Montrose.-On Saturday last the Magistrates and Council of Montrose were served with a summons of reduction anent the set of the burgh, on the ground of the Crown having exceeded its powers in the granting thereof; which summons also charges the Officers of State as a party, and cites all concerned to appear in the Supreme Court on the 13th October next. The summons bears to be raised at the instance of John Mill, flax-dresser, David Purvis, fish-curer, and others.-Montrose Chronicle.

Edinburgh. By an abstract of the receipt and expenditure of the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse, for the year ending 1st July last, it appears that the receipts were £9037134.; and the expenditure £984697. In the course of the year, 714 persons have resided in the House, whereof 56 have died. The average expense of maintenance of each person is £8.7s. At the above date the state of the debt was for arrears, of poor's money to be collected, £7800; deducting amount of debt due by the House £6160, there remained a balance in favour of the House of £1640.

CIRCUIT INTELLIGENCE.-Jedburgh, Sept. 15.-The only business, either of a criminal or civil nature, with which the Court was occupied, was the trial of John Ward, accused of stealing a silver watch, and who, pleading guilty to the indictment, was sentenced to nine months imprisonment.

Ayr, Sept. 25.-Robert Laughlan was convicted of an aggravated case of assault upon two gentlemen in Stewarton; but the punishment to be inflicted was referred to the High Court of Justiciary.-Allan Carsewell was found guilty of forging a bill for £40, and sentenced to be executed at Ayr. (Sentence since changed to transportation for life.)

Stirling, Sept. 27.-There were thirteen indictments and thirty-one persons indicted :-W. Naismith and another for theft, to be transported for seven years; the trial of John Conner, for theft and housebreaking, was deserted, as he was

fence at Glasgow. John Brown, for falsehood, &c. three months imprisonment. John Mason Campbell, for theft, trans portation for seven years. John M'Innes, for theft, and habit and repute a thief, transportation for seven years. John Turnbull, house-breaking, with intent to steal, imprisonment for twelve months. Alexander Jenkins, assault, not proven. William Ewing, and others, assault, &c.; in consequence of a legal objection on the part of the counsel for the prisoners, certified to be tried before the High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh, on Monday the 19th day of November next; John Clason, perjury, imprisonment six months; Andrew M'Farlane and others, hamesucken, &c. two twelve months imprisonment, the other nine months.-Seldom has evidence more disgusting been laid before a jury than it was the painful duty of the witnesses, four of them females, and of much respectability, to give. A feeling of contempt and abhorrence was manifest through the Court during the whole trial, at the depraved conduct of the prisoners. James Couts and others, assault and deforcement; Couts and other two pleaded guilty of the assault-imprisonment for twelve months; two were outlawed for non-appearance; the diet was deserted against the others pro loco et tempore. Henry Taylor, sheep-stealing, banishment for life; and John Campbell, for having forged notes in his possession, banishment for fourteen years.

Glasgow, Sept. 20, 21, 22.-Roderick Mackenzie, accused of uttering base coin, was outlawed for not appearing.-James Russel, guilty of breaking into the porter's lodge of Wellfield, on the 3d July last, and stealing a gold breast-pin and twelve gilt buttons, sentenced to fourteen years transportation. On leaving the box, he said he thought it was "plenty for a dozen of buttons !"-John Campbell, for a similar offence, Isabella M'Gilvray, or Rhind, for uttering forged notes, and John Brown, for housebreaking and theft, seven years transportation.-Thomas Armour, alias Rentoul, alias Donaldson, and Duncan Graham, for stealing from warehouses, fourteen years transportation.John Smith and William Cain, two boys about thirteen years of age, for stealing from a dwelling-house, to be imprisoned twelve months; and Jean Monteath, or Corgan, for stealing linen from a washing-green, to be imprisoned fifteen months.

