thefe differences, in order that Ruffia might be fo fully engaged at home, as not to have leifure to attend to, much lefs to interfere in, the dangerous defigns which that power was preparing to carry into execution in another quarter of the world; more efpecially as thefe measures were deeply to affect a ftate, with which the court of Peterburg is in the clofeft union of alliance and friendship. Though this report is highly probable, we cannot, however, from the reafons which we have already ftated, help believing, that the Porte would have acted nearly the fame part, without any interference whatever.

The war between Perfia and the Porte languishes on both fides, although it was declared with all the ufual folemnities at Conftantinople. The Perfians have not been able to purfue their fuccefs in the taking of Baffora with any effect. Their ill government and inteftine divifions probably difable them from any vigorous, or, at leaft, lafting exertion. They have been repeatedly defeated on the fide of Bagdat, only by the troops of that government; and in one action, it is faid, that 2000 of their troops were driven into the Euphrates. On the other hand, it is reported, (and we have nothing but very uncertain reports from thofe quarters) that a Turkish Bafha, in the outfet of fome enterprize against the Perfians, having entered Georgia without leave, and contrary to treaty, he was entirely defeated, and a great part of his army cut to pieces, by Prince Heraclius. It feems as if it were become neceffary, that fome great

revolution fhould, ere long, take place in Afia. Nor does it feem very improbable, that one or two great and vigorous empires might fuddenly rife out of the ruins of the prefent miferable, decayed, and rotten fabricks.

Ruffia is making a rapid progrefs to the highest state of greatnefs. Her commerce, population, and opulence, are daily increafing. Her exports have been nearly doubled within the last twenty years. The increase of people in the central and cultivated provinces, has held a reasonable proportion to that of their commerce and wealth. Her annual revenue exceeds her annual expence by near three millions of roubles, being a balance of about 700,000l. a-year in her favour. A continuance of fettled government, and the bleffing of a wife administration, will in a few years place her power and greatnefs beyond all competition. The unhappy falling off of the British colonies has exceedingly increased the commerce of Ruffia, as well as of the other northern countries. Ruffian Tobacco has arifen within twelve months to confiderably more than double its ufual price.

The King of Sweden paid a vifit this fummer, in the character of Count of Gothland, to Petersburg, where he was received with all the fplendour and magnificence peculiar to that court. The prefents were in the fame grand ftyle with the entertainment, and the jewels of the eaftern world, loft no part of their luftre in the frozen regions of the north."

The autumn was attended with a most dreadful calamity to the city and neighbourhood of Petersburg.

It is a fault in the fituation of that city, that it is liable to inundations; but that which now happened was by far more extenfive and destructive, than any thing of the fort which had ever been koown before. A violent

Sept. 21. hurricane at the fouthweft, which began at two o'clock in the morning, raised the waters, in the fhort time of four hours, to the height of fourteen feet above the ordinary level of the river Neva. 'The city, and the adjoining flat country, were of courfe rapidly overflown, and the water continued at its extreme height for about half an hour.

The diftrefs, terror, and calamity of the inhabitants, may be eafily fuppofed to exceed all defcription. Many hundreds were drowned; thousands were ruined. The lofs to the ftate, and to individuals, was immenfe. The houfes in the lower parts of the town were entirely covered; and many houses were unroofed in the best parts. The quantities of goods and commodities of all forts that were deftroyed or carried away, in cellars, warehouses, or from the keys, were beyond all eftimation. The fineft trees in the palace gardens were broken or torn up by the roots. The great bridge of boats over the Neva was carried away, and the greater part of the numerous leffer bridges deftroyed. Ships were thrown into gardens, fields, and woods. Country houfes and villages were swept away or deftroyed. In a word, the morning prefented the most dreary and lamentable fcene, that any conception can be formed of. A happy change of the wind between fix

and feven o'clock, released the people from their terror on account of their lives, and left them time to contemplate on calamities, which had till then been partly covered by their danger.

It is characteristic of the prefent time, for fovereigns, not only to pay mutual vifits, but laying by their ftate, to take journies into other countries, under the fame curiofity and defire of information, which impel private travellers to a like purfuit. The vifits and travels of great monarchs are, however, fuppofed to be generally tinged a little with policy and matters of state. It feems as if their frequency might in time wear away all jealousy upon these accounts.

The active fpirit, and strong difpofition to judicious enquiry, with an eager defire of obtaining every species of useful information, which fo much mark the present Emperor of Germany's character, would have probably led him in a feafon of tranquillity to fee the kingdom of France, independent of political motives, and of the defire of vifiting his royal fifter. He accordingly paid a vifit to that country, and arrived at Paris a little after the middle of April. He lived and travelled, (under the appellation of Count Falkenstein) like a very private gentleman, who was led more to travel by business than amufement. His affability, or rather a noble openness and freedom of manners, caught the hearts of all orders of mankind whereever he paffed, His manner of life in Paris, refembled nothing lefs than that of a monarch. He lived but little at court, and spent

no

no time in forms; it was laid out, with the attention of a philofopher, and the inquifitiveness of a statesman, in examining the different eftablishments of that country, whether civil, military, mercantile, or appertaining to any great order of manufacture. After fix weeks spent in this manner in the capital, he made the tour of the kingdom, to the Pyrenees, in the fame fpirit.

