21, 1799.

Chance, laden with rice, (cut out of Balafore Roads by La Forte French frigate; taken from under the battery at Cannonies Point, Inle of France) recaptured April 25, 1799, at anchor off the Ifle of France, by the Jupiter, Tremendous, and Adamant; afterwards loft near St. Mary's, Madagascar.

The French fchooner Janet, laden with paddy; taken April 25, 1799, by the Star, off Roderique.

The Pruffian fhip Three Brothers, laden with naval ftores and fundries, from Bourdeaux, faid to be bound to Tranquebar, detained going into Port Louis) taken May 1799, by the Tremendous, off Port Louis, Hle of 'France.

The brig Elizabeth, laden with rice (taken by a French privateer in the Bay of Bengal) recaptured May 2, 1799, by the Star, off Round Island, Ille of France; afterwards foundered.

The French fchooner Surprize, in ballaft, taken May 7, 1799, by the Star, off Cape Brabant, Ifle of France. The American fhip Pacific, laden with bale goods and fugar, (run on fhore by the French near the river Noir; part of the cargo faved by the boats of the fquadron) retaken May 10, 1799, by the Jupiter, Tremendous, and Adagiant, off the Ine of France; afterwards

burnt.

(Signed) G. LOSACK.

DOWNING STREET, DEC. 13.

Head quarters, Morożzo, Noų. 14.

MY LORD,

It gives me great fatisfaction to be able to state to your Lordship, that it is the determination of the Commander in Chief to undertake immediately the fiege of Coni, and push it on with all This refolution has poffible vigour. been adopted in confequence of the events which have taken place fince the battle of the 4th, and which prove the defeat of the enemy on that day to have been most complete. The prifoners taken on the 4th and 5th amount to 4300, which number is much greater than was at first fuppofed. The Auftrians loft 2000 in killed and wound

ed. On the 11th, the division of G2neral Ott attacked that part of the enemy which remained at Borgo St. Dal billante. On the fame day Major Ge mazzo, and drove them as far as Ro neral Somafiva purfued the French in the valley of the Stura as far as Demonte, of which he took poffeffion, and made 100 prifoners. Major-General Gotterheim alfo obliged the French to evacuate the villages of La Choifa, Boves, and Poveragna. Gen. Championnet had affembled his whole force at Mondevi, and upon the mountains behind the river Ellero, as far as Monafterlo. As long as he occupied this pofition, it was impothible to undertake the fiege of Coni. Gen. Melas theregave orders that a general attack should be made on the 13th. A letter from Championnet to S. Cyr had been intercepted, which fhewed that the lat ter was not able to pursue the advantage which he had gained over Gen. Kray in the last action which I had the honour to state to your Lordship. For this reafon, the divifion of Gen. Metrowski, which had marched as far as Cherafco for the purpote of reinforcing Gen. Kray, was ordered to return to the camp of the Trinits on the 12th,

fore

Mondovi opened the gates of the Lower Town to the Auftrians. The French army retired to Vico, and evacuated the citadel of Mondovi in the night.

Gen.

78

Gen. Championnet is retreating towards
Ormia, and Major-General Bellegarde
is fent with a confiderable corps in his
purfuit. The Auftrian army marches
this day to Beinette, and will to-morrow
take up the neceffary pofitions to cover
the fiege. I never yet have feen inve-
teracy and dereftation of the French fo
general, and carried to fuch lengths as
it is here: the whole people are armed:
and, headed by a priest, perform the
moft wonderful exploits. In the begin-
ning of tlte campaign ther took both
Ceva and Mondovi from the French;
and in the action of yesterday, a body
of cob prevented a very ftrong co-
lumi of the enemy from marching by a
The country being
particular road.
mountainous, is peculiarly favourable to
their irregular mode of fighting. The
fiege will begin in the courie of ten
days.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) W. BENTINCK.
DUBLIN CASTLE, DEC. 12.

His Majefty has been pleased to grant the dignity of a Marquis of this kingdom to Richard Earl of Mornington, Koight

of the Moft Illuftrious Order of St.

