1831. Warwickshire - Wilts - Yorkshire - Scotland-Ireland. months' imprisonment, for obtaining money from the overseer under false pretences. WARWICKSHIRE. The London and Birininghanı Railway Company have increased their capital from two millions to three millions, wisely resolved to construct the road on the best possible plan that can be devised, They intend forming a quadruple line of road all the way; and we understand that it is in contemplation to light the road in winter with gas, as coals can be procured along the line in various parts on very reasonable terms, the coke produced will be of importance to the Company in supplying their own engines. The Liverpool and Birmingham Railway Company, it is said, will pursue the same plan in their line. Both Companies expect to ob. tain acts of Parliament in their favour this session; if they succeed, the works will be prosecuted with such vigour, that the whole line may be completed in three years, when we hope that those who visit the metropolis will be enabled to go there with perfect ease and safety in twelve hours. WILTSHIRE. A desperate rencontre, between the country gentlemen, aided by the Hindon troop of cavalry, and the peasantry, took place at Pyt House, the seat of Mr. Benett, the member for the county. Mr. Benett having learned that a mob of above five hundred men were advancing against the imansion-house, went out to meet them, and to entreat them to disperse; but was received with a shower of stones, by some of which he was a good deal cut. At that moment, the Hindon troop accidentally came up, and the mob still persisting in throwing stones, the cavalry were ordered to fire a blank cartridge over their heads; but the mob only laughed at them, and asked them why they did not do their duty. The cavalry then attempted to charge; but the mob rushed into the plantations which surround the house, where they continued pelting the cavalry, who at last effected the charge; when several were wounded slightly, and some mortally; one man was shot dead on the spot. A great number were taken prisoners, twenty-five of whom were brought to Fisherton gaol the same night. Several were dreadfully wounded; one man had a cut across the back of his hand, which separated the muscles; another, three fingers off his left hand, and two off his right; another, a piece of his skull cut off; an other with a severe cut across one of his elbows; another had his head cut open. YORKSHIRE. Sir J. B. V. Johnstone, Bart. has been returned member for the county of York; Mr. Strickland, the other candidate, having relinquished the contest when the state of the poll was, for Sir J. B. V. Johnstone, 361; for Mr. Strickland, 104. SCOTLAND. Sir Walter Scott has retired from his situation as one of the principal clerks of the Session, on the pension to which he is legally entitled by length of service. It is stated in the Scotch newspapers that a writ of arrest has been issued against the ex-King 45 of France, and that the carriages of his suite are in durance vile for a debt contracted in 1793. A public meeting has been held at the Assembly-rooms, Edinburgh, on the subject of Parliamentary reform. Upwards of a thousand persons assembled, who were most ably addressed by J. A. Murray, Esq. J. Cunningham, Esq. and other gentlemen, in eloquent speeches. Various spirited resolutions were adopted, in favour of reform, and a committee appointed to carry them into effect. The High Court of Justiciary lately met in the Court-room of the Second Division, when Lord Medwyn produced his commission as one of the Judges, in room of Lord Pitmilly, resigned, and took the oaths and his seat on the bench. There after, the Lord-Advocate and Solicitor-General produced their commissions, and took the usual oaths. A commission from the Lord-Advocate was read, appointing J. Cuninghame, J. Ivory, M. P. Brown, and J. S. Stewart, Esquires, his Deputies; and also naming T. Maitland, A. Rutherfurd, A. E. Monteith, A. Wood, G. Speirs, J. Russel, R. Thomson, R. Handyside, and J. Napier, Esquires, his Substitutes. The Duchess de Berri has arrived at Holyrood House from London. Her Royal Highness is to possess a house in Regent-terrace, Calton bill. Marshal Bourmont is at Holyrood. IRELAND. On the 5th, the gentlemen signing the requisition for a meeting to consider of the repeal of the Union, waited on the Lord Mayor of Dublin, to request him to take the chair at such