-Wardrop Dyer, for breaking into a house in Russell-street, Glasgow, occupied by Mrs Barbara Urquhart (widow of the late Mr M'Culloch, merchant), and

stealing several articles of plate, to be hanged on the 24th of October next.Alexander Christie, guilty of stealing a quantity of lead from the roof of one of the offices of Kelvin-side-house, to be confined to hard labour for eighteen months. Archibald M'Farlane, and Robert Smith, commonly called Baboon, guilty of shoplifting and theft, fourteen years transportation. Walter Meiklejohn, guilty of housebreaking and theft, fourteen years transportation.-William Murray, sailor on board the Louisa, of Santa Cruz, guilty of stealing from the cabin of the said vessel, when lying in Dumbarton, on 9th May, various articles of jewellery, to confinement in Bridewell for twelve months.-James Daly, housebreaking and theft, fourteen years transportation.-Charles Connelly and Agnes M'Lean, or Connelly, stealing from a shop: the former to be transported for seven years, and the latter imprisoned for twelve months.-Jean Jarvis, or MWilliams, for resetting a stolen watch, fourteen years transportation.-William Lee was put to the bar, accused of seducing artificers from this country, principally engaged in the carpet manufactory, and, in particular, of having taken to the United States of America James Mitchell, belonging to the establishment of Robert Thomson and Son, Millfield Dye-work, in Hutchesontown of Glasgow, then a carpet weaver in their employ, all which being contrary to the statute of Geo. II. This case was certified to the High Court of Justiciary.-James Rae, assaulting and stabbing Joseph Zeill, engraver, on the 15th August, fourteen years transportation, and Thomas Bolton, housebreaking and theft, for the same period.

Perth, Sept. 19.-Murder.-Margaret Tindal, or Shuttleworth, from Montrose, was found guilty, on clear circumstantial evidence, of the murder of her husband, Henry Shuttleworth, tavern-keeper there, on the night between the 27th and 28th April last, by fracturing his skull with a poker. She was sentenced to be executed at Montrose on the 2d of November.

The following other convictions took place at this court. John M'Pherson, theft, fourteen years transportation. George Elder, a poor old grey-headed man, sheep-stealing, six months imprisonment. Thomas Pratt, from Cults in Fife, culpable homicide, by driving a cart over a young girl, which bruised her so that she died, one months imprisonment. William M'Donald, formerly whipped through the streets of Perth, theft, fourteen years transportation. Several individuals accused of assault, and one for

falsehood and forgery, were outlawed for non-appearance; and Alexander Morrison, from Comrie, accused of killing, in a scuffle, James M'Isaac, residing at Aberuchil, was acquitted, and dismissed from the bar.

Inverness, Sept. 26, 27, 28.-Sentence of outlawry was pronounced against Ann Mackenzie, alias Roach, from Ross-shire, accused of child-murder, and against her and George Tolmie, her uncle, for incest. Margaret Milne, from Elgin, for concealment of pregnancy, was sentenced to six months imprisonment. Robert Macdonald was indicted for the murder of William Miller, tenant in Myrelandorn, Caithness, by suffocation or some unknown means; and nearly forty witnesses were examined for the prosecution, without bringing home the crime to the pannel, when the public prosecutor, after an investigation which lasted about eight hours, gave up the case. Several individuals, accused of mobbing and rioting, were outlawed for not appearing. Donald Munro, William Munro, and Matthew Water, were accused of mobbing and rioting, and also of violently assaulting, resisting, and obstructing some soldiers, in the discharge of their duty, while recruiting at a market at NorthDen, on the 15th of May last. The Jury found the assault proven, the mobbing not proven, and found them not guilty of the resistance and obstruction. They were sentenced to three months imprisonment, and the Munros to pay each a fine of £.30 Sterling.

OCTOBER.

