violent Earthquake was experienced about 40 years ago, soon after night-fall-one whole, and very populous Donsoon (town) was completely laid in ruius, although none (or only one or two) of the houses had any masonry at all about them.-The houses, therefore, might soon have been reconstructed; but, as nearly the whole of them had lamps burning in them, (for the people had not retired to rest,) the entire heap took fire, and was reduced to ashes, with all the property lying beneath. This would have formed a striking subject for the skilful pencil of any artist, who could have abstracted his mind from the scene of misery thus suddenly exhibited.” HISTORY OF LATE DISCOVERIES IN THE GOVERNMENT ORDER. Government House, Sydney, 12th February, 1814. It having been long deemed an ohject of great importance by his Excellency the Governor to ascertain what resources this Colony might possess in the Interior, beyond its present known and circamscribed limits, with a view to meet the ne of connecting one hill with another, across a ravine, (which road forms part of our daily afternoon drive,) was much cracked and partly sunk in the middle. Mount Felix is about three miles from Fort Mariborough. The new Government-House, (which is the former Council House enlarged) only inhabited since June, or July, 1812, is cracked in several places, some wall shades are broken, and plastering has fallen down. All houses substantially built have suffered more or less; those which are only raised on pillars of masonry, and with walls of noggan work (I think it is called,) are best suited for countries subject to Earthquakes, and the generality of houses here are of this kind. I believe, it is no unusual sensation after such occurrences, but I can still scarcely persuade myself that I do not rock about a little, now and then. Such Earthquakes as this, have been felt at Padang on this coast, but I cannot learn that any thing equal to it has been experienced here before,—at least, not in the memory of any person now residing here. "On the 12th of February, 1797, a phenomenon of this sort occurred at Padaug, but was more serious in its effects, of which I have the following short account. The concussions of the Earthquake continned about three hours at intervals, the lives lost by the fall of buildings, the irrup-cessary demands of its rapidly encreasing tion and reflux of the sea, and the chasms which opened in the earth, were computed at SUO. A Snow at anchor off the town, was carried by the rising of the sea, about three miles inland; the greatest part of the private buildings were destroyed.' Fortunately, the sea did not break in upon us here, but the surf roared furiously. On the 21st of November, 1807, the sea rose suddenly at Padang, and continued to rise and fall alarmingly, till 9 at night of the 23d, when a violent concussion was felt, after which, the waters subsided. At half past 8 P. M. of the 1st of December following, two more severe shocks were experienced, but no inundation seems then to have taken place. All here will long remember the night of the 10th of July, 1913. Amongst the mountains lying behind the settlement, is a volcano, which is almost always seen smoking, but, I believe, has never been observed to emit flames. I am told, that no smoke has been seen to issue from this volcano for some time past; so that we may naturally conclude, the repetition and violence of Earthquakes lately, have been occasioned by the closing up, temporarily, of the ducts, by which the sulphureous matter usually finds vent. In those districts (Manna) an extremely population; and the great importance of the discovery of new tracts of good soil being much enhanced by the consideration of the long continued droughts of the present season, so injurious in their effects to every class of the community in the Colony, His Excellency was pleased some time since, to equip a party of men, under the direction of Mr. George William Evans, one of the Assistant Land Surveyors, (in whose zeal and abilities for such an undertaking he had well founded reason to confide), and to furnish him with written instructions for his guidance in endeavouring to discover a passage over the Blue Mountains, and ascertaining the quality and general properties of the soil he should meet with to the westward of them. This object having been happily effected, and Mr. Evans returned with his entire party all in good health, the Governor is pleased to direct, that the following summary of his tour of discovery, extracted from his own Journal, shall be published for general information. Mr. Evans, attended by five men, selected for their general knowledge of the Country, and habituated to such difficulties as might be expected to occur, was The Emperor also put to death eighteen or twenty of his eunuchs. The Emperor, after his arrival at Pekin, |sociation, San-ho-Hwing, Association of the displaced several of his ministers, King- Three Powers, i. e. heaven, earth, and kwei the first Pae-sang, (or as called by man. Pe-leen-Hwing, the Association of the courtesy Co-lao) was removed; and Sung-Water-lily. The government calls them ta-glim, the friend of the English Embassy, Reaou fei, Banditti of Religionists. They do put in his place. not teach any religious system, but they generally sacrifice or drink a small quantity of each other's blood when they take the oath of brotherhood. They have, like the Freemasons of Europe, secret marks by which they are known to each other. Their ostensible object is to defend each other's It is said that their property is always secure, and that they can travel