Berkshire, John Price, esq. the Sixty and seventy Lincolnshire, Richard Harwick, esq. Monmouthshire, Thomas Parry, esq. Northumberland, postponed. Northamptonshire, Sir Charles Wake bart. Seventy and eighty. Ninety and one hundred.......... 7483 1485 575 588 1694 2207 2234 1815 1490 925 461 58 3 2 By an estimate of the navy debt, as it stood December 31, 51, the net debt amounted to 1,665,4937. 6s. Ind. and there remained in the hands of the late and present treasurers of the navy 108,9637, 48. 44d. towards satisfying the same. 1752, Jan. 2. At a general court of the governors and company of the Bank of England, it was agreed to lend the government 1,400,000l. at three per cent. to be paid out of the sinking fund. Jan. 6. The bishops met at the office in Dean's-yard Westminster, in order to agree on an augmentation of small livings, by the bounty appropriated for that service by queen Anne. Jan. 7. The Lords and Commons presented addresses of condolence to his Majesty, on the death of his Majesty's daughter, the queen of Denmark. At St. Andrew's, for three days they had a most violent storm of wind, hail, and snow, from the N. E. quantities of fish of different kinds were driven on shore, some dead, others alive, which the country people gathered up, and great numbers of lobsters were cast on shore between Kinghorn and Anstruther. Jan. 27. An experiment was tried before the college of physicians by order of the lords of the admiralty, under the direction of a person skilled in chemistry, in order to make sea water fresh; which gave great satisfaction to that learned body, who were of opinion, that the extracted waters were good and wholesome. By this discovery, sixteen gallons of salt water would produce thirteen gallons of fresh. Jan. 31. The King, by his ambassador at the Hague, declared himself fully satisfied with the punishment inflicted at Batavia, on the miscreants who murdered the crews of the two Chinese vessels, trading on the coasts of Sumatra, with passports from the governor of Bencoolen his Majesty also assured himself, that their high mightinesses would cause the two vessels, with the cargoes to be restored to the lawful owners, if full restitution was not made already. On Christmas day a Spanish ship, about 200 tons burthen, was wrecked at Illing gan in Cornwall, laden with logwood and Madeira wine, with a large quantity of specie on board, most of which was taken up by the country people in the neighbourhood, who demolished the whole ship in a few hours, all the men being drowned. Feb. 2. Were read in council petitions of the weavers in Spitalfields, and their requests for shortening the mourning was granted by his Majesty. Feb. 13. Was held a general court of the British fishery, at Mercers-hall, which was very numerous, among them the earl of Shaftesbury, bishop of Worcester, lord Romney, Sir James Lowther, Sir Peter Warren, admiral Vernon, and Mr. Beckford; when Sir James Lowther, Mr. alderman Janssen, and Mr. Beckford expatiated with great force on the mercantile advantages of this national undertaking, Then Sir Peter Warren and admiral Vernon enlarged on the strength which the encouragement of it would give to the British navy. The Bishop considering the scheme in a charitable view, set forth with great eloquence, the numberless benefits which would arise from it to the whole kingdom by furnishing employment to a multitude of poor. A proposal for a call of thirty per cent. was approved of, and another general court ordered for that purpose. Feb. 29. Three thousand pounds were granted by Parliament for making a road to Carlisle, and into Scotland. The whole town of Southwold, with a considerable part of Leostoff in Suffolk, the children of the Foundling-hospital, the poor of the workhouses at Ware, Hertford, and Richmond, Surrey, and the charity boys of Westham, Essex, were employed in spinning twine, and making nets for the herring fishery; by this seasonable labour the poor's rates were fallen from 4s. to 2s. in Southwold. March 3. Being the day appointed for the celebration of the King's birth day (which had been so long postponed, on account of the deaths that had lately happened in the royal family) was a very numerous and splendid appearance of nobility and gentry at court, Miss Blandy was tried at Oxford on an indictment for poisoning her father, and convicted. March 11. Elizabeth Jeffreys, and John Swan, were tried at Chelmsford assizes, for the murder of Joseph Jeffreys, her uncle, and found guilty. March 13. It was agreed in a senate of the university of Cambridge, that the public orator, in their name, should petition the duke of Newcastle their chancellor, the lord chancellor their high steward, the