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prejudicial to his dominions, or to their own. Hanover, April 23, 1757,

non.

The army of obfervation has been af fembling at Bielefield in the county of Ravensberg. The Duke of Cumber. land arrived at that place on the 4th of May, and was followed by the Duke of Brunswick. That day the Hanoverians made themselves mafters of the lordship and caftle of Ritzberg, which the French abandoned after difcharging fome canThe Heffians fent back from England, were to be incamped on the 20th between the Aller and the Wefer, and confequently would be at hand to join the army. It is faid advice has been received from his Royal Highness, that he has been joined by 18,000 Pruffians from Magdeburg, being part of the 30,000 which had been left there as a body of reserve. In the mean time the French on the Lower Rhine are conftantly filing off. They have taken poffeffion of the county of Lingen in the Emprefs-Queen's name. That county, though inclofed within the bishopric of Munster, belongs to the King of Pruffia. They have alfo taken poffeffion of the county of Bentheim, though a ftate no way concerned in the prefent troubles, as being actually under the adminiftration of the houfe of Hanover, fince the convention [xv. 357.] by which the Count of Bentheim mortgaged it to that houfe, for a fum of money annually paid to this nobleman, who refides in France. They write from Cleves of May 15. that the fiege of Guelders was turned into a blockade, it being judged not worth while to facrifice a number of men before a place, which, properly blocked up, muft foon furrender of courfe; that only a few regiments were employed in this blockade; and that the rest of the French and Auftrian troops were incamped, and would foon march toward Munfter, and along the Lippe, in order to approach the Wefer and the frontiers of Hanover. A letter from Altena of the 14th fays, they had advice from Eaft-Friefland, that a detachment of 6000 French, headed by the Duke de Mazarin, was arrived within

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two leagues of that principality, that general himself having at the fame time advanced, with 130 huffars, to the village of Lohn on its very frontiers.97According to late accounts, fome skirmishes had happened between advanced parties of the two armies. A party of Hanoverians, having paffed the Wefer, as well to ravage the country of Paderborn, as to reconnoitre the French, carried off feveral waggons loaded with wheat and oats, deftined for the territories of the Elector of Cologn. On the other hand, a party of Fifcher's hofiars having fallen in with a fmall body of Hanoverians, in the county of Teklenberg, they routed them, and made some prisoners.

We have advices from CORSICA, that M. Paoli, general of the malecontents, had drawn M. Matra, who was at the head of the Genoefe party in the inland parts of that ifland, into an ambuscade, in which he was killed, his whole party being at the fame time difperfed. According to latest accounts, Paoli ftill ftood his ground; found means punctually to pay the few regular troops he had, and even to increase them; and had till that time maintained a fair understanding with the French, to whom the malecontents in fome places furnished provifions, only for ready money, but feemed as much as ever determined not to fubmit again to the yoke of Genoa, whatever guaranty might be propofed.

It is affured, that the King of SPAIN has figned a treaty of neutrality with G. Britain during the prefent warnin

We now fee the following account of the proceedings in Spain, relative to the Antigallican privateer's prize. [209.]

On the 26th of December 1756, the Antigallican privateer took the Duke de Penthievre Indiaman in the channel that forms the entry of the ports of Ferrol and Corunna, and in fight of all the inhabitants of the latter.

In confequence of the first complaints that were made of this infult offered to the Spanish territory, the commandantgeneral of Galicia ordered both the captain and the pilot of the port to be examined upon it; and that any witneffes brought by the French conful should al

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Whilst the council of war were going on with the examination, an account came to court that the privateer and her prize were arrived at Cadiz: and though the French conful there applied to the governor of the port, defiring that he would detain the veffels, he refused to do it, as he had no orders from court for that purpose.

The council of war having examined very minutely all the papers and affidavits, gave their opinion as follows: "That the violation of his Majefty's territory, and the infult offered to it by the privateer, being fully and clearly proved, the privateer ought to be ftopt, the captain punished, and the pretended prize restored to its lawful owners the French."

ful did then offer to be bound that they fhould not go out of port without orders from Madrid; which offer the governor accepted with the greatest politeness, and the troops were immediately withdrawn, and only fome cuftomhouse-officers left on board.

