ved at Hanover on the 26th of January, and was saluted by a triple discharge of cannon from the ramparts. In his way thither the greateft attention was paid to his R. Highness at Bruffels, Antwerp, Mechlin, and other places. he would not have been let go on fo flight a letter, as that written by an under-secretary of ftate on the occafion; but that not being the cafe, he was discharged. His Lordship added, that he happened himself to know the Ruffian officer, and to be well aware that he was a man of rank and confideration in his own coun--" The prefs is already put upon a try. The Duke declared, that if secretaries of ftate were fo ignorant of the law, as to fend an order for the difcharge of a perfon given in charge by a magiftrate on fufpicion of felony, without the cogni fance of that magiflrate, they ought not to hold their offices. The Noble Vifcount had owned he did not make the leaft inquiry into the matter, but took it for granted that the Ruffian envoy's account was true. Lord Loughborough faid, that the magiftrate had not given the Ruffian officer in charge. The Duke declared, Mr Gilbert had, that very morning, in Westminster-hall, declared to him, that he gave the officer in charge; and at the fame time faid, he wished not to concern himself at all in the matter, and had rather not be called upon. His Grace now preffed that his motion might be agreed to. The Lord Chancellor acknowledged, that the facts were very different from the light in which they had been defcribed to him: but it appeared to him like the cafe of a watchman taking up perfons on a night-charge, and their being difcharged in the morning on their friends giving them good characters. The Duke turned the Chancellor's cafe, by fhewing that it did not apply; because there the civil officer took the perfons into cuftody, and the civil officer discharged them; whereas his complaint was, that the fecretary of state, without any conference or confultation with the civil magiftrate, had taken upon him to fuperfede the law, and discharge the man by his fingle Fiat. The Chancellor obferved, that the watch took the perfons in cuftody, and the conftable of the night difcharged them; confequently the cafe was more fimilar to the prefent than the Noble Duke had imagined. The Duke replied: and at length the queftion being put, the motion was negatived without a divifion. GERMANY. The Bishop of Ofnaburg [43.] arri A letter from Vienna, of Feb. 12. fays, much fairer footing than it was on during the late reign; as may be seen by a few articles of the edict fent down to the office by his Imperial Majefty, all written with his own hand, viz. "1. All Reviews (of which there are a great multitude in Germany) may be circulated without licence; thofe relating to publications, or ecclefiaftical hiftory, not excepted. 2. So likewife all books on the subjects of medicine, or law; medical books excepted in which fecret noftrums are advertised. 3. All ftrictures on the conduct of the throne itfelf may be published in full se, curity, fo they do not present themselves in the form of pafquinades. "If there be any thing juft in them," fays his Majefty," we fhall profit by them; if not, we fhall difregard them." A noble obfervation furely! ftrongly characterising the magnanimity of the heart that dictated it. 4. So likewife all writings on religious fubjects, provided they do not attack any of the three religions established in the Roman empire (the Roman-Catholic, Lutheran, and Calvinift) in any of their fundamental points. 5. So likewife all political news-papers and pamphlets without exception.' UNITED PROVINCES. "Amfterdam, Jan. 11. Holland has never received fuch a fevere blow as Great Britain has now given her, by taking fuch numbers of her fhips (we have accounts of 150); - but it is not the fhips we fo much mind, because we can build new ones in a fhort space of time; their cargoes indeed we could ill fpare; but of all our loffes the feamen are the greatest. We have men of war enough to ferve our purposes for the prefent, but have not feamen to man them: 2000 and upwards are faid to have been taken on board the above 150 fail of shipping. Almost all the fhips that have been taken belonged to this city, few to Rotterdam, but none to the other ports in this country. Amfterdam will pay for all that will will be gained by Great Britain in the prefent difpute between that nation and Holland; all the trade of the Seven United States centers in that city; this has made the merchants of Amfterdam proud, imperious, defpifing all nations, and boafting that Amfterdam is the first emporium in the world.” Hague, Jan. 16. In the affembly held on the 12th inftant by the StatesGeneral, in which the Prince Stadtholder prefided, their High Mightineffes came to the refolution of iffuing out three placards, and one publication, all of them relative to the means of refenting, in a fpirited manner, the injuftice of the court of G. Britain. By the firft of thofe placards, their High Mightineffes have ordered a prolongation of the fifteen-days embargo laid on all the fhipping in the different ports of this republic. The fecond prohibits the exportation of any kind of goods to any part of G. Britain. By the third their High Mightineffes declare their intentions of granting letters of marque and reprifals against England, to any perfon or perfons who fhall apply for the fame. The publication regulates the diftribution of prizes, and the rewards or indemnifications intended for