Reported On This Day 280 Years Ago (July 14 1739): Boat from Gibraltar suggests there has been no clash with Spain yet

DUBLIN. June 30.

By a vessel which arrived here last Thursday from Gibraltar, we are assured, that admiral Haddock was at that port the 2d instant, with nine ships of the line; that all the sailors on board were in good health; and that the admiral was ill of the gout: by which account it appears, that our fleet hath not had any engagement with the Spaniards, as hath been falsely reported.

[War with Spain was very close to being declared, but given that news travelled slowly, by horse and boat, there were plenty of rumours too. See below a story about a boat that sailed from Gibraltar to Scotland, alongside a French vessel. France was not in dispute with Spain, nor indeed with the Ottomans – who were at war with the Russians]

An order is come over to augment the remaining regiments in this kingdom, to seventy private men and two drummers. They are raising recruits all over England on this occasion, to have them compleat by the 31st of August.

[The kingdom is the kingdom of Ireland, which was for 250+ years under the English monarchy]

An embargo is laid on all ships in this port.

This week died in the county of Meath, the rev. Mr. Tucker, a justice of the peace for said county. He had a living of about 300l, a year in that country, which we hear is in the gift of the government. [£300 is about £70,0000 in modern money]

By letters from Limerick we have an account of the death of major Amator Borough. of Col. Otway’s regiment of foot.

Edinburgh, June 25.

Yesterday the Mary of Glasgow, Capt. Wilson, arrived in Leith road from Gibraltar from which she parted in company with a Dunkirk vessel; and after sailing together for 7 days in all friendship, the Frenchman was so polite as take leave of the Mary with a salute of sharp shot, which made a hole in the main sail so near the mast that it was well nigh carried off.

This compliment the Mary (having only 4 guns) was not in a condition to return a ship of 20. But ----- manet alta mente repostum

[This is Latin, and it roughly means ‘it is stored high in the mind’]

We hear from Dumfries, and several other places in the South and West, that last Thursday they had a most terrible storm of wind, rain and hail; the hail-stones, of an uncommon bigness, lay for several minutes in the streets, as well as in the fields, to near 2 inches deep; the whole accompanied with hideous claps of thunder and lightning.

The Tweed and other rivers over-flowed their banks.

The Rt. Hon. the lord Southwell (of the kingdom of Ireland) arrived here from that kingdom, as is said, to see the land of Cakes.

As John Riddel merchant in Hawick was last week riding home from Jedburgh, in company with another gentleman, his horse threw him off, whereby his neck was broke.

Edinburgh, June 26.

Seven chair-bearers were fined by the hon. magistrates in 20 pence sterl. each, imprisoned for 24 hours, and after that till they pay the 20 pence, for dragging James Smith centinel of the guard out of a cellar into the streets, making him ride the stang about the streets, on account of his having disciplined his wife too severely. [20 pence is around £25 in today’s money]

BELFAST.

On Saturday last the hon. colonel Descurry’s regiment of foot embark’d for Scotland; part of them here, and part at Donnaghadee.

PORT-NEWS.

Since my last arrived the Princess of Orange, Mr. John Dyet, from Norway with deals; a vessel from the North of Scotland, with oat meal; the Dunmorris, Donnaldson; and the John and Margaret, Horne, both from Irvine, with coals.

An ODE to the prospect of a War.

Quis bellum ferae cure Iberiae.

By a GENTLEMAN.

To arms, now, arms, from rust refining.

Their ignoble sloth disdain,

And Britannia, long repining,

Shakes her dreadful spear again.

Strait, her potent standard raising,

Clarions sounding loud and clear,

Plumy helms, and buckles blazing

On her warlike sons appear.

Former triumphs now revolving,

Agincourt and Cressy rise,

And to fix their hearts resolving, Blenheim stands before their eyes.

Meditating, now in story,

Your renown’d forefathers warr’d,

Swear to emulate their glory,

In whate’er they greatly dar’d.

Arm ye, adverse pow’rs combining,

In each port and province levy

All your force, as if designing

An invicible new navy.

Fleets and armies, land and ocean

Spread ---- The empress of the main

Doubts not, from the great commotion,

Greater honour to obtain.

A cure for the DROPSY.

Take sixteen large nutmegs, eleven spoonfuls of broom ashes dried and burnt in an oven, an ounce and half of horse-radish scraped; all to be put in a gallon of strong wine, and stand three or four days: then gill or half pint to be drank lasting every morning, and so fast an hour or two after it.

A remarkable instance of the good effects of this remedy is one of the performers at Vauxhall, who was given over by all his friends and physicians; and his legs were so swell’d and insensible, as not to feel any pain when put into a kettle of boiling water; but upon taking the above medicine was cured in a few weeks, to the surprize of all his acquaintance.