meeting. This honour his Lordship declined, stating, as a reason for so doing, the little good to be expected, the evil certain to occur, and the want of respectability in the majority of signatures. On Sunday evening, 19th ult. Mr. O'Connell made a public entry into Dublin. The trades of the metropolis, to the number of 50,000 persons, marshalled under banners, bearing a variety of mottoes and devices, met him in the environs, and accompanied him with loud acclamations and every demonstration of respect and admiration to his residence in Merrion Square. The Agitator addressed them in his usual exciting strain from the balcony. The repeal of the Union was of course the topic. The immense multitude congregated on this occasion separated in the most peaceable and orderly manner. A more extraordinary burst of popular feeling has never been witnessed in Dubliu. On Wednesday evening, the 22d ult. the Marquess of Anglesey, the new Viceroy, arrived at Kingstown. He was received on landing by the Lord Chancellor, (Plunkett,) and the Bishop of Kildare, who accompanied him to his carriage. As soon as the noble Marquess was scated, the carriage drove off, and, followed by those of several private persons, proceeded to Dublin. The reception of Lord Anglesey was far from flattering. The crowd that followed the cavalcade did not exceed two hundred persons, who seemed to attend for the purpose of giving a groan for "dirty Doherty," a popular alliteration in Ireland. Not one hat was taken off to raise a cheer, and the entry is said to have resembled a funeral procession more than a triumphal entry. COMMERCIAL AND MONEY-MARKET REPORT. The shipping lists published by the Clerk of the Bills of Entry at the London Custom House exhibit an increase of exports during the month of December. This circumstance, in a great measure, shows that the disturbed state of the Conti nent has not so powerfully acted on our own commerce as it was some time ago feared that it would. Nor do we find that, among the exports, manufactured articles are less in proportion than others. It is evident, therefore, that the recovery which our trade had begun to experience some months ago, would have received no check from those occurrences which were thought unfavourable to its continuation. The danger of a relapse, if any, will arise from causes not similar to those from whence commercial distress usually springs. In adverting below to the state of some of our manufacturing districts, we shall have occasion to enter into some explanations on that subject. On looking over the daily and weekly reports of the movements of the metropolitan trade, we find no circumstance calling for especial notice, notwithstanding that, at this period of the year, a general inactivity of trade usually prevails. There has been neither more nor less business transacted than in some of the other good months of the year. Stocks of all kinds of produce are going off, and supplies are regularly arriving from most parts of the world. Commercial credit was never better than at present, and no want of money is experienced excepting where it may arise from causes that are not of a general application. On the best bills the rate of discount continues at 2 and a half per Cent, and good bills are easily negotiable at 3 per Cent. This is quite the reverse from the state of things at the same period last year, when it was with the utmost difficulty that good bills could be discounted at 5 per Cent. In the Corn Market there was, in the early part of the month, a tendency to high prices; but the supplies have not proved as scanty in some of the descriptions of grain as was expected, and the weekly averages have remained pretty steady. On Thursday, the 22nd, the imperial weekly average of wheat was 67s. 2d., the aggregate average of the six weeks, which regulates duty, 65s. 3d., and the consequent duty on foreign wheat 21s. 8d. The accounts from some of the manufacturing districts are such as to show that, if any impediments are again thrown in the way of trade, the distress thereby produced will be attributable to circumstances of a very different nature from those which produced it last year. At that period the thousands who suffered would have rejoiced at the cffer of employment on any terms; now the same persons find that employment with the bare means of livelihood, such as circumstances will allow of being placed within their reach, is not