ENGLISH PRISONERS IN FRANCE.-A letter has just been received from an English prisoner at Verdun. The writer is a young gentleman of considerable information, who had been travelling through France for his improvement, before the war broke out, and has ever since been kept in a state of cruel captivity. He says, that about the beginning of the present month, two captains of English merchantmen being on parole, had attempted to escape; but they were taken before they left the French territory, and were brought back to Verdun in chains. This circumstance threw the most melancholy gloom over all the English at that place. The unhappiness and misery they suffer is beyond what the writer of this letter is able to describe. Two gentlemen despairing of being ever released from this deplorable situation, a short time since put a period to their existence. The season was at that time very bad in France, the wine was execrable, and the place was unhealthy.

The celebrated Ismeal Bassa, of Jean d'Acre, who had converted to his own use the treasures of Djezzar Bassa, arrived at Constantinople on the 20th of April, and, after a summary trial, was beheaded. On the 28th in the morning, his head was exhibited on a silver dish, on one of the outer gates of the Seraglio.

The number of men wanting to complete his Majesty's Regular European Cavalry and Infantry, on the 1st May, 1805, amount in Great Britain and the islands, to 25,923; in Ireland, 7,030; on foreign stations, 18,707; total, 51,660.

The new order of knighthood of the Iron Crown, is to consist of 500 knights, 100 commanders, and 60 great officers; 200 of the order of the knighthood, and 25 places of commanders, are to be conferred upon an equal number of those French officers and soldiers who have distinguished themselves in the battles by which the Italian kingdom has been established. The motto of the order of the Iron Crown will be, "God has given it unto me; woe be unto him who dares to attack it." It is to be suspended from an orange ribbon with a green border.

A young man and woman were married at a parish church in the West Riding of Yorkshire, during the last week, who proved, on enquiry, to be brother and sister by marriage. The officiating clergyman, apprehensive that he had acted improperly in uniting this pair, attempted to unmarry them. This novel ceremony he performed by taking the bride's bonnet from her head, and placing the church bible there; but the charm proved not sufficiently powerful; the loving couple insisted on the validity of the marriage, and firmly resisted the dangerous innovation of attempting to untie the hymenial knot.

EGYPTIAN BARLEY.-Mr. Snowler, of Reevesby, in Lincolnshire, three years ago, planted 25 grains of Egyptian barley; the second year's produce was 10 bushels, from which, last year, he reaped 40 quarters, a part of which he lately sold at Spilsby for five guineas per quarter.

The Ordnance Board have signified to General Lloyd, who commands the artillery at Woolwich, that the Warren at that place is no longer to bear that name, but to be from this time denominated the Royal Arsenal. The old name had its origin from the place having actually been a rabbit warren, and the name of one of the tamest animals, was certainly ill suited to the nature of the place. On the recent royal visit to what was called the Warren, where all ordnance

stores, ammunition, &c. are now lodged, his majesty noticed how little appropriate the name was to the place, &c. and suggested the propriety of changing it to that of Arsenal. The master-general admitted the justice of the idea, and instantly adopted it; and henceforward, in compliment to his majesty's suggestion, the warren is to be called the Royal Arsenal.

The Eugenie sloop of war, with the Crescent, of Hull, Captain Rustone, under convoy, arrived at Goree, on the coast of Africa, on the 28th of March. These vessels sailed with Mungo Park, Esq. the celebrated African traveller, who is about to penetrate, if possible, still further into the interior of that country. On their passage they touched at the island of St. Jago, where Mr. Park purchased 44 asses for his journey; and the Crescent was to sail on the 6th of April from Goree up the Gambia with that gentleman, and 40 soldiers who are to accompany him; after proceeding as far up that river as possible, the Crescent was to land Mr. Park and his suite, and return to Goree, whence she was expected to sail with the Eugenie the latter end of this month, for England.

In the late gallant affair off El Muros, the 14th of June, the Spanish bishop and his clergy, finding the church and town preserved from plunder, were so much overcome with gratitude, that they made an offer of a free gift of all the rich plate of the church to the captain of La Loire, for the humanity of the ship's company; which he politely refused, and nobly said, British sailors and royal marines never made war in, or distressed the peaceable inhabitants of, an enemy's town not found in arms.

