Star.
London, England, 1823-04-05 00:00:00

THE HERO OF CAMPERDOWN.

The following is a copy of a curious and interesting
letter which Lady MARY DUNCAN, the Aunt of the
late Admiral Lord DUNCAN, wrote a short time after
that gallant hero had gained the battle of Camper-
down. The letter was addressed to Lord MELVILLE,
and the writer was at the time upwards of eighty
years of age: Hampton Court, Oct. ye 18th 1798.
Sia,—Tho I have not Ow honor of being personally known to
you, can't resist giving you joy of the signal Victory. Report
says my nephew is only to be made a Viscount. Myself is tits-
thing, but rile whole nation thinks, the least you can do, is to
give him an English Eirldorn—from the multiplicity of your
business, may have slipt what I am now going to lay before your
eyes—please to consider what a chicken-hearted way all the
nation was in, low spirited by the war, murmuring at Taxes
(though necessary), grumbling and dissatisfied in every county—
now copies my hero, the first that attempted to quash the Re-
bellious stamen, locks up the Texel for 19 weeks, when they
could no longer remain they came out. He flies after the Dutch,
compleatly beats them, tho' they resisted like brave men,-1.
know the little etiquette of not raising gentlemen but by degrees,
a very proper distinction for those thirteen gentle Lords you made
last week—but what has that to do with a conqueror.—What a
different situation all your Ministers are in at the opening of the
Parliament—the Nation joyful, not a black Democrat dare open
his month, even our cowardly allies are ashamed to have de.
served us, all success under GOD, owing to my Nephew,—Lord
St. Vincent is a brave Man, lie merited it, was made an Earl.
I leave to you, the comparison.—Ali my Ancestors rose only by
their brave actions by sea and land--makes me think it is the
only way of rising—am sure, was this properly represented tmour
good King,. who etiteerns a brave Religious Man like Himself,
he would he of my opinion, therefore I expect soon to hear of
his being made Earl of Lundic, Viscount Tete!, and Baron Dun-
cats, the first, and last, ha owes to his ancient Family, the Viscount,
for his successors to remember the great man who locked up the
Dutch in the Tele', and defeated them—don't doubt you are
proud as I am, a being related to Admiral Duncan.
I have the Honor to be, your most,
• obedt. humble servt. MART DMA 71. •

A Meeting was held at Plitnotith, on the 2d inst.
of Officers of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines,
for the purpose of forming an Auxiliary Fund for the
relief of their Widows and Orphans. Upwards of
one hundred Gentlemen were present.*
CaptainZVtL-
maNl PRICE, R.N. was called to the Chair; and after
having explained to the Meeting the object for which
they ware assembled, Lieutenant G. F. SOMERVILLE,
R.N. rose, and entered into a very clear and highly
satisfactory statement of the proceedings of a Com-
mittee, of Naval Officers, which, it appeared, had
been formed so far back as December, 1817. The
Itules and Regulations, which had been printed and
laid upon the table, having been read, it was resolved,
" That it is not expedient at this Meeting to enter into
the merits of the Rules just read, but that those a:
ficers who are friendly to the Society do now sub-'
scribe their names, and that an early Meeting be
called to take the Rules into their consideration, to
amend or confirm the names, and to elect a Com-
mittee to make the same effective."

According to the last official Returns, the last year's
expenses of the Convict Hulk Establishments of the
Leviathan, at Portsmouth ; the York, at Gosport ;
the Retribution and the Bellerophon, at Sheerness;
the Justitia, at Woolwich; and the Ganymede, at
Chatham, were nearly £lOO,OOO. The Superinten-
dent's salary is £4OO a year; superannuated Officers,
nearly £4OO a year; and contingent expenses, up-
wards of £450 a year. The average number of con-
victs daily on board at those stations was about 3,000.
Their 'annual earnings were nearly £50,000, being
half the amount of their cost. •

