IV.

Along the mournful breeze of night Its warbling cadence loves to dwell, Whilst echo, fainting with delight,

Slow answers from her light-air'd shell.

V.

In quivering raptures now more high,
More tun'd to grief with accents flow;
Whilft zephyr wakes his foftest sigh,
She bids her heaviest forrows flow.

VI.

SIR,

IT

(COPY.)

Newark Inland, Feb. 18, 1799. T is with infinite concern I am to inform you of the lofs of his Majefty's thip Proferpine late under my command, in the river Elbe, on Friday morning the ft inf. having failed from Yarmouth the preceding Monday, at noon, in compliance with the order you were pleafed to give me. Nothing material happened from that time until Wednefday morning following, when being clofe in with Heligoland, I made a fignal for a pilot, which I very foon got on board it being a fine day, with the wind at N. N. E. we proceeded for the Red Buoy, where we anchored for the night-here we found that the Bucys had been taken up, and a confultation, in the prefence of Mr. Grenville, took place with the Heligoland Pilot and the two belonging to the hip, who professed a thorough knowledge of the river, as to the practicability of getting up the river without the buoys: they all agreed there was not the fmallest danger or fear of our getting to Cuxhaven, if I would only proceed on between half ebb and half flood; that in that cafe they would fee the fands, and that they knew their marks perfectly well; in the morning we got under weigh, having a very fine day, with a fmall breeze, at N. N. E. and proceeded up the river, the Prince of Wales packet, who kept company with us from Yarmouth, ftanding on a-head of us. In the afternoon, about four o'clock, being within four miles of Cuxhaven, it began to fnow, and came on very thick, which obliged us to anchor; at this time we taw but little ice in the river. At nine P. M. the wind fhifted to E. by S. and blew the most dreadful fnow ftorm that can be imagined, and which brought down fuch torrents of heavy ice on us

with the ebb, that, with all hands on deck, it was with the greatest difficulty, and using every precaution to prevent the cables being cut, that we preferved our ftation till the morning; at eight o'clock, the flood tide having nearly carried the ice up, which left an opening a-head, and feeing the river all blocked up above us, with the packet on fhore, and no poffibility of either landing Mr. Grenville, or proceeding higher up, there was no time to be loft in making our retreat out of the Elbe: I ac cordingly got under weigh, and stood out to endeavour to make a landing on fome part of the coast of Jutland, which Mr. Grenville informed me, from the importance of the fervice we were on, was abfolutely neceffary, if poffible, to effect-but unfortunately, after the pilots had informed me that we were clear off all the lands, the fhip ftruck at half paft nine, on nearly the extremity of the fand stretching out from this island it blowing a heavy gale of wind the went on with great force, though we had no fail fet but the fore-top-maft ftay-fail; there were but ten feet water under the keel. I immediately hoifted out the boats with an intention of carry. ing out an anchor, but being high water, the ice returned on us fo foon, that it was found impracticable: the iceboats were hoifted in again, and all hands turned to, to fhore the hip, and heel her towards the Bank, to prevent her from falling into the stream, which would have been fudden deftruction to all of us-in this we fucceeded, for as the tide ebbed away, he took to the Bank; the first run of the tide brought down fuch heavy ice on us, which immediately carried away our fhores, tore all the copper from the larboard quarter, cut the rudder in two, the lower part of which lay on the ice under the

counter,

counter, notwithstanding which I did not give up the hope of getting the fhip off the next high water: her guns and ftores were thrown overboard, in order to lighten her for that purpofe, all of which were borne by the ice, which will give you fome idea of the thickness of it. At ten o'clock on Friday night, it being high water, the heavy gale at S. E. kept out the tide to that degree, that we had three feet water lefs than when we got on, which put an end to all our hopes for on the return of the ebb, and during the whole of it, it is impoffible to defcribe to you the dreadful ftate we were in, expecting every moment to be torn in pieces by the ice, the extreme cold weather, the darknels of the night, and the heavy fnow ftorm, altogether made one of the most diftreffing and deplorable fituations that a fet of unfortunate people were ever placed in.-On Saturday morning the gale increased to an uncommon degree, the ice was up to the cabin windows, the ftern poft broke in two, and the hip otherwife much damaged; it was propofed by Mr. Grenville, the Gentlemen, and Officers, to try to get over the ice to this place, which was the only means left to fave the lives of the ip's company, and that ftaying on board any longer was ufelefs, and might be attended with the most dreadful confequences: although the propofal feemed to me a very dangerous one, and little likelihood of its fuccefs from the thickness of the weather, the extreme cold, our total ignorance of the way, and many other reafons, yet as it was the general with, and the ship inevitably loft, I agreed to quitting her. At half paft one o'clock, it being the last quarter's ebb, the hip's company commenced their march on the ice in fub-divifions, attended by their refpective officers, in fuch good order as will ever reflect the highest honour on them. At three o'clock P. M. having feen every perfon out of the fhip, I followed, accompanied by Lieut. Ridley, of Marines; and at half paft fix o'clock, P. M. after a journey of fix miles, in the feveret weather that was ever feen, over high flakes of ice, and fometimes up to our middle in fnow and water, we arrived at this place, where I had the fatisfaction of finding Mr. Gren. ville, and every perfon, in fafety, except the perfons named in the margin,