Patrick, and the heirs male of his body
lawfully begotten, by the name, fiyle,
and title of Marquis of Wellesley, of
Norragh, in this kingdom.
Patent are preparing to pass the Great
Seal of Ireland accordingly.

WHITEHALL, DEC. 13.

Letters

SIR,

I have the fatisfaction to inclofe you, for their Lordships' information, a letter that I have received from Lieut. Pengelly, commanding his Majefty's cutter Viper, fating his having captured and carried into Falmouth Le Furet French privateer of fourteen guns. I am happy on this occafion to congratulate their. Lordships on the zeal and gallantry dif played by Lieut. Pengelly, and the Officets and crew of the Viper, which excite my high commendation. I am, Sir, &c. &c.

SIR,

THOS. PASLEY.
His Majefty's Cutter Viper,
Falmouth, Dec. 28.

I have the honour to acquaint you, that on the 26th inft. at a quarter past ten, A. M. the Dodman bearing North feven or eight leagues, I discovered a fufpicious veffel to windward, ftanding towards the Viper, under my command: at noon, perceiving her to be an enemy, tacked, and ftood towards her, and at a quarter past brought her clofe to action, which continued for three quarters of an hour, when the fheered off; I had the good fortune, however, after a running fight of an hour and a half, to lay her clofe on board, and upon pouring two broadfides into her the ftruck her

colours: the proves to be Le Furet, of 14 guns, four-pounders, commanded by Citoyen Louis Bouvet, two days from St. Maloes, with a complement of 64 men, feven of which had been fent away in a prize on the morning of the day the was captured. Le Furet is quite new, this being her firft cruize, is well stored and victualled for two months. I cannot fpeak too much in praise of Mr. Henry Jane, acting Mafter, from whofe

3

zeal

zeal and ability I received every affift. ance; nor can I be fully expreffive of the fpirited and good conduct of the Officers and fhip's company. I am happy to add, that we had only one man wounded, and myself slightly hurt; the fails and rigging much cut, and the main maft, I am apprehenfive, rendered unferviceable.-The lofs of the enemy was four men killed; the first and fecond Captains, and fix men wounded; four dangerously. The prize, as well as the Viper, being much difabled in her fails and rigging, I have put into Falmouth, from whence I fhall proceed to Plymouth as foon as poffible.

ENGLISH FORCE.-Viper, of 12 guns, four pounders, and 48 men. FRENCH FORCB. Le Furet, of 14guns, four pounders, and 57 men. I have the honour to be, &c.

J. PENGELLEY. To Sir Thomas Pafley, Bart. sc. Extract of another Letter from Sir Thọmas Pafley to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated the 31ft ult.

The Ariftocrat armed brig has just arrived with L'Avanture French privateer, of 14 guns, and 42 men, out ten days from St. Maloes, and had taken nothing.

FRENCH REPUBLIC SOVEREIGNTY of the PEOPLE-LIBERTYEQUALITY.

BONAPARTE, First Conful of the Republic, to His MAJESTY the KING of GREAT BRITAIN and of IRELAND.

Paris, the 5th Nivofe, 8th Year of the Republic.

Called by the wishes of the French Nation to occupy the Fift Magiftracy of the Republic, I think it proper, on entering into office, to make a direc communication of it to your Majefty.

The War which for eight years has ravaged the four quarters of the world, must it be eternal? Are there no means of coming to an understanding?

How can the two moft enlightened Nations of Europe, powerful and strong beyond what their fafety and independence require, facrifice to ideas of vain greatnels, the benefits of commerce, internal profperity, and the happiness of feel that Peace is of the first neceffity, as families? How is it that they do not well as of the firft glory?

These fentiments cannot be foreign to the heart of your Majefty, who reigns over a free Nation, and with the fole view of rendering it happy.

Your Majefty will only fee in this overture my fincere defire to contribute efficaciously, for the fecond time, to a general Pacification, by a step, speedy, entirely of confidence, and difengaged from those forms which, neceffary perhaps to difguife the dependence of weak States, prove only in thofe which are trong the mutual defire of deceiving each other.

