In a committee, went through the East India Dividend bill, with several amendments.

Ordered a new writ for Eaft Grinstead, in the room of Sir J. Irvine, who fince his election has accepted the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds. APRIL 28.

Paffed the St. Anne's Paving bill.

John Lee, Efq. folicitor general, took the oaths and hi feat,on his re-election for Clitheroe. A report was brought up from the committee for empowering the Eaft India Company to bor

row money.

Sir Cecil Wray had many objections to this bill, but efpecially to that part of it which empowered the company to divide 41. per cent. for one half year, at a time when their affairs were in fo bai a condition as to oblige them to have recourfe to parliament for money to support their credit. He understood that, exclufive of the fum they wanted to borrow, there was a petition from them actually before the Houfe, for a loan of 1,500,000l. from the public: to divide 81. per cent in fuch a state of their affairs, appeared to him very extraordinary; therefore he should move an amendment, that for the word four, they fhould fubftitute three; fo that the company might not divide more than 31. per cent, for the half year.

Mr. Burke entered into a long detail of the finances of the company; and obfe ved, that they carried on two distinct species of trade, one of power, in the dominions or which they were masters; the other in China, which was strictly commercial. The former he proved to have been a lofing trade to this country, the latter lucrative; but that all the profits arising from it were nearly fwallowed up in making good the loffes in the former. He arraigned the conduct of Governor Hastings in very fevere terms, calling him the grand delinquent of India, to whofe meafures all the calamities under which that country groans, were afcribable. Hyder Ali, he faid, had been twice fold to the nabob of Arcot, and the company had been twice engaged, on that account, in wars with him. He defcribed the famine at prefent raging in Madras, very pathetically, ftating that 200 individuals in that city perished daily in confequence thereof; that vultures, by hundreds, hovered over the town, that they might, with wolves and dogs, prey on the carcafes of the dead; that Lord Macartney was obliged, from principles of humanity, to fend the handicraftmen out of Madras, there being neither work nor food for them; and attributing fuch acts of cruelty, barbarity, and rapine, to our governors in India, as were fhocking to every man of fenfibility. He then declared his disapprobation of the motion relative to the dividend, but faid he would nevertheless have fupported it, if he did not believe that a new fyftem for the government of India would be adopted.

Mr. Burke was replied to by Governor Johnftone; who faid the honourable gentleman's humanity carried him fo far, that in his melancholy profpects he was prevented from confidering their

Paffed the Loan, Covent Garden Paving, and Eaft India Dividend bills.

Received and read a petition refpecting the Hull Navigation bill, which was ordered to lie on the table.

Received accounts from the Excife of the du ties upon foap, &c. which were alfo ordered to lie on the table.

Lord Duncannon prefented three accounts from the Admiralty. Likewife ordered to lie on the table.

Colonel Fitzpatrick, as Secretary at War, then moved for leave to bring in a bill for repealing fuch acts of parliament as had been pafled for temporary purposes in enlifting foldiers for three years, or during the late war: his intention, he faid, was to bring back the foldiers engagement to the ufual period, for life."

Sir Charles Turner declared he had very great confidence in the right honourable gentleman who made the motion, which induced him to hope, that as the acts he wanted to have repealed were of a temporary nature, fo should be the bill which he was bringing in; it being shocking, in his opinion, that men fhould be enlifted for life: it was a bondage, he faid, which ought not to be endured in a free country, and was even unknown in France, where foldiers were enlisted only for a certain term.

No reply being made to this, the question was put, and leave given to bring in the bill. The House then proceeded in committee to hear counflon Sir Thomas Rumbold's bill, and, after the examination of fome witneffes, adjourned. APRIL 30 160)

Paffed the Recruiting and Ruther's Naturalization bills, and ordered them to the Lords. Ordered the Birmingham Poor bill to be engroffed."

The order of the day for the fecond reading of the bill for taking away the benefit of clergy from perfons convicted of receiving stolen goods, being then read

Mr. Selwyn moved, That the fame be read a fecond time that day fix months; which was agreed to without a divifion.

