The Sun.
London, England, 1808-09-29 00:00:00

TEE HIGHLANDS.

The poor in the Highlands of Scotland 'beitiviow
in a great measure relieved, by an early. -halvestyi
and an abundant potatoe crop, from, the: scarcity
produced by the failure of the crop in 4807.,it cott4'
nects with public duty to state the means ;by
, In the northern counties, they hasp
to struggle through a spring and .suomer of almost
unexampled distress ; and it vl ould be to deprive
virtue of one part of its merited reward, not .to
mention the names of those private individuals
who have contributed, either by their liberality or
exertions, to alleviate or remove the pressure of the
calamity.
So far back as, the month of November, the -
Sheriff of the county of Inverness having called a
meeting of the beritors, and other gentlemen in
the neighbourhood of the town, an association wa„.
formed for purchasing meal from those chin-las,
of the kingdom where the crop had been. More',
abundant, and selling it in retail, without-tin3nprottcri
or advance of price, in such qoantities as the syßall
. tenants, tradesmen, and labouring poor could afford
to purchase by the wages and earnings of theii
industry. The beneficial consequences resulting frorn. this were extensively felt ; it afforded a re-
__gulai and certain supply at all times, on theeaSiest
terms that circumstances would admit of; and it
prevented a monopoly by speculating and selfish
dealers, who, cm former occasions, had raised the
,
c‘prtcsr .tar Oeyonaiti4 v.Atte, pw.iog to no provident
4,..,R15,0rt., af this kind having been adopted. In the
,wesiern district of,' the„coonty,., in the village of ;
a piecautiotts'nearly similar had been
e early;; and tnear, it is believed,. during thu
season, had neyeixceecled two.shilling,s the peck
Of eight:POO:4:3, an
.treqHently, fell under this.
Among, thpse whoa.exerted themselves most as
,individnals; to,,i-..elreve':lhis, general distress, the
Duke. of GORDON 'deserves. to be particularly no-
ticed,,. ;By' 1114' credit he co,ntributed, in the man-
ner already 'thentiotied, to procure a regular supply
~of meal to the,l.vestern,distriel of his very extensive
`estates' iii that :county; and, in the eastern distriel,
he gave 164 than 700,b011s of his fartia meal, to
be sold to rlie tenants and cottagers, according as
-their
..necessAttes,. renuired; 'at the reduced price of
,"per peck—an instance of useful benevolence
'that' it -wohlel4e criminal not to mention), as it
was the tm:ans ofpreyerving many from perishing for
Avant, and of 'supporting several hundred families,
not in affluent circumstances, at an expence less by
tone-third than they must have incurred otherwise,
'had they been compelled to go to the distance of 40
or .50 ti:iles 'from their homes to purchase meal for
themselves.. If a solitary at-tion of private gellero-
:sky is !rt;quently seletted for commendation, how
` much more justly are those entitled to praise, Who,
Without wishing their interference to be known, or
• openly proclaimed, exert themselves forAbe_selief
of numbers ! This is the charity that best becothes
rank and fortune, and it is hoped it will becOme fa-
shionable to imitate it.

