Europe.

FRANCE.

AN extraordinary document has just appear ed, which, if genuine, may at some future period be the source of important events in this country. It is a representation of Maria Louisa, late Empress of France, protesting against the occupation of the throne by the Bourbons, and claiming it for her son, Charles Francis Napoleon. This instrument is dated February 19, 1815, and addressed to the Congress then sitting at Vienna; and it bears, that the Powers there assembled ordered it to be registered among the acts of Congress, with the concurrence of the Emperors of Russia and Austria. The French minister protested against this decision, and refused to sign it. The London Courier, however, asserts that the document is a fabrication.

The French Government, it is said, has succeeded in raising another loan to the amount of three millions sterling. The contractors are the houses of Baring and others, We understand it was finally concluded on the 23d July at Paris, at the rate of 62.50, being about 2 or 3 below the preceding fortnight.

Letters from Cambray say, that it is now considered as quite certain that the Duke of Wellington is gone to Paris, entirely on account of the negociation for relieving France from a second fifth of the allied army. It is added, that all the allied powers do not approve of this measure; but Russia and England have expressed themselves not disinclined to it.

The Duke de Richelieu has addressed a letter to the Chapter of Toulouse, requesting their assent to a plan for restoring the Church of France to as much of its ancient splendour as possible, by creating new Sees, and re-establishing some of the most ancient. This is to take place with the concurrence of the Pope. The Chapter immediately

agreed to the measure as far as it affected their jurisdiction.

The Duchess of Berri was safely delivered of a daughter, at Paris, on the 13th July; but the joy of the royal family upon this occasion was of short duration, as the child died two days after.

measure originated with the Finance Minis ter, Don Martin Garay, who having made the proposition to the Council of Finance, received from them a report, strongly recommending the measure, and containing various reflections, agreeable both to sound policy and humanity.

Letters of the 15th ult. from Madrid mention, that the finance decree of 30th May, notwithstanding the opposition of the clergy, both by inuendoes in the pulpit, and elaborate pieces in the papers, had been favourably received in the provinces.

The letters from Spain state, that nearly the whole of the Spanish cavalry, to the number of 2000, were about to be sent to South America. Another article states, that eleven men are to be taken by lot from each regiment of the line in Spain, and the whole force thus assembled, amounting to about 6000, is to be sent to South America.

The unfortunate General Lacy, it appears, has been shot at Majorca. A letter from Perpignan, dated July 13, gives the following account of this event: When the Spanish government sent orders, after the sentence passed on General Lacy, to send him to Majorca, it was because fears were entertained that the numerous friends whom Lacy had at Barcelona, might be able to excite a commotion in his favour. The most urgent representations were made in favour of the General by several officers of the highest distinction, in order to obtain a mitigation of the sentence of death, but they were ineffectual. On the arrival of General Lacy at Majorca, his sentence was read to him, and he was shot on the morning of the 5th. This officer, who had so many times shed his blood for the service of his country, died with equal composure and firmness. "All that I request (said he) is to die by the hands of my ancient brethren in arms it was on the field of honour, and while combating the enemies of Spain, that a warrior like me ought to have finished his career." After these words, he said to the soldiers-" Fire!"

PORTUGAL.

We learn from Lisbon, by a letter of a recent date, that thirty of the conspirators have been condemned. General Gomez Friere is to be banished. Baron Eben's fate was undecided: No confessions have been made by him; but a number of papers, which he had confided to a young woman, to whom he was under an engagement of marriage, have been secured, and it is said their contents furnish much im

portant information of the designs of the conspirators.

The Portuguese government is said to have opened a loan of four millions, at an interest of six per cent. The squadron which is to convey the Princess Royal to the Brazils, has at length set sail from Lisbon for Leghorn.

ITALY.

By a recent treaty concluded at Paris, it appears that the Duchy of Parma does not descend to young Napoleon, but, on the decease of his mother, reverts to its former possessors of the house of Etruria. Young Bonaparte is to have the appanages in Bohemia, once belonging to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the revenues of which are worth something more than £29,000 per

annum.