France and England, by the abuse of their strength, may ftill, for a long time, for the misfortune of all nations, retard the period of their being exhausted. But I will venture to fay it, the fate of all civilized Nations is attached to the termination of a War which involves the whole world.

Of your Majefty,

SIR,

(Signed) BONAPARTE.

Downing-Areet, Jan. 4, 1800.

I have received and laid before the

King the two letters which you have transmitted to me, and his Mejesty, seeing no reason to depart from thofe forms which have long been established in Europe for tranfacting bufinefs with Foreign States, has commanded me to

return,

return, in his name, the Official Anfwer which I tend you herewith inclofed.

I have the honour to be, With high confideration, Sir,. Your moft obedient humble fervant, (Signed) GRENVILLE. To the Minifter for Foreign Affairs,

&c. &c. c. at Paris.

NOTE.

The King has given frequent proofs of his fincere defire for the re-establishment of fecure and permanent tranquillity in Europe. He neither is, nor has been engaged in any conteft for a vain and falle glory. He has had no other view than that of maintaining, against all aggreffion, the rights and happiness of all his fubjects.

For these he has contended against an unprovoked attack; and for the fame objects he is ftill obliged to contend; nor can he hope that this neceffity could be removed by entering, at the 'prefent moment, into negotiation with thofe whom a fresh Revolution has fo recently placed in the Exercife of Power in France. Since no real advantage can arife from fuch negotiation to the great and defirable object of General Peace, until it thall diftinctly appear that thofe caufes have ceafed to operate, which originally produced the War, and by which it has fince been protracted, and, in more than one inftance, renewed,

The fame lyftem, to the prevalence of which France juftly afcribes all her prefent miferies, is that which has alfo in volved the rest of Europe in a long and deftructive warfare, of a nature long fince unknown to the practice of civi lized nations.

For the extenfion of this fyftem, and for the extermination of all eftablished Governments, the refources of France have from year to year, and in the midst of the most unparalleled diftrefs, been lavished and exhausted. To this indiferi. minate.fpirit of deftruction, the Netherlands, the United Provinces, the Swifs Cantons, his Majefty's ancient Frenos and Allies, have fucceffively been facrificed. Germany has been ra vaged; Italy, though now refcued from its invaders, has been made the scene of unbounded rapine and anarchy. His Majefty has himself been compelled to maintain an arduous and burthenfome conteft for the independence and exiftence of his kingdoms.

extended to the most diftant quarters of the world, and even to countries fo remote both in fituation and intereft from the prefent conteft, that the very existence of fuch a war was perhaps unknown to thofe who found themselves .fuddenly involved in all its horrors.

While fuch a fyftem continues to prevail, and while the blood and trea. fure of a numerous and powerful Natión can be lavished in its fupport, experience has fhewn that no defence but that of open and fteady hoftility can be availing. The moft folemn treaties have only prepared the way for treih ag greifion; and it is to a determined refiftance alone that is now due whatever remains in Europe of ftability for property, for perfonal liberty, for focial order, or for the free exercise of religion.

For the fecurity, therefore, of these effential objects, his Majefty cannot place his reliance on the mere renewal of general profeffions of pacific. difpa fitions. Such profeffions have been repeatedly held out by all those who have fuccellively directed the refources of France to the deftruction of Europe; and whom the prefent Rulers have se clared to have been all from the beginning, and uniformly, incapable of maintaining the relations of amity and peace.

Greatly, indeed, will his Majefty rejoice whenever it fhall appear that the danger to which his own dominions, and thofe of his Allies, have been fo long expofed, has really ceafed whenever he thall be fatisfied that the neces fity of refiftance is at an end; that, after the experience of fo many years of crimes and miferies, better principles have ultimately prevailed in France; and that all the gigantic projects of ambition, and all the reftlefs schemes of deftruction, which have endangered the very exiftence of civil fociety, have at length been finally relinquished; but the conviction of fuch a change, how ever agreeable to his Majefty's withes, can refult only from experience, and from the evidence of facts.

Nor have thefe calamities been con

· unmoleЯed