skine and Sir James Baird arrived at London from New York, and waited on the King.

To thofe formerly mentioned [389.], we have to add, addreffes in the Gazettes, of Aug. 3. one, from the fhire of Argyle, dated July 23.-of Aug. 14. two, from the county of Devon, dated Aug. 6. and from the Roman-Catholic inhabitants of Kilkenny, in Ireland, figned with 101 names; of Aug. 24. one, from the county of Cornwall, figned by T. Vyvyan jun. the high fheriff, Lord Edgecumbe the lord lieutenant, the deputy-lieutenants, &c. in all 95 names; -and of Aug. 28. one, from the borough of Scarborough, dated Aug. 14.

That the committee do pay the following bounties and rewards, viz. for difcovering, lurking in the county, any able-bodied feaman, fo as he be taken, approved, and fent on board the navy, three guineas, and for every ordinary feaman in fuch circumftances two gui neas; twenty fhillings additional for every man who fhall be impreffed within the county, by a proper officer, under the authority of an act [105.] passed last feffion, [the imprefs act], and fhall be received into the land or marine service; ten guineas to every able-bodied volunteer who fhall inlift in any of the three volunteer companies to be raised, and added to the militia of the county; five guineas to each of the firft 200 able-bodied volunters, who fhall inlift within this county, to ferve in any of the old corps, and three guineas to each of the first 200 fuch volunteers who fall inlift in any of the divifions of marines, not having their full complement, fuch inliftment to be on or before the ift of October next; and, That the committee fhall relieve the families of fuch perfons as aforefaid who fhall be fo inlifted or impreffed on or, before the faid ift of October, and who shall happen to be killed or difabled in the fervice before the 31ft of December 1780, application for fuch relief to be made on or before the 24th of June 1781.

Subfcriptions were opened in various places for fupporting government, and the following fums were fubfcribed: at Maidstone affizes, July 28. to be tranf. mitted to the marine fociety, 1980l. to which was afterwards added between 2 and 3000l. more from the gentlemen of the county of Kent only; at a meeting of the county of Nottingham, July 28. a confiderable fum, whereof 1000 guineas by the Duke of Newcastle; at Stafford, Aug. 6. 3888 1.; to promote the recruiting the naval and military force of this kingdom, and to provide for the fecurity of the county of Middlefex, and the city and liberty of Westminster, upwards of 20,000l. of which the Duke of Northumberland subscribed 2000 guineas At a fubfequent meeting, held in South[391.], John Ord, Efq; 1000 l. the wark, Aug. 18. Sir Fletcher Norton in clerks and artificers of the board of works the chair at both meetings, Sir Jofeph 11601. Peter Burrell, Efq; 1000 l. Rt Mawbey objected to all the refolutions Hon. R. Rigby 500l. Henry Hoare, Efq; of the preceding meeting, as arbitrary and Co. 500l.; and at Exeter, upon the and inexpedient; and made the following appearance of the combined fleets of motion: "That it is the opinion of this France and Spain upon our coafts, 7000l. meeting, that the best and most effectual At a general meeting of gentlemen of method of protecting the commerce, and the county of Surrey, fubfcribers for mo- fecuring the coafts of G. Britain from ney agreed to be paid for the purpose of infult and invafion, will be by increafing raining men for the fea-fervice, or fuch our navy; and therefore that the money other purposes as the exigency of the raifed and to be raised by this fubfcripftate may require, held at Guildford tion, be applied in furnishing men, fhips, Aug. 7. it was found, that the fum then or naval ftores." This motion being fefubfcribed amounted to 7095 1. 10 s.; conded by William Northy, Efq; a geand it was refolved, inter alia, That three neral debate took place, Lord Onflow volunteer companies, of 80 private men and Sir Fletcher Norton oppofing the each, be raised, under the powers of an proposition strongly. At length a diviact paffed last feffion, fer augmenting the fion took place; and there were for the militia [340.], to be added to the mili- motion 13, againft it 43.- Sir Jofeph tia of the county; That provifion be Mawbey then declared, that having fubmade for the families of thofe perfons, cribed originally on the express declaranatives of or having legal fettlements in tion of the fubfcription's being altogether the county, who may happen to be kill- confined to naval objects, he could not ed or difabled in the King's fervice; now permit his money to be given to