GERMANY.

The German Congress has finished its Session; but another is talked of for the purpose of taking into consideration the affairs of Spain and Portugal in relation to their colonies.

The project of a new constitution for the states of Wurtemberg has been brought forward. It has met with much opposition, and occasioned a great deal of discussion. The people insist upon the re-establishment of their former rights; and the King, who is said to be goaded on by the Emperor of Russia, seems determined to oppose them. Russian influence is said to be so great in these states, since the marriage of the King with the sister of the Emperor, that the whole of the military are now attired in Russian uniforms.

The new Council of State of Prussia have, by a great majority, rejected the plan of finance submitted to them by M. Bulow, the minister of finance, and have petitioned the King to assemble the provincial estates, whose proper business it is to determine on all matters of supply.

The Paris papers contain, under the head of Frankfort, a long memorial or remonstrance to the Diet from the free towns of Hamburgh, Lubeck, and Bremen, on the subject of the visit paid to the British Channel and the North Seas by the Tunisian pirates. The memorialists state, that the captain and crew of one of the Hamburgh vessels have been carried into slavery, and they have appointed a committee of five to report upon the best means of securing the trade of Germany against these depredators.

The state of the organization of the Austrian army has been published in the Belgian journals, from which it appears that there are 564 generals and 380 colonels, of whom 321 of the former, and 163 of the latter, are unemployed. The forces are composed of fifty-eight regiments of infantry of the line, of which six are in France, and three in the Neapolitan dominions. There

are twenty-one battalions of grenadiers, seventeen frontier regiments, a battalion of czaikistes, a regiment of Tyrolean chasseurs, composed of four battalions; twelve battalions of chasseurs, of which two are in France, and five battalions are in garrison. Besides these, there are the cavalry, the artillery, the miners, sappers, &c.

A letter from Vienna, of the 2d July, says, that the mountain called the Hunsruck, in Upper Austria, has disappeared, and its place been supplied by a lake. This mountain was very high, and the country around took its name from it. Since the preceding month, several phenomena had warned the inhabitants that something awful would happen, and there were frequent subterraneous noises heard. About a dozen cottages, which were built on various parts of the hill, have of course disappeared; but it was not known whether any person perished in them.

In the course of last month Switzerland sustained dreadful damage in many parts by inundations. Several rivers broke their dykes; houses and bridges were destroyed in many places; and on the banks of the Lake of Constance many communes were laid under water. In the Oberland, the fields, meadows, and plantations, were entirely submerged, and masses of the soil were seen floating about, torn up by the fury of the waters, covered with potatoes, vegetables, and hay. The storm had caus

ed great misery to the poor peasantry, already suffering severely from the dearth of provisions.

The Hamburg papers contain a singular letter from Stockholm, describing the measures adopted by Government for the suppression of Foreign trade, by bringing back the manners of the people from modern refinements to the standard of their ancient simplicity. Voluntary associations are forming in the different provinces, for laying aside the use of all foreign articles-for wearing no clothes of foreign manufacture--for using no liquors except such as are made at home-and for retrenching all superfluous expences at weddings, christenings, burials, &c. This system is too artificial to last, and we may be assured that, however strictly it may be enforced for a time, it will soon be evaded in all points.

The Hereditary Prince, Oscar, was admitted a member of the Council of State on 15th July.

The Danish Government has availed itself of the first moments of peace to remove the burdens caused by the war, including the extraordinary income tax, which had been imposed for eight years.

On the 25th ult. the prisoners in the House of Correction at Copenhagen revolted, and set the prison on fire; cannons, loaded with

grape shot, were brought down and fired upon them. The ringleaders were tried on the 27th by a Council of war, and several of them were executed. The damage done by the fire is estimated at from 3 to 400,000

crowns.

America.

UNITED STATES.

The letters from America speak of the continued exertions of the Government of the United States in building a formidable navy.

The new President commenced in June a tour through the States, and was every where received with the most cordial demonstrations of satisfaction. To judge from the answers made by him to the various addresses which were presented to him as he passed, his views are decidedly pacific. He seems averse from showing himself too much in public, and has uniformly declined to accept of any invitation to the public dinners which were offered him.

