convoy of Admiral Campbell, who, in a 50 fhip, accompanied by fome frigates, was goto his command at the former of thefe ftatifor the protection of the fishery. About 18 the convoy, laden chiefly, if not entirely, h provifions, were taken; the fhips of war, h the remainder, had the good fortune to ape. The enemy being now entire matters of the from the mouth of the ftraits of Ufhant, re able to dispatch their great outward-bound avoys, and to receive their homeward, with e utmost facility and fafety; while we were der no small apprehenfion for the safety of a ch and great convoy from Jamaica, which was 1 its way home, under the care of Admiral Sir eter Parker, with only three ships of the line or its protection. Lord Howe failed from Portf1outh early in July, accompanied by the Adnirals, Barrington, Sir J. L. Rofs, and Kemenfeldt; but these diftinguished commanders had nly 22 thips of the line to fupport their defigns nd adventure, while the combined fleets were ruizing about the chops of the channel, with nore than double their force. Lord Howe kept to the westward of the ene- ¡ny, in order to protect and receive the Jamaica deet, and it required all the dexterity and profeffional kill which eminently diftinguished that nobleman, and the commanders acting along with him, to fecure this object, and at the fame time to avoid being forced into an engagement, where the vait fuperiority of force against him, could not but produce fome degree of its proper affect. Sir Peter Parker arrived fafe with his convoy, by the end of July; the combined enemy derived as little advantage from this, as they had from their preceding adventures upon the channel; and the Dutch fleet ftill continued unable to join them. The return of the fleet to Portsmouth was marked by a calamity of the moft grievous kind, and which was individually felt by the nation with the deepest concern. The protection of the homeward-bound Baltic fleet, the preventing the Dutch from failing to the fouthward, and the relief of Gibraltar, were the great naval objects fill in view; and were, each of them fingly, of the very first importance. It was then a moft critical juncture, to lose one of the best commanders, the best ships, and a number of the best officers and feamen in the British fervice. And this lofs, not to be sustained in the arduous conflict with a brave enemy, or under the exposure of the more dreadful fury of the elements, but, at home, in harbour, and in a state of the greatelt apparent fecurity. Several of thofe fhips which were in the best condition for fea, had proceeded to the Downs, under Admiral Milbanke, in order to attend to the motions of the Dutch, while the rest of the fleet were in a hafty state of equipment at Portsmouth, and replenishing their stores of water and provifons for the defigned expedition to Gibraltar, which was now become an object of the utmost urgency; and even a general cry rifing through the nation, at the relief being fo long deferred, without regard to the neceflities by which it was Occafioned. In this state of things, it was found neceffary that the Royal George, of 108 guns, command ed by the gallant Admiral Kempen feldt, and long held as the firit fhip in the British navy, fhould receive a fort of flight careen, which the feamen, in their peculiar phrafeology, call a parliament beel: the fhip being to be laid in a certain degree upon her fide, while the defects under water, which occafion the examination, are rectified. This feems to be a common operation, ia cafes where the defects are not fo great as to require a thorough careen, or where the delay, as in the prefent inftance, of going into dock, cannot be difpenfed with; and being usually practifed in ftill weather, and fmooth water, is fupposed to be attended with fo little difficulty, or danger, that the admiral, captain, officers and crew, all continued on board, and neither gune ftores, water, or provifions, were removed. This bufinefs was undertaken betimes in the morning, a gang of carpenters from the dock attending to affist her own; and, it is faid, that finding it neceffary to strip off more of her sheathing than was at first expected, their eagerness to come at the leak, induced them to heel her a strake more upon her fide, than had been intended, and than poffibly the commanders knew. The fhip, as is ufually the cafe upon coming into port, was crowded with people from the shore; particularly women, who were not eftimated at lefs than 300. Among these were many of the wives and children of the feamen, and petty officers, who, knowing the eet was to fail upon diftant and perilous fervice, eagerly embraced the opportunity of coming to fee their husbands and fathers. Between eight and nine hundred of the crew of the Royal George, including marines, were then on board. Aug. 29th. In this fituation, about ten in the morning, the admiral being writing in his cabin, and much the greater part of the people happening then to be between decks, a fudden and unexpected fquall of wind threw the fhip fatally upon her fide, and her gun-ports being open, and the motion of the cannon probably increafing the violence of the shock, she, almost instantly, filled with water, and went to the bottom. A