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144] ANNUAL REGISTER
sent of the proprietary, added eight other names for the purpose of drawing up the petition.
A sessions of Admiralty was held at the Old Bailey, when Thomas Obrian and Jacob Mosman were indicted for turning pirates, and on the 4th of October, 1770, on the coast of Africa running away with a long boat and tackle belonging to the Patty merchant ship, of which Robert Parkington was master: but the master being since dead, and no evidence appearing against them, they were both acquitted.
At the same sessions one Johannes, a Portuguese, was indicted for piratically running away with a certain schooner belonging to the Venus merchant ship on the same coast of Africa, and for the murder of Colen Watson, the master thereof, by striking him several blows with an ax between the nape of his neck and his head, and afterwards throwing him over-board; bnt on his petition his trial was put off.
They write from Toulouse, that a quarrel lately happened there between the sons of two rich merchants, which rose to such a height, that one of them challenged the other several times, which was as often refused: this provoked the challenger to such a degree, that, in the fury of resentment, he ran the other through the body, and killed him on the spot. The assassin was immediately taken up, tried, condemned, and executed, in 24 hours.
The Dispatch sloop of war, which was sent home express by the admiral at Antigua, with an account of the hurricane at the Leeward islands, foundered at sea; the crew were taken up by the Panther man of war from Newfoundland, and landed last Wednesday at Portsmouth, as were the letters brought by the Dispatch.
A stone coffin of a vast size was lately dug up in a barn belonging to William Hickmott, at Beckenfield, in Kent, in which were several coins, impressed with the antient British characters.
Dublin Castle, Nov. 30th. The Earl of Harcourt, who embarked at Holyhead on Saturday night last, arrived safe at Dublin very early this morning, and immediately proceeded to the castle; and the council having been summoned to meet at two o'clock, his Lordship was introduced in form to Lord Townshend, who received him sitting under the canopy of state, in the presence chamber; from whence a procession was made to the council chamber, where his lordship's commission was read, and the oaths administered to him; after which, his lordship having received the sword from Lord Townshend, the great guns in his majesty's park and the Phoenix were fired, and answered by the regiments on duty, which were drawn up in the Royal Square at the barracks: his excellency then repaired to the presence chamber, where he received the compliments of the nobility and other persons of distinction, upon his safe arrival to take upon him the government of the kingdom.

It is worthy of observation, that during the two last years of the last war, viz. 1759, 1760, the number of criminals condemned at the Old Bailey amounted to 29 only, and the days of the judges attendance to 46; but that during the two last years of peace, viz. 1770, 1771, the number of criminals condemned have amounted to 151, and the days of the judges attendance to 99. 

Letters from Paris mention, that the French East India ships, fitted out on account of private trade, will not defray the expences of their voyage, not even those to whom the king lent ships; so that an end is nearly put to the French East India trade, unless they can devise some new scheme to revive it. 

Berlin, Nov.6. The king, willing to encourage and extend the commerce of his subjects, granted a patent the 14th of October for the establishment of an association, or a company of maritime commerce which will be composed of 2,400 actions, each valued at 500 crowns, which will make a fund of 120,000 crowns; and to encourage his subjects and foreigners to interest themselves in and take these actions, his majesty has taken seven eighths of them (2100 actions) for his own account, which makes a capital of 1,050,000 crowns. 

Vienna, October 21. They write from Tyrol, that the inundation they have had there was occasioned by an earthquake, which threw down the ice mountains that are in that country. The Iser and Inn, the two rivers that water it, have overflowed their banks, and several towns are almost entirely covered. The violence of this immense volume of water has undermined, at a quarter of a league from Inspruck, a mountain situated between the river and the high road.

The vintage has this year been so abundant in France, that the great quantities of grapes have been left on the vines for want of casks to hold the wine.
VOL. XV. 
The following capital convicts were respited during his majesty's pleasure, viz. William Godstone, Isaac Holmes, William Herbert, William Rogers, John Copes, and William Hughes.
Evan Maurice received a free pardon. 

4th. This day his majesty went to the house of peers, and gave the royal assent to the following bills, which passed the House of Lords yesterday, viz.

 The bill for allowing the free importation of wheat, Indian corn, &c. for a limited time.

The bill for allowing the free importation of wheat, barley, &c. from Africa, or any part of Europe, for a limited time. 

Yesterday was held a general court of the East India company to consider of a dividend for the half year ending at Christmas; but the farther consideration of that article was referred to a future day, as was that of the petition moved for by Governor Johnson, which though ordered to be drawn up, was upon a ballot rejected 137 to 107.

A letter from Mecklenburg says, that a remedy has been discovered there for the distemper incident to the horned cattle. It is no more than feeding the diseased beast with crab apples. The same fruit put into the water given to cattle to drink has been found to prevent distemper. 

8th. Mr. Alderman Harley delivered a paper from the secret committee, containing a sort of narrative of the steps the company had taken for establishing a superintending commission at the three presidencies of Bengal, Fort Saint George, and Bombay; which being read, the alderman moved for leave to 
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