Nov. 4. A person who was remarkably busy in procuring witnesses to prove the innocence of some persons under confinement for transporting the woollen manufacturers, was taken into close custody himself for being concerned in the said affair. Nov. 14. A company of French comedians lately arrived, occasioned a good deal of noise, and were strenuously attacked in our newspapers; notwithstanding which, they began this night to act at the little theatre in the Haymarket, where a fray ensued, swords were drawn, and some persons wounded; however, they continued to act, and the French strollers and Westminster election almost entirely engrossed the attention of the town for the greatest part of this month. Nov. 16. His Majesty went to the House of Peers, and opened the session with a speech from the throne, merely congratulatory on the return of peace, and requiring the usual supplies. Addresses from both Houses were presented, and gracious replies given to both. The garrison of Gibraltar and people there had for some time been in great distress for want of provisions, the Spaniards having cut off all communication with that place, under pretence of their being afraid of the plague being brought in there, by means of their correspondence with Africa; and though, to remove this pretence, general Bland, the governor, ordered that no vessel from the coast of Barbary should be admitted into that port, yet this prohibition caused no alteration in the measures taken by the Spaniards, who placed guards at all the avenues to that fortress, and imprisoned several persons for attempting to carry in provisions; nor would they allow any vessel to enter their ports, if they heard of their having touched at Gibraltar, having lately stopped four Portuguese vessels at Malaga, and confined their crews in the pesthouse, for no other reason but because they just touched at Gibraltar in their passage from any port of the Mediterranean. Nov. 24. Between five and six o'clock in the evening, it being dark, the inhabitants of Stoke in Gloucestershire, and other parts of the county, as well as some travellers on the road, were very much surprised, at a sudden opening of the heavens, northward, in the midst of which such an amazing light appeared, as rather surpassed that of the sun; so that for a short space of time it looked as if the sun had shined out in its full lustre and glory; and it was equally as astonishing to behold this prodigious opening to close again, and shut in the bright illumination that appear VOL. 11. ed from it. This had no resemblance with the northern lights. Notice was given, that all persons possessed of any part of the national debt, redeemable by law, which carried an interest of 41. per cent. per annum, who should on or before the 28th of February, subscribe their names, or consent to accept of 31. per cent. per annum, to commence from the 25th of December, 1757, was to receive 41. per cent. till the 25th of December, 1750, and from that time 31. per cent. till the said 25th of December, 1757; and no part thereof, except what was due to the East India company, could be liable to be redeemed till after the 25th of December, 1757. Dec. 8. The Westminster election was closed on this day; when the numbers upon the books appeared to be, for lord Trentham 4811; and for Sir George Vandeput 4654. The two remaining state prisoners in the new gaol, Mr. Macdonald, the banker, and Mr. Maccloud, were by order of his grace the duke of Bedford, discharged from their long confinement, having obtained a free pardon. A messenger arrived with despatches from his excellency the earl of Albemarle, containing a duplicate of the most Christian king's orders to the governor of Martinico, for the immediate evacuation of the islands of St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica, and Tobago; which duplicate, together with similar orders on the part of his Majesty to the governor of Barbadoes, was dispatched to that governor, by the Jamaica sloop of war. Letters from Liverpool and Chester mentioned, that the distemper among the cattle raged violently in the neighbourhood of those two places, and that it had broke out in four different places within twelve miles of Liverpool, and within two miles of Chester, as well as in different parts of the counties. Dec. 20. His Majesty went to the House of Peers, and gave the royal assent to the land-tax bill, of 3s. in the pound, for the year 1750. To the bill for reducing the several annuities of 41. per cent. per annum, to the several rates of interest therein mentioned. And to four naturalization bills. At a court martial on board his Majesty's yacht the Charlotte, at Deptford, on the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th, and 20th days of December, 1749; present, William Rowley, esq. rear-admiral of Great Britain, and admiral of the white squadron of his Majesty's fleet, D president; Sir Edward Hawke, vice-ad- A hundred and six miral of the blue; Honourable John A hundred and twelve Forbes, esq. rear-admiral of the white; The court, pursuant to an order from the right honourable the lords of the Admiralty to William Rowley, esq. dated the 1st instant, proceeded to enquire into the conduct and behaviour of Charles Knowles, esq. a rear-admiral of his Majesty's fleet, in, and relating to, an action which happened on Oct. I, 1748, between a British squadron under his command, and a squadron of Spain; and having heard the witnesses, as well for the crown as the prisoner, and also what the prisoner had to say in his defence, the court did unanimously agree, that he fell under part of the 14th article of the articles of war, namely, the