victualler, which lay alongside the Royal George, was swallowed up in the whirlpool, which the fudden plunge of fo vaft a body in the water occafioned; and feveral fmall craft, though at fome moderate dif tance, were in the most imminent danger. The admiral, with a number of brave officers, and, in general, most of those who were between decks, perished. The guard, including those who happened to be along with them, on the upper deck, were more fortunate; the greater part being faved by the boats of the fleet. About 70 others were likewife faved. The exact number of people on board at the time, could not be afcertained; but it was fuppofed, that from 900 to 1000 were loft. Something about three hundred, mostly, if not entirely, of the fhip's company, were faved. Captain Waghorne, whofe gallantry in the North Sea battle, under Admiral Parker, had procured him the command of this ship, had the fortune, though feverely battered and bruifed, to be faved; but his fon, a lieutenant of the Royal George, happening to be one of those who were unfortunately below, perifhed, Such was the fate of the Royal George, which which carried the tallest mafts, the heaviest metal, and had the greatest number of flags hoifted in her, of any ship in the British navy. She had been repeatedly the feat of command under almost all our great commanders, and upon the greatest occafions, during both the former and the prefent war; and had been peculiarly diftinguished under Lord Hawke, in the celebrated battle againft M. Conflans, when the French fleet was entirely ruined, and the funk the Superbe of 70 guns, by a fingle broadfide, and drove the Soleil Royal, of 84 guns, on fhore, where he was burnt. The lots of the hip, notwithitanding the critical period at which it happened, would not, however, have been much thought of, if it had not been for the brave men who perished to unfortunately in her. Admiral Kempenfeldt, though near 70 years of age, was peculiarly and univerfally lamented. He was held, both abroad and at home, to be, in point of profeffional fcience, knowledge and judgment, one of the firft naval officers in the world; particularly in the art of manoeuvring a feet, he was confidered by our greatest com. manders as unrivalled; and his excellent qualities as a man, at least equalled his profeffional merits as an officer. His father was a Swedish gentleman, who coming early into the English fervice, generously followed the ruined fortunes of his matter, James the Second. Being recalled by Queen Anne, after the death of that unfortunate monarch, and ferving with diftinction in her wars, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenantcolonel; and was, at the time of his death, lieutenant-governor of the island of Jerley. That gentleman's private character was to admirable, as to be depicted and immortalized by Additon, in the Spectators; where it has ever been admired under the well known appellation of Captain Sentry. A large fum of raoney, which did honour to the feelings of the public, and was correlpondent to that generous benevolence and bounty which fo highly diftinguith the nation, was immediately railed, by fubtcription, in London, for the relief of the widows, children, and other depending relation, of thole who had perithed by this fatal accident. The Dutch fleet, which had for feveral days been cruizing in the North Sea, having returned to the Texel, and our great convoy from the Baltic fo nearly arrived, as to be out of danger, the fquadron, which had been detached to attend to thele fervices, under Admiral Milbanke and Commodore Hotham, returned with the utmost expedition, in order to accompany the fleet in the Sept. 11th. expedition to Gibraltar. Upon this junction, Lord Howe failed from Portsmouth, with 34 fhips of the line, feveral frigates and fire-fhips, a fleet of transports, victuallers, and store-fhip, with a body of troops on board, for the relief of that garrifon., He was accompanied by the Admirals Milbanke and Sir R. Hughes, as well as by Commodore Ho-tham, and by as brave and able a fet of naval officers, as had ever been joined in any fervice. Gibraltar was now, indeed, become an object to confpicuous on the great theatre of the world, as to attract the attention of all the informed part of mankind; and its fiege and defence an to vie in celebrity with the most famous of thofe recorded in antient or modern hiftory.-Even thofe nations which we account barbaros, and who have communicated that appellation to so large and fo fine a portion of the coasts of Africa, were led by that irrefiftible fympathy, which the exertions of valour, in its arduous ftruggles against fuperior power, produces in the fiercett and moft lawless minds, to be deeply interefted. The joy of the Spanish king, upon the taking of Fort St. Philip's, was manifeft and extreme If it be true, as has been reported, that the pian of that expedition and fiege was entirely laid by himself, it is not to be wondered at, that the fuccefs of fuch an effay, should greatly increale the fatisfaction, which the recovery of lo conf. derable an' ifland, and fo antient an appendage to his crown, would otherwile have afforded.In fuch a state of temper, it was no lefs natural, that