Star.
London, England, 1825-05-02 00:00:00

MERCHANT St.AMEA'S BIBLE SOCIETY.

A meeting of this Society, Admiral Lord Exmouth
in the Chair, took place in the Great Room of the City
of London Tavern, on Saturday, which was very My
attended, and distinguished by a numerous and brilliant
assemblage of elegant females. Among the company
en the platform were, Lord Suffield, Sir G ore Rote,
Bart. Captain William Young, R.N. Captain Charles
Mortlock, of the Honourable East India Company's
Service, Rev. Mr. Marshall, Curate of Islington, and a
number of Dissenting Ministers.
The Report, which was read by the Secretary, stated
the sales to have been progressively increasing. The
number of Bibles and Testaments sold at Gravesend'
last year, at hall the cast price, was 1,03 V ; 'and the
number left on board different ships for the use of des-
titute stamen, which were not paid fort was 318; besides
which there had been sold to seaknen in the coasting
trade, at three-N*lth' the cost price, 411 Bible* andl
Testaments, Making the total of their distribution at
Gravesend end in the Port of London, during the last
year, amount to 1766. Periodical Reports of the Su
ciety's Agents at Gravesend and in London, together
with the *stinting of Owners, Captains, Pilots,Custom-
hotee Officers, and many others communicated to the
Committal, afforded evidence of the set ougest kind, and
the mast gratifying in it 4 nature, as to the benefici ii
change now operating on the minds of seamen in ge-
neral, thfough the a;.ency of this and other kindred
Societies, which was indeed apparent from the very
samible alteration which had already been effected in
the mural character and the great change in the habits
of sails* s, whkh had been brolly ht about since the tom-
meneement of their labours. The Committee, though
unwilling to complain, could not but regret that the
amount of the Annual Subscriptions eras by no means
adequate to the prosecution of the Society's benevolent
plans; it had never exceeded 2071. in any one year;
land in the last year it did not exc. ed 2011. I3s. They,
therefore, wished the friends of the Institution to exert
themseltes. _ -
_ - -

Lard Suarnmn, Sir Gamic, Roa►, Captain MoneLont, and Lord
EXMOUTH, Severally addressed the Meeting.

A most extraordinary system of robbery, called level-
ling, has been carried on in Dublin lately to a great
extent. A person whose character is not yet entirely
16st, takes a house, and after remaining in it a show
tlnte, applies to the Pairing Board for a paling or Scaf-
folding license, in order to have the front improved. As
soon as he has made this preparation, he applies to a
leveller to purchase the house. The leveller views the
premises, values them at SOL or 601. pays that sum to'
the new inhabitant, and in three Jays not a trace of the
house is to be seen. The moment the purchase is made,
a number of workmen are sent in, who pull the house
to pieces, and a landlord has often been seen looking
up and down a street, in which his house stood the day
before, scarcely thinking it possible that he is in the
right neighbourhood. Mr. ELLts, the Member for the
City, it is understood, missed two of his houses one
morning as he was taking a walk before breakfast. A
tradesman who was rather harshly importuned by his
landlord, procured a paling license, and whispered about
that he was to have a visit from a leveller. So great
was the terror excited by the name, that the landlord
consented not only to give his tenant the indulgence re.
quired, but actually to lower the rent. The levelling
system has been improved so myth of late, that it is said
a house can be 'now literally removed from one part of
the town to another in a day or two at most.
Wednesday evening, several of the workmen in the
employ •Of Messrs. lainglord, of Nottingham, had been
partaking of some liquor in one of-the workshops on the
premises in Parliament-street, on account of footing a
new comer, when some words arose between two of
them, named Richard Cadwallader, a man upwards of
50 rots of age, and a young mattnamed John Meek,
both smiths. The dispute soon terminated, and hat.
mony appeared to beeesteted between them. Ina short
time iffterwards, Cadwallader went lute one corner of
the shop and held some conversation with Meek, and
insniediately on his returning to his anvil, the latter
hurled a screw plate at him, one corner of which struck
Dim tin the neck, near the ear, and inflicted a mortal
wound. The unfortunate man fell upon the anvil, and
died instantaneously. There were two other men in the
shop, who observed no symptoms of anger at the time
on either side, and on perceiving what had happened,
they caused the delinquent to be secured. The body
was conveyed to the Dove and Rainbow public-house,
where a Coroner's Inquest was held upon it yesterday,
when the Jury found a verdict of Wilful Murder against
John Meek, who Rands Committed on the Coroner's
warrant to take his trial for the offence at the next
1 Assizes. Meek was so alarmed at the horrid deed be
had committed, that he made two or three ineffectual
' attempts to escape.
' A singular application is about to be made to Par-
, liainent by the operative cot Eon-spinners of Manchester,
. who new work It-hours per week, for ea Act reatrict-
ing their masters is Route from employing them more
shirivo6 hours, that is, eleiren hours and a half for five
days 41 the weeks and eight hours and a halffor the silt