Star.
London, England, 1809-05-17 00:00:00

HOPEWELL v. DEPINNA.

The plaintiff was a surgeon, and brought his action
against the defendant, a dealer in feathers, for 101.95.
for money due on a bill of exchange. The defendant
pleaded that she was a married woman.

A Mr. Salome, a reader of the Jewish Synagogue,
was called to prove the marriage, which took place in
1779. The husband's name was stated to be David
Serfiti Depinna, but to the marriage contract he had
signed Sert'ay. This it was contended was a fatal
variance in the record, but it appearing that in the
body of the marriage contract it was written in He-
brew characters, which are translated Serfiti,

Lord ELLENBOROUGH held the proof of the mar-
riage to be sufficiently established, and there was a
verdict for the defendant.

MARLEY AND WIFE v. MARKS AND ANOTHER.

This was an action to recover damages for an as-
sault. The plaintiff is a furner, and the daughter
had lived with him as workwoman at the trade.—
She quitted the service, and according to the evidence
of a man who was at work at the house, came accom-
panied by her mother, the other defendant, and being
shewn into the garden, exclaimed " where is that
overbearing wretch ?" meaning Mrs. Marley. Upon
Mrs. Marley presenting herself, the elder Marks struck
her in the stomach, and repeated her blows. She was,
however, thrust from her by the man, and Mrs. Mar-
ley desired her to send her husband and she would
settle with him. The daughter then said to her mo-
ther, Marks, " Mother, do you stand that ? I'd knock
her down and stamp her guts out." She then struck
her again.
Mr. GARROW, for the defendants, lamented that
such causes should come before the Court. The pre-
sent one was in fact an attempt to ruin those poor
working people. The words of the daughter (who
ought not to have been included in the action, for she
had not committed any assault) shewed that at least
they thought they had reason to complain of being
oppressed. If the Jury, under all the circumstances,
gave any thing less than a shilling, they would satisfy
the ends of justice. The Jury accordingly acquitted
the daughter; but found a verdict of One Shilling
damages against the mother.

Yesterday, a foreigner, speaking with the French
accent, applied at the Alien Office for a passport to
the Continent, under the pretence that he was the
Mate of a neutral vessel, brought into a British port
under the Orders of Council. But, on being inter-
rogated respecting the name of the vessel, the date of
her detention, and arrival in England, he gave so
imperfect an account, that a strong suspicion was
excited as to the truth of his story, and a Messenger
was ordered to observe him, in order to find out the
place of his residence. He was traced to the Cannon
Coffee House, Charing Cross, where, on inquiry, it
appeared he had been for the last three days. He
speaks English tolerably well. He was taken into
custody, and his trunk seized. Upon the Messenger's
asking him for the key, he pretended he had lost it :
I it was, however, broken open, and was found to con.
tain his French uniform jacket, and all his papers.—
He was detained in custody to await farther exami-
nation : he is supposed to be one of the 15 French
officers, who recently broke their parole at Litchfiedl.

7b THE EDI7VR OF THE STAR.

I request you to introduce to the notice Of timse
who attend to the military concerns of this co 'wry, a
few hints that have occurred to an old Highland Sol-
dier, on the subject of the Local Militia, by which the
Volunteer Corps are now superseded.
Approving, as I do, of thischange, and of the grea :er
stability and of of the Local Militia, I am, at
the same time, sorry to perceive, that the new plan
deprives those Volunteer Corps of some charactenistic
distinctions, which have contributed to their forma-
tion ; and are cherished by them with a degree of en.
thusiastic attachment, capable of producing the mint
astonishing effects. A certain degree of uniformity
is obviously necessary in the troops of the line, but
even the regular regiments are distinguished by va-
rious peculiarities. I need scarcely allude to the
Highland regiments, whose reputation, it cannot be
doubted, has been. materially owing to the judicious
permission of Government to retain " The garb of
Old Gaul." The adva,stage of such peculiarities to
the enthusiasm and emulation of particular military
bodies, has been recognised in all countries, ancient
and modern, in which the art of war has been carried
to any perfection. If, therefore, an exact uniformity
in point of dress is by no means requisite in the line,
there seems to be no good reason why those Volun-
teer Corps, who have transferred their services to the
Local Militia, should be reduced to a greater regu-
larity, in this particular, than that branch of our force
which is technically termed " Regular." Let not,
therefore, Highland Volunteers, for example, be de-
prived of distinctions so dear to their hearts—so ma-
gical in their power over the soldier in the hour of
peril ; let them not be, as it were, emasculated by an
idle pretence of uniformity, which has not been ap-
plied to the 42d, and other Highland regiments of the
line. It cannot be !questioned that as there is less
necessity for uniformity in the comparatively loose
force—the Local Militia, there is, at the same time,
additional reasons for retaining in that force, certain
local or national distinctions, which are equally prized
by both officers and !ran. The case of the 42d
Highlanders is exactly in point to the present argu-
ment. They were truly a local corps, and their dress
and music national ; and when their patriotism
hi-
duced them to extend their services to America, they
were not deprived of their peculiar distinctions. The
example is surely not unworthy of imitation in the
present case. Those who saw the Sepoys receive
upon the point of the bayonet,* and defeat the vete-
ran troops of France, under the celebrated Bussy,
near Cuddalore, must have felt how unnecessary to
their courage or their discipline, was the uniformity
of dress ; and how impolitic is chat uniformity, that
would deprive a Highlander of his Bonnet, or a Sepoy
of his Turban and marks of cast.
I am, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
AN OLD HIGHLAND SOLDIER.

