Star.
London, England, 1828-01-10 00:00:00

NAVAL I NTELLIG ENCE.

F 77

The brig Favourite, of Telgnmoutb, has been lost 500 miles from
Newfoundland, The crew, 'saved by a. Dutch vessel, landed at
Teignmouth last week.
The Portuguese ships of war Teyo and Pearls are now lying in
Torbay, wind-bound. They have been refitted at Portsmouth, and
are on their way to Plymouth, to await the arrival of Don Mt-
oast, to tate his Royal Highness to Lisbon.
The Larch, Cowatowoott, from Newfoundland to Poole, was
driven en shore at Falmouth on Monday ; her mainmast and fore-
masts were. cut away, and part of the cargo is discharged.
The Active, from limerick, bilged, and was totally wrecked, off
Dog Island, near Clifden, on the 3d instant; crew saved.
HANW/CH, JAN. 9.—A large quantity of staves, marked with
black paint on the end B. H. and Co. and wreckage. have drifted
on the beach at Walton. on the Neu, supposed to be the cargo of
a ship lost on the Kentish Knock.
Dui., JAN. 9.—Wind E.
Poassmours, Jaw. 9.—Wind E.—Arrived the Coldstream,
Success.
Fatatours, JAN. 11.—WindE.S.F--Arrived the Defiance, Camp,
from Palermo; and the Planter, JOHNSON, from Newfoundland.
Sailed the Maria Elizabeth, Fos Las, for New York; and Amelia,
GRONDAY, to Lisbon.
LONNONDIRRY, JAN. 6.—The Treasurer, Hatmeasow, from Li-
verpool to Pernambuco, is driven into Sheephaven Bay, North-
west coast of Donegal, with loss of her windlass and an anchor.
An anchor has been sent to her From hence; but she is in great
danger of being lost, should it blow hard before it reaches her.

Poir-,'771

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-

SOMERSET COUNTY MEETING.

