettivil to be even, consists of 'tallies with several
strata. There are also a number of rents of different

• Nve :waling al da Kongellg Daaske Vidcnakabr:s ScLskah
SAro.gll. T. 482.

/HE.

NATWISTaitt. DEGISTAIL
widths, and MO deep Ant the eve seeks the bottom in vain.—•
That part of the ice vrkleh appeared to he uneven is nothing
'but
projecting hillocks with deep ravines, where it is impos-
sible to proceed, and whit+ bear the appearance of the sea
in most violent motion, instantly congealed*. If you look down
into the routs or observe the ice at the extremities, youti nil
the lower stratum of a blue colour, which is darker towards
the bottom, bet towards the surface the eolinir is lighter,
the uppermost stratum having: its natural whiteness. The
none of water-talls is heard ins some of the rents, and a
thundering sound is frequently heard under your feet,
when a new rent is made. On inspecting the extremity of
the ice, when it is fanning in low places, you will find it
undermining the ground and pushing it aside as if it were
by a plough. This detritus lies collected in heaps all along
the sides of the ice, like walls, anti at the first breaking up
of the ice is sunk into it for ever. In many places entire lakes
re filled up ; the ice spares Nothing. The blocks of ice, that
form a continuation of the land-ice and project over the water
is the inner parts of the bays, are yearly increasing. The sea
below throws its waves over them, and makes such excava-
tions, that in many places large poles of ice are hanging
down at the sides, basing the appearance of pipes of organs,
and in other places it forms immense al rhes. In proportion,
as these blocks increase above and become heavier, and the
exeavationa below are extended, immense masses are preci-
pitated into the water. Many bays are really deep enough
to receive such ire mountains. As one mass falls down, that
which is behind is carried along with it, and thus one follows
the other with a tremendous cracking noise,like a heavy can-
nonade. The sea, as is easily imagined, is thereby put into a
violent motion, and overflows the land to a great height, and
this inundation is felt at the distance of several miles. It has
even happened that tents pitched at a considerable distance
from the sea have been carried away and the people have
perished. Boats are also in great danger.
" Such masses of ice are at first precipitated deep in the
water. and returning to the surface continue tar a long time
in mention. Sometimes they are united to the flat ice in the
bays by congelation, and thus rumen surrounded by it for a
time, or they break in their fall the ice which is already
formed there.

" • Another circumstance which increases these mountains,
is that in smile places there are large lakes above the ire
blocks, discharging their water through openings ler !hem.
ltmiiid the edges of the lakes are hanging pieces of
which in the above-described manner are precipitated into
them. They are then driven to the moults of the opening,
through which the smaller pieces are carried down into the
tea, but the larger ones block up the opening, by s Inch not
aonly the water is stopped, but also the masses of ice. The
water rising higher detaches still more of those pieces, and
the lake is at lest so full of them, that they break a new,
channel. Thus the masses that were heaped one upon the
other are hurled into the sea, accompanied by a continued
thundering noise. The sea is put into terrible commotion,
and the inhabitants in the neighbourhood; when they hear
this roaring, expect to see the whole bay blocked ep with
ice.
" If the ice mountains remain for some lime tender the
projecting blocks cf ice (which depends on the state of the
wind and the current) their size is then increased, and they
rise to a terrible height, assuming the most curious shapes.—
At last they are driven from one bay into another, or they
advance into the tea and float about in Davis's Streight, till by
moving southwards they are dissolved in more temperate la-
titude. I do not mean to say that all ice mountains in Davies's
Streight have their origin on Greenland, for some of them
probably came front more distant regions : but I think it most
probable that the greatest part of this sort of ire has been
detached from the western coast, and from the eastern coast
of Greenland, which they call Old Greenland."'
" From this and other evidence which might be adduced,
it is clear that the quantity of ice in the northern regions has
undergone a very considerable and even rapid increase, and
we are of opinion that this circumstance is sufficient to ac.
count for that deteioration of our climate which we set ont
with deploring, and which if the same causes continue to act,
is equally threatening to our at present more fortunate neigh-
bours upon the continent of Europe. t
" It now becomes a question whether there are any hopes of
amendment; whether matters may not take a turn the other
way ; and whether by the gradual breaking up of the ice, the
climate of this part of Europe Fluty not regain its former state.
In favour of this idea, it seems in the first place highly impro-
bable, from what we know of the beneficent adjustments of
Nature, that there should be no remedy or compensation
provided for so great au evil ; but, secondly, it seems that
within the last year a very notable relaxation of the cold has
actually taken place. East Greenland, as we have before
mentioned, has not only been inaccessible, but even invisible
for a long period ; but last year it was observed by one of the
whalers, that the ice had there suffered a most astonishing
decrease; that about two thousand square leagues had disap-
peared, and that laud was again visible. We learn too from
Copenhagen, that intelligence was there received in August
last that the ice which from time immemorial had interrupted
the communication with East Greenland bad vanished. It
is further probable that the process of thawing is going
on to a yet greater extent further north, for the ice islands
met with in the Atlantic are almost entirely conveyed thither
by the southern current, which constantly runs in Davis's
Streight, and they were last year much inure numerous than
usual—many, arid large ones, were even seen in 420 south
latitude in the summer and autumn of 1816, and we think it
by no means improbable that the extreme chillness of that
season may is great measure be referred to these visitors
trout the north ; for the south-west winds could not but have
been chilled by passing over these liozen masses. We think
there is one other remark north recording, though we would
not be understood to lay any stress upon its reference to,
or connection with the more propitious state of the weather
that we now look for—it is, that at the very time we heard
of the thawing of the northern ice, and a consequent proba-
bility of the return of those regions to their former state,
the westward variation of the magnetic needle began to
decline, and it is already retrograded some degrees to wards
due north.

