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blishment of mail coaches.-Major Palmer (son of the petitioner) moved, That it is the opinion of the committee, that Mr. Palmer, in pursuance of his agreement with the treasury is entitled to 1500 a year during his life, together with a per centage on the increased revenue of the post-office, above £240,000 a year."

his exertions; some allowance ought to be made for irritation of mind under such circuntstances. The hon. gentleman concluded a very argumentative and eloquent speech with a strong appeal to the justice of the house, founding Mr. Palmer's claim to that justice on the benefits resulting to the country by his genius, and his merits.

Mr. Rose lamented that it fell to his lot, in the prosecution of a painful duty, to appeal also to the justice of the house, and from what he should offer, ask them whether they would think Mr. Palmer entitled to their consideration? It was very true, that Mr. Pitt did think he had made a good bargain for the country, and that Mr. Palmer was entitled to the perfect fulfilment of his agreement, for that benefit which the country, by his ingenuity had obtained; he would also add, that it was Mr. Pitt's earnest intention that the agreement, such as it was, should be fulfilled. But, that great statesinan had his country's ultimate and lasting welfare in view, and he found himself compelled to cancel that agreement, as far as lay with him, that posterity should not reflect on his judgment and his honour, in preserving that agreement inviolate with one who had himself violated every prin

Mr. Long observed, that Mr. Palmer had certainly introduced a most important and most useful improvement, which expedited and secured the conveyance of letters by the mail coaches. In consequence of this improvement an agreement had been entered into between him and Mr. Pitt, that he should be entitled to the benefits mentioned in the report, but it was understood that Mr. Palmer in order to retain these benefits, should continue to take an active share in the business of the post-office. Now the fact was, that Mr. Palmer had been discharged from his situation in the post-office, by the post-masters general, for disobedience of orders. He had been charged with throwing the post-office into confusion, delaying the letters, with want of economy, and overlooking or rather encouraging certain exorbitant charges made by a Mr. Wilson, a contractor for mail-coaches. After his reciple of justice and duty. The right hon. moval, Mr. Palmer received a pension of £3,000 a year for life, in consideration of his services; which however he since con tended was not in lieu of the emolument he had before received. He could say, however, that Mr. Pitt who granted that pension, al ways considered it in that light.

gentleman here adverted to the minutes on the table, containing the several letters that passed between Mr. Palmer and Mr. Bonner, and the evidence taken on the occasion, whence he drew this general deduction, that as these letters displayed plans pregnant with signal fraud on the interests of the public, and suggested the commission of them, în the very office and department to which Mr. Palmer belonged; as a measure of prudence, of justice to the people, Mr. Pitt could have done nothing short of countenancing his dismissal. He would then ask, if the facts were so flagitious as to call for his dismissal, abruptly and suddenly, from office, were they not still more abundantly cogent to cancel this agreement?

Major Palmer, in reply, contended, that his father never consented to the £3,000 a year being considered as a sufficient remune ration for his services; and invariably declared that though Mr. Pitt might dispense with his services at the post office, yet that could not destroy his claim to the agreement being fulfilled. The fact was, that when the lords of the treasury proposed this £3,000 as a compensation, he delivered in a remonstrance to them, and declared his intention of appealing Mr. Croker observed, that he was one of to the justice of parliament. In considera- the committee that had considered the mition of the merits of the plan, and the diffi- nutes and the evidence alluded to, and the calties, labour and expence, with which his was free to confess, that as to the £1600 a experiments were conducted, it was agreed year, he thought it more just and prudent that besides 1,500l. a year, he should have two that it should be given up, as, in fact, Mr. and a half per cent. on the amount of revenue Palmer did nothing for the public as their beyond £240,000, but if the plan did not continued servant, to entitle him to it; and succeed he was not to have a shilling. He if he had, by any rash act, done that which denied the assertion of his contumacy, extra-incurred blame, he was sufficiently punished vagance and profusion in the post-office; on the contrary, he had brought down the rate of the contractors for mail-coaches considerably. It is true, that there had been bickerings between Air. Palmer and the post-masters general; but these were to be accounted for from the prejudices which they had contracted against his plan, and from various endeavours to thwart

with the loss of it. But as to the agreement which guaranteed him two and a half per cent. that, he was justified in thinking, ought to be conceded to him. The plans he sug gested were at this moment in execution, and, at this moment, to the surprise and even astonishment of the world, the post-office revenue was upwards of one million a year!—

When any one individual had done so much good for his country he contended that it ought to be something much more potent than an angry letter written in a moment of heat and irritation, that should have induced a violation of the public faith,-He concluded with moving an amendment, by omitting in the resolution those words that appertained to the £1,500,

OBSERVANDA EXTERNA

AMERICA, NORTH.

