fo rapid, that the inhabitants could not fave any of their effects. The apprentice and fervant-maid perifhed in the flames, as likewife a young woman big with child. A matt promifing youth, about fixteen years of age, eldest fon of Mr. Wood, ftaymaker in the Strand, apprentice to a jeweller who lodged in the faid houfe, in order to avoid being burnt, jumped out of a two pair of stairs window into the street, by which means his fkull was fractured, and his arm, two of his ribs, and his back, broke; of which he expired, in great agonies, yesterday morning. A man, who lived in More's-yard, near St. Martin's-lane, was killed by the fall of a large piece of timber; fo that fix lives were loft. A chairman had his arm broke; and one Mr. Peele, a baker, who had lately let his fhop to Mr. Dixon, endeavouring to get out of the two pair of stairs window back. wards, by means of a fpout, the fame gave way, when he fell to the bottom of the aera, but pitching on his feet, he had providentially no limbs broke, and is in a fair way to do well, though terribly bruifed. There has been received of fhe riffs fines for building Blackfriars bridge, fince the 1ft of June 1758, to the prefent time, the fum of 16, 2001.

On Saturday the 17th of Decem. ber laft, a confiderable fhock of an earthquake was felt at New Hampshire, in North America, about 48 minutes after fix in the evening, attended with a rumbling noife, though the evening was ferene and clear.

On the zzd and 23d of October laft, a violent hurricane did confiderable damage in the harbour of

Penfacola. The Spanish Hota from Vera Cruz, for the Havannah and Old Spain, confifting of five large regifter fhips, richly laden, were driven afhore in the bay of St. Ber nard, W. S. W. of Penfacola,

29th

The committee for relieving the diftreffes of the poor of London, met, and ordered the fum of 13151. to be diftributed as an immediate relief to the ne ceffitous.

More than 300 labourers were employed by the commiffioners of the new pavement in clearing the ftreets of Westminster of fnow and ice.

An action brought againft an eminent coal-merchant in the city, for felling fhort meafure, was this day tried, and a verdict of 501. damages was given against him, with cofts of fuit. It appeared that ten chaldrons wanted bushels.

A lady releafed from the Marfhalfea prifon one and twenty debtors, whofe debts were under 40s. each, and gave each a fhilling at their departure.

At Ancona, in Italy, famine rages to that degree, that the poor live upon acorns, and many perifh for want of that fupply.

A Corfican Courier, with dif patches to Lord Marifchal of Scotland, and Sir Andrew Mitchell, was ftopt at Hamburgh on the first inftant in his way to Berlin, and paffed a fevere examination; he appeared, however, to be a perfon of more diftinction than he chose to own, and was escorted in his way by a party of the military.

Andrew Stone, Efq. her majef ty's treasurer and receiver general, has paid to Robert Dingley, Efq" treafurer to the Magdalen charity,

300l as her majefty's royal gift and bounty, towards building a new Magdalen-house.

A few days ago, one Mr. Burnett, fchoolmaster of Chipstead in Surry, was found dead on Banstead Downs, fuppofed to have loft his way in the evening, and perifhed in the fnow.

A woman in Bishop-Wearmouth, aged about 80, has lately had the fmall-pox, and is recovered. What is very extraordinary, this poor woman has had feveral children, and conftantly nurfed and laid with them when they were in the fame diforder.

The emprefs-queen has published an edict, allowing the foldiers in her army to marry; and commanding the civil magistrates, who formerly had orders to prevent fuch marriages, to facilitate and encourage them for the future.

Private letters from Algier inform us, that the Dey has told the Serafkier, who came there to de. mand 20 years arrears of tribute due to the Port. "That he was firmly refolved not only to refufe paying the faid arrears, but alfo any tribute for the future: that the ftate of Algier was abfolutely free and independent of the Porte that it food in no need of the Porte's protection; and that he, the Serakier, might return to Conftantinople with that anfwer."

They write from Madrid that the king, who hath nothing more at heart than the rendering his fates flourishing, earnestly endeayours to excite therein a love for the fciences and the fine arts. As the library of the efcurial doubtless contains AL inestimable treafure in manufcripts, a great number of which has never yet

been published, his majefty has ordered accurate catalogues of them to be prepared for the prefs. An impreffion of the first volume of the catalogue of Arabic manufcripts is already finished, and another will be published foon, together with a catalogue of thofe in Greek and Latin.

