SCOTS MAGAZINE. M D C C L V I. VOLUME XVIII. Ne quid falfi dicere audeat, ne quid veri non audeat. EDINBURGH: Printed by SANDS, DONALDSON, MURRAY, and COCHRAN HISTORY. A fummary or recapitulation of the METEOROLOGICAL journal of the weather, public affairs of last year 1.-15. at London, and in Cumberland 18. Britain 19. Peculiarities in the foil of MODENA 20. A new hiftory of CAROLINA. Its first fettlement 21. Poffefied by the English in K. Charles II.'s time 22. Its government ib. productions 23, and present slate 23, 4 new hiftory of New GEORGIA. Its fituation and establishment 24. Mr Oglethorpe's icheme ib. Tomochichi's character and importance 25. Natural productions 26. Errors in the conftitution ib." "A contest between Georgia and Carolina 27. A treaty between their Britannic and Pruf-A complete lift of the RoYAL NAVY of Great fan Majefhes 42. A memorial fent by the court of France to that of Britain 43. The answer 44. A meffage by the French mini fter to the States-General 45- -Refolutions of the British Commons for raifing two millions by annuities and a lottery ib. A fcheme of the lottery 46. Rewards to fome American A colonies, and to Gen. Johnson ib. A procla ma ion for removing draught cattle from the coat in the event of an invafion 48.- -The determination of the premiums given by the Edinburgh fociety 48. The trial of Turnbull and Johnlon 49. The fpring circuit-feffions 50. POETRY, &c. A short elogy on fome of the poetical compofitions in the Irish language 15. Altin and the daughter of Mey, an old tale, tranflated from the ith ib. The four bein bachelor lairds 17. The choice ib. l'art of act. 2. fc. 1. of the Amyntas of Taffo para phrafed ib. On the generosity of the English to the difirelled Portugucle 18. Difpute between the PENSYLVANIANS and their N A fummary or recapitulation of the WOW after all the devaftations of more than eight years civil wars, ever fince the death of the late famous Kouli Kan, the affairs of PERSIA remain in as diftracted a fituation as ever. First two nephews of that monarch, and then his grandfon, the only one of his defcendeats who had efcaped being murdered by them, fucceffively mounted the throne; but were foon tumbled down, with the lofs of their lives, or that of their eyes, which, according to conftant cuftom, incapacitated them to reign. Since the fall of all thefe, there have been a good VOL. XVIII. PUBLIC AFFAIRS of the year 1755, many competitors for the crown, fome of whom have, for a short time, enjoyed the title of Shah. According to latest accounts, Prince Heraclius of Georgia, a fovereignty contiguous to the northweft fide of Perfia, but tributary to the Ottoman Porte, who within less than three years ago feemed to be almost mafter of the Perfian empire, has taken under his protection a candidate faid to be of the race of the ancient fophis, and to have fome time ago returned from Ruffia, where he had lien concealed as a refugee. Whether this competitor be the perfon whom the Turks fent off aA bove bove two years ago for Perfia, under the character of being the only remaining defcendent of the fophis, as they even formerly gave out, we cannot pretend to fay; though it has been hinted in the public news as a thing likely, as the Turkish candidate did not fucceed in the character he at firft affumed, and there fore afterward appeared in other different forms, ftill with a view of making a party among the Perfians. In the mean time it is faid, that Prince Heraclius, a man of great courage, now in the twenty-feventh year of his age, and the idol of his own people, is, befides his hereditary dominions, in poffeffion of Perfian Armenia; that he has not relinquished his former defign, whatever difficulties he found in the execution of it; and that it is probable, that, under the pretence of placing him who is call ed the Ruffian candidate upon the throne, he will make another irruption into the heart of Perfia, of which he is thought to have a good chance of obtaining the fovereignty. So far as we can gather from fuch accounts as have come 10 hand, one Azad Kan, fet up by the Bactiari, inhabitants of Courdiftan, as being likewife a defcendent of the ancient fophis, reigns at Ifpahan, the capital, with the title of Ifmael Shab. We have been alfo informed, that one formerly ftyled Mobammed Kan, had appeared as a competitor; that he had made himself master of Mefched, a city in the eastern part of the empire, and was preparing to march towards Ifpahan with an army of 100,000 men. Mean while most of the kans govern in their feveral provinces as fovereigns; and ravage, plunder, and bloodshed, are in many places frequent. In the beginning of laft year, Sultan Ofman III. had newly fucceeded to the OTTOMAN throne, in the room of his brother Mahomet V. who died the 13th of December preceding, leaving behind him the character of having been one of the moft pacific princes ever placed at the head of that empire. This fucceffion happened in a more quiet manner than is ufual among the Turks. The new Sultan began his reign by declaring 8 his mother, aged feventy years, SultanaValida, or Emprefs-dowager; and con-firming all the great officers of flate in their employments. He teftified his zeal for the law of Mahomet, by ordering all the public houfes where wine was fold to be shut up; or at least that none of that liquor fhould be fold in them for the future, under fevere penalties; and his moderation towards those who differed from him in opinion, by prohibiting the moleftation of the Chriftians within his dominions on account of their religion. His acceffion to the throne was notified by ambaffadors fent to