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you will find the proofs of my villany bleau.-Three young sportsmen happe it contains papers which I took out of ed, by accident, to trefpass on the la his Majefty's pocket after his death." of M. De Biragues. He was alarmed z Having thus faid, he made towards a the discharge of a gun on his grounds; window, in order, as it is fuppofed, to and, perceiving the sportsmen, he re throw himself out headlong: he was, quefted them to retire. They anfwered however, with-held by his friends. But in the most infulting terms. The d their care proved fruit lefs; the con- pute begat a perfonal conteft. fcioufnefs of his crime had fo wrought the fportfmen discharging his piece, b upon his mind, that he fell into a phren- led M, De Biragues on the spot. H tic fit, and expired in a few minutes. fon, a child about eight years old, wa This extraordinary affair ingroffes, at killed by another. A fervant coming prefent, the attention of government." up at the inftant, was menaced in the moft daring terms. The murderers R UNITED PROVINCES. [567.] tired with precipitancy. A detail of th particulars having been laid before the King, his Majefty hath given ftri& a ders to the feveral foreign ambaffadon and envoys, to intreat their respective courts not to afford an asylum for the inhuman wretches,”

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Hague, Nov. 5. The States-General have caufed notice to be given at all the fea-ports belonging to this republic, that the report of an accommodation between their High Mightineffes and the King of Morocco is falfe, and without the leaft foundation; in order that the fhips which are going out may take the neceffary precautions to be upon their guard.'

FRANCE. [499.]

"Paris, Nov. I. Advices from Spain fay, that there is no hope of an accommodation with Portugal. The Spanish fleet now at anchor at Cadiz is ready to fail. This fleet confifts of eight fhips of the line, fix frigates, four bomb-galliots, fome chebecs, and between 150 and 200 transport-vessels, 10,000 infantry, and 800 cannoniers, exclufive of a proper quantity of warlike ammunition."

Paris, Nov. 15. The fquadron which Count Duchaffault is to take the command of at Breft, will confift of fix men of war and ten frigates, deftined, it is faid, to protect the commerce of the French fubjects; and for that purpofe it is to fail the latter end of this month, or the beginning of the next at fartheft, for the inlands of St Domingo and Martinico."

"Brest, Nov. 14. Four men of war and one frigate, the 9th inftant, failed from this port for America, and the day before yesterday a fwift-failing pink, which in cafe of a calm can row twentyfour oars, went in queft of the above fquadron to recal them. Great prepa rations have for fome time been carried on at the different ports for war, which have within thefe few days been relax ed."

"Paris, Nov. 1. A moft unfortunate adventure lately happened at Fontain

"St Euftatia, Sept. 18. On the 6th inft. a great hurricane did confiderable damage at Guadalupe and Grand Tent. It is computed that the lofs is greater than that which happened in the yer 1738. Many veffels have been blown a thore, and it is not likely that they can be got off again. All the wooden hos fes at Point Petre have been throw: down, and there are but few of stone. It was attended with much rain, and a kind of deluge.”

SPAIN. [558.]

"Cadiz, Sept. 25. The fquadron undʊ the command of the Marquis of Tilly, is compofed of four hips, of 70 guns, viz. le Puiffant, le Monarque, le St Jofeph, and le St Damas; and two of 6c, l'Amerique, and le Septentrion; five frigates of 26, and two of 20 guns; one veffel of 30 guns; three fioops, two ci 14. and one of & guns; two bomb ketches of 8, and one bark of 10 guns."

“ Madrid, O&. 14. Letters from Bilboa advise, that an American privateer, which after having taken and fent to America five English fhips, had put into this port with the five captains of the said fhips, was ftopped there, at the request of feveral Spanish merchants, who prefented a petition for that purpose to the commiffary of the marine, and informed him, that they expected feveral English fhips laden with merchandise for their account; and that if the departure of the faid privateer be not oppofed, and he fhould make prizes of them, they would füffer a confiderable lofs; that on thefe complaints.

