to follow and disconcert any intentions they might have formed against the Leeward Illands.

The combined fleets went to Guadaloupe, where they remained fome few days, and of the 9th inftant were left by one of my cru zers (the Alert) off Santa Cruiz, steering weft. Captain Vashon, who commands her, acquainted me, that he counted 26 fix fail of the line at least; that they were divided into four fquadrons, at a very confiderable distance from each other.

I immediately difpatched the Alert to Jamaica to give Sir Peter Parker notice of the enemy's failing, having before fent the Tobago and Scarborough with intelligence to that ifland.

Mr. Walfingham and the troops from England having joined me on the 12th, every dilpatch poffible was made for the fleet and tranfports to put to fea the moment they were watered, which took up fome time; and was in fome measure de layed by the Princefs Royal's main-maft being found unferviceable, and obliged to have a new one.

On the 17th I put to fea with the fleet, leaving Commodore Hotham with the Vengeance, Fame, Boyne, Ajax, Vigilant, and Pretton, with frigates, for the protection of St. Lucia, and the windward islands of Barbadoes and Tobago.

With the remainder I proceeded with the whole convoy to St. Chriftopher's, where I had ordered from Antigua a vessel loaded with rum to meet me, for the ufe of the fleet; there not being a fufficient quantity at St. Lucia to fupply them.

I fhall hold myself in momentary readinefs to affilt any of his Majesty's Colonies on which the enemy may attempt to make an impreffion, or act with them in such a manner as hall appear to me molt beneficial to his Majesty's service.

I am fully convinced, by what I have already experienced, that I hall have every affiftance in their Lordships power to grant, and beg you will affure them, that his Majefty's fquadron in these feas fhall not remain inactive.

[This Gazette alfo contains a copy of a letter from Admiral Rodney to Mr. Stephens, of the above date, acquainting him, that, at the most positive and preffing requifitions of the parties concerned, he had prefumed to trouble their Lordships with inclofed papers, from the Affembly of St. Christopher's, Baffe-Terre, and from the Houfe of Affembly and Council of the Ifland of Nevis ; which papers are

My Lords and Gentlemen,

I AM happy at length to congratulate you on the conclufion of this feffion of Parliament, though the important meafuves under deliberation mult have made your attendance less irksome to you.

If your long abfence from your feveral counties has been productive of any inconvenience, fuch inconvenience is fully compensated by permanent and folid benents, the luccessful confequences of your labours.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I thank you, in his Majesty's name, for the liberal fupplies you have granted. Your cheerfulness in giving, and your attention to the safe of the fubject in the mode of railing them, must be very acceptable to his Majefty; on my part, I affure you they shall be faithfully applied.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The fatisfaction with which the heart of every Irithman must exult at the scene of profperity now opening to this country, may equal, it cannot exceed, the glow of my private feelings. And, whilft you applaud the conduct of Great Britain in removing the restrictions upon the trade of this kingdom, you cannot but particularly acknowledge the unequivocal demonstrations of her fincere affection, in admitting you, upon the moft liberal plan, to an immediate, free, and equal intercourse with her colonies:

The

The wife and falutary laws which you have framed naturally lead to the moft beneficial enjoyment of that intercourfe; and when I reflect on those objects, and on your meritorious attention to the trade, agriculture, and manufactures of this kingdom, fo confpicuoufly manifested by the laws paffed for granting ample bounties on the export of your corn, your linen and your fail-cloth; by the premiums fo encouraging the growth of hemp and flaxfeed, and by the judicious provifions for the better regulation of your manufactures, I fell a confcious fatisfaction, that the commerce of this kingdom has been eftablished upon an extended, firm, and lasting bafis; and that Ireland muft, in the courfe of her future profperity, look. back to this era the labours of the present Parliament, and the diffufive indulgence of his Majefty, with the moft grateful

veneration.

Your own difcreet judgment will naturally fuggeft the expediency, when you return to your feveral counties, of impreffing upon the minds of all ranks of men, the various bleffings of their prefent fituation. Demonftrate to them, that every effectual fource of commercial wealth is now their own, and invites that industry, without which the wifeft commercial regulations remain a dead letter, and the bounties of Nature are lavifhed in vain. Cherish such a spirit of induftry; and convince them of the effectual advantages they de-, rive from their free and excellent conftitu. tion, the maintenance of every branch of which, in its juft vigour and authority, can alone fecure their liberties, and preserve their happiness.

