Star.
London, England, 1811-12-28 00:00:00

LONDON.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28.
liocr IN wocctirs.iipol,!ay at the Exchequer, Bank, Rut-
ludta a;nl :3.kwh-Sea lioutes.

French Papers to the 21th inst. have arrived in
town. They contain some most important informa-
tion. The Conservative Senate held an extraordi-
nary Session on the 20th instant, in which a Decree
was made for calling out the Conscription cif 1812.
One'hundrecl and twenty thousand additional French
troops have thus been placed at the disposal of the
IMinistcr at War.

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The waste of the war in the Peninsula must have
rendered some measures for the effectual recruiting of
the French army indispensably necessary ; but as that
waste had not very recently been aggravated by any
unusual losses, there could have been no necessity
for an 'extraordinary meeting of the Senate. That
gradual diminution of the numerical amount of the
French army, which required not to be made up arty
time these two months pa.t, could not on the sudden
become so urgent on the 20th of December, as to re-
quire the Senate to be called together out of the re-
gular course, for the purpose of making provision for
recruiting the army. Some other cause then must
• be assigned for this extraordinary proceeding, which,
whatever may be the effect of the exterminating war
in the Peninsula, must be looked for elsewhere.

The rumours which we have repeatedly mentioned
of Russia being on the eve of assuming a warlike •
poAure seem therefore to gain additional credit from
the above circumstance.
Some few letters have been received through a pri.
vate channel from Riga, and we are happY to learn,
that there is no foundation for what has been stated
of the promptitude of the Russian Court to manifest
a dispcsition of hostility to the commerce with this
country, on the disappearance of our fleet in the
Baltic. The dates are to the 16th November, and at
that time the Bay of Riga was open, and colonial
produce was admitted, under the same restrictions to
which it was before exposed, and nu difficulties have
been intruded on the trade, of which we bad not been
long since apprised.

We announced, yesterday, in the greater part of
our impreision, that the vile miscreant William:, who
there can be no doubt was one of the murderers
of the families of Marr and Williamson, bad escaped
the public infliction of Justice, by suicide. The par-
ticulars will be found in the account of the Coroner%
inquest, given in another part of our Paper.
We may be allowed to remark, and the suggestion
we hope will be acted upon on any future occasion,
that the means of self-destruction should not be left
in the power of such a wretch : nay more—indivi-
duals placed in such circumstances should not be left
alone, for a moment, till the safety of the public is
sucured, by the demands of justice being satisfied.
May we not be allowed also to suggest, that pub-
lic justice and public safety demands that some sort
of public stigma, more permanent and memorable
than burying in a cross-road, should be inflicted on
!ha body of this notorious criminal. We kizow not
the whole extent of the Coroner's powers ; but cer-
tainly it extends thus
_fir at least, that the stake
driven through the body may be of the form and
height of a tall gibhist-
The hint we have given embraces important con-
sequences, but the protection of the public is a mat-
ter of still greater magnitude. It is plain as the light
u£ noon-day that this largo-mettopolis is not protected
as it ought to be. The public
.alarm is great, and,
unhappily, but too well founded. We need a PRE-
VENTIVE POLICE to guard us from the assaults of
Midnight murderers; and until this species of p•otec-
don can be provided, we ought to enjoy that protec-
tion which )tight be derived from parties of military,
acting under the direction of the civil Magistrates, as
nightly guards and patroles to the Isletro?olis.
_ There can be no sound objection to such a measure.
The Military are paid for the protection they afford
.to the public ; and, in fact, they perform the part of
citizens, when they act under the command of the
civil Magistrates. We have plenty of them, almost
in a state of idleness. Let them be employed for the
public seem ity.

His Royal Highness the PRINCE REGENT gave a
handsome dinner to some of his tradespeople and his
household, 3t Carlton Palace, on Christmas-day. The
table ab•'iunded with good English cheer, consisting
chiefly of roast beef and plum-pudding, with turkeys,
and tiro haunches of venison.
The .REGatiT's Park is rapidly preparing. The
Circus is completely formed, and enclosed by an oak
paling, The workmen arc at present employed in
planting laurels, fiis, and other evergreens. The ride
round the Circus is nearly made ; the latter is inter-
sected by other roads, the principal of which leads to
the New-road, opposkte Portland-place.
The Palace of Cassel has, as we have stated, lately
been in a great measure destroyed by fire. The citi-
zens, it is said, presented a loyal Address to the King
JEANIE BoNAEAPTE, and to his consort, on the occa-
sion, offering to rebuild the edifice at the expence of
the city, This offer JEROME declined, but allowed his
con Soft to accept a present, tendered for the purpose
of snakily good the losses sustained by her Majesty,

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