increase his power by circumscribing or abolishing the constitution granted to his Norwegian subjects, respecting which many curious particulars have transpired. It appears that previous to the late visit of the king to Norway, the Swedish army and marine at Stockholm were put into a state of equipment suited to actual warfare. The publicity of this fact led to the conjecture that an armament was meant to be employed during the royal visit, to hover on the coast of Norway, to awe the inhabitants into submission to any measures that should be dictated to them. This state of warlike preparation, and its imagined object, became so generally the subject of conversation in Stockholm, that it attracted the notice of general Suchtelen, the Russian minister, who thought the affair of sufficient importance to induce him to write to his court for instructions. In consequence of this proceeding of the Russian minister, and just after the departure of the king for Norway, an energetic note arrived from Petersburgh, wherein the emperor, in his quality of guarantee of the treaty of Kiel, and the institutions resulting from that compact, blamed the assembling of an armed force near to Christiania, the seat of the Norwegian diet, which was to be regarded as an infringement of the constitution, and an innovation on the basis laid down for the government of Norway. Immediately on the arrival of this note at the Swedish court, general Suchtelen and count Wetterstedt departed in great haste for Christiania, and it is asserted, that the urgent remonstrances there made by the

former to the king were the cause of his giving a more moderate form to the propositions made by him to the diet. While this me diation on the part of the emperor was conducting, an accident awakened the attention of the diet to the situation in which they were placed by the vicinity of a military force. A Swedish officer, who had fallen in a duel with a Norwegian, the result of a private quarrel, declared to the latter in an insulting tone, that the Swedes had brought with them arguments admirably calculated to induce submission in the Norwegian diet-namely, cannon-balls, cartouches, and ample stores of ammunition. This circumstance coming to the knowledge of that assembly, a spirited demand was immediately made by them, that all the warlike materials above named should be placed in the arsenal of Aggerhaus, until Norway should be entirely clear of Swedish troops; and this bold request, the private letters state, was actually acceded to. This situation of affairs has greatly increased the mutual animosity long subsisting between the two nations. The Norwegians openly express their indignation in all public places, and numerous quarrels are the result.

His majesty has sanctioned the resolution of the diet relative to the suppression of the nobility of Norway, after the acknowledgment by the diet of the principle, that every individual who can prove that the suppression will injure him is entitled to demand a competent recompense. According to the ordinance, which is published in conformity with this resolution, all hereditary

nobility

nobility in Norway will cease with the death of the persons who now enjoy it, and their existing children; but conformably to the proposal of the king, a new nobility will he created, which will be transmissible to the eldest sons only of the ennobled. This proposition will be discussed in 1824.

ASIA.

A more correct idea may be formed from the annexed letters, than from any account yet published, of the degree in which the British force suffered in the late expedition against the Arab tribe of Beni Boo Ali :

Camp near Zoa, coast af Arabia,

Feb. 23. 1821.

"We arrived here on the 29th ult. and have been delayed ever since, in consequence of an insufficiency of carriage. However, the Imaum of Muscat (who is now here) has supplied us with 1000 camels, and we move tomorrow morning. Our force consists of the 65th regiment, Bombay European regiment, Ist battalion 2d regiment, 1st battalion 7th regiment, flank battalion; one troop of horse artillery, 50 foot artillery, and one company of pioneers. Beni Boo Ali is about fifty miles in the interior. On the 10th inst. about midnight, from 400 to 500 of these Beni Boo Ali fellows came suddenly on the picket on the left of the line (where the European regiment, and 1st battalion 2d regiment, were,) cut it up, and entered the lines sword in hand; killed 1 officer, captain Parr; 9 Europeans, and 3 Sepoys; wounded 3 officers, colonel Cox, lieutenants Burnett and Watkins; 20 Europeans, and 7 Sepoys. We were pitched in a straggling manner, and could

have no idea of these fellows coming so far to pay us a visit, consequently were not prepared, or much on the alert. The pickets were not even loaded. The confusion, as you may well imagine, was dreadful. The Arabs were. in the lines before the least alarm was given. They cut down the tents, and speared and hacked at the men, while so situated, in a, horrid manner. The officers were wounded between their own lines and the men's. On retiring, the Arabs left behind them 12 killed and 25 wounded. Since this, we have been very much on the alert. These Arabs are a fine, brave race of men, and particularly dexterous with the sword. The way our people are cut and mangled is astonishing. Some have their heads split down to the neck and shoulder. They use straight double-edged swords as sharp as razors. The effect of such a weapon in the hands of a muscular Arab is, I can assure you, sweeping."

