suspected murderers; but they have as yet eluded the vigilance of the officers of justice.-Dundee Advertiser. 17.-Convention of Royal Burghs.— The Convention sat as usual at Edinburgh, on the 13th, 14th, and 15th instant. No public business of importance, however, came before them, except on the last day, when Mr J. W. Mackenzie moved that the report of the Committee of last Convention, relative to the salaries and duties of its officers, should be read, which having been done, Mr Mackenzie called the attention of the meeting to certain resolutions, of which he had given notice, and which were similar in substance to what he had proposed last year, with a view to lessen the expenditure of the Convention, which amounted to nearly £.600 a-year, or £.200 a-day, for every day it was convened, an expense which was quite inconsistent with the present state of its funds. Mr Mackenzie proceeded to propose resolutions for the abolition, as unnecessary, of the offices of depute-clerk, assessor, recorder, depute-agent, burghs'officer, &c., on the death or demission of the present incumbents, and that the allowance of £.20 a-year to the clerks of the Receiver-General should immediately cease, as they had ceased to perform the duties for which it was granted, and because such allowance did not, in fact, go into the pockets of the Receiver-General's clerks, but of some other person, who performed no duties to the Convention. Mr Inglis submitted, that all the savings which the Hon. Member proposed were mere cheese-parings and candle-ends; for all his economy went only to effect an immediate saving of £.20 a-year. For this reason, he would meet the resolutions by moving the previous question. After considerable discussion, the vote was put on Mr Inglis's motion, it being understood, that if it was not carried, it remained for Mr Mackenzie to put his resolutions seriatim, when the previous question was negatived by a majority of 16 to 13. Mr Mackenzie then moved his first and second resolutions, relative to the offices of Depute-clerk, and Deputeagent, which were lost by a majority. The third resolution, relative to the recorder, and the fourth, relative to the salary paid to the Receiver-General, were carried. The fifth resolution, for withdrawing the allowance to the Lord Advocate, and the sixth, for abolishing the office of burgh-officer, were withdrawn till next year. 24. Blasphemous publications.-At the New Court, Old Bailey, on the 19th instant, William Riley Perry, another of Carlile's shopmen, was found guilty of publishing Palmer's Principles of Na ture. The prisoner, with much effrontery, defended his conduct, and said, whenever he was let out of prison, if his opinions remained unchanged, as in all probability they would, he would imme diately recommence selling these works. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, and to give security in £.100 for his good behaviour during life. The Recorder said, that sum would be en. forced against him in case of his perseverance in offending the law, and a second offence will also make him liable to the punishment of transportation. Right of the Convention to alter the set of Royal Burghs.-On Monday the 19th instant, the Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council of Brechin, were served with a summons of reduction and declarator, at the instance of his Grace Alexander Duke of Gordon, Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, the Right Honourable Robert Lord Viscount Melville, Lord Privy Seal, the Right Honourable William Dundas, Lord Clerk Register, the Right Hon. Sir William Rae of St Catherine's, Baronet, Lord Advocate of Scotland, and the Right Hon. David Boyle, Lord Justice Clerk of Scotland, Officers of State for Scotland. The object of this action is, to have certain elections of the Magistrates and Councillors of Brechin reduced and annulled, which is craved on the following grounds: Primo, The minute, order, act, or warrant of the Convention of Royal Boroughs, authorising the election of Magistrates in Brechin, dated 22d July 1820, is vi. tiated and erazed in substantialibus, is not duly signed, sealed, stamped, or tested, and is defective in the forms and solemnities required by law: Secundo, the set or constitution of the Borough of Brechin was fixed