tianity, in which both Churches are agreed; and I desire to see the beginning made upon the approaching secular festival of the Reformation. Such a truly religious union of the two abovementioned Protestant Churches, who are separated only by external differences, is conformable to the great objects of Christianity; it answers the first views of the Reformers; it lies in the spirit of Protestanism; it promotes religious spirit; it is salutary to domestic piety; it will be the source of many useful improvements in churches and schools, which have been often hindered hitherto merely by the difference of religions. To this salutary union, so long desired, and now again so loudly called for, and so often sought in vain, in which the Reformed Church does not go over to the Lutheran, or the latter to the former, but both unite in one new animated Evangelic Christian Church, in the spirit of their Holy Founder, there is no longer any obstacle in the nature of the thing itself, if both parties seriously and honestly desire it in a true Christian spirit; and if produced by this it will worthily express the gratitude which we owe to Divine Providence for the invaluable blessings of the Reformation, and honour the memory of its great authors in the continuance of their work.

But much as I must wish that the reformed and Lutheran Churches in my dominions may share with me this my well-tried conviction, I have far too much respect for their rights and their liberty to force it upon them, or to order or decide any thing in this affair, VOL. LIX.

This union, besides, can have real value only, if neither persuasion nor indifferentism have a part in it, if it proceed from the unbiased liberty of self-conviction, and is not only an union in external form, but has its roots and vivifying service in unity of heart, according to the genuine principles of Scripture.

As I shall myself celebrate in this spirit the approaching secular festival of the Reformation, in the union of the late Reformed and Lutheran congregation at Potsdam, in one Evangelic Christian congregation, and take the holy Sacrament with them, I hope that this my own example will have a beneficial influence on all the Protestant congregations in my country, and that it may be generally followed in spirit and truth. To the wise direction of the Consistories, to the pious zeal of the Clergy and their Synods, I leave the exterior coinciding form of the union, convinced that the congregations will readily follow in a true Christian spirit, and that every where, when the attention is directed seriously and sincerely, without any interested secondary views, to what is essential to the great sacred cause itself, the form will be easily found, and the external will naturally result from the internal, simple, dignified, and true. May the promised period be no more remote when under one common Shepherd, all united in one faith, one charity, and one hope, shall form only one flock! FREDERICK WILLIAM.

Potsdam, Sept. 27, 1817.. To the Consistories, Synods, and Superintendents.

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The undersigned Minister, charged with the publication of this expression of his Majesty's wishes, does not doubt of the desired and happy success; because as it has been accepted since the 1st of this month by the clergy of this city, of both Evangelic Confessions, united in one Synod, with unanimous joy and grateful respect for his Majesty's sentiments and views therein expressed, it will certainly be received in the same manner by all the Evangelic Clergy and congregations in the kingdom.

Minister of the Interior,

VON SCHUCKMANN.

Berlin, Oct. 8, 1817.

14. Dundee. On Sunday last, a shoal of fishes of the kind called Finney, a species of small whale, was observed in our river. It was seen again on Monday morning by some people on the south coast, and by them followed in a fishingcoble. About 8 o'clock it was observed by many from our harbour. The boats drove the shoal before them, towards the entrance of the new harbour; and after tacking about there for a little time, it bent its course along the new east wall. At this time the chase exhibited a scene unique and beautiful. The sea monsters, in number nearly 40, and in part seen above water, ploughed their way majestically along; and about 20 boats full of people, with anxious and eager looks, followed close after, keeping them together, and driving them towards the shore. They were soon hem med into a corner. A vigorous attack immediately commenced upon the whales. Hene might be scen a sturdy labourer, grasping

in his arms the tail of one monster, and cast about by its lashing, but still clinging to his prey: there, a lusty carpenter, after a death-dealing blow, which sunk his adze up to the shaft in the hide of another, struggling manfully to extract it; but fain at last to escape with the loss of his weapon, from the lashing of the dreadful creature's tail: there, a boat, borne away upon the shoulders of a monster, was no uncommon sight: and upon one occasion a sailor lad, by way of securing his; right to the property of a fish which he had laid hold of, mounted upon its back, held fast by the fins, and was borne along in singular style, calling out as he went, "I have got this chap; I have him fast." Every fish was killed. Their length was from 12 to 21 feet; and they would produce from 1 to 5 cwt. of oil.

