from Spanish town by Lord Balcarres, tended, and they actually failed from the Governor of Jamaica. The Maroons Port Royal on the morning of the 29th, then demanded, and obtained a confe- under convoy of the Success Frigate." rence. They complained not of the injuftice nor of the feverity of the punishment that had been inflicted on their two companions, but of the disgraceful man ner in which it had been executed. They demanded reparation for this indignity, an addition to their lands, the difmiffion of their fuperintendant Captain Crafkell, and the re-appointment of their former fuperintendant, James. It was promised to them that their grievances hould be laid before the Commander in Chief, and they were affured that the Governor fhould be requefted to grant them the laft of their demands; with which they feemed fatisfied. "It foon appeared, however, that the Maroons, in defiring this conference, were actuated folely by motives of treachery. They were apprized that a fleet of 150 fhips was to fail for Great Britain on the morning of the 26th; and they knew that very few British troops remained in the ifland, except the 83d regiment, and that this very regiment was, al that juncture, under orders to embark for St Domingo; they hoped, therefore, by the fpecious and delufive appearance of defiring a conference, to quiet fufpicion, until the July fleet was failed, and the regulars fairly departed. In the meanwhile, they pleafed themfelves with the hope of prevailing on the negroe flaves throughout the inland to join them; and by rifing in a mafs, to enable them to exterminate the whites at a blow. "The very day the conference was held, they began tampering with the negroes on the numerous and extenfive plantations in the neighbourhood of Montego Bay. On fome of thefe plantations their emiffaries were cordially received and fecreted; on others, the flaves themselves voluntarily apprized their o verfeers, that the Maroons were endeavouring to feduce them from their allegiance. Information of this nature was tranfmitted from many refpe&table quarters; but most of the gentlemen who had visited the Maroons on the 20th, were fo confident of their fidelity and affection, that the Governor, difbelieving the charges against them, was prevailed on to let the troops embark, as originally in Trelawney Town is fituated within 20 miles of the town and harbour of Montego Bay Fortunately, the course from Port Royal to St Domingo is altogether against the wind; and at this time there was al- i fo a ftrong lee current. A faft-failing boat, dispatched after the fleet by Lord Balcarres's order, came up with them. off the north-east end of Jamaica, and delivered orders to Captain Pigot, of the Succefs, to change his courfe, andto proceed with the tranfports to Montego Bay. The 83d regiment, confift ing of 1000 effective men, was landed on Auguft 4. The unexpected arrival of fo powerful a reinforcement immediately changed the face of affairs :yet farther measures were adopted. The whole island was put under martial law : 130 more dragoons, commanded by Colonel Sandford, and a detachment of 100 men from the 62d regiment, with 150 difmounted dragoons, embarked at the fame time for Black River; and the Governor himself left Spanish-town for Montego Bay, in order to command in perfon at the scene of action. The Maroons now became undecided in their counfels: many of the old men recommended peace; and the whole of the Acompong people declared in favour of the Whites: but the more violent counfels of the younger prevailed; and war was the final determination. Lord Balcarres, after having ineffectually fummoned them to furrender, gave orders to the troops to take poffeffion of all the known paths leading to Trelawney Town.