tilities, and to attack some districts occupied by us; that they were, however, repulsed with great bravery by the Netherland troops under the command of Major Laemlin. This officer, pursuing his advantage, attacked the Padries in their fortified posts at Kapau and Biero, from which they were driven, sword in hand, on the 26th and 28th of September; the loss of the enemy was considerable.

Some companies of the infantry, provided with every thing necessary, have been sent by the British Government in Bengal to the west coast of Sumatra, to strengthen and fortify the Company's settlement at Natal.

As the whole island of Sumatra is now ceded to the Netherlands, we learn with peculiar pleasure, that Lieutenant-Colonel Raaff, on a journey into the interior of that important island, found it not destitute of population; and at the same time properly cultivated, and adapted to all kinds of produce. He also found traces of internal legal government, nay, even of a pretty general local government-the most certain proofs of an advanced degree of civilization. This officer, who has given a verbal account of these and other particulars, has lately returned from Batavia to Padang, with troops to complete his military force, and some young civil officers, acquainted with the language and manners of the inhabitants, and with the regulations in force in Java.

A New Colony.-It has been discovered that the island of Tristan da Cunha, which lies in south lat. 37. 6., west long. 11. 44., and which was never known to have been peopled before the year 1816, has now upon it, living in great happiness, 22 men and three women. The Berwick, Captain Jeffery, from London to Van Diemen's Land, sent her boat on shore on the 25th March 1823. The sailors were surprised on finding an Englishman, of the name of Glass, formerly a corporal in the artillery, and the rest of the abovementioned population. Glass gives so favourable an account of the island, which is only nine miles in diameter, that it may be of importance to vessels, on their passage to Van Diemen's Land, to touch there: they will be sure of a most favourable reception. There are on the island great plenty of pigs, goats, potatoes, cabbages, &c.; abundance of fish, and excellent water. This little colony had at the time upwards of 30 tons of potatoes to dispose of. The island is very fertile, in fact, in every thing desirable to settlers; and Glass declared, that if they had but a few women more, the place would be an earthly paradise. He is a sort of Governor at Tristan Cunha, by the

appointment of the rest, on account of his military character; and he trades in a small schooner to the Cape of Good Hope, with the oil of the sea elephant and the skins of the seal, which they catch in great abundance. There is a mountain upon the island 8500 feet in height; the crew of the Berwick saw it at the distance of 50 miles. They intended to take on board part of the product of the island, but were obliged to make sail, as the breeze became very fresh.

AFRICA.

The Gold Coast.-We lament to say, that very distressing intelligence has been received from the British settlement termed Cape Coast Castle, upon the Gold Coast of Africa. It appears that the barbarous people in that neighbourhood, called the Ashantees, having made repeated and unprovoked irruptions into the British settlement, and having committed sundry barbarities there, Sir Charles Macarthy, Governor of Sierra Leone, with a view to punish them, prepared an expedition, consisting of three divisions, one of them commanded by himself. It would seem that these forces, amounting in all to about 4000 men, natives and others, had not set out simultaneously; for it is stated that, before they could effect a junction, the division commanded by Sir Charles was attacked by 10,000 of the Ashantees, and after expending all their ammunition, were compelled to yield to the superior numbers of the barbarians. It is dreaded that most of the division have been massacred; and, as no intelligence of the fate of Sir Charles himself had arrived for fourteen days after the conflict, it is feared that he is among the number of the murdered. The battle is said to have been fought on the 21st of January.

Death of Belzoni the Traveller.-The same conveyance which brought the above intelligence brings the melancholy news of the death of the intrepid traveller Belzoni, who perished of the dysentery at Gato, on the Benin river, while attempting to reach Houssa and Timbuctoo, by way of Benin, and at a moment when there was much reason to expect that his perilous enterprize would have succeeded. He died on the 3d December 1823. Most of our readers will recollect M. Belzoni, who was not more distinguished by his ardour and perseverance in the laborious pursuits to which he had devoted the greater part of his life, than by his personal intrepidity and gigantic strength and stature. He possessed, indeed, every quality which promised success to his labours.

