number of square-rigged vessels that arrived in the year 1823, from India and Europe, amounted to 216, of native oriental craft 1,550, importing nearly 80,000 tons of merchandize. And all this unprecedented increase of population, trade, and prosperity, has arisen, not so much from the favourable locality of this eastern emporium, and the safety and convenience of its port (both of which are excellent), as from the establishment in good faith of the principle of free trade; a simple provisional administration of justice, dispensed without delay; a strict and efficient police; and a judicious system of granting and registering lands; to which may be added, as most important, a large and liberal institution for the education of youth, of whatever country or religion. The Chinese, some millions of whom are spread over the islands of the great Asiatic Archipelago, are every where ready to receive instruction. At the college of Malacca, Chinese boys are not only taught to read their own and the English language, but allowed cheerfully by their parents to be instructed in the principles of the Christian religion. The college that was established there has now been removed to Singapore, and united to the Malay college founded by sir Stamford Raffles.

3. MURDER.-In Manchester a murder was committed, under extraordinary circumstances, on the body of Mr. T. Price, a respectable fustian-manufacturer. About two o'clock in the afternoon, an alarm of fire having been given, the engines were brought to Marsdensquare, to a house, the lower part of which is occupied by the Savings' Bank, and the two upper stories by Mr. Price. Soon after three, the

flames, which proceeded from the upper part of the building, were subdued, and a person went up to Mr. P.'s warehouse to ascertain the extent of the injury, when he discovered the body of Mr. Price near the door, beside a pile of velveteens, one of the pieces of which was placed upon him. He was lifeless, with a desperate wound above his left ear: his brains were scattered on several of the pieces around him. The skull appeared to have been cut through, but there was no implement found upon the spot with which the murder could be supposed to have been perpetrated. Mr. Gibson, of the Savings' Bank, had left two of his clerks in the lower story, when he went home to dinner. About half-past one, one of them, smelling fire, went up stairs to ascertain whence it proceeded. On entering the back-room of the second story, which Mr. Price used as a counting-house, he observed his hat upon the desk; he then went up the next flight of stairs, in expectation of meeting Mr. Price, and found the door of the upper room open, but the smoke was so dense he could see nothing, and was compelled to retire. A man and woman, in the service of Mr. Price, have been taken up on suspicion. The man states, that he and the woman left their master about a quarter past one, Mr. Price having informed them that he would shut up the warehouse himself. The fire was discovered in about a quarter of an hour after, and the body was found in a lifeless state immediately upon the extinction of the flames. Mr. Price, who was about 55 years of left a widow and five children. There seems to be little doubt but that the wretches who perpetrated

age,

this deed intended that the body should be so far disfigured by the fire, as to render its identification impossible. The Coroner's jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against-Evans, and a man in the service of Mr. Price. [See infra]. COMBINATION.-The Cumberland Packet says, on Monday last, the seamen of the port of Whitehaven turned out, as the phrase is, for an addition to their wages, of half a guinea per voyage; with which demand the owners and masters do not feel themselves in a condition to comply; and the consequence is, a suspension of nautical activity, with the exception of a few small traders, navigated by the owners and apprentices. The seamen, like the shipwrights (who are still without work), have foolishly connected themselves with clubs, wherein worthless characters in general hold sway, and thus, as a body, they are led to do many things, which, as individuals, they disapprove of. The present period, however, is a very unfortunate one for their project. A diminution of wages, under existing commercial pressure, is a much more likely occurrence than so great an ad

silver coins of the ancient kings of this realm. In June last, as workmen were pulling down a house adjoining the Eagle Inn, they discovered, on digging up the bottom of the cellar, a quantity of silver coins, and, after a further search, a jug containing gold coins. A considerable scramble took place among the workmen; but Mr. Howell, the contractor of the building for Corpus Christi college, secured the treasure. The question now arose to whom it belonged. The Bursar of the college took possession of part of it, and Mr. Balls, for Mr. Howell, of another part; and eventually the whole was deposited in the names of the Bursar and Mr. Balls, in the bank of Messrs. Mortlocks, till it could be decided to whom it of right belonged.

