got under weigh to get clear of her, ran down to St. Helen's, and the drifted flowly to the eastward, her mizen-mast and top-mafts having fallen down before he began to drift. About five o'clock the wreck was drifted by the tide further on the fpit, oppofite South Sea Caftle, when the magazine blew up with a very great explofion. This noble fhip, which was only five years old, was completely manned and victualled; there were also a vast number of women and children on board, many of whom, it is apprehended, must have perifhed. The men jumped over-board, and were moftly taken up by boats belonging to the fleet, which had all been manned on the first alarm, and or

dered to render every affiftance. The Port-Admiral, fir Peter Parker, at the fame time, went on board the Royal William, and made the fignal for all the fleet inftantly to get under weigh. The wind was very unfavourable, but the orders were executed with fo much judgment and alacrity, that all the other fhips got out of her way, and very fortunately, being in the day time, dropped down to St. Helen's without any of them receiving the smalleft damage. The explosion was tremendous and grand: fhot, and pieces of timber, were thrown to a very confiderable diftance all a round her, and a column of smoke arofe in the air that formed itself into the moft fublime and picturefque appearance. It is melancholy to add, that as feveral boats were near the wreck at that moment, it is the general apprehenfion that fome of them muft have been funk. rd Brothers, the prehet, was this day e houfe of the

4th.

15th.

This evening a melancholy accident happened on the Humber, oppofite to Stallingborough, in Yorkshire. As Mr. Richard Mitchell and four others, all of this town, were proceeding down the river in a boat with fails up, a heavy fquall came on fuddenly and overfet the boat. On this unfortunate occafion Mr. Mitchell and one of the men were drowned: the other three faved themselves by fwimming to the fhore. The body of Mr. Mitchell was taken up on Sunday.

zoth.

This night that noble manfion-house, Cliffden, the property of the earl of Inchiquin, on the banks of the Thames, caught fire. The flames were fo rapid, that very few articles of value were faved, and only the wings, which were joined to the centre by a colonade, escaped. This house was begun, but left unfinished, by George Villiers, duke of Buckingham, in the reign of Charles II. and was the counterpart of that which he built in St. James's Park,

now

now the refidence of her majefty; and came, by marriage with Elizabeth, eldest daughter of fir Edward Villiers, and fifter to Edward earl of Jerfey, to the earl of Orkney, who greatly improved it; and whofe eldest daughter married William Obrien, earl of Inchiquin, who now poffeffes it. Its lofty fituation on the fide of a hill gave it every advantage of a beautiful and extenfive profpect. It was the favourite fummer refidence of his prefent majefty's father. The cause of this fire is variously accounted for. It is generally believed that one of the chamber-maids turning down the bed in the evening, left a candle burning in the middle apartments, which fet fire to the curtains: but this is mere furmife. The flames broke out at nine o'clock at night, and were fo fudden and fo rapid that all affiftance to fave the furniture and the house was vain. Lord and lady Inchiquin were on a vifit there at the time, and at tea, or rather after tea, in the fummerhoufe. So fudden and fo violent was the fire, that nothing was faved, not even the plate and what is confidered as an irreparable lofs, the whole of the beautiful tapeftry, reprefenting the various battles won by the famous duke of Marlborough, fell a victim on this occafion, to as not to leave a trace behind of that extenfive fpecimen of art. We are to add, that not fo much of wearing apparel was faved as to furnith a change of any article to the family for the next day. The conflagration was feen many miles round.

Yefterday Maria Therefa

23d. Phipoe was capitally indicted, at the Old Bailey, for putting in

fear, and violently and feloniously taking away from John Courtoy a promiffory note, value 2000l.

This very extraordinary cafe appeared to be as follows: Mr. Courtoy being at Mrs. Phipoe's house in Hans Town, Brompton, the latter, with the affiftance of her fervant, Mary Browne (who was the principal evidence againft her) faftened Mr. Courtoy to the back of a chair, and extorted from him a note for zoool. by threatening and attempting to cut his throat. After he had figned and given the note, she again attempted to kill him in the fame manner, having firft offered him his choice to die by arfenic, the pittol, or the knife; and he efcaped with great difficulty, three or four of his fingers being cut in the ftruggle.

