The Solicitor-General for the crown, and Mr Jardine, for the pannels, severally addressed the jury. The Lord Justice Clerk summed up the whole in a concise speech. The jury returned a viva voce verdict, unanimously finding the pannels guilty of both assaults; but that they were not such as to endanger the lives of any of the sufferers.

Monday, January 13.

Alexander Fraser was put to the bar, and an indictment read against him, charging him with five different acts of falsehood, fraud, and wilful imposition, by going into different cloth-merchants' shops, in the city of Edinburgh, when the proprietors were absent, and producing a pattern of cloth, and pretending that he came from some neighbouring cloth-merchant, did cozen and impose upon the shopmen and apprentices, and carry off quantities of cloth.

The pannel pleaded guilty to the first, fourth, and fifth charges in the indictment, viz. Of having gone into the shop of Messrs Campbell and Yule, and bbtained from them, in the name of Charles Maclean and Co. merchants, St Andrew's-street, a piece of pelisse cloth; of obtaining from the shop of Mr John Turnbull, merchant, in name of Messrs M'Kinlay and Co. some yards of su. perfine cloth; and of obtaining from Mr Sharp Callender, merchant, in name of Messrs Alexander Allan and Co. some yards of brown cloth, all of which he applied for His own use; and having adhered to his confession in presence of the jury, they found him guilty accordingly, in terms of his judicial confession.

Mr Brodie, as counsel for the prisoner, addressed the court shortly, in mitigation of punishment, and read certificates of his character from his late master, and stated, that he was driven to commit the acts entirely from necessity.

The court having shortly consulted ainong themselves, and their lordships having delivered their opinions, the Lord Justice Clerk, after a suitable admonition to the prisoner, a young man about twenty years of age, sentenced him to transportation beyond seas for the space of seven years.

John Campbell, John M'Leish, Alexander Kennedy, and Hugh M'Farlane, who were tried on Friday and Saturday, were then brought to the bar.

Mr Sandford shortly addressed the bench, in mitigation of punishment, in respect that two of the prisoners were men who had families, and one of them was afflicted with an asthmatic complaint.

The Judges having made several observations as to the relative degree of guilt of the individual prisoners, and the sentence to be inflicted upon them. the Lord Justice

Clerk, after a very animated and impressive address, sentenced Campbell, who had been convicted of four different acts of assault, to be transported beyond seas for seven years; M'Leish and Macfarlane, who had been convicted of two acts of assault, to be imprisoned in Dumbarton jail for twelve months, and at the expiry of that time to find bail each of them to the extent of £.40 sterling for their good behaviour for three years; and Kennedy, who had been guilty of one act of assault, to be confined nine months in the same jail, and to find similar caution.

VISIT OF THE RUSSIAN PRINCE NICHOLAS TO EDINBURGH.

On Monday the 16th Dec. the Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia, brother of the Emperor Alexander, arrived at the Royal Hotel, Prince's street, with his suite, consisting of Baron Nicholay, Sir W. Congreve, Generals Kutusoff, and Saurasoff, Dr Crichton, Monsieurs Klinker, Marsell, and Parosky; when a grenadier guard of honour of the 92d Highlanders was immediately mounted in front of the hotel. On Tuesday morning, the Lord Provost, accompanied by the Lord Advocate, Admiral Hope, and General Hope, Commander of the Forces, waited upon his Imperial Highness, to congratulate him on his arrival, and the Lord Advocate entertained the Prince and suite, and a select company, with a dinner and ball in the evening, at his house in Queen Street. Wednesday the Grand Duke was occupied in visiting the Courts, Public Libraries, College, Register Office, Holyroodhouse, and other objects of curiosity in the city.

While in the Parliament Square, the Grand Duke visited the apartments of Mr William Allan, and conversed for a considerable time in French and Russ with that artist. He inspected every painting minutely, and expressed his surprise and plea. sure at the correctness with which the cos. tume of the various tribes of Circassians, Cossacks, &c. were preserved and exhibited. Having examined Mr Allan's collection of the arms and costumes of the different nations inhabiting the Russian empire, he complimented the artist on the laborious diligence displayed in collecting such a mass of useful materials for delineating correctly the manners, customs, and appearance, of his countrymen. On Allan's producing the sketches from, which his pictures were composed, Prince Nicholas displayed no small degree of taste and discrimination in the selection of a few. He expressed his wish that if ever Allan re-visited Russia, he would wait upon him.

On Thursday at 12 o'clock, agreeable to appointment, the Lord Provost and Magistrates, and one of the City Clerks, in their robes of office, attended by the mace and sword-bearers, proceeded in carriages from the Council Chamber to the Royal Hotel, the residence of the Grand Duke Nicholas, in order to present him with the freedom of the city, which was voted by the Town Council, at their meeting on Wednesday last.

