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GREENFIELD, December 19.-On Monday morning last, the 14th inst. in the vicinity of this place, several bodies of stone were discovered, which appeared to have descended from the regions above. Several pieces of this stone were shewn me by different persons, by whom the fact was so well attested as to make it impossible altogether to disbelieve it. But being resolved to get the best of evidence of such an extraordinary occurrence, which the nature of the cause could admit, I devoted this day, in company with the Rev, Mr. Holly, in visiting the different places where the stones had fallen.

The first place we visited is about 3 1-2 miles in a northeasterly direction from my house, in a lot firmly covered with grass, about 25 rods from the house of Elijah Seeley. The breach here made in the ground was about 4 feet diameter, and nearly the same depth, in a rather sloping direction, which was occasioned by the stone striking a shelly rock and glancing. The rock on which the stone fell was much shattered, and the stone itself very much broken, the largest pieces weighing not more than six or eight pounds; the quantity altogether about a bushel. A quart or two of these fragments we gathered here; the greater part having been previously carried away by the inhabitants. By the fall and glancing of the stone, the dirt and sod were strewed two or three rods round the breach, and several pieces of sod carried before the fragments to the lowest depth to which they sunk in the earth, and were removed by myself. Mr. Seeley and his wife say that just after day-light, they saw vivid flashes of light in rapid succession for five or six seconds; and in about a minute afterwards it was followed with a dreadful explosion resembling three cannon fired in quick succession, ending in a cracking rumbling noise; that about ten o'clock the same morning, going into this lot just back of his house, he discovered the breach in the ground above described, and couceiving it to have been caused by something discharged from above, at the time he heard the explosion, he called his wife out to witness the facts; and in the course of the day it was visited by all the neighbourhood. Mr. Seeley and his wife are sober, discreet, and intelligent persons, implicitly to be relied

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The next place we went to view was about four miles N. E. from the first, in the court yard of Mr. William Prince, a respectable and wealthy farmer. The court yard is a grass plat, smooth as a carpet, and firmly troden. Here we found a hole, about the size of a post hole, two feet two inches in depth, from which had been taken, on the evening of the aforesaid Monday, a stone weighing thirty-five pounds, the texture and appearance of which resembled exactly the one which fell at Seeley's. Mr. Prince and his wife and sons (men grown) give the same account of the flashes and explosion as was given above, with this further particular, that they heard about a minute after the explosion, the fall of the stone, at the noise of which they were much alarmed, but could not discover the cause. After it was light Mr. Prince went out, and passing across the door yard discovered a hole in the grass plat, only twenty seven feet from his house. The ground appears fresh broken, and no dirt thrown out. He looked into it, but could see nothing, and no further discovery was made until evening, when his sons returned from a town meeting at Weston, where they heard of the fall of the stone at Seeley's. This induced them to examine further the hole in the court yard. On hauling out the dirt which lay loosely over the stone, they soon discovered it, and took it out intire, except some small pieces, that were broken off by stones in the ground. We examined this hole, and found the sod and grass as in the other case, driven before the stone to the bottom of the hole, which we took up, with pieces of the stone that had not before been found. The hole was perpendicular in the earth, and in diameter no larger than the stone. A Mr. David Hubbell, a man of undoubted veracity, was passing in the street about 25 rods from this stone when it fell, who saw a ball of fire emitting sparks, with a tail about four feet long, shoot across the horizon in a southerly direction, and in about a minute or two afterwards, he heard the explosion, which he described as the others had done; and a minute or two after that; he heard a loud whistling through the air, which made a noise like a hurricane. The same appearance and explosions were witnessed by Judge Wheeler and Russel Tomlinson, VOL. III,

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who were ten miles distant from each other; men of great candor and careful observation; but being distant from the places where these stones fell, neither of them heard the whistling just mentioned The largest piece of the stone taken out of Princes Yard, which remains entire, weighs about eleven pouuds, and is now in my possession; the rest of it has been broken into small parts and scattered amongst the inhabitants.

