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I had this morning sent an order to go to the Start, and get the Peas ship and other vessels from thence, and bring them hither, said he should not be able to sail till the morrow. This morning, a man was with me from Mr. Stukeley, with a letter about it. In the evening they all went away, so did Captain Raymond, and soon after Mr. Berault, who went this morning to the Dock for his warrant, came aboard.

"Sunday, February 1. This morning had prayers, and I stayed aboard till after dinner, then went ashore at Mill Bay, where landed, and walked to Mr. Stukeley's, there found Captain Hopson and Mr. Holmes, and one Mr. Wind, of the Custom-house. After Mr. Wind was gone, Captain Taylor came; we all supped together, and stayed till the letters came, but I had only one from Mr. Maddocks; I sent off the boat, and stayed all night at Mr. Stukeley's.

"Monday, 2. This morning, Captain Billingsley was with me, before I was up, about his ship's coming into harbour, but I could give him no answer, because I had no account of the survey. When I got up, Captain Gore came to see Mr. Stukeley, and then Mr. Holmes and I went to the Dock, called at his house, and having taken a walk, we went aboard Captain Evans, where dined; after dinner went to walk to Maker Church, Captain Evans with us, and then we came to Emptycombe, to see the model of the Eddystone, and, having seen that, we called at Captain Hanway's lodging, but he was not within. Then we came to the boats, and I was set ashore at the passage, and walked to Mr. Stukeley's, where were Captain Hopson, Captain Cavendish, and Captain Mafflam; they went away, but I stayed all night.

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Tuesday, 3. This morning, Captain Raymond, Captain Hopson, and Captain Mafflam came to me, and I went with them to the coffeehouse; from thence I went with Captain Hopson, Captain Cavendish, and Captain Mafflam aboard the Mary, where dined, and after dinner, Captain Walton came in with the Peas ship and others, from Dartmouth. He came aboard, and Captain Mullins with him. They told us they met four privateers in the offing. In the evening I came ashore, Captain Mullins with me, and I came to Mr. Stukeley's; there I had letters, which I answered, and Mr. Holmes was there. Some time after, Captain Cavendish, Captain Walton, and Captain Hopson came. I showed them my letters, and then they went away.

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Wednesday, 4. This morning, Captain Griffith came to see me, and Captain Hopson; the first went away, and then I went with Captain Hopson and Captain Raymond, who also came to see me, and Mr. Holmes to the coffee-house, there I saw the news, and then came away to Mr. Stukeley's, where dined. I had a letter from the Commissioner about four small privateers off Salcombe. Captain Cavendish and Captain Mafflam came to see me and I sent an answer to the Commissioner. Captain Raymond was also with them; after that, Lieutenant Rouse came ashore, and brought me an order that came by the Colchester, from Sir John Leake, to stay till he came. And some time after, Captain Leake came, and then I had an express from the Admiralty, with orders for me to proceed to sea forthwith. Captain Morrice and Captain Meads came after that to see me. Afterwards

Captain Cock came, whom I desired to speak to the merchants in Catwater, to get out as soon as possible, because I designed to sail suddenly. Mr. Holmes and Captain Hopson came also; and when Captain Cock went away, Captain Hopson stayed supper, and then went home, but Mr. Holmes and I stayed all night.

SIXTH WEEK.

"Thursday, 5. This morning, Captain Raymond was with me, and told me the weather was so bad that we could not weigh, nor the ships get out of Catwater. Captain Cavendish and Captain Hagar were also with me, and Captain Maynard and Captain Hopson, some masters of ships bound to Ireland were with me, to desire a convoy, or to order a ship to see them into Scilly, but I told them I could not. They went away; and, it being bad weather, I stayed ashore, and dined at Mr. Stukeley's, so did Mr. Holmes. After dinner Captain Hopson came, and stayed supper with us. I stayed all night.

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Friday, 6. This being the Queen's birthday, ordered the firing guns, and I went upon the Hoe to see whether the Exeter was getting out; then went to the coffee-house; from thence to Mr. Stukeley's; and, about noon went again, and Captain Maynard with me, to the Hoe to see the ships, and the fort fired guns, and then the ships. I dined at Mr. Stukeley's, and afterwards Captain Raymond brought word that the Exeter was in the Sound. Captain Hopson dined with us; and, after dinner, Captain Hopson and I went upon the Hoe; and then I went to see Mr. Martin, but, he being abroad, I returned again to Mr. Stukeley's, where I stayed till the post came in: then writ letters, after which, having supped, I came aboard.

"Saturday, 7. This morning, Captain Evans and Captain Billingsley came aboard so did Captain Huntingdon, and Captain Gore, and Captain Walton with his boat. The ship drove, and I therefore weighed and new birthed. Captain Raymond came off: he and I dined, and then Captain Cock came, who went with me aboard to Captain Evans, where stayed till he got under sail, he in the Burford, together with the Essex, Firm, and Terrible Fire Ship, sailed, and so the other vessels, bound to the eastward with them. Then Captain Cock and I came on board the Exeter, and he stayed with Captain Raymond and me till eleven o'clock, then went away. This morning a small Snow looked into the Sound, and stood off again.

