The Sun.
London, England, 1821-10-15 00:00:00

•,
•

Americans took advantage of-every favourable circumstance,
how they began the engagement from a distance, how they em-
ployed the superiority of their cannon and their gunners, how
they aimed at the loWest point which their balls could reach in
the hulls of their antagonists, that the numerous chances which
always tend to assist the blow might never be defeated, how
they destroyed the rigging of the hostile ship, how they pro-
fited by the disorders of their adversary to attack him in a po-
sition the best adapted for raking, and how they ended by
overpowering him at a small distance, when he ceased to be
able by a continued, rapid, and well-directed fire, to return
the most decisive rounds.

The. English, forced to acknowledge at their own expense
the superiority of the American vessels, hastened to construct
ships of the same size and carrying the same weight of metal
As early as 1816, 1 examined these new ships with the greatest
care :- I described their dimensions and their force, and I
pointed out the necessity imposed upon la of constructing ves-
sels of the same strength. Since that time we have built some
frigates which we may match against the English and Ameri-
can vessels of the same class.

BANK NOTES.—AiI account of the average
amount of all Proinis&frry. Notes aud,l:llla.of the Geplrrtir
(iive&faz
tion during. the Quarter ending the 10th day of October, 1021,
distinguishing the respective denominations and values of the
several Notes and Bills, . and the average amount of the
Notes and Bills of each denomination and value re-
spectiiely, pursuant to Act .59 Geo. HI. cap. 49, as nearly as
the same can be complied with :

£.
s.
Bank Notes of £1 and £2 2,718,121 16 I
5 - - 3,001,801 16 3
10 . - . - 3,178,1373 3 7
15 - - 127,492 14 4
20 - 1,397,865 17 11
25 - - 169,133 6 7
30 - 366,411 12 7
40 - 295,263 9 4
50 1,322,304 11 9
100 - - 1,238,202 14 9
200 - - 505,886 10 7
300 458,300 4 1
500 - 475,746 8 7
1,000 - 8,830;144 13 7
Bank Post Bills - . 1,624,900 5 5

Average of the whole £20,708,980 5 5

THE IMPROVEMENTS AT SHEERNESS.—The im-
provements on the N. W. side of the Isle of Sheppy are exceed-
ingly gratifying to the spectator, and creditable to the projector
—throwing down the blue-houses and laying the foundations
for a new town promises many advantages to the neighbour-
hood ; but the Sea-wall and the Sluices between Queenborough
and the Royal Docks are of the greatest importance. The
broad and lofty jetty head at the extremity, winding
.majesti-
cally, into the Medway, is a strong testimony of what cost and
labour can accomplish. Previously to those improvements, on
the very scite of the jetty, were the Old Sea Breakers, to be re-
vived no more, for they are now buried within the projecting
mass, and not to be remembered but by their aquatic name.
That their form, and utility may not be lost in oblivion, the sub-
sequent concise description may not be unacceptable to the
reader or to future topographical historians :—ln ari early part
of the last century Government were informed that the power-
ful effects of the heavy tides during the prevalency of north-
easterly winds had greatly increased on the land at the west
angle of the Isle of Sheppy, and that it was most probable.in-
undation might take place, to the great prejudice of the land-
holders and others. To remedy this it was ordered that certain
old men of war, unfit for service, should be laid up, and so
effectually supported as to break the force of the surges, and in
future to defeat the dangers which at that time threatened the
island: The Breakers being properly arranged and seccured,
and their desired effect being fully, established, it was thought
,
-advisable to convert their internal capacity to some useful pur.
pose. Accordingly their decks were surveyed, and a plan being
fixed on, speedily fashioned into public streets, skirted with
convenient dwellings from head to stern, for the habitations
of the workmen belonging to his Majesty's Dock-yard adjoin-
ing; and this proved a most salutary relief to the indus-
trious, who, before, for want of local habitation; were forced
to resort to their labours from unpleasant distances, greatly
to their loss of time and health. To this marine village
were many entrances on the land side, and bridges from the
main deck of one ship to the other. They had their King-
sti.eet and their Queen-street, their George-street and their
Princes-street, with variety of other names, for distinction.—
Out at the port-holes were their hanging gardens where many
things were cultivated for the use of their families. A great
portion of the workmen in his Majesty's Yard at Sheerness, are
natives of the Breakers.

THE BRITISH EMPIRE.— Th e population of
Great Britain, at the census, in 1811, was
11,800,000, exclusive of the army and navy,
then about 500,000. From the returns, so far as
published under the present Census, it appears,
the increase is about 15 per cent. This will
make the population of Great Britain at present
to be 14,000,000 of souls.—lreland contains
6,500,000; making the population of the British
dominions in Europe, 20,500,000. The popula-
tion of our North American possessions cannot
be less than 1,500,000; West India Colonies,
900,000; Africa, about 130,000; in the Medi-
terranean, 150,000 ; Colonies and Dependencies
in Asia, 2,040,000; and in our extensive terri-
tories in the East Indies, perhaps, 70,01)0,000
souls. The whole population of the British
Empire will, at that rate, contain about
95,220,000 souls.

