fary, and improper, as carrying with it an intimation of which our enemies might avail themselves, and tending to introduce defpair into the minds of the people of England. He would therefore vote against the motion in queftion. Lord Bathurst acquiefced in the neceffity for ftrict economy, but that it fhould commence with more important objects, and not begin where the confequence of it, as to the faving, muft be trifling, and the effect of it, as to the people, extremely dangerous. All that could be faved in the article of revenue would be but like a drop to an ocean; while the fame spirit of care and inveftigation exercifed differently, might be attended with the most falutary effects to the kingdom. Lord Effingham contended, that the motion was highly neceffary; and mentioned as a grievance which called for reformation, the immenfe income of the paymaster of the forces, who was raising a princely fortune, which increased in proportion as the public diftreffes increafed. His Lordship spoke of a tax, the coft of collecting which was 47 per cent.; and declared, that the coft of collecting the excife (which was boafted of as the cheapest and beft-managed collection of all others) one year, coft as much as would have paid and cloathed all the army voted that year, which happened to be 17,000 only. The Marquis of Rockingham contended for the motion on conftitutional grounds. Our political fyftem, he said, required reform, and in this inftance particularly; that the influence of the crown was too extenfive; on that account, therefore, he would vote for the motion, as it had the excellent tendency of checking that dangerous influence, which he prefaged, if not corrected, would be the cause of this country's ruin. He mentioned, that Q. Anne had once given 100,000l. to affift her fubjects in carrying on a war different in its effects from this, and the inftance alfo of K. George II. who gave 700,000l. more from his private treasure and revenue for the relief of his fubjects in the profecution of a troublefome war. Lord Dartmouth thought the motion might be termed a personal reflection on his Majefty's conduct. Lords Manchester, Abingdon, and 'Grafton, spoke for the motion. Lord Townshend thought the motion ought to be voted for the general good; faid, it was only agreeing to do that now, which they muft of neceffity do next year, at fartheft. He faid, he did not mean to join Opposition, or affift men of that description; but he did not regard the prefent as a party-motion, and therefore fhould vote for it. The Lord Chancellor faid, he was perfectly ready to acknowledge, that the motion carried in it no fort of perfonal accusation of his Majefty, and that the Noble Duke had not the moft diftant intention of cafting a reflection on the King for his conduct in the disbursement and application of that part of his revenue which was properly denominated the civil lift. His Lordship called the attention of the Houfe to the motion in all its parts - [Lord Shelburne anfwered to the diftinct points ftated by the Lord Chancellor.-We subjoin to each point the answer made to it.] Chancellor. The first paragraph ftated was, that "his Majefty was befeeched to reflect on the diftreffes and difficulties in which this kingdom is involved, too deeply felt to ftand in need of enumera tion." His Lordship afked, Who knew of thefe diftreffes? What investigation of their Lordships, as a Houfe of Parliament, were they the result of? Shelburne. If the Noble Lord was ig norant of that fact, he was the only man in the kingdom who was yet to learn it, Our calamities had rendered this country, what a Noble Earl had early in the debate very properly thrown out, the pity of all the world. So earneft, however, was he to get the Noble and Learned Lord's vote, that he would undertake the whole paragraph should be left out, if that would remove his fcruples. Ch. The next paragraph stated, that the wafte of public treafure required inftant remedy.' This was an affertion of fome importance, and not furely to be hazarded on mere fpeculation. If the fact were fo, the department of go. vernment ought furely to be pointed out in which the waste of the public treasure lay; otherwife the charge was unjuft, because it applied to all public offices alike; and that being the cafe, he fubmitted it to the Houfe, how far it was juft, and becoming their dignity, to vote an addrefs, which contained a general and undefined charge against the King's fervants, which no one Lord had been abla able to bring home to the door of any one of those perfons fo accused. Sh. There again the Noble and Learned Lord was the only ignorant man in the kingdom. It was a fact which had been admitted by all fides of the Houfe. No body, excepting only the Noble and Learned Lord, had attempted even to doubt it. Still, however, fo anxious was he to fatisfy him, that he would undertake that whole paragraph fhould likewife be croffed out. Ch. The remainder of the motion contained two propofitions; one "advifing his Majefty to make a confiderable reduction of his civil lift; " the other affuring his Majefty, that every member of that Houfe would chearfully fub mit to fuch reduction of emolument in any office he may hold, as his Majefty, in his royal wifdom, might think proper to make." The first of these propofitions, even were it practicable to make any reduction in the civil lift, ftrewed fuch difficulties in the way of its execu tion, that it was impoffible for any minifter to advife his Majefty upon the fubject. It ftated a confiderable reduction. Was