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THE

EDINURGH ANNUAL REGISTER,

Foe 1813.

I c):j '

/i '/Li.

7371^ ' ,

THE

EDINBURGH

ANNUAL REGISTER,

For 1813,

VOL. SIXTH. PARTS I. AND 11.

EDINBURGH

]0tinteD B; James IBallantpie anS (To.

FOR JOHN BALLANTTNE AND CO. EDINBURGH ;

LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, LONDON;

AND THE OTHER PROPRIETORS.

1815.

2
BUS

CONTENTS.

CHAP. I.

PAGE.

MeetiDg of Parliament. Prince Regent's Speech on opening the Session. Debates
on the Address. Sir Francis Burdctt's Motion concerning the Regency, - 1

CHAP. ir.

Parliamentary Proceedings continued. Vice Chancellor's Bill. Sir Samuel Ro-
milly's Bills for improving the Criminal Law, - • - - 28

CHAP. III.

Domestic Affairs continued. State of the Finances. Mr Yansittart's new Plan of Fi-
nance. Objections urged against it. Army Estimates. English aud Irish Budgets, 48

CHAP. IV.

The Princess of Wales. Her Letter to the Prince Regent. Proceedings of Parlia>
ment on this Subject, ,«^- - - - - - 75

CHA,P. V.

Affairs of Ireland. Discussion of the Catholic Question in Parliament. Conduct of
the Irish Catholics, ^......95

CHAP. VI.

American Affairs. Declaration of the British Government of the Causes and Origin
of the War with America. Discussions in Parliament on the Subject. Events of
the War, ... . - , . - 108

vi CONTENTS.

CHAP. VII.

PAGE.

Affaire of India. General View of the Heasoos for restricting the Monopoly enjoyed
by thr Kaet-lndia i ompaoy. Sketch of the Limitatioas under which the CWv^r
-not renewed by Parliament, . - - - . - 1^4

CHAP. VIII.

Spanish Affairs. Preparations made for opening the Campaign. Rapid Progress of
the Allied Armies. Battle of Vittoria, - - • - - 139

CHAP. IX. ''"

Spanish Affaire continued. Rapid Progress of the Allied Armies. St Sebastian ^nd
Pampluna invested. Digreesioo as to the Defects of the British Army in conducting
Sieges, .--- -m^.-ISS

CHAP. X.

Operation^ of the Anglo-Sicilian Army in the East of Spain. Sir John Murray un-
dertakes the Siege of Tarragona, which he afterwards raises abruptly. Lord Wil-
liam Bentinck takes the Command of the Army, > . . - 167

CHAP. XI.

Spanish Affairs continued. Battles of the Pyrenees. Fall of St Sebastian— of Pam-
pluna. Invasion of France by the British Army, - • - - 185

CHAP. XII.

State of Affairs in the North. Progress of the Russian Armies after the Expulsion of
the French from the Empire. Prussia joins the Alliance against France. Prepa-
rations of the French for resuming Military Operations^ « > - 199

CHAP. XIII.

Progress of the War. Buonaparte takes the Command of the French Armies. Bat-
tle uf Lutzen. Battle of Bautzen, and Retreat of the Allies. The combined Ar-
mies retire, and Buonaparte enters Dresden, - - - - $16

CHAP. XIV.

Policy of Sweden. Dissensions betwixt that Power and France. The Swedish Go^
vemaent abandons the Continental System, and joins the Alliance of the European
Powere, -----••- 233

CHAP. XV.

An Armistice concluded by the Intervention of Austria. Proposals for a Congress.
The Armistice denounced, and Austria joins the Allies. Movements of the Armies.
Success of Blucber and of the Crown Prince. Repulse of an Attack on Dresden, 243

CONTENTS.

vli

CHAP. XVI.

FAOB.

Grand Movement of the Allied Armies. Decisive Battle of Leipzig, and Rout of
the French. Their Flight to the Rhine. The Combined Armies pass the French
Frontier, _---- ....207

CHAP. XVII.

Affairs of Holland. Causes and Progress of the Revolution. Restoration of the Prince
of Orange, - -•--.--- 283

Reflections on the Introduction of Trial by Jury, in Civil Causes, into Scotland, - 302

Chrowicle, containing brief Accounts of the various Public Occurrences of the

Year, - ------ i— iclviii

Appendix I.— Gazettes, - - - - • • clxii

——II. — State Papers, - - - - - - cczxxi

Public Accounts of Great Britain and Ireland, - - - cccxv

Liiit of Patents, .---- . ., cccxzzi

Statement of the Emperor Kea King, received at Canton, Nov. 8, I8IS9 - cccxxzii

ORIGINAL POETRY.

The Dance of Death, by Walter Scott, Esq. • • . . cccxxzv

Romance of Dunois, ----.-- cccxxxix

Song, for the Anniversary Meeting of the Pitt Club of Scotland, - - cccxi

The Ettricke Garland ; being two excellent new Songs on the Lifting of the

Banner of the House of Buccleuch, at a great Foot-ball Match on Carterhaugh, cccxil
Helen of Kirkconnell, - - - - - - cccxliii

Imitation of Horace — 22d Ode, by Allan Ramsay, Junior, - - cccxlv

Stanzas, - ---_.... cccxlvi

Sonnet to a Lady caressing an Infant, - . . . » ccczlvii

The London General Bill of Mortality,

Lists of Births, Marriages, and Deaths,

List of Promotions,

New Publications for 1813,

Index, - •

cccxlix

cocl

ccclxi

♦i

♦xxv

(

THE

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

TOL, VI. PAHT ft

LIST OF THE PRINCE REGENT'S MINISTERS,
As it stood at the opening of the Nexv Parliament i November 24-, 1812."

CABINET MINISTERS.

Earl of Harrowby Lord President of the Council.

Lord Eldon Lord High Chancellor.

Earl of Westmoreland Lord Privy Seal.

Earl of Liverpool . • . . . • {^*Mintur').°'^ '*"' "^'"'"^ ^^"'"'

Right Hon. Nicholas Van.ittart . . V Chancellor and Under-Treasurer of

^ J^ the llxchequer.

Lord Viscount Melville .... First Lord of the Admiralty.
Earl Mulgrave Master- General of the OrdnancQ.

Lord Viscount Sidmouth .... I '^''"'^^^'^Y °J State for the Home Dc

\ partment.

Lord Viscount Castlereagh . . . j^'^^*,!*^ °^ ^'*'^ ^°' ^°"'S" "'^^■

EarlBathurst CSecretary of State for the Department

(^ 01 War and the Colonies.
•v»Ji «f -p T • v 1 • (President of the Board of Controul

EarlofBuckmghamshire . . . .| for the Affairs of India.

•Right Hon. Charles Bathurst . . JChanceUor of the Duchy of Lan-
° \ caster.

Right Hon. George Rose .... Treasurer of the Navy.

Earl of Clancarty President of the Board of Trade.

Right Hon. F. J. Robinson , . . Vice-President of the Board of Trade,
Right Hon. Charles Long . . .1 Joint Paymaster - General of the
Lord Charles Somerset ... .J Forces.

EarlofSandwTch' .* .*.'!! ;} Joint Postmaster- General.

Viscount Palmerston Secretary at War.

Right Hon. Charles Arbuthnot . .7 o *. • r.i. rr.
Richard Wharton, Esq | Secretaries of the Treasury.-

Sir William Grant ...... Master of the Rolls.

Sir Thomas Plumcr ...... Attorney-General.

Sir William Garrovr . . . ( , Solicitor- General.

IN THE MINISTRY OF IRELAND.

Duke of Richmond Lord Lieutenant.

Lord Manners Lord High Chancellor.

Right Hon, Robert Peel .... Chief Secretary.

Rj^ht lion. W. Fitzgerald . . . Chancellor of the Exchequer.

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

For 18]3.

CHAPTER L

Meeting of Parliament.— Prince Regent* s Speech on opening the Session,-^
Debates on the Address, — Sir Francis Burdett*s Motion concerning the
Regency.

The new parliament met on the 24th
of November, 1812. After the usual
formalities had been gone through,
the Prince Regent, on the SOth of
the same month, pronounced from the
throne a speecli which embraced a
comprehensive view of the great events
of the year.

His royal highness stated, that he
had been induced to take the earliest
opportunity of meeting his parlia-
ment after the late elections ; and he
was persuaded they would cordially
participate in the satisfaction, which
he derived from the improvement of
the state of pubHc affairs during the
course of the year. That the valour
displayed by his majesty*s forces, and
those of his allies, in the peninsula, on
so many occasions during the last
campaign, and the consummate skill
with which the operations had been

conducted by general the Marquis of
WelHngton, had led to consequences
of the utmost importance to the com-
mon cause. By transferring the war
into the interior of Spain, and by the
glorious and ever-memorable victory
obtained at Salamanca, he had com-
pelled the enemy to raise the siege of
Cadiz ; and the southern provinces of
the kingdom had been thus delivered
from the armies of France. Although
his royal highness could not but re-
gret that the efforts of the French,
combined with a view to one great
operation, had rendered it necessary
to withdraw from the siege of Bur-
gos, and to evacuate Madrid, for the
purpose of concentrating the main
body of the allied forces ; these efforts
of the enemy had however been at-
tended with important sacnfices on
his part, which must materially con»

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 1.

tribute to extend the resources and fa-
cilitate the exertions of the Spanish
nation. His royal highness expressed
his firm reliance on the determinjition
of parliament to continue every aid in
support of a contest which had first
given to the continent of Europe, the
example of persevering and successful
resistance to the power of France, and
on which not only the liberties of the
nations of the peninsula, but the best
interests of his majesty's dominions es-
sentially depended.

The restoration of peace betwixt
his majesty and the courts of St Pe-
tersburgh and Stockholm was an-
nounced, and copies of the treaties were
laid before parliament. The exertions
of the Russian empire were highly ap-
plauded. By the magnanimity of its
emperor, by the zeal and disinterest-
edness of all ranks of his subjects, by
the firmness and intrepidity of his
forces, the presumptuous expectations
of the enemy had been signally disap-
pointed. The enthusiasm of the Rus-
sian people had increased with the dif-
ficulties of the contest, and the dan-
gers with which they were surround-
ed. They had submitted to sacrifices
of which there are few examples in the
history of the world — A confident
hope was expressed by his royal high-
ness, that the determined perseverance
of his imperial majesty would be
crowned with ultimate success ; and
that this contest, in its result, would
have the effect of establishing, upon a
foundation never to be shaken, the se-
curity and independence of the Rus-
sian empire. The proof of confidence
which his royal highness had received
from his imperial majesty, who had re-
cently sent his fleets to the ports of
this country, was in the highest degree
gratifying ; and it was added, that his
imperial majesty might rely on the
fixed determination of his royal high-
ness to afford him the most cordial

support in the great contest in which
he was engaged.

The conclusion of a supplementary
treaty with the regency of Sicily, the
object of which was to provide for the
more extensive application of the mili-
tary force of the Sicilian government
to offensive operations, was also an-
nounced ; this measure, combined with
the liberal principles now happily pre-
vailing in the councils of his Sicilian
majesty, was calculated to augment
his power and resources, and, at the
same time, to render them essentially
serviceable to the common cause.

The declaration of war by the go-
vernment of the United States of Ame-
rica, was said, in the speech, to have
been made under circumstances which
might have afforded a reasonable ex-
pectation, that the amicable relations
betwixt the two nations would not long
be interrupted ; but the conduct and
pretensions of the American govern-
ment had hitherto prevented the con-
clusion of any pacific arrangement. The
measures of hostility, on the part of A-
merica, had been principally directed
against the adjoining British pro-
vinces, and every effort had been made
to seduce the inhabitants of them
from their allegiance to his majesty.
The proofs, however, of loyalty and
attachment received from his majesty's
subjects in North America, were high-
ly satisfactory. The attempts of the
enemy to invade Upper Canada, had
not only proved abortive, but, by the
judicious arrangements of the govern-
or-general, and by the skill and deci-
sion with which the military operations
had been conducted, the forces of the
enemy assembled for that purpose in
one quarter, had been compelled to
capitulate, and in another had been
completely defeated. The best efforts
of his royal highness should not be
wanting for restoring the relations of
peace and amity between the tv/o

Chap. 1.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

countries; but until tbif object could
be attained, without sacrificing the
maiitime rights of Great Britain, he
relied upon the cordial support of
parliament in a vigorous prosecution
of ilic war.— *-The prince concluded
by stating, that the approaching ex-
piration of the charter of the East In-
dia company, rendered it necessaiy
that the early attention of parliament
should be called to the propriety of
providing for the future government
of the Indian provinces of the Bri-
tish empire.

A very wide field of discussion was
entered into by the members of both
houses of parhament, when the ad-
dress was moved ; and a comprehen-
sive survey was taken of the state of
public affairs. Athough men of all
parties approved of the general spirit
which pervaded the addrets (which
was of course an echo of the speech,)
the alleged practical errors of admi-
nistration were the subject of severe
censure. — It was admitted, indeed,
that the address would have been
most unsatisfactory, had it, with re-
spect to the great contest in the pe-
ninsula, or the cause in which the
Emperor of Russia was engaged, as-
sumed in any degree a lower tone
than that which pervaded it. ** No-
thing less, it was observed, was de-
manded by the interests of the coun-
try, by a proper zeal for our own ho-
nour, or by a true regard to the wel-
fare of our allies, embarked in the
same great cause with ourselves. The
»peech from the throne anticipated
wisdom, firmness, and prudence, from
parliament on the present trying oc-
casion, when the eye« of Europe, nay,
of the world, were fixed upon us.
There was nothing novel in this lan-
guage to be sure, but there was the
most splendid novelty m the circum-
stances to which it was applied. Par-
liament would exercise the same wis-
dom, it would evince the same perse-

verance, it would display the same
firmness, especially on the great ques-
tion of the war in the peninsula, as it
had hitherto shewn. That country,
it was remarked, at this moment natu-
rally excited the most lively interest —
for great as the triumphs achieved
there had been, they were not unche-
quered by misfortune. But, as it was
certainly the highest mark of wisdom
to persevere, with reasonable grounds
of hope, in the face of danger and
difficulty, so it was the highest cha-
racter of firmness to meet the tide of
success without intoxication, to ana-
lyze the grounds upon which it de-
pended, and from that analysis, care-
fully and cautiously pursued, to de-
duce one general and consistent ground
of public action. Even if our success
had been general and unqualified, a
wise man would say to those who re-
presented an enlightened nation, to
those who were prepared and anxious
to do their duty — be not led away by
this success — be not intoxicated with
it — let not its lustre so dazzle your fa-
culties, that you perceive neither
whence it originated, how it may be
rendered permanent, nor to what ulti-
mate objects it may be applied > We
had, indeed, done much in Spain ; but,
what still remained to be done ? And
thai question naturally led to a review
of the events which had taken place
there, since the time when Lord Wel-
lington was before Badajoz. From
the very commencement of the strug-
gle in the peninsula, the only solid
ground of success, the only practical
system of resistance which cou'd be
adopted, was to awaken in the people
of Spain a spirit of hostihty to France,
and to succour and aid that hostility
upon a broad and extensive scale of
operations. With our force and re-
sources properly directed in that way,
great advantages might be expected,
and final triumph be ensured. It was,
indeed, very clear, that the rul«r of

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. L

France never would desist from his
object, till some overwhelming force
should interrupt the career of his am-
bition. If the Spanish people could
once bring thcmsf Ives to feel that there
was no evil to be put in competition
for a moment with that of submission
to the government of France ; that
loss of property, loss of relations, loss
of all that was dear to them, loss of
life itself, was small and insignificant,
compared to that tremendous and
overwhelming calamity — submission
to France ; if they could be brought
to this pitch of patriotism and resist-
ance, every thing might then be hoped
from th^ contest. Our efforts co-ope-
rating with this general feeling, might
have been productive of the greatest
benefits. The person who now ruled
over the destinies of France would,
were such a system pursued, either
find himself, by the success of our
arms, reduced to the necessity of a-
bandoning the cause ; or his ambi-
tion, leading him to exert all his mears
and energies in this one quarter, would
rouse his eecret enemies in other parts
of Europe, who would seize the op-
portunity of his reverses in Spain, to
shake off his yoke. He would then
be compelled to divide his forces ; and
a prospect of more easy success to our
efforts in the peninsula would be open-
ed.— Such it was said was the view
which ought to be taken of the con-
test in Spain, and with regard to the
spirit of universal hostility in the Spa-
nish people, which was so essential to
success, that had been produced in its
fullest force in the course of last year.
The success of the British arms in
Spain had moreover been felt and con-
sidered in Russia as the salvation of
that country ; had it not been for our
triumphs in the peninsula the leader
of France would have been able to di-
rect a military force against Russia,
8o vast and overwhelming as to pre-
clude the hope of successful resist-

ance. But was not all this foreseen,
and was not this the very basis on
which the system to be pursued in our
present situation should be founded ?
What then followed from this view of
the subject ? The moment it was
known that such efforts were making
in Russia, the moment it was known
that resistance was commencing on
the one side, ought we not to have
made every effort on the other,—
ought we not to have strained all the
resources of the country to their very
utmost ; and if we were honest in our
professions respecting the common
cause, ought we not to have seized
the momentous crisis which had oc-
curred, to strike one grand and deci-
sive blow ?

" It became a great question there-
fore, whether the system of policy
which had hitherto been pursued was
founded upon just and extended prin-
ciples ; whether an able and efficient
direction of our resources had been
made ; whether such means as the
country possessed had been fully em-
ployed ; and whether, upon the whole,
the result had been such as the nation
had a right to expect, from the pos-
session of those means, and the just
application of them. — The true and
legitimate object of the contest was,
the expulsion of the French armies
from Spain : this was the plain and
practical view of the matter ; it was
intelligible to all; and it became ne-
cessary to enquire what had been done
in the course of the year towards
its accomplishment, compared with
what might have been done if our re-
sources had been properly, wisely, and
efficiently employed. Now the war in
the peninsula had been carried on in a
way totally inadequate to the accom-
phshment of the only practical object
of the contest. Let us look back to
the period of the reduction of Bada-
joz — the beginning of April last. At
that time the great general who com-

Chap. 1.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

manded our armies in Spain having re-
duced that important fortress, his next
step, it was natural to suppose, espe-
cially at that season of the year, would
be to expel the French from the south
of Spain. But why did he not do so ?
Because his means were deficient ; be-
i^ cause he was under the necessity of
P abandoning his object — that of march-
ing against Soult, and raising the siege
of Cadiz, his resources being inade-
quate ; and he was under the necessity
of marching northward with his army,
because in the north of Spain there
was no force which he could leave suf-
ficient to check the progress of Mar-
mont. To the north he accordingly
did proceed, and there he was, from
the operation of the same causes, com-
pelled to remain on the frontiers of
Spain till the 13th of June, and by
that time Marmont's army was in such
a state, from the accession of reinforce-
ments, that it became doubtful whe-
ther the British commander could safe-
ly advance. But why did he remain
inactive so long ? Because his means
of advancing were insufficient ; because
he wanted money, and supplies of every
sort ; because he had not the common
means of transport to convey his artil-
ler)\ At last, however. Lord Wel-
lington advanced without a battering
train, not because he thought it unne-
cessary for the success of his military-
operations, but because he literally had
not the means of transporting it. Af-
ter Lord Wellington did advance, what
was his real situation ? He had advan-
ced because he expected powerful co-
operation on the other side of the pe-
ninsula, agreeably to the plan concert-
ed with him even when he was before
Badajoz. He must have expected the
assistance of this force, therefore, at
the time of his advance into Spain ;
for, had he not so expected it, his ad-
vance into that country would have
been unjustifiable, even though success
had ultimately attended his progress.

It was certain, however, that he re-
mained a considerable time on the fron-
tier, waiting for intelligence of the ar-
rival of this co-operating force, but
waiting in vain ; he then advanced,
still confident in his hope that it would
arrive in time to make a strong diver-
sion in his favour. But he soon disco-
vered (as every one knew) the army of
Marmont to be much more numerous
than he had expected. Nor was that all
he found ; he learned that Suchet had
detached a corps to unite with Joseph's
army, which made his force efficient
to co-operate with the army under
Marmont. What was the consequence?
On the 17th of July, five days before
the battle of Salamanca, Lord Wel-
lington commanded, not a feigned, but
a real retreat ; and this retreat he con-
tinued during the 18th, i9th, 20th,
21st, and till late in the day of the
22d. But why did he retreat ? Why
did this great general retreat ? Because
his means were inadequate. He had
no money ; he had not even i^O,0(X)
dollars in his military chest. The
richest brigade in the army did not
possess more than 3000 dollars ; and
what were the means left to this de-
serted general to recruit his finances ?
Forty thousand dollars had been sent
to Cadiz for the use of the Spaniards i
these he was forced to intercept, and
apply to the exigencies of the British
army. Upon a fair comparison of his
force with that of Marmont, and ta-
king into calculation the reinforce-
ments so lately received by Joseph's
army from Marshal Suchet, which the
latter would have been unable to spare
if the Sicilian expedition had arrived
in due time on the eastern coast of
Spain, Lord Wellington deemed it
most prudent to retreat. Here was a
proof that his means were inadequate ;
and this deficiency of force arose chief-
ly, if not entirely, from the tardy and
ineffectual co-operation of the Siciliaa
expedition.

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S13. [Chap. 1.

« The next step in tracing the pro-
gress of Lord Wellington led to a
period full of glory and renown — the
battle of Salamanca. But from what
circumstances did that battle arise ?
Did it arise out of his efficiency, or ost
of his necessity ? it arose from the
magnificence, the splendour, the great-
ness of his talents. He struck the
enemy with his spear the moment he
saw an opening. But was the unex-
pected coincidence, out of which such
freat events arose, a solid ground to
uild a system of policy upon ? Lord
Wellington's talents, indeed, were a
firm and secure rock, on which any
hopes, any expectations, however great,
however exalted, might be founded ;
but it ill became statesmen to calculate
upon chances and occasions presenting
themselves for success in operations,
upon the prosperous issue of which so
much depended. Did the ministers
mean to say, that their system was
raised solely upon the matchless abili-
ties of their general, and upon the er-
rors of the enemy ? Did they mean to
affirm, that all their plans amounted
only to this ? The battle of Salaman-
ca was certainly productive of great
events ; the evacuation of the south of
Spain ; the raising of the siege of Ca-
diz, and the occupation of Madrid by
our troops. But did it secure these
advantages ? Were they permanent ?
Was Lord Wellington able to pursue
Marmont ? No. He was not able to
do that, which so obviously he ought
to have done, because Joseph's army,
reinforced by the corps from Suchet,
was hanging on his flank, and after-
wards on his rear. It was necessary
to disperse that army. He did so,
and entered Madrid. Could he then
march southward to pursue the career
of his conquests ? No. He found that
the corps which he had so lately de-
feated, the army over which he had so
recently triumphed, was strong again,
and he was compelled to direct his

course to the north once more, to meet
them. Then followed the siege of
Burgos ; and so far from considering
as a disappointment the failure of Lord
Wellington in his attempt to reduce
that fortress, madness alone could have
supposed that a fortress of such a de-
scription should be reduced by a few
guns. Lord Wellington's means were
confessedly inadequate to the object,
according to all the established rules
of war.

** Again, when it was understood,
so far back as the month of June last,
that Lord WelHngton was advancing
into Spain, could ministers fail to dis-
cover, that France, being engaged in
a war with Russia, must necessarily
detach a great part of her force to that
quarter of Europe ; and that now was
the moment, not only in reference to
that event, but also to the temper of
the Spanish nation, to send out suffi-
cient reinforcements to enable his lord-
ship to proceed upon a lar^e and effec-
tive scale of operations ? Without such
reinforcements, it was manifestly im-
prudent to advance into Spain. But
now was Lord WelHngton reinforced ?
On the 'ilst of October he thought it
necessary to retire from Burgos ; on
the 25th he saw the French army, and
we knew from his dispatches it was
greatly superior to his own force, espe-
cially in cavalry, an arm so important
to military operations in that country.
On the 25th of October, therefore,
that army which Lord Wellington had
conquered on the plains of Salamanca,
— that army which he had driven be-
fore him on that memorable day, with
a grandeur of military achievement
which the language of history or po-
etry could never equal, and which
ranked him among the most renowned
generals of this or any other age, —
that army had received strong and effi-
cient reinforcements since the battle of
Salamanca, and was now enabled to
turn upon its pursuers. Where were

Chap. 1.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

Lord Wellington's reinforcements du-
ring the same period ? Scattered every-
where : some in port at home, some
on the ocean, and some landed at too
great a distance to be of any use.
Fifteen hundred men reached him on
the 24?th, four days after he had begun
his retreat. Where were the others ?
One regiment advanced as far as Bene-
vento, and was forced to retreat again
to the frontiers. Two regiments were
landed at Corunna, and were re-em-
barked for Lisbon, where they might
probably arrive in time to reach Lord
Wellington at the commencement of
the next campaign.

" Such was the state of the war in
the peninsula, — such the manner in
which it had been conducted, — and it
might be asked, whether, if the same
exertions had been made by the mini-
sters of this country as were made by
the enemy, Lord Wellington might
not have been able to prosecute to
their full extent his operations against
Burgos ? — Now for the Sicilian expe-
dition, as it had been denominated.
The plan of that expedition had been
concerted with Lord Wellington when
he was before Badajoz. In conse-
quence of the improved fortune of our
affairs in Italy, it was thought that a
part of our force might be spared from
that quarter to co- operate with our
armies in Spain ; and, if it had arrived
at the proper season on the south east
coast of that country, at the period
when Lord Wellington fully expected
it, Suchet would have been utterly un-
able to detach a corps to reinforce
Joseph's army : Joseph, indeed, must
have hastened to assist Suchet. Such
a timely arrival would have been of
real service ; but, like all the other
parts of the system, it was imperfect
exactly at that moment when it was
most required to be perfect ; some-
thing was done, but not all ; and what
was done was therefore of no use. The
firit division arrived in the course of

June, but was so small that it could
effect nothing. Suchet, meanwhile,
wrote to Joseph, that he could not
proceed with his whole corps, but that
he sent him a reinforcement ; which
reinforcement, it afterwards appeared,
had the effect of defeating every great
object of the campaign. Suchet had
nothing to apprehend from the Sicilian
expedition, in the force to which, at
that period, it amounted Some time
afterwards, however, — about the end
of July — arrived tht- remainder. They
appeared on the coast of Catalonia,
and all they accomplish- d was to ex-
cite the Catalonians to a d^^monstra-
tion of attachment to the Bmish and
Spanish cause, which Ird, in V - result,
to dreadful executions an-o them.
The result had left also, o' • minds
of the Catalonians, senti^'K , ts i suspi-
cion, alienation, and h.srre.^ which it
would be difficult to eradicate. It wa»
thought advisable that this expedition
should operate either nt Barcelona or
Tarragona, or at some intt nr.ediate
point ; but at last it arrived where no
human being could have anticipated its
presence, and then became utterly ex-
tinct as to any efficient purpose in the
prosecution of the war. No adequate
apology could be offered for this fatal
indecision : at one time it w^s thought
this place would be the beat at which
to disembark ; and then another was
suggested, till at last the very worst
place of all was adopted. If it was the
greatest trial of a powerful mind to
decide among great difficulties, it was
the test of a weak mind to be placed
between two advantages, and not know
which to choose. The singular fea-
ture of the present case, however, was,
that both the advantages were lost,
and only this disadvantage gained,—
that a warlike province of Spain had
been alienated from the Spanish cause
by the indecision of the allies. And
what had been the result of all those
proceedings ? It hdd been said in the

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [Chap. 1.

speech from the throne, indeed, that
the result was nothingr more than the
concentration of the French armies, as
if Lord Wellington's retreat had been
merely a mihtary manoeuvre ; after
which followed the monstrous propo
tition, that such events were favour-
able to the interests and resources of
the Spanish nation. Some explana-
tion should be given of that assertion ;
for it was most injurious both to this
country and to Spain. Had the south
of Spain been delivered ? Did the mi-
nister mean to say, that, in point of
fact, the south of Spain was not now
under the dominion of France ?

** In moving from Burgos, Lord
Wellington found himself pursued by
a force much superior to that under
his command ; and such being the end
of the campaign, what real progress
had been made towards the great ob-
ject of the contest ? — AVith regard to
the object of the tvar in Spain, three
schemes had been successively devised ;
two were merely talked of, and the
third was practised. The first was
founded on an idea that it would be
imprudent to embark as a principal in
the contest, unless some other power,
by its co-operation, prevented the force
of France from being concentrated to-
wards that one point — the subjugation
of Spain. From such a scheme of po-
licy this inference was deducible, that
our resources were considered by those
who maintained the opinion to be in-
sufficient to carry on the war as prin-^
cipals upon an adequate scale, and that
we must therefore wait a more favour-
able opportunity. The second plan
proceeded on the principle that it would
be prudent and highly expedient to
make exertions upon a large scale, ade-
quate to the destruction of the French
power in Spain. Both these plans
were different in their principle, and
yet each was consistent upon its own
principle. If our resources were really
inadequate, then the first plan was very

just and proper ; but if they were ade-
quate to exten'jive operations, then the
second plan was obviously the fittest
to be adopted. But the plan which
all mankind must reprobate, was that
of employing our resources, so as to
expose the sinews of our strength to
hourly danger ; bearing hard upon our
finances, yet accomplishing no great
object. Such a plan as this every one
must concur in condtmning. It was
essentially hostile to the principles of
economy ; it was expence without ad-
vantage ; and yet that was the system
which had been pursued during the
late campaign- A vast expence of
blood and treasure had been lavished,
and our resources enfeebled, without
accomplishing anyone definite or pre-
cise object. When France was medi-
tating fresh wars in the north of Eu-
rope, and when we saw Russia pre-
pared to resist her ambitious designs
to the last extremity, what more vi-
gorous or effectual assistance could we
have given to Russia, than by prose-
cuting the war in Spain ? The best
succour we could give to that coun-
try, the most essential aid we could
bestow, was by carrying on the war
in the peninsula upon a broad and ex-
tensive scale of operations ; but it was
not so carried on, and our present sys-
tem, therefore, might almost be thought
a defection from the cause of Russia.
The events of the last campaign had
indeed been beneficial to Spain ; but
those benefits were imperfectly secu-
red, and could not be expected to be
permanent."

The speakers on the side of opposi-
tion then passed to the affairs of the
north, and alluded to the hopes held
out of a diversion from Sweden in fa-
vour of the operations of Russia. No-
thing could be more erroneous in poli'
cy, they maintained, than the line of
conduct pursued with regard to Sweden.
** A more extraordinary act of diploma-
cy had never occurred than the treaty
7

Chap. 1.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

which ministers had concluded with
the Swedish government. It was a
treaty which promised every advan-
tage to Sweden, without guaranteeing
any to Enghmd. It was, in fact, a
treaty in which, as it had been once
whimsically observed upon a similar
contract, the reciprocity was all on one
side ; for we had engaged to afford
Sweden all the assistance in our power,
in her operations against the enemy,
or for her own protection, while no-
thing appeared hkely to be done for
us, or for our allies, on her part. An
expedition was indeed projected, and
expected to sail from Sweden, to co-
operate with Russia ; but that object
was 8®on abandoned ; no expedition
ever did sail ; and in consequence of
that abandonment, General Victor,
who, with his force, waited in Swedish
Pomerania to meet the apprehended
diversion, was ei abled to withdraw*
and his division actually formed a part
of the army with which Buonaparte
made his way to Moscow. Such were
the important effects of the inactivity
of Sweden ; and for that inactivity, so
injurious to the objects of the war, it
was for ministers, in their diplomatic
management with Sweden, to account.
This account, indeed, they were bound,
for their own justification, to produce.
At a meeting which had taken place at
Abo, about the end of July, between
the Emperor Alexander, Lord Cath-
cart, and the Crown Prince of Sweden,
it was understood to have been arran-
ged that the expedition already alluded
to should be dispatched from Sweden ;
and so cordially, it seemed, did mini-
sters enter into the project ; so power-
fully did they determine to forward its
progress, with the view of impeding
the French army, that transports for
the conveyance of the Swedish expe-
dition were ordered to sail from Sheer-
ness on the 19th September, and Buo-
naparte entered Moscow on the l^th
•f the same month ! So fared this

grand and much-talked-of expedition.
What sort of explanation ministers had
it in their power to give upon this
subject, it was difficult to conjecture ;
but it appeared most extraordinary,
that after the meeting and discussion
just mentioned, ministers should not
have been enabled to judge of the real
disposition of the Crown Prince of
Sweden, or that they should not have
taken measures to ascertain whether
any change had taken place in that
disposition before the dispatch of the
transports. With respect to Russia,
while all must concur in the panegyric
pronounctd upon the magnanimity dis-
played by that power, it, might be
asked, what assistance had our mini-
sters aflForded to encourage the display,
or to aid the operation, of that mag-
nanimity ? This it was difficult to con-
ceive, except sending the Russians
about 50,000/. together with Lords
Cathcart and Walpole, were to be
viewed in this light.

" The war in the north of Europe
was the child of that great effort in
the peninsula, which had enabled Eu-
rope to reflect on its condition, and
roused it to struggle for emancipation.
There can be but one feeling — that of
unbounded admiration — at the great
efforts which Russia had made. No-
ble indeed has been the struggle, and
glorious beyond anticipation the re-
sults in that quarter ; there, even there,
where the tyrant anticipated an easy
victory, and concluded, from former
experience, that one decisive battle
would be the precursor of an abject
peace, — there, where, thinking that he
knew his man, and that he should
have only one man to cope with and
to cajole, he found, what he had for-
gotten to take into his estimate, a
nation ; where, imagining that, having
issued a bulletin and taken a fort, his
work was done, he unexpectedly found
a countless population thronging to
the standard of their sovereign, pre-

EDINBURGH ANNUAL RTiGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 1.

pared for exertions and for sacrifices
auch as the world has seldom, if ever,
witnessed before ; and oppoi-ing, not
merely with the arms of a disciplined
toldiery, not merely with the physical
mass of impenetrable multitudes, but
vrith famine and with fire, with the
voluntary destruction of their own re-
tources, and with the conflagration of
their own houses, the progress of his
desolating ambition. No man can con-
template the recent occurrences in the
north of Europe without feeling ex-
ultation in his bosom. The invader
of Russia flattered himself that a na-
tion, to which he affixed the appella-
tion of barbarous, and which he pic-
tured to himself as in a condition of
degrading and disheartening servitude,
conld entertain no generous and patri-
otic sentiment. He had yet to learn,
that there is a principle of instinctive
patriotism, which prevails even over
the vice of positive institutions ; he
had to learn, that in spite of the doc-
trines, and, it may be added, of too
many of the events of the last twenty
years, it is not an universal truth, that
before the people of any country de-
termine to resist an invader, they cold-
ly speculate on all the possible im-
provements to be made by regenera-
ting laws in the actual condition of
tlieir society, that they refuse to draw
a sword in defence of their altars or
their fire-sides, until they have weigh-
ed well the question, whether they be
•worth defending, and entered at full
leisure and with all imaginable research
into a comparative anatomy of various
political constitutions. The invader
of Russia has found that the natural
fcehngs of man, the sacred attachment
to home, the ties of custom, of family,
of kindred, are enough to arouse re-
sistance to a foreign invader, come
though he may with splendid promises
of freedom and improvement ; that he
may be resisted, and gallantly and ef-
fectually resisted, by those whom he

proposed to regenerate, not merely
because it n\:>y be apprehended that
he might not realize those promises,
but simply because he is a foreigner
and an invador. If this wen- to be the
sole result of what had taken phce in
the north, it would be an invaluable
addition to, or rather it would be a
timely and salutary revival of, those
ancient maxims of national independ-
ence, which the convulsions of the
modern world have almost buried in
oblivion. But is this all ? Can any
man who looks at the present condi- f
tion of Buonaparte, with what ability
soevpr he may have rescued himself
from former difficulties, so chastise hia
feelings as not to entertain a sanguine
hope of events most decidedly favour-
able to the general cause of Europe ?"
With reference to the war with
America, it was generally agreed ** that
a more iniquitous attack never was
made upon the peace of any nation than
that made by the American govern-
ment upon this country, nor could any
cause be figured of which the ju-^tice
was more apparent, than that which
this country had to oppose to America.
But the passage in the speech from
the throne, which sanctioned the opi-
nion that ministers still hoped for paci-
fication with America, in consequence
of something done previously to the
declaration of war, created much sur-
prise. Nothing, it was said, appeared
more preposterous than the hope that
the repeal of the orders in council
would serve to pacify America; for
these orders were never, in fact, the
point at issue. The dispute with Ame-
rica did not turn upon the orders in
council, but referred to higher ques-
tions, to topics deeply affecting our
great maritime rights, — to points, in-
deed, of such importance, that the
British government could not accede
to the pretensions of America without
throwing into her hands the trident of
the main. It would not avail mini-

Chap. 1.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

sters to repeat the assertions of those
who expressed such sanguine opinions
as to the probable result of the repeal
of the orders in council. They aban-
doned their own opinion upon that
question, and adopted that of their
adversaries, which no doubt furnished
a strong proof of their vigour, firm-
ness, and perseverance. They ought,
in fact, to have expected, and been
fully prepared for war with America ;
they ought, as statesmen, to have
known t at the American government
had been long infected with a deadly
hatred towards this country. It was
absurd to suppose that governments
might not, as well as individuals, be
influenced by passion ; or that they
were not more apt to act from the
impulse of their own vices or corrup-
tions, than from a consideration of the
interc t of those over whom they pre-
side. No statesman would therefore
conclude, that because it was contrary
to the interest of the American people
to engage in war with this country,
the American government wouldshrink
from such a measure. In this instance,
indeed, no such conclusion could be
deemed in the slightest degree excusa-
ble, for the disposition of the Ameri-
can government was quite evident, and
therefore common policy might have
urged ministers to prepare fully for the
event ; they ought to have made ade-
quate exertion to pacify, intimidate, or
to punish America. No means should
have been unprovided to repel the au-
dacious attack which the American
government had ventured to make up-
on Great Britain. — Nothing of this
kind, however, had been done, and
America had been suffered to com-
mence, and, for a time, to carry on
hostihties, even without danger to her-
self. The most extensive exertions
should be made to convince the Ame-
rican government of its folly ; and the
best hope of peace would rest upon
*he manly and vigorous employment

of our resources to make our enemies
feel the consequences of war."

The only remaining topic in th«
speech, v/as that which related to India,
The affairs of our Indian empire, it was
said, should be fully investigated be-
fore any system for its future govern-
ment was finally determined upon. The
whole question should be brought for-
ward, not in the shape of a bill for le-
gislation, as was proposed last session,
but in a distinct and separate form for
deliberate enquiry, in order that it
might be examined in all its details.

The omission to notice the catholic
question in the speech from the throne,
was severely censured. <* After all
that had occurred in discussion," said
some members of opposition, *' and
been excited in hope, no disposition
whatever was expressed to conciliate
the catholics, or to adjust their claims.
Every one remembered what had ta-
ken place at the close of last session m
both houses of parliament ;^ by the
House of Commons, indeed, a distinct
pledge liad been entered into, fully to
consider the catholic question, with a
view to an ultimate and satisfactory-
arrangement. Was it now resolved to
relinquish this pledge, and set aside all
that had been done ? There were too
many grounds of suspicion upon this
subject ; and several proceedings had
occurred both in this country and in
Ireland, where, to use the words of
Lord Camden, ** the hand and fingers
of government were very visible."
Such, indeed, was the supposed hosti-
lity of government to the cause of the
catholics, that one motive for the dis-
solution of parliament was said to be
a desire to get rid of the pledge of the
other house upon the subject ; and if
the rumours now abroad were well
founded, that statement would appear
not improbable. For, according to
one rumour, it was the intention of
ministers, after the Houses had met
for a few dava, and adjusted some

14^

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 1.

matters immediately necessary to the
objects of government, to propose an
adjournment for tw© months. Now,
the practical effect of such an ad-
journment would be to evade the
pledge for taking the catholic quci-
tion into early consideration, which,
combined with the omission in the
speech, was a bad omen for the catho-
lics.— There were some words at the
conclusion of the speech in praise of
the constitution. Yet there was also
a report that ministers had it in con-
templation to propose an extension of
the duration of parliament upon the
demise of the crown j but the praise
of the constitution contained in the
speech, surely destroyed all belief in
the rumour."

Such was the view taken by oppo-
sition of the general policy of govern-
ment. The ministers, on the other
hand, vindicated their conduct from the
imputations which were cast upon it,
and expressed " their readiness to sub-
mit the whole of their proceedings to
the strictest scrutiny, whether refer-
ring to disaster or to triumph — whe-
ther furnishing matter for congratula-
tion, or connected with events which
every one must deplore. With respect
,to the conduct of the war, history ena-
bled every one to pronounce that those
•who looked for unmixed success and
exemption from every species of mis-
fortune, rested on hopes the most chi-
merical. But where misfortune oc-
curred, the majority of parliament and
of the public were too considerate and
just, not to distinguish between that
which was attributable to the contin-
gencies of war, and that for which mi-
nisters or their agents might be deem-

ed fairly responsible rThe war in

Spain might be regarded as a new era
in the history of modern wars, because
here the people were active in re-
pelhng their invaders. Unlike the
people of Germany and Italy, who
were passive spectators of the conflict

produced by French invasion, the
Spaniards were most forward to con-
tend for the independence and for the
old establishments of their country,
and therefore their cause held out an
encouraging prospect, and a good
example, which the people of Russia
were now so nobly emulating. It wa»
this exhibition of a high national spi-
rit which originally induced ministers
to become the advocates of that assist-
ance which the Spaniards had received
from this country. Indeed, if this
country had not afforded that aid, it
would have betrayed an indifference,
not only to every high sentiment of
liberty, but even to the most common
notions of policy. But while our ob-
ject was to assist Spain, — to afford to
the Spanish people and to Europe the
means of profiting by circumstances
which appeared so promising, mini-
sters were certainly not so sanguine,
as many others who concurred with
them, in the poHcy of granting assist-
ance. Whatever the result might be,
it was the duty of England to make
an attempt in favour of Spain. The
real question therefore was, whether
the exertions of Britain were com-
mensurate with her means and re-
sources, as well as with the import-
ance of the object, the attainment of
which was in view ? This was the true
question. With regard then to the
amount of the aid afforded, the utmost
had been done for Spain, which, con-
sistently with a due attention to other
objects, it was possible for govern-
ment to accomplish. It was for those
who maintained the contrary to shew
how and where more might have been
done. As to the adequacy of the
means to the end in view, it was pro-
per to remark, that our great com-
mander in the peninsula had never been
deceived by government with respect
to the means in its power to afford,
nor had any aid which that officer re-
quii'ed ever been refused. It would,

Chap. L]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

indeed, have been an injustice to him, to
our ally, and to the country, to have
deceived him on such points. — Consi-
dering the subject in all its bearings,
how could any blame be imputable to
ministers ? It was admitted, indeed,
that at the period when the French
armies were engaged with Russia, the
opportunity was favourable for a great
effort in the peninsula, but considering
the uncertainty of war, and the respon-
sibility of government for the perpe-
tualprotection and safety of the empire,
wouH it have been consistent with its
duty, for the sake of one extraordinary
effort, to throw away the means of fu-
ture exertion. As the most brilliant
campaign has often no decisive influ-
ence upon the fate of war, should a
wise government cast all on one die —
hazard the power, and shed the heart's
blood of a country, merely to make a
flourish — and risk perpetual strength
for the triumph of one year ? A go-
vernment entrusted with the manage-
ment of the resources of a great em*
pire, is bound to recollect that it has
to provide for the future as well as the
present, and ought to look to the safe-
ty of the whole. — The country ought
to know what exertions had actually
been made, and it would be convinced
of their sufficiency. But when the as-
sertion was hazarded, that more ought
to have been done for the peninsula,
let us look to the proudest periods of
our history — to the periods of King
William and Queen Anne, when the
great Duke of Marlborough wielded
the-energies of the nation with so much
glory and success. Let all the rela-
tive circumstances be fairly taken into
view. — Our means had of late aug-
mented in a surprising ratio ; and with-
in two or three years the increased
strength of the mihtary force of the
country was great beyond example. For
what was the actual state of our force
in that quarter, which it had been said
was 80 inadequately supplied i We had

on the 25th of June last, in the penin-
sula and the Mediterranean, an army of
no less than 127,000 men in our pay ;
that was, 91,000 British, including fo-
reign or German troops, with 36,000
Portuguese. Such was our force, in-
dependently of SpanishauxiHaries, who
received from us all the assistance ia
our power, in their formation, equip-
ment, and pecuniary supply. Nay,
the British army alone under Lord
Wellington, at the period alluded to,
amounted to 58,000. Did the exer-
tions which collected such an army de-
serve to be characterised in such terms
— three years ago would any man have
been so sanguine as to believe the col-
lection of such an army practicable ?
Yet such had been the exertions of
that government, which had also to
provide for the protection of India, of
our numerous colonies in the West,
and for our domestic arrangements.—
As to the alleged deficiency of equip-
ment in our army, — that our soldiers
should be quite secured from privations,
that they should at all times be com-
pletely equipped, it would be too much,
to expect in the ordinary vicissitudes
of war. Where, howevei , such priva-
tions occurred, and where they were
reported by our illustrious command-
er, his requisitions were immediately
attended to. This could and would,
no doubt, be confirmed promptly by
that distinguished commander him-
self— for it was a striking feature in
his character, that he was as iust to
those who supported him, as he was
bold to those who opposed him — and
it was another striking feature in his
character, that he was never extrava-
gant in his expectations or demands ;
indeed, he was never likely to make
such demands, because ministers took
care that he should be always accu-
rately informed as to the means of
supply. — That some inconvenience
might have been felt from the state of
the military chest no one could deny ;

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 1.

but the supply of specie at present must
depend upon a great variety of cir-
cumstances, beyond the power of any
ministers to controul ; upon the means
of obtaining money for bills on the
continent, and other causes, particu-
larly the state of the Spanish colo-
nies in America, all of which natu-
rally mterfered with the importation
of bullion. Yet no blame could
attach to government, for nothing
practicable was left undone by them.
There was, however, a limit to their
means, as there was a limit to the
means of any nation ; by that limit
alone government was confined in its
efforts to assist these operations which
it was called upon to extend. — The
Sicilian expedition was prepared to
sail early in March, and was conducted
throughout in concert with Lord Wel-
lington, who communicated regularly
with the commander of that force.
The appearance of this expedition off
Catalonia was of great utihty, as it
prevented Suchet from sending rei: -
forcements to Joseph Buonaparte, who
in consequence evacuated Madrid ; and
the arrival of this expedition at Valen-
cia, instead of being a mistake, as as-
serted, was the result of a concerted
plan. — That the late campaign had
eminently succeeded was obvious. For
what was the object of the campaign ?
Why, the capture of Ciudad Rodrigo
and Badajoz, the expulsion of the
French from the south of Spain, and
the raising of the siege of Cadiz. All
these objects had been attained ; and
would not that man have been deemed
very sanguine, who at the outset
would have predicted the attainment
of such important objects, particular-
ly the hberation of the Spanish go-
vernment by the raising of the siege
of Cadiz ? — While the objects of the
campaign had been accomphshed,many
of the hopes excited by the victory of
Salamanca had been disappointed.
But that disappointment was not at-

tributable to any want of energy on
the part of his majesty's government ;
nor was the scarcity of artillery at
Burgos any imputation upon govern-
ment ; for in fact there were three
battering trains on the continent ; and
besides these, one was sent last March
to Lisbon to be kept afloat, subject to
the orders of Lord Wellington. Ac-
cording to the opinion, however, of
the noble lord himself, Burgos must
have been taken, if at all, without de-
lay, and before any artillery could he
brought to him. But the failure of
our gallant commander's calculation,
and the consequent recapture of Ma-
drid, was owing to the refusal of Ba-
lasteros to obey his commands ; which
refusal facilitated the movements of
the French force, and disconcerted
Lord Wellington's plan of operations."
With reference to America, it was
observed, ** that the dispatches of her
government clearly demonstrated that
the orders in council were the great
stumbling-block, in the way of an
amicable arrangement between the
countries. Not only the acts of the
government, but also the acts of con-
gress, expressly declared, that the re-
peal of the retaliatory measure, the
non-importation act, depended upon
the rescinding of those orders. So
soon as that very measure should be
adopted, which it was now pretend-
ed the Americans regarded as insig-
nificant, the American government
proclaimed that its hostile measures
should cease to be enforced. — It had
been asserted, that w^e were unprepa-
red for the American war ; but where
and how were we unprepared ? Were
we unprepared in Canada, or was thei-e
any neglect at tl^ Admiralty ? Upou
this subject, as well as with respect to
Spain, let the opponents of ministers
come to close quarters — let them state
facts — let them bring something spe-
cific, and abandon that style of loose
and general accusation, of which the

Chap. 1.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

House had been favoured with so many-
specimens in the course of the discus-
sion. " Now as to the concluding topic
of the noble marquis's (Marquis Wei.
lesley's) speech, 1 have not,*' said the
Earl of Liverpool, " made use of any
expression with respect to the catho-
lic question, to which I do not adhere.
My opinion I have always publicly
proclaimed upon this subject. I have
resisted, and I will resist, the proposi-
tion for entering into the considera-
tion of the catholic claims, because I
canno: see any way to an adjustment
of those claims, likely to satisfy the
catholics. 1 therefore think it more
consistent to oppose the proposition
at once, than to seek to defeat it by
what are called guards or securities.
I meet the cathoHcs openly and pub-
licly, and will never attempt to disap-
point their wishes by any little under-
hand opposition — by any schemes or
subterfuge. My system of opposi-
tion I feel to be more fair and candid,
and therefore I will continue to pur-
sue it. In stating this to be my in-
tention, I declare merely my individual
opinion, without meaning to sway the
judgment of any of my friends."

Returning again to the affairs of the
peninsula, it was remarked by other
members, "that this was the point on
which ministers ought, by the ordinary
course of policy, to make their effort
as a diversion in favour of Russia, since
it could not be expected of this couii-
try, that it should be able, at one and
the same time, to make proper ex-
ertion in that quarter, and nerve the
arm of Russia in the north, by fur-
nishing her with men or money. Mi-
nisters would not be inchned to ward
off any censure that might be ap-
plied to them, on the ground of re-
laxation in their efforts to carry on
most vigorously the war in Spain ;
but t}\ere had been no relaxation on
their parts ; neither had they neglected
any means by which it was possible

VOL. VI. PART I.

for them to obtain possession of a
greater disposable force. The mini-
sters of the prince regent were pre-
pared to defend themselves on the
exercise of the means they actually
did possess, or could possess, and on
their having employed the resources
entrusted to them to the utmost,
without draining the country beyond
that point which no nation could sus-
tain or support. Ministers certainly
could not have been expected to
make these unnatural attempts (now
suggested as necessary or defended
as politic) by gentlemen on the other
side ; by those who had ever incul-
cated upon their minds the necessity
there was for husbanding our re-
sources, and, even on the peninsula,
keeping our exertions within the
bounds of the strictest moderation. —
It was obviously impossible indeed
for ministers to enter on an ample
elucidation of the measures respecting
which doubts might be thrown out
on a night like the present, when all
the numerous points of policy con-
nected with the country were thrown
open for partial discussion, and the
attention was not confined to a single
object, though many of those alluded
to were sufficiently intricate and im-
portant to require of themselves the
utmost diligence of parliament. — The
country should be on its guard against
being led to expect too much from
successes, or to despair on account of
reverses, even though they might be
such as to replace the allied forces in
the lines at Torres Vedras. It was
not by one victory that the fate of
the peninsula would be decided ; and
it was a dangerous enthusiasm which
was elevated beyond bounds, even by
such a victory as would soon call fprthe
thanks of the House ; or be depressed
beyond measure by every failure that
might attend our exertions. When
by the most consummate generalship ,
that victory unparalleled in the hi«>
t »

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 1.

tory of the war, and as glorious as
ever adorned the British name, was
obtained ; that victory which was felt
by the enemy to the utmost extremities
of his force ; because our illustrious
3nd excellent commander had accom-
plished this, was there any reason
whatever to suppose that the entire
French power on the peninsula would
be at once annihilated, and the aUies
enabled to march to the Pyrenees ?
The pubUc mind was apt to become
too sanguine, and to believe that the
eiFect of a defeat like this would be
the total destruction of the enemy in
Spain. But when people reflected,
that, at the commencement of the
campaign, the French force in the
peninsula amounted to 200,000 men,
which was perhaps reduced by de-
tachments sent to the north to
150,000, at the period of the battle
of Salamanca, they would be inclined
to take a different and more correct
view of the subject. They would
observe that such a force, when spread
over Spain, might have maintained
possession of the country by keeping
down the spirit of its population,
which they were unable to do when
collected into two great masses. After
the memorable battle of Salamanca,
they were rendered too feeble to keep
possession of Spain, and instead of
driving the British into the sea, as
they had often vainly threatened,
they were driven in confusion before
the British. But when they gave up
the provinces and became a concen-
trated army, any man looking with a
soldier's eye, must observe, that even
after the battle of Salamanca, the
Marquis of Wellington had a heavy
task to perform to drive the French
out of Spain. Every one must ap-
plaud the spirit of the people of this
country, whose exultation on the tri-
umphs of their gallant countrymen
in Spain was so great as to induce
21 sanguine feeUng, not warranted by

the actual state of aifaird. But what-
ever were the expectations of the
people, it was right to state, that as
far as Lord Wellington's prospects,
with his knowledge and information,
went, they had been largely and li-
berally accomphshed.

" Lord WeUington had of late re-
ceived supplies and reinforcements to
a greater extent than ever. In the
course of last year, 20,000 men had
been sent to join him, and although
large reinforcements had not arrived
since the battle of Salamanca, the im-
possibility of sending men with all the
dispatch which might be desired was
the sole cause of the delay. The
exertions of the government, and in
a peculiar manner of his royal high-
ness the commander-in-chief, to bring
regiments to such a state of profi-
ciency as to render them fit for fo-
reign, service had been incessant and
strenuous. The grants from the mi-
litia had not been available as a re-
gular force earlier than the month of
May, and neither the internal state of
the country, nor that of Ireland, would
at a former period admit of those
forces being spared, which might
now be united to their gallant com- >
rades in the glorious task of deliver-
ing the peninsula. The greatest pos-
sible efforts had been made for an ac-
tive campaign. — It was perfectly true
that the aid to Russia ought to be
given in Spain ; and in proportion as
the north opened prospects of greater
success, so ought we to make more
strenuous efforts in the peninsula. —
With respect to the war in the north
all the world must feel, and none felt
it more than the illustrious person at
the head of the Russian empire,
that it was not to be expected from
this country that it should make
larger sacrifices, or in other quarters,
than it did at present. That great
monarch did not call on us for pecu-
niary support. He said, " You are

Chap. 1.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

fighting my cause, and the cause of
the world in Spain, and there it is
that your efforts will be most avail-
able and efficacious." His Imperial
Majesty felt this to be the proper
policy in the common cause, and in-
stead of looking to us for aid in the
north, he had counted on the pa-
triotism, the liberality, the spirit, and
the loyalty of his people, to support
him in the great struggle for inde-
pendence, in which he was engaged,
and to us he had looked for the
eifectual carrying on of the contest
in Spain.

** Russia had taken the field to re-
sist the encroachments of her adver-
sary, and therefore there could be no
impropriety in speaking openly of her
measures; but as Sweden had not yet
taken a step so decided, ministers
had a duty to perform which ren-
dered it very difficult to make any
open or explicit statement on this
point. Yet if the exertions of Swe-
den, necessarily more limited than
those of Russia, had required the pe-
cuniary aid of the country, to effect
a diversion in the rear of the French ar-
mies, ministers would have been ready
to assist her operations to that extent.
France had committed an unqualified
aggression on the Swedish monarchy,
which had as yet been only met by a
qualified resistance. What was the
motive for collecting the force upon
her coasts ministers could not be ex-
pected to explain ; but it would be
observed with a feeling of hope, that
between these great northern powers,
(for they were both great) and out of
the late contention, which had led to
the dismemberment of the province of
Finland from Sweden, a system had
arisen, which happily had linked them
together in the bonds of the closest
friendship and alliance. This fact was
obvious from the very commencement
of the campaign, when it was easy
to perceive that a perfect understand-

ing existed between the two coun-
tries. It was evident that Russia re-
posed confidence in Sweden, as she
withdrew the mass of her troops from
their cantonments in Finland. But
those who were not satisfied with this
demonstration of friendship, must
have every apprehension relieved by
the event of the personal interview
at Abo, after which 18,000 mea
from the port of Swinburgh were
dispatched to Riga, where they ar-
rived in time to join general Wittgen-
stein at the most critical period, and
enabled him to turn the tide of war in
that quarter, and to defeat the object
of the enemy. If there had been no
actual military exertion on the part of
Sweden, yet much benefit had been
reaped from the posture she assumed.
Much as we might wish other powers
to enter into resistance against the
enemy with as great energy as our-
selves, yet when we considered that
they did not possess our advantages,
and were not so remote from danger
as we were, we ought to look with
forbearance to their measures, and
not impute want of virtuous feeling
to them, because they might not
embark in hostilities with all the
decision which we desired. The
position assumed by Sweden had the
effect of detaining two corps of the
French army from active operations,
which were left in the confines of
Denmark. These corps amounted to
60,000 men. The most advanced,
that of Victor, the enemy had not
ventured to employ till after the bat-
tle of Borodino ; and in fact it had
not advanced till September, when
it proceeded by detachments to join
the main army. The other corps,
that of Augereau, was still more re-
tired in Germany, and completely
withdrawn from hostile operations.
Russia had a well-grounded confi-
dence in the amity of Sweden, and
the demonstration made by the latter

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 1,

power had paralysed 60,000 men of
the enemy's force. On these grounds
ministers would be prepared to meet
any future discussion on such subjects
which might be thought necessary. —
" With respect to America, it was
true, that in negociation too much for-
bearance had been shewn towards her.
But the war after its commencement
was not carried on with greater for-
bearance than was dictated by a con-
sideration of the other contests in
which this nation was unhappily en-
gaged. Ministers would justly have
drawn down the vengeance of the
country, had they withdrawn a force
from the peninsula for the purpose of
originatingbelligerent measures against
America. It was admitted that the
declaration issued by America, if per-
severed in, would preclude for ever
any prospect of peace : but the speech
from the throne in its allusion to this
topic, referred to the state of America
at the period when this declaration
was issued. Ministers had never as-
sured the House, nor the country,
whatever had been done by others,
that the concessions which they were
induced to make to America would
lead to peace ; on the contrary, when
the repeal of the orders in council
was discussed, they said, — in answer
to those who contended, that if these
measures were abandoned, peacewould
be the consequence, — that the claims
relative to blockade and impressment
would disappoint their expectations.
It was not however till after the war
broke out, that the American govern-
ment alledged other grounds of war,
than the orders in council and the sys-
tem of blockade The question of
impressment was previously only urged
as an angry point of discussion. ^ — With
respect to the course taken by mi-
nisters when they acquired a know-
ledge of the actual commencement
of the war, they had done what was
tantamount to complete hostility;

and it was not from a spirit ♦of for-
bearance, but from a consideration of
the other circumstances of the coun-
try, that they had refrained from the
immediate issue of letters of marque
and reprisal, and from publishing to
the world their case against the Uni-
ted States. But although letters of
marque and reprisal were^ not issued,
war was as effectually waged in ano-
ther mode ; and this course was fol-
lowed from a desire to keep the coun-
cils of government ready to meet any
disposition which might arise on the
part of America towards peace Had
they not acted in this manner, they
would have justly provoked censure,
if America had on the receipt of the
intelligence from this country with-
drawn her declaration, and restored
the British property which had been
seized, while the British government
was unable to meet this pacific dispo-
sition by a correspondent restitution,
without coming to parliament to ob-
tain that sum which had found its
way into the coffers of the captors of
American ships. The moment the
declaration of war was received, and
so soon as it was known that the A-
mericans had proceeded to the con-
demnation of British property, and
refused to ratify the armistice con-
cluded between them and the governor
of Upper Cannda, that moment the
letters of marque and reprisal were is-
sued.— It hadbecn justly represented as
strange, that no answer had been pub-
lished to the American declaration
which could be so readily refuted, and
it had been added, that government
was bound to give some grave ?nd
weighty reasons for not taking that
official step. But let it be remember-
ed, that although we were actually at
war with America, yet negociations
had not absolutely terminated. A
mission had been entrusted to Admiral
Warren, and a proposition submitted
by him to the American government,

Chap. 1.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE;

21'

to which no answer had been received.
The same proposition was intended to
have been made through Mr Foster ;
but as he had left the country before
the dispatch arrived, the business had
of necessity devolved upon the admiral
on the station. Under these circum-
stances, and waiting for the reply of
the American government, ministers
would have more consulted their feel-
ings than their judgments had they
hastily put forth the answer which
they felt themselves prepared to give
to the calumnies of America. — It
was true, that the British govern-
ment had never endeavoured to force,
through the intervention of neutrals,
British manufactures into France.
With regard to the mission of Henry,
it was not necessary that ministers
should now publish any disavowal of
it. They had disavowed it in their
places in parliament, and declared they
never knew of it until they saw the
publications by the American execu-
tive. Government had disavowed it
to the American cabinet, to satisfy
whom they had sent over all the pa-
pers with which they were acquainted
on the subject."

Leaving these details, and revert-
ing to the general state of atfairs, it
was asked, " When had a speech been
delivered on the opening of parlia-
ment, whicli contained so cheering
a list of successes, or displayed a
brighter prospect of advantages to
the country ? If it could not be said
that the enemy was altogether dis-
comfited, and finally and effectually
repressed, yet he never was so danger-
uu.sly involved in two great wars in
the opposite extremities of Europe,
These were wars in which he was not
merely committed against the govern-
ments of countries, but in which the
nations were arrayed against him.
They were not, as formerly, wars
productive only of means to recruit
"18 resources, augment his forces, and

open to him a prospect of more ex-
tended conquests. Though he could
drag his tributary states into the field,
and amass a powerful force from those
whom he had already overcome, yet
in the great scale on which he was en-
gaged he met with no aids to enable
him to carry on the war vigorously ;
he met at all points with national re-
sistance, he was obliged to bring his
supplies from a distance, and to ex-
haust the miserable nations over whom
he exercised his rigorous sway. In
Russia the spirit of opposition to his
aggressions was, as noticed in the
speech, unparalleled in history. The
people of that country had been spo-
ken of as barbarians, and as being a
century behind the other nations in
civilization ; but could we find, that
in any country a resistance to invasion
so glorious as that which was now
displayed had ever been made — a spi-
rit of resistance, firing every rank and
description of men, in the vast Russian
empire ? Nor was it for courage alone
that the Russians had shone conspicu-
ous during this contest ; that heroic
valour for which they were famed on
former occasions, was not now their
only praise ; the military councils and
skill of the commanders also shone
forth pre-eminently ; and the whole
conduct of the campaign proved them
to be equal to the most difficult situa-
tions and trying emergencies. The
retreat of the numerous bodies of
troops from the Niemen to the Mosk-
wa, and the able and judicious manner
in which it was conducted under press-
ing circumstances, was scarcely to be
equalled in the history of the most
celebrated mifitary transactions. The
retreat of Moreau, on which his high-
est fame rested, no military man would
say could be placed in competition
with this in Russia. How few ar-
mies had marched over 500 miles of
country before they united into one
mass, invariably baffling tlie immcHS«

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 1,

force of their enemy, fighting various
battles, and never putting it in the
power of that enemy to say that he
had dispersed a single regiment, or
captured a single gun or baggage-
waggon ! So fine a movement was not
surpassed in the history of the world ;
it evinced on the part of the Russian
commanders the utmost skill and abili-
ty, which, with the known valour of
the troops, added fresh hopes of the
deliverance of Europe. The interests
of this people were now identified
with our own in the most gratifying
manner, by the approach of their fleets
to our harbours ; a mark of confidence
on the part of our ally which was cal-
culated to humble our enemies, by
proving to them in what estimation
were held the good faith and generosi-
ty of England. The emperor Alex-
ander had shewn a glorious example of
what a monarch ought to be, and had
his policy been acted upon by others,
Europe would not have been in its pre-
sent state of degradation. He had
not placed his strength in a capital
city, but had trusted to the spirit of
his country to stand by him and to re-
pel the invaders ; and in this expecta-
tion ht had not been disappointed." —
After the very full discussion, of which
an outline has been given, the address
was carried in both houses of parlia-
ment without a division.

On the 23d of February Sir Fran-
CIS Burdett made a motion in the
House of Commons for leave to bring
in a bill to provide against any inter-
ruption of the exercise of the royal au-
thority in the event of the death of his
royal highness the prince regent, du-
ring the continuance of his majesty's
malady. In support of this proposi-
tion it was contended, that violent en-
croachments had been made upon the
true principles and frame of the con-
stitution of this country, by the mea-
sures adopted in consequence of the
unfortunate affliction under which his

majesty was suffering. The first en-
croachment occurred in the year 1788»
The whole of the proceedings of that
year involved an unwarrantable depar-
ture from the principles of the consti-
tution, and were supported with no
other view than to keep power in the
hands of the party then in office, with-
out any regard to the interests of the
state, or respect to the legal govern-
ment of the country. At that period
the constitutional and safe, though not
the successful doctrine was maintained
on the one side, that upon failure of
the capacity of the person filling the
throne, the exercise of the functions
of royalty immediately devolved upon
the heir apparent. But this simple
and obvious position was denied, and
it was insisted that the heir apparent
to the crown had no more right to the
government of the nation than any
other of the king's subjects. In the
strict legal acceptation of the word
** right," there certainly was no right,
because there was no law, and where
there is no law there can be no right ;
but upon every principle of propriety
and expediency, there could be no
doubt of the line of conduct which
ought to have been pursued ; for no-
thing could be more easy and safe than
to follow that example to which the
faction seemed blind, which had been
set at the glorious revolution in ] 688.
If the proceedings of parliament had
been governed by that wholesome pre-
cedent, ministers would not have been
allowed for five months to take into
their own hands the government of
the country ; and instead of the usur-
pation of an odious oligarchy for that
period, there would have been no sus-
pension of the powers of the crown,
no departure from the leading princi-
ples of the constitution. The steps,
however, taken in 1788, were justified
on the plea of necessity. But the ex-
ercise of the functions of the crown
forms an essential part of the constitu-

Chap. 1.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

tion ; and there are two leading prin-
ciples that govern the whole of this
question : First, That the powers and
prerogatives annexed by the common
law to the crown, descend by heredi-
tary succession, and not by election :
Secondly, That these powers are never
suspended ; the functions of royalty
never cease, for if they were for any
period interrupted, the destruction of
one part of the three essential branches
of the constitution would involve a to-
tal dissolution of the legal government.
At the period referred to, these two
leading principles were unnecessarily
and unwarrantably departed from.

"The great danger which must arise
from admitting the plea of necessity,
has become obvious from subsequent
experience, for in the year 1810 this
mischievous precedent was followed.
In 1810 the violent usurpation was
renewed, and that which ought to have
been considered as a beacon to warn
ministers from a dangerous coast, was
mistaken for a sure light to guide them
in safety to harbour. From the evi-
dence of the physicians it is known,
that during the interval between 1788
and 1810, his majesty was sometimes
in a state of mind that rendered him
incompetent to the consideration of
those important matters of policy
which naturally devolve upon the sove-
reign ; and the person whose duty it
was to submit them to the king, ab-
stained from so doing, in consequence
of the state of the royal mind. To
what degree the malady existed ; how
far ministers presumed, under cover of
the royal authority, to exercise the
powers of majesty at a time when the
occupant of the throne was unable to
discharge the duties annexed to that
exalted station; no one knows, although
it may be reasonable, from the testi-
mony of the physicians, to conclude
that the government of the nation was
carried on in the name of the king by
his servants at a time when one branch

of the constitution was incapacitated
by disease, — when the situation of his
majesty's mind did not permit him to
perform the important duties apper-
taining to his high office. Thus, then,
there appear to have been two violent
deviations from the established princi-
ples of the constitution, of such a na-
ture as to be subversive of the inte-
rests of the throne, and destructive of
the security of the subjects. The mi-
serable fiction which was resorted to on
those occasions implied a deception too
gross to impose upon the most super-
ficial observer ; for it seemed a most
absurd consecration of an act com-
pletely illegal, to get the lord chan-
cellor, vnthout any adequate authori-
ty, to affix the great seal to it ; thus
pretending to give the royal approba-
tion to a measure of which the king
could have no possible cognizance.

"Many reasons call upon the Hoirse
at the present moment to come to a
decision as to the mode of proceeding
on a contingency, which is possible,
though perhaps not probable, and
which, if not provided against, may
again place the country in that situa-
tion in which it would be deprived of
all legal government, in which the ma-
jority of the House might usurp and
retain all the powers that belong to
the crown. The object of the motion
was to prevent, on future occasions,
this lawless assumption of authority,
to destroy that pretence of necessity
which it is plain never existed; be-
cause, in truth, by the constitution of
the empire, a choice, indeed many
choices, of legal remedies remained.
On a recent occasion, however, this
illegal mode of proceeding was resol-
ved upon, and the House not only
took upon itself to nominate the exe-
cutive magistrate; not only, on its own
authority, resolved to supply a throne
which never could be vacant, but it
went still further, and usurped the
power of de.claring that restrictiont

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. I,

should be placed upon the person whom
it invested with some of the preroga-
tives of the crown, all of which were
bestowed by the common law for the
benefit of the people. Parliament pro-
ceeded so far in its assumption of au-
thority, that the Prince of Wales was
unwilling, under such conditions, to
take upon himself the task of govern-
ment. In that able letter written by
his royal Highness in the year 1788,
in which he so distinctly, accurately,
and perspicuously defined the princi-
ples of the constitution, and the insur-
mountable objections existing in his
mind to the mode of proceeding sug-
gested, he at length consents to act as
regent, with no other view than to put
a period to the anarchy which pre-
vailed, conceiving that the evils result-
ing from this hne of conduct would
be less than those which might arise
firom the continued abeyance of the
third branch of the constitution : he
accepted the kingly power, mutilated
as it was, rather than permit the con-
stitution to be further mutilated. The
greatest evil, the most dreadful cala-
mity which the history of this country
presents, arose out of a dispute regard-
ing the succession to the crown, and
by not decidedly maintaining the con-
stitution as it has been happily esta-
blished in this respect, consequences
equally fatal, calamities equally dread-
ful, may again be endured. Parlia-
ment is called upon, by a proper sense
of its duty, to guard the people of these
realms against contingencies which
may enable the minister of the day, on
a pretended plea of necessity, to sub-
vert the constitution, and usurp the
government of the country. Such was
the object of the motion. It is right
at all times to give to the regent powers
as uncontroulcd as those which belong
to the king himself. The principle
upon which this proposition rests is
this, that the incapacity proceeding
from insanity is like every other spe-

cies of incapacity, and amounts to an
utter vacating of the government.

" The kingly office is not by the
constitution bestowed for the benefit
of the individual filling the throne,
but is a trust exercised for the ad-
vantage of the people, and in this
view it is of great consequence that
it should never cease. The crown,
according to the common law, knows
neither infancy nor insanity, or any
other cause that can incapacitate the
person holding it to discharge his
important duties ; and if such cause
do exist, it must be viewed in the
same light and treated in the same way "
as the natural death of the monarch.
If insanity should unhappily visit the
sovereign, the authority, by the law
of the land, immediately devolves upon
the successor, without the interference,
much less without the election, of any
set of persons who may be anxious to
usurp powers which do not belong to
them. Such is the obvious, simple,
and legal mode of proceeding, which
will meet all possible circumstances
and preserve the various branches of
the constitution independent of each
other.

" If it be true, as is pretty generally
believed, that certain powerful indi-
viduals by different means do place
their dependants in the House of
Commons, it becomes a matter of
double importance, that a bill should
be passed to restrain such individuals
from usurping and exercising illegal
authority ; to remove a new motive
for ambition ; to shew that the crown
is not to become the prey of greedy
cormorants, and that factions must not
hope to deck themselves in the trap-
pings of royalty. The powers now
exercised by the Prince Regent,
therefore, should, in case of the death
or disability of his royal highness,
be exercised by the heir to the crown,
the Princess Charlotte of Wales.
Factions should not have the power

Chap. 1.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

•25

to fill the throne with whomsoever
they please, and under what condi-
tions they please. The gentlemen of
the long robe could not pretend, that
the Princess Charlotte of Wales was
not of sufficient age, because the
common law, as far as relates to the
crown, knows no infancy, and grants
may be produced, made by children
in such situations, which have been
held by lawyers to be absolutely bind-
ing : the security which the public
require is, that there shall always be
an executive government zealous in
the discharge of its duties, and re-
sponsible not only for the acts done,
but for the advice given. But bills
for appointing regencies have at dif-
ferent times passed, in which it was
provided that the king or queen
should have a particular council till
he or she came to a certain age. Such
provisions, however, were totally dis-
tinct in their character from those to
which his royal highness the Prince
Regent had been subjected after he
had attained a full maturity of age.
The country never before heard of
such a regency as the present, except
the attempt of 1788. It was enacted
indeed for particular purposes, in the
reigns of Henry VIII. and Philip and
Mary, that the full age of the suc-
cessor to the crown shall be 18 in the
males, and 16 in the females. But
there was no occasion to dwell upon
these cases, as the Princess Charlotte
of Wales was in her 18th year, and
therefore, by the admission of all par-
ties, either was, or would very soon
be, of age to exercise the royal
functions. In the event of the death
of the King, and of the Prince Re-
gent, no one can doubt but the royal
office would descend to her, without
its being in the power of the House
of Commons to prevent it. It might be
sai J, that there was no necessity for any
such regulations as those proposed ;
Vmt those matters, which even in pri-

vate families are not left to the contin-
gencies of human hfe, ought not to be
left to a similar contingency in cases of
so much greater importance. We have
already experienced the mischief re-
sulting from the want of a fixed rule
to follow ; and it is our duty to pre-
vent the recurrence of those conte^a
by which the power of the crown was
torn in pieces for private and factious
purposes. The danger to the crown
from the late proceedings with regard
to the regency must be obvious. The
two houses directed the chancellor to
put the seal to an instrument appoint-
ing a person to exercise the royal
functions ; and this they called giving
the royal assent to that instrument.
Now what is there to prevent their
making a similar use of the great
seal, if they choose it, to alter the
descent of the crown ? If the princi-
ple is once admitted, there is no hmit
to the mischief that may follow. In
the interregnum which took place not
long ago, they might have affixed the
seal to bills of pains and penalties.
The danger both to the crown and the
subject was imminent. In these great
constitutional principles, the Prince
Regent himself and the royal family
concur ; for it is well known, that
in 1810 the royal dukes did protest
against the proceedings adopted at
that time, and were reviled, in the
grossest manner, by the ministerial
writers, who called them the " College
of Princes," and made use of other
abusive terms, though the royal dukes,
both as subjects and as persons nearly
connected with the throne, were per-
fectly justified in the step which they
took on that occasion. — It appeared
to be the intention of ministers to
keep the crown always in a state of
pupillage to the oligarchy in the
House of Commons ; for in the Re-
gency Act, 'it was provided, that in
the event of its being necessary to
appoint another regency, the House

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 1.

should meet and take the proper steps
for that purpose. The object of the
present bill was to prevent the neces-
sity of this, and to put it beyond the
power of the twp houses of parliament
to render the royal authority subser-
vient to their will, and to parcel it out
as they may think proper."

The motion of Sir Francis Burdett
was seconded'by Lord Cochrane. The
following is the short answer by
which lord Castlereagh opposed it.
** He trusted that he should be able
to show, that there was not a suffi-
cient necessity to induce the House to
agree to the motion before them. The
honourable baronet, who had been
induced by his constitutional views of
the subject to bring forward the pre-
sent motion, appeared to him to be
more anxious to destroy the autho-
rity of the parliamentary proceed-
ings in the two former instances, than
to provide for the contingency he
stated. He appeared to think it of
the greatest importance to subvert all
the principles which the House had
laid down on that subject ; and to
get rid of what he considered a per-
nicious precedent. For his part, he
had a view of the subject directly op-
posite. He thought it was a benefit,
and a blessing to the country, that the
great constitutional difficulties which
attended this subject had been re-
moved, and the point settled on the
fullest discussion, which was after-
wards revised upon the late occasion ;
and in which the greatest legal and
constitutional learning had been dis-
played. He considered that those
precedents would be a great protec-
tion to the country hereafter from
similar difficulties. He allowed that
parliament had a right to enter into
such considerations without a mes-
sage from the crown ; but it was al-
ways for their prudence to consider,
whether they should expose them-

selves to a conflict with the crown
upon the point ? In any thing re-
specting money, all conflict with the
crown was prevented by the necessity
that the crown should propose or pre-
viously consent to the grant. In
common legislative measures this was
not necessary ; but it was obvious that
there was no description of questions
more likely to involve the House in
a conflict with the crown, than those
which touched the crown so nearly. —
The contingency which was mentioned
appeared to him to be so very re-
mote a one, that he thought the ho-
nourable baronet, upon his own prin-
ciples, should rather have proposed
a permanent Regency Bill applicable
to all cases, than have confined him-
self to this particular contingency.
It appeared to him, however, that
what the honourable baronet wanted,
was to destroy the discretionary-
power of parliament upon the subject ;
and that he preferred to have the
question determined on the hereditary
principle rather than by the discretion
of parliament. In determining upon
which of the two principles the ques-
tion should be decided, there was cer-
tainly a balance of inconveniences.
But the reason why it was better that
it should rest in the discretion of par-
liament was, that parliament felt it to
be its first duty, to take care that the
royal power should be restored un-
diminished into the hands to which it
legitimately belonged, so soon as the
sovereign was again capable of exer-
cising his royal functions ; whereas
upon the hereditary principle, the
royal power being fully and immedi-
ately transferred to the Regent, there
was not the same security for the
resumption of it by the sovereign,
when the temporary cause which sus-
pended his personal exercise of it was
removed. He conceived that the
contingency was not sufficiently pro-

Chap. 1.] HISTORY OF EUROPE. 27

bable to justify parliament, in the ex- Francis Burdett was not supported
ercise of its discretion, in adopting the in this attempt to overturn the par-

reposition of the honourable baronet, liamentary precedents so recently esta-
br which reason he should certainly Wished. His motion was negatived

give it a decided negative." Sir without a division.

e»

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 2.

CHAP. II.

Parliamentary/ Proceedings continued. — Vice- Chancellor's Bill. -^Sir Samuel
Romilly^s Bills Jbr improving the Criminal Lain.

The great increase which of late years
has taken place in the duties to be dis-
charged by the Lord High Chancel-
lor of England, and the serious incon-
veniences resulting from delay in mat-^
ters of such high importance, appear-
ed to those best acquainted with the
subject to demand the interference of
the legislature. It had become evi-
dent, that if some rem.edy were not
adopted, the whole of the judicial code
of the country must be affected, and
great injury done to the subject. There
had accumulated at this time in the
House of Lords an arrear of 280 ap-
peals, which, computing by the aver-
age rate at which such causes had of
late been decided, could not be deter-
mined in less than eleven years.— This
in itself was a serious grievance to suit-
ors ; but the evil did not stop here, for
by the delay in ruling disputed points
of law, the number of new appeals
-was greatly augmented. In the de-
termination of the causes actually un-
der appeal, doubtful principles of law
were often involved ; and till a deci-
sion was obtained, the subject was
kept in ignorance of the law of the
land, and thus litigation was greatly
increased. The delay offered a strong
temptation also to present appeals for
the mere purpose of postponing the
effects of judgments ; as it was obvi-

ous to unsuccessful litigants, that by
moving into the House of Lords they
could put off the decision for a term
of years. The successful suitor might
thus have been deprived of the benefit
of the judgment, and of the justice
awarded to him for no less a period
than eleven years. — It was the bound-
en duty of the legislature, therefore, to
establish some remedy for evils of this
magnitude.

The nature and extent of the evil
could hardly admit of dispute, but as
to the most suitable remedy different
opinions were entertained. It was sug-
gested that the Lords might, by some
new distribution of their business, get
over the arrear of causes now before
them, and prevent the recurrence of si-
milar arrears in future — To accomplish
this it w^as proposed, that they should
sit after the session for the general poli-
tical business of the country was clo-
sed, and continue for a time to dis-
charge their judicial functions. But
to suppose that the Lords would re-
main in town to hear appeals after the
other affairs of parliament were dis-
patched, was absurd. There was u
strong constitutional objection also to
the measure, viz. that it could not l^e
adopted without trenching upon the
prerogative of the crown in the proro-
gation of parliament. Such a regula-

Chap. 2.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

tion must have placed the crown in
the dehcate and awkward situation of
cither permitting parhament to sit af-
ter the national business for which it
had been assembled was finished, or of
doing injustice to the claimants who
were at the bar of the House of Lords. —
As to another proposal that the House
of Lords should appoint a committee
or delegation of its members to hear ap-
peals, such a measure would also have
been repugnant to the constitution.
The public besides had no right to ex-
pect from the House of Lords that
they would depart from their usual
habits of business ; nor would the evil
have been remedied even had their
lordships consented instead of five
months to sit for twice that time, un-
less the great advantage had been fore-
gone of having the Lord Chancellor
as the presiding officer in the House
of Peers. Without encountering this
most serious inconvenience the remedy-
first projected would have been only
an exchange of one evil for another,
and would have transferred the arrears
from the House of Lords to the court
of Chancery, by occupying that por-
tion of the Lord Chancellor's time in
the former, which during the recess he
is accustomed to devote to the latter.
It was proposed by some persons
that the Lord Chancellor should with-
draw from his high situation in the
House of Peers, and confine himself to
the business of his own court of Chan-
cery, But to this project there were
many obvious objections. The most
eminent statesmen who have turned
their attention to this point have been
agreed in opinion, that such an altera-
tion would derogate from the dignity
of the House. No other individual
could be found so well qualified to
discharge this laborious duty ; for
although there arc several eminent
peers capable of performing it, it
would have been absurd to think of
building a permanent measure upon

the prospect of assistance from peers,
not of necessity bound to devote them-
selves to the pubhc service. — The on-
ly other plan, therefore, which could
be proposed, was that the Chancellor
should be relieved to a certain extent
of his duties in the court of Chancery,
and be thus enabled to devote more of
his time to the other high duties of his
office. The question then arose (since
it was necessary to provide some aid iit
the court of Chancery) whether such
aid could be drawn from the other
courts of law, or whether a new office
must be created ? !n the Court of
Chancery itself there was a great, if
not a growing, arrear of business — a se-
rious evil, for which there appeared to
be no remedy, unless by creating a si-
milar evil in another quarter — for if
the Lord Chancellor had not hitherto
called in the assistance of the Master of
the Rolls, it was only because that
could not be done without creating
much confusion in the Rolls Court,
None of the other courts were ifi a
situation to aff"ord help, but were all so
pressed with business, that the judges,
with all their diligence, could not fully
discharge their duties. The court of
Chancery too could only draw aid from
a court, the decisions of which rested
on principles of equity, and were ana-
logous to its own : But there is no
court in Westminster-hall, except the
court of Exchequer, which acts up-
on principles of equity ; and so far
was that court from being able to af-
ford the aid required, that there had
been a serious proposal for requiring aa
additional effective judge in the Exche-
quer, the arrear of business being even
more pressing in that court than in
the court of Chancery. If the court
of Exchequer could not supply the
want, no other court;, in Westminster-
hall could. It was thought impossible,
therefore, that aid could be derived
from any of the courts in Westmin-
ster-hall. It was in consequence

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Cmaf. 2,

proposed that a permanent officer
should be appointed in aid of the Lord
Chancellor. — Some persons imagined,
however, that such a measure would
lead to great innovations in the mode
of conducting business in the court of
Chancery ; but nothing could be more
inconsistent with the principles on
which the measure was founded, than
such a supposition. The appointment
of a Vice-Chancellor involved the
smallest departure from ancient prac-
tice, and was scarcely an innovation.
The chancellor already had the pri-
vilege of calling in the assistance of the
nine puisne judges, together with that
of two masters in Chancery, and it was
intended that he should in future have
permanent instead of temporary assist-
ance. The Chancellor besides had
already the privilege of calling in the
assistance of the Master of the Rolls ;
and when that officer assisted the Chan-
cellor, he was as much under his direc-
tion as the judges under a commission,
or the Vice-Chancellor whom it was
now proposed to appoint. The ob-
ject of the bill, in short, was to af-
ford to the Lord Chancellor perma-
nent instead of temporary assistance in
the transaction of the business of the
court of Chancery. This plan did not
imply any innovation in the mode of
transacting business, although on this
ground chiefly it was opposed.

In support of the bill, it was stated
<* that it would not occasion any addi-
tional expense to the public, though
it would be productive of so great
benefit to the suitors in Chancery ;
and the question was, whether with
those advantages to the suitor, with
the removal of the evil complained of,
and while no better plan was proposed,
parliament should hesitate ? One half
of the expense of the office would be
charged on the profits of the Lord
Chancellor, in the business of the
court ; the other half would be taken
from what was called the dead cash,
10

or suitors* fund, the annual revenue of
which at this time was 9000/. The
revenue of that fund had on various
occasions been applied, under the au-
thority of parliament, for analogous
purposes, and could not certainly be
devoted to any better use than the sup-
port of that officer whose appointment
was in contemplation. The fund con-
sisted of unclaimed monies in Chan-
cery, which had been allowed to ac-
cumulate at interest. The salaries of
the masters in Chancery, and of super-
annuated officers, were paid out of it;
and the sum of 9000/. per annum was
its present clear revenue unappropri-
ated. Thus, as far as related to eco-
nomy, there could be no objection to
the bill. It had been said that there
were other means by which the object
of the bill could be more effectually
attained, and it had been proposed to
take the management of the bank-
ruptcy business out of the hands of
the Lord Chancellor. But even al-
lowing that this branch of business
might with propriety be taken from
the Lord Chancellor, still it would be
necessary to have a Vice-Chancellor.
But the bankruptcy law was so par-
ticularly important in a commercial
country, that it would be highly dan-
gerous to entrust it to any authority
subordinate to that of the Lord Chan-
cellor. It had been objected, that in
the distribution of the business in the
court of Chancery the bill enabled the
Lord Chancellor to direct the whole
at his pleasure ; that he might allow
the Vice-Chancellor to decide upon
matters of such difficulty, that no au-
thority short of the Lord Chancellor*s
should be allowed to dispose of them ;
or, on the other hand, he might only
entrust to him matters of minor im-
portance, and by such an arrangement
the character of the new magistrate
must be degraded. To this it was an-
swered, that the possible abuse of be-
neficial powers ought not to be al-

ClIAF. 2.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

ledged as an argument against granting
them, and that it ought on the con-
trary to be presumed that the discre-
tion thus vested in the first law officer
of the country would be soundly ex-
ercised. It was needless to speak at
large on the impropriety of supposing,
that any person vested with so high
an office as that of Lord Chancellor,
could be guilty of such a breach of
all the ties of duty and of honour. —
Much had been said about the increase
of appeals which would be occasioned
by the adoption of the measure before
the House, and the erection of an in-
termediate jurisdiction. But it was
the interest of the suitors to have their
causes speedily decided, and the Lord
Chancellor would have the power of
bringing at once before himself such
causes as were most likely to be mat-
ter of appeal. At any rate, the ob-
jection did not apply with greater force
in this case than it did to the courts
of the Master of the Rolls, and of the
puisne judges acting under commis-
sion ; and surely the power of distri-
buting business afforded such addi-
tional means of dispatch, as to coun-
terbalance any evils which might arise
from the increase of appeals. — It had
been urged, that the measure would
transform the first law officer of the
kingdom into a mere politician, since
he might now entrust the decision of
aU matters of importance to the Vice-
Chancellor. But never was any opinion
more absurd, than that which suppo-
sed that a chancellor would abdicate
his judicial character ; the honour and
responsibility of this high officer af-
fords sufficient security against such
an event. Why might not the chief
justice of the King's Bench too with-
draw from the execution of his duties,
and intrust the functions of his office
to his assistants ? Lord Ellenborough
was bound to the performance of the
duties of his office only by ties similar
to those which bound the Lord Chan-

cellor ; there is no law whicli prevents
his withdrawing himself entirely from
his court, yet would any man dream
of the possibility of such an event ?
Was it not a suspicion equally chime-
rical, to suppose that the Lord Chan-
cellor would remain idle, and leave his
business to be transacted by the Vice-
Chancellor ? It would be absurd to
legislate on such fancies. In Ireland,
business was so arranged that the Mas-
ter of the Rolls afforded the same as-
sistance to the Lord Chancellor which
was here proposed to be given by the
Vice-Chancellor. When the bill cre-
ating such regulations was first pro-
posed, objections had been made to it
similar to those now started to the pre-
sent bill. The object which both the
bills had in view was similar, namely,
to provide an auxiliary to the Lord
Chancellor ; and it was then said as
now, that the Chancellor ( Lord Clare)
would become a mere state officer.
The best answer to this objection was
furnished by the conduct of the four
distinguished persons who had since
the above period filled that high sta-
tion. Not one of these eminent charac-
ters had ever withdrawn for a moment
from his judicial business for politi-
cal purposes, or ever betook him-
self to the Master of the Rolls except
as an auxiliary. Experience proved
that the object had been attained in
the case of the Irish bill, so that it
was but rational to conclude that the
same object would be effectually ac-
complished by the bill under the con-
sideration of the House. — Some per-
sons had maintained that the whole ex-
pense of the office of Vice-Chancellor
should be charged upon the emolu-
ments which the Lord Chancellor de-
rived from the business in the court
of chancery. That noble lord (the
Chancellor) had stated, at the very
commencement of the enquiry, that he
wished for no profit which was not
purchased by beneficial labour j yet,

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. C!

when the importance and dignity of
his office were considered, and when
the extent of the labour attendant on
the execution of its duties were esti-
mated, it would appear but reasonable
that the Lord Chancellor should live
with great splendour. He should
have the means of providing for his fa-
mily— for it was to be remembered
that there was always much uncer-
tainty as to his continuance in office.
The pension of 4000/. to ex chancel-
lors was by no means sufficient of it-
self for this purpose, and it should be
remembered that there were many dis-
tinguished noblemen who owed the
rank and fortune of their families to
the dignified labours of their ancestors
who filled the office of Lord Chancel-
lor. It seemed to be reasonable that
this office should be endowed more
liberally than any other ; and that its
income should not be looked upon
with jealousy. The office exposes
the holder to greater cares and to
more political uncertainty than other
judicial situations which are held du-
ring life, at least during good beha-
"viour. Under these circumstances
parliament would not think of making
encroachments upon the revenues de-
rived by the Lord Chancellor from his
office. — The measure, therefore, being
charged with little or no expense,
while it was calculated to remedy two
great evils ; and coming recommended,
as it did, by the sanction of all the
great legal characters, seemed to be of
such a nature, that all parties might
be expected to concur in it."

Mr Caning distinguished himself
by his opposition to this measure, and
as his speech contains a good summary
of the arguments urged against the
bill, it shall be inserted in his own
words. On the 1 Ith February, when
the second reading of the bill was
moved by Lord Castlereagh, Mr Can-
ning observed, ♦* It seemed to be main-
tained that the members of this^ House
were not fit to judge of such a ques-

tion. If that disqualification were
supposed to apply generally, much
more forcibly must it apply to those
members (of whom he was one) who
could boast of no means of forming
a judgment but plain sense unadorned
with legal learning. He must, how-
ever, protest against any such plea in
bar of their discussions ; and must
deny that the lay part of the House
were implicitly to adopt the dicto of
certain learned personages in matter
not of law but of regulation. He
yielded all respect possible to the
House of Lords, but could not con-
sent to pass the bill they had sent
down without examination/ Some
considerations indeed there were which
might perhaps tend to diminish in this
particular instance the general respect
due to the authority of their lordships.
It appeared on the very face of the
bill that it arose out of arrears in their
lordships* jurisdiction. They might
be better judges of the extent of the
evil, but if the evil lay with them the
Commons ought not to exercise the
less jealousy in the examination of the
remedy proposed. A learned friend
of his had set out with rebuking an
excess of levity, and a want of grave
consideration on this subject ; but he
should have been aware that the
sources of ridicule were not merely
in things which were themselves ridi-
culous, but also in the attempted ap-
proximation of things which were not
in themselves reconcileable — in the
comparison of lofty pretensions with
paltry means — in the contrast of mag-
nificent promises with the total in-
adequacy of the mode suggested for
following up and reahzing them. If
the bill was to be considered as the
result of all the experience and wis-
dom of the other house, undoubtedly
on that ground, and in that character,
it was to be received with the greatest
reverence ; but if it was found that all
this learned labour had only produced
an office, which the legal profession

Chap. 2.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

must treat with contempt ; then in
spite of all prepossessions in its fa-
vour, the ridicule against which his
honourable and learned friend protest-
ed might blamelessly or rather must
infallibly attach to it. The bill said,
that whereas great arrears had been
accumulated, it was necessary to do
so and so. The diminution of this
accumulation might, to be sure, be
accomplished ia either of two ways ;
by clearing the reservoir at once, or
by impeding the channel whence it
was constantly supplied with so rapid
a current. The bill appeared to fol-
low the latter of those two courses.
Its most obvious and certain effect
was to occasion all the causes in
Chancery to be tried twice over, a
process which must necessarily delay
the proceedings of that court, and
so check the vicious rapidity of the
stream of appeals which flowed from
it into the House of Lords. If the
tried wisdom, the high legal attain-
ments, and pre-eminent authority of
that great magistrate who had been
used to speak from the bench from
which he (Mr Canning) had now
risen (Sir William Grant) did not
prevent constant appeals to the Lord
Chancellor from his decisions as Mas-
ter of the Rolls, it was idle to suppose
that from the new Vice-chancellor, new
in office, new and unsettled in autho-
rity, and (be he who he may) proba-
bly far inferior to the present Master
of the Rolls in legal knowledge and
abilities, there would not be appeals
to the Lord Chancellor in a far greater
number. It was indeed attempted to
be shewn, that this new creation would
be similar to the mastership of the
rolls ; but there was this essential
difference between the two magis-
tracies; there was a choice allowed
to the suitor to have his cause car-
ried before the Master of the Rolls or
the Lord Chancellor, and therefore it
was the less likely that he should de-

VOL. VI. PART I.

sire it to be reheard ; but this bill
gave the Chancellor power to refuse
hearing a case, and to send it to the
Vice-chancellor: and in every case
which was thus delegated from the
Lord High Chancellor to his deputy,
against the will and choice of the
suitor, it was surely most natural to
suppose that the suitor would desire
a hearing. Thus, therefore, the ac-
cumulation before the lords might in-
deed be prevented from increasing so
fast as at present, since every cause
heard by the new magistrate would
probably be heard again by the Lord
Chancellor; and the suitor perhaps
might be sickened by his first appeal,
and deterred from prosecuting a
second to the House of Lords. But
how would the device tend to the ac-
complishment of the professed object
of the bill, the allowing the Lord
Chancellor more time for attendance
in the House of Lords? After all,
if the accumulation of appeals in that
house be the evil to be cured,^ why
was not some remedy applied distinct-
ly and at once to the seat of the
evil ? It was surely a derogation from
the dignity of the House of Lords
to suppose that they could not dis-
charge the business before them ; that
their noble natures could not rise at
nine o^clock to adjudge the causes at
their bar ; that, with privileges so far
surpassing those of other senates, they
could not make an exertion for the
discharge of those important duties
which were annexed to such high
privileges, and which justified and en-
nobled them in the eyes of their coun-
try and the world. Why should such
reasonings apply to them more than
to the Commons ? The Lords admit-
ted a delay amounting to a denial of
justice. What degradation or shame
could it be to the Lords to adopt
with respect to their own proceedings
some such coercive regulations as the
Commons had adopted to secure the
t c

34 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 2,

discharge of their own duty in causes
of contested elections ? The shame
seemed to lie in stopping short be-
tween the removal of abuse and the
adoption of a remedy. Was it a pro-
blem so obscure, knotty, and difficult
to devise the means of securing a suffi-
cient attendance in the other house,
whatever skill it might have required
to produce such a bill as this ? No I
let the House reject this bill, and a
better measure would be proposed in
a very short time. An appeal had
been piade to their compassion in be-
half of this unhappy scrap of paper,
as if it were the offspring of some
infant member, who was employing
his untried hand, in his first and crude
attempt to remedy some acknowledged
evil, hoping that a committee would
lick his unformed abortion into some
sort of decent shape. Another learn-
ed gentleman thought they were tread-
ing on a sort of hallowed ground, and
that they could not presume even to
alter ^nd amend the bill, such as it
was sent down to them, without a
species of scandalum magnatwm a-
gainst the legislative wisdom of the
House of Lords ! The bill in fact was
all it could be. A committee was
useless. It would offend the Lords
more to send it back so changed, as
it must necessarily be, if it was to be
made useful to any good purpose
whatever, than it would to reject it
altogether; abstaining, however, at the
same time, with the utmost deference,
from presuming to suggest any other
method of proceeding in a case which
appeared to be claimed as the pecu-
liar province of their lordships, and
leaving their lordships to go to work
again upon a new plan better calcu-
Jated for their own credit and the
public satisfaction. — He begged par-
don for any seeming levity, if he were
guilty of any in speaking with free-
dom of this strange project : but
there were different moods io which

different men viewed the same sub-
jects: some might indulge in harm-
less merriment; while others (he did
not see the learned gentleman, Mr
Stephen, present) might view this
mouse which the mountain had brought
forth with feelings quite " melancholy
and gentlemanlike," like Master Ste-
phen in " Every Man in his Humour.'*
For his own part he thought there
could not be a graver subject than
the due and speedy administration of
justice : but on the other hand there
could not be a more ludicrous asso-
ciation than that of high magisterial
functions, and great official trust, with
all the circumstances of degradation
and disparagement with which the
new magistrate procreated by this
bill is to be invested. It was pretend-
ed indeed, that the power of the Lord
Chancellor to devolve business upon
this new deputy, was to be no other
than that which he now has, to call to
his assistance any one of the judges,
or masters in Chancery, named in the
commission, empowering them to sit
for the Chancellor. Nothing could
be more unlike. Compare the lan-
guage of that commission with that
of this bill by which the Chancellor
was to ring for his deputy. It would
appear that the judges, when called
upon, were really to sit for the Chan-
cellor, to sit as the Chancellor ; to do
his business ; to execute his functions,
and the rssult was to be of as great
validity, force, efficacy, and virtue, as
if from the Chancellor himself. The
new gentleman to be created was to
have full power, &c. but in such a
manner nevertheless, and under such
regulations and restrictions, as the
Lord Chancellor himself shall from
time to time order and direct. If
this was to be freedom, he wished to
know what was servitude ? If this was
volition, what was coercion ? What was
such a judge, but a man sitting on the
judgment seat fettered hand and foot?

Chap. 2.]

HISTORY or* EUROPE.

And was it possible to concei^'e that
any decision of such a magistrate
could be received as satisfactory and
acquiesced in as final ? Conceive a
melancholy client coming into court,
and directing his solicitor to take care
that his cause is set down for hearing,
not before that tedious indecisive
judge the Master of the Rolls, but
before the Lord High Chancellor
himself. Soon afterwards he hears
that his cause is, according to his di-
rection, before his lordship himself.
So much the better. At least the
hearing will be final. Some time after-
wards he is informed that his cause is
decided against him — by whom By
the Lord Chancellor himself ? No such
thing ; but by a judge under the con-
stant direction and superintendance of
the Chancellor, subject tu: his inter-
ference and contr-.ul, to his revisal,
and reversal or alteration. — What con-
solation could this be to the suitor,
who had chosen the Lord Chancellor
for his judge in preference to the
Master of the Rolls, for the express
purpose of avoiding the necessity of
an appeal, which would now be his
only refuge ? Was not this the mean-
ing of the bill ? He heard some mur-
murs near him as if he was misrepre-
senting its tenor and purport- He
certainly did not mean to misrepre-
sent it. The advocates of the bill
had particularly praised it for its
clearness. It was indeed overloaded
with perspicuity, full of qualifications
and limitations, and exemptions, and
provisoes, patching up one hole and
making anotlier to patch up in turn ;
and involved in inexplicable explana-
tiens. But after all, was not the re-
sult as he had stated it, that the Lord
Chancellor might send causes he did
not like to his Vice Chancellor as he
pleased, just as he would order away
a corked bottle; was not the Vice-
Chancellor to take whatever was sent
t*» him — 1« ubstain from whatever was

not thus sent to him ? To begin or
to leave off exactly when and where
the Lord Chancellor pleased, at the
beginning, or the middle, or the end
of a cau8«— just as might suit the
Chancellor's fancy ? Had he, or was
he, intended to have any regular,
known, fixed, intelligible substantive
province or authority ? Scrub in the
play, Mungo in the farce, Sancho in
his island, were in a state of settled
jurisdiction compared with this new
officer • If the form of his tribunal
were copied from any thing at all, it
must have been from Sancho in his
little island ! It was to be a delega-
tion by fits and snatches — the off-
spring of the humours and leisures of
the Chancellor, dealt out in bits and
scraps of jurisdiction. It really re-
quired more credulity than the au-
thors of the bill had a right to expect,
to imagine that the bill, even though
it should receive the polishing hand of
any learned Serjeant, could ever answer
the purposes for which it was intended.
As an unlearned member of parlia-
ment, his vote should be against the
introduction of a magistracy which it
was not fit to create. It was not his
fault that the proposition was so ob-
jectionable. They had a right to take
time to consider this bill, as the
Lords had paused for eleven years
before they hit upon this mode of re-
medying an inconvenience of such
great and growing mischief. If in«
deed it was contended, that they were
not- entitled to object to this mode,
without having some other more per-
fect plan to propose, he would answer,
that he had no doubt another plan
might easily be devised ; but he de-
nied the necessity, or even the pro-
priety, of originating it in the House
of Commons. The onus was on the
Lords, but not on them. The evil
was with the Lords, who pleaded
their own fault, and applied for
the remedy. The evils he believed
8

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 2.

were exaggerated, and must vanish at
the touch of a reforming hand. Let
the Lords adopt an efficient measure,
and the mass of evil would soon sink
to a manageable size. — He was un-
able to follow the reasonings of Chan-
cery lawyers ; but was such an office as
a Vice-chancellor ever recognised in
England before ? He felt the highest
respect for the present Lord Chancel-
lor, but he must consider that he was
called upon to legislate, not only for
the present times, but for posterity.
He wished to preserve the office of
Lord Chancellor in this country in
all the plenitude of its powers and
splendour of its authority. He be-
lieved in his conscience that it was most
essentially important to the constitu-
tion that it should be so preserved.
He thought that it was one of the
highest prerogatives of the sovereign,
that he could take a man from the
profession of the bar, and place him
at once by an act of power in a si-
tuation giving rank and precedence
above ducal coronets. This high pre-
rogative, however, like all others,
would be exercised with a responsi-
bility to public opinion ; and although
the crown might make whom it would
Lord Chancellor, yet it would never
will to make any man a Chancellor
who in the public eye was not con-
ceived to be fit for that high situa-
tion. He was not imputing any neg-
ligence to Lord Eldon, when he said,
that if this bill should pass, a time
might come when all the business of
the court of Chancery might be
thrown upon this new officer, and
the Master of the Rolls, and that
in future times a Lord Chancellor
might be chosen chiefly from other
considerations unconnected with his
legal knowledge or ability to preside
in the Court of Chancery. This bill
might therefore lead to the destruction
of the office of Lord Chancellor,
which he conceived to be, as it now

stood, an office of the greatest impor-
tance as well in a constitutional point
of view as with regard to the admi-
nistration of the important duties of
the court of Chancery. He, there-
fore, could not support a bill whicU
appeared to him to do things utterly
unwise ; to create a magistracy unfi^
to be created, and to endanger, by in-
novation upon its character and duties,
a magistracy which it was of the high-
est importance to maintain unaltered
and unimpaired ; a bill not calculated
to remedy the evil which it professed
to obviate, and risking the introduco-
tion of other evils which it might be
difficult hereafter to cure ; a bill di-
rected to the removal of an obstruc-
tion in the course of justice avow-
edly of a temporary nature ; and ef-
fecting (or rather not effecting) that
object by a permanent dismember-
ment of the highestjudicial office of
the constitution," — The measure, not-
withstanding this opposition, received
the sanction of the legislature.

It has been frequently remarked,
that revolutions in the civil or criminal
Uws of a country are of all others the
most dif|[icult to be accomplished. It
is a salutary prejudice, no doubt, which
resists innovations so extremely ha-
zardous ; yet when we consider what
was the character of those remote ages
in which the foundations of our juris-
prudence were laid, — how rude and,
savage were their manners, — how li-
mited their information, — and how un-
settled was the whole form of society,
it may with some reason be presumed,
that there is scarcely a subject on
which a sober and rational spirit of
improvement may with more advan-
tage be employed. The English have
been more remarkable, perhaps, than
any of their neighbours for a sacred,
and, in some cases, a superstitious ve-
neration of their ancient constitution ;
and their laws may therefore be sup-
posed to offer as strong a temptation

Chap. 2.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

to the genius of reform as those of any-
other country. It cannot be disguised,
indeed, that notwithstanding the ge-
neral strength and solidity of the fabric
of their jurisprudence, and the distin-
guished talent and integrity with which
their laws have long been administer-
ed, there are some parts of their sys-
tem which bear visible marks of the
barbarism and folly of a ruder age.
Those who complain of such absurdi-
ties in the letter of the law, are told,
indeed, that every thing is well mana-
ged in practicey and that in the crimi-
nal code nothing can differ more than
the punishments denounced, and those
which arc actually put in execution
against offenders. Yet even this apo-
logy seems, in a great measure, to ad-
mit the justice of the complaint. The
statute-book is disgraced by laws
■which are not executed ; the advanta-
ges of a precise and written code are
needlessly relinquished, and a strong
encouragement is held out to the most
arbitrary proceedings. Among the
eminent English lawyers of the present
day. Sir Samuel Romilly has honour-
ably distinguished himself by his exer-
tions to improve the criminal code ;
and as he made another effort during
the present session of parliament, it
may not be improper to present the
reader with the substance of the de-
bate which occurred with reference to
this important subject.

On the 7th February, Sir Samuel
Romilly rose and said, " he hoped
that in again drawing the attention of
the House to a part of the general
laws of the country, which he had al-
ready on a former occasion brought
under their notice, he should not be
considered guilty of any impropriety.
The bill which he at present meant ♦o
introduce was one which had twice
passed that House ; but had been re-
jected in the House of Lords. No
person had more respect for the quar-
ter from which opposition had come

than himself, and if he imagined, by
again introducing a measure which had
been considered impolitic, he should
be supposed to act from the least dis-
respect to that quarter, no person
could feel more concern than hewould.
But from all that he had observed
since the last consideration of the sub-
ject, he felt he should not be doing
his duty if he did not bring the sub-
ject under the attention of a new par-
liament. It would be in the recollec-
tion of the House that in 1810 he had
proposed to bring in three bills ; one
of which was to repeal the act of King
William, which rendered it a capital
offence to steal property to the amount
of five shillings privately in a shop ;
another to repeal the act of Queen
Anne, which pronounced it a capital
offence to steal to the value of forty
shillings in a dwelling-house ; and the
third to repeal the act of George II.
rendering it a capital offence to steal
property to the same amount from on
board a vessel in a navigable river.
These bills were all passed in 1811 by
that House, but were rejected by the
Lords. At the present moment he
should only move for leave to bring in
that one which, in the former discus-
sions, was considered least objection-
able ; he alluded to that which related
to stealing property to the value of
five shillings in a dwelling-house ; and
the principle on which he should pro-
pose to introduce this bill, was pre-
cisely the same as that which he had
before stated, namely, the inexpedi-
ency of penal laws existing which
were not intended to be executed.
This inexpediency was strongly de-
monstrated by the returns of the cri-
minal courts for London and Middle-
sex during the years 1805, 6, 7, 8,
and 9. He could not help here ex-
pressing his surprise that these returns
had not, in compliance with the order
of the House, oeen made to a later
period. During these few years it

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [Chap. 2. ;

appeared, that the number of indivi-
duaU committed for this offence a-
mounted to 188* of whom 18 only had
been convicted, and of these not one
executed. This he trusted would be
admitted as a pretty accurate criterion
to shew, that it was not intended to
carry the law into effect against indi-
viduals who were found guilty under
this statute. The consequence of the
law not being executed, as was already
stated, was, that where some punish-
ment wa? deserved, no punishment was
at all inflicted, and the offender e«car
ped altogtther with impunity. This
was an evil which could not exist if
the laws were less severe, and a certain
but mild, although effectual punish-
ment was substituted. He did not
mean to censure the forbearance which
thus disarmed the law of its ferocity,
but he condemned the retention of a
law which was found too cruel for ap-
plication, and which was therefore su-
perseded in almost every instance by
a discretionary adaption of that wise
and humane principle, that no un-
necessary suffering, no useless pang,
ought ever to be infl cted under the
sanction of the legislature. Upon
this part of the subject, he could not
more powerfully illustrate his argu-
ment than by quoting the sentiments
of a I: an who had once been the orna-
ment of that house, and whose opini-
onswould have weight far greater than
belonged to any thing that could fall
from fo humble an individual as him-
self. In the observations upon our
penal laws which were published in the
last edition of Mr Burke's works, that
distinguished person says, * The ques-
tion is, whether, in a well-constituted
commonwealth, it is wise to retain
laws not put in force ? A penal law
not ordinarily executed, must be defi-
cient in justice or wisdom, or both.
But we are told, that we may trust
to the operation of manners to relax
the law. On the contrary, the laws

ought to be always in unison with
the manners, and corroborative of
them, otherwise the effect of both will
be lessened. Our passions ought
not to be right, and our reason of
which law is the organ, wrong.' The
words of this admirable writer were
never more applicable than in the pre-
sent case ; for without some extraor-
dinary aggravation, who was there
with nerves strong enough to contem-
plate the execution of this law ? Who
would say that any one for stealing a
ribbon or a piece of lace above the
value of five shillings, was deserving of
death, if not guilty of some other of-
fence ? He did not believe that there
was a single instance in which the sen-
tence had ever been carried into exe-
cution. If there were any instance,
it would be very desirable to know
under what aggravations the offence
had been committed ; and it would
also be extremely desirable that these
aggravations, which had been the
foundation of the punishment, should
in future be made the foundation of
the sentence. This would relieve the
judges from that responsibility in de-
ciding on the fate of individuals from
their own private judgment, which
constituted the most painful part of
their duty. He was himself satisfied
that the effect of the law had been to
increase the frequency of the crime.
Laws, to be effectual, must hold out
a terror to individuals. What terror-
could a law carry with it, when it was
known that it was never put in force,
but remained a dead letter on the sta-
tute-book ? He had on a former occa-
sion stated, that no instance had oc-
curred of the law against stealing to
the amount of forty shillings on navi-
gable canals having been put in force.
An aggravated case of this kind had
lately happened, in which property-
had been stolen to the amount of
some thousand pounds. This case had
been cited against the principle of the

ClTAP. 2.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

bill for repealing that act. But could
this be considered as a fair ground of
objection ? Because stealing to the
amount of sorae thousand pounds was
punished with death, was that a rea-
son why stealing to the amount of
forty shillings should be punished with
death ? He should, however, have
congratulated himself, even if a law
had passed to save the Hves of those
individuals. It was not likely that an
instance of so aggravated a nature
-would soon occur again, and the effect
of the execution of the sentence was •
to make persons dissatisfied with the
existing law. The trial had lasted
three days, and the jury had the ful-
lest opportunity to consider every cir-
cumstance of the case. Yet after their
entire conviction of the guilt of the
prisoners, they had joined in an una-
nimous petition to the prince regent to
spare the lives of those whom by the
law they were bound to condemn.
There could not be a stronger instance
of the general repugnance in men's
minds to the carrying such laws into
execution.

** The next bill he proposed to in-
troduce related to the common-law
punishment in cases of high treason.
The sentence, at present, it was well
known, was, that the criminal shall be
drawn upon a hurdle to the place of
execution ; that he shall be hanged by
the neck, and being alive shall be cut
down ; that hia entrails shall be taken
out of his body, and, he hving, the
same shall be burnt before his eyes ;
that his head shall be cut off, his body
be divided into four quarters, and head
and quarters shall be disposed of at the
pleasure of the kin^. In point of fact,
this horrible sentence was not now exe-
cuted, the offender being hanged until
deady and his head being then cut off
and exhibited to the spectators, a prac-
tice to his mind most exceptionable,
"when it was considered that it was cal-
culated to excite only disgust in some,

compassion in others, and brutal apa-
thy in a third class. Mr Justice
Blackstone had said, that the practice
of embowelling had been discontinued,
but it was well worthy of considera-
tion whether so shocking and ignomi-
nious an infliction ought to be left to
the discretion of the executioner. The
judges had not the power of remitting
any part of this prescribed judgment;
for in the case of Captain Halcot,
who was convicted in the year 168S
of being concerned in the Rye-house
Plot, the judgment was set aside upon
appeal to the House of Lords, because,
although the embowelling and burning
had been directed, the wordsipso vivente
had been omitted. These expressions
were pronounced by that high tribunal
to be an essential part of the judgment,
without which it had no legal validity-
whatever. — It was argued, that never
any judge was known to require that
the man's bowels should be burnt while
he was alive, and that the same was
impossible to be executed. To which
it was answered, that to have bowels
cut out ivhile alive was the most severe
part of the punishment, and therefore
ought not to be omitted ; that to pre-
tend that the judgment could not be
executed, was to arraign the wisdom
and knowledge of all the judges and
king's council in all reigns ; that the
strict execution was not impracticable,
for that tradition said that Harrison,
one of the regicides of Charles the
First, did rise up and give the execu-
tioner a box on the ear after his
body was opened. — Ought then this
punishment to remain to revolt tl^f
feelings of mankind, and furnish fo-
reigners with a reproach against our
national character ? Ought the terrors
of a vain threat to be displayed in
the hour of the wretched offender's
fate, to bereave him of his understand-
ing ? Ought the question, whether a
man shall perish instantaneously, or by
slow, bitter, and protracted torments.

40 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 2.

to be left to the decision of the execu-
tioner ? He was ready to admit, that
at later periods no such horrible scenes
were exhibited, except by accident,
and such instances had occurred ; but
surely it could never be endured with
any degree of patience, that the un-
fortunate wretch who was doomed to
suffer death, should be exposed to the
most horrid tortures by the mere inat-
tention or carelessness of an execu-
tioner, while the judge had no discre-
tion whatever. It was true, that from
the increasing humanity of the present
times, the dreadful sentence of the law
was seldom put in execution ; but what
other trflPect could it produce, he would
ask, but that of frightening the wretch-
ed culprit, when all those barbarities
were denounced against him by the
judge ? Nor was this the only evil ;
the judges could use no discretion in
those cases ; they were bound to pro-
nounce the dreadful sentence of the
law, while the mitigation of punish-
ment was left to the care, and the
aggravation to the neghgence of the
executioner. Nor were the addition-
al cruelties sometimes exercised on
those occasions always to be attri.
buted to negligence. Lord Bacon had
recorded, that in the time of Queen
Ehzabeth, they were generally ex-
cused by the barbarities practised in
other countries ; and Cambden relates,
that in Babington's conspiracy, when
fourteen individuals, found guilty of
high treason, were left for execu-
tion, the first seven who suffered
were so cruelly tormented, that « the
queen being informed of the severity
used in the executions the day before,
and detesting such cruelty, gave ex-
press orders that these should be used
more favourably; and accordingly they
were permitted to hang till they were
quite dead, before they were cut down
and bowelled.* He was sorry to say,
that in the last rebeUion, in the year
1746 such wa« the state of inflamma-
U

tion which men's passions had attained,
that a Mr Townly was executed with
all those disgusting barbarities which
he had submitted to the reprobation
of the House. After hanging six mi-
nutes, he was taken down, and laid on
the block, but still showing signs of
life, the executioner struck him on the
breast, and finding this not sufUcient,
proceeded to cut his throat. He was
afterwards embowelled, according to
the letter of the law. — ^^Thc origin of
this common-law judgment he had not
been able to trace higher than the
reign of Edward I. when David, Prince
of Wales, and the celebrated Wallace,
were executed for having bravely and
heroically nwiintained the interests and
defended the independence of their na-
tive land. The burning, in cases of
petty treason and witchcraft, long re-
mained a disgrace on the statute-
book ; it had been repealed in the one
instance, " and blessed," he said, " be
the memory of the man who had pro-
cured the abrogation of the dreadful
edict.** — He intended then to move for
leave to bring in a bill * to alter the
punishment of high treason,' and also
for another bill * to take away the
corruption of blood, as a consequence
of attainder of treason or felony.' This
corruption of blood, he begged leave
to observe, was quite a distinct thin^
from forfeiture, and was, indeed, a sub-
ject on which great diversity of legal
opinion had prevailed. It consisted
in incapacitating the person attainted
from devising nis property ; it left
him, in fact, without an heir, or, in
technical language, disqualified him
from tracing a pedigree. He should
be ashamed,*' he said, «' to take up any
more of the time 'of the House with
this subject, although he could quote
passages from Mr Justice Blackstone,
and other eminent writers, in favour of
his opinion."

The Sohcitor-General (Sir William
Garrow) *< hoped the House would

Chap. 2.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

indulge him while he made some ge-
neral observations on the principles by
which his hon. and learned friend ap-
peared to be actuated, although he
certainly did not mean to oppose his
motion. He confessed himself totally
unprepared to speak on the subject of
punishment in cases of high-treason,
as he had not understood before that
this would form a part of the propo-
sition of his hon. and learned friend,
yet he would say that the barbarous
punishment so loudly and pathetically
complained of was merely nominal ;
and as to the corruption of blood it
had been devised to deter men from
committing such a heinous crime, for
it was well known that individuals,
whom no human or divine law could
keep in bounds, were restrained from
crimes by the consideration of the fate
which awaited their helpless orphans.
As to the first proposition of his hon.
and learned friend, he certainly agreed
with him, that if the obligation of
strictly interpreting and literally en-
forcing the provision of the criminal
law, were imposed on the judges, no
man would accept an office which
would convert the assizes into sham-
bles. But if discretion must be vest-
ed somewhere, where could it be so
safelv reposed as with the judges of
the land ? Always reserving an ap-
peal to the fountain of mercy — an ap-
peal, which, whenever good cause could
be shewn in support of it, had never
been made in vain. — With respect to
the punishment of transportation he
might be permitted to say a few words ;
and possibly he could not do better
than to relate what had come under
his own immediate observation. He
had at times been called upon to assist
the judges at assizes. In one instance
a man had been tried for stealing a
piece of timber in the night time, and
had been convicted. The sentence
to be inflicted by the law was trans-
portation for seven years ; but if the

judge had been compelled to insist on
the infliction of that sentence und-^r
the peculiar circumstances of the caj^e,
it must have made his situation miser-
able indeed. The prisoner was a poor,
but industrious tailor ; every body
bore testimony to his good character,
even the prosecutor himself was con-
strained to say that he believed him to
be the most industrious and excellent
creature living. When called on for
his defence, and to state why he had
committed the theft, the poor man
said, * It is true that I stole the piece
of timber as I was returnmg home
from my club ; and I intended to
make stools of it for my poor, sick
children.' Such was the feeling of
the judge, after having heard all the
heart-rending circumstances, that he
said to the prisoner, * i hope that
your appearance here will be of no de-
triment to you hereafter — it ought
not to be — you have buffered much
already — go home, and bless the laws
which have enabled the judge to ex-
ercise some discretion in your case :—
Gaoler, discharge the prisoner ! *•—
What would have been the situation
of the judge, had there been any writ-
ten scale of law which must be appli-
ed to this case ? Would not any further
punishment than this man had already
received have been too much? The same
occurrences often happened, yet there
were instances in which it was advisa-
ble for the security of society, to ex-
ert the utmost rigour of the law. — He
could not but lament that the present
motion had been brought forward ;
yet, knowing the high and honourable
mind of his learned friend, he felt co»-
vinced that it had been the result of
honest conviction, and not from a mere
desire of making complaint. He meant
not to impute any thing like blame.
He lamented that any such notion had
been introduced into that House, for
there were persons out of doors who
might think that there was much

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. S.

ground for complaint. His hon. and
learned friend had told them, that he
verily believed a recent occurrence
would not have taken place, had the
bill proposed by him succeeded, allu-
ding to the conviction and subsequent
petitioning of those persons who had
stolen a great quantity of silk on the
river Thames. He, however, differed
from his hon. and learned friend in
«uch an opinion. He admitted that
it would be most cruel if the letter of
our penal code were to be abided by
in every instance, for there were many
cases where to inflict the punishments
prescribed by the statutes for the of-
fence would be the most barbarous
cruelty, yet there were many cases of
a very different description. It was
<leath to steal on a navigable river
to the amount of 40s., and there were
many cases where it would be acting
mercifully by society to inflict the pu-
nishment to the utmost letter of the
Jaw — cases which developed regular
plans and deep-laid conspiracies ;
-which formed part of a series of de-
predations that were carried on daily
and nightly, to the apparent disregard
of all law. When the ringleaders in
such violations of good order and law
were caught, was it not right that they
should be punished as examples, out
-of mercy to others, to deter them from
committing similar offences ? — Such
then was the character of the case
which had been alluded to. There
were to be seen deep-laid plots, and
the effects of widely-extended corrup-
tion. Those who had the care of the
property had been corrupted to aban-
don their duty towards their masters,
and the law by which they had been
tried, had said that the offence was ca-
pital. They had been tried before as
conscientious and as intelligent a judge
as ever sat upon the bench (Mr Baron
Thompson.) After a patient trial,
which lasted three days, they had
been convicted. On that occasion,

the assistance was had of all the per-
sons eminent in the law ; and the
learned recorder of London, as was
customary, had laid a minute report
of the case before the sovereign au-
thority. In the privy council every
circumstance of so important a case
was minutely canvassed ; and the an-
xiety of the royal mind on all occa-
sions to render judgment in mercy
was well known. Indeed, the anxie-
ty of the sovereign to save the life of
that unfortunate criminal, on whom
the sentence of death had been passed,
could only be known to those who
had witnessed its effects, and it was
difficult to communicate even a faint
idea of that anxiety. He had heard
the late recorder (Adams) speak vdth
great delight and enthusiasm of the
excessive anxiety of his majesty to
save the lives of criminals ; and for
that purpose he would repeatedly
question as to the law and the circum-
stances of the case, and all in favour
of the criminal. But what was to be
done, when a desperate gang were
brought before the tribunal of justice
to answer to the violated laws of their
country ? Was there no difference be-
tween the measure of their guilt —
betwixt their culpabiHty and that of
an individual who might have com-
mitted a similar offence for the first
time, from absolute poverty, and
without having been in concert with
any one ? But it was said, respect-
ing the robbery on the Thames, that
the jury had afterwards petitioned
his royal highness the Prince Re-
gent for a mitigation of the punish-
ment— a proof of their notion of its
unnecessary severity. Some of the
criminals had families — others wives
— and others fathers or mothers de-
pendent on them for bread. No man
had a higher veneration for the trial
by jury than he had, and for those
who composed the juries of this coun-
try. Few men had seen more of die

Chap. 2.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

proceedings in criminal courts than he
had ; but after thirty years* experience,
he had not known six instances where,
had he been of the jury, he should not
have felt himself bound to determine
precisely as the jury had determined.
But after they had brought in their
verdict, they were like other men, ac
cessible to pity. The doors of the iu-
rymen might afterwards be crowded
by the daughters, the sons, or the
mothers of those who had been convict-
ed, praying their interference. They
would admit the justice of the convic-
tion, they would acknowledge the of-
fence of their relatives ; but they
would add — " you cannot wish them
to expiate their crimes with their
lives — you cannot desire that they
should be hanged ; think, then, on our
feelings for those who we believe, may
be saved if you will petition the Prince
Regent. You will not refuse to sign
this paper — life is valuable to the
meanest being that crawls I" Thank
God ! few Englishmen could with-
stand such an appeal as this ! The p '-
tition was signed under those circum-
stances, and was forwarded to the foun-
tain of mercy, where it would always
have due effect if a fair case were made
out.— While assisting the judges of
assize it was once unfortunately his
duty to pass sentence of death on six
individuals, some of whom he could
not leave for execution, and of course
no such order was left. But such
feelings of mercy as he had in his own
mind towards the unhappy individuals
could not be communicated to them.
The consequence was, when he was
about to leave the town the carriage
wheels were beset ; and there were oud
prayers calling on him ** for God's
sake, not to leave the criminals for exe-
cution !" Those who were offering
up the petitions so fervently were ac-
tually t e prosecutors ; and they ad
•mitted the justic? cf tlu sent- .ice, but
said that the poor men's lives ought

to be spared^for life was valuable.
Such had ever been the case, and if
the judges were not so to run a race of
humanity with the prosecutors, their
carriage wheels would be so obstruct-
ed that they would be unable to move.
It had the happiest effects, it commu-
nicated mercy to those who merited it,
while the law was to be called into ac-
tion against greater offenders. The
severity of the law was not too much
for some cases ; for the utmost rigour
was sometimes called for out of mercy
to society. He should not detain the
House longer on the present occasion ;
he had now addressed them for the sole
purpose of doing away that prejudicial
impression which might be made on the
public mind, had the statement of Sir
S. Romilly gone forth to the world
without some observations being made
upon it,"

On the 26th of March, when the
third reading of the bill was proposed.
Sir S. Romilly entered upon a review
of the objections which had been stated
to the measure. ** To those members,"
he said, ' who had not before heard him
on this subject, it would afford satisfac-
tion to hear that his was not theory ; md
though the gentlemen who opposed the
present bill obliged him by bestowing
on him the appellation or a theorist,
they themselves were in reality the
theorists. It would be some relief to
those who objected to him, that he
was accustom d to indulge in tanci-
ful theories, when he assured them that
he would now cautiously abstain from
obtruding on their attention any thing
of that kind ; at the same time he could
not help observing, that this charge, so
frequently preferred against him, was
by no means well founded ; on the con-
trary, he had the satisfaction of think-
ing that those who were most forward
in accusing him, were themselves ad-
dicted to the practice they condemned.
He really was not conscious that he
had attempted to support any measures

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. g.

such as those which formed the object
of the present bill by theoretical argu-
ments ; he had always, in endeavour-
ing to recommend them to the House,
relied principally on facts, and he had
▼ery dihgently laboured to put the
House in possession of those facts.
These practical men, as they would
have themselves supposed, however,
who resisted the bill, had brought for-
ward no facts in support of their opi-
nions. They disdained even to have
recourse to those facts bearing on the
subject which they had before them.
He was sorry not to have heard the
sentiments of his honourable and learn-
ed friend (the Solicitor General) on
this measure, considering how gratify-
ing it must have been to the House to
learn the opinion of a learned gentle-
man of his great experience on the sub-
ject.— The simple question now at is-
sue was, whether a law, enacted in the
reign of WiUiam III., which made
robbery to the amount of more than
five shillings, without any aggravated
circumstances, a capital offence, should
remain on the statute book. Without
at all alluding to the changes procured
by lapse of time, and even to the change
ID the opinion of the judges since the
time of King William, an honourable
and learned friend of his (Mr Wethe-
rall) called on the House to adhere to
the ^icient system of our criminal law,
and for information on that head re-
ferred them to a work of Dr Paley.
This, however, was a work not found-
ed on an enquiry into the ancient sys-
tem of our criminal law, but into the
nature of that law as it had been prac-
tised in modern times. Now, he would
remind the House, that for a considera-
ble time the judges had, without being
charged with indulging in theories,
seen occasion to swerve in their prac-
tice from ihe spirit of legislative en-
actment ; a spirit, which, by the way,
had not bees always dormant, as the
punishment in question had been in-

flicted till within the reign of his
present majesty ; and the frequency
with which it had been inflicted,
could be ascertained from Howard's
book on prisons. From this it appear-
ed, that from the year 1749 to 1771 the
number tried was 250, of whom 109,
or nearly one half, were convicted.
Within the last five years, on the other
hand, in London alone, there had been
tried for similar offences 188, of whom
were convicted only 18, being only one
in ten of those indicted, and of the 18 ,
convicted not one had been executed. |
Now, he asked how the disparity be- '
tween the number tried and the num-
ber convicted was to be accounted for,
on any other principle but the unwil-
lingness of the jury to find the proper-
ty stolen to be of the value required by
the act ? — He asked, could any strong-
er argument against an existing law be
conceived, than that crimes not only
increased but multiplied under it ? Or
could any thing be more absurd than
that the punishment of death should
continue to be held out as applicable
to offences of a trivial nature, when it
was perfectly well known that such
punishment would never be inflicted ?
It was said that the bill repealing the
capital part of the punishment for pri'
vately stealing from the person had
had the effect of increasing that crime.
He denied that that crime had increas-
ed since the passing of the act repeal-
ing the capital part of the punishment ;
but if the fact was so, it remained t6
be shewn that the alteration in the
law had been the cause of it. For irf
crime in general had increased, it would
be rather too much to hold that the
increase of it in this particular instance
had been caused by the alteration in
the law. The increase of crime in ge-
neral would be apparent from the re-
turns before the House ; and could with
fairness be attributed in a great de- '
gree, only to the uncertainty of the
punishment, or rather to the certainty

Ghap. 2.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

that no such punishment as that pro-
vided for the offence would be inflict-
ed. The whole committals in the year
1805, throughout the kingdom, for of-
fences of this kind, amounted to 980 —
in 1806 to 890— in 1807 tq 1017— in
1808 to 1110— in 1811 to 124.2 — and
in 1812 to 1484. So that in those six
years the committals had increased up-
wards of 500. Now, in order to see
\vhat alteration had been effected, it
was necessary to enquire what number
of persons had been executed for those
crimci since the latest of the periods
mentioned. There had not been one.
— He had been accused of ringing the
changes on impracticable theories, but
he had never dealt in theories ; he had
supplied the House with facts — he
proceeded on facts, plain demonstra-
tive facts ; but something very much
like theory had been arrayed against
him. — But the act of 1809 had pro-
duced unhappy results. A noble and
learned Lord (Ellenborough) was re-
ported to have said, that the alteration
in the law as to privately stealing from
the person had caused an increase of
that offence ; but he denied that the
mere increase in the number of com-
mittals for that offence proved the as-
eertion, as the increase might be attri-
butable to the increase of crime in ge-
neral, and also to the fact, that since
the alteration in the law, parties were
less disinclined to prosecute. The opi-
nion of the Lord Chief Justice had
been often referred to, but that emi-
nent person had declared the same opi-
nion, that the crime had increased in
1808, beforethe passingof the act. He
did not know why the authority of the
Lord Chief Justice should be singled
out as superior to every other. He
did not try so many criminal causes as
the other judges ; nor was it possible
for any judge officially to ascertain
whether the crime had really increased
or not. — The number of prosecutions
at any period it was easy to ascertain.

not the number of offences ; and that
the number of prosecutions would be
greater in proportion to the number of
offences, was what had been foreseen
and foretold as the consequence of
passing this act. In 1805 there were
23 persons indicted for this oOence,
and only one convicted ; and in 1806,
31 persons tried, and one convicted;
in the next year, 37 indicted, and three
convicted ; and in 1808, from January
till June, when the capital part of the
punishment was abolished, there were
31 persons indicted for stealing pri-
vately from the person. Such was the
progressive increase of this crime be-
fore his bill had passed, although the
increase had been considered as the ef-
fect of the passing of that bill. So
little attention did these gentlemen who
talked against theory pay to facts.
They were so taken up with their zeal
about practical men, and the great su-
periority of experience over specula-
tion, that they never once condescend-
ed to look at the returns laid upon
the table. — As to the terror held out
by these unexecuted punishments, on
which so much stress had been laid, it
was purely chimerical, — they had no
effect. Let the House for a moment
remember how vast a diflFerence there
was between the great number of in-
dictments and the small number of con-
victions which formerly took place,
and the nearer proportion between the
convictions and indictments which wat
now observed. The fact was, that
juries were not to be found who would
find guilty on such sanguinary laws.
Before the passing of the former bill,
within a specific period 30 were in»
dieted, but only one was found guilty ;
and after the bill became a law, within
the same period 99 were indicted, and
45 out of that number were convict-
ed. The reason of this evidently was,
that the law being less sanguinary, the
juries did not hesitate to convict men
when evidence had proved them to be

46-

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 2.

guilty. To keep these sanguinary-
acts standing on the statute-books, as
threats, was much worse than useless ;
for they in effect often prevented men
from being convicted when they really
were guilty. Many instances could be
adduced to shew, that in consequence
of the laws regarding some particular
offences being so very sanguinary, men
who had been guilty of those offences,
even in an aggravated degree, were
not even proceeded against. This ap-
plied particularly to bankrupts. How
many bankrupts have been guilty of
those offences which the law made pu-
nishable with death, such as secre-
ting their property, and not appearing
to their commission, and yet were ne
ver proceeded against, such was the
terrible severity of the law ? Its terri-
ble severity was such, that no one
could be found to prosecute, for there
were but very few creditors who could
CTcr think of proceeding against a
bankrupt, however deeply that bank-
rupt might have injured them, when
such proceeding was to endanger the
man's life. Though those offences
were extremely common, as must be
well known to those who had any
thing to do with bankruptcies, yet had
there only been four prosecuted within
half a century ! But was it surprising
that such a law remained a mere dead
letter on the statute-book ? If those
offences were punishable by transport-
ation, or by imprisonment for a term
of years, would not many bankrupts
be justly prosecuted for secreting their
jfroperty from their creditors, or for
not appearing to the commission ?
Where then was the boasted benefit
resulting from holding out in terroreni
what was not carried into >execution ?
Men who referred to facts, who did
not indulge in theories, were well con-
vinced of this. Some gentlemen were
fond of facts, and he would appeal, by
way of illustration, to an instance given
by a respectable traveller, Barrow, in

his account of the Cape of Good
Hope. When he arrived there, the
law still ordered breaking on the wheel
and torture for certain offences ; and
when it was proposed to repeal those
laws, all the lawyers exclaimed loudly
against the repeal ; they said, that
though never put in force, these pu-
nishments were necessary in terrorem,
and that simple strangling with a cord
would not have any effect. The judge*
were of the sane opinion. The laws
were however repealed, and the conse-
quence was, that an application was
soon afterwards made by the hangmao
to have a pension assigned him, as,
owing to the diminution of the num-
ber of criminals, his place was become
worth nothing to him. Strangling,
putting on the rack, and beheading,
were punishments which were still en-
forced there by the letter of the law.
The statesmen saw that they were
never enforced, in fact, and that the
continuance of the law was detrimen-
tal rather than otherwise. They ap-
plied for the repeal of them ; but the
continuation of the laws was defended
on the ground of their being valuable
as a terror. They were repealed, and
the consequence was, that the poor
executioner petitioned the government
for a pension, offering, at the same
time, to give up his fees of office ! —
With respect to the authority of the
judges in favour of the present law, it
should be remembered that till 1771
they had executed that law, and their
present practice was an innovation on
the law, which was no longer any
thing more than a mere theory. A
learned Serjeant (Best) had said, that
if any case could be found in which
the sentence ought to be executed,
this would be a sufficient justification
of the law. But he would suppose a
case of assault so aggravated as to de-
serve a capital punishment ; as for in-
stance,- if a son should cruelly and
wantonly assault a kind and most in-

Chap. 2.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

dulgent father, was the honourable
and learned gentleman, therefore, pre-
pared to say, that he would make an
assault capital in all cases whatever ?
If so, he must bring in an entirely new
code of laws, and he would advise the
learned Serjeant to inscribe them with
the name of Draco. The learned mem-
ber had quoted the maxim, Nolumus
leges AnglicB mutari. But he must
beg leave to remind him when and
how those words were applied. They
were used by the barons when they
resisted the attempt to overturn the
whole system of our laws, and to in*
troduce the old Roman for the com-
mon law of the land. If they were to
be quoted against all alterations in the
existing laws, why then the learned
Serjeant would have appealed to them
when it was first proposed, in the time
of Queen Anne, to have witnesses
exammed in favour of the prisoner ; or
when it was proposed to extend the
benefit of clergy to women as well a»
men ; or when it was determined to
disregard clerical accomplishments,
which were so long the criterion that
precluded capital punishment in cer-
tain cases. Such must have been the
effect of applying the learned Serjeant's
notions during all times.— With re-
spect to the sentence of death, it had
been said that there were * different
ways* of pronouncing it,— one way
when the criminal was really to be
hanged, and another when it was in-
tended that he should be respited. But
he knew nothing of these * different
ways' of pronouncing a sentence of
death ; for if there were any such
practices, the pronouncing of the sen-

tence must lose much of its ef&cacy.
He knew of but one way ; and as the
prisoner remained ignorant of any in-
tention to lessen his punishment, the
pronouncing of the sentence must have
all the effect it would have if the sen-
tence were really to be inforced. The
only form he knew of, was that where
the judge concluded with solemnly
pronouncing, * And the Lord have
mercy on your soul!* He had wit-
nessed the awful effects which the de-
livery of this sentence had on the cri-
minals ; and in some instances, where
it was the intention not to execute, he
had seen the judge, after the sentence
had been pronounced, send to the pri-
soners, such was their dangerous state^
to assure them that the sentence wat
not to be executed ! What benefit
could result from such a proceeding ?
and what advantages resulted from
placing a judge in such situations ?
He was for reducing the theory to
the practice of the law, and for enact-
ing such punishments for offences as
were net of that sanguinary character-
which would induce juries to acquit
altogether, even where some punish-
ment was due. He would conclude
in the words of the Master of the
Rolls, whose absence he deeply re-
gretted,— that when the law was such
as to be no longer executed, from it»
repugnance to the manners and senti-
ments of the community, the time war
come to repeal that law, and to sub-
stitute another for it, more mild and
more effectual.*'

The bill passed the House ofClom*-
mons by a considerable majority*

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. S.

CHAP. III.

Domestic Affairs continued,'~'State of the Finances, '-'Mr Vansitiart^s nem
Plan of Finance, ^^OhQCciions urged against it,-~Army Estimates,— ^English
and Irish Buckets*

The state of the finances of this
country may well excite astonishment.
The prodigious amount of the pub-
lic debt, the magnitude of the loans
■which in a season of war are annu-
ally contracted, the variety of the
taxes imposed, and the entire confi-
^•nce which, notwithstanding all these
circumstances, is still reposed in the
national credit, appear to set at defi-
ance all the suggestions of theory.
The extent and fertility of the resour-
ces of the country, and the scrupu-
lous fidelity of the government in the
discharge of its pecuniary obligations,
can alone account for these singular
phenomena. Yet as the means of tax-
ation, although extensive, are in their
nature not inexhaustible, while the ex-
penditure seems to be altogether with-
out limits, it is obvious that without
some vigorous effort to maintain a due
proportion, ultimate embarrassment
inust be the result of the present sys-
tem.

To arrange and methodise the pub-
lic income and expenditure, — to miti-
gate in some degree the burdens of a
period exposed to unusual difficul-
ties,— to arrest unnecessary profusion
in the public business,— and to raise a

given sum with the least possible se-
verity on those who are to pay, a wise
system of finance may do much ; but
as an instrument for arresting the pro-
gress of continued extravagance to
certain ruin, — of wasteful expenditure
to national bankruptcy, — and of ex-
cessive taxation to the discourage-
ment and ultimate destruction of in-
dustry, all such systems seem to be un»
availing.

The nation which has recourse to
the funding system, without making
any provision for retracing its steps,
and for recovering in a period of repose
from the difficulties into which it may-
have been led during a season of war»
must look forward to insolvency as^j
the inevitable consequence. Great
Britain has, on almost every emer-
gency, resorted to the funding systen^
since the Revolution. A weak and
timid minister will be partial to this
system, and will rashly increase that
burden, which can be removed only
by his more resolute successors. At
the close of the American war this
system had been carried to a great
extent, without the provision of ade-
quate means for arresting its progress.
It was reserved for the virtue and

Chap. 3.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

talents of Mr Pitt to provide the re-
medy.

The ftindamental principle of Mr
Pitt's system was developed in the
new arrangements with regard to the
sinking fund. His plan was, to sepa-
rate it completely from the other de-
partments of expenditure, and to place
It under the controul of commissioners,
responsible not to ministers, but to
parhament. He provided also that
this fund should operate in war as well
as in peace ; that while new debts were
contracted, the sinking fund should
pay off the old ; and that, at the pe-
riod of every new loan, taxes beyond
what might be necessary to pay the
interest should be imposed, and form
an addition to the sinking fund.

It has been thought by some per-
sons, that the only mode of dischar-
ging the national debt, is by obtain-
ing a surplus of revenue beyond the
expenditure ; that the separation of
the sinkmg fund from the other funds
is in peace a measure of no real efii-
cacy ; that in war it is equally una-
yaihng, and must for ever be attended
. 'with loss, because it-increases the sums
'raised by loan, and upon which the
persons who make the advance must
receive a profit. It would t^ierefore,
it has been said, be far better that any
^ surplus which may arise during peace,
, ^hould be employed in defraying the
expences of the war, and in lessening
the amount of tlie loans. — Those who
^ argue this forget, however, that in
. the actual conduct of the finances
. something more is to be considered
tlian the mere science of calculation ;
and that it is our duty to apprctiate
well, not only the nature of the affairs
themselves, but the character of the
men by whom they are to be admi-
nistered ; not only what cariy but what
tvill be done. It may be laid down as
a fixed principle, that every minister
will have some object, in which it
would be convenient and agreeable to

VOL. VI. PART I.

spend any surplus of the public mo-
ney. If then this surplus be left float-
ing and mixed with other funds, the
result will be, that an immediate and
desirable use of it will be preferred to
one which, though great, is distant,
and therefore uninteresting. This is
no vague theory ; it has been confirm-
ed by the experience of Great Britain
for the last century. The influence of
every sinking fund prior to that of Mr
Pitt, though operating in the most
favourable circumstances, and during
long periods of peace, has been ut-
terly insignificant. — It may be said,
indeed, that although a sinking fund
is expedient in time of peace, yet
during war there can be no motive
for its adoption. But those who rea-
son in this manner ought to reflect on
the temptation which would arise in
a time of war to apply the surplus of
the sinking fund to pay the interest
of loans, instead of diminishing their
amount ; thus avoiding, for the time,
that discontent which the imposition
of new taxes inevitably creates. E-
ven when peace arrives, the winding
up of the concerns of war occasions
much extraordinary expence, to which
this existing surplus might be most
conveniently applied. For these rea-
sons, a sinking fund may be consi-
dered as a necessary appendage to
the funding system ; it ought t^ be
separated as completely as possible
from all other funds, and to be guard-
ed by the strongest barriers. It ought
to operate at all times by its own in-
trinsic force, and not according to the
varying and capricious views of states-
men.

Another important change accom-
plished by Mr Pitt, was the introduc-
tion of the practice of raising the
greater part of the supplies within the
year. The sinking fund, adhered to
with the characteristic firmness of the
minister who established it, might have
been sufficient for supporting the na-
D t

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 3.

tion under wars of common magnitude
and common duration ; but a war
conducted on a scale exceeding all
former experience, and of which the
termination appeared wholly uncer-
tain, was found to require some more
vigorous measure ; the accumulation
of debt became too great, and the
prospect of its discharge too distant ;
and provision was now to be made
for carrying it on to an indefinite
term. These purposes could ortly be
answered by war-taxes, which, by de-
fraying part of the extraordinary ex-
penditure, might diminish the amount
of the annual loans. Such a plan in-
deed, to a certain extent, is, in all
cases, highly expedient. Yet it re-
quired, perhaps, the decisive and com-
manding character of Mr Pitt to force
upon the nation so ungrateful a reme-
dy. This remedy was administered
also in the most unpopular of modes —
that of direct contribution. After in-
effectual attempts to arrive at income
through the medium of assessed taxes,
the direct and offensive form of an
income-tax was at length adopted, and
submitted to by the nation. A variety
of exemptions and allowances were at
first admitted, with the view of miti-
gating its pressure ; but as the nation
became inured to the burden, it was
gradually rendered more severe and
more productive. Large war-taxes
■were afterwards imposed upon wine,
spirits, and tea, and other articles of
general consumption j which, with the
income-tax, raised the whole produce
to upwards of twenty millions, and,
joined to the permanent taxes, formed
the enormous annual contribution of
between sixty and seventy millions.
No such burden had ever before been
endured by any country in any age.

The administration which succeed-
ed to power on the death of Mr
Pitt, either from an apprehension that
the limits of taxation had been ap-
proached, or from a desire to innovate
ill mu(;h as possible on the plans of

their great predecessor, once more at-
tempted to revive the funding system
to a large extent. The object which
they proposed was, that the war, of
whose termination there was no pros-
pect, might be continued indefinitely
without any considerable increase of
taxation. The war-taxes, exclusively
of that on income, were to be applied
to pay the interest of the annual loan.
They were also to furnitth a sinking
fund of 5 per cent, which, at the end
of fourteen years, would extinguish
the debt, and leave the revenue diS-
poseable, to provide for a hew loan.
This diversion of the war-taxes from
their original object necessarily occa-
sioned an annual deficiency, to be com-
pensated by a supplementary loan, in-
creasing every year till it amounted to
a sum equal to the whole of these tax-
es. The interest on the supplemen-
tary loans was to be chiefly defrayed,
1st, by the falling in of annuities ;
2d, by stopping the accumulation of
the sinking fund, after its amount
should have equalled the interest On
the redeemed debt ; an event which
was expected to take place about the
year 1817. — This plan manifestly in-
volved a recurrence to the funding sys-
tem, and a revival of it in the most
obnoxious shape which it could as-
sume ; for, not only were new loans to
be contracted for the public service,
but even to pay the interest of the pub-
lic debt.

The ministers, by whom these ar-
rangements had been made, were 8o6n
removed from power, and their place
was supplied by their political adver-
saries. The plan was therefore aban-
doned, and the new ministers set out
upon the principle of preserving entire
the war taxes, and consequently of
providing for every successive loan by
new impositions. But they soon found
that this was a task which they pos-
sessed no adequate means of perform-
ing ; that taxation was rapidly ap-
proaching that term when an increase

Chap. 3.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

of the rate diminishes instead of in-
creasing the produce. This tendency-
was accelerated by the expenses, judi-
cious and ultimately economical, which
were occasioned by the great scale of
the war in the peninsula. It was in-
creased still more by the stagnation of
trade, occasioned by the shutting of
all the continental ports. In short,
after several temporary expedients had
been tried, the chancellor of the ex-
chequer, Mr Vansittart, became sen-
sible that recourse must be had to
measures of a different and more deci-
sive character.

On the 3d of March, in the present
year, Mr Vansittart explained his new
plan to the committee of the whole
house appointed to enquire into the
finances of the country. Besides some
propositions of minor importance, as
to the redemption of the land-tax, and
an addition to the sum appropriated
to the sinking fund on each new loan,
Mr Vansittart proposed an important
change, the nature of which may be
explained in a few words. By the ori-
ginal constitution of the sinking fund,
the stock purchased by the commis-
sioners was not cancelled, but was con-
sidered still to be the property of these
commissioners, who regularly drew the
interest, and applied it to the further
discharge of the national debt. It was
in this manner that the fund accumu-
lated by compound interest ; a circum-
stance on which so much reliance was
placed. This arrangement was now
abolished, and the whole stock pur-
chased by the commissioners (which
happened to be 236,000,000/. the pre-
cise amount of the debt when the fund
was instituted) was to be cancelled,
and the interest to become disposable
for current services, or for paying the
interest of new loans An addition of
867,963/. was at the same time to be
made to the sinking fund. It was also
proposed, that when the loans should
m any year exceed the amqunt of the

sinking fund, a new fund of 2^ instead
of 1 per cent, should be provided for
that surplus.

Mr Vansittart made the following
remarks in support of this proposition :
" I beg leave to preface my explana-
tion of the system 1 am about to re-
commend, by a few general remarks
on the redemption of public debt. We
are apt to consider this subject (if I
may so express myself) too arithmeti-
cally ; we compute that a certain an-
nual sum will, at compound interest,
redeem a given amount of debt within
a certain number of years, but we for-
get the great considerations of policy
and public economy which this opera-
tion involves. We do not consider
that it disposes of the fortunes of thou-
sands of individuals ; that it requires
the transfer of a mass of property,
amounting perhaps to a fifth part of
the whole capital of the country, if
estimated according to the returns to
the property tax, from an employment
in which it has been vested by the
proprietors to the manifest advantage
of the public, into other modes of oc-
cupation. It is an experiment which,
as far as my knowledge extends, has
never been tried on a great scale. The
present Elector of Saxony, it is true,
discharged the debt which his prede-
cessors had accumulated upon that
country ; but neither the amount of
the sum, nor the circumstances of the
electorate of Saxony, can form any
precedent for this wealthy and power-
ful kingdom. While war continues,
and loans are annually contracted ex-
ceeding the amount of the sinking
fund, that amount, however great, can
only be considered as an advantage ;
but whenever peace may take place,
it will soon be found that there is a
point beyond which the annual re-
demption of debt cannot be carried
without great public inconvenience.
This is no new argument in the House;
my noble friend the Marquis of Lans-

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 3.

downe urged it with great force and
eloquence in opening his plan of fi-
nance in 1807. He observed that the
mischief of an excessive sinking fund
overloading the money market with a
superabundance of capital, exceeding
the means of employment, would be
not inferior, and somewhat similar, to
that of a national bankruptcy. When-
ever, therefore, the sinking fund has
reached that point beyond which it
cannot be employed with advantage in
time of peace, it seems to be wise to
think of setting bounds to its further
accumulation, and certainly unwise to
exhaust the national resources by an
augmentation of taxes for its further
increase. Whether the sinking fund
has now reached that point it be-
longs not to me to decide, and I v\ ish
the most cautious and deliberate wis-
dom of parliament to be appHed to
the decision. But it may unquestion-
ably be said, that the sinking fund
has now reached an extent of which
the history of no country affords an
example. In no country has the ex-
periment of an annual repayment of
twelve millions, or any thing hke it,
been tried. This at least is obvious,
that the present arrangements of the
sinking fund require revision. As the
law now stands it will accumulate to
about thirty, possibly to above forty
millions, and will be at once reduced
to twenty, or even to twelve. What-
ever may be thought of the effects of
its greatest amount, it is undeniable
that such a revulsion must be perni-
cious. If the larger sum be not too
great, the smaller must be far too little.
But I perfectly agree with Lord Lans-
downe, and all the great authorities
which have treated of this subject,
that the plan of employing thirty or
forty mdlions m the purchase of stock
in the time of peace is perfectly im-
practicable and visionary. A change
must therefore be made at some time ;
and if so, is it not wiser to make it

while the inconvenience is still at a
distance, than when it is actually press-
ing, and when any corrective may be
opposed with an appearance of justice,
by the individual interests which may
be affected by it at the moment ? On
this account, 1 think it becomes the
House now to pause, and take a de-
liberate view of the situation of the
country with respect to the repayment
of its debt. But other circumstances
concur to point out the present as a
proper time for some revision of our
system. By the original Sinking
Fund Act of 1786, provision had been
made, that when the fund should have
accumulated to the amount of four
millions per annum, its further accu-
mulation should cease, and the sums
purchased from that time be dischar-
ged and made applicable to the public
service. Had not that plan been varied
by the act of 1802, the public would
before this time have received relief
from the operation of the sinking
fund, though only to the hmited ex«
tent of the interest of four millions a-
year ; for the calculations which were
made of its progress fixed the period
at which it would have reached its
highest amount about the year 1812,
and the average rate of interest at
which its operations have been con-
ducted, proves in fact that it would
before this time have accomplished
that object. It seems natural to look
for some relief from the sinking fund
at the period at which it would ac-
tually have been obtained, if the con-
stitution of the fund had not been va-
ried. But there is another circum-
stance still more striking in our present
situation. When the sinking fund
was established in l786, the total a-
mount of debt was about 24?0 mil-
lions, and the redemption of such a
sum appeared, if not utterly hopeless,
at least placed at a very remote dis-
tance. But great as the difiiculty then
appeared, the firmness and perseve-

Chap. S.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

ranee of the nation, pursuing thu im-
portant object with undeviating steadi-
ness, have at length completely sur-
mounted it ; and 1 have the pleasure
to refer the committee to accounts
upon their table, which prove that a
sum equal to the total capital of the
debt existing in J 786 has been re-
deemed. I mean, that the sums pur-
chased by the commissioners, or trans-
ferred to them, exceed the amount of
the debt existing in 1783 ; for this is
the only mode in which the redemp-
tion of the old debt can ever be ascer-
tained, the new loans having been
contracted in old funds, and no dis-
tinction kept up between the earlier
and later creditors of the public. If
any further circumstance could be
wanting to prove that the people of
this country have at the present time
the fairest title to any relief which can
be afforded, consistently with the ex-
act observance of public faith, and
due attention to permanent security,
it will be found in the extraordinary
exertions they have made to prevent
the accumulation of public debt. In-
stead of shifting the burden from
themselves, and throwing it upon pos-
terity, they have nobly and manfully
supported the load of increasing diffi-
culties which the vicissitudes of this
eventful contest have thrown upon
them. To prevent the increase of
public debt, they have actually paid
upwards of 200 millions in war taxes ;
a sum which considerably exceeds the
value of the debt existing in 1786.
The public have therefore a right to
claim the merit of having doubly re-,
deemed the original debt ; first, by its
actual repayment, and, secondly, by
the anticipated payment of a still greater
sum which would otherwise have been
added to it. But whatever claims the
public may now have on these grounds
for relief, and with whatever imme-
diate advantage it might be attended,
it becomes us more anxiously to en-

?[uire what are the claims of public
aith which we owe to the stock-
holders, and what the conditions on
which the public debt has been con-
tracted. The debt contracted pre-
viously to 1792, was raised without
any condition of repayment whatever,
the government being bound only to
the punctual payment of the interest,
and left to consult its own discretion
or convenience with respect to the
discharge of the principal This debt,
however, I contend is now wholly dis-
charged ; and that which now exists
has been contracted since the passing
of the act of 1792, and subject ro its
provisions. Under these the stock-
holder has perhaps no real right, as
he has voluntarily subscribed his stock
into the old funds which have no con-
ditions of redemption, but Le has un-
doubtedly a just expectation that the
terms of redemption pointed out in
that act shall be adhered to.

" Those terms are, that provision
shall be made for the repayment of the
capital of all debts subsequently con-
tracted, within 45 years from its crea-
tion, either by the specific appropria-
tion of one per cent, upon such capi-
tal, or in any other mode which parlia-
ment may think fit. That this is the
true interpretation of the act, I affirm
on the authority of the declarations
and conduct of its illustrious author
Mr Pitt, and of the resolutions and
acts of the legislature itself. Of Mr
Pitt's sentiments I can mention a very
remarkable instance. It must be ge-
nerally recollected by those gentlemen
who, eleven years ago, were members of
the House, that Mr Pitt strongly sup-
ported the sinking fund act of 1802,
but it is not perhaps generally known
that he was the original proposer of
that act. I speak this from my own
perfect knowledge, and there are other
living witnesses, and I believe written
documents in proof of it. The act
originated in a suggestion of Mr

54f EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 3.

Pitt to Lord Sidmouth, then chan-
cellor of the Exchequer ; and his first
suggestion went to this extent, that
not only no sinking fund should be
provided upon the sums funded in that
year, but after reserving so much of
the sinking fund as should be sufficient
on calculation to redeem the whole
debt at par within 45 years, the sur-
plus, then amounting to above a mil-
lion, should be apphed to the public
service. After much discussion be-
tween Mr Pitt and Lord Sidmouth,
at which I had the honour to assist,
the proposition was reduced to the
more limited form in which it receiv-
ed the sanction of parliament.

** There could not be a more decisive
declaration of Mr Pitt's opinion of the
true construction of the act, audit was
no less clearly shown by his public
conduct on other occasions. In con-
tracting several loans in 1798, 1799,
and 1800, on the credit of the income-
tax, he made no provision for the im-
mediate repayment of the principal,
but proposed to discharge it by the
continuance of the income-tax in time
of peace, so long as might be neces-
sary. This shews that he viewed the
provision for repayment within 45
years rather with regard to probabi-
lity and practice than to that extreme
nicety and rigour which is sometimes
insisted on ; for it was clearly possi-
ble that the war might outlast 45
years, and in that case no provision
whatever would have been made for
the redemption ; but Mr Pitt viewing
the subject as a wise and great states-
man, according to the probabilities of
human affairs, thought it sufficient to
make such provision as any reasonable
and practical man would think ade-
quate to its purpose ; not looking to
such cases as, though mathematically
true, approached the extreme verge
of possibihty,

"With respect to the resolutions of
parliament, I shall beg leave to refer

to the first of those passed by this
House on the 18th of May 1802, and
lately read at our table. On these
resolutions an act was founded, which,
as well as the acts which established
the loans to which I have just refer-
red, clearly evinces the opinion of the
legislature, that the act of 1792 mere-
ly required that provision should be
made for the redemption of debt
within 45 years from its creation,
leaving to the discretion of parha-
ment both the mode to be applied in
specific cases, and any subsequent va-
riation of that mode, which, within
the Hmits prescribed, it may think
proper to adopt.

" I shall now attempt to explain to
the committee how it appears to me
that some immediate relief may be
afforded to the public, without the
smallest infringement of the provi-
sions of the act of 1792, which I
have detailed. Neither the act of
1786, nor that of 1792, contains any
provision as to the mode in which
the debt, when purchased, shall be
cancelled or discharged, so as to re-
lieve the charge upon the consohdated
fund. There are two modes in which
this might be carried into eflFect. The
first would be, that, supposing any
number of successive loans to be con-
tracted, a proportion of sinking fund
should, according to the present prac-
tice, be attached to each, and should
continue to accumulate at compound
interest until the whole of such loan
should be discharged by its exclu-
sive operation, and thus that the re-
demption of each should be sepa-
rately and independently effected.-^
This is understood to be the mode
estabhshed by law under the opera-
tion of the act of 1792, in some de-
gree varied by that of 1802, but re-
maining in force as to all loans con-
tracted subsequently to the latter of
those years. It is evident, however,
that as the funds are intermingled

Chap. 3,]

HISTORY OF EUROPE-

and consolidated, the stock created
for any particular portion of debt
cannot be distinguished, and the pur-
chases are made indiscriminately. Any
separate loan can therefore no other-
wise be redeemed than by purchasinjg,
with the sinking fund attached to it,
an amount of stock equal to that which
was created in consequence of such a
loan.

" The other m6dt, which would
have been equally consonant to the spi-
rit of the act of 1792, would have been
to direct that the debt first contracted
shall be deemed to be first paid off,
and that the sinking fund created in
respect of any subsequent loan shall
be first applied to the discharge of
any prior loan then remaining unre-
claimed, while the operation of the
per centage created for those earlier
loans should be continued for the re-
demption of those subsequently con-
tracted. By this means the loan first
contracted would be discharged at an
earlier period, and the funds charged
with the payment of its interest be-
come applicable to the public service.
Thus in the event of a long war, a
considerable resource might accrue
during the course of the war itself,
as every successive loan would contri-
bute to accelerate the redemption of
those previously existing, and the to-
tal amount of charge to be borne by
the public in respect of the public
debt, would be reduced to a narrower
compass than in the other mode, in
which a great number of loans would
be co-existing. At the same time the
ultimate discharge of the whole debt
would be rather accelerated than re-
tarded. The advantages of this mode
of operation did not perhaps present
themselves to Mr Pitt when framing
the arrangements of the sinking fund,
in the prospect of a continuance of
peace, and with a very remote view of
the ultimate redemption of the debt,
nor would it have been easily made

applicable to the large mass then ex-
isting, and for the redemption of which
no provision had before been made.
But the circumstances of the present
time afford a most advantageous op-
portunity of establishing a plan which
would in the first instance have been
preferable; It is now only necessary
to declare that an amount of stock
equal to the whole of the debt ex-
isting in 1786 has been redeemed, and
that in like manner, whenever an a-
mount of stock equal to the capital
and charge of any loan raised since
1792, shall be redeemed in its proper
order of succession, such loan shall be
deemed and taken to be redeemed and
satisfied. Every part of the system
will then fall at once into its proper
place ; and we shall proceed with the
future redemption with all the advan-
tages which could have been derived
from the original adoption of the mode
of successive instead of simultaneous
redemption. Instead of waiting till
the purchase of the whole of the debt
consoHdated in 1802 shall be com-
pleted, that part of it which existed
previously to 1792, will be considered
as already redeemed, and the subse-
quent loans will follow in succession
whenever equal portions of stock shall
have been purchased. It is satisfac-
tory to observe, that by a gradual and
equable progress we shall still have the
power of effecting the complete re-
payment of the debt more speedily
than by the present course. I do not
pronounce whether it will be wise to
persevere to that extent. It will be
for parliament to judge when the pro-
per time arrives, whicn is yet at a con-
siderable distance ; but we are doing
our duty to posterity not only scru-
pulously but liberally, while we not
only much more than satisfy the pro-
visions of the act of 1792, which re-
quires the redemption of the debt
within 45 years, but actually antici-
pate that course of redemption which
1

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. S.

is now provided. The tables which
will be put into the hands of gentle-
men, will shew them that means are
provided by the proposed plan of
eflPecting the total repayment of the
existing debt from four to ten years,
and that of the future debt which
may be incurred, according to the
various suppositions assumed, from 14?
to 17 years, sooner than by the laws
now in force. This statement is suffi-
cient to shew how amply the proposed
plan is capable of satisfying the most
sanguine expectations of the nation
with respect to the final discharge of
its debts, as well as the fair claims of
those who look to the execution of the
act of 1792, as the means of support-
ing the value of the public funds. I
have mentioned the result of such
calculations as are intended to be com-
municated to the House ; other cases
may be supposed by which the result
may be varied in degree, but not in
general effect.

" I have thus far attempted to ex-
plain the intended system to the com-
mittee, and to recommend it by its
general and intrinsic advantages with.
cut displaying the immediate benefits
of its adoption. Yet they are such
as must be highly satisfactory to par-
liament, and of the greatest impor-
tance in the present situation of the
country.

** The immediate result of this sys-
tem, simple as it may appear, and really
is, will be equal to a subsidy of above
one hundred millions. For four years
to come, we may, on the supposition
of the continuance of the war, hope to
be obhged to impose no other taxes
than such as are required to furnish
those additions to the sinking fund
which 1 pointed out in the early part
of my statement. I need not dwell
upon the advantages of such a relief,
I need not explain its effects in raising
the spirits and animating the exer-
tions of the nation. I need not en-
2

large on the confidence it must give
to our allies, and the despondency it
is calculated to impress on our ene-
mies. But that v/nich in my view
renders it peculiarly valuable is, that
it is so far from being purchased by an
accumulation of burdens On the suc-
ceeding years, that though its advan-
tages may be very different in degree,
according to the different cases sup-
posed, yet it will in all, for several
years to come, produce a very consi-
derable diminution of charge.

*' Such are the general principles of
the plan to which I beg to call the
most serious attention of the commit-
tee, but not at present to press for its
judgment That it is free from ob-
jections I cannot hope, but I trust
that parliament will on mature consi-
deration be convinced, as I am myself
conscientiously persuaded, that they
are such as bear no proportion to its
advantages. I can at least acquit my-
self of having hastily and rashly de-
termined on a measure of this mag-
nitude and importance. It has for
many months been the subject of my
most anxious meditations, and of re-
peated and detailed discussions with
those whom I thought most capable
of guiding my judgment ; and 1 sub-
mit it to the committee not without
great anxiety, but with the confidence
naturally flowing from the most sin-
cere conviction.

" I am fully aware, that in proposing
any change in a system so justly reve-
red, and considered as the firmest hope
of the nation, I am incurring a great
responsibility, but I also feel that I
ought not to shrink from it, in the
prospect of performing a great public
service. Many a gallant and worthy
man has laid down his life to atchieve
a much less important service to his
country,' than that of providing at
such a moment the supplies necessary,
during four years, for the contest in
which we are engaged. In the hope

Chap. 3.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

of procurlnor this benefit to the pub-
lic, I am willing to risk what many,
to whom life h dearer than it is to
me, have valued beyond their lives— -I
mean that reputation and public con-
fidence which they have sought, and
in some degree acquired, by a long
course of faithful, though imperfect
service to the country. I am aware
that my reputation is staked upon
this plan; but God forbid that my
reputation, or that of any man, should
be placed for a moment in competition
with the great public interests which
are concerned. I only wish the House
to deliberate maturely, and to decide
wisely. Such information as has ap-
peared to me necessary to enable gen-
tlemen to take a complete view of the
plan, will be put into their hands, and
if any further information should be
desired, I shall most readily lend my
assistance to furnish it."

This plan was strenuously opposed
by many members of the House ; and
as the subject is of great national im-
portance, it will be proper to give an
ample view of the leading arguments.
" By adopting this plan, it was said,
we must incur the risk of losing the
I fruits of all the sacrifices which we have
made for the last twenty years ; — that
we must lay ourselves open, not to the
mere possibility, but to the probable
and imminent danger (in the event of
a long continuance of the war) of un-
dermming, if not destroying alto-
gether, tnat system of public credit
which is the foundation of our pre-
sent safety and independence, and the
last support of that pre-eminent rank
which we now maintain among the
nations of the world.

" There is another question, (it was
aaid), of a magnitude not inferior to
this, which cannot be put out of sight
in the examination of these proposals,
r-the maintenance of public faith, on
all occasions so essential to the honour
of the country, and in this instance
more especially to the honour and cha-

racter of parliament. The highest con-
siderations of jpublic policy and public
justice were therefore equally involved
in the present discussion. The edifice
of the sinking fund, which was thus to
be pulled down, was perhaps the proud-
est monument which was raised by the
virtues and genius of Mr Pitt to his
own fair fame. So it was held in his
own estimation ; so it is held in the
estimation of his friends, and not only
of his friends, but of those who were
his political enemies, and of the whole
world.

« When Mr Pitt was called to the
head of aflairs, and to the manage-
ment of the finances at the close of
the American war, credit was at its
lowest ebb, our revenues deplorably
deficient, and our resources for im-
proving them apparently exhausted.
Yet such at that time were the real re-
sources of the country, when properly
called forth and wisely administered,
that in the year 1786, Mr Pitt was
enabled, after making provision for
the interest of the public debt, and
for all the expenses of a peace esta-
blishment, to set aside and appropriate
a surplus of income, amounting to One
Million annually, as the foundation of
a sinking fund for the redemption of
the then existing debt of 238 millions.
By the act of parliament which was
passed for this purpose, (26. Geo.
IH. cap. 31.) it was provided, that
this sum of One Million should be laid
out either in the redemption of stock,
if at par, or, if under par, in the pur :
chase of it in the open market at the
current price of the day ; — that the
interest arising from all stock so re-
deemed should be added to the prin-
cipal, and be laid out in the same man-
ner, until by their joint accumulation
at compound interest thcy should a-
mount to the annual sum of four mil-
lions ; — that when this sinking fund
had reached that amount, it should
continue from thenceforth to be laid
out at simple interest only, leaving

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. $.

the amount of interest annually re-
deemed at the disposal of parliament.
Such is the outline of the original plan
devised by Mr Pitt for the reduction
of the national debt, which, up to the
year 1786, had been allowed to accu-
mulate, without any permanent provi-
sion being made for its gradual and
ultimate liquidation. But he did not
stop here. He wished, in the event of
any future war, to guard the country
against the evils arising from too ra-
pid an accumulation of debt, and con-
sequent depression of pubhc credit ;
and to place us beyond the reach of
that helplessness, alarm, and despond-
ency, which had brought the finances
of the country to the brink of ruin in
the American war. Mr Pitt felt at
that time, that the greatest difficulty
which he had to contend with in fra-
ming any permanent systemof a sinking
fund, was to find the means of pro-
tecting it from the danger of future
alienation, before it should have ac-
complished the purpose for which it
was formed. The plan which he sub-
mitted to parliament in 1792 was
framed with the specific view of guard-
ing against this danger, and of hold-
ing out to the pubhc a guarantee,
that any future debts which the state
might have occasion to contract,
should, from the moment of their be-
ing incurred, be placed in a course of
liquidation uniform and unalterable.
This plan contained within itself a
principle of permanency, which, being
applied to every loan at the time of
making the contract, could not from
that moment be varied or departed
from, without a breach of such con-
tract. Under this plan not only the
sinking fund, which it provided, but
the application and accumulation of
that sinking fund were so interwoven
and bound up with the contract for
the loan, as to remain a condition
between the borrower and the lender,
until every obligation of that contract
should be cancelled by the extinction

of the loan itself. That such was Mr
Pitt's understanding of the plan which
he proposed to parliament in 1792, is
placed beyond all doubt (if indeed
there could exist a doubt on the sub-
ject) by what passed in the House of
Commons on that occasion. It was
made an objection to the measure,
that it would place the reimbursement
of all future loans beyond the discre-
tion and controul of parliament ;— an
objection which was answered by Mr
Pitt in such a manner as to show, that,
in his judgment, this very objection
was the principal merit and recom-
mendation of his plan. Another ad-
vantage of the plan was, that by the
mode in which it was carried into ef-
fect, the power of the sinking fund is
always necessarily increased, directly
in proportion as public credit is de-
pressed at the time of making the loan
to which such sinking fund is an-
nexed.

" These were the principles laid down
by Mr Pitt in 1792, as the foundation
of a sinking fund, applicable to the li-
quidation of any new debt. The mode
provided by him for carrying these
principles into effect is so simple, that
for the explanation of it little more
can be necessary than to refer to that
portion of the act (32 Geo. III. cap.
55.) which provides for this measure.
** The enactment, therefore, applica-
ble to every loan that should be raised
after 1792, is simply this ; that either
some specific provision should be rai-
sed, for paying it off within a period
which might extend to, but should
not exceed, forty-five years ; or, in de-
fault of such provision, that a sinking
fund equal to one per cent., not on
the amount of the money borrow-
ed, but of the capital stock created,
should " from thenceforth'' issue from
the exchequer, and be applied at com-
poundinterest tothehquidation of such
loan. It is therefore obvious, that at
the time of making a loan, the govern-
ment is at liberty to adopt either of

Chap. 3.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

these modes forits gradual redemption.
It may declare to the parties with
whom it may be dealing; first, that it
will provide for paying off in each year
one forty- fifth of the capital to be bor-
rowed ; or, secondly, that it will raise
money by granting an annuity termi-
nable in forty.fire years ; or, thirdly,
that instead of making provision in
one or other of these modes, for pay-
ing off any portion of such loan im-
mediately, a sinking fund shall be as-
signed to begin to operate at some fu-
ture period, and of such an amount
as to ensure the extinction of the loan
between the date of the commencement
of such sinking fund and the end of the
prescribed term of forty- five years. But
if no specific provision is made for the
redemption of the loan at the time of
contracting for it, then the other alter-
native of the one per cent, sinking fund
takes effect as a matter of course.

" The principle upon which the pe-
riod of forty-five years was fixed up-
on as the extreme term beyond which
the liquidation of any future debt
should in no case be protracted, may
be collected from this circumstance ;
that a sinking fund of one per cent,
operating at compound interest, and
supposing the rate of that interest to
be invariably three per cent., will re-
deem a capital equal to one hundred
times its amount, in little more than
forty-five years. We are not at li-
berty to compel the public creditor to
accept the repayment of his stock at
any price below par, — at par every
portion of the public debt is redeema-
ble ; but below that price, the state,
like any other purchaser, may go into
the market and buy at the price of the
day. Now the great bulk of our debt,
as every body knows, consists of a
three per cent, stock ; and we have
none which has been funded at a low-
er rate. Consequently the lowest rate
of compound interest at which the
sinking fund can improve is three per
cent. It is the rate at which it would

improve, if the three per cent, stock
were uniformly paid at par. In pro-
portion as the stock, instead of being
paid off, is purchased below par, is that
rate of improvement of the sinking
fund increased. But as a one per cent,
sinking fund constantly operating at
three per cent, would redeem the ca-
pital of any loan in a period of about
forty-five years, it follows, from there
being no stock below that rate of in-
terest, that forty.five years i« the ulti-
mate term to which the liquidation of
any debt, having a sinking fund of
one per cent., can by possibility be
postponed. It is the maximum of
time which the redemption would re-
quire, on the supposition of the sink-
ing fund being uniformly restrained,
by the most flourishing state of public
credit, to the minimum of velocity at
which it can proceed. Now it is a
fact, not immaterial to the present
discussion, that for the last fifty years,
the three per cents have never been at
par ; that within that period they l.ave
been below fifty, and that for the last
twenty years (that is, since this law
of 1792 began to take effect) their
average price has not exceeded sixty-
seven.

" Now, what has been, and is, the
practical application of this law of
1792 to the loans, which since that
period have been raised for the public
service ? When a loan is wanted, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, acting
in behalf of the public, signifies to the
parties disposed to lend their money,
the particular stocks in which he means
to fund the loan. If, at the same time,
or at any time before the contract, he
has it in contemplation to make any
provision for the redemption of such
other loan than a one per cent, sink-
ing fund, he would of course apprise
the parties of the nature of that pro-
vision ; but if he should remain silent
on this point, the law declares to them,
without any confirmation from him,
( and in point of fact they have on q«

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. S.

occasion ever demanded or received
any such confirmation) that a sinking
fund of one per cent, will issue of
course, and will be employed at com-
pound interest for the gradual re-
demption of the new stock about to
be created. Knowing this, the lend-
ers are well aware that the efficacy of
this sinking fund will be in proportion
to the depression of the stock which
they are to receive in return for their
money ; — if three per cent, in cash,
for instance, be what they are to re-
ceive, and the price at which it is taken
be 50, the sinking fund will be equal
to two per cent, on the money capital
borrowed ; and the rate in point of
time, at which the redemption will then
proceed, will be that of about twen-
ty-three instead of forty-five years.
Thus, in proportion to the depression
existing at the time does this sinking
fund operate at once as an improved
check to prevent a further fall, and
as a powerful lever to produce, at no
distant period, a probable rise in the
market. What is the consequence ?
Why, that the lenders are enabled and
induced, or, by the competition which
exists among them, compelled, to give
better terms to the public. These bet-
ter terms are the advantage which in
every past loan the country has de-
rived from a one per cent, sinking
fund ; but it is an advantage obtained
by incurring an obligation from which
we are not now at liberty to depart.
The advantage and the obligation are
reciprocal ; they both commence with
the commencement of the contract, and
from that moment we are not at liberty
to keep the one and to disregard the
other.

** The foundation of the new system
now proposed is this : the Chancellor
of the Exchequer construes the act of
1792 as leaving parliament at liberty
to regulate and modify according to
its discretion, in any manner and at
any time, the redemption of the whole
debt contracted under the terms of

that act, provided the final liquidation
of each of tliose separate loans^ which
together constitute the aggregate of
that debt, is not protracted beyond
the full period of forty-five years.

" The question of public faith which
arises upon this construction is, —
whether, having made our option, at
the time of a contract for each loan,
in favour of a one per cent, sinking
fund, and having received the benefit
accruing from that option, the issue of
that one per cent, from the Exche-
quer, and its progressive accumula-
tion and uninterrupted application, be
not thenceforth conditions of the con-
tract itself, from which we are not at
liberty to deviate, so long as an}'- part
of that loan shall continue unredeem-
ed ?

** Now, that there is nothing in the
clause which has been read to autho-
rise any option subsequent to the time
of making the contract, is quite clear.
If it had been the intention of the
legislature to reserve to itself a subse-
quent power of reverting to the first
alternative of forty- five years, should
we not have found, at the end of this
clause, some words declaratory of this
intention ?

" The act does not in terms pre-
scribe any period when the issue on the
one per cent, on each separate loan,
and its accumulation at compound in-
terest, shall cease and determine ; but
as by this act each loan is a separate
debt, with its own distinct sinking
fund, and as that sinking fund can
have no other application than the
liquidation of the particular loan in
respect of which it was originally is-
sued, there can be no doubt that, ac-
cording to the intent and meaning of
the act, the whole charge of such
loan, as well for interest as for sinking
fund, is set free, and reverts to the
consolidated fund as soon as that liqui-
dation is completed. This construc-
tion of the law will not be disputed.

"It is impossible that any man

Chap. 3.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

Iff

should entertain a serious opinion that
the measure can be carried into effect
without a departure from the act of
1792, and a consequent violation of
the contracts made under that act. If
under this statute the legislature can
carry its interference to the extent pro-
posed, what 18 there to prevent its go-
ing a dtep farther, and meddling with
the issue of the one per cent, itself?
The issue, the application, the accu-
mulation, are all governed by the same
enactments, without any proviso or
exception to enable it to vary or mo-
dify the one more than the other.

" In a case of this nature, it is not
immaterial to enquire what has been
the general understanding upon the
subject. The first report of the com-
mittee of finance of the yeai- 1797 re-
lates to the public debt and the sink-
ing fund ; and it concludes with these
remarkable words : « The old sinking
fund, after reaching the sum of four
millions, is no longer made applica-
ble by law to the discharge, at com-
pound interest, of what may then re-
main of the old debt ; but the opera-
tion of the new sinking fund is to
continue at compound interest till the
new debt shall be totally discharged.'

<* It is impossible to mistake the ob-
ject or meaning of this sentence. By
marking the difference between the
old sinking fund and the new, between
the loan of 1786 and that of 1792, it
most forcibly delineates the true cha-
racter of the latter. Respecting the
most distinguished committee that
made this report, it is only necessary
to ask, if it is too much to assume that
the public had a right to look to this
report for the true construction of the
act of 1792, and to rest upon it as a
guarantee that that construction would
be faithfully adhered to and observed ?

** It is an error, which must sooner
or later prove fatal to our credit, that
we are doing enough if we reserve
such a sinking fund as would redeem
«ur debt in forty- five years, without

reference to the total amount of that
debt. The proportion of the sinking
fund to the unredeemed debt is but a
secondary consideration ; the actual
amount of that debt ought to be the
first object of our solicitude. It is un-
deniable in theory, that a debt of 1000
millions would as certainly be hqui-
dated in forty-five years by a sinking-
fund of ten millions, as that a debt of
100 miUions would be liquidated by a
sinking fund of one million. But in
practice, a debt of 100 miihons might
be safe, and possibly salutary to the
state, even without any sinking fund
at all ; whilst 1000 millions of unre-
deemed debt, all liable to be brought
into the market, might, under ma-
ny conceivable circumstances, entirely
break down that credit, which the
smaller sum would in no degree im-
pair. Comparisons of this nature, in
proportion as they are true in arith-
metic, are dangerous in the concerns
of nations. Whilst they gratify inge-
nuity in the closet, they may under-
mine our resources upon the Stock
Exchange.

"It may be said, that any proposal
which postpones the necessity of add-
ing to our burdens, however pregnant
with difficulty and danger that propo-
sal may be in its probable and not
distant consequences, cannot fail, espe-
cially if those consequences are kept
out of its sight, to be favourably re-
ceived by the pubhc. The plan pos-
sesses undoubtedly that claim to fa-
vour. If support had been asked upon
that claim only, the discussion would
have been much simplified. But in
the statement of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, this benefit is obscured and
lost amidst the blaze of more brilliant
advantages and dazzling prospects
which have been opened on this occa-
sion.

" These other advantages of the plan
amount to four ; first, that it pro-
vides for a gradual and equable reduc-
tion of the national debt ; secondlyi

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 3.

that it provides against the evils likely
to arise from too rapid a diminution of
the rate of interest ; thirdly, that it
provides an immediate subsidy of 120
millions for carrying on the present
war ; and, fourthly, that it provides
for the accumulation of a treasure of
100 millions in time of peace, ^s a re-
serve for any future war.

« With respect to the first of these
advantages, astonishment alone can be
excited by naming jt. * A gradual and
equable reduction of the national debt ?*
as if that reduction was at this moment
too rapid, — as if there was any thing
arbitrary and capricious in the present
mode of applying the sinking fund !
Again, as if we had already done too
much in the way of reduction of a
debt, which, when the new sinking
fund began, was little more than 200
millions, and which now exceeds 600
millions unredeemed, — as if it were ne-
cessary, in order to' make that reduc-
tion more equable, to diminish the
amount of the sinking fund of the year
in proportion as the amount of the
loan is increased, — as if it were parti-
cularly wise and pressing to begin to
check the growth of the sinking fund
in the present year, which will make a
greater addition to the debt than all
that was added to it in the six prece-
ding years of the war !

" That any one should have spent
his time in providing, at this moment,
for the second of these advantages, is
still more surprising. * The evils likely
to arise from too rapid a diminution of
the rate of interest' — when, with all
the aid that credit has derived from
the present rapidly growing sinking
fund, — with all the improvements, won-
derful and extensive beyond the hopes
of the most sanguine in our situation, —
with all the temptations which a nomi-
nal capital holds out to the lender in
the three per cents, government is not
able, even in that favourite fund, to
raise a single 100/. within the legal rate
•f interest ! With these circumstances

before the public, — with a loan to be
negociated for the service of the year
which cannot be much short of forty
millions, — what is the step taken with
a view to an immediate practical effect?
Why a successive diminution of the
sinking fund infinitely more rapid than
its growth has ever been, to be accom-
panied with a series of loans much
larger than were ever before raised in
this country'.

** The other advantages of the plan
consist in the accumulation during
peace of a fund to enable ministers to
undertake new wars, and the post-
ponement of fresh taxes for the next
three years. But we should be de-
parting from the example of former
parliaments, and of the great men of
other and (at least in that respect)
better times, we should be losing sight
of every sound principle of state poli-
cy, and of every established maxim of
practical finance, if we were on this
occasion to surrender our judgment to
our feelings, and to shrink from the
duty of a dispassionate enquiry from
the dread of its leading us, contrary to
our wishes, to a painful conclusion.

** In vindication of the plan this ar-
gument has been used ; — that, admit-
ting it not to be strictly consistent with
justice to the creditor of the state,
still, if it promises to operate greatly
to the general relief of the public,
without being materially prejudicial
to the public creditor, it ought to be
adopted.

•* Without dwelling, it was said, up-
on such general observations as mustoc-
cur to every man upon the great dan-
ger of attempting to justify by this
doctrine of conveniency a violation of
the plain letter of an engagement, —
without stopping to remind the com-
mittee, that in such attempt we are at
once party and judge, and judge with-
out appeal, we may confine ourselves
to the mere question of probable in-
jury. If not immediately, in the course
of no very long period, the plan must

Chaf. 3.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

be highly prejudicial to the public cre-
ditor. It may not operate immediate-
ly, because poHtical circumstances are
now very favourable to public credit ;
knd also because, in the first year of
this plan, the sinking fund virill not be
materially, if at all, impaired. But
what must be its effect in future years,
when the sinking fund will be dimi-
nished between seven and eight mil-
lions ; and when the public mind may
possibly not be elated with the same
sanguine hopes as are justly entertain-
ed at this moment ?

" This, it is true, is not the first time
that we have had recourse to expe-
dients widely departing from the ordi-
nary and legitimate system of adding
to our income by permanent taxes in
proportion to the increase of perma-
nent charge created by the loan of the
year. In 1807 an expectation was
held out to the people, that no new
taxes should be imposed for three
years. Accordingly the loan of that
year was assigned upon the war-taxes.
In 1808, the falling in of the short
annuities, and an advance by the bank
of three millions without interest, ena-
bled parliament to meet the charge of
the small loan required for that year,
without materially breaking in upon
the assurance that taxation should be
suspended for three years. In 1809
the charge of the loan was thrown
upon the war taxes. This measure
was strongly objected to ; and the
ground of its defence was not the ge-
neral policy of the measure, but its
particular expediency, and for that
year only, as necessary to complete
the term of the respite from taxation
promised in the year 1807. The war-
taxes mortgaged for the charge of this
loan amounted to one million. It is
obvious that the effect of this mort-
gage was of course to diminish the
■ difposable revenue, and to increase
the loan to the same amount in that
and every subsequent year. 1 f instead
pf the war-taxes, the million be taken

from the sinking fund, a difference to
that amount is created between the
sum borrowed and the sum redeemed.
In both cases, the effect for the first
year with respect to the public credit
and the accumulation of debt is the
same ; but, prospectively, that credit
will be injured in an infinitely greater
degree, by the deduction of a million
from the sinking fund ; because this
million would have continued to im-
prove and accumulate at compound
interest for the reduction of the debt ;
which of course is not the case with
the million of war- taxes.

" if our resources are not infinite and
absolutely inexhaustible ; if we have
already dipped deep into those re-
sources ; surely it the more becomes
us well to consider whether the re-
mainder are not now in danger of be-
ing dissipated with unnecessary cele-
rity ? Whether by mortgaging now
at usurious interest that income which
we had wisely set aside for the dis-
charge of existing incumbrances, we
shall be more at our ease some few
years hence ? Whether by accumu-
lating debt now upon terms which
may oblige us to redeem it at an ex-
pense nearly double hereafter, we are
compensated for the immediate pres-
sure of usurious interest by the pros-
pect of future relief ?

" One great consideration of econo-
my is, that the reduction of interest up-
on the five and four per cent, stocks,
which has always been looked to as
one of the advantages that would
speedily be realized by the sinking
fund on the restoration of peace, and
which would produce a saving of
nearly three millions a-year, must ne-
cessarily be retarded by the proposed
system."

Such were the leading arguments
for and against this measure. After
a very full and able discussion, the
plan proposed by the Chancellor of
the Exchequer received the sanction
of the legislature.

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap.S.

On the 8th March, Lord Palmer-
ston brought forward the army esti-
mates for the year. His lordship
stated, that the first head to which he
should direct the attention of the
House, was the land forces, which
comprehended the whole regular ar
my, with the exception of foreign
corps in British pay, the regiments
employed in the territorial possessions
of the East-India Company, and the
embodied militia. In this department
there had been an accession of V600
men, and an additional expense of
299,000/.

The second head referred to regi-
ments in the East Indies, but as these
were by law declared to be a burden
on the revenues of the Company, it
was only necessary to mention them,
that the whole state of the army of
Great Britain might come into one
complete view. For the purpose of
recruiting for this force, two additional
companies of 48 men at an expense of
2000/. were now established.

The next head was the embodied
militia, in which there was only a dif-
ference of two men, and of expense
17,000/. in recruiting ; but in conse-
quence of the vote of last year, re-
specting the supernumeraries, there
was a diminution in expense of 30,000/.
on the British, and 12,000/. on the
Irish establishment.

The next head was that of general
staff and garrisons, and in this there
was an increase of 41,000'., owing to
the augmentation of the staff serving
abroad, particularly in the medical de-
partment, and to the transfer of the sum
of 15,000/. which had heretofore been
charged in the army extraordinaries
for the deputy quarter master general,
&c. but which was now placed among
the army estimates. This addition
also arose from the pay established
for a commander-in-chief in the Mau-
ritius, and the appointment to several
new commissions in the West Indies.
It was customary to allow the com-

mander of the forces 1000/. to equip
himself, and thift sum, with the othc
items he had enumerated, made up th'
total increase of 41,000/.

The next head was that of full pay
to supernumerary officers, which ex-
needed the estimate of last year 20,000/.
in consequence of the greater number
of those officers whose services de-
served so well of their country, ha-
ying retired.

The next was the public-department
allowances, in which the increase was
28,000/., arising from a larger sum be-
ing necessary to the pay-office for ex-
chequer fees. The salary of the head
of that office was also augmented to
2500/., and there was also an inere?.sc
of 600/. in the commander-in-chief^;
office, from his secretary's becoming
entitled from his length of service to
a larger salary, viz. 3500/. The war-
office was nearly the same as last year.
The adjutant-general's office required
935/., from an arrangement being
made, that the deputy-adjutant-gene-
ral should receive the full pay of his
rank, the office pay of 193 per day
being considered inadequate. And a
similar arrangement had taken place
in the quarter-master-generaPs de-
partment, in which, however, there
was a diminution of 500/. The charge
for the depot for mihtary knowledge
amounted to 1500/., which was paid
over to the deputy-quarter-master-ge-
neral for the purchase of maps, charts,
&c. There was nothing more worth
notice under this head

Under the next, that of the in-pen-
sioners of Chelsea and Kilmainham
hospitals, there was an addition of
1300/. from the pensioners this year
receiving full clothing, which they
only did every other year.

Under the next head, the out-pension-
ers of these estabhshments, there was
an additional claim of 38,000/. as ar-
rear of pensions of former years in Ire-
land, but this would be met by sums
already rated and unexpended.

Chap. 3.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

The eleventh head was that of wi-
dows* pensions ; and here there was an
increase of 1,2501., as there had been
a greater number of deserving appli-
cants put upon the list than could be
provided for by the money which bad
fallen in from deaths or marriages.

Under the next head, the volunteer
corps, the expence was 55,000/. less
than in the former year; and a far-
ther reduction of 8,300/ had taken
place in the local militia, from a re-
duction of the numbers, in conse-
quence of the act of last session.

The next head was the foreign
corps, and included the supplementary
estimate. Here there was an increase
of 2,500 men, and 90,000/. expence,
arising from the additions to the Ger-
man Legion, and the formation of two
foreign veteran battalions, in which we
employ these men, worn out in our
service, instead of sending them abroad
as before. This system had been alter-
ed, and the new mode adopted, in
consequence of the present state of
the continent, which subjected these
brave men to danger, such as this
country, so well served by them, would
not permit them to encounter. The
amount was also increased by the for-
mation of seven independent compa-
nies, composed of Frenchmen. — At
the beginning of hostihiies, the deser-
tions from the enemy in Spain had been
confined to Germans, but within the
last year and a half, the privations to
which they were exposed had induced
many Frenchmen to come over. These
men could not be incorporated with
our foreign corps ; and in order to ob-
tain useful and mihtary service from
them, it was determined to form them
into small troops or companies, as
the nature of their services might be,
rather than embody them altogether
into one mass of force. Each mdivi-
dual was placed in the same rank
which he had held in the French army.

The next head was the royal mili-

VOL. VI. PART I.

tary college, in the expence of which
there was an increase of 18,200/. ; but
a balance of 8,800/. left last year,
would reduce this item to 9,400/. in-
cluding 2,800/. in the civil depart-
ment, expended in the purchase of a
house at Farnham, rendered necessary
by the estabhshment at Sandhurst,
and also including the expence of two
new companies of cadets.

Under the next head, the Royal Mi-
litary Asylum, there was a small in-
crease. In the allowances to retired
chaplains, &c., the estimates were
nearly the same ; and in the medicine
and hospital expences, there was a di-
minution to the extent of 2,500/.

The following head was the Com-
passionate List, under which there wag
an increase of 4,700/., in consequence
of there being a greater number of
claimants upon the fund, whose me-
rits demanded compliance with their
applications.

Under the aext head, the Irish Bar-
rack Department, thefe was an in-
crease of 9,500/., occasioned by the
transfer of an item which had been
placed under another head, and by the
rise in the price of necessaries for the
troops. — The commissariat department
of Ireland exceeded the last year's es-
timate by 28,000/., in consequence of
the increase of forage money for the
cavalry, and the delivery of great
coats and 15,000 pair of shoes to the
men. — The last head was that of su-
perannuations ; and here there was a
diminution of 541/., from the death
of the late Mr Lewis, although the
retirement of Colonel Paterson from
office, with a pension, had added to
the charge. The general view, as
he had already stated, would give an
increased expence of 399,000/., but
a deduction of 18,000/. from this
would leave the correct total amount,
381,000/.

With respect to our force, it was
satisfactory to state, that the differ*

E t

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 3.

ence between the effective strength at
the dnd of 1811, and the end of 1812,
was very favourable, notwithstanding
the extent and magnitude of the ser-
vices in which our armies were enga-
ged, notwithstanding the casualties of
long, active, and harassing campaigns,
marches, disease, and losses in battle.
Sunnounting all these obstacles, we
had an actual increase of 10,200 effec-
tive men. Of these a considerable
number, indeed, were of the foreign
corps ; but in British alone there was
a clear augmentation of 2,000 men,
besides 400 Spaniards, who had been
incorporated with them in the penin-
sula.

The Secretary at War then pro-
ceeded to notice the success which had
attended the recruiting service within
the last year, and which, he contended,
had not arisen from commercial dis-
tress, but was general throughout the
country. One cause to which he at-
tributed it, was a change in the re-
cruiting system, by employing ofBcer3
well calculated for the service, and
giving them districts, with the com-
mand of all parties therein, though
not belonging to their own regiments,
instead of employing young officers,
who accepted the task rather as a
leave of absence than as a service.
The experiment had first been tried
in the Gloucester district, and had
since been extended to four or five
other districts, in all of which still
proving productive and beneficial,
the system would now be general-
ly resorted to. The continuance of
the officer in the district depended
on his success ; and the plan would, in
the first instance, have the good effect
of disengaging 700 officers, and uni-
ting them to their several regiments.
Another of the improvements was to
allow a larger share of the reward to
the non-commissioned officers, upon
whose exertions the success in recruit-
ing must in a great measure depend,

however active and diligent their su-
perior officers might be.-r-The num-
ber of recruits raised last year was
14',432, by ordinary recrui ing. This
was a great increase ; in the preceding
years it had been rising from 9 and 10,
to 11 and 12,000. The volunteers
from the militia were nearly equal to
the full number allowed, namely,
9,900, making a total to the army of
24,335. The place of the volunteerg
from the militia was filled up by beat
of drum, and therefore the total addi-
tion to the regular army might be
said to have been gained by the suc-
cess of the recruiting service. Thia
was a satisfactory reflection, and it
must afford to the House great satis-
faction to see the ardour and spirit of
the people rise in proportion to the
demands upon their services.

It might be necessary, the Secre-
tary at War continued, to explain the
difference which existed between the
number of casualties accounted for,
and those which really had happen-
ed. In the account of the casualties
which had been giren, all those
which had happened on foreign sta-
tions were included. Some persons
who knew that the case was so, had
expressed their surprise at the small
amount of the casualties stated in the
returns. The return which had been
called for by the House, was that of
the casualties for 1812, which neces-
sarily did not include those which had
taken place during the latter months
of 1811 ; so that those persons who
had professed to feel so much asto-
nishment at the smallness of the num-
ber, probably thought that the latter
months of the year 1811 were inclu-
ded in the return. On the one hand,
the number of men added to the army
during 1812, amounted to 37,762, in-
cluding those raised by regular re-
cruiting— by recruiting from the mi-
litia, &c. On the other hand, the
casualties of 1812 amounted altoge-

Chap. 3.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

ther to 29,562, of which number
26,775 were accounted for in the re-
turn. This left 2,787 unaccounted
for. In order to explain why there
was such a number unaccounted for,
it would be necessary to state, that
when a regiment was sent abroad, the
commanding officer was accountable
for all the men. But when on ser-
vice, all those mea who were so
wounded or disabled, as to be ren-
dered unfit for service, were sent home
in detachments. Those so sent home
were struck off the list of effective
men abroad, and not being taken on
the effective list at home, (although
ultimately accounted for by their
commanding officers,) there was a
perpetual balance of men, who were
included in the lists of effective men
neither at home or abroad, and this
balance would make up the differ-
ence between the number account-
ed for in the return of casualties, and
the number which was actually defi-
cient. Such was the real cause of a
difference which appeared at first
tight so extraordinary.

The Secretary at War concluded
by moving a resolution, " That it is
the opinion of this committee, that a
sum not exceeding 3,637,501/. be
granted to his majesty to complete
the sum required for defraying the
charge of the land-forces at home and
abroad, from December 25, 1812, to
December 24, 1813." This motion,
after some discussion of little interest,
was agreed to.

On the 31st March, the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, in a committee of
ways and means, and after explaining
the terms of the loan which had re-
cently been contracted, proceeded to
enumerate the taxes which would be
necessary to make that provision for
the sinking fund, which was involved
in the bill in progress through the
House. In addition to the 870,0001.
which, in the dcvelopement of his fi-

nancial plan, he had shown to be ne-
cessary to supply the drain on the
sinking fund, it would be recollect-
ed, he observed, that, in providing
the supplies for the last year, there
was one tax, — the auction duty, —
which he had calculated at 100,0001.,
and which having abandoned, it be-
came necessary for him to supply the
consequent deficiency in the consoli-
dated fund. The total sum therefore
which it became requisite to raise by
permanent taxes was nearly a million
of money, viz. 870,000/. to be applied
to the sinking fund, and 100,000/.
being the deficiency occasioned by
the rehnquishment last year of the
auction duty. For the purpose of
providing the last-mentioned sum, it
was his intention to propose an addi-
tional duty on tobacco equal to that
imposed on it last year, which duty
he would estimate at 100,000/. al-
though probably it would produce
more. He was not aware that this
new tax would occasion any incon-
venience ; or at least he was persuaded
that it would cause as little as any that
could be devised. — With regard to the
greater sum of 870,000/. the principal
tax which he meant to propose to meet
it was an increase of the custom du-
ties. He thought this would be in-
finitely preferable to any augmenta-
tion of the assessed taxes, or of the
stamp duties, which had lately been
so much increased. As the most con-
venient mode, he proposed to raise
the sum of 8 or 900,000/. by a gene-
ral increase of the custom duties with
certain exceptions. These exceptions
were the duties on tea, sugar, wine,
raw silk, and cotton wool. On the
other articles which paid custom du-
ties he proposed an increase of 25
per cent. No such general augmen-
tation had occurred since 1804, and
only one partial and small increase in
1805. Under the existing circum-
stances of the conntry this increase

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 3.

would be comparatively little felt.
For the country had until recently
been so much excluded from foreign
^ trade, that all foreign articles had
come to our markets, what with the
difficulty of transmission, the charge
of freights, &c. under an augmenta-
tion of expence, greatly exceeding the
proposed rate of duty. Many circum-
stances had, however, recently com-
bined to render those articles at the
present moment cheaper to the con-
sumer, even with the increased tax,
than they were last year without it.
He would estimate the amount of the
increase of the custom duties at from
850/. to 900,000/.— In addition to
this, however, he meant to propose a
slight augmentation of the excise du-
ties in a particular branch. He pro-
posed that this should take place on
French wines, an article of mere luxury,
entirely confined to the higher orders,
and if checked in the importation, or
wholly shut out, he should consider
the exclusion to be a national advan-
tage . On French wines he proposed
to lay an additional excise duty of I3d,
a bottle, which would be about 18c?. to
the consumer; a tax that could not be
considered very burdensome to the
country. The produce he estimated
at 30.000/. no very great sum, and
one indeed which it would hardly be
worth while so t® raise, were not the
subject itself one so proper for taxa-
tion, that even were tht import likely
to produce less, or were the consump-
tion to be so diminished as to impair
the existing produce of the duty upon
it, he should still feel it to be incum-
bent upon him to make his present
proposition. — The estimated produce,
therefore, of the permanent taxes
would be 850,000/.— from the general
increase in the consoHdated duties of
customs, — 100,000/. from the duty on
tobacco, — and 30,000/. from the duty
on French wines, making in the whole
a sum somewhat short of a million,

to answer two objects, — the support of
the sinking fund, and to make good
the defalcation caused by the abandon-
ment last year of the auction duty. —
Although he had thought proper thus
to propose a substitute for the auction
duty, he by no means lost sight of it.
He did not think it would be satisfac-
tory to take it for the purpose of
contributing to the immediate supply ;
but he reserved to himself the liberty
of proposing means to prevent fraud,
and to regulate the duty, if he should
find it necessary so to do. — Those which
he had mentioned were permanent
taxes. He should next propose to lay
some further taxes under the head of
war taxes, for the general purpose of
assisting the supphes for the year, and
for the particular object of providing
for the one per cent, sinking fund, or
exchequer bills outstanding on the 5th
January of each year, to be granted
to the commissioners for the reduction
of the national debt. These war taxes
he wished to class under the head of
imports and exports. The first that
he should propose would be a general
increase of duty on the importation of
all goods and merchandise the manu-
facture of the French empire, and of
all the countries dependent on France.
It wastrue, thattradelicencesto France
and her dependencies were not now
granted by government, but it was
obvious that circumstances might ren-
der it politic to renew them ; and we
had an undoubted right to retaliate on j
the enemy all the oppression in which
he had persevered against our com-
merce. It was proposed to double the
war- duty on such articles. Those
war-duties were at present equal to
one-third of the consolidated duties.
He proposed to add to them the
amount of the other two-thirds, thus
making the whole of the duties in
war double the duties in peace on
French goods. It was extremely dif-
ficult to estimate the probable produce

Chap. 5.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

of this increase. It would vary with
the state of our intercourse with
France. If he took the average of
the last three years, he would say that
it might amount to 200,000/. — Some
articles were wholly prohibited ; of
others the difficulty of importation
was great ; but by taking the various
articles, and allowing one as it were
to support the other, he was confident
the produce would not fall short of
that which he had just stated. With
respect to the exports, the trade about
to open would in all probability be
«) g^at, that no material inconve-
nience could, in his opinion, arise from
adding a halfpercent. to the presen t ex-
port duties. In peace, such a proposi-
tion would be impolitic — not so at the
present moment. He calculated that ft
might produce about I50j000/. and
on this branch of increased revenue he
thought he might confidently rely.

The increased import duties would
be on goods coming from all coun-
tries dependent on France. It would
give him great pleasure to see those
duties lessened by the diminution of
the number of those countries. They
were not to attach to the exports of
any countries in amity with his ma-
jesty, and the declaration of that a-
mity would immediately cause the ces-
sation of those duties. — The only other
additional duty on the exports which
he meant to propose, was a duty of a
penny a pound on the exportation of
foreign hides, which would operate
very advantageously on our leather
manufactures in foreign markets, and
it would have been proper perhaps
that ere now this measure should have
been adopted, as hides might be con-
sidered as in some measure a military
store. — The only remaining article of
proposed taxation, was one which he
was induced to adopt on poHtical as
well as on financial principles — it was
a duty on importation of American
cotton wool The American govern-

ment had declared their principal ports
to be in a state of blockade, extend-
ing from Rhode Island southward ;
thus endeavouring to deprive our ma-
nufacturers of that important raw ma-
terial. He had every reason to believe,
that if proper encouragement were
given to the importation of cotton
wool from our own colonies, this stop-
page on the part of the Americans
would be wholly innoxious to this
country. It was obvious, however,
that to create this encouragement it
would be necessary to secure the mer-
chant bringing cotton wool from such
a distance against losing by his spe-
culation. If the merchant incurred
the danger of having the sale of his
cotton injured in our market by the
American cotton, he would be in a
state of little promise and great un-
certainty. Unfortunately such an oc-
currence had lately taken place : —
when the American government im-
posed the embargo on their ports,
which occasioned a temporary stop-
page'of the importation of cotton wool
from the United States, encourage-
ment was given by government (in
order to prevent injury to the British
manufacturer) to the importation of
large quantities from our own colo-
nies. But unluckily they came too late
— the Americans had taken off their
embargo ; and, unprotected by such a
countervaihng duty as that which he
was about to propose, the British
merchant sustained very considerable
loss. It was to prevent the occur-
rence of similar events that he was
induced to make his proposition.
The object which he had in view ivaa
to procure the fine article from the
East Indies, by affording a sufficient
encouragement to the importers. There
was at present a sufficient quantity on
hand of every kind ; and it was the
object of his measure (intended to
promote the importation of the finer
kind,) to prevent the ruin which would

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [Chap. 7u

fall on the importer, by any sudden
competition. With this view, he pro-
posed to lay a protecting duty of three
halfpence per pound on all American
cotton imported in British ships, and
a duty of sixpence per pound on all
such cotton imported in foreign bot-
toms.— The whole consumption of
cotton in our own manufactures was
80 millions of pounds, of which 30
millions came from America. The
deficiency, even if more were now im-
ported from America, would be made
up by that imported from the West
Indies and Brazil. — There was only
one objection to this measure, which
was, that it would raise the price of
the raw material on the manufac-
turers in the first instance, and even-
tually on the consumer. With respect
to the home consumer, he thought,
however, that it could be hardly felt,
and with regard to the export trade,
he was of opinion there was no rea-
son to apprehend anyurivalry on the
continent of Europe, and America
■was at present out of the question.
He apprehended that no fear could be
entertained of any competition in
France, where the duty on cotton now
existing was five shillings per pound,
whereas the duty in contemplation
here would only amount to nine-pence
entirely, which threw at present a sort
of monopoly of this article into our
hands. As to the other nations of
the continent, some of whose territo-
ries were the seat of war, and whose
general internal insecurity was adverse
to commercial enterprise, but little
could be apprehended from their com-
petition. He conceived, at the same
time, that it would be desirable that
government should have the means of
varying this measure according to cir-
cumstances, and with this view he had
it in contemplation to propose that a
power should be given to his majesty
in council to suspend or reduce any of
those war-duties, according to any

circumstances which might arise at
this important crisis to make it expe-
dient so to do.— He hoped he had
provided for the charges required by
the public service in the least objec-
tionable manner. It was difficult in
these cases to calculate exactly, but
he thought he had here made ample
provision for all reverses, as the taxes
in question would, in the ordinary
state of trade, produce three times
as much as he had calculated. Any
surplus in the present case would go
into the war-taxes, in aid of the other
resources of the country. — The reso-
lutions arising out of these proposals
were carried after a short debate.

On the 1 1 th June, the Chancellor
of the Exchequer for Ireland laid
before the House his plan for meet-
ing the extraordinary and additional
expenditure of this year, which he
stated as amounting in round numbers
to 600,000^. " He was aware," he
said, " that it was the opinion of some
gentlemen, that the system recently
introduced into this country, might
apply, in a certain degree, to Ire-
land ; and that recourse might be had
to the sinking fund. But, however
this might be demanded, by the hope
of avoiding fresh burdens, yet, the
arguments applied to the state of this
country could not be applied to Ire-
land in an equal extent. It had been
his principal object, in the taxes which
he had already the honour to propose,
several of which had met with the ap-
probation of the House and the sanc-
tion of parliament, to press as little as
possible on the lower classes of the
community, and avoid bearing on
those great sourcesof prosperity which
were absolutely necessary to the well
being of a rising country. To pur-
sue a different policy in a country
deficient in resources, and possess-
ing no great capital, would be the
means of defeating her prosperity, and
rendering ineffectual those burdens

Chap. 3.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

which were imposed on her. — He
had already stated, that the charge
for the loans of the present year was
595,839/. He would now proceed to
explain the means by which it was in-
tended to meet this charge. He had
already submitted to the House a pro-
position for the further increasing the
rate of the custom-duties in Ireland ;
that increase was 25 per cent, which
was estimated to produce 77,tj26/.
The increased duty of 12s. 9d, per
I00lbs» on tobacco, was estimated at
43,722/. The additional duty on cof-
fee, 1 ,900/. The increase of one-third
of the difference between the British
and Irish duties on foreign wines,
40,565/. These, with one or two
alterations in existing taxes, formed
an aggregate of 265,000/. The next
duty was that which had already been
•auctioned by the House, the ad*
dition of 3*. per barrel on malt ; the
produce of which was estimated at
115,000/. The next duty he had to
notice, was one to which, if he could
judge from the general sentiments of
the House, he could expect no op-
position ; he alluded to an additional
duty of sixpence on each gallon of spi-
rits. It had been justly argued that
3*. having been imposed on each barrel
of malt, there should be a correspond-
ing duty laid on spirits. He did not
think that the addition of sixpence
per gallon could materially affect the
interests of the distiller ; at the same
time, he felt confident, that an in-
crease of duty on the distilleries w^s
a measure which parliament ought not,
and would not, in the present pasture
of affairs, be anxious to oppose. The
amount of this additional duty on
spirits, calculated on 4,400,000 gal-
lons, a less quantity than was ever
known to have been distilled in any
one year, would be H0,000/.— The
next duty he had to state was one to
which parliament had already acceded,
that was the augmentation of the as-

sessed taxes; this augmentation was
on the whole of their amount estimated
at 25 per cent. It did not however
operate generally as a duty of 25 per
cent, because persons in the lower
ranks of life, and who might be sup-
posed unable to bear it, did not come
within its scope to that extent. The
principal produce was expected from
the rich ; taking, therefore, the whole
tax, he estimated that it would pro«
duce 100,000/. The alteration in the
postage duties, which had been agreed
to by the legislature, he calculated to
produce 15,000/. and a regulation of
the excise duty on leather would take
place, which was estimated at only
5,000/. The whole amount of these
duties would be 610,000, being 15,000
more than the charges created by the
loans,"

After having thus stated the vari-
ous sources of taxation, by means of
which the Irish. government proposed
to meet the additional expenditure,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer for
Ireland made some interesting remarks
on the state of that country, with
which we shall close the present
chapter.

" The general amelioration of the
country," he observed, " was evident
from the state of the exchange be-
tween Great Britain and Ireland,
which, notwithstanding the sum an-
nually transmitted to absentees, was
now much improved. The rate of
exchange was formerly as high as 17 ;
but in the present year it fell to five
and one-half. Many objections had
l^een made in former years, when the
Irish budget was brought forward ;
one of these was the high charge on
the collection and management of the
revenue. He was happy to announce,
that a very great improvement had
taken place in that respect," He then
entered into a statement to shew the
saving which had taken place in the
gollectiqn pf the revenue since 181 j

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 3.

from whicli it appeared, that the gross
revenue was now collected five per
cent, under the rate of that year ; and
the net revenue eight per cent. In
the post-office department in particu-
lar, the revenue was now collected at
a much more moderate rate, and with
much greater ease, than formerly ; the
rate at which the net revenue of that
department had been collected, being
20 per cent less than in the preceding
year.

He then observed, ** that Ireland
eould not bear, in addition to the
taxation already imposed upon her,
those heavy direct taxes in the con-
templation of some gentlemen, with-
out trenching on those resources
which were the foundation of her
prosperity. He was favourable to an
union of the financial departments of
the two countries, from which he con-
ceived most beneficial results would
be derived. He was aware that a
more efficient controul of the depart-
ments would be one of the first conse-
quences ; and this would be followed
by a diminution of expenditure. He
went, however, no farther than to de-
sire to unite the treasuries, and to
consoHdate the debts. For if gentle-
men supposed that Ireland would af-
ford a contribution on the same prin-
ciples as England, even in the propor-
tion which her growing means and in-
creasing population might induce them
to reckon on, they would find them-
selves greatly mistaken indeed ; even
those who calculated on a great in-
crease of general receipt by the impo-
sition of those taxes which Great Bri-
tain paid, were deceiving the country
and themselves. Ireland now paid
taxes on her consumption, from which
great Britain was exempted — the prin-
cipal articles of that consumption were
of British manufacture, and of British
produce, — and besides those articles
which were charged with heavier im-
posts, Ireland paid nearly 300,000/.

per annum, on the importation of ar-
ticles, most of them of prime necessi-
ty, none of which were liable to any
internal duty in Great Britain, It
would scarcely be contended by the
warmest advocate for what was called
rigorous taxation, that if the financial
system of the two countries were to
be in other respects assimilated, the
Irish people were still to be subjected
to duties such as these ; to preserve
them, as protecting duties, would be
in his mind the most puerile policy ;
since it must have the effect of com-
pelling every consumer in Ireland to
pay more than the article of his con-
sumption was worth, or than he ought
to pay for it.

" Here then there would be a loss of
300,000/. per annum in our customs,
which the new system of finance must
supply. But there was much more.
The property-tax payable on the in-
terest of the Irish debt received in this
country would surely be considered
applicable to the Irish supply, and
ought to be carried to the account of
that country, which provided with
much difficulty for its charge. The
same result would arise respecting the
property of Irish absentees ; at least
in equity he was sure it ought, and
the deduction on these two last-men-
tioned grounds be at least half a mil-
lion from the general resources of the
empire. On this he only estimated the
remittances to absentees at two mil-
lions, which was the amount presumed
in the year 1804, when a committee
of the House of Commons enquired
into the state of the exchanges between
Great Britain and Ireland — At the
same time he had little doubt that the
proportion of absentees was greatly in-
creased— the number who had follow-
ed the seat of legislation and of go-
vernment was necessarily great, and he
was sorry to say that many who had
not the same excuse daily added to
those, who drew the sole resources of

Chap. 3.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

' their support from the country which
I they had deserted. The two heads
which he adverted to would altogether
I diminish the supply of Great Britain
by the amount of half a million, while
the duties on articles of consumption
imported into Ireland, and the pro-
duce of the hearth and other duties,
which he was prepared to contend we
could not, if we introduced, or rather
attempted to introduce, the taxes paid
in Great Britain, any longer retain,
would shew that one million per an-
num of this expected revenue which
was to flow into the imperial treasury,
was not in fact any addition or increase
to the general resources of the state.

" He wished to apply these illustra-
tions not against any measure which
others might recommend, nor wishing
to conceal from himself nor from the
House the efforts he should in future
years be called upon to make. But
he advised the sanguine calculators of
increased revenue, who, be it observed,
were not those persons best acquaint-
ed with the means or circumstances of
Ireland, to pause before they jumped
to their conclusion, and to bear in re-
collection, that all that might be add-
ed to a financial statement was not ne-
cessarily added to the revenue of Ire-
land, or to the general receipt and in-
come of the empire. With respect to
the contribution of Ireland of sixteen
millions and a half, he, who had to pro-
pose measures to parhament to provide
for it, could not but contemplate with
apprehension such an increase ; but,
aware, as he must be, of the difficul-
ties which it imposed upon himself,
and not disguising from the committee
what the pressure of it must ultimate-
ly be, it would still be unfair to draw
any comparison from the last and the
present year of extended mihtary ope-
rations and increased expenditure in
every part of the world, which had oc-
casioned to us so heavy a charge. He
would not advert to what that calcu-

lation at the time of the union might
have been ; the political circumstances
which had since occurred could not
then have been contemplated by any
statesman ; but this he would say, that
unless the circumstances of the coun-
try were exceedingly altered, unless
there was a diminution of our expen-
diture, it was impossible for Ireland
to go on at this rate of contribution.
Parliament ought not to deceive itself,
at least he would not lend himself to
the deception. Did any man suppose
that a country, the annual revenue of
which was only five millions, could go
on raising 16 millions per annum ? Ire-
land must borrow to pay this contri-
bution, and he who hoped that she
could supply the rest with war-taxes,
as in Great Britain, or by supplies rai-
sed to any great extent within the year,
must be ignorant indeed of the circum-
stances of the country for which he
was undertaking to legislate. He at
least would, until every other means
of supply were exhausted, warn par-
liament against what, even in a finan-
cial point of view, would be deemed fa-
tal to the growing wealth, and to that
which could not grow without wealth,
the future productive revenue of the
country — and he spoke of a country,
of the state of which, limited as his of-
ficial experience had been, he was yet
not uninformed. The exertions of Ire-
land had been great. — Great Britain
was to raise in the present year twelve
hundred thousand pounds by new taxes
— Ireland was called upon to provide
more than half that sum by new duties
—Ireland, a country bearing no com-
parison in point of natural or improved
resources. In the year 1785, when Mr
Pitt proposed new taxes to the amount
of 900,000/. per annum, it was deem-
ed after the duration of the Ameri-
can contest, and the exhaustation of
the national means, the greatest ef-
fort which any country had ever made
to redeem the public difficulties. Yet

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 3.

in less than SO years, after a war of
more protracted length, of at least un-
diminished sacrifice, and increased ex»
pence, Ireland, the whole of whose an-
nual income at that time did not ex-
ceed the duties that the British parlia-
ment then imposed, has undertaken to
provide six hundred thousand pounds,
being in the last two years a contribu-
tion of fresh taxes, more than her
whole income amounted to at the time
that the commercial propositions were
discussed. Let me not then be told
that Ireland withholds herself in this
instance, or that those who are re-
sponsible as her ministers endeavour
to obtain for her a partial remission,
which England has not received. We
are making fair, and great, and gene-
rous exertions in the cause of Great
Britain, a cause in the support of
which we are not only pledged by
compact, but which our country is, I
admit, bound to combat for by every
principle of mutual interest and of
€ommoa safety. If that part ef the

united kingdom is not called upon to
struggle beyond her strength, if her
means are not outrun, trust me she
will yet prove to the empire a source
of supply and of succour, such as the
most sanguine mind has not perhaps
contemplated. Do not attempt to an-
ticipate too rashly her growing pow-
ers ; if you anticipate you crush them.
I wish my right hon. friends may feel
with mc. Whether I or another may
next year fill that situation which now
I have the honour to hold, I know not ;
but the legislature will, I hope, act
upon the same principles ; and I am
confident that Great Britain will yet
find in our increasing population, in
the improved fertility of our soil, in
our extended industry and augmented
means, that Ireland will, in point of
contribution, be enabled to make not
less exertions than in other respects
she has already done, or than the en»-
pire already owes to the loyalty, the
hardihood, and the valour of her peo-
ple."

CHAP.4J

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

CHAR IV.

The Princess of Wales.-^Her Letter to the Prince Regent ^^mmProceedings of
Parliament on this Subject,

The unfortunate differences which
had for some years subsisted betwixt
the Prince and Princess of Wales had
ceased to attract the notice of the
pubHc, until, on the 14th of January
m this year, her Royal Highness
was advised to address a letter to
the Prince Regent, which speedily
found its way into the public prints.
The letter was, by command of her
Royal Highness, transmitted by Lady
Charlotte Campbell to the Lord Chan-
cellor and the Earl of Liverpool, with
a request that it might be laid before
the Prince Regent. It was returned
the next day by the Earl of Liver-
pool to Lady Charlotte Campbell,
with an intimation, that as all corre-
spondence had ceased for some years, it
was his Royal Highnesses determina-
tion not to renew it. The letter was
again sent by the Princess, with an in-
timation that it contained matter of im-
portance to the state ; but was once
more returned unopened Some fur-
ther correspondence took place on the
subject, which it is of no importance
to recapitulate.

The persons who had advised the
Princess to this measure determined on
another and more decided step— the

publication of this letter; in which
her Royal Highness stated, that it
was with great reluctance she obtru-
ded upon the Regent to solicit his at-
tention to matters which might at
first appear rather of a personal than
a public nature. That if she could
think them so — if they related merely
to herself— she should abstain from
proceedings which might give uneasi-
ness, or interrupt the more weigh-
ty occupations of his Royal High-
ness. She should continue, in silence
and retirement, to lead the life which
had been prescribed to her, and con-
sole herself for the loss of that society,
and those domestic comforts to which
she had so long been a stranger, by
the reflection, that it had been deemed
proper she should be afflicted without
any fault of her own. But there were
considerations, she observed, of a high-
er nature than any regard to her own
happiness, which rendered this address
a duty to herself and to her daughter,
as well as to her husband and the
people committed to his care. — There
was a point beyond which a guiltless
woman could not with safety carry
her forbearance If her honour is in-
vaded, the defence of her reputation is

7ti

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 4..

no longer a matter of choice ; and it
signifies not whether the attack be
made openly, manfully, and directly,
or by secret insinuation, and by hold
ing such conduct towards her as coun-
tenances all the suspicions that malice
can suggest. If these ought to be the
feelings of every woman in England
who is conscious she deserves no re-
proach, his Royal Highness had too
sound a judgment, and too nice a
sense of honour, not to perceive how
much more justly they belonged to
the mother of his daughter — the mo-
ther of her who is destined to reign
over the British empire. That du-
ring the continuance of the restrictions
upon his royal authority, she purpose-
ly refrained from making any repre-
sentations which might then augment
the painful difficulties of his Royal
Highness' s exalted station. At the
expiration of the restrictions she still
was inclined to delay taking this step,
in the hope that she might owe the
redress she sought to his gracious and
imsolicited condescension. She had
waited in the fond indulgence of this
expectation, until to her inexpressible
mortification, she found that her un-
willingness to complain had only pro-
duced fresh grounds of complaint ;
and she was at length compelled either
to abandon all regard for the two
dearest objects which she possessed
on earth, her own honour, and her
beloved child, or to throw herself at
the feet of his Royal Highness as the
natural protector of both. That the
separation which every succeeding
month was making wider, of the mo-
ther and the daughter, was equally in-
jurious to both. To see herself cut
off from one of the very few domestic
enjoyments left her — certainly the on-
ly one on which she set any value,
the society of her child — involved her
in suchmiseryasshewellknewhis Roy
al Highness could never inflict upon
her if he were aware of its bitterness.
11

Their intercourse had been gradually
diminished. A single interview, week-
ly, seemed sufficiently hard allowance
for a mother's atfections. That, how-
ever, was reduced to a meeting once
a fortnight ; and she had recently
learned that even this most rigorous
interdiction was to be still more ri-
gorously enforced. — But while she did
not venture to intrude her feelings as
a mother upon his Royal Highness's
notice, she must be allowed to say,
that iu the eyes of an observing and
jealous world, this separation of a
daughter from her mother would only
admit of one construction — a construc-
tion fatal to the mother's reputation.
That there was no less inconsistency
than injustice in this treatment. That
he who dared advise his Royal High-
ness to overlook the evidence of her in-
nocence, and disregard the sentence of
complete acquittal which it produced,
or was wicked and base enough still
to whisper suspicions, betrayed his
duty to his Royal Highness, to his
daughter, and to his people, if he
counselled him to permit a day to
pass without a further investigation
of her conduct. That no such ca-
lumniator would venture to recom-
mend a measure which must speedily
end in his utter confusion. Thus,
without the shadow of a charge a-
gainst her — without even an accuser
—after an enquiry that led to her am-
ple vindication — she was yet treated
as if she were still more culpable than
the perjuries of her suborned traducers
represented her, and held up to the
world as a mother who might not en-
joy the society of her only child. —
That the serious, the irreparable in-
jury which her daughter sustained
from the plan thus pursued, had done
more in overcoming her reluctance to
intrude upon his Royal Highness, than
any sufferings of her own could ac-
comphsh. — The powers with which
the constitution vests his Royal High-

Chap. 4.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

ness in the regulation of the royal fa-
mily, were admitted to be ample and
unquestionable. Her appeal was made
to his excellent sense and liberality of
mind in the exercise of these powers :
and she willingly hoped that his pa-
ternal feehngs would lead him to ex-
cuse her anxiety in representing the
unhappy consequences which the pre-
sent system must entail upon her belo-
ved child. — That the character of the
Princess Charlotte would be injured
by the perpetual violence offered to
her strongest affections — by the stu-
died care taken to estrange her from
the society of her mother, and even
to interrupt all communication be-
tween them. That all attempts to a-
bate her attachment by forcibly se-
parating the parent and child, if they
succeeded, must injure her child's prin-
ciples— if they failed, must destroy her
happiness. — The plan also of exclu-
ding her daughter from all intercourse
with the world, appeared to her hum-
ble judgment pecuHarly unfortunate.
She who is destined to be the sove-
reign of this great country enjoyed
none of those advantages of society
which are deemed necessary for im-
parting a knowledge of mankind to
persons who have infinitely less occa-
sion to learn that important lesson :
and it might so happen, that she should
be called upon to exercise the powers
of government, with an experience of
the world more confined than that of
the most private individual. To the
extraordinary talents with which she
is blessed, and which accompany a
disposition singularly amiable, frank,
and decided, much might be trusted ;
but beyond a certain point the great-
est natural endowments cannot strug-
gle against the disadvantages of cir-
cumstances and situation. Those who
advised his Royal Highness to delay so
long the period of her daughter's
commencing her intercourse with the
world, and for that purpose to make

Windsor her residence, appeared not
to have regarded the interruptions to
her education which this arrangement
occasioned, both by the impossibility
of obtaining the attendance of pro-
per teachers, and the time unavoidably
consumed in the frequent journies to
town which she must make, unless she
were secluded from all intercourse, even
with his Royal Highness and the rest of
the royal family. — That his daughter
had never yet enjoyed the benefit of
confirmation, although above a year
beyond the age at which all the other
branches of the royal family have par-
taken df that solemnity. — Her Royal
Highness concluded by expressing the
extreme reluctance with which she
had taken this impoitant step.

No sooner was this letter laid be-
fore the public, than it became the
subject of eager and angry discussion.
While many approved of the letter
in all its parts, and of the conduct
which hf r Royal Highness had been
persuaded to follow, there were others
who seemed to entertain very differ-
ent sentiments. — It was remarked, that
many of the complaints made in the
letter were extremely frivolous. The
Prince and Princess, it is true, live
separately, on the worst terms. This
state of things can only have arisen,
it was said, from causes which the
Prince deems sufficient ; and were he
to give up the government of hi»
child to a person whose conduct he
himself impeaches, he would thus con-
fess himself to be highly criminal in
living in a state of separation from her
mother. Now it is better that his Roy-
al Highness should commit an error
under an impression that he is acting
rightly, than that he should persevere
in misconduct avowedly and delibe-
rately. The most amiable may err,
the most profligate alone can persist in
acknowledged guilt. — As to the edu-
cation of the Princess, the letter ob-
served, that at Windsor masters were

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181iJ. [Chap. 4.

not to be had. But it was asked, was
the nation so poor, or the Prince so
economical, that masters could not be
afforded at so great a distance ? The
young princess must come to London
like the daughters of farmers and pet-
ty squires for the benefit of masters ?
And what masters ? For music, draw-
ing, dancing, French, and German ;
that is for accomplishments which di-
vert the mind from solid knowledge
and real acquirements ; which qualify
a girl for a dancing-room, but usually
disqualify her for any thing else, and
least of all prepare her to govern a great
country. Why is she not birought
into society ? exclaims her mother !
May not the father, it was answered,
have been taught by experience the
evils of society at an early period of
life ? To personages of such high
rank the dangers of general society
are great in youth. Princes are sur-
rounded by flattery and adulation.
They may indeed see all the world,
but they know nothing of it. Truth
is not allowed to approach them ;
and those who minister to their pas-
sions probably become their favour-
ites. Who has not heard of the poi-
son of the air of a court ? and obvious-
ly it is a poison to which youth is
chiefly exposed. Queen Elizabeth
was educated in seclusion. With re-
spect to the education of the Princess,
it was asked, is she then such a child
tbat she must remain at her mother's
knee to i-eceive the instructions of
masters ? Is this then the personage
who is fit to assume the reins of go-
vernment in the event of a vacancy,
and to rule this great people in these
eventful times ? She might thus be at
once a sovereign and a pupil ; unfit to go
alone without the help of her mother,
the nation being incapable of going on
without the direction of the child !

The imputations, (it v^^asalso obser-
ved,) to which the letter alluded, were

made many years before- The investiga-
tion had been closed for upwards of six
years. During all this period her Roy-
al Highness was pleased to maintain
the most profound silence on the sub-
ject, though every motive which had
been stated in her letter, as the in-
ducement to this last step, equally ex-
isted at every former moment. — The
only rational explanation of all this was
said to be, that her Royal Highness
had unfortunately got into the hands
of counsellors, who, either from indis-
cretion, or from bad motives, but cer-
tainly not with any regard to their
royal client herself, to the royal fami- '
ly, or to the country, were determined
to drag the whole of this cause from
the obscurity in which, prudence on
the one hand, and magnanimity on the
other, had buried it, into the broad
day of public investigation. — If it
were not resolved to bring this matter
to an ultimate enquiry, why, it was
asked, should the letter have been
written, as it was known to have been,
by a lawyer ? Why was it officially
transmitted with copies, duplicates,
and all circumstances of solemnity,
through the Prince Regent's public
servants — the ministers of the coun-
try ? And why, at last, when the
generosity of the Prince and the pru-
dence of his ministers declined to re-
vive these discussions — why was it
with so much previous preparation,
with such preliminary pomp, ushered
into the world ?

With respect to the insinuations in
the letter, it was remarked, that the
advisers of her Royal Highness should
have explained to her, that the matter
would not end there — that other con-
sequences might and must result from
it — that here was not a defiance which
could be thrown out with impunity —
that the grave charge of subornation
of perjury, to destroy her reputation^
would not be overlooked — that if the

Chap. 4..]

HISTORY OF EUROPE-

Prince Regent had studiously main-
tained a silence of fifteen years, upon
all the unhappy differences between
the illustrious personages in question,
he had now another duty to perform
— that silence would he no longer
delicacy to any of the parties — That
charges and insinuations could not be
permitted to be brought against him
without reply or refutation — that he
must not be accused of improper treat-
ment towards his daughter, both with
respect to her education and her inter-
course with the world and her mother
— and that any attempt which injudi-
cious counsellors might make to weak-
en the affection of the daughter for the
father, must be met and defeated. The
advisers of the Princess called for fur-
ther enquiry. They said " that a day
ought not to pass without further in-
vestigation of her conduct." If they
were so anxious to have an enquiry,
•aid their opponents, there could be no
reason for refusing their request.

Her Royal Highness alluded to the
result of the enquiry before the noble
lords who had formerly investigated
her case, and appealed to the " evi-
dence of her innocence" and ** the
complete acquittal wliich it produced."
Upon the point of ** ample vindica-
tion" and " complete acquittal," the
report, said her opponents, does <* in
the clear and unanimous judgment of
the commissioners f'* acquit her Royal
Highness of actual criminality ; but her
Royal Highness, they added, betrayed
great imprudence in calling for a fur-
ther investigation, not that there exist-
ed a shadow of reason for apprehend-
ing that a second enquiry would be
likely to attach any greater stain to her
character than had been occasioned by
the first, but because there were other
subordinate circumstances, the detail
of which should, upon every principle
of delicacy, be withheld from the
world.

The young Princess, it was remark-

ed, was not seventeen—an age at which
her studies must be supposed to be
still going forward — But her mother
seemed desirous that those studies
should be interrupted, in order that
her Royal Highness might mix in
societies where she might acquire a
knowledge of mankind. What socie-
ties it was asked ? Balls and routs ?
— Is there much valuable knowledge
to be obtained in such quarters — much
health for the body or the mind?
Would her mother advise her to fol-
low the example of some other ladies,
and obtain a knowledge of mankind
by attending chemical and anatomi-
cal lectures ? Would she have had her
perfect herself in the accomplishments
of dancing and speaking, by passing
her nights at the operas or the theatres
— or improve her judgment of the
powers of harmony, by a nearer inter-
course with celebrated singers than
from the box to the stage ? Was her
royal grandfather's education prose-
cuted in the way now recommended i
Assuredly it was not ; and yet no
monarch ever sat upon the throne with
more ability, more judgment, and more
knowledge of the constitution and of
the laws of the country.

As to the last point urged in the
letter, it was remarked, that the rite
of confirmation is undoubtedly an im-
pressive and salutary one ; but the
most rigid divines have never consider-
ed it as essential to the welfare of the
soul ; and in the church of England
it is no sacrament. Who, then, can
believe that it was really felt by the
Princess of Wales as a personal griev-
ance requiring remonstrance, that the
princess Charlotte, her daughter, had
not yet been confirmed ? But the
statement, that " all the other branches
of the royal family have been confirm-
ed when younger than the Princess
Charlotte now is," was not correct.
The Prince her father was not con-
firmed until he was near eighteen

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 4.

years of age, nor was the king her
grandfather. Where then is the jus-
tice of complaining because the Prin-
cess Charlotte has not been confirmed
at an earlier age ?

The letter was evidently not the
production of the Princess of Wales ;
and there was a good deal of bad
taste, it was remarked, in so much
parade and affectation of maternal
tenderness and domestic feeling, when
every one must have been convinced
that it was not a mother who herself
expressed her own feelings, but some
persons employed to make out a case,
and who talked of sympathies and
feehngs with all the cold and canting
commonplace of thorough-bred meta-
physicians.— Why should the Prince
be the only father in the empire
whose management of his child was
to be criticised by the public ? Why
is he not to be permitted to judge
how much, or what company she
should see ; what accomplishments
she ought to learn ; what preceptors
it is proper that she should have — and
when her proficiency in her studies
may render their further superinten-
dence unnecessary ? If it had been al-
ledged that the health, or the cha-
racter, or the education, of the pre-
sumptive heiress of the crown had
been neglected, the public would have
felt a laudable interest in having such
neglect remedied; but it was too
much to say that any person had a
right to enquire why the young Prin-
cess went into company so little or so
much — why she had, or had not been
confirmed ; what progress she made
in her education ; what visits she
should receive and pay ; thus attempt-
to pry into all those little details of
paternal care and domestic duties
which the letter of the advisers of the
Princess of Wales obtruded on public
notice, to the astonishment and dis-
gust of every father and mother in

the country. — The paternal kindness
of the Prince to his daughter, his care
of her health, of her education, and
her principles, had long been a theme
of applause, not only to those very
persons who were now endeavouring
to insinuate the contrary, but to the
whole nation ; and the publication of
the letter, lamentable as it was on
many other accounts, had, in one re-
spect at least, proved not unsatisfac-
tory ; as it brought forth into full
view the parental feeling which his
Royal Highness the Prince Regent
had evinced towards his amiable and
illustrious child, and the credit which
the cultivated mind and affectionate
heart of that child did to the unwea-
ried exertions of her royal father. —
Such were the reflections made on the
letter which the Princess had been ad-
vised to publish.

The insinuations, however, which
that letter contained, were of such a
nature that further enquiry was held
indispensable ; and the Prince Regent
accordingly referred the whole mat-
ter to a commission, composed of
the dignitaries of the church, and the
high officers of the law, who, after
various meetings, and much delibera-
tion, made a formal report on the
subject. This report stated, that,
after a full examination of the do-
cuments, the commissioners were of
opinion, that, under all the circum-
stances of the case, it was highly fit:
and proper, with a view to the wel-
fare of her Royal Highness the Prin-
cess Charlotte, in which were equally
involved the happiness of his Royal
Highness in his parental and royal
character, and the most important in-
terests of the state, the intercourse be-
tween her Royal Highness the Prin-
cess of Wales and her Royal Highness
the Princess Charlotte, should continue
to be subject to regulation and re-
straint.—That the motives by which

Chap. 4.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

his Royal Highness had been actuated
in the postponement of the confirma-
tion of the Princess Charlotte were
most laudable, as it appeared by a
statement under the hand of her Ma-
jesty the Queen, that his Royal High-
ness had conformed in this respect to
the declared will of his Majesty, who
had been pleased to direct, that such
ceremony should not take place till the
Princess should have completed her
18th year. — The commissioners also
noticed some expressions in the letter
of her Royal Highness the Princess
of Wales, which might possibly be
construed as implying a charge of
too serious a nature to be passed
«Ter without observation. They re-
ferred to the words, " suborned tra-
Aicers.** As this expression, from
the manner in which it was intro-
duced, might perhaps be liable to be
misunderstood, (although it might be
impossible to suppose that it could
have been so intended) to have re-
ference to some part of the conduct
of his Royal Highness, they felt it
their bounden duty not to omit this
opportunity of declaring that the do-
cuments laid before them afforded the
most ample proof, that there was not
the slightest foundation for such an
aspersion.

This report was communicated, to
the Princess by Lord Sidmouth. Her
Royal Highness was immediately ad-
vised to address herself to the Lord
Chancellor, and to the Speaker of the
House of Commons. In her letters
* ' these distinguished personages, she
Hted, that the report which she had
St received was of such a nature that
r Royal Highness was persuaded no
-Tson could read it without consider-
'j: it as conveying aspersions upon
r ; and although their vagueness
ndered it impossible to discover pre-
sely what was meant, or even what
e had been charged with, yet as the
I'rincess felt conscious of no offenctt

VOL. Vi. PART I.

whatever, she thought it due to her-
self, to the illustrious houses with
which she was connected by blood,
and by marriage, and to the people
among whom she held so distinguished
a rank, not to acquiesce for a moment
under any imputations affecting her
honour. That she had not been per-
mitted to know upon what evidence
the members of the privy council pro-
ceeded, still less to be heard in her
defence. She knew only by common
rumour of the enquiries which they
had been carrying on, until the result
of those enquiries was communicated
to her, and she had no means of know-
ing whether the members acted as a
body to whom she could appeal for
redress, at least for a hearing, or only
in their individual capacities, as per-
sons selected to make a report upon
her conduct. She was therefore com-
pelled to throw herself upon the wis-
dom and justice of parhament, and to
desire that the fullest investigation
might be instituted into her whole
conduct during the period of her re-
sidence in this country. She feared
no scrutiny, however strict, provided
she might be tried by impartial judges
known to the constitution, and in the
fair and open manner which the law
of the land prescribes.

When the letter which had been
received by the Speaker was read to
the House of Commons, Mr Whit-
bread called on Lord Castlereagh to
declare whether it was his intention
to submit any proposition to the
House on the subject. His lordship
answered, that he would be ready,
painful as the subject was, to give
every proper explanation when a fit
opportunity occurred.

On the 5th of March, Mr Cochrane
Johnstone made a motion on this sub-
ject. He called upon the House to
enter into resolutions declaring, that
the commission in 1806 to Lords Er-
skine, Gi;enville, Spencer, aod Ellen-
t S

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 4.

borough, to enquire into the charges
against the Princess of Wales, was il-
legal— that the acquittal of her Royal
Highness by that commission was in-
valid, because if they had power to
acquit, they might also have con-
demned— that the Princess was there-
fore not legally acquitted ot the
charges brought against her, and that
this uncertainty might endanger, at
some future period, the succession to
the crown. He then moved an ad-
dress to the Prince Regent, that the
whole documents connected with the
enquiry of i 806 should be laid before
the House.

In support of the motion it was ob-
served, that a commission had been
granted by the king in 1806, to four
noble lords, Grenville, Spencer, Er-
skine, and EUenborough, to examine
into certain accusations which had
been preferred against the Princess of
Wales. That the report made by the
commissioners contained the most un-
qualified opinion, that the charge pre-
ferred by Sir John and Lady Dou-
glas, against the Princess of Wales,
of having been delivered of a child in
the year 1802, was utterly destitute
of truth. That the birth, and real
mother of the child said to have been
born of the Princess, had been proved
beyond all possibility of doubt. The
report concluded with some objec-
tions made by the commissioners to
the manners of the Princess. — That a
letter dictated by Lord Eldon, Mr
Perceval, and Sir Thomas Palmer,
though signed by the Princess of
Wales, purporting to be written by
her Royal Highness to the king, on
the 9th of October 1806, as a pro-
test against the report of the commis-
sioners, contained a formal and elabo-
rate criticism upon the nature of the
commission under which her conduct
had been reviewed ; asserted, in the
most unqualified terms her own inno-
cence, and desrcibcd the charges of

her accusers as originating in a foul
conspiracy. In this letter the Princess
of Wales threw herself, and the honour
of her family, on the justice of the
king — her honour and her life being
at the mercy of the malice of her ac-
cusers.— She complained of the ex-
parte crimination, and of the manner
and way in which the charges were
credited. — That after an interval of
painful suspence, the duke of Kent
announced to her Royal Highness the
near approach of two attornies to take
away by warrant, half of her family,
in order to examine them as witnesses
to a charge made against her. The
only request she made on this occa-
sion was, that the Duke of Kent
should remain in the room with her
till her servants were gone, for fear
she should be suspected of holding
any conversation with them. — That
the charge brought against the Prin-
cess before that tribunal by Sir John
and Lady Douglas was nothing short
of treason ; that if the commissioners
had power to acquit her Royal High-
ness of the crime charged, they had
equally the power to convict her, and
what was the state of that country in
which such a thing was even possible ?
That the noble lords had no autho-
rity to give a judgment on the occa-
sion— they had no right to pronounce
an acquittal, for they had no right
to find a verdict of guilty.— As a
question of law, the matter was left
as the commissioners found it. — But
what became of Sir John and Lady
Douglas ? They still persisted in the
same story ; but if all they maintained
were so notoriously false, why were
they not prosecuted ? — That no pro-
ceedings of the late privy council, ex-
cept the report, had been transmitted
to the Princess of Wales — that copies
of all the examinations ought to be
given to her ; and it was the duty pf
ministers to communicate to the Prin-
cess of Wales the fresh informations

Chap. 4.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE*

they had taken. That the case ought
to be tried by the whole privy coun-
cil ; and after the discussion which
the Princess had provoked, if she
should then be injured she would have
herself alone to blame.

Against the motion it was argued,
that the mode of proceeding adopted
by its supporters was altogether ab-
surd. The first resolution was, in fact,
unsupported by any proof. The se-
cond resolution called for those very
papers, as matter of information, on
which the first resolution was founded.
The only object of the information de-
manded, was to persuade the House
that such serious doubts existed as to
the succession to the throne, as requi-
red the interference of parliament. It
were needless to enter into any detail-
ed enquiry as to the powers of the
privy council acting as a tribunal in
their proceedings on this subject ; but
it was evident, that they were fully
competent to enquire, whether there
were, or were not, sufficient grounds
of charge for putting the Princess of
Wales on her defence. The present
motion, however, did not go to the
extent of settling the question, whe-
ther any such proceedings were, or
were not, necessar)'. But if the com-
missioners were not competent to de-
cide upon the charges against her Jloyal
Highness, the House of Commons was
certainly not the proper tribunal for
deciding on such a question. If every
shade in the conduct of the Princess of
Wales, from the highest degree of guilt
down to the lowest levity, were to be
considered, that House was not, cer-
tainly, the place where such matters
should be discussed. — That if any un-
fortunate disputes existed between the
branches of the royal family, a discus-
sion in the House of Commons could
serve only to augment the evil and widen
the breach. The only solid ground,
therefore, on which parliament could
proceed, was thi8,-^that doubts were

created as to the succession of the
crown. But in the present case, there
was not the smallest doubt entertain-
ed upon that subject. The commis-
sioners in 1806, from their known cha-
racter and high legal qualifications,
were certainly fit persons to decide
upon that question ; and they had de-
cided ; and no doubts remained on
theirminds that required parfiamentary
interposition. They did not make an
enquiry into the weight of the evi-
dence of Lady Douglas, as compared
or contrasted with that of other wit-
nesses ; but they had decided, that
they had traced the whole history of
the child so completely and satisfac-
torily, that no possible doubt could
remain that it was not born of the
Princess of Wales, but of another wo-
man, named Sophia Austin. Nor, in-
deed, did this decision rest only on
their report, for the question was af-
terwards referred to confidential ser-
vants of his majesty, who gave a so-
lemn judgment, confirming the report
of the first commissioners. The sup-
posed doubt respecting the succession
was therefore rebutted by the autho-
rity of the commissioners of the first
cabinet ; and also by that of the sub-
sequent cabinet, to whom the matter
was referred, and who confirmed the
judgment. If any doubt remained, a
case might exist as to the question of
succession, which it might be the duty
of parliament to examine ; but after
all these authorities, would it be ra-
tional for parliament to interfere ?
Would not such interference rather
serve to create doubts, where no doubts
existed, and give countenance to sus-
picions contrary to the repeated decla-
rations of all parties, that no case
whatever had been made out to require
any such interference on the part of
parliament ?— It was perfectly true, that
there had been no prosecution entered
against Lady Douglas ; her evidence
was taken by the commissioners in the

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, ISIS. [Chap. 4.

discharge of their duty ; and it should
have been stated, in candour, that the
first cabinet recommended that no pro-
ceeding should be instituted, unless the
crown lawyers deemed it advisable to
prosecute Lady Douglas for perjury.
A case was laid before them ; and
though they were satisfied as to the
perjury, they nevertheless saw diffi-
culties in the way of establishing it by
legal evidence, and therefore they did
not advise a prosecution.— The present
cabinet had acted deliberately and con-
scientiously in the business, and had
given their opinion, that there were
no reasons why her Royal Highness
should not be admitted to the presence
of the sovereign, agreeeably to the re-
commendation of the former cabinet.—
It had been stated, with a marked em-
phasis, that Lady Douglas's evidence
■was given by command of his Royal
Highness the Prince Regent. In this
matter the Prince Regent followed the
advice of Lord Thurlow, which was,
to have the evidence reduced to wri-
ting, for the purpose of submitting it
to legal consideration. Then his Royal
Highness felt it to be his duty to com-
municate the circumstance to his royal
father, with whom, and with w^hose
cabinet, and not with his Royal High-
ness himself, the whole affair had from
that time remained. — There was no
necessity for pursuing the subject of
this discussion any further. It could
not be properly brought forward, ex-
cept on the presumption that some
doubts existed relative to the succes-
sion of the crown. But no such doubts
did exist. Parliament, by acceding to
such a motion as that now proposed,
would become an instrument in grati-
fying that taste for calumny, which
was so prevalent at the present mo-
ment-.— The motion was negatived
without a division.

In consequence of the measures
adopted by the Princess of Wales,
and of the discussions excited in the

House of Commons, the whole pro-
ceedings of 1806, including the evi-
dence of the witnesses, soon appeared
in the public prints. This result was
at once disagreeable and unexpected
to herself and to her advisers. Sir
John and Lady Douglas, the chief wit-
nesses against her Royal Highness,
whose evidence had been entirely dis-
credited by the commissioners of 1806,
ventured still to maintain the truth of
what they had asserted on oath. They
accordingly presented a petition to the
House of Commons, praying that they
might be again examined before a com-
petent tribunal, that if the falsehood
of their evidence were established, they
should be punished with the pains oF
perjury. This circumstance, together
with the publications alluded to, and
some rumours as to a further examina-
tion of Lady Douglas, induced Mr
Whitbread to bring the subject once
more before the House, in the shape
of a motion for an address to the Prince
Regent for the punishment of the per-
sons who had contributed towards this
insult on the royal family and outrage
on the pubhc morals.

The supporters of the motion obser-
ved, that her Royal Highness was fully
acquitted from every imputation of cri-
minahty. In these circumstances, not-
withstanding the family divisions and
differences, notwithstanding the un-
happy transactions which had occur-
red, notwithstanding all that had been
then brought before the public, to the
great grief of every thinking man in the
land, yet by judicious advice to both
parties, by conciliation and submission
from the one, and by affection and in-
dulgence from the other, a happy pe-
riod might have been put to these un-
pleasant and painful transactions. The
malady was not at its crisis till lately ;
and kindness would have healed both
it and the public feeling, so long and
so cruelly lacerated. Can it be true
then, it was asked, that those persons.

0«AP. 4.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

stigmatized in express terms as per-

C" ;d and degraded witnesses, have
n again examined ? That from the
13th of February, down to the period
when the debate took place, in which
Sir John Douglas and his lady were
termed perjured and degraded witness-
ts, examinations had been going for-
ward of Lady* Douglas, in the pre-
sence of her husband, as a credible and
honourable witness ? Were the king's
ministers thus darkly searching for the
discovery of evidence that might de-
stroy the innocent ? Was this the mode
in which affairs of state of such mo-
ment were conducted ? Did the Lord
Chancellor of Great Britain lend him-
self to those sinister and obscure pro-
ceedings ? How anxious soever every
one might have been, after the pro-
ceedings on a former night, to advise
a dignified approach by her Royal
Highness to the Regent, under the
consciousness of acquitted innocence,
in the hope that she would be met by
the Prince with feelings of affection
and kindness, yet after the disclosure
of such proceedings, it was impossible
that such advice should be given. Un-
der all these circumstances, and after
the lapse of a week from the period of
that discussion, wherein it was admit-
ted, on all hands, that the Princess of
Wales was completely acquitted of all
criminality whatever, in two newspa-
pers, simultaneously, appear the depo-
sitions of Sir Jolm and Lady Douglas,
whose testimony had been so strong-
ly reprobated. Since this period, and
since the deposition of Lady Douglas
was delivered, various publications of
documents had been made in papers,
in the habit of containing expres-
sions not disagreeable to ministers, nor
very unwelcome at Carlton-house. —
Upon one of these newspapers, called
the Morning Herald, the public might
fix ; for whoever saw at the head of
that paper the crest of his royal high-
ness conspicuously displayed, — who-

ever knew the habits of the reverend
proprietor of that paper,— -whoever
knew that the reverend proprietor had
been recently distinguished by honours
and by church promotion out of the
usual course of appointments of that
kind, — whoever knew all this, and read
the scandalous publications which had
recently appeared in the Morning He-
rald, must conclude that they were not
disagreeable in a certain high quarter.
Through this channel, it was said,
these disgusting documents, by which
the pubHc morals had been tainted,

were issued That after two cabinets

had declared her Royal Highness guilt-
less, it should be thought necessary to
reprint that testimony, which before
its publication to the world had been
acknowledged to be false and perjured,
was surprising. After the evidence
of Lady Douglas, followed in a train
all the disgusting documents, the false-
hood of which was known and acknow-
ledged, and which, abominable as they
were, had been put imto the shape of a
volume, bearing the name of the late
Mr Perceval, by whom the press is
said to have been corrected. That
right honourable gentleman thought
the Princess of Wales so grossly and
so grievously injured, that for the sake
of her vindication it was necessary he
should submit these jpainful details to
the people of England and the world ;
and he consequently prepared a com-
ment upon it, to prove the falsehood
of the story, and to expose the villainy
by which it had been raised. Now,
however, when Mr Perceval was dead,—
when her royal highness had no advi-
sers remaining, — when a series of years
had elapsed, during which the public
had been kept in a state of profound
ignorance of facts which they sought
to know with eager curiosity, — when
the Princess had been declared inno-
cent and blameless by two cabinets,
and the witnesses against her were ac-
knowledged to be perjured and degra-

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 4

ded, then, and not till then, was the
public eye polluted by these unfound-
ed, these indecent statements. What
•was the object of the late Mr Perceval
in wishing to submit these documents
to the examination of the public ? To
prove the innocence of the Princess of
Wales, What was the object of their
publication now ? To prove the guilt
of her Royal Highness. After so many
declarations of her innocence from all
sides, these papers were brought for-
ward to deceive the public, and to lead
to a base conclusion of her guilt. Mr
Perceval would have given them to the
world to protect injured innocence, and
now they were adduced in order to ca-
lumniate the very woman of whom he
was the adviser, defender, and friend.
What woman was ever before placed
in such a situation ? Was it possible
for matters to rest here ? Was not a
decision imperiously called for ? The
sooner it came the better would it be
for the crown and for the people. For
how many long years had her Royal
Highness suffered under surmises, insi-
nuations, and accusations ? It was eleven
years since they were commenced, and
she had not yet passed through this
fiery ordeal. To whom was the de-
lay to be attributed ? The Princess of
Wales had at all periods loudly claim-
ed public enquiry. In 1806, by the
advice of Mr Perceval and Sir Tho-
mas Plomer, she demanded a fair and
open trial. It was granted. In 1813
she had again thrown herself upon the
Prince Regent and upon parliament, in-
sisting upon her innocence, and demand-
ing to be tried. During all this time
she had been deprived of the comforts
to which her rank and situation entitle
her, and excluded from almost every
social intercourse, and from all mater-
nal endearments. She wrote a letter
to the House of Commons, claiming —
not mercy, uot compassion, not pro-
tection, but — justice. " Try me,*'
she said, " before a tribunal competent

to decide, and let tliat decision be fi-
nal." " No," said the ministers, "you
shall be tried, not before a pubhc tri-
bunal, but before the tribunal of the
public. Everyman, woman, and child
in the empire shall read the evidence
against you." She demanded, " Let
me be judged by my peers, and ii
guilty, let me be condemned and suf
fer." " No," replied the ministers,
" you shall be tried by self-elected
juries, not of your peers, in every ale-
house in the kingdom. Your judges
shall be the most ignorant of mankind,
incapable of drawing legal inferences
of guilt or innocence. We will expose
you, degraded, unprotected, to the
view of the curious multitude ; you
shall be stripped to the eyes of a gazing
world." « Good God ! " exclaimed a
redoubted orator, ( Mr Whitbread ) in
commenting on this subject, "is this the
way that justice i s administered in Eng-
land, the country that boasts so much
of the purity of its laws, and the ex-
cellence of its establishments ? la this
the mode in which innocence is main-
tained against the poisoned shafts of
calumny !'* — After the decision of the
four commissioners appointed by the
king to make the necessary enquiries,
and report thereon, — after the most
unequivocal vindication of the Princess
of Wales, as communicated in their
report, — it appeared that a fresh exa-
mination took place into the evidence
which had been completely disregard-
ed and discredited. This new enquiry
was managed by a noble person, who
seemed desirous to give force to that
which had been previously deemed of
no validity. When the witness when!
he had summoned before him said, " I
never believed the report, I treated it
Uo the infamous lie of llje day," what
was the conduct of that noble person ?
In a very significant manner, he con-
veyed a notion to the person examined,
that he (the noble lord) still did give
credit to the report. He shook his

Chap. 4.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

head most significantly, and appeared
to disbelieve the strong testimony of
the witness whom he had called before
him. If persons who are the most
enlightened retain their prejudices, and
no means are left for vindication, how
is innocence to be maintained ? *' Docs
it not become us as men," said the
orator already alluded to, ** as lovers
of justice, as representatives of the
people, as supporters of the dignity
and stability of the throne, when such
crimes are attributed to one so near it,
to bring the matter to a decision ? Is it
net our bounden duty to seek a speedy
determination, for the sake of the go-
verning authorities of the country ? It
is not the Princess of Wales alone who
is shocked by such proceedings. Is
not the Prince of Wales, her natural
protector, shocked ? Are not the mo-
rality, the virtue, and the loyalty of
the people shocked ? Is not the mo-
narchy itself interested in the deter-
mination ? Yes, we are all, both indivi-
dually and collectively, shocked and
affected in the deepest and tenderest
points. It is totally impossible that
the matter can rest in its present state.
It is impossible, whether the rights
and interests of the crown or of the
subject are considered, that the matter
can be deferred any longer. If the
sentence of acquittal which has been
pronounced, is to be set up as a bar
against that crisis which appears abso-
lutely necessary, can it be denied that
there are people who, in opposition to
the assertion of the innocence of the
Princess of Wales, are at all times
ready to shake their heads, and who
cannot help thinking that there is
something in it ? It is high time that
a thorough scrutiny should be insti-
tuted. It is high time that every cir-
cumstance, hint, and suggestion should
be sifted in every way that human in-
genuity can devise, for the purpose of
doing justice, not to the Princess of
Wales only, but to all who are impli-

cated in the transaction.**-r-In what
situation, it was asked, is the succes-
sion to the throne placed ? Lady Dou-
glas had been again examined as a cre-
dible witness, not only by a magistrate,
but she had been treated as such by
the Lord Chancellor of England. The
evidence of Lady Douglas had gone
farther than to inferences from what
she had heard in her conversations with
the Princess of Wales ; for she had
positively sworn, that, to her know-
ledge, the Princess of Wales was not
only with child, but was delivered of a
male child. If so, the Princess of
Wales was in imminent danger. If so,
the Princess Charlotte was involved ia
danger. But, what was still more
striking. Lady Douglas herself per-
sisted, and offered in her petition to
maintain, at every risk, the truth of
her depositions. Why had nothing
been done to ascertain the truth of this
story ? For if true, this male child,
and not the Princess Charlotte, must
inherit the throne, unless it could be
proved that he was the offspring of an
adulterous intercourse. On what au-
thority did the acquittal of the Princess
of Wales stand ? On this :— Lord El-
don, as a lawyer, said, the greater part
of the evidence was satisfactorily dis"
proved, and as for the remainder, all
men utterly discredited it. But these
mysterious examinations still continu-
ed, and her Royal Highness found,
that there was not, even in this coun-
try, any tribunal before which her
guilt or innocence could be brought to
issue. If she resolved to quit this
country, she had now no father to go
to ; nor had she even her father's
country to afford her an asylum. Soon
after the period when these examina-
tions had been conducted with so much
acrimony against his beloved daughter,
he had paid the forfeit of his life at the
battle of Jena. She had, however, tlie
consolation to know that her father had
received all the papers relative; to the

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 4.

investigation of her conduct, and had
expressed his dying conviction of his
daughter's innocence- — What protec-
tion, then, had the Princess of Wales ?
She had a right to that of her hus-
band, and of the law. Would the
House of Commons deprive hereof the
latter ? Her husband had withdrawn
from her Royal Highness his protec-
tibn ; and was the House to with-
hold from her its protection also ? She
had indeed her noble mother here — she
had her bosom to retire to. She had
also the countenance and affection of
her gallant brother, but he had not the
same meana of affording her protec-
tion. She therefore called on the
House of Commons — the representa-
tives of the people of England — to be-
come the protectors of an innocent,
traduced, and defenceless stranger —
the mother of their future queen.

The whole strain of the harangues
made on this occasion, evinced the em-
barrassment to which, by their own
folly, the advisers of her Royal High-
ness had. reduced that illustrious per-
sonage. To them, in fact, all her pre-
sent misfortunes were to be ascribed ;
with them had originated all the in-
decent publications of which they so
loudly complained; and disappoint-
ment and vexation now marked all
their proceedings.-. In replying to their
angry expostulations, it was asked,
what was it these champions of the li-
berty of the press required parliament
to do for :he purpose of vindicating
the Princess of Wales from aspersions
which had been cast upon her ? Why,
truly, at the distance of about a fort-
night to punish the proprietors of two
newspapers for having published the
whole evidence on a matter of such
interest to the country. The proposi-
tion was to bring two printers to the
bar of the House, or to agree to an
address, which would occasion their
prosecution by the Attorney-General,
for having published certain depooi-

tions after all the leading documents
were already before the public. It
was true that these disclosures could
not be justified ; but those who first
began the publication of such papers
were the persons to be censured, as
every one knew that the other docu-
ments were not confined to the recesses
of the state, but had found their way
into the hands of individuals. If one
set of persons disclosed a part of those
documents, it was not to be expected
that others would suffer the remain-
der to be concealed. It could never
be allowed to one party, in a matter
of this description, to publish what
would lead to false conclusions affect-
ing public men, without an effort be-
ing made to give a more fair view of
the subject. The public knew where
the disclosures began, and when they
were once commenced, a strong neces-
sity arose for going on. But did the
pretended friends of the Princess really
think they could persuade the House
to arrest those printers ? Was it not a
proof how little the powers of parlia-
ment were calculated to meet this sub-
ject, when an honourable gentleman
having given notice of a grave motion
for the prosecution of Lady Douglas
for perjury, suddenly abandoned that
intention — and after entering into a
long argument on the question — after
making his own partial comments on
the documents, instead of endeavour-
ing to punish Lady Douglas, ended
with a motion perfectly ridiculous !
The motion was only introduced, in
fact, to give an opportunity of making
speeches. From the course of the ar-
gument it might be supposed, that in-
stead of desiring some proceedings to
be taken with respect to the Princess
of Wales, the mover was anxious to
shew that there was no necessity for
any interference of parliament on the
subject — Parliament could not enter-
tain the subject, either with a view to
the happiness of the parties concern.

Chap. 4]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

ed, or to the preservation of the tran-
quillity of the country. It had no
right to assume powers unknown to
its regular functions, under the spe-
cious plea of administering justice. It
was incompetent to this duty ; and
neither the act nor the attempt was
calculated to produce peace in the
country. By the Portland cabinet
there had been no exercise of judg-
ment on the guilt or innocence of the
Princess of Wales, but the delivery of
an opinion on the documents laid be-
fore them. If it had been the opinion
of the cabinet, from a consideration of
the depositions, that she should be put
upon her trial for high treason, that
would not have impaired the right
which she and every other person in
the realm possessed under the law, of
being deemed innocent till she was de-
clared guilty. Her conduct was not
brought before the council to convict
or acquit her ; and it was the senti-
ment of Lord Grenville*s cabinet that
it was foreign from their duty to ex-
ercise such a power. The minute of
that cabinet was as follows ; — " We
are fully convinced that it cannot be
your majesty's wish that we should lay
before you a detailed account of the
proceedings which have been institu-
ted by the legal advisers of the Prince
of Wales. And we beg leave, with
all due humility, to state, that the laws
have not placed us in a situation to de-
cide on the guilt or innocence of any
subject of the realm, much less on a
person so nearly connected with the
royal family." Ministers adhered to
the principle laid down in that minute
—it was not their duty to try in any

i* udicial sense her Royal Highness. But,
ooking at all the circumstances before
them, it was for them to say whether
some proceeding should not be institu-
ted against her ; and, in the words of
the minute, " it was not deemed ex-
pedient that any further proceedings
should take place." It had been ob-

served, that this transaction must come
to a decisive point one way or other —
and what was this decisive point ? Why,
to hasten that crisis, a prosecution of
two newspaper proprietors was the
only measure which the wisdom of the
mover could devise. What did he mean
by this ? Did he think it necessary to
institute this trial for the purpose of
proving the innocence of the Princess of
Wales ? — The inexpediency of any fur-
ther proceedings was decided by the
cabinets of the Duke of Portland and
Lord Grenville ; and all the depositions
were delivered to her Royal Highness,
who made such observations on them
as she thought fit. She had affidavits
sworn in contradiction of them; and still
the subsequent opinion of those cabinets
was, that no further proceedings should
take place. The mover on the present
occasion had not distinctly pointed out
what course was to be pursued. He
seemed desirous that a fresh examina-
tion should be instituted ; but no per-
son could be considered as a wise and
prudent protector of the honour of the
Princess of Wales, who would call on
parliament to pursue such a course,
even if the legislature were competent
to do it, which, however, it was not.
If the Princess were placed on her tri-
al, then, of course, she would have the
protection of the law for her defence.
But parliament ought to take care of
those defences which were not accord-
ing to the law or constitution of the
country, but arose from that sort of
clamour which was the worst descrip-
tion of defence to which any person
could resort. There was no disposi-
tion, in any quarter, to deprive the
Princess of Wales of all proper pro-
tection ; on the contrary, there was
every desire to afford her the utmost
protection of the law. The mover, in
this instance, had not been able to state
any measure more specific than the pro-
secution of two printers. Now, when
he consented to this sacrifice of the li-

EDINBURGH ANNUAL Rl^GISTER, 1813. [Chap. 4-.

berty of the press, it was to be hoped
that h- would have acted on a broad
and hbcral plan ; and, i:. stead of ma-
king the invidious selection which he
had done, that he would have moved
for the prosecution of all persons who
had published such documents. — The
motion, in short, related to a transac-
tion in which parhament could not in-
terfere with advantage to the cause of
justice, to the parties'concerned, and,
above all, to the safety and tranquillity
. of the country. Parliament would take
no step inconsistent with the welfare
and peace of the country, and with its
own honour and dignity. — The motion
of Mr Whitbread was negatived by a
great majority.

In the course of the discussions in
the House of Commons on this pain-
ful subject, Mr Whitbread had refer-
red to an unauthenticated document
which had been put into his hands, re-
lating to the testimony of some of the
witnesses examined before the commis-
sioners of 1 806, and had deduced from
it some inferences, which were under-
stood as reflections on the commission-
ers. The noble lords who formed the
commission, took an early opportunity
(22d March) of repelling these insi-
nuations, and of vindicating the whole
proceedings, which had been so much
misrepresented. Lord EUenborough,
with reference to this subject, obser-
ved, " Your lordships need scarcely be
reminded, that a few years since his
majesty was pleased to issue a commis-
sion respecting a subject which it is un-
necessary for me to name ; in that com-
mission I found my name included ; but
the subject of enquiry, the intention to
issue the commission, and the commis-
sion itself, were all profound secrets to
me, until I was called upon to dis-
charge the high and sacred duty that
upon me was thus imposed. I felt that
much was due to this command ; and
it was accompanied with some inward
■satisfaction, that the integrity and zeal

with which I had endeavoured to dis-
charge my public functions had made
a favourable impression on the mind of
my sovereign ; notwithstanding which,
the mode in which this command was
obeyed has been made the subject of
the most unprincipled slanders. It has
been said, that after the testimony had
been taken in a case where the most
important interests were involved, the
persons intrusted had thought fit to
fabricate an unauthorised document,
purporting to relate what was not gi»
ven, and to suppress what was given
in evidence. My lords, I assert that
the accusation is false in every part J
What is there in the general complex-
ion of my conduct since the commence-
ment of my public career, that should
induce any man to venture on an asser-
tion so audacious ? That it is destitute
of all foundation, would, I trust, be
believed even without my contradict
tion ; but where it originated, or how
it was circulated, 1 know not."

Lord Erskine said, " For my own
part, my lords, I feel the utmost con-
fidence that my character as a man of
honour and humanity, and my profes-
sional experience, would be sufficient
in themselves to repel such an unsup-
ported accusation ; and what princi-
pally wounds me, therefore, is, that it
should have proceeded from a quarter
in which I thought myself sure of the
utmost partiality and favour. But,
putting aside all favour or partiahty, I
trusted that I should at least have
found credit for common honesty and
ordinary correctness in the examina-
tion of a witness, until a departure from
them had been supported by some kind
of proof."

Lord Grenville. — " My lords, after
what has been stated by my noble
friends, I feel it utterly impossible to
remain silent ; but I must fairly con-
fess that it is not without reluctance
that I address you ; it is not so much
in conformity with my own feelings as

Chap. 4.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

in deference to the judgment of others,
that I have prevailed upon myself,
even in the cruel situation in which I
am placed, in conjunction with my no-
ble friends, to utter a single word re-
motely connected with a subject which
I fervently pray may never become a
matter of discussion in this House. If
any man can be so base as to harbour
a thought to the prejudice of the pro-
ceedings of the commissioners, after
what has just been uttered, I am will-
ing to bear my full share of censure. I
will not, because I cannot, conscienti-
ously enter into explanations that de-
signing people may be anxious to draw
jfrom me. Whatever calumnies may be
circulated, however weighty may be
the imputations, I will fearlessly do my
duty to the country, to parliament, and
to the sovereign, and maintain an eter-
nal silence upon the general topics of
this question, firmly convinced that
nothing more injurious to the nation
could be attempted, than would be ef-
fected by lending the countenance and
Authority of this House to the wicked

{)revalence of discussions, which can
ead only to public confusion and an-
archy !"

Earl Spencer. — ** My lords, after
what has been said by my three no-
ble friends, it might perhaps be con-
sidered unnecessaty for me to add
any thing to what has been by them
so ably and clearly stated ; and al-
though I rise most reluctantly upon
such a subject, still, considering the
charge which has been made against
me, in common with my three noble
friends, I feel that I owe it to myself
not to remain silent. I could have
wished that such a duty had not de-
volved upon me, fearing, that I may
trench upon that line of conduct
'beyond which I am determined not
to pass, and within which my noble
friends, from being more practised in
the habit of public speaking, have
wore easily kept. I confess also, at

the same time, that I feel humiliated
at being called upon to answer such a
charge, or its being supposed for an
instant, that I could be guilty of the
baseness imputed to me. My noble
colleagues and myself are charged with
nothing less than a foul conspiracy, of
which, if we were guilty, not only we
could not appear amongst your lord-
ships, but we should be unworthy to
associate with any honourable or re-
spectable man in the country. My
lords, under these circumstances I feel
myself most reluctantly called upon to
say a few words, particularly as, in the
situation which I held at the period
alluded to, I may be said to be more
particularly responsible for the cor-
rectness of the documents. My lords,
to go over again the points so ably
urged by ray noble friends, would be
an idle and unnecessary waste of your
lordships' time; I should only weaken,
instead of strengthening, what they
have advanced. 1 shall, therefore, con-
fine myself to saying a word upon the
point immediately in question, and I
do here most solemnly declare upon
the honour of a peer and' the faith of a
gentleman, that every word of what
my noble friends have stated, is cor-
rectly and exactly true."

Such were the distinct and positivie
declarations of the eminent persons tb
whom the enquiry of 1806 had been
confided, and such the awkward cir-
cumstances to which Mr Whitbread
was reduced by his zeal and creduHty,
The paper on which he founded his
accusations was afterwards confessed
by himself to be a fabrication.

