ria, her brother, to difpenfe with the payment of a contribution of 60,000 florins offered by his fubjects, on account of her marriage; the ftates, ftruck with her greatnefs of foul, agreed in a new affembly to convert the intended contribution into a free gift of double the fum. 15th.

The Albion, an outwardbound Indiaman, was wrecked on the fands of the North Foreland, but without the lofs of a fingle life, or any of the filver on board her except one cheft. The boatmen employed by the fufferers were faid, after working all day for their mafters, to work all night for themselves. The Albion fuffered by her conftruction, being confiderably longer in the keel, and narrower in the waift, than any fhip in that fervice, in proportion to her burthen; by which means, when the tailed in veering, her length trained her fo much, that he could never recover her way again. At a fale, at Garraway's 17th. coffee-houfe, of about 300 pieces of English cambrics, which, upon an average, fold for 13s. 6d. per yard, it was allowed, that they were exceeding good of the fort, and that, if this manufactory fhould be properly encouraged, there will fhortly be no occafion to fend any money out of the kingdom, to purchase that commodity.

Was obferved, as ufual, 18th. as her majesty's birth day, for the encouragement of trade. Ended the poll for the 19th. office of chamberlain the city of London, when Stephen Theodore Janffen, efq; alderman, and formerly sheriff and lord-mayor

to

of that city, who had not propofed himself till the poll was going to begin, was, to the great honour of the electors, chofen notwithstanding, in confideration of his wife and intrepid behaviour as a magiftrate, and his great integrity as a merchant. He was the first sheriff for a long time, that ventured to fee juftice executed at Tyburn, even in cafes that seemed to require it moft, without the aid of a military force. On his failing, the year after his mayoralty, his friends fettled fix hundred pounds a year on him; but he kept only about one hundred and twenty pounds of it to himself; paying the reft among his creditors, though they had figned his certificate, and confequently could not force a farthing from him. This behaviour he bound himself to the continuance of, on fetting up for chamberlain: and, accordingly, his brother, Sir Abraham Janffen, who died within a few days after his election, having left him 500l. per annum during his life, he had it immediately put up to auction for the benefit of his creditors; when William Janffen, efq; another of his brothers, and executor and refiduary legatee to the deceased, and the only bidder, had it knocked down to him for 50001.

Ended the feffions at the Old Bailey, when one for horfe- ftealing, five for robberies, and one for forgery, received fentence of death; twenty-two to be tranf ported for 7 years, one for 14 years, two to be privately whipped; and one was branded.

The forger, and three others of the capital offenders, fuffered the middle of February following.

During

During a very crowded trial at Guildhall, the floor gave way, but was providentially prevented from falling entirely down by fome goods which were ftowed in the cellar underneath it, fo that no perfon received any other hurt than that of being greatly frightened.

The like happened fome years ago at the Neapolitan ambaffador's chapel, near Soho-fquare, when one fide of the floor fell quite to the ground, though without the lofs of any lives; and had like to have happened fince, at a public meeting of the Society of Arts, &c. in the Strand. We think it our duty to mention these facts, to caution people against meeting in great numbers in places not originally intended to bear very great weights, or not duly furveyed before the converfion of them to fuch ufes.

This day month, about eight in the morning, the bed of the river Ayre in Scotland was perceived to be quite dry for more than half a mile and feveral perfons out of curiofity walked in it, and caught the little fishes that had not made their efcape; on the return of the tide, the waters rofe to the ufual height; and the river has ever fince continued to flow without any remarkable alteration.

The river at Bourdeaux z3d. ebbed an hour and a half; then flowed fifteen minutes; and then ebbed again for an hour and a half more; which laft unufual ebbing was followed by an ordinary flood, that continued the ufual time.

Being the first day of term, Mr. Kearly and Mr. Williams were brought to the court of king's Bench, to receive fentence; the

former for publishing the NorthBriton, No. 45, in fheets; the latter for re-publishing the fame in volumes; when, after several learned debates on the merits of fome affidavits of theirs, L. C. J. Manffield, in reply to Mr. Kearfly's, admited that part to be ftrongly in Mr. Kearfly's favour, which mentioned a promife made to him by the right hon. the earls of Halifax and Egremont, that, if he would give up the author, he fhould not be profecuted; and, in confequence of this, and many other favourable circumftances, declared, that he thought it the moft juft and honourable method to acquaint his majesty with the promite of his fecretaries of ftate; and recommended it to the attorney-general, through the fecretaries of ftate, to lay Mr. Kearfly's cafe before his majesty, and fubmit it to his royal pleasure.