Bombay, April 10.

"My last to you was dated Zoa, the day previous to our march. We reached Ben Boo Hassan, about four miles from Beni Boo Ali, on the 1st of March, and moved on against the latter place on the 2d, having our heavy guns and camp equipage under a strong guard. In moving round the place we were fired upon, which occasioned us a few casualties. Whilst the general was reconnoitring, a body of Arabs were observed to leave the fort; on which the line made a movement to the left, and our brigade (65th regiment and 1st battalion 7th regiment Bombay native infantry) advanced on a wood, where the enemy

had

had taken post, and when within about 200 yards of it, they sallied out, sword in hand, passed along our line under a heavy fire, numbers of them falling, and attacked the 7th regiment in flank, and got into their rear, where we had pretty tough work of it while it lasted, which was not above a quarter of an hour; the 7th regiment losing 3 officers, and 150 men killed and wounded; the 65th regiment 3 officers and 40 men; the two regiments united mustered in the field 710 firelocks, the attacking party of Arabs about 960. After this brush, we moved on towards the fort, which, after a little shelling and battering, surrendered unconditionally. Five hundred of these fellows were killed and about 300 wounded.

We buried the remains of the bodies of those who fell in captain Thompson's unfortunate affair. It was a horrid sight; they had all been left to bleach and dry in the sun, and had been dreadfully hacked. From all I can learn, these poor fellows fought and fell nobly. This Beni Boo Ali business has cost us, at first and last, 8 officers killed, 8 wounded, upwards of 450 men killed, and about 250 wounded. I ought not to forget to tell you, that we blew up the place, and destroyed every house and shelter near it.

I must here observe that I never saw nor can imagine any thing more determined and resolute than the attack of these Wahabees. No men could have displayed more bravery when worsted. Some of them absolutely sold their lives. They were armed merely with swords and light spears: many of the swords were real Andrew Feraras; their execu

tion I shall not readily forget. The shock we received from the charge made us reel and stagger again, indeed, fall back a trifle; but we soon recovered ourselves. Our Sepoys behaved nobly, particularly the Rajapoots, who used the bayonet with great effect.

We returned to Zoa, on the 11th of March, embarked on the 17th, sailed on the 18th, and reached Bombay on the 27th. We brought with us the two chiefs, and about 150 prisoners. The old men and wounded were left with the Imaum of Muscat. We may therefore regard the tribe of Beni Boo Ali as completely scattered and destroyed. General Smith goes round to Bengal, on the staff of that establishment."

Accounts from Java by the Dutch mail inform us, that a dreadful mortality, as well among Europeans as natives, had been caused at Batavia and Samarang, by the cholera morbus, in the course of April and May of the present year. On the 19th of May the disorder had abated in the capital, but still continued to afflict the population of the remoter places. On the 9th of the same month, a new expedition sailed against Palembang, under general de Vrok. There is no statement of the military force to which the execution of this often-defeated object has on the present occasion been intrusted; but the shipping consists of the Werff frigate, some colonial vessels, and fifteen hired transports, two of which had already been carried off by the currents among the Thousand Islands, and would, it was feared, be lost. The deposed sultan of Palembang accompanies the expedition, with others of the Palembang

Palembang princes and great men, under a promise that, in case of the enterprize succeeding, he shall be placed on the throne. The hazards, however, attendant on the conquest of that petty sovereignty are not supposed to have become less formidable since the last attack upon it, when the Dutch were so completely beaten. Batavia journals of the 28th of April give an account of a terrible earthquake which took place on the 29th of December last, on the south coast of Celebes. It did immense damage, especially at Boelækomba, where the sea rose several times to a prodigious height, and then falling with incredible rapidity, alternately deluged and left the shore, destroying all the plantations from Bontain to Boelækomba. Many hundred persons have lost their lives. The fort of Boelakomba was much damaged, that of Bontain less so.

AFRICA.

