Star.
London, England, 1827-09-06 00:00:00

ST. OMER, Auo. SO.

The St. Omerians, the English, and the Belgians,
who inhabit this town, are in the highest state of excite-
ment, in expectation of the arrival of King Charles X.
which, it is stated, will take place next week. Tole
town has less the appearance of a French than of an
English or Dutch one. The streets are wide and ex-
tremely clean, the houses are large and comfortable.—
true that at any other time, except at this moment,
it has a look of dulness about it, which one would sup-
pose might deter people from fixing their residence;
but, in consequence of the kindness :hewn to foreigners
by the inhabitants, the Cheapness of habitations and
provisions, a great number of English families have
fixed their abode in this place, and many of them have
lived here for these ten years. There was formerly a
celebrated English Catholic College in this town, to
which most of the individuals intended for the Church
resorted, and the children of the principal English
Catholics were sent over here, or to Douai, to com-
plete their education—among these we may mention
several Dukes of Norfolk, Lord Peters, Dr. Poynter,
and the late Mr. John Kemble—But at the Revolu-
tion this fine edifice was sold, and has since been a
hospital, and then a manufactory. There are, however,
several excellent boarding schools, principally in-
tended for the education of the English Catholics. St.
Omer is situated in an extensive plain that was formerly
a marsh, but now exhibits every appearance of fertility,
being covered with fruit trees, vegetables, and torn.
There are two or three extensive manufactories within
the walls. The one which merits the greatest attention
lis the clay pipe manufactory belonging to Mr. Fiolet ;
from six to eight hundred men are constantly employ-
ed, and from eighty to one hundred thousand pipes are
manufactured daily. They are sent to Holland, the 'I
North of France, and to most of the sea ports in the
kingdom. The establishment is well worth a traveller's
notice. 'There ha magnificent ruin at the extremity of
the town ; it was formerly the celebrated abbey of!
St. Bertin. Daring the Revolution it was demolished,
and, with the exception of the principal tower, 240 feet
high, nothing remains but an immense heap of broken
stones and bricks. The camp is situated about two
miles and a half from St. Omer, and seventeen or eigh-
teen thousand men have been employed daring these
six weeks in erecting batteries, digging trenches, and
strengthening the fort that was erected last year, called
the Fort of Enriaghen. If the allied armies were in
hostile array on the French frontiers, and were about,
to invade their territory, greater activity could not be,
displayed than is strewn in the preparations now going
forward to entertain his Majesty with a mock fight and
an attack upon a (supposed) fortified town. The men
are frequently kept at hard labour from six o'clock in
the morning till eight at night, and we are persuaded
they would have to encounter less fatigue in a real
campaign ; but as there is no danger attending this
species of warfare, a double portion of hard work is
allotted to them, in lieu of the certainty of getting hard
blows. Yet these timulaires of fighting are attended
with serious consequences—at the grand manoeuvres!
that took place yesterday on the heath, between the
camp and Sr. Omer, a mine—which was, of course,
only intended to skew the young recruits whAt fre-
quently happens in a real attack, unfortunately exploded
before the time, and a dozen soldiers! wartopmely
wounded.
A great number of English, from BA ls, Lisle,
Ghent, Arras, and even Paris, have arrived to witness
this innocent warfare. The hotels are crowded, provi-
sions have doubled in price, and it is no easy matter to
procure a bed-room, unless, indeed, you consent to pay
about four times as much for it as you would at any
other period. The fair daughters of Albion, some two
hundred of them, are seen walking about the neigh-
bouthood of the camp admiring the French gaudy
uniforms and martial appearance of the military, who
seem not a little proud that so many beauties should
feel desirous of witnessing their evolutions. The French
Officers phew the greatest attention to these fair stran-
gers, and every possible accommodation is afforded
them to see the sights. There are to be half a dozen
balls, concerts, dm during next week. His Majesty is
to occupy the magnificent hotel belonging to Monsieur

That which has hitherto afforded the greatest enter-
tainment to the Ladies is, in witnessing the dances per-
formed by the soldiers. On one side of the camp you
will see a party of the natives of Provence exhibiting
their agility in the graceful and lively quadrilles peen-
li.ir to that people; in another a group of youths !loin
Languedoc or Auvergne amuse you with their fantastic
quick movements, encouraging and exerting themselves
with their voices—.

And bounded to the tong
With voice and eboral step the merry 'km*