Mr. Juftice Wilmot then proceeded to pafs fentence on Mr. Williams, which was as follows: to pay a fine of 100l. to be imprifoned fix months in the King's Bench, to ftand once in the pillory in Old Palace-yard, and to give fecurity in the fum of 1000l. for his good behaviour for feven years. His majefty, having been applied to in favour of Mr. Kearfly, was pleased to order him to be discharged on his own recognizance.

The attorney-general moved the court of King's Bench for a writ of attachment against Mr. Almon, as publifher of a pamphlet on juries, libels, &c. [For a fuller account of this interesting affair, than our Chronicle will admit, fee our Appendix to it.]

At the general court of the South Sea company, a divi9.

24th.

dend

dend of 13-4ths was declared for the last half year.

The sheriffs of London prefented the house of Commons with a petition on occafion of the hardfhips the poor labour under from the prefent dearnels of bread, and the probability of its being much dearer, in cafe the exportation of corn fhould be any longer per mitted.

26th.

At Lisbon, about eleven in the morning, after a violent ftorm, fucceeded by a perfect calm, was felt the fhock of an earthquake, in a perpendicular direction, which, though short, is faid to have been the most violent that has happened there for many years paft. The damage done by it was, however, very inconfiderable.

A duel happened at the Star and Garter tavern in Pall-mall, between the right honourable lord Byron and Mr. Chaworth of Nottinghamthire, wherein the latter unfortunately received a wound, which he furvived but a few hours. [For a fuller account of this affair, fee the Appendix to this part of Our work.]

A royal charter paffed the great feal for incorporating the fociety of artists of Great Britain; which fee likewife in the Appendix. His majefty went to the 28th. house of Peers, and gave the royal affent to an act for the importation of falted beef, pork, bacon and butter, from Ireland, for a limited time.

Hand bills were circu29th. lated in the public ftreets, with only there few words. Westminster, Tucfday, Janu

M. Francis Maria Rovere was chofen doge of Genoa by a majority in the great council of 246 against 233, who voted for M. Sebaftian Pallivacino.

Mr. Simon Spurrit of Ifleworth has received a premi- 31. um of 100l. from the fociety of arts, for dilcovering a method of dying cotton yarn, &c. of a durable Turkep red.

The fhip Eagle, capt. Hutton, having lately overfet, the crew, eleven in number, remained eleven hours on the fhip's bottom, till, the boat coming up from under water, they got into her, and continued there nine days before they difcovered any veffel. The carpenter died the third day, and on him they fubfifted till they were takén up; when they were juft going to draw lots who fhould die next for a farther fupply.

The work intitled Lettres ecrites de la Montagne, par J. J. Rouffeau, has been condemned in Holland to be torn and burnt by the common executioner, as containing impious and fcandalous expreffions, and licentious remarks.

The Dictionaire philofophique portatif, a bock which has been publiciy burnt in France, and condemned in other countries, having been generally attributed to M. de Voltaire, that gentleman has thought

declaration,

"Being advertised, that for fome years paft the foreign bookfellers have printed under my name writings which I knew nothing of, nor ever read, I am obliged to declare, that I have no correfpondence with any bookfeller in Europe; that whoever makes use of my name is guilty of forgery; and I refer it to the magiftrate to reprefs so scandalous a practice.

Caftle of Ferney, Dec. 23, 1764.

(Signed)

VOLTAIRE.

Gentleman of the bed-chamber to the king."

Some time age M. Peter Kretz chmar, counsellor of ftate to his Pruffian majefty, publifhed a trea tife on the incredible increase of a fingle barley-corn. A grain of barley, fays he, was planted laft fpring was twelvemonth in a gar den well dunged; it quickly hot forth a tuft compofed of feveral ftalks, which the gardener feparated from the main root, and tranfplanted fingly. Each of thofe branches formed a new tuft as at first, which were feparated and planted as before; and thefe plants, thus tranfplanted, produced new fhoots, which being multiplied in this manner fucce lively for fixteen or eighteen months, were found to produce from one grain above 15,000 ears. This gentleman is fiace dead, greatly regretted for his merit, particularly his kill in agriculture, in which he had made a great many more very curious experiments.

