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the former. Refolved if poffible to recover this important ftation, the enemy approached a third time, and were a third time driven back, leaving the English complete mafters of the poft.

The mortified fultan, perceiving every attempt to regain what he had loft ineffectual, withdrew all his troops from the northern fide of the island, and prepared with únremitting fatigue for the defence of the fort, almoft the only place of confequence he retained in his extenfive empire. The ground, on which he had been lately encamped, was immediately after occupied by the allied armies.

In this perilous fituation he felt the neceflity of negociating, if poffible, an immediate peace. While he yet retained a fhadow of independence, fomething he thought might be expected from the policy as well as generofity of the English, who might only wish to reduce, not to annihilate, the Myforean confequence. With this view he released the officers who had been made captives at Coimbetore, and, after having loaded them with prefents, fent them to the British camp, entreating them to ufe. their influence with lord Cornwallis to open a negociation for peace.

At the fame time, however, that he embraced this pacificatory meafure, his active mind, ever fruitful in ftratagems, projected another more expeditious mode of extricating himself from his difficulties, which was no less than making at once a bold attempt on the life of lord Cornwallis. The very day on which he releafed the officers, his cavalry were obferved to quit their encamp ment on the fouthern fide of the Cavery; but as it was conjectured 5

that they were going to protect fome diftant convoy, little notice was then taken of it. On the morning of the fubfequent day they contrived to get between the Nizam's and the British camp undifcovered. A party of them, who were mistaken for the Nizam's troops, immediately advanced towards the British lines, and enquiring for the tent of the commander, were directed to colonel Duff's, whom, as being commanding officer of artillery, it was fuppofed they wanted. Inftantly drawing their fwords they pushed for the tent to which they had been directed, cutting down a few, who opposed them; but before they found time to execute their project, perceiving themselves likely to be overpowered, they turned back and galloped off with precipitation.

Nothing of importance afterwards occurred, until the arrival of general Abercromby with the Bombay army, who furnished a reinforcement of about 2000 European and 4000 native troops.

In confequence of the fultan's overtures, a negoc ation for peace was now opened. Lord Cornwallis was nevertheless inceffantly bufied in making preparations for an attack on the fort, which after fome deliberation he thought would be most practicable on the northern fide, across the Cavery. As the erection of batteries in the day-time within gun-fhot of the fort appeared to be an undertaking of much hazard and difficulty, he refolved to erect them during the night, while he tried, by way of a diverfion, to beat up the enemy's camp on the other fide of the island. A detachment was accordingly fent on the latter enterprize, which by at confiderable

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confiderable detour arrived at the place of its destination undiscovered, when an immediate flaughter commenced. About 100 troopers with 200 horses were killed before any effectual refiftance was attempted; but the alarm then becoming general, the detachment retreated, and gained its former ftation without the lofs of a fingle man. The confternation, which this spirited attack occafioned, engaged the fultan's attention on the fouthern fide of the island, while batteries were conftructing without moleftation on the northern fide, within 800 yards of the walls of the fort. At the break of day the whole proceeding became manifeft. Every gun which could be brought to bear was opened upon the newly-erected works, while parties of infantry crofled the river to harafs the troops ftationed in that quarter. Convinced at length of his inability to interrupt the progrefs of the fiege, the fultan next contrived to change the courfe of a canal which fupplied the allies with water, and turn it into the Cavery, by which means he not only hoped to deprive his enemies of the advantages refulting from a ftream conftantly running through their camp, but at the fame time to increase the hazard of an affault, by fwelling the river to a greater height than ufual. The diftrefs of the allies however was but of short duration; for a detachment was immediately difpatched to inveftigate the cause of the fudden failure in the waters of the canal, which foon drove the Myforeans from the ground they occupied on its banks, and reconveyed the stream to its accustomed channel.

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and all the batteries opened on the fort, while general Abercromby croffed the Cavery weft of Seringapatam, and took poft on fome heights on the fouth-weft fide of the fort, out of gun-fhot. He was not however able to effect this alteration in his pofition without much refiftance from the enemy, who more than once attempted, but in vain, to prevent him from executing his intentions. When pofted to his wishes, he was ordered to poffefs himself of a redoubt and a grove beyond it, which were fituated between him and the fort. A small party were fent towards night for this purpofe; but being obferved by the enemy, they were on the fubfe quent morning vigorously attacked, Compelled to retreat from a want of ammunition, they were purfued in a very diforderly and tumultuous manner; when inftantly advancing again, they brifkly charged and routed the Myforcans. The enemy however, with a ftrong reinforcement, appeared a second time, and a fecond time, labouring under the fame deficiency as before, were our troops obliged to retreat; but fortunately meeting a battalion with a fupply of cartridges, they returned, and after an obftinate conflict remained complete mafters of the difputed ground.