Authentic inftruments, containing an account of all thefe tranfactions, were delivered to the English and French confuls.-The conful of England informed the British ambaffador at Madrid of the affair; who, on the 27th of February, prefented a memorial, and a copy of an affidavit of a lieutenant of the French prize, made by him, as it appears, in the port of Cadiz, in prefence of the English conful, and on board the fhip where he was a prisoner: upon thefe grounds the ambaffador demanded that the prize should not be delivered to the French; and though this application was made fome days after the orders had, in confequence of the opinion of the council of war, been fent from Madrid to reftore the ship to the French, yet, on this bare complaint, fresh orders were immediately dispatched to the governor of Cadiz, fignifying, that he fhould not give up the ship to the French if he had not already done it, and, if he had, that he fhould at all events keep both fhips in his own posą feffion till farther orders.

This laft order arrived at Cadiz after the fhip had been given up to the French, in confequence of the prece ding order; fo that the governor could do no more than feize again upon the fhips, and keep them both from the English and the French.

Before this report was made, the King had fent orders to the governor of Cadiz to detain both fhips. The governor, upon receiving this order, fent for the English conful, and informed him of it; adding, that provided he (the conful) would be answerable for both fhips and their effects, and that they fhould not go out of that port till fur ther orders, the governor would not fend It may not be improper to add in troops to feize them. But upon the what manner the governor behaved in conful's refufing to do this, and protest-executing the orders to deliver the ship ing against whatfoever might be done, the governor, in the conful's prefence, ordered the mayor of the town, the fecretary of the government, and the notary of war, to take the neceffary troops with them to take poffeffion of the faid fhips, in order to detain them; recommending to them to use the greatest moderation and civility. When the two fhips were thus feized, the English con

to the French, before he received the laft and contrary orders. The captain of the privateer, when he was informed of what was to be done, got all his men on board the prize; protested, that far from giving his confent to it, he would oppofe it to his utmoft; and seemed to be getting ready to fail out of port. Upon this rafh and imprudent refolution, the governor ordered the com

manders

manders of two Spanish men of war to go up along-fide the prize, and ufe every gentle method to perfuade the captain to deliver the prize, and in cafe his obftinacy fhould render fuch means ineffectual, to employ force.

This order was given on the 26th of February; but, the fea running high, the Spanish men of war could not come up with the prize till the zd of March; when being at a proper distance, the Spanish commander fent a civil meffage to the English captain: to which the latter made an answer in his ufual rough way. A fecond polite meffage was fent to him, in which the Spanish commander fignified, that, his orders being to make ufe of force, if fair methods failed, he begged he would not drive him to that difagreeable neceffity, but give the prize quietly. The English cap. tain replied in the fame obftinate ftrain as before. The Spanish commander feeing all his civilities fruitless, fired two broadfides at him; upon which he ftruck his colours. Spanish troops were put on board, the prize restored to the French, and the English captain and his crew taken into cuftody for their infolent behaviour: foon after, however, they were fet at liberty.

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By the preceding account, which is extracted from the London Chronicle of May 28, it appears, that the affair was ftill undecided on the laft day of March. There is advice, that, on the zd of April, Adm. Saunders, at GIBRALTAR, received an exprefs from Malaga, with information, that four French 74 gun fhips were cruifing off that place; on which he went out with the Culloden, Berwick, Princefs Louifa, Guernsey, and Portland, to cruise in the gut, and about four o'clock in the afternoon of the 5th faw the French fhips. He, being to the leeward, formed a line, and near funfet they did the fame, about two miles to the windward, and began to fire, but without reaching the British fhips. The Guernsey and Princefs Louifa got within gunshot; but before the reft could get up, it was about nine o'clock. The moon rifing, the Louifa faw the French again; and though the

Admiral made a fignal to chafe, his fhips could not overtake them. The chace was continued next day, and during part of the 7th, without effect. The French fay, that their fhips were one of 74 guns and three of 64 each, and that M. da Reveft, their commander in chief, whose bufinefs it was to proceed to the place of his deftination, worked his fhips fo well, that he got through the ftreights, and continued his courfe for America.

