Capt. Henry, of the Fowey, navalcommander in Savannah river, Georgia, writes to the Admiralty, Nov. 8. "His Majefty's ship Ariel, of 24 guns, Capt. Mackenzie, on a cruise off Charlestown, (when the French came on this coaft), was taken on the 11th of September, after a very gallant refiftance, by the French frigate Amazon, of 36 guns. - His Majefty's ship Experiment, Capt. Sir James Wallace, having loft all her masts and bowsprit in a gale of wind, on her pafsage from New York to Savannah, fell into the middle of the French fleet off this bar, and was taken on the 24th of September, together with the Myrtle navy-victualler, and Champion storeship."

Rear-Adm. Parker, naval commander at the Leeward ifslands, tranfmits to the Admiralty, in a letter, dated, Barbadoes, Oct. 16. a list of prizes taken by the squadron under his command, from Aug. 30. to Sept. 29. both inclufive, confifting of twelve French and four American veffels. Of the French ships, feven were bound from Bourdeaux for Çape François, fix with provifions, (of which three carried 30 guns and 160 men each, and were of burthen, one 600 tons, and two 550 each; one was of 400 tons burthen, and carried 22 guns and 15o men; one was of 200 tons, 10 guns, and 35 men; and one was of 180 tons, 8 guns, and 35 men), and one with merchandise, of 160 tons, 2 guns and 30 men; two were bound from Cayenne to

Cape François, with fire-wood, birch, &c. one 550 tons burthen, 18 guns and 52 men; the other 250 tons, 18 guns, and 40 men; one was bound from Marseilles to Martinique, with wine, oil, candles, &c. 100 tons, 4 guns, and 27 men; and two were bound from Martinique; laden with fugar, 20 guns, and 140 men; and the other, for Bourdeaux, with fugar, cocoa, and coffee, 50 tons, and 12 men. - The four American veffels were very fmall.

one

Capt. Keeler, of the Acteon, one of Adm. Parker's squadron, writes. to the Admiralty, from St Lucia, Oct. 29. that being a few days before, with the Cornwall, on a cruise off Martinique, they Caw two fail, one in chace of the other, the latter of which, by fignal from the former, was known to be an enemy; that they stood athwart her, in order to cut her off from the island; and that foon after she struck to the Proferpine, of 28 guns, (the frigate that was in pursuit of her), and proved to be the Alcmene, one of D'Estaing's squadron, of 30 guns, and 220 men, without a gun being fired on either fide.

"Admiralty-office, Dec. 7. Capt. Salter, of the Huffar, of 28 guns, which arrived at Spithead on the 4th inst. being on the 19th of November, in company with the Chatham, of 50 guns, convoy to the homeward-bound trade from Lifbon, perceived a strange ship, and gave chace. Coming up with her in the night, and finding her to be a two-decked ship, he stuck close to her till day-light. She then hoifted Spanish colours, and began an engagement, which lafted three quarters of an hour. She then struck, and proved to be the Noftra Senora del Buen Consejo, commanded by Don Juan Joseph Ezpeleta, of about eleven or twelve hundred tons, pierced for 64, but mounting only 26 twelve-pounders, with about 170 men. She was bound from Lima to Cadiz, but last from Fyal, where the had landed her bullion to a very confiderable amount, having received infor. mation there of a war with Great Britain. The remainder of her cargo confifts of copper, pewter, cocoa, a very large quantity of Jefuits bark, some beaver and minerals, befides private ventures. The Huffar had 4 men killed and 10 wounded; the enemy, by the best accounts that could be obtained, about 27 killed and & wounded. Capt. Salter fent

tical conjuncture, we should think we fell short of that duty which we owe to your Majesty, and to our country, if we did not chearfully lay hold of the earliest opportunity to convey to your Majesty our warmest approbation of the generous and manly counsels by which those just and prudent measures in favour of this kingdom have been happily advanced; and, we trust, will speedily and steadily be carried into final execution.

As the first corporation in this kingdom, we feel ourselves particularly called upon to be first, at the present crifis, in teftifying our unshaken loyalty to your Majesty's perfon and government, and our inviolable determination to manifeft to the world, that we have most sincerely at heart the success and welfare of our fellow-subjects of Great Britain, and the general profperity of the British empire. In teftimony whereof, we have caused the common feal of the faid city to be hereunto affixed, this 6th day of January 1780."

At a numerous meeting of persons of the greatest confideration and property in the county of York, held at York, Dec. 30. the following petition was unanimoufly agreed to.

