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it had resisted as far as the latest accounts, in the close of June; but it was still threatened, and the Rajah had made application to the British Government for assistance. This circumstance may in the event involve the Company in fresh hostilities.

It may not be improper to add, though only from private informotion received from Madras, that an irruption of Pindaree horse from the Mahratta territory burst, in the spring, upon the Guntoor Circar, one of the most prosperous of the Company's possessions on the coast of Coromandel, and after desolating it in the most savage manner, carried off a prodigious booty, without being brought to action by any British force, in the whole of their rapid career from one side of the peninsula to the other and back again.

In our eastern narrative of the last year we inserted an article from Rome, reporting a great progress made by the Catholic Missionaries in China, in propagating the Christian religion through that empire; at the same time expressing our doubt of the permanency of such conversions under a despotic government. This apprehension has been too well verified by the intelligence conveyed in the following extract of a letter dated Canton Jan. 1, 1816.

"In June last there was a persecution carried on against the Roman Catholies of Szechuen. The Viceroy of that province begins his report by saying, that the religion of the West, denominated the religion of the Lord of Heaven, is a depraved or

irregular religion, particularly injurious to the manners and hearts of men. He says, that in the 15th year (five years ago) 2,000 families recanted, and since úpwards of 200 families. He recently apprehended 72 persons, and seized 53 books. It is, however, distinctly stated, that in the books seized there were not found any expressions that could be construed into an opposition to government. He closes his report by saying, that he suspects there is some European among the mountains of Sze chuen, though he has not been able to apprehend him.

His Majesty begins his reply, by noticing the blind obstinacy of men; that though their persons be involved in the net of the law, when once a notion of ascending to Heaven takes possession of the mind, they are regardless of death.

The two leaders who would not recant, Chooyung and Tunggaen, are ordered to be strangled immediately: 38 others, who also refused to recant, are ordered to be sent to Tartary as slaves; among these are several women, and an old man of 80. Women and ol men are in many cases allowed to redeem themselves by paying a fine; but in this case it is directed that they shall not be allowed to do so. Further, the obstinate old man and a few others, who seemed more culpable than the rest, are to be condemned to wear, for ever, a heavy wooden collar."

This information is confirmed by an article in the "Austrian Observer," which states, from the last accounts of the Missiona

ries at Pekin, that the persecution of the Christian converts is continuing with great fury And at Rone itself has been published more particular intelligence to the same purpose in the following extract of a letter from the province of Su Tcheu. in China, dated the 25th Sept. 1815:

"Religion is preached in China by Missionaries of different corps and different nations; the Chief of the French Missions in the province of Su Tcheu, where I am at present, has made, within some months, thirty native priests and four European. Not long ago persecution deprived us of the Vicar Apostolic, sacrificed to the rage of the Governor of this province, an enemy equally to

the European and Christian name. The Bishop Coadjutor has been compelled to fly, and I believe has taken refuge in Tonquin. Three native priests, and a number of the faithful of both sexes, have finished their mortal career by a glorious martyrdom. There is still, in almost all the prisons, a numerous body of generous confessors, who suffer for the cause ; and I, who have not yet merited the grace of shedding my blood, am charged with the spiritual and temporal cares of this Mission, which before the persecution numbered 60,000 Christians.

(Signed)

J. E. ESCODSCA BOISSONADE, Missionary Bishop.

CHRONICLE.

CHRONICLE.

JANUARY.

filled, and ran a different way; in consequence of which, fourteen

Puerto Orotava (Teneriffe), Dec. persons were drowned in their

12, 1815.

E had dreadful fire here

houses.

