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CHRONICLE.

JANUARY.

1st.-NEW-YEAR'S DAY IN EDINBURGH.-We are sorry to say, that this morning several riots took place on the streets of Edinburgh. Being New-year's morning, numbers of people were the worse of liquor, and several battles were fought. One unfortunate man was found dead in the West-port; the cause of his death is now undergoing an investigation. A number of prisoners were committed to the city guard for examination. The public, however, must not form an idea of the manners and character of the citizens of our northern metropolis from this statement. In general, they are remarkably peaceable and good-humoured on similar occasions; and we have witnessed formerly a spirit of joyful benevolence and kindness expressed during the night, by mutual salutations and drink-offerings, among persons of all ranks and ages.

It appears that the late French bulletins were brought to within a certain distance of the English coast, and put into an open boat, which was suffered to drift on shore. It accordVOL, II. PART II.

ingly reached the coast between Dymchurch and Hythe; and a canvass bag, in which the papers were inclosed, was taken from it, and conveyed to London. The singularity of this mode of communication is perhaps not so extraordinary as it appears at first sight; and a circumstance which has lately transpired seems sufficiently to account why the French boatmen did not trust themselves near to our cruisers. A boat's crew of an English gun-brig, consisting of fourteen men, including a warrant officer, lately landed on the French coast, for the purpose of distributing papers, &c., and having drawn their boat up on the beach, proceeded a short distance into the country, where, at a public house, they imprudently got intoxicated. In the interim, a party of horse patrolling the coast, perceived the boat, and traced the sailors to the above house, where they were all taken, and have since been executed as spies, and their bodies exposed on gibbets, at intervals of a mile apart, along the French coast, from Cape Grisnez to Boulogne.

On the 28th ultimo, Walter Turn

A

bull, carrier, between Belches and.. Edinburgh, perished in the snow, about two miles from Middleton. He was nearly eighty years of age, and had been a carrier fifty years.

2d. The report of the Board of Inquiry, which had been appointed by his Majesty's warrant, dated 1st day of November last, for considering the armistice and subsequent convention concluded between the British and French forces in Portugal in the month of August, was this day made public in London. It bears date 22d December 1808. The following general officers of the army formed the members of the Board, viz. Generals DAVID DUNDAS, Earl MOIRA, PETER CRAIG,

Lord HEATHfield.
Lieut.-Gen. Earl PEMBROKE,
G. NUGENT,

OL. NICOLLS.

The report extends to a very considerable length, and as it was somewhat indefinite in the opinions which it expressed, a letter, dated Horse Guards, December 25th, from his Royal Highness the Duke of York, the commander-in-chief, addressed to General Sir David Dundas, as president, requested the Board to resume the consideration of the armistice and convention, and directed such of the members as might differ from the majority on these two points, to record, upon the face of the proceedings, their reasons for such dissent.

The Board met on the 25th ult., at the Judge-Advocate-General's Office, when the said letter having been read, they agreed that the following questions should be put to each of the members of the Board: which were accordingly put and answered, agreeably to the following

statement.

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