Star.
London, England, 1813-10-30 00:00:00

TO CAPTAIN LAWRENCE.

„, • trio, AN animus raiaa.i
, The Public have heard much of the following chat-
leige, sent by Captain BROKE to Captain LAWRENCE.
If the date be correct, it must have been sent on the
morning of the day on which the battle was fought.
It was first received in Salem, and sent on by mail,
and did not reach Boston until after the action, con-
sequently was never seen by Captain LAWRENCE, and
has not before been published :

*Rem CAMAIN BROKE TO CAPTAIN LAWRENCE.
.se kits B. M. ship Shinnon, off Boston. June, 1815. •
SOIA—As the Chesapeake appears now ready for
::ea, I request you will do me the favour to meet the
Shannon with her, ship to ship, to try the fortune of
cur respective flags. To an officer of your character,
;t requires some apology for proceeding to further
partkulars. Be assured, Sir, that it is not from any
doubt I can entertain of your wishing to close with
my proposals, but merely to provide an answer to any
objection which might be made, and very reasonably,
upon the chance of our receiving unfair support.
46 After the diligent attention we had paid to Com-
modore Rodgers—the pains I took to detach all force
but the. Shannon and Tenedos to such a distance
that they could not.possibly join in any action fought
in sight of the Capes ; and the various verbal mes-
sages which had been sent into Boston to that effect,
we were much disappointed to find the Commodore
had eluded us by sailing the first chance, alter the
prevailing easterly winds had obliged us to keep an
offing from the coast. He perhaps wished for some
stronger assurance of a fair meeting. I am. there-
fore, induced to address you more particularly, and
to assure you that what I write I pledge my honour
to perform to the utmost of my power. The Shan-
non mounts 24 guns upon her broadside, and one
light boat gun ; la-pounders on•her main-deck, and
39.-pound can onades on her quarter-deck and fore-
castle ; and is manned with a complement of 300
men and boys, (a large proportion of the latter), be-
sides 30 seamen, boys, and passengers, who were
taken out of recaptured vessels lately.
66 I am thus minute, because a report has prevail-
ed in some of the Boston papers, that we had 150
men additional sent us from la ogue, which really
never was the case. La Hogue is now at Halifax
for provisions, and I will send all other ships beyond
the power of interfering with us, and meet you where-
ever it is most agreeable to you within the limits of
the undermentioned rendezvous, viz.—

44 From 6 to 10 leagues east of Cape Cod Light-
house, from 8 to 10 leagues east of Cape Ann Light,
on Cashe's Ledge, in lat. 43. N. at any bearing and
distance you please to fix off the South Breakers of
Nantucket, or the Shoal iri Sr. George's Bank,
44 If you will favour me with any plan of signals
or telegraph, I will warn you (if sailing under this
promise) should any of my friends be too nigh, or
any where in sight, until I can detach them out of
my way ; or I would sail with you under a flag of
truce to any place you think safest from our cruizers,
hauling it down when fair to begin hostilities.
" You must, Sir, be aware that my proposals are
highly advantageous to you, as you cannot proceed
to sea singly in the Chesapeake, without imminent
risk of being crushed by the superior force of the
numerous British squadrons which are now abroad,
where all your efforts, in case of a rencontre, would,
however gallant, be perfectly hopeless. I entreat
you, Sir, not to imagine that I am urged by mere
personal vanity to the wish of meeting the Chesa-
peake; or that I depend only upon your personal am-
bition for your acceding to this invitation : we have
both nobler motives. 'You will feel it as a compli-
ment if I say, that the result of our meeting may
be the most grateful service I can render to my
country ; and I doubt not that you, equally confi-
dent of success, will feel convinced that it is only by
repeated triumphs in even combat, that your little
navy can now hope to console your country for the
loss of that trade it cannot protect. Favour me with
a speedy reply. We are short of provisions and water,
and cannot stay long here.—l haVe the honour to be,
Sir, your obedient bumble servant,
(Signed) ' "P.B. V. BROKE,
Captain of his B. M. ship Shannon:.

N.B. For the general service of watching your
coast, it is requisite for me to keep another ship in
company, to support with her guns and boats when
employed near the land, and particularly to aid each
other, if either ship in chase should get on shore.—
You must-be aware that I cannot, consistently with
my duty, wave so great au advantage for this general
service, by detaching my consort. without an assu-
rance. on your part of meeting me directly; and that
you will neither seek nor admit aid from any other of
your armed vessels, if I detach aurae, expressly for the
sake of meeting you.

4, Should any special order restrain you frctn thus
answering a formal challenge, you may yet oblige me
by keeping my proposal a secret, and appointing any
place you like to meet us (within 300 miles of Boston),
in a given number of days after you sail ; as, unless
you agree to an interview, I may be busied on other
service, and perhaps be at a distance from Boston
when you go to sea. Choose your terms—but let
us meet.

