bey. The concussion was distinctly felt in and round the metropolis, particularly in several parts of the city, and more sensibly in Southwark, at Stepney, Hackney, Blackwall, and Blackheath. At Stepney, we understand that a mirror of plate-glass was broken by the shock'; at Hackney, several panes of glass were forced in; and at Blackwall, the windows throughout a whole street were shattered. Near the New-road, Mary-le-bone, also, several of the houses were much shaken, and the labourers who were excavating in Mary-le-bone Park felt the ground shake where they were at work. Several persons are stated to have been killed at Waltham Abbey, and much mischief done by the explosion.

On Thursday morning last, seven midshipmen of the French marine, prisoners of war on parole at Kelso, were conducted from thence, under the charge of a military escort, to Valleyfield prison. This measure, we understand, has been adopted by government in consequence of a representa tion having been made to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty of the extreme hardships and improper treat ment experienced in general by the midshipmen of the British navy, prisoners of war in France, who, amongst other rigours, are closely confined in unwholesome prisons, on the alleged ground of some British prisoners of their rank having absconded. Previous to our having recourse to any measures of severity, these circumstances were stated by our government to that of France, expressing a hope that the British midshipmen should again be restored to their parole, and treated in the same manner as the French midshipmen were in this country; and intimating that, if this should be refused, the British government would be reluctantly compelled to make reprisals on the French midshipmen in

Britain. No reply having been made by the French government to this representation, it became an indispensable act of justice to our own officers to put the French midshipmen on the same footing with them in this respect, and an order was accordingly issued to put all the French officers of that class into similar confinement. At the same time, with that humanity and liberality which have always been the characteristic of the British government, it was ordered, that if any of the midshipmen should be in such a state of health as to render the journey and confinement prejudicial, they were not to be removed from their places of parole.

On the 25th ult. the Fame, on her voyage from London to Arbroath, laden with flax and hemp, was captured off Shields by the French privateer Grandfury. The privateer left two of the Fame's crew on board, viz. an old man and a boy, and put six Frenchmen in her to carry her to a port in France; but a south-east gale setting in the day after the Fame was taken, drove her to the northward, when the wind increasing, shifted to the northeast, which drove her into the mouth of the Forth, with the navigation of which the Frenchmen, as well as the old man, were unacquainted; and the candles for the use of the binnacle being expended or thrown overboard, they allowed the vessel to go before the wind, (they not knowing where they were, and the compass rendered useless for want of candles, it being under night,) till the boy luckily recognized the light of Inchkeith, when he assumed the command of the Fame, and carried her in safety up the frith. On passing close to the Rebecca, lying at anchor in St Margaret's Hope, he hailed aloud, that he had six French prisoners on board, and demanded assistance to get them secured. The moment that the Rebecca's boat reached the Fame, the boy seized the French

men's pistols, as his right by conquest, and would not give them up to the Rebecca's crew.

On Tuesday last, six French officers, who were on their parole at Oakhampton, escaped from that town, accompanied by an English guide. Having crossed Dartmoor, on Thursday after. noon, they came near Bovey Tracey, where meeting with a woman, they enquired if there was any road ran through the town; being answered in the negative, they made a halt. The woman communicated the particulars to some of the towns-people, and four men went in pursuit of them: when they were discovered, three of them surrendered; but the other three, with the guide, made off, and were followed by two of the men. The first that came up with them was Mr Christopher Snell, when the guide instantly turning round, with a dagger stabbed him to the heart, and he expired on the spot. A coroner's inquest sat on the body of Mr Snell, and brought in a verdict of Wilful Murder against the guide and the three Frenchmen who accompanied him. The Frenchmen have since been taken, but the guide has hitherto eluded all pursuit.

A person viewing the Royal Menagerie at the Tower, on Thursday, imprudently ventured to touch the paw of one of the tigers, who instantly seized his arm with his mouth, and drew him close to the den, notwithstanding the assistance of two or three other men. He was at length liberated from the tiger, by a person's succeeding in forcing a stick down the throat of the beast. He was carried to a surgeon, with his arm dreadfully lacerated.

7th.-A very singular and shock ing circumstance took place in Yorkstreet, Commercial-road, London, on Tuesday last. Early in the afternoon, a Mr Brown met his death in a very mysterious manner. He was seen by

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several neighbours about half-past 3 o'clock on the same day as well as usual, and was found dead before four, A surgeon was sent for, but not till he was dead, who found him with his head hanging over the feet of the bed, with his extremities cold, and being informed he died of a fit, he went away without a particular examination. Coming again about an hour after, he more closely examined him, when he perceived a deep impression round the neck, as if occasioned by a small cord, which led him to conclude the deceased had been strangled. In consequence of this, a jury was called to investigate the matter; the coroner and jurymen met on Thursday at Mr Butler's, Duke of York, York-street, Commercialroad, and after viewing the body, and examining the witnesses, unanimously brought in their verdict-Murdered by some person or persons unknown.

