Star.
London, England, 1826-08-24 00:00:00

PAISLEY, AUGIFST 19.

Within the last week the number of applicants to the
Subscription Committee has increased considerably.
This, however, is mainly attributable to the terminatirn
of the demand for harvest labour. As to trade, little
can be said either on the score of deteriorati.m or im-
provement. Our manufacturers have been visited by
some English purchasers of the better times, which at
least looks auspiciously, but from what we can learn,
the prices they proposed were such as could only
have been offered with a view to profiraltle speculation.
The County Committees are not, in the meantime, for-
getful of the interests over which they preside. Depu-
tations from those of Lanark, Ayr, and Renfrew, have
joined in an application to Government for assistance to
form the rail-road between Johnstone and Ardrossan,
which has long been a matter of contemplation. The
ramifications of this great projected work running
through the very heart of the distressed districts, it
would, if brought into effect, be a most powerful medi-
cine to the ills with which thelir inhabitants are effete.%
Saturday morning, about eight o'clock, the bark-mill in Mr.
Joseph Whitehead's tanning-establishment, Seedhills, was dis-
covered to be on fire. The engines were soon brought to the spot,
but ndtwithstanding the great exertions which were made, the mill
was consumed along with the engine-house and bark-house. Great
praise is due to a party of the 4!d, who rendered prompt and active
assistance on the occasion. It has not been ascertained how the
tire originated.

Intim HUM!, Esq. M.P. as late Rector at Niareschal
College, presented in July last, for the use of the Library, a com-
plete set of the Journals of the House of Commons, from Session
1347 to Session 1825, with Indexes to each volume, and Appendix
to each of the last five volumes, 80 volumes ; General Indexes to
Journals, 6 vols. Reports of the House from 171.5 to 1902, 15 vols.
General Index to ditto, 1 vol. 109 folio volumes.
Yesterday morning the premises of Messrs. Mills and
Co. engineers, in Charles-street, Hursliedown, were en-
tered by some thieves, who appeared to be no strangers
to the place, as from a private drawer they took 30s.
and the key of the iron chest, whence they abstracted
160 sore. in gold, with which they got clear off.
On the 10th instant, we are told in a French Paper,
a remarkable accident happened in the commune of Boz, in the de-
partment of the Ain. At half.past one o'clock on that day the
lightning struck the parish church: the steeple was shattered to
pieces. The electric fluid having dispersed various pieces of ma-
sonry and scaffolding, the shock of which threw down a chimney at
seme distance, traced a long furrow from the top of the spire to the
loot of the church ; then passing along the vault of a lateral chapel,
it shattered the altar of that chapel, and destroyed a very valuable
picture hung above it. It afterwards committed the same havoc in
the Chapel of the Virgin, and broke in pieces her statue. Thence It
passed to the sacristy, where it overthrew every thing, and made a
great hole in the wall. Happily no lives were lost, though two
persons were ringing the bell, with the superstitious design of ward-
ing of the storm, at the time the lightning fell.