AMERICA. Papers have been received from Rio Janeiro to the 17th February, which contain addresses from various towns and provinces, expressing their entire satisfaction with the late constitution proposed to them, as being liberal in its principles, and well calculated to insure the happiness of the country. The Emperor has issued an order to maintain a considerable force, both by land and sea, to secure the safety and independence of the empire against the attempts of its enemies. All the Portuguese, who have arrived from Europe since the 1st January, are commanded to appear at the police, and to give an account of their names, professions, business, &c. It being notified to the King, that it was the wish of many Brazilian families to send their children to Paris to finish their education, his Majesty had ordered all possible facilities to be given them for this wise and liberal purpose. Nothing can more strongly mark, than this fact, the diversity be tween the new Government and the old despotism, under which all liberal improvement was proscribed. The sending away the youth to the University of Paris, or to any other European seminary for education, was most especially for bidden, and indeed was quite at variance with the whole policy of the mother country, which was to degrade the colony into the mere tool of monopoly, that it never would have been thought of. This of itself evinces the great benefit these countries have derived from shaking off the fetters of their old bondage, and freely trading with all the world, not only in mercantile produce, but in the more precious commodities of science and moral improvement.

The accounts received from Bogota and Carthagena contain some favourable intelligence of the success of the republicans in putting down Riva Aguera, whose

defection is confirmed.-The accounts from Peru are to the 26th of December. They state that President Bolivar had been obliged, in conformity with the resolutions of Congress, to employ force to put down the faction of Aguera, in which he was successful; for, on his approaching the troops destined by Aguera for the invasion of Lima, one of the officers of the latter proclaimed their union with the legitimate Government of Peru, arrested R. Aguera and General Herrera, who commanded them, and delivered them up to Bolivar. In consequence of this, the 4000 men composing this force were united to the main body, and an end put to the internal discord which threatened Peru. The two captive chiefs were conducted to Guyaquil, to be sent to the Isthmus, and thence to Europe.

The auxiliary division of the Chili force, consisting of 2500 men, had arrived at Callao, and was to be followed by 600 cavalry. General Santa Cruz, with a strong column, remained at Arica, and with the efficient divisions of Colonels Kanz and Urdemenea, kept the enemy in check.

WEST INDIES.-Papers and letters received from Demerara to the 7th ult. are of the most gloomy description. The inhabitants had been greatly alarmed by nightly meetings of the negroes on the east coast, where the late insurrection had broken out. There had been meetings of the principal inhabitants, who had come to a resolution to expel all missionaries from the colonies.

Extract from the Demerara Gazette of 27th of February:—“ Dominica is in confusion and uproar. The Earl of Huntingdon, who dissolved the House of Assembly a short time ago, has refused to issue any new writs for the re-election of Members until his Majesty's pleasure be known regarding the issue between them."

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-Feb. 26.Cruelty to Animals.—Mr Martin of Galway again took the field in defence of the brute creation from the cruel sports of man. He proposed that a Committee should be appointed, to inquire how far sports of this nature tended to corrupt the morals of the people. With much earnestness the Hon. Gentleman contended against the analogy, which had been in stituted on a former evening, between hunting a fox and baiting a bear; the bear was brought out, not to be killed at

once, but to be baited day after day till he was torn in pieces by the dogs. Moreover, it was the public opinion that such amusements should be put down; all sensible persons thought they tended to brutalize the lower orders; and if, quoth Mr Martin, any honourable member will go and knock at the door of every man in London and Westminster, he will find a vast majority who would pray for the abolition of these cruelties.Sir Robert Heron opposed the motion, on the ground that Parliament should not abridge the

