of Young Norval. Miss Macauley, who has had considerable provincial experience, is of the middle stature; her figure full and round, and her countenance intelligent, but rather calculated for the expression of the pensive than of the violent passions. Her voice though possessing sweetness is deficient in volume. The part chosen for her debut was judiciously selected; and her performance, free from those errors which are in general characteristic of the provincial school, bespoke no mean powers. Her reception was most flattering.-Kean, though not exactly at home in the part of the brave, open and ingenuous Norval, still displayed great genius; and such was the gratification received by the audience that on a general cry for Kean and Douglas, the tragedy was announced for repetition on the following night. May 18th, after the tragedy of Bertram, in which Miss Macauley for the first time personated Imogine with an energy which justifies a much higher opinion of her powers than we formed from her preceding essay, a new afterpiece entitled The Blackamoor's Head was performed. Of this farce it will be sufficient to say that without any thing to commend in the plot or dialogue it was repeated three times in spite of much opposition, and "then was heard no more." COVENT GARDEN THEATRE. On the 22nd of April, a new tragedy by Mr. Shiel, the successful author of The Apostate was brought forward at this house, by the title of Bellamira or the Fall of Tunis. The fable is as follows: Count Manfredi, (C. Kemble) a Neapolitan nobleman, in slavery at Tunis, learning that Charles the Fifth is march ing against the pirates, arms his Christian fellow-slaves against their tyrants, becomes their leader and engages by a solemn oath that not even liberty, not the embraces of his wife and child, shall make him abandon the common cause. A new capture of slaves arrives. He beholds a child dragged from its frantic mother-it is Bellamira (Miss O'Neil) his wife he attempts to rescue her from the corsairs, who are about to murder him, when Montalto, (Young) the governor of Tunis, appears and saves him. Montalto had been admiral of Venice; unjustly stigmatized as a traitor, and his wife and only child murdered as he believed by his own brother, he fled to Tunis, where he had rendered such important services to the infidels, as to be appointed vicegerent to Haradin, during [June 1, his absence on the expedition against the Spaniards. Montalto behelds Bellamira and pities her-he hears her nameit was that of his lost daughter-he restores her to freedom, her husband and her child. At this juncture Amurat, (Macready) another renegade, arrives from the Tunisian camp with an order to supersede Montalto as governor of Tunis, and to put to death the chief of the Christian slaves. He would spare the latter at the solicitation of Montalto, but that he finds him to be his mortal foe. Montalto provides a ship to carry away Manfredi and his family; but Manfredi remains true to his oath, and Bellamira will not leave her husband. During the conflict Amurat enters, recognizes Manfredi, causes bi to be dragged away in chains, and seizes Bellamira, the object of his early love, to carry off whom he had leagued with banditti, for which he had been degraded from his nobility, branded on the fore head as a robber and exiled from bis country. It was Manfredi who defeated this plan, occasioned his disgrace and thus inflamed his revenge and jealousy. Salerno (Terry) the supposed father of Bellamira, who had been made captive with her, meets Montalto, who discovers him to be his brother, and learns from him that his daughter lives, and that she is the same Bellamira who is then in the power of Amurat. The latter has meanwhile forced Bellamira to his barem; she seizes a poniard and threatens to stab herself if he approaches. He introduces her husband, who is doomed to instant death unless she complies with his licentious desires. She continues resolute. He then brings in her childthe dagger drops from her hand. Amurat is about to seize her, when Montalto rushes in; a scene of mutual recognition takes place between the father and daughter, who, with the other captive are consigned to a dungeon. Meanwhile the Christian slaves, having matured their plans, rise against their oppressors, and Amurat is called away to oppose them. Discomfited by the insurgents, he returns to the prison wounded, bloody, and his branded forehead bare, stabs Montalto, and attempts but without success to dispatch the child, when Montalto, mustering his last remains of strength, plunges a dagger in his heart. Manfredi rushes in at the head of the victorious slaves, he is locked in the embraces of his wife and child, and the curtain falls. The characters were ably embodied 1818.] Contagious Fever in Ireland and London. by the performers to whom they were assigned, and the piece was received by = a crowed audience with the most decided applause. The prologue and epilogue were delivered by Mr. Connor and Miss Brunton. = May 6th, a piece of burlesque, successfully performed during the winter at the Parisian Theatre des Varietés under the title of Werther was produced on - these boards with the title of The Sorrows of Werter. The chief drollery 447 seemed to lie in Liston's phiz and his wife's figure, as the Werter and Charlotte of the entertainment, which being little more than a repetition of nearly the same situations and the same sentiments did not survive three nights. On the 16th, a new operatic farce founded on a comedy of Moliere, entitled December and May was performed for the first time. The music of Bishop and the sweet strains of Miss Stevens could not rescue it from condemnation. DIGEST OF POLITICAL EVENTS. GREAT BRITAIN. On the 20th of April the House of Commons having resolved itself into a Committee to consider of the Ways and Means for raising the supply for