with perfect safety at all times. They revenge each other's wrongs, even on the officers of go In almost every province, troops to the amount of 60,000 were called out to attack the rebels, or as the Chinese yet continue to call them robbers :-for they do not wish to consider the rebellion as of any conse-property, and revenge each other's wrongs. quence. The rebellion began in Shang-tung, where a famine prevailed; those who wished to overturn the government, laid hold of this circumstance. It was such a concurrence that overturned the Dynasty Ming. In Shang-tung, the rebels seized on three cities, on some districts in Peche-le, and on three districts in Ho-nan. They put to death the officers of those districts, and, as the Chinese persist in affirming, eat their flesh. Considerable quantities of human flesh were eaten by the famishing people. They even go so far as to say that it was carried about for sale. One of the leaders in Shang-tung, was by the government said to affirm himself to be Lew-heun-te, a person famous for his virtue and public spirit, upwards of two thousand years ago, now returned to life, agreeably to the doctrine of the metempsychosis. In the time of Lew-heun-te, there was another hero Kwan-foo-tsze, now worshipped by the Chinese as the god of war. This person is said to have appeared several times in defence of his country. The peo ple have it reported among them, and many believe it, that he appeared lately in the heavens with a red and angry countenance, and terrified the rebels. The government troops came forward and obtained a great victory. vernment. Nov. 3. Published at Canton. His Excellency the Viceroy has received an official letter from Wan, the Viceroy of Pekin. The express travelled at the rate of 800 Le, daily. From this letter it appears, that the districts Hwa-Heen, and Gan-yang-Heen, in the province of Ho-nan, together with the principal towns of those districts, have fallen into the hands of the rebels, and the officers of government have been put to death. In the province of Pe-che-le, the district Chang-yuen has been seized by them, on their hearing that they were to be attacked. and Tsaou have fallen into their possession, In Shang-tung, the districts Ting-taou and the chief towns of the districts taken. This has been stated to his Majesty, and an express been sent to call out from each province three thousand men in Ho-nan and Hoo-pe; they have been already called out. In this province we hasten to appoint fourteen hundred of the Fooyuen's and fourteen hundred of the Viceroy's troops to be in readiness to march. December 18.-A letter has been received from Keang-ning in the province of Keang This rebellion is attributed to the badan, from which it appears that the King's influence of the comet which appeared in 1811. On December 9, 1813, at midnight, a large meteor was seen in Canton, which was thought ominous of ill. This belief of planetary influence on the affairs of men, may serve to produce the effect which is attributed to it, by encouraging the people to rebel, who are previously dis,posed to do so. In China, there exist a great many secret associations of the people. They generally call themselves "brotherhoods," and take to themselves various epithets, as Teen-le-Hwing, Celestial Reason's Association, Teen-te-Hwing, Heaven and Earth As troops had obtained successive victories over the rebels. They had taken and put to death seven or eight hundred: the remainder fled to Hwa-Heen, a district in Ho-nan province. It is also said, that one of the leaders, Wang-sung-ho, has been killed, and his followers, a few hundred persons, have fled to the district Tseun. Those in the district Hwa are more numerous, those in Tsaou and its neighbourhood are not more than a thousand and odd. Those in Kin-heang Commou are all dispersed since their leader was taken and put to death. With respect to those in Chang-yuen in the province of Pekin, their leader calls himself "the King of Benevolence and Right eousness. 11 On the 7th (of the tenth moon', his Excellency Sooled forth the government troops against the rebels, attacked and defeated them, killing several hundreds, and lerning three of their encampments; about 90 prisoners were taken, the remainder fled to Hwa district. On the 3rd, the Viceroy of Pe-che-le attacked the rebels at the said district, and killed an incalculable number. This has with all possible haste been stated to his Majesty, He and his followers have fled.] and the powerful of the day. As to that Lew-lin who was at the head of two superior and truly mysterious description parties has been taken and put to death. of Freemasonry which exists in England, Wang-sung-ho was one of his disciples: they in Prussia, in Denmark, and in Sweden, we called themselves at first "the Sect of the know it has given existence to great instiLord of Heaven," but afterwards changed tutions of benevolence, and for the purpose it for the name of the Sect of the Eight Dia- | of education; we know that the princes grams. and monarchs of the north are enrolled in the Brotherhood. What then is that insolence, indulged by a few Capuchins of Rome and Madrid, which publicly insults a society that reckons among its members those magnanimous sovereigns, without whose efforts king Ferdinand VII. and the Holy Father, would have been, to this day, either the prisoners, or the most humble slaves of Napoleon! How many are the generals and ministers, English, Prussian, and Russian, belonging to this Society! It was also to the Society of Freemasons, in part, that the Cardinals York and Borgia were beholden for