no treaty could take place between Denmark known, that the allies would commente and England, if Norway was not previously ceded to Sweden. A few days afterwards, Count Bernstorff received orders to return to Denmark. At the same moment, the same language was addressed to Count Mollke, envoy of Denmark to the Emperor Alexander. The Prince Dolgorouki was disavowed, as having exceeded his orders; and, during this time, the Danes were gi ving notice of their intentions to the French armies, and some hostilities were taking place. "It would be in vain to open the annals of nations to find politics of a more immoral tendency. It is at one and the same moment that Denmark finds herself engaged in war with France--that the treaty to which she believes herself conforming, is at once disavowed in London and Russia--and that advantage is taken of the embarrassed situation in which that power is placed, to present, as an ultimatum, a treaty, by which she would be obliged to acknowledge the cession of Norway. Under these difficult circumstances, the King placed the greatest confidence in the Emperor; he declared the treaty void he recaled his troops from Hamburgh he ordered his army to march with the French-and, finally, declared he should always consider himself allied to France, and that he reposed in the magnanimity of the Emperor. "The President Kaas was sent to the French head-quarters with letters from the King. At the same time, the King caused the hereditary Prince of Denmark to depart for Norway; a young Prince of the greatest promise, and particularly beloved by the Norwegians. He set off disguised as a sailor, threw himself into a fishing boat, and arrived in Norway 22d May. "On the 30th May, the French entered Hamburgh, and a Danish division, which marched with us, entered Lubeck. "Baron Kaas, who was at Altona, had to witness another scene of perfidy equal to the first. The envoys of the allies came to his apartments and acquainted him that the cession of Norway would be relinquished, and that upon condition of Denmark making common cause with the allies, there should be no farther question about it. They intreated him to retard his departure. The answer of Kaas was simply this; "I have my orders, and must execute them." He was told the French armies were defeated: this did not even move him, and he continued his route. "Meanwhile an English fleet appeared off Copenhagen the 31st May; one of the vessels anchored before the town, and Mr Thornton presented himself. He made hostilities in 48 hours, if Denmark would not subscribe to a treaty, of which the prin cipal articles were, to cede Norway to Swe den, by placing immediately the province of Drontheim in depot, to furnish 25,000 men, to march in conjunction with the allies against France, and to conquer the indemnities which Denmark was to receive. It was declared at the same time, that the overtures made to Kaas, on his passing thro Altona, were disavowed, and could not be considered other than military conversations. The King rejected, with indignation, this base proposal. "The confidence which the King placed in the Emperor has been completely justi fied, and all the ties between the two nations have been re-established and drawn more close. "The French army is at Hamburgh, and a Danish division is following its movements, in order to support it. The English reap nothing from this policy but shame and confusion. The prayers of all good and respectable people accompany the Prince into Norway. What renders the situation of Nor way critical, is the want of the necessaries of life. But Norway will be preserved to Denmark, whose integrity is guaranteed by France. "The bombardment of Copenhagen, at a time when an English Minister was still about the person of the King-the confla gration of that capital, and seizure of the fleet, without previous declaration of war, without any previous hostility, appeared to have been the most odious scenes recorded in modern history. But the crooked policy which led the English to demand the cession of a province, happy for such a number of years under the sceptre of the House of Holstein, and the series of intrigues to which they descended, in order to carry this point, will be considered as still more immoral and outrageous than the burning of Copenhagen. In this the policy of which the Houses of Timour and of Sicily became the victims, by being despoiled of their e tates, is completely manifested. 