HISTORICAL AFFAIRS. TURKY. " Vienna, Jan. 11. By the latest advices, the Perfians have taken Bagdat, and. put a ftrong garrifon into that place.Letters from Conftantinople, dated Dec. 17. mention, that war was declared in the Divan against the Perfians on the 3d of that month, and that a Seraskier was appointed to go immediately with an army of 50,000 men against them." SWEDEN. « Hamburg, Jan. 7. Letters from Sweden mention, that fome perfons who regretted the lofs of thofe times of anarchy which favoured their own affairs, tho' they made worse for the ftate, thought it would be for their advantage to perfuade a young man of parts, whom they met with, to become one of their party. Accordingly this poet compofed feveral very fevere fatires against the King. Guftavus, hearing of it, fent for the fatires; and having read them, ordered the author to be brought to him; who came trembling and afraid, left he should be at least imprisoned for life. "Young man, (faid the King), you write extremely well; and there is but one thing you feem to want, which is bread. I appoint you my Librarian, continue to cultivate your understanding. I pardon you all that you have or may write against your King." Some days after, his Majefty ordered the fame poet to read fome verses of his compofing; and finding he read remarkably well, he made him his Lecturer as well as Librarian." GERMANY. "Berlin, Jan. 11. The King hath juft renewed the edict against games at hazard, which are all forbidden under the penalty of 300 ducats on the players; and 100 ducats, or three months imprisonment, without any fuftenance except bread and water, in the fortrefs of Spandau, to be inflicted on thofe who let their houfes or apartments to contravene this edict." "Bonn, Jan. 16. Yefterday morning about three o'clock a fire broke out in the palace, and burned with fuch rapidity, that the two towers, though one hundred yards diftant from each other, were confumed in less than half an hour. The principal apartments and the chapel are entirely burnt; only the two wings are faved, which contain the Elector's apartment, the gallery, and the cabinet of natural curiofities, on one fide, and the fine apartment for ftrangers on the other. The lofs is esteemed at above 200,ocol. Sterling. About twelve persons are loft in the flames, or killed by the falling in of the floors, while they were endeavouring to fave the archives. His Electoral Highness is retired to the house of the Vice-Prefident of the Aulic Council." Lond. gaz. Bonn, Jan. 26. The most diligent researches have not yet enabled us to find out who were the incendaries concerned in fetting fire to the palace. All that we can conjecture is, that it was done by part of a gang of banditti who infeft this country, and are called Herzogeur aden, in order, as is fuppofed, to find means in that time of tumult and confufion to release their chief, and fome of their comrades, who had been taken and imprisoned fome time ago. The palace was on fire in three different parts at once." UNITED PROVINCES. "London, Jan. 28. We are affured by a letter from the Hague, that Sir Jofeph York, after prefenting feveral memorials, to no effect, to the States-General, refpecting the clandeftine traffick carrying on by the Dutch, from St Euftatia and Curacoa, with the British colonies in America, and affifting his Britannic Majefty's rebellious fubjects with military ftores, has, in plain terms, told their High Mightineffes, that the commanders of the Britifh fhips and veffels of war have orders from the Admiralty of G. Britain, to feize all veffels of any nation whatever, and make reprifals of fuch as may in future be detected trading in the above manner with the colonists, whilft the prefent rebellion continues." "London, Jan. 30. Letters from Holland mention, that the States finished their laft feffions with the reduction of the import upon Eaft India ftock, to the amount of 45 guilders on every share, which equitable measure was carried without one diffenting voice, though not until the members were thoroughly fatisfied of its propriety and rectitude, through the means and indefatigable public fpirit of Mr Ifaac de Pinto, whofe great abilities have been exerted with equal zeal and fuccefs, on a former moft interefting interefting period, in the fervice of the to inftruct them properly, there is no English Eaft-India company, for which FRANC E. "Paris, Jan. 1. Advice is received here, that as a religious affembly of Proteftants in the province of Saintonge, fome troops were sent against them, who fired on them, killed feveral, and took near 30 perfons of both fexes prifoners; and tore numbers of young ladies from their parents houfes, and fent them to convents." "Paris, Jan. 16. On the receipt of your letter, I paid a vifit to the fchool in which the deaf and dumb are instructed, and which in my opinion is one of the greatest curiofities in this city. Improbable as it appeared to you, it is however a fact, that the mafter of this fchool, L'Abbé L'Epée, will not accept of any gratuity whatever for perhaps one of the moft difagreeable tasks that man ever undertook; on the contrary, it cofts him, as I have been informed, near three hundred pounds a-year, in fupporting his poor pupils. To