GENERAL STEAM-VESSEL COMPANY.—A Meeting
of Gentlemen interested in the formation of the above
Company, took place at the London Tavern, Bishops-
gate-street, at one o'clock yesterday, when Mr. Jot.-
LIM having taken the Chair, •he proceeded to read
a statement of considerable length to the Meeting,
which had been (as we understood), drawn up from
the Committee. The principal features of this state-
ment were-Ist, the proposal of receiving steam-ves-
sels from persons willing to beccnne subscribers, in
lieu of pecuniary payments. Secondly, that as the
amount of subscription was limited to £44,000, the
lists should be allowed to remain at the Banking-
houses for an extended period of two iriiths. And,
thirdly, the practicability of entaging with the.
steam-vessels in the trade to India, in support of
which a "Most -able prospectus had been issued by
Lieutenant J. H. JOH of the Royal Navy, who
had been for some years engagfd between Calcutta
and this country.. After a Motion by Sir J. YORKE,
that the phi? be now abandoned," and some dis-
cussiOn, uas iesolved,that the books should remain
open until the Ist of August, and that letters should
be sent to the present subscribers, informing them
that they neat liberty either to continue or withdraw
their names.

IklncicAtetic.--A large quantity of fine rnackarel
arrived this rnt2rning at Billingsgate, by lane-carriage.
Their average price is 80s. per hundred.

I.siiknosoirrin-Sratrer.--A fellow of dandified appearance was
yesterday put to the bar, when Mr. Hitchcock, of the St.
George's I lotel, Albemarle-street, deposed, that a few days ago
a person, stating himself to be Clerk to Mr. Bower, Solicitor, of
Clement's Inn, bespoke dun apartment for a young Gentieni"
of consideration, which was accordingly prepared, and, at the
appointed time, the prisoner came in a hackney coach with two
trunks, one of which was very heavy. He continued there two
or three days; but some suspicion arising, Ilk. Hitchcock
applied to Mr. Bower, who disclaimed all knowledge of the
1 person. His bill was then presented him, ansonating, to about
two guineas, which he was requested to pay, and quit the
place, but be refused to do either. Ho was then, with hit trunks,
taken to the watch-housa, and, on. opening them, 'one was found
Ito contain a single jacket, and the other was filled with bricks.—
Mr. Hitchcock consequently conceived that he meant to swindle
rlam, and, for the benefit of society, thought it necessary co make
the case public. The prisoner denied atly such intention, and
said his only motive was, his trunks being nearly empty, to make
an appearance. A Gentleman here stated himself to be an hi.-
tarical painter, and the prisoner, who was only 16, though haviog
the 'appearance of more advanced years, to be his pupil, whiwe
brain had been turned by the fuss that had been made of the mis-
chievous adventures of Tom and Jerry. The hackney coachman
who drove him to the hotel, here put in his claim fur pay-
meat of his fire, •of which he said the prisoner bad bilked
him, swearing he had paid him, and after waiting. two hours
at least, at the dove, he was übligtd to depart without it.---
The prisoner still persisted he bad paid it, but at length con-
sented to satisfy pair Jorrie. A charge was then brought against
bin by Mr. Scott, of Holborn.hill, from whom be had obtained
two boxes of colours, and other things, which were sent to him
at the hotel by a boy, who was told to call tor the money in halt
an hour ; but neither money nor goods were to be obtained, and
the prisoner confessed he had pawned them in Unity-lane. The
pawnbroker•was then sent to, who returned 'the articles, and
Scott was satisfied. On searching him, he was teund to
have a highly polished brass chain round his net's, and a "Aden
card-cane, two smelling-bottles, and other articles, suitable to
tae equipment of an Enrisite of the first order. It not being,
however, Ike wish of Mr. Hitchcock to proceed against him, he
*as peraelsomi to arctic to arrange matters with him ;after whim
; Ise dtpesampiessidering his trunk, amidst the jeers of the.
_people.
• • •
•
• • .