Europe has prefented little interesting matter this year, befides what we have taken notice of. A

new treaty of alliance which has taken place between France and Switzerland, would have been once a matter of confideration; but in the late very extraordinary change which the general fyftem of policy in Europe has undergone, is not of weight enough to deferve much reflection. The death of the Elector of Bavaria, which happened on the laft day but one of the year, will unhappily render Germany again the theatre of war, and afford too much subject for future hiftory.

CHRO

JANUARY.

1. THE HE rector and churchwardens of two adjoining parishes near Portfdown-Hill, Hants, were cited before the bishop, to fhew cause why they did not attend their duty on the general fast-day.

The half-yearly dividend of 3d. the East-India company was this day declared to be three and a half per cent.

Some villains broke into 4th. the houfe of Mr. Beale, of Marlborough, fteward to Lord Bruce, and ftole an iron cheft, containing feven hundred guineas, and Bank notes to the value of feven hundred pounds. This robbery alarmed the whole country, and was evidently perpetrated by fome perfons who knew that the money received at the late audits of Lord Bruce's tenants, was depofited at Mr. Beale's.

8th.

The River Thames was frozen over at Kingston, and many perfons croffed over on the ice. The froft, however, has not this year been very intense.

9th. Mifs Butterfield, against the An allegation, pleaded by validity of the will of the late Mr. Scawen, was debated before Sir George Hay, in Doctors Commons. After a variety of arguVOL. XX.

ments, the doctor allowed the plea; the lady, therefore, will be admitted to prove the truth of it in a future proceeding. The plea urged on the part of Mifs Butterfield is, that "the last will was founded in error."

A rencounter happened 13th. at the Adelphi tavern in the Strand, between Capt. Stoney, and Mr. Bates, editor of the Morning Poft. The caufe of quarrel arofe from fome offenfive paragraphs that bad appeared in the Morning Poft, highly reflecting on the character of a lady of rank. After having difcharged their piftols at each other without effect, they drew fwords, and Mr. Stoney received a wound in the breaft and arm, and Mr. Bates one in the thigh. Mr. Bates's fword bent, and flanted against the Captain's breaft-bone, which Mr. Bates apprizing him of, Capt. Stoney called to him to ftraighten it, and in the interim, while the fword was under his foot for that purpose, the door was broken open, or the death of one of the parties would most certainly have been the iffue.-On the Saturday following Capt. Stoney was married to the lady in whofe behalf he had thus hazarded his life.

This day came on the trial of the Rev. Dr. Storer, [2]

15th.

for

for fhooting Capt. Keith. By the evidence it appeared, that on the 28th of December, between twelve and one in the night, the deceafed forced himself into the houfe of Mr. White, mafter of the Swan tavern, near Westminster bridge; that as foon as he found entrance, he made a lounge at Mr. White, which Mr. White parried with an oaken flick; that the noise waked Mr. Storer, who lay in the house, and he, imagining that fome robbers had broken in, armed himfelf with a piftol, and came down ftairs; that on his demanding of the deceased, who he was, and what he wanted, he made a lounge at the doctor, which the doctor avoided by retreating back; that the deceafed kept advancing on him as he retreated, and that when Dr. Storer could retreat no farther, after bidding the deceafed defift, and the fword being close to his breaft, the doctor fired, and hot the Captain in the belly, who inftantly dropt the fword, and foon after died. The judge, after fumming up the evidence, acquainted the jury, that the prifoner was guilty of justifiable homicide only, and that they must acquit him, which they inftantly did.

Franckfort, Dec. 14. Our letters from Italy mention, that the com. miffaries appointed by the court of Vienna, and the republic of Venice, to terminate the differences which fubfifted about the limit of Morlachia, have concluded a convention, of which the following are the heads:

Firft, That this agreement fhall not be called a treaty, but a convention; fecondly, that the cultivated land, of which the Venetians are in poffeffion, fhall, be declared

the lawful property of the re public: thirdly, that the land between Mount Stolla, and Mount Poflock, fhall be divided into two equal portions, and a line drawn between them to Mount Bilibich, which line fhall be the frontiers between the Venetian states, and the territories of the court of Vienna. Fourthly, that pillars fhall be erected along the faid line to mark the confines, which are mutually agreed upon. Fifthly, that meafures fhall be taken amicably to determine all contefts and difputes which may arife between the neighbouring countries, with regard to the jurifdiction of the confines, without their being obliged to have recourfe to their refpective fovereigns.

Cherbourg, Dec. 19. The bafon of our port, which we have been many years cleansing, is at last effected, and on Dec. 14, the first fhip entered it, amidst the acclamations of the inhabitants.

Mr. Foote and Mr. Col

man met, agreeable to their 15th. appointment, and executed the articles which confirm the latter's purchase of the former's patent, together with all his property in the Hay market theatre. By the terms of the demife, Mr. Colman obliges himself to pay Mr. Foote a clear annuity of 1600l. per ann. by four quarterly payments; he alfo ftipulates to pay Mr, Foote a hand fome fum for the right of acting all his unpublished pieces. Mr. Foote, on the other hand, agrees to put Mr. Colman in immediate poffeffion of the premiffes, and engages not only to give him the refufal of all fuch dramatic writings as he may hereafter produce, but alfo to perform on no other stage in

London