the generous succours which, in the moment of distress, they_received from two Protestant princes. There is, in blaming this association for admitting therefore, not merely folly, but ingratitude, into its body members of every party in re ligion. Besides, we beheve that this Scottish and German Freemasonry is not much Our intelligence comes down to a later date; but these specimens of the Gazette of the Chinese Empire, in which twice as much is stated, and implied, as the facts of the case and real performance will warrant, may be sufficient, at present. It is supposed that the next India fleet will bring interesting accounts. An Empire with such interior enemies, by land, and thein vogue in Italy, or even in France. If it Ladrone pirates (of whom our Readers know the history) by sea, had need of all its energy, all its wisdom, and all its good fortune. PERSECUTION OF THE FREE-MASONS. [From the French.] "Quicquid delirant Reges, plectuntur achivi." Many of the newly-established governments, misunderstand entirely the nature of that grand alliance, to which they are beholden for every thing. The suppression of the Free-Mason-Lodges is one of the most vexatious symptoms of that re-action by which these governments suffer themselves to be carried away. This measure is founded on absolute ignorance of the actual state of Freemasonry. We consider ourselves as warranted in asserting, that this institution is, without cause, described as the hidden danger of sovereigns. The Lodges of Italy, and of Spain, are supposed to resemble those of France; which are so many associations of beneficent and mutual fraternity; associations perfectly innocent, and so little to be feared in the political world, that they complaisantly changed-we are told-their Venerables, their Speakers, &c. with every change of government; so as to have constantly for their presiding officers, the great has higher objects and secret aims, it is not likely that they should be ripened for execution in the south of Europe. So far the French writer:-we can only add, that in a land accustomed to liberty, no fear need be entertained of private societies, as there are always men of understanding in the body, who would check and expose violent councils, or disloyal proceedings. Under despotic governments, or governments intent on becoming or continuing despotic, such societies may be objects of alarm;-in them forbidden liberty may seek an asylum. We consider it as one of the strongest proofs of despotic intentions, that these philanthropic associations should incur persecution, whether in Italy, or in Spain, or elsewhere. But, if there be societies like those described as existing in the interior of China; we presume that they are of a nature so totally different, that what may fairly be affirmed of one kind does not apply to the other. They are neither ancient, nor benevolent, nor amicable: imitations of the working brotherhood, for other purposes, no doubt, there have been many. As political societies it may be prudent to suppress them; but as to the alledged crime of admitting members of all religious principles founded on Christianity, we hold that it does far more honour to their general philanthropy, than it does injury to prince or people. 1 HORTICULTURE. (392 All things change, but Nature suffers no loss of matter. The grass which adorns the field, and supplies food for cattle, derives its nourishment and support from the elements; by a wonderful process, it is converted into flesh, and assumes new af • Many of our Readers have gardens, and find pleasure and profit in tending them: it is the natural occupation of man, and what he delights in. But, like other delights, it has its anxieties and drawbacks.—pearances, nature, and properties. Animals The seasons of the year are not always fa- feed on vegetables, and derive their nouristvourable; the harvest of fruit is not always ment from them: nevertheless, there seems realised in proportion to the promises of the to be something, neither more or less than Howers. The feeblest insects do the great- ludicrous, in the idea of feeding vegetables, est mischiefs; and to provide against them in their turn, with animal flesh, and supis the greatest trouble. They too are the porting, or at least, invigorating them, by works of nature, and each has its proper animal principles. The practice is not means of extra-nourishment drawn from dwelling, food, and support, independent of the wishes or vexations of man. To uncommon, in the instance of pouring bullock's blood over the roots of fruit trees promote the practical purposes of the lovers of gardens, a Society has been formed in which have failed in bearing, in order to Scotland under the name of "The Caledo- that daily application of the same process in renovate their powers; to say nothing of nian Horticultural Society;" from whose Transactions we borrow the following information. another form, in the use of soil and manure of different kinds and qualities, the virtues of which depend on the animal particles To prevent the ravages of the Gooseberry- brought into action. In short, nothing is Caterpillar. By Mr. JOHN MACMURRAY, Nurseryman. In Autumn, let a quantity of cow-urine be provided; and let a little be poured around the stem of each bush, as much as suffices merely to moisten the ground. This simple expedient has succeeded to admiration; and its prophylactic virtues have seemed to extend to two successive years. The bushes which were treated in this manner remained free of caterpillars; while those that were neglected, or intentionally passed over, in the same