The next order of the day being for going into a committee on the bill for taking up and imprifoning fuch perfons as should be found in the night with picklock-keys, or other implements for breaking into houses, the Speaker left the chair, and Mr. Perry took it.

Sir Cecil Wray faid, he could not confent to a law by which new crimes would be created, or rather an intention be made a new crime, there being already in existence laws fully adequate to the end of punishing the offence defcribed in the bill; he moved, therefore, that the chairman do leave the chair. This gave rife to a deful

tory

The Honourable Captain George Berkeley took the oaths and his feat for the county of Gloucefter; to which he was introduced by Lord Surrey and Mr. Barrow,

Sir Cecil Wray then moved for leave to bring in a bill to explain an act paffed in the 11th and 12th of William III. relative to gaols. His object, he faid, was to enable heriffs to remove prifoners from gaols, while repairs were carrying on, if it should appear to them neceffary, without fubjecting them to the penalties of rescues, if any fhould happen. There was another thing alfo, which he intended to provide for by the bill; which was, that if any wall or other part of the gaol, fhould fall down, a certain number of juftices of the peace might be empowered immediately to raise as much money as would make good the damages, without waiting for a prefentment, provided the fum did not exceed twenty or thirty pounds.

Mr. Barrow feconded the motion.

General Smith thanked the honourable bar ronet for the motion, fuch a bill being highly neceffary. Three or four years ago, when he was fheriff of Berkshire, a part of the wall of the county-gaol had fallen down; and if he had waited for a prefentment, the prisoners would all have efcaped; he, therefore, repaired the wall at his own expence, which indeed was trifling; but he thought that in such cases a power should be vefted in the juftices to levy money immediately, for making the neceffary repairs. The motion paffed without oppofition, and leave was given to bring in the bill.

The Houfe next proceeded to hear counfel in behalf of Sir Thomas Rumbold; after which they adjourned.

MAY 2. Paffed the Hanvill Inclofure bill. Read a first time the bill for authorizing magiftrates to repair gaols.

A new writ was ordered for Ludlow, in Shropfhire, in the room of Frederick Cornwall, Efq. deceased.

Lord Newhaven informed the Houfe, that fince he moved for the Treasury minutes refpecting Mers. Powell and Bembridge, he had been informed, that profecutions had been ordered against those gentlemen in the courts below; if he were now, therefore, told from authority, that fuch profecutions had really been ordered, he would move to discharge, the order for taking the minutes into confideration, being of opinion that no proceeding fhould be had in that House which might prejudice the minds of the public before trial,

Mr. Sheridan faid, the Attorney-General had given it as his opinion, that a profecution for a misdemeanor should be inftituted by information and another by English bill fhould be inftituted in the Court of Exchequer, to compel Meffrs. Powell and Bembridge to make up their accounts, and pay in the balances. He had that day ipoken to the Solicitor of the Treafury, and understood from him that he had directions to file the bill, and that he only waited the arrival in town of the Attorney-General, to receive his inftructions relative to the profecution for mif demeanor.

Mr. Pitt replied, that the proceeding by Englih bill had nothing to do with the cause which induced the late paymafter to difmifs the two gentlemen in queftion: there had been a difpute between Mr. Powell and Mr. Paris Taylor, relative to a sum of money, the former of whom wifhed not to pay in his balance till credit fhould be given him for the fum in question, so that the payment of the balance might await the judgment of the court. The English bill, he faid, would bring the matter in difpute between them to an iffue; but there was no relation between that cafe and the matter for which the gentlemen. had been difmiffed; and he could not help faying, that their restoration threw no fmall reflection on those who had difmiffed them, as well as on the learned gentleman (the late AttorneyGeneral) who had advised it. If the profecution for the mifdemeanor was to take place, he had no objection to the difcharge of the order; but at prefent he wished the order only to be fufpended till the prefent Attorney-General thould come to town, and inform the Houfe whether he meant to proceed criminally against the gentle

men.