fee a number of people converfing together by figns is, you must allow, a very extraordinary fight; but this is fucceeded by another, which is fo improbable, that I would not mention it to a ftranger, left he should imagine I meant to impose upon him, but as you know me too well to entertain a thought of that kind, I will tell you, that I have feen fome of the Abbé's pupils take down in writing what he faid, merely from the motion of his lips. This you may depend on to be a fact, and no deception; but I must obferve to you, that they must be very well acquainted with any one to understand him from the motion of his lips. They learn to write with great ease; but to fprak to be underftood they find very difficult; the founds they articulate are imperfect and difagreeable. However, as the Abbé leaves this part of their inftruction almost entirely to their parents and friends, who, it is more than probable, are not qualified faying to what degree of perfection they might be brought to fpeak if they were to live in the fame house with their mafter, as the pupils of a Scotchman who teaches the deaf and dumb at Edinburgh do, as I have been informed [xxxi. 342. xxxii 662]. The Frenchman's method has, however, in other respects much the advantage: for he makes figus reprefent things; whereas the Scotchman makes figns reprefent words; and of course his pupils may speak like parrots, without knowing what they fay, whereas the other comes at once to the point, and never gives a word without the full explanation of it. The government has, out of their great humanity, lately ordered proper persons to visit the school, and examine into the Abbé's method of inftructing; which they accordingly did; and they have, it is faid, made fo favourable a report of it, that it is thought that a public permanent school will be eftablished at the expence of government under the immediate inspection of the fuft virtuous promoter of it. Should fuch an inftitution take place, I am fure you will think, with me, that it will redound more to the honour of Lewis XVI. than building a palace could do. If the Abbé's method be preferable to what is called the old method, which it is generally fuppofed here to be, I fhould hope that fome one, from a principle of humanity, or intereft, or both, would be induced to come over from London to receive his inftructions; which I am told, he fays, cannot be communicated by writing; though he has attempted it, in a small treatife, which I have, and will fend you by the first opportunity. yet no foreigners have attended his lectures with a view of learning his method, except an Irish phyfician, who is at prefent here. The number of his pupils at prefent are above forty, to whom he gives two leffons every week; which, by the by, are too few to expect any rapid progrefs from: but his other avocations probably prevent his giving up more of his time to his children, as he calls them: and though flow the progrefs is, it would attonith one to fee what exquifite plea. fure every little additional knowledge they acquire gives them; indeed they As tell you themselves, that from the most wretched or miferable of human beings, they are now made the happieft by their generous benefactor." BRITISH WEST INDIES. The general affembly of Jamaica met at St Jago de la Vega on the 22d of October. From the fpeech of Sir Bail Keith, the Governor, on that occafion, two paffages are felected, viz. "Connected with you as I am, no part of my duty can be more agreeable to me than the prefent, which is to acquaint you, that your addresses of the Taft feffion were very graciously received by the King; and I am now to express to you, his Majefty's very great fatisfaction in the zeal and harmony with which the public bufinefs has been carried on, and more especially in the attention which the assembly has fhewn to the accommodation of his troops serving in Jamaica, by the grant of 3000l. towards the erecting an hospital and barracks. The late confpiracy among the flaves in the parish of Hanover [xxxviii. 531.], which was most providentially difcover ed when on the point of being carried into execution, was of a very alarming na ture; and it is with the greatest fatisfaction I can now inform you, that from the measures taken from the firt intelligence thereof, the Admiral's ready af fiftance, and the martial and active spirit generally fhewn by all ranks in the horse and foot militia, this ifland is, to the beft of my knowledge and belief, happily secured from danger, with refpect to that confpiracy; and, I truft, the means ufed to fruftrate it will, in their confequences, further contribute towards our internal fecurity, till we are reinforced with thofe troops which I have reason to think may be foon expected for our protection.” Dutiful and loyal addresses were addreffed to his Excellency by the Council and Affembly, on his fpeech. company jocofely said, he could not fire his pistols. He failed in the attempt; and on a narrow examination into the caufe, found oil poured into the touchhole, and afhes inftead of powder. Whereupon the whole company examined theirs, and found them all unfit for ufc. The Richmond overfeer had his cleaned, and loaded afresh; and on his return home, called all his