amusements of the people. Why did not the Hon. Mover legislate against hunting and shooting, against cock-fighting and oyster-eating ?-Mr John Smith urged, that the cruel sports alluded to in the motion did great injury to the comfort, the real happiness, and the good order of the persons who partook in them: for that reason, he supported Mr Martin. Mr Peel argued that, however desirable it might be to put down sports of this nature, it was desirable to avoid legislating too much. It was sound policy to refrain from interference with all the amusements and occupations of the people. There were many virtues-and he believed humanity was among themwhich could not be inculcated by laws. If the House were to act on the principle now recommended, they would have to extend their cares over a very wide field, for there was not a single sport in which animals were concerned that was not productive of cruelty. Mr Martin, in reply, said, that if he could not protect all animals from the cruelty of man, he could not perceive why a portion of them might not be protected. However, he would not press his motion to a division, -for he could not help feeling a tenderness for the House, and a regard for its character.

A motion was brought forward by Mr Hume, for allowing newspapers to be sent to the Colonies free of postage. The present rate of postage was £.12.14s. ayear for a daily paper; and it would be found, that, in proportion as this charge had been increased, the revenue, owing to the lessened number of newspapers sent, had been materially diminished. The Chancellor of the Exchequer stated, that this subject would be matter of consideration for the Commission of Inquiry into the Revenue, and upon that understanding the motion was withdrawn.

27. The Ordnance Estimates for the year were moved by Sir H. Hardinge. Each item was very rigorously scrutini zed by Mr Hume, and, on two of them, that Hon. Member thought it right to divide the House. He observed, that, although Ministers deserved some praise for having laid these Estimates before Parliament, on the present occasion, in a far more intelligible shape than on former years, he could give them no credit for economy in their calculations, The Ordnance Estimates of the present year were three times as great as those of 1792;, did the circumstances of the country warrant this increased expenditure? With respect to the sum proposed for the Expenses of the Barrack Department, he decidedly objected to it.

VOL. XIV.

He proceeded to enumerate several points on which a considerable saving might be effected. Mr Hobhouse lamented the apathy of the people to this system of an enormous standing army, with its expensive and unconstitutional apparatus. Ministers declared that all possible retrenchments had been made, and, on each head, the vote proposed by them was sanctioned by the House.

In a Committee on the Usury Laws, a debate of considerable length took place upon the subject of the proposed repeal. Mr Robertson, Mr Heygate, Mr Calcraft, and Sir R. Heron, opposed the measure, in speeches chiefly recapitulating the ar guments used on a former occasion, and of which we then gave a tolerably full abstract. They maintained that the repeal would unsettle the minds of men, and shake all the securities of the country, -that great mischief would be wrought to the landed proprietors-that the existing mortgage arrangements would be destroyed-and that the experience of all countries had proved such laws to be salutary. On the other hand, these assertions were distinctly denied by Mr Wynn, Captain Maberly, Mr Huskisson, and Mr Baring, who likewise repeated the arguments for the repeal which had been urged in the last debate. The first of these gentlemen, in answer to the authority of Adam Smith, who had been quoted by Mr Heygate, paid the following tribute to a work, which, it is extraordinary enough, had not been at all referred to in the earlier stages of this discussion: “I am not fond of quoting the opinions of Mr Jeremy Bentham; but I must say, that his celebrated work on this subject is one of the most complete and satisfactory answers that ever proceeded from the head of man. It is the most perfect specimen of logical accuracy, in all its parts, that ever was written, and I have it from an authority so high, as to place the fact beyond all doubt, that, on reading it, even Adam Smith confessed himself mistaken." On a division, the Bill for the Repeal passed through the Committee.

