ground. Caffem buzer has met with the fame fate, as has alfo Daha; and fome other places, having wrote to the governor of Madrafs, that no English fubject fhould hereafter fettle in Bengal. Laft night about 400 fouls came over to us here, inhabitants of Calcutta, either Europeans, or country people, amongst whom were captains of fhips, fupercargoes, or officers in employments, foldiers, &c. The day before yesterday, the Nabob fent us Mr. Watts, late chief of Caffem buzer, and his furgeon, and exacted from us a receipt, that they were in good order and well condition on delivery. You may imagine, my dear Sir, that during thele tranfactions, we. were not alittle uneafy, as he demanded from us by frequent applications, forces, ammunition, &c. to act against the english; and had af fured us, that on our non-compliance he would divert the ftream of his prefent purposes against us, and we should be the fenfible mark of his revenge. He, however, took our cafe into his confideration; we having reprefented to him ftrenuously, that we were in want of troops, and their neceffary fupply, and other ar- The HISTORY of our Own TIMES. one WEDNES. T Canterbury acted. WED. June 1. A letter of this day's date from Capt. Hood of the Antelope man of war at Spithead to the admiralty, gives an account of his forcing afhore on the 13th paft, after a running fight of two hours, the Aquillon, a French man of war of 48 guns and 450 men, in the north part of Hodierne Bay; and of his taking the next day a fmall privateer fnow of 6 guns, 10 fwivels, and 50 men, which was in company with the above man of war the day be fore. The Aquillon, according to the report of the captain of the fnow, had 30 men killed and 25 wounded; and was irrecoverably loft, having the The fubfcribers to Landrindod races, in confideration of the many calamities and diftreffes of the poor, refolved to discontinue their races, and to difpole of the money raifed laft year to be run for this feafon, in a more rational manner, by employing the poor in enlarging the conveniencies for the fick at the wells, and beautifying the walks. MON. 6. Being the ufual day of electing a mafter of the Trinity-house for the year enfuing, the corporation met, and took under their confideration the diftreffes a great number of poor and decay'd feamen, their widows and orphans are in at this time of great scarcity; and it was a greed, that 160 more penfioners be admitted on their monthly lift at 5 s. each; and that one month's pay extraordinary be directly paid to every penfioner already on their books. A very laudable charity, and much to the honour of his Grace the Duke of Bedford, who is ftill continued mafter. WED. 8. A. body of 500 people, men and women, affembled in the neighbourhood of Petworth and Arundel in Suffex, and feized all the corn they could find; but a party of dragoons being fent for, foon difperfed them, and took five of the ringleaders prifoners. FRI. 10. About 100 ftout boys went from the marine fociety to Ranelagh, where Acis and Galatea was perform'd for the benefit of that fociety. The boys were placed in the galleries, and gave great fatisfaction by their decent appearance, to their kind benefactors. After the first act they exprefs'd their gratitude by three cheers, and marched off to Portsmouth in high fpirits. Fifteen men and a boy were fuffocated in a coal pit, near Ravensworth, by a guft of foul air, which took fire, and burnt up to the pit's mouth. SAT. II. The lords of the admiralty received an account, That on the 30th laft, his majefty's fhips Eagle and Medway, being about 2 deg. weft of the Lizard, gave chace to a large fhip under French colours, ftanding to the eastward; and, coming up with her about four in the morning, attacked her with a very brisk fre for about three quarters of an hour, when the ftruck. She proves to be the Duke d'Aquitaine, commanded by the Sieur d' Efquelen, of about 1500 tons, mounting 50 guns upon two decks, all 18 pounders; had on board 493 men, and belonged to the French Eaft-India company. She loft in the engagement about 50 killed, and a great many wounded, 22 very dangerously; and all her mafts, fails and rigging broke away and fell over board before night. She came from Lisbon, where the landed, fome months ago, a very rich cargo from the Eaft Indies; and, when taken, was only equipped for war, with -orders to cruize for 15 days, 10 or 12 leagues off the rock of Lisbon, in order to intercept the Mermaid, one of our 20 gun fhips, which was on the point of failing from Lisbon with a convoy. During her cruize, the took an English brigg from Cadiz, bound to Cork, which was ranfomed for 200. The Eagle had 10 men killed, and 32 wounded in the engagement; but, as the Medway's fire could only be employed in raking her, he had only ten men wounded. At the court of King's Bench at Guildhall, the