contented with his mere royal security; he has signed an act, by which he acknowledges a debt to her of 34,000,000 francs, and assigns as a security the salt factories of Arragon and the customs of Miranda-the most certain revenues in Spain. Another new project in contemplation is the recruiting twelve thousand Irish soldiers to form, it is said, Ferdinand's body guards! The Madrid ministerial papers, however, pretend that this measure is not a new one, but intended merely to fill up the old established foreign legions, which had lately been suffered to fall into decay. The truth, however, is too obvious; Ferdinand endures the fate of most tyrants; he cannot trust his own subjects, and is compelled to resort to foreign mercenaries. Even the Swiss, it seems, notwithstanding a flaming letter from Louis to the Cantons, praising the conduct of the stipendiaries during the late campaign, have fallen into disfavour. Ferdinand, no doubt, calculates upon two things in his selection of the Irish, namely, their disfranchisement at home, on account of their religion, and the additional importance which their very bigotry in that religion would acquire for them in Spain. The proposal is broadly stated in the Spanish journals. What reception, should it be officially made, it will meet with from our ministry remains to be seen. After all, perhaps, even if acceded to, Ferdinand may not find himself a gainer-in order to giveit efficiency the foreign enlistment bill must be repealed; and, fallen as Ireland is, we hope and trust that in case of an emergency the cause of Mina and freedom will find in her soil as many recruits as that of Ferdinand and slavery. The very idea, however, speaks a volume as to the state in which Spain is, and the confidence which Old Embroidery has in the allegiance of "the Faithful."

The intelligence from Greece and of Greece is as cheering as the friends of that sacred cause could wish. The patriot troops to the number of 4,000 had landed on the isle of Scio, routed the Turks who opposed them, and driven them to take refuge in the Castle, where they were besieged by sea and land. We trust that beautiful island, which was the first scene of the barbarian brutalities,

will also become the scene of their retribution. Mr. Leicester Stanhope, the son of Lord Harrington, has joined Lord Byron, who is honourably distinguishing himself in this cause, and has at length succeeded in forming a corps of artillery which, it is said, is abundantly sufficient to reduce all the fortresses in the hands of the Turks. The primates of Missolonghi have elected Lord Byron a member of their council, and his Lordship has sold an estate in England, the produce of which he has contributed to the expenses of the war. The Porte, they say, has threatened the decapitation of the noble poet, should he fall into their hands; he has certainly earned their hostility by the double provocation of chivalry and genius. The best news however upon this subject is that they are now at last likely to be supplied with that which they most want-money. A loan for their ser vice has been brought forward in the city of London sanctioned by two commissioners, Messrs. Jonnes Orlandus and Audreas Luriottis. The loan is for 800,000l. and is contracted for by a most respectable house; the experiment has been so successful that it is said the scrip will come out at a high premium. While on this subject, we think we ought to mention the death of Sir Thomas Maitland, Governor of the Ionian Islands; he was not, we believe, considered a very warm partizan of the Greek cause. His Lordship's appointments are to be divided, it is said, between the Marquis of Hastings and Sir Frederick Adam.

Accounts from Portugal speak of the preparations for a descent on South America with 12,000 Portuguese troops, commanded by Lord Beresford. It is not very easy to reconcile the conflicting statements made with respect to the Brazils, some of which represent the late conduct of the new Emperor as extremely popular, while others say that his government had been overthrown and a new one installed which had evinced a very republican spirit. To such an extent indeed was this carried, that they are represented as having declared that if Don Pedro showed any symptom of wishing to become absolute, or even of withholding a fair and liberal constitution, guaranteeing the rights of the people, they would at

once relinquish their allegiance to him. These are very opposite rumours; but they are still only rumours: perhaps truth may lie between. There is a long account in the Colombian Gazette of the entrance of Bolivar into Lima: he was of course every where received with the greatest euthusiasm, installed by the Peruvian Congress with supreme political and military power, and honoured with the title of Liberator. He was also offered 50,000 dollars a year, which he nobly declined, alleging that the people of Colombia had already anticipated all his wants. This man seems to want no single requisite essential to the character of a hero; we are glad to say that every account confirms the probability that he will receive his best reward in the liberation of his country; the Viceroy and Royalist commanders have been defeated in all directions. It would appear however as if the Holy Allies had not yet quite given up their designs on the rising freedom of this country. The American House of Representatives lately requested of the President to inform them whether he was apprized of the intention of any European potentate to aid or resist Spain in her South American projects, to which he replied, that he "possessed no information on the subject not known to Congress which could be disclosed with out injury to the public good."