They write from Stockholm, that the grand entertainment which the Ruffian minifter gave in honour of the Prince Royal's marriage, was executed in the most splendid manner. It began by a fupper to 260 perfons, who were ferved with the greatest order imaginable: As foon as they arofe from table, they were furprifed by a very fine firework placed upon an ifland juft oppofite to his houfe, which was illuminated with many thoufand lamps, down to the edge of the water; and the whole was concluded with a ball, which lafted till 6 o'clock in the evening.

They write from Lifbon, that the fleet from the bay of All-Saints, which has been long expected, is at length arrived in the Tagus. This fleet was escorted by two men of war, one of which had on board the Count d'Ega, late viceroy of Goa; who, as foon as the fhip caft anchor before the castle of Belem, was arrefted by a corregidor, in confequence of orders from the king. All this nobleman's effects, which are very confiderable, are fequeftered; a ring was even taken from his finger, as well as other jewels which he had in his cloaths." The next day he was conducted to prifon, where he is clofely guarded. He is faid to be accufed of great violences and extortions.

They had a violent shock of an earthquake at the Granades in the earthquake latter

latter end of October, which has done great damage, particularly to feveral fugar-works. The hills are in feveral places thrown down, fo that it is impoffible to ride round the island on horfeback. We have alfo shocking accounts from Curaffoa, and the Spanish Main, of the hills being fhook into the vallies. And at St. Euftatia, they had a terriblehurricane,accompanied with an earthquake. The hips in the port, which had not time to weigh anchor to get out to fea, were almost all loft: great ravages are made in the interior parts of the ifland; feveral houses are thrown down, trees torn up by the roots, and most part of the harvest broke down.

moft

The fame ingenious artift who laft year made a grand diadem that was fent to Bengal, has fince finish. ed a rich fcimitar, or fabre, defigned, it is faid, to be prefented by the governor and council of Madrafs, in the name of the Eaft India company, to the Nabob of Arcot. The hilt, which is moft curiously worked, weighs near a pound of folid gold. The work manship of the goldfmith, though rich and elegant, is overpowered by that of the jeweller, from the number of large diamonds, ru bies, and emeralds, that overfpread it, in various fine and curious devices: On one fide reprefenting trophies of war in the European, and on the other fide in the Afiatic tafte, compofed of large ftones pro. perly adapted; between the trophies twines a wreath of palm and laurel interwoven, as emblems of vic. tory and peace, intermixing agree. ably with leaves, branches, flowers and other ornaments, copied from nature; the colours of the different

jewels forming an agreeable varie ty, and moft ftriking appearance. At the top is a helmet, made of a large emerald; the ornaments of it of the fineft diamonds, and the feather at the top is of rubies fixed to the emerald,makingan agreeable termination; under it a half-moon, or crefcent, of yellowish diamonds. The blade, which is of the finest fteel, is deeply encrufted with flowers from top to bottom, with flowers and branches in the mofaic tafte. The fcabbard, which is of crimfon velvet, is richly ornamented with jewels, to correfpond with the reft, to which is fixed rings of gold, to receive other ornaments, by which it hangs to a rich belt. The whole is faid to be worth 3000l.

The froft which fet in at the latter end of December, continued to increafe, and was very intenfe all the prefent month, except the 16th, 17th, and 18th days, when there was an appearance of its breaking, but on the 19th it again appeared with increafed rigour, and fo con tinued till the 22d, when a kindly thaw relieved the direful apprehenfions of the public. During its continuance the diftreffes of the poor in town and country were truly pitiable, though the generous hand of relief was held forth by numbers of the nobility, gentry, clergy, and other worthy perfons and corporations. Fuel and every neceffary of life were remarkably dear; and bread advanced to 84d. the quartern loaf, as the meal barges could not bring their lading down the river, which was frozen fo hard as to ftop the navigation both above and below bridge; many perfons retarded or jammed in by the ice perifhed with cold, in

boats

beats or other craft, and the wher. ries could not ply as ufual. In the city of London, Weftminfter, and their fuburbs, many melancholy accidents happened, fuch as numbers perithing with cold, or breaking limbs by the flipperinefs of the streets, and the draught cattle could foarcely keep their feet. Many fuch accidents alfo happened to those who were purfuing the diverfion of fkaiting on the ice.

In the country the fnow lay fo deep, and fo filled up the roads, hollows, and vallies, that many people loft their lives therein, or their ways, and died of fevere cold. Sheep and cattle perished in confiderable numbers, the roads were almost impaffable, and the ftages and mails with difficulty and danger, and great lofs of time, performed their journies.