enough. Either the manufacturer must remain with his produce on hand, in consequence of the increase of valne imposed by the workmen's combinations for an advance of wages, or he must suspend his work altogether, and throw again those who de pend on him for support to that state of beggary to which they had so lately been reduced by the general diminution in the demand of his produce. Such, in fact, is the alternative to which the work men are driving themselves and others. We have seen many accounts from Manchester of the pro. ceedings of the workmen of the different mills who have turned out for an advance of wages. It appears that in some cases the operatives were willing to continue at the present rates, but they were prevented by the combination. The most serious part of the business is a set of resolutions by the chairman of the delegates of the operative spinners in the United Kingdom, in which they determine that "a general strike of all those spinners_who are receiving less than four shillings and two-pence per 1000 hanks for No. 40, and other numbers in proportion, on all sizes of wheels, shall take place on Monday, the 27th of the present December, not one of whom shall return to work until the full prices be given." At Ashton, the master spinners have declined making any alteration in their list of prices demanded by the inen, and the hands working in fifty-two mills have left their employment, so that the mills are at a stand. The men who have turned out, with the women, children, and others dependant on them, are said to amount to about twenty thousand persons. Indeed, the whole population of Stayley Bridge, Dunkinfield, and Mossley, with a large proportion of that of Ashton, depend on the factories that have been closed for their means of subsistence. The distress in which that district will probably be plunged by this event is expected to be exceedingly severe, especially if the season prove a very rigorous one. It is said that the whole number of spindles now at a stand in consequence of the general turn-out, is upwards of a million. The operations of the Money-market have been chiefly governed by the state of affairs on the Continent; but the fluctuations, compared with what they were in the preceding month, have been quite unimportant, the whole range of the price of Consols not having exceeded two per cent. The leading features have been a very great scarcity of money-stock, and a general disposition to speculate for the fall. Had either of these circumstances acted singly on the market, the effect must mu have been far more serious than we have found it; but being brought at the same time into operation, they have counteracted each other in such a manner as to produce that degree of evenness in the market which we have recorded. The price of Consols at the opening of the month was at 82 three-eighths; the highest quotation has been 83 one-eighth, and the lowest 81 one-eighth. the 23rd of the month, the closing price was S2 oneeighth. Consols for money have been closed all the month, on account of the usual payment of the dividends. On In the Foreign Stock Exchange a general decline of prices has taken place. Russian stock, which at the beginning of December was at 951, has been gradually falling since the arrival of the news of an insurrection having broken out in Po. land. We left the price on the 23rd at 87 to SS, with no immediate prospect of any improvement. Portuguese stock has experienced a fall of altogether tive per cent. since the beginning of the mouth. In the other descriptions of foreign funds the decline has not been so great as in Russian and Portuguese stock; but by comparing the list FROM NOVEMBER 26, TO DECEMBER 24, 1830, INCLUSIVE. November 26. J. GARRAWAY, Batheaston, Somerset- J. TAYLOR, R. H. AKDERNE, H. A. U. W. G. LOCK, Lower Thames-street, Custom house agent. NEIL, Romsey, Southampton, brick burner. MOODY, Lincoln, coach maker. W. DICKINS, jun. Northampton, tailor. J. JENKINS, Marshfield. Gloucester, dealer. J. RAYNER, Red-lion-yard, Red-lionstreet, Clerkenwell, iron founder. G. SPITTLE, Francis-street, Tottenham-court-road, horse dealer. MUMFORD, Sanstead-street, Essex, corn dealer. THOMPSON and J. CLARKE, Liverpool, merchants. November 30. H. COPE, North-street, Mile-end-road, cattle dealer. T. BROOKS, jun. Hunter-street, Brunswick-square, music seller. G. PESKETT, Peckham, H. BELL, Crown-court, Threadneedle