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on the lower gun-deck, and took a he refided the whole time of his stay view of the whole.

At half an hour after three o'clock his Majefty fat down to a table of thirty covers, at which many of the nobility, and perfons of diftinction, as well as officers of the navy and army of the rank of colonel and upwards, were admitted to the honour of dining. After dinner, the Queen's health being drank, the whole fleet faluted with twenty-one guns; and, upon his Majelly's retiring from table, the King's health was likewife drank with the like falute. And the fame was repeated every day during his Majesty's continuance at Portf mouth.

At fix o'clock his Majefty went into his barge, attended by the board of Admiralty, the flag officers and captains, in the fame order in which they came, and paffed along both the lines of fhips, each fhip (being again manned) giving three cheers, and faluting feparately with twenty-one guns as the King paffed by them.

His Majefty then went on board the Augufta yacht, where he was again received by the board of Admiralty. The Royal Standard, with the Lord High Admiral's flag and Union flag, were immediately hoifted, as they had been on board the Barfleur; and his Majefty failed into the harbour. The hips at Spithead and the fortifications faluting as upon his Majefty's coming out, and the admirals and captains attending him to the harbour's mouth; after which they returned to their respective fhips. His Majefty landed at the dock a quarter before nine, and returned to the commiffioner's houfe, where

at Portfmouth.

WEDNESDAY, June 23.

At eight o'clock this morning his Majefty began to view the dockyard, the hips building and repairing, and magazines.

At eleven his Majefty went into his barge, attended by the commiffioners of the admiralty and navy in their barges, with the flags of their refpective offices, and many of the nobility in another barge, and proceeded up the harbour to view the thips lying in ordinary.

His Majeity went on board three of thofe fhips, viz. the Britannia, a first rate of 100 guns; the Royal William, a fecond rate of 84 guns; and the Defiance, a third rate of 64 guns; and, at half an hour after two, went off to Spithead to dine on board the Barflour, attended by the commiflioners of the admiralty, the flag officers and captains in their barges, as before.

At fix o'clock in the afternoon his Majelly went from the Barfleur on board the Augufla yacht, and failed towards St. Helen's till near eight, and then flood in for, the harbour; but, it falling calm, his Majefty left the yacht, and was rowed to the dock in his barge, where he arrived at half an hour after nine, the fhips and fortificaions faluting, and the flag-officers and captains attending him to the mouth of the harbour, as they had done the day before.

THURSDAY, June 24.

His Majesty went to the gunwharf at fix o'clock in the morning, where he was received by the maiter-general of the Ordnance, the lieutenant - general and principal officers of that department, and

minutely

minutely viewed the magazines, artillery, and ftores.

His majefty returned to the dockyard at leven, and viewed fuch parts of the yard, magazines, and works carrying on, as he had not feen before. At half an hour after ten his Majedy, attended as before, by the nobility and commiflioners of the admiralty and navy, went in his barge on board the Venus, a frigate of 36 guns, lying in ordinary, and from thence to Weovil, where he was received by Captain Pitt, one of the commiffioners for victualling the royal navy, and the officers of that department, a royal falute of twenty-one guns being given from the lines at Gofport; and, having viewed the brewery, cooperage, and magazines, returned to the dock.

After his Majefty had changed his dress, he went to the governor's houfe, and had another public levee.

At two o'clock his Majefty went off to Spithead, in the fame ftate as on the preceding days, to dine on board the Barfleur.

Vice Admiral Pye, having, in purfuance of the King's pleafure, been this day promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Blue, kiffed his Majesty's hand on the quarter-deck, and, hoiting his flag immediately on board the Royal Oak, was by the King's permiffion faluted by all the fhips prefent, except the Barfleur. The admiral, in acknowledgment of the honour conferred upon him, faluted the Royal Standard with all the guns on board the Royal Oak.

His Majesty was at the fame time pleated to confer the honour of knighthood on Admiral Pye, as allo on Richard Spry, Efq; Rear

Admiral of the White; Capt. Jofeph Knight, of the Ocean, fenior captain in the fleet at Spithead ; Captain Edward Vernon, of the Barfleur; and Captain Richard Bickerton, of the Augufta yacht: who had the honour each day to fleer the King's barge: and they had feverally the honour to kiss his Majesty's hand upon the quarterdeck under the Royal Standard.