"To the Hon, the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament assembled,

The Petition of the Gentlemen, Clergy, and Freeholders, of the County of York,

Sheweth,

THAT this nation hath been engaged for feveral years in a most expenfive and unfortunate war; that many of our va luable colonies, having actually declared themselves independent, have formed a strict confederacy with France and Spain, the dangerous and inveterate enemies of Great Britain; that the confequence of those combined misfortunes hath been, a large addition to the national debt, a heavy accumulation of taxes, a rapid decline of the trade, manufactures, and land-rents, of the kingdom. Alarmed at the diminished resources and growing burdens of this country, and convinced that rigid frugality is now indispensably necessary in every department of the ftate, your petitioners observe with grief, that, notwithstanding the calamitous and impoverished condition of the nation, much public money

that many individuals enjoy finecure. places, efficient places with exorbitant e-: moluments, and penfions unmerited by public service, to a large and still-increasing amount; whence the crown has acquired a great and unconftitutional influence, which, if not checked, may soon prove fatal to the liberties of this country.

Your petitioners conceiving, that the true end of every legitimate government, is not the emolument of any individual, but the welfare of the community; and considering, that, by the conftitution of this realm, the national purse is intrusted in a peculiar manner to the custody of this Honourable House; beg leave further to represent, that, until effectual measures be taken to redress the oppreffive grievances herein stated, the grant of any additional fum of public money, beyond the produce of the present taxes, will be injurious to the rights and property of the people, and derogatory from the honour and dignity of parliament.

Your petitioners therefore appealing to the justice of this Honourable House, do most earnestly request, that before any new burthens are laid upon this country, effectual measures may be taken by this House to inquire into and correct the gross abufes in the expenditure of public money, to reduce all exorbitant emoluments, to rescind and abolish all

finecure places and unmerited penfions, and to appropriate the produce to the

neceflities of the state in such manner as to the wisdom of parliament shall seem meet.

And your petitioners shall ever pray, &c." After which it was unanimoufly

Resolved,

1. "That the petition now read to this meeting addressed to the House of Com mons, and requesting, that before any new burthens be laid upon the country, effectual measures may be taken by that House to inquire into and correct the grofs abuses in the expenditure of public money, to reduce all exorbitant emoluments, to refcind and abolish all finecure places and unmerited penfions, and to appropriate the produce to the neceffities of the state, is approved by this meeting."

2. "That a committee of fixty-one gentlemen be appointed to carry on the neceffary correfpondence for effectually promoting promoting the object of the petition, and to prepare a plan of an association on legal and conftitutional grounds, to support that laudable reform, and such other measures as may conduce to restore the freedom of parliament, to be presented by the chairman of the committee to this meeting, held by adjournment, on the Tuesday in Eafter week next enfuing." - The names of the committee chofen are inferted, among whom are thirteen clergymen.

3

"That the thanks of this meeting be given to the following Lords, and Members of the House of Commons, who honoured it with their prefence and fupport," viz. Dukes of Devonshire and Rutland, Marquis of Rockingham, Earls of Scarborough, Effingham, Fitzwilliams, and Egremont, Lords John Cavendish, Lumley, Rich. Cavendish, and G. H. Cavendish, Sir James Lowther, Sir George Savile, Sir J. Pennyman, Sir T. Frankland, C. Pelham, W. Stanhope, H. Goodricke, S. Finch, H. Peirse, W. Weddell, E. Lafcelles, C. Turner, G. Sutton, and T. Frankland.

Petitions to the fame purpose were agreed to by many other counties and towns. But against some of them protests were taken, particularly the following one, which was signed by the Lord Lieutenant, and the major part of the nobility, gentry, &c.

"WE the noblemen, gentlemen, clergy, and freeholders, of the county of Hertford, whose names are hereunto subscribed, do hereby protest against the proceedings of certain noblemen, gentlemen, clergy, and freeholders of the faid county, at a meeting summoned by the fheriff of Hertfordshire, and held at Hertford this 17th day of January 1780, for the following, amongst other reafons.

1. Because, we apprehend, the true fenfe of the county cannot be collected, nor the matters proposed duly examined, in a meeting of this nature, so new in its form, and fo void of regularity or any known and established authority.

2. Because many assertions are made in the petition proposed to be presented to the House of Commons, in support of which no proofs have been adduced at the meeting.

3. Because the petition appears to us to convey infinuations injurious and difrespectful to parliament, and dangerous to the constitution; and rendered more

so, as it is accompanied by resolutions explanatory of the intentions and purposes of it.

4. Because that part of the petition which relates to the granting of supplies, appears to us to be an attack upon the rights and privileges, and freedom, of the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament affembled.

5. Because we conceive, that the peti. tion and resolutions are calculated to produce diffidence and fufpicions in the minds of his Majesty's subjects, at a time when unanimity and confidence in government are essentially neceffary to fupport and invigorate the exertions of the state in our defence, against the most formidable attack that has ever been made upon his Majesty's dominions.

