346 The HISTORY of the laft former, and that it should be an inftruction to that committee that the petitioners on each side should be heard by their counfel, if they thought fit. On the eighteenth a petition of the owners and inhabitants of houses lying between the Manfion-houfe and the opening, or paffage, where Moorgate ftood, was prefented to the house, and read, in which it was obferved, that should fo much of the intended fcheme take place, as opening a new street from the Manfion-houfe, to the place where Moorgate formerly stood, and no farther, it cannot be carried into execution without pulling down three hundred houfes, and upwards, the rents of which amount to at least 6000l. a year; and that the number of houfes to be built, in lieu thereof, will not amount to more than about fourscore; and that feveral of the petitioners, fome of whom have purchafed the freehold and inheritance of their refpective eftates, for the better enabling them to carry on their respective trades and occupations; and that a great number of houles fituate in Cornhill, Threadneedle-ftreet, Bartholomew-lane, and other places near the Bank of England, have lately been pulled down for the accommodation of the Bank, by which means the occupiers thereof have been very much diftrefled, for want of proper habitations to carry on their reipective trades, and houfes are thereby become extremely fcarce, and, greatly inhanced in their rents; and fhould the propofed demolishing plan take place, the petitioners apprehend, it will be wholly impoffible for many of them to accommodate themselves at any rate; they therefore prayed that they might be heard by themselves or counsel, against such parts of the petition as affected them, and that they might be granted fuch relief as to the houfe fhould feem meet. On which it was immediately ordered, that this petition thould alfo be referred to the fame committee; and that the petitioners, if they thought fit, fhould be heard by their counfel. Thele petitions had their intended effect, and the bill for building this Atreet which was intended to have been a very noble one, and would have sfforded the only view of the Manion. Houfe, in which it could be feen to July Seffion of Parliament. advantage, was dropped, and that from principles of justice and humanity. On the 31st of January was prefented to the house, a petition from the trustees appointed to put in execution an act paffed in the twelfth year of his late majesty's reign, for improving the navigation of the river Lee; in which they obferved, that, notwith- ̈ ftanding all their care and attention, the navigation of that river from the town of Hertford to the river Thames, is ftill very bad and defective; but that by a furvey lately made, under the direction of the petitioners, it appears that it is capable of being greatly improved; and that it would tend to remove the difficulties and obstructions, if the petitioners were impow. ered to make feveral new cuts or canals, leading out of, and into, the channel of that river, at feveral places between Hertford and Bromley Lock; and another new canal leading from the channel of that river at, or near the aforefaid Bromley Lock, thro' the parish of Bromley St. Leonards, the Hamlet of Poplar, and Blackwall, in the parish of St. Dunstan, Stepney, and the parish of St. Ann Limehoufe, into the river Thames near Limehouse Bridge; and therefore praying that leave may be given for bringing in a bill for farther improving the navigation of the river Lee; for removing the difficulties with which it is attended, and rendering it horter, more fafe and certain, by making and maintaining feveral new cuts and canals, by fuch ways and means as to the houfe fhould feem meet. This petition being read, it was referred to the confideration of a committee, who, as ufual, had power to fend for persons, papers, and records. This fcheme, however advantageous, met with great oppofition, from its affecting the interests of many dif ferent perfons, and the proprietors of other works of no lefs advantage to fociety. On the 26th of February two petitions were prefented against it, the firt from Thomas Walton and Bourchier Walton, merchants, gunpowdermakers and partners, representing, that they were poffefed of feveral mills and ftreams in the parish of Waltham Holy Cross, in the county of Effex, and particularly of a n.ill river fup 1758. The HISTORY of the laft Seffion of Parliament. plied by three channels from the river Lee, on which they have built eleven water-mills, and other confiderable works for the making of gunpowder, - in which thofe mills have been for a great length of time employed in making it for the public fervice; and the petitioners have, within these few years laid out many thousand pounds in increafing and improving the faid mills and works, relying on an act of the twelfth year of his late majesty's reign, that the faid navigation fhould for ever be continued in the fame channel; that the petitioners river and mills being fupplied with water by means of an ancient lock erected on the river Lee, which may be ufelefs, and therefore deftroyed, if the intended alterations fhould take place, by which means the petitioners river, mills, and