Mr. Duquery ftated the cafe of the petitioners with very great ability; he contrafted the prefent enormous expence of the Police establishment, which he flated to be 20,000l. annually, to the former nightly watch of this city, that amounted to only 46171. a year, he proceeded to state that the infutution had not only failed of its intended beneficial effects, but had alfo produced much mifchief and very great oppreffion, that every parish of this city had convened, and without a fingle diffenting voice, had agreed to petition Parliament for a repeal of the law-that it was a law contrary to the intention of those for whofe benefit it was intended, and who were the competent judges what kind of protection was beft adapted to the conftitution of the city. He then ftated the oppreffion, cruelties, and acts of violence, which had been committed by perfons acting under the authority of the Commiffioners of Police, which were fo numerous, that there was no Court, either civil or criminal, whofe attention had not been engaged either by trials or actions brought against Police-men, for difobedience to the laws, and for being guilty of the most enormous exceffes. He compared the Chief Commiffioner to Attila, the king of the Huns, who in his irruption into Rome, told the Roman Feople that he had come for their protection, when in fact he came for the purpose of devouring them up after dwelling with great force on the feveral points flated in the petition, and reprobating the Police law, and leaving the citizens of the metropolis deftitute of protection and expofed to violence, he faid, he thould produce feveral refpectable witneffes, in order to fubftantiate the allegations fet forth in the petition.

Mr. M. Beresford faid, it was unnecessary to produce witneffes, as he was ready to admit fome parts of the ftatement made by the learned counfel at the bar, and if witneffes were called, the difcuffion would be a partial one.

Mr. Hartley, Mr. Michael Smith, Mr. Gorges Lowther, Mr. Charles O'Neil, and Mr. Boyd, were for having the witneffes examined.

The counsel then proceeded to examine Mr. John Wation, and Mr. Richard Wilson, and queftioned witneffes to the point of oppreffion arifing from the inftitution; when the witnesses proved the most wanton, cruel and oppreffive acts perpetrated by the Police watch, dilgraceful

to a civilized country, and also the infolence in office of fome of the commiffioners and divifional juftices, the recital of which feemed to make a very forcible impreffion on the minds of the committee; and, Mr. Nathaniel Hone, an eminent merchant, proved the infufficiency of the protec tion afforded by the Police: his warehouse having been robbed a few nights ago of wines and fugars to a confiderable amount, and though there were stations for two Police-men in the lane where his warehouse was, and in effecting the robbery some hours must have been employed; from these circumstances he had reason to believe that the robbery was not effected without the privity of the Police-men, and he informed the committee that when he called at Alderman Moncrieffe's in order to acquaint him of the circumftance, and to confult him upon what was necessary to be done, because it was in the afternoon, he was denied to be at home, though Mr. Hone faw him in his parlour, and on his urging to see the Alderman he was treated with rudeness, and defired to GO TO THE DEVIL.

After the examination of this witness, Sir E. Crofton moved that the chairman do report progrefs and defire leave to fit again. This was op pofed by Mr. Beresford, and on the question being put, the committee divided,

For the motion, Against it,

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56

The Counsel was then defired to proceed in the further examination of witnesses, and Mr. Robert Grattan was called, who likewife proved the greatelt oppreffion and cruelty which he had unmeritedly and wantonly received from fome of the police watch.

Mr. Secretary Fitzherbert obferved, that he had attended very clofely to the examination of the witneffes, and what fell from them had made fome strong impreffion on his mind, and he should therefore move that the chairman do report progrefs and defire leave to fit again, and he moved accordingly, and the Houfe being resumed,

Mr. Serjeant Hewitt reported progrels, and defired leave to fit again.

And on the motion of Mr. Secretary Fitzherbert, the committee was directed to fit again on Monday, and immediately after the Houle adjourned.

(To be continued.)

Fleecy locks, and black complexion,
Cannot forfeit nature's claim;

Skins may differ, but affection

Dwells in black and white the fame.

Why did all-creating nature

Make the plant for which we toil ? Sighs mutt fan it, tears mult water, Sweat of our's muft drefs the foil. Think, ye mafters, iron-hearted!

Lolling at your jovial boards, Think, how many backs have imarted For the tweets your cane affords! Is there, as ye fometimes tell us,!

Is there one who reigns on high? Has he bid you buy and fell us, Speaking from his throne, the sky?

A&

Peter fourgh, July 12, 1788.

N the 26th of June the Turkish fleet, confiling of 57 hips of the line, appeared off the entrance of the Boritthenes. The Turkish fortref Oczakow ftands on the western fide of the river; the Rufan fortrefs Kinburn lies nearly oppofite to it on the eastern shore.