Letters from LISBON bring an account, that a violent shock of an earthquake was felt there on the ift of March. In April one of the rifing grounds on which that city was built, opened into a furprifing chafm, out of which gushed smoke and flame, like those emitted by a vulcano. The fea afterwards fwelled in fo extraordinary a manner as to overflow, feveral feet in height, the greateft part of the city. Letters from thence, dated May 1. faid, that the vulcano was attended with no effect which indicated continued or future eruptions; that the chasm afterwards appeared to clofe; that the fea, having for two days covered the extent of ground it overflowed at first, retired; and that the confternation, which had been very great at the fight of these new phænomena, was diffipated.

According to advices from PARIS, the parliament of Besançon have at last regi ftered the King's declaration for levying a fecond twentieth penny. Inftead of thirty-four members of that body being abfolutely banished [156.], the matter has been brought to four of the most refolute imprisoned, and as many more exiled to places remote from that city.

A mandate published by the Duke de Fitzjames, Bishop of Saiffons, in reference to the attempt made upon the French King's life, contains fuch infinuations as are like to create that prelate a good deal of trouble. He is fuppofed to think, that though a lay hand held the knife, yet it was directed by an ecclefiaftical intention. The Pope's nuncio has already complained of this affair to the King, and it is not doubted but things will be carried farther.

According

According to late advices, none of the members of the parliament of Paris had confented to be reimburfed the money they paid for their places.

By a late declaration of the French King, all authors, printers, publifhers, and hawkers, of pieces against religion, or the King's authority, or thofe any way tending to disturb the public tranquillity, are to be punished with death. Most of our readers will probably recollect, without our affiftance, that the fubjects in that country do not enjoy the benefit of being tried by a jury of their peers. [xiv. 316.]

A particular account of the fentence paffed on Damien the affaffin, and the execution of it, is contained in the following two letters.

"Paris, March 28. On Saturday laft, at a quarter after five, the princes and peers repaired to the grand chamber with the magiftrates, and each having taken his feat according to his rank, the greffier was defired by the prefident to read the proceedings on the trial. At half an hour after fix, a detachment of the French guards were ordered to be pofted in the galleries of the palace, the avenues of the grand chamber, &c.; and about a quarter of an hour afterwards Damien the criminal was brought into the grand chamber with his face covered; and being, in the midst of the tribunal, fixed upon a kind of bed with iron rings, which prevented his moving of his arms or legs, he answered the queftions put to him by the first prefident. At half an hour after nine the father and two brothers of Damien were brought in, and alfo a perfon fufpected, from having known and lived with him in the Jefuits college; and afterwards his wife and daughter, an aunt, and three others, were fucceffively prefented to him. He seemed not to be in the leaft affect ed when his father and brothers were brought to him, but was greatly difturbed at the approach of his wife and daughter. They were all remanded back to their chamber; and then the first prefident, having taken the advice of the auguft affembly, pronounced the fentence of death: That, after making VOL. XIX.

the amende-honorable before the prin cipal gate of the church of Paris, he fhould be conducted to the Greve; and on a fcaffold there have his breafts, arms, legs, and thighs, torn with hot pincers; his right hand (holding the knife with which he committed the parricide) burnt with brimftone; and boiling oil, lead, pitch, wax, and brimstone, mixed together, poured into the incifions made by the hot pincers; and afterwards his body to be drawn and difmembered by four horfes, his limbs and body burnt, and his afhes fcattered to the wind, &c.; ordering, that before his execution the torture ordinary and extraordinary be applied, to obtain a discovery of his accomplices," &c.

"Paris, March 29. The fentence paffed upon Damien was executed yesterday. He arrived at the Greve about three in the afternoon, ftaid an hour in the townhall, and was then brought to the scaffold; where his bloody hand was firft burnt and truck off; then the red-hot pincers and boiling lead, &c. were applied to the parts mentioned in the fentence; after which he was quartered. Though the horses were very ftrong and vigorous, they could not accomplish their work after five or fix attempts; fo that at laft permiffion was granted to difmember him; and even till then there were figns of life remaining. His limbs were thrown into a fire, which continued burning at feven this morning."