At half an hour after five o'clock, his Majefty went from the Barfleur on board the Augufta yacht, attended as before, and, having failed through part of the line of fhips, ftood into the harbour, and landed at the dock at half an hour after feven, the flag-officers and captains. attending his Majefty in their barges to the mouth of the harbour, and the fortifications faluting as on the former days.

FRIDAY, June 25.

His Majefty went from the dockyard at half an hour after five this morning to view the new works and fortifications of Portsmouth, beginning from the fartheft part of the common round to the faluting platform.

At feven his Majefty returned to the dock, embarked immediately on board the Augufta yacht, and failed out of the harbour, the fortifications faluting as he paffed. When the yacht arrived at Spithead, Lord Edgcumbe, Vice Admiral of the Blue, with his divifion, got under fail and followed his Majefty. When the yacht and men of war had paffed the buoys, the V.ceAdmiral came on board, and having, by his Majefty's command,been promoted to be Vice-Admiral of the White, had the honour to kiss his Majesty's hand under the Royal Standard, and then, thifting his

Bag,

flag, was, by his Majefty's permiffion, faluted by all the fhips of his divifion.

His Majefty proceeded as far as Sandown Bay, where the Standard was faluted by the Caftle.

The wind then freshening, and the tide being spent, the yacht, with the Vice-Admiral's divifion, returned to St. Helen's and anchored.

At three quarters after four the yacht got under weigh, and, the wind till blowing fresh, worked up to Spithead, leaving the ViceAdmiral and his divifion to proceed to Plymouth, according to the orders he had received. After the King had failed along the line of fhips remaining at Spithead, he flood towards the harbour, and came to anchor about half a mile within South-Sea Caftle, where his Majefty was attended by the admiral, the rear-admiral, and all the captains and lieutenants of the fleet at Spithead, who had feverally the honour of kiffing his Majefty's hand. While the yacht was at anchor, the ramparts of the town, being lined with land-forces and marines, fired a Fcu de Joy' at ten o'clock, by a triple difcharge of cannon and mufquetry all round the works; immediately after which the yacht weighed, proceeded into the harbour, and landed his Majefty at the dock at half an hour after ten o'clock.

The King was this day pleafed to grant the dignity of a Baronet of Great Britain unto Hugh Pallifer, Efq; Comptroller of his Majefty's Navy, and unto Richard Hughes, Efq; Commiflioner of his Majesty's Navy refiding at Portsmouth; and alfo to diret that the commanders of the Wafp, Speedwell, and Hat

zard floops, at Spithead, be promoted to the rank of poft captains of his Majefty's fleet; the lieutenants commanding the Greyhound and Anfon cutters in Portfmouth harbour, the first lieutenant of the Barfleur, and lieutenant of the Augufta yacht, where the Royal Standard had been hoisted, and the first lieutenant of the flag officers fhips, viz. the Royal Oak, Dublin, and Ocean, to be promoted to the rank of commanders; and two midshipmen from each of those fhips and yacht to be made lieutenants.

In all the proceffions before mentioned, both to Spithead and back again, a very great number of yachts, and other failing veffels and boats, many of them full of nobility and gentry, accompanied the barges, as well as the Augusta yacht, while the King was on board: The fhores, both on the Portsmouth and Gofport fides, were lined with an incredible multitude of people, who all expreffed their loyalty and duty as his Majesty paffed along, by faluting with guns, acclamations, and other demonstrations of joy. And the houfes both in the town of Portsmouth and on the Common, as well as at Gosport, were illuminated every evening during his Majefty's ftay.

His Majefty was pleafed to exprefs the highest approbation of the good order and difcipline of his fleet, the excellent condition of the dock-yard, arfenals, and garrison, and the regularity with which every thing was conducted; and fhewed the utmoft fatisfaction at the demonftrations of loyalty and affection with which he was received by all ranks of people.

SATUR

SATURDAY, Jane 26. His Majefty fet out from the commiffioner's houfe, on his return to Kew, at three quarters after fix o'clock, having been graciously pleafed to order the following fums to be diftributed, viz.

To the artificers, workmen, and labourers of the DockYard, Victualling-Office, and Gun-Wharf

To the companies of the BarAeur and Augufta yacht, and the crew of his Majesty's barge

To the poor of Portsmouth,

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expreffing, in the warmest manner, their duty and affection, and their joy at feeing their Sovereiga amongst them.

About two o'clock in the afternoon the King arrived in perfect health at Kew.