property, will be greatly injured, to prevent which they pray that they may be heard by their counfel against the faid petition; and that should a bill be permitted to be brought in for the purposes therein mentioned, they may alfo be heard by their counfel against it, that provifion may be made therein to fecure the property of the petitioners from injury. The other was from the proprietors of the Weltham water-works in the county of Effex, and fhewed, that in order to furnish the inhabitants of Stratford, Weftham, Bow, Bromley, Mile-end, Stepney, and other places adjoining, with good and wholesome water, they had, at a confiderable expence, built refervatories for water; an engine to be worked by fire; made cuts, and laid pipes in one cut that extends from the Lee to Saines Mill; and that to fecure and improve these works, they had obtained an act in the 21st year of his late majefty's reign; in confequence of which they have erected in the faid ftream a new water-mill, and an engine for railing of water, the better to fupply not only the inhabitants of the above towns, but alfo Bethnal Green, Shadwell, Cockhill, Ratcliff, and other places adjacent, the expence of the whole amounting to upwards of 40,000l. and that they should be greatly injured if the petition for a bill for farther improving the faid navigation of the Lee takes place, and therefore pray that 347 they may be heard by themselves or counfel, against the said petition, and that they may have fuch relief in the premifes as to the houfe fhall feem proper. On which these two petitions were feverally ordered to be referred to the confideration of the committee, to whom the firft petition in relation to the navigation of the river Lee was referred, and that the petitioners might be heard by their counsel, if they thought fit. On the 2d of March, a petition of Sir William Wake, bart, in behalf of himself and Peter Floyer was prefented to the house, and read, fetting forth, that they were owners of a lock or turnpike on the river Lee, and a mill near it; and were informed that a new cut was intended to be made from King's Weir to, or near, Cobby Brook, whereby they fhould lose the toll payable at their lock, and their mill be much prejudiced, they therefore petitioned to be heard by their counfel. On the 5th of March, the petition of James Barwick in behalf of himfelf and Mary Farran, widow, both of Waltham Abbey, callico-printers and partners, was prefented to the house, and read, fetting forth, that they had for feveral years carried on their bufinefs in grounds adjoining to the river Lee, had laid out confiderable fums in erecting buildings, and making works neceffary for carrying on their trade; and had made feveral cuts and canals in the faid grounds for receiving water from the river, which cuts and canals are fupplied by flushes on opening a lock on the faid river for the paffage of barges; and that the faid petitioner is informed a new canal is intended to be made, through which the barges are intended to pafs, and not through the faid lock; and, in cafe the lock is kept fhut, the petitioner and his partner will be deprived of the water neceflary for carrying on their faid trade, he therefore prayed, that he might be heard by himself or counfel against the faid petition, and alfo against fuch bill as fhould be brought in in confequence thereof, in cafe any claufe fhould be inferted for keeping the faid lock fhut, after forming a new canal for the paffage of barges. Thefe petitions were also re X X 2 ferred 348 The HISTORY of the laft Seffion of Parliament. ferred to the above committee, and the petitioners were allowed to be heard by their counsel. On the 15th of April, Mr. Houblon reported from the committee, to whom the petition of the trustees for improving the navigation of the river Lee, and to whom all the other petitions in confequence thereof were feverally, referred, that the committee had examined the matter of the first mentioned petition; and had directed him to report the matter of the said first mentioned petition, as it appeared to them to the house. He then read the report in his place, and afterwards delivered it in at the table, where the fame was again read. After which it was ordered, that leave be given to bring in a bill for improving the navigation of the river Lee, from the town of Hertford to the river Thames; and that Mr. Byde, Mr. John Calvert, Mr. Cafwell, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Nicholfon Calvert, Sir William Beauchamp Proctor, Mr. Gore, Mr. Thurloe, Mr. Cooke, Sir William Maynard, Sir Matth. Lambe, and Mr. Gafcoigne, do prepare and bring in the fame. In the mean while a petition of feveral of the inhabitants of Hertford was prefented to the house, and read, fhewing, that it would be a general benefit to the inhabitants in general, if the navigation of the river Lee was extended through part of that town to the flood-gates belonging to the town mill; praying that provifion may be made in the bill for making, improving, and extending the faid navigation in and through part of the town of Hertford to the abovementioned floodgates. On which it was ordered, that this petition fhould be referred to the confideration of