the present year, the Chancellor of the Exche quer submitted a statement of the various sums which would be required. These amount in the whole to 21,612,0861. towards which he has ways and means for 7,271,4481. leaving a deficiency of 14 millions to be provided for by extraordinary means: that is 3 millions by the conversion of 3 into 34 per cent. Stock and the remainder by Exchequer Bills. On the 22d Sir John Newport called the attention of the House to the contagious fever, which has lately made such ravages in Ireland, and moved the appointment of a Committee to enquire into the causes of this evil, and to suggest the means of preventing its recurrence. The motion was agreed to and the Committee accordingly appointed. The Rt. Hon. Robert Peel stated, that in September last he had taken measures for obtaining from medical gentlemen throughout the country, their opinions respecting the origin and extent of the disease. He had in consequence received returns from the four provinces, all of which referred the disease to the same causes: want of employment and the poverty resulting from it, the defective quality and quantity of food, the wetness of the season, and want of fuel. The wide extent to which it was spread was owing to the number of wandering beggars who roamed about the country, and the practice of the lower classes in assembling in great numbers to attend the funerals of their friends. It was, if not lamentable, at least affecting, that this evil should have been aggravated by the open character and feelings of hos pitality, for which the Irish were peculiarly remarkable, and which no danger or fear of death could induce them to forego. He then referred to the returns from Dublin, shewing the mortality which there prevailed. On the 1st of September there were 218 patients in the Fever Hospital; on the 14th of March 1,074. The total number of deaths during the six months was 456; and their proportion to the admissions was on the highest average as 1 to 13, and on the lowest as 1 to 9. There was every reason to believe, that since the month of March the fever had greatly abated in extent and malignity. On the 14th of April the number of sick in the hospital was 850; and the proportion of deaths to admissions as 1 to 22. Mr. Bennett adverted to the contagious fever existing in London, and the absolute necessity of an adequate establishment exclusively appropriated to this species of disease. His motion for a Committee to inquire into the subject was likewise agreed to. The same evening Sir Samuel Romilly concluded a highly interesting speech on the subject of cruelties practised upon slaves in the West India islands, with a motion for certain papers relative to some recent transactions in Dominica, which were ordered. On the 30th the Chancellor of the Exchequer intimated his intention of postponing his proposed regulations for country banks, upon the ground that the subject could not receive adequate attention during the present session; but he distinctly stated that he had not abandoned the principle of the measure, which he should bring forward again at an early period of the next session. May 1, an animated debate took place on the second reading of the Bill for continuing the restriction on cash payments by the Bank of England. A motion made by Mr. Tierney for a Committee to enquire into the state of the currency 446 Forgery-Count Las Cases New Regency Bill. and the propriety of resuming cash payments was negatived by a majority of 164 to 99. On the 5th Lord Castlereagh moved for leave to bring in a Bill for continuing the provisions of the Alien Act for two years longer, upon the ground that it will be highly advisable to prevent discon tented spirits from making this country the theatre of treasonable conspiracies against foreign governments. After a short debate the motion was carried by a majority of 55 to 18. On the 13th a message from the Prince Regent to both Houses informed them that his Royal Highness had given his consent to the marriage of the Duke of Kent with the Princess Maria-Louise,widow of the Prince of Linangen, sister to the reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, and to Prince Leopold, and recommended a provision to be made for him on the occasion. An addition of 6,000l. per annum to his present income was accordingly voted on the 15th for his Roval Highness, and a resolution for granting the like sun to the Princess, in case she should survive him, was unanimously agreed to. May 14th Sir James Mackintosh pursuant to a notice to that effect, moved the appointment of a Committee to enquire into the means of more effectually preventing forgeries on the Bank of England. He stated that in the twelve years preceding the stoppage of cash payments only one execution for the forgery of Bank notes occurred: but in the last seven years 101 persons had suffered for that offence. This greatly exceeded the number of those executed either for murder or burglary, and doubled that of persons who forfeited their lives for taking property by force and violence. The last year, 1817, was the worst in this respect ever known, the expense of prose cutions for forgery amounting to 30,000l.; and yet such is the rapid progress of the evil, that in three months only of the present year the charges of similar prosecutions is nearly 20,000l. The general average for the prosecution of each of fender is 2651.