The lord-mayor in the chair,

Resolved unanimously, that we, the undersigned, being

A meeting was held on the same day at the | position to encourage them. It was at this mansion-house, of the merchants and bankers, period that his majesty honoured Mr. Beechey, &c., to consider of the steps which it was pro- of the royal academy, with his patronage, in per to take to prevent embarrassments to public consequence of the superior manner in which credit, from the effect of any ill-founded or ex- he had finished the portraits of several persons aggerated alarms, and to support it with the of high rank and fashion. His majesty was so utmost exertions at this important conjuncture. highly pleased with the style in which some of these portraits were painted, that he appointed Mr. Beechey portrait-painter to her majesty, and commanded him to execute the portraits of the queen and the princesses, two of which appeared in the exhibition at Somerset-house. Mr. Beechey, having now given such ample testimony of his talents, was intrusted by his majesty with a subject, the execution of which required no common talent, which was the grand picture of the king himself and the princes, at the review in Hyde-park. When this picture was completed, his majesty was so pleased with it, that he conferred on Mr. Beechey the honour of knighthood.

highly sensible how necessary the preservation of public credit is at this time, do most readily hereby declare that we will not refuse to receive bank-notes in payment of any sum of money to be paid to us, and we will use our utmost endeavours to make all our payments in the same

manner.

BROOK WATSON.

This resolution, which is nearly a copy of that used in the year 1745, when there was a run upon the bank, was signed in a few days by the principal bankers, merchants, and traders, and was inserted in the London Gazette.

The lords of his majesty's council being also desirous to contribute as far as they could to the support of the public and commercial credit of the kingdom, at this important crisis, agreed and bound themselves to receive the notes of the bank of England in all payments as money, and to support, as far as depended on them individually, their circulation.

Thus, by the energy of his majesty's government, was one of the most alarming events, affecting the commerce and credit of the country, which had happened during the whole of his majesty's reign, actually converted into the means of establishing the credit of the bank of England, and of restoring confidence to the commercial world.

In this period of foreign war and domestic disquietude, his majesty lost not sight of the fine arts, but on every occasion testified his dis

His majesty also made considerable additions to his collection of paintings in the spring of 1797, by purchases at the famous Trumbull sale, consisting of Raphael's Virgin, Christ and St. John, the Dejanira and Centaur, and some capital pieces by Berghem, all selected by the late president of the royal academy.

"to

A strong contest respecting the receipt of petitions from the city of London in its corporate capacity, took place about this period, when on the 16th of March, the lord mayor called the attention of the court of commoncouncil to a requisition from forty-three liverymen, desiring him to call a common-hall, consider of an humble address and petition to his majesty, upon the present alarming state of public affairs, and praying him to dismiss his present ministers from his councils for ever, as the first step towards obtaining a speedy, honourable, and permanent peace.

To this very absurd proposal, the lord-mayor had merely answered that he would consult the court of aldermen, and had from them received a protest against such a measure. He then submitted several papers to the common-council, but that body was unanimously of opinion that it would be highly improper for them to give any opinion respecting the propriety or expedience of convening the common-hall so desired.

A common-hall was, however, summoned for the 23d, when a petition to the purpose before expressed was almost unanimously voted, as the friends of the measure had taken early means to fill the hall with their own partisans and parasites; and the sheriffs, with the city representatives, were deputed to present it to his majesty on the throne.

In pursuance of this resolution, sheriffs Staines and Langstone proceeded on the 5th of April to St. James's, to have a personal interview with his majesty, to which they were admitted; and, on being introduced, explained to his majesty the conceived right or privilege of the citizens of London, in livery, to present their addresses to the throne, informing him at the same time, that in the present instance they could not deliver their petition in any other manner.

The king, in his reply, plainly stated that he should always be ready to receive their addresses or petitions at the levee; but that he could not receive any petitions from the city of London upon the throne, except in its corporate capacity-that is, of mayor, aldermen, and common-council only; with which answer the sheriffs and remembrancer returned to the lordmayor, who called another common-hall on the 12th, in which the report was read, with the additional circumstance, that the sheriffs had been informed officially, that the answer first given by the duke of Portland was by his majesty's own desire.

The next day the sheriffs, attended at St. James's to know when the king would be pleased to receive the petition of the livery agreeable to the form here pointed out; when they were informed that his majesty would receive no petition from the city of London, on the throne, except in its corporate capacity; but that he was willing to receive it at the levee, in the ordinary manner of accepting ad-partisans of the measure went rather too far in dresses.