t From America. too. we learn, that in catmint:ince of the
coldness of the seasons. Indian corn will no longer ripen in New
England, and that the farmers hare consequently taken to the culti-
vation of wheat, which has succeeded so well, as to render it likely to
supersede maize.

The Diike of Clarence, at dinner gisten him by the Nava
Officers. re.iiitent at Bath, lamented the state policy that bad
prevented him from sharing tle•ir glories and ;het r
and leading 'itch hell!' as those present to victory and re-
nown. His Royal Highness's last toast was—" The land ut
wheat, the land of oat', the land of potatoes, aid We laud of
kelt% •—BatA herald.

JAW

SUBSCRIP'T'ION rOk MR. IIONE.

A very crowded meeting of persons trOling themselves the
friends of the liberty of the press and Mal by jury was held
at the City of London tavern, agreeably to advertisement, to
'nom • • ote a subscription for•Alr• Hone. A few miming, before
une o'clock, Mr. Waitinnan, the chairman, accompanied by
Sir Francis Burdett, several other gentlemen, entered
from the Committee geom.
Mr. Waithusin, typo taking the chair, spoke to this effect:
—Although lie had now to regret that a person of greater abi-
lity than himself had not taken the chair, yet he never telt
greater satisfaction then on the present occasion, becanse no
object could be better calculated to save the liberties ut Ell.
glishinen than the object of the present meeting. (Applanse.)
He had had no previous acquaintance with Mr. Hone, and
when, a few days previously to his trial, he had met him in the
street, and showed hint the jury list, lie scarcely recognized
him. He had never read the parodies before the trial ; and
though he had no taste for parodies, yet he had before this
period seen many parodies, hut never before did he see a
pioseention for a parody. There was no person who could
doubt that, if those parodies had been written in favour of
Ministersyand in ridicule of the reformers, bis Majesty's Go-
vernment would never have noticed them. [.applause.] If
the object had been to rescue religion front insidious:Attack',
the laws were open, and they wieshl have proceeded in the
ordinary course. int he wished to shoe, although he was
irregular in introducing any observations of this kind, [hear,
hear,] the manner in winch the prosecution was executed mid
conducted. When the suspension of the Habeas Corpus was
proposed, and VilfiollS papers were referred to Committees of
Parliament, a great deal was said to inflame the public mind,
and to enrage it, not only against political writers, but against
those who were denounced as venders of blasphemy. In.
stead of prosecuting—[here the speaker was interrupted by
the entrance of Lord Cochrane, which called forth excessive
peals
of a aplansel— instead of prosecuting alleged 'Menders,
as they would have done if their objeet had been sari' as they
pretended, they took quite a different coin se. They dragged
Mr. Hone from the bosom of his family, subjected hint to
many vexatious disti rises, and instituted prosecutions against
him, after the coestitioion had been violated, and the most
lint* uuQed rumonre haul been circulated to ensure a verdict*
for the Croon. He attended on the last day of the trials, and
part of the other days, and witnessed the exertions of Mr.
Hone in behalf of the liberties of Englishmen. [Applause.]
He saiiltbr liberties of Englishmen, because their liberties
were founded ou the liberty of the press. [Applease.] He
resolved on that day nothing in his power should be neglected
to reward a man who hail merited so much of his country.
[Applause.] 'this meeting was instituted by a few who had •
retired to a coffee-house, and who felt as Englishmen for a
man who had suffered so much and exerted himself in a man-
ner so honourable to himself and so useful to his conutry.
He had not a doubt but an intention so congenial to every •
English heart would he amply carried into effect, and Mr.
Hone AV9IIIII be enabled to support himself, his wife, and his
family, with comfort and honour. [Great Applause.] Gen-
