A CHRONOLOGICAL SERIES of Events, continued from our preceding volume. To each article is annexed the number of the page of this volume in which it is to be found. #779. Feb. 14. Capt. Cooke, the celebrated circumnavigator, killed on the island O'why'he. 43. Sept.1.21. British forts on the Miffifippi taken by the Spaniards. 27. Nov. 17. Congress receives a new French ambaffador. 79. 28. Omoa evacuated by the British. 143. Dec. 15. Motion made in the House of Peeis respecting the public expenditure. 70. 130. 20. Meff. Stratton, Brook, Floyer, and Mackay, tried for the arreft and imprisonment of Lord Pigot. 102. 30. Affociations begun, and committees of correfpondence appointed, for obtaining a redress of grievances. 51. 1780. Capt. Fielding takes fome Dutch merchantmen while under convoy of Dutch warships. 46. Jan. 8. Adm. Rodney takes a fleet of Spanish merchant-fhips. 93. 16. obtains a victory over a Spanish fquadron. 94. Feb. 1. A commiffion paffes the great feal appointing Gen. Clinton and Adm. Arbuthnot commiffioners for reftoring peace in America. 49. 14. Mr Burke prefents a bill for the better regulation of the civil lift, &c. 194. 14. An act paffed in the British parliament, allowing Ireland to trade to North America, the West Indies, and the coaft of Africa. 100. 13. Adm. Digby takes a French man of war and some transports. 99. Marchat. The British ambassador requires of the States-General to give an anfwer in three weeks concerning the fuccours claimed by G. Britain. 155. The Empress of Ruffia fends a declaration to the belligerent powers respecting neutral fhips. 211.—to which thefe powers return anfwers. 270, 71. 29. The states of the province of Holland alledge, that the fuccours claimable by Britain are confined to wars begun in Europe. 156. April 3. Ruffia invites the States-General to join the armed neutrality. 213. 6. The British Commons take into confideration the petitions from counties, &c. 245. ➡6. The states of Zealand recommend a negociation with Britain. 212. 17. Great Britain fufpends all the ftipulations respecting navigation and commerce with the States-General. 214. -17. Rodney's and Guichen's British and French fleets in the West Indies engage. 257, &c. 29. Fort St John on the Spanish main furrenders to the British forces. 379. May 6. Infurrections in South America against the Spanish government. 490. 11. Charlestown in South Carolina furrenders to Gen. Clinton. 263. A great deal of damage done by eruptions of Mount Ætna. 434. June 2. Moft destructive riots in London. 281. 9. Lord George Gordon committed to the Tower of London for high treason. 403. 9. Martial law declared in Pennsylvania. 425. 15. The British and French fleets in the West Indies engage again. 303. 28. Trials of the London rioters begun. 362. A proclamation in America by the Marquis de la Fayette, inviting the Canadians to join the American confederacy. $34. July 5. Adm. Geary falls in with and takes part of a fleet of French West-India shops. 384. 8. Denmark and Sweden declare their acceffion to the armed neutrality. 431. 11. Executions of the London rioters begun. 417. 11. A French fleet and army take poffeflion of Rhode island. 426. 477. Twenty fhips of a fleet bound to Quebec captured by the Americans. $34. Aug. 9. A fleet of British East and West India fhips taken by the combined fleets of France and Spain. 443. 546. 16. Gen. Gates defeated by Lord Cornwallis at Camden in South Carolina. 485. 18. Gen. Sumpter defeated by Col. Tarleton. 487. Great damage done by a fire at Petersburg. 544. 22. The two fhips which failed in 1776, on a voyage for making difcoveries, arrive in Orkney. 549. 30. Privateers prohibited from taking their prizes into Portugal. $44. Sept. 1. The British parliament dissolved, and another called. 495. Henry 1780. Sept. 3. Henry Laurens, late Prefident of the Congrefs, taken prisoner. $34. and brought - to London Oct. 5. 549. 25. Maj.-Gen. Arnold joins the King's army at New York. 585. 08. 2. Adj.-Gen. André executed by order of Gen. Washington. 585. 649. 11. Dreadful ftorms in the West Indies. 652 Nov. 10. The British ambaffador prefents another memorial to the States-General. 616. 23. Gen. Leslie lands in Virginia. 