:

contact. The effects of the collision were awful-vivid lightning, peals of thunder, and the heaviest shower of hail, ever witnessed in that neighbourhood, immediately succeeded. The hail-stones were as large as pigeons' eggs. At the two mile stone on the Hampstead Road, the storm was at its height. In the gardens of Mr. Money, nearly opposite Chalk Farm, upwards of 2001. worth of glass was broken in Mr. Brown's garden, a short distance higher up the hill, the destruction was more complete, almost every square of glass, many thousands in number, in his extensive green-house, was destroyed, together with most of the valuable plants. The extent of Mr. Brown's loss is said to be at least two thousand pounds. The storm continued its course in a northeasterly direction, crossing Highgate, and could be traced in its progress from Hampstead Heath for several hours. At St. John's Wood, Mary-le-bone, it raged with the utmost violence, and in a short time all the extensive gardens and nursery grounds in that vicinity presented a scene of frightful devastation. Every greenhouse, hot-house, and all the glass used in the gardens, were in an instant broken to atoms. A gentleman residing at the corner of Hall Place, Circus Road, had 2,000 squares of glass broken; Mr. Anderson, florist, Pine Apple Place, 30,000 squares; Mr. Bell, Grove End Road, 2,000 squares; Mr. Atkinson, Grove End Road, 10,000 squares; Mr. Jenkins, Portman Nursery, upwards of 50,000 squares; Mrs. Hogg, Grove End Road, 3 or 4000 squares. The green-house of Mr. Faithful, which was filled with the choicest plants, had every

square broken, and the plants beaten to pieces. Many private houses also were much injured, the windows being broken, and the fruit in the gardens completely destroyed.

JULY.

1. DETERMINED SUICIDE.-An Inquest was held at Wyberton Roads, before C. Mastin, Coroner, on the body of John Dickinson, who was found in a silt-pit with his throat cut, the day preceding.

The body presented a shocking spectacle, being entirely drenched with blood. On comparing one of the deceased's shoes with the footmarks visible in the pit, no other footstep but his own could be traced. It appeared by the track of blood, that the deceased, after stabbing himself with a knife, thrust the instrument into the sand; he then walked round the bottom of the pit, and, on his return to the entrance, drew the knife out of the earth, and, seating himself on the opposite side of the pit, he then inflicted the wound which terminated fatally, and again thrust the knife into the earth, where it was found.

The body was accidentally discovered in a kneeling posture; and, from the great quantity of blood on the spot, it was evident that the deceased had bled very profusely.

The knife was identified to be the property of the deceased, which he had purchased about a week previously.

The cause of his suicide was attributed to the deceased having entered upon a farm at Fishtoft at Lady-day last; since which time

the season had operated very prejudicially to his exertions, and some serious losses had befallen him. Verdict-Insanity.

ELECTIONEERING DUEL. In consequence of some words which had passed on the hustings at Alnwick, between Mr. Beaumont, one of the candidates for the county, and Mr. Lambton, a friend of another of the candidates, lord Howick, these gentlemen met at four o'clock in the afternoon, on the sands at Bamborough. Twelve paces were measured off as the distance, when the principals took the ground, and fired almost at the same moment. Captain Plunkett was proceeding to re-load Mr. Beaumont's pistol, when general Grey stepped up to him and said that enough had been done for the honour of the parties, and that Mr. Lambton had never thought of requiring an apology. Captain Plunkett replied that his friend was there for the purpose of giving satisfaction, but that, if general Grey thought proper to withdraw Mr. Lambton, he (capt. P.) must necessarily withdraw Mr. Beaumont. Mr. Lambton was then withdrawn, and here the matter terminated. The following is the official statement, signed by general Grey and captain Plunkett:

"In consequence of some lan guage which occurred on the hustings at Alnwick, yesterday, a meeting took place this afternoon, at Bamborough, between John George Lambton, esq. M.P. and Thomas Wentworth Beaumont, esq., when, after an exchange of shots, the affair terminated to the satisfaction of the seconds. "1st July, 1826.”

THE DROUGHT. Stockholm. The heat and drought have lasted here for at least seven weeks with

All hope of

extreme intensity. a crop has vanished: the trees in our gardens are without fruit, almost without foliage-the fields show no trace of verdure, and the ears of corn, parched by the sun, visibly waste away. Conflagrations have burst out in two different forests-the one within two, the other within three, miles of the capital.

From Copenhagen, also, there are great complaints of excessive heat.

