CHAPTER XVI.

Domestic Occurrences in Great Britain..... Trials of Dr.
Hensey and Shebbeare..... Institution of the Magdalen
Asylum..... Society for the encouragement of Arts.....
Session opened..... New Treaty with the King of Prussia.....
Supplies granted..... The King’s Message to the Commons.....
Bill relating to ihe Distillery, and the Exportation of
Corn..... Petition from the Justices of Norfolk—-Bill for
the Importation of salted Beef from Treland continued.....
Regulations with respect to Privateers..... New Militia
Laws..... Act for the Relief of Debtors revived..... Bills
for the Importation of Irish Beef and Tallow..... Act
relative to Milford-Haven..... Bill relative to the Duty on
Pensions..... Act relative to the Duty on Plate..... Cambric
Act..... Unsuccessful Bills..... Case of the Insolvent
Debtors..... Case of Cant. Walker..... Remarks on the
Bankrupt Laws..... Inquiry into the State of the Poor.....
Regulations of Weights and Measures..... Resolutions
concerning the Foundling   Hospital..... Messages from  the
King to the   Parliament..... Session closed.....
Preparations for War..... Death of the Princess of Orange
and Princess Elizabeth Caroline..... Examples made of
Pirates..... Accounts of some remarkable Murders..... Murder
of Daniel Clarke..... Majority of the Prince of Wales.....
Resolutions concerning a new Bridge at Blackfriars..... Pire
in Cornhill..... Method contrived to find out the
Longitude..... Installation at Oxford..... Deplorable
Incident at Sea..... Captures made by separate Cruisers.....
Captain Hood takes the Bellona..... and Captain Barrington
the  Count do St. Florentin..... Captain Falkner takes a
French East Indiaman..... Prize taken in the West
Indies..... Engagement between the Hercules and the
Florissant..... Havre-de-Grace   bombarded by Admiral
Rodney..... Admiral Boscawen defeats M. de la Clue.....
Preparations made by the French for invading England.....
Account of Thurot..... French Fleet sails from  Brest.....
Admiral Hawke defeats M. de Conflans..... Proceedings of the
Irish Parliament..... Loyalty of the Irish-Catholics.....
Dangerous Insurrection in Dublin..... Alarm of a Descent in
Scotland

While the operations of the war were prosecuted through the four quarters of the globe, the island of Great Britain, which may be termed the centre that gave motion to this vast machine, enjoyed all the tranquillity of the most profound peace, and saw nothing of war but the preparations and trophies, which served only to animate the nation to a desire of further conquest; for the dejection occasioned by the misfortune at St. Cas soon vanished before the prospect of victory and success. Considering the agitation naturally produced among the common people, by the practice of pressing men into the service of the navy, which, in the beginning of the year, had been carried on with unusual violence, the levy of so many new corps of soldiers, and the endeavours used in forming the national militia, very few disturbances happened to interrupt the internal repose of the nation. From private acts of malice, fraud, violence, and rapine, no community whatsoever is exempted. In the month of April, the temporary wooden bridge over the Thames, built for the conveniency of carriages and passengers, while the workmen should be employed in widening and repairing London bridge, was maliciously set on fire in the night, and continued burning till noon next day, when the ruins of it fell into the river. The destruction of this conveniency proved very detrimental to the commerce of the city, notwithstanding the vigilancy and discretion of the magistrates, in applying remedies for this misfortune. A promise of the king’s pardon was offered in a public advertisement, by the secretary of state, and a reward of two hundred pounds by the city of London, to any person who should discover the perpetrator of such wicked outrage; but nevertheless he escaped detection. No individual, nor any society of men, could have the least interest in the execution of such a scheme, except the body of London watermen; but as no discovery was made to the prejudice of any person belonging to that society, the deed was imputed to the malice of some secret enemy to the public. Even after a new temporary bridge was erected, another attempt was made (in all probability by the same incendiary) to reduce the whole to ashes, but happily miscarried, and a guard was appointed to prevent any such atrocious efforts in the sequel. Dangerous tumults were raised in and about Manchester, by a prodigious number of manufacturers who had left off working, and entered into a combination to raise, by force, the price of their labour. They had formed a regular plan, and collected large sums for the maintenance of the poorer sort, while they refused to work for their families. They insulted and abused all those who would not join in this defection, dispersed incendiary letters; and denounced terrible threats against all such as should presume to oppose their proceedings. But these menaces had no effect upon the magistrates and justices, who did their duty with such discretion and courage, that the ringleaders being singled out and punished by law, the rest were soon reduced to order.