The third and last place where these stones have been discovered to have fallen, is about five miles north-east of Mr. Princes, and seven below Newtown, near the turnpike-road which leads from thence to Bridgeport.

The stone which fell there was small, and falling upon the top of a rock, that projected two feet above the ground, was dashed into small fragments, none of which weighed more than 4 or 5 ounces; and it was judged the whole of these collected would not more than have filled a quart measure. This stone fell about thirty yards from the house of Mr. Merwin Burr; he and his wife being up, they both ran to the door the moment they discovered the flashes of light, and in a minute or two heard the same explosion as heretofore described; and in about a minute after the explosion they heard something fall near by them which made quite a loud report; and in quick succession three or four other noises at greater distance, which they thought to be something falling in a swamp, 20 or 30, rods in front of the house. Mr. Burr took a candle, and with his wife went out immediately, to see if they could find any thing in the direction where they heard the loudest report, but found nothing; when it grew lighter, and before sunrise, Mr. Burr went again, and found the fragments of the stone which had been dashed to pieces on the rock, and which have precisely the same appearance as those found at the two former places; the swamp, being full of water, has not been explored. Besides the large piece, I have many smaller ones collected at these three different places by Mr. Holly and myself, exactly resembling each other; and from the mouths of all these witnesses I have named (except Mr. Burr, who happened to be from home) we have taken the facts just as I have here related them. The ball of fire and explosion were witnessed by hundreds in this and the neighbouring towns; and I myself, as I was returning from New-York in the stage, a little on this side of Rye, at the same hour in the morning, saw vivid flashes of light, which lasted four or five seconds of time; and though the curtains were down, the stage was perfectly illuminated; but we heard no report..

This stone, I presume, possesses considerable iron, as it is strongly attracted by the needle, and I judge it is 1-4 heavier than the common granite. The outside is covered with a smooth, glazed, sooty crust, as thick as foolscap, looking like the back of a chimney; and the broken surfaces are of a blueish lead colour, the whole appearing to have undergone the action of intense heat.-The body of stone which fell at Seeley's must have weighed more than one hundred pounds.

J. BRONSON.

Other accounts are given of the storm, and of the meteor here noticed, in communications from other parts of the country; they are however too much alike to be inserted here.

RETROSPECT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

THE past month has been remarkably barren of events; indeed, the whole European continent being nearly reduced to submission to the will of the great predominant power by land, whilst the sea is equally under the dominion of a single maritime power, a theatre is scarcely left for vigorous contest. The only subject for an Extraordinary Gazette has been the reduction without resistance of the three Danish West India islands, St. Thomas's, St. John's, and St. Croix, which capitulated in December to a British squadron, commanded by Admiral Sir A. Cochrane.

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The Rochfort squadron which eluded the blockading fleet has been seen on its way to the West Indies, and has been pursued by Sir John Duckworth, though with little hope of overtaking it before it reaches its destination.

The island of Sicily is still held for its sovereign by a British army, and is said to be in a good state of defence, both by land and sea. The rock of Scylla, a post of great natural strength in Calabria, is occupied by an English garrison.

The North of Europe is likely for some time longer to be a scene of warfare. The king of Sweden, firm in his resolution to adhere to his engagements with England, has braved the resentment of the other two northern crowns, instigated by France, and is on the eve of contending probably for his throne. Advices from Gottenburg, dated Feb 12th, state that Russia has declared war against Sweden, and that her ambassador, with that of Denmark, was about to withdraw from Stockholm. A body of Russian troops has marched into Finland, and before this time has probably passed the Swedish frontier. In the meantime the English cabinet has formed a new treaty, with its only remaining ally, and has begun to forward subsidies, which will doubtless be followed by some more powerful aid against the impending danger. Past experience, however, will little justify any confident expectation of an effectual resistance.

