Star.
London, England, 1801-05-15 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF TIM STAR.

Sia—Various have been the canfes aßigned for
the lamentable dearth we have long ekperienced,
fo long indeed, as to give us reafon to apprehend
that it is owing to fume great and estenfive (though
it is to be hoped not incurable) defeas in our pub-
lic regulations. But Dr. ANDLILSON and Mr.
BOYD appear to me to be the only writers who
have cmftdered this fubjea in a manner fuitable
to its vaft importance and extent. Both theft
gentlemen Teem to have been accuflomed to com-
prehenfive views bf the objets of their refearch ;
they trace this calamity to different, but lay no
means incompatible, caufcs ; for both may have
concurred in producing the deplorable died.
Dr. Amoaasow has ably pointed out fevetal of
the difcouragements under which the producer of
corn now unhappily labours; and contrary to
what vulgar politicians would 11,11(4, he proves
that the plenty which we enjoyed for many years
was materially owing to a well-regulated bounty
on exportation, and that dearth has been the
confequence of withdrawing that bounty, while
other difcouragements have been gradually con.
fpiring to relax rural indullry. His table, Chewing
the average prices of wheat per quarter, from the
year 1650 to 1800, and of corn imported into,
and exported from Great Britain from 'the year
1696 to the fame year (11100), is to me fufficitntly
convincing. By that table, which is taken from
the bell authorities, it appears that
For forty yeari irfirr the deity commenced, Z.
the average was - 2 14 9
For forty years woke the imittemer pie beery, only x 16 9
Fur forty ran after the bounty was annulled, the
average again role to - - 9.5 I,
The fame table (hews that from t 700, when the
bounty commenced, to 1750, our annual export of
grain gradually rote to 1,667,140 quarters ; and
that from 1760, when the bounty was withdrawn
to ISoo, our annual imports have as gradually rifen
to 2,938,829 quarters, the amount of laft year's
Importation ! ! This enormous foreign fupply,
which probably amounts to three bufhels for every
man, woman, and child, in Great Britain, clearly
indicates an alarming deficiency in our home pro-
duaion, and calls aloud for the immediate atten-
tion of the Legiflature.
Mr. Boyn, with no lets ability than Dr. As.
balsams, but on different grounds, endeavours to
prove, and, in my opinion, Vas decifively proved,
the prefent calamity to be owing, in a very con-
fiderable degree, to the confequences of the flop-
of iffues fpecie at the Bank: It is alio-
firilog that any man of common fenfe and re-
Beelion fhould remain infenfible to the force of
this able writer's fags and arguments, confonant
as they are to obfervation, and to the known
principle of commerce : Mr. BOYD, however, like
many other excellent reafoners, has been contra-
diaed and abufed—before he was underflood !
Yet, I will venture to affirm, without any fear of
cenfure from candid and competent judges, that
no writer on any branch of political economy, has
treated his fubjea with more perfpicuity and preci-
fion. He has even contrived to renconcile with
there excellent qualities, a degree of elegant polifh
feldom or never Peen in works of this kind. His
arguments mull (land or full by their own merits.
To me they appear undeniably conclufive efpe-
cially as elucidated by the notes added to the fe-
cond edition. But no elucidation can fupply the
want of attention and refleaion in the reader ; nor

can any force of argument be espeeed to produce
convidion in minds predifpored to cavil at every
truth which contradifts their own favourite views
and doarines.—l am, Sir, your conilant Reader,
Waiwoith, April *7, slot. A. B.

DECLINE IN PRICE OF rROPISIONS.