SUICIDE IN AMERICA.-Mr. John Hilliard, of the Delaware State, a student of physic, having been rejected by the medical board, at the examination held in April, at Easton, attempted, on his way home, to blow out his brains with a pistol; but being prevented, he took, the same day, a quantity of laudanum, which put an end to his existence. The following letter was found on his table:

Dear Parents and Relatives,

Forgive a son, a relative, whose inatention and dissipation have driven him to self-murder.-Never think of me more. I am unworthy of your love, affection, or esteem, much less sorrow and regard. Adieu-What Cato did, and Addison approved of, who can censure? If a father has any affection for his son, indemnify Doctor Elijah Barret, who has been a very near and dear friend to me.

P. S. I hope to meet you in the kingdom of Heaven-my last prayers are to the God of my existence. I shall experience the awful realities of eternity by the medium of laudanum. J. H.

If you possibly can, pay all my debts. The embarrassed state of my affairs, the reprimand of a fond father, the sighs and reproaches of an indulgent mother, and the rebuke of an aged aunt, have so much hurt and distracted me, as to urge me on to the deliberate act of self-murder. My God! I shudder to relate it but in my dying moments I will not deny the fact. Pardon me, O God! and excuse me, beloved parents and relatives, and do not bewail a son and connection unworthy of you. can say no more! my heart is ready to burst, my tears cloud my eyes; I recommend myself to God. Dear father and mother,

and J. R. C. if you love your son, indemnify Dr. Barret. Adieu.

JOHN HILLIARD,

On the 20th of May, at New York, James Eleanor, formerly a general in the revolutionary army, and latterly superintendant of the state prison, was found suspended by a silk handkerchief from his bed-post.

The office of prime serjeant, it is said, is abolished in Ireland; there will in future be three serjeants, to be called the first, second, and third. They will take precedence immediately after the solicitor-general.

Mr. THELLUSSON'S WILL.-The chief baron, who attended the House of Lords on Tuesday, the 25th of June, with some of the other judges, delivered his opinion, as to the law, upon the late Mr. Thellusson's will. Our readers will recollect, that some years ago the late Mr. Thellusson directed, by his will, that his property should not go to any of his present representatives, but be left to accumulate, and be afterwards inherited by his remote posterity; and that, in case of such posterity not existing, it should, at a certain period, be applied towards the liquidation of the national debt. Application was afterwards made to the court of chancery to reverse this will; but the court decreed that the will was valid, in point of law. An appeal was made four years ago to the House of Lords, and the final decision has taken place. The chief baron advanced several arguments in support of his opinion, the result of which was, that the will could not, in point of law, be annulled. The lord chancellor then gave his opinion at some length. He stated generally the right which men had to dispose of their property, in whatever manner, and to whom they chose. In deciding on the present case, their lordships must lay out of their consideration all ideas of hardship which individuals might be supposed to suffer. They could not even act according to what their feelings, their wishes, or their inclinations, might dictate; but according to the strict meaning of the law. If they were to follow the dictates of their feelings, and declare that the property in question should not be disposed of in the manner directed by the testator, they would overturn all the principles on which the validity of wills had hitherto been established. After several other ob-` servations, his lordship concluded, with giving it as his opinion, that the will was perfectly legal. There could be no doubt on the subject. He therefore put the question, that the decree of the court of chancery be reversed, which was nega tived. The decree of course stands good.

PARISIAN MANNERS.-We are indebted for the following remarks to an excellent pamphlet just published, called, "A Sketch of the present State of France," and written by an English gentleman who escaped from Paris last May. "It is certain that much of the frivolity of the French metropolis arises out of the laxity of public attention to the proceedings of its rulers. How this frivolity shews itself is very various, but general examples will suffice; and those examples indicate the state of manners. For instance: one may see in the innumerable coffee-houses of Paris, groupes of old politicians surrounding the stove, which generally stands in the middle of the room; the orators ardently engaged in discussing the wars of Turenne or the ministry of Colbert, but not a single word escaping them on the measures of the day; the younger men talking of the merits of the actresses and actors, the plays, dress, and new books, and equally silent on the present affairs which ought to interest them. A habit of taking tea at a very late hour gains ground very much. Cards occupy the whole attention of their private parties, from which all rational and useful conversation, and all ic spirit and energy, are banished; and this is their general mode of spending

the day. The people in business know no settled interval of remission; they labour most irregularly, at all hours, at the tedious confusion of their affairs. The Parisians deal with each other in the ordinary concerns of life and business as if they were a nation of swindlers, and each man thought his neighbour intended to cheat him. All their transactions are rendered tiresome by a number of cautious formalities, which impede their progress; and the universal remark is, "The revolution has done this." Every class of men and women frequent the public gaming tables in Paris."

