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of the national batiks a legal tender. Their paper will then become like the French assignats, and the destructive measure of resorting to a maximum, or fixing a price for all the articles of life, even if rashly and injudiciously attempted, will not support their credit. The crisis of depreciation is arrived, and all these measures will prove totally inefficacious to avert the hour of danger. The system of paper credit may be com pared to a mighty avalanche, or great collection of snow on one of the stupendous mountains of the Alps, disruptured, and ready to fall on the affrighted inhabitants of the vale. They behold the threatening danger, and by ineffectual exertions seek, each to avert the danger from his own boundaries; but in vain: the avalanche tumbles down, with mighty crash, and involves in one common ruin, all within its reach; but when the danger is over, and the mighty mass has been precipitated, the inhabitants return again to their employments, and seek to replace their losses by fresh industry,

and renovated exertions.

Thus in the present crisis, all seek to strengthen themselves as well as they can, and throw as much of the burden as they can on their neighbours. Hence we shall find the struggle between landlords and tenants, and between debtors and creditors. In some cases, open force will be exerted, and in others the tricks of cunning and subterfuge will be exerted. A period of fearful confusion may be anticipated. But as naturally as effect follows cause, so surely will the enormous increase of the national debt, the most protuse public expenditure, and the extravagant over-issues of paper money to answer these purposes, produce the evils of depreciation, and the downfal of the solid system of finance, as it was vainly and falsely characterized by Pitt, and his followers. War was the favourite object, war the people would have, and war has produced these evils. The great extent of trade for a time kept back the crisis, but the effects of the commercial system of hostility, in which Bonaparte outgenerals our civilians in the tac tics of this paper and closet war, are now evidently conspicuous in our almost total exclusion from the trade of the European continent, as well as in a similar and increasing exclusion from the coasts of North America.

Trade of all kinds, both of imports and exports, is in the lowest state of depression, and scarcely any sales can be effected, except on the lowest terms, and at a considerable loss. By an injudicious regulation, an additional duty is laid on cotton wool coming in American bottoms to Ireland, but if the same wool has been previously landed in England, and is brought to this country in British or Irish vessels, the duty does not take place. This looks like an oversight, and shows how bunglingly the affairs of trade are managed by statesmen, Independent of this blunder, which virtually cuts off direct intercourse with America, the duty on cotton wool was injudicious in the de pressed state of that trade, as being a tax it can ill bear.

At the late linen market in Dublin, a pretty large quantity of business was done by buyers from Scotland and the North of England. There was some demand from the South of Ireland, but the prices obtained were very low. In London there is an almost entire stagnation of sales, and the effects of the late failures in the linen and other lines, are still most severely felt, Linens keep high in the brown-markets, although sales are so dull and unproductive in the white.

Emigration still continues to America. The port of Derry is filled with vessels in that trade, and gives the chief appearance of business at present in that town, if we except the trade of drinking whiskey, which its vicinity to the illicit distilleries of Innishown encourages among the poorer classes. The streets of Derry exhibit miserable examples of the evils arising from the cheapness of whiskey,

Government appears to give every discouragement to the trade of emigration, and to throw every obstacle in the way of going out, short of passing an act absolutely to prohibit it. A direct prohibition would be fairer, and more manly, than to give the appearance of licence, while at the same time, vexatious oppressions are placed in the way. The Brig Juno, Captain Soule, from Belfast, for New York was met by the Stork cutter of 16 guns, commanded by Capt. G. Le Geyt, and six young men were impressed. Probably none of them were sailors, certainly two of them, from the neighbourhood of Lisburn,never had been before at sea. This is a most severe hardship, and in the present instance has operated to blast, at least for a time, the fair hopes of two industrious young men. They had been guilty of no crime in seeking to better their condition, by a removal to another country. Thus the strong hand of power, and the ravages accompanying a state of war, oppress the peaceable sons of industry. It is very doubtful whether any

exertions made for their release will be effectual. Two other vessels with passengers from Belfast for America, have been seized by British cruizers, and carried into Lough Swilly, for having more passengers on board than is allowed by act of parliament.

Exchange on London has kept in Belfast through this month nearly stationary at 94 to 9 per cent. The discount on bank-notes fell about the beginning of the month, and has since fluctuated from 6 to 8 per ct. and is again up to 9 per ct. Owing to the demand from England being slackened, probably from the uncertainty till it is seen how Earl Stanhope's bill will operate, little business has been done this month in guineas: but as Belfast will be likely to become the chief, if not the only open market for this species of traffic, the discount may be expected to rise considerably, so long as a difference of nearly 30 per cent. exists between gold in coin and in bullion. This difference may be fairly taken as the real measure of depreciation on bank-paper, for such would be the difference, if competition unrestrained by law were allowed between guineas and bank notes.

