The Massachusetts spy (Boston [Mass.]), 1771-12-27 00:00:00

The Massachusetts Spy.
VOL. I.] From MONDAY, December 24, to THURSDAY, December 27, 1770. [N o . 55.
EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.
LONDON, October 5.
ONE cannot help reflecting without deep concern, that the interest of the powers that surround the unhappy kingdom of Poland, will never permit it to recover from its present wretched situation: These officious neighbours pretend to have too great a regard for its constitution, to admit the natural physicians to prescribe any thing for its benefit.
Saturday night the Duke of Cumberland appeared at Drury-lane Theatre in one of the green boxes, with Mrs. B---, a married Lady of S---n. She is the wife of a Gentleman belonging to the Customs there, who has permitted her, in hopes of preferment, to make an excursion with his Royal Highness, upon his taking his Bible Oath that she shall be forth-coming within nine months. This is the first instance of any of the Royal Family's hiding themselves in an upper box at either of the Theatres.
As the present Czarina is only regent till her son is of age, who is now fifteen, no wonder she so ardently wishes a seat of Empire for herself. She has tried it in vain with Poland, to whose King she certainly did intend to give her hand. Seeing no prospect of rendering that country hereditary, without which it cannot properly be called a kingdom, she now is looking southward.--- Shall we buy the commodities of Asia at a cheaper rate of her than the Turks? If not, why assist her?
Wednesday morning, a young fellow, a weaver, in Half-Moon-Alley, Bishopgate-street, being in liquor, beat his father, who is near eighty years of age, in a most cruel manner, as he had often done when sober, but as he desisted, he dropped down dead.
The Spanish ambassador has entirely dropped the affair concerning the insult offered to his master.
Lord Chatham has so settled his means of information, that his intelligence of the secret movements and designs of the various powers of Europe, is frequently conveyed to him before the ambassadors here of such respective courts are acquainted with them themselves.
Lord Hillsborough, on Saturday last, at a nobleman's table, publicly offered a wager of 1000 guineas to 500, we should not have a war either with France or Spain these six months.
A report prevails, that an embargo is laid on all the British ships in the Tagus, in consequence of the memorial sent to the Court of Lisbon.
It is said a fleet will be immediately sent to take one of the Spanish islands, by way of retaliation for the loss of Falkland's Island.
The report that the King of Prussia had formed a mi-
litary line along the frontiers of Poland, in order to prevent any persons coming from that country, where the plague is now supposed to rage, into his dominions, without a certificate of health, is very true with respect to the first part; but improbable to the last degree, as to the latter. However, a short time will evince the real motives for that active Prince's present operations.
Scarce a day passes, but Sir Edward Hawke and Lord Sandwich are together, in private conference with his Majesty's for more than an hour.
October 6. Letters from Constantinople mention, that the people begin to be fearful of an approaching famine, all kinds of provisions being extremely scarce.
We are told that France will cede Corsica to the Grand Duke of Tuscany; the French have found, by experience, that the affections of the Corsicans are not to be ceded.
They write from Jamaica, that a French schooner had committed divers acts of piracy upon the English and Spaniards indiscriminately, in the Bay of Honduras, and that one of his Majesty's sloops of war, and a Bermudian trader, were gone in quest of her.
Extract of a Letter from the Hague, October 2.
"If we may give credit to some letters received from Barcelona, the King of Spain has laid an embargo on all the Dutch ships in that port that are not laden; which these letters say his Catholic Majesty proposes to employ in sending troops and military stores to the Spanish West-Indies; that these ships were intended to sail as soon as the troops and stores could be got on board; and that they were actually employed in embarking them. The proprietors of the ships are very largely paid for this service. This step of the court of Spain occasions great speculation; and it is even said the English ambassador presented a memorial yesterday upon this subject to the States General."
It is well known that we are at this time much richer, and better able by far to enter into war, than at the breaking out of the last war in 1754-5.
We are assured that the court of Spain has not yet defrayed the whole of the expences of the last war, that the crown revenue is much in arrear, and that from the many monied men who assisted the court at that time being yet unpaid, the Ministry will find great difficulties to raise money.
We are assured on good authority, that the late usage of Mr. Connel, the English Merchant at Lisbon, will produce a change in the Ministry of Portugal; and that the present prime Minister, who detests the English and their interest is likely to be dismissed.
A great Personage is said to have, of late, spoken

high in commendation of Lord Chatham, and to have declared that notwithstanding he is well satisfied with the conduct of the present Premier, he could wish that popular Nobleman to take the lead of administration.