647. Dec. 4. Inhabitants of Bengal, &c. petition the House of Commons. 321. 12. The British ambaffador prefents his last memorial to the States-General. 663. To the BINDER. UT off the blue covers, and place this quarter of a sheet, containing the General January. The day of the week on which every month of 1780 began: A help to find the date of any article expreffed as falling on a certain week-day before or after a date mentioned. [The 1ft, 8th, 15th, 22d, and 29th, of a month, fall on the fame week-day.The month-day advances one week-day every common year, and two every leap year : fo, as 1780 was a leap year, January and February advance two days in 1781, and all the rest of the months advance one week-day, after the week-day on which the fame month-day fell in 1780.] January, Saturday. ¡May, Monday. September, Friday. February, Tuesday. June, Thursday. October,. Sunday. March, Wednesday. July, Saturday. November, Wednesday. April, Saturday. Auguft, Tuesday. December, Friday, Inftead of this couplet, (in which the word fuccess is a false quantity), the author Approving Heaven his generous wishes crown'd, This The poem, intitled, The Dream, here, by mistake, afcribed to Mr JAMES 2. 49. for Countess of Harcourt. read Duchefs d' Harcourt. a French lady. 329. 2. 33. for 317. read 328. - 387. 2. Died, at Poplar, June 8. 1780, aged 68, Mary Eaft. This woman paffed for a man thirty-five years;-kept a public houfe, ferved all the offices of the parish, and attended Westminster-hall and the Old Bailey as a juryman. Having acquired a competent fortune [30001.], the retired from business, and lived at Poplar till her death. Her fortune the has left to a friend in the country, and a young woman who lived with her as a fervant; except 101. a-year to the poor of Poplar, sol. to a working gardener, and a gold watch to Mr Currie, a distiller at Poplar. [39.452.], Preferred: Lt. Gen. Sir Richard Pierfon, created a Knight of the Bath; invested Nov. 130 SCOTS MAGAZINE. JANUARY, 1 7 8 0. CONTENT S. ANNUAL REGISTER. Hiftory 1778. Ger- AMERICA. Recapitulation 24. Tumults in Of ARTIFICIAL LOADSTONES 29. Lettfom on the diftreffes of the POOR 31. A The ALARM: The conduct and views of Lord BELLAMONT: Obftinate virtue 33. the Oppofition delineated 14. Account of a WILD MAN 17. PARLIAMENT. Lords on reducing the civil Lift 18. Speeches of Lords Richmond, Stormont, Bathurst, Effingham, Rockingham, Chancellor, Shelburne, &c. 18.-22. -Commons on the army-eftimates 22. Speeches of the Secretary at War, Sir Ch. Bunbury, Mr T. Townshend, Gen. Grant, Ld A. Gordon, Mr Fox, Ld George Germain, &c. 22. —14 AHEN that changes its colour 24 Books. Letter to the people of Laurencekirk 33. Williams on the univerfal principles of religion and morality 35. POETRY. New-year's day 40. The Duellifts ib. A fhort character of Milton ib. On Dowager Lady E. H-dib. On the academy for teaching Grown Gentlemen to dance ib. Advice to individuals ib. On the death of Capt. Cook ib. Alves's ode to Britannia 41. Ode to war 42. An epitaph on a poor musician ib. HISTORICAL AFFAIRS 43-56. der the profpect of peace precarious. The vaft and continually-increasing ar mies, which have been kept up fince the conclufion of the late war, by the two powers, who with a decifive controul now fway the motions of the other members of the Germanic body, were of a magnitude far beyond all the interests of peace; and if not abfolutely beyond the abilities of their respective countries to fupport, were totally inconfiftent with the eafe and profperity of the people for whofe protection they were fuppofed to be formed. Indeed thefe powers feema fo fenfible of the fatal confequences of fuch a drain from population, and fuch a withdrawing of itrength from the labours of the earth, that both of them have adopted the remedy of encouraging A matrimony. matrimony in their armies; and one allows his foldiers, in rotation, to apply their hands to the neceffary occupations of field-labour. Thus we may in time behold hereditary armies; and the countries of Europe may fee a new order of men grow up amongst them, who, from father to son, inherit manners, principles, and interefts, feparate and diftinct from thofe of the community at large. Nor did the increase of thofe