At the principal point of attack on the northern fide of the island, a fecond parallel had been completed, within 600 yards of the fort, and the fpot was marked out for the breaching batteries within 500 yards, when orders were Feb. 24th. fuddenly iffued to defift from the operations of the fiege, announcing at the fame time the ter mination of hoftilities.

Lord Cornwallis, with the repre
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muflin gowns, and red turbans. They had several rows of large pearls round their necks, from which was fufpended an ornament, confifting of a ruby and an emerald of confiderable fize, furrounded by large brilliants; and in their turbans each had a fprig of rich pearls. Bred up from their infancy with infinite care, and inftructed in their manners to imitate the reserve and politeness of age, it aftonifhed all prefent to fee the correctnefs and propriety of their conduct."

fentatives of the Nizam and the Mahrattahs, had affented to the fultan's propofal for the appointment of commiffioners to fettle the terms of a peace. Meetings were in confequence held on the 15th, 16th, 19th, and 21ft of February; but nothing decifive was adopted until the 24th, when the progrefs of the fiege became more and more alarm ing, and the moment feemed rapidly approaching, in which the capital itself was likely to be completely fubdued by the allied forces. Abandoned by his troops, crouds of whom were continually deferting to his enemies, deprived of almost all fup plies, cooped up in one corner of a fmall ifland, in a pot which he could not flatter himself would be long tenable, but which he had neverthe lefs determined to preferve or perish, and perceiving his enemies at the fame time flushed with repeated conquefts, and in daily expectation of receiving a confiderable acceflion of Atrength by the junction of Purferam Bhow, as well as by reinforcements from the fouth, the humbled monarch at length fubmitted to the terms propofed to him. Thefe terms wereft, that he fhould cede one half of his dominions to the allied powers; 2dly, that he fhould pay three crores and thirty lacks of rupees;dly, that he fhould unequivocally restore all the prifoners, which had been taken by the Myforeans from the time of Hyder Ally; and 4thly, that two of his three eldeft fons should be delivered up as hoftages for the due performance of the treaty. In conformity to fuch hard but perhaps neceffary terms, two of the fultan's fons were fent with great pomp to the English camp. The princes are faid, by a gentleman who was prefent, have been dreffed in long white

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Notwithstanding the ratification of the preliminary articles of peace, and the delivery of the young princes into the hands of lord Cornwallis, the definitive treaty proceeded but flowly; fo much fo, that at one time preparations were actually ordered for re-commencing the fiege. The fultan however at laft affented to the arrangements, which March 19th. were proposed to him.

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The divifion of the acquired territories was of courfe made in a manner, which beft fuited the interefts of the different powers. The Nizam and the Mahrattahs were each rewarded with a large northern diftrict adjoining to their respective dominions. All the country between the Gauts and the Carnatic, extending from Amboor to the most fouthern bend of the river Cavery juft above Caroor (except the Coimbetore) with the addition of the fort of Dindigul and its diftrict, on the eastern fide of Myfore, and on the western, all the tract of the Malabar coaft, from Chitwa to Declah, were ceded to the English. The boundary line, internally, was carried round the Coorg country, to the great mortification of the fultan, who was highly exafperated againft the rajah.

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war.

The advantages which have accrued to the company from this treaty, amply appear to counterbalance the enormous expences of the By the acquifitions in the neighbourhood of the Carnatic, and the confequent poffeflion of the feveral paffes from Myfore, a confiderable augmentation of revenue, and a greater protection from hoftile incurfions, have been obtained in a very important quarter; while on the Malabar coaft, where we owned but little before, a portion of rich territory has been allotted to us, which, exclusive of its own commercial confequence, by being attached to the prefidency of Bombay,

will at once tend to increase the security of that prefidency, and enhance its value.

The wife moderation of those councils, which directed only a partial divifion of the conquered countries, cannot be too much praised. For had not a fufficient extent of dominion been left to Tippoo Sultan, to make him refpectable, and fill in fome degree formidable to his neighbours, the balance of power in India might have been again materially affected, the future adjustment of which would have led to new wars. The treaty was a return, as far as circumftances would allow, to our old and true policy.