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"London, Nov. 23. A copy of the Marquis de Grimaldi's letter to the Governor of Bilboa is handed about, in the Spanish language, relative to the American corfair, which had taken five English fhips, and was detained at Bilboa at the request of the English vice-conful; the fubftance of which letter is nearly as follows. That having received advice from the Governor of Bilboa, refpecting the detention of an American fhip named the Hawke, Capt. John Lee, and the several atteftations of the perfons concerned, which had been laid before his Majefty, he had been pleased to declare, That in confequence of the amity fubfifting between his Catholic Majefty and the King of Great Britain, he should maintain a pefect neutrality during the prefent war; that he fhould not give any aid to the colonists; but fhould not de ny their being admitted into any ports of his dominions, while they conformed to the laws of the country."-In confequence of which the Governor was order. ed to fet at liberty the American vefiel, to deliver back his papers, and to fupply him with provifions, water, &c. (care being taken that no prohibited goods be fent on board), as thould enable him to proceed on his voyage. Dated at St Ildefonso Oct. 7. 1776. El M. de Grimaldi."

jects of his Majefty, now in the service foreign ftates, to return, and prohibiting all fuch feamen from entering into foreign service, on pain of being proceeded a-. gainft with the utmoft feverity of the law, and of forfeiting their right of being reclaimed, if taken by Turks, Algerines, &c.;-alfo, offering a reward of 21. for, every able, and 30s. for every ordinary, feamen, to any perfon who fhall difcover fuch feamen fecreting themselves, foi that they may be taken into the King's fervice by any officer employed for raifing men on or before the 31st of December.

By an order of council, dated Nov. 20, the prohibition to export, or carry coaftwife, any gunpowder, faltpetre, or any arms or ammunition [500.], is continued for three months after Nov. 23.

Arrived at Spithead, Nov. 12, the Romney war-fhip, Adm. Montagu, from Newfoundland.

The Yankee, an American privateer, fome time ago taken and condemned [501.], with all her ftores, was told by auction at Old Lloyd's coffee-house, London, Nov. 12. for 3301. She was put up twice before; the first time at 4191. the fecond at 4001. and the latt time at 3001.

At a board of admiralty, Nov. 13. the new-invented cork-jacket, for the use of feamen, to prevent drowning, paffed an examination, in order for large quantities of them to be purchased from the inventor, for the ufe of the royal navy, at the expence of government.

About the end of November, between 7 and 800 of the Greenwich-hofpital penfioners offered their fervice voluntarily to the Governor, to man the guardihips. This was accepted, and they are to be replaced in the hospital when the prefent occafion for their fervice is no longer neceffary.

BARBAR Y.. x.. [499.] "Leghorn, Oct. 18. The King of Morocco obftinately perfifts in not granting a peace to the Hollanders, unless they promife a confiderable annual tribute, which he has fixed at 50,000 piaftres. If this price fhould be agreed to, Holland will be charged more than any other nation. The Danes pay him no more than 25,000 piaftres: the prefents. On the 20th of November the King which Sweden fends to him once in two gave the royal affent to Au act for grantyears amount to about 20,000 crowns ing an aid to his Majefty, by a land-tax, to per annum; France, as well as Eng- be raised in Great Britain, for the year 1777. land, make him prefents from time to time; and other nations pay him but 10,000 fequins yearly. This Moorish prince alfo reaps great profit on the provifions with which he furnishes the garrifon of Gibraltar."

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At a common council of the city of London, Nov. 1. an augmentation of cool. a-year to the falary of the Lord Mayors of London was agreed to. At the fame time it was ordered, that the money arising from the fale of places fhould be paid into the chamber of London, but the Lord Mayors to have the benefit of the cocket-office.

On the 8th of November, Sir Thomas
Halifax

Halifax was fworn in at Guildhall Lord Mayor of London. Mr Sawbridge, the former Mayors on refigning the office, made the following speech.