Nautical Survey.

made, by order of Congress, of that part of A survey has been the coast of North Carolina which lies be. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that survey was performed during the last summer tween Cape Hatteras and Cape Fear. This the sun called for would if granted, amount by Captains Price and Coles, who have to no less than £97,000 ready cash, and made a valuable report of their observations, £10,000 per annum, during the life of Mr. accompanied by a new chart of the coast. In Palmer. He would not say that the amount this they consider that the shoals of Cape should operate as a reason for refusing it; but, Hatteras are delineated on the maps too far when that was coupled with Mr. Palmer's westward, thereby endangering navigation conduct he must say, that a pause should under the mask of supposed security. They take place before it was granted. If the have found the bottom of the ocean in those amendment proposed by the hon. and learned parts to be a loose sand, moveable by the gentleman should be allowed, it would go all waves, and often with gravel, ooze and shells, the length of operating as a most dangerous and changing its position. They have sounded precedent; even of rewarding unworthiness, the coasts of Capes Hatteras, Look-out, and if any judgment was to be formed on the evi-Fear, quite to the margin of the gulf stream. dence on the table. How was it possible to keep a compact with a man, who was himself violating every principle of honour, and defrauding the very revenue out of which he himself was vitally supported? How, he asked, could he expect to have an agreement fulfilled, made between the public and himself, when he was teaching his deputies in his own department, by what means to wrong that very public, and to counteract that very good, and all those benefits for which he himself was to be so liberally rewarded. It could not be. (Here the right hon. gentleman read, seriatim, the letters alluded to in the debate, which Mr. Palmer had written to Mr. Bonner, and which that person gave up to government, and which were the cause of Mr. P.'s removal from of fice.) From these letters he contended; that if even the appointment and agreement had passed the great seal, yet that on the produc tion of such testimonies, there would be abundance of evidence whereon to found a scire facias, and have that patent rescinded; and he appealed to all the gentlemen of the long robe, in that house, as to the verity of that legal fact; nay more, whether, if a bill of indictment had been preferred, he would not have been convicted of a foul conspiracy...

Bus After some further discussion, Major Palmer observed, that with a view of satisfying the house as to the fairness of his father's application, he had no objection to agree in withdrawing the demand for salary.

The house at length divided on the motion for allowing two and a half per cent. Ayes, 1137; Noes, 71.

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A bill, conformably to this decision, has since been carried through the commons, but rejected by the lords.

Through the Frying-pan shoals, off Cape Fear, they have discovered an opening not hitherto known, ten miles from the land, which may be of great importance to the coasting navigation. This is the second surwey made by order, and at the expense, of hydrographical survey of Long Island Sound, the American government; the first being a completed a few years ago; a chart of which has since been published by two of the persons employed, Captains Foraick and Casecond undertaking has been followed by an hoone. The information furnished by the ample provision for a maritime survey of the whole coast of the United States. In Feb. 1807, an Act of Congress was passed, appropriating fifty thousand dollars to enable the President to cause a survey to be made of the coasts, and of all the islands, shoals, roads, and places of anchorage, within twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States of America; as also the courses and distances between the principal capes and

head-lands.

Dark Day, Huntingdon, (Penn.) Nav. 12, 1807.-Thursday last was the most remarkable dark day that has ever been witnessed by the citizens of this place. The darkness occasioned by the eclipse of the sun in June, 1806, was nothing in comparison to that of Thursday. The court, which was then sitting, tavern keepers, and many private fami

lies were obliged to light candles at 11 o'clock in the forenoon, and keep them burning for nearly two hours; the fowls went to roost, and every thing had the appearance of night. The morning had been foggy and the atmosphere extremely cloudy, but whether that could have occasioned the darkness at noon, we cannot pretend to say...

