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Britifh fhips, is the true queftion for public confideration: The fubject is highly important, and involves in it very extenfive confiderations, which require to be diftinctly treated of.

Among the foremoft ftands the confideration, how these fupplies are to be paid for. This can only be done by bills of exchange upon Great Britain, which is to all intents and purposes fending fo much money out of the kingdom; or by inducing the Americans to take the fuperfluous part

of the produce of our fugar colonies in payment. This they conftantly did, previous to the late war; and the following account of the total expertation from the fugar colonies in the years 1773 and 1774, diftinguifhing what went to America, from what came to Great Britain and Ireland, will beft explain the natura courfe and extent of this trade, and fhev how far it was any hardship to the mother country to part with the commodities which America took in payment.

An Account of the total Exportation From the British Sugar Colonies, in the years 1773 and 1774.

N. B. The packages are reduced to one common denomination of 100lb, per Hhd. of Sugar, and 110 Gallons per puncheon of Rum, and some Commalities of trifling amount are left out.

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From hence it plainly appears, that the fugar colonies paid for their lumber and provifions chiefly in rum. During the interruption of this commerce occafioned by the war, our deets and armies in North America and the West Indies have occahioned a demand for rum perhaps not much thort of what America formerly took; but that demand is now at an end; and to expect tha Great Britain and Ireland can take off an additional quantity of forty thoufand puncheons of rum per annum, would be as abfird, as to suppose our fugar colonies could exift, if they were obliged, inftead of making this ufe of their rum, to throw it away, and pay about four hundred thoufaid pounds fterling per annum for their lumber and provisions out of the rest of their produce. Nothing can therefore be more effential, than to take care that no egulations be eftablished which can tend to drive the Americans into other mode of obtaining a fupply of rum; and in asar as they can be induced to take fugar orother articles of our produce, wild inded must that policy be on our part, which would prefer their confuming in Ameica the produce of French labour and indutry, rather than British.

The act of avigation, or more pro perly the princple of that act, branched out, varied, ormodified, as it has been, by a great number of acts of Parliament down to the prfent times, muft, like all other human iftitutions, adapt itself. to every material iteration of circumftances, or its provifions will be no longer wife or falutary. It orginated when the national fpirit of commecial enterprize, operating upen natural advantages long neglected, began to produe thofe effects which have raifed this natin to greatness. Our anceftors then fav, that the British empire and its dependencies contained within them every thing that was effential to the eftablishment aid fupport of their then infant colonies, and, under thofe circumftances, wifely confined the intercourfe of thofe colonies to the mother-country, and 'to each other, and the importation of foreign commodities into the mother-country, to be by Britifh fhips (in that defcription, including the thips of Ireland and the colonies) or by fhips of the country from whence the commodities were imported. Our agriculture, manufactures, and the commerce thereon dependent, have fince increafed to an amazing degree,

and (at a time when they are treated in fo fubordinate a way, as men whofe property and exiftince are to lay at the mercy of the moft ill-informed prejudices of individuals), the Weft India planters and merchants may be allowed to fay, that if any body of men have more eminently contributed to fuch increate than another, it is to them, and to the investment of at leaft fifty millions fterling of their property in the fugar colonies, that fuch diftinction is due. Our agriculture, manufactures, and commerce have rifen to greatnefs, and navigation and naval power have rifen in their train; but navigation and naval power are among the happy fruits, not the parents of commerce; for if agriculture and manufactures, and mutual wants, did not furnish the fubject of intercourfe between diftant countries, there muft foon be an end of navigation. To facrifice the fources of commerce, or cramp them, with a view to promote navigation, is therefore obvioufly deftructive of the very end propofed : the carrying trade is of great importance, but it is of greater ftill to have trade to carry. Encourage cultivation and manu factures, and promote a demand for their produce, and render its conveyance to market eafy, and the benefits of navigation will follow of courfe: but encourage the fpeculative fancies of those who think they can, by human inftitutions, ftrongly controul the natural courfe of things, and indulge them in cramping the operation of the caufe, in order to increase the effect, and the manufactures, commerce, navigation, and naval power of Britain muft fink together. The policy of the act of navigation is juftly popular. Its regu lations, until the lofs of America, under the various relaxations which Parliament has applied to particular events and exigencies as they arofe, have guided the courfe of trade without oppreffing it; for the markets which thofe regulations left open to the confumption of the produce of the colonies were fufficient to take off the whole; and no foreign country could have fupplied the effential part of their wants materially cheaper, than the colonies or the mother country could fupply one another. The independence of Ame rica has totally changed all this, and yet we hefitate to follow the event with anfwerable regulations.