An alarming fire broke out at Andover, on Tuesday evening, occasioned by the fall of a squib or rocket on a barn. The foolish and dangerous practice of suffering fire-works to be thrown about in narrow streets, on the 5th of November, cannot be too much reprobated.

Loss OF HIS MAJESTY'S PACKET PRINCE OF WALES. The packet Prince of Wales, Captain Proctor, with mails and passengers from the Bahamas and Great Britain, left Port Royal on the 8th of July, under convoy of his Majesty's schooner Barbara, Lieutenant Douglas. In the night of the 16th of the same month, she lost sight of her convoy; and about half after one o'clock, A. M. on Friday following (the 19th,) having been driven from her course by a strong current, while going at the rate of five and six miles miles per hour, she unfortunately got on Saltpond Reef, on the south-west side of Heneagua, one of the Bahama Isles. The wind abating nothing of

its violence, she did not stop there, but passed over two other reefs, and after beating against the rocks for about half an hour, disengaged herself and once more floated; meanwhile the sails were taken in and the anchor let out. There being now little wind and the night somewhat dark, it was deemed prudent, under all the circumstances, to await the return of day-light. Signal guns of distress were fired; and to complete this awful scene, the pumps were at work, throwing out more than two feet water per hour from an increasing leak. The long and anxiously wished for day at length dawned, but to afford no chance of escape, at least for the packet. A boat was lowered down, and the mails and passengers conveyed in it to the shore. specie next occupied the attention of all on board, almost all of which, if not all, was saved; not so the passengers' luggage, and very little of the provisions, of which there was saved not as much as would serve for a week's subsistence. Providentially not a life was lost. The crew were fortunate enough, soon after hoisting a signal of distress, to be perceived by the schooner Paragon, Knowles, of Long Island, then passing, which anchored off the spot; and in the course of the day the Spanish schooner La Perla, Pedro Blanco Casariego, master, from Carthagena, bound for Cadiz, put in for a supply of water. These two vessels afforded accommodation for the whole.

The

Friday came on the election of the Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow, when there was the keenest contest ever remembered in that uni versity. The candidates proposed were, Lord Archibald Hamilton and Lord Viscount Melville, and upwards of 800 electors voted on this occasion. On the final close of the poll, there appeared upon the whole a majority of nearly 200 in favour of Lord Ar

chibald Hamilton, who was according ly declared duly elected.

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COURT MARTIAL.-A court mar tial was held at Portsmouth on Tuesday, and continued by adjournment till Thursday, on Tryce Oakey, seaman of his Majesty's ship Cyane, for a breach of the 22d article of war, by striking Captain Collier, commander of that ship, on the quarter deck, on the 12th of July last. It appeared, the prisonwas boatswain's yeoman of the Cyane, and that a screw of a carronade, which it was his duty to have kept clean, was found dirty, and he was ordered to be flogged for it. The hands were turned up to witness the punishment, and the prisoner was desired to strip, which he refused. His clothes were then cut off, and he was ordered to be seized (tied up,) when he ran at Captain Collier, and struck him twice with his fist, with great force. He attempted to repeat the blows, but was prevented by the marines. In his defence, he said his mind was irritated to a state of madness, which totally deprived him of any knowledge of what he did; that his intention was not that of striking Captain Collier, but of jumping overboard, which attempt Captain Collier frustrated by stepping before him. The court, upon the whole of the circumstances, being of opinion that the charge had been proved, the prisoner was adjudged to suffer Death.

The following occurrence took place at the New Brewery, in Workington, on Saturday se'nnight, whereby one Milham Robinson lost his life, under the following circumstances :—

Mr Rogers, the manager of the brewery, had for some time past found he was robbed of money, candles, and other articles, to a considerable extent. He tried by marks on the doors, and other precautions, to find out by what way the depredator came into his of fice, and found he came in the nights,

and forced a staple, to suffer the locks to pass, and afterwards nailed it on again, in order to make good appearances. Mr Rogers was resolved to. watch in a room adjoining to the office, and discover the villain, that he might be brought to justice. After watching some nights, he and his brother, on Saturday se'nnight, about four o'clock in the morning, heard a person force the lock. This was Robinson, the deceased, with a candle in his hand. He came into the office, and went to the money, and was taking it, when Mr Rogers placed himself between Robinson and the door that he had forced, presented a blunderbuss with a bayonet upon it, and ordered him to stand and surrender himself. The villain immediately sprung at him, but seeing or touching the bayonet, he stopped and retreated for a moment, and then sprung again at Mr Rogers under the bayonet, closed with him, and seized the blunderbuss. In this struggle, the candle which Robinson had went out, and Mr Rogers's brother ran to assist, and seized Robinson by the arms. At this moment, in the scuffle of all the three, and in the dark, the piece accidentally went off, and lodged most of its contents in the hip of the deceased, and fortunately without injuring either of the other two. Medical assistance was immediately called, and every attention paid, but the man died in little more than an hour afterwards. He confessed to the surgeons that he had been frequently there before.