The indictment was founded on the ftatute of 2d George II. which enacts, that if any person shall steal or obtain by force or violence any exchequer order, promiffory note, &c. fuch an offence fhall be deemed felony without benefit of clergy.

Mr. Courtoy was then called, and the note being produced, he was afked, whether it was the fame he gave to the prifoner? to which he anfwered in the affirmative.

Mr. Fielding, as counfel for the prifoner, objected to the admiflibility of the evidence of Mr. Courtoy. He contended, that he ftood in the light of an interefted witness, inafmuch as his evidence went to invalidate the note, which upon the face of it appeared to be the legal property of the prifoner.

After the counfel for the profecution were heard on the other fide, the court were of opinion,

that Mr. Courtoy ought not to be examined.

C 3

Mary

Mary Brown, the fervant of Mrs. Phipoe, gave an account of the tranfaction as above, as did the other witneffes.

The jury, without leaving the box, pronounced the prifonerGuilty.

The prifoner's counfel moved in arret of judgment, upon the ground that the offence lid not come within the meaning of the ftatute, the note not being in any legal fenfe the property of the profecutor, at the time it was alleged to have been forcibly taken from him by the prifoner.

James Lyons, who remained on commitment for having forged receipts in the three per cent. confol. to the amount of 1440l. with intent to defraud the governor and company of the bank of England, was brought up for judgment. Mr. Juftic Grofe informed the prifoner, that it was the opinion of the judges, that the crime which he was guilty of was not that stated in the indictment. The judges were therefore agreed, that judgment fhould be given against the crown.

Mr. Lyons addreffed the court by faying, that an action was brought against him in the court of King's Bench, and a verdict of 5000l. given, which happened in confequence of his papers being detained; he therefore begged that the court would order them to be returned.

Mr. Juftice Grofe informed him, that his application must be to the court of King's Bench.-Ordered back into cuftody.

This morning the new27th. erected horfe barracks at Romford, in Effex, were burnt down to the ground, except a fmall divifion of the building uncon

pleted. The accident was owing to the careleffnefs of fome workmen in letting a fire communicate to fome fhavings. The lois is computed at 10,000l.

DIED. At his houfe in Great Poland-fireet, in the 55th year of his age, James Botwell, efq. Of this celebrated biographer of Johnfon, we thall give fome anecdotes in a fubfequent part of this volume.

JUNE.

A general court was held at Ift. the Eaft India houfe, to determine by ballot the following queftion, carried at the last court, viz.

"That this court do recommend, that the court of directors fhould apply to Warren Haftings, etq. for a statement of the legal expences incurred by him in making his defence; and that, after having af certained the fame, by a full and fatisfactory investigation, they do discharge the amount thereof, not exceeding the fum of 71,080)."

The ballot commenced at eleven

o'clock, and continued till fix in the afternoon, when the glaffes were clofed, and delivered to the fcrutineers; and about a quarter patt eight, the deputy chairman, attended by fome other directors, entered the court room, and declared the numbers to be as follows:

For the queftion - 544
Against it

244

court, that in confideration of the long, faithful, and important fervices of Warren Haftings, efq. and to mark the grateful fenfe entertained by this company of the extenfive benefits which they have received from thofe fervices, a grant of an annuity of 500l. from the 1ft of January 1795, to iffue from the territorial revenues, during the term of the company's prefent exclufive trade, to Warren Hastings, efq. his executors, ad. miniftrators, and affigns, be prepared by the court of directors, and fubmitted to the board of commiffioners for the affairs of India, for their approval and confirmation, pursuant to the act of parliament."

On cafting up the votes the numbers were,

Icth.

For the queftion - 508 Against it

220

Bath. Yetterday a dreadful act of defperation was committed in this city by John White, a young man about nineteen, who got up in the morning, procured a brace of piftols, which he loaded, and with coolnets and deliberation walked into the schoolroom of Maria Bally, in Corn-fireet, an amiable young woman, to whom he was affectionately attached, and after a fhort converfation, prefented one of the pifto s to her head, and fhot her inftantly dead. The noife of the piftol, and the fmoke greatly terrified the children in the Ichool, and their cries alarming the neighbours, he was taken into cuftody coming out at the door. The mayor thortly after fummoned his jury, and a verdict of wilful murder was brought in against him.