who were frozen to death on their paffage hither: a few others had their legs and fingers frozen, but I am happy to inform you that they are in a fair way of doing well. To all bountiful Providence do I attribute this miraculous efcape, nor can we ever fufficiently praife the Almighty for his care and deliverance of fo many of us.

From the time of our arrival here until the Tucfday night following, the ftorm lafted without the leaft intermiffion. On Wednesday morning the 6th the fcarcity of provifions, and the weather being more moderate, made it neceffary to fend part of the fhip's company to Cuxhaven, fome of the inhabitants having undertaken to go as guides. Mr. Grenville's great anxiety and zeal to get on, urged the profecution of this plan as foon as poffible; there. fore, at eight o'clock, the tide fuiting, Lieut. John Wright, my First Lieutenant, and one half of the Officers and men, with Mr. Grenville, Mr. Wynne, Mr. Fisher (Secretary of the Embaffy, the three Meffengers (Meffrs. Shaw, Detry, and Mafon), with fervants, guides, &c. fet off, and providentially arrived at one o'clock at Cuxhaven, after a paffage as dangerous and difficult to encounter with as that which they experienced on their journey from the fhip here. The remainder of my ship's company I kept, in hopes of faving the fhip's ftores, thould there be any poffi bility of doing fo. On Friday the 8th, Mr. Anthony, the Mafter, volunteered with a party of men to go on board the fhip, to endeavour to bring on fhore fome bread, which article we were much in want of, as well as to afcertain exactly her fituation; they effected with great difficulty their purpofe, and on their return, Mr. Anthony made the following report, viz. that the fhip had feven feet and a half of water in her, laying off on her beam ends; that the appeared to be broken afunder, the quarter deck feparated from the gangway fix feet, and apparently only kept together by the vast quantity of ice about her. From this account it was agreed to have no more communication with her; but on Sunday morning the 10th, on enquiry, I found that the clearness of the day had induced Mr. Anthony to fet off again for the fhip, and that Mr. Kent, the Surgeon; Mr. William Johnlon Bowes, Midshipmau;

Mr.

TUESDAY, FEB. 26.

tending to alienate that small party in

chiefly private, from the Houfe of Commons, which were refpectively read a first time.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5. The Exchequer Loan Bill and the Marine Mutiny Bill were brought up from the House of Commons, and read a first time, as were feveral private Bills. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6.

The various Bills before the House

were forwarded through their respective stages.

Two private Bills were brought up from the House of Commons and read a first time.

THURSDAY, MARCH 7. The Royal Affent was given by Com. miffion to the Exchequer Loan Bill, and to feveral other private Bills.

The Mutiny Bill was brought up from the House of Commons, and read a firit time.

MONDAY, MARCH 11.

The various Bills before the Houfe were forwarded in their respective ftages.

TUESDAY, MARCH 12. The feveral Bills before the House were forwarded in their respective ftages: thefe were chiefly private Bills, the public ones paffed through Committees.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13.

Several private Bills, and the English Promiflory Note Amending Bill were brought up from the Houfe of Commons, which were feverally read a first time.

Lord Grenville moved, that their Lord fhips be fummoned for Tuefday next, when he fhould move that the various papers before the House relative to the ftate of Ireland be taken into confideration.

Lord Holland expreffed his regret at the intended revival of a fubject which he thought at least for the prefent would be fuffered to reft. He deprecated it as

VOL. XXXV. APRIL 1799.

connexion between the two countries.

Lord Grenville obferved, that the prefent obviously was not the time for dif cuffing the fubject: however he felt it his duty to exprefs his conviction that the measure in queftion was abfolutely neceifary to the most effential interests of the Empire at large, of England and of Ireland in particular.

The question was then put, and their Lordships were ordered to be fummoned on Tuesday next.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15.