Mr Whitbread, however, made an-
other attempt to revive these painful
discussions. Lord Moira, who was
about departing to take upon him the
government of India, to which he had
recently been appointed, addressed a
letter to the grand lodge of free-ma-
sons, containing some allusions to the
conduct of his lordship in the course

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chat. 4i

oFthe investigations into the behaviour
of the Princess. In that letter there
was tf e following passage : — *♦ When
the Prince did me the honour of rela-
ting to me the representation of Lord
Eardley's, expressing great uneasiness
that the asserted notoriety of the in-
terviews at Belvidere, and the com-
ments of the neighbours, should force
him to take any public steps, I sug-
gested the possibility that there might
be some misapprehension of the cir-
cumstances ; and I entreated, that be-
fore any other procedure should be
determined upon, I might send for the
steward (Kenny,) and the porter (Jo-
nathan Partridge,) to examine them.
This was permitted. I sent for the
servants and questioned them. My
report to the Prince was, that the mat-
ter had occasioned very little observa.
tioii in the house, none at all in the
neighbourhood, and that it was en-
tirely unnecessary for his Royal High-
ness to notice it in any shape. The
servants had been desired by me never
to talk upon the subject ; Lord Eard-
ley was informed, that his conception
of what had been stated by the ser-
vants was found to be inaccurate ; no
mention was ever made to any one,
not even to the lords who conducted
the enquiry three years afterwards, of
the particulars related by the servants ;
and the circumstance never would have
been known at all, had not the legal
advisers of the Princess, for the sake
of putting a false colour on that inves*
ligation, indiscreetly brought it for-
ward. The death of Kenny in the
interval tempted them to risk this pro-
cedure. Jonathan Partridge having
been known, at the time when he was
questioned, to be devoted to the Prin-
cess, from his own declaration to the
steward, no one can doubt but that
her Royal Highness would the next
day be informed by him of his having
been examined. The measure was
most offensive, if not justified by some

uncommon peculiarity of circumstance*
Yet absolute silence is preserved upon
it for so long a period by her Royal
Highness's advisers ; a forbearance
only to be solved by their being too
cautious to touch upon the point while
Kenny was alive." — Mr Whitbread
remarked in the House of Commons,
" that when he first read the para-
graph, he could not avoid putting the
same construction upon it, which, he
found by the public papers, it had re-
ceived out of doors. He did conceive
it to mean that there was something
in the evidence of Kenny, which made
the advisers of the Princess afraid to
advert to it during his life*time ; and
with this impression on his mind, he
had intended to have brought the mat-
ter before the House earlier, in order
that an impression should not go
abroad injurious to the Princess, after
the Earl of Moira should have left the
country, and explanation was impossi-
ble. Upon reading the paragraph,
however, over and over again, to try
whether he could find out another
meaning, it did occur to him, that per-
haps his lordship only meant, that
Kenny, if alive, could have contra-
dicted any person who said that his
lordship examined the witnesses in any
manner that was improper or unbeco-
ming his dignity. Thinking that this
might possibly be the meaning of the
noble lord, he did not conceive it ne-
cessary to bring the business before
the House ; but, finding by some ob-
servations in one of the public papers,
that the subject was viewed in another
light out of doors, and that the pub-
lic understood that part of the noble
lord's letter according to its plain and
obvious construction, he thought it
now of the greatest importance, that
Lord Moira should have an opportu-
nity of explaining his meaning before
he left the country. As any assertion
which came from a man so high in
rank, and so high in character as Lord

Chap. 4?.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

Moira, must carry with it great
weight, he thought that an impres-
sion ought not to be suffered to re-
main on the pubhc mind, that either
the Princess or her advisers were ever
afraid that her honour would have been
iu danger from any evidence Kenny
might have given. There was an-
other paragraph, which Lord Moira,
and none but he, could explain. When
it was stated iu the letter, that Par-
tridge, Lord Eardley's porter, was
known to be entirely devoted to the
Princess, he thought it ought to be
explained, what was meant by the de-
votion of one of Lord Eardley*s me-
nial servants to the Princess of Wales ?
How, or from what reason, it could be
supposed that a person in that station
of life would communicate to the Prin-
cess any examination which he might
have undergone, was a matter capable
of explanation only by the noble earl,
and if not explained by him, how it
was possible for any other person to
explain it he knew not. Finding that
this part of the noble earPs letter, as
well as that to which he had first di-
rected the attention of the House, had
been commented upon in a public
print, and surprise expressed equal to
that which he himself felt, he could
not be content to suffer the matter to
pass without making some observa-
tions, or without pointing out the ex-
pediency, as well as the absolute ne-
cessity, of requiring a full and satisfac-
tory explanation from the noble earl,
before he quitted Great Britain.
When the exalted rank of the Earl of
Moira was considered, and when it
was known that every thing which
came from him would be received by
the country with that degree of weight
to which his lordship's opinions and
remarks were entitled, he apprehended
that a feeling of justice, as well to-
wards the Earl of Moira himself, as
towards the Princess of Wales, called

for an explicit declaration of the real
meaning of the words in the noble
lord's letter. He was sure the House
would feel a pleasure in putting the
noble lord in a situation most conge-
nial to his own heart, that of explain-
ing unequivocally and clearly, a mat-
ter which was at present involved ia
doubt, and which might lead to con-
clusions and inferences which the no-
ble earl would himself be the first to
lament. — He had hoped from time to
time, that this most heart-rending sub-
ject would have been set at rest. New-
matter, however, seemed daily to be
brought before the public, and he now
almost despaired that the subject would
ever be brought to a satisfactory con-
clusion, unless some decided act of re-
cognition was either advised by his
majesty's ministers to be adopted, or
that the House would place their seal
upon the matter, and close it for ever.
How this was to be done, could besc
be pointed out at the proper season.
He most sincerely wisned, however,
that the question might be concluded
by any other means than through the
medium of that House, and anxiously-
hoped, that without considerable de-
lay, his Royal Highness the Prince
Regent's ministers would advise hint
to give to her' Royal Highness an es-
tablishment out of his civil list, ade-
quate to the elevated situation which
she held in this country. Some mode
or other, he was satisfied, must ere
long be had recourse to for the pur-
pose of dissipating all conflicting opi-
nions, and he trusted it would be such
as to place her Royal Highness in a
sphere adequate to her merits. For
the present he should content himself
by moving, * That a. message be sent
to the Lords, requesting their lord-
ships to grant permission to the Earl
of Moira to attend at the bar of tliis
House, for the purpose of being exa-
mined as to his knowledge of ccrtaia

94»

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 4.

circumstances connected with the con-
duct of her Royal Highness the Prin-
cess of Wales.' "

TI>e Speaker having observed that
this motion was unprecedented, Lord
Castlereagh said, *' he thought the
House must feel, that, according to
the custom of parhamcnt, the present
motioji could not be received, and
that it would be very improper to
take the step proposed by the hon.
gentleman. He should, however, not
confine himself merely to the forms of
the House, but would say upon the
substance of it, that he was surprised
that the hon. gentleman should (after
six times that the subject had been
brought forward in different shapes,
and the feeling of the House was well
inovvn upon it,) think it necessary
again to revive the controversy. He
could conceive no other purpose which
this could answer but to agitate the
public mind, and wound the delicacy
of the House. This was merely a
collateral point of a subject into which
the hon. gentleman well knew that
the House did not wish to enter. He
•was also surprised, that at the close of
his speech, instead of calling upon
them to pronounce upon the question
of guilt or innocence, he should mere-
ly have suggested an increase of the
establishment of her Royal Highness.
If no question of form had rendered
the motion inadmissible, he should
have opposed it in its substance, as he
was convinced that no possible good
could result from the interference of
parliament ; and he thought that on
the contrary, it might in every quar-
ter prove injurious. In his opinion
the hon. gentleman, by his motion,
had departed from those principles
upon which parliament was bound to
act, and he was satisfied that the
whole of his conduct was likely to .do
no public good, but, on the contrary,
to do great pubHc mischief." — Mr
Canning said, " that having been in the

House but a few minutes, he believed
at first that this was only one of those
irregular conversations which had too
frequently of late been introduced, and
was not at the beginning aware that
there was a motion regularly submit-
ted to the House. If that had been
the case, he should not have said a sin-
gle word upon the subject ; but novv',
feeling it to be a question of some im-
portance, he was anxious to state the
grounds on which he should vote for
passing to the order of the day. An
hon. baronet (Sir Francis Burdett)
had referred to that understanding, by
which the House had shewn its wish
that there should be no further dis-
cussions upon this unhappy subject.
He believed, that the last debate on
the subject ended with the under-
standing, that no possible good could
result from the discussion. He be-
lieved, that the House, and every
member of it, had felt the most anxi-
ous wish that they should not be call-
ed upon for any determination on the
subjectj unless it should come to such
an extremity that parliament was ob-
liged to take some step. As he did
not think that such an extremity had
now arrived, he could not coincide in
the expediency of these renewed dis-
cussions. He did not imagine that
the present proceeding was at all ne-
cessary ; and although he admitted
it was possible that a case might arise,
in which the House and the country
would find it necessary to come to
some substantial conclusion upon this
subject, yet he trusted his majesty's
ministers would avoid being driven to
such an extremity. He admitted,
that where the possibility existed of
having occasion to recur to such a
measure, it was proper to be prepared
for the worst ; but if he was called
upon to state whether such a necessity
existed now, he would have no hesita-
tion in answrering in the negative.
There was another impression; as he

Chap. 4.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

believed, upon the mind of the House
as to this subject. They thought that
the abstaining from discussions upon
it, was the most likely way to bring
about that happy termination of it, to
which every one anxiously looked.
While they abstained from discussion,
they conceived that there was one
chance left for that species of termina-
tion which all good men and all good
subjects wished to see. — He believed
that those men betrayed a very imper-
fect knowledge of human nature and
human feehngs, who could suppose
that the continuance or revival of such
discussions was the most likely means
of procuring that termination which
was so much desired. He conceived
that if those discussions were revived,
the whole period between the first dis-
cussion and the last might be consi-
dered as 80 much time lost in the ac-
complishment of the object in ques-
tion. It was from these feelings that
he, and, as he believed, many other
members, deprecated these discus-
sions."

Thus terminated those unhappy con-
troversies, which had so long gratified
the malice of faction, fed the vulgar
appetite for slander, and disturbed the
repose of the country. On an affair
of this kind we have been anxious to
abstain from minute detail, and have
preferred laying before our readers a
compendious, but impartial account of
the proceedings in parliament, to any
other form in which the subject could

have been explained. There can be
no necessity for reverting to the pro-
ceedings of 1806, or for staining our
pages with the depositions of the wit-
nesses examined before the commis-
sioners, or the reflections to which
such evidence may have given rise. It
has been confessed on all hands, that
the Princess stands acquitted of cri-
minality ; but against the charge of le-
vity, it may seem more difficult wholly
to defend her. Such, however, was not
the question agitated, in consequence
of her letter of January, 1813. From
that letter it appears her advisers in-
tended, that she should be enabled
to interfere with the unquestionable
powers of the Prince Regent, as the
natural guardian of his daughter, and
the actual chief magistrate of these
realms. This attempt, as might have
been expected, proved altogether abor-
tive ; and the merit, or demerit, as
well as the influence and authority of
her Royal Highness, remained, after
all the tedious and vain discussions-—
all the ebullitions of party zeal, and
all the offensive disclosures which were
unfortunately made, precisely as they
had been placed before by two succes-
sive cabinets — that of Lord Gren-
ville in 1806, and that of the Duke of
Portland in 1807. With the unfortn-
nate differences which had occasioned
so many painful scenes, neither the le-
gislature nor the country, it would
seem, can ever prudently interfere.

96 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 5,

CIJAP. V

Affairs of Ireland ,'^Discmsion of the Catholic Qiicstion in Parliament, — »
Conduct of the Irish Catholics*

1 HIS year seemed to open better pros-
pects to the catholics of Ireland than
any which preceded it. The mini-
sters were divided in opinion as to
the merits of the catholic question ;
they had ceased to interest themselves
with zeal in the result ; and the incli-
nations of the Prince Regent were un-
derstood to be favourable to the claims
of tke petitioners. The protestants,
however, were seized with alarm ; pe-
titions against the claims of the Roman
catholics were poured in from all quar-
ters, and a respectable association was
formed, with the avowed intention of
opposing further concessions. But the
friends of the catholics were determi-
ned to persevere ; and on the 25th of
February, Mr Grattan moved that the
House should resolve itself into a coip-
mittee, to prepare a bill for the relief
of the Irish catholics. The arguments
in support of the motion were power-
fully and ably stated, upon this occa-
sion, by many distinguished speakers.
The motion, it was said, proposed
to remove the civil disabilities which
affect a great portion of our fellow
subjects, on account of their religion ;
offering, at the same time, to accom-
pany the measure with every security
which may be required, for the protec-

tion of the protestant interest. Mucli
has been said of the question of right.
This appears, however, to be a very
unnecessary metaphysical discussion,
and one which cannot have any prac-
tical application in the present instance.
In the same sense in which religious
toleration is a right, a due share of
political power is a right ; both must
yield to the paramount interests of
society, if such interests require it ;
neither can be justifiably withheld, un-
less their inconsistency with the public
interest is clearly established. But in
the present case, the question does not,
in any respect, arise ; for we have al-
ready admitted the Roman catholics
to substantial power, and what we
seek to exclude them from is honour.
The privileges which are withheld are
impotent, as protections to the state,
but most galling and provoking to the
party which is excluded. No candid
mind can hesitate to admit, that the
exclusions must be severely felt, as a
grievance of the most insulting kind.
That the man of the first eminence at
the bar should be prevented from act-
ing as one of his majesty's counsel,
or from sitting on the bench of justice ;
that the gallant officer, who has dis-
tinguished himself in the battles of his

Chap. 5.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

country, when his heart is beating
high with the love of honourable fame,
should be stopped in his career, and
see his companions in arms raised above
him, to lead his countrymen to victory
and glory, must be felt as deeply hu-
miliating ! Does it require argument
to shew, that exclusion from parlia-
ment must be considered as a privation
and indignity ? Why are men so desi-
rous of this distinction ? From the ho-
nest ambition of serving their coun-
try, from the pride of abiding by
honourable engagements, or from
motives, perhaps, of a less elevated
description ? Whatever they may be,
honourable and dignified, or otherwise,
they subsist in the minds of the catho-
lics as much as in those of other men ;
and, though the elective franchise,
which has been granted to the Irish
catholic, gives him a substantial repre-
sentation, yet the exclusion from par-
liament is calculated to operate as a
severe and humihating disability ; and
the more humiliating, because it is a
mark of inferiority put on the ca-
tholic, merely for the purpose of
marking -hat inferiority. The topic,
that toleration is one thing, and po
litical power another, has little appli-
cation to this case, even if it were
just ; for in this instance it seems to be
contended that rank, and station, and
honour, are not the proper appendages
of wealth, and knowledge, and educa-
tion, and of every thing which consti-
tutes political and moral strength.
In every system of human policy, the
few must govern the many, but put-
ting military force out of the case,
legitimate government must arise from
their superiority in wealth and know-
ledge ; if, therefore, you exclude the
wealthy and the educated from the
government of the state, you throw
into the scale of the many, the only
weight which could have preserved the
balance of the state itself. This is
universally true ; but when you reject

VOL* VI. PART I.

the opulent and the educated, on ac-
count of a condition which they have
in common with the many, you add
the attraction of politics and party to
the operations of general and moral
causes ; and, if the principle of ex-
clusion be a religious one, you organ-
ize, not merely the principles of revo-
lution, but of revolution furious and
interminable. But by the policy of
separating political rank from property
and education in any intermediate de-
gree, the conclusion is equally true,
that the attempt so to separate esta-
blishes a principle, not of government,
but of the dissolution of government.
So sensible of this truth were our
ancestors, that, when they saw, or
thought they saw, a necessity for dis-
honouring the Roman catholic, they
adopted, as a necessary consequence,
the policy of impoverishing and bar-
barizing him: When they degraded
him, they felt that their only safety
was to keep him in poverty and igno-
rance ; their policy, good or bad, was
consistent — the means had a diabolical
fitness for their end. Is it not a per-
fect corollary to this proposition, is it
not the legitimate converse of this
truth, that if you re-admit them to
wealth and to knowledge, you must
restore then", to ambition and to ho-
nour ? What have we done ? We have
trod back our steps ; we have rescued
the catholics from the code, which
formed at once their servitude and onr
safety, and we fancy we can continue
the exclusion, from civil station, which
superinduced that code. Their's was
a necessity, real or fancied, but a con-
sistent system ; we pretend no neces-
sity ; we have voluntarily abdicated
the means of safety, and we wilfully
and uselessly continue the causes of
danger. The time to have paused
was before we heaved, from those
sons of earth, the mountains, which
the wisdom or the terrors of our an-
cestors had heaped upon them ; but
G t

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 5.

we have raised them up and placed
them erect— are we prepared to hurl
thera down and bury them again ?
Where is the madman to propose it ?
Where is he who imagines that they
can remain as they are ? The state of
the cathohcs of Ireland is, in this re-
spect, unparalleled by any thing in
ancient or modern history. They are
not slaves, as some of their absurd ad-
vocates call them, but freemen, pos-
sessing substantially the same pohtical
rights with their protestant brethren,
and with all the other subjects of the
empire, that is, possessed of all the
advantages which can be derived from
the best laws, administered in the best
manner, of the most free and most
highly civilized country in the world.
Do you believe that such a body,
possessed of such a station, can sub-
mit to contumely and exclusion ? that
they will stand behind your chair and
wait upon you at the pubhc banquet ?
The less valuable, in sordid computa-
tion, the privilege, the more marked
the insult in refusing it, and the more
honourable the anxiety for possessing
it ! Miserable and unwortiiy wretches
must they be if they ceased to aspire
to it ; base and dangerous hypocrites
if they dissembled their wishes ; for-
midable instruments of domestic or
foreign tyranny if they did not enter-
tain them I The liberties of England
would not, for half a century, remain
proof against the contact and conta-
gion of four milHons of opulent and
powerful subjects who disregarded the
honours of the state, and felt utterly
uninterested in the constitution. — In
coming forward, therefore, with this
claim of honourable ambition, they at
once afford the best pledge of their
sincerity, and the most satisfactory
evidence of their title. They claim
the benefit of the ancient vital prin-
ciple of the constitution, namely, that
the honours of the state should be
e|>en to the talents and to the virtues

of all its members. — The adversaries
of the measure invert the order of all
civilized society. They have made
the catholics an aristocracy, and they
would treat them as a mob ; they
give, to the lowest of the rabble, i€
he is a protestant, what they refuse
to the head of the peerage, if he is a
catholic. They shut out my Lord
Fingal from the state, and they make
his footman a member of it ; and this
strange confusion of all social order,
they dignify with the name of the
British constitution ; and the propo-
sal to consider the best an.: most con-
ciliatory mode of correcting it, they
cry down as a dangerous and presump-
tuous innovation. — The catholics pro-
pose no innovation. They ask for an
equal share, as fellow subjects, in the
constitution, as they find it ; in that
constitution, in whose original stamina
they had an undisputed right, before
there was a reformation, and before
there was a revolution, and before the
existence of the abuses^ which induced
the necessity of either. They desire
to bear its burdens, to share its dan-
gers, to participate its glory, and to
abide its fate ; they bring an offering,
their hearts and hands, their lives and
fortunes, but they desire also the pri-
vilege of bringing with them their
consciences, their religion, and their
honour, without which they would
be worthless and dangerous associates.
— The position, therefore, to be main-
tained by those who say that the first
principles of the constitution are in
opposition to the claim, is rather a
critical one. They must shew why
it is that a Roman catholic may vote
for a member to sit in parliament,
and yet may not himself be a member
of it ; why he may be the most pow-
crful and wealthy subject in the realm,
and the greatest landed proprietor, and
yet may not fill the lowest office in the
meanest town upon his estates ; why
he may be the first advocate at the

Chap. 5.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

bar, and be incapable of acting as one
of the counsel of his sovereign ; why
he may be elector, military ofi&cer,
grand juror, corporator, magistiate,
in Ireland, where the danger, if any,
is immense, and why none of them in
England where the causes of appre-
he. sion are comparatively trifling and
insignificant. Besides all this, argu-
ing as they do, that the catholic reli-
gion necessarily includes hostility to
the state, on the very points which,
in the oaths taken by the catholics,
are solemnly disavowed, they must
shew the safety of harbouring in the
bosom of the state, and admitting to
its essential and substantial benefits, a
body of men whose only title to ad-
mission has been perjury ; that is, a
body of men, who, in addition to reli-
gious opinions inconsistent with our
particular constitutions, have violated
the solemn obligations which bind
man to man, and therefore are un-
worthy of being admitted into any
society, in which the sacred principles
of social intercourse are respected. If
these things are so, the petitions of
the public should be, not to be pro-
tected against the dangers which are
to come, but to be rescued from those
which have already been incurred ;
nay more, if oaths are not regarded,
we should not rely on the vain securi-
ties which our ancestors have resorted
to, and which consist of oaths, and
only oaths ; but we should desire some
new means of proving their religion,
by the testimony of others, and chain-
ing them down to it, without the pos-
sibiHty of disowning or escaping from
it. But let us examine, somewhat more
accurately, these supposed principles
of public policy, which oppose an in-
superable bar to the admission of the
Roman cathohcs. They join issue on
this point ; so far as conceision is in-
consistent with the true principles of
the constitution, the safety of the es-
fablished church, and of the protestant

throne, they admit that they are en-
titled to nothing ; so far as it is not
inconsistent, they claim to be entitled
to every thing. Let it be shewn that
these great foundations of our liberties
and of our civil and ecclesiastical poli-
cy are their enemies, and they must
yield in silence. They must receive it
as the doom of fate ; it must be sub-
mitted to as part of the mysterious
system of Providence, which, whilst
it has embarked us in an awful strug-
gle, for the preservation of its choicest
blessings, has ordained that, in this
struggle, we may not unite the hearts
and aflFections of our people. We
must cherish the hope that the same
incomprehensible wisdom which at
once impels us to this mighty contest,
and forbids us to use the means of
Guccess, may work out our safety by
methods of its own.— If it can be
made appear that the imperious inter
rests of our country pronounce, from
necessity, this heavy and immitigable
sentence upon millions of its subjects,
they will learn submission, and not
embitter their hopeless exclusion, by
the miseries of discontent and of dis-
order ; but, before they bow down to
this eternal interdict, before they re^
tire from the threshold of the consti-
tution, to the gloom of hopeless and
never-ending exclusion, are they not
entitled to have it proved by argu-
ments clear as the light of heaven,
that this necessity exists ? Let it be
stated in some clear intelhgible form,
what is this fundamental prop of the
constitution, what is this overwhelm-
ing ruin, which is to tumble upon us
by its removal. Let us meet and close
upon this argument ; but beware of
the attempt to outlaw the Irish peo-
ple by an artificial and interested cla-
mour. Let not those, who have en-
couraged the Irish people to expect
redress, now affect to be bound by
this spell of their own raising This
would be to palter with their owf^

100 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 5.

consciences and the public safety, and
entail, as the inevitable consequences,
calamity and disgrace. — The only ob-
stacles which appear to stand in the
way of the Roman catholics, said their
advocates, are the oath of supremacy,
and the declaration against transub-
stantiation. The former of these, in
its original enactment and application,
had a very limited political relation. —
The application of the oath, as it was
modified by Ehzabeth, had chiefly
(and with the exception of offices im-
mediately derived from the crow , or
concerning the administration of jus-
tice) a religious, and not a p'^litical,
application ; subject to these excep-
tions, it professed not to controul pri
vate opinion, nor to make it a ground
of exclusion ; but it subjected the
public profession of non conformity to
penalty ; and, accordingly, Roman
catholics were admissable to parlia-
ment and to corporate offices, for
more than one hundred years after
the introduction of the oath of supre-
macy. Then came the laws of Charles
II., which, for the first time, superin-
duced general exclusion from office, as
a political consequence of religious
opinion. — Here, then, were two prin-
ciples, the first, that of the Reforma-
tion, which proscribed the catholic re-
ligion ; the second, that of Charles II.,
which presumed that certain unconsti-
tuT:ional tenets must be held by those
who professed that religion, and there-
fore made civil incapacity the conse-
quence of the religious belief. Here
were two principles perfectly distinct,
but perfectly consistent — now what
have we done ? We have, in fact, abro-
gated the principles of the reformation,
for we have repealed the laws against
recusancy, and legalized the religion ;
having done this it was a necessary
consequence to say that we could not
infer, from a religious tenet which we
legalized, a political opinion incon-
eistent with the safety of the state ;

otherwise we should have been unjus-
tifiable in legalizing it ; we therefore
substituted instead of the renunciation
of the rehgious doctrine, from which
the pohtical opinion had been formerly
inferred, a direct denial, upon oath,
of the political opinion itself. If then
the Roman catholic may lawfully ex-
ercise the rehgion, and if he will take
the political oath, how can we con-
sistently make the objection, either in
a religious or political point of view,
to his being admitted to the remaining
privibg.'s of citizenship ? Again, the
oath of supremacy extends to a re-
nunciation, as well of the spiritual as
of the temporal authority of the Pope ;
and its object appears to have been
two. fold ; first, to exclude the inter-
ference of the Pope in the temporal
concerns of the realm ; and, secondly, |
to secure the protestant hierarchy a-
gaiubt the claims of the sect which had
been put down : As to the first, the
Roman cathoHc tenders an oath, ut-
terly denying the Pope's right to ex-
ercise any kind of temporal jurisdic-
tion in these kmgdoms ; as to the se-
cond, he tenders an oath, abjuring all
interference with the protestant esta-
bhshment and hierarchy. What then
remains in difference ? The right of
the Pope with respect to their clergy ?
Now to this the oath of supremacy
never had any reference, nor could
have had : Their clergy were not re-
cognised as having any legal existence
when the oath of supremacy was en-
acted, nor as the subject of any other
regulation, than that of heavy punish-
ment if they were discovered ; this
part of the oath merely looks to the
protestant hierarchy, and all this is ef-
fectually provided for by the oath.—
As to the corporation act, every per-
son acquainted with its history, knows
that it was introduced, not with a view
to the Roman catholics, but to secta-
ries of a very different description, who
had got into the corporations during

Chap. 5.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

101

the government of Cromwell, and were
supposed to be disaffected to the poli-
tics of the court. Part of the oath, as
it was originally framed, declared that
it was unlawful, under any pretence,
to take up arms against the king, or
those commissioned by him ; and the
amendment, which sought to quahfy it
by adding the word *' lawfully" be-
fore "commissioned," was thrown out.
One of the first acts of William and
Mary was to repeal this scandalous
and slavish enactment, which was at
direct variance with the first princi-
ples of the Revolution ; and yet we are
told, in patriotic petitions, from loyal
protestant bodies, that this corpora-
tion act was one of the great bul-
warks of the Revolution. — It is re-
quired, no doubt, by the Bill of
Rights, that the new oath of supre-
macy, thereby substituted for the for-
mer one, should be taken by all who
were bound to take the former one ;
but this is not introduced as one of
the grievances redressed, or rights de-
clared, but it is merely incidentally
mentioned, in consequence of the sub-
stitution of the one oath for the other.
The declaration against popery is in
no respect adverted to ; but one fact,
most decisive and important on this
point, is this, that when this act was
passed, the Roman catholics of Ire-
land were not, by any law or usage,
cxchided from parUament, or from
civil or military offices. — The articles
of Limerick (3d October, i691), sti-
pulated for all such privileges, in the
exercise of reHgion, as were enjoyed in
the reign of Charles 1 ' ., and as were
consistent with the laws of Ireland.
They required the oath of allegiance,
as created in the first year of William
and Mary ; and the oath to be admi-
nistered to the Roman catholics, sub-
mitting to his majesty s government,
was to be that oath and no other ; and
it was farther stipulated that, so soon
as their affairs should permit them to
3

summon a parliament, their majesties
should endeavour to procure them such
further securities 68 might preserve
them from.,any disturbance, on account
of their rehgion. At this time, Ro-
man catholics were not excluded from
parliament in Ireland, nor were tliertf
any test or corporation laws in force
against them On the faith of these
articles, all of which were punctually
performed on their part, they surren-
dered the town, and left King Wil-
liam at liberty to apply his arms to
the great cause in which he was sus-
taining the liberties of Europe. The
stipulation on the part of government
was to protect them against any addi-
tional oaths, and to endeavour to pro-
cure for them additional securities.
What was done ? The act of the 3d
of William and Mary was passed,
giving them no additional securities,
but excluding them for the first time
from parliament, and from offices civil
and military, and from the bar, unless
they subscribed the declaration against
popery, and swore the oath of supre-
macy.— The great men who perfected
that revolution had deeply studied the
laws and constitution of their coun-
try ; with ardent feelings and sublime
conceptions, they made no unneces-
' sary breach on any ancient usage ; no
wanton encroachment on any rights
of the people or of the king ; not like
our modem improvers, who hold for
nothing the wisdom which has gone
before them, and set up their own
crude conceptions, with an utter con-
tempt for all the sacred lore of their
ancestors. They committed no rude
outrage on those who had gone be-
fore them ; they entailed no odious
bondage on those who were to suc-
ceed them — with the modesty and sim-
plicity which characterize great minds,
they declared the essential rights o£
the constitution. They saw that the
system of the Reformation would be
incomplete, unless the King, who was

102 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chaf. 5.

the temporal head of the church,
should be in communion with that
church ; they therefore enacted that
he should hold his crown only while
he adhered to his religion. They de-
clared the throne unalterably protes-
tant, — they declared the religion of
the state unalterably protestant ; and
having thus laid the firm foundation
of civil and religious freedom, they
left all other considerations open to
the progress of time, and to the wis-
dom of posterity.

That time has come, and that pos-
terity is now called upon to decide.
We are fighting the same battle in
which the illustrious deliverer of these
countries was engaged,— we are de-
fending the liberties of Europe, and of
the world, against the same unchange-
able and insatiable ambition which then
assailed them, — we are engaged with
an enemy far more formidable than
Louis the Fourteenth, whether we con-
sider the vastness of his plans, his ex-
haustless resources, or his remorseless
application of them, — but if our dan-
gers are aggravated, our means of safe-
ty are increased. William the Third
was obliged to watch, with a jealous
eye, the movements of one half of his
subjects, whilst he employed the ener-
gies of the other. We have it in our
own power to unite them all, by one
great act of national justice. If we
do not wantonly and obstinately fling
avray the means which God's provi-
dence has placed within our grasp, we
may bring the energies of all our peo-
ple, with one hand and heart, to strike
against the common enemy.

Religion is degraded when it is
brandished as a political weapon, and
there is no medium in the use of it :
either it is justified by holy zeal and
fervent piety, or the appeal to it be-
comes liable to the most suspicious
imputation. The safety of the state is
essentially interwoven with the inte-
grity of the establishment. The esta-

blished religion is the child of free-
dom. The Reformation grew out of
the free spirit of bold investigation ;
in its turn it repaid the obligation
with more than filial gratitude, and
contributed, with all its force, to raise
the fabric of our liberties. Our civil
and religious liberties would each of
them lose much of their security, if
they were not so deeply indented each
with the other. The church need not
to be apprehensive. It is a plant of
the growth of 300 years ; it has struck
its roots into the centre of the state,
and nothing short of a political earth-
quake can overturn it : while the state
IS safe, it must be so ; but let it not be
forgotten, that if the state is endan-
gered, the church cannot be secure.
The church is protected by the purity
of its doctrines and its discipline ; the
learning and piety of its ministers ;
their exemplary discharge of every mo-
ral and Christian duty ; the dignity of
its hierarchy, the extent of its posses-
sions, and the reverence of the pub-
lic for its ancient and unquestionable
rights. To these the cathohc adds the
mite of his oath, that he does not har-
bour the chimerical hope, or the un-
constitutional wish, to shake or to dis-
turb it ; and therefore, all which is
requisite, for the security of the church,
is that it should remain, in repose, on
its own deep and immoveable founda-
tions ; and this is the policy which the
great body of the church of Ireland,
and of the church of England, have
now adopted. If any thing could en-
danger its safety, it would be the con-
duct of intemperate and officious men,
who would erect the church into a po-
Htical arbiter, to prescribe rules of im-
perial policy to the throne and to the
legislature.

The conduct of the Roman catholics
of Ireland has been resorted to, it was
remarked, as an argument for abandon-
ing the pledge of the last session ; and
there have been some proceedings, on

Chap. 5.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

lOS

the part of the public bodies who affect
to act for them, altogether unjustifiable.
Their attempts to dictate to the entire
body how they are to act on each parti-
cular political occurrence, — their pre-
suming to hold an inquisition on the
conduct of individuals in the exercise
of their elective franchise, and putting
them under the ban of their displea-
sure because they vote for their private
friends, and abide by their plighted en-
gagements ; all this is a degree of in-
quisitorial authority unexampled and
insufferable ; and this by persons pro-
fessing themselves the advocates of un-
bounded freedom and unlimited tolera-
tion, at the moment when they are
extending their tyranny into the do-
mestic arrangements of every catholic
family in the country. The tone of
unqualified demand, and haughty re-
jection of all conditions or accommo-
dation, so confidently announced by
them, is not less disgusting ; nor can
the intemperance of many of their pub-
lic speeches, the exaggeration and vio-
lence of some of their printed publica-
tions, be palliated.

But it is most unfair to visit on the
Roman catholics, the opinions and the
conduct of such public assemblies as
profess to act for them ; if they la-
bour under a real and a continuing
grievance, and one which justifies, on
their part, a continued claim, they
must act through the medium of po-
pular assemblies, and must, of course,
be exposed to all the inconveniences
which attend discussions in such as-
semblies. In all such places, we know
that unbounded applause attends the
man who occupies the extreme position
of opinion, and that the extravagance
of his expression of such opinion will
not be calculated to diminish it. That
there may be many individuals anxious
to promote their own consequence, at
the expence of the party whose inte-
rests they profess to advocate, is an
evil inseparable from such a state of

things; and, amongst those who sin-
cerely wish to promote the interests of
the cause, much may fairly be attri-
buted to the heat naturally generated
by long-continued opposition ; much
to the effects of disappointed hope ;
much to the resentment excited and
justified by insolent and virulent oppo-
sition. But the unfortunate state of
the pubhc mind in Irelar.d, is, above
all things, imputable to the conduct of
government ; for that there are per-
sons in Ireland who look to revolution
and separation cannot be denied. The
separatists are, however, neither nu-
merous, nor, in themselves, formida-
ble ; and they tremble at the pros-
pect of the adjustment of the catholic
claims, as a measure deadly to their
views. Is it a wise policy, is it a course
which any government can justify to
the country, to recruit for these public
enemies, by endeavouring to embody
the legitimate claims of the catholics
with their wild and pernicious pro-
jects ? Is it not madness to oppose the
same blind and indiscriminate resits-
ance to the honest objects of the great
untainted landed and commercial in-
terests of the catholic people, and to
affect to confound them, in a common
cause, with those miserable enemies of
public freedom and safety ?— But this
measure, it was admitted, cannot be
finally and satisfactorily adjusted, un-
less some arrangement shall be made
with respect to the Roman catholic
clergy, and some security afforded to
the state against foreign interference.'
Such security may be afforded, with*
out interfering, in any degree, with the
essentials of their religion ; and if so,
the mere circumstance of its being re-
quired is a sufficient reason for con-
ceding it. This is not a struggle for
the triumph of one party of the state
over another ; it is a great national sa-
crifice of mutual prejudices for the
common good ; and any opportunity
of gratifying the prnte$t»nt mind should

1W< EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap, 5.

be eagerly seized by the catholic, even
if the conditions required were uncall-
ed for by any real or well-founded ap-
prehension. The state has a right to
require some fair security against fo-
reign influence in its domestic concerns.
What this security may be, provided
it shall be effectual, ought to be left to
the option of the catholic body. As
a veto has been objected to, let it not
be required ; but let the security be
afforded, either by domestic nomina-
tion of the clergy, or in any shape or
form, which^shall exclude the practical
effect of foreign interference. Let
them be liberally provided for by the
state ; let them be natives of the coun-
try, and educated in the country ; and
let the full and plenary exercise of
spiritual authority by the Pope, which
forms an essential part of their reli-
gious discipHne, remain in all its force.
Leave to their choice the mode of re-
conciling these principles, and stand
not upon the manner, if the thing is
done. Pursue this course, put this
measure into the hands of those in
whom the catholics can place confi-
dence, or give them such a parliament-
ary pledge, .that they may see that the
accomplishment of their wishes is de
pendent on their own good sense and
moderation, and they will not be want-
ing to contribute their part of this
great national work of strength and
union. In ail events, parliament will
have discharged its duty ; it will have
given satisfaction to the honest and to
the reasonable ; it will have separated
the sound from the unsound, and left
the bigot, or the incendiary, stripped
of all his terrors, by depriving him of
all his grievances.

Such were the views which were
now taken by the advocates of this
great question. The opponents of the
measure did not distinguish themselves
greatly on this occasion ; and the mo-
ti n, after two adjournments, was car-
ried by a majority o£ 264 to 224, A

committee was appointed to arrange
and determine the different clauses
which were to be introduced into the
act. Mr Grattan, who still took the
lead, guve, on a subsequent occasion, a
general view of the various provisions
of which it was intended that this le-
gislative measure should consist. The
catholics were to be admitted to sit in
both houses of parliament, and to hold
all ofiices, civil and military, except
those connected with the great seal^
and that of Lord Lieutenant of Ire-
land. They were to be denied, how-
ever, the right of presentation to any
living in the church, in an university,
or public school. The oaths, which
the law now requires to be taken by
persons in office, were to be dispensed
with in the case of Roman Catho-
lics ; and, instead of them, a new oath
was to be taken, presenting, it was
hoped, nothing to which a loyal ca-
thoHc could object. It contained an
engagement to do nothing which could
be injurious to the British constitution
or to the established church, and a dis-
avowal of certain doctrines of the Ro-
mish belief, which appeared inconsist-
ent with the obligations of society..
Roman catholic clergymen were to take
an oath that they would not recom-
mend, sanction, or concur in the ap-
pointment or consecration of any bi-
shop, of whose loyalty they were not
well informed. The episcopal func-
tions were to be conferred only upon
a natural. born subject, who had been
resident in the kingdom five years im-
mediately previous to consecration. —
Mr Canning proposed also that no Ro-
man catholic bishop should, in future,
be appointed without a certificate of loy-
alty from five English or Irish catho-
lic peers appointed by the crown. All
bulls or briefs received from Rome
were to be submitted to the exami-
nation of commissioners, consisting
of the same catholic peers, two Roman
catholicbishops, the Lord Chancellor^

Chap* 5.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

105

and one of the secretaries of state. — To
these propositions it wa» understood
that Mr Grattan and his friends gave
their consent.

Every thing had hitherto proceeded
in a prosperous train ; and the belief
became general that the bill would be
carried through with little opposition.
Its fate, however, was very different.
When the committee came to that
clause, by which catholic members
were to be admitted to sit in both
houses of parliament, Mr Abbot, the
Speaker, made a long and eloquent
oration : He declared his willingness
that the professors of this religion
should be admitted to offices in the ar-
my and navy, and that the soldier
should be protected in the exercise of.
his worship ; but he deprecated their
admission into parliament, where an
able and eloquent leader might acquire
the most dangerous ascendency. He
warned the House against opening the
flood gates of innovation, which might
not be easily closed ; and he referred
to circumstances, which gave reason to
believe that even these ample conces-
sions would give no satisfaction, on ac-
count of the conditions with which
they were accompanied. This anima-
ted speech, from a person seldom ac-
customed to open his lips, made a
strong impression on the House ; and
the clause was rejected, though by the
majority only of 251 against 247.

This result was greatly aided by
other important occurrences. The bill,
being founded upon certain securities
to be given by the Roman catholics,
was, of course, nugatory, unless they
agreed to give these securities. Their
consent ought indeed to have been ob-
tained before the bill was brought into
parliament ; but no sooner were its.
provisions made known on the other
side of the channel, than they became
the object of utter disgust and repro-
bation. The cathoUc body immediate-
ly assembled, and expressed these feel-

ings in the most decided and unquali-
fied manner. In vain did Mr Grattan
insist, that the report of its proceed-
ings was misrepresented, and even for-
ged ; that there existed in Ireland no
spirit inimical to the bill. Every new-
arrival brought new proofs of its pre-
valence. Besides an aggregate meet-
ing, an assembly of bishops was held,
which spoke the same sentiments in a
manner still less measured. Language
seemed unequal to express the dismay
and consternation with which the pro-
posals filled them. The result of Mr
Abbot's motion was celebrated in Ire-
land as a triumph. The most bitter
enemy to the object of the bill did not
feel any exultation at its failure, to be
compared to that which was excited in
the breasts of those for whose rehef
and benefit it was solely intended.

It seems impossible to deny the
egregious mismanagement of those by
whom the bill was drawn up aild di-
gested. As the whole was founded
upon certain conditions, to which the
catholics were to agree, they ought,
before any legislative proceedings took
place, to have ascertained whether these
conditions would meet with general ac-
ceptance. There could not be the
smallest difficulty or impropriety in do-
ing this. These communications might
have been committed to writing ; and
had the catholic leaders then attempt-
ed, from any motive, to retract or de-
ny their consent, Mr Grattan would
have been able to produce full proof
of its having once been given. No-
tliing of t .is kind, however, was done,
and Mr Grattan and his friends Ibund
themselves placed in the most awkward
dilemma.

" Such was the result of the proceed-
ings in parliament during the present
session for giving relief to the cathohcs
of Ireland. The demagogues in Ire-
land, however, continued their labours*
and made every effort to inflame the
minds of the people. Among other

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 5.

measures adopted by them, they
thought fit to come to the following
resolution, which excited the utmost
astonishment : — ** Resolved, That it
be an instruction to the catholic board,
to consider of the constitutional fitness
and propriety of sending an earnest
and pressing memorial to the Spanish
Cortes, stating to them the enslaved
and depressed state of their fellow ca-
tholics in Ireland, with respect to their
exclusion, on the score of their reli-
gion, from the benefits of the British
constitution, and imploring their fa-
vourable intercession with their ally,
our most gracious sovereign." — It is
needless to add, that this resolution
was viewed in England with contempt
^nd indignation.

The public prints, in the service of
the board, teemed with the wildest
rhapsodies. In one of them it was hint-
ed that Lord Wellington had designs
on the crown of Spain, and was ready
to become a cathohc. The obvious
tendency of this article was to sow dis-
sension between the British and Spa-
nish nations. In another of these vile
performances, all men belonging to
orange lodges were menaced with ruin
in their different trades, and a plan to
this effect was openly avowed. In a
third, a supposed intention of the
Orangemen (men attached to the protes-
tant constitution of the country) to
parade round the statue of King Wil-
liam, was stigmatised in the most odi-
ous language. The Irish were often
told that they alone atchieved every
triumph of our arms, — that the Eng-
lish and Scots had little to do with
them. Because the frigate which took
the Chesapeake is named from an
Irish river, her crew, it was pompous-
ly announced, had been chiefly collect-
ed from the banks of the Shannon

Such were the mischievous absurdities
which these patriots addressed to the
prejudices and creduhty of the vulgar.

The transactions of the catholic
board had great influence in aliena-
ting from the petitioners many of their
best friends ; for, notwithstanding
the ingenious apologies which were
made for the conduct of this strange
association, no man could hesitate,
while " the Board" spoke, without
contradiction, as the organ of the ca-
thohc body, to comprehend both in
the same censure and condemnation.
** It is not enough (it was justly obser-
ved) that the catholics should have
their representative body, their con-
gress and convention, and thus erect
a kind of distinct government within
this realm ; but this convention must
also send out its foreign ambassadors,
—form foreign alliances, — and fulfil all
the acts of an independent governm.ent.
Is it nothing that the catholics of Ire-
land have delegated their influence to
a body of men systematically organi-
zed, not to convey their wishes to par-
hament by petition, but to fill the
functions of government, to act in the
name, and by the authority, of the ca-
tholics of Ireland ; to be the deposito-
ry of their complaints, and the avenger
of their wrongs ; and so to represent
them as that through the Board the
whole body of catholics may be treat-
ed with either by a foreign power, or a
parhamentary party ? Is it nothing that
a body exists, which can wield both
the passions and the physical force of
the catholic part of Ireland against the
government at pleasure ; which can
fawn upon a prince when supposed to be
favourable to their views, and offer him
unconstitutional assistance ; or when
opposed to their claims can menace his
government, and turn the whole tide
of popular prejudice against him ? And,
to complete the whole, is it nothing,
that a body should exist, which, ha-
ving given plan and system to the whole
mass of rehgious discontent in Ireland,
shall at length stretch forth its arms to

Chap. 5.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

107

foreign states that they may espouse
its cause, recognise its existence, and
support it against its own sovereign ?**
It was impossible to resist the force
of such reflections. The alarming spi-
rit manifested by the catholics made

a deep impression on the minds of all
good men ; and the plan of catholic
emancipation, which had already at-
tained such maturity, thus miscarried,
chiefly by the folly and violence of
those for whose relief it was intended.

108 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. (5.

CHAP. VI.

jimerican Affairs. Declaration hy the British Government of the Causes and
Origin of the War with America, Discussions in Parliament on the Sulject*
Events (fthe War,

The British government had unwil-
lingly embarked in the war with Ame-
rica, and was still desirous of bringing
the contest to a speedy and amicable
conclusion. With this view negocia-
tions had been opened during the last
year ; but such were the pretensions of
the American government, that every
attempt at conciHation was frustrated.
The British ministers were anxious to
justify their conduct, on this occasion,
in the face of the world ; and to exhi-
bit a fair account of the origin and
causes of the war. On the 9th of Ja-
nuary, therefore, they issued a Decla-
ration on this subject, which contained
an excellent summary of the whole of
our transactions with America, and an
ample vindication of the conduct of
Great Britain.

The Declaration stated, that no de-
sire of conquest could be imputed to
Great Britain ; that her commercial
interests were on the side of peace, if
war could have been avoided ; that
she had throughout acted towards
the United States of America with
a spirit of amity, forbearance, and
conciHation. That "it had been the in>
Yariable object of the ruler of France

to destroy the power and independence
of the British empire, as the chief ob-
stacle to the accomplishment of his
ambitious designs ; that he first con-
templated the possibihty of assembHng
such a naval force in the channel, as,
combined with a numerous flotilla,
should enable him to disembark in
England an army sufficient, in his con-
ception, to subjugate this country ; but
by the adoption of an enlarged and
provident system of internal defence,
and by the valour of his majesty's
fleets and armies, this design was en-
tirely frustrated, and the naval force of
France, after the most signal defeats,
was compelled to retire from the ocean.
That an attempt was then made to ef-
fectuate the same purpose by other
means ; a system was brought forward,
by which the ruler of France hoped to
annihilate the commerce of Great Bri-
tain, to shake her public credit, and to
des roy her revenue ; to render useless
her maritime superiority, and so to
avail himself of his continental ascen-
dancy, as to constitute himself, in a
great measure, the arbiter of the ocean,
notwithstanding the destruction of his
fleets.

Chap. 6.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

109

That with thi8 view, by the decree
of Berlifi, followed by that of Milan,
he declared the British territories to
be in a state of blockade ; and all com-
merce, or even correspondence, with
Great Britain was prohibited He de-
creed that every vessel and cargo which
had entered, or was found proceeding
to a British port, or which, under any
circumstances, had been visited by a
British ship of war, should be lawful
prize. He declared all Britifth goods
and produce, wherever found, and
however acquired, subject to confisca-
tion. He further denationalized the
flag of all neucral ships which should
be found offending against these his
decrees ; and he gave to this project
of universal tyranny, the name of
•* the Continental System *'

That under circumstances of unpa-
ralleled provocation, his majesty had
abstained from any measure which the
ordinary rules of the law of nations
did not fully warrant. Never was the
maritime superiority of a belligerent
over the enemy more complete and de-
cided than was that of Great Bri-
tain ; and France had already tram-
pled so openly and systematically on
the most sacred rights of neutral pow-
ers, as might well have justified the
placing her out of the pale of civilized
nations. Yet, in this extreme case.
Great Britain had so used her naval
ascendancy, that her enemy could find
no just cause of complaint ; and in or-
der to give to these lawless decrees the
appearance of retaliation, the ruler of
France was obliged to advance princi-
ples of maritime law, unsanctioned by
any other authority than his own ar-
bitrary will.

That against these decrees his ma-
jesty protested and appealed ; he call-
ed upon the United States to assert
their own rights, and to vindicate their
independence, thus menaced and at-
tacked. The order of January lb07,
was then issued, as an act of mitigated

retaliation, after which followed the
order of the 11th November, of the
same year. At the same time his ma-
jesty intimated his readiness to repeal
the orders in council, so soon as France
should rescind her decrees, and return
to the accustomed principles of mari-
time warfare ; aiid afterwards, the
operation of the orders in council was,
by an order issued in April lb09, li-
mited to a blockade ot France, and
of the couiitries subjected to her im-
mediate dominion — That systems of
violence, oppression, and tyranny, can
never be suppressed, if tne power a-
gainst which such injustice is exerci-
sed, be debarred from the right of full
and adequate retaliation. — I'hat the
government of the United States did
not fail to remonstrate against the or*
ders in council ot Great Britain. Ap-
plying most unjustly the same measure
of resentment to the aggressor, and to
the party aggrieved, it adopted mea-
sures of commercial resi stance agamst
both — a system oi resistance which,
however varied in the successive acts
of embargo, non-intercourse, or non-
importation, was evidently unequal in
its operation, and principally levelled
against the superior C' mmt rte and ma-
ritime power of Great Britain.

That the same partiality tov^ards
France was observable in negociation
as in the measures of alleged resist-
ance.— Application was made to both
belligerents for a revocation of their
respective edicts ; but the terms in
which these applications were made
were widely different. — Of France was
required a revocation only of the Ber-
hn and Milan decrees, altiiough many
other edicts, grossly violating the neu-
tral commerce of the United States,
had been promulgated by that power.
No security was demanded, that the
Berlin and Milan decrees, even if re-
voked, should not, under some other
form, be re established ; and a direct
engagement was offered, that upon

110 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. $,

•uch revocation the American go-
vernment would take part in the war
against Great Britain, if Great Bri-
tain did not immediately rescind her
orders. No corresponding engage-
ment was offered to Great Britain,
of whom it was required, not only that
the orders in council should be repeal-
ed, but that no others of a similar na-
ture should be issued, and that the
blockade of May 1806 should be
also abandoned. This blockade, esta-
blished and enforced according to ac-
customed practice, had not been ob-
jected to by the United States at the
time it was issued. Its provisions
vrere on the contrary represented by
the American minister resident in
London at the time, to have been so
framed, as to afford, in his judgment,
a proof of the friendly disposition of
the British cabinet towards the Uni-
ted States. — Great Britain was thus
called upon to abandon one of her
most important maritime rights, by
acknowledging the order of blockade
in question to be one of the edicts
which violated the commerce of the
United States, although it had never
been so considered in the previous ne-
gociations, and although the president
of the United States had recently con-
sented to abrogate the non-intercourse
act, on the sole condition of the orders
in council being revoked, thereby
distinctly admitting these orders to be
the only edicts, which fell within the
contemplation of the law, under which
he acted. — That a proposition so hos-
tile to Great Britain could not but be
encouraging to the pretensions of the
enemy ; as, by thus alledging that the
blockade of May 1806 was illegal, the
American government virtually justi-
fied, 80 far as depended on them, the
French decrees.

That after this proposition had been
made, the French minister for foreign
affairs, if not in concert with the A-
merican government, at least in con-

formity with its views, in a dispatch
dated the 5th of August 1810, and
addressed to the American minister
resident at Pans, stated that the BerHn
and Milan decrees were revoked, and
that their operation would cease from
the 1st day of November following,
provided his majesty would revoke
his orders in council, and renounce the
new principles of blockade ; or that
the United States would cause their
rights to be respected ; meaning there-
by, that they would resist the retalia-
tory measures of Great Britain.—
That althoughtherepealof the French
decrees thus announced was evidently
contingent, either on concessions to
be made by Great Britain, (conces-
sions to which it was obvious Great
Britain could not submit) or on mea-
sures to be adopted by the United
States of America, the American
President at once considered the re-
peal as absolute. Under that pre-
tence the non-importation act was
strictly enforced against Great Bri-
tain, whilst the ships of war and mer-
chant ships of the enemy were re-
ceived into the harbours of America.-—
The American government assuming
the repeal of the French decrees to be
absolute and effectual, most unjustly-
required Great Britain, in conformity
to her declarations, to revoke her or-
ders in council. The British govern-
ment denied that the repeal, which
was announced in the letter of the
French minister for foreign affairs,
was such as ought to satisfy Great
Britain ; and in order to ascertain the
true character of the measure adopted
by France, the government of the
United States was called upon to pro-
duce the instrument, by which the al-
ledged repeal of the French decrees
had been effected. If these decrees
were really revoked, such an instru-
ment must exist, and no satisfactory
reason could be given for \vithhold-
ing it.

Chap. 6.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

Ill

That at length, on the 2l8t of May
1812, and not before, the American
minister in London did produce a
copy, or at least what purported to
be a copy, of such an instrument.
It professed to bear date the 28th of
April 1811, long subsequent to the
dispatch of the French minister for
foreign affairs of the 5th of August
1810, or even the day named therein,
viz. the 1st November following, when
the operation of the French decrees
was to cease. This instrument ex-
pressly declared that these French
decrees were repealed in consequence
of the American legislature having, by
their act of the 1st of March 1811,
provided that British ships and mer-
chandize should be excluded from the
ports and harbours of the United
States.

That by this instrument, (the only
document produced by America as a
repeal of the French decrees,) it ap-
peared beyond a possibility ot doubt
or cavil, that the alledged repeal of
the French decrees was conditional,
as Great Britain had asserted; and
not absolute or final, as had been
maintained by America; that they
were not repealed at the time they
were stated to be repealed by the A-
merican government ; that they were
not repealed in conformity with a pro-
position simultaneously made to both
belligerents, but in consequence of a
previous act on the part of the A-
merican government in favour of one
belligerent to the prejudice of the
other. That the American govern-
ment having adopted measures restric-
tive upon the commerce of both bel-
ligerents, in consequence of edicts is-
sued by both, restinded these measures
as they affected that power which was
the aggressor, whilst it put them in
full operation against the party ag-
grieved, ah hough tl'.e edicts of both
powers continued in force ; and, lastly,
that they excluded the ships of war

belonging to one belligerent, whilst
they admitted into their ports and har-
bours the ships of war belonging to
the other, in violation of one of the
plainest and most essential duties of a
neutral nation.

That although the instrument thuf
produced was liable to the strongest
suspicions, yet as it was presented by
the American minister, the British go-
vernment conditionally revoked the
orders in council ; and in order to
provide for the contingency of a de-
claration of war on the part of the
United States, previous to the arrival
in America of the said order of revo-
<:ation, instructions were sent to his
majesty's minister plenipotentiary ac-
credited to the United States (the
execution of which instructions, in
consequence of the discontinuance of
Mr Foster's functions, was at a sub-
sequent period entrusted to admiral
Sir John Borlase Warren) directirig
him to propose a cessation of hostili-
ties should they have commenced ;
and further to offer a simultaneous
repeal of the orders in council on one
side, and of the restrictive laws on
British ships and commerce on the
other. They were also respectively
empowered to acquaint the American
government, in reply to any enquiries
with respect to the blockade of May
1806, that whilst the British govern-
ment must continue to maintain its le-
gality, yet in point of fact this par-
ticular blockade had been discontinued
for a length of time, and that his ma-
jesty's government had no intention
of recurring to this, or to any other
of the blockades of the enemy's ports,
without a new notice to neutral
powers in the usual form.

That the American government,
before receiving intimation of the
course adopted by Great Britain, had
in fact proceeded to the extreme mea-
sure of declaring war, and issuing let-
ters of marque, notwithstanding they

lis

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Ciiap.G.

were previously in possession of the
report of the French minister for fo-
reign affairs of the 12th of March
1812, promulgating anew the Berlin
and Milan decrees, as fundamental laws
of the French empire. That in a ma-
nifesto, accompanying their declara-
tion of hostilities, in addition to the
former complaints against the orders
of council, a long list of grievances
was brought forward ; some trivial in
themselves, others which had been
mutually adjusted, but none of them
such as were ever before alledged by
the American government to be
grounds for war. And that, as if to
throw additional obstacles in the way
of peace, the American congress at
the same time passed a law, prohibit-
ing all intercourse with Great Britain,
and this law was declared unaltera-
ble until congress should reassemble.

That the president of the United
States didindeed propose to Great Bri-
tain an armistice, but on themost extra-
vagant conditions, viz. that the right of
search to take from American merchant
vessels, British seamen,the natural bom
subjects of his majesty, should be a-
bandoned, and that indemnity shouM
be given for all captures under such
blockades as the American govern-
ment was pleased to describe as ille-
gal.— That the proposal of an armis-
tice, and of a simultaneous repeal of
the restrictive measures on both sides
subsequently made by the command-
ing officer of his majesty's naval forces
on the American coast, was received
in the same hostile spirit by the go-
vernment of the United States. The
right of search on the part of Great
Britain, a right which she acknow-
ledges on the part of America, was
to be abandoned as a preliminary, al-
though America had never explained
the nature of the regulations which
she proposed to substitute in its place.
That while this proposition, trans-
mitted through the British admiral,

was under discussion in America, an-
other communication on the subject
of an armistice was unofficially made ,
to the British government in this
country, by an agent who had no au-
thority to bind the government of the
United States, and whose proposition
was of course declined.

That Great Britain now felt her-
self called upon to declare the leading
principles by which her conduct had
been regulated in the transactions con-
nected with these discussions.

That she can never acknowledge
any blockade to be illegal, which has
been duly notiiied, and is supported by
an adequate force, merely upon the
ground of its extent, or because the
ports or coasts blockaded are not at
the same time invested by land. She
can never admit, that neutral trade
with Great Britain can be constituted
apublic crimcjthecommissionof which
can expose the ships of any power to
be denationalized. She can never ad-
mit, that she can be debarred of her
right of just and necessary retaliation,
through the fear of eventually affecting
the interest of a neutral. Or that, in
the exercise of the undoubted and hi-
therto undisputed right of searching
neutral merchant vessels in time of war,
the impressment of British seamen,
when found therein, can be deemed
any violation of a neutral flag.

That there is no right more clearly
established, than that which a sove-
reign has to the allegiance of his sub-
jects, more especially in time of war.
if a similarity of language and manners
may make the exercise of this right
more liable to partial mistakes, and
occasional abuse, when practised to-
wards vessels of the United States, the
same circumstances make it also aright,
with the exercise of which, in regard
to such vessels, it is more difficult to
dispense. But, if to the practice of
the United States to harbour British
seamen, be added their assumed right

Chap. 6.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

113

to transfer the allegiance of British
•ubjects, and thus to cancel the juris
diction of their legitimate sovereign,
by acts of naturalization and certifi-
cates of citizenship, which they pre-
tend to be as valid out of their own
territory as within it, it is obvious that
to abandon this ancient right of Great
Britain, and to admit these novel pre-
tensions of the United States, would
be to expose to danger the very foun-

Idations of our maritime strength.
That whatever the declaration of
the United States may have asserted.
Great Britain never did demand that
i neutrals should force British manufac-
l ^ tures into France ; and she formally
«,' declared her willingness to forego, or
1 modify, in concert with the United
f States, the system, by which a com-
' mercial intercourse with the enemy had
been allowed, under the protection of
licenci-s, provided the United States
would act towards her, and towards
France, with real impartiality.

That the government of America,
if the differences between states are
not interminable, had no right to no-
tice the affair of the Chesapeake. The
aggression in this instance, on the part
of a British officer, was acknowledged,
his conduct was disapproved, and a re-
paration was regularly tendered by
Mr Foster, on the part of his majesty,
and accepted by the government of the
United States. — That the American
government was not less unwarranted
in its allusion to the mission of Mr
Henry ; a mission undertaken without
the authority, or even knowledge, of
his majesty's government, and which
Mr Foster was authorised formally
and officially to disavow. — That the
charge of exciting the Indians to of-
fensive measures agamst the United
States was equally void of founda-
tion. Before the war began, a policy
the most opposite had been uniformly
pursued, and a proof of this was ten*

VOL. VI. PART I.

dered by Mr Foster to the American
government.

That although such were the causes
of the war put forward by the govern-
ment of America, yet the real origin of
the contest would be found in that spi-
rit which had long unhappily actuated
the councils of the United States ;
their marked partiality in paUiating
and assisting the aggressive tyranny of
France ; their systematic endeavour to
inflame the people against the defen-
sive measures of Great Britain ; their
ungenerous conduct towards Spain,
the intimate ally of Great Britain ;
and their unworthy desertion of the
cause of other neutral nations, for
which America had been so justly
condemned in the eyes of the world.
It was through the prevalence of such
councils that America had been asso-
ciated in policy with France, and com-*
mitted in war against Great Britain.—^
And under what conduct on the part
of France had the government of the
United States thus lent itself to the
enemy ? The contemptuous violation
of the commercial treaty of the year
1800, between France and the United
States ; the treacherous seizure of all
American vessels and cargoes in every
harbour subject to the controul of
France ; the tyrannical principles of
the Berlin and Milan decrees, and the
confiscations under them ; the subse-
quent condemnations under the Kam-
bouillet decree, antedated or concealed
to render it the more effectual ; the
French commercial regulations which
rendered t le traffic of the United
States with France almost illusory;
the burning of their merchant ships
at sea, long after the alleged repeal of
the French decrees — these, and many
similar outrages, were the inducements
which France held out to conciliate the
friendship of America. All these acts
of violence on the part of France pro-
duced from the government of the

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chak 6.

Uuited States, only such complaints
as ended in acquiescence and submis-
sion, or were accompanied by sugges-
tions for enabling France to give the
semblance of a legal form to her
usurpations by converting them into
municipal regulations — That this dis-
position of the government of the U-
nited States — this complete subser-
viency to the ruler of France — this
hostile temper towards Great Britain,
were evident in almost every page of
the official correspondence of the A-
merican with the French government.
Against this course of conduct, the
real cause of the war. Great Britain
solemnly protested. While contend-
ing against France, in defence not
only of her own liberties, but of those
of the world, she was entitled to look
for a far different result. Disappointed
in this expectation however, Great Bri-
tain declared her unalterable resolution
to pursue the policy which she had so
long maintained, in repeUing injustice
and in supporting the general rights
of nations.

This declaration having been laid
before parliament, an address wasthov-
ed to the Prince Regent, approving of
its principles, and expressing a deter-
mination to support the executive go-
vernment in the conduct of the war.
There was but little difference of opi-
nion on this point ; the principles avow-
ed by government could neither be
mistaken nor impeached ; but the want
of vigour which had been discovered
in the conduct of the war was severely
arraigned, even by some eminent per-
sons not unfriendly to the administra-
tion.— One thousand soldiers, it was
observed, fouror five frigates to guard
an extent of coast of 1500 miles, and a
revenueoftwomillionsandahalf of dol-
lars have been described as the means
physical and pecuniary of which the U-
nited States were in possession when
they declared war against this country.
Undoubtedly no man could hear the

statement without exclaiming, " And
could a nation so circumstanced ven-
ture upon a war with the mighty em-
pire of Great Britain with the most
distant prospect of success ?" Un-
luckily it did. The unwelcome truth
could not be concealed. Two of
these four or five frigates had captured
two frigates from the British navy.
Vigorous measures becoming this great
nation might have averted disasters
which must have the effect of pro-
longing hostilities. It was no answer
to say that our navy was immense,
but that it was proportionably extend-
ed on the different stations. The nation
complainednot of thenaval department,
but of the policy which controuled its
operations. It complained that the
arm which should have launched the
thunderbolt was occupied in guiding
the pen ; that admiral Warren was
busied in negociating, when he ought
to have been burning, sinking, and de-
stroying. Admiral Warren sailed from
this country m the middle of August,
and on the 27th of September he
reached Halifax with his squadron,
where he employed himself in writing
dispatches to the American govern-
ment ; while Commodore Rogers on
the 10th of October sailed unmolested
from Boston. But we waited, it seems,
to be quite sure that we were actually
at war. Granting, for argument's
sake, that in the first instance there
might not be full conviction of the
certainty of war, yet even after the
American declaration was received in
the end of July, no hostile measure
was resorted to by this country, till
the 14th of October, when letters of
marque were issued, upon the receipt
of the inteUigence (and, as might
be not unfairly suspected, in conse-
quence of that intelHgence) that the
Guerriere frigate had been captured
by the Americans. — What was the
next advance towards actual blockade?
The blockade of the Chesapeak was

Chap. 6.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

115

determined upon, and the order in
council announcing that blokade was
issued ; when ? — the day after the ar-
rival of the inteUigencc that the Ma-
cedonian, another of our frigates, had
fallen into the power of the republic.
The loss of these two fine vessels pro-
duced a sensation in the country scarce-
ly to be equalled by the most violent
convulsion of nature. No one could
attribute the slightest blame to our
gallant sailors ; they always do their
duty; but neither was it possible to
agree with those who complained that
the consternation throughout Great
Britain was greater than the occasion
justified. Who could represent the
losses as insignificant, and the feelings
of indignation occasioned by them as
exaggerated and extravagant ? That
indignation was a wholesome feeling
which ought to be cherished and
maintained. It could not be too deep-
ly felt that the sacred spell of the, in-
vincibility of the British navy was bro-
ken by those unfortunate captures ;
and however speedily we might all wish
the war to terminate, the desire could
not be considered as sanguinary and
unfeeling, that it might not be con-
cluded before we had re-established the
character of our naval superiority, and
smothered in victories the disasters
which we had now to lament, and
to which we were so little habitua-
ted.— If it be true, in general, that
indecision and delay are the parents of
failure ; that they take every possible
chance of detriment to the cause in
■which they are employed, and afford
every advantage and encouragement to
the adversary ; it was peculiarly true,
in the present instance, that prompti-
tude and vigour afforded the surest
pledge of success in the war. If,
while the elections were pending, the
result of which was to place Mr Ma-
dison, the arch-enemy of this coun-
try, in the president's chair, a decisive
blow had been struck by this country,
6

the tide of popular opinion in America
might have been turned, and the con-
sequences of a long and ruinous war
might have been avoided. It was to be
lamented, for the general happiness of
mankind, that no such vigorous exer-
tion was attempted ; for if some signal
act of vengeance had been inflicted on
any part of the United States, exposed
to maritime attack, but particularly on
any portion of their territory where
there prevailed the greatest attachment
to the interests of France, it would
have at least been a useful warning, and
might have prevented the continuance
of the contest, if it had not prevented
its commencement. Forbearance in war
is wholly impolitic, and where vigour
has a tendency to decide the contest,
hesitation is cruelty. — Hostilities were,
however, continued, although upon
such a small scale as suited the resour-
ces of America. The American fri-
gates were still distinguished by activi-
ty and success ; and the British were
to be again astonished by the advantage
which one of these was to gain over
their own navy, so long deemed invin-
cible. The British frigate Java, of 38
guns, sailed from Spithead early in No-
vember of the preceding year, for the
purpose of conveying Lieut. -General
Hislop to Bombay. She was met off
the coast of Brazil by the Constitu-
tion ; and after a furious action, in which
Captain Lambert and many of his offi-
cers and men were killed, she was set
on fire and blown up. To the superior
weight of metal of the Constitution,
and the enterprize of the Americans in
pushing out on such distant and unex-
pected attempts, was to be attributed
this melancholy event. Yet it did seem
extraordinary, that, with so greata Bri-
tish force on the American coa-t, the
frigates of the latter power should have
had the good fortune of so frequently
sailing from and returning into their
own ports, without being met by any
of the cruisers on that station.

116 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 6.

Such were the reflections very gene-
rally made on the subject of the naval
war with America. — Of the military
events of the year, a very brief sum-
mary will be sufficient.

The Americans made extraordinary
efforts to retrieve the overwhelming
and shameful disasters of the former
campaign ; and they were soon able,
from a numerous though scattered
population, to re-assemble an army
which greatly outnumbered that ran-
ged under the British standard. A
large force, collected from the back
settlements, again approached Detroit,
in the hope of wiping off that signal
dishonour which had been there sus-
tained. Colonel Proctor, who com-
manded the British, judged it inexpe-
dient to delay his operations till the
whole of the enemy's troops could be
brought forward. Making a vigorous
forward movement, he, on the 22d of
January, attacked the American ad-
vanced-guard, under General Winches-
ter, amounting to upwards of 1000
men, which waspostedat French Town,
on the river Raisin. The Americans,
though they found in the houses and
inclosures of the village an advantage-
ous defensive position, were yet unable
to withstand the impetuosity of British
valour. They were not only defeated,
but entirely cut ofF. All who were not
killed or wounded in the action were
taken prisoners ; and in this number
was General Winchester himself. This
brilliant exploit placed the Detroit
frontier for the present in a state of
security.

The Americans, in the mean time,
maintained also a force upon the branch
of the St Lawrence which connects
the Lakes Ontario and Erie ; and a
large detachment, posted at Ogden-
burgh, availed itself of the frozen state
of the river to make incursions on the
opposite bank. In order to put a stop
to these inroads, Sir George Prevost
directed Major Macdonell, of the Glen-

gary fencibles, to dislodge them from
that post. His instructions were exe-
cuted in the most gallant and success-
ful manner ; the enemy were driven
from their position, and were enabled
only by the accidental absence of the
Indian auxiliaries to effect their escape
into the woods. This action was dis-
tinguished by the heroic valour of Cap-
tain Jenkins, who, after having an arm
shot off, continued still to rush forward
and cheer his men to the attack j and
even when he had received another se-
vere wound, did not desist till exhaus-
tion and loss of blood rendered him un-
able to move. — The Americans after
this check did not repeat their in-
roads.

As the season advanced, however,
forces accumulated from the different
states, and their numbers again became
decidedly superior to those of the Bri-
tish; General Dearborn, in the end
of April, set sail on Lake Ontario with
5000 men, and baffling the vigilance
of the British flotilla, landed his forces
in the vicinity of York, near the head of
the lake, being the place of greatest
importance in that part of Canada.
General Sheaffe, who had not a thou-
sand men, was compelled, after a gal-
lant resistance, to evacuate the place ;
and the Americans thus at last obtain-
en a firm footing on the north bank of
the St Lawrence. — About the same
time. General Vincent was obliged, by
a still greater uperiority of force, to
abandqn Fort St George, which form-
ed the main point of defence on the
Niagara frontier. To these disasters
was added the failure of an attempt
made by Colonel Baynes to obtain
possession of Sackett's Harbour. The
detachment was landed, and the enemy
were driven with loss into their block-
houses and batteries ; but these were
found so strong, that it would have
been an useless waste of men to attempt
storming them. The British force
was therefore re -embarked.

Chap. 6.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

117

Even under this overwhelming pres-
sure, however, British valour and en>
terprize soon produced a reaction. The
enemy having advanced beyond Forty
Mile Creek to attack General Vin-
cent, who was posted at Burhngton,
the latter came upon them by surprise
on the night of the 5th June, totally
defeated them, and forced them to re-
tire with precipitation. As the Indians
and the squadron under Sir James Yeo
now operated on their rear, they were
compelled to fall back upon Niagara,
and had to maintain in their retreat a
series of unsuccessful actions, in which
they lost a great part of their army,
with almost all their artillery and bag-

fage. The British force advanced, and
eld them nearly in a state of blockade.
Landings were effected by the British
at Sodus, at the Genessee river, and
at Plattsburgh ; the stores and provi-
sions at these places were destroyed or
carried off. Hopes were now entertain-
ed that the troops occupying Niagara
might be cut off, and compelled to
surrender.

A change of fortune, however, im-
mediately followed. It began with the
army on the Detroit frontier, which
till now had been uniformly victorious.
Colonel Proctor having been almost
compelled by the solicitations of the
Indians, and of some ill -disciplined mi-
litia, to make an attempt on the fort
of Sundusky, was repulsed with loss.
The troops were disheartened by this
unwonted reverse ; and the American
general, Harrison, pressing on at the
head of 10,000 men, forced them to
retreat in confusion. The country be-
ing unfavourable to this movement, he
overtook, surrounded, and made them
prisoners ; the general, with a few at-
tendants, only escaping.

This disaster was followed by an-
other, still more unexpected and mor-
tifying. Whatever might be the nu-
merical superiority of the Americans
on land, it seemed reasonable to expect

that on another element Great Britain
would always maintain the predomi-
nance. On Lake Erie, however, the
case was reversed. This unpropitious
circumstance is said to have been occa-
sioned by a delay in the transmission of
a dispatch from S r G. Prevost to
Admiral Warren, demanding a rein-
forcement of shipping. The conse-
quence was, that nine American ves-
sels were, on the 10th September, met
only by six British. The unequal con-
test was gallantly maintained : the
Lawrence, the American commander\s
vessel, at one time struck, but the
British were not able to take posses-
sion of her ; relieved by the other
ships, she again came into action ; and
the result was, that the British squa-
dron, after being reduced to a state of
almost complete wreck, fell entirely
into the hands of the enemy. This
success gave to the Americans the com-
plete command of Lake Erie ; com-
bined with the defeat of Col. Proctor,
it rendered them masters of Upper Ca-
nada. They were seized with that
excess of exultation, to which popular
governments are liable ; they already
considered all Canada as their own,
and publicly announced their intention
of taking Montreal, as their winter
quarters.

The preparations by which these
magnificent promises were to be sup-
ported, appeared not altogether inade-
quate to their fulfilment. Three armies,
each amounting to nearly 10,000 men,
marched in the end of October, from
different points, upon Lower Canada.
While General Harrison proceeded
along Lake Erie, General Wilkinson
embarked his division upon Lake On-
tario, and General Hampton marched
to Montreal. These troops, however,
were formidable only in number, and
possessed no quaUties which could en-
able them to stand the shock of troops
under British discipline. Hampton's
whole corps was arrested for a day by

ns EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 6.

300 Canadian militia ; and additional
forces coming up, he immediately fell
back, and evacuated the province.
Wilkinson succeeded in effecting a
landing near Kingston. But Lieut.-
Colonel Morrison, who was stationed
at that place with a small detachment,
immediately followed him, and an ac-
tion took place near Chrystler's Farm,
twenty miles above Cornwall. The
American army, six times superior in
numbers, was totally routed^ with the
loss of KXX) men. The enemy preci-
pitately crossed the St Lawrence, and,
abandoning his boats, retreated by a
difficult country to Plattsburg.

The disasters of the enemy did not
stop here. On the 25th December,
a British and Indian fbrce having sur-
prised Fort Niagara, destroyed or made
prisoners the whole garrison. The
British then crossed the river, attack-
ed General Hull, who had collected
about 2000 men on the other side, and
put him totally to the rout The pre-
sent year, therefore, terminated in a
manner as brilliant for the British arms
as the preceding.

Thus, amid partial reverses, the cam-
paign by land was, on the whole, glo-
rious and fortunate for Great Britain.
At sea, too, she regained that ascen-
dancy which naturally belonged to
her. The first instance in which this
superiority was established, was at-
tended with circumstances particularly
gratifying. Captain Broke, of the
Shannon frigate, with another small
vessel attendmg him, had been cruising
for some time near the harbour of
Boston, where the Chesapeake frigate
then lay. The latter, though much
superior, particularly in men, did not
venture to come out. Captain Broke,
however, was anxious to make a fair
trial of the valour of the combatants.
On the Ist of June he dismissed the
vessel which accompanied him, and,
i^rith the Shannon alone, drew up be-
fore the harbour of Boston, in a pos-

ture of defiance. The Chesapeake
accepted the challenge ; she came out
to decide, as it were, by single com-
bat, this contest between the two na-
tions in maritime prowess. The coast
was entirely lined by the inhabitants,
who could observe with ease all the
vicissitudes of a combat so interesting.
The issue remained not long in sus-
pense. The two vessels came almost
immediately in contact, and Captain
Broke, observing that the enemy at
this critical moment flinched from their
guns, gave immediate orders for board-
ing. In less than ten minutes the
whole of the British crew were on the
decks of the Chesapeake. In two
minutes more, the enemy, after a des-
perate but disorderly resistance, was
driven from every post, and the Ame-
ricans from the shore beheld the Bri-
tish colours flying over the vessel,
which had just left their harbour in
full assurance of victory.

The arrival of Admiral Warren at
Bermuda had now established the na-
val superiority of Britain in these seas;
and the question was, how the Ame-
ricans might be best made to feel it ?
With this view a squadron of light
vessels was sent up the Chesapeake,
the grand inlet of the North Ameri-
can States. This squadron made suc-
cessful descents at various havens along
its coasts, and upon the rivers at its
head. Wherever the British landed,
they took possession of the vessels and
all public property, without doing
any further injury to the inhabitants.
An attempt upon Carney Island did
not succeed ; but Kent and Swan Is-
lands were taken and fortified, and es-
tabhshments were thus formed at the
very head of the bay. — Upon the
whole, considerable injury was done to
the enemy by these operations, and
great alarm excited ; but no vital
point was reached, nor were any of
the grand objects of the war material-
ly promoted. This desultory and

Chap. 6.

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

119

coasting warfare, though a favourite
with the British public, is never likely
to lead to any important result. Its
successes are superficial and transient,
while, though the suffering and alarm
inflicted may tend in some measure to
dispose the minds of the people to
peace, this effect must be greatly coun-
teracted by the irritation which is ex-
cited. No very beneficial effect has
ever attended its adoption, either on
the old or new continent.

Such is a brief sketch of the milita-
ry and naval events of the year, connect-
ed with the American continent, which
it seemed proper to record without in-
terruption. It becomes necessary now
to advert to some proceedings which
took place in England, and in Ameri-
ca, relating to this unhappy contest.

On the 14th of May, Lord Darnley
made a motion in the House of Lords,
for a select committee to enquire in-
to the state of the war with Ameri-
ca, and into the naval administration
of the country, against which some of
the accidental triumphs of the Ame-
ricans had raised a very general out-
cry. In support of the motion, it was
maintained, that " ministers must have
been aware that war could not fail, at
no distant period, to be the result of
their own measures, combined with
the hostile feeling of the ruhng party
in the United States. This being the
case, how were they prepared to meet
it ? With respect to Canada, the
events which had happened there had
greatly added to the reputation of
our arms. But with regard to our
naval force, how were we prepared ?
It appeared, that in the months of
April, May, June, and July last year,
during a part of which period there
must have been every expectation of
the near approach of war, and during
the latter part of which the war had
actually commenced, there were under
Admiral Sawyer, on the Hahfax sta-
tion, (exclusive of smaller vessels,)

one ship of the line and five frigates*
That so small a force only should
have been stationed there, when a
timely reinforcement might have a«
chieved the most important objects,
loudly called for enquiry. If a force
of five ships of the line, seventeen
frigates, and an adequate number of
smaller vessels, had been on the Ha-
lifax station at the time the war broke
out, the whole coast of the United
States might have been immediately
blockaded. Had this been done, the
American frigates in port must have
remained there — those which had sail-
ed must have been captured in their
return — the American commerce would
have been destroyed — their customs,
upon which they relied for their reve-
nue, would have failed, and with this
succession of disasters, the ruling par-
ty in the United States would have
been forced out of power, and by this
time we should have had peace. It
might be said, that the amount of
the force on the Halifax station was
equal to that of the American navy,
and, judging from what had formerly
occurred, five of our frigates might be
deemed equal to five of our enemy's
frigates ; but was the quality of our
force in this instance equal to that
with which it had to contend ? Had it
not, on the contrary, long since been
a matter of notoriety, that the Ame-
rican frigates were greatly superior to
ours in size and weight of metal ?—
" War,'* continued the supporters of
the motion, "wasdeclared against Great
Britain by the United States, on the
18th of June ; the official intelligence
of this fact reached government on the
30th of July, and notwithstanding the
incalculable importance of this event,
parUament was prorogued on that very
day. War then having been declared
on the 1 8th of June, what was done
by way of instant retaliation ? No-
thing ; and it was not until the 13th
of October that letters of marque an4

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 6.

reprisal were issued ; how the interval
was employed the country required an
explanation. Still, however, the same
dilatory system was pursued, and more
than two months elapsed before the
Chesapeake and Delaware were decla-
red to be blockaded, the notification
being dated the 26th of December-
Although ministers were made ac-
quainted with the quality of the Ame-
rican naval force, they took no steps
to place our shipping upon an equal
footing, by giving them additional
guns upon deck ; and the vessels upon
a new construction, that were built
expressly to cope with the American
frigates, were not to be launched un-
til October. In pursuance of the
feeble and indecisive plan which had
been observed since the commence-
inent of hostilities, on the l3th of
March, 1813, certain other ports of
the United States wc-e declared to be
blockaded, but Rhode island and
Newport yet remained open, and in the
the latter, the American frigate, after
the capture of the Macedonian, actual-
ly refitted. Was this the mode in
which the affairs of Great Britain, at
a crisis like the present, ought to be
conducted ? Every thing which bra-
very could accomplish had been done
by the officers and seamen . our dis-
asters were solely attributable to the
ministers. On a reference to the Lon-
don Gazette, it would be found that
many of the circumstances attending
the capture of all our frigates were si-
milar ; they were all crippled in their
rigging, and dismasted early in the
action, disasters arising partly from the
commanding height of the ships of the
enemy, and partly from their greater
weight of metal, while the shot from
our smaller guns produced compara-
tively little effect upon the masts of
our antagonists. To ascertain satisfac-
torily the causes of this superiority,
was surely of great importance. If it
were urged, that we had not seamen

to man new frigates to contend with
America, it might be replied, that
many small vessels were now uselessly
employed upon various stations, the
crews of which might be turned over
to our larger vessels, and might thus
be rendered useful to their country,
instead of wasting their years in in-
glorious idleness. If proper measures
had been adopted at an early period,
the enemy's privateers and ships of
war would have been confined with-
in their ports, and the hst of our cap-
tured vessels could not have been
swelled to the present enormous and
melancholy amount. From the re-
turns, it appeared, that 382 of our
valuable merchantmen had been cap-
tured, only 80 of which had been re-
taken. The chief cause of these losses
was the deficiency of force on the va-
rious stations at Jamaica and the Lee-
ward Islands ; for instance, the nation-
al flag of the British empire had been
lately known to wave upon a vessel of
less than forty tons burden. While
ministers were thus negligent of our
external commerce, they were not
more vigilant in the protection and
support of our domestic manufactures.
American cotton, by a system of po-
licy that could not be too severely re-
probated, had, until lately, been al-
lowed to be imported, to the great de-
triment of our own colonies, and to
the great advantage of the territory
of our enemies.

" Another part of the subject, of
not less importance than those already
noticed, and upon which detailed en-
quiries were absolutely necessary, was
the management of our dock-yards,
and the general system pursued with
regard to the construction of our ships.
Several men of war recently built had,
after one voyage, been laid up as unfit
for further service, in consequence of
the badness of the materials — All
these were matters that demanded en-
quiry, as well indeed as the whole

Chap. 6.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

121

conduct of the Navy Board, which
was principally distinguished for an
obstinate adherence to old systems,
long exploded in every other country
of Europe, and for a determined op-
position to all kinds of improve-
ment.*'

To these charges it was answered,
" that it would indeed be a circum-
stance tending to criminate the admi-
nistration of the country, if, while
they were apprised that war was in-
evitable, they had not kept a suffici-
ent force on the coasts of the Ameri-
can states. For some time before the
war, the government of the United
States, indeed, indicated any thing
but a spirit of friendship towards this
country. Such, however, was not the
general opinion, and it was at that
time confidently asserted, that the re-
vocation of the orders in council
would prove sufficient to pacify Ame-
rica. In this hope we had been dis-
appointed, for, although the pre-
text which was once rested upon as a
sufficient ground for hostilities, had
been taken away, the Americans still
maintained a furious opposition to
those naval rights, on the integrity of
which our safety as a nation depends.
That it was the duty of government
to have been always ready with a fleet
sufficient to blockade all the ports of
America, would hardly be maintained.
It was its duty, no doubt, to keep on
the American station at all times a
sufficient force to check the navy of
America, and to protect the trade of
his majesty's subjects. But it was at
the same time the duty of govern-
ment, as far as was consistent with the
security of the country, to abridge
the naval force, and to give all the ef-
ficiency possible to another branch of
the service, of which the exertions
were now of such eminent importance.
It had been said, that ships ought to
have been taken from other quarters at
the conimencement of the war, and ap-

plied to the stations in question. But
this could not be done, unless the force
on other stations had been more than
sufficient for its objeC, which never
had been the cace. At Toulon the
enemy had been fitting out 20 ships of
the line ; and in this as well as many
other places the blockading force was
less than the force blockaded. The
season of the year, it might be also
observed, at which the Americans,
with a view to their own advantage,
had declared war, was such that all our
vessels had been previously dispatched
to their several stations, whence they
could not be speedily recalled. Now,
under all these circumstances, had the
events of the war been such as to war-
rant enquiry: It had been said, that
the force on the American station at
the commencement of the war was in-
adequate. The Americans did not
think it so ; for, before declaring war,
their vessels escaped from the Chesa-
peake, which was a port liable to be
blockaded. They did not attempt to
fight our squadron, but wished to go
after the trading vessels ; they went af-
ter the Jamaica squadron, but found it
sufficiently guarded, and were chased
by the British ships. They had ne-
ver dared to attack the British squad-
ron when united, but they took ad-
vantage of its dispersion. — The Guer-
riere, one of the frigates al'uded to,
had but a few days before been in com-
pany with the other ships, but being
separated by a gale, was, after an ac-
tion of which no one could speak too
highly, taken by a vessel of superior
force. This might have happened
whatever had been the force of the
British vessels. It was absurd to talk
of blockading the American ports.
What had passed within the last 20
years might have been sufficient to
dissuade us from such an attempt,
since we had seen, notwithstanding
the endeavours of our blockading
squadrons, vessels taken on our very

m EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 6.

coasts. If the government had before
the war sent, as it was now contend-
ed they ought to have done, a force
gufficient to blockade the ports of
America, while they were doing every
thing consistent with national honour
to accommodate the differences be-
tween this country, how eagerly would
this circumstance have been laid hold
of as the symptom of a hostile spirit ?—
Because the crew of the Java had been
composed in a great degree of young
men, this circumstance could not be
adduced as a proof that there was not
among them many experienced sea-
men.— Was it contended, that we
should alter the classes of ships in the
British navy, merely because there
were three American vessels of unu-
sual dimensions ? If there was a sub-
ject on which all naval officers were
agreed, it was this — that it was im-
proper to multiply the classes of ves-
sels. It was far better to send out
74's on the station, than to set about
building ships which would be fit to
cope only with the American navy.
As to the advice to diminish the num-
ber of small vessels, no experienced
person could adopt it. At this time
small craft were in great demand, to
protect our trade from the privateers
and other small vessels of the enemy.—
As to the assertion, that the balance
of captures since the declaration of
war was in favour of the Americans,
the fact was directly the reverse. On
this part of the question a most satis-
factory argument might be deduced
from the rates of insurance. The rate
for ships convoyed was but one per
cent, higher than it was a year ago.
The number of this description of ships
captured had been unusually small, and
it was not to be wondered at, that of
those which ran from their convoy
some should be taken, or that when
the convoy was dispersed by gales of
wind, the enemy should sometimes
pick up a few stragglers* — It had been

made a charge against the ministers,
that the letters of marque and reprisal
were not issued till October, although
intelligence of the war was received in
July. But by this delay, which was
allowed to take place with the view
of ascertaining the reception given to
propositions of amity from the British
government, no detriment had been
occasioned ; for so soon as the intel-
ligence of the declaration of war had
reached this country, orders were is-
sued to detain all American vessels,
thus insuring all the advantages which
could be obtained by letters of marque.
— As to the mihtary force again, it
had not indeed conquered the United
States ; but it was not intended for
conquest, — it was intended for the de-
fence of his majesty's dominions there,
and this object it had effected. — It
was not fair to infer that, because the
blockade of the American ports was
not notified in the London Gazette,
armed vessels could go out and in
without danger. — As to the loss of the
Java, the court-martial which met in
consequence of that event, would, if it
had been attended with circumstances
of neglect of any kind, have reported
t<i/tbat effoct.— ^In the construction of
our vessels we had been represented
as very deficient, and the public of&ces
were said to be so wedded to old cus-
toms, that no good could ever be ef-
fected. The truth is, that in the mo-
delling of vessels the French and other
nations were superior to us ; but in the
execution we were as superior to them.
But in pursuance of a report of the
commissioners of revision, measures
had been taken which would remedy
the defect even in the scientific part.
To build ships hastily was in ordinary-
times ruinous, although when the ene-
my made unusual exertions in this
way, we were obliged, in order to
meet them, to follow his example.
The decay of some of our ships had
indeed been very rapid ; but a plan

CiiAP. 6.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

12S

for preventing it had been submitted
to the judgment of those whose duty-
it was to enquire into the subject. As
to the most convenient weight of
guns, there were very different opi-
nions among the officers of the navy.
Some officers extolled heavy metal
rery much, while nine out of ten of
the commanders would rather go to
sea without guns of that kind. — Upon
the whole it was contended that the
motion was altogether unnecessary,"
The motion was accordingly nega-
tived.

On opening the American con-
|L gress, Mr Madison, as usual, present-
B ed a very elaborate philippic against
K this country, which contained among
11 others the following passage : " The
British cabinet must be sensible, that
with respect to the important ques-
tion of impressment, on which the
war so essentially turns, a search for,
or seizure of, British persons or pro-
ptrty, on board neutral vessels on the
high seas, is not a belligerent right, de-
rived from the law of nations j and it
is obvious, that no visit, or search, or
use of force for any purpose, on board
the vessel of an independent power on
the high seas, can in war or peace be
sanctioned by the laws or authority of
another power."

Thus Buonaparte and Mr Madison
professed the same principles, and pur-
sued the same object. Both would
have deprived Great Britain of the
right of search, by establishing the
principle, that free bottoms should
make free goods^-the maxim extend.

ing to the persons as well as to the
property on board. But a nation en-
gaged in hostilities with another na-
tion has a right to. the support of all
her subjects, and to take them where-
ever she can find them. The declara-
tion of opposite principles, by the Ame-
rican government, precluded of course
all hopes of an amicable arrangement.
Yet, although such was the spirit
displayed by the general government
of the United States, a considerable
proportion of the people continued
hostile to the war. Their burdens
were increasing — their disasters had
been severe — the advantages gained
by their arms comparatively unim-
portant ; and Mr Madison's partizan»
had some difficulty in managing them.
To animate their zeal various devices
were resorted to : Among others the
appointment of a committee of con-
gress to report in formal array the al-
leged outrages committed by this
country. Even this expedient, how-
ever, failed of effect : And the Ame-
ricans at last applied to the Emperor
of Russia to interfere as a mediator
betwixt them and Great Brjtain. But
the British government had wisely de-
termined never to submit to the judg-
ment of any neutral power the im-
portant questions in dispute with A-
merica ; and the mediation of the
Russian emperor was accordingly de-
clined. An offer was at the same time
made to enter into direct negociation
with America, which, however, led to
no immediate result ; and the unhappy
contest was still protracted.

124 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 7.

CHAP. VII.

Affairs qflndia» — General View of the Reasons for restricting the Monopoly
enjoyed by the East India Company — Sketch of the Limitations under ivhich
the Charter was renewed by Parliament.

Xhe first thing which must strike
every one who refl.^cts on the merits
of our Indian policy, is the myste-
rious style in which most persons are
accustomed to speak upon the sub-
ject, as if, when examining any ques-
tion relating to India, there existed a
necessity for laying aside all the re-
ceived principles of commercial and
political science, and for abandoning
even the most familiar maxims of com-
mon sense and sound reasoning. The
affairs of India, we are told by those
who profess to be particularly con-
versant in them, are quite different
fi-om the affairs of all other countries,
and must be regulated by a separate
and distinct set of maxims. There is
something, it is pretended, in the cli-
mate of Asia — in the physical consti-
tution of the eastern nations, as well
as in their laws, manners, and religion,
which must for ever baffle those Eu-
ropean politicians who may presume
to interfere in the legislation of the
Asiatics. So successful indeed have
the politicians who are supposed to
have a peculiar and official knowledge
of India affairs, been in imposing this
singular delusion on the public, that

even the statesmen, to whom we are
accustomed on all other subjects to
listen with respect, are heard with
distrust, when they come to deliver
their sentiments on the complicated and
mysterious subject of Indian policy.

Yet it were absurd to doubt that in
Asia as well as in Europe, that is the
best system of government which most
effectually promotes the great ends of
liberty and protection to its subjects,
at the least possible expense of their
lives and fortunes ; and that the best
plan of commercial intercourse for
India, as well as for England, which
ensures the perfect freedom of indi-
vidual industry, while it offers the
most splendid rewards to the success-
ful exertion of individual talent, and
the most promising hopes to the for-
tunate issue of individual enterprise
and speculation. It is impossible to
believe, that there is any thing either
in the climate of Asia, or in the con-
dition of its inhabitants, which should
prescribe a system of government for
them materially different in its princi-
ples from those which are recognized
m Europe ; or that an upright and
vigorous administration of justice, a
10 '

Chap. 7.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

125

powerful establishment for defence, a
system of prudent economy on the
part of the administration, and a free
and unrestrained intercourse of trade,
should be of equivocal or dangerous
influence in India.

It is scarcely necessary, therefore,
to mention, that, notwithstanding the
clamour which has been raised by the
zeal of an interested faction, the whole
question as to our Indian policy must
be brought to issue on the hypothesis,
that such a book as the Wealth of Na-
tions really contains principles which
do not altogether lose their force when
applied to the affairs of 1 ndia. In spite
of all sophistry and declamation the
leading doctrines of moral and politi-
cal science possess a significance and
application wherever men are found, —
an application, whose limits are con-
fined only by those of human society.
In conformity with the most obvi-
ous principles, it must be pronounced
a preposterous thing, that an associa-
tion of merchants should be vested
with the sovereignty of an empire far
more populous and extensive than
that of which they themselves form
but a small and comparatively insigni-
ficant portion. The causes, in a great
measure accidental, of this singular
phenomenon in politics, to which nei-
ther ancient nor modern times can af-
ford any thing like a parallel, are well
known as matter of history. But
whatever these causes may have been,
it deserves always to be remembered,
that the East India Company, which
has no higher rank than what belongs
to the greatest mercantile society m
the world, is in the actual possession
of one of the largest and most fertile
empires, and recently claimed the full
and unqualified monopoly of a trade,
which, estimating its value by the fer-
tility of the soil, and the number of
the people to whom it extends, ought
to leave the trade of all other countries
far behind it in extent and importance.

It must be superfluous to urge against
such an arrangement the ordinary to-
pics of censure — to declaim on the ut-
ter unfitness of such a society at once
to play the parts of sovereign and
merchant — or to dwell at length on
the striking impropriety of bending
under the yoke of such masters, a ter-
ritory of almost boundless extent and
fertility. — It must be equally super-
fluous to mention that the govern-
ment of the Company, like that es-
tablished in all the other oriental
states, is a pure despotism ; and that
under such a government there exists
i:o security for the happiness of the
governed, except in the wisdom and
benevolence of the administration.—
It must be unnecessary also to state,
that the interest in the welfare of In-
dia, which may be expected from the
proprietors and directors of the Com-
pany, is really the most feeble and
unsteady that can possibly be imagi-
ned ; and that of course every thing
might be expected from their admi-
nistration, rather than a regard to the
comfort and happiness of their sub-
jects. From the very nature of the
association, the interest of individual
proprietors must be feeble and tran-
sient, because their great object in
connecting themselves with the so-
ciety at all, is to secure a certain share
of influence and patronage ; the exer-
cise of which, to the fullest extent, is
not by any means compatible with a
disinterested regard to the prosperity
of the governed. It seems quite na-
tural to expect from such a govern-
ment nothing but avarice, rapacity,
and oppression towards its subjects.
But all this is very apparent, and has
already been frequently pressed on the
consideration of the legislature and
of the country.

But if the natural, and apparently
incurable, defects of the Company's
administration of the government of a
great empire be thus apparent, the ob-

ISe EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 7,

jections which, at first view, present
themselves to the commercial monopo-
ly, by which the poHtical rights of the
company were at one time fortified,
teem to be infinitely more formidable.
There is no feature, perhaps, of the
policy of an enlightened age, which is
more strikingly incompatible with the
fair enjoyment of individual rights, or
the rapid progress of general prospe-
rity, than this system of monopoliesj
and none, certainly, whose absolute in-
congruity with the notions of an ad-
vanced period is more palpable. What
can be more unjust than the selection
of a few favoured individuals, for the
exclusive enjoyment of all the commer-
cial benefits to be derived from an in-
tercourse with distant nations, while
the rest of their fellow-citizens, whose
pretensions are in every respect as fa»
vourable, remain the idle and discon-
tented spectators of the advantages se-
cured to their more fortunate rivals ?
It is essential to the prosperity of com-
merce, that it should be free and un-
constrained ; that the adventurer should
be left to the exercise of a discretion
the most unerring, because supported
by the steadiest and most powerful mo-
tives, and that he should receive from
government the most ample protection
for his rights, in order that he may be
enabled to proceed without timidity or
hesitation. But can any invasion of
his rights be more gross or insulting
than that which is accomphshed in the
shape of a monopoly, excluding him
from a participation in the profits of a
lucrative trade, which opens the most
promising field for his skill and enter-
prise ? Every grant of monopoly is a
gift out of the great commercial patri-
mony of the state ; and while it is the
duty of a wise government, like a kind
and affectionate parent, to consult the
•welfare of all its subjects, it is no won-
der that much murmuring and discon-
tent should be excited by a capricious
preference in the distribution of the

common inheritance. This ungenerous
partiality, and unfair abridgment of
natural right, are implied, however, in
every establishment of commercial mo-
nopoly, and afford, independently of all
other considerations, a strong induce-
ment to the immediate discontinuance
of such of them as still triumph over
the good sense and liberality of the
present age.

These general arguments applied
with a force which was irresistible to
the monopoly of the East India Com-
pany, as it existed before the renewal
of the charter in the present year. But
the directors, who could not encount-
er, endeavoured to elude their force by
maintaining, that the trade to British
India would, from circumstances which
they were not very careful to explain,
admit of no extension from the utmost
freedom of private enterprise ; that the
competition of private adventurers
would, in India, enhance so much the
price of every article, that the Compa-
ny would be unable to buy, and in Eu-
rope reduce the price so much that
the Company would be ruined by sell-
ing ; and that there was something in
the constitution of the Hindoos which
would prevent them from raising the
supply, so as to meet an increased de-
mand for their commodities. Such
were the strange arguments by which
the cause of the Company was sup-
ported.

Even if it could be proved that mo-
nopolies tend to promote industry and
opulence, and give a better direction
to capital than it would take without
the aid of law, one might still have
some scruples as to the equity of the
principle, which, for the sake of such
advantages, would authorize so arbi-
trary a restraint on the common rights
of society. But it can be established,
that the inexpediency of such a system
is not more manifest than its injustice.

It has been often proved, that a trade
not supported by the profits which it

CuAp;T*]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

12T

is calculated to yieia, but remaining
: dependent for its continuance on ex-
traordinary immunities and privileges,
secured at the expence of those who
do not participate in its gains, is neces-
§arily a losing trade to the public, what-
ever may be its result to the individuals
by whom it is conducted. No man
will persist in devoting a portion of his
funds to an employment which does
not yield him an ordinary return, with-
out assistance from other sources, or
the sacrifice of other advantages ; and
it may be assumed, that the same max-
ims which an individual will find pru-
dent in the management of his private
affairs, will not prove of doubtful ap-
phcation when apphed to the wealth
of nations. The trade, therefore, which
requires a monopoly for its support, is
in itself a losing trade, and should ne-
ver receive the countenance of the le-
gislature, unless it be found subser-
vient to higher interests, which could
iiot in any other shape be so effectual-
ly consulted.

Where a monopoly of colonial trade,
such as that of the East India Com-
pany, is established, it is quite obvious
that one of two consequences must fol-
low,— either the monopolists will be
fully qualified to conduct the whole
trade in the very best manner, or they
will not be iable to do this, and could
not stand the competition of the pri-
vate merchant. If the first hypothesis
be admitted, then the grant of exclusive
privileges is a very unnecessary mea-
sure, since the grantees are, in truth,
the very persons into whose hands the
whole trade would inevitably fall in
the natural course of things ; and the
monopoly can serve no other purpose
than to excite murmurs among those
who may be apt to entertain the erro-
neous notion, that they themselves
could successfully compete with the
monopolists, were all restraints with-
drawn. But this hypothesis is never
admissible in any case of monopoly j

for it is so obviously beyond the pow-
er of human foresight and wisdom to
establish prospective regulations for
the comphcated affairs of a great and
increasing branch of trade, that the ex-
act adaptation of the means to the end
will never be credited by any man of
common understanding. There re-
mains, therefore, but one alternative^
that the monopolists are really unfit
for the beneficial discharge of the trust
reposed in them — that they are with-
out the vigilance, capital, and talents,
which are required to the best ma-
nagement of their concerns ; or, in other
words, that the affairs of their trade
are necessarily and inevitably conduct-
ed by them to the great loss and in-
convenience of the public.

Nor is it a matter of any difficulty
to point out the precise way in which
the loss is sustained by the country,
which is unhappily led to sanction so
preposterous an arrangement. The in-
dustiy of the parent state can be promo-
ted only by a demand for its manufac-
tures ; and this demand can be increa-
sed in no other way but by competi-
tion among the buyers. The same ob-
vious maxims of political science apply-
also to the case of the colony, whose
progressive improvement in industry
and opulence forms the only lawful ob-
ject of the policy of the parent state.
But when you grant a monopoly yoii
destroy this competition ; you make
the monopolists the only buyers both
at home and abroad ; you make them
also the only sellers ; in short, you de-
stroy, in so far as it is possible for a nar-
row and misguided policy to do so, all
the great springs on which the pros-
perity of nations must for ever depend.

Every man buys as cheap and sells
as dear as possible ; but the monopo-
list alone is enabled to do this with ef-
fect. There exists no competition to
restrain the unbounded avarice of his
nature ; and in the free indulgence of
the most selfish of passions, he is en-

12«

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [CHAi». 7,

abled with one hand to check the in-
dustry of the poor, and with the other
to narrow the enjoyments of the rich.
There is but one way of promoting
industry with effect — to increase the
<}emand for its productions ; and there
is also but one way to extend con-
sumption— by lowering the price of the
articles consumed. Under these two
heads may be ranged almost every pro-
position in the science of political eco-
nomy, as well as every rational scheme
for accelerating the progress of opu-
lence ; and yet it is not a little singu-
lar, that the attainment of both these
great ends forms the very objection
which the East India Company were
pleased to state to the abolition of their
commercial monopoly. They com-
plained that private competition would
enhance the price of Indian commodi-
ties;— in other words, that it would en-
courage industry among the subjects of
the British govL*rnmcnt in India ; and,
with perfect consistency, they com-
plained also that the same private com-
petition would lower, in the home
market, the value of Indian produce,
that is, would greatly extend the con-
sumption.

What has been already stated is,
with some limitations, true of all mo-
nopolies ; even of those which leave
scope for the enterprize and vigilance
of the private traders of a particular
province or state. But the argument
applies with tenfold force to a mono-
poly so very narrow as to include only
a single commercial association, so con-
stituted as to forfeit entirely all the
benefits derived from the powerful sti-
mulus of private interest, and the
control of private inspection. Such
an association as this, while it de-
prives industry of all the advantages
derived from a free competition, and
sacrifices the interests of the commu-
nity to the prejudices of a few indivi-
duals, is so ingeniously contrived as to
forfeit, even for the grantees, all the

commercial benefits which they might
otherwise promise themselves from the
partiality of government. The strong
stimulus of individual interest, and the
benefits of private vigilance, being lost
by the very constitution of the society,
the inference is no less inevitable in
theory, than we have found it invaria-
bly justified by the event, that such
an association, with all its privileges
and immunities, could not for a single
day sustain the competition of the pri-
vate merchant ; nay, that even when
secured against this competition, such
are the negligence and waste insepara-
ble from its plan of administration, that
it cannot,' with any rational prospect
of success, hope to continue its com-
mercial undertakings.

But there was still another circum-
stance connected with the state of the
East India Company since its immense
territorial acquisitions had been made
in India, by which it was most unfa-
vourably distinguished from almost
every other monopoly, and aspired to
a pre-eminence over every other impo-
litic establishment, viz. the combina-
tion of the incompatible functions of
merchant and sovereign, which must for
ever preclude advances in commercial
improvement. If the sovereign of any
European state had an entire mo-
nopoly of its foreign trade, what are
the consequences which every man of
common understanding would antici-
pate from so preposterous an union of
different, or rather opposite charac-
ters ? Would he not expect, with the
most perfect confidence, either that the
trade would be rendered quite subser-
vient to the fluctuating schemes of ad-
ministration, and of course would sink
quickly into insignificance, or that the
paternal interest, which is natural even
to the worst of governments, in the
prosperity of its subjects, would be
shamelessly abandoned for the pursuits
of unlawful gain, at the hazard of com-
mitting the greatest oppressions in the

Chap. 7.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

129

industrious classes of the people ? The
case was precisely the same with India:
the Company, as sovereigns, ought to
have felt an interest in extending the
manufactures and trade of India ; but,
as monopolists, it was clearly their busi-
ness to compress them within the nar-
row limits which were found suitable
to their own circumstances and re-
sources.

The accuracy of these general views
has been well illustrated in the history
of this great establishment. In the
year 178$, the attention of the legisla-
ture and the country was imperiously
called to Indian affairs, by the profli-
gacy and mismanagement which seem-
ed to mark the whole of the Company's
proceedings. It had at this period
become notorious, that the oppression
exercised by the Company's servants
abroad over the independent princes of
India, — princes in alliance with the
Company — as well as over the provin-
ces which had submitted to the Bri-
tish government,— ^were such as to en-
danger the very existence of the Bri-
tish in India. So critical and alarm-
ing was the state of British India
then deemed by the legislature, that
after elaborate and voluminous reports
by committees of the House of Com-
mons, in which every species of mis-
government was brought home to the
Company, the most violent remedies
alone were pronounced suitable to the
disease. Mr Fox and his friends did
not hesitate about proposing a measure
which involved the temporary forfei-
ture of the most valuable privileges
belonging to the Company ; while Mr
Pitt, with less precipitation, and more
tenderness for the Company's rights,
could discover no cure for the disorder
short of a participation by the execu-
tive government in the conduct of the
Company's political affairs.

During the anxious discussions of
that memorable period, it seems to have
been conceded on all sides, that there

VOL. VI. PART I. ^

were vices inherent to the very consti-
tution of the Company, which disqua-
lified it for the exercise of the func-
tions with which it was entrusted ;
that the greater number of the pro-
prietors must always be much more
disposed to intrigue for pohtical influ-
ence, than to speculate for the sake of
commercial wealth ; and that the court
of directors, being a representative
body, must of necessity be supposed
to participate in the vices and preju-
dices of their constituents. It was but
too obvious, from the whole scene of
iniquity which was unveiled, that the
more bustling and ambitious of the
proprietors were naturally so much
interested in the welfare of the Com-
pany's servants in India, who were of
their own selection, as to aim at secu-
ring certain impunity for all classes of
delinquents ; and it was at once per-
ceived, that the irregular and unde-
fined controul then exerted by mini-
sters over the proceedings of the di-
rectors, must for ever be found inade-
quate to the remedy of such grievan-
ces. It availed not the Company to
pretend, that the instructions dispatch-
ed by them to their servants in India
had in general been wise and politic,
because it had been remarked with
astonishment, that every breach of these
instructions had been ultimately re^
warded with the Company's approba-
tion. Of the disposition natural to a
set of men like the proprietors of India
stock, a very good specimen was at
this time given, in the confirmation of
the power of Mr HastingSj after his
recal had been determined upon by the
House of Commons ; and, in short, it
was, in the whole circumstances of the
case, quite manifest, that no remedy
could be found for the defects inherent
to the constitution of the Company,
but in the exercise of a powerful aiul
efficient controul over the selection of
their servants, as well as their plans of
policy. A most important revolutiou

t ■

130 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 7.

in the government of British India was
of course determined on, and a ^feat
share of that power which the Com-
pany had shewn itself so ill qualified to
exercise, was transferred to the crown,
which was thus enabled to controul the
proceedings of the directors, by the
power of appointing to offices of trust
in India, — of imposing a negative on
the appointments made by the Com-
pany, andof removing improperand un-
worthy servants from the situations to
which they had been nominated. A
direct influence over the policy pur-
sued in India was bestowed on a body
of commissioners, created for the pur-
pose, who have since been known un-
der the appellation of the Board of
Controul. Thus did the Company's
acknowledged incapacity to manage its
affairs prescribe a change of system to
the legislature, which amounted to a
direct and serious encroachment on the
rights then claimed, even under an ex-
isting charter, which had received the
sanction of parliament.

By far the most solid and impor-
tant of the advantages which England
may derive from her vast empire in
India, is that of a great and extended
commercial intercourse with the im-
mense regions included in the Com-
pany's charter. The splendid acqui-
sition of extended empire is but of
doubtful advantage — the surplus of
revenue after defraying the expences
of local government is but precarious
and uncertain at the best, whilethe law-
ful gains of an honourable commerce
form an important and substantial ad-
dition to the power and resources of
the parent state. Few persons would
have been disposed to challenge the
Company's administration, even if it
had secured for the mother country
no advantages except those which are
of the most unequivocal character, by
the increase of her manufacturing in-
dustry and the extension of her com-
merce. Had the Company done this

to any extent worth mentioning — had
it fulfilled the expectations even of
those who estimate on the most mo-
derate principles the commercial value,
to such a country as Great Britain, of
the exclusive influence which it had, by
a series of fortunate events, been ena-
bled to acquire among the nations of
Asia — or had it not rather kept down
the enterprise'and baffled the hopes of
the British people ? Every one knows
what answer must be given to th^se
questions.

But had the Company's transac-
tions been profitable to itself? It is
true, indeed, that so long as the ma-
nufactures of India found no rival in
those of Great Britain — while the
Company was in the undisturbed en-
joyment of all its exclusive privileges,
with the advantage of a ready mar-
ket, to which no competitor could
venture on approaching — and while
there yet remained some faint traces
of the mercantile origin of the esta-
blishment, in the habits of vigilance
and economy which correspond with
that character — they did contrive to
make a profit on their mercantile ad-
ventures, although even then the pro-
fit was as nari*ow as a very careless ma-
nagement of their affairs would permit.
But of late years the scene had been
quite changed — the admission of Ame-
rica, in the year 1797, to that share in
the trade both of India and China,
which was denied to the British mer-
chant, appeared to have altered entirely
the form of the Company's commercial
concerns, and since tliat fatal year the
general balance on their mercantile
transactions had, with hardly a single
exception, been against the Company.
The year 1797 was the first in which
a total loss on the mercantile transac-
tions of the Company was fairly ad-
mitted. In 1 798 the same discouraging
result was presented ; in 1799 there was
a great loss on the exports to India ;
and in 1800 a serious loss was again su?-

Chap. 7.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

131

tained on the exports to India, for
which no compensation could be found
in the sales in Europe. From 1801
downwards, the accounts present no-
thing but a repetition of the same dis-
asters in India — of heavy losses sus-
tained on the Company's exports from
Great Britain, which are scarcely ever
compensated by the profits on their
imports. The trade of the Company
for the last fifteen years has therefore
exhibited nothing but a series of very
heavy losses, as well as various other
symptoms of decay, from which there
seemed to be no chance of rescuing
the commercial intercourse betwixt
Great Britain and India so long as the
system of exclusion was pursued.

When the great question as to the
renewal of the Company's charter was
under discussion, the private mer-
chants laid claims to a participation
in the trade exclusively enjoyed by
the Company — that is, to a free trade
both witli India and China, together
with such a right of residence in the
territorial possessions of the Com-
pany, as might be found necessary for
enabling them to manage their con-
cerns, free of arbitrary conditions and
restraints of every description.

Against this demand the Company
alledged the natural and necessary li-
mitation of the trade to India, and
from this they inferred the expediency
of continuing the monopoly. But
even if the public had been satisfied
that there was no chance of an increase
of the tradcj there would still have
been great propriety in acceding to
the demands of the petitioners. Whe-
ther the trade should, after it was
thrown open, prove susceptible of
j^reat improvement in point of extent,
this at least was certain, that it might
admit of muchamelioration in the mode
of management — and this seemed quite
a sufficient reason for acceding to the
propositions of the merchants. But
:hf sentiments of the Coji^pany on this

head were liable to the strongest suspi-
cions. Their own failure, in extending
the trade to India and China, afforded
no proof whatever that the trade was
not susceptible of improvement — and
even the scanty introduction of Bri-
tish manufactures which had already
been effected among the people of
Asia, afforded evidence that under
better management the trade might
admit of indefinite increase. It was
obvious, at all events, that things could
not be worse than they were, but
that they might become much better j
and this consideration seemed sufficient
of itself to justify and even to pre-
scribe a change of system.

It could not escape observation, that
the apparent contempt with which the
trade of India was spoken of, and the
instant ruin with which private adven-
turers were threatened, were not quite
consistent with the serious remon-
strances of the Company against the
removal of the restrictions. If the
trade were really so narrow and un-
prosperous as they would have had the
pubhc to believe, th^ surrender of their
exclusive right to it could not be
so very serious ; and if it were to
be fraught with ruin to those who
might dare to embark in it, the Com-
pany might have safely left it to the
intelligence of the private trader to
have made the discovery, and to his
prudence to retire from utter destruc-
tion, should his sanguine hopes seduce
him into a perilous undertaking. In
short, the future extent of the trade
to India could never be estimated by
any calculations of its amount while
under the management of the Com-
pany; nor could the warm remon-
strances of the directors against the
admission of private adventurers be
readily ascribed to their disinterested
apprehensions about the safety of their
rivals.

But the most decisive and satisfac-
tory awiirance on this branch of the

132 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 7-

subject was derived from the vast pro-
gress which America had unaccount-
ably been permitted to make in the
trade of India. In a trade which
should have admitted of no increase
from private interference, the mercan-
tile adventurers of America had been
allowed to participate so largely, that
they had the supply, not only of their
own market, as well as that of South
America, but had actually competed,
to good purpose, with the Company
itself, in the general market of Eu-
rope. These facts, which were quite
notorious, threw considerable suspi-
cions on the prophecies, which, in the
abolition of a baneful system of ex-
clusion, foreboded the ruin of an ex-
tensive trade, and the subversion of
an empire.

It was maintained by the Company,
that the capital of the private mer-
chants would be found inadequate to
the proper encouragement of the trade
with India, because the native manu-
facturers are so poor that large ad-
vances must be made to them long
before the fruits of their labour can
be realized. But those who urged
this absurd plea forgot, that the con-
cerns of an extensive commerce natu-
rally give rise to many subdivisions
in the employment of capital, and that
while with the benefits of a free trade,
the capital of one class of merchants
might be devoted to the purchase in
India, and the transmission to Europe
of Indian manufactures, that of ano-
ther class would naturally seek em-
ployment in furnishing for the native
workmen the means of enabhng them
to prepare and bring forward their
commodities.

It was alledged besides for the Com-
pany, that the Hindoos, and indeed
the whole people of Asia, are of a
very timorous and suspecting charac-
ter— that they are very unwilling to
liold any intercourse with strangers —
that a long experience ©f the Com-
10

pany's transactions had however in-
spired universal confidence in their ho-
nour and good faith, but that the pri-
vate merchants would find the difficul-
ties of trade with the whole race quite
insurmountable. It was even main-
tained, that the progress made in the
introduction of British manufactures
into China, had been the result of the
talents and address displayed by the
agents and supercargoes of the honour-
able Company, who had dexterously
resorted to artifices of various kinds,
for the purpose of seducing the Chi-
nese into a taste for these produc-
tions, whose value they would never
otherwise have been able to appreciate.
But these pretences were too flimsy to
require a moment's consideration.

It is well known that the trade
betwixt Europe and India was con-
templated with much jealousy and ap-
prehension by the advocates of the
commercial system, as it was called,
whose tenets are not yet entirely
abandoned. The constant exportation
of bullion in return for commodities,
was calculated to alarm those persons
who considered the increase of the
precious metals as comprehending
every thing which it was the object
of a wise policy to accumulate, and
who pretended to discover, in the con-
stant drain of these objects of fond
attachment, the downfall of the com-
mercial prosperity of the European
states. It was to be expected, that
the defenders of monopoly, to whom
every part of the same commercial
system is naturally so dear, would avail
themselves of the popular prejudices
on this subject, and endeavour to raise
an alarm about the ruin which must in
this way ensue, from the extension of
our commercial intercourse with In-
dia. It can hardly be worth while to
expose so pitiful a prejudice ; but if
the argument apphed in favour of the
Company, it struck with equal force
against it. If it would be dangerous

Chap. 7.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

ISS

to extend the trade to India, for fear
of losing all the gold and silver which
we can collect, it must be impolitic
to continue any trade with it at all,
and the Company ought instantly, and
for ever, to have abandoned all its
commercial undertakings.

It was stated with great confidence,
that the private merchants would be
unable to conduct their trade in India
without the assistance of a military
force at the various factories, which
they might find it convenient to esta-
blish ; because, forsooth, it is impos-
sible to conduct trade of any kind in
India but at the point of the bayonet.
The experience which suggested this
piece of reasoning did not seem very
honourable to the commercial charac-
ter of the East India Company.

The dangers of colonization were
strongly insisted upon by those who
wished to perpetuate the monopoly.
From colonization was anticipated the
introduction of the Euiopean spirit ;
the discussion of popular rights ; and,
finally, the subversion of the local go-
vernment. All the weaker passions
were set in motion ; all the most ab-
surd prejudices were alarmed on this
branch of the subject.

But if there be any country in the
worldto which there is but little chance
of a considerable emigration from Great
Britain, that country is India ; and
every person of common understand-
ing must be inevitably led to this con-
clusion by a variety of considerations.
First of all, India contains a popula-
tion which may fairly be considered as
having for a period, beyond which we
have no record, been absolutely redun-
dant, and, of course, must for ever con-
tinue to afford the most slender temp-
tations to emigrants of all classes. What
could induce the laborious population
of England to select India as a place
of exile, where there is no room either
for their skill or industry ? 2dly, The
natural consequence of an overflowing

population is quite perceptible in the
very insignificant value which labour
bears in that country, compared with
the price which it will bring in the
market of Europe : and this circum-
stance must for ever remain a complete
bar to the emigration of the lower or-
ders, that is, to an emigration of aiiy
importance. 3dly, The climate, lan-
guage, laws, religion, and manners,
of the Hindoos, are as utterly unlike
those of the people of this country as
it is possible to conceive ; and this again
must add prodigious strength to the
barrier by which the inhabitants of the
two countries must remain separated,
^thly, The immense distance of India
from England, and the consequent ex-
pense of emigration, would effectually
prevent the lower orders from emigra-
ting to India, even if no other obstacle
opposed itself to such a project, othly.
Without large and constant emigra-
tions of the lower orders, on whose
co-operation their more active and tur-
bulent leaders must ever depend for
the success of their projects, it is ex-
tremely improbable that there should
be numerous emigrations even of the
latter class, whose removal to India
was the object of affected dread. 6thly,
But even on the supposition that all
the preceding views were erroneous,
and that emigration were gradually and
slowly to take place, an indefinite pe-
riod must elapse before the European
settlers could bear an assignable pro-
portion to the natives, over whom it
was assumed that they were speedily
to exercise a degree of influence, which,
in spite of all the respect naturally paid
to government, and in defiance of all
the power which that government
could employ for repressing it, was,
with rapid progress, to drive the na-
tives into a state of insubordination
and rebellion.

An obstinate, and unfortunately a
successful, resistance was made to the
opening of the China trade. The old

134. EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap.

story was repeated about the impru-
dence of private traders, who were, of
course, to exasperate the Chinese, a
singular and irritable race of men. But
it was justly remarked, that if we were
actually to be excluded from the ports
of China, we should not be deprived
of an intercourse with that country so
long as we have numerous stations,
whither the Chinese would most wil-
lingly repair to carry on their trade
with us. The Americans never insult-
ed and exasperated the Chinese so as
to forfeit the benefits of the China
trade ; and the private traders of Ame-
rica carried on their trade to China to
such purpose, that they were enabled
to sell their teas at Boston and New
York for less than one-half of the prices
charged by the company to the people
of England.

Such were the views which were ge-
nerally taken of the commercial branch
of this great question ; and, it may be
added, that these views, to a great ex-
tent, received the sanction of govern-
ment. It will now be proper to give
Fome account of the measures adopted
by parliament, and of the more impor-
tant limitations under which the char-
ter of the Company was renewed.

The resolutions respecting the re-
newal of the East India Company's
charter, originally proposed by Lord
Castlereagh, were, after long examina-
tion and discussion, ultimately agreed
to, with little alteration. The plan
thus adopted continued to the com-
pany the sovereignty of India. The
influence of the crown, in regard to the
nomination of governors- general, re-
ceived an increase, though it may be
doubted if full provision be yet made
to obviate the embarrassment arising
from the exercise of so high a function.
But if, in regard to pohtical power,
the Company obtained nearly ail that
they could demand, the same favour
was not shewn to their pretensions still
to monopolise the commerce of India

The trade, however, was opened to
competition only in those branches
from which the Company always de-
clared that no profit, but a sensible
loss, accrued to them. These branches,
therefore, they had no motive to carry
on, other than that of pubhc spirit,
and their financial condition ought to
be improved by the transference of them
to other hands. The trade to China,
by which the Company still gained
considerably, was preserved to them.

The consideration of this affair oc-
cupied a greater portion of the time
and attention of parliament, than any
other subject which was agitated du-
ring the present session. A great part
of that labour was very idly employed.
Long examinations took place to as-
certain whether the situation and ac-
commodation of the out'ports would
admit of India goods being imported
into them with perfect security to the
revenue. The most decided protest
ought to have been offered against en-
tering into any such enquiry. It is a
most alarming circumstance, that the
principle should at all be admitted of
subjecting commerce to restraint and
monopoly for the purpose of render-
ing it more easy to collect the taxes.
If we begin on such principles, where
are we to stop ? If India goods are to
be confined to particular ports, why
are not wines and sugar to be confined
for the same reason ? There is no doubt,
that if all articles subject to taxation
were to be introduced at one single
port only, the revenue upon them would
be collected much more easily, more
efficaciously, and more cheaply ; nor
would any bad consequence follow,
except the rapid decay of all these
branches of trade. There is, in fact,
much less pretence for such a measure
in the case of India than of almost any
other goods. The length of the voy-
age, and the tempestuous seas through
which it is made, render necessary the
employment of very large vessels, much

Chap. 7.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

13.1

larger than are requisite for carrying on
the European or American trade. The
large size of vessels materially obstructs
any illicit traffic, because such vessels
cannot approach sufficiently near to the
the coast for such traffic, and because
their motions are much more easily ob-
served. Besides, as tea v^ras already ex-
cepted, none of the other articles afford
a revenue so considerable as that any
such violent measures should be neces-
sary to prevent a small defalcation.
Better would it be if any trifling loss
is sustained, to compensate it by an in-
creased duty on the same, or on any
other articles, than thus to cramp the
sinews of national industry. Why
should piece-goods be introduced only
into the port of London ? and why
should the rest of the trade be confined
to certain of the out-ports ? these, too,
to be fixed by an arbitrary decision of
the privy council. — The nature of the
trade secured the employment of large
▼essels ; the regulation, then, which re-
quires them to be 350 tons is superflu-
ous, and may become oppressive. Why,
in short, when the East India trade is
less exposed to smuggling than any
other, should it be made liable to re-
btrictions, from which every other is
exempted ? Since it was determined
that the trade should be laid open,
there was surely no reason why it should
not be placed on the very same footing
with all other trades.

In the course of these debates, a new
and important proposal was made —
that the Company should not only be
deprived of the exclusive trade to their
Indian territories, but that they should
be prohibited from carrying on any
trade whatever. If it be an obvious
principle, it was remarked, that com-
merce ought to be free, it is no less
certain that it can never, with any ad-
vantage, be carried on by a sovereign.
Sovereigns, however, have not always
been sensible of this truth ; and it may
often be necessary for an enlightened
2

legislature to interfere, hi order to pre-
vent them from acting in opposition to
it. Should the executive government
of this country think, proper to employ
any part of the public funds for com-
mercial purposes, it would be the in-
dispensable duty of parliament to in-
terfere, and put a stop to any such chi-
merical speculation. The same course
may, with equal propriety, be held to-
wards a company, the sovereign of an
empire, far more extensive than that of
the British islands. It is impossible
that the Company should suffer by such
a prohibition. Since the trade was a
losing one to them when they enjoyed
the monopoly of it, what must it be
when they have to maintain it against
the active and watchful competition of
private interest ?

Much as the attention of the public
was attracted by the political and com-
mercial arrangements, an interest no
less deep was excited by the ecclesias-
tical regulations which were adopted
for Britl'h India. The present age is
remarkably distinguished by the ex-
traordinary concern felt for the case of
those nations who have not yet recei-
ved the light of the gospel. It is of
high importance to give this propen-
sity a just direction, and to restrain its
exuberance. The measures which were
adopted on the present occasion, may
be considered in two lights, — as they
furnished a provision for religious wor-
ship to the European residents in In-
dia, and as they had in view the con-
version of the natives.

It was now proposed, for the first
time, to found an ecclesiastical esta-
blishment for British subjects resident
in India. There can scarcely be a doubt
as to the high expediency of such a
measure. It has universally been con-
sidered as a dutv of government to pro-
vide gratuitously for its subjects some
kind of religious instruction, and to
give to the estabUshments for that pur-
pose the lustre and support which they

136 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 7.

may derive from the sanction of public
authority. No reason appears why this
common privilege should be denied to
a class of men now^ become so numer-
ous, and who must often stand in need
both of instruction and consolation.
Care is doubtless to be taken not to ex-
cite jealousy or irritation in the natives ;
but provided they are left to follow
their own religious observances with-
out molestation, it were too much to
expect that the British should not also
exercise the same privilege. But the
natives of India are, as is well known,
scrupulously observant of all the cere-
monies of their own religion. They do
not expect or wish that this religion
should be ours ; they consider it as an
inheritance of their own ; the difference
awakens no enmity or disappointment.
Yet they are struck with horror when
they see the British observing no forms
whatever ; living the Hfe of absolute
atheists, which is that led by almost
all the military, and by many of the
civil servants of the crown. It will
raise us in their estimation when they
see us observing some form of religion,
even though it were one much less
pure than that which will actually be
established.

Government, however, had not this
object alone to attend to. They had
also to consider how they should act
in reference to that ardent zeal with
which numerous bodies of Christians
in this country are animated, to com-
municate to the Indian world the bless-
ings of revelation. Thus a question
arose, which the circumstances of In-
dia, and the character of its inhabitants,
rendered one of peculiar delicacy, and
which, therefore, merited an attentive
consideration.

To preach the gospel to the heathen
world cannot be considered as a duty
binding upon Christians at all times,
and in all circumstances. The same
power which at first bestowed Chris*
tianity on the world, now withholds

that blessing from a large portion of
the human race ; and since that power
does it, it is done certainly for wise
purposes. Instructions to preach the
gospel are, in scripture, given only to
the chosen instruments ; no such ex-
hortations are addressed to Christians
in general. On the other hand, there
can be no doubt that Providence, to ac-
compHsh its beneficent purposes, makes
use of human means ; and when a fair
opportunity presents itself of spread-
ing the light of Christianity, it is lau-
dable, and even incumbent, on Chris-
tians to avail themselves of it. The
question is, whether the present state
of India can be considered as affording j
such an opportunity ? m

There is a wide difference between
the preaching of the apostles, and that
of those who now attempt by the same
means to effect the conversion of the
heathen world. The former, endowed
by Heaven with supernatural powers,
could present to every unbiassed mind
an incontestable proof of the authority
under which they acted ; but the mo-
dern missionary, who goes into a re-
mote country, with only his solitary
voice to raise in behalf of the doctrine
which he teaches, has no means of pro-
ducing a rational conviction. He can
work no miracles himself ; and he can-
not carry along with him that chain of
historical evidence, by which we are as-
sured that miracles were once wrought.
From these considerations, reasonable
and sober-minded men are seldom dis-
posed to engage in such undertakings ;
not to mention that they are generally
attached to a more regular and esta-
blished life. Hence it is only by the
emissaries of fanatical sects that con-
versions have been made. The Jesuits,
of all missionaries the most successful,
obtained their end partly by the pomp
of their worship, and partly by pre-
tending to the power of working mi-
racles, which they never scrupled to
claim. Among protestants, the Bapr

Chap. 7.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

137

tists and Moravians have taken the lead
in the pious work of converting the
heathen; few of the soberer classes,
even of dissenters, have thought of
interfering. The effects produced
by exertions of this description have
seldom been great ; they have ne-
ver been durable. Of the wonderful
labours of the Jesuits scarcely does a
vestige now remain ; they have been
driven from China, from Japan, from
all the kingdoms of the East. The
same fate has attended them among
the natives of America, with the ex-
ception of the missions of Paraguay,
which are preserved merely because a
species of empire, of which they were
the sovereigns, had been established
in that region. Such a mode of conver-
sion, however, could not be admitted
in the present instance ; and little g®od
can therefore be expected from mis-
sionary preaching. The religion of
India, firmly rooted in the habits,
ideas, and observances of the people,
and which has resisted every change
for thousands of years, will not form
an exception to a rule hitherto found
universal. The number of Indian con-
versions accordingly appears to be ex-
ceedingly small ; many persons had
spent a life-time in India without hear-
ing of a single instance. The few
which took place were of the most dis-
graceful character, the converts ha-
ving, in periods of dearth, embraced
Christianity on condition of receiving
a supply of the necessaries of life, and,
on the return of plenty, having imme-
diately relapsed into their former idola-
try. The propagators of Christianity
ought to be reminded not only that
such conversions have no merit, but
that a man who thus quits a religion
which he believes, to profess another
which he does not believe, commits a
crime, the guilt of which is little dimi-
nished by the circumstance that the
former is a false, and the latter the
true religion.

The inefficacy of missionary preach-
ing in past times would be a minor
consideration, if there were no dangers
attending it, for there could then be
no objection to making a fair trial of
what it might effect in future. But
it seems impossible to deny, that the
danger is very considerable. The em-
pire of force, exercised by twenty or
thirty thousand men over an hundred
millions, must always be somewhat
precarious. Not only are the natives
to be kept in subjection, but they are
to be kept in subjection by the In-
dians ; for the Sepoy force, it is well
known, constitutes the greater part
of that which is maintained in the
colonies by the British government.
Great Britain, therefore, can never ex-
pect to maintain her ground without
much accommodation to the ideas,
and prejudices, and even to the ground-
less apprehensions, of this numerous
people, who seem to dread that com-
pulsory measures may be employed
to make them embrace Christianity.
The catastrophe at Vellore, may not,
as was at first reported, have arisen
from the misconduct of the com-
mander-in-chief, or from any measures
shocking the religious prejudices of
the people ; but it seems unquestion-
able, that the dread of such measures
excited them to such direful extremi-
ties. The Brahmins, who form the
first class in the nation, and who pos-
sess over the minds of the people aa
influence almost supreme, cannot fail
to view with the utmost jealousy, both
the missionaries, and the government
under whose auspices they are intro-
duced.— As it thus appears that little
good and much evil may arise from
missionary preaching, and as govern-
ment retains in its own hands the
power of granting licences, it should
be very cautious in selecting the per-
sons to whom such licences are grant-
ed. It is still more important, that
in India, governmeat should avoid all

138

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 7.

intercourse, and withhold all encourage-
ment, from the persons so employed.
The natives should be made to under-
stand that the missionaries act entirely
from the impulse of their own minds.

Not that there is reason to despair
of seeing the light of Christianity dif-
fused through the Eastern world ; it
would seem, on the contrary, that the
same Power which at first planted our
holy religion, has made visible and am-
ple provision for its general diffusion,
at perhaps no very distant period.
This provision consists in the decisive
superiority in arts and knowledge to
which European or Christian nations
have attained, and in the intimate
communication which the instrumen-
tality of these arts has enabled Euro-
pean nations to form with the most
distant parts of the globe; America
belongs entirely to Europe; every
port of Asia is crowded with her ves-
sels, and even the wilds of Africa
are beginning to feel her influence.
Her knowledge cannot fail in time to
become universal ; for there are natu-
ral desires in the human mind which
it tends to gratify. In imbibing the
science and philosophy of Europe,
more barbarous nations will insensibly
imbibe her religion also ; and an ac-

quaintance with her literature and his-
tory will enable them to appreciate on
what that religion rests. Here then
is opened a vast field for the philan-
thropic exertions of those who have
at heart the higher interests of their
species. If the funds which are la-
vished in useless missions were employ-
ed in forming establishments for in-
struction, the most beneficial and last-
ing effects might be produced. The
Indians would receive with pleasure
and gratitude the fruits of such in-
stitutions, even from hands which
they might judge unhallowed. The
manner in which so grand an object is
to be accomplished must of course be
determined by a view of the actual cir-
cumstances of India. European teach-
ers could not be supplied in any pro-
portion to the number required ; but
there might be formed, at convenient
stations throughout British India, se-
minaries for the instruction of native
teachers, who might afterwards diffuse
among their countrymen the know-
ledge which they had acquired.—
Much good may be done by the wise
liberality of government ; nothing but
mischief can be expected from the zeal
of fanatics.

Chap. 8.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

139

CHAP. VIII.

Spanish Aghirs. — Preparations made for opening the Campaign, — Rapid Pro*
gress of the Allied Armies. — Bait.e of Vittoria,

The obstinate and strenuous resistance
first offered in the peninsula to the
ambition of France, has given to the
events which occurred in this part of
the world, an interest beyond even
that excited by the great efforts of
other nations to support their inde-
pendence. An eager curiosity has
been employed to discover the causes
of that heroic spirit which burst forth
in a country where its existence was
little suspected. Why did Spain, af-
ter its government had been dissolved,
and its army annihilated, refuse that
obedience to the conqueror so long
yielded by the states of Germany ?
Why, in spite of all their outrages and
triumphs, were the French unable to
subdue the spirit of the Spanish na-
tion, although they had ensured the
temporary subjection of the most
considerable states of the continent ?
The Spanish authorities were indeed
without those powers of combination
by which the invaders of their coun-
try might at once have been over-
whelmed ; yet neither flattery nor me-
nace, neither suffering nor reward,
could degrade the rude peasant of
Spain to submission, or make him for
a moment forget the wrongs, or be-
tray the independence, of his country.
Whence this virtue which triumphed
over every temptation — this patriotic

courage which encountered every dan-
ger ? Whence that noble spirit which
declared eternal resistance to the in-
vader— ^baffled his plans, and rendered
vain his calculations — prevented him
from consolidating his power, and pro*
fiting by his conquests— and, finally,
opened a way for the torrent, by
which, in the course of this memora-
ble year, the hordes of the invader were
swept from this fine country ?

The causes which produced results
to the ambition of France, while con-
tending amid the mountains of Spain,
so different from those which had at-
tended its efforts in Germany and other
countries, are imperfectly but Judi-
ciously assigned by one of the mva-
ders, who was himself the victim of
Spanish patriotism. ** We were call-
ed," says M. de Rocca, a French offi-
cer of hussars, «* from the sandy plaint
of the north of Germany, where we
had to do with people, subject, for the
most part, to governments whose formi
were entirely military. The different
sovereigns who made up the parts of
the Germanic body had, for more than
a century, turned all their views to-
wards perfecting those military insti-
tutions which might secure their au-
thority, and serve their personal ambi-
tion ; but in accustoming their subject*
to a minutely punctual obedience, the^

t40 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 8.

had weakened the national character,
the only invincible bulwark which na-
tions can oppose to foreign invaders.

" When a province of Germany was
conquered by the French, and could
no longer receive the orders of its so-
vereign, the inferior classes, unaccus-
tomed to the exercise of their own free
will, dared not to act without the com-
mands of their governments or of their
liege lords : These governments be-
came, by the very act of conquest, sub-
ordinate to the conquerors ; and the
liege lords, long accustomed to witness
the hourly vexation which the people
experienced from the soldiery, resign-
ed themselves the more easily to the
evils which war brings in her train.

" The clergy in Prussia had but lit-
tle ascendency over the people ; the
Reformation has destroyed among the
protestants that power which the
priests preserve, even in our days, in
some catholic countries, and especial-
ly in Spain. — The men of letters, who
might have influenced pubhc opinion,
and made their wisdom subservient to
the cause of their country, were but
rarely called to take an active part in
public affairs. Literary reputation was
the only end of their ambition, and they
rarely addicted themselves to occupa-
tions or studies applicable to existing
circumstances. The real power of se-
veral states in Germany rested on their
military systems, and their political ex-
istence could not but depend entirely
on the strength or weakness of their
governments,

** In the plains of Germany, the lo-
calcircumstances of the country did not
permit the people to escape so easily
from the yoke of their conquerors as
in some other countries of a different
nature. Small bodies of troops kept
a great extent of conquered country
in awe, and assured the French armies
of subsistence. The citizens could
have found no secure retreats if they
had tried partial revolts against the in-
vaders J besides, the Germans, accus-

tomed to a quiet and regular life, are
only roused to make a desperate eflFort
by the complete breaking up of all their
former habits.

" The French had nothing to fear
from the inhabitants of the countries
conquered by their arms, and the war
of Germany had been carried on solely
by armies of regulars, between whom
their exists rather rivalry than hatred.
The success of a campaign depended
on the aggregate of the military ope-
rations, on the activity and perseve-
rance of the commanders, and their
skill in discovering and preventing the
plans of each other, and in bringing
with skill and celerity great masses
down on the points of attack. All
these little partial actions were avoid-
ed, which, in war, only increase the
miseries of individuals, without con-
tributing to any important advantage ;
and the talents of the generals were
never baffled by the exertions of indi-
viduals, or by the spontaneous move-
ments of the people.

" In Germany the French had only
to subdue governments and armies ; in
the Spanish peninsula, the government
and the army were already annihilated.
Buonaparte had invaded Portugal and
Spain, put to flight, or reduced to cap-
tivity, the sovereigns of those two
countries, and dispersed their military
forces. The French were not called
to fight against troops of the line, but
against a people insulated from all
other continental nations, by their
manners, their prejudices, and even
the nature of their country. The
Spaniards were to oppose to them a
resistance so much the more obsti-
nate, as they believed it to be the
object of the French government to
make the peninsula a secondary state,
irrevocably subject to the dominion of
France.

** With regard to knowledge and
the progress of social habits, Spain was
at least a century behind the other
nations of the continent. The distant

Chap. 8.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

141

and almost insular situation of the
country, and the severity of its reli-
gious institutions, had prevented the
Spaniards from taking part in the dis-
putes and controversies which had a-
gitated and enlightened Europe during
the sixteenth century. They scarcely
thought, even in the eighteenth, of the
philosophical spirit which had been
one of the causes of the revolution in
France.

" Although the Spaniards were ex-
tremely indolent, and there were found
in their administration, that disorder
and corruption which are the inevita-
ble consequences of a long despotism,
their national character had not been
sullied. Their government, arbitrary
as it was, bore no resemblance to the
absolute military power existing in
Germany, where the constant submis-
sion of all to the orders of one, con-
tinually pressed down the springs of
individual character. Ferdinand the
Catholic, Charles V. and Philip II.
had, it is true, usurped almost all the
privileges of the grandees and of the
Cortes, and they had annihilated Spa-
nish liberty ; but the weakness of go-
vernment, under their successors, had
always left to the people, notwith-
standing the despotism of the sove-
reign, a practical freedom, which was
often carried even to insubordination.

** In the annals of the German states,
no names had hitherto been heard,
but those of the sovereign and his ar-
mies. But since Ferdinand the Ca-
tholic had united the different king-
doms of Spain, scarcely a single reign
had passed in which the people had
not given sensible proofs of their ex-
istence and power by imposing con-
ditions on their masters, or by ex-
pelling the ministers or favourites.
When the inhabitants of Madrid re-
volted, and demanded from Charles
III. the dismissal of his minister
Squilaci, the king himself was obliged
to appear, in order to compound with

the people, and to employ the inter-
vention of a monk, bearing a crucifix
in his hand. The court, which had fled
to Aranjuez, attempted afterwards to
send the Walloon guards against Ma-
drid : the people killed several, and
the cry was, " If the Walloons enter,
the Bourbons shall not reign." The
Walloons did not enter, — Squilaci was
dismissed, and order was restored. —
At Berlin and throughout Prussia
again, the inhabitants respected the sol-
diers of their king, as the soldiers them-
selves respected their military com-
manders ; at Madrid, the sentinels pla-
ced on guard, to attend to the execution
of theorders of their sovereign, yielded
the precedence to the meanest burgess,

" The revenues af the Spanish crown
were very scanty, and consequently
could maintain but a very limited num-
ber of troops. The regiments of the
line, with the exception of t^^ome pri-
vileged corps, were incomplete, ill
paid, and ill disciplined. The priests
were the only powerful executive mi-
litia whom the kings of Spain could
command ; it was by the exhortations
of the ministers from their altars, and
the presentation of pontifical orna-
ments and relics, that they repressed
and dissipated popular tumults.

"The Spanish priests hated the
French from patriotism and from in-
terest ; for they well knew that the
intention was to abolish their privi-
leges, and to deprive them of their,
riches and temporal power. Their
opinion swayed that of the greater
part of the nation. Every Spaniard
regarded the public cause as his own
private quarrel, and the French had,
in short, almost as many individual
enemies to fight as the Spanish penin-
sula contained inhabitants.

<*The high and barren mountains
which surround and intersect Spain,
were peopled by warlike tribes, al-
ways armed, for the purpose of smug*
gling, and accustomed to baffle the

148

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 8.

regular troops of their own country,
which were frequently sent in pursuit
of them. The untamed character of
the inhabitants of the peninsula — the
mildness of the climate, which admits
of living in the open air almost all the
year ; the inaccessible retreats of the
inland mountains ; the sea, which
washes such extensive shores ; all the
great circumstances arising from the
national character, the climate, and lo-
cal situation, could not fail of secu-
ring for the Spaniards numberless faci-
lities for escaping from the oppression
of their conquerors, and for multiply-
ing their own forces, whether by trans-
porting them rapidly to those points
on which the French were weak, or in
securing their escape from pursuit."

These observations may account in
some measure for the unexpected diffi-
culties which the French encountered
in their attempt to subdue the penin-
sula. But even French vanity will
find it difficult to ascribe to such
circumstances the overwhelming dis-
asters which, in the course of the year
1813, drove their conquered armies
from this fine country. The splendid
and decisive triumphs of this year be-
long to England alone ; and a rapid
sketch of the circumstances which en-
abled her thus to put forth her energies,
will be no unsuitable preface to the ac-
count of this memorable campaign.

The important changes which had
taken place in the affairs of Europe,
since the beginning of the last year,
prescribed an alteration in the politics
of this country towards Spain, and
rendered it an imperious duty on the
ministers to make the most signal
effort for the liberation of the penin-
sula. Many statesmen of great emi-
nence thought that there were grounds-
for such a change of pohcy even during
the last campaign. We shall briefly
recapitulate the circumstances on
which this opinion was founded.

So early as April 1811, it was

known in this country, at least to
government, that Russia was laying
the foundation of that great effort
which she afterwards made for secu-
ring her independence. It was known
also to be her object to establish such
a system of resistance, as that, if the
French should persevere in their plans
of conquest and aggression, they might
not only be expelled from Russia, but
followed by her victorious legions into
other countries. As the known cha-
racter of the French government pro-
mised an obstinate perseverance in its
aggressive pohcy, so there was every
reason to look for the most important
consequences from the new system
adopted by Russia. It was the duty
therefore of the British ministers to
prepare for the crisis which was ap-
proaching ; and as the efforts of Rus-
sia terminated not only in the expul-
sion of the French from her own ter-
ritories, but in the revival of the inde-
pendence of Prussia, while an oppor-
tunity was at the same time afforded
to Austria to assert her rank among
the nations of the continent, the
moment seemed the most favourable
which had ever occurred for the libera-
tion of Europe. The successes of
the last campaign in the peninsula
besides were such as to encourage the
most sanguine hopes in future; and
even the circumstances in the situation
of the French which had so greatly con-
tributed to these successes were still
farther calculated to excite expecta-
tion.

While the efforts of the British in
the peninsula had been thus vigorous
and successful, an unaccountable failure
in the means ©f the French had be-
come apparent. The French govern-
ment in Spain, under Joseph Buona-
parte, was remarkable for imbecility,
and the efforts of the army were of
course without unity either of coun-
cil or action. The central govern-
ment under the intrusive king seemed

Chap. 8.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

113

to be without power, without autho-
rity, without talents to create re-
spect, or to command obedience. The
French armies in Spain, instead of con-
centrating under Joseph's orders, had
been dispersed every day more and
more over the Peninsula — Weak on
every point, they exhausted them-
selves even by their victories over the
Spaniards ; and in Galicia, Portugal,
and the Asturias, they had lost, even
among the insurgent peasants, their
wonted reputation of invincibility.

As the dynasty of the wretched in-
truder was closed by the successes of
this year — as he was present in person
at the battle of Vittoria, and as the
French ascribe much of their misfor-
tunes to his weakness and impolicy,
the sketch of his character and pro-
ceedings which they have given us may
not be uninteresting.

Joseph fancied, we are told, that he
might attach the people of Spain to his
sway by the well-known mildness of his
character, in the same manner as he had
gained the Neapolitans ; and he had al-
lowed the French troops to advance
from all sides into the peninsula, with
the intention of gaining provinces, that
he might reign over a greater extent of
country. He had contracted habits
of indolence upon the peaceful throne
of Naples. Instead of following his
armies he remained in the capital,
plunged in dissipation, and regretting
the delights of Italy. He wanted to
sleep and reign at Madrid as he had
done at Naples, even before his armies
had conquered for him, supposing the
conquest possible, a kingdom at the
price of their blood.

He filled the columns of his state
journal with decrees which were ne-
ver executed, and scarcely read ; he
gave to one church the wax and sacred
vases of another, pillaged long before
by the French, or stripped by the Spa-
niards themselves. He lavished the
decorations of his roval order on his

courtiers, who did not dare to wear
them in any place which was not occu-
pied by the French, for fear of being
murdered by the Spanish peasants. He
made several promotions in his Spanish
army, which, however, was not as yet
in existence ; he gave away places in
reversion, governments, and adminis-
trations, in the most distant provinces
of the kingdom in both hemispheres,
while he dared not sleep even a few
leagues from Madrid in one of his coun-
try houses. Like his brother at Paris,
he pulled down old buildings to beau-
tify his capital, but he had no money
to raise a single new edifice, and the
extent of his munificence was the re-
moval of rubbish.

In order to please the people, he en-
deavoured to imitate the solemn pomp
and grave ceremony of his predecessors.
He marched on foot at the head of
processions through the streets of Ma-
drid, making the officers of hifr staff,
and the soldiers of his body guard,
follow him with lighted tapers in- their
hands. All these pretensions to sanc-
tity, this affectation of munificence,
and absurd prodigality, only made him
an object of ridicule and contempt.

The Spaniards had amused them-
selves with spreading a report that
King Joseph was a one- eyed drunkard,
which made a profound impression on
the imagination of the country people.
It was in vain that he endeavoured to
overcome the popular prejudice by
shewing himself often in public ; the
people never lost the conceit that he
was one-eyed. We are told that even
on the day of his coronation, at oie of
the theatres, a farce, called Harlequin
Emperor of the Moon, was played se-
veral times. During the rcpreienta-
tion, the people made applications to
the ephemeral situation of Jostph at
Madrid. Devotees, who were accus-
tomed to mingle in all their coivcrsa-
tions the ejaculation Jesus, Miria, y
Joseph, stopped short when tley had

144 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. ??.

pronounced the two first names, and,
pausing, would use the paraphrase, Y
el Padre d nuestro senor, lest they
might draw down a benediction on Jo-
seph* by naming the saint who was his
supposed patron in Heaven.

The good nature of Joseph came
afterwards to be considered as weak-
ness, even by the French themselves.
After battles had been won over the
Spaniards, he would go himself to the
prisoners sent from the army to the
Retiro, and receive their oaths of fide-
lity, telling them that they had been
deceived by traitors, and that he, as
their king, wished only for their happi-
ness and that of their country. The
prisoners, who expected nothing less
than to be shot, immediately made
no scruple of taking the oaths of sub-
mission required of them, but the mo-
ment they were armed and equipped
they deserted and returned to their own
armies ; so that the French soldiers
called King Joseph the administrator
in chief of the military depots of the
supreme junta. Even French marshals
and generals, we are told, were very
unwilling to obey a man whom they
<iid not consider a Frenchman, since
he had been acknowledged King of
Spain ; and they often contradicted
him, and sought to disgust him, that
they might be sent back into Germa-
ny. They would have been happy, at
anyr price, to have quitted an irregular
war, which had become unpopular even
in the army. Joseph had neither enough
of nnilitary talent and authority, nor
sufficient confidence in himself, to ven-
ture to command such operations as
the changes in the general situation of
affai'-s imperiously required. He dared
not ssue any new order without con-
sultiig his brother. The plans sent
from Paris, or from Germany, fre-
quently arrived too late, and they could
never be otherwise than imperfectly
execuied by one who had not concei-
ved th^m.

Such was the character of Joseph as
drawn by his own countrymen ; but
the circumstances which had recently
occurred so favourable to the cause
of the allies, although they were in
some measure the result of the weak
and insignificant character of the head
of the central government, were also
to a great degree inseparable from
the nature of the enterprise which the
French had undertaken When the
ruler of France confined himself to one
object, which, however impossible the
attainment of it might be, was interest-
ing to the French, his army seconded
his views, and was ready to sacrifice
itself in his service ; but when his am-
bition led him to distant enterprises —
when he embarked in projects which
were carried into effect at the same
time in distant parts of the world, and
when, instead of directing the execu-
tion himself, he left it to a government
more weak and imbecile than any which
had disgraced Europe, then, as might
have been expected, his views of ag-
grandizement received a check, which,
in the issue, proved decisive and fatal. —
Such was the state of affairs at the be-
ginning of this year. The French were
not in a condition to act offensively ;
and, so longas the war in the north con-
tinued, could have no other object in
view but to maintain the ground which
they occupied. On the part of the
allies, however, this interval was spent
in preparations for an active and glo-
rious campaign.

Much had already been done for
Spain. A large and fertile district of
the kingdom had been finally recover-
ed, and an opportunity had been af-
forded to the Spaniards to embody a
considerable army. The Spanish go •
vernment, indeed, was still weak and
inefficient ; yet experience had taught
them to correct some of the grosser
errors of their policy. An excellent
symptom of this amendment was shewn
in the appointment of I^ord Welling-

Chap. 8.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

145

ton to the chief command of the Spa-
nish armies. — The cortes, on the sug-
gestion of the regency, passed a decree,
investing his lordship with extraordi-
nary powers as generalissimo of the
Spanish land forces. A portion of
the Spanish general staff was appoint-
ed to attend him, and to them all the
communications from the different ar-
mies were to be addressed : on the
other hand, all orders relative to the
armies were to emanate from his lord-
ship through the channel of the Spa-
nish staff near his person. — General
Castanos, who was much in the confi-
dence of Marquis Wellington, arrived
at Seville early in the present year, to
prepare the Spanish army for active
operations ; and it was understood that
a great and determined effort would be
made by the Spaniards themselves in
the course of the approaching spring.
The cortes agreed to furnish Lord
Wellington with an army of 50,000
men for the ensuing campaign ; and
for these troops his lordship had
the power of appointing officers. A
corps of reserve was also formed in An-
dalusia, and another in Gallicia, in or-
der to maintain the more prominent
force in a condition of permanent effi-
ciency.

Yet were the discontents of the Spa-
niards, and their distrust of the Bri-
tibh, by no means removed. The abo-
lition of the Inquisition, the suppres-
sion of the convents, and the estabhsh-
ment of persons not noble hy birth in
the departments formerly occupied by
nobles alone, appear to have excited
about this time murmurings among the
clergy and nobility of the ancient re-
gime J some of whom, in conjunction
with the partizans of Joseph Buona-
parte, published libels upon the re-
gency, and against British influence.
Three or four of this faction were ar-
rested in Seville. The regency, on
this occasion, demanded of the cortes
a temporary suspension of the laws re-

VOL. VI. PAKT I.

latin g to personal liberty, that they
might arrest a greater number of the
traitors, but were refused by the cortes,
who did not think the affair of suffi-
cient importance to require so strong
a measure. One of the libels was in
the following terms : — " The streets
of Seville present to the Spanish peo-
ple, to that people ever pious and
friendly to the monks, a spectacle
which must excite the most painful
sentiments, — Priests, #ho never could
have believed that the smallest opposi-
tion could be made to their assembling,
present themselves ; the intendant com-
mands them in the name of the govern-
ment not to assemble, and prohibits
their entrance into the monasteries ;
they entreat, they supplicate, but they
are not heard ; they are abandoned,
they are repulsed ; and to avoid dying
with hunger, these wretches disperse
themselves through the streets, and
beg their bread from door to door,
clad in their sacred habits ; they stop
in the churches, and there implore the
pity of the populace. What have these
ministers of God done ? what crime
have they committed ?" &c. — Such
weretheartificesoftraitors, who sought
to disunite and enslave the country.

The Spanish troops meanwhile had
been slowly acquiring discipline and
experience. — The British army had re-
ceived a strong reinforcement of 20,000
men after the battle of Salamanca, and
discipline had been restored by strict
regulations, and enforced during the
period of repose. The disposable troops
at the opening of the campaign were
estimated at about 80,000 British and
Portuguese, with 40 or 50,000 Spa-
nish regulars, besides a considerable
guerilla force, which was hourly in-
creasing.— The French force in Spain
was still however very numerous ; and
Buonaparte, notwithstanding the sig-
nal reverses he had sustained in the
north, was unwilling to reduce his ar-
my in the peninsula, or to hazard the
t K

146 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 8.

loss of so great a country. He had
been compelled^ however, to make nu-
merous drafts to supply officers for the
immense levies which he was then rai-
sing ; but the deficiencies thus occa-
sioned were replaced from the new
conscription. No sooner, however, did
he suspect the intentions of Austria,
than he found it necessary to relax for
a time his exertions in Spain ; and con-
siderable detachments were withdrawn
to reinforce the grand army on the
Elbe. Soult, who had long possessed
the chief direction of the war in Spain,
was called to the assistance of his mas-
ter in Germany ; and as the enemy's
force had been thus considerably re-
duced, Lord Wellington hoped, by
one grand effort, to liberate the penin -
sula, and drive the French beyond the
Pyrenees.

The allied forces, before the opening
of the campaign, were spread over a
very extensive line. Lord Welling-
ton, with the main body of the British
and Portuguese, occupied cantonments
along the northern frontier of Portu-
gal, while General Hill, with a part of
the army, and with the Spanish forces
under Murillo, was posted in Estre-
madura. The second and third Spa-
nish armies, commanded by the Due
<lel Parque and General Ellio, were sta-
tioned, the one in La Mancha, and the
other on the frontiers of Murcia and
Valencia. The force recently levied
in Andalusia, which was denominated
the army of reserve, had set out from
Seville, under the command of General
0*Donnel, who, on account of his ex-
ploits in Catalonia, had received the
title of Conde de Abisbal, The army
of Gallicia, under the command of Ge-
neral Castanos, was stationed on the
frontiers of the province of that name.
This of&cer was devoted to Lord Wel-
lington, and the army of Gallicia was,
of course, very much in the same si-
tuation as if it had been under the im-
siediate command of his lordship. The

whole forces of the north of Spain,
therefore, which, besides the regular
troops, comprehended numerous bands
of guerillas, were completely under the
controul of the British commander.

Such was the situation of the allied
armies. The enemy again, enlightened
by the reverses of the last year, occu-
pied a more concentrated situation.
The three French armies of Portugal,
the centre and the south, were united
in Castile, under Joseph Buonaparte,
whose head- quarters were at Madrid.
The army of Portugal was under the
immediate command of General Reille,
who had his head- quarters at Vallado-
lid ; that of the centre obeyed the or-
ders of Count d'Erlon, whose head-
quarters were in the vicinity of Ma-
drid, while the army of the south had
its head-quarters at Toledo. The po-
sition of the allies thus formed a very
extensive semicircle round that which
the enemy occupied in the centre of
Spain. On this circumstance, perhaps,
the French founded their hopes of a
successful resistance, conceiving that
by the rapid movement of their con-
centrated forces they might baffle at-
tacks made from so many different
points. The plan of the campaign,
however, which Lord WeUington had
formed was profound and judicious.
General Hilt at first threatened Ma-
drid ; but so soon as the season for ac-
tion arrived, he turned to the left,
marched through the Puerto de Ba-
nos, and joined the main army, which
was asscmbhng in the neighbourhood
of Ciudad Rodrigo. General O'Don-
nel, at the same time, marched through
Estremadura, and the whole force
of the aUied army directed its course
northward on the line of the Douro.
That river, the largest in Spain, had,
in the preceding campaign, proved an
important barrier ; and the French,
who possessed along its northern bank
a series of fortified positions, hoped,
for a time at least, to dispute the pas-

Chap. 8.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

sage. Lord Wellington, however, by
a very able arrangement, completely
provided against this obstacle. His
force, as already mentioned, was divi-
ded into three parts, of which the cen-
tre, composed chiefly of light troops,
was commanded by his lordship in pcr-
With these he pushed on to Sa-

son

lamanca, and once more delivered that
famous city from the modern Vandals.
The French general, Villat, had scarce-
ly time to evacuate it with the loss of
300 of his rear guard ; the British en-
tered the town at full gallop. The
right, commanded by Sir Rowland
Hill, including only one division of
British, moved in a parallel direc-
tion with the centre on the left bank
of the Douro. But the grand feature
of the plan consisted in the passage of
the main body of the army to the north
of the Douro at Braganza; whence,
under the command of Sir Thomas
Graham, it proceeded along the right
bank of the river, thus superseding the
necessity of forcing a passage in the
face of the enemy The right of the
Douro, throughout this part of its
course, is rugged and precipitous, and
completely commands the opposite
bank ; and the French had confidently
reckoned on advantages, which this
fine plan entirely defeated.— Such were
the admirable arrangements made for
opening the campaign, and they were
executed with ability scarcely inferior
to that by which they had been planned.

These successive dispositions baffled
at once the provisions made by the ene-
my for arresting the victorious progress
of the allies. Their detachments on
both sides of the Douro retired preci-
pitately, and Lord Wellington advan-
ced without any obstacle besides those
which nature presented.

Tlie British commander, attended
by his staff, and several British and
Spanish generals, remained a few days
in Salamanca. The morning after the
French had been driven away, IV Deum

was performed at the cathedral, and
the service was attended by Lord Wel-
lington— This cathedral is considered
as one of the finest in Spain. It is
built of a white freestone, is surmount-
ed with elegant turrets, bastions,
arches, and a large dome, and adorned
with a profusion of carved work in a
rich and elaborate style. It is a very
lofty and spacious edifice, standing in
an open square. The grand altar is
very magnificent ; opposite to which
stands the chancel, greatly resembling
those of the English cathedrals The
altar and chancel are surrounded by a
screen of stone-work, exquisitely car-
ved. The edifice contains two organs
in the gallery, one of which is remark-
able for its size and superior tone. The
church also, from its munificent en-
dowments, is able to maintain a very
superior band of singers from Italy.
Yet neither the magnificence nor the
sanctity of this fine building would
have restrained the licentious fury of
the invaiders ; for shortly before the ar-
rival of the British it had been doomed
to destruction. A large contribution
could not (from a total deficiency of
means) be discharged ; and the French
general, in consequence, threatened to
destroy the cathedral, unless his unrea-
sonable demands were complied with.
The reply returned was, that as the
cathedral was public property, its de-
struction would not affect the personal
interests of individuals, and that no one
would interfere. The arrival, how-
ever, of the English prevented the ac-
complishment of this barbarous reso-
lution.

The situation of Salamanca com-
mands many advantages; the natural
position is strong, and pains have been
taken to secure it by a substantial wall^
which, in its most exposed situation,
is flanked by a strong bastion. The
appearance of the town since the inva-
sion of the French, excites many me-
lancholy reflections to those who have

us EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. S.

heard the accounts of its former mag-
nificence, and high reputation as a seat
of learning. The remains of nineteen
splendid colleges, built of a handsome
white stone, most elaborately and clas-
sically ornaniented, are still visible.
{Several of these colleges were dedica
ted entirely to Irish students, numbers
of whom are to be met with in the
church, the army, and various other
departments of the state. They have
now become naturalised, and are said
to constitute the best informed part of
the community.

During the advance of the array
through Spain, a marked difference
was observed in the policy which the
French had pursued towards this coun-
try from that which they appear to
have adopted towards Portugal. Their
chief aim, during their residence in
Spain, was to introduce an alteration
in the manners and customs of the peo-
ple, and to render them more conge-
nial with their own views ; but as they
could scarcely ever hope to reign with
unhmited sway over Portugal, that
country was treated more in the light
of a conquered kingdom, and rapine
and devastation were universally com-
mitted. In Spain, indeed, every esta-
blishment was destroyed ; and the in™
vaders, while they secured the king,
and frightened the government into
obedience, annihilated the influence of
the priests, and abolished all religious
and learned institutions with remorse-
less rigour. Those walls, which, du-
ring the prosperous days of Spain, con-
tained all that is estimable in science
and literature, were now converted in-
to receptacles for the passing armies,
which alternately preyed upon the vi-
tals of the country.

The British army, which had thus
rapidly penetrated into Spain, was in
the finest condition ; it was exceeding-
ly healthy, and had enjoyed a long re-
pose, while the check which it met
^^nth last year only redoubled its ar-

dour and enthusiasm. The infantry
were well provided with tents in this
campaign, which ensured the health
and comfort of the soldier, and proved
a powerful assistance in preserving the
regiments, which, in former campaigns,
were so greatly reduced by sickness,
fatigue, and extreme exposure to the
weather. The Portuguese troops had
also a fine appearance ; but the equip-
ment of the Spaniards was more defec-
tive. The following account has been
given by an eye-witncss of their ap-
pearance at a review. ** The genera-
lissimo (Castanos) gorgeously arrayed,
was mounted upon a black Andalusian
horse, in a full suit of white laced re-
gimentals, surrounded by his staff, in
blue uniforms, and escorted by a troop
of royal lancers, clothed in yellow.
There were from 5 to GOOO men upon
the ground. An inspection of neces-
saries formed one part of the ceremony,
of which, from motives of curiosity-
alone, I wished to be a spectator Had
the men all been marched through
Monmouth street, in order that every-
one might suit himself according to his
taste, it is hardly possible to suppose a
selection more ridiculously happy than
the assemblage I then witnessed, as to
shape, colour, and quality. — Notwith-
standing the great deficiency of ap-
pointment and discipline in this army,
the men are naturally fine looking ; and
if well organized, clothed, and officer-
ed, would no doubt prove a formidable
force. The officers, in general," adds
the same writer, ** are wretched and
miserable in their appearance ; their
dress is not often better than that of
the men, and equally irregular and un-
military. I have often seen them eat-
ing and drinking, and conversing fami-
liarly, with the privates ; and it is not
unusual to meet an officer riding in
good fellowship with one of them upon
the same mule, the animal bearing the
personal baggage of both his riders.**
Notwithstanding the whimsical appear-

Chap. 8.]

HISTORY OF J^UROPE.

149

ance of the Spanish army, it was des-
tined very soon to take a part in trans-
actions of the greatest moment, and to
prove itself not unworthy of the task
confided to it.

Lord Wellington left the command
of the centre and right of the army to
Sir Rowland Hill, and joined the left
under Sir Thomas Graham at Carve-
lejos. On the yist of May this wing,
crossed the Ezla, and, passing through
Zamora, arrived on the 2d of June at
Toro, the French having evacuated
both these places on the approach of
the allies. — The most interesting mili.
tary movement which occurred upon
the march was the fording of the river
Douro under the walls of Toro. This
place is, to all appearance, impregna-
bly fortified by nature on the western
side, and certainly not wanting in de-
fence OB every other, the whole being
surrouu. ' by an exceedingly strong
high wall. The enemy, a few days be-
fore the arrival of the British, destroy-
ed the bridge, to secure themselves
from pursuit ; and their astonishment
must have been great to find that the
advantages which the city possessed
formed no obstacle to the progress of
the allied forces. The enemy's right
and left being quickly turned in suc-
cession, he was compelled instantly to
retire before the combined army. The
river, at this place, is very deep, and
flow s with a rapid stream. A little be-
low the bridge there is a fordable pas-
sao e for cavalry ; yet the cavalry of
ihi allied army, although passing in
an immense body at one time, were
foxed to pursue a diagonal, rather
than a direct course. A small pro-
portion only of the horses could keep
their legs, the rest having been forced
absolutely to swim through the tor-
rent. Other portions of the army
crossed the Ezla ; the fordings pro-
ved fatal to many, though not perhaps
to the extent which might reasonably
10

b ve been expected, from the difficul-
t is attending the passage.

The city of Toro, of which the Eng-
lish had now got possession, is small,
but handsome and compact ; and its
appearance, when viewed from a dis-
tance, is very imposing. From the spot,
on which the bridge destroyed by the
French stood, a wide and excellent road
runs in a serpentine course to the sum-
mit of a very lofty precipice, which
forms the scite of the town ; in front
is a fine, verdant, and level country,
abounding in villages ; while on the
opposite side, the view is beyond con-
ception rich and extensive.

The division of Sir Thomas Gra-
ham had now effected a junction with
the Gallician army, which formed its
extreme left — During the 3d of June,
Lord Wellington halted at Toro, in
order that the rear, which had been
detained by the difficulty of crossing
the Ezla, might have time to close in.
On the 4-th the whole army marched
on Valladolid Thus had Lord Wel-
lington, by advancing against the ene-
my along the northern bank of the
Douro, entirely deprived him of the
protection which he might have de-
rived from having that river in his
front, and compelled him to evacuate
his strong positions.

The French force on the Douro be-
ing unable to arrest the rapid advance'
of the allies, their army at Madrid was
placed in a very critical situation. By
remaining there it might have been cut
off from the other army, and from the
high road leading to the French fron-
tier. It was therefore determined to
abandon the capital without a strug-
gle ; — on the 27th of May all the
troops in Madrid and on the Tagus
began their retreat, and on the 3d
crossed the Douro. Although the
different French armies were thus uni-
ted, they did not attempt to defend
Valladolid; or the passage of the Pisu-

150 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 8.

crga, but continued their retreat with-
out intermission till they arrived at
Burgos. The allied armies advanced
to Palencia. A large force of the ene
my had recently occupied this town,
yrhere their head quarters were esta-
blished.—Joseph Buonaparte had ta-
ken flight the evening before the al-
lies entered The people were rejoiced
at their arrival, as the enemy, during
his stay, treated them with great seve-
rity.— The three great divisions of the
army concentrated around this town,
part of the cavalry and the staff being
quartered withm its walls, and the rest
encamped on the plains around.

The town is large, but has an air of
poverty, though when viewed from a
distance it assumes a fine appearance.
It has a large cathedral church, which,
though plain in its external appearance,
is handsomely and elaborately orna-
mented in the interior. The city con-
tains also several convents ; these build-
ings arc spacious, but their establish-
ments are very poor. — In the environs
of the town, and occupying a space
scarcely less than that of the town it-
self, stana the remains of the once
magnificent and wealthy convent of
Saint Francisco, which some years ago
attracted the cupidity of Buonaparte,
who was unwilling to suffer an order
80 rich and powerful to exist. Not
contented with ruining this splendid
establishment, he caused eighteen un-
fortunate friars to be surrounded and
put to death in the cloisters. A lay
brother, a venerable old man, who was
under librarian to the house, and who
still remained in charge of the little
property left by the plunderers, rela-
ted to a British officer, with tears in
his eyes, and a just expression of in.
dignation, the account of this cruel
murder, of which he himself was a
melancholy witness — Much of the
building of this monastery still re-
mains notwithstanding the devasta-

tion it has sustained. The establish^
ment appears formerly to have in-
cluded an extensive library, many of
the books belonging to which have
been recently carried away. The of-
fices are spacious and convenient, and
bespeak the former splendour of the
institution. — The country round Pa-
lencia is well peopled, and numerous
villages are seen in all directions. The
inhabitants stated that the French of-
ficers abandoned the place in full con-
fidence of a speedy return, little ex-
pecting the decisive events which were
so soon to overwhelm them.

At Burgos the whole of the enemy's
armies of the centre — of Port u gal — and
of the north, were assembled ; and as
this strong-hold formed the key of
the north of Spain, and the last be-
fore reaching the Ebro, it seemed that
here the great stand must be made.
Lord Wellington gave his army a
short repose, which had been render-
ed necessary by the unparalleled rapi-
dity of the march, and then pushed
forward with the cavalry and hght
troops to reconnoitre the enemy's po-
sition, and drive them to some decisive
measure. They were found covering
Burgos in a strong position, but a
charge of British cavalry soon turned
both their flanks, and obliged them to
fall back behind the river Urbelar. In
the course of the following night they
withdrew their whole force through
the town of Burgos, having first de-
stroyed the works of the castle ; and
on the following day all their troops
were in full retreat towards the Ebro.

Lord Wellington did not pursue the
enemy along the main road, where the
passage of the river might have been
disputed, and his progress obstructed
by the strong fortress and defiles of
Pancorbo. As soon as he saw that
Burgos had been abandoned, he or-
dered the allied army to make a move-
ment on its left, with the view of pass.

Chap. 8.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

151

ing the Ebro near its source. The
enemy, by whom this measure seems
to have been unexpected, had made
no provision for guarding the passage ;
and Lord Wellington crossed the
river without opposition. He had
now not only overcome the barrier of
the Ebro, but was in a condition to
threaten the rear of the enemy, and his
communications with France.

Every step the army now advanced
brought it into a more mountainous re-
gion ; the roads, however, for the most
part, were good, and the country ge-
nerally fertile.— The inhabitants re-
garded the approach of the British with
a greater degree of enthusiasm and cu -
riosity than had been displayed in more
southern districts. In the course of
the march the people assembled in
crowds, and hailed their allies with
shouts of joy ; they spoke much of the
tyranny and oppression of the French
army, and acquainted the British of-
ficers with many anecdotes respecting
the enemy, which evinced .his disre-
gard of ail feeling and principle.

It was on the 15th of June that
part of the army crossed the Ebro
by the pass of Saint Martino, and
entered that district of Spain which
Buonaparte had dared to annex for
ever to France, the river Ebro, instead
of the Pyrenees, having been declared
the boundary between the two coun-
tries.—There is something very strik-
ing in this pass. After a long march,
the army arrived at a tremendous pre-
cipice, extending right and left beyond
the reach of sight, and which, rising a
little infront,preventsthedeep and wide
chasm through which the river flows
from being seen, till the traveller comes
immediately upon it, when a prospect
suddenly bursts upon the view of the
richest and most interesting character,
and greatly heightened by the con-
trast with the region so recently tra-
versed.—The Ebro is here very nar-
9

row, though deep ; and meanders in
a serpentine form through fertile
vallies, while each side is flanked by
stupendous chains of mountains, part-
ly rocky and barren, and partly culti-
vated, and affording walks for the
sheep and goats, which brouze upon
their steepest summits. A few leagues
northward, near the source of the nver,
the loftiest rocks rise perpendicularly
above each other, forming deep ravines
and stupendous cataracts, and consti-
tuting altogether an assemblage of
grand and sublime objects, probably
not surpassed in any part of the globe.—
Two divisions of the army crossed the
Ebro at this place ; where, on account
of the difiiculties to be overcome, in
traversing the steep descents, only one
horse or mule could pass at a time^
The progress of the artillery and bag--
gage was in this manner greatly im-
peded.— Throughout the whole of this
part of the march the army seemed to
traverse the land of romance ; exten-
sive ravines every where intersect this
country ; while the mountains rear
their barren and rocky heads to the
clouds, attracting vast masses of snow,
which, when melted by the sun, flow
in torrents down the rocks. — This wild
and romantic scenery is finely varied
by the appearance of rich corn fields,
vineyards, and olive-groves, among
which the Ebro irregularly winds its
majestic course through some of the
most fertile parts of Spain, and passing
by Zaragoza, empties itself into the
Mediterranean at a small distance be-
low Tortosa.

The passage of the Ebro having been
thus fortunately accomplished, the Bri-
tish general directed his march on Vit-
toria, which the French had made their
central depot in the frontier provinces.
To oppose his progress they hastily
collected such troops as were in the
neighbourhood, or could be thrown
across from Pancorbo,— These troops

152

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Cpap. 8,

advanced to meet the allies, b'lt al-
though for the moment superior in
number they were quickly repulsed.
The enemy, however, still remained at
Pancorbo, and seemed determined to
maintain themselves, if possible, in
that strong position. When they ob-
served, however, that the allied army
threatened their rear, they abandoned
Pancorbo on the night of the 18th,
and hastened to take up a position in
front of Vittoria, which they effected
on the following day. Lord Welling-
ton spent the 20th in collecting his
divisions which had been scattered by
a hasty march over a rugged and diffi-
cult country, and in reconnoitring the
position of the enemy.

The enemy's army, commanded by
Joseph Buonaparte, having Marshal
Jourdan as the major-general, had ta-
ken up a position in front of Vittoria,
the left of which rested upon the
heights which terminate at Puebla de
Arlanzon, and extended from thence
across the valley of Gadora, in front
•of the village of Arunez. They oc-
cupied, with the right of the centre,
a height which commands the valley
of Zadora ; their right was stationed
near Vittoria, and destined to defend
the passages of the river Zadora.
From these positions the British
general determined to drive them ;
and accordingly made the necessary
preparations for attacking them the
next day, (the 21st June) when he ob-
tained a great and decisive victory in
the neighbourhood of that city.

The operations of the day commen-
ced by a successful movement of Sir
R. Hill, to obtain possession ef the
heights of Puebla, on which the ene-
my's left rested ; these heights the
French had not occupied in great
strength. Sir R. Hill detached on
this service one brigade of the Spanish
division under General Murillo, the
other being employed in keeping open

the communication between his main
body, on the high road from Miranda
to Vittoria, and the troops detached
to the heights. The enemy, however,
soon discovered the importance of the
heights, and reinforced his troops there
to such an extent, that Sir R. Hill was
obliged to detach the 71st regiment,
and the light infantry battalion of
General Walker's brigade, under the
command of Lieutenant Colonel Ca-
dogan, and successively other troops
to the same point. The allies, how-
ever, not only gained, but maintained,
possession of these important heights
throughout their operations, notwith-
standing all the efforts of the enemy
to retake them The contest, at this
point, however, was very severe, and
the loss sustained considerable. Ge-
neral Murillo was wounded, but re-
mained in the field ; Colonel Cadogan
died of a wound which he received.
«* In him," said Lord Wellington, "the
service lost an officer of great zeal
and tried gallantry, who had already
acquired the respect and regard of the
whole profession, and of whom it might
have been expected, that if he had liv-
ed, he would have rendered the most
important services to his country."

Under cover of these heights. Sir
R. Hill passed the Zadora at La
Puebla, and the defile formed by the
heights and the river Zadora. He
attacked and gained possession of the
village of Sabijana de Alava, in front
of the enemy's line, which the latter
made repeated attempts to regain. The
difficult nature of the country prevent-
ed the communication from being form-
ed between the different columns mov-
ing to the attack from their station on
the river Bayas, at as early an hour as
Lord Wellington had expected ; and
it was late before he knew that the
column composed of the 3d and 7th
divisions, under the command of the
Earl of Dalhousie, had arrived at the

Chap. 8,]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

15$

station appointed for them. The
fourth and light division, however,
passed the Zadora immediately after
Sir R. Hill had possession of Sabi-
jana de Alava ; and almost as soon
as these divisions had crossed, the co-
lumn under the Earl of Dalhousie ar-
rived at Mendonza, and the third divi-
sion under Sir T. Picton crossed at
the bridge higher up, followed by the
7th division. These four divisions,
forming the centre of the army, were
destined to attack the heights on which
the right ot the enemy's centre was
placed, while Sir R. Hill moved for-
ward from Sabijana de Alava to attack
the left. The enemy, however, having
weakened his line to strengthen his de-
tachment in the hills, abandoned his
position in the valley as soon as he saw
the disposition of the allied army to at-
tack it, and commenced his retreat in
good order towards Vittoria. The
British troops continued to advance in
admirable order, notwithstanding the
difficulties of the ground.

In the mean time Sir T. Graham,
who commanded the left of the army,
consisting of the 1st and 5th divi-
sions,— of Generals Pack and Brad-
ford's brigades of infantry, and Ge-
nerals Bock's and Anson's cavalry,
and who had moved on the 20th to
Margina, advanced thence on Vittoria,
by the high road from that town to
Bilboa. He had with him also the
Spanish division under Colonel Longa.
General Giron, who had been detach-
ed to the left, under a different view
of the state of affairs, having after-
wards been recalled, had Arrived on the
20th at Ordima, and marched thence
on the morning of the 21 st, so as to
be in the field in readiness to support
Sir Thomas Graham, if his support
had been required. The enemy had a
division of infantry, and some cavalry
advanced on the great road from Vit-
toria to Bilboa, their right resting on

some strong heights which cover the
village of Gamarro Major. Both Ga^
marro and Abechinco were strongly
occupied, as tetes-du-pont to the
bridges over the Zadora at these
places. General Pack, with his Por-
tuguese brigade, and Colonel Longa,
vnth the Spanish division, supported
by General Anson's brigade of light
dragoons, and the 5th division of in-
fantry under the command of General
Oswald, who was desired^to take the
command of all these troops, were di-
rected to turn and gain the heights.
So soon as the heights were in posses-
sion of the allies, the village of Ga-
marro Major was most gallantly storm-
ed and carried by General Robinson's
brigade of the 5th division, which ad-
vanced in columns of battalion, under
a very heavy fire of artillery and mus-
ketry, without firing a shot. The
enemy suffered severely at this point,
and lost three pieces of cannon. The
Lieutenant- General then proceeded to
attack the village of Abechinco with
the first division, by forming a strong
battery against it ; under cover of the
fire. Colonel Walkett's brigade ad-
vanced to the attack, and carried the
village, the light battalion having
charged and taken three guns and »
howitzer on the bridge.

During the operations at Abechinco,
the enemy made the greatest efforts to
repossess themselves of the village of
Gamarro Major; but were gallantly
repulsed by the troops of the 5th di-
vision under General Oswald. The
enemy had, however, on the heights on
the left of the Zadora two divisions of
infantry in reserve ; and it was impos-
sible to cross by the bridges till the
troops which had moved upon the
enemy's centre and left had driven
them through Vittoria. This service
having been admirably peformed, the
whole army co-operated in the pur-
suit.

154 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 8-

The movements of the troops un-
der Sir T. Graham, by which they
obtained possession of Gamarro and
Abechinco, intercepted the enemy's
retreat by the high road to France.
The fugitives wei-e thus obhged to
turn to the road towards Pampluna ;
but they were unable to hold any po-
sition for a sufficient length of time
to allow their baggage and artillery to
be drawn off. The whole of the ar-
tillery therefore which had not been
captured by the troops in their attack
of the successive positions taken up
by the enemy, after their retreat from
their first position on Arunez, and on
the Zadora, and all their ammunition
and baggage, and every thing they
had, were taken close to Vittoria. The
enemy carried off with them one gun
and one howitzer only.

The army under Joseph Buonaparte
consisted of the whole of the armies
of the south and of the centre, — of
four divisions, and of all the cavalry
jof the army of Portugal — and of some
troops of the army of the north. Ge-
neral Foy's division of the army of
Portugal was in the neighbourhood of
Bilboa at this time ; and Clausel, who
commanded the army of the north,
was near Logrono with one division
of the army of Portugal, and another
of the army of the north. The 6th
division of the allied army, under
general Pakenham, was hkewise ab-
sent, having been detained in Medina
del Pomar for three days, to cover the
march of the magazines and stores
belonging to the|allied army. — " I can-
not," says Lord WelHngton in his
official dispatches, ** extol too highly
the good conduct of all the general
officers and soldiers of the army in this
action.**

^ When the short account of this bril-
liant exploit, which has just been given
almost in the very words of Lord
Wellington, is considered, we shall

find every reason to admire the talent
which he displayed on this occasion,
and to wonder at the strange errors
committed by the enemy.

The first operation of the allies was
to occupy tlie heights of La Puebla,
on which the enemy's left rested.
In permitting this to be effected with
little resistance, the French seemed to
have committed a capital error, of
which they immediately became sen-
sible ; and they made vigorous efforts,
and poured detachment after detach-
ment, in order to regain possession of
them. Lord Wellington however sup-
ported the corps posted there in such
a manner, that they were still able to
maintain their ground. — Then follow-
ed the attack on both flanks of the
enemy's centre. The French were
not prepared for this attack. They
had weakened their centre, for the
purpose of making fruitless efforts
against the heights on the left ; and
discovering at last that their exer-
tions to maintain their position would
be unavaihng, they abandoned it, and
the whole of their centre and left re-
treated upon Vittoria. General Gra-
ham, with the left of the allied army,
was now carrying on those operations
which were to render victory deci-
sive. The enemy had stationed a con-
siderable force in advance of Gamarro ;
and occupied several strongly forti-
fied villages, by which the high roads
to Bilboa and Bayonne were defend-
ed. General Graham succeeded in
expelling the enemy from all these
positions, and driving him across the
Zadora. The bridges however being
strongly guarded, he was himself un-
able to gain the opposite bank, until
it had been cleared by the victorious
right and centre. The left then cross-
ed the river also, and joined in the
pursuit.

The enemy was thus cut off from
the high road into France, on which

Chap. S.J

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

155

all their arrangements for retreating
had been made They were forced to
retire by the more difficult and circu-
itous route of Pampluna, upon which
they had secured no fortified positions
to cover this movement. They had
thus no means of making a stand at
any one point for a length of time suf-
ficient to enable them to carry away
their artillery and equipments. Near
Vittoria, therefore, the whole fell into
the hands of the pursuers. Never was
an army so completely s^^ripped. Bag-
gage, artillery, ammunition, camp e<^ui
page — all was taken ; vast quantities
of treasure were even thrown down
the rocks and collected by the pur-
suing troops. The aUied army, in
this most legitimate plunder, found
some solid reward for the glorious toils
through which they had passed. Of
one hundred and fifty pieces of can-
non, the enemy carried with him one
gun and one howitzer only ; even this
sohtary gun was afterwards captured.
The French passed Pampluna, but
without stopping at that fortress, and
pursued their retreat over the Pyrenees
into France. Joseph Buonaparte pass-
ed through Salvatierra, in his preci-
pitate flight from Vittoria, stripped
of every thing, and exhibiting every
symptom of ^ar and confusion.

The Spanish people hailed the ap-
proach of their allies with the most
extravagant demonstrations of joy, sa-
tisfied, as they were from the appear-
ance and strength of che army, that
Spain was completely emancipated from
the French yoke. The inhabitants of
Logrono, a fine town a few leagues
distant from Vittoria, resolved to lose
no time in proclaiming the change of
affairs, although it was humanely sug-

fested to them, that, in case of the
'rench returning, every one would be
oppressed and punished, who assisted
in the ceremony. They insisted, how-
ever, upon proclaiming Ferdinand VII.
immediately j and he was accordingly-

reinstated upon his throne by proxy,
the ceremony having been attended by
the civil authorities of the place, wha
conducted the representative of ma-
jesty to a stage erected for the occa«
sion in the market-place. In the
evening the town was illuminated and
the rejoicings were general and en-
thusiastic.

The victory of Vittoria will be no
less memorable for the importance of
its consequences, than for the courage
and talent by which it was achieved.—^
The extent of the enemy's loss ia
stores and artillery was almost unex<-
ampled. This victory besides afforded
the prospect of driving the enemy out
of Spain, — and what had by many-
been regarded as wild speculation wa«
now become matter of confident hope.
Even the invasion of France seemed
to be a question of prudence mereljr
with the British general. The British
people, who had so long heard of the
intention of the enemy to invade thi*
country — who had heard of their vain
boast that they should plant the
French eagles on the Tower of Lon-
don—were now assured that France
might be invaded by a British army.
It was highly probable that the same
army which, by imperial mandate*
was ordered into the sea at Lisbon,
might soon enter by land into Bour-
deaux ; and thus the prospects which
opened to the country were such aft
amply confirmed the original wisdom
of that policy which had led her to
engage in the cause of the peninsula.

The grand object of this policy wa»
to support the cause of Spain and
Portugal, and thus create a most im-
portant diversion in favour of otherna-
tions, who might be inchned to op-
pose the encroachments, or throw off
the yoke, of France ; and at the same '
time to afford to all nations a noble
example of persevering and determined
resistance. The wisdom of that policy
had now been amply proved. — It wa»

156 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 8.

universally known, that the efforts of
the British in Spain had encouraged
Russia to resist. It was the request
of that power, that, as the best
assistance which Britain could give
her in her contest with France, the
peninsular war should be vigorously
maintained. And what had been the
result of this resistance ? Th oppo-
sition made to the power of the enemy
in Spain and Portugal had produced
the great efforts of Russia, and had
enabled that country to resist with
success ; for if the French had been
prepared to advance into Russia at an
earlier season, and in greater force, the
issue might have been different. Ano-
ther great object of this policy was to
deprive the enemy of the resources of
Spain and Portugal, which he might
have employed to the subjugation of
other countries. How great the pro-
gress which had now been made in
effecting this object ! Was it not much
that the main French army, com-
manded by the intrusive king in per-
son, should have been signally defeat-
ed with the loss of all its artillery,
and every thing which constituted its
strength ; and that this same king,
(whose " sacred dynasty" was to be
perpetual) had been compelled to fly
in disgrace ? In such a state of things,
it was impossible to deny that a great
stride had been made towards the ac-
comphshment of the legitimate objects
of the contest — the destruction of the
enemy's power in the peninsula.—
This victory, moreover, was of a nature
as decisive as any which had graced the
military annals, of England. Not only
was the enemy defeated, and driven off
the field, but he had lost all his artillery,
his stores, his baggage, and, in short,
every thing which constituted the ma-
teriel of an army. He had been com-
pelled to abandon the strong military
positions on the Ebro, which he had
been fortifying for months, and where
he reckoned upon making a stand, if

forced to relinquish the other districts
of Spain. — The great talents of Lord
Wellington had scarcely been more
displayed in the decisive battle of Vit-
toria, than in the skill with which the
campaign was planned and the rapi-
dity with which it had been conducted.
The enemy imagined that the fortifi-
cations which he had constructed at
Toro and other places, but particularly
at Burgos, would retard the move-
ments of the British troops, till he
should be able, at least, to carry off
his magazines in security. Such how-
ever was the skill of Lord WelHng-
ton's manoeuvres, and such the rapidity
with which they were conducted, that
all the plans of the enemy were con-
founded. No sooner had the allies
advanced into Spain, than the French
hastily abandoned all their points of
defence, and were constrained even
to evacuate Burgos, on which they
had expended so much labour. They
abandoned Pancorbo and Miranda on
the Ebro with equal rapidity ; so that
in less than a month after the allies en-
tered Spain, the enemy beheld them
threatening his magazines at Vittoria,
which he was compelled to defend at
every hazard. Here the contest was^,
never for a moment doubtful. The
French seem to have fought with spirit
on two points only, the one on their
right, where it was their object to
cover or regain the main road to
France by Bayonne, in which attempt
they were completely repulsed by the
troops under Sir T. Graham ; the
other on the left, where they endea-
voured in vain to retake the command-
ing positions which were forced and
maintained by the division of Sir Row-
land Hill. — It is remarkable that near
the spot where this great battle was
fought, another victory was obtained
in the proudest days of England's
martial glory, when Edward the
Black Prince defeated the usurper of
the crown of Spain, who on that

Chap. 8.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

157

occasion was supported by French
troops.

The merits of Lord Wellington seem-
ed now to transcend all praise. He had
been tried in a more extraordinary man-
ner perhaps than any character, in mi-
litary or in civil life. He had at first
planned and conducted a system of
defence in the face of a far supe-
rior force, commanded by very able
generals ; and had displayed the high-
est quahties of a consummate captain.
He had, with unequalled coolness
and vigilance, struggled with every
difficulty, and triumphed over every
obstacle. Such events could have been
accomplished only by wonderful exer-
tions of valour by himself and his army,
and by the more difficultexercise of per-
severing endurance in the most trying
situations. But his lordship now appear-
ed to his countiy and to the world, as a
man who had frequently distinguished
himself in every possible way through
every stage of the contest — by his skill
in conducting sieges — by his promp-
titude in the application of sudden

efforts — by his success in operations
carried on in a country where the

greatest difficulties were experienced

by the abihty with which he had con-
ducted himself even in retreating, —
and at last by a series of victories which
had never been surpassed in splendour
and importance.

The prince, whom he served with
so much glory, testified the sense which
he entertained of his high deserts in
the most marked and gratifying man-
ner. The staff of Marshal Jourdan
having been taken at the battle of Vit-
toria, and sent to the Prince Regent,
his Royal Highness in return created
Lord Wellington a field marshal of
Great Britain. The frank and affec-
tionate letter of the prince, so worthy
of that illustrious personage, which
accompanied this mark of the royal
favour, must have greatly enhanced
the gratification felt by Lord Wel-
lington. The Spanish government al-
so, as a proof of its gratitude for his
eminent services to Spain, created him
Duke of Vittoria,

m EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S15. [Chap. 95*

CHAP. IX.

Spanish Affairs conttnued.-^ltapid Progress ojihe Allied Armies St SehaS*

ttan and Pampluna mvested.^Digression as to the Defects of the British
Army in conducting Sieges.

The great victory which had been
atchieved by the allied armies, was
followed up with that promptitude
and decision which belong to the
character of their leader. Not a mo-
ment was lost in pursuing the fugitive
army — in harassing its retreat — in-
tercepting the reinforcements which
sought to relieve it — or investing the
strong fortresses which now formed
the last hold of the enemy upon Spain.
Not a moment was left him to recover
from the consternation into which he
had been thrown by the sudden and
fatal blow so lately inflicted.

General Clausel, ignorant of the
defeat of his countrymen, had ap-
proached Vittoria, with part of the
army of the north ; but retired to-
wards Logrono, after ascertaining the
result of the action of the 2 1st. He
remained in the neighbourhood of that
place on the 24th, and till late on
he 25th.

Logrono, which Clausel thus oc-
cupied, is a populous and fine town ;
the streets are narrow, but the houses
in general are good. The Ebro flows
by the north side of the town ; a
handsome bridge, with a gateway in
ihe centre, is thrown over the river

at the northern entrance. A fine
walk nearly encircles the town, and
a square on its southern side is well
planted with trees, and abounds with
promenades formed in different direc-
tions. A large convent in ruins sup-
plies the place of barracks ; and at?
tached to it is a crescent forming a
convenient parade, the enclosed space
of which had been originally designed
for buU.fights. The French, during
their stay in this town, constructed a
very spacious and convenient building
for a military hospital, furnished with
a kitchen and laboratory, store-rooms
and surgery, which were afterwards
taken and occupied by our troops,
and proved avaluable acquisition to the
allied army. The town contains several
handsome churches ; the collegiate
church in particular is a very elegant
building. During the five years the
French occupied this town, they in-
gratiated themselves very much with
the people. The arrival of the British,
however, produced a great sensation.

Lord Wellington conceived, that as
General Clausel had lingered so long
at this place, there might be some
chance of intercepting his retreat ; and
after sending the light troops towards

CiiAP. 9.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

159

Roncesvalles, in pursuit of the army
under Joseph Buonaparte, he moved
against General Clausel a large force
towards Tudela, and another towards
Logrono. The French general, how-
ever, made forced marches, followed by-
General Mina. He crossed the Ebro
at Tudela ; but being informed that the
British were upon the road, he imme-
diately rccrossed, and marched towardi
Zaragoza. He did not attempt to make
a stand at Zaragoza, but leaving a de-
tachment under General Paris, passed
by a circuitous route through Jaca
across the Pyrenees. Paris, on the
approach of General Mina, retreated
in the same manner. Mina, how-
ever, still followed the enemy, and
took from him two pieces of cannon,
and some stores in Tudela, besides 300
prisoners ; General Chnton also took
possession of five guns which the ene-
my left at Logrouo. — In the mean-
time the troops under the command of
Lieutenant- General Sir R. Hill mo-
ved through the mountains to the head
of the Bidassoa, the enemy having on
that side retired into France.

While these events took place on
the right of the army. General Gra-
ham with the left wing, composed
chiefly of Portuguese and Spaniards,
was not inactive. The French evacu-
ated all their stations in Biscay, ex-
cept Santona and St Sebastian ; and
uniting their garrisons to the division
of the army of the north, which was
at Bilboa, they assembled a force more
considerable than had at first been sup-
posed. Their first effort was made at
the junction of the road from Pamp-
luna with that from Bayonne ; they
posted themselves on a hill command-
ing these two roads, and determined
to maintain it. A vigorous attack,
however, commanded by Lieutenant-
Colonel Williams, quickly dislodged
them. The enemy then retreated into
Tolosa, a town slightly fortified, and
by barricading the gates, and occupy-

ing convents and large buildings in the
vicinity, they succeeded in rendering
it a strong position. It was necessary
to bring forward a nine-pounder in
order to burst open on« of the gates.
The allies made their way into the
town ; but it was already dark ; and
the troops of the different nations
could scarcely be distinguished. The
perplexity thus occasioned enabled the
French to escape with smaller loss
than they must otherwise have sus-
tained— The enemy made his last
stand on the Bidassoa, which forms the
boundary, in this direction, between
Spain and France. He was driven
across it by a brigade of the army of
Gallicia under the command of Gene-
ral Castanos, and the bridge over the
river was destroyed. Port Passages,
a harbour of considerable importance
at the mouth of the Bidassoa, was then
taken by Longa, and its garrison of
150 men made prisoners.

The town of I^ssages is very sin-
gularly constructed, and is as disagree-
able as it is peculiar. The sea flows
through a defile of mountains, and
forms a navigable river to a considera-
ble extent inland, affording a very-
safe and convenient harbour for ship-
ping, with which it is exceedingly
crowded. This circumstance imparts
an interest to the place, which joined
to the beautyof the surrounding coun-
try, compensates, in some degree, for
the extremejwretchedness of its accom-
modation.— The town consists of two
exceedingly narrow and dirty streets,
one of which lies on one side of the
river, and the other on the opposite
bank, the communication between
the two being carried on solely by
means of boats.

When the enemy retired across the
Ebro, previously to the battle of Vit-
toria, they left a garrison of about
600 men in the castle of Pancorbo,
by which they commanded the great
communication from Vittoria to Bour-

160 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 9.

gos. Lord Wellington therefore or-
dered the Conde de Abisbal, on his
march to Miranda, to make himself
master of the town and lower works,
and to blockade the place. The
Spanish general accordingly carried
the town and lower fort by assault on
the 28th of July, after which the gar*
rison surrendered by capitulation. —
The decision and dispatch with which
this place was subdued were highly
creditable to the officers and troops
employed.

The Spanish cortes, on receiving in-
telligence of the great success of Lord
Wellington, voted thanks to the field-
marshal and his brave army by ac
clamation.— They sent a deputation
to the British ambassador to compli-
ment him ; and came to a unanimous
vote that a tenitorial property should
be conferred upon their grandee, the
Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo ; and that
the title of possession should contain
these words : " In the name <f the
Spanish nation, in testimony of its most
sincere gratitude,**

The allied armies meanwhile pur-
sued their victorious career. Though
the enemy had withrawn the whole of
their right and left wings into France,
three divisions of the centre, under
General Gazan, remained in the valley
of Bustan, of which they seemed de-
termined to keep possession, as it is
very fertile and full of strong posi-
tions. Upon the 4th, 5th, and 7th of
July, however, they were successively
dislodged from all their posts, by two
brigades of British and two of Portu-
guese infantry, under Sir R. Hill ; and
compelled to retreat into France. The
allies lost eight men killed, and 119
•wounded — These affairs, by which
Sir R, Hill dislodged the enemy from
this fine valley and drove him into
France, were extremely brilliant.

Before the British army could be
conveniently employed in more deci-
sive operations against the enemy, it

became necessary to reduce the for-
tresses of St Sebastian and Pamplu-
na, two of the strongest in Spain. As
these were the last sieges undertaken
by the British troops in the penin-
sula— as the reduction of both places
required from the British army efforts
almostincredible, — andasit seems to be
the general opinion among officers of
science and experience, that considera-
ble improvements may yet be accom-
phshed in this branch of the service,
a brief review of the opinions enter-
tained on this subject may not be un-
interesting. We shall premise a short
account of the situation and appear-
ance of St Sebastian and Pampluna.

St Sebastian, which once formed
one ot the finest cities of Spain, and
which still bears marks of its former
splendour, is almost a league from Pas-
sages The houses appear to have
been in general large and handsome,
and the streets, for the most part, are
uniform and spacious. The town is
built on a peninsula, running nearly
east and west, the northern side being
washed by the river Urumea, the
southern by the sea. The front de-
fences, which crossed the isthmus to-
wards the land, when the place was
besieged, consisted of a double line of
works, with the usual counterscarp,
covered way, and glacis, but the works
running lengthways of the peninsula
were composed of only a single line ;
and, trusting to the water in front to
render them inaccessible, they were
built without any cover. The nor-
thern line is quite exposed from the
top to the bottom, to a range of hilla
on the right bank of the river, at the
distance of six or seven hundred yards
from it. The neglect to cover these
walls appears unaccountable, as the
Urumea for some hours before and
after low water is fordable, and the
tide recedes so much, that for the same
period there is a considerable space
left dry along the left bank of the

Chap. 9.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

161

river, by which troops can march to
the foot of the wall. — Marshal Ber-
wick, when he attacked St Sebastian
in 1701, aware of this circumstance,
threw up batteries on those hills to
breach the town-wall, pushed an ap-
proach along the isthmus, and establish
ed himself on the covered-way of the
land front. So soon as the breach was
practicable, the governor capitulated
for the town, and the Duke obliged
him, with the garrison, to retire into
the castle.

Pamplunais represented by some tra-
vellers as the finest town in Spain. Its
▼icinity to France, and the sea- ports
upon the coast of Biscay, which, from
the excellence of the roads, are easy of
access even to carriages, combined with
a ready communication to the metro-
polis, and the fine country of Catalo-
nia, bestow on Pampluna many advan-
tages.— The town itself is spacious,
airy, and handsome ; the streets are
wider than those of other Spanish
towns, and the houses arc generally
more commodious. The approach to
the city is noble ; and, as a completely
fortified place, Pampluna has a very im

f)osing appearance. Its elegant and
ofty spires are seen from a great dis-
tance, and altogether, with its walls,
bastions, and turrets, it has an ap-
pearance of strength and grandeur.
The northern part of the town is much
elevated, and the Ebro is seen ap-
proaching from a considerable dis-
tance. A handsome bridge is thrown
over the river, which conducts the
traveller to the city through a spa-
cious gateway. The suburbs are
scattered over the banks of the river,
but the French have done them con-
siderable injury. Within the town
they practised their usual system of
plunder and spoliation. — In the cen-
tre of Pampluna there is a large mar-
ket place ; a handsome municipal-
house, adjacent to which is a very
spacious square with piazzas ; con*
VOC, VI. PART l.*'^**c -^ -^

vents, and other charitable endow ments,
some of which are very handsome
and costly, meet the eye in ail direc-
tions. The collegiate church is a
large and handsome building, erected
on the summit of a hill, at the northern
extremity of the town, and in the cen-
tre of a paved square. It appears to
be very ancient ; is of Gothic architec-
ture, and decorated, like many other
Gothic edifices, by various figures in
the most uncouth attitudes. The
front has been modernized, and is
very finely ornamented. A royal pa-
lace is still shewn, more remarkable
for its antiquity than its beauty.
The citadel occupies a large space of
ground, and consists chiefly of a cres-
cent of small houses, where the artifi-
cers reside ; it has no tower, or any
thing indicating a castellated appear-
ance, above its walls. A walk round
the ramparts commands many fine
views of the surrounding country. The
fortifications are unusually strong, and
doubly ditched. Interposed between
these works and the city, on one side,
is a large square, ornamented with fine
poplar trees, which forms a parade for
the exercise of the troops. The town,
though still populous, has been much
reduced of late years ; and its present
inhabitants have been greatly impove-
rished by their late connection with the
French.

Such were the places which the Bri-
tish army was now ordered to reduce,
strengthened as they were by all the
resources of French ingenuity, and de-
fended by a chosen band of French
troops.

The most inattentive observer of the
campaigns in the peninsula, cannot but
have remarked, that, in the field, on
every occasion, the British have shewn
a decided superiority over the French,
which neither inequality of numbers,
strength of position, nor other circum-
stance, has been able to counterbalance :
Yet in every instance when a fortified

162

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chaf. 9.

place has been attacked, this superio-
rity has been lost, and the enemy has
either successfully resisted, or the place
has been gained at a price above its
current value. So constant and so
marked a difference in the result of
contentions between the same troops
when fighting in the field and at a siege,
cannot be the effect of chance, but
must be explained by reference to some
constantly operating cause.

As the corps of artillery and engi~
neers are the most prominent actors at
a siege, it is natural to conjecture that
one or other of them is deficient in a
knowledge of its duty, but the former
is universally and deservedly consider-
ed as the best in Europe ; and Lord
Wellington's express declaration, that
the attacks were carried on by the en-
gineers with the greatest ability, and
that by their conduct on such occasions
they had augmented their claims to his
approbation, must for ever remove any
suspicion of want of talent or zeal in
this department. It becomes there-
fore an object of considerable interest
to ascertain why so skilful a general,
with the bravest troops in the world —
with excellent artillery — and with en-
gineer whose conduct has always met
with his approbation, should not have
carried on his sieges with the same cer-
tainty of success, and the same incon-
siderable loss, which have attended the
operations of the ordinary generals of
the French army.

Whatever opinions the English may
entertain against fortifying their own
towns, no doubt can exist, after the
experience of so many costly sieges, as
to the advantage occasionally to be de-
rived from having the power to reduce
those of an enemy. Within these few
years the judgment of men in all coun-
tries on the value of fortresses, has un-
dergone great changes. The over-
whelming torrent of the French armies,
supported by opinion, bore down every
thing ; the best fortified towns yielded
to it equally with the open village ;

not one fortress opposed a due resist-
ance, to uphold its ancient reputation,
and all belief in their use was stagger-
ed. That torrent is happily now spent ;
the operations of war are fast returning
into their former channels, and fortress-
es are resuming their due rank in its
combinations. No longer do we hear
of towns surrendered on a first sum-
mons, or under the terrors of a bom-
bardment ; no longer are fortified
places considered as useless drains on
an army. In the hands of the French
they have suddenly assumed a new
character, and the most insignificant
post makes a protracted resistance — a
resistance which to many appears un-
accountable. To profit by this feeUng,
the French government have, by popu-
lar treatises, and other arts, attempted
but too successfully to impose a belief
that with them the defence has received
some great improvement ; and the ene-
mies of France, by a strange perverse-
ness of judgment, at the very moment
when they had to reconquer those pos-
sessions which they readily surrender-
ed, were, without due examination,
imbibing an opinion of their impregna-
bility. It is of considerable importance
to those who are likely to act only as
assailants, that such ideas should be
discouraged, since they appear to be
founded in error. The only improve-
ment which the science of defence ap-
pears to have received consists in the
negative advantage accruing to it from
the disuse, of late years, of that science
of attack, and of those powerful means
which formerly gave to the besiegers
80 irresistible a superiority. The best
method to restore its former character
to the science of attack, would be, to
revive the knowledge of the art amongst
military men generally, when its great
powers would become apparent. Had
this been done at an earlier period,
the French would have derived no more
than a just value from their numerous
fortified places.
In the English language there exists

Chap. 9.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

165

not a single original treatise on sieges ;
all our knowledge of the subject is at-
tained from foreign writers, and their
maxims, whether well or ill adapted to
the physical and moral powers of our
men, are implicitly followed. Many
British officers, at different periods,
acquire much knowledge and experi-
ence in the art ; but, as they never
communicate that knowledge to the
public, it dies with them ; and each
succeeding generation is obliged to
acquire its skill without a guide, and
at the expence of much blood and trea-
sure to the country. Thus it happens
that there is no general understanding
on the subject, and no acknowledged
authority, as in other arts, on which to
rely. Hence also there are no rules
nor regulations for the conduct of an
English siege : Each officer, accord-
ing to his abilities and experience, re-
gulates the attack ; no note nor memo-
randum of any former operation is ever
produced, to direct and guide the as-
sailant in future ; the errors and the
skill displayed in all prior attacks are
alike buried in obUvion, and each suc-
ceeding siege is conducted without ex-
perience.

Besides the general impression al-
ready mentioned, that the science of
defence has of late received some great
improvement, the events of the sieges
in Spain have given rise to opinions
peculiar to the British army. Among
these may be enumerated the false no-
tions that great loss and uncertainty
are inherent to the operations of a
siege ; that the French possess supe-
rior knowledge in the art of defence ;
that thev fight better behind walls
than in the field ; and that the English
are not fitted for such undertakings.
These notions, however, seem to be
totally unfounded ; and the defects of
our military establishments alone, not
an inferiority in the art, gave rise to
the occurrences on which they are
grounded.

The happy insular situation of Great
Britain, and her maritime superiority,
have diverted the attention of British
officers from tTiis art, and the service
connected with it. The expeditionary
mode of warfare adopted during the
greater part of the last century, con-
tributed greatly to the same result ;
and so much has the establishment for
sieges been overlooked, that the corps
of officers who are kept in pay for the
professed object of attacking and de-
fending fortresses, have always been
without the necessary assistance to ren-
der them efficient.

If we look back to the commence-
ment of the war in 1 "• 93, we shall find
the infantry, cavalry, and artillery, all
equally inferior ; but in the course of
service, their several defects were ob-
served and remedied, and those three
arms are now superior to any in exist-
ance. It happened that in the course
of fifteen years of war, the English
never attempted any great siege, and
the deficiencies of the estabhshments
for that service, were not so apparent ;
nothing was done, therefore, to im-
prove them ; and at the commence-
ment of the campaigns in the peninsu-
la, the engineer department was the
same as it had been previously to the
war. The first sieges undertaken in
Spain shewed its numerous deficien-
cies ; some of which have since been
remedied, but many improvements are
yet required, to render that arm equ-
ally efficient with the others. Such
perfection, however, it may be hoped,
will ultimately be attained, from the
exertions which have been made to ef-
fect it.

The superior courage of the officers
and soldiers of the British army is too
well known and established ever to be
questioned. Their feats in arms are
too numerous and brilUant ever to be
forgotten ; and their fame is too firm-
ly fixed for them to wish that their
failures should be concealed.

16* EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 9.

The radical fault of the sieges in
Spain has arisen from our not carrying
the works sufficiently forward to close
with the enemy ; and a little reflection
will prove that every miscarriage, and
all the losses sustained, may be traced
to this source. To rectify this defect,
therefore, and to introduce a closer
mode of attack, is the object which
claims the chief attention. Should vve
be prepared at all future sieges to gain
the ground inch by inch, till securely
posted on the summit of the ramparts,
the hitherto constant evils attendant on
such operations would be remedied,
and the just rules of attack would be
scrupulously observed.

The system of making a breach
from a distance, and of hazarding all
on the valour of the troops, rather than
insuring success by their labour, has
become habitual to the British army.
They have in this way generally suc-
ceeded in their colonial wars, where
the nature of the climate justified such
a mode of attack, delay being often
more fatal than repulse. The extreme
hazard of such a proceeding is not so
apparent, therefore, to the English as
to the people of other nations. — The
authority of history, as well as the evi-
dence of recent evt- nts, is against such
a mode of attack ; and it has been en-
tirely abandoned by the great continen-
tal powers in their operations against
French garrisons since the modified or-
donnance of i'/05, (commanding go-
vernors to stand at least one assault in
the body of the place,) has been enfor-
ced ; before that period the practice
was pretty general, and, when resisted,
was usually attended with the same re-
sults as at present.

In the 16th, and beginning of the
17th centuries, the art of disposing the
different works of a fortress, so as to
cover each other, and to be covered by
the glacis from the view of an enemy,
was either unknown or disregarded.
Artillery was then little used, on ac-

count of the great expence and difficul-
ty of bringing it up. The chief care
of those who fortified towns, was, by
height of situation, and lofty walls, to
render them secure from escalade ; and
places built prior to that period are
invariably of such construction. The
simplicity of the places to be attacked
gave the same character to the opera-
tion itself ; and every thing was then
effected by desperate courage, without
the aid of science ; but when the use
of artillery became more common, such
exposed walls could no longer oppose
a moderate resistance, even to the im-
perfect mode of attack which was then
practised ; and to restore an equality J
to the defence, it became necessary to i
screen the garrison from distant fire.
The attempt was scarcely made, when
the genius of one man, ( Vauban,) per-
fected a new system, which gave to the
defence of towns a superiority over the
attack, by rendering them unassailable
by all open efforts, such as were at that
time practised.

Unfortunately for mankind, Vau-
ban afterwards served a prince bent on
conquest ; and, turning his great ta-
lents to the aid of his master, he, with
an unhappy facihty, in a few cam-
paigns, perfected a covered mode of
attack, by a combination of science
and labour, which rendered easy to
the steady advances of a few brave men,
the reduction of places capable of de-
fying for ever the open violence of mul-
titudes. Since that period all the con-
tinental powers have made such men
an integral part of their armies, and
they have thus rendered the success of
their attacks on strong places nearly
certain. England, however, remained
alone for one hundred years without
imitating her rivals ; and hence it is
that in the 19th century, her generals
were driven to the same hazardous ex-
pedients for reducing places as those of
Philip the Second, in the 16th. Had
a British armv, under these circum-

Chap. 9.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

165

stances, been opposed to a place fully
covered, according to the modem sys-
tem, all its efforts to reduce it would
have been unavailing, and no period of
time, nor sacrifice of men, would have
effected the object.

Since the introduction of science,
there is, perhaps, no miHtary under-
taking so certain in its results, as the
reduction of a fortified place ; every
other military event is in some degree
governed by chance, but the result of
a siege is matter of sure calculation.
The art of attack has been rendered so
much superior to that of defence, that
no artificial work can resist beyond a
limited time ; bravery and conduct will
serve a little to retard its fall, but can-
not long prevent it. Shells, and an
enfilade fire a ricochet, are irresistible
—the timid and the brave alike fall be-
fore them. Such certainty in a siege,
however, depends on an exact adhe-
rence to the rules of art ; and when
these are departed from, all becomes
confusion ; — time, life, and success, are
then put to imminent hazard. To this
cruel alternative it is apparent that
Lord Wellington has been driven in
all his attacks, from the want of means
and of a due establishment to carry
into effect his own more just ideas.

It is time, therefore, that we should
mature our infant estabhshments ; —
that our officers should study the theo-
ry cf attack, and our soldiers be in-
structed in the details. If a period of
peace is duly improved, we shall attain
such perfection, that, in the next con-
test, there will be no plea for a recur-
rence to former modes of attack ; —
wherever adequate armaments can act,
knowledge will be united to physical
power ; and sieges being carried on by
the British army with science equal to
its bravery, they will be rendered cer-
tain, simple, and comparatively blood-
less.

It must ever be recollected, that no
«x ertioQ of science or bravery will be

availing unless seconded by powerful
means in artillery, stores, and materials.
The want of these, particularly of the
latter, deeply injured the operations in
Spain ; and was, without doubt, a prin-
cipal cause of their uncertainty. But,
as on most occasions the siege establish-
ments, even in the peninsula, were
unequal to a full use of the other
means, if provided, such deficiencies
have not been much regarded. Nothing
is more certain than that the reduc-
tion of a town must be paid for ei-
ther in materials or men, as the one or
the other shall be made the chief sacri-
fice. It must be remembered, however,
that every saving in the former has the
double inconvenience of an additional
expenditure of time as well as of life»
In Spain, a combination of unfavour-
able circumstances occasioned a great
sacrifice of life at the sieges ; an ex-
hausted country without carriage — an
engineer's department without a driver,
horse, or waggon belonging to it — a
superior enemy in the field, and a con-
sequent necessity for secrecy — all these
circumstances combined to prevent the
British army from receiving due sup-
plies. It is improbable, however, that
such complicated difficulties should
again occur ; — and as many of them
may be removed by care and attention
in the outset, the sieges which may in
future be undertaken by our armies
will be brought to a speedy and more
prosperous conclusion.

As many of the impediments to suc-
cess in Spain were either local, or such
as may easily be avoided in future, to
acquire immediate efficiency in carrying
on sieges, nothing remains but to obvi-
ate the imperfection of our mode of at-
tack. We must learn to aid bravery
by science, and to gain by labour what-
ever is denied to force. It is satisfac-
tory to observe how slight the changes
are which will be required to place the
army on an efficient footing. When
this shall be effected, and the close

166 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 9-

mode of attack pursued, we may hail
the commencement of a siege as the
sure forerunner of a national triumph.
To carry on a siege we possess advan-
tages far greater than the French, and
other continental nations ;— our sol-
diers are stronger and braver than
theirs, — our instruments of attack are
better, — andin quantity of ammunition,
stores, artillery, &c. how can they
come into competition with us, who
can convey them to their destination
by water, with little trouble or ex-
pence, whilst among our enemies every
thing must move by a tedious and ex-
pensive land'carri^ge, from arsenals in

the interior ? It is not, therefore, too
much to conclude, that, so soon as the
superior courage and force of our men
shall be seconded by the superior means
we have it usually in our power to sup-
ply, and when, by scientific direction,
as much benefit shall be drawn from
their labour as from their bravery, the
British soldiers must prove superior to
any in Europe, in besieging a fortress ;
but so long as the present imperfect
mode of attack continues to be follow-
ed, any covered work will seriously
impede it, and may prove an insur-
mountable obstacle to the best and
bravest efforts of the assailants.

Chap. 10.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

167

CHAP. X.

Operations of the Anglo'Sicilian Army in the East of Spain,'— Sir John Mur-
ray undertakes the Siege of Tarragona^ luhich he aftertvards raises abruptly,
— Lord William Bentinck takes the Command of the Army,

From the brilliant career of the allies
in the north of Spain, we must now
turn to the operations which took
place on the eastern coast of the pe-
ninsula. In Catalonia and Valencia
the French still maintained a very large
force, and were in possession of nume-
rous fortresses, some of which ranked
among the strongest in Europe. Su-
chet, who commanded this force, occu-
pied a position in front of Valencia, at
St Phillippe, on the Hne of the Xucar.
— The allies, on the other hand, had
collected a very considerable force in
and near Alicant. Several British and
native regiments had been withdrawn
from Sicily ; and a large force collected
from the population of the neighbour-
ing provinces had been organized in
the Balearic islands, under British offi-
cers— This corps could act in combi-
nation with the second Spanish army
under General Elio, which was drawn
up along the frontiers of Murcia. The
troops remained, however, in a state
of inaction till the middle of April,
when the Anglo- Sicihan army, un-
der Sir John Murray, left Alicant,
and advanced to Castella : General
Elio, at the same time, took post at

Yesla and Villena. It appears, how-
ever, that these different corps had not
been in a state of proper combination ;
and Suchet soon discovered the advan-
tage which might be derived from this
ovsrsight. Collecting his whole dis-
poseable force, he, on the 11th of
April, attacked the corps of General
Elio, unsupported by the rest of the
allies ; drove it, with some loss, from
Yesla, and, having invested the castle
of Villena, compelled that place, with
its garrison of 1000 men, to surrender
next day at discretion. Having thus
succeeded against the Spanish army^
he proceeded to the attack of the Bri-
tish positions ; and, on the 12th, at
noon assailed their advanced posts at
Biar. The resistance was vigorously
maintained against superior force for
five hours ; and the troops at length
fell back upon the main body, only in
compliance with the orders of General
Murray. Suchet, however, not dis-
heartened by this reception, proceeded,
on the following day, to attack the
position at Castella, where the British
were concentrated. At noon on the
13th, after having displayed all his ca-
valry, he advanced a corps of 2000 in-

168

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 10.

fantry, with the view of forcing the
left of the line, which the vanguard of
General Whittingham covered ; but
these troops, and the English whom he
encountered at this point, received the
attack with the utmost steadiness ; they
allowed the enemy to approach to the
very point of their bayonets, and then
charged them, breaking the French
column ; and killing, wounding, or
making prisoners those who composed
it. Suchet, having observed the result
of his first attempt, was obliged to
change his plans — to reduce his opera-
tions to a series of movements, and fi-
nally to put himself in retreat. Gene-
ral Murray immediately ordered nine
battaliofis of infantry, and 1000 caval-
ry, with ten pieces of artillery, to pur-
sue ; this occasioned great loss to the
enemy's columns, which continued to
retire, beaten and fatigued. As the
superiority of the French in cavalry,
however, gave them great advantages
for proceeding in the direct line, Ge-
neral Murray commenced a flank move-
ment by Alcov, in hopes of reaching
the entrenched camp at St Felipe, be-
fore the enemy's arrival ; but the
French having reached Alcov only a
quarter of an hour before the allies,
this plan was frustrated. Sir John
Murray then returned to his position.
In this action, Suchet made his first
experiment of the valour of British
troops ; and in contending with them,
was for the first time repulsed and
overthrown. The allied army, how-
ever, did not make any attempt to fol-
low up its success. The advance from
Alicant indeed appears to have been
made less with the view of pushing
forward in that direction, than for the
purpose of seconding the grand opera-
tion in the north of Spain, and of pre-
venting Suchet from detaching any of
his force to the assistance of Joseph
Buonaparte. When Lord Wellington,
however, began to move from Sala-
manca, Sir John Murray, under his di-

rection, was called upon to execute a
new plan of operations.

As the operations of Sir John Mur-
ray were not attended with the success
which had been expected — as the ho-
nour of this officer, and, it may be
thought, that of the army under his
command, were involved in these trans-
actions—and as every particular con-
nected with them received the utmost
publicity, in the course of the investi-
gation which was ordered into the
conduct of the general, we shall endea-
vour to give a distinct and impartial
account of the whole proceedings.

It has already been stated, that be-
fore the expedition to Tarragona was
undertaken, the French army occupied
so strong a position on the line of the
Xucar, that it was not judged expedi-
ent for the allied armies, composed
as they were, to run the risk of a di-
rect attack on its front, before weak-
ening its numbers by a movement on
its flank or rear. To accomplish this
object, two plans offered themselves to
the commander of the forces ; the one
comprehended a movement of a consi-
derable portion of the allied armies by
Requena and Utiel, and by Tortosa
and Lerida, to co-operate on the right
flank of the French, and towards the
rear of their position. The other con-
templated a naval expedition, by means
of which a considerable force might be
landed at some distance in the rear of
the enemy's left flank. The execution
of the first plan must have been so dif-
ficult and circuitous, and the result so
doubtful, that the naval expedition, if
practicable, was very much to be pre-
ferred. In pursuance of this object,
detailed instructions, which bear date
14th April, 1813, were accordingly
given by the Duke of Wellington to
Lieutenant-General Sir John Murray.
By these instructions, if a body of men,
to the number of 10,000 at the least,
and of the description specified, could
be embarked on the naval expedition, it

Chap. 10.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

169

was directed to take place ; and, in that
event, the following objects of the ex-
pedition were pointed out : 1st, To
obtain possession of the open part of
the kingdom of Valencia. 2dly, To
secure an estabHshment on the sea-
coast, north of the Ebro, so as to
open a communication with the army
of Catalonia ; and eventually, in the
Sd place, To oblige the enemy to re-
tire from the Lower Ebro ; the order
of the 2d and 3d objects having been
left to Sir John Murray's discretion.
— The instructions proceed to state,
that, with a force of 10,000 men, the
1st and 2d objects might be with great
advantage combined ; or, in other
words, that the attempt to secure the
establishment on the coast, by a brisk
attack upon Tarragona, would neces-
sarily induce Marshal Suchet to weak-
en his force in Valencia, and enable the
Spanish generals to take ipossession
of a great part, if not the whole, of
the open country in that kingdom.

It was further remarked, in the
memorandum of instructions, that the
possession of Tarragona must involve
a question of time and means ; and
that, if Suchet, notwithstanding the
junction of the troops of the first
Spanish army with those under Sir
John Murray, should be so strong in
Catalonia as to obhgc the British ge-
neral to raise the siege, his first aim
would, at least, have been gained
without difficulty, and the return of
Sir John Murray's corps into the king-
dom of Valencia would secure the ad-
vantage thus acquired. But if, on
the other hand. Sir John Murray
should succeed in taking Tarragona,
the first and second objects, pointed
cut by his instructions, would have
been secured, and a foundation laid for
the attainment of the remaining object
pointed out by the commander-in-
chief. General Murray was also di-
rected, in case of raising the siege, or
at all events, on his returning to the

kingdom of Valencia, to land as far
north as might be in his power, in or-
der immediately to join the right of
the Spanish armies.

It was the object of Lord Welling-
ton, therefore, that a sudden and vigor-
ous attack should be made on Tarra-
gona ; by means of which, Suchet, in
order to afford the requisite assistance
to the garrison, would be compelled so
to weaken his army on the Xucar,
as to leave the open country of Va-
lencia in a great measure exposed to
the Spanish armies. The Spaniards
would thus be enabled to obtain posses-
sion of that part of the country which
it was otherwise out of their power,
and beyond their means, to occupy. If
Tarragona, by means of this vigorous
attack, should fall, the views of the
commander of the forces would be very
considerably advanced ; but, should
circumstances oblige General Murray
to raise the siege and embark, his in-
structions directed that he should re-
turn immediately to Valencia, and as-
sist the Spaniards in profiting by the
absence of a large portion of the
French army ; or, at least, that he
should confirm any advantages which
the Spaniards might alone, during his
absence, have acquired. The whole
spirit of the memorandum — the objecti
and views of the commander-in-chief —
the place where Sir John Murray was
directed to land — the immediate junc-
tion which he was ordered to form
with the right of the Spanish armies, all
these circumstances seemed to point out
an immediate return in case of failure at
Tarragona. It was obvious that if he
neglected to follow this course, the
French troops would be enabled to
retrace their steps, and contend once
more in the formidable position which
they had occupied before the naval ex-
pedition was undertaken ; and thus the
success of the plan formed by Lord
Wellington, however it might have
been advanced in the first instancy

170 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 10.

would be greatly endangered, if not
entirely defeated.

On the 2d of June, the fleet destined
for this expedition, anchored to the
eastward of the point of Salon ; and
the soldiers, who had been previously
ordered to hold themselves in readiness
to land, were put into the boats ; but
the surf was so high, that, in the opi-
nion of Admiral Hallowell, who com-
manded the naval branch of the expe-
dition, it would have been unsafe to
land, and the troops accordingly re-
turned to the ships.

Before the fleet came to anchor, a
brigade, commanded by Colonel Pre-
vost, was detached to the Coll de Bal-
laguer ; and the Spanish general Co-
pons, in compliance with a request
made to him, detached, during the
night, two battalions to co operate in
the attack on Fort St Phillippe. On
the 5th, two other Spanish battalions
joined, in consequence of some move-
ment of the enemy from Tortosa;
^nd on the 7th the fort capitulated.

On the 3d of June, soon after sun-
rise, the debarkation commenced ; and,
during the course of that day, the
whole of the infantry, with some field-
pieces, were landed. Tarragona was
immediately reconnoitred and invest-
ed ; the point of attack was decided
upon, and a place for the depot of
artillery stores fixed.— Having recon-
noitred the fortress, the general deci-
ded on attacking it on the western side,
which was not only the weakest, but
the most convenient for bringing up
the stores to the batteries. Unfor-
tunately, however, the enemy had very
nearly completed the re-establishment
of the Fuerte Reale, (which lies be-
tween 350 and 400 yards from the
body of the place), which it was ne-
cessary to take, before any batteries
could be erected against the town.
The enemy was still at work at the
fort ; and to prevent his strengthening
it, two batteries were begun on the

evening of the 4th ; although the as-
sailants, according to the report of
General Murray, were yet in no state
of preparation to carry on the opera-
tions of the siege. — On the morning
of the 6th these batteries opened their
fire with good effect ; but it was found
expedient to erect another battery of
two 24-pounders, which was begun
and completed on the night of the
6th. At day.break of the 7th, this
battery opened its fire ; and, on the
morning of the 8th, the Fuerte Real
was reported, by the commanding en-
gineer, to be practicably breached.

When this officer, however, made
his report to the general, he requested
that the work should not be stormed,
as he could turn the immediate posses-
sion to no account, while an attem.pt to
retain the fort would cost the lives of
many men. Every delay was to be re-
gretted, but as the state of the fort
was such, that it could be taken when
convenient, General Murray consent-
ed to defer the attack, and directed
that the fire upon the fort should con-
tinue only to prevent its re-establish-
ment.

During this time the artillery and
engineer horses, and the cavalry and
artillery stores, were landed, when
the weather would permit, and the
engineer officers continued their pre-
parations for the siege. On the 8th,
the operations were sufficiently ad-
vanced to enable Major Thackaray,
the chief officer of engineers, at a dis-
tance of about 4 ;0 yards from the
body of the place, to construct two
heavy batteries to enfilade it. On the
night of the J 0th, and the morning
of the 11th, their fire was opened;
but although the fire was well direct-
ed, and kept up with great spirit, that
of the garrison was , undiminished.
During the course of the day. Major
Thackaray having reported that he
was now perfectly prepared to push
the siege with vigour, the fire on the

Chap. 10.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

171

Fuerte Reale was increased, and it was
decided to storm that work during
the night. The int» Uigence, however,
which General Murray received late
that evening, of the approach of Mar-
shal Suchet, and of the march of a
French column from Barcelona, pre-
vented him from carrying his intention
into execution.—" He thought," ac-
cording to his own statement, "it
would have been an useless waste of the
lives of British soldiers, to attempt to
carry a work which he saw must be
abandoned the next day.'* So far had
the operations against Tarragona been
carried when the siege was raised.

*< In the first view of the case,"
said Sir John Murray, when address-
ing Lord Wellington on the subject of
this miscarriage, " your lordship may
perhaps be of opinion, that more might
have been done ; and, under more fa-
vourable circumstances, no doubt we
might have been farther advanced,
but under no circumstances materially
so. Your lordship, in judging of this
point, will, I hope, take into consider-
ation the strength of the place, which
although the outworks (with the ex-
ception of the Fuerte Reale) were de-
stroyed, was still in a formidable state
of defence, such indeed, that Major
Thackaray, on the 8th or 9th, de-
clared it * his deliberate opinion, that
the place could not be taken in less
than fourteen or fifteen daya from that
time.*

** It is likewise to be recollected,
that the army invested the place with-
out a single preparation having been
made for a siege. We had not a sin-
gle fascine or gabion, nor did the ves-
sel arrive, which had been sent to
Ivica for the materials collected, un-
til the evening of the 4th or 5th. It
was not until the day following their
arrival that the materials could be
brought to the depot.

" A considerable delay was farther
experienced by Major Thackaray from

the irregularity in landing the stores —
much of this, from the surf and wea-
ther, lA-as probably unavoidable ; but
much hkewise proceeded from the ir-
regularity of the transport boats, and
from their working in the night, when
they could not be seen. A considera-
ble delay arose likewise from the slow-
ness, and the great unwillingness with
which the foreign troops worked. This
was a most serious inconvenience, and
delayed the opening of the two last
batteries for i^4j hours. — It required
an additional party of 200 British sol-
diers, to carry to the batteries the
ammunition which one of these parties
threw away when they came under
fire.

" All these circumstances together
tended to retard our progress ; but still,
from the 4th at night, till the 11th in
the morning, five batteries were con-
structed ; and we were then in a state
to prosecute the siege without fear of
delay, had we by good fortune been
enabled to continue it. Before I con-
clude this part of the subject, I beg
to state that it was not till after the
fall of the Coll de Ballaguer, that, in
point of fire, we derived any material
assistance from the naval branck of the
expedition. — The bombs and gun-
boats came from thence on the 8th
and 9th, and 1 think, but I cannot
for certain recollect if it was so, that
some of them were again sent back on
the lOth and 11th."

General Murray defended his con-
duct, in raising the siege, by stating,
that very large French armies were ad-
vancing to the relief of the place.
From the most accurate statements
which he had it in his power to pro-
cure, he estimated Marshal Suchet's
force, in the kingdom of Valencia, to
be -23 or 24,000 men, and the army of
Catalonia, including the garrison, to
be 22,900, composing altogether an
army of 46,000 men. The French
however, could not have brought all

172 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. QChap. 10.

this force to act against t!ie allied ar-
my in Catalonia ; but suppose they
left in Valencia 11,000 men, (audit
appears they did not leave so many)
and 10,000 in the garrisons of Cata-
lonia, a disposeable army of iJ4,000
men at least was still at the command
of Suchet. To oppose this army,
General Murray stated that he had
about 13,000 men under his own imme-
diate command ; and from general Co-
pons's statement, his disposeable force
amounted to 8,500 men, without pay,
without discipline, without a single
piece of cannon, without the means of
subsisting, and totally incapable of act-
ing in the field. The allied army
therefore consisted of 21,500 men ; of
whom 4.500 were British and Ger-
mans, 13 or 14',000 Sicilians, 600 Ca-
labrese, and the remainder Spaniards.
In cavalry the enemy were greatly su-
perior.— Such were the strength and
composition of an army, with which
General Murray was expected to meet
the enemy's force, composed of the
best troops of France, and long ha-
bituated to act in a body. — But the
difference in the situation of the ar-
mies was not less striking. The French
general possessed, in every direction,
fortresses around him to cover his ar-
my, if defeated ; to furnish his sup-
plies, or to retire upon, if he wished
to avoid an action, for the purpose of
bringing up more troops. The allied
army, on the contrary, was in the open
field, without one serviceable point
d'apjmi, and without a place at which to
halt even for a day. But in case of re-
treat, whither could it retire ? To the
ships. Here, indeed, the army would
have been safe, if it ever reached them ;
but an embarkation, which it would
have required three days at least to
complete, was too serious an operation
for any army in an open bay, and on a
beach, where experience had already
shewn it was impossible to disembark,
b'ut in the lightest boats. Had af-
9

fairs come to this extremity, the allies
must have lost every horse belonging
to the army, — every piece of field ar-
tillery, and, in all probabihty, the
greater part, if not the whole, of the
covering division of infantry.

The first reports of the enemy's
movements reached General Murray
on the 7th June, when he learned that
the disposeable column from Gerona
was in march for Barcelona, and that
every effort was making to collect
1 0,000 men immediately at that place ;
to this corps were attached l^ pieces
of artillery- This report was confirm-
ed from every quarter. General Copons
concurred in the statement ; Colonel
Manso, who commanded the advanced
posts, and who had a constant commu-
nication with Barcelona, daily made
the same report ; on one occasion,
he rated the enemy's force so high
as 12,000 men ; in short, from what-
ever source General Murray derived
intelligence, he found the numbers to
agree. — On the 10th this column oc-
cupied Villa Franca ; and on the 11th
established itself at Vendrill, which is
about twelve hours march from Tarra-
gona, whence it had the choice of pro-
ceeding by either of three convenient
roads With a very inadequate dis-
poseable force, each of these roads
must have been occupied by the allied
army; and the two corps, (such is''the
difficulty of communication) posted
where the enemy did not advance,
could not have joined the third body,
which would thus have been exposed
to the whole force of the assailants.
This corps of the enemy, it is true, sud-
denly broke up (but after the expedi-
tion had re-embarked) alarmed by the
appearance of Sir Edward Pellew's
fleet in the Bay of Rossas, an event
with which General Murray was un-
acquainted.

On the other hand, from Valencia
Marshal Suchet was advancing with the
utmost rapidity. — On the 9th, General

Chap. 10.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

173

Murray received advice that Suchethad
left that place on the 7th with 9000 in-
fantry ; from the corps in his rear, he
had am pie means to reinforce this body ;
10,000 men had actually arrived at
Tortosa before this time, and 2500 had
reached Lerida. Late in the evening of
the 11th, information was received that
Suchet had quitted Tortosa on the
10th ; and it was clear, that if he
chose to pass by the mountain roads
(as he actually did) to the plain of
Tarragona, he might arrive before the
allied army on the 1:5th. The head
of one of his columns actually ap-
peared on the plain in the course of
that day ; and the British cavalry were
engaged with it. — The incumbrance
of artillery might have impeded his
march ; but this arm he thought un-
necessary, as there was none to oppose
him. He knew he would have to con-
tend with infantry alone, of which a
very small proportion was British, oc-
cupied in a siege, and obliged to divide
its attention between a more powerful
enemy on the one side, and the gar-
rison of Tarragona on the other. —
Such, according to Sir John Murray's
account, would have been the state of
the army, had he delayed the embarka-
tion, and had the French general chosen
to push forward ; and when the stake
was so great, there was every reason
to believe the enemy would act with
▼igour.

An express from the Collde Balla-
guer, during the night of the 1 2th,
informing General Murray that the
enemy had passed a large body of in-
fantry towards Tarragona, induced
him to proceed thither immediately.
The cavalry and part of the field-train
had already been sent to the Coll de
Ballaguer to be embarked ; and on
his arrivali he found that the cavalry
had been engaged, and that it would
be necessary to land more regiments of
infantry than were stationed there to
protect the embarkation. As the re-

mainder of the infantry arrived, he
was induced to land them hkewise,
in the hope of being able to cut
off a division of the French stationed
at Bandillos, whither they had re-
tired on the arrival of the fleet at the
Coll de Ballaguer. On the night
of the 15th, however, Suchet with-
drew this corps ; and on the 16th the
division of the allied army which had
been opposed to it returned to the
Coll de Ballaguer. On the 1 7th the
British general expected an attack,—
for the corps from Barcelona had ad-
vanced to Cambrills, about ten miles
from the position now occupied by the
allies ; but, for what reason it is im-
possible to explain, this corps with-
drew to Reuz during the night; In
the afternoon of the same day. Lord
William Bentinck re-embarked the
army.

Such is the history of this unfor-
tunate expedition as given by its com-
mander, and such the views upon
which he justified his conduct- The
opinion of the public was much divi-
ded respecting the character of these
operations. The friends of the gene-
ral defended his conduct with zeal.
** On hearing,*' said they, "that a very-
superior force was advancing against
him, he thought proper to embark his
tfoops, which he did without loss, leav-
ing some pieces of heavy ordnance in
the advanced batteries. Was there
anyhumihation in this for our army?—-
and what is the fault of Sir John Mur-
ray ? Having an army inferior in force
to that of the enemy, and which might
have been of great use at another point,
he did not chuse to risk its destruction.
But it was said, * there are positions
near Tarragona — a good one especially
to the eastward — where, if Sir John
had entrenched himself, he would have
been quickly joined by thousands of
Catalonians. Eroles and Manso alone
were able to stop the Barcelona force,
and in the critical situation of the

Hi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 10.

French affairs in Spain, Suchet would
neither have had time nor inclination
to carry on a protracted and hazard-
ous warfare in that part of the coun-
try.*— Now, without giving Sir John
Murray too much credit, it may be
assumed, that if there had been such
* good positions a little to the east-
ward,' if he had thought he would
have been joined by thousands of Ca-
talonians, and if Eroles and Manso
could have stopped the Barcelona
force, he would not have re-embark-
cd. But " in the critical situation of
the French affairs, Suchet could not
have spared time to carry on a pro-
tracted warfare in that part of the
country." Let us recollect, however,
that when Sir John Murray embarked,
the great battle of Vittoria had not
been gained Reference was on this
subject made to the official accounts by
Suchet, which appeared in the French
papers, and in which it was stated that
on the 10th June troops had been col
lected at Barcelona ; and on the same
day a strong corps had arrived at Tor-
tosa. Thus were the French upon
the 10th within 20 miles of both flanks
of the allied army, and in very superior
jaumbers. On the 11th, Suchet, by
his own account, had a partial engage-
ment with the English dragoons near
Perello, between the Coll de Balk-
guer and the sea. On the l2th his
fires on the top of the mountains could
be seen by the garrison of Tarragona ;
and on the 1 3th his troops approached
the place. Meanwhile General Ma-
thieu with the troops from Barcelona
had reached Arbos and Vendrill, on
the northern side of Tarragona. These
circumstances stated by Suchet are suf-
ficient, it was said, to rescue the alli-
ed army from the charge of having em-
barked with precipitation upon recei-
ving intelligence that the enemy was
approaching. Before the troops did
embark, the columns both from Barce-
lona aad Valencia were almost within

sight of the besieged fortress. The
embarkation of the army on the 13th
became a measure of necessity, Tarra-
gona not having been reduced, and the
allied troops being placed between two
armies, one of which was certainly su-
perior, and the other probably equal
in numerical strength to themselves. —
But why then, it might be asked, attack
Tarragona at all, if the enemy could
send this superior force against us ? To
this it was replied, that hopes were rea-
sonably entertained of taking it before
the enemy approached to its relief;
particularly as a Spanish army under
the Duke del Parque and general Elio
had been left at Valencia. The ex-
pedition had been ordered by Lord
Wellington himself, and the Marquis
Wellesley stated, that <* the force at
Alicant had been embarked by Lord
Wellington's orders, and had landed
near Tarragona, precisely according
to that noble lord's plan." It were
superfluous to say any thing more to
prove the wisdom of the plan. Does
any unnecessary delay appear to have
taken place in the operations i On
the 31st of May the army embarked,
— on the 3d of June it landed near Sa-
lon ; the Coll de Ballaguer and Tarra-
gona were immediately invested, and
the former was taken in four days.
Suchet himself could not censure his
antagonist, but by inventing a story
that the fortifications of Tarragona
had been razed. Had this been true,
what necessity could there have been
for investing Tarragona in the same
manner as all other fortified places are
invested ?

" I deny," said Sir John Murray, in
the close of the defence which he made
before the court of enquiry appointed
to investigate his conduct, *' that any
evidence exists to prove that I ever
considered the capture of Tarragona as
impracticable, till the hour I gave the
orders to raise the siege. 1 have en-
deavoured to prove this fact by the

Chap. 10.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

175

continued operations which we carried
on, by the disposition for attacking the
out-works on the night of the 11th,
and the arrangements made for the re-
ception of the enemy on the 12th. I
have attempted to prove, that a perse-
verance in the siege was my positive
and prescribed duty, according to the
spirit of my instructions, and that a de-
parture from that hne would, in all
probability, nay, I may say to a cer-
tainty, have occasioned the most fatal
consequences to the allied armies on
the eastern coast of Spain. It would
have enabled Marshal Suchet to re-oc-
cupy the entrenched position on the
Xucar, and, probably, to crush the
Duque del Parque before there was a
possibility that I could have come to
his assistance. I have shewn what the
probable consequences might have been
to any division of marines and seamen
which Lord Exmouth might have
landed near the Bay of Rosas ; and I
have endeavooured to prove, that the
«iege of Tarragona, and not merely a
feint upon it, was in the contemplation
of the commander-in-chief.

<* I do not pretend to say, that in
the line of conduct I prescribed to my-
self no risk was incurred : I knew,
when I decided on continuing the siege
after the 8th, that I did run a very
considerable risk ; and what military
operation, may I ask, is free from it ?
Every battle which is fought is a risk,
the whole expedition itself was a risk.
No one will surely assert, that in war
nothing is to be hazarded ; on the con-
trary, the first quality of a commander
appears to be, to risk with judgment,
and he does his best when he takes
care that the nature of the risk is infe-
rior to the importance of the object.
I may apply this axiom to the present
case : I risked a few pieces of iron can-
non, and some stores — for what ? for
the contingent benefit, that I might by
this risk possibly succeed in the cap-
ture of the place, or ensure the success

of two of the objects pointed out by
the Duke of Wellington ; but, at all
events, on the certainty of drawing the
French armies to me, and occasioning
them a long and harassing march, from
which they did, accordingly, most ma-
terially suffer ; and of ensuring a cer-
tain time to the co-operating Spanish
armies for the execution of their part
of the general plan, which, after all,
was the most essential of the whole. I
did incur this risk, whether with judge-
ment or not will rest with the court
to decide ; but, at least, I can affirm,
that it was done in the best exercise of
my abilities, and with that due delibe-
ration which the importance of the pro-
ceeding required. I was not blind to
the consequences which would proba-
bly arise to myself in the first instance ;
but if I had permitted so weak a con-
sideration to seduce me from what my
judgement told me was for the advan-
tage of my king and country, I should
richly have deserved the most severe
sentence which could be pronounced
against me. Such was the view I took of
the case, and the line of conduct which it
appeared to me right to adopt. It was
founded, in my humble opinion, less
with a view to the object itself, than
to the general plan of Lord Welling-
ton's operations j and I contend, there-
fore, that my conduct was no way un-
military, and so far from being in op-
position to the spirit of my instructions,
that it was in strict unison with the
letter itself. I deny this charge, there-
fore, both in its principle and its appli-
cation. In its principle, because I had
in my possession no express written or-
ders which directed my return to Va-
lencia, in a language so decisive as to
deprive me of all discretion as to the
period of re-embarkation ; and in its
application, because, admitting such
order to have existed with a view to
securing the acquisitions of the Duke
del Parque, I contend, that, in the re-
lative position of the hostile armies,

17G EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 10.

these acquisitions were in no degree
endangered by my absence : on the
contrary, I maintain that the line of
conduct I pursued, was the best calcu-
lated to promote their extension and
their safety ; and that my secondary
operations (if secondary they can be
called) were in no respect contrary
to the letter, while they were in direct
unison with the spirit of my instruc-
tions. But to call them secondary
operations is to lose sight of the first
principle that produced them, and of
the ultimate object they had in view.
Their first principle was the army's
safety, and their ultimate object its
entire re-embarkation ; that re-embark-
ation ivhich I am accused of unneces-
sarily delaying, which was decided on
the moment it was determined to raise
the siege of Tarragona, and which eve-
ry effort was exerted to carry into ef-
fect. Imperious circumstances inter-
rupted the operation. It was only
when these ceased that it could be
completed with safety ; but the prin-
ciple and the end remained the same.
In point of fact, I might assert that
the siege of Tarragona could never be
said to be raised till the whole army
was embarked — for it was the embark-
ation of the army which constituted
the raising of the siege, and if the suc-
ceeding operations growing out of cir-
cumstances which I could not con-
troul, have been satisfactorily ac-
counted for, then am I accused of not
doing that» which every hour after I
determined to raise the siege, was con-
sumed in the anxious attempt to ac-
complish. It is one thing to linger un-
necessarily in the execution of public
duty, and it is another wisely to ex-
tend the period of active operation for
the accomplishment of an important
object, which falls within the sphere
of rational and duly regulated discre-
tion,— a discretion which exists within
the breast of every officer, and the
limits of every command, unless ex-

pressly disallowed by superior orders.
In the instructions of Lord Welling-
ton, now before the court, '• beg leave
to express my firm, but humble con-
viction, there was no such limitation.

** From what has been said, I trust
the court will be convinced (if argu-
ment on the subject were necessary ) of
the great imprudence, nay, the palpa-
ble errcr I should have committed (be-
ing resolved to re embark), had I delay-
ed the operation till the enemy should
have an opportunity of attacking me
during its progress. If I have been
fortunate enough to satisfy the court,
that the allied army was neither from
its numbers, composition, or equip-
ments, equal to contend with that of
the enemy, it follows that whatever
should have exposed it to the unequal
contest, must have been injudicious and
culpable, as militating against my or-
ders ; and on these grounds I contend,
that any measure which should have
brought me into contact with the ene-
my after the 1 1th at night, would have
been so much the more censurable, as
I should myself have sought the situa-
tion which it was my duty to avoid.
I allude to the different plans, either
of marching to oppose General De
Caen, or to arrest the progress of Mar-
shal Suchet. To both these I answer,
that my force was unequal to the con-
test ; and that the portion of it which
might have been left before Tarrago-
na, must have fallen a sacrifice to the
one or the other of these generals. I
shall avoid all calculation on this point,
the strength of the contending armies
being already before the court- I may
be permitted, however, to observe, that
delay, in what way soever produced,
must ultimately have brought me in
presence of the united columns of the
enemy : with the small divided force
under my command, what termination
could then have been expected ? The
gallantry of the troops might indeed
have forced the enemy's ranks, and

Chap. 10.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

177

enabled them to reach the beach ; but
what courage, what discipline, what
arrangements, could have enabled them
to advance a step further ? A death,
glorious indeed to themselves, but un-
profitable to their country, or certain
captivity, would alone have remained
to them. No man can regret more than
I do, the cannon and stores which were
left in the hands of the enemy, or that
he, as might be expected, should boast
of them as trophies. But he could not
boast of them as useful trophies, he
could not boast that the possession of
them altered the aspect of the campaign,
or that the loss of the stores crippled
in any degree an army, which subse-
quently kept in check so large a por-
tion of the troops of the enemy. That
army was still entire : it did not lose
by this embarkation one man, one
horse, or one piece of field-artillery. It
was not even disabled from undertaking
a siege in any material deg'-ee, for it lost
only seventeen serviceable and one un-
serviceable out of 91 pieces of cannon.
But, would not the enemy have been
enabled to boast of the importance as
well as the possession of trophies, if,
instead of the spiked and useless can-
non, which he is so minutely represent-
ed as conveying into Tarragona, he
could have proclaimed the removal of
all our field train, and its equipments,
into the fortress ? Would the lifeless
bodies of some thousand soldiers, who
had died unprofitably, or the carcases
of many hundred animals slaughtered
upon the beach unnecessarily ; would
these, I ask, have been less a trophy
than a few unserviceable and dismount-
ed cannon ? Would the capture of our
standards, and the captivity of some
thousands of our countrymen, have
been less a subject of triumph for the

})en of Marshal Suchct ? Would these
lave been no trophies ? They would
have been great trophies, and incon-
testible proofs, at the same time, not
only of the destruction and defeat of
VOL. VI. PART I.

the allied army, and the incapacity of
its commander, but trophies, which
would have foretold to the world the
inutility of all the efforts to be made
to bring the war in Spain to a success-
ful termination, during the course of
the campaign which was then about to
commence. An event, such as I de-
scribe, while it must have darkened
the bright prospects then opening to
the British nation and to Europe, and
blasted every hope which the victories
of Lord Wclhngton encouraged us to
cherish, must have brought down well
merited condemnation on the head of
the unfortunate commander. I do not
paint this scene too strongly : I had
every reason to expect that such would
have been our fate, had I hstened to the
voice which counselled delay at such a
moment."

Such was the defence of Sir John
Murray ; — but a very different view
of these operations was deduced by
many, even from the information which
the general was pleased to furnish in
his own dispatches. From General
Murray's statements it appears, that
on the 9th or 10th of June, he was ac*
quainted with the arrival of Marshal
Suchet at Valencia, with 9000 men —
intelligence having been previously re-
ceived of the arrival of a French force
at Tortosa, and another at Lerida,
From the comparative statement given
of the strength of the allies, and of the
enemy, it seems to have been the opi-
nion of General Murray, that Marshal
Suchet could bring above 20,000 of
the best French troops irto the field,
and might have attacked the allies with
that force in the course of four or five
days. It appears also, that from the
arrangements which must necessarily
have been made, the force of the allies
in the field would have amounted only
to about 16,000 British, Germans,
Sicihans, and Spaniards ; and that of
this number, nearly 13,000 were con-
sidered as of a description to be relied

-•' t

178 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 10.

upon only when in position, while to
fight in position was not at the option
of the allies, but of the enemy. The
force which General Murray relied up-
on, under all circumstances, was redu-
ced, by his statements, to 4500 Bri-
tish ; and it seems also, that in case of
disaster, retreat was considered by the
general as nearly impracticable. In his
consideration, at least, the dangers and
difficulties of the re-embarkation had
become sufficiently apparent at a very
early period. It was the opinion of
the general also, that it would have
been quite impossible to take Tarra-
gona by storm, or by a coup de main ;
for he did not make $uch attempt for
many days, when the necessity of do-
ing 80, even with much risk, was so
urgent. We learn from his dispatches,
not only that a coup-de-main was con-
sidered as impracticable, but that even
eight or ten days would have been in-
sufficient, in Sir John Murray's judge-
ment, to have put him in possession of
the fortress. But General Murray
must necessarily have been possessed
of nearly the whole of this information
some days previously to that on which
the re-embarkation took place ; of the
whole, of course, of that which con-
cerned his own army and the state of
the works of Tarragona. The reports
concerning the enemy appear to have
been, us stated by the general, in the
main points consistent ; and, with the
exception of some slight variations as to
numbers, nearly uniform; they were
considered credible and appear to have
agreed with the betterand more certain
knowledge possessed by General Mur-
ray. It is still more material to remark,
that he himself seems at all times to have
given them full credit. How, then,
does this state of matters explain or
justify his conduct ? The town was not
to be taken for eight or ten days ; and
according to what Colonel Thackaray,
the chief engineer, stated to General
Murray, it could not be reduced in

less than fourteen days. The num-
bers of the French, and the descrip-
tion of their troops were such, that,
according to the opinion formed by
the general, the enemy was not to be
resisted in the field with any fair pros-
pect of success by the allied army.
The enemy was approaching, and from
different circumstances, had the option
of attacking the allies in the course of
four or five days. Why, then, persist
in the siege, and continue to land stores,
provisions, heavy guns, and every thing
requisite for the capture of the town ?
Why expose materials of such impor-
tance in the ensuing campaign, when
the inevitable conclusion to be drawn j
from the premises, if at all correct, is, 1
that the general was at the time aware,
that his measures could be of no avail
as to the object in view ? In such cir-
cumstances, his whole thoughts, plans,
and exertions, should have been turned
to the pursuit and security of other
objects, the success of which, though
always, until his return to Valencia,
precarious, it was still in his power to
promote and perhaps to confirm.

The force which the enemy could
collect i:: Catalonia in a given time, —
the impossibility of any impression
being made on Tarragona within that
time, — the impropriety of risking an
action, — the necessity of raising the
siege, — and the consequent failure of
one great object of the instructions ; —
all this appears to ;^be assumed in the
dispatch written by General Murray
to Lord Wellington ; but the general
consoles himself by stating, that he
hopes to be able to shew that no time
was lost, when he had decided upon
abandoning the siege On this point
no great difference of opinion existed.
He was charged with, loss of time
certainly ; but this time was lost in
coming to the decision, and not in the
execution, in which an unnecessary
haste and precipitation were conspicu-
ous. The delay with which he w38

Chap. IO.3

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

17d

charged was in not returning instantly
to Valencia, according to the instruc-
tions received by him, so soon as the
siege was abandoned. The charge of
unnecessary delay was never applied
to the manner in which the resolution
of abandoning the siege, when once
adopted, was put into execution;

In one of General Murray's dis-
patches to Lord WeUington, a sentence
of condemnation seems, as it were,
passed upon his own conduct, and
that in very strong terms. ** Upon a re-
view of this case," says he, <* J believe
your lordship will rather be of opinion,
that I continued the siege too long,
than that I abandoned it too soon,
and I can only plead an extreme anxi-
ety to carry your lordship's views into
execution as my excuse. / satv the
moment when in allprudence the cannon
ought to have been embarked, and the
enterprise abandoned; but that fol-
lowed," &c. And then he proceeds
to state the reasons for not having
acted on this opinion, which although
they might justify him for not imme-
diately re-embarking the whole of
the infantry, and leaving the spot al-
together, yet in no way explain his
continuing on shore, and persevering
to land the heavy guns, stores, provi-
sions, &c. up to the very hour of re-
embarkation. Neither can they apply
more than any other part of his state-
ment, as an answer to the charge of lin-
gering subsequently on the coast, and
re landing the whole expedition. The
resultofhis statement appears tobe, that
the following up one great object of his
instructions was sacrificed to an anxiety
to accomplish that which was admitted
to be impracticable — a line of conduct
seemingly at variance with the better
judgment of the general himself, and
with the instructions which ought to
have been his guide.

On the 8th and Cth, it appears
that nothing could be done ; but on
the 10th and 11th, when the raising
5

of the siege had become inevitable,
instead of being employed in landing
more stores and guns, or carrying them
forward into situations of greater dan-
ger and exposure, the most zealous
effort should have been made to pre-
pare for re-embarking every thing
which had been already endangered ;
and which from the period, when the
attempt upon the town was consider-
ed as impracticable, remained expo-
ed without any possibihty of advan-
tage. This certainly appears to have
been the moment seen by the general
himself, " When in all prudence the
cannon ought to have been embark'
edi* — and it must be regretted that
his conduct was not more consistent
with his conviction. In one of his let-
ters there is the following passage :
** For days an embarkation might be
impracticable, and that consideration
made me extremely anxious, when the
continuance of the siege became im-
practicable, to profit of the state of
the beach, as it could not be depend-
ed upon from one day to another.**
Here again the general seemed to be
the first to pronounce censure upon his
own conduct.

As it appears then to have been
clearly ascertained before the 10th,
that nothing within the range of or-
dinary probabilities could have put
the allies in possession of Tarragona,
the proper use to have been made of
the 10th and 11th was to have secured
on board the fleet the materiel of the
expedition, which had become useless
on shore — which was then every in-
stant in danger without any adequate
object ; and part of which, in conse-
quence of the general's not having
acted in pursuance of his own convic-
tion, was ultimately abandoned. From
the details given in the general's dis-
patches as to the use which was made
of the 3d of June, on :he first debarka-
tion, the importance of a single day is
syfficieatlT obvious ; nearly all the in-

180 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 10-

fantry — several field pieces, and a pre-
portion of stores and baggage, were
safely put on shore on that one day,
when there was no particular stimulus
to more than ordinary exertions. — Al-
though a brisk attack is certainly re-
commended in the instructions, it has
never been insinuated, that a more
vigorous prosecution of the siege would
have been practicable, or attended with
success. One fact, however, men-
tioned by Sir John Murray, it does
appear to be material to point out, viz.
that six twenty-four pounders, four
howitzers, and four mortars were not
placed in the batteries, against the
body of the place, until the night of the
10th, a period when, instead of more
artillery being placed in a situation to
make its desertion and destruction in-
evitable, all that was already in danger
should have been removed.

With respect to the conduct pur-
sued immediately after the siege was
raised, it was remarked, that, accord-
ing to Sir John Murray's instructions,
the only remaining object then was,
his immediate return to Valencia, to
co-operate with and assist the Spanish
armies in front, of the French position
on the Xucar. — So soon as the plan of
re-embarkation at Tarragona was de-
cided upon, however, the cavalry and a
part of the field-train were sent over
land to the Coll de Ballaguer. It was af-
terwards judged expedient to land more
infantry on that point, for the further
protection of the re-embarkaflon.
When the remainder of the infantiy
arrived it was resolved to reland the
whole with a view of cutting off a di-
vision of Marshal Suchet's army at
Bandilloz ; and upon the If^th or 14th
(the precise date not being stated) it
appears that the re-landing of the ex-
pedition took place accordingly. That
this conduct was contrary both to the
letter and to the spirit of Lord Wel-
lington's instructions, and inexpedient
with a view to the only object now re*

maining, there can be no doubt. It re-
mains to be considered, therefore, whe-
ther there was a sufficient inducement
to adopt this line of conduct so contra-
ry to that which was pointed out by
the commander of the forces ? — It must
always be recollected, that General
Murray thought himself unequal to
contend with the forces of Suchetwhen
united. It was on this account the siege
had just been raised, and the cannon,
stores, and ammunition sacrificed. It
was also the opinion of General Mur-
ray, that Suchet had the power of with-
drawing any advanced posts of his
army when he pleased, and of re -uni-
ting the whole, and giving battle, when
it suited his convenience. It is neces-
sary only to refer to his various letters
to prove that all expectation of cutting
off any division of the enemy, was
deemed by Sir John Murray to be vi-
sionary ; that, unless the enemy should
be guilty of the greatest folly, the at-
tempt was impracticable. Yet with
the full knowledge of all these facts,
the danger of re-embarkation at the
Coll de Ballaguer remaining the same
as when General Murray before de-
clined to embark the army at that
point, the French armies remaining in
force the same, and in situation im-
proved, every ground of objection to
continuing on shore still existing, all
the causes of the former hasty re-
embarkation, and of the great sacri-
fices which had just been made, being
in full force, in opposition to every
principle upon which the general had
just been acting — ^the very thing is
done and the very risks are incurred,
which before had been so strongly
condemned, and this too when the in-
ducement which had operated in the
first instance no longer existed, and
when no adequate object can be dis-
covered to account for so strange a
deviation from the instructions receiv-
ed.— To pursue the detail of facts,
we find them precisely euch as th« ar-

Chap. 10.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

181

guments and statements in General
Murray's letters would have led us to
expect. — On the night of the 15th,
when the English approached, the
French withdrew their corps from
Bandillos ; and, in the meantime, the
corps from Barcelona advanced to
Cambrills, about ten miles from the
allied positions. — On the 16th, the
English troops, in pursuit of the Ban-
dillos French division, returned with-
out having accomplished their object,
just as might have been expected ;
and on the 1 7 th, when the allied army,
according to the instructions, ought to
have been ready to act again in Va-
lencia, General Murray found himself
still near the Coll de Ballaguer. Here
he remained, with every prospect
of an impending general action, to
avoid which, on the 12th sp much had
been sacrificed, and with every risk of
a second re-embarkation to be still
incurred. Lieutenant- General Lord
William Bentinck then arrived on the
17th, and the final re-embarkation of
the whole army, which had a second
time been resolved upon by General
Murray (the idea of a general engage-
ment having been abandoned), was,
by the orders of Lord William Ben-
tinck, immediately carried into execu-
tion.

The facts of a hasty and precipitate
embarkation, without any previous ar-
rangement, and the consequent aban-
doning of a considerable portion of ar-
tillery, stores, and ammunition, it
seems difficult to dispute. So sudden
was the resolution to re-embark fi-
nally adopted, and so little were all
parties prepared for this measure, that
every arrangement was making, and
every exertion employed, for a more
vigorous prosecution of the siege, up
to the very moment when the execu-
tion of this new resolution had actually
commenced. General Copons, who
commanded the bpanish army, acting
in co-operation with, and under the

directions of General Murray, must
have been led to suppose, from the in-
structions which he had received, that
a battle with De Caen was on the
eve of taking place, in which he was
to take a principal share ; and the Spa-
nish general continued to act on that
supposition, and to remain (of course
with considerable risk to his own
troops ) undeceived until after the guns
in the batteries were spiked, and a large
portion of the allied army was actual-
ly on board the vessels. Nor was the
resolution of sending the field artillery
and cavalry for re-embarkation to a
different and somewhat distant spot,
near the Coll de Ballaguer, less extra-
ordinary. This was the precise spot
which had been represented by Gene-
ral Murray as so uncertain and danger-
ous, that for this very rea on, he had
declined embarking the whole army
there. A separation of the different
parts «jf the army was of course pro-
duced by the embarkation of the in-
fantry alone, leaving the guns and ca-
valry without due protection, although
it was mainly to avoid this very evil
that General Murray had determined
not to allow of a delay sufficient to
enable the admiral to preserve the tro-
phies, which were, in consequence,
abandoned. The fact, also, that Ad-
miral Hallowell did offer to secure
every thing, if Sir John Murray would
have consented to a certain delay,
was very handsomely admitted by
General Murray. Whether the delay
proposed by the admiral might or
might not, according to a fair calcula-
tion» have been permitted with safety,
in the circumstances in which the ge-
neral was placed ; whether, from the
immediate approach of the enemy, or
other causes, all additional zeal, firm-
ness, and exertion, would have been
unavailing ; and whether the delay re-
quired would or would not have in-
volved the troops in a serious affair
with a very superior force, and have

182 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. lO,

been attended with the probable de-
struction of a considerable portion of
the array : — These are the only points
on which any difference of opinion
can exist.

It is true, indeed, that in the instruc-
kions sent by Lord Wellington to Ge-
Seral Murray, there is the following
passage : — " It must be understood,
however, by the general of&cers at the
head of the troops, that the Success of
all our endeavour! in the ensuing cam-
paign will depend upon none of the
corps being beaten of which the ope-
rating armies will be conn.posed ; and
that they will be in sufficient numbers
to turn the enemy, rather than attack
them in a strong position ; and that I
shall forgive any thing, excepting that
one of the corps should be beaten or
dispersed." By what ingenious argu-
ments this passage can be fairly quo-
ted iii defence of Sir John Murray, it
was difficult, said his accusers, to dis-
cover ; scarcely, indeed, was it applica-
ble at all to the circumstances in which
he was placed. The meaning appears
obvious : Several of the Spanish corps,
k is well known, were composed of
raw levies, not to be depended upon
when opposed to veteran troops, more
especially when the latter were assist-
ed by position. It was also a matter
of notoriety, that many of the previous
failures of the Spaniards had arisen
from their generals not being sufficient-
ly impressed with this unpleasant truth ;
but, on the contrary, suffering their
Zealand confidence to get the better of
their prudence. Thus they continual-
ly risked general actions, which ought,
except in cases of decided advantage
and superiority, to have been most
carefully avoided. On the other hand,
the only advantage which the Spaniards
possessed, was in the superiority of
their numbers. The instructions, there-
fore, looking to the real state of af-
fairs, appear natui-ally to prescribe, as
a general rule in carrying on the cam-

paign, that advantage should be ta-
ken of the circumstances which were
favourable, and those errors avoided,
the fatal effects of which had beea
already but too often experienced. It
was Lord Wellington's object to use,
and at the same time carefully preserve,
that superiority of numbers which the
Spaniards then enjoyed, and which the
defeat and dispersion of any of their
corps would have destroyed. — How
then does the passage apply to the
circumstances in which General Mur-
ray was placed ? How does it apply,
as a defence against a charge for not
having risked a general action, whea
the result would have been attended
with glory and benefit to the cause of
the world then at stake ? Giving it,
however, all due weight, how can it
account fqr the perseverance in the
siege without object — for the conse-
quent losses incurred — for the delay in
coming to the decision of re-embarking
that which was uselessly exposed on
shore — for the want of previous ar-
rangement— for the improper haste
and confusion attending the re-embark-
ation when the measure was at last
finally decided upon — and for the sub-
sequent delay on the coast, and the re-
landing of the army ? Next to the loss
of a whole corps, the loss of the e-
quipments of an army, the loss of guns-,
stores, and ammunition — the loss, in
part, of the means of carrying on those
sieges, which, in the general scope of
the instructions, were evidently con-
templated in the course of the cam-
paign, was of the utmost importance ;
such losses were scarcely less embar-
rassing than the loss of a corps, more
especially when the infinite difficulty
of replacing them in Spain is duly con-
sidered ; and according to the true
meaning of the paragraph which has
been quoted, they ought to have been
most cautiously avoided. This pro-
position, although not Hterally express-
ed, must in all fairness be considered

Chap. 10.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

183

as implied in the spirit of the instruc-
tions ; and the intentions of the com-
mander of the forces should have ope-
rated as the strongest inducement to
employ every precaution, and to act
with the uttnost zeal and activity, for
the prevention of such disasters. But
admitting for a moment that not only
the refusal to give battle, but the
hasty re-embarkation also, and the
material lossessustainedinconsequence,
might all be justified by an anxious
desire to comply with the instructions,
how could General Murray do other-
wise than condemn himself, upon the
very same principles, for again, and
that almost immediately and volunta-
rily, acting in direct contradiction to
the same instructions, according to
his own interpretation of them, by
placing himself in the same situation
of danger from which he hdd but just
made such sacrifices to extricate him-
self ? This he did also at a time when
the strong temptations to run such
forbidden risks, viz. a wish for the
preservation of a very material part of
his important trust, and the natural
anxiety which he must have felt to
preserve the glory of the British arms
untarnished, had altogether ceased to
operate.

Such were the views taken of the
conduct of Sir John Murray by his
accusers. The whole of these import-
ant but unfortunate transactions were
afterwards submitted to a court of mi-
litary enquiry ; by which, after a most
ample investigation, this officer was
acquitted of all the charges brought a-
gainst him, except that by which he was
accused of having " unnecessarily aban-
doned a considerable quantity of artil-
lery and stores which he might have
embarked in safety, such conduct being
detrimental to the service." This part
of his conduct was ascribed by the
sentence of the court to a " mere er-
ror in judgment ;" and nothing follow-
ed upon the decisioni as the case did

not appear to the Prince Regent to
call for the admonition pointed out by
the court.

No blame could be attached to mi-
nisters for the result of this expedition.
Marquis Wellesley took occasion to
declare, " that with respect to the force
from Sicily, he would not now enter
into the topics which had been a sub-
ject for consideration on a former oc-
casion ; he would merely observe, that
the great defect had been the want of
a unity of command in the peninsula.
This defect had been remedied in the
present campaign, and the ft rce at
Alicant had been embarJced by Lord
Wellington's orders, and had landed
near Tarragona, precisely according to
that noble Lord's plan, A report had
reached London that this force had
been defeated. He hoped in God that
this report would prove to be untrue ;
but when ministers had chosen a fit
object, had prepared adequate means,
and had applied them in due season,
they had done all that xvas in their
potver — the rest they must leave to
God and to the sword ; and were the
rumour to prove correct, he should cer-
tainly not blame them — they had done
all in their ponxicrJ*

General Murray was succeeded m
the command by Lord William Ben«
tinck, who ordered the troops back to
AHcant. While Suchet marched to-
wards Tarragona, the Spanish generals
the Duke del Parque, Klio, and Villa-
campa, advanced from different points
on Palencia. Suchet, on receiving in-
telligence of the re-embarkation of
General Murray, immediately hurried
back, in hopes of striking a blow
against some one of these corps ; but
they all succeeded in making their re-
treat without loss.

Lord William Bentinck did not at-
tempt to renew the expedition against
Tarragona ; but, joining himself to the
Spanish armies, proceeded, in concert
with them, to attack the French forces

184. EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 1€/.

in Palencia. Whut resistance Suchct
might have made in other circumstan-
ces, it is impossible to conjecture ; but
the triumphant passage of the Ebro
by Lord Wellington left him no
choice but to retreat. On the 6th of
July he evacuated Palencia, and retired
towards the Ebro, leaving garrisons in
PeniGCola, Murviedro, and Denia. The
allied army, however, was not detain-
ed by these barriers ; but, after invest-
ing the fortresses, it advanced, and
crossed the Ebro at Pinaras. The
French having retired upon Barcelona,
the allies blockaded Tortosa, advanced
to Villa Franca, and prepared to form
the siege of Tarragona. Suchet how-
ever determined on making an effort
to relieve this place. Uniting to his
army all the troops which could be
spared from Barcelona and the neigh-
bouring garrisons, he assembled a force
of from twenty to twenty-five thou-
sand men ; on the 14th he advanced to
AltafuUa ; and on the 15th drove
back the advanced posts of the British
army. Lord William Bentinck was
unable to derive any aid from General
Elio, who was blockading Tortosa :
his force was thus inferior to that un-
der Suchet ; and he had not been able
to gain any advantageous position.
He therefore determined to fall back,
and allow Suchet to enter Tarragona.
The French general, however, did not
attenipt to preserve the place, or to
maintain this advanced position ; ha-
ving destroyed the works, he withdrew
the garrison, and again retired towards
Barcelona.

In the beginning of September, the
allied army again undertook a forward
movement, encouraged by the belief
that a very considerable part of the
French forces in the principality had
been recently withdrawn. The re-
mainder continued at Barcelona, and

along the Llobregat. Lord Bentinck
therefore estabhshed his army at Villa
Franca, and in the villages in its front,
extending as far as the Llobregat
mountains. The advance, under Ge-
neral Sarsfield, was placed in the pass
of Ordal, a post of very great strength,
and commanding the high road from
Barcelona. Intelligence arrived that
Suchet was collecting his army ; and
that 12,000 men had been united at
Molino del Rey ; Lord Bentinck,
however, placed such reliance on the
strength of the position at Ordal, as to
be under no apprehensions on that
side. He conceived the army to be
assailable only by turning its left, at
Martorell ; but, even supposing the
enemy to have suceeded in that attempt,
the retreat could still have been effected
without molestation. At midnight of
the 12th, however, the French attack-
ed the pass of Ordal, with numbers so
greatly superior, that the Spanish corps
defending it was driven from its posi-
tion, surrounded, and forced to save
itself by dispersing among the moun-
tains. A considerable number of pri-
soners, and four pieces of cannon, fell
into the hands of the enemy. The
British army immediately broke up,
and set out in full retreat towards
Tarragona, closely pressed by the ene-
my. The British cavalry in the rear,
however, though far inferior in num-
bers, covered the retreat by its gallan-
try ; and the army arrived without
loss in front of Tarragona.

As it was judged expedient that the
grand effort against France should be
made on the side of the Western Py-
renees, the third Spanish army was
detached to co-operate with Lord Wel-
lington. The remainder of the troops
in the east of the peninsula continued
to act on the defensive.

Chap. 11.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

CHAP. XL

Spanish Affairs continued. — Battles of the Pyrenees. — Fall of St Sebastian'-^'
of Pampluna. — Invasion of France by the British Army,

The grand operations in the north
of Spain were still carried on with the
mobt brilliant success, under the eye of
Marquis Wellington. The siege of
St Sebastian was maintained with ex-
traordinary vigour. One of the prin-
cipal out-works had been already ap-
proached ; and on the morning of the
17th of July General Graham deter-
mined to hazard an assault. The va-
lour of the troops surmounted every
obstacle : the place was stormed ; the
enemy driven down the hill on which
it is situated ; and forced, after burn-
ing the village of St Martino, to with-
draw precipitately into the town of St
Sebastian. The trenches were imme-
diately opened against the body of the
place, and there appeared a fair pros-
pect of its being compelled to surren-
der.

Buonaparte, wrhile occupied with the
great contest which he was about to
wage on the banks of the Elbe, had
in some measure neglected the opera-
tions of which the peninsula was the
theatre. He had recalled thence many
of his generals, and even Soult, who
had long held the chief command. But
now, when in one short month, his

grand army had been swept out of
Spain ; when the frontier barriers were
about to fall, and to leave the finest
provinces of France itself exposed to
invasion, alarm seized him, and he per-
ceived that this was a contest which,
even under the most urgent pressure
of other wars, could not be disregard-
ed. Of the immense levies vvhich were
at this time raising, a part was desti-
ned to fill up the exhausted ranks of
the army now stationed within the
French frontier ; and Soult, whose ta-
lents appeared eaual to such an exi-
gency, hastened from Germany to re-
assume the chief command. The crisis
was urgent ; and so soon as the orga-
nization of the army was in any degree
estabhshed, he felt that he was impe-
riously called upon to make a grand
effort for the relief of the two fortress-
es, the reduction of which must give
a fatal blow to all the prospects of
French dominion.

Lord Wellington was at this mo-
ment beset with considerable difficul-
ties. He had to maintain and to cover
two sieges, conducted at a considerable
distance from each other ; and it wa«
thus impossible to avoid the inconve-
6

1S6

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Ciiaf. 11.

nience of dividing his army. The Py-
renees indeed afforded strong posi-
tions ; yet were they unfavourable in
several respects to the present ar-
rangement of his force. As they con-
sist of a number of long and deep val-
lies, separated from each other by lof-
ty parallel chains of mountains, the
troops who defended these vallies were
thus in a great measure cut off from all
communication with each other. The
enemy could choose the line of his ad-
vance, throw his whole force into it,
and push before him the division by
which it might be guarded, while the
other corps, separated by almost im-
passable barriers, could lend no assist-
ance. Upon this position of the allies
Soult founded his plan of operations.
He hoped by attacking separately one
of the covering armies, to defeat and
drive it before him, and then throw
himself on the flank and rear of the
other army. He expected not only
to relieve the blockaded fortresses, but
to drive the whole of the allied armies
in confusion behind the Ebro.

