Page images
PDF
EPUB

ther makes 216 years; the man be- the greateft part of the woollen

ing 110, and the woman 106.

A perfon died lately at Linlith-, gow, in Scotland, aged one hundred and eleven years, the laft thirty of which he had been blind.

At Kickstall Forge, near Leeds, Margaret Bartlemer, aged upwards of 102, who retained her fenfes to the last.

A few days ago died at Aldborough, near Richmond, in Yorkfhire, Anne Armstrong, aged 107; to which age he had lived in the ftate of celibacy.-And the fame week died at the above place, Anne Jamefon, aged 102, who had been confined to her bed for the last ten years.

At her houfe in Well-Alley, Wapping-Dock, aged 101, Margaret Hewitt, who had acquired upwards of 1000 pounds by milk felling, which he has left to a numerous family of children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren. She was in Stepneyfields on Friday, with a female fervant, complained when fhe came home of a pain in her ftomach, and faid the fhould not live many hours.

We hear from Knaresborough, in Yorkshire, that a few days fince died at a village near that town, called Northweeds, one John Simpfon, in the 112th year of his age; who could read without fpectacles, and never had any illness till within three months of his death.

JULY.

We learn from Holland, that a fire happened at Hilverfum, near Utretchit, on the 25th ult. by which VOL, IX.

manufactures, of which they had great quantities in that village, were deftroyed. A number of people carried their most valuable effects to the church, which, on account of its diftance, it was expected would have been preferved, but where they had the chagrin to fee them all confumed, whilft many of the houfes from whence they had been removed, efcaped the flames. Hundreds of the poor inhabitants are ruined, and forced to lie in the open fields. This fire broke out on the very fame (pot where a dreadful confiagration began juft forty years ago, and confumed the greatest part of the village.

They write from Cadiz, that fome workmen, in repairing the caftle of Verona, within three miles of that city, dug up a beautiful copper ftatue of the emperor Adrian, feventeen feet high.

5th.

The feffions ended at the Old Bailey, when four prifoners, capitally convicted, received fentence of death; one of whom was Thomas Smith, tried laft feffions for a highway robbery, and found guilty, but whofe counfel had moved in arreft of judgment, and the opinion of the judges had over-ruled the plea; 27 were caft for tranfportation, four were ordered to be whipt, and 22 were difcharged for want of profecution.

Saturday, at eight o'clock in the evening, the man who laid a wager to cross the Thames in a butcher's tray, fet out in the fame from Somerlet-stairs, and reached the Surry fhore with great ease, ufing nothing but his hands: he had on a cork-jacket, in cafe of any accident. It is faid 1400l. was depending on this affair, and up[1]

wards

wards of 70 boats full of spectators were present.

The rejoicings all over NorthAmerica, for the repeal of the ftamp-act, have been exceffive; and feveral of the colonies have begun to raile fubfcriptions for ftatues of Mr. Pitt. At Philadelphia they came to the following healing refolution, viz. " that to demonftrate our zeal to Great Britain, and our gratitude for the repeal of the ftamp-aft, each of us will, on the 4th of June next, being the birth-day of our most gracious fovereign George III. drefs ourselves in a new fuit of the manufactures of England, and give what homefpun we have to the poor.

Newcastle, June 28. Last week fome workmen at Rudchefter, who were employed to dig up ftones among the buried ruins of the Ro. man station, near the place where the coins were discovered fome months fince, met with a ciftern, or trough, hewn in the folid rock, which measured about twelve feet in length, four in breadth, and two in depth, with a hole clofe to the bottom, to drain it at one end, and, about three feet from the other end, a partition-wall of ftones and lime was run cross it-There were found in it, a tripod candleftick, fome very large teeth, and the vertebræ, and other broken and imperfect bones of fome animal, which is fuppofed to have been buried in it; but there was

no cover.

On the 14th of May, a dreadful conflagration happened at Bridgetown, the capital of the inland of Barbadoes. It began in the highftreet about half after eleven at night, and raged with inexpreffible violence till nine the next morn

ing. The number of houfes confumed, including the cuftom-houfe, and other public buildings, is about 440, the anuual rents of which amounted to 16,4211. befides a great number of warehouses and fheds, all well ftored with goods and merchandifes, the value of which cannot yet be estimated. Many of the principal ftorehouses with provifions, were providentially preferved, by which means, and the benevolence of the public, the fufferers have been relieved from the apprehenfions of perifhing for want. On this calamitous occafion, the legislative body of the inland were called together, who immediately proceeded to take every expedient into confideration for rebuilding the town, and providing for the unfortunate. committee was appointed for receiving donations, and in a few days more than 10001, was fubfcribed for immediate affistance. The whole damage is estimated at 300,000l. fterling.