Thursday the 16th inst. died at Bow-wood, the seat of the Marquis of Lansdown, Mr. Broad, for nearly forty years steward in the Marquis's family: being out in the park on the preceding day with a party of ladies and gentlemen, he found a dead adder, which he took up in his hand, and opened the mouth to show where the poison of the creature lay; in doing this, however, the subtle matter was communicated to a cut in one of his fingers. On the next morning, Mr. B. was found dead in his bed, with every mark of his having died from the effects of the poison, the arm being much inflamed.

17. Augsburg.-There has been published here a new rectification, that appears official, of the rumours relative to the misunder

standing

standing between Russia and the Porte, in regard to which the German journals had furnished some very detailed articles. The following is a correct statement, which contains some very important facts:

The Ottoman government could not have either occasioned or approved the execution of Czerny Georges, because it took place a few hours after he had entered the Ottoman territory. It is not known what act of madness had engaged this unfortunate man to take the step which cost him his life; he appears to have been betrayed by some of his countrymen. In every case he has brought on his death. Before the Emperor of Russia could have been informed of the catastrophe, and on the first intimation of the rash intention, his Majesty issued a circular order, declaring in case Czerny Georges removed from his asylum, or passed the Russian frontiers, the personal protection granted to him should be withdrawn, and his Russian dignities retracted. When the affair was known at Constantinople, the Russian Ambassador could not have the least doubt about the manner in which the Court viewed the affair so it is certain that neither Baron Strokonoff, nor the Russian Cabinet had taken the least steps relative to the affair. The account of the sending a courier from Petersburgh with the demand of a categorical declaration, and the menace of an immediate rupture, is not only a vague report, but a premeditated falsehood. The corps of General Benningsen was never called an army

of observation, nor has it received any reinforcement.

On the 18th of October the anniversary of the battle of Leipsic was celebrated with the greatest enthusiasm in some of the northern cities of Germany, as the era of their emancipation from the French yoke, and the commencement of their glory and independ

ence.

The German muse was called into the service of patriotism on the occasion, and both the Hamburgh and Bremen papers contain some of her most willing, if not her happiest effusions. Festive meetings and appropriate services of religious thanksgiving distinguished the day. The city of Hamburgh, which had suffered most from French tyranny, and gained most by the victory of Leipsic, seems to have been inspired with proportional joy and gratitude.

Later public intelligence saysThe festival of the 18th of October, celebrated by the German students at Wartburg, was very fine. The number of students assembled, particularly from the northern universities, amounted to 500. Early on the morning of the 18th they proceeded to Wartburg, with music playing and colours flying, where a speech was made to them in the hall of the bards. Before this, they sung "Our God is a strong tower;' and after it, "the hymn, "Let us all thank God." Then they went to dinner, and afterwards returned to the town to attend divine service. There was afterwards a species of tournament; and towards the evening they proceeded with torches to a neighbouring

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hill,

hill, where they kindled bonfires. On the 19th, most of the students took the sacrament of the Holy Supper. During the whole of this festival it was remarked what a deep impression was made on the noble minds of the youth-an impression never to be effaced.

20. The spring tide, as calculated, was extremely high on many parts of the coast, both on Saturday and Sunday, but more particularly in the afternoon of the latter day. Its natural height on the north-eastern coast was considerably augmented by a strong wind from several points in succession from the westward to the eastward of North, and the effect was a tremendously heavy sea, which broke with raging violence against the cliffs, and over the embankments, uniting, in many places unopposed to its fury, its whitened surge with the very verge of the land. The waters of the Thames and Medway were also much increased from the impulse of the above winds, which, sweeping over the great northern ocean, brings such a body of water, that the narrowness of the straits of Dover, with the head of sea kept up in the channel below by the inclination of the wind to the west, will not permit its efflux; it consequently spreads along the northeast coast, and influences the height of the tide.