Two resolutions were now put and carried, declaratory of the assumed privilege; but the

proposing a third resolution, which the lordmayor declared he could not, consistently with his duty to preserve inviolate the rights of the

the day upon which the livery were met was specified in the summons issued to call them together, so it was his duty to take care that no other business should be discussed.

A common-hall was now called on the 1st of April, when the lord-mayor laid before the livery the report of the sheriffs, stating the an-livery, admit to be put; for as the business of swer given to them by the duke of Portland when they attended at the levee; but the livery thought proper to resolve, that the sheriffs of London had an acknowledged right to an audience of the king, and were in duty bound to This was loudly resented by the demagogues; demand the same; directing the sheriffs, at- but after considerable altercation, the lordtended by the remembrancer, to demand a per-mayor ordered the insignia of office to be taken sonal audience of the king, to know when he up, and the hall was, of course, dissolved: yet would be pleased to receive upon the throne, the reformers did not separate before a vote of

the common council, and of course carried by | he would call a common-hall for all the aboveacclamation, against the lord-mayor, for what mentioned purposes, except the report, which the proposer thought proper to call "an un- was accordingly held on the 11th of May, when precedented attack on the deliberative rights several strong resolutions to the same purport of the livery of London, in common-hall as- were carried by a packed and crowded hall; sembled." and the lord-mayor had the singular pleasure of signing a vote of censure on himself, for dissolving the former court, and for convening the existing court for purposes short of those mentioned in the requisition, by which, said the resolution, he has violated the rights of the livery, has suffered his political attachments to warp his official conduct, and proved himself to be utterly undeserving of the confidence of his constituents."

A new requisition was next presented to the lord-mayor (Brook Watson), on the 22d of the month, requiring him to call a common-hall within eight days, for the purpose of again taking into consideration the sheriffs' report, "to investigate the real causes of the awful and alarming state of public affairs; and to adopt such measures as may be expedient in the present conjuncture;" to which his lordship replied, on the 25th, stating his willingness to call a hall for the purpose of taking into consideraof taking into consideration the sheriffs' report; but at the same time declaring, that he felt it incompatible with his duty to assemble the livery for the other purposes expressed in the requisition, considering the investigation of the real causes of the state of public affairs as a proposition too extensive and unqualified to admit of discussion in an assembly confessedly not deliberative.

But the business did not drop here; for, on the 3d of May, another requisition was sent to the lord-mayor to take into consideration the sheriffs' report; also "the grievances brought on by a corrupt system of undue influence, and the incapacity of his majesty's ministers ;" and to submit several resolutions, expressive of the sentiments of the livery, contained in the former petition, with a motion that the city representatives should be instructed to move an address to the king, "praying him to dismiss from his presence and councils his present weak and wicked ministers, as the most likely means of obtaining a speedy and permanent peace."

To this most absurd and preposterous requisition, the lord-mayor returned for answer, that

A treaty of marriage had been; for some time, on the tapis, between the princess royal of England and the prince of Wirtemburg, but it was by no means an alliance which met with the hearty concurrence of his majesty, as some very unfavourable reports were in circulation respecting the prince's character; in which it was openly insinuated that he had either partìcipated in, or that he had criminal knowledge of, the death of his first wife, in a Russian prison, in which it was asserted that she had been confined at his express desire, on account of some real or supposed indiscretions. His serene highness produced several documents and papers, denying in toto the allegations against him, or that he was even privy to any improper measures being used against her. His majesty examined these papers most minutely, and he expressed himself fully convinced that the prince was innocent of the charges alleged against him, and no obstacle was raised to the union.

It was on the 11th of May that his most serene highness the hereditary prince of Wirtemburg came to the apartments prepared for his reception at St. James's. His highness having

been invited by the right honourable sir Joseph | Wirtemburg-Stutgard, with Charlotte Augusta Banks, K.B., to stop, in his way to London, at Matilda, princess royal of Great Britain, lady Spring-grove, and to partake of a collation, was of the imperial order of Russia of St. Catherine, met at Spring-grove by the right honourable and eldest daughter of king George III., was lord Malmsbury, K.B. and sir Stephen Cottrell, performed in the chapel royal, by the archknt., his majesty's master of the ceremonies, bishop of Canterbury. After the ceremony, and was by them conducted to London in one their majesties, with the rest of the royal family, of his majesty's coaches, drawn by six horses, passed into the great council-chamber, where and repaired to his apartments at St. James's. the great officers, nobility, foreign ministers, Immediately after his arrival, his highness re- and other persons of distinction, paid their comceived a visit from the marquess of Salisbury, pliments on the occasion; which were received lord-chamberlain of his majesty's household. by the bride and bridegroom in her majesty's Their majesties and the royal family sent apartment. their compliments of welcome to his most The last interview between his majesty and serene highness upon his arrival at St. James's; his royal daughter, was of the most affecting and the right honourable Charles Greville, kind. The princess hung upon her father's vice-chamberlain of his majesty's household, neck, overwhelmed in grief, and it was not who carried the compliments from his majesty, until her consort urged her to close the painful acquainted his most serene highness, that scene, that she could be prevailed upon to leave his majesty had appointed the ensuing day her father. The affectionate parent followed to receive his highness after the levee; when her to bid her farewell, but he was so overcome his most serene highness waited on his ma- by the excess of his parental feelings, that he jesty, and afterwards on the queen and on could not give utterance to his words, and his the royal family, at the times respectively ap- streaming eyes looked the last blessing, which pointed. his lips could not pronounce.