archbishop of Canterbury, the bishop of London, the lord chief justice of the King's Bench, and Sir George Lee, to suffer their statutes to be laid before them; and, after hearing counsel on each side, to determine the long contested point concerning the right of appeal to the university from the sentence of the vice-chancellor. His Majesty held a chapter of the garter at St. James's, when prince Edward, and the earls of Lincoln and Winchelsea were installed in person, and the prince of Orange, and the earl of Cardigan, by proxies. March 15. By a violent high wind very great damage was done, Two tier of ships were blown from their anchors at Towerdock, many stacks of chimnies were blown down, a woman in Holborn was killed by a brick falling on her head, two chairmen were knocked down by the ruins of an alehouse beaten down by the fall of a stack of of chimnies in St. James's-street, and one them died the next day in St. George's bospital; a man by a like accident had his leg broke, and a child was killed; the beautiful painted west window of Westminster-abbey was greatly damaged; several hundred weight of lead was blown off Chelsea hospital; 160 feet of the wall of the King's-bench prison fell down; several hundreds of trees were torn up by the roots, and many hundred yards of wallfruit blown down about Walton, Weybridge, and other places up the river; a Sandwich hoy was run down by a collier, and all in it perished. Two servants of lord Effingham Howard were killed at his house between Guildford and Leatherhead, by the fall of a stack of chimnies; a great number of windows were broken at Norwich, besides other considerable damages. March 26. His Majesty went to the House of Peers, and gave the royal assent to An act for granting to his Majesty a certain sum of money out of the sinking fund. For better securing and encouraging the trade of his Majesty's sugar colonies in America; and for encouraging the growth of coffee in the plantations in America. For better preventing thefts and robberies, to regulate places of public entertainment, and to punish persons keeping disorderly houses. For better preventing the horrid crime of murder. For the more effectual relief and employment of the poor. For making the militia of this kingdom more useful. For converting the several annuities therein mentioned into several joint stock of annuities, transferrable at the bank of England, to be charged on the sinking fund; and for consolidating the several other annuities therein mentioned, into several joint stocks of annuities transferrable at the South Sea house. To amend the laws for preventing the spreading of the distemper amongst the horned cattle in this kingdom. To enable his Majesty's natural born subjects to inherit the estates of their ancestors, either lateral or colateral, notwithstanding their fathers or mothers were aliens. An act for giving proper rewards to coroners. VOL. II. And to several other public, private, and naturalization bills, in all ninety-one. After which his Majesty put an end to the present session of Parliament with a most gracious speech, thanking his Parliament for their remarkable application and dispatch of the public business, declaring himself particularly pleased with their just satisfaction in his measures. After this the Parliament was prorogued to June 4. Feb. 28. J. Swan and Elizabeth Jeffreys were executed on a gibbet erected near the six mile obelisk on Epping Forest. March 26. At a general court of the Free British Fishery, it was reported, that with the addition made by the members to their former stock and by new subscribers, the capital stock now subscribed in it was 234,000. of which about 103,000l. was actually paid in; and by the resolution of the court it was ordered that the time of the last payment of the last call of 30 per cent. should be enlarged to April 15; that the subscription books should be closed March 31; and the council were desired to prepare a proper set of bye laws, for the better carrying on this noble design; for the next general court to be held April 16. Agreed nem. con. that the thanks of the court shall be returned to the council for their great attention to the concerns of the society. March 30. His Majesty in council declaring his intention of going out of the kingdom for a short time, was pleased to nominate lords justices for the administration of the government. April 6. Was executed on the Castle Green at Oxford, Miss Blandy for poisoning her father. The King set out March 31, for Harwich, on his way to Hanover, where he arrived on the 7th April. April 16. Was held a general court of the free British fishery society at Mercershall, when the president informed the proprietors