the audience with breathless attention; and, it may be added, with real regret. As soon as it was concluded, several wreaths of laurel were thrown upon the stage, and Mr Kemble slowly retired.

23.-A tremendous storm of thunder, lightning, hail, and rain, burst over Bristol and Clifton, about seven in the evening. Many shops and warehouses were inunda ted, and goods damaged to a very considerable amount. Several trees facing the house of Gabriel Gold ney, esq. at Clifton, were struck by lightning, and the tops and branches broke down, so as to have rendered the road impassable for some time. poor woman, a lodger in Pennstreet, was so terrified, that she remained in fits about an hour, when she expired. During the storm John Quire, a servant to Mr. Plumley, of Brockley, was employed in mowing the weeds in the rev. Mr. Pigott's park; and taking shelter under a large oak, was killed by the lightning. The tree was not injured; but there were slight traces on the bark of the electric fluid having passed where the deceased had reclined; his hair was scorched, and there was a livid appearance in the ear and neck of the body, but no other apparent injury; and the attitude was so composed, that, though near the road, the young man was supposed to be asleep, till in the evening he was discovered

to be dead.

24.-The Tavistock Canal, forming a communication between the town of Tavistock and the river Tamar, was opened this day. It was commenced in the year 1803, and has cost about 70,000l. The duke of Bedford, who is the proprietor of one-eighth of the concern, has very liberally contributed to its support, by giving to the

company the whole of the land through which the canal is cut. Though its level is about 280 feet above that of the Tamar, it runs for a mile and three quarters in a tunnel cut under Morwell Down, 450 feet from the summit of the hill.

27. This afternoon, the town and neighbourhood of Banbury were visited with a violent storm of thunder and lightning, the rain. pouring down in torrents. On the Castle Farm, in the parish of Chacombe, about two miles from Banbury, a little before seven o'clock, seven cows taking shelter from the storm under a fine lofty oak, four of them were struck down by the lightning, and the two nearest to the tree, on opposite sides of it, were killed in a moment. The other two recovered. A man at a short distance, who saw the awful sight, thought the whole tree was on fire; but it sustained no injury, not a leaf of its rich foliage, in all appearance, being torn off or blasted. The tree stands alone, on a gentle declivity, not in a hedge.

A meeting was held at the Freemasons' Tavern, for the purpose of giving to Mr. Kemble every possible testimony of respect and esteem for his extraordinary merits in promoting the interests of the British acting drama; and was attended by an unprecedented assemblage of rank and talents. Lord Holland presided; on his righthand was Mr. Kemble, and on his left the duke of Bedford. Among the noblemen and gentlemen at the principal table were, the marquises Lansdowne, Tavistock, and Worcester; the earls of Essex, Mul grave, Aberdeen, Blessington; lords Erskine, Petersham, and Torrington; Messrs. Croker, Campbell, T. Moore, Rogers, with several cha. (B 4)

racters

racters of acknowledged eminence in literature and the fine arts. M. Talma, the celebrated tragedian of the French drama, was also present on this interesting occasion.After the usual national toasts, lord Holland called the attention of the meeting to the object which they had in view. He stated, that it was the intention of the committee to present to his excellent friend near him (Mr. Kemble) a piece of plate with suitable embellishments; but that, as it was found impossible to have it completed in time, he had obtained a copy of the inscription, which he should read. The plate was dedicated to "John Philip Kemble, Esq. on his retirement from the stage, of which he had been thirty-four years the ornament and pride;-which to his learning, taste, and genius, was indebted for its present state and refinement; -which by his labours and perseverance in the advancement of the legitimate drama, and more particularly in support of Shakspeare, whose muse his performances had aided and embellished, the plate was given as a testimony of gratitude, respect, and affection."--His lordship proceeded to pass a very just eulogium on the talents of Mr. Kemble; in the course of which he observed, that Mr. Kemble had given to poetry its full effects, and conferred upon the drama of the country all the rational entertainment of which it was susceptible. Among the list of English actors, no one could be named who had conferred upon the stage so many essential advantages, and who had combined so successfully the results of the kindred arts of painting and of sculpture. He united in himself the legitimate claims of the actor, the scholar, and the critic.

An ode, written on the occasion by

one of the first poets of the country, was then recited by Mr. Young. Mr. Kemble then, amid the cordial and fervent acclamations of his friends and admirers, most feelingly expressed his gratitude for the honours conferred upon him.-In the course of the evening "the health of M. Talma" was received with warm and universal plaudits. M. Talma, sensibly affected by the attention paid to him, presented himself to the company with mingled emotions of surprise and gratitude. He expressed himself in excellent English, but with an occasional mixture of the French accent.

WATERLOO BRIDGE.

The length of stonework, within the abutments, is, from one river bank to the other, 1240 feet, whose harmonizing straight line, running parallel with the river, or waterline through it, gives it that simple elegance and grandeur which is not equalled by any work of this description in Europe. The length, or gentle incline of plane from St. George's Fields, to obtain the summit of the bridge, is 1250 feet, and carried on partly by a mound of earth and brick arches. The length, from the north shore, from the abutment to the Strand, is 400 feet; the road principally carried over on brick arches, and almost directly level with the former. The total length of the bridge, with its approaches, from the Strand to S:. George's Fields, is 2890 feet. The span of the nine stone arches over the river, all of which are of equal dimensions, is 120 feet each. The width of the bridge, within the balustrades, is 42 feet, divided on each side by a footway of 7 feet, leaving the carriage road 28 feet. The number of brick, or dry arches, on the south shore, is 40; and on

the

the north, or Strand side, is 16. So that the total number of arches which have been carried over, for the completion of this grand work, is 65. The whole of the exterior of the bridge is executed with durable Cornish moor-stone.