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،، Sunday, 8. While we were at prayers, Captain Walton came on board. I ordered the Rye out to cruize between the Start and Rame-head, to look out for Sir John Leake. The Salisbury and the Dover came in from their cruize, and the Kinsale and several merchant ships came from Falmouth. Captain Walton, Captain Raymond, and I went aboard Captain Cock's ship to dinner, and there was also Captain Morrice. After we had dined, Captain Hosier came to us, and I sent my boat to dock for letters. Then Captain Hopson and Captain Matthews came, the former brought my letters from the shore. Then I came aboard the Exeter and writ letters. The Transport with the French prisoners

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just going to sail, I stopped her till we should go hence, and sent hands aboard, and soldiers to secure and take care of her. Captain Morrice and Captain Raymond came aboard after I had sent my letter ashore. "Monday, 9. This morning, the signal being out upon Maker Church, for a fleet being seen in the offing from the eastward, I made the signal for weighing, and got under sail. We also saw in the offing, Captain Shales who made the signal of seeing Sir John Leake: but we could not perceive any thing from the deck, though from the masthead, they saw several ships. The merchant men could not get out of Catwater. In the afternoon we saw a ship off the Rame-head, which made the signal, and I also saw a boat which came, sail and oars, as I supposed from the ship in the offing, and so it proved: for I came from the Canterbury, where Captain Raymond, Captain Morrice, and I dined, and called to Captain Leake, to go join the Admiral, and spoke to Captain Huntingdon to hasten out the trade; and then coming aboard my own ship, the Lieutenant of the Burford brought me Sir John Leake's orders, either to join him or it; or, if I could not, then to proceed without him. I writ a letter to Sir John Leake, and then the Lieutenant went away again. About nine o'clock, Lieutenant Edwards came also from the Burford, and brought me a letter from Captain Evans, signifying what were Sir John Leake's orders, fearing his boat might have miscarried. I answered the letter, and so, having made the Lieutenant drink, he went away again.

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Tuesday, 10. This morning, the wind being northerly, made the signal to weigh, but before noon, the wind coming to the s. w. and w. s. w. we could not come to sail, and this morning here were all the captains with me. Captain St. Lo, Captain Matthews, and Captain Morrice stayed to dine with us. After dinner they stayed awhile, then went ashore, after that, Captain Maynard, Captain Hopson, Captain Hosier, and Captain Cavendish came, who stayed till my letters came, and then went away. When they were gone, Captain Matthews came, and, about seven o'clock, Captain Billingsley came, whose ship was come into the Sound. He brought me a letter from Sir John Leake, and told us there were five Dutch men of war with him. Captain Matthews sent for some rack, (arrack) and lemon, and sugar, to make some punch, and they both stayed with me till almost ten o'clock, and then went away.

"Wednesday, 11. This morning, I made the signal for a courtmartial: the boat being sent for Mr. Holmes, and the captains being come, the boatswain of the Salisbury was tried for neglect of duty, by Captain Hosier's complaint, and the allegations against him being proved, and appearing just, the court turned him out. After him, the carpenter of the Exeter was tried for disobeying his officer, (i. e. Lieutenant Rouse) and that appearing to be so upon examination, he was also turned out. The boatswain's name was James Crewes, the carpenter's, Josiah Dawell. When the court was over, Captain Raymond and I went to dine with Captain Scott, where dined also, Mr. Holmes, Captain Hosier, Captain Hopson, Captain Walton, Captain Morrice, and Captain Meads. Before we had done dinner, Captain Mullings came to

us, and about four o'clock, I came away to the ship, and left Captain Raymond aboard the August, with Captain Scott and his company. I had an express from Mr. Burchett."

Thus ends the sixth week of the diary, which, with its predecessors, will be found to contain much of interest to the naval enquirer; while, as exhibiting a curious, and not unpleasing picture of the manners of the past century, it can hardly fail to gratify the general, and, more especially, the local reader. The notice of names and places with which we are ourselves familiar, brings with it associations which cannot but be pleasing, while the contrast between the seamanship and manœuvres of the present day, and a century and a half ago, will probably excite a sneer of derision in our modern sailors. But the log of the proceedings at sea, will afford these last a fairer field for their nautical criticism, and we only regret that ten days more must intervene before they obtain this gratification, as the final departure from Plymouth did not take place till the 21st.

QUARTERLY REPORT

Of the Births, Deaths, and Natural Increase of Population in the Borough of Plymouth, during the Quarter ended on the 31st of March, 1847.

THE quarter, which has just closed, furnishes a striking illustration of the truth of the remark made by the Registrar-General, in his Report for the Winter Quarter of last year, that "temperature, the command of food by the working classes, epidemics, and the general condition of the streets and dwellings, have a certain effect on the rate of mortality; but," he continues, "there can be little doubt that the low rate of mortality in the present table, is to be ascribed to the extraordinary mildness of the winter of 1846." Such was the conclusion forced upon him by the official returns of that quarter, in which this borough presented an increase, from the redundancy of births, irrespective of the effect of immigration, of 201 against 96 in that under our immediate consideration. The returns, now before us, fully bear out the foregoing remark, but in an opposite direction; since, with the exception of the sanatory condition of the town, which remains unchanged, and the total absence of epidemics, the winter quarter of 1846 presents a strong contrast to that of its predecessor, exhibiting an increase of mortality to the extent of more than 36 per cent, accompanied by a corresponding decrease in the number of births, to the extent of 11.39 per cent.

On comparison with its immediate predecessor, indeed, a gratifying improvement appears, the deaths having fallen from 307 to 254; being a reduction of 53, or about 17.23 per cent. The mortality, nevertheless, exceeds the average of the corresponding quarter during the nine last years, and surpasses the winter mortality of 1846 by 60, or about 36 per cent., as will be seen by the following tabular view :—

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