"Sir, I think the petitioners ought to have liberty to be heard, not only by themselves and counsel, but if it were possible that we could indulge them in other advantages we ought to do it. To talk of working upon passions—Can any man's passions be wound up to a greater height? can any man's indignation be more raised, than every free-born Englishman's must be, when he reads a letter which I received this morning, and which I have now in my hand? This letter, Sir, gives an account that seventy of our brave sailors are now in chains in Spain. Our countrymen in chains! and slaves to Spaniards! Is not this enough to rouse all the vengeance of a national resentment? And shall we sit here debating about words and forms, while the sufferings of our countrymen call out loudly for redress?" Several other persons, particularly Sir William Pulteney, spoke vehemently in defence of the merchants against the cruelties of the Spaniards; and it was at length agreed that the petitioners should be admitted to be heard by themselves and counsel. Sir John Barnard moved for an address to the king, that all the memorials and papers relating to the Spanish depredations, should be laid before the house, which, with some alteration proposed by Sir Robert Walpole, was accordingly presented; to which his majesty was pleased to return a favourable answer. But in consequence of the intemperate conduct of those who deemed themselves patriots, by urging motions inconsistent with moderation, the real object of reparation was nearly lost, and the insults of the enemies of Britain had passed over with impunity; were it not that the good sense of the ministry, added to the vigour of its measures, amply retaliated the injury the nation had received by the capture of Porto Bello, Carthagena, &c. But an event of a more genial nature occurred, on the twenty-fourth of May; her royal highness the Princess of Wales was delivered of a prince, at Norfolk House, St. James's Square, who, on the twenty-first of June following was christened by the name of George. The ceremony of baptsim was performed by the bishop Secker; and the godfathers godfathers were the King of Sweden and the Duke of Saxe Gotha; the godmother was the Queen of Prussia; all of whom was represented by proxy. After the publication of the young prince's baptism, the lord mayor, aldermen and common council, in a cavalcade of eighty-four coaches, exclusive of the lord mayor's, waited on the prince and Princess of Wales, with a most affectionate and loyal congratulation on the occasion. This prince, on the death of his father, succeeded to be Prince of Wales; and on the death of his grandfather, ascended to the throne, by the title of George III. The latter end of this year was distinguished by the foundation of Westminster Bridge. The inconvenience which had been occasioned by the great resort of coaches, and other vehicles, passing and repassing at the Westminster side, induced Dr. Potter, archbishop of Canterbury, and several noblemen, to procure an act of parliament in the year 1736, for building a bridge across the river Thames, from New Palace Yard, Westminster, to the opposite shore in the county of Surry. This act, however, was not obtained without great opposition from the city of London, as well as from Southwark; and some fainter efforts were used by the bargemen and watermen of the Thames. But private interest was obliged to give way to public advantage, and preparations were made for carrying on this great undertaking under the sanction of the legislature. The ballast-men of Trinity House were employed to open a large hole for the foundation of the first pier, to the depth of five feet under the bed of the river, and this being finished and levelled at the bottom, it was kept clear by a proper inclosure of strong piles. In the mean time a strong case of oak (called a caissoon) was prepared of the form and dimensions of the intended pier in the clear; this was made water proof, and being brought over the place, was secured within the piles. In this wooden case the first stone was laid on the 29th of January 1738-9, by Henry, Earl of Pembroke. The caissoon was above the high-water mark, and sinking gradually by by the weight of the prodigious blocks of stone, the men could work below the level of the water as conveniently as on dry ground. Thus the middle pier was first formed, as were all the rest in the same manner, and when finished, the sides of the caissoon being taken asunder, the stone work appeared entire. The year 1739, is rendered remarkable by two founda. tions, one of civic state and convenience, the other consecrated to benignity and humanity *. Hitherto the chief magistrate had no fixed residence for administering justice, for exercising his official dignity, and for exhibiting the hospitality attingent to his office, except at Guildhall, or at the halls of some of the superior companies, which were usually hired for that purpose, at vast expence. To remedy this inconvenience, various plans for erecting a Mansion House for the public residence of the lord mayor, were suggested, and that of Mr. Dance, being approved, the chief corner stone was