Star.
London, England, 1823-09-30 00:00:00

Ttl Atutt

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Yesterday Sir llza=ziki Tavioa held a Levee, as Secretary to the
Commander-in-Chief, tt his °like is the Horse Guards.
The t'd (or the Queen's Royal) Regitnent of Foot, which re-
ceived some time back an order to prepare for embarkation for
India, but which order has been subsequently countermanded, will
not, it is now understood, proceed to its destination till the Spring.
The instruction in the improVed system for the Arrity, of the
various detachments of Non-commissioned Officers belongink to
several Regiments of Infantry, which, in.pursuance of previous or-
ders, have arrived at, and are stationed in, the Magazine Barracks
in Hyde Park, commenced this morning in the Queen's Riding-
house at Pimlico.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE PLATOON EXERCISE.
A most material improvement in the Platoon Exercise has been
recently made, and is now practised by the Coldstream Guards.
According to the old regulation for the performance of the Pla-
toon Exercise, after the priming and loading is effected, the firelock
is shouldered, and upon the word of command, " ready," being
given, the soldier brings his firelock to•the recover and cocks, and re-
mains in that position till be receives the word "present," when he
levels his piece at the supposed object to be fired at.
Instead of adhering to this system, the improved method pre-
scribes that the firelock, after being loaded, should not, preparatory
to its being fired, be brought to the shoulder, nor subsequently to the
recorm , but should, by a brisk motion, be brought close to, and
across the body, to the charging position, and when the soldier re-
ceives the command, "ready, ' he is to cock his piece in the same
position, and after receiving the word, 4 present," he is to elevate
his firelock and take aim, before, by the command " fire," he dis-
charges his piece.
The advantages possessed by the new over the old system, must
be obvious to every military man. By the improved method, just-
ness of level, quickness of fire, and consequence of execution (no
mean objects) are demonstratively secured.
The motions of the Platoon Exercise, by the omission of the
shoulder and recover, are shortened; the exactness of aim by the
abandonment of the constrained position of presenting from the re-
cover, and the adoption of the natural attitude of the experienced
fowler, of raising his gun to cover his object, is incontrovertibly
established, and the practical effect of both combined, against an
opposing enemy, gosverfully-illustrated.

The St. Petersburg Court Gazette of the Sth of Sep-
tember says, that in the month of July immense swarms'
of linnets appeared in the Government of Woronesk
they came from the country of the Don Cossacks, and
committed great ravages on the standing corn, but the
speedy and effectual measures of the Magistrates soon
obliged them to retreat into the Steppes of the Don.
TALMA is at Brussels, where his acting in the part of
'she French version of the Stranger (Misantropie et Re-
pentir) is said, by the papers to have produced a great
sensation. The King, Queen, and all the Royal Family
of the Netherlands were present, and took great interest,
in the performance. After the representation, Talmo I
was called for, and obliged to re-appear on the stage,
and receive the congratulations of the audience. A
Madame RIQUIER was the Mrs. Haller, and she shared
in the applause bestowed on TALMA.
FlRE.—Friday night, the 19th instant, the lesser of
the three cloth•mills belonging to Messrs. Austin, situ-
ated at the back of their country-house, in the town of
Wotton-under-Edge, caught fire and was burnt to the
ground. Great presence of mind was shewn by some
of their neighbours, in cutting off the means of corn•
munication with other parts of the premises, or the con-
flagration might have been much more ruinous. The
amount of property destroyed is estimated at about
10,0001. which was insured in the Norwich Union Office.
The improvements and repairs in Winchester Cathe-
dral are proceeding rapidly ; they have already occu-
pied five years, and are expected to be completed in one
year more.. The whole of the nave will be repaired ;
the skreens which obstructed an entire view of the side
aisles, from east to west, are removed, so as to give
the whole length. The gilt wood skreen, formerly at
the table, is also removed, and will be supplied by a
fretted skreen of stone, with niches of Gothic ornaments.
The services are now performed in the Chapel at the
east end of the choir. All the tombs are kept in good
preservation, and some highly decorated, for which pur-
pose peculiar endowments were formerly made. The
ancient font in the nave is still preserved in its place;
it is large enough for the entire immersion of an infant,
which therefore evidences its high antiquity.
FORGERY—A young man, named William Burnet‘,
has been committed for trial at the next Assizes for
Hants, on two several charges, of uttering forged
cheques upon the Bank of Messrs. Grant, of Portsmouth.
It appeared, on his examination, that he lately arrived
from Plymouth, in company with a female, to whom he
had been married about a fortnight, she having had
only three weeks previous knowledge of him. They took
lodgings at the Still public-house, on the Point, and one
of the cheques for five pounds was uttered to the land-
lady, in payment of his bill, and the other, for twenty
pounds, to Mr. Smithers, silversmith, at Portsea, in pay-
ment of a gold watch, chain, and seals. The cheques
were signed with the name '6 A. Hitchen." Another
cheque, fur ten pounds, was tendered to Mr. Lewis La-
zarus, pawnbroker, Portsea, for a gold watch, but Mr.
Lazarus talking about sending it to the Bank to be
cashed, the prisoner discovered so much confusion in
his manners that Mr. Lazarus was induced to watch
him, which led to his apprehension. When the prisoner
was taken into custody, he had a pistol loaded with ball
in his pocket, and another, also loaded, was found in his
trunk. There was also found in his possession, a cheque
for three thousand pounds upon the Swansea Bank. He
stated that he had gone to Portsmouth, to proceed in the
first ship going to Van Dieman's Land. He is a very
tall man, of good address, and apparently from the
North Country. The young woman he married is about
to return to her friends, being left wholly destitute. He
represented to her that he was going to Van Dieman's
Land in the mercantile line.

