the heavy calamity which has befallen it." Mr Warren being heard in reply, the Court was cleared, but the result of their Lordships' deliberation on the petitions will not be declared till it has been communicated -to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. The decision will be important, as it will no doubt form a precedent in the future determination of all petitions to his Majesty in Council respecting the elections of the Magistrates of the Royal Burghs of Scotland.

20.-Air-On Monday se'ennight, about two o'clock in the morning, the farm-house of Teabarn, in the parish of Fenwick, possessed by John Lindsay, was discovered to be on fire. Scarcely had the family time to escape, when the whole steading was in a general conflagration. The whole furniture was destroyed, and the cattle, consisting of fifteen cows, some horses, calves, &c. were burnt to death. A precognition was taken on Tuesday by the Justices of that district, in consequence of a strong suspicion that the fire did not arise from accident.

20. Early on Monday morning, an Irishman of the name of Bernard Loverty alias M'Quid, of the county of Donegall, stole from the house of a countryman of his own, in the parish of Campsie, a silver watch, and various articles of wearing apparel, to the value of about £20. He was apprehended in Glasgow on Tuesday, and carried to the police-office. The watch was got in his possession, and a shirt which he had on was taken off him, being one of those he had stolen. On Thursday he gave information, that if an officer would go along with him, about three miles out of town, he would shew him where the remainder of the stolen articles were; he, accompanied by a police officer, went accordingly, and proceeded as far as Cadder, and went into a house occupied by a numerous Irish family. He had not been long there when he found means to run off. The police officer immediately pursued him; and, on the fellow's seeing that the officer was nearing him, he threw off his shoes, and ran into the river Kelvin; he swam a considerable way with his face downwards, then he threw himself on his back and rested himself; some time after he sunk, but soon came up; he again sunk, and rose no more. The officer then went to the house from which he had run, and told the landlady what had happened, on which she exclaimed, "Oh, the d-l help him, he had nothing ado to go into the water."

The Magistrates have received a remission to Patrick Main and George Aitchison, respited prisoners in the tolbooth of this city, on condition of transportation; the said Patrick Main for life, and George Aitchison for fourteen years.

A melancholy accident happened at the South Queensferry, on the 4th inst. by the oversetting of a small boat in the harbour, whereby David Miller, private of the 42d regiment, was unfortunately drowned.

There were other two young lads in the boat, who escaped by swimming; but Miller, unable to keep himself until assistance was procured, sunk, and remained under water fully a quarter of an hour before he was dragged up, and notwithstanding every thing was done that could be devised by the medical people of the place to restore animation, no symptoms of it could be produced. Miller was an uncommon stout goodlooking man, aged 25, and was of the grenadier company. He has left a disconsolate young widow, far advanced in pregnancy, to deplore his loss.

On the morning of Saturday, 2d inst. the workmen in one of the coal pits belonging to Mr Houston of Johnston, at Quarleton, had unfortunately taken out the coal too near an old pit filled with water, when the water broke in and inundated the work, by which seven men, it was feared, had lost their lives. Though a powerful steam engine was instantly set to work, and continued to do so night and day, it was observed by the following Monday, that such was the vast accumulation of water, that little progress had been made, and there was no prospect of speedily getting at the men who might be above the level of the water by this means; it was therefore resolved to drive a mine from the pit to the place where it was probable the men might be. Accordingly, on Tuesday morning, the 5th inst. the mine was begun, and completed on the morning of the 12th inst.; this mine was about four feet by three, and only two persons could work at a time. From the plans kept of the workings of this coal-work, it was known for some days, that by Monday or Tuesday the mine would be driven through, and the public anxiety was excited in no common degree to learn the result. The opening of the mine into the work was considered to be attended with danger from the foul air, and it was arranged that Robert Hodgert, and his brother William, should encounter this danger. When they broke through, the foul air instantly extinguished their lights, and the feelings of the parties may be more easily conceived than described, when the words, "Is that you, uncle ?" saluted the ears of Robert Hodgert. These words were uttered by his nephew, William Hodgert, who, along with his brother James, had heard the sound of the mining for, as they conjecture, two days, and were waiting for deliverance from one of the most awful possible situations. They immediately entered the mine, and got out, and fortunate it was that they were able to do so, for their father and uncle declared, that such was the effect of the bad air on them, that they would not have entered to render them assistance. Their only sustenance for ten days and ten nights, in total darkness, amidst bad air, was the impure water of the pit and three pieces of oat cake, which, by groping round the work, they found in the pockets of the clothes left by some of the 2 Y