The Partridge Shooting Bill and two private Bills were prefented from the House of Commons, and feverally read a first time.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16.

Mr. Steele, attended by feveral Memhers, brought up from the Houle of Commons the Bills to enable his Majefty to lettle certain Annuities, in the manner therein mentioned, upon their Royal Highnelles the Princes Edward and Ernett, and upon the Princess Ame

lia.

Thefe Bills were forthwith feverally read a firit and fecond time, and imme diately referred to a Committee of the whole Houfe; which having been gone through, the Reports were received, and the Bills ordered to be read a third time on Monday.

MONDAY, MARCH 18.

Their Lordships advanced the Bills on the table in their refpective tages, agreed to the Princes' Annuity Bill, and to that. for granting 6oool. per annum to Prin cefs Amelia, and to feveral private Bills.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19.

The Houfe in a Committee on the English Small Note Bill, Lord Auckland introduced an amendment, that the Act fhould be in force only till the 25th of May, which was agreed to.

M m

The

The Income Bill, after a few obfervations from the Duke of Norfolk and Lord Auckland, went through its refpective stages, fave that of a third read- ́ ing, which was ordered for to-morrow. Lord Grenville then rofe, and in a fpeech of confiderable length, abounding with much argument, and which occupied the attention of their Lordships nearly four hours, flated in general and particular terms the neceffity and utility of a Legislative and Incorporated Union between this Country and Ireland. He adverted to the Refolutions adopted by the Commons, and in an Addrefs, comprifing not merely the political or relative hiftory of Ireland and Great Britain, he tcok a most extenfive view of their interefts and concerns, as mutually and reciprocally connected with each other, and from the whole of an elaborate and complicated mafs of ingenious difquifition, ultimately concluded, that the falvation of that country, and the happiness of Great Britain, depended upon the adoption of a Legiflative Union. After apologizing to the Houfe for having engrofled fo much of its time in going over thefe topics, Lord Grenville faid, he fhould move that the Refolutions

of the House of Commons be read pro forma: he fhould then move, that the Houte do agree with the Refolutions of the House of Commons; after which he purpofed to move, that thefe Refolutions be laid before his Majefty, in the form of a joint Address from both Houfes, with an humble requeft that his Majefty would lay them before the Parliament of Ireland, at what time to his Majefty fhould feem moft proper. Lord Gren

ville then moved that the Refolutions of the Houfe of Commons, which had been laid before the Houfe, be read.

He

Lord Fitzwilliam opposed this motion, and in a train of forcible reafoning contended, that the measure of an Union was at all times unneceffary, but at prefent impolitic and dangerous. adverted to the high fituation he lately held in that kingdom, and afferted, that all the mifchiefs that have fince occurred there, arofe not from any defect in the Irish Conftitution, but in its debasement and perverfion.

Lord Camden defended the measures of the Executive Government in Ireland during his adminiftration, and antwered Lord Fitzwilliam with force and effect.

Several other noble Lords fpoke, when the queftion was put upon Lord Gren ville's motion, which was agreed to without a divifion.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20. The Income Bill and the Land Tax Redemption Bill were read a third time and palied.

The English and Scotch Small Note Bills were received, and each feverally read a firft and fecond time.

The Volunteer Exemption Bill, to which fome additions and alterations had been made, was received from the Commons, who approved of the fame.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21.

The Royal Affent was given by Com. miflion to the Income Bill, the Princes! Annuity Bill, to the Princess Amelia's Bill, and to a vaft number of public and private Bills. Adjourned.

FRIDAY, FEB. 22.

R. Dundas prefented a Bill, which

read a fecond time on Monday next, for extending the time for Volunteers to take the feveral advantages arifing from an Act of this Seffion to claim exemp. tions from fervices in the Militia.

He alfo prefented another Bill for the reduction of the Supplementary Militia, as well as a third Bill for the reduction alfo, as well as the future regulation, of the Provifional Cavalry; both of which were read a first time, ordered to be printed, and to be read a fecond time on Monday next.

millions be granted to his Majefly by way of loan upon Exchequer Bills; which

this was but to anfwer temporary circumftances, till the final Loan fhould be adjusted, inftalments of which should difcharge it.

The Houfe being reaffumed, he then moved for leave to bring in a Bill, which, being of courfe obtained, he prefented, for extending the time for perious to make their affeffments under the Income At for 14 days longer.

Mr. Simeon prefented a Bill for conftituting Alliant Overfeers of the Poor for the different parishes. It was read a