a committee; and a committee was appointed accordingly, with power to fend for perfons, papers, and records. On the fifth of May Mr. John_Calvert reported from this committee, that they had examined the matter of the faid petition, and had directed him to report the fame, as it appeared to them to the house. He then read the report in his place, and afterwards delivered it in at the table, where the fame was read. On which it was immediately ordered, that it be July an instruction to the committee appointed to prepare and bring in the bill for improving the navigation of the river Lee from the town of Hertford to the river Thames, that they make provifion in the said bill for extending its navigation, through part of Hertford, to thofe flood-gates. On the 7th of May Mr. Byde prefented this bill to the houfe, when it was read the first time, and ordered to be read a second. On the 11th, the hon. Charles Yorke, Efq; as guardian to William Sotheby, Elq; prefented a petition in his behalf, and in that of Elizabeth Sotheby, John Eagles, trustee for Mary Pace, widow, and her children, and Frederick Teush, merchant, which fet forth, that William Sotheby is lord of the manor of Sewardston in the county of Effex, which extends near four miles on the banks of the river Lee, and that the navigation has at all times been carried on through the extent of the said manor, by means of two wears, called, Newman's wear and Parkinson's, of which the petitioner Elizabeth Sotheby is feifed during her life, as part of her jointure, and by means of the water penned up for the ufe of certain mills, the only mills in England for making fmalts, or powder blue, and which are copyhold of inheritance held by the petitioner John Eagles, as trustee for Mary Pace, and demifes by leafe to the petitioner Frederick Teuth; and that the petitioners, their predeceffors, or perfons under whom they claim, have been at great expence in erecting and keeping in repair the faid wears, and certain works at Sewardston-mills for the fole use and service of the faid navigation; and receive three feparate and diftinct tolls; to wit, one at Newman's wear, one at Parkinson's wear, and one for the mill-water of Sewardston-mill, amounting in the whole to a very confiderable fum yearly; but by the bill for improving the navigation of the river Lee, it will be removed from the faid manor, and from Sewardston mills, by which means the petitioners, and their tenants properties and eftates in the faid tolls will be annihilated, and the making of fmalts greatly affected; they they therefore prayed, that they might be 1768. The HISTORY of the laft Seffion of Parliament. be heard by themselves or counfel, upon fuch part of the bill as might affect their interefts, and that they might receive fuch relief in the premiles as to the houfe fhould feem meet. On which it was ordered, that this petition fhould be referred to the confideration of the committee, to whom the bill for improving the navigation of the river Lee was committed, and that the petitioners 'might, if they thought fit, be heard by their counfel. On the 15th of May, the petition of feveral maliters, malt-factors, farmers, and others, using the navigation of the river Lee, was prefented against the faid bill; and, in fhort, on the 18th were presented several others, of perfons who had mills on the river Lee, which would be rendered useless, or of little value, by the new channels proposed to be cut. However, on the 28th, Mr. Byde reported from, the committee, to whom all the above petitions were referred; that they had heard counfel in fupport of the allegations of the petitioners, and had made feveral amendments in the bill, which they had directed him to report in his place, and afterwards delivered the bill, with the amendments, in at the table, where the amendments were read; when one of them was disagreed to, and the reft were, with amendments to feveral of them, agreed to by the houfe; and a claufe was also added; after which it was ordered, that the bill with the amendments, fhould be engroffed. 349 with moraffes. The adjacent country is a fandy foil; but a fine foreft extends itself in the neighbourhood towards Stargard, abounding with all forts of game."- "This place has often fuffered by fire, like other towns in this country, yet was chofen by duke Adolphus Frederic II. the first of the line of Strelitz, for his refidence, on account of a commodious palace.""In the year 1712, Adolphus Frederic III. and his whole family narrowly escaped perishing in a great fire, which broke out in the night, and burned down the old palace, with all its coftly furniture and valuable effects. In confequence of this misfortune, his ferene highness began to erect a fumptuous palace in 1726, about two Englifh miles from the town, in a very pleasant fituation, at a place called Glieneke, which before was his hunting feat. In the year 1733, he thought proper to found a new town adjoining to the palace, and ordered it to be called New Strelitz. This town is laid out in a moft regular manner, in the form of a ftar; the centre is a spacious market-place, and from thence a number of ftreets branch out in ftrait lines: The chief one leads to the palace, the