common serjeant, read aloud the names of the following aldermen, as persons who had served the office of sheriff, viz. Esdaile, Kennett, Oliver, Lewes, Hayley, Newnham, Lee, and Hart: their names were severally put up, and the show of hands was greatly in favour of Esdaile and Kennett. The sheriffs declared the election had fallen on Messrs. Esdaile and Kennett, upon which the lord-mayor and aldermen returned to the councilchamber, and in a short time came on the hustings, and declared the election had fallen on Sir James Esdaile. The lord-mayor, accord30th. ing to annual custom, went to Westminster-Hall and made a return of the two old sheriffs (Aldermen Plumbe and Thomas), who were sworn in before the barons in the Court of Exchequer to serve that office, till two persons are elected for the year ensuing. James Savage and Philip Rowden, Esquires, both paid the fine to be excused serving. On the 14th, of this month an inundation happened at Petersburgh, more extensive and destructive than has ever been remembered in those parts. A violent hurricane at W. S. W. which began about two in the morning, raised the waters in four hours to the height of fourteen feet above the ordinary level of the Neva, by which the whole town, and a great extent of the flat country in the neighbourhood, was rapidly overHlowed. The water remained about half an hour at its extreme height; but the wind getting a little to the northward, it returned in a very short time to its usual bounds. It is impossible to estimate the are loss which the state and individuals have suffered. The number of persons drowned must be considerable. In the best parts of the town many houses are unroofed, and the loss of goods destroyed is not to be estimated. In the gar dens of the summer palace great numbers of the finest trees broken or torn up by the roots. The lower skirts of the town, inhabited by the poorer sort of peʊple, presented a scene of desolation which can be more easily imagined than described. Many persons were drowned in their beds, and others, who sought for safety from the roofs of their houses, were carried from thence by the violence of the wind, and those who escaped with life were left destitute of habitations and effects. Great damage is done at the quay of the exchange, and to the lower magazines and warehouses. Numbers of barks laden with iron, hemp, grain, wood, &c. were staved, sunk, or driven into the streets or fields. Several large vessels, lying between this place and Cronstadt, were driven ashore into woods and gardens. Many of the country houses in the neighbourhood are destroyed. The village of Catherinehoff, and some others on the same coast, were entirely swept away, with all the cattle; and many lives were lost there, as well as on the side of the Galley Haven, where the ground is very low. The great bridge of boats over the Neva was carried away, and most of the bridges in the town, except those on the new stone quay (no part of which has suffered any material damage), were torn up. We have the satisfaction to hear, however, that little or no damage damage has been done to the works or shipping at Cronstadt. According to accurate obser vations it appears, that the waters rose a foot and a half higher than in the great inundation which happened there in the year 1752. DIED, the Rev. Mr. Edmond Granger, prebend and morning lecturer of Exeter Cathedral, rector of Sowden, and vicar of Honington Clift, in Somersetshire. He was the author of a biographical history upon a new plan, and several other curious historical pieces. The Rev. Fr. Fawkes, rector of Hayes, Kent, author of several ingenious poems and translations. Lately, Mr. Abraham Franco, a Jew merchant, aged 96, said to have died worth 900,000l. Mrs. Williamson, relict of the Rev. Joseph Williamson, many years rector of Leachley, in Yorkshire: she had 11 children, 54 grand-children, 53 great-grandchildren, and 6 great-great-grandchildren: she is survived by seven children, 37 grand-children, 42 great-grand-children, and five great-great-grand-children. quent, which (unfortunately) is the only punishment in their power to inflict, 2d. A common ball was held at Guildhall, for the choice of two persons to serve the office of sheriff. After the lord-mayor had quitted the hustings, and previous to the election, Mr. Common Serjeant came forward and addressed the livery: he told them that the choice of persons to that office who were ineligible, or would not serve, would be a great hindrance to business; he hoped, therefore, it would fall on such as would serve, and were proper persons. All the aldermen who had not served the office were then put in nomination, but the shew of hands appeared for Robert Peckham, Esq. aldermau of Coleman-street ward; and Richard Clarke, Esq. aldernían of Broad-street ward; whereupon they were declared duly elected. 