men who escaped. The only person in the same awful situation with themselves, that the Hodgerts had any communication with, was Alexander Barr, but whose voice they had ceased to hear, as they suppose, for at least two days before their deliverance. From the time they heard the miners at work, they occasionally threw stones at the place from which the sound proceeded, in order that the miners might know they were alive, but the miners did not hear them. To enter the mine is now impracticable, owing to the bad air, and it will be a number of weeks before the water is drawn from the pit; consequently the fate of the remaining five men is certain. The names of those who have not been got out are, James Brodie, James Inglis, Alexander Barr, Alexander Shaw, and John Hunter. The last mentioned was a man of 85 years of age. Shaw is a young lad, and A lexander Barr is said to have left a large family. At the time the accident happened, there were in the coal work 25 persons and four horses. Eighteen of the men made their escape when they heard the rushing of the water, the two Hodgerts were got out, and the above-mentioned five persons and the four horses remain in the work.

Aberdeen. The interlocutor pronounced by the Second Division of the Court of Session, on the 11th March last, upon the petition of George Still, &c. praying for the appointment of an interim magistracy for this city, was brought under the review of the Court lately, upon a reclaiming petition by Bailie Garden and others; when their Lordships were pleased to decern as follows:

--

Copy, Interlocutor of the Second Division of the Court of Session, on the Reclaiming Petition of Messrs Garden, Fraser, and Johnston. 19th May 1818.-The Lords having considered the said petition, with a minute for George Still and others, nominate and appoint Robert Garden, David Chalmers, and James Milne, Esquires, and the survivors of them; and failing the acceptance of any two of them, Alexander Duncan and Charles Walker, Esquires, to act as managers of the city of Aberdeen, and of the common good thereof; and to set the said common good yearly, from year to year, or for three years certain, but for no longer space; and to administrate, on the part of the burgh, the affairs of the works, mortifications, and hospitals, and to control the management of the factors, they being obliged, before entering on their offices, to find caution to the satisfaction of the managers of the burgh. And also nominate and appoint the said managers of the burgh to act as bailies and magistrates, in taking care of the police of the said city, and in receiving and discharging, and awarding aliment to prisoners under the act 1696, commonly called the "Act of Grace," or otherwise; and to exercise the whole powers of the said act: And also for receiving resignations,

and granting infeftments thereon, on the cognition of heirs, more burgi, in burgage tenements, and lands held of the burgh: And also for regulating the assize of bread, weights and measures, and superintending the public markets. Farther, the Lords nominate and appoint Robert Abercrombie, Esq. merchant in Aberdeen, to act as treasurer of said city; he finding caution to the satisfaction of the said managers, for his intromissions with the funds, before entering on his office. They also authorise and empower Alexander Bannerman, Esq. to act as Dean of Guild of the said city: And lastly, they nominate and appoint Alexander Dingwall, Esq. to act as Master of Kirk and Bridge Works; John Forbes, Esq. to act as Master of Mortifications; Alexander Forbes, Esq. to act as Master of Guild Brethren's Hospital; and William Johnston, Esq. and failing his acceptance, Alexander Rhind, Esq. to act as Master of Shore Works. And declare, that the nominations made by this deliverance shall endure and continue for the space of two years from this date, unless the same shall before that time be recalled or altered by the Court; or unless the corporation of the city of Aberdeen shall be restored to a legal Magistracy by poll election, or otherwise; and decern. And with these variations adhere to the interlocutor brought under review; and appoint this deliverance to be recorded in the books of sederunt; and dispense with the minute book.

(Signed) D. BOYLE, I. P. D. Signed 21st May.

The Lady of the Lake steam boat left Newhaven one day last week, went to Stirling, and returned back to Newhaven, a distance of more than 100 miles, all stoppages included, in ten hours and ten mi

nutes.

At a general meeting of the inhabitants of Edinburgh, held on Friday last, the report of the committee recommending that the law-suits in regard to the buildings on the North Bridge should be compromised, was unanimously adopted. One storey is accordingly to be taken off the three southmost of the tenements at present built, and the southmost one, which is building, is only to be two, in place of four stories above the bridge. The committee was re-appointed for the purpose of seeing the compromise carried into effect.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wednesday, May 20.-This evening the Right Hon. the Earl of Errol, his Majesty's Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, held a levee at half past seven o'clock, in the Merchants' Hall, when the Lord Provost and Magistrates were, according to custom, introduced, and presented to his Grace the ancient silver keys of the city, in the usual form.

Thursday, his Grace, after holding a levee,

walked in procession from the Merchants' Hall to the High Church, where he was received by the Magistrates and Town-Counail in their robes. Among other distinguished persons in the procession, we observed the Earl of Hopetoun, the Earl of Moray, the Earl of Wemyss, Lord Gray, Lord Ashburton, Lord Robert Kerr, the Bishop of Kildare, Sir James Douglas, Sir H. Elphinston, the Lord Provost, Lord Advocate, General Hope, Sir Gregory Way, General Duff, Colonel Wauchope, Hon. Captain Napier, Colonel Wallace, and other officers of the 88th regiment, the Lord Chief Commissioner, Baron Sir John Stuart, Baron Clerk Rattray, Commissioner Fothringham, &c. &c.