• In the attack made by General Stewart upon the French lines
(intrenched), near Cuddatore, in the the year 1152, the British
Grenadiers, under the late Lord Cathcart, two regiments of Ha-
noverians, and other of the King's troops, gave way—a battalion
of Bengal Sepoys stood, received the enemy upon the bayonet,
defeated, and turned the fortunes of the day ; with the assistance
of a few companies of Madras Sepoys, commanded by Lieutenant
Peter Dess, who turned, and entered the entrenchments.—Mr.
Dess was not publii.:y thanked for his gallant: y.

The celebrated Nouvelle Gironde, whose success and
numerous captures attracted the particular notice of
the Emperor NAPOLEON, although carrying 14 guns
and a. crew of 86 men, struck to the PARTHIAN (after
a 36 hours' Chace) carrying only' 10.gUns and 45 men,
without Iring a shot, although repeatedly fired into by
the PARTHIAN. A striking proof of the terror which
seizes the enemy whenever they meet with a British
ship of war.

Thursday night as Mr. Banks, linen-draper, and
Mr. Sherry, hatter, of Portsea, were returning from
Goodwood races, in a single horse chaise, th•; horse
took fright near Chichester; when Mr. Banks sprang
from the chaise, alighted on his head, and instantly
expired. This unfortunate young man was b•tt .21
years of age. There is a circumstance connected
with this accident which makes it the more affecting:
The father of the deceased, a linen-draper, in Cheap-
side, was on the road to visit his son ; when the coach
was passing the fatal spot, be enquired the cause of
the assembled crowd ? and was told a Mr. Bank: had
been killed, the thought that it might be his son did
not Gross his mind, and the body was removed to Chi-
chester. When Mr. Banks arrived thcre, he was led
by reflection to make further enquiry, and requested
to see the corpse ; when, to his inexpressible grief and
surprize, it proied to be that of his son I
Friday night, between ten and eleven o'clock,. Mr.
Yoell's shop, in Broad street, Portsmouth, was bioken
open, and about 80 watches, principally silver, a quart-
tity of silver table spoons, tea spoons; gold watch-chains,
and trinkets, to the amount of £lOO, were stolen. The
articles were contained in a trunk, which was picked
up empty on the beach, near Barli;ng.lionse-square.
This daring robbery must have been committed by,.
some persons who well knew the premises, and• the
custom of its occupier; as the horse was broken into
by means et a crow bar, whilst the two boys, who al.
ways sleep in the back room of the house, had gone•
out to supper. The villains removed the bed-clothes
to see if any one was in the bed ; in that room was a
large box of heavier plate, but not so valuable as that
they took away, which they did
.not touch. It is a
singular circumstance, that Mr. Yoell received a let-
ter from London a few days since, cautioning him
against an attempt that would soon be made to rob
his shop.

CORN EXCHANGE, MARK -LANE,, MAY 17.—The
quantities of Wheat to-day are rather considerable,
samples chiefly second and ordinary, sales thereof are
heavily made, at rather lower prices—Rye 2s. and
3s. per quarter cheaper—Barley and Malt in large
supply, and again cheaper—White Peas likewise--
Beans of the two kinds hardly fetch last prices—
There are large 'Supplies of Oats, with many more
arrivals from Holland ; this trade both on Monday
and to-day is named 2s. and 35. per quarter lower—
Flour nearly- at our last quotation.
•
GINZILAL CURRINCT AS lINDER S
Wheat, 575.705. 82s. Beans, s:is, 61s.
Fine ditto, 84s. 87s, Tick ditto, 4e.s. 495.
Rye, 485. 543 • - Oats, 2 ftc. SOs. 345.
Barley, Sea. 44s:Od. •
Malt, 68s. 76i. Poland ditto, :36, 88s.
Pota:oe ditto,—s. sg,‘„ 041,
White Peas (boilers) 765. 865. Rape Seed, 50:. to 551.
Grey ditto. 45s 51s.
Fine Flour, 75,. :Ss. to Bos.—Second,, 70s. TS*