this nation, formerly our rival, now our friend, has no intention of attacking our liberty, by its present armaments.

M. Rewbell obferved, that the Parliament of England would not entrust its fecrets to the Society of the Revolution; and that, besides, he did not think it neceffary to address the people of England, but only to appoint the Prefident to write a letter to the Society, expreffive of the fatisfaction of the Affembly.

M. Dupont remarked, that the motion of M. de Lameth was neither worthy of the Affembly, nor noble, nor judicious, nor patriotic: that England is not governed by a Club, but by a Parliament; that the Society of the Revolution of England is not the depository of the national councils; that there are precautions of a much higher importance which ought to be taken; that the English fleet, in concert with that of Holland, is at fea, and appears to prepare hoftilities against us; that it is not by fuch contemptible arts, but exertions of power and reason, that we ought to fhun the blows which that nation perhaps is aiming against us; that, in fine, the National Affembly cannot correfpond with a Club, but with the Parliament only, which is the National Assembly of England.

These difcuffions stopped here, and it was only decreed, that the difcourfe of Dr Price fhould be a second time read.

On Aug. 2. a letter was read from M. Montmorin, minister for foreign affairs, Atating, that the armaments preparing by Great Britain were fo formidable, that it was abfolutely neceffary to arm 14 fhips of the line; that the court of Madrid had actually made a formal demand upon France, that the ftipulations and engagements entered into by her by the treaty called the Family compact, dated Aug. 45. 1761, fhould be immediately fulfil led; and that, on that point, Don Fer mand Nunez, the minifter for foreign af fairs at the court of Madrid, had demanded a pofitive and categorical anfwer. M. Montmorin then propofed, that the Affembly fhould immediately appoint a committee for the exprefs purpofe of concerting with his Majefty's minifters on the steps proper to be taken in this very important affair.

A committee was accordingly appointed; whose report was as follows:

"Your committee having taken into their most serious confideration the requi

fition from the court of Spain, demanding a categorical answer touching our engagements in consequence of the Family Compact, have the honour to fubmit to the wisdom of the National Affembly, whether a ftrict compliance with the said requifition would not be rifking too much under the present circumstances of the kingdom, more especially the nature of the queftion being materially altered fince the Preliminary Declarations between England and Spain, subsequent to the date of our deliberations on this point, affording us the pleafing prospect of a fpeedy and amicable accommodation between the two powers; nevertheless, fhould your best endeavours towards a happy termination fail, we hold ourselves bound in honour to support our ancient ally, in every fuch right and claim as you fhall deem reasonable and juft."

Aug. 26. The order of the day being read, for the difcuffion of the above report; the Affembly, after fome debate, came to the following resolutions:

1. The National Affembly, having deliberated upon the propofition of the King, contained in the Minister's letter dated the aft of August, decree, that the King shall be addreffed, to make known to his Catholic Majefty, that the French nation, in their application of means to maintain peace, will observe the defenfive and commercial engagements which the Government has formerly contracted with Spain.

2. Decree further, that the King shall be addreffed, to charge the French ambaffador in Spain to negotiate with his Catholic Majefty's Minifters for the purpofe of binding and perpetuating, by a national treaty, the engagements betwixt the two nations, and to fix, with precifion and clearness, every ftipulation likely to promote a general peace, and agreeably to the principles of justice, which fhall in future be the politics of the French nation.

3. Further, the National Affembly, taking into confideration the increasing progrefs of the armaments of the different nations of Europe, and the fecurity of the French colonies and commerce, decree, That the King fhall be addressed, to give orders that the French squadron in commiffion fhall be augmented to for. ty-five fhips of the line, with a propor tional number of frigates and smaller veffels, of which twelve at least shall be armed in the port of the Mediterranean.

Paris, Aug. 8. This city is again in commotion: we do not speak of actual fumult, but of the loud diffonance of political opinion.

The Lieutenant of the Chatelet had brought an accufation against two of the members of the National Affembly. He prefented a fealed packet, containing their names, and the proofs againft them "Thefe (he faid) would bring to light a fcene of horrors; they would disclose the wretches who would have ftained the palace of the Sovereign with blood, and violated the laft afylum of Royalty,"

The members of the Affembly heard this charge with the moft awful emotions. For fome moments all was fufpicion and folicitude; for each man, the criminals themselves excepted, feared that he might addrefs himself to a criminal.

It was at first proposed that the packet fhould be inftantly broke open, and the offenders taken into cuftody. This was oppofed by feveral members, and particularly by the elder (le Compte de) Mirabeau. The affair was finally referred to the commitee of reports, who were to open the packet in the prefence of two of the commiffioners of the Chatelet, and, if they found the proofs fufficient, to order the offenders into cuftody.