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On the 9th of May, the subject of the portion which was to be given with the princess royal, came under consideration in the house of com

moved that the sum of 800,000l. be the marriage portion of her royal highness. The motion met with some opposition, but it was ultimately carried.

Before the hour came for his most serene highness to have access to the king, his highness received visits from their graces the archbishops of Canterbury and York, the lord-chan-mons, when the chancellor of the exchequer cellor, and other lords of his majesty's most honourable privy eouncil, and from many of the nobility, and other persons of distinction, and from the foreign ministers; all of whom were - presented to his most serene highness. The following day, his highness again received visits from divers of the nobility, and went to the drawing-room to pay his compliments to the queen; his serene highness afterwards paid his compliments to his majesty at the levee.

The solemnity of the marriage of his serene highness Frederick William, hereditary prince of

It is now our painful duty to record another of those extraordinary events which the year 1797 produced, and this was the mutiny of the navy. The British nation was, perhaps, never engaged in a contest, in which the importance of its naval power was more apparent, than at this particular period of our history. To it we are indebted for more than success in a common

warfare, therefore the very safety and existence | obedience and their duty; but this pleasure was speedily turned into fresh alarm and consternation, by a new mutiny in another quarter, which, for boldness and extent, was without a parallel in the naval history of Britain.

of the country depend upon our naval power. It was, therefore, not without the most serious apprehensions that a spirit of disaffection was observed in the spring of 1797, to break out in the fleet, the origin of which it was not easy to trace, though the consequences of its continuance were sufficiently obvious. The professed and, perhaps, the real motive of the disturbance, was the redress of certain grievances respecting the quantum and distribution of their pay and provisions; complaints not new in their nature, but, as their petitions set forth, more intolerable than ever, from the circumstances of the times.

The mutiny commenced at Portsmouth, and shewed itself in its full force, on lord Bridport receiving orders from government to sail with the channel fleet. When the signal was made to prepare for sea, a general disobedience was obvious, and instead of weighing anchor, the seamen of the admiral's ship ran up the shrouds and gave three cheers, which was the signal previously agreed upon, to announce the disobedience of orders; and these cheers were instantly answered in the same manner from the other ships, which sufficiently manifested a complete combination.

The north-sea fleet, as well as the ships lying at the Nore, appeared to have the redress of other grievances in view, besides what related to the increase of pay and provisions, which had been demanded by the grand fleet at Spithead. The mutineers, in imitation of what had been done at Portsmouth, chose delegates from every ship, of whom a man of the name of Richard Parker was appointed president. After having either confined or sent on shore their principal officers, they transmitted to the lords of the admiralty a series of articles, or conditions, to which they peremptorily demanded compliance, as the only terms upon which they would return to obedience; several of those articles were regarded as entirely incompatible with the discipline of the navy, while some others, such as a more equal division of prizemoney, were represented by some, as no more than reasonable additions to the concessions to which government had agreed at Portsmouth.

The adherents of administration contended, that considering what had already been done The sailors at Portsmouth remained in this for the seamen in general, nothing short of unmutinous state till the 14th of May, when lord conditional submission ought to be accepted by Howe at length arrived from the admiralty with government from such daring mutineers and plenary powers to inquire into, and settle, the rebels; while some of the adverse party conmatters in dispute: he was also the welcome ceived, that by moderate and modified concesbearer of an act of parliament, which had been sion, the love and fidelity of the navy would be passed on the 9th, granting an additional allow-more effectually secured, than by adopting harsh ance, and also with his majesty's proclamation and coercive measures. of pardon for all those who should immediately return to their duty.

The public saw with infinite satisfaction, that the grievances of their brave defenders were redressed, and that they had returned to their

The mutineers at the Nore, on the 23d of May, struck the flag of admiral Buckner, on board the Sandwich, and hoisted a red flag, the symbol of mutiny, in its stead. They compelled all the ships which lay near Sheerness,