their works before he attacked them; and then, in the fpace of a few hours, he either fet them on fire, or levelled them with the ground. In their laft attempts up. on the place, they attacked it with a number of gunboats, that are faid to have been bomb-proof; but these he likewife contrived to fet on fire by firing red-hot balls into them. The Spaniards, however, though they failed in this attempt, fucceeded in two others. They took from us the island of Minorca, and the province of Weft Florida.

The miniftry were proceeding diligently with the work of peace, negociations for which were opened at Paris, when they fuddenly, and unhappily for the nation, fell in pieces, by the death of their leader, the marquis of Rockingham. He was fucceeded by the earl of Shelburne; and this gave fo much difguft to fome of the principal members of adminiftration, that Mr. Fox, lord John Cavendish, Mr. Burke, (pay mafter of the forces,) and feveral other gentlemen, refigned their places. The new miniftry, however, (for fuch it may be called) were as zealous for a peace as the old one; and they accordingly proceeded to fettle the terms of it in the best manner they could: but before they could complete the work of a general pacification, they were obliged to give way to the fuperior parliamentary interefts of Mr. Fox and

lord North, who formed the famous coalition, and A. D. though formerly fo different in their political fen1783. timents, now came into power as friends and coadjutors. Thus Mr. Fox had the fatisfaction of finishing the peace which he had begun under the mar quis of Rockingham; and lord North had the mortification of being compelled to acknowledge the independence of thofe colonies which he had long flattered himself, his fovereign, and the nation, with the hopes of being able to conquer.

The peace being concluded, the next object that engaged the attention of the miniftry was the ftate of our affairs in the Eaft Indies. Whether Mr. Fox's bill (as it is ufually called) for regulating these affairs was not rather too violent, we will not take upon us to determine. But furely, if ever there was a wound in the body politic that required

required the probing knife of a bold fate-furgeon, it is the management of our affairs in the Eaft Indies, which has long exhibited fcenes of cruelty, rapacity and oppreffion, that perhaps are unequalled in the annals of mankind. This bill, however, excited such a ferment in the nation, as, when aided by the arts and outcries of the numerous friends and dependents of the Eaft India company, effectually ferved to overthrow the miniftry;

and they therefore, in their turn, were obliged to A. D. make room, not indeed for the return of lord Shel- 1784. burne (for he did not choose to appear) but, in all probability, for fuch as he thought proper to recommend. The parliament was diffolved, and writs were iffued for electing a new one. The new parliament accordingly met on the 16th of May. The definitive treaty of peace with Holland was figned at Paris on the 20th, and in the beginning of July proclamation of peace between Great Britain and the United States of America was read by the city common crier at the Royal Exchange, and other public places of the metropolis, and a day of thanksgiving appointed on that memorable occafion.

Advices were foon after received of the peace being figned between the Eaft India company and Tippoo Saib, an event that was followed by the royal affent being given to Mr. Pitt's East India regulating bill.

His majefty, on the commencement of the fecond feffion of this parliament, opened the fame A. D. with a fpeech, purporting his defire of their at- 1785. tention to the adjustment of fuch points in the

commercial intercourfe between Great Britain and Ireland as were not then finally arranged, on fuch a fyftem as might beft infure the general profperity of his dominions and his information, notwithstanding any appearance of difference on the continent, of having received from all foreign powers the ftrongest affurances of their good difpofition towards this country; together with his hearty concurrence in every measure that could tend to alleviate the national burthen, fecure the princi ples of the conftitution, and promote the welfare of his people.

The next point of importance agitated in parliament

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was

was the great question of a reform in the representation of the people. The fubject was introduced by Mr. Pitt, chancellor of the exchequer, in a very eloquent speech, to one of the fulleft houfes that had ever been known. The purport of this bill was that of transferring from certain boroughs the power of election, to counties and towns of greater confequence, not by compulfory means, but fo as to make it an act of their own direction. After confiderable debates, Mr. Pitt's propofition was nega tived by a confiderable majority.

