Robert Steedman was tried before the High Court of Jufticiary on Feb. 11. for three feveral robberies on the highway. -The first committed on the 24th of November laft, between 9 and 10 o'clock at night, near to the east corner of Comely Garden, in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, by prefenting a piftol, and threating to blow out the brains of Laurence Ramlay, schoolmafter of Fisher-row, if be did not immediately deliver up his money, and robbing him of 6 s. in filver, fome halfpennies, and a filver watch. The fecond, upon the 29th, on the road Muffelburgh, between Mr Yule's house ad Mr Hunter's farm-house; where he hept George Murray, officer of the faltties, and after using the fame threats as mentioned above, robbed him of a but eight thillings and a filver watch. The third, an attempt to rob, having attacked Robert Whitehead, gardener at Haddington, on the road which leads from Drem to Haddington; who decaring he had no money, a fcuffle en fard, and the prisoner was thrown down, and fome paffengers coming up, he was apprehended. Next day the jury gave in their verdict, finding the pannel guilty; but unanimously recommending him to mercy on account of his youth. The Ert fentenced him to be executed in the Grafs-market of Edinburgh on Weduefday the 27th of March.

A caufe of an extraordinary nature determined by the court of feffion on Feb.13. Col. Walkinshaw Crawford of Crawfordland, in the year 1777, received iteral very daring incendiary letters, dito difcover the writer or writers of which be rewards were offered by the Colonel him bff and the county of Ayr, as alfo his Majetty's moft gracious pardon to any pron but the actual writer; but in ban. Aftrong fufpicion at length arofe the country against Thomas Gemmill Hillhead, parith of Fenwick feveral pieces of whofe writing had so striking a milarity both with the writing and fpelg of one of the incendiary letters, that the theriff of Ayrshire committed him to prios; and it was expected he would ive been brought to trial at the circuit court at the infance of the crown, the heriff having communicated a precognition, with the feveral articles of evidence, the agent for the crown; but that not having been done, Col. Crawford brought him to trial at his own inftance before the High Court of Jufticiary in January 1781

[vol. 43. p. 51.], when a verdi✪ was returned, finding the libel not proved; in confequence of which Gemmill was affoilzied fimpliciter, and dismissed from the bar. But Gemmill thought proper to bring an action against Col. Crawford, in the fupreme civil court, fetting forth, that the profecution in the Jufticiary court was groundless and oppreffive, and therefore concluding for damages and expences. In order to afcertain how the fact stood, the precognition and other papers relative to the affair were produced; and the cafe having been reported by Lord Alva, their Lordships were unanimously of opinion, that although the verdict of the jury was conclufive to establish an acquittal of Gemmill as a perfon criminally accused, yet when he chose to stand forth himself as the accufer of his profecutor, charging him with having carried on a groundless and oppreffive trial, it was then competent, and even neceffary to examine in a civil view the circumstances upon which the Colonel brought him to trial: and their Lordships were clear, that the Colonel had good and fufficient reasons for fo doing, and therefore unanimously af foilzied Col. Crawford, with full cofts of fuit.

By an advertisement in the Edinburgh newspapers of Feb. 9. it appears, that the number of indigent inhabitants who have been fupplied with advice and medicines gratis at the Edinburgh Difpen-, fary, fince its inftitution in November 1776, is upwards of 3000. Of these, 994 have been patients during the course of laft year, whofe cafes were improper for hofpital treatment; and among whom, it is to be observed, there were many, who, though reduced to poverty, were once in a fituation to bestow on others that charity which they now folicit for themselves. Our readers will fee an account of this inftitution in the Magazine · for January 1781.

The Hon. Capt. Charles Napier regulating the imprefs-fervice at Edinburgh, has lately diftributed to different charitable inftitutions in and about Edinburgh fome penalties forfeited to him on account of the fervice. To the Orphan, Hofpital he has given sol.; to the Royal Infirmary 301.; to the Weft-kirk Poorboufe rol.; to the Edinburgh Charity Work-houfe 10l.; to the Edinburgh Difpenfary 51.; and to the Poors House of Canongate sol.

САР

CAPTURE S. [vol. 43. P. 713.] From Lloyd's Lift.

By British men of war.

By the Arethufa frigate: The Hope, GalJiot, from Petersburgh for Rochfort, the Harde French privateer, of 12 guns, both carried into Portsmouth; alfo two other ships, which were funk.

By the Fortune man of war: The Speedwell American privateer, carried into Bar badoes.