We had very little idea, when we were condensing our pacific summary for last month, that we should have to announce in this the declaration of a war by England against any part of the world. These are times, how ever, when war may arise with any one, and at any moment. The Gazette has actually announced the commencement of hostilities with Algiers. (A good opportunity, by the bye, for Mr. Croker to renew his application for the war salary.) A dispatch has been received from Captain Spencer of the Naiad, who had been ordered to Algiers to remonstrate against some late proceedings of the Dey, stating the entire failure of his mission, and that, in consequence, the British Consul was obliged to strike his flag and embark. Captain Spencer also states the capture, by the Camelion, of an Algerine corvette, so that the first blow has been actually

struck. It is gratifying to think that by this capture seventeen unfortunate Spaniards were released from slavery. A notice from the Admiralty promises the immediate appointment of convoys for the protection of our Mediterranean trade. The Dey is said also to have quarrelled with the American Consul, so that he is likely to have a hot summer in the warlike city. It might not be amiss to propose to him another visit from Lord Exmouth-the last we hope which this legitimate will ever receive in a sovereign capacity. The existence of these pirates is a disgrace to Europe.

Our domestic details are almost entirely limited to our parliamentary digest. Even these, however, are unusually scanty, considering the late period at which the session commenced, and the necessity therefore of crowding into a short space the business which had heretofore required so much longer an interval. A sudden fit of the gout rendered it unadviseable, according to the opinion of the physicians, for His Majesty to open the session in person; it was therefore done by commission. The following is a copy of the speech delivered on the occasion.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

We are commanded by his Majesty to express to you his Majesty's deep regret, that, in consequence of indisposition, he is prevented from meeting you in Parlia ment upon the present occasion.-It would have been a peculiar satisfaction to his Majesty, to be enabled in person to congratu late you on the prosperous condition of the country.-Trade and commerce are extending themselves both at home and abroad. -An increasing activity pervades almost every branch of manufacture. The growth of the revenue is such as not only to sustain public credit, and to prove the unimpaired productiveness of our resources, but (what is yet more gratifying to his Majesty's feelings) to evince a diffusion of comfort among the great body of his people.-Agriculture is recovering from the depression under which it laboured; and, by the steady operation of natural causes, is gradually re-assuming the station to which its importance entitles it among the great interests of the nation.-At no former peclasses of the community in this island, a riod has there prevailed throughout all more cheerful spirit of order, or a more just sense of the advantages which, under the blessing of Providence, they enjoy.-In Ireland, which has for some time past been

the subject of his Majesty's particular soficitude, there are many indications of amendment, and his Majesty relies upon your continued endeavours to secure the welfare and happiness of that part of the United Kingdom.-His Majesty has commanded us further to inform you, that he has every reason to believe that the progress of our internal prosperity and im provement will not be disturbed by any interruption of tranquillity abroad. His Majesty continues to receive from the powers his Allies, and generally from all Princes and States, assurances of their earnest desire to maintain and cultivate the relations of friendship with his Majesty; and nothing is omitted on his Majesty's part, as well to preserve general peace as to remove any causes of disagreement, and to draw closer the bonds of amity between other nations and Great Britain. The negotiations which have been so long carried on through his Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople for the arrangement of diferences between Russia and the Ottoman Porte are, as his Majesty flatters himself, drawing near to a favourable termination. A convention has been concluded between his Majesty and the Emperor of Austria, for the settlement of the pecuniary claims of this country upon the Court of Vienna. His Majesty has directed that a copy of this convention shall be laid before you, and he relies on your assistance for the execution of some of its provisions-Anxi. ously as his Majesty deprecated the commencement of the war in Spain, he is every day more satisfied that in the strict neutrality which he determined to observe in that contest (and which you so cordially approved) he best consulted the true interests of his people. With respect to the provinces of America which have declared their separation from Spain, his Majesty's conduct has been open and consistent, and his opinions have been at all times frankly avowed to Spain and to other Powers-His Majesty has appointed Consuls to reside at the principal ports and places of those provinces, for the protection of the trade of his subjects.-As to any further measures, his Majesty has reserved to himself an unfettered discretion, to be exercised as the cir. cumstances of those countries, and the interests of his own people, may appear to his Majesty to require.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

His Majesty has directed us to inform you, that the estimates for the year are prepared, and shall be forthwith laid before you. The numerous points at which, under present circumstances, his Majesty's naval force is necessarily distributed, and the occasion which has arisen for strength. ening his garrisons in the West Indies, have rendered unavoidable some augmentation of his establishments by sea and land. MARCH, 1824.

