638 A. D. 1779. 



reign lace, not having fuch feals, is liable to forfeiture. [19 Geo. Ill, 

 c. 69.] 



Among the various articles of the public expenditure of this year, 

 the only one to be noted here is a grant of ^{"5, 000 to MefCeurs Berken- 

 hout and Clark of Leeds for difcovering to the public their improve- 

 ment in dying. [19 Geo. Ill, c.'j\.'\ 



Several ads were paffed, as ufual, for draining fen lands, and for 

 making and improving canals and roads, &c. 



March 3'' — The commander of a flaving veflel from Liverpool was 

 profecuted by the African committee, as a warning to their other com- 

 manders, and fined ^^500, for having fold a free negro, whom he had 

 hired as a failor, for a flave in the year 1774, and who by the exertions 

 of his friends in Africa had been redeemed from flavery in Jamaica, 

 and now appeared in court again ft his kidnapper. 



On the 16'" of June the marquis de Almadovar, ambaflador from 

 Spain, delivered to Lord Weymouth, one of the fecretaries of ftate, a 

 declaration of war againft Britain by his fovereign, who, after fome he- 

 fitation, was now prevailed upon to join with France and America in 

 their efforts to humble the power, and ruin the commerce, as well as 

 difmember the empire, of Great Britain. The marquis at the fame time 

 informed Lord Weymouth, that he had orders to return immediately 

 to Spain. 



The three-per-cent confolidated funds, which are ufually confidered 

 as the ftandard for the value of all the others, and which had been at 

 657 in April, immediately funk to 60, though the real value, as the 

 dividend wanted but a few days of being due, was now about one half 

 per cent more than in April. Such was the confequence of the com- 

 mencement of the Spanilh war upon the funds, or ftocks, as they are 

 more generally, though lefs properly, called. 



As an inftance of the greatnefs and promptitude of the mercantile 

 maritime force of this country, when it is thought expedient to turn it 

 afide from the purpofes of commerce to thofe of warfare, I fhall here 

 obferve, that the one port of Liverpool, between the 26"" of Auguft 

 1778 and the 17"' of April 1779 fitted out no lefs than 120 privateers, 

 meafuring 30,787 tuns, and carrying 1,986 guns and 8,754 men, moft 

 of which were thips of from 14 to 20 guns, though fome of them car- 

 ried even 30, and a few only 10 or 12 guns. It is worthy of remark, 

 that the fleet, which England oppofed to the invincible armada of Spain 

 in the year 1588, and which excited the aftonifhment of Europe, though 

 it carried almoft twice as many men, meafured (or was computed at) but 

 1,198 tuns more than this fleet of Liverpool privateers * ; the number 



* For this accuraie account of the Liverpool privateers I am Inutbted to the iaduilrious refearch 

 of Mr. Chahncrs. {_EJltmateof the Jlren^lb of Great Britain, p. i^O, ed. i']C)^'] 2 