Mr. HUNTER, the brother of the late celebrated
Joan HUNTER,,WhO held a place in the Navy Office
upwards of 60 years, has been allov.ed to retire upon
a pension of 7001. a year.
.11einhm Hall, the seat of the Marnuis TowN-
111113ND, was last week the scene of rustic fest'vity,
in consequence of the Head of that Noble House
Laving arrived to take possession of his estates.—
On Monday se'nnigla the great 'nail was
.thrown.
open to all visitors, and the numerous tenantry. A
bullock was rousted, and four sheep boiled, and to-
getl,er with a large quantity of that favourite bever-
age made from.malt and hops, contribut-ed to make
all heads and hearts glow with gratitude to the Donor. An excellent band was provided,, and
after the company had regaled themselves with' the
above and other refreshments, dancingyommenced,
‘vhich continued till a tile hour. The Marquis and,
his daughters continued with their visitors
greatest part of the tin,e. The whole concludawThth
an excellent display of fireworks in front of the ball.
Notwithstanding an Advertisement appeared in
this Paper, lately, containing the clauses of an Aet
of Parliament, passed in the last Sessions, for the
better 'marking of Hop-bagging, &e, and to enable
the consumers of hops to ascertain-the- parish and
county where the hops contained .in the, bags .or
pockets were grown ; yet we are empowered to
state, from unquestionable authority, that in order
to e
evade the Act, the name of the parish and count,y athe rso placed on the bag or pocket that they are (by
trade) easily strained in so that, ,contrary rip
"either appear roerly on the cloth., his
Hops,
absolutely necessary for the Retailers of
and the consumers, to examine carefully such
bhops as are sent them without having the name of
~e P"isn and county remainiog conspicuously on the
°jig or pocket; and, if not, they have only to draw
out the cloth strained in, in order to discover the
grossness of the deception and fraud praaised on
them.
CCRoNER'S INQUEST.—Yesterday a.Coroner's In-
quest was holden before ANTHONY GELL, Esq. at
the Blue Anchor, in George-street, Foster-lane, on
'flew of the body of ABRAHAM TIGIU, Esq. who
Put an end to his existence on Monday afternoon,
at his lodgings in that neighbourhood, by suspending
hirnstlf to his bed-post.—lt appeared that the de-
ceased had been in town from Bristol only a month,
and that he was engaged in a speculation to supply
potters with that sort of earth of which they make
goldsmiths' crucibles. It is supposed, from letters
found upon his person, that this speculation, had
Proved unsuccessful and had deranged his mitid,_as.
Well as his pecuniary affairs. The means he made-
use of to facilitate his destru&ion were by making, al
noose in a neck handkerchief, and having,slipped round his neck, he fastened it to his bed-post,:.and
bearing his weight upon it, produced strangulation
and death. When he
was first discovered, it was
and
he was at prayers, as he appeared to be
kneeling by his bed-side.—The Jury found a verdit9;
of Lunacy.
Since the Inquests. which we have noticed, rr,selt-
ing from the late Fire at Covent Garden
hea Ere,
were held, a Fireman belonging to the Lo'adon, and
another belonging to the Plicenix Insi',rance Cliom-
/2anY, have died in St.Thomas's Hose,tpt,
he
foreman of the Phoenix, and Stuart , 'atietigineei
be-
longing to the same Company b o cii‘;din
e.
Bartholomew's Hospital; and.'"a
the Saovlediearsbelonging to
Guards died in Toibill-f of
lir ..
• far
" lose on that ‘-
as is at present accoulitt_d for occasion .15 23'0 Bs.

TUE NEW SHERIFFS.

testerday the Sheriffs Elea, Messrs. Alderinen.
SMITH and HUNTER, attended by the Court of As

'sistants belonging to the Ironmongers' and Merchant
Taylors' Companies, breakfasted at the City of Lon-

tlon Tavern, and proceeded from thence to Gwldh2ll,
where they-were received by Alderman CURTIS and
Sir JOHI.I LAMER, and condu6ted to the hustings
with the accustomed etiquette. The Lord Mayor,
the Aldermen, and the'several Corporation Officers
being seated, they were formally, sworn into office,
and duly invested- with their regalia ; after which
they adjourned to the Court of Common Pieas, and
received the turn-over of the convi6ts, and otherS
-confined in the several prisons, from ale old She-
rill's. The business of the day finished with a sump-
tuous entertainment, given by the new Sheriffs, at
_ _

the City of London Tivern.
i The equipages of the new Sheriffs are the most
superb and elegant we have ever witnessed, And they
-are entirely new. The Heraldic emblazonments on
the carriages are truly classic, and the tout ensemble
is as creditable to the taste and execution of the
builder as it is demonstrative of the liberality and
munificence of the owners. The carriage of Mr.
SMITH, we think, exceeds in splendour that of Mr.
HUNTER. The body of the former is painted a fine
glazed crimson, the colours strikingly marked and
decisive ; the ground is ornamented with rich Mosaic
work, and a border to correspond surrounds the
whole., -In -the Centre of the door pannels is a mir-
ror, ernblainned with the City Arms and its sup-
porttrs. On the side i)annels are painted the Arms
and crest of the Ironintalgers' Company, to which
Mr. Alderthan SMITH belongs; and in the centre hiS
own Arms and crest in gold relief; the Whole sus-
pended with chain work, which has a beautiful and
novel appearance. A rich bandeau encompasses the
upper part the body, in which is alternately re-
presented the City Arms, ci4 ported by the British
Standard, entwined with the Colours of Spain, Por-
tugal, and Sweden. Tiopiiies and fancy devices fill
up the vacant spaces, and the whole is richly orna-
mented with-plated work and gilding. The inside
is lined with crimson silk, with lace to correspond,
and yellow silk festooned curtains, and variegated
silk fringes. On the foot-board is painted the Arms '
of the County of Middlesex; in a mirror, to corre-
spond with the body.