Aberdeen Circuit, October 3.-George Thom, residing at Hart-hill, parish of Newhills, and county of Aberdeen, was put to the bar, accused of having administered poison to a whole family of the name of Mitchell, with whom he was nearly connected, consisting of two brothers and two sisters of his wife. One of the brothers died in consequence, and the other members of the family have been so disabled, as to leave it doubtful whether they will ever recover so far as to be able to follow their usual occupations. From the evidence, it appeared that the unfortunate family lived at Burnside, in the parish of Keig, and neither the prisoner nor his wife was in the habit of visiting them.The prisoner visited them under the pretence of collecting small debts, though none of the family owed him any thing, and during the night, he left his bed-room, stole into the kitchen, and mixed a quantity of arsenic with the oat-meal intended for the pottage next morning. The Jury

found the pannel guilty by a plurality of voices, and he was sentenced to be executed at Aberdeen the 16th of November next, and his body given to Doctors Skene and Ewing for dissection. William Forbes Duncan was sentenced to confinement in Bridewell for twelve months, for stealing wearing apparel. Grizel Samuel, to twelve months imprisonment for reset of theft.-Alexander Duncan and Samuel Hippisley, to fourteen years transportation, for stealing a silver watch and various articles of wearing apparel.-Robert Fleming alias Lorimer, and Robert Watt, accused of housebreaking, were dismissed from the bar, owing to an error in the indictment. Roderick Wishart, accused of an assault, with intent to commit a rape, was found guilty, in terms of his own confession, and sentenced to transportation for seven years. James Simmers, a young lad, from the parish of Methlick, accused of culpable homicide, in having, by ill treatment, occasioned the death of a boy named James Calder, who had been a herd in the service of his brother, George Simmers, at Bracklay of Methlick, was acquitted of the charge, after several witnesses were examined.

The Beacon.-A weekly newspaper bearing this title was established in Edinburgh in the beginning of the present year, with the avowed object of supporting the measures of Government; but it soon began to devote its columns to the defamation of private characters, particularly of the leading Whig noblemen and gentlemen of Scotland. This system of personal abuse had given rise to several actions at law; and on the 15th of August last, a very unpleasant rencounter took place on the streets of Edinburgh, between Mr James Stuart, W. S. and Mr Duncan Stevenson, the printer of the paper. It had its origin in the insertion of an article in the Beacon, which Mr Stuart conceived to reflect upon his honour and character. Mr Stuart demanded to know the author, and Mr Stevenson referred him to a Mr John Nimmo, as editor of the paper; but he being known to be a journeyman compositor in Mr Stevenson's office, Mr Stuart refused to recognise him. This person, however, wrote to Mr Stuart, stating that he was authorised to give up the name of the writer of the article, on the condition that Mr Stuart meant only to seek the satisfaction usual in such cases, (meaning a challenge). After a long correspondence between the first-named parties, and much unsuccessful discussion, Mr Stuart made an attack on Mr Steven

son, in the Parliament-square, with a horse-whip, which Mr Stevenson retaliated with a cane. The parties were speedily separated; and Mr Stevenson, in the course of the day, demanded from Mr Stuart the satisfaction customary in such cases. This was refused by Mr Stuart, on the ground, that, as the servile instrument of a partnership of slander," he was unworthy of receiving the satisfaction of a gentleman. Mr Stevenson replied on the following day, by stating, that he should forthwith post Mr Stuart as" a coward and scoundrel;" and he put his threat into execution accordingly. Next day, both parties were bound over by the Sheriff, to keep the peace for twelve months.

Mr Stuart, however, seemed determined not to let the matter rest here; and having learned that the Lord Advocate, with several other professional and pri vate gentlemen, had signed an obligation to a considerable amount, to support the Beacon, he, in September last, wrote to his Lordship, that he held him responsible for the calumnies alluded to, and called upon him for a formal disavowal of them, transmitting to him, at the same time, the numbers of the papers containing the attacks. The Lord Advocate declined perusing the numbers sent to him, or giving an opinion as to the articles alluded to, whilst certain proceedings were pending against the editor.-He intimated, however, that the subscribers to the bond intended to declare their approval only of the political principles of the Beacon, and never had it in contemplation that the paper was to become the vehicle of attack upon private character; that, as to himself personally, he had no concern in the conduct of the paper, and neither the articles complained of, nor any other in it, had received his sanction or approval. This explanation not being deemed satisfactory, several other letters were interchanged, and, at length, the Lord Advocate expressly disavowed all sanction and approbation of the attacks on the character and honour of Mr Stuart," in Nos. 30, 31, 33, 34, and 35, or in any other number of the Beacon." The correspondence between his Lordship and Mr Stuart having been published separately, and in most of the newspapers, the result was, that on the 21st ult. the pecuniary supporters of the Beacon withdrew their bond from the bank. The Earl of Hopetoun also gave notice, that he was to withdraw his frank from the paper after the 1st October. These proceedings proved a death-blow to the Beacon, which ceased to be pub