Mr. Kenyon faid, that, from the state of the cafe which had been laid before him, he had given it as his opinion, that the gentlemen ought to be the objects of both a criminal and civil profecution; and he had not hesitated to declare to thofe then in power, that fuch enormous offenders ought not to be fuffered to remain in places of trutt.

Mr. Burke defended his reftoration of the two gentlemen; faying, it was entirely his own act, and that he had never fo much as afked advice upon it: he was refponfible for this to his country; and he had fo regulated the Pay-Office, that there was no danger of the public money being embezzled by any one, as he kept no balances in his hands, for they lay at the Bank, but were, indeed, very fmall; when he went out of office, the balance amounted only to feven hun-* dred pounds. In the cafe laid before the honourable gentleman who spoke laft, there had been one omiffion, of which the two gentlemen in question had much reason to complain; and if the circumftance had not been omitted, he was fure the learned member's opinion would not have been fo strongly against them. He was going into the merits of the cafe, when he was requested by Sir George Yonge to recollect that the Houfe wifhed the bufinefs to fleep, till it

fhould

should be known whether the prefent AttorneyGeneral meant to proceed in the criminal profecution.

Mr. Martyn faid, that when he heard from the highest authority, that two clerks high in office had been difmiffed for misbehaviour, and were afterwards reftored, he could not help looking upon their restoration as a grofs and daring infult to the public.

Mr. Burke, in a violent fit of paffion, exclaimed, It is a grofs and daring but he could proceed no farther, his friend, Mr. Sheridan, pulling him down on his feat, left his heat should betray him into some unbecoming expreffions.

Mr. Fox endeavoured to bring the Houfe to temper; declaring he had never heard of the reftoration of the gentlemen in queftion, till he was told it by the paymaster himself. It was impoffible, he faid, for any one to wish to smother an enquiry into the conduct of the perfons

A

alluded to an enquiry must take place; but his honourable friend, thinking that punishment ought not to precede enquiry, had restored them to their places; determined, no doubt, to fuit his conduct to the iffue of the judgment that should be pronounced. The Paymafter-General was refponfible, in every fenfe of the word, for the conduct of his clerks; he had always understood that Mr. Powell's character ftood very high; and he had more reason than any member in that Houfe to hope that he had done nothing to forfeit it.

Mr. Martyn faid, he neither blamed nor approved the restoration of the clerks: he was unacquainted with the true caufes both of their difmiffion and restoration. Many other members attempted to fpeak; but the Speaker exerting himself to fhew that the whole converfation was diforderly, as there was no question before the Houfe, the bufinefs was with difficulty dropped.

JULY

T length our fenators are difmiffed to their rural-feats; where, like men truly fenfible of the neceffities of their country, they will no doubt difdain to trifle away their time in frivolous purfuits; but, reflecting on the proper measures to be adopted when they again meet, for the restoration of that fplendor to the British name, which has, but too long been eclipfed, they will form and digeft fuch plans of national reformation, as may not only please the ear of the vulgar, but actually tend to leffen the burdens of those who feel more, though they complain lefs the middling claffes of the people-who are too generally, and too greatly, obliged to contribute both to the neceffities of the poor; and to the fuperfluities of the rich.

But though the fitting of parliament was unufúally protracted, the most enlightened member cannot yet give his conftituents the fmalleft intelligence refpecting the ratification of the Definitive Treaty. How, then, can we be expected to fpeak decidedly on fo myfterious a bufinefs! With our ufual bluntnefs, we fhall make no fcruple to acknowledge-that we do not know any thing about the matter.

When those whom it may concern have realized a fufficient fun, by dealing in ideal stock, for, rather, when they cannot get any more, for they will probably never think they have fufficient) we fhall perhaps know what is to be done. Till then, let us make ourfelves as eafy as poffible, and keep out of Change Alley.