OLD

OLD BAILEY INTELLIGENCE.

.

Vefday the 1ft of June, about nine o'clock, came on before Judge Willes, the trial of Patrick Nicholson, James Murray, James Ward, and Jofeph Shaw, indicted for the wilful murder of Nicholas Caffon, before the Huftings, in Coventgarden, on the 10th of May. The folTowing were called over, and fworn on the jury:

John White
Wm. Morris
Jofeph Rurks

Wm. Sherman

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Robert Winkfwork
Thomas Neal

John Heather

Wm. Roberts

And. Perryman Thomas Alfop Charles Hayley Robert Ludlow Mr. Morgan Counfel for the profecution, opened the cafe, and after expatiating on the heinoufnefs of the crime, and the criminality, of the prifoners at the bar, proceeded to call witneffes in fupport of his charge.

Thomas Davy, late a porter at Mr. Adams's, Grafton ftreet, was the firft witnefs who was examined; it appeared that the witness had attended before the Huftings every day during the election, except one, and that during that time he had thought proper (though out of place) to make Wood's Hotel his head quarters, and there to eat and drink, at his own expence, and at hotel prices, every day he was prefent at the election. He gave an account of the commencement of the riot, which was of no confequence on the trial, as he was contradicted in his account; and knew none of the prifoners.

This Witnefs prevaricated much, as at one time he wore that he had never eat or drank at the expence of any of the candi dates during the election, and afterwards he admitted that he had had feveral luncheons at Wood's Hotel, for which he had not paid; and that though he was a porter out of place, he attended the huftings every day but one, without being retained by any party, and at his own expence. On being asked if he had not frequently abufed feveral gentlemen, friends to Mr. Fox, and challenged them to box him, he replied in the negative; but faid when he faw them refufing votes that were offered for Sir Cecil Wray, he called out to them to fend the voters to him, and he (the porter) would examine them. He did not fee the deceased when he received his wounds, and therefore could not fay any thing against the prisoners.

Mr. Wild, High Conftable of Holborn divifion was the fecond witnefs examined. Me faid that about a quarter after three

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o'clock, on the 10th of May, he faw a flight fcuffle between a white man and a black, the former crying "Fox for ever; the latter crying Wray for ever; the witness interfered, and peace was foon restored, all the friends of Mr. Fox appearing very weil difpofed to pres ferve it. On looking on one fide towards the pump, near the church, be faw a man, lying on the ground, who appeared to have received a blow; he afterwards un derstood that it was Caffon. Some time after he perceived Calon on the ground, he faw a party of marrowbones and clea vers advance, with a aumber of men in their rear, armed with sticks; the witness defired they would keep the peace, and they appeared then very well difpofed to follow his directions. A gentleman (Mr. Sheridan) then requested he would order the conftables to retire, as the most effectual way to preferve the peace; but he replied to Mr. Sheridan, that the conftables then present were not under his orders, and confequently he had no power to command them to go home. At the fame time another Conftable faid that they could not go away, and leave a man (Caffon) in fo dangerous a fituation. Upon this another Gentleman affured the witness upon his honour, that every poffible care fhould be taken of the wounded man. Upon this, he retired. He faid that it was after this, that the marrow-bones and cleavers, and Chairmen advanced. The conftables over whom he faid he had no power, belonged, he believed, to the Tower Hamlets.

James Loton, High Conftable of another divifion in Weftminster, faid that feeing a body of conftables, whom he did not know, he desired that those belonging to his divifion would keep close to one another, and follow him. A little after the clofe of the poll on the 10th of May, he heard Mr. Wild (the laft witnefs) cry out "Good God, here is a man knocked down," the witnefs then looking towards the pump, faw Caffon lying near it, furrounded by a number of men, who were chafing his temples, and endeavouring to adminifter relief to him. He then defired that peace might be preferved, Here Mr. Sheridan, Mr. O'Brien, and another Gentleman interpofed, and begged that the witnefs would draw off the Conftables, as the most effectual step towards preferving the peace; and at the fame time affured him, that every poffible care fhould be

taken

taken of the wounded man. Satisfied of their humane intention, he withdrew; it was after this, that the marrow-bones and cleavers advanced, with the chairmen in their rear, and a riot began? I faw the prifoner Ward with a marrow-bone and cleaver in his hand, but Caffon had received his death wounds before this riot commenced.