that contracts had been made by the council to the amount of 100,000l. and upwards, for the use of the fishery, by which the subscribers were entitled to the 31. per cent. given by Parliament. May. A remarkable statue of Duncan Forbes, late lord president of the court of sessions at Edinburgh, was erected in the outer Parliament house. He is represented sitting in his robes, his left hand with papers in it leaning upon a chair, and his right hand extended; it has the following inscription in gilt capital letters: G Dvncano Forbes de Culloden May 6. The lords Bruce, Charlemont, Tilney, and Kilmore, Sir Thomas Kennedy, Messrs. Ward, Iremonger, Leithieullier, Bagot, Scroop, Cook, Lypeat, and Murphy, esqrs. began a subscription for an academy in Rome, in which English students in painting and sculpture, whose circumstances would not permit them to prosecute their studies at their own expence, were to receive all the advantages that foreigners, especially the French, derived from such foundations. May 24. A whirlwind, or tornado, happened in Calvert county, New York, which passed in a very narrow vein, and in its course blew down all the buildings at the plantations of John Groves, esq. By the fall of his dwelling house, his eldest daughter, and a child in her arms, were killed, and his wife and another child dangerously hurt. May 28. The Parliament which stood prorogued to June 4, was farther prorogued to July 16. The Spanish ministers, in answer to Mr. Keene, on the so often repeated complaints of the British subjects, of the depredations of the Guarda Costas, declared that his Catholic Majesty was far from authorising the Guarda Costas in interrupting a lawful commerce; that he sincerely designed a perfect union and friendship between the two nations, and would cause reparations to be made for any infractions; but that, in satisfying the laws of justice in that respect, it was natural not to lose sight of his own rights, and the protection due to his subjects. June. Died at his house at Camberwell, very much regretted, of a violent fever, the right hon. Thomas Winterbottam, esq. Lord Mayor of London. June 4. Were installed knights of the Garter at Windsor, his royal highness prince Edward Augustus, by his proxy Sir John Ligonier; his most serene highness the prince of Orange, by his proxy Sir Clement Cotterel Dormer, knights, and the earls of Lincoln, Winchelsea, and Cardigan. A dreadful fire happened at Elden near Thetford, Norfolk, which consumed the whole village, consisting of near fifty houses, except four. June 6. Came on at Guildhall an election of Lord Mayor of London for the remainder of the year, when Robert Alsop and Crisp Gascoyne, esqrs. were returned by the livery to the court of aldermen, who chose the former. His Majesty's letters came to Dublin, directing all the light guineas and half guineas, and the Spanish gold lying useless in the treasury there, to be transmitted to his Majesty's mint to be recoined, and the value thereof to be returned to Ireland in current specie. June 8. The new Lord Mayor was sworn at Westminster. The first stone was laid for the foundation of the new London hospital near WhiteChapel Mount in the presence of the duke of Bedford, Sir Peter Warren, and divers other persons of distinction, governors. June 20. The new flesh-market was opened in the Broadway, Westminster, with a great concourse, and the shops were well stocked with meat. The June 27. About one in the morning broke out a terrible fire in Lincoln's Inn new square, by which No. 10 and 11 were entirely consumed, particularly the chambers of R. Wilbraham, the honourable Edward Harley, the honourable Charles York, E. Hoskyns, - Chomley, Edmund Sawyer, master in Chancery, and — Ansell, esqrs. all in No. 10, where the papers, books, plate, furniture, and wearing apparel were totally destroyed. gentlemen in the next staircase, No. 11, viz. John Sharp, solicitor to the Treasury, Edward Booth, esq. Messrs. Ambler, Fazakerly, Fellers, and Wilmot, had just time to save their things of consequence. The loss and difficulties in which many families were involved, the titles to whose properties were lodged with the above gentlemen, was not to be computed. Mr. Wilbraham had lately purchased an estate of great value; the title deeds of which, among other numberless deeds, mortgages, &c. were burnt. His clerk, Mr. Pickering, lost 11001. in money and bank notes of his own and others, and securities for 80,000Z. more, also all the title deeds of lord Leigh's estate. When the fire was discovered most of the watch were asleep or drunk, and the wife of an upholder in Carey-street, whose husband had left his bed to assist the sufferers, hanged herself in