-The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved as an Amendment that the matter be referred to a Commission under the Great Seal, which he at first proposed to extend to the notes of private banks and other negociable securities, but at length agreed to confine to the notes of the Bank of England. This proposition was adopted. The same evening Mr. J. P. Grant called the attention of the House to the (June 1, 181 consideration of the case of Count Las Cases, which has been some time before the public. This man, who had been permitted to accompany Buonaparte to St. Helena, complained that he had been removed from the island to the Cape of Good Hope, where he had been carried far up the country among the savages, and detained several months. He was then shipped for England; but on arriv ing at the mouth of the Thames, his pa pers were taken from him, and he was conveyed to Ostend. Here he was seized by two officers of the King of the Nether lands, carried into the Prussian territo ries, and conveyed to Frankfort, where he still remains a prisoner. Mr. Grant concluded with moving for all papers connected with this case.-Lord Castle reagh in reply asserted that the only place to which Las Cases had been re moved on his arrival at the Cape of Good Hope, was the governor's country-house, and the only savages he had to encounter were the governor's domestics. Las Cases had been detected in the attempt to establish a correspondence between his master and persons in Europe; nay, his object in returning hither was to con duct it more satisfactorily. Such a per son he contended it was right to subject to the Alien Act; but when his papers were seized, his own seal had been af fixed to them, together with that of the officer, and he had since acknowledged the receipt of them in the precise form in which they had been taken from him. He had not been landed in France, where he must have fallen into the hands of a government by which he had been denounced, but at Ostend, as the port nearest to England. With his seizure there the British government had nothing to do; for no intimation of its intentions respecting him had been given to the ambassador, minister, or agent of any foreign power resident in this country.The House being perfectly satisfied with this explanation, the motion of Mr. Grant was negatived. On the 19th, in the House of Peers, the Lord Chancellor introduced a Bill for amending the Regency Act, by grant ing to her Majesty the power of nomi nating some additional members to her Council, whose duty it should be to reside permanently at Windsor, and by providing for the meeting of a new Par liament in case of the Queen's demise at a moment when Parliament might happen not to be in existence. By the Regency Act it is provided, that in case of her Majesty's decease, the Parliament, 1818.] Military Operations in the East Indies. if under prorogation, shall immediately assemble, and if dissolved, that the previous Parliament shall be revived. The object of the new Bill is to enable the Crown, in case of the dissolution of Parliament, to summon a new Parliament and thereby to obviate the necessity of reviving the old one. The recent indisposition of the Queen bas, we presume, suggested the propriety of this measure. The marriage of the Duke of Cambridge, with the Princess of Hesse, was solemnized at Cassel on the 7th of May. Ministers have announced that the late proceedings in the House of Commons relative to the Duke of Clarence, have made no change in the sentiments of his Royal Highness or his intended bride. In the East Indies the British army have gained two important triumphs. The first was achieved by a division under the command of General Doveton, against the troops of the Rajah of Berar, who had been raised to the sovereignty by British interference, and to the exclusion of a candidate protected by Scin diah. In consequence of some hostile dispositions in that state, Gen. Doveton moved upon Nagpore with a light force, and reached it on the 12th December. On the 15th he was joined by the remainder of his army. The resident then announced to the Rajab the conditions on which the Company would grant him peace; the General supporting the over tures of the Resident by a proper display and disposition of his forces. On the 16th information was received that the Rajah had complied with our demands, and might be looked for immediately in the British camp. He came accordingly, surrendered his person and his guns, and sent an agent to his own officers to enforce his orders. But on the advance of the British army to have them carried ⚫ into execution, the Mahrattas, with their usual perfidy, fired on our columns from all their batteries, and attacked us with a formidable body of troops. Our infantry, under Colonels Macleod, Mackeller, and Stewart, moved forward until the ground admitted of their deployment into line, when they charged with the bayonet, and instantly carried the batteries. The enemy's cavalry was like wise completely routed. We got possession of the whole of their guns, 75 in number, with the loss of but 130 of our men. The second action was fought with the troops of Holkar, by the Madras army, under Sir T. Hislop and Sir J. Malcolm, 449 who commanded the advance. The previous accounts left these officers on the banks of the Nerbudda, on crossing which stream they found themselves in close contact with the dominions of Holkar, Scindiah, and the Pindarees. Here, on the left bank of the Sepree river, Sir T. Hislop attacking from the side of Ornea, the Mahrattas opened a tremendous fire, silencing seven out of fourteen of the English field-pieces: but a battery of 40 pieces of cannon which covered his right wing was stormed and carried, the ene my's gunners dying bravely at their post. Our troops then moved on the enemy's left, where his batteries were stormed with the same gallantry and success. The Mahratta ariny dispersed, and the British encamped in their position. The loss sustamed by Holkar in this engagement was calculated at 2,000 men, besides the whole of his artillery, consisting of 65 pieces of cannon, But the spirit and obstinacy with which the Mahrattas fought, were evinced by the number of killed and wounded on our side, which amounted to no less than 34 officers and 700 rank and file. Sir J. Malcolm has been