Some time ago, on the Tyber's overflowing his bed, the impetuofity of the current washed afshore a great number of curious antiqui.

many ages in the bottom of that river. Among them were two brazen ftatues in miniature of exquifite workmanship, one repreferting Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, and miftrefs of Mark Antony, and the other the heathen god Æfculapius.

The bishop of Sodor and Man, and the Society for promoting Chriftian knowledge, have received large fubfcriptions for the promulgation of the gofpel, and the diftribution of books of deVotion, in the Mànks tongue, among the inhabitants of that ifland, who are computed at more than 20,000 men, women, and children, very few of whom underftand English.

During the courfe of this month there fell fuch heavy rains in all parts of Ireland, as did vaft damage by the currents they occafioned, washing away hay, corn, cattle, and many public as well as private buildings.

Sir William Pynfent, bart. lately deceased, having no fon to inherit his title, though feveral relations, it is faid, in indigence, has left the bulk of his fortune to the right honourable William Pitt, efq; a thousand pounds to J. Wilkes, efq; and but a thousand guineas each to three grand nephews.

It is faid that Sir William, to prevent any dispute concerning the validity of his will, not only figned every fheet with his own hand, but also ordered the whole will to be read, in the prefence of the subfcribing witneffes; and that Mr. Pitt has taken care to have their teftimony upon record in the court of Chancery.

There is, in the poffeffion of Mr.

H.

H. Haynes, whitefmith, at Godmanchester, a piece of oak, board (formerly the top of a cheft) which is grown over with a fubftance, that exactly resembles human hair, both to appearance and touch; and has grown, within thefe three weeks, above two inches in length.

On emptying a pool, which had not been fished for ages, at Lillifhall lime - works, near Newport, was found an enormous pike, weigh ing upwards of 170 lb.

An infectious diforder, which lately broke out amongst the crew of the Edgar man of war, is generally afcribed to the noxious effluvia of the paint in the inner parts of the fhip, when confined by the fhutting down of the hatches. This confideration induced the late admiral Moftyn, when fitting out a fleet of fhips, to ftrictly forbid any paintings in thofe places, where the air had not at all times a free circulation; and should induce all others in the fame circumflances, as well afhore as at fea, to ufe the fame precautions; or, if paint cannot be avoided, to ad. mit the air to it as freely as poffible. [See our article of Projects for this year.]

The French ambaffador having offered to pay 670,000l. in full for the fubfiftence of the French fubjects prifoners of war in the British dominions during the laft war; 13,000, of it immediately, and the remainder at the rate of 40,000l. a quarter; and his majefty having being graciously plealed to refer the faid propofal, along with the accounts, &c. belonging thereto, to the houfe of Commons, they refolved unanimously on an humble addrefs to his majefty, to return him their unfeigned thanks

for this mark of his confidence ; and to reprefent to his majesty, that, having taken into their confideration the state and nature of the accounts communicated to the houfe by his majefty, and the difficulties and delays which muft neceffarily attend a complete liquidation of them, they were humbly of opinion, that it would be most advifeable for his majefty to accept the propofal contained in the declaration made by the French ambaffador.

Last month the Ruffian and Pruffian minifters at Warsaw delivered to the diet the following propofitions, viz 1. That the Greeks, and other diffenters from the established church, may enjoy the public exercife of their religion in Poland, and may be admitted to honours and dignities. 2. That a bishop of the Greek church may have a feat in the fenate. 3. That an alliance, defenfive and offenfive, be concluded between the republic and the king of Pruffia. 4. That the limits be fettled between Poland and Ruffia. But none of these propofitions, except the laft (the fettlement of the limits) was agreed to; and the king, it is faid, has moreover declared, that he will never enter into any measure prejudicial to the catholic religion.

The deputies from Royal Pruffia having warmly afferted, in the fame diet, their right of exemption from the general tax, it was voted by a majority, that the faid province fhould pay the general tax, as well as the other provinces.

On the 20th the diet clofed with the confent of all the ftates of the republic; fo that this is the third diet, that, fince the laft vacancy

of