The pince of Naffau, with vice admiral Paul Jones, lay at anchor under the guns of Kinburn, waiting for the Turks, who seemed difpofed to attack them. The fea ran very high, and the wind was strong on the Ruffian fhore. The old Turkith admiral, under thefe difadvantage, had the madnels to enter the mouth of the river.The Ruffian commanders fuffered him to take this step without moleftation; but no fooner were the Turks completely embayed, than the prince of Naflau and his colleague began to

roove.

The firing on both fides at the firft onfet was tremendous; but for want both of skill and difcipline the largest ships of the Turkish fleet prefently ran aground, particularly the hips of the Turkish admiral and vice admiral.

The Ruffian fquadron now grappled with the Turks. The confl &t was dreadful, the batteries on the there, as well as the fhips, all joining in the fight. The Turks defended themfelves with aftonishing refolution; but very few of their hips could gain the Black Sea. Some ran for fhelter under the guns of Oczakow. The capital fhips, on board of which were the Turkifh admiral and vice admiral, and three other hips of the line, were blown up. The old captain pacha efcaped in a small boat. -- Many of the fmaller veffels were driven on fhore, and the whole fleet was entirely feparated. The Ruffians got poffeffion of the admiral's flag, and have taken 4000 prifoners.

Auguft. We ftill labour under the most cruci upence relative to the progrefs of the Swedes in Finland, notwithstanding its vicinity to the city. It is fufpected their fuccefs has been great, as nothing is fuffered to tranfpire, though couriers arrive every week. This city is, however, now completely garrifoned, and full

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publicly known, we are ignorant what the fuccours required are.

29.] Orders have been fent to all the Danish governors in Norway, to prevent the Swedes from enlifting men either for the land or fea fervice; and alfo for prohibiting any prizes being brought into any of the Danish ports.

Stockholm, July 26. The Rulian fleet of 18 fail of the line and 9 frigates, fell in with that of Sweden, confifting of 15 of the line and 10 frigates, off the heights of Hoogland, 15 miles from Cronstadt and 4 from Wybourg.

The Ruffians having the wind, began the attack; and admiral Greig in the beginning feemed to have the advantage of the duke of Suder mania, who, through excess of zeal ran the hazard of breaking the line, and attacking him and two other fhips, and would probably have been taken if two of the Swedish fleet, one commanded by the brave captain Killeustierne, and the other by the deceated lieutenant colonel Bal. thazar Horn, had not alfo quitted the line to go to his affittance.

Thefe two brave officers attacked the Ruifians with fo much vigour and fuccefs, that they not only relieved their admiral, but funk one of the Ruffians, and took another, commanded by the vice admiral Berger, with 800 men on board, of whom 300 were killed and wounded.

After this the action became general, and continued with great lofs of men on both fides for upwards of five hours, during which the Swedes loft only one fhip of the line, but the Ruffians loft four frigates and thirteen leffer velfels. At the end of the action, the Ruffians retired towards the Gulph of Revel, moftly dif mafted and thattered very much. The ship belonging to the Swedes, which is miffing, is commanded by captain Wactmeifter.

Versailles, July 28. An English fquadron, confifting of fix fhips of the line, and a great number of frigates, has entered the Mediterranean, of which event notice has been fent to the marquis de Nieul, who commanded the fquadron of evolution that lately left Brett.. Monf. d'Hector has very precipitately fet off from Paris, in order to take upon him the com

mand there.

From the Lower Elbe, July 28. Nineteen Swedish merchantmen have been arrefted in the port of Petersburgh, and feven in that of Riga.

LONDON, July 22, 1788. Lamb, belonging to Mr. Jofeph Fairchild, farmer and grazier, of Deeping- Fen, in Staffordshire, loft its dam at a very early age, and was put to another ewe, but the did not take it kindly, and it Itarved for fome days: but on a fudden they perceived it to take to a two fhear wedder theep, and mend very faft; and on July the 5th, as the shearers were fhearing the flock, it fell to the lot of Mathias Swift to hear the above-mentioned wedder theep, and September, 1788.

to his great furprize found the dag was full of milk, and its teats prominent and as large as thofe of an old ewe. He communicated the matte to the rest of the company, who took it as a jeer; but he protefted it was truth, fo they drew up to fee the effect-he preffed the teats, and the milk fpurted cat to a confiderable diftance, and Mr. Fairchild milked fome into his hard, to that they all concluded that the wedder fheep certainly fuckied the lamb, and on turning him up after he was fhorn, he bellowed for the lamb in the fame manner as if he had been its Rrr

ΠΟ

mother. The above is attefted by Mr. Fairchild; Matthias, John, Thomas, and Samuel Swilts, and feveral other eye-witneffes of undoubted credit. 24]

Wednesday morning, a fire broke out in a clofet adjoining the clerk of the delivery's office in the ordnance-office at the Tower, an aların was immediately given, engines in great numbers were directly procured; but the tide being unufually low, and no lupply of water could poffibly be procured, it raged or upwards of three hours, intomach that the whole of the two upper ftories are entirely deftroyed; and the root to the lower offices entirely burnt through.