The dread of the most terrible of all vifitations, has alarmed every thinking being, in the course of the prefent month. The plague has been announced, as actually raging at Conftantinople, and in other parts of the Turkish empire; from whence, it is well known, we are every day receiving fuch commodities as have been

1783.

too fatally experienced to be fully capable of communicating the peftiferous infection. May Heaven avert, even from the countries of our enemies, fo tremendous a fcourge! Thanks to the vigilance of our rulers, every human precaution was timely taken to avoid the introduction of a difeafe which swept myriads of our ancestors to their tombs! And we truft we fhall be happy enough to escape the deftructive contagion.

The Gazette which contains the order of Council for the performance of quarantine, has likewife another for making void all fuch grants of land in Nova Scotia, dated prior to January 1774, as have not yet been carried into execution; and to prevent the commander in chief from iffuing any future order of furvey, or paffing any grants under the feal of that province. The reafons which have induced this measure will be fufficiently obvious to thofe who perufe the order at length in our Gazette department.

The capture of the Bahama Islands, by Colonel Deveaux, as related in the Gazette of Tuefday the 29th inftant, is highly to the honour of that enterprizing officer, whatever may be the event of this tranfaction, in confequence of the Preliminary Articles of Peace, with which he was wholly unacquainted.

That all is not right in America, will appear from the article in our Foreign Intelligence, dated Philadelphia, June 26, and on which we need not make any comment.

From the East Indies, we have this month pofitive affurance, that a peace is concluded with the Mahrattas; and that our Eaftern fcourge, the brave and intrepid Hyder Ali, is at length dead. His eldeft fon, and fucceffor, Tippo-Saib, though not deficient in perfonal bravery, is of a milder and more pacific difpofition; nor ought we to think it any degradation of his character, that

he

he is lefs averfe to our countrymen than his enterprizing and implacable father.

We have not yet heard any thing more of the Spanish expedition against Algiers, nor of the ceffion of Gibraltar.

The Emprefs of Ruffia, the Ottoman Porte, and the Emperor of Germany, appear to be all juft where they were. Indeed, we are as weary of writing, as our friends probably are of reading,

FOREIGN

Conftantinople, June 14.

the pompous accounts of the mighty preparations which these formidable powers have been for fo many months making. As we cannot, with truth, fay any thing certain refpecting their real defigns, we fhall leave them where we found them. Poor Old England, we fear, will too foon be given to understand what they would be at, whenever they mean to begin in earnest!

O'ST certainly the plague has made it's

fpread through the different quarters of this city, and cafes have happened in two villages on the fhore of the Black Sea: they have felt it at Foggio, in the Bay of Smyrna; yet as the Turks, either from religious tenets, or from cuftom, are not difmayed at this dreadful fcourge, preparations for war are carrying on without interrup tion, and troops are feen on every fide; every day ammunition and provifion are fent to Bofnia, fo that war feems inevitable; and no wonder, if what we hear concerning the pretenfions of Ruffia be true, that he demands 70,000 purfes to defray the pacification of the Crimea, but as the Ottoman minifter infifts on his not having had any thing to do with the disturbances there, it is to be prefumed he will pay no attention to fo exhorbitant a demand.

Hague, June 22. On the 13th inftant, the States General, by a refolution formed in their affembly, require and authorize the Prince Stadtholder to add to the Overyffel man of war, which is to carry to America M. Van Berkel, minifter-plenipotentiary from this republic to the Congrefs, another fhip of 50 guns, a frigate of 36, and a light veffel, and alfo to fix the day of the departure of this divifion..

Paris, June 23. We have received the difagreeable news, that the fea hath greatly damaged the works begun for the improvement of the Port of Cherbourg; and that in one night only it deftroyed as much as had coft three months labour to effect. The 800,000 livres which the miniftry had allotted for that great work, will not be nearly fufficient, as fome new strong banks must be raised to oppose the violence of the waves.

