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Dreadful alternative! for in a fhort time, from the numbers below, and being deprived of all air, many became de lirious, and fo frantic, as to rob and maim each other. But here the tale of dif trefs does not ftop, which humanity hudders to relate.-On opening the hatches next morning, after the gale had fubfided, 52 miserable disfigured victims to fuffocation and rage prefented them felves to the unhappy fuffering furvivors. Those who read this catastrophe, and bear in remembrance the fate of the unfortunate prifoners in the hole at Calcutta, may find fome parallel in the excefs of human wretchednefs. This, cha rity induces us to believe, arofe from indifcretion and ignorance alone. The mafter of the vefiel has made an affidavit of the fact, before the collector and comptroller of the customs, at Cowes.

The Duke of Portland has tranfmitted copies of the agreement entered into by both Houses of Parliament, for reducing the consumption of wheat, to all Sheriffs, Magiftrates, &c. throughout the king dom, requesting them to take the most active means for giving effect to the fame. 6. Difpatches were received at the India Houfe, brought by the Lafcelles from Bengal, arrived at Milford, which announce the very important intelligence of the capture of Trincomale, the principal port in the Dutch ifland of Ceylon, the richeft and fineft in the Eaftern world, by the Suffolk and Centurion men of war, affifted by the Royal Admiral and and Lafcelles Indiamen, on the 16th of of September laft. For particulars of this important news, vide Lond Gaz.

The emigrants lately fhipwrecked on the French coaft, near Calais are not to fuffer death; but the tribunal by which they were tried has not decided whether they fhall be kept in prifon in France, or fhall be permitted to take their departure for this country. The tribunal has referred the decifion on this point to the French government.

In confequence of a difpute which took place the 2d inft. at the opera, between Major Sweetman of the independents, and Captain Watfon of the goth regiment, thefe gentlemen, attended by their feconds, met near Cobham, when the former gentleman was thot through the head 1, and almoft inftantly expired: the latter gentleman received a wound through the upper part of the thigh, but is now thought out of danger.

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The difference in the temperature of the atmosphere on the 26th of December, 1794, and the 26th of December, 1795, is remarkable. On that day, 1794, the Thermometer was 10 degrees above nullo by Feirnheit's fcale. On the fame day, 1795, the Themometer was at 41 degrees-fame fcale.

It is matter of regret that this country ftill fuffers the reproach of being guilty of the barbarous custom of plundering thofe veffels which have the miffortune of being wrecked on its coafts. Lately the Hercules of New York, a large veffel of 500 tons burden, was wrecked on the Cornwall coat, when the countrymen inftantly flocked down to feize their prey. It required the utmost vigilance of the magiftrates and military to prevent thefe disgraceful depredations. The fhip, by the dashing of the waves, parted in two, when the tinners got cù board, and with their axes and hammers, began ripping her. to pieces, expofing their lives, for the fake of a bolt or a nail, to the moft imminent danger.

7. The tower guns were fired. The event thus announced, was that of the birth of a Princefs, (at twenty minutes past nine in the morning) the first fruit of the marriage of their Royal Highneffes the Prince and Princess of Wales. It ftands upon record, that this happy union took place on the eighth of April 1795, as it does that the birth was the ferventh of January 1796-During thes temporary indifpofition of his amiable confort, the Prince difcovered an anx iety of mind on the occafion, which did great honour to his feelings. He was in y conftant attendance at the Palace.

Meffengers were dispatched with the i news to Brunswick, and the foreignd Courts.

15. In a court of common council, conveened by the Lord Mayor, he in- › formed them, it was for the purpose of presenting an address to the throne on the Princess of Wales, and the birth of a Princefs, which was agreed to unani- • mously.

His Majefty's Commiffioners for the affairs of India, have refufed to adopt the refolution of the Court of Directors and Court of Proprietors, for refunding to Mr Haftings the law expences on hist impeachment.

18. Her Majefty's birth-day was obs

ferved.