His Majesty has, however, the gratification of believing, that notwithstanding the increase of expense incident to these augmentations, it will still be in your power, after providing for the services of the year, to make arrangements, in some parts of our system of taxation, which may afford relief to certain important branches of the national industry.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

His Majesty has commanded us to acquaint you, that he has not been inattentive to the desire expressed by the House of Commons in the last Session of Parliament, that means should be devised for ameliorating the condition of the Negro slaves in the West Indies.-His Majesty has directed the necessary information relating to this subject to be laid before you.-His Majesty is confident that you will afford your best attention and assistance to any proposition which may be submitted to you, for promoting the moral improvement of the Negroes, by an extended plan of religious instruction, and by such other measures as may gradually conduce to the same end.— But his Majesty earnestly recommends to you to treat this whole subject with the calmness and discretion which it demands.

It is a subject perplexed with difficulties, which no sudden effort can disentangle. To excite exaggerated expectations in those who are the objects of your benevolence, would be as fatal to their welfare as to that of their employers. And his Majesty assures himself you will bear in mind, that in the correction of a long standing and complicated system, in which the fortunes and the safety of large classes of his Majesty's subjects are involved, that course of proceeding is alone likely to attain practical good, and to avoid aggravation of evil, in which due regard shall be paid to considerations of justice, and in which caution shall temper zeal.

There was no amendment moved either in the Lords or Commons; and the first night went off as dully as we ever remember at any preceding period. In pursuance of the promise held out in the speech, a copy of the Convention between the Emperor of Austria and the King of England, concluded at Vienna last November, has been laid before Parliament. By this document, it appears that the Emperor was to pay to this country two millions and a half sterling in discharge of the Austrian loan, amount ing to twenty millions, being about two-and-sixpence in the pound!— Perhaps, considering every thing, we are fortunate in obtaining so much, but we do not wonder that such a circumstance should draw from Mr.

Y

r

James the remark that in justice to other bankrupts the name of the Emperor should appear in the Gazette ! The dividend is certainly a small

one.

Notice, has, we are glad to see, been taken in both houses, of a very scandalous practice which had crept into some prisons, of sending prisoners before trial to the treadmill; in the House of Lords, Lord Liverpool, and in the House of Commons, Mr. Peel, both decidedly reprobated the practice. It is doubted by some persons whether the treadmill is judicious even in the way of punishment after conviction; but there can be no question as to its impolicy, if not its illegality, when extended to those whom the law presumes to be innocent.

Mr. Hume commenced his labours for the session, by a motion for a select committee to inquire into the state of the laws of the United Kingdom, and their consequences, respect ing artizans leaving the country and carrying their skill and industry abroad; into the state of the laws respecting the exportation of tools and machinery; and also into the state of the laws and their consequences respecting the combination of workmen to raise their wages and to regulate their hours of work." This motion was intended, as the mover premised, to do away with some of the existing restrictions. The motion was met by Mr. Huskinsson in a spirit of liberality which did him great honour. Its effect, he said, would be to produce a report which would enable the house to retain what was useful in the laws, to clear from the statute book such of them as were useless, and to subIstitute in their stead such amendments as would best, promote the commercial interest and glory of the country. He also cordially thanked Mr. Hume for having undertaken so arduous a task, and highly complimented him on his zeal and industry. A committee was accordingly appointed.

We are most happy to observe that the Vagrant Act (very properly so called,) is likely to undergo some modification. Mr. Peel, whose official situation must have called his attention more especially to its abuses, declared that there were certain parts of it on which, when it came before the House,

he meant to submit amendments, and particularly on the clause respecting indecent exposure. There can be no doubt that it would be better to set about making a new law altoge ther, than endeavouring to amend one so full of deformity.

Lord Nugent made a motion for papers relative to Spain, and particu larly for the instructions given to Sir William A'Court, together with all documents relative to the proposed mediation of England in the outset of the contest with Spain. This was met by an amendment proposed by Mr. Sturges Bourne, approving of the neutrality of this country, and lauding the prudence and inviolabi lity with which it had been maintained. The House divided, when there appeared, for the amendment, 171-for the original motion, 30.-Majority, 141. The debate was confined to these two speakers, and presented no feature of interest.

