got under weigh to get clear of her, ran down to St. Helen's, and she drifted slowly to the eastward, her mizen-mast and top-masts having fallen down before she began to

drift. About five o'clock the wreck was drifted by the tide further on the spit, opposite South Sea Castle, when the magazine blew up with a very great explosion. This noble ship, which was only five years old, was completely manned and victualled; there were also a vast number of women and children on board, many of whom, it is apprehended, must have perished. The men jumped over-board, and were mostly taken up by boats belonging to the fleet, which had all been manned on the first alarm, and or. dered to render every assistance. The port-admiral, sir Peter Parker, at the same time, went on board the Royal William, and made the signal for all the fleet instantly to get under weigh. The wind was very unfavourable, but the orders were executed with so much judgment and alacrity, that all the other ships got out of her way, and very for. tunately, being in the day time, dropped down to St. Helen's without any of them receiving the small est damage. The ex losion was tremendous and grand: shot, and pieces of timber, were thrown to a very considerable distance all around her, and a column of smoke arose in the air that formed itself into the most sublime and pictu. resque appearance. It is melancholy to add, that as several boats were near the wreck at that moment, it is the general apprehension that some of them must have been sunk.

Richard Brothers, the pre4th. tended prophet, was this day removed from the house of the

king's messenger, and placed under the care of Dr. Simmons, physician to St. Luke's hospital, at Fisher, house, Islington.

This evening a melan. 15th. choly accident happened on the Humber, opposite to Stallingbo. rough, in Yorkshire. As Mr. Richard Mitchell and four others, all of this town, were proceeding down the river in a boat with sails up, a heavy squall came on suddenly and overset the boat. On this unfortunate occasion Mr. Mitchell and one of the men were drowned: the other three saved themselves by swimming to the shore. The body of Mr. Mitchell was taken up on Sunday..

19th.

This night, about eleven o'clock, major Dundas, accompanied by two other gentlemen, were stopped in a post-chaise near Slough by four footpads, who fired two shots into the carriage before they demanded the gentlemen's money, which having obtained, to a considerable amount, together with two watches, one of them struck major Dundas on the arm with a pistol, and then cut away three portmanteaus which were fastened on the fore part of the chaise, with which they got clear off. 20th. This night that noble

mansion-house, Cliffden, the property of the earl of Inchiquin, on the banks of the Thames, caught fire.

The flames were so rapid, that very few articles of value were saved, and only the wings, which were joined to the centre by a colo. nade, escaped. This house was begun, but left unfinished, by George Villiers, duke of Buckingham, in the reign of Charles II. and was the counterpart of that which he built in St. James's park,

now

now the residence of her majesty; and came, by marriage with Eliza. beth, eldest daughter of sir Edward Villiers, and sister to Ed. ward earl of Jersey, to the earl of Orkney, who greatly improved it; and whose eldest daughter married William Obrien, earl of Inchiquin, who now possesses it. Its lofty situation on the side of a hill, gave it every advantage of a beautiful and extensive prospect. It was the favourite summer resi. dence of his present majesty's father. The cause of this fire is va riously accounted for. It is gene. rally believed that one of the chambermaids turning down the bed in the evening, left a candle burning in the middle apartments, which set fire to the curtains; but this is mere surmise. The flames broke out at nine o'clock at night, and were so sudden and so rapid, that all assistance to save the furniture and the house was vain. Lord and lady Inchiquin were on a visit there at the time, and at tea, or rather after tea, in the summerhouse. So sudden and so violent was the fire, that nothing was saved, not even the plate and what is considered as an irreparable loss, the whole of the beauti. ful tapestry, representing the rious battles won by the famous duke of Marlborough, fell a victim on this occasion, so as not to leave a trace behind of that extensive specimen of art. We are sorry to add, that not so much of wearing apparel was saved as to furnish a change of any article to the family for the next day. The conflagration was seen many miles round. 23d. Yesterday Maria Theresa Phiroe was capitally indicted, at the Old Bailey, for putting in

fear, and violently and feloniously taking away from John Courtoy a promissory note, value 2000l.

This very extraordinary case appeared to be as follows: Mr. Courtoy being at Mrs. Phipoe's house in Hans Town, Brompton, the latter, with the assistance of her servant, Mary Browne (who was the prin cipal evidence against her) fastened Mr. Courtoy to the back of a chair, and extorted from him a note for 2000l. by threatening and attempting to cut his throat. After he had signed and given the note, she again attempted to kill him in the same manner, having first offered him his choice to die by arsenic, the pistol, or the knife; and he escaped with great difficulty, three or four of his fingers being cut in the struggle.