64 The English are aecustomed in the East Indies never to be stopped by any principle of justice. They follow this policy in Eu rope. It appears that in all the communications the allies have had with England, the powers who were the greatest enemies of France have been stimulated by the exaggerations of the pretensions of the Eng lish Government. The basis even of the peace of Luneville the English have declared inadmissible, being too favourable to France! The madmen! they mistake their latitude, and take the French for Hindoos." Some [Some state papers have appeared, issued by the Danish and Swedish Governments, in justification of their late policy; but these, along with several interesting articles relative to the war with America we are obliged to postpone to a future Number.] NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. CAPTURE OF THE AMERICAN FRIGATE CHESAPEAKE, BY THE SHANNON BRI TISH FRIGATE. (From the London Gazette.) Shannon, Halifax, June 6. SIR, I have the honour to inform you, that, being close in with Boston Light-House, in his Majesty's ship under my command, on the 1st instant, I had the pleasure of seeing that the United States' frigate Chesapeake, (whom we had long been watching,) was coming out of the harbour to engage the Shannon; I took a position between Cape Ann and Cape Cod, and then hove to for him to join us the enemy came down in a very handsome manner, having three American ensigns flying; when closing with us he set down his royal yards. I kept the Shannon's up, expecting the breeze would die away. At half-past five P. M. the enemy hauled up within hail of us on the starboard side, and the battle immediately began, both ships steering full under the top-sails; after exchanging between two and three broadsides, the enemy's ship fell on board of us, her mizen-mast channels locking in with our fore-rigging. I went forward to ascertain her position, and finding that the enemy were flinching from their guns, I gave orders to prepare for boarding. Our gallant hands appointed to that service immediately rushed in, and their respective officers, upon the enemy's decks, driving every thing before them with irresistible Fury. The enemy made a desperate but disorderly resistance. The firing continued at all the gangways and between the tops, but in two minutes time the enemy were driven sword in hand from every post. The American flag was hauled down; and the proud old British Union floated triumpbant over it. In another minute they ceased firing from below and called for quarter. The whole of this service was atchieved in fifteen minutes from the commencement of the action. I have to lament the loss of many of my gallant shipmates, but they fell exulting in their conquest. My brave First Lieutenant, Mr Watt, was shot in the moment of victory, in the act of hoisting the British colours; his death is a severe loss to the service. Mr Aldham, the purser, who had spiritedly volunteered the charge of a party of small-arm men, was killed at his post on the gang-way. My faithful old clerk, Mr Dunn, was shot by his side; Mr Aldham has left a widow to lament his loss. I request the Commander in Chief will recommend her to the protection of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. My veteran boatswain, Mr Stephens, has lost an arin. He fought under Lord Rodney on the 12th April. I trust his age and services will be duly rewarded. I am happy to say, that Mr Samwell, a midshipman of much merit, is the only other officer wounded beside myself, and he not dangerously. Of my gallant seamen and marines we had 23 slain and 56 wounded. No expressions I can make use of can do justice to the merits of my valiant officers and crew; the calm courage they displayed during the cannonade, and the tremendous precision of their fire, could only be equalled by the ardour with which they rushed to the assault. I recommend them all warmly to the protection of the Commander in Chief. Having received a severe sabre wound at the first onset, whilst charging a party of the enemy who had rallied on their forecas tle, I was only capable of giving command till assured our conquest was complete, and then directing Second Lieutenant Wallis to take charge of the Shannon, and secure the prisoners, I left the Third Lieutenant, Mr Falkiner, (who had headed the main-deck boarders,) in charge of the prize. I beg to recommend these officers most strongly to the Commander in Chief's patronage, for the gallantry they displayed during the action, and the skill and judgment they evinced in the anxious duties which afterwards devolved upon them. To Mr Etough, the acting master, I am much indebted for the steadiness in which he conn'd the ship into action. The Liou tenants Johns and Law, of the marines, bravely boarded at the head of their respective divisions. It is impossible to particularize every brilliant deed performed by my officers and men, but I must mention, when the ship's yard-arms were locked together that Mr Cosnahan, who commanded in our maintop, finding himself screened from the enemy by the foot of the top-sail, laid out at the main-yard arm to fire upon them, and shot three men in that situation. Mr Smith, who commanded in our foretop, stormed the enemy's fore-top from the fore-yard arm, and destroyed all the Americans remaining in it. I particularly beg leave to re recommend Mr Etough, the acting master, and Messrs Smith, Leake, Clavering, Raymond, and Littlejohn, midshipmen. This latter officer is a son of Captain Littlejohn who was slain in the Berwick. The loss of the enemy was about seventy killed, and one hundred wounded. Among the former were the fourth lieutenant, a lieutenant of marines, the master, and many other officers. Captain Laurence is since dead of his wounds. The enemy came into action with a complement of 440; the Shannon having picked up some recaptured seamen, had 330. The Chesapeake is a fine frigate, and mounts forty-nine guns, eighteens on her main-deck, two-and-thirties on her quarterdeck and forecastle. Both ships came out of action in the most beautiful order, their rigging appearing as perfect as if they had only been exchanging a salute. I have the honour to be, &c. P. B. V. BROKE. To Captain the Hon. T. Bladen LIST OF ENEMIES' VESSELS CAPTURED OR DESTROYED. September 1812. American privateer, Poor Sailor, 1 gun, 50 men. Dash, 1 g. 30 m. Sarah Ann, 1 g. 40 m. French convoy of 22 sail and 2 gun-boats. 