"Gentlemen of the Livery,

WHEN I was appointed to the chief magiftracy of this, the first commercial city in the universe, I assured you I would discharge its duties with integrity and diligence, and defend the rights and privileges of my fellow-citizens. How far 1 have fulfilled my engagement, you are the best judges. My confcience does not upbraid me with having failed in a tingle point.

It is with particular fatisfaction I now refign this important office into the hands of a gentleman, who, alfo, has publicly pledged himself to maintain your fran chifes. And I have with pleasure heard him declare, that whilft he prefides over us, our fellow-citizens shall not be torn from their families by a lawless banditti, under pretence of manning the navy.

Firmness, and a zeal for public liberty, those cardinal virtues in a chief magiftrate, were never more necessary qualities than at this time, when we are in danger of lofing every thing which ought to be held dear by Englifhmen, from the defpotic principles of the minifter, and the corruption of both houses of parliament.

Gentlemen, I will continue to do my duty, as a private magiftrate, with as Arict an attention as before I had paffed the chair."

At a court of Aldermen, Nov. 19.prefent the Lord Mayor, Recorder, Alelermen Crosby, Bull, Wilkes, Kennett, Plomer, Lewis, Rawlinson, Clarke, Thomas, Plumbe, Wooldridge, Newnham, Kirkman, Lee, Smith, Hayley, Harley; abfent, Alfop, Efdaile, Oliver, Townfend, Afgill, Bridgen, and Peckham,it paffed unanimously, That the thanks of this court be given to the Rt Hon. John Sawbridge, late Lord Mayor of this city, for his diligent and faithful difcharge of the various duties of that important office; for his steady and impar tial administration of juftice; for his zeal ous defence of the rights and franchises of this great city, and the conftant protection he gave to all its inhabitants; for refufing the fanction of his authority to illegal prefs-warrants; and for his politeness, deference, and attention to the members of this court, during the whole courfe of his mayoralty."

At the entertainment on Lord Mayor's

day, Nov. 9. there were present, the La Chancellor, four of the Judges, Lond North, many of the Nobility, and eigh teen Aldermen, with a more numerou company of persons of distinction that has been prefent on the like occafion for many years.

The ftate-lottery [332.] began draw ing Nov. 13.

On Saturday, Nov. 9. the Attorney General moved the court of chancery, os the affidavit of the Rev. Henry Bate, praying an injunction of the court, gainst the farther publication of a paper, published the Monday before, and cont nued fince, under the title of The More ing Poft, which paper the affidavit flated to be spurious, and a piratical invafio of the property of several gentlemen, i whofe expence The Maruing Poft, publi ed for three years past, had been carried on. The Lord Chancellor, after recom mending the subject-matter of the me tion to the Attorney-General's matur confideration, was pleased to grant the injunction.

On Friday, Nov. 15. Mr Dunning me ved the court of king's-bench for an formation against two justices of th peace for Middlesex, for refusing to com pel two perfons to take the oaths, had been charged to be Roman Catholic Lord Mansfield refused Mr Dunning motion; at the fame time expreffed difapprobation at this attempt to res the feverities of those very penal laws.

Mr Alleyne moved the court of king's bc.ch, Nov. 25: for a rule to fhew cut why an information should not be græt ed against the printer of an evening pa per, for publishing two libels in faid på per, reflecting on a Mr Stackpole, w was then bound over to ftand trial, e profecution on the black act, for firing and wounding a Mr Parker. The he ous paffages alluded to were read; appearing on many accounts very g Lord Mansfield ordered the rule, wh out the leaft hefitation, to be made a folute. His Lordship condemned publication in the ftrongest terms; obferved, befides, that publications tive to matters at iffue before courts juftice, were extremely improper, deferved public reprehenfion and dife ragement; particularly when they we intended to influence profecutions, t event of which might be to draw afte a capital punishment.

