The Earl of Bute has ordered 200l. to be distributed to the poor inhabitants contiguous to his feat at Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire.

Charles Jenkinson, Efq; whose seat was vacated for Appleby, on being appointed one of the vice Treafures of Ireland, is re-elected for that Borough. "The last letters from Vienna ad rife, that the couriers between that court and thofe of Petersburgh and Berlin are more frequent than ever, from which it is fuppofed that fome affairs of confequence are in agitation. Thefe letters add, that the Emprefs Queen is highly difpleafed with the behaviour of her fon-in-law the infant Duke of Parma, infomuch that her Imperial Majefty would not admit a courier that arrived with fome difpatches from him, but ordered him to carry them back to his mafter."

Letters from the Hague fay, that the King of Poland had got agents there to raise a loan of 20,000l. for the ufe of his Majefty, till he can be reinftated upon his throne, but that they have been abfolutely refufed, the King of Pruffia having threatened to declare war against the States General if they give his Polish Majesty the least affistance.

On the 4. inft. Mr Garnier, charge des affaires from the court of France, fet out for Paris on business of fuch importance, that it could be confided to no body elfe.

Extract of a letter from Paris, Dec. 2o. "The troubles which have fo long distracted this unhappy kingdom have now fome appearance of fubfiding. The Chancellor Maupeau we hear is to be removed from his office, and it is certain that Madame de Barre has loft great part of her influence; the Prince of Conde with the Duke D' Orleans are reftored to the King's fayour in a greater degree than ever; and it is hoped the people will foon

Extract of a letter from the Hague, Dec. 22.

"Advices has just been received here from our conful at Tetuan, that hoftilities have again commenced between the Moors and Spaniards at Oran, and that the moft vigorous preparations are making on both fides to carry on the war with redoubled force. The cause of the truce being broke was as follows: a party of Spanish horfe had been out to exercite on a plain about two miles to the eastward of Ceuta, and as they were in the midst of their manoeuvres they were furpriz ed by a body of 3000 Mourifh horfe and 4000 foot; but the Spaniards made their retreat to Ceuta, with the lofs of 150 men, and are now preparing to revenge the injury."

They write from Jamaica, that the English in the Weft-Indies will shortly be debarred from having any commercial intercourfe with the fubjects of his moft Catholic Majesty in that part of the world.

We hear that complaints are fent home from the Governors of the Leeward islands concerning the illegality of the captures of fome English veffels by fome Spanish guarda costas.

Part of the duty laid on the importation of Spanish wool, we hear, is intended to be taken off this feffion.

On the 10th of November laft, Lord Charles Greville Mantague, Governor of South Carolina, diffolved the general affembly of that province.

Preparations are now making at the Queen's palace for her Majefty's lying in; and Mrs. Prefcot, (wife of Capt. Prefcot, of Salisbury-treet, in the Strand) who is appointed wet-nurfe, and other perfons in different ftations, have received orders to be in readiness

to attend.

We are informed that his Royal Highnefs the Bishop of Ofnaburgh is to fet out for Germany early in the H 2 enfuing

enfuing fummer, under the protection of the Duke of Grafton, &c.

The Succefs, of 20 guns, now at Sheerness, is ordered to fail immediately with an exprefs for General Cornwallis, Governor of Gibraltar.

On Monday the Duke of Kingflon and Huntingdon Eaft-Indiamen failed from the Downs, to proceed on their voyages.

They write from Stockholm, that a fubfcription is made there to prevent the dearnefs of provifions, to which every inhabitat is voluntarily to give one penny a week, and, in proportion, whoever can fpare a trifle more (not exceeding one hundred dollars per annun) is to bring it to the treasurers appointed by that fociety; after which all forts of provifions are to be im ported free from duty; and the provifions fo imported are to be fold 50 per cent. under the market price, to fuch families who have no annual incomes, employments, fhops,and fufficient trade. This plan gives them the greatest hopes of their being able to prevent the dearnefs of provifions. They have already acquired above 100,000 fubfcribers in one weeks time, and five times as much is expected from the country, and other cities.

His Majefty has ordered his annual bounty of 1000l. to be equally diftributed to the poor inhabitants in the city and liberties of Westminster.

Extract of a letter from Marfeilles,

Dec. 2.

likewife loft, and the fhore for many miles was covered with wrecks."

A writer in one of the morning papers tells us, that fhould the bill pafs for enabling foreigners to lendmouey on eftates in our colonies, more than two millions will be immediately advanced at the moderate interest of five per cent. while we are at prefent paying nine per cent. (including commiffion) without being able to procure as much as is really neceffary for the islands newly ceded to this kingdom.

We hear that the Ohio and Miffiffipi business is to come on next Wednesday before the Council.

A report prevails, that a great perfonage has interefted himfelf very much, in endeavouring to effect a reconciliation between the King and Queen of Denmark.

It is currently reported, that the miniftry have an intention to appoint a Viceroy in the Eaft Indies, with a civil and military establishment.

They write from the Hague, that the Duth Eaft-India Company have imported upwards of 170,000 ounces of gold in the laft fhips, and a greater quantity of fpices than for fome years paft.

Wednesday fe'ennight fome very difagreeable accounts were received from Amfterdam, relating to the ftoppage of two great houfes in that metropolis, which, it is to be feared, will affect fome on this fide the water. Extract of a letter from Petersburgh,

Dec. 20.

tion of war, will intirely ceafe. A new order of nobility is foon to be raised here, under the title of Princes, faid to be raised at the inftance of Count Gregory Orlow."

Letters from Guernfay fay, that the French are making great preparations in all their fea-ports, to fit out a great number of fhips to be fent out early in the fpring, to fish for cod on the banks of Newfoundland.