A highway robbery was committed on Wednesday
-evening, a short distance from Reading, attended with
circumstances of great cruelty. An orphan boy, named
Thomas Church, who resides with some friends at Read-
ing, was returning to that place in the evening ; he was
stopped at Blake s Bridge by two fellows who seized
him by the arms, and, stopping his mouth, dragged
him for some distance down the tow path on the bank
bt the river ; they then threw him on the ground, and
kneeling upon him, one of them with a knife, cut open
his pockets and took what they contained, consisting of•
a watch and some little money. They also took
his hat and neck-handkerchief, and not content with'
the robbery, they beat and kicked the poor lad in the
most savage manner. They then left him, and he with
some difficulty reached Reading. Information wiW
given to Holyland, the chief police constable there, and
from the description given by the boy, he thought the
robbery must have been committed by two fellows of
the names of Hanson and Goodyear, who were that
morning discharged from the prison at Reading, to
which they had been committed as rogues and vaga-
bonds. He ket off in pursuit-of them, and apprehended
Hanson, who had the boy's watch in his pocket. Good-
year effected his escape, and has since been traced to
have come as far as Kensington by a• London stage
coach. Hanson was tally committed for trial 4; the
next Berkshile Assizes.
•

SPORTING INTRLLIGRkCE.

• 1
BETTINC-BOOM, TATTERSALL'S, SEPT. 29.
Tattersall's Subscription Room was opened as usual, but few of
its members attended, which, ot course, cannot arise from any other
motive than the absence of betting.meri now at Nevrtharket First
October Meeting. There were no engagements worth noticing
made on any Races to come ; and the state °ldle otkls on the Derby
and Oaks will be found in our Newmarket ieeounts of this week.
NEWMAREET FIRST OCTOBER MEETING.
IItiONDAY, RLITIMNER 29.
The Trial Stakes, a Subscription of 10 sows. each, for 9.yr-olds,
9st. 91b. 4.yr-olds, Ilst. 91b. 5-yr-olds, 9st. 21b. 6-yr-olds and
aged, 9st. Glb. D. M.
Lord Darlington's b. c. Marcellus, 4 irs old 1
Lord Exeter's b. M. Augusta, 5 yri-old - 2
Mr. Udny's b. c. by Woful
Lord G. IL Cavendish's,b. is. Godolphin
Mr. W. Powlett's b. c. The Whig
Mr. Batson's b. c. blys•ic
Mr. Wyndham's b. f. Flfrid
The Judge placed but two.--4 to 1 agst Marcellus—Even on Au-
gusta-5 to 1 apt Godolphin.
First Renewal of the Grand Duke Michael Stakes of 50gs. each
for colts, trit. and fillies. Sim 31b. A. F.
Mr. Udny's c. Emilius 1
Duke of Grafton's br. f. Zinc S
Duke of Portland's c. by Soothsayer
Lord G. H. Cavendish's c. by Orville
Mr. Wyndham's b. f. Spermaceti
Mr. Rogers's Nicolo
Nineteen paid. The Judge placed but two.-2 to 1 apt En:i-
-nns-10 to 1 pgst Zinc-6 to 1 apt Spermaceti.
Mr. Udny's Tarandus, yrs old, ast. beat Lord Exeter's Appal
ritions 3 yrs old, Sgt. T. Y. C. 100 soy,. h. ft.-5 to 4 against
Tarandus.

CARLTSf.F. P.ACF§.—Tutntsomr, Sam. 25.
A Plate of £5O for all ages. Three-mile heats.
Mr. Hudson's b. g. Sir Henry
• Mr. Fieseltine's g. m. by Comas
Mr. Ferguson's b. e. Champagne -
2 to 1 on Sir Henry.
A Plate of £5O for all ages. Two mile heats.
- - - - - - - - - - -

1 1
2 dr
3 dr

4 1 1
1 3 2
S 2 dr
2 dr

Mr. Smith's ch. h. Recorder, .5 yrs
Mr. Heseltine's g. m. by Comu', 5 yrs
Mr. Storey's b. h. Little England, 5 yrs
Mr. Benson's ch. c. Barrock Billy -
Mr. Hodson's ch. c. Peveril of the Peak, 4yr 3 dr
2 to I en the g. m. by Comus—after first heat 5 to 1.-after the
second heat, still 2 and 3tol on the mare. Won easy.
A Silver Cup, value 50gs. given br the Earl of Lonsdale' added to
a Subscription of 3gs. each. All ages. Not thorough bred, and
foaled in the Counties of Cumberland or Westmoreland.-71st.
each. Heats I* mile.
Mr..lopp's b. m. Maid of the Mill - 6 1 I
Mr. ScnvErby'l ch. m. My Lady - I 3 2
Mr. M‘Minie's g.g. Charley - - 4 4 3
Mr. Robinson's b. m. Wagtail - 5 .5 4
Mr. Nicholson's ch. m. Queen :slab - 3 2 5
Mr. Nizson's Solway Lass . - 2 dr
Before starting, 6 to 4 agst Maid of the Mill; 3 to 1 agst My
Lady ; and high odds agst the others. After the first heat, 2to 1
apt the Maid of the 'Mill ; 3 and 4 to 1 agst My Lady. A good
race, and the last beat won only by a neck.