A. D. 1765. 419 



CaftletowH, the capital of the ifland : and the new ariangv-meiits for the 

 government, and collection of the revenue, as alfo the eftablifhn^ent of 

 a curtom-houfe, and excife -office, took place. The traders in the ifland 

 were allowed fix months to difpofe of their (lock, at the expiration of 

 which time they became fubject to the fame taxes and reftridlions as 

 the people of England. But moft of the Grangers who were fettled on 

 the ifland declined availing themfelves of the fix months indulgence, 

 and removed from it immediately after the changfe of goveniraent. 



So eager were the French in pufliing for.vard the population and im- 

 provement of their colonies, that all people, declaring themfelves v.illing 

 to go to them, were furniflied at the public expenfe with carriages to 

 convey them to St. Jean de Luz, where they were decently maintained 

 till a vefl*el was ready to carry them to the place of their dcftination. 



July 19'' — The proprietors of the million bank, whofe dividends 

 had been reduced in the year 1728, from Jive to /our per cent, agreed 

 at a general court to reftore them to Jive per cent. 



A fliip of v,-ar of 74 guns was built at Milford haven ; which, if I 

 miftake not, is the firft inftance of any fhip for the navy being built on 

 the weft fide of Britain. 



The pearl fifliery in Scotland, fo confiderable in antient times, but 

 of late almoft wholely neglected, was this fummer revived with confider- 

 able advantage in the river Spey. 



By a trial at Gildhall upon an infurance caufe, it was determined, that 

 the owner of a veflel, which is not fea-worthy, not only lofes the bene- 

 tit of tb.e infurance, but is alfo liable to the fhippers upon freight, for 

 the loffts arifing from the infuflliciency of his veflel. This precedent 

 ought to be generally known, as it may operate, as well as a furveyor, 

 to make owners particularly attentive to the condition of the veflels on- 

 board which they propofe to receive other people's property. 



Mr. Witchell's marine table for facilitating the calculation of the lon- 

 gitude by the lunar method, was approved of by the board of longi- 

 tude, who advanced him /^looo to en:ible him to proceed in his work. 

 They alfo appointed him and Meflleurs Lyons, Wales, Mapfon, and Du- 

 nithome, to compute an Ephemeris, to be publiflicd for promoting 

 the fciences of aflronomy and navigation (July). 



About this time Mr. Ding\vall, a Scottifh clergyman and mathemati- 

 cian, endeavoured to make an improvement in another very important 

 branch of nautical fcience, by calculating aftronomical tables for difco- 

 vering the variation of the compafs. But the principles, which regulate 

 this wonderful deviation of the magnetic needle from the true incridbn,. 

 flill continue to elude the refearches of human fcience. 



Among the efforts of the king of Pruflia to introduce manufactures 

 and commerce in his dominions, were the eredlion of a bank ; and ot 

 an office fur infurance with a capital of i,ooo,ooD crowns in 40CO fljires 



vG2 