The month was alfo remarkable for very tempeftuous weather at fea, by which great numbers of veffels were wrecked on our own and the neighbouring coafts, and feveral of their crews perished. On the second inftant, great damage was fuftained by the fhipping and inhabitants, from a ftorm and food, at Berwick, Plymouth, Gofwick, and Sunderland. The fame mif. fortunes were felt at Whitby, Blyth, Hartley-pans, Stockton, Seaton, Straiths,Sandfend, Eaft row, and Saltborn. At Shotley, in Suffolk, marshes and banks were laid under water, and at Manningtree, in Effex, fixty theep were drowned; and the neighbourhood of Orford, in Suffolk, fuffered ftill more.

The wife of Mr. Curtis of Horham, aged 63 years, was delivered of male twins.

Died lately at Knightsbridge in

Devon, one George Gibbons, aged 104 years.

John King, at Noke in Cambridgeshire, aged 130.

Mrs. Taite, in Camberwell, aged

Jane Ireton, in St. Andrew's workhoufe, aged 103.

Mary Wiggins, at Sherborne in Oxfordshire, aged 109. Mary Holt, of Wem, in Shropfhire, aged 108.

FEBRUARY.

A caufe came on before the

court of King's Bench, where- 2d. in ferjeant Burland was plaintiff, and the corporation of Wells defendants, refpecting the legality of removing the former from the of fice of recorder, which he had en-. joyed with great reputation for many years; when a peremptory mandamus was ordered to be made out for reftoring the faid ferjeant Burland to his former office.

An inqueft was held on the bodies of two of Mr. Tombs's daugh. ters, of Cotes, near Cirencefter, one of the age of 24, the other of 8 years, who, on the day before, were, together with a maid fervant, aged 22, poifoned, by taking, for a cutaneous eruption, a dofe of arfenic, which was fold to Mrs. Tombs for cream of Tartar, by an ignorant quack, fome months ago. They were, foon after taking it, feized with all the dire fymptoms which ufually attend the internal ufe of that curfed drug; and after enduring inexpreffible torture for near 8 hours, they all three miferably expired, Their other daughter was to have taken the fame [D] 4

me.

medicine, but the defired to poft pone it till the next day, that the might go to church; and thus the efcaped the fate of her fifters This is inferted as a caution not to purchafe drugs of ignorant quacks, who,roin many instances, where there is a refemblance, don't know how to distinguish one drug from another.

A moft remarkable accident and efcape happened to a labourer at Cuper, in Fife, in Scotland, where a bucket having fallen into a well, about 30 feet deep, the labourer was fent down to bring it up, but unfortunately the fteining fell in upon him, and inclosed him at the bottom, without any hope of release. Some workmen were however employed to clear the rubbish, who continued their las bour till dark, and next morning refumed it. About noon one of them thought he heard a voice, on which the hands were doubled, and all worked with redoubled vi gour for feveral hours, when, to their great aftonishment, they found the man alive, without a bone broken, after being 39 hours in that fituation..

houfe before which he lay in aps peared that perfons were kept there who had enlisted into the Eaft India company's fervice; and the mafter of the house being cars ried before the fitting aldermans brought feveral of the recruits with him, who depofed that the man threw himfelf out of the window This is one of the houfes called lock-up houfes.

7th

A man who had been out.

in the country to watch a houfe, in returning homepato tempted to discharge his gun in the air, but it not going off, phẻ put it over his arm to examine the touch-hole, when it went off, and fhot another man who was paffing on the opposite fide of the way; on hearing the man cry out, the poor fellow ran to his mafters told him what had happened, and offered to furrender himself; but the mafter advised him to be fecret till the man recovered or died; fince which the poor man is dead in the hospital.

A large houfe adjoining to the gateway of the Saracen's-head inn, on Snow-hill, fuddenly fell to the ground, together with that part of the houfe of Meff. Hayes and Warwick, which went over the gateway. The houfe was only ocz

A gentleman paffing through Chancery-lane, obferved a man lying on the ground, who had just fallen out of a window, and near expiring. Upon enquiry at the

who exhibits the lecture on hearts at Exeter 'Change on the firft floor; and that of Mr. Jarvis, a cafe: maker, in the three pair of ftairs room forward. Mr. Dodd's famia ly happily efcaped unhurt; but Mrs. Jarvis and one of her chil dren perished in the ruins

The floods ares everywhere out; but the most melancholy effects of thefe inundations are al moft always felt in the fen coun