FRANCE.

Cultivation, and Produce of the Sugar Cane in France. Our good friends the French, have not only attempted the cultivation of cotton and indigo in France [Compare Panorama, Vol. III p. 1041] but that of sugar also. Having given the history of their attempts in respect to the former articles, we shall state the results of their experiments on the latter; but certainly without desiring that any part of our Corn lands in Britain should be converted to the production of the › Sugar cane.

The sugar cane gives incontestibly the preference to hot countries: there are in fact none too hot for it but it may be had also, with all its properties, in the temperate zone as far north as the tropic of Cancer. In Spain it is cultivated with success in the kingdom of Grenada, situated between the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth degrees of northern latitude. It can be cultivated much farther north; at Paris, sugar well christalized, has been obtained from canes reared in the Garden of Plants.

M. de Cosigny, proprietor in the isle of France, member of several learned societies, and of the agricultural society of Paris, on his return from a voyage made in 1801, to the isle of France, brought several sugar canes with him, which his care had preserved in good condition. He gave them to the Garden of Plants at Paris with the sole intention of augmenting the nomenclature of exotic plants. Necessary precautions were But on taken to preserve them from cold. the 31st of May, 1804, M. de Cossigny having judged from the appearance of the canes which they had produced, that they contained the saccharine particles, in as great proportion as the canes of the torrid zone, and equally easy to be extracted, requested and obtained them from M. Trouin, administrating professor of the museum of natural history.

Those canes were cut to the number of fifteen, and after having lopped off their tops, it was found that the smallest was six feet in height, and that one of them was - twelve. They weighed thirty-nine pounds twelve ounces, which, by means of two pressings, rendered nineteen pounds one ounce, an uncommon yield. The colour of that of the first pressing, was greenish, and gave nine degrees to the areometer of salts. The second pressing was made, by adding water to the husks of the canes: this juice weighed a little less than four degrees.

M. de Cossigny submitted the first juice to the process of fabrication, at the house of Messieu.s Bounie and Margueron, apothecaries, rue Saint Honore, where in presence of experienced men, assembled for this

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purpose, they made sugar, similar in every respect to that which is made in our colonies, excepting that it was a little fat, because the canes were produced in a soil too much manured. The thirty-nine pounds twelve ounces of cane, gave about twenty-four ounces of handsome powder sugar.

Lavater's Physiognomy improved. A new edition of Lavater's Physiognomy has lately been published at Paris with notes and additions, auatomical, physiological and medical, by M. Moreau de la Sarthe; in S volumes 8vo. As Lavater was no anatomist, there was ample room for the services of science to contribute assistance on this subject: they may render that useful which in itself is only curious and thereby prove advantageous not only to the public at large, but to the arts of painting and sculpture in particular.

Toulouse Academy re-established. The ancient Academy of Sciences, Inscriptions and Belles lettres of Toulouse has lately been re-established by a decree of the government. The regulations adopted for its conduct, are nearly the same as formerly. A few modifications and additions, have, however, been thought indispensable. Its first meeting was beld in the presence of the civil authorities, in the hall of the Capitol, November 22, 1807.

Voyage to Java, &c.-In the course of last year M. Leschenault de Latour returned from a voyage to the islands of Java, Madura, Bali, &c. He has brought home extensive collections of subjects of the three kingdoms of Nature; also an assortment of the arms

used by the natives, various examples of the

arts of those countries, MSS., medals and coins. It is expected that an account of his travels will speedily be published. They cannot fail of bringing us acquainted more fully with countries of which our knowledge is at present very incomplete.,

Completed Education, in the Lyceums.The number of scholars, sons of soldiers or of civil functionaries, dismissed from the different Lyceums, as having completed their education in the course of last year, was nine hundred: an equal number has been admitted to replace them.

GERMANY..

Tetanus cured.-Suabia. Strutz an inge nious Physician of Suabia, has lately obtained distinguished success in the treatment of Tetanus, by employing alternatively very strong doses of opium, and carbonate of pot ash.

