nt of sufficient weight in the senate of the nation;
and therefore, of his own accord, on the tenth of November, wisely and
dutifully resigned the seals of his office to his majesty, who delivered
them to Mr. Fox, and appointed sir Thomas master of the wardrobe, with
a pension to him during his life, and after his death to his sons. Lord
Barrington succeeded Mr. Fox as secretary at war; and soon after sir
George Lyttelton was made chancellor of the exchequer, and a lord of the
treasury, in the room of Mr. Legge, who had declared himself against the
new continental system. However, notwithstanding these changes in the
ministry, very warm debates arose in both houses, when the treaties
of Russia and Hesse-Cassel came to be considered by them; some of the
members were for referring them to a committee; but this motion was
over-ruled, in consideration of his majesty's having engaged in them
to guard against a storm that seemed ready to break upon his electoral
dominions, merely on account of our quarrel with the French. They
were at length approved of by a majority of three hundred and eighteen
against one hundred and twenty-six, in the house of commons; and by
eighty-four against eleven, in the house of lords.

The house of commons then proceeded to provide for the service of the
ensuing year, and for the deficiencies of the provisions for the
former. Fifty thousand seamen, including nine thousand one hundred and
thirty-eight marines, were voted, on the twenty-fourth of November,
for the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty-six,
together with two millions six hundred thousand pounds for their
maintenance; and thirty-four thousand two hundred and sixty-three land
soldiers, with nine hundred and thirty thousand six hundred and three
pounds, six shillings and ninepence, for their support. An hundred
thousand pounds were voted as a subsidy to the empress of Russia;
fifty-four thousand one hundred and forty pounds, twelve shillings and
sixpence, to the landgrave of Hesse-Cassel; and ten thousand pounds to
the elector of Bavaria.

EARTHQUAKE AT LISBON.

During these transactions, the public was overwhelmed with consternation
by the tidings of a dreadful earthquake, which, on the first November,
shook all Spain and Portugal, and many other places in Europe, and laid
the city of Lisbon in ruins. When the news of this great calamity first
reached England, it was feared the consequences of it might affect