and settled, under the sanction of his Majesty's predecessors, according to certain terms, points, and articles, as is instructed by a return made to the Convention of Boroughs on 2d July 1709, and uniformly observed and acted upon, until the date of the foresaid pretended minute, order, act, or warrant of the said Convention. That the said Convention has no right, title, or authority, to alter, vary, change, innovate, or modify the set or constitution of any Royal Borough; and the said minute professing to alter, vary, or change the said set of the Borough of Brechin, is illegal and unconstitutional, and absolutely and intrinsically void and null. The action concludes, first, for reduction of the said minute, order, act, or warrant of the 24 II. ECCLESIASTICAL. June 24. Mr John Kirk ordained Minister of the Parish of Barrie, 30-The Rev. William Logie presented by the King to the Church and Parish of Kirkwall and St Olay. The United Associate Congregation of Anstruther gave an unanimous call to Mr Alexander Shaw, to be their Pastor. July 15.-The Rev. Robert Allan inducted as Assistant and Successor to the Rev. Andrew Gibson, Minister at Muckart. 22. The Associate Congregation of St Andrew's Street, Leith, gave an unanimous call to Mr John Smart to be their Minister. 29.-Mr Wm. Crow presented by Mr Erskine of Balhall, to the Church and Parish of Menmuir. -The Rev. Alex. Niven presented by the Earl of Kinnoul to the Church and Parish of Balfron. Ensign Mackenzie, late of 70 F. Ens. 25 June 1821. G. M. Archer, Ens. 26 do. Lieut. Graham, from 1 F. Lieut. vice Harrison, h. p. African Corps 24 do. Vignoles, from h. p. Royal Art. Lieut. vice Sullivan, h.p. rec. diff. do. C. C. Hay, Ens. vice Soden, 2 W. I. R. 27 do. Bt. Major Hughes, Major vice Craig, 2 W. I. R. Lieut. Ewing, Capt. Ensign Dirom, Lieut. C Sturgeon, Ens. 25 do. do. do. do. Capt. Landon, from h. p. 70 F. Capt. vice Franklyn, cancelled 21 do. Chambers, from 99 F. Capt. vice Jolliffe, h. p. Bourbon Reg. do. Ensign Minchin, from h. p. 100 F. Ens. vice Boileau, 2 Vet. Bn. do. W. N. Thomas, do. vice Burrows, African Colonial Corps 28 do. Gent. Cadet E. Thowld, from R. Mil. Coll. do. vice Bagot, 62 F. 24 do. W. Zuhlcke, from R. Mil. Coll. do. vice Woodburn, dead do. W. D. Hewson, do. vice Smith, dead 25 do. 48 Lieut. Vander Meulen, Capt. by purch. vice Mackay, ret. 24 do. Ensign O'Brien, Lieut. do. A. Erskine, Ens. do. Gent. Cadet. J. J. Louth, from R. Mil. Coll. Ens. vice Mackenzie, R. African Colonial Corps 3 July Ensign Gill, Lieut. vice Ross, 2 W.I.R. H. M. Otway, Ens. Troop Serj. Maj. Kinkie, Quart. Mast. vice Rogers, dead Beaumont, ret. 8 July Cornet H. T. Lord Pelham, from 15 Dr. Cornet vice Sparrow, h. p. 17 Dr. 67 rec. diff. 24 June Ensign Warde, from 4 F. Cornet by purch. vice Pringle, prom. do. 75 1 July 15 Cornet Shedden, from h. p. 17 Dr. Cornet (paying diff.) vice Lord Pelham, 6 Dr. 24 June 25 June do. 28 do. S. Hood, do. vice Conran, 2 W.L.R Ensign Bagot, from 38 F. do. vice Lord F. Lennox, 7 F. 24 do. Bt. Lieut. Col. Gubbins, from 75 F. Lieut. Col. by purch. vice Mackay, 8 July J. J. H. Boys, Ens. vice Patterson, African Colonial Corps 27 June ret. Bt. Maj. Stewart, Maj. by purch. vice Gubbins, 67 F. Lieut. Orr, Capt. Ensign Vernon, Lieut. G. Davison, Ens. 8 July do. do. do. Gent. Cadet, C. Clark, from R. Mil. Coll. Ens. vice Langmead, 44 F. 24 June Hon. C. Gordon, Ens. by purch. vice 8 July do. 77 Clark, 8 F. R. Harper, Ens. vice Congreve, dead 25 June 8 July 17 R. F. M. Greville, Cornet by purch. vice Edwardes, 2 Life Gds. 30 do. Gren. Gds. Lieut, Vernon, Lieut. and Capt. by purch. vice Bruce, ret. 1 F. 8 10 16 G. V. Wigram, Ens. and Lieut. by purch. Lieut. M'Combie, from h. p. African Corps, Lieut. vice Graham, A. H. Ormsby, Ens. vice Glover, 2 W.I.R. A. W. Alloway, do. by purch. vice 17 F. 24 June 78 29 do. 24 do. 62 F. 83 do. 87 do. do. 88 Ensign Lord F. Lennox, from T. Bryne, do. Warde, 7 Dr. Lieut. vice Bourke, dead Capt. Ball, Major by purch. vice Lieut. - Clark, from 76 F. Ens. 8 July Ensign Carr, Lieut. vice Orr, dead 96 97 Capt. Christie, from 5 Dr. Gds. rec. diff. with Capt. Hay, h. p. 37 F. Bond, from 17 Dr. rec. diff. with Capt. Johnston, h. p. 19 Dr. M'Lean, from 44 F. with Capt. Jacob, 65 F. Lieut. Warren, from 54 F. with Lieut. Campbell, h. p. 24 