Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/93

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The merchants of Bristol presented him also with a gold cup, worth 100 l.

This day a committee of the subscribers to a fund for supplying the poor in the city of York with corn at a lower rate than the markets, began to deliver out the same, when 334 families were served with the best of corn at 1 s. a peck, or 4 s. the bushel.

By a letter from Captain Lockhart to the Admiralty, there was advice that his majesty's ships Edinburgh, Dreadnought, Augusta, and a sloop, had blocked up the harbour of Cape François for some weeks: that on the 15th of October, all the French squadron sailed to drive the English off the coast: and the next day the two squadrons came to a close engagement, which continued till night, when the French squadron, having the land breeze, by the help of their frigates were towed into port, greatly disabled, and the Opiniatre dismasted. They had 300 men killed, and as many wounded. This advice Captain Lockhart received from the crew of a St. Domingo-man, which he had taken; and it has since been confirmed by a letter in Lloyd's Evening post, directly from the spot. The same advices from the Admiralty take notice likewise of the taking of two French ships both laden with provisions for Louisbourg. The prisoners say, that they sailed from l'Isle d'Aix, in company with three other merchant-ships, laden with provisions for Louisbourg, under convoy of the Prudent and Capricieux, and the Tripon and Heroine frigates, the two former of which parted company with them the day before they were taken. The frigates made their escape from our ships by its falling little wind, before which his majesty's ships outsailed them greatly; but there is reason to believe the other merchant-ships are taken by the ships that were left in chace of them.

A farmer upon Budgley Common, between Southampton and Redbridge, seeing a man with a blue coat, red waistcoat, and red plush breeches, very ragged, lying on the ground in a very weak condition, took him into his waggon, carried him to his house, gave him victuals and drink; but being fall of vermin, made him up a bed of straw in the waggon, under the waggon-house, and covered him with sacks. Next morning he found him dead. He had an ensign's commission in his pocket, dated in March last, appointing him, as supposed, an ensign to an independent company of invalids at Plymouth; but no money in his pocket, except one half-penny.

The following message from the King was presented by Mr. Secretary Pitt to the house.

'His majesty having ordered the army, formed last year in his electoral dominions, to be put again into motion from the 28th of November last, and to act with the utmost vigour against the common enemy, in concert with