" Ts the Commander of the United States
frigate Chesapvalte."
YNDOftsEhlt:NT ON THE ENVELOPE.

" We have thirteen American prisoners on board,
which I will give you for as many British sailors, if
7ou wilrsend them out ; otherwise, being privatvers-
tnen, they riust be detained."

- bit*. OF &midi? CerillCA.

•
re:61114 was held a Court of Common Council
of the City of London.
Mr. Quin presented a Petition froth the British
Merchants residing in Hamburgh at the time of its
entry by the French, praying for relief..—Referred to
a Committeb of general purposes.
MOCK AUCTIONS.
• Mr. Warrumasr moved the reading of the Resolu-
tions of the Court, adopted in consequence of a Peti-
tion and Memorial presented in May last, by the
Traders of the City of London, desirous of an appli-
cation toParliament for relief against Mock Auctions.
—Mr. Waithman then proceeded to observe, that he
understood, to his great surprise, • the motion he was
about to submit to them was to encounter opposition,
notwithstanding the opinion of the Court had been
formerly given with unanimity on the snbject. He
certainly expected that the Representatives for the
City in Parliament, however much they might de-
spise the instructions of their Constituents, when at
variance with their own particular political opinions,
would still attend to their instntctions in every thing
whgre the local interests of the City were concerned.
It was the wish of the Traders that a Bill should
have been brought into Parliament in the course of
last Session, containing such clauses as might afford
them relief against the evils complained of by them,
and they instructed their Representatives to attend to
the progress of such a Bill through the House of
Commons. There was no want of exertion on the
part of the Traders at large. When the subject was
mentioned to his Majesty's Ministers, they were told
that a Bill for the regulation of Auctions had been in
their contemplaticn for several years, and that the
' complaints in the Memorial of the Liindon Traders
might be embodied in that Bill. It was not the wish
of the Memorialists that any thing should be enacted
in any way affecting the fair auctioneer. It so hap.
pered that the Bill brought in by Mr. Wharton, in
consequence of some injudicious clauses, was unfor-
tunately thrown out. It was owned by all, that the
Bill in question contained many excellent and unob-
jectionable clauses, and it would have been easy for
the Members entrusted by the City of London with
their interests, to have moved for a separation of the
good from the objectionable clauses, and to have -
made a stand for their Constituents. A new Bill was
brought in, agreeably to the .wishes of a Junto of
Auctioneers, in which the views of the Petitioners
were completely frustrated, and their interests ne-
glected. A struggle was made, but in vain, on the
part of the Petitioners, that some of the clauses in
Mr. Wharton's Bill should be retained. The sub-
stance of the second Bill might be reduced to two
points. First, That all goods should remain in the
place where they were to be auctioned twenty days
previous to the day of sale. But then this clause only
applied to itinerant, and not to resident auctioneers.
The second poir.t related to an increase of the duty
on licences to auction. By this Bill, too, manufac-
cured goods were not to be charged with duty—they
were merely to be put up in the order of the cats.
logue. Tee Auction Bill which passed was not
worth any thing to the Memorialists—it was in no-
wise beneficial to Traders—it rather increased the
evil which they complained of than remedied it, by
inducing people to go to auctions in the confidence,
that as the Legislature had at last interfered in the
business, they would no longer be cheated. The
most glaring impositions were every day practised,
and sometimes under the sanction of the names of
respectable auctioneers. An instance way stated of
one respectable auctioneer win) sold six hundred
potinds worth of goods in one day, under a false de-
nomination, having been cheated by theaperson to
whom these goods belonged: It men of character,
with all their circumspection, could be thus imposed
on, the evil was certainly such as to call for a re-
medy, and provision should be made against the
possibility of committing similar frauds in future.—
The enormities practised under the existing law
amounted not merely to encouraging swindlers to
defraud the public, and servants to rob their masters,
but placed the honest and upright tradesman com-
pletely on a level with cheats and impostors. He
then referred to the evidence detailed in the newspa-
pers in the case of Wright and Pike, which went to
prove that a regular system of plunder to a great ex-
tent had been carried on in stealing iron goods, which
were disposed of at the mock auctions. He himself
had been robbed of goods to the value of 8360, by a
young man, which he had discovered by their having
been seen at one of these infamous places. The
liberty of trade had been talked of on this occasion.
Why not allow pawn-brokers liberty of trade as well?,'
. In fact, the auctioneers had converted themselves in.
to pawn-brokers, and ought to be under the same
regulations.
' The Report on the Auction Bill was then read.
Mr. BROWN contended, that the whole speech of
Mr.Waitliman was calculated to entrap the passions,
instead of convincing the judgment. He should call,
if no one else did, for minutes of the evidence on
which the Report was founded. He thought that
the Report itself was to be received with great cau-
tion. Those who had framed it seemed to him to
have contemplated facts, not as they were, but as
they wished them to be ; and having first deceived
themselves, they had proceeded to practice imposi-
tion on others. He was not for countenancing the
abuses complained of, as practiced by auctioneers,
but he wished to correct them without injury to the
respectable part of the trade. As to the clause on
which Mr. W. had laid so much stress, the fact was
not as he had stated it :