30. Our duty imposes upon us the painful task to announce another dreadful accident occasioned by the ignition of fire damp.' About eleven o'clock this forenoon, an explosion took place at the Row Pitt, in Harraton colliery, near Chesterle-Street, by which melancholy accident, we lament to say, 38 men and boys have unfortunately perished. The force of the explosion was so great, that two of the men were blown from the bottom to the pit mouth, in a state too shocking to describe; several of the utensils also ascended the shaft, and a corf, and two pulleys, from the top of the machine, were thrown a considerable height into the air. Only three men were taken out alive, and faint hopes are entertained of their recovery. Of the sufferers, there are ten of the name of Hill, viz. a father, two sons, and seven grandsons. What adds not a little to the distress occasioned by this accident, is the reflection that it was caused by the obstinacy of one of the pitmen, who, notwithstanding he was cautioned against it, persisted in entering the mine with a candle instead of the safety lamp. The following is the verdict of the coroner's jury, by whom the circumstances were carefully investigated: "The deceased came by their deaths in consequence of an explosion of fire damp, occasioned by the using of candles instead of the safety lamps, contrary to orders given." This dreadful accident shows the necessity of strong regulations to compel the constant use of the safe

ty-lamps, or the mines should be better ventilated.

ITALY.

Eugene Beauharnois has sold his possessions in Italy to the crown of Naples, for 5,000,000 francs, or 210,000/

Sir Thomas Maitland, the British commissioner for settling the constitution of the Ionian Islands, lately convoked the legislative assembly at Corfu, and directed them to commence the work of framing a free constitution, subject to the approbation of the British government. Sir Thomas Maitland then returned to Malta.

GERMANY.

The ceremony of the marriage of the archduchess Leopoldine with the king of Portugal took place by proxy at Vienna, on the 14th of May.

A letter from Leipsic of the 16th of May represents the recent fair as much inferior to that of the preceding Michaelmas. The number of strangers resorting thither was less numerous, it is said, by 14,000 than on the former occasion. The general grievance seems to be, that Germany is overstocked with goods; or, in other words, that its inhabitants are destitute of means to buy them. The desires of people on the continent are limited to mere subsistence.

The brave Tyrolese have opened a subscription to raise a national monument to Andrew Hoffer, the hero of the Tyrol, whom Buonaparte ordered to be shot at Mantua. The house of Sand-WirthHoffer, which was burned by command of the tyrant, will be re-constructed of stone. A church will be erected near the house. The sepulchral monument will display the statues of Andrew Hoffer, of the duke D'Enghien, of Kleber, of Palm, of Pichegru, and of Stofflet.

Jerome,

Jerome Buonaparte has purchase ed for 250,000 florins an estate at Erla, about two leagues from Vi

enna.

Great distress prevails in Prussia. No less than 40,000 weavers are said to be starving for want of employment.

JULY.

2.--This afternoon, some pitmen descended into the new pit, at Harraton, in order to ascertain the injury it had sustained from the explosion of the old pit above described, when, shocking to relate, eight men were suffocated, in consequence of the impure state of the air in the mine.

The Gazette of July 5 contains a proclamation, dated the 1st instant, by the prince regent, ordering that the new gold coin called sove. reigns shall pass current at the value of twenty shillings. Each sovereign contains 5 dwts. 3 grs. and the 2740-10,000dth part of a grain of standard gold. The impression on the obverse is the head of his majesty, with the inscription "GEORGIUS III. D. G. BRITANNIAR, REX. F. D." and the date of the year; and on the reverse the image of St. George armed, sitting on horseback, encountering the dragon with a spear, the said device being placed within the ennobled garter, bearing the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense.” with a newly-invented graining on the edge of the piece.

Another proclamation, of the same date, orders, that, as much of the present gold coin in circulation is deficient in weight, none shall be taken in payment of less weight than as follows:-Guineas, 5 dwts. 8 grs.; half guineas, 2 dwts. 16 grs.; quarter guineas, 1 dwt. 8 grs.; and that seven-shilling pieces, and the gold pieces called sovereigns,

or twenty-shilling pieces, if of less weight than the rates hereafter specified, viz. Seven-shilling pieces, 1 dwt. 18grs.; sovereigns, or twentyshilling pieces, 5 dwts. 2 grs. and three quarters; be not allowed to be current or pass in any payment whatsoever.

The Margate Regent steampacket took fire on her passage from London to Margate, with a crew of ten men, and about forty passengers, men, women, and children. The voyage was extremely quick and favourable till about four in the afternoon, when, having cleared the point of the isle of Sheppy, and with a view of the destined port in the distance, a smoke was observed to issue from the wooden casing on the deck surrounding the lower part of the chimney of the steam-engine. The attempt to stifle the fire was fruitless; and the smoke and heat increasing in the engine. house, the captain shortly after ordered all hands upon deck, and di. rected all the apertures communicating with the interior of the vessel to be closed. The danger now became dreadfully apparent, and it was determined as the most probable chance of preserving the lives of the passengers and crew, to hoist a signal of distress, and to direct the course of the vessel towards Whitstable, from which place, at the time the accident was first discovered, the vessel was about eight miles distant, and the steam-engine still acting from the external heat surrounding the boiler, was a cir cumstance which fortunately favoured the object. For the space of upwards of an hour did the passengers remain in a horrible state of suspense, the fire raging in the interior of the vessel beneath, and being only kept from penetrating through the deck by the constant application