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136] ANNUAL REGISTER For the YEAR 1772. [137

and so on successively till all the five communicated by means of the water in the bowls. In the last bowl, one end of the second brass wire was immersed, and with the other Mr. Walsh touched the back of the torpedo, when all the five persons whose fingers were in the water, felt a shock at the fame instant, which differed in nothing from the Leyden experiment, except in the degree of violence. Mr. Walsh, who flood himself distinct from the circle of conduction, felt no commotion. This experiment was several times repeated, and every time with the fame success. The action of the torpedo is communicated by the fame medium, as that of the electrical fluid; whatever intercepts the action of the one, will intercept the action of the other. The effects produced by the torpedo, resemble in every respect a faint electricity."
6th. Being the first day of Michaelmas Term, the lordchencellor proceeded in form to Westminster-hall, where the new chief baron of the Exchequer, Sir Sidney Stafford Smythe, took the oaths to qualify himself for that office; after which, Sir James Eyre, the newly-appointed baron, and George Hill, Efq; were introduced at the bar of the Court of Chancery, and were admitted serjeants at law in the usual manner.
The Right Hon. Sir Jeffery Amherst, Knight of the Bath, was sworn of his majesty's privy-council.
7th. The great cause between Lord Pomfret and Mr. Smith, relative to the lead-mine on Belbyhill, in Yorkshire, was, upon a new trial, determined in favour of Mr. Smith. The right of this lead-mine was first tried at the assizes at York, afterwards carried into Chancery, from thence to the House of Peers, and from that house referred to the Court of King's-Bench doe a new trial. Lord Mansfield, in stating the evidence, informed the jury, that notwithstanding all the proceedings that had been had in this contest, the plain simple fact which they had to determine was, whether the moor or pasture in question, was part of the freehold purchased by Mr. Smith in 1738, or part of the common or wfte; if the former, they must find for Mr. Smith; if the latter, for Lord Pomfret. They declared for Mr. Smith.
10th. A fire broke out at a linen-draper's, the corner of Round-court, in Chandos-street, and burnt so furiously, that the whole row of houses from Round-court to Castle-court, were all in flames in less than an hour's time. No water could be immediately procured, and when it was laid on, Round-court was so surrounded with fire, that the engines durst not enter to extinguish it.
Extract of a Letter from Chester, Nov. 6.
"Yesterday being the anniversary commemoration of the gunpowder-plot, a great number of people of both sexes, men, women, and children, went in the evening to fee George Williams's puppetshow, exhibited at a place called Eaton's dancing-room, in Watergate-street: it unfortunately happened, that a neighbouring grocer had, within a few days before, lodged a quantity of gun-powder in a cellar under show-room, which proved the cause of the most dreadful
catastrophe ever known in these parts: for between eight and nine o'clock the powder took fire, (how, or by what accident, is not yet ascertained) and blew up the floor, a room over it, and the roof; shattered the walls, which were of stone, and amazingly thick, and communicating with the scenes, cloaths, &c. instantly set the whole room in a blaze. Thus in a moment were the major part of the company buried under massy ruins, surrounded with flames, without any possibility of extricating themselves; so that (besides those who were burnt to death, or killed upon the spot by the fall of heavy stones and timber) scarce one escaped, without being either so miserably scorched or crushed, that few can survive. The explosion was very great, and attended with a convulsion which was felt in the extremities of the city and suburbs. This alarming circumstance incited many people with a curiosity of enquiring into the cause; which, when known, it is impossible to express the dread which every one was possessed with for the safety of their family and friends. But when the dead and wounded were seen borne upon men's shoulders along the streets, the scene became affectingly deplorable. Some fainting away, others crying in the bitterest anguish, distracted with the loss of husbands, wives, children, and relations; in short, the general horror and confusion on this melancholy occasion, is much easier to be imagined than described.
"The number of dead are computed at forty; that of the maimed, scorched, and wounded, forty-two, in the general infirmary. Among the former, are Williams the showman, his wife, and a child about four years old. The number of the wounded are, by later accounts, increased to sixty-six.
"Much damage is likewise done to the adjacent buildings; several houses being overthrown, and windows shattered to pieces at an incredible distance by the explosion."
11th. The report was made to his majesty of the convicts under sentence of death, when Benjamin Murphy, Thomas Murphy, Charles Earle, William Wiggins, John Savage, James Kennedy, James Devett, and Henry Duffield, were ordered for execution.
Extract of a Letter from Paris, Oct. 26. 
"Not long ago there was a considerable tale of furniture and other effects, at a gentlemen's feat near Fontainbleau, which drew together a great number of brokers and others, many of whom were permitted to eat in the house; on which occasion they made use of the kitchen utensils; but some of these being badly tinned, 27 persons, who eat of things cooked in them, were taken ill, ten of whom have died, and several others are not yet out of danger."
Extract of a Letter from Norwich.
"On the 5th of this month, being a public holiday, as some people were letting off fireworks in and about the market-place, a serpent accidentally fell into a cellar of one of the outhouses belonging to an oilman, which unluckily got among some shavings that lay near a barrel of oil, and presently catching fire, set the whole cellar in flames, which communicating to the
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