There is now, or was very re

Wa few days ago, which con- cently, living in Constantinople,

sumed a large convent for women; and I am sorry to relate, seven unhappy victims felt the fury of the unrelenting flames. The scene for some hours was dreadful. It was first discovered about ten o'clock at night: all the nuns were in bed, and it was some time before they could be made acquainted with their danger. The few that escaped were obliged to leave the convent naked, as they never sleep in their clothes. Those that were burnt were seen at the windows, till the flames consumed them. There were no means of saving them, as the windows were strongly grated with iron, and only one door that they could get out of, which was entirely enveloped in flames. The fire was occasioned by a nun making sweetmeats: she had placed her fire on a table, in a small earthen stove, and left it unextinguished; the heat of the stove made the rosin in the wood to fry out: it is supposed a cinder had fallen, and the convent being built of the same kind of wood as the table, it was soon in a blaze. The next night we had a tremendous fall of rain; the water courses were VOL. LVIII.

a very extraordinary man, upwards of 100 years of age, generally known under the name of "Soliman, the eater of sublimate." This man, when young, was accustomed, as the Turks do, to swallow opium; but having taken by degrees a large quantity, without producing the desired effect, he adopted the use of sublimate, and, for upwards of thirty years, has taken a drachm, or sixty grains, a day. He would sometimes go to the shop of a Turkish Jew and call for a drachm of sublimate, which he mixed in a glass of water, and drank it up immediately. The first time the apothecary was very much alarmed, for fear he should be charged with poisoning the Turk; but he was struck with amazement when he saw the same man again on the next day, who called for another dose. Lord Elgin, Mr. Smith, and several gentlemen now in England, have met this extraordinary man, and have heard him say, that the sensation he experienced after having drank that extremely active poison, was the most delicious he ever enjoyed. Such is the force of habit! It is B generally

generally thought, that since the days of Mithridates, no one had ever made constant use of such a substance.

1. State of the King.-The public Bulletins which have been issued for some months past, have all stated that his Majesty's disorder remains undiminished. At times, however, it appears that he is tolerably composed. The number of persons specially appointed to attend him by the physicians, are reduced from six to two, and his principal pages are admitted, and have been for some time, to attend him, as when he enjoyed good health. His Majesty dines at half-past one o'clock, and he in general orders his dinner; he invariably has roast beef upon his table on Sundays. He dresses for dinner, wears his orders, &c. His Majesty, together with his attendants, occupy a suit of 13 rooms, which are situated on the north side of Windsor Castle, under the state rooms. Five of the 13 rooms are wholly devoted to the personal use of the King. Dr. John Willis sleeps in the sixth room, adjoining the five rooms, to be in readiness to attend his Majesty every morning after breakfast, about half past ten o'clock, he waits on the Queen, to report to her the state of the King's health; he afterwards proceeds to the Princesses and other branches of the Royal Family who happen to be at Windsor, and makes a similar report to them. In general her Majesty returns with Dr. Willis down a private staircase leading into the King's suit of rooms, and converses with her royal husband. The Queen is the only person who is ad

mitted to discourse with the King, except the medical gentlemen and his Majesty's personal attendants. In Dr. John Willis's absence, Dr. Robert Willis, his brother, takes his place. The other medical gentlemen take it in rotation to be in close attendance upon the King. The suit of rooms which his Majesty and his attendants occupy have the advantage of very pure and excellent air; and his Majesty would not be prevented from occasionally walking on the terrace, but he declines it, owing to the bad state of his eyes, which do not enable him to enjoy the views. The lords and grooms of the King's bed-chamber, his equerries, and other attendants, are occasionally in attendance at Windsor Castle the same as if the King enjoyed good health. Two King's messengers go from the secretary of state's office daily to Windsor and return to London, as they have been accustomed to do for a number of years past. The messenger who arrives at noon brings a daily account of the state of the King's health to the Prince Regent and the members of the Queen's council. His Majesty has never been left, since his malady, without one of the royal family being in the castle, and a member of the Queen's council, appointed under the Regency Act.

Copenhagen. In the last year the following number of ships paid the Sound duties:-2,398 English, 2,270 Swedish, 497 Norwegian, 676 Danish, 455 Dutch, 1,827 Prussian, American, and Portugueze; 699 Russian, Spanish, French, Hamburgh, &c.; in all, 8,815 ships.

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