the

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bank of England [277.], was executed joined Sir Charles Hardy on Tuesday. at Tyburn on the 28th of July. He had noon. To her the combined fleet apdifcovered a method of counterfeiting peared to confift of from 50 to 60 fail of the water-mark of the bank-paper, which the line, and Sir Charles Hardy had onwas before thought the principal fecuri- ly 37 fail of the line. On Sunday, the ty against frauds. This difcovery he 15th, at noon, the combined fleet were made an offer to reveal, and of teaching feen off Falmouth, and were judged to the world the method of detecting the amount to 100 fail. They appeared off fraud, on condition of pardon; which, Plymouth on Monday. The Ardent, however, had no weight with the bank. of 64 guns, Capt. Boteler, going from By an order of council of July 28. the Portfmouth to join Sir Charles Hardy, bounties to feamen or landmen who en- took them for his fleet, and went fo clofe ter voluntarily to ferve in the navy, and before fhe discovered the mistake, that the rewards for discovering feamen who fhe was taken by them. The Marlhofecrete themselves, are continued from rough and Ifis, in their way to join Sir the 31st of July [217.], to the 30th of Charles, were chafed by them, but efcaSeptember. And by an order of coun- ped. After parading in and out for three cil of Aug. 20. the prohibition to export, days, they difappeared on the 19th; and of carry coaftwife, gunpowder, faltpetre, were feen five leagues off the Lizard on or any fort of arms or ammunition, is the 22d at noon, fteering fouth. Ducontinued three months from the 23d of ring the ftay of fo formidable an arma. 1 Auguft. [274.] ment fo near, the people on the coaft were in the utmost confusion, many removing their perfons and most valuable effects; but at the same time the most vigorous exertions were made to give them a warm reception if they had attempted to land. In a few days, how ever, the British fleet made their appearance, to the great joy of the people on the coaft.-P. S. We infert extracts of letters, viz.

Advice was received at London, Aug. 9. of the safe arrival of the Jamaica fleet, confifting of 125 fail, in the channel; and that the fhips bound for Bristol, Liverpool, and other places, parted with the fleet, under a proper convoy, for their respective ports.

"P. S. Chatham, Sept. 1. The Montague, of 74 guns, which was launched from this dock-yard laft Saturday, was masted on Sunday, taken into dock on Monday; yesterday morning at feven o'clock, feven companies of fhipwrights, confifting of eighty-two men, viz. fortyone on the larboard, and the fame number on the ftarboard fide, completed her fheathing at eight o'clock this morning, which is reckoned a very extraordinary inftance of dispatch; and fhe was fet out of dock this afternoon."

Our grand fleet, which came into Torbay in the end of July [394], failed foon after for the Bay of Bifcay. After their departure, the combined fleets of France and Spain made their appearance on the English coaft. They were firft difcovered by the Southampton frigate, which was chafed by them into the channel, on Saturday, August 14. She wished to pass them, in order to give intelligence to Sir Charles Hardy, who was then cruifing twenty leagues weft of Scilly. On Sunday morning the combined fleet fpread the channel acrofs, fo that the Southampton could not pafs them. They chafed her again up as high as Plymouth. But on Monday the fole along fhore to the weftward, and

"Royal George, Adm. Lockhart-Refs, Cau fan bay, off Plymouth, Sept. 1. Laft week we received information of the French fleet being off Plymouth, and on Sunday lafl there were twenty-three fail feen, upon which all hands were piped to quarters. On Tuesday, the 31ft ult. at five o'clock in the afternoon, we difcovered the combined fleet; they were to windward of us, and, as near as we could reckon from the maft-head, they confifted of fifty-two fail, forty-four of which were of the line: They crowd. ed all the fail they could, gave us chace for two days; and took within fight of us a pleasure-cutter; but, after detaining her fome time, let her go. Our fleet confifts of thirty-feven fail of the line, eight frigates, five firefhips, two! fhips of 50 guns, and a few cutters, which the combined fleet drove before them as far as the Edyftone, off Ply. mouth, where this morning we caft an chor.”