Decline of religious Distinctions.-Manheim. A Lyceum was opened last year for the education of children of the three coufessions in one common school.

Delicate Electrical Instrument.-Munich. [ of Calcutta, nay, go.perhaps a hundred miles M. Ritter a member of the academy has lately above it; but they must first be lightened, been engaged in attentively investigating a new in order to pass a bar that lies a little above instrument, endowed with the remarkable Diamond Harbour. The tides in this propriety of being sensible to the smallest de- river, particularly at full and change, are grees of electricity. M. R's. object was, to rapid beyond belief, forming what are callremove the wonderful from the history of the ed " Bores," when the stream seems as if divining rod, and to refer those marvels to the tumbling down a steep descent, doing great electric fluid. His instrument is nothing mischief among the boats, by upsetting and more than a small bar of metal which he running them over each other. Ships themplaces in equilibrium, on the end of one of his selves are frequently dragged from their anfingers, chiefly the longest finger of the left chors, and dashed against each other, at these hand, holding this vertical and shutting the periods. The natives account for these others. This bar is so placed that one of torrents, by saying, they depend on the other its ends is next to the person who holds it, small rivers that open into the main one, by and the other pointing directly from him. bars, which at a certain time of the tide, This instrument, called by M. R. the balance, allow the waters to rush out, all at once, into varies by position, by contact of metals, or the grand stream, and thereby so exceedingly other substances by the person holding it, increase its velocity. and even by the contact of persons, holding by the hand, for instance, the party making the experiment. If some cases, an approach of the hand toward objects affects the instrument; but actual contact is more efficacious. The causes of these variations, which succeed better with some persons than others, is under the consideration of M. Ritter.

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INDIES, EAST.

Lottery at Calcutta for building a Town Hall.-Sept. 1, 1807. This morning commences the drawing of the fourth Town hall lottery, and gives rise to the hopes of numerous adventurers, who anticipate success. The analysis of the ideas, which hope gives rise to in all games of chance, is no unfit subject for the moralist; but when the object of this lottery is considered, viz; building a town hall for the embellishment of the capital of British India, every adventurer to a moderate win much, he cannot lose any thing, for extent, will feel gratified that though he may should he not obtain a prize, he will have contributed to a useful design.

Cocoa Nut Day.-Bombay, August 19 1807. Monday last, being Cocoa nut day, monies.-The day proving exceedingly fa the same was observed with the usual cerevourable, this annual ceremony of a propitiatory offering to the genius of the ocean, was very numerously attended, both by Europeans, and natives, of all ranks and descriptions. We shall be obliged to any of our correspondents in India for further account of this ceremony.

Real Situation of Juan de Novo.-The Bombay and China ships in passing lately through the Mosambique had a very fine opportunity of acertaining the real situation of the island of Juan de Novo; the Scaleby Castle passed round it within a very small dis- Pearl Oysters.-Calcutta, October 13, tance from the shore. Its lat. and long. by a 1807. On Saturday last, Messrs. Lawtie and mean of observations are 17° 5' S. 43° 2' East. Goulds, sold, 100 boxes of pearl oysters Rapidity of the Tides, in the River Hoogly. from the fishery of Tutacorin; each of the The river Ganges, like the Nile, long be- boxes contained 1,200 oysters, and the fore it approaches the sea, separates into two whole batch therefore was 120,000. We great branches, which are afterwards subdi- presume the average of the sales would not vided, and enclose a large delta, or triangular exceed 110 rupees, per box, which gives nearly space, called the Sunderbunds. The western 11 oysters for 1 rupee. A speculation in branch then takes the name of Hoogly, on pearls in this state, is rather precarious, from whose banks is seated Calcutta, the capital the inferior value of small pearls which usuof Bengal, and residence of the governor-ge-ally form the bulk of the produce of the oysneral; distant from the sea, about 90 or 100 miles. Men of war generally lie at Kedgeree, or Diamond harbour; at this latter place, which is about 40 or 50 miles below Calcutta, the regular Indiamen always moor, refit, and take in, or discharge their cargoes. Ships, however, of any size may lie close to the walls

sters; but then an adventurer is likely also to meet with some of a superior size which may indemnify him for the inferior sorts. In short as the speculation is novel to this market, it will require some time to enable the adventurer to form a correct table of averages, shewing, how many large, middling, and small,

and how many of bad or of good shape, are usually found in 1000 oysters, and after all, this average may be affected if the oysters are fished from old or new banks. As a inatter of new speculation it is however worthy of commercial consideration.