CIRCULAR Letter.

Circular to General Officers commanding Districts at Home and on Stations

Abroad.

You will have been apprized of the liberal footing on which his Majesty has been pleased to place these officers, by assigning to them the pay and allowances of a major; and his royal highness entertains no doubt that their conduct will universally prove them worthy of this distinction (for they have been selected, with the utmost care and circumspection, by the first prelates of this country ;) and that they will, from all persons, receive that respect which is so justly due to their rank and profession: but it is to officers holding commands, to whom it is his royal highness's wish most particularly to recommend them; and in order to give full efficacy to their labours, it is necessary that the general officers should personally enforce the regulations which are established for the performance of the religious duties of the army.

It is the commander-in-chief's command, that the chaplains shall visit the sick and the hospitals of their respective divisions or garrisons at least twice in each week, and diligently perform the reshall be performed each Sunday; and his quisite duties therein; that divine service royal highness particularly enjoins, that more men shall not be assembled for that purpose at a time, than the voice can reach (a precaution very necessary to insure the attention of the soldier,) but that the chaplain shall perform the service successively his royal highness desires, that the service to the different corps of his division; and may close with a short practical sermon, suited to the habits and understandings of soldiers. To this last part of the service the commander-in-chief attaches much importance, as being in-conformity to the custom of the established church, and more than ever required at this time, which is peculiarly marked by the exertions and interference of sectaries of various descriptions. I have the honour to be, your most obedient humble servant,

HARRY CALVERT, Adjutant-General.

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Tryce Oakey, who was sentenced by a court martial to suffer death, for striking Captain Collier, of his Majesty's ship Cyane, was removed from the Gladiator to the Royal William, to suffer the penalty of the law. He was attended in his religious devotions by the Rev. Mr Davies, who spent the whole of the evening with him, and returned to him early in the morning. At nine o'clock he administered the sacrament to him, which Oakey received with becoming feeling and seriousness; but, prior to this, he had requested permission to be allowed to live until Monday, which was communicated to the commander-in-chief by telegraphic signal; whose reply was, that the sentence must be put into immediate execution. Oakey remained at prayers until eleven o'clock, when he was told that the fatal hour was come. A boat from every ship at the port was now in attendance round the Royal William, under the awful expectation of momentarily seeing the victim to the law suspended above them. The prisoner proceeded upon deck, attended by the chaplain, and walked forward to the forecastle, with his arms secured, holding a Bible and Testament. The avenues to the forecastle were lined by the marines of the ship under arms. Captain Hall followed the prisoner, accompanied by all the officers of the ship, and read the sentence of the court martial. Oakey thought himself now, as did every spectator, on the brink of the two worlds; when Captain Hall took a letter from his pocket, and read, which contained the Prince Regent's gracious condescension to the prayer of Captain Collier, that Oakey's life might be spared, but to be transported for life. Not a ray of hope remained with the prisoner; nor was it in the apprehension of any one that a transmutation of his sentence was to be communicated to him. Therefore,

when this sudden and unexpected sentence reached his ears, he burst into tears, and fell upon his knees, expressing himself, as well as he was able, in terms full of gratitude. There was not an officer or man who witnessed the affecting scene that could repress his tears.

11th.-EDINBURGH.-FIRE IN THE EXCHEQUER.-Early yesterday morn ing, the upper part of the Exchequer Chamber, Parliament-square, was discovered to be on fire. On the first alarm, the engines belonging to the different offices, and also the city engines, repaired to the spot. At five in the morning, the conflagration presented an awful spectacle, and, to a distant beholder, from the south, it seemed as if the whole Parliamentsquare had been in one blaze. The exertions of the firemen were somewhat impeded by the height of the buildings; so that it was nearly seven o'clock before they were able to stem the fury of the flames. At that time. the roof of that part of the building where the fire began gave way; and about 9 o'clock, the fire was completely got under.

REGIMENTAL SCHOOLS.

Horse Guards, Nov. 14, 1811. SIR,-I have received the commanderin-chief's directions to inform you, that it is in contemplation of government to afford the means of establishing regimental schools for the care and instruction of the children of non-commissioned officers and soldiers. It is his royal highness's intention, that these schools shall be conducted on the plan recommended by the Rev.Doctor Bell, and adopted with great success at the Royal Military Asylum; and you will be pleased immediately to look out for a person calculated to superintend the school of the regiment under your command. implant in the children's minds early haThe object of these institutions is to bits of morality, obedience, and industry, and to give them that portion of learning which may qualify them for non-commis