SEA SERPENT.-" Ship Silas Richards, June 17, 1826. Lat. 41, 03, long. 67, 32. While standing on the starboard bow, looking at the unruffled surface of the ocean, about seven o'clock P. M., I perceived a sudden perturbation of the water, and immediately an object presented itself with its head about four feet above the level, which position it retained for nearly a minute, when he returned to the surface, and kept approaching abreast of the vessel at a distance of about fifty yards. I immediately called to the passengers cn deck, several of whom observed it for the space of eight minutes as it glided along slowly, and undauntedly passed the ship at the rate of about three miles an hour. colour was a dark dingy black, with protuberances; its visible length appeared about sixty feet, and its circumference ten feet. With former accounts which have been given of such a monster, and which have never been credited this exactly corresponds, and I have no doubt but it is one of those species called Sea Serpents; it made a considerable wake in the water in its progress.

Its

I remain your obedient Servant, HENRY HOLDREGE, capt." The foregoing is attested by the

following gentlemen, passengers: -W. Warburton, of Pentonville, England; Duncan Kennedy, Thomas Austin, of Clifton, England; Lovell Purdy, Thomas Siveter, and James Magee, of New York.

On

2. SINGULAR SUICIDE. Wednesday last, William Hyde, of Hasfield, Gloucestershire, a poor man, who had for some time been subject to fits of insanity, climbed up into a pear-tree, and making his way along a limb extending in a lateral direction, fixed his neck firmly in a forked branch, and then threw his body over, in which position he was discovered quite dead. An inquest was held before John Cooke, esq. Coroner, when a verdict of Insanity was returned.

3. DEATH BY LIGHTNING. On Monday, a party of friends, among whom were the eldest son and three daughters of Joseph Hill, esq. of Lindridge, on the borders of Gloucestershire, and several other young ladies who were on a visit to them, had agreed to form a gipsey party, to perambulate the beautiful range of Malvern hills, which commence about two miles from Mr. Hill's residence. They were accompanied by a servantman, with a light cart, furnished with provisions, &c. for their excursion. About three o'clock they had reached the Worcestershire beacon, on which is a building erected by lady Harcourt, for the accommodation of persons walking on the hills. A storm came on suddenly, and the young ladies were much alarmed at the vivid flashes of lightning which rapidly succeeded each other, and peals of thunder which seemed to shake the rocks on which they stood. The building is of stone, and the roof

covered with iron; there was a stone table in the middle of the room, and seats on each side, with a window opposite the door-way. The party were inside; Miss Eliza Hill, her sister Johannah, and a Miss Woodward, from Hereford, were seated at the table; the others walking about. Miss Margaret Hill, a young lady about fifteen years of age, being much alarmed, was looking out at the door-way to see if the storm had passed, when she observed the electric fluid (which no doubt was attracted by the iron roof) appearing as a mass of fire rolling along the hill and approaching their retreat; she attempted to run out, but was instantly thrown with violence to the ground; her shoes and part of her dress much burnt; her brother, who was near, shared much the same fortune.

The electric fluid entered at the door, shivered the stone table to atoms, and many large stones in the wall, and passed through the window, removing the window frame and stone-work about it. Two of the young ladies, Miss Eliza Hill and Miss Woodward, were struck dead. Miss Johanna appeared in the same state; medical aid being procured, and, some signs of life appearing, she was bled, and removed to the Unicorn Inn, at Malvern. The three were all burnt on the face, neck, and breast, their hair burnt off one side of the head, and part of their clothes destroyed. All the other ladies were in a slight degree injured by the electric fluid. A labouring man at work a short distance from the place was attracted to the spot by the screams of the man-servant; and he rendered what aid he could, till other assistance arrived.

LIBEL IN AMERICA-Root v. King and Verplanck.-At the Delaware circuit, lately held by judge Betts, came on a long pending libel suit commenced by Erastus Root against Messrs. King and Verplanck, the editors of the New York American, who charged him with being drunk when lieutenant-governor, and while presiding as president of the Senate, on the 5th of August, 1824, in the afternoon session. The publication was admitted by the defendants, and they gave notice that they would justify by proving the facts charged. The publication having been admitted, Mr. Blunt, as counsel for defendants, opened their case, by stating that it would be proved that the plaintiff was drunk at the time specified, and that testimony would be produced to show that he was habitually intemperate. What followed was something like the trial of a horse cause in England: eight witnesses swore the judge was drunk at the time stated in the publication, and ten witnesses swore he was sober. In the course of the trial much diversity of opinion was expressed as to what state of excitement amounted technically to intoxication, varying in degree from that of unsteadiness of gait, impediment of utterance, &c. up to that of being speechless and unable to walk, sit, or stand. The learned judges appeared to be of opinion, that, so long, as a man was possessed of his mental faculties, he could not be considered as drunk. The jury were out all night; and at seven o'clock on Thursday morning sent for the judge to explain more distinctly his charge. The judge in the presence of the parties, and a great number of spectators, then reiterated the doctrine laid down in his

charge the preceding evening, when the jury were again left to themselves, and at nine o'clock came into the court with a verdict of 1,500 dollars for the plaintiff.