The confiderable reduSion lately experienced
in the price of wheat and flour, affords a happy
profpeß to the induftrious artizzn, and to the la-
borious of every defcrip:ion, for an alleviation of
their family's fulferings. But while we contem-
plate with unfpeakable pleafure on the relief here-
by afforded to thoufands of onr fellow creatures,
can we with-hold our indignation, when we per-
ceive that the principal caulk of' this diminution
in price is, the great fupply of Englifh corn at
our market ?—Where has this Englifh corn been
boarded up and concealed this length of time,
when the famifbing children of the poor, nay, of
*tar middling order of houfekeepers' were feen..in
the ftreets of this great metropolis, like fo many
walking fpeares, with eleemofynary oratory in
their (tarred countenances? Where has compel-
fion flept, while ditirefs, unrelieved dards,
Balked abroad ?
1111.anDroan.—There has been a decline in the
price of corn during the laf week. Every article
of provifions is getting cheaper ; as a proof, ham
fold for fix-pence per pound.
On Thurfday fe'nnight, a Ralk of wheat was
pulled on the farm of Rofshall, in the neighbour-
hood .of Dumfries,which had the ear fully Formed.
Such an inflame clearly vegetation is not remem- ,
tiered by the olden perfon
EDINBURGH, MAY IL—This market WaS never
better fupplied with white Eat than it is at prefent.
Haddocks in particular are very plentiful, and fo
cheap that a dozen, each about the fine of a
well grown herring, but thicker, may be got for
13d. or 9d.
Potatoes are declining in price. They are how-
ever Rill at the enormous rate of is. 6& per peck
Of 28 lbs.
The prices of grain fellconfiderably in Hadding-
ton market on Friday.—Beß wheat was 4s. down,
and the third fort Is. Bell oats 6s.—peafc 3s.—
beans as.*barley was Ready.
LaR week ay foreign veffels, and a coafiers,
irrived at Newcaftle with grain.
No Ws than 14 fhips from the Baltic have ar-
rived at Hull UR week, all of them wholly laden
with wheat.
On Friday arrived in the Clyde, two reeds from
Norfolk, Virginia, two from New York, and one
from Baltimore, Maryland, having on board,
W,772 hilfhei2 wheat, 5217 barrels wheat flour;
u 7 barrels and to puncheoas Ind ias sot a;

barbels and so lsigs halm Corn, and 3241
barrels rye Boor.
The prices of. rum and gin have fallen very
confiderably.—Rum is Ss. and fis;•the gallon un-
der wliat it was lately.
Extra& of a letter froth a Arefpeaable Houle in
Sligo, dated April so. -44 My principal reafon
for writing is, to prevent your (peculating in pro-
vifions. Pork has fallen from 665. to 3os. per
cwt.—lterrings from 465. to 30s. per barrel.—
Oatmeal from sys. to 28s. per cw.t. of leo lbs.
All thefe articles will be lower."
NSW YORK, MARCH 20.—We are afraid to Iltip
flour, as 40,000 barrels are • now loading here for
your port. Yefferday faile the (hip William Penn,
CLAP, and (hip Franklin' with Hour, for your port,
alto the brig Twins, for Jamaica, with flour.

Lail Monday night as Mr. William Cooper, of
the Swan at Rumford, was returning home from
Brentwood, he was flopped by a highwayman, and
robbed of his watch, and an the money he had
about him, near Hareftead, within a mile and an
half of his own houfe : having reached home, he
armed himfelf with piftots, and returned to the
place, thinking to meet with the villain, when,
feeing a man making towards him, be drew his
piftol out of his pocket to fire, which happening
to be on the half-cock, and [training it. mangled
his fore-finger fo much, that it was obliged to un-
dergo amputation dole to the hand, to prevent a
mortification : the highwayman efcaped.
On Monday, about four o'clock, the Rev. Mr.
Witt.ts, of Ringwood, Hants, in company with
another Gentleman and a Lady, were (topped in
a poft.chaife between Egham and Bagfhot, by a
tingle highwayman, who robbed them of about
141. in notes and call, and two watches.
On Monday afternoon the houfe of Mr. 80v1.5,1
in Charlotte.ftretn, Rathbone-place, (no perfon
j being therein), was entered,and robbed of a quan-
tity of linen, &c.
On Tuefday laft, about three o'clock, two well-
dreffed men called at the Duke of QyEasses ay's,
in Piccadilly, and being informed -by the fervant
that his Grace was out, were. (hewn into a room,
on pretence of writing a note. During the abfence
of the (errant, there light-fingered gentlemen con-
trived to appropriate to their own ufe a few ofhis
Grace's curiofities,!contifting of gold trinkets, &c.
to no (mall amount ; buts.being detefted in their
attempt to efcapt, wert purfued, and luckily over-
taken in Qneen-ftreet, May-fair.
On Tuefday laft, the following curious circum
Rance appeared before Mr. BOND, in Bow-greet :
William Henry Stewart, quarter-matter and cox-
fwain of the ASIA man of war, lying at Sheernefs,
about a fortnight force, being the intimate friend
of a feller of navy flops at that place, was entruft.
ed by his wife on board that fkip with the fum of
400 L to be given to the Captain, by way of fecur-
ing it for her, being afraid to take fo large a fum
on (lore among the failors. The [hip immediately
afterwards failing for Yannouth, Mr. Stewart forgot
his commilfion and immediately quitted the (hip with
the money. He afterwards went to Norwich, and
expended a ronfidenble fum in the purchafe of a
gold watch and feals, and afterwards departed for
London. The unfortunate woman hearing of his
defection at Yarmouth, followed him to the Me-
tropolis, and, about eleven o'clock on Tuefday
morning, meeting him near Temple-bar, laid hold
of him, and explained to the furrounding perfons
his offence, which he attempted to deny; but an
old tailor coming up, and hearing the woman's
tale, exclaimed, " By if you are innocent,
you can have no objeaion to go with the woman
before a Magittrate ; and, whether guilty or not,
go you that]." He was .then taken to Bow-greet,
and being fearched, the whole of the money, ex.
eept sol. was found upon him, and returned to the
woman. He was then fent to the Tender at the
Tower, in order to be reconveyed on board his
(hip at Yarmouth.
Early on Wednefday morning the houfe of Mr.
Branford, of Paradife.row, Rotherhithe, was bur-
glarioufly broke open, when all the wet linen in
the wafh-houfe, belonging to the family,wasitolen
Ito a great amount. It is fuppofed that the vil-
lains took boat, and croffed the water.