a moiety of the civil lift the confiderable part alluded to? Were two thirds of it? Was one third of it? for to each would the word be equally applicable. Again, if the motion were carried, it could not enforce the advice. It was no act of parliament. His Majefty's civil lift was established at its prefent amount by act of parliament. Befides, what part of the civil lift was the reduction defired by the motion to be made in? Their Lordships all knew, that many different establishments were provided for out of the revenue of the civil lift, with the payment of which his Majefty had no more perfonal connection or interference than their Lordships.With regard to the last propofition, how was that to be carried into éxecution? He fuppofed, by the affurance it contained," that the Houfe would readily concur in promoting fo defireable a purpofe," it was meant, that his Majefty fhould understand, they were willing to follow up the addrefs by proceeding to pafs an act, authorifing the purpofes now avowed. But how would their Lordhips come at the true fource of each fpecies of official emolument ? They mutt go through an inquiry of a very deep and intricate fort, into the origin of all the exchequer places and profits, and would have to fearch into a variety of offices and of perquifites, that had no immediate reference to the civil lift or the court. In fhort, he declared he faw no probability of their Lordships being able to go through fo immenfe and difficult a bufinefs, with fufficient effect to remedy the evil. Sh. The motion would be confined to the request to his Majefty to become an example of œconomy, by a reduction of his civil lift, and the affurance that they, as Lords of Parliament, would follow the example, and thus begin what the Noble Marquis had so properly termed a conftitutional reformation, without which this country could not be faved. With regard to the objection, That there was no fpecific request as to the quantum of the civil lift to be reduced, he did not defire to curtail his Majefty of any one of his enjoyments. There were, however, feveral heads of expenditure of the civil lift, which loudly called for a reform. The money paid for foreign embaffies was enormously fwelled indeed. In the reign of K. William (an æra fo glorious, that every man who loved his country regarded it with admiration) the expence of foreign embaflies was about 43,000l. and now they were fwelled to the extravagant fum of upwards of 90,000l. Ambassadors then did their duty; fecretaries of state did their duty; they understood each o ther. Secret-fervice money was another branch of expenditure which called for immediate reformation; because, at prefent, the fums wafted under this head were enormous, and it was obvious minifters were totally without intelligence, and that their admirals and generals, one and all, complained of the frivolousnefs, the uncertainty, and the wretchednefs of the information they generally received from them. Lord Stormont defired the Earl to explain what he meant by the large fums of the public money that he had received. Lord Shelburne declared, if the Noble Lord thought he had alluded to the fe cret-fervice money that had passed thro' his hands, upon his honour he did not; for he knew not what the fum was, although he had heard it was very confiderable. He faid further, that he had lately received a letter, defiring him to litten to fome information from a perfon who offered to disclofe to him all the fecrets of the Noble Lord's embaffy, and promifing promifing to make him acquainted with the many intrigues which had been carried on in France through the means and contrivance of a perfon of elevated rank and station here, whom he would not name, but whom the Noble Vifcount could not but well know. He did affure the Noble Viscount that he should decline the offer, and would have nothing to do with it; and that what he meant by the large fums of money he had mentioned was the money he had received at Vienna, during the long time he was ambassador there, when that court had only an envoy in London. Lord Stormont owned that he was glad to find the Noble Earl alluded merely to his falary as an ambaffador, in which capacity he had never been paid more nor less than was paid to others. Lord Townshend wished the motion poftponed, but faid he would vote for it if it were put. The queftion being put, the numbers were, Contents 33, proxies 3, in all 36; Not contents 57, proxies 20, in all 77. Mr Jenkinson, the fecretary at war, moved the army-eftimates in the Houfe of Commons, Dec. 8. and entered into a detail of the forces and expence. He stated the army in G. Britain, &c. Men 35,000 jected by the Lords, would have occafioned double the augmentation now propofed: That fome gentlemen had expreffed on former occafions objections to the extent of the land-establishment, upon the footing of the fuperior importance of the naval establishment: but he apprehended that this was erroneous; the different branches of the land-establishments might, and did interfere with each other; but very little or nothing with the navy: however, that there was not the least reason to object to the one fervice rather than the other, as there was not the fmallest apprehenfion of the Noble Lord in the blue ribbon being able to provide by public credit for both. Sir Charles Bunbury adverted to the ' danger to the conftitution which muft refult from fuch prodigious eftablishments: they gave the crown an influence which he thought ought to alarm every friend to that fyftem of liberty which had exalted this kingdom. Mr T. Townshend ftated his objections to the estimates, and faid feveral of them appeared to be very extravagant, particularly that of the Staff and General officers of England and Ireland, which amounted to no lefs a fum than near 20,000l. more than it did in the year 1762, the most expenfive year of the laft He arraigned the armyglorious war. promotions, and said, that the public 6,500 expence was confiderably increased by 6,500 the giving away fo many commiffions, and making fo many lieutenant-generals, $8,000 in confequence of which the major-ge10,000 nerals, whofe pay was in the proportion of 21. 