NATURALIST'S REPORT.

From June 20, till July 20.

22 June...Greater Knapweed (Centaurea Scabiosa) flowering...Speckled winged stinging fly, or Cleg, (Tabanus pluvialis) appearing.

23...Common Elder (Sambucus nigra) flowering.

26...Sea-sand Wort (Arenaria marina) flowering.

27... White field-rose (Rosa Arvensis), Broadleaved Bell Flower (Campanula latifolia), Cabbage Rose (Rosa centifolia), Red Officinal Rose (Rosa Gallica), and common flax (Linum usitatissimum), flowering.

28...Common Orange-Lily (Lilium bulbiferum), and Meadow Sweet (Spiræa Ulmaria), flowering.

1 July...Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus), and Beautiful St. John's Wort (Hypencum pulchrum), flowering.

2...Creeping Cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans) flowering.

6...Yellow Ladies Bedstraw (Gallium verum) flowering.

8...Common Loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) flowering. 9...Field Thistle (Scrratula arvensis) flowering.

10...Blue many-eyed Butterfly (Papilio Argus), and Great Dragon-fly (Libellula grandis), appearing.

13...Downy-leaved Spirea (Spirea tomentosa) flowering.

18...Currants (Ribes rubrum and nigrum), and also early smooth green gooseberries (Ribes Uva crispa), becoming ripe.

20...Yellow Marsh Aspodel (Narthecium ossifragum) in flower.

METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.

From the 20th June, till the 20th July.

...Light shower in the evening,
...Showers and heavy rain.

..Showery.

Very fine.

........Fine days about Belfast, thunder, with heavy showers,

June 21,22,.................Fine days.

23,..... 24,.. 25,..

26,30,.

July 1,11,..

12,.....

13,......

.Fine.

14,..

17,..

about 14 or 15 miles to the westward.

.Showers.

.Squally, with heavy showers,

.Rain at night.

.Thunder and rain.

18,.....................Wet and dry,

19,...........................................................Wet morning, fine afternoon.
....Fine day.

20,...

The variations of the Barometer have been very small, the lowest was 29.5 on the 14th of July, and the highest 30.2 on the 3d and 4th, and the rest of the time it varied little from 30.

The highest range of the Thermometer was on the 30th June, when at 8 A.M. it was as high as 70°-on the first of July, at 9 AM. it was at 68; the lowest was on the 21st of June, when it was at 8 A.M. only 50-on the 22d and 24th it was 56-the rest of this period it was mostly about 60.

The Wind has been observed N. 2...N.E. 14...S.E. 4...S.W. 10...N.W. 5...so that the prevalence has been easterly.

CELESTIAL PHENOMENA.

FOR AUGUST, 1811.

(Extracted from Frend's Evening Amusements.)

On the 1st, the Moon is on the meridian at twenty minutes past nine, being directly ever the twelfth of the Archer, Saturn being below her to the west of the meridian, Mars, with the stars in the Scorpion, being mid-way between her and the south-west horizon.

On the 4th, is full moon at fifty-three minutes past two in the afternoon.

On the 9th, the Moon rises under the three stars in the Ram, and, before she sets, passes over the first fourteenth of the Whale. The immersion takes place at nine minutes before one in the morning of the 10th, the star being ten minutes north of the Moon's centre; and it emerges at forty-three minutes past one, being nine minutes and a third north of the centre.

On the 15th, the Moon rises nearly with the third of the Twins, Jupiter being above, and to the west of her.

On the 19th is new Moon, at twelve minutes past two in the morning; on the 20th, near midnight, she passes the ecliptic in her ascending node.

On the 27th, Mars, and Antares below the Moon, will, with her and the second of the Scorpion, form a distinguished groupe; and Saturn to the east of them, will not be unnoticed. An nine she is fifty degrees, thirty-eight minutes from the first of the Eagle.

On the 31st, the Moon is on the meridian at five minutes past ten, the two first stars of the Archer being now above her to the west of it, and at nine she is fortyfour degrees, thirty-four minutes from the first of Pegasus.