Mr. Robins asked the Worthy Alderman alluded
to, whether it would not be better to let the Bill stand
over to another Session, than that it should run the
risk of being thrown out by the clause in question ?
when Mr. Waithman said, he had rather it should
pass as it was.
Mr. BROWN complained severely of the breach of
confidence of which the last speaker had been guilty
in detailing private conversations which had passed
between himself and Members of Parliament, and
hoped the Common Council would not sanction such
want of good faith, and become abettors of such
mischievous slanders. He concluded with moving
that the Report do lie upon the table.
Mr. MURRELL seconded the motion. He said there
were feveral inaccuracies and mis-statements in the
Report. The worthy Member who had brought
it forward seemed anxious to abolish all auctions

.
throngthont the ' This ira— what he called'
fatrionSm.—Mr. M. then commented on the details
of the Report at some length.
Mr. DIXON liMented that the Report hest been
brought forward, and thought Mr.W. himself would (
do so in his cooler moments.
Mr. Qum enforced the necessity of applying a
prompt and effectual remedy to the evils produced •
by the monstrous and abominable system of meek-
auctions, by which the fair trader and the public
were so shamefully defrauded. A subject of greater
importance had been very rarely. eaken into conside-
ration of the Court. Not only the interests of the
shopkeepers of the City of London were involved in
it, but the interests of all the commercial and manu-
facturing branches of the country at large, and the
interests of the wholesale and retail traders through-
out the United Kingdom. It was a question that
called for the union and joint exertions of the Corpo-
ration of London, of that truly respectable body of
men the Auctioneers, and of the public. Under this
impression he did expect that his worthy friend who
had opened the discussion, would have proposed a
leading principle for the guidance of the Court, and
suggested measures corresponding with the justice
and propriety of that principle. Instead of that con-
duct, he could not refrain from expressing his sur-
prise, that his worthy friend should have confired
himself to the bare Report of the Committee, which
had no connection of a positive or intimate nature
with the subject under consideration, and was in every
respect more calculated to sow the seeds of dissention, ,
and give birth to distractions and divisions than to
promote the grand object. in view. Of the co-opera-
tion of the Auctioneers with the Court in obtaining
an Act for the suppression of those dens of iniquity
and f. aud, mock-auctions, no doubt could be enter-
tained, for it was no less their interest than their duty.
The very nature of their business held out a certain
pledge of the sincerity of their exehions. The soul
and life-blood of their profession was their high ch.-
racter, and the best and most solid securities which
they could give, were to be found in their acknow.
ledged probity and honour. He was confident that
the Auctioneers would run a race of emulation with
the fair traders of the Metropolis, and with the Court
itself, in their exertions to suppress mock-auctions ;
and that in such truly respectable- establishments as
those of Messrs. Hoggart and Phillips, Messrs. Win-
stanley, Mr. Robins, Messrs. Skinner, Tuchin, and
Forrest, Messrs. Robins, and a variety of others,
a zeal, spirit, and peseverance would be evinced, no
less honourable to themselves than beneficial to the
public. It was in fact by utuon only that a Bill ado- -
qu.4te by its provisions to remove the evils complained
of, could he carried through all its stages in both
Houses, with success. Mr. Quin lamented that the
Report went to affect the characters of Gentlemen,
who, not being Members of the Court, could not de-
fend themselves. These Gentlemen were represented
to have stated in conversation, matters which they
had no opportunity of admitting or denying, hut he
would frankly say, that of one of these Gentlemen,
Mr. George Robins, he was incapable, and he spoke
from his intimate knowledge of him, of degrading
himself by the language attributed to him in the Re-
port. After a variety of arguments and statements,
Mr. Quin concluded with objecting to the Report,•
because it stied, as certain facts, matters which were
controverted by several Members of the Court who
had been present; because it manifestly went to cease
dissension and division, where union and co-operation
were absolutely necessary; because it called upon the
Court to sanction, in the, shape of a formal conviction,
words attributed to persons who had it not in their
power to defend themselves ; and because it esta-
blished the dangerous precedent, of reducing to the
form of a public record, a conversation which had
passed between men who had no previous intimation
I that such a publication would take place.
Alderman ATKINS reprobated the Report in the
strongest terms ; and, adverting to an article which
appeared in some of the Newspapers upon this sub-
ject in the month of August last, pronounced it a
gross and calumnious misrepresentation of the con-
duct of himself and his colleagues in the repfesenta-
cation of the City, and other gentlemen concerned,
in the conversation which took place at his house re-
specting the Mock Auction Bill. He totally denied
the accuracy of the Hon. Mover's assertion, with re-
spect to what passed in that conversation, and main-
tained
that his colleagues and himself used every I
endeavour in their power to forward the wishes
of the City upon this subject, not only in promoting
the rejection of the measure, which proposed to com-
bine with the suppression of Mock Auctions a legit-
lation regarding revenue, which was objectionable at ;
once to lend-owners, to respectable auctioneers, and
to all persons interested in the business of regular
auctions ; but in the advancement of the measure
subsequently brought forward for the removal of
Mock Auctions only. That the business even of re-
gular auctioneering required soiree legislative regula- !
tion he was ready to admit; for that auctioneers
were in the habit of occasionally dealing in the most
imposing hyperbole in their description of property
to be disposed of, was qiiite undeniable. But he re- ,
membered a case in which a sale by auction was set
aside in the Court of King's Bench, because the auc-
tioneer had stated that the property sold was surroun-
ded by a beautiful shrubbery, with a hanging wood in
the distance—while the former turned out to be
merely a few blackberry-bushes, and the latter a
gallows—(A loud laugh.) Indeed, he himself was
once induced to bid for a cottage for the accommo-
dation of his family, which the auctioneer described
to have a beautiful piece of water at the bottom of
the garden, which piece of water turned out to be a
mere pool in a neighbour's land, for the accommo-
dation of his ducks—(el laugh.) Such impostures
ought not surely to be tolelted, and he hoped that
some legislative remedy would be adopted to correct
the evil.—But to return to the Report before the
Court, he disapproved of it for the reasons already
mentioned, but particularly because it contained such
groundless calumnies, while it appeared to be really
the Report of the Hon. Mover, although having the
name of a Committee. With the sentiments and dis-
position of that Hon. Mover he was very well ac-
quainted, and he would ask him, in the presence of
that Court, whether he had, as in candour bound,
ever called upon, or made any intimation whatever
to him (Alderman Atkins), that he meant to use his
name in the way in which it appeared in this Re-
port—that he mead so to slander his characterl.But