They were received in form by the Grand Duke, attended by Baron Nicholay, General Kutusoff, Sir William Congreve, Dr Crich. ton, and others of his suite, when the Lord Provost addressed his Imperial Highness in name of the Council, and put into his hands the diploma of the freedom of the city, with the seal affixed.

The Grand Duke, addressing the Lord Provost in French, expressed his regret, that, from not being sufficiently acquainted with the English language, he could not make a proper reply, but directed Baron Nicolai, who knew his sentiments, to make his acknowledgments for the attention paid him, which he did in a very appropriate

manner.

On the desert being removed; the health of the King was drank, accompanied by "God save the King," sung by an excellent professional band. The Lord Provost then proposed the health of the Emperor Alexander: upon which the following verses, composed for the occasion, were sung by the band, adapted to the celebrated air of Dr Haydn's "God save the Emperor Franeis;" all of which, and particularly the allusion in the last verse, were received by the company with much applause :

God protect brave Alexander!

Heaven defend the noble Czar ! Mighty Russia's high Commander, First in Europe's banded war. For the realms he did deliver

From the Tyrant overthrown, Thou, of every good the Giver,

Grant him long to bless his own.
Bless him! 'mid his land's disaster,
For her rights who battled brave;
Of the land of foemen master,
Bless him, who their wrongs forgave.
O'er his just resentment victor,

Victor over Europe's foes,
Late and long, Supreme Director,

Grant in peace his reign may close.
Hail! then, hail! illustrious stranger!
Welcome to our mountain strand;
Mutual interests, hopes, and dangers,
Link us with thy native land.
Foemen's force, or false beguiling,
Shall that union ne'er divide;
Hand in hand, while peace is smiling,
And, in battle, side by side.

leave to give a toast, and proposed
His Imperial Highness then requested

The Health of the Prince Regent.

The health of the Grand Duke was next given, to which his Imperial Highness replied, by proposing, as a toast,

The Prosperity of the City of Edinburgh, of which he was now a citizen.

health of Lieutenant-General the Earl of The Lord Provost then proposed the Hopetoun, and, in an appropriate address, expressed the satisfaction he felt in the present opportunity of presenting to him, in a gold box, the freedom of the city, voted by the Town Council during the chief magistracy of his predecessor, Sir John Marjoribanks, in testimony of their high consideration of the many brilliant achievements performed by his Lordship during the late

and former wars.

To the address of the Lord Provost, an elegant and animated reply was made by Lord Hopetoun.

The next toast was

A long continuance to the Union now subsisting between Russia and Great Britain. The Lord Provost then proposed

The health of the Empress Dowager of Russia;

a toast which seemed very gratifying to the feelings of his Imperial Highness.

The company afterwards retired to the drawing-room, and after conversing for a short time, the Grand Duke, accompanied by his suite, withdrew.

On Sunday, the Grand Duke, dressed in the Russian military uniform, and on horseback, inspected the 6th dragoon guards, and the 92d regiment, in front of his hotel in Prince's Street, attended by severals of his suite, along with Major-General Hope and the North British Staff. The Prince afterwards visited Heriot's Hospital, the College, Riding School in Nicolson Street, &c. and on Monday, his Imperial Highness set off for Glasgow, where, after visiting the Iron Works at Carron, &c. on his way, he arrived on Tuesday evening ; and set off again from thence, for London, by the way of Carlisle, &c.

Previous to his departure from Glasgow, Baron Nicolai, by his Imperial Highness's command, intimated, in the most delicate manner, to Mr Finlay, that the Grand Duke, having heard of the distress under which many persons were now labouring, was desirous of contributing towards their relief, and had requested that the sum of £.100 might be added, in his Imperial Highness's name, to the subscription which, he understood, was then going on for their relief.

The Grand Duke, when in Edinburgh, having been desirous to be informed of the nature of the extensive buildings which are now carrying on on the Calton Hill, and in other places in this city, Mr Elliot, at the Lord Advocate's request, had the honour to wait on his Imperial Highness with his drawings of the Regent's Bridge, the New Jail, the County Buildings, and the Chapel in York Place. The Grand Duke directed

these plans to be left with him for minute consideration, and, before his departure, was politely pleased to send the following message:

"The Grand Duke, through Sir William Congreve, thanks Mr Elliot for the gratification he has afforded him in the perusal of the drawings of the works which are now going on under his direction in Edinburgh. The drawings have enabled him to form a correct idea of the magnificence of those works, which, when finished, will do the greatest credit to all parties concerned."