The following is the arrangement for the summer encampments:

At Weymouth-1 troop of horse artillery; 1 car brigade ditto; 15th light dragoons; king's German light dragoons; 21st foot, first battalion; 31st foot, 1st battalion; 35th foot, 2d battalion ; 1st Lancashire militia; 1st and 2d Somerset militia; and north York militia.

Fairlight Downs, near Hastings, Sussex-40th foot, 10th battalion; and 38th foot, 1st battalion.

At Bexhill-4th battalion, king's German legion.

At Shorn Cliff---43d foot, 1st battalion; and 52d foot, 1st battalion.

At Chatham Lines---Cambridge and Denbigh Militia.

At Cliff End, near the village of Pett, Sussex---east and west Middlesex militia.

The late incorporation of Genoa with France is a remarkable instance of the recurrence of similar events in distant periods. In 1353, having been pressed by John Viscomti, Governor of Milan, the Genoese surrendered their territories to him, exactly as they now have done to Buonaparte. They did it in the same manner, and in the same place---by a deputation to Milan. Petrarch gives the words used by the deputation :---"We come by order of the people of Genoa to offer you the city of Genoa, its inhabitants, their sea and their land, their goods, their homes and estates, aud every thing that belongs to them, both sacred and profane, from Corvo to Monaco, on certain conditions, that shall be agreed upon." Viscomti accepted the offer, "not to extend his dominions, but out of compassion to an oppressed people!"

DUBLIN, JULY 1.---Mr. Hamilton Rowan was this day brought up by Habeas Corpus to the court of king's bench. Mr. Curran moved that the outlawry in this case should be reversed for error. Mr. Rowan then delivered the errors assigned, engrossed, which were---first, That the addition in the record was erroneous, Mr. Rowan being stated there esquire, when in fact he was not of that rank, but only a yeoman :---secondly, That the record averred, that Mr. Rowan was within the realm at the time of the proclamation, whereas he was then in parts beyond the seas. The attorney-general appeared, and confessed the errors. Mr. Rowan was then put to plead to an indictment for high treason. He pleaded his majesty's pardon, which was read and allowed. Mr. Rowan was then informed that he was at large.

According to annual custom, Fairlop fair was celebrated on Friday, 5th of July, round the immense oak in Hainault Forest, Essex. This venerable tree, which is supposed to be upwards of 1000 years old, and whose branches extend over an acre of ground, escaped in a great measure the fury of the flames, a few days since; one branch, of an amazing size, became their victim; but there are three left, each of which exceeds, in size, the largest tree in St. James's park.

Statement of the quantity of Strong Beer brewed in London by the first twelve

houses, from the 5th July, 1804, to the 5th July 1805,

The quantity of rain which fell during the last month was equal to three and a half inches in depth. The barometer, on the average was 30,047, being higher than during any given month for several years past; while the thermometer was only 56, being seven degrees lower than the preceding June, and six lower than June 1803.

On Friday July 5, after a consultation with the physician of his Majesty, Mr. Phipps, the occulist, communicated both to the King himself and to the Queen and family the afflicting intelligence, that a cataract was formed in one eye, and that there were the most unequivocal symptoms of its extending to the other. His Majesty received the information with a fortitude the most exemplary. He said that the deprivation of sight was an affliction he had long dreaded, and from which he had most fervently prayed to be relieved: but if doomed to endure the calamity, he would shew the resignation which was the duty of a christian: and if he was to undergo the operation, he trusted he should display the firmness of a man. His Majesty has been earnestly advised not to expose himself to fatigue nor to sudden changes; but he is anxious, he says (not for himself, but for the Princesses) to perform at least a part of his intended tour; but it is not yet certain that it will take place. The operation of extracting the cataract must be delayed for a considerable time, as it is dangerous to attempt it at an early stage of the malady.

Kotzebue has, it is said, been arrested in Italy, as it is supposed, by the order of Buonaparte, in consequence of the freedom of his remarks upon the present state of France.

Dessalines was 22 days before Saint Domingo without attempting any enter◄ prise of moment against it. His defeat, although proceeding in a great degree from a virulent fever in his army, has lessened his popularity with the troops, and increased that of Christophe, who had proposed more decided operations. They made considerable plunder by the expedition.

The splendid diadem, which the French emperor will present to the pope, has been exhibited to his Majesty at Milan, and cardinal Fesch is charged to offer it to his Holiness. The diadem, or tiara, was made at Paris, it is richly set with diamonds, rubies, &c. and there is an emerald at the top of it, supporting the cross, weighing an ounce and three quarters. This large emerald had been