.•

re via a titian; and favoirite habit of that Hoe
Member thus to slander public character:
. A warm altercation here arose between Mr. Wert j.
Mao and the Speaker (Mr. Alderman Atkins).. The
litter protested against. the interruptions given br
Mr. Waithman, and declared he would not be brow,
beat ; and the former declared he would not submit
-to insults and mouthing.
Alderman Amos resumed, urging that it was tht
duty of every man whose name appeared to the Ret.
port to come forward. and state upon what grounds
he wai induced to subscribe to such an extraordinary
document. But he attributed it entirely to the ho,
nourable MoVer, by whom he never would -himself to be borne doWn, nr suffer his reputation
to be aspersed; and pursuing a strain of invective
against Mr. Waithman, that Gentleman rose to or;
der, observing, that it was impossible fur him to sit
silent under such gross insults. •
. .
But the LORD MAYOR deciding in favour of Alder.
man Atkins,
The Honourable Alderman continued his aniniict.
versions upon the Hon. Mover, and in the course of
his observations, expressed a wish to know upon what
grounds Lord Lauderdale opposed the Mock Auc-
tion Bill in the House of Lords, having no doubt
that those grounds were quite erroneous, while he
was persuaded that that Noble Lord was induced to
press his opposition by the representations of the .
Hon. Mover, notwithstanding his (the Hon. Mo.
ver's) assertion in the conversation so often referred .
to, that he wished the Bill to pass. The Hon. Al-
.derman concluded with repeating his vindication of
himself and his colleagues, assured that their charac-
ter would continue to stand well in the ektimation of _
their constituents and the country, for he relied upon
the candour of the great body of his countrymen,
whatever want of candour might be betrayed by the
Hon. Move or 'certain other individuals.

