The Virginia Gazette

From the LONDON GAZETTE.

ST. JAMES's, June 29.

Early in the morning on Tuesday the 22d instant the King set out from Kew for Portsmouth, and being arrived at Portsea bridge, between 10 and 11 o'clock the same morning, was received by a royal salute of twenty one guns. His Majesty then proceeded to the first barrier where Major General Parker, who commanded the garrison during the royal residence at Portsmouth, delivered the keys of the garrison to the King, who was pleased to return them. On his Majesty's entering the Land Port Gate, he was saluted by a triple discharge of 282 pieces of cannons, mounted on the ramparts of Portsmouth, at Blockhouse fort, and at South Sea castle. His Majesty then proceeded through the town, out at the watergate to the dockyard, and arrived at the commissioner's house ten minutes before eleven o'clock, where he was received by the president of his Majesty's most honourable privy council, the lord privy seal, the lord chamberlain of his Majesty's household, the first lord commissioner of the treasury, the secretaries of state, the lords commissioners of the admiralty, the treasurer and commissioners of the navy, the three admirals of the squadron at Spithead, and the master and lieutenant general of the ordnance. The artificers and workmen belonging to the yard, being all assembled before the house, gave three cheers as his Majesty entered, and then immediately dispersed, and returned to their several employments.

After his Majesty had taken some refreshment he went to the governor's house in the town, attended by the nobility and persons of distinction, had a public levee, at which a great number of the officers of the navy and army were present, as also many gentlemen of the country, who on this occasion came in to pay their duty to his Majesty.

The mayor, recorder, aldermen, and burgesses, of the town, waited on his Majesty, and presented the following address:

To the King's most excellent Majesty.

May it please your Majesty,

We, the mayor, recorder, aldermen, and burgesses, of the town of Portsmouth, humbly beg leave to pay our duty to your Majesty, and to congratulate your Majesty upon your arrival in this town. Nothing can give us greater joy and satisfaction than to see your Majesty shewing so much attention, and doing so much honour, to the glory and bulwark of these kingdoms. We desire to express the warmest affection for your Majesty's person and government, and to offer our earnest prayers that the fleet may ever prove victorious under the auspices of your Majesty, and your royal family, and redound to the glory of the Sovereign of the British empire.

They were all received very graciously, and had the honour to kiss his Majesty's hand; after which his Majesty was pleased to confer the honour of knighthood on John Carter, Esquire, mayor of Portsmouth.

When the levee was over his Majesty returned to the dockyard, and at half an hour after one o'clock embarked in a barge, in which his royal standard was immediately hoisted. The Earl of Sandwich, first commissioner of the admiralty, the Earl Delawarr, gold-stick, and Lord Robert Bertie, lord of the bedchamber in waiting, embarked in the same boat with the King. His Majesty then proceeded to Spithead, attended by the barge of the board of admiralty, with the flag of their office, the three admirals with their flags, and all the captains of the fleet with their pendants in their barges. As his Majesty passed the garrison, he was saluted by a royal salute of 21 guns from Blockhouse Fort, Saluting Platform, and South Sea Castle.

When the royal standard was seen from the fleet at Spithead, which consisted of twenty ships of the line, two frigates, and three sloops, moored in two lines abreast of each other, the whole manned ship, and saluted with 21 guns each.

The King went on board the Barfleur, of 90 guns, where he was received by the board of admiralty, the captain being at the head of the accommodation ladder, and the side manned by the lieutenants of the ships. As soon as his Majesty passed the guard of marines on the quarter deck, the flag of the lord high admiral, which was flying, was struck, and the royal standard hoisted at the main-top-mast head, and the Union flag at the mizen-top-mast-head: on sight of which all the ships, except the Barfleur, saluted with 21 guns each. The ship being cleared the same as for action, and the officers and men at their respective quarters, his Majesty, after the nobility, who came off upon this occasion, and the flag officers, had paid their duty to him on the quarter deck, walked fore and aft on the lower gun deck, and took a view of the whole.

At half an hour after three o'clock his Majesty sat down to a table of 30 covers, at which many of the nobility, and persons of distinction, as well as officers of the navy and army of the rank of colonel and upwards, were admitted to the honour of dining. After dinner, the Queen's health being drank, the whole fleet saluted with 21 guns: and, upon his Majesty's retiring from table, the King's health was likewise drank with the like salute. And the same was repeated every day during his Majesty's continuance at Portsmouth. At six o'clock his Majesty went into his barge, attended by the board of admiralty, the flag officers and captains in the same order in which they came and passed along both the lines of ships each ship being again manned) giving three cheers, and saluting separately with 21 guns as the King passed by them. His Majesty when he went on board the Augusta yacht where he was again received the board of admiralty The royal standard with the lord high admiral's flag, and Union flag, were immediately hoisted as they had been on board the Barfleur; and his Majesty sailed into the harbour, the ships at Spithead, and the fortifications, saluting as upon his Majesty coming out, and the admirals and captains attending him to the harbour's mouth; after which they returned to their respective ships. His Majesty landed at the dock a quarter before nine o'clock, and returned to the commissioner's house, where he resided the whole time of his stay at Portsmouth.