the immediate inftruments in giving effect to the design should not be forgotten.The Duke de Crillon was accordingly appointed Captain General of the Spanish armies, and Den Jofeph Morena, who commanded the marine a that expedition, was advanced to high naval rank. Thele reward, however, looked to. ward as well as retrofpectively; they were intended as the earneft of future fervice; and the cono peror of Minorca was deftined to the recovery of Gib raltar. No means were neglected, nor expence spared, to infure the fuccefs of this defign. Spain found by experience, that all her attempts in the ufual forms upon the place, whether by fes or by lagd, were totally ineffective; and that the cruel meature of defhoying the town, odious as it was, went no farther than to the extermination of the inhabitant, without tending, in the fmallett degree, to the reduction of the garrison. It forely wounded her pride, that the utmott exertions of her power fhould, in the face of the world, be for fo many years baffled, in the anavailing conflict of a valt and powerful empire, with a handful of men fhut up on a barren rock. The court was likewife greatly and particularly irritated, through the difgrace which attended the deftruction of their works and batteries in the preceding year by the garrifon. So that ambition, honour, pride and revenge, were all concurent, in urging to the utmost exertions of power, and of fkill, for the conquest of that place; and as all former exertions had failed, the invention and application of new means became a matter of neceflity. It could not be fuppofed, that while Gibraltar was fo long held out as an object of attention and admiration to the world, that the powerful motives of fame and honours, and the irong palfion that tends to the exercife and duplay or ta lents, should not, among the great number of fcientific and ingenious men with which Europe abounds, have excited the genius and industry of fome or other to the difcovery of means, ter overcoming thofe obftacles of art and nature, which had hitherto been found infurmountable in ali attempts upon the place. Nor could it be doubted, under the circumstances we have feen, that fuch projects, if at all feasible, would be feduloufly attended to. (To be continued.) Proceedings Proceedings in the British Parliament, on the Propofitions for a final Adjustment of Gommercial Interefts between Great Britain and Ireland. HOUSE OF COMMON S. Friday, April 15, 1785. (Continued from page 605.) upon the various petitions that had been prefented, the subscribers to which prayed to be heard by themselves or council; the titles of the petitions were feverally called over in that order, in which they had been received, and among the first, were the two from Briftol, viz. that from the merchants, manufacturers and others, and that from the corporation of merchant venturers. Mr. Cruger upon netles the houfe adjourned. 21.] At fix o'clock, the order of the day was read, for going into a committee on that part of his Majesty's speech, that related to a commercial intercourie with Ireland, the order being read, the Speaker left the chair, and Mr. Gilbert took his feat at the table, when Mr. Piggot being called to the bar, he stated, that he meant to examine evidence, touching the apprehenfions of the perfons concerned in the glais manufaceory, in cafe the Irith propofitions were paffed into a law. The council, and witnels (Mr. Blades) were ordered to withdraw, when Mr. Eden obferved, that much evidence had already been received upon various branches of trade from manufacturers well informed in the everal fubjects; that more remained to be heard, and in an inveftigation of fuch length and importance, confitting of much detail, and embarraffed with nice calculations, it would be difficult for a complete judgment to be formed even by thole members who had attended the whole proceeding. As, however, it must be acknowledged, that though few had attended, many would decide; it appeared to him reafonable that the whole should be printed from time to time. It was not to be fuppofed that fo voluminous an examination, was taken without a wish to give it all due weight: and he was aware of only one objection to the propofal: poffibly the facility thus given to the ablent members, might tend to leffen the ufual attendance. The Chancellor of the Exchequer answered, that he perfectly approved the motion, and would willingly give it his concurrence, he hoped too that it would not have the inconvenience apprehended; more especially as thofe members who gave a regular attendance to the committee, had done it for the purpose or asking questions of the witneffes, and throwing light upon the inquiry. The committee then proceeded to examine two Principal cut-glafs manufacturers; in the course of which a long difcuffion arole among the principal members of the committee, respecting the mode of conducting the inquiry. It was understood to be the wifh of the committee not to go into the smaller branches of manufactures previous to the great and leading petitions, and particularly not to examine under the London petition parts only of the principal and feparate cafes. Mr. Piggot therefore clofed that inquiry, having examined respecting paper, leather and cut-glais. It was then agreed to proceed with the other petitions in the order in which they ftand, unless fome ipecial reason fhould be stated for their not being ready in that order. 