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ferved as ufual. There was a drawing room at Court, which, from a variety of caufes, was neither fq numerous or brilliant as on former occafions. It begun at a quarter paft two o'clock, and was over foon after five.'

DRESSES.

His Majefty-As ufual on her Majef ty's birth-day, was very elegantly dreffed. His coat was a dark bottle green broad cloth, lined with pale blue fattin, and very richly embroidered in gold. The waistcoat of blue fattin, neatly covered with a beautiful gold embroidery. -The petticoats were moftly of embroidered crapes with velvet trains. The most fashionable colour was maroon and black. Tippets were generally worn, trimmed with fine blond, and fome with filver.

The caps were in the turban fashion, with a profufion of high oftrich feathers, and gold ornaments. Many Ladies wore embroidered bandeaus, and branches of leaves intermixed with filver. The hair was dreffed rather high, turning up quite close behind, and the ends falling down the neck in curls. The waifts were fo fhort, that the Ladies had hardly room to move their arms.

Pearl car-rings and necklaces were worn, as ufual, mixed with matled gold in various forms; but coral and cornelian car-rings and necklaces were the most in fashion, in the form of acorns, and had a very pretty appearance.

The Court fashion was very little altered in the waist or head.

24. This morning, at a quarter before nine, the powder mills belonging to Mr Hill, at Hanmer, a mile and a half from Hounslow, and twelve from town, were blown up, owing, it is faid, to the fevere friction occafioned by the iron-works not being properly oiled. The flames communicated to a lighter in the mill river, containing thirty barrels of powder, which alfo went off with a moft tremen-' duous fhock. The concuffions were diftinctly felt throughout the whole of Weltminster and St George's Fields, the force of which actually fhook many perfons in their beds, and ftaggered others who were walking in the streets.

The number of lives loft on this dreadful occation is not yet correctly ascertained; but four men are known to have perished. The lofs of property fuftained by this explosion is estimated at

near 20,000l. About 20 years fince the mills on the fame spot were destroyed by a fimilar accident.

Mr Fox's birth day was, this feafon, doubly celebrated by two dinners, one at the Crown and Anchor, the other at the London Tavern.-At the former Mr Erskine, at the latter his Grace the Duke of Bedford prefided. Toafts and fpeeches, fuited to the occafion, exhilirated the hearts of the company; among whom, at the former place, were Meffi's Thelwall and Jones! Mr Erskine was fupported by Mr Grey; and the Duke of Bedford by the Earls of Lauderdale and Derby.-Mr Fox, on Sunday, entered into the 48th year of his age.

EDINBURGH.

On the 27th December laft, about five minutes before ten o'clock, there was obferved in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, a most beautiful prifmatic arch or rainbow of confiderable extent, in the north-weft quarter of the horrizon, directly oppofite to the moon, then two days paft full, and thinning very dazzingly from the fouth-eaft, through cold flormy flying clouds or fhowers. The thermometer ftood about 39 deg. and the barometer, which had been falling rapidly, about 29 inches.

Jan. 1. This day the Royal Edinburgh Volunteers attended divine fervice in St Andrew's Church, and heard an excellent difcourfe delivered by the Rev. Mr David Ritchie, their Deputy Chaplain, from Pfalms cxxvii. 1. The congrega tion was numerous and genteel, feveral perfons of the firft diftinction being prefent. The collection, which is to be ap plied for the relief of the poor, amounted to L. 85, 28.

The Glasgow bill of mortality for laft year exhibits two inftances of longevity unexampled in the kingdom. The deaths of two perfons, one hundred and four years of age each.