The streets were lined by detachments of the Scots Greys and the 88th regiment.

After divine service, his Grace the Commissioner went to the Assembly Room, when the members proceeded to choose a Moderator. The Rev. Dr Campbell, one of the ministers of Edinburgh, and secretary to the Society for propagating Christian Knowledge in Scotland, was unanimously elected.

The Prince Regent's commission in name of his Majesty, a letter, and also a warrant for two thousand pounds, to be employed towards the propagating Christian knowledge in the Highlands of Scotland, were read. After which the Assembly was opened by his Grace the Commissioner, in a speech from the throne, to which the Moderator made a suitable reply.

Friday, May 22.-The Assembly appointed Mr James Strachan, minister of Cavers, to preach on Sunday, in the forenoon, and Mr Robert Buchanan of Peebles, in the afternoon;-Mr John Paul of Straiton, on Sunday the 31st, in the forenoon, and Mr William Shaw of Langholm, in the afternoon.

Monday, May 25.-The Assembly heard the reference and appeal from the Presbytery of Paisley, with respect to the patronage of Kilmalcolm. The case, as stated by the parties, was this, viz. Whether the right of a patronage can be acquired during the vacancy of the church, end whether that right can be exercised by the patron in giving away the presentation of that vice?" After much reasoning, the Assembly found, that it did not appear to them that there was any law of the land to prohibit such a right from being acquired and exercised, and therefore sustained the reference, dismissed the appeal, and desired the Presbytery to proceed to the settlement of the presentee, according to the rules of the church.

Tuesday, May 26.-Dr Nicol gave notice, that he would, in a future diet, move for the appointment of a committee to take the proper steps for obtaining a legislative enactment to prevent the sale of a patronage during the vacancy of a parish; a measure which, he confidently trusted, would

meet the cordial approbation of the church and of the country.

The Moderator stated to the Assembly, that he had received a letter from Henry Brougham, Esq. chairman of a committee of the Hon. House of Commons, appointed to inquire into the education of the poor of Great Britain. Ordered to lie on the table.

The Assembly took under consideration a reference from the Synod of Moray, for advice on a decision in the cause of Mr John Clark, minister of the gospel, and teacher of the academy of Inverness, which cause had been brought before them by protest and appeal against a sentence of the Presbytery of Inverness, deposing the said Mr Clark from the office of the holy ministry. It was admitted on the part of the Presbytery, that they had proceeded irregu larly, and that there was no adequate evidence in proof of the libel. Parties being heard, the Assembly found that the libel against Mr Clark had been irregularly laid and proceeded in; that there was no evidence of the articles contained in the libel; and therefore they unanimously agreed to reverse the sentence of the Presbytery, and acquit Mr Clark from the whole charges laid against him; and they ordered the whole proceedings in this cause to be expunged from the minutes and record of the Synod of Moray, &c. &c.

Wednesday, May 27.-A Committee was appointed to draw up an answer to the queries contained in Mr Brougham's letter, and to transmit the same to London as soon as possible. In the mean time, the Moderator was instructed to write a respectful letter to that gentleman, to inform him that the Assembly will pay the earliest attention to the subject.

The Assembly had transmitted to them, from their Committee of Bills, extract minutes from the Presbytery of Stirling, referring to the Assembly a libel which had been given in to them against Dr Robert Moodie, minister of Clackmannan, and a member of that Presbytery, by certain heritors and parishioners of that parish, and one of the elders. The Assembly unanimously agreed to instruct the Presbytery of Stirling, at their first ordinary meeting, to serve the libel on Dr Moodie, thereafter to proceed to judge of its relevancy, and if no appeal be taken against their judgment, to go on to the probation of the libel without delay, according to the rules of the church, and to finish the same, notwithstanding any appeals which may be taken against their procedure; but the Assembly enjoin the Presbytery, if any such be taken, to sist pronouncing a final judgment, until these ap peals be disposed of.