Londen, Nov. 15. At two o'c

yefter

On a petition of William Dawson, Efq; the water-bailiff, the court of Aldermen of London, Nov. 19. ordered the Town-Clerk to write to the Lords of the Admiralty, to defire them to discharge John Tubbs, one of the city-watermen, who had been impreffed.The TownClerk's letter to the Lords of the Admiralty, and the anfwer by Philip Stephens, Efq; their fecretary, follow.

yefterday morning, thirty-one convicts, London, Nov. 22, the freedom of the cifeveral of whom had received fentence ty was voted to David Hartley, Efq; "in of death, but were afterwards refpited, confideration of the advantages likely to were conveyed from Newgate on board accrue to the public, by his inventions a lighter at Blackfriars, which afterwards for fecuring buildings from fire, and for fell down the river a little below Wool- his refpectful attention to this city, in his wich, where they were put on board the repeated experiments performed before Juftitia hulk, in order to work on the many of the members of this court." Thames.-There were eighty-eight convicts, chained two and two, on board the hulk, before the above number were fent. The full complement of prisoners for the veffel is 120, befide the governor, commander, and twenty men to take care of them. Five lighters attend the Juftitia, on board of which part of the prifoners are put every day to work, and are guarded by the overfeers, who are each of them armed with a broad sword, horfe-piftol, and gun. The prifoners eat in meffes. Each mefs, which confifts of fix perfons, has an allowance of half a bullock's head, four pound of bifcuit, befide broth thickened with bread and oat-meal, every day. They are cloathed injackets, are allowed two linen shirts, with a woollen cap, and a pair of stock ings. They complain more of their confinement than their work; which is too eafy, as they can only be employed at low water, and in the day time.'

"London, Nov. 12. Yesterday David Hartley, Efq; member for Kington upon Hull, accompanied by feveral members of both Houses, exhibited, on Wimbleton common, his fixth and last experiment for demonftrating the utility and certainty of his invention for preventing the deftruction of houfes by fire [504.]. His house is three storeys high, and has two large rooms on a floor. A fire was firft lighted on the deal floor of one of the rooms on the ground-floor; next, a large faggot of fhavings and wood was fufpended by iron to the upper part of the fame room; thirdly, the ftair-cafe was fet fire to both above and below: but the fire did not extend itself beyond ei ther of the spots it was lighted on. Laftly, the other room on the ground-floor, filled almoft to the top with faggots, pitch, and other combuftibles, was fet fire to; and, notwithstanding the fire burnt with fuch fury as to prevent an approach within thirty yards of the windows on the outfide, the room over was as cool and acceffible as if no fire had been in the house. A great number of gentlemen and ladies affembled on the occafion."

At a common council of the city of

"My Lords, William Dawson, Efq; this city's water-bailiff, having this day informed the court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen, that Lieutenant Tate, of Gravefend, did, on the 3d inftant, imprefs John Tubbs, one of this city's watermen; I am directed by the said court to defire your Lordships will give orders for the immediate difcharge of the faid John Tnbbs. I have the honour to be, my Lords, your Lordships most obedient humble fervant, WILLIAM Rix, Town•Town-clerk's office, Guildhall,

clerk.

Nov. 19."

"SIR, Admiralty-office, Nov. 20. 1776. Your letter of yesterday contains a demand on the part of the court of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the city of London, of the immediate difcharge of John Tubbs, who has been impreffed, and is ftated to be one of the city's wa

termen.

This is a folemn demand of his difcharge as a matter of right. As to which I am directed by the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty to obferve to you, that the condition of John Tubbs makes him clearly liable, in law, to be impreffed; infomuch that if he had abfconded to avoid the prefs, he would have been punishable by the court of aldermen for fo doing.

As matter of right, therefore, it is impoffible to give him up; and the demand being made in that form, renders it equally impoffible to fhew that degree of attention to their application, which it might otherwife, if circumstances would have allowed it, have been their Lordfhips inclination to have done. I am, Sir, your very humble fervant,

PH. STEPHENS."