It is remarkable that no Scots Peer nor no member of parliament from Scotland died last year, which altogether a mount to 130 perfons.ieg

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The following affray happened at Ars magh on the 22d ult, choy el

"As three men belonging to Rich-is Hill, were going home to Armagh, in paffing by a notorious defender' houfe,

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they were fired upon, and one of them wounded in the arm. Twenty men of the ad bat. of the Rothfay and Caithness fen-l cibles were ordered to proceed to take them prisoners. Upon their coming to the house, Ensign Laing called for admittance, which was refufed; they anfwered him that they would not furrender to him-that they were Defenders, and as fuch they would die.. On faying which, they fired through holes they had in the door. The balls went through Mr Laing's great-coat, and the ferjeant's troufe. The party immediately fired at the door, &c. and those in the houfe continued the fire, which wounded fome of the Rich-Hill people, who followed the foldiers. After firing feveral rounds to no effect, the fencibles forced open the door, killed five, and took ten prifoners with them to Rich-Hill, among whom was the chief of the party, who had his thigh broke by a ball. They after. wards brought the fe prifoners' into Armagh jail, affifted by twenty dragoons. Two of the fencibles are slightly wounded by cutlaffes.

On the 5th inft. his Majefty's juftices of the peace for thecounty of Edinburgh, convicted two perfons, found within their jurifdiction, of the offence of diftilling fpirits contrary to the prohibition, forfeited their stills, utensils, and materials, and fined each of them in the fum of one hundred pounds.

6. This afternoon, about two o'clock, his Royal Highnefs Monfieur, Compte d' Artois, &c. landed at Leith, from on board his Majefty's frigate Jason, C. Stirling commander. On the frigate's coming to anchor in the roads, his Royal Highnefs was faluted with twenty-one guns from Leith battery, and with the like number on his landing at Leith, where he was received from the boat by Lord Adam Gordon and a part of his fuite, and conducted in his Lordship's carriage to an apartment in his Majefty's palace of Holyroodhoufe, fitted in hafte, for his reception, and as he entered the palace his Royal Highness was faluted with twenty-one guns from Edinburgh Caftle. The Windfor foreflers, and Hopetoun fencibles, were in readiness to line his approach to the palace; but his Royal Highnefs chufing to land in a private manner, and with as little ceremony as poflible, that was difpenfed with. The noblemen in his Royal Highness's

fuite followed in carriages provided for that purpose, and were conducted from the outer gate of the palace, by the commander in chief, to their apartments. Charles Philip Count d' Artois was born Oct. 9. 1757, married 1773 to Maria Therefa, daughter of the King of Sardinia, by whom he has two fons. The Duc d'Angoulefme, his eldest fon, born 1775, is to accompany his Royal Highnefs to this city.

Next day his Royal highness L'Comte D'Artois had a levee at his apartments in Hollyroodhouse, at which his Grace the Duke of Buccleugh, Lord Dalkeith, Lord Adam Gordon, and all the officers of the Hopetoun fencibles, and of the Staff in North Britain, attended, and were presented, as alfo the Sheriff-depute of Mid-Lothian, and several other gentlemen. His Royal Highness, it is understood, means to fee company every Monday and Thursday.

11. This day his Royal Highness the Cote D'Artois held a levee at the Abbey, at which the Lord Prefident, the Lord Advocate, the Lord Provost and Magiftrates, and feveral civil and military gentlemen attended, and were prefented to his Royal Highnefs. After the levee ended, his Royal Highness, accompanied by his fuite, by Lord Adan Gordon, the Lord Advocate, and Sir James Stirling, visited the suite of royal apartments in the palace, which, we underftand, are ordered to be fitted up, and furnished with all expedition for the reception of his Royal Highness and bis fon the Duke of Angoulefme, who is expected here soon from England.

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12. This day came on the election of the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates. The candidates were, the Right Hon. Robert Dundas of Arnifton, his Majefty's Advocate for Scotland, and the Hon. Henry Erfkine of Newhall, the former Dean; when the Lord Advocate was elected by a majority of 85, there hav ing voted for his Lordship 123, and for Mr Erfkine 38.