The indi&ment was founded on the statute of zd George II. which enacts, that if any person shall steal, or obtain by force or violence, any exchequer order, promissory note, &c. such an offence shall be deemed felony without benefit of clergy.

Mr. Courtoy was then called, and the note being produced, he was asked, whether it was the same he gave to the prisoner? to which he answered in the affirmative.

Mr. Fielding, as counsel for the prisoner, objected to the admissibility of the evidence of Mr. Courtoy. He contended, that he stood in the light of an interested witness, inasmuch as his evidence went to invalidate the note, which upon the face of it appeared to be the lega property of the prisoner.

After the counsel for the prose. cution were heard on the other side, the court were of opinion, that Mr. Courtoy ought not to be examined. C 3

Mary

James Lyons, who remained on commitment for having forged receipts in the three per cent. consol. to the amount of 1440l. with intent to defraud the governor and company of the bank of England, was brought up for judgment. Mr. justice Grose informed the prisoner, that it was the opinion of the judges, that the crime which he was guilty of was not that stated in the indictment. The judges were therefore agreed, that judgment should be given against the crown.

Mr. Lyons addressed the court by saying that an action was brought against him in the court of King's Bench, and a verdict of 5000l. given, which happened in conse. quence of his papers being detain ed; he therefore begged that the court would order them to be returned.

Mr. justice Grose informed him, that his appplication must be to the court of King's Bench.--Ordered back into custody.

This morning the new27th. erected horse - barracks at Rumford, in Essex, were burnt down to the ground, except a small division of the building uncom.

Ist.

JUNE.

A general court was held at the East India house, to determine by ballot the following ques, tion, carried at the last court, viz.

"That this court do recommend, that the court of directors should apply to Warren Hastings, esq. for a statement of the legal expences incurred by him in making his de fence; and that after having as, certained the same, by a full and satisfactory investigation, they do discharge the amount thereof, not exceeding the sum of 71,000l.

The ballot commenced at eleven o'clock, and continued till six in the afternoon, when the glasses were closed, and delivered to the scrutin ers; and about a quarter past eight, the deputy chairman, attended by some other directors, entered the court-room, and de clared the numbers to be as fol lows:

For the question 544
Against it

244

court, that in consideration of the long, faithful, and important services of Warren Hastings, esq. and to mark the grateful sense enter tained by this company of the extensive benefits which they have received from those services, a grant of an annuity of 5000l. from the 1st of January 1795, to issue from the territorial revenues, during the term of the company's present exclusive trade, to Warren Hastings, esq. his executors, administrators, and assigns, be prepared by the court of directors, and submitted to the board of commissioners for the affairs of India, for their approval and confirmation, pursuant to the act of parliament."

On casting up the votes the numbers were,

For the question 508 Against it

220

Majority 288

Bath. Yesterday a dread10th. ful act of desperation was committed in this city by John White, a young man about nine. teen, who got up in the morning, procured a brace of pistols, which he loaded, and with coolness and deliberation walked into the school. room of Maria Bally, in Corn-street, an amiable young woman, to whom he was affectionately attached, and after a short conversation, present. ed one of the pistols to her head, and shot her instantly dead. The noise of the pistol, and the smoke, greatly terrified the children in the school, and their cries alarming the neighbours, he was taken into custody coming out at the door.

The

mayor shortly after summoned his jury, and a verdict of wilful mur der was brought in against him.

When before the magistrate he behaved with much decency; and on being asked the cause of his committing so horrid a deed, said it was for contemned love; and whether he was not terrified at the idea of the punishment that awaited him both here and hereafter? He replied, that David hav ing caused the death of Uriah to obtain Bathsheba, and been forgiven, he also hoped forgiveness. When the mistress of the house where he lodged came in, and in bitter tears lamented his fate, and that she should never see him more, his agony was very piercing, and deeply affected all present. He is committed to Ilchester gaol for trial.

Brighton. The Oxfordshire

14th. regiment marched on Friday

night last, at eleven o'clock, from Seaford, in order to attend the exe. cution of the two men who were condemned by a general court mar. tial for riotous and disorderly con duct. The hour of four was the time appointed to assemble. On the march the regiment halted; and twelve men who had taken a part in the riot were called out;when the commanding officer ordered them to fix their flints, and prepare to execute the sentence. This was done to demonstrate to the men that state of obedience in which the officers were determined to hold them; and by this measure they felt more pointedly the folly of their former conduft, when those persons, whom they had before made their leaders, were now tọ suffer death at their hands.

The regiment was then conduct. ed to a spacious valley, and divided into two wings, which were sta tioned on each side of the place