Of the two fortresses St Sebastian
alone was in immediate danger ; it
seemed probable, therefore, that the
first grand attack of the enemy would
be against the force by which this siege
was covered. Such seems to have been
the expectation of Lord Wellington
when he established his head-quarters
at Lesaca, at a small distance from St
Sebastian. The two roads leading from
Pampluna were, however, covered by
divisions of the British army ; one,
under General Hill, in the Puerto de
Maya ; the other, under General Byng,
on the extreme right, at Roncesvalles.
Against these troops a very formidable
attack was directed.

The British troops were now about
to be engaged, almost for the first time,
in that system of mountain warfare in
which the French had been hitherto
unrivalled. Their habits of body and

diet in a peculiar manner fit them for this
species of operations ; andevery one will
recollect howjimportant were theadvan-
tages which they acquired in Switzer-
land by their mountain operations un-
der Lecourbe. The whole range of the
movements they had now to make was
comparatively small ; for the eye might
from the top of the highest of the
mountains have taken in the positions
of all the columns of the two armies —
the positions of above 100,000 men.
These columns were placed among
mountains where cavalry could not act,
and cannon could not be conveyed.

The allied armies had possession of
the principal passes of the mountains.
In front of Soult, at St Jean Pied de
Port, was General Byng's brigade ;
Morillo's corps was at the pass of Ron-
cesvalles ; behind was Sir Lowry Cole,
with the 4th division, at Piscarret ;
General Picton's division being in re-
serve, at Olaque. Between the valley
of Roncesvalles and the Port de Maya
there is a large space which does not
appear to have been occupied by any
force. To Port de Maya, in the val-
ley of Bastan, and to Roncesvalles, the
distance is nearly equal from St Jean
Pied de Port. The valley of Bastan was
occupied by General Hill, with the se-
cond division, and by the Conde d'-
Amaranthe's Spanish corps. On one
flank were the light and 7th divisions,
at Pera, Port de Echelar, and on the
heights of Barbura ; the 6th division
was in reserve at St Estevan, on the
Bidassoa. General Longa extended
the line of communication from the
Bidassoa to the Urumea — from a divi-
sion posted at St Echelar to Sir Tho-
mas Graham's, employed before St Se-
bastian.— Soult had one great object
in view in the first instance, and to ef-
fect this he made two movements or
attacks, the one real, and the other a
feint. By the first he hoped to secure
his immediate object, and by the other

Ghap. 11.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

18^

to keep the attention and force of his
antagonists employed in such a manner
as to prevent their disturbing him in
his operations. From St Jean Pied de
Port he proceeded in two directions.
He led on a force of 35,000 men him-
self ; and, bursting through the pass of
Roncesvalles, he hoped to confound
his enemy and to reach Pampluna. The
other part of his army moved upon the
Talley of Bastan, to force the British
position at Port de Maya. At these
two points, Roncesvalles and Port de
Maya, the British force was greatly
inferior to that of the enemy.

On the S^th of July Soult attacked
in great force the position occupied by
General Hill, who though driven from
it at first by superior numbers, instant-
ly recovered the most essential point
of it, and would soon have regained
the whole. But in the meantime an
attack on a much greater scale, with
between 30 and 40,000 men, was made
upon General Byng's position at Ron-
cesvalles ; and although reinforced by
another division, under Sir Lowry
Cole, the allies were at length over-
powered, and compelled to give way.
They took post at Zerbiri ; and Ge-
neral Hill, whose rear was now threat-
ened, fell back upon Irurita. These
corps had thus lost their direct com-
munication with Lord Wellington, and
were left alone to defend the blockade
of Pampluna against the overwhelming
force with which the enemy was pour-
ing in to relieve it. In these circum-
stances, two British divisions, with a
small part of the Spanish force cover-
ing the blockade, took a position im-
mediately in front of the place.

On the 27th, Soult arrived in sight
of the walls of Pampluna, and immedi-
ately began operations for its relief.
Not having yet brought up all his
troops, he contented himself with at-
tacking a column placed upon a hill,
which formed an important part of the

British position ; but a Spanish and
Portuguese regiment, with the 40th
British, defended it against all his ef-
forts. On the 28th another British
division arrived ; and the enemy, also
reinforced, began a contest of the most
furious character. His main effort was
directed against the fourth division,
under General Picton ; but the French
were every where repulsed, unless at
one point, where a Portuguese batta-
lion having been overpowered, the
enemy were enabled to establish them-
selves on the line of the allies. By the
efforts of some British regiments, how-
ever, they were driven from the heights
with immense loss, and were entirely
disabled. — In the course of the 28th
Generals Hill and Dalhousie arrived
with their divisions, and placed them-
selves in line with the rest of the Bri-
tishforce — On the 29th andSOth these
two great armies continued to view
each other, neither daring to attack
the formidable heights on which its
antagonist was posted. But in the
course of these days the enemy silently
withdrew a considerable body of troops
from the front wh'^re the former ac-
tions had taken place, and moved them
to the right, with a view of attacking
the British left under Sir Rowland
Hill, trusting to the natural strength
of the original position, that the troops
still remaining would be able to main-
tain it. On the ;^Oth, accordin^y.
General Hill was attacked, and obliged
to fall back from the range of hills
which he occupied to the one immedi-
ately behind. But Lord Wellington
seeing the enemy's Hne weakened, in«
stantly seized his opportunity ; he de-
tached Lord Dalhousie and General
Picton to drive the enemy from the
formidable heights on which his right
and left rested; and the operation
having been rapidly accomplished, the
centre advanced to join in the attack.
These efforts were crowned with the

188 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. fCHAP. It

most brilliant success, and the enemy,
driven from one of the strongest posi-
tions which it was possible for troops
to occupy, were soon in full retreat to-
wards their own frontier. To cover
their retreat they placed a strong rear-
guard in the pass of Donna Maria,
from which, however, it was driven by
Lord Dalhousie. The retreat now re-
sembled a flight ; many prisoners were
brought in, and a large convoy with
baggage was taken at the town of
£lizonda. The French endeavoured,
however, to make another stand at the
Puerto de Echalar, immediately within
the Spanish frontier ; but two of their
divisions were driven from these heights
in the most briUiant style, by a single
British division ; and Soult was com-
pelled reluctantly to abandon the ob-
ject of all his exertions.

Thus terminated these great con-
flicts. How different was the result
from that expected by the French ge-
neral, may be discovered by attending
to his proclamation to the army on ta-
king the command. In this address
he states, " that he had been sent by
the emperor to the command of his
armies in Spain ; and that his imperial
majesty's instructions and his own in-
tentions were, to drive the British a-
cross the Ebro, and celebrate the em-
peror's birth-day in the town of Vitto-
ria." It so happened, however, that
the Prince of Orange arrived in Lon-
don with the intelligence of the ene-
my's having been driven into France
on the very day which they had fixed
for celebrating their own triumphs.

Soult expected not only to relieve
Pampluna, but to fix himself again on
the Ebro, and unite with Suchet's
army. That he should so soon have
collected a force of 70,000 men — the
; number engaged in the late battles, —
might appear extraordinary ; but it
must be recollected that the armistice
in the north was signed the day before

the battle of Vittoria, and as troopf
were not immediately wanted in Ger-
many, many divisions which must
otherwise have been sent thither, were
dispatched to the frontiers of Spain,
where hostilities were still carried on,
and the danger was most pressing.

Much speculation was now excited
as to the future operations of the Bri-
tish commander. Some affected to
doubt whether he would enter France,
while others conceived this step to be
the necessary result of his previous
operations. A descent into the south
of France seemed to be advisable in
every point of view, military as well as
moral — military ^ because while the al-
lies remained on the Spanish side of
the Pyrenees, the enemy must always
have had the power of attacking the
diflFerent passes, while it must have
been impossible for them, unless they
established a post in France, to ascer-
tain his movements — what reinforce-
ments he received — or what projects he
had in contemplation : morale because
Buonaparte had always represented
France as a country not exposed to
invasion : *'the sacred country," which
none of her antagonists dared to enter ;
but when the people of France found
a British army in their own territories,
this circumstance, it was thought, must
abate very much their pride and confi-
dence in their arms. When they saw
an invading army in France, they
could have no doubt of the failure of
their projects upon Spain ; and the al-
lies might then say to them with truth,
See the result of your treacherous at-
tempts against this fine country : his-
tory does not furnish an mstance of
greater crime, an example of more in-
famy, than this invasion of Spain. But
mark the result — the unburied bones
of half a million of your countrymen
whiten the valleys and mountains of the
invaded country, and yet you have not
been able to effect your purpose. SpaiR

CttAP.ll.]

History of Europe.

has been wrested from your grasp,
and a British army has come to turn
the evils of invasion against yourselves.
— Such, it was said, must be the moral
advantages of the invasion of France. —
The measure, besides, could be attend-
ed with no hazard to the invader. Sta-
tioned on this side the Pyrenees, Lord
Wellington could have no apprehension
for his rear while he commanded the
passes; and if he had done nothing more
than occupy the country to Bayonne,
he would not only have wounded the
pride and weakened the character of
the French government, but he would
have been able, if he had chosen, to
make the south of France provide sub-
sistence for his troops.

How bitter were the disappoint-
ments which the French had already
sustained, was apparent from a variety
of circumstances. The proclamation
which Soult addressed to the troops
on taking the command, and which has
already been noticed, seems to prove
that the French armies had lost much
of their ardour in the course of this
peninsular war, and required every sti-
mulus to encourage their exertions. —
In this curious document there was
much promise of what the general
would effect himself, with the usual
sprinkling of French falsehood. Soult
had the folly to assert what no one
could believe — that the British army
was much superior in numbers to that
of the enemy when it advanced to the
Douro ; he added, however, that a good
general might have " discomfited this
motley levy." Timorous and pusilla-
nimous councils, however, he says,
were followed ; fortresses were aban-
doned ; the marches were disorderly ;
and a veteran army was compelled to
yield all its acquisitions. Of the bat-
tle of Vittoria he says, that the re-
sult would have been different had the
general been worthy of his troops, al-
though he confesses that the disposi-

tions of Lord Wellington were prompt,
skilful, and consecutive ; aid that the
valour and steadiness of the British
troops were admirable. He desired
his soldiers not to forget, however, that
it was to the benefit of their example
the British owed their present military
character. This was certainly true ; it
had been to the example the French
afforded Europe of being invariably
beaten when they hazarded a battle with
British troops, that the latter owed
their present military character. Lord
WelHngton and Lord Nelson were in-
debted for their reputation to an unin-
terrupted series of victories over the
land and sea forces of France ; and no
small addition had been made by this
very Soult to the mihtary character of
the British general and his armies.—
After this censure of his predecessor,
and boast of what he would effect him-
self— after threatening to drive the
British across the Ebro, and date his"
dispatches from Vittoria, what had
Soult been able to do against thiy
** motley levy," which a skilful gene-
ral might easily have discomfited ? The
very same thing that Jourdan had done.
Jourdan was beaten and driven out of
Spain ; and nobody could affirm that
the fate of Soult was very different.

The efforts of the enemy in the field
had proved unavailing to avert the
downfall of their fortresses. At St Se-
bastian, however, they had displayed
more than their usual dexterity in forti-
fying the place ; but a breach having
been effected, the assault was ordered to
take place at day break of the 25th.
The storming party, (about 2000
men,) were ordered to assemble in the
trenches, and the explosion of the mine
was to be the signal for advance. The
uncovered approach from the trenches
to the breach was about 300 yards
in length, before an extensive front of
works, and over very difficult ground,
consisting of rocks covered wijth sea-

190 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 11

weed and intermediate pools of water.
The fire of the place was yet entire,
and the breach was flanked by two
towers, which, though considerably in-
jured, were still occupied.

At five in the morning the mine was
sprung, which destroyed much of the
counterscarp and glacis, and created
astonishment in the enemy posted on
the works near to it. They abandon-
ed them for the moment, and the ad-
vance of the storming-party reached the
breach without much resistance. When
they attempted to ascend the breach,
however, the enemy opened a destruc-
tive fire, and threw down a profusion
of shells from the towers on the flanks,
and from the summit of the breach.
The assaulting party returned int» the
trenches with the loss of nearly 100
men killed, and 400 wounded. The
advanced guard, with Lieutenant Jones,
who led them, were made prisoners on
the breach, and Lieutenant-Colonel
Sir R. Fletcher was wounded at the
tametimein the trenches. — Thisassault
does not appear to have failed from
want of exertion, but because the fire
of the place had been left entire, and
the distance of the covered approaches
from the breach was too great. The
troops are said in the Gazette to have
done their duty ; but it was beyond
the power of gallantry to overcome
the difficulties opposed to them. Sir
T Graham's words are, " notwith-
standing the distinguished gallantry of
the troops employed, the attack did
not succeed. The enemy occupied in
force all the defences of the place which
looked that way, and from which, and
all around the breach, they were en-
abled to bring so destructive a fire of
grape and musketry, flanking and en-
filading the column, and to throw over
fo many hand-grenades on the troops,
that it became necessary to desist from
the attack. Though this attack has
failed, it would be great injustice not

to assure your lordship that the troopi
conducted themselves with their unual
gallantry, and only retired when I
thought a further perseverance in the
attack would have occasioned a useless
sacrifice of brave men."

The breach having thus proved im-
practicable, all the operations of the
siege were to be recommenced ; the
repulse of the French army, however,
left the allies at full liberty to carry
them on. Their first object was t»
cut off the communication which the
besieged carried on by sea with the
coast of France ; and Sir George Col-
lier, with a party of marines, stormed
the island of Santa Clara, which lies
at the mouth of the harbour, and took
the garrison prisoners. New breach-
ing batteries were, in the mean time,
raised and carried forward with such
vigour, that on the 31st of August it
was determined to make another as-
sault. The result of this, however, ap-
peared in the first instance to be very-
doubtful.

The columns for the assault moved
out of the trenches, and in a few mi-
nutes after the advance of the forlora
hope the enemy exploded two mines,
which destroyed part of the walls, but
as the troops were not in very close
order, nor very near the wall, their loss
was not great. From the Mirador
and battery del Principe, on the castle,
the fire of grape and shells was opened
on the columns, and continued while
they were disputing the breach. The
main curtain, which had been com-
pletely breached, was strongly occu-
pied by grenadiers ; the left branch of
the horn-work was also well-manned ;
a heavy fire was maintained on the
breach, great part of which was expo-
sed ; but a tower called Amezquita,
on the left, was fortunately not manned.
By the extremity of the curtain the
breach was accessible ; but the enemy's
position there was commanding, ami

Chap. 11.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

191

the ascent much exposed to the fire of
the besieged. Behind the breach was
a perpendicular fall from 15 to 25
feet in depth, under which were the
ruins of the houses, and part of the
walls still left at intervals, by which
alone it was possible to descend. A
line of retrenchment, carried along these
ruins, was stronely occupied by the
enemy, and entirely swept the confined
summit of the breach.

The storming parties advanced to
the breach, and remained on the side
of it without ascending the summit, as
they were prevented by the heavy fire
from the entrenched ruins within.
Many desperate efforts were made to
gain the summit without effect ; fresh
troops were sent on successively, as
fast as they could be filed out of the
trenches ; and 500 Portuguese, in two
detachments, forded the river Urumea,
near its mouth, under a heavy fire of
grape and musketry.''

The greatest difficulties had thus
presented themselves after the troops
had got to the breach. ** Never was any
thing," says Sir Thomas Graham, ** so
fallacious as its external appearance.
Notwithstanding its great extent, there
was but one point where it was pos-
sible to enter, and there by single files.
All the inside of the wall, to the
right of the curtain, formed a per-
pendicular scarp of at least 20 feet
to the level of the streets, so that the
narrow ridge of the curtain itself,
formed by the breaching of its end and
front, was the only accessible point-
During the suspension of the opera-
tions of the siege, from want of ammu-
nition, the enemy had prepared every
means of defence which art could de-
vise, so that great numbers of men
were covered by intrenchments and tra-
verses in the horn-work — on the ram-
parts of the curtain — and within the
town opposite to the breach, and ready
t« pour a most destructive fire of mus-

ketry on both flanks of the approach
to the top of the narrow ridge of the
curtain. Every thing that the most
determined bravery could attempt was
repeatedly tried in vain by the troops,
who were brought forward from the
trenches in succession. No man out-
lived the attempt to gain the ridge ;
yet a secure lodgement could never
have been obtained without occupying
a part of the curtain."

The breach was now covered with
troops remaining in the same unfavour*
able situation, and unable to gain the
summit : upwards of two hours of con-
tinued and severe exertion had elapsed.
On the instant Sir Thomas Graham
adopted a new expedient ; he ordered
the guns to be turned against the cur-
tain. It was manifest that unless this
could be done with almost unexampled
precision, the assailants must have suf-
fered more severely than their enemies
— for the fire, to be effectual, must
have been elevated only a few feet above
the heads of our own troops in the
breach. But it was directed with ad-
mirable precision, and proved effectual.
By a happy chance a quantity of com-
bustibles exploded within the breach,
and the French began to waver ; the
assailants made fresh efforts ; the ra-
velin and left branch of the horn-work
were abandoned by the enemy ; the
entrenchment within the breach wa»
soon deserted by them, and the assail-
ants got over the ruins and gained the
curtain.

The troops being now assembled in
great numbers on the breach, pushed
into the town ; the garrison, dispirit-
ed by its severe loss, and intimidated
by the perseverance and bravery of the
assailants, was quickly driven from all
its intrenchments (except the convent of
Teresa,) into the castle. From the su-
perior height of the curtain — a circum-
stance of which Sir T. Graham had so
promptly availed himself, the artillery

19«

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1^13. [Chap. 11.

in the batteries on the right of the
Urumea were able to keep up a fire on
that part during the assault ; and as
the artillery was extremely well served,
it occasioned a severe loss to the ene-
my, and probably produced the explo-
sion which led to final success.

The assailants had upwards of 500
men killed, and 1500 wounded ; of the
garrison, besides those who were killed
and wounded during the assault, 700
were made prisoners in the town. Of
the engineers, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir
R. Fletcher, Bart. Captains Rhodes
and CoUier, were killed ; Lieutenant-
Colonel Burgoyne, and Lieutenants
Barry and Marshall, were wounded.

So soon as the town was carried,
preparations were made to reduce the
castle- The plan of attack was to erect
batteries on the north of the town, and
breach some of the main point* of the
defences of the castle. The town,
which had been on fire ever since the
assault, from the quantity of ammuni-
tion and combustibles of all sorts scat-
tered around, was now nearly con-
aumed ; and the flames had proved a
great impediment to carrying the ap-
proaches forward. The enemy's fire,
however, had been nearly silenced since
the assault ; and the roofs of the remain-
ing houses and the steeples were pre-
pared for musketry, the fire of which
was to open when the assault on the
castle should commence.

The batteries opened on the castle
from the left of the attack. The fire
was extremely powerful and well di-
rected, ploughing up every part of the
confined space of the castle : the ene-
my kept concealed chiefly in little nar-
row trenches, which they had made
along the front of the heights, but
they lost many men. A white flag
was at last hoisted, and the garrison
surrendered prisoners of war ; — its
numbers had been reduced to 80 offi-
cers and 1756 men, of whom 23 offi-

cers and 512 men were in hospital-
There were expended by the besie-
gers in these operations, more than
70,000 shot and shells, and upwards of
500,000lbs. of gunpowder.

From the account which has been
given of this siege, it must be evident
that the defence of breaches made and
stormed under such circumstances is
so very advantageous, that against an
intelligent governor, and a brave garri-
son, accident alone can give the assault
a tolerable chance of success. As the
fire of the batteries is entirely directed
to breaching, the enemy's troops, pre-
viously to the assault, sustain little or
no loss ; and as their front is restricted,
it can be fully occupied, while a suffi-
cient number of men remain to form
strong reserves. The assailants have no
help from their works, and depend for
success entirely on their own exertions ;
while the height of situation, with the
difficulty of ascent up the ruins of the
wall, give a decided superiority to the
besieged. But if, in addition, the breach
be well intrenched, and the governor
has made use of the precautions re-
commended in every treatise on de-
fence, by covering the approach to the
breach, and preserving a powerful flank
fire, both direct and vertical, to play
on the columns during the struggle,
no conceivable superiority of courage
over a brave enemy will counterba-
lance such advantages. It is no dis-
paragement, therefore, to the troops,
that they failed in the first assault on
the 25th of July, and succeeded on the
31st of August, in a great measure by
the unexpected accuracy of fire from
distant batteries, and the accidental ex-
plosion of the enemy's shells and am-
munition, which gave their heroic ex-
ertions a chance of success. Had the
contest been merely that of man to
man, the result would not have remain-
ed long doubtful — for the troops car-
ried the breach and gained the summit

Chap. 11.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

at the first^^J^^h. The French, who
seem to Have expected this, endeavour-
ed to render the further advance of the
assailants impracticable, and to concen-
trate such a fire on the spot as to make
it impossible to remain exposed to it,
while the confined space of the sum-
mit of the breach prevented the assail-
ants from using any cover against its
effects.

The events of this day are highly
honourable and encouraging to the
British soldier, as they prove that
when his labour aids his courage by
carrying the approaches completely to
the wall, and when the assault of the
breach is duly supported by a close
fire from the trenches, his success is
ensured. The advantages must then be
all on his side j and how shall a few
woro-out and dispirited men, exposed
to a murderous fire every time they at-
tempt to stand up, resist the attack of
enemies elated with success, and requi-
ring only one effort more to crown
their labours. The old and tried maxim
on this subject cannot, however, be too
much attended to, — " at a siege never
to attemptany thing by force which can
be obtained by labour and art." The
regular mode of gaining a breach is so
certain, so simple, and so bloodless,
that it is much to be preferred to any
other, and forms so advantageous a
contrast to the open assaults in Spain,
unaided by fire from the trenches, that
there are few who will not regret the
inability of the British army to have
adopted it on all occasions.

Souk made another unsuccessful ef-
fort about this time. A force, chiefly
Spanish, was drawn up along the left
bank of the Bidassoa, in a position
which covered all the approaches to
St Sebastian. As the enemy occupied
the height which overhangs the op-
posite banks, and which he had forti-
fied with cannon, he could command
at any point the passage of the riycn

VOL. VI. TAKT I.

On the morning of the Slat, the very
day of the storming of St Sebastian,
he crossed in great force, and attack-
ed the Spanish troops posted on the
hills at a little distance. The attack
\Vas repulsed at once in the most gal-
lant manner, and repeated attempts
had uniformly the same result. In the
afternoon, having still the command of
the river, the French passed over an
additional body of troops, which, join-
ed to the former, made a new and des-
perate attack on the Spanish positions.
They were instantly driven back in the
same prompt and gallant manner as for-
merly ; and the enemy, losing all hope,
entirely withdrew his troops. Lord
Wellington, who had not hitherto pla-
ced full confidence in the Spanish
armies, posted a British division on
each of their flanks ; but their own va-
lour was equal to the occasion, and no
aid was necessary. This day, in short,
may be considered as finally retrieving
the tarnished reputation of the Spa-
nish arms.

When the French made this attempt
to penetrate by the high road to St
Sebastian, they about the same time
crossed the Bidassoa higher up, with
a view of gaining the place by a cir-
cuitous route through Oyazzun. They
attacked a Portuguese brigade, which
was stationed at that place, and which,
though reinforced, was unable to main-
tain the position, but fell back up'^n
another, which equally covered St Se-
bastian. The enemy finding all his
attempts fruitless, withdrew behind the
Bidassoa. The immediate fall of the
fortress rendered it unnecessary to make
any further efforts.

Some discusbfons of an unpleasant
nature took place about this time be-
tween Lord Wellington and the Spa-
nish government. His lordship had
advanced into Spain in the confidence
and with the understanding, that the
array of that country shoidd be placed

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 11,

under the command of officers, on
whose co-operation he could rely.
He had particularly stipulated, 'ihat
the chief command of the provinces
through which he was to pass, and
of the armies levied from them, should
be entrusted to Castanos, an officer,
not perhaps of very shining abihties,
but of great worth, integrity, and
candour. The dignity of his charac-
ter, and his conciliatory manners, ren-
dered him an admirable instrument
for conciliating the British and Spani-
ards. It was in this capacity Lord
Wellington wished to employ him.
While the Gallician army was ably led
by General Giron, Castanos went
through the provinces, maintaining or-
der, and forwarding supplies. An ad-
ministration unfriendly to him having
come into power, took advantage of
his military inactivity to remove him
from the command which he held ;
while other changes were made, contra
ry, as Lord WeUington ctnceived, to
the engagement originally entered into
with him, and without his advice or
concurrence. Such conduct to such
a man, and a man to whom Spain was
so deeply indebted, can admit of no
justification. Lord Wellington, in a
letter to the Spanish minister of war,
remarked, that the local situation of
the ^th army prevented its being form-
ed into a corps, at the head of which
the captain-general could be placed,
with any regard to propriety, con-
sidering the dignity of his office, — that
on this account, and at his (Lord
WelHngton's) request, General Casta-
nos placed his head-quarters with his
lordship's and those of the Portu-
guese army, — that General Castanos,
besides commaiiding the 4th army,
was captain-general of Estremadura,
Cas ile, and Gallicia ; and that among
the duties of that high office was that
of establishing the Spanish authorities
in the different districts and cities

which the enemy was evacuating, a
duty which Castanos could not have
discharged had he been hterally at the
head of the 4th army, — that it was
himself and not General Castanos, who
suggested the propriety of his excel-
lency being employed in this manner,—
that the conduct of the Spanish go-
vernment in this respect was a direct
breach of the contract which had in-
duced him to take the command of the
Spanish armies, — that, however great
his desire might be to serve the Spanish
nation, he could not submit to such
injurious treatment, and that the con-
tract must be fulfilled, if it was desired
that he should retain the command. —
His lordship also complained of the
removal of General Giron without any
reason assigned. But although Lord
Wellington in the first instance ad-
dressed this letter to the regency, he
had the magnanimity not to suffer his
private wrongs to interfere with his
exertions for the public cause, and con-
tinued to conquer for the nation which
thus injured him.

Every thing now indicated the in-
tention of the British commander to
cross the Pyrenees, and to carry the war
into the heart of France ; this measure
was delayed only until his rear should
have been secured by the fall of Pam-
pluna. In the meantime it appeared
expedient to Lord Wellington to cross
the Bidassoa, and drive the enemy from
the posts which he was fortifying be-
hind that river.

The left of the allied army crossed
the river on the 7th October, in front
of Andaye, and near to Montagne
Verte. The British and Portuguese
troops took seven pieces of cannon on
this part of the line, apd the Spanish
troops, who crossed the fords above the
bridge, one piece. At the same time
Major General Baron Alten attacked
the light division at the Puerta De
Fera, and Don P. Giron attacked the

Chap. 11.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

195

enemy's entrenchments on the moun-
tain of La Riuna. These troops car-
ried every thing before them until they
arrived at the foot of the rock, which
proved inaccessible. On the morning
of the 8th, the attack was rene>yed on
the right of the enemy's position by
the same troops, and the point was
instantly carried in the most gallant
manner. The enemy then withdrew
from all parts of his position. — The ob-
ject was now accomplished ; France was
entered ; and that country, which, for
twenty years, had never been trodden
by hostile foot, now saw a mighty in
vading army established within its
frontier.

A new epoch in the war was now
celebrated, — a victory had been gained
by a British general and army within
the French territories. How many
reflections crowded at once upon the
mind ! About ten years before, Great
Britain was arming her whole popula-
tion to resist a French invasion, and
now her troops had invaded France.
In 180S, no man doubted that a descent
on the British shores would be attempt-
ed ; and the legislature was exclusively
occupied in devising the means of re-
pelling it. In 1813, almost the first pro-
ceeding of the legislature when it met,
was to vote thanks to the brave troops
who had defeated the enemy upon his
own territories, and estabhshed a Bri-
tish army on the fields of France. In
1803, Buonaparte had constructed an
immense fleet of boats within 25 miles
of the British coast ; the means of in-
vasion, the troops to be employed in it,
were visible daily from our own shores.
In 1 813, when the naval force of
France was destroyed, her fleets rot-
ting in her ports, her colonies gone,
her trade ruined, her projects baflled,
her armies beaten in every encounter —
when her troops had been driven out
of Portugal, driven out of Spain, —
this same England, once destined for

destruction, was raised lo the high-
est pitch of glory 1 In 1803, the Pa-
risians were amused with the exhibi-
tion of some old tapestry, represent-
ing the successes by which William
I. obtained the government of Eng-
land ; and the casual finding of this
relic was hailed as the omen and fore-
runner of other atchievements on the
same ground. In 1813, the Parisians
were studying the operations of these
very British upon their own plains of
Gascoiiy ; while, instead of the French
flag waving victorious upon the banks
of the Thames, the British standard
was advancing in triumph to the bor-
ders of the Garonne. — Base must have
been the mind which did not exult
over such a scene of glory ! — No thirst
of conquest had directed the career of
England — no desire of enlarging her
territories led her on to battle ; — ^but
the ambition of doing good — the de-
sire to rescue a nation from its oppres-
sors, had nerved her arm. For this
holy object, and in this sacred cause,
she fought and conquered Spain and
Portugal were saved — and France, the
invader and oppressor, was herself de-
feated and invaded.

On the Ust of October, Pampluna
surrendered after a blockade of four
months. The garrison became pri-
soners of war, and all the artillery and
stores were given up. — Nothing there-
fore now detained Lord Wellington
from pushing his victorious career into
France ; and the enemy, who had so
lately aimed at the entire subjugation
of the peninsula, sought only to de-
fend the approaches of his own terri-
tories. He formed two successive
lines of defence ; the one along the
river Nivelle, the other immediately in
front of Bayonne. These lines, ever
since the battle of Vittoria, he had
been diligently employed in fortifying,
and until he was driven from them, the
British could not advance into the in-

196 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 11.

terior of the kingdom. The better
to provide for defence, a decree had
been recently issued, by which a new
levy of 30,000 conscripts was to be
drawn from the provinces immediately
bordering on the Pyrenees ; and the
reinforcements derived from this source
were already assembling.

Lord Wellington's advance was de-
layed for a few days by the heavy rains
and the bad state of the roads ; but on
the 10th of November, the whole army
was brought forward, and was enabled
to commence its attackupon the French
entrenched position along the Nivelle.
The right of this position was on the
Spanish side of the river, in front of
St Jean de Luz, while the centre and
left extended along the opposite bank,
and occupied the villages and moun-
tains situated in this vicinity. The
right had been fortified so strongly
that an attack in front was judged im-
practicable ; but it co'ild be turned,
if the centre were forced to give way.
Against the centre therefore the main
attack was directed. It was conduct-
ed by three British and one Spanish
division ; and, after a desperate resist-
ance, the enemy were driven from all
the strong and fortified positions which
they occupied on the left of their cen-
tre. The heights on the Nivelle being
thus carried, and the enemy's centre
driven back. Lord Wellington imme-
diately directed troops to advance upon
the rear of their right ; but before this
movement could be completed night
intervened. The enemy took advan-
tage of the darkness to quit their fine
positions and retire upon Bedart, leav-
ing the whole ground which they had
occupied in possession of the allied
army. — As the affairs of this day con-
sisted wholly in the storming of en-
trenched positions, and lasted from
day-light till dark, the loss was neces-
sarily considerable. It consisted of
2500 British and Portuguese killed

and wounded, besides Spaniards, of
whose loss no regular account has been
given.

The enemy now retired into his last
line of defence, which was formed by
the entrenched camp in front of Bay-
onne. The left occupied the penin-
sula formed by the confluence of the
Adour and the Nive, whence it com-
municated with the army of Catalonia ;
the right and centre extended from
the left bank of the Nive to the Adour
below Bayonne; and the front was
here defended by an impassable morass.
Lord Wellington, on surveying a po-
sition thus defended by nature and art,
judged it impregnable against any di-
rect attack. A mofcment to the right
to threaten the rear of the enemy, and
his communication with France, seem-
ed to aff"ord the only chance of success.
Operations were again delayed by the
condition of the roads ; but on the 8th
of December, Generals Hill and Be-
resford were, in conformity with Lord
Welhngten's plans, directed to cross
the Nive with two divisions.

The only serious operation on the
9th was the passage of the Nive at
Cambo and Usturitz by Sir Rowland
Hill and Sir Henry Clinton, who
obliged the enemy to retire from the
right bank of the river towards Bay-
onne. While this operation was pro-
ceeding, another division of the army
attacked and carried the village of
Villc Franche and the heights in the
vicinity.' Meanwhile Sir John Hope,
with the left division, after driving in
the out-posts at Biaritz and Anglet,
and reconnoitring the right of the ene-
my's entrenched position, retired in
the evening to the ground he had oc-
cupiedbefore the reconnoisance. — The
eff'ect of the first day's operations was
to clear the right bank of the Nive.

The operations of the 10th com-
menced with a movement by the right
of the allied army, under Sir Rowland

Chap. ll.J

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

197

Hill, who, moving his right from the
Nive, placed it on the Adour, his left
leaning at Villa Fraache on the Nive.
— He thus kept up the communi-
cation with the centre under Marshal
Beresford, which was removed from the
right to the left of the Nive, to be
ready to sustain the left wing under
Sir John Hope, upon which the enemy-
meditated his main attack. A bri-
gade of dragoons, and Murillo's Spa-
nish division, meanwhile observed and
occupied the force under General Pa-
ris, which had moved from St Jean
Pied de Port towards St Palais, to be
in readiness to support the operations
of the enemy on the Adour.

Soult was aware, that unless some
vigorous measures were taken to ar-
rest this movement, his position must
soon become untenable. Not only
must he los^ his communication with
France, but the navigation of the A-
dour, by which his supplies were trans-
mitted, must fall into the hands of
the British. He determined instantly
upon the most vigorous operations.—
His project was to attack with his
whole force that part of the allied
army which had not passed the Nive,
and thus induce the British general
to recall his advanced divisions.

Soult issued froii his entrenched
camp with all his force, except that
which was opposed to Sir Rowland
Hill, and made a desperate attack
upon Sir John Hope's and General
Alton's divisions at Biaretz and Arcan-
que. His great object, as already men-
tioned, was to compel the British to
abandon a position which gave them
the command of the sea-coast, and of
the road from St Jean de Luz — an
attempt, which, if successful, might
have rendered it necessary for them,
not only to quit the banks of the Nive,
but also to repass the Nivclle, and fall
back to the Bidassoa. Soult, how-
ever, failed completely in this attempt.
The termination of the action was

marked by the defection of the Dutch
and German regimer/ts of Nassau and
Frankfort, which came over to the
allies.

The 11th was marked by no opera-
tions of much importance. The ene-
my's grand army remained in front of
the British left, and made some attacks
in the afternoon upon Sir John Hope's
posts, but was repulsed with loss.
The right and centre of the allies were
not attacked. — On the 12th, the ene-
my again attempted to drive the Bri-
tish right from its positions, and the
conflict lasted from the morning till
the afternoon ; but being again re-
pulsed, he retired within his entrench-
ed camp, and abandoned all thoughts
of making any impression in this
quarter.

On the 13th, Soult resolved to
make an entire change in his opera-
tions. Having shewn so much per-
tinacity in his attacks against the Bri-
tish left ; having, by so many efforts,
produced, as he thought, a firm per-
suasion in the mind of Lord Welling-
ton, that his whole attention would still
be directed to this quarter, he deter-
mined to move his whole force sudden-
ly through Bayonne, and fall upon the
British right, under Lieutenant-Gene-
ral Sir Rowland Hill. This deter-
mination does credit to the skill of
Soult ; but he found in this instance,
as he always did before, that he had to
contend with a general who antici-
pates every movement of his antago-
nists, dives into all their plans, and
provides for every emergency. Lord
WelHngton expected this attack, and
reinforced Sir Rowland Hill. But it
appears that even if his lordship had
not entertained this expectation, Soult
would have failed in his attempt ; for
Sir Rowland Hill's troops alone de-
feated the enemy with immense loss.
Thus beaten at all points, the French
retired upon their entrenchments.

Such was the issue of these con-

198 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. U.

flicts, which lasted five days. The
loss on both sides was considerable ;
but the success of the allies was com-
plete, and they established themselves
firmly between the Nive and the A-
dour — Thus was the Hberation of the
peninsula accomplished in the course
of this eventful year, by a series of the
most brilliant successes that have ever

crowned the operations of an army.—
The measure of Britain's glory was al-
ready full ; but the labours of her war-
like sons were not yet terminated —
The annals of succeeding ^ears were
still to be adorned by their exploits,
until the odious despotism which had
threatened Europe with chains, should
fall prostrate before them.

Chap. 12.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

CHAP. XII.

Siate of Affairs in the North, — Progress of the Russian Armies after the Expul-
sion of the French rom the Empire — Prussia joins the Alliance against
France.— Preparations of the French for resuming Military Operations,

The retreat of the French from the
Beresina to the Niemen, and from the
Niemen to the Vistula, was one conti>
nued scene of dismay, route, and con-
fusion. The cossacks hovered conti-
nually on their rear, and were able,
not indeed to arrest the retreat, but to
render it uniformly disastrous, and to
destroy every thing which for a mo-
ment separated itself from the main
body. The wings of the Russian ar-
my followed close on the flanks of the
enemy, and by threate ling to inter-
pose between the fugitives and France,
rendered it impossible to pause for a
moment at any single point. Buona-
parte had directed that a stand should,
if possible, be made for a few days,
at Wilna, which formed the grand de-
pot of the army, and was filled with
supplies of every kind. Could this
have been effected, the troops might
have breathed from their fatigues, and
th^ir order and efficiency miglit have
been in some measure re-established ;
but scarctly had they, by a succes-
sion of marches, through tracts nearly
impassable, succeeded in reaching that
important place, when they found

themselves surrounded by the Russian
columns ; there was no choice, there-
fore, but to hurry on with the utmost
celerity. — Without pausing at Wilna,
the Russians continued the pursuit.—
One column under Wittgenstein march-
ed along the Niemen to cross at Til-
sit ; while another under Platoff pur-
sued the enemy along the direct route
through Kowuo. The French had en-
trenched themselves strongly at this
place ; and they hoped, by defending
the passage of the Niemen, to have
obtained a short respite. PlatoflF, how-
ever, hesitated not a moment ; he threw
himself upon the frozen Niemen, and
the cossacks were soon on the opposite
bank. The French hastily crossed the
river in two columns ; but were not able
to avoid the attack of the cossacks,
who destroyed great numbers of them.
The pursuit continued as before, with
the daily capture of prisoners, cannon,
baggage, and ammunition. Accord-
ing to accounts pubhshed by the Rus-
sian government, the number of prison-
ers taken since the battle of BorodinOy
already amounted to 170,000 men, of
whom 1298 were officers, and 4*1 ge-

2*9© EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, J81S. [Chap. 12.

nerals. To this statement was added
1131 pieces of cannon. Europe stood
aghast at tliis estimate, — never before
had she witnessed such destruction.

The Russian goyernment was deter-
mined to complete the work which it
had begun ; and for this purpose or-
dered new and extensive levies. — ** Rus-
sia,*' said the emperor, " having been
invaded by an enemy, leading armies
from almost every European nation,
Jiad been obliged to make great sacri-
fices ; and although, by the aid of Di-
vine Providence, those armies had been
entirely dissipated, and their poor re-
mains were seeking safety in a preci-
pitate flight, yet it became necessary
^o maintain the glory of the empire
by such a military establishment as
should insure permanent safety. The
arm of the giant was broken, but his
destructive strength should be prevent-
ed from reviving ; and his power over
the nations, who serve him out of ter-
ror, taken away. Russia, extensive,
rich, and pacific, sought no conquests,
—wished not to dispose of thrones. —
She desired tranquillity for herself,
and for all. She would not, however,
suffer the wicked so to abuse her mo-
deration as to endanger the well-being
of herself .or other nations. Painful
as it was to call upon a loyal and af-
fectionate people for new exertions,
yet it would be still more painful to
see them exposed to calamities for the
tvant of an adequate defence ; and that
the most grievous calamities would re-
sult from the success of her late inva-
ders, was evident from the enormities
they had already committed. The em-
peror trusted in God and his brave
armies, which could be raised to an
imposing number, for the preservation
of what had been purchased by so
many labours and sacriiice8."-^-In con-
sequence of these resolutions, it was
ordered — that there should be a gene-
ral levy throughout the empire, of

eight men out of every 500 ; and that
the levy should commence in each go- l
vernment within two weeks, and end t
in four, from" the publication of the
order.

When the Russian armies in their
victorious progress reached the Prus-
sian frontier, the commander in chief,
Kutusoff, explained the views of his
government in an eloquent address.—
" At the moment of my ordering the
armies under my command,'* said he,
" to pass the Prussian frontier, the em-
peror, my master, directs me to declare
that this step is to be considered in no
other light than as the inevitable con-
sequence of the military operations.-^
Faithful to the principles which have
actuated his conduct at all times, his
imperial majesty is guided by no view
of conquest. The sentiments of mo-
deration which have ever characterised
his policy, are still the same, after the
decisive successes with which Divine
Providence has blessed his legitimate
efforts. Peace and independence shajl
be their result. These his majesty of-
fers, together with his assistance, to
every people, who, being at present
obliged to oppose him, shall abandon
the cause of Napoleon in order to pur-
sue their real interests. I invite them
to take advantage of the fortunate
opening which the Russian armies have
produced, and to unite themselves with
them in the pursuit of an enemy, whose
precipitate flight has discovered his
loss of power. It is to Prussia in par-
ticular this invitation is addressed. —
It is the intention of his imperial ma-
jesty to put an end to the calamities
by which she is oppressed, — to demon-
strate to her king the friendship which
he preserves for him, — and to restore
to the monarchy of Frederick its eclat
and its extent. He hopes that his
Prussian majesty, animated by senti-
ments which this frank declaration
ought to produce, will, under such cir-

Chap. 12.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

201

cumstances, take that part which the
interest of his states demands. Un-
der this conviction, the emperor, my
master, has sent me the most positive
orders to avoid every thing that could
betray a spirit of hostihty between the
two powers, and to endeavour, within
the Prussian provinces, to soften, as far
as a state of war will permit, the evils
which for a short time must result from
their occupation."

** When RuBsia was compelled, by a
war of aggression,*' said the emperor,
<* to take arms for her defence, from the
accuracy of her combinations, she was
enabled to form an estimate of the im-
portant results which that war might
produce with respect to the indepen-
dence of Europe. The most heroic con-
stancy, the greatest sacrifices, have led
to a series of triumphs. At no period
has Russia been accustomed to practise
that art (too much resorted to in mo-
dern wars) of exaggerating, by false
statements, the success of her arms.
But with whatever modesty her details
might now be penned, they would ap-
pear incredible. Those who have wit-
nessed them can alone prove the facts
to France, to Germany, and to Italy,
before the slow progress of truth will
fill those countries with mourning and
consternation. Indeed, it is difficult
to conceive, that in a campaign of only
four months duration, 130,000 prison-
ers should have been taken from the
enemy, 49 stand of colours, and all the
waggon-train and baggage of the ar-
my. It is sufficient to say, that out of
300,000 men (exclusive oif Austriaus)
who penetrated into Russia, not 30,000
of them, even if these should b« favour-
ed by fortune, will ever revisit their
country. The manner in which the Em-
peror Napoleon repassed the Russian
frontier can assuredly be no longer a
secret to Europe. So much glory, and
so many advantages, cannot, however,
change the personal dispositious of the

Emperor of Russia. The grand prin-
ciple of the independence of Europe
has always formed the basis of hia
policy ; for that policy is Sxed in hig
heart. It is beneath his character to
permit any endeavours to be inade to
induce the people to resist oppression,
and to throw off the yoke which has
weighed them down for twenty years.
It is their governments whose eyes
ought to be opened by the actual si-
tuation of France. Ages may elapse
before an opportunity, equally favour-
able, again presents itself; and it would
be an abuse of the goodness of Provi-
dence, not to take advantage of this
crisis to accomplish the great work of
the equilibrium of Europe, and there-
by to insure public tranquillity and
individual happiness."

One passage in this address appearf
singular : — " It is beneath the charac-
ter of the emperor to permit any en-
deavours to be used to induce the peO'
pie to resist their oppressors, Sec," as
if it had not been to the constancy and
courage of the Russian people the em-
peror was now indebted for his crown,
and the triumphs by which he was so
much elated. It is beneath the dignity
of any honourable mind, indeed, to sti-
mulate the people to acts of violence and
folly ; but surely the Emperor Alexan-
der could not think that the resistance
which he so strenuously encouraged,
participated in any degree of this cha-
racter. He was therefore urging what
was lawful, honourable, and expedient ;
and why should the people be deemed
unworthy of such exhortations ? To
the people alone can they ever in such
circumstances be with efficiency ad-
dressed ; and had thei/ not felt the ge-
nerous enthusiasm of national honour
and independence, the despotism of
France would have defied every other
shock. Far different from the views of
the Emperor Alexander were the senti-
ments of the British ministers, some of

202

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER. 1813. [Chap. 12.

the most distinguished of whom frankly-
avowed, in the legislature, that to the
popularity of the war they ascribed its
great and brilHant results. But it were
absurd, perhaps, to expect any thing
like a kindred feeling on ouch subjects
in Russia and in England-

Another a :dre8S, which the Russian
emperor made about this time to his
own subjects, is less exceptionable, and
paints in strong colours the merciless
progress of the invader — his final over-
throw— and the patriotism and devo-
tion of the Russian people — *' The
world," said the emperor, " has wit-
nessed with what objects the enemy-
entered our dear country. Nothing
could avert his malevolence. Proudly-
calculating on his own armies, and on
those which he had embodied against
us from all the European powers, and
hurried on by a desire of conquest and
thirst for revenge, he hastened to pe-
netrate even into the bosom of our
great empire, and to spread amongst
us the horrors of a war of devasta-
tion. Having foreseen, by former ex-
amples of h 8 unmeasured ambition,
ana the violence of his proceedings,
what bit er suflFerings he was about
to inflict upon us, and seeing him
already pass our frontiers, with a
fury which nothing could arrest, we
were compelled, though with a sor-
rowful and wounded heart, to draw the
sword, and to promise to our empire
that we would not return it to the
scabbard so long as a sirigle enemy
remained in arms in our territory. We
fixed firmly in our hearts this de-
termination, relying on the valour of
the people whom God has confided
to us ; and we have not been decei-
ved. What proofs of courage, of pie-
ty, of patience, and of fortitude, has
not Russia shewn > The enemy who
penetrated to her bosom with all his
characteristic ferocity, has not been
able to draw from her a single sigh by

the severe wounds he has inflicted. It
would seem, that with the blood which
flowtd her spirit of bravery increased :
that the burning villages animated her
patriotism, and the destruction and
profanation of the temples of God
strengthened her faith, and nourished
in her the sentiment of implacable re-
venge. The army, the nobiUty, the
gentry, all estates of the empire, nei-
ther sparing their property nor their
lives, nave breathed the same spirit —
a gpirit of courage and of piety, a love
ardent for their God and for their coun-
try. This unanimity, this universal
zeal, have produced effects hardly cre-
dible, and such as have scarcely exist-
ed in any age. Let us contemplate
the enormous force collected from
twenty kingdoms and nations, united
under the same standard, by an ambi-
ti(!U8 and atrocious enemy, flushed
with success, which entered our coun-
try ; half a million of soldiers, infantry
and cavalry, accompanied by fifteen
hundred pieces of cannon. With forces
so powerful, he pierces into the heart
of Russia, extends himself, and begins
to spread fire and devastation. But
six months have scarcely elapsed since
he passed our frontiers, and what has
become of him ? We may here cite
the words of the Holy Psalmist — " I
myself have seen the ungodly in great
power, and flourishing like a green bay
tree. — I went by, and lo, he was gone :
I sought him, but his place could no
where be found." This suWime sen-
tence is accomplished in all its force
on our arrogant and impious enemy.
Where are his armies, hke a mass of
black clouds which the wind had drawn
together ? They are dispersed as rain.
A great part staining the earth with
their blood, cover the fields of the go-
vernments of Moscow, Kaluga, Smo-
lensk, White Russia, and Lithuania.
Another part equally great, has been
taken in the frequent battles with ma-

Chap. 1«.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

203

ny generals and commanders. In fine,
after numerous bloody combats, whole
regiments imploring the magnanimity
of their conquerors, have laid down
their arms. The rest, composing a
number equally great, pursued in their
precipitate flight by our victorious
troops, overtaken by cold and hunger,
have strewed the road from Moscow
to the frontiers of Russia, with car-
casses, cannons, waggons, and baggage,
so that, of those numerous forces, a
very inconsiderable part, exhausted,
and without arms, can, with difficulty,
and almost lifeless, return to their
homes, to serve as a terrible example
to their countrymen, of the dreadful
sufferings which must overtake those
rash men who dare to carry their hos-
tile designs into the bosom of Russia.
—To-day we inform our well-beloved
and faithful subjects, with a lively joy
and grateful acknowledgments towards
God, that the reality has surpassed
even our hopes ; and that what we an-
nounced at the commencement of this
war, is accomplished beyond all ex>
pectation. There is no longer a single
enemy in our territories, or rather,
there they all remain ; but in what
state ? Dead, wounded, and prisoners.
Even their chief himself has, with the
utmost difficulty, escaped with his prin-
cipal officers, leaving his army disper-
sed, and abandoning his cannon, of
which there are more than 1000 pieces,
exclusive of those buried or thrown in-
to the water, which have been recover-
ed, and are now in our hands. — This
scene of destruction surpasses all be-
lief. We almost imagine that our eyes
deceive us. Who has been able to ef-
fect this ? Without derogating from
the merited glory of the commander-
in-chief of our armies, this distinguish-
ed general who has rendered to his
country services for ever memorable,
and without detracting from the merits
of other vahant and able commmand-

ers, who have distinguished themselves
by their zeal and ardour, nor from the
general bravery of then troops, we
must confess, that what they have ac-
complished surpasses all human power.
—Acknowledge, then. Divine Provi-
dence in this wonderful event. Let us
prostrate ourselves before his sacred
throne, and acknowledging his divine
hand chastening pride and impiety, in-
stead of boasting and glorying in our |
victories, let us learn from this great
and terrible example to be modest and
peaceable executors of his law and liis
will : let us never resemble those im-
pious profanators of the temples of
God, whose carcasses, without num-
ber, now serve as food for the fowls
of the air, God is mighty in his kind-
ness and in his anger. Let us be gui-
ded by justice in our actions, and pu-
rity in our sentiments, as the only path
which leads to him. Let us proceed
to the temple of his sanctity, and there
return him thanks for the benefits
which he has bestowed upon us ; and
address to him our ardent supplica-
tions that he will extend to us his par-
don,— put an end to the war, — and
grant us victory on victory, until peace
and tranquillity be firmly re-establish-
ed."

The invitations of Russia to induce
her neighbours to declare against the
common enemy, were not unavailing.
The whole Prussian force, joined to
about 6000 French, under Macdonald,
had been employed in the blockade of
Riga ; and the Russian army, in ad-
vancing to the Niemen, came upon the
rear of this corps. Macdonald, by
retreating with the utmost expedition,
succeeded in extricating himself ; but
D*York,the Prussian commander, felt
no disposition to make such extraor-
dinary efforts. He withdrew his
whole force from the French army,
and concluded a convention with the
Russians, by which the Prussian troops

304 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 12,

were to remain neutral in Eastern Prus-
sia. The orders which he sent to the
Prussian general, Massenbasch, who re-
mained with Macdonald at Tilsit, with
two batteries six battalions and six
squadrons of Prussian troops, to leave
the French and join him were obeyed.
<* Massenbasch set off on the 31 st ult."
said Macdonald, " without my orders,
to repass the Nieraen. He thus aban-
dons us before the enemy." Macdo-
nald had taken some steps to detain
the Prussian general and disarm his
troops ; but the Prussian was aware of
his intentions, and began his march
■without delay. Macdonald could not
prevent or pursue him. And thus,
nearly the whole of the 10th corps,
the only one which had not greatly
suffered in the last campaign, was de-
tached from the enemy's service, and
might in fact be considered as part
of the force destined to act against
France.

General D'York, in a letter to Mac-
donald, offered some explanation of
his conduct, and remarked, that " af-
ter many painful marches it was not
possible for him to continue them with-
out being attacked on his flanks and
rear ; it was this that retarded his junc-
tion, and left him to choose between
the alternative of losing the greater part
©f his troops, and the materiely which
alone insured his subsistence, or saving
the whole." — But other and nobler
motives impelled him. He wished to
set an example to the other powers
whom Buonaparte kept in subjection,
to invite them to withdraw from sla-
very, and to break their fetters upon
the heads of their oppressors. He
wished to teach a lesson to the Ger-
mans— to sound the alarm — to rekin-
dle their ancient love of independence,
and to arm them against a tyranny
which had drained their resources,
drenched their fields with blood, and
carried calamity and ruin into every

family. He spoke the language of a
man who knew that he had acted well
— ** he was indifferent," he said, "about
the judgement which the world might
pass on his conduct." Yet Buonaparte,
whose principal weapon was treachery,
pretended to be astonished ! — He call-
ed upon all 'sovereigns to unite their
voices against such deeds, and to com-
bine their power to prevent a recur-
rence of them. This defection struck
him deep ; for he foresaw and feared
its effects. " The Prussian people," he
said, " will judge, and all the nations
of the north will judge with them, of
what misfortunes such a crime might j
be the source." — The correspondence 1
between General D'York and Mar- ■ ^
shal Macdonald was laid before the
French senate, and immediately follow-
ed up by a report announcing this dis-
aster as the motive which induced
Buonaparte to issue a senatus consul'
turn for calling out 330,000 men. —
Throughout the whole of this report
England stood prominent ; she had
been the cause of the Russian war,
and of the desertion of the Prussian
army. — Some, and no inconsiderable
merit, indeed, she might fairly claim,
for it was her constancy which set an
example to all Europe — it was her
arms and councils which stimulated
and suported Spain and Portugal — ^it
was her greatness, resources, and love
of freedom, which first placed a bar-
rier against the tyranny of France.

Macdonald, thus left with an army
of 5000, attempted to effect a speedy
junction with some troops from Ko-
ningsberg, who with that view came
out to meet him. They were com-
pelled, however, to fall back by Gene-
ral Steingel, whom Wittgenstein had
dispatched to frustrate this part of the
French plan, while he himself closely
pursued Macdonald. Tchichagoff,who
had also reached the Pregel, advanced
along the course of the river, preceded

eiiAP. 12.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

ees

by Platoff with his cossacks, through
Gumbinnen and Insterburg towards
Koningsberg. General Schepeleff,
who commanded Wittgenstein's van
guard, reached that fortress by the
way of Labau, where the French had
taken an advantageous position, and
attempted to make a stand. On the
4th of January, a battle took place
which continued till noon, when the
enemy being driven from his position,
retreated towards Koningsberg.

On the 6th of January, Konings-
berg, the ancient capital of Prussia,
was occupied by Count Wittgenstein's
advanced guard, under the orders of
Major-General Schepeleff. — Marshal
Macdonald had ordered the town to
be occupied by a corps (Varmee, com-
posed of the old French guards, and
some troops who had escaped the ge-
neral wreck of the enemy's grand army.
But on the approach of the advan-
ced guard of the Russians, the enemy,
without halting, passed by Konings-
berg, and abandoned it to Major-Ge-
neral Schepeleff, who entered it with-
out resistance. The French fled in
confusion towards the Vistula. — There
were taken in Koningsberg, 1 300 pri-
soners, besides 8000 sick, and 30
pieces of the battering-train from before
Riga — Count Wittgenstein arrived at
Koningsberg on the 7th. On the 9th
he followed the army, which continued
to drive the remains of the French to-
wards the Vistula. On the 12th, Ad-
miral Tchichagoff and Count PlatofF
took possession of the fortresses of
Marienwerder, Marienburg, and El-
bing ; and on the following days ha-
ving crossed the Vistual and the No-
gat, a branch of the same river, they
pursued the French in ditferent direc-
tions on the roadg to Dantzic, Stut-
gard, and G ran den z.

When the Russians entered Marien-
werder, the viceroy of Italy and Mar-
Aal Victor were scarcely able to es-

cape from the cosiacks. General La
Pierre, four inferior officers, 200 men,
and a courier sent by Napoleon to
the Prince of Neufchatel with dis-
patches, were made prisoners. On the
road to Nuenburg, Lieutenant-Colonel
Adrianoff, while pursuing the enemy,
met a squadron of Baden troops, and.
destroyed it. Another corps at-
tempted to make a stand at the tetC'
du-pont at Derschoff, about four Ger-
man miles from Dantzic ; a sanguinary
affair took place, but the enemy were
compelled to abandon their post, and
to retire upon Dantzic, pursued by
the Russians.

While these operations were car-
ried on in the neighbourhood of the
Baltic, some advances were made
against the Saxons and Austrians, be-
yond Warsaw. General Sacken from
Ruzana, advanced against Regnier,
who commanded the Saxons, and Ge-
neral Wasillchikoff, from Grodno^
against Schwartzenburg and the Aus-
trians. Sacken, on the 25th of De-
cember, took possession of the town of:
Brescry Litoff, and proceeded thence
along the Bug to Grannym. Wasill-
chikoff, having been joined by four
regiments of don cossacks, pursued
Schwartzenburg along the course of
the Narew ; the Austrian general di-
viding his corps into three columns
gradually approximated to Warsaw,
by the way of Ostrolenka and Po-
lotzk.

The Prussians every where recei-
ved the Russian troops in a friendly
manner, and supplied them wiUingly
with provisions. In return for their
good conduct, the most rigorous dis-
cipHne was observed to the great sa-
tisfaction of the inhabitants. — The re-
treat of the French armies through
the kingdom of Prussia was, like that
from Moscow, marked by devastation ;
and by the abandonment of their ma-
gazines, tumbrils, and stores of all de-

S6d EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 12.

scriptions. Some idea may be formed
of the misfortunes of this retreat, by-
consulting two returns which were in-
tercepted of the 4th French voltigeurs,
and 6th tirailleurs. The former regi-
ment, when it left Smolensk, consist-
ed of 32 officers and 427 privates, of
whom there remained under arms on
the 16th December, only 10 officers
and 2 privates ; the latter, com-
posed of 31 officers and SCO privates,
mustered on the 31st of I December on-
ly 14 officers arid 10 privates.

The Emperor of Russia proceeded
in the night of the 7th January from
Wilna, to join the division of his guards ;
and the head-quarters of the whole
Russian army were at Merez on the
10> h. On the 13th they were removed
to Rdtschky ; and the emperor crossed
the Niemen on that day, amid the ac-
clamations of his troops. He continu-
ed to march with a division of his ar-
my, in a western direction, through
Berjuiki, Krasnoplo, and Subalki, to
Lique, where he established his head
quarters on the 19th. Generals Mi-
loradovitch and Dochtoroff", with the
troops who crossed the frontier at
Grodno, moved in a line parallel to
that of the emperor's march on the
left. Intermediate corps were direct-
ed to keep up the communication be-
tween each of the columns.

The situation o\ Prussia about this
time was very singular. The capital
was in the hands of a French garrison ;
but the inhabitants favoured the Rus-
sians, and flattered themselves that the
king, with the troops he was collect-
ing in Silesia, would declare against
their oppressors. What were the real
intentions of the king, or whether he
had yet come to a decision, it seem-
ed difficult to discover. Throughout
the month of January, Berlin exhibit-
ed daily scenes of tun.ult and disorder,
the populace having r;sen against the
French, whom they succeeded in con-

fining to their barracks. A regency
had been estabHshed in the name of the
king, at Koningsberg, of which the
ex-minister Stein, who had been an
object of French persecution, was the
president. This regency had issued a
proclamation, calling on the loyal and
patriotic inhabitants of Prussia to come
forward and rescue their king and
country from French thraldom; nor
was the call in vain. The young men
were eagerly running to arms, and
joining their brethren under the com-
mand of General D'York, who had
been nominated, by the regency, com-
mander-in-chief of the patriotic army.

The rapid advance of the Russians,
and the wide extent of country over
which they were now scattered, proved
that they were supported by a general
insurrection. Had the spirit of the
people been different, the conduct of
the Russians would have been incon-
sistent with the m-ost obvious rules of
prudence. Instead of the hne of the
Vistula, or the entrenched camp in
front of the Oder, which Buonaparte
had lately acknowledged as the limit
of his defensive operations, his expec-
tations were now confined to the army
of observation of the Rhine;

The head quarters of the Russian
army, which were on the 19th at Li-
que, had been moved forward by the
26th nearly 120 miles, to Willenberg,
in a direction to the westward of the
Warsaw road The Russians had thus
got into the rear of the Austrian posi-
tion at Pultusk. Previously to this.
General Miloradovitch, supported by
Winzingerode, had advanced as far as
Prasnitz, the Austrians gradually re-
tiring before him, and successively
abandoning Smadovo, Novogrodck, ',
and Ostrolenka, on the river Naren.
Regnier retired to Posen ; Count Wor-
ranzoff had advanced to Bromberg,
and made himself master of the large
magazines collected there by the cne-

Chap. 12.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

2or

my, to cover which, and to observe
Thorn, General Tchichagoffapproach-
ed the latter fortress.

The arrangements of the Russian
cabinet, no less than the movements of
the armies, indicated the most resolute
hostility to the French system. Count
Rostopchin, the virtuous governor of
Moscow, was appointed minister of
the interior of Russia, and the ex-
Prussian minister Stein, whose enmity
to Buonaparte had called forth a fu-
rious tirade against him, was made a
Russian cabinet minister ; KutusofF,
Wittgenstein, and their brother gene-
rals, had the most distinguished ho-
nours conferred upon them. These
brave men had saved their country ; and
the Emperor Alexander shewed by the
most magnificent rewards every dispo-
sition to recompence their exertions
against the common enemy.

A singular event occurred in the
courseof the month of January; Murat
gave up the command of the French
army to Eugene Beauharnois from in-
disposition, it was pretended, but, as
everyone believed, from disgust. Buo-
naparte, in announcing this event, took
care to state, that Beauharnois was
** more accustomed to a grandadminis-
tration,'* and possessed " the entire
confidence of the emperor." If thi»
had been true, how did it happen that,
at the moment of the greatest difficul-
ty and peril, when Buonaparte aban-
doned his army, he selected Murat as
the most proper person to command
it ? This general was then thought per-
fectly competent to a ** grand admi-
nistration."— Beauharnois, however,
was now deemed superior, although it
was difficult to discover that he had ever
distinguished himself in such a way as
to deserve this eulogy. Had Murat
been really indisposed, and had the
state of his health been the sole cause
of his retiring from the command,
Buonaparte would hardly have ac-
companied the notification of this event

with such praise of Beauharnois, as
could not fail to hurt the feelings of
Murat. But the consequences of the
Russian campaign were every way so
disastrous to the French, that the sol-
diers were rendered suspicious of their
officers, the generals became dissatis-
fied with each other, and all of them
lost their regard for Buonaparte.

The accounts given at this time
in the French official paper of the
state of the armies, were very sin-
gular. The Moniteur now spoke
chiefly of the neto troops proceeding
to the north. Thorn, however, it
affirmed, was occupied by 6000 men ;
6000 Prussians were at Graudentz ;
Davoust commanded a corps of obser-
vation upon Bomberg; Victor and
Macdonald were at Posen ; and Lau-
riston was to command a corps of ob-
servation at Magdeburgh. Another
corps was also to be established on the
Rhine, and an army of observation in
Italy, under the command of Gene-
ral Bertrand. From this statement it
was manifest tha: Buonaparte expected
the next campaign to commence un-
der very different auspices from the last,
— in the heart of Germany, instead of
the frontiers of Russia. — The Moni-
teur, however, attempted to sustain the
spirits of the people of France and Ger-
many— " We are authorised to make
this expose to tranquillize the good
citizens of France and Germany."
Thus it appeared that there was much
discontent produced, in all probabili-
ty, by the efforts of the British go-
vernment to inform the people of the
true state of affairs.

It became necessary in these circum-
stances, that Buonaparte should do
something to tranquillize, or at least to
occupy, the public mind and support
his tottering power. The pope ac-
cordingly was once more brought on the
public scene. After his expulsion from
Rome, he had been sent to, a town on
the shores of the Adriatic ; thence to
6

308 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chaf. 12.

Cremona, to Verona, and to Piedmont';
Buonaparte hoped, by thus harassing
an old man, to bend the mind of the
pontiff to his purposes. On hearing,
however, that some attempt would be
made to release the holy father, he or-
dered him to be sent to France, and
placed under the police at Fontainbleau.
There he remained for some time, till
the emperor surprised him with a visit
on the 19th of January of this year.
Buonaparte and the Austrian princess
left Paris under pretence of hunting at
Grosbois, and suddenly proceeded to
Fontainbleau, " where they were not
expected." Buonaparte instantly re-
paired to the pope's apartments, and
entered upon the business of his visit.
From that evening till the 25th, va-
rious conferences took place between
them, which ended in the signing of
a new concordat. The pope had
considered Buonaparte's last marriage
illegal and his issue illegitimate, as
the former marriage had not been dis-
solved according to the canons of the
catholic church, nor by the special
permission of the head of that church.
The manner in which the pope had
been treated had produced a strong
sensation in France, which, although
Buonaparte might disregard it du-
ring the tide of his victories, he now
felt was no longer to be treated with
contempt. The proposals, however,
which were now made to the pope,
were accepted, the territories of the
church were restored, and the sanc-
tion of his holiness was obtained to the
marriage of the French ruler.

Other measures for sustaining the
authority of Buonaparte were also
adopted. A regency was provided in
the event of his death during the mino-
rity of his son. The Austrian prin-
cess was named the regent ; she was
to act with the assistance of a council.
She and her son were to be crowned —
a spectacle which, although it might

amuse the Parisians fori a day, could
do httle towards consolidating the new
dynasty.

The legislative body having been
convoked in the month of February,
Buonaparte made one of his singular
speeches to them. He consoled them
by an assurance that the British army
had been wrecked before Burgos, and
had evacuated Spain. — But every one
asked, if the British army had been
wrecked before Burgos, how happen-
ed it that the enemy had not ventured
to make any attack upon it in its ruin-
ed state ? If the allies had entirely eva-
cuated Spain, why were not the French
again in possession of the capital of
Estremadura and of Ciudad Rodrigo ?
If all the hopes of the EngHsh had been
disappointed and their projects defeat-
ed, how came it to pass that the ene-
my was not in possession of the fertile
provinces of Andalusia ? — When all»-
ding to the Russian campaign, he
said, that " he was constantly victo-
rious at Polotsk, at Mohilo, at Smo-
lensko, and Maloyraslovitz." At
Maloyraslovitz ! where the Russians
drove him back to the road which be-
came the grave of his army ! " He
got to Moscow," he said," triumphing
over every obstacle, and even the con-
flagration of that city changed in no
manner the prosperous state of his af-
fairs." This was in direct contradic-
tion to his own bulletins (particular-
ly the 26th) in which he said, <« that
after Moscow had ceased to exist, the
emperor had determined either to aban*
don this heap of ruins, or only occupy
the Kremline — that it appeared useless
to compromise any thing whatever for
an object that was of no military value,
and had now become of no political
importance." — But after expressing all
due contempt for the Russian arms, — '
after asserting that the Russian troops
were not able to stand before the French
army — what did Buonaparte now pro-

Chap. 12.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

209

pose to do ? The object of the war, as
avowed by himself in his first bulle-
tins, was to dictate to Russia ; to
deprive her of her consideration and
her influence ; to impose upon her
his system, and to reduce the Emperor
of Russia to the abject situation of a
King of Bavaria. What did the French
ruler now avow to be his object ? To
make the Russians return to their own
country ! ** The Russians," said he,
•* shall return to their own frightful
climate !" Was it for this he went to
war with Russia ? — that she might not
establish her power over Germany ? —
that she should be contented with her
own immense possessions? — Heinvaded
her territories to conquer her, and he
was now anxious only that she should
not invade France. She had destroyed
the army which he brought against
her, and burst beyond the limits of
her own territories ; and he would now
have been fully satisfied if her armies
would have relieved him of their pre-
sence, and " returned to their fright-
ful climate !"

Buonaparte spoke very generally of
his allies. He said, indeed, he " was
satisfied with all of them— that he
would abandon none of them, and that
he would maintain the integrity of
their states."— One paragraph in the
speech shewed the impossibihty of ma-
king peace. " The French dynasty
reigns and shall reign in Spain," — a
pledge which, so long as it was per-
sisted in, cut off all hope of putting a
period to the war with England.

The Russian army meanwhile had
arrived on the Vistula. The utmost
deliberation was required in determi-
ning the course which it was now to
follow. The French possessed along
that river a range of fortresses, which
commanded its course, and seemed to
oppose a barrier against the further
progress of a northern army. Was the
Russian, army to employ itself in be-
aieging these fortresses, and thus se-

ypL, VI. FART I.

cure this line of defence against any
future invasion ? This seemed the most
prudent plan, and corresponded with
the established usages of war. But
the Russians had penetration enough.
to perceive, that much more brilliant
prospects were opened by the present
situation of Europe. The remains of
tlie French army were too small, and
in too complete a state of disorganiza-
tion and dismay, to oppose any obstacle
to tkeir victorious progress* It waa
certain, that as they advanced, every
sovereign, every country, would re-
ceive them with open arms ; their force
would be swelled by the force of all
the districts which they might traverse;
the resources of every country would
be withdrawn from the strength of
France and added to that of her ene-
mies. With respect to the dangerof lea-
ving behind them so many strong-holds,
the example of the French themselves
had shewn, that there were circumstan-
ces, in which what might otherwise have
been the height of imprudence, became
perfectly safe. The danger, which
would have been serious if entering
into a hostile country, with a power-
ful enemy in front, ceased to exist
when the French force was completely
broken, and when the whole country
through which their pursuers were to
pass was enthusiastically devoted to
their cause. Every circumstance, in
short, indicated, that the moment had
arrived for following up, with the ut-
most vigour, the advantages they had
gained. Itwould have been madnessto
pause, until the mighty edifice, which
for the first time had been made to
totter, should be laid in the dust. The
Russians therefore determined to ad-
vance ; and the boldness and vigour of
this policy, contrasted with the caution
which had marked their proceedings
in different circumstances, heightened
greatly the impression of that wisdom
by which their councils were guided.
On the 7th of February, Major-Ge-

210 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 12.

neral Count Woronzoff marched to-
wards Poseii with his detachment ;
whilst Admiral Tchichagoff invested
the fortress of Thorn, General Milo-
radovitch's corps passed to the left
bank of the Vistula. Major-General
Paskevitch, with the 7th corps, took
possession of Sakroczin, and pushed
forward some cossacks for the purposes
of observation as far as Modlin.

The enemy, with the view of obtain-
ing provisions from the villages about
Dantzic, made a sally towards Brentau,
but was immediately received by some
cossacks, who compelled him to retreat.
At the same time a strong column of in-
fantry and of cavalry appeared on the
Russian left flank, opposite the village
of Nenkau, and at firiit drove in their
advanced posts. A cossack chief, na-
med MeinikofF, taking advantage of this
movement, collected several detach-
ments of his warriors, rode round the
enemy's wing, and falling unexpected-
ly on his rear, threw him into confu-
sion ; the result was, that the whole
column was cut off from the city, and
not a single man returned into the for-
tress ; 600 men were cut down on the
spot, and 200 privates and 73 officers
were made prisoners.

Prince Schwartzenberg*s corps ha-
' ving been forced to retreat, on the 8th
of February General Miloradovitch
took possession of the city of Warsaw.
On his arrival at the village of Wilanoff,
he was met by the deputies of the cor-
porations— of the nobility, merchants,
and clergy, headed by the prefect, sub-
prefects, and mayors of the city, who
presented to him the keys of Warsaw.

Major-General Count Sievres, com-
manding in Koningsberg, received or-
ders to march against Pillau, with all
the troops and artillery then in Ko-
ningsberg, and to summon the French
garrison to surrender. In pursuance
• of thef?e orders, the general arrived
with 6000 men and a strong party, of
artillery, in the village of Old Pillau,
. 2'

within 2000 paces of the fortress ; —
The troops posted themselves partly
in front of this village, and partly on
the heights situated on the right and
left of it ; and the Russian general
immediately sent a summons to the
commandant of the French garrison.
This measure led to a convention, by
which the French troops, on the 8th,
quitted the town and fortress of Pil-
lau, which had been garrisoned by
them since the month of May, 1812.
The garrison, which marched out,
consisted of about 1200 men ; the
number of sick left behind amounted
to about 400. On the 9th the Rus-
sian troops returned to the grand army ;
the Prussian troops who were in the
town and citadel remained as a gar-
rison.

The mild and sagacious policy of
the Russians in entering the provinces
of the north as friends and deliverers,
and restoring the national function-
aries, greatly assisted their exertions. —
Their advance was accompanied with
every circumstance which was calcu-
lated to endear their cause to the na-
tions around them. — They resorted to
the press as a powerful auxiliary for
the overthrow of the enemies of Eu-
rope ; they disseminated friendly ad-
dresses over the continent, and their
conciliatory offers were received with
joy at Warsaw, Berlin, Hamburgh,
and Dresden. The press, which had
been so long fettered by the French,
and compelled to disseminate falsehood
throughout Europe, began, after the
success of the Russians, to reassume

its legitimate functions. Wherever

the allies carried their arms, this pow-
erful engine was occupied in exposing
the malignant and deceitful policy
which had been so long pursued by
the ruler of France.

The King of Prussia, who felt him-
self while at Potsdam entirely in the
power of the French general and gar-
• risen of Berlin, resolved on obtainiirg

Chap. 12]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

2^1

his personal freedom by a sudden and
unexpected removal to Bi^slaw. Ha-
ving arrived thefe, he, oti the 3d of
February, issued proclamations to his
subjects, callinpr on them to arm in sup-
port of their king and country. This
patriotic call was well understood over
Prussia* and volunteers from all parts
of the kingdom presented themselves
for enrolment. Mortified by this sight,
Beauharnois, the new commander of
the French armies, forbade the recruit-
ing enjoined by the royal decree. This
unparalleled affront had no other effect
than to excite the indignation of the
king and of his people.

The Austrians, in the month of Fe-
bruary, concluded an unlimited truce
with the Russians, in virtue of which
they withdrew into Gallicia ; and the
Saxons under Regnier profited by
this circumstance to retire towards
their own country. On the evening
of the ISth of February, however,
General Win^ingerode came up with
General Regnier and his Saxons at
Kalitsch. The enemy directed their
movements upon the city, to form a
junction with 4000 Poles, who had 15
pieces of cannon with them ; but they
found themselves suddenly attacked
by the Russian troops with their cha-
racteristic ardour. The result of this
attack was highly honourable to the
Russians, as the Saxon infantry, who
were in superior? force, made a brave
and obstinate resistance. Two Saxon
standards, seven pieces of cannon, the
Saxon genei'al, Nostitz, three colonels,
36 officers and 2000 privates, were the
trophies of this day. General Win-
zingerode*s advanced guard pursued
the enemy, wlio retreated upon Racz-
kowo and Ostrowo.

In this state of thiugs, the King 6f
Prussia offered himself as a mediator
between the chief belligerents. On
the I5th of February, he proposed a
truce, on cotadition that the Russia'n

troops should retire behind the Vis-
tula and the French behind the Elbt,
leaving Prussia, and all its fortresses,
free from foreign occupation. — These
terms seem very favourable to the beat-
ten and discomfited enemy, who had so
lately threatened to atmihilate the in-
dependence both of Russia and Prus-
sia. They were sullenly rejected, how-
ever, by Buonaparte ; while the Em-
peror Alexander, on the other hand,
evinced such sentiments of liberality
toward the Prussian monarchy and na-
tion, as could not but injure their cor-
dial attachment.

The patriots of Prussia accordingly
surrounded their sovereign at Breslaw :
they represented, that the moment was
at length arrived to shake off the de-
grading yoke, to which, in common
with all Germany, their nation had
beert so long subjected ; they wisely
and energetically insisted, that there
was but one line to be adopted — an al-
liance offensive and defensive with Rus-
sia.— This just remonstrance at length
prevailed. On the 22d of February a
treaty of peace and alliance, offensive
and defensive, was concluded betwixt
the Emperor of Russia and King of
Prussia, and a system of combined mi-
litary operations was arranged.

The King of Prussia, on this occa-
sion, addressed his people and his ar-
mies.—" It was unnecessary," he said^
** to render an account to his good
people of Germany, of the motives for
the war which was now commencing :
they were evident to impartial Europe.
Prussia was bowed down under the
superior power of F'rance. That peace,
which deprived the kin^ of half his
subjects, procured us no blessings ; it,
on the contrary, injured Prussia more
than war itself. The country was impo-
verished. The principal fortresses wei'e
occupied by the enemy; agriculture
was neglected, as well as the industry
of the citiesi which had riser, to a very

512 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 12.

high degree. Liberty of trade being
interrupted, the new system naturally
closed all the sources of ease and pros-
perity. By the most exact observance
of the stipulated treaties, the king ho-
ped to obtain some alleviation for his
people, and at last to convince the
French ruler that it was his o wn interest
to leave Prussia independent ; but the
king's exertions to obtain so desirable
an object proved fruitless ; — nothing
but haughtiness and treachery were the
result. The Prussians discovered, but
rather late, that Buonaparte's conven-
tions were more ruinous to them than
©pen wars. The moment was now ar-
rived in which no illusion respecting
their condition could remain. — " Prus-
eians," said the king, ** you know what
you have suffered during the last se-
ven years. You know what a misera-
ble fate awaits you if we do not ho.
nourably finish the war which is now
commencing. Remember former times !
Remember the illustrious Elector, the
Great Frederick I Remember the be-
nefits for which our ancestors contend-
ed under his direction : liberty of con-
science, honour, independence, trade,
industry, and knowledge. Bear in mind
the great example of our allies the
Russians ! Think of the Spaniards and
Portuguese ; small states have even
gone to battle for similar benefits a-
gainst a more powerful enemy, and ob-
tained victory ! Remember the Swiss
and the people of the Netherlands !
Great sacrifices are required from all
ranks, because our plan is great, and
the means of our enemy extensive. —
You will make them sooner for your
country and your king, than for a fo-
reign ruler ; who, by so many exam-
ples, has proved he would seize your
children, and drain your resources for
designs to which you are strangers. —
Confidence in God, constancy, cou-
rage, and the powerful assistance of
gur allies, will favour our just cause

with victory. How great soever tlie
sacrifices which may be required from
individuals, they are small compared
with the sacred interests for which they
are given, for which we combat, and
for which we must conquer, or cease
to be Prussians. We are now engaged
in the last decisive contest for our ex-
istence as an independent people. — -
There is no medium between an ho-
nourable peace and inglorious ruin. —
Even this you would manfully support
for your honour, because a Prussian
cannot live without it. — But we dare
confidently trust, God and our firm
purpose will give our just cause vic-
tory, and with this an uninterrupted
peace, and the return of happier times."

The French ambassador, St Mar-
san, who was a spectator of the inter-
view between the Emperor Alexander
and the King of Prussia, resolved on
the following day to present a remon-
strance to the Prussian chancellor. He
was prevented, however, by a note
from the latter, formally announcing
to him, that Prussia was at war with
France, and assigning the reasons by
which he justified her conduct. A si-
milar note was presented to the French
government at Paris by Count Kruse-
marck, the Prussian minister, to which
an angry reply was made by the Duke
of Bassano.

The Prussian minister stated the
strongest reasons in justification of an
appeal to arms at the present time,
and argued with much force and abili-
ty against the French system, which
had successively led to the degradation
of every sovereign by whom it had
been adopted : — He urged the folly
of trusting to any engagements with
Buonaparte, and the absohite necessity
to which the powers of Enlrope were
exposed, of destroying his system, or
being destroyed by it. Prussia, by the
treaty of Tilsit, in 1807, was left in
the most feeble condition. It was easy

Chap. 12.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

215

to foresee, that by the occupation of
the fortresses, Buonaparte would be-
come in effect master of that country,
and might avail liimsclf of it as an ad-
vanced post in hh future hostihties a-
gainst Russia. He was not only ena-
bled to exhaust it by grievous exac-
tions, under the name of military con-
tributions, hut to ruin its finances by
that deceitful and ingenious mode of
impoverishing his neighbours, which
he termed the continental system. In
this wretched situation was Prussia
placed, when Buonaparte's plans a-
ijainst Russia began to be dcvoloped.
Unable to stand alone, her circumstan-
ces did not allow of neutrality ; and
she was unwillingly dragged along as
a vassal in the train of the ruler of the
French nation. But even if she had
not suffered severe oppression in time
of peace, she was at once plundered,
trampled on, and insulted, during the
war. Buonaparte acted over the king-
dom of Prussia the sovereign, or rather
the conqueror, without ceremony or
restraint. He seized on Pillau and
Spandau by a sort of mihtary surprise ;
he kept possession of Glogau and Cus-
triu, in express opposition to treaties :
he subsisted his garrisons in those pla-
ces by levying contributions for ten
leagues around ; he seized no less than
30,000 horses, and 20,000 carriages ;
together with every other article of
which his commissariat happened to
stand in need ; and he even sent or-
ders to General Bulow to join Vic-
tor's corps without consulting the
King of Prussia on the subject. These,
and many other equally serious grounds
of complaint, were distinctly recapi-
tulated by Count Krusemarck in his
official communication to the French
government.

The Duke of Bassano, in reply, be-
f^an by a sarcastic allusion to the ver-
satile politics of the Prussian cabinet
since 1792, as if France, since that pe-

riod, had not exhibited more numerous
instances of fickleness and falsehood
than any other power. He stated that
it was against Buonaparte'sj9r^/w^5 to
declare war merely for political conve-
nience ! He would have made Prussia
a mediator between France and Rus-
sia ; " and would have consented to
aggrandize for the interest of his sys-
tem, and for the peace and repose of
the world, which formed his sole view,
a power, whose sincerity had been put
to the proof." Buonaparte would have
aggrandized Prussia ! " made her act
a fine part,*' and manifest decided sen-
timents ; " but," said the Duke of
Bassano, " he did not suspect the du-
plicity of a power which had solicited
the honour of an alliance with France."

While the diplomatic arrangements
were concluded between Russia and
Prussia, the commanders of the French
armies in vain attempted to make a
stand at Berlin. The inhabitants ma-
nifested a spirit no less formidable to
them than that of the army ; and the
French themselves confessed, that the
Russian light troops which approach-
ed Berlin, were conducted and reinfor-
ced by the young men of that capital ;
several of whom were killed in the
skirmishes which took place in the sub-
urbs.

Very different from the conduct of
the King of Prussia was that of the
misguided sovereign of Saxony. The
approach of the allied armies alarmed
him, and he determined to quit Dres-
den, and to cling to the interests of
the common enemy. Before abandon-
ing his capital, he issued a proclama-
tion recommending a peaceable de-
meanour to his subjects. He told them,
at the same time, that the political
system to which he had for the last six
years attached himself, was that to
which the state had been indebted for
its preservation amid the most immi-
nent dangers. This was strange Ian-

214 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 12.

guage, when his adherence to this very-
political system now compelled him to
abandon his capital.

<^eneral Blucher, however, took a
different view of the interests of Saxo-
ny, and addressed from Bruntzlau, a
proclamation to the people, stating
that he entered their territory to offer
them his powerful assistance, and call-
ing on them to raise the standard of
insurrection against their oppressors.
His language on this occasion was sin-
gular and characteristic : — " In the
north of Europe," he said, " the Lord
of Hosts has held a dreadful court of
justice, and the angel of death has cut
off 300,000 of those strangers by the
sword, famine, and cold, f;-om that
earth which they, in tl;e insolence of
their prosperity, would have brought
upder the yoke. We march wherever
the finger of the Lord directs us, to
fight for the security of the ancient
thrones and our national independence.
With us comes a valiant people, who
have boldly driven back oppression,
and with a high feeling have promised
liberty to the subjugated nations. We
announce ^p you the morning of a ne\y-
day. The time for shaking off a de-
testable yoke, which, during the last
six years, dreadfully crushed us down,
has at length arrived. A new war un-
luckily commenced, and still more un-
happily concluded, forced upon us the
peace of Tilsit ; but even of the seve-
rest articles of that treaty, not one has
been kept with us. Every following
treaty increased the hard conditions of
the preceding one. For this reason we
have thrown off the shameful yoke,
and advance to the heart-cheering com-
bat for our liberty. Saxons I ye are
a noble minded people ! you know,
that without independence all the good
things of this life are to noble minds
of little value, — that subjection is the
greatest disgrace. You neither can nor
will bear slavery any longer. You will
not permit a cunning and deceitful sys-

tem of policy to carry its aml^itious
and depraved views into effect, to de-
mand the blood of your sons, dry up
the springs of your commerce, depress
your industry, destroy the liberty of
your press, and turn your once happy
country into the theatre of war. Al-
ready has the VandaHsm of the oppres-
sive foreigner wantonly destroyed your
most beautiful monument of architec-
ture, the bridge of Dresden. Rise !
join us : raise the standard of insurrec-
tion against foreign oppressors, and be
free. Your sovereign is in the power
of foreigners, deprived of the freedom
of determination, deploring the steps
which a treacherous policy forced him j
to take. We shall no more attribute 1
them to him than cause you to suffer
for them. We only take the provinces
of your country under our care, when
fortune, the superiority of our arms,
and the valour of our troops, may
place them in our power. Supply the
reasonable wants of our warriors, and
in return expect from us the strictest
discipline. Every application to me, the
Prussian General, may be freely made by
all oppressed persons. I will hear com-
plaints, examine every charge, and se-
verely punish every violation of disci-
pline. Every one, even the very mean-
est, may with confidence approach me,
I will receive him with kindness. The
friend of German independence will,
by us, be considered as our brother :
the weak-minded wanderer we will lead
with tenderness into the right road ;
but the dishonourable, despicable tool
of foreign tyranny, I will pursue to
the utmost rigour as an enemy to our
common country."

Prussia now became one great camp ;
the supple instruments of French ty-
ranny were banished from the cabinet,
and the generals known by their reso-
lute opposition to French influence,
were invested with new and effectual
powers. The whole country between
the Elbe and the Oder was divided in-

Chap. 12.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

fl5

to four military districts, under the
command of L'Estocq, Tauenzien,
Massenbach, and Gotzen ; tiic mili-
tia was called out ; the levy-en-masse
was ordered ; volunteers enrolled them,
selves on all sides ; no less than 20,000
of the militia were collected at Ko-
iiingsberg ; and the national cnthusi-
asai was universally directed to one
great object.

The King of Prussia, on the 20th of
March, 1813, published an edict, abo-
lishing the continental system, and re-
gulating the duties to be collected in
future on goods imported into Prus-
sia. All French goods were prohibit-
ed under severe penalties.

The French troops having quitted
Berlin, the Russian General, Tcherni-
cheff, arrived in that city amid a great
concourse of people : — the Russian
troops were received with kindness and
hospitality. On the 11th of March,
Count Wittgenstein made his public
entry into the capital, and was recei-
ved with the greatest enthusiasm.

The torrent from the north rolled
on ; the barriers of the Vistula and the
Oder proved inefficacious to stem it.
The accession of Prussia and Sweden,
and the great armaments which were
preparing in the north of Germany,
swelled the single power of Russia in-
to a formidable confederacy. The fide-
lity of all the foreign troops in the
French service was suspected by Buo.

naparte ; and it appeared that they
would embrace the first opportunity of
deserting. In these circumstances he
thought it necessary to make an addi-
tion, even to the immense preparations
which he had already contemplated. —
Ninety thousand men of the conscrip-
tion of 1814, who had been originally
destined for the reserve, were now ren-
dered disposable ; and ninety thousand
more were raised by a sort of retro-
spective conscription. The cities and
municipahties were invited to equip
new corps of cavalry, to replace that
part of the army which had entirely-
perished during the Russian campaign.
Buonaparte, however, was aware that
he could not at once lead these raw
levies against the enemy ; — every re-
source, therefore, which experience
and ingenuity could suggest, was ex-
hausted to confer on them that dis-
cipline in which they were deficient.
Officers were procured either by drafts
from Spain, or by selecting the subal-
terns of the regiments which had es-
caped from Russia. A large camp was
formed upon the Maine, where the pre-
paration of the young soldiers for the
field, could be carriecTon without dan-
ger of interruption from the approach
of the enemy. — The immense armies
which Buonaparte wm accumulating
proved the unequalled vigour of his
despotism, and the great resources ot
hii empire.

C16 EDINBURGH ANiNUAL REGISTER, 1813, [Ciiai, Ifi

CHAP. XIll.

Progress of the War, — Buonaparte taJcesthe Commandoflhc French Armies.-^
Battle ofLutzen. — Battle of Bautzen^ and Retreat of the Allien* — The com'
bined Armies retire, and Buonaparte enters Dresden,

As the allied sovereigns were fully
persuaded that their chance of success,
in the great enterprize which they had
undertaken, must depend upon the
soundness of their principles, no less
than upon the numbers and valour of
their armies, they hastened to announce
the maxims of policy by which they
were guided.

Prince Kutousoff, the commander-
in-chief of the Russian and Prussian
armies, accordingly published an ad-
dress to Germany in the names of the
Emperor of Russia and King of Prus-
sia. In this address, the two monarchs
gave a solemn pledge of their inten-
tions. They desired to re-estabhsh
Germany in her rights and indepen-
dence. They would not tolerate that
badge of a foreign yoke, the confede-
ration of the Rhine. They declared
that they had no intention of disturb-
ing France, nor of forcing with their
armies her rightful frontiers. They de-
sired that she might occupy herself in
her own concerns, and not disturb the
repose of other nations. They were
anxious for peace, but for such a peace
as should be founded upon a solid
basis ; and they concluded with an-
rtouncing their determination not to

lay down their arms, until the founda-
tions of the independence of every Eu-
ropean state should have been esta-
blished and secured.

The unprosperous state to which
the affairs of the French were reduced,
had, as it was natural to expect, a great
influence on the policy of their alhes.
Even Denmark now expressed a dis-
position to join the great confederacy
of Europe ; she proposed, however,
the most extravagant terms. She sent
an ambassador to I^ondon, who ten-
dered to England the benefit of a Da-
nish alliance, on the following condi-
tions : — 1st, That all the territories of
Denmark (Norway of course included)
should be guaranteed to her. 2d,
That all her islands should be restored.
3d, That her fleet should be given up,
and a large indemnity allowed for its
capture. A considerable sum was also
demanded, as a compensation for what
the Danes had suffered during the occu-
pation of Zealand by the British. 4th,
That the Hanse towns should be as-
signed to her. 5th, That a subsidy
should be granted to pay the troops
necessary to enable her to take pos-
session of these towns. And upon
the accession of the British crover»-

Chap. 13.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

217

ment to these rens.onnhle terms, Den-
mark would make peace, and join
the common cause. Such demands,
of course, could not require a mo-
ment's deliberation, and the Danish
minister took' his departure, — Eng-
land was the last of the allied powers
tried by Denmark. She began at
Petersburgh under French influence,
and there she failed ; she continued
negotiations at Copenhagen under the
same influence, and again she failed ;
ehe then turned her attention towards
London, where there could be no such
influence, and there she failed also.
But although her attempts at negotia-
tion had no success, the momentary
change which was thus produced upon
her policy, had considerable influence
on the affairs of Hamburgh, which
about this time excited great interest
in England.

The grand French army (inclu-
ding the division of General Grenier,
amounting to 20,000 men, which in
the beginning of January had hastened
from Italy to the north) had been re-
duced by many severe engagements
with the cossacks to about 18,000 men,
and had quitted Berlin to lay the basis
of future operations in a more solid
manner behind the Elbe. General
Morand, in the meantime, who had
kept possession of Swedish Pomerania
with about 2500 men, and had been
instructed to maintain himself there at
all events, put himself in march to fol-
low the grand army, whose left wing
was formed by the army of Pomerania
under his command. Baron Tetten-
borne, colonel, commandant of a corps
of General Wittgenstein's division of
the army, marched at the same lime
in the direction of Hamburgh ; his
vanguard was at Limburg, when
Morand, on the 15th of March, en-
tered Mollen. As some parties of
cossacks had been detached in front,
and were approaching Mollen, the ar-
my of Pomerania halted, and after-
Si

wards marched to Bcrgcdorf. Gene-
ral Morand then attempted to march
from Bcrgedorf to Hamburgh, but
was prevented by the Danish troops,
3000 of whom, with a numerous ar-
tillery, were stationed on the borders
to maintain their neutrality.

Colonel Hamilton, the governor of
Heligoland, was induced by the suc-
cess of the Russian arms, and the fa-
vourable reports from different parts
of the Hanoverian coast, to take every
step which an inconsiderable force at
his disposal would admit of, to pro-
mote tlie common cause, and to assist
the operations of the allied arnflies in
this direction. Lieutenant Banks ac-
cordingly proceeded to Cuxhaven,
whence the French had departed with
great expedition, after destroying all
their gun -boats, and dismounting the
guns from the strong works construct-
ed for the defence of the harbour. On
a summons from Lieutenant Banks,
the castle of Ritzenbuttle, and bat-
teries of Cuxhaven, were surrendered
by the burghers, and the British and
Hamburgh- flags were immediately dis-
played. The peasants assembled ia
considerable numbers, and took the
strong battery and v/orks at Bremerlee.
A corps of about 1500 French ha-
ving been collected in the vicinity,
threatened to retake the battery, and
apphcation was made to Major Kentz-
inger, at Cuxhaven, for assistance.
This officer having left Cuxhaven with
a party of the soldiers in waggons, was
met by the peasants, who informed
him that the enemy had marched oft"
in great haste, in consequence of the
landing of some British troops.

Tettenborne, after this, entered
Hamburgh, amid the acclamations of
the citizens. In consequence of this
happy event the ancient government
was restored. — Colonel Tettenborne
addressed the inhabitants of the left
bank of the Lower Elbe, and the in-
habitants of the city of Lubec, ex-

213 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 13.

honing them to take up arms in this
sacred war, — telling them that they
knew the fate of the French grand ar-
my, which had been entirely destroy-
ed on the plains of Russia, — and as-
suring them that powerful armies were
hastening to their support. " May
disgrace overtake every one," said he,
** who in these eventful times, when
the struggle is for the greatest bless-
ings of the human race, can sit with
his arms folded." The people were
isvited to raise a volunteer corps in
Hamburgh, Lubec, and Bremen, to
bear the name of ** The Hanseatic
Legion," and form a part of the army
of the north of Germany.

A small detachment of veterans sent
by Colonel Hamilton to Cuxhaven,
marched to Bremerlee to occupy the
battery at that place, and to afford
support to the insurgent peasantry. —
The enemy, however, collected a force
of ^ve or six thousand men at Bremen,
and a detachment of about seven hun-
dred of them marched rapidly upon
Bremerlee, dispersed the peasant?, and
forced the bridge, which was bravely
defended by a party of the 1st veteran
battalion. The enemy then attacked
the battery where the remainder of the
veterans, and a body of peasants, were
stationed. — These people capitulated
in the hope of saving their Hves. The
French spared sij: or seven of the Bri-
tish veterans, but treacherously mas-
sacred every one of the peasants ; they
pillaged the to\vn and returned hastily
to Bremen.

The Jying of Prussia, meanwhile,
was busily employed in extending over
the continent a spirit of insurrection
against the French. He perceived the
advantages which had resulted from
the animating addresses of the Empe-
ror Alexander, and he embraced every
opportunity cf profiting by the same
expedient. On the 6th of April, he
issued from Breslaw, a proclamation to
the inhabitants of the German provin-

ces belonging to Prussia, which were
ceded by the treaty of Tilsit. " It was
neither," said the king, « by my choice
nor your fault, that you, my belo-
ved and faithful subjects, were torn
from my paternal heart. The force of
events brought on the peace of Tilsit,
by which we were separated. But
even that convention, like all others ^
since made with France, was broken J
by our enemies ; they themselves have,
by their infidelity, released us from our
connection with them ; and God, by
the victories of our powerful allies, has
prepared the liberation of Germany.
Neither are you, from thp moment
when my faithful people flew to arms
for me, for theiriselves, and for you,
any longer bound by that compulsive
oath which connected you with your
new ruler. To you, I therefore speak
in the same language as I did to my
beloved people, concerning the causes
and objects of the present war. Yoi*
have now again the same claim to my
affection, and I to your obedience. —
Again joined to my people, you will
share the same danger, but you will
likewise partake of the same reward,
and of equal glory. I depend upon
your attachment ; our native country
rehes on your strength. Join your
youths to my warriors who have late-
ly renewed the glory of the Prussian
arms. Seize your swords, and form
your insurrectional levy according to
the example of your noble brethren,
whom with just pride I call my sub-
jects. When you shall have fought
with us for our common country, when
by your exertions you shall have as-
sisted in establishing its independence,
and proved that you are worthy of
your ancestors, and of the Prussian
name, then v/ill futurity heal the
wounds inflicted by times past, and we
shall find the happiness that has been
lost to us in the conviction of a faith-
ful attachment, and in the undisturbed
enjoyment of liberty and peace."

Chap. 13.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

'^19

According to the dispositions made
by General Wittgenstein on the left
bank of the Elbe, the three iiying
corps under the command of Generals
Dornberg, TchernicheflF, and Tetten-
borne, were ordered to precede the ar-
my, and to pass the Elbe between
l^amburgh and Magdcburgh. While
preparations were making for the pas-
sage of the river, the Prench army con-
centrated in the vicinity of Magdc-
burgh, and strengthened itself by re-
inforcements from the troops round
Dresden and Leipzig. Its left wing
consisted of three considerable corps,
encamped near Luberitz and Stendal ;
and the whole army was under the
command of Marshals Davoust and Vic-
tor.— General Dornberg arrived first
at Havelberg, and afterwards crossed
the Elbe at the village of Guitjobel,
opposite to Werlen. The enemy, four
or five thousand strong, approached
from Arneberg, and obliged the Rus-
sian corps to quit the town of Wer-
len, and re- cross the Elbe. The Rus-
sians lost in this affair one officer and
1^ dragoons, who had remained too
long at Werlen.

The corps of General Tchernicheff
in the meantime arrived at Havelberg,
and a council of war was held concern-
ing the future operations. General
Tchernicheff, in consequence, first
passed the Elbe with his corps, and
took possession of Seehausen and Lich-
ter field, to secure the passage of the
corps of Dornberg. The necessary dis-
positions, however, were scarcely made,
when Major Count Puschkin, who was
posted with a regiment of cossacks at
Lichterfield, was attacked by three
battalions of French infantry and 200
cavalry, with two pieces of artillery.
This officer succeeded in keeping the
enemy employed, until a regiment of
cavalry of the division of the Baron
Pahlen came to his support. This re-
giment attacked the enemy, drove him
back to Werlen, and made two officers

and sixty men prisoners — Generals
Dornberg and Tchernicheff were in-
formed that General Morand with a
corps of upwards of 3(XX) infantry, 11
cannon, and 300 cavalry, was pressing
forward by the way of Jottstadt to
Luneberg, to punish the inhabitants
of that town for having dared to take
up arms. The Generals resolved to
hasten to Luneberg to protect the
brave inhabitants from the fate which
threatened them. As the troops had
lately made a forced march of ten Ger-
man (forty Enghsh) miles in 24" hours,
they could not be brought up until the
2d of April, in the morning, 12 hours
after the entry of the French into
Luneberg. The Russians were inform-
ed that on this very forenoon several
executions were to take place in the
city, and that a number of victims were
again to attest the cruelty of the ene-
mies of Germany. They therefore de-
termined instantly to attack the town.
Scarcely had two of the corps ap-
proached it on the right bank of the
Elmenau, within the distance of two
cannon shot, and drawn themselves up
in order of battle, under cover of the
bushesand hedges, when Baron Pahlen,
with great skill, commenced the attack
on the other side, and met with com-
plete success. The enemy advanced
against him with two battalions of in-
fantry and three pieces of artillery, and
attempted to cut him off from the road
to Bienenbuttel. The parties encoun-
tered at this place, and charged each
other briskly. The enemy, who was
ignorant of the strength of the Russian
and Prussian corps, and imagined that
he had only to act against a few cos-
sacks, was surprised. — At the same
time General Dornberg, at the head
of a Prussian battahon of infantry,
rushed on the enemy's battalion, and
drove it along the bridge close under
the town, on the right bank of the El-
menau. The assailants found the gates,
the walla, and even the houses in the

220 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Ghap. 13.

ti^wn defended by the enemy's infan-
try ; the situation of the place was fa-
vourable for making a vigorous resist-
ance, and here an obstinate and bloody
engagement ensued, Russians and Prus-
sians vycd with each other in noble
emulation ; ajid the artillery, which
was not more than one hundred paces
distant from the enemy, made great
havoc among the French in the streets
of the town. At length the Prus-
sians succeeded, after the battle had
raged with the greatest obstinacy at
the entrance of the town for more
than two hours, in possessing them-
selves of one of the gates. This suc-
cess forced the enemy to quit the
town, which he did in such haste, that
one of his battalions was separated — ^
A brisk fire of infantry was maintain-
ed ; the battahon which had been cut
off, when discovered by the Russian
yagers, made a charge with the bayo-
net ; but this was the last effort of
the enemy. A heavy fire of grape-
lihot conrinced them that there was no
possibility of escape, and they laid
down their arms. — The trophies of this
day were nine pieces of artillery, 100
officers, and 22C0 privates, prisoners.
The zeal, assiduity, and judgment,
evinced by tlie generals in this trial
of the combined Russian and Prus-
sian troops on the left bank of the
Elbe, reflected the greatest honour on
them. This was the first affair of any
importance which the allies had with
the enemy upon German ground.

The King of Saxony, after quitting
bis capital, followed the retreating
Erench army, and repaired to a place
of security in Franconia : his troops,
however, did not imitate the example.
They separated from the French, and
shut themselves up in Torgau, where
they concluded a treaty of neutrality,
whichbutfor inauspiciousevents might
soon have been converted into an ho-
nourable league. The allied forces
proceeded almost without opposition

through Saxony, and although treated
by the sovereign as hostile, by the peo-
ple rhcy were every where hailed as
deliverers. The entrancie of the Rus-
sians into Leipzig revived the droop-
ing spirits of the people. The allies im-
mediately advanced, crossed the Saale
at different points, occupied Gotha
and Weimar, and began to penetrate
through the forest of Thuringia.

Buonaparte in his former campaigns
had generally succeeded in obtaining
the most accurate information of the
designs of the enemy opposed to him.
The French were, however, at this pe-
riod, kept in the utmost ignorance of
the movements of their adversaries,
while the allies contrived to obtain a
correct knowledge of their plans, Thu*
it happened to the enemy in an attempt
which he made to recover Berhn. —
While Bcauharnois, ignorant that Wit-
genstein was near him, flattered him-
self that he should march on unimpe-
ded to the Prussian capital, the latter
took the most skilful measures to sur-
round and attack him with his whole
force. For this purpose he collected
the corps of D'York and Berg at Zen-
list and Leitzkau, on the great south-
ern road from Magdeburgh to Dessau,
while he stationed those of Borstel and
Bulow at Nedlitz and Yiesar, to the
northward of Magdeburgh. It was ar-
ranged that the whole army should
move forward simultaneously from the
opposite points and join in the attack ;
this plan succeeded. The French, who
had the advantage of the ground, re-
sisted with bravery ; but they were
successively driven, by the separate de-
tachments of the allies, from the posi-
tions which they endeavoured to main-
tain at three different villages, and af-
ter having two regiments of cavalry
cut to pieces, they owed the preserva-
tion of their remaining force only to
the darkness of the night. Thus fa-
voured, they retired at all points ; they
did not even attempt to maintain thede-

Chap. 18.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

221

files, but retreated to Magdeburgli,
which was afterwards closely blocka-
ded. Thus had the French already-
been twice defeated by the united Rus-
sian and Prussian forces ; their first at-
tempts on each side of the Elbe were
frustrated. The victories of Luneberg
and Mockern were hailed as omens of
the success of the campaign.

The Russian force was about this
time divided into three armies — one un-
der Wittgenstein, a second under Tchi-
chagofF, and a third under Winzenge-
rode ; — Prince Kutusoff commanded
the whole. Wittgenstein's main force
had crossed the Elbe in order to drive
the French back upon the Maint.—
One of the corps of this army under
General BerkendofF had entered Lu-
bec, and other corps were on the Elbe,
near Boitzenburg. Part of Tchicha-
goff*s army was in the vicinity of
Thorn, while another division was cm-
ployed under PlatofF in the siege of
Dantzic. Winzengerode's army was
divided at Custrin, Lansberg, and
Dresden ; while another corps had
passed tlic Elbe at Schandau, to turn
jDavoust. Russian reinforcements were
on the Vistula. — The Prussian force
was thus distributed : General Blucher
had removed from Silesia into Saxony,
and General D*York was at Berlin
with the main army. Detachments had
been sent to Hamburgh and Rostock,
which were now occupied by Prussian
corps ; and another Prussian detach-
ment had invested Stettin. — ^A Swe-
dish force was at Stralsund ; and it
was expected that by the commence-
ment of the campaign, the Crown
Prince of Sweden would have the
command of 50,000 men. The whole
Russian force, with which it was ex-
pected the campaign would open, was
most erroneously estimated at 220,000 ;
the Prussian at 70,000, and the Swe-
dish and Pomeranian at 50,000 ; a-
mouniing in whole to 310,000 men.
lEo these were added the force which

Hanover, Hesse, Brunswick, the Hanse
Towns, and Saxony, were expected to
furnish.

These magnificent cxpectations,hovif-
ever, were not realized. The Russian
army which crossed the Vistula never
amounted to 220,000 ; while the force
brought to the Elbe by this power
did not exceed 100,000 effective men.
An unfortunate relaxation in the ef-
forts of Russia had become mani-
fest between the months of January
and May ; and the expectations so
eagerly indulged, that the aUies would
have appeared on the Elbe with a
force so preponderating, as to defeat
any attempt of Buonaparte to main-
tain himself between that river and
the Rhine, were wholly disappoint-
ed.

Buonaparte thus had leisure to as-
semble and organize a force which en-
abled him to resume the offensive, and
to recover the support of the small
auxihary states. The Russians, it
would seem, had determined in Janu-
ary, that the Vistula should bound the
advance of their main force ; and when
circumstances produced a change in this
determination, the arrangements for
bringing forward the reinforcements
and reserves were not in sufficient pro-
gress.— The allies were now aware that
the French were debouching from the
Thuringian mountains, with a view to
join Beauharnois, who, to favour this
movement, proceeded from Magde-
burgh towards the upper part of the
Saale. The plan of the allies was form-
ed on such knowledge, — for the expe-
riencc gained at Jena was not thrown
away upon them. They used every ef-
fort to prevent the junction of so vast
a body of French forces. In conse-
quence of Beauharnois* retreat from
Magdeburgh it became less practicable
and less important to maintain his com-
munications with Davoust ; the latter,
therefore, uniting with Sebastiani and
Vaudarame, was at liberty to attempt

222 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 15-

the great object of Buonaparte's wishes
—to cut off the troops sent to orga-
nize insurrection in the neighbourhood
of the Weser. In this, however, Da-
voust was in a great measure disap-
pointed. General Dornberg, with that
skill and activity which always mark-
ed his conduct, removed his troops to
the right bank of the Elbe. Here they
covered Hamburgh, against which Da-
voust continued to make a demonstra-
tion, though with very little effect,
from the opposite bank of the river.

On the 16th of April, the garrison
of Thorn, consisting of 400 Poles,
3500 Bavarians, and 90 Frenchmen,
surrendered to the Russians under Ge-
neral Count Langeron. The trophies
of this success were 200 pieces of can-
non ; — nearly the whole of the Bava-
rians and Poles afterwards enlisted under
the patriotic standard. General Lange-
ron's corps, amounting to 15,000 men,
was now enabled to co-operate with
the force employed before Dantzic.-—
Spandau, situated on the river Spree,
and not far distant from Berlin, capi-
tulated to the Russians on the 1 8th of
April ; the garrison engaging not to
serve against the allies during one year.
— The fortress of Czentokaw surren-
dered on the 4th of May to a Russian
force, commanded by Lieutenant-Ge-
neral Von Sacken, after the batteries
had been opened two days. '*•.:'/'.

The French armies were now^Uced
in a critical situation. The main body
of the active military force extended
from Magdeburgh to the Saale, while
the new levies, raised by the late con-
scription, were forming on the Maine.
The advance of the allies tended to
inter'rupt the communication between
these two armies, and to compel the
one, either to engage singly, or wholly
to withdraw itself from Magdeburgh.
The time was therefore come for the
French corps, if possible, to unite and
to act ; and Buonaparte conceived
them to be already in such a condition

as that, without risk, they might be
brought into the field. The army on
the Maine was therefore directed to
move forward ; and theii* leader left
Paris, to place himself at the head of
the united forces. His presence, it
might seem, must have been more
wanted, amid the difficulties under
which the French army had laboured ;
but it suited that pohcy which he has
always followed, to stand aloof till the
completion of his preparations afford-
ed a fair promise, that victory would
soon follow his arrival.

The forces which Buonaparte had
now assembled were very great, and
considerably out-nu mbered those which
hisopponentshadcollected on the scene
of action. — With regard to the general
conduct of the allies, although it be
impossible to withhold a tribute of
applause from it, there yet appear some
points in the arrangements of the pre-
sent campaign, which may afford room
for criticism. The Russians, as already
remarked, had set out upon the prin-
ciple of not suffering their advance to
be retarded by the fortresses which
they might find in their route, but,
leaving each of them watched by
a detachment of troops, of proceeding
with their main body to the Elbe and
the Rhine. This measure, circum-
stanced as they were, seems to merit
the highest approbation. They had
thus, without sustaining any inconve-
nience, left behind them three succes*
sive chains, including some of the
strongest fortressess in Europe. It
seems evident, that the success of their
plan depended upon the amount of the
force which they might bring to the
front of their line. If they maintain-
ed their ground there, the fortresses,
deprived of succour, must sooner or
later be compelled to submit ; if, on
the contrary, they were unable to hold
their advanced position, the fortresses
would soon be relieved, and the allies
would lose the ground which they had

Chap. IS.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

gained. Since they had adopted the
system of leaving the strong places be-
hind, they ought not at tlie same time
to have attempted to besiege them.
Yet at this time Thorn and Spandaii
were taken by regular siege, and the
operations before Dantzic were press-
ed with considerable vigour. Had
all the troops employed in such sieges,
beyond the numbers required for mere
observation, been brought forward in-
to Saxony, the inequality of the com-
batants would cither not have existed,
or must have been less decided ; and it
might not have been necessary for the
allied armies to retrace their steps.

The next observation i?, that the
allies being from the above, or other
causes, decidedly inferior in number,
the policy seems doubtful by which
they were induced to advance beyond
the Elbe. If their information was
correct, relative to the numbers of the
French army, they must have known
the impossibility of making head against
it in the open plain. The most pru-
dent plan would have been, to strength-
en as much as possible the line of de-
fence formed by the Elbe, to obtain
possession of the bridges, or to throw
up entrenchments before those com-
manded by the enemy. The combined
armies might thus have maintained
themselves till their levies were com-
pleted, or reinforccmenta arrived. —
A different course, however, was pur-
sued ; and to this circumstance must
be ascribed the advantages which the
enemy seemed to gain at the opening
of th« caanpaign.

As the army on the Maine moved
into Saxony, that near Magdcburgh,
commanded by Beauharnois, marched
to meet it, and the junction topjc place
on the left bank of the Saale. The
whole of these united forces might
be estimated at from 150 to '2tX),000
men.— On the 25tli of April, Buona-
parte arrived at Erfurth, and immedi-
iitely ordered all tlie divisions ttt r»ave

forward in the direction of Leipzig.—
The detachment of the allied troops
which had advanced beyond the Saale,
fell back upon the approach of the
French army, and the main body eS'
tablished itself behind the Elster.

On the morning of the 2d of May,
Buonaparte advanced into the plain of
Lutzen, with the view of reaching
Leipzig, and throwing himself thence
upon the rear of the allied armies.
Suddenly, however, the whok of their
forces crossed the Elster at Pegaw,
and commenced a grand attack upon
the French army. The contest which,
ensued was one of the most sangui-
nary description. The Russians and
Prussiaus were under the chief com-
mand of General Wittgenstein, and the
French under Buonaparte. The bat-
tle commenced by the attack of the
village of Gross-Gorschen. The ene-
my was sensible of the importance
of this point, and wished to maintain
himself in it. It was carried by the
right wing of the corps under General
Blucher's order ; at the same time,
his left wing pushed forward in front,
and soon charged the French at the
village of Kelm-Gorschcn. From this
time all the corps came successive-
ly into action, and thje battle became
general. The village of Gross-Gor-
schen was disputed with unexampled
obstinacy- Six times wa« it taken and
retaken by the bayonet ; but the Rus-
sians and Prussians at last obtained the
superiority, and this village, as well as
those of Kelm Gorschtn and Rham,
remained in the power of the combined
armies. The enemy's centre was bro-
ken, and he was driven off the field of
battle. He, nevertheless, brought for-
ward fresh columns. Some corps drawa
from the reserve of the combined ar-
mies, and placed under the orders of
Lieutcnant-Gencral Kavnovtzin, were
opposed to them. Here towards even-
ing a combat ensued, which was like-
wise exceedingly obstinate ; but thi

fS't

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181^3. [Chap. IS.

enemy was at last repulsed. — This bat-
tie was distinguished by one of the
most dreadful cannonades known in
the annals of warlike operations, which
continued till eleven o'clock in the
evening, when night alone put an end
to it. During the cannonade, the fire
of musketry was uninterruptedly kept
up, and frequently the valour of the
allied troops proved itself in attacks
with the bayonet. Seldom or never
was a battle fought with such ani-
mosity. The French derived great
advantage from their positions on the
heights near Lutzcn, where they had
thrown up strongentrenchment?, which
they defended with a heavy fire of ar-
tillery. But the allied troops drove
them from one position to another;
nor were they to be deterred even when
the superior defence of the enemy in
his last positions rendered frequent at-
tacks necessary. — The result was, that
the Russian and Prussian troops kept
possession of the field of battle during
the whole night. Their loss was in-
deed very great ; it may be fairly
estimated at from 8 to 10,000 men
killed and wpunded. Major the Prince
of Hesse Hamburgh was killed, and
General Blucher was wounded. An
unusually large proportion of officers
were among the number of the slain.

Buonaparte affected great elation for
thisbattle. The French chiefof the staff
in his report mentions, ** the fine ac-
tions which have shed a lustre on this
brilliant day, and which, like a clap of
thunder, have pulverized the chimerical
hopes and all the calculations for the
destruction and dismemberment of the
empire." Reverting as usual to Eng-
land, he remarked, that " the cloudy
train collected by the cabinet of St
James's during a whole winter is in
an instant destroyed, like the Gordian
knot by the sword of Alexander.
Europe would at length be at peace,
if the sovereigns and the ministers who
direct their cabinets could have been

present on the field of battle. They
would give up all hopes of causing the
star of France to set, and perceive that
those counsellors who wish to dismem-
ber the I'rench empire, and humble the
emperor, are preparing the ruin of
their sovereign."

But nothing can be more entertain-
ing on this subject than theeloquence of
Cardinal Maury, who, in obedience to
the order of his government, exhorted
the people of France to join in the so-
lemn cer imonies of religion on the oc-
casion of this victory. *< Our enemies,"
said this holy personage, " emboldened
by the defection of the most versatile
of our allies, who already expiates the
bhndness of his fully, entertained no
doubt of the full success of their new
coalition against France. Thus, while
their frozen chmate suspended the
course of our victories, the Russians
considered the fugitive protection of
the elements as a lasting triumph.
They believed, when they put them-
selves into the pay of England, that
the emperor would never return to re-
organize his army. They flattered
themselves that they would drive us out
of Germany, and even carry the seat of
war into our ancient territories, should
we refuse to submit to such laws as
their arrogance should please to dic-
tate to us from thebanks of the Rhine ;
nor did they awaken from this dream
of glory until the moment of their dis-
enchantment on the plains of Lutzen,
— Four months of prodigies on the one
side, and of illusions on the other,
have sufficed to enable France to
meet them, by shewing herself to as-
tonished Germany more powerful than
ever. The winter's rest has repair-
ed every thing. A noble emulation
and voluntary sacrifices have relie-
ved the financcc, without reducing
us to any ruinous expedient. God,
who enjoys the presumption and te-
merity of mortals ; God, according
to the CAprrfMon of the prophf^t.

Chap. 13.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

225

blew on the ambitious chimeras of
our enemies, and they immediately-
vanished. See then now, humilitated
and already vanquished, these ima-
ginary conquerors, who so lightly
reckoned on our dishonour !— — The
glorious victory for which we are this
day going to render to the AH power-
ful t?ie most solemn acts of thanks-
giving, announces triumphs still more
decisive in our favour. fVe shall drive
these Tartars back to their frightful
climate, which can no longer save them.
Powers who are enemies to France I
ye had numbered our legions, ye had
calculated of how many arms they
were composed, but ye had forgotten
at the same time to appreciate the ex-
traordinary genius of their chief, whose
sublime combinations know how to
balance their actions, to concert the
whole, to supply their means, and
double their force. You still beheve
this great man to be far from his ar-
my ; while his history as well as your
dreams should have taught you, that
in his marches, his post is always at
the head of his victorious phalanxes;
You hastened by three days the move-
ment of a triumph which he had se-
cretly prepared in his mind ; but by
eluding his combinations, you made
no alteration in his dispositions, ex-
cepting solely in the manner to con-
quer you. The inferiority of our ca-
valry, which the emperor wished to
spare, and for which he gave as a sup-
plement his thundering artillery, show-
ed at once his intentions by one of
those sudden illuminations of which
Bossuet speaks: " it is an Egyptian
battle," said he to his troops, " a
good infantry supported by artillery
ought to be sufficient of itself "--Then,
rising into a sort of frenzy, this holy
personage adds, " One stands trans-
ported with admiration before the ex-
traordinary man who has raised our
empire to such a prodigious degree of
power and glory. He is the soul of his
VOL. VI. PART I.

government as well as of his army. One
cannot conceive how a mortal could
possibly surmount so many difficulties,
be sufficient for the performance of so
many duties, unite so much activity to
so much foresight, such vast extent of
conception to so much vigilance in the
details ' — But we must return from
the rhapsodies of Cardinal Maury to
the affairs of the campaign.

The conception of this battle, on
the part of the allies, was bold and ju-
dicious, and the issue not unfavourable.
But with their inferiority of numbers,
nothing less than a decisive victory
could have enabled them to maintain
their present position. Buonaparte
still followed out his original plan of
pushing on to Leipzic, to throw him-
self on their rear. To guard against
this movement, it became necessary to
fall back to the Mulda ; and as no
advantageous position presented itself,
which could compensate the numerical
deficiency, the combined armies had no
alternative, but to retire behind the
Elbe. Their retreat was effected slow-
ly, in perfect order, and without loss.—
Buonaparte advanced, and on the 8th
May, made his entry into Dresden.
The French were once more admitted
into Torgau, and the Saxon troops
returned to submission. General Thiei-
man, indeed, refused in the first instance
to admit the French into Torgau with-
out an order from his sovereign ; but
that order was given, and Lauristoli
entered on the evening of the 9th.
Three days afterwards^ the King of
Saxony proceeded to Dresden in cus-
tody of the French guard, which was
sent to receive him some miles from
the city. The spectacle, according to
Buonaparte, was " a very fine one."
The two sovereigns dismounted from
their horses so soon as they saw each
other, embraced, and then entered
Dresden at the head of the guard,
<« amid the acclamations of an immense
population." — The people of Dresden,
p f

226 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 13.

who had entreated their king in the
most pressing manner to throw ofF the
yoke of Buonaparte, must have been
highly pleased to see this Buonaparte
in possession of their capital, and their
sovereign exhibited to them as a cap-
tive. The king, however, thus re-
turned to his vassalage, and Saxony
was again a French province.

The alHes, finding it vain to attempt
defending the passage of the Elbe, de-
termined upon falhng back to some
stronger position. They had now to
choose their line of retreat They
determined not to retire upon Berlin,
or to attempt to cover that capital,
but to retreat in an opposite direc-
tion, through Lusatia, and near the
Bohemian frontier. A course similar
to this had been pursued during the
last Russian campaign ; and it seems
to have been dictated by the ablest
policy. Had the armies retreated up-
on Berlin, and the central provinces
of the Prussian monarchy, these im-
portant objects could have been preser-
ved only by fighting at disadvantage,
and on the loss of a battle, the capital
must have been abandoned. But by
falling back in a different direction,
the enemy, who could not leave a great
army behind, was necessarily drawn
into remoter and less important pro-
vinces. Agreeably to this plan, an
advantageous position was chosen near
Bautzen ; with the intention, should
that be forced, of falling back upon
Silesia. To prevent the flying corps
of the enemy from penetratigg to Ber-
lin, that capital was covered by Gene-
ral Bulow, with a corps partly com-
posed of regulars, and partly of the
newly-raised landwehr and militia.

The advance of the different corps
of the French army to t.ie Elbe had
rendered it necessary for the divisions
of Generals Tettenborne, Dornberg,
andTchernicheff, to recross that river ;
they were accordingly concentrated at
Hamburgh. On the 8th May, Da-

voust collected from 5 to 6000 men
in the vicinity of Harburgh ; and thi«
force, with the exception of about
1,500 men left in Harburgh, was em-
barked at one o'clock in the morning
of the 9th. Favoured by the ebb tide,
and under cover of numerous batteries
on the opposite shore, a landing was
effected at Wilhelmsburgh, which was
occupied by Hamburgh volunteers and
a few Mecklenburghers. The num-
ber of troops stationed in the island
did not exceed 1 100 men ; the enemy
gained ground, therefore, in the first
instance ; but on the arrival of a Meck-
lenburg battalion, which was ordered
immediately to the support' of the vo-
lunteers, the French were repulsed. A
battalion of Hanoverians and a Lubec
battahon attacked the enemy with im-
petuosity on his right flank ; he wai
compelled to retreat, and in falHng
back, he set fire to all the houses and
mills in the line of his march. — The
French, however, renewed their at-
tempt, and succeeded by stratagem.
The inhabitants of Hamburgh and its
vicinity, when they heard of this second
attack, were in the greatest confusion
and distress. Nunnbers of them were
seen on the roofs of the houses, watch-
ing the progress of the operations,
which, at intervals, lighted the whole
horizon. A partial fire of musketry
was heard amid the cannonade ; and
as the day broke, and the fire approach-
ed nearer the city, it became evident
that the enemy had made good his
landing, seized the batteries, and dri-
ven in the Hamburgh volunteers. The
apprehensions of the Hambiirghers
were soon confirmed by the videttes
who galloped through the streets. It
was understood in the city, that Da-
voust, who had expressed himself in
the most violent language against Ham-
burgh, had promised his soldiers five
hours plunder. The streets were im-
mediately filled with frightened peo-
ple, running from their houses, heap-

Chap. 13.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

227

in^ waggons with their furniture and
valuables, and endeavouring to escape
into the country. The cry every where
was, " The French are come ;" and
€ven this cry, proceeding, as it did,
from a terrified populace, just roused
from their sleep, was scarcely to be
distinguished amid the trampling of
cavalry. About half-past six in the
morning, the drums of the burger-
guard beat to arms ; every thing was
in frightful confusion ; men hastily
equipping themselves with whatever
arms they could find, and running to
the alarm-posts ; women and children
of the first families, half dressed, heap-
ed on waggons, in the midst of beds
and packages, and flying in silence
and tears ; expresses hurrying along
every moment, and carts passing with
the wounded just brought in from the
field.

In the course of the morning, when
it became evident that the enemy were
determined on reaching Hamburgh,
the Danish 8ub»governor of Altona,
Blucher, a relative of the Prussian ge-
neral, proceeded to Vandamme*s head-
quarters, to remonstrate with him
against the attack, and to declare that
the Danes would assist in repelling it.
The Dane returned, and immediately
afterward three Danish gun-boats,
filled with men, approached from Al-
tona, and anchored to defend the pas-
sage opposite to Hamburgh. In the
evening, as the intentions of the French
could not be ascertained, all the troops
were ordered out. The cossacks, some
Danish corps, and 10 pieces of Danish
artillery, were drawn up along the
sands. — Russian guns were postedclose
to Altona. These demonstrations had
the effect of intimidating the enemy.

In consequence of the approach of
a body of Swedes, the Danes evacua-
ted Hamburgh on the evening of the
12th, and retired to their own territory,
leaving behind them their artillery for
the protection of the town. The

Swedes, amounting to 1200 men, en-
tered Hamburgh on the 21st. General
Tettenbome, with the Hanbiatic le-
gion, went out to meet them, and they
were received at the gate by the burger
guards. They had been sent forward
in waggons, and were not at all fa-
tigued by travelling ; but immediately
on their arrival mounted guard. Their
appearance was martial — their equip-
ments in high order — and they were
received by all ranks with joy They
were afterwards stationed in the vici-
nity of the city, where they remained
till the 21 8t, when they were recalled
by an order from their government.

The failure of the negociations be-
twixt Denmark and Great Britain,
and the pretensions brought forward
by the Crown Prince of Sweden to
Norway, induced the Danes to resume
hostilities, and occasioned the immedi-
ate occupation of Hamburgh by the
French. On the morning of the 30th of
May, at eight o'clock, Major-General
Tettenborne, with all the mihtary,
quitted Hamburgh ; and at nine o'-
clock, 5000 Danes, cavalry and infan-
try, followed by 1500 French, entered
the city under the command of Gene-
ral Bruyere, who took possession of
Hamburgh in the name of Buonaparte.
A proclamation was issued by the ene-
my, stating that the persons and pro-
perty of all those who submitted to the
French government should be protect-
ed.— Such was the fate for a time of
this unfortunate city.

General Tchernicheff, who acted in
co-operation with Count WoronzofF
oh the banks of the Elbe, passed that
river on the night of the 16th of May,
and proceeded m the direction of Burg-
stall, where he learned from various
letters which had been intercepted by
his parties, that a large convoy of ar-
tillery, escorted by about 2000 men,
was to pass on the night of the 17th,
at Halherstadt. The Russian chief re-
solved, if possible, to seize this convoy.

228 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S13. [Chap. IS.

When he had nearly reached the
point of attack, he found that it de-
pended on the energy of the moment
whether he should succeed, or be him-
self overpowered by a superior force of
the enemy, which was within a few
hours march of him. At Haldenslehen
he learned that a second convoy was
at Hassen, on the Brunswick road,
three miles a- d a half from Halber-
stadt, which place it had been ordered
to reach in the morning to join the first,
with the vifw of proceeding with the
greater safety on its march to the grand
array. This last convoy was escorted
by 4000 infantry, 500 cavalry, and
many pieces of artillery. Notwith-
standing the fatigue which his troops
had undergone, he resolved to continue
his route, — to make an immediate at-
tack upon the enemy at Halberstadt
before the arrival of the reinforcement
—and to take advantage of the fault
which the French had committed in
placing their guns and convoy without
the town. Upon reconnoitering the
enemy, he ascertained that the guns
were placed in a square, the interior of
which was filled with ammunition-wag-
gons and other carriages, and lined
with infantry, the flanks being cover-
ed by 250 horse. The whole form-
ed a sort of fortress almost impenetrable
to the cavalry. His first care was to
cut off the enemy from the town ; and
a single gate which the French had ne-
glected to close afforded him the means
of attaining his object — The rear of
the French troops, while marching out
to join the square, was charged and
pursued to the guns. Another party
of Russians, who had been sent forward
in hopes of surprising the enemy, made
two very fine charges against the
square ; but the French having infor-
mation of this movement, and being
upon their guard, the Russians could
not make any impression. The enemy
now opened a heavy cannonade from 14
guns, to which General Tchernicheff

could only oppose two ; by the fire of
which, however, fiveof the enemy's am-
munition, waggons were blown up. At
this moment a regiment of cossacks,
detached upon the road by which the
enemy's reinforcements were advan-
cing, brought intelligence that they
were within two miles ; this determi-
ned the general to make a decisive ef-
fort against the square with all the
troops. The scattered cossacks were
ordered to seize the same moment at
which the attack should be made by
the regular cavalry. The success of this
brilliant attack against a formidable
square, defended by 14 pieces of can-
non, surpassed expectation. In an in-
stant the batteries were carried, and the
allies penetrated the square ; here the
carnage was great, as theenemy defend-
ed himself with valour. More than 700
of the French were killed, and the rest
taken — not an individual escaped out
of all this corps. Scarcely was this af-
fair terminated, when the enemy's se-
cond columns began to appear, and
to press upon the cossacks General
Tchernicheff was compelled to sup-
port them, that he might gain time to
send off the captured guns and prison-
ers. He succeeded in carrying off 14
guns and 12 ammunition-waggons ; he
, blew up the rest even in the presence of
the enemy. — Eight thousand draught
horses, above 1000 prisoners, with se-
veral officers, fell into the hands of the
conquerors. Such affairs as these may
seem trifling when compared with the
magnitude of the operations which pre-
ceded and followed, but they have no
inconsiderable influence on the fate of
armies and the result of campaigns ;
and while they do honour to the skill
and valour by which they are accom-
pHshed, they waste the resources of <'n
enemy, and ultimately reduce him to
the most seriousembarrassments. — But
events of higher importance will now
demand attention.
By the 19th of May, the Prussian

Chap. 13.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

229

and Russian reinforcements under Bar-
clay de Tolly, Langeron, Sass, and
Kleist, had arrived, and the total mass
of the combined forces amounted to
150 or 180,000 men. The allies had
taken up a position with the Spree in
their front ; their right extended to
fortified eminences, which defended the
debouches from that river ; — Bautzen
formed their centre ; and their left was
supported by woody mountains Where
the ground was open, particularly in
the centre, strong works had been
thrown up ; behind the first position
other works of equal strength had been
constructed.

After reconnoitering the position of
the allies, Buonaparte said, ** it was
easy to conceive how, notwithstanding
a loit battle, like that of Lutzen, and
eight days retreating, the enemy might
still have hopes in the chances of for-
tune."— Of the French divisions op-
posed to the aUies, Oudinot's formed
the right, Macdonald's and Marmont's
the centre, and Bertrand*s the left. —
Ney, Lauriston, and Regnier, were at
Hoverswerda, to the left of the ene-
my's left wing, and in a position to act
as occasion might require, on the right
of the allies. The latter began to act
on the offensive by a very bold, bril-
liant, and, as it should seem, on^the part
of the enemy, a very unexpected ope-
ration. They supposed that the three
divisions had been posted at Hovers-
werda to turn the right of their posi-
tion, while the remainder of the French
army should engage their whole line
to the right and left of Bautzen. They
accordingly determined to disengage
themselves from this mass ; and on the
19th, early in the morning, they sent
General D'York with 12,000 Prus-
sians, and Barclay deTolly with 18,000
Russians, to attack the enemy's de-
tached corps. The Russians took post
at Kleix, the Prussians at Weissig. —
Meanwhile, Bertrand had sent a divi-
sion to lionigswerdcr, to keep up a

communication with Ney and Lauris-
ton ; but the general who commanded
this division was suddenly assailed by
the allies, and driven from Konigswer-
der. — Lauriston arrived at the same
time before Weissig — the battle com-
menced, and the enemy was entirely
worsted on the 19th.

The battle of Weissig was succeed-
ed by the general battle of Bautzen.
The whole French army was engaged ;
Gudinot, Mortier, Macdonald, Mar-
mont, Ney, Lauriston, Regnier, and
Bertrand. The two detached corps
were scarcely returned on tht 20th to
their positions near Gattamelda, when
about noon, the enemy advanced in co-
lumns on Bautzen, and attacked, under
protection of a brisk cannonade, the
advanced-guard commanded by Gene-
rals Miloradovitch and Kleist. The
determination of the latter obstinately
to defend the heights situated on the
side of Bautzen, occasioned a serious
engagement. — He had to fight an ar-
my, according to the Russian account,
four times ts numerous as his own, yet
he did not fall back to his position un-
til four o'clock in the afternoon, after
the enemy had entirely turned his left,
and after having resisted the most vi-
gorous attacks on his right flank and
front. The obstinacy with which the
Prussian General Kleist, and the Rus-
sian Generals Rudiga, Roth, and
Marcoff, defended those heights, and
the conduct of the troops on the oc-
casion, excited the admiration of the
whole army.

While the attack was made on this
point, the enemy was preparing ano-
ther on the centre and left ; but there
also he was vigorously received by
Count Miloradovitch and Prince Eu-
gene of Wirtemberg. — Late in the day
his tirailleurs endeavoured to gain the
woody mountains which commanded
the left of the allies, to alarm them with
the fear of being turned on that side.
The Prince of Wirtemberg sent some

2:0 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 13.

tirailleurs to drive them back. — ^The
Emperor Alexander sent thither Co-
lonel Michand, one of his aides-de-
camp, to direct the movements ; and
the French were driven back as far as
the defile of the mountains by which
they made the attack. — The engage-
ment, which the enemy maintained on
the points before mentioned, lasted un-
til ten o'clock at night, with an unin-
terrupted fire of artillery and musketry.
It is computed that this affair cost
him 6000 men, as he wa» obliged to
force the defile of the Spree under the
fire of cannon and small arms.

In the centre, the village of Bautzen,
after an obstinate contest, was occupi-
ed at seven in the evening. — Oudinot
at last got possession of the heights on
the left of the allies, who then fell
back on their second position ; but
Soult and Bertrand, who were sent to
disposses them of the heights in the
right, failed in their object y and Ney>
Lauriston, and Regnier, who were or-
dered to pass the Spree, and turn that
flank, were equally unsuccessful Th^
allies kept their ground, and cut off
Ney from communicating with the rest
of the French army.

Such was the issue of the battle of
the i'Oth, which was followed next
day by the sanguinary battle of Wurt-
chen. — And here it were injustice not
to pay the warmest tribute to the
skill, promptitude, and valour of the
allies. No confusion of movement
— no surprise — no disorder occurred,
although the battle of Bautzen had
rendered a change in all tJieir disposi-
tions necessary. AH was to be done
during the night, and all was weHdone.
Buonaparte was obliged to bring up
every man of his reserves ; and even
by his own accounts, from four in the
morning till three in the afternoon, the
fortune gf the day was in favour of the
allies.

On the 21 St, by half-past four in
the morning, the enemy began by at-

tacking the left of the allies, seconded
by a brisk fire of tirailleurs whom he
had posted in the mountains. He had
also pushed forward some men to Cu-
ncvalde, to annoy the allies upon their
flank. The Count dc Miloradovitch
and the Prince of Wirtemberg, how-
ever, repelled with intrepidity all the
attacks on this side, which were renew-
ed with the same vivacity and the same
success at mid'day. — Between six and
seven o'clock, the attack commenced
by a. brisk cannonade, and a smart fire
of musketry upon the right wing of
the line also, where a corps was posted
under the orders of General Barclay dc
Tolly. The enemy was infinitely su-
perior in numbers, and endeavoured^
protected by the forest which covered
him, to outflank this corps. General
Barclay de Tolly was posted on the
heights near Glcina ; he extended his;
line during the battle towards the
height, situated near Baruth, named

La Voigtshulte It became necessary

to reinforce this corps ; and General
Kleist received orders to carry his troops
to that point. These generals made an
attack, brisk and well combined, and
forced the enemy to renounce the ad-
vantages which his superiority of num-
bers had given him. General Blucher
arrived to support this attack with his
two brigades, and by this sudden move-
ment the enemy was obliged to give up
his project of turning the right wing,
as he had already abandoned that of
turning the left.

During all these attacks, the French
kept up a continual fire of artillery and
small arms, principally upon the cen-
tre, upon which they had yet made no
direct attempt. Suddenly, however,
they assailed the heights of Krecke-
vetz, which General Blucher's corps
occupied. They took advantage of
the moment when the general left thift
position, with a part of his corps, to
sustain that of General Barclay do
Tolly. The enemy approached t!it^

Chap. 15,J

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

•231

heights from three sides at once, with
the greater part of his forces, which
had been formed into three columns for
the attack ; and thus he estabhshed on
this point a decided superiority. Ge-
neral D'York, however, arrived, and
the village of Kreikwitz was retaken.
The allied troops defended the heights
with an obstinacy beyond example. —
Four battalions of the Russian guards
advanced to sustain General Blucher.
In the meantime, the left wing under
the orders of Count Miloradovitch had
pushed forward, taken many cannon
from the enemy, and destroyed some
battahons.

The conflict became more sangui-
nary every moment. The instant was
arrived when it was necessary to bring
all the means of the allies into action,
and risk all, or put an end to the bat-
tle,— they determined upon the latter.
To expose all to the hazard of a single
day would have been to play the game
of Buonaparte ; — to preserve their for-
ces, to reap advantages from a war,
more difficult to the enemy as it was
prolonged, was that of the allies. —
They commenced a retreat. — They
made it in full day-hght, under the eye
of the enemy, as upon a parade, with-
out his being able to gain a single tro-
phy ; while the combined army had ta-
ken from him in these three memora-
ble days, 12 pieces of cannon and 3000
prisoners, among whom were four ge-
nerals and many officers of distinction.

As the French were employed in the
course of this battle chiefly in turning
the position of their antagonists, their
loss was severe — it has been estimated
at 14,000 men. The allies admitted
their own loss to amount to 6000 kill-
ed and wounded.

On the 22d, the combat was renew-
ed near Reinchaback ; but it was in a
great measure confined to the cavalry
of the two armies. In the early part
of the day the French were driven
back; but they brought up 16,000

cavalry, and the allies retreated. On
the 23d, in the evening, Buonaparte
was at Goerlitz, on the Neisee.

There is a singular passage in the
French account of these battles. " We
could not," said Buonaparte, " take
any colours, as the enemy always car-
ries them off the field of battle. We
have only taken 19 cannon, the enemy
having blown up his park of artillery
and caissons ; — and besides, the empe-
ror keeps his cavalry in reserve till it if
of sufficient numbers ; he wishes to
spare it."

These battles were among the most
desperate and sanguinary, even of that
dreadful succession which Europe has
witnessed. The French stated their
own loss at 11 or 12,0(X) men; a
greater number than they had admit-
ted even at Borodino. Among the
slain was Marshal Duroc (Duke of
Friuli), who held the office of Grand
Chamberlain of France, and who, in
all the campaigns, had been closely at-
tached to the person of Buonaparte. —
His death was commemorated by his
master with a profusion of real or af-
fected sorrow.

Buonaparte followed up slowly his
hard-won victory. The allies retired
upon Schweidnitz, southward through
Silesia and along the frontier of Bohe-
mia. They thus adhered to their former
principle of drawing the enemy as far
as possible from Berlin and the central
Prussian provinces. Their rear guard
of cavalry maintained a constant supe-
riority over that of the enemy, and
handled him very roughly on several
occasions. They were reinforced by
some corps which arrived from the
Russian frontier, and rendered them as
powerful as they had been before the
battle of Bautzen. Other divisions of
great strength were announced to be
on their march. The French army,
meanwhile, not only received no rein-
forcements, but was obliged to leave
behind it the corps of Oudinot, for the

252 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 13.

purpose of opposing that under Bu-
tow, which was acting in front of Ber-
lin. Some hints were thrown out as if,
after the battle of Bautzen, the French
army would advance and take posses-
sion of that capital. Buonaparte, how-
ever, according to his usual system,
carried the great body of the army
with him into Silesia Oudinot thus
found himself reduced to an attitude
strictly defensive, and with difficulty
maintained the communication between
Dresden and the grand army.

Buonaparte, however, obtained some
advantages. He raised the blockade
of Glogau, a fortress of great strength,

and one of the most important keys of
tlie Oder. — He took possession also
of Breslau, the capital of Silesia. —
His divisions advanced in front of the
allied camp at Schweidnitz, and an at-
tempt would probably have been made
to force it, had not an event occurred
which, for a time, interrupted his ope-
rations. But before proceeding to con-
sider the armistice, concluded about
this period, it will be necessary to take
a short review of the policy of a state,
whose leader was destined to act a con-
spicuous part in the future operations
of the campaign.

Chap. H-l

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

23S

CHAR XIV.

Policy of Svoeden% — Dissensions hetimxt that Power and France. — TTie Swedish
Government abandons the Continental System, and joins the Alliance of the
European Powers,

The Swedish government had long
temporised with Buonaparte, and en-
deavoured to avoid the evils towards
which he was pressing the state, by
demanding of it an accession to the
continental system and a declaration of
war against England. But when the
French ruler perceived that no steps
were taken by the Swedes to aid his
projects, he shewed how much he
was mortified, and to what extremities
he was disposed to carry his vengeance.
In his famous conference with the Swe-
dish minister at Paris, he betrayed all
his impatience — " You signed the
peace," said Buonaparte, ** with me in
the beginning of the year, — you enga-
ged yourselves to break off all commu-
nications with England, — yet y.-u kept
a minister at London, and an English
agent in Sweden, until the summer was
far advanced, — you did not interrupt
the oatensible communication by the
way of Goltenburgh until late, and
what was the result of it ? That the
correspsndence remained the same, nei-
ther more nor less active — You have

vessels in all the ports of England

The E'lglish trading vessels besiege
Gottenburgh— a fine proof that they

do not enter there ! — They exchange
their merchandize in the open sea, or
near to the coasts, — your little islands
serve as magazines in the winter sea-
son,— your vessels openly carry colo-
nial produce into Germany, — I have
caused half a score of them to be sei-
zed at Rostock — Is it possible that
one can affect thus to be mistaken on the
first principle of the continental sys-
tem - You have had the address to
gain the bad season, — you have time to
settle your interests with England, —
you have had time to put yourselves
in a state of defence, — you have still
the winter before you, — there are no
longer any neutrals. — England ac-
knowledges none, nor can 1 acknow-
ledge them any longer. It is only now,
that, more and more undeceived with
respect to Swedish politics, 1 have ta-
ken a decisive step which I will not
conceal from you- Cannon must be
find on the English who approach
your coasts ; and their merchandize in
"weden must be confiscated, or you
must have war with France. 1 cannot do
you any great harm. — 1 occupy Porae-
rania, and you do not much care about
it i but I can cause you to be attack-

23* EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 14.

cd by the Russians and by the Danes ;
and I can confiscate all your vessels on
the continent ; and I will do it, if
within fifteen days you are not at war
with England. If within five days af-
ter the oliicial act of M. Alquier, the
king has not resolved to be at war with
England, M. Alquier shall set out im-
mediately, and Sweden shall have war
with France and all her allies. I have
notpositivelydemanded the state of war
before this moment ; but I am now
forced to it. Let Sweden frankly range
herself on the side of England against
me and my allies, if such be her inte-
rest, or let her unite with me against
England. But the time for hesitation
h past : when five days have elapsed M.
Alquier will depart, and i will give
you your passports."

The singular conference from which
these passages have been selected, was
followed up by the execution of the
threats of the French ruler. Assailed
by France, by Russia, and by Den-
mark, the Swedish government an-
nounced, in a manifesto, its adherence
to the continental system, and declared
-war against Great Britain. All inter-
course with the British dominions was
thus prohibited, and the importation
of colonial produce interdicted. The
British government was, however, well
aware of the causes which occasioned
this manifesto, and these nominal hos-
tilities made no perceptible difference
in the relations of this country towards
Sweden. The declaration of war, how-
ever, was far from being popular with
the Swedish nation. Opinions were
propagated throughout the kingdom
that it was the djesign of Bernadotte to
enforce the continental system, esta-
blish the French power in the Baltic,
and finally, by a war for the recovery
of Finland, to co-operate with Buona-
parte in his designs against Russia.—
But Marshal Bernadotte was aHve to
the critical and singular situation in
which his destiny had placed him.—

Pie perceived how great might be
the influence of Sweden in restoring
peace, or re-estabhshing a balance of
power on the continent of Europe.—
Buonaparte soon discovered that hi»
former associate in arms, far froui hold-
ing out to him expectations of aid, at a
time whun he required all the strength
of Sweden to assist him, evidently incli-
ned to the cause of his adversaries. It
was impo>tsible, indeed, that Sweden
should remain in a state of neutrality.
Bernadotte accordingly addressed
the French ruler in a language which
was sufficiently indicative of his benti-
ments. " Sweden,'* he said, " had re-
solved to declare war against Er. gland,
notwithstanding every thing which her
safety opposed to that measure. la
the sad condition to whii;h the last war
reduced her, she neither should nor
could aspire but after a long ptace.—
It afforded the only prospect of regain-
ing, by agriculture and commerce, the
losses she had sustained, — of re esta-
blishing by decrees her finances, — of
recruiting her military system, and im-
proving her administration. Yet Swe-
den had just declared war ; — she had
hazarded this step without a single
battalion ready to march, — without ar-
senals or magazines ; — and what was
still worse, without a single sous to
provide for the expences of so great an
enterprise. Sweden, indeed, possesses in
herself the materials of a great force ; —
her inhabitants are by nature warriors,
— her constitution allows of 80,000
men being levied ; and the male po-
pulation of the country is such, that
this levy can be easily raised. But
armies can only be supported by war ;
and a great military force, purely de-
fensive, is an expence which Sweden
could not support without foreign
aid. The constitutional laws forbid
the king from imposing new taxes
without the consent of the general
states ; and the war with England had
just destroyed one of the principal
S

Chap. U]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

branches of public revenue — the pro-
duce of the customs, amounting to
more than six milHons of francs a-ycar.
The contributions now in arrear, and
the confiscations made by France, fell
upon Swedish subjects, and not upon
foreigners, who took the precaution of
ensuring payment for the goods im-
ported. The situation of Sweden,"
continued the Crown Prince, " was
most alarming. Nature seems to have
destined Sweden and France to live in
harmony ; and if she had refused Swe-
den riches, she had endowed her with
valour, and all the qualities requisite
for the execution of great designs. —
There was in Sweden but one wish,
that of being sincerely in accord with
France, and of participating in her
glory — but Sweden had not the means.
She was reduced to the most deplora-
ble state ; and was without any means
of supporting the war which she had
just declared. Yet the government had
redoubled its efforts in so violent a cri-
sis ; but it was not in the power of the
King of Sweden to extend the system
of confiscations, as the constitution
guarantees the rights and property of
every individual."

Notwithstanding these remonstran-
ces, Buonaparte demanded that Swe-
den should place at his disposal a suf-
ficient number of sailors to complete
the crews of four ships of the Brest
fleet. The French agent, in making
this application to the Swedish mini-
ster, observed,—-" It would be suffici-
ent to meet the desire of the emperor,
if the number of officers, masters, ma-
rines, and sailors, did not exceed 2000.
The emperor will charge himself with
all the expence of their journey, and
every precaution will be taken in or-
der that the marines and sailors may
be properly supported, and the officers
fully contented with their treatment.
In the critical state in which the Swe-
dish finances are at this present mo-
ment, it will, perhaps, be agreeable to

his majesty, to diminish the cxpcnccs
of his marine, without, however, lea-
ving inactive the talents and courage
of his seamen. The good offices whick
the emperor requires of his majesty
the King of Sweden have already been
performed by Denmark. His imperial
majesty is convinced that he has not
too muqh presumed upon the friend-
ship of a power attached for such a
length of time to France, by a reci-
procity of interest and good-will, which
has never ceased to exist."

The reply of the Baron d'Enges-
trom, the Swedish minister, to this
communication deserves notice. ** The
constitutional laws of the state," said
he, ** prevent the king from acquies-
cing of himself in the emperor^s de-
mand concerning the '2000 seamen. —
RivalHng Denmark in the desire to
contribute to the accomplishment of
his imperial and royal majesty's views,
the king, nevertheless, does not think
that the example of that country,
where the will of the king is an abso-
lute law, can be applicable to Sweden.
In consequence of the late events which
have placed his majesty on the throne,
a constitutional compact has been re-
newed between the sovereign and the
nation, which it is not in the power of
any person to infringe. His majesty,
in consequence, and in the most lively-
manner, regrets that the good office
which the emperor requires of him
should precisely fall on a matter which
does not depend on his own will. No
new levy can be made, according to
the tenour of the constitution, but with
the consent of the states. Those to
which they have already consented ex-
pressly pre-suppose their being intend-
ed for the defence of the country ; and
the number of common seamen is so
much diminished since the loss of Fin-
land, that they are scarcely sufficient
for the service of the navy, especially
under the present circumstances. But
if the king could, as he might wish t«

236 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chaf. U.

do, succeed in putting aside those ties
which are imposed on him by the laws
of the state, and the rights of the citi-
zens, yet his majesty fears that the
2000 Swedish seamen transferred to
Brest, would not entirely fulfil the just
expectations of his imperial majesty.
Attached to his barren soil, to his do-
mestic relations and habits, the Swe-
dish soldier could not withstand the in-
fluence of a southern sky. He would
be ready to sacrifice every thing in
defence of his home ; but when far
away, and not immediately combat-
ing for it, his heart would only beat
for his return to his country. He
would, consequently, carry with him
into the French ranks that inquietude
and discouragement, which destroy
the finest armies more than the steel of
their enemies. With regard to the of-
ficers of the navy, there is no obstacle
against their serving in France, and his
majesty with pleasure permits them to
profit by the generous offer of his im-
perial and royal majesty." — Such were
the powerful reasons assigned by the
Swedish minister for refusing to an-
swer the demands of Buonaparte ; but
they were stated in vain to his unbend-
ing mind.

When Sweden decided upon em-
bracing the continental policy, and de-
claring war against Great-Britain, she
avoided a contest which must have
proved unfortunate ; her wounds were
still bleeding ; and it was necessary
for her to make great sacrifices. But
her commerce was instantly reduced to
a mere coasting trade, and greatly suf-
fered from this state of war. Priva-
teers under the French flag, in the
meantime, took advantage of her con-
fidence in treaties, to capture, one after
another, nearly fifty of her merchant-
men, till at last the Swedish flotilla
j^ceivcd orders to protect her flag and
her just commerce against piracies,
which could scarcely be avowed by any
government. As the depredations of

the French privateers on Swedish ves-
sels were still continued, the Swedish
envoy at Paris stated to the French
minister the immense losses which
thence resulted to his nation, and en-
tered a strong remonstrance ; but he
could never obtain the restoration of
the captured vessels. Affairs were in
this singular condition, when, with the
view of possessing a pledge which
might influence the conduct of the
Swedish government in the war about
to commence with Russia, Buonaparte
seized Swedish Pomerania. In the
month of January 1812, 20,000French
troops, under General Friant, entered
that province, and on the 26th took
possession of the capital. When the
Swedish commandant, Peyron, inform-
ed the French general, that it was hit
intention to resist the occupation of the
Isle of Rugen, the latter replied, by
making Peyron his prisoner. Rugen
was afterwards occupied by the French ;
the vessels and packets on the coast
were detained for their service, and the
French colours were hoisted in place
of the Swedish. A fleet, with Ge-
neral Engelbart on board, arrived at
Stralsund in the month of February,
to ascertain the state of the French
troops in Pomerania, and to bring off
those of Sweden ; but the fleet was not
permitted to have any communication
with the shore.

The attention of Europe was now
fixed upon Sweden. Her conduct as-
sumed a more determined aspect, and
it was generally believedthat the Crown
Prince would become a competitor in
the field with his former associate in
arms. Great expectations of success
were therefore indulged on the suppo-
sition, that, as Bernadotte had joined
the allies, this circumstance must be a
decisive indication of the hopes enter-
tained by that wary general, respecting
the result of the campaign, since he
must have been fully acquainted with
the personal character of Buonaparte,

Chap. 14.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

2S7

and the real extent of the French re-
sources. — Notwithstanding the dis-
trust, however, which Bernadotte now
felt as to the views of Buonaparte, he
still appears to have been anxious to
prevent the miseries which were ap-
proaching the nations of the conti-
nent.

On the 14th of March, 1812, he ac-
cordingly addressed himself to Buona-
parte, and complained that the arro-
gance of the French minister in Swe-
den had offended every one ; his com-
munications bore no character of those
regards which are mutually due from
crowned heads to each other. <* Ba-
ron Alquier," said Bernadotte," spoke
like a Roman pro-consul, without re-
flecting that he was not speaking to
slaves." That minister had, there-
fore, been the first cause of the distrust
which Sweden had discovered with re-
gard to Buonaparte's intentions con-
cerning her. Subsequent events had
added weight to it. Sweden could
not but perceive in Buonaparte an un-
merited indifference towards her inte-
rests ; and she owed it to herself to
provide against the storm which was
about to break out on the continent. —
Speaking of the war with Russia, the
Crown Prince observed, <* if your ma-
jesty thinks proper that the king should
cause the Emperor Alexander to be in-
formed of the possibihty of a reconci-
liation, I augur sufficiently well, from
the magnanimity of that monarch, to
dare assure you, that he will willingly
agree to overtures, equitable at once
for your empire and for the north. If
an event so unexpected and so univer-
sally desired could take place, how
many nations of the continent would
bless your majesty ! Their gratitude
would be augmented by reason of the
horror which inspires them against the
return of a scourge which has lain so
heavy on them, and the ravages of
which have left such cruel traces be-
hind."—Sweden, he observed, was al-

ready justified for the engagements she
might make with the enemies of France,
by the menaces and insults of that
power. The reiterated attacks of France
upon the Swedish commerce ; the car-
rying off nearly 100 vessels destined
for friendly ports, and subject to France
—the sequestration placed upon Swe-
dish property in Dantzic and other
ports in the Baltic ; and at last the in-
vasion of Pomerania, done in contempt
of treaties, must fully acquit her in
the eyes of the world. Yet how just
soever the complaints which she nad
against France, she did not at this
time desire war, and did not like to be
forced to make it, even to preserve her
independence and laws. She was rea-
dy to listen to any conciliatory pro-
positions which might be made to
her. — " If Sweden was convinced,'*
said the Baron de Engerstrom, in a tone
of irony, which must have touched the
pride of Buonaparte, " that the Em-
peror Alexander armed to subjugate
Europe, to subject every thing to the
Russian system, and extend his states
to the north of Germany, Sweden
would not hesitate a moment to de-
clare and fight against this ambition ;
she would be directed by the obvious
principle of policy which should make
her fear the increase of so dangerous a
power ; but if, on the contrary, Rus-
sia only bore arms in her own defence,
to preserve her frontiers, her ports, and
even her capital, from all foreign in-
vasion, if in this she did but obey the
mandate of necessity, it was for the in-
terest of Sweden not to hesitate a
moment in defending the independence
of the north. Sweden cannot flatter
herself with being able, as a second *
power, to avoid that servitude with
which France threatens states of the
first order. A war undertaken to re-
conquer Finland would not be for the
interests of Sweden. Europe is in-
formed of the causes which made her
lose itt To undertake a war to re-

f38 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [CirAP. U.

possess her of it, would be not to
understand the interests of the Swe(-
dish people. Such a conquest would
occasion expences which Sweden is not
in a condition to support, and the ac-
quisition, admitting that it could be
accomplished, would never compensate
for the risk which she must incur.
The English, while she was pursuing
this wild career, might give her fatal
blows ; her ports would be burnt or
destroyed, and her maritime towns re-
duced to ashes. Besides, so soon as a
change should be effected in the poli-
tical system of Russia, whether after
success or defeat, her ancient views
upon Finland would not fail to make a
disastrous war weigh heavy upon Swe-
den. The gulph of Bothnia separates
the two states ; no motive of division
txists, and the national hatred daily dis-
appears in consequence of the pacific
dispositions of the two sovereigns. If
Prance will acknowledge the armed
neutrality of Sweden, a neutrality which
must carry with it the right of open-
ing her ports with equal advantages
for all powers, she has no motive to
interfere in the events which may oc-
cur. Let France restore Pomerania ;
but if she should refuse this restitution,
which, at the same time, the rights of
nations and the faith of treaties de-
mand, Sweden will accept for this
object only, the mediation of the em-
perors of Austria and Russia. Swe-
den will agree to a reconciliation com-
patible with the national honour and
with the interests of the north."

The government of Sweden, per-
suaded that all the preparations made
by Russia were for a purpose purely
defensive, and intended but to prepare
for the Russian empire that armed
neutrality, which Sweden wished, in
concert with Russia, to establish, en-
gaged to use all its efforts to prevent a
rupture till a period should be fixed for
Swedish, French, Austrian, and Rus-
sian plenipotentiaries to meet, and agree,

in a friendly manner, upon a system of
pacification, which might insure to
Europe a durable repoie. Such were
the sentiments which the Swedish go-
vernment avowed till the last moment,
when it was forced into aaopen rupture
with France, by the obstinate violence
of Buonaparte. It is impossible, there-
fore, to accuse Sweden of precipitation
— it is unfair to charge her with enmi-
ty towards France, and absurd to pre-
tend, that she did not scrupulously
maintain her faith, until every obliga-
tion was dissolved by the insolence and
perfidy of her enemies.

On the 20thofApriI, 1812, the King
of Sweden assembled the diet of his
kingdom at Orebro, and opened the
sitting by a speech, in which heannoun-
ced, in terms by no means equivocal, the
policy of his government. " I have call-
ed you together," said he, " at a mo-
ment when great and important oc-
currences, out of our native country,
seem to threaten Europe with new
misfortunes. Guarded by her situa-
tion from the necessity of paying obe-
dience to foreign sway, which possi-
bly might not accord with her own in-
terests, Sweden has every thing to
hope from unity, valour, and conduct ;
everything tofearif she gives herself up
tointestinedivision." — Healso announ-
ced his determination to unite with his
son, (Bernadotte) in defiance of threats
from without, and possibly of opinions
at home, to maintain the liberty and
independence of the country. — The
Crown Prince, in his speech, addressed
the following remark particularly to
the burghers ; " you will shew what
a nation is capable of effecting, when
determined to free its commercial in-
dustry from z\\ foreign yokes," — thus
clearly intimating his opinion of the
continental system.

A Russian general had already been
sent on a mission to Stockholm ; Mr
Thornton, the British minister, al-

Chap. 14.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

239

ter, had joined him. But soon after the
assembling of the diet, orders were dis-
patched to the coast, to afford British
thips in distress the assistance which
they might require ; and Mr Thornton
was afterwards received at Orebro as
theaccredited minister of Great-Britain
at the Swedish court. About the same
time a decree relative to commerce was
issued, which announced a departure
from the continental system.

On the 18th of August the Swedish
diet terminated its sittings The king
again took occasion to observe, that
no foreign power could loosen those
bonds of union, which maintain the
independence of Sweden. He also in-
formed the diet, that, confident in the
maxim, that strong defensive prepara-
tions are the best means to ensure the
tranquillity of a state, he had found it
necessary to pay particular attention
to the military force of the kingdom ;
and he further announced, that on the
18th of July he had concluded a peace
with the King of Great-Britain, which
had been ratified on the 16th of Au-
gust. Bernadotte also addressed the
diet,andcommended the coolness main-
tained in the deliberations of that as-
sembly, " amid the din of arms resound-
ing from the Dwina to the Tagus, and
the animosity of their neighbours." —
He added, " that should there be no
hope that Sweden might pursue her
way in peace, then will your king
have recourse to your manly courage,
and our watch-word will be — God,
liberty, and our native country."

A treaty had for some time been
proposed between Sweden and Rus-
sia ; and a Russian general was at
Stockholm for the purpose of opening
the negociations. Some difficulties,
however, having arisen, a personal in-
terview between the Emperor of Rus-
sia and Bernadottt was decided upon.

These personages accordingly met
at Abo, in Finland, on the 2Sth of
August ; the result of the conference

was satisfactory to both parties ; andl
they agreed to make common cause
against the measures of France. With
a view to the security of Sweden, it
was stipulated that >iorway should, in
the first instance, beconquered for that
power ; after which, a diversion by
their united forces should be made on
the continent. The result of this in-
terview was, however, for some time
prudently concealed.

The measures adopted by Sweden in
1812 had a considerable influence upon
the Russian campaign of that year.
The troops assembled in Swedish ports
detained a considerable French force
in the north of Germany. By dispen-
sing with the immediate fulfilment of
the engagements undertaken by Rus-
sia, the Swedish government set at
liberty a force of 18,000 men, which
had been assembled in Poland, and
which was afterwards sent to join the
army of Wittgenstein, and contributed
materially to the destruction of the
French on the Berezina.

In the beginning of the year 1813,
the Swedish government resolved on
decisive measures, and explained its
views to all Europe. The numerous
injui-ies which France had inflicted up-
on Sweden were clearly explained and
ably commented on. — "The manifesta-
tions of ill-will, on the part of France,
it was observed, which, during the
course of 1810, had often threatened
serious pretensions, at first were con-
fined to the rigid mainteuanceof the con-
tinental system in Pomerania, but were
at last openly directed against the inde-
pendent existence of Sweden. A de-
mand was made to exclude the Ameri-
cans from Swedish ports. The govern-
ment succeeded by perseverance and
moderation in averting the conse-
quences. It was to be presumed,
however, that this fortunate situation
affording Sweden the means of recruit-
ing her strength, already exhausted by
a deslmctive war, would i)ot be ©f any

240 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 14.

long duration. Buonaparte had laid
down for subjugated Europe a peremp-
tory rule, that he would acknowledge
as the friends of France only the ene-
mies of Great Britain ; that neutrality,
formerly the bulwark of the weaker
states, amidst the contests of the most
powerful, no longer had any real
meaning ; and that all the combina-
tions of policy, as well as every feel-
ing of dignity, must disappear before
the omnipotence of arms.

"Scarcely was the declaration of war
by Sweden against England published,
and the commerce of Sweden abandon-
ed to the discretion of the British ca-
binet, when the French minister began
to develop© a plan, pursued without
interruption, to force Sweden to take
upon herself the same obligations which
ha* e brought so many misfortunes on
the confederated states. A consider-
able body of seamen was at first de-
manded for the purpose of manning
the French fleers at Brest, — next, a
corps of Swedish troops to be in the
pay of France,— then the introduction
into Sweden of a tariff of 50 per cent,
on colonial produce — and, finally, the
establishment of French douaniers at
Gottenburgh. All these demands ha-
ving been rejected, the consequence
was, that the measures of the French
government towards Sweden soon as-
sumed a hostile character.

<* Soon after his arrival, M. Alquier,
the French agent at Stockholm, spoke
of the necessity of a closer alliance be-
tween Sweden and France ; and though
he received a polite answer, the reply
had no effect. He then proposed an
alliance between Sweden, Denmark,
and the Grand Duchy of Warsaw,
under the protection and guarantee of
France. This proposal had for its
object to create a confederation of the
north, similar in its obligations and in
its object to that which combined the
strength of Germany under French

domination. In the mean time the
season tit for navigation arrived, and
with it the capture of Swedish vessels
by French privateers. The Swedish
minister at Paris demanded redress for
the injuries done to Swedish com-
merce ; representations with the same
view were addressed to the French
minister Alquier; his answers had all
the marks of a dictator, the character
which he had resolved to play in Swe-
den.

" If the English government viewed
with a pitying eye the situation of
Sweden, and did not consider her de-
claration of war as a sufficient motive
for directing hostilities against Swe-
dish commerce — if this tolerant system
facilitated to a certain degree a vent
for the immense stores of Swedish
iron, and so far obviated the pernicious
effects of the war — still Sweden could
not expect that the French govern-
ment would have built its accusations
against her on the forbearance of Eng-
land. The Swedes were, on the con-
trary, rather entitled to hope, that the
French ruler would see with satisfac-
tion their country treated with forbear-
ance by a power, which had so many
means of annoying Sweden.

** The depredations of the French
privateers on Swedish vessels were daily-
augmenting. The Swedish minister
at Paris represented, in suitable terms,
the losses which thence resulted to the
nation ; but the prize courts of France
always decided in favour of the cap-
tors. The privateers being thus se-
cure of impunity, had a fine field for
exercising their piracies. Not satisfied
with condemning as good prizes Swe-
dish vessels under the pretence that
they were provided with English li-
cences—not satisfied with capturing
in the Sound small coasting vessels la-
den with provisions, and the produce
of the native manufactures — not con-
tented with seizing such as were in
6

Chap. U.] i«I e'^ HISTORY OF EUROPE,

241

German ports waiting for cargoes —
France even treated as prisoners of
war the Swedish seamen. They were
put in irons, and sent to Antwerp and
Toulon, there to serve in the French
fleets. When the season of the year
again removed the English fleet from
the Baltic, the French privateers re-
newed their acts of violence with more
activity than ever. Sweden then felt
herself under the necessity of ordering
her marine to seize those pirates who
had annoyed her commerce from port
to port. The French privateers, which
insulted the Swedish coasts, were cha-
sed away. The Swedish government
learned that the Prince of Eckmuhl,
commanding the French army in the
north of Germany, had announced
that he would order his troops to en-
ter Pomerania, and the island of Ru-
gen, so soon as the ice should permit
him. The instructions which the Swe-
dish commandant had received ought
to have induced him to defend the
German possessions against every fo-
reign aggression, but unfortunately
cunning prevailed over duty ; the cou-
rage of the Swedish troops was para-
lyzed by the weakness of their chief,
and Pomerania was invaded. The
events which took place in that pro-
vince had been made public, that it
might be impossible to mistake the
true nature of that extraordinary mea-
sure— The insolence of the French
cabinet was unabated, and every thing
announced an approaching rupture be-
tween that power and Russia. The
season approached when the British
fleets would revisit the Baltic, and
there was reason to presume that the
British ministry, in return for the to-
lerance granted to Swedish commerce,
would demand a conduct on the part
of Sweden more decidedly pacific.
Sweden in consequence saw herself ex-
posed, either to the resentment of
Fi-ance, or to the hostilities of Great
Britain, supported by the court of

VOL. VI. PART I.

Russia. Denmark also had already
assumed a menacing attitude.

After the annexation of the duchy
of Oldenburgh to the French empire,
it was known, with certainty, that dif-
ferences both on that point and on the
continental system had taken place be-
tween the courts of Russia and France.
The preparations for war, which were
made on both sides, indicated open
hostilities. France, however, had ne-
ver testified the smallest desire, nor
made any overture to Sweden, tending
to engage her in a war with Russia.
Although all friendly relations must
have have been regarded as broken by
the occupation of Pomerania, a pro-
position was at last made, not officially,
but through a channel not less authen-
tic on the part of the French govern-
ment. After giving a long exposi-
tion of the pretended deviations of
Sweden from the continental system,
which, it was said, had at last com-
pelled Buonaparte to order his troops
to enter Pomerania, without, however,
occupying it, the French ruler demand-
ed that a new declaration of war should
be issued against England ; that all
communication with English cruisers
should be severely prohibited ; that
the coasts of the Sound should be
armed with batteries, and that English
vessels should be fired upon with ar-
tillery. Finally, that Sweden should
organize an army of from 30 to 40,000
men, to attack Russia at the moment
when hostilities should commence be-
tween that power and France.

But Sweden could not overlook
the fact, that a state of active warfare
with Russia, the necessary consequence
of which must be open hostilities with
Great Britain, surpassed her strength
and resources ; that the presence of
an English fleet in the Baltic would
paralyze, during summer, the Swedish
operations ; and that, since the treaty
with Russia, there existed no ground
of complaint against that power; That,
Q t

343

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 14.

in the mean time, the Swedish coasts
and ports would be abandoned to the
vengeance of England ; that the com-
plete stagnation of commerce, and the
interruption of the coasting trade,
would occasion general misery ; that
the pressing wants of Sweden with
respect to grain, imperiously required
pacific relations both with Russia and
England ; that the sudden termination
of war between France and Russia
would infallibly leave Sweden without
any augmentation of territory, espe-
cially if the Swedish army, in conse-
quence of the war with England, were
prevented from leaving its own con-
lines ; and that such preparations,
and a single year of war, would require
an expenditure of from 12 to 15 mil-
lions of rix -dollars. A multitude of
other considerations determined the
Swedish government to look to no-
tliing but the happiness of the people
and the prosperity of the kingdom ;
and with this view the ports were
opened to the flags of all nations.

Ancient habits had long induced
Sweden to consider France as her na-
tural ally. This opinion of times past
—these impressions generally received
— long acted powerfully on the minds
of her rulers. But when France wish-
ed to interdict peninsular Sweden from
traversing the seas which almost sur-
round her, and to deprive her of the
right of ploughing the waves which
wash her shores, it became the duty
of the government to defend the rights
and interests of the nation — to avoid
the situation of those powers, which,
by their submission to France, found
themselves without ships, without com-
merce, and without finances. The
alliance of France, while it exacted in
the first instance the loss of indepen-
dence, conducted by degrees to all the
sacrifices which annihilate the prosperi-
ty of states. To become her ally, it
was necessary for Sweden to have no
connection with England, and to make

good the loss of the revenue of customs,
and of the profits of commerce, b^
imports always increasing. All this
must have been done merely for the
purpose of supporting the wars into
which the capricious politics o: France
had drawn her during the last eight
years. Had Sweden submitted to the
demands of France, her sons would
have been seen fighting, for a cause
the most unhallowed, in Spain, along
with Germans, Italians, and Poles.
They would have been seen even in
Turkey, had Buonaparte conquered
the Emperor Alexander. If, to se-
cure the destinies of Sweden, by esta-
blishing her safety for the present, and
security for the future, the government
was compelled to put the armies in
motion, this was not done with a view
of conquering provinces, useless to the
prosperity of the Scandinavian penin-
sula. The independence of that pe-
ninsula was the sole object; and no
sacrifice could be reckoned too costly
by the Swedes to attain that great and
important result. Sweden rejected the
degrading treaty which France tried to
make her subscribe ; she placed her-
self above a subservient and versatile
policy ; and she did not fear to make
her appeal to the courage, the loyalty,
the patriotism, and the honour of her
children. The government had form-
ed a just opinion of the Swedes, and its
reward was found in the unbounded
confidence which they placed in its
wisdom.

This developement of the views of
Sweden was followed by a treaty be-
twixt that power and Great Britain,
which was signed at Stockholm on the
3d March, 1813. By this treaty, Swe-
den bound herself to employ a corps of
30,000 men against the common ene-
my, to act with the troops which were
to be furnished by Russia and Prussia ;
and to grant to Great Britain, for 20
years, the right of entrepot in the
ports of Gottenburgb, Carlsharo, and

Chap. 14.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

249

Stralsund. Great Britain on the other
hand acceded to engagements already-
subsisting betwixt Sweden and Rus-
sia,— bound herself not to oppose the
annexation of Norway to Sweden, but
to afford the necessary naval co-opera-
tion should the King of Denmark re-
fuse to accede to the grand alliance.
The British government also agreed
to grant Sweden a subsidy of one mil-
lion sterling, for the service of the
campaign of this year, and to cede to
her the possession of the island of Gua-
daloupe in the West Indies. In re-
turn tor this last concession, Sweden
bound herself to observe the capitula-
tion under which the island submitted
to Great Britain — to prevent her sub-
jects from engaging in the slave-trade —
to exclude ships of war from Guada-
loupe belonging to the enemies of
England — to protect British subjects
and their property in the colony, and
not to alienate the island without the
consent of Great Britain.

In deciding upon the justice and
policy of these proceedings, it is neces-
sary to take a general view of the state
of Europe at the period when they oc-
curred. ^-While the storm of French
invasion was hanging over the Russian
dominions, two things were required
to give that empire a chance of ulti-
mate sucess ; — peace with Turkey,
and the co-operation of Sweden. The
first object was effected, in a great
measure, by the mediation of Eng-
land ; the other was scarcely less im-
portant. It was the interest of France
to use all the means in her power to
secure the alliance and co-operation
of Sweden in the attack upon Rus-
sia ; and Buonaparte, in his usual man*
ner, tried the effect of intimidation,
by seizing the Swedish Pomeranian
dominions. When he found thatthreats
and insults were unavailing, he chan-
ged his policy, and made the most se-
ducing offers to the Swedish govern^
ment. The restoration of Finland,

and other advantages, were proposed
through the medium of neutral powers,
and every attempt was made to gain
the accession of Sweden to the French
system ; but even these insidious of*
fers failed of effect. Much difference
of opinion existed among Russian
statesmen as to the real value of the
conquests which that power had been
making for the last twenty or thirty
yean ; but none of them ever doubt-
ed that the acquisition of Finland was
highly important, with a view even to
the security of the Russian dominions.
It was reasonable that Sweden should
have some compensation for so mate-
rial a loss, when about to embark in
what was considered as almost a des-
perate cause. She had engaged to
unite with Russia against the common
enemy ; but in these circumstances it
was necessary to her safety that Nor-
way should be added toher dominions ;
and it was agreed, therefore, between
Russia and Sweden, that these powers
should, in the first instance, make com-
mon cause for that purpose, and after-
wards bring their united force to bear
against France and her allies.

It may be asked — were Russia and
Sweden justified in entering into these
engagements, — was Great Britain jus-
tifiable in acceding to such a treaty —
and was it wise or politic to accede to
it ? It seems clear that Russia and
Sweden were justified in entering into
these engagements. It is an import-
ant fact, wliich has often been kept out
of view, that Derimark formed part of
the confederacy against Russia. Den-
mark engage.d to assist the object of
Buonaparte by occupying the north
of Gernjany with her troops ; this was
as conriplete a co-operation with France
as if the Danish troops had marched
to Smolensko and Moscow. The
countries which Denmark agreed to
occupy were in alliance with Russia ;
the duchy of Oldenberg, for instance,
had been in some degree the origin of

2i4f EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 14.

the last dispute between Russia and
France. Denmark thought it for her
interest to adhere to France ; she was
following the steps and co operating
in the objects of that power. — The
accession of Great Britain to the en-
gagements between Russia and Swe-
den may easily be defended, for Eng-
land was at war with Denmark ; Da-
nish seamen manned the French fleets ;
Danish ports were shut to the Eng-
lish ; Danish privateers covered the
seys in that quarter, annoying the trade
of England. Was not Great Britain
as much justified in conquering Nor-
way as in conquering any other place
belonging to her enemies ? The pro-
ject of annexing Norway to Sweden
■was not new. Sweden had lost Fin-
land, by her refusal to accede to the
treaty of Tilsit, — a treaty by which
Sweden was involved in a war both
■with Russia and France. An expedi-
tion sailed from this country, under the
late Sir John Moore, toco-operate with
Sweden in the conquest of Norway,
as a compensation for the loss of Fin-
land. As Sweden had co-operaLcd so
powerfully with England, and evinced
a determination to support her inde-
pendence, she had a strong claim upon
the liberality of this country to pro-
mote her objects in any legitimate con-
test. Great Britain was inWy justified,
therefore, in making common cause
■with Russia and Sweden.

The policy of acceding to the en-
gagements between these two powers
was not less manifest. No object, ex-
cept the independence of the Spanish
peninsula, seemed so important to
Great Britain, as that Norway should
belong to a power able and willing
to preserve its independence against
France. Norway is a maritime coun-
try, full of harbours, from which Eng-
land procures a considerable portion of
her naval stores. Not that for this rea-
son, solely, the crown of Denmark

ought to have been deprived of this
appendage of the monarchy ; but if it
could with justice be placed in the
hands of a power more willing to co-
operate in the great cause of Europe,
it was highly desirable, with a view to
the interests of this country, that such
a change should be accomplished. —
The British government was complete-
ly justified in acceding to the treaty
for annexing Norway to Sweden ; it
was for the interest of England that Nor-
way and Sweden should be united ; for
so long as Denmark declined to sacri-
fice her German dominions for her in-
sular independence, her dependence on
France was inevitable. But it had been
the policy of Denmark (whether wise
or not signifies little) to cling to her
German possessions ; and while Nor-
way was annexed to Denmark, it was
therefore under the controul of France.
In the existing state of Europe it was
most important, with a view to the in-
terests of Great Britain, that Norway
should belong to Sweden. Even in
the course of the autumn of 1812, a
Swedish force in the north kept a
French Marshal in check ; and al-
though an engagement had been enter-
ed into by Russia to employ a consi-
derable force solely for Swedish ob-
jects, yet at the very moment when
Buonaparte was marching to Smolens-
ko, 18,000 Russians, who were in Fin-
land, were released by the friendship
of Sweden, and left at liberty to act
against the French. The destruction
of the French army on the Beresina
may be ascribed to the junction of this
Russian corps with Wittgenstein ; and
to the co-operation and good-will of
the Swedes, resisting, as they had, all
the offers of France, and making com-
mon cause with Russia, might the suc-
cesses of the Russians in that quarter
be ascribed. The Russians felt this,
and were anxious that Great Britain
should accede to the agreement sub-

Chap. 14.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

24.-

sisting between them and Sweden-
She did accede, and the most beneficial
results were secured.

While Sweden was resisting France
at all points, Denmark, so far from ex-
hibiting in the hour of danger any ma-
nifestations of good-will to the com-
mon cause, was actively concurring
with the common enemy against Rus-
sia. When Buonaparte was marching
in full force towards the Russian capi-
tal, Denmark was appealed to by the
Russian government, and answered,
that she was determined to stand or
fall with France. Was it immoral,
then, to refuse to forego the aid of an
important ally — for what ? out of ten-
derness to a power which had exerted
all its means cf injury against us ! —
There can neither be sense nor policy
in any line of conduct, except that
which serves to conciliate our friends
and to punish our enemies. After the
evacuation of Moscow by the French,
the Danish ambassador at St Peters-
burgh had indeed shewn some disposi-
tion towards a reconciliation. But what
was the consequence ? When this fact
was known at Stockholm, endeavours
were made on the part of Sweden to
follow up the supposed pacific dispo-
sition of Denmark ; but the projfes-
sions of the Danish envoy were in-
stantly disavowed by the government
at Copenhagen. Perhaps the ambas-
sador acted without instructions ; or,
if he was instructed to act in this
manner at the time of Buonaparte's
greatest danger, yet the escape of the
French ruler had occasioned a com-
plete alteration in the Danish councils.
It was only after the entire destruc-
tion of the French army that formal
overtures were made by Denmark ; —
in the doubtful state of Europe, she
might wish to keep well with both
parties, and to unite at last with those
who might prove the stronger. Was
the friendship of a power which had
done its utmost to support the common

cause to be relinquished for the sake
of accommodating a government whose
views were so equivocal ?

One question remains — Did the Swe-
dish government shew a disposition to
perform the treaty ? Never was there
an instance of more complete and zeal-
ous exertion than that of Sweden. —
Her troops were dispatched to the
very point where they could act with
the greatest effect. As to the compen-
sation given for her exertions, it may
be remarked, that the measure of ceding
a West India island to that power was
not new ; and never was there a case
in which it was less detrimental to Eng-
land to make such a cession, than on
the present occasion. In return for this
boon, a depot for British commerce
was opened in Sweden ; and it may be
asked whether such an effectual de-
parture from the continental system
was not an advantage to be pur-
chased, even at a considerable price ?
— It was the duty of this country,
above all others safe and prosperous,
to set the example of generosity ; and
it would have been madness in her to
treat in the same manner the friends
and the enemies of France. Those who
take the field must be paid by others
in whose cause they fight. This is but
common justice ; and the principle
fully warranted the pecuniary aid of
100,0001. a month, which, by the trea-
ty, Great Britain engaged to bestow
upon Sweden.— .The wise policy, in-
deed, which dictated this alliance was
signally manifested in the course of the
campaign.

Early in the month of May, the
Crown Prince of Sweden visited Stock-
holm, and reviewed the troops assem-
bled for embarkation. When they
were enibarked, he proceeded to Carls-
crona, and on the 14th of May, de-
parted for Stralsund. Before leaving
Carlscrona, he addressed the Swedish
army in the interior, and announced
the objects of the war»— « The king,*'

246 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 14.

«aid he, <* in directing me to take the
command of his army in Pomerania,
has charged me to leave in Sweden two
corps of the army, sufficiently nume-
rous to ensure the safety of the fron-
tiers of the kingdom, and to act offen-
sively wherever the honour and inte-
rests of the country require. In se-
parating from you for some time, it is
not to disturb the repose of nations,
but to co-operate in the great work of a
general peace, for which sovereigns and
nations have sighed for so many years.
A new career of glory, and sources of
prosperity, are opening to our country.
Treaties founded upon sound policy,
and which have the tranquillity of the
north for their object, guarantee the
union of the people of Scandinavia. —
JLet us make ourselves worthy of the
splendid destiny which is promised us ;
and let not the people who stretch out
their arms to us have cause to repent
their confidence. — Our ancestors dis-
tinguished themselves by their bold,
daring, and steady courage. Let us
unite to these warhke virtues the en-
thusiasm of military honour, and God
will protect our arms."

On the 18th of May, Bernadotte
arrived at Stralsund to take the com-
mand of the army. A Swedish force
of 3000 men had been stationed near
Hamburgh for the protection of that
city. 0^ the 21st of May, it was
directed by the Crown Prince to fall
back ; and the commanding officer
•was ordered to repair to Stralsund, to
be brought before a court-martial, for
having made an application of his
troops which had never entered into
the plans of the Swedish government.
The Swedish army, in consequence of
this order, retired, although Count
Walmoden made the most pressing re-
presentation to induce them to remain.
To explain this resolution, which ex-
cited suspicions at the time, it is ne-
cessary to state some particulars.

To induce Sweden to take an active

part in the operations on the continent,
Russia and Prussia had engaged to
place at her disposal an army of 50,000
men. The corps which was organizing
in the north of Germany, under the
protection, and at the expence of Eng-
land, was, together with these Rus-
sian and Prussian troops,' to be placed
under the command of the Crown
Prince. Bernadotte was thus to have
an army of 90,000 men, including his
Swedish troops. The Swedes to be
brought into co-operation with the al-
lies in Germany were not to exceed
30,000 ; and of these a proportion ne-
cessarily remained at Stralsund, where
an entrenched camp was preparing for
15,000 men. — But a part of the Swe-
dish force had not at this time arrived,
and Bernadotte had not received the
expected reinforcements of Russians
and Prussians. He could have detach-
ed only a small force, therefore, to the
Elbe, which, being exposed to the
joint attacks of the French and Danes,
might have been entirely cut off. At
this period the main armies of the al-
lies were retiring from the Saale and
the Elbe ; and as the whole course of
the Lower Elbe, from Magdeburgh
to Hamburgh, was but partially guard*
ed by small detachments, the river
might have been easily crossed at any
point by a superior French force.—
By attempting to defend Hamburgh
under these circumstances, the Crown
Prince must have risked the destruc-
tion of his army in detail, as all sup-
port from his allies was remote and un-
certain.

The importance of preserving Ham-
burgh on principles of humanity, as
well as of general policy, must have
been obvious to Bernadotte ; and he
must have been dissuaded from attempt-
ing it on military considerations alone.
Every military man would object to a
plan by which a corps of troops should
be thrown into a large town, unforti-
fied, and placed in a cid dc sac, of which

Chap. 14.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

247

the chief protection, a river, had been
destroyed by the appearance of a new
enemy who commanded the right bank.
It would appear also, that at this pe-
riod the Crown Prince was left in the
dark as to the views of the Russians
and Prussians. He had already been
disappointed of their promised sup-
port ; while their inadequate exertions,
their retrograde movements, and the
experience of their conduct in former
contests, gave him reason to appre-

hend that an armistice, and afterwards
a peace, might be concluded without
his concurrence or approbation. In
such circunjstances, he could not have
been justified in committing, beyond
the reach of support, or the power of
retreat, the disposable military force
of Sweden, or in risking the destruc-
tion of the whole, or a part of his army,
when its only security might have de-
pended on its being kept together in a
formidable body at Stralsund.

248

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 15.

CHAP. XV.

An Armistice concluded hy the Interxiention of Austria, — Proposals for a Con-
gress. — The Armistice denounced, and Austria joins the Allies. ^Movements
of the /irmies. — Successes ofBlucher and of the Croxvn Prince. — Repulse of
an Attack on Dresden.

The Emperor of Austria had, du-
ring the Russian campaign, taken but
a reluctant part on the side of France,
and after witnessing the disasters which
befel that power, he gradually with-
drew his troops into a neutral position.
The Austrian cabinet, however, took
a deep interest in the passing events ;
nor was it a timid or inactive neutrality
which this court was prepared to main-
tain. Armaments of unexampled mag-
nitude were completed in every part of
the Austrian territories ; troops were
poured into Bohemia, and placed in an
attitude of observation. It appeared
probable that the scale into which
this power might throw herself would
at once preponderate ; and to court
her favour became the grand object of
the belligerents. — Buonaparte, before
leaving Dresden, published a bulletin,
announcing that he had acceded to a
proposition made by Austria for as-
seml)ling a congress at Prague. Aus-
tria afterwards declared that no such
proposition had been made to her ;
and an assertion thus unauthorised ap-
peared singular and offensive. This
power, however, was not unwilling to
interpose ; and as she viewed with un-

easiness the progress of the French
arms, and saw her frontiers in danger
of being again encircled by them, she
determined to take an active part in
putting a stop to further hostilities.
Under her mediation an armistice was
accordingly concluded ; hostilities be-
tween the contending armies ceased on
the 1st of June, and the armistice was
signed and ratified on the 4th. By
the terms of this convention the line of
demarcation for both armies took its
departure from the frontiers of Bohe-
mia ; that of the allies passing through
Landshut to the Bober, — following
that river to Ruderstadt, and towards
Bolkenhiem and Striegau, — pursuing
the course of the Strieganerwefar to
Canth, and extending to the Oder
through Olfaschin and Althof. The
line of the French army, on quitting the
Bohemian frontier, stretched to Alt
Ramhitz and the Bober, as far as the
town of Lahn ; thence it traversed the
territory between the Bober and the
Katzbach to the Oder. Breslau was be-
tween the two armies, and was declared
neutral ; it was not to be occupied by
any troops, not even by the Landsturm.
— Such was the line of demarcation

Chap. 15.] .r;iiu .: HISTORY OF EUROPE.

249

between the two main armies. The
line which separated the detached
corps was continued from the mouth
of the Katzbach along the Oder to
the frontiers of Saxony and Prussia,
where it joined the Elbe. The French
were of course to occupy Hamburgh,
one of the articles stating *' that they
were in possession of the isles in the
Elbe, and eiiery thing xvhich they oc-
cupied in the S2d mihtary division on
the 8th of June at midnight." The be-
sieged and blockaded fortresses were
to be rcvictuallcd every five days. By
the 10th article it was stipulated, that
on the 1 2th of June, all the corps of
the combined army beyond the Llbe,
or in Saxony, were to return into
Prussia. Buonaparte was thus left un-
disputed master of the mouths of the
Elbe and the Weser. The duration
of the armistice was fixed to the 20th
of July inclusive. It was agreed that
six days notice should be given of the
resumption of hostilities.

Preparations on an extensive scale
were, in the mean time, carried on
throughout all the provinces ot the
Prussian monarchy, as well as the dis-
tricts of northern Germany, which had
been liberated from French influence.
The events of the recent campaign af-
forded on this subject a most salutary
and important lesson. Every private
object gave place for the moment to
the grand views of national safety.
Levies for the augmentation of the re-
gular army were made to a very great
extent. A numerous and well-disci-
plined militia, called Landwehr, was
also raised ; to which was added a
levy en masse, under the appellation of
Landsturm*

Austria was scarcely less indefatiga-
ble in completing her establishments —
in raising new levies — and in pouring
numerous corps into Bohemia. From
the moment that the Russian arms ac-
quired the ascendancy, an extraordi-
nary impulse was given to the coun-

cils of this power. All the men of
influence began to exclaim, that now
was the time to retrieve at once so
many losses, which had reduced Aus-
tria to a state of degradation. Rus-
sia offered, now that she had delivered
herself, to assist in the liberation of
other nations ; and from all the neigh-
bouring states ample co-operation
might be with certainty expected. —
Austria, however, after such a succes-
sion of disasters, and so many disap-
pointments, shrunk from taking at once
any decided step. She even employed
a considerable share of dissimulation to
conceal from the French the change
which had taken place in her councils-
Buonaparte lavished offers, entrea-
ties, protestations; half of the Prus-
sian monarchy was to be the reward
of the co-operation of Austria, which
would restore to him all his former as-
cendancy. Austria turned a deaf ear
to such proposals ; she recalled the
auxiliary corps which had acted with
the French army, and remained a mere
spectator of the campaign in Saxony
and Silesia. She had, however, alrea-
dy gone too far to render it safe for
her that France should resume its
former power, and again surround her
territories with its armies. Such views
of policy rendered her active in nego-
ciating an armistice, and in forwarding
the asser^lage of a congress at Prague.
They determined her also to support
no terms of peace, which should not
have for their basis the limitation of
the French influence in Germany. The
precise character of the overtures first
made by her has not been ascertained ;
but it is certain that from the moment
they reached the ear of BuonapartCt
he accounted her his enemy, and de-
termined again to try the fate of
arms.

Efforts were made accordingly by
the French ruler to draw reinforce-
ments from every quarter. Some corps
of the army of Spain, which had hi-

250 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 15.

therto been left untouched, began their
march for the Elbe, Eugene Beau-
harnois repaired to Italy, and assem-
bled an army upon the Adige, with
the view of overawing Austria on
that side. Buonaparte, at the same
time, interposed every species of delay
in the negociation, by complaints rela-
tive to the character of the persons sent
to the congress, and by disputes upon
matters of form. His object, which he
scarcely hesitated to avow, was, that
hostilities should be renewed during
the continuance of the negociations.
Thus he probably^ hoped to deceive
Austria, and prevent her from imme-
diately taking an active part in the
war ; and if he should succeed in dri-
ving the armies of Russia and Prussia
beyond the Vistula, and cutting them
off from all communication with the
Bohemian frontier, he might then
give the law to all his enemies. Aus-
tria, however, had formed her resolu-
tion, and had fully determined, if the
war should be renewed, to take the
most decided part in it. At the ex-
piration of the armistice, she propo-
sed an extension of it for three weeks,
to which Buonaparte reluctantly ac-
ceded. His views evidently were of
such a character as to remove all pros-
pects of a pacific termination to the
discussions ; and Austria had, perhaps,
no other object in this delay than to
mature her preparations, and arrange
the plan of the approaching campaign.
Buonaparte still continued to raise dif-
ficulties ; and as there appeared to be
no prospect of his acceding to reason-
able terms, the armistice was denoun-
ced, and Austria issued her declara-
tion of war. This event, which will be
ever memorable in the annals of Eu-
rope, and which of itself involved the
complete re-establishment of the long-
lost balance of power, occurred on the
10th of August, 1813.

Before entering on hostilities, the
cabinet of Vienna issued a manifesto

explaining its principles and policy.
This paper began by declaring his im-
perial majesty's love of peace and by
assuring the world that he was free
from all thoughts of conquest and ag-
grandisemeit, and had entered upon
war only to avert the danger to which
the social system was exposed of be-
coming a prey to a lawless and ambi-
tious power. The emperor complain-
ed of the destructive system adopted
by the enemy, by which commercial
intercourse, and, indeed, almost all in-
tercourse, was suspended between na-
tions — The manifesto touched upon
the marriage of the Austrian princess
to Buonaparte, — a marriage consented
to with the hope of inclining him to a
sense of moderation and justice — a
hope in which his majesty was the more
justified, because when this union waa
accomplished, Buonaparte had reached
that point of his career, when the desire
of preserving his conquests seemed to
be more natural than a restless struggle
to acquire new possessions. If these
flattering prospects were destroyed, the
misfortune was not to be imputed to
Austria. — The year 1810 was not yet
closed, when, in an evil hour, Buona-
parte resolved to seize a large portion
of North Germany, and to rob the free
cities of Hamburgh, Bremen, and Lu-
beck, first of their poHtical, and then
of their commercial existence. This
scheme was adopted upon the arbitrary
pretext, that the war with England re-
quired it ; and seemed to be the fore-
runner of greater usurpations, by which
one half of Germany was to become a
French province, and Buonaparte the
absolute ruler of the continent. — Al-
luding to the war against Russia, and
the motives which determined the po-
licy of Austria in that war, it was re-
marked in the manifesto, that — " The
campaign of 1812 furnished a memo-
rable example of the failure of an un-
dertaking supported by gigantic pow-
er, conducted by a captain of the first

Chap. 150 -i;,; ,i; HISTORY OF EUROPE,

251

rank, when, in the confidence of groat
military talents, he despises the rules
of prudence, and o'ersteps the bounds
of nature." Then was brought on an
important revolution in all the politi-
cal relations of Europe. The confede-
racy of Great Britain, Russia, and
Sweden, presented a point of union to
all neighbouring states. Prussia seized
that wvourable moment, and threw
herself into the arms of the allies. The
hatred of foreign dominion burst forth
on all sides. The crisis was not ne-
glected by the Emperor of Austria.
In the beginning of December, steps
had been taken to dispose Buonaparte
to a quiet and peaceful pohcy. But a
striking constrast was soon observed
between the sentiments of Austria and
the conduct of Napoleon. He decla-
red, he would hear of no proposition
for peace that should violate the
French empire in the French sense of
the word. At the same time eventual
conditions, with which this self-created
boundary did not seem to have any re-
lation, were spoken of at one time with
menacing indignation, at another with
bitter contempt, as if it had not been
possible to declare in terms sufficiently
distinct the resolution of Buonaparte,
not to make to the repose of the voorld
even one single nominal sacrifice.

These hostile demonstrations were
attended with this particular mortifi-
cation to Austria, that they placed
even the invitations to peace, which
this cabinet, with the knowledge and
apparent consent of France, made to
other courts, in a false and disadvanta-
geous light. The sovereigns united
against France, instead of giving any
answer to the propositions of Austria,
for negociation and mediation, laid be-
fore her the public declarations of the
French ruler. And when, in March,
his majesty sent a minister to London,
to invite England to share in a negocia-
tion, the British ministry replied, ihey
coidd not believe that Austria still en-

tertained hopes of peace, when Buo-
naparte had, in the mean time, expressed
sentiments which could tend only to
perpetuate war.

In the month of April, Buona-
parte suggested the dissolution of the
Prussian monarchy as the natural con-
sequence of a defection from France,
and observed, that it depended upon
Austria herself to add the most im-
portant and flourishing of the Prus-
sian provinces to her own states. Aus-
tria, however, felt that the restoration
of the Prussian monarchy was the first
step to be taken.

With reference to the assertion of
Buonaparte, that he had proposed a
congress to be held at Prague, the
Austrian cabinet declared, that it was
only acquainted with this proposal
through t e public prints. Aware of
all the obstacles to a general peace,
Austria had long considered the possi-
bility of obtaining the object progres-
sively, and first by a continental peace
— not that the Emperor of Austria,
" imagined that the continent could
exist, if the separation of England
were not considered as a most deadly
evil." Towards the close of the month
of June, the Austrian cabinet (said
the manifesto,) sent a minister to
Dresden, and a convention was con-
cluded, accepting the mediation of
Austria in the negociation of a ge-
neral peace ; if that could not be ef-
fected, of a preliminary continental
peace. The congress was to be opened
on the 5th July ; and the armistice was
afterwards extended to the 10th Au-
gust. In the mean time Austria resol-
ved once more to try the British go-
vernment. Buonaparte leceived the
proposal with apparent approbation,
and offered a passage to the Austrian
messenger through France. But dif-
ficulties arose, the passports were de-
layed from time to time, and at last
refused. During the interval, the Rus-
sian and Prussian plenipotentiaries were

362 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, IS13. [Chap. 15.

named, and arrived at Prague. The
negociations were not to be protracted
beyond the 10th August, unless they
afforded a confident hope of a favour-
able result. But it was soon evident
that France procrastinated ; a French
minister arrived, but had no orders to
proceed to business until the appear-
ance of a plenipotentiary, who did not
join the congress until the 28th of Ju-
ly. Formal and minute discussions
rendered all the endeavours of the me-
diating power abortive. The powers
of the French negociator were unne-
cessarily circumscribed ; and it was
not till the 6th of August that he gave
in a new declaration, by which the ne-
gociation was not brought one step
nearer to a close. After an useless
exchange of notes, the 10th of August
arrived — the congress was at an end,
and Austria had no remedy, no re-
source, but to take up arms. — Such
was the substance of this important
document.

The French army, at the close of
this discussion, equalled perhaps in
numerical amount those of all the
other powers united. At no former
period, probably, had Buonaparte been
at the head of one more numerous.
The main body, under his own imme-
diate command, may be estimated
without exaggeration at 300,000 men.
He had established a strong fortified
line to the Bohemian frontier, begin-
ningat Wittenberg andpassing through
Torgau and Dresden to Konigstein
and the entrenched camp at Pirna —
a fine military line, no doubt, to resist
an army advancing against him from
the Silesian frontier. Between this
line and the Silesian frontier his main
army was stationed ; in Upper and
Lower Lusatia, Mortier was posted
with 70,000 men, including a large
force of cavalry at Luckavv ; and Ney,
with about the same numbers, occupied
Bautzen. The Saxons were at Goer-
litz. On the Maine there was an army

of reserve under Augereau ; and an ar-
my of Bavarians, about 25.000 strong,
was stationed near Munich A con-
siderable force under Davoust defended
Holstein and Hamburgh, and threat-
ened Pomerania. The communication
of this corps v/ith the army at Dres-
den, and the preponderance of the
French on the middle Elbe, were im-
perfectly maintained by the garrison
of Magdeburgh.

The allies occupied a line of much
greater extent. The accession of Aus-
tria, besides making a large addition to
their force, brought with it also the
advantage of turning the barrier of the
Elbe, as that river flows for many
miles through Bohemia, and might
thus be passed by the allies without
opposition. In Bohemia, therefore,
the grand army took its position. It
consisted of the whole Austrian force,
augmented by large Russian and Prus-
sian detachments from Silesia. The
head-quarters were at Toplitz, whence
the combined armies threatened Saxony
and the rear of the French army.
Blucher commanded a very large force
in Silesia, consisting partly of Russian
and Prussian regulars, and partly of
a large body of well-organised militia,
the whole amounting to about 100,000
men. The Crown Prince of Sweden,
who had his head-quarters at Berlin,
commanded the army of the north of
Germany. This force was composed
of the whole Swedish army, of large
corps of Russian and Prussian regulars,
of the militia of Brandenburgh, and the
troops levied in the Hanse Towns and
other districts which had thrown off
the French yoke. On one side, this
army observed Davoust and the gar-
rison of Magdeburgh ; on the other it
covered Berlin, and was prepared to
act as circumst?.nces might require
against the French grand army. It
was estimated at 120,000 men.

This position of the allies does not,
with a view to military movements,
9

Chap. 15.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

25S

, appear extremely advantageous. Their
I whole force was divided into three
corps, acting separately, at a distance
i from each other, and maintaining only
j a circuitous and imperfect comnmnica-
I tion. The French army was in the
centre, completely united, and ready to
direct its entire force against any of
the allied divisions. Such a position
was very unfavourable for offensive
movements, which yet were evidently
contemplated. To have brought the
whole mass of the aUied armies into
Bohemia, whence offensive operations
could best be undertaken, would ap-
pear to have been more eligible. Silesia
and Brandenburgh might have been
covered by small detached corps, quite
adequate to such a purpose, since the
French army, with so large a force
behind it, could not have sent any
considerable bodies of troops against
them. Such appear, in a military point
of view, decidedly the best arrange-
ments.—Othercircumstances, however,
may have influenced the conduct of
the allied chiefs. The force of the
Prussian states, consisting in a great
measure of militia, may have been un-
willing to march into a remote and fo-
reign district ; and may also, to render
it efficient, have required the addition
of regular troops. There may have
been advantages in point of supply and
subsistence also, in the arrangements
which were actually adopted The al-
lied generals understood and obviated
the disadvantages of their position.
They were always careful, when the ene-
my approached in superior force, to re-
tire and watch the favourable moment
for attack, when that force had with-
drawn to another point. This plan,
which depended for success upon accu-
racy of information, was greatly aided
by their possessing in the cossacks the
best light cavalry in the world ; and,
by a happy combination of skill, cau-
tion, and valour, they were enabled to
prevent the difficulties under which

they laboured, from affecting the final
issue of the campaign.

The crisis now approaching pro-
mised great events. Military talents
of the highest order were to be exerted,
armies formed on the most gigantic
scale were to be put in motion ; and
operations, in comparison of which
many of the most renowned battles
which fill the pages of history were
mere skirmishes, were, about to be un-
dertaken. Great Britain, Russia, Prus-
sia, Austria, Sweden, Portugal, and
Spain, were ranged on the one side ;
France, Holland, Denmark, Italy, Ba-
varia, Saxony, and the other states of
Germany, on the other ; and whether
we reflect upon the vast tract of country
over which the desolations of war were
to sweep, the wide waste of human
life, or the vast issue at stake, — the
prolongation of a system of oppression
and violence which had filled all Eu»
rope with woes, or the emancipation
of millions of our fellow men from a
rapacious and restless ambition, — no
preceding period, since the pohtical
formation of modern Europe, had
borne interests so mighty, and occur-
rences so pregnant with curses or
blessings suspended in the uncertain
balance of military fortune. The alhes
were strong in the justice of their
cause. The right, it is true, does not
always prosper; but violent aggression,
by a law of Providence and nature,
which tyrants have in vain endeavoured
to abolish, creates a power of re-action
against itself, which seldom fails ulti-
mately to over-power it. Buonaparte
had already felt this without profiting
by his experience. He had felt it in
Spain ; he felt it in Russia ; and the
mighty preparations now organised
against him, were but the effects of
that re-action which his attempts upon
the sovereignty of the continent had
provoked. If ever nations could ap-
peal to the equitable decisions of that
power which controls the universe, tlic

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 15.

allied nations could make that appeal.
If the justice of a cause can inspire
vigour into the breasts of those who
support it, then the allied armies must
have been roused by the force of this
motive to deeds of the greatest heroism.
And here it is proper to mention,
that the cause of the allies was now
to have the assistance of a man distin-
guished as one of the greatest soldiers
of modern times. General Moreau ha-
ving acceded to the wishes of the Em-
peror Alexander, that he should give
his aid on this great occasion, an ap-
plication was made to the British ad-
miral, Cockbum, for a licence to ena-
ble an American ship to proceed to
Europe. The licence was granted ;
and on the 21st of June, Moreau em-
barked and sailed from America. He
landed at Gottenburgh on the 26th of
July, and on the 4th of August he
again embarked at Ystadt, in a Swe-
dish brig of war, for Stralsund- The
Prince Royal of Sweden, who was then
at Berlin, set off to give his early friend
a meeting, and to concert with him a
plan of military operations. It was
determined by these two experienced
officers, that they should organize a
separate corps d^armeef to be compo-
sed of French prisoners, and called
" Moreau's Legion." This body was
to be decorated wath the white or na-
tional cockade, to bear the motto pro
patria, to fight for the deliverance of
Europe, and in particular for the eman-
cipation of Frenchmen. A part of the
plan agreed upon was, that General
Willot, who was expected from Ame-
rica, and General Rewbel, (the com-
mander in chief of the WcstphaHan
army when the Duke of Brunswick
escaped, and who was disgraced by
Buonaparte on account of that event)
should organize such of the French
prisoners as they could raise in Eng-
land, and disembark with them in the
north of France. The execution of
this plan, however, from which lit-

tle good, after all, could be expected,
was soon interrupted by a melancholy
event, which closed the career of the
unfortunate Moreau.

The first movements of any import-
ance made by the French army after
the denunciation of the armistice, were
in the direction of Berlin, the head-
quarters of the Crown Prince of Swe-
den. All the reports of the secret
agents having announced, on the even-
ing of the 21st of August, that the
French were concentrating the corps
of the Dukes of Reggio, Belluno, and
Padua, and of Generals Bertrand and
Regnier, amounting to more than
80,000 men, in the environs of Ba-
reuth, and every thing announcing, on
the part of these troops, a rapid march
upon Berlin ; the Crown Prince pla-
ced two divisions of the third Russian
corps, commanded by Bulow, between
Kernersdorf and Klein Berin. One di-
vision already occupied Mittenwalde,
and another Trebbin, in order to mask
the whole movement. The fourth Rus-
sian corps, under Tauentzen, united at
Blakenfelde. The Swedish army left
Potsdam on the 22d, proceeded upon
Saarm, passed the defiles, and took
post at Ruhlesdorf. The Russian corps
followed the Swedish, and took post
at Gutergatze. General Tchernicheff
guarded Beletz, and Treunbritzen,
with 3000 Cossacks and a brigade of
light infantry. — Affairs were in this
state when the enemy attacked Gene-
ral Thumen, at Trebbin, on the 22d in
the morning. The superiority ot the
French determined the general to eva-
cuate that post. The enemy advanced
successively, and occupied the inter-
val between Mittenwalde and the Saare,
covered by woods and flanked by
marshes. The advanced posts of the
Crown Prince's army fell back slow-
ly, and covered the front of the line.
On the 23d, in the morning, the
corps of General Bertrand attacked
General Tauenzein ; the latter repul.

Chap. 15.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

255

»ed him, and made some prisoners. —
The village of Gross Beren, against
which the 7th French corps and a
gtrong reserve was directed, was taken.
The Duke of Reggie's corps pro-
ceeded upon Ahrendorif. By the oc-
cupation of Gross Beren, the enemy-
was at the distance of 1000 toises only
from the centre of the camp of the
combined army. General Bulow re-
ceived order? to attack the village;
he executed it with the decision of a
skilful general. The cannonade was
warm for some hours. The troops ad»
vanced under the protection of the ar-
tillery, and fell with the bayonet upon
the7thFrenchcorps, which had deploy-
ed in the plain, and which marched upon
the camp. The Russian and Swedish
armies were also in battle, and waited
the deploying of the other enemy's
columins, to attack them at the same
time. General Winzengerode was at
the head of 10,000 horse, and the
Count de Woronzow at the head of
the Russian infantry. Marshal Count
Stedinck, in front of the Swedish line,
had his cavalry in reserve. The village
of Ruhelsdorff, situated in front of the
Swedish camp, was furnished with in-
fantry to keep open the communica-
tion with General Bulow. The other
corps of the enemy's army not having
moved from the woods, the Russian
army could not engage. The enemy,
however, having menaced the village
of Ruhelsdorff, and having already
pushed his tirailleurs against the light
Swedish troops placed in front of that
village, theCrowH Prince ordered some
battalions, supported by artillery, to
reinforce the advanced posts, and to
push on with a battalion of flying ar-
tillery to take the enemy in flank ; in
this movement they succeeded. The
French, after having sustained a severe
loss, retired without attempting to
bring on a general engagement, and
fell back in the direction of Dresden.
While the armv of the north of Ger-

many was thus employed. General
Blucher, who commanded the army of
Silesia, advanced, passed the Bober, the
boundary of Lusatia, and drove in all
the French corps by which that river
was defended. On the arrival, how-
ever, of a great reinforcement, headed
by Buonaparte himself, he immediate-
ly measured back his steps. Buona-
parte then crossed the Bober at Low-
enberg, and pushed forward into Si-
lesia. Blucher took up a strong posi-
tion near Lignitz, on the Katzbach,
a river rendered famous by a signal
victory gained by Frederick on its
banks. Here he was attacked by Buo-
naparte, and fought with his wonted
intrepidity. He made 18,000 prison-
ers, including a general of division,
two brigadier. generals, and a number
of colonels. He took also 103 piece*
of cannon, 250 waggons, and two ea-
gles. The enemy did not immedi-
ately renew the combat, but retreated
over the Bober and the Queiss, pur-
sued by the allies. " Silesia is deliver-
ed from the enemy,** said the old ge-
neral, " let us prostrate ourselves be-
fore the Lord of Hosts for the glori-
ous victory he has gained us.**

When General Blucher moved from
Silesia upon Lusatia, threatening the
enemy in front, Buonaparte conceived
that he had discovered the grand plan
of the aUies, and he imniediately re-
paired in person to meet and repel their
main attack. But Blucher's orderg
were to avoid any general engagement,
and retire before superior numbers. —
On learning, after the sharp conflict
which has been described, that power-
ful reinforcements were advancing to
support the enemy, who prepared to
renew the attack, Blucher withdrew
without disorder behind the Katzbach.
Buonaparte thought he thus defeated
the designs of the allies in Silesia. But
their views were otherwise directed.
The advance of Blucher was intended
to mask their movements in another

256 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 15.

quarter ; and while the veteran gene-
ral was making his supposed serious
demonstrations on the Bober, they
were issuing in great force from the
passes of Bohemia. They advanced
from the frontiers on the 20th and 21st
of August ; the Russian and Prussian
armies, which formed their right wing,
approached by the passes of Peters-
wolde, leading to Pima ; the Austrians
by the long detour from Commotau.
This powerful mass moved upon Dres-
den. An error occurred in the execution
of the movement, — the neglectto secure
the pass at Gobehr. The right wing of
the allies, however, got into action on
the 22d, with St Cyr, at Zehista, near
Pima. The French general was driven
back, and retired into Konigstein,
the entrenched camp at Liebenstein,
and the works round Dresden. The
grand armies pressed forward, and on
the 2Gth, the people of Dresden saw
them upon the heights above the city.
The enemy retired to the protection of
their works ; and after a partial at-
tack of the Russian and Prussian light
troops upon the gardens, the whole al-
lied army moved to the assault at four
in the afternoon of the 27th. The ar-
tillery, though brought up at the close
of the evening to within one hundred
paces of the wall, could not make any
practicable breaches ; and the aUies re-
tired at night to the heights which
they had occupied in the morning. —
On the 28th, Buonaparte issued from
Dresden with 130,000 men. The bat-
tle was chiefly confined to the cavalry
and artillery ; the main bodies of the
infantry of both armies did not come
into contact. No impression could be
made on the positions of the allies, and
the action ceased. But as they appre-
hended that Buonaparte might throw
over a body of troops at Konigstein
and Pima, to seize the passes in the
rear of their march, they retired from
their position on the 28th in the" even-
ing, in perfect order, towards the Bo-

hemian frontier. They had judged
correctly. Buonaparte had made the
movement which they anticipated,
but happily it produced only defeat
and destruction to the troops employ-
ed in it. On two successive days the
enemy were attacked, and at last put
to a general route ; they threw down
their arras, abandoned their guns and
standards, and retreated in all direc-
tions. Vandamme and six other ge-
nerals were taken. Sixty pieces of Ar-
tillery, six standards, and about 10,000
prisoners, rewarded the exertions of
ike alhes.— The fugitives were closely
pursued by the cossacks and light ca-
valry of the combined armies.

Such were the operations near Dres-
den and on the Bohemian frontier. —
General BlUcher, in the mean time, ha-
ving retired upon Janer, re-advanced
on the 24'th against Macdonald, who
occupied a good position, which he
had strengthened with a numerous ar-
tillery. He was, however, attacked
by Blucher upon the morning of the
26th, and after a sharp contest, dri-
ven from every part of his position,
leaving fifty pieces of artillery, thirty-
nine tumbrils and ammunition wag-
gons, and more than ten thousand pri-
soners. The contest was renewed with
fresh vigour, and with equal success,
by Blucher on the 27th and 28th ; and
the result was, that thirty pieces of
cannon and five thousand prisoners
were taken during these two days.

Although no general battle had been
fought, a succession of sanguinary
combats thus followed each other, and
the loss on both sides was consider-
able. Several officers of distinction
fell ; but the chief interest was excited
by the fate of Moreau. In the battle
of the 27th, before Dresden, as he was
on horseback by the side of the Em-
peror Alexander, a ball passingthrough
the horse, carried off both his legs. This
dreadful wound did not immediately
prove mortal. His Hmbs were ampu-

Chaf. 15.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

SB)

tated, and he wai carried in a litter to
Bohemia ; but after lingering for a few
days, he expired in great agony.

The presence of Moreau in the al-
lied army had excited much enthusi*
asm throughout Europe ; and a fate
so tragical and untimely produced
equal sympathy and regret. Yet when
we come to reflect upon his conduct,
there may be room for a difference of
opinion. Unjust expulsion from the
political community may seem to de-
stroy the ties by which an individual
is united to it, and to absolve him
from the duties of allegiance. When
this injustice is exercised by a state
against one to whom it has been great-
ly indebted, the trial to individual for-
titude becomes the more severe. Yet
the general sense of mankind seems to
pronounce that there is something in-
delible in the relations between men
and the country which gave them
birth, and that no wrong, no suffer-
ing, can ever "efface them. Moreau
professed, indeed, (and in this he was
sanctioned by the declarations of the
allies) to make war, not against France,
but against the usurper who ruled it.
Had the object been to change the
government, to restore either a free
constitution or the ancient monarchy,
Moreau might have had a fair ground
of justification. But the allies dis-
claimed any such intention ; they pro-
fessed no other object but to re-esta-
blish against France the ancient ba-
lance of power, and to level her pre.
sent overwhelming preponderance in
the system of Europe. They were
not thus, perhaps, doing her any real
injury, since extended conquest does
by no means constitute the real hap-
piness of nations. Yet it is not viewed
in this light by mankind in general ;
and in the mind of a great commander
it can scarcely be doubted, that with
military successes the grandeurand pro-
sperity of his country will be in a great
degree identified. The conduct of Mo-

▼01.., VI. PART I.

rcau, therefore, can scarcely be vindica-
ted by the feehngs of patriotism ; it can
be defended only upon the principle!
of universal philanthropy. Such prin«
ciples, however, from their vague and
flexible nature, ought to be viewed
with extreme suspicion, particularly
when they point to some object which
may afford gratification to private am-
bition or resentment. There is one
circumstance in the case of Moreau
which, if not explained, appears ex-
tremely suspicious. He came only to
bask in the sunshine of that fortune
which had attended the allied arms ;
for so long ^s the cause of Europe
languished he had taken no part in it.
He was not found in Spain, where the
most just of causes was to be defend-
ed ; not even in Russia, when that
country was invaded, and in danger of
being over-run. He came not till a
succession of victories, and the forma-
tion of a grand confederacy, had ren-
dered the triumph of the allied cause
almost certain. All this may admit of
explanation ; he may not have been
invited; a proper opening may not
have been offered to his exertions.
But some such explanation seems ne-
cessary to account for the inactivity of
his philanthropic principles, till the
moment when their exertion was less
necessary and less meritorious. But
whatever opinion may be formed upon
this subject, there cannot be the slight-
est doubt that the allied sovereigns
were fully justified in availing them-
selves of the acknowledged talents of
this commander, for the promotion of
their own just cause. A very absurd
opinion, however, was almost universal
at the time, — that the success of that
cause depended chiefly upon Moreau,
and that Buonaparte could only be
opposed by commanders trained in the
same school with himself. Such an
idea is totally inconsistent, not only
with subsequent events which could
not be then taken into account, but

258 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap.

even with the occurrences of the pre-
ceding campaign. Buonaparte had been
humbled, and the finest army he ever
commanded had been annihilated, with-
out any aid from France ; and there
could be no reason to suppose, that
with similar means similar successes
might not continue to crown the arms
of the allies. The only operation at
which Moreau assisted, and which, if
not planned by him, received his sanc-
tion, was the attack upon Dresden ;
an operation which does not reflect
much credit on those with whom it
originated.

The north of Germany, where the
Crown Prince commanded, became the
theatre of events of great importance.
After the retreat of the French from
Berlin, the Swedish and Prussian ar-
my pressed close upon them, and gain-
ed several partial advantages ; and the
Crown Prince finding that he was not
opposed by an equal force, determined
to take advantage of his superiority.
He moved towards Rosslau, intending
to cross the Elbe, and march upon Leip-
zig. He took with him the Swedish
and Russian troops, while General
Tauentzein was left with 40,000 Prus-
sians at Juterbock, for the purpose of
covering Berlin. The allies having re-
tired from before Dresden, Marshal
Ney returned to his army, — ^brought
with him the divisions which had been
withdrawn from it, and, observing the
two corps of the Crown Prince's army
detached from each other, he concei-
ved the design of attacking them se-
parately. That part of the French ar-
my, therefore, which had been brought
to the left bank of the Elbe to oppose
the enterprizes of the Crown Prince,
suddenly re-passed the river at Witten-
berg, and marched towards Juterbock,
where Tauentzein was posted. The
Crown Prince set out on the 6th of
September, at three o'clock in the
morning, from Rabenstein, and collect-
ed the Swedish and Russian armies

upon the heights of Lobesson. He
was waiting the reports of General
Tauentzein, when he received an ac-
count from General Bulow, announcing
that the whole French army was in full
march upon Juterbock. The Crown
Prince ordered Bulow to attack im-
mediately the flank and rear of the ene-
my, before General Tauentzein, who
defended the approaches of the town,
should be overwhelmed by numbers.
The Swedish army, which had march-
ed upwards of two German miles, pro-
ceeded towards Juterbock, which was
yet at a considerable distance ; it was
followed by the Russian army, with the
exception of the advanced guard, under
the orders of the Count Woronzoff",
and the corps of General TchernichefF,
which continued before Wittenberg.
The cannonade began immediately be-
tween the Prussian troops and the
army of the enemy. The Russian
and Swedish corps, after their forced,
marches, were obliged to halt for a
moment in order to form in order of
battle. The Prussian army, amount-
ing to 40,000 men, sustained in the
mean time, with a courage truly he-
roic, the repeated efforts of 70,000 of
the enemy, supported by 200 pieces of
cannon. The struggle was unequal
and murderous. The Prussian troops,
however, were not disconcerted; and
if some battalions were obliged to
yield the ground which they had gain-
ed, they did not fail to re-occupy it
the moment after. While these events
occurred, 70 battalions of Russians
and Swedes, 10,000 horse of both na-
tions, and 150 pieces of artillery,
advanced in columns of attack, lea-
ving intermediate spaces for deploying.
Four thousand Russian and Swediih
cavalry advanced at full speed to sup*
port some points on which the ene-
my principally directed his attacks. —
Their appearance checked him, and
the arrival of the columns completed
his confusion. The fate of the battle

:hap. 15.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

259^

was instantly decided. The enemy-
sounded a retreat ; the cavalry charged
him with a boldness resembling fury,
and carried disorder into his columns,
which retreated with great precipita-
tion upon the route of Gahna. The
French force was composed of four
corps (Varmee^ those of the Duke of
Reggio, — of Generals Bertrand and
Regnier, — of the Duke of Padua, and
of from three to four thousand Polish
troops ; the whole under the command
of Marshal Ney.—The result of this
battle, which was fought near the vil-
lage of Dennevitz, was in the first in-
stance 5000 prisoners, three standards,
from 25 to 30 pieces of cannon, and
upwards of 200 ammunition waggons.
The field of buttle, and the roads over
which the enemy passed, were covered
•with dead and wounded, and with the
arms which had been abandoned. Vi-
gorously pursued, the enemy, who en-
deavoured to retire towards Torgau,
did not reach the Elbe before he suf-
fered losses yet more considerable. —
General Wobescr, who had been or-
dered to proceed with 5000 nipn from
Luckau upon Gahna, attacked the
French in that town, where the Prince
of Moskwa, and the Dukes of Reggio
and of Padua, had taken up their quar-
ters with part of the defeated army,
and made 2500 prisoners. The half of
Marshal Ney's escort was killed. The
loss of the Prussian troops was also
great, and amounted to between 4 and
5000 men killed and wounded. ** The
result of the battle, however," said
the Crown Prince, " ought to contri-
bute to the consolation of every true
patriot, who will find the triumph of
the cause of his country insured by the
death of these brave men." The loss
of the Swedish and Russian troops was
not great. " The different corps,"
added the Crown Prince, " vied with
each other in courage and devotion.
The heroic conduct shewn on this oc-
casion by the Prussian army, is calcu-

lated to exist for ever in the annals of
military fame, and to inspire all those
who fight for the independence of Ger-
many. The Russian and Swedish
troops, who took part in the engage-
ment, valiantly seconded the efforts of
their brethren in arms. General Bu-
low displayed the coolness and bravery
of a warrior, who had no other object
than the glory of his king and the de-
fence of his country. The officers un-
der his command imitated his honour-
able example. The Prince of Hesse
Homberg distinguished himself in the
most brilliant manner. General the
Count de Tauentzein gave proofs of
his talents and sang-froid. During the
whole affair, he sustained most vigor-
ous and repeated attacks of the ene-
my, and was of great assistance to-
wards the successful result of the strug-
gle, by the boldness he discovered,
and by the admirable choice of his po-
sition."— Every day brought fresh
proofs that the consequences of the
battle of Dennevitz were greater than
was at first expected. The light troops
did not desist from following the
French, and taking prisoners, ammu-
nition waggons, and baggage.

The Silesian army, under Blucher,
was not less successful. This distin-
guished general paused not a moment
after the victory over Macdonald which
has already been mentioned, — he pur-
sued the enemy, and again attacked him
on the Bober. He gained another victo-
ry still more complete than the former.
The heavy rains and the overflowing
of the rivers cut off all retreat. One
division of French, which fought with
its rear to the Bober, was entirely cap-
tured, and most of the others were de-
stroyed. The wreck of Macdonald's
army fled through Lusatia. Blucher
successively crossed the Bober, the
Reiss, and the Queiss, and arrived al-
most at the gates of Dresden.

Nor was the grand army of Bohemia
inactive during these important opera-

960 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Ciiaf. 15.

tions. It re-advanced on the 5th of
September towards Dresden, — drove
the enemy almost under the walls of
the city, and occupied Dohna and Pir-
na. On the 8th, Buonaparte left Dres-
den,— attacked General Wittgenstein
at Dohna, with a very superior force,
and compelled the Russians to fall
back to Peters walde. General Zie-
then*s corps, which was attacked at
Pirna, retired next day, and took post
in the mountains on the Bohemian
frontier. Buonaparte continued his ad-
vance till the 12th, when he reached
NoUcndorfF, and advanced towards
Culm. The allies, meanwhile, called
in the troops which had been sent to
Chemnitz and Freiberg on the left,
and to Aussig and Leitmeritz on the
right ; and on the 12th, having col-
lected 100,0©0 men and 800 pieces of
cannon, they offered battle to the ene-
my, which, however, was declined.—
Buonaparte then began his retreat,
breaking up the roads towards Dres-
den in every direction, — a circumstance
which rendered it impossible to pursue
him with advantage.

The ardent desire of Buonaparte to
annihilate the combined army of the
north of Germany, occasioned him the
loss of much time and many men, in
marches and counter-marches. To sup-
port the operations of Marshal Ney,
he sent the corps of the Duke of Ra-
gusa to Hoyerswerda on the 7th of
September. This corps, about 25,000
strong, had orders to proceed to Ber-
lin, and there effect a junction with
-^ey. A strong detachment was at the
fiance time sent upon the right flank of
Generwil Blucher, to force him to re-
treat.— i^he Duke of Ragusa arrived
early on tKe 8th at Hoyerswerda ; but
on receivings intelligence of the battle
of Dennevitz .he hastily retreated, and
marched by wa^y of Konigsberg to
Dresden. In th«P retreat of the 8th,
he was attacked at Hoyerswerda by
the detachment of Cidonel Fignier of

the Russian guards. The colonel, at
the head of 800 horse, pursued him to
Konigsberg, killed many men be-
longing to his rear, and took 1000 pri-
soners. Continuing without intermis-
sion the pursuit of the enemy's rear,
this officer fell in with the baggage,
took the greater part of it, killed a
great number of men, and carried off
with him 400 draught horses. Turn-
ing upon this towards Grossenhayn,
he put to the rout two squadrons of
the enemy. — Some spies, whom this
officer had sent to Dresden, assured
him on their return that the city was
at this time provided with no more
than a fortnight's necessaries for the
army, and that nothing was left for
the inhabitants. The Saxon court, for-
merly so tranquil, thus saw its capital
exposed to all the horrors of a siege.
The king himself was a wretched wit-
ness of the calamities which oppressed
his people, without the possibility of
alleviating them,— without any other
prospect than that of seeing them still
further aggravated. The Saxon na-
tion was sensible of its own and its so*
vereign's degradation ; it was desirous
of resuming its rank among independ-
ent states ; a patriotic spirit was al-
ready manifested ; but it was restrain-
ed by circumstances from aiding effec-
tually the great cause of Europe. A
Saxoa legion, however, was forming
at the same time with that of Baden j
and the Germans demonstrated that
t hey were not unworthy of their fathers.
It was expected that in a short time
all the nations from the coast of the
Baltic to the right bank of the Rhine,
would rise in a mass to drive back the
oppressors of the continent to the left
bank of that river. Fear could not de-
ter them much longer, — for 400,000
victorious warriors were ready at all
points to support and assist them.

While events so unfavourable to the
French army took place around Dres-
den, in Silesia, and in the north of

lllAP.

1^.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

fSl

Getmany, their situation on the se-
condary theatre of war, on the Lower
Elbe, was less disadvantageous. At
the breaking out of hostiHties, Da-
voust marched from Hamburgh, —
took possession of Schwann, and
thence threatened Stralsund and Ber-
lin. The disasters of the grand army,
however, rendered this advanced posi-
tion r o longer secure ; and Davoust
fell back upon the line of the Steck-
nitz, which covered Holstein. His si-
tuation, however, being on the whole
better than that of his master, Buona-
parte wished to draw from him some
relief. With this view, General Pe-
cheux was dispatched with 5 or 6000
men, with orders to march up the Elbe
and reinforce the grand army. General
Walmoden, however, having received
notice of this movement, suddenly cross-
ed the Elbe,ai.d falling upon Pecheux,
totally defeated him, made prisoners of
a great part of his army, and compelled
the remainder to fall back upon Ham-
burgh. The object of the expedition
was thus frustrated.

Bernadotte, who seems to have enf
^aged with perfect sincerity and the ut-
most zeal in the cause of the allies, and
who was anxious to assist it by his pen
as well as his sword, about this time ad-
dressed to Buonaparte a very singular
letter of remonstrance. His treachery to
the Spanish royal family, his measureless
ambition, his disregard of the lives of
his soldiers, his extreme concern for his
personal safety, his singular conduct in
abandoning his army, his want of fore-
sight as a general, the frantic folly of
his continental system, his attempt to
change the order of nature, his igno-
rance of history, were all touched up-
on. " From the moment," said Ber-
nadotte, " when your majesty plunged
into the interior of Russia, the issue
was no longer doubtful. The Empe-
ror Alexander already, in the month
of August, foresaw the termination of
the campaign, and its prodigious re-

sults : all military combinations seemed
to guarantee that your majesty would
be a prisoner. You escaped that dan-
ger, sire ; but your army, the elite of
France, of Germany, and of Italy,
exists no more ! There lie, unburied,
the brave men who served France at
Fleurus — Frenchmen who conquered
in Italy — who survived the burning
clime of Egypt — and who fixed victory
under your colours at Marengo, at
Austerhtz, at Jena, and Friedland !—
May your soul, sire, be softened at
this heart-rending picture ; but should
it be necessary to complete the effect,
recollect also the death of more than
a million of Frenchmen, lying on the
field of honour, victims of the wars
whichi your majesty has undertaken*

*♦ Your majesty invokes your right
to the friendship of the King of Swe-
den; Permit me to remind you, sire,
of the little value your majesty attach-
ed to it, at times when a reciprocity
of sentiment would have been very use-
ful to Sweden. When the king, after
having lost Finland, wrote to ypur ma-
jesty to beg you to preserve for Swe-
den the isles of Aland, you replied to
him, *< apply to the Emperor Alex-
ander,— he is great and generous ;*'
and, to fill up the measure of your in-
difference, you caused it to be asserted
in the official journal ( Moniteur of the
21st of September, 1810,) at the mo-
ment of my departure for Sweden, that
there had been an interregnum in tha
kingdom, during which the English
were carrying on their commerce with
impunity.

" Your system, sire, would interdict
to nations the exercise of that right
which they have received from nature^
— that of trading with each other, of
mutually assisting each other, of cor-
responding and living in peace ; and
yet the very existence of Sweden de-
pends upon an extension of commer-
cial relations, without which she would
be insufficient for her own sibsistence.

262

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 15.

Sire, the lessons of history repel the
idea of an universal monarchy ; and the
sentiment of independence may be
deadened, but cannot be effaced from
the heart of nations. May yx)ur ma-
jesty weigh all these considerations,
and at last really think of that general
peace, the profaned name of which
has caused so much blood to flow.— ^
In politics, sire, neither friendship nor
hatred has place, — there are only du-
ties to fulfil towards the nations whom
Providence has summoned us to go-
vern. Their laws and their privileges
are the blessings which are dear to
them ; and if, in order to preserve
them, one is compelled to renounce
old connections, the prince, who wishes
to perform his duty, can never hesitate
which course to adopt. Was it not
your majesty who interrupted our
commercial relations, by ordering the
capture of Swedish vessels in the bo-
som of peace ? Was it not the rigour
of your orders which forbade us every
kind of communication with the con-
tinent for three years, and which, since
that period, caused more than 50 Swe-
dish vessels to be detained at Wismar,
Rostock, and other ports of the Baltic ?
The Duke of Bassano observed, that
your majesty will never change your
system, and will consider this as a ci-
vil war ; which indicates that you
mean to retain Swedish Pomerania,
and will not renounce the hope of gi-
ving laws to Sweden, and thus degra-
ding, without running any risk, the
Swedish name and character. By the
phrase civil war, you doubtless mean
a war between allies ; but we know
the fate to which you destine them. —
As to my personal ambition, I acknow-
ledge it to be lofty ; it has for its ob-
ject to serve the cause of humanity,
and to secure the independence of the
Scandinavian peninsula. To attain that
end, I confide in the justice of that
cause which the king has commanded
me to defend, upon the perseverance

of the nation, and the fidelity of its
aUies."

Buonaparte's situation had become
critical ; and he felt the necessity of
resorting to the most decided measures
for increasing his force.—-" It is ne-
cessary that numerous battalions should
arise in the bosom of France," said he
to his minister, Maret, at Dresden ;
and at Paris the Empress Queen and
Regent quickly explained the nature
and amount of this demand. She pro-
ceeded to the senate, and announced
the commands of Buonaparte for a
fresh tribute of blood from the French
people. In 1812, he demanded half
a million; in 1813, he began with a
requisition of nearly as many ; and now
he demanded no less than 280,000. —
The speech of the empress formed a
most important document indeed, — it
contained the confession of Buona-
parte, that he was unable to make head
against his opponents, — that he no
longer hoped to make a successful
stand beyond the Rhine; He knew
the war upon his principles and views
to be odious in France ; and, degraded
and humbled as she was by submission
to his authority, he scarcely expected
fresh sacrifices from her, unless he
could persuade her of their absolute ne-
cessity to prevent invasion. In the
short speech of the empress, more than
in any other document, the altered for-
tunes of the French ruler were indica-
ted. A year before he thought he had
but one step to take to render himself
the uncontrouled master of the conti-
nent. He despised the experience of
all former times, — he disdained the
warning voice of history, — he forgot,
to use the language of the Crown
Prince, that " the lessons of history
reject the idea of universal monarchy,
and that the sentiment of independ-
ence, though it may be deadened in
the hearts of nations, can never be de-
stroyed." What was the consequence
of his presumptuous ambition ? A mil-

Chap. 15.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

263

lion of men had been sacrificed in less
than two years ; and instead of being
near the accomplishment of his wishes,
he was now forced to tell France, that
she might expect to be invaded, unless
she consented to make unparalleled ef-
forts. The empress endeavoured to
raise a suspicion, that the allies meant
to dismember France ; but they had
already declared, that «* they had no
designs against France ; but that they
were determined to be governed by
their own princes and their own laws."
For the " agitations of a degraded
throne, and a crown without glory,"
to which the empress alluded in her
speech, Buonaparte had to blame him*
self alone.

The increasing embarrassments of
the French army no longer admitted
of concealment. Sir Charles Stewart,
an accurate observer, and a very able
man, made some judicious reflections,
in one of his dispatches written about
this period. " His (Buonaparte's)
plan seems to have been," said Sir
Charles, ** to attack the allies, if he
could do so with an evident advantage ;
if not, to impede their advance, and
by menaces gain time either to extri-
cate himself from the dangerous pre-
dicament in which he stands, or to
manoeuvre the allies out of their posi-
tion. The latter he had not done, for
after all his marches to and from the
Bohemian frontier, the grand allied
army remained on the spot to which
it retired after the attack upon Dres-
den ; and Buonaparte had entered the
Bohemian passes one day, only to quit
them the next. So that in this quarter
his movements had been of no avail,
while time had been given to the al-
lied armies in ether parts to press for-
ward and close upon him. Meanwhile
his numerical strength was decreasing
daily. The sword had done much,
sickness had scarcely done less, and
repeated defeats, with the accompany-
ing privations, depressed the spirits

and hopes of the whole army." — Up-
wards of 5000 letters were seized upon
a French courier. — ** These," said Sir
Charies, « give the most doleful de-
tails of the French army and their de-
feats ; the whole are in the most de-
sponding style."

Great, however, as were the advan-
tages of the allies, yet in the present re-
lative position of the armies there was
little prospect that they might imme-
diately inflict any fatal blow by the
superior forces which they had at their
disposal. Buonaparte, from his cen-
tral situation, could still command a
temporary superiority at any point
which was seriously threatened. The
grand army had appeared before Dres-
den, but had again retreated. Blucher
had repeatedly approached from the
other side of the Elbe ; but 100,000
men defended the passage of the river ;
and he beat in vain against that im-
pregnable barrier. The Crown Prince,
however, was preparing to pass at
Rosslau, and to advance. This opera-
tion led to a series of skirmishes.

Buonaparte had given orders that
his generals should take Dessau, cost
what it might. Information of this
was received, by the Crown Prince, in
sufficient time to give Major- General
Schulzenheim notice to evacuate the
place, and retire upon the works at the
iete-du'pont. This service was per-
formed without loss ; and the enemy
did not undertake any thing against
Schulzenheim. The party covering
the workmen at the tete-dti-pont, how-
ever, advanced to reconnoitre nearly
as far as Dessau; the posts of the
enemy, having ventured out of the
city, were driven into the streets, and
the reconnoitering party retired be-
hind the entrenchments. Bernadotte
soon after obtained information that
the enemy at Dessau had received rein-
forcements, and was advancing against
the tete-dwpont. Field-Marshal Count
Stedingk accordingly sent Col. Bjornes-

264

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 15.

tierna against him with 1000 infantry,
some cavalry, and two pieces of artille-
ry. The enemy hastily retired into the
town, and shut the gates ; a few young
officers and soldiers, hurried on by
too much bravery, threw themselves,
in spite of the enemy's shower of bul-
lets from the houses and walls, on a
gate, and endeavoured to cut it open
with axes; but nails and iron bands
rendered this impossible. Colonel
Bjornestierna ordered his troops to
fall back to the teie du pont ; but
when he had retired about one hundred
yards, the enemy opened the gate, and
fired on him with three pieces of ar-
tillery. The colonel halted, returned
the fire with his artillery, and marched
on the enemy, who retired into the
town, and fastened the gates after
them. In the evening the enemy again
left the town, and took a direction to-
wards the bridge across the Mulda,
which was entrusted to a battalion un-
der the command of Colonel Alder-
creutz. This officercrossed the bridge,
attacked the enemy, and drove him
briskly into the town, the gates of
which were again closed.

The enemy once more shewed him-
self with a corps of 7 or 8000 men be-
tween the Mulda and the Elbe. As the
allies had drawn their posts in, the ene-
my seemed disposed to march against
the entrenchments, and to force them.
Lieutenant 'General Sandals put him-
self at the head of three battalions,
and advanced from the lines upon the
enemy. He overthrew him and drove
him briskly back. As this general
had received orders to return to the
teieduponft he executed them with
such precision as could not have been
excelled on the place of exercise. The
French in this affair lost upwards of
600 men. — The Swedish array having
thrown a bridge of boats over the
Elbe, at Rosslau, passed the river, and
again moved upon Dessau. Its ad-
vanced posts extended to Raguhn and

Janitz, and a junction with Blucher's
army was thus accomplishfed. As the
third Prussian corps d*armee, under
the command of General Bulow, and
the corps of General Tauentzein, had
already crossed the Elbe, General
Thumen remained before Wittenberg.
This general was induced to continue
the siege with vigour, since it was ob-
vious that the possession of Wittenberg
must render the allies masters of the
Elbe, as this fortress would at once
cover Berlin, and serve as a depot for
the allied armies.

An expedition undertaken by Gene-
ral Tchernicheff against Cassel was
attended with brilliant success. Never
were boldness, talents, and valour, more
eminently displayed than on this occa-
sion. The general marched on the 24 th
to Ekslcben, the 2Sth to Rosslau, and,
avoiding a Westphalian corps under
the orders of General Bastinellar, post-
ed at Heilligenstadt, he made a lateral
movement, passed through Sonders-
hausen, and arrived on the 2i5th, in the
evening, at Muhlhausen. Thence he
marched upon Cassel. Investing the
city on every side, he ordered the cos-
sacks and the hussars of Jzum to at-
tack the enemy's battaHons, stationed
at Bettenhausen, with six pieces of
cannon. By a brilliant charge the
guns were taken, the enemy dispersed,
and more than 400 prisoners made.
The fugitives were pursued into the
city ; but, as the streets were barrica-
doed, the Russians at length fell back.

Jerome Buonaparte, the intrusive
King of Westphaha, collected two bat-
talions of guards, and a thousand horse,
and fled from Cassel by the road lead-
ing to Frankfort. Colonel Benken-
dorff charged four squadrons of light
horse, forming part of the escort, not
one of whom escaped ; he took 250
men and 10 officers. — Tchernicheff
received information that General Bas-
tinellar, with a French corps, was ad-
vancing to the relief of Cassel. He

Chap. 15,]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

265

marched during the night of the 28th
upon Melzulgan, in order to meet the
enemy with his entire force. The hos-
tile corps dispersed ; only twenty cui-
rassiers and two guns were taken The
troops who followed the king disper-
sed in like manner ; more than 300 of
them joined General TchernichefF, and
marched witli him on the 30th against
Cassel. The Russian general made use
of the artillery captured from the ene-
my, and cannonaded the town. The
Leipzig gate, with the cannon planted
there, was carried by Colonel Benken-
dorfF. Tchcrnicheff then offered terms
of capitulation to the general of division
AHx, who obtained a free passage for
the French and Westphalian troops
with their arms and military baggage.
The city was occupied on the evening
of the SQthby the Russians ; the joy of
the inhabitants was enthusiastic. The
greater part of the Westphalian troops
ranged themselves under the banners
of the allies ; and a fatal blow was
thus struck against the influence of
the French in the kingdom of West-
phalia.

This chapter may be concluded, by
a recapitulation of the important events
which had lately occurred. In the
month of August, the French attempt-
ed to invade at once Mecklenburgh,
Swedish Pomerania, the Middle Mark,
Silesia, and Bohemia. In the month
of September, after vain efforts, repel-
led on all sides, they were driven
across the Elbe near Hamburgh, wed-
ged into a corner of Lusatia, expelled
from Bohemia, with considerable loss of
men and cannon, and disturbed in their
line of communication between Dres-
den, Altenburg, Leipzig, and Erfurt.
Towards the end of the month, the
combined armies passed the Elbe. Vic-
tory opened to the corps of General
Walmoden, the Old Mark, Luneberg,
and the route of Hanover and Bohe-
mia ; made the Crown Prince x^fn-
ter of the duchie* of Anholt, and

other provinces formerly Prussian, and
secured to Blucher the passage of the
Elbe at Elster, his march upon Leip-
zig by turning Wittenberg, and his
communication with the army of the
north of Germany.

The Russian and Prussian armies,
immoveable in the position which they
had chosen in Bohemia from Toplitz
to the Elbe, waited the enemy in the
fatal valley of Culm, received him with
courage, drove him bacfe as often as
he dared to descend from the moun-
tains, wasted him with famine, and
demoralized his armiies. Dresden, in-
stead of beir.g a point from which
Buonaparte attacked, now became to
him a point of retreat. Meanwhile,
the Austrian army extended itself on
one side as far as Freyberg, Chemnitz,
and Altenburg ; and on the other to-
wards Thuringia and Bavaria ; it
pushed forward strong detachments,
and covered powerful diversions, ac-
complished by partisans at once brave
and fortunate. Where was Buona-
parte during the whole of September ?
At Dresden and its vicinity ; again at
Dresden and its vicinity. He sent hi«
sick and wounded to Leipzig and Er-
furt ; kept the King of Saxony and
his whole family at Dresden, to give
himself the semblance of security, and
continued to exercise a despotic sway,
which was now confined to the capital
of a petty kingdom. From Dres-
den those bags of letters were dispatch-
ed, which being intercepted and pub-
lished, communicated just ideas of the
true situation of the French army, and
of the disposition of the troops.

The treaty of alliance, concluded
at Toplitz, between Austria, Russia,
and Prussia — the negociations opened
with Bavaria — the unequivocal move-
ments of the grand combined army
towards the Maine — the siege of Wit-
tenbnrg resumed with vigour — the junc-
tion of the iirmy of Blucher with that
of the Crown Prince, proved to Bu®^

266 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 15.

naparte the difficulties of his situation
more effectually than his minister and
generals had hitherto been able to do.
Russia, Austria, and Prussia, mu-
tually guaranteed their states on the
footing of 1805 ; they set out with
the unchangeable principle of not per-
mitting a single French bayonet to re-
main in Germany. Already the sceptre
of the intrusive King of Westphalia
was broken in pieces. The city of
Cassel, by the exertions of General

Tchernicheff, had placed its keys in
the hands of the Crown Prince. The
old order of things succeeded to the
most oppressive tyranny. The trenches
were opened before Dantzig, Stettin,
and Glogau. These garrisons were
destitute of necessaries ; they had many-
sick. Magdeburg also was ill provision-
ed ; and Buonaparte was placing even
the fortresses on the Rhine in a state
of defence.

<<i»

Chap. 16.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

567

CHAP. XVI.

Grand Movent enl of the Allied Armies. — Decisive Battle of Leipzig, and Rout
of the French. — Their Flight to the Rhine. — The Combined Armies pass the
French Frontier,

J HE operations of the allied armies,
although they had already been at-
tended with important results, had not
been of so decisive a character as to in-
terrupt altogether the communications,
or to break the strength of the grand
French army at Dresden. Should Buo-
naparte be able to maintain his ground
in that capital, until the immense levies
now raising in France could arrive to
his support, it became evident that the
contest might be prolonged to an in-
definite duration ; the alhes, therefore,
perceived the necessity of more vigor-
ous efforts. Their forces had been
augmented by the arrival of General
Beningsen, at the head of a Russian
corps of 40,000 men. PlatofT, the cos-
sack chief, who had been for some
time absent from the scene of active
operations, now re-appeared ; his war-
riors formed part of Beningsen's corps
which joined the grand army in Bohe-
mia. So great and seasonable a rein-
forcement determined the leaders of
the Bohemian army to make a grand
movement on their left, and, ascending
from Bohemia, to interpose between
Dresden and the communication with

the Rhine. Platoff, with his cossacks,
led the advance, and cut up a French
corps, under Lefebvre, which had been
sent by Buonaparte to clear the road
from Dresden. The Bohemian army
proceeded in three divisions towards
Chemnitz and Freiburgh, — the Rus-
sians by Commotau, — the Prussians by
Brix, and the Austrians from Toplitz.
The force of the Russians and Prus-
sians amounted to 90,000, that of the
Austrians to 100,000 men.

General Blucher and the Crown
Prince at the same time advanced, and
formed a junction. — The march of
Blucher was truly astonishing. He
had with him about 60,000 men ; — he
brought also all his cannon and bag-
gage and a bridge equipage ; and yet
he effected this great movement with
incredible velocity. The Crown Prince
having forced the Elbe on the 3d of
October, and carried the entrenched
village of Wertemberg, passed over his
whole army the next day at Acken and
Rosslau. Ney immediately fell back
from Dessau. Bernadotte established
his head-quarters there on the 4th, and
proceeded next day to Reguhn, on the

^6$ EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. It).

Mulda, to the southward of Dessau.
His vanguard occupied Cothen, be-
tween the Mulda and the Saale, and
Bernbourg, which is situated on the
last mentioned river. The armies of
the north of Germany, and of Silesia,
amounting together to ] 30,000 men,
made a combined movement on the 5th
towards Leipzig. — Schwartzenburgh,
with the mam body of the Bohemian
army, was at Chemnitz on the 8th, —
Generals Kleist and Wittgenstein were
near Altenberg. — At Lutzen, the Bo
hemian army commu^jicated with the
advance of the other combined armies
under Count Worcnzoff; so that a
line was formed, in Buonaparte's rear,
from Aileben to Altenberg, Chem-
nitz, and the Bohemian frontier. — Ne-
ver, perhaps, had a grander movement
been accomplished. The allies had
now effected their great object of pla-
cing themselves in the rear of the ene-
my ; and it is impossible not to ad-
mire the skill, boldness, and activity
displayed upon this occasion.

An event now occurred of the most
embarrassing nature to the French. Ba-
varia had long been the ally of France,
but whether attached by fear or fa-
vour, it had been difficult to deter-
mine. Buonaparte had certainly been
liberal to her ; he had aggrandized her
at the expence of Austria ; he evi-
dently wished to raise up this state as
a barrier to protect the French terri-
tory.— There were many circumstan-
ces, however, which might prevent
Bavaria from being deeply aflected by
these benefits. — She had been treated
as a vassal, she had been obliged to
unite her troops to the French armies,
and to send them to the extremities of
Europe, to shed their blood in wars
in which she could take no interest.
The tenure by which crowns at the
disposal of Buonaparte were held,
«ould not inspire Bavaria with much
eonfidencc. When his own brothers,
whom he had raised to thrones, were.

in a moment of caprice, at once preci-
pitated from them, the destinies of
others connected with him by no natu-
ral ties, could not be considered as very
secure. Such sentiments on the part
of the Bavarian monarch, were more
than seconded by the people, who
shared the flame of patriotism by
which every German breast was filled.
In the army this feeling was very ar-
dent J and remonstrances from that
quarter are said to have had consider-
able influence in producing the deter-
mination of the cabinet A superior
Austrian corps, under Prince ReusS)
had already entered the Bavarian ter-
ritory ; and the French army assem-
bled on the Maine, and from which
Buonaparte had promised assistance to
Bavaria, had in the exigency o nis
aff'airs been directed to repair to the
Elbe. The king therefore suddenly
determined to dissolve all the ties
which united him to France, and to
afford to the cause of the allies his full
and cordial co-operation. A treaty of
alliance and concert between Austria
and Bavaria was accordingly signed by
Prince Reuss and General Wrede, on
the 8th of October. Wrede, with
35,000 Bavarian troops, and 25,000
Austrians, which were placed under
his command, immediately co-operated
with the combined armies.

In this most critical state of affairs,
Buonaparte had but one part to act.
He had no choice but to quit Dres-
den without delay, as he could no
longer indulge any reasonable hope of
maintaining it ; and, with the utmost
expedition, to concentrate his whole
forces upon Leipzig, and the hne of
the Saale. He might thu!> have im-
peded the movements of the two great
portions of the allied army, and might
have been enabled to maintain himself
for some time in his new position. A
succession of similar movements might
indeed have raanoeuvered him out of
Germany. For the present, however,

IlIAP. 16.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

2G*J

he remained unbroken, and might have
estabhshed himself on the line of the
Maine, a most advantageous position,
which drfe[)ded France by threaten-
ing the flank of any enemy who might
enter it, and, at the same time, afford-
ed an opening into the very heart of
Germany. But his mind was not yet
brought down to the level of his for-
tune ; he refused to bend beneath the
fate which pressed on him, and per-
sisted to act upon principles suited to
other times and other circumstances
than those to which he was now redu-
ced. He was thus led to prefer a
bolder plan, which the allies had left
open for him. He resolved to cross
the Elbe ; to extend himself along the
opposite bank from Dresden to Mag-
deburg, and thence to push detached
corps into the heart of Prussia, and
even upon Berlin ; but this course was
imprudent and chimerical Inferior in
the field, and with the entire popula-
tion hostile, he had no chance of ob-
taining a footiRg in the Prussian terri-
tory; while, by suffering the allied
armies to operate in his rear, he laid
the sure foundation of disaster, if not
of total destruction.

This plan, however, being resolved
upon, no immediate obstacle opposed
its execution. On the 7th of Octo-
ber, Buonaparte set out from Dres-
den, preceded by the greater part of
his army, which directed its march,
not upon Leipzig or the line of re-
treat, but upon Wittenburg, and the
bridges by which the Swedish and
Prussian armies had crossed. There
was nothing to make head against
him : The bridges were taken or de-
stroyed ; the blockade of Wittenberg
was rajjed ; General Tauentzein, with
his small army of 10,000 men, was
driven back precipitately upon Berlin,
and the utmost alarm seized that ca-
pital.

The Crown Prince and Blucher,
upon learning this new direction of

the French army, although they could
not anticipate from it any unfavour-
able issue to the eontest, felt the
necessity of making a corresponding
change in their own arrangements.
They determined to follow close ia
the rear of Buonaparte, and to be
ready to act against him wherever he
might be found. With this view they
repassed the Saale and the Elster, and
were preparing to gain the other side
of the Elbe, when they learned that a
complete change was observable in the
movements of the enemy. The divi-
sions which had passed the Elbe and
threatened Berlin had been recalledt
and all the ditferent corps were mo-
ving apparently in the direction of
Leipzig. Buonaparte, in fact, was
now hastening, with all his forces, to
that field of action where the fate of
Europe was so soon to be decided.

The reason assigned by Buonaparte
himself for so sudden a change of plan,
was the intelligence just received, that
Bavaria had not only dissolved the al-
liance which had so long united her to
France, but had concluded with the al-
lies a treaty of co-operation, and that
her armies were about to act in con-
junction with those of Austria. Such
events might no doubt have afforded SI
sufficient reason for this change of
movement, had other reasons beca
wanting ; yet very slight reflection
might have sufficed to convince him
of the absurd nature of the plan upon
which he had been acting. This in-
stance of vacillation in his councils,
however, was the source of irrepa-
rabte injury to his affairs. By not
marching at once to Leipzig and the
Saale, he suffered the allied armies to
conduct their operations unmolested
in his rear ; and he was afterwards
driven to retrace his steps when it
was too late to reap the benefit*
which might have been derived from
more vigorous and seasonable measuref.
When Buonaparte arrived at Leip-

-270 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 16.

zlg, the place was still in the posses-
sion of his troops ; but hostile armies
were on every side, within view of its
walls. The united armies of the Crown
Prince and of Blucher extended on the
north from the Mulda to the Saale ;
the army of Silesia communicated along
the Saale with the grand army, which
extended on the south from that river
to the Mulda. The two armies touch-
ed each other only at this extremity ;
they were thus in some degree separa-
ted at other points ; but their opposite
lines were so near that they could com-
municate by signals, and hear the sound
of each other*s cannon. They thus ob-
viated, in a great measure, the danger
of separation ; and the French gained
little or no benefit by their interposi-
tion. They were obliged to divide their
force to make head against the north-
ern army on the one side, and the
grand army on the other j and as they
were pressed into so narrow a space,
those bold and sweeping manceuvres
which they were accustomed to prac-
tise with so much success were alto-
gether precluded.

The 16th of October, the day im-
mediately following the arrival of Buo-
naparte, was fixed upon by Prince
Schwartzenberg for a general attack
on all the French positions around
Leipzig. On the north, the French
line extended from that city through
Delitch and Bitterfeld to the Mulda.
The army of the Crown Prince formed
the left of the opposite line, reaching
from Wetten to Zarlug. But as Ge-
neral Blucher was on the right, and
had his head-quarters pushed to Gross
Kirgal, he was nearest Leipzig ; and
it was therefore determined that on his
side the grand effort should be made. —
Having made his dispositions, the Prus-
sian general accordingly attacked, in
the morning, three French corps com-
manded by Marshal Ney. The ene-
my made a desperate resistance ; seve-

ral of the villages in dispute were five
or six times taken and retaken ; but at
length the French were driven from all
their positions, and forced to retire be-
hind the Partha, which immediately
covered Leipzig. The French lost in
this battle forty pieces of cannon, and
12,000 prisoners ; General Blucher's
loss was estimated at 6 or 7000 killed
and wounded.

On the same day, a simultaneous
attack was made on the other side
by the grand Bohemian army in the
neighbourhood of Wachar and Lie-
bert Walkowitz. The Russians be-
gan by storming two fortified posi-
tions which covered the front of the
enemy's centre. Buonaparte, however,
collected the whole mass of his cavalry,
which, commanded by Murat, suc-
ceeded in breaking the centre of the
allies. The moment was critical ; to-
tal defeat might have been the conse-
quence ; but six regiments of Aus-
trian cuirassiers advanced, gallantly
withstood the efforts of the enemy,
and succeeded in checkinghis progress.
The French gained some ground ; but,
upon the whole, this desperate and
sanguinary action made no material
change in the relative position and
strength of the two armies.

On the 17th, the allies made a pause,
with the view of bringing up their
reinforcements. General Benningsen
had, on the advance of Prince Schwart-
zenberg, been left to observe Dresden
with a large army ; but when Buona-
parte quitted that capital, and left it
defended by St Cyr alone, with a gar-
rison of 16,000 men, so great a force
was no longer necessary for the pur-
poses of observation, and active ope-
rations against Dresden could be de-
layed with perfect safety till the great
battle was decided. Benningsen was
therefore directed to leave merely a
detachment before Dresden, and with
his whole remaining force to push foi-^

Chap. 16.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

t>71

ward as expeditiously as possible to
join the grand army.

It is difficult to account for the in-
activity in which Buonaparte remained
during this important day. Aware,
as he must have been, of the advanta-
ges which the allies were deriving from
the delay, a wise policy surely dicta-
ted that he should either have attack-
ed them before their reinforcements
could arrive, or that he should have
seized the opportunity of effecting his
retreat with less molestation. It was
inconsistent with his usual system thus
to linger, and allow the allies to choose
their own time for attack. — Some mi-
nor changes, however, were made in
the dispositions of the French army ;
it was drawn closer round Leipzig.
On the north it was withdrawn behind
the river Partha, which afforded an
advantageous defensive line ; on the
south, it retired from Liebert Wal-
kowitz, and Wachar, where the battle
of the 16th had been fought, into the
interior line of Conneivitz, Prolisthey-
da, and Stctcritz. The French suc-
ceeded also on this day in making aa
opening through the allied line along
the Saale, in the direction of Weissen-
fels. Thus they at once secured to
themselves a retreat, and cut off the
communication, unless by signals, be-
tween the allied armies.

The allies, however, having brought
up all their reinforcements, determined
on the following day to execute their
designs, and to bring the fate of Eu-
rope to this final crisis. The great
battle which followed was not distin-
guished by any bold manoeuvres, or
striking vicissitudes. The efforts of
the allied armies were chiefly confined
to storming, by prodigious efforts, the
French positions. On the north, the
leading attack was made by the Crown
Prince, who was now much farther ad-
vanced than he had been on the 16th.
Being at the head of the Partha
river, by which the passage is least

difficult, he was in the most advanta-
geous position for approaching Leip-
zig. Blucher, therefore, to enable
him to act with greater effect, rein-
forced him with 30,000 men from
his own army. The passage was ef-
fected almost without resistance, and
3000 prisoners were taken at Taucha.
The enemy fell back towards Leipzig,
covering his retreat by the villages of
Sonnerfelt, Parmsdorf, and Schonfe-
lott. From these, however, he was
finally driven. The success at this
point was greatly promoted by an un-
expected event ; a large body of West-
phalian and Saxon troops, the latter
bringing with them twenty-two pieces
of artillery, came over from the oppo-
site army ; for although their sovereign
still fought on the side of France, they
considered the allied cause as theirs.
They accepted at once the invitation
of the Crown Prince, who offered to
head them as they turned their guns
against the enemy. A delay in the ar-
rival of the Swedish cannon rendered
this unexpected supply of the highest
importance.

On the side of the grand Bohemian
army, although the enemy had direct-
ed to that pomt his chief efforts of re-
sistance, the success was still more de-
cisive. The allied corps, pressing in
from all quarters, carried every thing
before them. Towards evening, they
formed a junction with the army of
the north ; and the united forces of
all the powers were established beneath
the walls of Leipzig.

Buonaparte felt at length, and too
late, that no means remained to him of
further resistance. A great part of his
army had perished in the preceding
battles ; and the preponderance of his
enemies, already considerable, had been
largely augmented. Of those who re-
mained in his ranks, a great proportion
were secretly hostile to him, and were
the more formidable that they had not
yet openly declared themselves. A\\

m EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, iSis. [Chap. 16.

his outposts and fortified lines were
gone ; and no prospect now remained
for him, since thevictorious armies were
prepared to storm his last retreat. He
no longer hesitated, therefore, to re-
tire by the only way which still re-
mained open, and the evening had
scarcely closed when the whole French
army began to defile by the road lead-
ing to Weissenfels. The passage, nar-
rowed as it was at present, was attend-
ed with extreme difficulty. Five or
six rivers, running parallel, and near
to each other, and requiring bridges
over each, formed a long and narrow
defile, through which an encumbered
army could march only slowly and
with difficulty. Day broke, and a
part of the troops were still in Leipzig.
Buonaparte o»-dered the magistrates of
Leipzig to send a deputation, request*
ing that hostihties might be suspend-
ed, for the purpose of arranging a ca-
pitulation. The object of this demand
was evident ; he wished to retreat un-
molested, and to extricate his army
from their present embarrassments. It
was accordingly determined that such
a respite should not be granted. The
Emperor Alexander received the mes-
senger in person ; and, in presence of
the army, announced to him this reso-
lution. The allied forces were then
led on to the attack ; after a short re-
sistance the city was carried ; and about
eleven o'clock of the forenoon, the
Emperor of Russia, the King of Prus-
sia, and the Crown Prince of Sweden,
arriving from different quarters, met
in the great square of Leipzig, amid
the acclamations of the army and of
the people. Buonaparte had quitted
the city about two hours before, lea-
ving a large party of his army. To
them the disaster was greatly increa-
sed, when the confederate forces, on
entering the city, were joined by all
the remaining Saxon and other Ger-
man troops. The French, now at-
tacked and fired upon from all quar-

ters, no longer knew whither to turn ;
the narrow bridge was soon choaked
by crowds of fugitives trampling upon
each other. The passage was stop-
ped ; prisoners were taken by thou-
sands ; and of the few who endeavour-
ed to save themselves by swimming,
the greater part perished in the wa-
ters. The whole rear-guard of the
French army, including some of its
most distinguished commanders, fell
into the hands of the confederates.
Among the prisoners were Regnier,
Brune, Vallery, Bertrand, and Lauris-
ton. Macdonald with difficulty gain-
ed, by swimming, the opposite bank ;
but Prince Poniatowsky, endeavour-
ing to do the same, sunk, and was
drowned. The wounded, to the num-
ber of 30,000, were all taken ; and
the King of Saxony, with hia whole
court, ranked among the prisoners. It
was now too late for this monarch to
obtain any merit by joining the cause
of the allies ; and, as against his orders
the whole of his troops had already
ranged themselves under their stand-
ard, he was no longer capable of ren-
dering them any service. It was jud-
ged proper to inflict some chastisement
for that injury which, on a former oc-
casion, the common cause had sustain-
ed from him, and he was sent, under a
guard, to the castle of Eysebnach.

Some striking passages are to be
found in the account of these great ope-
rations given by the Crown Prince.
"As the enemy was obliged,'* saysBer-
nadotte, " to make his retreat by the
defiles of Pleisse, the baggage, cannon,
and troops, pressed pell mell through
the narrow passes which remained open
to them, and which were soon choak-
ed up by this general disorder. None
thought but of making his own es-
cape. The advanced guards of the
army of Silesia and of Benningsen en-
tered, almost at the same time, through
the other gates of the city.

*f The results of the battle of Leip-

Chap. 16.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

273

/ig are immense and decisive. He
did not quit Leipzig in person until
ten o'clock in the morning of the 1 9th.
Finding that a fire of musketry had
already commenced at the Ranstabt
gate, towards Lutzen, he was obliged
to depart by the Pegau gate. The al-
lied armies had taken 15 generals, and
amongst them Generals Kegnier and
Lauriston, commanding cor/?5 d'annee.
Prince Poniatowsky was drowned in
attempting to pass the Elster. The
body of General Dumorestier, chief
of the staff of the Uth corps, was
found in the river, and more than 1000
men were drowned in it. The Duke
of Bassano escaped on foot. Marshal
Ney is supposed to have been wound-
ed. More than 250 pieces of cannon,
900 caissons, and above 15,000 pri-
soners, have fallen into the hands of
the allies, besides several eagles and
colours. The enemy has abandoned
more than 23,000 sick and wounded,
with the whole of the hospital esta-
blishment.

" The total loss of the French army
must exceed 60,000 men. According
to every calculation, t'le Emperor Na-
poleon has been able to save from the
general disaster not more than 75,000
or 80,000 men. The allied armies are
in motion to pursue him, and every
moment are brought in prisoners, bag-
gage, and artillery. The German and
Polish troops desert from the French
standards in crowds ; and every thing
announces that the liberty of Germany
has been conquered at Leipzig.

** It is inconceivable how a man, who
commanded in thirty pitched battles,
and who had exalted himself by mili-
tary glory, in appropriating to himself
that of all the old French generals,
bhould have been capable of concen-
trating his army in so unfavourable a
position as that in which he had pla-
ced it. The Elster and the Pleisse in
his rear, a marshy ground to traverse,
and only a single bridge for the pas-

VOL, VI. PRT I,

sage of 100,000 men and 8000 bag-
gage waggons. Every one asks, Is
this the great captain who has hitherto
made Europe tremble ?"

Such was the termination of this
succession of combats ; the annals of
Europe, ensanguined as they are, had
never yet presented any thing on so
grand a scale. Famine and pestilence,
which follow in the train of war, did
their part, and co-operated with the
sword in the work of death. The re-
treat of Buonaparte was such as might
have been expected ; a powerful army
was behind, and clouds of light troops
were far advanced before him. A daily
loss of artillery, baggage, and prison-
ers, marked his course from the Saale
to the Maine.

All hope of making head against the
allies in Germany, on the Rhine, or
even on the French side of the Rhine,
seemed chimerical. Buonaparte had
never before been in a dilemma like the
present. When he witnessed the de-
struction of his fleet at the battle of the
Nile, his retreat, indeed, was cut off
from a field of ambition, on which
he had rashly entered ; when he was
beaten before the walls of Jaffa, his way
to Egypt was still open, and he escaped
without interruption ; when he slept
amid the ashes of Moscow, although
the vision of glory which led him thi-
ther deserted his pillow, he dreamt not
of the withering blasts which were to
cut off his army on its return. Amid
all these calamities his spirit never for-
sook him ; but the perils of his present
situation were manifest in all their ap-
palling aggravations. A victorious
army was already in the south of his
no longer " saered France ;" his army
in Germany was nearly annihilated ;
and the conquerors were ready on all
sides to bear him down.

The retreat of Buonaparte was be-
set with difficulties. The Bavarian
troops, 35,000 strong, had taken post
at Hannau to impede bis movements.

274. EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 16.

Had Blucher followed by the same
route which the French army hadtaken,
its destruction would have been inevi-
table ; but the Prussian general, by an
unfortunate, though very natural, cal-
culation, supposed that, as the Bava-
rian army was on the Maine, Buona-
parte would not retire by that route,
but would cross the Rhine at Coblen tz.
Upon this place Blucher accordingly
directed his march. Buonaparte, there-
fore, on approaching Hannau, could
turn his whole remaining force, amount-
ing to 70 or 80,000 men, against the
Bavarian army, which did not exceed
30,000. Wrede, however, with the
most gallant determination, resolved to
stand the unequal contest ; and for two
days this army maintained itself glori-
ously, with severe loss indeed, but
without any signal defeat. -Wrede him-
self received a wound, which, at first,
threatened to prove mortal, but from
which he fortunately recovered. It
was impossible, however, with forces
so far inferior, to avoid being pushed
aside ; and Buonaparte was thus en-
abled to proceed on the road to Frank-
fort. He did not stop in that city,
but continued his march ; and on the
7th of November he crossed the Rhine
with his whole army, leaving behind
him all his conquests, and all his tow-
ering hopes of universal dominion.

He returned to Paris on the 9th,
having sent before him twenty stands
of colours taken by his victorious ar-
mies in the battles of Weissen, Leip-
zig, and Hannau ! These trophies
were presented with much solemnity to
Her Imperial Majesty. Cardinal Mau-
ry pronounced an appropriate oration
over them, in which he proved that
Buonaparte's late resolution to retire
upon the Rhine was a proof of his
wisdom and genius, no less signal than
his former plan to maintain the line of
the Elbe!

In the midst of these solemn and
interesting proceedings, new disasters

were in preparation for the ruler of
France. Holland, by a great move-
ment, emancipated herself from the
French yoke ; and, by a bloodless
counter-revolution, asserted her an-
cient rights, and proved her undimi-
nished attachment to the house of
Orange. Commissioners, deputed by
tlie provisional government, repaired
to England, to invite the return of the
Prince of Orange, and to renew the
friendship and alhance of the Dutch
with Great Britain. Nothing was ever
effected with more wisdom than this
counter-revolution. The Dutch, in-
stead of revenging upon the engines of
French tyranny the insults and op-
pressions of twenty years, contented
themselves with dismissing them, and
establishing a provisional government
until the arrival of the Prince of
Orange, The inhabitants of the dif-
ferent towns formed themselves into
municipal guards, to preserve the pub-
lic tranquillity, and to prevent the peo-
ple from breaking out into excesses
against the enemy. — But the interest-
ing events which occurred in Holland
will demand a separate chapter.

By the movements of the army of
the north of Germany, the regency ot
the electorate of Hanover was re-esta-
blished, and the enemy now occupied
on the Lower Elbe only Harburg,
Stade, and the small fort of Hasse,
The inhabitants of all classes display-
ed at Hanover, and at other places of
the electorate, proofs of the most
touching affection for their sovereign.
Bernadotte, whose fortune it formerly
was to command them as an enemy's
general, had the happiness to receive
testimonies of their gratitude for the
manner in which he had then acted
towards them.

The head-quarters of the grand al-
lied army were removed to Frankfort.
Thus, then, the great efforts of France
in 1813, had the same results as those
she mad^ in 1812. « The French Ic-

Chap. 16.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE,

275

gions," said Bernadotte, " which cau-
sed the world to tremble, are retiring
and seeking safety behind the Rhine,
the natural frontier of France, and
which would be still a barrier of iron
had not Napoleon wished to subjugate
all nations, and to ravish from there
their liberties. Although these limits
appear fixed by nature, the Russian
army presents itself before them, be-
cause Napoleon went to seek the Rus
sians at Moscow ; the Prussian army
appears before them, because in breach
of his sworn faith Napokon still re-
tains the fortresses of that monarchy ;
the army of Austria appears before
them because she has insults to revenge,
and because she recollects that after the
peace of Presburg, the title of Em-
peror of Germany was torn from her
supreme chief. If the Swedes are there
also, it is because, amid profound peace,
and in violation of the most solemn
treaties, Napoleon treacherously sur-
prised them at Stralsund, and insult-
ed them at Stockholm The allies re-
gret the misfortunes of the French ;
they lament the calamities which the
•war brings in its train ; and, far from
being dazzled, like Napoleon, by the
success with which Providence has fa-
voured their arms, they are ardently
desirous of peace. All nations sigh
for that boon of Heaven, and Napo-
leon alone has hitherto placed himself
in opposition to the happiness of the
world. Hence all the princes, lately
his aUies, hastened to abjure the ties
which connected him with them ; even
those whose states had been aggran-
dised in consequence of his power or
influence, renounced the aggrandise-
ment which they owed to his pretend-
ed friendship. In pursuing the noble
object of all its efforts, that of a gene-
ral peace, the army of the north of
Germany could not permit an enemy's
force to be cantoned upon its com-
munications.— Pamplona," continued
this spirited writer, « has capitulated.

The victorious troops of the Marquis
of Wellington are now upon French
ground ; it is for having attacked the
Spaniards in the bosom of peace, that
the peaceful inhabitants of the Adour
behold an enemy's army upon its
banks. The Emperor of Russia's, the
Emperor of Austria's, the King of
Prussia's, and other formidable armies,
are upon the banks of the Rhine. One
single object directs these masses — a
general peace, founded upon natural
limits, the sole guarantee of its solidi-
ty. Amid the miseries which have so
long desolated the continent, the in-
struments have been as much to be
pitied as the victims ; and it is the hap-
piness of Frenchmen, as well as that of
their own nations, that the allied so-
vereigns desire. War can have but one
honourable object— a conquest which
alone is desirable and just — peace.
Millions of voices demand it of the
French people. Will they be deaf to
the voice of humanity, of reason, and
of their dearest interests ? Where is
the Frenchman who has not been pro-
foundly affected in reading the reply
of Napoleon to the senate ? The pre-
sident of that assembly, in the name
of France, demands peace of the em-
peror ; and this sovereign, who for two
years has been the witness of the death
of (:00,000 men, replies coldly, and
merely says, * that posterity shall ac-
knowledge that the existing circum-
stances were not above him.' Thus
the Emperor Napoleon does not wish
for peace ; and as Europe desires it,
she ought to prepare to obtain it by
means of arms. Let us hope that the
wishes of the French will unite with
those of Europe."

