Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/125

Rh urn, and broke it in two, being quite rotten; it was full of ashes and pieces of human bones, among which was the head of a javelin, or spear, of an uncommon size and fashion, much too heavy to be wielded easily by any common man, weighing thirteen pounds and an half, and twenty eight inches long, the socket three inches and a quarter in diameter. There was also in the same vessel an helmet of brass, which seemed to have been curiously wrought, but was quite decayed by time, the rust having eaten holes through it. Its diameter was twelve inches and three quarters, and it weighed near eleven pounds.

Four tea dealers were tried before the commissioners of excise, and fined in the penalty of 10l. per pound for selling bohea tea coloured for green tea; the colouring used for this purpose is supposed to be Dutch pink, which will make bohea tea of a fine green.

Was issued a decree of the Aulic council of the Empire, enjoining all directors of circles, all imperial towns, and the noblesse of the Empire, to send to Vienna an exact list of all those who have disobeyed the Avocatoria of the emperor, and who, as the decree expresses it, adhere to the Elector of Brandenburgh's rebellion, among whom the Elector of Hanover is particularly mentioned. It is declared that their revenues shall be sequestrated, and they punished in honours, body, and goods.

A letter to the admiralty from Captain Kirk, commander of his majesty's ship Lynn, convoy to the Jamaica fleet, consisting of 147 sail, was made public, complaining of the disregard paid to his signals by many of the merchantmen, and of the obstinate and untowardly behaviour of others, by which the fleet suffered much; but more particularly complaining of the irregularities committed by several of the crews in the Spanish settlements, where they were obliged to put in for water, by which much offence was given to the governor of the Havannah, and much injury done to the poor people, whose cattle and hogs they killed and carried off in numbers without reserve, after they had hospitably shewn them where they might be supplied with water.

The plague at Smyrna has continued to rage with so much violence this summer, that by letters received from thence there is advice, that there are scarce people enough left in the neighbourhood of that city to gather in the fruits of the earth.

Bitter complaints have lately been made by the Spaniards against the conduct of our privateers, which have lately seized some of their ships under pretence of having French property on board.

By advices received from Genoa, the chief of the malecontents, de Paoli, has entered the province of Cape Corfo in the island of Corfica, and with 2000 men laid siege to Roglano, to facilitate the surrender of which, he has caused the city of Bastia, to be blockaded with 1500 men.

There are divers accounts from English gentlemen of credit in France, which represent the usage of the poor prisoners there as intolerable; one, in particular, remarks, that the number that has perished by the wretchedness of their condition