An Authentic Account of the Earthquake at the Birches, about baig a Mile below Buildwas Bridge, and about a Mile above the Bottom of Coalbrookdale, Shrop

fhire.

Portfea, and Gofport - 250 I

His Majefty was alfo pleafed to make fome other fmaller gratuities, and to release the prifoners confined in Portsmouth gaol for debt.

His Majesty was faluted by a triple difcharge of all the cannon. round the fortifications, as well as of thofe of South-Sea Caftle and Blockhoufe Fort, and by a falute of twenty-one guns on paffing Portfea-Bridge. Many thoufands of people attended the chaife, with the loudest acclamations, to the end of the Mayor's jurisdiction; and at every place through which his Majefty paffed there were the ftrongest demonftrations of joy. At Godalmin a band of mufick, accompanied by the voices of all the inhabitants, fung God fave the King,' the whole way through the town: At Guildford the ftreet was lined with the inhabitants; the gentry, who were affembled at one of the public houfes, faluted his Majefty as he paffed with the colours of the town.

Throughout the whole of his Majesty's journey there were numerous affemblies of people in every place, where his Majefty paffed,

N the dead of the night between Tuesday 25th and Wednesday the 26th ult. Samuel Wilcocks's wife, who lived in a fmall house at the Birches, was fitting up in bed to take care of one of her children that was ill, when the perceived the bed thake under her, and ob. ferved fome balm tea in a cup to be fo much agitated as to be ipilt over. On Thursday morning the 27th, Samuel Wilcocks, and John Roberts (who likewife lived in the houfe at the Birches) got up about four o'clock, and opening their window to fee what the weather was, obferved a small crack in the ground about four or five inches wide, and a field that was fown with oats to heave up and roll about like waves of water; the trees moved as if blown with wind, but the air was calm and ferene; the river Severn (in which at that time was a confiderable flood) was agitated very much, and the current feemed to run upwards. They perceived the house shake, when in a great fright they railed the rest of the family, and ran out of the house about twenty yards; they then perceived a great crack roa

very

very quick up the ground from the river. Immediately about thirty acres of land, with the hedges and trees ftanding, (except a few that were overturned) moved with great force and fwiftuefs towards the Severn, attended with great and uncommon noife, which Wilcocks compared to a large flock of fheep running fwiftly by him. That part of the land next the river was a fmall wood, under two acres, in which grew twenty large oaks, a few of them were thrown down, and fince as many more were undermiced and overturned; fome left leaning, the rest upright, as if never disturbed. The wood was puthed with fuch velocity into the channel of the Severn, (which at that time was remarkably deep) that it forced the water in great columns a confiderable height, like mighty fountains, and drove the bed of the river before it on the oppofite fhore many feet above the furface of the water, where it ledged, as did one fide of the wood. The current being inftantly stopped, occafioned a great inundation above, and fo fudden a fall below, that many fish were left on dry land, and feveral barges were heel'd over, and when the fream came down, were funk, but none were damaged above. The river foon took its courte over a large meadow that was oppoûte the fmall wood, and in three days wore a navigable channel through the meadow; a turnpike road was moved more than thirty yards from its former fituation, and to all appearance rendered for ever impaffable. A barn was carried about the fame distance, and left as a heap of rubbith in a large chafm; the houfe received but little damage. A

hedge that was joined to the garden was removed about 50 yards; a great part of the land is in con-, fufed heaps, full of cracks from four inches to more than a yard wide, and feems as if it will never be fit for tillage or paiture. Several very long and deep chalms are formed in the upper part of the land from about 14 to upwards of 30 yards wide, in which are many pyramids of earth ftanding with the green turf remaining on the tops of fome of them. Hollows are raised into mounts, and mounts are reduced into hollows; lefs than a quarter of an hour compleated this dreadful scene. On Thursday feveral eels worked themselves. through the cracks in the wood, and were catched by the fpectators.

One Cookfon, a farmer, who. lives about half a mile below the Birches, on the fame fide the river, was much frightened on Thursday morning the 27th, (at the time of the earthquake) at a fudden guft of wind, as he thought, which beat again the windows, as if a great quantity of hail fhot had been thrown with violence at them.

The fame morning, and time, a collier, who was working in a coalpit at Lightmore, full two miles from the Birches, heard a great noife in the pit, which made him apprehend fome accident had happened there; but upon examina

tion all was fafe.

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