successful against the Pindarees -Scindiah was suspected of shuffling, in the teeth of his recent treaty, as he had not furnished the stipulated body of 5,000 horse; nor had his Killedar surrendered the cautionary fortress of Asscerghur, when summoned by the orders of Lord Hastings. The Peishwa, who had retreated to the northern part of his dominions, had advanced again towards Poona, and intercepted a British detachment. He was, however, repulsed in the most gallant manner, Sir Evan Nepean had displayed great energy in affording aid from Bubay to the army in the Deccan. He also fitted out an expedition, and took Savendroog, a strong fortress belonging to the Peishwa on the coast. We Jearn with regret that an attempt has been made to shake off the British authority in the southern and eastern parts of the territory of Candy in the island of Ceylon, at the instigation of a relative of the late king of that country. General Brownrigg has dispatched a force into those districts to reduce the insurgents. FRANCE. On the 25th of April the Duke de Richelieu submitted to the Chamber of Deputies, by order of the King, a commu nication respecting the conclusion of the negociation on the subject of the claims of foreign individuals upon the 450 French government, and the hopes entertained by his Majesty of a speedy evacuation of France by the Allies. He presented a clear exposition of the nature of the engagements contracted by the King; showing that the sums now demanded were not indemnities, as was generally believed for injuries sustained, but debts formally contracted on the faith of the French government. The payment of these debts was guaranteed by solemn treaties. The claims transmitted in consequence from every part of Europe amounted to 1600 millions (between 66 and 67 millions sterling) a sum which not only far exceeded the expectations of the ministers, but in their opinion the ability of the country to liquidate. Negociations were therefore opened with the Allied Powers for the purpose of obtaining a reduction of these demands. The difficulties of such a proceeding may be easily conceived, but they were at length surmounted, says the Duke de Richelieu, "in consequence of the sentiments of equity that animated the ministers engaged in the negociation, and the impartiality and moderation of the illustrious mediator whom the confidence of Europe had invited to preside over it"—and the Chamber was now called upon to sanction the inscription in the Great Book of a perpetual rente of 16,040,000 francs, equivalent to a capital of 320,800,000 (about 13,350,000l. sterling) to which the original claims have been reduced. What ever may be thought of the policy of the Allies in acceding to this iminense reduction, there can be but one opinion as to the injury inflicted by it upon the unfortunate claimants. The message farther adverted to an approaching Congress of sovereigns, to discuss the propriety of withdrawing the army of occupation from the French territory, at the close of the third year from the original treaty. From the tenor of the communication it may be inferred that the measure of a final evacuation has been already decided, and that this congress of sovereigns and their ministers will be held for the sole purpose of giving it their more solemu and express ratification. Preparatory to this event it was announced that the government required 24 millions of rentes to complete the payment of the sums due to the Allies agreeably to the treaty of the 20th Nov. 1815. On the 1st of May both these measures received the sanction of the Chamber of Deputies. Claims of Foreigners upon France, &c. The session of the two Chambers was (June 1, 155 closed by proclamation on the 17th of The Prince of Condé died on the 13th GERMANY. It is positively stated that a congress of the sovereigns of Europe and their ministers will be held this summer at of Russia and Prussia will attend it in Aix-la-Chapelle; and that the monarchs person. From the continental journals it ap pears that some differences have arisen Baden. In a letter addressed by the between the courts of Münich and Grand Duke of Baden to the King of Bavaria, he complains bitterly of an at tempt to wrest from him his mest flourishing provinces, and to dispose of his States during his life. TURKEY. The foreign prints state on the autho rity of intelligence from Vienna, that all LINE the ministers of the foreign powers a Constantinople have joined in requiring the Porte to adopt measures in concent with them to repress the outrages of the Barbary States, and to obtain satisfac tion for their past conduct. It is added that the Porte manifests a disposition to temporise; but that the ministers are de termined to press their demands, and require a categorical answer, to be presented to the Congress of the Allied Sovereigns. The grand Signior will thus be compelled either to renounce his no minal supremacy over the pirates, or to make himself responsible to Europe for the effects of their depredations. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. We are furnished by late American papers with some official details on the subject of the differences between the United States and the court of SpainFrom the correspondence between Mr. Adams, the American Secretary of State, and Don Louis de Onis, the Spanish ambassador, it appears, that the United States demand, as of absolute right, a tract of 150 miles belonging to the province of West Florida, under the pretext that it is part of Louisiana, though the Misssippi was always considered as the boundary of the latter, and the tract in question lies eastward of that river→→ They insist on the cession of the remainder of West, and the whole of East Florida, as an indemnity for spoliations committed on American citizens by subjects of Spain. They farther require, on what ground we cannot discover, the |