The grand allied army, consisting of
the Austrian, Bavarian, and part of
the Russian and Prussian armies, was
now on the Maine, the respective so-
vereigns being at Frankfort. Dres-
den, with its garrison of 16,000 men,
under St Cyr and Count Lobau, sur-

276 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 16,

rendered to the Russians. -The French
were not allowed terms of capitulation ;
the whole of their troops became pri-
soners 6f war; and the Russian force,
which had been employed before this
capital, was now at Hbei ty to undertake
other operations. — The i rown Prince,
with about 40,000 Russian and Prus-
sian troops, had left Bremen for Hol-
land, where General Winzengerode*8
corps had already arrived ; General
Bulow was between Munster and Arn-
heim ; Benningsen and Walmoden, with
the Hanoverians, and General Alder-
crantz with the Swedes, were march-
ing against Davoust and the Danes.

The town of Arnheim, important
on account of its position, was taken
by General Bulow on the 30th of No-
vember ; the garrison was put to the
sword. This severity was inflicted as
some retaliation for the cruelties com-
mitted by the French at the little town
of Woerden in Holland. The annals
of the revolution, sanguinary as they
are, record* nothiiig more atrocious
than the conduct of the enemy at this
j>lace. The town was taken by a small
detachment of Dutch national guards
on the 2Jd, and the French garrison
was permitted to retire without injury
or molestation. The next day they
returned, reinforced by troops from
Utrecht, and retook the town by storm.
Then was acted a scene the most re-
volting to humanity. The old and the
young were indisciiminately massa-
cred ; three generations were at once
«wept away. The heart sickens at the
contemplation of such a scene ; but
the recollection of it, as it nerved the
arms of the Prussians for vengeance,
so it may serve to justify their inexo-
rable determination.

Buonaparte now proposed to treat for
the surrender of all the fortresses on
the Elbe, the Oder, and the Vistula :
his proposal was rejected, as the for-
tresses were in the last stage of resist-
ance, and might be expected to fall by

the end of the year. Many of them
had already offered to surrender, on
condition that the garrisons should be
allowed to return to France. But the
consequence of such an arrangement
would have been to give Buonaparte
an army of above 50,000 men ; the
garrisons of Magdeburg, Dantzic,
Torgau, and Wittenberg, amounted to
that number. They might have pro-
mised, indeed, not to serve against the
allies for a certain time, or until they
had been regularly exchanged ; but
the allies were too well acquainted with
the character of the French govern-
ment to place confidence in such en-
gagements.— Before the armistice ex-
pired in the month of August, the al-
lies had offered, through the medium of
Austria, to treat fer the evacuation of
the Prussian fortresses, but Buonaparte
rejected these offers with indignation.
Now that he was beyond the Rhine,
however, he was willing to negociate
for their surrender.

It was generally supposed, that this
offer to negociate concerning the for-
tresses had a reference to other objects.
In the Austrian manifesto, certain ex-
pressions occurred, from which Buo-
naparte might have been induced to
believe that negociation was still prac-
ticable, if he chose to accede to rea-
sonable terms. This belief probably
led him to risk the hostile operations
which terminated so fatally for him.
Perhaps he said to himself, " I will at
least try the chances uf war. I may
be victorious, and then I shall be able
to negociate on better terms ; but if
beaten, 1 shall be able, at all events, to
treat upon the same terms which I now
reject." He appears to have been but
imperfectly aware of the great changes
which recent events had produced.
His retreat had been a flight after one
of the most signal defeats experienced
by any general — a flight, in which the
conqueror was so close upon him, that
his escape was a matter of the greatest

Chap. 16.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

277

difficulty. He had on the Elbe 220,000
men ; he carried to the Rhine not
more than 50,000. While he remained
on the Elbe, many of the German
princes were his allies ; when on the
Rhine, not a single German ally was
left to him. While he was on the
Elbe, Hanover, Westphalia, and Hol-
land, were still under his yoke ; he was
now on the Rhine, with Hanover,
Westphalia, all Germany, and all Hol-
land against him. The people of the
Netherlands were ready to throw off
his authority ; and the combined ar-
mies, in tremendous force, were ready
to pass the Rhine. In such circum-
stances did the alhes reject his insidi-
ous offer for the abandonment of the
fortresses. — The evacuation of the im-
portant fortresses of Breda, Wilhelm-
8tadt, and Helvoetsluys, in Holland,
without the shghtest resistance, pro-
ved that the necessities of Buonaparte
were now so great, as to induce him
to relinquish his former policy of keep-
ing strong garrisons, in every place of
importance, occupied by his armies.
Some of these fortresses were capable
of making a vigorous resistance, and
of standing a long siege. Buonaparte,
however, fought no longerfor conquest,
but for safety — not with the hope of re-
estabHshing his former power and re-
putation, but for existence. Fortresses
were comparatively of little import-
ance to him ; his great object was to
collect and concentrate an army, to en-
able him to oppose a barrier to the
torrent which threatened to overwhelm
him. The allies, therefore, did not
pause in their career to besiege for-
tresses ; they marched on against the
enemy's main force, aware that if they
could beat down the grand army, the
fortresses must afterwards fall of them-
selves.

The combined armies had now ad-
vanced to the Rhine ; and on the first
of December, the sovereigns issued the

memorable declaration of their view*
and policy. The French government,
they remarked, had ordered a new levy
of 300,000 conscripts. The motives
of the senatiis consultiim to that ef-
fect, contained an appeal to the allied
powers. They, therefore, found them-
selves called upon to promulgate anew,
in the face of the world, the viewi
which guided them in the war ; the
principles which formed the basis of
their conduct, their wishes, and their
determinations. They did not make
war upon France, but against that pre-
ponderance which, to the misfortune ©f
Europe and of France itself, the Ena-
peror Napoleon had too long exercised
beyond the limits of his dominions. Vic-
tory had conducted them to the banks
of the Rhine. The first use which they
had made of victory had been to of-
fer peace to the French emperor. An
attitude strengthened by the accession
of all the sovereigns and princes of
Germany had no influence on the con-
ditions of that peace. These condi-
tions were formed on the independence
of the French empire, as well as on
the independence of the other states
of Europe. The views of the powers
were just in their object, generous and
liberal in their application, giving secu-
rity to all, and honourable to each. The
sovereigns desired that France might
be great, powerful, and happy; because
the French power, in a state of great-
ness and strength, is one of the foun-
dations of the social edifice of Europe.
Tncy wished that France might be
happy — that French commerce might
revive — that the arts might again flou-
rish ; because a great people can only
be tranquil in proportion as it is happy.
They offered to confirm to the French
empire an extent of territory which
France under her kings never knew ;
because a valiant nation does not fall
from its rank, by having in its turn
experienced reverses in an obstinate

278 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 16-

and sanguinary contest, in which it
had fought with its accustomed bra-
ver)'. But the allied powers also
wished to be free, tranquil, and happy
themselves. They desired a state of
peace, which, by a wise partition of
strength, by a just equilibrium, might
^ thenceforward preserve their people
from the numberless calamities which
had overwhelmed Europe for the last
twenty years. They would not lay
down their arms until they obtained
this great and beneficial result — the
noble object of their efforts. — They
would not lay down their arms until
the political state of Europe should be
re-established anew — until immoveable
principles had resumed their rights over
vain pretensions — until the fidelity of
treaties should have at last secured a
real peace to Europe.

The most important parts of this
declaration, are those which expressed
a readiness to make peace with Buona-
parte, and intimated an intention of
leaving to France a more extended terri-
tory than she possessed before the re-
volution. Such a line of policy was
by many persons considered as ex-
tremely absurd, and utterly at variance
with the recorded sentiments of the
allied sovereigns. The Austrian de-
claration distinctly stated, that ** Buo-
naparte would not make any sacrifice
to obtain peace." The answer to
Buonaparte's attack in the Leipzig
Gazette, upon the Crown Prince, in
substance, contended that a safe peace
with the French ruler was impractica-
ble. The bulletins of the Crown
Prince asserted that Buonaparte was
not desirous of peace. The object of
these papers, and indeed of all the
others published by the allies, was to
shew, that a solid peace with Buona-
parte could not be expected. Yet
they were now ready to make peace
with him ! It might have been argued,
that their avowal of a different policy,
of a resolution never to make peace

with him, would have amounted to an
interference in the internal government
and affairs of France. Yet it might
with justice be answered, that every
nation was entitled to refuse to make
peace with the ruler of a people who
had proved his utter contempt of all en-
gagements.— But although this policy,
which appeared the safest and wisest,
might not be the policy of the allies,
every one expected, that before making
peace, they would deprive the French
ruler of his preponderance. Yet how
did they provide against this preponde-
rance ? They offered to confirm to the
French empire an extent of territory
which France under her kings never
possessed ; " because a valiant nation
does not fall from its rank, by having
in its turn experienced reverses in an
obstinate and sanguinary contest, in
which it has fought with its accustom-
ed bravery." Thus, although they
knew that France with her ancient
territory, and under her ancient family,
whose ambition was moderation itself
when compared with the ambition of
her new ruler, was almost too strong
for the repose of Europe, the allies
were willing to conclude a peace, lea-
ving in the hands of Buonaparte, and
confirming to him, not France, as old
France, but an " extent of territory
which France under her kings never
knew." After such reverses as France
had experienced, no sovereign, Buo-
naparte excepted, would have refused
terms such as these, which might have
given him the means of disturbing
again, in a few years, the repose of
Europe, and of reducing the continen-
tal powers to the necessity of again
uniting their strength against him.
But Buonaparte did refuse these terms ;
and the world owed a great obliga-
tion to his obstinacy.

On the 4th of December, the corps
of the Prince Royal's army moved
forward ; and on their crossing the
Strecknitz, Marshal Davoust precipi-

Chap. 16.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

279

lately retired upon Hamburgh, leaving
exposed the right wing of the Danes,
which was posted at Oldeslohe. The
French Marshal was pursued by Ge
neral WoronzofF, who moved beyond
BergedorfF, and defeated the whole
French cavalry in a sanguinary engage-
ment at Wandibeck. General Wal-
moden marched upon Oldeslohe ;
Marshal Stedingk manceuvered on
Lubeck ; and General Tettenborn,
with his light troops, pushed into
the interior of Holstein by Tret-
tau, and hung on the flanks and rear
of the French. He cut off all com-
munication between the French and
Danes, and took from the latter a
number of prisoners, carriages, and
ammunition waggons. He likewise in-
tercepted someimportantdispatches. —
The enemy did not hold out against
these combined movements, but com-
menced a precipitate retreat on the
Eyder. Lubeck was evacuated by
the Danes, who were defeated on the
7th of December by the Swedes, and
vigorously' pursued by General v\'al-
moden, when an obstinate engagement
ensued betwixt a part of his troops and
the whole Danish force. The action
was well conducted, and the Danes
were finally compelled to retire to
Rendsburg. — The communication be-
tween General Dornberg (who had
been detached upon the right bank of
the Eyder) and General Walmoden
was momentarily cut off. The enemy
was reinforced at Sleswick by four
battalions — a regiment of cavalry —
and ten pieces of cannon, sent from the
interior. The critical position of Ge-
neral Dornberg obliged Tettenborn
to direct his operations towards Sles-
wick, which place he was preparing to
attack, when intelligence arrived that
an armistice had been concluded with
the Danes by the mediation of Austria.
— The Danish cabinet, however, was
not yet weaned from its attachments
to French politics ; and the armistice

was soon terminated. In the course
of three days, the whole duchy of Sles-
wick was occupied by the light troops
under General Tettenborn. This offi-
cer had, in conjunction with General
Dornberg, so completely invested the
fortress of Rendsburg, that neither
the garrison, nor even the cavalry be-
longing to it, could find an opportu-
nity of making a sally, for which
orders had been given, on account of
the scarcity reigning in the town. — The
list of conquests made by the army of
the Crown Prince every day increased,
—Holstein was conquered — Sleswick
overrun — and General Tettenborn had
estabhshed his head quarters within a
mile or two of Colding, the frontier
town of Jutland. — On the H-th of
January, however, a treaty of peace
and alliance with Denmark was sign-
ed by Mr Thornton on the part of
England, and by Baron de Witter-
stedt for Sweden ; according to which
10,000Dane8, who were at Rendsburg,
were immediately united with the ar-
my of the north of Germany. — "There
is no longer any rivalship among the
nations of the north," said Bernadotte,
on thia occasion ; " they have acknow-
ledged that they have the same in-
terests. United for the npblest ob-
ject, they will combat together for the
liberty of the continent, the indepen-
dence of sovereigns and of nations.'
The nations of the north do not look
upon the French as enemies ; they re-
cognise no other enemy but him who
has done every thing to prevent their
union ; him who, it cannot be too of-
ten repeated, has wished to enslave all
nations, and to ravish from all their
independence."

By the peace with Denmark, Ber-
nadotte was enabled to move his vic-
torious legions to the Rhine, and to
give the support of his auxiliary troops
to the grand undertakings of the al-
lies. Accordingly General Benning-
sen was left with 30,000 men to form

280

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 16.

the siege of Hamburgh, and 5000 to
blockade Harburg, while the remain-
der moved forward to the principal
scene of action.

Bernadotte probably felt the deli-
cacy of his situation, now that he was
about to invade his native country ;
and he was anxious to explain his mo-
tives, and the principles of his policy,
to the people of France. •* At the
command of my king," said he, <* I
have taken up arms, for the purpose
of defending the rights of the Swedish
people. After having revenged the
insults which they had suffered, and
assisted in effecting the liberation of
Germany, I have passed the Rhine.
At the moment when f again see this
river, on the banks of which I have so
often and so successfully fought for
you, I feel the necessity of again ap
prising you of my sentiments. The
government under which you live has
continually had in view to treat you
with contempt, in order that it might
debase you ; it is high time that this
state of things undergo an alteration.
All enlightened people express their
wishes for the welfare of France ; but
they at the same time desire that she
may no longer be the scourge of the
earth. The allied monarchs have not
united themselves to make war upon
the people, but to force your govern-
ment to acknowledge the independence
of other states. This is their sole mo-
tive and aim, and I will pledge myself
for the integrity of their sentiments.
Adopted son of Charles the 13th, and
placed, by the choice of a free people,
at the foot of the throne of Gustavus,
I can in future be animated with no
other ambition, than that of securing
the happiness of the Scandinavian pe-
ninsula. At the same time, it will
give me great satisfaction (after having
fulfilled this sacred duty to my adopt-
ed country) to secure the future hap-
piness of my former countrymen."

As the allied powers had no alterna-

tive but to prosecute the war, and as
it appeared that the invasion of France
might be best accoraplished through
Switzerland, deputies were sent to
Zurich to learn the disposition of the
cantons. The Swiss in these circum-
stances affected to adopt the extraor-
dinary determination of remaining neu-
tral. When they could be of service to
Buonaparte by their active hostility
against the allies, they thought not
of neutrality ; now that this neutra-
lity must, if regarded, have pro-
tected the most vulnerable part of
the French frontier, they declared
themselves neutral. If Switzerland
thus shifted her attitude and cha-
racter as it might suit the policy of
Buonaparte, she could not complain
that the allies considered and treated
her rather as the associate of the com-
mon enemy, than as a neutral acting
with strict impartialitytowards the bel-
ligerent powers. The law of nations
says, that " should a neutral favour
one of the parties to the prejudice of
the other, she cannot complain of be-
ing treated by him as an adherent and
confederate of the enemy." — The neu-
trality of Switzerland was a fraudulent
neutrality, of which no nation could
consent to be the dupe. — The head
quarters of the alhes were accordingly
removed to Frieburg, in the Brisgau,
within a few miles of Basle ; a step
which formed a preliminary to the
movement in contemplation, of passing
through Basle, for the purpose of in-
vading France on the side of Franche
Comte.

Buonaparte, after several adjourn-
ments, met his legislative body on the
19th December, and, as usual, enter-
tained that venerable assembly with a
speech. He alluded to the recent offers
of the allies to treat with him, and to
the existing state of France. " Nego-
ciations have been entered into with
the allied powers," said he ; "I have
adhered to the preliminary basis which

Chap. 16.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

281

they presented. I had then the hope
that before the opening of this session,
the congress of Manheim would be as-
sembled ; but neuo delays^ which are
not to be ascribed to France, have de
ferred this moment, which the wishes
of the world eagerly call for." — There
was much obscurity in the above al-
lusion. While Buonaparte was at
Dresden, and after Austria had decla-
red against him, some overtures were
understood to have been made, which
he rejected. These overtures proceed-
ed upon the basis, that all the Prussian
fortresses should be evacuated, and
that the French should retire behind
the Rhine, before the assembling of
a congress for peace. But after they
had been beaten across the Rhine,
their ruler offered to treat upon the
same basis as before ; the offer was,
of course, rejected by the allies. — This
was the negociation with the allies to
•which he alluded — this the basis to
which he said he had adhered. He
expected that his adherence would lead
to a congress, which he proposed should
be held at Manheim in the electorate
of Baden, the only district of Germany
which still remained attached to him. —
It was evident, however, that the hopes
which he entertained from a congress
were become less confident, or had en-
tirely vanished. He spoke of new de-
lays^ which could not be ascribed to
him ; he was anxious to throw the
obstacles to the re-establishment of
peace upon the allies. « On my side,"
said he, " there is no obstacle." — But
he accompanied these expressions about
peace with a demand for numerous le-
vies, and an increase of taxes. — Italy,
at all events, it may be remarked,
would have been an obstacle in limine,
not only to peace but to negociation ;
for in a letter from Buonaparte, dated
the 16th of November, to the Duke of
Lodi, he declared that he would not,
under any circumstances, abandon his
people of Italy.

The secrets of the previous negocia-
tions to which Buonaparte alluded,
have never yet, indeed, been fully ex-
plained to the world. It was generally
known, however, that during the ar-
mistice, and even subsequently to it,
different proposals and projets were
submitted to him through the medium
of the Emperor of Austria, who, al-
though he had assumed the attitude
of a belligerent, still wished to act as
a mediator. Before he joined the al-
lies, he submitted the following as a
basis of negociation ; the cession to
himself of the lllyrian provinces and
of Venice ; the erection of Dantzic
into a free city, and the evacuation, as
already mentioned, of the Prussian for-
tresses. This proposal having been re-
jected, Austria joined the allies. The
course of events induced Buonaparte to
do that by compulsion which he had
refused to do from choice ; and he was
driven across the Rhine. A few days
after he arrived at Metz, an officer was
dispatched to Frankfort with a decla-
ration of his readiness to open a nego-
ciation upon the preliminary basis
which had been formerly proposed.
In the altered situation of affairs the
allies rejected this overture ; but in
their turn they are said to have made
offers to him, to which they alluded in
general terms in their declaration, viz.
to leave France more powerful than
she had ever been under her kings.
In reply to this, Buonaparte is said to
have consented to the independence of
Germany and of the peninsula — a
mighty concession from him who had
no longer a foot of ground in those
countries I This proposal was answer-
ed by a declaration on the part of the
allied sovereigns, that the French em-
pire must be bounded on the side of
Italy by the Alps. To this Buona-
parte would not accede.

The project of making peace with
France, even on such terms, gave great
offence in England. It was justly

282 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 16.

remarked, that by peace, France would
gain every thing. She would have re-
stored to her at least 300,000 of her best
troops — one half of her best officers —
and seamen sufficient, in numbers, to
man 50 sail of the line. The obstinacy
of Buonaparte had thrown away the
military means of France. Never again
might Europe expect to find her so
much reduced in her armies, so ex-
hausted in her finances ; never again
could Europe expect to see a more
formidable military force opposed to
the ambition of this power. The crisis
was great ; it was in favour of the al-
lies, not only beyond expectation, but
beyond example ; and if they did not
reap the full advantage of it, they might
soon have cause to repent their folly.
In six months after peace, France might
have fifty sail of the line, well manned,
and an army of half a million of men,
commanded by a great mihtary genius.
One victory might give him possession
of Vienna, and Europe might be re-
plunged into all the difficulties against
which it was now in her power to erect
an effectual barrier. This barrier
might be found in the confinement of
France to her ancient limits, as exist-
ing in I7b9. Even those limits had
been found scarcely compatible with
the balance of power in Europe ; and
shall we, it was asked, extend them
now that we have it in our power to
lay the foundations of a better and wiser
system of policy ?

That Buonaparte had not any se-
rious intention of concluding such a
peace as the allies could prudently ac-
cept, was manifest from a passage in
the speech of M. St Jean D*Angely,
his favourite orator, who was appoint-
€d to explain his views. " Less power-

ful, less strong, less rich, less fruitful
was France in the year eight, when,
threatened on the north, invaded on
the south, torn to pieces in the interior,
exhausted in her finances, disorganised
in her administration, discouraged in
her armies, the seas brought her hope,
the victory of Marengo restored her
honours, and the treat?/ of Luneville
brought back peace to her." — Now if
France was more powerful at the close
of 1813, than she was in the year 1801,
the inference was obvious, — that she
might insi t upon being placed in a
better situation than she was by the
peace of Luneville. If France, with
inferior means in 1801, was able to
dictate the terms of peace, with great-
er means she would demand better
conditions. — In what situation did that
peace place her ? Absolute mistress of
the Netherlands, the Frickthal, and of
Italy, with the exception of the city
of Venice, which was reserved for
Austria. — Buonaparte thus announced
by one of his agents, that he would not
hear of any proposition which should
reduce him to the position in which he
stood at the peace of Luneville ; that
he would not be contented with Italy
and the Netherlands alone. He under-
stood, of course, that more than this
was meant by the proposal of the so-
vereigns, to confirm to the French em-
pire an extent of territory " which
France under her kings never knew."
— No reasonable man could any longer
question the policy which demanded a
con tinuanceof the war till the French ru-
ler and his adherents should be brought
to a just sense of their condition ; and
a sure basis should be laid, in their
entire discomfiture and humiliation,
for the future repose of the world.

Chap. 17.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

28S

CHAP. XVIL

Ajffairs of Holland, Causes and Progress of the Revolution, Restoration of
the Prince of Orange,

The rapid advance of the allied armies
in the autumn of the year 1813, and
the panic which seized the French au-
thorities in Holland, must undoubt-
edly be considered as the immediate
causes of the late revolution. But the
eagerness with which the Dutch peo-
ple seized the opportunity thus afford-
ed them of restoring the Prince of
Orange, and the union of formerly
discordant parties in his favour, must
be traced to more distant sources, and
will be found chiefly in the evils which
Holland had endured in the course of
the preceding nineteen years, and
which united all parties in opposition
to the influence of France.

The misfortunes to which the Dutch
had been exposed by their connection
with France were severe almost be-
yond example. Before the union of
Holland with the French empire, all
•that part of the territory of the Uni-
ted Provinces, which is situated beyond
the Waal, had been ceded to France.
The kingdom of Holland consisted of
the departments of the Zuyder Zee,
the mouths of the Maesc, the Upper
Yssel, the mouths of the Yssel, Frize-
land, and the western and eastern Ems ;
and the population of the whole did not
exceed 1,800,000 souls. When Louis

Buonaparte abdicated his throne, he
left a regular army and a navy, com-
posed of 18,000 men, who were imme-
diately taken into the service of France;
and, in the course of three years and
a half, their numbers were increased
to 49,920, by the operation of the
French naval and military code. Thus
about a thirty- sixth part of the whole
population was employed in arms.
The persons included in the maritime
conscription were entirely employed
in the navy ; the ** national guards,"
a branch of the military force, were
always on service, and were generally
employed to guard the naval estabhsh-
ments, and to perform garrison duty,
— they were composed of those persons
who were exempted from the conscrip-
tion. The " cohorts," as they were
called, were, by law, liable to serve
only in the interior of the French em-
pire, which extended from Hamburgh
to Rome ; but, after the Russian canw
paign,.even this limitation was disre-
garded, and the French and Dutch
cohorts formed a principal part of Na-
poleon's army at the battle of Bautzen.
The law respecting the ordinary-
conscription proceeded upon this prin-
ciple,— that every male of a certain
age was absolutely at the disposal of

284

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 17.

the state. The age fixed upon was a
little under or above twenty years, re-
gulated in such a manner, that every
youth, who had entered his twentieth
year at any time in the calendar year
preceding that of the conscription, was
liable to be drawn. On an appointed
day in the spring of every year, all
those who were liable to that year's
conscription were required to appear
before the prof>er officers in their re-
spective parishes. Those who were by
law exempted from mihtary service,
were placed at the depot, and consi-
dered as at the disposal of government
in cases of emergency. The remainder
proceeded to ballot, and the contingent
was taken from those who drew the
lowest numbers. The surplus was call-
ed the " reserve ;*' and the individuals
composing it escaped for the present,
but were still liable to be called upon.
They were not permitted to go out of
the department without an express per-
mission from the government. It has
been calculated, that, on an average,
nearly ont -half of the male population,
of the age of twenty years, was annu-
ally claimed by the conscription. Es-
cape by flight was hardly ever attempt-
ed J for if a young man quitted his
country, to avoid the conscription, his
nearest relation or guardian was con-
demned to heavy fines, and sometimes
to imprisonment. Very few exemp-
tions were allowed under this rigorous
system, except to those who procured
substitutes or deputies [remplacants )
A substitute was one who, having
drawn a high number in the ballot, on
that account belonged to the reserve,
but by taking the place of one who
had drawn a low numbier, was called
into immediate service. A " rempla-
cant," or deputy, was one who, being
entirely exempted from the conscrip-
tion, agreed, nevertheless, to serve in
the place of a conscript. The exemp-
tions thus procured, however, were not
secure or complete. Those who had

obtained substitutes still belonged to
the reserve ; and if a deputy deserted
within two years after his arrival at the
depot, his principal was obliged to re-
place him, either by serving in person,
or by procuring another deputy, whom
he was bound to convey and guard, at
his own expense, to the depot to which
the deserter belonged ; but the prin-
cipal was still liable to be called upon
to serve in the burgher guard, and
might be chosen a member of the em-
peror's guard of honour, which the
French government avowedly compo-
sed as much as possible of those who
had provided deputies for service un-
der the conscription. The most fortu-
nate event which could occur for the
principal was, that his deputy should
be killed, or taken prisoner, since he
thus escaped all military service, ex-
cept as a member of the guard of ho-
nour.

The price of a deputy was subject
to variations, arising partly from the
difference of the services to which the
French troops were exposed, and part-
ly from the number of conscripts re-
quired for the year. Sometimes it
amounted to so much as 800/. sterling ;
but the ordinary price in Holland may
be taken at 3000 florins, or about 300/.
sterling. The expense, however, did
not occasion the only difficulty in pro-
viding deputies. It was required that
each deputy should belong to the de-
partment of his principal ; and he was
not accepted if his age exceeded thirty-
two years, or if the slightest personal
defect could be discovered by an ex-
act and minute examination, which was
instituted for that purpose.

The conscripts were told that their
service should not extend beyond the
term of five years : but as in France
no on ever knew an instance of a sol-
dier's being discharged, without ha-
ving been declared unfit for service, it
might reasonably be expected in Hol-
land, that the service of a conscript

Chap. 17.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

2S5

would terminate only with his life.
The regulations also respecting the
conscription were annually changed ;
and thus the code became intricate
and confused. The explanation of any
doubt rested with the persons intrust-
ed with the execution of the law, the
rigour of which was not mitigated by
the construction they adopted.

But the conscription, how oppres-
sive soever, was general in its opera-
tion.— Buonaparte's guard of honour
was formed in a manner entirely differ-
ent, and, in many respects, more op-
pressive. The members were arbitra-
rily taken from among the most noble
and opulent families, and especially
from among those who were deemed
inimical to the French government ; —
the individuals who had already pro-
vided deputies for the ordinary con-
scription were generally chosen. But
the selection depended altogether on
the prefect, who might name the per-
sons most obnoxious to him, without
regard to their rank or occupation, or
even to their health. No exemption
or excuse was allowed to any one, not
even to those who, on account of
mental or bodily infirmity, had been
declared unfit for military duty. The
victims, by a refinement of mockery,
were considered as volunteers in their
services ; they were bound to provide
themselves with horses, arms, and ac-
coutrements, and to march to the place
appointed for their reception, where
they were probably considered as host-
ages for the fidelity of their relations.

Such were the conscription laws.
The taxes imposed were extremely se-
vere. The most oppressive were those
levied on land and houses ; of which
the former usually amounted to 25,
and the latter to 30 per cent, of the
clear annual rent. Other direct taxes
were levied on persons and moveable
property, on doors and windows, and
on patents granted for the exercise of
trades and professions ; and then fol-

lowed the long list of stamps, and all
the various impositions on bridges, pas-
sage-boats, and carriages ; on spirits,
wine, beer, tobacco, and salt ; on le-
gacies, and all sales of property, either
real or personal, &c. There was much
inequahty in the operation of the taxes
on land and houses, as the amount was
fixed for each department, and then
divided among the circles and parishes
of which it was composed ; for if the
original rate of taxation, which was 20
per cent, of the rent, did not produce
the contingent of each parish, the de-
ficiency was supplied by increasing the
proportion to be paid by each indivi-
dual. Thus the rate of the land-tax
increased in proportion as the rents
fell ; and as many persons destroyed
their houses to avoid paying the taxes
levied on them, the weight was thrown
with additional severity upon the
others. The personal tax was at first
levied equally upon every individual
inhabiting the same parish, and con-
sisted of the price of three days labour,
which was fixed by the prefect at a
rate varying in the different parishes,
from half a franc to a franc and a half
for each day. If this assessment did
not produce the contingent of the pa-
rish, the residue was levied on the per-
sonal property of those who had been
assessed in proportion to the value.
The taxes on doors and windows, on
the patents on trades and professions,
on the manufacture of tobacco, and
some other duties, were regulated by
tariffs, increasing the amount to be
paid in proportion to the population
of the parishes in which the taxes were
raised. The whole sums annually ob*-
tained from Holland, by these meana,
amounted to about 30»600,000 of floi-
rins, being at the rate of about 1/. 13^.
^d. sterling from every individual in-
habiting the country.

But the greatest of the misfortunes
to which the Dutch were exposed, ap-
peared in the shape of the continental

286 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 17.

system ; the chief object of which was
to destroy the resources, and ruin the
prosperity, of Great Britain, by ex-
cluding her from all commercial inter-
course with the continent. But Eng-
land was mistress of the seas, and could
not be placed in a state of political ex-
communication, without compelling
the nations of the continent to relin-
quish their foreign trade. The great-
est military force that has ever appear-
ed in modern Europe under one chief,
has been annihilated in this strange
attempt, which is not likely to be re-
newed ; but tlfe misery which the ex-
periment inflicted upon Holland can-
not be described, and can be fully un-
derstood by those only who have wit-
nessed its lamentable results.

The population of Amsterdam was,
by this system, reduced from 220,000
to 190,000, of whom a fourth part
derived their whole subsistence from
charitable institutions, while another
fourth part received partial succour
from the same sources. At Haerlem,
where the population had been chiefly
employed in bleaching linen, made in
Brabant, and in preparing it for sale,
whole streets were levelled with the
ground, and more than 500 houses de-
stroyed. At the Hague, at Delft, and
in other towns, many inhabitants had
been induced to pull down their houses
from inability to pay the taxes, or keep
their habitations in repair. Ruin was
every where imminent. The preserva-
tion of the dikeb, requiring annually an
expense estimated at 600,000/, ster-
ling, was greatly neglected. The sea
inundated the Polders, and threatened
to resume its ancient dominion over a
great part of the country. Meanwhile,
all classes of the people were crushed
under a load of suffering. Even the
most opulent families escaped abject
poverty only by diminishing their es-
tablishments, and adopting the most
rigid oeconomy ; and there remained no
source of wealth or distinction, and

no object of ambition to which a
Dutchman could aspire. Commerce
was extinguished ; and no one would
voluntarily enter the army or navy, as
he would thus be compelled to fight
for the worst enemy of his country.
The calamities of the Dutch were ag-
gravated to the highest degree ; they
were compelled to sacrifice themselves
in a cause which they abhorred, and in
the service of a- power which had rob-
bed them of their independence, and
reduced them from freedom to slavery,
from prosperity to misery, and from a .
high pitch of national glory to the
lowest state of national degradation.

It is the happy impulse of tyranny,
inevitably to pursue the road to its own
destruction ; and, in Holland, the grie-
vous oppressions of France inspired
every heart with an earnest desire to
throw off the yoke. In the continu-
ance of severe suffering, all the parties
which agitated and ruined this unhap-
py country had undergone a salutary
change. The remembrance of former
evils and discontents had faded away,
while the blessings which had once
been enjoyed under the mild govern-
ment of the house of Orange were
borne in mind, with regret for the past,
and hope for the future. A great por-
tion of the people, including all the
lower classes, had retained an undimi-
nished and faithful attachment to this
illustrious family, whose ancestors had
fought so nobly for their independence,
and whose name is inseparably united
with almost every memorial of the 1
prosperity and glory of the Dutch. 1
The patriots, by whose factious spirit
the country had been first betrayed to
the common enemy, had long since
been taught, that no hope of freedom
or prosperity could be reposed in
France ; they were now united in de-
siring an opportunity of resistance ;
and, as they were convinced that the
restoration of the Prince of Orange
could alone afford rehef to their ha-

Chap. 17.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

287

ras3ed country, they held themselves
ready to give their sincere and active
assistance in promoting his return. —
The Orangemen, in general, had not
only maintained their fidelity, but some
of the principal persons had contrived
to keep up a clandestine correspond-
ence with his most serene highness.
Under these circumstances the leaders
of the different parties were closely
united. The people, however, bestow-
ed their confidence upon the old and
tried friends of the House of Orange
alone. Some of the Orange leaders
had, at the express desire of the prince,
communicated to them at the peace of
Amiens, accepted a share in the go-
vernment of the Batavian repubhc,
with the view of alleviating the cala-
mities of their country, and preparing
the way for the return of the exiled
family. Others had been compelled
to continue in office by Buonaparte,
who, perhaps, hoped to derive some
advantage from the employment and
co-operation of those who exclusively
possessed the confidence of the Dutch
nation. It was on these persons, who
were well known, and still more on
others of the same party, who had
steadily refused to accept any share
in the government, after Holland was
united to France, that the people pla-
ced their reliance. The patriots, though
converted from their former opinions,
were treated with suspicion by those
who had no means of being acquaint-
ed with their sincerity. But, in fact,
3II important differences of opinion
had been obliterated ; the wishes of
the patriots corresponded with those
of the people ; and, at the end of
the year 1813, it may safely be affirm-
ed, that the Dutch nation was unani-
mous in the desire of expelling their
oppressors, and recalling the Prince
of Orange. When the crisis arrived,
the prejudices of the people made
it necessary to intrust the manage-
jnent of the revolution to the Orange

party alone"; but much assistance was
willingly afforded, not only by the
members of the old patriot party, but
also by many persons who had volun-
tarily entered into the service of
Buonaparte, and obtained the confi*
denceof the French government. The
French authorities very soon discover-
ed that they were betrayed on every
side, and that most of the natives of
Holland, in the service of Buonaparte,
how contrary soever it might seem to
their interest, were his secret or avow-
ed enemies. All confidence was thus
destroyed, and, after the first explosion
of popular feeling, terror and vacilla-
tion marked the conduct of the per-
sons against whom it was directed.

Such were the causes which prepa-
red the Dutch people for the happy
change accomplished in their govern-
ment towards the close of the present
year. Even before this period, how-
ever, some important proceedings had
taken place, of which it may be proper
to give a short account.

The disasters experienced by the
French army in the Russian campaign
having inspired hopes that the deliver-
ance of Holland might, at some future
period, be effected, the chiefs of the
Orange party at the Hague met fre-
quently, in secret, towards the end of
the year 1812, to consult respecting
the measures which might enable them
to seize the first favourable opportunity
of shaking off" the yoke of France, and
restoring the Prince of Orange. They
found means of communicating with
several respectable persons in different
towns of Holland, whom they knew
to be well disposed to their cause, and
who promised their assistance so soon
as they were informed of the object
which the confederates had in view.
The confederates were well aware, that,
while the power of France continued,
any attempt at insurrection, on the
part of the Dutch nation, would be
hopeless J but, as there seemed to be ;i

28a EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 16.

prospect, that the limits of this domi-
nion might be contracted, they were
determined to do their utmost, to pre-
pare for the assertion of their indepen-
dence. They proceeded, in the whole
affair, upon the conviction, that their
efforts, 80 soon as they should declare
themselves, would be aided by the Bri-
tish government.

Holland remained in a state of tran-
quilhty during the spring and summer
of the year 1813 j and the French go-
vernment seems to have been deceived
by this appearance. Troops were from
all quarters marched off to join the ar-
my with which Buonaparte was about
to attack the Russian and Prussian
forces ; and no serious apprehensions
were entertained respecting the con-
duct of the people of Holland until
after the battleof Leipzig. The French
do not appear to have foreseen the pos-
sibility of a serious insurrection, drain-
ed as the country was of native troops,
of arms, of ammunition, and overawed
by numerous fortresses.

In the month of April, indeed, some
partial disturbances ensued, in conse-
quence of the enrolment of the national
guards, — a measure which was pecu-
liarly obnoxious to the lower classes of
the people. The mob accordingly*
without any previous concert with the
confederates, rose upon their oppress-
ors at Alphen, the Hague, Rotter-
dam, Oud-Beyerland, and Zandam, —
destroyed the parish registers neces-
sary for the enrolment, — took the
town of Leyden, and hoisted there the
Orange flag amid incessant cries of
<« Orange Boven !'* The confederates
endeavoured in vain to calm the po-
pulace, who, at the Hague, and other
towns, fought desperately with the
French miUtary force in the streets;
but as they wanted fire-arms, and
were without a leader, this revolt was
soon suppressed, though not without
the loss of several lives on both
sides.

From this period to the month of
October following, Holland remained
tranquil. When intelligence of the
battle of Leipzig, however, and of its
result, began to transpire, the confede-
rates at the Hague judged that the
time was now come to secure the ser-
vices of a respectable band of men ;
and in order to effect this object, with-
out committing the safety of the whole
to the discretion of a numerous body,
the following plan was adopted : —
Each of the confederates selected from
among his friends four individuals, who,
without any mutual concert or know-
ledge of each other, engaged to be
ready whenever called upon by the se-
lector, and implicitly to obey his com-
mand. The persons whose co-opera-
tion was thus secured, were then di-
rected to make sure of four others, —
each of whom, in like manner, was to
engage to be ready at a moment's
warning, with whatever arms he could
procure. None of these persons was
made acquainted with the plot, except
as to its final object ; nor informed of
any name except that of his immediate
selector. To avoid detection, nothing
was committed to paper, — no written
engagement was entered into ; but the
individuals thus chosen received verbal
instruction, in case of any tumults, to
repair immediately to the spot, mingle
with the crowd, and there await the
orders of their chief. Thus the con-
federates formed a band of nearly 400
respectable adherents, selected chief-
ly from among the burghers of the
town. This class possessed in a high
degree the confidence of the people at
large, and was well disposed to the
cause of the Prince of Orange. If,
however, contrary to all probability,
any of the persons so chosen had been
induced, either by corruption or inti-
midation, to reveal to the French po-
lice his knowledge of the plot, he
could have betrayed only one name up-
wards in the scale, namely, that of hi«
8

Chap. 17.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

289

immediate selector, whose ifldividual
safety thus depended upon his pru-
dence in the choice of his instruments.
Besides this band, Count Stynim
succeeded in securing the services of
Pronck, an inhabitant of Schaevenin-
gen, a village on the coast, about a
mile from the Hague. This person
possessed great influence among the
sailors and fishermen in the neighbour-
hood ; and engaged to furnish, on the
shortest notice, fifty men, who should
implicitly obey the orders of the con-
federates. No measures were taken
(for none were necessary) to influence
the people ; it was perfectly clear that
their good- will and co-operation might
be depended upon, the moment leaders
were presented to them in whom they
c©uld confide ; so that this enJerprize
was free from the dilemma which at-
tends most conspiracies, and has been
the ruin of so many, — viz. the necessity
of gaining over the multitude, and the
difficulty of accomphshing this with-
out risking a premature discovery of
the plot.

Count Styrum, whose zeal, courage,
and activity were remarkable, was en-
trusted with the military details, which
consisted in preparing such arms and
ammunition as could be collected with-
out exciting suspicion, and obtaining
authentic accounts of the state of the
French military force, and of the dis-
positions of foreigners in the service of
France. He succeeded in gaining over
the whole of the Dutch national guard,
consisting of 300 men ; whose com-
mander. Colonel TuUing, warmly em-
braced the cause of the Prince of
Orange, and yet conducted himself
with so much circumspection as to
retain to the last the confidence of the
prefect.

So many drafts of French troops
had been made by this time from Hoi.
land, that the whole military force in
the country did not exceed 10,000
men. The extraordinary successes and

VOL. VI. FART I.

the advance of the allies could no
longer be concealed. Meanwhile, all
the natives of France employed in the
civil service, who could find any pre-
text for their departure, quitted the
country with their families, and endea-
voured to sell or carry off" their pro-
perty. This circumstance added to the
increasing and ill-dissembled terror of
those who were obliged to remain, and
the exaggerated reports which were
every day circulated of the disasters of
the French army, excited a great fer-
mentation among the populace.

Affairs were in this state, when, oti
the 13th of November, towards even-
ing, the turf-carriers, (who are at the
Hague a formidable body,) governed
by chiefs of their own election, as-
sembled in considerable numbers at the
town-house, and, together with the po-
pulace, demanded, in a very tumultuous
manner, that M. Slicher, who had for-
merly been burgomaster, should re-
sume his functions. This gentleman
deserved and possessed the confidence
of the people, — and though not one of
the confederates, was a faithful adherent
of the Prince of Orange. Count Sty-
rum and M. Repelaer immediately re-
paired to the spot ; and, as they thought
that the favourable moment was not
arrived, and that a premature explo-
sion would ruin the cause, they easily
succeeded in dispersing the mob by
means of their adherents, who, accord-
ing to their general instructions, hacj
mixed with the crowd upon the first
appearance of a tumult. A few mo-
ments after this the prefect arrived, ac-
companied by a mihtary force, and
was surprised to find no vestige of a
disturbance. — The dispersion of this
mob was the first essay which the con-
federates made of their power, and the
success surpassed their expectations.

The French authorities, perceiving
the danger of their situation, made aa
attempt to disunite the confederates
and the Orange party, by employing

290 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 17.

them under government. But this ar-
tifice did not succeed, although the
consequence of the attempt was, that
the views of the Dutch leaders were
discovered to the prefect.

The middle and lower orders were,
throughout the whole of Holland, im-
patient to throw off the yoke of
France, and to declare for the Prince
of Orange. Those who had much to
lose, though equally well disposed,
were more circumspect ; and this was
particularly the case at Amsterdam.
The powerful and wealthy inhabitants
>of that city dreaded the result of a po-
pular commotion ; the excesses which
had been committed there in the revo-
lution of 1787, when the populace of
each party pillaged in different quar-
ters of the town, were still fresh in
their memory, and they expected at all
jevents very soon to be delivered from
the French, by the advance of the al-
lies.

The populace, however, were anxi-
jous at once to declare their sentiments ;
and the national guards, a body of
1500 men, were ready to co-operate in
jany measures which might tend to free
them from the government of Buona-
parte. This corps, which was com-
manded by Colonel Van Brienen, had
been previously gained over by one of
its ofacers, Captain Falck, who was
in communication with the confede-
rates at the Hague, and was the chief
instigator of the events which ensued.
The principal obstacles opposed to
him were the French government and
the Dutch corporation ; the members
of the latter, though generally well
disposed, were restrained by the fear
of letting the people loose, and over-
awed by the vicinity of an army un-
der General Molitor, at Utrecht. In
these circumstances, Captain Falck
conceived that the only way of accom-
plishing his object was to intimidate
the French authorities, and induce
them to abandon their posts through

fear of popular vengeance ; and, at the
same time, to persuade the corporation
to accede to the wishes of the people,
and form a provisional government, in
order to avoid the excesses of popular
violence. When this step was once ta-
ken, he judged that it would be no
difficult matter to bring about a decla-
ration in favour of the Princeof Orange.
It was necessary, however, for the ac-
complishment of his plan, to excite the
people to some overt act of opposition
to the French. This was no difficult
task. Accordingly, on the 15th of
November, the populace being already
in a state of great fermentation, a mob
was jcoUected, which immediately pro-
ceeded to burn the wooden huts in
which the douaniers, or excisemen, le-
vied the duties ; and to pillage the
house of a receiver of the customs, who
refused to take down the French arms.
This tumult, which had the appear-
ance of being purely accidental, suc-
ceeded in both its primary objects ; it
terrified the French authorities, who,
on the next day, quitted the town ;
and the corporation having applied to
the national guard to disperse the mob,
this body, on being assured that a pro-
visional government would next day
be formed, proceeded to quell the tu-
mult. This commotion must be con-
sidered as the signal of the revolution ;
and to the populace of Amsterdam,
exclusively, belongs the honour of ha-
ving been the first to raise in Holland
the standard of revolt against the go-
vernment of Buonaparte. No princi-
pals, however, had hitherto committed
themselves ; on the contrary, the na«
tional guard had quelled the tumult,
which was still of a nature to be con-
sidered and represented only as an ac-
cidental popular commotion.

Nejit day a proclamation was issued,
in which twenty-four persons were
called upon by name, to assume the
administration of affairs ; the French
authorities having thought proper to

Chap. 17.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

291

quit the city. The confederates at the
Hague received, on the evening of the
16th, intelligence of the insurrection
at Amsterdam, and of the occurrences
which had followed. These circum-
stances persuaded them that the mo-
ment was at length arrived to put
their design into execution. It was
considered, that if the events which
had taken place in the capital were al-
lowed to pass by without any corre-
sponding demonstrations in the other
parts of the courjtry, the most lament-
able results might ensue for that city,
and for the cause. In addition to this
it was urged, that a general insurrec-
tion in Holland would, no doubt, ac-
celerate the advance of the allies, who
would lose no time in profiting by so
favourable an occurrence ; and that at
all events the Dutch might be confi-
dent of receiving, as promptly as possi-
ble, whatever assistance England could
afford. These considerations prevail-
ed ; and accordingly Count Styrum
was, by the confedt^rates, immediately
appointed governor of the Hague in
the name of the Prince of Orange. —
An instrument was also drawn up,
summoning a meeting of the ancient
regents, — that is to say, of those per-
sons who had been members of the
states of Holland in the years 1794 and
1795 ; and this meeting was appoint-
ed to take place the next day. A pro-
clamation was also issued by the new
governor in the name of the Prince of
Orange, announcing the happy change.
This proclamation was received by the
people with every "possible demonstra-
tion of joy ; an Orange flag was hoist-
ed on the tower of the Hague, and co-
lours were hung out, as signs of rejoi-
cing, from almost every window in the
town.

At the moment when the confede-
rates declared themselves so nobly, and
proclaimed the Prince of Orange with
so much solemnity, their whole force
consisted of 8 or 900 men badly arm-

ed. The country having been for three
years and a half annexed to France,
had been plundered of all its resources.
The necessities, as well as the policy,
of the French government had entire-
ly drained it of arms, ammunition, mi-
litary stores, accoutrements, artillery,
and horses. The confederates had no
funds but their private fortunes. It
was for some time impracticable to
continue the levy of the existing taxes,
as the persons employed in the collec-
tion of them had absconded, and had
destroyed, or taken away, all the pa-
pers, registers, and necessary docu-
ments ; and the balances of public mo-
ney which remained in hand had been
all carried off on the first alarm. The
prince, in whose name the confederate!
had taken up arms, had been 19 years
in a state of exile ; and it was not
known whether he was in England or
in Germany.

It was in such circumstances, and
with such means, that half a dozen
private gentlemen, aided by an unarm-
ed populace, declared war against Buo-
naparte, whose troops were at this
moment in possession of all the for-
tresses and strong places in the coun-
try, and had not even evacuated the
open towns. No tumult had hitherto
occurred at Rotterdam ; — Amsterdam
had refused to declare itself for the
Prince of Orange. General Molitor
had an army of 4000 regular troops at
Utrecht, only twelve leagues from the
Hague, and there was a French garri-
son at Gorcum. The confederates, in-
deed, confidently depended upon as-
sistance, both from the British govern-
ment and from the combined armies ;
but the force of the allies in Holland
consisted only of a few cosiacks, and
the easterly winds which prevailed
would probably delay the arrival of
troops from England.

It was ascertained about the same
time, beyond all doubt, that General
Bulow had instructions not to pass the

29f EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [Chap. 17.

Ysseli afld that it did not form part of
the military plans of the allies to ad-
vance into Holland beyond the line of
that river. This communication was
extremely discouraging ; the sword
was, however, drawn, and it was im-
possible to recede.

The assembly of the ancient regents,
which had been convoked by the pro-
clamation of the confederates, took
place at the house of M. Van Hogen-
dorp. The persons, who had been
members of the provisional states, in
the years 1794, and 1795, were consi-
dered as those who could with most
propriety take upon themselves the
government of the country till the ar-
rival of the Prince of Orange ; but
when called upon at this meeting, to
form themselves into a provisional
council, they all declined having any
•hare in the administration of affairs.
They objected to the confederates,
that they were acting without any au-
thority from the Prince of Orange,
of whose place of residence even they
were ignorant ; that they were sur-
rounded on all sides by French troops,
who still retained possession of every
fortress in the country ; and that the
French, though they had, in a mo
ment of sudden panic, been expelled
from a few open towns, would not fail,
when they discovered the weakness of
the confederates, to return with rein-
forcements from Utrecht and Gorcum,
and complete the ruin of the country.
To this the confederates replied, that
although they had no specific instruc-
tions on the present occasion, they had
previously received assurances from the
Prince of Orange, of his cordial co-
operation in any measure that might
tend to throw off the yoke of France,
and restore him to his country ; that
messengers had been already dispatch-
ed to apprize him of the events which
had taken place ; that with regard to
the means which were at their disposal,
they were not so contemptible as had

been represented ; for ahhough not
sufficient to effect a revolution, unaid-
ed by other powers, yet with courage
and prudence they might serve to keep
out the French until the arrival of
troops from England ; that if their
ancestors had wasted that time which
they employed in action, in nice cal-
culations of the probabilities of suc-
cess,— if they had been appalled by
the disproportion of force between them
and their oppressors, their descendant!
would have remained the victims of
the Inquisition, and Holland would
never have existed as a free country ;
that experience and history prove, .,
that when the will of the people is firm-
ly expressed, it must be ultimately tri-
umphant ; that the French had been
taught by their reverses to appreciate
the truth of this remark, and were dis-
posed to dread the results of an unani*
mous insurrection of a nation headed
by firm and resolute chiefs ; that the
character of the Dutch is neither fickle
nor inconstant ; and that it would be
no novel event in their history to find
the natives of Holland risking their
lives and fortunes on the most fearful
odds, in defence of their liberty and
national independence ; that the ven-
geance of their oppressors was already
excited to the utmost, and could only
be averted by the boldest efforts ; and
finally, that as to the ruin of their
country, they had been taught by 19
years of tyranny and oppression, that
the only certain ruin for Holland was
submission to the yoke of France.

These representations were received
with general, and probably sincere as-
surance*, of good-will to the cause ;
but the regents concluded the confer-
ence by distinctly declaring, that as
the confederates had embarked in this
enterprize without their knowledge or
advice, they must carry it through
^vithout any assistance from them as a
body ; although, as individuals, they
would each perform every duty of %

Chap. 17.]

HISTORY OF EUROEP.

S9S

good citizen, and do eyery thing to

,jnaintain public tranquillity. When

^'the assembly separated, the confede-

^i rates requested that those persons who

.'^ght be disposed to give their assist-

' ance, would meet two days afterwards

!,!(on the 20th) at the same place ; and

' |j»dded, that several notables v^ould be

^convened at the same time, in order

I that some decisive measures might be

taken to provide for the defence and

government of the country, until the

return of the Prince of Orange.

As it was of great importance that
the prince ^should be informed, as soon
as possible, of the events which had
taken place, an officer had already been
dispatched to the head-quarters of the
allies at Frankfort, with a letter for
his most serene highness ; and on the
tame day, (the 19th) M. M. Perpon-
cher and Fagel set sail from Schce-
Teningen, with a favourable wind, for
England, to offer the sovereignty to
his most serene highness, and to in-
vite him to come over and assume the
government. Messengers had also been
dispatched in different directions ; some
to the English fleet ; others to the
nearest points said to be occupied by
the allies. M. Vander Hoven was
now sent on a similar mission, with
general instructions to use every effort
to hasten the advance of the combined
armies.

On the 20th, the adjourned meet-
ing of the ancient regents was held at
the house of M. Van Hogendorp—
Some of the most wealthy persons of
the town had been summoned to at-
* tend, and about fifty persons assem-
rbled. The same arguments which had
been before used, were repeated with
as little effect. No circumstances had
.occurred to brighten the prospects
of the confederates ; on the contrary,
the alhed armies, which had been re-
presented as advancing, were known
*^o have no considerable force in Hol-
land, the province* beyond the Ywel

being but feebly occupied by small
parties of cossacks. After some time
had been spent in warm discussion, the
assembly broke up, the persons present
having resisted all the persuasions of
the confederates, and refused to ap-
point any provisional government. The
result of this conference cast a general
gloom over the minds of the people ;
they began to think their cause despe-
rate, since those individuals, who, from
their station, were considered as the
best qualified to assume the direction
of affairs, refused to commit themselves,
or to embark in the enterprize. Con-
fidence was,, however, in some measure
restored by the appointment, on the
21st, of M. Hogendorp and Maasdam
to the general administration of affairs
at the Hague, — an appointment of
which these gentlemen accepted.

On the 23d of November, M. Vaa
Stissen was dispatched by the confe-
derates to the provinces beyond the
Yssel, now occupied by the allies ; he
found that their whole force consisted
of 4f or 500 cossacks, under the com-
mand of Prince Lapupkin. The Fries-
landers were every where disposed to
declare for the Prince of Orange, and
to enlist as volunteers in his name ;
but the magistrates could not be pre-
vailed upon to take any decisive mea-
sures. An application for assistance
having been made by M. Van Stissea
to P. Lapupkin, he replied, that he
should be glad to see a general arma-
ment and declaration in favour of the
Prince of Orange, and that he would
afford every facility in his power ; but
that he was resolved not to controul the
wishes of the inhabitants He express-
ed great admiration of what had been
done at the Hajrue, and promised to
order the immediate advance of u body
of cavalry to assist the confederates.

The provisional government, which
had been established at Amsterd^im,
and which had neither acknowledged
the Prince of Orange nor abjured Buo-

294? EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 17.

naparte, continued in a state of indeci-
sion ; the enemy was known to medi-
tate a general attack upon the lines,
from Amsterdam to Dordrecht ; the
contrary winds precluded all hope of
the arrival of immediate assistance from
England, and the bad state of the roads
obstructed the advance of the artillery,
and retarded the march of the allies.
Alarm was spread on all sides by the
pusillanimous. In this emergency, M.
Scholten and Professor Kemper de-
termined to make another attempt to
induce the magistracy to declare for
the Orange cause, and the efforts of
these genUemen, aided by the approach
of 300 cossacks, prevailed. The Prince
of Orange was solemnly proclaimed at
Amsterdam on the 23d, the people
shewing the most enthusiastic joy, and
hailing him by the title of King of
Holland.

The confederates and their adhe-
rents had already made very consider-
able advances of money from their pri-
vate fortunes ; and the government
began to experience much inconve-
nience from the want of supplies. The
difficulties of collecting the existing
taxes, and the fear of imprudently
committing their authority by levying
new impositions, induced them to
issue a proclamation calling upon the
inhabitants for voluntary subscriptions
— a measure, which was productive of
little good, and served only to disco-
ver their poverty and weakness. On
the same day, however, intelligence was
communicated to thepublici that an
officer, who had been dispatched to
the English squadron, had returned
with promises of speedy assistance ;
and General de Jouge, having inform-
ed Count Styrum, that Woerden was
occupied by a very feeble French gar-
rison, that officer was ordered to ad-
vance from Badegrave with the force
under his command, and takepossession
of the town. Colonel Tulliug was ac-
cordingly dispatched with the Orange

guard ; and thr French garrison, after
some negotiations, evacuated the place,
and retired upon Utrecht. Woerden
was immediately occupied by the Dutch
troops, who placed a cannon and twen-
ty-five men in an out-post. The pro-
per precautions, however, were not
taken by the raw volunteers, who had
made themselves masters of the town ;
so that the French, having marched
from Utrecht, surprised the out-post,
took the cannon, escaladcd the town,
and after some resistance got posses-
sion of the place, ;and took Colonel
Tulling prisoner. It was with much
difficulty that the Orange guard made
good its retreat upon Leyden. The
French committed here the most bar-
barous outrages, and despondency for
a moment seized the patriots.

On the morning of the 25th, the
anxiety of the public was at the high-
est pitch. The state of the wind still
continued adverse to the arrival of as-
sistance from England ; its slightest
alterationswere watched with the great-
est interest ; the road from the Hague
to SchcEveningen was crowded with
persons of all ages and sexes, who
spent the day on the coast, watching
every sail, and who were often deluded
by false reports of the arrival of the
English. In the midst of this anxiety,
(on the 26th) a boat was seen to ap-
proach the shore, and the report was
instantly spread that an English officer
was on board. He landed amidst the
loudest acclamations ; and the popu-
lace, without waiting for any explana-
tion, and deaf to all remonstrances,
conducted him in triumph to the go-
vernor's house. The person who had
been thus mistaken for a British offi-
cer proved to be a gentleman named
Grant, who had come over on a mer-
cantile adventure, and had brought
with him English newspapers, which
contained accounts of the great prepa-
rations made to embark troops for
Holland. The effect produced by hig

Chap. 17.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

295

arriral suggested the idea of keeping
up the delusion ; and, at the request of
M. Van Hogendorp, Mr Grant dress-
ed himself in an English volunteer
uniform, and shewed himself in evtry
part of the town. The expedient suc-
ceeded for the moment beyond expec-
tation, in inspiring the disheartened
people with confidence, and in intimi-
dating the French, who, upon hearing
that troops had arrived from England,
and that the cossacks had occupied
Leyden, retreated towards Utrecht,
and abandoned their intention of ad-
vancing upon the Hague. The Dutch
people, however, were become so in-
credulous, by the constant succession
of false intelHgence, that they very
soon suspected this story to be a con-
trivance of the government ; and some
asserted, that the supposed British
officer was an inhabitant of Rotterdam,
who had been selected for the occasion.
Mr Grant, however, afterwards ren-
dered more essential service to the
Dutch cause, by carrying accurate in-
telligence to Admiral Ferrier of the
state of affairs in Holland, and of the
dangers to which the confederates were
exposed.

About this time. Admiral Kichert
repaired to M. Van Hogendorp at the
Hague, and signified to him his de-
termination of declaring for the Prince
of Orange ; he then produced a plan
of operations to secure the navigation
of the Maese, from the Briele to Gor-
cum. The execution of this plan re-
quired, however, the immediate ad-
vance of 50,000 florins (5000/. ) M.
Van Hogendorp having given the ad-
miral his note of hand for that sum,
he returned to Rotterdam, raised the
money among the friends of tlie con-
federates there, and immediately com-
menced his operations, by a proclama-
tion abjuring the government of Buo-
naparte, and declaring for the Prince
of Orange. This event decided the
provisional government of that city to

follow his example. Thus the naviga-
tion of the Maese was secured to the
confederates, and all the sailors having
immediately hoisted the Orange flag,
vessels were armed and manned with-
out delay, and dispatched up the river
to straighten WiUiam-Stadt and Hel-
voetsluys, which were still occupied by
the enemyr

The confederates were, by these
means, protected from any sudden ir-
ruption on the side of Gorcum ; but
the greatest apprehension still existed
of an attack from Utrecht. The
French army there, under the command
of General Molitor, which originally
consisted of 4000 regular troops, had
been augmented by the arrival of de-
tached corps, which had been driven
in by the peasantry from the sur-
rounding country. There was nothing
to impede the advance of this army
upon Amsterdam and the Hague, for
it was superior in numbers and disci-
pline to any force which the confede-
rates could have opposed to it. Their
troops, which consisted of a few hun-
dred men only, were for the most part
raw volunteers, badly armed, and with-
out any military experience. It is
difficult, in such circumstances, to ac-
count for the inactivity of the enemy,
otherwise than by supposing him de-
ceived and intimidated by the accounts
which were continually circulated of
the arrival of the British and Russian
troops. The Dutch, about this time,
displayed great ingenuity m the trans-
mission of false intelligence to the
French, who were thus foiled at their
favourite weapon.

On the 27th, Mr Fagel arrived from
England, and brought a letter from
the Prince of Orange to M. Van Ho-
gendorp, promising the prompt arrival
of succours, and stating the prince's
intention of sailing as soon as possible
for Holland. This letter induced the
confederates to hope that they might
be able to keep the French in check till

296 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S. [Chap. 17.

tlie debarkation of the British troops.
It was printed and dispersed without
delay, and put an end to the hesitation
of the magiitracy of Leeuwarden and
Groningen, who, on the receipt of it,
immediately gratified the wishes of the
inhabitants of Friezland, by declaring
for the Prince of Orange.

After the Orange flag had been
hoisted at the Hague, Captain Wautier
was dispatched to the head quarters of
the allies, which were then at Frank-
fort. On the 22d, he found General
Bulow at Munster, and communicated
to him the events which had taken
place in Holland. The General ob-
ierved, that this insurrection would be
no less advantageous to the allies than
a successful campaign ; but regretted
that his instructions did not permit
him to advance beyond the Yssel. He
was, however, subsequently induced
to deviate from his orders, and to act
upon his own responsibility. An un-
successful application to the same ef-
fect was made to General Winzinge-
rode ; but an order for his advance
from the Crown Prince of Sweden,
under whom this general served, was
afterwards obtained by the confede-
rates.

On the 28th of November, four
English men of war appeared off Schoe-
veningen ; Captain Baker immediately
landed from the Cumberland, and pro-
ceeded to the Hague, which had just
been entered by a detachment of sixty
Cossacks. Still, however, the people
were alarmed and incredulous as to
the arrival of English troops ; parti-
cularly as Admiral Ferrier sailed with
two of the above ships from Schoeven-
ingen to the Texel, and the transports,
which had been erroneously announced
as accompanying the fleet, did not ap-
pear An event which occurred in
the middle of the night increased the
consternation. A large building in
the centre of the town, which had
been inhabited by the French attorney-

general, was discovered to be on fire.
All the papers belonging to the office
had been left there ; in three hours
the whole edifice was consumed ; and
as the fire could not be considered ac-
cidental, it was supposed to be a con-
certed signal given to the French by
their emissaries at the Hague. To
dispel the general gloom. Captain Ba-
ker directed as many marines to be
landed from the Cumberland and Prin-
cess Caroline as could be spared, with-
out endangering the safety of those
vessels. Accordingly, on the follow-
ing day, (29th) 200 marines were dis-
embarked. The people were over-
joyed at their arrival ; and each con-
tended for the satisfaction of having an
Englishman billeted in his house. All
their former terrors and anxieties were
forgotten in the joy for their deliver-
ance ; and from the most excessive
despondency they passed to the oppo-
site extreme. Their confidence was
at the same time increased by intelli-
gence, that the enemy had retired
upon Gorcum after evacuating Woer-
den and Nieuwersluys. The day was
spent in rejoicings and in preparations
for the arrival of the Prince of Orange,
which seemed now the only event want-
ing to complete the general happiness.
The prince, who had embarked on the
£6th at Deal, on board the Warrior,
with Lord Clancarty and the English
embassy, arrived on the 30th off Schce-
veningen. In the course of the voyage
they iell in with the Cumberland ; and
Captain Baker having communicated
to the prince the state of affairs at the
Hague, the apprehensions which were
entertained of the return of the French,
and the feeble means of defence pos-
sessed by the confederates. Lord
Clancarty was induced to order Cap-
tain Baker off his station, and to send
him to Admiral Young with a state-
ment of these circumstances. The
admiral soon dispatched 300 marines,
who were landed at Schceveningen,

Chap. 17.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

991

and employed to make a demonstration
on Helvoetsluys.

When his most serene highness ap-
proached the Dutch coast, various re-
ports were conveyed to him of the
surrender of the Brielle, and it was
proposed to sail for that port ; but
another opinion fortunately prevailed,
and the original intention was perse-
vered in, of bearing up for Schoeven-
ingen. The Brielle was still in the
possession of the French, and much
risk would have ensued, had the plan
of landing there been adopted. Al-
though doubts were entertained re-
specting the state of affairs on shore,
the prince was with difficulty persua-
ded, when he arrivedofF Schoeveningen,
to pei-mit M. M. Perponcher and
Hoppner to precede him to the Hague,
that they might obtain information,
and communicate, by signal, whether
it would be safe for him to land. His
impatience was, however, so great,
that, without waiting for this signal,
a few minutes after these gentlemen
had left the ship, he got into a boat,
from which he was conveyed in a cart
to the shore, under a royal salute from
the English ships. An immense con-
course of people had rushed into the
water to receive him ; and it was with
difficulty he could disengage himself
from the crowd which pressed round
from every side to congratulate him on
his return. The day was remarkably
fine, the beach was covered with spec-
tators, and the cry of Orange Boven
was heard from all sides, accompanied
by demonstrations of joy approaching
almost to phrenzy.

Amid the disgusting scenes of base
and unprincipled adulation which have
disgraced a neighbouring country, it
is with pleasure the mind turns to the
contemplation of the honest joy of a
people whose applause confers honour
«poa its object, because it has never
been lavished upon a tyrant.

On the arrival of the Prince of Orange

at the Hague, he proceeded to the
house of Count Styrum, which wa8
thrown open, and all were admitted
into his presence. At night the town
was illuminated ; and, as the people
every where proclaimed William the
First sovereign prince, it was proposed
that he should immediately assume that
title. It was, however, after some
consideration, decided, that no step of
this nature should be taken till his most
serene highness had visited the capital.
The prince was desirous of proceeding
the next day to Amsterdam, but was
detained by the meeting of a council
of war, which was attended by Lord
Glancarty, and by Generals Bulow and
Benkendorf. At this council the future
military operations were decided upon.

The whole military force at the
Hague consisted of about 1.500 men,
including the 200 English marines
landed by Captain Baker. These
troops would not have been sufficient
to prevent the advance of the French ;
but the arrival of the Prince of Orange
inspired the Dutch with fresh courage,
and induced the French to form an er-
roneous opinion, that he was attended
by a powerful army from England.
From this time the success of the re-
volution was considered by the people
as certain ; yet the more enlightened
were not without serious apprehen-
sions, when they considered the feeble
means of defence which the govern-
ment possessed. The enemy still oc-
cupied the greater number of the for-
tresses, and the whole of Zealand, in-
cluding the Island of Walcheren, so
that the Prince of Orange, in fact,
had nothing more than the open towns.
His situation, indeed, was so critical,
that Lord Clancarty deemed it pru-
dent to detain the Warrior some days
upon the coast, as a resource incase of
any reverse.

The Prince of Orange, convinced
that unanimity in a nation is the onljf
source of strength, lost no time in gi*

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Chap. 1'

ving the Dutch people a pledge of the
principles and conduct of his future
government. Accordingly, on the 1st
of December an address was distribu-
ted, in which it was stated, that after
nineteen years of absence, the prince
receivedv with the greatest joy, their
unanimous invitation to return among
them. That he now hoped, by the bless-
ing of Providence, to be the instrument
of restoring them to their former state
of independence and prosperity. That
this was his only object ; and he had
the satisfaction of assuring them, that
this was also the object of the combined
powers ; that it was particularly the
wifth of the Prince Regent, and of the
British nation. That this great truth
would be proved to them by the aid
which that powerful and generous
people would immediately afford them,
and which would restore those ancient
bonds of alliance and friendship, so
long a source of happiness and prospe-
rity to both countries. That he had
come among them determined to par-
don, and to forget all that was past,
and that the spirit of party must be
banished for ever.

While these events were passing at
the H ague, a Russian force, consisting
of 2400 men, and six pieces of cannon,
under the command of General Ben-
kendorf, arrived at Amsterdam. These
troops had embarked on the Zuyder
Zee to avoid the French army at
Utrecht ; and a Prussian corps was
also at this time known to be advan-
cing against the fortress. Nor was
this ail ; for on the same day the im-
portant fortress of Brielle was taken.
This place was garrisoned by 500 men,
the half of whom were Prussians and
foreigners, who were disaffected to the
French government, and daily desert-
ed. The people of the town, profiting
by this circumstance, rose upon the
French, and, aided by the national

fuards, who were all Dutch, after
ghting in the streets for an hour and

a half, compelled the garrison to sur-
render, and hoisted the Orange flag.

On the 3d of December, the Prince
of Orange, accompanied by the Eng-
lish embassy, made his entrance into
Amsterdam. He was received with
unanimous applause by all classes, and
proclaimed Sovereign Prince of the
Netherlands. The next day an addresa
was published, in which the new title
of his serene highness was alluded to,
and a determination was expressed to
estabhsh a free constitution.

During the stay of his royal high-
ness at Amsterdam, intelhgence was
received of the capture of Arnheim,
which had been stormed with the great-
est bravery by the Prussian troops un-
der the command of General Bulow.
Thus all apprehensions from the army
of General Molitor, which was in full
retreat, and all fears of an attack from
the side of Utrecht, were dissipated.
The French were still in force in the
neighbourhood of Gorcum, but Gene-
ral Bulow was preparing to advance
upon that place. The Fort du Quesne
was surprised on the 4th by a band of
workmen, who were employed in the
fortifications.' This event materially
contributed to the subsequent surren-
der of Helvoetsluys. Some mariners
of Admiral Young's fleet, aided by a
body of Dutch troops, having advan-
ced to the neighbourhood of Helvoet-
sluys, that town was evacuated in the
night of the 5th by the French ; and
thus the communication with England,
which had hitherto been exposed to
great hazard and delay, was rendered
safe and expeditious. The next day
1700 of the English guards landed at
Schoeveningen, an event which termi-
nated all doubt as to the success of the
revolution.

On the 6th, a proclamation was is-
sued by the Prince of Orange at the
Hague, in which it was stated, that
when, in conformity with the general
wish expressed by the people, he bad

Chap. 17.]

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

299

taken upon himself the sovereignty,
it was his desire to celebrate this event
by some great solemnity ; but the si-
tuation of the country, and the impor-
tant occupations which resulted, had
induced him to delay this ceremony,
till he should be able to present to the
nation, a constitution which should in-
sure to the people of Holland their an-
cient liberties. The prince announced,
that in the meantime he had taken the
management of affairs into his own
hands, and dissolved the provisional
government, not without warm feelings
of gratitude for its efforts, to which
the liberation of Holland must be
chiefly ascribed, and without which
the deliverance of the country could
have been the result only of the victo-
rious arms of the allies. He absolved
his subjects from their oath of alle*
giance to Napoleon Buonaparte ; and
concluded by stating, that his confi-
dence in the future was entirely found-
ed upon the affection of his country-
men, the protection of Providence, and
theconsciousness of the purity of his in-
tentions.— This proclamation was fol-
lowed by the recognition of William the
First as sovereign prince in every part
of Holland which was not occupied
by the French, that is to say, in all
the country and open towns, from the

department of the Ems to the right
bank of the Maese.

As the enemy, however, was still in
possession of many of the principal
fortresses, and as a French garrison
was at Naarden, within nine miles of
Amsterdam, measures were immediate-
ly adopted for the formation of an
army, the levy of troops, and the re-
gulation of the military force. But
the country was so completely drained
of arms and ammunition, and of every
thing necessary for the equipment of
the troops, that it was impossible at
once to organise the new levies ; yet,
in the short space of four months, and
out of a population of 1 ,«(X),000 souls,
25,000 men were raised, armed, and
equipped, in a country which had been
previously exhausted by the conscrip*
tion, and part of which was still in
the possession of the enemy These
measures, supported by the rapid pro-
gress of the allied armies, completed
the triumph of Dutch patriotism ;
while the liberties of the people were
secured by a constitution, combining
most of the advantages of that admi-
red frame of government, which seems
destined to form, at no very distant
period, a model for all civilized na-
tions.

REFLECTIONS

ON THE

INTRODUCTION OF TRIAL BY JURY,

IN CIVIL CAUSES, INTO SCOTLAND.

An impression prevailed for some
years, particularly among the commer-
cial classes, that great defects exist-
ed in the administration of justice
in this part of the island. As the
higher offices of the law in Scotland
never were filled by men of greater in-
tegrity and more extensive acquire-
ments than at this very penod, the
etils of which litigants complained
were ascribed entirely to the defective
system upon which our courts of jus-
tice had been constituted. Nor can it
be denied, that before the recent divi-
sion of the supreme civil court into
two chambers, the complaints of the
litigants were but too well founded
It is not so ob\ious, however, that
there has of late existed any necessity
for resorting to an experiment so ha-
zardous as that on which the people
of Scotland are now about to venture,
by introducing jury trial, in civil causes,
into this part of the kingdom.

No one will dispute, that the innO'
vafion which has recently obtained the
sanction of parliament, is of a very se-
rious character, and may be attended
10

with important consequences to the
rights of individuals, and to the law of
Scotland. To some, the measure will
be strongly recommended by the very
circumstance, that it is a great innova'i
tion. Nothing could be more absurd,
o^ course, thau to impute such notions
to any of the grave and learned chsf-
racters who have concurred in forward-
ing this important measure ; but it is
not impossible that they may have been
led, by the sophisms so current at
the present day, into the hasty appro-
bation of an experiment, of which, if
unsuccessful, it may be difficult to
abandon the prosecution.

The love of n®velty, on its own ac-
count, is but a childish propensity,
contemptible in matters of slight mo-
ment, and pernicious in affairs of great-
er weight. It is a passion which can
have no legitimate influence beyond the
regions of taste and sentiment ; there,
indeed, the principle of novelty forms
an essential element of our most refined
pleasures. But as variety is required
in our enjoyments, steadiness is no less
essential in the great business of life.

302

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

A new play, or a new poem, may be
read with excusable eagerness ; but a
new constitution will, by wise men, be
studied with distrust and suspicion.

Before any great change in our
public institutions can be justified, some
-evidence must be brought to prove
that the existing evil is of a serious
character; that by a less important
deviation from established usages a re-
medy could not be obtained ; that no
risk of incurring greater evils by the
proposed innovation can reasonably be
dreaded ; and that we shall be able to
retrace our steps without difficulty if
the change be found prejudicial. These
conditions appear to be indispensable
to every wise plan for effecting a re-
form of our laws and institutions ;
and if they have seldom been found to
concur, the reason is easily discovered
why so few changes of magnitude have
been attempted on the civil and politi-
cal institutions of great nations.

Where there are no complaints of a
serious nature, there can be no room
or apology for innovation. It may be
said, indeed, that there is always occa-
sion for improvement, since all institu-
tions are defective; and defects, as
well as positive errors, are evils which
ought to be cured. Neither is it
necessary, we are told, before pro-
ceeding to reform errors and abuses,
to wait for the murmurs and complaints
of the people ; because such complaints
are never extorted but by positive
wrongs, the want of great improve-
ments, of which the benefits have ne-
ver been experienced, being insufficient
to provoke them. — Thus a wide, nay,
a boundless field is opened in specula-
tion, which every empiric will be in
haste to occupy. But that reform,
which has reference to no positive
wrong, can have no limits ; and the
same reason (a desire of further im-
provement) which might justify a small
change in one particular, would equally
serve as an argument for the most im'
8

portant change* in every department.
But whore there are no complaints,
there must be a great deal which is
good ; yet the reasonings of innovators
who desire to practise their experi-
ments at random on the structure of
society, would expose all that is good,
or indeed all that exists, to continual
perils. Their views, if they were sound,
would place the whole fabric of society
in their hands, to alter or new-model
at their discretion ; for as abstract per-
fection never can be reached, much
improvement must always be attain-
able in theory. But common sense, as
well as sound philosophy, rejects this
empirical interference ; men in gene-
ral set a value infinitely higher upon
what is good in possession, than what
is plausible in speculation ; and thus
it happens, that unless some serious evil
be endured, the class of projectors is
commonly treated with very little ce-
remony or regard.

It is an axiom in philosophy, that
we ought, in accounting for auy effect,
to assign only such causes as are ade-
quate to its production ; and it is a
maxim no less sound in politics, that
in attempting reform, we should limit
ourselves as much as possible in the
extent of the change produced, and
cautiously avoid any innovation which
does not appear indispensable. Neglect
of the philosophical axiom leads to
error and confusion in our speculations ;
and a contempt of the political maxim
will surely conduct us to unprofitable
and hazardous innovation. In so far
as the change projected goes beyond a
remedy for the disorder, it is pure em-
piricism,— gratifying, indeed, to idle
and giddy brains, but offensive to every
sound understanding. The same prin-
ciple which demands that, without any
grievance at all, no innovation should
be attempted, prescribes, in language
not less imperative, that the evils of a
change should be encountered under
their mildest aspect, and reduced with-

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

305

in their narrowest limits. To justify
any great reform, therefore, it is ne-
cessary to prove, that the object could
not have been attained by a less violent
departure from the established usages,
to v^hich the manners and habits of
the people have been accommodated
through a succession of ages.

There is always a risk that great
changes, directly accomplished in the
institutions of society, may be follow-
ed with many consequences which
cannot be foreseen by the projectors.
The relation of cause and effect has
been but imperfectly traced, even in
the material world ; in the intellectual
almost every thing is involved in doubt
and obscurity. But a very few links
of the chain can be surveyed at once,
even by the most penetrating and com-
prehensive understanding ; the forces
•which act and re-act in all directions,
are £0 fine as to elude the grasp, and
jBO multifarious as to baffle the arrange-
ments, of the most skilful statesman.
There are laws, indeed, which the ma-
terial world obeys ; if there were not,
there- could be no physical science.
There are laws also which govern the
moral and intellectual nature of man ;
but their influence upon his under-
standing and his passions remains hi-
therto in a great degree unascertained.
Of any great change in political in-
stitutions, it mubt be difficult, if not im-
possible, to estimate the consequences
a priori ; and it is almost certain, that
results which have been wholly unfore-
seen, will follow upon sudden or exten-
sive innovation. Great changes have,
no doubt, been accompHshed in all
civil institutions ; but the best of them
have been effected slowly, and in such
a manner as almost to elude observa-
tion. Every sensible mechanician would
hesitate in anticipating the operations
of a machine entirely new to him, al-
though constructed with the strictest
;regard to the principles of his art, and
the most exact conformity to the laws

which apparently govern the material
world. How can we expect then,
that a great institution, almost new to
the people, and destined to act, not
on coarse or vulgar materials, but upon
the understanding, the passions, and
the prejudices of men, — an institution
which is to operate, not independently,
or by itself, but to be grafted on the
frame of our laws and mannerj?, all the
parts of which have been gradually
accommodated to each other ; — how
can we expect that such an engine will
be put in motion, without producing
consequences which it was beyond the
discernment of the projectors to anti-
cipate, and out of their power to con-
trol >

1 1 is of great importance, therefore,
that when we advance to the hazard*?
ous undertakings of reform, we should
carefully secure a retreat in case of dis-
appointment. Should the new institu-
tion be found unsuitable to the state of
society in which it has been introduced
— should it prove useless or pernicious
— should it be found unequal to the
remedy of the grievance for which it
was intended, or bring along with it
consequences which were not at first
anticipated, there might still be some
consolation in the prospect, that it
could be easily dispensed with, and
that it had never been permitted to
take deep root in the social system.—
Those who insist on leading us through
untried paths, ought to give some as-
surance that they can, without difficul-
ty, extricate us from the embarrass-
ments in which we may be involved
by our willing obedience. But it is not
easy, after having once advanced, to re-
treat without inconvenience and dis-
grace. It is not enough in such cases
that the new measure should, from the
beginning, be declared temporary ; for
although its further operation may thus
be checked, the eff^ects which it must
have produced in the interim will not
be so easily counteracted.

S04.

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

This general remark may be illustra-
ted by referring to the judicial institu-
tion lately created for Scotland. It ia
provided by the act of parliament, that
the experiment shall, in the first in-
iBtance, be tried for seven years only ;
if it is found to answer, the act will of
course be renewed ; if not, the ancient
forms of procedure will be universally
re-estabhshed. Even should this be-
come necessary, however, and should
jury -trial in civil causes be found un-
suitable to Scotland, much inconveni-
ence must result from the experiment.
The jury are to try questions involving
both law and fact ; this provision seem-
ed indispensable to giveany value what-
ever to the institution. Should the
new court succeed in drawing to itself
any considerable share of the public
business, the consequence must be, that

i'uries will, for seven years to come,
lave the law of Scotland in some mea-
sure under their control. Whether they
may prove well qualified for an under-
taking so arduous, is a different ques-
tion ; but as it is possible that the expe-
riment may not answer the expectations
of its authors, the revolution, which in
the meantime may thus be effected in
our civil code, surely deserves consider-
ation.

Nor is this all ; for as the introduc-
tion of jury-trial in civil causes may be
construed as amounting to a recogni-
tion by the legislature of the alleged
imperfectionsof the supreme civil court
with its present constitution, there may
be some difficulty in silencing com-
plaints in future, when the remedy,
which has in the first instance been re-
sorted to, shall be abandoned as hope-
less. No person will believe, that if a
serious grievance had not existed, wise
and learned men tvould rashly have en-
countered the hazard of innovation ;
the existence of a great evil is there-
fore announced in the formation of a
new tribunal. The experiment, how-

ever, may fail ; but this will afford no
reason to the minds of ignorant and
sanguine persons for refusing to try
another. The evil of repeated changes
is thus encountered ; and if there be no
real grievance to justify them, this cir-
cumstance will only perplex the more
those, who, by coming forward on the
present occasion, may seem to have
pledged themselves to the suggestion
of an indefinite number of new expe-
dients, till the imaginary grievance
shall have been removed. The retreat
of projectors, therefore, is not hand-
somely secured by a simple provision,
that their experiment shall cease, if,
after a certain number of years, it is
found to be mischievous ; and if secu-
rity against the evils of reform can
with difficulty be obtained, this con-
sideration affords a farther inducement
to the exercise of extreme caution in
such undertakings.

The genius of the present age seem»
decidedly bent on changes of all de-
scriptions ; and without endeavouring
to repress a spirit, which, when wisely
directed, leads to the happiest results,
no opportunity should be omitted
of pointing out with candour the dif-
ficulties which are involved in all inno-
vations on the fabric of society, and
the conditions on which alone any
great reform can be safely attempted.
The love of change is contemptible ;
the desire of improvement is every way
laudable ; and it becomes of import-
ance, therefore, to fix deeply in the
mind those considerations which distin-
guish the one from the other. It is a
mere truism, which has been a thou-
sand times repeated with different de-
grees of smartness by the more zealous
advocates of reform, — that the spirit,
which blindly opposes all innovation,
must, if it had possessed universal in-
fluence, have kept the world in its pri-
mitive state of barbarism ; and that w
are indebted for the enjoyments of .

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

$es

•ivilieed life, to the ardent love of im
provemeut, which has had more or less
influence in all ages. Who has denied
this r — But let it be recollected, that
we owe so many blessings not to a love
of change, but to a well-regulated de-
sire of improvemr nti — that by a mere
change of political institutions, the
world never did, and never could pro-
fit,— but tha:, on the contrary, as in
every state in which human beings have
herded together, there has been some-
thing good, of which a change might
deprive them, so the shallow and pre-
sumptuous reformer is the most dan-
gerous enemy of the species. He re-
proaches the opponents of sudden and
inconsiderate reforms, with bigotry, —
with a weak and superstitious attach-
ment to existing institutions. There
may be some foundation for this charge,
when it is not uttered as a sweeping
condemnation, nor bandied about as
the watch-word of a faction; but a
very little philosophy will teach every
one, that among large bodies of men,
passions and prejudices are nearly ba-
lanced. The opposite factions may
have different objects in view ; but in
both, the excess of intemperate feeling
will reduce them to the same common
Btandard of human frailty. The one
is attached to existing establishments,
the other is enamoured with the politi-
cal cr(?a<?on« of his own fancy, — the for-
mer chngs to that which he knows, the
latter to that which he imagines. —
There is certainly something good in
the objects to which the one pays so
high a regard ; there may be nothing
but what is bad in the idols which are
worshipped by the other. Mixed up
with what is good, there may be much
that is useless or bad in existing insti-
tutions ; and he, who without distinc-
tion defends all, is so far a weak man
and a bigot. But the visionary, who
obtrudes his own idle fancies upon the
world, — who would tear up by the
foundations the whole fabrie of socie-

VOL. VI. PART I.

ty, or substitute, without due consider-
ation, his own crude fancies for actual
institutions, the utihty of which hat
been proved by a long experience, is a
bigot of a far more dangerous class.—-
It is not the strength of the attach-
ment which constitutes bigotry — for it
is only by an abuse of language that
this word can be applied to the most
sincere re^jard for that which is useful
and expedient. An overweening fond-
ness for what is bad, or inexpedient, or
dangerous, can alone constitute the bi-
got ; and we put it to any one, whe-
ther, when the universal and equal
operatitjn of the passions among all
classes is considered, and the difference
betwixt an attachment to what we
know by experience, and a violent de-
sire of that which has been tried only
in the brain, is duly weighed, the great-
er number of bigots, in the true sense
of that word, may be expected among
the supporters, or the reformers of our
laws and constitution. — The singular
and stupendous political revolutions
which have occurred within the last
25 years, have had their influence in
producing that restless spirit, which
seeks for change as a good in itself.
The example afforded by the result, is
not indeed very encouraging; but when
the minds of men are once accustomed
to witness and admire sudden and
mighty revolutions, they despise the
calm but firm march of true wisdom,
and sigh for the turbulence and bustle
which had so long deUghted them.
They acquire the hardiness of veterans
in the contests of reform, and although
they have seen how barren of every
thing that is good, and how fraught
with evils, are all sudden innovations,
they are not deterred. The entire fail-
ure of their projects, when reduced to
practice, disturbs them but little ; for
they have always some consolation left
them in the imputed blunders of the
leading actors, the impenetrable stupi-
dity of the instruments, or the general

306

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

fiilly and bigotry of the age. Such
persons come to the task of reform
with very dangerous prejudices ; they
are firmly persuaded, that there is no-
thing good in existing institutions —
that it is mere bigotry which sup-
ports them, and that no change can
be for the worse. The great and un-
disputed progress made in the arts and
sciences — the overthrow of scholastic
prejudices — the rapid advances of spe-
culative truth, by which many of our
crude opinions have been shaken or
eradicated, furnish them with triumph-
ant arguments from analogy. They
forget, however, the distinction which
providence has made betwixt that
knowledge which is indispensable to
the existence of society, and that which
is merely subservient to its comforts
and embellishments. A wide field is
opened for the exertions of human ge-
nius in the researches of physical
science, and the pursuits of a more
elevated philosophy ; discoveries, at
once useful and sublime, have hitherto
rewarded, and will continue to reward
its efforts. Not so in morals, and the
sciences more immediately connected
vrith. the conservation of society ; no
great or sudden discovery has been
made in these sciences in any age of
the world. The principles of justice,
and truth, and fidelity, are implanted
in the human breast by the hand of
nature ; they may vary a little in their
form and operation in different periods
of society, but as they are still essen-
tially the same, so also they form the
basis of all that is, or ever will be good
in social institutions. The best methods
of ensuring the full developement of
these qualities, have been too long the
study of great and good men, to per-
mit us to expect from the genius of
modern reform any great discovery. —
Institutions, no doubt, must change
with the state of society ; the state
of society, however, changes but slow-
ly, and so must the institutions which

ought to correspond with it. The be-
nefits, therefore, of all great and sud-
den reforms in public institutions are
disproved by experience, and appear
to be visionary, even upon the prin-
ciples of abstract reasoning.

Of all the departments of the state
which the spirit of innovation may in-
vade, there is none, perhaps, where it
is so dangerous as in the institutions
for the administration of justice. The
people have a strong interest that the
tribunals by which their rights and
property are to be secured should be
free from every blemish ; even the po-
litical constitution has not so immedi-
ate an influence over their prosperi-
ty and happiness. Despotic govern-
ment, when well administered, may
be found consistent with some share
of individual happiness ; as the chief
of the state has absolute power, he
cannot, if he be disposed to exer-
cise it mildly, be opposed by any ob-
stacle to the execution of his benevo-
lent purpose. But in subordinate in-
stitutions, no exercise of wisdom or
beneficence in the administration can
atone for the radical errors of the con-
stitution ; for limited power is inade-
quate to the correction of abuses. —
In well-regulated governments, besides,
the executive power can seldom touch
the person or property of the subject,
but through the medium of courts of
justice. The judges are thus placed as
a barrier between the great function-
aries of the executive government, and
the mass of the people ; and it is their
duty to take care, that the shock of
power do not fall too severely upon
those who are intrusted to their pro-
tection. Bad laws may, by their pow-
erful interference, sometimes be mitiga-
ted in practice ; and the judges will
naturally be the first to give an im-
pressive warning to the supreme au-
thority, should its enactments prove
unsuitable to the genius, or inconsist-
ent with the prosperity of the people.

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

S07

They stand betwixt the governors and
the gorerned, to break the fall of pow-
er as it descends. They may be com-
pelled for a time to execute a bad law ;
but it must be their own fault, and
it will evince a want of firmness and
integrity on their part, if they conti-
nue under an enhghtened government,
and in an age of freedom, to execute it
long.

The errors and defects of the poli-
tical constitution, when they lead to
unjust or impolitic measures, have an
equal influence on all classes of socie-
ty ; as all are injured, all are rea-
dy to combine for redress ; and when
this happens, the remedy cannot be
far distant. But a faulty or perverse
constitution of the tribunals, although
it must continually produce injustice,
does so only towards a few indivi-
duals at a time ; and as the peo-
ple, in general, are not immediately
interested, and seldom complain unless
when the injustice is flagrant, abuses
are allowed to continue. In the course
of a certain period, however, all ranks
of society, and perhaps every indivi-
dual in his turn, is thus made to suffer
much inconvenience and injustice.—
The vices and corruptions of courts of
justice, are in some respects far more
formidable than the excesses of politi-
cal tyranny itself ; for although no des-
potism that ever existed ventured to
push to an extreme degree its interfe-
rence with the lives and the properties
of its subjects, this is every day done
to individuals by the courts of justice.
No tax has ever been imposed which
deprived an individual of his all ; but
courts of civil judicature have the es-
tates and fortunes of men at their dis-
posal, and may at once reduce persons
of very great opulence to want and
misery. Thus it is that they touch so
nearly the interests of the people, and
that their wise and sound constitution,
and the integrity and talent by which
their functions are administered, be-

come of so much importance. The
science also, which they profess, has,
in all ages, been considered as the pe-
culiar property of the learned, while
the general maxims of poUtical know-
ledge become, in an age of free discus-
sion, common almost to every rank in
society. The errors, real or supposed,
therefore, of a popular legislature, such
as we happily possess in this country,
are boldly and warmly censured by
persons of every description, while the
mysteries of a court of justice are sel-
dom pried into by the uninitiated. —
The public, therefore, is in greater
danger from the abuses of the tribu-
nals, than from those of the legisla-
ture.

The inferences fairly deducible from
these considerations cannot be mista-
ken. The most obvious one is, that
if there be, in truth, any gross abuses,
or corruptions in our courts of law, it
is of high importance that they should
be removed, while the application of
the cure is a matter of the greatest de-
licacy. Another inference, no less just,
although, perhaps, it will not be so
readily drawn by some persons, is this,
—that when our judicial establish-
ments have already been matured, and
have becomeconspicuous for those qua-
lities which are required in such insti-
tutions, (and this stage we have doubt-
less attained in Scotland), it is ex-
tremely dangerous to interfere with
them — the danger to be dreaded from
any change being exactly proportion-
ed to the multitude and importance
of the benefits of which we are already
in possession. — Where great abuses do
exist in the courts of justice, they ne-
ver fail to produce dissatisfaction. —
The murmurs may not' be loud — the
reasoning by which the complaints are
supported may not be clear — the sub-
tlety which is supposed to belong to
the profession may shelter it from the
disgrace of a glaring exposure ; but
that restlessness and discontent, which

308

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1$1S.

never fail to accompany sufferings of
which the cause is obscure or unknown,
will manifest themselves to every per-
son of discernment, A great abate-
ment of respect for the judges, and for
the profession, will become universal ;
and when such symptoms are disco-
vered, it must be vain to disguise the
evil, or to withhild a remedy. But if
no appearances of this kind can be ob-
served, it is nearly certain that things
are going on well ; and perilous must
be the undertaking of those who would,
in such circumstances, touch institu-
tions, in themselves so venerable, — of
such extreme delicacy, — and so imme-
diately and intimately connected with
the best interests of the community.

It is impossible to estimate, with any
degree of precision, the merits of jury,
trial in civil causes, without consider-
ing what are the true objects of judi-
cial institutions in a civilized country.
—In this way alone we can come to
any sound op nion as to the fitness of
juries for attaining such objects. The
great purpose of all judicial establish-
ments of a civil nature, is, no doubt,
the distribution of justice between man
and man ; but reserving for subsequent
consideration the capacity of juries for
discharging this sacred function, some
other points, apparently subordinate,
but scarcely less material, demand at-
tention.

Justice is but imperfectly done to
the litigarts when it is not distributed
at the smallest possible cost, and with
the shortest delay. He who has to pay
more than is necessary for the justice
which is done him, does not get com-
plete justice ; since it comes to the
same thing whether a part of his claim
be at once withheld, cr after it is ad-
judged, be withdrawn to pay costs un-
neces arily incurred. Nor is the ini-
quity remedied in all cases, as some
persons imagir e, by throwing the bur-
den upon the. unsuccessful party, — for
the fact that he has been unsuccessful,

amounts not to a proof altogelher cott*
elusive that he has been in the wrong.
Even when this is the case, however^
according to strict principles of law,
which are so often in themselves doubt-
ful, and divide the opinions of the
learned, he may still have had bonajides,
as it is called, or the laudable desire of
vindicating his rights, to justify his ap-
pearance as a htigant. It is not expe-
dient to repress this desire when per-
fectly fair and honourable ; and no-
thing surely can be more absurd than
to tax men with severe costs for ha-
ving yielded to the influence of a prin- i
ciple, which forms the spring of every
laudable enterprise. If one of the liti-
gants be wrong in point of law, how-
obscure or unsettled soever the law
may have been, it is his misfortune ;
and the circumstance affords good rea-
son, perhaps, for compelling him to
pay the costs of his adversary who
chanced to be in the right. But every
thing which he may be forced to pay
beyond the necessary expence, can be
considered in no other light than as a
punishment wantonly inflicted upon
him for attempting to assert his
rights. Injustice is therefore done
to the unsuccessful, as well as to the
successful party, when costs are award-
ed which have not been necessarily
incurred ; or when courts are so con-
stituted, that justice is not obtained at
the smallest possible expence. The suc-
cessful party, it is evident, does not
obtain justice when a single farthing
is deducted from his just claim. The
unsuccessful party again, who has pro-
ceeded throughout with bona Jidesy is
unjustly punished when he is loaded
with a single shiHing which might
have been saved.

It is true, indeed, that the necessary
expence must, in every case, be paid
by one or other of the litigants ; for it
is absurd to talk, as some people do,
of the hardship of paying for justice
at all, as if this was a commodity, of

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

309

which they are entitled at all times to
a gratuitous allowance. The source of
this unfounded prejudice it is not, per-
haps, very difficult to discover There
is something sacred to most minds in
the sentiments attached to the term
justice ; it is connected in their ima-
ginations with the sublime notions of
the Deity, and the feehngs of religi-
ous awe ; and it is considered as not
a little iniquitous to tax in any man-
ner the dispentation of it among man-
kind. Such a tax is viewed by the
vulgar mind as an interruption of the
greatest blessing which the Deity has
conferred upon the human race. It
may be wise to encourage such notions,
which invest with a religious sanctity
the most common, and also the most
useful of the social virtues. What the
vulgar mind generally wants in clear
perception, is thus adequately supplied
by warm feeling ; the defects of the
understanding are compensated by the
rectitude of the passions. But without
stopping to examine the philosophical
theory, which assigns to the virtue
of justice the familiar and apparently
vulgar origin of expediency, it may
be worth while to remark, that this
cardinal virtue seems to lose much of
its sublime character when it ceases
to be an object of Jeelingf and diverges
into nice and refined disr mctions, which
can with difficulty be seized, even by
the most acute understanding The
more ordinary occurrences in which
this virtue decides, where it demands
protection for the innocent, or calls
down vengeance on the guilty, often
excitejeelmgs approaching lo religious
enthusiasm ; but when questions oi a
civil nature arise, embracing the mi-
nute and delicate points which must
be discussed, in order to settle the
transactions of commerce, or regulate
the succession to property, the warnth
oi Jeeling gradually disappears amid
subtility and refinement. The ob
jects, io such c^ses, ^re too small —

thedistinctionsare too nice— theunder-
standing is too much perplt-xed, to per-
mit the operation of passions oF any
kind. We are compelled to resort to
rules by which property shall be taken
from one person and given to another,
not because it is manifest at first sight,
or because any/^e//«^ of justice clearly
and strongly indicates that the case
should be thus ruled ; but because, by
settling it in this manner, we shall sup-
port some general and refined maxims of
pure intellect, which have been already
introduced, and by which it is necessary
to abide, in order to prevent future con-
tentions. The feeling of justice here
deserts us ; but it is necessary to have
a rule of some kind to maintain the
peace of society. To establish such
rules, therefore, becomes the leading
object in almost all the higher discus-
sions of the supreme civil tribunals ;
and the benefits of a fixed and well-
defined code of law, can be secured to
society only on the same terms on
which the other advantages of the so-
cial union are obtained. The society
must pay for this, as well as for the
other conveniences which it enjoys ;
and it is just as absurd to contend, that
men are entitled, without paying for it,
to the benefit of that administration of
justice which saves them from quarrels
among themselves, as it would be to
assert, that they are entitled to be de-
fended against their foreign enemies,
without being called upon to support
the naval and military forces by which
this object is secured. It is a hard-
ship, no doubt, that our neighbours
should begin foolish and unnecessary
quarrels with us : it is no less a hard-
ship that the people of a neighbouring
state should unjustly insist upon going
to war with us. Such evils equally re-
sult from the frailty and foliy oi hu-
man nature ; and we cannot expect
protection agaiu.^t either, without ma-
king some sacrifice. Soldiers and sail-
ors defend us against the malice and

310 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

ambition of foreigners, and they must
be paid for performing so great a ser-
vice ; judges and lawyers protect us
against the malevolence of our neigh-
bours, and they also must be paid for
their exertions. Many obvious reasons
peculiarly applicable to the character
andsituationofthejudge8,renderitboth
indecent and inexpedient that their la-
bours should be rewarded by those in
■whose service they are more immediate-
ly employed. But as the exceptions al-
luded to apply to the judges alone, it is
bothjust and expedient that all the other
persons connected with the administra-
tion of justice should be rewarded by
the litigants. They should be fairly and
even liberally rewarded ; but still it is
incumbent on the court to take care that
justice be distributed without an un-
necessary expenditure. If this duty be
neglected, justice is not fully done ;
and the object of the institution of
courts is thus so far defeated.

The question of economy, therefore,
in the judicial settlement of controver-
sies, is a very material one to the fair
distribution of justice, and forms an
important element in the comparison
of the different institutions which may
be proposed for this purpose. If it can
be proved by the advocates of jury-
trial in civil cases, that this important
object is better attained by their favou-
rite institution, than by the established
forms, while there is no danger that
higher and still more important objects
may be in part sacrificed, — much will
be done towards the success of their
cause. But if, on the other hand, it
shall appear that a jury is an unneces-
sary, and by no means an unexpensive
incumbrance on the courts : this con-
sideration of expence alone ought to
have no small influence when we come
to draw our conclusions.

It is equally obvious, that dispatch,
in so far as may be consistent with the
deliberate investigation of disputes, is
essential to the due administration of

justice. He who is nolo entitled to a
certain sum of money, or to be put in
possession of property of any descrip-
tion, does not obtain justice if he suc-
ceed only after an unreasonable and
unnecessary- waste of time. His ob-
ject in coming into court is to obtain
the enjoymfnt of the subject in dispute ;
for the right of property, or any other
subordinate right, whatever may be its
metaphysical nature, always results in
the actual enjoyment of the subject.—
But if the person entitled to immediate
enjoyment be unnecessarily deprived of
it for months, or for years, he is so far
deprived of his just right ; a consider-
ation to which courts of law, in general,
have not hitherto been supposed to
have given all the weight to which it
is entitled. — The evil and injustice of
delay are not less apparent in another
point of view. Every one knows, that
suspense is the most painful of all our
feelings ; and the suspense created to
litigants by the useless delays which
too often occur in the administration of
justice, is perhaps the most severe that
can be endured. The object in dispute
is frequently of the greatest importance,
' — involving the prosperity or ruin of a
whole family. Even when a htigant
has all the assurance of success, which
can be obtained amid the fatal contradic-
tions and the proverbial uncertainty of
the law, his hope of attaining his ob-
ject is repeatedly deferred, while the
dread of ultimate failure and ruin ne-
ver ceases to haunt his imagination, —
This state of mind often leads to the
most ruinous expedients. At the mo-
ment when hope runs high, confidence
of success may lead to the most foolish
and fatal extravagance. The harassed
feeUngs, — the continued anxiety ,--the
entire dissipation of mind which is oc-
casioned by this state of suspense, can •
not be easily conceived. Courts of jus-
tice at the present day profess to set
a high value upon the injured feelings
oi individuals, and to give large da-

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

311

inagcs for any wanton attack upon
them. How can tlicy support their
consistency, if they themselves should
become the instruments of the most
bitter injury to the feelings of all those
who approach them for protection or
redress ?

When dispatch is not secured, there-
fore, and unnecessary expence avoid-
ed, the courts of law imperfectly fulfil
the object of their institution. — But
what is this thing which they adminis-
ter, and which, in common language,
is called " justice ?" Every one knows
that it frequently does not accord with
the vulgar notions on this subject, and
that the result of judicial proceedings is
often quite repugnant to what is called
the " common sense" of mankind.—
Thus, too, the discoveries of philoso-
phy are frequently at variance with
the same standard, always appealed to
by the ignorant in matters where it
can have no legitimate jurisdiction. —
The common sense of mankind, so fre-
quently invoked, signifies, in many
cases, the hasty, and shallow, and pre-
sumptuous opinion of those, who, with-
out studying principles, advance at
once to a conclusion.

" Common sense'* must either mean
tomQ Jeeling which is supposed to be
common to the species, or some conclu-
sion of the reasoning powers ; or, as
more commonly happens, a combina-
tion of both. But there are many sub-
jects deeply interesting to the welfare
of man, and of the highest dignity in
an intellectual point of view, to which
feeling is altogether inapphcable. Na-
ture, indeed, has given us strong and
just feelings where we are compelled to
act without deliberation ; but where so
rapid a decision is not required, she has
left us in a great measure to the gui*
dance of the understanding. The sub-
jects of judicial discussion clearly be-
long to the latter class ; — for in no age,
rude or civilized, has the character of
a judge been thought to admit of pas-

sion or feeling as an ingredient. But
if, in the character of a person set a-
part to administer justice, an elevation
above all coarse or vulgar feehng be
so pre-eminently required, how can the
same feeling be esteemed in that appel-
late jurisdiction to which reference is
so often made, — that mighty tribunal
of common sense, as it is vulgarly de-
nominated ? Common sense, in so far
as it is founded upon universal, and of
course vulgar feeling, has surely but
little to do with the nice and refined
reasonings which belong to every com-
plicated question of jurisprudence.

But common sense may imply the
exercise, to a certain degree, of intellect
as well as of feeling. The reasoning
powers of mankind, in general, how-
ever, are infallible only with regard to
objects to which they have been per-
manently and familiarly directed. It
is not a property of the intellectual
powers, either of the enlightened or
of the vulgar, to be instinctive in their
operations ; exercise and experience
alone can give them vigour and compre-
hensiveness. The limits of our instinc-
tive knowledge are extremely circum-
scribed ; the axioms of science may fall
within them, but we shall in vain trust
to inspiration for guiding us through
the labyrinth which leads to important
practical conclusions. This common
sense, therefore, — this combination of
vulgar feeling and imperfect reasoning,
can be no sure guide in a science
whose greatest beauty must for ever
consist in the fine adaptation of all the
parts to each other, and in the produc-
tion of a whole, distinguished by its
symmetry and proportion.

That this description is peculiarly
applicable to the science of law, will
be acknowledged by every one who is
capable of reflection. In this, reore
than in all the other sciences of prac-
tical application, uniformity and sys-
tem are indispensible. The rules of
law are intended not so much for seN

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

tling the past, as for regulating the
JuturCt and for extracting out of the
misfortunes, which befal a few indivi-
duals, the elements of future advantage
to society. The uniformity of the sys-
tem— the strictness of its analogies —
the correspondence of the parts, and
the immutability of the whole, thus
become objects of the highest import-
ance. The perfection of law as a science
would be attained, were its rules such
that no innovator but time could ac-
complish a change in them ; and al-
though this perfection can never be ac-
quired, it forms the end to which a
continual approximation should be at-
tempted. Law is useless — it is neither
a science nor an art — nay, it is perni-
cious in the extreme, when it becomes
fluctuating and unsteady, because the
great end of its establishment, the gui-
dance of men in their future transac-
tions, is thus sacrificed. The stability
of the civil code requires that it should
contain nothing repugnant to obvious
principles of equity ; but it requires a
great deal more that it may become uni-
form and systematic. To exclude prin-
ciples which are flagrantly iniquitous,
common sense, it would seem, may be
sufficient ; but to give system and uni-
formity to the science, more compre-
hensive efforts, and higher attainments
of the mind are required. Common
sense, or in other words, vulgar feel-
ing and slender intellect, have nothing
to do with system and order ; their bu-
siness is only with individual cases as
they occur, which it is easy to deter-
mine without relation to the principles
of science. The vulgar talent so much
esteemed, may exclude from a system
of law great and flagrant absurdities,
but it will never raise it to considerable
excellence.

The universal feelings of mankind,
therefore, are of very little importance
in constructing a system of law ; yet
the establishment of a regular code is
as much the duty of the courts, as the

determination of the particular causet
which come before them. The ques-
tion therefore is, — who shall discharge
the higher duties in the best possible
manner, — the judges who have been
educated with the greatest care, who
have been selected with the utmost
discretion, and who have been trained
by a long experience for the discharge
of the arduous duties entrusted to
them; or men selected indifferently
from among the people, without much
natural talent, with less culture, and
with no suitable preparation for their
important office ? It would be a stri-
king anomaly, if, in the science of ju-
risprudence alone, ignorance and inex-
perience were to insure a superiority.
In every other department of business,
the division of labour, and the exclu-
sive devotion of talent to one particu-
lar object, have been found to assist
the progress of the understanding. It
were singular if the only exception oc-
curred in one of the most difficult, and
not the least important of the sciences.
Who shall maintain that the judges,
merely in consequence of their learning
and intelligence, are deprived of that
common sense which is said to belong
indifferently to the species, and which
is so much paraded by the advocate*
of judicial reform ? But unless it be
supposed that their learning subjects
them to this severe affliction, they seem
to possess all the qualities in a pre-emi-
nent degree which are required for the
administration of justice. If it be con-
ceded that they are not, because of
their learning, abandoned by that fa-
culty known by the name of " com-
mon sense," there is no danger that
they will be betrayed into any glaring
absurdity in their decisions. No one
will dispute, that they alone can pos-
sess that science which is necessary to
give system and stability to the nation-
al jurisprudence ; and thus they have
the monopoly of those qualities which
are indispensable to the useftilness, ai

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

well as to the integrity, of the art which
they profess.

It is very true, indeed, that other
questions, besides those of pure law,
occur very often in the cases sub-
mitted to discussion in the courts. In
the same manner, few questions of pure
mathematics occur in practice ; the
principles of that beautiful science are
mixed with facts of a physical nature,
and come to be considered in conjunc-
tion with them. The refined maxims
of a pure and speculative jurisprudence,
are frequently blended in practice with
a series of facts ; a complicated ques-
tion of law and fact is thus submitted
for consideration. But it has been
generally thought, by persons who look
at the surface of things only, that
questions of fact may be best settled
by men whose heads are not much oc-
cupied with the refinements of legal
knowledge ; and that justice would be
better distributed in cases of this kind
by an appeal to common sense, and
the ordinary sentiments of integrity,
than to the subtleties of jurisprudence.
On what this opinion is founded, or
by what arguments it has been sup-
ported, it is difficult to discover. There
exists, indeed, a strong prejudice on
the subject ; and it has been pompous-
ly announced, by ignorant and self-
•ufficient persons, that as the transac-
tions out of which the questions oc-
curring in courts of justice arise belong
to the ordinary affairs of hfe, no other
talent can be required for their adjust-
ment, than that which God and nature
have almost universally bestowed on
mankind, — a tolerable share of perspi-
cacity, and a sound feeling in all ques-
tions of a moral nature That there
is no foundation for such an opinion,
may very easily be made apparent.

The familiarity of men, m general,
with the ordinary transactions of life,
is no proof that they will be able to
judge soundly of them, when they are
«onsidercd with reference either to the

immutable principles of justice or to the
science of law. The clown knows but
little of the natural history of the sub-
jects about which his labour is employ-
ed ; he never thinks of them in any
other point of view, than as they are
subservient to his own immediate ope-
rations. The operative mechanic has
a very imperfect knowledge of the ge-
neral principles and the minute struc-
ture of the machinery which he is daily-
employed to put in motion ; his pur-
pose is served, if the particular effect
which he wishes to produce be ac-
complished by his exertions. His
knowledge is wholly confined to zw-
dividual objects ; he never thinks of
tracing any general connections, or of
forming principles which might guide
his judgment under any variation of
circumstances, or in any combination of
events different from that in which he
is commonly required to exert himself.
His habits of thought are narrow ;
his prejudices strong ; and his opinions,
of course, unsound. He might, per-
haps, give an opinion tolerably rational,
if called upon to decide in a C2i%e pre-
cisely similar to that which has fre-
quently come under his own immediate
cognisance ; in different circumstances
he will probably be prejudiced, dog-
matical, and absurd.

There is no subject of human know-
ledge which, when well understood,
does not become a science, in the strict
sense of that term ; which is not im-
proved and advanced by the introduc-
tion of general principles, founded
upon a comprehensive induction. The
knowledge which is included under the
name of common sense, embraces only
a few original principles of no very ex-
tensive utility in practice ; and where
it professes to go beyond these, it is
generally imperfect and absurd. Com-
mon sense, in this acceptation of the
word, and as distinguished from science,
signifies a narrow and confined percep-
tion, and a prejudiced understanding.

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

This faculty may be accurately conver-
sant in a few particulars ; but it can
never aspire to those general and com-
prehensive views, which it becomes all
those to possess who are to examine
the works of nature, or to sit in judg-
ment on the transactions of men.
These transactions are infinitely diver-
sified ; and so is the character of those
by whom they are conducted, or by
whose interposition as witnessess their
real character is to be determined.
There is a science, in short, which is
applicable to matters of evidence, as
well as to all other subjects of human
knowledge ; and it no more follows,
that the persons who are more imme-
diately occupied with the transactions
to which the evidence may apply — who
come into daily contact with the sub-
jects of enquiry — who are conversant
about the ordinary habits and manners
of the parties concerned, should be
adepts in this science, than it is to be
presumed that the practical farmer
should be thoroughly acquainted with
the principles of chemistry — the or-
dinary mechanic with the profound
theories of the speculative philosopher,
or the practical merchant with the re-
fined notions of political economy.

Whether belief in testimony be an
original principle in the mind of man,
or the slow result of experience, phi-
losophers, who delight to involve every
thing in doubt, that they may enjoy
the credit of a discovery, may be left
to enquire. It appears certain, how-
ever, that the just limits of belief can
be fixed by experience alone ; and that
there is no instinctive or intuitive prin-
ciple which can guide us in matters of
this kind. The ruks for judging of
evidence are the result of a cautious
and deliberate induction, and constitute
a science of no very easy attainment.
To prove that the principles which
guide the judgment in matters of evi-
dence are not intuitive, and, of course,
are not common to all men, nothing

more seems necessary than to state the
fact — that such judgments are not
founded on any certain knowledgfe,
but proceed altogether upon probabili'
ty. But all our intuitive knowledge (at
least when we are placed in circum-
stances suitable to the formation of a
correct opinion) is certain in its nature ;
hence it is, that the province of com-
mon sense is confined to those points
in which all men, or at least a majority,
are entirely agreed. But upon the
faith which is due to the evidence of
testimony in each particular case, men
entertain the most contradictory opi-
nions ; and the only source of a sound
judgment is to be found in the appli-
cation of the rules derived from a com-
prehensive induction. These rules
form an important and difficult science ;
and the men who have most thorough-
ly investigated the principles of this
science— who have had inclination and
opportunity to follow out the most
copious induction of particular cases —
who have devoted their lives to it as
a professional pursuit — must in this
case, as well as in the developement of
the principles of pure law, have an un-
disputed superiority over all the other
classes of society.

That the formation of a sound judg-
ment in matters depending upon human
testimony, is not so easy a task as some
people imagine, will be apparent to
every one who turns, not only to books
of law, but even to treatises of logic on
the subject. It is true, indeed, that
such guides are contemned by thought-
less and superficial persons, and that
the sound culture of the understand-
ing is considered by them as a thing
of very small value. There have been
absurd books of logic, no doubt, as
there have been foolish books in all
the sciences ; but it is not the less
true, that a good book of logic is a
very valuable performance. — We have
only to open one of them to perceive
the difficulties of that task which it is

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

315

rashly presumed that any body of
men, selected at random from the diffe-
rent ranks of the community, may per-
form. To arrive at a just conclusion
in matters of evidence, it is necessary,
not only to consider well the character
and veracity of the witness, but the
nature of the facts to which he swears,
and their correspondence with the or-
dinary course of events — The veracity
of a hundred witnesses may be unim-
peachable upon any ground which can
be fairly stated as an exception to
their evidence ; yet, to those who are
in the constant habit of making obser-
vations on such subjects, it will appear
extremely improbable, in the ordinary
course of events, that a hundred men
IN succession, and all of them taken in-
differently, should speak the truth.
To such persons, therefore, the slight-
est circumstance unfavourable to any
witness, although it might make no
impression on an inexperienced man,
will suggest a doubt, created by the
application of that general principle
which is the result of experience and
observation alone. The art of, " cross-
questioning," as it is called, although
too often applied to the most unfair
and disingenuous purposes, is one of
such difficult attainment, that few men
at the bar, who have not enjoyed the
advantages of a long experience, are
supposed to possess it ; yet, by this
art, although the real merits of a case
may be sometimes confounded, the
truth is often discovered. But if
counsel of great and various experience
are alone thought qualified for such
an undertaking, how are men altoge-
ther without experience, to judge of
its results ; or in what manner are they
to assist, as it is the business of all
efficient judges to do, in promoting its
legitimate effects ? But supposing the
veracity of all the witnesses brought
forward, in any trial, to be above sus-
picion, their intimate knowledge of the
subject to which they are called upon

to speak, is a matter of infinite impor-
tance, and must always have great
weight on every accurate judgment,
which is formed as to the nature of
their testimony. To ascertain the ex-
tent of this knowledge, it is not enough
that the answer of the witness himself,
to any question which may be put to
him, upon such a point should be care-
fully remarked — for every man is apt
to entertain an overweening opinion of
his own acquirements. In many casei
of a simple nature, it may be easy,
no doubt, to estimate the understand-
ing and knowledge of a witness, from
the nature of the evidence which he
gives ; but in others, this task may be
extremely difficult to a jury who hap-
pen to be themselves unacquainted
with the precise class of transactions
out of which the question for deter-
mination has originated. But the man
who has been well educated himself-—
who is accustomed and compelled to
form accurate notions on the subjects
which come before him — who has of-
ten been on the watch to check igno-
rance and presumption — who has ac-
customed himself to mark its appear-
ances— to remove its thin disguises,
and to search for truth amid the so-
phistry of the bar and the dulness of
the witnesses, will surely be better
qualified than others to expose and re-
prove ignorance and forwardness, and
to deduct from testimony given in con-
fidence what it may appear to want in
knowledge. Nor will his superiority
be less apparent when he comes to com-
pare the testimony of the witnesses
with the ordinary course of events

in similar cases a comparison than

which nothing is more important for
ascertaining the truth. He may not,
indeed, know so much of the particular
class of tiansactions out of which the
dispute has arisen as some of the jurors,
if it shall happen that by a careful se-
lection men of the same trade or pro-
fession with the litigants have been

916

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

chosen to try the question. But it
may be presumed, that he has had an
opportunity of considering with deh-
beration a far greater number of con-
tested points of the same kind, and has
made a more ample induction of parti-
culars to guide his judgment, than the
inexperienced persons, who, perhaps,
were never before in a court of justice.
Should his knowledge be defective as to
the peculiar practices or customs of any
trade or profession, the remedy is very
timple— a few witnesses belonging to
luch trades can be examined to explain
their mysteries. In a general know-
ledge ©f human conduct — in that sa-
gacity which, although the result of
a long experience, seems often to re-
semble intuition — in a thorough ac-
quaintance with the devices to which li-
tigants generally resort — in short, in all
the elements for coming to a sound
and fairconclusion on any subject of tes-
timony, he must be infinitely superior.
The measure of our belief in the
evidence of testimony can scarcely be
iixed, in any particular case where the
circumstances are complicated and the
evidence contradictory, by a mind
•which has had little experience in such
enquiries. Yet, when the subject is
examined with a comprehensive and
philosophical eye, there appear to be
elements by which the whole may be
reduced to a science, approaching even
to the accuracy of the mathematics.
The calculation of probabilities, it is
well known, has of late years been
wonderfully improved by the aid of
science ; and the measure of our belief
in the testimony of one or more wit-
nesses to a particular fact, or to a se-
ries of events, is just a question of pro-
bability. The want of precision, in-
deed, which belongs to the subject,
may exclude the aid of mathematical
learning ; and it is very true, that this
kind of learning has not hitherto been
much resorted to by judges and law-
yers. It may be impossible to express

in figures the complex result of con-
tradictory evidence, although some in-
genious attempts have bten made to
carry the principles ot calculation even
to this extent. It is certain, however,
that nearly the same jjeneral principles
of science which apply to the proper
objects of mathematical calculation,
may be extended to the investigation
of theevidence derived from testimony ;
such principles, indeed, are implied,
although they may not be formally an-
nounced in all correct reasonings on
the subject. Without their aid, it
must often be impossible to come to
any conclusion upon a body of con-
flicting evidence, such as is often ac-
cumulated in the more important causes
brought before courts of justice. But
what advantage can, in such cases, be
derived from the interposition of men
of limited views — often without edu-
cation— with no habits of steady reflec-
tion— unaccustomed to severe mental
exertion, and devoid of all experience
on the subjects to which they are called
upon to apply their faculties, it is very
difficult to discover.

Experience here, as in almost every
other department of human affairs,
whether intellectual or mechanical, will
supply many defects ; but, for the want
of this experience, nothing will atone.
Experience will not, indeed, serve to
make a dull man a great genius ; it
will not enable him to mske discoveries
in the sciences, or to create fine com-
binations of the fancy ; because, al-
though it gives facihty in what is old,
it creates nothing new. It will make
an efficient and able man in any esta*
blished art or caUing ; it can never
form a great philosopher or a fine poet.
By reducing all men, how differently
soever born, nearly to a level in the
business of life, it becomes the grand
instrument of that practical equality
which is the boast of a free government :
for if the natural defects of the great
body of mankind did not admit of a cur^.

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

317

by thegradual operJttions of experience,
there would be much danger in throw-
ing open to all the door of amHition,
and admitting tliem in stations more or
le8» elevated, to the conduct of affairs in
which th public h-ive an interest Ex
perierice giv*»8 a sort of lact to dulne.ss
itseif, ind bestows an artificial delicacy-
even on the most insensible nerves.
SaiiCMo'skiiismen had probably no very
refi led sensations from nature ; yet ex-
perience made them excellent judges of
the qualities of wine. To explore the
unknown regions of science and litera-
ture, is an undertaking reserved for
minds of a hik{her cast, who can ad-
venture, with genius alone for their
guide, where never mortal trode before;
but the humble man of business, whose
concern is with the territories already

discovered who has landmarks to

guide him on all sides — who has merely
to co'nprehend what is laid before him,
and to follow the paths already marked
out, may trust to experience, and can
trust to this alone with safety. The
reiterated trials which he makes, assure
himof that nice perception — that quick
discernment, — that ready application
even of the most refined principles, in
which the virtue and excellence of his
character consist. So sensible have
mankind, in general, been of this truth,
that, even in the most vulgar arts, they
have shewn the greatest anxiety to se
cure the experience of the professors ;
hence the numerous laws as to appren-
ticeships and the privileges of corpo-
rations, which, although they betray
an unsound poHcy in the detail, evince
that principle of wise circumspect )on,
which, in practical matters, looks to
experience alone as a sure guide. The
same principle applies to the higher
walks of the pubUc service, as well as
to the liberal professions. No man,
without previous study and experience,
takes an active part in the business of
the senate, or commits his fortune and
reputation at the bar. Is it true then,

that controversies arising among mea
as to their property, may be decided
with less aid from experience than they
can be pleaded; and is the administra-
tion of justice the only function which
can be safely undertaken without any
previous qualification ? If the benefit
of previous training be not required to
enable men to judge well in civil causes,
why should so much of it be demanded
of the advocates who are to sustain
them ; and why are litigants not for-
mally invited to appear in court in
their proper persons? If there be so
great an advantage in having unlearned
men to decide law- suits, it is difficult
to discover why a similar advantage
should not be gained, by having per-
sons equally unlearned to conduct them.
Advocates of this description would,
of course, follow the plain dictates of
** common sense," and avoid all these
refinements of legal knowledge, which
have often created so much offence and
alarm.

If there be any justice in the pre-
ceding reflections, when applied to the
interference of inexperienced persons in
settling di'?putedquestionsof/«c^, their
force, whenapphedtothejudgmentsof
the >ame persons in matters of law,
must be irresistible. The late act for in-
troducing jury trial, in civil causes, int*
Scotland, empowers the juries to deter-
mine qu'-stions of law as well as of
fact ; and, indeed, without a provision
of this kind, the new institution must
have proved a mere incumbrance on
the country. It is well known to every
person acquainted with the practice of
the courts, that the law and the fact
are so much blended, in almost every
case of importance, that they could be
separated only by some very violent and
hitherto untried operation ; whether,
indeed, they could in many instance!
be thus separated by any effort of me-
taphysical ingenuity, is extremely ques-
tionable. Juries then are to have the
power, nay, they are to be called up*

318

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

on to settle the law — a task for which
it cannot be thought they are very
well quahfied. It has ah-eady been
proved that difficult questions of law
cannot be settled hjjeelingy as is vul-
garly maintained— for abstract points
of this kind have nothing more to do
with Jeelhgi than the prepositions of
mathematics. Neither can they be
settled by intuition, or by common
sense — for they are, in their own na-
ture, and must ever continue, remote
from common apprehension. Yet what
other qualification than that of " com-
mon sense" have the jury for such an
undertaking, as that which is now in-
trusted to them ? It is their duty, we
are told, to obey the directions of the
judge as to all questions of law, whe-
ther of a more comprehensive nature,
or arising upon the established rules of
evidence. But it is clear that they
have the actual, if not the moral power
of refusing to do this ; and it is not
improbable that they may frequently
exercise this power. Some persons
of high talent and authority in Eng-
land, have even contended that juries
have the moral power also ; nay, that
they are bound, if their consciences
dictate such a course to them, to dis-
regard altogether the directions of the
judge, and taking law and fact into
their own hands, to dispose of every
case which comes before them agree-
ably to their own notions of moral
justice. As this point seems to be
mvolvcd in som.e difficulty, it may not
be improper to offer a few remarks
upon it.

The law, it has already been obser-
tred, decides not only the particular
cases which are brought before the
courts, but forms a rule for the gui-
dance of men in their future transac-
tions ; injlexibility, therefore, becomes
one of its most important qualities.
Each of its general principles embraces
a great variety of particular cases, which
are discriminated from each other by

nice shades of difference. The dis-
tinctions existing among the different
cases falling under one general rule,
are frequently of such a kind that
they may be bettery^/^ than described ;
yet is their influence very strong upon
a mind which is accustomed to judge
of particulars, without reference to
any general principle. Such nice dis-
tinctions, however, cannot, according
to the notions of lawyers, be allowed
to influence the decision, because they
are not of that palpable character
which admits of definition, nor, indeed,
of any thing like accurate description
in language. They cannot, therefore,
form the basis of any new and subor-
dinate rule ; and as the formation of
rules and the generalisation of princi-
ples is of the highest importance, they
cannot be permitted to have any in-
fluence. Perhaps the distinctions are
not only nice, but would in most cases
be incapable of proof; yet instances
may occur in which the fact establish-
ing the distinction is, by a singular ac-
cident, established beyond contradic-
tion.— The distinctive circumstances,
again, may be of such a kind, that if
a proof of them were allowed in one
case, it would necessarily be so loose,
that a similar proof might, in other
instances of the same kind, be attempt-
ed for the most unfair purposes ; and
although, in the particular instance
before the court, no doubt may remain
as to the fact, yet a door must not be
opened to future frauds by admitting
it to proof. — Rules must be general,
and to be useful they must be limited
in number ; but a system of law which
would decide each case that occurs
upon its own peculiarities, or upon the
circumstances by which itis distinguish-
ed from every other, could have no
general rules, and, of course, could
assign no limit to the number of its
rules and provisions. Hence it is,
that if a case have some leading quali-
ties in common with others, it is judged

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

Sir

of with a view to such qualities alone,
and its "specialties," as they are called,
are often disregarded. Were such a
case, however, the only one faUing
under the general rule of law, it might
have been decided differently, — that
is, the judgment given upon its real
merits would have been different from
the decision pronounced with refer-
ence to general principles, and to the
integrity of the law. But with the
true merits of the particular case alone,
have the parties who are disputing
any concern ; so that by a strict ad-
herence to legal principle, more than
justice is done to the one, while less
than justice is done to the other. Ex-
amples of this may easily be given. — It
seems a principle of common justice,
that in every civilized state where the
right of property is recognized, the
person who has this right should be
allowed to exercise it in any way which
is not hurtful to his neighbours ; and
that a clear and satisfactory proof, iji
any Jbrmy of his intention thus to ex-
ercise it, should ensure the validity of
the act. But the law of Scotland,
and probably that of every other
country, refuses its indiscriminate sanc-
tion to this principle of common jus-
tice ; and, in order to guard against
fabricated evidence, which, of course,
would in many instances be offered, it
requires that the intention of the own-
er should be intimated by certain pre-
scribed formahties. This is doubtless
a very good general rule; but cases
often occur where the evidence of in"
iention is perfectly incontestable, and
above all suspicion ; and yet, in these
as well as in others, the rule of law will
be unrelentingly applied. But if iw
teniion alone, unequivocally manifest-
ed, and clearly proved, be necessary to
bestow, by the principles of common
justice, a right or a claim upon the
donee, it is quite obvious, that in most
cases his individual interest is sacrificed

to the general interests of society,
which demand that the integrity of the
law shall be preserved, and that the
safeguards against false or fabricated
evidence shall be rigorously maintain-
ed. A juryman, however, may be dis-
posed to put the question to himself —
whether this sacrifice of the rights of
an individual to the general benefit of
society, be justifiable in a moral point
of view ; and he may, without much in-
genuity, propose some staggering con-
siderations to himself on this delicate to-
pic. He may admit, indeed, in common
with all mankind, that if a clear and
strong case of necessity were estabhsh-
ed, the sacrifice of individual interests,
whether agreeable or not to the rules
of a very speculative morality, must be
made ; but it may be difiicult for him,
in many cases, to prove this necessity
to his own mind. He has thought
but little, it may be supposed, on the
expediency of general rules ; at all
events, mere expediency might not af-
ford to his tender conscience a suffi-
cient apology for a violation of the
rules of natural justice, and an infringe-
ment on the rights of an individual.
The only necessity which he may be
able to discover in the whole circum-
stances, is a species of it about which
he may, perhaps, give himself but little
uneasiness — the necessity to which law-
yers may be put of framing their ge-
neral rules with more caution-— of mo-
difying them according to circum-
stances— of increasing their number a
little, at the hazard even of augment-
ing professional labour — and of ren-
dering technical maxims more compati-
ble with universal justice and the com-
mon sense of mankind. Such viewrs,
indeed, may in many cases be quite
sound and reasonable — for every one
must acknowledge that the science of
law is still very imperfect. The ques-
tion then is, whether che juror is bound
to take the law implicitly from the
9

S2#

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

judge, or whether he may not, and
ought not, to exercise his own discre-
tion in a case where he may think his
conscience is concerned ? No enact-
ment can bind him, in circumstances of
this kind, to be guided entirely by the
opinion of another. The juror knows
that his guide is fallible and may lead
him into error ; he is convinced in his
own mind, that at this very moment
such an attempt is made to bewilder
his understanding. It will avail little
to say to him — that the law is official-
ly expounded by the judge — and that
for the inaccuracy of the directions
the judge alone is responsible. The
juror knows, that without his interfe-
rence the injustice which is attempted
cannot be accomplished ; and com-
mon sense tells him, that no power on
earth, not even that of the legislature it-
self, can /fliu/M//y compel a man to do a
manifest wrong, or even to co-operate
in the accomplishment of it. This is an
obvious and unquestionable principle
which no sophistry can overcome ; and
the juror, therefore, knows that he can
never be compelled to assist in doing in-
justice. If he meddle with the law, his
interference will, no doubt, " touch his
conscience," as the great Lord Mans-
field declared ; but so does the judg-
ment which he forms on the fact ; and
in both cases his conscience is only so
far affected, that he is bound, in de-
ciding both on law and fact, to proceed
only after the most accurate enquiry —
upon mature deliberation — and in strict
conformity with the conscientious feel-
ings of his own mind. It can never
be his duty to lend his sanction — to
give his concurrence — or to interfere
directly or indirectly — to promote the
accomplishment of a »2ora/torowg which
is palpable to his own unbiassed un-
derstanding.

But what must be the practical re-
sult of all this ? The juror having the
actual power in all cases, and the moral

power in some, to interfere with the
law, will probably, in error and igno-
rance, go a great way beyond his duty.
He is under no definite or precise re-
straint ; no province strictly hmited
and accurately circumscribed is assign-
ed to him. He is told, that, by the
constitution of his country, he is the
proper judge both of law and fact ;
and in such circumstances, it is not
only probable, but certain, that ignon
ranee and presumption will venture far
beyond their depth, and interfere in
matters to which they are wholly in-
competent. It is idle to tell the juror,
that the judge is the true oracle — the
only just expounder of the law to him ;
for this, to his apprehension, will be
utterly at variance with the fact — that
the judge must submit his opinions to
the consideration of the jury, and that,
without their interposition, he can, in
mixed questions, give no effectual
judgment. The jury, therefore, niai/
become, (and if they maj/y they pro-
bably tui/^ become) the arbiters, both
in matters of law and fact ; in other
words, they will take it upon them to
judge of subjects about which they
are necessarily ignorant. What is to
become of the law in this state of things
—how is the system of national juris-
prudence to be matured — how are its
maxims to acquire that steadiness and
uniformity so indispcnsible to its effi-
ciency ? There can be no uniformity im
the opinions of men unaccustomed to the
consideration of the law as a sci( nee, and
to an extensive survey of the bearings
and dependence of its different parts up-
on each other. Even if the jury, there-
fore, were to form a part of the court,
and if the same men were to deliberate
together upon all the cases which
may be tried, little uniformity could
be expected in their decisions ; and far
less can consistency be looked for, when
the jurors are to be changed daily, and
individuals, entirely different in their

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

321

kabita and acquirements, are, in suc-
cession, to determine the subjects of
controversy. When the law is con-
sidered as a science — when it is re-
membered how deceitful first appear-
ances are in this, as in all the other
sciences — how much depends upon
the uniformity and inflexibility of the
decisive rules — how remote are the re-
fined conclusions of a discriminating
and enlightened mind, from the first
impressions produced on a vulgar un-
derstanding— it would seem that no
contrivance could be worse adapted
for attaining the true objects of all
judicial institutions, than the interfe-
rence of men unaccustomed to habits
of accurate investigation — expenenced
only in the details, and utterly ig-
norant of the grand and leading fea-
tures of that science of which they are
to be entrusted with the practical ap-
plication.

Such then are the manifest disadvan-
tages which seem to be inseparable
from the institution of trial by jury in
civil causes ; and after considering
them with impartiaHty, we may be
tempted to wonder how the iisstitution
has become so great a favourite with
our enlightened neighbours. Some
explanation of this circumstance will
be offered in the sequel ; but, at pre-
sent, it is necessary to enquire whether
there existed any evils ot such magni-
tude in the administration of justice in
Scotland as to call for so strange a
remedy. It has already been remark-
ed, that if no very serious evils exist,
there can be no apology for innova-
tion ; and we ought, therefore, in the
first place, to try the justice of the
complaints which have been made
against our ancient forms of proceed-
ing, and to enquire whether they might
npt have been redressed without re-
sorting to the violent measure of which
it is now proposed that we should
make an experiment.

Before the division of the Court of

VOL. VI. PRT I.

Session into two chambers, there was
room for complaint, on account of the
unnecessary delays to which litigation
was subjected. This inconvenience
was supposed, by those who contended
for a reformation of the court, *' to
arise from the circumstance — that the
whole pleadings were in writing — that
the evidence also was in writing, and
its import a subject of argument to
the last stage of the cause— ttiat there
existed a power, almost unlimited, of
submitting judgments to review — that
from the number of judges who sat to-
gether, much time was worse than
uselessly spent in wrangling delibera-
tions, and that the judges, both in their
individual capacities and acting toge-J
ther, were called upon to discharge
duties which it was beyond their power
to accomplish." From these circum-
stances, it was contended that all the
evils of the former system had arisen ;
and an arrear of causes had accumu-
lated and was rapidly increasing, which,
if some remedy had not been applud,
must have brought the proceedings of
the court to a stand. — Let us try to
discover what part of these eviis 'las
been corrected by the measures already
adopted and acted upon for some years,
and what part of tJie complaints was
exaggerated or altogether unfound-
ed

The power of submitting judgments
to review has been effectually checked
by the recent regulations. This power
was always restrained, in so far as con-
cerned the proceedings of the Inuer-
house ; and the business of the Outer-
house has now been put under similar
limitations. By the division of the
court into two chambers, and by the
appointment of judges who sit per-
manently in the Outer-house, the in-
convenience arising from the numbers
of the judges composing the court has
also been remedied — for no one will
pretend to say, that noxv the number
of judges who usually sit in each di-

322

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

vi3ion is too great, either for the
efficiency or the decency of judicial
proceedings. The time, therefore,
which is said to have been formerly
•pent in <* wrangHng deliberations,'* is
now happily saved to the country ;
and the energy as well as the decorum
of the court is well sustained. Four
or five judges are not too many to give
that weight and importance to a de-
cision of the Inner house, which the
proceedings of such a tribunal seem to
require ; nor have the judges that ten-
dency, when convened in numbers so li-
mited, to indulge in warm and zealous
controversy which seems to have given
so much offence. The number is not
so great as to be incompatible with
the facilities of private communica-
tion, for the adjustment of conflicting
opinions, a matter of very great im-
portance to the decency and gravity of
judicial procedure.

Another of the evils formerly com-
plained of has also been removed, viz.
the severe and oppressive labour to
which the judges were exposed. By
the appointment of judges who sit
permanently in the Outer-house, an
entire separation has been accomplish-
ed betwixt the different departments of
public business ; and much unneces-
sary labour is saved both to the judges
who decide in the first instance, and
to those who determine as a court of
review upon the proceedings of their
brethren. It may appear paradoxical to
those who are unacquainted with the
constitution of the court, to state, that
an increase of the number of the judges
would, instead of facilitating, greatly
impede the progress of business ; and ad-
vantage was, on a former occasion, most
unfairly taken of this apparent anomaly,
to create prejudices in the public mind
against any change in the constitution
of the court. But as the labours of
one judge sitting in the Inner- house,
can never enable any of his brethren
to dispenie with the necessity of going

through the sai7ie fatigues— as there
is no distribution into departments — as
each judge, if he discharge his duty,
must perform precisely the same thing
which is done by his coadjutors, the
truth of the statement must be quite
apparent. The labours of an active
member of the House of Commons
are not abridged, but increased, by the
circumstance, that he is a member of
a very numerous assembly ; the same
thing happens in the Court of Ses-
sion. An increaae of toil and an ad-
ditional waste of time would be oc-
casioned by any augmentation of the
number of judges— because, while the
labours of preparation would remain
precisely the same as before, the dif-
culty of reconciling opinions would
be increased by the additional number
of them which would be delivered.
The time of the court would be con-
sumed exactly in the same proportion.
The division of the court, therefore,
into two chambers co-ordinate in power,
and equally accessible to litigants, must
first of all (if the chambers be equaXlr
popular) reduce the amount of busi-
ness and the labours of each division
by one half, that is to say, only one
half of the cases which came before the
whole court will now come before
each separate chamber. But the re-
duction of labour must be still greater
in amount than this — for not only must
the number of cases be diminished, but
the difficulties attending the decision
of each controversy must be greatly
lessened. Fewer opinions are given,
and less time, of course, is wasted in
delivering them ; the collision of sen-
timent is less frequent, and there is less
difficulty in attaining that satisfactory
adjustment which is in every point of
view so desirable. By the entire se-
paration also of the different depart-
ments of business which belong to the
Inner and Outer-houses, a still greater
saving of labour to each of the judges
is accomplished ; while every portiom

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

523

of the public business, and that which
belongs to the Outer-house in parti-
cular, is more deliberately and more
effectually done. The recent arrange-
ments have thus removed one great and
reasonable ground of complaint, by
reheving the judges of an excess of
labour to which no human industry-
could be fully adequate. ,

But other evils, it may be said, re-
main ; the pleadings are still in wri-
ting, and the evidence is not only in
writing, but its true import remains a
subject of debate to the last stage of
the cause. Here are two complaints
which must be separately examined ;
the justice of one of them, at least,
seems more than questionable.

It does not appear difficult to find
a criterion by which the comparative
merits of written and viva voce plead-
ings may be ascertained. It must al-
ways be remembered, that in questions
of a civil nature which come before the
courts, any appeal to the Jeelings is
very much out of place ; and accord-
ingly the arts by which such appeals
may be effectually made, are but little
cultivated at the Scottish bar. The
advantages, therefore, of voice and
gesture are here of no importance ; the
question to be decided being generally
one of strict reasoning, must be set-
tled by force and solidity of argument
alone. Pleadings conducted viva voce
might indeed have some superiority
over the written form, if the parties
were to appear in court personally, and
not through the medium of profession-
al men employed to sustain their causes.
The suddenness of the questions put,
and the rapid turn of the argument,
might, by disconcerting an impostor,
tend very much to elucidate the truth.
Even in such circumstances, however,
little good could be accomphshed upon
the whole, by an exclusive preference
given to viva voce pleadings ; mere
subtlety and dexterity might often,
under this form, gain an advantage to

which truth and justice alone are en-
titled. When the parties do not ap-
pear personally, but are represented
by their professional advisers, who sel-
dom, of their own knowledge, have
any acquaintance with the cause, it
is difficult to discover what benefit
is to be expected from viva voce plead-
ings, which is not better attained by
means of writing. Subtleness and dex-
terity— petulance and forwardness.—
have many advantages in wrangling
at the bar ; but such are not the vic-
tories of reason or of truth. Many-
things are said in every speech, (par-
ticularly if it be unpremeditated) which,
upon reflection, will appear extremely
shallow and absurd ; but as the pre-
cise words of an oration are seldom re-
membered for any length of time, loose
and frothy declaimers have free scope
in their harangues. On law, as well
as on every other subject, men will ex-
*p!ain themselves more satisfactorily
ivitk than without the aid of mature
deliberation ; and as all written com-
positions have a permanency about
them which does not belong to viva
voce pleading — as they may be conve-
niently referred to, not only by friends,
who make them the subject of pane-
gyric, but by foes, who wish to calum-
niate the author — as they involve a
sort of responsibility which does not
belong to the other form of pleading,
it seems but reasonable to presume,
that greater care and deliberation will
be employed in preparing them. The
fruits of this care must be superior
excellence — an excellence which is not
only important to the client and to his
cause, but essential to the sound admi-
nistration of justice. By the forms of
pleading adopted in our supreme civil
court, the arguments of the parties are
all but pubhshed ; and if the plead-
ings were, in other respects, free from
error, a more correct and satisfactory
view of the grounds of each particular
judgment eould be obtained under this

324

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

than under any other system. On the
importance of this circumstance to the
stability and consistency of the law it
were superfluous to enlarge.— One in-
convenience, indeed, combined with so
many advantages, written pleadings un-
doubtedly have ; a greater proportion
of the time and attention of the judge
is occupied in their perusal, than
would be consumed in listening to viva
voce pleadings on the same subject.
But this evil seems to admit of an easy
remedy ; for if the public business be
so arranged, that the whole may be
discharged without undue precipita-
tion or excessive and unreasonable la-
bour to the judge, the object is fully
accomplished. The regular extrica-
tion of the business of the court, and
the absence of all arrears, form the
only criterion which can be resorted
to on this subject ; and it appears, that
in point of fact, the division of the
court, and the other arrangements,
made a few years ago, have been suc-
cessful in removing the ancient grie-
vances. In such circumstances, it may
with confidence be maintained, that
the present form of pleading establish-
ed in the Court of Session, in so far as
it prefers written to parole discussion,
instead of affording a just ground for
complaint, is entitled to very high com-
mendation.

It is more difficult, however, to jus-
tify that form of proceeding in other
particulars of no slight moment. It is
true that proofs are still reduced to wri-
ting, and that evidence is collected in a
manner which seems deserving of severe
censure. The witnesses are not ex-
amined in presence of the judge who
is to decide upon their testimony, but
before a person with limited powers,
and often of small experience. This
person, who acts upon a commission
granted to him by the judge, repairs
to the spot where the dispute has ari-
sen, if it be of a local nature, and
there proceeds, without much formali-

ty, to interrogate the witnesses, and
to put down their answers in writing.
The " commissioner,** as he is called,
is sometimes a person of no great educa-
tion, and of slender practice in his pro-
fession ; he proceeds, therefore, to the
discharge of his difficult office with
every possible disadvantage. Having
little confidence in his own knowledge
or experience, he is without firmness
to resist the importunity, and to repress
the indecent wrangling of the litigious
crowd by which he is surrounded. The
power entrusted to him is of a very li-
mited nature — for it would be danger-
ous to bestow extensive powers on
such persons as it is often necessary to
select for this office. There is nothing
of a judicial character about his ap-
pearance, or the manner of exercising
his functions ; nothing which is calcu-
lated to impress the witnesses with sen-
timents of suitable deference and re-
spect for him. The influence of this
single circumstance must be great up-
on the minds of ignorant persons, such
as those with whom he has often to
deal. From his want of knowledge
and experience in the conduct of such
affairs, he is often puzzled as to the
competency of questions which the
parties propose to the witnesses ; de-
bates arise which he cannot extricate
or adjust ; and after much clamour, on
both sides, these debates are formally
reduced to writing, and reported to the
judge, that he may give his opinion as
to any controverted point which may
arise in the course of the proceedings.
When no objections occur to the
questions proposed, they are put by
the commissioner to the witnesses;
and the answers are taken down in
writing, in such terms as it may suit
the judgment or the caprice of the
commissioner to express them. Igno-
rant witnesses frequently wander from
the points as to which they arc inter-
rogated— they give answers much more
copious than the occasion requires,—

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

$25

and they express themselves in language
a great deal too circuitous to be in-
ferted verbatim, in the written volume
which is to be laid before the judge.
With the commissioner, therefore, it
remains to decide what part shall be
put down in writing and what shall be
omitted — to determine what abridge-
ment of the redundant phraseology
of the witness may still retain the true
force and meaning of his testimony.
But this is a task of the utmost deli-
cacy ; for a sHght error in the perfor-
mance of it may often give a different
complexion to the whole question at
issue. By our present system, how-
ever, this difficult undertaking, com-
pared with which the application of the
law to the evidence is often a matter of
perfect simplicity, is entrusted to a per-
son, almost in every instance far infe-
rior to the judge in attainments and
experience, and in some cases, of the
slightest possible acquaintance with
his profession. It must be remembered
also, that every circumstance in the
demeanour of the witness which can-
not be expressed in writing, and which
forms no part of his formal answer to
the interrogatories, but which ought
to have great influence on the im-
port of his testimony, is wholly unex-
plained and omitted in this written re-
port sent to the judge, by which he is
to decide finally upon the merits of
the cause. If men expressed their
feelings, their conviction, and their
knowledge, by ivords alone, this mode
of proceeding might, under the ma-
nagement of an able commissioner, af-
ford an approximation to accuracy in
the picture which it professes to give
of the whole body of the evidence.
But how far it is from being true, that
men, on all occasions, express them-
selves by artificial language only, is
known to every student of human na-
ture. The natural language of the looks
and gestures, as well as of the tones of
^oice, has been more intimately associa.

ted by thehandof nature with theinward
sentiments and conviction of the breast,
than that artificial language which, as
it is the creature of society, has no real
sympathy with the natural feelings,
but is as well adapted for the expres-
sion of falsehood as of truth. How
very imperfect and unsatisfactory is
this mode of collecting evidence will
be universally acknowledged ; not to
mention the danger lest, in the perusal
of these ponderous and uninteresting
volumes, the attention of the judge,
which might have been kept alive by
the examination of the witnesses in his
own presence, should be extinguished.
It is a different question, however,
whether the evidence when taken in
the presence of the judge, as it cer-
tainly ought to be, should bie put
down in writing at full length, and
by an officer of the court. Some re-
cord of it ought undoubtedly to be
preserved in every case in which the
judgment may be brought under re-
view ; because such a review, to be ef-
fectual, should prdceed upon a perusal
of the evidence as well as of the plead-
ings of parties. To preserve a sufficient
record for this purpose, it does not ap-
pear necessary, however, that the tes-
timony of the witness should be put
down verbatim — a course of proceed-
ing which must always be productive
of much expence, labour, and delay.
It is a delicate task, no doubt, to
translate the verbose explanations and
incoherent expressions of the witnesses
into precise and accurate language ;
but this task surely may, without dan-
ger, be confided to the judge entrusted
with the trial of the whole cause, al-
though it cannot be safely abandoned
to any person in a subordinate capacity.
Errors will no doubt occur in the ex-
ercise of this discretionary power, place
it where we may ; but these errors are
not hkely to be so numerous, or of
such magnitude, as to justify an effort
to avoid them at a prodigious expen c

326

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S13.

of time and labour. The judge, there-
fore, who presides at the trial of the
cause, should take correct notes of the
evidence, and these notes should form
the record on this part of the case
when it is submitted to review. Thus,
the evils so justly complained of as ari-
sing out of our present course of pro-
cedure in collecting parole evidence,
would be avoided ; and one of the
great and just reproaches upon the ad-
ministration of justice in Scotland would
be removed. Some regulation would,
no doubt, be required also, to compel
the judge to pronounce a decision, in
particular cases, of the nature of a spe-
cial verdict, ascertaining the facts in
the first instance ; and this judgment
ought to be subject to revision under
the same limitations only which apply
to the verdict of a jury pronounced in
similar circumstances. Every reason-
able object might thus be attained ;
the law might, by the introduction of
some more correct form of pleading,
(of which w^e shall have occasion to
speak afterwards) be distinctly separa-
ted from the fact ; the parole evidence
as to the fact might be taken in the
only way in which it is possible to re-
ceive it with ^idvantage, that is, in the
presence of the judge who is to de-
cide the cause ; and the entire and ul-
timate separation of the law and the
fact might be secured, by requiring
that each of them should form the sub-
ject of distinct interlocutors, or judg-
ments, subject to such limitations, as to
the power of review in each case respec-
tively, as may appear adapted to its
nature, and to the difficulties which
must be encountered in ascertaining
the truth.

But these improvements may be ef-
fected better without than laiih the
intervention of a jury. It has already
been proved, that a jury possesses no
peculiar advantages in ascertaining the
truth, even in matters of fact ; and
that to the decision of points of law

it is wholly incompetent. By what ar-
guments can it be maintained that the
alterations above suggested may not
be as easily accomplished through the
intervention of owe learned and skilful,
as of tvoelve unlearned and unskilful
men ? In the one way as well as in the
other the benefit of these obvious re-
forms may be obtained. In theonecase,
however, the departure would be but
slight and unimportant in comparison
from our ancient usages, while in the
other it is manifestly of a very violent
and questionable description.

Another evil formerly complained
of was, <* the immaturity and uncertain-
ty of the law, arismg partly from
the inaccurate forms of pleading, —
the utter impossibility of the judges
finding time to study the more diffi-
cult cases which came before them,
—and the want of sufficient commu-
nication with the counsel ; but chiefly
from the confusion of the facts and
the law in every particular question,
and the dissension and ill-prepared de-
bates of the judges among themselves
in their public deliberations." — Let
us consider these grievances in their
order, and endeavour to ascertain how
far they have been remedied by the
changes already introduced, and how
far their further correction depend*
upon the introduction of trial by jury.

The inaccuracy of our forms of
pleading must be acknowledged by
every person who has any knowledge
of the procedure of the court, and
who is at all elevated above the most
vulgar professional prejudices. The
first object in every case of intricacy
ought to be, to ascertain in what
points the parties are really at vari-
ance, and in what they are agreed, —
for in almost every case a great deal
of matter is brought forward by way
of introduction or explanation, or for
the purpose of creating a bias in the
mind of the judge, which has no real
connection with the merits of the

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

32r

oftuse. Thus, a loose and declamatory
•tyle is often employed, which is al-
together inconsistent with the purposes
of just reasoning, and foreign to the
investigation of truth. Nothing can aid
a sound enquiry into the merits of any
complex question so much as the se-
paration of it into parts when this is
practicable ; for the mind, which is so
constituted as to attend only to one
object at the same time, thus acquires
a more distinct and correct knowledge
of every branch of the subject, and has
a firmer hold of the different points in
controversy. But almost every case
brought before courts of justice is com
pounded of law and fact ; and it be-
comes indispensable, therefore, to a
correct system of pleading, that these
parts should be accurately distinguish-
ed from each other. To accomplish
this separation in a manner the most
complete and palpable, it is necessary
that questions of law and of fact should
have separate places assigned thera in
the pleadings ; and that they should
on no account be spoken of, or ar-
gued upon, in conjujiction. It is in-
cumbent, therefore, on the pursuer
(plaintiff) to set out, in the first in-
stance, by a full and correct state-
ment of the facts on which he founds
his plea, recapitulating afterwards, and
in a separate form, the different prin-
ciples of law, — the statutes, — or the
known usages of the country from
which he deduces his conclusion. How
different such a course is from the
forms observed at present is well
known to every practitioner. — It is
customary, under the existing forms,
to commence a law-suit by means of
a " summons," as it is called, which,
in general, blends together the whole
statement of the plaintiff both in law
and fact ; and merely announces thecon-
clusion to which he has come, without
alluding at all to the special facts, or the
legal premises, from which his inference
IS deduced. It is impossible, therefore,

to offer any strict or formal pleading
in answer to such a production ; and
accordingly the ** defence," as a cer-
tain paper is called, (or the plea of the
defendant ) is, generally speaking, the
most insignificant and contemptible
production that can well be imagined.
If the pleas of the plaintiff were cor-
rectly set forth in the outset, and accu*
rately distinguished according to some
prescribed form, it would then be the
duty of the defendant to speak distinct*
ly to the facts alleged against him— to
confess or deny their truth in the most
pointed terms — and to demur separate-
ly, and in a form no less accurate, to
the pleas of the other party in point
of law. But when there is nothing
strict or accurate on the side of that
party who commences the law- suit, it
would be unfair to demand greater re-
gularity from his opponent ; and of this
excuse the defendant, whose interest it
frequently is to perplex as much at
possible the true nature of the ques-
tion at issue, most amply avails himself.
After this most irregular outset,
in the shape of a " summons" and
" defence," and while there is yet no-
thing precise or definite on the record,
the parties begin to wrangle in a mva
voce pleading before the judge, into
which they may introduce every pos-
sible topic that occurs to the ingenui-
ty of their counsel. The cause, if it
be one of any intricacy, or require
elucidation from a proof, is in most in-
stances not at all advanced by these
preliminary and expensive proceed-
ings ; the parties have been brandish-
ing their weapons at a distance ; and
the necessity of a closer struggle at
last becomes apparent. Some approach
to that accuracy of pleading, which
ought to have prevailed at the outset,
is finally attempted in the shape of a
«< condescendence," and '* answers,"
as they are called ; but it is only in
certain cases that even at this stage of
the proceedings a successful attempt

328

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

is made to attain a full statement of
the facts as separated from the law ;
and no form exists by which the pleas in
point of law are ever formally and se-
parately stated, so as to become mat-
ter of record. 'I'he consequence is,
that the fact and the law arc never
thoroughly distinguished throughout
the whole course of the litigation ; and
that from the pei-plexity and confusion
which are created by combining them,
the dispute becomes altogether unsa-
tisfactory, and sometimes nearly inter-
minable.

Nothing surely can be more absurd
than this course of proceeding. A cor
rect knowledge of the fact must in
every case form the basis for a sound
application of the law ; and to ascer-
tain the facts ought therefore to be
the great object at the outset of the
proceedings For this purpose, the
plaintiff ought to be compelled to
begin with an accurate and compre-
liensive deduction of the whole cir-
cumstances of his case, and under a
separate form, and in a different part of
his written pleading, he should be called
upon to state precisely the grounds of
law on which he means to insist. The
defendant ought to be compelled, in
the first instance, to confess or deny
with the utmost precision the facts
staled by his adversary ; nor until he
has done this shoiild he be allow-
ed to open his mouth on any point
of law. While he admits or denies
the plaintiff s statement of facts, he
ought to be compelled to announce
witn equal distinctness and precision
the facts which he himself offers to
prove in his defence ; and the plaintiff
should then be called upon in the
same manner to state what part of these
he admits and what he denies. The
grounds of contention, in so far as they
depended upon matters of fact, would
thus be well ascertained and defined at
the outset of tht- cause ; the essence of
, the dispute would be discovered ; ma-

ny irrelevant pleas and averments would
be disposed of ; and the parties would
thus join issue, and be permitted to
plead only on matters truly essential
to the cause. Nor would there be
any hardship in thus compeUing liti-
gants to be prtcise, and to exhaust their
pleas at the outset ; and the only case
in which they could reasonably claim
the privilege of adding to, or sub*
stracting from, theiroriginal statements,
would be that in which some facts of
importance had recently come to their
knowledge. After the facts truly in
dispute had thus been separated w :th
care from the loose and irrelevant aver-
ments, which every party is too much
disposed to bring forward, with the
view of creating some unjustifiable bias,
the litigants might be permitted to 'be-
gin their arguments as to the relevan-
cy of the disputed facts, which appear
upon record, to support their respec-
tive conclusions. If the facts were
deemed irrelevant, the proceedings
could at once be quashed ; but if they
were thought sufficient to support any
legal conclusion, they would become
the subject of a proof by witnesses, to
be taken in presence of the judge.

The advantages of such a course as
that which is here suggested, (and it
is substantially the same with what has
been long followed in England) must
be quite apparent. In the first place,
the CTitire separation of the law from
the fact would promote very much the
accuracy and soundness of the deci-
sion pronounced ; for as objects which
are separate and distinct in their own
nature, would be presented to the
mind of the judge in a separate form,
a greater degree of accuracy in judging
of the conclusions to be deduced from
the whole would be the inevitable re-
sult. Nothing surely can, in most
cases, be more absurd than the existing
practice, which admits of " proofs be-
fore answer," as they are called ; that
is to say, of proofs as to facts, the rele-

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

329

vancy of which, to the points at issue,
has not been discussedor determined. —
Great advantages also would in this way
result to the parties themselves in the
conduct of the litigation ; for as every
thing would be precise and dehnite, it
would be impossible for sophistry it-
aelf to travel beyond the record, or to
dilate on points not material to the is-
sue. The voluminous and multifarious
discourses which are at present com-
posed upon almost every question that
comes before the Inner-house, might
thus be dispensed with, to the manifest
advantage of litigants, and the great
accommodation of the court. The fa-
miliar principles, — that every thing
which is in its nature complex, may be
most conveniently examined by inspect-
ing its parts in succession, — and that
before attempting to raise any super-
structure, the foundation should, in the
first place, be well and firmly laid, will
apply here as in every other instance.
The law and fact are separate in their
own nature — ^let them, therefore, be se-
parately examined. The estabhshment
of the fact is the natural prehminary
to all enquiries into the law,— it is the
basis upon which the decision is to
rest. It is proper, therefore, that in
the first instance this foundation should
be laid, and that a judgment should be
pronounced, ascertaining the fact be-
fore an attempt be made to apply the
law. This judgment, pronounced in
certain circumstances, and under cer-
tain conditions, might be allowed to
become irreversible before the point of
law be debated ; and thus a sure and
firm basis would be prepared for the
ultimate decision. The discreditable
altercations which too often occur un-
der the present system of proceedings,
even in the last stage of a cause, and
from which it may often seem doubt-
ful whether the facts have been yet
clearly ascertained, even when the final
decision is about to be pronounced,
Jiiight thus be very easily avoided.

But here again it may be asked— Of
what use can a jury be in promoting
these objects? ^. ill its intervention
assist in producing that accuracy in the
form of pleadings which is so much
desired i WiU it aid in separating the
law from the fact, when it is con-
fessed by the supporters of the new
institution, that in order to ensure
its efficiency, both law and fact must
be sent in a state of combination to
the jury ? Will jury trial, ynder such
a provision, promote the separation of
the fact from the law, — or will it by
itself, and without the aid of other
regulations, accomplish the remedy
of the grievances which have been so
much complained of ? Jury trial will
accomplish none of these objects, un-
less, indeed, it be true that juries are
of necessity/ better judges in matters
of fact than regularly educated pro-
fessional men. if they possess not
this singular quality, there can be no
use whatever for their interposition,
with the view of removing evils which
can be better corrected, and with less
hazard, by simple expedients and more
obvious regulations.

That the institution of jury trial is
of the very highest importance in a
particular class of cases, no man who
wishes well to the liberties of his coun-
try will pretend to deny. In every in-
stance in which the subject has to main-
tain a contest with the crown, this
safe-guard of general liberty could not
be dispensed with, without incurring
the most imminent risk to the free-
dom of our constitution. The dispo-
sition of the executive to extend its
power and to avenge itself on those
who may venture to resist its usurpa-
tions, is presumed in the theory of the
British constitution ; and how adverse
soever this presumption may be to the
spirit which actually prevails among the
ministers of the crown at any particu-
lar period, it were very unsafe to lose
sight of it in practice. The judges of
10

530

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

the present day are, no doubt, inde-
pendent of the crown in so far as their
emoluments and their rank in society
are considered ; but it is wisely sup-
posed by the constitution that a bias
may be created not only from an ex-
pectation of future favours, but by the
gratitude which may be felt for benefits
alreadyconferred. There is at all times,
besidesjbut one judge in the empire who
has attained the highest elevation and
the greatest professional honours ; and
the nature of the functions which that
eminent person has to discharge, do
not connect him with those questions
in which the crown and the subject
stand opposed to each other. Every
judge, therefore, excepting the Lord
Chancellor, may be supposed to look
forward to still higher promotion, and
to be thus in some measure dependent
upon the crown. The rank in life and the
previous habits of the judges conspire
to give them an intimate connection
with the rulers of the country ; and
hence it is justly supposed, that how
great soever their impartiality and in-
tegrity may be in other cases, yet
where the crown and an individual sub-
ject are engaged in any controversy,
they may discover a dangerous bias to-
wards the former. It is true, indeed,
that jurors may, in many cases, have a
.very unreasonable bias of a contrary
.description ; and as the true object of
all judicial proceedings is the fair and
impartial administration of justice, not
the protection of the guilty under the
pretence of securing the liberty of the
subject, it cannot be denied that in
many instances, even of a criminal na-
ture, where the crown appears as the
plaintiff, the intervention of a jury may
be attended with great inconvenience.
It is an amiable maxim, no doubt, that
the escape of the guilty is less to be
deplored than the punishment of the
innocent ; yet in either event the great
ends of justice are defeated. But the
constitution of this country, which fa-

vours so much the liberty of the sub-
ject, has provided, that in every case
m which an individual shall maintain a
contest with the crown, he shall have
a manifest advantage on his side ; and
not only shall not be judged by any
man, or class of men, who have connec-
tion, real or imaginary, with his power-
ful antagonist, but by persons, who,
in all probability, will take an interest
in his own condition. This is the true
object of the law in requiring, that every
man who is prosecuted at the suit of
the crown, whether for the most hei-
nous crimes, or for offences against the
public revenue, shall have the benefit
of a trial by jury. It is not because
twelve men, selected at random, are
supposed to be better able to estimate
the force of evidence, than the judges
who are accustomed to such investiga-
tions, that juries are employed in cases
of a crimmal nature. The motives,
therefore, which have led to the intro-
duction of this species of trial in cri-
minal cases, are altogether different
from those which should lead us to
prefer it in causes of a civil nature.—
In criminal cases the assistance of a
jury is required on account of its sup-
posed sentiments, and not because of
its imputed discernment. In cases of
a civil nature, there is no room for a
bias of any kind, and superior discern-
ment alone on the part of the jury can
entitle them to a preference. — But in
all criminal cases, and in all questions
relating to the public revenue, in the
courts of Justiciary and Exchequer, we
have jury trial already. We have the
benefit of the institution, therefore, in
all cases in which it promises to be of
any utility.

Let us examine more particularly,
however, the arguments by which the
introduction of jury trial in civil causes
into Scotland has been justified, and
endeavour to appreciate the supposed
advantages to be derived from it.

The leading argument on this subject

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

331

has been derived from the example of
England, where jury trial in civil cases
has been long established, and is said
to have been attended with very great
advantages. It may be remarked, how-
ever, that England stands single in this
instance, and that although the experi-
ment of trial by jury in civil causes has
been made at some period among al-
most all the European nations, it has
in each of them been ultimately aban-
doned. The jurisprudence of England,
indeed, is in many respects superior to
that of all other nations ; yet it will
Dot follow that this superiority has been
derived from an adherence to the sys-
tem of jury trial. On this subject, the
remarks of an ingenious writer, in the
Edinburgh Review, appear to be con-
clusive.

" But admitting that the English
system is excellent, we may next be
permitted to enquire, whether it be ex-
cellent by means of jury trial in civil
cases, or in spite of such jury trial. —
This system is a vast and complicated
whole, in which many functions are
performed by many parts ; and after
it has been long in action, it is nearly
impossible to say what parts have pro-
moted and what have obstructed its
salutary movements. It is a great li-
ning body, in which it is vain to look
for the immediate seat of vitality. —
That this vivifying principle resides in
jury trial has indeed been an opinion
among lawyers, as it has been an opi-
nion among anatomists, that the soul
resided in the pineal gland : but the pi-
neal gland, when detached from the
rest of the system, is merely a piece of
pulp about the size of a pea ; and jury
trial, taken by itself, may perhaps be
something of the same value. The
strict forms of pleading which have been
long established in the courts of Eng-
land; the limitation of the power of
review from judgments upon evidence ;
sjid, above all, the examination of wit-

nesses in presence of the judge, will
certainly go far to explain the admit-
ted excellencies of this part of their
system of procedure, without leavmg
much to be set to the credit of the 12
slow men who are interposed between
the witnesses and the court. That
they have sometimes been felt as an
incumbrance, appears evident from the
multiplied provisions that have been
found necessary to get the better of
their errors. The writ of attaint, the
motion for a new trial, the bill of ex-
ceptions, and the pleas in arrest of
judgment, are all proofs of this. Is it
not true, besides, that many cases are
referred to arbiters, after issue joined,
purely from the impossibility of having
them well tried by a jury i that Judge
Blackstone has said of the court of
Chancery, in which there are no juries,
that it is * by much the most import-
ant of any of the king's superior and
original courts of justice ;* and that
Mr Bentham has said expressly of the
trial by jury, that * it is an institution
admirable in barbarous times, not fit for
enlightened times,' tliough it may be
* necessary as matters stand in England^*
" That this contrivance of a jury ac-
complishes that separation of the fact
from the law, without which the lat-
ter can never attain to maturity, is a
proposition at which it is impossible
not to hesitate, when we find that in a
great majority of cases, the fact and
the law together are sent as inseparable
to the jury on the general issue. In
such cases how is the law separated,
but by the direction of the judge ? —
And would not his decision separate it
as well directly as by the intervention
of a jury, whose mistake may make a
new trial, or a plea in arrest of judg-
ment, indispensable ? In all cases where
it is possible to separate the fact in a
verdict, it would be easy to provide,
that the court should also separate it
in their judgment, and that this judg-

dS2

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813;

ment, upon evidence, should only be
liable to review, under the same con-
ditions as are now required for review-
ing the verdict of a jury.

" But, conceding this point like the
last, and admitting thatjury trial is an
excellent thing in the English system
of procedure, we should beg leave to
ask whether it follows as a necesiary
consequence, that it would prove an
excellent thing in another ? It is con-
nected in that coimtry with an immense
multitude of institutions, which it has
not yet been proposed to us to adopt ;
—with their whole system of pleadings
—courts of equity distinct from courts
of law — bills of exception — special ver-
dicts— attaints — challenges—new trials
—demurs — arrests of judgment — and
writs of error. With the help of all
these to controul, correct, and assist
it, jury trial may be allowed to have
been found serviceable in England,
Without these, it may be fairly presu-
med, it would be found pernicious and
inconvenient. Are we to borrow all
this complicated and cumbrous part of
the English law ? We have never un-
derstood that this was intended. Are
we then to take trial by jury without
what are there considered as its neces-
sary correctives and accompaniments ?
Is not this a hazard somewhat too great
for the advantage that it promises ?
Or are we to devise a new sort of cor-
rectives and regulations, better accom-
modated to our own usages, and amal-
gamating more kindly with our own
forms ? We doubt much if all the law-
yers of both countries, assembled in
one vast consultation, could digest such
a system, or save the country from
much inconvenience and discontent in
the course of the experiment."

It has been said, however, that
« there is a considerable class of cases,
in which, from their affinity to criminal
actions, it seems manifest that juries
should be admitted ; and that, when

the question turns upon the demerit of \
one individual, and the sufferings of 1
another, a jury of persons of the same '•
rank is by far the most equitable tri-
bunal."— It is impossible to discover
any soHd reason for this distinction.—
It is not, as has already been ob-
served, on account of any supposed
superiority of discernment that juries
are preferred in criminal cases ; for it
seems unquestionable, that in point of
discrimination, and in the power of
comprehending an involved and intri-
cate proof, they are inferior in every
respect to men of professional educa-
tion. But it is on account of their bet-
ter Jeeling, in every case in which the
subject has to maintain a contest with
the crown, that their interposition is
required. The advantage of jury trial
in such cases, consists in the supposed
bias of the jurors in favour of one of
the parties ; for that tenderness towards
the accused, which it is imagined they
possess, is in reality a lias, whatever
name may be affixed to it. But how,
in cases which depend upon the deme-
rit of one individual, and the sufferings
of another, can any bias be permitted ?
It is impossible that the jury can on
such occasions feel a bias towards the '
accused, without being unjust towards
the prosecutor, who is, in most instan-
ces, the injured party. There is no
room, therefore, in such cases, for the
supposed favourable bias of a jury to-
wards the accused ; and if jurors pos-
sess no superiority in point of discern-
ment, which it is manifest they do not,
we can discover no reason for resorting
to them in questions of damages, any
more than in the other civil questions
which are brought under the cogni-
zance of our supreme court. Can the
injury done to an individual not be as
well appreciated by a judge as by a jury ?
or does a judge in his official capacity
become insensible to the common feel-
ings of ournature ? There are, perhaps.

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

33S

no questions upon which all men feel so
much in the same way, and are so much
disposed to come to the same con-
clusion, as those which relate to a mo-
ral wrong done by one person to ano-
ther; and the only difficulty in such
cases proceeds from contradictions or
defects in the evidence by which the
facts are supported. If the facts are
clearly made out, there can be little
difference of opinion as to the result
which ought to follow, and the com-
pensation which must be awarded ; and
a judge, in circumstances of this kind,
will probably feel very much in the
•ame way with all other classes of
men. But if a jury can have no ad-
vantage in point of discernment in such
cases — if there be no room in actions
of damages for the interposition of
that bias in favour of the accused,
which is supposed so necessary in jud-
ging of prosecutions at the instance of
the crown, — and if, in appreciating the
demerits of one individual, and the suf-
ferings of another, a judge, (unless he
be supposed in his official capacity to
divest himself of the ordinary feelings
of human nature,) be hkely to think
and act much in the same way with
other men, there can be no room for
resorting to the assistance of a jury in
such cases, and for innovating on the
established usages of the country, and
ordinary modes adopted for the admi-
nistration of justice.

It has been maintained, that ** very
considerable advantage may be derived
from putting the judge to the necessi-
ty of making the law and the reason
of the law inteUigible to an ordinary
jury — that this increases the authority
and knowledge of the law throughout
the country, and will lead the judge
himself to perceive the fantastical and
unreasonable parts of it more readily,
than any form of intercourse with
those who have studied it as a science.
Its equity and reasonableness are thus
repeatedly tried upon the minds of the

middling and most important classes ;
and what is absurd, or no longer appli-
cable, is more speedily discarded thai|
by the slower conviction of those who
have been educated in a reverence for
the whole system. In this point of
view, even the rebellion of the jury a-
gainst the direction of the judge, if it
be not done from caprice, may be of use
in accelerating the abolition of oppres-
sive maxims. The rigour of the letter
may receive a temperament from the
mediation of this more sympathizing
body ; and the rust be rubbed off the
engine without impairing its powers."
This view of the question, although
plausible, is extremely fallacious.

It it be supposed that the jury is
bound to obey the directions of the
judge in all matters of law, the task of
explanation becomes easy and simple.
It must be confined entirely to the
statement of legal doctrines, without
any exposition of the arguments from
which they are deduced. If such be,
in fact, the sole duty of the judge, it
is obvious, that want of confidence in
himself, or a love of ease, will, in ge-
neral, confine him within very narrovr
limits in the exposition of the law. If
the jury is bound implicitly to follow
his directions, he need not give himself
much trouble in proving the consist-
ency of his charge w ith the principles
of reason or justice.

This view of the subject is powerful-
ly confirmed when we come to consider
the law as a science, depending on fix-
ed principles, and leading in its practi-
cal application to a chain of reasoning,
which, without the knowledge of prin-
ciples, can with difficulty be followed
or appreciated. The law is^'certainly a
science of this kind, and to bring it to-
wards perfection, or to give it general
efficiency, it ought always to be stu-
died with a view to certain great and
leading principles. It seems impossible,
therefore, that by selecting detached
parts of it— by commenting at random

334.

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

on the most intricate and difficult of
its doctrines — by submitting such com-
ments to the consideration, and even to
the correction, of a set of men ignorant
of its general principles, much advan-
tage can be expected. Who would
propose in any other science to select
a difficult problem, and submit it at
once to the consideration of illiterate
and inexperienced persons ? Would
not such a course appear manifestly
ridiculous ; and would not the opi-
nion of an ignorant person, if he pre-
sumed to deliver it, be considered as of
no weight or authority whatever ? —
Could the most profound and able phi-
losopher, select at random a question
of difficulty in the sciences, and explain
it in a satisfactory manner to persons
wholly ignorant of general principles ?
or if he were compelled to undertake
such a task, would he not h^ tempt-
ed to indulge in many idle and ab-
surd illustrations, and to modify and
reduce his principles to the slow appre-
hension of his vulgar auditors ? His
statement of the points in dispute
could not, in such circumstances, be
clear, satisfactory, and scientific ; — ^it
could never enter into any system, or
promote the improvement of the
sc'ence. How can we expect a differ-
ent result, when we compel profession-
al men to explain to persons entirely
ignorant of their general views, the
principles of that science which has
bten their peculiar study ? Common
sense, it has already been observed, has
little or no controul over abstract prin-
ciples of law ; it is only by a careful
and comprehensive induction of parti-
cnlars, and by the highest refinement
of the reasoning powers, that the true
principles of this, or of any other
science, can be well understood, and
safely applied to practice. For these
reasons, therefore, it is rational to be-
lieve, that a more difficult, absurd, and
impracticable task could not be impo-
sed on any man, than that, which, in

the above argument, it is contended
the judges should undertake, viz. that
of explaining in detail, and by a casual
selection, the most profound reasonings
which belong to their professional stu-
dies. Ordinary juries must be ill qua-
lified to follow such reasonings if thev
are carefully and scientifically deduced
from first principles • and if no attempt
at scientific deduction be made — ^if it
be understood that the judges are not
bound to explain the reason of the law
to the juries, but merely to state the
practical results, and the established
rules, no advantage can be derived from
such an attempt to explain their opi-
nions. It is true, indeed, that men of
professional habits may be more apt to
overlook the glaring absurdities of their
own notions, than the most vulgar au-
dience to which they may address them-
selves ; but it must not be forgotten
that our courts are open to the lieges,
and are in general crowded by persons
much of the sam<^ rank and acquire-
ments with those whom it is proposed
to convene as jurymen Such persons
are always ready to detect and expose
the gross absurdities of the law, if any
such exist. The judges are compelled,
besides, to explain their views of the
law to the bar, and to the other prac-
titioners connected with the court ; —
men, of whom it may be generally sup-
posed, that, with a certain tincture of
legal knowledge, they have yet re-
tained a portion of that " common
sense" which is supposed requisite to
the detection of flagrant absurdities.
— The necessity which compels the
judges to explain themselves to the bar
affords great facilities towards the per-
fection of law as a scie?ice ; and so long
as the proceedings of our courts are
accessible to a common audience, and
form the subject of general stricture
and observation, we have all the secu-
rity which can be required, both for
the progress of legal science, and for
the general conformity of judicial pro-

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

Gcedings to the ordinary and familiar
principles of common sense. But if
judges are forced to explain themselves
to a jury — if they are bound to submit
their opinions to the consideration and
controul of such a tribunal, there must
be great danger, either that juries will
not understand them thoroughly, or
that from ignorance, inexperience, and
a limited view of the great principles
of jurisprudence, they will be disposed
to thwart the opinions of the court,
and to introduce confusion and uncer-
tainty into the law. The judge, also, to
make himself intelligible, will be com-
pelled to explain his opinions in a loose,
popular, and unscientific manner. Such
a course of proceeding must prove un-
propitious in the extreme to the pro-
gress o'" legal science.

Some persons have supposed, ** that
the formal institution of trial by jury
may be necessary to insure that sepa-
ration of the fact from the law, with-
out which the latter can never become
systematical." — But this opinion is
founded upon a very obvious mistake.
The separation of the fact from the
law, which is so well accomplished in
England, is obtained, not from any pe-
culiar adaptation to this purpose which
the verdict of a jury possesses, but
from the regulations which have been
long estabhshed relative to such ver-
dicts, and which, under certain condi-
tions, render them final and decisive as
to the facts. It is quite evident that,
in so far as mereyorm is concerned, the
verdict of a jury, and the sentence of
a judge on the same subject, have pre-
cisely the same advantages. If the judge
be compelled, precisely in the same cir-
cumstances with the jury, to pronounce
ai separate judgment upon the facts, and
if this sentence have the same conditions
attached to it which belong to the ver-
dict of the jury, it is obvious, that the
separation of the law from the fact
may be as well accomplished in the one
11

way as in the other. Suppose, that in
every case in which a jury returns a
special verdict ascertaining the facts,
the judge shall be required to do the
same thing — that his sentence shall be
subject to review only on the same
conditions on which that of the jury is
liable to a similar process — and that,
by the forms of pleading, which it may-
be convenient to establish, a separation
of the fact from the law at the outset
of the proceedings shall be obtained in
Scotland as well as in England, it seems
impossible, by any stretch of ingenui-
ty, to prove, that the verdict of a jury
should aid more powerfully the improve-
ment of the law, than the interlocutor
or sentence of the judge. The only
difference is, that the one is the opinion
of twelve men, or of a majority of
twelve, wholly unskilled in estimating
the force of evidence and reconciling
contradictions, while the other is the
opinion of one or more persons, who
have devoted long and laborious lives
towards acquiring facility in such in-
vestigations. It cannot surely be diffi-
cult to determine upon which of these
opinions it will be safe to rely ; nor is
it easy to understand in what way the
intervention of a jury can have the
slightest influence in producing the ob-
jects which the advocates of the new
system are so desirous of accomplishing.
Another argument in favour of jury
trial in civil causes has been frequently
urged. It has been said, that " the
use of a jury would probably insure
greater dispatch than could be com-
mande;! in any other wav without
great harshness ; and would, at the
same time, have a tendency to raise the
consideration and character of that
great middling population, on whose
intelligence and self-esteem the welfare
of a nation depends so immediately.'*
But why are these advantages esteem-
ed peculiar to jury trial ? As to dis-
patch, it is evident that this object ca«

336

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

be attained only by compelling the
parties to come speedily to an issue
with their pleas, and to exhaust them-
selves in adducing their evidence with-
in a limited period. All pleas urged in
point of law, it is evident, must be un-
der the sole direction of the judges,
whether jury trial be or be not intro-
duced; and of course it must remain
with them alone to set limits to plead-
ings according to their own discretion.
The only part of the proceedings,
therefore, which can possibly be redu-
ced within narrower hmits in point of
time, by means of jury trial, is that
which embraces the parole proof. —
Now the method by which this limita-
tion is effected, according to the prac-
tice of England, is by keeping the jury
together until they have finally ex-
hausted the evidence and made up
their minds as to the subject in con-
troversy. The parties are thus com-
pelled to come forward at once with
all their proofs ; but the same object
could surely be accomplished by a re-
gulation which should compel the judge
in every case, in which a proof is allow-
ed, to do precisely the same thing
which is done by the juries. Let it be
fixed by a special regulation, that all
proofs in future shall be taken in pre-
sence of the judge, who is to decide on
the merits of the cause ; and that the
judge shall not be permitted to adjourn
the court after entering on the proof
brought in any particular case, until
he has fairly concluded it and pronoun-
ced his decision. If a rule of this kind
were adopted, its influence upon the
parties and the practitioners would
soon be apparent ; and if jury trial in
civil causes is to be introduced at all,
the innovation cannot be defended on
the pretence of saving time ; an object
which could be effected with much
greater advantage, and with a slighter
departure from our established usages,
by means of a few simple and obvious

regulations, than by the cumbrous ma-
chinery which it is now proposed to
employ.

That the introduction of jury trial
will raise the consideration and charac-
ter of the people, and promote their in-
telligence and self-esteem, is extremely
questionable. To many persons en-
gaged in the active pursuit'^ of life, the
task of serving as jurors will be ex-
tremely burdensome and inconvenient ;
and it is not too much to suppose, that
this consideration will more than com-
pensate any imaginary importance which
they may be supposed to acquire by
being called upon to discharge fuic-
tions of this nature. The honour of
being compelled to serve as jurors, will
form no privilege peculiar to any class
of men in the country, but a duti^ re-
quired in common of them all ; ho-
nours, however, which are bestowed in
this manner, cease to be considered as
a mark of distinction, and to form the
foundation of self esteem As to the
intelligence which it is supposed the
new institutions will diffuse, it may be
remarked, that if individuals are to be
called upon in succession, and after
certain intervals of time, to serve as ju-
rors—if the jury, indeed, is not to be-
come a constituent part of the court,
(an evil which it seems to be confessed,
on all hands, ought to be carefully
avoided) — the inteUigence which will
be acquired by an occasional interfe-
rence in public business, must be ex-
tremely trifling But imperfect know-
ledge of every kind is universally and
justly considered as prejudicial ; it en-
courages dogmatism and conceit ; it
has no tendency to enlarge or improve
the mind ; on the contrary, it is apt to
give that rashness and extreme confi-
dence which may lead to the grossest
errors. Instead of improving the cha-
racter of the middling ranks in Scot-
land, therefore, it is possible, and by
no means improbable, that the new in-

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

S37

rtitations may considerably injure it,
by circulating imperfect and inaccurate
notions of law, and by inspiring a spe-
cies of confidence which may lead to
the most absurd litigations.

But other arguments have been em-
ployed to reconcile us to the recent in-
novations. In the most ingenious and
able production which we have seen on
this subject, * the trial of this great
experiment is justified very much on
the ground, that if it be not attempt-
ed notVf it|mu8t be resorted to at some fu-
ture period. There seems to be a gene-
ral desire in the country, we are told, to
make such an experiment ; and a pow-
erful political party, profiting by this
prejudice, will not cease its exertions
till the object is accomplished. ** In
England," says the learned and inge-
nious author, ** it has always been po-
pular to extol jury trial as a very supe-
rior mode of distributing justice, and
as peculiarly favourable to public li-
berty and the dispatch of business ;
and in Scotland it has of late been held
out by a considerable pohtical party,
as an institution calculated to remedy
every imperfection in the administra-
tion of the law. The measure of im-
porting it proved so far popular, that
every opposition will hereafter employ
it as a means for acquiring partizans,
till some experiment is made, by which
the country shall be able to judge of
its merits from observation and experi-
ence. Under the fluctuations which
arise in our free government, there is
nearly a certainty, that if the experi-
ment is not tried now, when men are
seriously and coolly employed in find-
ing means to improve the. administra-
tion of justice, it must soon be tried in
some shape or other, and probably with
less circumspection, in proportion as
the recent discussions shall have been
forgotten."

These reasons appear inconclusive,

when considered as an apology for this
hazardous experiment. Jury trial mat/
be very much esteemed in England,
and yet it may be quite repugnant to
every maxim of common sense and ex-
pediency. There are many things in
the English law confessedly very ab-
surd ; some of its principles have been
almost universally condemned by the
more enlightened practitioners, even in
that school of jurisprudence ; yet we
do not find that any attempt is made
to obtain a reform, or that the absur-
dities which have been so often pointed
out, are less popular than other princi-
ples and maxims of the English law.
It ought to be considered also, that
the high estimation in which jury trial
is held in England must have arisen in
a great measure, if not entirely, from
its acknowledged advantages in crimi-
nal cases. As we are much influenced
in our opinions by names, it is not won-
derful that the partiality for juries
should have been extended beyond that
department of judicial procedure, in
which they are confessedly so useful, to
others in which they are altogether
inefficient and cumbersome.

Nor does the wish of the people
of Scotland to make an experiment of
this mode of trial, even if the desire
were far more general than it appears
to be, afford a sufficient ground to jus-
tify the recent innovations. The legis-
lature is certainly not bound to submit
to popular opinion in any case ; and
still less should it be guided by such
authority, when, from the nature of
the subject, and the difficulties attend-
ing the discussion, it is probable that
popular prejudice may be repugnant to
the principles of sound policy. The
general opinion of the people can sel-
dom be accurately collected ; and eve-
ry thing, therefore, which, in a case
like the present, may be urged by par-
tizans, on the ground that they are ge-

* Considerations on the Introduction of Jury Trial in Civil Causes into Scotland.
yOI. VI. PART I. Y

35S

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

nerally supported by the country, be-
comes liable to the utmost suspicion.
^Jor does it seem expedient to adopt
any new institution, merely because a
powerful party in the state, generally
opposed to the measures of govern-
ment, has thought fit to turn certain
schemes of reform nto an engine for
acquiring popularity ; for it is but too
notorious, that politicians frequently
resort to the most disingenuous devi-
ces for securing their object, without
much consideration of the advantages
or inconveniences with which the suc-
cess of their projects may be attend-
ed to the country An opposition is
often hostile to existing institutions,
for this sole reason — that their anta-
gonists, who are in the possession of
power, are supposed to be the pro-
per guardians and defenders of what
is established. It is generally in the
power of government, by its influence
over the legislature, to correct existing
abuses ; and when no measures of re-
form are proposed by those who are
in the actual enjoyment of power, it is
naturally, and not unfairly presumed,
that they approve of what exists, and
become responsible for A\ its defects.
The spirit of opposition seizes, of
course, on such defects ; and if it con-
fined itself within the bounds of truth
and candour, it would be worthy of the
highest approbation. But those who
have personal interests to serve, or the
objects of a party to accomplish, will
seldom be guided by any rules cither
of justice or expediency ; and the de-
fects and excellencies of existing esta-
blishments thus become equally the
objects of their zealous attacks. It is
no suf&cient reason, therefore, for a
change in any of our civil or political
institutions, that it is the desire of an
opposition that they should be thus al-
tered. While the ministers must, in all
cases, profit in character aud reputa-
tion by a removal of abuses, and suf-
fer to an equal degree by inconside-
rate reforms, their opponents may de-

rive some temporary advantages from,
and will, at all events, obtain a mo-
mentary triumph by carrying, against
the rulers of the country, any mea-
sures of innovation, whether right or
wrong. Nor does it follow, as the
learned author appears to suppose, that
bfcause the opposition of the pre-
sent day countenances the introduction
of jury trial in civil causes into Scot-
land, this experiment must, amid the
revolutions of our free government, be
one day tried in some shape ; for it is
well known that a body of statesmen,
while in opposition, profess very dif-
ferent principles from those which they
entertain, or profess to entertain, after
they are established in power. It is
very possible, therefore, that although
the opposition of the present day may
be zealous in favour of the recent in-
novations, they might hold a very dif-
ferent language upon their accession
to office ; and tt»at the experiment
about to be tried, if it be really a dan-
gerous one, might never have been ven-
tured upon in any vicissitude of our af-
fairs, or under any change of our rulers.
Besides the supposed advantages al-
ready enumerated, viz., the receiving
parole evidence of facts in presence of
the judges, who are to decide on its
import — the saving of much trouble
and expence at present incurred by
frequent discussions in review — the
compelling of practitioners to prepare
causes in which facts are concerned, for
being decided at one tria) — and the re-
moval of all undue facilities for the re-
consideration of controversies with ad-
ditional matter, other benefits of no
mean importance are anticipated by the
learnedauthorofthe«Con8ideration8."
« An intercourse," it is said, " will be
created, by means of jury trial, between
courts of justice and persons of ability
in the agricultural, manufacturing, and
commercial lines of life, from which
great benefits have been derived in
England, both to the improvement of
the law, and better administration of

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

330

justice, by adapting the practice to
the existing state of affairs, and dif-
fusing a general knowledge through-
out the country of that practice, and
creating a satisfaction with and confi
dence in the exertions of judges for the
discharge of their duty." It was chief-
ly by this means, the same author as-
sures us, ** that Lord M msfield was
enabled to create a law- merchant for
an age of advanced civihz it ion, and to
beqieath to his country that great
production of his u.iri vailed talents as
a judge, and a master in the science of
jurisprudence The constitution of
Scotland, which excludes the traders,
manufacturers, and y- oinanry, general
ly, from any share in the election of
members of parliament, renders it de-
sirable to adopt, in that part of the
island, any useful institution which
WouKi favour their intercourse with
the gentry, and exact their common
aid in the dispatch of business, parta-
king in any respect of a public cha-
racter."— These topics deserve consi-
deration.

The intercourse which is created by
means of ^ury trial, betwixt the judges
and the persons connected with the
agricultural, manufacturing, and com-
mercial interests of the nation, may, at
first view, be supposed to have great
influence in adapting the practice of
the law to the situation and circum-
stances of the country. But in what
way has it this influence ? By commu-
nicating accurate information to the
court, as to the practice in the various
departments of business. It becomes
a question then, whether these advan-
tages may not be obtained in a different
and in a better manner than by the in-
tervention of a jury, and by bestow-
ing upon an '* undisciplined populace"
the power of determining questions of
law. Should a doubt occur in any par-
ticular case as to the common practice
of the country, either in agricultural
or commercial affairs, an easy expedi-

ent may be resorted to for obtaining
information. Persons of experience and
knowledge may be examined as witness-
es ; they may thus be called upon to
explain to the court every circumstance
connected with their particular affairs
in the most ample and satisfactory ma»-
ner. There seems to be no necessity,
therefore, for hazarding, with this view,
the introduction of a jury, who are not
only to give information, but to pro-
nounce judgment. lo the state of im-
provement to which England attained,
both in agriculture and commerce, du-
ring the course of the last century, the
law-merchant, as established by Lord
Mansfield, would have been equally
well constructed by a person of hii
eminent talents, with or without the
assistance of a jury. In the circum-
stances of England, a code of this kind
became indispensable ; and nothing is
more certain, than that when a demand
for such a commodity exists, it will,
in one shape or other, be effectually
answered. It is a common remark,
that great talents are usually called
forth by some singular conjuncture of
affairs, and it is not less true, that the
effectual demands of society in science,
literature, or the arts, will at all timet
be amply supplied. Lord Mansfield,
by means of his own wonderful saga-
city and penetration, aided by the
knowledge which he must have recei-
ved in the shape of evidence, might
have secured the great objects which
he actually accomplished, although a
jury had never been allowed to share
with him the functions connected with
the administration of justice.

The advantages to be derived, from
intercourse betWixt the judges and
the jury, to the political sentiments of
the people, seem to be very question-
able. It must always be recollected,
that the state of knowledge in this
country is at present very much ad-
vanced— that information is very gene-
rally diffused among all classes— that
8

340

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

it is possessed in a high degree by the
mercantile body, and that many indivi-
duals of this cLss who may be called on
to serve as jurors will be little disposed
to yield either in point of rank, or
attainments, to the judges who are to
instruct them. But unless the judges
shall possess a very decided superiority
over the jurors, the intercourse which
as now to be so greatly extended, in-
stead of proving ^vourable in a politi-
cal point of view, may have quite a
contrary effect. A nearer acquaint-
ance with the judges, who are general-
ly, and without much enquiry, belie-
ved to be men of great learning and
attainments, may not impress juries
■with a much higher opinion of their
characters, than they already enter-
tain. As to the infusion of sound po-
litical principles into the middhng and
lower orders, it is difficult to see how
the introduction of jury trial should
have any considerable effect in this
point of view. The bench surely is
not the proper channel for communi-
cating information on such topics ;
and judges, from their habits, are not,
perhaps, the most enlightened or ac-
complished politicians.

It is confessed on all hands, even by
those who contend most strenuously
for the introduction of jury trial, that
the experiment will be attended with
considerable hazard, and that the law
of England, to which juries have been
80 long known, has made various and
important provisions for avoiding the
mischievous consequences with which
their interference may often be attend-
ed.*— " The contrivance of the plead-
ings of litigants during the rise and
progress of the law of England was
calculated, it has been justly remark-
ed, to separate the facts from the law
of the case, to ascertain all material
facts in which the parties agree, and
to leave nothing but the facts upon

which they differ, for the consideration
of the jury. The most acute and la-
boured logic was employed for this
purpose ; and as the court retained the
uncontrouled direction of what evi-
dence should be admitted at the trial,
juries had no means of impairing the
system of the law by arbitrary or irre-
gular decisions. Even the considera-
tion of the fact, in cases of nicety, was
taken from the jury, and if the circum-
stances proved by the witnesses were
thought to be true, but attended with
difficulty in point of inference, whe-
ther sufficient or not to make out the
case of the party founding on. them,
his antagonist might admit the truth
of the circumstances proved, but de-
mur as to their sufficiency to support
the conclusion ; and the merits of this
demurrer belonged solely to the judges
to try, who thus assumed to themselves
the proper functions of the jury. Be-
sides this, the liberties taken of re-
manding juries to re-consider their ver-
diets when unsatisfactory to the court
— the opportunity given to juries to
interrupt their deliberations, and to
come to the court for advice — the ta-
king verdicts for random sums, to be
afterwards modified by the court, on
the report of arbiters or accomptants
— the setting aside the verdict, when
given contrary to the direction of the
judge in matter of law, or even when
thought contrary to the evidence in
hiatter of fact, in order to allow of a
new trial of the cause, must have ope-
rated powerfully in training juries to
that becoming exercise of their import-
ant functions, which produced no dis-
turbance or impediment to the pro-
gressive improvement and systemati-
zing of the law.

" Above all, however, the necessity
of unanimity to found a vahd verdict,
(a requisite that is generally thought to
have been introduced by the king'f

• Vide " Considerations," &c.

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

541

judges,) must have contributed power-
fully to make juries attend dutifully to
the charge of the bench, and proceed
to a temperate and a patient discussion
of the evidence with a view to mutual
conviction. Where a majority is to
decide, and the matter in dispute is
merely a civil interest, and there is no
audience nor spectators to awe and
controul, the discussion will naturally
be short, and the object of it victory,
and a speedy decision of the business.
Hence loquacity and confidence, and
disregard to authority, will be much
more favoured, than where every jury-
man knows that he must convince
others, or be himself convinced ; where,
of course, he must bring with him a
disposition to doubt of his own ideas,
as well as to question those of others ;
and where he must look with eagerness
and anxiety to the direction of the
court, as the most promising source
from which the unanimity desired may
be attained."

These considerations, and many
others which are stated by the learned
and ingenious author, show the diffi-
culties which occur in the management
of juries in England, and the unfitness
of this machine for executing the func-
tions entrusted to it, unless its move-
ments be conducted with the greatest
circumspection, and limited with the
utmost care. But if it be true that
unanimity among the jurors is requi-
red to give value and efficacy to their
interference, this circumstance of itself
must form a great and fatal objection
to the institution. It will be necessary
to consider this subject with some at-
tention, not on account of any difficul-
ties which it naturally presents, but
because sundry ingenious attempts have
been made to involve the subject in no
small degree of mystery.

When we talk of securing unanimi-
ty in the verdicts of the juries, the first
question which occurs is, — Can this
unanimity be truly attained under any

circumstances, or by the force of any
provisions which may be adopted ? It
is impossible to avoid remarking, that
the matters which are submitted to the
decision of a jury must, in general, be
of a doubtful nature, and, of course,
such as to produce a difference of opi-
nion. Can it be supposed then, that
in such cases, twelve ordinary men,
selected at random, and who, in all
probabiHty, have no common princi-
ples of reasoning, and no established
maxims to which they can refer, shall
agree in their estimate of the evi-
dence ? Can we, in such cases, ex-
pect real unanimity ? Such a hypothe-
sis appears absurd, and seems to be
abandoned even by those who are most
attached to the English system. They
do not pretend that real unanimity can
be obtained ; they even avow that this
is not the object of their pursuit ; but
they maintain that an attempt to se-
cure, even an apparent unanimity, will
naturally lead to discussion, and that
this is the great object of the regulation
upon which they so eagerly insist. It
must be confessed, however, that this
indirect and clumsy way of securing
discussion is liable to many obvious
objections, and that if discussion be
the object really in view, it might be
obtained by some method more simple
and less objectioRable. It deserves
remark also, with reference to this
view of the subject, that in no other
instance in which men are called upon
to deliberate together and to pronounce
a decision, is this unanimity, or*even
the form of it, required. It is not ex-
pected from the courts of law, although
the most important points of jurispru-
dence are to be settled by their judg-
ments ; nor is it required in the legis-
lature, although the most interesting
questions of national-pohcy are to be
fixed by the votes* of the members. It
is not required from the court, even
by the act recently passed, which, al-
though it demands unanimity in the

842

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181 S.

jury, permits a difference of opinion on
the bench, and provides, that when two
judges chance to be present and differ
m opinion, that of the presiding judge
shall be adopted The fact is, that
this extraordinary requisite is demand-
ed ONLY in the case of juries ; and up-
o» what principle a departure from the
ordinary rule can be jubtified in this
instance, it seems impossible to disco*
▼cr.

It has been pretended, indeed, that
nothing less than the unanimous opi-
nion of twelve men forms the real
test of truth ; but such a proposi
tion could have been hazarded only
by persons utterly incapable of reflec
tion. Truth, in the strict and abstract
sense oi the word, cannot be secured
in any legal discussion whatever | all
that is sought, or can be obtained, in
such instances,is a mere approximation,
or a strong probability. The opinion
of twelve men can never form a test of
truth — for these twelve men may err,
and may form an opinion much more
erroneous than that which is maintain*
ed by a smaller number. In seeking
the test of truth, why are we satisfied
witli the joint opinion of twelve men I
—why do we not require that of a
grt ater number, which would certain-
ly amount to a nearer approximation
to that absolute truth which is so vain-
ly demanded by the theorists who sup-
port this grand practical absurdity ?
But even if the joint opinions of twelve
men, formed in reality a test of truth
altogether unquestionable, it is evident,
from our experience of human nature,
that in no question, which is in itself
debateable,can such a test be obtained.
Real unanimity, even if it could be se-
cured, would be no certain test of truth;
but, in point of fact, it never can be
expected.

When twelve, or any greater number
of men arc assembled together to deli-
berate upon an intricate question either
of fact or law, it is probable that some

of them will possess considerable ad-
vantages over their brethren in dexte-
rity of reasoning. They will ( mploy
such advantages, of course, to bring
over their coadjutors to their own opi-
nions. A verdict, apparently unani-
mous, may thus be obtained ; but it
is evident that if in this manner the
seeming concurrence of opinion is se-
cured, the imaginary advantages de-
rived from the common sense and sa-
gacity of twelve ordinary men are
entirely forfeited. If the majority are
brought over by the sophisms of the
minority, the opinion which i» deliver-
ed on the whole is in fact the opinion
of this minority ; and it were just as
well that the subtle and technical rea-
soning of the judge, against which there
seems to be so strong a prejudice,
should be at once adopted. — But dis-
cussion, it is said, is promoted in this
way. It may be answered, that the
proper place for discussion is not the
jury box but the court, where, in ge-
neral, quite enough of debate occurs ;
and if any number of the jurors are
not convinced by the reasonings of the
bar and the charge of the judge, it is
not likely that they will be much in-
fluenced by the arguments of their
brethren. The discussion of doubtful
points among such persons as the
jurors, will tend very little to a real
agreement, unless this desirable result
be promoted by other considerations,
such as the natural indolence of indi-
viduals, and a fear of that imprison-
ment which the court has it in its
power to inflict. There are few in-
stances in which such persons as jury-
men begin to argue on disputed points,
and at last arrive of themselves at a
conclusion in which they all concur ;
the general result of debates among
such persons is to widen their differ-
ences, and to confirm each of them in
the opinions which they held at the out-
set. It seems probable, therefore, that
jurors, after being allowed to amuse

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

343

themselTes with argument and discus-
iion for such a length of time as may-
suit their own taste, will, upon their
separation, be more firmly convinced,
each of his own opinion, than at the
beginning, f they are to be brought
to unanimity on such subjects, there-
fore, this object must be accomplished
by other means than by that conviction
which they are expected to derive from
the arguments of their associates. The
fear of disgrace on account of absurd
obstinacy may indeed have some influ-
ence ; but the dread of that imprison-
ment, for twelve hours, or even for a
longer period, which the couit may at
its di cretion inflict, must operate with
a more powerful effect. The unanimity,
however, which may be produced from
such motives as these is no real una-
nimity at all ; it implies nothing more
than a degrading submission to the in-
fluence of force or fear, and affords
evidence only of the base compromise
which the juror has been compelled to
make with his conscience. — The jury,
we are told, however, will thus be
compelled to look to the direction of
the bench as the true source of the de-
sired unanimity. But if they do so,
it is the bench and not the jury which
decides the cause. Suppose the jury
were bound to submit without qualifi-
cation to the directions of the bench,
is it not evident that their intervention
would be merely nominal ? This is
quite clear ; and it follows, of course,
that in so far as the jury, for the sake
of obtaining a nominal unanimity, do
actually submit in this manner, they
form a mere incumbrance upon, and
an usele^ and clumsy appendage to,
the court.

The result of the whole seems to
be— that the discussion among the
jurors, which is so much desired, will
lead either to an abject submission to
the court, to a feigned concurrence in
the opinioa of the most artful and

Wrangling of their number, or to a
hasty and disgraceful abandonment of
the opinions of individuals, that they
may escape the severities with which
they are threatened. 1 n none of these
cases, therefore, can we have the de-
sired test of truth, viz the unbiassed
and candid opinions of twelve or more
ordinary men ; but, on the contrary,
we shall have the opinion either of the
court, or of a wrangling minority, im-
posed upon us as the verdict of the
jury. When a majority of the jurorg
retire with a different opinion from
that which is entertained by some
others who may be more obstinate,
they will either submit from the fear of
a long confinement— or from over per-
suasion—or they will not submit at all;
if they yield from fear they violate
their oaths ; if from over persuasion,
we have, instead of the verdict of a
majority, the opinions of the minority ;
and if they do not submit at all, and a
new trial is required, the proposed re-
gulation becomes altogether useless and
inefficient. In no view, therefore, in
which this subject can be considered,
does the provision to secure unanimity
appear to be justifiable.

It has been observed, however, that
*< where a majority is to decide, and the
matter in dispute is merely a civil inte-
rest, and there is no audience of spec-
tators to awe or controul, the discus-
sion will naturally be short, and the
object of it victory, and speedy deci-
sion of the business. Hence loqua-
city and confidence and disregard to
authority will be much more favour-
ed, than where every juryman knows
that he must convince others or be
convinced himself — where, of course,
he must bring with him a disp isitioa
to doubt of his own ideas as well as
to question those of others — and where
he must look with eagerness and anxi-
ety to the direction of^the court, as the
roost promisin^^ source from which una*

344 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

nimity may be obtained." These ob-
servations are ingenious, but they are
by no means solid. The loquacity and
confidence which are so much and so
justly dreaded, can be produced, one
should think, in the midst of discussion
alone. But those who seem most to
dread this loquacity and confidence,
are the very persons who contend for
discussion among jurors ; they appear
thus to be very inconsistent in their
reasonings. In illustration of what has
just been said, it may be remarked, that
the great object of exertion at the bar
is to convince ; and it is notorious that
loquacity and confidence among law-
yers are extremely common. Such
qualities are, in fact, produced by the
necessity of that very discussion which
is demanded from the jurors; they
could never be displayed if the majo-
rity of the jury were to decide. There
would be no room in such circum-
stances for discussion ; and, of course,
there would be no cause for the display
of that confidence and loquacity, and
that desire of victory, which are so
much dreaded.

As to the modesty and diffidence,
which, it has been said, will result from
the proposed regulation respecting una-
nimity, it may be safely affirmed, that
these valuable qualities would be ac-
quired in a much higher degree if the
majority alone were to decide. The re-
sponsibility attached to each individual
opinion would thus be much greater —
the danger of giving it with confidence
would be much more strongly impress-
ed on the mind — and every one of the
jurors would be inclined to the exercise
of a becoming modesty and hesitation.
By requiring unanimity, on the other
hand, every scope is afforded for confi-
dence and obstinacy, except in so far as
the expression of individual opinion may
be checked by the dread of a protract-
ed confinement. When the anxiety of

the jurors to be guided by the direc-
tions of the court shall induce any in-
dividual of their number to abandon his
own sentiments and conviction, it must
render the jury a useless, if not a dan-
gerous, instrument in the hands of the
court.

The author to whom we have so
often referred remarks,* " that there
are many things, in our situation in
Scotland, that render it difficult and
embarrassing to adopt some of those
peculiarities which appear to be of the
greatest consequence to the successful
use of jury trial in civil causes. Our
custom, in particular, of deciding on
crimes by a simple majority, aided by
the consideration that, notwithstand-
ing the apparent unanimity of English
juries, there must, probably, be a se-
cret minority of persons who differ, or
at least doubt of the verdict, might
probably render any enactment that
juries in civil causes must be unani-
mous not a little unpalatable. Scots-
men have not, as yet, had generally to
consider, that the oaths of judges and
jurymen are to be faithful, patient, and
diligent, in forming an opinion, but
not to form a clear and undoubting
opinion, or to be obstinate in any opi-
nion, which, from the nature of human
affairs, is necessarily liable to error ;
and hence, in general, overlooking
that openness to conviction, and that
due and becoming diffidence in their
own opinions, and that deference to
authority, which form a most import-
ant part of the character of the con-
scientious juryman, especially, where
law is implicated in the discussion, they
confound the exacting of unanimity
with requiring a compromise of their
oaths.'*

Upon this passage it may, in general,
be observed, that the duty of jurors,
as prescribed by their oaths, is to give
their oxvn opinions on the evidence, and.

• Considerations, p. 17.

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

5i!$

•f course, to guard against a bias from
any thing which is external to their
own minds. It is their duty, there-
fore, not to be influenced by a wrang-
ling or conceited minority — for if they
are under such influence, the judgment
of the minority alone is obtained. It
is no less their duty not to pay defer-
ence to tl^e court beyond their own
reason and conviction — for if they do
«o, they are guilty of perjury. If
again, they act from fear of the con-
finement which may be inflicted upon
them, they also commit perjury ; they
are bound, in short, to give their own
opinions, freely and deliberately form-
ed, without yielding to any influence
whatever. It must be presumed, that
honest and respectable men (and of
such alone ought juries to be compo-
sed ) will, when acting under the sanc-
tion of an oath, give a fair and candid
opinion ; but the discussion which is
so much desired — the deference to the
court which is expected — the artificial
unanimity, indeed, in whatever way
produced, must form a check upon
their conduct, and prevent them from
giving an unbiassed judgment. Every
method by which it may be proposed
to restrain them tends more or less to
a violation of their oaths.

The learned and ingenious author
teems to be perfectly aware of the ob-
jeetions which have been urged against
his plan, and notices one of them in
the following terms : " It isoften stated,
as a gross and insupportable incongrui-
ty, that a majority should be sufficient
to condemn a person to the gallows,
and unanimity be requisite to settle a
fact on which a matter of property
depends. But the true view of the
matter is this. That among fair men,
there is no doubt a criminal case will
meet with a serious consideration ; and
where there is room for doubt, the
leaning and the vote will always go
i« favour, of the culprit. The ques-

tion there is, merely, whether guilt is
proved ; and if discussiou is not called
for by the requisite of unanimity, the
greater is the chance that a m;ijo-
rity may not have perceived proof of
guilt, and, of course, will vote for an
acquittal. Whereas, if unanimity were
required, those who saw evidence of
guilt, would be compelled by their
oaths to endeavour to convert the rest
to their opinion, as to which, other-
wise, they would be very indifferent
whether it became the successful opi-
nion or not. On the other hand, in
civil'interests, people are apt to indulge
their own views of things, and subject
the law to their own crude notions of
general justice, and the rules of evi-
dence to fanciful presumptions from
character and opinions ; and a power-
ful controul is requisite to compel a
sound, patient, and dispassionate consi-
deration, and to countervail rashness,
presumption, opinionativeness, and lo-
quacity. The great object is to in-
fuse into the jury, that all and each
are responsible for the soundness of
the verdict, and that their duty is by
no means satisfied, by making up each
his own mind conscientiously. A sen-
timent of this sort disposes every jury-
man to the most temperate considera-
tion, both of what strikes himself, and
of what he observes weighs with others,
and, of course, to the formation of a
right verdict, and to a general concur-
rence in it. Accordingly, it was to
the requisite of unanimity that Lord
Ashburton chiefly ascribed the pre-
dominance of temperate and able men
in juries (see Lord Stanhope on the
rights of juries) ; and it has been
thought, with no small probability,
that even the moderation of the English
in their political factions, and their
circumspection as to all projects of in-
novation, are in some degree to be as-
cribed to the habits thus engenderei
on the national character."

84^

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

This reasoning ia plausible, but
unsatisfactory. It seems to be implied,
even in the argument of the author,
that unanimity cannot be obtained but
by undue means, or by a sort of com-
pulsion. We must, therefore, in all
cases, be contented to receive either the
epiaion of the majority or that of the
minority ; but that of the majority,
although it may not be true, is always
more probable than that of the mino-
rity. It IS taken in criminal cases ;
and, by the practice of Scotland, a
majority of one only is required. The
learned aurhor, indeed, presumes, that
if in a criminal case, the evidence be
unsatisfactory to prove the guilt of
the accused, it will appear in this light
to the majority ; that is, he presumes,
the majority will be in the right. Even
this, however, is but a slender pre-
sumption, when it is considered how
narrow a majority is required. But
oh the hypothesis, that in every cri-
minal case where the evidence for the
prosecutor is not clear to prove the
guilt of the accused, the majority will
consider it as unsatisfactory, he thinks
it a great advantage that, in such a
case, they are not bound to convince
the minority, who may be persuaded
of the gmlt of the pannel This is all
very well, when it is supposed that the
majority take 2i favourable view of the
case for the accused ; but reverse the
hypothesis, (and s ch a case often
happens) and suppose that the majo-
rity see the guilt of the accused while
the minority are blind to it. If a ma-
jority of one only, may be wrong, (and
surely this is not a violent supposition)
would it not be a very great advan-
tage, upon the general principles of this
author, that they should be compelled
to bring the mmority round to their
opinions, or be unable to give a con-
demnatory verdict against the culprit ?
Why then is the opinion of the majo-
rity held suificient in every case of

a criminal nature ? For this very obvi-
ous reason, that the minority wouldy
under any other circumstances, have an
entire controul over the majority, and
might thus (even if one individual alone
stood out) have as much iufluence in
forming the verdict as the major part
of the jurors. To bestow effectual
power to do mischief in such a case,
it is only nect ssary to give one or
more individuals the right of putting
a negative on the proceedings ; even
one obstinate and refractory mdividual
it thus enables to controul, by hit
single opinion, that of all his associ-
ates. This is the reason why a ma-
jority is allowed to decide in crimi-
nal cases ; and it is not, therefore,
from any superior advantages which
the majority are supposed to possess in
discovering the innocence of the ac-
cused, or the imperfections of the evi-
dence brought against him, that their
verdict is taken as decisive in criminal
cases, but from the presumption, which
is perfectly natural, of their superior
advantages in discovering the real me^
rits of the case, whether the result of
their opinion h^Jbr or against the ac-
cused. It is because their judgment
is universally imagined to be more con-
formable to the justice and truth of
the case, that it is received without
contradiction, and not from any re-
fined theory that they will be more
favourable to the prisoner than the
minority might have been. But if
the opinion of the majority be re-
ceived without hesitation in criminal
cases, because it is supposed to be the
trvs or correct opinion, why should
not the same thing happen in civil
cases ? It is said, indeed, that men
are more disposed in civil than in
criminal cases to indulge their own
views, and to disregard all direction
and authority. It may be asked,
however, if it be not for the purpose
of getting the views of the jury, as

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

347

distinguished from those of the court,
to what end are juries convened ? So
far is it from being just to say, that,
in civil cases, juries will be more prone
to exercise their own judgment, and
to indulge their own partiahties, than
in cases of a criminal nature ; that in
the latter they will be more certainly
disposed, than in any other instance, to
give way to their own feelings, and to
judge erroneously. It kjeding that,
for the most part, leads men astray, and
encourages a departure from strict rules
or estabJitthed formalities ; and it is
manifest that this feeling will exercise
the strongest controul in that class of
case!* which, are chiefly calculated to
call it forth. There can be no com-
parison, in this respect, betwixt actions
of a civil and a criminal nature. In
both cases, however, there is equally
thf sanction of an oath to compel men
to discharge their duty ; and it may
reasonably be presumed that this strong
obligation will have due weight, in
every instance, with the respectable
men to whose candid and deliberate
consideration the questions occurring
in courts of law are submitted. As
to the notion of this author — that by
requiring unanimity the whole of the
jurors are made responsible for the
soundness of the verdict — it would,
perhaps, be more proper to say — that
in this manner they become responsi-
ble for its artificial unanimity — a qua-
lity, which, as it can never be secured
but by undue efforts from without —
by over persuasion — by authority — or
by fear — seems no less inconsistent with
the soundness of the judgment, than
injurious to the honour and distressing
to the conscience of the juror.

A strange attempt has been made
to prove that jurors may safely give a
lort oi formal concurrence to verdicts,
of which, in their consciences, they do
not approve. To judge of this point,
we must look to the words of the oath
which is to be taken by every juryman.

By this oath, he is bound <« to give a
true verdict according to the evidence.*'
It seems very clear that the word
" verdict," in this place, whatever
may be its meaning on other occasions,
must signify the opinion of the indivi-
dual juror, and not that of the whole
jury The juror is sworn to give this
verdict or opinion ; and it is manifest,
that although he may concur ^r field
to the opinion of the majoriy, he can-
not be said, in point of fact, to give
such opinion, nor can he be sworn to
the performance of such a duty. But
he is compelled by his oath, also, to
give a «* true verdict ;" and even, if by
his concurrence in the opinion of the
majority, it were to be held that, in the
sense of the oath, he gives his ffwn opi-
nion, how is he to be satisfied that he
concurs in a try£ opinion or verdict ? If
hethusconcur, while the matter appears
doubtful to him, or the opinions of his
brethren are, according to his views,
erroneous, the verdict, in hi» fair esti-
mation, is obviously not a true but a
folse verdict ; it may not only appear
false to himt but be really a false ver-
dict in itself. The law does not de-
clare that the opinion of the majority
is, by necessary presumption, a true
opinion — for if it did so, it would re-
quire that opinion alone, and would
never demand unanimity either real or
apparent. How then can the juror
when he submits (supposing him en-
titled to do so) to the opinion of the
majority, say that he has delivered a
true verdict ; an opinion which is true,
either as it appears to himself — as it is
in point of fact — or as it is considered
by the law under which he acts ? I'here
is no ambiguity in this instance — no
room for construction ; but even if
there were, it would be bad policy, in
making a new law, to introduce an
oath at all equivocal in its import.
The juror, that he may comply with'
his oath and satisfy his conscience^
must give his ffMi opinioa aod nothing

3AS

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

else ; for if he act otherwise he com-
mits perjury. It is true, indeed, that
the jury are bound, " well and truly
to try the matter at issue," as well as
to give a true verdict, according to the
evidence ; the one branch of the oath
prescribes, that they shall lend an at-
tentive ear to all the statements and
arguments which may be regularly
submitted in the course of the pro-
ceedings— to those of the parties — of
the judge, and of their brethren of the
jury. But this is not the wholt oath
—for they are bound also to give
a " true verdict," that is, to give their
own true and candid opinion. The
juror, therefore, is bound to give his
opinion according to the evidence;
but how can it be contended that he
discharges this part of his duty by ac-
ceding to the opinion of any number
of his brethren ? How can he think
that the opinion of another is " accord-
ing to the evidence," when that opinion
differs from his own as to this same evi-
dence ? The mere statement of such a
question shews the absurdity of the
whole argument.

A distinction has, indeed, been ab-
lurdly taken betwixt the language of
the act of parliament, which demands,
that juries shall be " agreed in their
verdicts," and the term " unanimity,"
as applied to these verdicts. The words
of the act, it is said, do not require that
the verdict should be ** unanimous,"
but only that the jurors who dissent
should " agree" to the verdict given
by the majority. But if, by the words
of the act, it be intended that jurors
shall merely acquiesce in the opinions of
a majority of their brethren, it is evi-
dent that no real unanimity is proposed,
while an unnecessary violation of the
oath taken by the jurors is hazarded.
The juror, by mtreiy acquiescing in, or
yielding \.o,t\iQ. notions of his associates,
returns a verdict which, to him, must
appear to be false. There is no possi-
bility, in short, of avoiding the absur-

dities and perjuries arising out of the
regulations which exist in England.

It is very true, that in this enlight-
ened country, little difficulty is felt
on the subject, and the practice is
continued without interruption or com-
plaint ; but it should never be for-
gotten, that men are very much the
creatures of habit, not only as to their
pleasures, but, in many cases, even as
to their moral actions ; and that a«
absurd and immoral practice which
has been long established, and in which
all have more or less participated,
must lose much of its deformity in
the eyes of those to whom it has be-
come familiar. It is well known, how-
ever, that English juries have often,
under the present constitution, been
reduced to the most despicable shifts,
and even to open perjuries. The evils
and absurdities of the practice, indeed,
have almost become proverbial. A
single case may be selected by way of
illustration. Two men were tried for
steaHng a sum of money in coin ; and
as the jury had determined that the
one should suffer, and the other be res-
cued, they found the first guilty of
stealing the money, about 40 guineas,
and the other guilty of steaHng 40
pieces of metal worth S9s. This ver-
dict, false upon the face of 'it, was re-
ceived and acted upon.

It is known to those who are at all
conversant in the history of the Eng-
lish law, that this quality of unanimity
was not required in the verdicts of
juries until a period comparatively re-
cent. The salutary power of taking
the verdict of a majority remained till
near the reign of Edward the Third.
Then, unfortunately, in defiance both
of precedent and reason, the judges
agreed that a verdict of less than twelve
men was no verdict at all — When we
consider the present practice of Eng-
1 and, therefore, we find that it is fraught
with absurdities, and even with perju-
ries 'f and if we look to the ancient

TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND.

S4#

Usages of this people, so illustrious in
many respects, we discover that their
old laws did not in any way counte-
nance the impolitic regulation which
so eager an attempt has been made to
introduce into this country.

Let us take still another view of
the jury, and suppose one of them in-
terested in the question at issue. This
may happen a thousand ways without
its being known to the party entitled,
on that account, to offer an objection.
The juror may be secretly moved by
hatred or friendship, fear or hope. If
he have an athletic constitution, with
an unfeeling mind — no very uncom-
mon union — he may take httle share
in the discussion of doubtful points
with his colleagues, but may content
himself with signifying to them that
he has made up his mind, and if they
will not agree with him, they must
try to exhaust him, for he will not
give up his opinion. This lasts for
six, twelve, fifteen, twenty hours ; and
if the strength of this one man be
greater, or his appetite less trouble-
some, than those of his colleagues, he
carries his point, and the verdict, against
the opinion and conscience of the other
eleven. There is reason to suspect
that this is no uncommon case. Every
attorney knows, that if he can but de-
pend on one or two of the jury for
sufficient stubbornness to serve his
client, he needs not care for the rest.
In such a transaction, ten or eleven
out of the jury are inevitably perjured.
Instead of a " true verdict according
to the evidence," they give what their
consciences tell them is a false one,
and contrary to it ; and to this crime
the law itself, which ought to punish
it, compels them.

An author, who has had much prac-
tical experience in the business of jury
trials in England, remarks, that " the
unanimity required prevents the speedy

administration of justice, by frequent-
ly causing unnecessary delay in leng
and vain endeavours to overcome un-
reasonable or interested obstinacy ;
and still more, by introducing a mo-
dern practice manifestly illegal and in-
jurious to the suitors, that of dischar-
ging a jury who cannot agree, and
deferring the trial to a future occasion.
It also incurs the danger of a small
minority, even of one, dictating the
verdict. It induces restraint and suf"
fering for a purpose to which they
should never beemployed— to influence
a judicial opinion. It requires also the
existence of the high moral improba-
biHty, that, incases of difficulty, twelve
men should be fairly and bona jidt
unanimous in their decision^^nd tendg
to place jurymen in a most awkward
dilemma,"

It is true, indeed, that by the act
lately passed for introducing jury trial,
in civil causes, into Scotland, the same
compulsitors are not to be appUed
here as in England ; it was foreseen
that such a course of proceeding would
not be endured in this part of the in-
land. We are to have, however, in
the words of the learned author so
often referred to, ** a sufficient com-
pulsitor from a long inclosure,"* that
is, by the confinement of the jury for
twelve hours, and a longer space if
the judge shall think fit, in order that
he may prevail upon them to be Mwa-
nimous. If the jury do not at last
agree, a new trial is to be resorted to.
On considering this scheme, it is ob-
vious, that in so far as the compulsi-
tor operates, all the objections which
have been already offered against an
attempt to compel unanimity, apply
with lull force, while, by the above re-
gulation, the jury is to be abandoned,
in this particular, entirely to the dis-
cretion of the court. In proportion,
therefore, as the compulsitor is lenient,

* Considerations, p. 29.

350

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

it will prove ineffectual, and as a new
trial is granted when unanimity can
not be obtained in the first instance,
the saving of hardship to the jury
must be compensated m trouble and
expence to the litija^ants

«* Remove the requisite of unanimi-
ty," says the learned author of the
*' Considerations," " and require only
$ecrf cy as to the opinions of the jury-
men, the whole machine is dislocated.
Every juryman then knows the busi-
ness will be finished when each has
made up his own opinion ; so, for the
most part, he attends only to procure
satisfaction to himself, and feels little
anxiety for any thing farther. If,
however, he is ambitious of taking a
lead in the private discussions, his va-
nity finds still a considerable gratifi-
cation in carrying a majority of his
brethren with him, though the public
should not learn the achievement for
a time ; and the gratification is not
lessened, should the verdict run coun-
ter to the directions of the bench ;
and if the leader is at all corrupt, the
secrecy is a desirable cover against de-
tection. The Bar, again, discovering
that the juries, though taken from the
mass of the public, are courts inclined
to act according to their own ideas of
law and expediency, address them as
an appellate jurisdiction from the bench ;
and the judge finding, from the ver
diets, that the rules of law and evi-
dence are often neglected, or sacrifi
ced to the conceits of the uninformed,
or the declamations of the bar, his ex«
ertions are damped, and his functions
performed with languor or dissatisfac-
tion. But a dismissal after a long
trial, tedious inclosure, and painful
but fruitless discussion to obtain una-
nimity, can have none of those perni-
cious consequences. Labour lost, ex-

pence thrown away, parties disappoint-
ed, must always be objects of painful
contemplation. The obloquy due to
conceit, obtuseness, oropinionativeness,
must always be an object of dread.
Such mortifications, whether the re-
sult be the calling of another jury, or
the resorting to a trial by an act and
commission, every jury must be solicit-
ous to avoid."

Here is a faithful picture of the
difficulties which may, and probably
mustf be encountered in the manage-
ment of this new instrument for the
administration of justice But if una-
nimity be in truth an unattainable thing,
and if, at the same time, this quahty
be deemed essential to the efficiency
of juries, the fair inference seems to
be, not that we should have juries in-
cumbered with so absurd a provision,
but that we should have no juries in
civil causes at all. It is tru^, indeed,
that the expedient is to be tried in
Scotland with the most laudable cau-
tion ; and it is well that the business
has been thus managed. But if there
be little reason to hope for good from
the experiment — if there exist but
slender inducements to innovation at
all — if slight changes of obvious utili-
ty might have removed every ground
of complaint, it may be a question
whether the hazard, even of the ex-
perint'nt, should have been encoun-
tered. To us it appears, that the
excellence of jury trial, in criminal
cases, is not more certain than its in-
curable defects when extended to other
branches of business. The interven-
tion of juries, in the trial of crimes, *
forms the safeguard of public liberty ;
their interference in questions of civil
right, we think, can only create a most
unnecessary and unprofitable incum-
brance on the administration of justice.

CHRONICLE.

JANUARY.

Ist.— Arape andmurderwerecommit-
ted on thebodyof ayoung woman, na-
ined Hannah Lcatham, servant to Mr
Jackson, of Brignal, near Greta Bridge,
this day. She had been sent on an er-
rand to Barnard castle, which place she
left about five o'clock in the evening,
on her way home. Her body was found
next morning, about two miles from
that town, on the road to the High-
street (a road much frequented,) with
her head nearly severed from her body.
A coroner's inquest returned a verdict
of rape and murder against some per-
son or persons unknown. Several men
have been taken up on suspicion.

3d.— This night Sunday a number
of persons entered the church-yard of
Old Aberdeen, and disinterred the bo-
dy of a woman recently buried there.
While some of the party were employ-
ed in taking up the body, others of
them held fast the doors of the house
adjoining f the church-yard, occupied
by James Black, beadle, and with oaths
a'^d imprecations called to him, that
they would be revenged on him, and
would have his heart's blood, if he
should attempt to interfere with them,
or to give the alarm. A reward of five
guineas has been offered for the disco«
very of the offenders.

VOL. VI. PART. ir.

On the 24th ult. a poor lunatic, na-
med Elizabeth Cruickshank, was bar-
barously murdered on the streets of
Peterhead. A reward of 10 guineas is
offered for the discovery of the perpe-
trators.

York.— —This morning John Ea-
don, aged 34, was tried for admini-
stering an unlawful oath to Richard
Howells, at Barnsley, in the county of
York, in the month of May last. The
prisoner, as proved in evidence, had
some conversation with Howells about
the Luddites, and told Howells he
could make any man one ; and in the
course of two or three days after, the
prisoner renewed the conversation, by
asking Howells what he thought of
what they had been talking about?
(Howells lodged in the house of, and
worked with, the prisoner as a weaver
at the time.) Howells did not imme-
diately recollect, and prisoner said it
was about the Luddites, and asked
Howells if he would be one ? He said
he would. Prisoner then put a common
Prayer-book into his right hand, and
defeired Howells to repeat after him.
Prisoner gave him a paper, and told
him to commit it to memory as soon as
he could, and he did so accordingly. It
purported to be the oath he had repeat •
ed to him, which was, that lie was not
to reveal any secrets of any brother or

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Jan. 4—6.

brothers, and that if any traitors were
amongst them, they were to be punish-
ed with death. Howells kissed the
book. The paper given by prisoner to
Howells was signed by prisoner in his
own hand- writing. This was support-
ed by another prisoner called Thomas
Broughton, who had received the pa-
per from Howells, and not understand-
ing its import, asked prisoner what the
paper meant, and was informed by him
that it was to form a regular organi-
zation in the county to overturn the
tyrannical system of government.
Broughton was a weaver at Barnsley,
and acquainted with Howells.

The jury, afterconsultingin the box,
almost immediately returned a verdict
of guilty.

4th. — This day being the birth-day
of Lord Strathaven, when his lord-
ship came ©f age, the tenants of his
noble father, the Earl of Aboyne, in
Glei. tanner, in testimony of their at-
tachment to that ancient family, assem-
bl d on the evening to celebrate in ru-
ral style thr anniversary of their young
lord. They met on the top of a
high mountain in the centre of the pa-
rish, having provided a large quantity
of Glentanner fir-wood, of which they
made a great bonfire, and kept up for
several hours in honour of the joyful
and happy occasion. The company
were numerous, danced round the bon-
fire with great glee and good humour,
pouring forth plentiful hbations of
whisky, in which the health of his lord-
ship was drank with enthusiasm, and
*' three times three." The health of
the noble earl and countess " with three
times three," and the health of all the
Other branches of that noble family,
also ** with three times three." After
which many patriotic, loyal, and con-
stitutional toasts were drank, well suit-
ed to the sentiments of the company.

A female in man's apparel, enhsted
some time since as a recruit in the 53d re-
giment, quartered in Shrewsbury. She
Siortly afterwarda confessed her sex,

and said, that her object was to have
been enhsted into the 43d regiment, as
in that corps she had a lover, who was
now on foreign duty, and that she
adopted this expedient from a wish to
follow hinf!. She was dressed in a blue
jacket and trowsers ; her father is a re-
spectable farmer in the neighbourhood
of St Asaph, Denbighshire.

5th. — This day by advices from the
survivors, the brig Charles, Captain
Graham, bound to the coast of Afri-
ca, struck on a reef of the Tongui
rocks, about five miles from the shore,
and 20 miles south of the river Gam-
bia. The natives,, a tribe of Man-
dingoes, attacked the wreck in great
numbers, considering her as lawful
prize. The captain and one of the
passengers were killed. The Rev.
Leopold Butscher, missionary of the
Church Missionary Society for Africa
and the East, was on board with his
wife, and seven other persons attached
to the mission. Notwithstanding eve-
rycxertion of the crew and missionaries,
assisted by a force dispatched with the
utmost promptitude by Major Chis-
holm, commandant of Goree, but a
small part of the cargo was saved, the
rest being plundered by the natives.
Every attention was paid to the missi-
onaries in their distress by Major Chis-
holm, and by Lieut.-Col. McCarthy,
governor of Senegal. O ne of their par-
ty died, and was buried in Goree ; and
the rest hired a Spanish vessel to con-
vey them to the Society's settlements
in the Rio Pongas, whither they were
bound.

6th. — Last week a calf was taken
out of the side of a cow belonging to
Mr Wright of Cleasby, near Darlmg-
ton, having two heads ; one of the
heads resembles that of a greyhound,
and the other that of a cod-fish ; one
head is at one end of the animal and the
other at the other end. It has an ex-
act calPs tail coming out from the
middle of the cod's head, and the four
legs resemble a calf's. The cow wa^

Jan. 7—9.]

CHRONICLE.

some months over her time ; but after
getting quit of this animal, is doing well.
The circumstance is supposed by the
journahst, from whom we quote, to
have been caused by her taking fright
at a greyhound going suddenly into
the byre with a cod's head in his
mouth.

7th. — Edinburgh. — A foreigner
belonging to the band of the 6th dra-
goon guards, lying at Piershill bar-
racks, having gone, accompanied by his
daughter, a little girl, to get, as he
said some corn for his horse, gave her
the bag to hold till he retired for a few
moments ; but not returning for some
time, an alarm was given, and on
searching a. well at a short distance
from the place, the body of the unfor-
tunate man was discovered and drawn
out, animation being completely gone.

9th. Execution of the Mur-
derers OF Mr Hoksefall, atYork.
— During the whole of the trial, and
even while the solemn sentence of the law
was passing, not one of the prisoners
shed a tear, but their conduct was
perfectly free from any indecent bold-
ness or unbecoming levity. The pro-
ceedings of the court were conducted
with unusual solemnity, and the beha-
viour of the spectators was strictly de-
corous and becoming. From amongst
the numerous relatives and friends of
the unhappy malefactors, an expression
of anguish frequently reached the ear,
but it was deep, not loud ; and in that
part of the auditory that was connect-
ed with them only by a common na-
ture, abhorrence at their enormous
crime was not unmixed with commise-
ration for the premature fate of these
early victims of a lawless confederacy.

At the opening of the court on
Thursday morning, the jury recom-
mended Thomas Smith to mercy ; and
an application was made to the judges
to have the sentence of the law, on such
of the murderers as they might think
proper to order for execution, carried
into effect, not at the usual place of ex-

ecution, but on the spot where the mur-
der was perpetrated ; but it was not
thought expedient to comply with thi«
application.

In the interval between the trial and
execution, the prisoners behaved very
penitently, though they refusedtomake
any confession either in the prison or at
the place of execution. Thorpe, on be-
ing asked if he did not acknowlege the
justice of the sentence, said, " Do not
ask me any question." Mellor decla-
red, ** that he would rather be in the
situation he was then placed in, dread-
ful as it was, than have to answer forv
the crime of their accuser ; and that he
would not change situations with him
even for his liberty and two thousand
pounds ;" but with all his resolution,
he^could not conceal the agonies of hi»
mind, for on the night before the exe-
cution, he fell to the ground in a state
of insensibility, and it was thought he
would have died in his cell : but he
soon revovered, and in the morning his
health was perfectly restored.

The execution of these unhappy men
took place yesterday, at nine o clock,
at the usual place behind the castle, at
York. Every precaution bad been ta-
ken to render a rescue impracticable.
Two troops of cavalry were drawn up
in front of the drop, and the avenues
to the castle were guarded by infan-
try. Five minutes before nine o'clock^
the prisoners came upon the platform.
After the ordinary had read the accuse
tomed forms of prayer, George Mel*
lor prayed for about ten minutes ; he
spoke with great apparent fervency
and devotion, confessing in general the
greatness of his sins, but without any
allusion to the crime for which he suf-
fered. The surrounding multitude were
evidently affected. William Thorpe
also prayed, but his voice was not so
well heard. Smith said little, but seem-
ed to join in the devotioa with great se^
riousness.

The prisoners were then moved to
the £ront of the platform, and Mellor

iv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [Jan. 10— le<^.

said, ** Some 6f my enemies may be
here; if there be, I freely forgive them,
and all the world, and I hope all the
world will forgive me." Thorpe said,
** I hope none of those who are now be-
fore me, will ever come to this place."
The executioner then proceeded to per-
form his fatal office, and the drop fell.
They were executed in their irons. They
appeared slightly convulsed for a few
moments. The number of people as-
sembled was much greater than is usual
in York on these melancholy occasions;
but not the slightest indication of tu-
mult prevailed, and the greatest silence
reigned during the whole of this solemn
and painful scene.

10th Edinburgh. — Subscrip-

TIONFORTHE RuSSIAN SuFFERERS.

This day there was a numerous meet-
ing of noblemen and gentlemen in the
Parliament-house, called at the request
of the lord provost. The lord provost,
who was called to the chair, opened
the business of the meeting in a short
speech. The Right Honourable the
Earl of Wemyss then rose, and moved
several patriotic resolutions in support
of the Russian sufferers, which were se-
conded by the Right Honourable Lord
Kapicr, in an appropriate speech, and
unanimously agreed to. Several other
gentlemen stated, in energetic terms,
the propriety and justice of contribu-
ting to the aid of the Russians, who
had risked their property, and every
thing that was valuable, in defence of
their country, and in support of their
alliance with Great Britain. The lord
provost immediately subscribed one
hundred guineas for the city of Edin-
burgh, and also stated, that he was au-
thorised to subscribe one hundred gui-
neas for his Grace the Duke of Buc-
cleuch.

12th — Execution of the Lud-
dites AT York. — Precisely at 1 1 o'-
clock, the following persons suffered
the sentence of the law, due to their
crimes, viz. John Hill, Joseph Crow-

ther, Nathan Hoyle, Jonathan Dean,
John Ogden, Thomas Brook, and John
Walker. The above persons behaved
in the most penitent manner. During
the time the ordinary was performing
the functions of his duty, the repeated
and earnest prayers of the culprits
might be heard at a considerable dis-
tance, supphcating the Divine Being
to receive their souls into everlasting
rest. Many of them, after the clergy-
men had repeated " The Lord have
mercy upon you," in a very audible
voice articulated ** I hope he will."
Previous to the drop being let down,
a hymn was given out very firn'ly by
John Walker to his fellow culprits,
all of whom heartily joined in singing
the same.

The bodies, after hanging till 12 o'-
clock, were then cut down.

Half past one o'clock. — The fol-
lowing prisoners, viz. John Swallow,
John Batley, Joseph Fisher, William
Hartley, James Haigh, James Hey,
and Job Hay, were executed at the
time specified above. The v/hole of
them evinced a spirit of contrition
seldom witnessed upon a similar occa-
sion. The concourse of spectators, as
at the former occasion, was numerous.
The bodies were cut down at half-past
two o'clock, and delivered to their re-
spective relations.

14th. Edinburgh. — Yesterday,

Joseph Gibson, convicted of highway-
robbery, was executed at the ordinary
place of execution in this city. The
demeanour of the unhappy man since
his condemnation was suitable to his
awful situation. He was assisted in
his devotions by the Rev. Dr Brown,
Old Church, Rev. Mr Adams, of the
Episcopal chapel, Blackfriars-wynd,
and the Rev. Mr Porteous, chaplain
of the jail.

18th. — Lisbon. — His Excellency
the Marshal-General the Marquis of
Toress Vedras, (Lord WelHngton) af-
ter having passed through triumphal

Jan. IB.]

CHRONICLE.

arches erected in the fortress of Ekas,
anil in all the towns on the road to the
left bank of the Tagus, where, for the
space of 30 leagues, all the inhabitants
strove to outdo each other in testimo-
nies of entluisiasm and gratitude, at
length arrived at half after three in the
afternoon of the 16th inst.,^n the com-
mercial-square of this capital. He was
there received by all the Portuguese
and English generals, by all the troops
of both nations, and the whole armed
force at present in Lisbon. His arri-
val was announced by repeated salutes
from the ships and frigates in the Ta-
gus, and the castle of St George. The
troops were ranged in two lines, ex-
tending to the Palacio das Necessi-
dades. His excellency, mounted on
horseback, thus affording a sight of
himself to the immense concourse of
Bpectators collected, and the innume-
rable ladies who adorned the windows
of that vast edifice, which had been
prepared for his reception. Repeated
and loud acclamations accompanied his
excellency as he passed on ; and the
people of Lisbon, v/ho had never given
a plaudit, nor one salutation, to Junot,
notwithstanding all the power with
which he was surrounded, were now
boundless in their applauses to their
deliverer from the cruel invasion of
Massena. ^

At night, there was a general and
voluntary illumination, which was re-
peated three successive nights.

On Sunday, at one o'clock, his ex-
cellency, dressed in the Portuguese uni-
form, went to pay his comphments to
the lords regents of the kingdom, and
took his seat among them in the palace
of government ; he shortly after re-
turned, and, both in going and return-
ing, was accompanied with the loudest
applauses on every side. At four on
the same afternoon, his excellency again
returned to the palace of government,
dressed in the English uniform, to par-
tiike of a sumptuous entertainment pro-

vided for him by the regents of the
kingdom, to which were invited all the
secular authorities, the bishops, the
Portuguese, English, and Spanish ge-
neral officers, the staff of his lordship,
and of Marshal the Count of Tran-
coso, the diplomatic body, the intend-
ant general of the police, and all the
presidents of the tribunals.

The Portuguese company of the
royal theatre of San Carlos, presuming
that his excellency would honour that
theatre with his presence, had in the
short space that intervened between
the notice given of hisexcellency's com-
ing and his actual arrival, made every ex-
ertion to present the hero with a spec*-
tacle worthy of him, and of the Por-
tuguese nation. All the boxes were
decorated with appropriate ornaments,
such as genii, with crowns and shields,
on which were inscribed the initials
of Lord Wellington. The box of
government, which was also that of
his excellency, surpassed them all, be-
ing richly adorned with figures of
Fame and Victory. Never was the
theatre of San Carlos so early and
completely crowded. His excellen-
cy came thither from the palace of go-
vernment, about half-past seven ; and
the moment he appeared, the most rap-
turous acclamations resounded on all
sides. The scene was opened by an
anthem, sung in praise of our beloved
prince, whose portrait under a canopy,
displayed on a sudden, electrified sdl
the spectators, and the thunders of ap-
plause were again repeated, and lasted
a considerable time. When these had
ended, a piece was performed, entitled
0 Nome (The Name) composed in
honour of Lord Wellington. Thit
scene represented the Elysian Fields ;
and the interlocutors were. Glory,
Posterity, Camoens, the Great Con-
stable, and a number of Portuguese
heroes. Several of the verses of the
immortal Camoens were ingeniously in-
troduced. The spectators, who were

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Jan. 21—27.

solely intent on the great object of this
spectacle, instantly applied to him with
avidity and enthusiasm every allusion
of this kind ; and the applauses were
redoubled, when genii descending, pre-
sented illuminated scrolls, with the in-
scriptions of " Roleia, Vimiera, Porto,
Talavera, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajos,
Arapiles," &c.

His excellency was accompanied in
his box by their excellencies the re-
gents, the minister of his Britannic
majesty, the Marquez de Borba, the
Marquez de Olhao, the secretary Don
MiguelPereira Forjaz, and the secretary
Alexander Jose Ferreira Castellol. In
the box to the right, contiguous to
that of government, was his Excellen-
cy Marshal the Count of Trancoso.
On the left side, in the boxes contigu-
ous to that of government, were the
English Generals Stopford, Rebow,
Peacock, Leith, Slade, Fermor, Ro-
binson, Brooke, Inglis, Blunt, and Ad-
miral Martin.

21st. — A shocking catastrophe oc-
curred in BulPs-hcad yard, Charles-
street, Drury-lane. Two females, na-
med Jane Supple and Mary Welch,
agreed to drink 21 glasses of gin in a
limited time. The former person suc-
ceeded in drinking 18 successiveglasses,
when she became quite insensible, and
•wa» immediately conveyed to her lod-
gings, and put to bed, where in about
half an hour afterwards she died. She
•was far advanced in years. The latter
woman drank more liquor than the
former, and now lies very ill.

23d. — A fire broke out at Sidney
College, Cambridge. It was discover-
ed about 11 o'clock at night; when
upon examination it was found that
two chambers in different p?) ts of the
building were on fire ; i)at the flames
were very soon extinguiihed. In con-
sequence of the depositions of the
vratchman, a student, who had that
day taken his degree, has been exami-

ned before the magistrates, and is de-
tained in custody.

24th. — In the evening, three seamen
belonging to the Indefatigable frigate
were returning to their ship from Port-
sea Hard, when one of them, Malcolm
Macdonald, tapped a man, who he sup-
posed was a waterman, upon the shoul-
der, saying to him, " Give us a put on
board." The man, who happened to
be a Spaniard, sharply asked, in the
Spanish language, what he wanted ?
One of Macdonald's ship-mates, who
understood Spanish, answered him,
" Nothing.*' The Spaniard, however,
without more words, or provocation,
collared Macdonald, and stabbed him
in two places with a knife, which he
drew from his bosom, and then ran
away. One of the seamen staid by the
wounded man, whilst the other pur-
sued the Spaniard towards his boat ;
but could not find him. Macdonald
was taken on board the Indefatigable,
where he soon died of his woui.ds.
X^ieut. Scott, of that ship, immediate-
ly repaired to the Spanish frigate Iphi-
genia, with one of Macdonald's compa-
nions, and just as he had re...chtd her,
a Spaniard, named Lucas Garces, came
alongside in a wherry, who was in-
stantly charged with being the mur-
derer. The Spaniards have refused to
let the parties necessary as witnesses
come on shore, but, upon the deposi-
tion of the surgeon of the Indefatiga-
ble, and the two seamen of that ship,
a verdict of wilful murder has been re-
turned against Lucas Garces.

27th. — On Friday last, at Mid Cald-
er, as some boys were amusing themsel-
ves betwixt school hours, five of them
ventured upon the ice, at the dam-head
of East Mill, nearly oppositethe school,
when unfortunately the ice gave way,
and the whole went down, upon which
a lad of 14- years of age (brother to
one of the five) ran to their assistance,
who, in endeavouring to save thera, pe-

Jan. 29.]

CHRONICLE.

rished himself, with two of the others ;
every attempt to restore animation in
them was tried unsuccessfully, their
bodies having remained from one to
three hours under water.

Saturday evening, about 8 o'clock,
a poor woman, with a childin her arms,
fell into the Clyde, at the Broomielaw.
By the active exertions of the people
belonging to the John packet, of Ayr,
the child was got out ahve, almost im-
mediately ; but the body of its more
unfortunate mother wns not found till
next morning, at nine o'clock, when it
was conveyed to the poor-house, and
the child dehvered over to the charge
of that useful institution.

The following melancholy event took
place on Friday last, at Hassendean-
burn, Berwickshire : — Two of Mr
Dickson's servants went out to shoot
hares, when the gun which one of them
carried accidentally went off, and so
severely wounded the other, that he
died in about half an hour thereafter.
The deceased has left a wife and two
children to lament his untimely fate.
We do not hear that the survivor has
been punished for poaching, which he
ought to have been.

28th. — Information having been re-
ceived, that a gang of robbers intended
attacking the Cork mail-coach, on its
way to Dublin, a party of soldiers were
stationed near the spot where the at-
tack was intended to take place, and
about one o'clock, a party of 10 arm-
ed ruffians appeared about two miles
beyond Urlingford ; several shots were
exchanged ; three of the robbers were
killed on the spot, one was made pri-
soner, and the rest escaped. A soldier
was severely wounded.

From the report of the commission-
ers appointed to enquire into the state
of education in Ireland, it appears,
that in 17 dioceses, out of the 22 that
arc in Ireland, there are 3,737 school-
masters, who educate 162,367 pupils .
Of the masters, 1,271 are protestants,

2,465 catholics — of their pupils the
protestants are 45,590, and the catho-
lics 116,977. These 17 dioceses com-
prise about five-sixths of the superfi-
cial extent of Ireland, but it is doubt-
ed whether they contain more than
four-fifths of its actual population. It
is concluded, that if similar returns
from the whole of Ireland had been
made, the number of pupils would ap-
pear to be upwards of 200,000, and of
the masters to be above 4,600.

29th. — Yesterday afternoon, about
two o'clock, as Mr Inman, a gentle-
man from Bristol, was returning from
the bank, in company with a friend, at
the corner of Bucklersbury,Walbrook,
he made a sudden halt, and instantly
dropped down dead : his body was
immediately conveyed into a neigh-
bouring house, and afterwards removed
to Walbrook church, where it now
remains. The deceased had nearly
10,0001. in his hands when he fell,
which property is secured.

This night a villain ascended by a lad-
der to the bed-room window of Mrs
Fletcher, Kingston-buildings, Bristol,
broke the square, unscrewed the win-
dow, threw up the sash, and entered
the room, before Mrs F. heard him.
Two children, her nieces, were in the
same room, one of whom began to call
her aunt, on which the villain, who
had a dark lanthorn, drew a dagger,
which he Nourished over her headf ; he
then pulled down a crape over bis face.
He scarcely took notice of any thing
in the room j but on seeing a writing
desk, he very leisurely sat down, open-
ed his lanthorn, and with a sharp in-
strument cut it open, and took bank-
notes to the amount of upwards of 491.
and a suit of child's clothes, which
happened to be on the drawers, as he
retreated out of the window to the lad-
der. A week before the house was
robbed by villains entering the kit-
chen, and stealing servants clothes and
provisions.

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Jan. 31,

A most outrageous attack was made
upon Mr Eale, a farmer, at Ashly-
hole, Somerset, on the confines of
Gloucestershire, on the evening of
Monday last, whilst sitting in his par-
lour with his family. The barking of
a yard dog caused the first alarm, soon
after which, there was a loud knock-
ing at the kitchen door ; no answer
was returned to interrogatories from
within, but soon after the door was
forced by. four ruffians, armed with
bludgeons, who entered the parlour
where Mr and Mrs E., their daughter
seven years old, and the maid-servant,
•were sitting. One of them knocked
Mr Eale down without ceremony, and
continued their violence until he was
unable to move. His wife and daugh-
ter were fastened into a closet, and the
servant maid was compelled to go up
stairs with the villains, who broke open
every lock they could get at, and stole
from a chest of drawers, bank-notes
and cash to the amount of 1131. with
which they made off. The maid-ser-
vant was locked in a separate room be-
fore the villains departed. Mr E. is
in a dangerous state. A carter and
his boy, who slept in a diffei;ent part
of the house, were not disturbed.

30th. — Saturday se'ennight, about
one o'clock the inhabitants of Shafts-
bury-place, Aldersgate- street, were
alarmed by the report of a pistol;
■when, on enquiry, it was found that
Mr Garrick, an engraver, residing in
that place, had, in a fit of insanity,
shot himself with a pistol, loaded with
slugs. This catastrophe, according to
report, was the consequence of his wife
having pawned a large silver spoon,
from a set whicli he had to engrave upon
for a silversmith whom he had been in
thehabit of working for. On question-
ing his wife respecting the spoon, she de-
clared she knew nothing of it ; — words
then arose, and he took up his gun,
T?hich he kept in the room, (having
formerly belonged to a corps of sharp-

shooters), and with thebutt-end struct
his wife over the head, by which the
blood began to flow copiously. Think-
ing that that he had killed her, he im-
mediately put a period to his existence.
A coroner's inquest was held upon the
body of the unfortunate man, at the
King's Arms public-house. Alders-
gate-street ; when it appeared from
the depositions of several persons who
had known the family, that the womaa
had been in the habit of pawning arti-
cles of silver-plate, at various times,
which he bad to engrave, with the
view of spending the money in drink ;
and that last July, he attempted to cut
his throat in consequence of her pro-
ceedings. The jury, after a long de-
liberation, returned a verdict — Insani-
ty, The woman now lies in St Bartho-
lomew's hospital, and is considered out
of danger.

31st. — The following shocking ac-
cident occurred in the dock-yard, at
Woolwich. A machine, used for thp
purpose of bending and seasoning ship-
timber, unfortunately burst, in conse-
quence of being overcharged, by which
eight individuals lost their lives, and
14 were dangerously hurt, several ha-
ving their legs and thighs broken. The
premises on which the machine stood
were destroyed ; and the explosion is
represented as having been most terri-
fic. Several of the men have left wives
and families.

AGRICULTURAL REPORT,

English Report. The season-
able dry frosts in the latter part of
the month, have been beneficial to the
young wheats, by checking the slug
and wire-worm, which, in several dis-
stricts, particularly in the fen countries,
had materially injured the plants. The
early-sown beans, in Kent, have not
been much cut by the late sharp winds.
The barley sowing, as well as that of
oats, though delayed, will probably be
9

Jan. 51.]

CHRONICLE.

effected as early, and perhaps better,
from the kindly working of the lands,
after the present frost. The turnips
remain sounder, in general, than could
have been expected, after so wet a
winter. Potatoes, from having been got
up dry in autumn, continue to afford a
plentiful and seasonable supply in most
markets of the kingdom. Smithfield
has been thin in prime meat of most
kinds, through the month, particularly
mutton, which now fetches a higher
price than has been remembered for
many years. Theextensiverotamongst
fatting stock of this kind is the cause
of its great scarcity Accounts from
most counties represent the breed-
ing flocks also to be similarly un-
sound. All lean stock are advanced
in price, except sheep and lambs, which
are kept down by the risk that the
purchasers must run who buy them.
The wool markets have had another
start since last month's report, and still
look higher.

Lothian. — The weather being dry
for several days previous to the end of
last month, and continuing equally fa-
Yourable for a few days at the begin-
ning of this, afforded a favourable op-
portunity to those wishing to sow
wheat upon land which had been clear-
fed of turnips, to prosecute that opera-
tion with advantage ; accordingly, se-
veral fields in different situations, were
sown with that grain, and finished off
in the most satisfactory manner. Till
about the middle of last week, the
ground was in good condition for
ploughing, which operation is pretty
forward throughout the country, as
many farmers have already got part of
their clover lays turned over to be mel-
lowed by the winter's frost. During
the last ten days, the frost being suffi-
ciently hard to carry the carts and hor-
ses, the time has been actively employ-
ed in clearing out the straw yards, lay-
ing on compost, threshing, &c. Up-
on the whole, the weather has been

such, that the farmer could hardly de-
sire better, for carrying on the various
operations which fall to be executed at
this season of the year. Turnip stock
have done well for some time past, and
the sales already effected, of both sheep
and cattle, have left a fair profit to the
feeder. The stack-yards present an
appearance something similar to what
they do at this period in ordinary sea-
sons, and as the crop in general yields
tolerably well, the high prices of grain
will render this a most favourable year
for the farmers.

The grain markets have been well
supplied during the month, but the
corn merchants having begun to spe-
culate in wheat, and a demand existing
in other quarters for oats and barley,
prices of late have been rather upon the
advance ; the current prices being for
wheat 63s. to 653. ; barley 42s. to 458. ;
potatoes about 32s. ; and pease and
beans, the qualities being very differ-
ent, 30s. to 38s. per boll. Butcher
markets have been steady for some
time past ; beef from 7d. to 9d. ; mut-
ton about the same price ; veal frona
lOd. to Is. per lb.

Fashions. — We have but little no-
velty to announce for the present
month ; the taste and invention of our
celebrated dressmakers are at present
fully employed in contriving trimmings
and ornaments for the birth -day ; and
we are led to suppose that we shall
have a complete revolution in the win-
ter fashions when it is passed. We
shall, however, lay before our readers
the few observations which we have
been able to make since last month.

And, first, for the walking costume,
the pilgrim's wrap begins to be in high
estimation. It is simply a pilgrim's
cloak, made of a very dark brown fine
cloth or cassimere, and owes its origin,
we believe, to the severity of the sea-
son. It is, in general, thrown over a
pehsse ; and, if not a very elegant ad-
dition to the dress of our fair pedes.

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Feb. 1.

trians, must yet be allowed to be a very
comfortable one. >

Cloaks, pelisses, mantles, and mant-
kts, still continue to be worn for the
promenade.

Plain high dresses, made in lustre
and bombazeen, are worn. These
dresses are made tight to the shape,
and the front, which is called a corset
bosom, is very becoming to the shape ;
it is let in, in small gores, in the same
manner in which corsets are generally
made, and shews the natural shape to
great advantage ; the back is very
^broad, the dress buttons up behind,
and a deep collar falls over, round
the edge of which is sometimes seen
a rich floss silk trimming, but in
general it is plain ; long sleeve, with
a small cufF of the same materials as
the dress.

For dinner dresses, velvets are the
most prevalent ; next to them is India
muslin, let in, and trimmed richly with
lace ; white and coloured satins. Me-
rino cloth, cassimere, twilled sarsnets,
and tissue satin cloth, are worn. This
last article is exceedingly elegant, and
perfectly novel ; it has all the richness
of those silks which were v/orn in good
old times, without their heaviness ; it
is indeed particularly appropriate for
the time of the year, and we have no
doubt will become very general.

Frocks still continue to be worn ;
but gowns, with demi-trains, are more
general ; shoulder straps are almost
entirely exploded ; and the bosom,
shoulders, and back of the neck, are
as much as possible exposed.

We have observed a small cottage
bonnet of white beaver, with a white
long feather, which falls over, much in
request with our fair promenaders.
Peasant's cap of worked muslin, has en-
tirely superseded the Spanish caps ; and
lace halt handkerchiefs, put on in the
form of a turban, the most general for
morning.

FEBRUARY.

1st. — Henry Langridge, a tenant
of Mr Sex, and living very near him,
in theparish ofPenshurst,inKetit, was
a day-labourer on the estate of Balden
Powel, Esq. at Lankington green,
near Penshurst, not far from Tun- j
bridge-wells. Having left his work '■
on Monday evening, the 1st of Febru-
ary, with his son, aboy about nine years
old, between five and six o'clock, and
proceeding homeward, they stopped
to rest in a field called Sandheld, about
a quarter of a mile from home, having
first cut a bundle of sticks and laid them
across the foot-path. Mr Sex, after-
wards coming into the same fi».ld in his
way home, stumbled over the sticks,
and seeing Langridge close by, asked
him what he meant by laying those dl
things across the road, to throw people fl
down ? Some words followed, and I
some sparring. The boy, who appears '■-
to be very ingenuous, says, that Mr Sex
attempted to knock his father down,
but could not accomphsh it ; and then
his father ordered him to go home-
wards, saying he would kill Sex that
night, or else he would transport him
to-morrow. After the boy had got
the distance of another field, he dis-
tinctly heard the cry of " murder" se-
veral times repeated. It appears, Lang-
ridge had a thick ashen club, cut sharp
at the bottom, wherewith he beat Mr
Sex so dreadfully as to fracture his
scull, break both his arms, and force
out of the socket one of his eyes : he
also thrust the pointed end between
the chin and wind-pipe, into the mouth
and through the tongue of the object
of his fury ; and after glutting his re-
venge, left him to welter in his blood,
and proceeded after the boy, whom
he overtook before he got home, and
strictly charged him to tell no person
what had happened. When at home,

Feb. 2—8.]

CHRONICLE,

Langridge cut the instrument of his
barbarity into three or four pieces,
and laid theni on the fi^e, but with the
bloody side towards the flames, that
his wife might make no observations
upon it. Next morning, as if nothing
had happened, he proceeded on to his
work again, and sent the boy forward
to see if Sex was removed : when he
heard that the body was still lying
there and alive, he took another road ;
and the deceased lay there from be-
tween seven and eight o'clock the pre-
ceding evening till nine in the morn-
ing, before he was discovered ; he
lived till the Sunday following with-
out being able to articulate. When
Langridge came home on the Tuesday
evening, his wife told him what had
happened to Mr Sex, and hoped he
had no concern in it ; to which he an-
swered by asking if she wanted such a
dose. He took his supper, and went
out of the door, saying, " Mary, I
shall never more see you alive.'* The
coroner's inquest sat upon the body,
and found a verdict of Wilful Murder
against Henry Langridge.

2d. — A shoemaker, who was collect-
or of the income-tax in the parish of
Christchurch, Surrey, has lately be-
come a defalcator to the amount of
3,7001. The manner in which he ob-
tained 80 important an office was this :
He had been for several years a con-
6tant attendant at Mr Rowland Hill's
chapel, and by the fervour of his devo-
tion, attracted the notice, and at last
gained the friendship, of that gentle-
man, by whose assistance he was soon
enabled to remove from a place little
better than a cobler's stall, and take a
large conspicuous shop. He also o;ot
from his patron a situation in the cha-
pel worth one hundred pounds a year.
He was at last, through the same ge-
nerous interest, appointed collector of
the property-tax, on which occasion
two gentlemen became his sureties, one
in 10001. and the other in '20001. the

whole of which sums they will now
have to pay.

3d. — John and Leigh Hunt, the
printer and the editor of The Exami-
ner, were on Wednesday brought into
the court of King's Bench, to receive
judgment for the libel upon the prince
regent, of which they were convicted
last term. An affidavit made by the
defendants was read — declaring that
they were actuated by no personal ma-
lice whatever, nor any love or purpose
of slander, and that they are conscious
of no motives which were not honour-
able in writing and publishing the
same, &c. The defendants having de-
clined occupying the time of the court
by counsel, Mr Justice Le Blanc pass-
ed sentence, which was, that they do
pay a fine of 5001. each, and that they
be severally imprisoned for two years ;
John Hunt in Cold Bath Fields pri-
son, and Leigh Hunt in the new gaol
in Horsemonger-lane, and that each
give securities in lOOOl. for his good
behaviour for five years.

6th. — Between seven and eight o'-
clock, as Mr Samuel Bayley, cotton-
merchant, was riding towards home,
on the Rusholme road, he was sudden-
ly entangled by a rope stretched across
the road for the purpose of robbery.
His mare was upon a sharp canter, and
he was in a moment swept off her back,
and instantly seized by four men, who
told him if he made any resistance they
would shoot him. They proceeded to
rifle him of his property, and told him
to proceed and make no alarm, or his
life should pay for it. He endeavour-
ed in vain to recover his mare ; but she
found her way home alone about six
o'clock next morning.

8th. — This evening the house of Miss
Bakewell, at Swepstone, near Ashby-
de-la-Zouch, was attacked by a gang
of five most desperate robbers. They
entered it about a quarter past eight
o'clock. Three of them secured two fe-
male servants, and proceeded to plun-

;^ii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813, [Feb. U.

der the house : the footman was un-
iortunately out. Two of the robbers
entered the dining-room, where Miss
Bakewell was sitting alone, reading ;
one of them presented a pistol at her
head, threatened to blow her brains
out if she made the least noise or resist-
ance, and demanded her money, plate,
&c. She replied, she had very little
money, but what she had they should
have ; and she and a female servant de-
livered to them the plate, of the value
of near 3001. ; they then left the house.
Soon after they were gone, Miss Bake-
well went to a neighbour to inform
him of what had happened. A Bow-
street officer was ;-equested from Lon-
don, and Pearkes was dispatched ; in-
formation was sent to the poHce offi-
cers at Birmingham, where there are
supposed to be more thieves than jn
London, according to the population
of the two places : advertisements were
inserted in several newspapers, and
bills printed, offering a reward for the
apprehension of the robbers. By these
exertions, Samuel Dickens, Daniel
Lyn, and a woman, three of the gang,
were apprehended at Birmingham on
Saturday, with a great part of the pro-
perty stolen from Miss Bakewell's
house in their possession, by the offi-
cers of the police of that place ; and
on Sunday morning early, WiUiam
Smith and Thomas Cook, the two
others of the gang, were apprehended
at Leicester. They have since been
examined before a magistrate, and
committed for further examination.

The gang robbed a poor farmer, in
the neighbourhood where Miss Bake-
well resides, on the same evennig they
robbed her house.

Another instance of the culpable
negligence of leaving fire-arms within
the reach of young people, happened
lately. — The son of Mr Shepherd, ma-
ton, near Widcomb Church, Somer-
setshire, took up a gun, and, not
icnowing it was loaded, shot his sister

in the head ; she suffered great agonie«,
and expir'ed the following day. The
lad is about ten years old, and the un-
fortunate girl was thirteen.

Two men, named Ruddock and Car-
penter, neither of whom has yet at-
tained the age of 20, being in custody
as the perpetrators of the horrid mur-
der of Mr Webb and his female ser-
vant, near Frome, Carpenter has been
admitted king's evidence, and has dis-
closed the following particulars : — -
Carpenter borrowed the gun with
which the murder was committed, of
the father of a young woman to whom
he paid his addresses. He went with
Ruddock to Mr Webb's house, where
he asked for work, — " Ah, you
rogue," said the old man, " you don't
want work, that is only an excuse for
a jug of drink — fetch a cup, Molly."
" I thank you, sir," said he, ** but here
is Ruddock at the door." " Is he ?" re-
joined Mr Webb, ** oh, then we must
have a larger cup, my maid." When
the girl went out. Carpenter beckon-
ed to his companion, who stood at the
door, and pulled the trigger of the
gun at his devoted victim ; it missed
fire, but on another attempt it went
off, and fatally took effect. The ser-
vant rushing in at this moment, endea-
voured to escape from the murderers ;
but Ruddock overtook her, cut her
throat, and with the assistance of Car-
penter, thrust her into a well, where
it is supposed she lingered some hours.
The villains then proceeded to rifle the
house, and afterwards hid the gun in a
neighbouring wood. Carpenter at-
tended the sale of Mr Webb's effects,
and with the greatest composure bid
for several articles ; and on Sunday
heard a funeral sermon preached in a
chapel at Frome, allusive to the dread-
ful deed. His detection was in con-
sequence of his boasts of possessing
money.

l^th.— Between eight and nine o'clock
in the evening, a daring attack was made

Feb. 15—19.]

CHRONICLE.

upon two of his majesty's game-keep-
ers, by five poachers, who were disco-
vered in a plantation of Windsor Great
Park, in the act of shooting the phea-
sants. These men were all armed with
fire arms and bludgeons, and several
with long poles of a peculiar construc-
tion, with which they are accustomed
to discharge the spring-guns which
are set in their way. By this unequal
force the keepers were overpowered,
although they manfully fought with
the pikes which they usually carry,
and inflicted many severe wounds on
their sturdy opponents. One of the
game-keepers was so dreadfully beat-
en, that his life is in the utmost dan-
ger, from the severe blows he received
on his head with the butt-end of a gun,
till it was shattered from the barrel,
and the lock broken in pieces. One of
the offenders is in custody.

15th. — A most melancholy occur-
rence has taken place on the coast of
Donegal, by which a number of lives
have been lost, and many wives and
children rendered husbandless and fa-
therless. For some time past, a very
abundant take of excellent herrings has
continued to reward the industry and
enterprize of the fishermen on the coast,
in and contiguous to the harbour of
Killybeggs. On Friday night last, a
fleet of boats, induced by the prospect
of greater success, having ventured too
far from the shore in search of the fish,
encountered on their return a strong
gale of wind, when many of those most
deeply laden unhappily perished with
all their crews, amounting to between
40 and 50 souls : This most unfoFtu-
nate event has plunged an entire county
in the deepest distress, and, in its con-
sequences, will involve a number of
poor families in utter ruin. Publick
commiseration is justly excited in their
behalf.

At the theatre, at Copenhagen, some
persons, pretending that they smelt fire,
gave an alarm, when the audience rush-

ed to the different vomitories to es-
cape, and before the mistake could be
rectified, sixteen persons were trod to
death.

19th. — Perth.— A very disgrace-
ful occurrence took place in the streets
of this town. Many men from the
Renfrew, and some from the Fife re-
giments of militia, after being dismissed
from the garrison parade in the morn-
ing, about eleven o'clock, proceeded in:
the most riotous and disorderly man-
ner to the prison, with the determina-
tion of liberating a private of the Perth
militia, who was really not in prison,
but only ordered to appear before the
sheriff for examination, and was actu-
ally in the street at the time. The
officers did every thing in their power
to check the men, and with the assist-
ance of the Durham regiment, suc-
ceeded in getting them to the bar-
racks.

Every measure of precaution which
prudence could suggest was adopted
on the occasion, and executed with a de-
gree of prompitude and decision, which
reflects the greatest honour on Colo-*
nel Dunlop, the commanding officer
in absence of General Durham.
The ringleaders who had been secured
were instantly sent off, in post chaises,
under a proper escort, to Edinburgh ;
and to prevent the immediate recur-
rence of the outrage, two of the regi-
ments were marched off the same even-
ing, one of them to Dundee, and the
other to Crieff and Dunkeld. It was
truly gratifying to witness the good
order and regularity in which they left
the town, after the moment of delusion
was past, and their minds were ac-
tuated by more soldierly dispositions.

It is but justice to mention, that du-
ring the whole of the riot the Durham
regiment of militia, to a man, behaved
with the greatest coolness and steadi-
ness ; and seemed resolved to suffer
every thing, rather than disgrace their
military character.

:xii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Feb. U.

der the house : the footman was un-
fortunately out. Two of the robbers
entered the dining-room, where Miss
Bakewell was sitting alone, reading ;
one of them presented a pistol at her
head, threatened to blow her brains
out if she made the least noise or resist-
ance, and demanded her money, plate,
&c. She replied, she had very little
money, but what she had they should
have ; and she and a female servant de-
livered to them the plate, of the value
of near 3001. ; they then left the house.
Soon after they were gone, Miss Bake-
well went to a neighbour to inform
him of what had happened. A Bow-
«trcet officer was requested from Lon-
don, and Pearkes was dispatched : in-
formation was sent to the police of&-
cers at Birmingham, where there are
supposed to be more thieves than jn
London, according to the population
of the two places ; advertisements were
inserted in several newspapers, and
bills printed, offering a reward for the
apprehension of the robbers. By these
exertions, Samuel Dickens, Daniel
Lyn, and a woman, three of the gang,
•were apprehended at Birmingham on
Saturday, with a great part of the pro-
perty stolen from Miss Bakewell's
house in their possession, by the offi-
cers of the police of that place ; and
on Sunday morning early, William
Smith and Thomas Cook, the two
others of the gang, were apprehended
at Leicester. They have since been
examined before a magistrate, and
committed for further examination.

The gang robbed a poor farmer, in
the neighbourhood where Miss Bake-
well resides, on the same evennig they
robbed her house.

Another instance of the culpable
negligence of leaving fire-arms within
the reach of young people, happened
lately. — The son of Mr Shepherd, ma-
gon, near Widcomb Church, Somer-
setshire, took up a gun, and, not
knowing it was loaded, shot his sister

in the head ; she suffered great agonies,
and expired the following day. The
lad is about ten years old, and the un-
fortunate girl was thirteen.

Two men, named Ruddock and Car-
penter, neither of whom has yet at-
tained the age of 20, being in custody
as the perpetrators of the horrid mur-
der of Mr Webb and his female ser-
vant, near Frome, Carpenter has been
admitted king's evidence, and has dis-
closed the following particulars : —
Carpenter borrowed the gun with
which the murder was committed, of
the father of a young woman to whom
he paid his addresses. He went with
Ruddock to Mr Webb's house, where
he asked for work, — " Ah, you
rogue," said the old man, « you don't
want work, that is only an excuse for
a jug of drink — fetch a cup, Molly."
" I thank you, sir," said he, *« but here
is Ruddock at the door." *' Is he ?" re-
joined Mr Webb, " oh, then we must
have a larger cup, my m.aid." When
the girl went out. Carpenter beckon-
ed to his companion, who stood at the
door, and pulled the trigger of the
gun at his devoted victim ; it missed
fire, but on another attempt it went
off, and fatally took effect. The ser-
vant rushing in at this moment, endea-
voured to escape from the murderers ;
but Ruddock overtook her, cut her
throat, and with the assistance of Car-
penter, thrust her into a well, where
it is supposed she lingered some hours.
The villains then proceeded to rifle the
house, and afterwards hid the gun in a
neighbouring wood. Carpenter at-
tended the sale of Mr Webb's effects,
and with the greatest composure bid
for several articles ; and on Sunday
heard a funeral sermon preached in a
chapel at Frome, allusive to the dread-
ful deed. His detection was in con-
sequence of his boasts of possessing
money.

l^th.— Between eight and nine o'clock
in the evening, a daring attack was made

Feb. 15—19.]

CHRONICLE,

\ipon two of his majesty's game-keep-
ers, by five poachers, who were disco-
vered in a plantation of Windsor Great
Park, in the act of shooting the phea-
sants. These men were all armed with
fire arms and bludgeons, and several
with long poles of a peculiar construc-
tion, with which they are accustomed
to discharge the spring-guns which
are set in their way. By this unequal
force the keepers were overpowered,
although they manfully fought with
the pikes which they usually carry,
and inflicted many severe wounds on
their sturdy opponents. One of the
game-keepers was so dreadfully beat-
en, that his life is in the utmost dan-
ger, from the severe blows he received
on his head with the butt-end of a gun,
till it was shattered from the barrel,
and the lock broken in pieces. One of
the offenders is in custody.

15th. — A most melancholy occur-
rence has taken place on the coast of
Donegal, by which a number of lives
have been lost, and many wives and
children rendered husbandless and fa-
therless. For some time past, a very
abundant take of excellent herrings has
continued to reward the industry and
enterprize of the fishermen on the coast,
in and contiguous to the harbour of
Killybeggs. On Friday night last, a
fleet of boats, induced by the prospect
of greater success, having ventured too
far from the shore in search of the fish,
encountered on their return a strong
gale of wind, when many of those most
deeply laden unhappily perished with
all their crews, amounting to between
40 and 50 souls : This most unfoptu-
nate event has plunged an entire county
in the deepest distress, and, in its con-
sequences, will involve a number of
poor families in utter ruin. Publick
commiseration is justly excited in their
behalf.

At the theatre, atCopenhagen, some
persons, pretending that they smelt fire,
gave an alarm, when the audience rush-

ed to the different vomitories to es-
cape, and before the mistake could be
rectified, sixteen persons were trod to
death.

19th. — Perth.— A very disgrace-
ful occurrence took place in the street*
of this town. Many men from the
Renfrew, and some from the Fife re-
giments of militia, afterbeing dismissed
from the garrison parade in the morn-
ing, about eleven o'clock, proceeded i«
the most riotous and disorderly man-
ner to the prison, with the determina-
tion of liberating a private of the Perth
militia, who was really not in prison,
but only ordered to appear before the
sheriff for examination, and was actu-
ally in the street at the time. The
officers did every thing in their power
to check the men, and with the assist-
ance of the Durham regiment, suc-
ceeded in getting them to the bar-
racks.