It does not hitherto appear that he had any accomplices. The parliament of Paris iffued an arret against his family, by which his wife, his daughter, and his father, were ordered to leave the kingdom within a fortnight, and never to return under the pain of being hanged. His brothers, with their wives, and all his other relations of the name of Damien, are injoined to change their names, under the fame penalties. The places of his father's, his wife's, and his daughter's exile out of France have been particularly fixed upon; and his Moft Christian Majefty has granted to the first an annual penfion of 600 livres, and to the two laft one of 300 each.

A letter from Bruffels, dated April 23. informs

informs us, that for a fortnight preceding 1200 men had been employed in cleanfing the bafon of Dunkirk, and that 1200 more would be fet to work in the beginning of May; fo that the harbour would be fit in June to receive warfhips of the fecond rate.

There is advice, that a fquadron of war-fhips, with a good many transports, having 9000 land-forces on board, under the command of Lt-Gen Lally, failed from Breft and Port L'Orient within the month of March. By a car tel-fhip which went to Breft early in April, to exchange fome foldiers, and returned to Plymouth about the 10th of May, there was advice, that from the 3d to the 6th of May nineteen men of war failed from Breft. Later accounts from London bore, that they were in formed this fleet confifted of ten fhips of the line, four frigates, and two advice. boats, having 3000 land - forces on board, and nine large privateers. [251.] They write from Paris, that in a council of war held at Versailles the 6th, a refolution was taken to march a confiderable body of troops towards the coaft of the ocean; and that the generals nominated to command them were, Mar. fhal Thomond in Guyenne, Marfhal de Senecterre in the county of Aunis, the Duke de Harcourt in Normandy, the Prince de Croy in Picardy, and the Marquis du Barail in Flanders. It is faid that Marshal Belleifle is to be com mander in chief of this body, the divifions of which are to be fo difpofed as they may unite in eight days.

As to PLANTATION affairs: Lord Loudon, before he went into winterquarters, caufed two new forts be built within a few miles of Lake George, the one called Fort Edward, the other Fort William-Henry; both which were ftrongly garrifoned, to prevent a furprise. His Lordship, during the winter, was bufied in fortifying proper places, raifing men, and putting all things in condition for acting vigorously the enfuing campaign. He arrived from New York at Boston in New England on the 19th of January, to fettle affairs there; and was to meet with the governors of the

feveral provinces, at Philadelphia, on the 20th of February. It was thought a refolution would then be taken to make an attack upon Cape Breton. It is certain an imbargo was, by his Lord. fhip's orders, laid on the fhipping in all the ports of the provinces, about the middle of March; from whence it was conjectured, that fome important enterprife was in agitation. And accor dingly fome letters bore, that it was refolved, instead of carrying on the war in the back provinces as formerly, to tranfport a confiderable body of men directly to the river St Lawrence; and that it was the general opinion of the officers, that one campaign in that way would make the British mafters of Quebec, and, in confequence, of all Canada; whereas the former manner of carrying on the war, among thick woods, where a fingle Indian can fire his piece without difcovery, might linger on without effect for many years. Whatever be in this, we are informed by the last advices from America, that Lord Loudon had actually imbarked above 10,000 men for Halifax, in order to meet the troops expected from Britain with Adm. Holburne, and then to execute the fcheme he has formed.

By letters from New York we learn, that the feveral provinces having unanimously refolved not to supply the French with provifions, the French forts in the interior parts of the country were in great diftrefs.

About the end of January, Capts Rogers and Speakman, with 70 men, marched from Fort Edward, on the discovery; and between that and Ticonderoga, an advanced fort of the French, met with fix fledges laden with provifions, drove by eight Frenchmen, whom the party eafily made prifoners. The French having got notice of the affair, immediately fent out 200 men, faid to be all regulars, who attacked the British, on their return, about nine in the morning. The conflict continued very fierce till the evening, when the French retreated, leaving the British mafters of the field of battle. 'Tis faid the French loft 50 or 60 men at least; and that on the other

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