CHRONICLE. 



121 



midst of a precarious harvest, and 

 at a time when the stock of corn 

 on hand was nearly exhausted. 



23. Messrs. Wilkinsons, uphol- 

 ders, on Ludgate-hill, having of 

 late been frequently robbed of 

 feathers, suspicion at last attached 

 to a porter in their employ, and a 

 plan was laid for his detection ; it 

 succeeded, and he was detected on 

 Wednesday evening, when leaving 

 work, with a large parcel of fea- 

 thers in his possession : he was 

 detained, and a constable sent for, 

 and on being questioned, he con- 

 fessed he had taken feathers fre- 

 quently before, and sold them to a 

 broker, residing on the Surrey side 

 of Blackfriars bridge. In order to 

 detect the receiver, it was agreed 

 that he should go as usual, accom- 

 panied by the officer, with the 

 feathers. Wiien they arrived 

 at the center of Blackfriars bridge, 

 he said the broker was in the habit 

 of meeting him in the recess, and 

 taking his bundle ; it was there- 

 fore agreed, that he should stop 

 there on the present occasion, 

 and that the officer should wait 

 near at hand to detect the broker 

 when he came. They had not been 

 long in waiting, when the officer 

 vt'as surprised by observing the 

 bundle of feathers fly over the top 

 of the bridge ; and running for- 

 ward to inquire the cause, he was 

 just in time to see, but not to pre- 

 vent, the prisoner throwing him- 

 self over also. The body sunk 

 immediately, and though instant 

 search was made for it, has not yet 

 been found. 



26. From the Spanish papers.— 

 The countess of Chinchon has 

 given an illustrious testimony of 

 her patriotic enthusiasm, by ap- 

 propriating to general the duke 

 ofCiudad Hodrigo, the rich and 



magnificent insignia of the order 

 ofthe Golden Fleece which belong- 

 ed to her late father, the infant 

 Don Luis, as a proof of that por- 

 tion of the national gratitude 

 which she feels for the exploits by 

 which that distinguished captain 

 has contributed to secure the ulti- 

 mate triumph of Spanish independ- 

 ence. To this demonstration of 

 her disinterested patriotism, she 

 has added another of her respect 

 for the supreme government, by 

 requesting their approbation of 

 this expression of the feelings of 

 her heart, as will appear from the 

 following letter addressed to the 

 regency of the kingdom, and the 

 annexed reply : — 



Letter ofthe Countess of Chinchon 

 to the Regency of the Kingdom.^— 

 " Senor, — It not appearing to me 

 proper to take any step without 

 the consent of our beloved king, 

 or of the legitimate government 

 which represents him in his ab- 

 sence, and understanding that lord 

 Wellington, duke of Ciudad Ro- 

 drigo, has been decorated with 

 the order of the Golden Fleece, I 

 have to beg that your highness 

 will give your assent to his being 

 presented with the insignia of that 

 order which belonged to my de- 

 ceased father, the infant Don Luis, 

 the principal reason why I deem 

 them valuable ; — and, also, because 

 I regard them as worthy of a suc- 

 cessor to whom the country owes 

 so great a share of its liberty.— 

 I am, &c. 

 " Maria Teresa de Borbon 

 « Cadiz, Aug. 13, 1812." 



Answer. — " The regency of the 

 kingdom has seen your ladyship's 

 letter of this day, in which you 

 solicit its consent to present to 

 the duke ofCiudad Rodrigo, whom 

 his highness has decorated with the 



order 