Hamburgh, June 24. We have accounts from the frontiers of Poland, that the Chan of the Crimea has voluntarily refigned the government of that country, under pretence that the Porte will not let him govern peaceably. Upon this declaration of the Chan, it is faid the Tartars wanted to proceed to the election of another chief, but the Ruffian general who commands in the Crimea oppofed it till he should have received an answer from his court relative to the abdication of the former Chan.

Conftantinople, June 25. The French and English minifters are inceffantly employed in accommodating the differences between this empire and the court of Petersburgh, and have promifed

that their refpective courts fhall guarantee fuch conditions as the Sublime Porte fhall engage to perfortin.

It is faid that a treaty of amity has been figned between Ruffia and the Porte, but that fresh difficulties have arifen, owing to the Chan of Crimea having furrendered his empire to Ruffia. Mean time the plague has interrupted action, and gives time to what reconciliation may be practicable.

Philadelphia, June 26. His Excellency Elias Boudinot, Efq. prefident of the United States in Congrefs, has iffued the following proclamation by their order.

Whereas a body of armed foldiers in the fervice of the United States, and quartered in the barracks of this city, having mutinously renounced their obedience to their officers, did on Saturday the 21st day of this inftant, proceed, under the direction of their ferjeants, in a hostile and threatening manner, to the place in which Congrefs were affembled, and did surround the fame with guards: and whereas Congrefs, in confequence thereof, did on the fame day refolveThat the prefident and fupreme executive council of this State fhould be informed, that the au thority of the United States having been that day grofsly infulted by the diforderly and menacing appearance of a body of armed foldiers about the place within which Congrefs were affembled; and that the peace of this city being endangered by the mutinous difpofition of the faid troops then in the barracks, it was, in the opinion of Congrefs, neceffary that effectual measures should be immediately taken for fupporting the public authority. And also, whereas Congress did at the fame time appoint a committee, to confer with the faid prefident and fupreme executive council on the practicability of carrying the faid refolution into due effect; and alfo, whereas the faid committee have reported to me, that they have not received fatisfactory affurances for expecting adequate and prompt exertions of this State for fupporting the dignity of the fœderal government; and alfo whereas the faid foldiers till continue in a ftate of open mutiny and revolt, fo that the dignity and authority of the United States would be conftantly expofed to a repetition of infult, while Congress shall con tinue to fit in this city: I do, therefore, by and with the advice of the faid committee, and according to the powers and authorities in me vested for this purpose, hereby fummon the honourable the 'delegates compofing the Congress

of

of the United States, and every of them, to meet in Congrefs on Thursday the 26th day of June inftant, at Princeton, in the State of New Jerfey, in order that farther and more effectual meatures may be taken for fuppreffing the prefent revolt, and maintaining the dignity and authority of the United States, of which all officers of the United States, civil and military, and all others whom it may concern, are defired to take notice, andgovern themselves accordingly.

Given under my hand and feal, at Philadelphia, in the State of Pennfylvania, this 24th of June, in the year of our Lord 1783, and of our Sovereignty and independence the seventh..

ELIAS BOUDINOT.

Paris, June 30. Our treaty of commerce ith America is not yet concluded. The Americans have proposed to the cabinet of Versailles eight articles, of which three are rejected, in particular the demanding the importation of flour into our islands; live cattle and lúmber of all kinds are permitted. Nothing is ftipulated with regard to falt-fish. It is thought they will not be állowed to take fugars in exchange, only meLaffes, as heretofore. It is true that our dear alfies are not pleafed with thefe arrangements, but we cannot think of ruining our trade, and with it our marine, to ferve their particular interefts.

Hague, July 1. The regency of Algiers having threatened this republic with hoftilities, the States-General refolved the 23d ult. to grant, at the request of the merchants of Dordrecht, Amfterdam, and Rotterdam, convoys immediately for the Mediterranean.