-The Maroons having affembled in a body near a village called their New Town, behind which were their provifion-grounds, Colonel Sandford was ordered to take poffeffion of thofe grounds. He proceeded thither accordingly: but, being informed that the Maroons had retired to the ruins of the old town, he, contrary to his orders, pufhed after them: a fatal error, to which he himself and many brave men fell facrifices. retreat of the Maroons was a feint, to draw him into an ambufcade; and the troops had marched only about half way, when a heavy fire enfued from the buthes, by which 37 men were immediately killed, and many wounded. They pufhed forwards, however, drove the Maroons from their hiding places, The Thirty-eight actually furrendered themfelves to the Governor's mercy. and and brought back with them moft of dogs arrived. Such extraordinary actheir wounded companions. counts were immediately spread of the By the death of Colonel Sandford, the favage nature and appearance of thefe command devolved on Colonel Fitch: animals, as made a furprising impreffion but his caution alfo, notwithstanding on the minds of the negroes. Though the warning juft given, the Maroons generally not larger than the British found means to elude, and he perifhed fhepherd's dog, thefe dogs of Cuba were nearly in the fame manner. Their head reprefented as equal to the mastiff in quarters were now eftablished at a place bulk, to the bull-dog in courage, to the of moft difficult accefs, called the Cock- blood-hound in fcent, and to the greypit; whence they fent out parties, who hound in agility.-Thefe reports had a defroyed several plantations, carried off powerful and falutary effect on the fears the negroes, and murdered the whites of the Maroons, and foon brought about in cold blood, without distinction of fex a negotiation, followed by a treaty. or age. It now appeared, that the fuppreffion of the Maroons would prove a task of greater difficulty than had been imagined. The General Affembly was convened towards the end of September; and, on this occafion, the expedient that had been adopted in a former war, of employing dogs to discover the concealment of the Maroons, was recommended as a fit example to be followed in the prefent juncture: It was therefore refolved to fend to Cuba for an hundred of those animals, and to engage a fufficient number of Spanish buntfmen to direct their operations. Mr E. here enters into a ferious and argumentative apology for the conduct of the Affembly in having recourfe to an expedient apparently fo ferocious; the reader will find it at p. 66, 67, 68, 69, and 70. The paffage, however interefting, is too long to allow of our inferting it.—Meanwhile the Maroons were ftill carrying on a prædatory, or rather a devastating war; yet they expreffed a willingness to fubmit, to deliver up their arms, to surrender their lands, and intermix with the general body of free blacks, in fuch parts of the country as the colonial government should approve; and "it was the opinion (fays Mr E.) of many wife and worthy men, that thofe overtures ought to be accept ed:"-but others thought that a compromife of any kind with a lawless banditti, who had flaughtered fo many excellent men, and had murdered in cold blood even women in childbed, and infants at the breaft, was a fhameful facrifice of the public honour, a total difregard to the dictates of juftice, and an encouragement to the reft of the Maroons. It was alfo alledged, that the Maroons were' not in earnest. While thefe matters were difcuffing, forty Spanish hunters and about 100 Soon after the fubfequent minutes were printed by order of the Affembly, his Majesty's ship the Dover, with two tranfports in company, having on board the Trelawney Maroons, (in number about fix hundred) provided with all manner of neceffaries, as well for their accommodation at fea, as for the change of climate, failed from Bluefields in Jamaica, for Halifax in North America, the beginning of last June. They were accompanied by William Dawes Quarrel, and Alexander Ouchterlony, Efqrs; commiffioners appointed by the Affembly, with authority and instructions (fubject to his Majesty's approbation and further orders) to purchase lands in Lower Canada, or any where else his Majefty should please to appoint, for the future eftablishment and fubfiftence of thofe Maroons, as a free people. The commiflioners had orders withal, to provide them the means of a comfortable maintenance, until they were habituated to the country and climate. The fum of 25,000l. was allowed for thofe purposes. Tranflation of the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah. By Mifs Hamilton. THESE letters are filled with found fenfe and obfervation; they illuftrate in a very lively manner the remark, that many of our practices, habits, and fentiments, depend entirely on custom, prejudice, and education. As a fpecimen we shall tranfcribe his fhrewd remarks on the public worship of the capital. "HAVING heard that the first day of the week, Andectya-war*, was appointed for attending