20. Another dreadful murder was committed near Wells, in the county of Norfolk, on Saturday week, in open day. The unfortunate victim of this atrocious crime is Mr. Robert Baker, sen., a glover and breeches-maker, resident in the above town, a man

of most respectable character. It appears that Mr. Baker had, on the morning of the day abovementioned, gone out on foot for the purpose of collecting the amount of some bills due to him by persons in the neighbourhood; and that on his return to Wells, between the hours of three and four in the afternoon, he was robbed, and afterwards murdered in the most barbarous manner, by two or more villains, hitherto undiscovered, within 200 yards from the town, in a place called Marketlane. The deceased was not discovered till about eight o'clock on the Monday morning. A man named Doye, who was looking for his donky, accidentally observed the body lying by the side of the hedge, and immediately communicated the circumstance to two persons, who were passing through the lane, and who, with Doye, went up to the body. On examination, they discovered, by the dress, that it was Mr. Robert Baker: it was impossible to recognize the features of the deceased, on account of their mangled state. The remains presented a most dreadful spectacle: the back part of the skull was completely beaten in, and the throat cut. Two sticks of singular form, supposed to belong to the murderers, were found near the spot, where, from the appearance of the ground, it is concluded their bloody purpose was effected: one of them was broken in two. The deceased's walking-stick was also found there, covered with clots of blood, brains, and hair. The body seemed to have been dragged some way by the cape of the great coat, which

enveloped the head in this state it was seen by some boys on the Sunday; but they, taking it for a drunken man asleep, contented themselves with throwing stones at it, and left it. Bills, offering a reward of 100l. for the apprehension of the murderers, and giving a description of two persons strongly suspected, were immediately circulated, and every means used to discover the perpetrators.

22. An important application of steam-vessels has lately been made in Scotland, and it is said with the most complete success. It appears that, since the opening of the Forth and Clyde canal (upwards of 30 years ago), a navigable communication has existed between Glasgow and Leith, the port of Edinburgh; notwithstanding which, by far the greater portion of the trade between these places has been carried on by land carriage, at an expense more than double what it might have been done by water.

This navigable communication consists of a canal, for 29 miles, and a broad river or firth for 26 miles; and it appears, that the obstacle which has prevented the benefit being taken of such apparent advantages, is the extreme difficulty of constructing vessels, which from draught of water and mode of rigging, would answer for the navigation of the canal, and at the same time be able to contend against strong contrary winds in the Firth of Forth.

To obviate this difficulty, a Company in Leith have equipped a powerful steam-vessel, or tracker, possessing extraordinary strength, and completely adapted for en

countering stormy weather. This vessel, which is most appropriately named the Tug, is meant to track ten other vessels, alternately, which have been peculiarly constructed by the same company, for carrying goods along the canal.

The Tug, which may thus be compared to a team of horses in the water, tracks these vessels between Leith and Grangemouth, the entrance of the canal, along which they are tracked by horses. But the utility of the Tug is not confined to tracking: she has also two commodious cabins, and from combining the two purposes of tracking and conveyance of passengers, she is able to convey the latter with a degree of cheapness, which resembles more the track schuyt of Holland, than any conveyance we have in this country; the passage in the best cabin being, for a distance of 26 miles, two shillings; and in the second, one shilling.

Hurricane in the West Indies.-The following letter on this lamentable occasion was addressed by the Colonial Secretary of St. Lucie to the Governor of Barbadoes :

"St. Lucie, Oct. 23, 1817. "My Lord,-His Excellency Major-General Seymour being unable to address your Lordship, in consequence of the very serious injury he received during the hurricane of the 21st instant (and I am sorry to add very little hopes are entertained of his recovery), of which his Excellency has directed me to give your Lordship the particulars, and earnestly to entreat your Lordship's assistance and support towards ameliorating the situation of the unfortunate. inhabitants of this island, not one

of