Henry Harvey faid he was a conftable of St. Ann's, Limehoufe; and that he' had been fummoned to attend in Covent Garden, by order of the High Conftable of the Tower Hamlets. He did not fee Caffon receive any blow; but he faw the prifoner, Ward, bufy in the riot. He faid alfo, that when the marrow-bones and cleavers advanced, Caffon had not received any blow.-The witnefs forefeeing that a riot would probably take place, imparted his fears to Juftice Wilmot, who faid to him, "you foolish blockhead, we can beat off 5000 of them.

Jofeph Gilmore wore pofitively that he faw the prifoner, Nicholfon, strike the deceafed on the left temple with a bludgeon: he faid that he never fo much as hinted that he had feen the blow given at all by any one, and much lefs that he was fure he fhould know the perfon who gave it, if he should fee him again; and he declared, upon his oath, that he never mentioned to mortal, till yesterday, that he had feen the blow given.

Edward Arnold, fwore pofitively, that he faw Nicholfon ftrike the deceased, and that his old friend Gilmore, whom he had known from his infancy, had communicated to him on Wednesday laft, the circumstance of his having feen Nicholson give the blow. Arnold afferted that Caffon was carried to Wood's hotel within a few minutes after he was wounded, whereas in fact he was carried to the Unicorn, where he lay for more than an hour before he was carried to Wood's, and where every poffible relief was adminiftered to

him.

John Jofeph alfo fwore pofitively that Nicholfon, ftruck the deceased; but the caufe of the profecutors was greatly injured by the production of fuch a witnefs, as his teftimony was contradicted by four different perfons.

Mr. George Elliot, the High Conftable of the Tower Hamlets, faw the deceafed after he was ftruck, but did not fee him when the blow was given.

Jonathan Redgrave, constable of Clerkenwell parish, faw the deceafed after he had received the blow; but did not fee

the person who gave it. He faid the prifoner, Murray, was active in ths riot, and had knocked him (the witness) down; but it was in a riot, which did not begin till about a quarter of an hour after Caffon was wounded.

William Seafon, another conftable of Clerkenwell, did not fee the deccafed when he was knocked down; but he faw the prifoners Ward and Shaw in the riot.

Chriftopher Young, a Taylor, of White Crofs ftreet, faid he was knocked down by Ward, who had a marrow-bone and cleaver in his hands and no ftick or bludgeon.

Surgeon Hunter defcribed the fituation of the deceased when his body was opened; three of his ribs were broken; and on his left temple, when the fcalp was cut, he found feveral fractures, though no mark of violence appeared externally;

but he faid thefe fractures did not occafion the death of Caffon ;-what he apprehended to have been the cause of his death, was the bursting of a blood-veffel near the right teinple, through the violence of one blow given on the left; for on the right, where no blow was given, he found a great quantity of extravafated blood; and the bursting of this blood veffel from the concuffion, he was fure was the cause of the man's death.

Here clofed the evidence for the profe

cution.

Court to the Fury. What do you fay with refpect to the prifoners Ward, Shaw, and Murray; do you think it necessary to put them on their defence?

Jury. We think not.

They were therefore ordered to withdraw and Nicholson put on his defence.

Capt. Garfton faid he fat on the box of Sir Chriftopher Wichcote's coach, within a few yards of the pump; faw, foon after the close of the poll, a small affray arife, in confequence of a man on Mr. Fox's fide of the huftings, holding up a halfpenny, as he fuppofed deridingly to fupport Sir Cecil Wray's fcrutiny: the conftables feized him, dragged him along, and wantonly beating every one in their way; a few minutes after this he faw a man within four yards of the pump, being lifted up in the arms of another, and appeared to have been knocked down.-No chairmen, or marrow-bones and cleaver men were at that time near; nor did he fee the fmalleft inclination to riot on the part of the populace. The conftables about ten minutes after this came down again in great force, whofe unneceffary

exertions

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exertions feemed to provoke the riot that afterwards enfued; for when the marrowbones and eleavers past towards the huftings from Mr. Jennings's door, for the first time, playing on their inftruments, they were nearly cut off by the faid conftables. If the deceafed had been affaulted by any of the populace near him, he was fure he must have obferved it, which he did not.