next to the water-fide, where a pleafant lake attracts the eye. The buildings in these two streets, are elegant and commodious, and in fome others are handsome houses. The duke On the ft of June, the bill was read a third time, when feveral claufes were added by way of ryder, and feveral amendments alfo made to the bill by the house, after which it was ordered that the bill fhould pafs, and Mr. Byde was directed to carry it up to the lords, and defire their concurrence. On the 15th it was fent down from the lords, who had agreed to the bill, without any amendment; and on the 29th it received the royal affent. [To be continued in our next.] Defcription of Old and New Strelitz, and the Palace at the Latter; of which fee a fine View in our Mag. for May, p. 240. From Nugent's Travels. LD Strelitz is fituated in a gives great encouragement to builders, The chief buildings in the town of New-Strelitz have been erected by the Jate 350 Defeription of the Palace at Strelitz. late and prefent duke, for the accommodation of the different officers belonging to the houfhold. But the principal ornament of this capital is the magnificent palace erected here in 1726. The fituation is delightful, on a rifing ground and dry foil, with a deer park in front, and a spacious garden, with a beautiful lake at the back. It is a quadrangular pile, built chiefly of stone, three ftories high, reckoning the ground floor; the architecture extremely light and elegant. Two large wings project from the main body, between which is a spacious area or court. The wings are fixty feet each in length, and the main body one hundred and twenty. The court chapel is in the right wing, and in the left is the grand faloon. The principal ftair-cafe is large and light, leading to a handfome hall, where the duke commonly dines.--- The prefence chamber is extremely beautiful, of a due proportion, and furniture of July you defcend by a flight of fteps into the garden, where the eye is presented with a charming landscape. Before you is a beautiful parterre, leading to a double row of trees, which form the grand avenue: This is terminated by a handfome terrace, with a gradual lope to the edge of a spacious lake, on the oppofite bank of which you behold a pretty village, and farther on is a vast tract of foreft land, outftretching the fight.. Before the palace is the parade, a spacious area terminating in the deer park. On the left of this are fome public offices; and at a fmall distance the duke's coach-house and ftables: -The latter well stocked with horses, though he feldom rides.” An extraordinary Escape in Norway. From Dr. Smollet's Prefent State of all Nations, &c. PEAKING of the vegetables of that the highest contrivance and elegance. S country, the doctor fays, le omong The The grand faloon is really a magnificent piece, decorated with ftucco, gilding, and every other embellishment. It is lofty and spacious, about fixty feet long and forty in breadth, with a gal lery for mufic. This grand room is used only on feftivals, when there are balls and affemblies; and then it is customary for the duke and the whole court to dine and fup there. grand apartments are abfolutely fuperb. The cielings confift of compartiments, curiously wrought in ftucco, the fides enriched with pictures, glaffes, and other ornaments; and the furniture quite new, rich, and well chofen. The chairs are all lined with crimson da-mak, edged and flowered with gold, and, indeed, the whole is very fplendid. Oppofite to thefe apart ments are several rooms, full of curiotities and valuable moveables. Among other things I beheld with admiration a complete fervice of Chelfea porcelane, rich and beautiful in fancy, beyond expreffion. I really never faw any Drefden porcelane near fo fine: her mějelly made a prefent of this choice collection to the duke her brother; a prefent worthy of fo great a princets. The chapel is beautifully finished, but not crowded with ornaments, the other kinds of grafs here found, is what botanilts call viola canina, with thort broad leaves; a plant which contributed, in a very furprising manner, to the prefervation of two Norway youths in the year 1652. These bro. thers, on the first day of Auguft, made an excurfion from their father's houfe, of about twenty English miles to enjoy the divertions of fhooting and fishing, in the mountains that feparate Guldbrandfdale from the province of Vaiders. After having stayed four days fithing in the lake of Rif, they rowed in a skiff to a very small ifland of this lake, about fixteen paces in length. Here while they remained, the skiff broke loofe, in confequence of a fudden fquall, and was driven to the other thore, where their dog food waiting for his matters. As neither of the youths could fwim, they saw themfelves thus abandoned to famine, on a defolate island, fequestered from all intercourfe with mankind. Their first care was to build a kind of hut of smalltones, that they might, in fome degree, he screened from the inclemency of the weather. Towards the close of the fecond day, their appetite being whetted to the keenelt fense of bunger, they industriously fought fome vegetable food, and ventured to eat the viola From the back-gore of the palace canina, |