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The Reading Mercury

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Some Selected Reports from The Reading Mercury



27th November 1775





READING, NOVEMBER 25.

Many Misrepresentations of the conduct of the Members for this county, respecting the Address and the Address and Petition, being inserted in the London papers of this week, we are happy to have it in our power to undeceive the public, and can assure them, that the Address and also the Address and Petition were presented to his Majesty on Monday last, by John Elwes and Christopher Griffith, Esqrs; our Representatives, and that neither the Address or Address and Petition was signed by either of them.
A new Writ is issued out for electing a Member for Newton in Hants, in the room of Sir John Barrington, Bart who has accepted of the Stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds.
Tuesday last was married at Salisbury, Mr. Daniel Marsh, to Miss Nancy Attersoll, of Lewes, Sussex.
Sunday morning died suddenly, as he was dressing himself, Mr. Thomas Cowderoy, aged fifty-five, a considerable farmer and capital dealer in pea.[?], at Brimpton in the country, - a man of a character truly deserving and respectable:- The affectionate husband, indulgent parent and sincere and disinterested friend were particularly conspicuous throughout his life, which had ever endeared him to those who were closely united with him:- but his goodness of disposition was not confined to private connections; a constant benevolent and generous attention to the necessities of the indigent, within the circle of his knowledge, will render his name gratefully remembered by that class, who have indeed lost a most worthy supporter and friend.
Tuesday morning died, after a long Illness, Mr. Bullock, Silversmith in the Market Place.
Thursday died, at her house in London-street, Mrs. Adderley.
Lately died in an advanced age, the Rev. Mr. Sanderson, Vicar of Stevington in Bedfordshire, and Curate of Bramley, Hants, upwards of thirty years.
Last week died, Mr. Hope, Alderman of the corporation of Marlborough.
The ticket, No. 4603, drawn on Saturday a prize of �10,000, is the sole property of Capt. Brown, late in the India service, who resides at Bath.
The other prize of �20,000 drawn the same day, within half an hour of the former, was divided into shares, and, it is hoped, has made many families happy. One quarter was purchased by a woman whose husband was in confinement for debt.
We can assure the public that No. 22,492, drawn a prize of �2000 in the present lottery, was shared at Mrs. Latter's office in Reading, to a gentleman unknown to the seller.
Monday night last, the Three Tuns, a public house at Salt hill, was broke open, and a quantity of plate, deposited in the bar, stolen thereout; a reward is advertised for the discovery of the thieves. See page 2. col. 4.
Saturday last, an information was heard and conviction made, before the Rev. Mr. Wilder, James Pa.cy [?] and John Reeves, Esqrs; his majesty's justices of the peace, upon the highway act, made in the 13th year of the reign of his present majesty, for the amendment and preservation of the highways, against Mr. John Green, Farmer, of Sonning in this county, for drawing a cart with four horses, on a bye-road, the penalty of which is �5 provided the fellies of the wheels are not six inches in breadth:- As it is presumed this act is not generally attended to, this is inserted as a caution to the public - some doubts arising, as to the character of the informer, an appeal was granted to the quarter sessions, to which the information stands over.
Last week John Scott and Richard Jones were committed to Winchester gaol, by Edward Ives, Esq; charged with stealing a pair of silver buckles and a cheese, the property of Thomas Knight, of Titchfield, Hants.
Tuesday was committed to our gaol, Hugh Hill, charged with stealing a quantity of grain, the property of Thomas Pocock of Chievely.
Thursday was committed to the same gaol, Thomas Lambourn, charges with stealing two bushels of pease the property of Joseph Steptoe of Chievely.




*** MARGARET BRUSHWOOD returns her most grateful thanks to those worthy Ladies and Gentlemen who subscribed towards her releasement, which she has not obtained : She likewise desires particularly to express her gratitude to the Gentleman unknown for his generous donation and favourable intentions to effect her discharge.




Extract of a letter from Norfolk, in Virginia, Oct. 3.

