In April 1804 it was restored to the Peishwa. The possession of this fortress gives the command of the city of Poonah, and affords the best entrance into the territories of the Peishwa and the Nizam. Certain pasture lands are also given for the British troops in the Deccan. On the other hand, Britain is to augment its subsidiary force to 12,000 men. The Peishwa is also required to maintain irregular horse and foot, amounting to 8000 men, to be officered by Europeans.

In addition to the above intelligence, it is known that large field forces are on foot after the Pindaries, under Sir Thomas Hislop and Sir John Malcolm, Brigadiers Doveton, Smith, and Floyer. Sir John Malcolm is associated with Sir Thomas Hislop in the conduct of political affairs. The head-quarters of his Excellency the Most Noble the Governor-General were on the 28th of August near Mizepore.

Forty distinct shocks of earthquake are stated to have been felt at Herwul Bagh, in India, between the 26th of May and the 12th of June, which had caused great alarm at that station; the first of these shocks is stated to have lasted several minutes; it made every one leave the Bungalows from fear. Several buildings were thrown down in the province, and also in

Garwal.

OTAHEITE. It is stated in letters received by the London Missionary Society, that idolatry is completely abolished in Otaheite and Emio, and in a considerable degree in other islands adjacent. The King, Pomare, has sent all his family idols to the Missionaries, desiring them either to destroy them or send them to Europe, that the people of England may see what "foolish gods" they formerly worshipped.

AFRICA.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.--Letters received from this colony state, that, with a view of extending its cultivation, surveys have been ordered of the coast lying to the east, which is extremely fertile, and admirably adapted to the production of wheat. So flattering are the future prospects, that about 300 emigrants had lately arrived at the Cape from the northern parts of England, to take the management and direction of the extensive agricultural districts.

EGYPT. The Paris papers contain some curious particulars regarding the Pacha of Egypt, and of the means he is employing for the purpose of asserting his independence. His army, according to these accounts, consists of 100,000 men, and he gives great encouragement to European officers, many of whom he has in his service. His artillery is commanded by French officers, and they exercise it every day in the European manner. He has purchased two frigates at Calcutta, to serve for the pro

tecting of the commerce of the Red Sea. He has built one at Alexandria, and he is trying to purchase one in Sweden. To support his expences, he has endeavoured to concentrate all the commerce of the country in his own hands; he forces the inhabitants to deliver up to him the produce of their fields and of their industry, at a very low price, which he again sells to the merchants at double value. The Pacha still seeks to attract European manufacturers, principally Swiss, and he has sent some young men into Europe to be brought up in the European manners, and instructed in the arts and sciences.

AMERICA.

UNITED STATES.-The New York papers of the 28th December furnish us with a report from the Secretary of War regarding the strength and distribution of the army, which has been transmitted to the House of Representatives. He states, that the existing fortifications on the maritime frontier being insufficient, in the event of a future war, a Board of skilful Officers has been appointed, to examine the whole line of the frontier, with a view to the erection of new works. The present amount of the military force is said to be sufficient for keeping the fortifications in a state of preservation, but wholly inadequate to defend them against a regular attack.

to

We have also, through the same medium, the treasury report of the state of the finances, from which it appears, that the net revenue of 1815 amounted about L. 12,500,000, and the revenue of the last year to about L.8,250,000. The national debt amounts to 99,000,000 of dollars, or to about L. 19,750,000, of which the interest, at five per cent. is something less than 1.. 1,000,000.

The bill for the repeal of internal duties had passed the House of Representatives, and only waited the signature of the President to become a law.

On the 23d December, a United States squadron, commanded by Commodore Hinckley, arrived off Amelia Island, and immediately summoned the fort to surrender. General Aury, commanding on the island, protested strongly against the pretensions of the United States, and desired time to forward a remonstrance on the subject to the President; but the Commodore not being disposed to accede to this proposal, the place was quietly surrendered on the following day.

