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70] ANNUAL REGISTER

Blackstone, Mr. Baron Perrot, Mr. Justice Gould, and Mr. Baron Adams, who made very long arguments upon the case, and unanimously declared, that the judgment of the court of King's-Bench was erroneous, and ought to be reserved.  The court adjourned, and Mr. Baron Smyth, the Lord Chief Baron Parker, and the Lord Chief Justice De Grey, still remain to give their opinions on this important case, which one of the judges declared, if decided as the King's-Bench had taken upon them to do, would shake half the settled property in the kingdom.

Extract of a Letter from Barbadoes, Dec. 4, 1771.
" John Simmons, master of the ship Edgar, arrived here two days ago, left the coast two months since, says, that the snow Nancy James Colly, master, belonging to Messr. Thomas and Clayton Case of Liverpool, was cut off in Casuca River and every soul skilled; likewise a large ship, belonging to London, was blown up with 500 slaves on board.  The occasion of this melancholy accident was as follows: on the ship's leaving the coast the struck on Bonny-Bar, and the natives of the place surrounded her immediately ; the captain ordered all hands to jump over board, which all did, except the doctor who refused : the captain, rather than become a prey to those savages, went into the powder-room, and set fire to the powder, and every soul perished in the dreadful explosion."

Just as the levee at St. James's was going to begin, an express arrived from Copenhagen, with an account of an extraordinary revolution, which had taken place there. It appears that the reigning queen was taken out of her apartments before day, on the morning of the 16th instant, and has been sent prisoner to the castle of Cronenburgh.  The favourites Struensee and Brandt, together with a number of the great officers of state, have also been taken up, and all power seems at present, under the name of the king, to be lodged in the hands of the queen dowager, Julia Maria, and her son Prince Frederic.

The Dutch are in the utmost distress for want of 31 ft. bread corn, no wheat having lately come to market from any of the following corn countries, viz. Poland, Warder, Hamburgh, Elbing, Koningsberg, Pomerania, Stettin, Magdeberg, Manfe, Friezland, Mufcovy, Groningen, Oldampt, Brabant, Great-Britain, Zealand ; and what little comes from Foreland, of the red fort , sells from 17l. 10 s. to 18l. 15s. the last, and wheat of the white sort from 17l. 10s. to 19l. 15s. per last.  Neither has any rye come either from Pomerania, Colberg, Stettin, Brabant, Flanders, nor Great-Britain; and what little quantity has been brought from Prussia, sold from 26l. 10s. to 28l. the last; and what rye came from Koningsberg, was sold from 25 l. 10 s. to 27l. 10s.  Barley from Zealand, sold from 13l. to 13l. 15s.  Ditto from Groningen and Oldampt, from 12l. 5s. to 12l. 10s.  Oats for brewing, from 7l. 5. to 9l.  Ditto for horses, from 6l. to 7l. 5s. per last.

Vienna, Jan 1.  The weather, which is extraordinary mild for the season for the year, but very damp, occasions many people to be afflicted 


For the YEAR 1772   [71


afflicted with putrid fevers, and other disorders.  The hospitals are filled with sick in these afflicting circumstances.  The emperor does his utmost to relieve the unhappy objects, and goes himself incognito into the hospitals to see if the sick are well taken care of.

Letters from Berlin inform that the King of Prussia had farmed the revenue of tobacco, imported into his dominions, to a Frenchman, for five tons of gold, or 50,000l. sterling.

They write from Vienna, that the court has appointed a commission to examine the course of the rivers in Austria and Bohemia, in order to take the necessary steps to make those navigable that communicate with the Danube and the Elbe.  This is done with a view to establish magazines of corn in the most commodious places for the supply of the hereditary countries.  Their Imperial Majesties have allotted two millions for the purchase of corn for this purpose.

And also, that the government has issued an order to disarm all the peasants, which is likewise to extend to all hereditary dominions of the empress queen.  They have already begun to put this order in execution in the neighbourhood of this city, where people go by night to the peasants, and take away their arms, which they deliver to the lord of the place.  The reason of this is, that the peasants have abused the liberty of having arms in their houses, by killing the game unlawfully.

Capt. Clarke, of the Prudent man of war, received the honour of knighthood at St. James's, by the name of Sir John Clarke.  He is to fail as commodore of a squadron to the East-Indies, to observe the motions of the French in that quarter, and to protect trade.

Died lately, at Rumsey in Hants, aged 107, Mr. Cordelon, a refugee from France in Queen Anne's time.

At Richmond, aged 102, Mr. Sumners, formerly gardener to Queen Anne.

In the Broadway, Westminster, aged 106, Mrs. Susannah Vandewall.

At the Firstmongers alms-houses, at Newington-Butts, Mrs. Jane Simmonds, aged 110.

At Mitcham, aged 100, Mrs. De Gray, a maiden lady.

Near Ovingham, Mrs. Coulter, aged 103.

At Ophurst, near Litchfield, the widow Clum, aged 138, who had lived in one house 103 years.  She has left two daughters and a son, all upwards of 100 years old.

James Geras, in the canton of Bern, aged 109.  He had round his bed, at the time of his death, 70 children, grand-children, and great-grand-children.

In Emanuel-hospital, near Tothil-fields, aged 108, Mrs. Wyndymore ; she was second cousin to Queen Anne, and had been upwards of 50 years in that hospital.

John Roberts, soldier, at Chelsea, aged 111.

William Giles, in the South of France, aged 102.  He was formerly a brewer at Reading.

Andrew Cappoch, aged 105, at St. Catharines.  He was a French refugee.

Patric Edmonston, Esq; of Melrose.  He was a lieutenant-colonel in the Darien expedition in 1698.

Maria Watson, aged 104, at Poplar.  Her sister now living is 102.

Mrs. Edwards, aged 111, at Kendal.

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Transcription Notes:
Is it "snow Nancy James Colly" or "fnow" or "now"? Is it "Casuca River" or "Cafua River"? Is it "Struenfee" or "Struensee" Is it "Manfe" or "Manse" Please note the difference between the form of f and s in this typeface. The long S lacks the crossbar. The modern s shape is used at the end of a word.