In the month of Auguft, an attempt was made A. D. by one Margaret Nicholfon on the life of his ma1786. jefty, as he was alighting from his carriage at the gate of St. James's palace. This woman had been obferved to wait the king's arrival for fome time, and, previous to the appearance of the carriage, had taken her ftation between two women that were unknown to her. On the fight of the carriage, she begged, with fome earneftnefs, that the might not be hindered from delivering a memorial to his majefty. As the king was alighting, he pushed forward, and prefented a paper, which his majefty received with great condefcen. fion. At that inftant the ftruck a concealed knife at the king's breaft, which his majefty happily avoided, by bowing as he received the paper. As the was making a fecond thruft, one of the yeomen caught her arm; and, at the fame inftant, one of the king's footmen wrenched the knife out of her hand. His majefty, with amazing temper and fortitude, exclaimed, I have received no injury! Do not hurt the woman; the poor creature appears to be infane."-She was immediately taken into custody; and, upon examination, was found to be infane. In confequence thereof, fhe was afterwards fent to Bethlehem hofpital.

A plan was this year fet on foot for establishing a co. lony in New Holland, for the convenience of transporting convicts thither; and with a future view of improving the foil, and cultivating the manners of the natives.

Both houfes of parliament having met on the A. D. 23d of January, his majesty then delivered a 1787. fpeech from the throne, in which he informed

them

them he had concluded a treaty of navigation and com. merce with His Moft Chriftian Majefty.

In the house of commons, Mr. Sheridan brought for ward an important charge againft Warren Haftings, Efq. late governor general of Bengal, for high crimes and mifdemeanors in the Eaft Indies.

The miniftry foon after the recefs of parliament were engaged in attending on difputes which fubfifted in the Republic of the United Provinces of Holland. The male-contents there were become highly refractory and turbulent, and had treated the royal confort of his ferene highnefs the Stadtholder, fifter to the king of Pruffia, with the greateft indignity. Every method was taken, on the part of his Britannic majefty, to effect the reftoration of tranquillity, and the maintenance of lawful government among them. To this end a memorial was prefented by Sir James Harris to the States General, reprefenting the extreme inquietude with which the king his mafter beheld the continuance of their diffentions expreffing his ardent defire of feeing peace re-established; and affuring them, that if it fhould be found neceffary to recur to a foreign mediation, and to invite his majefty, , every effort fhould be exerted on his part to bring the negociation to a happy, folid, and permanent iffue. His majefty alfo thought it neceffary to explain his insention of counteracting all forcible interference on the part of France in the internal affairs of the Republic.

As the king of Pruffia had taken measures to enforce his demand of fatisfaction for the infult offered to the princefs of Orange, and the party which then ufurped the government of Holland had applied to the French king, and received affurance of affiftance, which was notified to his Britannic majefty, orders were given for augmenting the British forces both by fea and land, to co-operate with the king of Pruffia, which orders were executed with the greatest alacrity.

In the mean time, the rapid fuccefs of the Pruffian troops, under the conduct of the duke of Brunswick, at once obtained the reparation demanded by their fovereign, and enabled the provinces to deliver themselves from the oppreffion under which they laboured, as well as to re

eftablish their lawful government; infomuch that all fubjects of conteft being thus removed, an explanation took place between the courts of London and Verfailles, and declarations were exchanged by their respective minifters, by which it was mutually agreed to difarm, and to place their naval establishment on the fame footing as in the beginning of this year. Thus, by the united efforts of the king of England and Pruffia, the king of France was prevented from openly affifting the male. contents in Holland, and the Stadtholder eftablished in the government of the United Provinces.

In the beginning of this year died at Rome A. D. prince Charles Lewis Cafimir Stuart, who headed 1771. the rebellion in 1745. Since the death of his

As

father, in 1765, he had affumed to himself the title of King of England, but was commonly known on the continent by the name of the Chevalier de St. George, and in England by that of the young Pretender. He was jat 67 years and two months old on the day of his death. This perfon was grandfon to James II. whofe fon was recognized by feveral courts of Europe as king of England, immediately after the death of his father. fuch he received kingly honours, had his palace and his guards, and enjoyed the privilege allowed by the Pope to catholic kings, of beftowing a certain number of cardinal hats. But his fon prince Charles, who lately died, did not enjoy thefe honours. He was, indeed, called prince of Wales during the life of his father; but after his death, he no longer bore the title, nor would the catholic courts ftyle him king.

A provifional treaty of defenfive alliance was figned on the 18th of June between the minifters plenipoten tiary of their majefties the kings of Great Britain and Pruffia, and afterwards with the States General of Holland.

The centenary of the revolution in 1688 was this year obferved, on the fifth of November, by many focieties in the metropolis, and other parts of the kingdom, not only with feftivity, but devotion and thanksgiving.

His majefty was in the month of November afflicted by a fevere indifpofition, which prevented him from meeting