The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-09-08 00:00:00

NAVAL MTh; L LIGENCE.

DEAL, SEPT. 7.—Arrived and sailed for the River,
the Metcalf. Howard, from Bengal ; and Grenada,
Scott, from Bombay—sailed Aprit 22, Vittorio; Bow-
nays, (rpm Jamaica ; Amphitrite, —,from Montreal ;
Enterptize, Hamlyn, from Grenada; Sarah Christiana,
Yoroz, from do. ; Nautilus, Aleland, from do.; Nep-
tune, Rosebury, from Cadiz ; Malvina, Brook, from
.Ancona; Balfour, Gunsun, from Tobago ; Friends,
Goodlead, from Quebec ; and Arethusa, Holy, from
St. Jago tie Cuba, for orders.—Sailed the homeward-
bound ships for the River, and the outward-bnu►ul
on their respective voyages.—Came down from the
River and sailed, the City of Bourdeaux, Hallett, for
St. Helena ; Thomas and Juda, Stokes, for New-
fottodlend ; and Effort, Farrant, for TenerilTe.— Ar-
wised and remain in the Downs, the Russian frigates
Legrov, Commodore Ratmanolt ; Prospeshitsy, Cap-'
tain Platter ; and Probornoy, Captain Stanilory,
from Cronststit, bound to Cadiz.
PORTSMOUTH, SEPT. 7. A rrived the brie Concord,
from London for Gibraltar,—Sailed the Leveret goo.
brig, for St. Helena.—Remain his Majesty's ships
Semiramue, Ipitigettia„ and Carron.
FALMOUTH. SEPT. s.—Sailed the Leda, Stewart,
from the Cape of Good Hope for London.
NoaTu SHIELDS, SErt. s.—The Eliza, C►awford,
of South Shields, coal laden, has put back with loss
of her topmasts, sod is at anchor• off Ty womb Bar,
waiting to get relief.
MARGATE, Serf. 7.—Arrived off this port the
Thomas, Bell, from St. Vincent's.
WEYMOUTH, SEPT. 6.—About 15 sail of merchant-
men, laying its Portland Roads, wind-bound, sailed
down Channel early this morning.

The Spanish Government has recently order
levy of men and money in the provinces to fill up its
army ; but in a few districts has the order been
promptly executed. The necessities of the Court are
so urgent, that the money will probably be swallow.
ed up before the men are collected at Cadiz. Where,
too, are the means of transporting them, unless they
are furnished by England ? For at Madrid they do
do not reckon upon the Russian ships which have
been purchased, sod which have been since allowed
to go 'to decay, without any attempt at repairs, in
the port of Cadiz.
Tire colliers employed in the numerous mines near
blauchester have refused to labour without an in-
crease of pay.
The accounts from Leeds, and the other principal
clothing towns in Yorkshire, state, that the orders
were newer known to he greater than at the present,
and that the greatest harmony subsists between the
masters and their workmen.
On Thursday, the 17111 ult. the first Admiralty
Court for the jurisdiction of the borough of Colches-
ter, with the Customary Court and Court of Conser-
vancy, for the fishery of the river Collie, since the
granting a new charter to the borough, was held,
eccordieg to ancient custom ; various encroachments
were presented, and much other business doue; at the
close of which the Mayor, dtc.ditted under a maiquee

on the shore.
runcTo.stioN.—The contract lately made for light-
ing the town of Liverpool, during the ensuing year,
has been thrown void by the misplacing of a comma
in the advertisement, thus :—" The lamps are aline-
sent about 4050, and have in general two spouts
each, composed of not less than twenty threads of
cotton." The contractor would have proceeded to
fornish each lamp with the said twenty threads, but
this.being but half the usual quantity, the Commis-
sioners discovered that the differeoce arose from the
comma following instead of preceding the word each.
'[he parties agreed to annul the contract, and a new
one is now ordered.
SPRING•GUNS.--YeMenley morning died, Charles
Grant, Esq., en eminent Russian broker, of Globe-
road, Mile-end, On Sunday se'nnight, about ten at
right, he took his usual walk round his ground, pre-
. vioos to retiring to rest. Not being aware his ser-
wits had set the spring-gun which had recently been
placed there, in consequence of the numerous depre-
dations committed, he trod upon the wire, and re.
ceived five slugs in the back part of his thigh. Sir
W. Blizard extracted the slugs, and faint hopes were
entertained of his recovery, until Saturday night,
when a mortification ensued and terminated his ea•
istence. He has left a wife and two children.
On Saturday night, an uninhabited house in the
City.roed, belonging to Mr. Wood, of 13, City-
road, was entered by means of a false key, and
stripped of all the locks and other fastenings; a large
cr{i}er Nu also carried off by the robbers.

Tr.-77

TtIE sTA

HENRY EDO. AND MR. GEORGE
'VINETENT DOWLING.
A fesivflnitee Mors twelve o'clock .this foreno
Mr. BUNT went into Mr. CLEMENT'S, Proprietor of
the Observer Newspaper, near St. Clement's church,
in the Strand, to look over the different Morning
Papers, to see which gave the best-and fullest account
of the Meeting in Pelece.)ard. Whilst he was there
Mr. Dowtima opened the shop door, and seeing Mr.
HUNT, he asked some question and was retiring,
when Mr. HUNT stepped up to the door and cried
stop, a word with you. Mr. DOWLING stopped,
standing in the door way holding the door in his
hand.

Mr. HUNT.—" You infamous rascal, how dare
you publish in all the Papers that yoo gave me a
horse-whipping, which I had not the spirit to re-
sent ?"