caufe came on wherein Admiral Knowles was plaintiff, and Capt. Gambier defendant in an action for criminal converfation, when the ་ the fact being fully proved, the ju ry gave a verdict for the plaintiff with 1000. damage. TUES. 14. Were enter'd at the cuftomhouse 1556 quarters of wheat from Dantzick, 540 from Holland, and 250 from Hamburgh. But notwithstanding this feasonable' fupply, and the cries of the poor, who are every where rifing for bread, yet fuch is the artifice of the dealers, that the wheat thus enter'd is fuffer'd to remain on board the fhips in the river, without a purchaser; that the stock in hand may be fold off before the price is reduced. WED. 15. Was held a court of common council at Guildhall, when Sir Tho. Harrison, the chamberlain, acquainted the court, that he waited, on the 24th of May on the Rt. Hon William Pitt and Henry Bilfon Legge, Efqrs; and prefented them with the freedom of this city in gold boxes, agreeable to the refolution of that court of the 15th of April he also delivered the anfwers of thofe gentlemen, which they had given him in writing, and they being So eminent a mark of distinction, derived from the most refpectable city in Europe, and to which fo few have ever received the honour of admiflion, cannot but fill my heart with the higheft fente of gratitude and regard; and tho' it far exceeds the bare merit of meaning well, which is all I have to plead, muft prove a ftrong in read, it was ordered, that they fhouldcentive to thofe, whom his majefty be inrolled in the journals of the court. The Anfaver of the Right Hon. William Pitt, delivered to Sir Thomas Harrifon. Give me leave, Sir, to requeft the favour of you, to prefent, in the mot expreffive terms, to the lord mayor, aldermen and common council of the city of London, the high fenfe I have of the diftinguifhed honour they have been pleafed to do me, in conferring on me the freedom of the city. I have ever been zealoufly devoted to the fupport of the liberty, trade, and profperity of that great and refpectable body; and I am now proud, and happy to have 'fuch caufe to add the fentiments * of the trueft gratitude for fo ge fhall hereafter think fit to employ, to exert with equal zeal, much greater abilities in the fervice of their country. I hope every part of my future ⚫ conduct, confiftently with that which I have hitherto endeavoured to hold, will fhew my firm attachment to the rights and privileges of my fellow fubjects, as well as to his majesty, and his illuftrious family, upon whofe eftablishment the maintenance of thofe rights and privileges does fo effentially depend.' The boxes, writing, and ornamenting the above freedoms, are faid to have coft the city 251 1. 135. A great number of cities and corporate towns have followed the example of the city of London in prefenting their freedoms to the fame gentlemen. FRI. 17. Two men were tried at the court of King's Bench, who under pretence of being men of worth, had made a practice of bailing perfons for debt. They were both found guilty, and fentenced to ftand on the pillory twice, and afterwards to be transported for 7 years. SUN. 19. Mr. Potts, comptroller of the Poft-Office, being informed that one of the mail robbers was on board a hip at Portsmouth, went down thither; and having apply'd ment with two of the enemy's men Copy of a letter received from Captain On the 8th of March, 1757, in Lat. 35. 40. S. and 6 30. to the Eastward of the Cape of Good Hope, in company with the Houghton, Capt. Richard Walpole, and the Godolphin, Capt. William Hut to Adm. Broderick for proper affift-chinfon, faw two fail, who gave us ance, went on board the Unity, Capt. Serjeant, bound for the coaft of Guinea, out of which fhip he took one of the mates, and next day fet out with him for London under the guard of two of Mr. ding's men. MON. 20. A numerous mob at Ely, and feized and carried above 200 coom of wheat. role away chace, and coming up with us in the night, kept on our weather beams till morning. Being fufpicious of a war, we made ready to engage. At dawn of day we al Fiel-fpread our colours, and I made the fignal for a line of battle ahead, which being presently formed, we hauled up our Courfes took in our fmall fails, and laid to, · to receive them. As the day broke we could perceive the fhips to be French, the largest being a twodecker, with 14 ports in her lower tier, and the other a frigate of 26 guns; they bore down on us, and before they came within gun-fhot hoifted their colours, and the large fhip fired a fhot at us, which I im TUE. 21. The lords of the admiralty have received an account of his majelty's fhips the Lancaster and Dunkirk's arrival at Plymouth the 18th inftant; and by a letter from Capt. Edgecumbe it appears that they have taken in their cruize the undermentioned privateers and veffel, viz. Le Comte de Gramont, 36 G. and 