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

THE LATE MR. WATT.

A Meeting was held on Saturday last, in the large
room of the Waterloo Hotel, Edinburgh, to promote
the subscription for a Monument in Westminster Abbey,
to the late James Watt. This Meeting was called by
Sir W. SCOTT and Mr. FRANCIS JEFFREY, as members
of the London Committee, and it was understood that
Lord &am would take the Chair ; but his Lordship
being detained at another meeting, Sir WALTER SCOTT
was named as his substitute by acclamation. Among
sixty or seventy other Gentlemen, were observed, the
Lord Chief Commissionet.
Sir WALTER explained shortly the purpose of the
Meeting, and delivered a most animated eulogium on
Mr. Watt, which he most happily interspersed with
many beautiful illustratious and allusions. Mr. Jar-
SAZT followed at snore length, and proposed at once
to commence the subscription, when Professor PILLARS'
suggested that it would be far more honourable to the
memory of Mr. Watt, while it would redound more to
the credit of Scotland, to open a subscription of her own,
for a monument in the country of Mr. Watt's birth—in
the place where his inventions were fist conceived and
brought to light. The Professor was supported by Mr.
Joun CRAIG, from Glasgow, to whom both Si
WALTER
and Mr. JEFFREY replied, that the object of this Meeting
was to obtain subscriptions in aid of the London one;
that the monument was to be a great national one; and
that no better place could be chosen for it than the
metropolis of the empire. Mr. JEVIIREY was about to
close the business of the Meeting accordingly, when Mr.
COCKBURN entered this room, and began by protesting
against so precipitate a vote on so important a measure.
He said he held in his hand a copy of the intimation by
which the:Meeting was called, and there was no specific
object condescended on. Gentleinen were now convoked,
therefore, for the general purpose of taking measures
to raise a monument to the memory of Mr. Watt.'
Mr. Commit proceeded to remark, that he by no'
means opposed subscriptions in aid of the London one;
but it would be fair and proper to state to the Public
that a Scottish one was also in contemplation. He
wished a monument for such a man to be erected in the'
open air, so that the meanest mechanic and poorest man
in the country might have. it constantly in his view, as
one splendid proof of what genius and industry might
achieve. He did not see the propriety of burying such
a monument in Westminster Abbey, where it could only
be seen by the happy few who might be able to pay 2s.
or 2s. 6d. for the gratification.—The Loan CHIEF Coss-
MISSION= considered that, to a man like Watt, the
country ought never to be weary of testifying their gra-
titude and admiration, and that they might liberally
assist the London Committee, without in the least af-
fecting the object entertained by Mr. Cockburn. His
Lordship then stated, that he had long enjoyed the
friendship of Mr. Watt, and paid many compliments to
the qualities of his mind as well as of his heart. Mr.
COCKBURN replied, by observing, that he saw some in-
dependent mechanics in the room, who, he had no'
doubt, would instantly call a Meeting, by which Scot-
land would be roused to a sense of their ingratitude in
delaying so long to do justice to the memory of their
countryman,, in such a monument as he had been pro-
jecting. The business of this particular Meeting was
then proceeded with ; but it was not difficult to perceive,
from the numbers who departed without subscribing
(indeed all excepting six or seven), that Mr. Cockburn s
view of the subject had secured general approbation,and
must be speedily adopted by the public.
_ _

According to a private letter of the 28th ult. from
Madtid, a sealed dispatch had been transmitted by the'
Government to the chief authorities in all parts of the,
kingdom, not to be opened until the last day of the
month, when the bells are ringing for the angelos, in
the evening. Various conjectures were afloat as to its'
contents, and both the Negroes and Ultras manifested
great anxiety upon the subject. Orders were issued
prohibiting for the future all recommendations for pub-
lic appointments in favour of Liberals, Ex-militiamen
or Afrancesados. The Fiscal of Madrid had demanded
that the Ex-Regidors of that city, now in prison, should
not be included in the amnesty, but delivered up to the,
arm of the law. A hot persecutioa is still kept up
against the Freemaions, and the secret societies.
On the road between Virkdich and Launch, at a desolate place
in the Arrondissement of Trevea, two travellers sat down to rest
on the 2d of June. The one was a baker's journeyman, named Kil-
lian. from Coblentz ; the other, his friend, the son of a wealthy
Parisian, with whom the first bad enjoyed a long bespkatity. Ki-
lian desired his companion to Was the loaded pistol be castled
with him for his safety, with which request the ether -congaed
without distrust. As soon as Kilian found himself in possession of
this weapon, he discharged its contents on his friend. The young
Frenchman, though wounded, put himself in'a posture of defence;
bat was soon overpowered, and stretched Manse on the earth.
At this moment, a horseman appeared at a distance, when Kilian
took to his heels without having bad time to rob his friend, as a
gold watch and twenty loafs d'or were found upon the latter. The '
murderer, bleeding from a wound and dirty, applied for assistance
at a neighbouring farns.house, pretending to have been attacked by
robbers; but he was soon arrested. It was only by force that he
could be brought to the place where the horrid act was committed;
and though the murdered min lay in his last agonies, he still wai
able to point out his murderer.
•