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

DECCAN PRIZE-MONEY.

Property, consisting of specie, jewels, guns, stores,
pain, &c. exceeding in value five millions sterling, was
either capttned by the brave army of the Deccan in
the year 1817, and beginning of 1818, at the point of
the bayonet, and delivered over by it to the civil ser-
vants of the East India Company, or left in possession
of these servants by the army, on its capture, when
the army was obliged to proceed to ulterior operations
without waiting for the realization of that booty.
The army submitted its claim, as usual, for the va-
lue of the property or booty so taken, to its Sovereign,
who was graciously pleased to grant the whole to the
captors, and to appoint Trustees for carrying the same
into effect; but, notwithstanding the exertions made
by those Trustees to realize the:property in question, we
are informed that the Company has as yet only ad-
mitted a small portion of the claim, and paid no part
of it ; which delay has led to the unpleasant conse-
quences alluded to in the statements before-mentioned,
and which must continue to increase until the payment
takes place. When, however, we consider the gallant
and important services rendered by the army of the
Deccan to their -King and country, and, mote espe-
cially, to the East India Company, who are now reap-
ing an annual revenue of upwards of one million ster-
ling from the additional territory conquered, and
secured to them by their prowess and exertions, we can-
not but hope that they will soon act fairly and prdmptly,
by paying over, without further loss of time, the full
amount to which the captors are justly entitled, in-
cluding interest, Ike. It is estimated that one-third of
these brave men are already dead ; and it is known that
great discontent prevails among the Sepoys of the Ma-
dras army entitled to participate, which would in all
probability have led to most unpleasant and serious
consequences, had they not been informed that the
Duke of Wellington Os ho is adored by the Madras
army, and under whose victorious banners many of the
men in question, and their fathers, had served) had,
condescended to bz their Trustee, owing to which,
their spirits and confidence were revived, and they were
induced to volunteer cheerfully against the Burmese in
the present war, relying that, through him, they would
speedily receive their prize-money !or the campaign of
1817 and 1818; and it will be wise on the part of the
Directors of the East India Company to cause their ex-
pectation to be speedily realised.
We understand that most of the King's regiments
entitled to share in this prize-money, have returned to
England, and been in part disbanded, and that men,
women, and children, entitled to receive more than
half of ►he whole prize-money, are already in England,
most anxiously, and, in many cases, most distressingly,
waiting for it.

Letters from Gibraltar, dated January 10, state, that
the accounts from Spain were so discouraging that no
shipments to that country could be advised. The hopes
which had been entertained that cotton goods would be
admitted into Spain upon payment of duty would not,
it was thought, be realized.
A heavy fall of rain, which continued about a week,
has raised the water courses in North Carolina higher
than had been known for 50 years. Considerable da-
mage has been done among the mill-dams and bridges,
and a horse mail was lost in swimming the river.
The mildness of the present season is a frequent sub-
ject of remark ; but there is not perhaps a more curious
evidence of the fact on record than the following;--
Thursday morning, a Gentleman residing on the Royal
Ten ace, Edinburgh, was surprised by observing in his
room a full-winged butterfly, which he has now in his
possession, as lively and brisk as these insects usually
are in the month of May.
An excellent plan was about ten years ago adopted
by Mr. S. 13nowN, of Haddington, for instructing the
towns and villages of the County of East Lothian in
succession, by means of the same books. It began with
only; a few volumes; but he now has nineteen Itinerant
Libraries, of fifty volumes each, which are sent round
the different stations, remaining a certain time at each.
For these there are nineteen divisions, and fifteen sta.
tions, four divisions being always in use at the chief
town, and two at another town of some note. An in-,
dividual at each station acts as librarian. There are
700 or 800 readers, and the expenses, under 601. a-year,
are defrayed by the produce of a sermc'i, the sale of
some tracts, and subscriptions in small sums averaging
rive shillings. The plan is now adopted in Berwick-
shire, by Mr. BUCHAN, of Kelloe, with this very great
improvement, that the current expenses are defrayed
by the readers, who pay twopence a month.
SCOLDS IN Aat ea udge DUNCAN, of Pennsyl-
vania, has , reversed the sentence of the Court of
Common Pleas, in the case of The Commonwealth v.
Maury James,' which doomed her, as a common scold,
to the ducking or cocking stool. The Judge took the
ground that the common law punishment did not apply
here, and observed, that in csses of such barbarous
retribution, he was not disposed to attach his chain
to the dung-cart of the Common Law. Tile decision
is just ; but we don't relish the language of the Learned
Judge. Ducking women may be ranked among the
.barbarities and follies of the olden time.