Edgeware-road, was struck blind by the lightning, Great damage was produced by the rain. The streets in many parts of the metropolis were impassable, and the property of the inhabitants in their kitchens and cellars received injury, Westminster, hall presented an unusual appearance. The water overflowed the sewer at the back of the Exchequer Coffee-house, and soon covered the lower part of the hall.

WESTMINSTER SESSIONS. The only trial that excited any interest was that of Mr Patrick Daly O'. Shaughnessy, a Hibernian veteran shoemaker of 71, for an assault on a countryman, named Thomas Smith, on the 31st of November last.

The traverser, a respectable look ing old man, appeared at the bar, supported on crutches; as his understanding seemed considerably deranged, for gout and rheumatism had made sad work with his feet and legs. The case for the prosecution was stated by Mr Barry, and the first witness examined was the prosecutor Smith, who stated himself to be a green-grocer in the neighbourhood of St James's market. The traver. ser owed him an old debt of fourteen pounds, but being unfortunate in his affairs had failed, and was unable to pay. But having done penance for his misfortunes in the King's Bench prison, and received due absolution under the late insolvent act, he returned to his old vicinage, near St James's-street, where he was formerly a respectable tradesman, and endeavoured to glean a livelihood amongst his old friends and customers. Smith met him in the street, near Pall-Mall, on the 31st of November, and immediately afterwards came to take his morning draught at a public-house, in Crown-court, Pall-Mall, kept by

another countryman, named M‘Gauran, to whom he mentioned his having met Mr O'Shaughnessy; and upon Mr M'Gauran's asking if he had spoke to him, Smith answered, in terms not very complimentary to Mr O'Shaughnessy's character, he had not; that he had lost enough by him already; and did not want to have any acquaintance with him. In a few minutes Mr O'Shaughnessy made his entree, when M'Gauran said, "Here is the very gentleman we are talking about." Mr O'Shaughnessy, on seeing Smith, and suspecting that what he had been saying was not much in his favour, immediately said, “Is this the little rascal that has been talking about me?" and immediately, seizing him by the throat, and twisting his hand in his neckcloth, said, "If the little rascal dared to say a word against his character, he would knock his brains out." Although the veteran was rather worsted in his feet by years and disease, Smith soon found out that his hands had lost nothing of their pristine vigour; for he took so tight a gripe of his jugular regions, as disabled him at once from action and utterance, and in a convulsive struggle to disengage himself, both fell together; by the aid of M'Gauran, the host, Mr O'Shaughnessy was forced to let go his hold, and Smith, to use his own phrase, was quite kilt, and just for all the world. like a man that was hanged and cut down, for he did not know where he was. He never said a word to provoke this attack.

Mr M'Gauran supported the testimony of Smith; and being asked, on his cross-examination by Mr Alley, whether Mr O'Shaughnessy had not been wounded, and lost his wig in the scuffle, he answered, that he saw no blood, nor any body strike Mr O'

Shaughnessy; but that after he had put the parties into the street, somebody found a wig, and called out to Mr O'Shaughnessy to come back and take it, but he answered, " By Js, he would not, but he would go and swear a robbery." Two other witnesses swore to the same effect.

Mr Alley, for the traverse, made an able and ingenious appeal to the jury, in his speech to evidence, and said, that he was instructed other witnesses would appear, whose testimony would completely upset the evidence for the prosecution. He called a man named Warren, who described himself as a hair-dresser, and was barber in ordinary to Mr O'Shaughnessy, whom he had just shaved that morning, on his way to the scene of action. But his evidence, so far from fulfilling the predictions of the learned counsel, completely substantiated the facts for the prose cution, and Mr O'Shaughnessy was found guilty.

The court, in passing sentence, observed that in this case there was some difficulty in apportioning the punishment, between the nature of the offence, the years and debility of the traverser, and his incompetence to compensate by fine; that, as he could not pay in his purse, he must suffer in his person; and he was therefore sentenced to confinement for two months.

Mr O'Shaughnessy, with an air of cheerful submission, thanked the court for their impartiality, and said his counsel had ably pleaded his cause, but nothing could be done against a torrent of perjury.

Mr Justice Nares, conceiving that he had expressed himself disrespectfully to the court, was proceeding to reprimand him; but Mr O'Shaughnessy explained, by saying, he meant

to say nothing disrespectful to the court, but to thank them for their impartiality. He was not so ignorant as to act so improperly. He knew his duty better than "to go beyond his last," for he well understood the maxim, "Ne sutor ultra Crepidam."