those who may be wounded in any naval engagement. His Moft Serene Highnets, as Admiral General, gives up his fhare in faid prizes to be applied to the relief of maimed failors, their widows, or families.The province of Zealand, whofe commercial intereft is most closely connected with that of G. Britain, is the only one which seemed averfe to the taking thofe fpirited measures which are now become indifpenfable. There is now on record a resolution communicated by the deputies to the States-General. It was presented on the 8th inftant, and is to the following purport: "That they continue to perfift in their opinion, that a negotiation is the most convenient method to put an end to the mutual complaints between G. Britain and this republic, revive their respective trade, and preferve the harmony which has fo Jong fubfifted between the two nations; the more fo as it may be effected without their deviating in the leaft from the honour and independency of the republic; That they do not think that the way to fuch a negotiation is entirely precluded, and therefore recommend it as the best and moft eligible, profeffing themselves ready to deliberate with the other confederates, on the moft convenient and fpeedy manner of entering upon and carrying on the propofed negotiation."This declaration, which their High Mightineffes are far from attributing to any motive of fear, or indifference for the general welfare, a charge that can never be brought against a province that has fo well deferved of the reft of the confederates, is further enforced, by the reprefentation of the merchants and traders of Middelburgh, the capital of Zea land, who, in fupport of the above opinion, obferve, that the two nations cannot go to war without ftabbing the very vitals of each other; adding, as a further and powerful incitement to fome peaceable overture being made, that they have above 1500 Englishmen fettled in their town alone." By a publication, fent by the StatesGeneral to the refpective admiralties, to be published in all their diftricts, dated, Hague, Jan. 12. 1781, their High Mightineffes, to encourage the inhabitants of thefe eftates, do notify, that whatever perfons fhall, in the prefent war by fea, become fo maimed as to be incapable to get their living, fhall receive the following fums according to their wounds ; 1. For the lofs of two eyes, 1500 forins; and for the lofs of one eye, 350: 2. for the lofs of two arms, 1500 florins; for the lofs of the right arm, 450; and for that of the left, 350: 3. for the lofs of the two hands, 1200 florins; for that of the right hand, 350; and for that of the left, 300: 4. for the lofs of the two legs, 700 florins; and for the lofs of one leg, 350: 5. for the lofs of two feet, 460 florins; and for the lofs of ane foot, 200:- and for inferior wounds in the parts respectively above mentioned, fuch fums as the college of admiralty shall think fit : - and fuch other wounded perfons as are entirely disabled from gaining their living, fhall, instead of the above, receive a filver ducatoon per week during their lives; and for all inferior wounds an allowance fhall be made in proportion. any of the ports of his Majefty's dominions [42. 667.], is recited; and, on a Darrative, that his Majefty has received certain advice, that the States-General have declared, by their placart, dated, Hague, Jan. 26. laft, that as foon as the Dutch fhips fhall be permitted to depart from England, the English fhips fhall be no longer detained in their ports, but immediately be permitted to depart, and be provided with passports, it is ordered, "That all fhips and veffels belonging to the fubjects of the States-General of the United Provinces, together with the perfons and cargoes on board them, (other than and except falted provifions of any kind, or naval or warlike ftores), which are now detained, by virtue of the aforementioned order in council of the 22d of December laft, in the ports of G. Britain, freland, or other ports of his Majefty's dominions, or which had been feized and brought into any of the faid ports by any of the fhips of his Majesty, or his fubjects, before the order for general reprisals against the States was if fued, and have been already declared, or shall hereafter be declared, by fentence of the court of admiralty, to be the property of fubjects of the States-General, be forthwith, or as foon as fuch fentence of the court of admiralty hath been pronounced, releafed and discharged, with free liberty to return to their respective ports, and that proper passes be granted them for that purpose." In the fecond, the order of Dec. 15. relating to the plague [42. 708.], is recited; and, on a narrative, that feveral advices had been lately received, whereby it appeared, that the phyficians and furgeons employed in examining into the real nature of the diftemper have declared, that it was no wife the plague, as it had been reprefented, but a malignant fever, eafily cured by proper medicines; and that, in confeqence of proper meafures taken, the calamity hath now entirely subsided, it is ordered, that the quarantine at prefent fubfifting upon fhips and veffels coming from Dantzick, or any other port or place in Royal or Ducal Pruffia or Pomerania, or from any port or place in Courland, Samogitia, or Livonia, be taken off; and that all fhips and veffels already arrived, or that may hereafter arrive, from thofe places, be permitted to difcharge their refpective ladings, without unpacking, opening, and airing, and without performing any.qua VOL. XLIII, rantine; provided they fhall have no goods or merchandise on board the produce of Turky, or the Levant, which may fubject them to the rules of quarantine, under the directions contained in his Majefty's order in council, bearing date the 20th of September laft [42. 