This day a court, of buftings was held at Guildhall, for the election of four Members to reprefent this City in the enfuing Parliament. About one o'clock the Aldermen Alfop, Townfend, Sawbridge, Bull, Wilkes, Hayley, Newnham, Clark, and Sainsbury, the two Sheriffs, the Re

Officers afcended the huftings, when after the writ, and feveral acts of Parliament refpecting the mode of election were read, Mr. Ald. Newnham stepped forward and. addreffed the Livery, wherein he told them if he was fo happy as to be elected one of their Members, with unremitting affiduity he would attend his duty in Parliament, be very careful to be a watchful guardian of their rights and privileges, and be particularly attentive to the commercial interefts of this great and opulent City.

Mr. Alderman Townsend made the following speech to the common-hall, before the nomination of Members.

• Gentlemen of the Livery,

'I lament exceedingly, that the unfortunate absence of your late excellent Member Mr. Oliver, who ferved you fo faith

X

faithfully, should make it neceffary for any new candidate to offer you his fervice; the good opinion and wishes of many real and warm friends of the conftitution, who are now present, have induced me to offer you my fervice; I have no vanity, no ambition to gratify, nor any private intereft in view; the esteem and confidence of my fellow citizens will always be pleafing to me; if I am the object of your free choice, I will ferve you with diligence and integrity.'

Aldermen Sawbridge, Bull, Hayley, and Clark, feparately addreffed the Livery to the fame purport as Mr. Newnham; but Mr. Sawbridge further obferved, that if he was fo happy as to be re-elected, the fame line of conduct that he had hitherto pursued in Parliament he should strictly purfue, and that as a faithful Reprefentative, he should always vote as the majority of his constituents should direct him; and that if, at any time, his conftituents and he fhould differ in political principles,

which he was well affured would never happen, he would prefer their direction to his own fentiments, which he thought Every Member ought to do, or refign the truft they delegated to him; the Lord Mayor and all the Aldermen (the Sheriffs excepted, and likewife Mr. Wilkes, who begged leave to decline that honour, as he had received an invitation from the freeholders of Middlesex to represent them again in the enfuing Parliament) were then put in nomination.

Upon the feparate fhow of hands, the Sheriffs declared the election to have fallen upon Aldermen Hayley, Bull, Sawbridge, and Newnham.

Mr. Alderman Townsend, after the declaration of the Sheriffs, made the following speech:

Gentlemen,

I thought it my duty, in compliance with the wishes of my friends, to offer you my fervices. I am much obliged to thofe Gentlemen who have this day teftified their good opinion of me, and am not difpleafed with those who preferred another Gentleman. I fubmit, as far as relates to my felf, to the declaration of the Sheriffs.'

The friends of Aldermen Kirkman and Clark demanded polls, which commenced at four o'clock.

September 14.

This day a county Court was held at Brentford for the election of two Members to reprefent the county of Middlefex in the enfuing Parliament.

About eleven o'clock the under Sheriff opened the bufinefs upon a temporary

huttings, built for that purpose; and after reading the writ, and acts of Parliament refpecting the mode of election, John Wilkes and George Byng, Efqrs. were propofed as candidates by Mr. Scott and Mr. Taylor; no other perfon being put in nomination, thefe Gentlemen were declared of course unanimously elected.

Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Byng in feparate fpeeches then thanked the Freeholders for the high honour they had conferred upon them, and pledged themfelves to fupport their civil and religious rights and privileges, and in every refpect to be their faithful Representatives.

Mr. Alderman Sawbridge came forward on the huftings when the numbers were declared, and returned his heartfelt thanks to the Livery for their generous fupport of him upon this occafion. His gratitude was not the lefs because their endeavours had not been crowned with fuccefs. He was not difappointed, but diffatisfied. Detraction and undue Influence had prevailed against him, and deprived him, for a time, of the honour of exerting his effort in their favour in the Senate but as a Magiftrate of the City of London, he would invariably study to maintain the dignity, preferve the rights, fecurity, and tranquility of the metropolis.