Advices are received from Weft Elorida, that an epidemical distemper rages at New Orleans, which had carried off great part of the Spanish garrifon, and had proved particularly fatal to the negroes.

A private letter from Amfterdam, informs, that great damage hath lately been done to the fhipping and fugar works, at the Dutch colony of Surinam, by a strong fhock of an earthquake.

They write from Liverpool, that goods to the amount of near 50,000l were fhipt last week by the merchants there for Penfacola.

Hides now fell 30 per cent. cheaper than a few months fince, which are principally bought up by the leatherfellers, who retail it to the fhoe-makers of this metropolis as dear as usual.

On the 2 inft. arrived the mails from France and Holland, which bring nothing new, only that the fufpenfion of arms betwixt the Ruffians and Turks is to laft till the 9th of March.

It is certain that neither the Court of France, nor that of Spain will confent to the difmemberment of the republic of Poland.

Letters from Berlin fpeak of great warlike preparations that are going forward there, and particularly of the extraordinary diligence used in getting ready field equipage and carriages.

Confiderable betts are depending, that the Queen of Denmark will be reinftated in her dignity before the 17th inftant the day twelve-month fince the was feized, and imprisoned in the caftle of Cronenburgh. If this event

IT is highly proper for me to obfere to you, that the Commander in Chief to this province has a right,at all times, to infpect the Journals of the General Affembly; and I am forry that I must charge the prefent fpeaker of the Commons Houfe with having acted in an unprecedented manner: it feems then, that the Commons House of Affembly having upon their Journals a report of a violent and unconftitutional nature, the fpeaker took the Journals into his poffeffion, and, although I wrote to him to demand them, I could not procure them until the next day, and then only a very fhort space of time before the meeting of the Houfe. It is in fuch a manner that violent measures in a Commons Houfe of Affembly are to be concealed from a Governor, until almost the moment of their being to be carried into execution!

"To check fuch a behaviour, as well as to furnish the Commons with another opportunity to read a TaxBill de novo, thereby that they might have more time to think of forming it in fuch a manner as, from long experience, they might know could only render it capable of doing good to the people, I did, at our laft meeting, prorogue you to this day, defigning them to fuffer you to fit for the difpatch of bufinefs. But having perufed the Journals of the Commons-Houfe of that day on which the last prorogation took effect, I find that, after they had received my commands immediately to attend me, they did continue to fit, to put a queftion, and to form refolves and orders; a behaviour which, as it is unprecedented in the parliamentary

proceedings

proceedings, fo it is of a moft dangerous tendency, being a proof of their contempt of the King's Prerogative, which in a part of the law of the land. Being at the head of the General affembly, I cannot fuffer fuch a proceeding to pafs with impunity.

"I shall part with this CommonsHoufe of Affembly with lefs reluctance, because they seem wanting in juftice to their Conftituents, whom they endeavour to delude, pretending to ferve them by a measure which, from experience, and even from the information of their agent, they know has not even a chance of procuring relief to the diftreffed public; unprofitably fpending their time in impugning that, exercife of the prerogative which the uninterrupted filence of the Houfe of Commons has confeffed to be conftitutional; wontonly fhewing how little they regard the laws of Parliament, by their innovating upon them; acting in fuch a manner as is unknown in parliamentary proceedings, from which it is my duty, if poffible, not to permit any deviation and I will be fure not to give encouragement for any, by acting with unfeafonable lenity on my part. I do therefore diffolve this General Affembly, and it is accordingly diffolved."

SCOTLAN D.

EDINBURGH, Jan. 1.

Extract of a Letter from Kirkwall, December 19.

"Laft Monday's evening, the weather being remarkably foggy, the fhip Betty, Capt. Shaw, of and for Liverpool, from Riga, loaded with wood, was forced afhore on the rocks near the old church at Stromnefs, on the north fide of the channel of Hoymouth. The fhip is totally wrecked, and if the winds continue to blow ftrong, it is feared that a confiderable part of the cargo may be loft. Luckily the crew, which confifted of upwards of thirty, are all faved.

"We are informed, that yefterday morning, a fmall veffel with barked fails, was feen to founder in Hoymouth, the wind blowing very high at west, with an ebb tide.

"The Snow, Concordia of Flinfburgh in Holstein, Andreas Yord, mafter, from Drontheim for Dublin, is forced in, by stress of weather, to the ifland of Stronfay. The veffel is fafe in Lingua Sound; where is also the fhip Liverpool, John Bennet, mafter, of and for Liverpool with timber.

"The weather here has been of late exceffively ftormy, and attended with heavy rains for two months past."

We hear Lieut. Col. Grey, of Fallowdown is appointed Aid-de-Camp to the King, and is to rank as Colonel.

As

On Wednesday the prefbytery of Edinburgh met, and took under confideration the caufe of South Lieth. no appeal was produced from the last decifion of the Court of Seffion, and as a letter appeared from Mr Snodgrafs withdrawing his prefentation, the prefbytery appointed Mr Logan's, call to be moderated on Thursday the 14th of January.

Friday morning, about five o'clock, a poor man, almoft blind, unhappily loft his life by falling over the bridge of Leith at a broken part of it.

Friday fe,ennight, the dry dock at Leith, built by John Sime and Son, was finished and a fhip about 400 tons burthen taken into it. It is 120 feet long, 55 feet wide in the middle, 32 feet wide at the gates, and allowed to be as compleat and commodious a dock for careening fhips as any in Great Britain.

On Wednesday last in the dusk of the evening, a perfon riding weftwards from Edinburgh, was attacked at Dickie's dykes near Corstorphin, by two fellows in Highland dress; one of them who wore a bonnet, a whitish coloured fhort coat and fillibeg, prefented a pistol, and demanded his money, threatening to fire; the other ftruck the person off his horse, and then they

robbed