A

At Hartford, in Connecticut, a most melancholy accident happened to 22 young gentlemen, who were bufied at the fchool-house in preparing fire-works for the rejoicings that were intended on the news having been received of the repeal of the stamp-act. Three barrels of powder being provided for this purpofe, and lodged in the lower room of the fchool-house, out of which the gentlemen had taken a fmall quantity for their prefent ufe; but while they were employed in the upper room, in forming what they had taken, a negro boy below, feeing fome powder fcattered on the floor, raked it together, and set it on fire. This inftantly communicated to

the

+

the reft, by which the whole edifice was shattered in a most ruinous manner: part was blown up in the air, and the reft reduced to ruins: The gentlemen were fome blown up, fome buried in the ruins, and fome caft upon the ground, two or three only escaped with little or no hurt, the reft were miferably mangled, their bones fractured, or, which was lefs terrible, killed outright. A like accident happened at Sea-brook, on the fame occafion.

come

A cause of great confe10th. quence came on in Chancery, by which a gentleman, juft of age, recovered a very confiderable fum for intereft on all the fums retained in the receiver's hands during his minority; receivers being annually to accouut for monies received on minors eftates, and the balance to be paid up accordingly.

They write from Dunfermline, in Scotland, that a filver cup, which will hold three half pints, of curious ancient workmanship, with double handles, was lately dug up there, thought to be upwards of 1300 years old.

The eruption of Mount Vefuvius ftill continues, and the oldeft perfons living never remember its having lafted fo long.

A parcel of dried leaves of a fhrub, the growth of Georgia, has been received by a gentleman in town from his correfpondent at Savannah, which has a flavour and tate equal to hyfon tea, and in colour a light green.

One Doblon, a lighterman, undertook, for a wager of five guineas, to swim on his back from Weftmifter-bridge to Putneybridge in an hour and three quar

ters, without turning himself in the water; which he performed 19 minutes within the time.

The new paving began 14th. at Temple-bar, when two English paviours undertook to pave more in that day than four Scotchmen: the English by three o'clock had got fo much a-head, that they went into a public-house to refre themselves, and afterwards returning to their work, beat the NorthBritons hollow,

Yefterday in the afternoon a match at cricket was played on Blackheath, between 11 Greenwich college penfioners, who had loft each an arm, and 11 others who had loft each a leg, which afforded much sport to a great num, ber of fpectators, and was won with eafe by the former.

We are affured, that the place of Head-keeper of Wood-ftreet Compter, to which Mr. John Kirs by was lately appointed by She riffs Trecothic and Kennet, was, to thofe gentlemens' great honour, given entirely gratis, although they might, as their predeceffors were heretofore accustomed, have fold the fame for 1500 pounds.-A noble example, and worthy imitation in the difpofal of all cityplaces, but efpecially fuch as are connected with the administration of justice.

From Maidenhead, and other places in Berkshire, we are informed, that, by the late heavy rains, many of the fields along the Thames were two feet under water, and that confiderable damage had been done thereby to the hay.

Conftantinople, June 16. On the 22d paft, between five and fix in the morning, was felt here a vio lent fhock of an earthquake, which [1] 2

lafted

lafted fomething more than a minute. It did very little damage in the fuburb of Pera and Galata, but a great deal at Conftantinople. Four royal mofques fuffered: the first at the gate of Adrianople, the cupola of which fell, and the walls were damaged: the fecond, that of Sultan Mahomet II. the cupola of which fell; as did likewife the public fchool, in which above 100 ftudents perished: the third, that of Mahomet Bafhaw, which was hurt only in the external part: the fourth, that of Sultan Achmet, a minaret of which fell down. They reckon 173 mofques and baths, part entirely ruined, and part damaged. Several chams, or public inns were deftroyed; fome palaces of Turks, and many houfes. The walls of this capital are fo much hurt, that it is calculated that it will coft above 100,000 piafters to repair them. About 880 perfons have been found buried under the ruins; befides a great number of Inaimed and wounded. There were damages done in the feraglio. The Grand Seignor lived under tents for fome days. Two of the feven towers fell, and the reft were hurt. Some fmall damage is laid alio to have been done at Adrianople. Many flight tremors have been felt fince, and fome two or three days ago. London Gazette.

