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100] ANNUAL REGISTER At this office a complaint of the journeymen cabinet-makers came on to be heard; by which it appears, that as many goods as would have employed 400 journeymen many months to manufacture from rough materials, had been imported from France duty-free, under the privilege of foreign ambassadors; and praying the direction of the justices how to proceed, in order to prevent so great an encroachment upon their trade. They were advised to lay their case before Lord Rochford; and, if no redress could be obtained from that quarter, to apply to parliament; but by no means to offer any insult to the persons concerned in the importance. [[left margin]] 15th. [[/left margin]] This day Jonathan Britain who had so long amused the world with a pretended discovery of the persons concerned in the fire at Portsmouth, was executed at St. Michael's-Hill gallows, near Bristol, for forgery. He behaved with seeming penitence, and declared, the night before his execution, that he knew nothing of the fire, and that all he had said and written about it, had not the least foundation in truth. Thursday night Mr. Needham, one of his majesty's messengers, arrived at the White-Lion, Bristol, with a respite for John Osborne, who was to have been executed with Jonathan Britain. The criminal, on being told of it, though in the most gentle manner, was so violently agitated with hysterics, that three men could not hold him. The letters from Holland bring us the following melancholy account. On Monday evening last, the 11th inst. at the Flemish opera, at the theatre in Amsterdam, a small rope belonging to some of the machinery took fire owing to a candle having been by accident placed immediately under it, which communicated itself to the scenes with such rapidity, that in a very few minutes the whole house was in flames. The smoke and confusion was so great, that thirty-one persons perished on that melancholy occasion, among whom were several ladies and gentlemen of distinction. In short, when the mail came away, so great was the confusion owing to the above dreadful calamity, that scarce half the business was conducted by the merchants in person. Eight or nine houses were likewise burnt down by the said fire. [[right margin]] 18th. [[/right margin]] This afternoon his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester arrived from Italy, in perfect health, and immediately waited on their majesties at Kew. By the report of the committee appointed by the Court of Common-Council, to consider of the most effectual method of taking and bringing the largest possible quantity of mackarel and herrings to London, as a seasonable relief to the poor in this time of scarcity of butcher's meat, and as the most probable means of reducing the high prices thereof, it appears that not less than 3,789,192 mackarel were brought last season by land and water to Billingsgate, equal in weight to 3608 oxen, which, at 14 l. each, upon an average, amounts to 50,512 l. This is not given as an exact computation, it being impossible to ascertain the precise number of herrings; but as a calculation founded upon the best information that could be obtained. The premiums last year, out of the chamber For the YEAR 1772. 101] chamber of London, for encouragement of the mackarel fishery, amount to 540 l. 17 s. 6 d. besides which, the committee have obtained permission to draw for 200l. more, to make good deficiencies. [[left margin]] 21st. [[/left margin]] His majesty went in state to the House of Peers, and gave the royal assent to the following bills, viz. The bill for raising a certain sum by loans on exchequer bills, for the service of the present year. The bill for allowing the importation of wheat, wheat-flour, rye and rye-meal, into this kingdom, for a limited time. The bill for allowing the free importation of rice into this kingdom, from any of his majesty's colonies in America. The bill for vesting Ely-house in the hands of his majesty. The bill to regulate the making, keeping, and carriage of gunpowder. The bill for further augmenting the salaries of the justices of Chester, and the great sessions for the counties of Wales. The bill for settling and determing what parts of the precinct of the Savoy, in the county of Middlesex, shall be under the survey of the Court of Exchequer. The bill to indemnify persons who have omitted to qualify themselves for offices or employments within the limited time by law, and for allowing a further time. The bill to continue an act to prevent the spreading of the contagious distemper among the horned cattle. The bill for building a bridge over the Thames at Maidenhead to the opposite shore. The bill to explain and amend an act for building a workhouse in St. Martin's in the Fields. And also to several road, inclosure, and private bills. [[right margin]] 22d. [[/right margin]] The ceremony of the Coronation of Gustavus III. of Sweden, was this day performed at Stockholm with extraordinary magnificence. Capt. Macbride failed with two frigates for Denmark, to bring away the unfortunate queen. She is to have an appointment of 5000 l. a year from Denmark, and another from England of 8000 l. to enable her to keep a court at Zell, in the dominion of Hanover. She has, however, intimated a desire to return to England, which it is hoped will be granted. [[right margin]] 23d. [[/right margin]] About noon Lord William Manners, brother to his Grace the Duke of Rutland, was flung from his horse in Vigo-lane, the corner of Old Burlington-street, Piccadilly, when his head pitched against a post, and the heels of the beast struck against the pit of his stomach; notwithstanding which, he got up and walked into the house, but expired in a quarter of an hour. [[right margin]] 26th. [[/right margin]] Office of Ordnance. The king has been pleased to direct, that for the future the captain-lieutenants in the royal regiment of artillery and corps of engineers shall have rank, as well in the army as in their respective corps, as captains; that the present captain-lieutenants shall take the said rank from this day, and all future captain-lieutenants from the date of their respective commissions. H.S. CONWAY The colonels made in 1762, have also been promoted to the rank of major-generals; the lieutenant-colonels [[note]] H 3 [[/note]]