Sir JAMES SHAW reprobated the condusct ofMr.
Waithman, in having published a private converse.
tion, first in the Newspapers, and then in the Report
which was that day presented to them. If such a
proceeding was sanctioned, a system of espionage
would be established, worse than any which had ever
existed under Fouche. He opposed the adoption of
the Report. It should have been confined to facts
relative to Mock Auctions, and not have digressed
into aspersions on the Representatives of the City,'
which no man but the Gentleman on the floor would
utter.
Mr. Favett. rose to order. His worthy Friend,
( Mr.Waithman,) though he had signed the Report, as •
Chairman, was not solely. to incur the responsibility
of the asserilons contained therein, as it was same..
cloned by ail the Members of the Committee.
Sir J. Straw resumed. The Gentleman he had al-
luded to, he had pitched upon, because by him alone
could those facts be ascertained 'which had beus
brought forward in the unwarranted statement in the
newspapers, and the equally unwarrantable Report.
He (Sir J. S.) had been averse to the allowing Auc-
tioneers to sell their own goods, and w.slied to pre-
vent the evil consequences of it,, by a clause %shell
obliged the auctioneers to state in their caialogues
whether the goods were their own property ; but to
Clis the auctioneers had given a dissent, as determi-
ned as they did to a proposition to' the prevention of
the practice altogether. Under these citcornstontes he
. thought it would have been better to haws 4tunwai
Out the Bill till the next Session, but to this pr idositiosi
Mr. Waithman (arid he alone) bjected, AliJ he con::
tended it would be of some goo.i to the ftttuuel, ADA
how little soever that might be, it would be better
that some should be produced titan none. The pro-
posal in the cnigiaal Bill, to oblige the owners tc
pay duty on any goods bought. in and then sold by
private contract within a year, was so improper ore
the face of it, that he wondered it • had ever heed
proposed. •
Mr. Alderman WOOD observed, that it was to be
presumed the proper city officer (the Remembrance!)
had given the Committee the account .of the conger•
sation alluded to. He felt more strongly the nefa-
rious practices pursued at these mock sales, of which
there were many regular stations about the metro-
polis. At these rooms, with mimic importance,
were several persons of all kinds seated round
table, who passed silver every now and then to the
auctioneer, under pretence of buying, to entrap
the unwary by their example. Cloth for a coat, a
pair of scissors, candlesticks, and snuff-boxes, were
put up to suit the supposed taste of the different per-
sons who were observed to enter the room. It was
not so easy, however, to suppress these-iniquities as
to detect them. .One very bad .practice was, that of
the auctioneers acting as principals, though this was
too often the case, as was even the case with the
Brokers upon 'Change, who were, however, prose-
cuted by the Court of Aldermen, as often as they
were discovered. He concluded by moving, as the
most adviseable way of proceeding, .4 That it be re-
ferred to the Committee of General Purposes, to
prepare a Petition to both Houses of Parliament,
praying that efficacioui measures may be adopted foe
the suppression of Mock Auctions," in pursuance of
the Resolution of the Court of Tuesday, the I lilt of
May last.
Mr. DAVIS seconded the motion, and reprobated
the profuse introduction of personalities into debate,
which they had that day witnessed.
Sir J. SHAW eoploined.
Mr. WAITHAIAN regretted the personalities which
had crept into their discussion, as much as any man;
but after all, it appeared that all that the Honoura-
ble Gentleman had stated had been acknowledged in
the Report; and there was no man in that Count so
high, that his conduct as a public man might not be
brought into discussion. So little firmness had their
Representatives shewn, that they had yielded, be-
cause the auctioneers had persisted in their oppo.
sition. He (Mr. Waithman) however, had no
objection to withdraw the original Report, and to
adopt the motion of the worthy Alderman (Mr.
Wood.)—After a desultory conversation bairn's
Messrs. Heygate, Wood, and Waithman, as to the
propriety of the Committee reporting to the Court,
the measures they thought fit to be adopted, a mo-
tion was finally put and carried to this effect that
it be referred to the Committee of General Purposes,
to consider of such measures as are proper to be
adopted, to procure a Legislative provision for the
suppression of frauds at sale-rooms and mock auc-
tions, and to report from tune W time to the GAEL!
Adjourned.

PARIS Nws.—lt is stated in private letters from
Paris, that. the inv.tsion, directed by Lord WELLING-
' ox, has caused a great sensation there, but of a na-
..ure very unlike that excited in England by the bril-
liant proipect of the Lottery, to begin drawing on
Wednesday next. The demand for Tickets and
Shares is now excessive, and this is the moment to
iecure, en easy terms, an ample fortune.
Das HAYES', late one of the fight-haled We, at the
Opera-House, and who is supposed to have realised
a fortune of R 20,000 is this country, and recently lett
London for Paris, is now serving as a common sol-
dier, lathe last raised levies of France. He came
susiong the conscription, and not being able to procure
a substitute, he was fotced to serve in his own per-
son, and immediately appointed to a regiment of
?co/agars/
•

ILL TEMPER AND GOOD NATURE.'

TUE CONTEAST. '

Good nature puts each heart at wise,
. And softens pain and sorrow;
E'en Ugliness itself, to please,
From aid a charm can borrow.
While Beauty, like an April day,
Is clouded in a minute ;
And, through HI Temper, fades away,
- Without one comfort in it.