March 1.-Mr Abercromby and the Lord Chancellor. This evening an unexpected, but interesting discussion arose on a question of breach of privilege, alleged to have been committed by no less a personage than the Lord High Chancellor of England. The complaint was brought by Mr Abercromby, and related to certain expressions used on the Bench by the Lord Chancellor, and applied to a speech of Mr Abercromby's on Mr J. Williams's motion. The history of the case is briefly this:-In the de

4 K

bate of last week, on Mr Williams's motion for inquiring into Chancery Abuses, Mr Abercromby, the member for Calne, and a practising barrister in the Equity Courts, supported the motion. In the course of his speech, he alluded to the manner in which the decisions of the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor frequently clash, in consequence of the same case being brought into each court upon different evidence. This is the acknowJedged practice upon motions in the Court of Equity. Now it seems that a Morning Paper of Wednesday last, in giving a report of Mr Abercromby's speech, substituted the word decrees for the word motions; hence the whole mis. understanding. The Lord Chancellor had a copy of this erroneous report placed into his hands just before going into court on Saturday morning; where he sees that a charge is made against him of re-hearing the decrees of the ViceChancellor upon fresh evidence. Conscious that he had never done this, when he had taken his seat in the court, he uttered against Mr Abercromby a violent invective; among other things, saying, that the assertion relative to his practice on re-hearing, was an utter falsehood. In consequence of this saying, Mr Abercromby came down to the House this evening, with a motion (as preliminary to some further proceedings) that the short-hand writer, who had taken down the words of Lord Eldon, should be called to the bar. Mr Secretary Canning fully admitted that he did not understand the Hon. and Learned Gentleman (Mr Abercromby) to speak personally of the Lord Chancellor in any one respect; and that if he had been called upon elsewhere to give his opinion upon the speech in question, he should do the Hon. and Learned Gentleman no more than justice in saying that there was nothing in it beyond the fair license of discussion ; and he trusted that the Hon. and Learned Gentleman, having most satisfactorily cleared himself in the eyes of the House and the country, would not press his motion, and thus preclude himself from the substantial satisfaction of knowing, that what he did say would not have excited those feelings in the Lord Chancellor, which were excited merely by a statement of what he had not said. Mr Brougham, Mr Scarlett, Mr Tierney, and Sir J. Mackintosh, contended that the question no longer rested between the Lord Chancellor and Mr Abercromby, and that the privileges of the House must be vindicated. The Solicitor and the Attorney-General maintained that the Noble and Learned Lord had not spoken

against the Hon. Member, but against the erroneous statement published in the Paper; and Mr Secretary Peel strongly urged that the passage complained of in his Noble Friend's speech proceeded from the spur of the moment, whilst under irritated feelings; and that in the expres. sion then used, there was no premeditated intention of violating the privileges of the House, and, above all, no intention of conveying a threat to any profes sional Gentleman. After a short reply from Mr Abercromby, the House divided, and the motion for inquiry was ne gatived by a majority of 151 to 102.

The same evening the Miscellaneous Estimates underwent discussion, in the course of which it was mentioned, that Sir George Beaumont had given his valuable collection of pictures to serve as a foundation for the intended National Gallery; this noble and magnificent donation was the subject of just praise. Among the votes were £.10,000 towards defraying the expense of completing the College of Edinburgh; £25,000 to com. plete the Caledonian Canal ; and £.13,855 for the improvement of Portpatrick harbour.

2.-After some miscellaneous business, Mr Hobhouse, pursuant to notice, moved the following resolution :-" That it appears to this House that the reduction of taxes made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is such as not to give satisfaction to the country-that the window. tax is unjust, unequal, and oppressive, and that the House is of opinion, that from the 5th of April next it ought to be totally repealed." The debate upon this motion was of a very general and miscellaneous nature. The arguments, however, in favour of the repeal of this particular tax may be very briefly stated. The impost upon windows deprived the labouring classes of the light and air so essential to health, and even to existence; it prevented many families, now com. pelled to reside abroad, from living at home; it produced many of the worst diseases, and a good deal (said Mr Maberley) of bad morality; it checked the increase of buildings, the consequent employment of artisans, and an additional consumption of our produce and manufactures. Besides, it was collected in a most inquisitorial and vexatious manner. A tax which produced effects like these was surely the first which ought to be repealed; and yet, according to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the country was to indulge no hope of seeing it removed for the next four years. Various me thods were suggested by the supporters of the motion, in which the deficiency