Seri,

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Serj. Glynn moved the court of king'sbench, Nov. 25. for a writ of Habeas corpus for Tubbs. Lord Mansfield did not think the affidavit full enough; and defired, that the facts might be ftated at large in another; and that, in the mean time, an order might be ferved on the Lords of the Admiralty, not to remove the impressed man while the matter was fub judice.

This caufe came to be tried in the court of king's-bench, Nov. 28. before the Lord Chief- Juftice Earl of Mansfield, and the Juftices Willes and Afhurft. The following is the fubftance of the arguments,

"To explain this matter, it will be neceffary to ftate the affidavits on which the arguments were founded."

Mr Dawfon the water-bailiff's affidavit, went to prove, that there were thirty-one established waterman appointed to row the Lord Mayor's barge; that it was part of his duty to appoint them, and fill up the vacancies as they happened; that on their appointment they received a certificate, ftating, among other things, a privilege, or exemption, from being preffed; that their duty was to attend the Lord Mayor on folemn occations, when he went to hold courts of confervancy, and to carry the Middlefex and Surry juries, who were to examine and fee if any incroachments, ⚫or other male-practices, had been committed within the districts or places to which fuch inquiries were limited; and that, as far as he ever knew, could learn, or difcover, he understood, that the claim of exemption now made by him; in behalf of the Lord Mayor's watermen, was founded in ancient custom, long known and acquiefeed in by thofe to whom the exercife of the right of preffing had been intruffed.

After this the affidavits of four feveral | watermen were read; one of them, Underhill, had been himself preffed in the year 1746 he swore, that he had been releafed on the application of the then Lord Mayor. The other three affidavits · contained an account of three other of the Lord Mayor's waterman, who had been preffed in the years 1746, 1747, and 1761, in the mayoralty of Sir Samuel Fludyer, Bt; each of whom, on, application to the Lords of the Admiralty, had been refpectively discharged.

To combat thefe affidavits, it was fworn, on the other fide, first by Mr

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Stephens, fecretary to the board of A miralty, that he had been in that pot for thirteen years, and under-fecs tary three years, and that he neve heard a fyllable of the exemption nev claimed. An affidavit was likewife rea on the fame fide, made by one of th clerks belonging to the fame boar wherein he depofed, that he had ma a diligent and faithful search in the A miralty-books, from the 1st of Januar 1744, to the end of that year; from t 1ft of January 1746, to the end of the and the next year; and from the 1 January 1761, to the end of that ye and could find no entry of any applie tion from the Lord Mayor or corp tion of the city of London, but on which was that in the year 1744, whe he found a copy of a letter from th Lords Commiffioners of the Admin to the then Lord Mayor, acquainting his Lordship, that in regard to his app cation, though the waterman pre had offered to find an able watermanz his place, they had difcharged his without defiring the performance of a fuch condition.

The affidavit of the officer who pr fed Tubbs was read, fhewing, th Tubbs had been employed in navigati a veffel from Gravefend, for which was to be paid the fum of two pornt twelve fhillings; that he (the office was fhewn a certificate of exemption but that feveral other perfons in po fion of fuch certificates, and claime fuch privileges, were then at Graveseni.

The laft affidavit read was that of o of the Lord Mayor's watermen, w deposed, that neither he nor any of their who rowed the city-barge had any ry, fixed falary, or badge, whatever that they were under no particular c gation to attend: their attendance, was depofed, did not exceed above or feven times a-year; and when the did attend, they received no more the their ufual day's pay, which was tal crown, three and fixpence, or five lings, proportionably to the time, bour, and distance.

Mr Attorney-General obferved, the the motion for the rule was fupport on a claim of exemption; that, be he proceeded any further, he should ferve, that the right of preffing, tho not making any part of the prefent q flion, was necessary to be afferted;

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