the worship of the Deity *It is very remarkable, that the days of the week are named in the Shanfcrit lan guage, from the fame planets to which they were affigned by the Greeks and Romans, in public, I expreffed to Delomond my with of being prefent at the folemnity. He declined accompanying me, but fent to a lady of his acquaintance, to beg fhe would accommodate me with a feat in her pew. Thefe pews are little inclosures, into which the greatest part of the temple is fubdivided. We walked up to that which belonged to this Bibby, preceded by one of her fervants, who opened the door of the pew, and followed by another in the fame livery, who carried the books of prayer; with which having prefented us, he retired. I have already obferved to you, how fcrupuloully the English Chriftians adhere to thofe precepts of their Shafter, which feem to difcountenance the outward appearance of a religious fentiment, and fo rigorously do they abstain from the display of these delightful emotions, that they who will thankfully acknowledge the most trifling obligation conferred upon them by the meanest of their fellow-creatures, would blush to be fufpected of gratitude to the beneficent Governor of the Univerfe! Inftead of behaving in this temple as if they had affembled together to fend up their united tribute of praise, thankfgiving, and humble fupplication to the Moft High, fo fuccefsfully did they affect the concealment of their devotional fentiments, that no one would have fufpected they had met together for any other purpose but that of ftaring at each other's drefs. I muft, however, make an exception with regard to a fmall number of people, very plainly habited, who food during the fervice in a part of the church called the aifle; thefe appeared not to have arrived at such a state of perfection. They could not affect indifference, as they joined in the petition for averting the punishment of fins, nor concealed the intereft they had in the glad tidings of eternal happiness. They liftened with peculiar complacency to the accounts of Him who "came to preach the gospel to the poor," and the hopes of his favour feemed to irradiate with joy the bofom of refignation. A female of advanced life, in whom all these emotions were difcernible, particularly arrefted my attention. The palenefs of her countenance spoke her want of health, and the lines which forrow had traced in it, accorded with the fable weeds of widowhood, which she wore. She appeared ready to faint from the fatigue of long standing, and made a modeft application to a person who feemed to act as porter to the pews, for admittance into one of them. To my aftonishment fhe met with a refufal, nor did any one of the gorgeously apparelled Chriftians who fat in them, appear to be any way concerned for her fituation; indeed, they all feemed to regard those who worshipped God from the aisles, as if they had been beings of an inferior race. I was, however, well convinced, that Chriftianity admits of no fuch di ftinctions; and supposing the Christian lady who fat by me, though her eyes were roving to all parts of the temple, was, in reality, too much engaged in her devotions to obferve what paffed, I took the liberty of acting for her, and opening the door of the pew, invited the poor fick ftranger to a feat. At that moment the priest was preferring a petition in favour of all fatherlefs children and widows, and all who are defolate and oppreffed;" to which the great lady had juft uttered the response of "We befeech thee to hear us, good Lord!" when obferving the poor woman by her fide, her face inftantly flushed a deep crimson, rage and indignation darted from her eyes, and telling the fainting ftranger that he was very impudent for daring to intrude herself into her prefence, the turned her out into the aisle. I was weak enough to be shocked at the behaviour of this well-dressed votary of christianity. "Ah!" thought I, 66 can it be that this woman can be so conscious of her fuperiority in every thing which conftitutes diftinction in the eye of the Omnipotent, as to confider herfelf worthy of fitting in his prefence, while fhe fpurns from her own, the humble child of poverty and affliction?" Philofophical Tranfactions of the Royal Society of London, for the year 1795. Part II. WE fhall, as ufual, give the fubjects of the papers contained in this volume, with the names of the authors. Defcription of a Forty Feet RefleЯing Telescope. By Mr Herschell. The Binomial Theorem demonftrated by the Principles of Multiplication. By Abram Robertfon, M. A. of Chrift Church, Oxford, F. R. S. An account of the Trigonomical Survey carried on in the years 1791, 1792, 1793, and 1794, by order of his Grace the Duke of Richmond, late Master Ge `neral neral of the Ordnance. By Lieut.