word "Negligence," and no other, and also under the 23d article. And the court did therefore unanimously adjudge, That he should be reprimanded, for not bringing up the squadron in closer order than he did, and not beginning the at Amount of the national Paid off from 31st Dec. Amount on 31st Decem- YEAR. tack with as great force as he might have SHERIFFS APPOINTED FOR THE ENSUING done, and also for not shifting his flag upon the Cornwall's being disabled. And he was reprimanded accordingly. Berkshire, John Allett, esq. esq. Hants, Richard Taunton, esq. 25516 Hertfordshire, John Cheshyre, esq. 8504 2028 Monmouthshire, Philip Fisher, esq. 794 Northumberland, William Carr, esq. 719 Northamptonshire, Havey Sparks, esq. 2191 Norfolk, Leonard Mapes, esq. 2755 Nottinghamshire, William Westcombe, 2955 esq. 2113 Oxfordshire, John Coker, esq. 1691 Rutlandshire, Robert Hotchkin, esq. 1155 Shropshire, William Lutwiche, esq. 1 Staffordshire, Edward Busby, esq. A hundred and one 2 Suffolk, Robert Oneby, esq. Surrey, Jacob Tonson, esq. A hundred and four 3 Sussex, Peckham Williams, esq. Warwickshire, Paul Bane, esq. [A. D. 1750.] GEORGE II. Worcestershire, Humphrey Low, esq. Yorkshire, Sir William Pennyman, esq. WALES. Anglesea, Charles Allanson, esq. Brecknockshire, John Prince, esq. Caermarthenshire, Richard Davies, esq. Caernarvonshire, Owen Holland, esq. Cardiganshire, John Morgan, esq. Denbighshire, Thomas Jones, esq. Flintshire, Ellis Yonge, esq. Glamorganshire, Richard Jenkins, esq. Merionethshire, William Wynne, esq. Montgomeryshire, Bagot Read, esq. Pembrokeshire, Sparks Martin, esq. Radnorshire, Hugh Gough, esq. 1750, Jan. 4. The market was opened at May fair, for all sorts of cattle, as at Smithfield. The count de Carvajal and the marquis de la Ensenada having disagreed about the negociation with Mr. Keene, the latter insisted that conditions too advantageous were offered to Great Britain, and consequently prejudicial to the trade of Spain: but count de Carvajal carried it with the King, in favour of these conditions, which were the same with those of the treaty of Seville, in relation to seizures of illegal traders in the Spanish American ports. The Spanish demand for duties on negroes, which in the year 1739 they reckoned at 68,000l. was to be set against that of the South Sea company, exclusive of the 95,000l. formerly agreed on. Jan. 15. A new fish market for Westminster was opened near Cannon-row, on one side Bridge-street, for the temporary use thereof, till the ground allotted by Parliament could be spared from the works of Westminster bridge. Jan. 16. Great disorders and some skirmishes happened between the woolcombers and weavers of Tiverton in Devon, on account of the merchants introducing Irish worsted; the magistrates read the riot act, which not proving effectual, the military power was called in, which prevented further mischief; but the woolcombers refusing to work, a stop was put to all trade. Jan. 23. A prodigious fire happened at Constantinople, which began at ten at night, near the water side, and continued towards Solimania till twelve the next day, and consumed near one eighth part of 19 that city; others reckoned 10 or 12,000 Another fire consumed the rich palace of Jan 31 A packet boat was again ap- The earl of Albemarle having complain- Commissaries were appointed to settle and determine with the commissaries of his most Christian Majesty, the points remaining to be adjusted between the two crowns in America, as well as all prizes taken at sea, since hostilities should have ceased, according to the preliminary articles. Sir John Strange, appointed master of the Rolls, and sworn of the privy-council. Feb. 8. Between twelve and one o'clock in the afternoon an earthquake was felt in in the courts of King's-bench and ChanLondon and Westminster; the counsellor, cery in Westminster-hall were so alarmed that they expected the building to fall; and in the new buildings about Grosvenorsquare people ran out of their houses, the chairs shaking, and the pewter rattling on the shelves; a slaughterhouse with a hayloft over it, was thrown down in Southwark, a chimney in Leadenhall-street, and another in Billiter-square, several chimneys and part of a house near Horslydown. The shock was also felt at Deptford, Greenwich, Gravesend, Dagnams, and Paynesbridge, between Rumford, and ford, Walthamstow, Hertford, Highgate, Brentwood, at Coopersale, Epping, WoodFinchley; just perceived at Richmond in Surrey, Bromley in Kent; at Calais and in Italy. About five o'clock there was at Bristol a violent storm of wind at S. W. that the D 2 houses in general were very much shaken, as were also several people in their beds, as if an earthquake had happened. A great many houses received damage by the fall of chimnies, as well as by the impetuosity of the extreme forcing blasts, which carried off part of their coverings, Several sheets of lead were blown from St. Nicholas steeple, which fell on the house adjoining, A chimney in George's Street, without Lawford's Gate, beat down the roof, ceiling, and beam of a house, where a man and his wife were in bed, who were buried in the ruins near an hour before their cries could make any one sensible of their misfortune. The poor woman was the first they took out; but the man was so much pressed with the beam, and the weight upon it, which laid on his belly and thigh, that a carpenter was obliged to saw the beam in two before he could be released. The country, for a large extent round, also felt the effects of this storm, where several houses were laid waste, and a great many trees blown down. This storm was intermixed with heavy showers