Star.
London, England, 1824-07-14 00:00:00

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OF ADMIRALTY.

We bate had oceasionpore than epee to mention the
circumitances of this case before. It was a case of da-
mages against Captain Mahon, the Toaster of the Agid-
court, free trader to India, for cruelty and abuse of au-
thority exercised by him towards a mariner of colour of
the name of Thompson, who had hired himself as a
cook on board, in a voyage from India homewards; same
time last year. It would appear from the evidence that
this Thompson, and an assistant whom he had of the
name of Burgess, had had frequent quarrels in the
course of the voyage, for the decision of which the Cap-
tain was upon all occasions appealed to. Whether it
was that Thompson was invariably wrong, or that he
always supposed himself right, this person took it into
his bead that the Captain's adjudications were not de-
void of partiality. Under this impression, Thompson
was said not to receive the Captain's orders with all the
deference which they deserved, and the Captain was
said by one of the witnesses to have expressed appre-
hensions of Thompson's 4. taking the ship." On the par-
ticular occasion which was. made the subject of this
complaint, Burgess and Thompson had had one of their
usual quarrels, which the Captain disposed of by order-
ing the latter into irons. He, however, broke his irons,
and the Captain then ordered two dozen lashes with a
rope's end to lie inflicted upon him. Thompson was
confined to his bed for several days afterwards. The
ground of the complaint was, that this was an unneces-
sary degree of severity used towards Thompson, as flog-
ging in merchantmen is not permitted, except in cabes
Of the last necessity.
The reading of the evidence in this case, which was
exceedingly voluminous and contradictory, and the
arguments of Counsel thereon, had occupied Che Court
several days.
Lord Srowitta, now gave judgment, in which he re-
viewed all the circumstances of the case. His Lordship
said it could not be concealed that Captain Mahon had,
throughout the transaction, shewed a great want of
temper. His opinion was also a good deal formed by
the treatment of the Captain towards one of the passen-
gers, to whom, upon a pressing occasion, he had not
only refused some trifling accommodation, but 2CCOM-
panied that refusal with an unfeeling severity of remark.
Under all the circumstances of the case, he condemned
Captain Mahon to a fine of £lOO, and all the costs.

Paisley is participating in the general prosperity in
Scotland. They are erecting as many new houses, re-
latively to its size, as in Glasgow.
Saturday, near the ruins of the ancient House of
Struthers, formerly the residence of the Earls of CRAW.
snap, a beautiful Roman coin of Vespasian, in fine pre-
servation, was picked up.
Monday se'nnight, a small plot of barley, belonging to
Mr. John Paul, at Milton, near Dumbarton,was cut down
perfectly ripe. It was sown in the month of October
list. Same day the field was laboured and laid down
with turnips.
On all descriptions of crops in Scotland the late rains
and fine weather have had the most beneficial effects.
In many fields barley and oats are in the ear, and have
a most luxuriant appearance; wheat appears to be a
heavy crop.
On the 17th of May, the Dwina, at Archangel, was
still covered with solid ice, and the thermometer was
five degrees below the freezing point.
While the late Earl of Sr. VINCENT'S was blockading
Cadiz, there appeared one night every indication of an
approaching storm ; it shortly took place, and rapidly
increased to such a height as to threaten the destruction
of several, if not all of the ships then at anchor. The
only means cf warding off the danger was to veer away
store cable; but this could not be instantly given In
command, as no night signal was yet establithed for
this pUtpose. Suddenly use Eon of St. Yttidittft's
called for the boatswain and all his mates, kWh:ME&
them on tyre poop, gangway, and forecastle, and told
This was heard on board the surrounding ships, when
the Captains, rightly conceiving the Admire/ was veer-
ing cable, directed the same to be done on board their
respective ships, and the fleet rode out the gale safely.
INGENIOUS ORTISOGRAPHY..•••••A Gentleman of the'
Temple received his laundress's weekly account the
other day, made out in the style of spelling and hand-
writing peculiar to the sisters of the suds; but them
was one charge of 11.6 d. for "skewering the stars!"
iithich defied even his practised comprehension. After
Wondering for some time how such a work could ever
,have been performed, and, still more, why it should
have been executed particularly at his expense, the
debtor sent for Mrs. Peatlash, when the reading turned
oat to be—" for scouring the stairs!"
A FINE EAR.—A Gentleman anxious to secure to his
son a thorough .knowledge of the science of music, applied to a
professor for that purpose. Being informed by the teacher that
all the instruction the young man might receive would be of tittle
benefit to: him unless he possessed a fine ear for music; the father
replied, that although as the parent of the youth, he ought not
gollms to beast, yet he had never seep a person possessing a finer
I ow., It is almost, I aware you (said he), as clear as crystal."
Quick TRAVELLINO.—We have now ing before us
mi old newspaper, the London Courant, of the date of February,
1746, in which Messrs. Hartcup and Strad wick advertise that their
tlehwemsebes " leave the Spread Eagle, Gracecburcb-street, every
essnine at seven o'clock, and reach Rochester in one day—Canter-
bury in two days—and Dover and Deal in two days and a half."
lieery one knows that we now travel to London and back, and
lave time to transact business, in one day, from this city. The pa-
, me, is full of the unhappy business of the rebellion of 1745,
was not effectually quelled at the date of this paper. The
paragraph appears under the head of Edinburgh :—" Se-
IMMS Men ye boners are brought to town. On Friday, four coup-
trtESSll cams In with no less than down Highlanders." What will
MOO the great Scotch writers say to this? According to their
V=et that period, a store of Highlanders vied to be suMcient
a battalion of infantry ; and the very tune of
" Hey, Johnny Cope, are ye waken yet?"
wed to disperse a brigade of cavalry !—lnca Herald.
AULD LANG SYNIL—An add beggar man, " weel
graced wi' mealy bags,' went some time ago to a farm-house, and
tidied quarters for the night—a boon which is seldom refused by
formers of any condition. Sitting round the Ingle, and talking
et the days of other years, the beggar, among other stories, said he
minded of the battle of Falkirk, in 1745 ; and that be had,
fAr gafety, lain behind a heap of stones to witness the engagement.
11 At my back," said he, " lay a young man, and we squeezed
lersstres close together, for fear o' the bails tha;vvhizzed about our
heeds, though we were whiles tempted to peep over the ,tans, and
see what was pen on." The gudeman the house instantly gave
the beggar a hearty &hake o the Mod. Bless you man, are you
VII was the one that lay at the back o' the staresirr you."
sheets and the best cheer the house could produce were the
pardon of the auld beggar for that night.--diirtinglountol.
PROTES6OIIB OE TUE Law.--There are °me hundred
Z•stivty•eig4t namer lazed in front of the Court of King's Bench,
by the 'Metropolitan law Sociery,of persons applying to be
all hied as Attornies. There is a fulty proportionate increase of
Y Barristers; and to imp ail in camtenance, there is no want
orZts of Parliament to " ape's," • snouts" er " otoodidate"
=er laws. And, what is stStworse• ail *lt Law 011ars declare,
is
within the memory of .man," tbsy saver were " busy al
new 1 Mot will Cubbett" te all this? Hs that we
libessid bay. " left distress, as soil ae " and "
flasn-
gill Maras."

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