Died at Andersier, in this vicinity, within these few days, a GANDER, well known to have been full grown when the foundation of Fort George was laid, in the year 1748. His help-mate died only a few years ago. Lond. Pap.

Longevity. On the 15th of December a catholick priest proceeded on foot to the Cathedral of Adria, in Lombardy, and returned thanks for having attained his 110th year, without infirmities or sickness! He was accompanied by an immense concourse of people, and chanted the cathedral service in a firm, manly and dignified voice.

Abolition of Slavery in N. York.-The law on this subject, which lately passed the Legislature, enacts that all persons of colour, born after the date of the law, shall be free at the age of 21 years; and provides for the total abolition of slavery in this state on the 4th day of July 1817.

Projects. A writer in the Nat. Intelligencer has proposed that the federal constitution be so amended as to admit the expresidents to a seat for life in the senate, and that the president's salary be increased.

New Tax-A suggestion is made to the New-York corporation to apply for power to tax Theatrical Exhibitions for the support of those who by vice and immortality fall a burthen upon public charity.

Mint of the U. Stats. The total value of gold, silver and copper coins made in the mint of the U. States from the commencement of the institution up to the 31st of Dec. 1816, was $13,565,501. The amount of charges and expenses for the same period of time, making all deductions and allowances was $482,847.

Part of a letter dated

“Frankfort, (Kn.) 25, Dec. 1816. "I have been delighted with the looks of the country. The misletoe shows itself in the forests here and has a fine appearance. The misletoe is an evergreen, growing upon the tops of trees, somewhat resembling the garden box-wood. The mildness of the weather still seems to keep the autumn in durance, but the fields and woods do not yield that " redolence of charms" which we find in our neighbourhood.-There is not a wild flower or berry in the summer to regale our tastes, the soil being considered too rich for the growth of fruit, and destructive to the peach. A person can form no idea of this country and its rivers, without becoming a tourist, and I have a tolerable good view now, of their

comparative trade, and the different claims of enterprise and location. All those tracts situated between the Tombigby and Alabama rivers which empty into the Mobile, and between them and the Tennessee of the United States claim, will offer, very soon, immense speculations.

Inn-keepers in this country are very consequential characters, and take precedence in point of respectability and importance. This town is on the Kentucky river, and contains about 4000 inhabitants. The houses are mostly brick, and of a city like appearance, and all in the hollow of surrounding hills. These, in addition to the river and bridge, are more agreeable to me than the plains of Lexington.

Price of shaving here, 12 cents. I never was in such agony. The barber kept his razor still, and moved my head; it felt like machinery and incision."

One of Mr. Poulson's late papers contains an account of another accident, arising from the explosion of a steam boat boiler on the river Thames; in which only six persons out of twenty-two on board, have escaped unhurt. Eight or nine were killed, and seven so wounded that six were sent to the hospital for relief, The same paper gives an article from the "New Brunswick Times," recommending to the owners of steam-boats, the Sthenometer invented by Dr. James S. Ewing of this city. The writer of this article has had frequent opportunities of seeing that instrument applied to ascertain the pressure in the mineral water machine, when a condensation was made equal to fifteen atmospheres, or about two hundred and twenty pounds on a square inch. In every instance the pressure was indicated with perfect accuracy, and the instruments operated with regularity; and it is evident from the principle of the instrument, that it will continue to show the degree of pressure, to whatever extent it may be carried.

The pressure used in Dr. Ewing's Mineral Water Machine, is considerably greater than that which is necessary for the propulsion of steam-boats. Their engines are calculated to work them by a pressure of ten atmospheres, or about one hundred and fifty pounds on a square inch. The Sthenometer has been used for a year or two past, in making mineral water, by many persons; and all of them are convinced of the safety which it ensures. In fact, all other modes used in ascertaining the condensation in making mineral waters, are vague and uncertain, and must be highly dangerous to the operators. We need look no further for a proof of this, than to the many explosions which take place every season with those who have not a Sthenometer, while those who have it, are enabled to work in perfect safety, and to make the water always of one uniform strength.

The number of lives lost on board steam-boats, have made some cautionary instrument, more than they have at present, a desideratum, and no sufficient reason can be given, why the Sthenometer may not be promptly adopted. It is to be placed in the cabin, or on deck, or in both situations, where every passenger may see for himself, and know when the workmen are using an unnecessary and dangerous degree of pressure. It is objected, that no danger can take place while the boat is under way, because, at such times vent is given to the steam. But in the instance under consideration, the explosion did actually take place after the boat was under way. It is evident, that the fire cannot be so exactly regulated, as to prevent a considerable increase and decrease of pressure from taking place while the boat is under way. Accidents of entanglement, both in getting under way and in coming to the shore, and also in occasionally running aground, necessarily call off the attention of the workmen, and render it proper that the passengers should have it in their power to know, that the primary danger of explosion, which, in such circumstances is avowedly greater, has been obviated by taking off the pressure. It was in a case of this sort, while the workmen were employed in getting up the anchor, that a boat on the Mississippi exploded and destroyed several persons.

As the boilers of steam-engines, are gradually worn away by the constant action of the fire and water on them, they ought to be taken out and proved from time to time, by subjecting them to double the necessary pressure; which would be indicated by the Sthenometer.