Lord Althorpe has obtained leave to bring in a bill for the more easy recovery of debts under 10l. This measure promises to prove one of great utility; but as it is to undergo some modifications, we must postpone for the present a more detailed account of it.

In the committee of supply Lord Palmerston proposed an increase of our military establishment, assigning as a principal reason the commotions in our West India Islands. The addition submitted was of six new regiments upon the existing establishment, besides 200 men added to each of the three Veteran Battalions: this would increase our land forces by 4,560 troops, and our expences by 103,4647. The sum total of our military establishment then would be, exclusive of our Indian establishment, 73,341 regular troops, and 3,354 men in Veteran Battalions in Ireland. This was opposed by Mr. Hobhouse and Mr. Hume. The latter gentleman moved an amendment against the principle of increasing a standing army, but it was negatived by a majority of 102 to 10.

The most important parliamentary business of the month, however, has been the opening of the budget by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. A state of peace enables the minister to produce it thus early; our readers may remember that during the war

it was necessarily, from the fluctuation of affairs, postponed to a late period of the session. The exposition of the state of the finances was ably and eloquently brought forward, as indeed all the finance statements of Mr. Robinson have been. He laid before the House the revenue and expenditure of the year 1823, and followed it up by a statement of the revenue, expenditure, and surplus of the year 1824. One of his propositions was the reduction of the old 4 per cent. stock; the outstanding account to be estimated at 75 millions. Under this proposition the present holders were to have six weeks time to assent to or dissent from a transfer into the 3 per cents.; and those who within that period dissented were to be paid off. The bonus he proposed was in time rather than money: it was that the holders of the 3 per cent. stock should be secured against any reduction for five years from October next. The reductions which he proposed were, first, in the cessation of bounties to the following extent:

On the whale fishery...... £50,000 On the herring fishery...... 70,000 On Irish Linens........... 100,000 The result, he calculated, would cause a surplus of income to the following amount :

On rum..

£150,000

100,000

350,000 462,000

he

On London coals.. On wool........ On silk..... making a total further reduction of 1,062,000l.-The reduction on rum was to be at the rate of 1s. 1d. per gallon. On London coals, 3s. 4d. per chaldron; and inland coal permitted to be brought in any quantity by the canal, at 1s. 3d. per chaldron. On wool, the reduction is to be from 6d. to 1d. per pound, and a free exportation of British wool allowed, on payment of 1d. duty. On silk, the present restrictions were to be taken off, and French silks and gloves, to

be freely imported, on paying an ad valorem duty. A considerable reduction was also proposed of the duty on foreign raw silk. The statement of the right hon. gentleman met with unqualified approbation, with the exception of a proposal to expend 500,000l. of the surplus in the erection of new churches. We must not omit mentioning a vote of 60,000l. being proposed for the erection of a national gallery, and a communication that government had already laid the foundation of a collection by purchasing, at the price of 57,000l. the pictures of the late Mr. Angerstein. The minister mentioned, that, when the nucleus was thus formed, he had no doubt that His Majesty's liberality would considerably increase it, and that the royal example would be extensively followed.

The business in the House of Lords has been unusually barren. The late Attorney General has been created Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, and called up to the House of Peers, with the title of Baron Gifford. He is also appointed Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords, for the purpose of relieving the Lord Chancellor in the hearing of Scotch Appeals. Feb. 25.

AGRICULTURE.

February 24, 1824. The weather has been so mild that the winter ploughing has been long finished, and the farmers are now busily occupied in preparing for their spring corn. The short frost in the beginning of this month enabled the farmers to avail themselves of this brief space to carry a considerable quantity of manure upon the land, but yet nothing like the usual quantity has been removed. The crops of winter tares and seeds are generally looking very healthy, and the wheat appears equally promising, except where the slug has committed its depredations. The turnips have begun to run to top, but have turned out much better than was expected in the early part of the winter. Hay and straw have consequently become much cheaper.

The corn market, with the exception of one week, has still continued advancing. This rise is to be attributed to very many causes operating at one and the same moment. of the crop has prevailed since the harThe general feeling of the deficiency

vest, and, when it was known that much of the corn has been housed in a damp state, caused an almost universal eagernes among the merchants to buy. The farmers, on the contrary, acted upon by the sam