Every measure of precaution wrhich
prudence could suggest was adopted
on the occasion, and executed witha de-
gree of prompitude and decision, which,
reflects the greatest honour on Colo-
nel Dunlop, the commanding officer
in absence of General Durham.
The ringleaders who had been secured
were instantly sent off, in post chaises,
under a proper escort, to Edinburgh ;
and to prevent the immediate recur-
rence of the outrage, two of the regi-
ments were marched off the same even-
ing, one of them to Dundee, and the
other to Crieff and Dunkeld. It was
truly gratifying to witness the good
order and regularity in which they left
the town, after the moment of delusion
was past, and their minds were ac-
tuated by more soldierly dispositions.

xiv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Feb. 20-28.

The whole, of the officers of the
different regiments behaved with the
greatest intrepidity ; and in many ca-
ses, incurred considerable personal risk
in securing the offenders, and restoring
subordination.

Tlie Fifeshirc regiment was recalled
on Saturday ; the Renfrewshire is still
quartered at Dundee.

20th. — The lord mayor of Dublin
arrived in London. His lordship is
entrusted with the presentation of a
petition from the city of Dublin against
the Catholic claims. This is said to be
the only instance (except one in -the
reign of George II. ) of the lord mayor
leaving Dublin officially.

24th.— Carlisle —It is with much
concern we state, that the system of
midnight robbery, which has so long
disgraced this county, is yet prevalent.
—On Monday evening last, as Mr Ni-
chol, of Torpenhow, butcher, was re-
turning from Cockermouth market, he
was stopped by four foot-pads, who,
after barbarously ill-treating him, took
from him 341. with which they made
their escape.

A gang of highwaymen, five in
number, supposed to be the same
who lately infested the neighbour-
hood of Wigton and Carlisle, made
their appearance at the Candlemas
fair of Dumfries, on Wednesday
week ; and betwixt seven and eight
o'clock that evening, no less than^nine
different persons were attacked, seven
of whom were unhorsed, and robbed
of their pocket-books, watches, &c.
betwixt the one and three mile-stones
on tJBC Galloway road. The villains
were well armed with bludgeons, pis-
tols, &c. and all escaped owing to the
alarm not being given in town till next
morning. — Several of the people who
were attacked are much hurt, and the
cash taken amounts to upwards of
10001. besides bills, &c.

26th Palace of King John,

Old Ford.— -The workmen at present

employed in removing the foundation
of the north-east wall of the palace,
discovered a vault, 11 feet by 61, in
which was a stone coffin covered with
a thick plank of oak, and containing the
remains of a body ; by the length of
the thigh bone it must have been near-
ly seven feet high : there was also in
the coffin a short dagger, the scabbard
entire, and a large spur, with several
copper coins ; near the coffin was an
urn, of most curious workmanship, and
filled with black ashes.

27th.— On this cay an Armenian was
robbed and dreadfully beaten, in thepn-
virons of Pest, whither he was carried,
and expired next day. He was known
to be a dealer in diamonds, and his
clothes were carefully searched by
the magistrates, lest any precious
stones should be concealed therein ;
none, however, were found. — The bo-
dy was interred. — Some ruffians who
were suspected of having committed
the offence were apprehended. The
evidence against them proved com-
plete ; they were sentenced to be exe-
cuted, and died acknowledging their
guilt. But the most singular circum-
stance in this relation is, that as the
medical men, who were called at the
time, inspected the body, which was
raised for the purpose, they perceived
an issue sunk in the fleshy part of each
thigh, and on making incisions, found
that it had been for the purpose of
concealing two diamonds of uncom-
mon lustre and weight, which the de-
ceased, it is ascertained, had brought
from Persia to dispose of. — They have
been valued by good judges at 70001.
sterling each.

28th. — This day the following gen-
tlemen were unanimously chosen go-
vernors and directors of the British
Linen company : —

Governor. — Right Hon. William
Earl of Northesk.

Z)^j!?Mfy-Gov<;r«or.— Sir James Mont-
gomery, Bart-

Feb. 28.]

CHRONICLE.

Directors, — James Gilchrist, Esq.
writer to the signet; John Hunter,
Esq. writer to the signet ; Sir WiUiam
Fettes, of Comely Bank, bart. ; Da-
Tid Cathcart, Esq. advocate ; and A-
dam Maitland, Esq. of Dundrennan.

A serpent of the Boa Constric-
tor species was lately killed in the
neighbourhood of Reduit, Isle of
France, by a Mr Fleurot, who, with a
friend, was angling near a cascade in
the river of Plain Wilhelms. The dogs
accompanying the party first discover-
ed the reptile concealed in a cavity of
the rock ; and four charges of small
shot were fired at him, before he be-
came crippled, and could be drawn by
six slaves from his lurking place. He
proved to be 14 feet 6 inches long,
14? inches thick, and weighed 1841b.
"When opened the stomach was found
to contain several animals, half digest-
ed, such as monkeys, &c. This rep-
tile is believed to have been introduced
on the island by a ship from India,
which was stranded in 1801 on the
shore, near six miles from the river
where it was killed.

AGRICULTURAL REPORT,
Much of bean planting was well
done before the rains, and fine weather is
only wanted in order to being finished
in perfection, as the lands have worked
well. The wheats have improved ge-
nerally since last report, but some da-
mage has been occasioned by the slug ;
and upon heavy lands the dibbled wheats
have in parts missed plant, from the
Ved-holes being imperfectly covered.
The drilled, on such soils, have suc-
ceeded best. The rye crop in many
counties is more injured by the slug
than has been known for years, much
of it is entirely destroyed. Well-hoed
turnips remarkably good, and the Swe-
dish species increases in reputation as
a stall food for cattle, and as a salu-
brious addition to the usual diet of

farm horses. Wurtzel, for the same
purposes, and for sheep and milch
cows, getting into the highest reputa-
tion. The character of fiorin grass
still of a dubious nature, being under
various experiments. A small part
of the lands not sown with wheat, in
the regular season, were finished in
January ; and the supply of that most
important article of human subsistence
will materially depend upon the quan-
tity of spring wheat yet to be put in.
Its success needs not be doubted upon
any land which will carry wheat, nor
upon the lighter barley soils.

The season has been extremely fa-
vourable throughout for feeding live
stock, which have been fattened at far
less than the usual expence. The lamb-
ing season has commenced with gene-
ral good success, but the effects of last
year's rot in the sheep, are now felt in
the scarcity and high price of good
mutton. AU sorts both of fat and store
cattle, pigs, and milch cows, equally
dear, and probable to be still more so
as the spring advances. A fat S tot of
84? stone (of 8lbs.) is worth SOI. anil
a fat sheep of 10 stone, 41. Good
horses at an excessive price, the coun-
try having been drained ftjr military-
purposes, y

The stock of wheat judged to be a
fair supply for the year, (snort indeed
to the poor inhabitants of some dis-
tricts) without any expectation of
surplus, and the only resource for an
adequate regular subsistence to the
country, lies in the culture of fresh
land, and the facilities of a bill of ge-
neral inclosure, for which m^ny peti-
tions are on their way to parliament,
countenanced and supported by the
Board of Agriculture, which has offer-
ed to the legislature a very efficacious
and safe plan. Some wheats, damp,
and ill put together at harvest, are ta-
king damage in the stack, and should
be brought to niarket, Woql, both

XTi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, I81S. [March 1.

combing and clothing, begins to be
rather a stirring article ; and barks are
upon the advance.

Fashions Half Dress. Plain

frock of amber satin cloth, shot with
■white, and ornamented round the bo-
som and the waist with a rich white
silk trimmings which is called frost
■work ; it is the lightest and most ele-
gant thing we have seen for some time,
and is universally worn ; a double row
of this trimming crosses the breast, and
forms the shape of the bosom ; the
back, which is plain and very broad,
i& ornam.ented with pearl buttons, or
small silk ones to correspond with the
trimming. White lace sleeves, made
"very full, fastened about the middle of
the arm by a broad band of letting-in
lace, and drawn up by two buttons near
the shoulder, while the fullness which
falls near the bottom is confined by
one ; plain demi-train. Regency cap
of white lace, with a small front turn-
ed up all round, and what was former-
ly termed a beef-eater*s crown f the
lace in the crown drawn very full and
lightened in by strings of pearl ; a tas-
sel of pearls is affixed to the right side
of the crown, and a rich amber flower
ornaments it in front. Pearl necklace
and small cornelian ornament of an oval
•hape. White kid gloves and slippers.
Evening /)rew.—- White satin round
frock, which laces behind, and is made
to display the whole of the neck and
shoulders ; back extremely broad, and
the waists as they were worn last month ;
a superb embroidery of oak leaves,
which has a beautiful eifect, goes round
the bosom, the sleeves, and the bottom
of the dress, which is also ornamented
up the front by a piece of embroidery
not quite a quarter of a yard in width,
of acorns worked in gold thread, very
much raised, and intermingled oak
wreaths to correspond with the trim-
ming of the bosom ; short sleeve, or-
namented with a rich gold tassel on
the shoulder. Hair twisted up behind

in a very large full bow, divided in
front, and much fuller on the temples
than last month. A turban of a new-
ly invented gold net, the texture of
which is nearly as sHght as gause, and
wove in small diamonds, is put on in
different folds ; it is exceedingly full
in front, and is worn without any or-
nament. A rich but light chain Of in-
termingled gold and pearl, to which is
affixed a small pearl cross, goes twice
round the neck ; ear-rings to corre-
spond.—White satin sandals, which are
very much displayed by the dress be-
ing looped up on one side at bottom ;
pearl rosettes, white kid gloves, and
ivory fan. j

Promenade or Morning Dress. — A I
plain cambric robe, made high in the
neck, with plaited fan frill and long
sleeves, finished at the bottom with a
border of fancy tucks or needle-work.
A Prussian hussar cloak, of Sardinian
blue velvet, or superfine cloth ; lined
and edged with pink satin, and finished'
at its termination with a variegated ball
fringe ; large hood, or cape, lined or
trimmed to correspond ; the points fi-
nished with rich cone tassels, and con-
fined at the throat with the same. A
Moorish turban hat, composed of Siar-
dinian blue velvet and sable fur.

MARCH.

1st.— About fifteen months since, a'
prisoner of Porchester depot compo-
sed some verses, and among the cha-
racters introduced in his poem, one,
very unfortunately, struck the mind of
a prisoner, named Tardif, as being ex-
pressly written to satirise himself ; this
erroneous idea invariably operated up-
on the demoniac spirit of the wretch,
who, as it now appears, sought nume-
rous opportunities to glut his ven-
eance on the person of Mr Legue,
rom whom he imagined the writer of

March 2 — 5,1

CHRONICLE.

xvii

the lines had received the hints, ena-
bhng him to dehneate the characteris-
tic traits in question. Some weeks
back the assassin, in order to render
his weapon (a large clasp knife) the
more certain in its operation, bound
the handle with waxed cord, that his
grasp might prove more firm, and also
rendered the back, as well as the edge,
of the sharpness of a razor : this wea-
pon, since the commission of the deed,
he has denominated his guardian an
gel, which was nightly his companion
in bed ; nor is it less a fact, that
the dreams of this monster were so dis-
turbed, that a person, who slept in
the adjoining hammock, requested to
Jcnow whether he (Tardif ) would not
wish to be awakened when he became
po dreadfully agitated ? " No 1" replied
this daemon of vengeance, ** for I am then
dreaming of a deadly enemy that has
dishonoured me, and although he ap-
pears to conquer for a time, yet the
vision always terminates by giving me
his blood." Thus, after the lapse of
thirteen months, this evening, March
1st, about eight o'clock, Tardif found
the long-desired opportunity, when,
rushing upon his victim, he literally
ripped him open, and the bowels iu
consequenceobtruded themselves, when
Legue, bending forward, received
his entrails into his hands, exclaim-
ing at the same time, " I am a dead
man !" «* Oh! no," cried the murder-
er, ironically, " it is merely a scratch ?*'
Then twice plunging the knife up to
the hilt in the back of Legue, exclaim-
ed, « Take that, and that." He was
proceeding thus to inflict further
wounds, when another prisoner, at the
risk of his own life, arrested his mur-
derous arm in its progress, on which
the villain calmly said, " I have now
completed my work, and am content ;
you may take the weapon, and me too
wheresoever you think fit." While
binding his arms, he requested those
around to stand aside, in order that he
roL. VI.

might glut his sight with the view of
his immolated victim ; and ironically
remarked, " I have sent you before
me upon your journey, that you may-
procure me a lodging." One of the
prisoners then enquired, why he did
not at least prove that he possessed
one noble sentiment, by plunging the
knife in his own breast, after the per-
petration of the deed, in order to es-
cape the gallows ? " It was originally
my intention," replied the wretch,
" but it afterwards struck me that I
might expire first, and then the cer-
tainty of having taken his life \yould
not have been known to me, and no-
thing less would have gratified my
heart." Soon after the villain was
ironed, he fell into a sound and appa-
rently tranquil sleep, from which he
did not awake till a late hour the fol-
lowing morning, when he remarked
that he had not enjoyed such repose
for the last twelve months, and that he
gloried in the immolation of his vic-
tim. On Wednesday, the coroner's
inquest sat on the body of Legue, and
pronounced a verdict of wilful murder
against Tardif, who was removed next
morning to Winchester gaol, in order
to take liis trial. Executed,

2d.-lRELAND.-The important trial
between the Hon. F. Cavendish and the
Atlas and Globe insurance company,
terminated in the court of common
pleas, Dublin. It was an action to re-
cover the sum of 16,5001. from the de-
fendants, who had insured the plain-
tifPs house and library at Clontarf to
that amount ; both of which were near-
ly destroyed by fire in July last. Th^
defendants contended that the fire was
not accidental, and the jury found a
verdict in their favour. A question
naturally arises, why no action has been
brought, per contra, for wilful fire rai-
sing with intention to defraud ?

5th. — Court of King's Bench. —
The King v. Henry White, jun. — For
a Libel on the Duke of Cumberland*
b

xviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [March 7--S.

— This was an information filed ex of
Jicio by his majesty's attorney-general
for a gross and scandalous libel, pub-
lished on the 30th August, and the
27th September last, in a newspaper
called The Independent Whig, reflect-
ing on the character of the Duke of
Cumberland.

The principal libel was aletter to tlie

Duke of with this motto,

** Qui capitf ilk habett** and signed
Philo-Junius.

Sir Willkm Garrow, as counsel for
the prosecution, stated the leading fea-
tures of the prosecution.^

MrScarleLt, for the defendant, made
a long and able defence.

Lord Ellenborough summed up for
the jury, and said it would be for them
to determine whether they had any
doubts that the libels meant to accuse
the Duke of Cumberland of having
had a guilty concern in the death of
Sellis. His lordship thought it was
impossible for any one to peruse the
libels without having the firm convic-
tion on his mind that they had been
written for the distinct and unequivo-
cal purpose of mi.intaining that Sellis
did not die by his own hands, and that
the Duke of Cumberland had been
concerned in accompHshing such death.
The ** home questions," for instance,
did tliey not directly and unequivocal-
ly allude to the alleged fact, that the
duke had some criminalconnection with
the death of Sellis ? — But before he
was " off," the writer said he would
put a few questions to him. What !
was it to be endured that this journaU
ist should erect his tribunal, and that
he should summon whom he pleased
before his spurious jurisdiction, while
the laws of L'he land were in full ope-
ration ? Was such a. spurious jurisdic-
tion to impute crimes, and then to be
suffered to put a string of questions to
the accused ? He knew it was much
the habit of the journals of these times
to erect themselves into tribunals, and
to cal on every man to whom they

chose to impute a crime, to obey their
tyrannic despotism, and to answer the
charges preferred against them. He
would declare, that sooner than submit
to be catechised in this way, he would
rather live under the arbitrary rule of
the tyrant of Fraiace, for he should deem
that preferable to living under the arbi-
trary despotism of those journalists. It
was his duty to pronounce a character
upon the libels, and he did so by pro-
nouncing those now before them to be
most atrocious and notorious libels.

The jury almost immediately return-
ed a verdict of Guilty. He Was sen-
tenced to be imprisoned fifteen months^
and pay a fine of 2001.

6th. — The Hotspur, 36 guns, Hoir.
Capt. Percy, arrived on Tuesday even-
ing at Portsmouth, from Lisbon, with
a fleet of transports. She has brought
an account of the lamented and melan-
choly end of Lieutenant. General Sir
W. Erikine, commander-in-chief of
the cavalry under the orders of Sir
Rowland Hill. In a fit of delirium.
Sir Wilham threw himself out of the
upper window of a house where he
was quartered, and was killed on the
spot.

7th. — While the people were assem-
bled in the church of Roskeen, in the
north of Scotland, a part of the galle-
ry, which was immensely crowded'^
yielded suddenly with a crash, which
excited the greatest alarm. In endea-
vouring to escape from the danger
which threatened them, many persons
were trampled down and dreadfully
bruised. Two women died of the in-
jury they received.

8th. — The lord chancellor has fi-
nally decided in the cause Wilkinson
V. Adams and others,^ trustees, against
the appellant. By this decision, near-
ly a million sterling in estates is con-
firmed to three illegitimate children of
the late Mr Wilkinson, iron-master,
in exclusion of his nephew, who had
been brought up as his heir, resided
with him, and managed liis business

March 11—18.]

CHRONICLE.

XIK

upwards of 30 years without any sa-
lary.— Mr W. became acquainted with
the mother of the children in one of
his visits to London, where she acted
as a servant, and after he had attained
his 70th year. This decision settles
the question, which has lately been
contested, that illegitimate children
can succeed to estates by will.

1 1 th.— King'sHealth.— On Sun-
day the following bulletin was shewn
at St James's Palace : —

«* Windsor Castle^ March 6, 1813.

" His Majesty, since the last report,
has been generally tranquil, but rather
less so during the last week/*

(Signed as usual.)

I5th. — A Belfast tender, which went
into Campbleton, sent a gang on shore
to impress men, when, from their ha-
ving met with some resistance, the of-
ficer commanding the party, ordered
the marines to fire ; and a fine young
girl of 14' years of age was shot dead,
One man severely wounded in the leg,
and another person stabbed. The of-
ficer was apprehended, and committed
to jail to stand trial. He was after-
wards acquitted by the sentence of jus-
tifiable homicide.

Execution of the Murderers
OF Mr Webb and his Servant. —
Early in the morning. Ruddock and
Carpenter, the murderers, were remo-
ved from Sahsburygaolto Warminster,
in a mourning coach, attended by the
usual escort of javeHn men, &c. pre-
paratory to their execution on the
Down, close adjoining to Wafminster.
The spot chosen for this purpose was
the point of an almost perpendicular
hill, nearly 500 feet above the town,
looking down on Warminster church,
in which Mr Webb was buried, and
nearly in view of the house where the
murderous deed was perpetrated. A*
bout half-past eleven o'clock the pro-
cession began to move from the cha-
pel, in Warminster market-place,
where the miserable culprits had b<*m

from the time of their arrival. On
reaching the place of execution, the
clergyman spent a considerable time iu
prayer with the criminals ; the execu-
tioner then proceeded to do his duty :
after they were tied up, a handker-
chief was given to Carpenter, to drop
as a signal for the cart to be drawn
from under them ; the poo-r wretch,
howeverj clung so to life, that he de
layed dropping it for nearly half an
hour, begging earnestly for a few mi-
nutes longer ; at length he dropt it,
but, even then, endeavoured to prevent
his fall as much as he could, v/ hereby
he suffered greatly in dying ; whilst
Ruddock, who jumped boldly from the
cart when it moved, was dead in a mo-
ment. After hanging the usual time,
the bodies were cut down, and taken
to the infirmary, at Salisbury, for dis-
section.

ISth.^Sir Everafd Home has pub-
lished the following declaration : —

" Much pains having been taken to
involve in mystery the murder of Sel-
lis, the late servant of his Royal High-
ness the Duke of Cumberland, I feel
it a public duty, to record the circum-
stances respecting it that came within
my own observation, which I could not
do while the propagators of such re-
ports were before a public tribunal.

*< I visited the Duke of Cumber-
land upon his being wounded, and
found my way from the great hall to
his apartment by the traces of blood
which were left on the passages and
staircase. I found him on the bed,
still bleeding, his shirt deluged with
blood, and ihe coloured drapery above
the pillow sprinkled with blood from
a wounded artery, which puts on an
appearance that cannot be mistaken by
those who have seen it. This could
not have happened, had not the head
been lying on the pillow when it was
wounded. The night ribbon which
was wadded, the cap, scalp, and skull,
were obhquely dividad, so that the

XX EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [March 20.

pulsations of the arteries of the brain
were distinguished. While dressing
this, and the other wounds, report
was brought that SelHs was wounded,
if not murdered. His royal highness
desired me to go to him, as I had de-
clared his royal bigness out of imme-
diate danger. A second report came,
that Sellis was dead. T went to his
apartment, found the body lying on his
side on the bed, without his coat and
neckcloth, the throat cut so effectual-
ly, that he could not have survived a
minute or two ; the length and direc-
tion of the wound were such, as left
no doubt of its being given by his own
hand. Any struggle would have made
it irregular. He had not even changed
his position ; his hands lay a« they do in
a person who has fainted ; they had
no marks of violence upon them ; his
coat hung upon a chair out of the
reach of blood from the bed ; the
sleeve from the shoulder to the wrist
was sprinkled with blood, quite dry,
evidently from a wounded artery ; and
from such kind of sprinkling, the arm
of the assassin of the Duke of Cum-
berland could not escape.

*» In returning to the duke, I found
the doors of all the state apartments
had marks of bloody fingers on them.
The Duke of Cumberland, after being
wounded, could not have gone any
where but to the outer doors and back
again, since the traces of blood were
confined to the passages from the one
to the other.

" EvERARD Home."

20th. — This day was decided a very
sporting wager between six gentlemen
(three being chosen on each side),
who should be nearest to Sir M. M.
Sykes's fox-hounds. A great deal of
money was betted on the occasion,
and a very great interest naturally ex-
cited The honourable Mr Hawke,
Mr Treacher, and Captain Smith, of
the 10th hussars, were on the one par-
ty, and Mr Lloyd, of York, Mr Stan-

ley, brother of Sir Thomas Stanley,
and Mr Blundell, of Lancashire, on
the other. The latter three consider-
ably the favourites at starting. The
hounds found in Suet Carr, and went
away in their usual most excellent and
rapid manner, running a burst as severe
and as kiUing for the pace (and over
the deepest and strongest enclosed
country in Yorkshire) as was ever
known by the oldest huntsman, pass-
ing an extent of five miles of country
in a twenty minutes burst, and after
that going a steady rating pace for an-
other half hour. The gentlemen na-
med above came in as follows : Mr
Treacher, on Old Nick, first ; ho-
nourable Mr Hawke, on Lord of the
Valley, second ; Captain Smith on
Jerry Sneak, third ; Mr Stanley,
on Neck-or- Nothing, fourth; Mr
Blundell, on Rolla, fifth, and Mr
Lloyd, on the York Dandy, sixth. It
is needless to add, that the wager was
won by the three first-named gentle-
men. What is remarkable. Captain
Smith met with a severe fall at hi» se-
cond fence, and Mr Hawke rode after
and caught his horse, brought him
back, and then made up his ground in
the burst, though he rides above 14st.
Plymouth. — Loss of his Majes-
ty's SHIP Captain. — We were most
dreadfully alarmed this morning be-
tween one and two o'clock, by the
fire-bells of the Dock-yard, Dock-
Town, Royal Hospital, VictualHng-
office, and the fire-bell of this town,
ringing incessantly. After some space
of time, it was found to be the Cap-
tain (74') hulk, with part of the stores
of the San Josef (110) lying along
side. By the activity of the different
boats crews from each ship, the San
Josef was soon cut adrift, and floated
out of reach of the hulk, which at
three o'dock presented one blaze of
fire. As it was feared she might burn
her cables, and float in this state on
board other men of war lying near her,

March 22.]

CHRONICLE.

it was judged necessary to embark
from the gun-wharf some howitzers,
long medium twelve-pounders, and
carronades, in men of war's launches,
conducted by artillery-men, which,
with their usual activity, was soon ac-
complished, with ample ammunition,
to endeavour to sink her. She was
soon completely surrounded, and after
a most heavy firing of howitzers and
guns at her, betwixt wind and water,
she sunk, amidst a tremenduous blaze
of fire. We are happy to state that
no lives were lost, and only one artil-
lery-man materially hurt. The Cap-
tain took the San Josef, 110, with the
late gallant Nelson her commander, on
the glorious 14th February, 1797,
under Lord St Vincent, which now was
alongside her, as a British man of war,
to witness her ancient rival's conflag-
ration and destruction.

21st, — This morning, about twenty
minutes past six, the inhabitants of
Exmouth were alarmed by the shock
of an earthquake, which lasted for two
or three seconds. The houses were
shaken, the people hurried from their
beds, and the utmost alarm prevailed
for some time throughout the town.
The shock was felt in like manner at
Sidmouth, Budleigh, Salterton, Star-
cross, and for many miles along the
coast ; but we have not heard of any
ill consequences from it.

Saint Patrick's Day The an-
niversary of the society of St Patrick
was held on the 17th inst. at the city
of London tavern, by a company of
nearly 400 persons. The toasts were
suitable to the occasion. In proposing
** the prince regent," Lord Darnley,
who, in the absence of the Duke of
Devonshire, filled the chair, cautioned
the company from mixing any thing
of a political nature with the convivia-
lity of the evening. The health of the
prince regent was then drunk with
applause, but not without shght mark*
of disapprobation in some parts of the

room. Among the subscriptions re-
ceived, the list of which was read by
the treasurer, was one of 501. from her
royal highness the Princess of Wales.
Loud applause followed the mention of
this subscription, and the chairman was
called on to give the health of the prin-
cess. The chairman said, this ebulli-
tion of feeling did honour to the Irish
heart : and after the reading of the
list, he proposed the Princess of Wales,
the Marchioness of Downshire, and
the Countess of Loudon and Moira."
— (Cries of " Not no ! The Princess
oflValesJ')

After some observations from Ge-
neral Matthew, the chairman proposed
" the Princess of Wales and other lady
patronesses of the society,** which was
drunk with applause. A letter was
read from Lord Moira, excusing his
absence ; and on the chairman giving
** Sir John Doyle and the 87th regi-
ment," Sir John made a short and
manly speech, returning thanks for
himself and his brethren in arms.

22d. — Late on Saturday night, or
early on Sunday morning, the house
of Mr Elisha Long, of Sible Heding-
ham, in the county of Essex, was
broke open, and robbed of a large
qnantity of English and Foreign coins,
plate, &c. to a considerable amount.
Several daring depredations of a simi-
lar nature having been committed in
that neighbourhood lately, a Bow-
street officer was sent for, and Laven-
der was dispatched in consequence.
On the officer's arrival he found four
men in custody, whose names are Da-
vy, Finch, Halls, and Potter. The
latter was admitted evidence by Mr
Majendie, an active magistrate, who
resides at Castle Hedingham, about a
mile and a half from the spot where
the robbery was committed. From a
variety of evidence adduced before
him, it appeared that the robbery was
planned to be committed on Wednes-
day se'ennight, when all the prisoners

xxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S. [March 23—27.

went, with their faces blacked, to at-
tack Mr Long's house, but seeing a
light in it they gave up their intention.
They were induced to the act from its
being generally believed in the neigh-
bourhood that he had guineas hoarded
to a very considerable amount. Satur-
day night was fixed upon for the se-
cond attempt, when Potter, who is ad-
mitted evidence for the crown, refused
to accompany the others, or to have
any thing to do with it ; however, he
agreed to lend them a chissel, a gim-
let, &c. to break open the house with,
and they went with their faces black-
ened and effected their purpose. On
Sunday morning as a person was passing
opposite to Finch's residence, a piece
of paper was found, with the words
*' Seven Crowns" written on it. The
person having heard of Mr Long's
robbery, shewed Mr L. the paper,
who identified the words to be his
handwriting, and the same paper that
contained seven English crown pieces,
which had been stolen. This circum-
stance led to the detection and appre-
hension of the gang.

23d. — The university of Cambridge
was again thrown into considerable
alarm by a fire breaking out at Sidney
College, the incendiary, therefore, must
be still within its walls. The flames
were happily got under without much
damage.

24th. — Her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Brunswick expired last
night at a quarter past nine o'clock.
Her royal bigness had been subject to
an asthmatic complaint for some years,
which was increased by the epidemic
disorder now prevalent, with which
she was attacked about two days ago,
but no alarm was excited till the
morning of yesterday. About five
o'clock her royal highness seemed bet-
ter, but spasms came upon her chest
about eight, and her royal highness
iljed at nine o'clock, without pain.

This venerable princess wa3 in the

76th year of her age, and the last sur-
viving sister of our sovereign. She
was born on the 31st of July, 1737 ;
and on the 17th of January, 1764'>
she was married to the late Duke of
Brunswick-Wolfenbuttle, by whom
she had issue, three sons and three
daughters. Her royal highness was
confined to her bed only two days.
The Princess of Wales visited her on
Tuesday, and remained with her royal
mother for a considerable time.

27th.— The monument erected by
the corporation of London to the me-
mory of Mr Pitt was opened to public
view. It is placed on the south sidi:
of Guildhall, exactly facing that of his
father the late great Earl of Chatham.
Mr Canning, accompanied by Lord
G. L. Gower, attended the corpora-
tion committee ; and, after vievvring it,
expressed his satisfaction with the de-
sign and the execution of it.

The massy substance on which the
figures in this composition are placed,
is intended to represent the island of
Great Britain and the surrounding
waves. On an elevation in the centre
pf the island, Mr Pitt appears in his
robes, as chancellor of the exchequer,
in the attitude of a public orator. Be-
low him, on an intermediate fore-
ground, two statues characterize his
abihties j while, with the national en-
ergy, which is embodied, and riding
on a symbol of the ocean in the lower
centre, they assist to describe allusive-
ly the effects of his administration.
Apollo stands on his right, imperso-
nating Eloquence and Learning. Mer-
cury is introduced on his left, as the
representative of Commerce and the
patron of Policy. To describe the
unprecedented splendour of success
which crowned the British navy while
Mr Pitt was minister, the lower part
of the monument is occupied by a sta-
tue of Britannia seated triumphantly
on a sea-horse ; in her left hand is the
usual emblem of naval power ; and her

March 28.] CHRONICLE. xxiii

right grasps a thunder-bolt, which she more perhaps than could have been

is prepared to hurl at the enemies of expected from the right honourable

her country. author, any very pointed allusions to

The inscription, written by Mr Can- those matters of poHcy on which such

aing, is clear and nervous ; and avoids, contrariety of opmion is still held.

WILLIAM PITT,

Son of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham,

Inheriting the genius and formed by tlie Precepts of In's Fatlier,

Devoted tiimself from his early yeai's to the service of the State.

Called to the chief conduct of the Administration, after the close o^ a disastrous war,

He repaired the exhausted revenues, he revived and mvigorated

the Commerce and Prosperity of the Country ;

And he had re-established the Public Credit on deep and sure foundations;

When a new War was kindled in Europe, more formidable than any

preceding War from the peculiar character of its dangers.

To resist the arms of France, which were directed against the

Independence ol every Government and JPeo{>lc,
To animate other ]^attons by the example of Gi^eat Britain,
To check the cpntagion of opinions whicii tended to dissolve the frame of Civil So-
ciety,
To array the loyal, the sober-minded, and the good, in defence of
the venerable Constitution of the British Monarchy,
Were the duties which, at that awful crisis, devolved upon the British Minister,
And whicli he discharged with transcendant zeal, intrepidity, and perseverance :
He upheld the National Honour abroad ;
He maintained at hpme the blessings of Order and of true Liberty:
And, in the midst of difficulties and perils,
He united and consolidated the strength, power, and resources of the Empire,
For these high purposes
He was gifted by Divine Providence with endowments.
Rare in their separate excellence ; wonderful in their combination j
fudgment ; imagination ; memory ; wit ; force and ncuteness ot reasoning ;
Eloquence, copious and accurate,commamling and persuasive,
And suited from its splendour to the dignity of his mind
and to the authority of bis station;
A lofty spirit; a mild and ingenuous temper ;
Warm and stedfast in friendship, towards enemies he was forbearing and forgiving;
His industry was not relaxed by confidence in his great abilities.
His indulgence to others was not abated by the consciousness of his own superiority.
His ambition was pure from all selfish motives ;
The love of power and the passion for fame were in him

subordinate to views of public utility;

Dispensing for near twenty .years the favours of the Crown,

He lived without ostentation and he died poor.

A Grateful Nation

Decreed to him those funeral honours

Which are reserved for eminent and extraordinary men.

This Monument

Is erected by the Lord Ma\or, Aldkrmes', and Common Council,

To record tlie reverent and affectionate regret

vith which the City of London cherishes his memory;

And to hold out to the imitation of Posterity

Those principles of public and private virtue,

Which ensure to Nations a solid greatness,

And to individuals an imperishable nanif /

xxi^ EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [March 28—30.

28th. — On Saturday morning, be-
twixt two and three o'clock, a fire
broke out near the Townhead, Kel-
so, in a hay stack belonging to Gil-
bert Kilpatrick, which was entirely
consumed, together with a great part
of a stack of wheat, in spite of the
prompt assistance which was rendered
by the inhabitants. From the stacks
being entirely distinct from any dwell-
ing-house, and from several suspicious
circumstances, it is believed the fire
was wilful. A reward of 20 guineas
has been offered, to be paid on the
conviction and discovery of the incen-
diaries.

Bank of Scotland. — This day the
following noblemen and gentlemen
were unanimously elected governor,
deputy.governor, and directors of the
Bank of Scotland, for the year ensu-
ing :

Governor. — The Right Hon. Lord
Viscount Melville.

Deputy 'Governor, — Patrick Miller,
Esq. of Dalswinton.

Ordinary Directors, — George Kin-
near, Esq. Adam Rolland, Esq. Ro-
bert Wilson, Esq. Donald Smith, Esq.
Robert Dundas, Esq. John Irving,
Esq. Andrew Bonar, Esq. John Dun-
das, Esq. HarryDavidson, Esq. James
Donaldson, Esq. James Hope, Esq.
and Peter Wood, Esq.

Extraordinary Directors. — Duke of
Montrose, Marquis of Douglas, Earl
of Kellie, Earl of Glasgow, Robert
Clerk, Esq. Archibald Douglas, Esq.
Sir Patrick Inglis, Bart. General Sir
D. Dundas, K. B. Alexander Keith,
Esq. Right Hon. Sir John Sinclair,
Bart. A. C. Mait. Gibson, Esq. and
Lord Balgray.

30th — A very destructive fire oc-
curred in Manchester, which has con-
sumed property to the amount of
50,0001. The fire broke out about 12
o'clock at night, on the premises at
Messrs Green and Co., and spread to
thoce of Messrs Aspinall and Co.,

which were entirely consumed, as well
as several adjoining warehouses.

31st — Bury. — Ann Arnold capi-
tally convicted of the wilful murder
of her bastard child, a boy between
four and five years old, about the 10th
of February last, by dehberalely taking
off his clothes, with the exception of
his shirt, and throwing him into a pond
covered with bushes, in a field in the
parish of Spekhall, whereby he was
drowned. The body was not disco-
veted till near three weeks afterwards,
in a putrid state ; and then in a most
extraordinary manner, by a boy keep-
ing sheep in the same field, who ob-
served one of his flock looking sted-
fastly into the water, and making a
noise, which attracted him to the spot,
where he at first thought it was a dead
lamb in the water ; but soon afterwards
he tried to get the supposed lamb out,
which was then floating, when he
found it was a child, upon which he
gave information to his father and
others, which led to the inhuman mo-
ther's apprehension at Hardly, in Nor-
folk.

The inducement to this crime ap-
peared to be, that the father of a se-
cond bastard child, of which she was
delivered about nine weeks after Mi-
chaelmas, at Howe,in Norfolk, hadpro-
mised her marriage, on condition that
she could induce the father of the first
child, who allowed her Is. 6d. per
week for its maintenance, to take the
sole charge thereof — but this he refu-
sed, and she had the cruelty to destroy
it in the manner above related, al-
though she acknowledged the poor in-
fant feelingly exclaimed, on being
stripped at the pond, " Mother, what
are you going to do ?" She was sen-
tenced to death on Friday, and imme-
diately conveyed from hence to Ipswich
gaol in a post chaise, was there execu-
ted on Friday last, apparently exhibi-
ting a penitent behaviour, amidst an
immense concourse of spectator, and
6

March 31.]

CHRONICLE.

XXV

her body delivered to the surgeons, to
be dissected and anatomised.

At an early hour, Hanover-square
and the avenues leading thereto, were
crowded with people who were assem-
bled for the purpose of witnessing the
commencement of the ceremonial of
the funeral of her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Brunswick. A detach-
ment of the foot guards was on duty
in the square, and formed a line from
the late residence of her royal highness
to the top of George-street, through
which the procession was to proceed.
There were also several troops of the
7th hussars on duty, who afterwards
joined in the procession.

At half-past eight, the necessary
arrangements having been made, the
hearse, which was richly emblazoned
with the armorial bearings of the de-
ceased, drew nptothe corner of Brook-
street, and received the coffin. The
persons appointed to accompany the
procession, having taken their respect-
ive places, the whole proceeded round
the north-side of the square to George-
street, down which they passed into
Conduit-street, Bond-street, and Pic-
cadilly, and so on to Hyde park Cor-
ner.

The cavalcade stopped at Stains,
where refreshments were prepared, and
remained there for some time.

The proceision had a very solemn
and grand effect in all the villages
through which it proceeded. The so-
lemn knell was sounded as it passed,
and theinhabitants who lined the streets
and public paths, behaved in the most
decorous manner. It reached Frog-
more about eight at night, where the
road was lined with a party of the 33d
regiment, carrying lighted flambeaux ;
and the whole of the military at Wind-
sor were drawn out to receive it. The
castle-yard was filled with infantry and
cavalry, and illuminated by the blaze
of flambeaux. As soon as the proces-

sion entered the yard, the whole pre-
sented arms, and the band struck up a
solemn dirge, which gave the scene al-
together a truly grand and impressive
effect. At the porch of St George's
Chapel, the body was taken out of
the heaise and placed upon a bier,
which was carried by ten yeomen of
the guard. On entering the chapel,
the aisles appeared lined with several
troops of the royal horse guards, part-
ly under arms, and partly with light-
ed flambeaux ; the organ opened its
pealing tones, and Dr Croft's admired
funeral service was sung by the whole
of the choir. The Duke of Brunswick
had arrived at the Dean of Windsor's
in the afternoon, and acted as chief
mourner ; he was supported by Ba-
rons de Hackel and de Nortenfeld.
Among other noblemen present in the
procession, were the Lord Chamber-
lain, the Earl of Winchelsea, Lords
Somerville, Rivers, St Helen's, and
Arden. The body being placed near
the altar, the chief mourner took his
seat in a chair at the head of the cof-
fin. Th»j service was performed by
the Dean. The gentlemen of the choir
sung the anthem, «* I have set God al-
ways before me," by Blake : The fu-
neral service concluded with — "I heard
a voice from Heaven ;" after which,
Garter King at Arms proclaimed her
late royal highness's style, which end-
ed the ceremony.

AGRICULTURAL REPORTS.
England. — The mild dry weather
through nearly the whole of last month
has favoured the seasonable avocations
of the farmer. The spring sowing is
in a more forward state than could
have been expected, from the heavy
rains that had fallen in the preceding
months. The tenacious soils have
worked kindly, except those that were
rendered adhesive by the feet of ani-
mals, in the consumption of winter

xivi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [March 31.

crops ; these require much labour, and
for them some frost would be very ac-
ceptable.

The young wheats continue to in-
crease in the promising appearance of
a prolific tillow ; the late congenial
weather has given the flag the most
healthful colour ; and the late sown
crops of the winter kind, have reco-
vered from the effects of a superabun-
dant moisture. The spring sown are
breaking forth in the most healthful
state, and promise, from the great
breadths that have been sown, to add
considerably to the future stock of this
indispensable article.

The barley sowing is in a forward
state, and the early-sown pease are
putting forth the infant plants without
having received much injury from the
slug.

Kye, tares, lucern, saintfoin, clover,
and all the soihng species, are in the
most forward and luxuriant state.

ScoTLAND.-Throughoutthismonth
the weather has been singularly fa-
vourable for all sorts of husbandry
work, to this degree, that seed-sowing
of the different species is nearly finish-
ed in the best order, both in the lower
and higher parts of the country, (not
being retarded in the least by storms
of frost, snow, or rain, so injurious last
season). The young wheats are look-
ing fresli and promising. New grass
where there is plenty of plants, is very
forward at this time. The whole
month having been dry, and the air
temperate, has caused strong vegeta-
tion ; and thereby giving the cheering
hopes of an early harvest, always best
for the farmer, as it is to the public at
large. There has been little variation
in grain price?. Fine, and fresh bar-
ley, oats, and pease, were in great re-
quest, and kept the prices high. Wheat
has dechned a little : an expectation
that there is a great quantity of this
article coming from the Ealtic, has had
£ome eflPect on the holders to part with

it on lower terms than if there were no
hopes of any arrivals. The butcher
markets continue to be plentifully sup-
plied at former prices ; and from the
appearance of an early spring, it is
considered that they will not be high-
er.

Lothian.— -Seldom has the wea-
ther been more favourable for the ru-
ral operations, than what has been ex-
perienced during the last and present
month, as throughout both, neither
frost nor rain have given the slightest
interruption to the ploughing, even
for a single day. Accordingly, the
important operations which fall to be
performed at that season, have been
executed in a very satisfactory manner.
Many fields wer« sown witn wheat in
proper season. Nearly the whole of
the pease and beans have been deposi-
ted in a fine dry bed, and the sowing
of oats is also about finished under
the like favourable circumstances, al-
though, in some cases, upon clay soils,
it was found rather a difficult matter
to render the mould sufficiently fine,
from the uncommon dryness of the
weather. In almost every situation,
the wheat is close upon the ground,
and looks very thriving, the greater
portion of which, particularly after
summer fallows, is already sown with
grass seeds. In some instances, the
young grass upon wet clays have fail-
ed* when the ground has been plough-
ed and sown with grain, which is ra-
ther an unfortunate matter, as, besides
the expence, it has the tendency of de-
ranging the farmer's plan of manage-
ment in that rotation. Where there
are plenty of plants, as well as in old
pastures, vegetation has already made
considerable progress, perhaps as much
so as what was experienced last year
at the end of next month ; and, as the
stack-yard holds out well, there is no
danger of a scarcity of fodder before
the pastures are fit for receivmg the
cattk. Grass-parks, especially where

Apwi- 3.]

CHRONICLE.

xxvvu

the soil is of good quality, have brought
higher rents than last year.

There has been little alteration in
the corn market for some time past ;
and although the prices of wheat have
been nearly maintained, yet the sales
have been very dull for that article, as
well as |or oats. The quantity of bar-
ley offered for sale being very limited,
that article, especially what is fit for
seed, is gradually advancing in price.
Butcher markets are upon the advance,
nevertheless, the supply is still sufiFici-
ent for the demand ; beef from 8d to
9d., in some cases even lOd. ; mut-
ton from 9d. to lOd. ; and veal,,from
lOd. to Is. per lb. of 17^ pz.

Fashions. — Walking Dress, A

stone-coloured habit, trimmed round
the body with swansdown, and or-
namented quite across the bosom
with a thick row of rich . silk braid-
ing to correspond. Waists much
shorter than they have been worn
for some time, and the sleeve longer
and looser than those of the last three
months. Regency hat of black bea-
ver or seal-skin, ornamented with an
elegant feather of the same colour, and
finished by a gold button and loop on
one side. — Large bear or seal skin
muff; stone- coloured kid gloves, and
black kid sandals. Some elegantes
wear silk stockings, to correspond with
the habit ; but white are more gene-
ral.

Evening Dress » — A short round
dress of white satin, finished at the
bottom by a trimming of floss silk,
which is worn rather broader than the
last month ; body of fine white spot-
ted lace, over one of satin, made as low
as possible in the neck and bosom;
stomacher ^)- /a- Venus, made of narrow
deep rose colour, and white silk trim-
ming intermixed. The back is about
the same breadth at last month ; but
the waist is much shorter. The sleeve,
which is also composed of white spot-
ted lace, is made very long and loo^.e.

and drawn up from a littje above the
waist, in front of the arm, by a fancy
trimming of the same materials as the
stomacher ; the other part of the sleeve
falls in a point. Long drapery of
rose-coloured figured satin-cloth, about
a quarter of a yard shorter than the
gown in front, and a demi-train be-
hind. A rich and broad letting in lace
goes up the front, and becomes gra-
dually narrower at the waist. This
letting in is ornamented in front by a
new-invented silk trimming, which is
rather similar to a Spanish button, but
lighter in its construction, and very
small. The drapery is edged round
with white floss trimming to corre-
5>pond with that on the bottom of the
dress. — Head dress n-la-Turque, su-
perbly ornamented with pearls, a dou-
ble row of which goes straight across
the forehead, and is surmounted by a
crescent of diamonds, within which
sparkles a star also of diamonds ; ear-
rings to correspond.— White kid glovesi,
and white satin slippers.

Observations. — The hair is worn
much lighter than the preceding mouth :
it is full on each temple, but disposed
in a number of light curls ; one half
of the hind hair is fastened up behind
a la-Greqiie, and the remainder falls ia
light ringlets on the shoulders. Pearlt
for the juvenile, and diamonds and fea-
thers for mature belles, are the first stile
of evening head-dress ; but the small
white satin hat still continues to be a
favourite : turbans also aie much

APRIL.

Extract of a letter from Byenps
Ayres, dated April 3. — « On the 30th
ult. a boat of about 17 feet keel, ar-
rived at this place with six persons oA
board. The following is the account
tbf y have given: — They sailed from

xiviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [April 4>,

New South Wales, on board the brig
Isabella, George Highton, master, on
the 4th of December last ; they made
the land about Cape Horn on the 2d
of February, and Falkland's Islands,
on the 7th of the same month. In the
morning of the 8th, about one a. m.
the vessel struck on the rocks, and was
wrecked. The crew and passengers
got on shore on a desert isle, forming
one of the group of the Falkland's
Islands, and the weather being mode-
rate they were enabled to save from the
vessel the provisions and stores. On
the 23d of February, having raised the
long-boat, and decked her, it was agreed
that a part of the unhappy sufferers
should embark in her, for the purpose
of arriving at some inhabited place,
where the means might be procured of
sending a vessel to bring away the
other part of the crew and passengers.
The six men who arrived here accord-
ingly put to sea on the 23d of Febru-
ary, and after a voyage of upwards of
450 leagues on the ocean, they arrived
in this river, without having seen the
land for 36 days. Nothing but the
protection of the Almighty could have
preserved tjiem from the inclemency
of the weather, considering the great
fatigue they must have endured, both
in mind and body, and so long a navi-
gation in seas almost proverbial for
storms. On the first intelligence of
the event, Captain Heywood, of his
majesty's ship Nereus, gave instruc-
tions to Lieutenant W, D. Aranda,
commander of the Nancy brig of war,
to prepare for sea, and to proceed to
the rehef of the unhappy sufferers ; it
is expected she will sail about the 9th
instant. It appears there were 55 souls
on board the Isabella at the time she
was wrecked, among v^hom are the
following passengers ; —

" Captain Drury, 73d regiment,
wife and family ; Mr Holt (Irish re-
bel}, ditto, ditto J Sir Henry Hayes,

and three females, returned convicts ;.
Mr Madison ; three marines and their
wives.

** The following have arrived here :
" Captain Brooks, master of a mer-
chant vessel ; Lieutenant Lundie, (ar-
my) ; a marine, and three seamen.

4th.— This morning, about five o'-
clock, a fire was discovered to have
broken out in the fourth story of that
large building in Skinner-street, which
was the capital prize in the city lotte-
ry, valued at 25,0001., and which has
since been called the Commercial Hall.
It was occupied by a wine company,
at the head of which are Messrs Ab-
bott and Brothers ; by the new-invent-
ed brewing utensil manufactory, and
others. The upper part was held as
chambers by professional men, and some
few merchants ; and it is stated to
have had at least 20 different inhabit-
ants. From what cause the fire ori.
ginated is unknown ; but it spread
with such rapidity, that by half past
six the whole building (six stories
high) was completely down, the back
walls falhng into the body of the build-
ing, and the front wall into the street,
bywhich two firemen were severely brui-
sed. A curious circumstance took place
during the fire. A cat that had escaped
from someofthe apartments, was seen by
the bye-standers on a part of the build-
ing that would inevitably soon be in
flames ; and all retreat being cut off,
the only way to escape was to take a
leap, but this the poor animal durst
not attempt. As the flames approach-
ed her, a gentleman offered one of the
firemen five guineas if he would save
the cat : the fireman was induced to
make the attempt, and with great dif- '
ficulty succeeded, by getting behind,
and with the weight of water from the
pipe in his hand, forcing her to take
the leap, when she fell into the midst
of the spectators from the top of the
5th slory. Poor puss was saved, and

ArRiL 5 — 14.]

CHRONICLE.

XXIX

the fireman immediately received his
promised reward.

5th. — A most dreadful accident
happened at the new works belonging
to the London Dock Company, at the
Hermitage-bridge, Wapping. As Mr
Thomas, the engineer, in the evening
was inspecting the machinery, he per-
ceived that one of the double keys
which fasten the top of the large lift-
ing pump-rods was loose ; he ordered
round a man to him upon the platform,
to drire in the key tighter, which the
poor fellow imprudently attempted to
do without first stopping the steam-
engine : it appears, that in striking at
the key, he missed his blow, and his
arm getting entangled between the
arms of the pump-wheel, his head was
suddenly drawn in, and in less than one
moment he fell backwards dead against
Mr Thomas, with his head literally
crushed to atoms. Mr Thomas's
clothes and person were almost cover-
ed with the poor fellow's blood and
brains. The man has left a wife and
three children to lament his loss.

7th. — Scarcity of Money ! — This
morning, as early as five o'clock, a
crowd of brokers and others, beset
the Exchequer-bill office, in order
to put down their names for fund-
ing Exchequer-bills. Such was the
scramble to get in, that a number of
the persons were thrown down, and
many of them injured ; some fain,ted
by the excessive pressure of the crowd,
and a few had their coats literally torn
from off their backs. The first 14?
names (chiefly bankers) subscribed
seven millions out of the twelve requi-
red ; and rery early in the day, notice
was given that the subscription was full.
Although only twelve millions were
to be funded, all bills to the end of
March were to be taken, of which the
joint amount would be twenty millions.
The public seem to have deluded them-
selves, and to have acted upon the per-
suasion that the whole was wanted,

when only twelve millions could be re-
ceived.

The scene at the Exchequer office
would, in France, have given occasion
to a flourishing expose of the eager-
ness of the people to aid the govern-
ment ; but in England, when consider-
ed as the mode of executing a measure
of finance, it is neither just nor proper.
That the first characters in the coun-
try, as merchants, bankers, and others,
are to be marshalled by police-officers,
exhorted to be patient, cool, and pass-
ive, till they can enter the Exchequer
through a door a third part opened by
a chain, and of which the aperture is
scarcely sufficient for a moderate-sized
man to get in, is disgraceful in the ex-
treme.

After violently struggling with each
other, 373 persons obtained numbers,
which in numerical order were called
and examined from 12 to 4? o'clock ^
when the No. 184 completed the sub-
scription of 12 millions.

11th. — For the first time this sea-
son nine mackerel were brought to
the beach at Brighton, which were
immediately purchased for the Lon-
don market at 6s. 6d. each. The
following day another boat arrived
with 28 more, which were bought
with equal avidity at the same price.
On Thursday a third boat brought
93, which fetched after the rate of
401. per hundred. Not a single
mackerel has been retailed there, but
all have been sent off to the metropo-
lis.

14th Divorces. — An important

decision, relative to the general prin-
ciples on which divorces are obtained
in Scotland, took place lately in the
consistorial court at Edinburgh. The
libel was at the instance of Marianne
Homfrey, otherwise Newte, daughter
of Sir Jere Homfrey, of Crom Rond-
da, in the county of Glamorgan ; and
eet forth, that she was married in Dec.
1806, to Thomas Newte, Esq. of

XXX EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER. 1813. [April 15—17-

LlandafT, in the cathedral church of
LlaudafF; that the parties cohabited
together as husband and wife ; that in
January 181 1 , the defendant had with-
drawn his affections from his wife, de-
Sencd her, and bep^an a course of adul-
teries in London, Bath, and other pla-
ces in Endand; that thereafter he came
to Scotland, resided there some time,
and continued his adulteries for seve-
ral months in 1812; and, therefore,
praying for divorce against him, with
liberty to marryagain in common form.
After ample discussion and mature de-
liberation, the court found, " that ac-
cording to the common and statute
law, adultei-y committed in Scotland
is a legal ground for divorce, without
distinction as to the country where, or
form in vvhich, the marriage was cele-
brated ; and for this reason also found,
that whatever may be the views which
the law of England takes of the indis-
solubility of marriage contracted there,
or whatever force the degrees of the
Scotch consistorial court may receive
in foreign countries, all such foreign
views and consequences, especially
when, as in the present case, they are
directly adverse to the settled dictates
of the law of Scotland, can have no ef-
fect in regulating the decisions of that
court. But in order to ascertain whe-
ther there was, or now is, any collu-
sion between the parties, the court,
before farther procedure, appoints the
pursuer (MrsNewte) to appear and
depose de calumnia, and to be judicial-
ly examined upon oath, whether any
communication took place between her
and the defendant, their friends, or
agents, relative to • the action of di-
vorce, pi-evious to or since resident in
Scotland."

This day, about ten o'clock, the
side wall of Mr Barton's flour ware-
house, in I.ondon-road, Liverpool,
fell with a dreadful crash. Every
fioor broke dowi;, destroying all the
property on the premises. The per-

sons in the house were Mr and Mrs
Barton, and one daughter, who had
retired to bed. They slept on the first
floor, and were precipitated into the
cellar. The neighbours immediately
crowded to the spot, and on forcing
the front door, discovered Mrs Barton
cli.iging to a wooden prop, having mi-
raculously escaped unhurt. It wa^
nearly two hours, however, before they
discovered the daughter, a girl of 13,
who was considerably injured, but not
dangerously ; and about a qarter of an
hour afterwards the body of Mr Bar-
ton was got out of the ruins, lifeless.
The principal room in the warehouse
had been generally used for exhibi-
tions, at the time of the fairs held in
that neighbourhood, and we under-
stand was engaged for a similar pur-
pose, yesterday, when the consequen-
ces might have been still more calami-
tous.

A duel was fought by tvvo of the
French prisoners on board the Sam-
son prison-ship, lying in Gillingham
Reach, when one of them, in conse-
quence, was killed. Not havimg any
swords, they attached to the end of
tvvo sticks a pair of scissars each. The
deceased received the rnortal wound in
the abdomen ; his bowels protruded,
and yet he continued to parry with
his antagonist vvhilti his strength would
admit. Afterwards an application waii
made to the surgeon of the ship, who
replaced the intestines and sewed up
the wound, but he survived but a short
time. The transaction took place be-
low, in the prison, unknown to the
ship's company. j

15th. — A g'race passed in the senatL' .
at Cambridge, to apply the surplus
money (upwards of lOOOl.) arising
from the subscriptions received for a
statue of the late William Pitt, now
placed in the senate house, towards es-
tablishii:g a scholarship, to be called
Pitt's University Scholarship.

17th.- — City Address to thz

April 17.]

CHRONICLE.

xxxt

Princess of Wales. — The humble
adress of the lord mayor, aldermen and
livery of the city of London, in com-
mon hall assembled.

May it please your royal highness,
—We, hi« majesty's loyal subjects, the
lord miyor, aldermen aud hvery of the
city of London, in common hall as-
sembled, bearing in mind those senti-
ments of profound veneration and ar-
dent affection with which we hailed
the arrival of your royal highness in
this country, humbly beseech your
royal highness to receive our assuran-
ces, that in the hearts of the citizens of
London those sentiments have never
experienced diminution or change. —
Deeply interested in every event con-
nected with the stability of the throne
of this kingdom, under the sway of
the house of Brunswick ; tenderly
alive to every circumstance affecting
the personal welfare of every branch of
that illustrious house, we have felt in-
dignation and abhorrence inexpressi-
ble, upon the disclosure of that foul
and detestable conspiracy, which by
perjured and suborned traducers has
been carried on against your royal
highness's honour and life. — The ve-
neration for the laws ; the moderation,
the forbearance, the frankness, the
magnanimity which your loyal high-
ness has so emrnenthy displayed under
circumstances so trying, and during a
persecution of so long a duration ;
these, while they demand an ei-pression
of our unbounded applause, cannot fail
to excite in us a confident hope, that,
under the sway of your illustrious and
beloved daughter, our children will en-
joy all the benefits of so bright an ex-
ample. And we humbly beg permis-
sion most unfeignedly to assure your
royal highness, that, as well for the
sake of our country as from a sense of
justice and of duty, we shall always
Teel, and be ready to give p. oof of, the
moel anxious solicitude for yor.r royal

highnesa's health, prosperity, and hap-
piness.

(Signed by order)

Henry Woodthorpe-

To which her royal highness re-
turned the following most gracious an-
swer :

I thank you for your loyal and af-
fectionate address. — It is to me the
greatest consolation to learn, that du»
ring so many years of unmerited per-
secution, notwi.hstanding the active
and persevering dissemination of the
mo. t deliberate calumnies against ine>
the kind and favourable sentiments
with which they did me the honour to
approach me, on my arrival in this
country, have underg me neither dimi-
nution nor change in the hearts of the
citiaensof London. — The sense of in-
dignation and abhorrence you express
against the foul and detestable conspi-
racy, which by perjured and suborned
traducers has been carried on against
my life and honour, is worthy of you,
and most gratifying to me. It must
be duly appreciated by every branch
of that illustrious house with which I
am so closely connected by blood and
marriage, the personal welfare of every
&ne of whom must have been affected
by the success of such atrocious ma-
chinations. The consciousness of my
innocence has supported me through
my long, severe, and unmerited triah ;
your approbation of my conduct under
them is a reward for all my sufferings.
— I shall not lose any opportunity f
may be permitted to enjoy, of encou-
raging the talents and virtues of my
dear daughter, the Princess Charlotte ;
and I shall impress upon her mind my
full sense of the obligation conferred
upon me by the spontaneous act of
your justice and generosity. She will
therein clearly perceive this value of
that free constitution, which, in the
natural course of events, it will be her
high destiny to preside over, and hev

xxxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [April 19^23.

sacred duty to maintaiH, which allows
no one to sink under oppression ; and
she will ever be bound to the city of
jLondon, in ties proportioned to the
strength of that filial attachment I
have had the happiness uniformly to
experience from her. — Be assured that
the cordial and convincing proof you
have thus given of your solicitude for
my prosperity and happiness, will be
cherished in grateful remembrance by
me, to the latest moment of my life ;
and thedistinguished proceeding adopt-
ed by the first city in this great empire
will be considered by posterity as a
proud memorial of my vindicated ho-
nour,

19th Upon the night of the 12th

current, Mr George Sutherland of the
excise, Llgin, seized five illegal copper
stills at work in the hilly parts of the
county ; the contents of these stills
amounted to about 140 gallons, and a
considerable quantity of wash, &c.
destroyed. What renders this cir-
cumstance singular, this active officer
made these discoveries in the dead of
night, without any assistance, and
succeeded in lodging the stills in the
excise office at Elgin.

Ou Wednesday morning, about
eight o'clock, a married woman, mo-
ther of four children, and aged about
27, committed suicide at iJunbarton.
She cut her throat with a razor while
sitting in ihe College Green, and, af-
ter it had bled very profusely, she wa-
ded into the river, from whence she
was immediately taken out ; but she
died in a few mmutes. The razor was
found in the river more than 20 yards
from the bank.

20th.-OnMonday, in Albion- street,
Glasgow, a bull, which had been cruel-
ly torn by dogs, turned upon one of
the persons concerned in the torture,
and gored him so severely that his life
is despaired of. — It is quite impossible
to regret this.

The following inscription on tlie

court-bell of Dumfries, which was ta-
ken down to repair the place where it
>yas hanging, shews -,uch venerable an-
tiquity, as to make it worthy of inser-
tion :

Gulielmus de Carleil, Dominus de
Torthorvvalde, me fecit fieri, in ho-
nore Sancti Michaelis, anno Domini
m,cccc,xxxxiii.

« William Carleil, Lord of Tor-
thorwald, caused me to be made, iu
honour of Saint Michael, in the yeof
of our Lord 144S."

2l8t. — Mr Dupre's villa, at Bea,-
consfield, the seat of the late Mr
Burke, was entirely consumed by firt.
The loss is estimated at 30,0001.

Nine waggons, loaded with gold
dust, bars, and silver bullion, worth
upwards of half a million, arrived at the
bank from Portsmouth. This valuable
cargo was brought by the President
frigate from the Cape of Good Hope»
to which it had been conveyed at dif-
ferent times from the East India Com-
pany's possessions in India.

23d. — Execution of Edith Mor-
REY. — On this day, at 12 o'clock, this
wretched woman was delivered by Mr
Hudson, constable of Chester Castle,
into the hands of Me^isrs Thomas and
Bennett, the city sheriffs, for execu-
tion.

She walked from the castle to Glo-
ver's Stone, having hold of Mr Hud-
son's arm, with the utmost firmness,
amidst an unusual pressure from the
immense crowd assembled ; she then
got into the cart, and immediately laid
herself down on one side, concealing
her face with her handkerchief, which
she had invariably done when in pub-
lic, from her first appearance before
the judges to her final dissolution ; and
no person obtained a view of her face
out of the castle since her commitment,
except the ordinary, &c.

Upon her arrival at the city jraol,
she continued in prayer with the Rev.
W. Fish, till one o'clock, when she as-

April 26—28.]

€HRONICLE.

XXXIH

cended the scaffold with a firm and un-
daunted step, with her face covered
with a handkerchief, and she immedi.
ately tur ed her back to the populace.
After continuing in prayer a short
time, the clergyman withdrew, and the
executioner prepared to finish the aw-
ful sentence of the law. At this pe-
riod, when the clergyman had recom-
mended her to dismiss all worldly
thoughts, and fix her whole soul on
her Redeemer, through whom alone
she could hope for mercy, she twice
called for the turnkey ( John Robinson )
to bid him farewell — he came at the
second call, tnd having taken leave of
her, she remained about ha. fa minute,
when she dropped the handkerchief,
and was immediately launched into
€temity.

She was very much convulsed for a
few minutes, when her pangs ceased in
this world. After hanging the usual
time, her body was delivered to the
surgeons for dissection, and was open
to the public inspection during all Sa-
turday.

There appeared an apathy in this
woman which is truly astonishing.
"When the judges came into the town
she asked permission to go on the ter-
race of the castle to see the procession,
though she knew their coming was the
signal of her fate. On the morning
the Rev. Mr Fish preached what is
usually denominated the condemned
sermon, she was suffused in tears, and
hereon vulsive sobs were heard through-
out the chapel ; yet, an hour after, the
impression seemed entirely erased. She
slept very sound the night previous to
the morning of her execution, and ate
a hearty breakfast upon her awaken-
ing.

Letter addressed by the Emj)eror of
Russia to the Widoto of Prince Ku-
ttuinff\ dated Dresden^ April 25.
JVnicess Catherine Ihnishna ! — The

Almighty, whose decree* it is impos-
VOL. VI.

sible for mortals to resist, and unlaw-
ful to murmur at, has been pleased to
remove your husband. Prince Michael
Labionovitz Kutnsoff Smolenski, in
the midst of his briUiant career of vic-
tory and glory, from a transient to an
eternal life. A great and grievous
loss, not for you alone, but for the
country at large ! Your tears flow not
alone for him. I weep. All Russia
weeps with you. Yet God, who has
called him to himself, grants you thi*
consolation, that his name and his
deeds are immortal ; a grateful coun-
try will never forget his merits. Eu-
rope and the whole world will for ever
admire him, and inscribe his name on
the list of the most distinguished com-
manders. A monument shall be erect-
ed to his honour; beholding which, the
Russian will feel his heart swell with
pride, and the foreigner will respect a
nation that gives birth to such great
men. I have given orders that you
shall retain all the advantages enjoyed
by your late husband, and remain your
affectionate Alexander.

26th,— The remains of Major-Gen.
Sir Barry Close, Bart, were interred
with military honours in Marylebone
church-yard.

28th. — Sir Henry Halford has pub-
lished the followmg narrative of the in-
vestigation which lately took place at
Windsor, in the vault of King Henry
Vni. in presence of the prince regent.
** On removing the pall, a plain
leaden coffin, with no appearance of
ever having been enclosed in wood, and
bearing an inscription, •* King Charles,
1648," in large legible characters, on
a scroll of lead, encircling it, immedi-
ately presented itself to view. A square
opening was then made in the upper
part ot the lid, of such dimensions as
to admit a clear insight into its con-
tents. These were, an internal wooden
coffin, very much decayed, and the
body carefully wrapped in cerecloth, in-
to the folds of whicii a quantity of unc-
c

xxxiv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [April 28.

tuous or greasy matter, mixed with re*
sin, as it seemed, had been melted, so
as to exclude, as effectually as possible,
the external air. The coffin was com-
pletely full ; and from the tenacity of
the cerecloth, great difficulty was ex-
perienced in detachings it successfully
from the parts which it enveloped.
Wherever the unctuous matter had in-
sinuated itself, the separation of the
cerecloth was easy ; and when it came
oif, a correct impression of the features
to which it had been applied was ob-
served in the unctuous substance. At
length the whole face was disengaged
from its covering. The complexion of
the skin of it was dark and discolour-
ed. The forehead and temples had
lost little or nothing of their muscular
substance : the cartilage of the nose
was gone ; but the left eye, in the first
moment of exposure, was open and full,
though it vanished almost immediately,
and the pointed beard, so characteris-
tic of the period of the reign of King
Charles, was perfect. The shape ot the
face was a long dval ; many of the teeth
remained, and the left ear, in conse-
quence of the interposition of the unc-
tuous matter between it and the cere-
cloth, was found entire.

** It was difficult at this moment, to
•withhold a declaration, that notwith-
standing its disfigurement, the counte-
nance did bear a strong resemblance to
the coins, the busts, and especially to
the pictures of King Charles I. by
Vandyke, by which it had been made
famihar to us. It is true, that the
minds of the spectators of this interest-
ing sight were prepared to receive this
impression ; but it is also certain, that
such a I'acility of belief had been oc-
casioned by the simphcity and truth of
Mr Herbert's Narrative, every part of
which had been confirmed by the in-
vestigation, so far as it had advanced ;
and it will not be denied that the shape
of the face, the forehead, «nd eye, and

the beard, are most Important features
by which resemblance is determined.

" When the head had been entirely
disengaged from the attachments which
confined it, it was found to be loose,
and, witliout any difficulty, was taken
up and held to view. It was quite wet,
and giive a greenish red tinge to paper,
and to linen which touched it. The
back part of the scalp was entirely
perfect, and had a remarkable fresh
appearance ; the pores of the skin be-
ing more distinct, as they usually are
when soaked in mixture ; and the ten-
dons and ligaments of the neck were
of considerable substance and firmness.'
The hair was thick at the back part
of the head, and in appearance nearly
black. A portion of it, which has since
been cleaned and dried, is of a beauti-
ful dark-brown colour : that of the
beard was a redder brown. On the
back part of the head, it was not more
than an inch in length, and had pro-
bably been cut so short for the conve-
nience of the executioner, or, perhaps,
by the piety of friends soon after death,
in order to furnish memorials of the
unhappy king.

« On holding up the head, to exa-
mine the place of separation from the
body, the muscles of the neck had evi-
dently retracted themselves considera-
bly ; and the fourth cervical vertebra
was found to be cut through its sub-
stance, transversely, leaving the sur-
faces of the divided portions perfectly
smooth and even, an appearance which
could have been produced only by a
heavy blow, inflicted with a very sharp
instrument, and which furnished the
last proof wanting to identify King
Charles the First.

" After this examination of the
head, which served every purpose in
view, and without examining the body
below the neck, it was immediately re-
stored to its situation, the coffin was
soldered up again, and the vault closed.

Vpril 28—30.]

CHRONICLE.

xxxy

« Neither pf the other coffins had
any inscription upon them. The lar-
ger one, supposed on good grounds to
contain the remains of King Henry
VIII. measured six feet ten inches in
length, and had been enclosed in an
elm one two inches in thickness ; but
this was decayed, and lay in small frag-
ments near it. The leaden coffin ap-
peared to have been beaten in by vio-
lence about the middle ; and a consi-
derable opening in that part of it ex-
posed a mere skeleton pf the king.
Some beard remained upon the chin,
but there was nothing to discriminate
the personage contained in it.

" The smaller coffin, understood to
be that of Queen Jane Seymour, was
not touched ; mere curiosity not being
considered, by the prince regent, as a
sufficient motive for disturbing these
recnains.

** On examining the vault with some
attention, it was found that the wall,
at the west end, had, at some period or
other, been partly pulled down, and
repaired again, not by regular mason-
ry, but by fragments of stones and
bricks, put rudely and hastily together
without cement."

30th. — Letters from Constantinople
mention the following unfortunate in
cident : — Mr Levy, an English gen-
tleman, well known and highly esteem-
ed in Russia, was lately drowned in
the Black Sea, together with Count
Fogessiera, a Piedmontese nobleman,
two orderly dragoons of the 20th re-
giment, and a servant, on their route
to join Sir Robert Wilson, with the
rest of the crew of the vessel, one
Greek only excepted. Mr Levy was
on his return from Constantinople,
whither he had been dispatched by Sir
Robert Wilson, at the critical period
of the retreat of the French from Mos-
cow. The count had also been the
bearer of dispatches to the same quar-
ter. In thtir anxiety to rejoin Sir Ro-
bert Wilson, they could not be induced

to postpone their passage till the wea-
ther moderated, and met their fate near
Varna, after being many days at sea.
Besides his friends, dragoons, and ser-
vants. Sir Robert W^iison must have
lost mu'*h valuable and curious pro-
perty on this melancholy occasion.

The ravage of the plague had been
dreadful : 250,000 are computed to
have perished by this scourge. It had,
at the date of these advices, entirely
ceased.

A melancholy event has taken place
at Dumbarton : Serjeant Jar vis, who
kept the mess of the Galloway militia,
and had got a little behind with some
accounts, disappeared on Tuesday the
6th current, and various reports were
circulated about him. On Friday fore-
noon, the 20th, he was found by some
boys who were nesting, suspended from
a tree in the Barwood, where he had
hung from the time of his departure.
He was buried within the water mark
in the sands late on Monday night. He
has left a widow and eight or nine
children. His dog staid beside him two
or three days, and then returned, but
being frequently^missing for the whole
day, it is supposed that he returned to
the place. Jarvishad a high character
in the regiment for sobriety and abili-
ty, and his untimely death gives great
grief to officers and men.

AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
Sowing proceeds with rapidity, but
much remains to be done. In all pro-
bability the seed will be got in during
the present season in the most perfect,
state, the lands having worked well
throughout, from the dryness and mel-
lowness of the soil. A greater breadth
of land by many thousands of acres,
than ever before upon this island, have
been this season prepared for potatoe
planting, which has already advanced
in the forward districts. The spring
crops ail look well, but the barley and
oats will soon be in want of rain. The

xxxtJ EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [April 3U

hop bine is said to come up strong and
healthy. — Ryevery bad. — The wheats
still appear thin, which will be no sort
of disadvantage to the crop should the
remainder of the spring prove warm and
genial, with moderate showers ; upon
some parts, however, of the clover ley
wheats, the plant has been so dread-
fully ravaged by the slug and wire-
worm as to be deemed irrecoverable. —
The risk of sowing wheat upon clover
leys, in a suspicious season, is too great.
As the only, though partial security
against this misfortune is the rook,
which should be preserved, not destroy-
ed, in the country. The small damage
done to corn and roots by rooks may
be guarded against, but they are our
only guards against most destructive
insects. The fruit-trees are loaded
with blossom, and, notwithstanding
the continuance of cold north and east-
erly winds, hitherto no great appear-
ance of blight.

Reports of the stock of corn on hand
more favourable in general than last
month, arising probably from the vast
quantities of foreign lately exposed for
sale ; it is, nevertheless, confirmed by
persons of the most extensive informa-
tion, that, independently of foreign
fupplyj our last crop of bread corn,
large as it really was, would be insuf-
ficient for the year*s consumption.

Cattle markets, both for fat and lean
stock, somewhat reduced in price. —
Milch cows and cart horses never be-
fore at such a price in Britain ; cows
just calved have been sold at 351. each
— cart horses from 601. to lOOl. each.
This extraordinary price it may be ho-
ped, will promote the use of oxen for
labour, one of the greatest savings, both
individual and national, in the whole
range of rural economy. — The distem-
per arising from atmospheric influenza,
in horses, has prevailed considerably
this spring. — The rot in sheep has for-
tunately ceased, and the lambing has
been, thus fax, successful.

Fashions. — Mominfr Costume,

A Polonese robe and petticoat, of fine
cambric or jaconet muslin, ornament-
ed at its several terminations with a
border of net work, finished with an
edging of muslin, gathered very full,
and a vandyke cuff, en suite, A bon-
net cap, composed of jonquille satin,
and treble borders of scollopped lace,
confined on one side with ribbon of the
same colour. Gloves and slippers of
yellow kid.

Carriage Costume. — A high round
robe of jaconet or cambric muslin,
with plaited bodice, long sleeve, and
deep falHng frill, terminated with a
Vandyke of needle-work. A Russian
mantle, of Pomona, or spring green
sarsnet, lined with white satin, and
trimmed with rich fog fringe and bind-
ing, confined with a cord and tassel,
as taste or convenience may direct. A
cottage slouch bonnet, of correspond-
ing materials, edged with antique scol-
lopedlace, confined under the chin with
ribbon, tied on the left side ; and ap-
positely ornamented with a small clus-
ter of spring flowers. Slippers of green
kid, or jean, and gloves of primrose
ki d. — Aclcermann\'i Repository .

Half Dress* — Gown of fine jaconet
muslin, with a demi-train, and finish-
round the bottom with a fine but not
broad lace ; body of pink sarsnet,
made very low both before and behind
in the neck ; a stripe of white satin is
laid in front, and is ornamented with
two rows of rich silk buttons, below
which a large full bow of white figu-
red satin ribbon gives a very elegant
finish to the dress ; white satin sleeves,
made rather longer than the last month ;
they are very full, and are confined at
bottom v/ith a plain band. A rich
white silk handkerchief is crossed on
the bosom, but so as to display a cor-
nelian necklace. Rose-coloured regen-
cy cap, ornamented with a plume of
white feathers ; cornelian necklace.-;-
White kid gloves and shoes*

May 2.]

CHRONICLE.

XXXV

Evening Dress, — Pink sarsnet gown,
with a dcmi-train, rather longer in the
waist than the half dress which we
have described, and made in a style en-
tirely novel ; the fronts are open a lit-
tle above the waist, and they go in a
gradual slope to the shoulder, and from
thence in a point behind to the middle
of the back ; a rich but very light em-
broidery, in gold thread, goes round
the train, bosom, and bottom of the
sleeves, which are very full. The
principal ornament of this dress is the
cestus a la Venus, which is of white
silk. The bottom of the cestus is
wrought in a rich embroidery, similar
to that which goes round the dress,
but much broader ; necklace, earrings,
and locket of pearl. Hair turned up
quite flat behind, and a superb white
lace veil, put on so as to form a dra-
pery, which partly shades the hair on
one side of the front ; the other is dis-
played in a variety of light curls.
White kid gloves, and white satin slip-
pers, with gold spangled or embroi-
dered rosettes.

MAY.

1 St — Christiana Jensdatter, of Hol-
kerup, in Zealand, was lately convict-
ed before the Danish supreme court of
justice, of having poisoned her father.
Her sentence was, that she should be
conveyed from her father's residence
to the place of execution, and during
the procession tortured five times with
red-hot pincers, then to have both her
hands struck off, and afterward^ to be
beheaded. Eilcrr Hansen, convicted
of being accessary to the atrocious deed,
was, at the same time, sentenced to
lose his head.

2d.-— The prince regent received an
account from Windsor, of the queen's
being indisposed, in consequence of an
attack from a female domeitic, who

was seized with a violent fit of insani-
ty. The prince ordered a special mes-
senger to be sent to Windsor, to en-
quire after the health of his royal mo-
ther, and the full particulars of the at-
tack. On the return of the messenger
the prince sentoff Sir Henry Halford,
at seven o'clock in the evening, to at-
tend her majesty. The circumstance*
of the attack are stated as follow : —
The unfortunate female who caused
the alarm is named Davenport, and
held the situation of assistant mistress
of the wardrobe to Miss Rice. Her
mother has been employed a number
of years about the royal family ; shel
was originally engaged as a rocker to
the princesses ; and after filling a va-
riety of situations very respectably,'
she was appointed housekeeper at the
lower lodge, Windsor. Her daughter^
the subject of this article, was born in:
the queen's palace ; she is now upwards
of 30 years of age, and has lived con-
stantly with her mother, under the
royal protection. When she was a
girl, she was attacked with a fit of in-
sanity, but was considered perfectly-
cured ; however, she has frequently '
been seized with fits of melancholy,
crying and being very desponding^
without any known cause. Her mii>d
had been more affected since the death
of the Princess Amelia. She was pre-
sent at the delivery of the funeral ser-
mon which was preached at Windsor
on the melancholy occasion, and which
had such an effect on her mind, that
she became enamoured of the clergy-
man who delivered it, and report as-
signs love to be the caus^ of the violent
mental derangement with which she
was seized on Sunday morning. She
slept in the tower over the queen'*
bed-room. About 5 o'clock her ma-
jesty was awakened by a violent noise
at her bed-room door, accompanied
with a voice calHng loudly for the
qucenofEnglandto redress her wrongs,
apd wit^ the mos: distressing shrieks

xxxviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [May 4.

and screams imaginable. The queen's
bed-room has two doors : she used
such violence as to break open the
outer door, but found herself unable to
break the inner one. Mrs Beckendorf,
the queen's dresser, sleeps in the room
with her majesty. They were both
extremely alarmed, particularly at first.
Her majesty and Mrs Beckendorf hew
sitated for some time about what had
best be done ; when having ascertain-
ed that it was a female voice, Mrs
Beckendorf ventured to open the inner
door and go out. She there found
Miss Davenport, with only her body
linen on. She was extremely violent
with Mrs B.f insisting upon forcing her
way into the queen ; and the latter
feared that, could she have obtained
her object of getting into the queen's
bed-room, she would have vented her
rage upon her majesty, from the lan-
guage she used. She had a letter in
her hand, which she insisted on deli-
vering to the queen. Mrs Beckendorf
was placed in a most perilous situation
for about half an hour, being subject
to her violence, and endeavouring to
prevent her from forcing her way in to
the queen ; and during this time the
queen heard all that was passing, and
w^as in great agitation and distress, lest
Miss Davenport should gain admit-
tance to her ; the unfortunate female
declaring the queen could and should
redress her wrongs. Mrs Beckendorf
in the mean time kept ringing a bell
in the passage, but unfortunately did
not at first awake any one, though at
last the incessant and violent ringing of'
it awoke Mr Grobecker, the queen's
page, and two footmen, who came to
Mrs Beckendorf's assistance. Miss Da-
venport made use of very profane lan-
guage to Mr Grobecker. All these
persons could not manage her till Mr
Meyer, the porter, came, and he being
a very powerful man, accomplished it.
When she found herself overpowered,

she insisted upon seeing the king, if
she could not seethe queen. Mr Mey-
er carried her by force up to her bed-
room. Dr Willis was sent for, who
ordered her a strait waistcoat ; and she
was sent off in a post-chaise, accom- .
panied by two keepers, to a house at
Hoxton for the reception of insane
persons.

3d. — Yarmouth. — This morning
his Royal Highness, the Duke of Cum-
berland, with his aides-de-camp, &c.,
embarked on board the Nymphen,
Captain Hancock, for the continent.
He was received on the jetty by the
Bedfordshire militia, with their colours,
and the band playing " God save the
King," and the soldiers with present-
ed arms. The barge in which his
royal highness embarked had the royal
standard flying, and his highness was
accompanied by Admiral Murray.
Lieutenant M*Culloch acted as cox-
swain. Second barge. Admiral's Flag,
Captains Curry and Spears, and seve-
ral gentlemen. Six other barges, with
captains, and the princ^^'s suite. On
the boats leaving the jetty, the popu-
lace, which was very numerous, gave
three hearty cheers ; the ships of war's
yards were manned, and on his royal
highness' stepping on the quarter-deck,
the royal standard was hoisted on board
the frigate, and the ships in the roads
fired a royal salute. — The horizon be-
ing very clear, the beauty of the scene
was beyond all description.

4th The Fasting Woman. —

The pretensions of Ann Moore, of
Tutbury, to live without bodily suste-
nance, have at length been set at rest.
Some time ago several respectable gen-
tlemen in that neighbourhood, with
her own consent, agreed to watch her,
to prevent the secret conveyance oi
food to her, and to ascertain whether
her powers corresponded to her pre-
tensions. The result was, that she
gave in on Friday morning la^t, tlie

May 7.]

CHRONICLE.

XXXIX

ninth day of the watch, by which
time she was reduced to a state of ex-
treme debility and emaciation.
, The following paper afterwards ap-
peared relative to this woman.

The committee who have conducted
the investigation of the case of Ann
Moore, after an unremitting and assi-
duous course of examination, have dis-
covered the imposture which she has
so long practised on the public, and
think it their duty to pubhsh this her
own declaration and confession there-
of:

" I, Ann Moore, of Tutbury, hum-
bly asking pardon of all persons whom
I have attempted to deceive and im-
pose upon, and above all, with the most
unfeigned sorrdw and contrition, im-
ploring the divine mercy and forgive-
ness of that God whom I have so great-
ly offended, do most solemnly declare,
that I have occasionally taken suste-
nance for the last six years.

" Witness my hand this 4th day of
May 1813.

Ann Moore, her ^ mark."
** The above declarationofAnn'Moore
was made before me, one of his majes-
ty's justices of the peace for the coun-
ty of Stafford.

Thomas Lister."

6th.— On this night, during a severe
thunder-storm, part of the steeple of
Greenwich church was precipitated
into the church-yard. A public-house,
(the Mitre) was also injured. The
weather-cock, with a large stone at-
tached to it, perforated the earth seve-
ral feet, Stepney church has received
some injury, and some of the trees in
Vauxhall-gardens were struck.

7th — The nephew of a British peer
was executed at Lisbon. He had in-
volved himself by gambling, and being
detected in robbing the house of his
English friend, by a Portuguese ser-
vant, he shot the latter dead to pre-
vent discovery. After execution, his
head was severed from his body and

fixed on a pole opposite the house in
which the murder and robbery were
committed. — The following arc the
particulars of the execution : —

** On the 7th instant, the unfortu-
nate gentleman, Mr H. late of the
Impetueux, underwent the sentence of
the Portuguese law. Our readers are
already acquainted with the offence
for which he suffered. — The Portu-
guese law appears to be, that if the ag-
grieved party can be satisfied, and they
petition for the prisoner, a pardon is
obtained. Money was offered to the
wife of the deceased for this purpose,
but without the desired effect. The
law for a murderer decrees that he
shall be strangled, and ii^n have his
head and hands cut off, and be remo-
ved to the place where the murder was
committed, and put up upon a pole,
with the hands nailed under the head,
and there to continue three days. The
prisoner was accompanied from the
prison by police soldiers, and walked
bareheaded, without shoes or stockings
on, with a kind of surplice tied round
with a cord. He proceeded thus to
the place of execution, through the
streets, amidst torrents of rain. When
he arrived at the place where he was
to terminate his earthly career, a mi-
nister of the church of England,
(the chaplain of a ship,) knelt down
with hini for some time, and after
a suitable devotion, he was led up
the ladder, where he gave up his life.
After being suspended some time, the
executioner proceeded to perform the
other part of his duty, and severed his
head from his body, which was put
into a basket, and carried away to the
place where he committed the act.
Some sailors attended with a coffin, and
put the body of the deceased into it,
and carried it away in a boat. The
cutting off his hands was remitted.
His head was placed upon a pole, for
some hours, opposite to the spot where
lie committed the murder, andafter that

t\ EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [MayIO-I'

time was taken down and thrown into
the sea."

Two English soldiers were lately
stabbed in the night in the streets of
Lisbon, and both of them are since
dead. A few nights afterwards, a
Portuguese was killed with a bayonet
by an English soldier, who remains
undiscovered.

10th.— An act of intrepidity was
performed at Portsmouth, which me-
rits commemoration. Three officers
of the Inverness militia were in a plea-
6ure-boat, and when sailing between
the prison-ships, a sudden current of
wind upset the boat, which, having
heavy ballast, immediately sunk. Two
of the oflicers could swim, and they
kept themselves upon the surface until
"boats took them up ; but the other
tvas in the most imminent danger of
drowning. A French prisoner on
board the Crown, named Morand, the
moment he saw the officer struggHng,
jumped off the gangway into the wa-
ter, and by putting his feet under the
officer's body as he was sinking, raised
him to the surface, and then held him fast
till further assistance was obtained. A
proper representation has been made
to government, and one part of the
brave fellow's reward has been a re-
lease from his present situation.

15. — Roxburgh Cause. — Court
OF Session. — The remaining branch
of this very important Cause, which
relates to the feus, was on Thurs-
day determined by the court, when
the Judges of the First Division were,
with the exception of Lord Gillies,
unanimous in opinion, that the feu-
rights granted by the last duke, of
almost the whole estates, were contra-
ry to the spirit and intention of the en-
tail, and, tlierefore, their lordships re-
duced and set aside these feu-rights.
A decision to this effect was formerly
given by the court here, but the House
of Lords, after a long hearing of coun-
sel, remitted the case to be reheard be-

fore the whole judges o^ the Court of
Session. Long and able papers were
given in, and afterwards full pleadings
took place before the two divisions of
the court, met together for the pur-
pose, last winter. The judges of the
Second Division, as they do not vote
on the point, the case not being before
their branch of the court, gave opini-
ons, in writing, which were printed,
and laid before their brethren of the
First Division ; and, after full delibe-
ration by the latter, on Wednesday and
Thursday, a decision was given, setting
aside the feus.

I7th. — Murder. — A few evenings
since, a murder was committed in Ports-
mouth, by a boy eleven years of age ;
the circumstances of which make ma-
nifest as great a degree of youthful
depravity as any we have in remem-
brance.— It appeared on the coroner's
inquisition, that some boys were at
play in Capstern-square, on the Point,
when one of them, named W. Pound,
conceived a sudden atfront against an-
other, named G. Smith, because his
hat was knocked off his head, and
Smith, whom hesupposed did it, woald
not bring it to him. Pound then quit-
ted the company, under pretence of
acquainting his father of the reason for
his offence ; but instead of doing so,
he concealed himself rotind the corner
of the square, occasionally observing
the movements of the boys. In a short
time he returned to the company with
a clasp knife in his hand, and going up
to Smith, accused him of having been
the one who had beaten his hat off, but i
which Smith denied, when Pound re- ]
peated his accusation. Smith (not J
observing Pound had a knife in his
hand) struck him with a small cane ;
upon which Pound closed upon him,
and stabbed him near the hip-bone with
the knife, of which wound he died the
next day. — The boys attempted to di-
sarm Pound, but he defied their efforttc,
threatening them with similar treat-

May 18— 20.j

CHRONICLE,

ment — The jury found a verdict of
fVil/ul Murder. ^Smiih was fifteen
[ years of age.

18th. — Duke of Cumberland's
Sale of Wines. — This sale, as might
be naturally expected, drew together
a vast assemblage of the nobility and
fashionable world to Robins's Rooms,
on Saturday ; from 3 to 400 persons
were present. There was much com-
petition, but the prices were not so
extravagant as would in all probabili-
ty have been the case, had not consi-
derable doubts existed in the minds of
many that the duke parted with them
because the quality was not particular-
ly good. This, however, we are assu-
red, was an erroneous impression, and
the plain fact simply this : The royal
duke has it in contemplation to remain
on the continent several years, and in
consequence of this alone directed the
sales to take place innunediately after
his departure. — Amongst the fashion-
able purchasers were —

The Earl of Carlisle, Marquis of
Blandford, Lords Suffolk and Bread-
albane, the Duke of St Albans, Lord
C. Townshend, Sir Gilbert Heath-
cote, Bart., Mr Canning, Sir George
Wombwell, J. F. Heathcote, Eso.
M. P. &c. &c.

The average prices were as follow :

Chainpaignc, (CEuil de perdris) 12 guineas

per doz.

Ditto, Scillery, - - . 1 1 ditto.

Hermitage, about - - - 14 ditto.

Hock, 11 ditto.

Madeira, - , - . 7 ditto.

Claiet, - - - - 7 ditto.

P*>rt, 5 ditto.

19th. — The Duke of Cumber-
land.— The King v. fVhile. — Libel.
—This morning, as soon as the judges
took their seats on the bench, the de-
fendant was brought into court, in
custody of the Marshal aad Tipstaff,
when Mr Justice Grose addressed him
shortly, animadverting in strong terms
up what he termed the * atrocity of

his offence,* and stating that it was
considerably enhanced by its delibe-
rate malice in stigmatising so basely
the character of his Royal Highness
the Duke of Cumberland, who never
gave him, the defendant, cause to slan-
der him. The learned judge comment-
ed on the tendency of a libel, the bit-
terness of which consisted not more in
its foulness, than in its falsity j for to
any individual nothing could be so
heart-wounding as to be stigmatized
with the accusation of murder, but to
so cldvated a person, that of being the
destroyer of his own domestic, must
give the most acute affliction. — " But,
thank God ! (said the learned judge)
the falsity of the charge was most ma-
nifestly established by the verdict of
the coroner's jury, who, upon the
fullest proofs, has shewn that Sellis
died by his own hand." — After some
further observations, he pronounced
the seatence of the court, which was.
That the defendant should be impri-
soned in his majesty's gaol of Newgate
fifteen calendar mouths, pay a fine to
the king of 2001, and be imprisoned
till such fine be paid.

20th.— Great Foot Race.— No
sporting event, since the great Barclay
match, has engrossed so much atten-
tion as one which commenced on Fri-
day night and Saturday morning, on
Sunbury Common, between Rainer,
the Kentish man, and Cross, Captain
Barclay's groom, the latter of whom
had been six weeks in training, under
the immediate direction of the captain,
according to his own system, and wa»
in perfect condition, as was Rainer al-
so, who was managed by R. Grindler.
A marquee for tlte pedestrians was
pitched on each side of the road, at the
starting-place, and from the concourse
of people, and the number of stand*
and booths, the whole had the appear-
ance of a race- course. Cross started
to do the 100 miles at twelve o'clock,
and R-aiaer at one, and betting was

xlii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

[May 21.

two to one on Cross, even betting the
winner did the ground in eighteen
hours, and even that Cross did it in
eighteen and a half. Cross went the
first eight miles in seventy minutes and
a half, and Rainer did eight miles in a
minute within the hour. Cross did
twenty miles in two hours and fifty.se-
ven minutes, and halted a few minutes
for refreshment ; and Rainer did the
same distance in two hours and a half,
and halted to change his shoes. Both
men ran fresh and strong for an hour
after this time, and made more play
than was expected. Rainer was with-
in three miles of his adversary at 28
miles running, when he breakfasted,
during which time Cross headed him
considerably. Rainer ran in the thirty-
second mile much weakened, and he
was confined to his marquee by a sort
of sickness some minutes, when betting
became in favour of Cross, who was
going on well. Rainer was six miles
behmd, when he recovered, and Cross
shewed symptoms of weakness, having
gone forty miles in five hours and forty
minutes, taking off stoppages. He
continued his journey, until he fell
down in going the 46th mile, but he
recovered a little, got to the marquee,
and after having been rubbed he went
another four miles, when he was com-
pletely broke down. It appeared that
the failure arose from the tendons be-
low the calfs of his legs having been
injured, and he was conveyed to
Hampton and put to bed, although he
was desirous of attempting to go on,
but Captain Barclay would not suffer
him to add to the injury already sus-
tained. The captain accompanied his
man the first eight miles, and the great-
er part of the journey, and repeatedly
urged him not to make such play, but
tihe reply of the pedestrian was, that
he was doing within himself, but this
was the probable cause of the failure.
Rainer went on fresh, and oflfered to-

do nine miles in one hour. — His great
object was next to perform the dis-
tance in 18 hours, to do which he had
something more than five miles an hour
to perform. He was often distressed,
but recovered, and in doing the 91st
mile in 17 hours, he fell exhausted, and
was carried to the marquee, and from
thence to Hampton. Both remained
in bed on Saturday, but one must do
the distance to win the race, and two
umpires are in attendance to see it
done. Cross is in good condition, ex-
cepting lameness, and Rainer, it seems,
fell from exhaustion, and has no other
injury. After the fail -re of Cross,
Captain Barclay opened his marquee
to Rainer, a '.d supplied him with flan-
nels and refreshments. — Cross has .54?
miles to do, and Rainer nine and a half.

Rainer got fresh yesterday morning,
and did the remainder of his ground in
little more than two hours, thus win-
ning the stake of 400 guineas. — Cross
remains very lame.

21st. — A coroner's inquest was held
at Hainford,by the coroner of the duchy
of Lancaster, on the bodies of Dinah
Maxey, aged 50, and Elizabeth Smith,
aged 22, her daughter by a former hus-
band. After a minute examination of
witnesses, and the bodies being open-
ed by an eminent surgeon, the jurors'
verdict was — Killed by poison admi-
nistered by a person or persons un-
known. It appears, that on the Thurs-
day rfiorning preceding, these unfortu-
nate victims breakfasted at their usual
hour, and made their tea from water
out of a kettle which it was their cus-
tom to fill the evening before, and
place in a closet, and into which arse-
nic, or other corrosive poison, had been
infused. The young woman observed
the water being white as it was poured
out, but took no further notice. She
was soon after taken suddenly ill ; the
mother, was attacked in the sam.e man-
ner, and a few hours terminated their

May 31.]

CHRONICLE.

xliii

existence. James Maxey, the husband,
was connmitted to Norwich gaol,
on suspicion of perpetrating this atro-
cious crime. (He was afterwards
tried, but acquitted.)

26th. — This morning, betweeri nine
and ten o*clock a very melancholy event
took place in Somerset-street, Portman-
square. The Honourable Mrs Gor-
don, who resided at the house of her
daughter, Mrs Williams, threw herself
from the window of the first floor upon
the foot-path, and though taken up
alive, she expired in a few minutes af-
terwards. Mrs G. was between sixty
and seventy years of age, and had for
some time laboured under a great de-
pression of spirits.

31st, — A most melancholy accident
happened on the river Severn, at Up-
ton. upon-Severn. Eight young men,
consisting of a corporal, fifer, and four
recruits of the 2d regiment of foot,
and two watermen, named Pumphry
and Oakley, took a fisherman's boat,
intending to go to Hanley quay, and
back by water. They were returning
from Hanley quay to Upton, when
Pumphry, who was conducting the
boat, said he would frighten the re-
cruits a httle, and began rocking it.'
The water came in on one side, and
the recruits, being alarmed, immediate-
ly rushed to the opposite, which so
overbalanced the boat that it was in-
stantly filled with water. Oakley and
the fifer swam to the shor6, procured
another boat, and rowed after their
companions, who by the force of the
current had been carried a considerable
diitance. They succeeded in picking
up one of the recruits, who was baved,
but the other five were drowned.

AGRICULTURAL REPORTS.
England— Spring sowing is finish-
ed, and almost universally in the best
manner ; the lands having received the
alternate benefit of dry weather and
genial ihowers. Potatoe planting pro-

ceeds with rapidity, and the breadth of
that crop, it is supposed, will be at
least one-third greater throughout the
island than in any former year. The
turnip lands work very well, and some
of the very extensive turnip growers
have already begun sowing.

Some damage has been done to the
wheat, pease, and rye, by the wire*
worm first, and since by the slug.
Part of the wheat which proved too
thin planted, not having recovered,
has been ploughed up, and but little
spring wheat has been sown this year.
Some crops of the abcve thin descrip-
tion, on the other hand, have become
extremely luxuriant and promising ;
and partially, the wheats are very large
and fine. Much corn is beaten down
by the storms of wind and rain, and
that which is weak from too much
sowing will scarcely recover. Beans,
oats, and barley, look well almost
everywhere ; pease and rye bad. The
bulk of grass, clover, and winter tares,
never greater ; whilst the stock of hay
on hand is considerable. Hops look
well and clean. The continued high
winds have destroyed too much of the
fruit blossom ; and the cherry and
plum-trees particularly have been in-
jured by lightning. Apples are said
to promise well. — Dry and warm wea-
ther alone can contribute to the bless-
ing of a plentiful harvest.

The lambing season has proved one
of the most successful ; but the effects
of a two years's rot must be felt for at
least twelve months to come. Live
stock of every species short in quantity
and dear, beyond all precedent. — Pigs
and hogs advancing in price. — The
present has been one of the earliest gra^
zing seasons within memory.

Scotland — The weather from the
Ist to the 4th of May was cold, with
some rain from the east.- From the
5th to the L5th, it was tolerably warm,
with moderate drizzling showers al-
most daily, and vegetation made con-

xliv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [May 31.

siderable progress. 71ie cold rains from
the IGth to the 25th have greatly in-
jured the crop and retarded its growth,
but as the last five days of the month
Lave been mostly dry, and some of
ihem tolerably warm, the corn will, if
such weather continue, soon resume its
verdant colour.' The ground has, up-
-f)n the whole, been by far too much
drenched during this month.

Weeds are beginning to spring ; the
blades of the corn look sickly and yel-
low in wet grounds, and it has made
little progress during the last two
weeks, but the hay crops and pasture
grass are luxuriant, and the wheat,
though injured by the rains, both in
spring and during this month, has a to-
lerable appearance.

The injury sustained by what is
called worming, has been much greater
this season than for many years past.
Many fields have been sown a second
time, some planted with potatoes, or
preparing for turnip or fallow, and
patches of others remain almost bare,
to be occupied by weeds. Even the
pease and beans are much injured by
the worm on some farms. As these
enemies make greatest havock on rich
land, the injury sustained by them
this year is very considerable. At a
time like the present, when so many
farmers, and of course, the public
at large, have been injured by these
casual depredations, it would be desi-
rable to ascertain whether these inju-
ries are cnmmitted by insects, or from
what other causes they proceed, and
liow such evils could be prevented.
Erom the loose hoved state of the
ground, where what is called worming
happens, it seems somewhat doubt-
ful whether the young growth is
eaten by worms, or destroyed by the
hoving of the ground from fermenta-
tion* excited by a large portion of ve-
getable matter in the soil.

The fruit-trees on the banks of the
Clyde were injured by the severe frost
and east winds during the month of

April, and by electrical fluids during-
May ; but in some orchards there ap-'
pears to be a decent portion of fruit
saved. It is too early, however, to
speak with precision on that species of
crop.

As the winter and spring food of
cattle was never more abundant, and
the grass sprung early, cattle are in the
very best plight, and the returns in
dairy produce more than double what
they were at this period last year. Of
course the prices of dairy cows are
high, and rendered more so by the in-
creasing demand for those of the pro-
per breed, from all parts of Britain. —
The Dunlop cheese, and Cunningham
breed of dairy cows, have justly at-
tained such celebrity, as to have takea
place of all others, over the counties of
Ayr, Renfrew, and the Middle and
Lower Wards of Lanarkshire, and
they are so fast extending to all other
parts, that several scores of them are
now sometimes bought up at a single
fair, by dealers from England, and car-
ried by them to that kingdom.

The moor sheep and lambs are also in
excellent phght, and of course are selling
at high prices. — Horses of the draught
breed, and of the proper age and con-
dition, also bring very high prices.^

All sorts of grain have rather fall-
en ; and neither butcher meat nor dairy
produce has advanced in price during
the month.

Fashions. — Walking Dress, — Jac-
conot muslin high dress, made a walk-
ing length, and richly embroidered lip
the front, round the collar, and round
the bottom of the sleeve, which is very
long, and rather more loose than they
have been worn. The embroidery in
front is divided, and goes up the bo-
som in a slope on each side. Round
cottage mantle of stone-coloured fine
cloth, richly embroidered in floss silk
of the same colour, and lined with de-
licate pink ; high collar, and small
round cape, finished with embroidery
to correspoud. A thatched straw hat.

June 1.]

CHRONICLE.

turned up in front, and lined with sa-
tin of the same colour as the hat ; it
is ornamented with a small quilling of
lace on one side, and a pink rose on the
other. Sandals and gloves of straw-
coloured kid. Parasol to correspond,
straw-colour shot with white, and
trimmed with white silk fringe.

Half Dres. — Frock of plain jacco-
not muslin, with a demi-train ; body of
amber and white shot sarsnet, made in
the same manner as last month, except
that the waist is a little shorter ; the
sleeve, which is of a jacconot muslin,
is very full, and is looped up with a
floss silk ornament in the shape of a
heart ; a row of rich narrow lace gees
round the bottom of the sleeve, which
is something longer than they were
worn last month ; round the bosom a
rich puffing of lace, and a Queen Eli-
zabeth ruff behind, finishes the dress
at the neck. The cestus a-la-Venus,
trimmed at the ends, with a superb-
knotted silk fringe. Pearl necklace
and ear.rings. White kid slippers,
cut very low in front, and trimmed
with a plaiting of white ribband instead
of rosette ; white kid gloves. Head-
dress white satin cap, ornamented with
a half wreath of moss roses scarcely
blown.

General Observations. — Slippers for
full dress are universal ; but if our fair
fashionables have them cut down much
more in front, there will be some diffi-
culty in keeping them upon the foot ;
a plaiting of white ribband has taken
place of the rosette. For the walking
costume, coloured jean boots will be
universal. White and lemon-coloured
kid sandals will be most general for
the carriage costume. — Fans arc dimi-
nished in size.

JUNE.
Ist. — Murder of Mr and Mrs

Thomson Bonar at Ciiislehurst.
—This murder equals any the most
atrocious which have lately disgraced
this country. On Sunday evening.
May 30, Mr Thomas Bonar went to
bed at his usual hour : Mrs Bonar did
not follow him till two, when she or-
dered her female servant to call her at
?even. The servant at the appointed
timevventinto the bed-room, and found
Mr Bonar mangled and dead upon the
floor, and her lady wounded, dying
and in'iensible in her bed. The toot-
man, Pnilip Nicholson, came express
to town for surgical assistance, and to
give information at Bow-street. He
performed the journey in 40 minutes,
though he stopped three times on the
road to drink as many glasses of rum.
Mr Ashley Cooper arrived with all
possible dispatch, but it was too late ;
Mrs Bonar expired atone o'clock, ha-
ving been during the whole of the pre-
vious time insensible. The linen and
pillow of the bed in which Mrs Bonar
lay were covered with blood, as wa^
also the bed o\ Mr Bonar. They slept
in small separate beds, but placed so
nearly together that there vyas scarce
room to pass between them. The in-
terval of floor between the beds was al-
most a stream of blood. About seven
o'clock in the evening, Mr Bonar jun.
arrived itom Feversham, where he was
on duty as colonel of the Kent local
mihtia. He rushed up stairs, exclaim-
ing, " Let me see my father; indeed
I must see him." It was impossible
to detain him ; he burst into the bed-
chamber, and immediately locked the
door after him. Apprehensions were
entertained for his safety, and the door
was broken open, when he was seen
kneeling with clasped hands over the
body of his father. His friends tore
him away, tottering and fainting, into
an adjoining chamber. — The unfortu-
nate subjects of this narration had re-
sided at ChisJehurst about eight or
nine years ; their mansion is called

xlvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTTR, 1813. [June 1.

Camden -place, and is remarkable as
being the spot from wbfch the late
Lord Camden, who resided there,
took his title. Mr Bonar was upwards
of 70 years old. Perhaps scarce a man
exists in whose praise a more generally-
favourable testimony could be borne.
Both he and his lady have died regret-
ed by all ranks in the vicinity of their
residence.

During Monday, Nicholson, the
footman, did not make his appearance,
and it was allcdgcd that, before he had
given information at Bow-street, he had
gone to a man named Dale, and said to
him, * The deed is done. You are sus-
pected ; but you are not n it.* Dale
was taken up and examined, but clearly
proved an alibi. From this and oth^r
collateral circumstances the lord may-
or was induced to issue a warrant for
the apprehension of Nicholson. When
examined by Sir C. Flower, he was in
such a drunken state that no rational
answer could be obtained from him. —
The coroner's jury, after a most pa-
tient investigation, returned a verdict
of Wilful murder against Nicholson ;
but the evidence has become much less
interesting since the subsequent ample
confession of the murderer. While the
coroner was reading over the deposi-
tions to the several witnesses for their
assent and signature, Nicholson was
permitted to go into a water-closet in
the passage leading to the hall, attend-
ed b/ two of the officers, and the mo-
ment he was released, he cut his throat
with a razor which he had previously
concealed in his breeches. He bled so
copiously, that it was supposed he
could not live many minutes ; but, for-
tunately, Messrs Roberts and Hott,
surgeons, of Bromley, were in attend-
ance, and the latter gentleman seized
the arteries, and contrived with his
mere grasp to stop the blood till the
wound could be sewed up.

On the 7th, in consequence of the
numerous visitors {among whom were

Lord Castlereagh, Lord Camden,
and Lord Robert Seymour) who went
to contemplate the supposed murderer,
Nicholson showed repeated symptoms
of annoyance and agitation. On the
morning of the 8th, at half past six,
Nicholson voluntarily requested Mr
Bramston, the priest, who had been
with him a short time, to bring Mr
Bonar to him immediately ; when Ni-
cholson burst into tears, and, begging
pardon of Mr Bonar, expressed a wish
to make a full confession. Mr Wells
the magistrate, who resides at Brick-
ley.house, in the neighbourhood, was
sent for ; and in his presence Nichol-
8ol made, and afterwards signed, a de^
position, acknowledging himself to be
the murderer. The following parti-
culars may be relied upon : " On Sun-
day night, after the groom left him,
he fell asleep upon a form in the ser-
vants' hall, the room where he was ac-
customed to lie : he awoke at three o'-
clock by dropping from the form : he
jumped up, and was instantly seized
with an idea, which he could not re-
sist, that he would murder his master
and mistress ; he was at this time half-
undressed : he threw off his waistcoat,
and pulled a sheet from his bed, with
which he wrapped himself up ; he then
snatched a poker from the grate of the
servants' hall, and rushed up stairs to
his master^s room : he made directly
to his mistress's bed, and struck her
two blows on the head ; she neither
spoke nor moved ; he then went round
to his master's bed, and struck him
once across the face. Mr Bonar was
roused, and, from the confusion pro-
duced by the stunning violence of the
blow, imagined that Mrs Bonar was
then coming to bed, and spoke to that
effect ; that when he immediately re-
peated the blow, Mr Bonar sprung out
of bed, and grappled him for 15 mi-
nutes, and at one time was nearly get-
ting the better of him ; but being ex-
hausted by loss of blood, he was at

June 1 — 7.]

CHRONICLE.

xlvii

length overpowered, Nicholson then
left him groaning on the floor. He
went down stairs, stripped himself na-
ked, and washed himself all over with
a sponge, at the sink in the butler's
pantry. He next went and opened the
windows of the drawing-room, that it
might be supposed some person had
entered the house that way : he then
took his shirt and stockings which
were covered with blood (the sheet he
had left in his master's room), went
out at the front door, and concealed
his bloody hnen in a bush, cpvering it
with leaves : the bush was opposite the
door, and not many yards from it he
then returned without shutting the
outer door, and went to the servants*
hall ; he opened his window-shutters
and went to bed (it was not yet four
o'clock) ; he did not sleep, though he
appeared to be asleep when King came
for the purpose of wakening him at
half-past six o'clock. He stated in the
most solemn manner, that no person
whatever was concerned with him in
this horrid deed ; and to a question
that was put to him, whether he had
any associate, he answered, how could
he, when he never in his life, before
the moment of his jumping up from
the form, entertained the thought of
murder ? He can assign no motive for
what he did ; he had no enmity or ill-
will of any kind against Mr and Mrs
Bonar. This deposition was regular-
ly given before the magistrate, and at-
tested by Mr A. Cooper, Mr Herbert
Jenner, the Rev. Mr Lockwood, Mr
Hott, and Mr Bonar. Nicholson had
been drinking"a great quantity of the
beer of the house during the Sunday ;
and though it is not stated that he was
intoxicated, yet the quantity might
have had some effect on his senses.
Search was made for the linen, and it
was found in a laurel bush close to the
house, covered with leaves, except
about two inches ; the stockings were
very bloody, and the shirt was also
rent almost to rags about the neck and

front. Nicholson, who before the con-
fession looked gloomy and fierce and
malicious, has, since that period, been
perfectly calm, and has even an air of
satisfaction in his countenance.

Nicholson states that his parents were
Irish, his father a protestant, his mo-
ther a catholic ; he was born and bred
in Ireland, was discharged from the
12th hght dragoons in January last on
account of a broken wrist, and enter-
ed the service of the city remembran-
cer ; from whence, about three weeks
before he committed the horrid deed,
he entered the family of Mr Bonar.
He is a man about the middle height,
(five feet six inches), not bulky, but
well set and muscular. His counte-
nance bears in it a decided resolute
character ; but its features are neither
unfavourable nor unpleasing. His age
is 29 years.

7th. — Murder of Mrs Stephens.
—Mrs Stephens, an elderly widow
woman, who kept a chandler's shop
within 200 yards of the castle inn at
Woodford, was found murdered this
morning. The murder must have been
committed late on Saturday night the
5th instant. Her skull was dread-
fully fractured, and her throat cut ;
her pockets emptied, a quantity of
money taken from the till, and her
watch missing. A man of the name
of W. Corn well, who had been em-
ployed as an ostler at Woodford, was
taken into custody in consequence of
his having given the watch to a public-
an as satisfaction for debt. On being
taken, heacknowledgedthatit had been
in his possession, that he found it on
Sunday morning after the murder, at
four o'clock, close to the pond near the
Castle, inn, where he went to get wa-
ter for his horses. He confessed that
he had been at Mrs Stephens' shop ou
Saturday, the evening of the murder,
and had seen her in her shop about nine
o'clock previously to her shutters be-
ing put up. SeveraKother suspicious
circumstances being brought to light

xlviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [June 15.

before the magistrates, the prisoner
was fully committed for trial.

15th. — Bow-Stheft. — It having
been ascertained that Mrs Stephens,
who had been murdered at Woodford,
had been robbed of nearly a new silver
•watch, and that the maker was Tho-
mas Ridley, of Woodford, No. 154-4',
and this description having been
pretty generally advertised, it has
been the cause of tracing it out, and
of leading to the detection of the mur-
derer.

On Wednesday, a man of the name
of William Corn well, who some time
since worked as an ostler at the Red
X.ion inn-yard in Holborn, but had
left that neighbourhood about two
months since in consequence of being
in debt, called in at the Sun public-
house, in Gate-street, Lincoln's-inn-
fields. The landlady, Mrs Davis, up-
braided him for leaving the neighbour-
hood without paying his score he owed
her. He replied, she need not be sur-
prised if he paid her before he left the
house; and in a short time after he
proposed to Mr Davis, the landlord,
to give him his watch for all. bank-
note, and to clear off his score of four-
teen shillings. Mr Davis declined the
proposition, saying, he had not got a
one-pound note to spare. Cornwell
afterwards proposed to give him his
watch, which is worth 51., to take Mr
Davis's old metal watch, which proves
only to be worth about twelve shillings^
and clear his score^ provided he \yould
give him half-a-crown ; which Mr Da-
vis agreed to, and they exchanged
watches. Mr Davis told a customer
of the exchange he had made, and
•howed him the watch. The latter,
on Monday morning early, having read
theadvertisement,describingthe watch
Mrs Stephens had been robbed of at
the time of the murder, called again
upon Mr Davis, and found the watch
exactly to answer the deecription. Mr
Davis, in consequence, gave informa-

tion at the above office of the discove-
ry. Enquiries were then made respect-
ing Cornwell; and it is ascertained
that on Wednesday morning, previous
to his going to Mr Davis's house, he
had been at the Red Lion and Axe
and Gate inn-yards, in Holborn, and
had offered the watch for sale, or to
exchange it, but could not succeed.
Vickery was dispatched in a chaise to
Woodford, attended by Westbrook,
one of the patrole, it being understood
that Cornwell was at work there. In
the evening, Vickery returned to town
with Cornwell in his custody, when the
business underwent an investigation of
three hours, from eight o'clock till cle*
ven. The officer learned that Corn-
well was in the employ of Mr Pattin-
gale, the proprietor of the Woodford
stage coaches, as an ostler, and had
worked for him during the last five or
six weeks. Cornwell was then at work
in a hay-field, about a mile and a half
from Woodford. Vickery proceeded
after him, and found bim on a cart,
loading it. Vickery told him he had
a warrant against him, and desired him
to come down ; which he very readily
did. The patrole proceeded to hand-
cuff him, and Vickery mentioned the
watch. Cornwell acknowledged that
it had been in his possession, but sta-
ted, that he found it on Sunday morn-
ing after the murder, at four o'clock,
close to the pond, near the Castle inn,
when he went to get water for his hor-
ses. He acknowledged, however, that
he did not tell any body of his priz^
during the Sunday, nor on the Mon-
day, although he had then ascertained
that it was Mrs Stephens's watch. Hq
confessed that he had \>een at Mrs
iStephens's shop on the 3aturday even-
ing of the murder, and had seen her in
her shop about nine o'clock, previous
to her shutters being put up. — Vicke-
ry left him in the custody of the pa-
trole, while he went and searched his
his lodgings and stables. He lodged

June 15.]

CHRONICLE.

slit

at a cottager's but a short distance
from the house of Mrs Stephens, where
he found he slept with a man of the
name of Winterflood. He ascertain-
ed the clothes and other things belong-
ing to Cornwell, and seized them.
Vickery then proceeded to the stables
which Cornwell had the care of. On
a corn-bin he found a pair of corded
breeches which had evidently been
stained with a considerable quantity of
blood, particularly on one of the thighs,
and had since been washed without
soap, they being but partially cleansed.
In another part of the stable he found
a jacket, which had been washed in a
similar way. He took all the things
to Cornwell, at the Castle inn, who
owned them all except the jacket,
which he said was his master's, but he
occasionally wore it ; the stains on it
were with some stuff he washed some
horses' mouths with. The blood on
the breeches was occasioned by bleed-
ing a horse. A new hat and a new
coarse blue coat were found in his lod-
gings ; the former he said he bought
on the Sunday morning after the mur-
der, of Mr Saville, a hatter in Wood-
ford, and paid him with all. Bank of
England note ; the new blue coat he
purchased for U. when he was in Lon-
don, on Wednesday, in the neighbour-
hood of Clare-market, but could not
point out where. The note he paid
for the hat >^4th, he said he had had in
his possession for three months, and
the note he purchased the coat with
he had had by him since last harvest.
— As they were leaving Woodford,
they stopped the chaise at the door of
Mr Saville, the hatter, who recollect-
ed seUing the hat to Cornwell on the
Sunday morning after the murder, but
had not got the ll. note he received
from him : he had unfortunately part-
ed with it that day, but had no doubt
he could get it again, and could iden -
tify it from some particular marks in
red ink on it.

VOL. Vr, PART U.

Mr Thomas Davis, tHe landlord of
the Sun public -house in Gate street,
attended during the examination, and
identified the person of the prisoner,
also the old metal watch found on him
by Vickery, to have been the same he
exchanged for the watch belonging to
the late Mrs Stephens, which was pro-
ved to be her property by Mr Ridley,
the watchmaker, of Woodford.

The prisoner beh ived in a. very in-
decent manner, appearing in a conti-
nued laugh or grin during the whole
of the examination.

On Mr Read asking him what he
had to say, he gave an account of him-
self up to nine o'clock on the Situr-
day evening previous to the murder,
when he stopped short, and said he
would answer no more questions.

Cornwell persisting in refusing to
answer any more questions, or to give
any further -ccount of himself than
up to nine o'clock of the night of the
murder of Mrs Stephens, Mr Stafford
read over to him what he had taken
down of what he had said, and he cor-
rected some trifling errors. He was
then asked if he chose to sign the ac-
count of what had been taken down
in writing of what he had said respect-
ing his conduct, which he did, and
was committed to the house of correc-
tion for further examination.

Cornwell is a native of Cambridge-
shire, and was born within about six
miles of the town of Cambridge. He
is about 24? years of age. He was
employed a few years since by Mr
Moore, at the Axe and Gate inn in
Holborn, and left there about two
years since with Mr Moore. Some
time after that he returned to that
neighbourhood, and was employed at
the Red Lion inn in Holborn, when
he contracted several debts, for one of
which he was summoned to the court
of request in Ful wood's Rents, Hoi J
born, and not paying the instalments
as ordered by the court, an execution
d

1 EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [June 15.

was issued ; to avoid being arrested on him in the neighbourhood of Bethnal-

which he left his place and London Green.

about two months since. He went to ExECUTiON.~On Wednesday morn-
Woodford, and got work there about ning Robert Kennet, for having for-
fivc or six weeks since. He was tried ged a draft for 2,090 . on the firm of
and found guilty 6th August, and ex- Sir Rich. Carr Glynn and Co. was,
ecuted. pursuant to his sentence, executed in
Robbery of the Norwich Mail, the Old Bailey. The unhappy man
—For some time the Norwich mail was brought upon the scaffold at eight
has been repeatedly robbed of bank- o'clock, dressed in a plain suit of
ers' and other valuable parcels to an mourning, and attended by the ordi-
immerse amount. Mr Caldwell, the nary of Newgate, with whom he re-
mail contractor, has exerted himself mained a few minutes in prayer ; du-
in every possible way to discover the ring this short and awful period he ap-
depredators. One of the parcels sent peared to be perfectly resignec: to his
by the mail by Messrs Oakes and Co. fate, which he met with becoming for-
bankers at Bury St Edmunds, direct- titude. Some further particulars of
ed to their agent in London, contain- the antecedent life and connexions of
ed exchequer bills, notes, and bills of the above person may be learnt by re-
exchange, to the amount of 13,0001. ference to the parliamentary debates
Some of the notes, after a little time of 1S09, on the conduct of the Duke
had elapsed, were traced to the ^or- of York ; from which it appears that
ter employed at Biiry, connected with Kennet engaged to advance the sum
the mail. By the continued exertions of 70,0001. to his royal highness upon
of Mr Caldwell, the mail contractor, annuity, with the additional consider-
a number of persons in connexion with ation of a place to be obtained for him
each other have been discovered to be the said Kennet under government,
concerned in carrying on the depre- The negotiation was ultimately bro-
dations. Codlin, the book-keeper at ken off, on intelligence that Kennet
Hertford, has been detected in being was not a man to be trusted,
connected with the porter at Buiy, The library of John Home Tooke,
and the circumstances proved against Esq. by King and Lochee, consisting
them are deemed sufhcicnt to commit of 805 lots, sold for 1251/. 14s. f)d. —
them both to Norwich castle for tri- Among the articles we select the fol-
al. A parcel containing gold watches lowing, which were enriched by his
and jewellery goods, sent by a jeweller notes : —
in London to one of the same trade in Burke on the French Revolu-

Norwich, did not arrive as directed. ^^\^^. ' '. L. 8 12 o

One of the watches which were in this ^"^J- ^^^^.r^J / - ■- Vsl

parcel was lately traced mto the pos- Tooke's ditto 6 15 o

session of Mr Mann, a respectable ca- Harris' Hermes IGOO

binet-maker at Hertford. The ac- Johnson's Dictionary, purchased
count he gave of having possession of by Major James " ;. " " 200 0 O |
the watch^as, that hArdpurcha.^ S'^X^^r^^^^^^^^ 0 0

It of his apprentice, Thomas Mashn, j^outh's Grammar . . - - 5 10 O

who had since run away from his ser- Another Copy 4 1 (^

vice, and be did not know what had Lye, Diet. Saxonicum - - - 34 o 0

become of him. He was afterwards tra- Monboddo on Language 5 70

J ^ T J r\ rjA J 13 1 Oswald on Common Sense - - 4 3 C

Ged to London. On ruesday,Pearkes, pj^^^i^s Synonimy 4 13 0

the Bow- street officer, apprehended Ritson's R.emarks on Shakespeare 7 2 6

June 16—18.]

CHRONICLE.

skinner's Etymologi can Lexicon 7 17 6
Spelman'* Glossar j - - - - - 3 1 7 0
Vossii Opera 12 12 0

RARE ARTICLES WITHOUT HIS NOTES;

191 A lytel Treatise, called the dis-
putacyon ; or, Complaint of the
Herte — Printed by Winkin de

Worde 30 0 0

194 Dives and Pauper, by ditto 16 16 0
499 Nychodemus' Gospel - - 26 5 0
57v) A Book on Purgature - - 17 0 O
759 Virgil by Stainghurst, 1583 - 15 0 0
Upwards of a thousand persons at-
tended the sale, and the books were
divided among a hundred purchasers.
16th. — Ireland — A shocking af-
fair took place at the fair of Carrokeel,
county of Donegal, between a party of
Orangemen and a party of Kibbon-
men, in which a number of lives were
lost. The origin of the quarrel does
not seem to be well understood, it ha-
ving been related in various ways ; but
the contending parties appear to have
met with intentions determinedly mur-
derous, each having supplied them-
selves with arms and ammunition. The
Orangemen, having been worsted in
the onset, retreated to a village, where
they took shelter in some houses, which
their pursuers set on fire. Driven to
desperation, they fired out of the win-
dows, and killed two of their opponents
on the spot : afterwards they sallied
out, with the intention of saving them-
selves by retreat, when they stabbed
another, who is now dead, but, being
overpowered, three of them v/ere kill-
ed. Thus three of each party have
been killed, and, we understand, a great
number have been wounded.

l7th Edinburgh. — Yesterday,

the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and
Council, signed a commission to the
reverend Alexander Brunton, appoint-
ing him Professor of Hebrew and Ori-
ental Languages, in the University of
Edinburgh, in room of Dr Murray,
deceased. Likewise a presentation to
the reverend Walter Tait, minister of
Tealing, in the presbytery of Dundee,
tp be minister of tlie Trinity College

Church of this city, ia room of the
reverend Dr Andrew Grant, translated
to St Andrew's church.

Bibliomania. — Roxburgh Din-
ner.— June 17th, the commemoration
of the first anniversary of the sale of
the far-famed Boccaccio, at the disper-
sion of the Roxburgh library, took
place at the St Alban's Tavern. Earl
Spencer was in the chair, supported
by the Marquis of Blandford, Earl
Cower, Lord Morpeth, Sir M. M,
Sykes, Mr Heber,&c. About twenty-
three choice spirits in the black-letter
line of collecting, were assembled upoa
the occasion, when, instead of the us-
ual toasts of Army and Navy, Church
and King, Lords and Commons, &c.
we understand that scarcely any thing
but the " immortal memories" of
William Caxlon, Wynkyn de Worde,
Richard Pynson, William Faques, &c.
were proposed by the president, and
received with thunders of applause by
the company.

1 8th.- While Mr Browne of Armayle,
Ireland,aiid his family, were sitting in the
parlour at an early hour of the night, ac-
companied by their guest. Surgeon Bra-
ilaford, of the royaldragoons, the house
was beset and entered by a banditti of
armed villains, seven in number, of
whom four took posts as sentries, and
three burst into the parlour. The
leader of them instantly presented a
blunderbuss, and demanded arms ; on
which Mr Browne knocked him down.
Dr Brailsford attacked a second, when
in the conflict one of the villains fired
at him, and another at Mr Browne.
The latter was desperately wounded
by a discharge of small slugs from a
blunderbuss, having received several
of them in the breast and body ; the
former was severely wounded by a pis-
tol-shot in the arm, and had his face
and head savagely cut and mangled.
Dr Brailsford's servant, hearing the
•hots, got a pistol from some part of
the house, and attempted to fire it

til

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [June 18,

in vain ; the powder having been ta-
ken out, although the ball was left in
the pistol. This gallant fidehty cost
the poor fellow his life ; the wretch at
whom he aimed having instantly blown
the contents of a blunderbuss through
his body. The ruffians seemed satis-
fied at the perpetration of these shock-
ing enormities, and left the house,
without taking or searching for any
arms. Mr Browne's recovery is doubt-
ful 5 Dr Brailsford is out of danger.

Yesterday was laid with the usual so-
lemnities, the foundation-stone of the
new bridge over the Clyde at Garion,
near Dalserf, Scotland, in presence of
Sir James Stuart of Coltness, Bart.
Sir Alexander Lockhart of Lee, Bart,
and various other gentlemen .-By means
of thisbridge, a straight and direct road
will be opened up from all the north
of England to the north-west of Scot-
land 5 and those who travel from Car-
lisle to Stirling will by it take a shorter
road, by sixteen miles, than that which
they at present use, which is round by
the bridge across the river at Glasgow.
By this bridge too, on that journey,
they will go by Moffat and Ardrie. In
like manner, by this means, a straight
and direct road will be opened from
Ayrshire to Edinburgh, five miles
shorter than that which is used at pre-
sent by the bridge at Hamilton ; and
in this track travellers will take the
towns of Strathaven,"We8t-Calder, and
Mid-Calder.

A serious accident happened to
Mr Tackle, of Rainham, in conse-
quence of an attack from a dog which
belonged to him. Mr T. had fastened
the dog in his stable, where he made
so much noise, that he went out to
beat him ; when the dog sprung upon
him, and in a moment tore him to the
erounti, seized him by the throat, and
shook him with extreme violence. The
cries of Mr T. brought several per-
sons to his assistance, but the savage
animal would not relinquish his hold

till he was killed. Mr T. was nearly
ten minutes under the power of the
dog, and had one of his finger^ bit off,
is otherwise sevcreiy wounded, and
would undoubtedly have been killed
before any person could have assisted
him, had it not been for his neckcloth ;
he is now doing well.

One T. Standish, of Blackrod, as-
suming himself to be heir of the late
Sir F. Standish, with numerous fol-
lowers, assembled at Duxbury-hall,
near Chorley ; took possession of the
house, and turned out the servants, in
defiance of the peace officers, who ex-
erted themselves on the occasion, and
were personally insulted and abused.
They continued in the house till Sa-
turday, when the magistrates, R. Flet-
cher and J. Watkins, Esqrs, being in-
formed of these proceedings, at the
head of a party of light horse, proceed-
ed to the scene of action. On the ap-
pearance of the military the depreda-
tors began to make off in every direc-
tion, By a proper arrangement, how-
ever, the military surrounded the hall,
and the magistrates demanded admis-
sion ; which not being complied with,
the door was forced, and a crowd of
men, with several women, appeared.
Being warned of the consequence of
resistance, they submitted ; and after
a proper hearing before the magistrates,
Thomas Standish, the assumed heir,
Thomas Prescot, John Dike, William
Gadinan, and Thomas Aspinall, were
committed to Lancaster Castle ; and
sixty other persons were bound over
to answer for their conduct at the next
quarter sessions at Wigan. The free-
booters, during their continuance iii
the hall, had made very free with the
stock of liquors, 6f c.

Broadstairs. — A few nights since,
as some fishermen of this place were
fishing for mackarel at the back of the
Godwin Sands, they discovered a large
fish entangled in their nets, which they
were obliged to cut from their boat to

June 19.]

CHRONICLE.

liii

prevent the clanger that threatened
them. ."Some hours after they fell in
with their nets again, with the fish
completely rolled up in them, and it
appeared nearly exhausted. On their
approaching the fish, it proved to be
of an enormous size ; and, with the
assistance of another boat, they towed
it into the harbour. On examination
it appeared to be of the species of the
basking shark, of the largest male kind;
its length is 31 feet, and its greatest
girth, at the top of the back, 17^ feet ;
it is supposed to weigh about six tons ;
it has five transverse apertures of the
gill on each side, and is of a dark lead-
en colour : the form of the body, like
that of the shark, is tapering ; the up-
per jaw projects considerably beyond
the lower, and is round at the end. A
great number of people came from all
parts of the isle of Thanet to view this
monster of the deep ; and the fisher-
men have been amply paid for the da-
mage sustained by the loss of their
nets. After this fish had been shewn
for three days, the fishermen sold it to
Messrs. Turner and company, fish mer-
chants, who dissected it, and 150 gal-
Ions of excellent oil were drawn irom the
liver alone. The body was taken away
by the farmers* servants for manure.

19th.~-An inquest was taken in Sack-
ville-strcct, Piccadilly, before A. Gell,
Esq. the Westminster coroner, on the
bodyof RogerBrograve, Esq. who shot
himself at his apartments in the above
street, with a duelling pistol, on Mon-
day morning. From a view of the bo-
dy it appeared that the deceased had
the fore- finger of his right hand round
the trigger of the pistol, grasping the
butt, while his left hand gra8j)ed the
barrel. He had evidently introduced
the pistol into his mouth in a sitting
posture in bed, and the ball had lodged
in the back part of his head.

Trilleo, valet to the deceased, sta-
ted, that his master appeared mujh de-

jected since the second spring meeting
at Newmarket, and more particularly
so since Epsom races. Witness follow-
ed his master off the course after the
Derby race, who then mentioned to
him that he had lost an immense sum
of money. This was all the conversa-
tion that passed on the subject. The
deceased had lost his appetite, and wit-
ness thought he had not slept since
Friday night, when he returned from
Epsom. He got up at four o'clock
on the morning of Saturday, apparent-
ly much disturbed, and asked witness
about some keys >yhich he always kept
in his own pocket, and then returned
to bed ; but he had been walking in
the night about the room. He did
not go out on Sunday, nor attempt to
dress ; such a circumstance never had
happened before. As half past nine
on Sunday evening he rang, and asked
witness the hour, who replied, " half-
past nine," and with a significant stare,
the deceased rejoined, ** What ! in the
morning ?" Witness considered him to
have been quite insane two days before
the suicide ; and in this he was corro-
borated by a gentleman, a friend of the
deceased. No report of the pistol was
heard. The jury returned a verdict of
insaniiif.

The deceased was brother of Sir
George Brograve. He was originally
a captain in the second dragoons, and
for some years had sported considera-
bly on the turf. He was originally,
at least of competent, if not ot splen-
did fortune : he was considerably mi-
nus at the last Newmarket meeting ;
and is known to have lost 10,0001,
on the Derby race, in backing the field
against Smolensko. He had, it seems,
gone round to some of his creditors, as
it is supposed, to solicit time ; but
whether or not he met any rebuff is
not known. Monday, the day of pay-
ing and receiving at Tattersall's, was
fast approaching, and the deceased

liv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [June lO—^STl.

could not sustain the shock of meeting
the demands against him, without the
means of discharging them.

This morning two lads of the
names of Eyre and Bishop were found
senseless on a brick-kiln, near the
New-cut, St George's- fields. The
eldest of the two was recovered from
suffocation by medical assistance ; but
the other was completely hfeless. It
is supposed, that they had resorted to
the kiln for the sake of warmth, and
having fallen asleep, were suffocated
by the fumes.

20th. — Last week, Mr Lowe, one
of the constables of Birmingham, ha-
ving ascertained that some premises in
Freeman street were inhabited by peo-
ple employed in coining and forging
bauk notes, proceeded with assistants
to the house, which they found most
strongly barricadoed. They, at length,
succeeded in forcing their way, when
two men, who were within, immedi-
ately threw into the stoves a consider-
ble quantity of thin paper, blanks, dies,
&c. The officers took six persons in-
to custody, with various materials for
coining and forging.

21st. Callender. A sur-
prising occurrence happened here late-
ly. James Balfour, who sometimes
betrays symptoms of insanity, the day
after Cockhill fair, having been irrita-
ted, when in one of these paroxysms,
left his friends and was not heard of
till twelve days after, when he was dis-
covered, by the people of Callender
and the neighbourhood, who had been
collected together en masse for the
purpose of searching for his body by
the sides of the river, snugly lodged in
a den above Brackland Bridge, cover-
ed with straw, and fast asleep. When
roused from his sleep he conversed
freely, and appeared to be in good
health and in his right senses. He a>
verred, when found, that he had taken
ti6 sustenance during his stay in the

den — twelve days— -except occasion-
ally a drink of water.

The following melancholy occur-
rence took place in the neighbourhood
of Dunfermline. A young man be-
longing to the royal train of artillery,
on furlough from his corps, visited his
relations here, and being, it is suppo-
sed, disinclined to return to his tiuty,
went out on pretence of shootingbirds ;
but it appears with the real intent of
maiming himself, for the purpose of
procuring his discharge. In accom-
plishment of his design, he placed his
right hand on the muzzle of the piece,
and drawing the trigger with his toe,
lodged the bullet ( marble ) in his wrist,
which came out through the back of
the hand. The effect was, that he was
seized with a locked jaw, under which
he lingered for some days, when a mor-
tification took place in his head, and
he fell a victim to his own folly.

A coroner's inquest was held lately
on the body of William Allen, tailor,
Kendal, when they returned a verdict.
Died hy excess of drinking. The cir-
cumstances attending the decease of
this unfortunate man were awful and
deplorable. He had called about noon
on his landlord, in perfect health, to
pay his rent, on which occasion spirits
were introduced, when, melancholy to
relate, he plied them so freely (though
he had the character of being a tem-
perate man), that, before eight o'clock,
the Jfig[llo wing morning, he was a corpse
in his landlord's house, (from which
he could not be removed), in spite of
the utmost attention of the faculty
called in to his aid.

A short time back a revenue officer
discovered one hundred ar.d fifty gal-
lons of wine concealed under some
faggots, in a field at Gillingham. An
enquiry was immediately instituted, and
a vessel having arrived at the Victuall-
ing office, Catham, from Deptford,
with a cargo of wine, for the use of

June 21—26.]

CHRONICLE.

the royal navy, a strict search was im-
mediately instituted on board her,
when a variety of implements were
found for the purpose of drawing off
the contents of the casks with which
the vessel might be laden, many of
which were marked with recent stains
of red wine. On an examination of
the cargo, the casks appeared to have
been moved ; a farther examination of
the vessel opened a discovery of such
a nature as convinced the agent vic-
tualler (H. Stokes, Esq.) who has
been indefatigable in his exertions, that
a system of fraud has been carried on
in the vessels in thj victuaUing employ
for a length of time, to a very great
extent. Several persons are in custody
on suspicion of being concerned, and
have undergone several examinations,
but nothing yet has transpired to fix
any individual with a positive c .arge.

RxciNG. — Sir Charles Bunbury,
it is said, has won 20,0001. from three
Dukes by one bet, on his celebrated
colt Smolensk©, now only rising 3
years old.— The bet was, that he would
win, in the present year, the three mat-
ches, viz.

1st. The 2000g8 Stakes at New-
market first Spring meeting, on Tues-
day, May 4.

2d The renewal of the Newmarket
Stakes of .50gs. each, at the same meet-
ing, on Wednesday, May 5.

3d. The Derby Stakes at Epsom,
on Thursday the 3d instant.

All these three matches Smolensk©
won in fine style.

In the first the Judge could place but
three. — Twelve started, and 17 paid
forfeit

In the second the Judge could place
but four.— Ten started, and 14? paid
forfeit.

In the last the Judge could place
but three — Twelve started.

This achievement of Smolensko is,
we understand, unprecedented in the
annals of the turf. • No colt of such
excellence has appeared since Eclipse
astonished the sporting world by his
extraordinary powers. — Smolensko is
one of the gentlest animals in the world.
Echpse had not a good temper.

22d. — Mr Cowan and Mr Coutts,
two masters of vessels, lately effected
their escape from a French prison,
where they had been confined more
than nine years, and were picked up
at sea, in a boat only fourteen feet long,
by the Andromache frigate, Captain
Tobin, while cruising on the coast of
France. They had been furnished with
bread and water, a compass, quadrant,
&c. by an American captain, and were
two days and nights at sea, happily
experiencing^fine weather all the time ,•
but only a few hours after they wer*
picked up, a tremendous gale of wind
came on, with a heavy sea, which con-
tinued more than forty eight hours ;
and had they not been thus timely re-
scued, they most unquestionably must
have been consigned to a watery grave.
The American captain whj assisted in
their escape, has since been taken pri-
soner, and is now at Plymouth. We
have the gratification to add, from sub-
sequent information, that his humanity
was amply rewarded.

26th Corn Laws — Councic-

CH AMBER, Edinburgh.* — The Lord
Provost stated to the Council, that the
committee, appointed on the 2d instant
to consider the proposed alteration of
the corn laws, had framed a report up-
on the subject ; and as the bill for al-
tering these laws was now in its pro-
gress through the honourable House
of Commons, it had been deemed ex-
pedient to call an extraordinary meet-
ing of Council to consider the report,
in order that they might immediately

* Wc have piven at this great length the sentiments and resolutions of the different
public bodies in FAlinburgh oa this subject, for ready reference, hereafter, to a niuB-
ker of our readers, to whom we learnt it would be particularly acceptable.

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S. [June 26.

adopt such measures as the importance
of the subject required.

Baillie Hill then produced the report,
of which the tenor follows :

Edinburgh, June 25, 181 3.

The committee appointed by the
Town Council, on the 26 June instant,
to consider of the proposed alteration
in the corn laws, beg leave to report —

1st, Tiuit from the long period which
has elapsed since the date of their appoint-
ment, it becomes necessary to explain to
the council, that the delay in reporting up-
on the matter remitted to them did not
proceed from any misapprehension, on
their part, of the importance of the subject,
but from information communicated to
them, erroneously it now appears, of its
not being the intention of the honourable
House of « lommons to follow out the re-
port of the select committee appointed to
enquire into the corn trade of the united
kingdom, by any legislative measure, during
the present session of parliament; but the
resolutions of that committee, ordered to
be printed on the 11th May last, having
been adopted by that honourable House,
and a bill, founded upon these resolutions,
introduced for the purpose of altering the
existing laws regulating the importation and
€Xi)ortation of grain, your committee deem
it expedient to call the immediate attention
of the magistrates and council to the sub-
ject, as deeply affecting the interests of the
community.

2d, That your committee have consider-
ed with attention the report of the select
committee of the honourable House of
Commons ; and although that degree of de-
pendence on foreign countries for a suffi-
cient supply of grain, which, it is inferred,
has taken place during the last 21 years,
is much to be deprecated, yet it does not
appear to your committee that the evils
arising from this cause are to be effectually
counteracted, far less the great advance in
the price of corn, which has taken place
during the above period, remedied, by im-
posing the additional restrictions on im-
portation recommended by the committee
of the honourable House.

3d,That by the act 44th George III. cap.
109. (the existing corn law), the high duty
on importation of wheat, which is known
to operate nea.ly as a prohibition, it is to

be paid until the price reaches 63s. per
quarter ; when at that price, but un Jer 66s.
there is payable a duty of 2s. Gd. per quar-
ter ; when at or above 66s. a duty of 6d.
per quarter.

4th, That, by the resolutions of the se-
lect committee, upon which the bill now j
in progress is founded, it is proposed that I
the high duty upon the importation of '
wheat shall be paid till the price reaches
I30s. 2d. per quarter — when at that price,
and till it reaches 135s. 2d. that there shall
be paid a duty of 2s. Gd. per quarter — and
if above 135s. 2d. 6d. per quarter. J

5th, That your committee think it quite ]
unnecessary at present to go minutely in-
to the details upon which the resolutions
of the select committee are founded ; or
to state the difference between the pre-
sent and proposed prices for regulating the
importation of other sorts of grain, — that
of wheat, above stated, being sufficient to
shew the principle of the new plan ; but it
may be further noticed, that tliese prices
are not to be stationary ; for it is proposed
that, on the 1st of January 1314, and on
the 1st of January in each subsequent
year, the prices at which importation at the
first low duty may take place, shall be cal-
culated by adding one-third to the average
price of the preceding twenty years.

6th, That such an advance in the prices
at which grain may be imported, does not
appear to be called for. — Your committee
does not doubt that the united kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland possesses the
means of growing such an additional quan-
tity of corn as w ould supply the consump-
tion of the people, from their own soil, and
they would cheerfully concur in every mea-
sure calculated to promote an object so
desirable ; but they regard the expedient
recommended by the select committee, as
calculated to afford encouragement to agri-
culture at an unnecessary expence to the
great body of the nation.

7th, But, further, the circumstances of
the country are such as to induce your
committee to think that no measure of this
kind is at all necessary, even for the pro-
motion of agriculture. The fact is notori-
ous, that, of late years, the cultivation of
the soil has been prosecuted with an acti-
vity and zeal, and a capital has been en-
gaged in this branch of national industry,
beyond all former example. It is expressly

June 2©— 28.]

CHRONICLE.

Ivii

stated, by the stiect committee themselves
-~" That in Great Britain there has been
3 great increase of tillage during the last
ten years, and tfiat the increase of tillage
in Ireland, during the same period, has
been estimated, by many skilful persons,
at nearly one fourth"— a fact sufficient to
shew that the high and increasing prices of
gram will of themselves proilucc a better
and more extended system of agriculture
but, when viewed in conjunction with the
circumstance stated, also by the select
committee, " That the supply in the last
year (l8l2), was equal to the consumption
for the first time since 1764,** leaves no
doubt in the minds of your committee, that,
under the existing corn laws, all the en-
couragement is afforded to agriculture
which it requires.

8th, From what is above stated, yourcom-
mittee have come to these conclusions : —
1. That the increased importation of grain,
stated in the report of the select com-
mittee to have taken place during the
last 21 years, has arisen not from any ne-
glect of the agriculture of the country,
but from other causes; among which
may be enumerated, the supplies afford-
ed to our troops serving abroad from the
mother country ; the known increase of
population; and the greater consump-
tion of the necesiaries of life, arising
from the more extensive diffusion of
wealth among tJie different classes of the
community.
•2. That the high price to which grain has
of late years attained, in consequence of
this increased consumption, has afford-
ed, and will continue to afford, such en-
couragement to a better and more ex-
tended system of tillage, as may ulti-
mately enable the country to raise the
requisite supplies within itself, under the
existing corn laws.
3d. That the immediate effect of enhan-
cing the importation prices of grain, will
be to raise it to, and to prevent it from
foiling below, those prices ; consequent-
ly, to increase the rates of labour, and
the prices of all kinds of provisions, and
of every article of native j)roduce or
manufacture depending on the price of
grain.

9th, That your committee are, therefore,
humbly of opinion, that it is the duty of
t he Lord frovost, Magistrates, and Coun-

cil, immediately to present petitions to
both Houses of parliament ag-ainst the pro-
posed measure, praying that no advance
may be made in the prices at which the
importation of the different sorts of grain
may take place ; and also for leave to be
heard by counsel, if they shall think ne-
cessary, against the provisions of the bill.
P. HiLL,Preses.
Which report having been consi-
dered by the council, they unanimously
approved thereo f, and resolved imme-
diately to petition parliament against
the proposed measure. — Extracted
from the records.

C. Cunningham, Conj. Clk.

28th Goldsmiths* Hally Edin-

hurgk, — At a meeting of the Incor-
poration of Goldsmiths of Edinburgh^
held here this day, Deacon Howden
stated to the meeting, that a commit-
tee having been appointed by the Tovro
Council of this city, on the 2d instant,
to consider and report on the alteration
proposed to be made on the corn lavrs,
by the bill now depending in parlia-
ment, a report had accordingly been
framed by the committee, which was
produced, and laid before the Town
Council, at an extraordinary meeting,
called to receive and consider the same,
on the 26th instant : That this subject
appeared to him to be of the greatest
importance to the community, and he
had, therefore, considered it his duty to
take this early opportunity of calling
the present meeting, to lay the report
of the committee of the Town Council
before them, and request their opinion
thereon.

The report havmg been then read,
and considered by the meeting, it wis
unanimously resolved,

1. That, thoua;h this incorporation do
not pretend to judge how far the proposed
alteration on the corn laws may be suffi-
cient to produce those effects which arc
the professed object of the measure, there
is just reason to apprehend, that any bene-
ficial effect which may possibly result from
such a measure, will accrue solely to the

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [June 29.

landedand agricultural interests, as the im-
mediate result ot the additional restrictions
on the importation of grain into this coun-
try must necessarily be to prevent it fall-
ing below the importation prices.

2. That the measure now proposed fs
one of the greatest importance, and deep-
ly affecting the interests of tWe community,
and in particular the manufacturing and
mercantile classes, who already labour
under severe privations, and have been re-
duced to great distress by the general stag-
nation of commerce and trade of every
Icind, in so far as every advance in the price
of gr.'.in must necessarily produce an ad-
vance on the rates of labour, and thereby
render it almost impossible for the manu-
facturers of this country to meet those of
"lother countries upon equal terms in a fo-
reign market.

3. That, in these circumstances, the pro-
posed alteration in the corn laws, not only
merits the most serious consideration of
the manufacturing and mercantile classes
of tiie community, but also calls for the
most prompt and energetic adoption of
those constitutional privileges and means
Avhich the subjects of this country enjoy,
to oppose the bill now pending in parlia-
ment, and prevent the proposed measure
fi'om being carried through and passed in-
to a law.

4. That tills Incorporation cannot help
expressing their surprise and regret, that a
measure of such vital importance to the
great body of the nation, should have been
introduced in parliament at so late a period
of the session.

5. That this Incorporation do highly ap-
prove of the report of the committee of the
Town Council, and of the resolution oi'the
Town Council thereon, to petition parlia-
ment against the proposed alterition in the
corn laws ; and that this Incorporation will
^\'C their most cordial co-operation and
support to every legal and constitutional
measure for opposing the alteration now
proposed to be made on the corn laws.

6. That these resolutions be signed by
the deacon, and inserted in all the Edin-
burgh, and one of the Glasgow newspapers,

(Signed) Francis IIowden, Deacon.
Extracted Irora the records of the In-
corporation, by

Sam. Cujcningiiam, Clerk.

29th.— 5A7n?ifr5* Hall, Edinburgh

This day the Incorporation of

Skinners and Furriers being assembled,
and their meeting duly consdtuted,
the preses laid before them a printed
minute of an extraordinary meeting of
the Town Council, dated 26th current,
containing a report of a committee
v.'hich had been appointed by them,
to consider the bill now in its progress
through the honourable House of
Commons for altering the corn laws ;
and also, an unanimous resolution of
the Town Council consequent upon
said report, immediately to petition
parhament against the proposed mea-
sure.

Which report and resolution being
read, and maturely considered, the
meeting unanimously and most cordial*
ly approve of the same, and appoint
this extract to be inserted in the Edin-
burgh newspapers.

Harie Guthrie, Clk.

Magdalene Chapel. June 28M.
At an extraordmary meeting of
the Incorporation of Hammermen,
the deacon informed the meeting, that
he had called the members of the in-
corporation together, in order to bring
under their notice certain resolutions
of a select committee of the House of
Commons, upon which it was under-
stood that leave had been given to bring
in a bill to alter the existing corn laws,
iind, in particular, greatly to increase
the rates at which foreign grain may
be imported, and he laid before the in-
corpcoration the minute of a meeting of
the Town Council of Edinburgh, con-
taining certain resolutions, in regard
to this measure, dated the 26th instant ;
t All which having been considered
by the incorporation, it was resolved
unanimously,

1- That the thanks of this incorporation
are duo to the Lord Provost, Magistrates
and Council, for their attention to the in-
terest of the community, in adopting mea-
sures of decided opposition to any altera-
tion in the existing corn laws, at this par*
ticular time.

June ^9.]

CHRONICLE.

2. That this meeting contemplates'with
serious apprehension any attempt to in-
crease the importation prices of grain, be-
cause such a measure, if carried into effect,
appf-ars to them calculated to efford en-
cotiragement to the agriculturist at the ex-
pence of the manufacturing and labouring
» classes of the community.
_ S. That the rapid increase, of late years,

made in agricultural improvement, and the
great capital now employed in rural affairs,
are such as to convince the members of
this incorporation, that no legislative mea-
Bure is required for the further encourage-
ment of the cultivators of the soil, but that
the high prices to which grain has arisen,
and at which, from the circumstances of
the country, it is likely to continue, will,
without the intervention of parliament,
secure due attention to this essential
branch of national industry.

4. That the difficulties and embarrass-
ments to which the labourer and mecha-
nic have of late been reduced, and the pri-
vations which they suffer, ought to avert
any permanent tax from this class of socie-
ty ; for it does not seem to this incorpo-
ration that the circumstances of the coun-
try, or its commercial relations, are such
as to hold out any hope of being able to
afford such an increase of wages as any
permanent advance in the price of grain
must necessarily infer.

5. That no sufficient grounds have been
slated for the proposed measure ; that it
appears unjust and oppressive, inasmuch
as it holds cut encouragement to the agri-
cultural interest, which is not in a situa-
tion to require it, at the expence of the
great body of the people, who are unable
to bear any advance in the prices of the
necessaries of life.

(3. Tliat petitions be therefore humbly
submitted to both houses of parliament,
praying that no alteratiort may be made in
the existing corn laws, at least that no ad-
vance may take place on the prices atwhich
grain may be imported ; and that the dea-
con be authorised to sign and seal the said
petitions, in the name and on the behalf
of the incorporation, and forward the same
to Lord Viscount M«Iville, and Mr Dun-
das^ to be presented.

Wi LM, A RMSTRONG, Deacon.

29th.— At Edinburgh, this day, the

united Incorporations of Wrights and
Masons being duly assembled, there
was laid before them the report of a
committee, appointed by the Town
Council of this city, relative to the bill,
now pending in the House of Commons,
for augmenting the prices at whicn com
is to be admitted to importation from
foreign parts, together with the reso-
lutions of the Town Council to oppose
the said bill in parliament ;

Which having been most seriously
and deliberately considered by this
meeting, they do unanimously approve
of the said report and resolution, as be-
ing calculated to prevent a bill from
passing into a law, which, in its conse-
quences, would enhance the price of
provisions, already so high, and there-
by bear hard on all ranks of society,
but more especially on labourers and
manufacturers of every description.

From a regard to the general wel-
fare of the country, this meeting would
most cordially concur in any reasonable
measure for the improvement of its
agriculture, but they cannot help think-
ing, that the present and late prices of
corn hold out sufficient encouragement
to the farmer, without resorting to a
scheme whicfi would bear so hard on
the other classes of the community.

The meeting, having thus publicly
expressed their sentiments upon this
most important subject, do earnestly
invite all public bodies to concur in
opposing, by all lawful means, this
measure, which appears fraught with
ruin, in the first instance, to the manu-
facturers, and ultimately to the landed
interest itself.

The meeting order the above resolu-
tions to be inserted in all the Edinburgh
newspapers, and in the London Courier
and Morning Chronicle.

Extracted from the records by
Alex. Gardner, Clerk.

At a meeting of the Incorporatioil
of Tailors in Edinburgh, held on the

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

[June 20.

28th current, the Deacon Convener re-
presented, That he had called the in-
corporation together for the purpose of
considering certain alterations proposed
to be made on the corn laws, by a bill
now depending in the House of Com-
mons, which appeared to him to be of
the utmost importance to the commu -
nity. The proposed alterations would
enhance the price of corn, to the great
prejudice of the labouring classes, whose
burdens were now greater than they
had ever been at any former period. In
deliberating on this subject, he consi-
dered it his duty to lay before the meet-
ing the report of a committee appointed
by the Magistrates and Town Council
of Edinburgh forthat purpose, of which
the Magistrates and Council had unani'
mously approved on the '^6th of June
current, when they resolved to petition
parliament against the proposed altera-
tions in the corn laws. This report
met with his unqualified approbation,
and he had no doubt it would also be
approved of by the meeting.

The report of the committee of the
Council was then read to the meeting,
and, after maturely considering the sub-
ject, they unanimously approved of that
report, and instructed the Deacon Con-
vener to use his utmost exertions, in
assisting the Lord Provost, Magis-
trates, and Town Council, to counter-
act the proposed measure, as one which
could not fail to be productive of the
most injurious consequences to that class
of society who were both the most nu-
merous and most necessitous.

The meeting ordered the above reso-
lution to be published in the Edinburgh
Evening Courant, the Caledonian Mer-
cury, the Edinburgh Advertiser, and
the Weekly Journal.

Wm. Eraser, Junior,
Deacon Convener.

At a meeting of the incorporation of
Bakers of the city of Edinburgh, held
on the 2bith current, Deacon John

Murray stated, that he had called this
extraordinary meeting of the mcorpora-
tion, in order to lay before them, for
their consideration, a report of the
Town Council of this city, respecting
the propoaed alteration oft) e corn laws ;
and the same havmg been considered
by the incorporation, they unanimously ,
coii)cide, and agree in opinion, that the j
present circumstances of the country '
do not by any means call for an advance
in the price at which grain may be im-
ported. That the encouragement which
is thereby intended to be afforded agri-
culture, will be obtained at an enor-
mous and unnecessary expence : That
the zeal with which the agricultural
art has been prosecuted of late years,
the capital which has been employed,
and the success with which these exer-
tions have been crowned, prove this
beyond a doubt, and must satisfy every
person, that no circumstances whatever
can tend more effectually to produce
an extended system of agriculture than
the high and increasing prices of grain ;
that being the case, the incorporation
are decidedly of opinion, that the ex-
isting corn laws afford to agriculture
every encouragement it requires. The
incorporation, therefore, hereby autho-
rise Deacon Murray, their representa-
tive in council, to concur with the
Town Council in taking such steps as
may appear to them proper for prevent-
ing any alteration upon the existing
corn laws.

The incorporation ordered this mi-
nute to be inserted in the Edinburgh
Evening Courant and Mercury, and
London Courier and Times.

Extracted from thp records of the
incorporation by

Ro. Henderson, Clerks

29th. Edinburgh. Websters*

Convening- house. — The incorporation
of Websters being duly called and con-
vened, and having deliberately consider-
ed a report of the committee of the

JUNB 29.]

CHRONICLE

Town Council, relative to the proposed
alteration upon the corn laws, with the
resolution ot the ooncil to petition
parliament against the said alterauon.

The incorporation unaninioufily and
most cordially approved of the said re-
port and resolution in all points, and
resolved to concur with the other in-
corporations of this city, in such pro-
ceedings as may appear most effectual
for preventing the adoption of the pro-
posed measure, so repugnant to sound
policy, and fraught with the most in-
jurious consequences to almosc every
class of the community,

I'he incorporation further resolved
that an extract of these minutes be pub-
lished in the Edinburgh Evening Cou-
rant, Caledonian Mercury, and Edin-
burgh Star. Thomas Thomson, D.

28th. — At a meeting of the incor-
poration of Waukers, the report of the
committtee of the Town Council of
Edinburgh, of date the 25th instant,
against the proposed alteration in par-
liament of the corn laws, having been
taken into consideration, the report
was unanimously approved of by th
members, who resolved to join all th
aid in their power to oppose any al-
teration of the existing laws, which
unanimous resolution they ordered to
be published in the Edinbuigh Evening
Courant, Mercury, Correspondent, and
Advertiser. — Extracted from the re-
cords.

Jas. Waddel, Clerk.

At a meeting of the incorporation of
Bonnet. makers and Dyers of Edin-
burgh, held this day. Deacon Lawrie
stated, that he had convened the mem-
bers of the incorporation, for the pur-
pose of laying before them a report
drawn up by a committee of the Town
Council of this city, and approved by
the council, respecting the alteration
proposed to be made on the com laws,
by a bill now depending in parliament,

a subject which, he was satisfied, would
be considered of the highest import-
ance, not only to the country in gene-
ral, but particularly so to the manufac-
turing and trading interests, with which
the prosperity of this incorporation is
intimately connected.

The report having been read and
considered by the meeting, it was re-
solved unanimously,

ibt. Tliat as 11 is now generally allow-
ed, that attempts, by statutory interference,
to force a greater part of the industry of
the country into any channel than what
would have gone to it in the ordinary
course of affairs, ought only to be resorted
to in cases of great necessity, there is rea-
son to fear that the projwsed rise on the
price at which importation of grain is to
be permitted, would, if carried into a law,
tend to raise the price of all the necessa-
ries of life, and consequently the expence
of manufacture, and the price of manufac-
tured goods, without ultimately benefiting
the landliolders of the country.

2d. That any experiment of the sort
proposed appears to be highly inexpedient,
at a time when all classes of the commu-
nity, and particularly the manufacturing,
trading, and labouring classes, are suffering
so much from a general stagnation, as well
as precariousness of trade.

3d. That for these and many other very
obvious reasons, this incorporation do most
lieartily approve of the resolutions come
to by the Town Council of this city, and
more particularly of the resolutions to pe-
tition parliament against pai^sing the pro-
posed corn bill into a law ; to which last
resolution, and to every other legal and
constitutional mode of opposing the sju'd
bill, this incorporation pledge themselves
to give their cordial concurrence and sup-
port ; and the meeting authorise their Dea-
con to sign these resolutions in their
name, and to cause publish the same in
the Edinburgh newspapers.

(Signed) Alex. Lawrie, Deacon.
Convening Room, Chalmers Ciose^
June 29.

At a meeting of the incorporation
of Hamir.ermen of Easter and Wester
Portsburgh, held in the Convening
6

hii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S. [June 29.

House, on the 29th curt. Deacon — — __

Drysdale represented to the meeting,
that the Town Council of Edinburgh
had appointed a committee, on the 2d
instant, to consider and report on the
proposed alteration on the corn laws,
by the bill now pending in parliament,
and a report had accordingly been
made by the committee to the Town
Council, at an extraordinary meeting,
called on the i^6th instant, to take the
same into consideration ; that he con-
ceived this subject of very great im-
portance to the public, and he had,
therefore, considered it incumbent up-
on him to call this meeting to lay the
said report before theni for their opi-
nion.

The meeting, having considered the
said report, unanimously came to the
following resolutions : —

1st. That this incorporation are alarmed
at the alteration proposed in the corn law,
and dr ad the consequences that will re-
sult to them as individuals, and to the
body of the nation at large, considering
the present awful crisis, with regard to the
stagnation of trade and dearth of the mar-
kets.

^2d. That they regret that a measure of
such vast importance should have been
introduced at this advanced period oithe
session, and trust that the further conside-
ration thereof will be postponed until next
session, and that the wisdom of parliament,
after mature deliberation, will reject the
proposal, as involving consequences fatal
both to individuals and the manufacturing
and commercial interest of the nation.

3d. That this incorporation approve of
the resolutions of the Town Council to
petition parliament against the proposed
alteration in the corn laws, and that the
thanks of this meeting should be return-
ed to the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and
Town Council, for their meritorious ef-
fort in checking the progress of an act so
injurious to the country at large.

4th. That these resoluUons be signed
by the Deacon, and published in the Edin-
burgh Evening Courant, the Caledonian
Merciiry, and the Edinburgh Advertiser,
of this city.

W. S. Drysdale, Deacon.

AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
England.— The hay harvest, which
commenced early in June, is nearly fi-
nished in the vicinity of the metropo-
lis, and in full activity throughout the
country. The crop, somewhat con-
trary to expectation, is not heavy,
excepting of clover and the artificial
grasses, which are abundant. — The
stock of both old hay and straw is
very large.

Turnip sowing is scarcely commen-
ced yet, and unless some warm show-
ers fall, will be late. Barley and oats
are particularly in want of rain and
warm weather, looking but indiffer-
ently. Pease and beans good. — Rye
and tares have been much taken off
by the slug, of which the breed this
year is immense, and great damage
will probably accrue from them to the
coming turnip crop, on which account
the Earl of Thanet's and Mr Greg's
practice lately published, is strongly
to be recommended. In the greatest
probability, the damage done to the
turnip plant, usually attributed to the
fly, is really effected by young slugs.
Hops are promising, but will soon
want warm showers. Apple and cher-
ry trees much injured by blight. Oni-
on crop generally bad.

Wheat is an irregular crop. Much
has looked ill and defective through-
out the season, which portion the late
cold and blighting weather has by no
means improved. Some well-planted
wheats, upon fine and thorough-cul-
tivated lands, m.ake a most luxuriant
display. In some districts the weak
and inferior wheats were much beatcu

down by the rains. The stock of j

English wheat in the country, accord- J
ing to report, is small.

Cattle markets still continue high, m
the country, both for fat and lean
stock; the latter however has been
somewhat reduced in price by the
coldness of the weather, which is much

June 30 ]

CHRONICLE.

Ixlti

against the growth of keep, and the
former fell Is. per stone for mutton
and beef, during last week. A defect
of the solar heat, without which nei-
ther the vegetable nor its seed can be
perfected, has been most remarkable
during the preceding month.

The lambing season has proved a
prolific one, and the accounts are ge-
nerally favourable about the recovery
of the Down flocks from the rot,
with which they *'*id been so much af-
fected.

M<D- LOTHIAN. — We always expect
the June month to be very warm,
but this has not been the case this
season, it being cold throughout, ex-
cept three or four days of the last
week, which were exceedingly warm
and nourishing for the gruwing crops
of every description. On the whole,
however, it has been favourable for
turnip sowing, and for cleansing the
drilled potatoes, beans, &c. Wheat
has the appearance of being an abun-
dant crop, a!id not to be too late.
Other grains have not generally the
same rich and plentiful aspect at pre-
sent, but the weather may make up
what is wanting before it comes to the
sickle. Some of the thinnest and worst
fields of hay are begun cutting within
these few days past. The grain mar-
keta have been without much variation,
except wheat, which has fallen 3s. or
4s. per boll during the month. The
butcher markets are plentifully sup-
plied with good meat, at nearly the
former prices, and lamb is coming on
fast, in excellent condition. — June^O.
Middle Ward OFLANARK^HiitE.-
The dry warm weather, which com-
menced about the 26th May, has con-
tinued,with httle interruption, through
the whole of the month of June, and
has, since the 2o6. inst. been hotter, and
the sun less clouded, than for so long
a period during any part of the two
preceding summers. From the ground
having been so fliuch drenched in the

month of May, and aome mild show-
ers, that fell during this month, the
drought has not yet been injurious, but
if it continues much longer without
some rain, the pasture on dry land will
be hurt ; indeed the clay lands that
were so wet about five weeks ago are
beginning to be much dried. In every
other respect, however, the drought,
and especially the heat and sunshine,
are highly propitious to the growth of
grain and roots. Our cHraate is not
so much hurt by the quantity of rain
that falls, as from the length of time
that the light of the sun is obscured by
continued slow rains. A few weeks
(or even a few more days now and then)
of sunshine would have rendered the
last crop the best that ever grew ; but
from the sun being so much obscured,
the gram was deficient in quality.

The crop, on dry land which is in
good condition, where it was early
sown — the seed good — and the worms
(or what goes by that name) have not
destroyed the plants — never had a bet-
ter appearance. But in strong clay
land, of a meagre quality and high al-
titude, or where the ground has been
overburdened with moisture, the crop
has been much hurt, and in some pla-
ces almost lost, by the heavy rains in
May. From that, the weakness of
the seed, and the worming, the crop
has suffered much, and been kept back
during the month of May. But the
present warm and clear weather has
already revived it much.

From the drenching rains in Febr?J-
ary and March, the cold nipping frost
and piercing east winds in April, after
the ryegrass had sprung too far to bear
such weather, and the heavy cold rains
about the middle of May, the ryegrass
turns out a medium crop only.

The hay harvest now going forward
has been highly favourable. But, as
usual, too many farmers injure their
hay and their ground, by allowing the
gras.s to ripen its seeds before being

Ixiv

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813, [July 1,

cut. Except where seed is an object,
the grass ought to be cut much soon-
er than is generally done. The pas-
ture land continues productive, and all
sorts of live stock fare well.

The fruit on the banks of the Clyde
has been greatly injured by the severe
weather in April, and will turn out far
below a medium crop.

The markets have remained steady
during the month of June, The bad
seed, depredations of the worms, and
cold rains in April, prevented the price
of grain falling so much as it might
otherwise have done ; and the propo-
sed alterations on the corn laws will
have a similar effect.

Fashions. — Promenade Dress. —
A plain morning gown, of fine cam-
bric or jaconetmuslin, withlong sleeves,
and front cut low at the bosom, appli-
qued with a lace ; a shirt of the same,
with a full- gathered frill round the
throat. A Pomeranian mantle of jon-
quille satin, trimmed round with a
deep white lace.

Evening or Ball Dress. — A Gre-
cian round robe, of lilac or apple-blos-
som crape, worn over a white satin
petticoat. A satin bodice, the colour
of the robe, ornamented with white
beads and drops, a la militaire ; the
same continued down the front of the
dress ; short Circassian sleeves, with
similar ornaments ; a deep vandyke
trimming of lace, or lilac. Angola
silk, round the bottom of the robe.
An Indian turban, of silver frosted
crape, decorated with pearl or white
beads ; and a bunch of spring flowers
beneath, blending with the hair over
the left eyebrow.

In the walking costume we have
little variety to announce to our fair
readers. Spensers are universal. Silk
scarfs are also high in estimation ;
and black lace shawls begin to be very
general.

In the carriage costume we have

noticed a very elegant novelty ; it is
the tippet cloak, coDiposed of alter-
nate stripes of white lace, and green
satin ribband of different shades ; the
form of this elegant cloak is that of a
tippet behind, but in front it hangs
something lower than the waist, and is
rounded at the corners ; it is trimmed
with a rich white lace, and instead of
a cape, a double frill of lace at the
neck.

Walking bonnets f willow shavings
are very general, and extremely neat.

Caps are more generally worn than
bonnets, in the carriage costume.

For full dress, crape is universal ;
the robe a-la-Russe is composed either
of crape or fine white lace ; it is made
quite loose in the body, a demi-train,
and open on one , side in front ; the
bosom and back of the neck are dis-
played as much as possible ; it is con-
fined to the waist by a white silk gir-
dle, fastened in front by a diamond
clasp ; the sleeves also, v/hich loop up
very high, are ornamented with dia-
monds.

JULY.

1st. — Corn Laws. — At a nume-
rous meeting of the company of mer-
chants of the city of Edinburgh, held
this day in Merchants* Hall, Andrew
Bonar, Esq. banker, in the chair, — The
master stated, that he had called the
present meeting to consider a proposed
alteration in the corn laws, the object
of a bill lately brought into parliament,
and now in its progress, which had
created much surprise to the country
at large, and which, in its consequen-
ces, deeply affected the interests of
every class of the community ; and the
members having deliberated on the
subject, the following resolutions were
unanimously adopted ; —

SVLY 1.]

CHRONICLE.

Ixv

1st. That the agricultural, commercial,
and the manufacturing interests of the
country are so closely blended, that it seems
as unwise as it is inexpedient to adopt any
public measure to protect and encourage
one of these interests at the hazard of af-
fecting and injuring any of the others.

2d. That it has been incontrovertibly
ascertained by evitience upon the records
of parliament, that, for a period of upwards
of forty years, Great Britain has not raised
from its own soil, grain sufficient for the
consumption of its inhabitants ; and that
hence it is evident, that the agriculturist
must have had the strongest possible en-
couragement for his exertions in the im-
provement of the soil.

3d. That the prices at which importa-
tion from abroad is prohibited, must ne-
cessarily regulate, if not fix, the lowest
price at which grain at home can be ob-
tained, and that consequently the infalli-
ble result of the present measure to raise
the import prices, will be greatly to raise
the price of every sort of grain.

4th. That it does not appear to this
company to require any legislative measure
to encourage the agriculturist, by raising
the import prices of grain, particularly at
the obvious hazard of hurting other classes
of the community, and while it is establish-
ed by the report of the committee of par-
liament itself, that the encouragement
which agriculturists already enjoy from the
high prices of grain of late years, has, in
the course of last year, pr )duced a supply
equal to the consumption ; and while it is
a fact within the knowledge of every one,
that the present high prices of grain bear
hard upon every description.

5th. That the object of the present bill,
therefore, and the exorbitant rise proposed
upon the importation prices, seem justified
by no discoverable reason, and the compa-
ny deeply regret the introduction of a bill
of this kind, involving so many important
considerations, and requiring (he utmost
deliberation, at the present advanced pe-
riod of the session.

6th. That this company will most cordi-
ally unite with the Lord Provost and Ma-
gistrates, and with the other public bodies
throughout the kingdom, in petitions to
both nouses of parliament, praying that
HO advance whatever may be wade on the

VOL. VI. PART. II.

prices at which grain may be imported ;
and that petitions for this purpose may be
immediately prepared, signed by the mas-
ter in name of the company, and transmit-
ted to the Right Hon. William Dundas,
member for the city, with a request that
he will present the same to the House of
Commons, and to Lord Viscount Melville,
requesting his lordship to do this company
the honour to present the same to the
House of Lords.

Andrew Bonar, Master.

James Jolue, Clerk.

At a meeting of the incorporation
of Cordiners of Edinburgh, held with-
in their hall the 29th June, 18 13,— The
incorporation having taken into their
consideration the bill now pending in
parliament, with regard to the corn
trade, and the report of a committee
of the magistrates and council of this
city relative thereto, they unanimously
resolved,

That a matter of more importance to
the interests of the community, whether
in relation to their internal or external
comfort and advantages, can seldom or
never occur, than that now under consi-
deration, for the regulation of the prices
of corn, and consequently of all the other
necessaries of life.

That the prosperity of this country is
not less advanced by it? manufacturing
and mercantile exertions and adventure
than by its progress in agriculture. While,
therefore, they are disposed to promote
every means of increasing the cultivation
of the soil and the prosperity of the pro-
prietor, they would most seriously depre-
cate any plan suggested for this purpose
at the expence, and perhaps the ruin, of
the merchant, the manufacturer, the arti-
san, and labourer ; while these plans, too,
are at best but of doubtful success.

That, with these sentiments, the incor-
poration cannot view, without alarm, the
restrictions upon the importation of grain,
proposed by the bill now under consider-
ation of the legislature. They are con-
vinced, that, if carried into a law, they
would become immediately burdensome
to the industrious and labouring commu-
nity, and ultimately tend to great nationid
c

Ixvi

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [July 1,

disadvantage, by preventing a competition
with foreigners, whose means of" subsist-
ence are more easily procured.

That, therefore, the regulations propo-
sed 'jy the bill would be oppressive, impo-
litic, and unjust ; that they entirely approve
of the resolutions of the Lord Provost,
Magistrates, and Council, and determine
to concur in such measures as may be pro-
per and necessary to prevent the passing
of the bill.

The incorporation farther recommend
to other public bodies to take the matter
into their speedy and most serious consi-
deration.

(Signed) John Aird, Deacon.

Extracted by Will. In^es, Clerk.

At a meeting of the incorporation
of Hammermen, Canongate, held this
day. Deacon Robb stated, that he had
called this meeting of the members of
the incorporation for the purpose of
laying before them the report of the
committee appointed by the Town
Council of Edinburgh, relative to the
bill, now pending in the House of
Commons, for augmenting the prices
at which corn is to be admitted to im-
portation from abroad, together with
the resolutions of the Town Council
to oppose the said bill in parliament.
Which report having been duly consi-
dered, they were unanimously of opi-
nion

1st. That, considering the high rents of
land, and the price of corn of late years,
in Great Britain, and the consequent in-
crease of capital employed in the cultiva-
tion of land, there was no necessity for
any additional encouragement to agricul-
ture at the expence of trade and manufac-
tures, and to the distress of the labouring
classes of the community. — And,

2d. That any interference on the part
of the legislature to prohibit the importa-
tion of grain from abroad, unless at prices
so much higher than is at present permit-
ted by the existing laws, must have the
effect greatly to enhance the price of corn,
and otlier necessaries of life, to the com-
munity, at a time when, from the distress-
ed state of trade and manufactures, the

country was not able to bear it, and was
therefore highly inexpedient and hurtful.

The meeting accordingly approved of
the resolutions of the Lord Provost and ]
Magistrates of the city, to oppose the pre-
sent hill, for an alteration of the corn laws
regarding foreign im[)ortation, being pass-
ed into a law ; and direct the deacon to
sign those resolutions, and that he cause
them to be inserted in the newspapers.

Alex. Robb,
Convenery-room, Morocco's Close,
Canongate, July 1 .

At a meeting of the society of in-
corporated trades of Calton, called by
the preses, for considering the tenden-
cy of the bill proposed to be introduced
into parliament, relative to the altera-
tion in the corn laws, the following
resolutions were unanimously adopted :

1st. It IS the opinion of this meeting that
the bill is inipolitic in principle, and that
it will prove most oppressive in its opera-
tion, in so far as its effects will be chiefly
felt, by that most useful chsss of society,
the manufacturers and labourers, at a time,
too, when every branch of labour and
commerce is greatly circumscribed; and
it is well known that the individuals which
compose this society are of the above de-
scription.

2d. That the object of this bill is framec
for the interest of the landholder, to th<
apparent disadvantage of every other class
of the community.

3d. It is the opinion of this meeting,
that, were this bill to pass into a law, ii
would ultimately operate even against the
landholders themselves, in so far as it
might be the means of compelling the ar-
tisan and labourer to emigrate to a foreign
country.

4th. This meeting apprehend that th«
unexampled high price of provisions holds
out ample encouragement to the farmei;
to cultivate his wa-te lands; and as a
proof that he has done so, we have only
to look to the unprecedented high price
of butcher meat, occasioned solely from
the farmer finding it more for his interest
to throw his improved lands into tillage
than rearing csttle.

5th. This meeting most earnestly re
commend to their fellow-citizens, and th<

July 2.]

CHRONICLE.

Ixvii

public in general, to come forward and tes-
tify their decided disapprobation of a bill
so pernicious in its principle, and fraught
with such serious and incalculable conse-
quences to the community at large.

6th. That this meeting shall heartily
concur in every lawful and constitutional
measure, along with other societies, in
praying the honourable House of Com-
mons to make no alteration in the present
existing corn laws.

Thereafter, it was unanimously resol-
ved, that the thanks of the society shall
be transmitted to the Right Honourable
William Creech, Lord Provost, and the
honourable Magistrates of Edinburgh, for
the early and active measures they have
taken, in giving information to the public
of a business in which its interests are so
deeply involved.

Ihe thanks of the meeting were also
given to Mr Samuel Wordsworth, the
preses, for having called them together, in
order to have an opportunity of express-
ing their sentiments ;

And appointed these resolutions to be
inserted in the London and Edinburgh
newspapers.

Extracted from the minutes of said so-
ciety by Will. Foubes.

Calton of Edinburgh,
July 2d.

At a meeting of the incorporation
of Wrights, Masons, Slaters, Glaziers,
and others, held in their convening-
house, Leith, this day, they were una-
nimously of opinion. That the alter-
ations proposed in parliament of the
existing corn laws would tend much
to the disadvantage of the labouring
classes of the community, and that the
more especially in these necessitous
times, when trade was almost at a
stand in this as well as in other places
of the kingdom ; and, therefore, resol-
ved to petition parliament against such
calamitous measures ; and that the in-
corporation heartily coincide with every
public body to prevent such alterations,
which appear to them not only preju-
dicial to tradesmen in general, but
must ultimately be ruinous to the coun-

try at large ; and appoint the same to
be inserted in the Edinburgh Courant,
Advertiser, Correspondent, and Lon-
don Courier.
(Signed) Peter Lamb, D. W.

Geo. Anderson, D. M.
Extracted from the incorporation's
records by

A. Neilson Lamb, Clk.
Leith, 2d July.

At a meeting of the society of Bar-
bers of Edinburgh, held on the Ist of
July, 1813, the preses stated, that he
had convened this meeting for the pur-
pose of submitting to them a report of
the committee appointed by the Town
Council of this city, to consider the
proposed alterations on the corn laws,
upon which theTown.Council had una-
nimously resolved to present petitions
to both houses of parliament against
the bill now in its progress through
the House of Commons, respecting
the duties payable on the importation
of grain.

The meeting, having seriously consi-
dered the said report, coincide entirely
in opinion with the committee, that the
proposed increase on the duties on im-
ported grain is not necessary at present
for the encouragement of agriculture,
and will add greatly to the pressure al-
ready so severely felt by the middle and
lower classes of the people, owing to
the unavoidable burdens of a long-pro-
tracted and expensive war This meet-
ing do therefore cordially approve of
the said report, and concur with the
resolutions adopted by the Town Coun-
cil in consequence thereof; and they
unanimously voted the thanks of the
society to the Lord Provost, Magis-
trates, and Council of Edinburgh, for
the attention they have shewn to the
interests of the community on this oc-
sion.

The meeting request the preses to
communicate the above vote of thanks
to the Lord Provost and Magistrates,

Ixviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [July 2.

and they appoint an extract of this
minute to be inserted in the Edinburgh
Evening Courant, Caledonian Mercu-
ry, and Correspondent.

(Signed) Wm. West, Preses.

Extracted by
Will. Balderston, Conj. Clk.

1 St.— -Last night the Prince Regent
gave a ball and supper to a numerous and
splendid party. By the heavy and in-
cessant rain which fell during the day,
considerable damage was done to the
tents erected on the lawn at Carlton-
house, and it was feared they could not
be used ; however, the preparations
went on. The entrance to these tem-
porary erections was from the supper-
rooms, along a temporary passage about
sixty yards in length, boarded, and co-
vered in with canvas, lined with green
glazed cotton, decorated with artifici-
al flowers, and the whole illuminated
by chandeliers at proper intervals.
The tents were arranged on each side
of this passage or promenade, and their
entrances were hung with curtains,
festooned with artificial flowers. The
tents were eighteen in all, and supper
was to be laid in each of them for
twenty-eight persons. At the extre-
mity of the promenade was the Prince
Regent's tent, which was lined with
light printed cotton, and thecentre pole
ornamented with artificial flowers.

About nine o'clock, the Queen and
the Princesses proceeded in their chairs
from the Queen's Palace to Carlton-
house. The company began to ar-
rive after this in great numbers.

Lincolnshire. -Robert Fountain,
a gardener, at Waltham, was poisoned
by Azubah Fountain, his wife, and
George Rowell, a cooper, who lodged
at the house of Fountain. It appear-
ed before the coroner and jury, that
the deceased being suspicious of a cri-
minal correspondence between Rowell
and his wife, was so disturbed in his
mind as frequently to get intoxicated.

About two months ago the parties a-
greed to tp.ke away his life by poison*
and there appearing to be a favourable
opportunity on the 30th ult. they gave
him four ounces of laudanum in ale
and elderberry wine ; that quantity,
however, not having the desired effect,
they gave him eight ounces more the
next day, which, according to the opi-
nions of Doctors Btll and Forea)an,
whoopentd the body, caused his death,
Mr Bennett, druggist, of Grimsby,
deposed to RowelPs purchasing a quan-
tity of laudanum of him ; added to
which evidence, the jury had the con-
fession of the wretched woman, and
brought in a verdict of wilful murder
against her and Rowell. They were
committed to Lincoln Castle, to take
their trials at the ensuing assizes, at
which they were convicted and execu-
ted.

2d. — A most atrocious murder was
perpetrated at a colliery called Wood-
sess, near Kirkmuirhill,in Lanarkshire,
on the night between Thursday the 1st
and Friday the 2d inst. On Fridaymorn-
ing, about six o'clock, one of the work-
men, on descending into the coal-pit
discoveredthecorpseof Agnes Watson,
who wrought at the said colliery, lying
at the bottom in a shockingly mangled
condition, her head nearly severed from
her body, which was stabbed in differ-
ent parts, and the whole of her person
exhibiting a most frightful appearance.
In the shed, or lodge as it is called, at
the mouth of the pit, a considerable
quantity of blood, some hair, a comb,
and other articles belonging to the de-
ceased, were found, which plainly
shewed that the unfortunate woman,
who had been missing since ten o'clock
the preceding evening, had made con-
siderable resistance before she was sub-
dued. James Jackson, a collier at
Woodsess, by whom Agnes Watson
was far advanced in pregnancy, is in
custody on suspicion of the murder ;
and a precognition is going on, with

July 5.]

CHRONICLE.

ixix

the view of enquiring into the circum-
stances attending this most barbarous
affair.

The following is a copy of the Prince
Regent's letter to Lord Wellington :-
'» Carlton-liouse, July 3, 13 li.
** My dear Lord— Your glorious con-
duct is beyond ali hunan praise, and far
above my reward, i know no language
the world affords worthy to express it. I
feel 1 have nothing left to say, but devout-
ly to offer up my prayers of gratitude to
Providence, that it has, in its omnipotent
bounty, blessed my country and myself
with such a general. You have sent me
among the trophies of your unrivalled fame,
tlie staff of a French Marshal, and I send
you in return that of England. The Bri-
tish army will hail it with enthusiasm,
while the whole universe will acknowledge
those valorous efforts which have so im-
periously called for it- That uninterrupted
nealth, and still mcreasing laurels, may
continue to crown you through a glorious
and long career of life, are the never-ceas-
ing and most ardent wishes of, my dear
Lord, your very sincere and faithful
friend, G. P. R.

« The Marquis of Wellington."

The following is the form of prayer
and thansgiving for the repeated suc-
cesses obtained over the French army
in Spain by the allied forces, and espe-
cially for the signal victory of the Slst
of June.

" O Lord God of Hosts, who chiefly
declarest thy almighty power, by protect-
ing the oppressed, and smiting to the
ground the proud oppressor, and who, in
the defence of injured nations, teachest thy
servants to war, and girdest them with
strength for battle,we yield thee praise and
thanksgiving for the continued successes
in Spain, with which thou hast been pleas-
ed to crown the conduct of our general,
and the valour of our soldiers j but more
especially for the signal and decisive vic-
tory which, under the same commander,
jtbou hast recently vouchsafed to the allied
arnues in tiie battle oi Victoria. Continue,
we pray thee, thy blessing upon tiie coun-
cils of our general ; maintain and support
the courage and strength of the allied ar-
mies ; sanctify the cause in which they are
united; and as it bath pleased thee to put

back, with confusion of face,the proud inva-
der of Spain andPortugal, let the allied ar-
mies and allied kingdoms prostrate them-
selves with one consent before thee, and ac-
knowledge with humihty of heart the victo-
ry to be thine. These prayers and thanks-
givings we humbly offer to thy Divine
Majesty, in the name and through the me-
diation of our Lord and ^Saviour Jesus
Christ— Amen."

Under the decree issued by Buo-
naparte on the 6th of April, 1809, on
the subject of naturalization, a spe-
cial court at Paris, on the Hth of June,
condemned to death M. Joseph Dar-
guinea, 23 years of age, bom at Aries,
but who had retired into Spain with
his parents when he was 14 years of
age. tie had obtained the rank of lieu-
tenant-colonel in the Spanish service,
and in that quality he signed the capi-
tulation of the garrison of Figueras.
M. Chauveau Lagarde, his counsel, ur-
ged in his defence, that the law was not
applicable to those who had been na-
turalized anterior to the issuing of the
decree ; but the judges declared, that
no subjectcould withdraw himself from
the allegiance he owed to his sovereign,
and that no letters of naturalization
obtained from a foreign government
could be pleaded by one who had borne
arms against his country, and incurred
the penalty of treason. The prisoner
was ordered for execution.

5th. — The lord mayor went in state,
accompanied by the aldermen and she*
riffs, from Guildhall to Whitecross-
street, to lay the first stone of the new
debtor's prison for the city of London.
The Dukes of Kent and Sussex, Mr
Whitbread, and a great concourse of
ladies and gentlemen, were present at
the ceremony. The lord mayor, alder-
men, &c. with the royal dukes, after-
wards dined together at Albion-house,
Aldersgate street. This prison will
receive all the debtors from Newgate,
Gdtspur-street, and Ludgate prisons.
It will be calculated to contain 500
debtors : a chapel is to be ere9ted im

1« EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [July 7—12.

the centre ; and there are to be sepa-
rate rooms for working in, so that no
person will be allowed to work in the
bed rooms. Alderman Wood, when
sheriff, suggested the plan of a debtors'
prison, that the unfortunate debtor
might not be sent to Newgate ; and
from that time he has laboured with
great zeal to carry it into effect. When
finished, it must tend greatly to relieve
the crowded state of the other city
prisons.

7th. — A fatal accident occurred at
Ipswich races. Towards the close of
the first heat, as several horsemen were
pushing forward to get in. Major Myer,
of the German legion, and F. Favier,
a young man, servant to Mrs Trotman,
unfortunately came in contact with
the utmost violence. The major and
the servant were both thrown ; the
former was considerably hurt, and the
latter, the horse having rolled over him,
was taken up in a senseless state, and
died shortly after.

8th. — Between seven and eight
o'clock this morning the inhabitants
of Woolwich were thrown into conster-
nation in consequence of prodigious
volumes of smoke, which enveloped the
whole town. It was soon discovered
that the white hemp store-house, in the
rope-yard, was on fire. The alarm
immediately spread, and the engines
were quickly on the spot. The drum
beat to arms, and upwards of 1000
artillerymen from the barracks arrived
to assist in quenching the flames ; but
notwithstanding the most prompt and
active exertions, the fire continued to
burn with irresistible rapidity till about
nine o'clock, when the roof of this part
of the building fell in. For some time
great apprehensions were felt for the
safety of the adjoining buildings of
the royal arsenal ; but by the prompt
supply of water and the great exertions
of the military, the flames were pre-
vented from spreading, and were got
under about ten o'clock. The greatest

intrepidity was evinced by the artillery-
men, many of whom were placed in the
most perilous situations, in endeavour-
ing to subdue the flames. The damage
done must have been considerable, and
it is supposed that several thousand
pounds worth of hemp and oakum
have been destroyed. The cause of
the fire has not yet been discovered,
though various conjectures are afloat as
to its origin. It is only a few months
ago since a fire happened in another
part of the buildings. It has been con-
jectured that the fire-works exhibited
the evening before may have been the
accidental cause of the calamity.

The remains of the celebrated Wil-
liam Huntington were removed from
Tunbridge to Lewes, and there inter-
red on Thursday. A stone, at the head
of his grave, exhibits the following
epitaph, dictated by himself a few days
prior to his death :

** Here lies the Coal-heaver ; who
departed this Hfe July 1, 1813, in the
69th year of his age ; beloved of his
God, but abhorred of men. The om-
niscient Juge, at the Grand Assize,
shall ratify and confirm this, to the
confusion of many thousands; for Eng-
land and its metropolis shall know that
there hath been a Prophet among
them 1 W. H. S. S.

12th. — The official dispatches, an-
nouncing the capture of the American
frigate Chesapeake, by the Shannon,
were received at the Admiralty on
Wednesday. The action was fought
off Boston, and took place in conse-
quence of a challenge sent by Captain
Broke to the American commander,
inviting him to try his strength. — The
Chesapeake was superior in size, supe-
rior in weight of metal, and superior
in numbers to the Shannon. She came
out fresh from her own port, in all the
completeness of preparation, in all the
consciousness of superiority, and in all
the confidence of conquest. She was
attended by several American barks

July 13.]

CHRONICLE.

XXI

and boats, laden with the friends and
countrymen of her crew, eager to wit-
ness the battle and the victory ; but in
15 minutes after she came into action,
she was forced to yield to the superior
gallantry of her antagonist. Twelve
minutes after the action began, our
seamen boarded, and three minutes
were sufficient to complete the busi-
ness.

The following account of the action
was pubhshed at Halifax on the 1 1 th
ult.

" Captain Broke, of the Shannon, ha-
ving directed his late consort, the Tene-
dos, to leave Boston Bay, with a view of
inducing the Chesapeake to venture out,
on Tuesday the 1st of June, that ship, com-
manded by Captain Lawrence, hitely pro-
moted from the United Slates sloop Hor-
net, left the roads and put to sea, manned
"with pi.ked seamen, and completely fitted
in every pomt for action, Tiie Shannon
dropped under easy sail a few miles from
the Koad, and at half past five, P. M the
Chesapeake came upon her weather quar-
ter, and was instantly saluted with a {sweep-
ing and most destructive fire The action
commenced at half pistol shot, and in a
few minutes the terror-struck enemy tell
alongside the Shannon, and was boarded
by the gallant Captain Broke, his first Lieu-
tenant, a few other officers, and the sea-
men and marines, with an impetuosity that
bore down all resistance. The result of
such a meeting might have been very fair-
ly anticipated, yet the lightning-like rapi-
dity of the action (not more than 10 or 11
minutes) seems almost unparalleled, even
in the annals of the British navy.

** The loss on board the Shannon was
Lieutenant Watts (1) a brave and merito-
rious officer; Mr Oldham, purser; Mr
Dunn, Captain's clerk, and 28 men, kdled.
Captain Broke, 1 midshipman, 56 seamen
and marines, wounded.

" The Chesapeake had Lieutenant Bal-
lard (1st), Lieutenant Broom (marines),
Mr White (master), severai petty officers,
and about 70 men, killed ; and Captain
Lawrence mortally, Lieutenant Ludlow
severely. Lieutenants Budd and Cocks,
(2d and 3d), Mess. Weaver, Abbot, and
Nichols (midshipmen) and Mr Lovemore

(chaplain) with nearly 100 seamen, wound-
ed. Lieutenant Waiiis (2d) of the Shan-
non, son of George Waiiis, Esq. of his
majesty's naval yards, in consequence of
Captain Broke being wouniled, took charge
of the ship subsequent to the action. Cap-
tain Lawrence languished some days at
Halifax, and was buried with naval and
military honours there. He was attended
to the grave by the remaining officers and
ship's company of the Cheapeake, and the
of&cers of the British navy, uaptain Broke
is recovering."

" Plymoutli, July 7.

** The Nova Scotia brig of war, a prize
commissioned at Halifax, arrived here this
morning from Halifax, having left that
place on the 12th ult. and landed an offi-
cer with intdligence of the capture of the
«. besapeake by the Shannon, with which
he set off for town express. The particu-
lars of the action are detailed in the
preceding extract from the Halifax paper.
— It took place close to the mouth of
Boston harbour, in sight of thousands
of spectators. Captain BrokeS wound was
in the head, by a sabre ; but he was nearly
recovered. Captain Carden, of the Mace-
donian, came home passenger in the above
vessel. She brings no other news

" A challenge was sent in by CafJtain
Broke, two days before the Chesapeake
came out, being all tliat time preparing for
the action ; she was accompanied outof the
harbour by some hundreds of sma.'l vessels
and boats, with people on board, to see the
action. Captain Broke v^as the first man
on board ; and it is stated, that through a
mistake of one of our seamen having, in a
hurry, hoisted the American colours over
the British, which occasioned the Shannon
to fire into her, after she was in our pos-
session, Lieutenant Watt of the Shannon,
and seven men of that ship, were killed.

" So confident were the Americans of
victor}, that a grand dinner was ac'uully
prepared for the officers and ship's com-
pany, on their return with their ^rize.

** The Chesapeake carried ^4-pounders
on her main deck, and had 100 men more
than the Shannon."

13th — Yesterday came on the trial
of James Henry, midshipman, serving
on board the Maria impress tender
at Campbeltown, accused of murder,

Ixxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S. [July 1<^.

in having, in an affray, shot, or cau-
•ed to be shot, Agnes M*Lean, a
young girl about thirteen years of age,
one of the crowd who were assembled,
under the alleged intention of defor-
cing the prisoner in the discharge of
Lis duty.

It appeared from the evidence, that,
on the 15th of March last, between
eight and nine o'clock in the evening,
Mr Cole and Mr Henry were sent
from the tender, which lay about half
a mile from Campbeltown quay, with
orders to land in different directions,
and impress all the seafaring people
'they could find, but on no account to
use fire-arms, unless attacked in the
discharge of their duty. They landed
accordingly, and impressed eight men ;
but a mob assembled, rescued five of
them, and wounded several of the gang
with stones, particularly one Johnston,
who was knocked down and forced to
take shelter in a house, round which
the crowd collected, swearing ven-
geance, and threatening to break open
the door. Johnston was accompanied
on Board the Maria by several of the
magistrates of Campbeltown, to pro-
tect him from any further violence ;
but previous to this, Henry, who had
returned to the ship with the three
« impressed men, was sent ashore again,
in consequence of the vessel being
hailed that Johnston was in custody,
with two marines and five or six round
of ball cartridge, to escort him in safe-
ty. An order was given from the
boat, on its approaching the shore, to
clear the quay, but this being disre-
garded, and a shower of stones thrown,
which struck one of the marines, and
fell into the boat, Henry gave them
orders to fire,and also fired several shots
himself, by which Agnes M*Lean, ser-
vant to Mrs Langlands, was killed.

The evidence being closed, the Lord
Advocate addressed the jury for the
crown, and ^Ir Cranstoun, in a most

eloquent speech, replied in behalf of
the prisoner ; after which the Lord
Justice Clerk summed up the evidence
with great candour. The jury were
then enclosed, and ordered to retura
their verdict next day.

Next day the court met at 11 o'clock,
when the jury returned their verdict,
finding, by a plurality of voices, that
the said James Henry has committed
an act of justifiable homicide. Some
observations were made by their lord-
ships on the unusual terms in which
the verdict was couched, and they re-
commended a strict adherence to the
common mode, of finding the liable
proven or not proven — guilty or not
guilty. The Lord Justice Clerk ha-
ving admonished the prisoner, with re-
gard to his future conduct, and re-
commended to him the most extreme
caution and tenderness in the use of
those arms with which he was entrust-
ed, especially when used against his
fellow-citizens, he was assoilzied sim-
pliciter and dismissed from the bar.

14fth. — A daring robbery was com-
mitted last night in the house of
Mr Rothe, a farmer, at Cothen-hill,
Bucks. Three fellows entered the
house by forcing open the back-yard
door, and made to the bed of Mr
Rothe. With horrid imprecations
they demanded to be shewn his mo-
ney ; and whilst one stood over him
with a bludgeon, the other two ran-
sacked the bed room of gold to the
amount of more than lOOl. and notes,
plate, silver, &c. also to more than that
amount. The robbers then fastened
the farmer to the bed, and decamped
with their booty. There were four
men-servants and a maid who slept in
another part of the house, but unfor-
tunately were not alarmed.

On Saturday se'ennight, a dread-
ful accident happened at CoUingwood
Main colliery, near North Shields. By
an explosion of fire-damp, eight of the

JOLY 16.]

CHRONICLE.

Ixxiii

men were killed, and two severely
burnt. Among the sufferers were Mr
Hope, one of the viewers ; Mr Wild,
an overman ; and two young men of
the name of Richardson, who having
no parents, maintained their grand-mo-
ther (now in her 102d year) in a man-
ner that did them great credit. — A
number of horses were also suffocated.

15th.-BELFAST.-It iswithmuchre-
gret we have to mention circumstances
which occurred on Monday nignt in
this town, in consequence of the revi-
val of that hateful spirit of party which
has so long divided this country. We
had hoped, that as the legislature had
given their opinion in such a decided
manner against the legality of Orange
Societies, there would have been pru-
dence, and even patriotism, in abstain-
ing from the usual processions on the
liith of July, (the anniversary of the
battle of Aghrira.) This, however,
was disregarded. A number of lodges
(about 3000 men in all) assembled in
Lisburn, where they walked in proces-
sion, with some respectable men at
their head. They afterwards heard a
sermon in the Linen-hall there. It is
but justice to state, that in Lisburn
they conducted themselves with the
most unexceptionable propriety ; to
shew that cordiality prevailed, a num-
ber of them even took their refresh-
ment in the house of a Roman catho-
lic.

In the evening, about seven, the
lodges that had gone from this town
returned, with colours flying, and all
the usual orange insignia. One party
proceeded by Hercules- street to the
house of one Thompson in North-street.
In their progress tney were hooted by
some of the spectators, and stones and
mud were thrown amongst them. Some
of Thompson's windows were broken,
when the orangemen rushing out of
the house with loaded muskets, fired
upon the people ; in consequence of
which a cooper, of the name of Hugh

Graham, was shot dead on the spot ;
a bricklayer, namcdAndrewM*Narry,
was mortally wounded, and died next
morning at one o'clock ; an William
M*Laughlin, a young lad, received a
ball in his thigh, and yesterday under-
went amputation. Another man was
shot in the arm

It is also material to observe, that
arms and ammunition appear to have
been previously deposited in Thomp-
son's house, appa ently in the antici-
pation of such an occurrence.

On the circumstance being made
known, several magistrates immediate-
ly attended in North-street, and Ge-
neral Mitchell having ordered out a
party of military, peace was restored ;
and a soldier was made prisoner in
Thompson's house, along with two
others.

A coroner's inquest was next day
held on the bodies, and a warrant is
sued for the apprehension of one Mor-
gan, charged with the murder of M*-
Narry.

16th. "For some time past, a most dia-
bolical conspiracy has been formed on
board the Sampson prison-ship, at Gil-
hngham Reach, by three French pri-
soners, to murder the master's mate,
and the Serjeant of marines, belonging
to the ship, together with seven of their *
own countrymen. — The murders were
to have been perpetrated on each vic-
tim singly, as opportunities presented,
when the escape of the murderer, by-
mixing instantly with the great body
of the prisoners, was to be facilitated
by'the other conspirators, and lots were
drawn who should commit the first
murder. The first lot fell to Charles
Mausereaux ; but this man being troub-
led by some " compunctious visiting
of conscience," on reflecting that the
Serjeant was a married man, with a fa-
mily, who would be left destitute by
his death, determined to dispatch one
of the private marines in his stead.
Whilst this wretch was watching for

Ixxiv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [July 16.

an opportunity to effect his purpose, Finances and Commerce of
Thomas King, a private marine, came Great Britain. — The annual state-
on the forecastle, when Mausereaux raent laid before parliament, of the fi-
uteppedbehind him, and plunged a knife nances and commerce of the country,
into his back, which passed through has been printed; and from it we have
the kidneys, and inflicted a dreadful made the following extracts, relative
wound, of which the poor fellow lin- to the revenue andexpenditure, the im-
gered for four days, when he expired, ports and exports, of the year ending
Mausereaux was observed by a fellow the 5th of January, 1813 : —
prisoner, who instantly knocked him The revenue of that year, including
down and secured him, or he would the loan, amounted to 95,712,6951.
probably have escaped without being The gross receipt of the income-tax,
detected. Mausereaux, on being con- within the same period, was 13,131,
iined, made a discovery of the whole 54*81.

plan, and named his associates, both of The total expenditure during the

whom were standing by at the time of year ending the 5th January, 1813, was

the murder. The three prisoners have 104*398,2181. '

undergone an examination, and been The public debt during the same
remanded for a further hearing till the period cost the country 36,607,1281.
coroner's jury have returned their ver- of which the sum of 13,482,5101. pass-
diet, ed into the hands of the commission-
Comparative statement of the quan- ersforthereductionof thenationaldebt.
tity of porter brewed in London by , ^he following comparative view of
the twelve principal houses, shewing ^"^ imports of the country for three
the decrease on this year's brewing :- 7^^^^, ending the 5th of January in

each year : —

1812. 1813 Decrease- ^ imports.

Barrels. Barrels. Barrels. 1011 _ , . T <?« 427 722

Barclay - - 270,259 257,265 12,994 jgig --..II' 24520329

Meux - - - 189,993 165,153 24,839 isis' 2209124^

Hanbury - - 150 162 140,114 10048 n^u ' . c t'j-' ^"^'^^^•"i*^

Whitbreadand<» ^"^ imports from India are not in-

Martineau $ 1^6,594 135,892 10,702 eluded in any of the three sums given

Calvert - - 108,212 100,093 8119 above. They amounted, in the year

Combe - - - 100,824 97,055 3789 cndingthe5th January,] 812, to 4,106,

H. Meux - - 102,493 82,012 20,481 2511

Goodwyn - - 81,022 71,467 9555 >t,\^ f n • -• • r

Elliot - . - 58,034 49,26,) 8765 , ^^^ following comparauve view of

Cocks - - - 51,279 45,500 5779 ^^^ import of corn seems to afford a

Taylor - - - 50,210 41,850 8360 satisfactory proof that we are becom-

Clowes - - - 34,010 29,844 4166 ing less dependent on foreign countries

Statement of the number of barrels for that necessary article : —

of ale brewed by the eight principal ale import of corn.

brewers in the London district, from }^}^' - - - L2,70^,24O

the 5th of July 1812, to the 5th of {gig' ."."■;"" ." .' |?8872

July 1813: — r^V r 11 • • .• '•

•' 1 he following is a comparative view

Stretton,Broad Street,Golden Square 20,016 of the import of coffee, cotton, and su-

w^«,T„"t;"'„, s„e^"! ^"' : I'sifs r '"' »^"^ i^"^- '"''"^ '^' ''^ °^

Golding and Co. Knightsbridge - - lo!610 January m each year :—

Hale and Co. Redcross Street - - 8208 coffee.

Thorpe and Co. Clerkenwell - - 6301 1811, L5,3I2,795

"Webb and Co. St Giles' .... 4881 1812, - - - 3,646,814

Davies, Lambeth 2911 1813, 2,573,614

July 16—18*]

CHRONICLE.

Ixxv

coTTOy. distillery of Messrs Langdale and Co.

1811, ........ ^If^if^ High Holborn, caught fire, and burst

jgjg' 'I 2166412 with a tremendous explosion. Fortu-

* * SUGAR. ' ' nately the fire did not reach any of the

1811,-------- L6,499,044 other Stills, or receivers of spirits, but

1812, 5,324,409 ascended to the roof of the distillery,

*^lS*i *•" "_." f "u-" " 5,033,396 to which it instantly set fire. In con-

The imports of this country from however, of a large reservoir

Ireland, it appears, are regularly on ^/^^^^^^ ^, ^^e top of the premisea

the^increasej l3.280,747 beingimmediately opened, the progress

28J2 3SI8 879 ot trie hre was arrested, and by the time-

1813* 3,'55l,'269 ly arrival of Several engines, got com-

But if the imports of Great Britain pletely under by seven o'clock. The

fell off during the last year, it appears still which exploded is said to be the lar-

that the exports have materially im- gest inLondon, and contained at the

proved. The following is a compa- time it burst 2,80i gallons,

rative view of our exports for three An attempt was made by some

years, ending the 5th of January in French prisoners to escape from the

each year : — depot at Pennicuik, near Edinburgh-

Ex PORTS. They contrived to get a false bottom

1^^^ " L84,023,575 affixed to one of the carts which carry

1813 '''''-'' si'243'362 away the dust from the prison, in which

The"re"al value of" British produce threesecretedthemselves, and got with-

and manufactures exported, as estima- ?"t the walls. The driver being acci-

ted at the custom-house, is 23,657, dentally stopped by an acquaintance,

334.]^ they came from their lurking hole, and

B^sideswhich the amount of foreign w^*"^ proceeding to a wood, when they

merchandise exported is given as fol- were met by a soldier, who immediately

lows •— seized one ; he drew a dagger which

1811,' - . , - , Lie 946,284 he had concealed about him, wounded

18iy, -,---.-. 8,277,937 the soldier in the neck, and afterwards

1813, -..-.-.- 11,998,179 stabbed him in the left side. The sol-

The following is a comjparative view dier was unfortunately unarmed at the

of the principal articles of which these time; and fainting through loss of

exports consist : — blood, he was obliged to let the prisoner

^^^^ COTTON GOODS. ^^^ ^^ ^^^ go, but the wholc three were after.

I8I2; .-.:::. ii;7l5',50l wards secured.

1813, 15,972,286 ISth.-M. Texier, jeweller, m the Pa-

wooLLEN I. lace Royal, Paris, was last month robbed

1811, ---..-.- 1,5,773,719 of articles of jewellery to the amount of

nil; ::;::::: t'^,iVi 80001.sterling.-Suspec„ngo„eofhi.

corfiE. domestics to be the thiet, he gave in-

1811, Ll,455,472 formation to the pohce. The officers

181?, - . -...-. 1,418,034 pursuedthecriminal so close, that in de-

'^^^» 4,384,730 spairing of escaping, he threw himself

1811 - - - J^^^^*'_ _ LI 471 697 into the Seine. The officers were at

I8i<if^ I . r^iis'iig his heels, and took him out in a few mi-

1813, 1,570,570 nutes, but he died in their arms, appa-

16th. — This evening about six o*- rently through terror. — The jewellery

clock, the largest rectifying still in the was found in the lining of his clothes.

Ixxvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [July 2«.

19th. -On Wednesday, asC.Monta-
gue, Esq. of Lackham, near Lavcock,
Wilts, was shooting in company with
a gentleman who was on a visit at his
bouse, Mr M.'s gun accidentally went
off, and lodged its contents in the body
of his friend, who survived only a short
period. — Mr M.'s state of mind is in-
describable.

Edinburgh. — On Wednesday, M'-
Donaldand Black, who were convicted
before the High Court of Justiciary of
the robbery and murder of Mr Muir-
head, near Coltbridge, were executed
upon the spot where the murder was
committed. About one o'clock these
unfortunate young men were brought
out of prison and placed upon a cart,
having seats elevated and railed round.
They were escorted along the Lawn
Market, Bank-street, the Mound, and
Prince's street, by the magistrates of
the city, the high constables, a detach-
ment of the Northampton and Norfolk
militias, a party <;f the 7th dragoons,
and the city guard. Upon reaching
the west end of Prince's street, the
procession halted, when the magistrates
delivered over the prisoners to the she-
riff of the county, and they were then
escorted by a strong detachment of the
Mid Lothian yeomanry cavalry, and
the sheriff and police constables,
through the village of Coltbridge to
the place of execution. After some
time spent in devotion, the prisoners
mounted the platform, and about a
quarter before three they were launch-
ed into eternity. On the way to the
place of execution the prisoners em-
ployed their time in reading, but oc-
casionally looked round on the sur-
rounding multitude. At the place of
execution they behaved with seeming
fortitude and resignation ; in a parti-
cular manner, Black, who first mount-
ed the platform, and prayed. — M'Do-
nald was not visited by any catholic
clergymen till after sentence had been
passed upon him. On the first visit,

he was found not so grossly ignorant
as might have been apprehended, seeing
that he had never attended any reli-
gious duty : and his dispositions seem-
ed to correspond with his awful situa-
tion. On the scaffold, as on the way to
it, and indeed during the whole prece-
(Jing day, he seemed entirely taken up
with those exercises of devotion which
had been suggested to him as proper
for the occasion. In all appearance he
died truly penitent and resigned to his
fate. At half past three the bodies
were cut down, and conveyed in the
same cart, escorted by a body of con-
stables, to the College of Edinburgh,
and delivered over to the professors of
anatomy.

20th. — At Ragely, on Friday, two
girls aged fourteen, were accidentally
shot as they passed in front of a can-
non, which hung fire; it was highly
loaded with powder and wadding.
One of the girls died in great agony
the day after, and the other is not ex-
pected to recover.

Parliament was prorogued yesterday
to the 23d of August, with a speech
delivered by the Prince Regent from
the throne. It is usual, on such occa-
sions, when the sovereign attended ia
person to prorogue parliament, for the
Speaker of the House of Commons to
address him, taking a general view of
the leading features of the public busi-
ness that has come under the considera-
tion of parliament, which was done by
Mr Abbot, in a most eloquent speech.

The speech of the Prince Regent,
after noticing the principal events that
have taken place since the meeting of
parliament, concluded with expressing
the determination of his Royal High-
ness to employ the powerful means
placed in his hands, in such a manner
as may be best calculated to reduce
the extravagant pretensions of the ene-
my, and thereby, in conjunction with
his allies, to facilitate the attainment of
a secure and honourable peace.
10

July 20.]

CHRONICLE.

Ixxvii

Festival in Celebration of the
Victory of Vittoria. — The public
expectation, which had been so strong-
ly excited by the project of this festi-
val, in honour of Marquis Wellington
and his army, was yesterday gratified
by an entertainment perhaps among
the most superb, extensive, and costly
that was ever given in England. Cu-
riosity, and still more the desire of
paying all respect to the man to whom
they are indebted for so large an acces-
sion to the national fame, incr ased the
list of the applicants so rapidly within
these few days, that the limited num-
ber was exceeded, and, in consequence,
from ten to fifteen pounds was offered
for a ticket.

The stewards assembled early yes-
terday, at Vauxhall, to arrange the ce-
remonial, and about four the doors
were opened for general admission.

The dinner was in the ran^e of co-
vered buildings, with the addition of a
temporary saloon. The rotunda held
the table of the Duke of York, as pre-
sident. This table was raised on a
platform of a few steps from the
ground, so as to be seen through the
whole range of the halls ; it formed a
crescent. Two lines of tables for the
general guests were placed down the
length of the saloon, and smaller tables
at the sides occupied the vacant spaces.
The occasional saloon was singularly
novel and beautiful. As it spread over
a large space, interspersed with trees,
the branches had been made the sup-
ports of a splendid canopy of British,
Spanish, and Portuguese flags. From
this rich roof chandeliers hung with a
profusion of lights, the ground was
covered with cloth, and the tables dis-
posed in a manner to which nothing
could be added for convenience or et-
feet. At five the bands in the garden
struck up the " Duke of York's
March," and the stewards went to re-
ceive his royal highness at the gate.
He entered in a few minutes after, at-

tended by the Dukes of Kent, Sussex,
and Gloucester ; and dinner commen-
ced. It was entirely cold, with the
exception of turtle soup, and consisted
of a profusion of fowls, hams, pastry,
and the usual composition of a public
dinner. Madeira, claret, and punch,
were on the tables in abundance. When
the whole company, of probably more
than twelve hundred, had taken their
seats, the general view was admirable.
The orchestra of the rotunda had been
hung like a tent with flags and fes-
toons ; within, by a strong light, was
seen a row of crimson steps, covered
with massive pieces of ornamental gold
and silver plate, with the bust of Lord
Wellington on the summit. At the
foot, and leaning against a silver vase
of exquisite workmanship, was the
marshal's staff taken in the battle. Two
trumpeters in their sta e liveries, and
with silver trumpets, stood forward
from the pile, and between them a gre-
nadier of the Guards held the standard
of the 100th French regiment of the
line. The Duke of York sat in the
centre of the first table, with the Rus.
sian ambassador on his left. The Duke
of Clarence was on his right, and in
succession, on the same side, the Duke
of Gloucester, the Spanish ambassa-
dor, the Duke of Kent, the Duke of
Sussex, the Turkish envoy. Lord Cas-
tlcreagh, and the Speaker of the House
of Commons. The ministers, who
were chiefly in uniforms, and the prin-
cipal part of the foreigners of distinc-
tion in London, sat at the president's
table. Military and naval uniforms
were chiefly worn, and even this con-
tributed to the picture^que effect of
the assembly. Marquis Wellesley came
in after dinner had commenced, and
when the seat due to his peculiar share
in the feelings of the day had been oc-
cupied. The dinner was plain, but
plentiful and well served. The con-
clusion was announced by a flourish of
trumpets and the singing of " Non

Ixxviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [July 20.

nobis Domine" by Taylor and other
performers, who were placed midway
between the extremities of the tables.
Next followed, " The King ;" drank
standing, and with three times three.
<* God save the King " was then
chaunted, and accompanied by the
band. The president next gave " The
Prince Regent ;" drank as the former,
and with great applause. The usual
toasts succeeded. ** The Queen and
Royal Family." « The Duke of
York and the Army." «« The Duke
of Clarence and the Navy." " Field-
Marshal the Marquis of Wellington."
This produced the loudest acclama-
tions, the assemblage rising at once,
and renewing their plaudits for a long
time. ** General Sir Thomas Graham,
^nd the other Generals in the Penin-
sula." " The Officers, Non-commis-
sioned Officers, and Privates of the
Army." " Ferdinand the Seventh,
and the Cause of Spain ;" drank with
universal applause. " The Emperor
of Russia ;" loud huzzas. " The King
of Prussia." " The King of Sweden."
" The Prince Regent of Portugal."
" Marshal Beresford, and the Portu-
guese Armies." " The Spanish Ar-
mies, and the brave Guerillas." These
toasts were all drank with three times
three, and standing. The Duke of
York gave the toast ; it was announ-
ced from the head of the table by a
flourish of trumpets ; and then, with
the spirit of " antique time " of royal
feasting, was returned from the foot
by another flourish. The Marquis of
Huntley presided in the temporary sa-
loon. About nine the ladies began to
arrive, and the gentlemen, who had al-
ready risen for some time from dinner,
went to the avenues to receive them as
they entered. The gardens were, as
the night advanced, gradually bright-
ening until they exhibited a blaze of
splendour.

Admission was given to the com-
pany who came with the stewards'

tickets for the evening, for some time
previous to the hour of ten. They
were received at the coach door by
Lord Yarmouth, and others of the
stewards. The numbers of carriages
which crowded the road for above an
hour before the doors were opened,
rendered the access very tardy. The
general eff"ect of the illumination of the
gardens was, unquestionably, much
more briUiant and striking than usual.
The facades of the quadrangle in which
the orchestra stands, were ornamented
above the colonnades, with variegated
lamps, expressing the names of all the
places in which the British, Spanish,
and Portuguese arms have been distin-
guished in the glorious war of the pe-
ninsula, as well as of those of the gal-
lant officers who have taken an emi-
nent share in those exploits of heroism.
On these inscriptions decorations were
raised likebattlements, intermixed with
trophies,'and with shields, representing
the Crosses of St George, St Andrew,
and St Patrick, the Union Cross, and
various other emblematical devices.
Vast numbers of additional lamps were
suspended in the more retired and um-
brageous walks, of which the principal
one formed a most beautiful allee verte :
the entrance to this delightful prome-
nade was distinguished by a magnifi-
cent arch, and on each of its verdant
sides were hung a triple festoon of
lamps ; between which and the gravel
walk, were placed beds of the most
charming and odoriferous shrubs and
flowers. At the east end there was a
superb Gothic illumination, enclosing
a transparency of his majesty on horse-
back. In one corner of the retired
part of the garden, a fanciful rustic
temple was erected ; the rude pillars
that supported it were entwined with
foliage. In another corner there was
an exhibition of " Les Ombrrs Chi-
noises,^* with a representation of wild
water fowl, and the amusements of
angling, supported by a dialogue from

July 20.]

CHRONICLE.

Ixxix

behind the transparent scene. At the
back of the orchestra was a very large
picture of the Marquis of WeUington,
mounted, receiving from a soldier the
baton of Marshal Jourdan. The fire-
works were very well managed, and
were repeated several times during the
fete. There was nothing particularly
meritorious in the devices : but the
rockets excited much admiration from
the superior height to which they rose,
and the splendour of their explosions.
Among the bands who attended, were
selections from those of the foot and
life guards, together with those of the
Duke of Kent's regiment, and of the
7th hussars. The appearance of some
of these bauds in the forest part of the
garden was extremely picturesque, aad
presented some idea of soldiers in a
campaign regaling and reposing them-
selves under the shade " God save the
King" was sung in the orchestra be-
tween ten and eleven.

The many personage! present exalt-
ed by their rank in the orders of the
state, or by their transcendant merits
in its defence by land and by sea ; the
fascinating groups of females in all the
beauty of countenance, grace of man-
ner, and rich, yet elegant simplicity of
attire, still continuing to rush into this
festival of national joy ; the fineness
of the weather ; the profuse blaze of
the lights, and their magical effect on
the trees, which seemed to create a
species of artificial day ; and the unity
of sentiment and disposition that per-
vaded all, rendered the coup d^ceil of
this national gala truly beautiful and
imposing.

The baton of Marshal Jourdan was
placed on the buffet behind the presi-
dent's chair. The batons of the old
Marechaux de France were ornament-
ed with xhejleurs de lis. This impe-
rial batofij now a trophy of British va-
lour, is of the ordinary size, covered
with black velvet, and decorated with
the imperial eaejles of France in gold :
"^11

the case in which it was contained is
red, with ornaments somewhat similar.

The stewards wore small white rib-
bands at the button-holes of their coats,
ornamented with a green laurel leaf.

Allow/vNce for the Ladies.—
The following letter to her husband,
William Lord Compton, was written
by Eliza, the daughter and heiress of
Sir John Spencer, Lord Mayor of
London in 1594, who died in 1610,
worth, as some say, 300,0001. ; but
others carry his wealth as high as
hOO,OOOl. All this came to William
Lord Compton, who married Sir
John's daughter ; and it is said that
the succession to such a vast property
turned his head. It has, however, been
doubted by Winwood, in his *< State
Papers," whether the contents of the
following letter might not have had
some effect in turning his lordship's
brain, as well as the extent of the le-
gacy. Be this as it may, our readers
cannot fail to be amused by perusing
the demands of a lady of fashion at that
distant period, which, we are apt to
fancy, was the age of female delicacy,
modesty, and good sense.

COPY OF THE LETTER.

" My sweet life! — Now I have decla-
red toyou my mind for the settling of your
state, I suppose that it were best for me
to bethink or consider with myself what
allowance were meetest for me ; for con-
sidering what care I have had o£ your es-
tate, and how respectfully I dealt with
tliose, which both by the laws of God, of
Nature, and of civil polity, wit, religion,
government, and honesty, you, my dear,
are bound to, I pray and beseech you to
grant me lOOOl. per annum, quarterly to be
paid.

" Also, I would (besides that allowance
for my apparel) have 600l. added yearly
(quarterly to be paid), for the performance
of charitable works; and those things I
would not, neither will be, accountable for.

" Also, 1 will have three horses for my
own saddle, that none shall dare to lend
or borrow ; none lend bat I, none borrow
but you.

hx EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

[July 24 .

" Also, I would have two gentlewomen,
lest one should be sick, or have some other
let: also believe that it is an indecent
thing for a gentlewoman to stand mump-
ing alone, when God hath blessed their
lord ard lady with a good esrate.

" Also, when I ride a hunting or hawk-
ing, or travel from one house to another,
I will have them attending, so, for either
of those said women, I wms^and will have
for ei'her of them a horse.

" Also, I will have six or eight gentle-
men ; and I will have my two coaches, one
lined with velvet to myself, with four very
fair horses j and a coach for ray women
lined with sweet cloth ; one laced v/ith
gold, the other with scarlet, and laced with
watched lace and silver, with four good

" Also, I will have two coachmen, one
for my own coach, the other for my wo-
men.

" Also, at any time when I travel, I will
be allowed not only carroches and spare
horses for me and my women, but I will
have such carriages as shall be fitting for
all, orderly ; not pestering my things with
my women's, nor their's with chamber-
maids', nor their's with wash maids'.

" Also, for laundresses, when I travel,
I will have them sent away before with the
carriages, to see all safe ; and the chamber-
maids I will have go before with the
greens, that the chambers may be ready,
sweet and clean.

" Also, for that it is indecent to crowd
myself up with my gentleman usher in my
coach, I will have him to have a conve-
nient horse, to attend me either in city or
in country. — And I must have two foot-
men. And my desire is, that you defray
all the charges for me.

** And for myself, besides my yearly
allowance, I would have twenty gowns of
apparel : six of them excellent good ones,
eight of them for the country, and six of
them very excellent good ones.

" Also, 1 would have to put in my purse
20001. and so for you to pay my debts.

" Also, I would have 60001. to buy me
jewels, and 40001. to buy me a pearl chain.

'* Now, seeing I am so reasonable unto
you, I pray you to find my children's ap-
parel, and their schooling and also my
servants (men and women) their wages.

" Also, I will have my houses furnished,
and all my lodging chambers to be suited
with all such furniture as is fit ; as bed,
stools, chairs, suitable cushions, carpets,
silver warming-pans, cupboards of plate,
fair hangings, and such like : so for my
drawing-chambers in all houses, I will have
them delicately furnished, both with hang-
ings, couch, canopy, glass, carpet, chair-
cushions, and all things thereunto belong-
ing.

** Also my desire is, that you would pay
all my debts, build Ashby-house, and fHir-
chase lands ; and lend no money (as you
love God) to the Lord Chamberlain (Thos,
Howard, Earl of Suffolk) which would
have all — perhaps your life — from you.
Remember his son, my Lord Walden,
what entertainment he gave me when you
were at Tilt-yard. If , you were dead, he
said he would be a husband, a father, a
brother ; and he said he would marry me.
I protest 1 grieve to see the poor man have
so little wit and honesty, to use his friend
so vilely. Also he fed me with untruths
concerning the Charter-house; but that
is the least ; he wished me much harm ;
you know him. — God keep you and me
from such as he is.

*' So now that I have declared to you
what I would have, and what that is I
would not have, 1 pray that when you be
an earl, to allow me lOOOl. more than I
desire, and double attendance. — Your lov-
ing wife, Eliza Compton."

S^th. — A dreadful thunder-storm
passed over Margate, which was pro-
ductive of fatal effects in its immediate
vicinity. A donkey party, consist-
ing of a gentleman, two young ladies,
and two little boys, had gone in the
evening to Ramsgate ; on their return
they were overtaken by the thunder-
storm. They immediately sought shel-
ter under the porch of a house on
Chapel-hill, leaving the asses on the
road. The storm still continuing, the
donkey-drivers, fearful lest the ani-
mals, frightened by the storm, might
run home, went out to see if they were
still there. They had scarcely reachf
ed the spot, when a tremendous flash
of lightning struck one of them dead,

Jutv fS — 2S.1

CHRONICLE.

Ltxxi

threw the other to the ground, and
killed three of the donkies. The boy
who is alive was carried home, and
hopes are entertained of his recovery.
There is a large hole in the left arm
of his jacket, where the fluid appears
to have entered ; and his shirt was
Bcorchnd almost to tinder.

26th. — Moses Gomez Carvalho, a
Jew, born in Portugal in 1706, and
who emigrated from thence in 1720,
on account of his religion, died lately
at Amsterdam, aged 107 years. He
was twice married, and had m^ny cliil
dren, of whom the eldest died when 78
years of age, and the youngest is only
2'z years. His second wife was deliver-
ed m 179H of a son, who died shorily
after. In ISO* he had seen his fifth ge-
neration, in the person of a great great-
grandson. The deceased enjoyed all
his faculties until the moment of his
death, never having lost a tooth, and
never havnig worn spectacles. His
drink was milk and water, and he took
every day a small glass of brandy,

28th. — Died, at about half past six
p. m. Dr Randolph, Lord Bishop of
London, in the 66th year of his age.
The right reverend prelate was at his
son's seat, in Hertfordshire. At a
quarter before five o'clock the bishop
and a friend agreed to take a ride.
When he had mounted his poney, it
appeared he was witliout his hat. The
servant said, " My Lord, you have
not your hat," and immediately went
for It. The bishop put it on, and took
oflF his cassock, at the same moment
he exclaimed, ** 1 want — I want — I
want — "apparently under someinward
convulsion. The servant could not
make out the want of his master, but
supposing he wanted his stick, went
for it, and ^ave it to him ; he took the
stick, and let the reins of the poney
drop. He rode quietly to the church-
yard, a short distance from his son's
residence, and articulated something
that was not distinctly heard, at the

TOL. VI. FART II,

same instant he dropped from his horse.
Four persons took him home. He
appeared recovering, and a profes-
sional gentleman wanted to bleed him,
but the bishop, by signs, indicated
his disapprobation of that proceeding,
and died immediately after. The whole
of the melancholy event did not occu-
py more than an hour and a half. Dr
Ash, the bishop's physician, was sent
foi on the first appearance of illness,
but on his arrival the bishop was no
more. Dr Randolph succeeded Dr
Porteus, Bishop of London, in 1809.
He was a governor of the Charter-
house, an official trustee of the British
Museum, dean of the Chapel Royal,
visitor of Sion College, and provincial
dean of Canteibury.

Grand Chapter of theKnights
OF THE Most Noble Order of the
G \RTER.-Yesterday his Royal High-
ness the Prince Regent held a chapter
of the Most NobleOrder of the Garter,
for the express purpose of electing his
mperial majesty the Emperor of all the
Russias a member of the Most Noble
Order, at Carlton-H'>use. Soon af-
ter three o'clock, his Royal Highness
retired from his private apartments,
and entered his closet in his full robe*
of the order, which he highly became,
and looked most princely and majestic;
Garter King at Arms, in his full robes,
was in readiness to receive his Royal
Highness, and proceeded to call over
the names of the members of the or-
der, when the following answered to
their names, and walk -d in grand pro-
cession through the state rooms, in
their full robes, making a sight not to
be equalled by any for splendour and
magnificence in this country, except
in an installation of this order. — It be-
gan with the Marquis Wellesley, as
the junior knight present, and pro-
ceeded with the Marquis of Hert-
ford :—

The Earl of Pembroke, the Earl of
WiachelseajtheEarl of Westmoreland,
f

Ixxxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [July 28.

the Earl of Chatham, Jiis Royal High-
ness the Duke of Cambridge, his Roy-
al Highness the Duke of Clarence,
his Royal Highness the Duke of York,
Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, Usher of the
Black Rod, Sir Tsaac Heard, Garter
Principal King of Arms, the Rev. Dr
.Legg, Dean of Windsor, Registrar
of the Order, the Bishop of Salisbury,
Chancellor of the Order, the Bishop
of Winchester, Prelate of the Order,
his Royal Highness the Prince Re-
cent, as representing the Sovereign

His Royal Highness's train was
held up by General Leigh, the Groom
in Waiting. The other attendants
upon his Royal Highness were —

The Marquis of Winchester, as
Groom of the Stole; Lord Petersham,
the Lord in Waiting ; Earl Harring-
ton, Gold Stick ; the Lord Chamber-
lain, Lord Charles Bentinck, Treasu-
rer of the Household ; Lord George
Beresford, Comptroller of the House-
hold ; and Major- General W. Bailey,
Equerry in Waiting.

The procession having arrived in the
throne or council room, and his Roy-
al Highness the Prince Regent, as
representing the sovereign, having ta-
ken his seat in a superb chair opposite
the throne, the knights and officers of
the Noble Order made their reveren-
ces : the former took their seats on
each side the prince, according to their
seniority ; and the latter took their
appointed stations.^-Garter King of
Arms and the Usher of the Black Rod
at the foot of the table, with their
staves of office, with the Registrar
between them.

The Prelate of the Order stood to
the right of the prince. — His Royal
iiighness's state attendants stood be-
hind him. On his left stood Count
Leiven, the Russian Ambassador, in
his full uniform and order, and the
Chancellor of the Order, who address-
ed the Chapter, and said he had it in

command from his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent, in the name and on the
behalf of his Majesty, to recite the last
statute of the order, which directed,
that besides the sovereign, it should
consist of twenty-five knights, all the
descendants of King George II. ex-
clusive of the Prince of Wales, who
was considered a constituent part of
that order. It was recommended to
pass a new statute for the express pur-
pose of electing his Imperial Majesty
the Emperor of all the Russias a mem-
ber of the order, notwithstanding any
former statute or decree to the con-
trary.

His excellency the Russian am-
bassador stood close to the chancellor,
and appeared to feel extremely the
praise and compliments paid to the
conduct of his royal master, and bow-
ed most respectfully.

The chancellor proceeded to take
the opinions of the knights present,
beginning with the juniors, on the pro-
priety of passing the statute, and on
receiving their sense in writing, decla-
red his Imperial Majesty Emperor of
all the Russias, duly elected a member
of the Noble Order of the Garter.

Garter King of Arms then retired
from the foot of the table bowing,
and retired to an adjoining room, and
introduced Francis Townsend, Esq.
in consequence of his indisposition
preventing him from undertaking the
voyage to Russia, and proposed Mr
Townsend to go in his room. They
bowed most respectfully to the'prince,
Mr Townsend was afterwards conduct-
ed to the head of the table by Garter
King of Arms, and the Registrar in-
troduced him to the prince, when he was
sworn in Garter King of Arms for this
special occasion to go to Russia, to in-
vest the Emperor of Russia with the
insignia of the order. The oath was
administered in Latin . by the Regis-
trar;' The chapter then closed, the

July 29.]

CHRONICLE.

Ixxxiii

knights and the officers bowing to the
prince, and the procession returned m
the same order.

FlELD-MARSHAL WELLINGTON.—

At a meeting of the principal noble-
men and gentlemen of Ireland, at the
Rotunda, Dublin, on the 20th instant,
the Earl of Roden in the chair, it was
resolved to erect a statue to the Mar-
quis Wellington.— The following en-
ergetic resolution was unanimously
adopted : —

«' Resolved— That, being convinced that
the renowned successes of thatiilustrious
Irishman, Tietd-Marslial the Marquis of
Wellington, in his campaigns against tiie
French invaders of Spain and Portugal,
not only reflect honour on the country of
iiis birth, but have eminently contributed
to the security, prosperity, and glory of the
British empire, the independence of Eu-
rope, and the best interests of mankind,
we deem it to be a proud duty devolving
on his countrymen, to record, by some
public national testimonial, to be erected
in tlie metropolis of Ireland, the exploits
he has achieved, in order tliat he who has
* distinguished himself by great services to
his country, may enjoy the gratitude and
applause of his contemporaries, and that
our posterity may be excited, by emula-
tion o{ his fame, to the imitation of his
example."

29th. — The Prince Regent having
been pleased to signify to Sir Everard
Home, his wish to visit the Museum of
the Royal College of Surgeons, in Lin-
coln*8«inn-fields, this day was fixed up-
on for that purpose, and every neces-
sary preparation was made at the col-
lege. This edifice has lately been re-
built in consequence of a parliament-
ary grant, and forms a fine ornament
to the square. The entrance to the
college was covered with red baize,
and the passages matted for the occa-
sion. His royal highness arrived at
half.past two o'clock in his carriage,
attended by Colonel Bloomfield and
Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, and was recei-
ved by Sir Everard Home, Bart, the
master, and Sir WiUiam Blizard and
Mr Cline, the governors of the college.

The Prince Regent remained in the
Museum about an hour andahalf, view-
ing the various articles in the collec-
tion, and, upon his departure, express-
ed the high gratification he had expe-
rienced.

This nightbetween eleven and twelve,
as Mr Robert Nelson, builder, of Dept-
ford, and his son, were returning from
Somerset-place by water, to their re-
sidence at Deptford, the boat swamp-
ed under London-bridge, by which
accident Mr Nelson, his son, and one
waterman, were unfortunately drown-
ed ; the other waterman escaped with
much difficulty, and is not expected to
survive.

On Monday morning, about two
or three ^o'clock, a shocking murder
was committed on the body of a poor
labouring man, in a field, between Lu-
cas-street and the Foundling Hospi-
al. — It is supposed the deceased had
been attacked by some villains, and
making resistance, they resolved to
murder him ; which horrid deed being
perpetrated, they threw the body into
a gravel-pit near the place where the
murder was committed. The body
was discovered about four o'clock, by
two labourers. The head of the de-
ceased was much lacerated, and marks
were found on parts of it, supposed to
be done by an iron crow, or some such
instrument. The precise spot on which
this barbarous act was committed was
literally covered with the brains of the
unfortunate man. The body wheq
found was still warm, but life was quite
extinct. The two who first discovered
it, collected together the fragments of
the skull, which, with the body, they
conveyed to the sign of the Prince
Regent public-house, in Sidmouth-
street, for the coroner's inquest. —
Two half-pence was all the money
found in the pockets of the deceased.
The body was soon ov^ned. — The
friends of the deceased state, that he
was an Irishman, and intended shortly
to proceed to his own country ; an4

Ixxiiv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S. July SI.

in order to defray the expences of his
journey, he had been for some time
making Httle savings from his weekly
wages. — It was this small booty, it was
lupposed, which attracted the « villains,
and occasioned his death.

coroner's inquest.

At four o'clock yesterday, an inquest
was held at the above house, on view of
the hody, before George Hodson, Esq.
coroner.

Wilham Broughton, a brick-raaker, re-
siding in Paradise street. Battle-bridge,
stated, th-it he worked in a brick-field at
the top of this street. About a quarter
past five o'clock yesterday morning, when
he was at work, a little boy came to him,
And told \vm there was somebody drowned
in the pool, for there was a shoe and a hat
on the brink of it. He went with the boy
to the pit, and seeing something in the
water, he went in and pulled up the de-
ceased, who had all his clothes on except
the shoe and hat; his waistcoat was open,
he had dreadful marks on his skull, and
was quite de-ad.

Heyman Barnet, a hatter, residing in
Field-lane, stated, the deceased came on
SundayJto his shop, and requestd to have a
cheap hat. He sold the deceased the hat
novv produced for 4s. and gave him
change for a 11. note. — The deceased's
wife came in at the time, looked over the
money, and then gave it her husband, who
put it in his pocket, and they both went
away.

Charles Cooke, an officer belonging to the
Police Office, Hatton-garden, stated, that
in consequence of the report of this mur-
der, he, accompanied by other officers,
went to the spot yesterday morning, where
they met two little children of the deceas-
ed ; the wife came shortly afterwards. On
hearing from her that James Leary, who
resides in George-court, or Mew-court,
Field lane, M'as the last person seen with
him, they went to his house, where they
found his wife : she told them, on being
asked, that she did not know where her
husband worked, and then took hold of
another woman by the hand, and put it to
her breast, saying, ** O! feel how njy heart
beats.*' — This circumstance induced them
to take her into custody. — They carefully
examined the room, and found no money,

nor any thing that could lead to a disco-
very, except a shoemaker's hammer, that
lay on one side the fire-place. Thinking
it was like an instrument to commit the
deed, they took it with them, and found
that the sharp flat edge matched the cut
on the hat, and the other blows on the
head ; the hammer had some whitening on
it, and there was also some white on the
part of the hat where the blow was given.
After securing the wife, they returned,
thinking to find the husband at home, and
learned that he worked at Mr Helstone's,
in Cock-lane; he was coming down a lad-
der from a building when they went there,
and lest he should be alarmed, they en-
quired if xMr Helstone was in the way ? He
answered, *' You do not want Mr Helstone,
you want me."— They told him he was
right, and he went with them very quietly.
On the way he said, " This is on account
of the murder of Edward Clifford."— On
being asked how he could tell that } he
said, he heard that morning what had hap-
pened. After he was taken to the House
of Correction, they examined him closely,
and found on the right thigh of his breeches
several spots of blood, one of them pretty
large, and which, it appeared, had been at-
tempted to be rubbed out with lime.—
Those breeches he denied wearing on Sun-
day, but it was proved he did ; his stockings
also appeared full of mud.

Mary Clifford, wife of the deceased, and
who was in a forward state of pregnancy,
said, they had sold some land and a house,
in Ireland, and that her husband came to
England about three weeks ago, for the
purpose of getting some employ as a labour-
er. On their arrival in town they went
and slept four nights at the house of' James
Leary, in Mew-court, Saffion-hill ; after
which they took a lodgingin Church- street,
St Giles's Witness deposed, that on Sun-
day last her husband went out early in
the morning; he did not return as soon as
she exp-cted, and she went in search of
him — she found him at the house of Lea-
ry— they passed the greater part of the day
together, and in the evenir'g went out to
a house in the neighbourhood and got some
gin. Her husbanil was in a state of ine-
briety, and she begged Leary not to give
him any more liquor; Leary said in an-
swer, *' You seem low — never mind, I will
get your husband work to-morrow," De-

Jluy 31.]

CHRONICLE.

IXXXT

ceased had in his pocket when at this
shop, a five- pound and six one pound notes,
two guineas, and sixteen shillings in silver.
Leary accompanied them up Holborn, but
upon witness saying ** They walked too

?[uick for her," Leary said, " We will go
brward and provide a gallon of porter."
Witness saw no more of Leary or her hus-
band. She was much disappointed at not
finding them at home, and was exceeding
restless all night. Said she went to Lcary*s
house in the morning early, and found the
door of the apartment locked, the key
outside, and no person in the room but
Leary's wife, who said that her husband
was gone to work.

The coroner then delivered a very im-
pressive charge to the Jury, who unani-
mously returned a verdict of Wilful MuT'
der against James Leary. Executed.

AGRICULTURAL REPORTS.
England. — The harvest has com-
menced on the light lands with a cheer-
ing prospect or such general abun-
dance as the oldest husbandman has
rarely experienced. Most of the rye
is cut, and much of it carted. The
wheat is allowed, universally, to bear
an ear full and well set, and to be of a
colour more free from taint of blight
or mildew than almost ever known.
The barleys are equally promising, ex-
cept on the heaviest binding soils, and
the beans and pease never promised
a fuller produce. Oats are not likely
to be a general crop, except in the
Fensof Lmcoln and Cambridge shires,
where they appear heavy on theground.
The potatoes already raised, round
London, have also given earnest of an
ample crop. The late-sown turnips
have planted well in most districts.
The hop plantations almost through-
out Kent, Farnhani, and Sussex, are
likely to fail from the increase of the
fly ; in Worcestershire and Hereford-
shire, they are less affected ; the spe-
culations on the year's duty do not
exceed 55,0001. The hay harvest has
closed in most counties, more produc-
tively than it did ou the grass-lands

round the capital. Lean stock holds
last month's high prices; and pigs, from
the promising pulse crop, are consider-
ably dearer. Good horses for the col-
lar are advanced full twenty per cent. ;
those of an ordinary kind are not sale-
able. The meat market is lower for all
articles. We note no variation in that
of wool, in which but little has been
done through this month ; notwith-
standing the new marts opened in dif-
ferent counties. The top prices ob-
tained for clothing wool have been 4s.
lOd. for Merino, and 2s. 3d. per lb.
for Southdown fleeces.

Lothian. The weather during

this month has been exceedingly fine
and nourishing for all the different
species of crops, having had continued
and unusual warmth, with moderate
showers. The good effects are evi-
dent on every field, there being at pre-
sent the most promising appearance of
a more full and abundant supply of
food, both for man and beast, than has
been many seasons bygone. Wheat is
comparatively the bulkiest of the other
grains to present view. Potatoes and
turnips are generally excellent; har-
vest, however, will not be much earlier
than an average, as there will be very-
little ciit these three weeks to come,
even with the best weather. The hay,
which is a light crop, has been well
secured (although a tedious process,
from the quiet weather,) and as we
have seen a full crop damaged with
rains, perhaps there will be as much
food in this crop as in a more full one
when injured. It is selHng from the
rick, from lOd. to Is. per stone>

The grain markets have been fully
supplied. — The cattle markets conti-
nue to sell at what is generally consi-
dered good prices, and the butcher
markets continue to be supplied with
good meat in a plentiful manner.

Field operations having been oc-
casionally suspended by frequent hea-

Ixxxv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [July SI,

vy showers which have fallen since
the middle of the month, the sum-
mer fallows, in general, are hardly
in the condition that a correct sys-
tem of agriculture requires at this
season of the year. From the same
cause, the cleaning of the turnips is
also rather behind in some instances ;
nevertheless that crop is very promi-
sing. Most of the hay is now in the
stack-yard, but the quality of a good
part of it has been materially injured
by the heavy rains. The weather
through the month having been moist
and warm, the thermometer being fre-
quently from 62 to 74 degrees, crops
of every description have shot out with
great luxuriance ; and although doubts
have been expressed relative to the
safety of the wheat, which, probably,
in some instances, may be found rather
defective in the ear, yet it is expected
that dry and sunny weather will have
the happy effect of realising an abun-
dant crop, which the great bulk on
the ground so fully promises. Pasture
grass has continued to afford plenty of
food for the grazing stock, and the
prices of fat meat have fully remune-
rated the feeder. The prices of grain
have fallen considerably during the
month, but what they may be previous
to the harvest, will in a great measure
depend upon the state of the weather.
Butcher markets continue to be well
supplied, yet with little alteration in
the prices of meat, beef and mutton
being from 8d. to 9d. and veal from
7d. to lOd. per lb. Among the late
improvements in the various branches
of agriculture in this district, there is
none more conspicuous than in the
mode of feeding calves. A few years
ago 41. or 51. was thought a good
price for a good calf, now 81. or ]0l.
is very common ; and a few days ago,
^ven 121. sterling was given by a but-
cher for a fat calf,- only ten weeks
eld.

Lanarkshire — ^The weather has
been more propitious to the growth
and maturation of the crop, during
the whole of the month of July,
than it was in the corresponding
month of any former year in the
course of the present century. There
has been abundance of rain to pro-
mote vegetation, and none to hurt
the crop or retard any species of la-
bour. The warmest showers have been
succeeded with clear sunshine ; and
there has been no storm, or spet, or
blast, in the least to interrupt the
progress of vegetation, or injure any
species of crop.

Of course, the growth has been, and
still continues to be, luxuriant, and the
crop has made astonishing progress
during this month. The bad seed, in-
jured by worming or hoving, and still
more by the cold rains, for two weeks
about the middle of May, had so se-
riously injured the crop in many places
as not to be altogether remedied during
the season ; but the continued fine
weather has effected changes which
none could have expected.

As the weeds do not seem to have
made their usual progress in such a wet
May, the oats that had too few plants,
either from bad seed or from being
slam, have sent out many stems from
the same root, which the farmers call
** stooling," and those who are fond
of high-sounding words term, " tiller-
ing." This leads to unequal ripenings ;
but, from the great strength of the
stems, and numerous grams on the
greatest part of them, the crop pro-
mises to be bulky and the grain abun-
dant ; and, what is highly interesting,
it is in general two weeks farther ad-
vanced than last crop was at the be-
ginning of August.

Wheat is, in general, a heavy crop.
Oats on dry rich land, and especially
where they were early sown, are most
luxuriant. Bear seldom ever offere«l

July 31.]

CHRONICLE.

Ixxxvii

to be more productive. Pease and
beans that had escaped injury in May-
are an abundant crop. Potatoes never
had a better appearance.

The few turnips that are sown here
are doing well, and all sorts of pasture
have been excellent ; and the stock,
being neither hurt by rains, droughts,
nor storms, promises to turn out well ;
but the fruit has not failed so much
since 1805.

The rye-grass hay, from having been
frost-bitten jifter it had made some pro-
gress, and afterwards too much drench-
ed in cold moisture, proves rather below
a medium crop, but the growth of the
natural grasses has in part made up
the deficiency, and hay was seldom bet-
ter cured. We do not know ys hether it
may have proceeded from the state of
the weather, or from what other cause,
but the proportion of goose grass
[brojnus seculinus) has been greater
this year in this district than usual. It
no doubt adds much to the weight of
the hay, and being hard and wiry, the
stabler may find it as profitable as that
which is more palatable and softer to
cat, but the poor hackney horse is the
great sufferer. If that grass were cut
Jas all coarse plants ought to be) while
in flower, it would make tolerable hay,
but when it has nearly ripened its
seeds, it is great injustice to offer it to
road or work horses.

Some farmers, and others who deal
in grass-seeds, have of late made a dis-
tinction between what they call annual
and perennial rye-grass, which they
represent to be of different species ;
but they will find on enquiry, that
these are only the same species, and
that the difference in the duration of
their growth proceeds from treatment.
Rye grass (solium perenne) grows na-
turally in the temperate regions, and
when it has to struggle for its exist-
ence with many rival plants, aud is trod-
den and eaten by cattle, it grows pe-
rennial. So do the oats, barley, and

wheat, on the coasts of the Mediter-
ranean. But whenever any of these
plants are raised almost exclusively on
rich ground, sown thick, and grow
luxuriant, till their seeds are well ri-
pened, their roots, at all times weak,
become arid, and their growth from
the root terminates with the first crop.
Rye-grass grew perennial for many
years after it vv^as sown as a crop, and
nobody can tell from what place that
of annual growth originally came, or
point out the specific difference be-
tween it and that of perennial growth,

Ireland.— The last month has been
marked with as great a variety in the
state of the weather as generally oc-
curs in so short a space of time ; it has
vibrated from wet to dry, from extreme
heat to cold chilling southerly winds
in the course of a day.

These changes, however, have not
produced any unfavourable effects on
the state of the crops ; wheat, oats,
and barley, continue to look well in
almost every part of the country, and
flax, which at one period had a most
unpromising appearance, has recovered
beyondthe expectations of the farmers;
it is to be hoped they will this season
apply themselves seriously to the prac-
tice of saving as much seed as will at
least be suflicient for their own use
next year.

From the present appearance of the
potatoe crops, there is reason to ex-
pect an abundant produce of that va-
luable root, and as the meadows have
seldom been more productive than they
are this year, nor better saved, there
is a pleasing prospect of abundance of
good food for man and beast.

Fashions. — Half Dress, — Gown,
of pale blue and light sarsnet, shot
with white, made a walking length,
and more scanty in the skirt than we
have observed them for some time past.
The back and front of the body are
of white lace. The front is the exact
shape of the bosom, and is finished, as

Ixxxviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1313. [Auo. 2.

well as the top of the back, with small
white silk ornaments, similar to those
worn at the ends of tassels, but made
as light as possible. Waist the same
as last month. L^ ng sleeve tinishtd
at the wrist by a letting m lace and
silk ornaments, and an epaulet sleeve
of white lace, trinimed in a similar
manner. A band of blue embroider-
ed ribbon round the waist, fastened in
front by a clasp of gold mixed with
pearl, gives an elegant finish to this
dress. Queen Elizabeth ruff, of very
rich and broad lace shades the back
of the neck The dress is cut down
as much as possible in front. Hair
cropped behind, and dressed in light
loose curls in front, very much parted
on one side of the forehead. No or-
nament except a braid of hair. White
and pink cornehan necklace and ear-
rings, ivory fans, and white kid gloves
and slippers.

Full Dress — White crape frock,
ornamented round the bottom with a
fancy trimming of pink crape. Over
this is a pinkcrape Spanish body, edged
round the bosom, and at the bottom,
with a narrow binding of silver ribbon.
A very small flower is embroidered in
silver on each breast. The sleeves are
made with a very little fulness, and
composed of three medallions of white
lace set on to a band of rose-coloured
crape. A scarf to correspond, richly
embroidered at the ends. Pink silk
slippers and while kid gloves. Hair
turned up a la Greque behind, and a
part of the hind hair disposed in loose
ringlets, which fall partly in the neck.
A wreath of roses is fancifully dispo-
sed on the head. Necklace, earings,
and bracelets of pearl. White kid
gloves and slippers.

Morning Walking Dress. — A cam-
brick or jaconet mushn round robe,
with long sleeves and falling collar,
trimmed with a plaiting of net, or ed-
ged with lace, finished at the feet with
a border of needle-work. A cossack
snantle of Pomona green shot sarsnet,

lined throughout with white silk, and
bordered with a double row of Chinese
binding, the ends finished with rich cor-
respondent tassels, and a cape formed
of double and deep vandyke lace. A
provincial poke bonnet of yellow quilt-
ed satin ; ribbon to correspoiid with
the mantle, puffed across the crown,
and tied under th chin ; asnriall cluster
of flowers plac d on the left side, simi-
lar to those on the small lace cap which
is seen beneath . Parasol and shoes t he
colour of the mantle, and glovts a pale
tan colour.

Evening Costume. — A round robe
of pale jonquil or canary coloured
crape, worn over a white satin slip ;
short sleeves, composed of the shell-
scolloped lace and satin, decorated
with bows on the shoulders, and form-
ed so as to display perhaps rather too
much of the bosom, back, and shoul-
ders ; a broad scolloped lace finishes
the robe at the feet, above which it
placed a double row of plaited ribbon,
and a diamond clasp confines the waist
in front. A Prussian helmet cap of ca-
nary. coloured sarsnet, froste.. with sil-
ver, diadem and tassels to correspond; a
full plumeof curled ostrich feathers, in-
clining towards one side of the hel-
met ; the hair divided in front of the
forehead, and loose curls on each side,
with a single stray riiiglet falling on
the left shoulder. A crossof diamonds,
suspended from a gold chain, orna-
ments the throat and bosom — ear- rings
and bracelets to suit. Slippers of ca-
nary-coloured satin, trimmed with sil-
ver. Gloves of French kid; fan of
carved ivory.

AUGUST.

2d, — Running and Driving —

A gentleuian of the name of Benson,
undertook on Wednesday morning, for
a wager of 50 guineas, to go on foot
half an hour, and drive half an hour,

Aua. 2— C]

CHRONICLE.

Izxxix

and to perform the distance of 16 miles
in the hour. The ground fixed on
was ihe Bath road, and the pedestrian
did five miles and nearly a quarter in
the half hour. H** then mounted into
a light chaise, drawn by a blood horse,
and galloped elev. n miles in the half
hour, and won the match easily.

Wick. — The herring fisher)', on the
louth coast of Caithness, has commen-
ced this season with uncommon success,
and, as the preparations for it surpass
what has been known at any former
period, there is every prospect of a
most abundant fishing. It is compu-
ted that, between Uunbeath and Staxi-
go, not fewer than 8(X) boats are em-
ployed, Hndthat, in the course of three
nights of last week, they caught up-
wards of 20,000 barrels of herrings.
The number of fishermen engaged may
be taken at an average of five men to
each boat, and the hands of either sex
employed on shore, in the operations of
gutting, curing, and coopering, cannot
be computed at less than three to each
boat, so that 6400 persons must be oc-
cupied at the diffc rent fishing stations
in the above district of coast, compre-
hending a distance of '^2 miles only.
Wick and Pulteneytown, being the
principal stations, present, at ihi time,
a scene of bustle and activity truly in-
teresting, even to such as have no im-
mediate concern in those important
pursuits.

4th. Dreadful Accident in

SwiiZERL ND — By the overflowing
of the river Birse at Dornach, canton
of Solente, upwards of one hundred and
fifty persons p rished, in July last.—
The following relation of this melan-
choly event is taken from the Aschaff.
enberg Gazette : —

" On the l3ih of July the river Birse,
swelled by the rains, overflowed its chan-
nel, and undermined the foundation of a
bouse, the proprietor of \*hicii calle<l for
assistance. The alarm-bell was rung, and
a number of persons rao to assist the in-
6

habitants in saving their effects. — While
employed in this humane office, the house
an<l adjoining wall k'll, and buried twelve
persons in -he ruins.

*' Near the hous^* and the bridge over
the river was situated an ancient tower,
which served as a prison, and in which
were detained three men, who perceiving
the waters gushing out from the ground
beneath their feet, entreated loudly to be
released from their perilous stare. The
gaoler, who had been lonjr deaf to their
j)rH)ers. persuaded that this tower, which
had stood so many ages, would n sist yet
the violence of the waters, resolved at last
to go to them, and ssure them that their
fears were jiroundless; but found it no
easy task to pacify them ; and he was gtill
engaged m conversation, whei' the tower,
with a tremendous crash, fell upon the
bridge, and he was killed along with one
of the prisoners. — The calamity did not
end here.

" 1 he alarm-bell had attracted to the
bridge a great number of persons of both
stxes ; the ruins of the tower fell upon
the bridge, broke it in the centre, and all
those upon it were precipitated into the
torrent, aud many were drowned. About
sixty persons from Basle, fifty from Dar-
nach, and ten from its environs, are still
missing. — It is known that they were upon
the bridge at the time of the catastrophe,
and it is believed i hat they have perished."

6th. — An accident of a most dis-
tressmg nature occurred on Friday last,
in the neighbourhood of Fort Augus-
tus. Mr John Macdonald of Inverness,
accompanied the Glengarry Local
Militia, of which he was an officer,
to their depot at Invergarry. He
travelled in a gi^, with another officer
of that corps. On th.^ir return to In»
verness, the horse took fright, and on
being curbed, the rein broke, and he
set off at full speed. In this perilous
situation, Mr Macdonald's companion
sprung forward on the horse's back,
to recover the bridle, but his eftort*
to restrain him were unavailing, until
he overtook some riders who were go-
ing on before at a considerable distance,
when Mr Macdonald, who had fallen

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Aug. 10.

or leaped out of the gig, was missed.
Conceiving that he had escaped un-
hurt, his fellow traveller returned in
search of him, but to his unspeakable
grief found him lifeless on the road. —
Mr Macdonald was in the prime of life,
and has left a widow and four children
to lament his loss.

•* Windsor Castle, August 7.
« His majesty's state has varied in
the course of the last month ; but, up-
on the whole, has not been uncomfort-
able ; and is at present very compo-
sed.

(Signed) « H. Halford.

*' M. Baillie.

«W. Heberden.

<« R. Willis."

9th.-MR PItt's MONUMENT.-This

elegant piece of sculpture, allowed to
be a master-piece, by Westmacott, in
Westminster Abbey, was opened yes-
terday. It is placed in a most eligible
situation, over the west entrance, at the
extremity of the aisle. The congre-
gation returning from the choir have
a full view of the figure of this great
orator. The statue is of white mar-
ble, representing him in his robes, as
chancellor of the exchequer, his right
arm extended as when declaiming in
the House -of Commons. On the
right sits the figure of History, with a
book, recording his worth, attentively
looking, with expressive countenance,
to the subject of her pen. On the
left is the figure of Anarchy, chained
—the sword of Discord, a part of which
(the hilt) is only to be seen ; and on
the base, in front of the principal fi-
gure, is this inscription : —
This Monument
Is erected by Parliament
to
WILLIAM PITT,
Son of William, Earl of Chatham,
In testimony of gratitude, for the eminent
public services,
And of regret for tlie irreparable loss
of that
Great and distinguished Minister.

Concluding with these words —
He died on the 23d of January, 1806, in
llie 47th year of his age.

10th. — Martin Hogan, a private of
the York Rangers, was committed for
trial at the next admiralty sessions, foe
the murder of Lieut. Johnstone, of the
15th regiment. The following are the
circumstances attending the perpetra-
tion of the deed : — Hogan, with other
soldiers belonging to different regi-
ments, were on their passage to the
West Indies, in the merchant ship
Gunstan, as were also other ofli-
cers. As is customary, these officers,
though belonging to other corps,
were commanding the detachments
on board. One afternoon, in serv-
ing out the grog, Hogan either had,
or thought he had, a short allowance
given to him ; he remonstrated, and
for his unruly manner of doing so was
put into confinement, by having a
handcufF put on him, and a sentry
placed over him. A short time after-
wards, the sentry wanting a drink of
water, left him with his musket and
ammunition. Hogan immediately sei-
zed the musket, and loaded it, and went
below to the officers cabin, hailing
them, and desired to have his grog.
He also wished them to promise, on
their words of honour, as gentlemen,
that he should be released, and no-
thing more be thought of his conduct.
For a short time the officers paused,
but recollecting the conduct of the man
was mutinous, and would have a bad
effect on the minds of the other troops
on board. Lieutenant Johnstone told
him to be orderly and to lay down his
weapon. On his refusing to do so,
Lieut. J. advancing from the cabin,
with his sword drawn, threatening to
cut him down ; when, as Lieut. John-
stone was ascending the ladder, Hogan
fired, and shot him dead. The mur-
derer was immediately secured, and
is now sent home for trial. In his
confession, he has denied that anyper-
9

Aug. 11.]

CHRONICLE.

xcl

son was in the least aware of his inten-
ton. Sentence — Death.

11th. — Lincoln Assizes commen-
ced on Monday before Sir Alexander
Thomson and Sir Simon Le Blanc,
when Azubah Fountain, and George
Turner Rowell, were tried, for the
wilful murder of RobertFountain, hus-
band of the said Azubah Fountain.

Mr Weightman, constable at Wal-
tham, deposed, that in consequence of
hearing of the sudden death of Foun-
tain, he went to his house to obtain in-
formation, taking with him Mr Fore-
man, a surgeon, and two other gentle-
men,— His wife said she did not know
where he had been the day before, but
he came home so drunk, that he fell
repeatedly before he reached the door
When she asked him where he had been,
he said he had had a fine spree ; but he
believed he had done for himself, as he
felt a pain in his breast. He called
much for ale, which Rowell got for
him, and they sat down to drink toge-
ther, though they had been quarrelling
on the day preceding. Mr Dicken-
son, the coroner, produced a deposition
of Rowell, agreeing in many points
with Mrs Fountain's assertions to the
preceding witness, with this variation,
that she, and not he, gave the deceased
a great quantity of elderberry wine. —
Finding, however, that considerable
suspicion attached to him, he, in a se-
cond deposition, made some hours af-
terwards, confessed that he had been
«ent by Mrs Fountain to Grimsby to
purchase ten ounces of laudanum,
which, he believed, she administered
to her husband in the elderberry wine.
He also the next day went to Grims-
by for more, and described the manner
in which it was agreed upon between
himself and tlie female prisoner to act,
to avoid suspicion of any evil intent,
of which, however, he professed him-
self unconscious. Mrs Fountain ad-
vised him to say, that he had broken
the bottle and spilt the liquid before

he got home.— During these exami-
nations of Rowoll, Mrs Fountain ex-
pressed great anxiety to know, and oa
being told, that she was in danger of
her life from his confession, she went
to the place where the jury were, de-
claring that she would tell the truth.
Her deposition was then taken, and in
it she said, that Rowell had been their
lodger about fourteen weeks, and in
the third week he had advised her to
give him a dose of laudanum to get him
out of the way : he said he could find
ways of getting rid of him, but poi-
soning was the beat and surest way.
She confessed her guilt, and said she
deserved to suffer for it. It was pro-
ved that Rowell was present when she
thus accused him, in bitter complaints,
of bein g thecause of her ruin, and that
he sneered at her assertions. She add-
ed, that Rowell laughed when he heard
her husband snoring, saying, " He
must have another dose," and in the
afternoon went to Grimsby for more
laudanum.

Mr Bennet, druggist of Grimsby,
proved that Rowell bought eight oun-
ces of laudanum of him, and alleged
that he had broken the bottle by ac-
cident, to account for his wanting the
second four. Messrs Bell and Fore-
man opened the body, and found a quan-
tity of laudanum, part of which was
produced in court. — The jury found
both the prisoners guilty. Death.

A singular and melancholy catas-
trophe occurred on the Point, Ports-
mouth. A young lad, named Bar-
ker, with another about his own
age, was employed in hoisting into a
loft a bundle of swords ; Barker stood
below ; the swords were hauled up,
and his companion not being strong
enough to take them in at the door,
let them fall, and one of the swords
(impelled by the weight of the bundle)
entered a little in front of the shoulder-
bone, penetrated the lungs, and struck
into his heart. The blood gushed from

xcii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [Aug. 12-16.

thewound as from a fountain ; he spoke
but twice, merely calling for his sister,
and expired in three minutes

12.~-The Pr nce Rfgent*s Birth
DAY.-This being his Royal Highness
the Prince Regent'sbirth-day,the same
was observed with every demonstration
of joy, similar to that of the king's
birth»day, throughout the metropolis,
except the holding of a court, which
the season of the year will not admit
of. The morning was ushered in with
a general ringing of bells, the flags and
•tandards were displayed from the
church steeples, public buildings, ships,
Ice, The King's, the Queen's, and
the Tilt' Yard Guards belonging to the
Coldstream regiment, commanded by
the Duke of Cambridge, mounted
guard in white gaiters ; and at one
o'clock the Park and Tower guns
were fired.

In the course of the day Monsieur,
and a number of nobility and persons
of distinction called at Carlton House,
and left their names.

This morning at two o'clock a de-
structive fire happened at the house of
Mrs Morgan, fishmonger, near Vaux-
hall turnpike. It appears that the fa-
mily had been ironing, and the fire,
which was made on the hearth, there
being no stove, caught thewood-work,
and the premises were soon in flames.
Mrs Morgan had only time to make
her escape by the roof of the house to
the Royal Oak tavern. Another fe-
male on the first floor escaped, with a
child in her arms, by getting on the
kads. The fire extended with great
rapidity to the cheesemonger's adjoin-
ing, which also is quite cousumed.
Vauxhall chapel, which stood at the
back of both, was also included in the
conflagration.

This morning about three o'clock,
the neighbourhood of Grosvenor-
square was thrown into the utmost alarm
by the large cabinet manufactory of
Messrs. Gillows, George-street, Ox-
f(?rd-street, having caught fire ; and so

sudden and rapid was the progress of
the flames, that in less than an hourthc
whole was laid in ashes. The fire, for
some time, threatened the whole of the
west side of George- street, but was
prevented from spreading by prompt
and active exertions. The carman of
the Westminster engine was killed in
Swallow-street, by the engine driving
over him when at full speed. This
was one of the greatest fires the me-
tropolis has witnessed since the burn-
ing of Drury-lane theatre.

13th. — An inquest was taken yes-
terday at the Swan-with-two-necks,
Finchley, on the body of Joseph Le-
mon, a youth seventeen years of age,
who was shot by Thomas Moon, a
private in the 9th light dragoons, whilst
harrowing in a field, on Wednesday
evening. It appeared in evidence, that
a Serjeant and four privates were escort-
ing a deserter from the Savoy to Nor*
thampton ; and on their arrival near
the eight-mile stone from London,
Moon and one of his comrades had oc-
casion to stop a little, whilst the party
went on. Moon, who was fresh with
liquor, seemed to be taking a level in-
to a field, and he discharged his car-
bine, when the ball went through the
body of the deceased. The party went
on, iDUt Mr CoHins, the master of the
boy, overtook them at Whetstone, and
secured Moon, whose piece was un-
loaded. He was taken before N. Co-
nantjEsq.at Finchley, and committed.
The jury returned a verdict of wilful
murder against Moon. — This infernal
villain was acquitted on his subsequent
trial, because malice prepense could not
be proved against him !

16th. -^At the Wiltshire assizes, an
action was brought by a Mr Gooden,
against the proprietorsof a mail-coach,
to recover damages for a serious injury
sustained by the plaintiff from its be-
ing overturned. It appeared in evi-
dence, that the plaintiff was an outside
passenger, that the coach was over-
turned immediately on quitting the

Auo. 16.]

CHRONICLE.

XCUI

yard of the Red Lion inn, Salisbury,
and that a compound fracture of the
plaintiff's leg was the consequence of
the accident. It seemed established
that there was no gross misconduct,
inattention, or want of skill on the
part of the coachman, to call for vin-
dictive damages. — Mr Justice Gibbs
left it to the jury to determine whether
the defendants were liable on account
of the apparent heedlessness of the
coachman in not leading the horses out
of the yard ; and it was agreed that if
the jury found the defendants liable,
the verdict should pass for all such ex-
penses as the plaintiflF had reasonably
incurred, which were to be ascertained
by a reference. The jury found a ver-
dict for the plaintiff, and the referree
has since assessed the damages at 6001.

John Britain was tried at the War-
wick assizes for the murder of his wife
in April last. On the trial of this
unhappy man, the principal evidence
against him was his own son, who, on
the sight of his father, was scarcely
able to sustain the shock. His coun-
tenance betrayed his horror at the
painful part he was called on to act ;
nor were his feelings confined to him-
self : judges, counsel, jury, and specta-
tors, were alike affected at the scene.
After some time had been allowed the
witness to recover himself, the judge
(Sir S. Le Blanc) told him that the
task was indeed a painful one ; but
that it was a duty he owed to his God,
his country, and the memory of his
deceased mother, to relate to the court
such circumstances of the murder of
his deceased parent as were within the
compass of his knowledge, recollecting
that his father had broken the chain
that binds society together. After re-
peated encouragement from the coun-
sel, he proceeded in his testimony,
with but little interruption, and in
the course of it stated the following
facts : —

The witness was sleeping, on the

morning of the 5th of April, in the
same room with his father, mother,
and a younger brother ; about six o'-
clock, on being suddenly disturbed by
a noise which proceeded from that part
of the room where his parents slept,
he rose and went to the spot, and there
found his father standing in a threat-
ening attitude over the bed in which
his mother lay. On examining the bed,
he found his mother weltering in her
blood, which flowed from a wound she
had received from a bar of iron which
his father held in his hand. The pri-
soner was again in the act of raising
his hand to strike the deceased, when
witness rushed up to him, and wrested
the bar from his grasp, exclaiming at
the same time, " O, my dear father,
have mercy !" and in his endeavours to
obtain the murderous weapon, received
a violent blow on one of his arms. Oa
his father becoming cooler, witness
went again to his mother, and saw that
ehe was much bruised about the head
and face, her blood flowing very fast ;
her speech was gone, and she appeared
to be in extreme agony. He wiped
the blood from her face with some
water, and his father in a short time
came to the bed and assisted him. Wit-
ness left the room to call for the assist-
ance of some neighbours, and then
proceeded in search of medical aid*
The witness further stated, that he
had often been disturbed in his rest
during the last six or seven months
previous to the murder, by his father's
singular behaviour: as for instance,
by his getting out of bed at night, go-
ing down stairs, and misplacing the
furniture, and by his use of strange ex-
pressions. He was convinced that hit
father laboured, at times, under men-
tal derangement, but nothing had oc-
curred of that description within a
month previous to the murder.

Seme other evidence, in corrobora-
tion of the facts above stated, was gone
through, when the prisoner was called

xciv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Aug. 18~20.

upon for his defence. He accordingly-
uttered a longand unconnected address,
partaking more of a soliloquy than of
any thing else. He seemed to rely on
his insanity at the time the fatal deed
was committed, and on the act being
involuntary and unpremeditated.

The judge, in summing up, stated
to the jury, that they had to confine
themeslves to the question, whether
the prisoner was sane at the time of
committing the deed, the fact of the
deceased having met her death at his
hands being indisputable.

The jury in ten minutes returned
their verdict- — Guilty.

On Friday last he w^as executed in
front of the county gaol, Warwick, in
presence of a large concourse of spec-
tators. He declared he had no person-
al animosity against his wife when he
went to bed on the evening preceding
the murder ; but that on a sudden im-
pulse, (the old Nicholson, &c. &c.
story) and without any provocation,
he jumped out of bed, and perpetrated
the horrid deed, with a bar of iron
about 21 inches long. After his con-
demnation he manifested an appearance
of calmness and serenity. He has left
three children to bewail his shocking
end, and the lamentable fate of their
mother.

18th. — On Sunday last a party of
five young persons, consisting of the
son of Mr Hales, pin-maker, in the
Borough, the son and two daughters
of Mr Bates, saddler, in the Borough,
and the nephew of Mr Hales, went
down to Gravesend in a small boat.
On their return home, when opposite
Erith, the sail of the boat being up,
a sudden squall upset the vessel, and
four of the party perished, namely, the
son of Mr Hales, and the son and two
daughters of Mr Bates : the fifth was
preserved, when almost exhausted, by
a barge, which bore down to the spot
on seeing the accident.

At the Truro assizes, in an action
brought by Mr Williams, a London

merchant, against the proprietors of
the maiUcoach, between Exeter and
Falmouth, for having had his leg frac-
tured, and some of his ribs broken, in
consequence of the overturning of the
coach on Poison-bridge, owing to the
negligence of the coachman, "a special
jury gave a verdict of 2511. damages.

20th. — The following affecting oc-
currence took place atRooney's Island,
nearDonegall, on Sunday : — A young
man, named Scott, while bathing, im-
prudently ventured beyond his depth,
although a bad swimmer. His bro-
ther, who was a spectator of his dan-
ger from shore, went in to his assist-
ance, and the tide advancing rapidly,
they were both struggling with the
waves, when their sister, a fine girl of
18 years of age, madly imagined she
might effect their deliverance, and
rushing in, they were all three lost, in
sight of their aged and agonized pa-
rent on shore.

Wonderful Preservation.

Some days ago several men were sup-
posed to be lost in a mine by the fall-
ing in of a large quantity of earth. The
following letter announces their al-
most miraculous preservation : —

" Wolverhampton y August 17.
" The miners, &c. continued their exer-
tions to relieve the sufferers with increa-
sed activity,'and yesterday (Monday) morn-
ing at four o'clock, having nearly driven
through to the stall in which they were,
one of them was heard to call out, " Work
more to the left," and, astonishing to re-
late, by one oVIock at noon, eight of the
men and the boy were found alive ! John
Keeling, whose body has not yet been
found, was the only one missing; and it
is supposed the sand, &c. fell upon and
instantly buried him. When the circum-
stance became generally known that the
men were living, many hundreds of persons
assembled from the country in the vicinity
of the work, and at half- past four in the af-
ternoon, the first man was brought up by
the shaft of the pit, supported in the bkip
by Mr S. Fereday and another person ;
and when three of the others were brought
up, they were conveyed in a coach, ac-

Aug. 20.]

CHRONICLE.

xcv

corapanied by two medical men, to their
respective homes ; the others were also af-
terwards brought out find conveyed home
in a similar manner, except Hill, who was
carried home in a chair ; and thus, after a
dreadful confinement of nearly seven days,
in contemplation of which the u)ind shrinks
with horror, without light, without the
smallest morsel of food— shut up in the
bowels of the earth wiib only the drop-
ping of water which fell from the roofings
of tne cavity in which they were confined,
and which the;^ caught in an iron pot, ac-
cidentally left in the pit, were these nine
human beings providentially preserved from
a premature grave. — Too much praise can-
not be given" to the neighbouring medical
and other gentlemen, who promptly assist-
ed on this occasion. — They are all hkely
to do well."

Extract of a letter from Bodmin,
dated August 17 : —

" An awful visitation, in the case of a
sudden death, occurred this day in the
church of this town. On the arrival of
the judges, Sir V. Gibbs and Mr Baron
Graham, to hear divine service, the cler-
gyman, the Rev. Dr Pomeroy, was not in
his place. The captain of the javelin-men
was therefore dispatched for him, and he
arrived after the judges had been about
twelve minutes waiting for him. The
chaplain of the sheriff helped him on with
his gown; he went into the desk, and
opened the book, but he had scarcely
turned over two or three leaves, when he
fell down and suddenly expired. — He was
about sixty-four years of age.