The fame day a genteel looking young woman,
with a child in her arms, went into a (hop in the
Borough, to buy tome articles, and tendered a half
guinea, which proved to be a counterfeit ; on be-
ing fearched, a large quantity of counterfeit fhil-
lings and other pieces were found concealed be-
tween her Ilockings and her (hoes. A conftable .
being procurred, the was taken before a Magic
trate, and committed for re-examination.
Tuefday a party of the Bow-greet officers went
to a houfe in Milbank-Rreet, Weftminfter, which
they had received information was inhabited by a
gang of coiners. They found two men at work,
with the complete apparatus for coining gold, fil-
ver, and copper; they took them into cuftody,
and conveyed them to Bow-greet for examination.
Yefterday a houfe in Gray's-buildings, Lam-
beth, fuppofed to be inhabited by coiner', was be-
fieged by a party of the Bow-greet of leers, who,
after forcing an entrance at the back part of the
houfe, went up (lairs, and in the firft room found
a woman filing a quantity of bate fhillings and
fixpences. Some of the officers were then pro-
ceeding to the attic Rory, when they were Cud.
denly oblirueed by a door being let down on the
Rain, which they had tome trouble to break
through before they could get at the famarlai few-
brunt of this banditti, when they difcovtred two
men and a woman, who appeared to have been
jug at work, a lighted furnace, and every other
apparatus for coining, together with a quantity
of bate money, finithed and unfiniflied. The pri-
loners are all of one family, being father, mother,
fon, an/ daughter.
Yefterday a merchant's clerk in the city, crof-
ling Gracechurch-greet in a thronged place, had
his pocket picked of a pocket-book, containing
Bank notes and other valuable papers to a large
amount; immediately miffing his property, he
collared a fuljoicious looking young man, who
dropped the book on the pavement, When the clerk
(looping for it, the pickpocket difengaged
(eh; and efolted his *leapt between the coaches.

Tile Honourable &itaa bauxites sail Mr
Palau, finned on Monday from Hyde Parl
Corner to decide a b..t of a rump and dozen
upon -the quettion of which making the belt M
his way on foot to the five mile Untie at Turn
ham Gre:n, wodld return with the molt expedi-
tion. The former being a well made man, not
heavy, and much ftronger than the latter, the bets
were two to one in his favour, and conliderfble
rams among fporting Gentlemen were depending.
They let off at ten minutes pail one, Mr. B—
D— at hill fpeed, and Mr. P. -alto ran u
keep up with him After going 'a mile they walked,
then trotted, and fo on as they felt inclined.—A
great cavalcade colleeted on the road; and followed
them, and many bets were made. The run at
the outlet winded both, but Mr. P. being more it
praftiee of walking, took the lead on the return,
and Mr. B. D. being feized with a pain in his fide
at Kenfinvon, the other came in eafy, at eleven
minutes pail three, having gone ten miles in two
hours and a minute. Sir CHAiLES BAMPFYLDE
was the umpire, and a number of men of fafhion,
friends of the parties* were prefent.