The lords of the Treasury, a few days ago, applied to the coroner, to hold an inquest; and after going through all the evidence, the jury without hesitation found their verdict upon the points directed to their consideration by the coroner, who desired them to leave out of their minds any question of right as to whom the treasure belonged, as that would be for the decision of a superior court-" that on the 3rd of June last, 195 pieces of gold coin of the value of 130l. 3s.; and 3,510 pieces of silver coin of the value of 70l. Os. 54d. were found by William Smith and Stephen Woodcock, labourers in the employment of James Howell, bricklayer, hidden in the ground under the site of an ancient house or building situate in Bene't-street in the said town, which were of ancient time hidden as aforesaid, and the owners thereof cannot be known."

As soon as the verdict was re◄

turned, the coroner, by virtue of his office, seized the treasure in the name of his majesty. The townclerk attended and served a notice upon the coroner, on behalf of the corporation, who claimed it as grantees of the crown; and the solicitor to the Treasury also made a demand for it, but the coroner refused to part with it till it was ascertained who is legally entitled to it, and it was accordingly redeposited in Messrs. Mortlock's bank, to await this decision. The coroner has been served with a writ of certiorari by the lords of the Treasury, to return his inquisition to the Court of King's-bench.

6. ROBBERY OF A DEAF AND DUMB BOY.-Lately came on, before the recorder of Dublin, a trial, in which a deaf and dumb boy was prosecutor. Doctor C. Orpen, Secretary to the Deaf and Dumb Institution, was sworn to interpret; and communicated the questions of the court, of the jury, and of the prisoner, partly by spelling the words on his fingers, and partly by writing, to which the boy answered, both by speaking articulately and by signs. It was given in evidence, that the boy's name was Thomas Collins; that he was, until lately, a pupil of Mr. Humphrey's of the Deaf and Dumb School at Claremont, and is now an apprentice to Mr. Goodwin, a respectable printer in Dublin, and that he is totally deaf; and until taught to speak in that school, had been totally dumb. His evidence was confirmed by the watchmen, who apprehended the woman, and found the watch in her possession, and by the interpreter, who proved that the watch had been given by his brother to the boy some years since. Doctor C. Orpen also proved, that he had known the boy ever

since 1815; that he was detained at the printing-office till late every evening; that his principles and conduct were excellent; and that he perfectly understood the nature of an oath, and the consequences of a lie.

The prisoner attempted an excuse, by stating that she was drunk, and that she had taken the watch in her room, and not in the street; but these were distinctly contradicted on oath by the boy.

The jury did not hesitate a moment in finding her guilty; and the judge sentenced her to seven years' transportation.

The following letter, which was handed by the boy to the recorder, after his examination (not viva voce) was over, explains the circumstances of the robbery. It was similar to the account which he wrote on his slate to the grand jury:

I

"Tomy Judge:-I was standing, looking at a shop window and things, last Monday week night, it was nine of the clock in the evening, a wicked woman met me, and she asked me said "I am deaf and dumb," by my signs, until she took away my watch and my fob pocket, and tore it off. She ran away into another street, into a house; I followed her with my eyes, immediately, and ran after her. She ran into a low house down stairs, into a low back kitchen-cellar— low. She threw a candle down, out with her hand, to make me dark night, and she pushed me. I fell down on my back to the ugly ground; my elbow and back were painful and blue. I got up dirty and caught her; she is very strong; I

called a watchman; I said, "come, come," to take her to prison. She pushed my watch under a bed and

hid it sitting on the bed; the two watchmen found it by their search. It is very true-I swear true. I hope the judge will not hang her. Will he give me my silver watch and my fob, and send her to lock up in prison, or send her to ship to Botany Bay. I am Thomas Collins, a deaf and dumb orphan boy. Perhaps if a good minister will speak to her some things about God and Jesus Christ, she will be repentant, and will become a good woman, and a minister will be better than a judge; but if she will not be repentant, that the judge will send her to hard work in the Botany Bay."

CONVICTS.-Extracts from the report of John Henry Capper, esq. superintendant of ships and vessels employed for the confine ment of offenders under sentence of transportation, dated Jan. 21, 1826:

"The convict boys, consisting of 350, under 16 years of age, have recently been transferred from the Bellerophon at Sheerness, to the Euryalus at Chatham, the ship especially fitted for them. They have, during the last year, been fully occupied in the several branches of trade which they are taught, and have made for the convict service upwards of 6,000 pairs of shoes, 15,500 garments, and various articles of cooperage and bedding. Making allowance for the youth of these prisoners, and the vicious] course of life in which they have been trained, they have behaved as orderly as might reasonably be expected.