the Emprefs Queen, Ruffia, and Poland; and by letters to the other ftates of Europe. Not long after, the treaties formerly fubfifting between the Porte and the courts of Vienna, Petersburg, Stockholm, and the republic of Venice, were renewed; and ftrong verbal affurances were given, that his Sublime Highness intended to live in harmony with all the powers of Europe, and would not engage in any war, unless forced to it. The prefent Grand Signior is generally fuppofed to be of a warlike difpofition, from the nature of his ufual amufements, his averfion to pomp and luxury, and his having been addicted to the ftudy of hiftory. This the janifaries feemed to hope would turn out to be the cafe, by the fatisfaction they exprefied at the change, having been for fome time extremely fond of a new war, which the preceding Sulta had greatly disliked. Some told us, that Ŏfman III. had, on feveral former occafions, fhewn unquestionable mark of a bloody temper; and to ftrengthe this idea, it was oblerved, that foon atter his mounting the throne, his nephew Sultan Ibrahim, son of his eldest brother, fome years before declared heir-apparent to it, died fuddenly; and that his death was far from being reckoned the effect of any natural caufe. Others have reprefented this monarch as very mild and pacific, and a great lover of justice. It was not long till the mufti, or chief prieft, refigned his office, probably becaule he knew it would otherwise be taken from him; and the principal cashier of the treafury was difmiffed and banish ed, d. Next, the Grand Vizir was depoed, and was fucceeded by Ali Pacha Hekim Oglou, who had twice before jfied that high poft, was faid to be a man fit for either the camp or cabinet, and was the Sultana-Valida's chief favourite, on account of his having fupported her intereft in the reign of the prefent Sultan's father. This prime mi-nifter turned moft of the principal officers of ftate out of their employments, and put his own creatures into them. -Soon after, we were told, that his active sand enterprising difpofition did not fuit -the Sultan's pacific plan. However the cafe might ftand in that refpect, he was -deposed, and banished; all his creatures -were turned out of office, and others brought in, who had no connection with them. Abdallah Pacha was appointed to ; be Grand Vizir; and his exaltation was Moon followed by the fall of the lately eeftablished Mufti Irani Abdullah Effendi, who was fucceeded in that station by Damazede Effendi. Not long after Hekim Ogloa's banishment, he was recalled, and ordered to affemble an army of 50,000 ftroops that might be depended upon, on the fide of Crim-Tartary. The Grand Vizir Abdallah Pacha being fuddenly depofed on the 24th of Auguft, and banifhed to Scio, he had for his fucceffor Nifangi Pacha, formerly fword-bearer, a great favourite of the Sultan, who immediately difmiffed the then fecretary of ate. On the 15th of October the Aga, or General, of the janifaries was depoted and exiled, and the Lieutenant-Geeral of that body put into his poft. the 25th of the fame month the Grand Vizir Niffangi Pacha was accufed, as fome advices bore, of being in a plot to dethrone the Grand Signior, on which account he was condemned to death by the divan, and beheaded within an hour after; while other accounts, without particularly fpecifying his crime, afcried his cataftrophe to maleadminiftration general. Saide Effendi was immediately appointed to fucceed him as Grand Vizir, upon which fome other changes were made. In fo fluctuating a court, it cannot be expected that meafures should be fteady; efpecially if there be any foundation for the inference which fome make from fo many revolutions, namely, that the Sultan cannot believe himself to be yet firmly feated on the throne. In fact, no fystem of the Porte can at prefent be depended on; and whether the court of Verfailles has as much influence at Conftantinople as for a good many years paft, is unknown to the public, nay, appears to be doubted by herself. In the month of May the Turkish garrifon at Belgrade mutinied to fuch a degree, that the bafhaw who commanded there, and the other officers, thought fit to take refuge in Semlin, a town in the Auftrian dominions. The EmpressQueen gave orders to fupply thofe officers with every thing they might need; and as it was fufpected the rebel garrison had fome evil defign upon the frontiers of Hungary, the court of Vienna took the proper precautions on that head. They did not, however, any mischief, except fome outrages they committed at Belgrade, particularly against the bafhaw's houfe. Late advices informed us, that a new bafhaw was arrived at that place, with a body of janisaries; that he impaled the ringleaders of the mutiny; that the garrifon afterward rofe against him; that he had retired into the caftle, with a few officers and private men who adhered to him; but that it was thought want of provifions would foon oblige him to furrender. In October the Venetians had notice of a corps of 50,000 Turkish troops advancing towards the frontiers of Dalmatia, which confiderably alarmed them, and of which they fent advice to the courts of Vienna and Petersburg. Their uneafiness on that fubject seems now to be removed, by pofitive affurances given them, that thofe troops moved with no other defign, than to get more convenient and cheaper fubfiftence. A confiderable fire happened at Conftantinople in the night between the 10th and 11th of June laft, which burnt for thirteen hours fucceffively, and did a great deal of damage; but a more terrible one broke out there on the 27th of September, at twelve o'clock at night, |