3 vessels of 1 g. 16 m. 5 do. 1 g. 12 m. and 18 do. laden with oil, &c. zebeck, 3 g. 28 m. 2 gun-boats, 3 g. 24 m. and 1 g. 20 m. 6 g. 56 m. and 2 vessels laden with oil, &c. privateer, La Courier, 14 g. 50 m. La Leonilla, 14 g. 83 m French privateer sunk, and crew drowned. Miquelonnaise, 18 guns, 130 men. Adelaide, 6 g. 46 m. Packet, L'Hirondelle, with dispatches. April. American privateer, Tom, 6 guns, 36 mer Price, 6 g. 30 m. Viper, 6 g. 35 m. Caroline, 4 g. 38 m. Grand Napoleon, 4g.32m. May. French privateer, L'Olympe, 2 g. 16 m. American privateer, Revenge, 4 g. 32 m. Fox, 8 g. 29 m. SCOT 553 Scottish Chronicle. HIGH COURT OF JUSTICIARY. ON the 14th of June came on the trial of Hugh Chalmers, Nathaniel Ingram, and Campbell Gardner, excise officers, and William M'Dowall and Williamh Kelly, officers employed in the revenue of customs, Glasgow, accused of having, in company with Quintin Dick, Neil Buchannan, and Alexander Moodic, all excise officers, Glasgow, on the evening of the 29th April, proceeded along the King's high-way leading from Glasgow by Garscube, with the intention of intercepting smuggled spirits; and having concealed themselves, on the approach of George Graham and Duncan Graham, sons of Walter Graham, residing at Dalmany, parish of Drymen, county of Stirling, and William M'Farlane labourer at Park, parish of Abersoyle, and four other persons with kegs of spirits on their backs, rushed upon them with drawn swords, and desired them to deliver up the smuggled spirits, which while they were in the act of doing, wounded and assaulted the aforesaids with drawn swords, in consequence of which George Graham was murdered, and William M Farlane lost his left arm and leg, and Duncan Graham and Maicolm McGregor were dangerously wounded. The witnesses for the prosecution were the three last mentioned Excisemen, and five of the smugglers. The Excisemen stated, that all the prisoners had pistols, and Chalmers, Gardner, and Kelly, were also armed with swords. Chalmers and Kelly did not fire. That the smugglers, though they did not refuse to surrender the spirits, were the aggressors. The smugglers deponed there was no striking on their part before the firing, and some of their number were wounded with swords. - The Solicitor-General addressed the Jury on the part of the Crown; J. Clerk, Esq. on the part of the pannels; after which, the Lord Justice-Clerk summed up the evidence. The Jury returned their verdict on Tuesday, finding, by a majority of one, the libel not proven (there being eight for acquitting, and seven for culpable homicide.) After the verdict of the Jury was read, July 1913. the Lord Justice Clerk addressed the prisoners to the following effect: "After a patient investigation of this im portant case-important to the country at large-the jury had returned a verdict, which shewed the hesitation they had in their minds, respecting the nature of the evidence; and they had returned, very properly, a verdict, finding, by a majority of one, the libel not proven. It was a verdict which did not go to the acquittal of the pannels from criminality; it merely stated that the Public Prosecutor, not having been able to procure sufficient proof, had not had it in his power to bring the crime home to the prisoners; and they went out to the world, in consequence of this verdict, with a stain on their characters, which it behoved them, by their future conduct, to endeavour to wipe off. — The verdict evidently implied, that their conduct had been rash and unguarded; and if a feeling of mercy had inclined a majority of the jury to return the verdict they did, (and he did not doubt but they acted conscientiously,), the large minority, (who, he believed, also acted from a principle of conscience,) sufficiently marked the sense they entertained of the nature of the crime of which they had been accused. One man had lost his life, another had been rendered an object for the remainder of his existence; and it did not appear from the proof, that they had given sufficient warning to the unfortunate men of the nature of their office, or the manner in which they were armed. They had used the arms with which they were entrusted legally, in a most rash manner; and he would warn them, if in future called upon a similar duty, as he had no reason to doubt but they would be continued in their offices, to use the utmost caution; and even when engaged with smugglers, to give full notice of the danger the persons ran by unnecessary resistance; to inform them how they were armed, and use every means in their power to avert the necessity of having recourse to the last extre