Northampton Assizes The trial

of HufFcy White, Richard Kendall,
and Mary Howes, alias Taylor, for the
robbery of the Leeds mail, occupied the
court upwards of fourteen hours and a
half, nearly forty witnesses being exa-
mined, whose connected chain of evi-
dence afforded the most indisputable
proof of the guilt of the two men. In
the first instance the arrival of the mail
at Kettering, on Monday the 26th of
October last, at the usual hour, with
the different bags all safe, which were
forwarded from thence with the Ket-

tering and other bye-bags, was satis-
factorily proved ; as likewise the whole
being safe at Burton Latimer, three
miles from Kettering, when the guard,
after travelling about three quarters of
a mile from Burton, quitted his seat,
and went over the roof of the coacli
and rode on the box with the coach-
man till they approached near to
Higham Ferrers, when he resumed
hisseat behind the coach. Having ar-
rived at Higham, the guard, on going
to unlock the mail-box, discovered that
the lock had been broken off, and on
opening the lid, that the bags had been
taken away. At the different post-
towns the rest of the wAy to London,
the guard gave information of the rob-
bery ; and on making the circumstance
known at the general post-office, the
postmasters-general immediately dis-
patched several Bow- street officers to
endeavour to ascertain how and by
whom the robbery had been commit-
ted. On Lavender's arrival in the
country, he learned that Kendall, a
known suspicious character, lived at
Wellingborough, in quest of whom he
immediately went, and caused him to
be apprehended, when on enquiry, it
appeared that Kendall, with another
man, had travelled in a chaise-cart from
Keyston toll-gate, Hants, through
Thrapston to Wellingborough, in the
afternoon previously to the robbery,
and that they would arrive at the
point where the road from Thrapston
to Wellingborough crosses the Lon-
don road, near the obelisk, in the pa-
rish of Fincdon, before the mail-coach
would pass, and near to which place it
was supposed the robbery was com-
mitted, from the circumstance of four
small bye-bags being found on the road
unopened. On farther investigation
respecting Kendall's companion, there
appeared very strong reasons to sus-
pect that White was the party, as it
was ascertained that he had occasion-
ally been residing at Keyston-gate^

xcvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [Aug fd.

but was known by the name of Wal-
lis. In consequence oi these circum-
stances, rewards were immediately of-
fered for his apprehension, which was
at length effected. From the evidence
adduced it was clearly proved, that
White was the companion of Kendall,
and that they had been seen tog^^ther se-
veral times ; notwithstanding Kendall,
in his examinat on before the magi-
strates, denied having any knowledge
of the person who rode with him in hi*
chaise-cart on the day of the robbery,
and stated, it was a person he accident
ally met with and took up on the road.
It further appeared in evidence, that
about half an hour after the mail pass-
ed the obelisk at Finedon, two men
were observed in a cart or gig travel-
ling towardsWellingborough, and that
one of them said to the othor, " it's a
complete job, d — n you, drive on ;'*
and that shortly afterwards one man
in a cart or gig went through the
turnpike gate between Finedon and
WeUingborougii, who, before he arri-
ved at the gate, was heard speaking to
another person, who passed the gate
on foot. The turnpike gate-keeper
stated, that no other cart or gig had
gone through the gate that night. It
was then proved that White and Ken-
dall were seen together at Wellingbo-
rough the next morning (Tuesday the
27th), from whence the former took
post-chaise at Rythorne, which is near
Keyeton gate, then kept by Mary
Howes, who went by the name of
Taylor ; but at a short distance be-
fore he arrived there, he ordered the
post-boy to set him down in the road,
and he walked towards the gate. It
appeared, that after his arrival at the
toll-gate, Mary Howes requested a
person who was going through the
gate to order a chaise and pair from
the George inn at Thrapston, to be
sent to the gate to go to Huntingdon.
The chaise arrived in a short time,
smd in which White and Howes im-

mediately set off for Huntingdon,
which they reached about eighto*clock
on Tuesday evening, and then walked
together to Godmanchester. There
they endeavoured to hire a horse and
gig to convey them to Kisby's hut, a
public house about thn e miles and a
quarter from Caxton, in Cambridge-
shire. Not being able to procure a
gig, they went on the outside of the
Edinburgh mail to the hut, where they j
stopped a short time, and were con- m
veyed from th- nee to Caxton by the
landlord, in his taxed cart. From Cax-
ton they travelled the direct road to
London in post-chaises ; arrived in
Bread-street, Cheapside, about eight
o'clock on Wednesday morning, and
were set down in the street. It ap-
peared, that in a short time after.
White, accompanied by a woman, went
to the BuU's-head tavern in Bread-
street, whe:e the latter stopped till
Thursday evening, and the frmer
till the Saturday following. During
White's stay at the tavern, and previ-
ously to the woman's departure, one
Samuel Richardson, a noted character,
and who has been connected with the
desperate gang of public depredators
lately apprehended, swore that White
had shown to him a considerable num-
ber of notes and bills, which he told
him had been taken from the Leeds
mail, and particularly a bill of exchange
for 2001. which became due on the
following day, (Friday the 9th,) and
offered to sell them to Richardson ;
but the purchase of which he declined,
saying that they would not suit him.
The above 2001. bill was identified as
having been stolen from tlie mail the
night it was robbed. After the pro-
duction of a variety of other testimony,
all agreeing in the most satisfactory
manner to substantiate the guilt of
White and Kendall, the jury, on re-
ceiving from the learned judge (Ba-
ron Thompson) a charge distin-
guished for its impartiality, perspi-

Aug. 20]

CHRONICLE.

XCVH

cuity, and humanity, found the pri-
soners White and Kendall guilty, and
acquitted Howes, under direction of
the judge upon a point of law. Im-
mediately after, the judge passed the
awful sentence of death upon the two
culprits, who were left for execution.

Execution. These unfortunate

men were executed at Northampton,
pursuant to their sentence. A report
had reached town that HufFey attempt-
ed to make his escape the night prece-
ding his execution, and that he had so
far effected his purpose as to disen-
cumber himself of his irons, and to
have made way through two very
8trong doors, but was detected at the
outside gate, and conveyed back to his
cell and re-ironed. About half-past
nine o'clock the procession approach-
ed the place of execution. Kendall
appeared deeply impressed with a sense
of the awful sentence he was about to
undergo, but uniformly persisted in
his innocence, and said that he fell a
victim in consequence of unfortunately
being in company with his fellow suf-
ferer on the night the robbery was
committed. He declared at the gal-
lows, that he was a murdered man ;
he appealed to the populace in a speech
of some length, in which he endeavour-
ed to convince them of his perfect in-
nocence. White's general deportment
was such as convinced the surrounding
multitude that he died without the fear
of death ; hardihood never forsook
him ; and he more than once expressed
his disapprobation of the chaplain not
performing his duty. He declared
that Kendall was innocent. They
were launched into eternity amidst
the greatest crowd of spectators that
ever was seen on any occasion in that
part. HufFey White was one of the
greatest depredators on the town for
many years past. He was attached
to gangs of robbers, consisting of
housebreakers, (among whom he was
an expert workman, having first em-

vojL. v:. PAur ii.

barked in this system of robbery,)
pick-pockets, mail-robbers, &c. He
was a man whose face did not by any
means betray his profession, and was
remarkable for his silence and easy
manner. He was considered a very
temperate man, and is said never to
have injured the person of any one in
his depredatory career, but on the
contrary refused to be concerned with
any accomplices who indulged in as-
saults. White is said to have disre-
garded the scat]fbld, and it seems he
listened but little to the exhortations
of the clergyman, who, on asking him
if he could administer any sort of com-
fort to him, was answered, " Only by
getting some other man to be hanged
for me."

Maidstone. — Trial and Execution
of Nicholson, the Assassin of Mr and
Mrs Bonar. — The doors ot the court-
house were opened at a quarter before
eight o'clock this mornmg, and in a
few minutes it was crowded. Exactly
at eight o'clock Mr Justice Heath was
on the bench, and Nicholson was im-
mediately brought to the bar. His
looks were sad and gloomy, but upon
the whole his appearance was compo-
sed. He was indicted for a petty trea-
son. The indictment differed from
a common indictment for murder, by
an averment, stating, that Nicholson
was servant to Mr Bonar, and that he
traitorously as well as feloniously mur-
dered his master. He pleaded Not
guilty, in consequence, he said, of the
persuasions of several persons.

Susannah Cumick, examined by Mr
Gurney — She was a servant of the late
Mr Bonar. The prisoner was also a
servant, and had been a month or five
weeks. He was a footman, and wore
his miister's livery. Saw her master
and mistress at 10 o'clock on Sunday
night, the 31st of May. Prisoner slept
in servants* hall. No other male servant
slept there. At half past six, on Mon-
day morning, went to the anti-room of
S

atcviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Aug. !20.

Iier master's chamber. Found the door
of the anti-room locked on the outside.
Never saw it locked before. Went
into the breakfast-room adjoining. Saw
foot-marks leading from her master's
bed-room, and the rush-light, which
usually was burning in the anti-room,
was gone ; then went down stairs. Saw
prisoner, about seven o'clock, in the
passage near the housekeeper's-room.
He was dressed all but his coat ; he was
clean, and looked round at her ; no-
thing particular in his manner ; at half-
past seven, called up Mrs Clark ; they
went together to the anti-room ; knelt
down and saw the foot steps were
bloody ; went down and saw Penelope
Folds, who went into the room ; she
afterwards herself went in, and saw
her master on the floor^ covered with
a counterpane ; there was blood all
about the room ; did not see the pri-
aoner in the room. This was about
half-past seven. Prisoner said he would
go for a surgeon ; saw the prisoner
bring some sheets, very bloody, from
her master's room, into the servants'
hall, and wrap them up (she believes)
in a sheet from his bed ; after the dis-
covery he was the first man who went
into the room ; he came down and said
his master was dead, and his mistress
still breathing ; told them to go up ;
she found a japan candlestick which
belonged to the house, but not to her
master's room ; it was usually kept in
the pantry near the servants* hall.

Mary Clark was the maid of Mrs
Bonar ; saw her master and mistress at
ten o'clock on Sunday ; went to bed
at two, and rose at half-past seveil ;
the housemaid told her there were
foot-marks in the anti-room ; went with
her and saw the marks j went to the
door of the bed-room, but does not
know whether she went in ; called the
laundry-maid ; they hesitated which
should go in ; the laundry- maid opened
the shutters, and screamed out ; went
down and saw the servants in the hall ;

does not know whether prisoner was
one ; lost her recollection ; on recovery
saw the prisoner with bloody sheets in
the servants* hall ; he told her to go up
stairs ; she went and saw her master ly-
ing on the floor, covered with a blan-
ket ; he appeared dead.

T. Foyj a constable of Marlborough-
street oifice, deposed to finding a pair
of bloody shoes belonging to the pri-
soner, which corresponded with the
bloody footsteps in Mr Bonar's room.

Lavender, the officer, produced the
bloody sheets, and the poker with which
the murders were effected. He saw
the prisoner on the Tuesday following
the murders, about four o'clock, at
Chislehurst ; between eleven andtwelve
saw the prisoner with his throat cut ;
the wound was sewed up by a surgeon,
in the house ; from the day after, for
several days, he had the care of him ; on
the 8th of June the wound broke out
afresh ; the prisoner sent for Mr Bo-
nar ; no promise or threat was used to
induce him to confess ; what he said
was reduced to writing by Mr A.
Cooper ; it was then read to the pri-
soner, who signed it in the presence
of Mr Ilott, Mr Bonar> and himself,
and was signed by them ; Mr Wells
then came ; the paper was read again ;
the prisoner went over his name with a
dry pen ; and Mr Wells the magi-
strate then signed the paper. The
prisoner appeared, disturbed, but his
intellects not at all deranged.

The confession was here read—

Declaration of Nicholson^.

I, Philip Nicholson, to clear the inno-
cence of others, and tell the truth of my-
self, I committed the murder.

Question by Mr B. — Had you accom-
plices? No, sir, I would tell you if I had.

I do not mean accomplices in the room,
but others ? No, sir, T did not know it my-
self five minutes before.

Explain how it happened. — I was sleep-
ing upon the form, and waked about three
o'clock ; I put the sheet around me, and
took the poker from the Iiall-grate, and a

Auo.20.] ^Hi^HTS CHRONICLE.

xcix

lighted candle in my hand from tlie hall. — I
entered the room, I looked about when I
entered, and gave my mistress two blows ;
she never moved. I left her, and went
round to master, and gave him two or three
blows ; and he said, " Come to bed, my
love," and then he sprung from the bed
and seized hold of me. I hit him in the
struggle about the arms and legs ; we
struggled 15 minutes or better, he was very
near getting the better of me ; I got him
down by force, and left him groaning. I
went down to wash my hands in the sink
of the butler's pantry, andthenopened the
house-door and drawing-room windows.
What motive had you.^ I had no bad in-
tention ; I did not know what provoked
me to do it, more than you do.

You were heard to complain of going
so much behind the carriage ? Yes ; but I
never thought of doing it for that.

Did you ever feel resentment for going
so much behind the carriage ? No, sir, I
never thought much about it-

Had you thought or talked of this mur-
der when you were drinking with the
groom the night before in the hall f No ; I
never thought of it myself, or had any idea
of it myself.

How long was it after you waked that
vou went up stairs ? I jumped up ; I was
naif undressed when sleeping upon the
form; I undressed, and put the sheet
about me.

Why did you put the sheet about you ?
That they might not know me.

When did you drop the sheet ? In the
struggle. I had it on when I gave the first
blow.

By Mr A. C— Did Dale, tlie butler,
know any thin^ about it ? No, sir.

Did any of the maid-servants know any
thing about it ? Not a word.

W^hy did you go to Dale in London ?
Nothing particular.

Was it your intention to take away any
thing ? No, sir.

What was your intention ? Nothing par-
ticular, but when I went into the room, I
siw my master and mistress asleep, and I
gave her two blows.

W^ere you drunk when you went to bed ?
No, sir, I had drank nothing but beer. I
bad not had a drop of spirits all day ?

Had you at any former time thought of
this murder i No, sir, I never thought of
such a thing in my life.

What did you do with your bloody
things ? My shirt, neckcloth, and stockings,
I put opposite the hall door, in the shrub-
bery, under some leaves, near the little
gate. The breeches I kept on all day.
When I waked from the form, I only took
off my waistcoat.

What did you wipe your hands with ?
With the sponge in the sink, which I left
there.

What did you do with your shoes ? Did
you put them into the wood-closet? I
might, but I do not remiember.

What did you do with the rush-light ?
I threw it into the closet.

Why did you take the rush-light ? It was
dark in the house.

Why did you think it was three o'clock ?
By the break of day.

Why did yod open the shutters of your
room ? To show me light.

Was it to see your clothes ? No ; I had
seen them by the rush-light in coming
down stiirs. Did you go to sleep after
committing this act ? I went to bed, but
could not sleep. I was awake when King
entered the room.

In the presence of Almighty God, think-
ing I am on my death-bed, I hereby declare
this to be my voluntary confession, to pre-
vent innocent people being accused of this
circumstance.

(Signed) Philip NicnoLSoy.

Acknowledged as the signature of Phi-
lip Nicholson before me,

(Signed) John Wells.

June 8, 1813.

Lavender, after the confession,
searched, and found the clothes nearly
in the place described (the shirt was
much torn and bloody, and also the
stockings ;) they were produced.

Thomas Ilott, surgeon, was then
called : on the 31st of May he went to
Chislehurst. Went into Mr Bonar's
room ; saw his skull fractured, the
teeth loosened and jaw broken ; saw a
poker, which he had no doubt was the
instrument of his death.

The prisoner being called upon for
his defence, merely asked, whether Mr
Ilott had any doubt of the truth of the
confession ?

Mr Ilott — Certainly not.

The prisone!r then called Mr F. Ty-

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Aue. 26.

rell as a witness to his characte, who
said he was the son of the city remem-
brancer. The prisoner had lived three
years with his father, and his conduct
during that time was humane and gen-
tle. He appeared to be a man of kind
disposition.

Cross-examined by Mr Gurney —
Said the prisoner was turned away from
his father's service for frequent drunk-
enness. He had frequently seen him
drunk, but not outrageous, it was not
considered safe to retain him.

Mr Justice Heath then summed up
the evidence ; he said he never knew a
case more clearly made out ; even of
circumstances there was so well-con-
nected a series as must carry convic-
tion, independently of the confession.

The jury immediately returned a
verdict Guilty — Death,

Immediately after the sentence, the
prisoner put in a paper, and desired it
to be read. The judge said this was
irregular, but looked at the paper, and
told the jury, that it contained a con-
fession of his crime, which was impu-
ted to excessive drinking.

The prisoner, during his trial and
the sentence, appeared more sorry and
ashamed than agitated.

The paper which he put in, and de-
sired to be read after his sentence, was
as follows :— -

" I acknowledge, with the deepest con-
trition, the justice of the sentence unto
death which has been just passed upon me.
My crimes are, indeed, most heavy ; I feel
their weight, but I do not despair — nay, I
humbly hope for mercy, through the infi-
nite mercy of my Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ, who bled and died for me.

" In order to have a well-grounded
hope in him, my all-merciful Redeemer, I
know that it is my bounden duty not only
to grieve from my heart for my dire of
fences, but also to do my utmost to make
satisfaction for them. Yet, alas ! what sa-
tisfaction can I make to the aflBicted family
of my master and mistress, whom, without
any provocation, I so barbarously murder-
ed ? I can make none l||yond the declara-
tion of my guilt, and horror of £ouI that I

could perpetrate deecfe so shocking to hu-
man nature, and so agonizing to tlie feel-
ings of that worthy family. I implore their
forgiveness for God's sake ; and, fully sen-
sible of their great goodness, I do hope,
that for his sake they will forgive me.

" I freely give up my life as a just for-
feit to my country, whose laws I have
most scandalously outraged. Departing
from this tribunal, I shall soon appear be-
fore another tribunal, where an eternal )\
sentence will be passed upon me. With I
this dread sentence full in my view, I most *
solemnly declare, and desire this declara-
tion to be taken as my dying words, that I
alone was the base and cruel murderer of
my master and mistress; that I had no
accomplice ; that no one knew or could
possibly suspect that I intended to perpe-
trate those barbarities ; that I myself had
no intention of committing those horrid
deeds, save for a short time, so short as
scarcely to be computed, before I actually
committed them ; that booty was not the
motive of my fatal cruelties — I am sure
the idea of plunder never presented itself
to my mind. I can attribute those unna-
tural murders to no other cause than, at
the time of their commission, a temporary
fury from excessive drinking; and, before
that time, to the habitual forgetful n ess, j
for many years, of the great God and his ^
judgment?, and the habitual yielding to the
worst passions of corrupted nature; so
that the evil I was tempted to do, that I
did : The Lord in his mercy has, never-
theless, spared until now my life — that life
which I, in an agony of horror and despair,
once most wickedly attempted to destroy ;
he has most graciously allowed me time for
repentance ; an humble and contrite heart
must be his gift; that gift I hope he has
granted to my most ardent supplications.
In that hope, and bearing in mind his pro-
mise, that an humble and contrite heart !
he will not despise, T, freely offering up to \
him my sufferings, and my life itself, look '
forward, through his most precious blood,
to the pardon of all my crimes, my mani-
fold and most enormous crimes, and most
humbly trust that the same mercy which
he shewed to the penitent thief who was
crucified with him, he will shew to me.
Thus meekly confiding in thee, O Jesus !
into thy hands I commend my spirit.
Amen. Philip Nicholson.

« This 20th August, 1313."

Aug. 20.}

CHRONICLE.

The signature was in Nicholson's
hand- writing, the rest appeared writ-
ten by another hand. *

The prisoner was led from the bar,
apd conveyed back to the prison amidst
crowds of spectators. He walked with
steadiness, and seemed to have been
relieved by the course which he had
pursued from a load of oppression. On
entering the gaol, he had a little wa-
ter given him, which, with some bread,
will form his only food for the remain-
der of his existence. He is to be exe-
cuted on Pennington Heath, which is
about half a mile out of the town of
Maidstone.

Nicholson is, it appears, a native of
Chester, and the son of a private sol-
dier. In stature he is short, being about
five feet six, his complexion rather ap-
proaches to dark, his eyes are full and
expressive, his countenance round, his
hair dark-brown, and, upon the whole,
his physiognomy does not possess any
of those characteristic traits which
would denote the midnight assassin ;
so far from this, his appearance, in ge-
neral, was interesting and engaging,
and he would certainly be the last man
we should consider likely to perpetrate
acts so foul as those imputed to him.

Mr Bonarremainedin court the whole
of the trial, and seemed much affected.

Execution.— Nicholson was remo-
ved, on the l7th instant, from the
house of correction in Coldbath-fields ;
and at the instance of Mr Bonar, Go-
vernor Adkins sent down to Maidstone
his principal assistant (Joseph Becket),
who had very particular instructions
respecting the cave and treatment of
the prisoner. After sentence of death
.was passed, Nicholson was placed in
the condemned cell, which in the Maid-
stone gaol is under ground, and the
approach to it is dark and dreary, down

many steps. In this cell Mr Bonar
had an interview with the prisoner, at
half past five on Monday morning. On
his approaching the cell, he found Ni-
cholson on his knees at prayer.

At about twelve o'clock the prepa-
rations for the removal of Nicholson
being nearly completed, Mr Bonar,
accompanied by his brother, and Mr
Bramston, the catholic clergyman, had
another interview with the wretched
man ; soon after which, the hurdle or
sledge, which was in the shape of a
shallow box about six feet by three,
was drawn up to the gaol door : at
each end was a seat just capable of
holding two persons. Nicholson, double
ironed, was first placed in it, with his
back to the horses; he was also pi-
nioned with ropes, and round his shoul-
ders was coiled the fatal cord : by his
side sat the executioner ; opposite to
the prisoner the Rev. Mr Bramston
took his seat, and by his side sat one
of the Maidstone jailors with a loaded
blunderbuss. Every thing being in
readiness, the procession advanced at a
very slow pace towards Pennenden-
Heath, which is distant from Maidstone
nearly a mile and a half, on which was
erected a temporary new drop, which
had a platform raised about seven feet
from the ground, and was large enough
to contain about a dozen persons. A
little before two o'clock the hurdle ar-
rived, and stopped immediately under
the gallows, when Mr Bramston and
Nicholson knelt down on it, and remain-
ed for some time in prayer. Some time
previous to this, Mr Bonar arrived on
the ground in a post-chaise, and took
his stand within twelve yards of the fa-
tal spot, with the front windows full
on the gallows, and which he kept
open during the whole time ; but each
of the side windows was closed by

♦ Certainly composed by another hand also : Nicholson is here made to attribute his
crime to drunkenness; he had drank nothing hut beer that day, vide p. 99 : besides,
IS there any congruity betwixt the language of tliis compositiun and the stupidity of
Nicholson's replies during his examination ?

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Aug. 21.

blinds. So anxious was Mr Bonar to
get from the unfortunate wretcli his
very dying words/as to whether he had
cither motive or accomplice, that a
person was deputed to ascend the plat-
form after the cord was round the pri-
soner's neck, and to ask him the fol-
lowing questions :

Q. <* Now that you have not many
moments to live, is all that you have
stated, namely, that you had no mo-
tive that you can tell of, nor had you
any accomplice, true ?" — A. "All that
I have stated is true."

** Then there is no creature living
on earth who had any thing to do with
the murder but yourself?" — « No,
no one."

\ ** You had no accomplices ?"—
« None."

" Had you any antipathy to either
your master or mistress before you
committed the horrid murder .'"-Clasp-
ing his hands together as well as his
heavy irons would permit him, " As
God is in heaven it was a momentary
thought, as I have repeatedly declared
before."

The above were the last words of this
unhappy m^n : in a few minutes after
they were uttered, the bottom of the
platform was let fall, and Nicholson
was launched into eternity.

He die4 unusually hard, being great-
ly convulsed. After hanging an hour,
the body was put into a post-chaise,
which drove off in the direction for
Bromley.

Near four years since the house of
Mr Smith, of Bridgewater-square, was
broken open, and a quantity of precious
stones, consisting ofrubies, chrysolites,
cornelians, and emeralds, worth up-
wards of 1500/. were taken away. The
strictest search was made at the time
for the depredators, but without suc-
cess ; and none of the property was
recovered, A few days since, however,
some men having been employed to
clear out a ditch in the Kent-road,

near where the house of Mr Rolles
formerly stood, some children who
were looking on, perceiving what they
supposed to be pieces of glass amongst
the mud thrown out, picked them up.
They were found, however, to be pieces
of chrysolite ; this discovery produced
a closer search, when a number of ru-
bies, emeralds, corals, cornelians, and
other valuable stones, were found
amongst the mud. GofF and Harris,
officers belonging to Union-Hall, ha-
ving heard of the circumstance, repair-
ed to the spot, and on seeing the stones,
it occurred to them that they were j
part of Mr Smith's property ; and on ^
some of them being shewn to that '
gentleman, he was able to swear to
their being a part of what he had lost.
It is probable the thieves, after they
had taken them, being fearful of offer-
ing them for sale, lest they should lead
to detection, threw themintothe ditch,
where they have remained ever since.
Some of the stones thus fortunately re- j
covered are of considerable value. |

21st At the West India 'Docks,

this evening, about six o'clock, the
whole surface of live connected roofs,
of a large rum warehouse, each 35 feet
in the span, and 140 in length, cover-
ing a space of 175 feet by 140, fell with
a tremendous crash. The erection was
of wrought iron, supported at the ex-
tremity of each span by stanchions of
the same metal, and covered with very
large slates. Most fortunately the ac-
cident occurred two hours after the
men had left work, or the consequence
might have been dreadful, as nearly
100 men had been employed in the
warehouse in the course of the day.
Whether this accident may be attribu-
ted to the ponderous weight of the
slates, the great width of the span with-
out intermediate supports, or to the
insecurity of the metal, is uncertain ;
but it is to be hoped an investigation
will determine whether the recently
introduce^ plan of substituting iron for

Aug. 22— 24.]

CHRONICLE.

timber in the construction of jroofs af-
fords equal security.

This morning, at about 25 minutes
past six o'clock, two of the powder-
mills at Hounslow blew up with tre-
mendous explosions. The reports
which took place, with only a momen-
tary interval between them, were heard
for upwards of 20 miles round. At
Kensington and Brompton the shocks
resembled those of an earthquake, and
the concussion of the air was so extra-
ordinary as to ring small bells hung in
gardens in these parts. Three persons,
it is said, fell victims to this explosion ;
the cause of which, as must generally
be the case in sudi events, cannot be
ascertained.

22d — Daring divine service, at the
dissenting chapel, at Cockey Moor,
near Manchester, at which a very great
number of persons were assembled to
hear a funeral sermon, the gallery being
overloaded, gave way. Fortunately it
was observed in time to give a caution-
ary alarm ; and the persons, who were
in imminent danger, hadcoolnesenough
to profit by the advice offered them,
viz. to come down quietly and sepa-
rately, avoiding all hurry and bustle.
By these means they all got down with-
out the least accident.

2l?th. — x\n inquest has been held on
the body of the Rev. Nicholas West-
combe, who was found murdered on
Saturday se'ennight, in a path-way, at
a short distance from Winchester, lead-
ing to the Andover road. It appeared,
the deceased had been seen walking
upon the road, at nine o'clock in the
morning : it was between nine and ten
when his body was discovered. A be-
hef prevailed that he had died by apo-
plexy ; but, on a more minute inspec-
tion of the body, a violent bruise was
discovered under the jaw, which, it was
imagined, produced instant death ; add-
ed to which, a soldier of the 102d
regiment, of the name of Robert Glasse,
oa the death being mentioned in his

hearing, immediately said he had seen
the deceased lying near the spot de-
scribed in the morning, but that he did
not attempt to disturb him, because he
thought he was asleep. The improba-
bility of the story (it being early in the
morning) with some other circumstan-
ces, led to his being apprehended. Up-
on his examination, he was called upon
to account for how he disposed of his
time during the morning named ; which
account he gave ; but it was afterwards
falsified in many points, and the suspi-
cions of his being the perpetrator of the
crime partook of rather a circumstan-
tial form. The jury returned a verdict
of wilful murder against him, and he
was committed to the county gaol. He
is a man of more knowledge and abili-
ties than are usually found in persons
of his station, but of reputed bad cha-
racter. Mr Westcombe was rector of
Barton Stacy, near Winchester, vicar
of CoUingbourne, and one of the mi-
nor canons of Winchester cathedral.
A watch and some money, which he
was known to have about him, were
taken from his person.

Yankee Wit. — The Chesapeake's
guns had all names, and the following
is a list of 25 of them, on one side ;-^

Mnin Deck.
All eighteeen-pounders.
1. Brotlier Jonathan

2. True Blue

3. Yankee Protection

4. Putnam

5. Raging Eagle
C. Viper

7. General Warren

8. Mad Anthony

0. America
10. Washington

1 1 : Liberty for ever
12. Dreadnought
IS. Defiance
14. Liberty or Death
Forecastle.

1. United Tars, eighteen poujider

civ EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Au6. 25-cr.

Quarter Deck.
l.Biiil Dog

2. Spitfire

3. Nancy Dawson

4. Revenge

5. rnmlicr's Hill

6. Pocohnntas

7. 'J'owaer

S. M^iifu) Mtinlrr.

The names were engraved on small
squares of copperplates.

25th.-EGriAM RACFs.-SmoIensko,
the famous racer, drew a company im-
precedented in the course. The Visit-
ors were so eager to get a sigljt of him,
that crowds waited at the stable door ;
and after the race. Sir C. Bunbury
desired that the company might be
gratified witli a full view of him He
was placed in a circle opposite the
royal stand for the Queen and Prin-
cesses to view, and afterwards in other
parts of the course.
■ The first was the Magna Charta
stakes of 50 guineas each, h. ft. for
three years old colts, to carry 8st. 5lb.
The winner of the Derby or Oaks to
carry 51b. extra.

-kSip C. Bnnbury's bl. c. Smolensko, 1

Duke of York's c. by Giles, out of Ven-
ture's dam, . - _ - 2

Smolensko was said to have been
short of work, and he was the favour-
ite at seven to four only. Goodison,
who rode him, kept up the appearance
of a race with ChifFney, who rode the
Duke's colt, till opposite the royal
stand, within 20 yards of the winning-
post, when he slacked his reins, and
Smolensko got a length in a moment,
and won in a canter.

26th. — Perth. -On Tuesday morn-
ing, a number of French prisoners es-
cay/cd from the depot, through a mine
which they had dug to the bottom of
the outer wall, where it faces the South
Inch. It is supposed that they had
begun to issue from the aperture of
this passage about two in the morning ;
but as they preserved a profound si-
Ipnce, aud as the night was very dark,

they werq not observed by the sentries,
till one of them, attempting to leap the
stream which skirts the north side of
the depot, fell into the water with con-
siderable noise. Tlic nearest sentry
then fired towards the point from which
the sound proceeded, and tiie adjoining
sentries having discharged their mus-
kets in the same direction, an alarm
was given, and parties of the guards
went in pursuit of the fugitives. Ten
of them were soon apprehended, but
we understand that tliirtecn are still
missing. They seem to have had no
plan for proceeding, after finding them-
selves at liberty.

Dublin. — Lord Whitworth enters
ed Dublin Castle this morning, at a
quarter past five o'clock. His lord-
ship ahghted at the Grand Portal,
where he was received by several per-
sonages of distinction, and by them
conducted to the state apartments. At
half past five his excellency entered the
council-chamber, preceded by the dif-
ferent officers of state, and followed by
his suite, the Duchess of Dorset, many
noblem.cn, and numerous friends and
visitors. On his lordship's entrance,
his investiture to the office of Lord
Lieutenantof Ireland immediately took
place, when the Duke of Richmond
resigned into the hands of his successor
the high and important trust. The
oaths were administered by the lord-
chief justice of the King's Bench,

27th. — On Wednesday last, as Mrs
Goodburn, publican, at the Windy
Nook, on Gateshead Fell, and her
daughter, were riding towards home,
they met the mail-coach from Newcas-
tle, at the north end of Chester-le-
street, when the horse in a fright turn-
ed suddenly round, and both mother
and daughter fell to the ground. The
place being very narrow, and the coach
going at a quick rate down the hill,
could not be stopped, the wheels un-
fortunately went over the mother's
head, and over the daughter's legs*

Arc. 28^30.]

CHRONICLE.

The former died in a few minutes ;
the daughter is in a fair way of reco-
very.

28th. — Last week, a shocking ac-
cident happened at Davis's Dykes,
parish of Cambusnethan. James Cal-
der's herd, who had been sent out to
frighten crows from a field of rom,
having in vain endeavoured to fire a
gun, with which he had been impru-
dently intrusted, was mocked by a girl
who accompanied him with a child on
her back. The boy then presented his
piece at the girl ; unfortunately in this
instance it wentoif, and killed the child
on the spot. — The boy has absconded.

.SOth,— On Saturday se'nnight, about
five o'clock, as Samuel Panton, driver
of a post-chaise belonging to the White
Hart Inn, Boston, was returning from
Wain fleet with his chaise, in which
was a passenger, he being intoxicated,
and the person in the chaise in a similar
state, and, it is supposed, asleept the
vehicle was overturned in a ditch, at
some little distance from the high road,
and where Panton, being thrown from
his seat, lost his life. The passenger
at length awakened to a sense of liis
situation, succeeded in getting out of
the chaise, and called the neighbours
to his assistance, when they found the
driver dead, and with great difficulty
preserved the horses from the same
fate.

A shocking occurrence took place
at Lobb*s Pond, about four miles from
Egham, on Thursday evening. A Mr
Knowley, accompanied by a friend of
the name of Smith, was returning home
at eleven o'clock at night, after having
dined with a friend, from Egham ra-
ces, when the horse started out of the
road and overturned the chaise into a
kind of gravcl-pit, l(j feet below the
surface of the road. The vehicle fell
on Mr Knowley, and although he was
not killed on the spot, he cannot pos-
sibly recover. — The horse was killed,
but Mr Smith escaped unhurt.

GLOvcT:sTF.n» -i-Execution of Liike
Ilcath. — Soon after 12 o'clock this
criminal was executed at the drop, in
front of the county gaol, for the mur-
der of Sarah Harris, at Cow Honey-
borne, four years ago. An amazing
concourse of people attended to wit-
ness the execution. After attending
divine service in the chapel, nnd spend-
ing a considerable time in prayer, he
was brought out upon the scaifold, and
seemed so completely overcome with
terror, that it was with great difficulty
he could support himself. He appear-
ed to shrink with horror from the aw-
ful scene before him ; and, after remain-
ing a very few minutes in this situation^
he uttered a short ejaculation, and was
launched into eternity. Afterliang-
iiig the usual tim.e, his body was cut
down, and sent to the infirmary for
dissection. The apparent indifference
and want of feeling manifested by this
unhappy criminal, both during the
progress of his trial, and at the dread-
ful moment of sentence being passed^
indicated great depravity: on his re-
turn to the prison, however, after con-
demnation, he evinced due contrition,
and made an ample confession of his
guilt. The manner of his perpetrating
the horrible crime he stated as fol-
lows : — He had for some time kept
company with the deceased, and, un-
der repeated promises of marriage, had
robbed her of her virtue ; she was six
months advanced in pregnancy. On
the night of the murder he went about
twelve o'clock to her father's house,
and railed her out of bed. She came
down stairs dressed, but without shoes.
Some words passing between them, J)e
Struck her so violently with a white-
thorn stick on the head and temple,
that she fell to the ground, crying,
"Lord, have mercy upon us !"Hethen
(to use his own words) " with the
assistance of the devil !" picked her
up, and carried her on his shoulder to
the pool of water into which he threw
5

cVi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Aug. 31.

course of half an hour Griffin again
saw the deceased near his own room :
some words then passed between them,
and Griffin ran away, but immediately
returned with a drawn bayonet ; the
deceased directly said, «« He will mur-
der me," and ran across the barrack
square ; Griffin pursued him, and the
cry of murder was heard immediately
afterwards. Griffin then came up to
some soldiers who were standing to-
gether, when one of them seeing some-
thing glitter in his hand, which (as the
night was very dark) he took for a
knife, said to Griffin, " Sure you have
not killed him ;" Griffin replied, " Yes,
and will kill you too, if you give me
any prate." Griffin left them, and
went to bed. He was presently taken
by the guard, and upon being accused
of the murder, he denied having been
out that night ; but was asked by the
officer for his bayonet, which he ( Grif-
fin) pointed out to him, and which
was bloody at the point for about two
inches upwards, and the blood on it
was quite fresh. The deceased was
attended by the surgeons till four o'-
clock on Sunday afternoon, when he
died : but on that morning, about
eleven o'clock (then having his per-
fect senses) he signed a deposition in
their presence, declaring Griffin to
have stabbed him. The jury, after an
investigation of eight hours, during
which time ten witnesses were exami-
ned, returned a verdict of wilful mur-
der against Maurice Griffin, who was
committed to Ipswich gaol to take his
trial at the ensuing assizes. Executed.

AGRICULTURAL REPORTS.
England. — The weather has been
very favourable for the harvest through
nearly the whole of last month,
particularly so at the commencement
of it. The wheat crop is abundant,
heavy in hand, and of the finest qua-
lity. The greatest part of it, in the
southern counties, is well harvested.

the body, believing there was then but
little life left I He denied making use
of the dung-fork spoken of by some
of the witnesses, in the perpetration of
his diabolical purpose. It would ap-
pear, however, that his conscience,
notwithstanding his apparent apathy,
had been but ill at rest for the first year
after the commission of the mtirder ;
for, during that period, he had been
several times in London, had visited
Birmingham, traversed Kent and Nor-
thamptonshire, been four months on
board a brig belonging to Newcastle,
had gone into some parts of Scotland
and Ireland, and still was bereft of the
power of settling anywhere. After
this period, he appears to have acquired
a little more tranquillity of mind, ha-
ving remained about twelve months as
a servant in husbandry, at Hawley, in
Shropshire; from thence he went to
Kidderminster, where he served two
years as hostler at the Wharf Inn, and
was taken into custody w^hilst in that
situation.

31st.— An inquisition was taken at
Woodbridge barracks, on view of the
body of Thomas M*Mahon, a private
in the 69th regiment of foot, who died
on Sunday se'ennight in consequence
of a wound he received in his left groin
from a bayonet, on the night preceding,
inflicted by one Griffin, a fellow sol-
dier, who is not more than 19 years of
age, and volunteered into the (j9th
(rom the Tipperary militia; the de-
ceased vvas 21 years of age. It appear-
ed in evidence, that on the Saturday
right, about eleven o'clock. Griffin
and the deceased were in a hut together,
with several other soldiers. They drank
beer, appeared friendly, and afterwards
shook hands with each other ; but
Griffin abusing a brother of the de-
ceased, they fought, when the deceased
gained the advantage of Griffin. The
soldiers, Griffin, and the deceased, soon
after left the hut ; M'Mahon and
Griffin were both quite sober. In the

Aug. 31.]

CHRONICLE.

cvu

and appears to be more than an aver-
age crop.

Barley is of fine quality, large in the
straw, with a heavy ear, will be a full
average crop, except in a few spots to-
wards the furrows, upon those tena-
cious soils that have not been properly
drained. In such situations, in conse-
quence of the wet spring, the barley
is short both in straw and corn.

Oats are the largest crop we have
grown for many years ; they are all of
line quality, and well harvested ; their
produce will be above an average crop.
Beans are forwarder than it was ex-
pected they would be, from the very
growing season ; they are well coared
where they have had a proper interval
betwixt the rows, and have escaped the
ravages of the fly.

Pease are large, of fine quality, with
abundance of balm, and the early kinds
well harvested. This season is callecl
by the farmer a bean yean The whole
of the leguminous tribe are of finer
quality, and more abundant than for
several years past.

The hay has been well harvested,
but on burning soils the lattermath is
short.

Turnips, cabbage, cole, and all the
brassica species, are a full and strong
crop. The fly has been less preva-
lent this year than for many seasons
past.

Hops have much improved in blos-
som, and the estimated duties are in^
creasing.

Potatoes are a greater breadth of
crop than in any tormer year ; their
yield is abundant, and the quality fine.
Scotland. — This month has been
most propitious to the important ope-
rations of the agriculturist. Scarcely a
shower has fallen, and the cutting and
securing of the crop has proceeded ra-
pidly towards the end of it. As the
weather has been favourable, so the
crop promises to be uncommonly pro-
ductive, and,exceptingon the late high

grounds, the harvest is well advanced.

Wheat and barley will, in general,
be an excellent crop, and of very fine
quality, and much of these grains is
already safe in the stack-yard.

Pease and beans are well filled, and,'
though not so bulky as usual, will yield
more grain than for several years past.

Oats and potatoes only on light soils
are complained of as deficient, which
might have been looked for from so
long a continuation of dry weather.

In the course of three weeks more,
under the same favourable circumstan-
ces, the whole crop will be secured
from damage, by which, and the quan-
tity of old grain on hand, the labour-
ing classes will be amply supplied with
food, after sufi'ering severely these two
years with much patience.

Prices of grain are reduced, and very
little doing in the markets Fine new
wheat has been sold at 40s, per boll.

The excellent weather, which has
matured the crop, has not been advan-
tageous to the grazier. The summer
pastures are scorched, and aftermatL
scanty, of consequence cattle markets
are dull, and prices rather on the de-
cline for ordinary stock.

The fallows are all prepared for the
seed, but, before the wheat sowing it
begun, a little rain will be necessary to
promote vegetation, which, in the pre-
sent state of the ground, could not take
place. This is yet of far inferior im-
portance to securing the crop.

Fashions. — The Vittoria, or WeU
lington Costumet/or Evening-Is conu
posed of Venetian crape, placed over
a white satin under-dress ; a triple row
of shell-scalloped lace ornaments the
feet, above which is seen a border of
variegated laurel. A boddice and Cir-
cassian top sleeve of pomona green sa-
tin ; the bosom interspersed with shell
scalloped lace, and correspondently or-
namented. Shoulders, back, and bo-
som, much exposed. Hair in dishe-

t^m EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Sept. I.

veiled curis, with variegated laurel band
in front, and a transparent Brussels
veil thrown across the back of the head,
and decsending irregularly over the
back and shoulders. A chain and cross
c>f pale amber, ear-rings and bracelets of
pearl. Slippers of white satin ; gloves
of French kid ; and fan of carved ivory.
Mornin: or Domestic Costume. — A
petticoat of cambric muslin ; with a cos-
sack coat or three quartered pelisse of
Icmon-coloured sarsnct, with vandyke
Spanish border of a dtirpcr shade.
Full sleeves, confined at the wrist with
a broad clastic gold bracelet ; confnjed
also at the bottom of the waist with
2 ribbon en suite. Foundling cap of
lace, with full double border in front,
confined under the chin with a ribbon
the colour of the pelisse, and tied on
cne side ; a bunch of variegated car-
nationsplaced on the left side. Gloves
and Roman slippers of leaion -colour-
ed kid»

SEPTEMBER.

1st. — ^Norwich Assizes.— At these
assizes, James Maxcy was indicted for
poisoning his wife, and her daughter
by a former husband, at Hainford, in
Norfolk. — The following is a summa-
ry of the principal evidence. '

Mr Chander, surgeon of St Faith's,
deposed, that on the 19th of May he
went to the house of .Tames Maxey,
snd found his wife Dinah Maxey, and
EHzabeth Smith, her daughter, labour-
ing under the most excruciating pain,
with violent retchings, and in spite of
medicine their symptoms increased.
On the following morning they were
worse, and no doubt remained that
poison had been administered. In the
afternoon Elizabeth Smith died ; and
in the course of the evening, Dinah
Maxey said to him, " 1 am certainly

poisoned, and dying."— He asked her
whether she thought she knew who
had poisoned her ; she said " 1 will
accuse nobody,'* and at about twelve
o'clock at night she died. The two
bodies were opened the next day, and
there could not be a doubt that poison
had been taken. The judge asked
wh^t poison, and he replied, that he
could not say more than that it was a
mineral poison.

Elizabeth Furnis said, that, she went
in tbat morning wlien Dinah Maxey
and iicr daughter were going to break-
fast ; they botli observed how white
the water looked.

Martha Ycmms, sister of Dinah
Maxey, deposed, that hearing they
were ill, she went to ece them ; that
she asked her sister how she did, and
rhe answered, *« Oh ! my dear sister,
I am poisoned, I am dying; 1 am
poisoned with something that was put
into the tea-kettle ; it appeared white."
— Witness asked her who she thought
put it in. She answered, " I think my
husband ; it cannot be any body else,
because nobody has been here but
ourselves.'' — Witness was there when
EHzabetli Smitli died. J. Maxey, the
husband, came up just after, making
a sad lamentation to think the girl was
dead. The wife said, " James, what
do you make that piece of work for,
when you know you did it to us both."
— He made no reply.

William Hemmington, of Hainford,
farrier and blacksmith, deposed, that
J. Maxey had worked for him fifteen
years as a blacksmith, and during that
time had behaved himself very well.
He was asked if he used any corrosive
sublimate in his business ; he said he
did, and had some timebefore purchased
an ounce of it, part of which he had
used, and the remainder was put into
a cupboard in the workshop. — About
a week after the death of these persons,
he examined the cupboard, as he had
heard of a cat and a dog being poison-

Sbft. 1.]

CHRONICLE.

ci«

ed near the shop, and he missed about
a quarter of an ounce. He was asked,
did the prisoner know of the proper-
ties of this medicine? His answer was,
<* No, J believe he did notknowthe pro-
perties of it.'' — Being asked whether
the prisoner made use of any improper
language while at work ? he answered,
once, after shoeing a vicious donkey,
he heard the prisoner say, " I'll be
d — d if I don't do something to be
hanged for, before I shoe donkies."

Sarah Steward went on the Wednes-
day morning to see the deceased, and
made some peppermint water for them,
taking the water out of the kettle that
the tea was made with ; she tasted it
before she gave it them, and, as she
said, her stomach in a few minutes af-
ter was fit to fly open, and she could
not get about for nearly a month after-
wards-

The prisoner being called on for his
defence, only said, that he never had
poison in his possession in his life, and
that he knew nothing at all about how
they came to be poisoned

The Lord Chief Baron, in his charge
to the jury, began by explaining to
them the nature of circumstantial evi-
dence, which, when complete in all its
parts, he certainly considered to be a
most satisfactory species of testimony :
but all the links of the chain must be
entire, and its connection with the ac-
cused party obvious and necessary, be-
fore a verdict of guilt could be justly
and conscientiously grounded upon it.
He defined satisfactory circumstantial
evidence against any criminal to be
such a series of circumstances as could
not possibly have occurred, or be ac-
counted for, otherwise than by the guilt
of the prisoner. How far the evidence
which had been adduced conformed
with this definition, it was the province
of the jury to decide. His lordship
then said, that Dinah Maxey unques-
tionably did receive an impression that
ix was her husband who had adminis-

tered the poison : at first, however,
she seems to have had no suspicion,
althougli she afterwards said she could
not think it was any one else, because
there had been no person there.

That from the Wednesday morning
until the Monday following, although
such a report was afloat that Maxey
had poisoned them, yet he never at-
tempted to gee away ; moreover, he
had slept in the house with the dead
bodies, which was much in favour of
the prisoner ; for, if he had been guilty
of the crime, his conscience, probably,
would not have allowed him to have
done so. His lordship proceeded to
remark, that the law very properly
received the testimony of a dying per--
son, or rather of a person who con-
ceived herself to be on the point of
death : but a broad distinction was to
be observed between testimony as to a
fact, and testimony as to an opinion ;
the latter was entitled to very little
attention, although too much credit
could scarcely be paid to the former.
On the whole, his lordship considered
that there was not evidence sufficient
to prove Maxey's guilt. The jury
pronounced a verdict of Acquittal.

His Majesty's Health. — The
king continues as well ^s described ia
the last monthly report.

The report circulated, that his majes-
ty is so much recovered as to have had
communication made to him of political
events, is totally void of foundation.
The king has never, at any period of
his protracted disorder, been more un-
der its influence than he is at this time ;
and not a single individual has spo-
ken to his majesty but his physicians
and the attendants.

The queen occasionally sees the
king, in the presence of the doctors.
Either Sir Henry Halford or Dr
Baillie are in constant attendance oa
the king. Dr Heberden has taken a
house at Datchett, in consequence of
his constant attendance on his majesty,

ex EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813- [Sept. 1,

where his family reside, particularly
when he is in waiting. — He retires there
every evening after dining with the
other medical gentlemen.

The following list of the gradations
through which Marquis Wellington
has passed in the army, will probably
be gratifying to our military read-
ers :—

Ensign, 73d foot, - - - March 7, 1787
Lieutenant, 76th foot, - - Dec. 'z5, 1787
l,ieutenant, 4Ist foot, - -Jan. 23,1788
JLieiitenant, 12th dragoons, June 25, 1789
Captain, 58th foot, - -June 3a, 1791
Captain, 18th dragoons, - Oct. 31, 1792
Major, 33d foot, - - - April 30, 1793
Lieut.-Col. 33d foot, - - vSept. 30, 1793
Brevet -Colonel, - - - May 3, 1796
Major-General, - - - April 29, 1802
Knight of the Bath, - - 1804
Colonel, S3d foot, - - - Jan. SO, 1806
Lieutenant-General, - - April 25, 1808
Conunander of the forces,

in Spain and Portugal, June 14,1868
Created Viscount, - - - 1809
Created Conde de Vimiera, 1811
Local rank of General in

Spain and Portugal, - -July 31,1811
Created Marquis Welling .

ton, 1812

Col. royal horse-guards, - Jan. 1,1813
Elected Knight of the Gar-

ter, 1813

Eield Marshal, - - - - June 21, 1813

In the nisi prius court at Carlisle,
a cause of great interest occupied the
court a considerable thne, respecting
the right of tithing common land.
We understand the verdict now settles
the law to be, that no common ground
is titheable until seven years after being
broken up, provided it require any
manuring, or more than one ploughing
the first year in order to raise a suffi-
cient crop to pay the expences.

Hydrophobia. — There is none
among the multitude of our diseases so
fearful as that which arises from the
bite of a mad dog ; none that seems to
put the sufferer to such overpoweiing
torture, and none of which there have
been so few instances of cure. The
following cases, which have both lately
reached Europe from the same coun-
2

try, deserve to excite considerable at-
tention among the faculty. The re-
sults are unfortunately different ; the
proper enquiry will therefore be, how
far the circumstances of the latter dif-
fer from those of the former, and how
far its result may justify us in doubt-
ing that a specific has been found for
at least certain states of this most af-
flicting tnalady.

The first case is given by Dr Shool-
bred, of Calcutta. On Tuesday, May
5, 1812, Amcir, an Indian of between
25 and 30 years of age, was brought
to him under hydrophobia.

The following is an admirable state-
ment of the diagnostics of the dis-
ease :—

His body, arms, and throat, were affect-
ed with constant and uncontrolable spaS'
modic starlings. The muscles of his face
were thrown into quick convulsive action
at each inspiration, drawing back the an-
gles of the moutii, and, at the same instant,
depressing the lower jaw, so as to commu-
nicate the most hideous expression to the
countenance. His eyes appeared starting
from their sockets, and suffused with
blood; sometimes fixed in a wild and
terrific stare; at others, rolling about, as
if they followed some ideal object of ter-
ror from which he apprehended immediate
danger. A viscid saliva flowed from his
mouth, which was always open, except
when the lips were momentarily brought
together for the purpose of forcibly ex-
pelling the offensive secretion that adhe-
red to them, and which he effected with
that peculiar kind of noise which has been
often compared to the barking of a dog.
His temples and throat were bedewed with
clammy moisture. His respiration was
exceedingly hurried, and might more pro-
perly be called panting than breathing; or
It still morenearly resembled that short and
interrupted kind of sobbing that takes place
when a person gradually descends into
the cold bath. He was exceedingly impa-
tient of restraint, and whenever he could
get a hand disengaged, he immediately
struck the pit of his stomach with it,
pointing out that part as the seat of soma
indescribable uneasiness.

S£PT. 1.1

CHRONICLE.

CXI

From the constant agitation of his whole
frftme, and the starlings of his arms, it
was impossible to count his pulse with ex-
actness ; it was, however, very unequal,
both in strength and frequency ; at times
scarcely perceptible, and then rising again
under tlie finger; sometimes moderately
slow and regular for a few pulsations, and
immediately after so quick as not to be
counted ; but Conveying, upon the whole,
an idea of the greatly oppressed and im-
peded circulation.

His skin was not hot, and though his
head was in incessant motion, accompani-
ed with such savage expression and con-
tortion of countenance as might easily
have alarmed those unaccustomed to such
appearances ; he msde no attempt to bite,
which is far from being a frequent symp-
tom of the disease ; and when it does oc-
cur, must be considered merely as an act
of impatience at being held ; and no more
than the peculiar noise, above-noticed, as
indicating any thini; of the canine nature
imparted by the bite — an opinion which
hfis been sometimes fancifully, but absurd-
ly, entertained.

When questioned concerning his own
feelings, or the cause of his illness, he was
incapable of making any reply ; being pre-
vented, it is probable, either by the hurried
state of his respiration, or by his mind be-
ing too deeply absorbed in the contempla-
tion of horrible ideas, to admit of his at-
tending to the queries addressed to him.

Dr Shoolbred, entertaining no
(loubt of the nature of his disease,
which was further proved by his fall-
ing into agonies at the sight of water,
tried copious bleeding, on the autho-
rity of a case given by Mr Tyman, of
the 22d dragoons. — After the loss of
sixteen or twenty ounces of blood from
the right arm, the spasms diminished ;
after the loss of two pints, he twice
drank water with delight, about four
ounces each time. During the bleed-
.ing he desired to be fanned, though
air in motion is generally as much an
object of terror as water to those pa-
tients. At the end of the bleeding,
the pulse was 104. He then slept for
an hour ; awoke, and drank sherbet ;

slept again, and about five awoke, with
appearances that indicated a partial re-
lapse. Blood was drawn from the left
arm until he fainted ; the spasms gra-
dually decaying during the bleeding,
and the patient drinking four ounces
of water. The pulse at the beginning
of the second bleeding was 96, and at
the end it was 88. No affection re-
mained but headache.

Dr Shoolbred here considers that
hydrophobia had been completely OTerj»
come ; but not thinking himself enti-
tled to leave a man's life at hazard for
the sake of an experimcHt, ordered the
patient four grains of calomel and one
grain of opium to be given every three
hours. The first pill was given at a
quarter before six, and immediately re-
jected ; a second at five minutes before
six, which remained. The patient then
slept till seven ; the pills were given
regularly during the night } in the
course of it he had three alvine evacu-
ations, a circumstance unheard of in
hydrophobia. He passed the night
calmly. On Wednesday, the second
day, his pulse was at 84-. No buff
coat was on the blood drawn the day
before ; the whole quantity was 4-0
ounces. At half past nine he ate 30
ounces of sago. He was then able to
converse, and gave the subsequent ac-
count of his seizure ;—

That nineteen days ago, (including this
day) when returning about four in the
evening, from his own house at Russapu-
glah, to his master at Chowringhee, he
saw a pariah dog seize a fisherman and
bite him. Several people were collected
at the spot ; he also approached, when the
same dog ran at him, and as he was re-
treating before him, bit him in the back
part of the right leg, about six inches above
the ancle, where he shows two scars at the
distance of an inch and a half from each
other, but without any appearance of in-
flammation or thickening of the integu-
ments. The dog, after biting him, disap-
peared, and he does not know what became
of him or of the fisherman. The wounds

cxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL RlilGISTER, 1813. [Sept. 1.

bled a good deal, but not being very deep,
they soon healed, without any application.
He took no remedy, except on the day he
was bitten, a small piece of scarlet cloth
{sooltunee baut,) wiupt up in a piece of
ripe plantain, which was recommended to
him as an infallible antidote against infec-
tion from the bite of a mad tlog. He
never saw any one in hydrophobia ; and
though he hail heard that persons bitten
by a mad dog were liable to such a disease,
the apprehension of it never dwelt on his
n)ind orscarcely ever occurred to him after
the day on which he was bitten. He con-
tinued in his usual health till the 4th in-
stant, seventeen days after the bite, when
he found himself dull, heavy, and listless,
with loss of appetite, and frequent appre-
hension that dogs, cats, and jackalls were
about to seize upon him. He also felt a
pricking sensation in the part bitten. When
his mother-in-law brought him his break-
fast, he was afraid to eat it. He continu-
ed his business, however, of taking water
from the tank to the house, till alx)ut noon
of that day, after which he could not bear
to look on, or to touch the water, being
constantly harassed, whenever he attempt-
ed to do so, with the horrible appearance
of different animals, ready to devour him.
He now, for the iirst time, thought of the
disease arising from the bite of a mad dog,
was convinced that was the cause of his
present distress, and fully believed he
would die of it. He ate no supper, nor
drank any water,that night, in consequence
of the liorrible phantoms that incessantly
haunted his imagination. In the morning,
all his horrors were increased, the spasms
came on, accompanied by anxiety, oppres-
sion, and pain about the praecordia and
stomach ; and those about him sa) , that
he continued to get worse in every respect,
until he arrived at the hospital in the state
already described. He does not himself dis-
tinctly remember any thing that liappened
during the whole day. He has some faint
recollection of being at his own house, but
how he get there — when he left it — or by
what means he, was brought to the hospi-
tal, he does not at all know. The first
thing he can vecal to his mind is drinking
the sherbet, and he says he has had his
eenses perfectly since that tinje, and that
all his fears then left him, and have not
since returned. This, however, i& not eu-

tircly correct, as he acknowlcdgps tiiat he
does not recolcct xUm second bleeding,
which shows that tlic disease had then so
far leturned as again to disorder his men-
tal faculties.

During the day, he complained of
severe ht^adache, which was relieved
by leeches at the temples. On Thurs-
day, the third day, he was distressed
by quantities of dark-green bile, which
he passed up and downwards ; pulse
110. — V pint of camomile infusion
brought off much bile. At eleven, he
took eight grains of calomel ; and at
half past twelve, half a dram each of
jalap and magnesia ; he was much re-
lieved. On Friday morning he was
farther relieved by senna, manna, and
cream of tartar. On Saturday the ex-
cessive secretion of bile had ceased,
and he became clamorous for food.
For some evenings after, some heat of
skin and acceleration of pulse were
perceptible, but they went off by cold
bathing and opening medicines.

The case, which appears to contra-
dict this fortunate and promising one,
is given by Mr Bellingen, assistant-
surgeon of the 1st foot, and dated
Trichinopoly, February 26th, 1813.
On the 23d of that month, he was
called on to examine the case of a Ser-
jeant Clarke, aged 39, a tall, robust,
and resolute man. The circumstances
are thus described:'—

In attemptingto swallow his usual dram,
previously to his going out yesterday morn-
ing, he felt a peculiar indescribable reluc-
tance to the liquid, and could not prevail
upon himself to take more than one half
of it. Again, in attempting to wash his
face, preparatory to evening parade, the
approach of the water threw him into a
violent state of agitation, and he was obli-
ged to have it removed. Although now
distressed with the utmost urgent thirst,
he cannot be prevailed upon to attempt
swallowing any fluid ; the approach, and
even the mention of it, producing violent
spasms of the muscles of the neck and
throat, which spasms are precetled by a
peculiar uneasy sensation about the scro-

Hett, 1.]

CHRONICLE.

«xai

biculus cordiSy and a kInJ of sobbinu:, or
inclination to sigh, ntteiuled also with se-
vere pain in tlie head; his eye-balls appear
turgid, and a degree o^ riiior is depicted
in his countenance ; pulse about 1 10 in
the minute, and rather small ; heat natu-
ral ; tongue white and moist; belly ix'gu-
lar.

The surgeon, who was acquainted
with the cases of M»- Tyman and Dr
Shoolbred, immediately opened a large
orifice in his arm, and took away about
,40 ounces of blood. The patient com-
plained of excessive languor during
the operation, but he did not faint.
The pulse was, after the bleeding, at
88. The near approach or agitation
of any fluid still produced a recurrence
of the spasms ; but he could now bear
to look upon water, if held at a dis-
tance ; he shewed no reluctance at the
light, or at viewing himself in a mir-
ror ; the pulse rose to upwards of 100 ;
the turgidity of the eyeballs was dimi-
nished. The patient was now visited
by some other medical men, and it was
determined to try the effects of the
bleeding without medicine. The blood
was drawn at nine ; at eleven he swal-
lowed some water through a tube fixed
to an elastic gum bottle ; and express-
ed great delight in the sensations which
it gave to his stomach, but was afraid
to take any more ; his pulse was at
84. During the next two hours, he
had several attacks of the spasms, and
one particularly violent on seeing a
basin of sago which was offered to him.
At two o'clock the pulse, which in
the intervals of the spasms always
sunk, was no more than 74 ; he had
one alvine evacuation, and his skin was
covered with a clammy sweat. At
four, after seeing a recurrence of the
spasms, and the horror with which he
rejected liquids, bleeding was tried
again ; he struggled so much during
the operation that the quantity could
not be exactly ascertained, but it might
be from 16 to 18 ounces. The pulse

VOL. VI. PART II.

at one time fell so low as to be scarce-
ly discernible near the wrist, and to-
wards the close he vomited a quantity
of ropy phlegm, mixed with frothy
saliva. He continued to struggle vio-
lently for some time, then fell quiet for
a few minutes, and expired about a
quarter before five o'clock. The dis-
ease had actually commenced the morn-
ing before, as he then felt the first
horror of liquids ; but he had gone
through his duties as orderly Serjeant
of the company during that day, and
though he felt the dislike of water
paintul in the evening, did not think
of applying for assistance till the next
day. The surgeon, therefore, consi-
ders that the blood-letting had not a
timely trial.

During the rapid progress of tlie disease,
no source of infection occurred to ne re-
collection of the patient; it was, however,
immediately after his death, remembered
by several of his comrades, and particu-
larly by two of them, corporals Henry and
Moore, of the same company, that a small
dog (which was destroyed as mad about
three weeks ago, and which had previous-
ly bit two other men of the regiment) was
in the habit of licking a small sore on his
inner ancle, which is hardly yet cicatrised.
The animal was encouraged in this prac-
tice by the unfortunate man, under the
impression of its being useful to the sore.

The appearance on dissection, about
four hours after death, did not differ ma-
terially from what has been observed in
former cases ; the posterior part of the
fauces exhibited marks of inflammation,
and the papillsB at the root of the tongue
were uncommonly prominent ; the eso-
phagus was laid open through its whole
extent, and in several places shewed slight
marks of inflammation ; these marks be-
came more conspicuous towards its termi-
nation in the cardia ; the inner surface of
the stomach was in several places infla-
med, and in two or three small spots its
inner coat abrailed ; nothing was contain-
ed in it but a small quantity of phlegm ;
the trachaia was also laid open, and in the
interstices of the cartilaginous rings exhi-
bited a slight inflammatory redness ; the
h

cxiv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [Sept. *•

heart was quite sound, as were all the ab-
dominal viscera, with the exception of the
Btomach. The blood taken from his arm
exhibited no signs of the inflammatory
crust, and what was last drawn appeai'ed
unusually dark coloured.

On these cases the first observation
that occurs is, the obvious effect of the
blood-letting to diminish the symp-
toms in both. The admission of air —
the endurance of the sight of water —
the pleasure felt in swallowing it —
the diminished swelling of the eye, and
uneasiness of look, are all circumstan-
ces equally rare in the history of the
disease, and apparently equally attri-
butable to the copious emission of
blood. But it v*ras, perhaps, unfortu-
nate that in the latter instance the ex-
periment was made so nakedly. In
Dr Shoolbred's statement, the calo-
mel was tried within three hours after
the opening of the vein, and its effect
seems to havebeen produced in copious
evacuations, for which the system was
prepared and lowered by the loss of
blood. The bleeding was only used
on the first day, and it is obviously a
remedy which must have speedy li-
mits ; but the returning uneasiness,
the starting, the heat of skin, and
the burning sensation in the region of
the abdomen, all which look too like
the former symptoms, not to make it
probable that they belong to hydro-
phobia, appeared to have owed their
removal to the calomel, and other eva-
cuating medicines. The case of the
Serjeant was probably, also, the more
unfavourable one ; and a man who in-
dulged his morning drams, and had a
long standing ulcer, was more likely
to suffer by this most violent of spas-
modic diseases, than the abstemious
and pure-blooded Indian. His disor-
der was almost too rapid for medicine ;
it kiUed him in a day. It would, we
may hope, be more accessible in our
milder climate, and the process emi-
oently deserves the trial. At all events,

the last melancholy comfort remains
to us from the account of the Indian,
that in those paroxysms which ago-
nise the bye-standers for the agonies
of the sufferer, he is probably insensi-
ble.

4th. — Particulars of Moreau's
Death. — General Moreau died yes-
terday. He was in the act of giving
some opinion on military matters, while
passing with the Emperor of Russia
behind a Prussian battery, to which
two French batteries were answering,
one in front and the other in flank, and
Lord Cathcart and Sir R. Wilson were
listening to him, wnen a ball struck
his thigh and almost carried his leg off,
passed through his horse, and shatter-
ed his other leg in pieces. He gave a
deep groan at first, but immediately
after the first agony of pain was over,
bespoke with the utmost tranquillity,
and called for a segar. They bore him
off the field on a litter made of cos-
sacks pikes, and carried him to a cot-
tage at a short distance, which, how-
ever, was so much exposed to the fire,
that they were obliged, after binding
up his wounds, to move him further
off to the Emperor's quarters, where
one leg was amputated, he smoking
the whole time. When the surgeon
informed him that he must deprive him
of his other, he observed, without shew-
ing any pain or peevishness, but in the
calmest manner, that had he known
that before his other was cut off, he
should have preferred dyings The lit-
ter on which they had hitherto con-
veyed him was covered with nothing
but wet straw and a cloak, drenched
through with rain, which continued in
torrents the whole day. They now
placed more cloaks over him, and laid
him more comfortably on a good lit-
ter, in which he was carried to Dip-
polsdeswalde ; but long before his ar-
rival there he was soaked through and
through. He was brought, however,
safely to Laun, where he seemed to be

Sept 4- — C]

CHRONICLE.

cxv

going on well, till a long conference,
which took place between him and
three or tour of the allied generals, by
which he was completely exhausted.
Soon aftrr this he became extremely^
sic:k,and hourly grew worse. Through
the whole of his sufferings he bore his
fate with heroism and grandeur of mind
not to be surpassed, and appeared to
thost* with whom he conversed to en-
dure but httle pain, from his extreme
composure and calmness. He died at
six o'clock in the morning.

Tfie following bulletin was shown
at St James's Palace : —

Windsor Castle, Sept, 4.

<* His Majesty has, for some months
past, appeared gent rally tranquil and
comfortable, although his disorder re-
mains undiminished."

The venerable oak, generally known
by the name of Cybren yr-Ellyl, near
Marmion, in Merioneth, fell lately un-
der the weight of age. It appears from
Pennant's Tour, that it must have been
old even in the days of Owen Glen-
dower, who hid, in this tree, the body
of the Lancastrian Howel Sale, near
^OO years ago.

The arch of the new bridge erecting
over the Dee, near Overton, at the joint
expence of the counties of Denbigh
and Fhnt, fell down a short time ago,
when about two-thirds turned, and the
trussed centre, which had been erected
at a cost of 20001. was literally crush-
ed to atoms. As the fall took place
in the night fortunately no lives were
lost.

Bonaparte took exactly 12 years
to rise to a height, from which 12
months have been sufficient to preci-
pitate him. In 17fl9 he was installed
first consul ; in 1802, appointed con-
sul for life; in ISO^, emperor of
France ; and in 1812, with almost all
Europe at his feet, he began that de-
clension at Moscow, which, in 1813,
was completed at Leipsic.

6th. — Reaping Machine. — The

great desideratum in agriculture, a
reaping-machine for the purpose of
abridging manual labour, is now, we
apprehend, on the eve of being sup-
plied. On Friday the trial of a ma-
chine of this description, invented and
constructed by Mr Smith, from Perth-
shire, the same ingenious gentleman
who exhibited a similar machine last
year, was made, in presence of the Dal-
keith Farming Society, and a number
of strangers, on a field of oats belong-
ing to the Duke of Buccleuch. " The
general effect of the machine," it has
been remarked, " as appeared in its
performance of cutting down the corn
as completely, and laying it as regu-
larly, as it is usually done by a manual
operation with the sickle, shewed that
the inventor has caught the right prin-
ciple and has succeeded perfectly in its
application. — Even in its present state,
the machine approaches to a degree of
perfection, which will soon introduce
it to use, and make it be considered as
one of the most valuable discoveries,
and one of the greatest public benefits,
of modern times. The machine of last
year was drawn by one horse ; the ma-
chine exhibited on Friday was drawn
by two horses, and went with great
steadiness. On comparing what was
done by the machine, more than half
an acre, with another field in the neigh-
bourhood, cut down with the sickle,
the stubble left by the former was uni-
formerly shorter ; and it was, 1 be-
lieve, admitted by all present, that the
corn was laid more regularly by the
operation of the machine than it is
usually done with the hand." Whether
the ingenious inventor shall be found
entitled to a large reward offered by
this Farming Society, we know not ;
but we are persuaded the spirit which
proposed so handsome a premium will
not be slow in acknowledging Mr
Smith's merit and exertions by some
mark of its approbation.

7th.— A sheriff's officer, under an

cxvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, I81S.

[Sept. f

execution against the corporation of
the borough of Sudbury, entered the
town-hall, and seized and removed their
proptrty ; consisting of the mayor's
gown, with other paraphernalia, scales,
weights, stall stuff, between 200 and
300 buckets, fire crooks, &c. which,
it is supposed, will soon be exposed to
public sale. The levy under this exe
cution is for the amount of the taxed
costs in a trial, about three year*? ago,
between a Mr Shave and the corpora-
tion, when a verdict with costs was
given infavour of the former, establish-
ing his claim to the freedom of the
borough, which they disputed.

8th. — Fall of S~ Sebastian —
The fortress and city of St Sebastian
surrendered to the daring attacks and
resistless bravery of the troops under
the command of our gallant coantry-
man. General Sir Thomas Graham, on
the 31 8t of last month

The last accounts rom the Marquis
Wellington represent the army under
his command as more healthy than he
had ever known it in the field. Fifteen
hundred Portuguese and 800 British
soldiers within the last week had re-
joined their regiments from hospitals in

the rear. His lordship concludes

with these words, " indeed I may say
there is no sickness in the army."

On Sunday afternoon, as a Mr Cod-
rington nnd Mr J. Wyatt were on their
journey to London, in a chariot and
four, about three miles below Marlbo-
rough, they were met by a return
chaise. A gentleman riding a young
horse at the same time passing between
the two carriages, his horse being un-
manageable, run against the chariot,
and when he fell, the wheel going over
him, overturned it ; Mr C. received no
injury, but Mr Wyatt's head coming
with great violence against the side of
the carriage or handle of the door, his
skull was fractured, which caused his
death. An inquest was taken on the

body on Monday morning, and a ver-
dict returned by the jury — Occidentals
Death.

On Saturday last, a melancholy ac-
cident happened at Hitcham, iu Suf-
folk. As Mr Robert Snelling, farmer,
of the above place, and an intimate
friend, were shooting, the gun of the
latter accidentally went off, and shot
Mr -nelUng m the leg, which was so
much fihattered, that aniputation was
immediately required, but he died with-
in an hour after the operation. By an
inquisition taken before the coroner,
on Monday last, it appeared that Mr
Snelling's friend was walking behind
him, having his gun under his arm with
the mouth downwards, when Mr S.
suddenly turning round, his leg touch-
ed the gun, which went off, and the
above consequences ensued. — Verdict,
Accidental Death

A llEM .KKABLE CIRCUMSTANCE.

— On Tuesday, a coroner's inquest
was taken on the body of Daniel
Poole, of Pill. — :t appeared that the
deceased was found dead on Sunday
morning last, in a field on the north
side of the parish of Wraxall ; and
that when he died, he was in the act
of killing a sheep which he had just
stolen. In his right hand was a bloody
knife, and his clothes and body were
every where soiled with gore and dirt.
Near him lay his gun, discharged;
and at a short distance a wounded
sheep, which had evidently been shot
at, and had a slight wound under the
ear. Poole was perfectly lifeless, very
black in the face, and altogether a hor-
rible spectacle. In a ditch was con-
cealed a sack, which being searched,
was found to contain the carcase of an-
other sheep, paunched, skinned, clean-
ed, and cut up ; whilst a patch of new-
ly-turned-up earth marked the spot
where the skin and offals were buried.
Verdict — Died hy the Visitation of
Codi in the act of Felony !

i$iPT. 9.]

CHRONICLE.

•Kvn

9th. — A rery melancholy event took
place, at one o'clock on Monday after-
noon, on the Clyde, midway between
Dunoon and the Clough hght-house.
— As the ferry-boat between these
places was conveying several passen-
gers, and about 30 head of black cattle,
across the river from Dunoon, its sails
suddenly gave way, and, filling with
water, it instantly went down Of the
passengers, two only were saved ; and
the six described as fjUovvs were
drowned : — Mr J. Steele, writer, Glas-
gow ; Mrs Duncan Fergfuson, near
Dunoon ; Duncan Black, boatman ;
a servant girl of Mr Harkness, Lesk*
indrosk ; and a young man and wo-
man, latelv married, belonging to Da-
noon. One of the men saved got hold
of a plank, an I the other supported
himself by means of a cow, until taken
up by the boats which went out to
their assistance.— There wa^ a heavy
«ea, accompanied by a squall, at the
time the boat sunk.

At Corriehill, on the water of Milk,
a hen and a partridge laid their eggs
near to one another, in the garden of
Mr Little, farmer, there, — The hen
was observed to sit on the eggs of the
partridge, and the partridge on those
of the hen. When the young ones
came out, the chickens ran off with
the partridge ; some two or three days
after the herd boy caught two of them,
which appeared as wild as partridges
are naturally ; but the most wonder-
ful part of the fact is, that the young
partridges continue to follow the hen
with the same constancy and tameness
as is natural to young chickens.

The Emperor Alex and r — Ri-
ding one day before his attendants, on
the bank of the little river Wilna, and
not far from the town of that name,
in Lithuania, his majesty perceived se-
veral persons dragging something out
of the water, which proved to be the
kody of a man, apparently lifeless.

Having directed the boors around him
to convey the body to a bank, he pro-
ceeded, with his own hands, to assist in
taking the wet clothes from the appa-
rent corpse, and to rub his temples,
wrists, Src. for a considerable time, but
without any visible effect. While thus
occupied, his majesty was joined by the
gentlemen of his suit, among whom
was an English surgeon in the empe-
ror's service, who, proposing to bleed
the patient, his majesty held and rub-
bed his arm, rendering also every other
assistance in his powjr. This attempt
failing, they continued to employ all
other means they could devise, until
more thin three hours were expired,
when the surgeon declared it to be a
hopeless case. His majesty, however,
not yet satisfied, desired that the at-
tempt to let blood might be repeated,
which was accordingly done, the em-
peror and his noble attendants making
a last effort in rubbing, &c. when they
had at length the satisfaction to behold
the blood make its appearance, accom-
panied by a slight groan. His majes-
ty's emotions were so ardent, that in
the plenitude of his joy, he exclaimed,
" This is the brightest day of my life,"
and the tears, which instantaneously
glistened in his eyes, indicated the sin-
cerity of his exclamation.

Tliis favourable appearance occa-
sioned them to redouble their exertions,
which were finally crowned with suc-
cess. When the surgeon was looking
about for something to stop the blood
and tie up the arm with, the emperor
took out his handkerchief, tore it in
pieces, bound up the poor fellow's arm
with it, and remained till he saw him
quite recovered, and proper care taken
of him. His majesty concluded this
act of benevolence, by ordei-ing the re-
stored peasant a sum of money, and
otherwise providing for him and his
family.

Mkthod OF PREsaaviNe Eggs. —

cxviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S. [Sept. IS.

In March, put about half a pound of
quick lime in a stone or earthen pot,
and add a gallon of cold water. Next
day, fill the pot with new eggs, tie a
paper over it, and put the pot in a cool
place. The eggs will be as good the
following Christmas as at first.

13th Dublin. -On Saturday even-
ing, about seven o'clock, Mr Patrick
Goulding and his wife were walking
on the south circular road, towards
Camden-street, when they were called
. on to stop by an armed footpad, who
instantly presented a pistol to Mr
Goulding's breast, and shot him dead.
The footpad ran offdirectly ; the alarm
was as instantaneous, and the fellow
•was pursued and taken by some gen-
tlemen who were enjoying the fineness
of the evening in that neighbourhood.
The man, it appears, is a deserter from
the 23d dragoons, and was armed with
a case of pistols belonging to that regi-
ment ; his name is Francis Tuite, and
he is from Drogheda. On his exami-
nation, he said he did not intend to
fire the pistol, but that it went off by
accident, though his object was to rob.
Mth. — The Carmarthen Journal
gives the following statement, respect-
ing a most horrible parricide.

** It is our painful task this week
to record one of the most atrocious and
unnatural murders that ever stained the
criminal annals of this or any other
country. The following particulars
have been stated to us by a friend as
accurate: — Richard Glover, a pot-
ter, about seventy years of age, his
"wife, nearly of the same age, and their
son, William, aged forty, lived toge-
ther in a small cottage, at Rydyblue, in
Monmouthshire, near the turnpike-
road leading from Merthyr-Tydfil to
Abergavenny. On the morning of Fri-
day the 3d inst. the latter, horrible to
relate, started from his sleep, and, seiz-
ing a tram cart axletree, killed his aged
father, by repeated blows with the

same on his head : which being done,
he dispatched his mother also, and af-
terwards repaired to the house of his
sister at the distance of about a mile.
On his arrival there, he proposed to
liquidate a d<*ht he owed her husband,
and produced three guineas in gold,
which creating both surprise and anxie-
ty in the husband and wife, they of
conrse questioned him as to the source
from whence he had procured the same.
This shortly produced a full confession
of his guilt, and an acknowledgment
at the same time of his having taken
the cash from his mother's pocket.
He was immediately secured, and on
the neighbours entering the house of
his murdered parents, a scene too shock-
ing to describe presenteditself to them ;
the old man weltering in his blood on
the floor, and his wife nearly expiring
on the bed. Medical assistance was
immediately called in, but was of no
avail. The coroner's jury having sat
on the bodies, a verdict of wilful mur-
der was found against the prisoner,
who will take his trial at the next as-
sizes far the county of Monmouth,
He, like too many of our modern cri-
minals, attributed this most sanguinary
and revolting act to a sudden and irre-
sistible impulse, produced by a dream
that the devil had appeared to him,
and commanded him to perpetrate the
same."

Three brothers of the name of Quail,
of a respectable family in the neigh-
bourhood of Downpatrick, who had
each adjoining town-parks, had great
altercations about the damage done by
some of their cattle on the corn-field
of the eldest brother; when much anger
and a violent scuffle took place. The el-
dest Mr Quail was opposed by the two
younger brothers, and fell in the scuffle.
He afterwards went homewards ; but
finding himself unwell, got into a house
in the skirts of the town, where he lay
down on a bed* and soon after died.

Shpt. 1»— 15.]

CHRONICLE.

CXIX

A coroner's inquest brought in a ver-
dict that he died from excess of pas-
sion.

This day, Major Hare arrived at
the office of Earl Bathurst with dis-
patches from Lord Wellington, con-
taining an account of the capture of
the town of St Sebastian by storm,
on the 3lst ult. and of the defeat of
Soult, in a series of attacks made by
him on the allied positions, in front of
the Bidassoa, for the purpose of re-
lieving it.

The Park and Tower guns were
fired to announce this important intel-
ligence ; and the following bulletin
sent to the Lord Mayor : —

♦' Downing Street, 14th Sept.
1813, 4 o'clock.

" Lord Bathurst presents hh comph'-
ments to the Lord Mayor, and has the
honour of acquainting him, that Major
Hare has arrived with dispatches from
the Marquis of Wellington, dated Lezaca,
the 2d ot September, announcing that the
town of St Sebastian was taken by storm
on the 31st ult. On the morning of that
day, the enemy's army crossed the Bidas-
soa river, with a view of relieving the place,
but were repulsed in all their attempts to
force the positions of the allies, and retreat-
ed with very considerable loss, on the
evening of that day. The principal attacks
of the enemy were directed against the
Spanish army, who repeatedly repulsetl
them, and couducceJ themselves in a man-
ner to merit the hi<^hest encomiums of
Lord Wellington.

" The British loss during the siege was
xbout 1600 men killed, wounded, and miss-
ing; that of the allies 700.

** The British loss in the operations
was about 400 killed, wounded, and mi^s
ing; that of the allies 2200.

15th. — A whale of an enormous size
was towed alongside of a South-Sea
whaler, lying at the Mother-bank,
Portsmouth, where it was cut up in
the usual manner for obtaining the
largest quantity of oil. This fish was
observed, on the preceding Friday,
following a shoal of small fish through
the Needles passage, where it soon

found itself on a shingle bank, with
the tide ebbing ; and, consequently,
notwithstanding the most violent exer-
tions to get off, remained an easy prize
to several fishermen. The supposed
value is 5001. A similar occurrence
never happened before within the Isle
of Wight.

Yarmouth Generai. Sessions. —
J. Boult Hannah, aged 70, was tried
for the wilful murder of Elizabeth his
wife, by strangling^ her, on the 14th of
April last. Mr W. Taylor and Mr
Costerton, surgeons, deposed, that, on
the 15th of April, they examined the
body of Elizabeth Hannah, and that
they believed her death was occasioned
by strangulation by the hand, or by
the application of apiece of rope round
the neck.

Elizabeth Betts deposed, that she
rented a room of the prioner, directly
over the one in which the pjisoner and
the deceased lived ; that on the morn-
ing of the 15th day of April she was
alarmed, about three o'clock, with a
dreadful cry of murder ; she went
down stairs (at the bottom of which
is a door that leads into the prisoner's
room), and called out, " You old
rogue, you are murdering your wife ;"
she heard EHzabeth Hannah say, " For
God's sake come in, for my husband
is murdering me ;" but witness know-
ing the violence of the prisoner's tem-
per, was afraid, and said she dare not
go in, but went up stairs to dress her-
self with a view of procuring assist-
ance ; she went out and told a neigh<-
bour of the name of Thomson, that
Hannah and his wife were quarreUing,
and was going to the watch-house to
procure some assistance ; she, how-
ever, did not succeed, the watch being
off duty ; on her return, her children
were crying and out of bed, which
obliged her to remain with them ; she
called out frequently for the prisoner
to come out of his room, or he would
be the death of his wife; she heard

cxx

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S. [Sept/15.

the cries of the deceased about a quar-
ter of an hour after her return from
the watch-house ; she distinctly heard
three heavy groans, after which all was
silent, and she went to bed ; she got
up about six o'clock, and did not leave
the door of the prisoner till it was
opened by the constable.

James Story, a constable, deposed,
that he broke open the door of the
house in which the murder was com-
mitted, and entered the room with se-
veral neighbours, when he saw Eliza-
beth Hannah lying on the bed, dead,
with her arms by her side, as if laid
out, and the bed-clothes covered
smoothly over her ; the bed-clothes
were removed, and he saw the decea-
sed had apparently a bruise on the
front of her neck ; he saw the prisoner
sitting near the bed side, smoking a
pipe, and looking at the bed. He said
to him, " Why, John, surely you have
murdered your wife ;" to which he re-
plied, " She was always quarrelling
with me ;" witness said there were
other means of getting rid of her than
killing her. The prisoner made no
reply.

The prisoner made no defence, and
the Jury brought in their verdict Guil-
ty. The trial lasted five hours, during
which the prisoner, who was represent-
ed of a most ungovernable temper, re-
mained entirely unmoved. He behaved
likewise with the same brutal insensi-
bility at the place of execution on
Monday. On ascending the gallows,
he confessed, " That he was the mur-
derer of his wife, by strangling her
with his hands, and not with a rope, as
had been stated : he said they had lived
a very uncomfortable life for many
years past, owing to his wife giving
her company to other men, which was
the cause of his committing the mur-
der '* The instant before being turn-
ed off, he particularly requested to see
his daughter, when he was informed it

was not possible, as she was confined
in Bedlam ; he also desired the gaoler
to look under the step of the cell, and
he would there find four shillings and
sixpence He had, previously to his
trial, disposed, by will, of some little
property, the joint savings of himself
and his wife A signal was then given,
and the unhappy man wa« immediately
launched into eternity. The body, af-
ter hanging the usual time, was de-
livered to the surgeons for dissection.
The gaoler, on his return, found the
money, as described, in the cell,

ISth — Old Bailey Sessions.—t
J. Dfuton was indicted for the mur-
der of C Denton. — Isaac Puttiford
deposed, that he was acquainted with
the deceabed; and on the l.Sth of June
was in ht r room at B^'w. The prisoner
soon after came in H«- bronght some-
thing in a bottle, and set it on the
table Witness and Mrs Denton drank
some gin together. While she was in
the corner, near the clock, the prisoner
looked stedfastly at her. He then
rushed against her — she screamed, and
the blood spouted out into the corner.
He then saw a knife drawn from
her in the prisoner's hand She ran
screaming, and witness secured the pri-
soner.— Deceased lived a month after.
Mary Anne Denton, daughter of
the deceased, deposed, that the pri-
soner and her mother had been very
intimate. In the morning of the 13th
he was at her mother's. He came
again in the evening, and offered a bot-
tle to her mother, but she refused to
take it. Her mother then gave last
witness some gin, but Denton got
none. Prisoner then said something
to her mother, who told him to go out
of the house, for he was a disgrace to
his sex. Her mother went to wind up
the clock, and Denton jumped up and
said, " Am I a disgrace to my sex ?"
The deceased said, " Ye.s, you are,
John." — He immediately fan at her

Sept. 18.]

CHRONICLE.

•acxi

mother, and witness saw him draw the
knife out of her arm. She ran out
screaming. The deceased and Denton
had some difference in the early part
of the day, because he had struck a
woman, named Wright. The decea-
sed ordered him to leave her house,
and he struck her on the arm, and
went away.

Cross examined. — The deceased was
a widow, and her husband's name was
John Denton also. He died at sea.
She did not know that it had been set-
tled between the deceased and the pri-
soner that they should live together as
man and wife, that her mother might
still enjoy her pension as a sailor's wi-
dow.

J. Doubleday apprehended the pri-
soner at his sister's, and found the
knife there. It was bloody. — Wit-
ness asked why he had done the rash
act ; he answered, " it was love."

Mr Beal, a surgeon, said, the wound
had nearly divided the arteries of the
arm ; it mortified, and she died in con*
sequence. Witness was called in after
another surgeon, and found the pri-
soner with a slight wound in his side,
which he had inflicted on himself.

Ellen Starley, his sister, with whom
he lived, said, he was frequently so
outrageous, that she was obliged to
hide the knives from him. On the
morning in question, he struck the
witness. Mrs Denton came in, and
bade him beat her more till she (the
witness) gave him money. — The de-
ceased had frequently taken him out
of witness's house to go home and sleep
with her. He was so fond of the de-
ceased, that he neglected his business
after he had got in league with her.
On the 26th oT December she went to
market ; she was not twenty minutes
gone, and when she returned, she found
him suspended to her bed by an old
apron of hers. — She cut him down.

After a few mirutes consideration,

the jury returned a verdict of Guilty s
and the recorder passed sentence on
him, to be hanged on Monday next,
and his body to be dissected.

He remained quite unaltered during
the whole time. — Executed.

T. Moon was indicted for the wilful
murder of J. Larman, by shooting hint
with a carbine.

C. Grey was working with the de-
ceased in a field near Finchley-com-
mon. Witness heard the report of a
gun, and Larman fell. Witness saw
two soldiers dressed in blue, with a gun
each. — He ran to Whetstone, and in
going passed the two soldiers ; the pri-
soner was one. — ^When he stopped at
Whetstone, the prisoner's gun appear-
ed to have been fired off, all the rest
were loaded.

Hester Scutchins saw some soldiers,
with deserters, going over Finchley-
common, a' d two more soldiurs follow-
ing, about a quarter of a mile behind*
She saw one of these put his piece to
his shoulder, and take two or three
steps before he fired. He appeared to
her to be taking aim at that part of the
field where some boys were. When
she got to the field, she found the boy
Larman dead, the ball having passe«l
through him.

J. Satchway took him into custody,
and his carbine had evidently been re-
cently fired off.

Mr Justice Dampier said, the charge
of murder could not be supported,
there neither being malice oroved nor
implied ! — Guilty oi Manslaughter,

Prague, August 16M. — The Em-
peror of Russia arrived here yester-
day evening, at eight o'clock. 0«
the first intimation of this monarch's
approach, the Emperor of Aus-
tria went to meet him. Both mo-
narchs met underthe city gate, got out
of their coaches, and embraced eack
other with the greatest affection, amidst
the acclamations of an innumerable-

«Kkii

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Sept. 18—22.

-concourse of people. The streets
through which their majesties drove
to go to the palace in the Hradeschin,
were voluntarily illuminated by the in-
habitants. The Emperor of Austria
accompanied the Emperor Alexander
into the apartments prepared for him,
where their majesties remained half an
hour together. Soon afterwards the
Emperor of Russia paid a visit to the
Emperor Francis ; after which, their
majesties and their Royal Highnesses
the Grand Princesses supped together
in the Emperor of Austria's apart-
ment.

20th. — Banff — On Saturday the
Right Hon. the Earl of Fife, Lord
Lieutenant of this county, arrived at
puff-house, after an absence of eight
years, during part of which time he has
been in Spain, where he repeatedly
bled, in the glorious cause of the liber-
ty and independence of the peninsula.
On his lordship's approach from Del-
gaty Castle, accompanied by his bro-
ther. General Duff, he was met by the
magistrates, most of the principal in-
habitants of Banff, and the incorpora-
ted trades in a body, as well as by all
the inhabitants of Macduff, and from
the surrounding hills. As soon as his
lordship's carriage appeared, a salute
was fired from the battery, and all the
bells of Banff and Macduff rang a mer-
ry peal. His lordship was met at
Duff-house by General Sir James Duff,
and a party of his friends. In the
evening there were illuminations, and
immense bonfires flamed in every street,
and upon the summit of thehill of Mac-
duff there was one of such extraordi-
nary size and brilliancy as completely
illuminated the whole road from the
bridge of Banff to Macduff. His
lordship visited both towns, and was
received by all ranks with the most
enthusiastic joy, and to all he shewed
that condescension and affability for
which he is so particularly distinguish-
ed; in short, seldom has any event

called forth more general joy, thaa
the arrival of this justly popular no-
bleman.

22d. — A most atrocious murder
was committed at Portsmouth, about
four o'clock in the afternoon : the
particulars are briefly as follow : —
A waterman, named George Brothers,
was plied by three persons to take
them to Ryde, in the Isle of Wight,
of which he agreed, and set sail for
that purpose; but before they had
started more than five minutes, a scuf-
fle was observed in the boat, and the
waterman thrown overboard ; he was
soon after picked up, covered with
stabs and cuts, and quite dead. An
alarm being given, the wherry wa»
followed by a boat from the Centaur,
and several other boats. The Lieute-
nant of the Centaur's boat, findmg
that they scarcely gained on the wher-
ry, put two men into each of two other
wherries, which were also in chase,
conceiving them most likely to succeed
in the pursuit, and the result proved
he was perfectly correct j for, just at
sunset, they ran the wherry alongside,
though going at the rate of ten miles
an hour, and secured the three men,
but not till after a desperate resistance.
They were landed amidst the execra-
tions of an almost ungovernable popu-
lace, and examined at the Town Hall,
when they acknowledged themselves
to be prisoners of war, and to have es-
caped from Forton prison, at two
o'clock in the afternoon. It appears
that they had been enabled, from sell-
ing toys, to purchase entire nevr
clothes, by which they eluded the
guards at the gate. Brothers has left
a wife and two children, and the shock
of his untimely end occasioned her to
give a premature birth to a third.

The Hants Courier communicates
the following additional particulars : —
<* Three French prisoners, Francois Re-
lif, Jean Marie Danze, and Daniel Du
Verge, having effected their escape

Sept. 22—27.]

CHRONICLE.

OSJLIU

from Fortgn depot, engaged the wherry
of the above-named George Brothers
to take them to Ryde : when off the
Block house, (according to their own
assertions) they proposed to the boat-
man to take them to France, promising
ample reward, and liberty to return
immediately ; but he, not to be cor-
rupted by promises or reward, resisted
their proposition, and in consequence
they stabbed him in sixteen places,
(threeof which were mortal), and threw
him overboard. The Frenchmen im-
mediately directed their course to sea,
and were promptly pursued by several
wherries, m one of which were Lieut.
SuUock and three seamen of the Cen-
taur, at anchor at Spithead. In con-
sequence of a heavy swell, and bad
management, the Frenchmen were over
taken after a run of about 15 miles ;
one ot the men belonging to the Cen-
taur leaped into the wherry among the
Frenchmen alone, when at the distance
of several feet, armed with nothing but
the stretcher, with which he knocked
one of them down : they then surren-
dered. They were taken on board
the Centaur for the night, and on being
searched, a large sum of money was
found about them in silver, and three
knives ; one of them was very bloody ;
and on Thursday morning they were
delivered into the hands of the civil
power, and landed at the Sally-port.
They were taken to the borough gaol,
wherethey were again examined. They
confessed that Brothers was killed by
two of them, but that the third was
no further concerned than in lending
his knife to the other when the water-
man resisted them. More money was
here taken from them, one having ac-
tually concealed in his pantaloons under
his boots thirty-three 5s. 6d. pieces.
It appears, that by the manufacture of
lace, toys, &c. the prisoners accumu-
lated a sufficient sum of money to pro-
cure a suit of genteel clothes each,

(besides the sums taken from their
persons,) d'-essed in which they ming-
led with the crowdof visitors that were
walking in the depot, eluding, by their
metamorphosed appearance, the vigi-
lance of the turnkeys and military sen-
tinels.

25th CovENT Garden Thea-
tre.— A successful debui was made
at this Theatre on Thursday night. —
The serious opera of '< jirtaxerxes"
compressed into two acts, was perform-
ed for the purpose of bringing for-
ward Miss Stevens, a pupil of Mr
Thomas Welch, in the character of
Madane. Her voice possesses the
richest and most affecting power, and
she sings and acts with graceful sim-
plicity. Miss Stevens has a full, but
elegant form, an easy and dignified de-
portment, and her expression has the
diffidence of sensibility. In the com-
mencement, though encouraged by the
warmest welcome, she could not suf-
ficiently exert herself fairly to display
her talents, but she acquired strength
as she proceeded, and in the exquisite
airs, " // o^er the cruel tyrant Love,**
and " Let not rage thy bosom firingy*
she shewed the purest and most clas-
sical taste ; while in " The Soldier
tired,^* she displayed the powers of
her execution. She was encored with
an universal voice, and indeed some-
what cruelly in the last instance, where
it required so much exertion ; but she
went through it with unabated energy,
and without being flat in a single note.
— We sincerely congratulate the Thea-
tre and the public on this most splendid
acquisition to their musical entertain-
ment.

27th. — When the last packet from
Gottenburgh sailed, a dreadful fire,
which had consumed a part of the
town, was still raging there. It broke
out on Sunday se'ennight, and a great
quantity of merchandize and other va-
luable property had been consHmed.

oK^iv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Sept. 2d.

About SOOhouscs, principally of wood,
had been burnt down before Monday
evening, when the packet left the har
bour. Some warehouses, with grain,
leather, and colonial produce, became
a prey to the flames before the proper-
ty could be saved.

28th. — Another of those dreadful
calamities, the blasting of a coal-mine,
occurred at the Hall pit, at Fatfield,
in the parish of Chester-lestreet.
Upwards of thirty men and boys were
killed.

29th. — Shadwell.- An investiga-
tion at the above office into a danger-
ous riot among the Chinese Lascars,
in which three men were killed, and
about seventeen wounded, terminated
this day with the commitment of some
of the ringleaders. The following is
an abstract of the most material evi-
dence : —

Abraham Gola, superintendant of
natives of I ndia, stated, that in a place
called King David s Fort, there are
about 500 Chinese in the barracks be-
longing to the East India company.
Of these there are two sects, one call-
ed the Chenies, the oiher the Chm
Choo. On visitmgtheirbarracks, about
eight o'clock on the morning of the
13th inst. he found them in a state of
hostility ; one sect fighting the >ther
with knives and implements of every
description. He immediately directed
the gates to be shut to prevent the
oifenders from escaping, he then sent
for and procured the assistance of se-
veral of the police officers, on seeing
whom approach, the contest in a great
measure subsided. The officers im-
mediately proceeded to disarm them of
theirweapons, which, by this time, they
attempted to conceal. On searching
their chests and hammocks, all their
knives, &c. were taken away. One
man was found dead, with his bowels
ripped open. Seven were carried to
the London Hospital, severely wound-

ed ; two of whom are since dead. The
Chenies overcame the Chin Choo by
superiority of numbers. The witness
was informed that a cutler on Tower-
hill was employed to make instruments
for the Chinese. He found his name
was v^ramer: he acknowledged that
he had recently sold two sets of large
knives to them, and had been commis-
sioned to make them a further supply,
which his workmen were then execu-
ting. These the witness saw : they
were large knives, with wooden han-
dles, the blade about the size of a com-
mon cutlass. Cramer being apprised
of their intended use, promised they
should not be delivered. Several of the
Lascars were afterwards stopped at
the Barrack gate, in the act of bring-
ing such instruments with them, which
they delivered up, not without some
struggle, and an attempt to use them
against the officers for making the
seizure.

The origin of this affair appears t»
be thus, by the evidence of the par-
ties ! — A Chenies being at play with
a Chm Choo, they quarrellt^d about
Is. 6d. which one had lost and refused
to pay : they came to blows, and on
a subsequeiit day they renewed the
combat with knives. Too Sugar, a Chi»
Choo, now in the hospital, is alleged
to have bcigun the contest, by calling
to his sect to come and fight the Che-
nies. Hence it appears each sect caught
the contagion of quarrel from these two,
when the rencounter became general,

Of those in custody, three have bee«
discharged for want of evidence. The
following are to take their trial, viz.
Appui, Appong, Chong, and Peu

AGRICULTURAL REPORTS.

England. The new wheats are

found to rise well and fine in qua-
lity, and the increased number of
thrashing machines have thrown large
quantities on the markets, occasion-

SzvT. 30.J

CHRONICLE.

<ncxiF

ing a considerable reduction of prices,
which the foreign imports will, for
«ome time, assist in keeping- down.
The oat harvest is closed in the Fens,
affording the largest general produce
that has been known tor many years.
The barley crops are expected to turn
«ut finer in sample than large in quan-
tity, not exceeding an average crop.
The northern counties are late with
their beans, which, however, prove
abundant. All the accounts from the
principal corn districts of Scotland
state the produce of all kinds of grain
to be large, and to have been early and
well harvested. Clover seed is likely
to be a pretty general crop, except up-
on light soils, where the continuance
of dry weather has proved injurious to
it. The turnip counties have abun-
dance of free-growing food. The hop
plantations of Kent, Sussex, and Farn-
ham, have bagged a much larger weight
than was looked for ; but those of
Worcestershire and Herefordshire have
not yielded half a crop, and where the
«yder produce has also partially failed.
The cattle markets in the midland
counties have had large shows of lean
stock, but the prices are still kept
high from the prospect of abundant
seed in tuinips and coleseed. Smith -
field has been well supplied through
the month with prime mutton, beef,
and veal, on lower terms. In the wool
markets there has been little or no va-
riation since our last report.

Lothian. — There is no manner of
doubt that this has been the best Sep-
tember month within remembrance, as
it has been dry from the beginning un-
til the end, without any untoward cir-
cumstance to injure or retard the im-
portant work of harvest, which is near-
ly finished in this district, and in the
best possible condition. — The ears are
heavy, the quality fine, and of bright
colours. There will be more benefit
received from fodder this season, than
for many bygone, being so early and

well preserved. Considerable quanti-
ties of wheat are already sown in ex-
cellent order, and in many instances ap-
pears in full braird above ground.
Grain markets, which gradually decli-
ned last month, have rallied a little
again, particularly barley, in the ; ros-
pect of early distillation from grain.
The old crop being mostly exhausted,
causes a greater demand on the new
for present consumption ; and there
being food for cattle in the fields for
some time to come, the farmer is the
less anxious to thrabh much ai present,
being busy with the wheat seed.—
Lean cattle is in demand for wi:.ter
feeding, while the butcher markets
continue to be fully supplied.

Harvest commenced aDout the mid-
dle of August in the lower districts,
and, by the beginning of the month,
became general throughout the coun-
try. As the weather has been parti-
cularly favourable, th.re not havmg
been more than two or three days at
most, when the reaping was interrupt-
ed by showers, the important opera-
tions of the season have been carried
on with a degree of regularity and
dispatch rarely experienced in this va-
riable climate ; of course the shearing
may now be said to be about finished,
the only exceptions being in some ex-
posed situations in the higher district
of the county, and even there the
greater part of the white crops is al-
ready in the stack-yard ; while, along
the lower district, the only thing in the
fields consists almost entirely of beans
and pease, all the wheat, barley, and
early oats, having been secured some
time since in he finest condition, and
without the smallest loss either from
wind or rain. Whea , barley, and oats,
are found to yield well in the barn, and
the grain of superior quality ; the first
samples of wheat already weighing
about 16 stones, and the barley above
19 stones, per boll, of 161b. to the
Btone, and best potatoe oats yield at

«xvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Oct. 1.

the mill 18 and 19 pecks of meal, per
boll. There has been no trial of the
pease or beans as yet ; but, from their
excellent appearance on the fields, they
are generally expected to be far above
an average crop. Indeed, from the
great bulk of the stack-yards, taken
with the above circumstances, there
can be no doubt of the general crop
being above an average of ordinary sea-
sons. As the summer fallows are in
the highest condition, many indivi-
duals are busy with the wheat seed ;
some farmers have already got all sown,
except what they intend after pease or
beans ; but rain would be desirable,
nay almost necessar)^, before that can
be accomplished, which is rather an un
common circumstance in this country.
The grain markets have been well sup-
plied during the harvest, the quantity
of o'd being sufficient for the demand,
till the new grain is fit for being car-
ried to market. New wheat in good
condition has sold readily at from 40s.
to 4*63. per boll. Barley likewise sells
freely, at from 38s. to 42s. per boll ;
the brewers having no stock on hand,
causes that grain to be eagerly enqui-
red after for the purpose of malting.
Oats have hitherto been sold compara-
tively lower than the former articles,
but as it is now certain that the distil-
lers will be allowed to use grain during
the ensuing winter, it is expected that
that grain may be brought something
nearer to the prices of barley. Shear-
ers have been sufficiently plentiful
during the harvest ; during the first
two weeks, the numbers were greater
than could be employed, a matter al-
ways to be lamented, as it is extreme-
ly distressing for poor people, who of-
ten travel a great distance, in expecta-
tion of being liberally paid for their la-
bour, to find themselves under the ne-
cessity of begging for a scanty subsis-
tence-— Wages have been about Is.
$d. per day with victuals.

FASHiONs.^Little or no change

has been observed in fashion since our
report for August. The t^wn hat
been very empty, aud the lounging
costume observed at Brighton and the
other watering-places, ceases invariably
with the return of the leaders of ton
to the great emporium of fashion, Lon-
don.

OCTOBER.

1st. — The commissioners of public
records continue their labours to me-
thodize, register, snd publish the pub-
lic records of the realm. In the course
of their researches many important
documents have been discovered which
had been supposed to be no longer in
existence, or had been lost in the con-
fused heaps of unarranged materials.
Amongst the charters of the liberties
of England, the Curta de Foresta^ 2
Hen. III. concerning which Sir Wil-
liam Blackstone supposed that " the
original and all the authentic records
were lost," has been found at Durham.
In the Tower there has been found a
voluminous collection of letters missive
from the kings of England, many of
them in their own hand-writing, be-
ginning with Henry ill. and extend-
ing to the reign of Richard III.

The excavations among the ruini
of Pompeia continue to be prosecuted
with much industry. An extent of
about 500 feet of the town wall has
been completely cleared. It is from
18 to 20 feet high, i2 thick, and for-
tified at short distances with square
towerR. In the main street, passing
in front of the temple of Isis, has been
discovered the portico of the theatre.
Near the same spot, 10 feet below the
level of the street, was found a human
skeleton, and immediately beneath it a
large collection of gold and silver me-
dals, in the finest preservation, chiefly
of the reign of Domitian.
6

Oct. 2—4?]

CHRONICLE.

OKXVU

2d. — A dreadful fire broke out at
half-past eleven o'clock at night in the
extensive farm-yard belonging to Mr
T. Biggs, at Orpington, in the county
of Ktnt, about four miles from Chisle-
hurst. I'he flames were first discovered
by the night patrole on the road, issuing
from several ricks of hay. The watch-
man immediately gave an alarm, and
fortunately succeeded in awakening the
family of Mr B. and rescuing them
fro-.n their perilous situation. The
flames soon afterwardscaughtthe barns,
where large quantities of hay, straw,
&c. were deposited, besides several
other adjoining buildings ; and at one
time, the whole yard, containing 16
ricks of hay, straw, corn, &c. was in
one continual blaze. The loss is esti-
mated at upwards of 10,0001. No lives
were lost.

Winchester. — On opening a vault,
last week, in the middle aisle of the west
trans^ept of the cathedral, for the in-
terment of the late Miss Poulter, a
•tone coffin was discovered immediately
under the surface of the pavement,
supposed to contain the remains either
of a prelate or mitred abbot. A ring
of pure gold, with an amethyst, about
the size and shape of a turkey's eye,
set therein, and part of a crosier, much
decayed, were found in the coffin, but
few vestiges of the body remained.
The ring was in good preservation,
and greatly resembles that on the left-
hand of the effigy of WiUiam of Wyk-
ham, as represented on the beautiful
altar. tomb in the same cathedral. The
crook and ferrule of the crosier were
of metal, and the shaft of wood quite
plain. This aff"ords internal evidence
of its being of a much earlier date than
that of Wykham, which was composed
of silver, gilt, of exquisite workman-
ship, and is now preserved in the chapel
of New College, Oxford.

Some time ago, a large quantity of
water, which had long been stagnant
in an iron-mine, at Wilsontown, was

let off" into the Mouse, It must have
held in solution an astonishing quantity
of subcarbonate of iron, as all the fish
in the river were immediately killed ;
its whole channel became deeply tin-
ged with the iron rust ; and the water
has continued ever since to be strongly
chalybeate. In Clyde the effect has
also been partially felt ; and the chan-
nel of the north bank is discoloured as
far down as Stonebyres Lynn.

State of the King's Health.-
On Sunday thfc following bulletin was
issued at St James's Palace : —

" Windsor Castle, October 2, 1813.

** His Majesty continues in a tran-
quil and comfortable state, but without
any abatement of his disorder."

(Signed by five Physicians.)

^th. — On Wednesday night last,
there was detected in Lord Roseberry's
pleasure grounds, by Messrs Bell,
Gardner, Grubb, and llussel, revenue
officers, Queensferry, a very large dis-
tillery : the still was carried off, but
they succeeded in destroying upwards
of 300 gallons of wash, some low wines,
and four working tuns, one wash tun,
one stick stand, and a great number of
small casks. — It is only three weeks
since these active officers detected a
similar work, and seized a still of
forty gallons content, which was car-
rying on within a short distance of his
lordship's house.

The Queen not having been present
at the consecration of a bishop, had
expressed her wish to be present at
that of Dr Howley. Yesterday morn-
ing, at half past eleven o'clock, her
Majesty, and the Princesses Augusta
and Mary, arrived at Lambeth Palace,
where they were received by the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, who conducted
them into the drawing room, where
Dr Howley, the Bishop of London
elect, the Bishops of Oxford, Glouces-
ter, and Sahsbury, the vicar- general,
in their fuU^obcs, and a number of
other distinguished characters, paid

•Kxviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Oct. 4.

tbeir respects to them ; after which
they proceeded to his grace's chapel.
Tht* v^ueen and princesses were con-
ducted into Mrs Sutton's family gal-
lery. No person was admitted into the
body of the chapel except those enga-
ged in the ceremony : among them
were the Archbishop of Canterbury,
the Bishops of SaHsbury, Gloucester,
and Oxford, in their full robes. Dr
Howley, the Bishop of London elect,
to>:>k his seat the last on the right of
the altar. The morning service was
read by one of the archbishop's chap-
lains. The Bishop of Gloucester read
the Epist'e ; the Bishop of Oxford the
Gospel ; the sermon was preached by
the Rev. Dr Goddard, late master of
Winchester, who took a general view
©f the established church, from the
period of the Reformation, and dwelt
upon the divine institution and expe-
diency of the episcopal order. After
the sermon, the Archbishop of Can-
terbury, attended by his two chaplains,
proceeded to the altar, to read the
sommunion service.

Mr Jenner, the registrar of the pro-
vince, read the mandate from the Prince
Regent, in the name of the king, for
the consecration. Dr Howley retired
to an anti room, and put on his rochet,
having been previously only in doc-tor's
robes ; he was then introduced by the
Bishops of Oxford and Gloucester to
the archbishop at the altar, where se-
veral ceremonies were performed, and
then retired to the anii-room, where
he was invested with his full episcopal
robes. He was then intioduced again
to the altar, and the usual questions
were put to him by the archbishop.
The imposition of hands by the arch-
bishop and the other bishops present
•oncluded the ceremony.

The sacrament was then administer-
ed to him by the arcbhishop, in which
all the others present participated.

Nothing can exceed the rage for
gaming that exists among the prisoners

at Dartmoor prison. Although 200
of them, principally Italians, were, last
week, sent to the prison- ships in Ha-
moaze to be clothed anew, having lost
all their clothes by gaming, there re-
main many at Dartmoor in the same
situation. These unfortunate men play
even for their rations, living three or
four days on offal, cabbage-stalks, or
indeed any thing which chance may
throw in their way. — They stake the
clothes on their backs, and, what in-
deed is worse, their bedding. It is
the custom at Dartmoor for those who
have sported away the latter article,
to huddle very close together at night,
in order to keep each other warm.
One out of the number is elected boat-
swain for the time being, and, at twelve
o'clock at night, he pipes all hands to
turn ; an operation which, from their
proximity to each other, must be si-
multaneous. At four o'clock in the
morning, the pipe is heard again, and
the like turn is taken.

At the sale of the effects of the
late preacher Huntingdon, an old arm
chaiTf intrinsically worth ^Jifttf shil-
lings, actually sold for sixty guine,s ;
and many other articles fetched equally
high prices, so anxious were his admi-
rers to obtain some precious memorial
of the deceased.

At the sale of Sir Henry Vane
Tempest's stock, one of the cows sold
at 961. a heifer calf at 561. and a bull
at 2101.

The necessary preparations for a
winter campaign in the bleak moun-
tains of the Pyrennees, are in consi-
derable forwardness, and intended for
the light troops, on whom that ardent
and important duty will devolve. They
consist of camp equipage, such as is
pecuharly adapted for that kind of ser-
vice, great coats and warm pantaloons.
A considerable quantity of these ar-
ticles has already been shipped, and
by the middle of this month the re-
mainder will be sent away.

Oct. 7, S.]

CHRONICLE.

cxxii^

As Francis Seymour Larpent, Esq.
Deputy Judge-Advocate with the for-
ces in Spain and Portugal, under the
Marquis of Wellington, was lately ri-
ding amidst the vast mountains near t;he
frontiers of France, accompanied by
some young officers and their several
servants, admiring the majestic scenery
around them, and conversing together
in imaginary full security, they were
descried from the neighbouring posi-
tions of the enemy, and soon were sur-
prised by a detachment. The young
officers nimbly and desperately sprung
oS their chargers, threw themselves
into deep hollows covered with bujhes,
and escaped, amidst a shower of shot.
Mr Larpenl struck his spurs into his
horse, and wheeled round in the con-
fusion, but was instantly surrounded
and taken prisoner. — He and his ser-
vants are now at Bayonne.

The Emperor of Russia, as a mark
of his respect and regret for the loss of
General Moreau, has raised Madame
Moreau to the dignity of a Princess
of the Russian Empire, with a pension
ef 100,000 roubles.

7th. — A solemn funeral service was
performed at the French chapel, in
memory of General Moreau. The
room hung in black, and filled with
persons dressed in the same mournful
costume, presented an affecting spec-
tacle, of which the most interesting
and distressing part was the appearance
of Madame Moreau, supported by two
ladies. The French princes were there
to do homage to the memory of a man
who has fallen in so good a cause, and
a great number of old French officers
were also present.

Fire. — About one o'clock on Fri-
day night a fire broke out in the office
of Mr Philips, an attorney in East-
street, Red-lion-square, which for some
time threatened destruction to the sur-
rounding houses. The office, which
was situated in a back yard, burned
ivith great fury for nearly an houxy

VOL. VI. PART 11^

when several engines arrived, which,
being well supplied with water, suc-
ceeded in saving the dwelling-house,
and the surrounding houses. The of-
fice, with most of its contents, fell a
prey to the flames ; but several deeds,
and other papers, were preserved
through the activity of the firemen.
The accident happened, it is said,
through the negligence of one of the
clerks leaving a lighted candle on the
desk, the snuff of which fell amongst
some papers.

8th. Magistrates of Edin-
burgh.— Tuesday the Magistrates and
Council of the city of Edinburgh went
in procession to the High Church,
when an excellent discourse was preach-
ed by the Rev. Dr Campbell, one of
the ministers of this city. After divine
service, they returned to the Council
Chamber to elect the magistrates for
the ensuing year, when the following
gentlemen were unanimously elected :--—
The Right Hon. Sir John Marjori-
banks, M. P. Lord Provost. — William
Trotter, Esq. Robert Cockburn, Esq.
William Gallaway, Esq. John Mill,
Esq. Bailies. — John Walker, Esq.
Lord Dean of Guild. — Archibald
Mackinlay, Esq. Treasurer. — William

Creech, Esq. Old Provost Niel Ry-

rie, Esq. Robert Johnston, Esq. Alex*
Henderson, Esq. Andrew Dickson,
Esq. Old Bailies. — Kincaid Macken-
zie, Esq, Old Dean of Guild. — George
White, Esq, Old Treasurer. — Messrs
William Ramsay, William Arbuthnot,
William Waddel, Merchant Counsel-
lors.— William Eraser, jun John Mur-
ray, Trades Counsellors. — James Law,
Convener, William Armstrong, An-
drew Wilson, John Aird, Thomas
Thomson, James Denholm, Ordinary
Council Deacons. — William Marshall,
William Kennedy, Alexander Ritchie,
John Ballantyne, John Inglis, Alexan-
der Gray, John Stenhouse, Alexander
Lawrie, Extraordinary Council Dea-
cons.—Robert Johnston, Esq. Admi-
i

cxxx EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Oct. S— If .

ral of Leith — Andrew Dickson Esq.
Baron Bailie of Easter and Wester
Portsburgh. — Alexander Henderson,
Esq. Baron Bailie of Canongate. —
William Ramsay, Esq. Captain of
Orange CoIouks.

In the evening the Lord Provost
and Magistrates gavt' an excellent din-
ner in the Assembly-Rooms George's
Street, to vs^hich about 300 sat down.

9th — Highway Robber es. — On
the 6th instant, as a woman belonging
to Elwick, near Castle Eden, was re-
turning from Stockton market, she was
stopped on the road between Wolvis-
ton and the Red Lion Inn, about half-
past six in the evening, by a man on
loot, who took from her a basket con-
taining several trifling articles she had
purchased at the market, and a few
shillings in silver. The same evening,
about half an hour afterwards, as Mr
John Thompson, of Castle Eden, was
returning from Stockton, and passing
near the same place, he found Mr
Thomas Prest, a farmer in the neigh-
bourhood, lying on the road side, in a
state of total insensibility from violent
blows on his head and face, supposed
from some villains who had attacked
him on the road, and robbed him of
his watch and money, to the amount
of I^l. or 161. — Mr P. is a very stout
zr.an, and it appears he had made a re-
solute resistance, as the lane near the
place was very much trampled and
bloody, as if with struggHng. Mr
Prest's deplorable state affords little
hopes of recovery.

12th.— Stone Coffins. — East Lo-
ihian. — Last week, on trenching with
the plough a field possessed by Wilham
Hunter, Esq. at the Knows, and be-
longing to the Earl of Haddington,
a number of stone coffins were unco-
vered. These are ranged in rows from
south to north, with the heads to the
■west ; and as far as discovered, cover-
ed an extent of ground measuring in
length 54 yards, and in breadth 2d.

They are computed to exceed 500 in
number. Each coffin lies about two
or three inches from the side of the
other, with the heads in exact lines,
and about two or three feet from each
row. They are formed of flat stones,
neatly joined together on the sides, and
in the exact form of our present cof-
fins, and covered on the top with flag
stones ; some of them laid with stones
in the bottom, others not. It appears
the stones have been brought from the
adjoining sea shore. What were un-
covered, were found full of sea sand,
which being carefully removed, a hu-
man skeleton was discovered, lying
entire from head to foot. The bones,
excepting the skull , on being taken
out, crumbled to dust, but the teeth
were in complete preservation, not one
wanting, and appeared to have belong-
ed to persons dying in the prime of
life. The coffins appear to have been
formed exactly to the length of the
different bodies ; the longest measured
six feet nine inches ; the shortest five
feet three inches. The thigh bones
generally are of great length and thick-
ness, and one jaw-bone was discovered
of a prodigious size.

Towards the west end of the burial
ground there are evident marks of bo-
dies that have been con^^umed by fire,
but it has not been ascertained what
extent of ground these covered.

The farm has been in possession of
the same farmer for three generations
back, and, it is said, a tradition has
been handed down that a battle was
fought there, and those that were kill-
ed wc:re buried on that spot, which was
then a rising ground, and always kept
sacred from the touch of the plough,
until the present possessor ploughed
it over many years ago, at which time
a few coffins were discovered.

Tradition also reports, that near the
present farm-house there was formerly
a bastel or bestial, an ancient place of
security fpr cattle during an invasion

Oct. 16, 17.]

CHRONICLE.

CXXXl

of an enemy. This gives a name to
a place on the farm to this day. It is
also said there had been either a fort or
baron's castle erected there.

When digging a deep trench some
years ago, the workmen discovered a
round building of hewn stone, about
nine feet in diameter ; they also found
a range of buildings, so strongly ce-
mented that they could rot remove it.

It appears probable that this might
have been, in former times, a Roman
station, and that the circular building
was a bath. What supports this idea
is, the cuslrom the Romans had of pla-
cing their burial- grounds near to the
highways. Now it is well known the
great post-road formerly passed close
by the sideot this burial place, though
it has since been removed farther south.
The Romans had also a custom of
burning their dead ; and it is certain
that ceremony had taken place as to
a part of the bodies now discovered.
Those that had been interred in the
stone coffins might have belonged to
some other nation, either Scots, Picts,
or Saxons. — However, this is but con-
jecture, as it is agreed the Celts also
burned their dead.

It seems certain, from the regular
positions of the coffins, and the skele-
tons having the appearance of adults,
that they have been deposited in the
earth at one time, and after having fall-
en in battle. In this neighbourhood,
many single stone coffins have been
found, and sometimes two or three to-
gether ; several long stones have also
been erected, as it is thought, to the
memory of some fallen chief, which
renders it probable that this quarter
has been the scene of many sanguinary
battles that are of so ancient a date as
to be either unrecorded in the page of
history, or form the dubious tale of
tradition.

16th — Tliis night, after the Glas-
go.w mail had changed horses at Pol-
xnont, the guard and coachman being

both intoxicated, the latter having
dropt the reins, in endeavouring to re-
cover them fell from his seat, and the
coach going over his head, he was kill-
ed on the spot. Meanwhile the horses
being at full speed, the guard was so
perfectly incapacitated that he could
make no effort to stop them, and they
continued at the gallop along Linlith-
gow-bridge, till they came to the post-
office in that town, where they stopped,
without the slightest injury.

A scene of shocking depravity was
exhibited before Mr Chambers, at
Union- Hall office, on Thursday. Two
female children, the eldest only twelve
years old, were brought up by a con-
stable, who found them in the Bo-
rough market the night before, asleep
in a back-yard. The officer stated,
that he had observed them for some
time past, and had ascertained that
they nightly walked the streets. When
questioned by him, one of them stated
she had no parents, and the other said
she had a mother, who treated her so
cruelly she could not live with her,
and in consequence she followed this
abandoned life. It v/as their constant
custom to sleep in the streets, in carts
or waggons, and frequently on the
open pavement. The mother of one
of them attended, and from her state-
ment, it appeared that the tale told by
her child was without any foundation
in truth, she having frequently run
away, and has been as often brought
back, and the unhappy parent now ear-
nestly requested the magistrate would
order her to be placed in some situa-
tion where she would in future be re-
strained.— The other child, it appeared,
had neither father nor mother. The
magistrate, under all the circumstances,
sent for the parish officers, and direct-
ed the wretched little wanderers should
be provided for in the work-house.

17th. — This morning, about two
o'clock, a dreadful fire broke out at
No. 165, High street, Shadwell. The

cxxxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Oct. 18,

flames were first discovpred from with- ter was transmitted to the Lord May-
put, and before the alarm was com- or: —
municated to those within, the lower
part of the house was in one entire
blaze, and fast communicating with
the upper floor. Several respectable
femaUs lodged in the first and second
floors One of them jumped out at
the first floor window without being
much hurt, and another from the se-
cond floor with a child in her arms,
who had her thigh broke, though the
child was preserved. The mother was
carried to the London Hospital with
but little hopes of recovery. The pre-
mises in question were completely-
burnt to the ground, and the houses ad-
joining on each side materially injured.

18th. — Daniel M'Crory, who had
been found guilty at last Cumberland
assizes of a burglary at Bird-house,
where he headed a gang of desperadoes,
was executed at Carlisle, pursuant to
his sentence ; upon which occasion a
most distressing accident occurred-
On the drop falling, the rope broke,
and the ynhappy man was precipitated
to the ground, whereby his leg was
broken. *' told you," said he, " this
rope would never hang a man of ray
weight." It seems that he had actual-
ly handled the rope before coming out
of the gaol, and remonstrated against
its unfitness. — After some delay, he
was borne upon the scaffold in a chair ;
and another rope being procured, he
was at length hanged.

The Earl of March, eldest son of
the Duke of Richmond, arrived this
day at Downing-street, charged with
dispatches from Lord Wellington, de-
tailing the particulars of his lordship's
advance into France. The post-chaise
which brought his lordship was decora-
ted wi h laurels. The dispatches were
immediately taken by the Earlof Liver-
pool, accompanied by Lord March,
to the Prince Regent at Carlton-house ;
and soon afterwards the following let-

" Lord Bathurst presents his compli-
ments to the Lord Mayor, and has the no-
nour of acquainting? him that the Earl of
March ha^ arrived with dispatches from
Field Marshal the Marquis of WeMington,
dated Lezaca, the 9th instant, statini; that
the Britisli, Portuguese, and Spanisli troops
crosseil the Bidassoa, on the 7th inst. and
attacked the French position, extending
from the sea to the villajie of Sarre ; the
whole of which they carried, with the ex-
ception of some strong posts to the left,
one of which was attacked again, on the
morning of the 8th, and carried; the re-
mainder were afterwards evacuated.

" Lord Bathurst is happy to add, that
the loss sustained in this important affair
does not exceed, on the part of the British
and Portuguese, 800 men, killed, wound-
ed, and missing. — On the part of the Spa-
nish, 750."

Ireland. — A discovery of a singu-
lar, and, as it may prove, of an im-
portant nature to individuals, was made
at Cork, on F'riday, the circumstan-
ces of which, and the causes which led
to it, are as follow : — About seven
years ago, one of the mail bags from
Limerick to this city was lost, and
from that time until the day we have
just mentioned, the most diligent ex-
ertions of the gentlemen in the Post
Office were unsuccessful in procuring
any tidings of it. On Thursday, how-
ever, a woman of the name of Walsh
enquired at the Post Office for Mr
Fortesque or Mr Fitzgerald, and up-
on being admitted, she informed them,
that in consequence of the bad treat-
ment she had constantly received from
herhusband,shehadadiscoverytomake
against him. She said, that about seven
years ago, one of the guards of the
coach, in conveying the mail from the
office where the coach stopped to the
Post Office, came into her husband's
house, which is a public one, in Caro-
line-street, quite drunk j that her hug.

Oct. 18.]

CHRONICLE.

CXXXUl

band secreted the bag, and when the
guard was carried away, opened it, and
the letters it contained, out of which
he took a quantity of notes and bills :
the letters he burned, and such of the
notes as were uncut he kept, and the
half notes he put into an old kettle,
and hid it in a loft at the back of
his house. The kettle, however, she
contrived to procure, and had kept
it ever since in her own possession, as
a means of extorting good treatment
from her husband Hitherto she found
her threats of discovery were of some
effect, but on that day he had used her
80 badly, having beat and turned her
out of doors, that she was resolved
to punish him by telling this transac-
tion. She then, as we understand, gave
up the kettle, containing the halves of
notes to a very considerable amount.
The sheriffs were immediately sent for,
and Walsh was apprehended in his own
house, and conveyed to jail, where he
remains. The lady's thirst for re-
venge, it appears, has not survived the
incarceration of her mate, for we learn
she now refuses to lodge informations
against him.

General Moreau. — This accom-
plished officer was born in the year
1761 at Morlaix, in Lower Brittany.
—His father was a respectable and re-
spected advocate in that town, a pro-
fession which it appears had been fol- .
lowed by the family for generations.
Young Moreau was also intended for
the law, and, after the usual studies,
waB sent to the University of Rennes
to take his degrees In the year 1788,
he was Prevot de Droit y or head of the
students in the law at Rennes, a body
of young men at all times remarkable
for their public spirit, and over whom
he had a well known and marked in-
fluence.— His conduct afterwards in
the French army was conspicuous :
thrice he saved the French army from
destruction, and afterwards, owing to
the jealousy of Buonaparte, met with

a very ungrateful return, being super-
seded by the directory, who were the
accomplices of his father's murdi'r. It
was on this occasion that a French
colonel, now prisoner of war in this
country, and then attached to Mo-
reau's army, asked him, when the or-
der of the directory superseding him
had been received, ** General 1 will
you obey so insulting a mandate ?" — >
" Yes," answered Moreau, *' as a ge-
neral, an officer, or a soldier, Moreau
is always ready to serve France."—
Such was Moreau's leading principle.
He used to say, that to effect a change
in France, tJu^ people should tonit till
men and revolutionary springs xjoere
ivom out ; and he thought that moment
had arrived when he met his death-
wound under the walls of Dresden.

General Moreau expired on the 2d,
and displayed a fortitude and resigna-
tion corresponding with the whole te-
nor of his life. When his surgeon
informed him of the hopelessness of
his situation, he dictated a let er to
the Emperor Alexander, in which he
fervently expressed his grateful sense
of the kindness he had received from
that monarch. But even at this awful
moment the promotion of the sacred
cause in which he had embarked, was
uppermost in his mind ; and after com-
municating the hopes he entertained of
its success, and some remarks on its
further prosecution, he expired with-
out a groan.

Such was the jealousy of Buona-
parte of the abilities and talents of
this great and good man, whose bene-
volence always formed a striking con-
trast to the disposition of the tyrant,
that Buonaparte declared they could
not live in the same hemisphere. Mo-
reau prudently took the hint, and em-
barked for America, to avoid the fate
of the Duke D'Enghein, Toussaint
L' Overture, Captain Wright, and the
other brave men, who had been cruelly
jnassacred by order of Buonaparte.

cxxxiv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Oct. IS,

Comparative statement of the population and land forces of the different

c states at present engaged in the war :

^-■/
Names of the Slates,

Empire of Great Britain,

Russia,

Austria,
Kingdom of Prussia,

Sweden,

Spain,

Portugal,

Sicily, . :
Duchy of Warsaw, *

Population.

JMnd
Purees.

Remarks.
or about

16,531,000

306,760

1 in 54

42,248,000

560,000

20,216,000

320,000

4,984,877

250,000

2,326,000

45,000

10,396,000

100,000

lOt

3,559,000

30,000

118

1,656,000

10,000

165

3,774,462

30,000

Total

105,691,339 1,651,760

Deduct for troops indisposable {indis^onible en

Francois) from
Great Britain, .... 150,000

Russia, 260,000

Austria, ... . . 100,000
Prussia, 50,000

560,000

C'J

Remain

105,691,339 1,094,760

Empire of France (including all the new depart-
ments,)
Kingdom of Italy,

Naples,
Republic of Switzerland,
Confederation of the Rhine,
Kingdom of Denmark, ,
United States of North America, .

Countries not included in the above.
Part of the county of Katzenelnbogen,
Principality of Erfurt, .
Illyrian Provinces,

- Total .

Deduct for troops indisposable from France,

BidaH«e in favour of the Allies,

or about

42,346,000

590,000

1 in 72'

6,719,000

40,000

168

4,964,000

16,000

310

1,638,000

15,000

109

13,560,120

119,000

110

2,599,600

74,000

6,500,000

20,000

825

18,000

50,330

110,000

78,335,050 874,000
190,000

Remain .... 78,335,050 684,000

«y

27,206,289 407,76€>

Oct. 18.]

CHRONICLE.

CXXXY

Humanity and Bravery. — The

following act of bravery and humanity
is recorded of a French officer, who
was taken prisoner at the surrender of
St Sebastian. During the heat of the
first attempt to storm the town, while
the contest was raging in its most fu-
rious and deadly form, the French of-
ficer saw an English one (belonging
to the Royals) fall wounded to the
ground, exposed to the fiercest fire of
the artillery. The French officer's
sympathy was excited, and rushing to
the spot, through all intervening ob-
stacles, he placed the unfortunate gen-
tleman on his back, and conveyed him
safely to the hospital. Lord Welling-
ton, with his accustomed regard for
desert, has recommended him to the
notice of government. A circum-
stance, no less interesting, occurred
about the same period : A Newfound-
land dog was found by the side of his
deceased master (another officer of the
Royals) three days after the engage-
ment. On the approach of the French
party, employed to bury the dead, the
faithful animal shewed considerable fe-
rocity ; but, being pacified at length,
he permitted the corpse to be removed,
and followed it to the grave. The im-
pressive fact was communicated to Ge-
neral Rcy, who instantly adopted the
noble animal, and has brought him to
England

Lion Hunt, near Bombay. —
The sporting gentlemen of this station
were, on the 22d of December, inform-
ed that three lions had been discovered
in a small jungle, two miles from Bee-
rcij.\ Immediate preparations were
made to assemble a large party, and to
proceed to chace them from thence.
Intermediately, accounts were received
that the size and ferocity of the animals
had struck a panic into the adjacent
villages ; that six of the natives, who
had unwarily approached their haunts,
Iiad been torn and mangled, and left
to expire in the greatest agonies ; and

that it was no longer safe for the inha-
bitants to proceed to the usual occu-
pations of husbandry', or to turn out
their cattle to pasture, as several of
them had been hunted down and kill-
ed. These accounts only stimulated
the British Nimrods • and a party of
sixteen gentlemen having assembled on
the 24;th, proceeded to the scene of ac-
tion, accompanied by a body of armed
peons from the Adaulet and revenue
departments. The guides took them
to the precise spot where three of the
royal family were reposing in state.
The party advanced with due caution
to within a few paces of the jungle,
without disturbing the residents. — A
momentary pause, big with expecta-
tion, succeeded. At that instant, three
dogs which had joined the hunt, un-
conscious of danger, approached the
very threshold of the presence, and
were received with such a sepulchral
groan, as, for a moment, •* made the
bravest hold his breath " One of the
dogs was killed ; the other two fled,
and were seen no more. Presently, a
lioness was indistinctly observed at the
mouth of the den ; a few arrows were
discharged with a view to irritate her,
and induce her to make an attack on
her assailants ; but this did not suc-
ceed, as she broke cover in an oppo-
site direction, with two cubs about
two thirds grown. The party pur-
sued the fugitives on foot as fast as the
nature of the ground, newly ploughed,
would admit ; when, suddenly, one of
the men who had been stationed in the
trees, called out to the gentlemen to
be on their guard. This arrested their
progress ; — they turned on one side to
some heights, when they descried an
enormous lion, which was approaching
them through an open field at an easy
canter, and lashing his tail in a style of
indescribable grandeur. The foremost
of the party presented their pieces and
fired, just as the animal had cleared, at
one bound, a chasm which was between

v§txxvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [Oct. 21—25.

them of twelve feet broad. He was
apparently wounded in the shoulder ;
but nevertheless sprung on Mr M.
whose arm he lacerated dreadfully ;
and, feeling at the same time a peon's
lance, he relinquished his first hold,
seized the poor man by the throat, and
strangled him before the party dared
fire, lest they should kill his victim.
He was now at bay, but sheltered in
such a manner as rendered it difficult
to bring him down, when, suddenly,
the man on the look out gave another
alarm, and the party almost immedi-
ately perceived the lioness, which had
broken cover, approaching their rear.
The same instant, their ears were as-
sailed by the shrieks and yells of men,
women, and children, occasioned by
the animal crossing the road in the
middle of the coolies that were carry-
ing tiffin to the village. A woman and
a child were almost immediately sacri-
ficed to her fury. The woman was li-
terally torn to pieces. This proved
not the last calamity of this memora-
ble hunt. The gentlemen, with the
peons, left their former enemy, to at-
tack the lioness, who threatened the
village. The party, from the rapid
manner in which the beast was follow-
ed, were not able to keep very com-
pact ; and, unfortunately, four of the
collector's peons advanced upon the
place where the lioness had lain down.
She immediately sprung upon the near-
est, and brought him to the ground,
crushed his skull, and tore his face, so
that no feature was discernible, and the
skin literally hung in the wind. A
companion, who advanced to his assist-
ance, she seized by the thigh ; the
man, in the agony of death, caught
the beast by the throat, when she
quitted his thigh, and fastened on his
arm and breast. At this moment, the
gentlemen ad vanced within fifteen paces,
and, as she was still standing over her
unfortunate victim, lodged twenty balls
ia her body. She retreated to the

hedge, where some more shot termina-
ted lier existence. Both of the peons
died in a few hours. — Mr M. is reco-
vering.

21st.— The Waterford Chronicle
communicates the following deplorable
occurrence : — " Between five and six
o'clock on the evening of Saturday |
last, as three soldiers of the Wicklow |
militia, in company with a female, were
walking on the road to the Wilder-
ness, adjoining Clonmell, they were
attacked by some men, apparently
country people, who knocked them
down. Two of the soldiers made their
escape, but the third was murdered
upon the spot. His body was con-
veyed into Clonmell, and three wounds
were found on it, one on the head, and
two on the neck, the latter of which
had the appearance of being inflicted
with a slater's dressing knife. — On
Sunday evening, about seven o'clock,
the greater part of the Wicklow regi-
ment rushed out of the barracks, and
dispersed in various directions through
the town, menacing with destruction
every person they met. A large party
of them proceeded to the place where J
the murder was committed, and set
fire to two cabins, which were totally
consumed. General Lee, on hearing
of the disturbance, immediately order-
ed the drums to beat to arms, doubled
the picquets, and, with the assistance
of the officers, who exerted themselves
to the utmost to restore order, sue*
ceeded in securing tranquillity."

25th.— The neighbourhood of Great
Peter-street, Westminster, was thrown
into much alarm by an explosion of
gas, which shook the surrounding
houses. It appeared, that a pipe un-
expectedly burst in the premises of the
Gas Light and Coke Company, in con-
quence of which much gas had oozed
out and filled the apartment ; but not
calculating on this, one of the men
took a candle and proceeded to the
spot, to ascertain what was the mat-

Oct. 26— 28.]

CHRONICLE.

6XXXVU

•ter. The moment the candle was in-
troduced, the whole of the gas that
had escaped from the pipe burst into
a flame, with a dreadful explosion, as
if fire had been communicated to a
heap of prunpowder. By it this man
was much injured, as well as two or
three more of the workmen : but the
speedy arrival of the fire-engines, and
the exertions within the manufactory,
soon got the fire under controul.

26th. — An alarming fire broke out
at Messrs. Dickenson and Co.'s paper
manufactory, at Nash Mill, Herts,
about six o'clock in the evening, which
in a short time entirely consumed some
capacious buildings, containing large
quantities of paper, rags, &c. Mr
Dickenson's machinery for making pa-
per being in detached buildings, was
fortunately preserved, as was the dwell-
ing-house, by the exertions of the
neighbours, and by the favourable di-
rection of the wind. Though several
accidents happened, no lives were lost.
The loss is estimated at 7 or 80001.

27th. — A melancholy accident hap-
pened in one of the stone quarries of
Swanage, Dorsetshire. Two men of
the names of Samuel Phippard and
James Summers, went to the quarry
in the morning to work, as usual ; and
at the hour of dinner, a boy, that was
accustonjed to inform them of the time,
went in, and seeing no light, nor hear-
ing any one answer to his call, return-
ed and procured a light for himself,
when, upon his re-entering, the first
object that presented itself was Phip-
pard dead, with his head and one hand
jammedbetweenoneof thepillarsof the
quarry and a huge block of atone that
had fallen from the ceihng. At that
time the boy heard Summers, from un-
der a quantity of stone and rubbish,
exclaim, ** J s that a light from heaven ?"
The boy was struck almost senseless
with fright, and instantly ran out to
procure assistance. On some of the
neighbours entering, they found Phip-

pard as before described, and Summers'
confined under two large blocks of
stone, that had formed a kind of arcli
over him. The poor fellow was soon
released from his awful situation, with
two of his fingers nearly severed from
his hand, and one of his legs broke,
Herecovered his senses in a short time^
but died after about 36 hours. He
said, that at the time of the quarry
falling in, they both tried to escape*
though in different directions, but nei-
ther was successful ; and when he was-
underthe stones, he called several timet
to Phippard, but not receiving any
answer he concluded he was dead.
Phippard has left a wife and a very
large family, and Summers a wife and
three children, to lament their untimely
end.

28th. — Mr Sadler ascended in hit
balloon from Nottingham, for the 2'^th
time. The concourse of people wat
of course extremely great, and the
Canal Company's wharf was the place
chosen for the exhibition. Every pre-
paration being made, he ascended in a
fine style, at forty minutes past two
o'c'ock, amidst the shouts of an incal-
culable number of spectators. The
atmosphere favoured the splendid scene,
the sky being remarkably clear, and the
wind blowing a gentle breeze from the
west. Mr Sadler was seen waving hit
flag at a very great altitude ; and the
balloon was visible to the naked eye
37 minutes after its ascent ; when it
entered a thick body of distant clouds,
and became entirely obscured. Next
day Mr Sadler returned to Nottingham
about twelve o'clock, where his arrival
was welcomed with repeated cheers.
The aeronaut descended at Petworth,
a village about three miles to the left
of Stamford. Lord Lonsdale's hunt-
ing party was returning from the chase
at the time. The huntsman and whip-
per-in first observed the signals of the
aeronaut, and afforded him every as-
sistance when he landed. Thus ter-

cxxxvin EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Oct. 51,

minated Mr Sadler's 28th ascent in the
•aerial regions, making a voyage of 44
miles in 59 ni'nuti s, without experien-
cing the least obstruction at the tinne,
cr sustaining any injury or much diffi-
cuUv in h 8 descent.

MuRDLK. A Mayo paper con-
tains the following interfsting narrative
of the discovery of a murder: —

" The declaration of George Smith,
William Smith, and James Smith, who
were lately executed at Longford for
the murder of James Reilly, a pedlar,
near Lanesborough,hasbeen pubhshed.
It gives the following description of the
inhuman crime for which they suffered:

^* The discovery of this murder, as de-
tcreed by the Almighty, was made by
Margaret Armstrong, the wife of Ser-
jeant Arm-strong, of the 27th regi-
ment of foot, on the recruiting ser-
vice in Athlone She was going to
her husband, when she was overtaken
by this pedlar. He asked her how
far she was going ? She answered, to
Athlone to her husband, and said it
•was getting late, and being scarce of
money, she would make good her way
that night. He then replied, *' My

foor woman, let not that hurry you ;
am going to Athlone myseU, and
there is a lodging at the next cross, at
•which I mean to stop ; be advised and
go no farther to-night, and 1 will pay
your expences." When they came to
the house, he asked for a bed for him-
self, and another for the woman, and
called for supper ; when that was over
lie paid the bill, and, taking out his
pocket-book, he counted 50/ which
he gave in charge to George Smith,
and retired to bed ; the woman like-
wise went to hers ; the family sat up
till 12 ; after which, when the man was
fast asleep, and all was silent, we (the
three Smiths ) wentinto the room where
the man lay ; we dragged him out of
bed, and cut his throat from ear to ear ;
we saved his blood in a pewter dish,
«nd put the body into a flax- seed bar-

rel, among feathers, in which we co-
vered it up. " Take care and do the
same with the woman," said our mo-
ther. We accordingly went to her
bedside, and saw her hands extended
out of the bed ; we held a candle to
her eyes, but she did not stir during
the whole time, as God was on her
side, for had we supposed that she had
seen the murder comnlitted by us, she
would have shared the same fate with
the deceased. Next morning, when
she rose, she asked was the man up ?
We made answer, that he was gone
two hours before, left sixpence for her,
and took her bundle with him. ** No
matter (said she) for 1 shall see him
in Athlone." When she went away,
I (G. Smith) dressed myself in my
sister's clothes, and having crossed the
fields, met her. I asked her how far
she was going ? she said to Athlone,
I then asked where she lodged ? she
told me at one Smith's a very decent
house, where she met very good enter-
tainment. " That house bears a bad
name,'* said I. " 1 have not that to say
of them (said she) for they gave me
good usage." It was not long until
we saw a Serjeant and two recruits
coming up the road, upon which she
cried out, " Here is my husband com-
ing to meet me; he knew I was coming
to him." I immediately turned off
the road, and went back to the house.
When she met her husband she faint-
ed, and on recovering, she told him
of the murder, and how she escaped
with her life. The husband went im-
mediately and got guards, and had us
taken prisoners ; the house was search-
ed, and the mangled body found in the
barrel "

31st. — A dreadful fire broke out on
Sunday morning last, between three
and four o'clock, at the extensive pre-
mises called Bank Mill, near the Cres-
cent, Salford, Manchester, part of
which was used as a cotton manufac-
tory, and the remainder as a logwood

Oct. 31.]

CHRONICLE.

exxxix

mill. The flames raged with irresist-
ible fury, and the building was entire-
ly consumed. The damage is esti-
mated at S0,000l. a cor 'iderable por-
tion of which is uninsured.

AGRICULTURAL REPORTS.
England. — The late drought ha-
ving been succeeded by moderate
ehowers, it is not easy to conceive a
more favourable season than the pre-
sent has been for getting in the wheat
seed, and the quantity sown through-
out^' the island, it is affirmed, will be
great beyond all former example. Open
weather continuing, this business, al-
though commenced late, will soon be
finished, excepting upon the heavy
lands insufficiently worked or mortar-
ed by the rains.

The few early young wheats appear
healthy and thickly planted.

The carting beans will finish with
the month. The crop is universally
large, as is that of clover-seed, and the
samples likely to be bright and heavy.
A considerable sprinkling of smut
has been found among the wheat in
some parts, beyond any thing which
lately appeared j whilst others appear
entirely free from it, but there has
been found a portion of the grain dry
and shrivelled, without either smut or
mildew.

Turnips and seeds of all kinds much
improved by the showers that have
fallen and the mildness of the season ;
the demand and price of lean stock
enhanced of consequence. The ruta
baga, or Swedish turnip, increasing in
general estimation, and the breadth of
it supposed to be greater this year
than ever before.

A great increase of slugs, grubs,
and other insects, generally noticed.

Potatoes prove a large crop, the
quality excellent, with the exception
of those soils upon which the roots
were affected by the drought.

Many corn stacks haye been heated,

and in great danger from premature
carrying, perhaps cutting the crops.

The price of fine hops is expected
to be very high.

Long and middle wools are in re-
quest.

Scotland. — Lothian Soon after

the commencement of the month, the
weather became wet and unfavourable,
which protracted the carrying to the
Btackyardthe grain then in the fields, to
a much later period than the early be-
ginning of the harvest, and the previ-
ous fine weather had given reason to
expect. Fortunately, however, the
whole business may now be said to be
brought to a happy conclusion, al-
though it was not till within these few-
days that the last of the bean crop was
secured, even on farms where reaping
was general shortly after the middle
of August. As the stack-yards in ge-
neral are larger than usual, and as every
kind of grain yields well in the barn
even to the bulk, no doubt is entertain-
ed of the crop being above an average
of ordinary seasons. The potatoe crop
is also about all secured, the produce
being abundant, and of the finest qua-
lity. Turnips have thriven well du-
ring the autumn, the crop being good
almost every where, and in several si-
tuations they are already applied to the
feeding of both sheep and black cat-
tle. Much wheat has been sown un-
der favourable circumstances, and ma-
ny fields already shew a regular and
healthy braird, but it will require se-
veral days of dry weather to allow that
important business to be concluded ia
many situations.

In the grain markets, which have
been well supplied, wheat has beea
pretty steady during the month, but
barley has fluctuated considerably,
which grain, as well as oats, is now-
looking downwards.

Fat cattle have sold well, with lit-
tle alteration in price for some month*
past i the grazier's profits of course.

qxl

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S15. [Oct. SI.

have been pretty fair for the season.

CLYDESDALE.-The weather, during
the month, has been favourable. The
rains that have fallen, being accom-
panied with moderate gales, were nei-
ther much felt nor any way injurious,
and the various crops in the higher dis-
tricts are now got in, all in a fine stateof
preservation, without any sortof loss, ei-
ther from shaking winds orrotting rains.
The harvest has indeed been long, ow-
ing to the gradual and lingering ripen-
ing of the heids, but the work through-
out has been carried on with delibera-
tion and ease.

With respect to the crop in general,
it is certamly very abundant. Of this
the gradual fall of the msrkets affords
undoubted evidence, and as a proof of
its quality we need only appeal to the
quantity and excellence of the meal it
produces. To make this better under-
stood, we may notice that the potatoe
oats are now advantageously cultivated
here. They are early, and ripen be-
fore the autumnal frosts set in ; and,
as they do no good but upon rich
land, they prove a stimulus to the far-
mer to cultivate his soil. They yield
more meal than any other sort, gene-
rally from 16 to 18 pecks a boll. The
meal, however, is reckoned inferior to
that produced from the Tweedale or
Blainshe oats, which have been long
and succerisfuUy sown in this district.
They make a shift to grow where the
cultivation is imperfect, and when the
ground is very rich they are apt to fall
down or lodge with rain They yield
from 14- to 16 pecks a boll. The meal,
however, is reckoned preferable to any
other. There is still another kind
very common here, known by the
name of early seed, or Barbauchlay
oats. This sort will struggle with
weeds much better than the othi r
sorts, and they riperi sooner than the
Tweedale oats, yielding from 12 to 14?
pecka a boll of excellent mcaU All

these produced this season fully more
than we have stated, but last year in
many instances they fell far short. The
Linlithgowshire measure is always un-
derstood.

As to barley, it consists of two
kinds, one of which has only two rows
upon the ear. This is reckoned the
best, and will yield frc m 28 to 30
pecks of meal a boll. The other sort
has four rows upon the ear ; this is a
hardy grain, ripens sooner, and gene-
rally yields as much as the other, but
the former is always preferred for pot
barley. The permission given to dis-
tillation is alleged as the reason why
the barley has not declined in price so
much as other grain. This measure
is therefore very much disapproved of
by the people at large.

As to wheat, the high prices it bears,
when compared with other grain, has
occasioned more of it to be sown this
season than ever we recollect. It has
got a fine tid. The quartern loaf now
sells at ! s. 3d. and meal at the reduced
price of 21. 15s a load, and other ar-
ticles the same as last month.

Fashions. Morning Dress. — A

plain cambric under-dress ; a three- ,^
quartered muslin or Chinese silk robe %
worn over it, trimmed round the hot- '
torn and up the front with Indian bor-
der of needle work, and finished with
a deep flounce of lace. A convent
hood and pelerine of white net lace,
confined under the chin with a silk
cord and tassel. Hairin irregularcurls,
ornamented with a fancy flower in front.
A short rosary and cross of the coquil-
la bead ; bracelets of the same Slip-
pers of buff or lemon coloured kid.
Gloves a pale tan colour

Evening Dress. — A pea-green crape
frock, worn over a white gossamer sa-
tin shp, with short sleeves ofwhite hce,
and waist biassed with lace beadmg;
a deep flounce of lace round the feet,
headed with silver netting, the bottom

Kov. 8—5.]

CHRONICLE.

of the sleeves and back finished to cor-
respond. Hair in curls and ringlets,
confined on the crown of the head, and
intermixed with autumnal flowers.
Ear-rings andotherornaments of pearl.
—Gloves of white French kid ; and
slippers of pea-green satin, trimmed
with silver.

Fauxhall Victoria Fete Dress —
Plain white lace frock, over a white
sarsnet petticoat ; the sleeve, which is
half way down the arm, is also com-
posed of lace, and the form of it is ex-
tremely novel : the top is very full,
and drawn in by strings of pearls, the
bottom part is composed of three rows
of narrow letting-in, each row edged
with pearls ; the sleeve comes nearly
half way down the arm. Hair curled
in loose luxuriant ringlets in front,
turned up behind a la Grecque, as
tightly as possible. Head dress dia-
monds and the prince's plume of os-
trich feathers. Diamond necklace,
bracelets, and ear rings. A light gold
cham of elegant workmanship, to which
an eye glass is suspended, is put round
the neck, and brought to one side.
White kid gloves, and white satin san-
dals ; small ivory fan. A white lace
veil is occasionally thrown carelessly
over the head, and forms a drapery
which is at once simple, elegant, and
becoming.

NOVEMBER.

3d. — Dispatches were this morn-
ing received by Viscount Castlereagh
from Lieutenant General Sir Charles
Stewart, dated Leipsic, October 19th,
giving the details of a complete and
signal victory gained by the whole of
the combined armies of Bohemia, Sile-
sia, and the north of Germany, over

Bounaparte, in the neighbourhood of
Leipsic, on the 18th and 19th.

One hundred pieces of cannon ;
sixty thousand killed, wounded, and
prisoners ; the whole of the Saxon
army, and the Bavarian and Wurtera-
berg troops, consisting of cavalry, ar-
tillery, and infantry ; many generals,
among whom are Regnier, Valary,
Brune, Bertrand, and Lauriston, are
the fruits of this glorious day

5th. — Dublin. — Robbery extraor-
dinary,— Mr Roger O'Connor, of
Dangan, in the county of Meath, for
which place he pays an annual rent of
15001. to Colonel Burro wes, who re-
sides in London, has been in the habit
of refusing to pay his rent at any
place but on the premises. A Mr
Francis Gregory, agent to Colonel
Burrowes, after some preliminary dis-
cussion with Mr O'Connor, employed
Mr Doyle, post-master of Trim, to re-
ceive the latter half-year's rent. On
the 28th ult. Mr Doyle went to Dan-
gan for this purpose ; at the gate he
was accosted by a person, who said he
was stationed there to give Mr O'Con^
nor immediate notice of his approach,
and Mr Doyle followed him to the
house, where he found Mr O'Connor
and his son Roderick; when Mr Doyle
entered, O'Connor desired his son to
withdraw. He then proceeded to pay-
Mr Doyle the rent, amounting to 7501,
and which was chiefly in one pound
notes. — Mr Doyle observed upon the
inconvenience of that modeof payment,
and requested the use of pen and ink
to mark the notes. This was refused.
Mr Doyle after counting the notes,
left the house, and within 30 yards of
it, and before he had got to the stable,
he was attacked from behind by two
persons in disguise, whose faces were
masked ; they knocked him down, tied
a handkerchief over his face, robbed
him of the money he had just received,
and some silver of his own ; and having
bound his legs with a cord, and forced

Qiilii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S. [Nov, 6.

a sack over his head, they left him.
During the whole transaction, the rob-
bers never uttered a word. No person
whatever having come to his assistance,
Mr Doyle remainedfor some time before
he was able to extricate himself. On
his return to the house, he saw a lady,
to whom he mentioned how he had
been treated. Shortly after Mr O'Con-
nor arrived, who expressed great sur-
prise at the robbery. Mr Doyle then
took his departure. The robbery ha-
ving been committed at 1 1 o'clock in
the <lay, the necessary steps are in
progress to levy the money upon the
county of Meath, We have every
reliance that the gentlemen of that
vicinity will use their best exertions to
discov-er the persons engaged in this
most iniquitous transaction.

An inquisition was taken at Soli-
hull, Warwickshire, on the body
of Mary Bate, who was found mur-
<!ered on the Wednesday preceding.
Tbecircumstancesofthe case are short-
ly these : — The deceased, her husband,
and the two brothers of the deceased,
the one aged about 18 and the other
19 years, resided in a cottage, near
Sohhull Lodge. The two brothers
en the morning of the day the murder
was committed, rose about a quarter
before six o'clock, and went to work ;
the husband, John Bate, went to work
in half an hour afterv/ards About six
o'clock in the evening, the brothers
returned, and not finding the deceased,
as they thought, in the house, they
waited near it for the return of the
husband, who came in a short time,
and having struck a light, went up
•tairs, and immediately exclaimed his
wife was murdered. The alarm was
given, but nothing was discovered to
lead to a supposition of any person
having entered the house. Strong
suspicion arose, that the husband had
committed the murder, in consequence
p{ the contradictory accounts he gave

to different persons of some money he
pretended to have left in the house ;
which not provingtrue, and someblood
having been found on his waistcoat
and shirt, together with other suspi-
cious circumstances, induced the jury
to find a verdict of wilful murder
against him ; and he was committed
to Warwick gaol, to take his trial at
the next assizes. The head of the de-
ceased was Hterally dashed to pieces,
and it appeared to have been done with
an axe, as she lay asleep in bed ; but
noinstrumentofthat description could
be found with blood on it.

6th. — Waterford. — The follow-
ing particulars of the murder of Fran-
cis Smyth, Esq. who was killed in his
own parlour, at Balinaclash, in thi%
county, have been furnished by a gen-
tleman who was present at the inquest.
On Sunday evening, between five and
six o'clock, a servant-man, who wag
outside nailing a board over a broken
pane in the parlour window, observed
three men in close consultation in a
field at some distance towards Bally-
laneen. The servant conceived sus-
picions, and, as they came towards
the house, he cautioned the foremost
that his master was armed ; the fellow
opened his breast, shewed his pistol,
and bid the man take care of himself;
they then pushed him into the parlour,
and knocked him down. Mr Smyth
asked what they were about, and was
it whiskey they wanted ; they replied,
no : sat down, and ordered the servant
out. The man went to the kitchen,
where the servant- woman said she al-
ways dreaded some such mischief would '
one day or other happen : in about
four minutes they heard a shot in the
parlour, which he supposed was fired
at his master ; determining to return
to the parlour at all hazards, he left
the kitchen, heard his master groan,
and met him in the passage. Mr S.
said, ** I am a dead man ;" and nU

Nov. 9—18.]

CHRONICLE-.

cxli^

most instantly fell and verified V»i8
words. Oil investigation, neither mo-
ney nor watch were found upon him,
althoughhewasseldom without money,
and had on that day, and on the pre-
ceding^, received large sums. The ruf-
fians, immediately after firing, left the
house, we:.t off through Ballylaneeu ;
and were not afterwards heard of. On
going they met some vilbgers at the
door laughing, and practising the usual
mummeries of AU-hallow-eve (Slst
Oct.) They joined in the laugh, and
appeared anxious to outdo them in
noisy merriment.

The following bulletin was exhibit-
ed at St. James's palace :

Windsor Castle, Nov. 6.

** His majesty has continued unre-
mittingly under the full influence of
his disorder for many months past :
he has, since the last report, had a
transient increase of it ; but this has
again subsided into its former state.
His Majesty's bodily health shews no
appearance of decay, and his spirits are
generally in a comfortable state.'*

9th. — Between three and four o'-
clock in the morning, Brighton was
▼isited by a storm of wind and rain,
accompanii d by very loud thunder and
yivid flashes of lightning. The latter
did considerable damage in the town
and neighbourhood ; but providentially
no lives were lost. A house situate in
Oxford- place, the property of Mr
Marshall, was literally torn to pieces
by the electric fluid ; and although
Mr Marshall and his servant were in
the premised, they escaped unhurt.
A great part of the roof was forced
in, the whole of the ceiling demolished,
the timbers of the partitions nearly
bent double, the headposts of the bed-
stead in which the servant lay, destroy-
ed, and the curtains of the bed burnt
to a cinder ; the casement of the win-
dow cast upwards of thirty yards from
the premises, the door removed to a
considerable distance, and the pave-

ment of the washhouse thrown up.
The same flash also destroyed a great
part of Copperas Gap Mill, about three
miles to the westward of the town,
and a young man of the name of Hag.
gett was severely burnt.

12th. — The miserable wretch, Wil-
liam Glover, who was lately commit-
ted to Monmouth gaol, for the shock-
ing murder of his father and mother,
destroyed himself in that prison He
was confined during the day in a room
with two other prisoners, to whom the
turnkey, as usual, delivered their por-
tion of bread and cheese for breakfast,
and gave to one of them, as usual, a
knife to divide it, which was to be re-
turned after breakfast. This man cut
and gave Glover his portion, and then
sat down on a bench before the fire to
toast his cheese, placing the knife un-
der him, which he sat upon. Glover,
seeing the knife, pushed the man for-
ward upon the fire, snatched it up, and
witha violent stroke cut his own throat.
The other prisoner immediately seized
the hand which held the knife, when
he raised the other to his neck, and
tearing the wound with great violence,
became most dreadfully agitated, and
shortly after sunk from the loss of
blood, and expired.

14<th. — Lord Thurlow's marriage
with Miss Bolton th' actress took place
on Saturday last at St Martin s church.
— Immedi itely after the ceremony, the
happy pair drove off to his lordship's
seat in Sussex, to spend the honey-
moon.

18th The Tuhf — The Octo-

ber meetings have been but thinly at-
tended, and there has been less racing
than for many preceding ; the chief
cause is to be ascribed to the war, the
pressure of the times, and the absence
of many gentlemen connected with the
turf, on the more important duty of
serving their country. — It is certain
that the poisoning of the race horses
in 1811 caused a general alarm ; it als9

cxlir EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Nov. 1^.

afforded a good excuse to those who
wished to retire, and was a strong ar-
gument to deter others whose inclina-
tion led them to engage on the turf ;
the subsequent conviction and execu-
tion of the wretched Dawson for that
offence, with the confession that he
made, disclosing those persons who
were concerned or privy to this nefari-
ous transaction, which confession, &c.
was laid before the Jockey Club, who
in consequence passed several resolu-
tions against certain people, as also de-
creeing that no stakes should be play
or pay except the Derby, Oaks, and
St Leger, tended in a great measure
to restore things to their former foot-
ing ; but although the Dawsonian sys-
tem is at present exploded, there is
another now in full force, which though
not injurious to the horses, is equally
detrimental to the interests of the own-
ers ; the system to which we allude is
the secret information a certain set of
peopleat,andwhofrequentNewmarket,
by means of their agents, obtain from
nearly all the training stables, the mo-
ment a horse falls amiss, has been tried,
&c. So well planned is this system in
all its departments, that it is a known
fact, in many instances they obtain in-
formation before the owners can be
Sipprised by their grooms, however di-
ligent they may be in sending to their
employers. To defeat the object of
this system it behoves all noblemen and
gentlemen connected with the turf, to
be very cautious in betting large sums
play or pay on matches or sweepstakes
before hand, as theirnot betting play or
pay, will in a great dqgree check the
success of this extensive confederacy.

Walking Match. — Mr Robinson,
an architect, and a gentleman resi-
ding in Berkeley-square, decided a bet
for a sum of money, on Friday last.
The parties engaged to walk to the
twenty mile-stone on ihe Windsor road,
and back. Mr R. started at seven o'-
clock in the morning, and his antago-

nist at the hour of eight. The latter
won the wager in nine hours, being
then two miles a head.

Steeple Race. — A singular kind
of sweepstakes, of 50 guineas each,
was decided on Monday, between
Messrs Fosgard, Carter, and Hall, in
the county of Bucks. The match was
for hunters, to start about two miles
from Bushey, and go to Dishland pa-
rish, in Buckinghamshire, a distance
of twenty-eight miles, in a straight
direction. The country over which
the race tookplace is close and woody,
notwithstanding which the sportsmen
all took the field. The race was
strongly contested between Messr*
Carter and Hall, making no refusal at
any thing, break or fence, opposed to
them, and it was won by Carter, in one
hour and fifty minutes. — The horse of
Mr Hall got into a bog, and Mr Fos-
gard's horse fell, and was injured early
in the race.

A few nights since, an ass, the pro-
perty of Mr Polman, butcher, of
Hearne, was stolen from a field about
a mile from that village ; but returned
home on the following morning, load-
ed with some sail-cloth, nearly new, a
brewing copper beat together, and a
sack ; by whom stolen, or how it es-
caped with the plunder, is totally un-
known.

19th. — In the forenoon, John Gib-
son, a nailer, in Hawick, was brought
to Jedburgh, in custody of a eheriff's
officer, accused of murdering his wife.
Early in the morning of the above day,
a person who lodges in the same house
where Gibson and his family lived, was
awakened by an unusual noise ; upon
which he jumped out of bed, and went
into Gibson's room, the door of which
was open, to learn the cause. He
found Gibson standing on the floor,
in his shirt, and observed, by the light
of a lamp which was burning on the
table, the shocking spectacle of his
wife, lying apparently lifeless, in front
9

Nov. 22—25.

CHRONICLE.

€Xl7

of the bed, with her throat cut, and
the floor covered with her blood. It
was found, on examination, that the
arteries and veins on one side of her
neck were completely cut through,
by which she had quickly bled to death.
The unhappy woman had several chil-
dren by her husband, and it is not known
that they ever lived together on ill
terms. He did not deny his guilt to
those who secured him, nor did he at-
tempt to resist ; and it seems he was
led to commit the atrocious act by the
effects of jealously, which he had of
late harboured against the deceased.

22d Glasgow. — X«ast week, four

rein deers, viz two full-grown females,
with their fawns, passed through the
neighbourhood of this city, on their
way to a gentleman's seat in Renfrew-
shire, having been landed lately in the
frith of Forth, from Lapland. We
are informed by a correspondent, who
examined them, that, in point of size
and general appearance, they resem-
bled the wild red-deer of the High-
lands of Perthshire. The colour of
the body, an ash-coloured brown, be-
coming very light upon the belly.
Their limbs very slender, but the hoofs
considerably larger than those of the
red-deer, and they did not appear upon
the whole to possess more strength
than that animal. The rein-decr dif-
fers from every other species, in the
circumstance of the females having
horns as well as the males ; but as this
is the season of the year when the horns
are shed, those now referred to had
each lost one horn, which considerably
hurt their appearance. The eye was
large, full, and lively. It has been as-
^ «erted by some authors, that the rein-
deer lives but a short time out of its
own country, not only the climate, but
the lichen or moss of Lapland being
necessary to its existence. These de-
scribed, however, appeared to be in
perfect health, and completely tame,
Deing conducted by a single man, vnih

VOL. VI. P^RT II.

great ease, by a bit of cord round the
necks of the two old, ones.

25tb»-His serene highness the Prince
of Orange embarked from Deal for
Holland, on board his majesty's ship
Warrior, of 74? guns, commanded by
captain Lord Viscount Torrington.
His serene highness was accompanied
by the Earl of Clancarty, and followed
by the respective suites of his serene
highness and that nobleman.

On his arrival at Deal, his serene
highness was received by a guard of ho-
nour, and waited upon by Vice-Admi-
ral Foley, commander in chief, and the
captains of his majesty's navy, then at
Deal. The vice-admiral's barge, andthe
flag-ship of the commander in chief, fi-
red a salute of twenty-one guns. On
his serene highnesses going on board
the Warrior, the Orange flagwashoist-
ed at the main-top-mast-head, and im-
mediately saluted with twenty-one guns
by each of his majesty's ships, and by
those of his majesty the emperor of
Russia then lying in the Downs.

This day intelligence arrived of
the Revolution in Holland, the to-
tal expulsion of the French, and the
restoration of the house of Orange.
The counter-revolution in Holland
was effected with all the steadiness
of the Dutch character, and with
less bloodshed than could have been
expected, considering the oppressions
under which the Dutch have groaned
for so many years. — On Monday, the
14th, when the rising was determined
upon, one of the leading patriots pro-
ceeded to the residence of Le Brun,
the Duke of Placentia, the Governor
of Holland. He had the Orange
cockade in his hat and on his breast,
and he addressed Le Brun as fol-
lows :—

" You may easily guess by these colours
for what purpose I ara come,, and what
events are about to take place. You, who
are now the weakest, know that we are
now the strongest. We, who are now the

cxlvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Nov. 26.

8tron<»est, know timt you are the weakest.
You will do wisely and prudently to take
your departure with all possible speed, and
the sooner you do it the less you will ex-
pose yourself* to insult, and, possibly, to
danger."

To this address Le Brun replied,
** 1 have, sir, for some time expected
such a message, and 1 very willingly
accede to your proposition, to take my
departure immediately.*'—" In that
case," said the patriot, " I will see
you into your coach without loss of
time." — This was accordingly done.
But by this time the people had as-
sem.bled and surrounded the coach,
with loud cries of Orange Boven —
Up, Grange — dcmn Buonaparte. The
patriot accompanied him in the coach
out of the town, and no violence was
offered him, except that he was obli-
pjed by the people to cry out. Long
Ike the Prince of Orange, and to wear
the Orange cockade — too happy, no
doubt, to get off so well. Having
thus sent him off, the people laid hold
of all the French douaniers, and threw
them into the river. All the watch-
houses of the douaniers, and three of
their vessels, were burnt. It was on
Friday last, at four in the afternoon,
that the Orange flag was hoisted with
great solemnity at Rotterdam. There
was a vast concourse of people of all
ranks, who greeted the Ensign of Li-
berty with unanimous and heartfelt
acclamations.

26th. — The port of London was
opened yesterday for imports from
Holland, when several freights of plaice
and conger eels arrived at Billingsgate,
to the great delight of those epicures
who delight in Dutch dainties.

The prosperous effects of the re-
newal of our commerce with Holland
were manifested yesterday in a degree
the most gratifying, by the almost
impassable state of Thames-street, and
other streets on the banks of the river,
from the incessant cartage of bales of

goods to shipsfor Amsterdam, Rotter-
dam, and other Dutch ports.

ttjth — On Monday came 6n the
election of office-bearers of the Royal
Society of Edinburgh, when the fol-
lowing gentlemen were chosen, viz.

Sir James Hall, Bart, president.

Lord Meadowbank, Lord Webb Sey-
mour, vice-presidents.-Professor Play-
fair, secretary. — James Bonar, Esq.
treasurer. — Thomas Allan, Esq. keep-
er of the-museum and library.

Physical Class. — Sir Geo. Mac-
kenzie, Bart, president Dr Thoma*

C. Hope, secretary. — Professor Du-
gald Stewart, Alexander Keith, Esq.
James Russell, Esq. Dr Rutherford,
James Bryce, Esq. Dr Brewster,
counsellors.

Literary Cl a ss.— Henry Macken-
zie, Esq. president. — Thomas Thom-
son, Esq. secretary. — Lord Robert-
son, Lord Presideat, Sir Henry Mon-
crieff, Bart, Rev. Archibald Alison,
Rev. Dr Jamieson, Walter Scott, £sq.
counsellors.

Address of the City of Edin-
burgh TO THE Prince Regent. —
The following address was presented
to the Prince Regent, at the levee on
Friday last, by the Right Hon. John
Majoribanks, the Lord Provost, and
was most graciously received.

May it please your Royal Highness,

It has been the frequent duty, during
the last twenty years, of those who repre-
sent for the time the ancient metropolis
of Scotland, to approach the throne with
a humble and loyal expression of their sen-
timents upon the state of public affairs.
This duty they repeatedly discharged while
Britain stood unaided and alone in a con-
flict, during which her foe proclaimed his
hope of terminating her very existence as
an independent nation. And when, by
the blessing of Divine Providence, the bat-
tle was transferred from our gates, we
hasten to express our sentiments of that
generous line of policy, which held out
the strong arm of succour to those nations
who first sought refuge froaj tyraBjay and

Nov. 27.]

CHRONICLE.

cxlvii

oppression, in manly and patriotic resist-
ance. During each awful vicissitude of
an uncertain, unequal, and most perilous
struggle, we have deemed it our duty to
express our devotion to the principles up-
on which it was conducted, and our sub-
mission to our portion of the sacrifices
which its extent and continuance neces-
sarily imposed.

It is with far other thoughts, and far
happier prospects, that we now again lay
our duty at the feet of your royal highness,
vith feelings which can be likened to none,
but those of the survivors of the primeval
world, when, looking forth from the ves-
sel to which they had been miraculously
preserved, they perceived that God had
closed ift his mercy the fountains of the
deep^which he had opened in his wrath ;
that the wind had passed over the waters,
and assuaged their force ; while the re-ap-
pearance of ancient and well-known moun-
tains and land-marks, hidden so long un-
der the billows of the inundation, warrant-
ed a just and pious confidence, that the
hour of its fury had passed away. With
the same humble, yet cheerful and well-
grounded confidence, we now look abroad
on the state of regenerated Europe ; be-
hold the revival of free nations, which the
hand of the armed oppressor had subjected
to his tyrannical sway, and hear from the
voice of liberated millions, those acclama-
tions (sp long suppressed) which were, in
former days, the watch-words of loyalty
and national independence. — Such are the
prospects which a few months have open-
ed upon a war sacred and honourable, be-
cause waged by the allied monarchs from
no selfish motives, nor ambitious views,
but for the avowed, noble, and generous
purposes of relieving the oppressed, vin-
dicating the injured, and controlling, by
their united concentrated force, the gigan-
tic power, under whose wild, vast, and un-
bounded projects of ambition, such seas of
human blood have been spilt, such a mass
of human misery has been created. It is
a cause which Heaven has blessed, not
only with the most splendid success iq the
field of battle, but with consequences that
never before attended even victory itself.
Amid the crowds of events, each affording
high and separate subject for f iture hope
9qU iaitant rejoicingi we caimdt but di^

tinguish the restoration of the hereditary
provinces of our beloved monarch to their
rightful lord, and the regeneration of Hol-
land, so long the faithful ally of Great
Britain. — When we remember, that from
Hanover proceeded the line of Brunswick,
and that Holland once restored to us the
heir of the British monarchy, and, at a pe-
riod of the like importance sent forth in
our behalf the vindicator of British liber-
ties, we cannot suppress our earnest and
exulting congratulation. Let Europe mark
the falsehood of that charge, which accu-
ses Britain of a desire to convert her naval
superiority into the means of exercising
tyranny upon the commercial rights of
other nations; since at no moment has the
voice of the British nation uttered more
genuine sounds of joy than to hail the re-
vival of a state, which alone, at any period
of our history, could be considered as ri-
valling her in commercial wealth or mari-
time power.

Let us conclude our hurried and joyful
expressions of the most dutiful and sincere
sympathy in these memorable events, with
acknowledging the debt we owe to the
wisdom and steadiness which has guided,
in circumstances of incalculable difficulty,
the councils of your royal highness and
our beloved monarch. To their firmness
and decision we owe, under God, the for-
tunate consummation which seems now to
be full in our view. It was on the shores
of Portugal, and the fields of Spain, that
the bright example was first shewn of ho-
nourable and successfid resistance to the
armies of France; and justly may we sym-
pathise in the splendid military successes of
those great continental powers, who have
added such a train of continued victories
to these glorious precedents.

That it may please God to bless your
royal highness, in your person and govern-
ment, with the continuance of his safe-
guard and protection ; finally, to establish
the cause of sopal order, by a just, equal,
and lasting peace, is the sincere hope and
prayer of your royal highness's most duti-
ful subjects, the Lord Provost, the Magi-
strates, and Council of the city of Edin-
burgh, in council assembled.

Signed in our name, by our appoint-
ment, and in our presence, and the seal of
our said city is hereto affixed, at £din*

cxlviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Nov. 30.

bur^hf the 29th day November, 1313
jrears.

(Signed) Wm. Trotter,

Actini; Chiof M :<j:i6trate.

The late Colonel Bosville. —
This gentleman's will was made in
1807 ; it is very long, filling no less
than six sheets of paper, and written
entirely by himself.

One of his nephews. Colonel the
honourable Godfrey Macdonald, heir
presumptive to the title and estates of
the present peer of that name, he
leaves sole executor, and, with the ex-
ception of one estate which he could
not will, aud four or five legacies, be-
queathes to him the whole of his for-
tune and estates, provided he takes the
name of Bosville.

The Blacket estate, as it is called,
situated in Northumberland, worth
about 50001. a-year, he had but for
life. It now goes to C'.<!onel Beau-
mont, M. P. who married Miss Black-
et, a cousin of Mr BosviIle*8.

Colonel Bosville was particularly
attached to the honcurable James Mac-
donald, a younger brother of Lord M.
and who IS a major, in the Coldstream
guards, now in Holland; to him, all
who knew the colonel, thought the
bulk of this immense fortune would
be left. However, he mentions him
only in making this curious provision :
Th.ic in case Mr Godfrey Macdonald
dies, and his sons {he hasthreeor four)
die without issue, then James Macdo-
nald, taking the name of Bosville, shall
inherit the estates. The legacies are
bequeathed to —
Mr vi(;orge Sinclair, son of Sir

John, - - . - ZlOjOoo
Major C. James, - - - 20'. 0
Sir Kobert Wilson, - - 5000

Reverend Mr Este, - - 2000

And to each domestic two years wages.

Sir Francis Burdett is left trustee.

Mr Bosville died worth a large
sum of ready money, and the estate
near Bridlington, in Yorkshire, called
Thropehall is alone worth 6U001. a«

year. He never raised the rents of his
tenants, and used to say, "As I found
them so I'll leave them."

29th.-Returns of all the Dutch pri-
soners of war in this ceuntry have been
ordered to be made out, preparatory
to thejr being sent home to assist their
countrymen in maintaining their newly-
acquired ind' pendence. Their number,
it is said, exceeds 10,000.

30th. — Prince Poniatowski. —
Colonels Kieki, Adjutant of the late
Prince Poniatowski, ard Herakowski,
Adjutant of the General of Division
Krasinki, who arrived at Warsaw on
the 8th of November, have given the
following particulars respecting the
death of the prince: — On the 19th of
October, when the French army was
retreating, the Emperor assigned part
of the suburbs of Leipsic, next to the
Borna road, to Princ. Poniatowski.
This post he was to defend with a
body of not more than 2000 Polish
infantry. Perceiving that the French
columns on his left flank were hastily
retreating before a superior force, and
that there was no possibhty of getting
across the bridge, incessantly crowded
as it was with artillery and carriages,
he drew his sabre, and turning to the
officers immediately about him-'* Gen-
tlemen,' said he, ** 'tis better to fall
with honour," and at the head of a few
Polish cuirassiers, and the officers at-
tending him, he fell furiously upon
the advancing columns. He had been
wounded both on the l-l-th and 16th ;
on this occasion he received a musket
ball in his left arm. With the words
above mentioned, he sprung forward,
but found the suburbs already filled
with allied troops, who hastened up to
make him prisoner. He cut his way-
through them, however, was again
wounded through his cross, threv/
himself into the Pleisse, and with the
assistance of the surrounding officers
reached the opposite shore in safety.
The horse which he rode was left be-

Nov. -30.]

CHRONICLE.

cxlix

hind in this river, and the Prince,
greatly exhausted, mounted another
which was brought him. He then
proceeded to the river Elster, but it
was already lined with Prussian and
Saxon riflemen ; and seeing them ad-
vancing upon him on all sides, he plun-
ged into the river and sunk, together
with his horse. Several officers, who
precipitated themselves in the water af-
ter the Prince, were likewise drowned,
and others taken prisoners on the bank
or in the river. The Prince was ne-
phew to Stanislaus Augustus, the last
King of Poland.

His funeral obsequies were perform-
ed on the 19ch of November, in the
church of the Hply Cross at Warsaw,
in the presence of the most distin-
guished Russian and PoHsh famihes
in that city.

A fatal occurrence took place about
one o'clock, in the counting house of
Messrs. Haigh and Son, Manchester
warehousemen, Aldermanbury. It ap-
pears that about twelve months ago,
a nephew, who was also his clerk,
shewed s) mptoms of mental derange-
ment, and gradually becoming worse,
his uncle at length was obliged to send
him to .St Luke's, from whence he
on Monday night contrived to make
his escape, and at eight yesterday
morning made his appearance at the
counting-house, in Aldermanbury. He
was then informed that Mr Haigh
was from home, upon which he went
away, and called again about eleven,
when Mr Haigh instantly dispatched
a messenger to St Luke's. Two per-
sons from thence soon after attended,
but the young man having by this
time become very outrageous, they
declined taking hold of him without
further assistance. Mr Presto, the con-
stable of the night for the ward of
Cripplegate Within, was sent for, and
on his arrival the unhappy maniac
mounted upon a small desk or upper
counting-house which stands on the
8

floor of the warehouse, and swore he
would not be taken. Mr Presto, more
daring, or less prudent, than the keepers
of St Luke's, rushed up the two steps
that led to the place where th^ lunatic
had placed himself, and received the
contents of a pistol in his head The
ball entered by the temple, and the
unfortunate man died iij less than two
mniutes On the lunatic being seized,
another loaded pistol was found in his
pocket, besides a quantity of powder,
nine bullets, and a bullet mould He
was instantly taken back to St I .uke's.
On this circumstance being mentioned
to the alderman of the ward (Wood),
he considered it improper to suffer a
man who had committed murder in the
city of London, whether sane or in-
sane, to be sent out of it until the affair
was investigated ; but the alderman ha-
ving no power to demand his person
from the keeper of the hospital, he
wrote a note requesting that the luna-
tic might be brought back to the city ;
with this the keeper of St Luke's com-
plied, and last night he was committed
to the Compter by Mr Alderman
Wood, for further examination.

This unfortunate person was "after-
wards tried at the Old Bailey, and
acquitted on the ground of insanity.

The Thais, Captain SchobelU lately
arrived at Portsmouth, sailed from
Sierra Leone on the 4th of August,
and from A era, on the Leeward coast,
on the :d of September. Prior to her
quitting the coast, the Favourite and
Albicore had arrived. The Thais was
eighteen months on the coast. Though,
unfortunately for the cause of huma.
nity, and the improvement of Africa,
the slave trade is still carried on exten-
sively undor the Portuguese and Spa-
nish flags, (the continuance of which
will materially depend upon causes of
appeal, which are forthcoming for de-
cision in the High Court of Admiralty),
yet we have the satisfaction to learn,
that in June last the Thais destroyed

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [Nov. SO.

the last remaining factory for this traf-
fic (at Masuredo), Supported by Bri-
tish subjects. The proprietors of this
estabhshmcnt, John Bostock and Tho-
mas M'Quin, were brought home in
the Thais, sentenced, under the late
slave-trade Felony Act, to be trans-
ported for fourteen years. The Thais
landed forty of her crew, commanded
by Lieut. Wilkins, to accomplish this
act of humanity. The factors resisted,
killed one man, and another was drown-
ed when advancing to the assault.
'There were about 230 slaves in the
factory, who were released. The
Thais captured several vessels on the
coast with slaves on board ; they were
under Portuguese and Spanish flags.
One of the vessels presented another
instance of the horrors of this trade ;
she was a smack of 183 tons burthen,
bound to the Brazils, with 375 slaves
on board ; and, it appeared, when the
Thais took possession, that three of
them had died from actual suffocation.

AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
England. — Wheat sowing is ge-
nerally finished, the seed well got in,
and from the suitable weather of late,
and the good working of the land, the
desired breadth is every where sown.
The early-sown wheats continue to
improve, and in some parts, should
open weather continue, will be very
forward and rank. The autumnal
bearded or cone wheat, commonly call-
ed rivets, formerly much sown in Nor-
folk and Suffolk, is reported to have
been some time past getting into dis-
use. Young clovers, and other seeds,
and all the winter crops, have the most
promising appearance, and no com-
plaints at present of the slug. Tur-
nips, particularly Swedish, good in
places, will not be a heavy crop gene-
rally. Great plenty of fodder, but
butcher cattle abroad at present. Cat-
tle markets high, and not unlikely to
be at a most extravagant price in the

spring, yet it is written from various
quarters that the cutting butchers
charge high prices for meat, although
they do not buy high of the grazier ;
and that a regulation of the retail price *
of meat is as essential to the commu-
nity as that of bread.

The latter carryings of corn and
beans, in backward and low grounds,
have not been successful. Both have
been put together in a damp and dis-
coloured state, the beans very soft.
From the droughty weather of July
and August, potatoes are an inferior
crop in places. Present employment
of the farmer, as usual at this season,
fallowing for the spring crops, hedging,
ditching, draining, &c.

Immense draughts have been made
upon the stack-yards by the threshing
machines. — Passage boats worked by
steam have been lately adopted on se-
veral rivers and canals an improvement
of national consequence.

Fashions. — Morning Dress. — A
round cambric gown, a walking length,
with short full sleeve, and puckered
cuff, buttoned or laced down the back,
and made high round the neck, with a
full frill of lace. A military stock ed-
ged round the chin with the same. A
figured Chinese scarf, the colour Ame-
rican green, twisted round the figure
in the style of antique drapery. Melon
bonnet the same colour, striped, and
trimmed to correspond with the scarf.
Hair irregular curls on the foreheads
Ear. rings of gold or topaz. Long
York tan, or Limerick gloves, above
the elbow. Slippers of yellow Mo-
rocco. This dress, divested of the
bonnet, is considered genteel neglige
for any period of the day.

Morning Walkings or Carriage Ha-
hilimeiit. — A simple breakfast robe of
Indian muslin, or cambric ; with plain
high collar, and long sleeve. Plain
chemisette front, buttoned down the
bosom. A Calypso wrap of marone
Yclvet, or kerseymere, trimmed eutire-

Dec. S.]

CHRONICLE.

els

ly round with white ermine, or swans-
■down. Spanish hanging-sleeve, sus-
pended from the back, and falling over
the left shoulder, terminating in around
point below the elbow. This orna-
ment is lined throughout with skin the
same as the trimming. A mountain
hat of white imperial beaver, or fur,
tied under the chin with a ribband the
colour of the coat. Gloves and slioes
of American green, or buff. Cropt
hair, confined with a band, and curled
over the left eye.

Ball Dress in the Parisian Style, —
A Neapolitan robe and petticoat, of
white or coloured satin, made quite
plain. Armorial vest of white satin,
beaded in gold stripes. A cestus a-la-
Cleopatra^ composed of wrought gold
and amethysts. Hanging sleeve, ga-
thered in front of the arm, with broo-
ches of the same. The hair confined
from the roots, the ends flowing in ir-
regular curls, leaving the forehead and
temples exposed. An Indian casque
of tissue, with amethyst ornaments.
A long veil of gossamer gause, round-
ed at the end, and embroidered in a
delicate border of silver, or silk, flow-
ing from the centre of the crown, over
the right shoulder, and forming a dra-
pery in front of the figure by the atti-
tude of the left hand. Pear ear-rings
of amethyst or pearl. Necklace of
of pearl, with amethyst star in the cen-
tre. White satin slippers, edged with
silver beading, and white kid gloves
above the elbow.

DECEMBER.

3d. Amstkrdam. Yesterday,

about three o*clock, his Serene High-
ness the Prince of Orange made his
solemn entry into this capital, through
,the gates of Haerlem, under the roar
of artillery, and with the ringing of all
the bells.

The joy was general among all

classes of the inhabitants ; the numbers
of the populace that were assembled,
and flew to every part where his high-
ness passed, was past description. The
joyful acclamations of huzzas ! Orange
boven ! and long live Prince William,
the first Sovereign Prince of the Ne-
therlands ! was uninterrupted.

Inverness. — ^At the Martinmas
market, which was held here last week,
horses and cattle brought excellent
prices. For grain there is little or no
demand, beyond what is occasioned by
the necessities of the moment, which
the abundant supply of potatoes ren-
ders less pressing than usual. What is
sold, however, brings higher prices
here than in any other part of the king-
dom, and it will excite surprise when
we state, that, in the midst of plenty,
and a dull market, wheat is sold at
42$. barley at 4?53. to 50s. and oats at
30s. per b6ll ; oatmeal at 28. per pecky
and the quartern loaf at Is. 3d.

4th. — Admiralty Office — His
Serene Highness the Prince of Orange
and his Excellency the Earl of Clan-
carty and their respective suites, landed
from his majesty's ship the Warrior, at
ScheveHng, about four o'clock in the
afternoon of Tuesday the 30th ult.

His serene highness immediately pro-
ceeded to the Hague.

When his majesty's ship, bearing
the orange flag, approached the coast,
she was surrounded by a number of
Dutch vessels, all decorated with
orange colours, and filled with persons
anxious to testify their joy at the ar-
rival of his serene highness ; and his
serene highnesss was received on his
landing by an immense concourse of
people with acclamations of the great-
est joy and every possible mark of af-
fection and respect.

Immediately after his serene high-
ness lauded he issued the following,
proclamation :
WiiliaiB Frederick, by the grace of God,

Prince of Orange and Nassau, !kc. ( c

clii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Dec. 6,

To all those who these presents shall
see or hear read, greeting. Be it made
known :

Dear Countrymen !

After nineteen years of absence and suf-
fering, I have received with heartfelt joy
your unanimous invitation to come amongst
you. I am now arrived, and, I trust, under
Divine Providence, that I shall be the
means of restoring you to your ancient in-
dependence and prosperity. This is my
sole object, and I have the satisfaction to
assure you, that it is equally the object of
the allied powers. It is in particular the
wish of the Prince Regent of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
and of his government. Of this you will
be convinced, by the unanimous assistance
which that powerful country is immediate-
ly going to give you, and which, I trust,
will lay the foundation of those old and in-
timate ties of friendship and alliance which
have so long made the happiness of both
States. I am come, disposed and deter-
mined to forgive and forget every thing that
has passed^ We have all but one common
object, which is to heal the wounds of our
native country, and to restore it to its rank
and splendour among nations. The re-
vival of trade and commerce will, I trust,
be tiie immediate consequence of my re-
turn. All party spirit must be for ever
banished from among us. No effort shall
be wanting on my part, and on that of my
family, to assert and secure your indepen-
dence, and to promote your happiness and
welfare. My eldest son, who, under the
immortal Lord Wellington, has proved
himself not unworthy of the fame of his
ancestors, is on his way to join me ; unite,
therefore, dear countrymen, with heart
and soul with me, and our common coun-
try will flourish again, as in the days of
old, and we shall transmit unimpaired to
our posterity the blessings we have recei-
ved from our ancestors.

Given under ray seal and signature, De-
cember 1, 18 1 3.

(Signed) W. F. Pr. of Orange.

By command of his highness,

(Signed) H. Eagle.

6th.— John Drew May, late a bill bro-
ker in the city, was tried at the Old Bai-
ley on Friday, on a charge of altering a
navy bill, from 7231. ISs. 8d. to 17231.

13s. 8d. with the intent to defraud the
commissioners of the navy. He was
found guilty, and sentenced to suffer
death.

Prince Regent's Entertain-
ment.—On Friday a grand entertain-
ment was given by the Prince Regent
to the Russian deputation sent to this
country to invest his royal highness with
the three principal Russian orders ; his
royal highness made it a state business,
beingsurrounded by their Royal High-
nesses the Dukes of York, Clarence,
Kent, and Carabridfife, the Prime Mi-
nister, the Lord President of the
Council, the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs, the Lord Chamber-
lain, Goldstick, Lord and Groom in
Waiting, &c.

They were received at the great
hall by the yeomen of the guard, the
livery servants in the state liveries, the
pages in the state uniforms, &c. They
were conducted the same way to the
state rooms as the royal family, and
those who have the privilege of the
entre on court days. At seven o'clock
dinner was announced, when the guests
were conducted to the crimson room.
His royal highness was surrounded
by, besides his royal brothers, the fol-
lowing distinguished Russians : —

Count Leiven, the Russian ambas-
sador, and his countess. General Ba-
lashett. Count Orloff, Lady Porter,
Monsieur and Madame Laval, Prince
Sapicha, Baron and Baroness Nicholay,
Count Potocki, Marquis de la Mai-
sonfort, Mr Sass, Mr Pagenpold, Mr
Strandman, Mr Kahashkine, Mr Kru-
kawskay, Mr Ponshkine, the Rev.
Mr Smirnott, Mr Danhatchewsky,
Mr Peletica, Mr Severine, Mr Swimie,
General and Madame Sublukoff.

There were also present —

Count Woronzow, Monsieur de Ta-
tescheff and lady, Mr Angerstein, the
Earl and Countess of Liverpool, Vis-
count and ViscouHtess Castlereagh^
the Marq[ui3 of Hertford, Lord G*

Dec. 7—9.]

CHRONICLE.

cliii

Beresford, Earl Harrington, Count
Mnnster, Lord St Helens, Viscount
Melbourne, and Sir W. Keppel

. The dinner consisted of three cour-
ses, served up in the most highly fi-
nished style ; the table was oval, 16
feet by 37. The gold and two silver
services of plate were displayed on the
occasion. In the centre was a very
grand temple, in the middle of a new
circular plateau, suitable to the form
of the table, which was decorated with
basso relievo, surrounded by genii,
supporting laurel leaves, emblematical
of victory ; and in the border were
portraits of the king, the queen, and
the prince regent, patronising the
arts and sciences. It was considered
the largest and the finest piece of
workmanship that ever was produced
in this country. In addition to the
Liverpool service of glass, a new ser-
vice was served up, in which is revived
nearly a very old fashion, with a worm
in a very small stem. It is engraved
with the royal arms, the lion andcrown,
full ripe grapes as on the vine, and the
star of the order of the garter ; the
whole set is considered the finest that
ever has been produced, the workman-
ship of the engraving being so exqui-
sitely fine. The table was lighted by
six branches of wax-lights, with two
centre pieces at each end, the tops of
which were filled with the most odo-
riferous exotics, from the royal gardens
at Kew. The room was lighted by
the matchless chandelier in the centre,
four beautiful and elegant small ones
at each comer, and several pyramids
of candles. The whole surpassed in
elegance any thing yet seen.

7th. — Murder at Vauxhall. —
A murder was committed in the house
of the Misses Gompertz, under the
following circumstances : — It appears
that three ladies of the name reside
nearly opposite to the principal entrance
to Vauxhall gardens ; that their house-
hold consisted of three female servant!

and a footman, and a gentleman, their
cousin, also resided in the house. The
man servant's usual practice was, every
night, to fire off a musquet at 11 o'-
clock, and to reload it. He slept in
the kitchen, where this musquet was
always kept. At about four o'clock
on Tuesday morning, one of the Mis-
ses Gompertz heard the report of a
gun, and instantly rung the bell which
communicated to the kitchen, but re-
ceived no answer. On this she awoke
her cousin and sisters, and the female
servants, and they went down stairs,
and found the kitchen door fast ; they
knocked, but receiving no answer, they
at length broke it open, and found the
man-servant lying dead by the window.
On further inspection, it appeared
that the house had been attempted by
robbers, who had, by great force, with
an iron crow, pulled down the window
shutters, and afterwards taken out a
pane of glass, which lay on the ground
unbroken. It is supposed that they
were at this time heard by the foot-
man, who, in opposing their entrance,
was fired upon, and killed on the spot ;
the musket was taken away by the
robbers, but found the next morning
in a field adjoining the house. It was
in a foul state, as if recently fired ;
but we understand one of the female
servants says, that the deceased was
not able to load it the preceding night
for want of powder, which he did not
discover until after he had discharged
it as usual. The man servant's livery
coat was also found outside the house
next morning.

9th. — State of the King's
Health. — On Sunday the following
bulletin was exhibited at St James's
Palace : —

" Windsor Castle December 4, 1813.

** The King's disorder continues

undiminished, but his majesty's bodily

health is good, and he has passed the

last month in tranquillity and comfort,

(Signed as usual.)

clii

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Dec. 6.

To all those who these presents shall
see or hear read, greeting. Be it made
known :

Dear Countrymen !

After nineteen years of absence and suf-
fering, I have received with heartfelt joy
your unanimous invitation to come amongst
you. I am now arrived, and, I trust, under
Divine Providence, that I shall be the
means of restoring you to your ancient in-
dependence and prosperity. This is my
sole object, and I have the satisfaction to
assure you, that it is equally the object of
the allied powers. It is in particular the
wish of the Prince Regent of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
and of his government. Of this you will
be convinced, by the unanimous assistance
which that powerful country is immediate-
ly going to give you, and which, I trust,
will lay the foundation of those old and in-
timate ties of friendship and alliance which
have so long made the happiness of both
States. I am come, disposed and deter-
mined to forgive and forget every thing that
has passed^ We have all but one common
object, which is to heal the wounds of our
native country, and to restore it to its rank
and splendour among nations. The re-
vival of trade and commerce will, I trust,
be the immediate consequence of my re-
turn. All party spirit must be for ever
banished from among us. No effort shall
be wanting on my part, and on that of my
family, to assert and secure your indepen-
dence, and to promote your happiness and
welfare. My eldest son, who, under the
immortal Lord Wellington, has proved
himself not unworthy of the fame of his
ancestors, is on his way to join me ; unite,
therefore, dear countrymen, with heart
and soul with me, and our common coun-
try will flourish again, as in the days of
old, and we shaH transmit unimpaired to
our posterity the blessings we have recei-
ved from our ancestors.

Given under ray seal and signature, De-
cember 1, 181 3.

(Signed) W. F. Pr. of Orange.

By command of his highness,

(Signed) H. Eagle.

6tb..-John Drew May, late a bill bro-
ker in the city, was tried at the Old Bai-
ley on Friday, on a charge of altering a
navy bill, from 7231. 138. 8d. to 17231.

13s. 8d. with the intent to defraud the
commissioners of the navy. He was
found guilty, and sentenced to suffer
death.

Prince Regent's Entertain-
MENT.—On Friday a grand entertain-
ment was given by the Prince Regent
to the Russian deputation sent to this
country to in vest his royal highness with
the three principal Russian orders ; his
royal highness made it a state business,
being surrounded by their Royal High-
nesses the Dukes of York, Clarence,
Kent, and Carabridge, the Prime Mi-
nister, the Lord President of the
Council, the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs, the Lord Chamber-
lain, Goldstick, Lord and Groom in
Waiting, &c.

Count Leiven, the Russian ambas-
sador, and his countess. General Ba-
lashett, Count Orloff, Lady Porter,
Monsieur and Madame Laval, Prince
Sapicha, Baron and Baroness Nicholay,
Count Potocki, Marquis de la Mai-
sonfort, Mr Sass, Mr Pagenpold, Mr
Strandman, Mr Kahashkine, Mr Kru-
kawskay, Mr Ponshkine, the Rev.
Mr Smirnott, Mr Danhatchewsky,
Mr Peletica, Mr Severine, Mr Swimie,
General and Madame Sublukoff.

There were also present —

Count Woronzow, Monsieur de Ta-
tescheff and lady, Mr Angerstein, the
Earl and Countess of Liverpool, Vis-
count and Viscountess Castlereagh,
the Marquis of Hertford, Lord G*

Dec. 7—9.]

CHRONICLE,

clni

Beresford, Earl Harrington, Count
Miinster, Lord St Helens, Viscount
Melbourne, and Sir W. Keppel

. The dinner consisted of three cour-
ses, served up in the most highly fi-
nished style ; the table was oval, 16
feet by 37. The gold and two silver
services of plate were displayed on the
occasion. In the centre was a very
grand temple, in the middle of a new
circular plateau, suitable to the form
of the table, which was decorated with
basso relievo, surrounded by genii,
supporting laurel leaves, emblematical
of victory ; and in the border were
portraits of the king, the queen, and
the prince regent, patronising the
arts and sciences. It was considered
the largest and the finest piece of
workmanship that ever was produced
in this country. In addition to the
Liverpool service of glass, a new ser-
vice was served up, in which is revived
nearly a very old fashion, with a worm
in a very small stem. It is engraved
with the royal arms, the lion and crown,
full ripe grapes as on the vine, and the
star of the order of the garter ; the
whole set is considered the finest that
ever has been produced, the workman-
ship of the engraving being so exqui-
sitely fine. The table was lighted by
six branches of wax-lights, with two
centre pieces at each end, the tops of
which were filled with the most odo-
riferous exotics, from the royal gardens
at Kew. The room was lighted by
the matchless chandelier in the centre,
four beautiful and elegant small ones
at each comer, and several pyramids
of candles. The whole surpassed in
elegance any thing yet seen.

7th — Murder at Vauxhall.— .
A murder was committed in the house
of the Misses Gompertz, under the
following circumstances : — It appears
that three ladies of the name reside
nearly opposite to the principal entrance
to Vauxhall gardens ; that their house-
hold consisted of three female servants

and a footman, and a gentleman, their
cousin, also resided in the house. The
man servant's usual practice was, every
night, to fire off a musquet at 1 1 o'-
clock, and to reload it. He slept in
the kitchen, where this musquet was
always kept. At about four o'clock
on Tuesday morning, one of the Mis-
ses Gompertz heard the report of a
gun, and instantly rung the bell which
communicated to the kitchen, but re-
ceived no answer. On this she awoke
her cousin and sisters, and the female
servants, and they went down stairs,
and found the kitchen door fast ; they
knocked, but receiving no answer, they
at length broke it open, and found the
man-servant lying dead by the window.
On further inspection, it appeared
that the house had been attempted by
robbers, who had, by great force, with
an iron crow, pulled down the window
shutters, and afterwards taken out a
pane of glass, which lay on the ground
unbroken. It is supposed that they
were at this time heard by the foot-
man, who, in opposing their entrance,
was fired upon, and killed on the spot ;
the musket was taken away by the
robbers, but found the next morning
in a field adjoining the house. It was
in a foul state, as if recently fired ;
but we understand one of the female
servants says, that the deceased waa
not able to load it the preceding night
for want of powder, which he did not
discover until after he had discharged
it as usual. The man servant's livery
coat was also found outside the house
next morning.

9th. — State op the King's
He \ LTH. — On Sunday the following
bulletin was exhibited at St James's
Palace : —

" Windsor Castle December 4, 1813.

" The King's disorder continues

undiminished, but his majesty's bodily

health is good, and he has passed the

last month in tranquillity and comfort,

(Signed as usual.)

clit

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S. [Dec. 9.

Canine Madness. — The following
melancholy case of this most dreadful
malady occurred in Newcastle lately.
James Sharp, glassman, son of Alex-
ander Sharp, of Queen-street, com-
plained of being unwell, on Wednes-
day se'ennight, in the morning, after
returning from his work at the Nor-
thumberland Glass-house : he said he
had been vomiting throughout the
whole pre vious night while at work. On
Thursday he was much worse, when
an emetic was procured for him, but
he could not bear the sight of it when
made into a liquid. On Friday, a me-
dical man was brought to see him,
who, after examining him, and trying
the effect the sight of water produced
on him, gave it as his opinion that it
was a case of hydrophobia. Enquiry
was then made whether he had ever
been bitten by a dog, but his parents
were ignorant of such a circumstance ;
the young man was then asked, when
he said that a pup of his had bit his
thumb three weeks ago, and that the
dog died soon after. A powder was
now given him, which he swallowed
with closed eyes, and the greatest agi-
tation, not being able to bear the sight
of the water in which it was mixed.
The case arrested the attention of se-
veral of the faculty. In the afternoon
of Friday he was bled in both arms,
and iu the temple, not to hasten his
death, as the ignorant are currently
reporting, but as the only means likely
to lead to a recovery. It had not,
however, the desired effect, for from
that time he continued excessively ill
till about half past three o'clock on
Saturday morning, having only about
ten minutes respite between each pa-
roxym. A few minutes before ex-
piring, he expressed a wish for a drink
of 'warm water : about two tea-cupfuls
were given him, when he appeared
something easier. Shortly after he
had a desire to make water ; he v/as ta-
ken up for that purpose, but no sooner
did his feet touch the ground, than

he threw himself back in his father's
and uncle's arms, and expired without
a groan. — The deceased was Iti years
of age.

. Petershiirghy October 19-
Gexeral More a u. — The body
of General Moreau, which was carried
to Russia by order of his Majesty the
Emperor, arrived in this capital on the
night of the 30th of Sept It was re-
ceived in the Catholic church, and was
laid in state during one day, on a mag-
nificent bier ; a monument destined to
recal the sad image of the hero whom
France and Europe have for ever lost.
The solemn service, to which the
sound of mournful music added yet a
more majestic and affecting character,
was performed by his Eminence the ,,
Metropolitan Archbishop of Mohilef, i
and followed by a funeral oration, in ^
which the orator, after having sketch-
ed a slight portrait of the military ex-
ploits which have assured to General
Moreau a distinguished rank among
captains, and the recollection of which
wnll be perpetuated in history, spoke
of the moral qualities of his hero, of
his disinterestedness, bis beneficence, of
his moderation and his greatness of soul.
His mortal remains were deposited in
a vault previously prepared in the
body of the church. All the principal
nobility in the empire were present at
theceremony, and the troops, ranged in
lines, performed, by several dischargei
of musquetry, the last honours due to
the rank of the departed general,

GibralUiry October 28.
A malignant fever has, for the last
fortnight, raged with great violence ;
the streets are deserted, and scarcely
a family in the garrison but have had
their part of the misery. All mercan-
tile business is at a stand, and the re-»
mainder of the military who have not
experienced the fever, ako the women
and children belonging to the military,
are encamped. Amongst the deaths
greatly regretted are those cf Colonel

Dec. 24.1

CHRONICLE,

<if

Rudyerd, engineers, leaving a widow
and seven children ; the young and
amiable Mrs Grant Symth, and her
brother, Lieutenant Holloway, oT the
artillery, both children of Sir C. Hol-
loway ; Dr and Mrs Waters, buried
in one grave ; Mr Sheppard, Assis-
tant Commissary ; Captain Douse, ar-
tillery, lately married ; Mr Bowyer,
a merchant, and others.

23d. — Roxburgh Cause. — This
important and long-depending cause
is at length decided. — The Lord
Chancellor, on Friday, entered into a
discussion on it and the Queensberry
Cause together. The grounds and
principles of the two cases, he argued,
were the same ; and the result of the
most deliberate consideration he could
give, was in favour of the decision of
the Court of Session, viz. that the
feus were bad. His Lordship conclu-
ded by moving that the judgment of
the decision of the Court of Session,
in the case of the Dukeof Queesnberry,
or the Earl of Wemyes, be affirm-
ed.— Ordered accordingly.

His Lordship then delivered his
opinion at considerable length upon
the Roxburgh case ; and upon all the
circumstances, he conceived that the
feus were bad — He was extremely
«orry for the party. This power of
feuing was a power given to be exer-
cised for the benefit of the heir of
tailzie without any doubt ; but in the
way it was now attempted to be exer-
cised, it would have just the contrary
effect. It was evident, from all the
deeds and transactions attending these
feus also, that the Duke himself knew
that these feus were not legally grant-
ed. He had examined, he said, the
cases both in Scots and English law,
in order to be more able to decide this
mostimportantcase, and he had regard-
ed it with an anxiety which he never
felt before in the whole course of his
judicial business. With regard to the
fcu8 of Fleurs and Broxmouth, no

doubt had been entertained that they
were bad, because by the law of Scot-
land no mansion-house was allowed to
be feud. Upon the rest of the feu»
he considered they were equally bad;
some of the judges had indeed said
that half were bad only, and some a
fourth, but he could perceive no feu
better than another. Why, therefore,
he was to take the 11th feu rather
than the lOth he could not see ; the
whole were made on the same day, and
he considered that they must either
stand or fall together. For these rea-
sons he considered that they were all
bad. He should, therefore, (he con-
tinued) on the following day, give
final judgment for affirming the
interlocutor of the Court of Session,
On Saturday, accordingly, his Lord-
ship moved finally to affirm the inter-
locutors of the Court of Session, find-
ing that, first, the feus were not con-
sistent with the deed of 1643 — 2dly,
That they must all stand or fall to»
gether — and, Sdly, That they were
an alteration of the order of succes-
sion— Ordered.

On Friday night last, a melancholy
accident happened alongside the St
George prison-ship, at Plymouth. A
launch belonging to one of the trans-
ports lately arrived in Hamoaze from
Spain, with French soldiers, was sent
to the above ship with the prisoners,
when, in consequence of a heavy swell,
the boat swamped alongside, and nine
of the unfortunate captives were drown-
ed. The remainder were saved. — Thi»
loss, added to that of the unfortunate
passengers on board t!f^ hoy lost in
Plymouth Sound on the preceding
Wednesday night, makes an aggregate
of 45 persons drowned in that port in
four days.

24th. — Melancholy Accident
AT Bath. — Wednesday last proved
one of the most suddenly severe frosts
ever remembered at Bath ; the mercu-
ry, in Fahrenheit's thermometer, ha-

clvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S. [Dec. 24,

ving sunk so low as J 6. The Kennet
and Avon Canal, near the city, soon
became frozen over, and on that day
several skaiters ventured on the sur-
face of the basin ; and, vre are sorry
to etate, that three lives were unhap-
pily sacrificed to this temerity. A son
ofG'-'neralSirW.Cunningham,ayoung
gentleman who had just finished his
education, and was on the point of ac-
cepting a desirable situation in the East
India service ; a son of Dr Briggs, of
Worcester, who was on a visit at Sir
Wilham's; and Felix Mogg (an ap-
prentice of Mr Harrison, of Union-
passage i, son of Mogg, Esq. of

Wincanton. The youngest of the
three, Master Briggs, fell in first, and
his companion, in endeavouring to res-
cue hjm, shared the same fate. Anx-
ious to render assistance to the unfor-
tunate young gentlemen, the third
youth habtened to the fatal spot — the
fragile substance again gave way,
and he also sunk, never again to rise
alive ! — Thus have three families been
jplunged into the deepest affliction by
this deplorable accident.

Surrey Assize Court, Jamaica,
Thursday, Sept. 16, 1813.--TRiAr.
OF J.M.Landgrafffor Muuder. —
The prisoner, John Landgraff, was ar-
raigned on an indictment for shooting,
on the morning of the 26th of June,
Serjeant Patrick Coady, of the 6th
battalion 60th foot, in the barracks of
Port Antonio. By the direction of the
learned judge, the prisoner pleaded Not
Guilty. Lieutenant Goldsmith, Cor-
poral Paterson, and a female negro,
were the principal witnesses. They
deposed, that the prisoner and Ser-
jeant Coady were in a room together :
that the latter was cleaning his accou-
trements, and talking at the same time
to the girl, when the prisoner walked
deliberately towards him, put the muz-
zle of the musket to his back, and shot
him dead. So far as they had noticed,
there had been no quarrel nor any an-

gry words passed between the parties.
The prisoner did not deny having com-
mitted the deed, but calmly said, when
taken into custody, " I am the man
who shot him. — I had no other means .
to preserve my life." — They examined
the musket, and found it wet and
warm, as if recently discharged.

Dr Walker, surgeon to the 60th,
deposed, that he had examined the
wound, and had no doubt that it was
the cause of Coady's death.

The prisoner, when called on for his
defence, requested permission to read a
paper which he held in his hand.—
In substance it was to the following ef-
fect :— .

" That he was by birth a Dane ; but that
he had been many years in his Britannic
Majesty's service. That he had a sincere
regard for the deceased, with whom he had
for nearly a twelvemonth lived in habits
of unreserved intimacy and friendship.
They had never quarrelled, never disputed,
and their mutual attachment, instead of ex-
periencing any diminution, seemed every
day to increase, and to resolve itself into
a most brotherly affection. Unfortunately,
about three weeks ago, his nocturnal slum-
bers began to be disturbed by visions and
dreams. The former represented that a
great danger impended over him, and in
the latter it was clearly shewn that it would ^

spring from one that was dearest to him.
He regarded neither, but he was still trou-
bled by them. He tooli the resolution to
unbosom himself to Coady, who, after hear-
ing all he had to say, treated the subject
very lightly. A few nights after, he was
warned by the same vision, that the danger
approximated; that it threatened his
existence, not only in this world, hut his
salvation m the world to come ; and that
it could be averted only by great resolution.
His fears became roused. He supplicated
to be informed in what manner he should

act.

He was given to understand, that

that would be revealed hereafter in dreams.
Accordingly he did not cease to be favoured
with them, and learned that his dan-ers
sprung from Coady, His mind became
in consequence steeled against his friend.
He brooded over the necessity ofpuning
him to death, that he might not lose bis

Die. Sl.l

CHRONICLE.

clvii

hopes of eternal salvation, which his sense
of reli.:ii(m reiiclertd peculiarly dreadful
and afflicting to his mind. He at length
determined on sacrificing his friend. On
the morning of the .'6th of June, he rose
with that drea.lful purpose labouring in his
breast. He loaded his /nusket, and came
unawares l>ehmd Coady and shot him.
The jur\ found him guilty. As there were
no other proofs of insanity, he was execu-
ted.

AGRICULTURAL REPORTS.

England, — The weather during
this month has been highly favourable
for the young wheats : the early-sown
have put forth a strong plant, forming
a verdant mat to protect the tender
fibres, from the winter's frost. The
lattersownbreadths have scarcely made
their appearance above the surface of
the soil ; and, from the dirty way in
which the seed was put into th.- earth,
in consequence of the extreme Wet
weather, biit little can be said of that
crop which does not appear. The
wheat of last harvest yields most a-
bundantly to the acre, and the quality-
is fine.

Barleys have come freely to the
market since the cattle have returned
to the straw.yard. Threshing-machines,
in some districts, are getting into dis-
repute, on account of their not thresh-
ing barley with the same facility they
do sheaf-corn, and from the large quan-
tity of corn they throw out with the
straw.

Oats and peas are very productive,
and of fine quahty.

All the soiling crops look well ; and
the whole of the brassica tribe, from
the late growing weather, are of large
size and fine quality.

Ditching and draining havebeen the
principal out-door work of the last
month, in consequence of the short du-
ration of the frost. The fall in the
price of corn has not much impe-
ded the efforts of the farmer in this im-

portant branch of agriculture, in those
counties where it is p'-operly apprecia-
ted. There has been a greater number
of draining tiles sold this winter than
in any preceding year. This is a most
valuable acquisition in those tena.ious
districts where stone cannot be procu-
red.

Scotland. — The ploughing in sun-
dry instances commenced about the be-
ginningof themonth, and someprogress
was made upon wettish ground, for a
crop of oats, and also upon land intend-
ed for turnips and potatoes next sea-
son. The rain, however, the snow,
and the frost, that followed each other
in quick sucsession,soon suspended these
operations, and the husbandmen had
leisure to attend to the disposal of their
cattle. There are a very full stock
of cattle in thecountry, many of which,
on account of the high price of butch-
er meat, are stalled, to be fattened ;
and, as the turnip crops are abundant,
this will be easily effected. Cheese
and butter are also still in request, and
the prices high. But now, that grain
has fallen so much, the dearth of any
tiling that borders upon luxury ought
not to occasion either murmuring or
discontent.

By the serene mild weather in sum-
mer and autumn, the sheep in the hill
part of the district are said to be in
excellent condition. They are gene-
rally smeared with a compound of tar,
and the oil of butter, in the month of
November, which occasions much hur-
ry and bustle among the store-masters
and their herdsmen. — Much emulation
and professional dexterity are displayed
in the business. It consists in making
an opening, or shed in the wool from
the head to the heel, without too much
rufling or hurting the beast, and then
in spreading the ointment or tar equ-
ally in alternate sheds all around. The
rise in the value of the store-masters
stock, which has taken place without
any exertion of their own enables them

cItHi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. [Dec. 31.

to vie in opulence and stile with th
most active corn-farmer.

FAiHiioss.—— Promenade or Car-
rin^e Costume, — This dress, when di-
vested of the spencer, or jacket, exhi-
bits the evening or opera costume,
whicli consists of a round robe of ma-
rone or crimsoii-coloured Merino ker-
seymere, or queen's cloth, ornamented
round the bottom and up the front
vith a fancy gold embroidered border.
The bodice is composed of satin, or
velvet, of the same colour, trimmed
round the bottom and sleeves with
gold braid and narrow swans-down ;
the front of the bodice richly orna-
mented with gold and pearl buttons.
A gold band and pearl or diamond
clasp confine the bottom of the waist,
\7ith a gold frog pending on each side,
inclining towards the back of the fi-
gure. The robe is laceJ behind with
gold cord. Hair disposed in dishevel-
led curls, falling on the left side,
and decorated «with clusters of varie-
gated autumnal flowers. Necklace
composed of a treble row of pearl,
vrhite cornelian, or the satin bead.
Confined in front with a diamond clasp.
Ear-r:ngs and bracelets to correspond.
Slippers of crimson velvet, ornament-
ed with gold fringe and rosettes.
White kid gloves, below the elbow,
pan of richly frosted silver crape.

The great convenience and novel
attraction of this dress consist in its
admitting of a spencer of the same ma-
terial as the robe, which is richly orna-
mented, a la militairey with gold braid
and netting buttons, forming a sort of
epaulette on the shoulders. The spen-
cer is embroidered up the seams of the
back, on the shoulders and cuffs, to
correspond with tke bottom of the

robe. This spencer, when worn over
the evening dress, affords? at once both
comfort and utility ; and, with the ad-
dition of a straw or velvet hat, orna-
mented with feathers, and half boots
or Roman shoes, constitute a most at-
tractive and appropriate carriage or
promenade costume.

The Walking Costume. — High dress-
es of cloth, with a cloak to corre-
spond, are at present in high estima-
tion. A small turned-up cloth hat,
simply ornamented with a satin ribband
to correspond in colour with the cloth,
and put on over a lace cap, which is
ornamented with a full puffing in front,
is worn with a mantle.

The Kutusoff mantle is the decided
favourite of our most elegant belles ;
it is made in general of pink, scarlet,
or ruby cloth. — Princess Mary's hat
is most generally worn with this man-
tilla, and is either pink or white satin.

Morning dresses are now more ge-
neral in cloth than in any thing else.

For dinner dresses, velvet cloth, and
twilled sarsnet frocks, are universal ;
waists are, as in half dress, very short,
and the sleeves of dinner dresses are
also vyorn much shorter than they
were.

In full dress, white satin or velvet
is universal. — The most elegant that
we have seen was one composed of
purple velvet ; it was a frock ; the
body and sleeves were slashed with
white satin, and the edge of each slash
ornamented with a very light, narrow,
and beautiful silver fringe. White sa-
tin frocks, richly embroidered, either
in silver .or coloured silks, are much in
favour ; as are also draperies compo-
sed of either white lace or crape em-
broidered to correspond.

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

Admiralty Office ^ Jpril 20, 1813.

Letters have been received at this
ojBice from Rear Admiral Dixon, ad-
dressed to John Wilson Croker, Esq.
by Lieut. Chads, late first lieutenant
of his Majesty's ship Java : —

United States Frigate Constitution,
of St Salvador, Dec, 31, 1812.

Sir,
It is with deep regret that I write
you, for the information of the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, that
his Majesty's ship Java is no more,
after sustaining an action on the 29th
instant, for several hours, vrith the
American frigate Constitution, which
resulted in the capture and ultimate
destruction of his Majesty's ship.
Captain Lambert being dangerously
wounded in the height of the action,
the melancholy task of writing the
detail devolves on me.

On the morning of the 29th inst.
at eight a. m. off St. Salvador (coast
of Brazil), the wind at N. E. we per.
ceived a strange sail ; made all sail in
chase, and soon made her out to be a
large frigate ; at noon prepared for
action, the chase not answering our
private signals, and tacking towards
us under easy sail ; when about four
miles distant she made a signal, and

VOL. VI. PART. II.

immediately tacked and made all sai
away upon the wind. We soon found
we had the advantage of her in sailing,
and came up with her fast, when she
hoisted American colours ; she then
bore about three points on our lee-
bow. At fifty minutes past one, p. m.
the enemy shortened sail, upon which
we bore down upon her ; at ten minutes
past two, when about half a mile dis-
tant, she opened her fire, giving us a
larboard broadside, which was not re-
turned till we were close on her
weather-bow. Both ships now ma-
noeuvred to obtain advantageous posi-
tions, our opponent evidently avoid-
ing close action, and firing high to
disable our masts, in which he suc-
ceeded too well, having shot away the
head of our bowsprit with the jib-
boom, and our running rigging so
much cut as to prevent our preserving
the weather-gage.

At five minutes past three, finding
the enemy's raking fire extremely
heavy. Captain Lambert ordered the
ship to be laid on board, in which we
should have succeeded, had not our
fore-mast been shot away at this mo-
ment, the remains of our bowsprit
passing over his taffrail ; shortly after
this the maintopmast went, leaving
the ship totally unmanageable, with

cixii

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

most of our starboard guns rendered
useless from the wreck lying over
them.

At half past three our gallant cap-
tain received a dangerous wound in
the breast, and was carried below ;
from this time we could not fire more
than two or three guns until a quarter
past four, when ourmizen mast was shot
away ; the ship then fell off a little, and
brought many of our starboard guns
to bear : the enemy's rigging was so
much cut that he could not now avoid
shooting a-head, which brought us
fairly broadside and broadside. Our
main- yard now went in the slings, both
ships continued engaged in this man-
lier till 35 minutes past four, we fre-
quently on fire in consequence of the
wreck lying on the t-ide engaged. Our
opponent now made sail a-head out of
gun shot, where he remained an hour
repairing his damages, leaving us an
■Unmanageable wreck, with only the
main-mast left, and that tottering.
Every exertion was made by us during
this interval to place the ship in a state
to renew the action. We succeeded in
clearing- the wreck of our masts from
Our guns, a sail was set on the stumps
of the fore mast and bowsprit, the
weather half of the main-yard remain-
ing aloft, the main tack was got for-
ward in the hope of getting the ship
before the wind, our helni being still
perfect ; the effort unfortunately pro-
ved ineffectual, from the main mast
falling over the side, from the heavy-
rolling of the ship, which nearly cover-
ed the whole of our starboard guns.
We still waited the attack of the ene-
my, he now standing towards us for
that purpose ; on his coming nearly
within hail of us, and from his ma-
tioeuvre perceiving he intended a posi-
tion a-head, where he could rake us
without a possibility of our returning
a shot, I then consulted the officers,
who agreed with myself that our ha-
ving a great part of our crew killed

and wounded, our bowsprit and three
masts gone, several guns useless, we
should not be justified in wasting the
lives of more of those remaining, who
I hope their lordships and the country-
will think have bravely defended his
Majesty's ship. Under these circum-
stances, however reluctantly, at 50 mi-
nutes past five, our colours were lowered
from the slump of the mizen mast, and
we were taken possession of, a Httle
after six, by the American frigate Con-
sti'Utiori, commanded by Commo ore
Bainbridge, who, immediately after as-
certaining the state of the ship, resol-
ved on burning her, which we had the
satisfaction of seeing done as soon as
the wounded were removed. Annexed
I send you a return of the killed and
wounded, and it is with pain 1 perceive
it so numerous ; also a statement of
the comparative force of the two ships,
when 1 hope their lordships will not
think the British flag tarnished, al-
though success has not attended us.
It would be presumptuous in me to
speak of Captain Lambert's merits,
who, though still in danger from his
wound, we entertain the greatest hopes
of his being restored to the service
and his country.

It is most gratifying to my feelings
to notice the gallantry of every officer,
seaman, and marine on board : in jus-
tice to the officers, I beg leave to men-
tion them individually. 1 can never
speak too highly of the able exertions
of Lieutenants Hevringham and Bu-
chanan, and also of Mr Robinson,
master, who was severely wounded,
and Lieutenants Mercer and Davis, of
the royal marines, the latter of whom ^
also was severely wounded. To Cap- I
tain John Marshall, R. N. who was a <
passenger, I am particularly obliged
for his exertions and advice through-
out the action. To Lieutenant Aplin^
who v^as on the main deck, and Lieu-
tenant Saunders, who commanded on
the forecastle, I also return my thanks.

APPENDIX I—GAZETTES.

(^liii

I fcannot but notice the gooj conduct
of the mates and midshipmen, many of
whom are killed, and the greater part
wounded. To Mr T C. Jones, sur-
geon, and his assistants, every praise is
due, for their unwearied assiduity in
the care of the wounded. Lieutenant
Gen. Hislop, Major Walker, and Cap-
tain Wood, of his staff, the latter of
whom was severely wounded, were
solicitous to assist and remain on the
quarter deck. I cannot conclude this
letter, without expressing my grateful
acknowledgments, thus publicly, for
the generous treatment Captain Lam-
bert and his officers have experienced
from our gallant enemy Commodore
Bainbridge, and his officers.

I have the honour to be, &c.

H. D. Chads, First Lieu-
tenant of his Majesty's
late ship Java.

P. S. The Constitution has also
fcuffered severely both in her rigging
and men, having her fore and mizen-
oasts, main-top-mast, both main top
sail-yards, spanker boom, gaff, and
try-sail mast badly shot, and the great-
est part of the standing rigging very
much damaged, with ten men killed,
the commodore, fifth lieutenant, and
4- > men, wounded, four of whom aic
since dead.

Force of the tivo Ships*

JAVA.

28 long 18 pounders.
16 carronades, 32 pounders.
2 long 9-pounders,

4^6 guns.

Weight of metal, 10«4lb.

Ship's company aud supernume-
raries, 377.

CONSTITUTION.

32 long 24-pounders.
22 carronades, 32-pounderi.
1 carronadc, 18-pounder.

55 gUBS.

Weight of metal, 1490.
Crew, 480.

Dotvning Street, March 3, 1813.

Dispatches, of which the following
are copies, were this day received by
Earl Bathurst, one of his Majesty's
principal secretaries of State, from
Lieutenant General Sir George Pre*
vost, Bart. Governor-general and Com-
mander in-chief of the forces in North-
America :

' Head quarters, Chambly^
Nov 21, 1812.
My Lord,- — I have the honour to
acquaint your lordship, that the efforts
of the enemy at Sackett's harbour, on
Lake Ontario, enabled them to send
out, on the 10th instant, seven sail of
armed vessels, manned by the crew of
one of the American frigates, and com-
manded by some of their naval officers,
having on board a considerable de-
tachment of troops, for the purpose
of carrying the port of Kingston by
surprise, and of destroyinghis Majesty's
ship Royal George, then lying there,
I have much satisfaction in reporting
to your lord-hip, that the vigilance and
mihtary skill of Colonel Vmcent, who
is in command at Kingston, frustrated
their designs ; and after many hours
of ineffectual cannonade, the American
flotilla hauled off, and on the follow-
ing day returned into port. I hav«
also the honour to report to your lord-
ship, that, having received information
of the advance of the enemy with their
whole force of regulars and militia en-
camped at Plattsburgh, from that place
to the village at Champlain, about six
miles from the province line, with the
avowed purpose of penetrating into this
frontier, I directed the brigade of
troops at Montreal, consisting of two
companies of the Royals, 7 companies
ef the Sth or King's, 4 companiefi of

clxi^

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

the Montreal volunteer militia, and the
5th battalion of the embodied Cana-
dian militia, with one troop of volun-
teer cavalry, and a brigade of light ar-
tillery, the whole under the command
of Colonel Baynes, to cross the St
Lawrence, and advance to the support
of Major-general De Rottenburgh,
whose front was threatened by this
movement of the enemy : the troops
crossed with uncommon expedition on
the evening of Thursday last, the 1 9th
inst. and reached La Prairie that
night.

I am happy to inform your lord-
ship, that immediately upon the alarm
being given that the enemy were ad-
vancing, the sedentary militia flocked
in from all quarters with a zeal and ala-
crity which I cannot too much praise,
and which assures me that I shall de-
rive essential assistance from them when
the occasion shall require it. The ene-
my, since the advance to Champlain,
have made several reconnoissances be-
yond the lines into the province ; one
in particular, on the night of the 19th
with a detachment of cavalry, and a
body of about 1000 of their regular in-
fantry, the whole under the command
of Lieut-Col. Pike, who is esteemed in
the United States an able officer ; but
falling in unexpectedly with a small
party of Voyageurs and Indians, one
of our advanced pickets, by whom they
were fired upon, they were thrown in-
to the greatest confusion, and com-
menced a fire upon each other, which
was attended with a loss of about 50
of their men in killed and wounded,
when they dispersed. Our picket
made good their retreat unmolested,
and without a man being hurt ; by se-
veral deserters, who have since come
in to us, and some of whom were of
the reconnoitering party, we have as-
certained their loss, and that but a small
proportion of the militia accompanied
them that night to the lines ; the

others having wavered respecting ad-
vancing beyond them.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) George pRLVOSt.
Earl Bathurst, &c.

Head-quarters La Prairiei Nov. 28.

My Lord, — Since my last report to
your lordship from Chambly, the vi-
gour of the enemy's operations against
Lower Canada has gradually declined,
and terminated on the 22d, at noon, in
a complete retreat, which was effected
in two divisions on that and the fol-
lowing days upon Plattsburgh, Bur-
lington, and Albany ; at which places,
I am informed, they propose to take
up their winter-quarters. 1 beg leave
to transmit to your lordship copies of
the general orders I have issued to the
mihtia of Lower Canada upon this oc-
casion, as I cannot more properly bring
their active loyalty and their desire to
maintain the rights of their Sovereign
before your lordship, for the consider-
ation of his Royal HighHess the Prince
Regent.

I have the honour to be, &c.

Geokge Prevost,

Earl Bathurst, &c.

Dotuning'Strecty April 22.
A dispatch, of which the following
is a copy, was this day received by the
Earl Bathurst, one of his Majesty's
Principal Secretaries of State, from
Lieutenant-general Sir George Pre-
vost, Bart, governor-general and com-
mander-in-chief of the forces in North
America : —

Quehec, Feb. 8, 1813.
My Lord, — I have the honour to
congratulate your lordship upon the
signal success which has again attend-
ed his majesty's arms in Upper Ca-
nada. Brigadier-general Winchester,
with a division of the forces of the
United States, consisting, of upwards

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

clxv

of /1 100 men, being the right wing
of Major-General Harrison's army,
thrown in advance, marching to the
attack of Detroit, was completely de-
feated on the 22d of January last, by
Colonel Proctor, commanding in the
Michigan territory, with a force which
he had hastily collected upon the ap-
proach of the enemy, consisting of a
fimall detachment of the 10th royal
veteran battalion, threa companies of
the 41st regiment, a party of the royal
Newfojmdland fencibles, the sailors
belonging to the Queen Charlotte,
and 150 of the Essex militia, not ex-
ceeding 500 regulars and militia, and
about 600 Indians ; the result of the
action has been the surrender of Bri-
gadier-General Winchester, with 500
officers, non-commissionedofficers, and
privates of the American army, and
with a loss on their part of nearly the
like number in killed and wounded.
For the details of this affair, which
reflects the highest credit upon Col.
Proctor for tUe promptitude, gallant-
ry, and decision, which he has mani-
fested upon this occasion, I beg leave
to refer your lordship to his letter to
Major-Gen. Sheaffe, herewith trans-
mitted. I have also the honour of
transmitting to your lordship, returns
of the killed and wounded on our part,
and of the prisoners taken from the
enemy, the latter of which, your lord-
ship will not fail to observe, more than
exceeded the whole of the regular and
mihtia force which Colonel Proctor
had to oppose to them. Major-Gen.
Harrison, with the main body of his
army, consisting of about 2000 men,
was reported to be four or five days*
march distant from Brigadier- General
Winchester's division, advancing in
the direction of Detroit. I think it
not improbable, that, upon hearing of
the disaster of this division, and the
loss of his supplies, he may commence
his retreat : but should he persevere
in his endeavours to penetrate farther

into the Michigan territory, I feel the
fullest confidence in the skill and
bravery of Colonel Proctor, and the
troops under his command, for an ef-
fectual resistance to every attempt of
the enemy in that quarter. A small-
detachment from the royal artillery at
Fort George, with the light infantry-
company of the 41st regiment, have
marched to reinforce Detroit ; they
are to be re-placed on the Niagara
frontier, by troops now in motion
from Montreal.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) Geor-ge Prevost.
To the Right Hon. EarlBathurst, &c.

Sandmch, Jan. 25th.
Sir, — In my last dispatch I ac-
quainted you, that the enemy was in
the Michigan territory, marching up-
on Detroit, and that I therefore deem-
ed it necessary that he should be at-
tacked without delay, with all and
every description of force within my
reach. Early in the morning of the
19th I was informed of his being in
possession of Frenchtown, on the river
Raisin, 26 miles from Detroit, after
experiencing every resistance that Ma-
jor Reynolds of the Essex militia had
it in his power to make, with a 3-poun-
der well served and directed by Bom-
bardier Kitson, of the royal artillery,
and the militia, three of whom he had
well trained to the use of it. The
retreat of the gun was covered by a
brave band of Indians, who made the
enemy pay dear for what he had ob-
tained. This party, composed of mi-
litia and Indians, with the gun," fell
back eighteen miles to Brown's town,
the settlement of the brave Wyandots,
where I directed my force to assemble.
On the 2 1st inst. I advanced twelve
miles to Swan Creek, from whence we
marched to the enemy, and attacked
him at break of day on the 22d inst. ;
and after suffering, for our numbers, a
considerable loss, the enemy's force

ckvi

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

posted in houses and enclosures, and
which, from dread of falling into the
hands of the Indians, they most obsti-
nately defended, at length surrendered
at discretion ; the other part of their
force, in attempting to retreat by the
way they came, were, T believe, all, or
with very few exceptions, killed by the
Indians. Brigadier-General Winches-
ter was taken in the pursuit by the
Wyandot chief, Roundhead, who af-
terwards surrendered him to me. You
will perceive that I have lost no time ;
indeed it was necessary to be prompt
in my movements, as the enemy would
have been joined by Major-General
Harrison in a few days. The troops,
the marine, and the militia, displayed
great bravery, and behaved uncom-
monly well. Where so much zeal and
spirit were manifested, it would be un-
just to attempt to particularize any ; I
cannot, however, refrain from mention-
ing Lieutenant-Col. St Georp^e, who
received four wounds in a gallant at-
tempt to occupy a building which was
favourably situated for annoying the
enemy ; together with Ensign Kerr,
of the Newfoundland regiment, who,
I fear, is very dangerously wounded.
The zeal and courage of the Indian de-
partment were never more conspicuous
than on this occasion^ and the Indian
warriors fought with their usual bra-
very. I am much indebted to the dif-
ferent departments, the troops having
been well Jnd timely supplied with
every requisite the district could af-
ford. I have fortunately not been de-
prived of the services of Lieutenant
Tro\ighton of the royal artillery, and
acting in the quarter- master general's
department, although he was wound-
ed, to whose zealous and unwearied
exertions I am greatly indebted, as
well as to the whole of the royal artil-
lery, for their con uct in this affair. I
enclose a list of the killed and wound-
ed, and cannot but lament that there
are so many of both ; but of the latter

I am happy to say a large proportion
will return to their duty, and most of
them in a short time 1 also enclose a
return of the arms and ammunition
which have been taken, as well as of
the prisoners, whom you will perceive
to be equal to my utmost force, exclu-
sive of the Indians. It is reported
that a party, consisting of 100 men,
bringing 500 hogs for General Win-
chester's f^rce, has been completely
cut off by the Indians, add the convoy
taken. Lieutenant M*Lean, my act-
ing brigade-major, whose gallantry
and exertions were conspicuous on the
22d instant, is the bearer of this dis-
patch, and will be able to afford yo*
every information respecting our situa-
tion.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) Henry Proctor,
Colonel commanding.
To Major- General SheafFe, &c,
&c. Fort George.

Return of Pri oners taJcen after the

action at Riviere au Raisin, on the

21d of January, 1813.

One brigadier general, 1 colonel, 1
major, 9 captains, 6 lieutenants, 10 en-
signs, 1 brigade-major, 1 adjutant, 1
quarter-master, 2 surgeons, 27 Ser-
jeants, 435 rank and file. — Total, 495.

N. B. The Indians have brought in
and delivered up several prisoners since
the above return was taken ; they con-
tinue to do so this morning, so that
this return is not perfectly correct,
nor can a correct one be procured im»
til they arrive at Sandwich.
(Signed) Felix Troughton, R. A.
Act. Deputy-Assistant-Quarter-
Master General.

Return of hilled and luounded in the
action at Riviere au Raisin, Jan*
'1% 1813.

Total — 1 Serjeant, 1 gunner, 21 pri-
vates, 1 seaman, killed ; 1 lieutenant-
colonel, 2 captains, 6 heutenants, 2 en-

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES,

dxvi]

signs, 1 midshipman, 6 Serjeants, 5 cor-
porals, 1 bombardier, 6 gunners, 116
privates, 12 seamen, wounded. — Ge-
neral Total— ^^ killed, 158 wounded.

J)<mning-9treet, May 15.

A dispatch, of which the folio vv^ing
is a copy, was this morning received
by Earl Bathurst, from Lieutenant-
Gcncral Sir John Murray, Bart :—

Head- quarters <t Castalla,
Aprili4^, ISIS.

My Lord, — I have the satisfaction
to inform your lordship, that the al-
lied army under my command defeat-
ed the enemy on the 18th instant,
commanded by Marshal Suchet in per-
son.

It appears that the French general
had, for the purpose of attacking this
army, fgr some time been employed in
collecting his whole disposable force.

His arrangements were completed
on the 10th, and in the morning of the
11th, he attacked and dislodged, with
some loss, a Spanish corps, posted by
General Elio, at Yecla, which threat-
ened his right, whilst it supported our
left flank.

In the evening he advanced in con-
siderable force to Villena, and I am
sorry to say, that he captured, on the
morning of the 12th, a Spanish garri-
son, which had been thrown into the
pa^tle by the Spanish general, for its
defence.

Ott the 12th, about noon. Marshal
Suchet began his attack on the ad-
yance of this army, posted at Biar, un-
der the command or Colonel Adam.

Cojonej Adam's orders were to fall
back upon Castalla, but to dispute the
passage with the enemy, which he did
with the utmost gallantry and skill
for five hours, though attacked by a
force infinitely supengr to that which
)ie commanded*

The enemy's advance occupied the
pass that evening, and Colonel Adam
took up the ground in our position
which had been allotted to him.

On the 13th, at noon, the enemy's
columns of attack Avere formed, com-
posed of three divisions of infantry, &
corps of cavalry of about 1600 men,
and a formidable train of artillery.

The position of the allied army was
extensive. The left was posted on a
strong range of hills, occupied by Ma-
jor General Whittingham's division of
Spanish troops, and the advance of the
allied army under Colonel Adam.

This range of hills terminates at
Castalla, which, and the ground to the
right, was occupied by Major- General
Mackenzie's division, and the 5Hth re-
giment, from that of Lieutenant- Gen,
Clinton.

The remainder of the position was
covered by a strong ravine, behind
which Lieutenant- General Clinton was
stationed, supported by three batta-
lions of General Roche's division, as a
column of reserve.

A few batteries had beep construct-
ed in this part of the line, and in front
of the castle of Castalla. The enemy
necessarily advanced on the left of the
position. The first movement he made
was to pass a strong body of cavalry
along the line, threatening our right,
which was refused Of this move-
ment no notice was taken ; the ground
to which he was ppinting is unfavour-
able to cavalry, aiid as this movement
was foreseen, the necessary precau-
tions had been taken : when this body
of cavalry had passed nearly the half
of our line of infantry. Marshal Su-
chet advanced his columns to the foot
of the hills, and certainly his troops,'
with a degree of gallantry that entitle^
them to the highest praise, stormed
the whole line, which is not less thaii
two miles and a half in extent. But
gallantly as the attack was made, the
defence of the heights was no less bril«.

clxviii

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

liant : at every point the enemy was
repulsed, at many with the bayonet.

He suffered a very severe loss ; our
gallant troops pursued him for some
distance, and drove him, after a severe
struggle, with precipitation on his bat-
talions of reserve upon the plain. The
cavalry, which had slowly advanced
along our right, gradually fell back to
the infantr)'. At present his superi-
ority in that arm enabled him to ven-
ture this movement, which otherwise
he should have severely repented.

Having united his shattered batta-
lions with those which he kept in re-
serve, Marshal Suchet took up position
in the valley ; but which it would not
have been creditable to allow him to
retain. I therefore decided on quit-
ting mine, still, however, retaining the
heights, and formed the allied army in
his front, covering my right flank with
the"*cavalry, whilst the left rested on
the hills. The army advanced in two
lines to attack him a considerable dis-
tance, but unfortunately Marshal Su-
chet did not choose to risk a second
action, with the defile in his rear.

The lines of the allies were scarcely
formed w hen he began his retreat, and
vre could efiFect nothing more than dri-
ving the French into the pass with de-
feat, which they had exultingly passed
in the morning. The action termina-
ted at dusk, with a distant but heavy
cannonade.

I am sorry to say that I have no
trophies to boast of. The enemy took
no guns to the heights, and he retired
too expeditiously to enable me to reach
him. Those which he used in the lat-
ter part of the day, were posted in the
gorge of the defile, and it would have
cost us the lives of many brave men to
take them.

In the dusk, the allied army return-
ed to its position at Castalla, after the
enemy had retired to Biar. From
thence he continued his retreat at mid-
night to Villena, which he quitted

again this morning in great haste, di-
recting his march upon Fuente de la
Higuera and Onteniente.

But although I have taken no can-
non from the enemy, in point of num-
bers his army is very considerably
crippled ; and the defeat of a French
army, which boasted it never had a
check, cannot fail, 1 should hope, in
producing a most favourable effect in
this part of the peninsula.

As I before mentioned to your lord-
ship. Marshal Suchet commanded in
person.

The Generals Harispe, Habert, and
Robert, commanded their respective
divisions. I hear from all quarters that
General Harispe is killed ; and I be-
lieve, from every account that 1 can
collect, that the loss of the enemy
amounts fully to 3000 men ; and he
admits 2,500. Upwards of 800 have
already been buried in front of only
one part of our line ; and we know
that he has carried off with him an im-
mense number of wounded.

We had no opportunity of making
prisoners, except such as were wound-
ed ; the numbers of which have not
reached me.

I am sure your lordship will hear
with much satisfaction, that this ac-
tion has not cost us the lives of many
of our comrades.

Deeply must be felt the loss, how-
ever trifling, of such brave and gallant
soldiers ; but we know it is inevitable,
and I can with truth affirm, that there
was not an officer or soldier engaged
who did not court the glorious termi-
nation of an honourable life, in the dis-
charge of his duty to big king and to
his country.

The gallant and judicious conduct
of those that were engaged, deprived
much more than half the army of sha-
ring in the perils and glory of the day :
but the steady countenance with which
the divisions of Generals Clinton and
Mackenzie remained for some hours

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

clxix

under a cannonade, and the eagerness
and alacrity with which the lines of at-
tack were formed, sufficiently proved
to me what I had to depend on from
them, had Marshal Sucbet awaited the
attack.

I trust your lordship will now per-
mit me to perform the most pleasing
part of my duty, that of humbly sub-
mitting, for his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent's approbation, the names
of those officers and corps which have
had the fortunate opportunity of dis-
tinguishing themselves, in as farat least
as has yet come to my knowledge.
£Here follow the names.]]

Kingstorii May 5, 1813.

Sir, — I did myself the honour of
writing to your excellency, on my
route from York, to communicate the
mortifying intelligence that the enemy
had obtained possession of that place
on the 27th of April. I shall now
give your excellency a farther detail of
that event.

In the evening of the 26th, infor-
mation was received that many vessels
had been seen to the eastward. Very
early the next morning they were dis-
covered lying-to, not far from the har-
bour ; after some time had elapsed
they made sail, and to the number of
sixteen, of various descriptions, an-
chored off the shore, some distance to
the westward. Boats full of troops
were immediately seen assembling near
the commodore's ship, under cover of
whose fire, and that of other vessels,
and aided by the wind, they soon ef-
fected a landmg, in spite of a spirited
opposition from Major Givens and
about forty Indians. A company of
Glengary light infantry, which had
been ordered to support them, was, by
some mistake, (not in the smallest de-
gree imputable to its commander) led
in another direction, and came late in-
to action. The other troops, consist-

ing of two companies of the 8th, or
king's regiment, and about a company
of the royal Newfoundland regiment
with some mihtia, encountered the
enemy in a thick wood. Captain
M*Neal, of the king's re^ment, wa»
killed while gallantly leadmg his com-
pany, which suffered severely. The
troops at length fell back ; they ralli-
ed several times, but could not main-
tain the contest against the greatly su-
perior and increasing numbers of the
enemy. They retired under cover
of our batteries, which were engaged
with some of the enemy's vessels that
had moved nigher to the harbour. By
some unfortunate accident the maga-
zine at the western battery blew up,
and killed and wounded a considerable
number of men, and crippled the bat-
tery.

It became too evident that our num-
bers and means of defence were inade-
quate to the task of maintaining pos-
session of York against the vast supe-
riority of force brought against it.
The troops were withdrawn towards
the town, and were finally ordered to
retreat on the road to Kingston : the
powder magazine was blown up, and
the new ship and the naval stores de-
stroyed. Lieut. -Colonel Chervett and
Major Allan of the militia, residents
in the town, were instructed to treat
with the American commanders for
terms : a statement of those agreed on
with Major-General Dearborn and
Commodore Chauncey, is transmitted
to your excellency, with returns of
the killed and wounded, &c. The
accounts of the number of the enemy
vary from 1890 to 3000. We had
about 600, including militia and dock-
yard men. The quality of these troops
was of so superior a description, and
their general disposition so good, that,
under less unfavourable circumstances,
I should have felt confident of success,
in spite of the disparity of numbers.

<:^xx

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

As it was, the contest, which com-
menced between six and seven o'clock,
was maintained nearly eight hours.

When we had proceeded some miles
from York, we met the light company
of the king's regiment, on its route
for Fort George : it retired with us,
and covered the retreat, which was
effected without molestation from the
cuemy. s

I have the honour to be, &c.
R. H, Sheaffe,
Major- General.
His Excellency Sir George
Prevost, &c.

Return of hilled, tuounded, prisoners,
and missing of the troops engaged
at York, under the command of Sir
Roger Hall Sheaffe, on the 27th of
jtipriL

Total. — 1 captain, 1 serjeant-major,
4 Serjeants, 1 drummer, 52 rank and
tile, ^ gunners, killed ; 1 ensign, 2
Serjeants, 1 drummer, 30 rank and
file, wounded ; 1 lieutenant, 4 Serjeants,
1 drummer, 36 rank and file, 1 driver,
wounded and prisoners ; 6 rank and
file, 1 bombardier, 3 gunners, prison-
ers ; 6 rank and file, 1 gunner, miss-
ing.

Terms of the capitulation entered into
the 21th of April, 18 ; S,for the sur-
render of the town of York, in Up-
per Canada, to the army and navy
•fthe United States, u aer the com^
onand of Major-General Dearborn^
and Commodore Chauncey.
That the troops, regular and mili'
tia, at this post, and the naval officers
and seamen, shall be surrendered pri
sonerg of war ; the troops, regular and
militia, to ground their arms immedi-
ately on the parade, and the naval offi-
cers and seamen be immediately sur-
rendered on the parade.

That all the public stores, naval and
military, shall be immediately given

up to the commanding officers of t^
army and navy of the United States.

That all private property shall be
guaranteed to the citizens of the town
of York.

That the papers belonging to the
civil officers shall be retained by them.

That such surgeons as may be pro-
cured to attend the wounded of the
British regulars and Canadian mifitia
shall not be considered as prisoners of
war.

That one lieutenant-colonel, one
major, thirteen captains, nine lieute-
nants, eleven ensigns, one quarter- mas-
ter, and one deputy-adjutant-general,
of the militia ; nineteen Serjeants, four
corporals, 204 rank and file ; of the
field train department, WiUiam Dun-
bar ; of the provincial army, one cap-
tain, one lieutenant, two midshipmen,
one clerk ; one boatswain, fifteen na-
val artificers ; of his majesty's regular
troops, one lieutenant, one serjeant-
major ; and of the royal artillery, one
bombardier, and three gunners, shall
be surrendered prisoners of war, and
accounted for in the exchange of pri-
soners between the United States and
Great Bntain.

Extract of a letter from Lieutenant'
General Sir George Prevost, dated
head quarters, Kingston, June ist,
1813.

Although, as your lordship will
perceive by the report of Colonel
Baynes, which I have the honour here-
with to transmit, the expedition has
not been attended with the complete
success which was expected from it, I
have great satisfaction in informing
your lordship, that the courage and
patience of the small band of troops
employed on this occasion, under cir-
cumstances of pecuhar hardship and
privation, have been exceeded only by
their intrepid conduct in the field, for-
cing a passage at the point of the baycj-

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

dxii

net, through a thickly wooded coun-
try, affording constant shelter and
strong positions to the enemy ; but
not a single spot of cleared ground
favourable to the operations of disci-
plined soldiers,

Kingston, May SO, 1813.

Sir, — I have the honour to report
to your excellency, that in conformity
to an arranged plan of operations with
Commodore Sir James Yeo, the fleet
of boats assembled astern of his ship
at ten o'clock on the night of the 28th
instant with the troops placed under
my command, and led by a gun-boat,
under the direction of Captain Mulcas-
ter, royal navy, proceeded towards
Sackett*s harbour, in the order pre-
scribed to the iroops, in case the de-
tachment was obliged to march in
column, viz, the grenadier company,
100th, with one section of the royal
Scots, two companies of the 8th, or
king's, four of the lO^th, two of the
Canadian voltigeurs, two six-pounders,
with their gunners, and a company of
Glengary light-infantry, were embark-
ed on board a light schooner, which
was proposed to be towed, under the
direction of officers of the navy, so as
to ensure the guns being landed in
time, to support the advance of the
troops. Although the night was dark,
with rain, the boats assembled in the
vicinity of Sackett*8 harbour, by one
o'clock, in compact and regular order,
and in this position it was intended to
remain until the day broke, in the hope
of effecting a landing before the enemy
could be prepared to line the woods
with troops, which surround the coast ;
but unfortunately a strong current
drifted the boats considerably, while
the darkness of the night, and igno-
rance of the coast, prevented them
from recovering the proper station,
until the day dawned, when the whole
pulled for the point of debarkation.

It was my intention to have landed

in the cove formed by the Horse la-
land, but on approaching it, we disco-
vered that the enemy were fully pre-
pared by a very heavy fire of musketry
from the surrounding woods, which
were filled with infantry, supported
with a field-piece. I directed the boati
to pull round to the other side of the
islands, wlie*^ a landing was effected
in good order and with little loss, al-
though executed in the face of a corp»
formed with a field-piece in the wood,
and under the enfilace of a heavy guti
of the enemy's principal battery. The
advance was led by the grenadiers of
the lOOth regiment with undaunted
gallantry, which no ■ obstacle could
arrest ; a narrow causeway, in many
places under water, not more than
four feet wide, and about four hundred
paces in length, which connected the
island with the main land, was occu-
pied by the enemy in great force with
a six-pounder. It was forced and
carried in the most spirited manner,
and the gun taken before a second
discharge could be made from it: a
tumbril, with a few rounds of ammu-
nition, was found ; but unfortunately
the artillerymen were still behind, the
schooner not having been able to get
up in time; and the troops were ex-
posed to so heavy and galling a fire
from a numerous but almost invisible
foe, as to render it impossible to halt
for the artillery to come up. At thif
spot two paths led in opposite direc-
tions round the hill. I directed Colo-
nel Young of the king's regiment,
with half of the detachment, to pene-
trate by the left, and Major Drum-
mond of the 104th, to force the patk
by the right, which proved to be more
open and was less occupied by the
enemy. On the left the wood was
very thick, and was most obstinately
maintained by the enemy.

The gun-boats which had covered
our landing, afforded material aid, by
firing into the woods ; but the Amen-.

clxxii

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

can soldier, secure behind a tree, was
only to be dislodged by the bayonet.
The spirited advaiice of a section pro-
duced the flight of hundreds — from
this observation all firing was directed
to cease, and the detachment being
formed in as regular order as the na-
ture of the ground would admit, push-
ed forward through the wood upon
the enemy, who, although greatly su-
perior in numbers, and supported by
field-pieces, and a heavy fire from their
fort, fled with precipitation to their
block-house and fort, abandoning one
of their guns. The division under
Colonel Young was joined in the charge
by that under Major Drummond,
which was executed with such spirit
and promptness, that many of the ene-
my fell in their enclosed barracks,
irhich were set on fire by our troops ;
at this point the further energies of the
troops became unavailing. Their block-
house and stockaded battery could not
be carried by assault, nor reduced by
field-pieces, had we been provided with
them : the fire of the gun-boats pro-
ved inefficient to attain that end —
light and adverse winds continued,
and our larger vessels were still far off.
The enemy turned the heavy ordnance
of the battery to the interior defence
of his post. He had set fire to the
store-houses in the vicinity of the fort.
Seeing no object within our reach
to attain that could aompensate for
the loss we were momentarily sustain-
ing from the heavy fire of the enemy's
cannon, I directed the troops to take
up the position on the crest of the hill
we had charged from. From this
position we were ordered to re-embark,
which was performed at our leisure,
and in perfect order, the enemy not
presuming to shew a single soldier
•without the limits of his fortress.
Your excellency having been a witness
of the zeal and ardent courage of every
soldier in the field, it is unnecessary in
me to assure your excellency that but

one sentiment animated every breast,
that of discharging to the utmost oJF
their power their duty to their king
and country : but one sentiment of
regret and mortification prevailed, on
bemg obliged to quit a beaten enemy,
whom a small band of British soldiers
had driven before them for three hours,
through a country abounding in strong
positions of defence, but not offering
a single spot of cleared ground favour-
able for the operations of disciplined
troops, without having fully accom-
plished the duty we were ordered to
perform.

The two divisions of the detach-
ment were ably commanded by Colo-
nel Young of the king's, and Major
Drummond of the 104;th. The de-
tachment of the king's, under Major
Evans, nobly sustained the high and
established character of that distin-
guished corps ; and Captain Burke
availed himself of the ample field af-
forded him in leading the advance, to
display the intrepidity of British gre-
nadiers. The detachment of the 104th
regiment, under Major Moodie, Cap-
tain M*Pherson's company of Glen-
gary light infantry, and two compa-
nies of Canadian voltigeurs, command-
ed by Major Hamot, all of them levies
of the British provinces of North
America, evinced most striking proofs
of their loyalty, steadiness, and cou-
rage. The detachment of the royal
Newfoundland regiment behaved with
great gallantry.

Your excellency will lament the loss
of that active and intelligent officer.
Captain Gray, acting deputy quarter-
master.general, who fell close to the
enemy's work, while reconnoitering it,
in the hope to discover some opening
to favour an assault.

Commodore Sir James Yeo conduct-
ed the fleet of boats in the attack, and,
accompanying the advance of the
troops, directed the operation of the
£^un-boats.

APPENDIX I.--GAZETTEJ5.

ckxiii

I feel most grateful for your excel-
lency's kind consideration, in allowing
your aides-de-camp, Majors Coore and
Fulton, to accompany me in the field ;
and to these officers for the able assist-
ance they afforded me.

T have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) Edward Baynes,

Colonel Glengarry light
infantry, commanding.
To his Excellency Lieut.-General
Sir GeorgQ Prevost, Bart. &c.

JRcturn of killed, 'wou?ided, and missing,
in an attack on Sackett^s harbour,
on the 29th of May,
Total — 1 general staff, 3 Serjeants,

44 rank and file, killed ; 3 majors, 3
captains, 5 lieutenants, 1 ensign, 7
Serjeants, 2 drummers, 172 rank and
file, 2 gunners, wounded ; 2 captains,
1 ensign, 13 rank and file, wounded
and missing.

Kingston, Upper Canada,
June 7th, 1813.
My Lord, — I have great satisfaction
in reporting to your lordship the result
of a gallant affair which took place
between the armed vessels of the ene-
my and our gun-boats, supported by
detachments from the garrison of Isle
Au Noix, on the 3d instant, in the
neighbourhood of that post, which
terminated in the capture of the ves-
sels Eagle and Growler, each mount-
ing eleven guns, with four officers and

45 men. This feat was performed un-
der the direction of Major Taylor, of
the lOOth regiment, who held the tem-
porary command at Isle au Noix, du-
ringVthe absence, on duty, of Lieut.-
Colonel Hamilton, and the detach-
ments were composed of the royal ar-
tillery, and 100th regiment.

The following officers are reported
to me as having distinguished them-
eelves, viz : — Captain Gordon, of the
artillery ; Lieutenant Williams, En-
signs Dawson, Gibbon, and Hum-

phreys, of the 100th regiment ; and
Lieutenant Lowe, of the marine.

In the contest, which was maintain-
ed for three hours and a half, we had
three men wounded ; the enemy lost
one man killed and eight wounded.
I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) George Prevost,
Right Honourable Earl Bathurst,
&c. &c. &c.

Isle au Noix, June 3, I81S.
Sir, — In the absence of Lieut.-Co-
lonel Hamilton, I have the honour tq
acquaint you, that one of the enemy'*
armed vessels was discerned from the
garrison at half past four o'clock thi*
morning, when I judged it expedient
to order the three gun-boats under
weigh, and before they reached the
point above the garrison, another ves-
sel appeared in sight, when the gun-
boats commenced firing. Observing
the vessels to be near enough the shore
for musketry, I ordered the crew of
two batteaux and two row-boat5f
(which I took with me from the gar-
rison to act according to circumstances)
to land on each side of the river, and
take a position to take the vessels ;
the firing was briskly kept up on both
sides, (the enemy with small arms and
grape-shot occasionally) : near the
close of the action an express came ofi
to me in a canoe, with intelligence
that more armed vessels were approach-
ing, and about 3000 men from the
enemy's lines, by land. On this in-
formation, I returned to put the gar-
rison in the best order for their recep-
tion, leaving directions with the gun-
boats and parties, not to suffer their
retreat to be cut off from it ; and be-
fore I reached the garrison, the ene-
my's vessels struck their colours, after
a well-contested action of three hours
and a half. They proved to be the
United States armed vessels Grov/ler
and Eagle, burthen from ninety to
one huncjjed tons, and carrying elevcB

^xjihf

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

guns each, between them, twelve,
eighteen, and sixteen-pounder carro-
tiades ; completely equipped, under the
orders of the eenior officer of the
Growler, Captain Sidney Smith, with
a complement of fifty men each. They
had one man killed and eight wound-
ed ; we had only three men wounded,
one of them severely, from the enemy *8
grape-shot on the parties on shore.
The alacrity of the garrison, on this
occasion, calls forth my warmest ap-
probation ; Ensigns Dawson, Gibbons,
and Humphreys, and acting Quarter-
master Pilkington, and crews, of the
100th (Prince Regent's) regiment,
and Lieutenant Low of the marine de-
partment, with three gunners of the
artillery to each boat, behaved with
the greatest gallantry ; and I am par-
ticularly indebted to Captain Gordon,
of the royal artillery, and Lieutenant
Williams, with the parties of the
100th regiment on shore, who mate-
rially contributed to the surrender of
the enemy. The Growler is arrived
at the garrison in good order, and ap-
parently a fine vessel, and the boats
are employed in getting off the Eagle,
which was run aground to preverit her
sinking. I have hopes she will be
saved, but in the mean time have had
her dismantled, her guns and stores
brought to the garrison. Ensign
Dawson, of the 100th regiment, a
most inteUigent officer, will have the
honour of delivering you this.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) George Taylor,

Major of the 100th regiment.
Major General Stoven, com-
manding at Chambly.

Number of men killed, wounded, and
prisoners, on board the United States
armed vessels the Growler and Eagle,
Junes, 1813.
One killed ; 8 severely wounded ;

91 prisoners. — Total 100.

Admiralty Office, June 15.

Copy of an enclosure to Vice- Admi-
ral Sir Edward Pellew, Bart.

His 'V/a esty*s ship Thames,
Ponza Harbour, Feb. 27t
LS13.

Sir, — Agreeable to your directions,
I embarked Lieutenant-Colonel Cof-
fin, and the 2d battalion of the lOth
regiment, on the 16th instant, and ar-
rived off Ponza on the 23d, the har-
bour of which is about a quarter of a
mile wide, with a mole at the extreme
end of it, defended by four batteries,
mounting ten 24* and 18-pounders, and
two nine-inch mortars.

Colonel Coffin and myself agreed,
that the shortest and surest road to
success, was by running both ships in-
to the mole, and carrying the place
by assault ; but the weather was un-
favourable for such an attack, until
the morning of the 26th, when the
ships bore up, in close order, with a
fine breeze.

The enemy were prepared for our
reception, and opened their fire nearly
halt an hour before our guns could
bear : the batteries were, however,
pas?ed with little injury, the ships en-
gaging on both sides, and the Thames
was anchored across the mole head, the
Furieuse bringing up a little astern of
her.

Colonel Coffin and the troops land-
ed the same instant, and pushed for
the height of a strong tower, into
which the enemy had r treated, and
their appearance, together with the
severe fire from the ships, induced the
governor to hoist a flag of truce, and
agree to the enclosed capitulation. [By
this capitulation, the garrison surren-
dered prisoners of war. j

I have much pleasure in informing
you, that this service has been perforni-
ed without the loss of a man in either
profession : our being hulled three
times, and Furieuse twice, sails and

APPENDIX r—GAZETTES.

qlxzf

rigging a good deal cut, is the only da-
mage suffered

The most perfect cordiality has sub-
sisted between the two services, and
I am much indebted to Capt. Moun-
sey for the excellent support he gave,
and his quickness in following our
motions ; and if the resistance had
been much greater, and another bat-
tery, (which was expected), I have
little doubt but we should have suc-
ceeded, particularly with such a storm-
ing party as Colonel Cashell's regi-
ment, and such a leader as Colonel
Coffin.

I have much reason to be satisfied
with my first lieutenant, Davies, offi-
cers, and ship's company ; their steady
conduct and excellent firing, accounts
for the smallness of our damage. Cap-
tain lounsey likewise speaks highly
of Lieutenant Croker, his officers and
crew ; Mr James Wilkinson, matr of
this ship, I attached to Colonel Cof-
fin ; and Mr Black, of the Furipuae,
I entrusted with the charge of the
landing.

Enclosed is a return of prisoners,
guns, &c., and I shall send a survey
of the island by the earliest opportu-
nity. I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) Charles NAriEfi,

Captain.
Sir Robert Laurie, Bart. Captain
of his Majesty's ship Ajax.

Supplement to the London Gazette,
June 3.

WAR DLPARTMENT.

Downing-street, June 5, 1813.
A dispatch, of which the following
is a coply, has been received by the
Earl Bathurst, one of his Majesty's
principal Secretaries of State, from
Lieutenant-General Right Hon. Lord
WiUiam Cavendish Bentinck, K. B.
his Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenipotentiary to the
Court of Sicily, and Commander of

his Majesty's military forces in the
Mediterranean.

Palermo, April 9, 1 8 1 3.
My Lord, — I have the honour t«
transmit to your lordship a report
from Lieutenant-Colonel RobertsoQ^
commanding at the island of Lissa,
stating to me the reduction of the
neighbouring islands of Agosta and
Curzola, by a detachment of the gar-
rison under his command.

1 have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) W. C. Bentinck>
Lieut. Gen.
The Earl Bathurst, &c.

Lissa, Feb. 23, 1815.
My Lord, — T hare the honour to
inform your lordship, that in conse-
quence of information having beea
received here, that several merchant
vessels bound to this island, had been
captured by a French privateer, and
carried into the island of Lagosta,
Admiral Freemantle and myself jud-
ged it expedient to lose no time in
putting an end to a system which was
likely to become very detrimental to
the prosperity of this island, and to
our commercial interests in generaL
For this purpose I embarked on board
his majesty's frigate Apollo, com-
manded by Capt. Taylor, on the 19thi
ultimo, with detachments from this
garrison amounting to about iiOO men,
including artillery, with two 6 pound-
ers, two howitzers, and two mountaia
guns. The troops, together with a
detachment of seamen and marines,
lapded on the island of Lagosta on the
2 1 St, and marched towards the prin-
cipal work, constructed by the enemy
for the defence of the island, from
whence the enemy opened a well-di-
rected fire of shot and shells. As the
work in question is situated on the
summit of a high conical hill, com-
manding the town, I found it n.-cei-

clxxvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

sary to take up a favourable position,
from whence I was enabled to forward
the preparations necessary for the re-
duction of the fort. During this in-
terval, Captahis May, 35th, and Ro-
nea, Calabrese Free corps, together
with Mr G» Bowen, first lieutenant of
his majesty's ship Apollo, with a par-
ty of forty men, succeeded in spiking
the guns of one of the enemy's lower
batteries, and in destroying a maga-
zine of provisions, both of which were
within musket-shot of the fort. On
this occasion a French serjeant of ar-
tillery and two soldiers were taken
prisoners. Mr Ullark, purser of his
majesty's ship Apollo, volunteered his
services on both these occasions. Ha-
ving received certain intelhgence that
a detachment of three hundred men,
commanded by a lieutenant-colonel,
had marched from Ragusa to reinforce
the garrison of Lagosta, and being
aware of the great difficulty which
would have attended the attempt to
get battering artillery on the only hill
which commanded the fort. Captain
Taylor and myself were induced to
offer favourable conditions to the
French commandant, who, after some
hesitation, agreed to surrender (toge-
ther with the garrison, consisting of
139 men), on the terras, a copy of
which I have the honour to enclose
your lordship. I have also the honour
to enclose your lordship a return of
the enemy's ordnance, ammunition and
stores, which fell into our hands. It
is particularly gratifying to me to be
able to inform your lordship, that du-
ring the whole of our operation, the
inhabitants gave us the most unequi-
vocal proofs of their attachment, and
rendered us the most efficacious assist-
ance.

Finding that the French privateer,
together with the prizes, had taken
refuge in the island of Curzola, Cap-
tain Taylor and myself immediately

proceeded thither. We landed (with-
out delay) the troops under my com-
mand, with 120 seamen and marines,
together with a howitzer and field-
piece. Major Slessor, ^5th, advanced
at day break with the flankers, and
got possession of a fortified building
on the height, which commands the
town within musket- shot. In this ope-
ration he was supported by a second
party, under the command of my mi-
litary secretary. Captain Ball, 81st re-
giment. The enemy opened a sharp
fire of musketry from their lines, as
also from the windows and doors of
the houses, and endeavoured to bring
an 18-pounder into one of the towers
of the town-wall, to bear on our posi*
tion, which we prevented, by a well-
directed fire from the howitzer, 6-
pounder, and musketry.

Captain Taylor, in order to accele-
rate the surrender of the town, under-
took to silence the sea-batteries, which
he accomphshed in the most brilliant
and effectual manner, after a continued
firing of three hours, during which
the Apollo was always within range
of grape-shot from the batteries. This
point being effected, Captain Taylor
and myself judged it expedient to send
Major Slessor with a flag of truce into
the town, proposing that the women
and children should be allowed to quit
it before we erected our mortar batte-
ries ; the enemy availed himself of this
opportunity to offer to capitulate on
terms, which, with certain modifica-
tions, we agreed to ; in consequence
of which the garrison, consisting of a
lieutenant- colonel, and about 100 men,
marched out of the town, which we
immediately occupied.

We found, on taking possession of
the town, that the French had packed
up the church plate and bells of La-
gosta and Curzola, for the purpose of
sending them to the continent, and
Captain Taylor and myself experienced

APPENDIX L~GAZETTES.

dxxvii

the most heartfelt satisfaction in re-
storing them to the oppressed inhabi-
tants.

I have the honour to transmit your
lordship returnsofthe ordnance, stores,
^nd ammunition which we got posses-
sion of at Curzola. I have also the
honour to enclose your lord«hip a co-
py of the terms of capitulation, which
were signed at the moment that the
expected French corps intended to
reinforce the menaced islands appear-
ed on the peninsula of Sabioncello,
only a mile distant from the town of
Curzola.

To express my approbation of the
conduct of Capt. Taylor throughout
the whole of the expedition, I fulfil a
duty which is peculiarly grateful to
my feehngs. He unremittingly aided
me with his advice, and promoted very
considerably the success of the expe-
dition by his personal exertions on
shore with the troops. 1 have the full-
est reason to be satisfied with the sup-
port which I experienced from Major
Slessor, of the 35th, and the whole of
the officers. Lieutenant Rains, who
had the direction of the artillery, per-
formed the service allotted him with
the greatest zeal. The services of
Lieut. McDonald, of the 35th, who
had the direction of the gun-boats
which accompanied the expedition,
were found of great utility.

I feel great satisfaction in commu-
nicating to your lordship, that during
the whole of this service, which was ra-
ther severe, owing to the unusual cold-
ness of the weather, the conduct of the
troops was highly praiseworthy, and
they were ably supported by the sea-
men and marines who acted with us on
shore. I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) G. D. Robertson^
Lieut. -Col«
To his Excellency Lieut.-Gen.

Lord Wm. Bentinck, &c.

VOL. VI, PART n.

DoU}7iing' Street, July 4, 1813.

Dispatches, of which the following
are copies and extracts, have been re-
ceived at Earl Bathurst's office, in
the course of this day and yesterday,
addressed to his lordship by Field-
Marshal the Marquis of Wellington :
Ainpudia, June 6, 1813.

My Lord, — The troops have con-
tinued to advance since I wrote to
your lordship on the3l8t of last month,
and were on the 1st at Zamora, and
on the 2d at Toro. The English hus-
sars, being in the advanced guard, fell
jn, between Toro and Morales, with
a considerable body of the enemy's
cavalry, which were^ immediately at-
tacked by the 10th, supported by the
1 8th and 1 5th. The enemy were over-
thrown, and pursued for many miles,
and 210 prisoners, with many horses,
and two officers, fell into our hands.
I enclose Colonel Grant's report of
this gallant affair, which reflects great
credit upon -Major Robarts and the
lOth hussars, and upon Colonel Grant,
under whose direction they acted.

On the same evening Don Julian
Sanchez surprised the enemy's post at
Castronuno, and took two officers and
thirty cavalry prisoners, and he drove
their posts from the ford at Polios.

The enemy had destroyed the
bridges of Zamora and Toro, and the
difficulties in the passage of ti'e Esla
had retarded the movement of our rear,
while the enemy had concentrated their
force to a considerable amount be-
twen Torrelobaton and Tordesillas.
I therefore halted on the 3d at Toro,
in order to bring the light division and
the troops under the command of
Lieutenant. General Sir Rowland Hill
across the Douro, by the bridge of the
town, and to close up the rear, and
bring the Gallician army to join our
left. We moved again on the 4th.

The enemy had commenced collect-

clxxYni EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

ing their troops towards the Douro,
when they found that we passed Ciu-
dad Rodrigo ; and they crossed the
Douro at Tordssillas on the 1st and
2d. The troops at Madrid and the de*
tachrrents on the Tagus broke up on
the 27th, and crossed, the Douro at
the Ponte de Douro 'hn the 3d, and
Valladohd was entirely evacuated on
the 4th.

. The enemy left considerable maga-
zines of grain at Arevale, and some
ammunition at Valladolid and Zamora.

The enemy have passed the Carrion,
and are apparently on their retreat to-
wards Burgos.

I have received no accounts from
Alicant since I addressed your lord-
ship last.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) Wellington.

[Enclosure in the preceding Dis-
patch. J
Morales, June 2, 1813.

My Lord, — I lave the honour to
acquaint your lordship, that on ap-
proaching Morales this morning, with
the hussar brigade, the French caval-
ry appeared in considerable force near
that place.

The 1 0th royal hussars were imme-
diately brought forward, under the or-
ders of Major Robarts, who attacked
the advaaced squadrons of the enemy
in'the most gallant manner : their front
line made a determined resistance, but
w;^s instantly overpowered by the ir-
resistible impetuosity of the 10th hus-
sars, which being now supported by
the 18th, (the 15th being in reserve)
.reached their second line, and drove it,
with loss, to the heights, two miles
in front of Morales ; a position which
the enemy occupied writh a large force
xjf' cavalry and infantry, and where the
remams of their shattered squadrons
took shelter under cover of their guns.
It is with much satisfaction I acquaint

your lordship, that nothing could ex-
ceed the steadiness and braverv of the
troops in this affair.
' I have, however, to regret the loss
of a very promising young officer,
Lieut. Cotton, of the 10th hussars,
who was killed in the midst of the
enemy's ranks. I am sorry to add, that
Captafn Lloyd, of the same regiment,
is missing.

I have the honour to enclose the re-
turn of the killed and wounded, also a
return of the loss sustained by the ene-
my, as far as it can be ascertained.
I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) G.Grant.

The Marquis of Wellington. ">

P. S. Since writing the above, I
have learnt that Captain Lloyd was
wounded and taken prisoner, but has
been left at Pedrosa del Rey, having
given his parole to the enemy. His
wound is severe, but not dangerous.

Return of Killed, Wounded, and Miss*
ing, in miction tvitk the Enemy's
Rear Guard, near Morales, on the
'2d of June, 1813.
Total. — 1 lieutenant, 1 rank and
file, 4 horses, killed ; J colonel, 1 Ser-
jeant, 13 rank and file, 12 horses,
wounded ; 1 captain, 1 Serjeant, 2 rank
and file, 11 horses, missing.

Villadiego, June 13, 1813.
My Lord, — The army passed the
Carrion on the 7th, the enemy having
retired across the Pisuerga ; and on
the 8th, 9th, and 10th, we brought
forward our left, and passed that river.
The celerity of our march up to this
period, induced me to make short
movements on the 11th, and to halt
the left on the 12th ; but on the latter
day I moved forward the right, under
Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill,
consisting of the 2d British, Briga-
dier-General Murillo's Spanish, and
the Cond'e d'Amarante's Portuguese

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES,

«lxxix

divisions of infantry, and the light di-
vision, under Major-General Charles
Baron Alten, and Major-General Vic-
tor Baron Alten's, Maj.-Gen. Fane's,
Major-General Long's, the Hon. Bri-
gadier General Ponsonby's, and Colo-
nel Grant's (hussars) brigades of ca-
valry, towards Burgos, with a view to
reconnoitre the enemy's position and
numbers near that town, and to force
them to a decision whether to abandon
the castle to its fate, or to protect it
with all their force.