Saturday's Gazette contains the King's orders in Council, signifying, that as information hath been received, that the Plague hath broken out, and now rages in Walachia, Podolia, and other parts of Poland, and his Majesty, judging it probable, that the infection may be brought into this kingdom from Dantzick, or places in Royal and Ducal Prussia, or Pomerania; he therefore orders, that all ships, and vessels, goods, and merchandizes, now arrived, or that shall hereafter arrive, in any port of this kingdom, or the Isles of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, or Man, from Dantzick, or any other port or place in Royal and Ducal Prussia, or Pomerania, do make their quarantine for forty days, from the day each ship or vessel shall come to anchor, in the place appointed for performing quarantine, and not before.
There is a report, that a few days since, a Spanish sloop, of ten guns, met an English fishing vessel, three or four leagues off the coast of Suffolk, the crew of which they took on board, and examined them in relation to the situation of the seats of the Gentry, &c. on that coast and that after taking the soundings off there, they let the Fishermen go about their business.
October 9. It is said, the Spaniards sent great quantities of ordnance, and ammunition, during the course of last year, to Carthagena, from whence they were conveyed across the Isthmus of Daricu, to Panama, from which place they supplied all their forts on the Eastern shore of South America, and also the Philippine Islands.
A report is current, that the Senate of Venice have a design in agitation, to take advantage of the present confused situation of affairs in Turkey, and make an attempt to re-possess themselves of the territories in the Adriatic and the Levant, which were taken from them by the Porte.
October 12. By a Gentleman, who arrived in town on Saturday last from Calais, we are informed, that no native of France, whether man or woman, is permitted to embark from thence to England, several persons of both sexes, who had taken passes, in order to sail with the English passengers, in the packet-boat, being stopped by the commandant of the town, just as they were on the point of embarking.
Among the various accidents produced by the high wind this week, at Sturminster fair, was the following: A Lady walking on the road with a Gentleman who had long paid court to her, a blast took her in the front, and entirely unroofed her of her hat, cap, tow, horse-hair, and French curls, and left her as bare as if she had been shaved; the Lady burst into tears at so doleful a discovery; and the Gentleman, after picking up the shipwreck of her beauties, stood motionless like a statue, with all the head-furniture in his hand, and so mortified at her appearance, that he had not power to give her comfort by a single word.
We hear orders are given for a new parade to be made opposite the Queen's-house in St. James's-Park, in order
that the guards for the future may relieve there, instead of the Court-yard in St. James's palace.
By a private letter from Baltimore in Maryland, to a gentleman in Dublin, we learn, that the wife of a rich planter there has been delivered of a surprizing monster, which was alive at the sending of this letter. It is of the female kind, from the head to the breast of which is the form of a boar, all over with bristles, and from that downwards is of the human form. It is kept a profound secret in the family.
A few days since some sprigs of our hopeful nobility who were dining together at a tavern, at the west end of the town, took the following sensible conceit into their heads after dinner: One of them observing a maggot come from a filbert, which seemed to be uncommonly large, attempted to get it from his companion, who not chusing to let it go, was immediately offered five guineas for it, which was accepted. He then proposed to run it against any other two maggots that could be produced at table. Matches were accordingly made, and the poor insects were the means of 500 l. sterling being won and lost in the course of a few minutes.
Upon an exact calculation we find, that we have near 8000 able sailors employed in the fisheries, all which may be obtained for government service when necessary.
Letters from Ireland positively assert, that opposition droops as greatly there as here. The ministerialists attribute, or affect to attribute it, to the eyes of the too long deluded people being now pretty generally opened. It is discovered, they say, and proved beyond a doubt, that the long stay of Lord Townsend on that side of the water, has given birth to all the faction that has distracted that kingdom for more than two years past. Had his Excellency, as usual with other chief Governors, spent the major part of his Viceroyship in England, opposition might indeed have had existence, but it would not have been possessed of life enough to give it vigour, force and conquest. It owes all this uncommon strength, they affirm to some disappointed great characters, on whom, in the absence of the Lord-Lieutenant, the delegated power of government, and the emoluments, for themselves and party, annexed, would have necessarily devolved.
France, for some time past, has been very assiduous in attaching to her interest most of the continental powers; however, there are some whose natural interest, in a commercial light, must incline them to us, upon a choice, whatever, at this time, their political motives may lead them to do.
When the King and Queen went to Covent-garden Theatre on Wednesday, they were separately received with very unusual bursts of applause. The entrance of the Prince of Wales was distinguished in the same affectionate and dutiful manner; and her Majesty putting her hand on the head of the Prince, seemed to guide him to make, and he made, three low obeisances, directed round the whole house.
It is said a warm altercation occurred last week, at the house of the Spanish ambassador, between the ministers of Russia and Venice; but on what account we have not heard.