Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/132

118 Admiral Osborn their thanks, and had received the following answer:

Sir, I want words to express my sense of the honour the house of Commons has been pleased to confer upon me, and only hope that you, Sir, will be as gracious to me in representing my gratitude to that august assembly, as you have been in acquainting me with their favourable acceptance of my services. I have done no more than my duty. I have only been the humble, though happy, instrument of executing the wise measures directed by his majesty.

I have no title, Sir, to any glory, but what is common to me as a seaman, and as an Englishman zealous for the service of my country, which is pleased to reward me with this instance of their approbation. From the situation of my health, Sir, I can flatter myself with having but few opportunities of employing the remainder of my life, in grateful exertion of my abilities for the honour and interest of my country. But as the house of Commons is so gloriously watchful to encourage the greatest merit, by rewarding the least, England can never want good Officers; and however honoured I am by this distinction, may my services be the most inconsiderable, that shall be thus acknowledged. I am, with the greatest respect, Sir,

Your most obedient, and most humble servant,

Dec. 8, 1758.

HENRY OSBORN.

The English prisoners taken at St. Cas, arrived at Dover from France.

At night, about twelve o'clock, a stove of gunpowder at the Powder-mills on Hounslow-heath, belonging to Samuel Underhill, Esq; took fire, and blew up; as the quantity of powder that then lay drying therein was great, consisting of 17 cwt. the explosion was extremely violent and alarming, insomuch that his dwelling-house was considerably damaged thereby, and, though at near 300 yards distance from the works, several of the windows thereof were shattered to pieces, some furniture thrown down, particularly a repeating clock, part of the glass of a sash window was forced upon a bed, in which a gentleman then lay asleep, but happily no person received any hurt. What might be the cause of this accident is unknown to any one. In many parts the shock was felt, and supposed to be that of an earthquake.

Translation of a paragraph of a dispatch wrote by M. da Cunha, secretary of state in Portugal for foreign affairs and at war, dated Belem, Sept. 12.

'Last Saturday the King had a fall in his palace, by which he was considerably hurt in his right arm. He was let blood on Monday, and is at present better. His majesty, being prevented by this accident from attending to public affairs for some days, has empowered the queen to sign dispatches and other instruments, during his illness.'

From Lisbon advice has been received of a most wicked and daring attempt on the life of the King of Portugal. No clear and authentic account has yet been received, either of the particulars of the action itself, or the motives to it. Several persons of the most distinguished rank in that kingdom, have been already secured for this conspiracy; yet every thing concerning it is still involved in an impenetrable darkness, which all reason-