THE BRAZILS.

The insurrection at Pernambuco never extended beyond the limits of that province, and the authority of the insurgents was not of long duration. While a naval force was instantly despatched to blockade the port an army marched over land from Bahia. This force was met by the insurgents at some distance from Pernambuco, on the 15th May, and, after an action which lasted till night, the latter were totally defeated and dispersed. On the 16th, Martins, the chief of the insurgents, at the head of a small column, was attacked by the royal troops, defeated, and taken prisoner. He was sent to Bahia, and accounts from that place, of the 12th June, state, that he had been executed there the day preceding. About seventy other prisoners, who had been sent there along with him, all persons of some consideration, were about to be tried, and it was expected would share the same fate. While the insurgent army was engaged with the royal troops, the sailors and marines from the fleet landed, and hoisted the royal flag at Pernambuco, and the latest intelligence from that place states, that tranquillity was completely restored, and the royal authority firmly re-established in the province.

SPANISH AMERICA.

The New York Columbian states, that the independents have re-taken Barcelona, and mentions the receipt of intelligence, that the royalists have been completely defeated at a place called the Missions, about a hundred miles from Augustura.

Bolivar is stated, in advices from Jamaica, to have entered Caraccas on the 18th June, at the head of 5000 men, having beaten the royalists twice in the same day. It appears that the patriots are in possession of that VOL. I.

whole country, Augustura excepted, where the king's troops are closely besieged and reduced to great extremities. Women and children, to the amount of 1500, had left the city, and all sorts of unclean animals had been resorted to for food. It is affirmed, on the authority of a gentleman arrived at Baltimore, from St Thomas's, that the patriots had actually obtained possession of the place, as well as of all the country on the Oronoko. With a view to strike some effectual blow against the royal party, before the arrival of reinforcements from Spain, they had collected all their forces on the river Oronoko; and, according to an account in a Boston paper, the decisive battle had already taken place. The royalists are said to have sustained the impetuosity of repeated attacks with great firmness, but were in the end overpowered, and compelled to fly in all directions, leaving 549 slain, and about 500 prisoners. The capture of the two Guayanas was expected to be the result of this battle, the date of which is not however stated.

There appears to be seven patriotic armies in Caraccas and New Andalusia, whose united numbers amount to 23,300 men. The naval force, commanded by Admiral Brion, consists of 32 vessels of war.

Sir Gregor M'Gregor is positively asserted to have sailed with a considerable force from Charleston, and to have commenced his operations by seizing Amelia Island; a capture which may expose the movements of the Spaniards in the adjacent quarters to serious difficulty.

Mina is said to have been joined by 7 or 800 militia in his march from Soto la Marina, a small town where he landed, to St Ander.

The independent Government of Caraccas has issued a decree, permitting English and American goods to be imported for a duty of 8 per cent., instead of the 17 exacted from other nations; but promising to these other nations the same mitigation of impost whenever they shall shew to the patriots the same conciliatory disposition.

BRITISH AMERICA.

Newfoundland papers, to the 11th June, mention, that the scarcity of provisions was no longer felt. There had been extensive arrivals of provisions from Halifax and from Ireland. The Royal Gazette, of the 27th of May, states, that his Excellency, General Lord Dalhousie, governor of Halifax, adopted measures immediately to afford relief, and that they were carried into effect in the most prompt manner by Captain Baldwin of his Majesty's ship Fly, every officer attached to government using the greatest exertion to alleviate their wants.

Letters from Halifax, of the 16th, state, that numerous vessels continued to arrive there with emigrants from Great Britain. Within the three weeks immediately preceding that date, about 1000 individuals 3 Y

had been landed, and immense numbers were on their way to Canada. The brig Traveller, from Leith, with 60 emigrants, foundered at sea in the month of May, but the passengers and crew were saved by the ship Valiant, and landed at Prince Edward's Island in the gulph of St Lawrence.

WEST INDIES.