The woman who cohabited with another woman, lately deceafed, 36 years as her husband, and kept a public-houfe at Poplar a great part of that time, but retired from thence laft Saturday fe'nnight, on account of the discovery made of her fex, returned to that parish laft Thurfday, accompanied by a gentleman, to fettle her affairs, in order to quit the bufinefs. She was

dreffed in a riding-habit, with a black hat and feather: fo that her acquaintance could hardly believe her to be the fame perfon, he hav ing generally appeared in an old man's coat, woollen cap, blue apron, &c. Her behaviour now is that of an affable, well bred woman, and agreeable in conversation. She fupported the character fhe had affumed with reputation, as a fair dealer, and had ferved every office in the parif, except that of church-warden, which fle was to have been next year, had not the difcovery been made.

A young man, who with feveral others were committed for blafphe my, was lately executed at Abbeville in France, pursuant to his fentence. The crimes alledged against him were, that he had wickedly and impioufly paffed before the holy facrament, without taking off his hat, and kneeling; that he had fung two fongs full of blafphemy against the holy virgin, the faints, and the facraments; that he had profaned the fign of the crofs, the mystery of the confecration of the wine, the benedictions of the church, &c.; for thefe crimes he had his tongue cut out, his hands and his head cut off, and the whole confumed in a burning pile of wood, with his body, and his afhes feattered in the air. The executioner burnt at the fame time the Dictionaire Philofophique.

The countels of Montrath hath left the following legacies, viz. 30,000l. and 1000l. per ann. to her fon, the prefent earl; to Lord George Cavendish 40,000l. with Twickenham-park for lite; after his Lordfhip's decease, to his two brothers, Lord Frederic and Lord John Cavendish; to her two phy

ficians,

ficians, Sir Clifton Wintringham and Dr. Warren, 10001. each; to her apothecary, 8000l. to her woman, 2000l. to her folicitor Mr. Wells, 5000l. to Sir Anthony Abdy, 5001, with the reverfion of Twickenham-park, after the deaths of the Lords Cavendish; and to Peter Holford, Efq. Mafter in Chancery, 500l. to the Weftminfter infirmary, St. Luke's hofpital, the Magdalen-houfe, the Afylum, Middlefex hofpital, City of London lying-in hofpital, fmall-pox hofpital, Cold-bath fields; St. George's hofpital, the fociety for promoting Chriftian knowledge, fociety for propogating the Gofpel, English Proteftant fchools in Ireland, Bath hofpital, Shrewsbury infirmary, Prefton hofpital, or alms-houfes in Salop, 5001. each; to the poor of St. George's, Hanover-fquare, Twickenham, and Ileworth, 2001. each. Thefe three laft to be paid at the difere tion of her executor, Lord John Cavendish.

Great damage has been fuftained in many places from the late wet and ftormy weather. At Taoley, near Dunmow, in Eflex, many parts of a houfe were demolished by lightning; Greenwich was almoft overflowed, and the hail ftones measured an inch and a half in circumference; at Reading they were terrified with a great ftorm of thunder and lightning, and fome fheep were killed, and alfo a womon at Hagbourn; at Kettering, in Northamptonfhire, a load of hay was fet on fire, and a man ftruck dead; at Eastbourne in Suffex, much damage was alfo fuftained; at Sutton, near Frodsham, in Cheshire, a houfe was burnt down, trees were split, and a bull

was killed in his pafture; at Chefter, five perfons were fcorched by lightning on the city-walls; in Northumberland, many sheep were drowned, and much hay was carried away by the floods, as alto in Lincolnthire; at Pennycuik, near Edinburgh, a gentleman was kill ed by the lightning, his watch and money melted in his pocket, and all his joints diflocated. In short, thefe calamities have been general in the two kingdoms.

A gentlemen of great veracity has made an experiment this very wet feafon, that the following method will render hay very agreeable, and equally ufelul as if it received no wet, to cattle of all kinds, as well milk-cows as oxen and horses: let the mow-maker be provided with a quantity of falt, and as he lays on a layer of hay, fprinkle it with the falt. A peck is lufficient for a load of hay.

They write from Invernefs, that a perfon is arrived there from London, in order to engage proper hands in gathering Scotch Cuthear in the mountains of Lochaber; a weed extremely ufeful in the dying bufinefs, and which ufed to be imported, at a great expence from Madeira, and other foreign countries.

They write from Petersburg, that the caroufal, which was celebrated the 27th ult. gave fuch univerfal pleafure and fatisfaction, that it is to be repeated in a few days. In the amphitheatre built for this purpole are two fuperb boxes for the Emprefs and Grand Duke; and in the centre of the arena is raifed a throne, whereon fits the grand judge of the exerciles, furrounded by forty officers, four heralds at arms, and two trumpets to give [7] 3

fignals.

« PreviousContinue »