Mercury is an evening star, but in positions unfriendly to observation; for first he is too near the Sun to be visible, and, as he recedes from it, his northern latitude is decreasing, and on the 20th, it becomes southern. On the last day of this month he is below the seventh of the Virgin, with a southern latitude, of a degree and threequarters, so that scarcely any but the French astronomers will see him. The Moon passes him on the 21st.

Venus is a morning star, moving rapidly toward the Sun, so that her duration above the horizon, before sun-rise, is daily decreasing. But her latitude is north, and encreasing, and, being in the fourth and fifth signs, she will attract attention during the greater part of the month. At first she is near the ecliptic, between the first of the Twins and the first of the Lesser Dog, and she is moving through the barren space of the Crab, passing by the Nebula on the 14th, and she travels nearly as far as the Lion, performing a course of thirty-eight degrees. The Moon passes her on the 17th.

Mars is on the meridian on the 1st, at six minutes past seven in the evening, and on the 19th, at half past six, his motion is direct through fourteen degrees. The Moon passes him on the 27th. Jupiter is a morning star, and his stay above the horizon before sunrise is daily increasing. His motion is direct through five degrees and a half, being at first between the sixth of the Bull and the seventh of the Twins, but nearer to the latter

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82

Jupiter's Satellites.

[July.

star, which he passes on the 25th, the star being thirty-three minutes south of him. Morning travellers cannot therefore fail of noticing these stars.

Saturn is on the meridian at thirty-five minutes past eight in the evening of the 1st, and at twenty-five minutes past seven of the 19th. His motion is retrograde till the 24th, when he is stationary, and of course we shall see him on the eastern borders of the western branch of the milky way, during the whole month. Saturn and Mars are the chief objects for observation in the evening, and form a good contrast with the two first stars of the Scorpion. The Moon passes Saturn on the 28th.

Herschell is on the meridian at six minutes past six in the evening of the 1st, and, when the stars appear, is about the middle of the lower region, near S. W. by S. The Moon passes him on the 25th.

The Sun's apparent diameter on the 1st is thirty-one minutes, thirty-five seconds, and on the 19th, thirty-one minutes, forty-three seconds. The Moon's apparent diameter on the 1st, is thirty-two minutes, twelve seconds, and it increases to the 5th, when it decreases to the 25th.

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Vol. VI....Page 470, 2d col. 2d line from bottom, for Mentesquieu read Montesquieu. ......VII....Page 9, col. 1, lines 16 and 21 from the bottom of the page, for effusion read affusion.... Page 55, col 1st, line 24 from the top of the page, for popler, read poplar.

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For the Belfast Monthly Magazine.

ON THE REFORMED MODE OF PRISON MANAGEMENT IN NEW YORK.

FROM

ROM a desire to procure information on this subject, the following queries were sent about the close of last year to a person in New York, with a request that he might make further inquiries, and inform the result, to be conveyed to the public through this magazine, that if favourable, it might stimulate to exertions in the cause of philanthropy in these countries:

Do the public prisons at New York, Philadelphia, &c. continue to be well conducted?--Are they found to produce reformation, and do they answer in practice the favourable representations given of them in theory, by Turnbull, the Duke de Liancourt, and others? Have any new ones been established at Baltimore, or elsewhere, and are they well conducted?-What alterations in the system have been made their establishment?--Do crimes diminish or increase in the states which have adopted the mild system?-Do those who have been released after the expiration of their sentence, often relapse, and what is their general conduct afterwards? -What is the opinion of those who know the state of Ireland, the moral habits of the lower classes, as well as of those in the higher ranks, who might be looked to as superinten.

since

BELFAST MAG, NO. XXXVII.

dants of such institutions, as to the practicability of introducing such a plan among us with a probability

of permanent good effect?-How do the accounts of the State Prison in New York stand as to expense?— Do the earnings of the convicts defray the cost to the state, the compensations to those who have been robbed, &c. and have the prisoners sometimes a balance to receive on their liberation?-All these expec tations were held out in the original plan: arc they realized?

In answer to these queries, the following information has been received:

New York, 3d mo. 27th, 1811. "I have been attentive to thy queries respecting the State Prison government, but am not as yet able fully to reply to them, as to do this in a satisfactory manner, will take some time and investigation. I have been with Counsellor Sampson, and. he received me very friendly, and showed a willingness to take the matter in hand, both on thy account, and that of the cause; but he says it will require some time properly to answer thy queries.

"As far as I can learn, the profits arising from the labour of the prisoners are seldom found in any year to be equal to their expense, for which there are many reasons; one of which is, a considerable part of their manufactures is the work of beginners; in such cases, even where

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