22.] The house having refolved itfelf into a committee, on the Irish trade. The ferjeant was directed to enquire if there were any council or agents ready to come to the bar, and to be heard Cent, Mag. Dec. 1785. tention of the petitioners to come to the bar with council, Mr. Cruger fait he was not inftructed to fay any thing upon the fubject, but that from what he could collect upon it from his conftitu ents, they did not choole to pay their money for council to preach to empty benches. Sir John Wrottefley apologized for Mr. Wedgewood's not coming to the bar on the part of the petition from the manufacturers of Staffordfhire ware, declaring that Mr. Wedgewood was unfortunately fo much indifpofed, that he could not leave his room at prefent. Having gone through the whole lift, the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved, that the chairman report a progrefs, and adjourned to Monday. May 2, 1785. THE house went into a committee on Irish affairs. Mr. Gilbert in the chair, on the Staffordhire petition, no counfel appearing in behalf of the petitioners, Mr. Wedgwood was called in and examined; as foon as Mr. Wedgwood had withdrawn, Mr Pitt arofe, and requefted to be informed if there were any farther evidences ready to be offered, if not, he intended to move, that no more be heard after Wednesday next. Mr. Fox did not fee the neceffity of fixing fo early a peried for stopping the information of the house on so material a subject, as nothing decifive could be done in the business before the recels, if during the feffions. Mr. Pitt faw no reason why the house could not finally determine on the propofitions before the holidays, as he meant to produce but few perfons for examination; he fhould therefore, if no more evidence appeared by Wednesday, give a week's notice of the day for taking the sense of the houfe on the Irish propofitions. 4] The houfe went into a committee on Irish affairs, Mr. Gilbert in the chair, when Mr. Jar vis, one of the petitioners on behalf of the tuff manufacturers of Hampshire, appeared to give evidence. A converfation enfued on the propriety of examining a petitioner, when it was agreed that he should first state his objections to the propofitions, and afterwards be examined by luch members as thought proper, after this he was called in and examined; when the house, be ing relumed, adjourned till to-morrow. 5.] The Chancellor of the Exchequer thought it neceifary in addition to an intimation which he had before given, to repeat this notice to the houfe, that confidering the prefent ftate of the question relating to the Irish propofitions, he saw no reafon to defer calling for a decifion on them on this day fe'nnight. There now remained only the petition from Stafford for the house to take into confideration, nor was there any certainty that more petitions would be offered. It was mentioned that one was expected from LiOoo verpool, but even if it were fo, the houfe would have time enough to go into it, and have the whole evidence printed by Monday next. He therefore wished the houfe to understand, that on Thursday next he would bring on that queftion to be finally agitated. Lord Penrhyn faid he expected the petition in town this day, which he underflood to be preparing in Liverpool. Mr. Eden faid, that previous to the house coming to a general decifion on the question, he wished for fome information on the fubject of the 5th propofition, relating to countervailing duties. The fituation of the manufacturers he wished principally to be attended to, and therefore moved, that there be laid before the house an account of the duty on the raw materials for filk manufacture in Ireland, &c. The question being put on this motion, it was agreed to. Mr. Fox was apprehenfive that this day fe'nnight would be much too early a period for agitating the important fubject of the Irish regulations. It was yet expected that more petitions would be prefented, the proceedings on which could not certainly be printed before that time, at least fo foon as to enable the houfe to judge deliberately on them. Even the proceedings which were already taken on petitions were not yet printed, notwithstanding their extent and importance. However, fhould the Right Hon. gentleman perfift in his defign of deciding on the queftion this day te'nnight, he gave notice, that, as far as he had any influence in the house, the all, which stood for Wednesday next, fhould be enforced in its utmost rigour. Mr. Pitt replied, he certainly fhould perfift in his defign; and as to the proceedings already taken, he understood the evidence had been this day printed. Mr. Fox faid he could not know before the information now given, that the papers had been printed, nor was it of any confequence whether they were or not, as they had not yet been delivered. 