His Imperial Highness, previous to his departure from the Royal Hotel, made a present of £.10 to the serjeant of the 92d Highlanders, who had attended him as orderly during his residence in this capital; at the same time took down his name, and shook hands with him at parting, an example which was immediately followed by all the gentlemen of his suite. He presented a like sum of £.10 to the non-commissioned officers and privates of the grenadier company of that corps, who had been on guard over him during the week, and ex

pressed himself much pleased with their appearance and conduct.

COLLEGE OF EDINBURGH.

The Parliamentary Commissioners, consisting of the Right Honourable the Lord President, the Lord Justice Clerk, the Lord Chief Baron, the Lord Chief Commissioner, the Lord Advocate, the Right Hon. the Lord Provost, William Dundas, Esq. M. P. Sir John Marjoribanks, of Lees, Bart. Hugh Warrender, Esq. the vexy Rev. Principal Baird, and Andrew Duncan, jun. M. D. appointed to manage the yearly grant of £10,000 voted by Parliament to be laid out in finishing the College of Edinburgh, met on Wednesday the 4th December in order to receive plans and specifications for the completion of the building. The plan of Mr William Playfair being adopted, the prize of 100 guineas was adjudged to that gentleman. The second prize of 80 gui

neas was awarded to Mr Burn. Accord

ing to Mr Playfair's plan, we understand that the exterior of the building, as originally planned by Adams, is to be retained, with very little alteration; but there will be a total departure from the internal arrangements. The southern side of the quadrangle is to be occupied almost entirely by the Library, which will be 190 feet long, and one of the most elegant rooms in the kingdom. The western side is to be appropriated to the Museum, and the other two sides are to be occupied chiefly as Class

This

It is generally known, that in the course of last year notices were given by the assessors of taxes to the shopkeepers of this city, that, in future, shops and warehouses were to be made liable to the house tax. proceeding excited, as might have been expected, very general surprise, and, as the universal impression seemed to be, that the act afforded no ground for this extension of the tax, it was resolved by the parties interested, to resist, by every lawful means, this demand, as an illegal exaction.

The case of Mr Andrew Mellis, who has a shop on the South Bridge, was according. ly selected to be tried, and the cause being brought before the City and County Commissioners, was decided against the Crown. The Solicitor having appealed to the Barons

of

of Exchequer, the case was, on the 20th December, decided in favour of Mr Andrew Mellis; the Barons having affirmed the judgment of the inferior Courts.

RELIEF OF WORKMEN OUT OF EMPLOY

MENT.

The measure adopted in Edinburgh, as stated in our last Number, of a general subscription, in behalf of workmen suffering from the general depression of trade and commerce, has been followed in almost every town in Scotland, and in gencral the subscriptions have been liberal. In the course of this month, the committee of management in Edinburgh have had in their employment upwards of 1600 men. The wages were at first one shilling per day, besides an allowance of soup and meal to those who have families; but in consequence of the immense number of applicants, the committee have been obliged to reduce them to five shillings per week. The workmen are employed on the Calton Hill, Burntsfield Links, and in the North Loch. The improvements in progress are as follow: On the Calton Hill, forming serpen tine walks, &c. to the Observatory, and Nelson's Monument, and making a spacious promenade round the hill, with an easy communication to the Regent's Road; for the embellishment of this promenade Bailie Henderson has subscribed 500 plants, and provided a quantity of working imple. ments at prime cost. In the North Loch, the men are sloping the bank on the south side eastward of the mound; are to form the whole into a bleaching-green, sink wells, &c.; and in Burntsfield-links they are levelling and enlarging the Golf-ground. Nearly £.7000, including £.1000 from the Prince Regent, has been subscribed already in Edinburgh; in addition to which, Mr Allan has subscribed £.1000, the city of Edinburgh £.1000, and Heriot's Hospital, £1000, to be applied in making the Parlia mentary Road from Picardy Place, to com municate with the London Road, near Piershill barracks, which undertaking will, it is expected, be speedily commenced. The committee, by an application to Government, have obtained the use of a number of wheel-barrows, spades, &c. which were collected at the time of a threatened invasion, and afterwards deposited in the Ordnance stores in the Castle.

MISCELLANEOUS OCCURRENCES.

The Magistrates of Glasgow and Paisley have transmitted memorials to the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury,

enforcing the policy and expediency of a repeal, in the approaching session of Parliament, of the unproductive, and,ŝto the labouring and industrious classes, severe assessment on inhabited houses, usually denominated" the Cottage Tax."

Meetings to petition the legislature for a reform in the House of Commons, for a reduction of public expenditure, and the abolition of the sinecure places, &c. have been held in almost every village and parish in the west of Scotland.