This pleasantry on his trade and situation, and the good-humoured air with which it was expressed, excited a favourable feeling.

Mr O'Shaughnessy added, that he should bow dutifully to the sentence of the court; all he wished was, that they would not condemn an honest old fellow, who had never before been under accusation, to be confined, at the risk of his life, amongst thieves and house-breakers. He had always been used to very different company. If they would consider his case, he would remember them in his prayers; and the best end of an old man's blessing would do them any harm.

It was understood that application would be made to the keeper of the prison to which he was sent to accommodate him in his house.

On Friday evening, a meeting of bankers and merchants was held for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety and means of supporting such merchants as were under temporary difficulties, and whose characters entitled them to assistance. Among the bankers who attended the meeting were Messrs Smith, Payne, and Smith; Masterman and Co.; Everett and Co.; Were, Bruce, and Co.; besides several others, and a number of the most eminent merchants. After some discussion, it was determined that a proposal should be made to the creditors of some of the houses under embarrassment, to receive the full amount of their several demands by four equal payments; in

Four of the most respectable merchants in the linen trade have been selected to superintend the affairs of the above parties, viz. Mr Richard Fort, Sir Robert Graham, Mr Shaw (of the house of Shaw and Fletcher,) and another.

A fire broke out at the house of a gardener of the name of Coombe, at Wycombe, Bucks, on Tuesday night, and soon consumed it. The house was built of wood, and the fire was so rapid, that a son of Mr Coombe, a youth five years old, perished in the flames. He slept in a room over the kitchen, in which the fire broke out, The accident was occasioned by a spark communicating to some clothes which were left on a horse to dry.

At Ipswich Quarter Sessions, on Friday, an indictment was preferred against John Dunthorne, a schoolmaster, at Dennington, for improper conduct towards several infant females, who were under his tuition; when the defendant was found guilty on two indictments, and sentenced to pay a fine of 40s. ; to be imprisoned in the county gaol at Ipswich one year, for each offence; and to stand in the pillory the last Saturday in December of each year.

The fair of Montpellier, (O'Brien's Bridge) near Limerick, exhibited on Monday, the 6th, a scene truly terrific:-Two parties, distinguished as the Shehane's and Lynch's families,

Assets.

632,542 15 7

330,444 10 2

339,432 0 2

377,775 13 3

487,209 9 8

£2,167,404 8 10 opposed to each other, notwithstanding a continued rain, fought the whole day in a manner best suited to savages, and only terminated their dispute, after much bloodshed, by the latter faction driving many of their opponents across the Shannon; chusing the lesser evil of being drowned, rather than having their brains beat out by the clubs and cudgels of their conquerors. Two or three magistrates were at the fair, but not having the assistance either of the civil or military power, they were obliged to be silent spectators of what so frequently occurs to disgrace that country.

Yesterday morning, as a young horse, belonging to Mr Hancock, of Carrrington Mews, May Fair, was passing through Charles-street, Grosvenor-square, in a break, the fore axletree broke; the driver was thrown from his box, but not seriously hurt; the horse kicked and plunged, and the -carriage coming in contact with a post and lamp-iron, the horse kicked with so much violence that he broke his off hind-leg short in two. His throat was immediately cut. Mr Hancock had only purchased him on Thursday, and paid the high price of one hundred guineas.

Thursday, a carman of gigantic size and strength, got a complete milling from a young tandem driver. The gentleman was remonstrating with him on the impropriety of his

conduct, as he intentionally strove not only to injure his vehicle, but endanger his life, by driving against it. The carman replied by applying the butt end of his whip. The offend er, however, soon found that he had met with his match, for he received a severe chastisement for his rudeness. DORCHESTER WOOL FAIR.-On Wednesday the annual fair for the sale of wool, was held at Dorchester, in Oxfordshire, in two immense barns, belonging to Mr Davy, a respectable inhabitant of that town, one of which was stowed with the wool belonging to the farmers of the neighbouring districts; and in the other, which was near 300 feet long, and 50 feet wide, four tables were laid for the company to dine together; about 200 persons sat down. The Earl of Macclesfield was at the head of the principal table, and John Fane, Esq., one of the members for the county, at the head of another,

The London wool-staplers did not attend the meeting in such numbers as was expected, but the country buyers bought freely, and before sunset the whole of the wool was sold. South-down, from 66s. to 75s, per tod (of 28lb.); Berkshire, from 388. to 42s.