6. We do most particularly protest against the resolutions for appointing a committee of correspondence, apparently tending to overawe the legiflature, by collecting and combining the factious discontents of the several parts of the kingdom into one system, upon which to found powers, and introduce meafures, inconsistent with and fubversive of our present happy conftitution, and to establish a plan which appears to us to lead to the greatest calamities which can befal our country, namely, insurrection! confufion! and anarchy!" [14.]

The above protest was figned by the Duke of Marlborough, Lords Cranburn, Effex, Melburn, Sandwich, Marchmont, and a number of other respectable names. "London, Jan. 5. Orders are fent from the ordnance for a number of carronades [41.542.) to be cast, and fitted with travelling-carriages for the use of the militia. Each regiment of infantry, it is said, are to practise the use of the carronades; because being light, and constructed for grape-shot, they are of great utility in covering either an attack or a retreat.".

[P. S.] On the ad of February came on at Lincoln's-inn hall, before the Lord Chancellor and the two Chief Justices, a hearing on an information brought by the Attorney-General, against a tradefman, his attorney, and a ferjeant at mace, for a breach of privilege, committed, above a year ago, on M. Pizzoni, predeceffor of Monf. Cavalli, the present refident of Venice, who was arrested for a debt of 300 1. The defendants admitted the facts as stated; and contended, that, if liable to cenfure, it was for an error of understanding only, and not for a wilful vioG2 lation to intreat your Excellency, that you will permit us to have your Excellency's portrait painted by the most eminent Irish artist; that we may preferve the representation of so exalted a friend to this country to future times, in grateful remembrance of the advantages which this nation has obtained, from the judicious efforts of your Excellency's prudent and just administration."

To which his Excellency gave the following answer. --" I feel myself most happy, that my conduct has been such as to meet the approbation of the citi

vilege of Monf. Pizzoni, notwithstanding his fucceffor had arrived. They said, there was no time limited for the departure of ambassadors, who were to have no restraint on their persons: but they allowed, many extenuating circumstances appeared; and though they condemned the conduct of the defendants, poftponed judgement fine die.

IRELAND.

At a post-affembly held at the Thol sel, Dublin, Jan. 6. when the address to the King [49.] was voted, an address to John Earl of Buckinghamshire, the Lord Lieutenant, was likewife voted, fealed with the city-feal, and dated Jan. 6. viz. "WE, the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, Commons, and Citizens, of the city of Dublin, in Common Council affembled, fenfible of your Excellency's uniformly virtuous and upright adminiftration, and convinced of the faithful and efficacious reprefentations which you have made to his Majesty of the situation and distresses of this kingdom, take this early opportunity to convey to your Excellency our grateful acknowledgements of the advantages lately obtained for Ireland, in advancement of its trade [41.665.], to which your Excellency's interposition must have greatly contributed; and for the unremitted attention which your Excellency has constantly shewn to our general profperity and welfare.

Though we have little reason to doubt, that your Excellency's upright conduct, and the benefits derived from it to this kingdom, cannot fail of making the deepest impreffion upon the mind of every good Irishman; yet we are defirous to convey to our pofterity every circumstance by which those impreffions may be rendered lafting.

ceive no benefit from the which I shall not derive the fullest satisfaction. The complying with your request will be an honour to myself."

On the 24th of December the Lord Lieutenant gave the Royal affent to the following bills.

An alt for granting unto his Majesty an additional duty on beer, ale, strong waters, wine, tobacco, hides, and other goods and merchandises therein mentioned; and for prohibiting the importation of all gold and Silver lace, and of all cambrics and lawns, except of the manufacture of Great Britain.

An alt for granting unto his Majesty the feveral duties, rates, impofitions, and taxes therein particularly expressed, to be applied to the payment of the interest of the sums therein provided for, and towards the difcharge of the faid principal fums in fuch manner as thevein is directed; and for such other purposes as are therein mentioned.

An alt for granting to his Majesty, his heirs, and fucceffors, feveral duties upon stamped vellum, parchment, and paper. An act for the advancement of the trade of

this kingdom.

An act for establishing a lottery, and for granting to his Majesty a sum of 200,000l. to be raised thereby; and for such other purposes as are therein mentioned.

On the roth of January was made, at the custom-house, Dublin, the first export-entry of woollen goods from Ireland, fince the restrictions of the trade of that kingdom were taken off [41.665.]. The entry was made by W. Worthington, Esq; and consisted of 1300 yards of ferge for Lifbon.

A bafou is digging at Carilcron, in Ireland, out of the folid rock, which is reckoned one of the most wonderful things in its kind. This bason will contain twenty-four docks, covered overhead,