12. This morning about five o'clock, a dreadful fire broke out in the shop of Mr Bowman, goldfmith, in the Parliament Clofe Edinburgh. It had got to a great height before it was difcovered, and trom the fituation of it was particularly alarming. In the fame tenement is the Goldfmiths-Hall, the Affay Office, and fome fhops. It has a narrow lane

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on one fide, which feparates it from St Giles' and the adjoining churches, the Parliament House, the Advocates Library, and the Council Chamber, are immediately adjoining. The wind was pretty high. Upon the hirft alarm, the magiftrates, the Edinburgh Volunteers, the city guard, together with the firemen and engines immediately attended; but the fire had got to fuch a height, that it was in vain to think of faving the building in which it began. Their attention was therefore directed to preferve the valuable adjoining buildings, which, by the most vigorous and judicious exertions, was happily effected, though at one time the flames bad reached the windows of one of the churches. The whole tenement, confifting of the Goldfmiths Hall, with their records, papers, &c. the Affay of fice, the fhops of Mr Bowman, Mr Downie, &c. were totally confumed, with every thing they contained. The lofs is very confiderable. The greatest praife is due to the gentlemen, the foldiers, the firemen, &c. for their spirited exertions, by which one of the most alarming fires that has happened in Edinburgh for many years was extinguished in lefs than two hours.

13. The officers of the Royal Edinburgh Volunteers, this day waited upon his Royal Highness Compte D'Artois.

21. This day his Royal Highnefs the Duke D'Angoulesme, eldest fon to Monfleur, arrived at the Abbey of Holyrood house?

23. The Theatre Royal opened for this feason. The weather was very boiferous, nevertheless a numerous and faflonable audience attended. The characters were tolerably supported. The Hon. Mrs Twilleton, in the part of Califta, gave general fatisfaction.

The wind begun this afternoon, about four o'clock, to blow hard from the S. W. and continued with increafing violence till about eight o'clock, when it blew a perfect hurricane, nor did it abate much during the whole night. It was exceedingly dangerous to walk the ftreet, by the falling of flates, stones, &c. from the house tops. Several coaches and Hackney chairs were overturned and much damaged; but we have not heard of any perfon being materially injured. Laft night and this morning the wind was nearly as violent as on the preceding night, accompanied with feveral vivid flafbes of lightning. VOL. LVIII.

The form on Saturday, the 23d, was uncommonly fevere on the weft coaft, accompanied with very high tides. At Greenock it was accompanied with a great deal of thunder and lightning; none of the fhipping, however, we are happy to fay, fuffered any damage. For two days previous, the tides were remarkably high, but on the 25th there was one of the highest ever remembered; all the queys and breasts were covered completely, and the dry-dock was filled by the overflow of the waters.-This ftorm appears to have been more general, and to have extended its devaftations over a greater space, than any we have for a long time experienced. Accounts from all parts of the coaft mention its severity. Even in London, many houfes were unroofed by it.

The number of veffels arrived at the port of Leith, laft year, is 1904, being an increase of 33 above the preceding year.

28. A felect party of the admirers of the principles and conduct of the Right Hon. Charles James Fox, dined together at Fortune's tavern, in commemoration of the birth of that illuftrious statesman. John Francis Erfkine of Marr, in the chair, during the abfence of the chair man-the hon. Henry Erskine, who was detained profeffionally in the court of Exchequer, and did not join the company till a late hour in the evening. Major General Macleod of Macleod, M. P. croupier.

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: Caleb Bannes Harman, Efq; brother to Lord Oxmantown, member of the Irish Parliament for the county of Longford, died on the 7th inft. in con fequence of the wounds he received the preceding night, from a party of defendBetween eight and nine o'clock on Saturday night a number of the defenders entered Mr Harman's house at Bawn, in the county of Longford, by the kitchen door, which unfortunately lay open, and proceeding up the backfairs, rushed into the parlour where Mr and Mrs Harman were fitting. On their appearance, Mr Harman attempted to take up a gun which lay in a corner of the room, but in the attempt was fired on by one of the ruffians, and mortally wounded; he alfo received a ftroke on the head with the end of a pistol.