The public attention at home has been principally fixed upon the debates in parliament, which have been frequent, various, and animated. The aggression on Copenhagen was still a topic of keen discussion in both houses during the early part of the month, and underwent the most pointed reprobation from several distinguished speakers. An impression of the impolicy of it at least seems to have been gaining ground, especially since Lord Hutchinson's declaration of the unfavourable sentiments towards this nation which he witnessed in the court of Russia upon the intelligence of that transaction. Indeed it cannot be doubted that all Europe has concurred in viewing it as a flagrant violation of the law of nations, if such can be said to exist.

A nobleman once at the head of administration, Lord Sidmouth, made a motion for an address to his Majesty, that he would order the Danish ships of war captured at Copenhagen to be kept in such a state as not to preclude the possibility of restoring them on the re-establishment of peace. This motion was lost, but an intended alteration of the names of all the Danish ships has been countermanded.

Another interesting subject of debate has been the orders in council respecting neutral commerce; and their justice, consistency, and policy have been questioned by arguments that ministers have found some difficulty in answering. Indeed their own system in this confessedly delicate business appears not to be fully settled. They seem inclined to make a distinction between the continent of Europe and America in the enforcement of their orders; and it is gratifying to observe the liberal and conciliatory terms in which some of the ministers have spoken concerning the United States, and their declarations of an ardent desire to preserve amity with them. If, however, a quarrel between them and either England or France be prevented, it will be princi. pally owing to their measure of a general embargo on their own navigation, which is meant to keep their shipping out of the reach of insult from either party. This strong measure has, as might be expected, excited great discontents in some of the maritime towns of the Union, and party animosities are reported to run unusually high in the country. It remains to be seen whether the American government be strong enough to enforce its own determinations, or whether it must give way to popular clamour.

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The aspect of general politics is at present singularly curious and unprecedented. A contest of self-denial and voluntary privations is carrying on between Great Britain, America, and the European continent. Great Britain, amidst burthens which prosperity alone can render tolerable, is submitting to a stagnation of her trade and manufactures, with the hope of cutting off all foreign supplies from the continent; which, in its turn, accommodates itself to the want of the most essential articles of import, rather than contribute to the resources by which the British naval superiority is sustained. Meanwhile America, in the full career of commercial enterprize, consents to suspend all her gains and speculations in order to avoid the necessity of taking a part in the war. All the parties seem to regard this state of things as impossible to be long continued, and yet no prospect is at present opened of its termination.

MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT.

THE Orders in Council of 11th November have continued to occupy much attention both in and out of Parliament. The Opposition condemn them strongly, and consider them as inflicting a severer blow on our commerce than alt the decrees of Bonaparte together. This opinion seems to gain ground since the publication of a pamphlet on this subject by Mr. Alex. Baring, who conducts the American branchr in the house of trade formerly well known under the firm of Sir Francis Baring and Co. and lately, since the Baronet's retirement from business, under that of Baring, Brothers and Co. This author discusses the question at great length, and argues, that the British merchants trading to America have suffered in consequence of their having been less loud in their complaints than those in other lines of trade. He states, that they reside chiefly in Liverpool, and that their number is not great; the persons chiefly benefited by American intercourse being manufacturers, who, by their dispersed situation, are ill fitted to act together. Hence, while the whole nation has resounded with the complaints of the shipping and West India interest, the grievances of the American merchants have scarcely ever been heard of. But the benefits of the American trade to England were not confined to the export of our manufactures. The proceeds of the investments of cargo from America to the continent of Europe used to center ultimately here. The mode of transaction was as follows: A cargo being shipt at Philadelphia, Boston, or New York, for the continent, the shipper drew on a London house for two-thirds of the value of the cargo, and instructed that house to effect insurance on the goods; he also instructed his continental correspondent to remit the whole proceeds to the London house as soon as received-by which means there were regularly large sums coming over from the continent to this country. It seems that these exchanges have been conducted somewhat circuitously in consequence of the war, but that otherwise they have been as regularly managed as in peace, all the artifices of Bonaparte having been unable to defeat their circulation. Mr. Baring considers the balance thus coming to us as the great cause of keeping up the course of exchange, and fears that we shall feel the worst effects in this respect from the Orders in Council. He also enumerates various instances in which our goods were introduced into the continent under the American flag, and specifies a remarkable fact, that five American ships were stopped in consequence of the new Orders when proceeding to the continent with fish, which fish proved on investigation to be the property of an English merchant, having been caught for his account at Newfoundland, and sent by him across the At