OF all the cu-.es known below,
The worst, and much too common,
• Are those which from 111 Temper flow,
• Espectally in woman.

111 Temper to SuTicion
Is mother of all evil,
Anti where an Atli 1 man should find,
He mee•s the very Devil !

111 Temper made poor Auer. fall
A victim to his Brother ;
11l Temper deadens nature's calli
And sours the fondest mother.
A Woman's of the softer mould,
To smooth man's rugged nature;
But when she* jealous, loud, and bold,
No reason guides the creature.
The fio-rcest vixen, if she dare,
With man to cope or wrestle,
Should in remembrance always bear,
That she's the weaker vessel.
Then cease, ye fair, mankind to vex,
Or prove yourselves unruly;
And though their questions may perplet,
me.,k, and answer coolly !

Ho JtPRt SN'tAt•

POLICE.

BOW-STKEET.
•
ROBBERY ON BOARD HIS MAJE37YIS SHIP rug roarbise.
We stated a short time since, that John Brigs, the
Mate of his Majesty's ship the Tortoise. had stolen
and absconded with a tub containing silver of consi-
derable value. On its being discovered. Briggs wan
traceif with the tub from Woolwich in a post-ch iise
to the Swan-with-two-necks, Lad-lane, and from
thence he departed in a hackney-coach. There all
traces of him ceased. Applic aims. was then made at
this office, when by the exertions ef Pearkes, and other
means, the following has been ascertained :
His wife in t.ondon received a letter from him by
the two-penny post, wherein he expresses his regard
for her, adding, be had long had it in contemplation
to tell her that he is a rogue. Cone sses that he had
defrauded Captain Cook of the silver, but that it
would not be discovered tillto-nverow, meaning the
Ith or 12th of this month, when he concluded there
'would be a fine piece of werk. While he had any
thing the never stela want, but he should keep his
eye on her conduct. 1.-:e had taken a ir,dt;ing in a
remcee part of the town. The hest place far con-
,
eealrrient was a large city—it was I,Bi.geooo to 1 if
he was discovered. Front the hackheylcoach, as
above stated, he went, r.n Sunday, the 10th instant,
after commi king the robbery on the 9th, to the Bell
and Crown lon, HAI) nn, at which place he sold the
silver on the Monday following, the purchasers first
assaying it, %hen it amounted to between twelve and
thirteen hundred ounces, and for which he received
upwerde of 4190. On the Tuesday he dined at
Hatchet's Coffee-house, Piccadilly, in company with
a friend, and in payment for his dinner, he gave a
£5O Bank of England note ; and on being required
to write his name, he wrote " John Briggs, of his Ma-
jesty's ship Tortoise." This note proved to be part
of what he received for the silver. On the even
of that dey he left town in a stage leer Bristol, where
the police of that place, on his arrival there, recog-
nized him as having` been charged some years since
with sinking a shipe and a reward of £2OO was offered
for liim ; but on enquiry after the parties who charged
him at that time, the, police officers found that some
of them had failed in business, and the others were
dispersed. They therefore only watched him. The
circemstance of his having maderoff with the silver
was not made puslie for above a week after, but
when the information was sent from Bow-street to the
Police at Bristol, the officers recognised the descrip-
Lion given of him, and pursued him from Bristol to
Shepion Mallet, where he had a wife and child, from
thence to Bath, where the Bristol Police-officers took
him at the Angel Inn, in bed, on Monday night. In-
formation of hiserpprehensien being received in Lou-.
don, Pearkes was dispatched to bring bins to town,
and arrived with Mat on Thursday night.
Yesterday he underwent an examination before Mr.
BIRNIE, the Sitting -Magistrate.
Captain Cook, the Commander of the Tortoise, at-
tended, and stated, that he breught the tub of silver
in question from Gibraltar, consigned to a person in
London. The Tortoise arrived at Woolwich tin the
9:h of September. '1 he beginning of this month the
prisoner, being the, -senior officer on. boerd, h td the'
command. The spirit room being under repair, where
.he tub of silver was kept, the witness desired the
prisoner to keep it in his cabin for safety. On the 9th
instant the ship was paid off, when the prisoner leit
the ship without his permission, and took the tub of
silver away with him. On the Tuesday following,
the person to whom the silver was consigned, claimed
the silver, and had since demanded £3e9 as the value
of it, in consequence of its being lust. The Captain
said, he had known the prisoner 17 or 18 years, and
had, placed the silver under his care, having a very
high opinion of his integrity and steadiness ; and it
was his intention to have procured him a Master's
Warrant.