By the Stag: The Anti-Briton, Kelly, of 22 fix pounders and 104 men.

By the Artois: A French privateer, of 8 gons and 60 men, carried into Torbay.

By Adm. Graves, on his paffage from New York to Jamaica: A large ship of 40 guns and 400 men, from Cadiz for Philadelphia, with warlike stores and cloathing, fent into Antigua.

By the Jupiter, &c.: The Phillippina, a French flave fhip, fent for Jamaica.

By the Veftal: The Nafexa Cenoxa, Delos Deloxes, a Spanish privateer of 10 guns, car

ried into Portfmouth.

By the Danae and Surprife: A large French tranfport, laden with provifions and ftores for the French Weft-India islands, carried into Portsmouth.

By British privateers, &c.

By the Maidston of London: A large French fhip, valued at 10,000 l. carried into Leghorn.

By the Jupiter, of Bristol: A French poJacre, from Marseilles for the West Indies, carried into Kingroad.

By the Quaker, Dwyer, of Liverpool: A valuable Spanish fhip, carried into Liverpool. By the Alert of Guernsey: The Reine, Jeane, a French fhip, from St Domingo, carried into Portsmouth.

By the Hornet: A floop from the Havan nah, carried into St Ubes.

By whom taken not mentioned: The Europa, M Machel, carried into Halifax; the Restoration, Barnard, from Tobago for Nova Scotia, carried into New York; the Providence, Bowden, from Plymouth for Liverpool, carried into Ilfracombe; the Minerva, Bolton, from Virginia for Clyde, carried into Annapolis, in the bay of Funday, the above four are retaken; the Maria Anne Olimpe, and L'Activite, both from Marseilles for St Domingo.

By the French, &c.

A brig, from Ruffia for England, and another hip from the fame place, for Scotland, loaded with linens, &c. Taken by three American fhips, who burnt both fhips and cargoes, after putting the crews on fhore at Chriftianfands.

The John, M'Micken, from Newry for

Charlestown, fent for the West Indies.

The Endeavour, Robertson, from Clyde for Halifax, carried into Beverly in America The Monkey cutter. She was drove or fhore near Dunkirk, and taken poffeffion o by the French troops.

[The reft of the Captures deferred.]

MARRIAGES.

Jan. 31. At Lisbon, Com. Johnston, t Mifs Charlotte Dee.

Feb 4. At Perth, Adam Cunningham, Efq of Bonnington, to Mifs Moncrieffe, daughte of Sir William Moncrieffe of Moncrieffe, B

7. At Banners Cross, Yorkshire, Capt. Fox low, to the Hon. Mifs Murray, only chik of Gen. Lord John Murray, colonel of th 42d regiment,(highlanders) and grand uncl of the Duke of Athol.

8. At Moffat, the Rev. Mr James Maco nochie, to Mifs Barbara Shairp, daughter o Alexander Shairp, Efq; late of Edinburgh.

16. At Richmond, Yorkshire, Charles Dun das, Efq; member of parliament for th county of Orkney, to Mifs Whitley, of Hill houfe, near Richmond.

27. At London, Lord George Cavendisli to Lady Betty Compton.

BIRTHS.

Jan 20. The Grand Duchefs of Tuscany of an arch-duke, being the feventh now li ving

Feb. 3. At Edinburgh, the Lady of Si James Pringle, Bt, of Stitchel, of a fon

10. At Meggerny, Mrs Steuart-Menzies of Culdares, of a daughter.

11. At Grange, near Burntifland, Mr Bruce-Carftairs, late of Kinross, now of Til lycoultry, of a fon.

DEATH S.

Dec. 1780. At the camp near Bombay, Di Maurice Young, furgeon to the ad battalion of the Eaft-India Company's forces.

Jan. 1781. At Tillicherry, John Elphinflon Dundas, Efq: fecond fon of Richard Dundas of Blair, Efq;

At Bath, Hugh Bofcawen, Viscount Fal mouth, captain of the yeomen of the guard, P. C. recorder of Truro, and a general in the army.

Jan. 15. 1782. At Sempill-house, John Lord Sempill.