6] Mr. Eden rofe to move the addrefs of which he had given notice the preceding day, viz. "That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, that he will be graciously pleafed to give directions, that there be laid before this Boufe an account of all articles of Irish confumption, charged in Ireland, with an internal duty on the manufactory, or a duty on the materials, ftating and diftinguishing the feveral duties." And as he fhould hereafter have occafion to contend that this account would involve fome confiderations of extreme importance and difficulty in the propofed arrangement with Ireland,he might reasonably be afked why he had not called for it fooner: he would fairly then acknowledge that though he had given an unremitted attention to the Irith bufinefs during many weeks, and though he had entered upon the inquiry with the advantage of fome experience in the fubject, he had not adverted, till within the last week, to the particulat point which was now the object of his inquiry, and which the prefent motion would elucidate. He was even willing to doubt whether he was right in his conception refpecting it; bele, if he was right, it would infallibly place the manufacturers of this kingdom in a fituatios infinitely worse even than their prefent fears; it would make an immediate change in the duties on British imports into Ireland, to the difadvantage of the British manufacturer in most articles, and in fome inftances to a degree which woul operate as a prohibition. And yet fuch a change did not feem to be apprehended by any of the numerous petitioners, who both in their petitions and examinations feemed to fuppofe that their manufactures were to continue importable into Ireland upon the prefent duties: the fame idea feemed to have prevailed at the committee of the Privy Council in all their examinations; and even that day he had afked several gentlemen then prefent, whether they had not supposed that the duties on British manufactures, importable into Ireland, were to remain without alteration; and fuch had been the general opinion. He should have been tempted, therefore, to disbelieve the contrary inference which he had now formed, if a repeated confideration of the propofitions had not convinced him of its accuracy. It would be found in the fourth propofition, that the loweft duty payable at prefent upon the importation of any article of either kingdom into the other, was hereafter to be the duty payable in each kingdom and in the nature of a port duty; in addition to this, by the fifth propofition, a farther duty might be charged in each kingdom, to countervail the internal duty on the manufacture, or the duty on "the material. What then must be the confequence? He would illuftrate it by a particular inftance, and would leave others to apply a fimilar reafoning to all the articles of filk manufac ture, mixed filk, iron wares, &c. prefent the duty, payable in Ireland, on a barrel of imported English ale or porter was about four shillings, and the duty on Irish ale or porter imported into England was much higher; the duty therefore of four fhillings was hereafter to be the port duty on that article in each country: but the inter nal duty in Ireland on ale and beer happened to be high, and, under the fifth propofition, might be charged alfo on the English article. Estimating, therefore, this additional duty at five fhillings, the articles of Englith brewery, formed an annual export at prefent of about 80,000l. a year to Ireland, would be charged with more than double their prefent duty, or, in other words, would be prohibited. The fame reafoning would extend, in different degrees, to a great variety of articles. If it fhould be answered, that this was meant, and understood, he would only fay, that it had never been fo underflood by the manu facturers, and would be attended, in many inftances with ferious confequences. If, on the contrary it should be faid that it was meant, he muft affert, that the refolutions, as at present expreffed, fpecifically stated it; and it would be difficult to fupport a different inference, otherwife than by introducing a different plan. He would not prefs the confideration farther at prefent, though not unprepared to go into the detail of its confequences refpecting many articles of British trade. He had now twice endeavoured, to give a general view of it, and had no doubt that it would be properly and fairly confidered. Mr. Fox feconded the motion; and the addrefe was voted without farther remark, 11.] Mr. 11.] Mr. Hammet moved for leave to prefent a petition from the Tanners of London, the prayer of which was, to be heard by counsel against the Irish propofitions. A fhort converfa tion took place, between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mr Hammet. Mr. Pitt oppofed their being heard by couniel, and truffed that the honourable gentleman would be fatisfied with the petition's being referred to the committee, appointed to take into their confideration to much of his Majefty's fpeech, as related to Ireland. Mr. Pitt added, that there was no committee on that day, the petitioners therefore had only themselves to blame, in prefenting their petitions too late. Mr. Hammet declared that he prefented the petition at the define of very refpectable men, who had counfel waiting to be heard; and their witneffes ready to be examined; they were extremely anxious that the bufinels fhould be