Copenhagen, July 1. A navigator has difcovered an ifland emerged from the fea, the pofition of which is at eight miles diftance from the rocks fartheft from Iceland, called Roches des Oifeaux. At fix miles diftance he obferved a thick fmoke arife; he got within half a mile of the ifland, and failed round. He perceived, every where, pumice-ftones fwimming on the furface; and, on founding, found forty-four fathom at W. S. W. of the Reykenees, and fome fea-coal fticking to the lead; on approaching the rocks Des Oifeaux, he found no alteration. The Inhabitants of Iceland informed him they had felt no earthquake; they had only obferved, about Eafter, fomething flaming in the fea, to the fouth of Grind bourg. The king has ordered poffeffion to be taken of the island, and has called it Ny-Oce.

Warfaw, July 2. They write from Thorn, that fince the review at Etargard, 50.000 Pruffian troops have been ftationed in Weft Pruffia, along the frontiers. Our letters from PeterfBuigh fay, that M. Samoifowitz has inoculated feveral perfons for the plague; and that his operation, though fingular, has had the defired fuccefs. He cured himself by rubbing the part attacked with pieces of ice.

Paris, July 6. The Duke of Richmond and Lord George Lenox, his brother, are arrived here from London, and intend to make but a fhort ftay: the duke came only to thank his Majesty for his goodness in not confifcating, during the

war, the revenues of the duchy of Aubigne, which that nobleman poffeffes in Berri.

Vienna, July 12. Yesterday evening the em peror returned hither in perfect health, from the tour which fince the 25th of April laft his Majefty bath made into Hungary, Croatin, Efclavonia, the Buccovine, and Galitzia.

Ratifbon, July 18. It is faid that Ruffia infifts that the Porte fhall no longer purchase any Christian slaves; that all thofe now held in flavery shall be fet at liberty without ranfom; and that the fea fhall be cleared of all piratical veffels.

Paris, July 18. On the 13th inftant, several phyficians, defirous of making fome obfervations on the prefent ftate of the atmosphere, which continues charged with vapours, went to the obfervatory, and had a fort of kite flown from thence to a prodigious height, after which it was drawn in covered with innumerable fmall black infects, which upon examination appeared to contain a very venomous moisture, prejudicial to plants.

Cologn, June 21. On the 13th inft. a terri ble fire, like that in 1742, almost entirely reduced to ashes the town of Attendarn, in the duchy of Weftphalia; only zo houses were faved out of 300. The convent of Francifcans, and the parish-church, became a prey to the flames.

Paris, July 24. All our letters from Warfaw and Petersburgh fay, that M. Bulgakou, the Ruffian minifter at Conftantinople, is fhut up in the Seven Towers, and that Prince Potemkin has received orders to march against Kafnadar Hali Pacha, governor of Oczakou.

It is publickly reported at Versailles and Paris, that hoftilities commenced between the Ruffians and Turks on the 23d of last month.

Hague, July 26. According to the last advices from Vienna and Petersburgh, the plan of the Emprefs of Ruffia is to unite the Crimea and the Cuban to her empire; and, if the Porte refuses to confeat to it, her defign is to make war with the utmost vigour, in which cafe the Emperor (in confequence of reciprocal engagements) will affift her, and they will push their conquests as far as poffible.

Hague, July 29. The laft letters from Conftantinople announce, that the treaty of commerce, concluded and figned with the Ruffian minifters, is already in execution; and that a ship laden with grain, named the Prince Potemkin, belonging to Meff. Sidney, Jamet, and Co. of Petersburgh, has paffed from the Black Sea into the Canal, bound to the Archipelago, without being ftopped or vifited. This firft example of the liberty which the Ruffian fhips have obtained in the Ottoman Seas, greatly displeases the people, who have openly manifefted their difcontent. Hitherto Turkey feems to have winked at the rapidity with which Ruffia has taken poffeffion of the Crimea; but it is no longer doubted' but that an obftinate war will be the refult of it, and that the Turks themfelves will commence hoftilities. The Chan of the Crimea receives a penfion of 80,000 'roubles for the ceffion of his eftates to the Emprefs, and his two brothers 10,000 roubles annually.

GAZETTE.