his ab sence. The lord Chancellor suspended all proceedings in Chancery, on account of the late fire in Lincoln's Inn square. July 16. The lords justices further pro rogged the Parliament to the 28th of September. July 20. In the afternoon happened a storm of thunder, at the houses opposite Vauxhall; a whirlwind lifted two boats out of the Thames many feet high; one of them fell on the shore, and was dashed to pieces, the other one was heaved over the high causeway into the gardens. July 21. At a court of common council it was agreed to furnish the Mansion-house, for the use of the next Lord Mayor, the expence not to exceed 40007. July 29. Bristol was visited with a dreadful storm of thunder, lightning, rain, and hail, which made the roads like rivers; four men and two boys retired for shelter into the body of the new church erecting at Kingswood, as they stood facing the church door, they were struck down with the lightning, but soon recovered without hurt, except a boy, who bled at the nose and ears. Six horses and the driver of a waggon were struck down with the lightning in the Bath road, and three of the horses killed, and another blinded; a hay maker was also struck blind with a flash of lightning. A meeting of several landholders and proprietors of estates adjoining to Richmood New Park, in Surrey, and of several inhabitants of the parishes adjacent was held to assert their rights and privileges, and to have restored to them the several roads and highways through the said Park, when a memorial was prepared to present to the princess Amelia on the subject. Aug. 4. A lottery was set on foot at Dublin, which produced 13,7001. for rebuilding Essex-bridge, and other public and charitable uses. There were 100,000 tickets at a guinea each. Aug. 7. Admiral Vernon, alderman Janssen, and the rest of the committee of Anti-gallicans, met at the Crown tavern, behind the Royal Exchange, to give their premiums to the makers of the best piece of English bone-lace; when the first prize of ten guineas was adjudged to Mr. Wilham Marriott, of Newport Pagnal, Bucks. The principal dealers in lace in London were invited, and it was left to them to give their opinion, who allowed it to be the best ever made in England. A great number of French protestants arrived in Ireland from France, and took the oaths to naturalize themselves, in his Majesty's high court of Chancery. Aug. 14. One thousand three hundred ounces of gold coin were entered at the custom-house for Flanders, and 1600 ounces of gold, and 3000 ounces of silver coin for Holland. Orders were given for raising a considerable number of recruits to reinforce the garrisons at Gibraltar and Port Mahon. Aug. 19. Three waggon loads of money and valuable effects were brought to the Bank, from on board the prince Henry man of war, captain Jasper, lately arrived from Jamaica; who also brought to England the best collection of birds and wild animals ever seen here. Aug. 22. At noon the Lord Mayor of London proclaimed Bartholomew fair, according to the annual custom, and the next day Mr. Holland drove his loaded cart through the fair toll free, as being a citizen of London. The fires began in the two light-houses erected on the Lizard, bearing from each other by a common compass, west 50 northerly, and east 50 southerly; distance seventy-two yards, to burn every night constantly. Aug. 26. Commodore Keppel, with his squadron, arrived at Spithead from the Mediterranean, where he had been stationed above three years. In the morning was a violent wind, which blew down several thousand hop poles in Kent, and drove a Dutch ship on shore near Ramsgate. Aug. 29. By the violence of the storm on the 25th and 26th, the river Tyne was so swelled, that the like could not be remembered by the oldest man living. The flat ground about Newburgh was laid under water, by which the farmers sustained great loss. This storm which was felt in the south as well as the north, on the 26th of Aug. began at Dublin the 24th at night, and continued without intermission till the 26th at night, and swelled the river Wear, that it laid all the flat country under water, and rendered the roads impassable. The distress of the poor country people was great; their standing corn entirely ruined, and whole stacks of it shorn, together with cocks of hay, sheep, swine, &c. swept away by the torrent. Sept. 3. The Gregorian or New Stile, according to the late act of Parliament, took place in all his Majesty's dominions in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, this day, from hence called the 14th day of September. Sept. 19. Upwards of 10,000 sheep died in South Wales, occasioned by heavy rains. A treaty concluded with the elector Pa |