mities. In their future conduct, taught by this melancholy affair, he hoped they would be more tender in the exercise of their duty; for he could assure them, should any of them ever be again brought to that bar, the present trial trial would militate much against them; and they might not find another jury, who, on similar evidence, would bring in a similar verdict. They were now to go again into the world free from any human punishment; but there was a God, who knew what degree of criminality attached to this unfortunate affair; his pardon they ought seriously to implore, and, by their future, cautious conduct, endeavour to atone to society for the offence they had committed. He hoped, and, indeed, from their appearance during the trial, he believed, that they felt regret for their precipitate conduct; conduct which, if they possessed the common feelings of men, they would deplore to the last day of their lives; and he trusted that, on all future occasions, they would see the necessity of abstaining from violence and outrage in the exercise of their duty.' The prisoners were then assoilzied from the bar. Counsel for the Crown, Mr SolicitorGeneral and H. H. Drummond, Esq.Agent, Hugh Warrender, Esq. W. S. For the prisoners, John Clerk and William Erskine, Esqrs.-Agent, Jas. Horne, Esq. W. S. John Smith, from Perth, accused of uttering a forged note, was brought before the Court on the 28th of June. He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to fourteen years banishment from Scotland. On the 5th of July came on before the judge of the High Court of Admiralty the trial of James and Alexander Farmer, accused of sinking the ship Hope, with intent to defraud the underwriters. The diet against Alexander Farmer was deserted pro loco et tempore; and a verdict was returned by the Jury against James Farmer, on his own judicial confession.-Sentence was delayed till yesterday, when he was ordained to be transported beyond seas for seven years. On the 11th of June, James Merrie, convicted of forgery, was executed at Ayr pursuant to his sentence. His behaviour was becoming his unhappy situation. A meeting of landholders, bankers, merchants, &c. was held on the 9th of June at the Star Inn, Glasgow, Alexander Livingstone, Esq. of Parkhall, in the chair; when a sufficient sum was immediately subscribed for the purpose of making a survey, estinate, and plan of canal from Edinburgh to Falkirk, there to join the present canal to Glasgow. We hear that there are to be several locks, and that passengers and goods will be conveyed from one city to the other in twelve hours. On Sunday night about 12 o'clock, the 13th of June, a fire was discovered in the shop of Mr Gray, baker, at the back of the Mews Well, south side of the Grassmarket, On the first alarm, the fire engines from the Reservoir, Castlehill, and a number of firemen, attended. The fire was soon got under, and was luckily confined to the shop where it began, which was greatly damaged. The land was a wooden one, and had the fire extended, it would have ruined a number of families, none of which, we are informed, were insured. A number of the high constables, the police, and the picquet guard from the garrison, assisted. On the 17th of June, there was discover. ed the skeleton of a person who had been immured into one of the crevices of the vaults of Craigmillar Castle. The discovery was made by Mr Irvine, W. S. in company with John Pinkerton, Esq. and R. Gillies, Esq. advocates. Mr Irvine, on discovering that the stones in that corner of the vault appeared rather loose, went and procured a man to assist him. They contrived to get the bind-stones moved; upon which the rest were taken out with little difficulty. Upon clearing the mass of stones and rubbish, they were surprised to behold the skeleton of a human being, standing erect against the north corner of the wall; but, on com. ing in contact with the air, a good part of it crumbled down to its primeval dust. The fragments were brought away by Mr Irvine, And amongst other curiosities discovered that day, was a sort of broad brass ring, and some beautiful specimens of the arborifactions of antimony, upon the white sand or grit stone, from a quarry in the neigh bourhood of the castle. THUNDER STÓRM. On Sunday, 27th June, came on in East Lothian 'a tremendous thunder storm, after three days of great heat.-It commenced about two o'clock P. M. to the southward, apparently very distant, and seemed to oc cupy that portion of the atmosphere over the villages of Gifford and Dirleton, eleven miles asunder. From the former of these there it made gradual but slow progress northward to the latter; between four and five it was almost incessant in passing over Drem, and the lightning extremely vivid. During that hour the peals suc ceeded the flashes at the distance of one to ten seconds, consequently the nearest distance of the explosion was 380 yards, in some parts the peals followed the lightning immediately. Nothing like it has occurred in this country since August 2d and 9th, 1806. It finally ceased about five o'clock, without doing any damage that we heard of. At Falkirk, a house was struck by the lightning, |