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Public attention to the Indian war and Rufian negociation. Riots at Bir mingham. Their caufes and origin. Charges of the diffenters, and anfwer of the church party. Opening of the feffion of parliament. Speech from the throne. Address moved in the house of lords. Stormont. Amendment on the address in the house of commons. fides of the house express fatisfaction at the marriage of the duke of York, and at the flourishing fate of the revenue. Ruffian negociation attacked, and defended. His majesty's recommendation of the repeal of taxes reprefented as a breach of privilege. Supported as perfectly proper and conftitutional. Omiffion of Birmingham riots in his majesty's jpeech. Miniftry challenge an enquiry into the conduct of government during the riots. War in India confidered on one fide as difaftrous, on the other as difa tinguished by brilliant fucceffes. Mr. Fox. The chancellor of the exchequer's Speech on the ftate of the finances. Repeal of certain taxes. Mr. Pitt's fatement controverted by Mr. Sheridan. Mr. Fox. Mr. Pitt's reply. Houfe of lords. Earl of Guildford, Lord Rawdon. National debt bill brought in by Mr. Pitt. Oppofed by Mr. Fox. Mr. Fox cenfures the minifter for not reducing the four per cents. when the three were at 96 or 97. The opportunity loft. Mr. Pitt's defence of his conduct, Establishment for the duke and duchess of York. Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox coincide in opinion. Mr. Burdon propofes to grant an annuity of £10,000 only instead of one of £. 18,000. Propofal oppofed by Mr. Fox. Mr. Pitt fupports Mr. Fox. Mr. Burdon's propojal rejected without a divifion.

HE Indian war, previous to patches, which conveyed the in

Tthe arrival of the last dif- telligence of its termination, in

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terested in a great degree all parties at home, alternately raising and depreffing the public expectation. At the commencement of the year, when Parliament refumed its deliberations, information had been received of Lord Cornwallis's retreat from Seringapatam, an event, which, with refpect to its probable confequences, afforded a wide field for conjecture.

Nor was the public attention folely directed to Indian occurrences. Our interference between Ruffia and the Porte had been warmly and fuccessfully oppofed both in and out of parliament; the confequence of which was, that the miniftry were compelled to lower their firft demands, and change the high tone of their language towards the emprefs. On this occafion the Duke of Leeds refigned the feals, as fecretary of state for the foreign department.

We have noticed, in our former volume, the part which a gentleman allied to Mr. Fox was fuppofed to have taken, relative to the negociations at the court of Petersburgh. Not only the circumstances of his appearance there, gave fcope to unfavourable conjecture, but a letter, addreffed by him to his illuftrious relation in England, was reported to have fallen into the hands of miniftry, which confirmed them in their former fufpicions, The contents of this letter were never publicly known; but legal opinions were faid to have been taken, whether it did not afford fufficient grounds for a criminal profecution. On mature confideration, however, either from motives of delicacy as to the manner in which it had been obtained, or from a perfuafion that it could only furnish a

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charge of imprudence at moft against the writer, or of its inefficiency to prove any criminal approbation in the perfon for whom it was intended, the thought of an impeachment appears to have been relinquished, although intimations of that kind were thrown out in the debates of the fubfequent feffion. Previous indeed to the meeting of parliament, the subject had been fo much rumoured abroad, that some strong measure was generally expected to take place.

On the other hand, the oppofition threatened an enquiry into the conduct of adminiftration for the culpable partiality which was faid to have been manifefted in the riots of Birmingham. Thofe unhappy difturbances were attributed by diffe rent parties, as might indeed be expected, to very different caufes. And as many afferted them to have arifen from popular indignation at the political doctrines maintained by feveral leading men among the diffenters, in various publications of that time, and at the connexion formed by the fame perfons with certain political focieties, which had awakened the fufpicions of the country, by the democratical tendency of their proceedings; it will illustrate the fubfequent debates, to begin the narrative with a view of that conduct, which is fuppofed to have been refented in fo unwarrantable a manner.

From the period of the difpute between Mr. Fox and Mr. Burke, which has been already narrated, the admirers of the French revolution (it was faid) conceived, that they had gained a triumph in what they reprefented as the expulfion of the latter gentleman from the party of oppofition. The members of the revolution fociety then appear

ed.

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