-Col. Obfervations on the Influence which excites the Mufcles of Animals to contrac, in Mr Galvant's Experiments. By William Charles Wells, M. D. F. R. S. Obfervations on the beft Method of producing Artificial Cold. By Mr Richard Walker. Obfervations on the Structure of the Eyes of Birds. By Mr Pierre Smith, Student of Phyfic. Clarentine, a Novel. 12mo. 3 Vols. 10s. 6d. Boards. Robinfons. The Sorcerer, a Tale, from the German of Veit Weiber. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Johnfon. The Black Valley; a Tale, from the Germon of Veit Weiber. Author of the Sorcerer. 8vo. 28. 6d. Jobafon. Poetic Triffles. 8vo 28. Dilly. Poems on interefting Events in the Reign of Written in 1362. By LauWith a Preface, Differtations, Gloffary. 8vo. 6s. Egerton. of the Great Haller. Tranflated from the The Alps. A moral and defcriptive Poem Edward III. rence Minot. Notes, and a German by Henry Barret. 8vo. Is. Parfons. Experiments and Observations to invefWilliam and Ellen. A Tale. 12mo. Reynel tigate the nature of a kind of Steel, ma--The object of this ballad appears to be to nufactured at Bombay, and there called render Kirconnel Lee in Scotland a claffical Wootz; with remarks on the Properties place, by affociating the spot with the meand Compofition of the different States mory of a pathetic love adventure: the poem of Iron. By George Pearfon, M. D. furpaffes many, but has been furpaffed by F. R. S. WELDING CAST STEEL. It may be useful for artists to obferve, that it has been generally fuppofed impoffible to weld caft fteel, or bar steel refined by fufion, either to common steel or iron; and the reason is, that in a welding heat, it runs away under the hammer like fand:-but, though caft fteel in a welding heat is too foft to bear being hammered, Sir Thomas Frankland has found, by repeated experiments, that caft fteel in a white beat, and iron in a welding beat, unite completely. When that process is intended, the fteel and iron must be heated separately, and the union of the parts propofed to be joined must be effected at a fingle heat. NEW PUBLICATIONS. LONDON. The Rural Economy of the Weft of England: including Devonshire, and parts of Somerfetfhire, Dorsetshire, and Cornwall. Toge ther with Minutes in Practife. By Mr Marshall. 8vo. 2 Vols. 12s. Boards. Nisol, &c. Experiments and Observations relating to the Analysis of Atmospherical Air; alfo, farther Experiments relating to the Generation of Air from Water. Read before the American Phi lofophical Society, Feb. 5. and 19, 1796; and printed in their tranfactions. To which are added, Confiderations on the Doctrine of Phlogifton, and the Decompofition of Water, addreffed to Meffrs Berthollet, &c. By Jofeph Priestley, LL. D. F. R. S. &c. 8vo. 25. Printed at Philadelphia; reprinted in London, for Johnson. more. Remarks on Mr Burke's Two Letters, 66 on the Propofals for Peace with the Regicide Directory of France." By S. F. Waddington, Efq. 8vo. Is. Fobufon. This is a lively and fenfible, though hafty and fomewhat negligent production. There are feveral others performances of a fimilar nature, just published. The Hiftory of the Innoculation of the Small Pox in Great Britain; comprehending a review of all the Publications on the Subject: with an experimental Inquiry into the relative Advantages of every Meafure which has been deemed necessary in the Process of Inoculation. By William Woodville, M. D. Phyfician to the Small Pox and Innoculation Hofpitals. In 2 Vols. Vol. I. 78. Boards. Phillip. EDINBURGH. Carrefpendance Entre un Voyageur et un Miniftre, en Octobre et November 1692. Avec des remarques fur l'origine et l'objet final de la guerre actueffe, et fur la pofition politique de l'Europe en Fevrier 1796. 25. fewed. Creech. Alfo, a Tranflation of the above, accompanied with a Preface. By N. William Wraxall, Efq; 2s. 6d. fewed. Creech. Practical Aftronomy, containing tables of Sun, Moon, and Planets, with directions for ufing them, on the folution of a variety of Problems, among which are the Prediction and Calculation of Eclipfes. The whole adapted to the circumstances of fuch Students as know only Arithmetic and the Circles of the Sphere. By Alex. Ewing, teacher of Mathematics. 