Sierra Leone.-By letters from Gambia, of date the 25th ultimo, we learn with much satisfaction that Omar, the prime minister of the Trarzhar Moors, had arrived at Bathurst for the purpose of making arrangements with the merchants for the supply of gumarabic at Portendic. He manifested the greatest anxiety to establish this trade with the English on the firmest basis. Upwards of twenty tons of gum had arrived, and the Young Frederick was taken up for another trip.

The Portuguese brigantine Constante, taken in Old Calebar river by the boats of his majesty's ships Tartar and Thistle, was lately condemned as lawful prize to the British and Portuguese crowns,

and the slaves on board her, were emancipated.

In further accumulation of the horrors incident to the slave trade, we have to take notice of the fate of the Spanish slaving schooner, Carlota, which sunk a few days since, off the Gallinas, with a full compliment of slaves on board. The Carlota sailed from the Havannah, and was found at the Gallinas by Sir George Collier, in his voyage down the coast. The cargo of the Carlota was on shore, with every appearance that it was in the course of barter for slaves. The commodore took her down as far as Cape coast, and after authenticating some papers to show the illegality of her voyage, allowed her to depart. She returned, it appears, to the Gallinas, and there took in 250 slaves, with whom she sailed from the coast; but, dreadful to relate, before she had proceeded far she was taken unprepared by a tornado, overset and sunk, and all on board perished, with the exception of twelve! The intelligence of this horrid event has been brought to the colony by three Spanish sailors belonging to the vessel, who arrived a few days since in a very small boat, in a wretchedly exhausted condition. They were immediately placed in the military hospital, where, notwithstanding the greatest attention and kindest treatment, one of them has since died: the other two continue still in a very weak state.

On Thursday, the 17th of May, about eleven A. M. a slight shock of an earthquake was experienced throughout the peninsula: it was preceded by a rumbling noise in the direction from east to west,

and

and was sensibly felt at Regent and Glocester towns; at the former place the motion of the earth was so considerable as to excite momentary giddiness; the doors of the parsonage-house opening and shutting repeatedly: whereas, in the latter town it was so slight, that very few persons were at all aware of the circumstance. vices from the isles de Loss state, that on the same day a similar shock was experienced at Crawford Island. We believe the above is the only instance that has occurred since 1795, when two smart shocks were experienced on the 19th and 21st of June in that year.

AMERICA.

Ad

By advices from Montreal of the 18th of August, there had been a dreadful fire at that place: the loss is estimated at 25,0001. The following stores were burnt, viz:- Messrs. Allison, Turner, and Co.; Messrs. John Scott and Co.; Messrs. Slow and Spittal; and Mr. Pedders: that of Messrs. Gerrard and Sons was in imminent danger, but was saved.

The Kingston (upper Canada) Herald of the 10th of August contains the names of 381 persons who have been attainted of high treason committed in upper Canada, or who have been returned as having absconded from the province during the late war with the United States of America: and all those who can, are requested to give information of any person not included in the list liable to be declared aliens by the statute 54th Geo. III. as having left the province during the war without license.--New York paper.

The president of the united States has issued a proclamation, declaring that the discriminating

tonnage duties on Norwegian ships and vessels, and on goods the produce or manufacture of Norway imported into that country in those vessels, are repealed, in consequence of the repeal, by that kingdom of the discriminating duties on ships and goods of the united States.

The admission of the state of Missouri into the union, a point so long and so warmly contested in congress, is officially announced in the American papers just received.

Before the sepa

ration of congress, an act had been passed for conferring that privilege on Missouri, conditional to her making a declaration through her separate legislature, that no part of her constitution should debar any citizen of the other states of the union from the privileges and immunities enjoyed under the constitution of the united states. That condition was fulfilled by a solemn public act of the assembly of Missouri on the 26th of June, and on the 10th of August the proclamation of the president, announcing the admission, was issued.

Advices from St. Domingo, received at New York, state that a decree of the cortes had been promulgated there for the encouragement of the cultivators in the Spanish part of the island, by opening all the ports, and permitting the exportation of coffee, tobacco, and hides, duty free. From the Winchester (Virginia)

Republican, Aug. 25.

A camp-meeting was held at Stephensburg (Newtown,) in this country, from the 15th to the 21st inst.

On the first and second days (Thursday and Friday) people assembled in great numbers,

and