street, surgeon. S. G. S. ship owner. S. LARKIN, Greenwich, victualler. C. KETTEL, Tunbridge Wells, brewer. W. NOKES, Great Surrey-street, Blackfriars, medicine vender. FOSSICK, Mumford-court, Milk-street, Cheapside, warehouseman. J. BROWN, Green Man, Old Kent-road, victualler. R. SHIPMAN, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, W. TRISTAM, Willenhall, Staffordshire, J. BRAGG, Aketon, Yorkshire, bleacher grocer. J. P. A. butcher. P. I. MUSTON and T. P. BAR R. December 7. T. MANLEY, Wentworth-street, Whitechapel, sugar refiner. W. PAGE, Back-hill, Clerkenwell, victualler. H. DAYUS, Bankside, Southwark, engineer. B. and T. SWEETAPPLE, Cattrshall Mill, Godalming, Surrey, paper manufacturers. W. MACK. ENZIE, Regent-street, Oxford-street, wine merchant. A. H. HENN, Holborn, hatter. W. BRISTOW, Milnerterrace, New-cut, Lambeth, baker. D. WHITBURN, Darkhouse-lane, Lower Thame.-street, fishmonger. PARKIN, E. R. THOMAS, and J. D. WALFORD, Fenchurch-street, brokers. herry stable-keeper. J. J. E. A. FRIEND, Cambridge, J. GAMBLE and T. KIDD, Sutton-in-Holderness, Yorkshire, wood sawyers. J. BOOT, Nottingham, bleacher. J. VARLEY, Manchester, machine maker. G. PRICE, Chipping Camden. Gloucestershire, coal merchant. H. WILLS, Bath, baker. J. WILLDER, Birmingham, nctualler. J. WHEREAT, Romsey, Southampton, ironmenger. December 10- J. HODSOLL, Farringham, Kent, miller. J. MARSHALL, Dartford, Kent, paper mould maker. J. BEDDALL and P. BEDDALL, High Holborn, car December 14. J. HODSOLL, Farningham, Kent, miller. J. HAGART, Lawrence-lane, Cheapside, tra dealer. R. B. HAWES and C. SMITH, Horsley-street, Walworth, builders. J. and H. HEDDON, Westminster-bridgeroad, linen drapers. S. GLOVER, Portland road, bricklayer and builder. J. ATKINSON, Cock-lane, West Smithfield, brass founder. T. THICK, Little Randolph-street, Camden-town, plasterer. J. TIRPIN and G. ARMITAGE, Doncaster, coach coach makers. KILLAM, Kirton-in-Lindsey, victualler J. GLOVER, Wigan, Lancashire, draper. J. DONALD, Hayton, Aspatria, Cumberland, cattle dealer. J. LANGFORD, Dorrington grove, Shropshire, and Pool-quay, M merysbire, farmer and miller. T. BROOKS, Manches December 17. M BELL, Great Surrey-street, Blackfriars road, victualler. T. shire, post-horse-master. street, St. Pancras, builder. S. WEBB, Reading, Berkshire, builder. W. PRIOR, Charlotte-street, Bedford square, brewer. W. HAYDEN, Oxford street, silk mercer and haberdasher. her. C. P. PRONCHERT, Jewrystreet, Aldgate, iron founder. R. CROSS, Manchester, publican. J. SHAW and J. WOOD, Dukinfield, cotton spinners. J. PRICE, Manchester, paper dealer. G. C. WILKINSON, Bristol, confectioner J. LEWIS, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, draper. G. WERNHAM, Wallingford, Berks, victualler. R. THOMPSON, Leeds, grocer. W. BAYES, Gainsburgh, Lincolnshire, iron founder. J. December 21. H. B. DALL, Little Vine-street, Minories, and Coborn-street, Bow, merchant J. MAY, Fenchurch-street, tavern keeper. J. H. RENNY, South Sea-chambers. Threadneedle street. merchant. R. CHAPMAN, Strachan-terrace, Islinston, builder. G. UPTON, Queen-street, Cheapside, oilman. W.CANSDELL, Eishopsgate-street within, auctioneer. J. WALTERS, Worcester, shoemaker. J. TILLMAN, Exmouth, glazier. J. EARL, Church-street, Hackney, chersemonger. W. OWEN, Speke, L ancashire, farmer. J. BRAGG, Harrington, La Lancashire, ship owner. SCOLES, J. BROUGHTON, and R. SCOLES, Saddleworth. Yorkshire, calico printers. L. JOHNSON, York, wollen draper. 11. COLLETT, Cheltenham, zrocer. December 24. W. WRIGHT, Great Suffolk-street, Blackman-street, Southwark, bookseller. S. SOUTHGATE, Gate-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields, builders. P. LAMB, Skinner-street, Snow-hill, cheesemonger. T. WILMSIIURST, Oxford-street.enameller. J. MID DLETON and H. MIDDLETON, Seven Oaks, Kent, upholders A. LYON and N. J. CALISHER, Birmingham. F. NAISH. Shepton Mallet, Somersetshire, clothier. R. WHITFIELD, Acre-lane, Brixton, American merchant. F. ILES, King-street, Soho, draper. D. STEPHENSON, jun. Mitchell Laiths. Dewsbury, Yorkshire, dealer. B. BARBER, Chorley, Winslow, Cheshire, victualier. J. MINSHALL, Stockport, Cheshire, vic tualler. G. POLITICAL EVENTS. FEBRUARY 1, 1831 GREAT BRITAIN. THE numerous outrages committed in various parts of England, during the last three months, led to the issue of a Special Commission; but the Christmas Home Circuit gave opportunity for the trial of some