4th. A commission passed the great seal for proroguing the parliament to the 20th of November, the day fixed for opening the session. Orders are given to the 6th. captains of the East-Indiamen that are to go out the ensuing season to take on board their full complement of men, with the liberty of receiving an additional number at any of the out-ports; they are to mount 26 guns each, with all ordnance stores, for their better defence in case of being attacked by any of the American privateers. Letters from Brest men 9th. account of an tion, that a ship arrived there brings an earthquake having lately happened at Gorce, the pricipal French settlement on the coast of Africa, which which had done considerable damage to the place, and choaked up the harbour so much as to render it dangerous for shipping to enter therein. This day began the ses13th. sions of the peace for the county of Middlesex at Guildhall, Westminster, when a man was indicted for a nuisance by the inhabitants of Hockley-in-the-hole, for killing and boiling horses, which occasioned such a putrefaction in the air, that the neighbours declared they were not able at times to move from their houses; he was convicted, and sentenced to be imprisoned in Newgate for the term of two years, to pay the penalty of 1007. and find security for his future good behaviour for three years more. A most horrid murder 16th. was discovered to have been perpetrated on the body of Mons. Valence Moudroit, a French gentleman, a jeweller, at his lodgings in Princes-street, Cavendishsquare, by a Swede, who was his interpreter, in the following manner: the maid-servant of the house, not having seen the deceased since the time he went to bed on Saturday night, was very uneasy, and made frequent inquiries concerning him to the interpreter, but was always answered, he was out of town.' The maid's suspicions increasing, she was determined to see into the deceased's apartments, and accordingly reared a ladder to the back window, which she opened, and, to her surprize, perceived the floor in a sea of blood. She went directly to justice Gretton's, in Margaret-street, and made him acquainted therewith, and of her strong suspicions of the interpreter having murdered the deceased. The justice immediately repaired to the house, had the door broke open, and, upon search, found the deceased most inhumanly mangled and bruised, and his body thrust into a trunk in the dressing-room, with his head bent down on his left breast, his knees forced up to his chin, and almost putrified. The murderer was apprehended the same evening, by Justice Gretton in person, just as he arrived at his lady's lodgings, in Castlestreet, in a post chaise, from a country jaunt. On his examination, he confessed being guilty of the murder, but as nothing appeared against the woman, she was discharged, and the prisoner committed to Newgate, on the coroner's inquest, for Wilful Murder. Lewis Mercier, alias Bouvet, alias Bettie, who committed the above murder, was originally bred a hair-dresser; but attending the public anatomical lectures at Paris, assumed the character of a surgeon. Some time after he came to England, and went from Liverpool doctor of a Guinea ship; but was dismissed for his barbarous treatment of the negroes, during the voyage. On his return he became connected with a gang of horsestealers, and made a considerable sum of money, by selling the cattle which were stolen, at Dunkirk, and other parts of France. In the year 1772, he was committed to Newgate, and capitally convicted for horse-stealing at the Old Bailey. By the interest of a French nobleman, he received the royal mercy, and was ordered to be transported for fourteen years; but returned about six weeks ago, and some some of Sir John Fielding's people were actually in pursuit of him the day before he committed the horrid murder upon Mr. Moudroit. The sessions, which be 18:h. gan at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, ended, when thirteen convicts received sentence of death; namely, William Loveridge, Robert Collins, James Anderson, and Nicholas Rider, for house-breaking; Michael Cashmin, for horse-stealing; four chimney-sweeper's boys for shop-lifting; John Morris, Benjamin and Charles Lees, for breaking open a bureau in a publichouse, and stealing from thence 19 guineas and a crown piece; Hen. Parkinson, for robbing a lit tle boy in the street; Ann Ellison, for privately stealing upwards of 13 guineas in the dwelling-house of John Doer, her master, the Crown alehouse, in Newport-market; Thomas Antibus, for stealing three, heifers out of a field near Hendon; George Johnson, for horse-stealing; and the Rev. Mr. Benjamin Russen, for injuring a girl nnder ten years old. He was master of the subscription charity-school at Bethnall-green, and was tried on four indictments for similar offences, but found guilty only on the first. In his defence he denied the fact, and pleaded the malice of his enemies, who, he said, had