of hail and rain. Feb. 11. At Newport, Monmouthshire, were such violent storms of thunder, lightning, hail, and rain, that in the moors near the seat of Vaughan, esq. some hundreds of tame and wild ducks, geese, and widgeons, were killed. Feb. 12. Orders were given for getting ready five men of war, on board one of which lord Anson was to hoist his flag, to convoy his Majesty. Feb. 23. An Aurora Borealis appeared at Cork, about seven in the evening, and lasted about an hour; it extended from east to west over the head of the city, and moved very slowly, in a compact body, from north to south, and was tinged with so deep a scarlet, that it looked as if the city was in flames. The tide there swelled to such a prodigious height, that all the streets were under water, In the houses on Dunscomb marsh the water was four feet deep, and three in the middle of the city. The damage to the merchants was incredible. At Carrickfergus, the quay was almost levelled, and several houses, and part of the town wall, washed down. A general court of the bank of England was held at Merchant-taylor's Hall, to take into further consideration the proposals made by Parliament relating to the reduction of the interest of the national debt; and the opinion of the court of directors being called for, the governor declared they thought it for the interest of the pro Feb. 28. Six millions more were subscribed on this day; the books were open from six in the morning till twelve at night. They had so great a take of herrings at Anstruther, that some small boats brought 4000 each. At Bute, a small island in the mouth of the firth of Clyde, the value of herrings taken this season, amounted to above 15001. sterling. Between nine and ten at night, was seen at Salisbury, an extraordinary phenomenon, being a very luminous collection of vapours, that formed an irregular arch, like rock work, and extended across the horizon, waving like flames issuing from fire. After a short continuance, it disappeared at once, the sky being very clear, and more enlightened than by the stars only. 122,246 £1,011,521 St. James's park, and all the open places, the ground moved very perceptibly, and 10,000 the noise seemed to break three times. 144,709 About five o'clock, was a continual, though confused lightning, till within a minute or two of the shock being felt A 3,374 lady in Piccadilly, a curious collector of old china, who had piled it on stands, had it thrown down and broke; and a great china shop in St. James's Street had the like accident; bells in several steeples were struck by the chime hammers; and great stones fell from the new towers of Westminster-abbey. A maid servant in Chart3,304 erhouse-square was thrown out of bed by the shock, and broke her arm. The dogs were sensible of it, and some of them howled in an uncommon manner, and fish jumped half a yard above water. 36,476 10,000 1,000,000 94,655 5,183 13,361 and poundage To make good deficiencies of stamp duties To make good deficiencies of sweet wines To make good interest due on the credit of the salt duties To make good additional duties on wine, at Midsummer, 1749. 85,000 7,196 To make good deficiencies of the duty on licences for retailing spirituous liquors To make good deficiencies of 5,724 duties on glass and spiri tuous liquors, at Midsum mer, 1749 Ditto Christmas To make good deficiencies of grants for 1749 21,564 39,631 275,736 March 8. This morning, at half an hour after five o'clock, the town was again alarmed with another shock of an earthquake, generally allowed to be more violent, and of longer continuance than that felt this day month; great numbers of people were awaked from their sleep merely by its violence; which, however, did no other mischief than throwing down seyeral chimneys, and damaging some houses. The shock was so great in some parts, that the people ran from their houses and beds almost naked. In the high grounds by Grosvenor-square, &c. it was felt more than in other parts, the brasses and pewter of several kitchens being thrown down, and to some distance from the shelves. In The shock was felt at Cheshunt, Hertford, Ware, Copthall, near Epping, and Beckenham in Kent. March 14. The King went to the House of Peers, and passed the following bills: The bill for continuing and granting to his Majesty certain duties upon malt, mum, cyder, and perry, for the service of the year 1750. A bill for punishing mutiny and desertion, and for the better payment of the army and their quarters. A bill for repealing the duties now payable upon china, and raw silk, and for granting other duties in lieu thereof. A bill to render prosecutions for perjury and subornation of perjury more easy and effectual. And to several private bills. March 16. Charles Fitzgerald, who calls himself earl of Desmond, was committed to Newgate for enlisting men into the service of the French king, which was made felony without benefit of clergy by the statute 9 Geo. II. He was in the late rebellion, and pardoned. Six other persons, Irish, were committed to the same place for the like crime. March 18. At Portsmouth town and common, about six in the evening, was heard a great noise in the air, like firing of guns on a rejoicing day, and at the same time was felt a great trembling of the earth; but the shock was more violent in the Isle of Wight; the same was also felt, though gently, at Bath. Resolved, by the House of Commons, That any person or persons, bodies politic or corporate, who now are or hereafter may be, interested in, or entitled unto, such part of the national debt, incurred before Michaelmas, 1749, redeemable by law, which now carries an interest of 41. |