"Yesterday came ashore about 16 of the King's soldiers, and marched up to Mr. Holt's Printing-Office, out of which they took all the type and part of the press, and carried them on board the new ship �brek [?], in presence, I suppose, of between 2 and 300 spectators, without meeting with the least molestation. They say they want to print a few papers themselves; that they looked upon the press not to be free; and had a mind to publish something in vindication of their own characters; but as they have only part of the press, and no ink as yet, it is out of their power to do any thing in the printing business. They have got neither [?] of the compositors, but I understand there is a Printer on board the Otter sloop of war.
"Mr. Cumming, the Bookbinder, was pressed on board, but is admitted on shore at times; he says, Capt. Squire was very angry that they did not get Mr. Holt, who happened to be in the House the whole time of searching, but luckily made his escape.
"Mr. Cumming also informs, that the Captain says he will return every thing in safe order to the house, after he has answered his ends, which he says will be in about three weeks. Most of the families are moving out of town with the greatest expedition, Carts have been going all this day."




Extract of a letter from Fial.

"By a ship which arrived here from Admiral Graves, to purchase wine for the use of the fleet, we hear that the Americans have fitted out fourteen sail of cruizers, from ten to twenty-eight guns, in order to protect themselves and their friends against the King's ships.
"The Commodore of this fleet is one Brice, formerly a master in the royal navy, and he is well known to many of the officers. He is a complete seaman, daring and resolute; they have seized on one of the King's sloops of sixteen guns and carried her to Philadelphia. The Kings ships here have taken several of the American's, who were going to Falkland's Islands for whales and sea lions, from which last they got a great quantity of oil, with less trouble then from the whales."




A Gentleman, a native of America, who lately arrived from Virginia, assures us, that province has 40,000 men enrolled, ready to take up arms, at a minute's warning; Pennsylvania 70,000, and between four and five thousand minute men; South Carolina the same number as Pennsylvania; North Carolina about 15,000, Georgia, 10,000; and the other provinces in proportion, exclusive of the Indians.
The principal outlines of the plan adopted for the spring campaign in America, are the following. The Army is to be increased to 20,000 effective men. Detachments from this army are to be sent to New York, Virginia, and some of the other provinces. The forces being thus distributed, a general attack will ensue, and whilst attempts are made to harass the Provincials by land, the ships of war will be actively employed in scouring the American seas and cutting off all means of succour. Such a general assault by sea as well as land, must, in the opinion of the ministry, give the colonists a feeling sense of the supremacy of Great Britain.
Doctor Franklin still continues at the head quarters at Cambridge. It is imagined that whatever plans of attack the Commander in Chief of the Provincial forces may adopt, will first be submitted to the consideration of those members of the continental Congress, who are now with the army at Cambridge.
The last Georgia Papers brought an account of the populace having seized Mr. Brown, a Merchant, at Augusta, and tarred and feathered him. The poor gentleman was a long time under their discipline, and suffered greatly.




Letters by the Grove, Capt. Hannick, who arrived yesterday in the river from Petersburgh, bring an account that the shipping in the Baltic have suffered greatly by the late hurricanes; that seven ships belonging to Petersburgh, bound to London, were totally lost, and most of the crews perished; and that almost all the ships in the Baltic were dismasted, and otherwise much damaged.
This week upwards of six hundred oxen and two hundred hogs were killed at the Victualling Office, for the use of his Majesty's ships of war in America.
Yesterday there was a hearing of five hours before the sitting Aldermen at Guildhall, relative to the robbery at Winchester-street last Sunday sen'night : Four persons were supposed to be concerned in the said robbery were had to the bar, one of whom, a cobler, wanted to be admitted an evidence, but it being doubtful whether he was not a principal, having had connections with Armstrong who was shot, and there not being time to go through the whole examination, the further hearing was postponed till this day, and the prisoners were remanded back to prison.
Yesterday morning Thomas Sawyer, for piracy and running away with the sloop Hannah, William Barbut [?], Master, bound from Martinico to Demarraro, was executed, pursuant to his sentence, at Execution dock.