compartments, were totally destroyed by the depredations of the insects. Another mode, the salutary effects of which extend only to the season immediately following. Collect as much drift sea-weed from the beach, when opportunity occurs, as will cover the gooseberry compartment to the depth of four or five inches. Lay it on in Autumn. Let this covering remain untouched during the Winter and early Spring months. As the season advances dig it in. This plan has answered my most 'sanguine expectations; no caterpillars ever infesting the compartments treated with sea-weed. lost: the vegetable kingdom supports the Mr. EDWARD LANG, Nurseryman, on the subject of destroying the Caterpillars which infect Fruit Trees, relates the following Experiments: . . . I observed, upon examination, that the soil was deficient of a proper quantity of animal substance. I consequently set about making up this deficiency. In 1807 and 1808 fodder was very scarce, and many old horses killed. I availed myself of this circumstance, and collected all the dead horses I could procure in the neighbourhood, and I soon found myself master of above twenty carcases. I had the trees on my East and South aspects, treated as follows: A circular trench was made, about three feet distant from the trunk, and so deep as to cut every root through into this trench was put half a horse at least, divided into proper pieces, and covered up. The following Spring, however, the caterpillars were not in the least diminished. In August and September 1809, I found the moths very numerous, flying about my trees; I was certain, that they must deposit their eggs at this season, because at no other do they exist. Certain also of their being deposited upon or in the fruit and wood buds, I thought, if a proper liquor could be procured, sufficiently pungent and deleterious to kill them, and not to injure the trees, I might yet have a crop of fruit. Cheered with the hope of having a reward, for seventeen years application, I set about this last operation with alacrity. In the beginning of January last, 1810, I took five pounds of flowers of sulphur, three pounds of soft soap, one pound of potash, four pints of very strong tobaccoliquor, (the expense of all which is but trifling), and made up the mixture to ten pints, with fresh water: I put the mixture on the fire in a pot, and, when as intimately mixed as possible, I applied it, in a luke-warm state, with a small painter's brush, so as not to miss a single bud; and potful after potful was mixed up, till I had washed thirty-four full grown wall trees, apple, pear, and cherry. Several trees, which had been dressed with horse flesh as above, were left unbrushed, that they might be compared with those which had been washed. This application has at last proved successful and now, on the first of June, I November. Being at a loss for a shed, or such place as is commonly used for hanging it up, in order to preserve it, I dug a pit along the bottom of a wall, about eighteen inches in depth, and much about the same breadth. On a dry day I pulled up the stocks of cauliflower, keeping the leaves as entire as possible, and wrapping them round the flower. I began at one end of the above-mentioned pit, laying in my cauliflower with the roots uppermost, and the tops inclining downwards, the roots of the one layer covering the tops of the other, and so on with the whole of my stock. The pits were then covered closely up with earth, and beaten smooth with the back of the spade, in order that the rain might run off. It is to be observed, that the covering had a considerable slope from the wall. The experiment succeeded to my wish; and I was able occasionally to give a dish of fine cauliflower till the middle of Janu-" ary 1809. REMARKS ON THE STONES EMPLOYED IN DRUIDICAL STRUCTURES. Mr. Gillby, a gentleman, who has addressed to Mr. Tilloch, for his Philosophi cal Magazine, a paper, descriptive of the Geology of the neighbourhood of Bristol, has, among other remarks, the following, on the nature of certain Stones found in certain Druidical works. As it usually has been said, that the beds whence these Stones were obtained are now unknown; or that there are none of the kind within many miles of the structure, known, while the mechanical means by which they were brought to their present situation, are inconceivable to modern art:-We take must say, that no money that I ever laid out yielded me so much pleasure, nor gave me such a prospect of profit. My trees, which had for many years exhibited an appearance of barrenness, are now full of most healthy well-spread flowers, the stamina with fine antheræ upon them, quite bold; not a single apple tree on the whole wall so washed being barren, and the cherries and pears set quite thick. I have had visits from a number of pro-advantage of this article to observe, that it fessional men this Spring, who have ex- is possible, to say the least, that if gentle-. pressed their admiration of the trees so men would look narrowly over their own treated. It is proper to add, that those estates, in the neighbourhood of such mowhich were left unwashed are nearly as usual, full of caterpillars, which I fear willnuments, they might clear up these diffiresist my utmost efforts to reduce them at this season. culties to the naturalist, and the traveller; and, at the same time, improve their properties, and benefit the public. We consider it as unquestionable, that the riches of this kingdom in minerals, fossils, and even in vegetable productions, is greater than is commonly known, or generally understood. Coal, one of our most valua |