houfe Negroes into a room, and, with dreadful threatenings of immediate death, got one boy to confefs the whole plot: whereby a kop was put to the maffacre of the Bukroes, (a cant term for the Whites), and himself in particular, who was marked out as the first facrifice.” ENGLAND. In the gazette of Jan. 25. there are three addreffes to the King from the city of Bristol; 1. one from the Mayor, Burgeffes, and Commonalty, in common council affembled, prefented by Sir James Laroche, one of the reprefentatives for Bodmyn; 2. one from the Mafter, Wardens, and Commonalty, of the fociety of Merchant-Venturers, prefented by Richard Combe, Efq; one of the reprefentatives for Aldborough; 3. one from the Freeholders, Clergy, Burgeffes, and Inhabitants, at Guildhall affembled, prefented by Thomas Tyndall, Efq; of the Fort. Thefe addreffes are fubftantially the fame: the laft, as it goes the fartheft, will exhibit the fenfe of the whole, viz. "We-beg leave to approach the throne, to offer to your Majefty our Addrefs of congratulation upon the late glorious fuccefs of your arms in America, and the fignal advantages most providentially obtained over the rebels, with fo small lofs of your Majefty's forces. Inclined, from the dictates of humanity, deeply to lament the calamities of civil war, fo feverely, though justly, felt by the deluded colonifts; we at the fame time find ourselves called upon by the feelings of a grateful heart, most thankfully to acknowledge the many and great bleffings we, your Majefty's loyal fubjects of G. Britain, enjoy under your mild and aufpicious government. We have been favoured with a particular account of the difcovery of the Negro plot, viz. "The overfeer on Richmond plantation ufed to ridicule thofe who rode with pistols, though customary in that country. One day, however, he was obferved by a company with whom he Fully fenfible that a continuation of dined, to have piftols; and being afked thefe bieffings can alone be fecured to us the reafon, he faid, the Negroes were by a due fubmiffion to legal authority, uncommonly infolent, and he refolved we look forward, with ardent hope, for to crush any infurrection, by blowing the re-establishment of law and liberty fome of their brains cut. One of the in America; when, by the irresistible force 48 Affairs in England. force of your Majefty's arms, the difobedient and rebellious fhall be effectually fubdued, and Peace, with its attendant bleffings, completely restored to that diftracted land. Anticipating in idea that happy period, when G. Britain and America may again conftitute one united people, permit us, fubjects of a moft gracious Sovereign, to exprefs our hopes, that, at the fettlement of the prefent unhappy conteft, fuch juft and determined lines of legislation will be drawn respecting the diftant parts of this great empire, as may serve to eftablish the future peace, order, and government of it, upon the moft folid and permanent foundation; whilft at the fame time, as inhabitants of a great commercial city, we truft, that, through the wifdom of your Majefty's councils, the trade of America will be made fubject to such regulations and restrictions, as fhall, not lefs in the eye of reason than of policy, be judged expedient to render it in its feveral branches most conducive to the intereft of your Majefty's fubjects. Subfcribed by 1271 perfons. The gentlemen who prefented' these addreffes were attended by Ifaac Elton, Matthew Brickdale, Henry Lippincot, John Vaughan, and George Daubeny, Efqs; and were alfo accompanied by the Duke of Beaufort, Lord Clifford, William Bromley-Chefter, Efq; one of the representatives for the county of Gloucefter, the Dean of Bristol, and several other gentlemen. By an advertisement in the London gazette, of Jan. 18. it appears, that in the night between the 15th and 16th of January, the Savannah La Mar, and the Fame, two fhips lying in Briftol quay, were wilfully fet on fire, whereby not only thofe veffels, but likewife the other veffels at the quay, and all that part of the town, were in the most imminent danger of being totally deftroyed; that at the fame time the fhip Hibernia, lying at the faid quay, was attempted to be fet on fire; and that, likewife at the fame time, a warehouse fituate in Cypher Jane, near Corn fireet, the property of Meff. James Morgan & Sons, was attempted to be burnt, the faid warehoufe having been broken open, and a box therein, containing feveral combuftible materials, fet on fire. For difcovering the perfons concerned in these atrocious offences, a pardon was offered to any of them (except the perfon or perfons who An advertisement was published in the Gazette, dated, Navy-office, Fan. 24. importing, that there was great reason to fuppofe, that the incendiary or incendiaries at Portfmouth dock-yard [xxxviii. 