The Sun.
London, England, 1824-12-01 00:00:00

AGRICULTURE, &c.

MONTHLY REPORT FOR NOVEMBER.—Our late
prospect of an amendment in the weather has failed, and the
low lands continue to be deluged to the entire prevention,
in many parts, of those agricultural operations proper to the
season. On the Continent also, the farmers are in the same
unfortunate predicament. The present month being usually
the latest in the autumn, for the commission of wheat seed to
the earth, a considerable portion of the business of sowing will
necessarily stand over to January and the beginning of Fe-
bruary. The early sown wheat on dry and hoalthy lands ve-
getated quickly, and is a strong and forward crop; that on
Rom soils and cold infertile clays, is weak, of an unhealthy
colour, and much thinned by the vermin. in some exposed
districts, the turnips have been singularly affected by the
almost constant gales of wind ; they have been blown to the
earth, the bulbs half uncovered, anti so much of the fibrous
roots destroyed, as to leave little probable hope of farther in-
crease in the weight of the crop. The excess of moisture,
moreover, must deteriorate the quality of the common turnip :
and they will be fortunate who have a considerable breadth of
the rutabarza or Swedish turnip, which, from he firmer texture,
will probably be better able to resist the redundancy of mois-
ture. However, in general, the turnip crop never exhibited
a finer appearance.

FREE MASONS' HALL,— Yesterday Mr. Boma.,
a Gentleman well known and highly distinguish-
ed for learning and literary talents, manifested in
several poetical and other works of great merit,
gave a Lecture upon Education at this place un-
der the designation of PA NEUMATIIIA. The lec-
ture, which was merely preliminary, took,
however, a comprensive view of what is to
be devolved through the ensuing course.—
%Ve consider the object as so important, that
we shall resume the subject to-morrow, and
state the main principles on which the course
will in future proceed. We regret that the in-
genious Lecturer found it necessary to apologize
for any want of energy which might have ap-
peared on this occasion, on the plea of recent in-
disposition.

The late race between the private steam-packet Britannia,
Captain RUSSELL, and his Majesty's Post-Office packet Spit-
fire,
o
rea Captainscui Kivu,
has (says a Correspondent) created a en-
t discussion atw
Dover; and what greatly added to the int
wrest of the experiment, it happened that the very worthy
Secretary of the Post-Office, Mr. FREELING, was at Dover at
the time, and was an eye-witness to .
the decidedly superb()
sailing of the Britannia, although the Spitfire reckoned one
of the most complete steam-packets in the public service. The
feat was as follows :—On the 15th inst., Capt. king having sailed
from Calais with 30 passengers, Capt. Bushell, anxious to try
the merits of the two boats as to sailing, (about which a great
pdaseasleinlag(etrhsebeenhsinadid.) slllieppgeodt ohuist o}' the leaving nearly all his
harbour eleven minutes
and a half after the Spitfire. It was not long, however, ere
the Britannia came up with and passed the Spitfire—aml, in
point of fact, arrived at Dover 326 minutes before Capt. King,
—thus beating the Post-Office packet 44 minutes. The trial
as to the power of the engines was of the most equitable nature,
as steam was the only propellant ; and it blew nearly a gale of
wind immediately against them. The Britannia was built at
Dover by Mr. Richard Bushell, from the designs of Mr.
Pascoe of London ; and the engine made by Messrs. Barnes
and Miller, London. The engine on board the Spitfire is of
equal power, and made by Boulton and Wert.

ALARMING FI RE.—A bout one o'clock yester-
day morning, a fire broke out in the premises of Mr. M‘Car.
thy, a large wadding manufacturer in Gravel-lane, South-
wark, immediately adjoining the shop of Mr. Thompson, the
smith, Mr. Braithwaite, the hat manufacturer, and the dwell.
Irg-house of Mr. Wood, of Princes-street. From the nature
of the goods in Mr. M'Carthy's manufactory, and the build.
ings being principally of wood, the tire burnt with great fury,
and threatened at one time the destruction of all the adjoining
houses. The firemen and their engines were as usual soon on
the spot; but their efforts were completely paralyzed, from
there being no supply of water. No less than eight of the dif.
ferent insurance engines were on the ground before any water
could be obtained ; and indeed the premises of Mr. M‘Carthy
and Mr. Thompson, were reduced to a heap of ruins before a
proper supply of water could be had. Mr. Wood's house was
preserved from total destruction by a very strong party-wall,
although it is considerably injured. Mr. Braithwaite's
warehouse suffered greatly, but most of his stock in trade was
preserved by its speedy removal. The fire was not got under
before four o'clock. We are glad to conclude with ;saying that
no serious accidents occurred.

Letters from Berlin state, that Government
intend introducing a new rate of postage through.
out Prussia on the commencement of the new
year.

COURT OF KING'S BENCII—(Turs DAY.)

SITTINGS AT GUM-MALL
'THAW V. BROOM.
This was an action on a Bill of Exchange for
1001. drawn by Edmond Clifford, (defendant on
un indictment tried and convicted yesterday at
Westminster) upon and accepted by Mr. Broom,
stated by Mr. ticarlett, a gentleman of consider-
able property in Buckinghamshire, who having
occasion to raise money on mortgage, became ac-
quainted with Clifford through the medium of an
advertisement, after which several transactions
took place in exchange of paper. The plaintiff
claimed the right to recover as a bonafide holder.
The defence was, no valuable consideration
had been given by the plaintiff, who stool in the
relation of uncle to Clifford, and who, notwith
standing considerable advances made by him to"
Clifford, received this bill as a specific security
for being bail for his nephew in an action to
which Clifford had surrendered, and consequently,
the plaintiff's liability was discharged.
Mr I'EnKE, for the defendant, proposed calling
Clifford to prove his fraudulent conversion of the
Bill in that of his indorsing it over to the plain-
tiff without its being intended by the defendant
to be negociated.

Mr. SCAttLETT submitted a proposition that ti
case might go to a reference, which being assented
to on the other side, all matters in dispute were
agreed to be referred to arbitration.

LONDON SESSIONS, GUILDHA LL.
This day these Sessions commenced before the
llEconnElt, Aldermen SHAW, SMITH, MAUNA I,

As AULT ON TILE WATCH.—TWO men, named
Rossiter and Davis, were indicted, at the instance
of the City, for assaulting several watchmen, on
the 29th of July last, in Fleet-Market, in the
execution of their duty. It appeared, on the
prisoner's being taken into custody, they at-
tempted several times to make their scape, and
repeatedly struck the watchmen ; also, that in
the watch-house their conduct was of the most
outrageous description, and endeavoured to
strike the night constable. The Jury, without
the slightest hesitation, found both the prisoners