370 men. Le Nouveau Saxon,mediately returned, but both falling of 16 guns 150 men; and a schooner from Bourdeaux, bound to Quebec, with wine and brandy. Capt. Duff, of the Rochester, at fea, talfo gives an account of his having taKen the Jean Baptifte privateer of St. Maioes, of 8 guns and 41 men. TUE. 22. Being the anniversary of his majesty's acceffion to the throne, who then enter'd into the 31ft year of his reign, there was a great court at Kensington to compliment his majefty on the occafion. SAT. 25. The Godolphin, Captain Hutchinfon; the Houghton, Captain Walpole; and the Suffolk Captain Wilfon, arrived from China in the road of Leith: Before they doubled the Cape, they had a smart engage fhort we defifted firing till they came within our reach, when a general fire beginning on our fide, they hauled up to the Weftward to bring their broadfides to bear, and began also. The attack was fhort; • for as our heads lay different ways, we were foon out of the bearings of each others guns. All our hips received fome fhot; and the great fhip's maintopfail being brought down, they made fail to the weftward; on which we wore and making fail after them, foon came up, got confiderably nearer, and brought our larboard guns to bear. A warm engagemant enfued for about half an hour, when the French hip hoisting his maintopfail 6 they they made fail from us; we immediately crowded after them, but they went from us faft; being out of gun-fhot they fpoke with each other, and foon after tacked; there being little wind they fell much to leeward before they could bring their fhips to. When they fet all their fail, we hauled up ⚫ our courfes to receive them; they 'came much nearer than before, and a very smart fire was maintained on both fides whilft they were paffing. When they were out of the bearing of our guns, we fet all our fail, making a fhew of ftanding for their wakes: But as they continu⚫ed their courfe to the eastward with all their fail, we fhaped ours to the weftward, and loft fight of each other in about fix hours. By the 'fhot lodged in our Hulls, we found that the great fhip carried 24 and 12 pounders, and the fmall one • 12 pounders. As these ships were not in a proper 'ftation for cruizing, we conclude they were on their paffage to Mau ⚫ritius. I fhould do our officers and feamen injuftice, if I did not inform you, that they behaved with all the bravery and intrepidity peculiar to our English feamen. TUE. 28. The following bills were pafs'd at the H. of Peers by a commillion. An act for granting additional duties on news-papers, advertisements, licences, &c. The militia act.-To enable his majefty to raife one milion. For granting a bounty on the white herring fishery. For granting a fum out of the finking fund to pay the Hanoverian troops, &c.-For making a market in South-wark. To prevent the misbehaviour of drivers of carts. To prevent the diftempar fpreading among horned cattle. To punish perfons who fhall attempt to attain poffeffion of goods or money by falfe pretences, and to prevent unlawful pawning of goods; and gaming in publick houses.-For widening the treets near Charing Crofs. For enlarging the times limited for executing and performing fe veral provifions and powers in certain acts of this feffions of parliamentAnd to twenty-one other bills. THU. 30. By letters from Sallee in Morocco there is advice. that on the 15th of April the whole town was alarm'd with the fhock of an earthquake, which lafted above three minutes, and made all the inhabitants run into the fields. Their apprehenfions were the greater, as they had been inform'd a few days before that fome fubterraneous motions had done infinite damage at Cape Contin in their neighbourhood; that several dreadful openings were made in the earth; that many buildings were thrown down, and between 2 and 3000 perfons swallowed up or buried in the ruins. Orders have been fent to Sir Char les Hanbury Williams, to declare in due form to the Emprefs of Ruffia, That from the moment her majefty's forces fet foot on the Pruffian territories, and there commit hoftilities, the annual fubfidy of 100,000 1. payable by Great-Britain by virtue of the treaty of 1755, shall abfolutely cease. PLANTATION NEWS. New-York, April 4. On the 19th of March a large body of French Canadians, and Indians to the number of 2000, attacked fort William Henry, near lake George, but were repulfed with fome lofs. They burnt, however, two floops, and almost all the battoes, with three ftore-houfes belonging to the Provincials, and all the huts of the rangers. They made feveral other attempts to form the fort, but were as often beat off. Lord Loudon is very active, and is preparing for fome important expedition, in which feveral hundred tranfports are to be employed, 170 of whom are already here, and a ge neral embargo is laid on all shipping throughout |