well understood, as it appeared to them to be a matter of very ferious confequence to that part of the trade of this kingdom; but that if it was impoffible that they could be heard, he must be fatisfied with the petition's being referred to the consideration of the com. mittee, as he did not with to act in oppofition, or to create embarrassment, but was actuated folely by a defire to promote the benefit of trade in general. The following motion was made on the petition that had been prefented by Mr. Hammet. "That the tanners of London, who petitioned this house this day in relation to the Irish propofitions, and whole petition was referred to the committee to confider of the Lifh trade, be at liberty to be heard by themflves or counfel, before the laid committee, in fupport of the laid petition." Several members calling for the order of the day, Mr. Fox rofe and faid, that his moving for the order of the day depended upon the information he should receive from the Chancellor of the Exchequer relative to the Lifh business. The call had been moved for in order to procure the fulleft attendance poffible, upon the day when the propofitions were to be difcuffed. If they were to be taken into confideration to-morrow, he would move the order of the day, but if, as he had understood feveral petitions against the propofitions praying to be heard by countel had been prefented, the hearing would take up fome tine, he would move, that the call might be postponed till fuch time as the house should be able to take the Irish propofitions into confideration, in order to procure the fulleft poffible attendance upon the difcuffion of a quetion of fuch infinite importance to this country-fome little difpute arifing, whether the petition which had been prefented was ordered to be heard by countel or not, and it appearing, that although the petitioners prayed to be heard, yet the motion that they fhould be fo, had been neglected to be made, it was therefore moved, "That they should be heard by themselves or their counfel." The Chancellor of the Exchequer then rofe and ftated, that after fo much time had been given for perfons interested to petition, and no tice having been given, that the propofitions would be taken into confideration to-morrow, (this day) and it being equally the defire of both fides of the houfe, to have a full attendance upon the Irish bufinefs; he fhould think it his duty to refift the hearing any further evidence upon any petition which was fo late in being prefented, and more particularly, fince he understood that another gentleman (the Lord Advocate) had another petition to prefent, praying alfo to be heard by counfel. Mr. Fox replied, that he was astonished to hear the Chancellor of the Exchequer give fo direct a negative to the hearing any further evi- ! dence upon any petition, however important the evidence, and however refpectable the petiti oners might be, and he was the more aftonifhed, when he recollected, that the Chancellor of! the Exchequer himfeli, when he gave notice for Thuriday, had exprefly stated his notice to be only conditional, in the event, that no further evidence was offered, and no new petitions prefented. That the petition came from a body of men, both highly refpectable, and deeply interefted in the event of the Irish propofitions in thole concerned in the leather trade, in the city of London; and however earnestly he might with to bring the bufinels to fome conclufion, yet he was not ready to do it at the expence of rejecting the petitions of numerous bodies of men, and refuting to hear evidence, or to liften to material informatic That he did not know, whether the hearing of the petition, would take a long or a short time, but fure he was, that the parties were defirous to be heard, and thought they had material information to lay before the house. That when any man confidered the various arts, which had been made use of to keep back information, and the means, which had been employed firft to prevent petitions from being brought before the house at all, and when prefented from being fupported by evidence, it was to him far from being a matter of fur prize, that the petitioners were late in coming forward. That it was his earnett with at all times to hear the petitions of the people, and to give every attention to important information, he was therefore the more furprized to hear the honourable gentleman perfitt in refufing to hear any evidence, upon any further petition, and this too, in direct oppofition to his own declaratione, when he gave the notice, The house then divided, 143 261 Tellers for the Ayes, Lord Maitland and Sir James Erskine. For the Noes, M:. Elliot and Mr. Rofe. The Lord Advocate for Scotland then prefented a petition from certain perfons in the neigh bourhood of Glalgow, concerned in the manu reture of iron, praying to be heard by courfel He accordingly moved, "That the petitioner be heard by themselves or counsel." The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, the realons he had given for negativing the last mo tion, applied equally to this. Mr. Fox laid, it was not a little fingular tha two petitions should appear to the right honoura ble gentleman exactly the fame which had ap |