laid by Micaijah Perry, esquire, lord mayor, with the following inscription : "THIS CHIEF CORNER STONE WAS LAID THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF OCTOBER, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1739, AND IN THE THIRTEENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF OUR SOVEREIGN LORD, GEORGE THE SECOND, KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE AND IRELAND, BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE MICAIJAH PERRY, ESQ; LORD MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LONDON. ALDERMEN: SIR FRANCIS CHILD, KNT. JOHN BARBER, ESQUIRE, * On Michaelmas day had been founded a mathematical school in the Grey Coat Hospital, in St. Margaret's parish, Westminster, for training up boys in the art of navigation, so as fit them for the service of their country. COMMONERS: COMMONERS: MR. DEPUTY JOHN SMART, MR. JOHN EVERITT, MR. DEPUTY JAMES DANSIE, MR. DP. BENJN. HODGES, MR.DEPUTY SAMUEL TATEM, MR. DP. THOMAS NASH, } GEORGE DANCE, ARCHITECT. This situation was fixed upon as being situated nearly in the centre of the city, and in the heart of business; though great difficulties arose in laying the foundation, from the number of springs with which the ground abounds: therefore, this spacious building was erected upon piles, and not finished till the year 1753 *. The other foundation was the Foundling Hospital. The contemplation of an establishment of this kind, had existed some years. Several public spirited persons had suggested the necessity of an asylum for exposed and deserted young children, who, either through misfortunes, or the inhumanity of their parents, might be left destitute of support; and to bring them up in such a manner as to render them fit for *This great work had been long scheming and put upon such a footing as to make it very easy in expence to the corporation; for it appears by the resolutions of the common council, so early as in July, 1734, that 18,000/. had been then raised by the fines paid by forty-five gentlemen, into the chamber of London, to be excused from serving the office of sheriff, and by the said court of common council, applied to the building of a mansion house for the lord mayor. It was at the same time ordered to place the said sum of 18,000% in the Three per Cent. annuities; and that the growing interest there should be added to the capital every year. The whole expence of building the Mansion House, (including the sum of 3,900. paid for purchasing houses to be pulled down,) amounted to 42,6387. 18 s. 8d. laborious laborious and useful employments. With these laudable views, they proposed a subscription, and solicited a charter: but their endeavours proved ineffectual, from the ill-grounded prejudices of some weak people, who urged, that such an undertaking would only encourage persons in vice, by mak ing too easy a provision for their illegitimate offspring. Although these objections suspended the execution of the design for a time, yet it did not entirely defeat it. Several of these worthy persons at their deaths, left large benefactions for the use of such an hospital, as soon as it should be erected. Mr. Thomas Coram*, a commander of a ship in the merchants service, being informed of the legacies left for these purposes, immediately quitted the sea, to solicit a charter for the establishment of the charity, and spent the remainder of his life in promoting such a noble design, with unwearied assiduity. While Captain Coram was born about 1668, bred to the sea, and spent the first part of his life as master of a vessel trading to the colonies. he resided in that part of our metropolis which is the common residence of sea-faring people, business often obliged him to come early into the city and return late; when he had frequent occasions of seeing young children exposed, through the indigence or cruelty of their parents. This excited his compassion so far, that he projected the Foundling Hospital; in which humane design he laboured seventeen years, and at last by his sole application obtained the royal charter for it. He was highly instrumental in promoting another good design, viz. the procuring a bounty upon naval stores imported from the colonies; and was eminently concerned in setting on foot the colonies of Georgia and Nova Scotia. His last charitable design, which he lived to make some progress in, but not to complete, was a scheme for uniting the Indians in North America, more closely to the British interest, by an establishment for the education of Indian girls. Indeed, he spent a great part of his dife in serving the public, and with so total a disregard to his private interest, that towards the latter part of it, he was himself supported by the voluntary subscriptions of public-spirited persons; at the head of whom was the truly amiable and benevolent Frederic, prince of Wales. This singular and memorable man died at his lodgings near Leicester Square, March 29th, 1751, in his eighty-fourth year: and was interred, pursuant to his desire, in the vault under the chapel of the Foundfing Hospital, where his memory is recorded, in a suitable inscription. Biographical Dictionary. Mr. |