LITERARY DISCOVERY.—About thirty years
ago, 'there. was a respectable; bid man, of the
name of JOHN STEEL, who was well acquainted
with ALLAN RAMSAY, and he told jonN STEEL
himself, that When Mr. TnomsoN, the Author
of the Seasons, was in his shop at Edinburgh,
getting himself shaven, RAMSAY was repeating
Some of his 'poems. Mr. TuomsoN says to him,
" I have something to emit to the world, but
do not wish to father it." RAMSAY asked, what
he would give him, and he would father it. Mr.
THOMSON replied, all the profit that arose from
the publication. " A bargain be it," said
RAMSAY. So Mr. liIIOMSON delivered him the
manuscript. So, from what is said above, Mr.
TnomgoN, the Author of the Seasons, is the
Author of the Gentle Shepherd, and ALLAN
RAMSAY is the father of it. This I believe is a
truth—AN OLD SHEPHERD FROM LOGAN HOUSE,
G. D. Oct.% 1821.—(Edinburgh Star.)

RAPIDITY OP BUILDING.-Within the last

three months the buildings on the east side of
Waterloo Bridge-road have increased so much
that now they consist of several streets. The
principal is just named Bond-street. Four or
five shops are erected next the Feathers, and, in
short, persons who were on the spot a few months
since would recognize but few of the old features.

A Society has been formed at Paris, for the
encouragement of Geography, by the printing of
scientific memoirs, the publication of charts, the
distribution of prizes, and defraying the expences
of travellers having useful and important objects
in view.

~~

PRICE SEVENPENCE.

FOR TILL SUN.

PROPOSED REDUCTION IN PUBLIC OFFICES:

(No. III.)
MR. EDITO ft—Having' in my preceding Letters
adduced such arguments as occurred to me, to
prove that the measure in question is partial, op-
pressive; and unjust, I shall now endeavour to
prove, " that it involves a positive breach of
faith between Government and the Parties ag-
grieved." As the Treasury Minute recommends
placing the Public Offices on the footing in
which they stood in the year 1797, it is proper
to take a retrospect of the last 25 yearn, and
carefully to inquire into the real state of the

Government Departments at that distant period.
Hld the " cold Calculators" adopted this ob-
,-viqnfly Jreper course, and toel they pecusef!
-sa e attention as. .-d on e -the
pious and authentic,- documents now before me',
I mean the Reports of the Select Committee of
Finance printed in July 1797,—they probably
would not thus rashly have put forth their crude,
partial narrow scheme, which is so completely
at variance with the former well-digested com-
prehensive, and liberal plan, sanctioned 'after ma-
ture deliberation, by the unanimous voice of the
able Statesmen at that time in power; confirmed
and:approved by our late revered Sovereign, by
various Orders in Council ; and ultimately
ratified by an Act of the Legislature.—Lest
it should be supposed that I have made an ex-
aggerated statement, I will here insert some
short Extracts from the Documents above-men-
tioned. They are copied verbatim from the Re-
port of the three Secretaries of State to the Lord
President of the Council, which accompanied a
general plan for the future regulation of their
respective offices, dated 23d February 1795,—
and from the Order in Council of the 27th of the
same month, confirming and approving the same.
—[See Finance Reports 1797, Appendix (A 1.)
Pages 37 to 44.]

EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY

OF STATE.)

" We annex a Scheme for the arrangement of our Offices,
and we consider it highly proper that persons in habits of con-
fidence should be constantly at hand for the execution of busi-
ness of: so delicate a nature as that which must necessarily be
intrusted to them, and we are of opinion, that any allowance
short of what we have proposed to be given them as a compen-
sation for their services would be insufficient; and your Lord-
ship will be pleased to observe, that in the estimate of the sala-
ries herein proposed to
.be given to the different Officers, we
mean that such salaries should be paid to them.rnEE OF ALL
DUTIES AND TAXES WHATEVER.

" We think it would be hard that any fixed rule should be
laid down for preventing merito:ious Officers from being re-
warded by any other places that may not interfere with their
official attendance, by which a means might be aflbrded to
them of ACQUIRING SOME PROVISION FOR THEIR FAMI.
LIES :—and we leave it to your Lordship to determine whether
such Officers, after devoting their time and attention to the
Public service, ought to be precluded from the hope of having
it ever in their power to afford to their families that provision
which PERSONS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS MAY BY LA-