The Sun.
London, England, 1828-08-21 00:00:00

POLITICAL DUEL.

A duel arising out of what may be termed a po-
litical quarrel, took place on Monday morning, be-
tween two Portuguese officers of high rank, Count
and Colonel —. Both gentlemen on Satur-
day evening were at a party given in the house of a
Portuguese Nobleman, and the Colonel was engaged
in narrating to a small circle which was collected
round him, some movements of the Constitutional
army, in the course of which this expression occurred,
" When the Generals ran away," and reaching the
ears of the Count, who stood at no great distance,
he interrupted the narrator, by asking him what the
remark was which had just then fallen from him ?
The Colonel at first was disposed to soften the ex-
pression into " when the Generals had retreated,"
but his interrogator fiercely resumed, and charged
him with the words he had used, calling upon him
instantly to retract them. The Colonel thus pressed,
repeated the obnoxious sentence, which he affirmed
conveyed the truth of what occurred ; adding, that
if the Count felt disposed to take offence at what had
occurred, he was ready to give him any sort of satis-
faction he might require. Some violent language
followed, which ended in a challenge being given to
the Colonel by the Count, and the former made his
election of pistols as the weapon by which the
quarrel was to be determined. Seconds were im-
mediately chosen, and it was arranged that the
meeting should take place on the following morn-
ing ; but some friends, who entertained the hope
that the differences might still be adjusted, urged
! very strongly the indecorum of devoting the Sab-
bath to such a purpose, and a postponement conse-
, quently occurred till Monday morning. All the at-
tempts made in the interim to prevent the meeting
proved wholly unavailing. The conclusion of the
affair was conducted with a degree of coolness and
sangfroid which, while it is characteristic of the high-
est courage and self-possession, will be thought in the
estimation of an English reader to partake some-
what of the burlesque. The place fixed on for the
encounter was a field on the Surrey side of Hammer-
smith-bridge, whither the whole party, including the
two principals and the two seconds, set out in the
same coach, at an early hour on Monday morning.
When they reached Hammersmith-bridge; all the
gentlemen, none of whom had ever seen one before
constructed on the suspension principle, were ex-
ceedingly struck with this very fine specimen of it,
and agreed to alight and walk over the bridge, that
they might examine it more minutely. This was
accordingly done, and some time was consumed in
an elaborate discussion on the merits of this compared
with other forms of architecture applied to the erec-
tion of bridges. They then re-entered the carriage,
and drove to the place of meeting, and there happen-
ing to be a tree in the field fixed on, which was
somewhat rare as a botanical production in this coun-
try, they occupied some further time in a discussion
on its properties. The business on which they met
was then proceeded on ; the seconds loaded the
pistols,and the distance being marked out both par-
ties fired by signal at the same time, but without the
weapon of either taking any effect. Tile_ setre7nv.da,
then interfered, and having represented the
have
been of the original offence, whichu
been meant to convey any personal Bffro
the
nt, and do
ample satisfaction had been already given, par-
ties were reconciled, and procee
same manner as they went.—Timts• d to town in the
could not have

An individual is now visiting the country fairs
real invisible girl to be seen here—adroit-
hid, is inscribed the following • notifi_
with a caravan, on "1 •
nthewesCopaipaenri.it?teeToofwThiacte theoo ofteniltte
latter
men-
tionedl
• •
A country gentleman, sitting near an ignora-
ctaanticoen
one:
MUS yesterday evening, in Peel's Coffee-house, asked him
swered,—" They were a club of chaps, fend of eating and
drinking, who dine once a week on rarities, at the City of
London Tavern."
w lat wall; meant
tthbey
;ninny..