WEST INDIES.--Recent letters from Martinique estimate the losses sustained by that colony, from the late hurricane, at 25,000,000 of francs. What is more afflicting still than the loss of property on the island is, that more than a thousand individuals have perished, and nine-tenths of the vessels have been shipwrecked.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

Tuesday, January 27.-This day the session of Parliament was opened by a Commission, consisting of the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Earls of Harrowby and Westmoreland, and the Duke of Montrose. The following speech was read by the Lord Chancellor, the Commons, with the Speaker at their head, being in attendance.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen, "We are commanded by his Royal Highness the Prince Regent to inform you, that it is with great concern that he is obliged to announce to you the continuance of his Majesty's lamented indisposition.

"The Prince Regent is persuaded that you will deeply participate in the affliction with which his Royal Highness has been visited, by the calamitous and untimely death of his beloved and only child Princess Charlotte.

"Under this awful dispensation of Providence, it has been a soothing consolation to the Prince Regent's heart, to receive from all descriptions of his Majesty's subjects the most cordial assurances, both of their just sense of the loss which they have sustained, and of their sympathy with his parental sorrow : And, amidst his own sufferings, his Royal Highness has not been unmindful of the effect which this sad event must have on the interests and future prospects of the kingdom.

"We are commanded to acquaint you, that the Prince Regent continues to receive from Foreign Powers the strongest assurances of their friendly disposition towards this country, and of their desire to maintain the general tranquillity.

"His Royal Highness has the satisfaction of being able to assure you, that the confidence which he has invariably felt in the stability of the great sources of our national prosperity, has not been disappoint ed.

"The improvement which has taken place in the course of the last year, in almost every branch of our domestic industry, and the present state of public credit, afford abundant proof that the difficulties under which the country was labouring were chiefly to be ascribed to temporary

causes.

"So important a change could not fail to withdraw from the disaffected the principal means of which they had availed

themselves, for the purpose of fomenting a spirit of discontent, which unhappily leads to acts of insurrection and treason: And his Royal Highness entertains the most confident expectation, that the state of peace and tranquillity to which the country is now restored, will be maintained against all attempts to disturb it, by the persevering vigilance of the Magistracy, and the loyalty and good sense of the people.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "The Prince Regent has directed the estimates for the current year to be laid before you.

"His Royal Highness recommends to your continued attention the state of the public income and expenditure; and he is most happy in being able to acquaint you, that, since you were last assembled in Parliament, the revenue has been in a state of progressive improvement in its most important branches.

"My Lords, and Gentlemen,

"We are commanded by the Prince Regent to inform you, that he has concluded Treaties with the Courts of Spain and Portugal, on the important subject of the abolition of the Slave Trade.

"His Royal Highness has directed that a copy of the former treaty should be immediately laid before you, and he will order a similar communication to be made of the latter treaty, as soon as the ratification of it shall have been exchanged.

"In these negociations it has been his Royal Highness's endeavour, as far as circumstances would permit, to give effect to the recommendations contained in the joint addresses of the two houses of Parliament: And his Royal Highness has a full reliance on your readiness to adopt such measures as may be necessary for fulfilling the engagements into which he has entered for that purpose.

"The Prince Regent has commanded us to direct your particular attention to the deficiency which has so long existed in the number of places of Public Worship belonging to the Established Church, when compared with the increased and increasing population of the country.

His Royal Highness most earnestly recommends this important subject to your early consideration, deeply impressed, as he has no doubt you are, with a just sense of the many blessings which this country, by the favour of Divine Providence, has enjoyed; and with the conviction, that the

religious and moral habits of the people are the most sure and firm foundation of national prosperity."

The customary address, in answer to the speech, was moved by the Earl of AYLESFORD, and seconded by Lord SELSEA; and was carried, without any amendment being proposed.

Jan. 29.-The royal assent was given by commission to a bill for the repeal of the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act, which had previously passed both Houses, the standing orders for regulating the reading of bills being suspended, in order to accelerate its progress.