Muscat. Three Arab ships are arrived from Mascat. The trade of this port with Arabia, both by our ships and by those of Arabian merchants has considerably increased within these three years, and it would undoubtedly be still more extensive but for the piracies of the French. This trade is very valuable to Bengal as the Arabs mostly import dollars and copper and take away cloths and indigo, &c. Measures have been taken by the Bombay government with a view to prevent French emissaries gaining access to the Imaun of Museat-the Guiacar has adopted the most rigorous means to prevent any foreigner passing his frontiers, on any pretence, without the approbation of the British resident at his court. Our readers are requested to refer to Panorama, Vol. II. p. 993, for Sir Home Pop. ham's Considerations on the Importance and Practicability of a Commerce between British India, and the Red Sea.

Hindoo Religious Ceremony.-Calcutta Oc tober 16, 1807. The religious ceremonies of Doorgah Poojah, were celebrated during the last week in the usual style of enthusiasm, parade and splendor, which particularly distinguish this season of devotion and festivity. The houses of some of the most opulent and respectable natives, were decorated in a magnificent and expensive manner. We observed, among the numerous Europeans who honoured the different Nautches with their présence, many ladies of the highest rank in society, and the pleasure and satisfaction, that was visible in their countenances, must have afforded infinite gratification to the mul Litude of all degrees and complexions assembled on the occasion. Rajah Rajkissen,

Rajah Sookmay Roy, Gopey-mohan Deb, Gopey-mohun Takoor were among the principal personages who shone conspicuous by the brilliancy of their exhibitions, and the liberality of their entertainments. But the greatest crowd was at the house of Roop Churn Roy, who, undoubtedly bore away the palm of elegance, taste and grandeur from all his worthy coinpetitors. He had two large halls, fitted up purposely for the accommodation of his European visitors, furnished in a most costly and superb manner, and adorned with lustres, carpets, girandoles and prints. In short, the polite attention that he paid his guests, and the method he adopted to prove his sincere desire to provide for their comfort, and gratify their wishes, could not be exceeded, Notwithstanding the immense numbers that were assembled at the different nautchies, we

do not hear of any accidents having occurred, more serious than the crash of some palankeens, and the wreck of a few buggies. These damages are of such little consequence, and so easily repaired, that, they are scarcely worth mentioning, so long as they were not? the causes of a broken bone, or a dislocated joint, to their owners.

Horse Fair.-The following notices, on which we can depend, may prove acceptable to many of our readers. They shew in a striking manner the activity that accompanies Europeans where they fix their establishment.

Hadjepore, 16th November, 1807.

The annual fair at Hadjepore, or Hur Hur Chitter broke up to day. The shew of horses was very considerable; and the great im provement, which within these few years past, has taken place in the breed of horses, in these provinces, was particularly conspicuous. Many of the colts and tillies produced for sale, exhibited an appearance of blood and a promise of bone, size, and fashion, much beyond what has hitherto been usually seen. The prices were in general higher than last year; though the concourse of Mahratts and other foreign purchasers was not so great as at the former season. There were however some of thesc; and among them a Bendolah merchant, who did not arrive till the 12th, and who is said to have bought about three hundred colts and fillies, in the course of the next day. The shew of northern horses was much less than that of last year, owing probably to the very little demand for them at that time; and which appears to have be come still less; as, at the late fair, scarcely any of them were sold. Indeed the call for horses of the breed of the company's provinces, appears to have encreased to such an extent, that, of from five to six thousand, which were at the fair, few could be procured of more than 2 years old, the prices given by foreign dealers being so high, as to entice the breeders, to part with the greater proportion of their stock, at a still earlier age. There were many competitors for the colts; and at the company's stud, two of them of 2 years and a half old, and thorough bred, brought upwards of eight thousand rupees. The remaining thirteen, of the same age, but of inferior blood, sold at an average of about 1060 rupees, each.

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