"Southampton, Sept. 7. I dined on board the Victory yefterday, where I had the following intelligence.-On Sunday the 29th, Sir Charles law a fleet,

and

and confequently formed his line; but for feeing a fleet, which we fuppofed was it proved only to be a fleet of victuallers. the enemy's. Our hips were immeOn Thursday, about two p. m. orders diately cleared for action; the fignal was were received from government, not to made for forming the line of battle, and fight, but to make for Portsmouth. A kept flying all night, expecting to have bout fix the fame afternoon, the French come to action in the morning, and all fleet were, for the first time, defcried, a- hands determined to give our enemies a bout five leagues diftant of Scilly. They good drubbing: but the day proving immediately formed their line, fuppofing thick, and hazy weather, we faw nothing Sir Charles was bearing down to attack of the fleet, but heard distinctly several them; but foon perceiving our inten- guns, which we took to be those of our tions of making for port, they gave chace, enemy's fleet. In the evening we thought and pursued as far as the Lizard. Fogs no more of it: the hammocks were piped coming on, they loft fight of us; but left down, as ufual, and we had a comfortafome frigates to obferve our motions, ble night's fleep. But, at day-light again and our course, which they did for two on Tuesday morning, we faw a large days. Sir Charles had with him then fleet to the weftward of us, which we knew only thirty-feven of the line; they cer- to be the French fleet; then, probably, tainly fixty-five of the line, thirty fri- we would have waited for an action, had gates, and eighteen firefhips." not the Admiral, the day before, recei ved intelligence of their force by a cutter, which fome days before they had chafed into Scilly; therefore, without waiting for them, we made fail, and stood up the channel, with the wind at weft, our frigates taking the dull-going firefhips in tow. They followed us, and fome of their frigates came very near our fleet, but were several times obliged to ftand to their own fleet again, by reafon of the Romney's putting about to them. In the evening we were within the Lizard, after which we saw no more of them. On the following forenoon, we came to an anchor off Plymouth, and were joined by the Princefs Amelia, St Alban's, Buffalo, and Stag frigate; and, in the afternoon, we proceeded for this place, where we now are.-Upon the whole, I am clearly of opinion, our Admiral, in all his manœuvres, has acted with great judgement and prudence; yet I think nothing but the hazy weather faved us, which was the work of Heaven, and I hope for our good. The enemy's fleet confifts of fixty-fix fail of the line."

"Spithead, Sept. 3. Having juft now arrived here from our cruife, I do myfelf the honour of writing you; happily for England having escaped an action with the combined fleets of France and Spain, which, we now know, confift of upwards of fixty fail of the line, twenty firefhips, befides frigates, &c. &c. in proportion. Ours confifted only of thirty-feven fail of the line, two fifty-gun fhips, feven or eight frigates, fix firefhips, and a few floops and cutters; therefore the odds was too great to venture an action, the event of which muft have determined the fate of Britain.-In the first part of our cruife, we went off Ushant and Brest, but did not see any thing of the enemy's fleet. Since we left Torbay laft, we have been cruifing off the Lizard, and to the weftward of Scilly. In this laft place we first heard of the fleets of France and Spain's crui. fing on the coaft of England, and threatening an invasion; here also we heard of their having taken the Ardent off Plymouth, after a running fight for fome hours with four Spanish frigates. Immediately on hearing this intelligence, by the Marlborough, we ftood for the English coaft: but the wind being easterly for two weeks, we gained but little ground; o therwife we undoubtedly fhould have had an action, as we did not then with to avoid it, imagining they had but fortyeight fail of the line, which, though eleven in number more than ours, we did not think fuperior with respect to force. On the 29th of Auguft, in the afternoon, we made Scilly; and, a little after, one of the fleet to windward made the fignal

Sir Charles Hardy's thirty-feven fhips of the line confifted of three of 100 guns, feven of 90, one of 80, twenty-two of 74, and four of 64; and they were manned with 23,950 men.

SCOTLAND. [398.]

To what was in our laft [397.], we have to add, that the following coun ties, &c. offered bounties to volunteers for manning the navy, viz. Lanerk, and Dumbarton, ten guineas; Rofs and Cromarty, and Inverness, fix guineas; Cupar diftrict, in Fife, five guineas; Caith3 L2

nefs