I found the enemy posted with a
considerable force, commanded, as 1
understand, by General Reille, on the
heights on the left of the Hormaza,
with their right above the village of
Hormaza, and their left in front of
Estepar. We turned their right with
the hussars, and Brigadier-General
Ponsonby's brigade of cavalry, and the
light division from Isar, while General
Victor Alten's brigade of cavalry, and
the Hon. Colonel O'Callaghan's bri-
gade of the 2d division, moved up the
heights from Hormaza ; and the re-
mainder of the troops, under the com-
mand of Lieut. -General Sir Rowland
Hill, threatened the Heights of Este-
par, These movements dislodged the
enemy from their position immediate-
ly. The cavalry of our left and centre
were entirely in the rear of the enemy,
who were obliged to retire across the
Arlanzon, by the high road towards
Burgos. Although pressed. by our
cavalry, and suffering considerable loss
by the fire of Major Gardiner's troop
of horse artillery, and obliged to make
their movements at an accelerated pace,
that they might not give time to our
infantry to come Up, they made it in
admirable order : but they lost one
gun, and some prisoners, taken by a
squadron of the 14th light dragoons,
commanded by Captain Millcs, and a
detachment of the 3d dragoons, which
charged their rear.

The enemy took post on the left
5

of the Arlanzon and Urbel rivers,
which were much swelled by the rains ;
and in the course of the night retired
their whole army through Burgos, ha-
ving abandoned and destroyed, so far
as they were able, in the short space
of time during v|bich they were there,
the works of the castle, which they
had constructed and improved at so
large an expense ; and they are now
on their retreat towards the Ebro by
the high road of Briviesca and Miran-
da. In the mean time the whole of
the army of the allies has made a
movenient to the left this day ; and
the Spanish corps of Gallicia, under
General Giron, and the left of the
British and Portuguese army, under
Lieut. Graham, will, I hope, pass the
Ebro to-morrow,
•v In the course of the 9th, 10th, and
11th, Don Julian Sanchez was very
attive on the left of the enemy, and
took several prisoners.

I have received a letter from Gene-
ral Elio, in which he informs m^- that
the third Spanish army had joined the
second, and these armies had taken
the positions before occupied by tiie
second army, and the Anglo-Sicilian
corps, under Sir John MuiTay ; and
that General Sir John Murray had
embarked, in obedience to the orders
which he had received, with the troops
under his command, had sailed from
Alicant with a fair wind, and was out
of sight on the 1st instant.

I have the honour to be, &c.

Wellington.
The Earl Bathurst, &c.

Subijana, on the BayaSy
June 19, 1813.
My Lord, — The left of the army
crossed the £bro on the Hth, by the.
bridges of St Martin and Rocamunde,
and the remainder on the loth, by
those bridges and that of Puenta Arcr
nas. We continued our march on the
following days towards^ Vittoria.

^txxs EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

The enemy assembled on the 16th
and I7th, a considerable co'"ps at Es-
pejo, not far from the Fuente Carra,
composed of some of the troops which
had been for some time in tlie provin-
ces in pursuit of Longa and Mina,
and others detached^ from the main
body of the army, which were still at
Pancorbo. They had likewise a di-
vision of infantry, and some cavalry at
Frias since the 16th, for the purpose
of observing our movements on the
left of the Ebro.

These detachments marched yester-
day morning, that from Frias upon
St Millan, where it was found by the
light division of the allied army, under
Major-Gfn, Charles Alten, and that
from Espejo on Osma, where it met
the 1st and 5th divisions, under Lieu*
tenant-General Sir Thomas Graham.

Major-General Charles Alten drove
the enemy from St Millan, and after-
wards cut off the rear brigade of the
division, of which he took 300 prison-
ers, killed and wounded many, and
the brigade was dispersed in the moun-
tains.

The corps from Espejo was consi-
derably stronger than the allied corps
under Sir T Graham, which had ar-
rived nearly at the same time at Osma.
The enemy moved on to the attack,
but were soon obliged to retire ; and
they were followed to Espejo, from
whence they retired through the hills
to this place. It was late in the day
before the other troops came up to
the advanced position which those un-
der Sir Thomas Graham had taken,
and I halted the 4th division, which
had relieved the 5th near Espejo.

The army moved forward this day
to this river : found the enemy*s rear-
guard in a strong position on the left
of the river, having his right covered
by Subijana, and his left by the heights
in front of Pobes.

We turned the enemy's left with
the light division, while the 4th divi-

sion, under Lieut.- General Sir Lowry
Cole, attacked them in front, and the
rear-guard was driven back upon the
main body of the army, which was in
march from Pancorbo to Vittoria, ha-
ving broken up from thence last night.
I am informed that the enemy have
dismantled Pancorbo.

Colonel Longa's division joined the
army on the 6th, on its arrival at Me-
dina del Poman.

The Conde del Abisbal will arrive
at Burgos on the 24th and !35th.

I have not received any intelligence
from the eastern coast since I address-
ed your lordship last.

I have the honour to be, &c,

WliLLlNGTON*

Dotvning street, July 3.

Dispatches, of which the following
are copies, have been this day received
by Earl Bathurst, from the Marquis
of Wellington, dated Sdlvatierr?«, June
22, and Irunzun, June 24, 1813; —

My Lord, — The enemy's army,
commanded by Joseph Buonaparte,
having Marshal Jourdan as the major-
general of the army, took up a position,
on the night of the 19th instant, in
front of Vittoria, the left of which
rested upon the heights which end at
Puebia de Arlanzon, and extended
from thence across the valley of Za-
dora, in front of the village of Arunez.
They occupied with the right of the
centre a height which commanded the
valley of Zadora, and the right of their
army was stationed near Vittoria, and
was destined to defend the passages of
the river Zadora, in the neighbour-
hood of that city. They had a reserve,
in rear of their left, at the village of'
Gomecha. The nature of the country
through which the army had passed
since it had reached the Ebro, had ne-
cessarily extended our columns, and
we halted on the 20th in order to close
them up, and moved the left to Mar-
gina, where it wag most likely it wouli

APPENDIX I.—GAZETTES.

elxxxi

t)e necessary : I reconnoitered the ene-
my's position on that day, with a view
to the attack to be made on the fol-
lowing mornmg, if they should still
remain in it. \Ve accordingly attack-
ed the enemy yesterday, and I am hap-
py to inform your lordship, that the
allied army, under rny command, gain-
ed a complete victory ; having driven
them from all their positions, having
taken from them 151 pieces of cannon,
415 waggons of ammunition, all their
baggage, provisions, cattle, treasure,
&c., and a considerable number of
prisoners. The operations of the day
commenced by Lieutenant- General Sir
Rowland Hill obtaining possession of
the heifi^hts of La Puebla, on which
the enemy's left rested, which heights
they had not occupiedin great strength.
lie detached on this service one bri-
gade of the Spanish division, under
General Murillo ; the other brigade
being employed in keeping the com-
munication between his mam body, on
the high road from Miranda to Vitto-
ria} and the troops detached to the
lieights. The enemy, however, soon dis-
covered the importance of the heights,
aiul reinforced the troops there to such
an extent, as that Lieut.-General Sir
Rowland Hill was obliged to detach,
first, the 71st regiment, and the light
infantry battalion of Major-General
Walker's brigade, under the command
of the Hon. Lieut. -Colonel Cadogan,
and successively other troops, to the
same point ; and the allies not only
gained, but maintained possession of
-these important heights throughout
their operations, notwithstanding all
the efforts of the enemy to retake
them. The contest, here, however,
was very severe, and the loss sustained
considerable. General Murillo was
wounded, but remained iu the field ;
and I am concerned to have to report,
that the Hon. Lieut.-Colonel Cado-
gan has died of a wound which he re-
A:eived. In him his majesty has lost

an officer of great zeal, and tried gal-
lantry, who tiad already acquired the
respect and regard of the whole pro-
fession, and of whom it might be ex-
pected, that if he had lived he would
have rendered the most important ser-
vices to his country. Under cover of
the possession of these heights. Sir
Rowland Hill successively passed the
Zadora, at la Puebla, and the defile
formed by the heights and the river
Zadora, and attacked and gained pos-
session of the village of Sabijana de
Alva, in front of the enemy's line,
which the enemy made repeated at-
tempts to regain. The difficult nature
of the country prevented the commu-
nication between our different columns
moving to the attack from their sta-
tions on the river Bay as at as early an
hour as I had expected, and it was
late before I knew that the column
composed of the 3d and 7th divisions,
under the command of the Earl of
Dalhousie, had arrived at the station
appointed for them. The 4th and
light divisions,' however, passed the
Zadora immediately after Sir Rowland
Hill had possession of Sabijana de
Alva, the former at the bridge of Nan-
ciaus, and the latter at the bridge of
Tres Puentes ; and almost as soon as
these had crossed, the column under
the Earl of Dalhousie arrived at Men-
donza, and the Sd division, under
Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Pic-
ton, crossed at the bridge higher up,
followed by the 7th division, under
the Earl of Dalhousie. These four
divisions, forming the centre of the
army, were destined to attack the
heights on which the right of the ene-
my's centre was placed, while Lieut.-
General Sir Rowland Hill should
move forward from Sabijana de Alva
to attack the left. The enemy, how-
ever, having weakened his line to
strengthen his detachment in the hills,
abandoned his position in the valley as
SQoa as he saw our disposition to ^^

cUtxu EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S13.

tack it, and commenced his retreat in
good order towards Vittoria. Our
troops continued to advance in admi-
rable order, notwithstanding t'ue. diffi-
cuhy of the groilnd In the meantime,
Lieut. -General Sir Thomas Graham,
who commanded the left of the army,
consisting of the 1st and 5th divisions,
and General Pack's and Bradford's
brigades of infantry, and Generals
Bock's and Anson's brigades of caval-
ry., and who had bven moved on the
20th to Margina, moved forward from
thence on Vittoria, by the high road
from that town to Bilboa. He had
besides with him the Spanish division
under Colonel Longa ; and General
Giron, who had been detached to the
left under a different view of the state
of affairs, and had afterwards been re-
called, and had arrived on the 20th at
Orduna, marched that morning from
thence, so as to be in the field in rea-
diness to support Lieut.-General Sir
T. Graham, if his support had been
required. The enemy had a division
of infantry and some cavalry advan-
ced on the great road from Vittoria to
Bilboa, resting their right on some
strong heights covering the village of
Gamarra Major. Both Gamarra and
Abechuco were strongly occupied,
as tctcs'de-pomt to the bridges over the
Zadora at these places. Brigadier-
General Pack, with his Portuguese
brigade, and Colonel Longa, witii the
Spanish division, were directed to turn
and gain the heights, supported by
Major-General Anson's brigade of
light dragoons, and the .5th division
of infantry, under the command of
Major-General Oswald, who was de-
sired to take the command of all these
troops. Lieut.-General Sir Thomas
Graham reports, that in the execution
of tliis service, the Portuguese and
Spanish troops behaved admirably. —
The 4th and 8th cacadores particu
larly distinguished themselves. Colo-
nel Longa being on the left, took

possession of Gamarra Menor. At
80»>a as the heights were in our pos-
session, the village of Gamarra Major
was most gallantly stormed and carried
by Brigadier General Robinson's bri-
gade of the 5th division, which advan-
ced in columns of battalions, under a
very Iieavy fire of artillery and mus-
ketry, without firing a shot, assisted
by two guns of Major Lawson's bri-
gade of artillery. The enemy suffered
severely, and lost three pieces of can-
non. The Lieut.-General then pro-
ceeded to attack the village of Abe-
chuco, with the 1 St division, by form-
ing a strong battery against it, con-
sisting of Captain Dubourdieu's bri-
gad , and Captain Ramsay's troop of
horse artillery, and, under cover of this
fire, Colonel Halkett s brigade advan-
ced to the attack of the village, which
was carried, the light battalion having
charged and taken three guns and a
howitzer on the bridge : this attack
was supported by (ieneral Bradford's
brigade of Portugueze infantry.

During the operation at Abechuco,
the enemy made the greatest efforts to
re -possess themselves of the village of
Gamarro Major, which were gallantly
repulsed by the troops of the 5th di-
vision, under the command of Major-
General Oswald. The enemy had,
however, on the heights on the left of
the Zadora, two divisions of infantry
in reserve, and it was impossible ta
cross by the bridges till the troop*
which had moved upon the enemy'a
centre and left had driven them through
Vittoria. The whole then co-opera-
ted in the pursuit, which was continued
by all till after it was dark. The
movement of the troops under Lieute-
nant-General Sir Thomas Graham,
and their possession of Gamarra and
Abechuco, intercepted the enemy's re-
treat by the high road to France,
They were then obliged to turn to the
road towards Pamplona ; but they
were unable to hold any position for.a

APPENDIX I.~GAZETTES.

clKXxm

sulficient length of time to allow their
baggage and artillery to be drawn off.
The whole, therefore, of the latter,
which had not already been taken by
the tpoops in their attack of the suc-
cessive positions, taken up by the ene-
my in their retreat from their first po-
rtion on Aruney and on the Zadora,
and all their ammunition and baggage,
and every thing they had, were taken,
close to Vittoria. I have reason to
believe that the enemy carried off with
them one gun and one howitzer only.
The army under Joseph Buonaparte
consisted of the whole of the armies of
the bouth and of the centre, and of
four divisions, and all the cavalry of
the army of Portugal, and some troops
of the army of the north. General
Foix's division of the array of Portu-
gal was in the neighbourhood of Bil-
boa ; and General Clausel, who com-
mands the army of the north, was near
Logrono with one division of the ar-
my of Portugal, commanded by Gen.
Topin Taud General Vandermassen's
division of the army of the north. The
6th division of the allied army, under
Major-General the Hon. Edward Pa-
kenham, was likewise absent, having
been detained at Medina del Pomar
for three days, to cover the march of
our magazines and stores. I cannot
extol too highly the good conduct of
all the general officers, officers, and
soldiers of the army in this action.
Lieutenant- General Sir Rowland Hill
speaks highly of the conduct of Gen.
Murillo, and the Spanish troops under
his command, and of that of JLieute-
iiant-General the Hon. W. Stewart
and the Conde d'Amarante, who com-
manded divisions of infantry under his
directions. He likewise mentions the
conduct of the Hon. Lieut. -Colonel
O'Callagan, who maintained the village
of Sabijana de Alava against all the ef-
forts ot the enemy to regain possession
of it, and that of Lieutenant-Colonel
Brooke, of the adjutant-general's de-
paftment, and Lieutenant- Colonel the

Hon. Alexander Abercromby, of the
quarter-master- general's department.
It was impossible for the movements
of any troops to be conducted with
more spirit and regularity than those
of these respective divisions of Lieut.-
Geucral the Earl of Dalhousie, Sir
Thomas Picton, Sir Lowry Cole, and
Major-General Charles Baron AUen.
These troops advanced in echelons of
regiments, in two, and occasionally
three lines; and the Portuguese troops,
in the 3d and 4th divisions, under the
command of Brigadier-General Power
and Colonel Stubbs, led the marph
with a steadiness and gallantry never
before surpassed on any occasion.
Major-General the Hon. C. Colville'a
brigade of ihe 3d division was seriously
attacked, in its advance, by n very su-
perior force, well formed ; which it
drove in, supported by General In-
glis's brigade of the 7th division,
commanded by Colonel Grant, of the
82d. These officers, and the troopi
under their command, distinguished
themselves. Major-General Vande-
leur's brigade of the light division was,
during the advance upon Vittoria, de-
tached to the support of the 7th divi-
sion, and Lieutenant General the Earl
of Dalhousie has reported most fa-
vourably of its conduct. Lieutenant-
General Sir Thomas Graham particu-
larly reports his sense of the assistance
he received from Colonel Delancey,
Deputy Quarter-Master-General, and
from Lieutenanr-Colonel Bouverie, of
the adjutant-general's department, and
from the officers of his personal staff,
and from the Hon. Lieutcnant-Colo-
nel Upton, Assistant Quarter-Master-
General, and Majnr Hope, Assistant-
Adjutant, with the Ist division ; and
Major-General Oswald reports the
same of Lieutenant-Colonel Berkeley,
of the adjutant-c^encral's department,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Gomm, of the
quarter-master-general's department.
1 am particularly indebted to Lieut-
General Sir Thomas Graham, and

clxmv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

Lieutenant-Gen. Sir Rowland Hill,
for the manner in which they have re-
spectively conducted the service in
trusted to them since the commence-
ment of the operations, which have
ended in the battle of the 21st, and
for their conduct in that battle ; as
likewise to Marshal Sir William Be-
resford, for the friendly advice and
assistance which I have received from
him upon all occasions during the late
operations I must not omit to men-
tion, likewise, the conduct of General
Giron, who commands the Gallician
army, who made a forced march from
Orduna, and was actually on the
ground in readiness to support Lieut -
General Sir Thomas Graham. I have
frequently been indebted, and have
had occasion to call the attention of
your lordship to the conduct of the
Quarter-Master-General, Major-Gen.
George Murray, who, in :he late ope-
rations, and in the battle of the 21st
instant, has again given me the great-
est assistance. 1 am likewise indebted
much to Lord Aylmer, the deputy-
adjutant-general, and to the officers
of the adjutant and quarter-master-
general'sdepartments respectively, and
to Lieutenant-Cobnel Lord Fitzroy
Somerset, Lieutenant-Colonel Camp-
bell, and the officers of my personal
Staff, and to Lieutenant-Colonel Sir
R. Fletcher, and the officers of the
Royal Engineers. Col. his Serene
Highness the Hereditary Prince of
Orange was in the field as my aid-de-
camp, and conducted himself with his
usual gallantry snd inteUigence. Ma-
reschal del Campo Don Luis Wimp-
fen, and the Inspector-General, Don
Thomas O'Donoju, and the officers
of the staff of the Spanish army, have
invariably rendered me every assistance
in their power in the course of these
operations ; and I avail myself of this
opportunity of expressing my satisfac-
tion at their conduct, as likewise with
tkiit of Miirescbal del Campo Don

Miguel de Alava, and of the Briga-
dier-Genrral Don Joseph 0*Lawlor,
who liave been so long and so usefully
employed with mc. The artillery was
most jndicirnisly placed by Lieut. -
Colonel Dickson, and was well served,
and the army is particularly indebted
to that corps. The nature of the
ground did not allow of the cavalry
being generally engaged, but the ge-
neral officers, commanding the several
brigades, kept the troops under their
command respectively close to the in-
fantry to support them, and they were
most active in the pursuit of the ene-
my after they had been driven through
Vittoria. I send this dispatch by my
aide-de-camp, Capt. Fremantle, whom
I beg leave to recommend to your
lordsiiip*8 protection : he will have
the honour of laying at the feet of his
Royal Highness the Prince Regent,
the colours of the 4th battalion of the
100th regiment, and Marshal Jour-
dan's baton of a marshal of France,
taken by the 87th regiment.
I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) Wellington-.

yibstract of loss from June 12 to 21,

British — 2 Serjeants, 9 rank and file,
9 horses, killed ; 1 captain, 3 lieute-
nants, 2 Serjeants, 62 rank and file, 13
horses, wounded.

Portuguese — 3 rank and file killed ;
1 major, 1 captain, 3 Serjeants, l6 rank
and file, wounded.

On the 2\st Total British loss. —

1 lieutenant- colonel, 6 captains, 10
lieutenants, 4 ensigns, 1 staff, 15 Ser-
jeants, 4 drummers, 460 rank and
file, 92 horses, killed ; 1 general staff,
7 lieutenant-colonels, "> majors^ 40 cap-
tains, 87 lieutenants, 22 ensigns, 5
staff", 123 Serjeants 13 drummers, 2504
rank and file, 68 horses, wounded.

Total Portuguese loss.— 3 captains,
1 lieutenant, 3 ensigns, 4 Serjeants, 1
drummer, 138 rank and file, 1 horse,
killed J 1 lieutenant-colonel, 4 majors.

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

CIXXXT

16 captains, 10 lieutenants, 19 ensigns,

2 staff, 35 Serjeants, I drummer, 811
rank and file, wounded.

Total Spanish loss — 1 captain, 3
lieuteuants, H5 rank and file, killed ;
1 general staff, 1 lieutenant-colonel, 3
captain*, 6 lieutenants, 453 rank and
fi\e, wounded.

Grand Total. —1 lieutenant-colonel,
10 captains, 14 lieutenants, 7 ensigns,
1 staff', ly Serjeants, 5 drummers, 6^^3
rank and file, »3 horses, killed ; 2 ge-
neral staff, 9 lieutenant-colonels, 9 ma-
jors, 59 captains, 103 lieutenants, 41
ensigns, 7 staff, 158 scrjeants, 14 drum-
mers, 3768 rank and file, 68 horses,
wounded.

N. B. 1 Serjeant, 2 drummers, 263
rank and file, have been returned miss-
ing by the several corps of the army,
British and Portuguese ; it is suppo-
sed that the greater number of them
lost their regiments in the course of
the night, and that very few have fallen
into the hands of the enemy.
(Signed) Aylmer,

Deputy-Adjutant-General.

Return of ordnance^ carriages, and
ammunition^ captured from the ene-
my in the action of the 2\&t of June ,
1813.

Vittoriat June 23.

Brass ordnance on travelling carriages.
Twenty-eight 12-pounder guns, 43

8-pounder guns, 43 4-pounder guns,

3 eight-inch howitzers, 20 six-inch
howitzers, 3 four and 2 five-inch how-
itzers, 2 six-inch mortars. — Total, 151.

Caissons — 5'^ 12-pounder guns, 76
8-poundcr guns, 68 4-pounder guns,
7 eight-inch howitzers, 54 six-inch
howitzers, 5 four and 2 five-inch how-
itzers, 149 small arm ammunition.—
Total, 415.

Rounds of ammunition— 1936 12-
pounder guns, 5424 eight pounder
guns, 3434 4-pounder guns, 97 eight-
inch howitzers, 3358 six-inch howit-
zers—Total, 14,249.

One million nine hundred and se-
venty-three thousand four hundred
musket-ball cartridges, 40,6681b. of
gunpowder, 5Q forage waggoi.s, 44
forge waggons.

R. D. Henagak,
Commissary Royal Artillery.
A. DiCKSo.<,
Lieut.-Col. commanding Artillery,

Irunzun, June 24»
My Lord, — The departure of Cap-
tain Fremantle having been delayed
till this day, by tbe necessity of ma-
king up the returns, 1 have to report
to your lordship, that we have conti-
nued to pursuf^ the enemy, whose rear
reached Pamplona this day. We have
done them as much injury as has been
in our power, considei ing the state of
the weather and of the roads ; ,and
this day the advanced guard, consist-
ing of Major- General Victor Baroa
Aiten's brigade, and the 1st and 3d
battahons of the 95th regiment, and
Major Ros8*s troop of horse artillery,
took from them the remaining gun
they had. They have entered Pam-
plona, therefore, with one howitzer
only. General Clausel, who had un-
der his command that part of the army
of the north, and one division of the
army of Portugal, which was not in
the action of the 21st, approached
Vittoria on the 23d, when he heard of
the action of the preceding day, and
finding there the 6Lh division, which
had just arrived, under the command
of Major- General the Hon. E. Paken-
ham, he retired upon la Guardia, and
has since marched upon Tudela de
Ebro. It is probable that the enemy
will continue their retreat into France.
I have detached General Giron with
the Galliciaii army in pursuit of the
convoy which moved from Vittoria on
the morning of the 20th, which I hope'
he will overtake before it reaches Bay-
onne. I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) Wellington.

dxxxvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

Dotuning-strectt July 19.
Dispatches, of which the following
are extracts, have been this day recei-
ved at Earl Bathurst's office, address-
ed to his lordship by Field 'Marshal
the Marquis of Wellington.

Ostizy July 3.

General Clausel having retired to-
wards liOgrono, after finding our
troops at Vittoria, on the 22d of June,
and having ascertained the result of
the action of the 2l8t, still remained
in the neighbourhood of Logrono on
the 24th, and till late on the 25th,
and had not marched for Tudela, as I
had been informed, when I wrote my
dispatch of the 24th ult. ; I conceived,
therefore, that there was some prospect
of intercepting his retreat ; and after
sending the hght troops towards Ron-
eesvalles in pursuit of the army under
Joseph Buonaparte, i moved the light,
4th, 3d, and 7th divisions, and Colonel
Grant's and Major- General Ponson-
by*3 brigades of cavalry, towards Tu-
dela, and the 5th and 6th divisions,
and the household and General D'Or-
bari's cavalry, from Vittoria to Saiva-
tierra, towards Logrono, in hopes that
I should be able to intercept General
Clausel. He, however, made some
extraerdinary forced marches, follow-
ed by General Mina with his own ca-
valry, and the regiment of Spanish ca-
valry under the command of Don Ju-
lian Sanchez, and arrived at Tudela
en the evening of the 27th. He there
crossed the Ebro, but the Alcade ha
ving informed, him that wc were upon
the road, he immediately re-crossed,
and marched towards Zaragossa, where,
I understand from General Mina, he
has since arrived.

General Mina is still following the
enemy, and he has taken from him two
pieces of cannon, and some stores in
Tudela, and 200 prisoners; Lieute-
nant-General Clinton has also taken

possession bf five guns, which the ene-
my left at Logrono. In the meantime
the troops under the command of Lieu-
tenant-General Sir R. Hill have kept
the blockade of Pampeluna, and have
moved through the mountains to the
head of the Bidassoa, the enemy ha-
ving entirely retired into France on
that side.

I enclose the report which I have
received from Lieutenant- General Sir
T. Graham, of his actions with the
enemy on the 24'th and 25th of June,
which appear to have been more seri-
ous than I had imagined, when I ad-
dressed your lordship on the 26th ult;

General Foy had with him the gar-
rison of Bilboa, and those of Mondra-
gon and Tolosa, besides his division of
the army of Portugal, and his force
was considerable. It gives me great
satisfaction to see that the Spanish,
and Portuguese troops mentioned by
Sir T. Graham have conducted them-
selves so well.

The lieutenant-general has continu-
ed to push on the enemy by the high
road, and has dislodged them from all
the strong positions which they had
taken ; and yesterday a brigade of the
army of Gallicia, under the command
of General Castanos, attacked and
drove the enemy across the Bidassoa,
by the bridge of Irun. The enemy
still maintained a post in a strong
stone block- house, which served as a
head to the bridge, and some troops in
some Icopholed houses on the right of
the Bipassoa : but General Giron ha-
ving sent for some Spanish artillery,
and Captain Dubourdieu^s brigade of
nine-pounders having been sent to their
support, the fire of these guns obliged
the enemy to evacuate, and they blew
up the block-house, and burnt the
bridge.

Sir Thomas Graham reports, that
in all these aff"airs the Spanish troops
have behaved remarkably well. The

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

•IXXXTU

garrison at Passages, consisting of 150
men, surrenderrd on the *30th, to the
troops under Colonel Longa.

The enemy, on seeing some of our
ships off Deba, evacuated the tov/n
and fort of Guetaria on the Ist instant,
and the garrison went, by sea, to St
Sebastian. This place is blockaded
by land by a detachment of Spanish
troops.

They have likewise evacuated Cas-
tro, and the garrison have gone by sea
to Santona.

In my former reports, I have made
your lordship acquainted with the
progress of the army of reserve of
Andalusia, under General the Conde
de Abisbal, to join the army, and he
arrived ^t Burgos on the ^5th and
26th ultimo.'

When the enemy retired across the
Ebro, previous to the battle of Vitto-
ria, they left a garrison of about 700
men in the castle of Pancorbo, by
which they commanded, and rendered
it impossible for us to use, the great
communication from Vittoria to Bur-
gos ; I, therefore, requested the Conde
del Abisbal, on his march to Miranda,
to make himself master of the town
and lower works, and to blockade the
place as closely as he could. I have
not received the report of his first
operations, but I understand he carried
the town and lower fort by assault on
the 28th ; and I have now the pleasure
to enclose his report of the final sue*
cess of his operation, and the copy of
the capitulation, by which the garri-
son have surrendered.

The decision and dispatch with
which this place has been subdued, are
highly creditable to the Conde des
Abisbal, and the officers and troops
under his command.

I am concerned to inform your lord-
ship, that Lieutenant- General Sir J.
Murray raised the siege of Tarragona,
I cannot say on what day, and em-
tarked his troops. A ^reat propor-

tion of the artillery and stores were
left in the batteries. It appears that
Marshal Suchct, with a considerable
body of troops, had moved from Va-
lencia by Tortosa, and General Mau-
rice Mathicu, with another corps,
from the neighbourhood of Barcelona,
for the purpose of impeding Sir John
Murray*s operations, which he did not
think himself sufficiently strong to
continue. I have not yet received
from Sir John Murray the detailed ac-
count of these tran'^actions ; Lieute-
nant-Gencral Lord William Bentinck,
however, who had joined and had ta-
ken the command of the army at the
Col de Balaguer, on the 17th, had
brought it back to Alicant, where hfe
arrived himself on the 23d, and wa»
proceeding to carry into execution my
instructions.

When Marshal Suchet marched in-
to Catalonia, the Duke del Parque
had advanced, and established his head-
quarters at San Felipe de Xativa, and
his troops on the Xucar, where he
still was on the 24<th.

Extract of a Letter fram Sir John
Murray to Lord Wellington,

His Majesty's ship Malta f
June 11-, 1813.
My Lord, — Admiral Hallovvell has
just decided on sending a ship to Ali-
cant, and I have merely time to state
to your lordship, and I do so with,
great r^'gret, that I have been under
the necessity of raising the siege of
Tarragona, and embarking the army
under my command. In my private
letter of the 7th instant, I mentioned
to your lordship the reports of the as-
semblage of the French forces at Bar-
celona, and that Marshal Suchet was
likewise in march from Valencia ; and
stated it as my opinion, that should
these reports be confirmed, the object
your lordship had in view could not be

•IxxxvHi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 18L1.

iaccomplished. Unfortunately these
runiours proved true, and reluctantly
I resolved upon raising the siege and
embarking the army, as the only means
of avoiding a general action, which
must have been fought under every
disadvantage. I cannot at this mo-
ment refer to dates, but it is sufficient
for the present to state, that the French
force ac Barcelona was never rated to
me at less than 8000, and that previ-
ous to their march it would amount to
10,000, with 14 pieces of artillery, I
have, however, no account that it ever
exceeded eight, and that is the number
on which my calculation was formed.
This force, upon the evening of the
9th, or morning of the 10th, marched
out from Barcelona, and entered Villa
Franca, at four o'clock in the evening
of the 11th, from whence it was re-
ported to me to march at 12 o'clock
at night for Vendrells, distant only 18
■or 20 miles from Tarragona by the
great road, and a few miles further by
another road, by which cannon can
easily pass. On the 9th or 10th the
arrival of Marshal Suchet at Valencia
was made known to me ; his exact
force was never perfectly ascertained,
but from the intelligence received from
Valencia, he marched from thence
with 9000 men, and certainly in the
rear of that place had the power of
drawing great reinforcements to his
army.

To these corps must be. added, a
body of 1000 men, which had previ-
ously arrived at Tortosa, and another
corps, independent of the garrison of
2,500 men, who had arrived at Lerida.
These corps, which I am sure I do not
exaggerate, amount to 2^,500 men,
with which, in four or five days, Mar-
«hal Suchet could attack the allied ar-
my, if he thought proper ; or avoid an
action, if he wished still more to rein-
force his army. Your lordship, on the
other hand, will observe, that I could
scarcely bring into the field 12,000

men, and that the army of Catalonia-
was stated to me at 8500, making
20,500, of which two British and two
Spanish divisions were at the Col de
Balaguer, and could not be withdrawn ;
and I could not leave less than 2500
to cover the artillery and stores, and
to contain the garrison of Tarragona.
The two corps, at the least, would
amount to upw'ards of 4500 men^
leavinjr me 16,000 men to meet tho
best French troops in Spain, amount*
ing to upwards of 20,000.

I am sure there is nobody more will-
ing to give full credit to the gallantry
of the Spanish troops than I am, but
your lordship well knows that they
are unable to move, and I could not
therefore depend upon the execution
of any order which necessarily obliged
them to make a movement ; and of
troops of this description 1 had about
13,000 men ; unless, therefore, I could
place them in position, which, as the
French had the option of fighting
when and where they pleased, it was
impossible I could place any rehance
upon them. My British and German
troop* amounted only to 4500. Pfer-
haps your lordship may be of opinion,
that underthese circumstances, I ought
to have risked an action, had no other
unfavourable objections existed ; but
when your lordship is informed, that
I had no possibihty of retreat if un-
successful,— that there would have
been no hopes of embarkation if fol-
lowed,— and that the army must have
been unavoidably lost, if beat, — I ven-
ture to hope that your lordship will
think, however much it is to be re-
gretted, that I have adopted the only
means of maintaining entire, or indeed
of saving, an army on which so much
depends. I feel the greater confi-
dence in this hope, on reverting to the
13th paragraph of your lordship's
general instructions for the conduct of
the campaign.

I am fully aware there are many cir.-

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

elxxxi:^

»^um3tatices winch may require further
information, and upon all parts I shall
be happ7 to give every explanation
in my power. Your lordship perhaps
may be of opinion that the place should
have been taken ; but as it was far too
* «trong to storm, I believe it rot only
to have been impossible, but that we
should not have taken it in eight or
ten days : My only regret is, that I
continued the siege so long. Induced
by the hopes of the reinforcements I
expected, I continued it to the last
moment, and fortunately the weather
proving favourable, the troops were
embarked without molestation. On
this favourable circumstance, I could
not depend for another day, an I there-
fore having taken my part, I imme-
diately put it in execution, and I re-
gret to say, that I was in consequence
obliged to leave the guns in the most
advanced batteries. Had I remained
another day, they might have been
brought off; but this risk I would
not run, when the existence of the
army was at stake, not only from un-
favourable weather, but from the ap-
pearance of an enemy, in whose pre-
sence I could not have embarked per-
haps at all, certainly npt without suf-
fering a great loss, and without the
possibility of deriving any advan-
tage.

I have only further at this time to
add, should blame be attached to the
failure of the expedition, no share
of it can fall on Admiral Hallowell,
who conducted the naval branch of it.
From that distinguished ofticer I have
met with every assistance and co-ope-
ration in his power; and I think it
only justice to him to state, that it was
his opinion that the cannon in the bat-
teries might have been saved by re-
maining till the night, and that they
then could have been brought on.
This, however, was a risk I did not
wish to run for so trifling an object,
aod preferred lowng them t« the
9

chance of the embarkation being op-
posed, and of an eventual much more"
serious loss.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) J. Murray,

Lieutenant-GeneraL
To the Marquis of Wellington,
K. G. &c.

Admiralty Office^ July 10.

Copy of a- letter from the Hon.
Captain Capcl, of his Majesty's ship
La Hogue, to John Wilson Croker,
Esq. dated at Halifax, June 11, 1813.

Sir, — It is with the greatest plea-
sure I transmit you a letter I have
just received from Captain Broke, of
his Majesty's ship Shannon, detailing
a most brilliant achievement, in the
capture of the United States frigate
Chesapeake, in 15 minutes. Captain
Broke relates so fully the particulars
of this gallant affair, that I feel it un-
necessary to add much to his narra-
tive ; but I cannot forbear expressing
the pleasure I feel in bearing testimo-
ny to the indefatigable exertions, aud
persevering zeal of Captain Broke du-
ring the time he has been under my
orders : placing a firm reliance on th;j
valour of his officers and crew, and a
just confidence in hi» system of disci-
pline, he sought every opportunity oF
meeting the enemy on fair terms ; and
I have to rejoice with his country and
his friends, at the glorious result of
this contest : he gallantly headed his
boaraers in the assault, and carried all
before him. His wounds are severe,
but I trust his country will not be
long deprived of his services.

I have the honour to be, &c.
Thomas Bladkn Capel,

Capt. and senior Officer at Halifax.

Shannon, Halifax, June 6, 18(3.

Sir, — I have the honour to inforna
you, that being close in with Boston
Light House, in his Majesty's ship
uaiier nay commandf oa the lat inst.

Csic-

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

I had the pleasure of seeingr that the
United States frig-ate Chesapeake
(whom we had long been watching)
"wascomins^ out of the harbour to en-
gage the Shannon ; I took a position
between Capie Ann and Cape Cod,
and then hove-to for him to join us ;
the enemy came down in a very hand-
some manner, having three American
ensigns flying ; when closing with us,
he sent down his royal yards. I kept
the Shannon's up, expecting the breeze
would die away. At half-past five
p. m. the enemy hauled up within hail
of us on the starboard side, and the
battle began, both ships steering full
under the top-sails ; after exchanging
between two and three broadsides, the
enemy's ship fell on board of us, her
inizen channels locking in with our
fore-rigging. I went forward to as-
certain her ' position, and observing
that the enemy were flinching from
their guns, I gave orders to prepare
for boarding. Our gallant bands ap-
pointed to that service immediately
rushed in, uiider their respective offi-
cers, upon thfe enemy's decks, driving
every thiiig before thefn with irresisti-
ble fury. The eneniy made a despe-
rate • but disorderly resistance. The
firing continued at all the gangways,
and between ihtf tops, but in two mi-
nutes' time the enemy were driven
sword in h?.nd frbm every post. The
American flag was hauled dov/n, and
the proud old British Union floated
triumphant over it. In another mi-
nute they ceased firing from below,
and called for quarter. The whole ot
this service was achieved in fifteen mi-
nutes from the commencement of the
action.

• I have to lament the loss of many of
my gallant shipmates, but they fell
exulting in their conquest.

My brave first lieutenant, Mr Watt,
was slain in the moment of victory, in
the act of hoisting the British colours ;
kis death ii a severe loss to trie service.

Mr Aldham, the purser, who had
spiritedly volunteered the charge of a
party of small-arm men, was killed at
his post on the gangway. My faith-
ful old clerk, Mr Dunn, was shot by
his side. Mr Aldham has left a wi-
dow to lament his loss. I request the
commander-in-chief will recommend
her to the protection of the lords com-
missioners of the Admiralty. My ve-
teran boatswain, Mr Stephens, has
lost an arm. He fought under Lord
Rodney on the 12th of April. I trust
his age and services will be duly re-
warded.

I am happy to say that Mr Sam-
well, a midshipman of much merit,' il
the only other officer wounded besides
myself, and he not dangerously. Of
my gallant seamen and marines we had
twenty-three slain and fifty-six wound-
ed. No expressions I can make use of
can do justice to the merits of my valiant
officers and crew ; the calm courage
they displayed during the cannonade,
and the tremendous precision of their
fire, could only be equalled by the
ardour with which they rushed to the
assault. I recommend them all warm-
ly to the protection of the commander-
in-chief. Having received a severe
sabre wound at the first onset, whilst
charging a part of the enemy who had
rallied on their forecastle, I was only
capable of giving command till assured
our conquest was complete, and then
directing second Lieutenant Wallis to
take charge of the Shannon, and se-
cure the prisoners, I left the third lieu-
tenant, Mr Falkiner (who had headed
the main deck boarders) in charge of
the prize. I beg to recommend these
officers most strongly to the comman-
der-in-chief's patronage, for the gal-
lantry theydisplayed duringthe action,
and the skill and judgment they evin-
ced in the anxious duties which after-
wards devolved upon them.

To Mr Etough, the acting master,
I am much indebted, for the steadiness

APRENDIX I.—GAZETTESi

cxci

with which he conned the sliip into ac-
tion. The Lieutenants Jones and
Law, of the marines, bravely boarded
at the head of their respective divisions.
It is impossible to particularize every
brilliant deed performed by my officers
and men ; but I must mention, when
the ships* yard-arms were locked to-
gether, that Mr Cosnahan, who com-
manded in our main-top, finding him-
self screened from the enemy by the
foot of the topsail, laid out at the
main -yard- arm to fire upon them, and
shot three men in that situation. Mr
Smith, who commanded in our fore-
top, stormed the enemy's fore- top
from the fore-yard arm, and destroyed
all the Americans remaining in it. I
particularly beg leave to recommend
Mr Etough, the acting master, and
Messrs. Smith, Leake, Clavering,
Raymond, and Littlejohn, midshipmen.
This latter officer is the son of Cap-
tain Littlejohn, who was slain in the
Berwick. The loss of the enemy was
about 70 killed, and 100 wounded.
Among the former were the four lieu-
tenants, a lieutenant of marines, the
master and many other officers. Cap-
tain Laurence is since dead of liis
wounds.

The enemy came into action with a
complement of four hundred and forty
men ; the Shannon having picked up
some recaptured seamen, had three
hundred and thirty. The Chesapeake
is a fine frigate, and mounts forty-nine
guns, eighteens on her main deck,
two-and-thirtics on her quarter-deck
and forecastle. Both ships came out
of action in the most beautiful order,
their rigging appearing as perfect as if
they had only been exchanging a sa-
lute.

I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed) P. B. V. Broke.
To Captain the Hon. T. Bladen

Capel, &c. Halifax.

Admiralty Office^ August 14.

Dispatches of which the following'
are copies, have been received at thi»
office from Admiral the Right Hon.
Sir J. B. Warren, Bart, and K. B.
commander in chief of his majesty's
ships and vessels on the American and
West Indian station, addressed to J.
W. Croker, Esq.

San Domingo, Hampton Roadsi^
Chesapeaki June 24.

Sir, — I request you will inform their
lordships, that, from the information
received of the enemy's fortifying
Craney Island, and it being necessary
to obtain possession of that place, to
enable the light ships and vessels to
proceed up the narrow channel towards
Norfolk, to transport the troops over
on that side for them to attack the
new fort and lines, in the rear of which
the Constellation ftngate was anchored.
I directed the troops under Sir Sidney
Beck with to be landed upon the conti-
nent, within the nearest point to that
place, and a reinforcement of seamen
and marines from the ships ; but, up-
on approaching the island, from the
extreme shoalness of the water on the
sea-side, and the difficulty of getting
across from the land, as well as the
island itself being fortified with a
number of guns and men from the fri-
gate and the militia, and flanked by
fifteen gun-boats, I considered, in con.
sequence of the representation of the
officer commanding the troops, of the
difficulty of their passing over the land,
that the persevering in the attempt
would cost more men than the number
with us would permit, as the other
forts must have been stormed before
the frigate and dock- yard could be de-
stroyed ; I therefore ordered the troops
to be rc-ernbarkcd. •

1 am happy to say, that the los* in

4xcii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181$.

the. above avFair (returns of which are
enclosed) has not been considerable,
and only two boats sunk. 1 have to
regret, that Captain Hanchctt, of his
majesty's ship Diadem, who volun-
teered his services, and led the division
of boats with great gallantry, was se-
verely wounded by a ball in the thigh.
The officers and men behaved with
much bravery, and if it had been pos-
sible to have got at the enemy, I am
persuaded would have soon gained the
place.

I have the honour to be, &c.
John Borlase Warrln.
J. W. Croker, Esq.

A general return of killed, ivoundedt
and mtssingy of ike officers, non-
commissioned officers, drummers, and
rank and jiie^ in t e affair with the
enemyy near Crany Islandy June
22.
Total — 3 killed, 8 wounded, 52

missing.

San Domingo, Hampton
Roads, June 27.
Sir,— I request you will inform their
lordships, that the enemy having a
post at Hampton, defended by a con-
siderable corps, commanding the com-
munication between the upper part of
the country and Norfolk, I considered
it advisable, and with a view to cut off
their resources, to direct it to be at-
tacked by the troops composing the
flying corps attached to this squadron ;
and having instructed Rear Admiral
Cockburn to conduct the naval part
of the expedition, and placed Captain
Pechell, with the Jv^ohawk sloop and
launches, as a covering force, under
his orders, the troops were disembark-
ed with the greatest zeal and alacri-
Sir S. Beckwith, commanding the
troops, having most ably attacked and
defeated the enemy's force, and took
their guns, colours, and camp, I refer

their lordships to the quarter-master.-
general's report (which is enclosed),
and that will explain the gallantry and
behaviour of the several officers and
men employed on this occasion, and I
trust will entitle them to the favour of
his royal highness the prince regent,
and the approbation of the lords com-
missioners of the Admiralty.

Sir Sidney Beckwith having report-
ed to me that the dcfencts of the town
were entirely destroyed, and the ene-
my completely dispersed in the neigh-
bourhood, I ordered the troops to
be re-embarked, whicl was performed
with the utmost good order by the
several officers of the squadron, under
the orders of Rear- Admiral Cock-
burn. I have, &c.

John B. Warren.

J. W. Croker, Esq.

His Majesty* s ship San Do*
mingo, Hampton Roadsf
June 28.

Sir, — I have the honour to report
to you, that in compliance with your
orders to attack the enemy in town
and camp at Hampton, the troops
under my command were put into
light sailing vessel and boats during
the night of the 25th instant, and by
the excellent arrangements of Rear
Admiral Cockburn, who was pleased
in person to superintend the advance,
under Lieut -Colonel Napier, consist-
ing of the 102d regiment, two compa-
nies of Canadian chasseurs, three com-
panies of marines from the squadron,
with two six-pounders from the royal
marines artillery, were landed half an
hour before daylight the next morning,
about two miles to the westward of
the town, and the royal marine bat-
talions, under Lieut.-Colonel Williams
were brought on shore so expeditious-
ly, that the column was speedily ena-
bled to move forward.

With a view to turn the enemy's
position, our march was directed to-

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES,

cxeiii

wards the great road, leading from
the country into the rear of the town :
whilst the troops moved off in this di-
rection, Rear Admiral Cockburn, to
engage the enemy's attention, ordered
the armed launches and rocket boats
to commence a fire upon their batte-
ries ; this succeeded so completely,
that the head of our advanced guard
had cleared a wood, and were already
on the enemy's flank before our ap-
proach was perceived ; they then mo-
ved from their camp to their position
in rear of the town, and here they were
vigorously attacked by Lieut -Col.
Napier, and the advance ; unable to
stand which, they continued their
march to the rear of the town, when
a detachment, under Lieut -Colonel
Williams, conducted by Captain Po-
well, assistant quarter-master-general,
pushed through the town, and forced
their way across a bridge of planks
into the enemy's encampment, of which,
and the batteries, immediate possession
was gained. In the meantime some
artillerymen stormed and took the ene-
my's remaining field-piece.

Enclosed, I have the honour to
transmit a return of ordnance taken.
Lieutenant- Colonel WiUiams will have
the honour of delivering to you a
stand of colours of the 68th regiment,
James City light infantry, and one of
the Ist battalion 85th regiment. The
exact numbers of the enemy it is diffi-
cult to ascertain. From the woody
country, and the strength of their po-
sition, our troops have sustained some
loss ; that of the enemy was very con-
siderable : every exertion was made to
collect the wounded Americans, who
were attended by a surgeon of their
own, and by the British surgeons, who
performed amputations on such as re-
quired it, and afforded every assistance
in their power ; the dead bodies of
such as could be collected were also
earefully buried.

I beg leave on this occasion to ex-

VOL. VI. PART. II.

press the obligations I owe to Lieut. '
Colonel Napier and Lieut. -Colonel
Williams, for their kind and able as-
sistance, to Major Malcolm, and Cap-
tain Smith, and all the officers and
men, whose zeal and spirited conduct
entitle them to my best acknowledg-
ments.

I have the honour to be, &c.

Sydney Beckwith,
Quarter- master- genera •
Right Hon. J. B. Warren,
K B. &c.

Return of Ordnance Stores taken in
Hamptonj on the 9,5th ofJune*
Four twelve pounder guns on tra-
velUng carriages, 3 six-pounder guns
on travelling carriages, with limbers,
and a proportion of ammunition for
each of the above calibres ; 3 covered
waggons and their horses.

A return of the killed^ W)unded, and
missing at Hampton, 26th June^
1813.
Total— 5 killed 5 33 wounded; 10

missing.

Do^ning'Street, August 16.

His serene highness the hereditary
Prince of Orange has arrived at this
office with dispatches addressed to
Earl Bathurst, by Field Marshal the
Marquis of Wellington, of which the
following are copies : —

San Estevan, August 1, 1813.

My Lord, — Two practical breaches
having been effected at San Sebastian
on the 24th of July, orders were given
that they should be attacked on the
morning of the 25th. 1 am concerned
to have to report that this attempt to
obtain possession of the place failed,
and that our loss was very consider-
able

Marshal Soult had been appointed

cxciy

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

Lieutenant dc V Empei^eur and com-
mander-in-chief of the French armies
in Spain and the southern provinces of
France, by a Decret Imperial on the
1st of July, and he joined and took
the command of the army on the 13th
of July, which having been joined near-
ly about the same time by the corps
which had been in Spain under the
command of General Ciauzel, and by
other reinforcements, was called the
army of Spain, and reinforced into
nine divisions of infantry, forming the
right, centre, and left, under the com-
mand of General Reille, Comte d'-
Erlon, and General Ciauzel, as Lieut.-
Generals, and a reserve under General
Villatte; and two divisions of dragpons
and one of light cavalry, the two for-
mer under the command of Generals
Treillard and Tilly, and the latter
under the command of General Pierre
Soult. There was besides allotted to
the army a large proportion of artil-
lery, and a considerable number of
guns had already joined.

The allied army was posted, aa I
have already informed your lordship,
in the passes of the mountains. Ma-
^or-General Byng's brigade of British
infantry, and General Murillo's divi-
sion of Spanish infantry, were on the
right, in the pass of Roncesvallcs.
lyieut^nant^ General Sir Lowry Cole
was posted at Vi&carret, to support
those troopa ; and Lieutenant^Gene-
ral Sir Thomas Picton, with the third
division, at Olaque, in reserve.

JLieut. -General Sir Rowland Hill
occupied the valley of Baatan with
the remainder of the second division,
and the Portugueze division, under
the Conde de Amarante, detaching
General Campbell's Portuguese bri-

fade to Lus Alduides, within the
rench territory. TheHght and seventh
divisions occupied the heights of Santa
Barbara, and the Puerto de Echalar,
and kept the communication with the
T^ley of Bastan \ and the sixth divi-

sion was in reserve at San Estevan.
General Longa*s division kept the
communication between the troops at
Vera and those under Lieutenant- Ge-
neral Sir Thomas Graham, and Ma-
rischal del Campo Giron, on the great
road.

The Conde del Abisbal blockaded
Pampeluna.

On the 24th, Marshal Soult collect-
ed the right and left wings of his army,
with one division of his centre, and
two divisions of cavalry, at St Jean
de Pied de Port, and on the 25th at-
tacked, with between thirty and forty
thousand men, General Byng's post
at Roncesvalles. Lieutenant-General
Sir Lowry Cole moved up to his sup-
port with the fourth division, and
these officers were enabled to maintain
their post throughout the day. But
the enemy turned it in the afternoon ;
and Lieut,-General Sir Lowry Cole
considered it to be necessary to with-
draw in the night ; and he marched to
the neighbourhood of Zubiri.

In the actions which took place on
this day, the 20th regiment distin-
guished themselves.

Two divisions of the centre of the
enemy's army attacked Sir Rowland
Hill's position in the Puerto de Maya,
at the head of the valley of Bastan,
in the afternoon of the same day.
The brunt of the action fell upon
Major-General Pringle's and Major-
Gencral Walker's brigades in the se-
cond division, under the command of
Lieutenant-General the Hon. W.
Stewart. These troops were at first
obliged to give way ; but having been
supported by Major-General Barnes's
brigade of the 7th division, they re-
gained that part of their post, which
was the key of the whole, and would
have enabled them to reassume it, if
circumstances had permitted it : but
Sir Rowland Hill having been ap-
prised of the necessity that Sir Lowry
Cole should recire, deemed it expedient

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

cxcv

to withdraw his troops likewise to
Irurita ; and the enemy did not ad-
vance on the following day beyond
the Puerto de Maya.

Notwithstanding the enemy's supe-
riority of numbers, they acquired but
little advantage over these brave troops
during the seven hours they were en-
gaged. All the regiments charged
with the bayonet. The conduct of
the 82d regiment, which moved up
with Major- General Barnes's brigade,
is particularly reported.

Lieutenant General the Hon. W.
Stewart was slightly wounded.

I was not apprised of these events
till late in the night of the 25th and
26th ; and I adopted immediate mea-
sures to concentrate the army to the
right, still providing for the siege of
San Sebastian, and for the blockade
of Pamplona.

This would have been effected early
on the 27th, only that Lieutenant-
General Sir Lowry Cole and Lieut.-
General Sir Thomas Picton concurred
in thinking their post at Zubiri not
tenable for the time during which it
would have been necessary to wait in
it. They therefore retired early on the
27th, and took up a position to cover
the blockade of Pamplona, having
the right, consisting of the 3d division,
in front of Huarte, and extending to
the hills beyond Olaz, and the left,
consisting of the 4th division, Major-
General Byng's, and Brigadier Gene-
ral Campbell's Portuguese brigade,
on the heights in front of Villalba,
having their left at a chapel behind
Sorausen, on the high road from Ostiz
to Pamplona, and their right resting
upon a height which defended the
high road from Zubiri and Roncesval-
les. General Murillo's division of
Spanish infantry, and that part of the
Conde del Abisbal's corps not engaged
in the blockade, were in reserve. From
the latter, the regiment of Travia,
and that of El Principe, were detach-

ed to occupy part of the hill on the
right of the fourth division, by which
the road from Zubiri was defended.

The British cavalry under Lieut.-
General Sir Stapleton Cotton were
placed near Huarte on the right, be-
ing the only ground on which it was
possible to use the cavalry.

The river Lanz runs in the valley
which was on the left of the allied,
and on the right of the French army
along the road to Ostiz. Beyond this
river there is another range of moun-
tains connected with Ligasso and Mar-
calain, by which places it was now
necessary to communicate with the
rest of the army.

I joined the third and fourth divi-
sion just as they were taking up their
ground on the 27th : and shortly af-
terwards the enemy formed their army
on a mountain, the front of which
extends from the high road to Ostiz
to the high road to Zubiri, and they
placed one division on their left of that
road on a height, and in some villages
in front of the third division. They
had here also a large body of cavalry.

In a short time after they had ta-
ken up their ground, the enemy at-
tacked the hill on the right of the
fourth division, which was then occu-
pied by one battalion of the 4th Por-
tuguese regiment, and by the Spanish
regiment of Pravia.

The troops defended their ground,
and drove the enemy from it with the
bayonet. Seeing the importance of
this hill to our position, I reinforced
it with the 40tn regiment ; and this
regiment, with the Spanish regiments
of El Principe and Pravia, held it from
this time, notwithstanding the repeat-
ed efforts of the enemy, during the
27th and 28th, to obtain possession of
it.

Nearly at the eame time that the
enemy attacked this height on the 27th,
they took possession of the village of
Sorausen on the road to Ostiz, by

ClCVI

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

which they acquired the communica-
tion by that road, and they kept up a
fire of musketry along the line till it
was dark.

We were joined on the morning of
the 28th by the sixth division of infan-
try, and I directed that the heights
should be occupied on the left of the
▼alley of the Lanz ; and that the
sixth division should form across the
valley in rear of the left of the fourth
division, resting their right on Oricain,
and their left upon the heights above-
mentioned.

The sixth division had scarcely
taken up their position when they
were attacked by a very large force
of the enemy, which had been assem-
bled in the village of Sorausen,

Their front was, however, so well
defended by the fire of their own light
troops from the heights on their left,
and by the fire from the heights occu-
pied by the fourth division and Briga-
dier-General Campbell's Portuguese
brigade, that the enemy were soon
driven back with immense loss, from a
fire on their front, both flanks, and
rear.

In order to extricate their troops
from the difficulty in which they found
themselves in their situation in the val-
ley of the Lanz, the enemy now at-
tacked the height on which the left
of the fourth division stood, which
was occupied by the seventh Ca^adores,
of which they obtained a momentary
possession. They were attacked, how-
ever, again by the seventh Ca^adores,
supported by Major-General Ross, at
the head of his brigade of the fourth
division, and were driven down with
great loss.

Tne battle now became general
along the whole front of the heights,
occupied by the fourth division, and
in every part in our favour, excepting
where one battalion of the tenth Por-
tuguese regiment of Major-General
Campbell*^ brigade was posted. This

battalion having been overpowered,
and having been obHged to give way
immediately on the right ot Major-
General Ross's brigade, the enemy
established themselves on our line,
and Major-General Ross was obfiged
to withdraw from his post.

I, hovi^ever, ordered the 27th and
48th regiments to charge, first that
body of the enemy which had first
estabhshed themselves on the height,
and next those on the left Both at-
tacks succeeded, and the enemy were
driven down with immense loss ; and
the 6th division having moved forward
at the same time to a situation in the
valley nearer to the left of the 4th,
the attack upon this front ceased en-
tirely, and was continued but faintly
on other points of our line.

In the course of this contest, the
gallant fourth division, which has so
frequently been distinguished in this
army, surpassed their former good
conduct. Every regiment charged
with the bayonet ; and the 40th, the
7th,20th, and2Sd, four different times.
Their officers set them the example,
and Major-General Ross had two
horses shot under him. The Portu-
guese troops likewise behaved admi-
rably ; and I had every reason to be
satisfied with the conduct of the Spa-
nish regiments del Principe and Pra-
via.

I had ordered Lieutenant- General
Sir Rowland Hill to march by Lanz
upon Lizasso, as soon as I found that
Lieutenant. Generals Sir Thomas Pic-
ton and Sir Lowry Cole had moved
from Zubiri ; and Lieutenant-General
the Earl of Dalhousie, from St Este-
van, to the same place, where both ar-
rived on the 28th, and the seventh di-
vision came to Marcalain.

The enemy's force which had been
in front of Sir Rowland Hill followed
his march, and arrived at Ostiz on the
29th. The enemy thus reinforced,
and occupying a position in the moun-

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

CZCVIl

tains which appeared little liable to
attack, and finding that they could
make no impression on our front, de-
termined to endeavour to turn our
left by an attack on Sir Rowland Hill's
corps.

They reinforced with one division
the troops which had been already
opposed to him, still occupying the
same points in the mountain, on which
was formed their principal force, but
they drew into their left the troops
which occupied the heights opposite
the third division, and they had du-
ring the night of the 29th and 30th,
occupied in strength the crest of the
mountain on our left of the Lanz, op-
posite to the sixth and seventh divi-
sions ; thus connecting their right in
their position with the divisions de-
tached to attack Lieutenant-General
Sir Rowland Hill.

I, however, determined to attack
their position, and ordered Lieutenant-
General the Earl of Dalhousie to
possess himself of ^ the top of the
mountain in his front, by which the
enenny's right would be turned, and
Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Pic-
ton to cross the heights on which the
enemy's left had stood, and to turo
their left by the road to Roncesvalles.
All the arrangements were made to
attack the front of the enemy's posi-
tion, as soon as the effect of these
movements on their flanks should be-
gin to appear. Major-General the
Honourable Edward Fakenham, whom
I had sent to take the command of the
sixth division, Major-General Pack
having been wounded, turned the vil-
lage of Sorausen, as soon as the Earl
of Dalhousie had driven the enemy
from the mountain, by which the flank
was defended ; and the sixth division,
and Major-General Byng's brigade,
which had relieved the fourth division
on the left of our position on the road
to Ostiz, instantly attacked and car-
ried that village.

Lieutenant-General SirLowryCole
likewise attacked the froHt of the
enemy's main position with the 7th
Ca^adores, supported by the Hth
Portuguese regiment, the 40th, and
the battahon under Colonel Bingham,
consisting of the Queen's and 53d re-
giment. All these operations obliged
the enemy to abandon a position which
is one of the strongest and most diffi-
cult of access that I have yet seen
occupied by troops.

In their retreat from this position,
the enemy lost a great number of pri-
soners.

I cannot sufficiently applaud the
conduct of all the general officers,
officers and troops throughout these
operations. The attack made by
Lieutenant-General the Jtarl of Dal-
housie was admirably conducted by
his lordship, and executed by Major-
General Inglis and the troops compo-
sing his brigade ; and that by Major-
General the Hon. Edward Pakenham
and Major- General Byng, and that by
Lieutenant-General Sir Lowry Cole,
and the movement made by Sir Tho-
mas Picton, merit my highest commen-
dation.

The latter officer co-operated in
the attack of the mountain by detach-
ing troops to his left, in which the
Hon. Lieutenant-Colonel Trench was
wounded, but I hope not seriously.

While these operations were going
on, and in proportion as I observed
their success, I detached troops to
the support of Lieutenant-General
Sir Rowland Hill

The enemy appeared in his front
late in the morning, and immediately
commenced an extended manoeuvre
upon his flank, which obliged him to
withdraw from a height which he oc-
cupied behind the Lizasso to the next
range He there, however, maintamed
himself, and I enclose his report of
the conduct of the troops. I conti-
nued the pursuit of the enemy, after

cscviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

their retreat from the mountain to
Claque, where I was at sunaet, imme-
diately in the rear of their attack upon
Lieutenant General Sir Rowland Hill.
They withdrew from his front in the
night, and yesterday took up a strong
position, with two divisions, to cover
their rear in the pass of Dona Ma-
ria.

Lieutenant- General Sir Rowland
Hill, and the Earl of Dalhousie, at-
tacked and carried the pass, notwith-
standing the vigorous resistsnce of the
enemy and the strength of their posi-
tion. X am concerned to add, that
Lieutenant-General the Hon. William
Stewart was wounded upon this occa-
sion.

I enclose Lieutenant-General Sir
Rowland Hill's report.

In the meantime I moved with Ma-
jor General Byng's brigade and the
4th division, under Lieutenant-Gene-
ral Sir Lowry Cole, by the pass of
Velate upon Irurita, in order to turn
the enemy's position on Dona Maria.
Major-General Byng took, in EHzon-
do, a large convoy going to the ene-
my, and made many prisoners.

We have this day continued the
pursuit of the ewemy in the valley of
the Bidassoa; and many prisoners and
much baggage have been taken. Ma-
jor-General Byng has possessed himself
of the valley of Bastan, and of the
position on the Puerto de Maya ; and
the army will be this night nearly in
the same positions, which they occu-
pied on the 25th of July.

I trust that H. R. H. the Prince
Regent will be satisfied with the con-
duct of the troops of his majesty and
of his allies on this occasion. The
enemy having been considerably rein
forced and re-equipped after their late
defeat, made a most formidable attempt
to revive the blockade of Pamplona
with the whole of their forces, except-
ing the reserve under General Villatte,

which remained in front of our troops
on the great road from Irun.

This attempt has been entirely frus-
trated by the operations of a part only
of the allied army, and the enemy
have sustained a defeat and suffered a
severe loss in both officers and men.

The enemy's expectations of suc-
cess, beyond the point of raising the
blockac e of Pamplona, were certainly
very sanguine. They brought into
Spain a large body of cavalry, and a
great number of guns, neither of which
arms could be used to any great ex-
tent by either party in the battle which
took place. They sent off the guns
to St Jean de Pied de Port on the
evening of the 28th, which have thus
returned to France in safety.

The detail of the operations will
shew your lordship how much reason
I have to be satisfied with the conduct
of all the general officers, officers and
troops. It is impossible to describe
the enthusiastic bravery of the fourth
division ; and I was much indebted to
Lieutenant-General Sir Lowry Cole,
for the manner in which he directed
their operations ; to Major-General
Ross, Major-General Byng, and Bri-
gadier-General Campbell, of the Por-
tuguese service. All the officers com-
manding, and the officers of regiments,
were remarkable for their gallantry ;
but I particularly observed'Lieutenant-
Colonel O'Toole, of the 7th Ca9a-
dores, in the charge upon the enemy
on our left, on the 28th, and Captain
Joaquim Telles Juradao, of the 11th
Portuguese regiment, in the attack of
the mountain on the 30th.

I beg to draw your lordship's atten-
tion, likewise, to the valuable assist-
ance I received, throughout these ope-
rations, from Lieutenant-General Sir
Rowland Hill, from Lieutenant-Gene-
ral the Earl of Dalhousie, and Sir
Thomas Picton, in those of the 30th
and 31st of July.

APPENDIX I.— GARETTES.

CXCIX

To the Conde del Abisbal also I am
indebted for every assistance it was in
his power to give, consistently with
his attention to the blockade. I have
already mentioned the conduct of the
regiments of Pravia and El Principe,
belonging to the army of reserve of
Andalusia, in a most trying situation ;
and the whole corps appeared anima-
ted by the same zealous spirit which
pervaded all the troops in that posi-
tion.

Marshal Sir William Beresford was
with me throughout these operations,
and I received from him all the assist-
ance which his talents so well qualify
him to afford me. The good conduct
of the Portuguese officers and troops
in all the operations of the present
campaign, and the spirit which they
shew on ev^ry occasion, are not less
honourable to that nation, than they
are to the military character of the
officer, who, by his judicious mea-
sures, has re-estabhshed discipline and
revived a military spirit in the army,

I have again to draw your lordship's
attention to the valuable assistance I
received throughout these operations
from the Quarter-Master-Gen. Major-
General Murray, and the Adjutant-
General, Major-General Pakenham,
and the officers of those departments
respectively ; and from Lieutenant-
Col. Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Lieut.-
Colonel Campbell, and the officers of
my personal staff.

Although our wounded are nume-
rous, I am happy to say that the cases
in general are slight ; and I have great
. pleasure in reporting to your lordship,
that the utmost attention has been
paid to them by the inspector of hos-
pitals, Dr McGregor, and by the offi-
cers of the department under his direc-
tions.

Adverting to the extent and nature
of our operations, and the difficulties
of our communications at times, I have
reason to be extremely well satisfied

with the zreal and exertions of Sir Ro-
bert Kennedy, the Commissary-Gene-
ral, and the officers of his department,
throughout the campaign, which upon
the whole have been more successful in
supplying the troops than could have
been expected.

I transmit this dispatch to your
lordship by his Serene Highness the
Hereditary Prince of Orange, who is
perfectly well acquainted with all that
has passed, and with the situation of
the army ; and will be able to inform
your lordship of many details relating
to this series of operations, for which
a dispatch does not afford scope. His
Highness had a horse shot under him
in the battle near Sorausen on the 26th
of July.

I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed) Wellington.

Londoiv Gazette Extraordinary^
Sept, U, 1818.

War Department.

Downing -street, Sept. 14, 1813.

Major Hare has arrived at this of-
fice with dispatches addressed to Earl
Bathurst, by Field-Marshal the Mar-
quis of Wellington, of which the fol-
lowing are copies : —

Lezacay Sept, ^, 1813.

My Lord, — The fire against the
fort of San Sebastian was opened on
the 26th of August, and directed
against the towers which flanked the
curtain on the eastern face, against the
demy-bastion on the south-eastern an-
gle, and the termination of the curtain
of the southern face. Lieut.-General
Sir T. Graham had directed that an
establishment should be formed on the
island of Santa Clara, which was ef-
fected on the night of the 26th ; and
the enemy's detachment on that island
were made prisoners. Captain Came-
roDi of the 9th, had the command of

€C

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

the detachment which effected this
operation, and Sir Thomas Graham
particularly applauds his conduct and
that of Captain Henderson, of the
royal engineers.

The conduct of Lieut, the Hon.
James Arbuthnot of the royal navy,
who commanded the boats, was highly
meritorious, as likewise that of Lieut.
Bell, of the royal marines.

All that it was deemed practicably
to carry into execution, in order t(>
facilitate the approach to the breaches
before made in the wall of the town,
having been effected on the 30th of
August, and another breach having
been made at the termination of the
curtain, the place was stormed at 11
o'clock in the day on the 31st, and
carried. The loss on our side has been
severe. Lieutenant-General Sir James
Leith, who had joined the army only
two days before, and Major-Generals
Oswald and Robinson were unfortu-
nately wounded in the breach ; and
Colonel Sir Richard Fletcher, of the
royal engineers, was killed by a mus-
ket ball at the mouth of the trenches.
In this officer, and in Lieutenant-Co-
lonel Crawford, of the 9th regiment,
his majesty's service has sustained a
serious loss.

I have the honour to enclose Lieut. -
General Sir Thomas Graham's report
of this operation, in which your lord-
ship will observe, with pleasure, ano-
ther distinguished instance of the gal-
lantry and perseverance of his majes-
ty's officers and troops, under the most
trying difficulties.

All reports concur in praise of the
conduct of the detachment from the
10th Portuguese brigade, under Ma-
jor Snodgrass, which crossed the river
Urumea, and stormed the breach on
the right, under all the fire which
could be directed upon them from the
castle and town.

The garrison retired to the castle,
Itaving about 270 prisoners in our

hands ; and I hope that I shall sooi
have the pleasure to inform your lord-
ship that we have possession of that
post.

Since the fire against St Sebastian
had been recommenced, the enemy had
drawn the greatest part oi their force
to the camp of Urogue, and there was
every reason to believe, that they
would make an attempt to relieve the
place.

Three divisions of the 4th Spanish
army, commanded by General Don
Manuel Freyre, occupied the heights
of San Marcial, and the town of Irun,
by which the approach to St Sebas-
tian, by the high road, was covered
and protected, and they were support-
ed by the 1st division of British in-
fantry, under Major-General Howard,
and Maj. -General Lord Aylmer's bri-
gade, on their left, and in the rear of
Irun ; and by General Longa's divi-
sion encamped near the Sierra de Aya,
in the rear of their right. In order to
secure them still further, I moved two
brigades of the 4th division, on the
30th, to the convent of San Antonio,
one of which (General Ross's), un-
der Lieutenant- General the Hon. Sir
Lowry Cole, moved up the same day
to the Sierra de Aya, and the other,
on the morning of the 31st, leaving
the 9th Portuguese brigade on the
heights between the Convent and Vera,
and Lezaca.

Major-General Inglis's brigade of
the 7th division was moved on the 30th
to the brigade of Lezaca ; and 1 gave
orders for the troops in the Puertos
of Echalar, Zugarramurdi, and Maya,
to attack the enemy's weakened posts
in front of those positions.

The enemy crossed the Bidassoa by
the fords between Andara, and des-
troyed the bridge on .the high road,
before day-light on the morning of the
31st, with a very large force, with
which they made a most desperate at-
tack along the whole front of the po-

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES^

sition of the Spanish troops on the
heights of San Marcial. They were
driven back, some of them even across
the river, in the most gallant style,
by the Spanish troops, vehose conduct
was equal to that of any troops that I
have ever seen engaged ; and the at-
tack having been frequently repeated,
was, upon every occasion, defeated
with the same gallantry and determi-
nation. The course of the river being
immediately under the heights on the
French side, on which the enemy had
placed a considerable quantity of can-
non, they were enabled to throw a
bridge across the river, about three
quarters of a mile above the high road,
over which, in the afternoon they
marched again a considerable body,
which, with those who had crossed
the fords, made another desperate at-
tack upon the Spanish po8iti.)n8. This
was equally beat back ; and at length
finding all their efforts on that side
fruitless, the enemy took advantage of
the darkness of a violent storm to re-
tire their troops from this front en-
tirely.

Notwithstanding that, as I have
above informed your lord^hip, I had
a British division on each flank of the
4th Spanish army, I am happy to be
able to report, that the conduct of the
latter was so conspicuously good, and
they were so capable of defending
their post without assistance, notwith-
standing the desperate efforts of the
enemy to carry it, that finding the
ground did not allow of my making
use of the Ist or 4-th divisions on the
flanks of the enemy's attacking corps,
neither of them were in the least en-
gaged during the action.

iN early at the same time that the
enemy crossed the Bidassoa in front of
the heights of San Marcial, they like-
wise crossed that river with about
three divisions of infantry in two co-
lumns, by the fords below Salin, in

front of the position occupied by the
9th Portuguese brigade. I ordered
Major- General Inglis to support this
brigade with that of the 7th division
under his command ; and as soon as I
was informed of the course of the ene-
my's attack, 1 sent to Lieut, -General
the Earl of Dalhousie to request that
he would likewise move towards the
Bidassoa, with the 7th division, and t»
the light division, to support Major-
General Inglis by every means in their
power. Mdjor-General Inglis found
it impossible to maintain the heights
between Lezaca and the Bidassoa, and
he withdrew to those in front of the
convent of San Antonio, which he
maintained.

In the mean time, Major-General
Kempt moved one brigade of the light
division to Lezaca, by which he kept
the enemy in check, and covered the
march of the Earl of Dalhousie tojoui
Major-General Inglis.

The enemy, however, having com-
pletely failed in their attempt upon
the position of the Spanish army on
the heights of San Marcial ; and find-
ing that Major- General Inglis had ta-
ken a position from which they could
not drive him ; at the same time that
it covered and protected the right of
the Spanish army, and the approaches
to San Sebastian by Oyarzun, and that
their situation on the left of the Bi-
dassoa was becoming at every mo-
ment more critical, retired during the
night.

The fall of rain during the evening
and night had so swollen the Bidassoa,
that the rear of their column was obli-
ged t» cross at the bridge of Vera. la
order to effect this object, they at-
tacked the posts of Major-General
Skerrett's brigade of the light divi-
sion, at about three in the morning,
both from the Puerto de Vera and
from the left of the Bidassoa. Al-
though the nature of the ground ren-

CCH

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

dered It impossible to prevent entirely
the passage of the bridge after day-
light, it was made under the fire of a
great part of Major-Gen. Skerrett*s
brigade, and the enemy's loss in the
operation must have been very consi-
derable. Whilst this was going On
upon the left of the army, Mariscal de
Campo Don Pedro Giron attacked
the enemy's posts in front of the pass
of Echalar, on the 30th and 31st. —
Liieut General the Earl of Dalhousie
made General Lc Cor attack those in
front of Zugarramurdi, with the 6th
Portuguese brigade, on the 31st ; and
the Hon. Major- General Colville made
Colonel Douglas attack the enemy's
posts in front of the pass of Maya, on
the same day, with the 7th Portu-

fuese brigade. All these troops con-
Hcted themselves well. The attack
made by the Earl of Dalhousie delay-
ed his march til) late in the afternoon
of the 31st, but he was in the evening
in a favourable situation for his farther
progress ; and in the morning of the
1st, in that allotted for him.

In these operations, in which a se-
cond attempt by the enemy to prevent
the establishment of the allies upon
the frontiers has been defeated, by the
operations of a part only of the allied
army, at the very moment at which the
town of St SebaFtian was taken by
storm, I have had great satisfaction
in observing the zeal and ability of the
officers, and the gallantry and discip-
line of the soldiers.

The different reports which I have
transmitted to your lordship from
Lieut. -General Sir Thomas Graham
\;*ill have shewn the ability and perse-
verance with which he has conducted
the arduous enterprize entrusted to his
direction, and the zeal and exertion of
all the officers employed under him.

I fully concur in the Lieut. -Gene-
ral's report of the cordial assistance
which he has received from Capt. Sir

George Collier, and the officers, sea-
men, and marines under his comn<and ;
who have done every thing in their
power to facilitate and ensure our suc-
cess. The seamen have served with
the artillery in the batteries, and have
upon every occasion manifested that
spirit which is characteristic of the
British navy,

I cannot sufficiently applaud the
conduct of Mariscal de Campo Don
Manuel Freyre, the Commander-in-
chief of the 4th Spanish army, who,
whilst he made every disposition which
was proper for the troops under his
command, set them an example of
gallantry, which having been followed
by the general officers, chiefs, and
other officers of the regiments, ensured
the success of the day. In his report,
in which I concur, the general ex-
presses the difficulty which he finds of
selecting particular instances of gal-
lantry, in a case in which all have con-
ducted themselves so well ; but he has
particularly mentioned General Men-
dizabel, who volunteered his assist-
ance, and commanded on the height of
San Marcial ; Mariscal de Campo Lo-
sado, who comm^anded in the centre,
and was wounded ; Mariscal de Campo
Jose Garcia de Paredes, the comm.and-
ing officer of the artillery ; Brigadiers
Don Jurn Diaz Porher, Don Jose
Maria Espeleta, Don Stanislas San-
chez Salvado ; the chief of the staff of
the fourth army, and Don Antonio
Roselly ; and Colonel Fuentes Pita,
the commanding engineer, Don Juan
Loarte, of the regiment de la Consti-
tution, and Don Juan Uarte Mendia.

Major- General Inglis, and the regi-
ments in his brigade of the seventh
division, conducted themselves remark-
ably well. The 51st regiment, under
Colonel Mitchel, and the 68th, under
Lieut. -Colonel Hawkins, covered the
change of position by the troops from
the heights between the Bidassoa and

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

cciu

Lezaca, to those of San Antonio ;
and these corps were distinguished.

Throughout these operations I have
received every assistance from the Ad-
jutant General, Major- General Paken-
ham, and the Quarter-Master-General,
Major General Murray, and all the
officers of the staff.

I transmit this dispatch by Major
Hare, Acting Assistant-Adjutant- Ge-
neral with this army, attached to Lieu-
tenant-General Sir Thomas Graham,
whom I beg leave to recommend to
your lordship's protection.

I have the honour to be, &c.

Wellington^.

Oi/arzun, Sept. 1, 1813.

My Lord, — In obedience to your
lordship's orders of the preceding day,
to attack and form a lodgment on the
breach of St Sebastian, which now ex-
tended to the left, so as to embrace
the outermost tower, the end and front
of the curtain immediately over the
left bastion, as well as the faces of the
bastion itself, the assault took place
at eleven o'clock, a. m. yesterday ;
and I have the honour to report to
your lordship, that the heroic perse-
verance of all the troops concerned was
at last crowned with success.

The column of attack was formed
of the second brigade of the 5th divi-
sion, commanded by Major-General
Robinson, with an immediate support
of detachments as per margin,* and
having in reserve the remainder of the
5th division, consisting of Major-Ge-
neral Sprye's Portuguese brigade, and
the first brigade under Major-General

Hay, as also the 5th battalion of ca-
<^adores of General Bradford's brigade,
under Major Hill ; the whole under
the direction of Lieut.- General Sir
James Leith, commanding the 5th di-
vision.

Having arranged every thing with
Sir J. Leith, I crossed the Urumia to
the batteries of the right attack, where
every thing could be most distinctly
seen, and from whence the orders for
the fire of the batteries, according to
circumstances, could be immediately
given.

The column, in firing out of the
right trenches, was, as before, exposed
to a heavy fire of shells and grape-shot,
and a mine was exploded in the left
angle of the counterscarp of the horn-
work, which did great damage, but
did not check the ardour of the troops
in advancing to the attack. There
was never any tiling so fallacious as the
external appearance of the breach ;
without some description, the almost
insuperable difficulties of the breach
cannot be estimated. Notwithstand-
ing its great extent, there was but one
point where it was possible to enter,
and there by single files. All the in-
side of the wall to the right of the
curtain formed a perpendicular scarp
of at least 20 feet to the level of the
streets : so that the narrow ridge of
the curtain itself, formed by the breach-
ing of its end and front, was the only
accessible point. During the suspen-
sion of the operations of the siege, from
want of ammunition, the enemy had
prepared every means of defence which
art could devise, so that great numbers
of men were covered by entrenchments

♦ One hundred and fifty vohmteers of the light division, commanded bv Lieutenant-
Colonel Hunt, of the 52d regiment ; four hundred of the first division (consisting of
two hundred of the brigade of guards, under Lieutenant-Colonel Cooke; of one hun-
dred of the light battalion, and one hundred of the line battalions of the King's German
Legion), under Major Robertson ; and two hundred volunteers of the fourth division,
under Major Rose, of the 20th foot.

cciv

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

and traverses, in the horn-work, on the
ramparts of the curtain, and inside of
the town opposite to the breach, and
ready to pour a most destructive fire
of musketry on both flanks of the ap-
proach to the top of the narrow ridge
of the curtain.

Every thing that the most determi-
ned bravery could attempt was repeat-
edly tried in vain by the troops, who
were brought forward from the trenches
in succession. No man outHved the at-
tempt to gain the ridge ; and though
the slope of the breach afforded shelter
from the eniemy's musketry, yet still
the nature of the stone rubbish pre-
vented the great exertions of the en-
gineers and working parties from be-
ing able to form a lodegment for the
troops, exposed to the shells and grape
from the batteries of the castle, as was
particularly directed, in obedience to
your lordship's instruction : and, at
all events, a secure lodgement could
never have been obtained without oc-
cupying a part of the curtain.

In this almost desperate state of the
attack, after consulting with Colonel
Dickson, commanding the royal artil-
lery, I ventured to order the guns to
be turned against the curtain. A heavy
fire of artillery was directed against it ;
passing a few feet only over the heads
of our troops on the breach, and was
kept up with a precision of practice
beyond all example. Meanwhile I ac-
cepted the offer of a part of Major-
General Bradford's Portuguese bri-
gade to ford the river near its mouth.
The advance of the 1st battalion, 13th
regiment, under Major Snodgrasf, over
the open beach, and across the river ;
and of a detachment of the 24th regi-
ment, under Lieut-Colonel M*Bean,
in support, was made in the hand-
somest style, under a very severe fire
of grape. Major Snodgrass attacked,
and finally carried the small breach on
the right of the great one, and Lieut. -

Colonel M* Bean's detachment occu-
pied the right of the great breach. I
ought not to omit to mention, that a
similar offer was made by the 1st Por-
tuguese regiment of Brigadier- Gene-
ral Wilson's brigade,under Lieut.-Co-
lonel Fearon ; and that both Major-
General Bradford, and Brigadier-Ge-
' neral Wilson, had from the beginning,
urged most anxiously the employment
of their respective brigades in the at-
tack, as they had so large a share in
the labour and fatigues of the right
attack.

Observing now the effect of the ad-
mirable fire of the batteries against the
curtain, though the enemy was so much
covered, a great effort was ordered to
be made to gain the high ridge at all
hazards, at the same time that an at-
tempt should be made to storm the
horn work.

It fell to the lot of the 2d brigade
of the 5th division, under the command
of Colonel the Hon. Charles Grenville,
to move out of the trenches for ttiii
purpose, and the 3d battaHon of the
Koyal Scots, under Lieutenant-Colo-
nel Barnes, supported by the 3Sth,
under Lieutenant Colonel Miles, for-
tunately arrived to assault the breach
of the curtain, about the time when ,2
an explosion on the rampart of the ]
curtain (occasioned by the fire of the
artillery) created some confusion a-
mong the enemy. The narrow pass
was gained, and was maintained, after
a severe conflict, and the troops on the
right of the breach having about thi«
time succeeded in forcing the barri-
cades on the top of the narrow line
wall, found their way into the houses
that joined it. Thus, after an assault
which lasted above two hours, under
the most trying circumstance^, a firm
footing was obtained.

It was impossible to restrain the
impetuosity of the troops, and in an
hour more the enemy were driven from

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

ccv

all the complication of defences prepa-
red in thff streets, suffering a severe
loss on their retreat to the castle, and
leaving the whole town in our posses
fion.

Though it must be evident to your
lordship, that the troops were all ani-
mated with the most enthusiastic and
devoted gallantry, and that all are en-
titled to the highest commendation,
yet I am sure your lordship will wish
to be informed more particularly con-
cerning those, who, from their situa-
tions, had opportunities of gaining pe-
culiar distinction ; and as the distance
I was at myself does not enable me to
perform this act of justice from per-
sonal observation, I have taken every
pains to collect information from the
superior officers. Lieut. -General Sir
James Leith justified, in the fullest
manner, the confidence reposed in his
tried judgment and distinguished gal-
lantry, conducting and directing the
attack, till obhged to be reluctantly
carried off, after receiving a most se-
vere contusion on the breast, and ha-
ving his left arm broken.

Major-General Hay succeeded to
the command, and ably conducted the
attack to the last. Lieut.-General Sir
James Leith expresses his great obH-
gations to Major- Generals Hay and
Robinson, (the latter was obliged to
leave the field from a severe wound in
the face,) and to Lieut.-Cols. Berke-
ley and Gomm, assistant adjutant-ge-
neral and assistant quarter-master-ge-
neral of the 5th division, for their zea-
lous services, during this arduous con-
test. He warmly recommends to your
lordship's notice his aid-de-carap. Cap-
tain Belches, of the 59th foot ; and,
in conjunction with Major- Gen. Hay,
he bears testimony to the highly-me-
ritorious conduct of Captain James
Stewart, of the 3d battahon Royal
Scots, aid-de-camp to Major-General
Hay ; and he recommends to your
lordship's notice, Major-General Ro-

binson's aid-de-camp, Captain Wood,
4th foot, as also Captains Williamson
and Jones of that regiment ; the for-
mer was severely wounded in the com-
mand of the 4th, following the forlorm
hope in the best style, and remaining
long after his wound. Captain Jonet
succeeded to the command of the bri-
gade, and conducted it with great abi-
hty.

Sir James Leith likewise particu-
larizes Captain Taylor, 48th regiment,
brigade-major to the Ist brigade, and
Lieut. Le Blanc, of the 4th foot, who
led the light infantry company of the
regiment immediately after the forlorn
hope, and is the only surviving officer
of the advance.

Major-Genej-al Robinson unites his
testimony of praise of Captains Wil-
hamson and Jones, and Lieutenant Le
Blanc, above mentioned. He likewise
commends highly Capt. Livesay, who
succeeded to the command of the 47th
foot, on Major Kelly's being killed,
and kept it till wounded, when the
command devolved on Lieut. Power,
who ably performed the duty ; as also
Captain Pilkington, who succeeded to
the command of the 59th on Captain
Scott's being killed, and retained it
till wounded, when the command of
that battalion fell to Captain Halford,
who led it with great credit, and also
Brevet-Major Anwyll, brigade-major
of the 2d brigade.

Major-General Hay having now the
command of the 5th division, mentions
in terms of great praise the excellent
conduct of Major-General Sprye, com-
manding the Portuguese brigade, an4
the very distinguished gallahtry of Co-
lonel de Regoa, and the 15th Portu-
guese regiment, under his command,
and of Colonel M*Crae, with the 3d
Portuguese regiment ; and Maj.-Gen.
Sprye mentions in terms of high praise
Lieut. -Col. Hill, commanding the 8th
Ca9adore8, and Major Charles Stuart
Campbell, commanding the 3d rcgi-

CCVl

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

ment, in Colonel M*Crae's absence on
general duty; and he expresses his
great obligations to Captain Bracken-
burg, of the 61st regiment, his aid-de-
camp, and to Brig.-Major Fitzgerald.
Major.-Gen. Hay speaks most highly
of the services of Colonel the Hon.
C. Greville, of the 38th, in command
of the 2d brigade ; and of the conspi-
cuous gallantry of Lieut. -Col. Barnes,
in the successful assault of the curtain,
with the brave battalion of the Royal
Scots ; and also of the exemplary con-
duct of Lieut. -Col. Cameron, of the
9th foot, and Lieut.-Colonels Miles
and Dean, of the S8th, and all the
officers and troops engaged ; and he
expresses himself as most particularly
indebted to the zeal, inteUigence, and
intrepidity of Brigade-Major Taylor,
and Captain Stewart, of the Royal
Scots, acting as his aid-de-camp, for-
merly mentioned.

Major-Gen. Hay likewise expresses
his great satisfaction with the gallant
and judicious conduct of Lieut-Col.
Cooke, commanding the detachment
of Guards ; of Lieut. -Colonel Hunt,
commanding the detachment of the 1st
division, who was severely wounded,
and of all the other officers and troops
of the detachment,

Major-General Hay conducted the
division along the ramparts himself,
with the judgment and gallantry that
has so often marked his conduct.

I have now only to repeat the ex-
pressions of my highest satisfaction
with the conduct of the of&cers of the
royal artillery and engineers, as for-
merly particularized in the report of
the first attack. Every branch of the
artillery service has been conducted by
Col. Dickson with the greatest ability,
as was that of the engineer department
by Lieut. -Col. Sir Richard Fletcher,
till the moment of his much-lament-
ed fall at the mouth of the trenches.
Lieut. -Col. Burgoyne succeeded to

the command, and is anxious that I
should convey to your lordsliip Sir
R. Fletcher's sense of the great merit
and gallantry of Captain Henderson,
in the attack of the island, on the
morning of the 27th ult. and of the
persevering exertions of Majors Elli-
comb and Smith, in pushing forward
the operations of the two attacks — the
latter officer having had the merit of
the first arrangements for the attack
on the right.

Lieut. -Col. Burgoyne was himself
wounded, and only quitted the field
from loss of blood ; but I am happy
to say he is able to carry on the duty
of the department.

The conduct of the navy has been
continued on the same principle of
zealous co-operation by Sir George
Collier ; and the services of Lieute-
nant O'Reiley, with the seamen em-
ployed in the batteries, has been equal-
ly conspicuous as before.

Your lordship will now permit me
to call your attention to the conduct
of that distinguished officer, Major-
General Oswald, who has had the tem-
porary command of the 5th division in
Lieutenant- General Sir James Leith's
absence, during the whole of the cam-
paign, and who resigned the command
of the division on Sir James Leith's ar-
rival on the 30th ultimo.

Having carried on with indefatiga-
ble attention all the laborious duties of
the left attack, no person was more
able to give Sir James Leith the best
information and assistance. This Sir
James Leith acknowledges he did with
a liberality and zeal for the service in
the highest degree praiseworthy, and
he continued his valuable services to
the last, by acting as a volunteer, and
accompanying Lieutenant-General Sir
James Leith to the trenches on the oc-
casion of the assault. I have infinite
satisfaction in assuring your lordship
of my perfect approbation of Major-

11 .

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES-

ccvu

General Oswald's conduct, ever since
the 5th division formed a part of the
left column of the army.

I beg to aasure your lordship, that
Col. Delancy, Deputy Quarter-Mas-
ter-Gen. and Lieut. Colonel Bouverie,
Assistant-Adjutant- General, attached
to the left column, have continued to
render me the most valuable assistance ;
and that the zeal of Captain Calvert,
of the 29th regiment, my first aid de-
camp, as well as that of the rest of the
officers of my personal ataff, entitles
them all to my warmest and perfect
approbation.

Your lordship has, with an attention
extremely grateful to me, permitted
me to name an officer to be the bearer
of your lordship's dispatches home ;
and I beg to recommend for that com-
mission Major Hare, of the 12th foot,
a gallant soldier of fortune, who has,
on many former occasions, served on
my staff, and is now attached to it as
assistant-adjutant-general.

I have the honour, &c.

(Signed) T. Graham.

P. S. — No return of artillery and
•tores has yet been sent in, and 1 fear
the returns of the severe losses of the
troops may not be quite correct.

I have omitted to mention the gal-
lant conduct of Lieut. Gethin, llth
regiment, acting engineer, who con-
ducted a Portuguese column to the
attack, and took the enemy's colours.
(Signed) T. G.

Admiralty Office^ Oct. 12.
The letters, of which the following
are copies and extracts, have been
transmitted to John Wilson Croker,
Esq. by Vice Admiral Sir Edward
Pellew, commander in chief of his ma-
jesty's ships and vessels in the Medi-
terranean : —

Mil for dy of Porto Re,
Julyi^y 1813.
Sir, — 1 have the honour to acquaint
you, that on the 28th ultimo I left
Melada, and on the 30th assembled the
Elizabeth and Eagle off Promontorio.
On the Ist instant, the squadron en-
tered the Quarnier Channel, and on
the 2d, in the evening, anchored about
four miles from Fiume, which was de-
fended by four batteries, mounting fif-
teen heavy guns. On the *id, in the
morning, the ships named in the mar-
gin * weighed, with a light breeze from
the south-west, with the intention of
attacking the sea-line of batteries, (for
which the arrangement had been pre-
viously made and communicated), lea-
ving a detachment of boats and marines
with the Haughty, to storm the bat-
tery at the Mole head, as soon as the
guns were silenced ; but the wind, very
light, shifting to the S. E. with current
from the river, broke the ships off, and
the Eagle could only fetch the second
battery, opposite to which she anchor-
ed. The enemy could not stand the
well-directed fire of that ship. This
being communicated by telegraph, I
made the signal to storm, when Capt*
Rowley, leading in his gig the first
detachment of marines, took possession
of the fort, and hoisted the king's co-
lours, whilst Captain Hoste, with the
marines of the Milford, took and spi-
ked the guns of the first battery, which
was under the fire of the Milford and
Bacchante, and early evacuated. Cap-
tain Rowley, leaving a party of seamen
to turn the guns of the second battery
against the others, without losing time,
boldly dashed on through the town,
although annoyed by the enemy's mus-
ketry from the windows of the houses,
and a field-piece placed in the centre
of the great street ; but the marines,
headed by Lieutenants Lloyd and Ne-

* Milford, Elizabeth, Eagle, Bacchante, and Haughty.

#GV1U

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

pean» and the seamen of the boats, pro-
ceeded with such firmness, that the
enemy retreated before them, drawing
the field-piece until they came to the
tquare, where they made a stand, ta-
king post in a large house. At this
time, the boats, with their carronades,
under Captain Markland, opened a-
gainst the gable end of it with such
effect, that the enemy gave way at all
points, and I was gratified at seeing
them forsake the town in every direc-
tion. Captain Hoste, with his divi-
sion, followed close to Captain Row-
ley, and on their junction, the two
batteries, with the field-piece, stores,
and shipping, were taken possession
of, the governor, and every officer and
man of the garrison having run away.
Considering the number of troops in
the town, above 3.50, besides natives,
our loss has been trifling ; one marine
of the Eagle, killed ; Lieut. Lloyd,
and five seamen and marines, wounded.
Nothing could exceed the spirit and
disposition manifested by every cap-
tain, officer, seaman, and marine, in
the squadron.

Although the town was stormed in
every part, by the prudent manage-
ment of Captains Rowley and Hoste,
not an individual has been plundered,
nor has any thing been taken away ex-
cept what was afloat, and in the go-
rernment stores.

I herewith send a return of the pro-
perty and vessels captured, and have
the honour to be, &c. &c.

Thos. Fras. Fremantle.
Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Pellew,
Bart, &c. &c. &c.

A list of vessels, stores, Sfc. taken and
destroyed at Fiume, on the 3d of
July, 1813.

Ninety vessels ; more than half of
the smaller class were returned to the
proprietors, 13 sent to Lissa, laden
with oil, grain, powder, and merchan-
dliare 5 the rest were destroyed ; 59

iron guns (part only mounted), ren-
dered totally useless ; eight brass 18-
pounders, and one field piece, taken
away ; 500 stand of small arms ; 200
barrels of powder ; rations of bread
for 70,000 men, and two magazines,
with stores, &c. burnt.

Thos. Fras. Fremantle.

Extract of a letter ^rom Lieut. General
Sir Thomas Graham, to the Mar-
guis of Wellington, dated Ernanif
Sept. 9, 1813.

I have the satisfaction to report to
your lordship, that the castle of San
Sebastian has surrendered ; and I have
the honour to transmit the capitula-
tion, which, under all the circumstan-
ces of the case, I trust your lordship
will think I did right to grant to a
garrison which certainly made a very
gallant defence.

Ever since the assault of the 31st
ultimo, the vertical fire of the mortars,
&c. of the right attack, was occasion-
ally kept up against the castle, occa-
sioning a very severe loss to the enemy ;
and yesterday morning a battery of
seventeen 24'pounders in the horn-
work, and another of three IS-pound-
ers, still more on the left, having been
completed by the extraordinary exer-
tions of the artillery and engineers,
aided by the indefatigable zeal of all
the troops ; the whole of the ordnance,
amounting to 54? pieces, including two
24-pounder3, and one howitzer on the
island, opened at ten a. m against the
castle, and with such effect, that be-
fore one p M. a flag of truce was hoist-
ed at the Mirador battery by the ene-
my ; and after some discussion, the
terms of the surrender were agreed on.
Thus giving your lordship another
great result of the campaign, in the
acquisition to the allied armies of this
interesting point on the coast, and near
the frontier.

Captain Stewart, of the Royals,
aide-de-camp to Major-General Hay,

APPENDIX I.~GAZETTES.

eeiJE

who 80 greatly distinguished himself
during the siege, is unfortunately a-
mong the killed since the last return.
I omitted in my last report to men-
tion my obligations to the great zeal
of Captain Smith, of the royal navy,
who undertook and executed the diffi-
cult task of getting guns up the steep
•carp of the island into a battery which
was manned by seamen under his com-
mand, and which was of much service.
Captain Bloye, of the Lyra, has been
from the beginning constantly and most
actively employed on shore, and I feel
greatly indebted to his services.

Besides the officers of artillery form-
erly mentioned, who have continued
to serve with equal distinction, I should
not omit the names of Captains Mor-
rison, Power, and Parker, who have
been constantly in the breaching bat-
teries, and in the command of compa-
nies. I beg leave to repeat my former
recommendation of Captain Cameron,
of the 9th foot, who volunteered to
command the attack of the island, and
who conducted himself so ably on that
occasion, and during all the time he
commanded there.

Convention proposed for the capi-
tulation of the Fort of La Mottc of
San Sebastian, by the Adjutant-Com-
mandant Chevalier de Songeon, chief
of the staff, to the troops stationed in
the fort, charged with full powers by
General Rey, commanding the said
troops, on the one side ; and by Co-
lonel De Lancey, deputy quarter- mas-
ter-general, Lieut.. Colonel Dickson,
commanding the artillery, and Lieut.-
Colonel Bouverie, charged with full
powers by Lieut. -General Sir Thomas
Graham, on the other side.

The above-named having exchan-
ged their full powers, agreed as fol-
lows : —

Art. L Tlie French troops form-
ing the garrison of Fort La Motte
VOL. VI. PART n.

shall be prisoners of war to his ma-
jesty's troops and their allies. — An-
swer : Agreed.

Art 2. They shall be ennbarked in
his Britannic majesty's ships and con-
veyed to Englaud direct, without be-
ing obliged to go further by land than
to the port of Passages. — Answer ;
Agreed.

Art. 3. The general and other su-
perior officers, and the officers of regi-
ments and of the staff, as well as the
medical officers, shall preserve their
swords and their private baggage, and
the non-commissioned officers and sol-
diers shall preserve their knapsacks.—
Answer : Agreed.

Art. 4. The women, the children,
and the old men, not being miHtary,
shall be sent back to France, as well
as the other non-combatants, preser-
ving their private baggage. — Answer:
Granted for the women and children.
The old men and non-combatants must
be examined.

Art. 5. The Commissaire de Gu-
erre, Burbier de Guilly, having with
him the wife and the two daughters of
his brother, who died at Pamplona,
requests Sir Thomas Graham to au-
thorise his return to France, with the
three above-named ladies, as he is their
chief support. He is not a mihtary
man. — Answer : This article shall be
submitted to the Marquis of Welling-
ton by Sir Thomas Graham.

Art. 6. The sick and wounded shall
be treated according to their rank, and
taken care of as English officers and
soldiers — Answer : Agreed.

Art. 7. The French troops shall file
out to-morrow morning, by the gate
of Mirador, with all the honours of
war, with arms and baggage, and
drums beating, to the outside, where
they will lay down their arms ; the
officers of all ranks preserving their
swords, their servants, horses, and bag-

cet

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

gage, and the soldiers their knapsacks,
as mentioned in the third article-
Answer! Agreed.

Art. 8. A detachment of the allied
army, consisting of one hundred men,
shall occupy in the evening the gate of
the Mirador, a like detachment shall
occupy the gate of the governor's bat-
tery. These two ports shall be for
that purpose evacuated by the French
troops as soon as the present capitula-
tion shall be accepted and ratified by
the commanding generals. — Answer !
Agreed.

Art. 9. The plans and all the pa-
pers regarding the fortifications shall
be given over to an English ofl&cer,
and officers shall be named equally on
each side, to regulate all that concerns
the artillery, engineer, and commissa-
riat department.— Answer : Agreed.

Art. 10. The general commanding
the French troops shall be authorised
to send to his Excellency Marshal
Soult, an officer of the staff, who shall
sign his parole of honour, for his ex-
change with a British officer of his
rank. This officer shall be the bearer
of a copy of the present capitulation.
—Answer : Submitted tor the decision
of Lord Wellington. The officer to
be sent to Marshal Soult shall be cho-
sen by the commanding officer of the
French troops.

Art. 11. If any difficulties or mis-
understandings shall arise in the exe-
cution of the articles of this capitula-
tion, they shall be always decided in
favour of the French garrison. — ^An-
swer : Agreed.

Made and concluded this 8th day
of September, 1813.

(Signed) Adjutant- Commandant
Chevalier Songeon.

(Signed) W. de Lancey, Col.

(Signed) A. Dickson, Lieut.-
Col. commanding the Artil,

(Signed) H. Bouverie,
Lieut.. Col.

Approved, (Signed) Le General
Govemeur Rey.
(Signed) T. Graham,
Lieut.-Gen.
Approved on the part of the royal
navy,

Geo. Collier, commanding the
squadron of his majesty*8 ships
off St Sebastian.

Return of the French garrison made
prisoners of xjoar hy capitulation in
the Castle of St Sebastian, on the
Sth of September, 1813.
Eighty officers, 1 756 Serjeants, drum-
mers, and rand rank and file.— Grand
total, 1836.

N. B. 23 officers, and 512 men, out
of the above number, are sick and
wounded in the hospital.

Downing Street, Sept. 7.
A dispatch, of which the following
is an extract, has been received by Earl
Bathurst, one of his majesty's princi-
pal secretaries of state, from Lieut.-
Gen. Sir George Prevost, Bart.

Kingston, Upper Canada^
July 3, 1813.
I have the honour to transmit to
your lordship copies of letters from
Colonel Vincent and Lieutenant- Colo-
nel Bisshopp, and of the papers ac-
companying them, containing the high-
ly gratifying inteUigence of the cap-
ture, on the 24th ult. of a body of the
enemy's forces, consisting of two field
officers, 21 other officers of different
ranks, 27 non-commissioned officers,
and 462 privates, together with a stand
of colours, and two field-pieces The
details of this gallant affair, which re-
flects so much credit on our Indian al-
lies, as well as upon Lieutenant Fitr-.
gibbon, for the promptitude and deci-
sion with which he availed himself of
the impression their attack had made
upon the enemy, will, I have no doubt,

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

«CK1

be read by your lordship with great
iatisfaction. Since the surprise of the
enemy's cannp at Stoney Creek, on the
6th ult. and their subsequent retreat
from the Forty Mile Creek, in which
almost the whole of their camp equi-
page, together with a quantity of stores
and provisions, fell into our hands. Ma-
jor General Dearborn has withdrawn
the troops from Fort Erie, and has
concentrated his forces at Fort George.
Colonel Vincent has in consequence
made a forward movement from the
head of the lake, in order to support
the light infantry and Indian warriors,
who are employed in circumscribing
the enemy, so as to compel them to
make use of their own resources for
the maintenance of their army. Ma-
jor-General de Rottenburgh has assu-
med the command of the centre divi-
sion of the army of Upper Canada.
After the squadron under Commodore
Sir James Yeo had shewn itself off the
Forty Mile Creek, which principally
determined the enemy to retreat from
that position, it was very successfully
employed in interrupting and cutting
off their supplies going from the Ge-
nesee river, and their other settlements
upon the southern shore of the lake ;
five small vessels, with provisions, clo-
thing, and other articles, were taken,
and several loaded boats were captured,
and some destroyed,

[Transmitted by Colonel St Vincent.]
Beaver Dam, June 24, 1813.
Sir, — 1 have the honour to inform
you, that the troops you have done
me the honour to place under my com-
mand, have succeeded this day in ta-
king prisoners a detachment of the
United States army, under the com-
mand of Lieut.-Col. Boerstler. In this
affair the Indian warriors, under the
command of Captain Kerr, were the
only force actually engaged : to them
great merit is due, and to them I feel
particularly obliged for their gallant

conduct on this occasion. On the ap-
pearance of the detachment of the
4'9th regiment, under Lieut. Fitzgib-
bon, and the light company of the 8th
or King's regiment, the two flank
companies of the 104th, under Major
De Haren, and the provincial cavalry
under Captain Hall, the whole sur-
rendered to his majesty's forces. To
the conduct of Lieutenant Fitzgibbon,
through whose address the capitula-
tion was entered into, may be attribu-
ted the surrender of the American
force. To Major De Haren, for his
speedy movement to the point of at-
tack, and execution of the arrange-
ments I had previously made with him,
I am very much obliged. I have the
honour to enclose the capitulation en-
tered into between Colonel Boerstler
and myself, and a return of prisoners
taken, exclusive of wounded, not yet
ascertained. I lost no time in forward-
ing my staff adjutant, Lieut. Barnard,
to communicate to you this intelli-
gence. He has been particularly ac-
tive and useful to me upon all occa-
siods, I take this opportunity of men-
tioning him to you, and beg the favour
of you to recommend him to his Ex-
cellency Sir G. Prevost, as an active
and promising young officer.
1 have the honour to be, See.
(Signed) Cecil Bisshopp,
Lieut.-Col. commanding the
troops in advance.
Brigadier- General Vincent, &c. &c.

Totvnship of Louth,
June 2^, 1813.
Sir,— At De Coris this morning,
about seven o'clock, I received infor-
mation that about 1000 of the enemy,
with two guns, were adva'.icingtowards
me from St Davids. I soon after
heard a firing of cannon and musketry,
and, in consequence, rode in advance
two miles on the St David's road : I
discovered by the firing, that the ene-
my was moving for the road on the

ccxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

mountain. I sent off Cornet M*Kenny
to order out my detachment of the
49th, consisting of a subaltern and 46
rank and tile, and closed upon the ene-
my to reconnoitre. 1 discovered him
on the mountain road, and took a po-
sition on an eminence to the right of
it. My men arrived and pushed on in
his front to cut off his retreat, under
a fire from his guns, which, however,
did no execution After examining his
positions, I was informed he expected
reinforcements ; I therefore decided
upon summoning him to surrender.
After the exchange of several propo>
sitions, between Lieutenant-Colonel
Boerstler and myself, in the name of
Lieutenant- Colonel De Haren, Lieu-
tenant Colonei Boerstler agreed to sur-
render on the terms stated in the arti-
cles of capitulation On my return to
my men to send on an officer to super-
intend the details of the surrender, you
arrived.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) J. Fitzgibbon,

Lieut. 49th foot.
To Major De Haren, &c. &c.

June 22, 1813.
Particulars of the capitulation made
between Captain M'Dowell, on the
part of Lieutenant-Colonel Boerstler,
of the United States army, and Ma-
jor De Haren, of his Britannic Ma-
jesty's Canadian regiment, on the part
of Lieutenant-Colonel Bisshopp, com-
manding the advance of the British,
respecting the force under the com-
mand of Lieutenant-Col. Boerstler.

Ist. That Lieutenaut-Col. Boerst-
ler and the force under his command,
shall surrender prisoners of war.

2d. That the officers shall retain
their arms, ht)rses, and baggage

3d. Th.t the non-commissioned of-
ficers and soldiers shall lay dovn their
arms at the head of the British co-
lumn, and become prisoners of war.
4th. That the militia and volunteers

with Lieutenant-Col. Boerstler, shall
be permitted to return to the United
States on parole.

(Signed) Andw. M*Dowell,
Captain, United States'
Light Artillery.
Acceded to. .
(Signed) P. G. Boerstler.

Lieut.-Colonel commanding de-
tachment United States army.
P. V. De Haren,
Major, Canadian Regiment;

Return of American prisoners takeit
near Fort George y June 24, 1813.
Light dragoons — 1 cornet, 1 Ser-
jeant, 19 rank and file. Light artille-
ry— 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 2 Ser-
jeants, 31 rank and file. 6th reg. in-
fantry— 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 3 Ser-
jeants, 54 rank and file. 14th ditto—

1 lieutenant-colonel, 3 captains, 11
lieutenants, 1 surgeon, 15 Serjeants,
301 rank and file. 20th ditto— 1 ma-
jor. 23d ditto — 1 captain, 4 Serjeants,

2 drummers, 57 rank and file.
Total — 1 lieutenant-colonel, 1 ma-
jor, 6 captains, 13 lieutenants, 1 cor-
net, 1 surgeon, 25 Serjeants, 2 drum-
mers, 462 rank and file.

Thirty militia released on parole,
not included in this return.

Return of ordnance, Sfc taken.
One 12-pounder, one 6-pounder,
two cars, stand of colours of the 14
United States' regiment.
(Signed) E- Baynes, Adj.-Gen.
The loss of the enemy is supposed
to be about 100 in killed and wound-
ed.

From the London Gazette, Nov. 13.

Colonial Department.

Dofjoning-street, Nov. 11.
A dispatch, of which the following
is an extract, was this day received i?y

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

ccxm

Earl Bathurst, one of his Majesty's
principal secretaries of state, from
Lieutetiant-General Sir G. Prevost,
Bart, commanding his Majesty's forces
in North America : —

Head- quarter Sf St DavicTs,
Niagara Frontier^ Aug. 25.
Major- General Proctor having given
way to the clamour of our Indian al-
lies, to act offensively, moved forward
on the 20th ult. with about 350 of the
41 St regiment, and between 3 and 4000
Indians, and on the 2d inst. attempted
to carry, by assault, the block-houses
and works at Sandusky, where the
enemy had concentrated a considerable
force. The Indians, however, previ-
onsly to the assault, withdrew them-
selves from out of the reach of the
enemy's fire.

The handful of his Majesty's troops
employed on this occasion displayed
the greatest bravery ; nearly the whole
of them having reached the fort, and
made every effort to enter it ; but a
galling and destructive fire being kept
up by the enemy, within the block-
house, and from behind the picketing,
which completely protected them, and
which we had not the means to force,
the major-general thought it most pru-
dent not to continue longer so unavail-
ing a contest : he accordingly drew off
the assailants, and returned to Sand-
wich, with the loss of 25 killed, as
many missing, and about 40 wounded.
Amongst the former are brevet Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Shortt, and Lieutenant
J. G. Gordon, of the 41st regiment.

I am happy to be able to acquaint
your lordship, that it appears by fur-
ther accounts received from Major-
General Proctor to the 23d instant,
that the enemy had been disappointed
in an attempt to create distrust and
-disaffection amongst our Indian allies,
by a deputation of chiefs, sent by them
for that purpose ; and that in a talk
which took place between the depu-

ties from the American Indians and
the chiefs of our Indian warriors, the
contempt with wliich General Harri-
son's proposals were received by the
latter, and the determination expressed
by them of adhering to the cause of
their great father in England, appear-
ed sensibly to affect the deputies, and
affords strong grounds to believe that
the nations whom they represented
will not be induced to take up arraa
against us, or their Indian brethren
acting with us.

On my arrival at this frontier, I
found 2000 British soldiers, on an ex-
tended line, cooping up in Fort George
an American force exceeding 4000
men. Feeling desirous of ascertainirig
in person the extent of the enemy a
works, and of viewing the means he
possessed for defending the position he
occupied, 1 ordered a general demon-
stration to be made on Fort George,
to commence by the attack and sur-
prise of all the American picquets
thrown out in its front. This service
was executed to my entire satisfaction ;
the picquets were driven in, a great
part of them being taken, wifh a very
trifling loss, and I found myself close
to the fort, and the new entrenched
camp which is formed on the right of
that work, both of them crowded with
men, bristled with cannon, and sup-
ported by the fire from Fort Niagara,
on the opposite side of the river ; but
no provocation could induce the Ame-
rican army to leave their places of
shelter, and venture into the field.

Having made a display of my force
in vain, a deliberate retreat ensued
without a casualty. Since I had the
honour of addressing your lordship on
the 1st inst. every possible exertion
has been made by Commodore Sir J.
Yeo, but in vain, to bring the enemy's
squadron to a decisive action ; repeat-
edly has he offered them battle, and as
repeatedly have they declined it, which
their great superiority in sailing, te*

ccxiv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

gether with the light and baffling winds
prevailing on the lake at this season,
has enabled them hitherto effectually
to do. He, however, was fortunate
enough, on the night of the lOih inst.
to get so close in with the enemy, as
to render an action inevitai)le, unless
they chose to sacrifice two of their
schooners in order to avoid it : to this
sacrifice they submitted, and Sir James
had the satisfaction, after a few shots
had been fired, to take possession of
two very fine schooners, the one carry-
ing one long thirty-two pounder and
two long sixes, and the other one long
thirty- two pounder, and one long
twelve, with a complement of 43 men
each. Having proceeded to York for
the purpose of refitting his prizes, he
sailed from thence with them in pur-
suit of the enemy on the 13th inst. and
having followed them down the lake
on the 17th again saw them on the
I8th, but was unable to come up with
them. On the night preceding that
of the capture of the above vessels,
two of the enemy's largest schooners,
carrying nine guns each, overset and
sunk, in carrying sail to keep from our
squadron, and excepting sixteen per-
sons, all on board perished, in number
about one hundred. Sir James Yeo
has been into Kingston with his squa-
dron, to take in provisions and refit,
and since sailing, has cruised off York
and Niagara, but has not seen any
thing further of the enemy's fleet. I
understand that Commodore Chaun-
cey, with his squadron, after the loss
of his schooner in the night of the
10th, returned to Sackett's harbour ;
from which place he sailed suddenly
on the 14th, and again returned to it
on the 18th pursued by our fleet. I
have not yet been able correctly to as-
certain whether he has since left it.

London Gazette Extraordinary y Mon-
day, October 19.

War DtPARTMENT.

Dotvning street J Oct. 19.

Captain the Earl of March arrived
this morning with a dispatch from
Field-Marshal the Marquis of Wel-
lington, addressed to Earl Bathurst,
one of his Majesty's principal secreta-
ries of state, of which the following is
a copy ; —

Lezaca, Oct. 9.

My Lord, — Having deemed it ex-
pedient to cross the Bidassoa with the
left of the army, I have the pleasure
to inform your lordship that that ob-
ject was effected on the 7th instant.

Lieutenant-General Sir T. Graham
directed the 1st and 5th divisions, and
the 1st Portuguese brigade, under
Brigadier-General Wilson, to cross
that river in three columns below and
in one above the site of the bridge, un-
der the command of Major-General
Hay, the Hon, Colonel Grenville,
Major-Gen. the Hon. Edward Stop-
ford, and Major-General Howard ;
and Lieutenant-General Don Manual
Freyre directed that part of the 4th
Spanish army under his immediate
command, to cross in three columns at
fords, above those at which the allied
British and Portuguese troops passed.
The former were destined to carry the
enemy's entrenchments about and
above Andaye, while the latter should
carry those on the Montagne-Verte
and on the height of Mandale, by
which they were to turn tue enemy's
left.

The operations of both bodies of
troops succeeded in every point The
British and Portuguese troops took
seven pieces of cannon in the redoubts
and batteries which they carried, and
the Spanish troops one piece of cannon
in those by them.

I had particular satisfaction in ob-
serving the steadiness and gallantry of

APPENDIX L— GAZETTES,

all the troops. The 9th British regi-
ment were very strongly opposed,
charged with bayonets more than once,
and have suffered ; but I am happy to
add, that in other parts of these corps
our loss has not been severe.

The Spanish troops under Lieut.-
General Don Manuel Freyre behaved
admirably, and turned and carried the
enemy's entrenchments in the hill with
great dexterity and gallantry ; and I
am much indebted to the heutenant-
general, and to Lieutenant-General
Sir Thomas Graham, and to the gene-
ral and staff officers of both corps, for
the execution of the arrangements for
this operation.

Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas
Graham having thus established, with-
in the French territory, the troops of
the allied British and Portuguese ar-
my, which had been so frequently dis-
tinguished under his command, resign-
ed the command to Lieutenant-Gene-
ral Sir John Hope, who had arrived
from Ireland the preceding day.

While this was going on upon the
left, Major-General C. Baron Alten
attacked, with the light division, the
enemy's entrenchments in the Puerto
de Vera, [supported by the Spanish
division under Brigadier-Gen. Longa ;
and the Mareschal del Campo Don Pe-
dro Giron attacked the enemy's en-
trenchments and posts on the moun-
tain called La Rhune, immediately on
the right of the light division, with the
army of reserve of Andalusia.

Colonel Colborne, of the 52d regi-
ment, who commanded Major-General
Skerritt's brigade, in the absence of
the Major-General, on account of his
h«alth, attacked the enemy's right in
a camp which they had strongly en-
trenched ; and the 52d regiment, un-
der the command of Major Mein,
charged in a most gallant style, and
tarried the entrenchments with the bay-
onet. The Ist and 3d ca^adores, and
the 2d battalion 95th regiment, as

well as the 52d, distinguished them-
selves in this attack.

Major-General Kemp's brigade at-
tacked by the Puerto, where the op-
position was not so severe ; and Ma-
jor-General Charles Alten has report-
ed his sense of the judgment displayed
both by the major-grneral and by Co-
lonel Colbomt in the^e attacks ; and
I am particularly indebted to Major-
General Charles Alten for the man-
ner in which he executed this service :
the light division took 22 officers and
400 men prisoners, and three pieces of
cannon.

These troops carried every thing
before them in the most gallant style,
till they arrived at the foot of the rock
on which the hermitage stands, and
they made repeated attempts to take
even that post by storm ; but it was
impossible to get up, and the enemy-
remained during the night in possession
of the hermitage, and on a rock on
the same range of mountain with the
Spanish troops. Some time elapsed
yesterday morning before the fog
cleared away sufficiently to enable me
to reconnoitre the mountain, which I
found to be least inaccessible by its
right, and that the attack of it might
be connected with advantage with the
attack of the enemy's works in front
of the camp of Sarre. I accordingly
ordered the army of reserve to concen-
trate to their right; and, as boon as
the concentration commenced, Mares-
cal del Campo Don Pedro Giron or-
dered the battalion de las Ordenes to
attack the enemy's post on the rock
on the right of the position occupied
by his troops, which was instantly
carried in the most gallant style. Those
troops followed up their success, and
carried an entrenchment on a hill which
protected the right of the camp of
Sarre, and the enemy immediately eva-
cuated all their works to defend the
approaches to the camp, which were
taken possession of by detachments

ccxvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

from the 7th division, sent by Lieut. -
General the EarlofDalhouaie, through
the Puerto de Eschalar, for this pur-
pose.

Don P. Giron then established a
battahon on the enemy's left, on the
Hermitage It was too late to pro-
ceed farther last night, and the enemy
withdrew from their post at the her-
mitage, and from the camp of Sarre
diiring the night.

It gives me singular satisfaction to
report the good conduct of the officers
and troops of the army of reserve of
Andalusia, as well in the operations of
the 7th instant, as in those of yesterday.
The attack made by the battalion of
Las Ordenes, under the command of
Colonel Hoare yesterday, was made in
as good order, and with as much spirit,
as any that I have seen made by any
troops ; and I was much satisfied with
the spirit and discipHne of the whole
of this corps.

I cannot applaud too highly the
execution of the arrangements for
these attacks by the Mareschal del
Campo Dou Pedro Giron, and the
general and staff officers under his
directions. I omitted to report to
your lordship in my dispatch of the
4th instant, that upon my way to
Roncevalles, on the ist instant, I di-
rected Brigadier- General Campbell to
endeavour to carry off the enemy's
picquetsin his front, which he attacked
on that night, and completely succeed-
ed, with the Portuguese troops under
his command, in carrying the whole of
one picquet, consisting of 70 men ; a
fortified post on the mountain of AroUa
was likewise stormed, and the whole
garrison put to the sword.

Since 1 addressed your lordship last,
I have received dispatches from Lieut. -
General Clinton, in Catalonia, to the
3d instant The general was still at
Tarragona, and the enemy were in their
old position on the Lobregat

Lieut. -General Lord William Ben-

tinck had embarked for Sicily on the
22d of September.

I send this dispatch by my aide-de-
camp, Captain the Earl of March,
whom I beg to recommend to your
lordship's protection.

I have, &c.
( Signed ) Wellington.

London Gazette^ November 9.

Lord Arthur Hill has arrived with
dispatches from Field-Marshal the
Marquis of WeUington to Earl Ba-
thurst, dated Vera, Nov. Ist, of which
the following are extracts : —

Vera^ November 1, 1813.

Nothing of importance has occurred
in the line since T addressed your lord-
ship last.

The enemy's garrison of Pamplona
made proposals to Don Carlos D*-
Espana to surrender the place on the
26th of October, on condition, first,
that they should be allowed to march
to France with six pieces of cannon ;
secondly, that they should be allowed
to march to France under an engage-
ment not to serve against the allies for
a year and a day. Both these condi-
tions were rejected by Don Carlos
D'Espana, and they were told that he
had orders not to give them a capitu-
lation on any terms excepting that
they should be prisoners of war ; to
which they declared they would never
submit.

Vera, November 1, 1813.
Since I wrote to your lordship this
morning, I have received a letter, of
which I enclose a copy from Marischal
del Campo Don Carlos D'Espana, in
which he announces the surrender by
capitulation of the fortress of Pamplo-
na, the garrison being prisoners of
war, upon which event I beg leave t«
congratulate your lordship.

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

CCXTll

I cannot sufficiently applaud the
conduct of Don Carlos D'Espana, and
that of the troops under his command,
during the period that he has com-
manded the blockade, that is since the
beginning of August.

In every sortie which the enemy
have made, they have been repulsed
with loss ; and the general, and the
officers and troops, have, on every oc-
casion, conducted themselves well.
Don Carlos D'Espana was severely
wounded on the 10th of September,
as reported in my dispateh of the 19th
of that month ; but having reported
that he was able to continue to per-
form his duty, I considered it but jus-
tice to allow him to continue in a com-
mand of which he had to that moment
performed the duties in so satisfactory
a manner ; and I am happy that it has
fallen to his lot to be the instrument
of restoring to the Spanish monarchy
80 important a fortress as Pamplona.

Not having yet received the details
of the terms of capitulation, I must
delay to forward them till the next oc-

casion^;

(translation.)

Most Excellent Sir, — Glory be to
God, and honour to the triumphs of
your excellency in this ever-memorable
campaign.

I have the honour and the gr&at sa-
tisfaction of congratulating your ex-
cellency on the surrender of the im-
portant fortress of Pamplona, the ca-
pitulation of which having been signed
by the superior officers entrusted with
my powers, and by those delegated by
the general commanding the place, 1
have, by virtue of the authority which
you conferred upon me, just ratified.
The garrison remains prisoners of war,
as your excellency had determined from
the beginning that they should, and
will march out to-morrow at two in
the afternoon, in order to be conduct-
ed to the port of Passages,

Our troops occupy one of the gatei
of the citadel, and those of France the
place.

May God guard the precious life
of your excellency.

Dated from the camp in front of
Pamplona, 31st Oct. 1813.
(Signed) Carlos Espana.

His Excellency Field- Marshal the
Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo.

November 25, 181 3.^
The Marquis of Worcester has ar-
rived here with a dispatch, of which
the following is a copy, addressed to
the Earl of Bathurst by the Marquia
of Wellington, dated

St Pe, November 13, ISIl
My Lord, — The enemy have, since
the beginning of August, occupied a
position with their right upon the sea,
m front of St Jean Luz, and on the
left of the Nivelle, their centre on
La Petite La Rhune in the Sarre, and
on the heights behind the village, and
their left, consisting of two divisions
of infantry, under the Comte D'Erlon^
on the right of that river, on a strong
height in the rear of Anhoue, and on
the mountain of Mondarin, which
protected the approach to that village ;
they had one division under General
Foy, St Jean de Pied de Port, which
was joined by one of the army of Ar-
ragon, under General Paris, at the
time the left of the allied army cross-
ed the Bidassoa, on the 7th of Oc-
tober ; General Foy*s division joined
those on the heights behind Anhoue,
when Lieutenant-GeneralSir Rowland
Hill moved into the valley of Pastan.
The enemy, not satisfied with the
natural strength of this position, had
the whole of it fortified, and their
right, in particular, had been made so
strong, that I did not deem it expe-
dient to attack it in front.

Pamplona having surrendered oa

ecxviii

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REOISTER, 1813.

the 31 St of October, and the right of
the army having been disengaged from
covering the blockade of that place, I
moved Lieutenant-General Sir Row
land Hill, on the 6th and 7th, into
the valley of Bastan, as soon as the
state of the roads, after the recent
rains, would permit, intending to at-
tack the enemy on the 8th instant ;
but the rain which fell on the 7th in-
stant having again rendered the roads
impracticable, I was obliged to defer
the attack till the 10th, when we com-
pletely succeeded in carrying all the
positions on the enemy's left and cen-
tre, in separating the former from the
latter, and by these means turning the
enemy's strong positions occupied by
their right on the lower Nivelle, which
they were obliged to evacuate during
the night, having taken 51 pieces of
tannon, and l^OO prisoners.

The object of the attack being to
force the enemy's centre, and to esta-
blish our army in rear of the right,
the attack was made in columns of
divisions, each led by the general offi-
cer commanding it, and each forming
its own reserve. Lieutenant-General
Sir Rowland Hill directed the move-
ment of the right, consisting of the
2d division, under Lieutenant-General
the Hon. Sir William Stewart ; the
6th division, under Lieut.-General Sir
H. Clinton ; a Portuguese division,
under Lieutenant-General Sir John
Hamilton ; and a Spanish division un-
der General Morillo, and Col. Grant's
brigade of cavalry, and a brigade of
Portuguese artillery, under Lieut.-Co-
lonel TuUoh, and three mountain guns,
under Lieutenant Robe, which attack-
ed the positions of the enemy behind
Anhoue.

Marshal Sir William Beresford di-
rected the movements of the right of
the centre, consisting of the 3d divi-
sion under Major- General the Hon.
Charles Colville ; the seventh division,
under Marischal del Campo Le Cor ;

and the fourth division, under Lieut.*
Gen. the Hon. Sir Lowry Cole. The
latter attacked the redoubts m front ot
Sarre, that village and the h-.^ights be-
hind it, supported on their left by the
army of reserve of .\ndalusia, under
the command of the Marischal de Cam-
po Don Pedro Giron, which attacked
the enemy's positions on their right
of Sarre, on the slopes of La Petite
La Rhune, and the heignts bfyond
the village, on the It-ft of the 4tu di-
vision. Major- General Charles K.:ron
Alten attacked with the light division,
the enemy's positions 0!i La Petite
La Rhune, and having carried them,
co-operated with the right of the cen-
tre on the attack of the heights be-
hind Sarre.

General Alten's brigade of cavalry,
under the direction of Lieut.-General
Sir Stapleton Cotton, followed the
movements of the centre, and there
were three brigades of British artillery
with this part of the army, and three
mountain guns with General Giron,
and three with Major-General Charles
Alten.

Lieut.-General Don Manuel Fi tryre^
moved, in two columns, from the
heights of Mandale towards Ascain,
in order to take advantage of any
movements the enemy might make
from the right of his position towards
his centre ; and Lieut.-General Sir
John Hope, with the left of the army,
drove in the enemy's outposts iti front
of their entrenchments on the Lower
Nivelle, carrying the redoubt above
Orogne, and established himself on the
heights immediately opposite Sibour,
in readiness to take advantage of any
movement made by the enemy's right.
The attack began at day-light, and
Lieut.-General the Hon. Sir Lowry
Cole having obliged the enemy to eva-
cuate the redoubt on their right, in
the front of Sarre, by a cannonade,
and that in front of the left of the vil-
lage having been likewise evacuated

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

cexix

•n the approach of the 7th division,
under General Le Cor, to attack it,
Lieut. -General Sir Lowry Cole at-
tacked and possessed himself of the
village, which was turned, on its left,
by the 3d division, under Major-Ge-
neral the Hon. Charles Colville, and
on its right by the reserve of Anda-
lusia, under Uon Pedro Giron, and
Major-General Charles Baron Alten
carried the positions on La Petite La
Rhune.

The whole then co-operated in tlie
attack of the enemy's main position
behind the village. The 3d and 7th
divisions immediately carried the re-
doubts on the left of the enemy's cen-
tre, and the light division those on the
right, while the 4th division, with the
reserve of Andalusia on the left, at-
tacked their po«>ition8 in their centre.
By these attacks, the enemy were obli-
ged to abandon their strong positions,
which they had fortified with much
care and labour ; and they left in the
principal redoubt on the height, the
Ist battalion 88th regiment, which
immediately surrendered.

While these operations were going
on in the centre, I had the pleasure of
seeing the 6th division, under Lieut. -
General Sir Henry Clinton, after ha
ving crossed the Nivelle, and having
driven in the enemy's picquets on both
banks, and having covered the passage
of the Portuguesedi vision, under Lieu-
tenant-General Sir John Hamilton, on
its right, make a most handsome at-
tack upon the right of the enemy's
position behind Anhoue, and on the
right of the Nivelle, and cany all the
entrenchments, and the redoubt on
that flank. Lieut -General Sir John
Hamilton* supported with the Portu-
guese division, the 6th division on its
right, and both co-operated in the at-
tack of the second redoubt, which was
immediately carried.

Major-General Pringle's brigade of
the second division, under Lieutenant-

General the Hon. Sir William Stew-
art, drove in the enemy's picquets on
the Nivelle, and in frount of Anhoue ;
and then Major-General Byng's bri-
gade of the second divison carried the
entrenchments and a redoubt further
on the enemy's left, in which attack
the Major-General and these troopg
distinguished themselves. Major-Ge-
neral Morillo covered the advance of
the whole to the heights behind An-
houe, by attacking the enemy's posts
on the slopes of Mondarin, and follow-
ing them towards Itzatce. The troops
on the heights behind Anhoue were
by these operations, under the direc-
tion of Lieutenant-General Sir Row-
land Hill, forced to retire towards the
bridge of Cambo, on the Nive, witk
the exception of the division in Mon-
darin, which by the march of a part
of the 2d division, under Lieutenant-
General the Hon. Sir Wilham Stew-
art, was pushed into the mountains to-
wards Baygory.

As soon as the heights were car-
ried on both banks of the Nivelle, I
directed the 3d and 7th divisions, be-
ing the right of our centre, to move
by the left of that river upon St Pe,
and the 6th division by the right of
that river, on the same place, while
the 4th and light divisions, and Gene-
ral Giron's reserve, held the heights
above Ascain, and covered this move-
ment on that side, and Lieut. -General
Sir Rowland Hill covered it on the
other. A part of the enemy's troops
had retired from their centre, and had
crossed the Nivelle at St Pc ; and as
soon as the 6th division approached,
the 3d division, under Major-General
the Hon. Charles Colville, and the 7tk
division, under Gen. Le Cor, crossed
that river and attacked, and immedi-
ately gained possession of the heights
beyond it.

We were thus established in the
rear of the enemy's right ; but sa
much of the day was now spent, that

ccxi

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

it was impossible to make any farther
movement ; and I was obliged to defer
our further operations till the follow-
ing morning.

The enemy evacuated Ascain in the
afternoon, of which village Lieutenant-
General Don Manuel Freyrc took pos-
session ; and quitted all their works
and positions in front of St Jean de
Luz during the night, and retired upon
Bidart, destroying all the bridges on
the Lower Nivelle. Lieutenant-Ge-
ncFal the Honourable Sir John Hope
followed them with the left of the
army, as soon as he could cross the
river ; and Marshal Sir William Be-
resford moved the centre of the army
as far as the state of the roads, after a
violent fall of rain, would allow ; and
the enemy retired again on the night
of the 11th, into an entrenched camp
in front of Bayonne.

In the course of the operations of
which I have given your lordship an
outline, in which we have driven the
enemy from positions which they had
been fortifying with great labour and
care for three months, in which we
have taken fifty-one pieces of cannon,
ftix tumbrils of ammunition, and four-
teen hundred prisoners, I have great
satisfaction in reporting the good con-
duct of all the officers and troops.
The report itself will shew how much
reason I had to be satisfied with the
conduct of Marshal Sir William Be-
resford, and of Lieutenant-General
Sir Rowland Hill, who directed the
attack of the centre and right of the
army : and with that of Lieut.- Gene-
rals the Hon. Sir G. L. Cole, the
Hon. Sir William Stewart, Sir John
Hamilton, and Sir Henry Clinton ;
and Major-Generals the Hon. C. Col-
ville, Charles Baron Alten, Marischal
de Campo P. Le Cor, and Marischal
de Campo Don Pablo Murillo, com-
manding divisions of infantry ; and
with that of Don Pedro Giron, com-
inanding the reserve of Andalusia.

Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland
Hill, and Marshal Sir William Beres-
ford, and these general officers, have
reported their sense of the conduct of
the generals and troops under their
command, respectively; and ! parti-
cularly request your lordship's atten-
tion to the conduct of Major- General
Byng, and of Major-General Lambert,
who conducted the attack of the 6th
division. I Hkewise particularly ob-
served the gallant conduct of the 51st
and 68th regiments, under the com-
mand of Major Rice and Lieutenant-
Colonel Hawkins, in Major General
Inglis's brigade, in the attack of the
heights above St Pe, in the afternoon
of the 10th. The 8th Portuguese
brigade, in the 3d division, under Ma-
jor General Power, likewise distin-
guished themselves in the attack of
the left of the enemy's centre, and
Major-General Anson's brigade, of
the 4?th division, in the village of Sarre,
and the centre of the heights.

Although the most briUiant part of
this service did not fall to the lot of
Lieutenant-Gen. the Hon. J. Hope,
and Lieutenant-Gen. Don M. Freyre,
I have every reason to be satisfied with
the mode in which these general offi-
cers conducted the service of which
they had the direction.

Our loss, although severe, has not
been so great as might have been ex-
pected, considering the strength of
the position attacked, and the length
of time (from day -light till dark) du-
ring which the troops were engaged :
but I am concerned to add, that Col.
Barnard, of the 95th, has been severe-
ly, .though I hope not dangerously,
wounded ; and that we have lost in
Lieutenant-CoL Lloyd, of the 94th,
an officer who had frequently distin-
guished himself, and was of great pro-
mise.

I received the greatest assistance in
forming the plan for this attack, and
throughout the operations, from the

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES,

ccxn

Quarter-Master-General Sir George
Murray, and the Adjutant-General
the Hon. Sir Edward Pakeuham, and
from Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Fitz-
roy Somerset, Lieutenant-Col. Camp-
bell, and all the officers of my personal
staff, and his Serene Highness the
Prince of Orange.

The artillery which was in the field
was of great use to us ; and I cannot
Bufficiently acknowledge the intelli-
gence and activity with which it was
brought to the point of attack, under
the direction of Colonel Dickson, over
the bad roads through the mountains
at this season of the year.

I send this dispatch by my aide-
de-camp, Lieut. Marquis of Wor-
cester, whom I beg leave to recom-
mend to your lordship.

I have, &c.
( Signed ) Wellington.

P. S. I enclose a return of killed
and wounded.

Since the returns of the enemy's
loss was received, we have taken one
hundred more prisoners, and four hun-
dred wounded.

General Total-^{ British and Portu-
guese killed and voounded, )
Two general staff, 6 lieutenant-co-
lonels, 4 majors, 44? captains, 80 lieu-
tenants, 4-2 ensigns, 6 staff, 161 Ser-
jeants, 29 drummers, 2320 rank and
die, 41 horses.

Foreign office, Nov. 21, 181S.
The Baron Perponcher, and Mr
James Fagel, have arrived this day
from Holland, deputed by the provi-
sional government which has been es-
tabhshed in that country, to inform
his Royal Highness the Prince Re-
gent, and his Serene Highness the
Prince of Orange, that a counter-revo-
lution broke out in part of the United
Provinces on Monday last, the 15th
instant ; when the people of Amster-
dam rose in a body, proclaiming the

house of Orange, with the old cry of
" Orange Boven,'* and universally put-
ting up the Orange colours.

This example was immediately fol-
lowed by the other towns of the
provinces of Holland and Utrecht,
as Haarlem, Leyden, Utrecht, the
Hague, Rotterdam, &c.

The French authorities were dis-
missed, and a temporary government
estabhshed, and proclaimed, in the
name of the Prince of Orange, and uii-
til his serene highnesses arrival, com-
posed of the most respectable members
of the old government, and chiefly of
those not employed under the French.

Amsterdam, Nov. 16, 1813.

The events of last night have shewn
the necessity of appointing, without
delay, an administration in this great
city, which, in its form and composi-
tion, may ensure the confidence of the
food citizens : in consequence, the of-
cers of the schuttery (armed burgh-
ers) have agreed to undertake the es-
tablishment of such an administration ;
and a number of the most respectable
inhabitants have been called out, and
invited by them to take upon them-
selves, at so critical a moment, the ho-
nourable and interesting task of effect-
ing every thing that can contribute to
prevent or stop the incalculable evili
of anarchy.

The following gentlemen have been
this day appointed, desired, and autho-
rized to regulate and divide among
themselves the functions, in the man-
ner they will judge most expedient:—-
(Here follows a list of 24 names.)

The colonel and chief of the muni-
cipal guards, who has the great satis-
faction of acquainting the public with
the above circumstances, cannot let
pass this opportunity, without admo-
nishing his fellow-citizens in the most
earnest manner to behave with temper
and moderation ; and at the same tira^
manifesting his expectation and wishes^

tGXXU

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

that the joy which will be excited by
these events, may not induce or mislead
the inhabitants to improper behaviour
towards any persons whatsoever, or to
pillage or plunder any private or pub.
lie buildings ; since the officers and all
the members composing the municipal
guard, are strictly resolved to repel,
with all the powers of which they are
in possession, all and any trespasses
which may be committed, to the end
that the perpetrators receive due pu-
nishment for their offences.

(Signed) The colonel and chief of
the municipal guard,

G. C. R. R. Von Brienen.

In the name of his Highness the Prince

of Orange.

Leopold Count of Limburg Stirum,

Governor of the Hague.

As the blessed restoration is fast
approaching, I give notice to all the
inhabitants of the Hague, that their
wishes will soon be fulfilled, and that
a provisional government will immedi-
ately be established, to provide for
every thing, until his Serene Highness
shall appear among us.

In the meantime I invite all good
citizens to watch for the preservation
of peace and order. I promise to the
lowest a day of rejoicing at the public
cxpence ; but I warn every one who
would pillage and plunder, that the
heaviest penalties will be inflicted upon
them.

Admiralty-office^ Dec, 18.
Copy of an enclosure from Admiral
Young, commander-in chief of his ma-
jesty's ships and vessels in the North
Sea, off the Scheldt, the 11th instant.

His Majesty's ship Horatio,
off" Zuderie Zee, Island of
SchotKien, Dtc 8.
Sir, — ^Yesterday morning some pi-
lots brought off a letter, from a gen-
tleman who had been in the British

service, requesting aid to drive the
French from Zuderie Zee. I lost no
time in working up, and anchored just
out of gun-shot of a heavy battery,
which totally commanded the passage.
As it was necessary to pass, in execu-
tion of your orders, I made the dispo-
sition for attacking it. I therefore
collected 50 marines and 70 seamen
from the Horatio, with the same num-
ber from the Amphion, with a deter-
mination of storming it from the rear,
as soon as the tide would answer for
the boats to leave the ship, which could
BOt be done till nine p. m. During
the interval a deputation from the
principal citizens came on board under
a flag of truce, from the French gene-
ral, requesting, that, in order to save
the effusion of blood, and prevent the
disorders which were likely to ensue
in the city, then in a state of insurrec-
tion, terms of capitulation should be
granted, by which the French, with
their baggage, should be allowed to
withdraw, and be conveyed to Bergen-
of-zoom : this I peremptorily refused,
and sent back the terms herewith en-
closed. The thickness of the weather
did not enable the deputation to quit
the ship before ten o'clock at night,
which induced me to cKtend the time
till midnight. I had not proceeded
any considerable distancefrom the ship,
before the signal, in token of submis-
sion, was made. 1 landed at the bat-
tery, which having secured, I went
forward to the town, and found the
native French had made their escape.
I directed the seamen to remain at the
gate, and entered with the marines
amidst the acclamatians of an immense
multitude ; proceeding to the town-
hall, I was met by the most respecta-
ble inhabitants in a body, and then ha-
ving dissolved the French municipal
authorities, 1 directed the ancient ma-
gistrates of the city to resume their
functions. This morning, in compli-
ance with my directions, the magis-

APPENDIX I.— GAZETTES.

ecxxiu

Urates of the town of Browershaven,
reported their having driven the French
from thence, and they received similar
injunctions with respect to their pro-
visional governmt^nt. I took posses-
•ion of a brig ot 14 guns, froraerlv his
Majesty's brig Bustler, which the ene-
my had attt-mpted to scuttle, also a
French gun -boat, and a considerable
quantity of powder, and have, in the
course of this day, brought in 20 pri-
soners, and more are expected I feel
happy in having obtained so important
an acquisition as the whole island of
8chowen, without bloodshed, and fa-
cilitating the means of opening a com-
munication with the allied forces in the
•outh of Holland. In closing this dis-
patch, I beg leave to recommend to
your particular notice the zeal and ac-
tivity of Captain Stewart of the Am-
phion, together with Lieut. Whyte,
first of the Horatio, with the rest of
the officers, seamen, and marines, un-
der my command, in this service. I
must here beg leave to express how
much I am indebted to Captain Ha-
milton Smith of the quarter-master-
general's department, for his advice
and assistance, who, from his know-
ledge of the Dutch language and of
the people, has very much facilitated
these operations. I also enclose the
list of ordnance, &c. taken,
have, &c.
(Signed) G. Stuart.

Admiral Young, &c.

Dated on board his Britannic
Ma,jedy's hip Horatio, at
half pa t 7 o'clock, Dec, 7.
Sir, — With a view to spare the ef-
fusion of blood, as senior officer in
command of his Britannic Majesty's
forces, I feel it my duty, after the
communication I have received, and
the resources which I at present have,
to summon you to surrender prisoners
of war, with the French officers and
troops under your immediate com-

mand. No other conditions will be
admitted. I expect a decisive answer
by twelve o'clock this night ; my au-
thority will not admit of the suspen-
sion of hostilities longer than that pe-
riod. If accepted, one gun ; if not,^
three ditto.

(Signed) G. Stuart.

To the commanding officer of
the French troops in the
town of Zuderie Zee, island
of Schowen.

ji list of ordnance taken.
Six iron 36-pounders, 6 iron 24-
pounders, 2 brass 6-pounders, 2 brass
13-inch mortars, and a considerable
quantity of shot and ammunition.
(Signed) G. Stuart,

Capt. and senior officer.
Mem.— Brass ordnance embarked.

Copy of another enclosure from
Admiral Young.

Horatio, off" Zuderie Zee,
Dec. 10, 1813.
Sir, — The thickness of the weather
preventing the Tickler's sailing yes-
terday, enables me to acquaint you of
an affair by the boats of the Hora-
tio and Amphion, under the imme-
diate command of Lieutenant Whyte,
first of the Horatio. Having received
information that the French had aug-
mented their forces in the island of
Tholen, with 400 men, and it being
necessary to secure the battery at the
point of Steavniesse, in order for the
ships to pass up the Keetan, I dis-
patched the boats of the two ships at
ten p. M. with the boats* crews only,
when they landed two miles in the rear
of the battery ; immediately on their
approach the French precipitately fled,
and did not enable our brave fellows
to oppose them, and we made only
three prisoners. The battery consist-
ed of six 24-pounder guns. Lieute-
nant Whyte, with the assistance of

ccKxiv

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

Lieutenant Champion, first of the
Amphion, and the officers and men
under their command, dismantled the
battery, spiked the guns, destroyed
the carriages and ammunition, and re-
turned on board at half-past three a.
M. Though the enemy did not op-
pose our force, I hope it will not di-
minish the merits of the officers and
men employed, and that their zeal and
activity will merit your approbation.
I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) G. Stuart.

To W. Young, Esq. &c.

Admiralty- Office^
Jan, il, 1 8 14.
Copy of an enclosure from Rear-
Admiral Fremantle, to John Wilson
Croker, Esq.

His Majesty*,^ ship Havannah,
before Zara^ Dec, 6, 1813.

Sir, — It IS with great satisfaction I
have the honour to inform you, that
the fortress of Zara has this day capi-
tulated to the combined Austrian and
English forces, after sustaining a can-
nonade of thirteen days from the Eng-
lish batteries, consisting of two 32-
pound carronades, eight i8-pounders,
and seven i 2-pound long guns, as well
as of two howitzers worked by Aus-
trians.

As the courier which conveys this
information will set out immediately,
I shall defer entering into particulars
until another opportunity, and confine
myself to the general terms granted,
which are, that the garrison are to
march out with the honours of war ;
to ground their arms on the glacis,
and then to be conducted, as prisoners
of war, until exchanged, to the out-
posts of the nearest French army.

The outwork of the garrison to be
occupied this evening by the Austrian
troops, and the whole of the enemy to
march out on the 9th, at ten a. m.

As soon as I can make ready a copy
5

of the terms, I shall have the honour
of forwarding them to you ; In the
mean time,

I have the honour to be, dec.
(Signed) Geo. Cadogan, Capt.
Rear-Admiral Fremantle, &c.

Major Hill, aide-de-camp to Lieut. -
General Sir Rowland Hill, has arrived
with a dispatch, of which the follow-
ing is a copy, addressed to Earl Ba-
thurst by Field Marshal the Marquis
of Wellington, K. G. dated

St Jean de Luz,
Dec. 14-, icl3.

My Lord, — Since the enemy's re-
treat from the Nivelle, they had occu-
pied a position in front of Bayonne,
which had been entrenched with great
labour since the battle fought at Vit-
toria in June last. It appears to be
under the fire of the works of the
place ; the right rests upon the A-
dour, and the front in this part is co-
vered by a morass, occasioned by a ri-
vulet which falls into the A dour. The
right of the centre rests upon this same
morass, and its left upon the river Nive.
The left is between the Nive and the
Adour, on which river the left rests.
They had their advanced posts from
their right in front of Anglet and to-
wards Biaritz. With the left they
defended the river Nive, and commu-
nicated with General Paris's division
of the army of Catalonia, which was at
St Jean Pied de Port, and they had a
considerable corps cantoned in Ville
Franche and Monguerre.

It was impossible to attack the ene-
my in this position, as long as they re-
mained in force in it.

I had determined to pass the Nive
immediately after the passage of the
Nivelle, but was prevented by the bad
state of the roads, and the swelling of
all the rivulets, occasioned by the fall
of rain in the beginning of that month ;
but the state of the weather and roads

APPENDIX I.—GAZETTES.

ecxxv

having at length enabled me. to collect
the materiah, and make the prepara-
tions for forming bridges for the pas-
sage of that river, I moved the troops
out of their cantonments on the 8th,
and ordered that the right of the army,
under Lieut. -General Sir Rowland
Hill, should pass on the 9th, at and in
the neighbourhood of Cambo, while
Marshal Sir William Beresford should
favour and support this operation by
passing the 6th division, under Licut.-
Gencral Sir Henry Clinton, at Usta-
ritz : both operations succeeded com-
pletely. The enemy were immediately
driven from the right bank of the river,
and retired towards Bayonne, by the
great road of St Jean Pied de Port.
Those posted opposite Cambo were
nearly intercepted by the 6th division,
and one regiment was driven from the
road, and obliged to march across the
country.

The enemy assembled in consider-
able force on a range of heights run-
ning parallel with the Adour, and still
keeping Ville Franche by their right.
The 8th Portuguese regiment, under
Colonel Douglas, and the 9th Ca9a-
dores, under Colonel Brown, and the
British light infantry battalions of the
6th division, carried this village and
the heights in the neighbourhood. —
The rain which had fallen the prece-
ding night, and on the morning of the
8th, had so destroyed the road, that
the day had nearly elapsed before the
whole of Sir Rowland Hill's corps had
come up, and I was therefore satisfied
with the possession of the ground
which we occupied.

On the same day, Lieut.- General
Sir John Hope, with the left of the
army under his command, moved for-
ward by the great road from St Jean
de Luz towards Bayonne, and recon-
noitered the right of the entrenched
camp under Bayonne, and the course
of the Adour below the town, after
driving in the enemy's posts from the

VOL. VI. PART 11.

neighbourhood of Biaritz and Anglet.
The light division, under Major-Ge-
neral Alten, likewise moved forward
from Bassusarry, and reconnoitred that
part of the enemy's entrenchments.

Sir John Hope and Major-General
Alten retired in the evening to the
ground they had before occupied.

On the morning of the 10th, Lieu-
tenant-Gen. Sir Rowland Hill found
that the enemy had retired from the
position which they had occupied the
day before on the heights, into the en-
trenched camp on that side of the
Nive ; and he, therefore, occupied the
position intended for him, with his
right towards the Adour, and his left
at Ville Franche, and communicating
with the centre of the army, under
Marshal Sir William Beresford, by a
bridge laid over the Nive ; and the
troops under the marshal were agaia
drawn to the left of the Nive.

General Murillo's division of Spa-
nish infantry, which had remained with
Sir Rowland Hill, when the other
Spanish troops went into cantonments,
was placed at Urcuray, with Colonel
Vivian's brigade of light dragoons at
Hasparran, in order to observe the
movements of the enemy's division, un-
der General Paris, which, upon the
passage of the Nive, had retired to-
wards St Palais.

On the 10th, in the morning, the
enemy moved out of the entrenched
camp with their whole army, with the
exception only of what occupied the
works opposite to Sir Rowland Hill's
position, and drove in the piquets of
the light division, and of Sir John
Hope's corps, and made a most des-
perate attack upon the post of the
former at the chattau and church of
Arcangues, and upon the advanced
posts of the latter, on the high road
from Bayonne to St Jean de Luz,
near the mayor's house of Biaritz.
Both. attacks were repulsed in the
most gallant style by the troops ; aa4
P

cexxvi

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

Sir John Hope's corps tcok about
vTOO prisoners.

The brunt of the action with Sir
John Hope's advanced post fell upon
the I St Portuguese brigade, under Bri-
gadier-General A. Campbell, which
were on duty, and upon Major-General
Robinson's brigade of the 5th division,
which moved up to their support. —
Lieutenant-General Sir John Hope
reports most favourably of the con
duct of those, and of all the other
troops engaged ; and I had great sa-
tisfaction in finding that this attempt
made by the enemy upon our left, in
order to oblige us to draw in our right,
was completely defeated by a compa-
paratively small part of our force.

I cannot sufficiently applaud the
ability, coolness, and judgment of
Lieut. -General Sir John Hope, who,
with the general and staff officers un
der his command, shewed the troops
an example of gallantry, which must
have tended to produce the favourable
result of the day.

Sir John Hope received a severe
contusion, which, however, I am hap-
py to say, has not deprived me for a
moment of the benefit of his assistance.
After the action was over, the regi-
ments of Nassau and Frankfort, under
the command of Colonel Kruse, came
over to the posts of Major-G^neral
Ross's brigade, of the 'Hh division,
which were formed for the support of
the centre.

When the night closed, the enemy
were still in large force in front of our
posts, on the ground from which they
had driven the picquets. They re-
tired, however, during the night, from
Lieutenant General Sir John Hope's
front, leaving small posts, which were
immediately driven in. They still oc-
cupied, in force, the ridge on which
the picquets of the light division had
stood ; and it was obvious that the
■whole army was still in front of our
left 5 and about three in the afternoon,

they again drove in Lieut. -General
Sir John Hope'spicquets, andattacked
his posts. They were again repulsed
with considerable loss.

The attack was recom.menced on
the morning of the 12th, with the
same want of success ; the first divi-
sion under Major-General Howard,
having relieved the fifth division : and
the enemy discontinued it in the after-
noon, and retired entirely within the
entrenched camp on that night. They
nevor renewed the attack on the posts
of the light division after the 10th.

Lieut -General Sir John Hope re-
ports most favourably of the conduct
of all the officers and troops, particu-
larly of the 1st Portuguese brigade,
under Brigadier-General Archibald
Campbell ; and of Major General Ro-
binson's and Major-General Hay's
brigade of the 5th division, under the
command of the Honourable Colonel
Greville. He mentions, particularly,
Major-General Hay, commanding the
5th division ; Major-Generals Robin-
son and Bradford ; Brigadier-General
Campbell ; Colonels de Regoa and j
Greville, commanding the several bri- i
gades ; Lieutenant-Colonel Lloyd, of
the 84th, who was unfortunately killed ;
Lieut. -Colonels Barnes of the royals,
and Cameron of the 9th, Captain
Ramsay of the horse artillery ; Colo-
nel Delancey, deputy quarter master-
general, and Lieutenant-Colonel M*-
Donald, assistant adjutant general, at-
tached to Sir John Hope'- corps; and
the officers of his personal staff

The 1st division, under Major-Ge-
neral Howard, were not engaged until
the 12th, when the enemy's attack
was more feeble ; but the guards con-
ducted themselves with their usual
spirit.

The enemy having thus failed in all
their attacks, with their whole force,
upon our left, withdrew into their
entrenchnients, on the night of the
12th, and passed a large force through

APPENDIX I,— GAZETTES.

CCXXVU

Bayonne, with which, on the morning
of the 13th, they made a most despe-
rate attack upon Lieutenant- General
Sir Rowland Hill.

In expectation of this attack I had
requested Marshal Sir W. Beresford to
reinforce the Lieut. -General with the
6th division, which crossed the Nive
at day-light on that morning : and I
further reinforced him by the 4th di-
vision, and two brigades of the 3d di-
vision.

The expected arrival of the 6th
division gave the lieut. -general great
facility in making his movements ;
but the troops under his own immedi-
ate command had defeated and repul-
sed the enemy with immense loss be-
fore their arrival The principal at-
tack having been made along the high-
road from Bayonne to St Jean Pied
de Port, Major- General Barnes's bri-

fade of British infantry, and the 5th
ortuguese brigade, under Brigadier-
General Ashworth, were particularly
engaged in the contest with the enemy
on that point, and these troops con-
ducted themselves admirably. The
Portuguese division of infantry, under
the command of Marischal del Campo
Don F. le Cor, moved to their support
on their left in a very gallant style,
and regained an important position be-
tween these troops and Major-General
Pringle's brigade, engaged with the
enemy in front of Ville Franche. I
had great satisfaction also in observing
the conduct of Major-General Byng's
brigade of British infantry, supported
by the 4th Portuguese brigade, under
the command of Brigadier- General
Buchan, in carrying an important
height from the enemy on the right
of our position, and maintaining it
against all their efforts to regain it.

Two guns and some prisoners were
taken from the enemy, who being
beaten at all points, and having suffer-
ed considerable loss, were obliged to
retire upon their entrenchment!.

It gives me the greatest satisfaction
to have another opportunity of report-
ing my sense of the merits and services
of Lieutenant. General Sir Rowland
Hill upon this occasion, as well as of
those of Lieutenant-General Sir Wil-
liam Stewart, commanding the 2d divi-
sion ; Major-Generals Pringle, Barnes^
and Byng ; Marischal del Campo Don
F. le Cor, and Brigadier-Generals Da
Costa, Ashworth, and Buchan. The
British artillery, under Lieutenant-
Colonel Ross, and the Portuguese ar-
tillery, under Colonel Tulloch, dis-
tinguished themselves; andLieutenant-
General Sir Rowland Hill reports par-
ticularly the assistance he received
from Lieut.-Colonels Bouverie and
Jackson, the assistant adjutant and as-
sistant quarter-master-general attached
to his corps ; Lieut. -Colonel Gold-
finch, of the royal engineers, and from
the officers of his personal staff.

The enemy marched a large body
of cavalry across the bridge of the
Adour yesterday evening, and retired
their force opposite to Sir Rowland
Hill this mornmg towards Bayonne.

Throughout these various opera-
tions I have received every assistance
from the quarter-master general, Ma-
jor-General Sir George Murray, and
the adjutant -general, Major-General
Sir Edward Pakenham, and Lieut.-
Col. Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Lieut.-
Colonel Campbell, and the officers of
my personal staff.

I send this dispatch by Major Hill,
aide-de-camp of Lieutenant General
Sir Rowland Hill, whom I beg leave
to recommend to your lordship's pro-
tection. I have the honour to be, &c.
Wellington.
1 enclose the returns of the killed
and wounded.

General Total
Killed — 2 lieutenant-colonels, 3 ma-
jors, 9 captains, 13 lieutenants, 4 en-
signs, 1 staff, 15 Serjeants, 4 drummers,
599 rank and file, 13 horses.
1

ccxxviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

Wounded — 4 general staff, 8 lieut.- Missing— 1 colonel, 2 majors, B

colonels, 14 majors, 64 captains, 89 captains, 5 lieutenants, 3 ensigns, 1

lieutenants, 45 ensigns, 9 staff, 215 staff, 14 Serjeants, 6 drummers, 467

Serjeants, 25 drummers, S434 rank and rank and file, 1 horse,
file, 21 horses.

APPENDIX IL—STATE PAPERS.

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

Letter from the Princess of Wales to
the Prince Regent,

Monta2ue-hoii«5e, Jan l4, 1813.

c< Sir, — It is with great reluctance
that I presume to obtrude myself up-
on your royal highness, and to solicit
your attention to matters which may,
at first, appear rather of a personal
than a public nature. If I could think
them so — if they related merely to
myself-— I should abstain from a pro-
ceeding which might give uneasiness,
or interrupt the more weighty occu-
pations of your royal highness's lime.
X should continue, in silence and re-
tirement, to lead the life which has
been prescribed to me, and console
myself for the loss of that society and
those domestic comforts to which I
have so long been a stranger, by the
reflection that it has been deemed pro-
per I should be afflicted without any
fault of my own — and that your royal
highness knows.

♦* But, sir, there are considerations
of a higher nature than any regard to
my own happiness, which render this
address a duty both to myself and my
daughter. May I venture to say — a
duty also to my husband, and the peo-
ple committed to his care ? There is
a point beyond which a guiltless wo-
man cannot with safety carry her for-
bearance. If her honour is invaded,

the defence of her reputation is no
longer a matter of choice, and it sig-
nifies not whether the attack be made
openly, manfully, and directly ; or by
secret insinuation, and by holding such
conduct towards her as countenances
all the suspicions that malice can sug-
gest. If these ought to be the feelings
of erery woman in England who is
conscious that she deserves no reproach,
your royal highness has too sound a
judgment, and too nice a sense of ho-
nour, not to perceive, how much more
justly they belong to the mother of
your daughter — the mother of her who
is destined, I trust at a very distant
period, to reign over the British em-
pire.

** It may be known to your royal
highness, that during the continuance
of the restrictions upon your royal au-
thority, I purposely refrained from
making any representations which,
riiight then augment the painful diffi-
culties of your exalted station. At the
expiration of the restrictions, I still
was inclined to delay taking this step,
in the hope that I might owe the re-
dress I sought to your gracious and
unsolicited condescension. I have wait-
ed, in the fond indulgence of this ex-
pectation, until, to my inexpressible
mortification, I find that my unwilling-
ne«s to complain has only produced
fresh grounds of complaint ; and I am

CXXXll

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

Ht length compelled, either to abandon
all regard for the two dearest objects
which I possess on earth, mine own
honour, and my beloved child, or to
throw myself at the feet of your royal
highness, the natural protectorof both.

" 1 presume, sir, to represent to
your royal highness, that the separa-
tion, which every succeeding month
is making wider, of the mother and
the daughter, is equally injurious to
my character and to her education.
I say nothing of the deep wounds
which so cruel an arrangement inflicts
upon my feehngs, although I would
fain hope that few persons will be
found of a disposition to think lightly
of these. To see myself cut off from
one of the few domestic enjoyments
left me — certainly the only one upon
which I set any value, the society of
my child — involves me in such misery,
as I well know your royal hijrhness
could never inflict upon me if you
were aware of its bitterness. Our in-
tercourse has been gradually diminish-
ed. A single interview, weekly, seem-
ed sufficiently hard allowance for a mo-
ther's affections. That, however, was
reduced to our meeting once a fort-
night ; and I now learn that even this
most rigorous interdiction is to be still
more rigidly enforced.

" But while I do not venture to in-
trude my feelings as a mother upon
your royal highness's notice, I must
be allowed to say, that in the eyes of
an observing and jealous world, this
separation of a daughter from her mo-
ther, will only admit of one construc-
tion— a construction fatal to the mo-
ther's reputation. Your royal high-
ness will also pardon me for adding,
that there is do less inconsistency than
injustice in this treatment. He who
dares advise your royal highness to
overlook the evidence of my inno-
cence, and dit^regard the sentence of
complete acquittal which it produced,
pr is wicked and false enough still to

whisper suspicions in your ear, be-
trays his duty to you, sir, to your
daughter, and to your people, if he
counsels you to permit a day to pass
without a further investigation of my
conduct. 1 know that no such ca-
lumniator will venture to recommend
a measure which must speedily end in
his utter confusion. Then let me im-
plore you to reflect on the situation in
which I am placed : without the sha-
dow of a charge against me — without
even an accuser — after an enquiry that
led to my ample vindication — yet treat-
ed as if I were still more culpable than
the perjuries of my suborned traducers
represented me, and held up to the
world as a mother who may not enjoy
the society of her only child.

" The feehngs, sir, which are natu-
ral to my unexampled situation, might
justify me in the gracious judgment of
your royal highness, had I no other
motives for addressing you but such
as relate to myself. But J will not
di'^guise from your royal highness
what I cannot for a moment conceal
from myself, that the serious, and it
soon may be, the irreparable injury
which my daughter sustains from the
plan at present pursued, has done more
in overcoming my reluctance to in»
trude upon your royal highness, than
any sufferings of my own could ac-
complish ; and if for her sake I pre-
sume to call away your royal high-
nesses attention from the other cares
of your exalted station, I feel confi-
dent I am not claiming it for a matter
of inferior importance either to your-
self or your people.

" The powers with which the con-
stitution of these realms vests your
royal highness in the regulation of the
royal family, J know, because I am
so advised, are ample, and unquestion-
able. My appeal, sir, is made to your
excellent sense and liberality of mind
in the exercise of those powers ; and
I willingly hope that your own pa-

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS,

eczxxiii

rental feelings will lead you to excuse
the anxiety of mine for impelling me
to represent the unhappy consequences
which the present system must entail
upon our beloved child.

** It is impossible, sir, that any one
can have attempted to persuade your
royal highness, that her character will
not be injured by the perpetual vio-
lence offered to her strongest affec-
tions— the studied care taken to es-
trange her from my society, and even
to interrupt all communication be-
tween us ! That her love for me, with
whom, by his majesty*s wise and gra-
cious arrangements, she passed the
years of her infancy and childhood,
never can be extinguished, I well
know, and the knowledge of it forms
the greatest blessing of my existence.

" But let me implore your royal
highness to reflect how inevitably all
attempts to abate this attachment, by
forcibly separating us, if they succeed,
must injure my child's principles — if
they fail, must destroy her happiness.

** The plan of excluding my daugh-
ter from all intercourse with the world,
appears to my humble judgment pe-
culiarly unfortunate. She who is des-
tined to be the sovereign of this great
country, enjoys none of those advan-
tages of society which are deemed ne-
cessary for imparting a knowledge of
mankind to persons who have infinite-
ly less occasion to learn that important
lesson ; and it may so happen, by a
chance which I trust is very remote,
that she should be called upon to ex-
ercise the powers of the crown, with
an experience of the world more con-
fined than that of the most private in-
dividual. To the extraordinary ta-
lents with which she is blessed, and
which accompany a disposition as sin-
gularly amiable, frank, and decided, I
♦villingly trust much ; but beyond a
certain point the greatest natural en-
lowments cannot struggle against the
isadvantages gf ciraumstaQces vnd si^

tuation. It is rtiy earnest prayer, for
her own sake, as well as her country's,
that your royal highness may be in-
duced to pause before this point be
reached.

" Those who have advised you, sir,
to delay so long the period of my
daughter's commencing her intercourse
with the world, and for that purpose
to make Windsor her residence, ap-
pear not to have regarded the inter-
ruptions to her education which this
arrangennent occasions ; both by the
impossibility of obtaining the attend-
ance of proper teachers, and the time
unavoidably consumed in the frequent
journeys to town which she must
make, unless she is to be secluded
from all intercourse even with your
royal hignness and the rest of the royal
family. To the same unfortunate coun-
sels I ascribe a circumstance in every
way so distressing both to my parental
and religious feelings, that my daugh-
ter has never yet enjoyed the benefit
of confirmation, although above a year
older than the age at which all the
other branches of the royal family
have partaken of that solemnity. May
I earnestly conjure you, sir, to hear
my entreaties upon this serious mat-
ter, even if you should listen to other
advisers on things of less near concern-
ment to the welfare of our child ?

«* The pain with which I have at
length formed the resolution of ad-
dressing myself to your royal highness
is such as I should in vain attempt to
express. If I could adequately de-
scribe it, you might be enabled, sir,
to estimate the strength of the mo-
tives which have made me submit to
it. They are the most powerful feel-
ings of affection, and the deepest im-
pressions of duty towards your royal
highness, my beloved child, and the
country, which I devotedly hope she
may be preserved to govern, and to
show, by a new example, the liberal
a^ectioa of a^ free 4ad generous people

ecxxxlv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

to a virtuous and constitutional mo*
narch.

** I am, sir, with profound respect,
and an attachment which nothing can
alter,
Your royal highnesses most devoted
and most affectionate

Consort, cousin, and subject,
(Signed) Caroline Louisa*"

A copy of the report of the honour-
able the privy council, having been
laid before the prince regent, was
transmitted to her royal highness by
Viscount Sidmouth on the evening of
the day on which the above letter was
sent ; and Lord Harrowby rephed to
her royal highness, by letter, to this
effect :

The report is as follows : —
To his royal highness the prince re-
gent.— The members of his ma-
jesty's most honourable privy coun-
cil : viz — his grace the archbishop
of Canterbury, &c. &c. ; having
been surMmoned by command of
your royal highness, on the 19th of
February, to meet at the office of Vis-
count Sidmouth, secretary of state
for the home department, a com-
munication was made by his lord-
ship to the lords then present, in
the following terms : —
•* My Lord«, — I have it in com-
mand from his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent, to acquaint your lord-
ships, that a copy of a letter from the
Princess of Wales to the Prince Regent
having appeared in a public paper,
which letter refers to the proceedings
that took place in an enquiry institu-
ted by command of his majesty, in the
year 1806, and contains, among other
matters, certain animadversions upon
themannerin which the Prince Regent
has exercised his undoubted right of
regulating the conduct and education
of his daughter the Princess Char-
lotte ; and his royal highness having
taken into his consideration the said

letter so published, and adverting to
the directions heretofore given by his
majesty, that the documents relating
to the said enquiry should be sealed up,
and deposited in the cffice of his ma-
jesty's principal secretary of state, in
order that his majesty's government
should possess the means of resorting
to them if necessary : his royal high-
ness has been pleased to direct, that
the said letter of the Princess of Wales,
and the whole of the said documents,
together with the copies of other let-
ters and papers, of which a schedule
is annexed, should be referred to your
lordships, being members of his ma- "
jesty's most honourable privy council,
for your consideration : and that you
should report to his royal highness
your opinion, whether, under all the
circumstances of the case, it be fit and
proper that the inttrcourse between
the Princess of Wales, and her daugh-
ter the Princess Charlotte, should
continue to be subject to regulations
and restrictions '*

Their lordships adjourned their
meetings to Tuesday, the 23d of Fe-
bruary ; and the intermediate days ha-
ving been employed in perusing the
documents referred to them, by com-
mand of your royal highness, they
proceeded on that and the following day
to the further consideration of the said
documents, and have agreed to report
to your royal highness as follows : —

*' In obedience to the commands of
your royal highness, we have taken in-
to our most serious consideration the
letter from her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales to your royal high-
ness, which has appeared in the public
papers, and has been referred to us by
your royal highness, in which letter
the Princess of Wales, amongst other
matters, complains that the intercourse
between her royal highness, and her
Royal Highness the Princess Char-
lotte, has been subjected to certain re-
strictions.

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

CCXXXT

" We have also taken into our most
«erious consideration, togetherwith the
other papers referred to us by your royal
highness, all the documents relative to
the enquiry instituted in 1806, by com-
mand of his majesty, into the truth of
certain representations, respecting the
conduct of her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales, which appear to
have been pressed upon the attention
of your royal highness, in consequence
of the advice of Lord Thurlow, and
upon grounds of public duty ; by
whom they were transmitted to his
majesty's consideration ; and your
royal highness having been graciously
pleased to command us to report our
opinions to your royal highness, whe-
ther, under all the circumstances of
the case, it be fit and proper, that the
intercourse between the Princess of
Wales and her daughter, the Princess
Charlotte, should continue to be sub-
ject to regulation and restraint :

•* We beg leave humbly to report
to your royal highness, that after a
full examination of all the documents
before us, we are of opinion, that un-
der all the circumstances of the case,
it is highly fit and proper, with a view
to the welfare of her Royal Highness
the Princess Charlotte, in which are
equally involved the happiness of your
royal highness, in your parental and
royal character, and the most impor-
tant interests of the state, — that the
intercourse between her Royal High-
ness the Princess of Wales, and her
Royal Highness the Princess Char-
lotte, should continue to be subject to
regulation and restraint.

** We humbly trust that we may be
permitted, without being thought to
cxeed the limits of the duty imposed
on us, respectfully to express the just
sense we entertain of the motives by
vrhich your royal highness has been
actuated in the postponement of the
confirmation of her Royal Highness
the PriacesB Charlotte ; as it appears

by a statement under the hand of her
majesty the queen, that your royal
highness has conformed in this respect
to the declared will of his majesty ;
who has been pleased to direct, that
such ceremony should not take place
till her royal highness should have
completed her eighteenth year.

" We also humbly trust that we
may be further permitted to notice
some expressions in the letter of heir
Royal Highness the Princess of Wales,
which may possibly be construed as
implying a charge of too serious a na-
ture to be passed over without obser-
vation. We refer to the words — " su-
borned traducers." As this expres-
sion, from the manner it is introduced,
may, perhaps, be liable to misconstruc-
tion (however impossible it may be to
suppose that it can have been so in-
tended) to have reference to some part
of the conduct of your royal highness,
we feel it our bounden duty not to
omit this opportunity of declaring,
that the documents laid before us af-
ford the most ample proof, that there
is not the slightest foundation for such
an aspersion.

(Signed)
C. Cantuab, Melville,

Eldon, Sidmouth,

E. Ebor, J. London,

W. Armagh, Ellenbouough,

Harrowby, p. c. Chas. Abbot,
Westmoreland, N. Vansittart,

c. p. s. C. Bathurst,

Buckinghamshire, W. Grant,
Bathurst, A.Macdonald,

Liverpool, W. Scott,

MULGIIAVE, J. NiCHOL,

A true copy, Sidmouth."

Copy of the Report of the Commis'
stoners.

May it please your Majesty,
Your majesty having been gracious-
ly pleased, by an instrument under

^cxxivi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

youi* majesty's royal sign manual, a
copy of which is annexed to this re
port, to ** authorize, empower, and
direct us to enquire into the truth of
certain written declarations, touching
the conduct of her Royal Highness
the Princess of Wales, an abstract of
which had been laid before your ma-
jesty, and to examine upon oath such
persons as we should see fit, touching
and concerning the same, and to report
to your majesty the result of such
examinations.'* We have, in dutiful
obedience to your majesty'scommands,
proceeded to examine the several wit-
nesses, the copies of whose depositions
ve have hereunto annexed ; and, in
further execution of the said com-
mands, we now most respectfully sub-
mit to your majesty the report of these
examinations as it has appeared to us ;
but we beg leave at the same time
humbly to refer your majesty, for
more complete information, to the
examinations themselves, in order to
correct any error of judgment, into
which we may have unintentionally
fallen, with respect to any part of this
business. On a reference to the above-
mentioned declarations, as the neces-
sary foundation of all our proceedings,
we found that they consisted in cer-
tain statements, which had been laid
before his Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales, rei^pecting the conduct of
her royal highness the princess. That
these statements, not only imputed to
her royal highness great impropriety
and indecency of behaviour, but ex-
pressly asserted, partly on the ground
of certain alledgcd declarations from
the princess's own mouth, and partly
on the personal observation of the in-
formants, the following most impor-
tant facts : viz. That her royal high-
ness had been pregnant in the year
lb02, in consequence of an illicit in-
tercourse, and that she had in the same
year been secretly delivered of a male
child, which child had ever since that

period been brought up by her rbyal
highness in her own house, and undef-
her immediate inspection.

These allegations thus made, had,
as we found, been followed by decla-
- rations from other persons, who had
not indeed spoken to the important
facts of the pregnancy or delivery of
her royal highness, but had related
other particulars, in themselves ex-
tremely suspicious, and still more so
when connected with the assertions al-
ready mentioned.

In the painful situation in which his
royal highness was placed, by these
communications, we learn that his roy-
al highness had adopted the only course
which could, in our judgment, with
propriety be followed. When inform-
ations, such as these, had been thus
confidently alleged, and particularly
detailed, and had been, m some degree,
supported by collateral evidence, ap-
plying to other points of the same na-
ture (though going to a far less ex-
tent), one Tine only could be pursued.
Every sentiment of duty to your
majesty, and of concern for the public
welfare, required that these particulars
should not be withheld from your ma-
jesty, to whom more particularly be-
longed the cognizance of a matter of
state, so nearly touching the honour
of your majesty's royal family, and,
by possibility, affecting the succession
of your majesty's crown.

Your majesty had been pleased, oA
your part, to view the subject in the
same light. Considering it as a mat-
ter, which, on every account, demand-
ed the most immediate investigation,
your majesty had thought fit to com-
mit into our hands the duty of ascer-
taining, in the first instance, what de-
gree of credit was due to the mform-
ations, and thereby enabhng your ma-
jesty to decide v/hat further conduct
to adopt concerning them

On this review, therefore, of the
matters thus alleged, and of the course

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

CCXXXVll..

hitherto pursued upon them, we deem-
ed it proper, in the first place, to exa-
IBioe those persons in whose declara
tions tlie occasion for this enquiry had
orijfinated. Because if they, on being
examined upon oath, had retracted or
▼aried their assertions, all necessity for
further investigation might possibly
have been precluded

We accordingly first examined on
oath the principal informants, Sir John
Douglas, and Charlotte his wife, who
both positively swore, .ijic former to
his having observed the fact of the
pregnancy of her royal highness, and
the latter to all the important particu-
lars contained in her former declaration,
and above referred to. Their exami-
nations are annexed to this report, and
are circumstantial and positive.

The most material of those allega-
tions, into the truth of which we had
been directed to enquire, being thus
far supported by the oath of the par-
ties from whom they had proceeded,
we then felt it our duty to follow up
the enquiry by the examination of such
other persons as we judged best able
to afford us information, as to the facts
in question.

We thought it beyond all doubt
that, in this course of enquiry, many
particulars must be learnt which would
be necessarily conclusive on the truth
or falsehood of these declarations. So
many persons must have been witnesses
to the appearances of an actually exist-
ing pregnancy ; so many circumstances
must have been attendant upon a real
delivery ; and difficulties so numerous
and insurmountable must have been in-
volved in any attempt to account for
the infant in question, as the child of
another woman, if it had been in fact
the child of the princess ; that we en
tertained a full and confident expecta-
tion of arriving at complete proof, ei-
ther in the affirmative or negative, on
this part of the subject.

This expectation was not disappoint-

ed. We are happy to declare to your
majesty our perfect conviction that
there is no foundation whatever for
believing that the child now with the
princess is the child of her royal high,
ness, or that she was delivered of any
child in the year 18';2j nor has any
thing appeared to us which would
warrant the belief that she was preg-
nant in that year, or at any other pe-
riod within the compass of our enqui-
ries.

The identity of the child, now witk
the princess, its parentage, the place
and the date of its birth, the time and
the circumstances of its being first ta-
ken under her royal highness's protect
tion, are all established by such a con-
currence, both of positive and circum-
stantial evidence, as can, in our judg-
ment, leave no question on this part of
the subject. The child was, beyond
all doubt, born in the Brownlow-street
hospital, on the 1 ith day of July, 1802,
of the body of Sophia Austin, and was
first brought to the princess's house in
the month of November following.
Neither should we be more warranted
in expressing any doubt respecting the
alleged pregnancy of the princess, as
stated in the original declarations ; — a
fact so fully contradicted, and by so
many witnesses, to whom, if true, it
must in various ways have been known,
that we cannot think it entitled to the
smallest credit. The testimonies on
these two points are contained in the
annexed depositions and letters. We
have not partially abstracted them in
this report, lest, by any unintentional
omission, we might weaken their ef-
fect ; but we humbly offer to your
majesty this our clear and unanimoui
judgment upon them, formed on full
deliberation, and pronounced without
hesitation, on the result of the whole
enquiry.

We do not, however, feel ourselve*
at liberty, much as we should wish it>
to close our report here. Besides the

ccxxxviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

allegations of the pregnancy and deli-
very of the princess, those declarations,
on the whole of which your majesty
has been pleased to command us to en-
quire and report, contain, as we have
already remarked, other particulars re-
specting the conduct of her royal high-
ness, such as must, especially consider-
ing her exalted rank and station, ne-
cessarily give occasion to very unfa-
Yourable interpretations.

From the various depositions and
proofs annexed to this report, particu-
larly from the examinations of Robert
Bidgopd, Wm. Cole, Frances Lloyd,
and Mrs Lisle, your majesty will per-
ceive that several strong circumstances
of this description have been positively
sworn to by witnesses, who cannot, in
pur judgment, be suspected of any un-
favourable bias, and whose veracity, in
this repect, we have seen no ground
to question.

On the precise bearing and effect of
the facts thus appearing, it is not for
us to decide ; these we submit to your
jnajesty's wisdom ; but we conceive it
to be our duty to report on this part
<of the enquiry, as distinctly as on the
former facts ; that, as on the one hand,
the facts of pregnancy and delivery
are to our minds satisfactorily dispro-
ved ; so, on the other hand, we think
that the circumstances to which we
now refer, particularly those stated to
have passed between her royal highness
and Captain Manby, must be credited
until they shall receive some decisive
contradiction; and, if true, are justly
entitled to the most serious consider-
ation.

We cannot close this report, with-
out humbly assuring your majesty,
that it was, on every account, our
Anxious wish, to have executed this
delicate trust, with as little publicity
as the nature of the case would possi-
bly allow ; and we entreat your majes-
ty's permission to express our full per-
suasion, that if this wish has been dis-
appointed, the failure is not imputable

to any thing unnecessarily said or done
by us.

All which is most humbly submit-
ted to your majesty.

(Signed) Erskine,

Spencer,

GhENVILLE,

July 14, 1806. Ellenbououoh.
A true copy,

(7. Beclcet.)

Copy of the Prmcess of Wales* s Letter
to the King,

Blackheath, Jug, 12, 1806.
Sire, — With the deepest feelings of
gratitude to your majesty, 1 take the
first opportunity to acknowledge ha-
ving received, as yesterday only, the
report from the lords commissioners,
which was dated from the 14th of July.
It was brought by Lord Ershine'»
footman, directed to the Princess of
Wales ; besides a note enclosed, the
contents of which were, that Lord
Erskine sent the evidences and report
by command of his majesty. I had
reason to flatter myself that the lords
commissioners would not have given in
the report, before they had been pro-
perly informed of various circumstan-
ces, which must, for a feeling and de-
licate-minded woman, be very unplea-
sant to have spread, without having
the means to exculpate herself. But
I can, in the face of the Almighty,
assure your majesty that your daugh-
ter-in-law is innocent, and her conduct
unquestionable ; free from all the in-
decorums and improprieties, which are
imputed to her at present by the lords
commissioners, upon the evidence of
persons who speak as falsely as Sir
John and Lady Douglas themselves.
Your majesty can be sure that 1 shall
be anxious to give the most solemn
denial in my power to all the scandal-
ous stories of Bidgood and Cole ; to
make my conduct be cleared in the
most satisfactory way, for the tran-
quilliLy of your majesty, for the ho-

APPENDIX II STATE PAPERS.

^XZXIX

nour of your illustrious family, and the
gratification of your afflicted daughter-
in law. In the mean time, I can safely
trust your majesty's gracious justice to
recollect, that the whole of the evi-
dence on which the commissioners
have given credit to the infamous sto-
ries charged against me, was taken be-
hind my back, without my having any
opportunity to contradict or explain
any thing, or even to point out those
persons, who might have been called
to prove the little credit which was
due to some of the witnesses, from
their connection with Sir John and
Lady Douglas ; and the absolute false-
hood of parts of the evidence, which
could have been completely contradict-
ed. Oh ! gracious king, I now look
for that happy moment, when I may
be allowed to appear again before your
majesty's eyes, and receive once more
the assurance from your majesty's own
mouth that I have your gracious pro-
tection ; and that you will not discard
me from your friendship, of which your
majesty has been so condescending to
give me so many marks of kindness ;
and which must be my only support,
and my only consolation, in this coun-
try. I remain, with sentiments of the
highest esteem, veneration, and un-
feigned attachment.
Sire,
Your majesty's most dutiful,
submissive, and humble

daughter-in-law and subject,
(Signed) Caroline.

To the king.

Aug. 17, 1806.

Sire, — Upon receiving the copy of
the report, made to your majesty, by
the commissioners, appointed to en-
quire into certain charges against my
conduct, I lost no time, in returning
to your majesty, my heartfelt thanks
for your majesty's goodness in com-
manding that copy to be communica-
ted to me.

I wanted no adviser but my own

heart, to express my gratitude for the
kindness and protection which I have
uniformly received from your majesty.
1 needed no caution or reserve, in ex-
pressing my confident reliance, that
that kindness and protection would
not be withdrawn from me on this
trying occasion, and that your majes-
ty's justice would not suffer your mind
to be affected to my disadvantage, by any
part of a report, founded upon partial
evidence, taken in my absence, upon
charges not yet communicated to me,
until your majesty had heard what
might be alleged, in my behalf, in an-
swer to it. But your majesty will not
be surprised nor displeased that I, a
■woman, a stranger to the laws and
usages of your majesty's kingdom, un-
der charges, aimed originally at my
life and honour, should hesitate to de-
termine in what manner I ought to
act, even under the present circum-
stances, with respect to such accusa-
tions, without the assistance of advice
in which I could confide. And I
have had submitted to me the follow-
ing observations, respecting the copiet
of the papers with which 1 have been
furnished. And 1 humbly solicit from
your majesty's gracious condescension
and justice, a compliance with the re-
(juests which arise out of them.

In the first place, it has been obser-
ved to me, that these copies of the re-
port, and of the accompanying papers,
have come unauthenticated by the sig-
nature of any person, high or low,
whose veracity, or even accuracy, it
pledged for their correctness, or to
whom resort might be had, if it should
be necessary hereafter to establish,
that these papers are correct copies of
the originals. I am far from insinua-
ting tliat the want of such attestations
was intentional. No doubt it was
omitted through inadvertence, but its
importance is particularly confirmed
by the state in which the copy of Mrs
Lisle's examination has been transmit-
ted to me J for ia tUe third page of

45CXI

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

that examination, there have been two
erasures, on one of which some words
have been subsequently introduced,
apparently in a different hand- writing
from the body of the examination, and
the passage, as it stands, is probably
incorrect, because the phrase is unin-
telligible ; and this occurs in an im-
portant part of her examination.

The humble, but earnest request,
which I have to make to your majesty,
which is suggested by this observation,
is, that your majesty would be graci-
ously pleased to direct, that the re-
port, and the papers which accompany
it, and which, for that purpose, I ven-
ture to transmit to your majesty with
this letter, may be examined, and then
returned to me, authenticated as cor-
rect, under the signature of some per-
son, who, having attested their accu-
racy, may be able to prove it.

In the second place, it has been ob-
served to me, that the report proceeds,
by reference to certain written decla-
rations, which the commissioners de-
scribe as the necessary foundation of
all their proceedings, and which con-
tain, as I presume, the charge or in-
formation against my conduct. Yet
copies of these written declarations
have not been given to me. They are
described indeed, in the report, as con-
sisting in certain statements, respecting
my conduct, imputing, not only gross
impropriety of behaviour, but express-
ly asserting facts of the most confirm-
ed and abandoned criminahty, for
"which, if true, my life might be for-
feited. These are stated to have been
followed by declarations from other
persons, who, though not speaking to
•the same facts, had related other par-
ticulars, in themselves extremely sus-
picious, and still more so, as connected
with the assertions already mentioned.

On this, it is observed to me, that

it is most important that 1 should

know the extent, and the particulars

•f the charges or informations against

me, and by what accusers they have
been made ; whether I am answering
the charges of one set of accusers, or
more ; whether the authors of the ori-
ginal declarations, who may be collect-
ed from the report to be Sir John and
Lady Douglas, are my only accusers ;
and the declarations which are said to
have followed, are the declarations of
persons adduced as witnesses by Sir
John and Lady Louglas to confirm
their accusation ; or whether such de-
clarations ate the charges of persons,
who have made themselves also the
authors of distinct accusations against
me.

The requests, which I humbly hope
your majesty will think reasonable and
just to grant, and which are suggested
by these further observations, are.

First, That your majesty would be
graciously pleased to direct, that I
should be furnished with copies of
these declarations ; and, if they are
rightly described in the report, as the
necessary foundation of all the proceed-
ings of the commissioners, your majesty
could not, I am persuaded, but have
graciously intended, in directing that
1 should be furnished with a copy of
the report, that I should also see this
essential part of the proceeding, the
foundation on which it rests.

Seco7idly, That 1 may be informed
whether I have one or more, and hovr
many accusers ; and who they are ; as
the weight and credit of the accusa-
tion cannot but be much affected by
the quarter from whence it originates.

Thirdly y That I may be informed of
the time when the declarations were
made. For the weight and credit of
the accusation must also be much af-
fected by the length of time which my
accusers may have been contented to
have been the silent depositories of those
heavy matters of guilt and charge ;
and,

Lastlvy That your majesty's good-
ness will secure to me a speedy return

APPENDIX n.— STATE PAPERS.

ccxli

of these papers, accompanied, I trust,
with the further information which I
have solicited; but at all events a speedy-
return of them. And your majesty
will see, that it is not without reason
that I make this last request, when
your majesty is informed, that though
the report appears to have been made
upon the li-th of July, yet it was not
sent to me till the 11th of the present
month. A similar delay I should, of
all things, deplore. For it is with re-
luctance that I yield to those sugges-
tions, which have induced me to lay
these my humble requests before your
majesty, since they must, at all events,
in some degree, delay the arrival of
that moment to which I look forward
with so eager and earnest an impa-
tience ; when I confidently feel I shall
completely satisfy your majesty, that
the whole of these charges are alike
unfounded, and are all parts of the
same conspiracy against me. Your
majesty, so satisfied, will, I can have
no doubt, be as anxious as myself, to
secure to me that redress which the
laws of your kingdom (administering
under your majesty's just dispensation,
equal protection and justice to every
description of your majesty's subjects, )
are prepared to afford to those who
are so deeply injured as I have been.
That I have in this case the strongest
claim to your majesty's justice, 1 am
confident I shall prove; but I cannot, as
I am advised, so satisfactorily establish
that claim, till your majesty's goodness
shall have directed me to be furnished
with an authentic statement of the ac-
tual charges against me, and that ad-
ditional information, which it is the
object of this letter most humbly, yet
earnestly, to implore.

I am, sire.
Your majesty's most dutiful,
submissive, and humble
daughter-in-law,
Montague-house. (Signed) C. P.

To the king.

VOL. VI. PART II,

MontagUe-housef j^ec. 8, 1806.

Sire, — I trust your majesty, who
knows my constant affection, loyalty,
and duty, and the sure confidence with
which I readily repose my honour, ray
character, my happiness in your ma-
jesty's hands, will not think me guilty
of any disrespectful or unduteous im-
patience, when I thus again address
myself to your royal grace and justice.

It is, sire, nine weeks to-day, since
my counsel presented to the lord high
chancellor my letter to your majesty,
containing my observations in vindica-
tion of my honour and innocence, up-
on the report presented to your ma-
jesty by the commissioners, who had
been appointed to examine into my
conduct. The lord chancellor inform-
ed my counsel, that the letter should
be conveyed to your majesty on that
very day ; and further, was pleased,
in about a week or ten days afterwards,
to communicate to my solicitor, that
your majesty had read my letter, and
that it had been transmitted to his
lordship with directions that it should
be copied for the commissioners, and
that when such copy had been taken,
the original should be returned to
your majesty.

Your majesty's own gracious and
royal mind will easily conceive what
must have been my state of anxiety
and suspense, whilst I have been fond-
ly indulging in the hope, that every
day, as it passed, would bring me the
happy tidings, that your majesty was
satisfied of my innocence ; and con-
vinced of the unfounded malice of my
enemies, in every part of their charge.
Nine long weeks of daily expectation
and suspense have now elapsed, and
they have brought me nothing but
disappointment. I have remained in
total ignorance of what has been done,
what is doing, or what is intended up^
on this subject. Your majesty's good-
ness will therefore pardon me, if in the
step which I now take, I act upon a

ccxlii

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

-mistaken conjecture with respect to
the fact. But from the lord tl>ancel-
lor's con-innmiicat)on to my solicitor,
acd from the time which has elapsed,
I am led to conclude, that your ma-
jesty had directed the copy of my let-
ter to be laid before the commissioners,
requiring their advice upon the sub-
ject ; and, possibly, their ofiScial oc-
cupations, and their other duties to
the grate, may not have as yet allowed
them the opportunity of attending to
it. But your majesty will permit me to
observe, that however excusable this
delay may be on their parts, yet it
operatesmost injuriously upon me; my
feelings are severely tortured by the
suspense, while my character is sinking
in the opinion of the public.

It is known that a report, though
acquitting me of crime, yet imputing
matters highly disreputable to my ho-
nour, has been made to your majesty ;
that that report has been communica-
ted to me ; that I have endeavoured
to answer it ; and that I still remain,
at the end of nine weeks from the de-
liver) of my answer, unacquainted with
the judgment which is formed upon it.
May I be permitted to observe upon
the extreme prejudice which this de-
lay, however to be accounted for by
the numerous imporiant occupations
of the commissioners, produces to my
honour ? The world, in total ignorance
of the real state of the facts, begin to
infer my guilt from it. I feel myself
already sinking in t he estimation of
your majesty's suhjec ts, as well as of
what remains to me of my own family,
into (a state intolerable to a mind con-
sciuus of its purity and innocence) a
state in which my honour appears at
least equivocal, and my virtue is sus-
pected. From this state I humbly en-
treat your majesty to perceive that I
can have no hope of being rest ere
until either your majesty's favourahl g
opinion shrill be graciously notific^d
to t'he woild, by receiving mc again

into the royal presence, or until the
full disclosure of the facts shall expose
the malice of my accusers, and do away
every possible ground for unfavoura-
ble ii fcrence and conjecture.

The various calamities with which
it ha pleased God of late to afflict me,
1 have endeavoured to bear, and I
trust I h'ave borne, with humble resig-
nation to the Divine will. But the
tfFect of this infamous charge, and the
delay which has suspended its final ter-
mination, by depriving m.e of the con-
solation which I should have received
from your majesty's presence and kind-
ness, have given a heavy addition to
them all ; and surely my bitterest ene-
mies could hardly wish that they should
be increased. But on this topic, as
possibly not much affecting the jus-
tice, though it does the hardship, of
my case, I forbear to dwell.

Your majesty will be graciously*
pleased to recollect, that an occasion
of assembhng the royal family and
your subjects, in dutiful and happy
commemoration of her majesty's birth-
day, is now near at hand. If the in-
creased'occupations which theapproach
of parliament may occasion, or any
other cause, should prevent the com-
missioners from enabhng your majesty
to communicate your pleasure to me
before that time, the world will in-
fallibly conclude, (in their present
state of ignorance,) that my answer
must have proved unsatisfactory, and
and that the infamous charges have
been thought to be but too true.

These considerations, sire, will, I
trust, in your majesty's gracious opi-
nion, rescue this address from all im-
putation of impatience. For your
majesty's sense of honourable feehng
will naturally suggest, how utterly
impossible it is that I, conscious of my
own innocence, and believing that the
malice of my enemies has been com-
pletely detected, can, without aban-
doning all regard to m'y interests, pfiy

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

ecxliii

fcappiness, and my honour, possibly be
contented to perceive the approach of
such utter ruin to my character, and
yet wait with patience, and in silence,
till it overwhelms me. I therefore take
the liberty of throwing myself again
at your majesty's feet, and entreating
and imploring of your majesty's good-
ness and justice, in pity for my mise-
ries, which this delay so severely ag-
gravates, and in justice to my inno--
cence and character, to urge the com-
missioners to an early communication
of their advice.

To save your majesty and the com-
missioners all unnecessary trouble, as
well as to obviate all probability of
further delay, I have directed a dupli-
cate of this letter to be prepared, and
have sent one copy of it through the
lord chancellor, and another through
Colonel Taylor, to your majesty.
I am, &c.

(Signed) C. P.

To the king.

Jan. 28, 1807-

The lord chancellor has the honour
to present his most humble duty to the
Princess of Wales, and to transmit to
her royal highness the accompanying
message from the king ; which her
royal highnes* will observe he has his
majesty's commands to communicate
to her royal highness.

The lord chancellor would have
done himseli the honour to have wait-
ed personally upon her royal highness,
and have delivered it himself, but he
considered the sending it sealed as
more respectful and acceptable to her
royal highness. The lord chancellor
received the original paper from the
king yesterday, and made the copy
now sent in his own hand.

To l^r Royal Highness the Princess
of Wales,

The king having referred to his con-

fidential servants the proceeding and
papers relative to the written declara*
tions, which had been b fore his ma-
jesty, respecting the conduct of the
Princess of Wales, has been apprized
by them, that, after the fullest consi-
deration of the examinations taken on
the subject, and of the observations
and affidavits brought forward by the
Princess of Wales's legal advisers, they
agree in the opinions, submitted to hi3
majesty in the original report of the
four lords, by whom hi^ majesty direct-
ed that the matter should, m the first
instance, be enquired into ; and that,
in the present stage of the business, .
upon a mature and deliberate view of
this most important subject in all its
parts and bearings, it is their opinion,
that the facts of this case do not war-
rant their advising that any further
step should be taken in the business
by his majesty's government, or any
other proceedings instituted upon it,
except such only as his majesty's law
servants may, on reference to them,
think fit to recommend, for the prose-
cution of Lady Douglas, on those
parts of her depositions which may
appear to them to be justly liable
thereto.

In this situation, his majesty is ad-
vised, that it is no longer necessary for
him to decline receiving the princess
into his royal presence.

The king sees, with great satisfaction,
the agreement of his confidential ser-
vants, in the decided opinion express-
ed by the four lords, upon tlie false-
hood of the accusations of pregnancy
and dehvery, brought forward against
the princess by Lady Douglas.

On the other matters produced in
the course of the enquiry, the king is
advised that none of the facts or alle-
gations stated in preliminary examina-
tions, carried on in the absence of the
parties interested, can be considered
as legally or conclusively established.

ccxliv

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

But in those examinations, and even
in the answer drawn in the name of
the princess by her legal advisers, there
have appeared circumstances of con-
duct on the part of the princess, which
his majesty never could regard but
with serious concern. The elevated
rank which the princess holds in this
country, and the relation in which she
stands to his majesty and the royal fa-
mily, must always deeply involve both
the interests of the state, and the per-
sonal feehngs of his majesty, in the
propriety and correctness of her con-
duct. And his majesty cannot, there-
fore, forbear to express in the conclu-
sion of the business, his desire and ex-
pectation, that such a conduct may, in
future, be observed by the princess, as
may fully justify those marks of pa*
ternal regard and affection, which the
king always wishes to shew to every
part of his royal family.

His majesty has directed that this
message should be transmitted to the
Princess of Wales, by his lord chan-
cellor, and that copies of the proceed-
ings, which had taken place on the
subject, should also be communicated
to his dearly beloved son the Prince
of Wales.

Montague-house, Jan, 29, 1807.
Sire, — I hasten to acknowledge the
receipt of the paper, which, by your
majesty's direction, was yesterday trans-
mitted to me by the lord chancellor,
and to express the unfeigned happiness
which I have derived from one part of
it, I mean that which informs me
that your majesty's confidential ser-
vants have at length thought proper
to communicate to your majesty their
advice, " that it is no longer lecessary
for your majesty to decline receiving
me into your royal presence." And
I therefore humbly hope that your
majesty will be graciously pleased to
receive, with favour, the communica-
tion of my intention to avail myself,

with your majesty's permission, of*
that advice, for the purpose of waiting
upon your majesty on Monday next,
if that day should not be inconvenient;
when I hope again to have the happi-
ness of throwing myself, in filial duty
and affection, at your majesty's feet.

Your majesty will easily conceive
that I reluctantly name so distant a
day as Monday, but I do not feel my-
self sufficiently recovered from the
measles, to venture upon so long a
drive at an earlier day. Feeling, how-
ever, very anxious to receive again, as
soon as possible, that blessing, of which
I have been so long deprived, if that
day should happen to be in any de-
gree inconvenient, 1 humbly entreat
and implore your majesty's most gra-
cious and paternal goodness, to name
some other day, as early as possible,,
for that purpose.

I am, &c.
(Signed) C. P.

To the king.

Windsor Castle, Jan. 29, 1807.
The king has this moment received
the Princess of Wales's letter, in which
she intimates her intention of coming
to Windsor on Monday next ; and
his majesty, wishing- not to put the
princess to the inconvenience of coming
to this place so immediately after her
illness, hastens to acquaint her that he
shall prefer to receive her in London
upon a day subsequent to the ensuing
week, which will also better suit his
majesty, and of which he will not fail
to apprize the princess,

(Signed) George R.

To the Princess of Wales.

Windsor Castle, Feb, 10, 1807.
As the Princess of Wales may have
been led to expect, from the king's
letter to her, that he would fix an early
day for seeing her, his majesty thinks
it right to acquaint her, that the Prince
of Wales, upon receiving the several

APPENDIX IL— STATE PAPERS.

cCiU

ilocuments which the king directed
his cabinet to transmit to him, made a
formal communication to him, of his
intention to put them into the hands
of his lawyers ; accompanied by a re-
quest, that his majesty would suspend
any further steps in the business, until
the Prince of Wales should be enabled
to submit to him the statement which
he proposed to make. The king there-
fore considers it incumbent upon him
to defer naming a day to the Princess
of Wales, until the further result of
the prince's intention shall have been
made known to him.

(Signed) George R.

To the Princess of Wales.

Montague-housej Feb. 12, 1807.
Sire, — I received yesterday, and
with inexpressible pain, your majesty's
last communication. The duty of
stating, in a representation to your
majesty, the various grounds upon
which I feel the hardship of my case,
and upon which I confidently think
that, upon a review of it, your majes-
ty will be disposed to recal your last
determination, is a duty I owe to my-
self : and I cannot forbear, at the mo-
ment when 1 acknowledge your ma-
jesty's letter, to announce to your ma-
jesty that I propose to execute that
duty without delay.

After having suffered the punish-
mentof banishment from yourmajesty's
presence for seven months, pending an
enquiry which your majesty had direct-
ed, into my conduct, affecting both
my life and my honour ; — after that
enquiry had, at length, terminated in
the advice of your majesty's confiden-
tial and sworn servants, that there was
no longer any reason for your majes-
ty's declining to receive me ; — if after
your majesty's gracious communica-
tion, which led me to rest assured
that your majesty would appoint an
early day to receive me ; — if after all
this, by a renewed apphcatioa on the

part of the Prince of Wales, upon
whose communication the first inquiry
had been directed, I now find that
that punishment, which has been in-
flicted, pending a seven months en-
quiry before the determination, should,
contrary to the opinion of your ma-
jesty's servants, be continued after
that determination, to await the result
of some new proceeding, to be sug-
gested by the lawyers of the Prince of
Wales ; it is impossible that I can fail
to assert to your majesty, with the
effect due to truth, that I am in the
consciousness of my innocence, and
with a strong sense of my unmerited
sufferings,

Your majesty's much-injured sub-
ject and daughter-in-law, G. P.

To the King.

Montague-house, Feb. 16, 1807.
Sire, — By my short letter to your
majesty of the 12th instant, in answer
to your majesty's communication of
the 10th, I notified my intention of
representing to your majesty the va-
rious grounds, on which I felt the
hardship of my case ; and a review of
which, I confidently hoped, would
dispose your majesty to recal your de-
termination to adjourn, to an indefi-
nite period, my reception into your
royal presence ; a determination, which,
in addition to all the other pain which
it brought along with it, affected me
with the disappointment of hopes
which I had fondly cherished with the
most perfect confidence, because they
rested on your majesty's gracious as-
surance.

Independently, however, of that
communication from your majesty, I
should have felt myself bound to have
troubled your majesty with much of
the contents of the present letter.

Upon the receipt of the paperwhich,
by your majesty's commands, was
transmitted to me by the lord chanceU
or, on the 28th of the last m«ntb,

cjtxlvi

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

and vvhicli communicated to me the
joyful intelligence, that your majesty
was " advised, that it was no longer
necessary for you to decline receiving
me into your royal presence," I con-
ceived myself necessarily called upon
to send an immediate answer to so
much of it as respected that intelli-
gence. I could not wait tlie time
which it would have required to state
thost observations, which it was im-
possible for me to refrain from making
at some period, upon the other import-
ant particulars which that paper con-
tained. Accordingly, 1 answered it
immediately"; and as your majesty*s
gracious and instant reply of last
Thursday fortnight announced to me
your pleasure that I should be recei-
ved by your majesty on a day subse-
quent to the then ensuing week, I was
led most confidently to assure myself
that the last week would not have
passed without my having received
that satisfaction. I therefore deter-
mined to wait in patience, without
further intrusion upon your majesty,
till I might have the opportunity of
guarding myself from the possibility
of being misunderstood, by personally
explaining to your majesty, that, what-
ever observations I had to make upon
the paper so communicated to me on
the 28th ult., and whatever complaints
respecting the delay, and the many
cruel circumstances which had attend-
ed the whole of the proceedings against
me, and the unsatisfactory state in
which they were at length left by that
last communication, they were obser-
vations and complaints which affected
those only, under whose advice your
majesty had acted, and were not, in
any degree, intended to intimate even
the most distant in inuation against
your majesty's justice or kindness.

That paper established the opinion,
which I certainly had ever confidently
entertained, but the justness, of which
1 had not before any document to

establish, that your majesty had, from
the first, deemed this proceeding a
high and important matter of state, in
the consideration of which your ma-
jesty had not felt yourself at liberty
to trust to your own generous feelings,
and to your own royal and gracious
judgment, I never did beheve that
the cruel state of anxiety in which I
had been kept ever since the delivery
of my answer, (for at least sixteen
weeks) could be at all attributable f
your majesty ; it was most unlike every
thing which I had ever experienced
from your majesty's condescension,
feeling, and justice ; and I found,
from that paper, that it was to your
confidential servants I was to ascribe
the length of banishment from your
presence, which they at last advised
your majesty it was no longer neces-
sary should be contmned. I perceive,
therefore, what I always believed, that
it was to them, and them only, that I
owed the protractedcontinuance of my
sutferings and of my disgrace ; and that
your majesty, considering the whole
of this proceeding to have been insti-
tuted and conducted under the grave
responsibility of your majesty's ser-
vantsj had not thought proper to take
any step or express any opinion upon
any part of it, but such as was recom-
mended by their advice. Influenced
by these sentiments, and anxious to
have the opportunity of conveying
them, with the overflowings of a grate-
ful heart, to your majesty, what were
my sensations of surprise, mortification,
and disappointment, on the receipt of
yolir majesty's letter of the 10th inst.,
your majesty may conceive, though I
am utterly unable to express.

That letter announces to me, that
his Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales, upon receiving the several do-
cuments which your majesty directed
your cabinet to transmit to him, made
a personal communication to your ma-
jesty oi his intention to put ihem int«

APPENDIX II—STATE PAPERS.

ccxlvii

the hands of his lawyers, accompanied
by a request, that your majesty would
suspend any further steps in the busi-
ness, until the Prince of Wales should
be enabled to submit to your majesty
the statement which he proposed to
make ; and it also announces to me
"that your majesty therefore considered
it incumbent on you to defer naming a
day to me, until the further result of
the Prince of Wales's intention should
have been made known to your ma-

This determination of your majesty,
on this request made by his royal
highness, I humbly trust your majes-
ty will permit me to entreat you, in
your most gracious justice to reconsi-
der. Your majesty, I am convinced,
must have been surprised at the time,
and prevailed upon by the importunity
of the Prince of Wales, to think this
determination necessary, or your ma-
jesty's generosity and justice would
never have adopted it. And if I can
satisfy your majesty of the unparallel-
ed injustice and cruelty of this inter-
position of the Prince of Wales at
such a time and under such circum-
stances, I feel the most perfect confi-
dence that your majesty will hasten to
recal it.

I should basely be wanting to my
own interest and feelings, if I did not
plainly state my sense of that injustice
and cruelty ; and if I did not most
loudly complain of it. Your majesty
"will better perceive the just grounds
of my complaint, when I retrace the
course of these proceedings from their
commencement.

The four noble lords, appointed
by your majesty to enquire into the
charges brought against me, in their
report of the 14ih of July last, after
having stated that his royal highness
the Prince of Wales had laid before
him, the charge which was made
against me by Lady Douglas, and the

declaration in support of it, proceed in
the following manner :

" In the painful situation in which
his royal highness was placed by these
communications, we learnt that his
royal highness had adopted the only
course which could, in our judgment,
with propriety be followed. When
informations such as these had been
thus confidently alleged and particu-
larly detailed, and had been in some
degree supported by collateral evi-
dence, applying to other facts of the
same nature, (though going to a far
less extent), one line only could be
pursued.

" Every sentiment of duty to your
majesty, and of concern for the public
welfare, required that these particulars
should not be withheld from your ma-
jesty, to whom more particularly be-
longed the cognizance of a matter of
state, so nearly touching the honour
of your majesty's royal family, and,
by possibility, affecting the succession
ot your majesty's crown.

" Your majesty had been pleased,
on your part, to view the subject in
the same light. Considering \\ as a
matter which, on every account, de-
manded the most immediate investiga-
tion, your majesty had thought fit to
commit into our hands the duty of as-
certaining, in the first instance, what
degree of credit was due to the infor-
mations, and thereby enabling your ma-
jesty to decide what further conduct
to adopt respecting them."

His royal highness then, pursuing,
as the four lords say, the only course
which could in their judgment, with
propriety, be pursued, submitted the
matter to your majesty. — Your m^es-
ty directed the enquiry by the four
noble lords. — The four lords, in their
report upon the case, justly acquitted
me of all crime, and expressed (I will
not wait now to say how unjustly ) the
credit which they^ gave, and the con-

fclxviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

sequence they ascribed to other mat-
ters, which they did not, however,
characterize as amounting to any
crime. — To this report I made my
answer. — That answer, together with
the whole proceedings, was referred by
your majesty, to the same four noble
lords, and others of your majesty's
confidential servants. They advised
your majesty, amongst much other
matter, ( which must be the subject of
further observations) that there was
no longer any reason why you should
decline receiving me.

Your majesty will necessarily con-
ceive that 1 have always looked upon
my banishment from your royal pre-
sence as, in fact, a punishment, and a
severe one too. I thought it sufficient-
ly hard, that I should have been suf-
fering that punishment, during the
time that this enquiry has been pend-
ing, while I was yet only under accu-
sation, and upon the principles of the
'just laws of your majesty's kingdom,
entitled to be presumed to be inno-
cent, till I was proved to be guilty.
But I find this does not appear to be
enough, in the opinion of the Prince
of Wales. For now, when after this
long enquiry, into matters which re-
quired immediate investigation, 1 have
been acquitted of every thing which
could call for my banishment from your
royal presence ; — after your majesty's
confidential servants have thus express-
ly advised your majesty that they see
no reason why you should any longer
decline to leceive me into your pre-
sence ; — after your majesty had gra-
ciously notified to me your determi-
nation to receive me at an early day,
his royal highness interposes the de-
mand of a new delay ; desires your
majesty not to take any step ; desires
you not to act upon the advice which
your own confidential servants have
given you, that you need no longer
decline seeing me ; not to execute your
intention and assurance, that you would

receive me at an early day ; — because
he has laid the documents before his
lawyers, and intends to prepare a fur-
ther statement. And the judgment of
your majesty's confidential servants is,
as it were, appealed from by the Prince
of Wales, (whom, from this time at
least, I must be permitted to consider
as assuming the character of my accu-
ser ;) — the justice due to me is to be
suspended, while the judgment of your
majesty's sworn servants is to be sub-
mitted to the revision of my accuser's
counsel ; and I, though acquitted in
the opinion of your majesty's confiden-
tial servants, of all that should induce
your majesty to decline seeing me, am
to have that punishment, which had
been inflicted upon me during the en-
quiry, continued after that acquittal,
till a fresh statement is prepared, to be
again submitted, for aught I know, to
another enquiry, of as extended a con-
tinuance as that which has just termi*
nated.

Can it be said that the proceedings
of the four noble lords, or of your ma-
jesty's confidential servants, have been
so lenient and considerate towards me
and my feehngs, as to induce a suspi-
cion that I have been too favourably
dealt with by them ? and that the ad-
vice which has been given to your ma-
jesty, that your majesty need no longer
decline to receive me, was hastily and
partially delivered ? I am confident
that your majesty must see the very re-
verse of this to be the case — that I
have every reason to complain of the
inexplicable delay which so long with-
held that advice. And the whole cha-
racter of the observations with which
they accompanied it, marks the reluc-
tance with which they yielded to the
necessity of giving it.

For your majesty's confidential ser-
vants advise your majesty, " that it is
no longer necessary for you to decline
receiving me into your royal presence.' '
If this ij their opinion and their advice

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

'ccxlix

.sow, why was it not their opinion and
their advice four months ago, from the
date of my answer ? Nay, why was it
not their opinion and advice from the
date even of the original report itself?
For not only had they been in pos-
session of my answer for above sixteen
iucekSf which at least furnished them
with all the materials on which this
advice at length was given, but fur-
ther, your majesty's confidential ser-
vants are forward to state, that after
having read my observations and the
affidavits which they annexed to them,
they agree in the opinions (not in any
single opinion upon any particular
branch of the case, but in the opinions
generallj/) which were submitted to
your majesty, in the original report of
the four lords. If therefore (not-
withstanding their concurrence in all
the opinions contained in the report)
they have nevertheless given to your
majesty their advice, " that it is no
longer necessary for you to decline re-
ceiving me ;"— -what could have pre-
vented their offering that advice, even
from the 14th of July, the date of the
original report itself ? Or what could
have warranted the withholding of it,
even for a single moment ? Instead,
therefore, of any trace being observa-
ble, of hasty, precipitate, and partial
determination in my favour, it is im-
possible to interpret their conduct and
their reasons together in any other
sense, than as amounting to an admis-
sion of your majesty's confidential ser-
vants themselves, that I have, in con-
sequence of their withholding that ad-
vice, been unnecessarily and cruelly
banished from your royal presence,
from the Uth of July to the 28th of
January, including a space of above
six months ; and the effect of the in-
terposition of the prince, is to prolong
S^ my sufferings, and my disgrace, under
the same banishment, to a period per-
fectly indefinite.

The principle which will admit tk

effect of such interposition now, may-
be acted upon again ; and the prince
may require a further prolongation,
upon fresh statements and fresh charges,
kept back possibly for the purpose of
being from time to time conveniently
interposed, to prevent for ever the ar-
rival of that hour, which, displaying
to the world the acknowledgment of
my unmerited sufferings and disgrace,
may at the same time expose the true
malicious and unjust quality of the
proceedings which have been so long;
carried on against me.

This unseasonable, unjust, and cruel
interposition of his royal highness, as
I must ever deem it, has prevailed up-
on your majesty to recal to my preju-
dice your gracious purpose of recei-
ving me, in pursuance of the advice of
your servants. Do I then flatter ray-
self too much, when I feel assured
that my just entreaty, founded upotf
the reasons which I urge, and directed
to counteract only the effect of that
unjust interposition, will induce your
majesty to return to your original de-
termination ?

Restored, however, as I should feel
myself, to a state of comparative secu-
rity, as well as credit, by being at
length permitted, upon your majesty'*
gracious re-consideration of your last
determination, to have access to your
majesty ; yet, under all the circum-
stances under which I should now re-
ceive that mark and confirmation of
your majesty's opinion of my inno-
cence, my character would not, I fear,
stand clear in the public opinion, by
the mere fact of your majesty's recep-
tion of me. This revocation of your
majesty's gracious purpose has flung
an additional cloud upon the whole
proceeding, and the inferences drawo
m the public mind, from this circum-
stance, so mysteriou^y and so perfect-
ly inexplicable, upon any grounds
which are open to their knowledge,
haa made, and will leav? so deep aa

ccl

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

impression to my prejudice, as scarce
any thing short of a public exposure
of all that has passed can possibly ef-
fece.

The publication of all these pro-
ceedings to the world, then, seems
to me, under the present circum-
stances, (whatever reluctance I feel
at such a measure, and however I
regret the hard necessity which drives
me to it,) to be almost the only re-
maining resource, for the vindication
of my honour and character. The
falsehood of the accusation is, by no
means, all that will, by such publica-
tion, appear to the credit and clearance
of my character ; but the course in
■which the whole proceedings have been
carried on, or rather delayed, by those
to whom your majesty referred the
consideration of them, will show that,
whatever measure of justice I may have
tiltimately received at their hands, it is
not to be suspected as arising from any
merciful and indulgent consideration
of me, of my feelings, or of my case.

It will be seen how my feelings had
been harassed, and my character and
honour exposed by the delays which
have taken place in these proceedings :
it will be seen that the existence of the
eharge against me had avowedly been
known to the public from the 7th of
June in the last year — I say known to
the pubhc, because it was on that day
that the commissioners, acting, as I
am to suppose, (for so they state ia
their report) under the anxious wish,
that their trust should be executed
with as little publicity as possible, au-
thorized that unnecessary insult and
outrage upon me, as I must always
consider it, which, however intended,
gave the utmost publicity and expo-
sure to the existence of these charges
—I mean the sending two attornies,
armed with their lordships* warrant,
to my house, to bring before them, at
once, about one-half of my household
fdr examination. The idea of privacy,

after an act so much calculated, from
the extraordinary nature of it, to ex-
cite the greatest attention and surprise,
your majesty must feel to have been
impossible and absurd ; for an attempt
at secrecy, mystery, and concealment,
on my part, could, under such circum-
stances, only have been construed inta
the fearfulness of guilt.

It will appear also, that from that
time, I heard nothing authentically
upon the subject till the 11th of Au-
gust, when i was furnished, by your
majesty's commands, with the report.
The several papers necessary to my
understanding the whole of these-
charges, in the authentic state in which
your majesty thought it proper gra-
ciously to direct that I should have
them, were not delivered to me till the
beginning of September. My answer
to these various charges, though the
whole subject of them was new to
those whose advice I had recourse to,
long as that answer was necessarily
obhged to be, was delivered to the
lord chancellor, to be forwarded to-
your majesty by the 6th of October ;
and, from the 6th of October to the
28th of January, I was kept in total
ignorance of the effect of that answer.
Not only will this delay be apparent,
but it will be generally shown to the j
world how your majesty's servant* 1
had, in this important business, treat-
ed your daughter in-law, the Princess
of Wales ; and what measure of jus-
tice she, a female and a stranger in
your land, has experienced at their
hands.

Undoubtedly against such a pro-
ceeding I have ever felt, and still feel,
an almost invincible repugnance. Eve-
ry sentiment of delicacy, with which a
female mind must shrink from the act
of bringing before the public such
charges, however conscious of their
scandal and falsity, and however clear-
ly that scandal and falsity may be ma-
nifested by the answer to those

APPENDii II.-STATE PAPERS,

ccli

charges ; — the respect still due from
me, to persons employed in authority
under your majesty, however little re-
gpcct I may have received from them ;
— my duty to his Royal Highness
the Prince of Wales ; — my regard for
all the members of your august fami-
ly J — my esteem, my duty, my grati-
tude to your majesty, — my affection-
ate gratitude for all the paternal kind-
ness which I have ever experienced
from you ; — my anxiety, not only to
avoid the risk of giving any offence or
displeasure to your majesty, but also
to fly from every occasion of creating
the slightest sentiment of uneasiness in
the mind of your majesty, whose hap-
piness it would be the pride and plea-
aure of my life to consult and to pro-
mote ; all these various sentiments
have compelled me to submit, as long
as human forbearance could endure,
to all the unfavourable inferences
which were through this delay daily
increasing in the puMic mind. What
the strength and efficacy of these mo-
tives have been, your majesty will do
me the justice to feel, when you are

Jjleased, graciously to consider how
ong I have been contented to suffer
those suspicions to exist against my
innocence, which the bringing before
the pubHc of my accusation and my
defence to it, would so indisputably
and immediately have dispelled.

The measures, however, of making
these proceedings public, whatever
mode I can adopt (considering espe-
cially the absolute impossibility of suf-
fering any partial production of them,
and the necessity that, if for any pur-
pose any part of them should be pro-
duced, the whole must be brought
before the public) remains surrounded
with all the objections which I have
enumerated ; and nothing could ever
have prevtiiled upon me, or can now
tven prevail upon me to have recourse
to it, but an imperious sense of indis-
pensable duty to my future safety, to

my present character and honour, and
to the feelings, the character, and the
interests of my child. I had flattered
myself, when once this long proceed-
ing should have terminated in my re-
ception into your majesty's presence,
that that circumstance alone would
have so strongly implied my innocence-
of all that had been brought against
me, as to hare been perfectly sufficient
for my honour and my security ; but
accompanied, as it now must be, with
the knowledge of the fact, that your
majesty has been brought to hesitate
upon its propriety, and accompanied
also with the very unjustifiable obser-
vations, as they appear to me, on
which I shall presently proceed to re-
mark ; and which were made by your
majesty's servants, at the time when
they gave you their advice to receive
me ; I feel myself in a situation, in
whica I deeply regret that I cannot
rest in silence without an immediate
reception into yourmajesty*s'presence;
nor, indeed, with that reception, un-
less it be attended by other circum-
stances which may mark my satisfac-
tory acquittal of the charges which
have been brought against me.

It shall at no time be said, with
truth, that I shrunk back from these
infamous charges ; that I crouched be-
fore my enemies, and courted them,
'by my submission, into moderation !
No, I have ever boldly defied them.
I have ever felt, and still feel, that, if
they should think, either of pursuing
these accusatioifs, or of bringing for-
ward any other which the wickedness
of individuals may devibe, to affect my
honour; (since my conscience tells
me, that they must be as ba^e and
groundless as those brought by Lady
^Douglas,) whiU- the witnesses to the
innocence of my conduct are <ill living,
I should be able to disprove them all ;
and, whoever may be my accusers, to
triumph over their wickedness and ma-
lice. Bnt should these accusations be

cclii

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

renewed ; or any other be brought
forward in any future time, death may,
I know not how soon, remove from
my innocence its best security, and
deprive me of the means of my justifi-'
cation, and my defence.

There are therefore other measures,
which I trust your majesty will think
indispensable to be taken for my ho-
nour and for my security. Amongst
these, I most humbly submit to your
majesty my most earnest entreaties
that the proceedings, including not
only my first answer, and my letter of
the 8th of December, but this letter
also, may be directed by your majesty
to be so preserved and deposited, as
that they may, all of them, securely
remain permanent authentic documents
and memorials of this accusation and
of the manner in which I met it ; of
my defence, as well as of the charge.
That they may remain capable at any
time of being resorted to, if the malice
which produced the charge originally
shall ever venture to renew it.

Beyond this, I am sure your majes-
ty will think it but proper and just,
that I should be restored, in every re-
spect, to the same situation from
whence the proceedings, under these
false charges, have removed me. That
besides being graciously received again
into the bosom of your majesty's royal
family, restored to my former respect
and station amongst them, your ma-
jesty will be graciously pleased, either
to exert your influence, with his Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales, that I
may be restored to the use of my
apartment in Carlton-house, which
was reserved for me, except while the
apartments were undergoing repair,
till the date of these proceedings ; or
to assign to me some apartment in one
of your royal palaces. Some apart-
ment in or near to London is indispen-
sably necessary for my convenient at-
tendance at the drawing-room. And
if I am not restored to that at Carl-

ton-house, I trust your majeaty will
graciously perceive, how reasonable it
is, that I should request that some
apartment should be assigned to me,
suited to my dignity and situation,
which may mark my reception and ac-
knowledgment as one of your majesty's
family, and from which my attendance
at the drawing-room may be easy and
convenient.

If these measures are taken, I should
hope that they would prove satisfac-
tory to the public mind, and that I
m:iy feel myself fully restored in public
estimation, to my former character.
And should they prove so satisfactory,
I shall indeed be delighted to think,
that no further step may, even now,
appear to be necessary to my peace of
mind, my security, and my honour.

But your majesty will permit me to
s ,y, that if the next v^'cek, which will
make more than a month from the time
of your majesty's informing me that
you would receive me, should pass
without my being received into your
presence, and without having the as-
surance that these other requests of
mine shall be complied with, I shall
be under the painful necessity of con-
sidering them as refused. In which
case, I shall feel myself compelled,
however reluctantly, to give the whole
of these proceedings to the world.
Unless your majesty can suggest other
adequate means of securing my honour
and my life from the effect of the con-
tinuance or renewal of these proceed-
ings, for the future, as well as the
present. For I entreat your majesty
to believe, that it is only in the absence
of all other adequate means, that I can
have resort to that measure. That I
consider it with deep regret ; that I
regard it with serious apprehension,
by no means so much on account of
the effect it may have upon myself, as
on account of the pain which it may
give to your majesty, your august fa-
mily, and your loyal subjects.
.9

APPENDIX II.—STATE PAPERS.

ccliii

As far as myself am concerned, I
am aware of the observations to which
this publication will expose me. But
I am placed in a situation in which I
have the choice only of two most un-
pleasant alternatives. And I am per-
fectly confident that the imputations
and the loss of character which must,
under these circumstances, follow from
my silence, are most injurious and un-
avoidable ; that my silence, under such
circumstances, must lead inevitably to
my utter infamy and ruin. The pub-
lication, on the other hand, will expose
to the world nothing, which is spoken
to by any witness (whose infamy and
discredit is not unanswerably exposed
and established) which can, in the
slightest degree, affect my character,
for honour, virtue, and delicacy.

There may be circumstances disclo-
sed, manifesting a degree of condescen-
sion and familiarity in my behaviour
and conduct, which, in the opinions of
many, may be considered as not suifi-
ciently guarded, dignified, and reser-
ved. Circumstances, however, which
my foreign education, and foreign ha-
bits, misled me to think, in the humble
and retired situation in which it was
my fate to live, and where I had no
relation, no equal, no friend to advise
me, were wholly free from offence.
But when they have been dragged for-
ward, from the scenes of private life,
in a grave proceeding on a charge of
high treason and adultery, they seem
to derive a colour and character, from
the nature of the charge, which they
are brought forward to support. And
I cannot but believe, that they have
been used for no other purpose than
to afford a cover, to screen from view
the injustice of that charge ; that they
have been taken advantage of to let
down my accusers more gently, and to
deprive me of that full acquittal, on
the report of the four lords, which my
innocence of all offence most justly en-
titled me to receive.

Whatever opinion, however, may be
formed upon any part of my conduct,
it must in justice be formed with re-
ference to the situation in which I wag
placed ; if 1 am judged of as Princess
of Wales, with reference to the high
rank of that station, I must be judged
as Princess of Wales, banished from
the prince, unprotected by the sup-
port and the countenance which be-»
long to that station ; and if I am
judged of in my private character, as
a married woman, I must be judged
of as a wife banished from her hus-
band, and living in a widowed seclu-
sion from him, and retirement from the
world. This last consideration leads
me to recur to an expression in Mrs
Lisle's examination, which describes
my conduct, in the frequency and the
manner of my receiving the visits of
Captain Manby, though always in the
presence of my ladies, as unbecoming
a married woman. Upon the extreme
injustice of setting up the opinion of
one woman, as it were, in judgment
upon the conduct of another, as well
as of estimating the conduct of a per-
son in my unfortunate situation, by re-
ference to that, which might in gene-
ral be expected from a married woman
living happily with her husband, I
have before generally remarked ; but
beyond these general remarks in form-
ing any estimate of my conduct, your
majesty will never forget the very pe-
culiar circumstances and misfortunes
of my situation. Your majesty will
remember that I had not been much
above a year in this country, when I
received the following letter from his
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales :

<« Windsor Castle, April 30, 1796.
<* Madam, — As Lord Cholmonde-
ley informs me that you wish I would
define, in writing, the terms upon
which we are to live, I shall endeavour
to explain myself upon that head, with
as much clearness, and with as mucli

iopliir

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

propriety, as the nature of the subject
will admit. Our inclinations are not
in our power, nor should either of us
be held answerable to the other, be^
cause nature has not made us suitable
to each other. Tranquil and comfort-
able society is, however, in our power ;
let our intercourse, therefore, be re-
stricted to that, and I will distinctly
subscribe to the condition which you
required, through Lady Cholnronde-
ley, that, even ia the event of any ac-
cident happening to my daughter,
which 1 trust Providence in its mercy
will avert, I shall not infringe the terms
of the restriction by proposing, at any
period, a connection of a more parti-
cular nature. I shall now finally close
this disagreeable correspondence, trust-
ing that, as we have completely ex-
plained ourselves to each other, the
rest of our lives will "be passed in un-
interrupted tranquiUity.

" I am, madam, with great truth.
Very sincerely yours, .

> (Signed) " George P,"

And that to this letter I sent the fol-
lowing answer :

«* May 6, 1796.
" The avowal of your conversation
with Lord Cholmondeley, neither sur-
prises nor offends me. It merely con-
firmed what you have tacitly insinua-
ted for this twelvemonth. But, after
this, it would be a want of delicacy,
or rather an unworthy meanness in me,
were I to complain of those conditions
which you impose upon yourself.

" I should have returned no answer
to your letter, if it had not been con-
ceived in terms to make it doubtful,
whether this arrangement proceeds
from you or from me, and you are
aware that the credit of it belongs to
you alone.

" The letter which you announce to
me as the last, obliges me to commu-
nicate to the king, as to my sovereign
and my father, both your avowal and

my answer- You will find enclosed
the copy of my letter to the king. I
apprize you of it, that I may not in-
cur the slightest reproach of duplicity
from you. As I have at this moment
no protector but his majesty, I refer
myself solely to him upon this subject,
and if my conduct meets his approba-
tion, I shall be in some degree at least
consoled. I retain every sentiment of
gratitude for the situation in which I
find myself, aa Princess of Wales, en-
abled, by your means, to indulge in the
free exercise of a virtue dear to my
heart, I mean charity.

" It will be my duty likewise to act
upon another motive, that of giving an
example of patience and resignation
under every trial.

" Do me the justice to believe that
I shall never cease to pray for your
happuiess, and to be

*« Your much devoted

** Carolinb.**

The date of his royal highnesses let-
ter is the 30th of April, 1796. The
date of our marriage, your majesty
will recollect, is the 8th day of April,
in the year 1795, and that of the birth
of our only child the 7th of January,
1796.

On the letter of his royal highness I
offer no comment I only entreat your
majesty not to understand me to intro-
duce It, as affording any supposed jus-
tification or excuse for the least de-
parture from the strictest hne of vir-
tue, or the most refined dehcacy. The
crime which has been insinuated a-
gainst me would be equally criminal
and detestable ; the indelicacy imputed
to me would be equally odious and
abominable, whatever renunciation of
conjugal authority and afiection the
above letter of his royal highness might
in any construction of it be supposed
to have conveyed. Such crimes and
faults derive not their guilt from the
consideration of the ct)njugal virtues of
5

APPENDIX n.--STATE PAPERS.

cebf

ike individual, who may be the most
iDJurt d by them, however much such
virtues may airgravale their enormity.
No such letter, therefore, in any con
atruction of it, no renunciation of con-
jugal affection or duties, could ever
palliate them. But whether conduct,
free from all crime, free from all inde
licacy (which I maintain to be the
character of the conduct to which Mrs
Xiisle's observations apply), yet possi-
bly not so measured, as a cautious
wife, careful to avoid the slightest ap-
pearance of not preferring her husband
to all the world, might be studious to
observe, whether conduct of such de-
scription, and possibly, in such sense,
not becoming a married woman, could
be justly deemed, in my situation, an
offence in me, I must leave to your
majesty to determine.

In making that determination, how-
ever, it will not escape your majesty to
consider, that the conduct which does
or does not become a married woman
materially depends upon what is or is
not known by her to be agreeable to
her husband. His pleasure and hap-
piness ought unquestionably to be her
law, and his approbation the most fa-
vourite object of her pursuit. Diffe-
rent characters of men require different
modes of conduct in their wives ; but
when a wife can no longer be capable
of perceiving, from time to time, what
is agreeable or off"ensive to her hus-
band, when her conduct can no longer
contribute to his happiness, no longer
hope to be rewarded by his approba-
tion, surely to examine that co:iduct
by the standard of what ought, in ge-
neral, to be the conduct of a married
woman, is altogether unreasonable and
unjust.

What then is my case ? Your ma-
jesty will do me the justice to remark,
that in the above letter of the Prince
ef Wales, there is not the most distant
iurmise, that crime, that vice, that in-
delicacy of any description, gave oc-

casion to his determination ; and all
the tales of infamy and discredit which
the inventive malice of my enemies ha» -
brought forward on these charges,
have their date years and years after
the period to which I am now alluding.
What then, let me repeat the question,
is my case ? After the receipt of the
above letter, and in about two years
from my arrival in this country, 1 had
the misfortune entirely to lose the sup-
port, the countenance, the protection
of my husband ; 1 was banished, as it
were, into a sort of humble retirement,
at a distance from him, and almost
estranged from the whole of the royal.
family. I had no means of having re-
course, either for society or advice, to
those from whom my inexperience
could have best received the advan-
tages of the one, and with whom I
could most becomingly have enjoyed
the comforts of the other ; and if, in
this retired, unassisted, unprotected
state, without the check of a hus-
band's authority, without the benefit
of his advice, without the comfort and
support of the society of his family, a
stranger to the habits and fashions of
this country, I should, in any instance,
under the influence of foreign habits,
and foreign education, have observed
a conduct, in any degree deviating
from the reserve and severity of Bri-
tish manners, and partaking of a con-
descension and famiharity which that
reserve and severity would, perhaps,
deem beneath the dignity of my exalt-
ed rank, I feel confident, (since such
deviation will be seen to have been
ever consistent with perfectinnocence,)
that not only your majesty's candour
and indulgence, butthe candour andin-
dulgence which, notwithstanding the
reserve and severity of British manners,
always belong to the British public, will
never visit it with severity or censure.
It remains for me now to make some
remarks upon the further contents of
the paper, which was transmitted tm

cdvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

me by the lord chancellor on the 28th
ult. And I cannot, in passing, omit
to remark, that that paper has neither
title, date, signature, nor attestation ;
and unless the lord chancellor had ac-
companied it with a note, stating, that
it was copied in his own hand from the
original, which hie lordship had recei-
ved from your majesty, I should have
been at a loss to have perceived any
single mark of authenticity belonging
to it ; and as it is, I am wholly unable
to discover what is the true character
which does belong to it. It contains,
indeed, the advice which your majesty
directed to be delivered to me.

Considering it, therefore, wholly as
their act, your majesty will excuse and
pardon me, if, deeply injured as I feel
myself to have been by them, I express
myself with freedom upon their con-
duct. I may speak, perhaps, with
warmth, because I am provoked by a
sense of gross injustice ; I shall speak
certainly with firmness and with cou-
rage, because I am emboldened by a
sense of conscious innocence.

Your majesty's confidential servants
say, ** they agree in the opinion of the
four lords," and they say this, " after
the fullest consideration of my obser-
vations, and of the affidavits which
were affixed to them.'* Some of these
opinions, your majesty will recollect,
are, that " William Cole, Fanny Lloyd,
Robert Bidgood, and Mrs Lisle, are
witnesses who cannot," in the judg-
ment of the four lords, " be suspected
ofany unfavourable bias;" and "whose
veracity, in this respect, they had seen
no ground to question ;" and " that
thecircumstances to which they speak,
particularly as relating to Captain
Manby, must be credited until they
3re decisively contradicted." Am I
then to understand your majesty's con-
^dential servants to mean, that they
agree with the four noble lords in these
opinions ? Am I to understand, that
after having read, with the fullest con-

sideration, the observations which I
have offered to your majesty ; after
having seen William Cole there proved
to have submitted himself, five times
at least, to private, unauthorized, vo-
luntary examination by Sir John Dou-
glas's solicitor, for the express purpose
of confirming the statement of Lady
Douglas ( of that Lady Douglas, whose
statement and deposition they are con-
vinced to be so malicious and false,
that they propose to institute such
prosecution against her as your ma-
jesty's law officers may advise, upon a
reference, now at length, after six
months from the detection of that ma-
lice and falsehood, intended to be made )
— after having seen this William Cole J
submitting to such repeated voluntary 1
examinations for such a purpose, and <
although he was all that time a servant
on my establishment, and eating my
bread, yet never once communicating
to me that such examinations were go-
ing on — am I to understand, that your
majesty's confidential servants agree
with the four lords in thinking, that
he cannot, under such circumstances,
be suspected of unfavourable bias?
That after having had pointed out to
them the direct flat contradiction be-
tween the same William Cole and Fan-
ny Lloyd, they nevertheless agree to
think them both (though in direct con-
tradiction to each other, i/et both) wit-
nesses, ivhose 'ceracity they see no
ground to question ? After having seen
fanny Lloyd directly and positively
contradicted in an assertion most in-
jurious to my honour, by Mr Mills
and Mr Edmeades, do they agree in
opinion with the four noble lords, that
they see no ground to question her ve*
racity ? — After having read the obser-
vations on Mr Bidgood's evidence ;
after having seen, that he had the hardi-
hood to swear, that he beheved Cap- i
tain Manby slept in my house, at ^
Southend, and to insinuate that he
elept in my bed- room; after having^ I

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

€clvii

fcen that he founded himself on this
most false fact, and most foul and
wicked insinuation, upon the circum-
stance of observing a bason and some
towels where he thought they ought
not to be placed ; after having seen
that thi» fact, and this insinuation,
were disproved before the four noble
lords themselves, by two maid- ser-
vants, who at that time lived with me
at Southend, and whose duties about
my personi and my apartments, must
have made them acquainted with this
fact, as asserted, or as insmuated, if it
had happened ; after having observed
too, in confirmation of their testimony,
that one of them mentioned the name
of another female servant (who was
not examined,) who had from her si-
tuation equal means ©f knowledge with
themselves — I ask whether, after all
this decisive weight of contradiction
to Robert Bidgood*8 testimony, I
am to understand your majesty's con-
fidential servants to agree with the
four noble lords in thinking, that Mr
Bidgood is a witness who cannot be
suspected of unfavourable bias, and that
there is no ground to question his vera-
city? If, sire, I were to go through
all the remarks of this description which
occur to me to make, I should be
obliged to repeat nearly all my former
observations, and to make this letter
as long as my original answer ; but to
that answer I confidently appeal, and
I will venture to challenge your ma-
jesty's confidential servants to find a
single impartial and honourable man,
unconnected in feeling and interest with
the parties, and unconnected in coun-
cil, with those who have already pled-
ged themselves to an opinion upon this
subject, who will lay his hand upon his
heart, and say, that these three wit-
nesses on whom that report so mainly
relies are not to be suspected of the
grossest partiality, and that their ve-
racity is not most fundamentally im-
peached,

VOL. VI. PART II.

Was it then noble, was it generous,
was it manly, was it just, in your ma-
jesty's confidential servants, instead of
fairly admitting the injustice, which
had been inadvertently, and uninten-
tionally, no doubt, done to me by the
four noble lords in their report, upon
the evidence of these witnesses, to state
to your majesty, that they agree with
these noble lords in their opinion,
though they cannot, it seems, go the
length of agreeing any longer to with-
hold the advice which restores me to
your majesty's presence ? Arid with
respect to the particulars to my pre-
judice, remarked upon in the report as
those " which justly deserve the most
serious consideration, and which must
be credited till decisively contradict-
ed," instead of fairly avowing, either
that there was originally no pretence
for such a remark, or that, if there had
been originally, yet that my answer
had given that decisive contradiction
which was sufficient to discredit them ;
— instead, I say, of acting this just,
honest, and open part, to take no no-
tice whatsoever of thosecontradictions,
and content themselves with saying,
that " none of the facts or allegations
stated in preliminary examinations, car-
ried on in the absence of the parties
interested, could be considered as le-
gaUy or conclusively established ?"

They agree in the opinion, that the
facts or allegations, though stated in
preliminary examination, carried on in
the absence of the parties interested,
must be credited till decisively contra-
dieted, ajid deserve the most seiious
consideration. They read, with the
fullest consideration, the contradiction
which I have tendered to them ; they
must have known, that no other sort
of contradiction could, by possibility,
from the nature of things, have been
offered upon such subjects ; they do
not question the truth, they do not
point out the insufficiency of the con-
tradiction, but in loose, general, inde-
r

cclviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

finite terms, referring to my answer,
consisting, as it does, of above two
hundred written pages, and coupling
it with those examinations (which they
admit estabUsh nothing agamst an ab-
sent party,) they advise your majesty,
. that *♦ there appear many circumstances
of conduct which could not be regard-
ed by your majesty without s;rious
cioncern ;" and that as to all the other
facts and allegation?, except those re-
lative to my pregnancy and delivery,
they are not to be considered as ** le-
galli/ and conclusively established ^^^ be-
cause spoken to in preliminary exami-
nations, not carried on in the presence
of the parties concerned. They do
not, indeed, expressly assert, that my
contradiction was not decisive or satis-
factory ; they do not expressly state,
that they think the facts and allega-
tions want nothing towanls their legal
and conclusive establishment but a re-
examination in the presence of the
parties interested, but they go far to
imply such opinions. That those opi-
nions are utterly untenable against the
observations I have made upon the
credit and character of those witnesses,
I shall ever most confidently maintain ;
but that those observations leave their
credit wholly unaffected, and did not
deserve the least notice from your ma-
jesty's servants, it is impossible that
any honourable man can assert, or any
fair and unprejudiced mind believe.

I now proceed, sire, to observe,
very shortly, upoo the advice further
given to your majesty as contained in
the remaining part of the paper ; which
has represented that, both in the exa-
minations, and even in my answer,
there have appeared many circumstan-
ces of conduct which could not be re-
garded but with serious concern, and
which have suggested the expression
of a desire and expectation, that such
a conduct may in future be observed
by me, as may fully justify these
marks of paternal regard and affec-

tion which your majesty wishes t«
show to all your royal family.

And here, sire, your majesty will
graciously permit me to notice th<r
hardship of the advice, which ha»
suggested to your majesty, to convey
to me this reproof, i complain not sa
much for what it does, as for what it
does not contain ; I mean the absence
of all particular mention of what it i*
that IS the object of their blame. The-
circumstances of conduct, which ap-
pear in these examinations, and in my
answer to which they allude as those
which may be supposed to justify the
advice, which has led to this reproof,
since your majesty's servants have not
particularly mentioned them, I cannot
be certain that I know. But I will
venture confidently to repeat the as-
sertion, which I have already made,
that there are no circumstances of
conduct, spoken to by any witness,
(whose infamy and discredit are not
unanswerably exposed and establish-
ed,) nor any where apparent in my
answer, which have the remotest ap«
proach either to crime, or to indeli-
cacy.

For my future conduct, sire, im-
pressed with every sense of gratitude-
for all former kindness, I shall be
bound, unquestionably, by sentiment
as well as duty, to study your majes-
ty's pleasure. Any advice which your
majesty may wish to give to me in re-
spect of any particulars of my conduct^
I shall be bound and be anxious to-
obey as my law. But I must trust
that your majesty will point out to me
the particulars, which may happen to
displease you, and which you may
wish to have altered. I shall be as
happy, in thus feehng myself safe
from blame under the benefit of your
majesty's advice, as I am now in find-
ing myself secured from danger, under
the protection of your justice.

Your majesty will permit me t©
add one word mosC.

APPENDIX II.^STATE PAPERS.

cchx

Youf majesty has seen what detri-
raent my character has, for a time,
6ustained, by the false and malicious
statement of Lady Douglas, and|.by the
depositions of the witnesses who were
examined in support of her statement.
Your majesty has seen how many ene-
mies I have, and how little their ma-
lice has been restrained by any regard
to truth in the pursuit of my ruin.
Few as, it may be hoped, may be the
instances of such determined and un-
provoked malignity, yet J cannot flat-
ter myself, that the world does not
produce other persons who may be
swayed by similar motives to similar
wickedness. Whether the statement,
to be prepared by the Prince of Wales,
is to be confined to the old charges,
or is intended to bring forward new
circumstances, I cannot tell ; but if
any fresh attempts of the same nature
shall be made by my accusers, instruct-
ed as they will have been by their
miscarriage in this instance, I can
hardly hope that they will not renew
their charge, with an improved arti-
fice, more skilfully directed, and with
a malice inflamed rather than abated
by their previous disappointment. I
therefore can only appeal to your ma-
jesty's justice, in which I confidently
trust, that whether these charges are
to be renewed against me, either on
the old or on fresh evidence ; or whe-
ther new accusations, as well as new
witnesses, are to be brought forward,
your majesty, after the experience of
these proceedings, will not suffer your
royal mind to be prejudiced by ex
partCf secret examinations, nor my
character to be whispered away by
insinuations, or suggestions, which I
have no opportunity of meeting. If
any charge, which the law will recog-
nise, should be brought against me m
an open and a legal manner, I should
have no right to complain, nor any ap-
prehension to meet t. But till I may

have a full opportunity of meeting it,
I trust your majesty will not suffer it
to excite even a suspicion to my pre-
judice. I must claim the benefit of
the presumption of innocence till I am
proved to be guilty ; for, without that
presumption, against the effects of se-
cret insinuation and ex parte examina-
tions, the purest innocence can make
no defence and can have no security.

Surrounded, as it is now proved
that I have been for years, by domes-
tic spies, your majesty must, I trust,
feel convinced, that if I had been
guilty, there could not have been
wanting evidence to have proved my
guilt. And that these spies have
been obliged to have resort to their
own invention for the support of the
charge, is the strongest demonstration
that the truth, undisguised, and cor-
rectly represented, could furnish them
with no handle against me. And
when I consider the nature and malig-
nity of that conspiracy which, I feel
confident I have completely detected
and exposed, I cannot but think of
that detection with the liveliest gra-
titude, as the special blessing of Pro-
vidence, who, by confounding the ma-
chinations of my enemies, has enabled
me to find, in the very excess and ex-
travagance of their malice, in the very
weapons which they fabricated and
sharpened for my destruction, the suf-
ficient guard to my innocence, and
the effectual means of my justification
and defence.

I trust, therefore, sire, that I may
now close this long letter, in confi-
dence that many days will not elapse
before I shall receive from your ma-
jesty, that assurance that my just re-
quests may be so completely granted,
as may render it possible for me (which
nothing else can) to avoid the painful
disclosure to the world of all the cir-
cumstances of that injustice, and of
those uiaaerited auffcrings, which these

cclx

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

proceedings, in the manner in which
they have been conducted, have
brought upon me.

I remain, sire, &c.

(Signed) C. P.

As these observations apply not
only to the official communication
through the lord chancellor, of the
28th ult., but also to the priyate let-
ter of your majesty, of the 1 2th inst.,
I have thought it most respectful to
your majesty and your majesty's ser-
vants, to send this letter in duplicate,
one part through Colonel Taylor, and
the other through the lord chancellor,
to your majesty.

to the king. (Signed) C. P.
Montague 'houses March 5, 1807.

Sire, — When I last troubled your
majesty upon my unfortunate busi-
ness, I had raised my mind to hope,
that I should have the happiness of
hearing from your majesty, and re-
ceiving your gracious commands, to
pay my duty in your royal presence,
before the expiration of the last vs'eek.
And when that hope was disappoint-
ed, (eagerly cHnging to any idea,
which offered me a prospect of being
saved from the necessity of having re-
course, for the vindication of my cha-
racter, to the publication of the pro-
ceedings upon the enquiry into my
conduct,) I thought it just possible,
that the reasoii for my not havmg re-
ceived your majesty's commands to
that effect, might have been occasion-
ed by the circumstance of your ma-
jesty's staying at Windsor through
the whole of the week. ' , therefore,
determined to wait a few days longer,
before I took a step, which, when
once taken, could not be recalled.
Having, how^ever, now assured my-
self, that your majesty was in town
yesterday — as I have received no com-
mand to wait upon your majesty, and
no intimation of your pleasure — I am
reduced to the necessity of abandon-
ing all hope, that your majesty will

comply with my humble, my earnest,
and anxious requests.

Your majesty, therefore, will not
be surprised to find, that the publica-
tion of the proceedings alluded to a!
will not be withheld beyond Monday \
next.

As to any consequences which may
arise from such publication, unplea-
sant or hurtful to my own feelings
and interests, I m.ay, perhaps, be pro-
perly responsible ; and, in any event,
have no one to complain of but my-
self, and those with whose advice 1
have acted ; and whatever those con-
sequences may be, I am fully and un-
alterably convinced, that they must be
incalculably less than those which I j
should be exposed to from my silence : 1
but as to any other consequences, un-
pleasant or hurtful to the feelings and
interests of others, or of the pubhc,
my conscience will certainly acquit
me of them ; — I am confident that I
have not acted impatiently, or preci-
pitately. To avoid coming to thi*
painful extremity, I have taken every
step in my power, except that which
would be abandoning my character to
utter infamy, and my station and life
to no uncertain danger, and, possibly,
to no very distant destruction.

With every prayer, for the length-
ened continuance of your majesty's
health and happiness ; for every pos-
sible blessing, which a gracious God
can bestow upon the beloved monarch
of a loyal people, and for the conti-
nued prosperity of your dominions,
under your majesty's propitious reign,
1 remain, &c.

To the king, (Signed) C. P.
MINUTE Of COUNCIL, April 22, 1807.

(Present)
Lord Chancellor (Eldon.J
Lord President (Camden.}
Lord Privy Seal ( Westmorelakb. )
The Duke of Portland.
The Earl of Chatham.
The Earl of Batwurst.

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

Cclxi

Viscount Castlereagh.

Lord MULGRAVE.

Mr Secretary C-^nning.
Lord Hawklsbury-

Your majesty's confidential servants
have, in obedieice to your majesty's
commands, most attentively consider-
ed the original charges and report, the
minutes of evidence, and all the other
papers submitted to the consideration
of your majesty, on the subject of
those charges against her Royal High-
ness the Princess of Wales.

In the stage in which this business
is brought under their consideration,
they do not feel themselves called up-
on to give any opinion as to the pro-
ceeding itself, or to the mode of in-
vestigation in which it has been thought
proper to conduct it. But adverting
to the advice which is stated by his
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales
to have directed his conduct, your
majesty's confidential servants are anxi-
ous to impress upon your majesty their
conviction that his royalhighness could
not» under such advice, consistently
with his pubhc duty, have done other-
wise than lay before your majesty the
4tatement and examinations which were
•ubmitted to him upon this subject.

After the most deliberate conside-
ration, however, of the evidence which
has been brought before the commis-
sioners, and of the previous examina-
tion, as well as of the answer and ob-
servations which have been submitted
to your majesty upon them, they feel
it necessary to declare their decided
concurrence in the clear and unanimous
opinion of the commissioners, confirm-
ed by that of all your majesty's late
confidential servants, that the two main
charges alleged against her Royal
Highness the Princess of Wales, of
pregnancy and delivery, are complete-
ly disproved ; and they further sub-
mit to your majesty, their unanimous
opinion, that all other particulars of
conduct broitght in accvsation against

her royal highness, to which the cha-
racter of criminality can be ascribed,
are satisfactorily contradicted, or rest
upon evidence of such^a nature, and
which was given under such circum-
stances, as render it, in the judgment
of your majesty's confidential servants,
undeserving oi credit.

Your majesty's confidential servants,
therefore, concurring in that part of
the opinion of your late servants, as
stated in their minute of the 25th of
January, that there is no longer any
necessity for your majesty being ad-
vised to decline receiving the princess
into your royal presence, humbly sub-
mit to your majesty, that it is essen-
tially necessary, injustice to her royal
highness, and for the honour and inte-
rests of your majesty's illustrious Ja-
mily, that her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales should be admitted,
with as little delay as possiblcy into
your majesty^s royal presence, and
that she should he received in a man-
ner due to her rank and station, in
your majesty^s court andjamily.

Your majesty's confidential servants
also beg leave to submit to your ma-
jesty, that, considering that it may be
necessary that your majesty's govern-
ment should possess the means of re-
ferring to the state of this transaction,
it is of the utmost importance that
these documents, demonstrating the
ground on which your majesty has
proceeded, should be preserved in safe
custody ; and that for that purpose
the originals, or authentic copies of
all these papers, should be sealed up
and deposited in the office of your
majesty's principal secretary of state;

January 0, 1813.
Declaration of the Prince Regent on
the American U^ar.

The earnest endeavours of the Prince

ccljil

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813,

Regent to preserve the relations of
peace and amity with the United States
of America having unfortunately fail-
ed, ^his royal highness, acting in. the
name and on the behalf of his majesty,
deems it proper publicly to declare the
causes and origin of the war, in which
the government of the United States
has compelled him to engage.

No desire of conquest, or other mo-
tive of aggression, has been, or can be
with any colour of reason, in this case,
imputed to Great Britain: that her
commercial interests were on the side
of peace, if war could have been avoid-
ed without the sacrifice of her mari-
time rights, or without an injurious
submission to France, is a truth which
the American government will not
deny.

His royal highness does not, how-
ever, mean to rest on the favourable
presumption to which he is entitled.
He is prepared, by an exposition of the
circumstances which have led to the
present war, to show that Great Bri-
tain has throughout acted towards the
United States of America with a spirit
of amity, forbearance, and concilia-
tion ; and to demonstrate the inadmis-
sible nature of those pretensions which
have at length involved the two coun-
tries in war.

It is well known to the world, that
it has been the invariable object of the
Ruler of France to destroy the power
and independence of the British em-
pire, as the chief obstacle to the ac-
complishment of his ambitious designs.

He first contemplated the possibili-
ty of assembling such a naval force in
the Channel as, combined with a nu-
merous flotilla, should enable him to
disembark in England an army suffi-
cient, in his conception, to subjugate
this country ; and through the con-
quest of Great Britain he hoped to
realize his project of universal empire.

By the adoption of an enlarged and
provident system of internal defence,

and by the valour of his majesty's
fleets and armies, this design was en-
tirely frustrated ; and the naval force
of France, after the most signal de-
feats, was compelled to retire from the
ocean.

An attempt was then made to effec-
tuate the same purpose by other
means ; a system was brought for-
ward, by which the Ruler of France
hoped to annihilate the conferee of
Great Britain, to shake her public
credit, and to destroy her revenue ; to
render useless her maritime superiority,
and so to avail himself of his continent-
al ascendency, as to constitute him-
self, in a great measure, the arbiter of
the ocean, notwithstauding the de-
struction of his fleets.

With this view, by the decree of
Berlin, followed by that of Milan, he
declared the British territories to be
in a state of blockade ; and that all
commerce, or even correspondence,
with Great Britain was prohibited.
He decreed that every vessel and car-
go, which had entered^ or was found
proceeding to a British port, or which,
under any circumstances, had been vi-
sited by a British ship of war, should
be a lawful prize : he declared all Bri-
tish goods and produce, wherever
found, and however acquired, whether
coming from the mother country or
from her colonies, subject to confisca-
tion : he further declared to be dena-
tionalized, the flag of all neutral ships
that should be found offending against
these his decrees : and he gave to this
project of universal tyranny, the name
of the Continental System.

For these attempts to ruin the com-
merce of Great Britain, by means sub-
versive of the clearest rights of neutral
nations, France endeavoured in vain to
rest her justification upon the previous
conduct of his majesty's government.

Under circumstances of uuparallel-
ed provocation, his majesty had ab-
stained from any measure which tk

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

CQixiii

firdinary rules of the law of nations
did not fully warrant. Never was the
maritime superiority of a belligerent
over his enemy more complete and de-
cided. Never was the opposite belli-
gerent so formidably dangerous in his
power, and in his policy, to the liber-
ties of all other nations. France had
already trampled so openly and syste-
matically on the most sacred rights of
neutral powers, as might well have
justified the placing her out of the
pale of civilized nations. Yet in this
extreme case, Great Britain had so
used her naval ascendency, that her
enemy could find no just caus? of com-
plaint : and in order to give to these
lawless decrees the appearance of reta-
liation, the Ruler of France was obli-
ged to advance principles of maritime
law unsanctioned by any other autho-
rity than his own arbitrary will.

The pretexts for these decrees were,
first, that Great Britain had exercised
the rights of war against private per-
sons, their ships, and goods ; as if the
only object of legitimate hostility on
the ocean were the public property of
a state, or as if the edicts and the
courts of France itself had not at all
times enforced this right with peculiar
rigour ; secondly, that the British or-
ders of blockade, instead of, being
confined to fortified towns, had, as
France asserted, been unlawfully ex-
tended to commercial towns and ports,
and to the mouths of rivers ; and, third-
ly, that they had been applied to places
and to coasts, which neither were, nor
could be actually blocka<led. Tlie last
of these charges is not founded on fact ;
whilst the others, even by the admis-
sion of the American government, are
utterly groundless in point of law.

Against these decrees his majesty
protested and appealed ; he called up-
on the United States to assert their
own rights, and to vindicate their in-
dependence, thus menaced and attack
ed ; and as France had declared, that

she would confiscate every vessel which
should touch in Great Britain, or be
visited by British ships of war, his ma-
jesty having previously issued the or-
der of January, 1807. as an act of mi/,
tigated retaliation, was at length com-
pelled, by the persevering violence of
the enemy, and the continued acquies-
cence of neutral powers, to revisit up-
on France, in a more effectual manner,
the measure of her own injustice ; by
declaring, in an order in council, bear-
ing date the 11th of November, li<07,
that no neutral vessel siiould proceed
to France, or to any of the countries
from which, in obedience to the dic-
tates of France, British commerce wa«
excluded,- without first touching at a
port in Great Britain, or her depen-
dencies. At the same time his majes-
ty intimated his readiness to repeal the
orders in council, whenever France
should rescind her decrees, and return
to the accustomed principles of mari-
time warfare ; and at a subsequent pe-
riod, as a proof of his majesty's sincere
desire to accommodate as far as possi-
ble his defensive measures to the con-
venience of neutral powers, the opera-
tion of the orders in council was, by
an order issued in April, 1809, limited
to a blockade of France, and of the
countries subjected to her immediate
dominion.

Systems of violence, oppression,
and tyranny, can never be suppressed,
or even checked, if the power against
which such injustice is exercised, be
debarred from the right of full and
adequate retaliation : or, if the mea-
sures of the retaliating power are to
be considered as matters of just of-
fence to neutral nations, whilst the
meausres of original aggression and
violence are to be tolerated with indif-
ference, submission, or complacency.

The government of the United
States did not fail to remonstrate
against the orders in council of Great
Britain, although they knew that

ccUW EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

these orders would be revoked, if the
decrees of France, which had occa-
sioned them, were repealed, they resol-
ved at the same moment to resist the
conduct of both beUigerents, instead
of requiring France in the first in-
stance to rescind her decrees. Apply-
ing most unjustly the same measure of
resentment to the aggressor and to the
•party aggrieved, they adopted mea-
sures of commercial resistance against
both — a system of resistance, which,
however varied in the successive acts
of embargo, non-intercourse, or non-
importation, was evidently unequal to
its operation, and principally levelled
against the superior commerce and
maritime power of Great Britain.

The same partiality towards France
was observable in their negociations,
as in their measures of alleged resist -
'ance.

Application was made to both bel-
ligerents for a revocation of their re-
"Spective edicts ; but the terms in which
they were made were widely different.

Of France was required a revoca-
tion only of the Berlin and Milan de-
crees, although many other edicts,
grossly violating the neutral commerce
of the United States had been promul-
gated by that power. No security
was demanded that the Berlin and Mi-
lan decrees, even if revoked, should
•not under some other form be re-esta-
blished : and a direct engagement was
off-red, that upon such revocation,
the American government would take
part in the war against Great Britain,
if Great Britain did not immediately
rescind her orders: whereas no cor-
respondmg engagement was offered to
Great Britain, of whom it was requi-
red, not only that the orders in coun-
cil should be repealed, but that no
others of a similar nature should be is-
sued, and that the blockade of May,
1806, should be also abandoned. This
Mockade, established and enforced ac-
cording to the accustomed practice,

had not been objected to by the Uni-
ted States at the time it was issued.
Its provisions were, on the contrary,
represented by the American minister
resident in London at the time, to
have been so framed, as to afford, in
his judgment, a proof of the friendly
disposition of the British cabinet to-
ward* the United States.

Great Britain was thus called upon
to abandon one of her most important
maritime rights, by acknowledging
the order of blockade in question to
be one of the edicts which violated the
commerce of the United States, al-
though it had never been so consider-
ed in the previous negociations ; and
although the President of the United
States had recently consented to abro-
gate the non-intercourse act, on the
sole condition of the orders in council
being revoked ; thereby distinctly ad-
mitting these orders to be the only
edicts which fell within the contem-
plation of the law under which he act
ed.

A proposition so hostile to Great
Britain could not but be proportional-
ly encouraging to the pretensions of
the enemy ; as by thus alleging that
the blockade of May, 1806, was ille-
gal, the American government virtu-
ally justified, so far as depended on
them, the French decrees.

After this proposition had been
made, the French minister for foreign
affairs, if not in concert with that go-
vernment, at least in conformity with
its views, in a dispatch, dated the 5th
of August, 1810, and addressed to the
American minister resident at Paris,
stated that the Berlin and Milan de-
crees were revoked, and that their
operation would cease from the 1st
day of November following, provided
his majesty would revoke his orders in
council, and renounce the new princi-
ples of blockade ; or that the United
States would cause their rights to be
respected ; meaning thereby, that they

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

ocUy

^fould resist the retaliatory measures
of Great Britain.

Although the repeal of the French
decrees thus announced was evidently
contingent, either on concessions to be
made by Great Britain, (concessions
to which it was obvious Great Britain
could not submit,) or on measures to
be adopted by the United States of
America, the American President at
once considered the repeal as absolute.
Under that pretence the non-importa-
tion act was strictly enforced against
Great Britain, whilst the ships of war
and merchant ships of the enemy were
received into the harbours of America.

The American government, assu-
ming the repeal of the French decrees^
te be abselute and effectual, most un-
justly required Great Britain, in con-
formity to her declarations, to revoke
her orders in council. The British
government denied that the repeal,
which was announced in the letter of
the French minister for foreign affairs,
was such as ought to satisfy Great
Britain ; and in order to ascertain the
true character of the measure adopted
by France, the government of the
United States was called upon to pro-
duce the instrument by which the al-
leged repeal of the French decrees had
been effected. If these decrees were
really revoked, such an instrument
must exist, and no satisfactory reason
could be given for withholding it.

At length, on the 21st of May,
1812, and not before, the American
minister in London did produce acopy,
or at least what purported to be a copy,
of such an instrument.

It professed to bear date the 28th
of April, 1811, long subsequent to the
dispatch of the French minister of fo-
reign affairs of the 5th of August,
1810, or even the day named therein,
viz. the 1st of November following,
when the operation of the French de-
crees was to cease. The instrument
expressly declared that these French

decrees were repealed in consequence
of the American Legislature having,
by their act of the 1 st of March, 1811,
provided, that British ships and mer-
chandise should be excluded from the
ports and harbours of the United
States.

By this instrument, the only docu-
ment produced by America as a repeal
of the French decrees, it appears be-
yond a possibility of doubt or cavil,
that the French decree was condition-
al, as Great Britain had asserted ;
and not absolute or final, as had been
maintained by America : that they
were not repealed at the time they
were stated to be repealed by the
American government : that they were
not repealed in conformity with a pro-
position, simultaneously made to both
belligerents, but that in consequence
of a previous act on the part of the
American government, they were re-
pealed in favour of one belligerent, to
the prejudice of the other : that the
American government having adopted
measures restrictive upon the com-
merce of both belligerents, in conse-
quence of edicts issued by both, re-
scinded these measures, as they affect-
ed that power which was the aggres-
sor, whilst they put them in full ope-
ration against the party aggrieved, al-
though the edicts of both power*
continued in force ; and, lastly, that
they excluded the ships of war belong*
ing to one belligerent, whilst they ad-
mitted into their ports and harbours
the ships of war belonging to the
other, in violation of one of the plain-
est and most essential duties of a neu-
tral nation.

Although the instrument thus pro-
duced was by no means that general
and unquaHfied revocation of the Ber-
lin and Milan decrees which Great
Britain had continually demanded, and
had a full right to claim; and althougk
this instrument, under all the circum-
stances of its appearance at that mo-

xclxvi EDINSURGH annual register, 1813.

nient, for the first time, was open to
the strongest suspicions of its authen-
ticity ; yet as the minister of the Uni-
-ed Spates produced it, as purporting
to be a copy of the instrument of re-
vocation, the government of Great
Britain, desirous of reverting, if possi-
ble, to the ancient and accustomed
principles of maritime u^ar, determined
upon revoking conditionally the orders
in council. Accordingly in the month
cf June last, his royal highness the
prince regent was pleased to declare
in council, in the name and on the be-
nalf of his majesty, that the orders in
council should be revoked, as far as
respected the ships and property of
the United States, from the 1st of
August following. This revocation
was to continue in force, provided the
govemmentofthe United States should,
within a time to be limited, repe;al
their restrictive laws against British
commerce. His majesty's minister in
America was expressly ordered to
declare to the government of the
United States, " that this measure had
been adopted by the prince regent, in
the earnest wish and hope, either that
the government of France, by further
relaxations of its system, might render
perseverance on the part of Great
Britain in retaliatory measures unne-
cessary, or, if this hope should prove
delusive, that his majesty's government
might be enabled, in the absence of
all irritating and restrictive regulations
on either side, to enter with the go-
vernment of the United States into
amicable explanations, for the purpose
of ascertaining whether, if the necessi-
ty of retaliatory measures should un-
ortunately continue to operate, the
particular measures to be acted upon
by Great Britain could be rendered
more acceptable to the American go-
vernment, than those hitherto pursu-
ed." ■

In order to provide for the contin-
g^cncy of a declaration of war on the

part of the United States, previous t«>
the arrival in America of the said
order of revocation, instructions were
sent to his majesty's minister plenipo-
tentiary accredited to the United States
(the execution of which instructions,
m consequence of the discontinuance
of Mr Foster's functions, were at a
subsequent period entrusted to Admi-
ral Sir John Borlase Warren), direct-
ing him to propose a cessation of hos-
tilities, should they have commenced ^
and further to offer a simultaneous
repeal of the orders in council on the
one side, and of the restrictive laws
on British ships and commerce on the
other.

They were also respectively em-
powered to acquaint the American go-
vernment, in reply to' any enquirieSs
with respect to the blockade of May,
1806, whilst the British government
must continue to maintain its legality,
" that in point of fact this particular
blockade had been discontinued for a
length of time, having been merged
in the general retaliatory blockade of
the enemy's ports under the orders in
council, and that his majesty's govern-
ment had no intention of recurring ta
this, or to any other of the blockades
of the enemy's ports, founded upon
the ordinary and accustomed principles
of maritime laws which were in force
previous to the orders in council, w ith-
out a new notice to neutral powers ia
the usual form."

The American government, before
they received intimation of the course
adopted by the British government,
had, in fact, proceeded to the extreme
measure of declaring war, and issuing
«* letters of marque," notwithstanding
they were previously in possession of
the report of the French minister for
foreign affairs, of the 12th of March
1812, promulgating anew the Berhn
and Milan decrees, as fundamental
laws of the French empire, under the
false and extravagant pretext, that the

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS,

cckvii

monstrous principles therein contained
were to be found in the treaty of
Utrecht, and were therefore binding
upon all states. From the penalties
of this code no nation was to be ex-
empt, which did not accept it, not
only as the rule of its own conduct,
but as a law, the observance of which
it was also required to enforce upon
Great Britain.

In a manifesto, accompanying their
declaration of hostilities, in addition
to the former complaints against the
orders in council, a long list of grie-
vances was brought forward ; some
trivial in themselves, others which had
been mutually adjusted, but none of
them such as were ever before alleged
by the American government to be
grounds for war.

As if to throw additional obstacles
in the way of peace, the American
congress at the same time passed a law,
prohibiting all intercourse with Great
Britain, of such a tenour, as deprived
the executive government, according
to the president's own construction
of that act, of all power of restoring
the relations of friendly intercourse be-
tween the two states, so far, at least,
as concerned their commercial inter-
course, until congress should re-assem-
ble.

The president of the United States
has, it is true, since proposed to Great
Britain an armistice ; not, however, on
the admission, that the cause of war
hitherto relied on was removed ; but
on condition, that Great Britain, as a
preliminary step, should do away a
cause of war, now brought forward as
such for the first time ; namely, that
she should abandon the exercise of her
undoubted right of search, to take
from American merchant vessels Bri-
tish seamen, the natural-born subjects
of his majesty ; and this concession
was required upon a mere assurance
that laws would be enacted by the le-
ijislature of the United States, to pre-

vent such seamen from entering intd
their service : but independent of the-
objection to an exclusive reliance -^n 2t
foreign slate, for the conservation of
so vital an interest, no explanation was,
or could be afforded by the agent who
was charged with this overture, either
as to the main principles upon which
such laws were to be founded, or as to
the provisions which it was proposed
they should contain.

This proposition having been ob*
jected to, a second proposal was made,
again offering an armistice, provided
the British government would secretly
stipulate to renounce the exercise of
this right in a treaty of peace. An
immediate and formal abandonment of
its exercise, as preliminary to a cessa-
tion of hostilities, was not demanded ;
but his royal highness the prince re-
gent was required, in the name and oa
the behalf of his majesty, secretly to
abandon what the former overture had
proposed to him publicly to con-
cede.

This most offensive proposition was
also rejected, being accompanied, as
the former had been, by other demands
of the most exceptionable nature, and
especially of indemnity for all Ameri-
can vessels detained and condemned
under the orders in council, or under
what were termed illegal blockades—
a compliance with which demands,
exclusive of all other objections, would
have amounted to an absolute surren-
der of the rights on which those or-
ders and blockades were founded.

Had the American government been
sincere in representing the orders in
council as the only subject of differ-
ence between Great Britain and the
United States calculated to lead to
hostilities, it might have been expect-
ed, so soon as the revocation of those
orders had been officially made known
to them, that they would have spon-
taneously recalled their " letters of
marque," and manifested a disposition

Qelxviil

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

immediately to restore the relations
of peace and amity between the two
powers.

The order in council of the 23d of
June being officially communicated in
America, the government of the Uni-
ted States saw nothing in the repeal of
the orders in council, which should of
itself restore peace, unless Great Bri-
tain were prepared, in the first in-
stance, substantially to relinquish the
right of impressing her own seamen,
when found on board American mer-
chant ships.

The proposal of an armistice, and
of a simultaneous repeal of the restric-
tive measures on both sides, subse-
quently made by the commanding offi-
cer of his majesty's naval forces on the
American coast, were received in the
«ame hostile spirit by the government
of the United States. The suspension
of the practice of impressment was in-
•isted upon, in the correspondence
which passed on that occasion, as a
necessary preliminary to a cessation of
hostilities : negociation, it was stated,
might take place without any suspen-
sion pf the exercise of this right, and
also without any armistice being con-
cluded ; but Great Britain was requi-
red previously to agree, without any
knowledge of the adequacy of the sys-
tem which could be substituted, to
negociate upon the basis of accepting
the legislative regulations of a foreign
state, as the sole equivalent for the
exercise of a right, which she has felt
to be essential to the support of her
maritime power.

If America, by demanding this pre-
liminary concession, intends to deny
the validity of that right, in that de-
nial Great Britain cannot acquiesce ;
nor will she give countenance to such
a pretension, by acceding to its sus-
pension, much less to its abandonment,
as a basis on which to treat. If the
American government has devised, or
conceives iL can devise, regulations,

which may safely be accepted by Great
Britain, as a substitute for the exercise
of the right in question, it is for them
to bring forward such a plan for con-
sideration. The British government
has never attempted to exclude this
question from amongst those on which
the two states might have to negoci-
ate : it has, on the contrary, uniform-
ly professed iis readiness to receive and
discuss any proposition on this sub-
ject, coming from the American go-
vernment : it has never asserted any
exclusive right, as to the impressment
of British seamen from American ves-
sels, which it was not prepared to ac-
knowledge, as appertaining equally to
the government of the United Slates,
with respect to American seamen when
found on board British merchant ships;
but it cannot, by acceding to such a
basis in the first instance, either as-
sume, or admit that to be practicable,
which, when attempted on former oc-
casions, has always been found to be
attended with great difficulties ; such
difficulties, as the British commission-
ers in 1806, expressly declared, after
an attentive consideration of the sug-
gestions brought forward by the com-
missioners on the part of America,
they were unable to surmount.

Whilst this proposition, transmitted
through the British admiral, was pend-
ing in America, another communica-
tion on the subject of an armistice was
unofficially made to the British govern-
ment in this country. The agent, from
whom this proposition was received,
acknowledged that he did not consi-
der that he had any authority himself
to sign an agreement on the part of
his government. It was obvious that
any stipulations entered into, in con-
sequence of this overture, would have
been binding on the British govern-
ment, whilst the government of the
United States would have been free to
refuse or accept them, according to the
circumstances of the moment. This

APPENDIX IL—STATE PAPERS.

cclxix

proposition was, therefore, necessarily
declined

After tfiis exposition of the circum-
ttanctb which preceded, and which
have followed the declaration of war
by the United States, his Royal High-
uess the Prince Regent, acting in the
nair.e and on the behalf of his majes-
ty, ft-els himself called upon to declare
the hading principles by wViich the
conduct of Great Britain has been re-
gulated in the transactions connected
with these discussions.