John Beavan, a waternmn, of Woolwich, stated,
that ne had known the prisoner for a number of years.
On the 9th instant, about ten o'clock at night, he
brought him on shore from the Tortoise, with a tub
of verygreat weight, so much so that he could scarcely
carry it. The prisoner left Woolwich with the tub
la a post.chaise for London.
The aptain being under sailing orders, he was.
bound over to prosecute at the next Kent Assizes.
The prisoner was committed for furaril. examination,
when other witnesses will attend.
•

DL b 8411

Yesterday. fr. Brows, J. Stewnhrittstos, blisos,
J. Bawler, 7. asquilb, sniV. Sleigh, journeymen tai'
lors, were convicted ot stealing a quantity of cloth,
the property of J. Maberly..—[The'evidence being
precisely the same as was detailed in their examina.
uon at Guildhall. so very recently, it is of course un-
necessary to repeat it.) The 'Sills against the othecs
were all thrown out except one case, in the county of
Middlesex, which remains to be tried.
J. Harfneld, R.-stealing six knives and forks, and
R. Ctoker, for s;.oling 17Ibs. of goats' wool, %vete
also convicted.

Mary Harrison was Indicted for wilfully and mali-
ciously setting fire to a house in-High-street, in Shad-
well, which was in the possession of Jane Bloomfield,
with intent to defraud the proprietor, and also the
Eagle Insurance Company.
Sarah Taylor, servant to Mrs. Bloornfield, deposed,
that on the 29th of September the prisoner lodged
at Mrs. Bloomfield'i hotre, No. 108 ; that she occu-
pied the first flier, hail the use of the kitchen, and the
general range of the house, except the shop and back
parlour, which were in the care of the witness, who
managed the business of a hatter for her inistress.—
The door from the shop into the parlour was only
for her use. Mrs. Harrison had a side-door to go in
and nut into a passage. There was a hole in the
cieling of the parlour 'trier the room above, made by
accident : she had stuffed this hole with a petticoat
on the night in questidn ; about eight o'clock she
locked the parlour, and touk the key with her to Mrs.
Bloomfield. She recollected, that about seven weeks
hefore the fire a considerable quantity of straw had
been brought into the house, and was put into the
cellar : about three wet ks b: fort the fire, she helped
to reinove some of it into the back-kitchen. When
she saw the pailuur the morning after the fire, the
petticoat had be pushed 'roe the hole down to ti e
fkcr, and there were it‘o ..r three small btilidles.ot
straw lying abort toe room, which were not there the
preceding evening.
J. Stevens, a watchman, deposed, that on the morn-
ing of the 21st of September, at ten minutes before
two, Mts. Harrison came out of the side door, and
went down the passage towards a Mrs. Neave's, as
if to get a light. She appe..red quite undressed to
her shirt, and he walked away. M that time there
was no appearance of tire : in seven cr eight minutes
he heard the cry of 46 Fire," and came back. He then
saw Mrs. Harrison on the leads, over the front-door.
She and her child were got down by a ladder, and
!he fire was soon after extinguished. He found the
tire at the foot of the kitchen-stairs, behind the door
leading into the cellar.
. [Cross examined.j-e-The prisoner dropped her
chid to a fireman, and would have jumped'down her-
self, if witness had not persuaded her to Wait for a
ladder. If she had gone out by the cellar-door, she
might have concealed herself more than by coming
nut of the side-d-or. •

Mary Neave lives in the same passage. On the
morning of the fire, a little before two, the prisoner
Caine to her, and requested a light, as her child was
ill. Witness gave her a small piece of candle. About
ten minutes after, witness saw a body of are coming
from a bundle of straw in Mrs. HAirison's kitchen.

Wm. Sweasey, a &man belonging to the Atlac
MY:ranee Otfice, deposed, that he came by the house,
a few minutes after two, and smelt fire. He SAW Mrs.
Harrison come on the leads over the shop, with her
child in he, arms, woich she dropped to him. He got
her down by a ladder. He then entered the shop, in
which he found no fire; but in the middle of the floor
of the parlour he saw a file, which • had burnt the
boards, to an extent of eight inches by four or five,
entirely through. There was also some straw in a
flame. The cellar-stairs wire also on fire, and it re-
quired ten or twelve pails full of water to extinguish
it. The fire was lighted under the stairs and on the
ground. He noticed no combustible but the small
handful of straw on the parlour-floor.
J. Proctor, a watchman, broke open the shop-door
with an :axe. There was a small bundle at straw tied
up in a handkerchief, lying near the fire-place of the
back-parlour.

W. Drummond saw, near the side of the parlour-
floor, some loose half-burnt straw, and a piece of tur-
pentine chip. About the hole in the first floor there
was a quantity of oat chaff, corresponding with the
straw found in the parlour, wi►h which the hole com-
municated.