Yefterday the committee made a report of their difcoveries to the National Affembly, laying before them all the different papers which contained the legal proofs against the perfons under accufa tion or fufpicion. Five of the criminals were readily named, viz. the person who actually cut off the head of the Gardes de Corps, Mad. Theroigne, and three others who took an active part in the maffacre. The lady above mentioned has long been confpicuous among the patriotic party, was formerly kept by a man of fortune in France, and was well known in England as the friend and fellow-traveller of Tenducci. The Magiftrates likewife accused two leading members of the Affembly, which, in the Gazette of Paris, are faid to be the D-of O-, and the elder Mirabeau. Befides the reasons above-mentioned, thirteen others are named in a paper delivered by the Magiftrates to the Prefident; but, from fome motives of prudence, it has as yet been thought proper to conceal them.

Paris, Aug. 14. The National Affembly feems to be thrown into a great embarraffment, by the accufation made by the judges against two of the members

whom they have named; and who, of course, are fuppofed to be perfons of fome diftinction.

To screen these from the law, to which every citizen is or ought to be amenable, i and at the fame time to do it with juftice, is a matter not very easy to fettle. Various artifices are employed to relieve our fenate from this difficulty; fome pretend, that the prefent exifting tribunal is not competent to the trial of the members of the National Affembly, which is fuperior to all courts. In anfwer to this, it is afked, Why thefe Judges, who had been established for the trial of Leze Nation, in the inftances of Monf. Bezenval, Favras, de Bonne, Maillebois. and M. St Prieft, the minifter, are not to be trufted with the trial of every citizen whatever? And again, they afk, Upon what principles of law or juftice a reprefentative of the nation is privileged to be an accomplice to murder?

Another difficulty arifes, whether the accufation is to be made in the name of the King or the nation and, of course, whether the Attorney-General, who is to be profecutor, fhall be named by the Monarch or the Affembly.

Another party, at leaft other members of the fame party, pretend, that the affair in queftion is of no ancient date; that the feafon of plots is over; and thefe fuppofed crimes should be buried in oblivion by a general act of amnesty on all fides. In thort, every thing that a body of 400 lawyers can invent is propofed, in order to get honourably out of this extraordinary difficulty. The committee of report is to examine the charge made by the Magiftrates relative to the members of the National Affembly; in the mean time, the profecution is to be continued againft the other perfons accused.

Aug. 16. The municipality of Nancy fent exprefs a courier with the following alarming intelligence:-The foldiers of the regiment of King's infantry, and the Chateauvieux Swifs, together with the Meftre de Camp cavalry, in garrison at that city, have rifen against their officers; they carried away forcibly a cheft containing 150,000 livres; and the inhabitants, in the utmost terror, implore the fuccours of the Affembly.

By other letters to the National Affembly of a later date, it appeared that the Swiss regiment of Chateauvieux, and the other regiments before named, per

fifted in their revolt: it was therefore refolved to fubdue them by force. Accordingly Gen. Bouillé, with 2400 regulars, and between 600 and 700 National guards, were fent to reduce them. Upon his arrival at Nancy, he found the main gate fhut, while the regiment of Mestre de Camp were marching out at another, and the regiment du Roi had retired to its caferns. That of Chateauvieux, with fome mifguided National guards, and an immense number of people, guarded the gate at which M. de Bouillé prefented himself.

The General having made difpofitions to force the gate, it was opened, and a cannon appeared in the portal charged with grape-fhot. In vain the officers, whom the regiment of Chateauvieux had obliged to appear at its head, endeavoured to bring about a peace: in vain M. de Silly placed himself at the mouth of the cannon, in which fituation he received four musket shots. At length the cannon was fired, which killed many of the National guards: this difcharge was followed by another from the artillery. The National guards then began to fire; they foon took poffellion of the gate, all the outlets, and the public Squares.

The combat continued three hours, during which all the foldiers of the regiment of Chateauvieux were either killed or made prisoners, about half of them having fallen.

The regiments of Meftre de Camp and du Roi difperfed in the environs. The number of National troops who were killed has not been ascertained.

This afflicting recital gave rise to many warm eulogiums on the conduct of M. de Bouillé; and at laft the following decree, fuggefted by M. Mirabeau, was paffed.

"The National Affembly decrees, That the directory of the department de la Meurthe, and the municipalities of Nancy and Luneville, shall be thanked for their zeal.

That the National guards who ac companied M. de Bouille to Nancy, fhall be thanked for the patriotism and civic bravery which they difplayed in the reestablishment of order at Nancy.

That M. De Silly fhall be thanked for the heroic manner in which he expofed himself.

That the Nation fhall provide for the widows and children of those who have

nobly fallen in the execution of the decrees of the National Affembly,

That the general, and the regular troops which be commanded, fhall be applauded for having nobly done their du ty; and that the Commiffaries appointed fhall go immediately to Nancy, to take the neceffary steps to maintain peace in that town, and to obtain exact informa. tion of those facts which may infure punifhment to the guilty, of whatever rank.”