Mr. Do{9Ltaie...-66 I give you my honour as
Gentleman, I never did."
Mr. Iltmr..-46 ll—n your honour—a hired spy, a
Government spy talk of honour ! if yoo did not, some
of your d—d colleagues did; and it was copied from Pa-
per to Paper all over the country. You infamous scoun-
drel, if you have the courage or spirit of a man shOw
it now ; come, I shall go into the street with you"
—(offering to go out).

Mr. Dow LING."----44 upon my honour yen wrong
me ; but, HUNT, you are well known, and I should
only get disgrace by having anything to do with
you ;" going and pulling the door after him.
Mr. Ifor.—" I shall not touch him whilst in Mr.
CLEMENT'S drop, but he shall not go unpunished for
his falsehood, Lk cnwarilice shan't save him from me,
following Mr. Dowt.txr: into the street, collaring
him, and giving him two or three blows with his,
clenched fist—take that, and as you have not spirit*
to resent it in a manly way take this law. Here a
great crowd begin to assemble. Mr. lltmr retired
into the shop.
Mr. Dowomo put in his head and said, 44 Mr.
HUNT I would he glad to know your address?"
Mr. Iltmr.—" Every person knows my address,
No. R, Norfolk•street."
Mr. DowLING then went away, and thus it ended
for the present.

Dr.. JO/INS/11"s DEFINITIOAT OF EXCISE,
AND THE pTHAT liorEEDlNcis
lANATIOS AHAiNsT 111 M FOIL
EX P.

The definition given of the word Excise by that
luminary of our literature, Dr. Johnson, in his in-
comparable Dictionary, should be held in remem•
brance ; as well as dill it was attempted by the Ex-
cisiog powers of his day to threaten the venerable
Doctor into a less obnoxious explanation of the word
Excise. But Dr. Johnson was a mat; not to be
frightened either by Excise Officers or Attorney-G
nerals. It appears from the subjoined opinion of
Lottl Mansfield, when Attorney-General, upon Dr.
Johnson's explanation of the word in question, that
the Lawyer held the explanation of that still odious
impost to he libellous; hut advised th4t time should
be allowed and threat+ used, in order to induce the.
great Philologist to alter his definition. Time has
cetininly been allowed—whether threati were used
we know not ; but the explanation continue.; to this
day in the Dictionary as originally written and pub-
lished. Reason, therefore, and critical science base
lin (his case been too strong for the legal opinion.

CASE.
Mr. Snmeiel Johnson has lately published a Bonk, entitled
" A Dictionary of the Essalhh La t,,,lsisge, in which the words
nre deduced flutes their anginal., anelilleorated in their different
signification 4 by example. from the bet writers. To which
are pall zed, a History of the Language, and an English Oram-
anat."
Under the title " Excisr" are the following words :
Excise, n. s. (accijs, Dwelt ; r.crisant. Latin.) a hateful tax,
levied term' commodities, and hdjaaged, not by the common
judges of property, but tceelches Weed by those to w hum " Ex-
cise" in paid.
The People should pay a rateable tax for their sheep, and an
excise for every thing which they should cat.—ll AY W•RD.
" Amliittim. brow to wk.. ex, ise
" Of a more frag tut para,ii.ee,"—CLEAVELAND.
IX CISE.

" With loindred rows of teeth the shark exceeds.
" And on all wades, like Ca-sa war, cit. feeds."—M Astycz..
" Can hire large houses. and oppress thepoor
" By farin'd Lxcitie."—DavutiesJu VI:NAL, Sat 9.
The A ohm's definition being observed by the ommissionerts
of l cis-. they desire the ray.,iir of your opinion:
W heater it w.II not he considered as alibel ; and if so,
whether it isnot proper to proceed against the Author, Printer*,
and Publishers thereof, or any and which of them, by informa-
tion or how otherwise ?
OPI \ 10V,
" I ant of opinion that it is a libel but tinder all the eireitm-
stances. I should thick it better to give him an opportunity of
altering his definition; and its case lie do'ut, ilire.tteu him with
an information.

(Signed) ..W. MURRAY.
'. Nov. F 9, 175.5.”

SURREY THEATRE.—After the whimsical Barletta
of Trick for Trick, in which FITZWILLIAM and Mrs.
WEsrus were most whimsically effective, a new and
splendid Pantomime was last night produced, under
the title of the Sea Serpent ; or, Harlequin Yankee.
Much has been said about the Marine Monster of the
Atlantic; but nothing has been done likely to give
him so much interest with a British Public as his pro-
duction in the above form ht this Theatre, which has
presented us with some very superior pieces of Ame-
rican local scenery, the first ever produced on the
English stage. The combined magnificence and mirth
of this Piece (some where about the 30th produced
this season) will insure it a prosperous ran till the
House closes ; the tricks are excellent, the dresses
beautiful, and the music lively and appropriate. The
Performers all exerted themselves to the utmost, and
undivided expressions of applause accompanied the
Piece throughout, and attended its re-aunouncement.
Red Riding: flood fell 0 wed, and with MOTP than even
its usual success. The Duet between FITZWILLIAM
and Mrs. ORGER is frequently sung three times.
Yesterday, J. Jones, of Little Peter-street, was
going through the Almonry, his attention was
arrested by seeing a female stretched upon the
threshold of a door, in such a posture as led him to
believe that all was not right. 04 going to the
spot, he foetid that she had fastened a handkerchief
to a staple in the door, and tying it fast round her
neck, she endeavoured to strangle herself. He
immediately cat the handkerchief) and she recovered.