"On the 1st of January, 1825, there were 3,230 prisoners on board all the convict hulks in England, since which period there have been received 2,184; 1,105

have been transported to New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land (being 764 less than the preceding year); 400 have been sent to Bermuda; 633 have been discharged by pardon or otherwise; 7 have escaped; 2 were drowned; 108 have died; and 3,159 remained in the hulks on the 1st of January instant."

7. NORTHERN EXPEDITION.--. The vessels which have been despatched by government to carry assistance to captain Franklin, and which are under the command of captain Beechey, were met with off Chili by the Blonde, lord Byron, and consort, who were on their return from the Sandwich Islands, having there left the bodies of the king and queen. From letters which lord Byron has brought home it

appears, that captain Beechey's ships are at present in good condition, though, in doubling Cape Horn, they had encountered some severe storms and dangerous seas. Upon leaving Chili these vessels will touch at the Sandwich Isles, and there leave, for the principal inhabitants, some magnificent presents from our government. After this they will proceed immediately to Behring's Straits to join captain Franklin, who, it is imagined, will, by that time, have arrived there. It was their intention to wait, until captain Parry should have effected his passage. Of the failure of captain Parry's expedition they are at present ignorant, but a vessel has been despatched by government to inform them of it, when captain Franklin will immediately return to Cape Horn. Captain Beechey has orders to make what discoveries he can in the Pacific Ocean, and to take drawings and

charts of parts that are important, but little known, and to collect all information that is likely to be valuable. Captain Beechey, and captain Hopner, the unfortunate accident to whose ship caused the untimely return of captain Parry's expedition, are the sons of eminent artists.

8. NUNS. The Cork Chronicle of Wednesday last says, yesterday the daughter of Alex. M'Carthy, esq. and another female, were received into the Order of St. Ursula, at the New Convent, Black Rock. The rev. Mr. Hughes preached a sermon suited to the occasion.

10. BURNING OF HINDOO WIDOWS.-The late Calcutta papers contain accounts of numerous suttees or sacrifices, where widows burn themselves with the bodies of their deceased husbands. Of these one instance occurred at Cuttack. The widow of a Brahmin, aged about 34, burned herself in spite of argument and entreaty, as well as the offer of a pension of four rupees a month for life.

Another instance took place at Pooree, where the victim was also a Brahmin's widow, about the same age; and her son, aged 16, set fire to the pile. Arguments and offers of money were in this case equally unsuccessful.

A third instance was one at Unoomirta, where the widow does not burn herself with the body of her deceased husband, but with the wooden shoes and stick belonging to him. The husband had been attached to the court of Jeypore. The public officers endeavoured to prevent the act, but the deluded woman petitioned the court, and was at length suffered to burn herself: she was about 17.

A fourth instance occurred at

Santipore, where a Brahmin's three wives, one of the age of 27, another 21, and a third 15, were suffered to burn themselves, before the permission of the magistrate had arrived.

A fifth took place near Chittapore: the widow was 69.

A sixth occurred at Serampore: the widow was 70, and possessed property. Her son appeared in high spirits at the pile!

PAY OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.-From the 1st congress in 1780, inclusive, until the 4th of March, 1795, senators and representatives received six dollars per diem, and six dollars for every twenty miles travel. From the 4th of March, 1795, to the 4th of March, 1796, senators received seven dollars per diem, and seven dollars for every twenty miles travel; representatives, only six dollars. From the 4th of March, 1796, until the 4th of December, 1815, the allowance per diem was six dollars, and the mileage six dollars to senators and representatives. From the 4th of December, 1815, until the 4th of March, 1817, each senator and representative received 1,500 dollars per annum, with a proportionable deduction for absence, from any cause but sickness. The president of the senate pro tempore, and the speaker of the house, 3000 dollars per annum each. From the 4th of March, 1817, the compensation to members of both branches of congress has been eight dollars per diem and eight dollars for every twenty miles of traveling.

STEAM NAVIGATION IN INDIA. Mr. Burgess, an enterprising British merchant of Batavia, has on the stocks, and nearly ready to launch, a steam-boat of 130 feet keel, with two engines of 40-horse