tlemen had prepared rezolutione which would be read to the
Meeting.
Sir Francis Burdett rose to address the meeting air; ilst au
uproar of applause. Those in the remote end of the room.
persisted to call upon the Hon. Baronet to stand upon the
table. After some reluctance he complied. At length.
lie thus addressed them :—He could not but feel extremely
flattered by the manner in which they had received him ; at
the same time the very few words lie had to sag to then.
would not justify so much anxiety to hear him. Bin if he
were to enter fully into the subject, lie should take more
time than they could well 'lmre: and there was in truth no
subject of discussion, for the importance of the liberty of
the press of England was well understood. The next to this
most important subject, and next only to that subject, was
the duty ofsupporting a struggling honest countryman, op—
pressed by prosecutions on scandalous hypocritical pre-
tences. [Great applause.] The resolution which he held in
his hand was one pledging their support to a countryman in
these distressed circumstances. They owed him a debt of
gratitude for his manly exertions in their favoiir.—'they
were to express, too, their feelings, and those of the public; at
large, (for he believed the public were of the same opinion,)
respecting, Gm, the false pretences on which the prosecu-
tion was founded, and then the oppressive manner in which
it was conducted. They were then first. to express their
approbation ;next,their gratitude ; and then they were to repay.
Agreeing, as he did, with the worthy chairman—and uo man
could disagree with him—as to the liberty of the press and
the trial by jury, he would take the opportunity of saying,
that there was nusolid support for either, without a fair rc-
preaentation of the people in Parliament. [Great applause.]
Without that, there was no security for either the liberty of
the press or trial by jnry. To this the people had as good a
right as the king to his throne. They were no longer the
deluded people—they were now fully aware of theirgriev.
ances and of their rights. 'the many publications, written
with so much industry and so much ability, on this subject,.
had produced decisive effect. So much progress had been
made by the circulation of unanswerable reasoning in a plain,
easy, intelligible form, that what was once supposed beyond
the reach of human power, was actually effected, and the
people of England, with one voice, demanded a reform its
Parliament. This, too, was the period when it ought and
must be adopted. The country was quite alive to the merit'
of Mr. Hone. Up to that time they owed him a debt. He
said up to that time. They had nothing to do with his future
conduct; he had no doubt hut he would continue to act as an
honest man ; but for his conduct up to that time he felt in-
debted to 11r. Hone. The annity with which he defeated
(he blushed to say it) the judges and the Court-lawyers excit-
ed his admiration. [Applause.] In the volumes of state
trials,which were usually said to he libels on the judges, none
could be found more oppressive than tins. Aeiiiiist this pre.
'relation Mr. Hone displayed a moral and Well, (Anal power
beyond all praise. 'the elasticity, the moral and intellectual
vigour he exercised was must animating, anal would, he
hoped, prove most beneficial to all his comma nwii but par.
titularly to every defendant ua ca es of
g
ately bruughut rider
'emcation, deserved the greatest honour tier his
• jitolr
successfulexertuuus in correcting the list of special juries.
accused had been deprived of the great purpose of a trial
or
Anotherurelty and oppression. [Applause.] 'flint iiimltvidnal.
Personstiibihbonuye-fl.
mans couch of a corrupt systenn, and an old, Guru opt,
it jury list ucndered the tial by jury au iustrunuent
Pearson, by detecting this nnnustrousabtmst., Irad laid Ihue
dation of Mr. Hone's triumph. This wus a foretaste of the
blessing, of a reformation in general. Juries would now be
found, not the tools of Government, but honest Englishmen.
—His friend, Mr. Howe Toole, used to say, that the trial by