F. Lacy, from 75 F. rec. diff. with Lieut. Salmon, h. p. 10 F. Sparks, from 2 W. I. R. with Lieut. Wigmore, h. p. 2 Gar. Bn. Lewis, from Ceylon Reg. with Lieut. Emslie, h. p. 83 F. Paymaster Wood, from 15 F. with Capt. Walker, h. p. 44 F. Assist. Surg. Cutler, from 2 Life Gds. with Assist Surg. Gilder, h. Gren. Gds. p. Resignations and Retirements. Major Gen. Macquarie, from 73 F. Sir C. Holloway, from R. Engineers. Lieut. Col. Gordon, 2 Dr. Gds. De Courcy, 8 F. Mackay, 67 F. Capt. Lord Belhaven and Stenton, 2 Life Gds. Hall, 1 W. I. R. Lieut. Leslie, 97 F. Cornet Payne, 7 Dr. Gds. Beaumont, 1 Dr. 25 June Ensign Hartopp, 88 F. M'Combie, from 1 F. Capt. vice 25 Dec. 1823. Royal Af. Col. Corps. Maj. Gen. C. Turner, M'Carthy, dead Col. vice Sir C. 1 July 1824. Sparks, dead, L'Estrange, dead 1 July Ensign Erskine, Lieut. 25 June Greetham, Lieut. do. Appointments Cancelled. Major Joly, 2 W. I. R. Major Gen. Macquarie, late of 75 F. Capt. M'Combie, African Col. Corps Lieut. M'Kenzie, 5 F. Dominica Orr, 16 F. Badula, Ceylon 18 June 1824. Maunsell, from h. p. 2d Capt. do. O'Meara, African Colonial Corps Archer, h. p. 12 F. Lymington Whiteford, h. p. Campbell's Rec. Corps 9 July 28 April 1st Lieut. Woolcombe, do. do. 2d Lieut. Trebeck, 1st Lieut. do. Cogan, 68 F. killed by lightning at Quebee 9 June Gent. Cadet Boger, 2d Lieut. do. 1st Lieut. Ramsden, from h. p. 1st. Lieut. vice Monro, h. p. 23 do. Symons, from h. p. do. 24 do. Quart. Mast. Rogers, 10 Dr. Dublin 5 June 1 July. Bt. Major and 2d Capt. Ord, Adj. vice Stewart, res. Adj. only Chaplains' Department. The Very Rev. R. Hodgson, D.D., Dean of Carlisle, Chaplain General to the Forces, vice Archdeacon Owen, dead 12 July 1824. METEOROLOGICAL TABLE, Kept at Edinburgh, in the Observatory, Caltonhill. N.B. The Observations are made twice every day, at nine o'clock forenoon and four o'clock afternoon. The second Observation, in the afternoon, in the first column, is taken by the Register Thermometer. THE weather has continued dry since the date of our last; the depth of rain does not amount to one inch. The mean temperature, from the middle till the end of July, was something above 60°. The mean for what is past of the present month is about 58°. Under this genial temperature, with so little moisture at the root, the ripening process has come forward with rapidity. In early districts, shearing has already partially commenced, and will be general within a week from this date. In the higher districts, little will be cut before September. Notwithstanding the very scanty supply of moisture throughout the summer, the crop has for the most part a fair appearance. Wheat, on retentive soils, and in early situations, promises an abundant return; the ear, though short, in many instances is plump and well filled, and, if well got in, will yield an excellent sample. Barley, with few exceptions, is a full crop, and begins to colour. Oats, for the most part, are rather short in the straw, but carry a fine pannicle. Early varieties are nearly ready for the sickle, on low grounds, and some has already been cut. Beans and pease are well podded, and, upon the whole, no part of the corn crop appears at present to be deficient of an ordinary return. Potatoes, it is feared, will not swell freely without a full supply of moisture. Turnips are much in want of rain on light or dry lands; and the after-cutting of clover comes forward slowly. Pastures would also improve by moderate warm showers. A more propitious season for cleaning fallow grounds could not be wished, and this operation has been conducted to the farmers' satisfaction. The dung is plowed in, and the ground is ready for the wheat-seed furrow. Hoeing of turnips is about over, and farmers are ready for the labours of the harvest. Wheat has fallen in price, and ordinary samples are almost unsaleable. Best wheat in the Northern markets only brings about 26s., and much has been sold lately at 22s. to 25s. The fine appearance of the crop, together with the stock on hand, renders purchasers shy. Barley sells at from 24s. to 26s., but in this article there is little doing. Oats begin to look down in price, and it is not yet certain whether the ports will open on the 15th for foreign oats, but that will be decided before this can go to press. Perthshire, 13th August. |