armies exceed the conftant attention which was paid to their perfection in military skill, and in the dexterity of military evolution; whilft the abundant provifion for war which was made in their refpective ftates kept pace with both. It might indeed have been imagined upon a flight view, that the fudden friendship which fprung up between the two great monarchs in queftion, would have been in fome degree a pledge for the public quiet and fecurity; but to thofe of a fhrewder furn, and clofer obfervation, it is probable that their friendship appeared more dangerous than their enmity. Some particular circumftances perhaps preferved the tranquillity of Germany for a longer space of time, than the appearances of things feemed to indicate, or men in general to expect. The near equipoife of power, military ftrength, and of the means and refources of war, between the houses of Auftria and Brandenburg, might produce, for fome time, and in fome degree, fimilar effects, with those which would have arifen from a ftate of mutual inability. The affairs of Poland, which seemed at first calculated to scatter firebrands and defolation over every part of the north, produced a directly contrary effect. They not only drew off for fome yearsthe attention of those great powers from domeftic, or other matters, and at the fame time occupied the hands of a dangerous and equally great neighbour; but the fhare which they all obtained in the partition of that ancient kingdom, would have feemed well calculated to appeate the in fupportable cravings of ambition, if long experience had not demonftrated, that the appetite in that diftemper becomes more infatiate, in proportion to the greater quantity of food which is adminiftered to its fupply. The King of Pruffia feems the only power to whom the independent princes and free cities of Germany can, with any degree of certainty, look up for fupport against the great and increafing ftrength of the house of Auftria; a house, to which the prerogatives, the peculiar powers and undefined claims, appertaining to the title and office of Emperor, may now be nearly confidered as an appendage. No union of the leffer states, could now, as heretofore, form a sufficient weight to counterbalance in any degree that power. Befides the natural imperfection and inftability which must neceffarily attend fuch an union, compofing an ill-connected body, with a number of difunited heads, it would undoubtedly be found greatly deficient in the mere article of strength. On the other hand, the houfe of Auftria is at present a neceffary curb on the fuddenly-grown power, and the ambi. tious views, of that of Brandenburg. Between both, the leffer ftates, by a prudent and watchful attention to the prefervation of that balance of power in Germany, which has fo unaccountably, and perhaps fatally, been worn out of memory in the general fyftem of Europe, may ftill long continue to preferve their independence. A neglect of this political principle, will probably occafion one of the fcales to preponderate, which, in the nature of things, muft prove dangerous, if not ruinous, to the independency of the Germanic body. But if that rage of dominion, and fpirit of arbitrary power and encroachment, which feem at prefent fo generally prevalent in Europe, fhould unite thofe two great powers in a common league against the independency of the other princes, and the liberties of the free cities, it feems evident, that no force within the Empire could preferve the Germanic body in its prefent form. Poland has afforded a recent inftance, that quietness, an inability to offer injury or wrong, with many useful and valuable properties of good neighbourhood, afford no protection against the luft of power, and the rage of ambition; whilft Dantzick prefents an yet living example to the free cities, that the ruft of parchments, and the venerable antiquity of immunities, offer no better defences against fuch enemies. From what every body has feen, and from a state of public affairs, and general difpofition, which cannot escape common obfervation, it feems not impoffible, that the greater part of Europe might continue indifferent fpectators of fuch an event. Nor does it feem lefs probable, that Ruf |