IRISH ELECTION RIOTS. RIOT AT TRALEE.-During the contested election for the county of Kerry, Tralee was kept in perpetual uproar by unceasing contests between the adherents of the opposing parties. But on Sunday evening, a number of lord Ventry's friends having been attacked with stones, and other missiles, by a mob who supported by their clamours a candidate of a different party, the riflemen who had been called out were ordered to fire.

Daniel Sullivan, aged 56; Eugene Sullivan (son of the above), aged 17; James Breen aged 15; Owen Cournane, aged 19; and Richard Williams, aged 34; were killed, and thirteen persons were wounded, three of them dangerously. An inquest having been held on the bodies of the two Sullivans, the jury found that the order to fire had been unjustifiable."

unnecessary and

The contest for the county of Galway likewise occasioned bloodshed. While a party of gentlemen on the side of Mr. Lambert were dining at a hotel, they were informed that a body of freeholders in that interest had been attacked by a mcb of the partisans of Mr. Martin, the opposing candidate. In consequence of this they sallied forth to the street; and, in the scuffle which followed, one of them discharged a pistol, by which a man of the name of Sullivan was killed upon the spot. The coroner's jury brought in a verdict of murder against Thomas D. Lambert as principal, and against James W. Browne, David Wilson, the hon,

4. MONUMENT TO GRANVILLE SHARP. Mr. Granville Sharp's bust was placed by Mr. Chantry in the Council room at Guildhall. The right honourable, the lord mayor and sheriffs were present, attended by the city marshals, Mr. Prince Hoare, Mr. Tooke, Mr. Hick, deputy Routh, Mr. Jones, Mr. Favell, deputy Daw, and several of the city officers. The following inscription is engraved on the slab below the bust:

GRANVILLE SHARP:

To whom

they reach a soft substratum, they run to a great length under ground, and break out at the surface at other spots. The flames and smoke together present a most formidable and imposing appearance from any of the high grounds from which a view of them can be obtained. Hawkesworth Moor is entirely destroyed. On Ilkley Moor, 500 acres are burnt. There is no hope of any part of Bingley Moor being saved. Burley Moor is on fire, and is partly consumed. Thornton Moor is entirely destroyed, and with it all the young plantations,

Highest Court of Law,

that

The Slave who sets his foot on British Ground

Becomes at that instant

FREE.

DROUGHT.At present, Lock Tay discharges no water by the bed of the river Tay. It is not remembered by the oldest inhabitant in that quarter, that they have at any prior period seen a less body of water than three feet deep issuing from the Loch by the Tay, in any season thus the evaporation from the Loch has this year exceeded that of any known season, by about 180,124,560 cubic feet.

10. CONFLAGRATIONS ON THE MOORS OF YORKSHIRE. From causes which have not been ascertained, but to which the unexampled long continuance of unprecedented drought supplies constant fuel, the moors have taken fire, and without abundant rain, are not likely to be speedily extinguished. Large tracts of sheep walks have been entirely destroyed. The fires have not only spread over a wide extent of surface, but have burned to a great depth, consuming not only the moss, but the peat

planting. Oaksworth Moor is Ovendon Moor, entirely burnt. Holme Moss, Burnsall Fell, Hebden and Grassington Moors, are on fire.

CONFLAGRATIONS IN ABERDEENSHIRE.The fire commenced more than a fortnight since, upon the lands of the hon. William Maule; and no great apprehensions from it were entertained at Aboyne until about Friday week, when it began to assume a more alarming appearance, while the approach of it to the northward from Glenesk, &c. became so rapid, that, on the Saturday and Sunday following, it was deemed necessary to endeavour to arrest its progress: and this, at the time, appeared to have been effected. A breeze of wind, however, springing up on Tuesday, the fire broke out with greater violence than before, and was seen coming over the Cock Cairn, and making in a straight line for the forest of Glentanner, at the rate of nearly three miles an hour. It was now considered absolutely necessary to call out the people of the whole of the adjoining country. The