lished after the 22d of September. The discovery of the bond was nearly leading to more serious consequences; for if report be true," Mr James Gibson, W. S. one of those who had been grossly calumniated in the Beacon, had thought proper to make such a demand upon Sir Walter Scott, as he could only be prevented from answering in a similar hostile spirit, by the interference of a common friend, Lord Lauderdale."

Balloon ascension.-On Tuesday the 2d instant, Mr Green, the aeronaut, made a very providential escape from drowning. He had ascended in his balloon from Brighton, and the wind blowing to the eastward, he was soon driven, when at a great height, over the sea. Between three and four o'clock, about three leagues from the shore, one of the packets from Dieppe, having been driven out of her direct course by the wind, observed the balloon and Mr Green drop into the sea. A boat was instantly put off, and Mr Green was taken on board in a state of insensibility, having been dragged at a great rate through the water for upwards of twenty minutes. The balloon was torn to tatters by the wind and waves.

11.-Methodists. The next Conference of Wesleyan Methodists is to be held in London, on the last Wednesday in July 1822. That in Ireland on the first Friday in the same month. The following is the statement of the numbers this year in the Society :

Friendly Societies.-The following important case to Friendly Societies was decided in Brechin, on Saturday the 6th instant, by James Carnegy, Esq. of Balnamoon, and William Allardice, Esq. of Muelingden, Justices of Peace:-" A majority of the Gardeners' Society voted part of their funds to purchase a flag, which was protested against, and submitted to the Justices, by whom it was found, that the funds of the Society could only be applied to the support of Members, and that the Master and Treasurer should refund the money paid out for the

Murder.-On Monday the 8th, in the parish of Crathie, Braemar, a young woman residing with her aged mother, a widow, who had been long bed-rid, was found barbarously murdered in the house, her throat being cut in the most shocking manner. From the reported intimacy between the parties, and other circumstances which, in the present stage of the business, it would be improper to enter upon, suspicion fell upon a young man of the name of Robert Mackintosh, who, after undergoing an examination before some of the Justices in that neighbourhood, was brought to Aberdeen and lodged in jail.

То

20.-Edinburgh School of Arts.-This institution, which has been projected and patronized by a number of public-spirited gentlemen in Edinburgh, was opened for the first time on Tuesday last. The great objects of the institution is to supply, at such an expence as a working tradesman can afford, instruction in the various branches of science which are of practical application to mechanics in their several trades, so that they may better comprehend the reason for each individual operation that passes through their hands, and have more certain rules to follow than the mere imitation of what they may have seen done by others. carry these objects into effect, the directors have engaged Dr Fyfe, jun. to lecture on chemistry, and Mr Galbraith on mechanical philosophy; and Mr Milne, architect, and Mr Dick, veterinary surgeon, have commenced lectures on these arts gratis. A valuable library has also been provided, from which the students get such books as may be useful in their various pursuits; and a reading-room is attached to the school, where those who cannot so conveniently read at home may retire to pursue their studies in comfort and quiet. The school was opened on Tuesday, when Leonard Horner, Esq. the Secretary, delivered an introductory address, describing the objects of the institution; and Dr Fyfe afterwards delivered his first lecture on chemistry. The price of a student's ticket is only fifteen shillings for the season, which also gives a right to the library; and the value which the artisans of Edinburgh put upon the liberal and beneficent exertions of their fellow-citizens in the upper ranks of life, could not have been better proved, than by the numbers which appeared at the opening of the school, to take advantage of the benefits it holds out to them. The number on the first night

was nearly 300, and in the few following days of the week it increased to about 400, the full number which it is intended to admit.