Monday, Feb. 2.-Lord Sidmouth presented a sealed bag of papers, which he said he was commanded by the Prince Regent to lay before the House. They related to the state of the country, and the events that had happened since the second report of the committee of secrecy last session. On the motion of the noble Lord, the Peers were summoned for to-morrow.

Feb. 3.-Lord SIDMOUTH moved, that the papers on the state of the country be referred to a secret committee. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, after animadverting on the conduct of the noble Viscount, submitted, whether he (Lord Sidnouth) ought not to state to the house the reasons which had induced him to propose the course of secret investigation which his motion implied. Lord SIDMOUTH contended, that the course he had now proposed was that which had always been followed by committees of that house. The Earl of CAERNARVON said, if it was to be the province of the future committee to inquire how ministers had exercised the high discretionary powers that had been vested in them, the house must not delude itself or the country, by consenting to go into inquiry upon such information as should be furnished by ministers themselves. The Earl of LIVERPOOL contended for the expediency of the measure ; and, after some further debate, the question for referring the papers to a committee was put and carried.

Feb. 5. The house proceeded to ballot for the election of a committee to examine and report on the sealed papers on the state of the nation, when the following Peers were elected, viz.

The Lord Chancellor ; the Earl of Harrowby; Earl Graham, (Duke of Montrose); Marquis Camden; Marquis of Lansdowne; Earls Fitzwilliam, Liverpool, and Powis; Viscount Sidmouth, and Lords Grenville and Reddesdale.

HOUSE OF COMMONS. Tuesday, January 27.-The Commons having returned to their own chamber, after having heard the speech from the throne,

Lord ARCHIBALD HAMILTON rose and

said, that he wished to take the earliest opportunity of calling the attention of the house to the late state prosecutions in Scotland, and would therefore give notice of a motion on the subject for that day fortnight.

The LORD ADVOCATE of SCOTLAND.When the motion of the Noble Lord (A. Hamilton) is brought forward, I shall be prepared to shew, from the proceedings in the Court, and the issue of the trial, that the charges insinuated are wholly unfounded. I will shew, that the imputation of ignorance in drawing up, the indictment is completely fallacious; and from the issue of the trial, from the address of the Judge to the prisoner, on his being dismissed from the bar, when the Jury had returned a verdict," well known in the law of Scotland, as distinguished from a verdict of "Not Guilty"-I mean a verdict of "Not Proven"-I will substantiate the fact, that the oath to which I referred was taken by certain persons engaged in a traitorous conspiracy at Glasgow. With respect to another allegation of far more importance, namely, that I acted corruptly, or that I suffered corrupt practices to be resorted to, for the purpose of influencing evidence; instead of this statement being correct, I shall be able to prove to the satisfaction of the House, that, so far from any thing corrupt having been done by me, or any other servant of the Crown, on the occasion adverted to, we had, in fact, done nothing but what we could not have omitted doing, without being guilty of a great dereliction of our public duty.

Lord ARCHIBALD HAMILTON.-I am desirous of making one or two observations, in consequence of what has fallen from the Hon. and Learned Lord. I have no intention at present of entering into the subject which has called forth his statement, but I beg leave to say, that I not only dissent from what he has advanced, but when the proper time arrives, I will positively contradict what he has now asserted.

The SPEAKER then read a copy of the royal speech, when

MrWODEHOUSE entered with much feeling into the various subjects it contained, and concluded with moving an Address to the Prince Regent in answer, which was seconded by Mr WYNDHAM QUIN.

Lord FOLKSTONE, Sir S. ROMILLY, and some other opposition members, took occasion to arraign the conduct of ministers, in regard to the recent state trials, contending, from the proceedings of the trials at Derby, that the conspiracies so much talked of, which had caused the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, had no existence prior to the passing of that act, but were first hatched about the beginning of June, at the instigation of Government emissaries. They complained of the degradation to which the Courts of Law had been sub

jected by the impolitic, if not unjust perseverance in the hopeless prosecution of Mr Hone.