SPAIN.

The grand fleet, which failed from Cadiz on the 20th of July, under the command of the Marquis del Socorro, confifts of 36 ships of the line, befides a great number of frigates and smaller veffels.

Some time ago a fire broke out at Madrid which continued burning three days. This dreadful fire nearly deftroyed la Place Mayor, one of the handsomest squares of the capital, and the moft filled with tradesmen's fhops. A third part of it, with a row of houses of an adjacent street, upwards of 80 in all, had already fallen a prey to the flames; which the public prayers, many foldiers and workmen, with a small engine, and feveral squirts, were not able to extinguish.

The fire began at midnight. Forthwith the miraculous image of St Roch was uncovered and brought in proceffion to the fquare; but the conflagration, notwithstanding the presence of the faint, and the fervent prayers of the multitude, did not rage with lefs violence.

The Holy Sacrament fucceeded, but with as little success; the Duke of Medina Celi then fubftituted the facred image of our Saviour, belonging to the Capuchin's convent in his hotel. These fucceffive pious efforts lafted more than fix hours, during which time it was vifible that the workmen preferred prayers to exertions.

The fire, it is faid, was owing to a private gentleman's devotion, who kept night and day many lighted tapers before the shrine of a wonderful image. ENGLAND.

Whitehall, Aug. 5. This morning one of his Majefty's meffengers arrived from Madrid, with dispatches from the Rt Hon. Alleyne Fitz Herbert, his Majesty's Ambafador at that court, containing an account of the following Declaration and Counter-Declaration having been figned

and

and exchanged, on July 24. by his Excellency on the part of his Majefty, and by his Excellency Count Florida Blanca, on the part of the Catholic King.

Declaration] His Britannic Majefty ha ving complained of the capture of certain veffels belonging to his fubjects in the port of Nootka, fituated on the northweft coaft of America, by an officer in the fervice of the King; the under-figned, counsellor and principal fecretary of ftate to his Majefty, being thereto duly authorized, declares, in the name and by the order of his faid Majefty, that he is willing to give fatisfaction to his Britannic Majefty for the injury of which he has complained, fully perfuaded that his faid Britannic Majefty would act in the fame manner towards the King, under fimilar circumstances; and his Majefty further engages to make full reftitution of all the British veffels which were captured at Nootka, and to indemnify the parties interested in thofe veffels, for the loffes which they fhall have fuftained, as foon as the amount thereof shall have been afcertained: It being understood, that this declaration is not to preclude or prejudice the ulterior difcuffion of any right which his Majefty may claim to form an exclufive establishment at the port of Nootka.

In witness whereof I have figned this Declaration, and fealed it with the feal of my arms, at Madrid, the 24th of July, 1790.

Le Comte De Florida Blanca. Counter-Declaration.] His Catholic Majefty having declared, that he was willing to give fatisfaction for the injury done to the King, by the capture of certain veffels belonging to his fubjects in the Bay of Nootka, and the Count de Florida Blanca having figned, in the name and by the order of his Catholic Majefty, a Declaration to this effect; and by which his faid Majefty likewife engages to make full reftitution of the veffels fo captured; and to indemnify the parties interefted in thofe veffels for the loffes they fhall have fuftained; the under-figned Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of his Majefty to the Catholic King, being thereto duly and exprefsly authorised, accepts the faid Declaration in the name of the King; and declares that his Majefty will confider this declaration, together with the performance of the engagements contained therein, as a full and entire fatisfaction VOL, LII.

for the injury of which his Majefty has complained. The under-figned declares, at the fame time, that it is to be underftood, that neither the faid declaration figned by Count Florida Blanca, nor the acceptance thereof by the under-figned in the name of the King, is to preclude or prejudice, in any respect, the right which his Majefty may claim to any eftablishment which his fubjects may have formed, or should be defirous of forming, at the faid: Bay of Nootka. In witness whereof I have figned this counter declaration, and fealed it with the seal of my arms, at Madrid, the 24th of July, 1790. Lond. Gaz. Alleyne Fitz-Herbert. Howe's flag-thip threw out the fignal for Torbay, Aug. 17. This morning Lord failing from Torbay, when the exultant fhouts of the tailors befpoke their ready concurrence. Thousands of fpectators were affembled to be witnesses of the

departure of the fleet, which confifted of thirty-one fhips of the line, nine frigates, two brigs, two cutters, two fire-ships, and an hospital-ship.

SCOTLAND.

Glasgow, July 30. The important event of opening the Forth and Clyde navigation from fea to fea took place on Wednesday, and was evidenced by the falling of a tract barge, belonging to the company of proprietors, from the bafon of the canal, near Glasgow, to the river Clyde at Bowling Bay.