8vo. 5s. 6d. Boards. Hill. An Answer to the Second Part of Paine's Age of Reason. By James Tytler, late of Letters from a Farmer, to a Juftice of the Peace, of the County of East Lothian, on the Bill for Regulating the Sale of Corn by Weight. 8vo. 98. Watfon & Co. THE great variety and difparity of weights and measures ufed throughout the kingdom, has long been felt as a grievance, and has been daily the fubject of complaint. The bill intended to be brought into parliament, to obtain an act for felling corn by weight, will, in the opinion of many, at least in part, remedy the evil. The fubject is certainly of confiderable importance, and gentlemen well verfant in country affairs, hold different opinions regarding it; we are happy to find two able champions coming forward to. fupport their oppofite opinions in fo candid and open a manner; we believe both are actuated by the fame motives, the good of the country. The prefent performance was called forth by the publication of a pamphlet, by George Buchan Hepburn, Efq; Advocate, fome months ago. The author's object is, 4 "Our author, in the excess of zeal to preferve the measures of capacity, impeaches the he fays, " when taken in the gross cannot be common fenfe of the people. 66 Mankind," confidered as rational animals; they are only bundle of babits and prejudices." Wife legisla tors, according to his account, humour the fe prejudices, and never attack or touch any prejudice or cuftom not abfolutely immoral. "Here again he is equally unfortunate as he was in the inftance of the fhaving of beards; the people, in general, are keen for felling corn by weight, and if they are influenced by prejudices, thefe are wholly in favour of the prefent bill. It would be invidious to fuppofe, that the author has mistaken his own character for that of the people, although it is plain he labours under prejudices of the ftrongest kind. With him every thing is valuable, according to its antiquity and custom; or ufage, in his fight, fanctifies the greateft abfurdity. He fets cuftom and ufage above an act of parliament, although it is an established maxim in jurifprudence, that no ufage or custom can fet afide an established law. The British legislature have generally been confidered to poffefs as much wisdom as way any other government in Europe, and yet they have repeatedly attacked and abolished ufages and cuftoms "not abfolutely immoral.” Has he forgot the jurifdiction act, which certainly touched and abolished a number of ufages and cuftoms? Has he forgot the act obliging the Highlanders to wear breeches? Has he forgot the act for changing the computation of time, i. e. the ftile; or the different acts for reducing the rate of intereft? all which, and many more of fimilar tendency, have been paffed within his own time. Nay, is not every law in the ftatute book, a departure, in a faller or greater degree, from common ufage and cuftom, and yet he would make us believe, that no abufe fhould be corrected unless it is abfolutely immoral." ft, To defcribe a few of the inconveniences which the public fuftain from the diverfity of measures. 2dly, Attempt to show that felling all corn by weight is the best of removing these inconveniences. 3dly, Anfwer the objections which have been urged against the bill for regulating the fale of corn by weight. Lafly, Suggest a few amend ments on the claufes of that bill. When fpeaking of the inconveniences that attend the felling of corn by meafure, the author obferves, "It is none of the leaft advantages of the propofed bill, that it prevents all thofe flight-of-hand practices ufed in filling and rolling a meafure of capacity, which, under the management of a clever hand, are equal to one per cent. So long as measures are ufed, it is not to be doubted, that every perfon will endeavour to fill them as dextroufly as poffible; and for doing fo no blame can be incurred. But weighing of corn puts every one upon an equal footing, and will alfo be the means of preventing thofe numberlefs difputes which continually happen in every market about the fize of corn measures." Our limits prevent further quotations, we must therefore refer the reader to the pamphlet itfelf, which is concife, and to us ap pears fatisfactory. |