The following is an authentic account of the number of beasts, sheep, lambs, and calves, killed in London within the last twelve months:

Beasts. One hundred and forty-four thousand, nine hundred and eighty. Calves.-Thirty-four thousand, seven hundred and seventy-eight.

Sheep and Lambs-One million, twenty-five thousand, four hundred and eighty

three.

Horses.-Ten thousand, one hundred and eighteen.

Making a grand total of one million, two hundred and fifteen thousand, three hundred and fifty-nine skins.

BOW-STREET.-On Friday, a person following the trade of a farrier, was examined before Mr Nares, on a charge of having had an incestuous intercourse with his own daughter. The girl, who was pregnant, previously deposed on oath, that between four and five months since, she was living at home with her father and mother, at their lodgings in Haye'scourt; she slept in the same room with them, but in a separate bed. Her father came home one night intoxicated, after she and her mother were in their beds. He came into her bed, and took indecent liberties with her; she resisted him, and got out of bed; he got up too, followed her, and got her into bed again, and effected his purpose. Her mother continued in her bed, and did not interfere in any way, except calling out, and saying to her father, " Let the girl alone." Upon this information Mr Nares granted his warrant against the father, and he was apprehended on Friday morning at Hammersmith. He was taken to the office, and the girl sent for to give evidence against him; when he confronted her in eve ry particular, and most positively denied the charge. The mother recollected the night described by the girl, and her husband coming home intoxicated; she scolded him for being in the state he was, which offended him, and he said he would not come to bed to her; and he laid down in his clothes on the outside of the bed in which the girl and a child were, and he went to sleep in that state. The girl, feeling some inconvenience from her father being on the outside of the bed-clothes, got up, and left the bed, and she had no doubt that he did not commit the crime imputed to him by her daughter. The girl, however, persisting in the tale she

had originally told against her father upon oath, the magistrate was under the necessity of committing him for further examination.

The girl went home with her mistress, who is a very prudent respecta ble woman. When they got home, the mistress took her into the parlour by herself, and there interrogated her very closely, assuring her if she would confess the truth to her she would always be her friend; when she confessed that the shocking charge she had made against her father was false, and that she was pregnant by a mas ter-tailor, with whom she had lived servant, and who had given her two guineas to carry the child to her father. The mistress, horror-struck with the little wretch, took her be fore Mr Nares again on Friday even ing, when the magistrate very forcibly pointed out to her the wicked course she had been pursuing. Af. terwards the magistrate sent a discharge to Bridewell for the father.

The little wretch is not fifteen years old yet, and for her age is the most depraved character that has ever been heard of. She got into her present place by means of a false cha

racter.

21st.-OLD BAILEY.-Nicholas Tomlinson, Esq., a post-captain in the navy, and B. Tanner, a ship wright, at Dartmouth, were indicted for conspiring to forge and utter a receipt, by means of which they had defrauded his majesty of 291. 5s. The Attorney-General conducted the prosecution on the part of the crown. This was a charge which had its origin so far back as 1805. Captain Tomlinson'sship, the Peltergun-brig, had undergone some repairs at Dart

mouth, and he had given Tanner, the shipwright he had employed, a bill upon government, amounting to 961. for repairs to his ship, which included the blacksmith's bill, to the amount of 291. 5s.; but it since appeared that the blacksmith's bill was a forgery, he having only done work to the amount of 41. 6s.

N. Randal, the blacksmith, who had done his part of the repairs, proved this bill to be a forgery, and that he had done work only to the amount of 41. 6s. on the Pelter brig. It was the prisoner Tanner who employed him he did not know Captain Tomlinson.

The judge here interposed, and asked the Attorney-General if he had any proof that Tomlinson was privy to the forgery, which was answered in the negative. It appearing also that the forgery was charged as committed in Middlesex, which was the act of Tomlinson, and not of Tanner, who uttered the bill and receipt in Devonshire, the jury were directed by the judge to acquit both prisoners.

Lord St Vincent, and other distinguished naval characters were present.*

A few days since, as Mr and Mrs Barber, with two other ladies, were returning to Cambridge from Heasingfield, in a vehicle called a pic nic, which carried two persons before and two behind, the horse, being irritated by flies, turned his head in such a manner as to get entangled with the harness, and tore the bridle from his head; he then ran away, when the parties were thrown out, and at Lord's Bridge Mrs B. was flung with such violence over the bridge, that, striking against a pro