The carriage of Mr. Alderman HUNTER, if not so
superb, is equally elegant. The body is painted a
tine yellow, and the ground enriched with a gold
net-work. Foliage oinaments in bronze are painted
in the pannels, in the centre of which.rest the City
Arms. On the side pannels are painted the Arms of
the Merchant Taylors' Company, to winch the Al-
derman_belongs, and between theth his own Arms
and Crest. On the door-rails are painted the Arms
of his Majesty, supprte.d on the one side by a sailor,
holding a British Ensign, and on the other by the
British Lion. Commerce appears in-the back ground,
and the whole is appropriately conceived and Master-
ly executed,. The body, is lined with yellow silk
and trimmed with silk lace, and 'crimson festooned
curtains. On the centre of the stayS that'suppOrt
the coach-box, which.represent dragons' heads, are
beautifuliy cai-ved medallions, and the whole is eM-
bellished with change of colour, awl enriched with
gilding. The hammil-cloth is very rich, and made
to correspoA with the whole.
The Liveries of Mr. Aidvrtnan SMITH are blue
and g 0;.., and those of Mr. Alderman 'HUNTER the
same, with this difference, that the o- ich.nan of
the forme' wears black feathers round -.. hat, and
the coachman of the iatter red feathers._ Their
rihbands and top-knots are, for the former, crim-
son and white, and, for the latter, light blue and
yellow.

The City has never exhibited a more superb dis-
play, or chosen for its Officers men of more ap-
proved worth and probity.

Through some Gentlemen who have just arrived
from France, we have received the most affliding ac-
counts, as io the state of our countrymen who are
prisoners in that country. At Bitche, Valenciennes,
Arras, Giro, Verdun, and Sane LouiS, which are
the principal depots, there are no less than 8000
English prisoners, who are treated in a manner not
only unworthy of the charader of a civilized nation,
but inconsistent 'with the feelings which humanity
generally preserves even in a savage state. The pay
of the seamen, who compose nearly the whole of
these prisoners, has been recently reduced from three-
half-pence to three farthings per day, which is a sum
obviously inadequate to furnish them with any sub-
sistence fit for the food of man. But the Agents of
the Government seem indifferent to the fate of those
unhappy beings, or rather perhapf anxious to con-
sign them to the grave. With this view they are
confined in subterraneous cells and other nauseous
places, where,- particularly at Bitche, Arras, and
Sane Louis, they are daily dying. The treatment of
the Officers is somewhat less inhuman. They are
divided into classes of ten each, and the whole of
each class is rendered responsible for the condud of
each of its members. Thus if one misbehaves or
exceeds his parole, the other nine are imprisoned,
and can only expea release or mitigation of rigour
through the medium of bribery. This is very well
understood, and the terms universally known. An,
Officer who is imprisoned with several others in a
house incapable of affording tolerable accommoda-
tion, is told without disguise, that for a louis and a
half he may obtain hii removal to another house
where the prisoners are less numerous and the ac-
commodation better, and that for another louis be
may recover his liberty to walk at large within the
boundaries. Ties 6 bribes go into the pockets of mi-
litary ofDeers, who have the command of these de-
pOts, can discriminate, with as much accuracy
as e. London watchman what description of persons
?.re good subje&s to be mul&ed. Such of the de-
tenus as are known to possess good property or
conneetions in England are furnished with every
thing for which they can afford to pay, or can hold
out the prospect of security ; but those who are poor
are involved in the utmost wretchedness.

Tuesday night, about ten o'clock, a meteor of
brilliant appearance, with a spreading tail of consi-
derable length, was seen on the North side of Lon-
don, for the space of about 15 seconds; during which
time it glided with no very great velocity, in nearly
a straight direction from East to West, when it sud-
denly disappeared: it was apparently arno very great
distance from the earth.