If it be supposed improper to trust the passengers with a knowledge of their situation, lest it should alarm the timid, or make them troublesome to the master, it may be answered, that the range of "perfect safety" on the Sthenometer gives latitude enough for any prudent or careful workman. Where steamboats ply in opposition to each other, let one adopt the Sthenometer, and an increase of passengers will very soon evince, that we all believe, that our safety cannot be better entrusted to others, than to ourselves. It is in vain that we have escaped the dangers of obstinate and drunken drivers for one half of the year, if we are to be exposed to greater ones on board of the steam-boats.

The learned world will soon possess what may truly be called a literary curiosity; being a new edition of HOMER by a modern Greek, Eicoloupoula. He preserves the commentary of Eustathius; but we have a right to expect much illustration and clucidation of doubts and difficulties, with new readings, &c.

A German poet having lately written a gastronomic song upon the pastry of one of the best pastry-cooks of this place; the latter thought he could not better testify his gratitude than by sending

The poet

him one of the objects, he had celebrated in his song. was at first enchanted with the work. But O grief! on finishing the last morsel, he recognized in the paper on which it lay, when baked, the copy of his song with which he had testified his homage to the pastry-cook. In a great rage he ran to his shop, and accused him with the crime of lasa poetica. "Ah sir!” replied the artist, not in the least disconcerted" why so angry? I have only followed your example. You made a song upon my pastry, and I have made a pie upon your song.

"The Theatre at Sidney appears to be in a very flourishing state," said a gentleman to John Kemble, speaking of the Botany Bay theatricals, an account of which appeared in the papers some time since. "Yes, (replied the tragedian) the performers ought to be all good, for they have been sent to that situation by very excellent judges.

We find the following paragraph in the Ed. Ann. Reg. for 1814, p. cxlvi.

"EDINBURGH.-SINGULAR CASE.-There is at present confined as a prisoner in the Canongate jail, upon a writ at the instance of George Canning, Esq., of Bolton-street, Piccadilly, county of Middlesex, M. P. a person of the name of William Ogilvie, designing himself earl of Findlater and Baron Banff. The debt is constituted by bond, in the English form amounting to three thousand pounds; the bond is signed Findlater and Banff; it is followed up by a decreet before the court of session, as against William, earl of Findlater; but the honourable plaintiff has in the writ of caption, altered the designation to " William Ogilvie, calling himself earl of Findlater;" and upon that, this soi-disant peer of the realm has been committed to prison. Being in a state of great poverty, his lordship of Findlater applied to the magistrates of Canongate for the benefit of the Scots act, 1696, commonly called the " Act of Grace." This application was strenuously opposed by Mr. Canning, on the ground that the petitioner was an impostor, and that he had not right to the title of earl of Findlater; that he had obtained the money from him on false pretences, &c. In answer to this, it was stated by the noble defendant, that his title to the earldom of Findlater was undoubted; that he had been regularly served heir by a jury before the sheriff of Banff; that he had been countenanced and written to as earl by several persons high in rank, and who had promised him every assistance, with money and otherwise, to procure his title to be recognized by the house of lords, when in an evil hour he became acquainted with the plaintiff, Mr. Canning, who besieged him most closely, offering him any sum of money, even to the extent of twenty thousand pounds if he would use his influence to get him returned for a Scottish borough. That he accordingly re

ceived three thousand pounds for this purpose, and his friends finding he had joined with Mr. Canning, withdrew their countenance and support from him; in consequence of which he and his family came to poverty; he could not get his title recognized by the house of lords, and his friend Mr. Čanning lost his Scottish borough, and is now also minus his three thousand pounds thus lent for electioneering purposes. The magistrates, in consideration of the whole circumstances of the case, and in respect it is alleged by the petioner, and not denied by the other party, that he granted a bond for the debt as earl of Findlater, and subscribed the same by that signature, and not as William Ogilvie designed in the letters of caption, modified an aliment of five shillings per day, to be paid and consigned to him by the creditor incarcerator, and which he is at present receiving."

His lordship will soon have a rival in a celebrated public declaimer, who has recently sailed from our shores, to demand the earldom of Findlater and barony of Banff, and to "assert the nascent glories of the rostrum" in "London, Edinburgh, and Dublin.” As the title is double, perhaps an accommodation may take place between Mr. Canning's bottle-holder and our hero of the rostrum. At any rate we cannot anticipate any serious consequences to arise from a dispute about a Scotch peerage. If, however, our hero should be disappointed in his claims upon the court, we have no fear of the success of his public exhibitions, if Trinculo, in the play, is to be credited. "Were I in England now," says this rogue, who, according to the old saw, had just escaped a watery grave" were I in England now, and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there but would give a piece of silver: there would this monster make a man: any strange beast there makes a man: when they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian.”

We shall just add, that a dollar was the price of admission to the sight, in this country. But what effect a peerage may produce, we cannot conjecture. We have heard that he intended to demand a guinea entrance.

The following gentlemen were elected members of the Philosophical Society for promoting Agriculture, at its last meeting, Virgil Maxcy of Maryland, an hon. member,

James Henderson of Pequa, Lancaster county, idem.
John E. Hall, Esq. resident member,

George Morrison, idem.

Jacob Johnson, idem.

Edward Paxson, Esq. idem.

The Agricultural Society have in the press, vol. 5 of Me

moirs.