551.]; that they bring with them clean bills of health; and that the mafter, or other perfon taking charge of fuch fhip or vei fel, do first make oath before the cuftomhouse-officer or chief magistrate, on their arrival at the place where they are bound to, that the crews are free from all infection." By the third, the prohibition to export or carry coaft wife, any copper, as expreffed in the order of council of Aug. 18. laft [42. 442.], is continued for fix months from the date of this order, Feb, 16. 1781. By the fourth, the prohibition to export, or carry coaftwife, gunpowder, faltpetre, or any fort of arms or ammunition [42.613.], is continued for three months from the 23d of February. Capt. King, of the Refolution [42. 549.], was prefented to the King, Feb. 14. at the levee, accompanied by Me Banks, and was moft graciously received. The Captain presented to his Majesty the journals kept on board the Discovery and Refolution in their voyage round the world. In pursuance of royal proclamations, dated, Jan. 12. 1781, Wednesday, Feb. 21. was observed as a faft all over England, and Thursday, Feb. 22. as a taft all over Scotland, to pray for a divine bleffing on his Majefty's arms by fea and land. On this occafion, their Majefties attended divine fervice at the chapelroyal, St James's; the House of Peers, at Westminster abbey; the Houfe of Commons, at St Margaret's; and the corporation of London, at St Paul's. This is the fifth national faft fince the commencement of hoftilities in America. [42. 100.]. The following addrefs was duly circulated; "To all the Catholic Clergy, fecular and regular, refiding in the London district. WE take this opportunity, dear brethren, of our publishing these our regu lations for the approaching Lent, to recommend, at the fame time, moft earneftly to you all, and through you, to Q your your refpective congregations, to dedicate, in a particular manner, Wednefday, the 21ft of February, to be a day of humiliation, penance, and prayer; in order to turn away the wrath of God hanging over our heads for our fins; to remove from us the fcourges of war, and those many dreadful evils that are the unhappy attendants of war; and to implore the divine mercy on thefe king. doms; begging, in particular, for the all powerful grace and bleffing of God upon our gracious Sovereign, that his fubjects, being made fenfible of their duty, may be delivered by him from the evils under which they groan, and may be restored to the bleffings of a lafting peace, under his most mild and moft amiable govern ment. Given, at London, this 15th JAMES BIRTAHN, V. A.” John Paterfon was tried by a courtmartial on board the Prince George, at Portfmouth, Feb. 20. for deserting from the Romney man of war, and joining the enemy. It appeared from the evidence, that the culprit had offered his fervices to Com. Johnftone, and was employed by him as pilot and mate; that he deferted from the ship, but foon after delivered himself up, and was pardoned; that in a few weeks he left the fhip a fecond time, and was appointed fecond captain of the Infanta Charlotte, a privateer belonging to Spain. In this hip he cruifed against the English, and met with great fuccefs. Befides feveral capi. tal prizes taken fingly, he fhared in our Eaft and Weft India fleets taken laft fummer. The Tartar frigate happening to fall in with the Infanta, took her with-out firing a gun; and feveral of the Romney's hands being turned over to the Tartar at Lisbon, Paterfon was immediately recognised by them, and put in irons. After a fhort trial, he was found guilty, and fentenced to be hanged, on Thurfday following, on board one of the war-fhips at Spithead. The General Barker, Capt. Todd, one of the Eaft-India fhips which arrived at Crookhaven, Jan. 9. [46.] in coming to the Thames, was, by a ftorm, blown on the coaft of Holland, and drove on fhore between Scheveling and Catwyck, about the middle of February. The crew were all faved, but made prifoners. The lofs is rated at near 200,000 1. Sterling. "Plymouth, Feb. 19. This morning Cols Fullarton's and Humberston's regiments were embarked on board the outward-bound Eaft-Indiamen. The common council of London, Feb. 22. ordered 1000l. to be paid out of the chamber towards the relief of the fufferers in our Weft-India islands by the hurricanes. Sir Jofeph Yorke arrived at Dover, in the Hanover packet, from Oftend, Feb. On the 24th he waited on the King, and had a long conference with his Ma jesty. 