Dec. 20. Several hundred skaters enjoy. ed that elegant exercise at Lochend near Edinburgh, on remarkably fine ice. An opportunity occurred of proving the promptness and efficacy of the means provided by the Skating Club for rendering the amusement safe to the public. The only weak part of the ice was, as usual, found out by an unlucky boy, with whom it immediately gave way; in truth, he skated off the strong ice into a part which was little more than water. The circular rope was instantly drawn, on the alarm being given, and reaching him in a few seconds, gave him a hold. To extricate him was more difficult: the grappling pole was pushed to him, but his hands were so much benumbed that he

could not trust to it alone. By this time the ladder had arrived, along which the person who is stationed for the purpose went on hands and knees, and taking hold of the boy, placed him safely on the ladder, when both were drawn out. The boy had a safe hold in a few seconds, and was entirely extricated in five minutes.-His situation, from his own folly, was one of unusual difficulty. This satisfastory instance, it is hoped, will induce the multitudes of gentlemen who resort to the ice to give their support to the plan more liberally than hitherto. Upwards of £.30 of the first expence is yet to pay; and we understand that, in the winter, a shilling from each skater will be sufficient afterwards to maintain the establishment at both lochs. The Humane Society apparatus has been procured for both Lochend and Duddingston Loch.

22. This evening, (Sunday) a shocking occurrence took place in a public house on Leith Walk. A man and his wife, coming from Leith to Edinburgh, had gone in to drink, and had sat for a short time along with some others, when the company were alarmed by a frantic scream from the woman--she had that instant discovered that a suckling infant she held at her breast, covered by a shawl, was lifeless. In fact, the poor child had been suffocated by the inattention of its mother.

27. About five in the evening, a man, by profession a hawker, on his way from

Dalkeith

Dalkeith to Edinburgh, was attacked betwixt the second and third mile-stone from Edinburgh, by two men in the habit of carters, in dark-coloured long coats, with large metal buttons, who accosted him in the south-country dialect, whether he came from Dalkeith? and had no sooner passed him, than one of them struck him down with a stick, when they robbed him of three one pound notes, one of them of the Dundee bank, twelve shillings in silver, an umbrella, a pair of stockings, and the shoes off his feet, and left him in such a state that it was with difficulty he reached Edinburgh that night.

D. G. Sandeman, Esq. Robert Scott, Esq. James Wyld, Esq. James Erskine, Esq. Walter Brown, Esq. John Bradfute, Esq. and

Sam. Paterson, Esq.
William Ellis, Esq.
John Cheape, Esq.
Ad. Sceales, sen. Esq.
Arch. Campbell, Esq.
Thomas Burns, Esq.
For. Alexander, Esq.
John Anderson, Esq. Alex. Macartney, Esq.
Geo. Brunton, Esq. Manager.

Extraordinary Directors.

Colonel Alexander Macgregor Murray, of Trinity Lodge

Donald Macleod of Geanies, Esq.

Lieut. Col. Charles Macquarrie of Glenforsa Alex. Munro, Esq. Prince's Street, Edinburgh

William Inglis of Middleton, Esq.

William Carlisle, Esq. Paisley

Robert Stodart, Esq. Queen's Street, Edinburgh

James Smith, Esq. Leith
Joseph Gordon of Carroll, Esq.
Charles Husband of Glenearn, Esq. and
George Lyon of Wester Ogle, Esq.

(From the London Gazette.)

July 24. Alexander Morison, M. D. to be Physician Extraordinary to their Royal and Serene Highnesses the Princess Charlotte and the Prince Leopold.

Dec. 10. Major General Sir David Ochterlony, Bart. and Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath, to be a Knight Grand Cross of the said Most Honourable Military Order.

21. To be Companions of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath :Lieut.-Col. John Burnett, 8th regiment Bengal native infantry,

Lieut. Col. Joseph O'Halloran, 18th regiment, Bengal native infantry.

24. The Right Hon. Stapleton, Lord Combermere, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath, Lieutenant-General of his Majesty's Forces, and Commander of the Forces on the Windward and Leeward Island station, to be Captain-General and Governor in Chief in and over the island of Barbadoes.

28. His Royal Highness the Prince Regent has been pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, by letters patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date the 24th day of December 1816, to revoke the commission appointing Osborne Markham, Esq. together with John Fisher, and Alexander Lorraine, Esqrs. Commissioners for the affairs of Barracks, and to appoint Osborne Markham, Esq. to be Comptroller of the Barrack Department.

His Royal Highness has also been pleased to appoint Edward Boscawen Frede. rick, Esq. to be Deputy-Comptroller of the Barrack Department.

1817. Jan. 1. Major-Gen. Herbert Taylor to be Treasurer to her Majesty, in the room of the Earl of Effingham, deceased.

7. Lieut.-General Sir Gordon Drummond, Knight Commander of the Most Honour-> able Military Order of the Bath, to be a Knight Grand Cross of the said Most Ho nourable Order, viçe Lieutenant-General Sir: James Leith, deceased.