Aaron Abbot, beadle and conftable of St. Paul's Covent-Garden, was on the leads of the public houfe called the Unicorn, adjoining the huftings, confirmed the whole of the above, with the addition, that a conftable dreffed in black, with fpecta cles on (whofe name he afterwards learnt was Lucas) fruck a man, and that immediately thereon, the general cry was a high conftable had knocked a man down." The conftables were fo numerous, that he believed they fcuffled with each other.

Chriftopher Jacob, umbrella-maker, Round-court, Strand, fpoke fully to the fame facts.-Saw Lucas with his fpectacles on, ftrike a blow on the head of a man in an olive coloured coat and green waiftcoat, near the pump, which made him ftagger much. None but conftables were then about him. Soog after faw Mr. Sheridan and other gentlemen endeavouring to perfuade the faid conftables and others to keep the peace.

Charles Gibfon confirmed the whole of the evidence given last.

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W. Jenner corroborated the fame, adding, that the vast body of conftables from Lord Hood and Wray's corner, came 'down to Mr. Fox's end, ftriking every one that did not fly before them: that the inftrument with which the man as defcribed, was ftruck, was tipped with filver, with a crown on it: that after he fell, the conftables in their confufion trampled over him: that the wounded man was taken into the Unicorn, where he lay for an hour, half of which time he was with him!

Mr. Sheridan being examined, informed the court, that about a quarter before three o'clock Colonel Fitzpatrick and himfelf came to the huftings from King-ftreet way, and, being in a hurry, paffed through on Lord Hood's fide; he was furprised to find the whole avenue filled with a large body of fufpicious men carrying long ftaves: he and his friend got through with fome difficulty, and fetching two men from off the huffings, tried to bring them up to poll, till the conftables, hearing they meant to vote for Mr. Fox, obstructed them in their defign: the poll immediately on this fuddenly clofed five minutes before the ufual time, of which partial manoeuvre to gain Sir Cecil Wray a fmall majority on the day, he went to complain before the High Bailiff in the veftry. He then returned through the church-yard round into Henrietta-street, when he obferved the populace running as from the huftings; he asked a perfon "What was the matter?-whofe reply was "Wilmot's conftables have fallen upon "Fox's people, and are driving them with clubs from the huftings!"He fuppofed it to be about this time the unfortunate man received the fatal blow. On turning the corner of Henriettastreet, he faw but little tumult, however, not many minutes after he obferved the conftables in great force fhouting and brandishing their ftaves-the populace feemed to wear a threatening afpe&t on the other fide: he was apprehenfive that it was the object of the party adverfe to Mr. Fox to create a riot, and therefore he was naturally anxious to prevent it-The people cried out, "Wilmot's fcoundrels are come here to breed a riot."-To which he replied, "if they wished to ferve Mr. Fox, and defeat this evident object of his enemies, he requested they would do every thing in their power to preferve the peace." Several of the conftables hooted at him, feeing his cockade, crying, "No Fox! He then went up to a High Conftable, whom he afterwards heard was Wild, and requested him to draw off the faid conftables, in order to prevent a riot; whose answer was, "he could not, as they were Wilmot's people, over whom he had no command." Wild then did every thing in his power to pacify them, and after that faid fomething about a man being knocked down. Mr. S. went to the pump, and there faw the man lye; the populous and the few Weftminster 3 0

Mr. Foffet faw a large body of conftables wantonly beating every body around them; and faw Lucas ftrike a man a violent blow for crying "Fox for ever" -the populace at this time not the leaft riotous. The books were clofed:-he told the contables therefore, that they ought to difperfe, and then the people would difperfe alfo! One of them ftruck him-faw a man lying at the pump foon afterwards: no part of the mob acted offenfively. The general cry was, the conftables had knocked down, and killed a man! he faw no Irish chairmen with bludgeons.

Vol. IV. June 1784.

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