Lord CASTLEREAGH and the ATTORNEY-GENERAL vindicated the conduct of Government; and asserted, that, on inquiry, it would be found that, whilst Ministers had exercised the power which had been entrusted to them in promoting the ends of justice, they had also been cautious to temper that power, on all occasions, with mercy.

After a few words from Mr BROUGHAM, the Address was agreed to nem. con.

Jan. 28.-Some discussion took place regarding Lord A. Hamilton's motion respecting the State Prisoners in Scotland, the Lord Advocate wishing it postponed to an ulterior day, in consequence of his being obliged to attend the Scotch Courts, which did not rise till 12th March.

Lord CASTLEREAGH moved that a Message of Condolence should be sent to the Queen upon the death of the Princess Charlotte.

Mr CALCRAFT felt it very painful to dissent from this measure; but such was his feeling upon the subject, that he felt he should be wanting in duty to himself and to the public, did he not give his negative to this motion. He would use no harsh words, nor would he enter into any explanation on the subject; but he felt something within him which compelled him to express his marked dissent.-( Hear, hear, from the Opposition Benches.)

Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that as no definite objections had been stated, he had no reply to make.

Mr M. A. TAYLOR expressed his strong dissent to the motion.

The motion was then put; there was a general cry of Aye" from the Treasury side of the House, and as general a cry of "No" from the other side.

The SPEAKER.-I think the "Ayes" have it. (It was then agreed that Col. Desbrow should present the Message to her Majesty.)

The Noble Lord then moved a similar Message to Prince Leopold, which was warmly approved of by Mr Calcraft and Mr Brougham, and passed unanimously.

Jan. 29.--In answer to a question from Mr Grenfell, respecting the resumption of cash payments by the Bank, the Chancellor of the Exchequer replied, that the Bank had made ample preparations for paying in cash-that there was nothing in the internal state of the country, or in its political relations with foreign powers, to prevent its paying in cash-but that it was well known" that financial measures, and pecuniary arrangements, were in a course of proceeding amongst foreign powers, of such a nature as might, by possibility, make it a question for the consideration of Parliament, whether the restriction ought to be further

continued whilst the immediate effects of such arrangements should be in operation.”

Tuesday, Feb. 3.-Lord CASTLEREAGH presented several papers respecting the internal state of the country, which he proposed should be referred to a committee, to be appointed on Thursday next.

Lord BINNING moved for leave to bring in a bill to authorise the erection of district lunatic asylums in Scotland.-After a short conversation with Lord A. Hamilton, Sir R. Ferguson, and Mr W. Wynne, in the course of which Lord Binning stated the objections formerly urged against a measure of a similar description, to have been for the most part obviated, by the manner in which this bill had been framed, leave was given to bring in the bill.

February 4-The House, in a Committee of Supply, voted, on the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, 25 millions, and 9 millions of Exchequer bills, to take up outstanding Exchequer bills to the same amount issued last year; and also 8 millions of Exchequer bills, to take up the amount issued by the Bank, to make good the deficiencies of the public revenue in the year 1816.

The following sums were voted also:— L. 611,000 for the wages of 20,000 seamen and marines for thirteen lunar months; L.512,000 for victualling them; L.530,000 for wear and tear; L. 29,000 for ordnance.

February 5.-Lord CASTLEREAGH MOVed for the appointment of a Secret Committee, by ballot, to take into consideration the papers respecting the internal state of the country. Mr TIERNEY contended that the Committee should be an open one, as every one knew how Secret Committees were elected. He stigmatised the proceeding by ballot as a coarse juggle by which no one could be deceived. He was followed in a kind of skirmishing attack upon Ministers by Sir S. ROMILLY, the Hon F. DOUGLAS, and Sir W. BURROWES. the other hand, Sir J. SEBRIGHT, Mr B. BATHURST, and Mr C. WYNNE asserted the upright intentions of Government, and the advantage which the late measures had produced to the country. A division at length took place on the question for electing the members of the Committee by ballot, when the numbers were--For the ballot, 102; against it, 29.