He added, that the Gentleman who had been raifed into his fituation, had made ample profeffions. If he performed his engagements honourably, he affured him that he would always in future give him his fuffrage He concluded with thanks to the Sheriffs for their impartiality. This day the poll finally clofed for the borough of Southwark; the numbers stood as follows:

For Sir Richard Hotham 1177

September 19,

Yesterday at one o'clock the Sheriffs and Aldermen came on the huftings at Guildhall. The Cryer informed the Gen tlemen of the Livery, that the Sheriffs had recaft the poll, and that the majority had fallen upon Aldermen Hayley, Kirkman, Bull, and Newnham; and therefore the Sheriffs returned these four as their Reprefentatives in Parliament.

Mr. Bull then came forward, and thanked the Livery for the marks of confidence which they had fhewn him; that he found himself under continually new obligations to them; and that as he had before ferved them to the best of his abilities, he would continue to discharge his duty to them with virtue, zeal, and integrity.

Mr. Hayley then addressed them, and faid, that he was happy to find that the great marks of friendship and confidence which he had received from the Livery in the present inftance was the irongeft teftimony of their approbation of his former conduct. That in the next Parliament he fhould endeavour to merit, by a steady zeal in the fervice of his country, and this city in particular, the continuance of that good opinion, which he efteemed the higheft honour of his life.

Mr. Alderman Newnham faid, that he was before bound to his Fellow Citizens by a strong attachment of zeal for thofe interefts which were common to them and to him, but that he now found himself bound by new ties and new obligations, no less than the warmest and moft heartfelt gratitude for the great teftimony of confidence and friendship which they had fhewn him on the prefent occafion. That it deferved the beft return that he could make, and would undoubtedly call forth his molt conftant and zealous endeavours in their fervice; he pledged himself, that he would never oppose any measures, nor would he support any caufe, from whatever fide the propofition might come, from any other motive than that of the purest regard for the welfare of his country, and of this city. That he would be diligent

in his attendance on the duties of Parliament, and he trufted they would find him a faithful and upright servant.

Mr. Sawbridge next fpoke. He faid, that he moft fincerely joined with his Fellow Citizens in their univerfal regret on account of the late melancholy event, the death of the very worthy and upright Alderman Kirkman. That however anxious he might be to attain the object of reprefenting this City in Parliament, he affured them, that he thought the value of that object very much diminished to him, even if he fhould have the honour to obtain it, while it is obtained at the expence of fo great a lofs to the Public as the death of the late worthy Alderman. He doubted not that the Alderman would have been a good Senator, and a zealous fupporter of their rights and privileges: He begged leave to affure them, that if he should be the object of their choice at a new election, (of which he had better hopes, fince the arts of detraction would cease), he should make it his business when he received their inftructions to obey them, and when he knew their wishes, to gratify them; and in all his conduct to make the good of his Constituents the first object of his zeal.

Mr. Clarke faid, that he had prepared his mind for disappointment; that though he had failed in his canvafs, it was no fmall fatisfaction to him to have the affurance of fo many refpectable friends in the city as did honour him on the poll; that he fhould retire with the more fatisfaction to the duties of private life, and the offices of Magiftracy, as the Citizens of London had repofed the trust of their reprefentation in fuch honeft and able hands.

The Chairman of Mr. Kirkman's Committee then came forward, and in a few words regretted the lofs of the worthy Alderman, and returned thanks to the friends that had given him his fupport.

Each of the Aldermen paffed a compli ment on the Sheriffs for the impartiality and honour with which they had conducted themselves during the poll.

The event of yesterday's business is that Mr. Kirkman will be returned, as of course, and there will be a new writ iffued for the election of a Member in his ftead,

September 20.

Yefterday a wardmote was held at Guildhall for the election of an Alderman of Cheap ward, in the room of Alderman Kirkman, deceased, when William Crichton, Efq; a Merchant in Phil pot-lane, and one of the Directors of the Eaft-India Company, was chofen without

X 2

oppofi