10s. to 51. were not employed. He complained alfo of there being no commander in chief appointed, and faid, that it was owing to this circumftance that all the blame fell upon Lord Amhert, when he perhaps did not deferve any to a perfon who had been a lieutenant on of it. He cenfured the giving a command halfpay [41.575.]; and faid, that LtCol. Mufgrave, who had bled in his country's fervice, and was now with his regiment in Jamaica, had applied in vain 192,000 In all He stated most of these establishments and charges, as fuperior to thofe of laft year, explaining the reafons why they for one. were fo. He obferved, That the recruiting-fervice had raised, by volunteers 20,500, and by the prefs-act 1400, in all 21,900: That the new levies muft of ne ceflity have impeded the recruiting-fervice; but that was an effect which muft of partiality and ill treatment of officers, He mentioned other inftances ever happen: That he apprehended the alluding particularly to Gen. Burgoyne's Houfe would not think the number of cafe. He lamented Sir Henry Clinton's men increased since last year, and which fituation, and faid, every person who knew amounted to about 15,000, an augmen- that gallant officer pitied him fincerely. tation too great, when it was confidered, To what a miferable ftate had ministers rethat in the laft feffion the Houfe almoft.duced him, almost a prisoner with 25,000. unanimously paffed a bill for doubling troops in New York! He enumerated the the militia, which, had it not been re events of the laft campaign; and, after mentioning the abandonment of Rhode iland, said, great blame was imputed to fame perfons respecting the lofs of the important island of Grenada. As he faw the General whofe name had been made free with without doors respecting that island, in his place, he hoped he would explain how it happened that the distribution of the troops was not made, which it had been faid would have enabled Lord Macartney to fave Grenada. After many particular attacks on miniftry, Mr Townfhend went into a series of general feverity; and faid, that the influence of the crown had nearly ruined the country: That it was now bordering on the year 1780, and he folemnly believed, whoever lived to fee 1788, (the year which would complete the century fince the glorious Revolution), would see the conftitution gone entirely, and a new form of government introduced. He declared, that he feared, he dreaded a republic; but indeed, from the prefent complexion of affairs, an abfolute monarchy seemed moft likely to take place. Gen. Grant then very circumftantially recited the hiftory of every tranfaction that had paffed, from his first failing, in November 1778, with 5000 men under his command, from New York to the Weft Indies and Leeward islands, to the time that Grenada was taken. He faid, the French took a brigantine, one of the transports belonging to the fquadron under the command of Com. Hotham, on board of which his army was embarked. In the brig taken were fome of the horfe. The commander of the ship had funk his orders before he was taken: D'Eftaing fent for him on board, and promised him his liberty, and large rewards, if he would inform him what the purport of the inftructions he had funk were, and where the armament was deftined. The officer was faithful, and he was, as he underfood fince, carried prifoner to Martinique. When he arrived upon Adm. Barrington's ftation, they confulted together what was beft to be done, and they proceeded to St Lucie; of which they obtained poffeffion. The Generai ftated every particular of the capture, and what followed it; and laid it down as a matter he wished the committee to keep in their minds, that all the operations previous to the capture of St Lucie were taken under an idea that we had a fuperior naval force in the Weft Indies to what France had there. It was after wards difcovered, that the French had twenty-fix fail of the line to our twenty, and at that time three of ours were dif abled. - France alfo had 20,000 troops in the Weft Indies. These circumftances neceffarily greatly altered the future operations. The General faid, had he divided the army, and diftributed it according to his inftructions from home, and his inftructions from New York, St Chriftopher's and Antigua would both unavoidably have been taken. He inftanced the fteps he had followed to preferve St Chriftopher's, in concert with Adm Byron and Barrington, againft which, ifland D'Estaing came with his whole force; and proved, in a very clear manner, that its falvation was entirely owing to his own good conduct, and the effectual fupport given him by the feaofficers. He ftated alfo fpecifically, how he had left the troops; in what number they were decreased from time to time, by fickness, diftribution, &c.; and faid, notwithstanding any orders he might have for other purposes, had he received intelligence that Jamaica was attacked, he