G. Partridge produced the prisoner's policy of in•
surance with the Eagle Company—,El 50 stock, and
tel.it) furniture. a:r fro ninkre was w•t:rth about £2O;
and her stock (some straw bonnets) about £lO.
W. J. DAvidson proved, that the hole in the floor
was only about the length of his foot, but not so wide.
It was enlarged considerably after he first saw it.
Mary Russel, servant- to the prisoner, went to bed
about hale east ten. Her mistres's said she might go
to bed, as she was going out, and had made ail safe
hclow. She was awoke about two o'clock, by her
mistress calling " Mary, Mary !" She slept so sound,
that she did not hear the child cry, or know whether
her mistress had been in bed or not. The l'andker.
chief, in which some of the straw was contained, was
like one 'she seen before her mistress's fire.
An appraiser proved that the full amount of all
the prisoner's furniture was sE26.

prisoner left her Veferce to her counsel, who
merely called a witness to shew, that some months
ls'Ack the ptisuner had sold out £lOO stock.
Lord ELLENBOROLIOIi summed up, making several
observations to shew, that though the crime of arson
had evidently been committed by some person, -yet ;
were there several favourable circumstances, such as
the crying of the child, her own evident alarm, want
of contrivance to escape, &c. which seemed to re-
move the pia from her. The over-insurance, great
as it was, might have beer.. made on a speculative
contcmplatipn of an increase of stock, and a wish to
rate it at its-utmost standard. He lett the whole cir-
cumstances CO the. Jury ; who immediately acquitted
the prisoner.
honk:: Willis, who was indicted for forgihg a bill
of exchange, and the acceptance thereto, was acquit-
ted.—The evidence on the part of the prosecution did
not prove satisfactorily that there were no such per-
sons as the apparent drawer and acceptor, and the
prisoner produced a witness who swore positively that
the bill was given by the man (whose name appeared
on it), in payment of a horse bought of the prisoner.
Willis was, however, detained,. in order to. be tried
upon another indictment.

Vilest oP rilk PITCH ?E!CR or AItRAP.
'TO THE MAWR OF THE rermk.
Sia—One of the principal causes of the continual •
increase• of the price of Bread, is the very injurious
practice latttrly adopted, by many of the hieber
class of farmers of borrowing money from Coutitty
Bankers, in order to buy up the cr. ps of the poorer
elass.of tenants e and to enable themselves to pay their
rents immediately after hate/est, witlieut selling any I
part of the produce of their own farms. The over.
issue orpiter thus effected, and repeated,' at every
succeeding rent-day, frequently by people without
capitol, has ridged the price of corn, and 'all ether
consumable articles, by lowering the value Of money. !
This mischievous mode of i:biaiieine the means .of
paying rent has, also, either greedy irjured, or totally
ruined, all persons wl:cre lairis were let upon long
leases, as well as all others of fixed incemes. But
do not wish .to cast any ref . view: upon the Country
Bankers, or formers, for they have only acted as
most men would have done wider similar circume •
stances. • In my Opinien, howeVer, it would be ad-
visable for landlords, in future, to refuse to receive
any thing but Bank of 'England paper, or cash, in •
payment of rent. This would, in some degree, check
the excessive issue of paper, inasmuch as Country
Bankers, without credit or capital, could not then
procure Bank of England notes. I would also re-
commend, that in the event of landlords having farms
to let, they should divide them into smaller allot-
ments ; for it is the speculating Gentlemen Farmers,
to whom they have imprudently let their lands, who
have established the host of Country Bankers. And
let me tell the landlords, that if they do not become
more clear-sighted, with respect to their own interests
and the interests of the public, that these speculating
Glettlenten, aided by their friends and relations, the
Country Bankers, will, cid long, buy them out of their
estates.

There are certain persons who have taken It for
granted, that farmers cannot'possibly keep hack corn
so as to injure the public, but these people do not see
the effect of paper, of any description, being taken
in payment for rent. When the lands %vete let in
farms of moderate size, to people of moderate, but
real capital, and who were obliged to disburse part of
that real capital : or, in o:het words, who paid hard
cash f)r refit, there was then a sufficient bar to spe-
culation ; so that.the public were regularly supplied
with the produce of land. A t that time, also, the
science of Political Economy ha.l a firm foundation,
bait the paper cturency has maJe it alirost, if not
quite impossible. now to arsitii just-17 on tl-at snhject.
1 shall also just observe, before I conclude, that the
return to cash payments must be our final object ;"••
and it appears to me that this will never he accom-
plished, without, in the first place, a check he given
to the over issues of paper, by Country Bankers with-
out real property. I remain, Sir, yours, kc. Y. Z.