When before the magiftrate he behaved with much decency; and on being asked the caufe of his committing fo horrid a deed, faid it was for contemned love; and whether he was not terrified at the idea of the punishment tha awaited him both here and hereafter? He replied, that David having caufed the death of Uriah to obtain Bathsheba, and been forgiven, he alfo hoped forgiveness. When the miftrefs of the houfe where he lodged came in, and in bitter tears lamented his fate, and that the fhould never fee him more, his agony was very piercing, and deeply affected all prefent. He is committed to Ilchefter gaol for trial.

Brighton. The Oxfordshire 14th. regiment marched on Friday night laft, at eleven o'clock, from Seaford, in order to attend the execution of the two men who were condemned by a general court martial for riotous and diforderly conduct. The hour of four was the time appointed to affemble. On the march the regiment halted; and twelve men who had taken a part in the riot were called out;— when the commanding officer ordered them to fix their flints, and prepare to execute the fentence. This was done to demonftrate fo the men that ftate of obedience in which the officers were determined to hold them; and by this measure they felt more pointedly the folly of their former conduct, when thofe perfons, whom they had before made their leaders, were now to fuffer death at their hands.

The regiment was then conducted to a spacious valley, and divided into two wings, which were ftationed on each fide of the place

of execution. they were then followed by the whole line of encampment. On the rifing ground above the valley, three thoufand cavalry (or near that number) were pofted; they were followed by all the horfe artillery. The guns were pointed and matches lighted. From the difpofition of the ground, and from the arrangement of the troops, a more magnificent and a more awful fpectacle was never exhibited in this country.

After the corporal punishments had been inflicted upon the offenders of lefs note, Cooke and Parish, the two unfortunate men condemned to die, were brought forward with a very ftrong etcort. They walked along the vale in flow and folemn proceffion, accompanied by the clergyman who had devoted ins time fo confcientionfly to them, from the moment the fentence had been made known, that they were fully prepared to meet their fate. They approached the fatal fpot with refignation, and he expreted much concern, and penitence for the crime. They then kneel ed down upon their coffins with cool and deliberate firmness; when the one who was to drop the fignal faid to his comrade" Are you ready?" Upon the reply being made, he dropt a prayer-book; and the party did their duty at about fix yards diftance. One of them not appearing to be entirely dead, was inftantly thot through the head; and the fame ceremony was performed to the other. After this the whole line was ordered to march round the dead bodies.

Harfham. Sykes and Sanfom, the two Oxford thire militia-men fentenced to be hung at the late fpecial aflizes at Lewes, for ftealing flour at

Blatchingdon, were executed yetterday at this place about one o'clock. They appeared very penitent, and defired the fpectators to take warning by their untimely fate, and not to mix with, or become active in, any mob or public difturbance, as they themselves were infenfible of the confequences at the time of committing the of fence for which they fufiered. The troops of the yeomanry cavalry raifed in Suffex attended the exe cation: The high fheriff was alio prefent.

Dumfries. On Thursday 16th. evening the ith inftant, one of the foldiers of the firft fencible regiment having been confined for impropriety in the field when under arms, feveral of his comrades refolved to releafe him; for which purpofe they affembled round, and endeavoured to force the guard-room; but they were repelled by the adjutant and officer on guard, who made the ringleader a prifoner. The commanding of ficer of the regiment immediately ordered a garrifon court martial, confifting of his own corps and the Ulfter light dragoons. When the prifoners were remanded back from the court to the guard-room, their efcort was attacked by fifty or fixty of the foldiers, with fixed bayonets. The efcort, confifting of a corporal and fix men, charged them in return, and would not have parted with their prifoners, but at the interceflion of the ferjeant-najor, who thought refittance against fuch numbers was in vain. The mutineers then fet up a fhout, and part of them ran away with the prifoners. The lieutenantcolonel and major, on hearing the

noite,