torlslic.Metting cf the Noblemen and Gentlemen
lesident in the County of Soansi set was held last week
,t Wells, to take into consider ation the subject of
Friendly Societies, and to establish a County F. iendls
S ,ciety in Somersetshite; the Marquis of Bnati, Lord
Lieutenant of-the County, in the Chair.
At a former Meeting, it It .d been reoileecl, that a
fund be raised to encourage the establishment of
iendly Societies 01 more just and equitable principles
than those which had hitherto prevailed; and that a
Committee be 'appointed to piepare a set of tules for
their G,,vernmento—The Report of the Committee, and
the rules proposed therein, having been lead,
The Bishop of BA ru and Wzoos addresed the; Meet-
ing. After observing that the formation of Friendly
S cieties,. on the plan proposed by the Committee,
would tend materially to relieve the condition of the
poor, his Lordship said he thought the-Meeting would
concur with him in opinion, that Friendly Societies
were now more than ever necessary—when crimes
before unheard of were polluting the country—when
occurrences were taking place at which an invnlun•
tary shudder must pervade the frame of every feel-
ing man—when murder, theft, and all the long
train ofalarming and evil results which spring from
an indulgence in the vicious passions of the human
heart—when, in short, a species of great moral degrada-
tion had overwhelmed the lower orders of the popula-
tion of the country. His Lordship was bold to assert,
that one great cause of this moral degradasion was to
be founded in the present system of Nor` LANs, the
effect of which was, that t's.e poor man no longer main-
tained that firm and honest independence which was sd
long attached to the character of the English peasantry ;
he was not exciied by that proud feeling of libel!)
which once actuated.him; be laboured not its his day•
of strength to lay by a Ironton of his gain, wherewith
to comfort his old age; he knew that when the period
had passed When his ow n labour would little ava I him,
he must be su, ported by his parish; he strove not to rear
up his children in habits of labour and industry, for
he was %wale drat in his old age they would no base
:o maintain him. Thus he drudged on; and whet,
i.o longer able to labour, he s, cello d the scanty
pittance doled tut by the pari,sti officer. His Lordship
knew of no means calaulated mote • ffectually to re-
medy these great evils than the estanlish went o, Count.
Friendly Societies. By one. of these, the poor our,
was assured, that whatever he subsctib d v:ould be re-
tained to him, perhaps tenfold. *lsere could be fro
greater induceinent to the Meeting to support the So-
ciety, than a conviction that it would mike the poor
wan a better husband, a belle. lather, And a better man.
His Lordship then expressed his approbation of the
general rules proposed, but racomosendec, the giving
he names of every Local Committee, arid advoe red the
inc'ple of granting the annuity at an earlier age than
s.xty-tive, which had been fixed by the Co tttttttttttt
The Itii,ht Prelate, in conclusion, stated, that he
should be always ready to give his cordial support to
any plan which tended to torther the inter-st, the com-
fort, and happiness of the poor of this county, to which'
he was attached by every feeling in the human heart,
H. Hoist-rouse, E q. begged to explain why the Com-
mittee had given its preteience to the age of 65. It
a, as well known that the Hours of Commoisoin its Re
port, had recommend-d 70 as the most appropriate
age. Tit Committee was, ho A evei, convinced that an
annuity would he very deorab:e bef•'re that age; and
well knowing that it fixed to commence at a much
eat tier Period, it would cause the burden which would
tall upon the contributors to be nearly doubled,.by 'de-
manding a great increase in their subscriptions, they
determined on 65 as the most Iroper period. Every
Local Society was, however, left to its own ditcretiono
whether to fix the age at 60, 65, or 70.
The Bishop of LiCHVIELD and COVENTRY was most
happy in lending his sanction and support to a glair so
admirably adapted as the present Committee's was for
the purpose in view, and for introducing the people to a.
better state than they were now in.
Wm. DICKINSON, E-q. M.P. in proposing that a sub-
scrioion be set on tout to promote the object of the
Meeting, adverted to the evils to which English la-
bourers were subject, from the various contingencies to
which they were exposed. Their condition, he obse veil,
was such, that it was impossible for them to ieoench ;
and unless some provision were made, they must, in
the tvent.of a scarcity, sit down and perish. This wka
an evil which could not be avoided by.any tneans'itio re
effectually than by County Friendly- Societies.
After several Resolutions had been proposed by Sir
A. Hoou, Bart, the Hon. Captain Wnoosottave, R.N.
and the Earl o( CORE,
The Bishop of BATH and WELLS again rose to offer
a few observations with regard to the Poor Laws. Ile
was much concerned at findi ig that his remark had
been misunderstood. He was far from being an enemy
to the Poor Laws altogether. He.wished not totally to
abrogate those laws; such an idle, such a wild idea,
Lad not for one moment entered his mind. He admired
the principles upon which the Poor Laws were first de-
sign, d. Ile wanted not to undermine their foundation,
but he would purge them of the many, the ciying
absees, ss Inch had cre, t into them.
The Resolutions, which were passed unanimously,
expressed the concureence of the Meeting in
,the pro-
ceedings of the.Comtnittee, and its appepbation of the
rules which bad been prepared. Those riles are to be
laid,beore the Magistrates, at the Quarter Sessions, for,
'their approbation. If sanctioned bj them, efforts- will
be wade in the aopsoacbins S.avion okfOutratuont Cu
rm the plan proposed by the Committee into a law.
The rules, h was stated, had been prepared from 'a set
of tables constructed by Mr. BECHER. A Committee
was appointed to conduct the future proceedings. The
Marquis of BATH was named as President, and the Earl
of Court and the Bishop of Ilnati and Witoos were ap,
pointed Vice-Presidents.
re,

•
The LORD CH A MCVL4oR has just purchased from hi,
neighbours Mr. Dataross, the surgeon dentist, his house hi George-
street, Hanover• square, next door to the Noble Lord's residence,
which he intends to unite with his own, and thus form one of the
most capacious and splendid mansions in that fashionable quartet
'rite ground behind the two houses is very extensive. Lord LTMD
mean has already commenced pulling down the back of and tht
stables, and on their site a large dining-room and very extensive
drawinprooms will be erected. .
44 The following occutrence," says a recent writer on
Russia, " witnessed one day in the street at St. Peters+
burgh, by a friend of mine, serves to instance the drear
entertained by the lower classes of getting under tht
power of the police. As lie was passing the Isaac Bridgt
a drooshka suddenly stopped before him, when the di
ter leaped down, and with every symptom of comae
nation, took his passenger from off the seat of th
vehicle, and laid him on the road ; he then hastily r
mounted his box, ar.d drove away with all possibl
speed., The-passenger had been seized with a fit, wh,.
thinking he might die, the :alighted, but prudent Rus
sian, took this method of getting'rid of him, in ordei
Avoid the trouble and expence the police wuuld hive
posed upon him, had he beep found with the dead body.