30 AUGUST 1845, Page 6

SCOTLAND.

At the Town-hall of Linlithgow, on Friday, Mr. Balllie, of Polkemmet, a Conservative, was elected Member for that burgh, in the room of Mr. Charles Hope, appointed to the Governorship of Man. In returning thanks to the electors, Mr. Baillie expressed gratitude especially for being returned free from pledges. He spoke with approbation of the Poor-law Bill for Scotland, and of the Banking Bill; though he deprecated the abolition of one-pound notes. The speakers on the occasion, and the writers in the Scotch papers, dwell less on Mr. Baillie's political sentiments and qualifi- cations than on the amiable qualities of his personal character.

1,..1 We understand that Sir John McNeill, G. C. B., is to be First COMIDiS- goner under the Scotch Poor-law Amendment Act, and William Smythe, Esq., advocate, Secretary to the Board.--Scotch Reformers' Gazette.

During the present week, it has been rumoured that the Right Honour- able David Boyle is about to resign his high situation as Lord Justice- General of Scotland, and to be succeeded by Duncan McNeill, Esq., Lord Advocate.—Edinburgh Chronicle.

Inverness, usually crowded at this season by sportsmen, has been thronged also by a strange admixture of those bent on religions affairs, assembled at an extraordinary meeting held by the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, with many adherents of both sexes, come to watch the proceedings. An immense pavilion was erected as a hall, capable of holding 3,500 persons. The greater number arrived last week; and the pavilion was daily filled to overflowing; most leaders of the party, clerical and lay, being present; though among the absent notables were Dr. Chalmers, and the Peer of the Free Church, the Marquis of Breadalbane. But the proceedings on the earlier days were confined to preaching and re- ligious observances; Gaelic alternating with English, which great part of the meeting could not understand. A public breakfast has taken place daily, at which there is a conversation upon a specified subject; the prin- cipal men present joining in the discussion. At the breakfast on Friday morning, a half-caste missionary, who belongs to a tribe of Indians inhabit- ing a village in the neighbourhood of Toronto, made an address, in which he stated what were the prospects of the Free cause among the race which he represented.

The number of visiters to the Highland lochs this year is al r without precedent. Accommodation is scarcely to be procured, even at rates. The season which is drawing towards a close has been one of the best ffor the inhabi- tants and proprietors at the various watering-places on the Clyde which they have for several years enjoyed. The providing of summer-quarters in the various delightful retreats with w 'eh our Western shores are studded seems still to be a profitable speculation, and a rising subject for investments, more particularly for the better class of houses. At all the sea-bathing places there has been a number of new houses erected for the season, and others are in progress of erection; a most decided proof this, certainly, of the increasing enjoyment of the business portion of society, and of the surplus means which they have at their disposaL- Greenock Advertiser.

In the Scots Magazine for 1792, it is stated that the estate of Kelly and Fin- nich Bog, in Benfrewshire, was sold in that year to the late John Wallace, Esq., for 10,7501. The price of 65,0001. lately given for the same estate shows the rise that has taken place in land.—Scotsman.

There has been serious rioting among the Dunfermline weavers, in consequence of an intended reduction of wages. The men left their work, and on the night of Wednesday week a mob of three thousand paraded the streets, headed by one in disguise beating a drum. The Provost and civic officers endeavoured to seize the drummer and disperse the crowd; but in the struggle the Provost was knocked down by a blow on the head with a stick. The mob then broke the windows in the house and warehouse of Mr. Thomas Alexander, one of a weaving-firm which first proposed the redaction of wages. Afterwards, the rioters proceeded to the country-house of Mr. James Alexander, at Balmule; smashed all the windows, forced an entrance, and broke down the doors in their search of Mr. Alexander; who fortunately was not there. In the kitchen they set fire to a quantity f clothes and chairs; but as the room was arch4 the fire did not extend. The crowd at last dispersed on the approach of a number of farmers and others, whom they believed to be constables.

Another account says that Mr. Alexander was in the house, and that on the arrival of the rioters, who apparently sought his life, he hid himself on the roof. Mrs. Alexander and her five children fled from the house in their night-clothes; and it is said that the lady was roughly used in departing. Soldiers have been obtained from Edinburgh; and the Magistrates have resolved to memorialize Go- vernment to make the town a permanent military station. Many persons have been arrested.

A correspondent of the Times says that an inspection of the kitchen showed that "every particle of wood in it had been deliberately and separately set fire to, including the least bar or stick. A salt-box placed in a niche in the wall is re- duced to a box of charcoal. An old clock, of very hard wood, is charred from top to bottom, the dial-plate and hours being blistered with the flames. The kitchen, however, is a chamber of solid stone, though the painting had concealed this from the incendiaries; and to this circumstance it is owing that the house of Balmule is not now a heap of ashes, mingled, it might have been, with the remains of the unfortunate inmates. To prevent even the possibility of deliverance, the rioters tore down the two water-casks at the back of the house from the stones on which they were placed, and rolled them away into the shrubbery, breaking the hoops and the leaden pipes?' The same writer in his excitement exclaims—" It is im-

ible to come to any other conclusion than that there is in the town of Dun-

line a regular band of conspirators, organized and disciplined with watch- words and signals, bound together under obligations of secrecy, and with hearts to conceive and heads to execute any crimes however atrocious."

John Cameron, a gatekeeper at Taymouth Castle, a man in his eighty-third year, has been gored to death by the bisons kept in the park. He was passing through the grounds, when the animals made a furious attack upon him, mutila- ting his body, and cutting and bruising his head.

There was a fierce storm on the shores of Caithness and other parts of Scotland last week. A great many fishing-boats were wrecked, involving the rain of hun- dreds of people; while four men were drowned at Wick, two at Whaligoe, and two at Clyth.

A very distressing occurrence has happened at Dunbar. A fishing-boat in attempting to enter the harbour was driven on some rocks, and totally wrecked; three men were instantly, drowned; the master got on to a rock, and was saved; his brother reached another rock, but this would be covered by the rising tid Lieutenant Wylde, of the Preventive Service, Mr. Lucas, chief boatman, and four seamen of the town, courageously volunteered to attempt the man's rescue, and set out in a fishing-boat for that purpose: it had nearly gained the rock when the fisherman was washed off; in a moment after, the boat was driven among the rocks, dashed to pieces, and all the crew and the man they were attempting to save perished in the sea.