His royal highness can never ac-
knowledge any blockade whatever to
be illegal, which has been duly notifi-
ed, and is supported by an adequate
force, merely upon the ground of its
extent, or because the ports or coasts
blockaded are not at the same time in-
vested by land.

His royal highness can never admit,
that neutral trade with Great Britain
can be constituted a public crime, the
commission of which can expose the
•hips of any power whatever to be de-
nationalized.

His royal highness can never admit
that Great Britain can be debarred of
its right of just and nece§sary retalia-
tion, through the fear of eventually
affecting the interest of a neutral.

His royal highness can never admit
that in the exercise of the undoubted
and hitherto undisputed right of search-
ing neutral merchant vessels in time of
war, the impressment of British sea-
men, when found therein, can be deem-
ed any violation of a neutral flag. —
Neither can he admit, that the taking
iuch seamen from on board such ves-
•els, can be considered by any neutral
state as a hostile measure, or a justifi-
able cause of war.

There is no right more clearly esta-
blished, than the right which a sove-
reign has to the allegiance of his sub-
jects, more especially in time of war.
Their allegiance is no optional duty,
which they can decline and resume at

pleasure. It is a call which they are
bound to obey : it began with their
birth, and can only terminate witk
their existence.

If a similarity of language and man-
ners may make the exercise of this
right more liable to partial mistakes,
and occasional abuse, when practised
towards vessels of the United States,
the same circumstances make it also a
right, with the exercise of which, i»
regard to such vessels, it is more diffi-
cult to dispense.

But if, to the practice of the Uni-..
ted States, to harbour British searaeUt
be added their assumed right to trans-
fer the allegiance of British subjects,
and thus to cancel the jurisdiction of
their legitimate sovereign, by acts of
naturalization and certificates of citi-
zenship, which they pretend to be as
valid out of their own territory as with-
in it, it is obvious that to abandon
this ancient right of Great Britain, and
to admit these novel pretensions of the
United States, would be to expose to
danger the very foundation of our ma-
ritime strength.

Without entering minutely into the
other topics which have been brought
forward by the government of the
United States, it may be proper to re-
mark, that whatever the declaration of
the United States miy have asserted.
Great Britain never did demand, that
they should force British manufactures
into France ; and she formally decla-
red her willingness entirely to forego,
or modify, in concert with the United
States, the system, by which a com-
mercial intercourse with the enemy had
been allowed under the protection of
licences ; provided the United States
would act towards her, and towards
France, with real impartiality.

The government of America, if the
differences between states are not in-
terminable, has as little right to notice
the affair of the Chesapeake. The ag-
gression, in this instance, on the part

CCIXJL

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813*

of a British officer was acknowledged,
bis conduct was disapproved, and a re-
paration was regularly tendered by Mr
Foster on the part of his majesty, and
accepted by the government of the
United States.

It is not less unwarranted in its al-
lusion to the mission of Mr Henry, a
mission undertaken without the autho-
rity, or even knowledge of his majes-
ty's government, and which Mr Foster
was authorised formally and officially
to disavow.

The charge of exciting the Indians
to offensive measures againtit the Uni-
ted States is equally void pf founda-
tion Before the war began, a pohcy
the most opposite had been uniformly
pursued, and proof of this was tender-
ed by Mr Foster to the American go-
vernment.

Such are the causes of war which
have been put forward by the govern-
ment of the United States. But the
real origin of the present contest will
be found in that spirit, which has long
unhappily actuated the councils of the
United States: their marked partiality
IR palliating and assisting the aggres-
sive tyranny of France ; their syste-
matic endeavours to inflame their peo-
ple against the defensive measures of
Great Britain ; their ungenerous con-
duct towards Spain, the intimate ally
of Great Britain ; and their unworthy
desertion of the cause of other neutral
nations. It is through the prevalence
of such councils, that America has
been associated in pohcy with France,
and committed in war against Great
Britain.

And under what conduct on the
part of France has the government of
the United States thus lent itself to
the enemy ? The contemptuous viola-
tion of the commercial treaty of the
year 1800 between France and the
United States ; the treacherous sei-
'jLure of all American vessels and car-
goes in every harbour subject to the

control of the French arms ; the ty-
rannical principles of the ^crlin and
Milan decrees, and the confiscations
under them ; the subsequent condem-
nations under the Rambouillct decree,
antedated or concealed to render it the
more effectual ; the French commer-
cial regulations which render the traf-
fic of the United States with France
almost illusory ; the burning of their
merchant ships at sea, long after the
alleged repeal of the French decrees —
all these acts of violence on the part
of France produce from the govern-
ment of the United States only such
complaints as end in acquiescence and
submission, or are accompanied by
suggestions for enabhng France to
give the semblance of a legal form to
her usurpations, by converting them
into municipal regulations.

This disposition of the government
of the United States, — this complete
subserviency to the ruler of France, —
this hostile temper towards Great Bri-
tain, are evident in almost every page
of the official correspondence of the
American with the French govern-
ment.

Against this course of conduct, the
real cause of the present war, the
Prince Regent solemnly protests.—
Whilst contending against France, in
defence not only of the liberties of
Great Britain, but of the world, his
royal highness was entitled to look for
a far different result. From their com-
mon origin, — from their common inte-
rest,— from their professed principle*
of freedom and independence, — the
United States were the last power in
which Great Britain could have ex-
pected to find a willing instrument and
abetter of French tyranny.

Disappointed in this his just expec-
tation, the Prince Regent will still
pursue the pohcy which the British
government has so long and invariably
maintained, in repeUing injustice, and
in supporting the general rights of na-

APPENDIX ll— STATE PAPERS.

eclxjwi

ttoni ; and, under the favour of Pro-
vide ncc, relying on the justice of his
cause, and the tried loyalty and firm-
ness of the British nation, his royal
highness confidently lo<iks forward to
a successful issue of the contest in
which he has thus been compelled most
reluctantly to engage.

Westminster t Jan, 9, 1813.

'Proclamation of the King of Prussia,

His maje»ty the King of Prussia, ha-
ving made an offensive and defensive
treaty with the Emperor Alexander,
has issued the following proclatna-
tion ; — i

To the Public.
It is unnecessary to render an ac-
count to my good people of Germany
of the motives for the war which is
now commencing ; they are evident to
impartial Europe. Bent under the
superior power of France, that peace
"which deprived me of half my subjects,
procured us no blessings ; it, on the
contrary, hurt us more than war itself.
The heart of our country was impove-
rished The principal fortresses were
occupied by the enemy ; agriculture
•was neglected, as well as the industry
of our cities, which had risen to a very
high degree. Liberty of trade being
interrupted, naturally closed all the
sources of ease and prosperity. By
the most exact observance of the sti-
pulated treaties, I hoped to obtain an
alleviation for my people, and at last to
convince the French emperor that it
was his own interest to have Prussia
independent ; but my intentions, my
exertions, to attain so desirable an ob-
jict. proved fruitless. Nothing but
haughtiness and treachery was the re-
sult. We discovered, but rather late,
that the emperor's conventions were
more ruinous to us than his open wars.
The moment is now arrived in wliich

no illusion respecting our condition
can remain. Braudenburghcrs ! Prus-
sians ! Silesians ! Pomeranians ! Li-
thuanians ! you know what you have
suffered during the last seven years —
you know what a miserable fate awaitf
you, if you do not honourably finish
the now commencing conflict. Re-
member former times^remember the
illustrious elector, the great Frederick
— remember the benefits for which our
ancestors contended under their direc-
tion. The liberty of conscience — ho-
nour— independence — trade— industry
— and knowledge. Bear in mind the
great example of our allies the Rus-
sians— think of the Spaniards and Por-
tuguese ; small nations have even gone
to battle, for similar benefits, against
a more powerful enemy, and obtained
victory. Remember the Swiss and the
Netherlands. Great sacrifices are re-
quired from all ranks, because our plan
is great, and the number and means
of our enemy not less so. You will
make them sooner for your country,
your king, than for a foreign regent^
who, by so many examples, has proved
he would take your sons and last
strength for designs to which you are
strangers. Confidence in God, con-
stancy, courage, and the powerful as-
sistance of our allies, will favour our
just cause with glorious victory. But,
however great the sacrifices that may-
be required from individuals, they will
not outweigh the sacred interests for
which they are given, for which we
combat and must conquer, or cease to
be Prussians or Germans. We are
now engaged in the last decisive con-
test for our existence, our independ-
ence, and our property. There is no
medium between an honourable peace
or glorious ruin. Even this yoat would
manfully support for your honour, be-
cause a Prussian and German cannot
live without it. But we dare confi-
dently trnst, God and our firm pur-
pose will give our just cause victory*

cckxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

and with this an uninterrupted peace,
and the return of happier times.

Frederick William.
Breslau, March 17.

AMERICA.

Message/rom President Madison*

Fellow citizens of the senate and of
the house of representatives.

At an early day after the last session
of congress, an offer was formally com-
municated from the Emperor of Rus-
sia of his mediation, as the common
friend of the United States and Great
Britain, for the purpose of facihtating
a peace between them. The high
character of the Emperor Alexander
being a satisfactory pledge for the sin-
cerity and impartiality of his offer, it
was immediately accepted ; and, as a
further proof of the disposition on the
part of the United States to meet their
adversary in honourable experiments
for terminating the war, it was deter-
mined to avoid intermediate delay, in-
cident to the distance of the parties,
by a definitive provision for the con-
templated negociation. Three of our
eminent citizens were accordingly com-
missioned, with the requisite powers,
to conclude a treaty of peace, with
persons clothed with like powers on
the part of Great Britain. They were
authorised also to enter into such con-
ventional regulations of the commerce
between the two countries as may be
mutually advantageous. The two en-
voys, who were in the United States
at the time of their appointment, have
proceeded to join their colleagues al-
ready at St Petersburgh.

The* envoys have received another
•ommission, authorising them to con-
clude with Russia a treaty of com-
merce, with a view to strengthen the
amicable relations, and improve the

beneficial intercourse between the two
countries.

The issue of this friendly intercourse
of the Russian emperor, and this paci-
fic manifestation on the part of the
United States, time only can decide.
That the sentiments of Great Britain
towards that sovereign will have pro-
duced an acceptance of his offered me-
diation, must be presumed. That no
adequate motives exist to prefer a con-
tinuance of war with the United State*
to the terms on which they are willing
to close it, is certain. f,

The British cabinet also must be
sensible, that with respect to the im-
portant question of impressment, on
which the war so essentially turns, a I
search for or seizure of British persons 1
.or property on board neutral vessels
on the high seas, is not a belligerent
right derived from the law of nations ;
and it is obvious, that no visit or search,
or use of force, for any purpose, on
board the vessel of one independent
power on the high seas, can, in war or
peace, be sanctioned by the laws or
authority of another power. It is
equally obvious, that for the purpose
of preserving to each state its sea-faring
members, by excluding them from the
vessels of the other, the mode hereto-
fore proposed by the United States,
and now enacted by them, as an article
of municipal poHcy, cannot for a mo-
ment be compared with the mode prac-
tised by Great Britain without a con-
viction of its title to preference, inas-
much as the latter leaves the discrimi-
nation between the mariners of the two
nations to officers exposed to unavoid-
able bias, as well as, by a defect of
evidence, to a wrong decision under
circumstances precluding, for the most

part,

the enforcement of controllin

penalties, and where a wrong decision,
besides the irreparable violation of the
sacred rights of persons, might frus-
trate the plans and profits of entire

APPENDIX II STATE PAPERS.

cclxxiii

▼oyages ; whereas the mode Sissumed
by the United States guards with stu-
died fairness and efficacy against errors
in such cases, and avoids the effect of
casual errors on the safety of naviga-
tion and the success of mercantile ex-
peditions.

If the reasonableness of expectations,
drawn from these considerations, could
guarantee their fulfilment, a just peace
would not be distant. But it becomes
the wisdom of the national legisLture
to keep in mind the true policy, or ra-
ther the indispensable obligation of
adapting its measures to the supposi-
tion that the only course to that happy
event is in the vigorous employment
of the resources of war. And, pain-
ful as the reflection is, this duty is
particularly enforced by the spirit and
manner in which the war continues to
be waged by the enemy, who, uninflu-
enced by the unvaried exaraples of hu-
manity set them, are adding to the sa-
vage fury of it on one frontier, a system
of plunder and conflagration on the
other, equally forbidden by respect for
national character, and by the esta-
blished rules of civilized warfare.

As an encouragement to persevering
and invigorated exertions to bring the
contest to a happy result, I have the
satisfaction of being able to appeal to
the auspicious progress of our arms
both by land and on the water.

In continuation of the brilliant a-
chievements of our infant navy, a sig-
nal triumph has been gained by Cap-
tain Lawrence and his companions in
the Hornet sloop of war, which de-
stroyed a British sloop of war, with a
celerity so unexampled, and with a
slaughter of the enemy so dispropor-
tionate to the loss in the Hornet, as
to claim for the conquerors the high-
est praise, and the fullrecompense pro-
vided by congress in preceding cases.
Our public ships of war, in general, as
well as the private armed vessels, have
continued also their activity and sue-

VOL. Vl. PART il.

cess against the commerce of the ene-
my, and by their vigilance and address
have greatly frustrated the efforfs of
the hostile squadrons distributed along
our coasts, to intercept them in re-
turning into port and resuming their
cruises. The augmentation of our
naval force, as authorised at the last
session of congress, is in progress.
On the lakes our superiority is near at
hand, were it not already established.

The events of the campaign, so far
as they are known to us, furnish mat-
ter of congratulation, and shew that,
under a wise organization and efficient
direction, the army is destined to a
glory not less briUiant than that which
already encircles the navy. The at-
tack and capture of York is, in that
quarter, a presage of future and great-
er victories — while, on the western
frontier, the issue of the late siege of
Fort Meigs leaves nothing to regret-
but a single act of inconsiderate va-
lour.

The sudden death of the distinguish-
ed citizen who represented the United
States in France, without any special
arrangements by him for such a con-
tingency, has left us without the ex-
pected sequel to his last communica-
tions; nor has the French government
taker, any measures for bringing the de-
pending negociations to a conclusion
through its representative in the Uni-
ted States, This failure adds to de-
lays before so unusually spun out. A
successor to our departed minister has
been appointed, and is ready to pro-
ceed on ins mission. The course which
he will pursue in fulfilling it, is that
prescribed by a steady regard to the
true interests of the United States,
which equally avoids an abandonment
of their just demands, and a connection
of their features with the systems of
other powers.

The receipts into the treasury, from,
the 1 8t of October to the 31 st of March
last, including the sums received on ac-

eclxxiv

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

count of treasury notes, and of the
loans authorised by the acts of the last
and the preceding session of congress,
have amounted to 15,412,000 dollars.
The expenditures during the same pe-
riod amounted to 15,920,000, and left
in the treasury on the 1st of April
1,857,000 dollars. The loan of 16
millions of dollars, authorised by the
act of the 8th of February last, has
been contracted for. Of that sum
more than a million of dollars had
been paid into the treasury, prior to
the 1st of April, and formed a part of
the receipts as above stated. The re-
mainder of that loan, amounting to
near 15 millions of dollars, with the
sum of five millions of dollars, autho-
rised to be issued in treasury notes,
and the estimated receipts from the
customs and the sales of public lands,
amounting to 9,000,000 dollars, and
'making in the whole 29,300,000 dol-
lars, to be received during the last nine
months of the present year, will be ne-
cessary to meet the expenditures al-
ready authorised, and the engagemcrits
contracted in relation to the public
debt. These engagements amount,
during that period, to 10,500,000 dol-
lars, which, with near one million for
the civil, miscellaneous, and diploma-
tic expences, both foreign and 4,oi3ies-
tic, and 17,800,000 for the miHtary
and naval expenditures, including the
ships of war building, and to be built,
will leave a sum in tlie treasury at the
€nd of the present year equal to that
pf the Ist of April last. A part of
this sum may be considered as a re-
source for defraying any extraordinary
-expences already authorised by law,
beyond the sums above mentioned ;
and a further resource for any emer-
gency may be found in the sum of one
million of dollars, the loan of which
to the United States has been autho-
rised by the state of Ptlinsylvania, but
which has not yet ,been brought into
^effect.

This view of our finances, whilst it-
shows that due provision has been
made for the expences of the current
year, shows at the same time, by the
limited amount of the actual revenue,
and the dependence on loans, the ne-
cessity of providing more adequately
for the future supplies of the treasury.
This can best be done by a well-di-
gested system of internal re^^enue, in
aid of existing sources ; which will
have the effect both of abridging the
amount of necessary loans, and on
that account, as well as by placing the
public credit on a more satisfactory
basis, of improving the terms on which
loans may be obtained.

The loan of sixteen millions was not
contracted for a less interest than about
seven and a half per cent. ; and al-
though other causes may have had an
agency, it cannot be doubted that,
with the advantage of a more extend-
ed and less precarious revenue, a low-
er rate of interest might have sufficed.
A longer postponement of the advan*
tage could not fail to have a still grea-
ter influence on future loans.

In recommending to the national
legislature this resort to additional
taxes, I feel great satisfaction in the
assurance, that our constituents, who
have already displayed so much zeal
and firmness in the cause of their coun-
try, will cheerfully give other proofs
of their patriotism, which it calls for.
Happily no people, with local and
territorial exceptions never to be whol-
ly avoided, are more able than the
people of the United States to spare
for the public wants a portion of their
private means, whether regard be had
to the ordinary profits of industry, or
the ordinary price of subsistence in
our country, compared with those in
any other. And in no case could
stronger reasons be felt for the yield-
ing the requisite contributions.

By rendering the public resources
€crt«iH, ^d commensurate to the pukr

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

cdxxY

Kc exigencies, the constituted authori-
ties will be able to prosecute the war
more rapidly to its proper issue ; every
hostile hope, founded on a calculated
failure of our resources, will be cut
off; and by adding to the evidence of
bravery and skill, in combats on the
ocean and on the land, an alacrity in
supplying the treasury necessary to
give them their fullest effect ; and
thus demonstrating to the world the
public energy which our political in-
stitutions combine with the personal
liberty distinguishing them, the best
security will be provided against fu-
ture enterprises on the rights or the
peace of the nation.

The contest in which the United
States are engaged, appeals for its
support to every motive that can ani-
mate an uncorrupted and enhghtened
people, to the love of country, to the
voice of liberty, to the glorious found-
ers of their independence, to a success-
ful vindication of its violated at tributes ;
to the gratitude and sympathy which
demands security from the most de-
grading wrongs, of a class of citizens
who have proved so worthy of the
protection of their country by their
heroic zeal in its defence ; and finally
to the sacred obligations of transmit-
ting entire to future generations, that
precious patrimony of national rights
and independence, which is held in
trust by the present from the goodness
of Divine Providence.

Being aware of the inconveniences
to which a protracted session, at this
season, would be liable, I limit the
present communication to objects of
primary importance. In special mes-
sages which may ensue, regard will be
had to the same consideration.

James Madison.

Washington, May 25, 1813.

Convention between his Britannic Ma-
Jesty and his Majesty the Emperor

of all the Russias, signed at Rei'
chenbach, the I5th of June, 1813.

In the name of the most holy and un-
divided Trinity.

His majesty the king of the united
kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
and his majesty the emperor of all the
Russias, have spared no sacrifice, ne-
glected no effort, to put a limit to the
destructive projects of the enemy of
Europe. It is at a period when Pro-
vidence has manifestly favoured their
arms, that their majesties, animated
with the desire of restoring indepen-
dence, peace, and prosperity to na-
tions, have agreed, with a view of em*
ploying all the means in their power
for the attainment of this salutary
end, to adjust, by a particular conven-
tion, the nature and extent of the pe-
cuniary succours, and the assistance
which the two crowns shall mutually
afford to each other during this war.
Accordingly, they have appointed their
respective plenipotentiaries, namely,
his majesty the king of the united
kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
William Shaw, Viscount Cathcart,
&c. ambassador extraordinary and ple-
nipotentiary to his majesty the emperor
of all the Russias ; and his majesty the
cmper of all the Russias, Charles Count
de Nesselrode, a privy councillor, se-
cretary of state, &c. who, after having
compared and exchanged their fuU
powers, have concluded the following
articles ; —

Art. I, — His majesty the emperor
of all the Russias, being firmly resol-
ved to carry on the present war with
the utmost energy, engages to employ
throughout, one hundred and sixty
thousand effective troops of every de-
scription^ of force, exclusive of the
garrisons of the fortresses.

Art. II — To contribute on his part
to the same end, in the most effectual
and prompt manner, his majesty the
king of Great Britain engages to place

cclxxvi

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818.

at the disposal of his majesty the em-
peror of all the Russias, for the ser-
vice of the year 1813, the following
sums :

Art. 1. One million three hundred
and thirty-three thousand three hun-
dred and thirty-four pounds sterling,
payable in London.

Art. XL — England takes upon her-
self the maintenance of the Russian
fleet, and the crews thereof, now in the
ports of Great Britain; an expense esti-
mated at five hundred thousand pounds
sterling.

Art. III. — The sum of one million
three hundred and thirty-three thou-
sand three hundred and thirty-four
pounds sterling shall be payable from
month to month, in such manner as
that thq whole shall be discharged on
the 1st of January, 1814.

Art- IV. — To supply the defficien-
cy of specie, the want of which is dai-
ly more felt in the circulation of the
continent, to combine in this import-
ant contest all the means which may
secure its success, the two high con-
tracting parties, in concert with his
majesty the king of Prussia, have
agreed to issue notes, payable to bearer,
under the denomination of federative
paper.

1 . The amount ©f this paper-money
shall not exceed the sum of five mil-
lions sterling, for which the three con-
tracting powers are conjointly guaran-
tees. Two-thirds of this sum are
placed at the disposal of Russia, and
one-third at that of Prussia.

2. The reimbursement of this sum
of five millions sterling is to be made
by the three powers in the following
proportions, and in such manner that

England shall only take upon her-
self - - three-sixths.
Russia '- - two- sixths.
Prussia - - one- sixth.

3. This reimbursement is not to
take effect before the 1st day of July,
1815, or six months after the coDcIu-
sion of a definitive peace.

4. The sum of five millions sterling
of federative paper, so to be issued in
the name of the three powers, is in
no case to be applied to any other
than the expences of the war, and the
maintenance of the armies in activi-
5. A commission, named by the
three powers, will regulate whatever
relates to the distribution of this sura.
The payments are to be made pro-
gressively from month to month. All
that relates, however, to the form, the
guarantee, the issue, appropriation,
circulation, and reimbursement of this
paper, is to be regulated in a still more
particular manner by a special conven-
tion, the stipulations whereof shall
have the same force and validity as if
they had been inserted word for word
in the present treaty.

Art. V. — The British government
having taken upon itself the mainte-
nance of the Russian fleet, for the sum
of 500,6001. sterhng,as stated in article
II. his majesty the emperor of all the
Russias consents, on the other hand^
to the employment of his Britannic-,
majesty of the said fleet in the Euro-
pean seas, in the manner he mayjudg<
the most useful to the operationi
against the common enemy.

Art. VI. — Although the presei
convention stipulates only the succoui
to be supplied by Great Britain du4
ring the year 1813, still, as their re-
ciprocal engagments are to be in forcel
as long as the present war shall last,
the two high contracting parties for-
mally promise to concert anew on the
aid they are to afford each other, if,
God forbid, the war should be pro-
longed beyond the abovementioned
period ; such fresh agreement being
chiefly with the view of giving a great-
er developement to their efforts.

Art. VII. — The two high contract-
ing parties will act in the most perfect
concert with regard to military ope-
rations, and will freely communicate
to each other whatevV relates to their

APPENDIX 11.— STATE PAPERS.

eclxxvii

respective policy. They above all
reciprocally engage, not to negociate
separately with their common enemies,
to sign neither peace, truce, nor any
convention whatsoever, otherwise than
by mutual agreement.

Art VIII.— Officers shall be al-
lowed to be accredited to the generals
commanding in chief the several ar-
mies in active service : they shall be
at liberty to correspond with their
courts, and keep them constantly in-
formed of the military events which
may have taken place, as well as of
every thing relative to the operations
of those armies.

Art. IX. — The present convention
shall be ratified with the least possible
delay.

In witness whereof the respective
plenipotentiaries have signed the pre-
sent convention with their hands, and
have thereunto affixed the seal of their
arms

Done at Reichenbach, the third
(fifteenth) June, 1813.
(L. S ) Cathcart.

(L. S.) Charles Count de
Nesselrode.
(L. S.) Jean D'Anstett.

Convention betiveen Ids Britannic Ma-
jesty and his Majesty the King of
Prussiuf signed at Reichenbachy the
Uth of June, 1813.

Art. I. — The object of the present
war being to re-establish the indepen-
dence of the statcsoppressedby France,
the two high contracting parties bind
themselves in consequence to direct
all their operations towards that end ;
and as, in order to accompHsh the
same, it will be essential to replace
Prussia in possession of her relative
power, and to prevent France from
ever occupying henceforward any of
the strong places in the north of Ger-
many, or exer<^sing any sort of in-

fluence in that quarter, his majesty
the king of the united kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland engages to
co-operate effectually to that end. On
the other hand, his majesty the king
of Prussia, who, in his transactions with
Russia, has already expressly reserved
the rights of the house of Brunswick
Lunenburgh upon Hanover, will co-
operate with all his means towards the
restoration ot their hereditary states
to that august house, and to the ducal
house of Brunswick.

Art. II. — Prussia engages to main-
tain in the field an army of eighty thou-
sand men, exclusive of the garrisons in
the fortresses.

Art. Ill — England engages to
place for the year 1813, at the dispo-
sal of his Prussian majesty, 666,666 1.
in monthly payments.- The same en-
gagement for five millions of federative
paper as in the Russian treaty.

Arts. IV. V. and VI. as in the
Russian treaty.

Art. VII — The British navy shall
co-operate,whereverit is practicable, in
the defence of the Prussian states, in
support of the military expeditions in
aid of the common cause, and in the
protection of the commerce of Prus-
sia.

Art. VIII.— This treaty shall forth-
with be communicated to Russia, Swe-
den, and Austria.

Art. IX. — It shall be ratified with
the least possible delay.

In witness whereof, &c.

Reichenbach, the Hth June, 1813.
Charles Stewart.
C. A. De Hardenberg.

Convention betiueen his Britannic Ma-
jesty and the Emperor of all the
Russias, signed at Peterswaldaw,
6th of July, 1813.

Art. I. — The vast resources of the
Russian empire furnishing to his im-

cckxviu EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, ISIS.

penal majesty the number of troops
which he has determined to employ-
beyond the frontiers of his empire, and
his majesty the king of the united
kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
having appropriated the greatest part
of his own to the defence of Spain, and
to the protection of Portugal, his Bri-
tannic majesty has consented to take
upon himself the expence of the main-
tenance of the German Legion in the
service of his imperial majesty, the
strength of which shall be increased to
ten thousand men.

Art. II. — So long as Great Bri-
tain shall provide for the maintenance
of the said legion, the same shall re-
main at the absolute disposal cf his
Britannic majesty, to be employed on
the continent of Europe. It shall be
commanded by general officers of his
choice.

His imperial majesty engages to pro-
vide for the recruiting of the legion,
and to keep it in a state for servipe,
and complete, as far as may be practi-
cable, whilst the replacing the articles
furnished for the equipment, arming,
and the mise en campagne of the said
legion, shall appertain to his Britannic
majesty.

An the sums paid by Great Britain
in virtue of the articles of the present
convention, shall be employed solely
for the purpose of defraying the ex-
pences and the maintenance of the
German Legion in the service of his
imperial majesty.

Art. Ill — The high contracting
parties have agreed, that the sums des-
tined for the maintenance of she said
corps shall be paid to the order of the
government of his imperial majesty, at
the rate of ten pounds fifteen shillings
sterling per annum for each effective
man of the legion, with the express re-
servation, that its numbers shall not
exceed ten thousand men.

His Britannic majesty engages to
furnish the arms, ammunition, clothing.

and the articles of equipnncnt which,
shall be wanting at that period when ]
the corps shall be placed at his dispo- ^
sal.

Art. IV — The subsidy fixed by the
third article shall be paid every two
months in advance, for the number of
officers and soldiers who shall have ,
been returned as effective in the last
day of the preceding month.

Art. V. — His majesty the emperor
consents to cede to his Britannic ma-
jesty, either in his character of king
of the united kingdom of Great Bri-
tain and Ireland, or in that of the
elector of Hanover, the property of
the legion, if the circumstances of the
war should induce his majesty the king
to desire this arrangement ; which,
however, shall in no way invalidate the
capitulations granted by his imperial
majesty to the individuals who compose
the legion.

Done at Peterswaldaw in Silesia,
the 24th June (6ih July), 1813.

Cathcart.

(L.S) D. Alopeus.

(L.S.)

There were also supplementary con-
ventions by this country and Russia
and Prussia, chiefly relating to bills of
exchange.

Address of the Speaker of the House
of Commons to the Prince Recent,
and the Prince Regent's Speech,

House of Lords, Thursday,
July 22.

This being the last day of the ses-
sion, soon after two o'clock the Prince
Regent came in state to the House,
for the purpose of proroguing the par-
liament with a speech from the throne.

The arrival of the Prince Regent in
the royal chamber, adjoining the House
of Lords, was announced by a salute
of twenty-one guns from the river.
The side benches, of the House were

APPENDIX II.—STATE PAPERS.

cclxxix

previously occupied by a large assem-
blage of ladies of the first di«tinction.
The Russian, Spanish, and Portuguese
ambassadors, were upon a bench on
the right of the throne ; and a consi-
derable number of peers and judges
were also assembled in their robes.

The Prince Regent then entered,
and took his seat on the throne, ha-
ying the great ministers of state on
each side of him, with their different
emblems of office. The Earl of Li-
verpool, as prime minister, bore the
sword of state. The Prince Regent
himself was in military uniform.

The usher of the black rod then
proceeded to summon the attendance
of the House of Commons, the mem-
bers of which, with the Speaker at their
head, soon after appeared at the bar,
when the Speaker addressed the Prince
Regent as follows : —

May it please your Royal High-
ness,

We, his majesty's most dutiful and
loyal subjects, the Commons of Great
Britain and Ireland, in parliament as-
sembled, have closed the supplies for
the service of the present year ; and,
reflecting upon the various transactions
which have come before us, we look
back with satisfaction upon those
which concern our domestic policy ;
entertaining also a confident hope in
the prosperous issue of those great
events which must regulate the settle-
ment of our foreign relations.

Under the pressure of great burdens
at home, and the still continuing ne-
cessity for great exertions, a plan has
been devised and executed, which, by
a judicious and skilful arrangement of
our finances, v^ill for a considerable
period postpone or greatly mitigate
the demands for new taxation, and at
the same time materially accelerate the
final extinction of the national debt.

Our reviving commerce also looks
"ibrward to tjiose (lew fields of enter-

prise which are opening in the east ;
and after long and laljorious discus-
sions, we presmme to hope, that (in
conformity with the injunctions deli-
vered to us by your royal highness at
the commencement of the present ses-
sion) such prudent and adequate ar-
rangements have been made for the
future government of the British pos-
sessions in India as will combine the
greatest advantages of commerce and
revenue, and provide also for the last-
ing prosperity and happiness of that
vast and populous portion of the Bri»
tish empire.

But, sir, these are not the only sub-
jects to which our attention has been
called : other momentous changes have
been proposed for our consideration.
Adhering, however, to those laws by
which the throne, the parliament, and
the government of this country, are
made fundamentally protestant, we
have not consented to allow, that those
who acknowledge a foreign jurisdiction
should be authorised to administer the
powers and jurisdictions of this realm ;
— willing as we are, nevertheless, and
willing as, I trust, we ever shall be to
allow the largest scope to religious to-
leration. With respect to the esta-
bhshed church, following the munifi-
cent example of the last parliament,
we have continued the same annual
grant for improving the value of its
smaller benefices ; and we have at the
same time endeavoured to provide more
cff"ectually for the general discharge of
those sacred duties of a cliurch esta-
bHshment, which by forming the mo-
ral and religious character of a brave
and intelligent people, have, under the
blessing of God, laid the deep founda-
tions of British greatness.

Sir, — by your royal highnesses com»
mands, we have also turned our views
to the state of our foreign relations.
In the north, we rejoice to see, by the
treaties laid before us, that a strong
barrier is erected against the inordinate

cclxxx EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

ambition of France ; and we presume
to hope, that the time may now be ar-
riving which shall set bounds to her
remorstless spirit of conquest.

In our contest with America it must
always he remembered, that we have
not been the aggressors. Slow to take
up arms against those who should have
been naturally our friends by the ori-
ginal ties of kindred, a common lan-
guage, and (as might have been hoped)
by a joint zeal in the cause of national
liberty ; we must, nevertheless, put
forth our whole strength, and main-
taih, with our ancient superiority up-
on the ocean, those maritime rights
which we have resolved never to sur-
render.

But, sir, whatever doubts may cloud
the rest of our vitvvs and hopes, it is to
the peninsula that we look with senti-
ments of unquestionable delight and
triumph : there the world has seen two
gallant and independent nations rescued
from the mortal grasp of fraud and ty-
ranny by British councils and British
valour ; and within the space of five
•hort years from the dawn of our suc-
cesses at Roleia and Vimiera, the same
illustrious commander has received the
tribute of our admiration and gratitude
for the brilliant passage of the Douro,
—the hard- fought battles of Talavera,
— the day of Busaco, — the deliverance
of Portugal, — the Mural crowns won
at Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz, — the
splendid victory of Salamanca, — and
the decisive overthrow of the armies
of France in their total rout at Vit-
toria ; — deeds which have made all
Europe ring with his renown, and have
covered the British name with a blaze
of unrivalled glory.

Sir, — That the cause of this coun-
try, and of the world, may not, at
8uch a crisis, suffer from any want of
zeal on our part to strengthen the
hands of his majesty's government, we
have furnished our supplies with a large
and liberal aid, to enable your royal

highness to take all such measures as
the emergencies of public affairs may
require for disappointing or defeating
the enterprizes and designs of the ene-
my.

The bill which I have to present
to your royal highness for this pur-
pose, is intituled " An Act for ena-
bling his majesty to raise the sum of
five millions for the service of Great-
Britain, and for applying the sum of
200,0001. for the service of Ireland."

To which bill his majesty's faithful
commons, with all humility, entreat
his majesty's royal assent."

The royal assent was given in the
usual form to this bill ; and also to
another, for the regulation of peniten-
tiary houses.

The Prince Regent then delivered
the following speech from the throne —
My Lords, and Gentlemen,

I cannot release you from your at-
tendance in parliament without re-
peating the expression of my deep re-
gret at the continuance of his majes-
ty's lamented indisposition.

The attention which you have paid
to the public interests in the course of
this session demands my warmest ac-
knowledgments.

The splendid and signal success
which has attended the commence-
ment of the campaign in the peninsu-
la,— the consummate skill and ability
di8played by Field-Marshal the Mar-
quis of Wellington, in the progress of
those operations which have led to the
great and decisive victory obtained
near Vittoria, — and the valour and in-
trepidity by which his majesty's forces
and those of his allies have been dis-
tinguished, are as highly gratifying to
my feelings as they have been to those
of the whole nation. Whilst these
operations have added new lustre to
the British arms, they afford the best
prospect of the deliverance of the pe-
ninsula from the tyranny and oppres-

APPENDIX IL— STATE PAPERS.

cclxxxi

sion of France ; and they furnish the
most decisive proof of the wisdom of
that policy which has induced you,
under every vicissitude of fortune, to
persevere in the support of this glori-
ous contest.

The entire failure of the French ru-
ler in his designs against the Russian
empire, and the destruction of the
French army employed on that ser-
vice, were followed by the advance of
the Russian forces, since joined by
those of Prussia, to the banks of the
Elbe ; and though upon the renewal
of the contest the allied armies have
found themselves obliged to retreat
before the superior numbers collected
by the enemy, their conduct during a
series of severe and sanguinary con-
flicts has nobly upheld their mihtary
character, and commanded the admi-
ration of Europe.

I have great satisfaction in acquaint-
ing you, that there exists between me
and the courts of St Petersburgh,
Berlin, and Stockholm, the most cor-
dial union and concert : and I trust
that I shall be enabled, by the aids
which you have so liberally afforded,
to render this union effectual for the
accomphshment of the great purpose
for which it has been established.

I regret the continuance of the war
with the United States of America.

My desire to re-establish between
the two countries those friendly rela-
tions 80 important to their mutual in-
terests, continues unabated ; but I
cannot consent to purchase the resto-
ration of peace by any sacrifice of the
maritime rights of the British empire.
Gentlemen of the House of Com-
mons,— I thank you for the liberal
provision you have made for the ser-
vice o the present year.

It is a great satisfaction to me to
reflect that, by the regulations you
have adopted for the redemption of
the national debt, you have establish-
ed a system which will not retard its

ultimate liquidation, whilst at the
same time it provides for the vigorout
prosecution of the war, with the least
practicable addition to the public bur-
dens.

My Lords and Gentlemen, — I en-
tirely approve of the arrangement!
which you have made for the govern-
ment of the British territories in In-
dia, and for the regulation of the
British commerce in that part of
the world. They appear to have
been wisely framed, with a view to
the circumstances which have occur*
red since this subject was last under
the consideration of parliament. By
these arrangements you have preserv-
ed in its essential parts that system
of government which experience hat
proved to be not less calculated to
provide for the happiness of the inha-
bitants of India, than to promote the
interests of Great Britain ; and you
have judiciously extended to the sub-
jects of the united kingdom in gene-
ral, a participation in the commerce of
countries within the limits of the East
India company's charter, which will,
I doubt not, have the effect of aug-
menting the resources of India, and of
increasing and improving the trade
and navigation of his majesty's domi«
nions.

The tried and affectionate loyalty
of his majesty's people, the constancy
which they have displayed during this
long and arduous war, and the pati-
ence with which they have sustained
the burthens necessarily imposed upon
them, have made an indelible impres-
sion on my mind. Such continued
and persevering exertions, under so
severe a pressure, afford the strongest
proof of their attachment to that con-
stitution which it is the first object of
my life to maintain.

In the success which has recently
attended his majesty's arms,- 1 acknow-
ledge with devout gratitude the hand
of Divine Providence. The use I dc-

cdxxxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815.

Hire to make of these, and of all other
advantages, is to promote and secure
the welfare of his majesty's people ;
and I cannot more decidedly evince
this disposition, than by employing
the powerful means you have placed
in my hands in such a manner as may
be best calculated to reduce the extra-
vagant pretensions of the enemy, and
thereby to facilitate the attainment,
in conjunction with my allies, of a se-
cure and honourable peace.

Then the lord chancellor, by the
Prince Regent's command, said —

My Lords and Gentlemen, — It is
the command of his Royal Highness
the Prince Regent, acting in the name
and on behalf of his majesty, that this
parliament be prorogued to Monday
the 23d day of August next, to be
then here holden ; and this parliament
is accordingly prorogued to Monday
the 23d day of August next.

Speech of the Prince Regent on open*
ing Parliament y Nov* 4.

My Lords and Gentlemen, — It is
"vsMh the deepest regret that I am
again obliged to announce to you the
continuance of his majesty's lamented
indisposition.

The great and splendid success with
which it has pleased Divine Providence
to bless his majesty's arms and those
of his allies, in the course of the pre-
sent campaign, has been productive of
the most important consequences to
Europe.

In Spain, the glorious and decisive
victory obtained near Vittoria has been
followed by the advance of the allied
forces to the Pyrenees, — by the re-
pulse of the enemy in every attempt
to regain the ground he had been com-
pelled to abandon, — by the reduction
of the fortress of Saint Sebastian, —
and) finally, by the establishment of

the allied army on the frontier of
France.

In this series of brilliant operations,
you will have observed, with the high-
est satisfaction, the consummate skill
and ability of the great commander.
Field Marshal the Marquis of Wel-
lington ; and the steadiness and un-
conquerable spirit which have been
equally displayed by the troops of the
three nations, united under his com-
mand.

The termination of the armistice in
the north of Europe, and the declara-
tion of war by the Emperor of Aus-
tria against France, have been most
happily accompanied by a system of
cordial union and concert amongst the
allied powers.

The effects of this union have even
surpassed those expectations which it
was calculated to excite.

By the signal victories obtained over
the French armies in Silesia, at Culm,
and at Dcnevitz, the efforts of the
enemy to penetrate into the heart of
the Austrian and Prussian territories
were completely frustrated.

These successes have been followed
by a course of operations, combined
with so much judgment, and executed
with such consummate prudence, vi-
gour, and ability, as to have led in
their result, not only to the discomfi-
ture of all those projects which the
ruler of France had so presumptuously
announced on the renewal of the con-
test, but to the capture and destruc-
tion of the greater part of the army
under his immediate command.

The annals ot Europe afford no ex-
amples of victories more splendid and
decisive than those which have been
recently achieved in Saxony. Whilst
the perseverance and gallantry display-
ed by the allied forces of every de-
scription, engaged in this conflict, have
exalted to the highest pitch of glory
their military character, you will, X

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS,

cckxxiii

am persuaded, agree with me in ren-
dering the full tribute of applause to
those sovereigns and princes, who, in
this sacred cause of national indepen-
dence, have so eminently distinguished
themselves as the leaders of the armies
of their respective nations.

With such a prospect before you,
I am satisfied that I may rely, with
the fullest confidence, on your dispo-
sition to enable me to afford the neces-
sary assistance in support of a system
of alliance, which, originating chiefly
in the magnanimous and disinterested
views of the Emperor of Russia, and
followed up as it has been with cor-
responding energy by the other alHed
powers, has produced a change the
most momentous in the affairs of the
continent.

I shall direct copies of the several
conventions which I have concluded
with the northern powers to be laid
before you, as soon as the ratifications
of them shall have been duly ex-
changed.

I have further to acquaint you, that
I have concluded a treaty of alliance
and concert with the Emperor of Aus-
tria, and that the powerful league al-
ready formed has received an import-
ant addition of force, by the declara-
tion of Bavaria against France.

I am confident you will view with
particular satisfaction the renewal of
the ancient connection with the Aus-
trian government ; and that, justly ap-
preciating all the value of the acces-
sion of that great power to the com-
mon cause, you will be prepared, as
far as circumstances may permit, to
enable me to support his imperial ma-
jesty in the vigorous prosecution of
the contest.

The war between this country and
the United States of America still
continues ; but 1 have the satisfaction
to inform you, that the measures adopt-
ed by the government of the United

States, for the conquest of Canada,
have been frustrated by the valour of
his majesty's troops, and by the zeal
and loyalty of his American subjects.

Whilst Great Britain, in conjunc-
tion with her allies, is exerting her ut-
most strength against the common
enemy of independent nations, it must
be matter of deep regret to find an
additional enemy in the government
of a country whose real interest in the
issue of this great contest must be the
same as our own.

It is known to the world, that this
country was not the aggressor in this
war.

I have not hitherto seen any dispo-
sition on the part of the government
of the United States to close it, of
which 1 could avail myself consistent-
ly with a due attention to the interests
of his majesty's subjects.

I am at all times ready to enter in-
to discussion with that government for
a conciliatory adjustment of the diffe-
rences between the two countries up-
on principles of perfect reciprocity
not inconsistent with the established
maxims of public law, and with the
maritime rights of the British empire.

Gentlemen of the House of Cona-
mons, — I have directed the estimates
for the services of the ensuing year to
be laid before you.

I regret the necessity of so large aa
expenditure, which I am confident^
however, you will judge to be una-
voidable, when the extent and nature
of our military exertions are consider-
ed.

I entertain no doubt of your readi-
ness to furnish such supplies as the
public service may require.

I congratulate you on the improved
and flourishing state of our commerce ;
and I trust, that the abundant harvest
which we have received from the
bountiful hand of Providence during
the present year, will afford material

cclxxxir EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

relief to his majesty's people, and pro-
duce a considerjible augmentation in
many branches of the revenue.

My Lv'rds and Gentlemen, — I con-
gratulate you on the decided conviction
which now happily prevails through*
out 80 large a portion of Europe, that
the war in which the allied powers are
engaged against the ruler of France is
a war of necessity ; and that his views
of universal dominion can only be de-
feated by combined and determined re-
sistance.

The public spirit and national en-
thusiasm, which have successively ac-
complished the deliverance of the king-
doms of Spain and Portugal, and of
the Russian empire, now equally ani-
mate the German people ; and we may
justly entertam the fullest confidence
that the same perseverance on their
part will ultimately lead to the same
glorious result.

I cannot but deplore most deeply
the continuance of this extended war-
fare, and of all those miseries which
the insatiable ambition of the ru^er of
France has so long inflicted upon Eu-
Tope.

No disposition to require from
Erance sacrifices of any description
inconsistent with her honour or just
pretensions as a nation, will ever be on
my part, or on that of his majesty's
allies, an obstacle to peace. The re-
storation of that great blessing, upon
principles of justice and equality, has
never ceased to be my anxious wish ;
but I am fully convinced that it can
only be obtained by a continuance of
those efforts which have already deli-
vered so large a part of Europe from
the power of the enemy.

To the firmness and perseverance of
this country these advantages may, in
a great degree, be ascribed. Let this
consideration animate ns to new exer-
tions, and we shall thus, I trust, be
enabled to bring this long and arduous
contest to a conclusion which will be
11

consistent with the independence of all
the nations engaged in it, and with the
general security of Europe.

Bavarian Declaration,

Everyone knows the relations which
for eight years past have bound Bava-
ria to France, as well as the motives
which occasioned them, and the con-
scientious good faith with which the
king has fulfilled their conditions.

Other states gradually joined them-
selves to the first ally of the French
empire. This junction of sovereigns
took the form of an union, of such a
nature as the German history exhibits
more than one example

The act of confederation, signed at
Paris on the 12th of July, 1806, al-
though imperfect, stipulated the mu-
tual conditions which were to exist be-
tween the confederated states and hi«
majesty the emperor of the French, as
protector of this alliance.

The foundation of this treaty on
both sides was the interest of both
parties ; none other could exist ; for
otherwise this act of confederation
would have been nothing else than an
act of unconditional submission. Mean-
while the French government appears
to have considered it absolutely in that
light, because that, in every act which
followed on that solemn contract, it
never took retrospect in application of
the fundamental points, which render-
ed the continental war mutual to the
several contracting parties, neither the
spirit nor the intent which presided in
its tenor, but gave to it, at her own
pleasure, the most extended explana-
tion ; she required at her own will the
military forces of the confederates,
for wars which were totally foreign to
their interests, and the motives for
which had not been previously intima-
ted to them.

Bavaria, which considered France

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

cclxxxt

as a main support for her preservation,
but whose principles, nevertheless,
cauSf d her the most serious apprehen-
sions, reflected on and fulfilled all her
obligations to France with the most
unbounded zeal and integrity ; no sa-
crifice to her seemed too great to ful-
fil the wishes of her ally, and to con-
tribute to the restoration of the conti-
nental peace, which was stated to be
the end of these renewed undertakings.

When the Emperor Napoleon had
in the year 1812, determined on the
war against Russia, he demanded of
Bavana to come forward with the
maximum of her contingent. This
war was undeniably entirely foreign to
the interests of Bavaria : it was painful
to her, in every respect, to suffer her
troops to march against a state which
had always been her friend, and for a
long time past was the guarantee of
her mdependence, and against a sove-
reign who is allied to the royal family
by a double tie of consanguinity. Al-
ready had the French ministry express-
ed themselves in the most alarming
terms, and even proclaimed them in
diplomatic documents in the face of
Europe. These expressions aimed at
nothing less than to represent the con-
federated states in such a hght as if
they were the vassals of France, and
their princes bound, under punishment
of felony, to do every thing which his
majesty the Emperor Napoleon might
think proper to require of them.

Notwithstanding the alarm which the
expression of such principles must ne-
cessarily cause, Bavaria still resolved,
as she had no point of law to support,
to let 30,000 men of her troops join
the French army. The unexampled
misfortunes which distinguished that
campaign are too well known to repeat
the distressing portrait of it here.
The whole Bavarian army, including
a reinforcement of 8000 men which
joined it in the month of October, was
destroyed.

There arc but few families that were

not put into mourning by that dread*
ful catastrophe ; and what was still
more painful to his majesty's paternal
heart was, that so much blood had
been shed in a cause which was not
the cause of the nation. — Meanwhile,
preparations were made for a new cam-
paign ; and Bavaria, which was only
the more stedfast to her ally in pro-
portion to his being unfortunate* made
no hesitation in replacing the weak re-
mains of 38,000 Bavarians who had
fought under the French standards, by
a new division.

At the commencement of the cam*
paign, glorious prospects crowned the
so often victorious arms of the Empe-
ror Napoleon. Germany, and all Eu-
rope beheved that as the emperor now
found himself in a condition whereia
he might show his moderation with*
out exposing himself to any suspicion
of weakness, he would have accepted
the mediation which Austria, from the
most wise and generous motives, offer-
ed for the purpose of procuring peace
to the world, or at least to the conti-
nent. This hope was destroyed. On
the contrary, she saw the number o£
her enemies increase by the powerful
addition of Austria to tlie coalition al-
ready formed against the Emperor
Napoleon. From this moment the si-
tuation of Bavaria became very critical.
The energy of the Bavarian govern-
ment, and the attachment of a nation
which considers no sacrifice heavy
when it is necessary to prove their
love to an adored sovereign, had al-
ready, as by a magic stroke, created a
new army, which marched towards the
borders on the side of Austria. But
the French army, to which the empe-
ror had given the name of ** The army
of observation of Bavaria." and which
was assembling in the vicinity of
Wurtzburg and in the surrounding
territory, instead of supporting the
Bavarian army, suddenly received an-
other destination.

In this critical situation, the empe-

cdxxxvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, iSlSj

ror did not even deign to bestow on
his most faithfal ally the least consi-
deration of means for his protection.
Nay, more, the second army of obser-
vation, which was to assemble under
the command of Marshal Augereau,
was not formed ; and its weak stem,
which was still at Wurtzburg, total-
ly disappeared.

Being in this manner totally desert-
ed, his majesty would have infringed
on the most sacred of all his duties,
had he not yielded to the wishes of his
faithful subjects, which were daily
more loudly expressed. The sove-
reigns allied against France did not
neglect to inform the Bavarian govern-
ment of the principles of moderation
which animated them, and to assure it
of their formal guarantee of the inte-
grity of the kingdom of Bavaria and
its full borders as at that time, on
condition of the king's joining his
warlike powers to theirs, not to carry
on a war of ambition or aggrandise-
ment against France, but to secure the
independence of the German nation,
and of the states of which it consists,
and to prevail on the Emperor Napo-
leon to sign an honourable peace. His
majesty could not have given a refusal
to such proposals without becoming
criminal to his own subjects, and being
blind to the sacred principles on which
only their welfare can be founded. In
full confidence in such open and gene-
rous offers, he has therefore resolved
to accept them in their full extent,
and to conclude an alliance with the
three princes against the extensive
views which France has shown to en-
tertain, and for the good effects of
which his majesty will use his utmost
endeavours.

His majesty wishes that a speedy
peace may soon restore the relations
which he would not now have relin-
qui:>hed, had not the illegal extension
of a power which grew every day more
insupportable, rendered it his duty to

take the steps and form the alliance he
has done.

' From henceforward, united in inte-
rest and sentiments with his high and
powerful allies, his royal Bavarian ma-
jesty would neglect no means which
may contribute to draw closer the ties
that bind him to them;
Munichy Oct, 17, 1813.

Proclamation of the Spanish General
Giron to the French.

Soldiers,— The war in which you are
engaged is not now a national war ; it
is the result of the mad ambition of
your emperor, who wishes to subject
all nations.

Spain was in intimate friendship
with France ; Napoleon wished to
conquer her ; 400,000 warriors re-
main interred in her soil, and you now
find yourselves, after so many labours^
once more on the other side of the
Pyrenees.

Prussia was almost subjected ; the
emperor wished to destroy her ; and
100,000 Prussians are now fighting for
liberty.

Russia, relying upon the good faith
of her treaties, your chief wished to
invade ; you lost in a single campaign
300,000 soldiers, 40,000 horses, and
more than 1000 cannon ; and Russia's
victorious armies having saved Poland,
have collected upon the Elbe, and
threaten France herself. See, then,
how he despises the blood which you
spill, and laughs at your valour.

Soldiers ! Europe has determined
to be free, and the armies of Napo-
leon cannot resist her — she fights for
the peace and liberty of the world,
and Frenchmen should take as much
or more interest than we in the good
success of this contest, equally terrible
as necessary.

Soldiers ! It is now requisite to put
an end to this war of twenty year«.

APPENDIX II STATE PAPERS.

cclxxxvii

which would last as long as your em-
peror's life. Hasten to concur in this
grand work ; Spaniards invite you,
and will receive yoH as brothers ; and
every French soldier, as soon as he
presents himself, shall receive his daily
ration and bread ; the cavalry soldier
shall likewise be at liberty to sell his
horse ; you shall be at liberty to go
wherever you wish, or to enter into
the foreign corps which are in our
pay.

Soldiers I In a just and national
war no man of honour would abandon
his colours ; but under existing cir-
cumstances it is better to join the
cause of the whole world than combat
for that of a single man, and contri-
bute to the disgrace of your own
country. Who among you can be ac-
tuated by greater honour, valour, and
love for France than Moreau and Ber-
nadotte ? You know them well, and
you know that they fight for our
cause, which is that of justice and of
glory. Haste to imitate them.

To the Inhabitants of the Italian and
ILlyrian Quarter of the Tyrol.

On the 8th instant there was signed
at Ried, by the plenipotentaries of his
imperial and apostolic majesty, and
of his majesty the king of Bavaria, a
treaty of alliance and amity, by which
Bavaria renounces her connection with
the confederation of the Rhine, and
joins all her forces to those of the al-
lied powers, for the important object*
which they have in view. In commu-
nicating this great event, which muit
have consequences so important and so
happy, to the knowledge of the inha-
bitants of the Italian and Illyrian Ty-
rol, it is unnecessary to add, that eve-
ry kind of hostility ceases towards that
power, our new ally ; and that it is
the duty of every individual to contri-
bute by all the means in his power to

consolidate that union, the object of
which must cause it to be regarded as
sacred. His Majesty the Emperor of
Austria will consider every violation
of the Bavarian territory, and all re-
sistance of the authorities established
by his high ally, as an act of hostility
against Austria, inasmuch as what is
done for the one contributes to the
advantage of both. There is nothing
but a durable peace which can restore
the welfare of the Tyrol, the former
prosperous state of its commerce, and
a regular civil constitution ; and that
peace can only be brought about by
the close union of the allied courts.
His imperial majesty promises peace
to the inhabitants of the Italian and
Illyrian Tyrol, and hopes that every
one will await in tranquillity, and with
confidence, the particular indemnifica-
tions to which he may have claims, and
which his majesty will in no case re-
gulate before hand. The fixing of the
boundaries of each state will not in fu-
ture depend on the pleasure of a single
sovereign, or on the right of conquest,
but on the consent of other powers.
Such is the wish of my master, — the
object of this war, — the spirit of the
peace which must be conquered, and
which shall restore their rights to eve-
ry people in Europe.

(Signed) Roschmanny,
Privy-councillor of his imperial
majesty, &c.

Hildensheim, Nov. 6.
In virtue of a convention betweeo
his Royal Highness the Prince Regent
of England and the King of Prussia>
the principahty of Hildesheim has been
re-united to the states of his^royal
highness in Germany. Count \valmo-
den has been charged to take poshes,
sion of it. The ceremony took place
on the 3d inslant, on which occa.jiou
the following proclaij|rttion was pub-
lished ;—

cckxxviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

George Prince Regentf in the name of
his Majesty George Third, etc*

Inhabitants of the principality of
Hildesheim ! — After numerous vicis-
situdes, you are placed under my go-
vernment. This state of things is the
most natural, and the most desirable
for you. Your country is surrounded
on almost all sides by the German pro-
vinces of my house ; your usages,
your ancient constitution, resemble
ours ; the greater part of your terri-
tory was, at a former period, for more
than a century under the sway of my
ancestors. Vicinity and experience
have made you acquainted with the
principles upon which the Princes of
Brunswick Lunenberghavebeen accus-
tomed to reign. We make no distinc-
tion between our old and our new sub-
jects ; we exercise no authority over
any of them but for their own good,
and never for any object that is foreign
to them : to conciliate their attach-
ment and affection, by causing the wel-
fare of all, is the constant object and
best reward of our efforts. I expect
of you, with entire confidence, tbe
same fidelity which the Hanoverians,
amidst the severe trials of these latter
times, have constantly displayed to-
wards his majesty in a manner the
most affecting. Reckon upon my pro-
tection in the exercise of your religion,
in the enjoyment of your property,
your rights, and on my most zealous
cares for your welfare. You also have
partaken of the calamities which for
many years have weighed heavily on
so many of the German states : the
fortune of war for some time tore you
from the sway of a German monarch
to si^ject you to foreign laws, alto-
gether unsuitable to your country, and
for the interests of a sovereign who
was still more foreign to you. You
have deep wounds to cicatrize ; and
great sacrifices^^enerous efforts, will
still be demanded of you, in order to

conquer a solid peace, and to secure
public order and tranquillity, without
which the general happiness can never
be successfully re-established. Do not
lose sight of the necessity ; but place
your confidence in the aid of the Al-
mighty, who has already granted to
me and my high aUies victory over the
common enemy ; who has also deliver-
ed you, and who will assuredly bless
my constant efforts to restore and aug-
ment your prosperity.

By order of his Royal Highness
the Prince Regent. »

(Signed) Decken.

Bremer.

Swiss CoTifederation,

We the landamman and the mem-
bers of the diet of the cantons of the
Swiss confederation.

To you, dear confederates, health.

The war which was lately far from
our frontier, is approaching our coun-
try and our peaceable dwellings.

Under these circumstances it was
our duty, as deputies of the confede-
rate cantons, to maturely reflect upon
the situation of the country, to address
communications to the belligerent
powers, and make all the ulterior dis-
positions which our circumstances de-
mand.

Faithful to the principles of their
forefathers, we have, in virtue of the
power and orders of our government,
declared with unanimous voice and
will, the neutrality of the Swiss. We
are going to have transmitted and no-
tified in the most proper forms, to the
sovereigns at war, the solemn act
which we have just passed with this
intention.

Thanks to divine protection, the
observation of an exact neutrality has,
during ages, guaranteed the liberty
and repose of our country. Now, as
in times of old, this neutrality alone
belongs to our position and to our

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS,

cchexxik

wants. We therefore wish to establish
and make it respected by all the means
which are in our power ; we wish to
ensure the liberty and independence of
Switzerland, maintain its present con-
stitution, and preserve our territory
from all attempts ; such is the only
«nd of all our efforts.

To this effect we address ourselves
to you, dear confederates of all the
cantons of Switzerland, in immediately
giving you information of the declara-
tion which has just been issued. The
diet expects of each of you, whoever
he may be, that he will act in the
same views ; that he will contribute
by all his means to the common cause ;
that h^ will make the efforts and sacri-
fices which the good of the country
and its preservation demand ; and that
thus the whole nation will shew itself
worthy of their forefathers, and of the
happiness which they enjoy.

May the sovereign Master of the
world be pleased to accept the ho-
mage of our profound gratitude for
the immense benefits which he has hi-
therto diffused over our country 1 and
may the preservation, the tranquillity,
and the happiness of this state, placed
under his protection, be granted to
our prayers i

Given at Zurich, Nov. 20.

The landamman of the Swiss, pre-
eident of the diet,

J. DE ReINHARD.

The chancellor of the confedera-
tion, Morrison.

HOLLAND.

Amsterdam, Nov, 19, 1813.
The following has been published
here :—

Proclaniation*
The provisional government of the
city of Amsterdam having experienced
how it has pleased the Divine Provi-

YOL. VI. 1>AKT II.

dence to crown its endeavours for the
restoration of the quiet of this great
and considerable city with the best ef-
fects, so that not only every thmg has •
been speedily, and, according to the
constitution, restored to order ; but
that, ever since, the best founded
hopes are increasing, that in future
the public order will not again be dis-
turbed. This happy and speedy re-
sult is, under God, chiefly to be ascri-
bed to the unexpected efforts, as well
of the officers and men of the armed
burghers, who have acted with so
much discrimination in the perform-
ance of this, to them, severe duty, as
to the other official persons, who, both
on horse and foot, have contributed to
the preservation of the public tran-
quiUity. They give due thanks on
behalf of the whole burghership, for
the services which, with the blessing
of God, they have rendered, and which
have put a stop to the further progress
of irregularities, and thereby prevented
it from suffering greater misfortunes,
and at the same time obliged all others
to go forward with the same ardent
zeal, to assist the provisional govern-
ment in securing the peace and secu-
rity of all persons and effects ; and
they likewise admonish all the official
persons in this city to refrain from all
excesses, but, on the contrary, by all
means to assist the activity of the na-
tional guards, and others who have
joined them, for the restoration of
public order ; and the government
will, so far as lays in its power, use its
best endeavours, that the services ren-
dered for the benefit of this city, and
of its appointed official persons, shall
not be forgotten ; and that those who
unhappily may have proved themselves
guilty of excesses, shall be exemplarily
punished, because the government like-
wise means to put those who do ser-
vice as substitutes in the national
guards on duty, from ihe moment it
falls to them by their contract, in full
t

ccxc EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

confidence that they will always pro-
ceed with the same zeal as they have
hitherto shewn, in assisting to preserve
the peace and good order.

The provisional government afore-
said, J. C. VAN DER Hoop.

Amsterdam, Nov. 18.

ambition of a conqueror, because ihnt
you hesitate -in rising for the liberty
and independence of our dear country.

F. VAN derD. van Maasdam.

G. K. VAN HOGENDORP.

In the Name of his Serene Highness the
Prince of Orange and Nassau.

The general government of the Uni-
ted Netherlands to the magistrates
and governments of the Low Coun-
tries.

The general government has with
pleasure learnt that peace and order
have almost generally been restored in
the Low Countries, notwithstanding
that in some villages the authorities
have absented themselves. It is there-
fore our pleasure, that there, and in all
other places where such may be need-
ful, the most considerable and best in-
formed magistrates shall join hands,
and constitute themselves as a provi-
sional government, with a president
empowered, in case of need, to pro-
ceed immediately in affairs of pressing
necessity. .

Netlierlanders ! our cause is safe if
tv'e continue unanimous and preserve
good order ; and that no one shall
bring upon himself the charge of cow-
ardice, or coldly consider only his self-
preservation, to stamp for ever the Ne-
therlands with shame in the eyes of alf
the nations of Europe, let none of you
fprget, that if the event of this combat
should be doubtful, every one would
nevertheless have to expect the effects
of the most dreadful rage from him
who envies Holland even the slightest
remains of her former welfare !

Let none of us forget that if we fail
our sons will by new designs be un-
mercifully torn from our breastF, and
that the blood of our noble Nether-
land youth must flow to satisfy the

At the Hague, Nov, 17.

As the want of government for bur
dear state might cause the most dread-
ful effects of plunder and bloodshed,
should it continue so for a few days,
we have therefore deemed it necessary
to summon the principal persons and
ministers of the old government, such
as it consisted of in the year IVSM' and
5, to assemble with the utmost speed,
and in pursuance thereof, to write to
some of them to make it further more
Ivnown.

The meeting is to be held in the
house of M. Gysbert Karel van Ho-
gendorp, on the Kueulerdyk, on
Thursday, the 18th November, at
twelve o'clock.

F. VAN DER D. VAN MaASDAM.

G. K. VAN HOGENDORF.

O. Repelaer van Driei*.
J. F. van Hogendorp.
F. D. Changuion.

F. C DE JONGE.

proclamation.

In the Name of his Highness the Prince
of Orange, the Governor General of
the United Netherlands .• —

Inhabitants of the Netherlands!—
The moment is arrived for recovering
our existence as a nation ; the triumph
of the allies has laid low the pride of
our oppressor, and has broken in pieces
his colossal power. ,

At this important moment every
Dutchman feels his courage inflamed
to throw off the yoke by which wc
have been so disgracefully subjugated.
" National freedom and independence'*

APPENDIX II.—STATE PAPERS*

ccxci

U the watchword of every one ;
Orange ! the general rallying cry of
all who are proud of bearing the name
of Dutchmen. We only fulfil the
wishes of all our fellow-citizens, by
this day, in expectation of the arrival
of his highness the Prince of Orange,
and in his name placing ourselves at
the head of the government ; we take
upon us this tasE, confiding in the aid
of Divine Providence, whose hand has
been so conspicuously manifested in the
present deliverance of our beloved
country, but also confident of the sup-
port and assistance of every Dutch-
man, who, forgetting all that is past,
and \vithout distinction of rank, sta-
tion, or religious persuasion, is with us
determined once more to rescue that
native country, which, ravaged from
the fury of the elements — from Philip
and Alva, was so gloriously defended
by the valour of our forefathers, though
it has long been covered with reproach
and dishonour.

From this moment our chains are
thrown off; no foreigner shall any
ijftore tyrannise over you ; every tie of
compulsion and slavish submission to
the common enemy of Europe, to the
disturber of the peace, welfare, and
independence of nations, we renounce
irrevocably and for ever.

In the name of his highness the
Prince of Orange, and as invested for
the p/esent with the supreme govern-
ment of the Netherlands, we release
our fellow citizens throughout the
whole extent of the United Provinces
from the oath of allegiance and fidelity
taken to the emperor of the French ;
and we declare to be traitors to their
country, rebels against the legitimate
national government, and liable to all
the consequent penalties, such as, un-
der pretence of connection with the
French government, or in compliance
with its authority, shall obey any or^
ders issued by it, or its agents, or
maintain any correspondence with it.

All connections with our oppressors,,
whose contempt and reproach have
kindled a flame in every, countenance
and heart, are from this day at an end.
But this is not enough 1

Dutchmen ! We call upon you una-
nimously to rally round the standard
which we have this day planted ; we
call upon you to take up arms like
men, and drive from our confines the
enemy, who still appears to dare us
upon our territory, but already trem«
bles at our union.

Let all of us think of the deeds of
our brave forefathers, when, through
the immortal William I., Dutch va-
lour broke out into an inextinguish-
able flame ; and let the noble example
of the Spanish people, who, by the
most persevering exertions, accompa-
nied with infinite loss of property and
blood, have broke to pieces the hated
yoke, and upon whom the dawn of de-
liverance and victory now shines — let
this example teach us that the issue
cannot fail of success.

We h^ve every where intrusted to
men of tried military skill the task of
a general arming ; they will go before
you in that danger which can only be
of short duration, till the arrival of our
allies for our deliverance.

Order and military discipline shall
distinguish our troops ; they are inse-
parable from true valour.

We shall take care that those who
fight for us want for nothing ; that
our confidence never fail ; that the
God of Holland warreth for us !

Bat as, in order to carry on the
operations for the arming and for the
defence of the territory, the expendi-
ture of the interior government must
be very considerable, we trust that the
Dutch will not be deficient in this part
of their duty ; the revenues of the
country shall be expended for the wel-
fare of the country. It becomes the
duty of every one, therefore, zealously
to discharge his obligations to the

cxcu

ED^^TPURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

treasury of the rotate, and he who would
act a fraudulf ut part under the present
circumstances, must be regarded as an
enemy to his country, and shall not go
unpunished.

We order all Dutch magistrates to
remain at their posts, and in the dis-
charge of their duties we place them
under the protection of all patriotic
Dutchmen.

We also confide in that spirit of
order which has ever distinguished
the Dutch people ; that in all the
offices cf authority, and especially in
those of the administration of justice,
every one will continue in the faithful
and uninterrupted performance of his
duty, accordmg to the laws still in
force. We command and order all
authorities of departments, cities, and
towns, to make known and affix the
present proclamation, according to the
usual forms.

Done at the Hague, this 21st of
Nov. 1813.

Van dlr Duin van Maasdam.
g. k. van hogendorp.

PROCLAMATION.

Amsterdam Dec. 2.

We, William Frederick, by the grace
of God, Prince of Orange and Nassau,
sovereign prince of the United Ne-
therlands, &c. to all whom these pre-
sents come, greeting.

You invited me, fellow-countrymen,
to bring to completion the task so
gloriously begtin by yourselves. I
have taken upon me the maintenance
of that independence which your cou-
rage restored ; and I now promise to
deem no difficulty, no labour, no sa-
crifice, too great on my part, to con-
vince you how much I love that peo-
ple, of whose affection I have received
and am daily receiving such signal
proofs.

But what other is our first duty at

the present moment, than the complete
expulsion of the French from our
country, which they have so long tor-
mented by their oppression ? A por-
tion of that country is still the prey of
the enemy, whose designs and inten-
tions the horrible events at Woerden
must make manifest to us all. To arras,
then, Netherlands ! to arms ! to avenge
the defenceless victims who fell under
the murderous sword of these robbers*
To arms ! to secure for ever your
wives, your children, and your proper-
ty, against all possible return of these
plundering murderers. The old flag
is again the point of union, and the old
flag shall alfco again revive the ancient
valour. Every moment of lethargy-
may prove destructive to one or other
of your towns, to hundreds of your
countrymen ; the time is come which ^
must prove for ever decisive of our I
fate : — lost, irrecoverably lost, is our i
country, should we slumber upon the •!
success of our first efforts : the coun- j
try is rescued for ever, when its sons, ■
animated with one spirit, shall every-
where run to arms, to support the ef-
forts of the allied deliverers of Europe i
— the Netherlands united to France
were involved in the infamy of France ;
the Netherlands united to the allies
shall participate in the glory of having
delivered Europe. Old men ! the
country and Orange call upon your
sons able to bear arras, not to be sa-
crificed in battle in foreign climes for
a foreign yoke, but to protect you and
your defencless children from plunder-
ing and murder. Wives ! your hus-
bands are summoned to arms, not to
fight for a foreign tyranny, which
would leave you to perish here in beg-
gary, but to secure you in that tran-
quillity for which the country will make
ample provision.

And you who cannot personally
engage in this contest, the noblest that
Providence ever opened up to us, sup-
port those who fight for you ; provide,

APPENDIX II.—STATE PAPERS.

ccxcui

By your ample contributions, for their
arming, clothing, and subsistences —
in short, for all the first necessaries of
war.

Plundered treasuries, confusion and
discord in the administrations, were all
that your oppresors left behind them ;
but your patriotism shall teach the
opposers themselves, that no Nether-
lander reckons that a sacrifice which
may place his country in freedom.

I conjure you in the name of the
country, — I conjure you by your past
misfortunes, — enquire not what you
ought to lay on the altar of your coun-
try ; ask only what would be your
sufferings, should the return of your
tyrants, which God avert ! be the ef-
fect of narrow calculations.

All the nations of Europe, whose
magnanimous sacrifices have been
crowned with the most glorious results,
have their eyes upon you at this mo-
ment : our allies expect the putting
forth of all our powers, and we must
shew them that we are not backward
in the noble strife.

Again I conjure you not to delay
your voluntary offers for the support
of our efforts towards the deliverance
of our beloved country.

Forced loans correspond not with a
people who have freely taken upon
themselves the direction of their own
affairs ; and the increase of the debts
of the state is one of those extreme
measures the adoption of which we
must avoid. We would not commence
our reign with financial regulations
which might tend to shake public
credit : that good faith with which
our ancestors fulfilled their engage-
ments, and which we still reckon
among the virtues of the Netherlands,
shall be sacredly observed by us in all
measures relating to the finance of
the country.

We order our commissaries general
of war, finance, and for foreign affairs,
t o make all the necessary dispositions

for forwarding the object of our pa-
ternal summons, and to submit to us
the necessary regulations respecting
the same.

We will and order, that the whole
of the sums arising from voluntary
contributions, being set apart from
the general revenue of the country,
shall be wholly appropriated for the
purpose of the extraordinary arming;
and we require this address to be read
from the pulpits of the different
churches, on the first ensuing Sunday,
and otherwise made known in the most
solemn manner.

Done at the Hague, this 6th of
December, 1813, and m the first year
of our reign.

(Signed) Williaac*
By order. Van der Duin.
Van Masdaam.

The following is an extract of a pro-
clamation of the Prince of Orange,
dated the Hague, Dec. 6.

PROCLAMATION.

We, William Frederick, by the
grace of God, Prince of Orange and
Nassau, sovereign prince of the United
Netherlands, &c.

When on the 2d inst. We accepted
at Amsterdam the sovereignty over
the United Netherlands, in conse-
quence of the universally expressed
wish of the people, we greatly wished
to confirm and crown, by a solemn
installation, that event, which binds
us, our children, and descendants, more
strongly than ever to the fate of this
nation. But the circumstances in
which our country is placed, and the
important occupations caused thereby,
have made us deem it expedient to
reserve for the present the fixing of
the time when that ceremony shall
take place, in the pleasing expectation
that in the course of a few weeks we
shall be able to announce to the nation.

cexciv

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

and also to submit to our beloved fel-
low countrymen, a constitution which,
under a monarchical form, which they
themselves have chosen, may secure
to them their morals, their personal
rights and privileges, — in one word,
their ancient freedom. In the mean-
time we cannot longer delay taking
the reins of government into our hands,
and charging ourselves with the imme-
diate direction of the affairs of the
«tat^.

We therefore now declare, that the
hitherto subsisting general government
of the United Netherlands is this day
dissolved, and that hence forward no one
can or may make any order or regula-
tion of binding force, but in as far as
it has emanated from us, or from ma-
gistrates appointed and commissioned
by us.

The provisional government of the
city of Leyden, to the good citizens
of that city.

Citizens and inhabitants of Ley-
den ! — Scarcely had the beloved Prince
of the Netherlands again set his foot
on his natal soil, when from all sides
the wish was expressed that WiHiam
Frederick, Prince of Orange and Nas-
sau, should stand not only in the same
dignity and relation to our country as
his illustrious ancestors, but that he
should be sovereign prince of the Ne-
therlands.

We heartily wished, with you, to
offer his highness this great dignity in
the name of all the citizens, and, like
the great city of Amsterdam, to salute
him as such on the day when our city
should be honoured with his high pre-
sence.

But though the joyful day is not far
off, the inhabitants of Leyden are too
impatient to wait for it to fulfil their
wish.

Well, then, citizens an4 inhabitants

of Leyden, from this day forward w^
recognise the illustrious descendant of
thehouse of Orange as sovereign prince,
and respect him as such.

The unity of the sovereign power
must now be the corner-stone of our
poHtical edifice — then shall our civil
liberty revive, and be secured by wise
laws. Then, under the government
of a prince of the blood of Nassau
born in our own country, educated in
the principles of honour and the reli-
gion of our forefathers, who knows
our wants and respects our manners,
shall the re-establishment of the Ne-
therlands be begun, and under the
blessing of God be happily accom-
plished.

Let every one, then, take his post
about o:4r beloved prince, and promote
with all his ability, the great work
which he has to accomplish for our
sakes. The preservation of the Ne-
therlands, our happiness, and that of
our posterity, are his sole object, and
shall be secured under his govern-
ment.

No sacrifices can be too great to
save, to preserve our country. No
foreign constraint, no domination more,
no external power, shall longer drag
our children to slaughter.

Let William Frederick, Prince of
Orange and Nassau, sovereign of the
Netherlands, be then the rallying point
of all brave Netherlanders. Be he
the shield against which all discord
and party spirit is broken, and strength-
en the bond by which union gives
power; and honour and prosperity
may again abide among us. The God
of the Netherlands, the God of our
fathers, bless, strengthen, help, and
support him !

Done and resolved by the provision-
al government of the city of Leyden,
the 8th of December 1813 ; and after
ringing the bells, published to the
people from the tower of the town-
house, on the following day, by the

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

ccxcv

heads of the provisional government
of the city of Leyden, Anthony Gu8-
tay, Baron of Boetzelaer ; Mr Girar-
d'ls Martinus Von Bommel, Johan
G:e^ Mr Daniel Michael Gysbers
lieldewier, and Mr William Peter
Kleist.

This proclamation was received with
unanimous acclamations by the assem-
bled ^crowds, with the cry of Long
live Wilham Frederick, Prince of
Orange, sovereign prince of the Ne-
therlands I

f A similar proclamation to the
above was adopted by the citizens of
Dort.J

Concordat between Napoleon and the
Pope.

His majesty the emperor and king
and his holiness being inclined to put
an end to the differences which have
arisen between them, and to provide
against the difficulties that have taken
pWe in several affairs concerning the
church, have agreed upon the follow-
ing articles, which are to serve as a
basis for a definitive arrangement : —

Art. 1. His holiness shall exercise
the pontificate in France, and in the
kingdom of Italy, in the same manner,
and with the same forms, as his prede-
cessors.

2. The ambassadors, ministers,
charges d'affaires of foreign powers to
the holy father, and the ambassadors,
ministers, or charges d'affaires, whom
the pope may have with foreign
powers, shall enjoy such immunities
and privileges as are enjoyed by the
members of the diplomatic body.

3. The domains which were possess-
ed by the holy father, and that have
not been alienated, shall be exempted
from all kinds of imposts, and shall be
administered by his agents, or charges
d'affaires. Ttiose which were aliena-
ted, shall be replaced, as far as to the

amount of two millions of francs in re-
venue.

4. Within the space of six months
following the notification of the usage
of the nomination by the emperor to
the archbishopricks and!bishopricks of
the empire and the kingdom of Italy,
the pope shall give the canonical in-
vestiture in conformity with the con*
cordat, and by virtue of this indulto. .
The prehminary information shall be
given by the metropolitan. The six
months being expired without the pope
having accorded the investiture, the
metropolitan, or in default of him,
where a metropolitan is in question,
the oldest bishop of the province, shall
proceed to the investiture of the new-
bishop in such manner that a see shall
never be vacant longer than one year.

5. The pope shall nominate to ten
bishopricks, either in France or in
Italy, which shall finally be designated
by mutual consent.

6. The six suburban bishopricks
shall be re-established. They shall be
at the nomination of the pope. The
property actually existing shall be re-
stored, and measures shall be taken for
recovering what has been sold. At
the death of the bishops of Anagni
and of Rieti, their dioceses shall be
united to the six bishopricks . before-
mentioned, conformably to the agree-
ment which will take place between
his majesty and the holy father.

7. With regard to the bishops of
the Roman states, who are, through
circumstances, absent from their dio-
ceses, the holy father may exercise his
right of J^iving bishopricks in parti'
bus in their favour. A pension shall
be given to thein equal to the revenue
before enjoyed by thegi, and they may
be replaced in the vacant sees, either
in the empire or in the kingdom of
Italy.

8. His majesty and his holiness will,
at a proper time, concert with each
other on th? reduction to be made,

CCKCVl

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813,

if it should take place, in the bishop-
ricks of Tuscany and the country of
Genoa, as likewise for the bishopricks
to be established in Holland and in the
Hanseatic departments.

9. The propoganday the peniten-
tiary, andf the archives, shall be esta-
blished in the place of the holy father's
residence.

10 His majesty restores his good
favour to those cardinals, bishops,
priests, and lay-brethren, who have in-
curred his displeasure in consequence
of actual events.

The holy father agrees to the above
dispositions, in consideration of the ac-
tual state of the church, and in the
confidence v^^ith which his majesty has
inspired him, that he will grant his
powerful protection to the numerous
wants which religion suffers in the
times we live in.

(Signed) Napoleon.

Pius, P. P. VII.

Fontainbleau, Jan, 25, 1813.

Address to the People of France*

Louis XVIII, &c. &c.

The moment is at length arrived
when Divine Providence appears ready
to break in pieces the instrument of
its wrath. The usurper of the throne
of St Louis, the devastator of Europe,
experiences reverses in his turn. Shall
they have no other effect but that of
aggravating the calamities of France ;
and will she not dare to overturn an
odious povt^er, no longer protected by
the illusions of victory ? What preju-
dices, or what fears, can now prevent
her from throwing herself into the arms
of her king, and from recognising, in
the estabhshmant of his legitimate au-
thority, the only pledge of unicHi,
peace, and happiness, which his pro-
mises have so often guaranteed to his
oppressed subjects ?

Being neither able nor, inchned to

obtain but by their efforts that throne
which his rights and their affection can
aloneconfirm,what wishes shouldbe ad-
verse to those which he has invariably
entertained ? what doubt can be started
with regard to his paternal intentions I

The king has said in his preceding
declarations, and he reiterates the as-
surance, that the administrative and ju-
dicial bodies shall be maintained in the
plenitude of their powers ; that he
will preserve their places to those who
at present hold them, and who shall
take the oath of fidelity to him ; that
the tribunals, depositaries of the law,
shall prohibit all prosecutions bearing
relation to those unhappy times of
which his return will have for ever
sealed the oblivion ; that, in fine, the
code polluted by the name of Napo-
leon, but which, for the most part,
contains onlytheancient ordinances and
customs of the realm, shall remain in
force, with the exception of enactments
contrary to the doctrines of religion^
which, as well as the liberty of the peo«
pie, has long been subjected to the ca^
price of the tyrant.

The senate, in which are seated some
men so justly distinguished for their
talents, and whom so many services
may render illustrious in the eyes of
France, and of posterity, — that corps
whose utility and importance can never
be duly appreciated till after the re-
storation,—-can it fail to perceive the
glorious destiny which summons it to
become the first instrument of that
great benefaction which will prove the
most solid, as well as the most honour-
able guarantee of its existence and its
prerogatives ?

On the subject of property, the
king, who has already announced his
intention to employ the most proper
means for conciHating the interests of
all, perceives in the numerous settle-
ments which have taken place between
the old and the new land-holders the
means of rendering those cares almost

APPENDIX II.-STATE PAPERS.

CCXCVll

•uperfluous. He engages, however, to
interdict all proceedings by the tribu-
nals, contrary to such settlements, to
encourage voluntary arrangennents,
and, on the part of himself and his fa-
mily, to set the example of all those
iacrifices which may contribute to the
repose of France, and the sincere union
of all Frenchmen.

The king has guaranteed to the ar-
my the maintenance of the ranks, em-
ployments, pay, and appointments,
which it at present enjoys. He pro-
mises also to the generals, officers, and
soldiers, who shall signalize themselves
in support of his cause, rewards more
substantial, distinctions more honour-
able, than any they can receive from
an usurper, always ready to disown, or
even to dread their services. The king
binds himself anew to aboHsh that per-
nicious conscription, which destroys
the happiness of families and the hope
of the country.

Such always have been, such still
are, the intentions of the king. His
re-establishment on the throne of his
ancestors will be for France only the
happy transition from the calamities
of a war which tyranny perpetuates
to the blessings of a solid peace, for
which foreign powers can never find
any security but in the word of the
legitimate sovereign.

Hartwelly Feb. 1, 1813.

Copy of the Treaty of Peace concluded
ietxueen Portugal and Algiers,

In the name of God, gracious and
merciful !

Treaty of peace and friendship be-
tween the High and Mighty Prince,
the Prince Regent of Portugal, and
of the Algarves, &c. and the Right
Honourable and Noble Sid Hage Aly,
Bashaw of Algiers, agreed upon be-
tween the said Bashaw, with his Divan
and the chief men of hia states, and

Jose Joaquim da Rosa Coellio, cap-
tain in the royal navy, and Fr. Jose d^
Santo Antonio Moura, interpreter of
Arabic, and belonging to the office
of secretary of state for the affairs
of marine, duly authorised to con-
clude the said treaty in which his Bri-
tannic majesty interposed as mediator,
and for that purpose Mr Wm. A'-
Court, envoy extraordinary from the
court of London, presented himself
with the necessary powers.

Art. I.— There shall be firm, stable,
and perpetual peace, between the twq
high contracting parties and their re-
spective subjects ; and all vessels, whe-
ther of war or commerce, may freely
navigate, and with full security, ac-
cording to their convenience, carrying
with them for that purpose the neces-
sary passports.

II. — AH ships and subjects of Por-
tugal may enter, depart, remain, trade,
and provide themselves with every ne-
cessary in the dominions of Algiers
without being placed under any em-
barrassment, or having any violence
done them. The subjects and vessels
of Algiers shall be treated in the same
manner in the dominions of Portugal.

III. — The ships of war belonging
to the crown of Portugal may provide
themselves with stores, or any thing
they stand in need of in the ports of
Algiers, and at the current price,
without being obhged to pay any thing
additional for that privilege.

IV. — No Algerine corsair shall
cruize within the distance of six miles
from the coast of Portugal and its isles,
or remain in those waters for the pur-
pose of giving chase to, or visiting
Portuguese ships, or those of any other
nation, the enemy of Algiers, visiting
the said ports for commercial purposes.
Portuguese ships of war on the Alge-
rine coast shall follow the same regu-
lation.

V. — When any Portuguese mer-
chant vessel is met by an Algerine cor-

ccxcvm

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

sair, and the latter demands to visit
her, he may do so, but not more than
two perbons are to go on board the
said'vessel to examine her papers and
passports,

VI — Foreigners of any nation, and
merchandise of foreign ownership
found on board any Portuguese vessel,
even though belonging to a nation
hostile tt) the regency of Algiers, shall
not be seized under any pretext what-
ever. The same rule shall be observed
by the Portuguese, in regard to the
property found by them on board any
Algerine vessel.

In like manner the subjects and
goods belonging to either of the con-
tracting parties found on board the ves-
sel of an enemy of either of the said
parties, shall be respected and set at
liberty by both. But they are not to
commence their voyage without a pro-
per passport ; and if that should hap-
pen to be mislaid, such persons shall
not on that account be accounted
slaves ; but on the contrary, upon its
being certified that they are subjects
of the contracting parties, they shall
be immediately set at liberty.

VlI,-Should any Portuguese vessel,
chased by an enemy, take refuge in
any port of the dominions of Algiers,
or under its fortifications, the inhabi-
tants shall defend the said vessel, and
shall not assent to its receiving any
damage. In like manner, should any
Portuguese vessel fall in with an ene-
my's ship in a port of Algiers, and
wish to depart on her destination, her
enemy shall not be permitted to sail
from the port till twenty.four hours
after her departure. — The same shall
take place with regard to Algeriae
vessels in the harbours of Portugal.

Vlil. — Should any Portuguese ves-
sel be shipwrecked or stranded on the
Algerine coast, the governor and in-
habitants of the district shall treat the
crew with due humanity, doing them
jio harm, nor permitting them to be

robbed : on the contrary, they shall I
afford them all possible assistance in
saving the said ship and cargo ; the
crew not being bound to pay any thing
to such salvors but their salary or day's
wages. The same shall hold with re-
gard to any Algerine vessel wrecked
on the Portuguese coast.

IX. — The subjects of Portugal may
trade in the Algerine ports in the same
manner, paying the same duties, and
enjoying the same privileges as those
stipulated for the English. Algerine
subjects shall pay in Portugal the same
duties as those paid by the English.

X.-— The Portuguese consul, esta-
blished in the dominions of Algiers,
shall be accounted and treated like the
British consul ; and he, as well as his
servants, and all others who may wish
to practise it, shall enjoy the free exer-
cise of his religion in his own house.
Tiie same consul may decide all con-
troversies and disputes arising among
Portuguese subjects, without the judges
of the country, or any other authority,
being entitled to interfere ; except
where a controversy arises between a
Portuguese and a Moor, in which case
the governor of the country may de-
cide It in the presence of the said, con-
sul.

XI. — The said consul andhis agents
shall not be bound to pay any debt
contracted by Portuguese subjects,
unless where he has bound himself by
writing under his hand and seal.

XII. — When any Portuguese dies in
the dominions of Algiers, all his pro-
perty shall be delivered to the Portu-
guese consul, in order to be remitted
to the heirs of the deceased.

Xin. — Should there happen any
infraction of the present treaty on the
pare of the subjects of Portugal, or
those of Algiers, it shall not on that
account be considered as dissolved ;
but the origin of such circumstance
shall be examined into, and proper sa-
tisfaction given to the injured party.

APPENDIX ll.— STATE PAPERS.

ccicit

XIV. — In case of war being decla-
red between the two high contracting
parties (which God avert), hosiihties
shall not be committed on either side
till the expiration of six months after
the said declaration. Durintf that in-
terval the Portuguese consul, and all
subjects of that knigdom, may retire
with all their property, without re-
ceiving the least hindrance ; an-l AU
gerine subjects in Portugal shall do the
same.

XV. — Whatever is rtot specified in
the above articles shall be regulated by
the articles of peace established be-
tween his Britannic majesty and the
regency of Algiers.

XVI. — And that this treaty may be
firm and durable, the two high con-
tracting parties accept as mediator and
guarantee of its observance, the King
of Great Britain ; in testimony of
which this treaty is signed by Mr A*-
Court, envoy extraordinary from the
court of London, jointly with the
above-mentioned envoys of Portugal ;
and two copies of the same shall be
extracted, one for the sovereign of
Portugal, and the other to remain in
the possession of the resident consul
at Algiers.

Done at Algiers, this 14th of July,
ISlij, corresponding to the 15th of
Jomadi Tani, in the year 1228 of the
Hegira.
(Signed) Jose Joaquim da Rosa

COELHO,

Wm. A«Coukt,
Fr. Jose de St Anto-
nio MOURA.
I^Here follows the ratification of
the above treaty by the lords gover-
nors of Portugal. J

Manifesto of his Majesty the Emperor
of Austria^ King of Hungary qfid
Bohemia.

The Austrian monarch has been

compelled by its situation, by its vari-
ous connections with the other powers,
and its importance in the confederacy
of European states, to engage in most
of those wars which have ravaged Eu-
rope for upwards of twenty years.
Throughout the progress of these ar-
duous struggles, the same political
principle has invariably directed his
imperial majesty. A lover of peace
from a sense of duty, from his own natu-
ral feelings, and from attachment to his
people ; free from all ambitiousthoughts
of conquest and aggrandisement ; his
majesty has only taken up arms when
called by the urgent necessity of self-
preservation, by an anxiety for the
fate of contiguous states inseparable:
from his own, or by the danger of be-
holding the entire social system of Eu-
rope a prey to a lawless and absolute
power. To promote justice and order
has been the object of his majesty's
life and reign : for these alone have
Austria contended. If in these fre-
quently unsuccessful contests deep
wounds have been inflicted on the mo-
narchy, still his majesty had the con-
solation to reflect, that the fate of his
empire had not been hazarded upon
needless and violent enterprises ; that
all his decisions were justifiable before
God, his people, his contemporaries,
and posterity.

Notwithstanding the most ample
preparations, the war in 180.) would
have brought the state to ruin, had
not the ever-memorable bravery of the
army, and the spirit of true patriotism
which animated all parts of the monar-
chy, overbalanced every adverse oc-
currence. The honour of the nation,
and its ancient renown in arms, were
happily upheld during all the mis-
chances of this war ; but valuable pro-
vinces were lost ; and Austria, by the
cession of the countries bordering up-
on the Adriatic, was deprived of all
share in maritime commerce, one of
the most eficjent means of promoting

lec^

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 18ia.

her industry ; a blow which would
have been still more sensibly felt, had
not at the same time the whole conti-
nent been closed by a general and de-
structive system, preventing all com-
mercial intercourse, and almost sus-
pending all communication amongst
nations.

The progress and result of this war
fully satisfied his majesty, that in the
obvious impossibility of an immediate
and thorough improvement of the po-
htical condition of Europe, shaken as
it was to its very foundation, the exer-
tions of individual states in their own
defence, instead of setting bounds to
the general distress, would only tend
to destroy the little strength they still
retained, would hasten the fall of the
■whole, and even destroy all hopes of
future and better times. Under this
conviction, his majesty foresaw the
important advantage that would result
from a peace, which, if secured for
some years, might check this over-
grown and hitherto irresistible power,
— might allow his monarchy that re-
pose which was indispensable to the
restoration of his finances and his ar-
my, and at the same time procure to
the neighbouring states a period of re-
laxation, which, if improved with pru-
dence and activity, might prepare the
way to more fortunate times. Such a
peace, under the existing circumstan-
ces of danger, was only to be obtained
by an extraordinary effort* The em-
peror was sensible of it, and made this
effort. For the preservation of the
empire, for the most sacred interests
of mankind, — as a security against im-
measureable evils, as a pledge of a bet-
ter order of things, — his majesty sa-
crificed what was dearest to his heart.
"With this view, exalted above all com-
mon scruples, armed against every mis-
construction of the moment, an alli-
ance was formed which was intended,
^y a sense of some security, to re-ani-

mate the weaker and more suffering
party after the miseries of an unsuc-
cessful struggle, to incline the stronger
and victorious one to a course of mo-
deration and justice, without which
the community of states can only be
considered as a community of misery.

His majesty was the more justiBed
in these expectations, because at the
time of the consummation of this
union, the Emperor Napoleon had at-
tained that point of his career, when
the preservation of his conquests was
a more natural and desirable object
than a restless struggle after new pos*
sessions. Any farther extension of his.
dominions, long since outstretching^
their proper Hmits, was attended with
evident danger, not only to France,
already sinking under the burthen of
his conquests, but even to his own
real personal interest. What his au-
thority gained in extent, it necessarily
lost in point of security. By an union
with the most ancient imperial family
in Christendom, the edifice of his
greatness acquired, in the eyes of the
French nation, and of the world, such
an addition of strength and perfection,
that any ulterior scheme of aggran-
disement must only weaken and de-
stroy its stability. What France, what
Europe, what so many oppressed and
despairing nations earnestly demanded
of Heaven, a sound policy prescribed
to the triumphant ruler as a law of
self-preservation — and it was allowed
to hope that so many great and united
motives would prevail over the ambi-
tion of an individual.

If these flattering prospects were
destroyed, it is not to be imputed to
Austria. After many years' fruitless
exertions, after boundless sacrifices of
every description, there existed suffi-
cient motives for the attempt to pro-
cure a better order of things by con-
fidence and concession, when streams
of blood had hitherto produced no-
5

APPENDIX II.—STATE PAPERS'.

CCCt'

thing but misery and destruction ; nor
can his majesty ever regret that he has
been induced to attempt it.

The year i 810 was not yet closed, —
the war still raged in Spain, — the peo-
ple in Germany had scarce been al-
lowed a sufl&cient time to recover from
the devastations of the two former
wars, when, in an evil hour, the Em-
peror Napoleon resolved to unite a
considerable portion of the north of
Germany with the mass of countries
which bore the name of the French
empire, and to rob the ancient free
commercial cities of Hamburgh, Bre-
men, and Lubeck, first of their poli-
tical, and shortly after of their com-
mercial existence, and, with that, of
their means of subsistence. This vio-
lent step was adopted, without any
even plausible pretensions, in contempt
of every decent form, without any
previous declaration, or communica-
tion with any other cabinet, under the
arbitrary and futile pretext that the
war with England required it.

This cruel system, which was in-
tended to destroy the commerce of the
world, at the expense of the indepen-
dence, the prosperity, the rights and
dignity, and in utter ruin of the public
and private property of all the conti-
nental powers, was pursued with un-
relenting severity, in the vain expecta-
tion of forcing a result, which, had it
not fortunately proved unattainable,
would have plunged Europe for a
long time to come into a state of po-
verty, impotence, and barbarity.

The decree by which a new French
dominion was established on the Ger-
man coasts, under the title of a thir-
ty.second Military Division, was in
itself sufficiently calculated to raise
the suspicions of the adjoining states,
and it was the more alarming to them
as the fore-runner of future and great-
er dangers. By this decree it be-
came evident, that the system which
kid been created in France (although

previously transgressed, yet still pro-
claimed to be in existence), — the syg-
tem of the pretended natural limits of
the French empire, — was, without any-
farther justification or explanation,
overthrown, and even the emperor's
arbitrary acts were in the same arbi-
trary manner annihilated. Neither the
princes of the Rhenish confederacy,
nor the kingdom of Westphalia, no
territory, great or small, was spared,
in the accomplishment of this dread-
ful usurpation. The boundary, drawn
apparently by blind caprice, without
either rule or plan, without any con-
sideration of ancient or more recent
political relations, intersected river*
and countries, cut off the middle and
southern states of Germany from all
connection with the German sea, pass-
ed the Elbe, separated Denmark from
Germany, laid its pretensions even to
the Baltic, and seemed to be rapidly ap-
proaching the line of Prussian fortressea
still occupied on the Oder; and so little
did this act of usurpation (however
powerfully it affected all rights and
possessions, all geographic, political,
and military lines of demarkation) car-
ry with it a character of determinate
and complete accession of territory,
that it was impossible to view it in
any other light than as a forerunner of
still greater usurpations, by which one
half of Germany was to become a
French province, and the Emperor
Napoleon the absolute ruler -of the
continent.

To Russia and Prussia this unnatu-
ral extension of the French territory
could not fail of producing the most
serious alarm. The latter, surrounded
on all sides, no longer capable of free
action, deprived of every means of ob-
taining fresh strength, appeared has-
tening to its dissolution. Russia, al-
ready in fear for her western frontier,
by the conversion of the city of Dant-
zic, declared a free city by the treaty
of Tilsit, into a French military port,-

CCCll

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

and of a great part of Poland into a
French province, could not but see, in
the advance of the French dominion
along the sea coast, and in the new
chains prepared for Prussia, the im-
minent danger of her German and
Polish possessions. From this mo-
ment, therefore, the rupture between
France and Russia was as good as de-
cided.

Not without deep and just anxiety-
did Austria observe the storm which
was gathering. The scene of hostili-
ties would in every case be contiguous
to her provinces, which, owing to the
necessary reform in the financial sys-
tem which had cramped the restora-
tion of her military means, were in a
very defenceless state. In a higher
point of view, the struggle which
awaited Russia appeared still more
doubtful, as it commenced under the
same unfavourable conjuncture of af-
fairs, with the same want of co-opera-
tion on the part of other powers, and
with the same disproportion in their
relative means, consequently was just
as hopeless as all former struggles of
the same nature. His majesty the
emperor made every effort in his pow-
er by friendly mediation with both
parties to avert the impending storm.
No human judgment could at that
time foresee that the period was so
near at hand, when the failure of those
friendly attempts shauld prove more
injurious to the limperor Napoleon
than to his opponents. Thus, how-
ever, it was resolved by the wisdom of
Providence.

When the commencement of hosti-
lities was no longer doubtful, his ma-
jesty was compelled to have recourse
to measures which, in so unnatural
and dangerous a conjuncture, might
combine his own security with just
considerations for the real interests of
neighbouring states. The system of
unarmed inaction, the only neutrality
which the Emperor Napoleon, ac-

cording to his own declarations, would
have permitted, was by every sound
maxim of policy wholly inadmissible,
and would at last have proved only
a vain endeavour to shrink from the
approaching trial. A power so im-
portant as Austria could not renounce
all participation in the interests of Eu-
rope, nor could she place herself in a
situation in wliich, equally ineffective
in peace or war, she would lose her
voice and inihier.ce in all great nego-
ciations, without acquiring any gua-
rantee for the security of her own
frontier. To prepare for war against
France would have been, under the
existing circumstances, as little conso-
nant with equity as with prudence.
The Emperor Napoleon had given hi^
majesty no personal ground for hostile
proceedings ; and the prospect of at-
taining many beneficial results by a
skilful employment of the estabhshed
friendly relations, by confidential re-
presentations, and by conciliatory
councils, had not yet been abandoned
as hopeless. And with regard to the
immediate interest of the state, such a
revolution would inevitably have been
attended with this consequence — that
the Austrian territory would have be-
come the first and principal seat of
war, which, with its well-known defi-
ciency of means of defence, would, in
a short time, have overthrown the mo-
narchy.

In this painful situation his majesty
had no other resource than to take the
field on the side of France. To take
up arms for France, in the real sense
of the word, would have been a mea-
sure not only in contradiction with the
duties and principles of the emperor,
but even with the repeated declara-
tions of his cabinet, which had, with-
out any reserve, disapproved of this
war. On the signature of the treaty
of the 12Lh of March, 1812, his ma-
jesty proceeded upon two distinct prin-
ciples : the first, as is proved by the

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

cccnt

•W/ords of the treaty, was to leave no
means untried which might sooner or
later obtain a peace ; the other was to
place himself internally and externally
in a position, which, if it should prove
impossible to effect a peace, or in case
the turn of the war should render de-
cisive measures in this part necessary,
would enable Austria to act with in-
dependence, and in either of these
cases to adopt the measures which a
just and wise policy should prescribe.
Upon this principle it was that only a
fixed and comparatively small part of
the army was destined to co-operate
in the war ; the other military re-
Sources, at that time in a state of rea-
diness, or that still remained to be
prepared, were not called for the pro-
secution of this war. By a kind of
tacit agreement between the bellige-
rents, the Austrian territory was even
treated as neutral. The real end and
views of the system adopted by his
majesty, could not escape the notice
of France, Russia, or any intelligent
observer.

The campaign of 1812 furnished "a
memorable example of the failure of
an undertaking supported by gigantic
powers, conducted by a captain of the
iirst rank, when, in the confidence of
great military talents, he despises the
rules of prudence, and outsteps the
bounds of nature. The illusion of
glory carried the Emperor Napoleon
jrtto the heart of the Russian empire j
and a false political view of things
induced him to imagine that he should
dictate a peace in Moscow, should
cripple the Russian power for half a
century, and then return victorious.
When the magnanimous constancy of
the Emperor of Russia, the glorious
deeds of his warriors, and the unsha-
ken fidelity of his people, put an end
to this dream, it was too late to re-
pent it with impunity. Tlie whole
French army was scattered and des-
troyed : in less than four months we

have seen the theatre of war transfer-
red from the Dnieper and the Dwiaa
to the Oder and the Elbe.

This rapid and extraordinary change
of fortune was the forerunner of an
important revolution in all the politi-
cal relations of Europe. The confe-
deracy of Russia, Great Britain, and
Sweden, presented a point of union
to all neighbouring states. Prussia,
whom report had long declared deter-
mined to risk all, to prefer even the
danger of immediate political destruc-
tion to the lingering sufferings of con-
tinued oppression, seized the favour-
able moment, and threw herself into
the arms of the allies. Many greater
and smaller princes of Germany were
ready to do the same. Every where
the ardent desires of the people anti-
cipated the regular proceedings of
their governments. Their impatience
to live in independence, and under
their own laws, the sentiment of
wounded national honour, and the ha-
tred of a foreign dominion, broke out
in bright flames on all sides.

His majesty the emperor, too intel-
ligent not to consider this change of
attaira as the natural and necessary
consequence of a previous violent con-
vulsion, and too just to view it in an-
ger, was solely bent upon securing, by
deep. digested and well-combined mea-
sures, the real and permanent interest
of the European commonwealth. Al-
ready, in the beginning of December,
considerable steps had been taken on
the part of the Austrian cabinet, in
order to dispose the Emperor Napo-
leon to quiet and peaceable policy, on
grounds which equally interested the
world and his own welfare. These
steps were from time to time renewed
and enforced. Hopes had been enter-
tained that the impression of l^t year*t
campaign, — the recollection of the
fruitless sacrifice of an immense army,
the severe measures of every descrip-
tion that would be necessary to replace

C'CCIV

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

that loss, — the decided disinclination
of France, and of all those nations
connected with her, to a war which,
without any prospect of future in-
demnification, exhausted and ruined
her internal strength, — that, lastly,
even a calm reflection on the doubtful
issue of this new and highly imminent
crisis would move the emperor to lis-
ten to the representations of Austria.
The tone of these representations was
carefully adapted to the circumstances
of the times, serious as the greatness
of the object, moderate as the desire
of a favourable issue, and as the exist-
ing friendly relations required.

That overtures flowing from so pure
a motive should be decidedly rejected,
could not certainly be foreseen : but
the manner in which they were recei-
ved, and still more, the striking con-
trast between the sentiments entertain-
ed by Austria, and the whole conduct
of the Emperor Napoleon, to the pe-
riod of these unsuccessful endeavours
for peace, soon destroyed the best
hopes that were entertained. Instead
of endeavouring by a moderate lan-
guage to improve at least our view of
the future, and to lessen the general
despondency, it was on every occasion
solemnly declared before the highest
authorities in France, that the empe-
ror would hear of no proposition for
peace that should violate the integrity
of the French empire, in the French
sense of the word, or that should
make any pretension to the arbitrarily
incorporated provinces.

At the same time, eventual condi-
tions, with which this self-created
boundary did not even appear to have
any relation, were spoken of; at one
time menacing indignation, at another
with bitter contempt ; as if it had not
been possible to declare in terms sufE-
ciently distinct, the resolution of the
Emperor Napoleon 7iot to make to the
repose of the xvorld even ojie single no-
minal sacrifice.

These hostile demonstrations were
attended with this particular mortifi-
cation to Austria, that they placed
even the invitations to peace which
this cabinet, with the knowledge and
apparent consent of France, made to
other courts, in a false and highly dis-
advantageous light. The sovereigns
united against Prance, instead of any
answer to Austria's proposition for
negociation, and her ofl'ers of media-
tion, laid before her the public decla-
rations of the French emperor. And
when, in the month of March, his
majesty sent a minister to London, to
invite England to share in a negocia-
tion for peace, the British ministry
replied, " that they could not believe
Austria still entertained any hopes of
peace, when the Emperor Napoleon
had in the mean time expressed senti-
ments which could only tend to the
perpetuation of war ;" a declaration,
which was the more painful to his ma-
jesty, the more it was just and well
founded.

Austria, however, did not, upon
this account, cease to impress in more
forcible and distinct terms, the neces-
sity of peace upon the mind of the
Emperor of France ; directed in all
her measures by this principle, that as
all order and balance of power in Eu-
rope had been destroyed by the bound-
less superiority of France, no real
peace was to be expected, unless that
superiority were diminished. His ma-
jesty in the mean time adopted every
necessary measure to strengthen and
concentrate his armies ; sensible that
Austria must be prepared for war, if
her mediation were not to be entirely
unavailing. His imperial majesty had,
moreover, been long since persuaded,
that the probability of an immediate
share in the war would no longer be
excluded from his calculations. The
actual state of things could not be con-
tinued ; of this the emperor was con-
vinced ; this conviction was the main-

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

CCCT

spring of his actions, and was natural-
ly strengthened by the failure of any
attempt to procure a peace. The re-
sult was apparent. By one means or
the other, either by negociation or by
force of arms, a new state of things
mu&t be effected.

• The Emperor Napoleon was not
only aware of the Austrian prepara-
tions for war, but even acknowledged
them as necessary, and justified them
in more than one instance. He had
lUfiicient reason to believe that his
majesty the emperor at so decisive a
period for the fate of the whole world,
would lay aside all personal and mo-
mentary feelings, would alone consult
the lasting welfare of Austria, and of
the countries by which she is surround-
ed, and would resolve nothing but
what this great motive should impose
as a duty upon him. The Austrian
cabinet had never expressed itself in
terms that would warrant any other
construction ; and yet the French did
not onl\ acknowledge that the Aus-
trian mediation could only be an armed
mediation, but declared, upon more
than one occasion, that Austria, un-
der existing circumstances, ought no
longer to confine herself to act a se-
condary part, but should appear in
force upon the stage, and decide as a
great and independent power. What-
ever the French government could ei-
ther hope or fear from Austria, this
acknowledgment was of itself a previ-
ous justification of the whole intended
and hitherto adqpted measures of his
imperial majesty.

Thus far were circumstances deve-
loped, when the Emperor Napoleon
left Paris, in order to make head a-
gainst the progress of the allied ar-
mies. Even their enemies have done
homage to the valour of the Russian
and Prussian troops in the sanguinary
actions of the month of May. That,
however, the result of this first period
of the campaign was not more favour-

VOL. VI. PART ir.

able to them, was owing partly to
the great numerical superiority of the
French force, and to the universally
acknowledged mihtary talents of their
leader, and partly to the political com-
binations by which the allied sove-
reigns were guided in all their under-
takings. They acted under the just
supposition, that a cause like the one
in whicn they were engaged could not
possibly be confined to themselves ;
that sooner or later, whether success-
ful or unfortunate, every state which
still preserved a shadow of indepen-
dence must join their confederacy, eve-
ry independent army must act with
them. They, therefore, did not allow .
further scope to the bravery of their
troops than the moment required, and
preserved a considerable part of their
strength for a period, when, with more
extended m.eans, they might look to
the attainment of greater objects. For
the same cause, and with a view to the
developement of events, they consent-
ed to the armistice.

In the mean time, the retreat of the
allies had for the moment given an ap-
pearance to the war, which daily be-
came more interesting to the emperor,
from the impossibility, if it should pro-
ceed, of his remaining an inactive spec-
tator of it. The fate of the Prussian
monarchy was a point which peculiar-
ly attracted the attention of his ma-
jesty, feeling, as the emperor did, that
the restoration of the Prussian monar-
chy was the first step towards that of
the whole pohtical system of Europe ;
and he viewed the danger in which she
now stood as equally affecting himself.
Already, in the month of April, had
the Emperor Napoleon suggested to
the Austrian cabinet, that he consi-
dered the dissolution of the Prussian
monarchy as a natural consequence of
her defection from France, and of the
continuation of the war ; and that it
now only depended upon Aus.iia to
add the most important and most flo«*

CCCVl

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

rishing of her provinces to its own
state ; a suggestion which shewed dis-
tinctly enough, that no means could
properly be neglected to save that
power. If this great object could not
be obtained by a just peace, it was ne-
cessary to support Russia and Prussia
by a powerful co-operation. From
this natural view of things, upon which
even France could no longer deceive
herself, his majesty continued his pre-
parations with unwearied activity. He
quitted, in the early part of July, his
residence, and proceeded to the vicini-
ty of the scene of action, in order the
more effectually to labour at the ne-
gociation for peace, which still conti-
nued to be the object of his most ar-
dent desires ; and partly to be able the
more effectually to conduct the prepa-
rations for war, if no other choice
should remain for Austria.

A short time before, the Emperor
Napoleon had declared, " that he had
proposed a congress, to be held at
Prague, where plenipotentiaries from
France, the United States of North
America, Denmark, the King of Spain,
and the other aUied princes on the one
hand ; and on the other, plenipotenti-
aries of England, Russia, Prussia, the
Spanish insurgents, and the other al-
lies of this hostile mass, should meet,
and lay the ground-work of a durable
peace." To whom this proposition
was addressed, in what manner, in what
diplomatic form, through whose organ
it could have been done, was perfectly
unknown to the Austrian cabinet,
which only was made acquainted with
the circumstance through the medium
of the public prints. How, too, such
a project could be brought to bear —
how, from the combination of such
dissimilar elements, without any gene-
rally acknowledged principle, without
any previously regulated plan, a nego-
ciation for peace was to be set on foot,
was so little to be comprehended, that
it was very allowable to consider the

whole proposition rather as a play of
the imagination, than as a serious in-
vitation to the adoption of a great po-
litical measure.

Perfectly acquainted with all the
obstacles to a general peace, Austria
had long considered whether this dis-
tant and difficult object was not rather
to be obtained progressively ; and in
this opinion, had expressed herself
both to France, and to Russia and
Prussia, upon the subject of a conti-
nental peace. Not that the Austrian
court had misconceived, even for a mo-
ment, the necessity and importance of
an universal peace among all the great
powers of Europe, and without which
there was no hope of either safety or
happiness, or had imagined that the
continent could exist, if the separation
of England were not invariably consi-
dered as a most deadly evil ! The ne-
gociation which Austria proposed, af-
ter the alarming declaration of France
had nearly destroyed all hopes of Eng-
land uniting her endeavours in the at-
tempt to procure a general peace, was
an essential part of the great approach-
ing negociation, for a general and ef-
fective congress for peace : it was in-
tended as preparatory to this, to draw
up the preliminary articles of the fu-
ture treaty, to pave the way by a long
continental armistice to a more ex-
tended and durable negociation. Had
the principle upon which Austria ad-
vanced been other than this, neither
Russia nor Prussia, bound by the
strongest ties to England, would cer-
tainly ever have listened to the propo-
sals of the Austrian cabinet.

After the Russian and Prussian
courts, animated by a confidence in his
majesty highly flattering to the empe-
ror, had already declared their concur-
rence in the proposed congress under
the mediation of Austria, it became
necessary to obtain the formal assent
of the Emperor Napoleon, and to de-
termine upon what principles the ne-
• 4

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

cccvu

gociations for peace were to be carried
on. For this purpose, his imperial
majesty resolved towards the end of
the month of June, to send his minis-
ter for foreign affairs to Dresden. —
The result of the mission was, a con-
vention concluded upon the 30th of
June, accepting the mediation of his
imperial majesty in the negociation of
a general, and if that could not be ef-
fected, of a prchminary continental
peace. The city of Prague was fixed
upon for the meeting of the congress,
and the 5th of July for its opening.
In order to obtain a sufficient time for
the negociation, it was determined by
the same convention that the Kmperor
Napoleon should not give notice of the
rupture of the armistice which was to
terminate on the ^Oth of July, at that
time existing between himself and Rus-
sia, till the 10th of August ; and his
majesty the emperor took upon himself
to obtain a similar declaration from the
Russian and Prussian courts.

The points which had been deter-
mined in Dresden, were hereupon im-
parted to the two courts. Although
the continuation of the armistice was
attended with many objections, and
with much serious inconvenience to
them, the desire of giving to his impe-
rial majesty another proof of their con-
fidence, and at the same time to satisfy
the world that they would not reject
any prospect of peace, however con-
iined it might be, tliat they would not
refuse any attempt which might pre-
pare the way to it, overcame every
consideration. The only alteration
made in the convention of the 30th pf
June was, that the term of the opening
the congress, since the final regula-
tions could not so soon be determined,
should be deferred until the 12th of
July.

In the mean time his majesty, who
would not as yet abandon ail hopes of
completely terminating, by a general
peace, the sufferings of mankind, and

the convulsions of the political world,
had also resolved upon a new attempt
with the British government. The
Emperor Napoleon not only received
the proposal with apparent approba-
tion, but even voluntarily offered to
expedite the business by allowing the
persons to be dispatched for that pur-
pose to England, a passage through
France. When it was to be carried in-
to effect, unexpected difficulties arose,
the passports were delayed from time
to time, under trifling pretexts, and at
length entirely refused. This pro-
ceeding afforded a fresh and important
ground for entertaining just doubts as
to the sincerity of the assurances which
the Emperor Napoleon had more than
once pubhcly expressed of his disposi-
tion to peace, although several of his
expressions at that particular period
afforded just reason to believe that a
maritime peace was the object of his
most anxious solicitude.

During that interval, their maje>
tics the Emperor of Russia and the
King of Prussia had nominated their
plenipotentiaries to the congress, and
had furnished them with very decisive
instructions. On the 12th of July
they both arrived at Prague, as well as
his majesty's minister, charged with
the concerns of the mediation.

The negociations were not to be
protracted beyond the 10th of Au-
gust, except in the event of their assu-
ming such a character as to induce a
confident hope of a favourable result.
To that day the armistice had been
extended through the mediation of
Austria : the political and military si-
tuation of the allied sovereigns, the
condition of the countries they occii*
pied, and their anxious wish to termi-
nate an irksome period of uncertainty,
prevented any further extension of it.
With all these circumstances the Em-
peror Napoleon was acquainted ; he
well knew that the period of the nego-
ciations was necessarily defined by tU^^X

cccvni EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

o£ the armistice ; and he could not,
moreover, conceal from himself how
much his own determinations would
influence the happy abridgment and
successful result of the pending nego-
ciatiuns.

It was therefore with real sorrow
that his majesty soon perceived, not
only that no serious step was taken by
France to accelerate this great work ;
but, on the contrary, it appeared as if
a procrastination of the negnciations,
and evasion of a favourable issue, had
been decidedly intended. There was,
indeed, a French minister at the place
of congress, but without any orders to
proceed to business, until the appear-
ance of the first plenipotentiary.

The arrival of that plenipotentiary
was in vain expected from day to day.
Nor was it until the 21st of July that
it was ascertained, that a demur which
took place on settling the renewal of
the armistice between the French and
Russian and Prussian commissioners ;
^n obstruction of very subordinate im-
portance, having no influence whatever
upon the congress, and which might
have been very easily and speedily re-
moved by the interference of Austria,
— was made use of as the justification
of this extraordinary delay. And
when this last pretext was removed, it
was not until the 28th of July, sixteen
days after that appointed for the open-
ing of the congress, that the first
French plenipotentiary arrived.

Even in the very first days after this
minister's arrival, no doubt remained
as to the fate of the congress. The
form in which the full powers were to
be delivered, and the mutual explana-
tions should be conducted, a point
which had already been treated by all
parties, became the object of a discus-
sion which rendered all the endeavours
of the mediating power abortive. The
apparent insufficiency of the powers
intrusted to the French negociator oc-
casioned a silence of several days. Nor

was it until the 6th of August that the
minister gave in a new declaration, by
which the difficulties with respect to
forms were by no means removed, nor
the negociation by one step brought
nearer to its object. After an use-
less exchange of notes upon every pre-
liminary question, the 10th of August
arrived. The Prussian and Russian
negociators could not exceed this term:
the congress was at an end, and the re-
solution which Austria had to form
was previously determined by the pro-
gress of this negociation, by the actual
convictionoftheimpossibility of peace,
by the no longer doubtful point ot
view in which his majesty examined
the great question in dispute, by the
principles and intentions of the allies,
wherein the emperor recognised his
own, and, finally, by the former posi-
tive declarations, which left no room
for misconception.

Not without sincere afliliction, and
alone consoled by the certainty that
every means to avoid the war had been
exhausted, does the emperor now find
himself compelled to action. For three
years has his maj^fsty laboured with
unceasing perseverance to effect, by
mild and conciliatory measures, real
and durable peace for Austria and for
Europe. All his endeavours have fail-
ed : there is now no remedy, no re-
course to be had but to arms. The
emperor takes them up without any
personal animosity, from a painful ne-
cessity, from an irresistible duty, upon
grounds which any faithful citizen of
his realm, which the world, which the
Emperor Napoleon himself, in a mo-
ment of tranquilHty and reason, will
acknowledge and justify. The neces-
sity of the war is engraven in the heart
of every Austrian, of every European,
under whatsoever dominion he may
live, in such legible characters, that no
art is necessary to distinguish them.
The nation and the army will do their
duty. An union established by com-

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

CfCCliS

•aon necessity, and by the mutual in-
terest of every power that is in arms
for its independence, will give due
weight to our exertions, and the re-
•ult, with the assistance of Heaven,
will be such as must fulfil the just ex-
pectations of every friend of order and
of peace.

Treaty of Amity^ and of Defensive
Alliance^ between the Courts of Vien-
na and St Peter sburghi concluded
at Toeplitz, the 9th of Sept. ( August
28), 1813.

We, Francis I. by Divine Clemency,
Emperor of Austria ; King of Jeru-
salem, Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia,
Croatia, Sclavonia, Gallicia, and Lo-
domiria ; Archduke of Austria; Duke
of Lorraine, Wurtzburg, and Fran-
conia ; Gfeat Prince of Transylvania ;
Margrave of Moravia ; Duke of Sty-
ria, Carinthia, Upper and Lower Si-
lesia ; Count of Hapsburg, &c.

Make known to all and singular
who are interrested therein, by these
presents ;

That since nothing is more anxious-
ly desired by us, and the most Serene
and Potent Emperor of all the Rus-
sias, than to promote by a stable peace
the welfare of Europe, so long over-
whelmed by the calamities of war, and
towards that object have mutually
joined our counsels to provide for that
wished-for order of things, which, we
firmly trust will arise from our reci-
procal efforts to attain the end ; a
treaty, of which the following is the
tenour, has been entered into by each
of the contracting parties : —

In the name of the most holy and
undivided trinity : —

Hismajestythe Emperor of Austria,
King of Hungary and Bohemia, and
his majesty the Emperor of all the
Russias, equally animated by a desire
t9 put aa end to the caljmitieg of Eu-

rope, and to secure its future repose
by the establishment of a just equili-
brium between the powers, have resol-
ved to prosecute the war in which
they are engaged for that salutary ob-
ject, with the whole of the forces
which Providence has placed at their
disposal. Wishing, at the same time,
to extend the effects of a concert so
beneficial, to the period when the pre-
sent war, having obtained its full suc-
cess, their mutual interest shall impe-
riously require the maintenance of the
order of things which shall be the hap-
py result thereof, they have appointed^
to draw up the articles of a treaty of
amity and defensive alliance, the fol-
lowing plenipotentiaries furnished with
their instructions :

His majesty the Emperor of Aus-
tria, King of Hungary and Boheniia,
the Sieur Clement Wenceslas Lothaire,
Count de Metternich Winnebourg-
Ochsenhansen, Knight of the Golden
Fleece, Grand Cross of the Royal
Order of St Stephen, Grand Eagle of
the Legion of Honour, Grand Cross
of the Order of St Joseph of Wurtz-
burg, Knight of St John of Jerusa-
lem, Chancellor of the Military Order
of Maria Theresa, Curator of the Im-
perial Academy of Fine Arts ; Cham-
berlain, Privy Counsellor, Minister of
State, of Conferences, and of Foreign
Affairs, of his Imperial, Royal, and
Apostolic Majesty :

And his Majesty the Emperor of
all the Russias, the Sieur Charles Ro-
bert, Count de Nesselrode, Privy
Counsellor, Secretary of State, Cham-
berlain, and Knight of the Order of
St Wolodimir of the Third Class ;
who, having exchanged their full
powers, found to be in good and due
form, have agreed upon the following
articles :—

Art. I — There shall be amity, sin-
cere and constant union, between his
majesty the Emperor of Austria,
King of Hungary and Bohemia, asd

cccx

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

his majesty the Emperor of all the
Russias, their heirs and successors.
The high contracting parties shall, in
consequence, pay the greatest atten-
tion to the maintaining between them
reciprocal amity and correspondence,
by avoiding every thing that might
eubvert the union and good under-
standing happily subsisting between
them.

Art. II. — His majesty the Empe-
ror of Austria guarantees to his ma.
jesty the Emperor of all the Russias
the possession of all his states, provin-
ces, and dominions.

On the other hand, his imperial
majesty of all the Russias, guarantees
to his Majesty the Emperor of Aus-
tria, the possession of the states, pro-
vinces, and dominions, belonging to
his imperial, royal, and apostolic ma-
jesty.

Art. III. — As a consequence of
this reciprocal guarantee, the high
contracting parties will constantly la-
bour in concert on the measures which
shall appear to them most proper for
the maintenance of peace in Europe ;
and in rase the states of either of them
shall be nenaced by an invasion, they
will employ their most effectual good
offices for the prevention thereof.

Art. IV. — As the good offices, how-
ever, which they promise each other,
may not have the desired effect, their
imperial mnjesties bind themselves
henceforward to assist each other with
a corps of 60,000 men, in the event of
either of them being attacked.

Art. V, — This army shall be com-
posed of 50,000 infantry, and 10,000
chivalry. It shall be provided with a
corps of field-artillery, with ammuni-
tion, and every other necessary ; the
^bole proportioned to the number of
troops above stipulated. The auxihary
army shall arrive at the frontiers of
the power who shall be attacked or
■a^aacfid by aa inTaeioa of his p9§8es»

sions, two months at the farthest after
the requisition has been made.

Art. VI. — The auxiliary army shall
be under the immediate command of
the general-in- chief of the army of
the power requiring it ; it shall be
conducted by a general of its own,
and employed in all the military ope-
rations according to the rules of war.

The pay of the auxiliary array shall
beat thechargeofthe power required;
the rations and portions of provisions,
forage, &c. as well aa the quarters,
ehall be furnished by the power re-
quiring, as soon as the auxihary army
shall have passed its own frontiers,
and that on the same footing as the
latter supphes or shall supply its own
troops in the field and in quarters.

Art. VII. — The order and internal
military economy of these troops shall
solely depend on their own proper
chief. The trophies and the booty
which shall be taken from the enemy,
shall belong to the troops which shall
have taken them.

Art. VIII. — In the event that the
stipulated succour shall be insufficient
for that one of the two high contract-
ing parties who shall have been attack-
ed, his majesty the Emperor of Aus*
tria. King of Hungary and Bohemia,
and his m.ajesty the Emperor of all the
Russias, reserve to themselves, to come
to a mutual understanding, without
loss of time, on the furnishing of more
considerable aids, according to the ex-
igency of the case.

Art. IX. — The high contracting
parties reciprocallypromise each other,
that in the event that either of the
two shall be compelled to take up
arms, he will not conclude either peace
or truce, without therein including his
ally, in order that the latter may not
himself be attacked in resentment of
the succour which he shall have fur-
nished.

Art. Xi— Orders »haU be trao^piit-

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

CCCXl

ted to the ambassadors and ministers
of the high contracting parties at fo-
reign courts, to afford each other re-
ciprocally their good offices, and to
act in perfect concert in all occurren-
ces in which the interests of their
masters shall be involved.

Art. XI — As the tv/o high con-
tracting parties, in forming this treaty
of amity and aUiance purely defensive,
have no other object but that of reci-
procally guaranteeing to each other
their possessions, and of securing, as
far as depends upon them, the general
tranquillity, they not only do not
mean thereby to invalidate in the least
the prior and particular engagements,
alike defensive, which they have con-
tracted vi'ith their respective allies, but
they even mutually reserve to them-
selves the liberty of concluding, in fu-
ture, other treaties with other powers,
which, far from causing by their union
any detriment or hinderance to the
present, may communicate thereto still
more force and effect ; promiaing, how-
ever, at the same time, not to contract
any engagements contrary to the pre-
sent treaty, and wishing rather, by
common consent, to invite, and admit
into it, other courts which shall have
the same sentiments.

Art. XII.— The present treaty shall
be ratified by his imperial and royal
apostoHc majesty, and by his imperial
majesty of all the Russias ; and the
ratifications shall be exchanged within
the space of a fortnight, reckoning
from the day of the signature, or
sooner, if possible.

In testimony whereof, we the un-
dersigned plenipotentiaries have sign-
ed, in virtue of our full powers, the
present treaty of amity and defensive
alliance, and have caused to be affixed
thereto the seal of our arms.

Done at Toeplitz, Sept. 9, (the
28th of August) in the year of our
Lord 1813.

Clement Wenceslas Lothaire,

Count of Metternich Winne-

BURG OCHSENHAUSEN, (L. S.)

Charles Robert, Count Ntss el-
rode, (L, S.)
We, therefore, having attentively
weighed all and singular the articles of
this treaty, have ratified and held them
agreeable in all respects ; and by these
presents do declare and profess them
to be ratified and agreeable, promising
and engaging on our royal Caesareaii
word, that we will faithfully perform
all that is therein contained, in testi-
mony whereof we have signed the pre-
sent letters of ratification with our
own hands, and caused our royal Ce-
sarean seal to be appended to the same»
Given at Toeplitz, in Bohemia, this
20th of September, and 22d year of
our reign.

(Signed) Francis.

(Countersigned)

Clem. Wenc. Lothaire,

Count Metternich.
By order,

Joseph de Hudelist;

At Toeplitz, on the 9th of Septem-
ber, a treaty was also concluded be-
tween the courts of Vienna and Ber-
lin, with precisely the same stipulations
as the above. Count Metternich and
Baron Hardenberg were the plenipo-
tentiaries.

His Swedish Majesty^ s Declaration o
War against the King ofDenmarky
given at the Palace ofHaga, Sept.
15, 1813.

Stockholm, Sept. 15.
We, Charles, by the grace of God,
King of Sweden, and of the Goths
and Vandals, &c. &c. heir to Nor-
way, Duke of Sleswick, Holstein, &c.
do hereby make known, that the King
of Denmark, after a long continuance
of unfriendly conduct, whereby, not-
withstanding the treaty of peace of the

cccxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

year 1800, the Swedish commerce
■was continually disturbed by Danish
privateers, having at length proceeded
to actual hostilities, by giving direc-
tions to his subjects, that all Sviredes
who shall be found on board ships
captured, or which may hereafter be
captured, are to be treated as prison-
ers of war ; — we have found it neces-
sary to repel force by force, and do
herewith declare, that as a state of war
with Denmark has now commenced,
we shall take all the necessary means
and steps to insure the security of our
subjects and kingdom, and to obtain
for ourselves a reasonable redress ; and
we do accordingly herewith order and
command, that all navigation, trade,
and communication by post, and all
other exchange of letters to all ports,
towns, and places in Denmark and
Norway, or in the provinces apper-
taining to them, shall, on pain of law,
entirely cease from this day forward.
And for such cause, it is herewith our
most gracious will and command to our
field-marshals, chief governors, com-
manding generals, admirals, governors
of districts, and all others our com-
manders by land and sea, that they,
and all persons serving under them,
shall not only, each in his place, take
all necessary precautions to have this
our gracious will and duty immediate-
ly made public, but likewise seriously
take care that it be carried fully into
effect, and strictly observed. Accord-
ing whereto, all whom it may concern
have to regulate themselves. And, in
further consideration whereof, we have
signed these presents with our own
hand, and caused them to be confirm-
ed under our royal seal.

Given at the palace of Haga, the
15th Sept. 1S13.

(Signed) Charles, L. S.

(Countersigned) A. G. Mobner.

Proclamation addressed to the Han$'
verians*

The victorious arms of powers al-
lied against France have, under the
manifest protection of Divine Provi-
dence, nearly completed the deliver-
ance of the country from her ten year*
sufferings. The valiant army of the
north is already approaching ; it is led
by his Royal Highness the. Illustrious
Crown Prince of Sweden, whose love
of justice and heroism have both dis-
posed and qualified him to become the
deliverer of the Germans. The troop*
of our king attached to this army have
already occupied the capital and great
part of the country.

All faithful Hanoverians will grate-
fully venerate, in this consolatory
change of affairs, those wise measures
which his majesty, our beloved king,
has ever steadily pursued during the
most untoward circumstances, and
which his Royal Highness the Prince
Regent, who is no less warmly inte-
rested in the welfare of the hereditary
German states of his house, has, with
equal constancy, continued and com-
pleted. Instead of groaning under the
yoke of foreign rulers, to whom the
annihilation of our constitution and
language, the destruction of our pro-
perty, and the shedding of the blood
of our children, were only a pretext
for the gratification of an idle ambition,
we are now once more blessed by the
paternal government of native princes,
w^ho are accustomed to seek their glory
and happiness in accomplishing our
own. A son of our highly revered
monarch, his Royal Highness the
Duke of Cumberland,, who, ever since
his earlier residence among the Hano-
verians, has conceived the most hvely
attachment to them, is himself on the
spot, and has most generously resolved
to contribute towards effecting the

APPENDIX II.— STATE PAPERS.

OCCXUl

trelfare of the ancient inheritance of
his illustnous ancestors.

In this joyful change of circumstan-
ces we have not hesitated, in the name
of the lawful sovereign, to resume the
government of the electoral dominions.
We had flattered ourselves to have had
the satisfaction, even in this early no-
tification, of communicating to the
faithful German subjects of his majesty
the first expressions which his royal
highness the prince, our present re-
gent, has been pleased, so early as the
5th of last October, to address to
them, in order to assure them of his
gracious intentions, and of his indefa-
tigable endeavours for their happiness.
Accidental circumstances have as yet
prevented us from receiving the most
condescending proclamation of his roy-
al highness. We must therefore con-
tent ourselves for the present with the
assurance, that his royal highness is
particularly solicitous to restore, as
speedily as possible, his subjects to the
enjoyment of their former happy con-
stitution.

To execute this high intention will
be our most pleasing duty. But every
thing has been too much overturned,
to allow of this object being attained
at once. We therefore preliminarily
confirm the provisional commissions of
government which have been appoint-
ed by the military authority, and
which, under our superintendance, will
henceforward provide for the several
provinces, whatever in each may be of
the first and most pressing necessity,
not doubting but that, supported by
the tried loyalty and attachment of
Hanoverians, we shall quickly witness
among us the revival of oar former
happiness, and of our earlier comforts,
provided that a lasting peace secures
what has hitherto been gained. But
if we would obtain this, it is not yet
time to lay aside our arms. The ene-
my is defeated ; he is humbled beyond
any former period } but he may, he

will rise again, should the Germani
prematurely imagine that they may
take rest. It ought not to be con-
cealed, that for a time to come, ample
sacrifices, as well as further efforts of
our long-tried valour, are indispensa-
ble. The public spirit and ancient
military glory of the Hanoverians, are
pledges that they are willing and ready-
to make them ; and that, after so many
successes, they will not shrink from
any call, manfully to sustain the last
struggle. Concord, courage, confi-
dence, and patriotism, infallibly insure-
success.

The privy counsellors of the King
of Great Britain, appointed to
the electoral ministry of Bruns-
wick-Lunenbourg, for the state
and cabinet.

Deck EN. BuembBk

Hanover, Nov. 4, 1813.

Proclamation from Field- Marshal the

Marquis of Wellington to the French

people.

December Ist, 1815.

Upon entering your country, learn
that I have given the most positive
orders (a translation of which is sub-
joined to this) to prevent those evils
which are the ordinary consequence*
of invasion, which you know is the
result of that which your government
made into Spain, and of the triumphs
of the allied army under my com-
mand.

You may be certain that I will car-
ry these orders into execution, and I
request of you to cause to be arrested,
and conveyed to my head-quarters,
all those who, contrary to these dispo-
sitions, do you any injury.

But it is requisite you should re-
main in your houses, and take no part
whatever in the operations of the war
of which your country is going to
become the theatre.

(Signed) Wellington.

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EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

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Whishaw, Es
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ios and Contin
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VOL. VI. PART II.

Gccxxil EDINBDRGH ANNUAL RIilGISTER, 1813.

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cccxxiy EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

An Account of the Net Produce of all the Permanent Tax^s of Great
Britain; t ken tor Two Tears, ending respectively 5th Januaru^
1812, and 5th January, 1813.

—a

In tiie Year ended

In the Year ended

5th Jan 181i

5th Jan. 1813.

L. 8.

L. s. d.

CONSOLIDATED CUSTOMS, .

3,974,732 1

10|

3,824,920 12 8|

Ditto - Ditto

risle of ManO

8,835 4

6,973 3 li

Ditto - EXCISE

15,768,167 12

14,811,233 S 6

Ditto - STAMPS

5,086,782 11

5,075,670 4 11

LAND TAXES

999,782 1

1,095,766 19 6i

INCIDENTS.

Latter Money

•tr, 1 J T« M

1,275,000 0

1,321,000 G 0

Hawkerg and Pedlars

„

20,251 3

18,700 0 0

Seizures

26,044 6

lOi

5,741 14 3

Proffer*

593 1

629 6 8

Compositions -

2 3

2 16 8

Fines and Forfeitures

873 10

2,727 5 4

Rent of a Light -House -

6 13

6 13 4

Ditto Alum Mines

864 0

864 0 0

Alienaticm Duty-

4,040 2

4,807 8 8

Lottery Licences

3,696 0

3,166 19 0

Quarantine Duty-

12,679 0

9,568 1 7i

Canal and Dock Duty

82,907 10

35,608 15 2

6(/. per lb. on Pensions -
Is. ditto ou Salaries - -

1731 -

163 0 10

1758 -

323 14 10

Houses and Windo-vvs

1766

300 0

Hackney Coaches and Chairs 1711 and 1784

23,877 O

24,979 0 0

Horses for Riding

1785

200 0

Male Servants

300 0

4--«\'heeled Carriages -

• •

50 0

7 0 O

2 - Ditto

150 0

» -

Hair^Powder Certificates

1795

902 2

Horse-Dealera Licences

1796 -

200 0

7^.20 per Ceut»

1797 -

300 0

18 0

Houses - •

200 0

•

Horses - -

200 0

• •

Clocks and Watches

100 0 0

Dog«

TOO 0

•

Additional Assessed Taxes

1798 -

121 10

Houses and Windows

1,299 6

100 0 0

Inhabited House*

220 9

100 0 »

Horses for Riding

741 2

Ditto - Husbandry

l,2fi5 14

Male Servants

20 11

4-wheel Carriages

1,034 16

2 - Ditto

1,027 12

Dogs

1,012 6

•• m

Armorial Bearings

501 11

fOO 0 0

Arrears of Taxes

1,389 18 Q

Horses for Husbandry -

1801 -

23 16

Ditto - Riding

17 10

•

Houses and Windows

1802 -

2,628 2

291 6 7

lahabited Houses

1,300 0

1^300 s n

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.

ccexiv

Ditto

Ditto,

5th Jan.

1812.

5th Jan. 18 If?.

JL. 8. d.

Horses for Riding

•

576

518 12 0

Ditto for Husbandry

420

700 0 0

Male Servants - •

yd& 14 10

4-wheeled Carriages

100 0 O

2 - Ditto

500

200 Q 0

Dogs . . -

503

loa 0 0

Houses and Windows, 1804

10,361

4,921 0 9|

Inhabited Rouses

4,930 19

1,742 3 5^

Horses for Riding

4,803

604 5 1

Ditto aud Mules

6,421

1,784 15 3

Male Servants

2,000

496 11 6

Carriages

•

4,111

loi

dl7 9 2

Dogs

4,739 17

549 13 2|

Hair- Powder Certificates

3,131

4 14 6

Horse-Dealers Licences

734

\\5 0 3

Armorial Bearings

1,875

504 4 O

British Spirits, 1S06

505,015

311,300 0 0

Foreign Spirits

20,055

L.10 per Cent.

8,870

991 16 9

Consolidated Assessed Taxes, 1808

5,667,881

5,775,563 1 0^

6d. per lib. on Pensions, 1809

3,«50

5,049 & 4

Is. ditto on Salaries

6,550

4,208 16 0

€d. ditt on Pensions, 1810

9,200

3,500 0 0

Is. ditto on Salaries

12,800

2,500 0 0

6d. ditto on ! ensions, 1811

1,100

9,900 0 0

Is. ditto on Salaries

1,700

12.500 0 0

British Spirits

444,172 0 0

Foreign Spirits

21,929 0 0

6d. per lib. on Pensions, 1812

1,000 0 0

Is. ditto on Salaxiee

•

2,000 0 0

^ Sugar and Malt

230,927

145,258 19 2

Surplus Duties an- i Additional Malts
nually granted, af-\ Annual Malt

834,072

672,016 0 0

553,923

368,799 0 0

ter discharging three / Tobacco

119,878

103,519 13 4

millions Exchequer \ Land Tarx

onOflGices,

Bills charged there- i &c.

129,497

95,567 5 4i

1,3808 12 2i

112 12 J^

on - - • f 6d.perL.on-Pen8ions

1,422

Vis. ditto

- Salaries

1,285

35,404,781

34,240,276 10 4-|

Duties annually ^ Sugar and Malt

2,134,981

2,785,224 6 3

granted to discharge Additional Malts

282,598

139,106 0 0

three millions Ex-J Tobacco

406,276

430,928 6 8

chequer Bille char- j Land Tax on Offices,

ged thereon - - 1 &c.

4,000

1,500 0 0

38,232,567

37,597,035 3 %\

cccxxvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

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EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

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60
<

PATENTS GRANTED in 1813.

Mr George Alexander, for an im-
proved mode of suspended the card of
the mariner's compass.

Mr John Barton^ for improvements
in steam-engines.

Mr Ball, for an improved cooking
itove.

Mr Charles Jlugustin Bu&hy, for a
metliod to save lockage v^rater on ca-
nals, &c.

Mr Joseph Bramah, for improve-
ments in main and other pipes, and ap-
plying the water to other useful pur-
poses.

Mr Jacob Brazill, for a machine for
working capstans and pumps on board
ships.

Mr William Broughton, for a me-
thod of making a peculiar species of
canvass.

Mr Robertson Buchanan, for im-
provements in the means of propelling
vessels, boats, barges, and rafts, Sec.

Mr William Bange, for improve-
ments in the construction of fire-places.
Mr James Brunsall, for improve-
ments in rope-making.

Messrs R, M. Bacon, and B. Don-
hin, for improvements in the imple-
ments employed in printing, from
types, blocks, or plates.

Mr James Bodmer, for a method of
loading fire arms, cannon, &c. at the
breech, a touch-hole, and a moveable
sight.

Mr Edw. Briggs, for a method of

working stamps by a steam-engine,
water, or horse power#

Mr diaries Random de Berenger^
for certain methods of producing a va-
luable oil ; also soap and barilla, and
a black pigment.

Mr Frederick Cherry ^ for improve-
ments in the construction of various
articles of a field-officer's equipage.

Mr Benjamin Merriman Coomb, for
a new cooking apparatus.

Colonel William Congreve, for con-
structing the locks and sluices of ca-
nals, basins, or works.

Mr William Caslon, for an impro-
ved printing type.

Mr Louis Honore Henry Germain
Constant, for a method of refining su-
gar.

Mr Jerome Donovan, for saponace-
ous compounds for deterging in sea-
water, hard-water, and soft. water.

Mr Francis Dcaldns, for a new me-
thod of making sheaths for knives,
scissars, &c.

Mr Joseph C. Dyer, for a method
of spinning hemp, flax, &c.

Mr John Duncombe, for an improve-
ment to mathematical or astronomical
instruments.

Mr Robert Dickinson, for a process
for sweetening water and other li-
quids.

Messrs Eschauzier and Jeyinings,
for a Hfe-preserving bed for seafaring
people.

cccxxxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813-

Messrs Fox and Lean, for improve-
ments in steam-engines.

Mrs Sarah Guppy, for urns for
cooking egj2js, &c.

Mr William Gilpin, for an improved
method of making iiugers.

Edward Charles Howard, Esq., for
improvements in preparing and refining
of sugars.

Mr Thomas Hardacre, for a com-
position to prevent the effects of fric-
tion.

MrHandford, for a travelling trunk.

Mr Hanbury, for flush carpeting,

Messrs Thomas Huhball and W> R,
W. Kino;, for a method of ornament-
ing articles of paper, wood, or any me-
tallic substance, either japanned, paint-
ed, or sized; also leather, oil-cloths,
&c.

il/r Samuel James, for a sofa for
the ease of invalids.

The Rev. Henry Liston, for improve-
ments upon the plough.

Mr Joseph Manton, for improve-
ments in guns.

Mr Pel ton Matthew, for an improve-
ment in the manufacture of yeast.

Mr James Needhavi, for a portable
apparatus for brewing beer and ale.

Mr James Needham, for additions
to, and improvements on, his portable
brewing apparatus.

^: r Henry Oshorn, for a method of
making tools for tapering of cylinders
and bars of iron and other metals.

Mr Frank Parkinson, for a still and
boiler for preventing accidents by fire.

Mr William Pope, for an instru-
ment for ascertaining a ship's way.

Mr John Roberts, for a method of
concentrating such parts of malt and
hops as are requisite in making ale and
beer.

Mr Thomas Ryland, for a fender ot
a new construction.

Mr Joseph Ragnor, for improvec
machinery for roving and spinning
cotton, silk, flax, and wool.

Mr John Ruthven, for a press foi
printing from types, blocks, or othej
surfaces.

Mr Thomas Rogers, for a new floui
for bread, pastry, &c.

Mr William Summers, for a method
of raising hot water from a lower tc
an upper level, for baths, manufacto-
ries, &c.

Mr Benjamin Sanders, for an im.
proved method of making buttons.

Mr Samuel Smith, for an improvec
escapement for watches.

Mr T. Sheldrake, for a portable
crane.

Mr John Sutherland, for an im-
provement in the construction of cop.
per stills.

Mr Charles Augustus Schmalcalder
for improvements in mathematical in
struments.

Mr Richard Jones Tomlinson, foi
improvements in the methods of ma-
king the coverings of roofs.

Mr John Trotter, for improvements
in the application of steam.

Mr John Trotter, for an improve-
ment of musical instruments. *^

Mr Timmins, for an improved me-
thod of making and erecting hot-
houses.

Mr John Westxcood, for a method
of embossing ivory by pressure.

Charles IVilks, Esq. for a method oi
constructing four-wheeled carriages tc
produce greater facility in turning.

Mr John White, for a machine foi
cooking without coal or wood.

{[y^ respectable correspondent hasjavoiiredus 'with thefollomng curious docu*
tncnty which is undoubtedly geiiiune.l

STATEMENT BY THE EMPEROR KEA KING,

Received in Canton, Nov, 8, 1813.

IMPERIAL NOTICE,

A REVOLUTION has Occurred for
which I blame myself — I, whose rir-
tues are of an inferior class, received
with much veneration the empire from
my imperial father eighteen years ago
—I have not dared to indulge myself
in sloth. When I ascended the throne
the sect of the Pee Lien threw into re-
bellion four provinces, and the people
suffered what I cannot bear to express.
I ordered my generals to go against
them, and after eight years conflict re-
duced them to subjection ; I hoped
that henceforward I should have en-
joyed perpetual pleasure and peace
with my children the people. Unex-
pectedly on the 6th of the 8th moon,
the sect of Tien Le, (i. e. celestial
reason illuminate) a banditti of vaga-
bonds, created disturbance and caused
much injury from the district of Chang
yiieny in the province of Pe chele, to

the district of in Shang-tung.

I hastened to order Wan, the viceroy
of Pekin, to lead forth an army to ex-
terminate them and to restore peace.
This affair was yet at the distance of

1000 lee (a lee is one-fifth of an
English mile), but suddenly, on th«
5th of the ninth month, rebeUion arose
under my own arm — the misery has
arisen in my own house — a banditti of
70 persons and more of the sect of the
Tien Le violated the prohibited gate
and entered withinside. They wound-
ed the guard and entered the inner pa-
lace— four rebels were seized and
bound — three others ascended the wall
with a flag — my imperial second son
seized a musket and shot two of the
rebels — my nephew killed the third-
after this they retired and the palace
was restored to tranquillity — for this
I am indebted to the energies of my
imperial second son — the princes and
chief officers of the Lung Tsung gate
led forth the troops, and after two
days and one night's utmost exertion,
completely routed the rebels. My fa-
mily, Fatsing, has continued to rule
the empire 170 years — my grand- fa-
ther and my imperial father in the most
affectionate manner loved the people
39 children — I am unable to express

cccxxxiv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

their virtues and benevolence. Though
I cannot pretend to have equalled their
good government and love of the peo-
ple, yet I have not oppressed and ill-
used my people. This sudden change
I am unable to account for — it must
arise from the low state of my virtues
and my accumulated imperfections — I
can only reproach myself— 'though this
rebellion has burst forth in a moment,
the misery has been long collecting.
Four words, carelessness, indulgence,
sloth, and contempt, express the source
whence this great crime has arisen —
hence mthinside and withoutside are
in the same state. Though I have
again and a third time given warning
till my tongue is blunted and my lips
parched with frequent repetition, yet
r.one of my ministers have been able
to comprehend it : they have governed
carelessly and caused the present oc-
currence. Nothing like it occurred du-
ring the dynasty of Hangy of Tan^, of
Junii,j or of Mmg, The attempt at
assassination in the close of the dynas-

ty of ^ ^inir does not equal the present (
by more than ten degrees. When I '
think of it I cannot bear to mention i
it. I would examine myself, reform, >
and rectify my heart, to correspond j
with the gracious conduct of heaven ;
above me, and to do away with the re-
sentments of my people who are placed J
below me. All my ministers who '
would be faithful to the dynasty of Sa !
tenins;, must exert themselves for the i
benefit of the country, and do their I
utmost to make amends for my defects, :
as well as to reform the manners of the \
people. Those who can be contented '
to be mean, may hang their caps a- ■
gainst the wail, and go home and end i
their days, and not sit inactive as dead j
bodies in their places to secure their in- '
comes, and thereby increase my crimes.
The tears fall as my pencil writes, I ;
dispatch this to inform the whole em- ;
pire. I

Received in Canton on the 12tk of]
the lOth Moon* * \

ORIGINAL POETRY.

THE

DANCE OF DEATH.

Night and morning were at meeting

Over Waterloo ;
Cocks had sung their earliest greeting,

Faint and low they crew.
For no paly beam yet shone
On the heights of Mount Saint John ;
Tempest-clouds prolonged the sway
Of timeless darkness over day ;
Whirlwind, thunder- clap, and shower,
Mark'd it a predestined hour.
Broad and frequent through the night
Flashed the sheets of levin -light ;
Musquets, glancing lightnings back,
ShewM the dreary bivouack

Where the soldier lay,
Chill and stiff, and drenchM with rain,
Wishing dawn of morn again

Though death should come with day.

II.
•Tis at such a tide and hour.
Wizard, witch, and fiend have power.
And ghastly forms through mist and shower
Gleam on the gifted ken ;
5

cccxxxvi EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

And then the affrighted prophet's ear
Drinks whispers strange of fate and fear.
Presaging death and ruin near

Among the sons of men ; —
Apart from Albyn's war-array,
'Tvvas then grey Allan sleepless lay ;
Grey Allan, who, for many a day,

Had follow'd stout and stern
Where, through battle's rout and reel.
Storm of shot and hedge of steel,
Led the grandson of Lochiel,

Valiant Fassiefern.
Through steel and shot he leads no more,
Low-laid 'mid friends' and foemens' gore-—
But long his native lake's wild shore,
And Sunart rou^h, and high Ardgower,

And Morvern long shall tell,
And proud Bennevis hear with awe,
How, upon bloody Quatre-Bras,
Brave Cameron heard the wild hurra

Of conquest as he fell,

ITL

'Lone on the outskirts of the host.

The weary sentinel held post,

And heard, through darkness far aloof.

The frequent clang of courser's hoof.

Where held the cloak'd patrole their cout^se.

And spurr'd 'gainst storm the swerving horse j

But there are sounds in Allan's ear,

Patrole nor sentinel may hear,

And sights before his eye aghast

Invisible to them have pass'd.

When down the destined plain
'Twixt Britain and the bands of France,
Wild as marsh-borne meteors glance,
Strange phantoms wheel'd a revel dance.

And doom'd the future slain. —
Such forms were seen, such sounds were heard»
When Scotland's James his march prepared

For Flodden's fatal plain ;
Such, when he drew his ruthless sword.
As Chusers of the Slain, adored

The yet unchristen'd Dane.
An indistinct and phantom band.
They wheel'd their ring-dance hand in hand.

With gesture wild and dread ;
The Seer, who watch'd them ride the storm.
Saw through their faint and shadowy form

The lightning's flash more red ;
9

ORIGINAL POETRY. cccxxxvii

And still their ghastly roundelay

Was of the coming battle-fray • • \

And of the destined deadk \

IV.

Wheel the wild dance 1

While lightnings glance,

And thunders rattle loud, <

And call the brave
To bloody grave.

To sleep without a shroud.

Our airy feet,

So light and fleet, \

They do not bend the rye ^

That sinks its head when whirlwinds rave.
And swells again in eddying wave.
As each wild gust blows by ;
But still the corn,
At dawn of morn, <

Our fatal steps that bore, i

At eve lies waste
A trampled paste

Of blackening mud and gore. \

V. ;

Wheel the wild dance j

While lightnings glance, ^

And thunders rattle loud.

And call the brave \

To bloody grave, ]

To sleep without a shroud. 1

Wheel the wild dance ! ' . '\

Brave sons of France, I

For you our ring makes room ; ]

Makes space full wide ,

For martial pride, i

For banner, spear, and plume. j
Approach, draw near,
Proud cuirassier !

Room for the men of steel ! j
Through crest and plate

The broad-sword's weight :

Both head and heart shall feel. ]

VOL. VI. PART II,

cc xxxviu EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

Wheel the wild dance
While lightnings glance,

And thunders rattle loud.
And call the brave
To bloody grave,

To sleep without a throud.

Sons of the spear ! i

You feel us near ^ j

In many a ghastly dreain ; .1
With fancy's eye
Our forms you spy,

And hear our fatal scream. 'j

With clearer sight I

Ere falls the night, -|

Just when to weal or woe *'

Your disembodied souls take flight i
On trembling wing— each startled sprite

Our choir of death shall know. ♦

VII. j

Wheel the wild dance ]

While lightnings glance, '

And thunders rattle loud, <

And call the brave ^

To bloody grave, ;;

To sleep without a shroud. -}.

Burst, ye clouds, in iempest showers.
Redder rain shall soon be ours —

See the cast grows wan—
Yield we place to sterner game, ^ 1

Ere deadlier bolts and drearer flame i

Shall the welkin's thundew shame ; |

Elemental rage is tame \

To the wrath of man."

Vill. '

At morn, grey Allan's mates with awe j

Heard of the vision'd sights he saw, ]

The legend heard him say ; '
But the seer's gifted eye was dim,

Deafen'd his ear, and stark his limb,. \

Ere closed that bloody day —
He sleeps far from his highland heath,—

But often of the Dance of Death \

His comrade^ tell the tale j

ORIGINAL POETRY. cccxxxix

On plcquet-post, when ebbs the night,
And waning watch-fires glow less bright,
And dawn is glimmering pale.
Ahbotsfordy October 1, 1815.

ROMANCE OF DUNOIS. ^

FROM THE FRENCH. '

riie original of this little Romance makes part of a manusdript collection of French
songs, probably compiled by some young officer, which was fotmd on the Field of
Waterloo, so much stained with clay and with blood, as sufficiently to indicate what
Jiad been the fate of its late owner. The song is popular in France, and is rather a
good specimen of the style of composition to which it belongs. — The translation is
strictly literal.

T was Dunois, the young and brave, was bound for Palestine,
3ut first he made his orisons before Saint Mary's shrine :

* And grant, immortal Queen of Hearen," was still the Soldier's prayer,

* That I may prove the bravest knight, aiid love the fairest fair."

Hlis oath of honour on the shrine he graved it with his sword,
\nd followM to the Holy Land the banner of his Lord ;
iVhere, faithful to his noble vow, his war-cry filPd the air.
Be honoured aye the bravest knight, beloved the fairest fair.**

They owed the conquest to his arm, and then his liege-lord said,

* The heart that has for honour beat by bliss must be repaid,—
ily daughter Isabel and thou shall be a wedded pair,

Tor thou art bravest of the brave, she fairest of the fair.**

^nd then they bound the holy knot before Saint Mary's shrine,
That makes a paradise on earth if hearts and hands combine ;
\nd every lord and lady bright that were in chapel there,
>ied, « Honour'd be the bravest knight, beloved the fairest fair."

eccxl EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

SONG,

for the anniversary meeting op the pitt club of scotlan».
By Walter Scott, Esq.

O DREAD was the time, and more dreadful the omen,

When the brave on Marengo lay slaughtered in vain,
And, beholding broad Europe bowed down by her foemen,

Pitt closed in his anguish the map of her reign !
Not the fate of broad Europe could bend his brave spirit

To accept for his country the safety of shame ;
O then in her triumph remember his merit.

And hallow the goblet that flows to his name.

Round the husbandman's head, while he traces the furrow,

The mists of the winter may mingle with rain.
He may plough it with labour, and sow it in sorrow.

And sigh while he fears he has sowed it in vain ;
He may die ere his children shall reap in their gladness,

But the blithe harvest-home shall remember his claim ;
And their jubilee-shout shall be soften*d with sadness.

While they hallow the goblet that flows to his name.

Though anxious and timeless his life was expended.

In toils for our country preserved by his care,
Though he died ere one ray o'er the nations ascended.

To light the long darkness of doubt and despair j
The storms he endured in our Britain's December,

The perils his wisdom foresaw and o'ercame.
In her glory's rich Harvest shall Britain remember.

And hallow the goblet that flows to his name.

Nor forget His grey head, who, all dark in affliction.

Is deaf to the tale of our victories won.
And to sounds the most dear to paternal affection.

The shout of his people applauding his Son ;
By his firmness unmoved in success or disaster.

By his long reign of virtue, remember his claim !
With our tribute to Pitt join the praise of his Master,

Though a tear stain the goblet that flows to his name.

Yet again fill the wine- cup, and change the sad measure.

The rites of our grief and our gratitude paid.
To our Prince, to our Heroes devote the bright treasure.

The wisdom that plann'd, and the zeal that obey'd !
Fill Wellington's cup till it beam hke his glory,
Forget not our own brave Dalhousie and Grjeme ;
I A thousand vcars hence hearts shall bound at their storv.

ORIGINAL POETRY. tccxU

THE

ETTRICKE GARLAND;

IING TWO EXCELLENT NEW SONGS ON THE LIFTING OF THE BANNER OF THE
iOUSE OF BUCCLEUCH, AT A 6BEAT FOOT-BALL MATCH ON CARTERHAUGH.

THE LIFTING OF THE BANNER.

From the brown crest of Newark its summons extending,
Our signal is waving in smoke and in flame ;

And each forester blithe from his mountain descending,
Bounds light o'er the heather to join in the game.

CHORUS.

Then up iviih the Banner, let forest mndsfon her.
She has blazed over Ettricke eight ages and more ;
In sport tue'll attend her, in battle defend her.
With heart and with hand, like ourjathers before.

When the Southern invader spread waste and disorder.
At the glance of her crescents he paused and withdrew,

For around them were marshall'd the pride of the Border,
The Flowers of the Forest, the Bands of BuccLEUCH.
Then up with the Banner, &c.

A stripling's weak hand to our revel has borne her.
No mail-glove has graspM her, no spearmen surround ;

But ere a bold foeman should scathe or should scorn her,
A thousand true hearts would be cold on the ground.
Then up with Banner, &c.

We forget each contention of civil dissension,

And hail, like our brethren, Home, Douglas, and Car j

And Elliot and Pringle in pastime shall mingle,
As welcome in peace as their fathers in war.
Then up with the Banner, &c.

cccxlii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

Then strip* lads, and to it, thoucfh sharp be the weather,
And if, by mischance, you should happen to fall.

There are worse things in life than a tumble on heather.
And life is itself but a game at foot -ball.
Then up with the Banner, Sec.

And when it is over, we'll drink a blithe measure
To each laird and each lady that witnessed our fun,

And to every blithe heart that took part in our pleasure,.
To the lads that have lost and the lads that have won.
Then up with the Banner, &c.

May the Forest still flourish, both Borough and Landward,
From the hall of the Peer to the herd's ingle-nook ;

And huzza ! my brave hearts, for Buccleuch and his standard.
For the King and the Country, the Clan and the Duke.

Then up tjcith the Banner, let forest ijoindsfon her.
She has blazed over Ettricke eight ages and more ;
In sport we'll attend her, in battle defend he?-,
With heart and tvith hand, like our fathers before.

^mt\f t!?e <Qi)zM Of tfjc JTorest*
Ahhotsford, Dec. 1, 1815,

TO THE

ANCIENT BANNER OF THE HOUSE OF BUCCLEUCH.

And hast thou here, like hermit grey.

Thy mystic characters unroU'd,
O'er peaceful revellers to play.

Thou Emblem of the days of old ;
Or comest thou with the veteran's smile.

Who deems his days of conquest fled.
Yet loves to view the bloodless toil

Of sons whose sires he often led ?

Not such thy peaceable intent,

When over border-waste and wood,
On foray and achievement bent.

Like eagle on thy path of blood.
Symbol to ancient valour dear,

Much has been dared and done for thee ;-
I almost weep to see thee here.

And deem thee raised in mockery.

ORIGINAL POETRY. wcxliii ;

But no — familiar to the brave,

'Twas thine, thy gleaming moon and star,

Above their manly sports to wave, .

As free as in the field of war. '

To thee the faithful clans-man's shout, '}

In revel as in rage was dear ; .'

The more beloved in festal rout, ^

The better fenced when foes were near. ,

I love thee for the olden day, j

The iron age of hardihood ; j

The rather that thou led'st the way ;

To peace and joy, through paths of blood ;

For were it not the deeds of weir, |

When thou wert foremost in the fray,
We had not been assembled here.

Rejoicing in a father's sway. i

And e'en the days ourselves have known,

Alike the moral truth impress,—
Valour and constancy alone

Can purchase peace and happiness.
Then hail, Memorial of the Brave,

The Liegeman's pride, the Border's awe ;
May the grey pennon never wave

On sterner field than Carterhaugh,

Altrive Lake, Dec. 1, 1«15.

^ELEN OF KIKKCONNELL.
By John Mayne.

I WISH I were where Helen lies.
For night and day on me she cries ;
And, like an angel, to the skies

Still seems to beckon me !
For me she lived, for me she sigh'd.
For me she wish'd to be a bride ;
For me, in life's sweet morn, she died

On fair Kirkconnel Lee !

Where Kirtle waters gently wind,
As Helen on my arm reclined,
A rival, veith a ruthless mind.
Took deadly aim at me ;

cccxliv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGWSTER, 1813. 1

My love, to disappoint the foe, !

RushM in between me and the blow, ,

And now her corse is lying low, I

On fair Kirkconnel Lee ! j

Though Heaven forbids my wrath to swell, i

I curse the hand by which she fell — '

The fiend that made my heaven a hell, ■

And tore my love from me ! '
For, if where all the graces shine —

0 ! if on earth there's aught divine,

My Helen ! all these charms were thine, >

And center'd all in thee ! '\

Ah ! what avails it that, amain, «

1 clove th' assassin's head in twain ! '\
No peace of mind, my Helen slain—- j

No resting-place for me 1 J
I see her spirit in the air !

I hear the shriek of wild despair, ^ '

When murder laid her bosom bare '

On fair Kirkconnell Lee ! - . I

O ! when I'm sleeping in my grave, •

And o'er my head the rank weeds wave, ^ i

May He who life and spirit gave .^

Unite my love and me ! ]

Then from this world of doubts and sighs ^

My soul on wings of peace shall rise ; ' j
And, joining Helen in the skies.

Forget Kirkconnel Lee ! ''.

ORIGINAL POETRY. cccxiv

IMITATION OF HORACE— 22d Ode. ,

(By Allan Ramsay, Junior.) '

Allan Ramsay, junior, son of the pastoral poet, is better known as a painter than a
poet ; but in the latter capacity he possessed much of his father's humour. After
the battle of Prestonpans he wrote an imitation of the Song of Deborah in Scrip-
ture, which he put into the mouth of a Jacobite young lady of family, which displaj^
ed considerable powers of satire. . The following^ea (Tesprit is a curious union of
the Latin rythm with the modern rhyme.

Man of no base (John) life and conversation, i

Needs not to trust in coat of mail or buff skin, [

Nor need he vapour with his sword or rapier

Pistol or great gun ; ^

For if he ranges eastward to the Ganges,
Or if he bends his course to the West Indies,
Or sails the sea red, which so many strange odd

Stories are told of. '

For but last Monday, walking at noon-day.

Conning a ditty to divert my Betty, \

By me that sour Turk — ( I not frighted) our kirk- \

Treasurer's man past.

And sure more horrid monster in the torrid ;

Zone cannot be found, sir, though for snakes renown'd, sir, ■

Nor does great Peter's empire boast such creatures i

Of bears the wet nurse, sir. ]

Should I by hap land on the coast of Lapland, ]

Where there no fire is, much less pears and cherries, ]

Where stormy weather, sold by hags whose leather

Faces would fright one.

Place me where tea grows— or where sooty negroes
Sheep's guts round tie them, lest the sun should fry them ;
Still while my Betty smiles and looks so pretty

I will adore her.

inrcxH EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

STANZAS.

ANONYMOUS. .

Come, Mary, let us seek the hill '

Where blooms the gorse along the lei, . i
And wander by its wizard rill, "

Or sit beneath its greenwood tree ; i

There mingle converse kind and free.
Or read some bard's inspired strain.

Or, blest in Nature's harmony, '\

To sweater silence sink again. ^

The gleams of joy that gladden life, ;

Its gathering clouds may soon o'ercast, 1

But let us snatch from care and strife '

The lovelier moments while they last ; . . . ;

The tears that spring from sorrows past ;

■Down Pleasure's brightening cheek may flow, a \

As snows piled by the mountain blast
In fresh'ning floods are felt below.

Then come and brush the vernal dew \

By mossy glen and mountain hoar.
And mark the billows trembling blue

Around that lone and lovely shore — ' '

O come, ere youth's gay morn is o'er.

Ere the heart's vivid spring is gone, i

And darker cares, unknown before.
Condemn the breast to sigh alone ! ,' ,

Yet sure affection's fervid glow i

No " chance or change" shall ever chiU,

Nor e'er the soul's ingenuous flow <

Be deaden'd by life's darkest ill ; — i

But come and let us climb the hill, ^

"When blooms the gorse along the lea, '

And wander by the wizard rill, i

Or sit beneath the greenwood tree. j

2 ' :

ORIGINAL POETRY. cccxivii i

I
SONNET. ^

TO A LADY CARESSING AN INFANT. ]

ANONYMOUS. ]

O TAKE not, dearest Anna, from my view

That lovely child, which in thy fond embrace

Smiling delighted, lends more winning grace
Unto thy airy form and blooming hue ! . . .
'Tis sweet on these young eyes of liquid blue

To gaze, . . . and in the features of a face,

Where nought of ill hath stampt unhallowM trace.
To read, " whatever is lovely, pure, and true." ...
My Anna ! even thus, when life was new,

We wont to hang around the old man's chair,

While he with tremulous hand would pat our check.
And tell how youth doth fade like morning dew !

And teach us how to frame our infant pray'r

To HIM who heareth those whose hearts are pure and meek*

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

ccGxlix

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BIPtTHS, MARRIAGES, DEATHS,

WITHIN THE YEAR 1813.

BIRTHS.

Jan. 1. Lady Mordaimt, a daiigliter.
S. The lady of Sir G. Bowyer, Bart, a
»on. 4. The lady of Major Stewart, 9th
royal veteran battah'on, a daughter. 6.
Tfie lady of W. Dickinson, Esq. MJP, a
?on. 9. At Perth, tfie lady of Captain
Ayton, a daughter. 10. At Cork, the
Jady of Major- Genernl Graham, a sOn.
31. Madame Liicien Buonaparte, a son.
17. At London, the Right Hon. Lady
Caroline Anne Macdonald, a daughter.
19. At liithalion Lodge, the lady of
ColonelA, Spens, a son. 20. The lady
of J. Finch Simpson, Esq.^ a daughter.
— At Edinburgh, Mrs Murray of Pol-
maise, a son. 22. At Rasay, Mrs Macleod,
of Rasay, a son. 2o. The wife of Dr
Sutherland, a daughter —Mrs Bunnihg
of twin daughters, who with their mother
died in a few days. 26. At Edinburgh,
the lady of Apchibald Macnab, Esq. of
Kinnell, a son. 28. The wife of the Rev.
Dr Hall, a son.

Feb. 1. The lady of the Honourable
Archibald Macdonald, a son. — The Mar-
chioness of Queensberry, a daughtfer.
S. At Kilravock Castle, the lady of Hugh
Rose, Esq. M.P. a son. 7. At Edinburgh,
Mrs John Brougham, a son. 9. At Edin-
burgh, Mrs Morehead, wife of the Rev.
Robert Morehead, a son. 1 2. Lady Mary
TiOug, a daughter. 1 3. The lady of Sir

G. S. Mackenzie, Bart, a son. 14. Right
Hon. Ladv Aiigusta Cotton, a daughter.
15. The iady of Sir William Pole, a
daughter. 17. Right Honourable Lady
Isabella Anne Brydges, a daughter. 19.
At Manchester, the lady of Lieutenant-
Colonel Inglis, of the Edinburgh militia, a
daughter. 23. Viscountess Pollington, a
daughter. 27. The iady of Thomas Pere*
grine Courtenay, Esq. M.P. a son. 28.
The lady of Sir Joseph Mawbey, a still-
born child. — At Stockliolm, the lady of
Edward Thornton, Esq. his Majesty's En-
voy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipo-
tentiary at that court, a son.

March l. The lady of Captain J. Hal-
dane Tait, royal navy, a son. 2. Hon.
Mrs Blackwood, a daughter, 5. At Edin-
burgh, Mrs Somervillo, wife of Dr Somer-
ville, deputy-inspector of army- hospitals,
a daughter.' 6. At Musselburgh, Mrs
Scott, of Wauchop, a daughter. 8. At
Park House, Mrs Dr Mackinnon, a son.
— Countess of Northesk, a son. 10. Mrs
Fuller Maitland, a son. 16. At Broom-
hall, the Right Hon. the Countess of El-
gin, a son. — At Edinburgh, Mrs Stewart,
of Crooks, a sdn. 18. Mrs Charles Ham-
mersley, a daughter. 19. At Edinburgh,
Mrs Dr Gordon, Buccleuch Place, a son.
21. At Edinburgh, Mrs Fergusson, of
Bailyouken, a daughter. 23. At Edin-
burgh, the lady of Thomas Sheridan, Esq.
a sen — The wi/e «f Geor«je Baring, Esq.

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, &c.

#ccli

a daughter. 27. The Countess of Chi-
chester, a daughter. 31. Countess Grey
of her eighth son and fourteenth child. —
Lately, in Ross, the lady of the Rev. Tho-
mas Handcock, of her twentieth child.

April l. At Greenock, Mrs George
Forsyth, a son. 3. At Edinburgh, Mrs
Walker, the lady of Colonel Walker, of
Bowland, a son. — The lady of Sir William
Blackett, a son. 4. At Holmbush Lodge,
Sussex, the lady of the Honourable D. M.
Erskine, a daughter. — Mrs Nicholson, of
Tanera, a son. — The lady of Gilbert L.
Meason, Esq. of Lindertis, a son. — At
Ashgrove, the lady of David Snodgrass
Buchanan, of Blantyre Park, u son. 5.
The wife of John Bowyer Nichols, Esq.
a son. 7. The wife of John Cator, Esq.
a son and heir. — Mrs Dr Millah, Brown's
Square, a daughter. 9. At Edinburgh,
the lady of James L'Amy, younger of
Dunkenny, Esq. advocate, a son. 10.
Mrs Dennistoun, younger of Colgrain, a
daughter. 1 1. At Southfod, Mrs Steur
house, jun. a daughter. 13. At Carlin-
wark House, Mrs M*Culloch, of Tor-
houskie, a son. 14. At Currie, the lady
of Walter Brown, Esq. jun. of Currie, a
son. — Mrs Gregory, St Andrew's Square,
a son. 15. At Erskine-house, the lady of
Lieutenant-Col. the Honourable Patrick
Stuart, a son. — Mrs Smith, of Land, a
son. 18. Lady Walpole, a son. 1 9. Lady
Catherine Forrester, a son. 21. The wife
of T. T. Bcrney, Esq. a son and heir. —
At Relugas, the lady of Thonias louder
Dick, Esq. younger of Fountalnhall, a son.
22. In Leith Walk, the lady of John
Beards worth, Esq. a daughter. 25. In
York Place, London, the lady of Vice-
Admiral Sir Richard Strachan, Bart, and
K.B. a son and heir. — Mrs Roy, of Nen-
thorn, a son. 26. Mrs Boyd, of Broad-
meadows, a daughter. 27 At Jedburgh,
Mrs Brown, of Rawflatt, a son. 28. The
wife of Major Hannerfield, a daughter.

May 2. The lady ot John Smith, Esq.
a daughter. 4. The Duchess of St Al-
ban's, a stiU-born child. 5. At Moniack,
the lafly of R. K. Mackenzie, Esq. of
Flowerburn, a daughter. 11. The lady
of Major-General Graham Stirling, of
Duchray and Auchyle, a daughter, being
her fourteenth child. 15. The v^ile of
Mr Alderman Magnay, a son, IG. Lady
Iiouvaine^ a daughter. 17. The wife of

William Henderson, at Rawburn, in the
parish of Cranshaws, Berwickshire, two
sons and a daughter, all seeming to do
veil. 18. At Dryden, Mra Scott, wife of*
Alex. J. Scott, Esq. a daugliter. 20. Mri
Raitt, of Carphin, a daughter. — At Glas-
gow, Mrs Cunningham, of Cairncurran, a
daughter. 21. At Castle Craig, Lady
Gibson Carmic})acl, a daughter. 24. At
Islabank, the lady of Peter Wedderbum,
Esq. a daughter. 26. The lady of the
Knight of Glin, a son and heir. — Lately,
the Countess of Moray, a daughter. SO
Mrs M'Dougall, Caverton Mill, a son.

June 5. The lady of Sir Benj. Hob-
house, a son ; since dead. — The lady of
the Hon. and Rev. Hugh Percy, a son*
7. The lady of Sir Henry Rivers, Bart, a
daughter. 8. Countess Enniskillen, a son.
15. At Gottenburgh, the lady of D. Scott,
Esq. Portugueze Consul, a daughter. 16.
At Cork, the Right Hon. Lady f orbes, a
daughter. 19. Lady Owen, a daughter.
20. At Dumfries, Mrs Maxwell, younger,
of Carruchan, a daughter. 24. At Mor-
tnond House, Mrs G^ordon, of Cairnbulg,
a daughter. 26. The wife of Sam. Comyn,
Esq. a son. 28. Lady Caroline Capel of
her third son and twelfth child. 29. At
Dunmore House, Mrs Campbell, of Dun-
more, a daughter. 30. At Cheeseburn
Grange, the wife of Ralph Riddle, Esq. a
a son. — Lately, Mrs M'Kinven, wife to
Arch. M'Kinven, calico-printer, Denny,
of twins. This is the third time succes-
sively that Mrs M'Kinven has had twins,
and all of them sons.

July S. The lady oif Sir John Hope,
of Craighall, Bart, a son. 4. At Edin-
burgh, the lady of Sir John Pringle, Bart,
of Stitchel, a daughter. — The lady of
Ijeutenant-Colonel Knight Erskine, of
Pitlodfje, a son. — Mrs Forrest, of Comis-
ton, a son. 5. At Orton House, Lady
Ann Wharton Duff| a daughter — At Edin-
burgh, Mrs Campbell, of Dalscrf, a son.
9. At Gilmore Place, Mrs Irvine, of Bon-
shaw, a son. — At Porchesty Barracks,
Hants, the lady of Alexander Mackenzie,
Esq. of Scotsburn, Captain in the 5th re-
giment of British militia, a son. 11 At
Glengarry House, the lady of Col. iMac-
donncil, of Glengarry, a son. 13. The
Right Hon. Lady Anne Wardlow, a son.
17. The iady of the Hon. J. Thornton
Leslie Melville, a daughter. — At Eldcrslie

ccclii

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

House, the Hon. Mrs Speirs, a daughter.
—The ladv of the Hon. Edw. Harboard,
a son and heir. — The lady of Sir Oswald
Mosley,a daughter. — Lady Harriet Bagot,
a son. Si7. Viscountes Hamilton, a son.
— Lately, the wife of Mr Skeskarrar, of
Donaghmore, of two sons and a daughter,
all likely to live. About two years ago
she was delivered of two fine boys. — At
Martin, near PeBrith, the wife of Mr John
Barton, three daughters, who are likely to
do well — At St Petersburgh, the Princess
Tscherbaloff, lady of Sir R. K. Porter, a
son.

Aug. 1. At Windmill Hill, Sussex, the
seat of her father, Edward Jeremiah Cur-
teis, Esq. the lady of Steuart Boone Inglis,
Esq. a daughter. — At Edinburgh, the wife
of Mr James Crawford, a daughter; it
being twenty years since Mrs Crawford
was delivered of her last child. 4. Vis-
countess Fitzharris, a son. — Hon. Mrs
Codrington, a son. 8. At Inverness, Mrs
Captain Campbell, 71st Highland light
infantry, a son. 9. Hon. Mrs Vanneck,
a son and heir. — The lady of Sir Robert
Graham, a son and heir. — At Carradale
House, Mrs Campbell, of Carradale, a
son. 10. At Kirkcudbright, the lady of
Robert Gordon, Esq. writer, a son. 18.
The lady of D. Macleod, Esq. of Tallis-
ker, a daughter. 19. At Edinburgh, the
lady of Patrick Stirling, Esq. a son, 20.
At Cheveley Park, the Duchess of Rut-
land, a son and heir. 22. At Stenhouse,
Mrs Graham Campbell, of Shirvan, a
daughter. — The lady of Lieutenant-Col.
P. Black, a son. 28. At Duncan House,
the Right Hon. Lady Anne Eraser, a still-
born daughter. — Lady Arthur Somerset,
a son. — Viscountess Grimstone, a son.
29. At Edinburgh, the lady of Captain
Clarke, of the Northampton militia, a son
and heir.

Sept. 3. At Edinburgh, the lady of Sir
A. O. Molesworth, of Pitcarra, Bart, a
son and a daughter. — At Urrard, the lady
of Major Alston, a son. 8. At CuUen
House, the lady of Colonel Grant, M. P.
a daughter. 9. The lady of the Hon. J.
Bridgeman Simpson, a son. 11. At Lon-
don, the lady of Viscount Mountjoy, a
son and heir. 13. At Granton, Lady
Charlotte Hope, a daughter. 14. At Sea
Grove, the lady of the Right Honourable
the Lord Justice Clerk, a daughter.-— At

Edinburgh, the lady of Alex. Munro, Esq. •
of Livingston, a son. 16 The lady of !

Lieut.-Col. Foulkes, a son and heir. '■

The Hon. Mrs Ferguson, a son. 19. At ^

Dryden, Viscountess Primrose, a son. '

At Ayr, the Hon. Mrs RoUo, a daughter. '.
25. The lady of Rear-Admiral Scott, a -
son. 27. The Right Hon. Latly Brown- \
low, a son. 29. At Clova, the lady of '
Harry Niven Lumsden, Esq. of Auchin-
doir, a daughter.— Lately, the wife of Ed-
ward Edwards, of Cavendish Street, Liver-
pool, of her seventeenth son. What makes i
it the more remarkable is, that she has had
seventeen boys out of eighteen children, '
and is now about 50 years of age. — The <
wife of Mr John Slightholra, of Scarbro',
painter, a daughter, with a complete set of ^
teeth. i

Oct. 2. At Edinburgh, the lady of J
Colonel Robertson, of Hallcraig, a son. '
5. The Duchess of Bedford, a son, who '
lived a few hours only. 7. At Wanstead ]
House, Mrs Long Wellesley, a son and ]
heir. 10. At Edinburgh, the lady of Sir
John Heron Maxwell, of Springkell, Bart,
a son. 14. The lady of E. J. Littleton, j
Esq. M. P. a daughter. 17. At High .
Wycombe, the lady of Sir H. Douglas,
Bart, a son. 13. At Craufurdland Castle, ;
the lady of William Howison Craufurd, !
Esq. a daughter. 19. At Erskine House, ^
Lady Blantyre, a son. 21. AtBalnamoon,
the lady of James Carnegy, Esq. of Balna- ;
namoon, a daughter. 23. At Langley \
Farm, Kent, the Honourable Mrs Wed- i
derburn, a son. — At Redbourn Hall, Lin- |
colnshire, the lady of the Right Hon. Lord :
William Beauclerk, a son. 25. At Hil- ■
ton, Fifeshire, the lady of Colonel Deas, 1
a son. 29. At Milton, near Peterborough, !
Lady Viscountess Milton, a daughter. 31. !
The lady of the Hon. and Rev. Alfred ,
Harris, a son. \

Nov. 2. At the Relief Manse, Kelso, '■
Mrs Pitcairn, a son. 3. The wife of the '
Rev. S. Birch, Rector of St Mary Wool- ;
noth, a son. 9. At Kelton, the lady of i
William Walker, Esq. of Kelton, a son. ■
11. Viscountess Bertrand, a daughter. '
13. At Drumsheugh, Mrs Major Weir, a I
daughter. 14. The lady of H. R. Duft; \
Esq. of Muirton, a daughter. 17. At !
Edinburgh, the lady of Lieutenant Colonel
Wardlaw, a daughter. — The lady of Isaac i
Solly, Esq, a son. 18. The wife of Dr •

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, &c.

cccliii

Yelloly, a son. — The Countess of Rossc,
a (laughter. 23. At Arbuthnott, the Vis-
countess of Arbuthnott, ^ daughter. — At
Dumfries, the lady of Douglas Macmurdo,
Esq. a daughter. 24. At Ochtertyre, the
Right Hon. I.ady Mary Murray, a son.
2.'. At the Retreat, Berwickshire, the
Honourable Mrs MontgoThorie Stewart, a
daughter. 28. At Edinburgh, the lady
of John C. Scott, of Sinton,Esq, a son. —
At Edinburgh, Mrs Craigie, of Cilendoick,
a son.

Dec. 1. At New Saughton, Mrs Wat-
son, of Saughton, a son. 3. The lady of
General Francis Dundas, a son. — At Edin-
burgh, Mrs James Ker, younger of Black-
shicis, a daughter, — The Duchess of New-
castle, two sons. 4. Viscountess Hawar-
den, a daughter. 8. The lady of Matthew
White, Esq. M. P. a son. 9. The lady of
S. Siiaen, Esq. a son and heir. Is. Vis-
countess Joscelyn, a daughter. 1 4. At St
Helen's, the wife of Capt. Southey, R. NT.
brother of the Poet- Laureate, a son and
heir. 15. The lady of Alderman Atkins,
M. P. a daughter. 16. The lady of Sir
John Thomas Stanley Alderley, a daugh-
ter. 18. The lady of Colonel Bunbury, a
son. — Lately, The lady of Sir J. Shelley, a
son. — The wife of Lieutenant Colonel W.
Napier, a daughter.

MARRIAGES.

Jan. 1. At Gretna Green, Lieut. B.
Ronald, to Miss M. Macauley, of Glas-
gow. 5. P. D. Pauncefort Duncombe,
Esq. to Lady Alicia Lambert, younges-t
daughter of the Earl of Cavan. 9. Lord
Viscount Joscelyn, to Maria, daughter of
Lord Le Despencer. 11. John H. Tre-
niayne, Esq. M. P. to Caroline Matilda,
daughter of Sir William Lemon. 12. Fre-
<leriLk Booth, Esq. to Anna Maria, daugh-
ter of the late Robert Bristow, Esq. ]4.
At Kirkwall, Mr William Watt Bain,
procurator-fiscal of Orkney, to Jessie,
eldest daughter of Mr James Scarth, mer-
chant, Kirkwall. — At Edinburgh, Mr Pe-
ter Arnott, merchant, Leith, to Margaret
Ogilvie, daughter ot the l.ite David Ogil-
vie, Esq. merchant, Leith. 15. At Inner-
leithen, Peebles-shire, Mr James Tait,

VOL. VI. PART II.

Cabberston, to Miss Jane Hor.sburgh,
eldest daughter of the late Mr Horsburgh,
Yair. 16. At Barroch House, the Ilev.
William Smith, of Bower, to Miss Ann
L. Sinclair, third daughter of John Sin-
clair of Barroch. — .A.t the Manse of Rayne,
William Leslie, Esq. of Warthiil, to Jane,
youngest daughter of the Rev, Dr Patrick
Davidson, minister of Rayne. 19. Rev.
T. Whately to Isabella Sophia, daughter
of Sir W. W. Pcpys, Bart.— At Dalbeth,
Laurence Hill, Esq.-to Miss Barbara Hop-
kirk, third daughter of James Hopkirk,
Esq. of Dalbeth.— At Hawick, Mr An-
drew Lockie, nurseryman, Kelso, to Miss
Brown, of Hawick.— ft Eltham, George
Robinson, Esq. royal artillery, to Miss
Eve.— At Musselburgh, Alexander Vernor,
Esq. to Mi?s Susannah Spalding — At Pais-
ley, the Rev. William Hamilton, Strath-
blane, to Jane, third daughter of William
King, Esq. Lonend. 21. Henry Clifford,
Esq. to Anne Theresa, youngest daughter
of the late Edward Ferrers, Esq. — At
Woodford, Essex, John Paul, Esq. of
Leith, to Susannah, youngest daugliter of
the late J Hewetson, Esq. London 22.
Thomas Welnier, Esq. to Charlotte Mar-
garet,third daughter of Gerrard Noel Noel,
Esq. 23. S. F. Milford, Es(i. to Juliana,
eldest daughter of the late Wm. Ainge,
Esq.— At Aberdeen, Mr Alex. Walker,
of the Customs, Leith, to Miss Jean, se-
cond daughter of Mr John Sim, of the
Customs, Aberdeen. 26. At Parkside,
near Hamilton, the Rev. James Hutchi-
son, one of the chaplains to the Hon.
East India Company's military establish-
ment at Madras, to Miss Ann i?ender,
daughter of Robert Pender, Esq. of Park-
side.— At Ferney Castle, A. Cahill, Esq.
surgeon of the 25th loot, to Miss Logan,
eldest daughter of Lieut.-Colonel Logan.
28. Mr A. Vestris, to Miss Bartolozzi,
grand daughter of the celebrated engra-
ver.—At Melville Place, Stirling, Major
M'L{ od, of the Hon. East India Compa-
ny's service, to Mary, eldest daughter of
John Mackenzie of Kincraig, Esq. Ross-
shire. — Mr Joseph Bradbury, of Moor
Park, near Harrowgate, (the celebrated
singer) to Miss Wrigglesworth, of VVakc-
field, niece of the late Richard Green,
Esq. of Lcventhorp-house, near Leeds*.

Cccllv EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

Feb. 1. Alexander Kincaid, Esq. of
Newlands, to Elizabeth, only daughter of
J. Smith, Esq. of Loanhead. — At Glas-
gow, Mr Alexander Morrison, writer, to
Miss Janet, only daughter of Mr William
Snell, manufacturer there. 2. Viscount
Neville, to Miss Mary Anne Bruce El-
cock. 6. Viscount Powerscourt, to I^dy
Frances Joscelyn, eldest daughter of the
Earl of Roden. 9. At Workington, Mr
Jeremiah Jollie, editor of the Carlisle
Journal, to Miss Isabella Peil, niece of
the Rev. S. Peil, of the former place. —
At Glasgow, the Ilev. John Robertson,
Cambuslang, to Miss Sarah Shaw, eldest
daughter of the late Mr W^illiam Shaw,
bookseller, Glasgow. 12. At London, J.
Macquerier, Esq. to Mrs R. Scott, widow
of the late Professor Scott, King's Col-
lege, Aberdeen. 15. David Scott, Esq.
to Mary, the eldest daughter of the late
William Seddon, Esq. — At Glasgow, G.
Dods, Esq. captain, Royal Scots, to Dou-
glas, youngest daughter of the late Mr
Benjamin Pattison, Glasgow. — At Stir-
ling, Vrilliara Macintosh, Esq. banker,
there, to Ann, eldest daughter of John
Sutherland, E^:i. chief magistrate of Stir-
ling. 16. At Braes-house, W. Stirling
Glas, Esq. to Miss Forrester, of Craigan-
iiet. 20. At Edinburgh, Lord Blantyre,
to Fanny, second daughter of the Hon. J.
Rodney. — At Edinburgh, Thomas Hamil-
ton, Esq. merchant, Glasgow, to Maria
Helena, youngest daughter of the decea-
sed Sir George Colquhoun, of Tillyqu-
houn, Bart. 24. Thomas Somers Cocks,
Esq. to Agnetta, fifth daughter of the
Right Hon. Pole Carew. Lately, Captain
Hancock, of the royal navy, to Miss Kin-
near, daughter of the late Rear-Admiral
Kinnear.

March 4. W.H.Lyttleton,Esq.M.P.
to Lady Sarah, eldest daugliter of Earl
Spencer. 8. Viscount Gage, to Miss Foley,
eldest daughter of the late Hon. E. F. P.
9. At Cannobie Manse, Mr Cruthers,
Reyhills, Cannol)ic, to Ann, eldest daugh-
ter of the Rev. Mr Russel, minister of that
parish, 11. Edward Ferrers, Esq. to La-
dy Harriet Anne Ferrers Townshend, el-
dest daughter of the late Marquis Town-
rMend. — At Bath, Collingwood Forster
Fenwick, Esq. to Rliza, second daughter
of Admiral Christie, of Baberton. lif. At
5£dinljurgh, Capt. Hamilton, aid-de-carap

to Major- General Hope, to Jane, eldest i
daughter of Hugh Crawfurd, Esq. Kil-
blain, Greenock. IS. Richard Charles 1
Hanson, of Bristol, Esq. to Janet Dick-
son, youngest daughter of the late James ;
Dunn, of Edinburgh, Esq. 16. J. Goss,
Esq. to Lady Harrington, widow of the j
late Sir Edward Harrington. 22. AtEdin- ;
burgh, George Grey, Esq. of Millfield- i
hill, Northumberland, to Jane, second
daughter of John Gregson, Esq. of Bel- ^
Chester. 25. Lieut.-Col. D. Rattray, to \
Marian, only dai?ghter of Lieut.-General :
Hamilton.— At Selkirk, the Rev. William !
B.Shaw, minister of Langholm, to Eliza, \
youngest daughter of Mr Henry Scott, j
Deloraine. 29. At Greenhead, John Do- |
naldson, Esq. W. S. to Margaret, only ;
daughter of John Ure, Esq. SO. Captain j
Fellows, to the eldest daughter of the late |
R. Benyon, Esq. 31. At Edinburgh, R. ,
Hunter, Esq. of the Honourable East In- ]
dia Company*s Bengal civil service, to '<
Margaret, youngest daughter of Alexan- i
der Walker, Esq. Queen Street. ^

April 2. Sir Morris Ximenes, to Mrs \
Cotsfbrd, relict of the late E. Cotsford, ,
Esq. — At Edinburgh, Mr John Anderson, '
bookseller, to Miss Christina Tawse, only I
daughter of John Tawse, Esq. 5. C. P.
Meyer, Esq. to Louiia, third daughter of |
the late Rawson Hart Boddam, Esq. 5. ■
At Edinburgh, G. Napier, Esq. younger ',
of Dales, to Miss Maxton, eldest daugh-
ter of Mr Josiah Maxton, saddler. 7. -^
Murdoch Maclajne, Esq. of Lochbuy, to ,
Christian, eldest daughter of D. Maclean, ,
Esq. W. S. 8. At Dundas Castle, Ro-
bert Cunynghame, Esq. to Miss Maria ^
Dundas, second daughter of the late Geo. -
Dundas, Esq. of Dundas. — Rev. J. B. i
Jenkinson, to Frances Augusta, third
daughter of Augusta Pechell, Esq — At
Edinburgh, John Halliday Martin, Esq.
late of the 16th dragoons, to Elizabeth, ■
eldest daughter of Colonel William Kelso, ^
of Dankeith. 10. Sir William Scott, to ;
the Marchioness of Sligo. — At Edinburgh, \
Roderick Macleod, Esq. younger of Cad-
boll, to Miss Isa. Cunninghame, daughter \
of the late Will-am Cunninghame, Esq.
of Langshaw. 12. William Geddes, Esq.
of Verreville glassworks, to Catharine,
youngest daughter of William Kidston,
Esq. merchant in Glasgow, 13 James
Wfn. Croft, Esq. to Anne Eliza, daughter

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, &c.

cCclv

•f the Hon. Sir Edw. Hyde East. 19. At
Sandyford, the Rev. Alexander Gray, mi-
nister of Kincardine, to Ann, youngest
daughter of the late David Gray, Esq. of
Millbrae. — At Inveresk, Arch. Cochran,
Esq. of Ashkirk, lieutenant-colonel first
Mid Lothian local militia, to Miss Mar-
garet Campbell Furves, daughter of the
late Sir Alexander Purves of Purves, I3art.
20. A. Pell, Esq. to the Hon. Margaret
Letitia Matilda St John. i^6. R. Morris,
Esq. to Sophia Catharine, second daugh-
tcr of the late Dr James. 27. The Hev.
Robert Lundie, minister of Kelso, to Ma-
ry, youngest daughter of the late George
Grey, Esq. of Sandy House, Northum-
berland. 28. At Nairn, James Augustus
Grant, Esq. of Viewfield, and late of the
civil service of the East India Company,
to Miss Eliza, the eldest daughter of Col.
Mackintosh, of Millbank. SO. At Aber-
deen, Hugh Lumsden, of Pitaiple, Esq.
advocate, to Frances, second daughter of
Alexander Brebner of Lairnie, Esq.

May 4. The Hon. and Rev. Henry D.
Erskine, second son of Lord Erskine, to
Lady Harriet Dawson, sister to the Earl
of Portarlington. 6. Rev. Richard 13udd,
to Harriet Anne, second daughter of the
Rev. Jeremiah Trist.—At Bath, Captain
Frederick William Rooke, of the royal
navy, to Miss Wallace, daughter of the
tleceased Alexander Wallace. Esq. bank-
er. 10. At Cuffness, Captain Dudgeon,
."Jfith regiment, to Miss Yule, daughter of
James Yule, Esq. of Gibslees. 14. Rev.
Wm. Wood, to Charlotte, second daugh-
ter of the late Jos. Attersoll, Esq. 17.
Rev. Frederick Ricketts, to Mary Anne,
eldest daughter of the late Chas. Street,
Esq.--At Dumfries, Dr Alex. Melville,
to Miss Grace Babington, daughter of the
Rev. Dr William Babington, Dumfries.
18. At Inverness, Captain Gordon, 2d, or
Queen's royal regiment, to Katharine,
relict of the late Lieutant-Colonel Ross,
37th regiment. — At Beckley, Sussex, the
Hon. and Rev. James Douglas, to W.
Mina Murray, second daughter of the
Honourable Mrs Murray, widow of the
late General Murray. 22. Sir Joseph
Yorke, Knt. to the Marchioness of Clan-
ricade. 26. At L,ondon, the Rev. Thos.
Randolph, eldest son of the Lonl Bishop
of London, to Caroline Diana Macdonald,

youngest daughter of the Lord Chief Ba-
ron.

June 1. Right Hon. W. Dundas, to
Miss Stuart Wortley, daughter of the
Hon. Stuart Wortley Mackenzie. — At
Edinburgh, Alexander Gillespie, Esq. to
Eliza Mary, eldest daughter of the late
Lieut.-Col. William ShirrefF, of the East
India Company's service. 4. At Murrays,
George Imlnch, Esq. W. S. to Miss Agnes
Wight, daughter of the late Robt. Wight,
Esq. Murrays. 5. Sir L. Worsley Holmes,
Baii- M. P. to Anne, daughter of J. DeU
garno, Esq. 9. Henry Partington, Esq,
to Frances, eldest daughter of George
Tate, Esq. 16. At Musselburgh, Mr C.
Stewart, younger of Sweethope, to Agnes,
daughter of Captain James Boyle, of Til-
libody. 20. At Knole, in Kent, tlie Earl
of Delaware, to Lady Elizabeth Sackville,
youngest daughter of the late, and sister
to the present Duke of Dorset. — At Glas-
gow, the Rev. Dr William Muir, one of
the ministers of that city, to Miss Han-
nah Black, eldest daughter of Jas. Black,
Esq. merchant. '24. Henry S. H. Wol-
laston, Esq. to Frances, eldest daughter
of the Rev. Dr Buchanan. 26. At Lon-
don, the Right Honourable Lord Frede-
rick Beauclerk, to iMiss Charlotte Dillon,
daughter of the Right Hon. Lord Viscount
Dillon. 29 Lord William Geo. Henry
Somerset, brother to the Duke of Beau-
fort, to Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Ma-
jor-General Molyneux.

July 2. At Edinburgh, Sir D. Hunter
Blair, of Brownhill, Bart, to Miss Dorothy
Hay Mackenzie, second daughter of Ed-
ward Hay Mackenzie, of Newhall and
Cromarty, Esq. — At Edinburgh, David
Monro Binning, Esq. of Softlaw, to Miss
Isabella Blair, second daughter of the late
Right Honourable Robert Blair, of Avon-
ton, Lord President of the College of
Justice — At Kirtown Manse, the Rev.
William Brown, of Greenlees, minister of
Eledrule, to Miss Janet Henderson, eldest
daughter of Mr Archibald Henderson,
Mackside. 5. At St Andrews, the Rev.
Dr John Lee, Professor of Ecclesinstical
History in St Mary's College, to Miss Rose
Mason, daughter of the late Rev. Dr T.
Mason, mini.-terof Dunnichen. — Rev. Mr
Roberts of Uppingham, to the daughter
of the Rev. Mr Pochin. 10. Hait Davis

ccclvi

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

Esq. M. P. to Charlotte, fourth daughter
of the late Gen. Dnndas. 13. Major
McGregor, of the 70th regiment, to Miss
Mercer, daughter of the late Capt. Mer-
cer. 15. Rev. L. Hird, Prebendary of
York, to the eldest daughter of the late
Rev. L. S. Lascelles. 19. Rev. F. B.
Astley, to Mary Anne, youngest daughter
of J. N. Ludford, Esq. 20. James Dun-
das, Esq. of Dundas, to the Hon. Mary
Tufton Duncan, daughter of the late
Lord Viscount Duncan. — Rev. T. Bed-
ford, to Barbara, youngest daughter of
Lord St John. 22! Sir^Charles Colville,
to Miss Bonnell. 28. George Corry, Esq.
to Elizabeth Mary, daughter of John Ald-
ridge, Esq. — John "Cunninghame, Esq.
advocate, to Miss Trotter, eldest daugh-
ter of Lieutenant-General Trotter. 29.
Francis Forrester, Esq. to Lady Louisa
Vane, eldesf daughter of the Earl of Dar-
lingtjon. Lately, at London, Captain E.
Knox, to Miss Hope, sister of James
Hope Weir, Esq. of Craigiehajl.

Aug. 2. Captain Carrol, R. N. to Mar-
thai Milligen, eldest daughter of Captain
Dacres. — At Woodside, J. Boyes, Esq.
of VVellhall, to Elizabeth, daughter of the
late John Dykes, Esq. of Woodside. 5.
George Cocks, Esq. R. N. to Mrs Ro-
bertson, daughter of the late Admiral Sir
William Parker, Bart — Hon. Edw. Stour-
ton, to Maria, only daughter of James Lane
Fox, Esq. 11. Rev. John King Martyn,
to Emma, fourth daughter of the late Al-
derman Macaulay, of London. 12. W. T.
Gordon, Esq. to Miss W. Wood, having
been married ten years before at Gretna
Green. 18. Right Hon. James Hay, to
the daughter of James Forbes, Esq- of
Seaton. 19. J. D, Norton. Esq. to Helen,
daughter of Major-Gen. Bruce. 21. Ed-
ward Wigan, Esq. to Elizabeth, only child
of James Costar, E?;q 23. At Glasgow-
Field, Thos. C. Hasrgart, younger of JBan-
taskine, to Eliziibeth, only daughter of
Thomas Stewart, Esq of Westforth. 24.
Sir Charles Knightly, Bart, to the daugh-
ter of the late Felton Hervey, Esq — At
^dinburwh, James Oreenhill, Esq, of Gor-
don, to Anne, third daughter of the late
Reverend Wdiiam Duncan, minister of
Abernethy. 25. At LtMth, James Robert-
flon, E?q. of Balgarvie, to .K^ssie, fourth
dauithter of the late John Archibald, Esq.
merchant in Leith. 26. J. Monson, Esq.

to Elizabeth Anne, second daughter of
the Rev. Christ. Wyvill. 30. Molyneux
Hyde Nepean, Esq. to Miss C. Tilghman.

SitPT 2. Chas. Sneyd Edgeworth, Esq.
to Miss Broadhurst, sister of J. B. Esq.
M. P. 6. Lord Nugent, to the dauduer
of the Hen. General Paulett. 7. Hon. R.
Quin, to Emily, sister of Sir John VVyld-
bore Smith, Bart. — J. J. H. Vere, Esq.
to Lady Elizabeth Hay, fourth daughter
of the ^arquis of Tweeddale. 10. Rev.
J. Spencer Knox, eldest son of the Bishop
of Derry, to Clara, youngest daughter of
the late Ptight Hon. J. Beresford. 14.
Morton Kelly, Esq. son of the late Admi-
ral Kelly, to Anne Lindsey de Cardonnel.
21. R. W. Newman^ Esq. M. P. to Mary
Jane, daughter of Richard Denne, Esq.
23. Horace Mann, Esq. to Louisa, eldest
daughter of the Rev, Walter Trevelyan,
28. George Cobb, Esq. to Sophia, only
daughter of John Wheatiev, Esq. — Rev.
B. Coliyer, D D. to Miss Mary Hawkes.

Oct. 6. G. G. Graves, Esq. to Eliza-
beth, the only daughter of the Rev. Dr
Graves, ll. John Ward, Esq. to Fran-
ces, daughter of the late Hon. John Le-
vesonGower. 14. Dr Powell, to Mrs
Garnett. 19. J. H. Butterworth, Esq. to
Mary Anne, only child of T. Stock, Esq.
20. Captain Clifford, R. N. to Elizabeth,
second daugiiter of Lord John Town-
shend. 26. Tiie Right Hon. Rear-Admi-
ral Lord Henry Paulet, to Maria, young-
est daughter of E. Ravenscroft, Esq. 28.
James Wedderburn, Esq. advocate, to Isa-
bella, daughter of the late James Clerk,
Esq. 30. Henry Karslake, Esq. to E. M.
Preston, eldest daughter of R. Preston,
Esq. M. P.

Nov. 1. R. R. Ternan, Esq, to Helena,
eldest daughter of the late Col. Alexander
Read. 5. Rev. W. Penny, to Sophia,
youngest daughter of the Bishop of Car-
lisle. 9. Rich. Mee Raikes, Esq. to Jane,
third daughter of S. Thornton, Esq. 10.
At Edinbunrh, the Rev. John M'Quir,
minister of Urr, to Mii»s Jane Frazer, se-
cond daughter of Mr Alexander Frazer,
solicitor, supreme court. 11. Rev. Henry
Plimlev, to the daughter of the late Ad-
miral Buckner IS. The Right Hon. Ed-
ward Lord Thurlow, to Mary Catherine,
eldest daugiiter of James Bolton, Esq.
16. William Forlon^', jun Esq, Glasgow,
to Craufurd, daughter of Lieutenant-Ge-

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, &c.

ccclvii

neral Gordon Cuming, of Pitlurg, 23.
Lord Berriedale, to the youngest daugh-
ter and co'heiress of the late Rev. W.
Leigh. — At London, Alexander Don,
Esq. son of Sir Alexander Don, Bart, to
Miss Montgomerie, second daua:hter of
the late George Montgonierie, Esq. . 24v
John Macqueen, l>sq- to Jane Anne, se-
cond daughter of Sir James Nasinyth.

Dec. 4. Rev. VVni. Clialey, D.D. mas-
ter of Sidncy-Sussex College, C:«mbridge,
and Vice-Chancellor of that University, to
Mary, youngest daughter and co-heiress
of the late John Westwood, Esq. 6. Geo.
Ick, Esq. to Frances So[)hia Badcock,
grand-daughter of the late Richard Cum-
berland, Esq. 7. Rer. Francis Fox, to
the daughter of the late Rev. Jemmet
Browne. 9. T. D. Aubrey, £s(j. to Miss
Wright. II. Hon. Ed w. Law, M. P. to
Lady Octavia Stewart, daughter of the
Earl of Londonderry. — The JVJarquis of
Huntley, to the only daughter of A. Bro-
die, Esq. 14. H. Unwin Heathcote, Esq.
to Eleanor, third daughter of Sir Robert
Wigram, Bart. 21. Major Drake, to the
eldest daughter of J. Fane, Esq. M. P.
28. Lieut.-Col. J. P. Hamilton, to Char-
lotte, second daughter of J. Fane, Esq.
M. P. 29. Robert Spankie, Esq. to the
daughter ot J. Ingli«, Esq.

DEATHS;

Jam. 1. William Goodhcw, Esq. a de-
puty-lieutenant of the county of Kent. 3.
Mr John Marshall, called Crutchy Jack.
Though only 36 inches high, he was the fa-
ther of 8 children. 5. Slr Philip Gibbes,
Bart, aged »j.— Hon. A Frazer Tytler,
Lord VVoodhouslce, a judge of the Court
of Session. 7. Trevor Hull, Esq. gentle-
man usher of the privy chamber, aged 79.
He had greatly distinguished himself in
the army, in all the great battles of the
seven years war. — At Bath, Major-Gene-
ral Piitrick Alexinder Agnew. 8. The
Countess of Aylesbury, in her 60th year.
— John Byng, Viscount Torrington. — At
Edinburgh, Capt. Archibald Dow, R. N.
13. John Bell, Esq. an eminent solicitor
of Gray's lua. — In liis 96th year, W.
Brereton, Esq. formerly master of the cc»
remonies at liath. 14. In his 22(\ year,
the licv. Joseph Gregory, Vicar of St
Martin's, and All Saints/Leicester, 20.

Isaac Schomberg, Esq. an able naval com-
mander, and author of an excellent work
connected with his profession. — Ann lili-
za. Duchess of Chandos, mother to the
present Marchioness of Buckingham. —
Rev. R. NicoU, D.D. aged 80, Rector of
Drayton, and Chancellor of Wells. 24.
Miss Cornwallis, daughter of the Bishop
of Litchfield. 26. In his 63d year, Fran-
cis-Augustus Elliot, Lord Heathfield, Ba-
rop of Gibraltar. — William Hussey, Esq.
aged 87. 28. Henry Redhead Yorke, one
of the most violent of all politicians, first
on the side of liberty, and a; crwards
against it. 29. In his 84th year, V iscount
Molesworth. — The Countess of Portar-
lington, sister to the Marquis of Bute.

Feb. 1. In his 72d year, The Rev. W.
Wyntt, rector of Framlingliamcum-Saxs-
ted. — At Edinburgh, Mrs Jtcobina Ha-
milton, relict of Major Charles Hamilton,
ofFairholm. 3. William Hoskins, Esq.
Receiver- General oi' the county of Stjmer-
set, and brother-in-law to Viscount Sid-
mouth. — At London, Lady Helen Stew-
art, fourth daughter of the l^arl of Gal-
loway.— At tklinburgh, Charles Macken-
zie, Esq. of Kilcoy. 11. The Right Hon.
George Grenville, Marq-iis of Bucking-
ham. 14. Sir John Wentworth. 17. T.
Rarasden, Esq. a very eminent surgeon.
21. Henry Baldwin, Esq. an eminent
printer and bookseller. — In her 97t'n year.
Lady Mary Bowlby, grandnsotiier to the
Duchess of Bucdeuch, Lord Sidney,
Countess of Chatham, and Lady Dinevor,
— In his 8 1st year, Mr John Stephen, ce-
lebrated for his skill as a chiropodist. 25.
James Parkinson, Esq. late prop -ietor of
Sir Ashton Lever's museum. — At the age
of 107, M. Bertrand de Lille, who had
been first vaiet-de-chambre to Louis XV.

March 2. In his 88ih year, Thomas
Lord Viscount and Baron Cremorne. 5.
The Right Hon. Anne, Countess Dowa-
ger of Chichester, at the age of 79. 6^
William Jcrvis, Esq. elJer brother of the
Earl of St Vincent. 7. At Shooter's Hill,
the Countess of Carnarvon. 8. Sophia,
daughter of the Hon. and Rev. D? Ma-
sham. — At Castlii Menzics, Sir Robert
Menzies, Bart. — At Tyuningham, the
Countess of Haddington. 9- At Hoddbn\
Castit, Charies Sharpe, Esq, of Hoddoui.
13. Edward Long, Esq. author of the His-
tory of Jamaica. — At Dunbar House, Lat,

ccclviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 181S.

dy Charlotte Maitland, youngest daugh-
ter of the Earl of Lauderdale. 19. At
Edinburgh, Mrs Margaret Hope, of Lo-
gic, wife of Major-General John Hope.
21. John Pinker'ton, Esq. a considerable
civil engineer. 23. In her 76th year, her
Royal Highness the Duchess of Bruns-
wick, sister to his present majesty. 24.
The able, faithful, and zealous Vicar of
St Mary's, Leicester, the Rev. Thomas
Robinson. 26. Lady Augusta Phipps,
daughter of the Earl of Mulgrave. 27.
Lady Emma, third daughter of the Earl
of Tankerville. 28. Aged 75, the Prin-
cess of Conde.

April 1. In his 71st year, And. Mar-
shall, M. D. — In his 107th year, at Fal-
kirk, Daniel M'Kinnon. 7. Jane, widow
of the Hon. Frederick Vane, son of the
first Earl of Darlington. 10. Rev. Geo.
Holbrooke, M. A." of Trinity College,
Cambridge. 15. At Edmburgh, the Rev.
Dr Alexander Murray, lately appointed
Professor of Oriental Languages in that
University. 16. In his 85th year, the
Right Honourable Nicholas Barnwell, Ba-
ron Trimleston. — In his 67th year. Sir M.
White Ridley, of Blagdon, in Northum-
berland. 2 1 . Henry Clifford, Esq. a ce-
lebrated barrister, having been married
only three months. 23. S. F. Simmons,
M.D. physician extraordinary to the king.
—The Right Rev. Claudius Crigan, D.D.
Bishop of Sodor and Man. 24. In the
59th year of her age, the Countess of
Findlater and Seafield. 25. The Right
Honourable Richard Fitzpatrick, younger
brother to the Earl of Upper Ossory.
27. His Highness the illustrious Prince
KutusoiF Smolensko, who took a distin-
guished part in driving away Bonaparte
from Russia.

May 2. William Lord Hotham, Admi-
ral of his Majesty's fleet. — In the battle
of Lutzen, his Serene Highness the Prince
of Mecklenburg Strelitz, nephew of her
majesty the Queen of England. 4. In her
106th year, Elizabeth Bell, of Whiteha-
ven. 6. Thonias Pomeroy, Esq. whose
family came over with the Conqueror,
and who possessed the spurs and spoon
given by William to his ancestor. 11. S.
Gambier, Esq. a commissioner of the
navy. 16. The Hon. E. E. A. D. De
(Dourcy, at the age of 79. 17. Mr Mneas
C.regorson, assistant commissary general

to his Britannic Majesty's forces. 20.
John Lord Elphinstone. 21. Sir John
Anderson, Bart. 22. Dr J. Ossory, Bi-«
shop of Ossory. 27. Josiah Tattnall,
Esq. one of the council for the Bahama
islands. 31. The Right Hon. the Coun-
tess of Chesterfield.

June 2. At Edinburgh, Burnet Bruce,
Esq. advocate. 4. Hon. John De Courcy,
eldest son of Lord Kinsale, while pur-
suing the French in Spain. 7. Maria
Hester, wife of Thomas Park, Esq. — At
Edinburgh, Philip Dundas, only son of
General Francis Dundas. 12. At the
age of 94, Edward Rowland, whose father
lived to the age of 97, and grandfather t€>
that of 103. 17. In his 87th year, the
Right Hon. Charles Middleton, Baron
Barham, for some years an able com-
mander of his majesty's fleets, and first
lord of the admiralty. 18 In his 78th
year, the Right Hon. George Venables,
Lord Vernon. — Sir Charles Pole, Bart.
20. Sir Laurence Palk,aged 47. — At Irn-
ham, Lancashire, the Dowager Lady
Arundel. 21. At the memorable battle
of Vittoria, Captain Henry Anderson.—
At the same time, Lieut.-Col. Fane. He
had been severely wounded at Corunna,
under Sir John Moore. 27. At Craig-
leith, D.Ramsay, Esq. of Craigleith, printer
in Edinburgh. 28, Rev. William Severn,
minister of the Unitarian chapel, Hull. —
Arthur Annesly Powell, Esq. who some
years ago killed Lord Falkland in a duel.
29 Valentine Greene, Esq. A.R.A. late
keeper of the British Institution. SO. The
Hon. Henrietta A.M.C.B Pelham, wifeof
the Honourable Charles A. Pelham.

July 1. William Huntington, author
of the Bank of Faith, and other works, a
great enthusiast, or something not so
good. — Rev. John Venn, Vicar of Clap-
ham. 2. In the prime of life, Rev. Thos.
Morgan, Rector of Bridell, Cardiganshire.
8. Lady Campbell, relict of the late Sir
Arch. Campbell. — The Hon. Wm Lord
Craig, one of the judges of the Court of
Session. 11. In her 88th year. Lady C,
Finch, the last surviving daughter of Thos.
first Earl of Pomfret. She had been the
superintendant of the nursery of their
present majesties. l4. The Dowager La-
dy Heathcote, relict of the late Sir Gilbt.
Heathcote. 20. The Right Hon. H. T.
Butler, Earl of Carrick, 22. Geo. Shaw,

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, &c.

ccc

lix

MJ). F.il.S. celebrated for his very po-
pular works on Natural History. 26.
Rev. Henry Ford, doctor of civil law,
Principal of Magdalene Hall, Oxford. —
The Rev. Hugh Worthington, minister of
Salter's Hall. 28. The Right Rev. John
Randolph, Bishop of London.

Aug. 1. Sir Henry Vane Tempest, M.P.
for the countyof Durham.— Rev. Joseph
Bealey, a distinguished Unitarian minis-
ter. 2. Fighting in Spain, Capt. Brown-
low, son of the late Right Honourable W.
Brownlow. 4. The Hon. R. H. Monck-
ton, son of the late, and brother of the
present Viscount Gal way. 7. Wm. Pier-
repont, Esq. Rear-Admiral of the Blue.

11. H.J. Pye, Esq, poet laureate. 13.
At the age of 77, the Right Rev. Joseph
Stock, bishop of Waterford. 19. Dr
Vaughan, an eminent physician at Lei-
cester. 21. At the age of 89, of the
small-pox, Mr Joseph Wotton. 25. The
Rev. T. Hill, formerly the classical and
resident tutor in the Old College, Homer-
ton. 27. Dr Rudolph Rhode, fifty years
physician in the British army. — Baron de
Kolle, the friend and adherent to the soi-
disant king of France. 30. D. Adams,
Esq. many years secretary to the Society
for Constitutional Information.

Set. 2. Captain James Steuart, of the
Sd battalion Royal Scots. — In her 9 2d
year, Mrs Buchan Achmachoy, only grand-
daughter of William, the last Lord Bar-
geny. 5. W. VV. MoncreifF, L.L.D, and
advocate for the admintlty in the island
of Malta. 9. In his 84th year, E. Lock,
Esq. Alderman of Oxford. — At Edin-
burgh, AJiss Gordon, daughter of the late
Patrick Gordon, Esq. of Abergeldie, aged
93. 10. At Moncalve, the Rev. James
France, minister of the Associate Anti-
burgher Congregation. — At Drunisheugh,
near Edinburgli, VVm. Stark, Esq. archi-
tect. II. At Keiss, Mr John Clunes
Inncs, eldest son of James iiines, Esq.

12. At Kdiuburgh, George Ogilv\, Esq.
of Westhall. 14. At Fraserburgh, Wm.
Fraser, Esq. of Memste, in his 74th year.
15. B. A. Goldsmid, Esq. 19 Rev. W.
Pemberton, Rector of Rushbury, Salop.
— At Morcot, Rutland, m the 85th year
of htr ajje, the Right Hon. Lady Elizabeth
Chaplin, sister to Brownlow, nmth Earl of
Exeier, great aunt to the present Marquis
of Exeter, and mother of Charles Chaplin,

Esq. M. P. 21. Robert Mann, Esq. Ad-
miral of the Red. 26. Mr John Colston
Doyle, a celebrated professional bass-sing-
er. 29. William Gretton, D. D. Master
of Magdalen College.

Oct. 2. John Touchett, Esq. Attorney-
General of Carmarthen circuit. 5. At;
Vittoria, in Spain, of his wounds at the
battle of the Pyrenees, 25th July, in the
21st year of his age, Lieut. Alexander
Maciionald, of the 92d regiment, second
son of the late Major Macdonald, of Dal-
chosnie. 6, The Hon. Mrs Strode, relict
of W. S. Esq. 8. John Pennington, Lord
Munster. — At the early age of 39, the
Rev. Robert Yoang, D. D. minister of the
Scots church, London Wall. 11. The
Hon. F. J. Lygon, eldest daughter of the
Right Hon. Lord Beauchamp. 13. Rev;
J. Campbell, rector of St Andrew's, Ja-
maica. 14. Aged 64, Sir Barry Colles
Meredyth, Bart father of Sir Joshua M.
of Cheltenham ; and on the day following
the lady of Sir Joshua. 17. Lieut.-Gen.
Sir Harry Burrard. 18. In his 3 1st year,
at the famous battle of Leipsic, Captain
Richard Bogue.

Nov. 1. Within the rules of the King's
Bench, the Rev. Francis Stone, who was
prosecuted and deprived of his livmg by
the Bishop of London, on account ol ha-
ving preached and published a sermon on
the miraculous conception. — Lady Fenn,
relict of the late Sir John Fenn. 3. R.
A. Harrison, Esq. collector of the cus-
toms at Hull. 8. Dr Spencer Madan,
bishop of Peterborough. 9. Viscount Dil-
lon, governor of tiie counties of Roscom-
mon and Mayo. IS. Reverend Joseph
Jowett, L.L.D. Professor of Civil Law
at Oxford 15. Mrs Krumphoitz, the
celebrated performer on the harp. — The
Right Honourable Grace, Countess of
Portsmouth. 17. Sir Thos. Theophllua
Metcalfe. 18. The Right Honourable
Cassandra Lady Hawke. 20. Oi an apo-
plectic fit, G. Johnstone, Esq. 23. The
Right Hon. Caroline Viscountess Clifden,
eldest daughter of the Duke of Marfbo-
rough. 25. Aged 79, Sir William Ben-
nett 26. Lady Harriet Gill, relict of t^e
late W. Gill, Esq. 28. The Rev. Samuel
Palmer, fifty years minister ef the inde-
pendent congregation at Hackney, and au-
thor of many excellent works.

D£L'. 2. Jitlr John Robinson, bookseller

ccclx

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

of Paternoster Row, highly respected for
bis integrity. 4. J. Gregory, Esq., many
years treasurer of the Whig club. 5. The
Rev. Sam. Herbert, D.D. rector of Crox-
toii Kerial. 8. George Wilbraham, Esq.
Ibrmerly member of parhament for Bod-
min. 9, Mr John Doddrige Humphries.
10. The lady of tlie Right Hon. Lord C.
Bentinck. — The lady of Walter Fawkes,
Esq. 13. Mary, the eldest daughter of
Wni. Schreiber, Esq. 14. Chevalier Rus-
pini, surgeon dentist to his Royal High-
«ess the Prince Regent. 16, ^Villiani

Bosville, Esq. of Thorpe- Hall, in the coun-
ty of York. 18. Charles Todd, Esq. on
the Bengal Establishment. — In his 80tli
year, Mr George Sanderson, an eminent
mathematician. 19. Mr Robert Lemon,
47 years chief clerk of the record office in
the Tower of London. — David Hartley^
Esq. son of the celebrated philosopher,
and author of several literary works, and
some useful inventions 22. Geo. White,
Esq. clerk of the election committees in
the House of Commons. 30. John Au-
gustus Bonney, Esq. solicitor.

Principal appointments and promotions,

IN 1813,

General Floyd, Governor of Gravesend
•nd Tilbury, vice Musgrave deceased.

Jan. — George Foy, Esq. Consul at the
City and Port of Stockholm.

Lieutenant- Gen. Fretlerick Maitland,
Lieutenant-Governor of Dominica.

Feb. — The Prince Regent has confer-
red the dignities of Viscount and Earl of
the United Kingdom on the Right Hon.
Gilbert Baron Minto, and his heirs-male,
by the style and title of Viscount Mel-
gund, of Meigund, co. Angus, and Earl of
Minto, CO. Roxburgh.

William A'Court, Esq. Envoy Extraor-
dinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the
Barbary States.

David Moncypenny, Esq. Advocate, a
Lord of Session, and one of the Lords of
Justiciary, in Scotland, vice Tytler de-
ceased.

Alexander Maconochie, Esq. Advocate,
his Majesty's Solicitor- General in Scot-
land.

William Laird, Esq. Consul at Malaga.
Bernard Athy, Esq. Consul at Alicant.

Richard Chandos, Marquis of Bucking-
ham, Lord- Lieutenant of the county of
Buckingham.

Major- Gen. Sir Charles Shipley, Knt.
Governor of the Island of Grenada ; Ma-
jor-General George William Ramsay, Go-
vernor of the Island of St Croix.

The honour of Knighthood conferred
on E. Hyde East, Esq. Chief Justice at
Fort William in Bengal.

March.— Lord Whitworth, K. B. a
Lord of his Majesty's Bed-Chamber.

William Pugh, of Car Howell, Esq.
Sheriff of the county of Montgomery, vice
Corbett; and the following amendments
on' the roll: Pembroke, Gwynne Gill

Vaughan, of Jordanstoun, Esq. Cardigaa^>
Roderick Richardes, of Pentglais, Esq.
Merioneth, Thomas Edwards, of Ty Issa,
Esq.

Sir Richard Goodwin Keats, Governor
and Commander in Chief of Newfound-
land.

Viscount Lake, a Lord of his Majesty'^
Bed-Chamber.

April. — James Hope, Esq. Conjunct
Clerk to the Bills in the Office of Regis-
ters and Rolls in Scotland, vice Smith
deceased.

Sir Thomas Plomer,Knt. his Majesty's
Attorney- General, Vice- Chancellor of
England.

Francis Lord Napier, his Majesty's
High Commissioner to the General As-
sembly of the Church of Scotland.

Lord Viscount Sidmouth,High Steward
of Westminster, vice Marquis of Bucking-
ham deceased.

Henry Richmond, Esq. a Commissioner
of the Customs, vice Frcwin retired.

May. — Archibald Campbell, Esq. one
of the Lords of Session, a Lord of Justi-
ciary in Scotland, vice Sir William lloney-
man, Bart, resigned ; David Cathcart, Esq.
Advocate, one of the Lords of Session,
also vice Honeyman.

Sir William Garrow, Knt. his Majesty's
late Solicitor-General, to be his Majesty's
Attorney-General ; Robert Dallas, Esrq.
one of his Majesty's Counsel, and late
Chief Justice of Chester, to be his Ma-
jesty's Solicitor-General ; and Richard
Richards, Esq» one of Ins Majesty's Couii-
sel, to be Chief Justice of Chester.

Viscount Melville, Admiral Domett,
Sir J. S. Yorke, Right Hon. W. Dundas,
Sir G. Warrender, J. Qsborn, Esq. and

^clxii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813.

Lord H. Paulet, Commissioners for the
Office of Lord High Admiral.

Major-Gen eral the Hon. Sir Charles
Stewart, K. B. Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister PJenipotentiary to the King of
Prussia.

George Jackson, Esq. Secretary of Le-
gation at the Court of Prussia.

Sir T. Plomer, Knt. Vice-Chancellor,
to be a Member of the Privy Council.

June. — The Prince Regent has granted
the dignity of a Viscoiint of the United
Kingdom to Charles Baron Whitworth,
by the title of Viscount Whitworth, of
Adbaston, Staffordshire.

Viscount Whitworth, Lieutenant-Gen.
«nd General Governor of Ireland.

James Earl of Fife, Lieutenant and
Sheriff-Principal of the shire of Banff.

George Ross, Esq. one of the four
Commissaries of Edinburgh, vice Bruce
deceased.

Mr Charles Grace, Commissary Clerk
of St Andrew's in Scotland, vice Stuart
Grace.

Right Honourable T. Maitland, Gover-
nor and Commander in Chief of Malta
and its dependencies.

Lieutenant-General the Honourable
Alexander Hope, knighted and invested
with the Ensign of the Order of the Bath.

Major-General H. Clinton, Colonel of
1st batt. 60th reg. an extra Knight of the
Bath.

July. — Charles Cavendish Fulke Gre-
vilie, Esq. one of the Clerks of the Privy
Council in extraordinary.

Andrew Snape Douglas, Esq. Secretary
of Legation to the Court of Palermo.

Marquis of Wellington, K. G. to be a
Field-Marshal.

E. H. Lushington, Esq. Barrister, Coro
ner, and Attorney in the Court of King's
Bench.

Earl of Delaware and Right Hon. Lord
Graves, Lords of his Majesty's Bed-Cham-
ber.

Lord Cathcart, F. Townsend, Esq.
Windsor Herald, (as Deputy to Sir Isaac
Heard, Garter Principal King of Arms,)
and Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, Plenipoten-
tiaries for investing the Emperor Alexan-
der with the Order of the Garter.

Aug. — The Gazette contains his Ma-
jesty's perraif sion to John DimsdaJe, Esq.

of Hamptstead, to assume the dignity of
Baron, conferred by the late Empress of
Russia on his father.

Thomas Tombs, Esq. Water Bailiff and
Verger of Sandwich, vice Harvey de-
ceased.

J. Catlirow, Esq. late Rouge Dragon
Pursuivant of Arms, Somerset Herald,
vice Atkinson deceased.

Sept.— Earl of Aberdeen, K. T. Pleni-
potentiary at the Court of Vienna ; Fre-
derick Wise, Esq. Consul- General in Swe-
den.

Lieutenant-General Earl of Dalhousie,
Lieutenant- Gen. Hon. W. Stewart, Major-
General G. Murray, and Major-General
Hon. E. M. Packenham, extra Knights of
the Bath ; D. Douglas, Esq. one of the
Lords of Session, vice Crai<; deceased.

Sir Rupert George, Bart. James Brown,
Esq. Hon. John Douglas, John Harness,
M. D. Hon. Courtenay Boyle, and John
Forbes, Esq. Commissioners for conduct-
ing the Transport Service, &c.

A. Palmer, Esq. one of his Majesty's
Serjeants-at-Law, Commissioner for the
Relief of Insolvent Debtors.

The Prince Regent approves of the re-
newal of the appointment of Mr Emanuel
Viale to be Consul for the Emperor of all
the Russias at Gibraltar.

The Prince Regent has been pleased,
in the name and on the behalf of his Ma-
jesty, to grant the dignity of a Baronet of
the United Kingdom to the following gen-
tlemen and their respective heirsinale:
viz. Sir John Thomas Duckworth, K. B.
Admiral of the Blue ; George Hewitt,
Esq. General in the Army; Hildebrapd
Oakes, Esq. Lieutenant-General in the
Army; Thomas Hislop, Esq. Lieutenant-
General in the Army ; Josias Rowley,
Esq. Captain, R. N. ; Philip-Bowes-Vere
Broke, Esq. Captain, R. N. ; Richard
Puleston, of Emral, co. Flint, Esq. ; Jo-
seph Radcliffe, of Milnsbridge House, co.
York, Esq. ; John Beckett, of Leeds, co.
York, and of Somerby Park, co. Lincoln,
Esq.; Brydges-Trecothick Henneker, of
Newton Hall, Essex, Esq. ; Horace-Da-
vid-Cholweii St Paul, of Ewart Park,
Northun.hcrland, Esq., with remainder to
his brotliers, Henry-Heneage St Paul and
Chas. Maximilian St Paul, of Ewart Park,
Esqrs. ; Richard Borough, of Basledon

PROMOTIONS.

CGcIxHi

Park, Berk?, Esq. ; James DiifF, Esq. Con-
sul at Cadiz, with remainder to his ne-
phew, Wm. Gordon of Stanhope Street,
and his heirs-male; Rev. Samuel-Clarke
Jervoise, of Hanover Square, of Idsworth
Park, Hants, and of Woodford, Essex;
Nathaniel William Wraxall, of Wraxall,
Somerset, Esq ; George Wra. Denys, of
Stratford Place, Middlesex, Esq. ; Samuel
Young, of Formosa Place, Berks, Esq. ;
Frederick-Gustavus Fowke, of Sowerby,
Leicestershire, Esq.

Earl of Aberdeen, K. T. Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the
Court of Vienna ; Hon. Frederick Lambe,
Secretary to the Embassy.

Oct. — Viscount Melville, Rear- Admiral
Sir J. S Yorke, Knt., Right Honourable
W, Dundas, Rear Admiral G. J. Hope, Sir
G. Warrender, Bart. John Osborne, Esq.
and Rear-Admiral Lord Henry Paulet,
Commissioners for ^he Office of Lord
Hitih Admiral.

Mr Andrew Dubatschefsky, approved
of as Consul- General for Russia ; and Mr
Joze Manoel de Couto Garrido, Consul
for Portugal at Dublin.

Nov. — The dignity of a Baronet of the
United Kingdom to the Right Hon. Sir
Archibald Macdonald, of East Sheen,
Surrey, Knt. late Chief Baron of the Ex-
chequer, and his heirs-male.

Right Hon. Charles Long, and Right
Hon. Fred. John Robinson, to the office
of Receiver and Paymaster- General of the
Forces,

Lieutenant-Gen. Lord Charles Henry
Somerset, Governor and Commander in
Chief at the Cape of Good Hope. [The
Gazette also notici s the honour of Knight-
hood having been conferred upon Colonel
G. Elder, and on Nathaniel Conant, Esq.
on being appointed chief magistrate at
Bow Street; the appointment of H. Sa-
vage Yeames, Esq. to be Consul General
at the Russian Ports in the Black Sea ;
and of Robert Southey, Esq. to be Poet-
Laureate.

Earl of^ Liverpottl, Right Honourable
N. Vansittart, Right Hon. W. FitZi^erald,
B. Paget, and J. Brogden, Esqrs. and Vis-
count Lowtlier, Commissioners for exe-
cuting the Office of Treasurer of the Ex-
chequer.

Tbeif Royal Highnesses the Dukes of

Cumberland and Cambridge, Field-Mar-
shals in the Army.

Dec. — The followingFlag.Officers wer«
promoted : viz.

Admirals of the White, Richard Rod-
ney, and Alexander Graeme, Esqrs. to be
Admirals of the Red.

Admirals of the Blue, Arthur Kerape,
Esq. Sir J. T. Duckworth, K. B. and Sir
R. Calder, Bart, to be Admirals of ttie
White.

Vice Admirals of the Red, Robert
M'Douall, Billy Douglas, John Wickey,
John Fish, John Knight, and Edwam
Thornborough, Esqrs. to be Admirals of
the Blue.

Vice- Admirals of the White, William
Domett, William Wolseley, John Manley,
George Murray, John Sutton, Robert
Murray, Esqrs. Honourable Sir Alexander
Cochrane, K. B. and John Markham, Esq,
to he Vice- Admirals of the Red.

Vice- Admirals of the Blue, Nathan
Brunton, John Schanck, Esqrs. Hon.
Michael de Courcy, Philip d*Auvergne,
Prince of Bouillon, and John Hunter,
Esq. to be Vice- Admirals gf the White.

Rear-Admirals of the Red, Charles
Tytler, Robert Watson, Esqrs. Right
Hon. Allan Lord Gardner, Manley Dixon,
George Losack, William Mitchell, Esqrs.
and Sir Thomas Bertie, Knt. to be Vice-
Admirals of the Blue.

Rear-Admirals of the White, Sir Charles
Hamilton, Bart. Hon. Henry Curzon, W.
Bligh, Laurence W. Halstead, Edward
Oliver Osborn, Esqrs. Sir Harry Neale,
Bart. Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke, Knt,
Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge, to be Rear-Ad-
mirals of the Red.

Rtar- Admirals of the Blue, John Law-
ford, Frank Sotheron, Thomas Wolley,
William Johnstone Hope, Esqrs. Right
Hon. Lord Henry Paulet, C. W. Pater-
son, George Cockburn, Thomas Surridge,
Samuel Hood Linzee, Esqrs. to be Reai-
Admirals of the White.

And the under- mentioned Captains
were also appointed Flag-Officers of his
Majesty's Fleet: viz. Philip Wilkinson,
Esq. Hon. Charles Elphinstone Fleming^
Charles Vinicombe Penrose, William Ho-
tham, George Hopewell Stephens, Pulte-
ney Malcolm, William Nowell, James
Bissett, John Clements, Esqrs. Sir John

€i:clxit

EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813,

Gore, Knt. and John Harvey, Esq. to be
Rear-Admirals of the Blue.

Hon. Henry Hothani, George Boulton,
Esq. Sir Josias Rowley, Bart, and Edward
Codrington, Esq. Colonels in his Majesty's
Royal Marine Forces, vice Hon. C. E.
Fleming, C. V. Penrose, J. Bissett, and P.
Malcolm, Esqrs. Flag-Officers.

John Hunter, Esq. his Majesty's Con-
•sul- General in Spain.

Earl of Clancarty, Ambassador Extra-
ordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Prince
of Orange Nassau, Sovereign Prince of
the Netiierlands ; Robert Gordon, Esq.
Secretary to that Embassy.

Colonel his Serene Highness William
Frederick Henry, Hereditary Prince of
Orange, a Major General in the Army,

Earl of Liverpool, Right Hon. Nicholas
Vansittart, Right Hon. Wm. Fitzgerald,
Berkeley Paget, Esq. Viscount Lowther,
and Charles Grant, jun. Esq. Commis-
sioners for executing the Office of Trea-
surer of the Exchequer.

Major-Gen. Barnes, Lieut.-Gen. of the
Leeward Islands, vice R. H. Losack, Esq.

G. Warre, Esq. Consul for Biscay and
Gm'puscoa.

Sheriffs appointed hy the Prince Regent
in Council, for the year 1813.

iBedfordshire, Richard Parks, of Luton,
Esq.

Berkshire, W. Y. Mills, of Wadley,
Esq.

Buckinghamshire, Thomas Sheppard
Cotton, of Thornton- hall, Esq.

Cambridge and Huntingdonshire, Char.
M. Chere, of Papworth Everard, Esq.

Cheshire, Fra. Jodrell, of Henbury, Esq.

Cumberland, Sir Wastel Biisco, ofCrof-
ton-place, Bart.

Derbyshire, Robert Holden, of Darley
Abbey, Esq.

Devonshire, Richard Hippisley Tuck-
field, of Fulford, Esq.

Dorsetshire, Robert Ratcliffe, of Win-
terborne Zelston, Esq.

Essex, R. J. Brassey, of Great Ilford,
£sq.

Gloucestershire, C. Pole, of Wick-Hill,
Esq.

Herefordshire, Sir Hungerford Hoskins,
of Hfirewood, Bart.

Hertfordshire, John Earn Timrains, of
Aldenham, Esq.

Kent, John Cater, of Beckenham, Esq.

Lancashire, Wm. Farington, of Shawe-
hall, Esq.

Leicestershire, R. Hames, of Great
Glenn, Esq.

Lincolnshire, G. R. Heneage, of Hain-
ton, Esq.

Monmouthshire, Samuel Homfray, of
Penderren, Esq.

Norfolk, T. T. Berney, of Bracon Ash,
Esq.

Northamptonshire, George Rush, of
Farthinghoe, Esq.

Northumberland, J. Carr, of Hedgeley,
Esq.

Nottinghamshire, John Need, of Shire-
wood Hall, Esq.

Oxfordshire, William Wilson, of Nether
Worton, Esq.

Rutlandshire, S. O'Brien, of Glaiston,
Esq.

Siiropshire, William Church Norcop, of
Belton House, Esq

Somersetshire, P. P. Ackland, of Fair-
field, Esq.

Staffordshire, Walter Sneyd, of Keel,
Esq.

Southampton, J. Hornby, of Hooke,
Esq.

Suffolk, Harry Spencer Waddington, of
Cavenham, Esq.

Surrey, Henry Bridges, of Ewell, Esq.

Sussex, Edward Napper, of Jfold, Esq.

Warwickshire, E. J. Shirley, of Eating-
ton, Esq.

Wiltshire, William Fowle, of Chute,
Esq.

Worcestershire, Edmund Lechmere
Charlton, of Handley, Bsq.

Yorkshire, R. Crowe, of Kipling, Esq.

SOUTH WALES.

Carmarthenshire, T. Philips, of Aber- ■

glasney, Esq. ^

Pembrokeshire, G. G. Vaughan,of Jor- |

danstoun, Esq. i

SHERIFFS. ccclxt

Cardiganshire, R. Richards, of Pant- Anglesey, J. H. Hampton, of Henllys,

glaes, Esq. Esq.

Glamorgan, W. Jones, of Corntown, Montgomery, R. Leeke, of Criggion,

Esq. Esq.

Brecon, E. Thomas, of Llwyn Madock, Denbighshire, T. Griffith, of Wrexham,

Esq. Esq.

Radnor, D. Read, of Cornell, Esq. Flint, C. B. T. Roper, of Plasteg, Esq.

NORTH WALES. Appointed by the Prince Regent,

Merioneth, T. Edwards, of Xlanfaur, Cornwall, J. C. Rashleigh, of Prideaiix>

Esq. £sq.

Carnarvonshire, J. Griffith, of Llanfair,
Esq.

Oct. 2--4.]

CHRONICLE.

fCXXVll

2d. — A dreadful fire broke out at
half.past elcTcn o'clock at night in the
extensive farm-yard belonging to Mr
T. Biggs, at Orpington, in the county
of Kent, about four miles from Chisle-
hurst. The flames were first discovered
by the night patrole on the road, issuing
from several ricks of hay. The watch-
man immediately gare an alarm, and
fortunately succeeded in awakening the
family of Mr B. and rescuing them
from their perilous situation. The
flames soon afterwardscaughtthebarns,
where large quantities of hay, straw,
&c. were deposited, besides several
other adjoining buildings ; and at one
time, the whole yard, containing 16
ricks of hay, straw, corn, &c; was in
one continual blaze. The loss is esti-
mated at upwards of 10,0001. No lives
were lost.

WiNCHESTER.-On Opening a vault,
last week, in the middle aisle ofthe west
transept of the cathedral, for the in-
terment of the late Miss Poulter, a
stone coffin was discovered immediately
under the surface of the pavement,
supposed to contain the remains either
of a prelate or mitred abbot. A ring
of pure gold, with an amsthyst, about
the size and shape of a turkey's eye,
set therein, and part of a crosier, much
decayed, were found in the coffin, but
few vestiges of the body remained.
The ring was in good preservation,
and greatly resembles that on the left-
hand ofthe effigy of William of Wyk-
ham, as represented on the beautiful
altar-tomb in the same cathedral. The
cropk and ferrule of the crosier were
of metal, and the shaft of wood quite
plain. This affords iaternal evidence
of its being of a much earlier date than
that of Wykham, which was composed
of silver, gilt, of exquisite workman-
ship, and is now preserved in the chapel
of New College, Oxford.

Some time ago, a large quantity of
water, which had long been stagnant
in an iron mine, at Wilsontown, was

let off into the Mouse. It must have
held in solution an astonishing quantity
of subcarbonate of iron, as all the fish
in the river were immediately killed ;
its whole channel became deeply tin*
ged with the iron rust ; and the water
has continued ever since to be strongly
chalybeate. In Clyde the effect has
also been partially felt ; and the chan-
nel of the north bank is discoloured as
far down as Stonebyres Lynn.

State of the King's Health —
On Sunday the following bulletin was
issued at St James's Palace : —

♦' Windsor Castle, Octol)er 2, 181S.

" His Majesty continues in a tran-
quil and comfortable state, but without
any abatement of his disorder."

(Signed by five Physicians.)

^th. — On Wednesday night last,
there was detected in Lord Roseberry's
pleasure grounds, by Messrs Bell,
Gardner, Grubb, and Russel, revenue
officers, Queensferry, a very large dis-
tillery : the still was carried off, but
they succeeded in destroying upwards
of 300 gallons of wash, some low wines,
and four working tuns, one wash tun,
one stick stand, and a great number of
small casks. — It is only three weeks
since these active officers detected a
similar work, and seized a still of
forty gallons content, which was car-
rying on within a short distance of his
lordship's house.

The Queen not having been present
at the consecration of a bishop, bad
expressed her wish to be present at
that of Dr Howley. Yesterday morn-
ing, at half-past eleven o'clock, her
Majesty, and the Princesses Augusta
and Mary, arrived at Lambeth Palace,
where they were received by the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, who conducted
them into the drawing room, where
Dr HowL^y, the Bishop of London
elect, the Bishops oFOxford, Giouces<»
ter, and Salisbury, the vicar-general,
in their full robes, and a number of
other distinguished characters, paid

cxxviii EDINBURGH ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. [Oct. 4^

their respects to t.hem ; after which
they proceeded to his grace's chapel.
The Queen and princesses were con-
ducted into Mrs Sutton's family gal-
lery. No person was admitted into the
body of the chapel except those enga-
ged in the ceremony : among them
were the Archbishop of Canterbury,
the Bishops of Salisbury, Gloucester,
and Oxford, in their full robes. Dr
Howley, the Bishop of London elect,
took his seat the last on the right of
the altar. The morning service was
read by one of the archbishop's chap-
lains. The Bishop of Gloucester read
the Epist e ; the Bishop of Oxford the
Gospel ; the sermon was preached by
the Rev. Dr Goddard, late master of
Winchester, who took a general view
©f the established church, from the
period of the Reformation, and dwelt
upon the divine institution and expe-
diency of the episcopal order. After
the sermon, the Archbishop of Can
terbury, attended by his two chaplains,
proceeded to the altar, to read the
communion service.

Mr Jenner, the registrar of the pro-
•vince, read the mandate from the Prince
Regent, in the name of the king, for
the consecration. Dr Howley retired
to an anti room, and put on his rochet,
liavingbeen previously only in doctor's
robes ; he was then introduced by the
Bibhops of Oxford and Gloucester to
the archbishop at the altar, where se-
veral ceremonies were performed, and
then retired to the anti-room, where
he was invested with his full episcopal
robes. He was then introduced again
to the altar, and the usual questions
'Were put to him by the archbishop.
The imposition of hands by the arch-
bishop and the other bishops present
concluded the ceremony.

The sacrament was then administer-
ed to him by the archbishop, m which
all the others present participated.

Nothing can exceed the rage for
gaming that exists among the prisoners

at Dartmoor prison. Although 200 l
of them, principally Italians, were, last !
week, sent to the prison- ships in Ha- \
moaze to be clothed anew, having lost
all their clothes by gaming, there re- ■
main many at Dartmoor in the same ;
situation. These unfortunate men play i
even for their rations, living three or '
four days on offal, cabbage-stalks, or '
indeed any thing which chance may ■
throw in their way. — They stake the
clothes on their hacks, and, what in-;
deed is worse, their bedding. It i»
the custom at Dartmoor for those who 1
have sported away the latter article, ■
to huddle very close together at night, i
in order to keep each other warm. ;
One out of the number is elected boat- ;
swain for the time bemg, and, at twelve ;
o'clock at night, he pipes all hands to «
turn ; an operation which, from their j
proximity to each other, must be si- \
multaneous. At four o'clock in the -
morning, the pipe is heard again, and
the like turn is taken.

At the sale of the effects of thej
late preacher Huntingdon, an old arm ''^^
chair i intrinsically worth /ffi / shiU\
lings, actually sold for sixtT/ guines ;\
and many other articles fetched equally
high prices, so anxious were his admi-,
rers to obtain some precious memorial;
of the deceased.

At the sale of Sir Henry Vane'
Tempest's stock, one of the cows sold
at 961. a heifer calf at 561. and a bull
at 2101.

The necessary preparations for a<
winter campaign in the bleak moun-i
tains of the Pyrennees, are in consi-|
derable forwardness, and intended for^
the light troops, on whom that ardent-
and important duty will devolve. They'
consist of camp equipage, such as isi
peculiarly adapted for that kind of ser-|
vice, great coats and warm pantaloons,
— A considerable quantity of these ar-
ticles has already been shipped, and!
by the middle of this month the re-*"
mainder will be sent away, j

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INDEX.

Accounts, Public, of Great Britain and
Ireland for 1818, II, cccxv-cccxxix

Address of the City of London to the
Princess of Wales, II, xxxi— Of the City
of Edinburgh to the Prince Regent,
cxlvi — Of the Speaker to the Prince
Regent, cclxxviii

Agricultural Reports for Januaiy, II. viii,
ix — For Februaiy, xt — For March, xxv,
xxvi — For April, xxxv, xxxvi- — -For
May, xliii, xliv— For June, Ixii, Ixiii—
For July, Ixxxiv-lxxxvii—For August,
cvi,cvii — For September, cxxiv, cxxv —
For October, cxxxix — For November,
cl — For December, clvii.

Agosta.and Curzola Islands, taken by
Lieut.-Colonel Robertson, II, clxxv

Alexander, the Emperor, his Declarations
after the expulsion of the French from
Russia, I, 201, 202, 203. He crosses the
Niemen, 206. His letter to the widow
of Prince Kutuzofl^ II, xxxiii. He is
elected a Knight of the Garter, Ixxxi.
Anecdote respecting him, cxvii. His ar-
rival at Prague, and interview with the
Emperor of Austria, cxxi

America, war with, I, 108. Declaration
by the British government on its causes
and origin, 108-114. Motion in parlia-
ment for an address to support minis-
ters in its prosecution, 114. Animad-
versions on the mode in which the war
had been conducted by sea, 115. Sum-
mjuy f f tk^ i^tary events ^f the y«sr

in America, IlC, 117, 118. Charges
brought against ministers in its prose-
cution, by Lord Darnley, 119, 120. Re-
ply to them, 121.

Amsterdam takes the lead in the expulsion
of the French from Holland, I, 290.
Proclaims the Prince of Orange, 294.
Arrival of a Russian force there, 298.

Anecdote of the Emperor of Russia, II,
cxvii, Ofa French officer, cxxxv

Armistice between the allied and French
armies in Germany, I, 248. Denounce-
ment of it, 250.

Army estimates for the year, I, 64-67.

Arnheim taken, and its ^rrison put to thtf
sword, 1, 276

Attack, or siege, observations on the infe-
riority of the British in this science, I,
162-166

Austria concludes an unlimited truce with
the Russians, I, 211. She declares war
against France, 250. The conditions on
which she had previously offered to me*
diate for a general peace, 281

Bautzen, battle of, I, 230

Bavaria withdraws her support from
France, joins the alliance, and concludes
a treaty with Austria, I, 268

Bayonne, the French defeated there in se-
veral successive engagements, il, ccxxiv^.
ccxxviii

BwtTBuk, Lord WiUiaw, supersedes SiV

^xxvi

INDEX.

John Murray in the command of the
Anglo-Sicihan army, I, 183, Fruitless
result of his operations against Suchet,
184

Birse river, in Switzerland, its calamitous
overflow, II, Ixxxix

Births, Marriages, and Deaths, in 1813,
occi

Blucher's address to the Saxons, I, 214.
He defeats the French on the Katz-
bach, 255. He defeats Macdonald, Q56 ;
and again defeats him on the Bober,
259. He attacks Ney, and drives him
beyond the Partha, 270

Bosville, Colonel, his will, II, cxlviii

Buonaparte's address to the legislative
body after his disastrous retreat from
Russia, I, 208, 209. He resumes the
command of the army in Germany, 222.
He fights the battle of Lutzen, and re-
enters Dresden, 225. He forces the al-
lies to retreat at Bautzen, 231. He de-
feats Wittgenstein at Dolma, 260. Ho
withdraws his army from Dresden, 268.
Is totally routed at Leipzig, 271. He
crosses the Rhine, and re-enters Paris,
274. His address to the legislative body,
280. His offers of peace to the allies,
281

Burdett, Sir Francis, his speech on moving
a bill to provide against the interruption
of the royal authority in the event of the
Regent's decease, I, 22

Campaign in Germany, recapitulation of
its principal events previous to the bat-
tle of Leipzig, I, 2S5, 256
Canning, Mr, his speech against the Vice-
Chancellor's bill, I, 32
Captain, 74, burnt at Plymouth, II, xx
Cassel taken by the Russians, I, 265
Castlereagh, Lord, his speech agamst Sir
Francis Burdett's motion for providing
against the interruption of the royal au-
thority in the event of the Regent's
death, I, 26. His reply to Mr Whit-
bread in the case of the Prmcess of
Wales, 94
Catholic Question again brought before
parliament, I, 96. Defence of the Ca-
tholic claims, 97-104. Motion in their
favour carried, 104. Their friends again
in the minority, 105. Imprudent con-

duct of the Catholic Board, IDS, io6j
107 \

Chancellor of Exchequer for Ireland
brings forward his plan for defraying
the extraordinary expences of the year, i

I, 70, 71, His remarks on the state of I
Ireland, 7 1 \

Charles, brig, lost on the coast of Africa,

II, ii i
Chesapeake, American frigate, taken by ;

Captain Broke, of the Shannon, 1, 118.
Details of the engagement, II, Ixx, Ixxi, ;
Ixxxi, xc

Christenings and Burials in London, for i
J813, II,cccxlix ^

Coffins of stone discovered in East Lo-
thian, II, cxxxi

Compton, Eliza, her eccentric letter to i
her husband, II, Ixxix, Ixxx «

Concordat, signed by the Pope at Foun- j
tainbleau, its stipulations, 1, 218, and II,
ccxcv I

Consecration of Dr Howley, Bishop of
London, II, cxxvii, cxxviii i

Convention between Great Britain and |
Russia, II, cclxxv, and cclxxvii. Be- \
tween Great Britain and Prussia, cclxxvii

Corn Laws, resolutions of the different
public bodies in Edinburgh against their
alteration, II, Iv-lxii, Jxiv-lxviii

Conspiracy on board the Sampson prison-
ship, II, Ixxiii j

Crown Prince joins the alhance agamst
France, I, 239. He explains his views
to Europe, 240, 241, 242. Heccncludes
a treaty with Britain, 243. Terms of the
treaty, ib. He lands at Stralsund, and
takes the command of the Swedish ar-
my, 246. His letter of remonstrance to
Buonaparte, 261. His account of the i
results of the battle of Leipzig, 272, 273 .
His explanation of the views of the al- ■
lies after crossmg the Rhine, 280 ^

Cumberland, Duke of, embarks at Yar- '
mouth for the Continent, II, xxxviii '

Darnley, Lord, moves an enquiry mto the
conduct of the war with America, and
the naval administration of the country,
I, 119

Death of Lieutenant- General Sir Wiliiam
Erskine, II, xviii. Of the Duchess of
Brunswick, xxii ; her funeral, sxv. Of

INDEX.

'rXTll

William Huntingdon, with his epitaph,
Ixx. Of Moses Gomez Carvalio, a Jew,
Ixxxi. Of Dr Randolph, Bishop of
London, ib. Of the Rev. Dr Pomeroy,
xcv. Of Prince Poniatowsky, cxlviii

Declaration by the British government of
the causes and origin of the war with
America, 1, 108-114, and II,cclxi. Of the
views and policy of the allied powers
before crossing the Rhine, I, 277. , Of
Bavaria, II, cclxxxiv. Of war by Swe-
den against Denmark, cccxi

Denmark offers an alliance to Britain, on
conditions, which are rejected, I, 845.
Peace concluded between her and the
aHies, 279

Denneritz, Battle of, I, 258

Dispatches, official, from Lieut. Chade, of
the Java, II, clxi

— from Sir George Prevost, da-
ted Chambly, Nov. 21, 1812, clxiii. La
Prairie, Nov. 28, clxiv. Quebec, Feb. 8,
1813, ib. Kingston, June 1, with enclo-
sures from Major- General Scheaffe and
Colonel Baynes, clxx. Kingston, June
7, with an enclosure from Major Taylor,
clxxiv. Kingston, July 3, with enclo-
sures from Colonel Vincent and Lieut.-
Coloncl Bishopp, ccx. St David's, Au-
gust 25, ccxiii

from Sir John Murray, dated

Castalia, April 14, II, clxvii

from Captain E. Napier of

the Thames, dated Ponza, Feb. 27, II,
clxxiv

from Lord W. E. Bentinck,

with an enclosure from Lieut.-Colonel
Robertson, dated Lissa, February 23,
II, clxxv

from Lord Wellington, dated

Ainpudia, June 6, with an enclosure
from Colonel Grant, II, clxxvii. Villa-
diego, June 13, clxxviii. Subijana, on
the Bayas, clxxix. Salvatierra, June 22,
clxxx. Irunzun, June 24, clxxxv. Ostiz,
July 3, with an enclosure from Sir John
Murray, clxxxvii. San Estevan, August
8, cxciii. Lezaca, Sept. 2, with an en-
closure from Sir Thomas Graham, cxcix.
Another enclosure from the same, da-
ted Ernani, Sept. 9, ccviii. Lezaca, Oc-
tober 19, ccxiv. Vera, Nov. 1, with an
enclosure from Don Carlos D'Espana,
ccxvi. St Pe, Nov. 13, ccxvii. St Jean
de Luz, ccxxiv
—4 iroui Captain Capel, of the

La Hogue, with an enclosure from Cap-
tain Broke, of the Shannon, dated Ha-
lifax, June 6, II, clxxxix

Dispatches from Sir J. B. Warren, dated
San Domingo, June 24, II, cxci. June
27 and 28, cxcii

from Sir Edward Pellew, with

enclosures from Admiral Fremantle,
dated off Porto Re, July G, II, ccvii

from Admiral Young, dated

Island of Schowen, December 8, with
enclosures from Capt. Stuart, II, ccxxii
from Captain Cadogan,of the

Havannah, dated Zara, December 6, II,
ccxxiv

Divorce, important decision on this sub-
ject in the Consistorial Court of Edin-
burgh, II, xxix, XXX

Donegal, loss of a fleet of fishermen on
that coast, II, xiii

Dresden, battle of, I, 256. The city, with
its garrison, surrendered to the Rus-
sians, I, 275

D'York, the Prussian Commander, joing
the Russians with his whole force, I,
204. He is nominated by the Prussian
Regency, Commander in Chief of their
armies, 206

Earthquake at Exmouth, 11, xxi

East India Company, reasons for restrict-
ing the monopoly they enjoy, J, 124- 129.
Limitations under which tfie renewal of
their charter was agreed to, 134

Edinburgh, meeting at, for relief of the
Russian suflferers, II, iv. New magistra-
cy of the city, II, cxxix

Erie, Lake, defeat of the British fiotilla
there, I, 117

Execution of George Meller and William
Thorpe, at York, for murder, II, iii. Of
the Luddites, at York, iv. Of Joseph
Gibson, at Edinburgh, ib. Of Ruddock
and Carpenter, for the murder of Mr
Webb, &c. xix. Of Anne Arnold, for
child-murder, xxiv. Of Edith Morrey,at
Chester, xxxii. Of Mr H. of the Im-
petueux, at Lisbon, xxxix Of Robert
Kennet, for forgery, 1. Of Joseph Dar-
guines, at Paris, for bearing arms against
his country, Ixix. Of Macdonald and
Black, near Edinburgh, for murder,lxxvi.
Of John Britain, at Warwick, xci v. Of

xxtHi*

INDEX.

White and Kendale, at Northampton,
xcvii. Of Nicholson, for the murder of
Mr and Mrs Bonar, ci. Of Luke Heath,
at Gloucester, for murder, cv. Of Da-
niel M'Crory, at Carlisjle, cxxxii

Fashions for January, II, ix— For Febru-
ary, xvi — For March, xxvii — For April,
xxxvi — For May, xliv — For June, Ixiv —
For July, Ixxxvii — For August, cvii—
For September, cxxvi — For October,
cxl — For November, cl — For Decem-
ber, clviii

Festival in London, in celebration of the
victory of Vittoria, II, lixvii, Ixxix

Finances of the country, general view of
their present state, and the modes of
raising the supplies employed by Mr
Pitt and by his successors, 1, 48, 49, 50.
Annual statement laid before parlia-
ment, with a view of the imports for
three years, II, Ixiv, Ixv

Fire at Sidney College, Cambridge, vi and
xxii. In the Commercial Hall, London,
xxviii. Near Vauxhall, xcii. At Got-
tenburg, cxxiii. At Orpington, cxxvii.
In Red Lion Square, cxxix. In Shad-
well, cxxxi. At Nash Mil), Herts,
cxxxvii. At Manchester, cxxxviii

Fiume stormed by a British squadron, II,
ccvii

Foot race between Cross and Rainer, on
Sunbury Common, II, xliii

Garter, grand chapter of the knights of
the order, II, Ixxxi

Gibraltar, fatal effects of a malignant fe-
ver there, II, cliv

Ilalford, Sir Henry, his narrative of the
discovery of the body of King Charles 1.,
II, xxxiii-xxxv

Hanibsirgh taken possession of by the Danes
and French, I, 227

liampton, oSciul accounts of the defeat

of the Americans on that station, 11,
cxci

Herring fishefry at Wick, II, Ixxxix

Hill, Sir Rowland, dislodges the French
from the valley of Bustan, 1, 1 60. Near
Bayonne he defeats the main body of
the enemy under Soult, 197

Holland declares in favour of the allied
cause, I, 274. Condition of her people
since their union with France, 283-287.
Secret association in favour of the
Prince of Orange, 287, 28vS. The
Prince of Orange proclaimed, 291

Home, Sir Everard, his declaration re-
specting the murder of Sellis, II, xix

Hull, the American general, defeated op-
posite Fort Niagara, I, 118

Hunt, Messrs, editors of the Examiner,
sentenced to fine and imprisonment,

n, xi

Hydrophobia, two cases of it described^
II, cx-cxiv. Case of James Sliarp ac
Newcastle, cliv

LJ.

India, eeclesiaiitical establishment for Bri-
tish subjects resident there, 1, 135, 186

Ireland, report of commissioners on the
state of education in that country, I^
vii

Isle au Noir, official account of the capture
of two American vessels off that fort,
II, clxxiii

Java, his majesty's ship, official account
of her capture, II, cxli

Johnstone, Mr Cochrane, his speech on
moving for the production of documents
respecting the Princess of Wales, I, 82

Joseph (Buonaparte) sketch of his charac-
ter and conduct during his intrusion in
Spain, I, 143, 144

Jury trial, reflections on its introduction
into Scotland, I, 301-350

Katzbach, battle of the, I, 255

Kea King, the Emperor of China, a singu-
lar statement of his received in Canton,
II, cccxxxiii

Kingston, fruitless attempt of the Ameri-
can squadron on that port, II, cxliii
5

IISIDEX.

•xxut

,KonIng9tein and Pima, route of the French
at tlie passes there, I, 256

Letter of the Prince Regent to Lord Wel-

h'ngton, II, Ixix
Library of Mr Tooke, disposal of it by

auction, II, 1
Lion hunt at Bombay, II, cxxxv, cxxxvi
Lisbon, Lord Wellington'g entrance into

it, II, V
Luneberg, defeat of the French there, I,

2'20
Xutzen, battle of, 1, 2«3, 224

Ma'cdonell, Major, defeats the Americans
at the junction of Lakes Ontario and
Eric, I, 116

Madison, President, his message to Con-
gress, II, cclxxii

Manifesto of Austria, 6n declariftg war
against France, I, 250, 251, 252, and
II, ccxcix

Missionaries, animadversions on their zeal
and exertions, I, ISG, 137, 138

Monument to Mr Pitt's memory in Guild-
hall, If, xxii, xxiii ; and in Westminster
Abbey,, xc

Moore, Ann (the fasting woman) her dd*
tection and confession, xxxix

Moreau, General, arrives from America,
and joins the allies, I, 25*. He is mor-
tally wounded before Dresden, 256.
Particulars respecting his death, II, cxiv
and cxxxiii. His widow created a prin-
cess of the Russian empire, cxix. Fu-
neral service to his memory in the
French chapel, ib. His interment in St
Petersburg, cliv

Morrison, Lieutenant-Colonel, defeats the
Americans under General Hampton, I,
118

Murat resigns the command of the French
army in Germany, I, 207

Murray, Sir John, with the Anglo-Sicilian
army, joins General Elio in Murcia,
and repulses Suchet, I, 167. Official
account of the action. II, cxlvii. He
receives instructions from Lord Wel-
lington for an attack on Tarragona,

1, 168, 169, which he ihvcsts, 170. He
raises the siege, and reimbarks the ar-
my, 171. His letter to Lord Welling-
ton on the failure of the expedition, tb.
His subsequent defence, 174-177. The
views taken of his conduct by his accu-
sers, 177-183. He is brought before s
court of military enquiry, and acquit-
ted, 183
Murder of Hannah Leatham» II, i. Of
Eliza Cruickshank, ib. Of Mr Sex of
Penhurst, x. Of Mr Webb, near Fromc,
xii. Of a French prisoner at Porchester,
xvi. Of G. Smitn at Portsmouth by a
boy, xl. Of Mr and Mrs Thomson Bo-
nar, xlv, xlri, xlvii. Of Mrs Stephen*
at Woodford, xlvii. Of Robert Foun-
tain at Waltliam, Lwiii. Of Agnes
Watson at Woodsess, ib. Of Edward
Chfford at London, Ixxxiii. Of Lieute-
nant Johnson, 15th regiment, xc Of
Joseph Leuson at Finchley, cxii. Of
the Rev. Nicholas JVestcombe, ciii. Of
TJiomas M*Mahon, C9th foot, cvi. Of
Richard Glover in Monmouthshire by
his son, cxviii. Of a waterman at Ports-
mouth, cxxii. Of James Kelly, near
Lanesborough, cxxxviii. Of Mary Bate,
Warwickshire, cxlii. Of Francis Smyth,
Esq, Waterford, ib. Of a man servant
at Vauxhall, cliii

Ney, Marshal, defeated at Dennevftz, J,
958

Nivellc, storming of the French entrench-
ed lines on that river, I, 196. Official
account of it, II, ccxvii-ccxxi

Orange, Prince of, arrives ot the Hague,
I, 297. He issues an address to the
people, 298 and clii. He enters Am-
sterdam, 298

Palmerston, Lord, brings forward th^ ar-
my estimntes for the year, I. 61-67
Panipluna, description of, I, 161. Taken

*xxx

INDEX.

by the Spaniards under D'Espana, II.
ccxvi

Pancorbo, castle of, surrenders to the
Spaniards, II, clxxxvi

Parh'ament, meeting of, I, 3. Substance
of the arguments of opposition on the
address, 4-14; and of the ministry in
reply, 14-22. Prorogued, II, Ixxvi

Patents granted in 1813, II, cccxxxi

Poetry. — The Dance of Death, II,cccxxxv.
Romance of Dunois, cccxxxix. Song
for the Anniversary of the Pitt Club,

' cccxl. The Ettericke Garland, cccxli.
Helen of Kirkconnell, cccxliii. Imita-
tion of Horace, cccxlv. Stanzas, cccxivi.
Sonnet, cccxlvii

Pompeia, discoveries among its ruins, II,
cxxvi

Ponza, oflScial account of its bombardment
and capitulation, II, clxxiv

Population and military force of the diffe-
rent belligerent powers, II, cxxxiv

Prayer, form of, for the victory of the 21st
June, II, Ixix

Princess of Wales's letter to the Prince
Regent, 1, 75, 76, 77. Animadversions
on it, and on the conduct of her advi-
sers, 77-80. Her claims referred by the
prince to a commission, 80. Their re-
port, 80, 81. Her letters in conse-
quence to the lord chancellor and the
speaker, 81. Motion by Mr Cochrane
Johnstone for the production of docu-
ments on the subject, 82. Arguments
for and against the motion, 82, 83, 84.
Lord and Lady Douglas petition the
House to be re-examined, 84. Mr
Whitbread moves an address to the
regent for their punishment, ib. Sub-
stance of the arguments in support of
the motion and against it, 84-90.
Speeches of Lords Ellenborough, Ers-
kine, Grenville, and Spencer, in refe-
rence to this subject, 90, 91. Speech
of Mr Whitbread on his motion for the
examination of Lord Moira, 92, 93.
Lord Castlereagh's reply, 94. Address
of the city of London to her royal high-
ness, and her reply, II, xxxi, xxxii. Of-
ficial documents relating to her case,
ccxxxi-cclxi

Proclamation by the King of Prussia, II,
cclxxi. Of the Spanish General Giron
to the French, cclxxxvi. Of Councillor
Roschmany to the Tyrolese, cclxxxvii.
Of the prince regent to the inhabitants

of Hildesheim, cclxxxviii. Of the diet
of the cantons of the Swiss Confedera- <
tion, i7». Of the provisional government
of Amsterdam, cclxxxix. Of the general
government of the United Metherands, i
ib. Of the Governor General of the ]
United Netherlands, ib. Oi the Prince ;
of Orange, ccxeii and ccxciii. Of the *
provisional government of Lcyden, '
ccxciv. Of Louis XVIII. to the French
people, ccxcvi. Of the electoral ministry
to the Hanoverians, cccxli. Of the Mar-
quis of Wellington to the French peo-
ple, cccxiii \

Proctor, Col. defeats the Americans at ,
Frenchtoun, I, 116. He is repulsed in
an attempt on Fort Sundusky, and his 1
army made prisoners, 117

Prussia, King of, offers to mediate between
the belligerents, I, 211. His offer re- j
jected by Buonaparte, ib. He entera
into alliance with Russia, ib. His ad- ,
dress to his people, and letter to the ■
Duke of Bassano, 212, 213 !

PubHcations in 1 8 1 3, *i

Pyrenees, the theatre of several severe
conflicts, I, 185, 186, 187. The French \
under Soult totally defeated in a gene-
ral battle, 189. Official details of thes*
operations, II, cxciii-cxcix

Reaping machfne, trial of one at Dalkeith
invented by Mr Smyth, II, cxv

Riot at Perth among the Renfrew and
Fife militia, II, xiii. At Belfast, occasion-
ed by a procession of Orangemen, Ixxiii.
At Clonmell, on account of the murder
of a soldier, cxxxvi

Robbery of Mrs Fletcher, Bristol, II, vii.
Of Mrs Eale, Somerset, viii. Of Mr
Bayley, xi. Of Miss Bakewell's house,
Swepstone, ib. Of Mr Nichol of Tor-
penhowe, xiii. At the fair of Dumfries,
ib. Of an Armenian near Pest, xiv.
Of the house of Mr Long of Essex, xxi.
Of the Norwich mail, 1. Of the house
of Mr Rothe of Cothenhill, Ixxii. Of
M. Texier in Paris, Ixxv. Of Thomas
Prest at Stocaton, cxxx. Of Mr Doyle
in Meath, cxli

Rocca, M. de, his remarks on the causes
which impeded the success of the
French in Spain, I, 139, 140

INDEX.

♦xxxi

Rom illy, Sir S. hi3 speech on moving a
bill for the repeal of certain penal sta-
tutes, I, 37-40. His speech on the
third reading of the bill. 43-47

Roxburgh cause, decision on the last
branch of it by the Court of Session,
II, xl. Its final decision in the House
•f Lords, civ

Sackett's Harbour, official account of Col.
Baynes' attack on the Americans posted
there, II, clxxi

Sadler, the aeronaut, his ascent from Not-
tingham, II, cxxxvii

Saxons and Westphalians desert the French
standard, and join the Crown IVince
during the battle of Leipzig, I, 271

Scheaffe, Gen. compelled to evacuate
Yorktown, I, 116. Official account of
the action, II, cxlix

Slave factory at Masuredo destroyed by
the Thais, II, cl

Solicitor General's speech in reply to Sir
S. Romilly on the penal code, I, 40

Speech of the prince regent on opening
parliament, I, 3. On its prorogation,
II, cclxxx. On re-opening parliament,
cclxxxii

Sporting intelligence, II, xli, Iv, Ixxxviii,
civ, cxxxv, cxliii, cxliv

Stocks, price of, II, cccxxx

St Sebastian, description of, I, 160. Bur-
renders to the British and Spanish arras,
193. Official account of the storming
of the town, II, cciii-ccvii. Articles of
capitulation, ccix, ccx

Suicide of Mr Garrick engraver, II, viii.
Of the Hon. Mrs Gordon, xliii. Of R.
Brograve, Esq. liii. Of William Glo-
ver in Warwick jail, cxliii

Switzerland adopts Hhe resolution of re-
maining neutral, I, 280

Thorn surrenders to the Russians, I, 299
Thunder storm at Margate, II, Ixx. At

Brighton, cxliii
Tithing of common land, the law on this

point ascertained, ex
Treaty between Great Britain and Swe-

den, I, 245. Between Denmark and
the allies, 279. Between Portugal and
Algiers, II, ccxcvii. Between the courts
of Vienna and St Petersburg, cccix
Trial of John Eadon at York for adminis-
tering unlawful oaths, II, i. Of Mr
White for libel, xvii, xviii ; and sen-
tence, xli. Of James Henry, midship-
man, at Edinburgh, Ixxi, Ixxii. Of A.
Fountain and G. Turner Rowellfor mur-
der, xci. Of John Britain for the mur-
der of his wife, xciii. Of White, Ken-
dale, and Howes, for robbing the Leeds
Mail, xcv. Of Nicholson for the )nur-
der of Mr and Mrs Bonar, xcvii-ci. Of
James Maxey, at Norwich, for poison-
ing his wife, cviii. Of J. Boult Hannah
at Yarmouth, for the murder of his wife,
cxix. Of J. Denton at the Old Bailey,
cxx. Of J. M. Landgraff at Jamaica,
clvi.

Vansittart, Mr, his speech on laying be-
fore the commons his new plan of fi-
nance, I, 51-57. A view of tne leading
arguments brought forward against it,
57-63. His speech on proposing the new
taxes in aid of the sinking fund, 67-70

Vice-CIiancellor's bill, its nature and ob-
ject, I, 28, 29. Substance of the argu-
ments for and against it, 30, 31, 32

Vincent, General, forced to abandon Fort
St George, 1, 1 16. He defeats the Ame-
ricans at Forty Mile Creek, 1 1 7

Vittoria, battle of, I, 153, 154. Official
account of it, II, clxxx-clxxxiv

Wellington, Lord, appointed by the Cortes
generalissimo of the Spanish armies, I*

145. His plan of the ensuing campaign,

146. He enters Salamanca, 147. He
passes the Douro, ib. He gets posses-
sion of Toro, 149; and Burgos, 150.
He passes the Ebro, 151. He gains
the battle of Vittoria, 153, 1 54. He is
raised to the dignity of Field-mdrshal of
Great Britain, and created by the Spa-
nish government Duke of Vittoria, 157.
He enters France, 195. He storms the

*ixxu

INDEX.

F tenth lines on the Nivelle, 19G; and

establishes himself between the Nive

and the Adoiir, 198
Whitworth, Lord, is invested as Lord

Lieutenant of Ireland, II, civ
Whitbread, Mr, his speeches in the case

of the Princess of Wales, I, 84, 92, 93
Wittgenstein defeats the French under

Beauhamois at Mockern, I, 220
Wolverhampton, wonderful preservation

of eight people in the mines there, £t,
xciv
Wreck of the Isabella on the Falkland
Islands, II, xxviii

Zara, surrender of that fortress to the
Austrian and English forces, II, ccxxiv

END OF VOL. VI. PAl^T I. AND It.

Edinburgh :
Printed b^ Jatnes Ballantyne & Co.

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