The following is the general view of the extent of the island of Great Britain, and the proportion between the waite

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THE weather has been uncommonly mild during the whole of this month, tho' windy; the ther. ftanding, in general, above 40°; it has been, however, fhowery. The city has been well fupplied with coals; the opennefs of the weather, and the great abundance of herrings ftill in the Firth, have rendered the fituation of the labouring people and the poor more comfortable than ufual at this feafon. Beft beef and mutton 44d. and 5d.; veal 8d.; fish of all kinds ufually to be had here in abundance; herrings 10 and 12 a-penny they are fo plenty in the Firth, that one morning, on the ebbing of the tide in the neighbourhood of Kincardine, upwards of L. 300 Sterling worth were caught with creels and baskets.

THE report for England ftates, that from the bulk now threshed out, of the laft crop of wheat, in the diftricts, it has been too clearly ascertained, that, it is deficient in measure nearly one-fourth, and in weight alfo from 8 to 10 and even 12lb. per fack: Hence the increase of price at the feafon ufually affording the moft plentiful fupplies. The recipe for mixing potatoes with wheaten flour, is exploded as fallacious in its principle, and contributing little or nothing to the general increase of bread-food. Barley flour, indeed, has been mixed with wheaten, and with fo much fuccefs, in many parts, that this compofition will, nb doubt, be fubftituted as the general

bread of the inland for fome time to come. The young plants of wheat, upon lands in their fair regular courfe of husbandry, and well got in, have, in general, a promifing appearance; but where negligently covered, they are injured by the flug and worm, whofe depredations the long continuance of the inoift feafon has too much favoured. The last year's wheat, and other etches, re-fown this, under the fanction of the Board of Agriculture, look unpromifingly, as might naturally be expected from fo injudicious a mode of culture. The oats and barleys are found highly pro

ductive in all parts. Neither beans nor pease, however, rife fo abundantly, nor fo hard and dry as could be withed. The turnip counties complain much of their feed running already to feed, from the mildness of the winter; a lofs which will be feverely felt in Smithfield, before Ladyday.

LISTS.

MARRIAGES.

At Great Yldam, Effex, Mr Ward, aged 66, to Mifs Gatward, aged 18.

George Buchannan of Auchintorlie, Efq; to Mrs Jean Houston, widow of Major James Campbell, of the Royals.

29. Wm Twedell, Efq. to Mifs Ann Cradock, fecond daughter of Sheldon Cradock, Efq;

Jan. 1. At Binny, David Falconar of Cardaughter of the late Robert Stewart of Binlourie, Efq; to Mifs Jane Stewart, fecond ny, Efq;

4. At Maybole, Robert Thomson, Efq; late of Jamaica, to Mifs Jane Kennedy, daughter of the late Robert Kennedy, Efq; of Dal jarrock.

5. George Rofe, Efq; M. P. for Southampton, to Mifs Duncombe, of Yorkshire, with L. 150,000 fortune.

7. Capt. Milliken Craig, of the Queen Eaft Indiaman, to Miss Janet Munro, of Ni

cholas Lane.

At Kilmarnock, Mr Robert Boyd, from the island of Jamaica, to Mifs Jean Paterfon, daughter of the late Bailie Robert Paterfon.

S. At London, Major Charles Pye, of the 3d regt. of dragoons, to Mifs Mary Colt, daughter of the late Oliver Colt, Efq; of Auldhame.

11. Mr Andrew Thomfon, grocer, Glafgow, to Mifs Margaret Lockhart, daughter. of the late Mr George Lockhart, writer. Terrot of Berwick, daughter of the late Capt. 12. John Wilkie, Efq; of Hetton, to Mifs

Terrot of the invalids

At Lancaster, John Alexander Hunter, Efq; of York, to Miis Henrietta Saul, daughter and co-heirefs of the late Thomas Saul, Efq; of Lancaster.

18. At Mylnefield, Æneas Mackay of Scotstown, Efq; to Mifs Helen Mylne, daughter of Thomas Mylne, Efq; of Mylnefield.

19. At Charlton, Kent, Captain Joseph M'Lean, of the Royal Artillery, Aid-duCamp to the Marquis Towfhend, to Mifs Charlotte Congreve, youngest daughter of Colonel Congreve, of the fame regiment. 20. At Enfham, Lieut. Col. Monro, of the

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