The Jamaica papers, of the 2d June, contain details relative to the predatory vessels with which the West Indies is infested. At Jamaica they give the appellation of pirates to their crews, and denounced vengeance against them. The trade of that island seems to have suffered most severely from their depredations. Nor is the evil likely to be lessened speedily, for Commodore Taylor, as he is styled, a bold and adventurous leader, has collected no less than 13 armed vessels in these seas. His immediate object was represented to be an attack on Porto Rico, the richest of the Spanish West India islands, and close to St Domingo. It has sustained several attacks from well appointed expeditions during the last three centuries, and Commodore Taylor may therefore find himself baffled. Much, of course, depends upon the dispositions of the troops and inhabitants. The Jamaica Courant, of the 16th of May, says, "Information from home states, that Lord Melville had forwarded to this island positive instructions to check in every instance the piratical depredations of any flag which may be found annoying the commerce of this colony."

Asía.

EAST INDIES.

Despatches overland from India have been received at the East India House, from the Governor of Bombay, dated March 22, and communicating the important intelligence of the taking of the fortress of Hattrass by the British army. The circumstances which led to this event are as follows: A chief, named Rio Doss,

had for some time past manifested a spirit of restlessness and encroachment towards the British, and, by taking possession of this strong fortress, his hostile designs against the British possessions bordering on the Mah. ratta territories became obvious. Remonstrances and explanations proving unsatisfactory, recourse was had by our Government to more effectual measures, by prompt and vigorous military operations. Our army, composed of British and native troops, immediately took the field under the command of Colonel Marshal, an officer of high military reputation. Arrived before the place, he summoned it to surrender; but the enemy, confiding in his strength and means of defence, refused to capitulate. It was then determined to carry it by storm-a heavy bombardment was commenced; and bombs and Congreve rockets were used with ter

rible effect. A bomb falling on the magazine occasioned a tremendous explosion, which destroyed numbers in the garrison of Hattrass. Our loss, by the fire of the enemy, was inconsiderable. Lieutenant Courtland was the only officer wounded. The conduct of Scindia, in the countenance he has given Rio Doss in his hostile dispositions towards the British, is much blamed. A probability might be entertained of ratta war, were it not for the impression which the British arms may have made on the councils of the Mahratta confederates.

We are concerned to announce a melancholy accident, which occurred in Columbo harbour on the 27th of January, by the upsetting of one of the boats belonging to his Majesty's ship Iphigenia. From the accounts received it appears, that a party of officers belonging to his Majesty's 73d regiment had proceeded on board the Iphigenia on that day, to dine with the officers of the ship, and that on their return in the evening the boat unfortunately upset, by which distressing occurrence no less than seven lives were lost. Ensigns Campbell, Coane, and Hanwell, of his Majesty's 73d regiment; and Lieutenant Sanders of his Majesty's ship Iphigenia, two seamen, and one boy, were drowned; the remaining seven got safe on shore.

The letters from the Mauritius by the Pallas, which sailed the 8th of April last, convey very gloomy intelligence of the state of that colony. In consequence of the dreadful fire, houses of the highest commercial character have required six and ten years to meet their engagements. All metallic money had disappeared; and the Local Treasury had been compelled to issue notes for sums as low as a rupee. These are depreciated in the Bazaar, and, even in exchange for brass money, the holder is compelled to allow a premium. The second expedition to Madagascar has experienced as disastrous a result as the first. Before the Pallas sailed, the Musquito sloop of war was despatched from Port Louis to bring back the survivors; but it was feared, from the

dreadful mortality, that all the new settlers had perished, amongst whom was Governor Farquhar's Aide-de-Camp, Lieutenant-Governor Le Sage.

By an edict published by the Chinese Emperor, the failure of Lord Amherst's embassy to Pekin is ascribed to certain im. positions practised by the minister Ho-shetay. An hour of audience had been appointed, but the envoys having travelled all night, and their dresses of ceremony not having arrived, they could not present themselves; and the Chinese minister made a report to the Emperor, couched in disrepectful language, in consequence of which, the embassy was sent back without an audience. "Had the minister," says the decree, "addressed to me a true report, I, the Em..

peror, could certainly have issued my commands, and have changed the time of the audience, in order to correspond with their intentions in coming ten thousand miles to my court."-The edict then censures severely the conduct of the minister, and also several other officers of the court, who knew of the imposition, but did not undeceive the Emperor.