A effage was difpatched immediately on the difcovery being made, to the duke of Richmond, who happened to be in town, and was at the Tower before eleven o'clock.

The governor took the precaution to shut the gates against all intruders. The foldiers, labourers, and all hands were fet to work to remove books, paper, &c. from the midst of the flames, which was in general happily effected.

During the raging of the Bames, there were great apprehenfions for the rope-house, which joins the Ordnance-office. All hands were fet to work to remove rope, wheel-bariow, &c.

At twelve o'clock Tome water was procured by running two engines into the river below low water mark, which fupplied the other engines, the tide being too low for the Roating engine to work.

The damage is estimated at 20,000l. if the building can be repaired; if it must all come down, it will be double that fum.

On examination, the file appears to have happened from the careleffacis of a fervant or the houfe keeper of the, office, who is fuppofed to have left a candle in a place where the brush faggot wood was kept for the lighting of the office fires.

Many people, during the fire, were unneceffarily alarmed, in appreheption of the powder magazine taking fire, and a great explofion happening. All fears on this head are, however, groundle, as the powder is kept in barrels well cafed. Thefe barrels are depofited in a Itone vault under the corner of the White Tower, funk deep into the earth, and which is made fire proot..

29] On the 20th of last month, as fome labourets were cutting turf in bog near Empar Lodge, in the county of Westmeath, they found at the depth of 18 feet, the body of a very tall man in an erect poiture, where, in all probability, it had been for many centuries. On examination, every parts way, as entire as at the day. of his death; his kin was in confiftence and cojour like a ball-tanned-calf-skin, and almost impenetrable; the few hairs that were fcattered on his head were remarkably..oarfe, his Itature was ix feet three inches; not the imallest remains of clothes were found around, nor could any mark of violence be discovered on the body. From this circumftance it is conjectured, that the unhappy wretch was drowned at a time when the hog was a quagmire, or thaking fcraw, and havTag lunk to the gravel, remained in that erect Boilure he was lound in. The quagmire, in the

courfe of many centuries, confolidated into a bog, and thus preferved the body more perfectly than if it were embalmed.

30.] At the last meeting of the Sunday fchools fociety, it was reported by their commits tee, that fince the inftitution of the fociety they had established and affifted 432 fchools, containing 27,949 fcholare; and that the several schools had been fupplied with 33,554 spelling-books, 9,393 teftaments, and 1,982 bibles.

31] General Smith's carriage, on its way to Brightheimitone, was attacked within fir miles of the town by five footpads, and robbed of a strong box, containing cash to the amount of 2000 guineas, and all his bagage. The general himself was gone before on his fervant's horfe, and had left his man to follow in the carriage. The ruffians, who are supposed to have had intelligence of the general's intention of tra velling that night, fired three thots through the chaife before they stopped it. A party of light dragoons happening to be quartered near the fpot, went in pursuit of the robbers.

The Pelew Iflands, for which the Ariel floop is now fitting out at Portsmouth, are a chain of small island, Gituated in the 7th degree north lat. and about the 135th degree of eaft long. from London. Thele lands were heretofore in perfectly noticed by fome hips making the Eas tern paffage from China; but the first Europeans that ever landed there were doubtless the crew of the Antelope, Captain Willon, a packet belonging to the Eaft India Company, which was wrecked here in Auguft 1783, on her palage from China. The captain and crew, confifting of about 30 English, got to shore upon a raft.They found the natives of a deep copper colour, with no kind of covering on their bodies whatever; yams, cocoa nuts, and fifh, almoft their only food; and water, fometimes sweetened with the fugar cane, their only drink; but wiǹ difpofitions fo good and generous, as would adorn the human character in its most improved itafe. They have a regular form of government, which was exerted in refforing to the unhappy fufferers whatever the canoes that went out to the wreck had brought away. They furnished them with a conftant fupply of fuch provisions as the island afforded, and treated them with every mark of courtesy and kindness.

Ang. On Saturday laft, about two in the afternoon, Thomas Pickering, weaver, of Kirkhammerton, was killed by lightning, while working at h's loom The lightning entered at the top of the gable end of the building, tore off fome bricks, and came down in a ferpentine direction, forced out pieces of bricks in its progress, ftruck the deceased upon the nape of his neck, and burnt him down to his breeches waistband, which, with his thirt, was confumed to tinder.The loom was not injured, but the door-jamb was split in two the whole length, and taken quite off, as if done with an axe.

2.] On Saturday laft was executed on the Castle Ditches, at Norwich, pursuant to his fentence, Timothy Hardy for the marder of his brother-in-law, Mr. Aggus. He was attended to the fatal tree by the Rev. Mr. Frère, one of the Lady Huntingdon's minilers of that city, who had vifited him for fome time past, and to

whom