The voyage, which is upwards of twelve miles, was performed in lefs than four hours, during which the vessel paffed through nineteen locks, defcended thereby 156 feet from the fummit of the canal into Clyde. It required only four minutes to país each of the locks, in which space the veffel defcended 8 feet into the reach of the navigation immediately below.

In the courfe of the voyage from Glafgow to Bowling Bay, the tract boat paffed along that ftupendous bridge, the great aqueduct over the Kelvin, 400 feet in length, exhibiting to the fpectators in the valley below the fingular and new object of a veffel navigating feventy feet o ver their heads-a feature of this work which gives it a pre-eminence over eve. ry thing of a fimilar nature in Europe, and does infinite honour to the profeflional skill of that able engineer Robert Whitworth, Efq; under whofe direction 3 K

the

the whole of this great work has been completed in a very masterly manner.

The committee of management, accompanied by the magiftrates of Glasgow, were the firft voyagers upon this new navigation. On the arrival of the veffel at Bowling Bay, and after defcending from the laft lock in the Clyde, the ceremony of the junction of the Forth and Clyde was performed, in prefence of a great crowd of spectators, by Archibald Spiers, Efq; of Elderflie, chairman of the committee of management, who, with the affiftance of the chief engineer, launched a hogfhead of water of the river Forth into the Clyde, as a fymbol of joining the eastern and western feas together.

This great event, fo important to the trade and navigation of Great Britain and Ireland, and particularly to the towns of Liverpool, Lancaster, Whitehaven, Greenock, Dublin, Newry, Drogheda, Belfaft, Londonderry, &c. on the one hand, and the towns of Lynn, Hull, Newcastle, Leith, Dundee, Aberdeen, &c. on the other, and alfo to all the ports in or near St George's Channel, in their trade to Norway, Sweden, and the Baltic, is now manifeft in a striking degree by the opening of the navigation, which not only shortens the nautical diftance from 800 to 100o miles, but alfo affords a more fafe and speedy paffage, particularly in the time of war, or at the end of the feafon, when veffels are detained long in the Baltic, and cannot attempt the round fea voyage without great danger of the cargo's perishing, or the markets being loft by the detention.

The extreme length of the navigation, from the Forth to the Clyde, is exactly thirty-five miles; fifteen of which is up on the fummit of the country 156 feet above the level of the fea. To this fummit the voyager is raifed by means of twenty locks from the eastern fea, and nineteen from the weft: each lock is exactly 20 feet wide, and 74 feet long with in the gates. The depth of the canal is precifely & feet throughout, and the medium width about 56 feet on the furface of the water, and 28 feet on the bottom. The toll-dues payable upon the navigation is 2d. per ton for each mile, or 5s. zod per ton for the extreme length of the canal.

About the distance of nine miles from the entrance of the canal at Bowling Bay, and near the great aqueduct over the Kelvin, thereis a commodiou dry

dock for careening and repairing vessels, where every facility is afforded to fhip owners on very moderate terms. Upon the whole, it will generally be admitted, that no public work finished in Great Britain, was ever fo complete in all its parts, or promised fo many advantages to the trade of the country at large; and upon few occafions has fuch general fa tisfaction been expressed on the approach of that period when the real utility of this fplendid undertaking is to be manifefted to the public.

At a meeting of the freeholders of the ftewartry of Kirkcudbright, held Aug. 3. David Maxwell of Cardonefs, Efq; prefes, the following refolutions were moved by Alexander Gordon of Culvenan, Efq; and unanimously agreed to, viz.

"That the laws refpecting the quali fication of electors of members of Parliament for the counties in Scotland require to be amended.

That, by the act 1387, c. 114. all freeholders who have a forty-fhilling land holden of the King, and have their refi. dence in the fhire, fhall have a vote at chufing the commiffioners for thires.

That, by acts 1661, c. 35. and 1681, c. 21. certain qualifications were required much larger than the qualification of forty fhillings, and the right of electing, or being elected, was consequently restric ted to a much smaller number of perfons.

That means had been fallen on to evade these restrictions in part, and a diftinction introduced betwixt property and fuperiority, which has produced difagreeable confequences.

That, by the articles of Union, the laws of both parts of the united kingdom ought to be the fame; particularly with refpect to the conftitution of parliament,

That, therefore, the restrictive statutes ought to be repealed, the diftinction betwixt property and fuperiority abolished, and the qualification of electors ought to be reduced.

That, at the enfuing Michaelmas headcourt, delegates be chofen to meet at Edinburgh, and cooperate with the delegates which may be chosen from other counties, and prepare an application to parliament for remedy of the grievance complained of."

Mr Gordon then stated to the meeting, that a propofal for reviving trials by jury, in certain civil caufes, acknowledged by an Honourable Judge of two of the fupreme courts, had been printed and pu

blished;