which the repeal would occasion in the revenue might be supplied. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in opposing the motion, spoke much of the advantages our commerce would derive from that repeal of Taxes which he had himself proposed. As for the Window Tax, it could not possibly be spared, and the means of supplying its place, which had been suggested in the debate, were wholly inadequate for that purpose. In the course of the discussion, allusion having been made to the Sinking Fund, Mr Baring expressed his surprise that anybody could doubt the policy of maintaining such a fund, as a necessary support to the public credit of the country; while Mr Hume, on the other hand, asserted that the benefits conferred by it never amounted to a single shilling, and existed no where but in the imagination of Mr Pitt. Mr Hobhouse's motion was rejected by a considerable majority. In the speech made upon this occasion by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, there is the following passage; "I have not been insensible," said Mr Robinson, "to the amount and effect of the duties up. on law proceedings; and I am now so strongly impressed with a conviction of the infinite evils arising from those du ties, that I have endeavoured to devise some measure by which they may be reduced, and it is with the greatest possible satisfaction that I now state to the House, that these duties may be repealed, without in the slightest degree infringing on the principles of the financial calculation which was last week explained."

4. Some petitions were presented against various taxes, and many against the prolongation of Negro Slavery. One petition was presented against the importation of Foreign Wool, and two or three very strong ones against the im portation of Raw Silk. Several members, connected with the county of Warwick, declared that the intentions of Ministers upon the latter question had created a stagnation in the Silk-Trade beyond all description;-more than five hundred persons had already been thrown out of employment.

Sir Robert Heron asked leave to bring in a bill for preventing the necessity of the renewal of offices on a demise of the Crown. On what principle was it, he demanded, that a large class of meritorious officers were to be taxed to produce a large amount of revenue to the Lord Chancellor and Attorney-General ? If those high officers were not sufficiently paid, let their salaries be augmented in a more regular and less obnoxious manIt was a great hardship to the of

ner.

ficers of the army and navy, to be ohliged to pay large fees on the renewal of their commissions; and yet to do this they were compelled by the existing law.

Mr Canning said, that the proposed measure would effect a great and unde. sirable change in the constitution. He knew of no constitutional principle more sacred than that which threw on the Crown the most pleasing, and took from it the most unpleasing functions. A new Sovereign ought not to have imposed upon him acts of severity and harshness; nor have a Ministry fastened on him who had not received his approbation, unless he had recourse to the ungracious step of instantly dismissing them. Mr Tierney was at a loss to conceive how an act of the Sovereign, by which so many of his subjects were required to pay a heavy fine, could be called an act of grace and favour. Mr Hume and Mr Brougham thought that an important part of the object proposed by this mea sure, namely, that which related to the fees, might be secured without going to the extent of the projected Bill. They recommended that some preliminary in. quiry should be instituted; and Sir Ro bert Heron, adopting this suggestion, agreed to withdraw his motion for the present.

On the second reading of Lord Al thorp's Bill for the more easy recovery of Small Debts, the Attorney-General observed, that the Bill would affect the interests of certain officers in the Courts at Westminster, who having originally bought their places, would be entitled to compensation for any loss they might sustain. Dr Lushington strongly condemned the practice of selling those offices; persons might and did purchase them who had none of the requisite qualities for discharging their various duties. At this very time, one of the offices in the Court of Exchequer was filled by a lady of rank and fashion. Mr Bernal said that a commission, with very ex tensive powers, should be issued, for the purpose of inquiring into the abuses of the Law Courts. Lord Althorp declared, that he could not see why the prin ciple of compensation should enter into the consideration of the subject then be for the House. The Bill was read a second time.

5.-During the earlier part of the evening, a great number of Petitions, upon various subjects, were presented; but those relating to the Silk-Trade constituted the majority. One from the working silk-weavers, bearing twenty-three thousand signatures, was presented by Mr Buxton.