On

February 6.--The Committee upon the sealed papers were appointed as follows:

Lord Milton, Lord G. H. Cavendish, Mr C. W. Wynne, Lord Castlereagh, Lord Lascelles, Right Hon. C. Bathurst, The Hon. William Lamb, Sir A. Piggott, Sir W. Scott, Sir J. Nicholl, The Solicitor General, The Attorney General, The Right Hon. G. Canning, The Right Hon. C. Yorke, Mr W. Egerton, Mr W. Wilberforce, Mr B. Wilbraham, Mr W. Dundas,

obtaining the Loan of Six Millions from the Bank," said Mr Vansittart, "has been attained; and Government can now obtain such accommodation on much better terms-on terms which, in the course of two years, will cause to the public a saving of Two Millions!"

To a question by Mr Hammersley, whether the Government was to guarantee the repayment of Loans now advancing by certain private speculators in this country to foreign powers: Lord Castlereagh distinctly stated, "that those who should make such investments had no claim whatever upon the British Government; and that, in the event of any war, or the conclusion of any peace, no such transactions would be enti tled to the consideration of Government."

JANUARY.

10.-Revenue.-At page 181 will be found a comparative statement of the produce of the revenue for the years and quarters ending 5th instant, from which it appears, that the revenue for the year 1817 is about ten millions less than that for the year 1816. The difference, however, is occasioned, not by any defalcation of the revenue, but by the loss of the property tax and other war taxes, which were repealed. Making these deductions, the revenue of 1817 is greater than 1816 by L. 2,207,010. The amount of the public income for the year 1817 amounts, by this statement, to L. 47,277,456. The expenditure, according to the estimate of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, would amount, with all the retrenchments made, to above 60 millions, which still leaves a deficiency of betwixt 12 and 13 millions to be provided for.

Inverness. In every place that aims at commercial prosperity, the accommodation of shipping is unquestionably an object of primary and vital interest; yet, until within the last 18 months, the harbour of Inverness would not admit loaded vessels of a size above 130 tons burthen, and only these at high tides. This was a certain bar to the increase of shipping, to the prospect of its possessing a portion of foreign trade, and even to any attempt in the Greenland fishery. Recent additions, however, have supplied this great and long deplored defect; for Inverness has now a harbour competent for ships of 400 or 500 tons. The importance of the acquisition is too striking to require any comment.

VOL. II.

Rise in the Value of Land.-The abund ance of money, from the high price of the funds, is gradually finding its way to the real property of the country, which is rising in proportion. The fine estate of Corse wall, in the county of Wigton, which has been offered to sale for some years past, was sold in Edinburgh yesterday, after a smart competition, at the price of L. 100,350.

17.-Severe Gale.-On Thursday a severe gale of wind, rain, and snow, was experienced over the greater part of Scotland. In Edinburgh, slates and chimney-tops were flying in all directions throughout the day; and in houses fronting the west, much mischief was sustained in breaking of window-glass, stripping the lead from the roofs, dashing the cupola windows from their frames, and shivering them to atoms. In the forenoon, all the large and small minarets on the top of St John's Chapel, west end of Prince's Street, were blown down, leaving the tower a complete ruin; two of the larger ornaments were carried 30 feet beyond the base of the tower, and penetrated not only the roof of the church, but also the floor, breaking into the vaults beneath. These pinnacles were only six feet high, exposed only a surface of four feet square, and were fixed to the top of the tower by bars of copper above an inch broad, and five-eighths of an inch thick; yet such was the force of the wind, that it tore one of these copper bars from its place, and twisted one of its arms, which was eight inches long, through an arch of 90 degrees, as if it had been a slender piece of lead. The gale commenced on Monday,