673.] and at Bristol might have been the fame; defcribing a perfon who was feen in the rope-house in Portsmouth dockyard on the day the fire happened, whose conduct was fufpicious, and who was called John, and was a painter; and offering a reward of fifty pounds to whoever would apprehend the said John the Painter, or give fuch notice as he might be produced before the commiffioner of Portsmouth dock-yard, or before the commiffioners of the navy in London; or, if the faid perfon, knowing himself to be innocent, would fo produce himfelf, he should himself be intitled to the fame reward. And an advertisement was published in the Gazette, dated, Admiralty-office, Jan. 25. importing, that there was great reafon to fufpect, that the rope-house at Portsmouth was wilfully and maliciously fet on fire, Dec. 7. by which the faid rope-house, stores, and materials, were totally confumed and deftroyed; and offering a reward of 100ool. unto or amongst fuch perfon or perfons as fhould, within three months, difcover any of the offend ers, ers, fo as any one or more of them fhould be apprehended and convicted; befides a pardon to any of the offenders, except the person who actually fet the premiffes on fire. "Amiralty-office, Dec. 30. By letters received from Vice-Adm. Young, commander in chief of his Majefty's fhips at the Leeward inlands, dated, Sept. 30. and from vice- Adm. Gayton, commander in chief of his Majefty's fhips at Jamaica, dated Nov. 4. laft, it appears, that the cruifers of the former had taken twelve vessels belonging to his Majefty's rebellious colonies fince the 24th of July, and that the cruifers of the latter had, lince the 8th of October, taken eight veffels belonging to the faid colonies, making in the whole fifty-fix veffels taken by the cruifers from Jamaica." "Jan. 16. Capt. Fitzherbert, of his Majefty's fhip the Raifonable, arrived at Plymouth on the 8th inftant, with an American brigantine privateer, which he fell in with, and took on the 24th of laft month, between 20 and 30 leagues to the weftward of Cape Finisterre. She is called the Dalton, mounted with 20 carriage and 20 fwivel guns, and 120 men; was commanded by Eleazar Johnfon, and belonged to Newberry, in the Maffachufet's-bay, from which place the failed the 16th of November laft, but had not taken a prize." 66 Fan. 27. Capt. Griffith, of his Majefty's fhip the Nonfuch, has fent to Plymouth a rebel privateer floop of war of ten carriage guns and eighty men, called the Charming Sally, Francis Brown commander, which he took on the 16th instant to the weftward of Cape Finisterre. She belonged to Dartmouth in the Maffachufet ́s-bay, had been out about five weeks, and had taken a schooner called the Betfey, Wm Clark mafter, from Gafpee to Jamaica, and a brig called the Hannah, Henry Bealy mafter, bound from Newfoundland to Lisbon, both laden with fish, And by a letter received from ViceAdm. Gayton, dated Nov. 16. laft, it appears, that fince his letter of the 4th of that month the cruifers of his fquadron had taken and fent into Port-Royal five more North-American vessels." "London, Dec. 29. If thefe gentle men who diftinguish themselves by an uniform opposition to every measure of government, think, that a clamour raised against the minifter, will alienate the ap, VOL. XXXIX. probation with which all his political proceedings have been crowned by the real friends of this country, they flatter themfelves in a vain expectation of what, with all their artful machinations, they will never be able to compass. Every ftep he has taken, during the courfe of his adminiftration, the more it is scrutinized by the prying eye of malevolence and faction, the more it has difcovered the abilities and genius of a man, who has fhewn himfelf capable of guiding the reins of government, at a time when no other than a confummate knowledge and judgement could have prevented his fall from the feat of power, and the overthrow of the dignity of this kingdom, by a daftardly fubmiffion to her rebellious fubjects. In a war that has raifed the attention of every power in Europe, he has exercifed the feeling of compaffion towards a deluded people, who, hurried by the impetuofity of their treacherous leaders, are rifking that liberty which they pretend to be in fearch of, and flamefully permit themselves to be the tools of a tyrannical congrefs. They bend under the yoke of this affembly, who, covering their defigns by the mask of the common intereft of the people, are endeavouring to fecure themselves beyond the reach of danger, without any thought of the fafety of their infatuated followers, whom they will not hefitate to facrifice to the best advantage. At the outfet of this unhappy difpute, the olive-branch might have been embraced: it was held out with as much condefcenfion as could be, confiftent with the fupremacy of the Britifh parliament; and the least advance on the part of America would have sheathed the fword, and prevented the ravages of our infulted troops. But no: America, fostered by the fupport of this country, had reared her lofty head to an idea of independency;- fhe ungratefully determined to fhake off her allegiance to that parent who had cherished her in diftrefs, and to whom he was indebted for that formidable fituation in which the dared to withstand the call of duty and obedience: fhe flattered herself with foreign affiftance, and was amufed with affurances that were never meant to answer any other purpose, than by lulling them into a belief of their folicitations being complied with, to fecure their commercial alliance. Now they are fatally convinced of the delufion, they have now felt the fcourge of the British arms, which G - have |