portion of that class of offenders against whom the Special Commission was chiefly directed. At the Assizes at Lewes, on the 21st of December, a youth of only seventeen years of age was sentenced to transportation for writing a threatening letter; and noinsignificant portion of the unfortunate and criminal beings whom ignorance and poverty have made followers of "Swing," received sen. tence of either transportation or death: some of them declaring that the course they pursued had been adopted under a conviction that the destruction of property was but a compliance with the hints conveyed in Mr. Cobbett's lectures. The trials of the Hampshire rioters commenced also on the 21st of December, at Winchester, on which day fourteen prisoners were tried, thirteen of whom were very young men-eight, including their leader, were found guilty. Mr. Pollexfen, an attorney, was charged with writing a threatening letter to a magistrate, but, in the attempt to prove the handwriting, the case failed. Amongst a variety of cases that came before the judges at Winchester, was one in which the mob, assembled on the occasion where the offence was committed, had declared that their feelings were excited chiefly by the circumstance of the overseers of the parish having harnessed men and even women to a cart and made them draw it. The same mob, it appeared, went to the house of Lord Cavan's gardener, when, his lordship not being at home, Lady Cavan, by an exertion of judgment and presence of mind that does her infinite honour, went amongst the rioters, remonstrated, reasoned, and by her presence and influence probably prevented much mischief. Eight men, six of whom were convicted, were tried at the same place for com pelling an incumbent to sign an unjust composition for tithes. Several other prisoners were tried for various offences, few of which, however, were attended with any circumstances of personal violence. The whole number of prisoners capitally convicted at Winchester was one hundred and one of those, thirty-six received sentence of transportation, and sixty-five of imprisonment to hard labour. On the 29th of December the proceedings under the Special Commission commenced at Reading, by the trial of five prisoners for extorting money from a magis trate-seventeen for the destruction of ma chinery, all of whom, with the exception of one, were found guilty. In the course of the proceedings, Mr. Justice Park entreated those gentlemen who were retained for the prisoners not to put irregular questions. Shortly after this reproof had been given, the counsel for one of the prisoners asked a question, which was apparently intended to screen his own client at the expense of another prisoner, but the learned Judge interfered, saying, "Every prisoner who cannot afford to employ counsel is my client, and I will not allow you to hang one of my clients to save your own." At Reading, three men received sentence of death, one of whom has been since executed, the other two reprieved ; those were the principal persons of the mob who extorted money from a magistrate. Sentence of death was also passed on twenty-three other prisoners, but their sentence will be commuted to transportation for life; twelve were ordered to be transported for fourteen years, and an equal number for seven years, being fifty in all who are to suffer severe penalties; but several others were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. During the first week of the month of January, the judges under the Special Commission were engaged at Salisbury; the principal charges were destroying machinery and other property, extorting money, and rioting. The most remarkable case amongst them was that of * One remarkable sentence occurred in Baron Vaughan's address, in passing sentence at Winchester. It was this-" I state publicly, that in the course of these trials we have found very few instances (I am not certain that I can lay my finger upon one,) in which the piercing spur of necessity has compelled the offenders to the commission of the offence: they are in general persons of a different character and description. We find among them carpenters, blacksmiths, sawyers, and others, whose wages are admitted to be adequate to their wants, and who yet take an active part in perpetrating these outrages." The labourers the poor industrious labourers were not the leaders, though they undoubtedly swelled the numbers of the mob. |