to follow and disconcert any intentions they might have formed against the Leeward Iflands.

The combined fleets went to Guadaloupe, where they remained some few days, and on the 9th instant were left by one of my cru zers (the Alert) off Santa Cruiz, Reering weft. Captain Vashon, who commands her, acquainted me, that he counted 26 fix fail of the line at least; that they were divided into four squadrons, at a very confiderable distance from each other.

I immediately dispatched the Alert to Jamaica to give Sir Peter Parker notice of the enemy's failing, having before fent the Tobago and Scarborough with intelligence to that ifland.

Mr. Walfingham and the troops from England having joined me on the 12th, every difpatch possible was made for the fleet and transports to put to sea the moment they were watered, which took up fome time, and was in some measure de layed by the Princess Royal's main-mast being found unferviceable, and obliged to have a new one.

On the 17th I put to sea with the ficet, leaving Commodore Hotham with the "Vengeance, Fame, Boyne, Ajax, Vigilant, and Pretton, with frigates, for the protection of St. Lucia, and the windward islands of Barbadoes and Tobago.

With the remainder I proceeded with the whole convoy to St. Chriftopher's, where I had ordered from Antigua a vessel loaded with rum to meet me, for the use of the fleet; there not being a sufficient quantity at St. Lucia to fupply them.

I shall hold myself in momentary readiness to affilt any of his Majesty's Colonies on which the enemy may attempt to make an impreffion, or act with them in such a manner as hall appear to me most beneficial to his Majesty's service.

I am fully convinced, by what I have already experienced, that I shall have every affistance in their Lordships power to grant, and beg you will affure them, that his Majesty's squadron in these seas shall not remain inactive.

[This Gazette also contains a copy of a letter from Admiral Rodney to Mr. Stephens, of the above date, acquainting him, that, at the most positive and pressing requifitions of the parties concerned, he had prefumed to trouble their Lordships Lo

with inclosed papers, from the Affembly of St. Chriftopher's, Baffe-Terre, and from the House of Affembly and Council of the Ifland of Nevis; which papers are

expreffive of their separate and grateful acknowledgments to Admiral Rodney, for the fingular services he had rendered these colonies, at the fame time declaring the deep sense they entertained of his Majefty's prernal care towards them, in the appointment of so able, gallant, and experienced a Commander to the fleet in those feas]

September 1.

This day his Majesty in Council figned a proclamation for diffolving the present Parliament and calling a new one; the writs to be returnable the 31st day of October next.

Dublin-Caßle, September 2.

THIS day his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant went in state to the House of Peers with the usual folemnity; and, the Commons being fent for, gave the royal affent to luch bills as were ready: after which his Excellency made the following most gracious speech to both Houses of Parliament :

Mv Lords and Gentlemen,

I AM happy at length to congratulate you on the conclufion of this feffion of Parliament, though the important measures under deliberation must have made your attendance less irksome to you.

If your long abfence from your several counties has been productive of any inconvenience, such inconvenience is fully compensated by permanent and folid benefits, the luccessful consequences of your labours..

Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I thank you, in his Majesty's name, for the liberal supplies you have granted. Your cheerfulness in giving, and your attention to the ease of the fubject in the mode of raising them, must be very acceptable to his Majesty; on my part, I affure you they shall be faithfully applied.

My Lords and Gentlemen, The fatisfaction with which the heart of every Irishman must exult at the scene of profperity now opening to this country, may equal, it cannot exceed, the glow of my private feelings. And, whilft you applaud the conduct of Great Britain in removing the restrictions ypon the trade of this kingdom, you cannot but particularly acknowledge the unequivocal demonstrations of her fincere affection, in admitting you, upon the most liberal plan, to an immediate, free, and equal intercourse with her colonies.

The

faithfully, should make it necessary for any new candidate to offer you his service; the good opinion and wishes of many real and warm friends of the conftitution, who are now present, have induced me to offer you my fervice; I have no vanity, no ambition to gratify, nor any private interest in view; the esteem and confidence of my fellow citizens will always be pleafing to me; if I am the object of your free choice, I will ferve you with diligence and integrity.'

Aldermen Sawbridge, Bull, Hayley, and Clark, feparately addressed the Livery to the fame purport as Mr. Newnham; but Mr. Sawbridge further obferved, that if he was fo happy as to be re-elected, the fame line of conduct that he had hitherto pursued in Parliament he should strictly pursue, and that as a faithful Reprefentative, he should always vote as the majority of his constituents should direct him; and that if, at any time, his conftituents and he should differ in political principles, which he was well affured would happen, he would prefer their direction to his own fentiments, which he thought every Member ought to do, or refign the truft they delegated to him; the Lord Mayor and all the Aldermen (the Sheriffs excepted, and likewise Mr. Wilkes, who begged leave to decline that honour, as he had received an invitation from the freeholders of Middlesex to represent them again in the enfuing Parliament) were then put in nomination.

never

Upon the separate show of hands, the Sheriffs declared the election to have fallen upon. Aldermen Hayley, Bull, Sawbridge,

and Newnham.

huttings, built for that purpose; and after reading the writ, and acts of Parliament respecting the mode of election, John Wilkes and George Byng, Esqrs. were proposed as candidates by Mr. Scott and Mr. Taylor; no other perfon being put in nomination, these Gentlemen were declared of course unanimously elected.

Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Byng in feparate fpeeches then thanked the Freeholders fer the high honour they had conferred upon them, and pledged themselves to fupport their civil and religious rights and privileges, and in every refpect to be their faithful Representatives.

September 15.

This day at three o'clock, the poll finished at Guildhall, for four Reprefentatives for this City, when the numbers were: For Alderman

ward

Kirkman

Bull

Newnham

Sawbridge Clarke

4062

3804

Mr. Alderman Sawbridge came foron the huftings gs when the numbers were declared, and returned his heartfelt thanks to the Livery for their generous fupport of him upon this occafion. His gratitude was not the less because their endeavours had not been crowned with fuccess. He was not disappointed, but diffatisfied. Detraction and undue Influence had prevailed against him, and deprived him, for a time, of the honour of exerting his effort in their favour in the Senate, but as a Magiftrate of the City of London, he would invariably invariably study to maintain the dignity, preserve the rights, security, and tranquility of the metropolis.

He added, that the Gentleman who had been raised into his fituation, had made ample professions. If he performed his engagements honourably, he affured him that he would always in future give him his fuffrage. He concluded with thanks to the Sheriffs for their impartiality.

This day the poll finally closed for the of Southwark; the numbers stood

borough of S

as follows:

September 19,

Yesterday at one o'clock the Sheriffs and Aldermen came on the hustings at Guildhall. The Cryer informed the Gen tlemen of the Livery, that the Sheriffs had recast the poll, and that the majority had fallen upon Aldermen Hayley, Kirkman, Bull, and Newnham; and therefore the Sheriffs returned these four as their Representatives in Parliament.

Mr. Bull then came forward, and than ked the Livery for the marks of confidence which they had shewn him; that he found himself under continually new obligations to them; and that as he had before served them to the best of his abilities, he would continue to discharge his duty to them with virtue, zeal, and integrity.

Mr. Hayley then addressed them, and faid, that he was happy to find that the great marks of friendship and confidence which he had received from the Livery in the present instance was the strongest teftimony of their approbation of his former conduct. That in the next Parliament he should endeavour to merit, by a steady zeal in the service of his country, and this city in particular, the continuance of that good opinion, which he esteemed the highest honour of his life.

Mr. Alderman Newnham faid, that he was before bound to his Fellow Citizens by a strong attachment of zeal for those interests which were common to them and to him, but that he now found himself bound by new ties and new obligations, no less than the warmest and most heartfelt gratitude for the great testimony of confidence and friendship which they had shewn him on the present occafion. That it deserved the best return that he could make, and would undoubtedly call forth his most conftant and zealous endeavours in their service; he pledged himself, that he would never oppose any measures, nor would he support any cause, from whatever fide the propofition might come, from any other motive than that of the purest regard for the welfare of his country, and of this city. That he would be diligent

in his attendance on the duties of Parliament, and he trufted they would find him a faithful and upright servant.

Mr. Sawbridge next spoke. He faid, that he most fincerely joined with his Fellow Citizens in their universal regret on account of the late melancholy event, the death of the very worthy and upright Alderman Kirkman. That however anxious he might be to attain the object of representing this City in Parliament, he assured them, that he thought the value of that object very much diminished to him, even if he should have the honour to obtain it, while it is obtained at the expence of fo great a loss to the Public as the death of the late worthy Alderman. He doubted not that the Alderman would have been a good Senator, and a zealous supporter of their rights and privileges: He begged leave to affure them, that if he should be the object of their choice at a new election, (of which he had better hopes, fince the arts of detraction would cease), he should make it his business when he received their instructions to obey them, and when he knew their wishes, to gratify them; and in all his conduct to make the good of his Constituents the first object of his zeal.

Mr. Clarke faid, that he had prepared his mind for disappointment; that though he had failed in his canvass, it was no small fatisfaction to him to have the affurance of so many respectable friends in the city as did honour him on the poll; that he should retire with the more fatisfaction to the duties of private life, and the offices of Magistracy, as the Citizens of London had reposed the truft of their representation in such honeft and able hands.

The Chairman of Mr. Kirkman's Com-mittee then came forward, and in a few words regretted the loss of the worthy Alderman, and returned thanks to the friends that had given him his fupport.

Each of the Aldermen paffed a compliment on the Sheriffs for the impartiality and honour with which they had conducted themselves during the poll.

The event of yesterday's business is that Mr. Kirkman will be returned, as of course, and there will be a new writ issued for the election of a Member in his stead,

September 20.

Yesterday a wardmote was held at Guildhall for the election of an Alderman of Cheap ward, in the room of Alderman Kirkman, deceased, when William Crichton, Esq; a Merchant in Phil. pot-lane, and one of the Directors of the East-India Company, was chosen without oppofi

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