charged him with those offences to deprive him of his place. A very extraordinary circum-, stance happened at the Old-Bailey the last sessions, which shews how cautious and well informed it is necessary a jury should be in the discharge of their duty. A young fellow was tried for a capital felony, and, through the inexperience of the foreman, a verdict was found to the extreme of the chargeWhen the convicts were brought down to receive sentence, the court was thrown into an alarm by the Middlesex jury, who declared that they had resolved to find the prisoner guilty of the bare felony in stealing the goods, and to acquit him of having privately stolen them; an offence for which the punishment would not take away his life; whereas they were now astonished to see him among those condemned to suffer death; that, when they were deliberating upon the evidence, so far were they from any intention of finding the prisoner guilty of the specific charge in the indictment, that they observed among themselves he was a very proper object for the ballastlighters. The recorder endeavoured, with all that humanity which distinguishes his character, to soften the rigour of the verdict, and to that purpose made a strict inquiry of the cause of this egregious error, but it turned out to be not in his province to comply with the compassionate wishes of the jury. The verdict was re corded, and the only method to save the poor fellow from the disgrace and horror of a violent death, was a petition from the jury to the king, which the recorder promised to deliver, and aid their attempt to amend the mistake. The prisoner seemed to be shocked exceedingly. Being called upon to shew cause why sentence should not be pronounced against him, he said, I thought I was not found guilty of a capital offence, till I was fetched down from the cells.' The audience were affected, and at the same time happy to see so much penitence in his behaviour. 23d. A common council was this day held at Guildhall, at which were present the lordmayor, lord-mayor elect, aldermen Alsop, Bull, Kennett, Hayley, Oliver, Wright, Pugh, Peckham and Clarke, the sheriffs, and recorder. A petition from the creditors of Alderman Wilkes, late lord-mayor, was delivered into the court, and, upon a motion being made for the reading the said petition, great debates ensued; and on the question being put, it was carried and read. A motion was then made, that the petition do lie on the table, and, on a division being demanded and granted, there appeared seven aldermen and 73 common-councilmen for the question; and one alderman and 72 common-councilmen against it; whereupon the petition was ordered to lie on the table. This day about three 24th. o'clock in the afternoon, his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, his duchess, family, and retinue, arrived at Gloucesterhouse from Italy; his royal highness is in a much better state of health than was expected. some convicts; a chapel, a keeper's house, tap-house, sutlery, yards, area, ponds of water, &c. which required 160 squares of new building, which, on account of the requisite strength, would cost 2507. per square, 40,000/. Salaries and gratuities to the surveyor, the committee clerk, the chamberlain's clerks, &c. 27501. Incidental expences, 1250l. Total 50,000l. At the sessions for the 25th. county of Norfolk, a tradesman of Norwich, for cheating at cards, was fined 201. and sentenced to suffer six months imprisonment in the castle, without bail or mainprize; and, in case the said fine was not paid at the expiration of the term, then to stand on the pillory one hour, with his ears nailed to the same. The following is a true state of the different methods of getting money by lottery-office-keepers, and other ingenious persons, who have struck out different plans of getting money by the state lottery of 1777. First, His majesty's royal letters patent for securing the property of purchasers. 2dly, A few office-keepers who advertise, "By authority of parliament," to secure your property in shares and chances. The following is the estimate of the charge of pulling down and re-building the gaol of Newgate: Leasehold interests to be pur-3dly, Several schemes for shares chased in the Old-Bailey, from the and chances, only entitling the Mason's Yard to Newgate, and purchasers to all prizes above houses opposite thereto, twenty pounds. 60007. The old materials were to pay for taking down, and clearing away the rubbish to the surface of the streets. The New Prison to answer the late Sessions House, and to contain distinct wards for the men and women debtors, and men and women felons, transports, and 4thly, A bait for those who can only afford to venture one shilling. Then come the ingenious set of lottery merchants, viz. Lottery magazine proprietors-Lottery_tailors-Lottery stay-makers-Lottery glovers-Lottery hat-makers Lottery tea-merchants-Lottery snuff |