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lantic under the cheap medium of a neutral flag. The tables introduced into this work afford some important information. The amount of annual imports into the United States is seventeen millions sterling, of which one half is from Great Britain. Their exports exceeded fifteen millions, of which one-third came to this country. The cotton annually imported for our manufactures amounts to about 280,000 bales, of which no less than 170,000 come from America. On the whole it is apparent that the commercial loss sustained by the cessation of this great branch of trade will be very heavy. This is not the place to enquire how far political reasons existed for the Orders in question ; but however this may be, we fervently hope that their cause may soon cease to operate, or if it remains in force, that other expedients may be found for giving circulation to our manufactures.

The West India planter continues in the same unfortunate condition in which he has been during two years. The average price of sugar is still as low as 31s. per cwt. (free of duty) although it has been proved in evidence before a committee of the House of Commons, that the mere freight and plantation charges amount to this sum, so that nothing whatever remains for interest of capital or for the planter's labour. It is understood that the Chancellor of the Exchequer is to propose a second Distillery committee, for the purpose of inquiring whether the introduction of sugar and prohibition of barley be advisable; and if the opinion be affinative, to determine whether this should take place in England only, or throughout the three kingdoms. The consumption of sugar has increased so much in consequence of the extremely low price, that the produce of the tax is now nearly 900,0001. more than it was three years ago. The West India planters have urged this point strongly, and claim a proportional restriction on the duties, but hitherto their solicitations have met a deaf ear. The Assembly of Jamaica continue to propose, as the simplest and most effectual remedy, that our West India colonies should be allowed to sell the surplus of their sugar on the spot to whoever will buy it, the obligation to ship home being limited to the quantity necessary for our home consumption. But here, again, they encounter the formidable prejudices of the shipping interest.

Large importations of coffee have of late taken place from St. Domingo. For the protection of our own colonies, it was judged necessary to impose a pretty heavy duty on the St. Domingo coffee; but this duty, it seems, is to be levied only on that which was shipped after the Orders of Council of 11th November were known. At first the imposition of the duty was absolute, but the remonstrances of the merchants interested in the trade procured the remission which we have mentioned.

Several outward convoys have taken their departure during last month. Sir George Prevost's expedition, consisting of 6,000 troops, sailed from Ports mouth on the 13th. A West India fleet, the third for the season, took its departure from the same port on the 21st. The East India convoy is under orders for dispatch. It consists of the following ships: For China, the Ocean, Ceres, Canton, Dorsetshire, Alnwick Castle, David Scott, and Exeter. For Bengal, the Calcutta, Lord Nelson, Sir Hugh Inglis, and Preston.

All these ships, except the three last-mentioned, have been at Portsmouth for many weeks. These three got round about ten days ago, after suffering some loss and encountering great danger from the late storms. The former India fleet sailed early last month from Torbay, under convoy of the Isis, of 50 guns, after having been detained some time by contrary winds.

Although the List of bankrupts in the Gazette, as well as other circumstances, shew but too clearly the burdens under which the mercantile interest labours, we derive some consolation from the prospect of a contraband intercourse with the continent in spring. All the vigilance of Bonaparte and his spies will prove unable to counteract the industry of the inhabitants of the coast, who, from the North to the South of the continent, are desirous to favour the introduction of our goods. We have already heard of arrangements being made to this effect in several quarters, which it would be improper to designate by name, and we accordingly take leave of the subject, in the hope that Government will open not one, two, or three, but many harbours for the reception of the foreign vessels by which this traffic must be carried on. The objection to this is, the dan

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