Visit of the King to Hanover.-On the 24th of September his Majesty embarked at Ramsgate, in order to visit his continental dominions. On the same evening his Majesty landed at Calais, and passing through Lisle, Brussels, Aix-laChapelle, Desseldorff, and Mindun, he entered his German dominions on the 5th instant, by way of Glandorf, and arrived at Osnaburg at half-past five in the evening. His Majesty honoured the theatres of Calais and Brussels with his presence. At every stage and step of his journey, the King was received with the most enthusiastic expressions of plea sure. At every village through which it was expected his Majesty would pass, in his Hanoverian dominions, arches were constructed, and the people appear. ed anxious to rival each other in testify ing their affection to a Sovereign, whose name and family are connected with their fondest associations. At Glandorf, the landlord of the inn, who is also the post master, had got ready a suit of antiqua ted uniform, in which he intended to ap. pear before his Majesty. He said he would present his Royal Master with wine of 120 years old, poured out in a gold cup, and expressed his earnest hope that his Majesty would condescend to accept the libation. His daughter, who attended in the room with some refresh ments, on seeing an English gentleman tender a sovereign in payment, immediately snatched it from his hand, when she understood that it was stamped with the likeness of the King. Fixing her eyes upon it with a look of ecstatic de light, she contemplated it for a few mo. ments, and then, after pressing it three or four times to her lips, declared she would not part with it as long as she lived. Surprised at the emotion she be trayed, the gentleman asked if she had never seen the coin before? and she re plied, that this was the first time she 66 saw the likeness of the good King of Hanover." At Munster, the postboys had a desperate contention for the honour of driving his Majesty's carriage. One of them, who was a fellow of some humour, said, that "the King of Prussia, when he passed through, did not provoke such angry feelings among them, as they would all have been very well content to let any one who pleased drive his Majesty to the d-k" His Majesty arrived at Hanover, in high health and spirits, on the evening of the 8th instant.

The town was all life and splendour; the streets were illuminated, the guns fired, the bells rung, and the population flocking from all sides towards the bar. rier through which his Majesty entered; all appeared animated with the most loyal and affectionate enthusiasm. During his Majesty's absence from Britain, the executive administration was vested in "Lords Justices," consisting of his Royal Highness the Duke of York, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Cabinet Ministers.

Caledonian Canal.-By the 18th report of the Parliamentary Commissioners, which has now made its appearance, we learn, that the bottom of Loch Ness is 70 fathoms deeper than any part of the Murray Frith, and 40 fathoms deeper than any part of the North Sea between Inverness and Jutland.--In dredging between Doughfour and Loch Ness, in order to deepen the channel, buried trunks of large trees have been brought up; two specimens lie on the shore, one weighing nearly three tons, the other upwards of seven tons.-Loch Ness is twenty-three miles in length, and at the head of it is situated Fort Augustus; thus far inland navigation has been practicable for the last three years, and the traffic has been greater than was anticipated; during the last twelve months 327 voyages inward have taken place, of 15,326 tons measurement, and the same vessels have exported a great quantity of timber. The total expence incurred since October 1803, is £.860,000. The sum of £. 24,000 is in hand for the prosecution of the work, which will open a passage through the canal.

26.-Dreadful Catastrophe.-On Tues. day morning the 23d instant, about eight o'clock, another of those awful catastrophes, which, within these few years, it has too often been our melancholy duty to mention, occurred at Carville colliery, near Newcastle. The pit had been reopened for working about eight weeks, by the owners of the adjoining colliery of Walls End. The workmen employed in it had been selected as the very prime, from the whole of the extensive works of the owners, and the ventilation was considered as complete as that of any mine on the river. We understand that there is a band (i. e. a stratum of stone) in the coal, and that it was necessary to use candles in blasting it. However that may be, at the time above mentioned, when 55 persons were in the mine, an explosion of hydrogen gas took place, which killed 52 of them, dreadfully burned two others, one of whom is since dead,