21. SCOTLAN D. [52.] At a meeting of the town council of Cupar, the bead borough of the county of Fife, Feb. 21. the Provost presented to the Council a packet, addreffed to him, which he had received a few days before, containing certain printed papers, viz. An addrefs to the committee of the Affociation of the county of York, by David Hartly, Esq; and, An address to the freeholders and electors of G. Britain, by the faid Committee of Affociation; with their Refolves, &c. &c. The Council, after having heard thefe papers read by the clerk, were unanimously of opinion, "That they are evidently calculated to ferve the infidious schemes of the enemies of G. Britain, by exciting distrust and jea, loufies of government, at a time when every hand ought to be joined, and every nerve ftrained, to enable his Majefty to repel the most formidable combination of foes, that malice, envy, and a complete affociation of the baseft principles that can difgrace human nature, ever tirred up against any nation. Instead, therefore, of entering into private correfpondence with the authors of such publications, or abetting, in any manner, practices that carry the most distant tendency to such baleful confequences, they ordered their clerk to caufe this their o pinion to be inferted in the public newspapers." Refolutions or declarations of several focieties for fupporting the Proteftant religion appear in our news-papers, from different places of Scotland, expreffing their apprehenfion of danger to our religion from the toleration now given to Popery in England; and that, if continued, there is reafon to dread, that that fuperftition will extend its direful effects to this part of the united kingdom; adding, that the petitions of the Proteftant Affociations Affociations in England did not laft fef fion meet with the fuccefs they deferved; but that Proteftants fhould not be difcouraged, but their efforts continued with renewed vigour. All exprefs the warmeft fympathy with, and greatest efteem for, Lord George Gordon. officer of the imprefs-fervice at Leith. The Brownings pleaded, that masters and mates of trading veffels were exempted from being impreffed; but Capt. Napier refufed to discharge them. They therefore applied for, and obtained a fufpension, upon finding caution judicio fisti, under a penalty of 100 1. Sterling each. Informations were afterwards given in : and the court, Aug. 10. " repelled the reafons of fufpenfion, and found the let In the morning of Friday, Feb. 9. the account of Lord George's acquittal was received at Edinburgh by exprefs. It was fix o'clock on Tuesday morning when the jury returned their verdict, Not guilters orderly proceeded; and in refpect ty. At night the city of Edinburgh and fuburbs were illuminated by direction of the populace, and many bonfires were lighted up in the city and its neighbourhood. On an application by the magiftrates to the commander in chief, a party of dragoons arrived in the evening, and the regiment in the castle had orders to be in readiness: there was, however, no difturbance; and the magiftrates did not interfere to prevent the illumination. But, at Leith, fome of Lord George's zealous friends having begun to illuminate, the magiftrates caused the lights to be taken down, and put a stop to any illuminations. There were rejoicings in many places of Scotland on this occafion. "Edinburgh, Feb. 24. Orders are fent to Aberdeen, for the immediate imbarkation of three companies of the Sutherland fencible regiment, now quartered there, for the protection of Shetland. Col. Wemyss fet off this morning to expedite the bufinefs. The party are to be under the command of a major. There was a fort erected by Oliver Cromwell, at Braffa found, in Shetland. Though this fortification muft now be in difrepair, owing to no attention having been paid to it fince that time; yet, fhould the Dutch take it into their heads to make a landing there, they might foon render the fort tenible, and by that means make an excellent fettlement for the protection of their fifhery. A veffel is getting ready at Leith, to convey artillery, &c. for the defence of the iflands. By a judgement of the court of feffion, Jan. 19. it is found, that mafters and mates of fmuggling veffels may be impreffed. In February 1780, the Liberty of Folkstone having been brought into Leith by three revenue cutters, the whole crew, including Robert and John Browning, the mafter and mate, were impreffed by order of Capt. Napier, regulating the fufpenders have not fisted themselves this day at the bar in terms of their bond of caution judicio fifti, find the fame forfeited, and decern against them and their cautioners, conjunctly and severally, for the penalties therein contained." - The Brownings reclaimed; and upon advi fing petition and answers, the Lords unanimously adhered to their former interlocutor, and found Capt. Napier intitled to expences. This judgement proceeded upon undeniable evidence of the fhip Liberty having been employed in fmuggling. Had he been engaged in a fair trade, there is no doubt the Brownings would have been found intitled to protection. Though there is no pofitive law exempting the mafters and mates of trading veffels from being impreffed, yet there is what is equivalent to it, in fa vour of perfons falling under that defcription, — univerfal practice, and the inftructions iffued from the Lords of the Admiralty to thofe employed in the im. prefs fervice, one article of which is in thefe words: "You are not to prefs any boatfwains, carpenters, or firft mates, belonging to merchant-ships of fifty tons burden or upwards, nor any matters of small veffels." Upon an application, by Meff. John Cumming merchant in Garmouth, and James Burnett merchant in Portfoy, complaining, that two failors whom they had fubpoena'd to be evidences in an exchequer trial, had been impressed, the Barons, Feb. 3. declared, unanimoufly, that no perfon fubpœna'd to attend a trial can be impreffed. Sailors therefore need be under no fear of attending as evidences in any trial, being by law protected out and home, whether called by the defendants, or by the plaintiffs, the latter of whom are generally revenue-officers. 0 2 CAP. |