Jan. 24. At London, Sir Patrick Craw furd, Lord Confervator of the Scots privi leges at Campveie,

Feb. 1. At Eafter Hartside, in the parish of Spott, William White, aged 102 years. He was very active, and remarkably healthy. When 100 years old, he went down from Eafter Hartfide commonly once, fometimes twice aweek, to Dunbar, five miles, the roads frequently bad, carrying a confiderable burthen on his head; and having done his bufinefs, and taken a hard biscuit moistened in a pot

1. At London, Dame Jane Sinclair, relict of Sir Charles Gilmour of Craigmillar, Bt. 3. At Blebo, Henry Bethune, Efq; of Blebo. Mr James Murray, minifter of a diffenting congregation in Newcastle, author of the biftory of the American war, fermons to affes and to doctors in divinity, besides other literary works.

4. At her houfe in Canongate, Mrs Erkine of Balgownie.

4 Dr David Patoun, physician in Glafgow, in the 82d year of his age.

5. At Glasgow, in the 68th year of his age, and 39th of his ministry, Dr John Corfe, one of the minifters of Glasgow.

1. At Wortham, in England, in the 103d year of his age, Benjamin Parker.

8. At London, Lord Colvill of Ochiltree. 8. At London, Lt-Gen. Simon Frafer, colonel of the 71st regiment, and member of parliament for Inverness-shire. He was eldeft fon of the late Simon Lord Lovat. He married a Portuguese Lady, but has left uo iffue, and is fucceeded in his eftate by his only brother Archibald.

8. At Lanerk, in the 75th year of his age, Bailie Chriftopher Bannatyne, merchant. 11. At Edinburgh, John Sydserf of Ruchlaw, Efq;

12. Mrs Eleonora Jean Dalrymple, wife of Mr James Rannie, wine-merchant in Leith. 14 At London, Dr Thomas Newton, bishop of Bristol, and dean of St Paul's.

16. At his brother's houfe of Murdiefton, Waker Hamilton, Efq; merchant in and late Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

Near Craven, Yorkshire, Mr Stephen Brigg, aged 110.

19. At Edinburgh, James Bofwell, Efq; ia the 8ad year of his age.

10. Hugh Wyllie, Efq; Lord Provost of Glasgow.

23. At Dalquharran, Mifs Grize! Kennedy, daughter of the late Francis Kennedy, Efq; of Dunure.

PREFERMENTS.

From the London Gazette. The King has been pleased, Jan 12. to grant to William Berry, of Auftin Fryers, London, Efq; and the heirs of his body, (parfuant to the will of his uncle Robert Ferguson of Raith, in Scot land, but late of the parish of St Peter le Poore, in Broad Street, London, merchant, deceased) (vol. 43. p. 671.], his royal licence

Feb. 9. to grant to the Rt Hon. George Germain, (commonly called Lord George Germain), and to the heirs-male of his body lawfully begotten, the dignities of Baron and Viscount of Great Britain, by the names, ftyles, and titles of Baron Bolebrooke in the county of Suffex, and Viscount Sackville of Drayton in the county of Northampton.

11. to appoint John Duke of Dorfet to be of the Privy Council; and he took his place at the board accordingly.

11. to appoint the Rt Hon. Welbore Ellis, to be one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State.

23. to recommend to the dean and chapter of the cathedral church of Bristol, the Rev. Lewis Bagot, LL. D. dean of the cathedral church of Chrift in the univerfity of Oxford, to be elected Bishop of the fea of Bristol.

23. to appoint Lt-Gen. Sir Guy Carleton, K. B. to be General and Commander in Chief of the forces within the colonies in North America lying upon the Atlantic ocean, in the room of Sir Henry Clinton, K. B.

War-office, Feb. s.

13th foot: Brev.-Maj. Coppinger Moyle, of 28th foot, to be Major, vice Charles Crawford; Lieut. John Ogilvie to be Captain-Lieutenant, vice John Elliot; and Capt.Lieut. John Waring, of 55th foot, to be Captain of a company, vice Hugh Meyrick.

28th foot: Capt.-Lieut. John Elliott of 13th foot, to be Captain of a company, vice Coppinger Moyle; Capt.-Lieut. John Needham to be Captain of a company, vice John Cathcart; and Lieut. Edwin Thomas Stanley, of 55th foot, to be Captain-Lieutenant, vice John Needham.

55th foot: Lieut. Ralph Gledftanes, of 28th foot, to be Captain-Lieutenant, vice John Waring.

86th foot: Capt.-Lieut. Charles Flood to be Captain of a company, vice William Monckton; and Lieut. Thomas Flucker, of 6oth foot, to be Captain-Lieutenant, vice Charles Flood.

War-office, Feb. 9.