checked the document, and discovered the forgery. The scheme to which this gentleman had so nearly fallen a prey was cunningly contrived. The effeminate applicant to Mr. Martin was the sister of Lyons, disguised in male attire,—Lyons having placed himself in the way at the proper moment to give the necessary character; and, had it not been for the chance circumstance alluded to, would have profited largely by the deceit. The scheme failed; Lyons was apprehended; and, rather than give his sister the affliction of appearing against him, he pleaded guilty; thus sacrificing the slight chance of life which remained, to spare the feelings of her whom he had betrayed into crime. In 1796 a loan for eighteen millions was proposed. The usual inquiries were made by the interested parties, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer positively declared that it should be conducted upon principles of free and open competition. The day was appointed to arrange its preliminaries. Mr. Mellish, Mr. James Morgan, and Mr. Boyd, were competitors; and when they had assembled, Mr. Boyd requested a few words in private with the Chancellor. The request was granted; and the surprise of Messrs. Mellish and Morgan may be conceived, when the Chancellor, on returning, proposed, that, if the latter bid for the loan, Mr. Boyd should be at liberty to supersede them on paying half per cent. above the highest offer. This was decidedly and indignantly refused; and the Chancellor, without any other proposition, at once agreed to take the terms offered by Mr. Boyd, although it was fully understood by all that there should be no final settlement on that day. The real causes of this extraordinary proceeding are difficult to ascertain; but the excuse offered by the Chancellor was, that Boyd had some claim on government, in consideration of the previous loan not having entirely expired. Allowing this, the state had no right to remunerate Mr. Boyd at the expense of others; and as very little of the previous scrip remained in his possession, it was, whatever partisanship might allege in excuse, a gross dereliction of public duty, and a great misdirection of public interest, to allot a loan without competition, at a loss of £499,500 to the public. At any rate, the contract was notified as open, the Governor of the Bank was authorized to declare it so, and the Chancellor expressed no doubt upon the subject. There was much comment at the time. There was also a curious story in circulation of bills to the amount of £700,000 having been drawn on the treasury in fictitious names, and with fictitious dates; and it was asserted that, when the loan was contracted, it was absolutely known by the Cabinet that the king’s speech would inevitably raise the funds, and add five per cent. to the gains of the contractor. Before the first payment, £2,160,000 was the profit on a contract for eighteen millions.