The latest accounts from Canton state, that much discontent prevails among the people of Cochin-China, occasioned by the King nominating for his successor a son of one of his concubines. The Emperor of China, who pretends to have a right to interfere in the appointment of the kings of that country, has expressed his displeasure at the nomination.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

ACADEMICAL SOCIETY.

Thursday, May 1.-Lord SPENCER presented a petition from this society, similar to that presented to the House of Commons by Mr Wilberforce on the 28th April.

LORD SIDMOUTH'S CIRCULAR. May 2.-The LORD CHANCELLOR stated the result of his inquiries respecting the cases of Spence and Hogg, mentioned in the opinions of the law officers referred to in Lord Sidmouth's circular letter. With respect to the case of Spence, it appeared, that on the 13th of April 1801, an information upon oath was sworn before Mr Ford, then at Bow Street, by a person of the name of Seale, that he had printed for Thomas Spence a work entitled, "Society restored to its original Principles;" and for that work Mr Ford held Spence to bail, to appear in the Court of King's Bench on the first day of the ensuing term. On the first day of the term, the then Attorney-General filed an information against Spence, who was called on his recognisance, and appeared. He was subsequently tried and convicted. With regard to the case of Hogg, it appeared that an information was sworn before the then Lord Mayor (1801), by a person who had purchased at Hogg's shop the trials for adultery. The Lord Mayor held Alexander Hogg to bail, to appear in the Court of King's Bench on the first day of the ensuing term, and the recognisance was drawn up by the then Attorney-General. On the first day of the ensuing term, the late Mr Perceval having, in the mean time, become Attorney-General, that gentleman filed an information against Hogg, who was called upon his recognisance, and appeared. Subsequently, upon Hogg's delivering up all the books charged against, the prosecu tion was dropped. There was no opinion given with respect to these cases, in any other way than by the proceedings he had stated.

Earl GREY expressed his acknowledgments for the candid statement of the Noble and Learned Lord, but observed, that it did not appear that in either of the cases the point had been disputed, or that there had been any question raised as to the legality of the proceeding. There were only

the opinions of Attorney-Generals, but no decision of any court of law that could be recognised as an authority. He still considered, therefore, the circular of the Noble Viscount as unconstitutional, in attempting to interfere with the administration of justice; and he feared it would lead to a prac tice productive of the greatest mischief to individuals. In this view, after taking considerable pains to inform himself upon the subject, and having been able to find no competent authority to sanction such a measure, he felt it his duty to bring it under the consideration of the House, and on Monday se'nnight he should move for the case referred to the law officers of the Crown, upon which their opinion had been given, and which was of great importance, with a view to form a proper estimate of that opinion.

The Lords were ordered to be summoned for Monday se'nnight.

Monday, May 5.-On the motion of the Earl of EGREMONT, the Landlord and Tenant's Bill (the object of which, we believe, is to give power and authority to landlords to resume possession of farms belonging to them at the end of six months after the abandonment of the same by the tenants, instead of waiting a year) was read a second time, and committed for to-morrow week.

TREATY WITH NAPLES.

May 8.-The Earl of LIVERPOOL laid on the table a copy of a treaty of commerce and navigation, between the King of the Two Sicilies and the Government of this country.

EXTENTS IN AID.

May 9.-The Earl of ROSSLYN presented a petition from certain persons, complaining of the abuse of extents in aid, a remarkable example of which had lately occurred in Bristol, in the case of a banker in that city; and praying the Lords to adopt such measures as might appear best calculated to remedy the evil. Laid on the table.

POOR LAWS.

The Earl of LIVERPOOL moved the appointment of a committee to consider the present state of the poor laws, and whether any and what remedy could and ought to be applied to the evils of the system.

After a short conversation, the motion