The National Register.
London, England, 1818-05-10 00:00:00

N.ATIONAL lIEGISTER.

SPA FIELDS MEETING..

Monday, porsnaut to public notice, of Messrs. Watson,
Preston, and Co a meeting was convened of what was styled
the et:franchised inhabitants of the county of Middlesex.
Twelve o'clock !vas the tittle announced for opening the pro'
ceedirape Mr. Hunt was annostheed as the leadleg actor; and
Merlin's Ceve public house, celebrated for tile former Spa
Fields meetings, was appointed for this ; but the lerge space
called Spa Fields, which fore:oily afforded an extensive arena
to the malty thousands who assembled there in 1516, being
now covered with new buildings and brick works, the meet--
ing was adjourned from Merlin's Wee to a place styled the
Union public house, but inure eminent in story by the name
of " Fee Bull in the Pound." The orators and their friends
took theirs places, about half past 12 o'clock, upon the roof
of an on t building, in front of, the house and Mr. Wutson
opened the pro_cediuge by reading a letter from Mr. Hunt,
apologizing fur his absence from Loudon on indispensable
business iii Ireland : expressing his intention of being present
if possible, at the meeting : hut, if not, assuring them, that
his heart was with thee 's. He then read the requisition,
which was presented to the clerk of the peace amentucing the
meeting. and eignest by two weavers, three shoemakers, and
a dealer in second hand tUrniture. Mr. Watson thou ad•
dressed himself to the inetieg, upon all the old topics—of the
rights of the labouring. poor, the oppressions of the rich upon
them, the cut roption of Parliament, Oligarchy, and the ue-
cessity of Partaineutary Reform, enumerating all the great
ads acute. of that measure; Lord Erskine, Mr. Pitt, Lord
they, Lord Castlereagh, Sir J. Mackintosh, and many other
high political characters, who• had now deserted the cause.
But the smellier were to be coneoledaty the reflection, that
they still posse.,sed the aid of such able champions as Major
Cartwright, Jeremy Bentham, W. Cobbett, Mr. Wooler,and
many others, whose able pens had fully impressed the ne-
cessity of the ineasure.—We deem it not vet y interesting to
detail the kind of eloquence by which Mr. Watson, in a sort
of mock solemnity, and disjointed language, entertained the
assembly for near two hoursoinet in which he threw together
all the heterogeneous fragments uf• former harangues upon this
subject. He concluded by proposing a string ut• twelve or
fourtetu resolutions, embodying the points of this speech,
which were afterwards reed by the secretary, and carried
unanimously by a multitude ut five thousand people, cilia):
uf•tate lower order, :aid not-one hundred of whom could hear
a word that was said.—The orator next proposed a petition to
his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, eumpounded of the
substance of• the resolutions, and beseeching his it:titmice to
obtain Partidineutery Refurni.—This being carried, Mr. Pres-
ton rose to address the multitude, which he did in an ha-
rangue of nearly two limas, but in a style of incoherency and
uonsense, sustained by all the energies which grog, and a fa-
natical spirit could inspire-► Thus terminated the main pro-
ceedings of the day, dui ing which the orators, ardent in the
cause, drank ito less than nine large tumblers of ruin and
water.—Mr. Hunt, Major Casawright,and Mr. Watson, were
appointed to present the petition to his Royal Highness at
Colton House.—The Magistrates of the different Police
offices were at the Cobham's Head tavern, Coppice-row, and
the officers of tlic various Police establishments were placed
under the direction of the Magistrates, iu different direce
tions leading to the Union public house. Sir N. Conant,
directed the Bow-street officers ; and Mews. Rainsford,
Baker, Rogers, and where, w ere equally active in directing
' other civil officers. A military force, consisting of both ca-
valry and infantry, was also placed in limn:bit; order in the
Pentunville barracks.—Thc best possible precautions were
adopted by the Lord Mayor for the preservation of the
peace iii the city. 'the whole of the constables, amounting
to upwards of 300, headed by the Marshals, were stationed
at the Mansion House and at Guildhall, iu readieers to act at
a moment's warning. In order to facilitate the conveyance
of intellieence front the piece of meeting, relay. of men were
stationed at given points (emu the City to Spa Fields, with
orders to report at intervals the state of affairs; but we are
happy to state that there was uu necessity for the exertiuu of
their set vices.

We extract the following article from a Jamaica Paper of
the 28th of February :—" The schooner Curaco r packet,
Ainitta from the liiihan coast,- bound to Aruba, but blown
ofi the coast, out seven days, put into this port yesterday is
(listless. The arrival of this vessel puts it out of all manner
of doubt as to the loss of the brigantine Saxe Coburg, Glais•
ter, two of her mew having arrived in her. These men, whose
names are James Berry and Thomas Peters, state that the
Sane efli/011fg t% as taking in cattle on the Indian coast in the
beginning of January ; that on the 9th she had on board 131
head, that bonen lo and 11 in the forenoon of that day one
of the !urban Chiefs was on board, who got drank, and tie-
haved in so very outrageous a manner, that Capt. Glaister was
compelled to confine him till he became ember, but from the
quantity he drank, he died short:), alter he was sent on shale.
Ills followers. imagining the Chief's death was caused by ill
treatment from Capt. 0. went on board the vessel iu vast
umbers, and en: need butchering every soul they could
lay hands on, and out of her whole crew, only the two men
who arrived here in the Caraciia packet escaped ; they hav-
ing secreted themselves etlectoally until the savages' rage
wan somewhat abated; they were taken on shine as'servants
to the Indians, and were sold to Cart. Armilta like heaits.
Them a iaus plundered the Saxe Cubourg of every tantalite
article, and artertvarits set tire to bor. Mr. Jacob tri.w.tor,
hrother to Capt. li. and Mr. Webb, a passenger, were among
the utifot triadic victims."

There will be a grand Naval Res iew, at which the Prince
Regent will be prewill, in Ibc cum •r of the ensuing r,
attended by his Naval Aides-eau-C.11o'). Fur this purpose, the
gilardshirs from the several purls, except the tlag_ships at
l'ortsmentli and Plynimitle, have town of tiered to form a
squadron at the nailer purr, on the tat Uf Juue, tbeucr, to
proceed to eve for the exerri..t. of their eree.-i, and the per-
formance of suitowavres. pi evious to the Review. The eth,ps
that will assembie Ale, the
'tamales
Spencer
R.,heCurt aneir
• !Alpert.
Vengt or
NoTtrieniberl.ohl '44 (..iptain .1. Walker.
Unl•wark
Tuna:int • fo C'.apc:u•
the Itettrw aiu takc puce on the Isle ot Wight.
The aocis at Coy Pageant:it Col/catty, which lies been. sus'
rioted fur smite years, i. about to be revived nith additioutil
seilendour ; for which cavalcade the se% eral tradin; compa-
nies are preparing. Lady G4dice is once snore to pass
alollllltd on her milk white palfrey, awl Prepiv fans Agaiu
-to appear in all