fhould have immediately gone with his whole force to its fupport. He conclu ded with acknowledging, that he had not ftrictly followed his inftructions; but faid, he always conceived, an officer intrufted with the command of an army, the operations of which were at a distance from the feat of government, must be guided by circumftances, and exercife, in fome fort, a difcretional power. He had acted folely for the good of his country, to the beft of his judgement and ability, as an officer. His condu& had already been honoured with the approbation of his Sovereign; and he flattered himself he should meet with the candour of that House. Lord Adam Gordon very ably defended Lord Amherst on the refpective heads of accufation adverted to by Mr Townfhend. His Lordship fpoke alfo to the ftate of the fortifications on our coafts, and faid they were in general out of repair. Mr Fox called upon minifters, before he debated the fubject of the day, expli. citly to declare, whether they meant to go on with the American war, as their anfwer in that point would govern his vote entirely. Ld G. Germain faid, as far as he knew, it was not the intention of government to abandon the American war. If they did, they would give a manifeft advan tage tage to France aud Spain. The confederacy in arms against G. Britain confisted of France and Spain, affifted and fup ported by America. How the war with America was in future to be carried on, was not yet a matter of difcuffion; and if it were, he fhould think he acted very imprudently if he gave any information of it in public. Mr Fox made a long speech against the motion, in which he attacked the American fecretary with great heat and pointedness for the conduct of government refpecting Gen. Burgoyne. The Secretary at War replied, defend. ed Lord Amherst very fully from all that had been faid, and anfwered every charge urged by Mr Fox and Mr Townshend against the conduct of the army. Gen. Burgoyne, Mr Turner, Lord North, Mr Meyrick, Gen. Conway, Col. Barré, Lord Middleton, and others, fpoke in the debate. Mr Luttrell reminded Gen. Grant of his gafconade, of his engaging to march from one end of the North-American continent to the other, without refiftance. [38. 589.] General Grant denied the charge. Gen. Conway having faid that he would affent to the motion, all thoughts of calling for a divifion were given up, and the refolutions were agreed to. A HEN that changes its colour. Langholm, Jan. 20. 1780. There is in the poffeffion of Mr James Scott at Limycleugh, in the parish of Canoby, a hen, which all the fummer is a pure white, not a tarnished spot can be obferved about her. In the month of November fhe is fpeckled, and immediately changes to be as black as a raven, and not a spot of white to be feen. She continues of this colour till about May, when the again changes to a delicate white. Mrs Scott imagined the first year that fhe had loft her hen, till fome of the family afferted that the fpeckled one was the identical white hen. Upon this Mrs Scott put a particular mark upon her; and has remarked the different fucceffion of the colours with the feafons for thefe three years. This fact may be attefted by most of the people in the parifh, and by many gentlemen who had the curiofity to come to Mr Scott's, to obferve the different changes of this extraordinary bird. J.D. Edin. Mag. AMERICA. [41. 717.] an OUR laft volume contained accour of Great Britain's re-establishing a vil government in Georgia, and of h troops repelling an attack made by ti combined forces of France and the r volted colonies on Savannah, the capit of that province; - of her troops havin taken the Spanish fort of St Fernando d Omoa, in the Bay of Honduras; of their having evacuated Rhode island -of her having taken, in the Weft In dies, from the French, the island of S Lucia, and of the French having taker from her the islands of St Vincent and Grenada; - of the French having taken from her the forts of Senegal on the coaf of Africa; of her having taken Pondicherry and Mahie in the Eaft Indies from the French;-and of Spain's having joined France and the revolted colonies against her. We now proceed to later accounts. - Congress demanded from the colonies 45,000,000 dollars for the year 1779; of which, according to an act of the affembly of Pennfylvania, inferted in one of their news-papers of Oct. 14. that province was to raife, befides the fums before granted, 5,700,000 dollars. "Philadelphia, Oct. 20. In the general affembly of Pennfylvania, held here upon the 23d of September laft, it was agreed, that the claims made by the proprietors of that province, to the whole of the foil contained within the charter, together with the refervation of quitrents, purchafe money, &c. being no longer confiftent with the fafety of the commonwealth; the affembly, therefore, as reprefentatives of the province, resumed the fame, under certain reftrictions and provifoes, to themselves; granting however to the Penn family, the fum of 130,000l. Sterling, to be paid by differ ent inftalments, of not lefs than 15,cool. a-year, nor more than 20,000l. the first payment to be made at the expiration of one year after the termination of the prefent war." "New York, Oct. 15. By accounts from Philadelphia we learn, that laft Monday fe'ennight, a Mr Joseph Wirt was tried at a court of oyer and terminer, then fit ting there, on an indictment for committing high treafon against the State, and acquitted. The populace being enraged at the decifion, assembled in a tu multuous manner, feized the unfortu nate |