The Assembly had also transmitted to them, from their Committee of Bills, extract minutes from the Presbytery of Dunfermline, referring to the Assembly, for advice and decision, a cause relating to the ringing of the bells of the parish church of

Dunfermline on the Lord's day of the 12th of April last, which had been brought before them by a reference from the Kirk Session. The extract of the Presbytery being read, and Mr Bryce, a member of the Presbytery, having been heard on the subject of the reference, the Assembly agreed to sustain it. Francis Jeffrey, Esq. was heard as counsel for the magistrates of Dunfermline; Henry Cockburn, Esq. Mr A. M'Lean, and Mr Peter Chalmers, for the ministers; and Robert Thomson, Esq. for the Presbytery and Kirk Session; after which the Assembly found, that the power of regulating the time and manner of ringing the bells of the parish church, as connected with ecclesiastical and religious purposes, belonged exclusively to the minister or ministers of the parish, and that the proceedings in this cause, on the part of the magistrates of Dunfermline, were irregular and reprehensible. At the same time the Assembly remitted to a Committee, to consider what steps may be proper for preserving the rights of the church.

Thursday, May 28.-The Assembly took under consideration the petition of Dr Macknight, appealing against the sentence of the Synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, of 5th May current, reversing a sentence of the Presbytery of Edinburgh, of 1st December 1817, refusing the petition of certain inhabitants of Edinburgh, craving that the Cowgate Chapel be received into communion of the church as a chapel of ease. Parties being called, there appeared in support of the appeal, Dr Macknight, Dr Inglis, Sir H. Moncrieff, Mr Andrew Thomson, Dr David Ritchie, Mr Dickson, jun. members of the Presbytery of Edinburgh; and Dr Meiklejohn and Mr Buchanan, members of the Synod, appeared as dissenters against the sentence of the Synod. Messrs Mackenzie, Ramsay, Mackellar, and Ritchie, members of the Synod, appeared for the Synod. Mr Somerville, complainer against the sentence of the Presbytery, appeared for himself, and Francis Jeffrey and Henry Cockburn, Esqrs. appeared as counsel for the petitioners. Parties having been fully heard, it was moved to sustain the appeal and complaint, reverse the sentence of the Synod, and affirm that of the Presbytery. A counter-motion was also made to dismiss the appeal, &c. The vote being called for, there appeared for the first motion 98, and for the second 32; majority 66. And the Assembly thereby sustained the appeal and complaint, reversed the sentence of the Synod admitting the chapel into communion, and affirmed the sentence of the Presbytery.

Friday, May 29.-Dr Gibb presented a letter which he had received frorn Sturges Bourne, Esq. Chairman of the Committee of the House of Commons, upon the Poor Laws, which was read and ordered to be recorded.

The names of Sir Henry Moncrieff, Dr Macknight, and Mr Andrew Thomson, who are not members of Assembly, were ordered to be added to the Committee upon the Portobello Chapel.

The Assembly then took under consider. ation the petition and appeal of the Rev. James Russell, Minister of Gairloch, with concurrence of upwards of 150 of his parishioners, against certain proceedings of the Presbytery of Lochcarron. Parties being fully heard, it was unanimously agreed to sustain the appeal, reverse the sentence of the Presbytery, dismiss the accusation and petition against Mr Russell, of 2d September 1817, as irregular and incompetent; acquit Mr Russell from all the charges contained in said petition, prohibit all further procedure thereon, and ordain the minutes of all proceedings already held on these charges to be expunged from the records of the Presbytery and Synod.

The Assembly then took into consideration a petition from the Marquis of Tweeddale and others, heritors of the parish of Channelkirk, appellants, against a sentence of the Synod of Merse and Teviotdale, of the 28th of October 1817, affirming a sentence of the Presbytery of Lauder, of 24th June 1817, refusing to serve with a libel Mr John Brown, Minister of Channelkirk. The appellants charged Mr Brown with a wilful and continued dereliction of the duty of public preaching, and other duties and functions of his office. All parties being heard, after a short debate, it was moved to dismiss the appeal, and affirm the sentences of the Synod and Presbytery. Another motion was made to sustain the appeal, and reverse the sentence of the Synod and Presbytery, and remit to them to serve Mr Brown with that part of the libel which charges Mr Brown with giving up the performance of public worship within his parish, and to proceed to judge of the relevancy thereof. A vote was then taken, when the first motion was carried by a great majority; therefore, the General Assembly, in terms of said motion, dismissed the appeal, and affirmed the sentence of the Synod of Merse and Teviotdale, and the sentence of the Presbytery of Lauder.

Saturday, May 30.-The report of the Trustees of the Ministers' Widows' Fund was given in by Sir Henry Moncrieff Well, wood, the Collector, and ordered to lie on the table till Monday. The thanks of the Assembly were then given from the chair to the Collector, for his diligence, tenderness, and fidelity, in the discharge of his duties, and for his attention at all times to the interests of the Fund.

The report of the Committe upon the management of the Poor was given in by Principal Baird, Convener of the Sub-Committee, together with various schedules and documents referred to in the report, or connected therewith. The unanimous and cor