and we were in momentary expectation of an attack there, and prepared, in that event, to give it support. Just before dark we perceived them haul to windward; the fleet lay to in line of battle, and the men at quarters all night. The country ships had now moved for protection under our lee. At day break we hoisted our colours, and continued laying to offering him battle, if he chose to come down. The four ships hoisted French colours, the line of battle ship carrying a rear-ad niral's flag at the mizen, the brig was under Dutch colours. At nine A. M. finding they would not come down, we formed in order of sailing, the country ships leading, and steered our course under an easy sail. The enemy then filled his sails and bore down on us. Perceiving about one P. M. that he purposed to attack, and endeavour to cut off three or four ships of our rear, captain Dance made the signal for leading ships to tack and bear down, and attack him in succession. This manœuvre was correctly performed, each ship cheering as she put about to come to action. In ten minutes the enemy formed in a very close line, and opened his fire on the leading ships. The Royal George was closely engaged, and the Ganges and Camden opened their fire, as soon as their guns could reach and bear upon

him; the first ship fired eighteen rounds, and the other two nearly half so many, when the enemy hauled his wind and stood away to the eastward, under all the sail he could set.

The signal was now made for a general chase, and we pursued him till half past three, and at one time thought we should have cut off the brig, the Hope being well up with

and firing into her, had we not so great a stake at risk, it is probable we might, in a long chase, have come up with, and should certainly have taken some of them, but a longer chase would have taken us from the mouth of the Straits. We therefore put about and stood to the westward-the enemy continued under a press of sail in the contrary direction, as long as we could see him he certainly made a shabby fight of it. Had he possessed more courage and enterprize, he might have plagued us; and some bold attempt, or judicious manœuvre to cut off some of our valuable and defenceless convoy, might have succeeded; they, however, always kept under the protection of our formidable line, which he soon thought an insuperable barrier.

The correct inanœuvres, and formidable appearance of our ships, and the hearty cheers resounding through our line, as we approached him, I doubt not, convinced him of our superiority before he came to action, into which he entered prepared to run away. The general behaviour of the fleet was spirited, collected, and steady. The Royal George had one man killed, and one dangerously wounded; many shots in the hull, more in her sails and rigging, and her fore topsail-yard much injured. The Ganges had a few shots in her hull and sails; not above two or three struck the Camden, but went whizzing over her.

After the two-decker was making off, about twenty men, on stages, were seen plugging up the shot holes on her bows and sides; one of the frigates top-gallant yards was shot away.

(Signed) W. FARQUHAR, Capt. Commanding Malacca.

BOMBAY

applied, and our internal foes were completely terrified from all their threatened attempts.

On Sunday, the third day, all the commanders, officers, and crews, of the destroyed ships, came to Marlborough and were a great addition to our force. We set to work, and by three o'clock a battery for red hot shot was reported to be ready. Works were laised with bags of salt and pepper; and we all cheerfully retired to our dinners prepared for the worst, and determined not to discredit the national character by an easy surrender of our little fortress, at the same time that we did not expect an attack, well knowing the high character of the French admiral, we did not imagine he would risk his past reputation, and his future glory and fortune in an enterprise of great hazard, and where the object was not worth the hazard of the attempt; our shipping alone must have been his game. The Marengo could not come near us, as she drew too much water; and the frigates must lay in a most dangerous berth, whilst our furnace blazed in their faces, our shots were ready, if they approached, and received any of them, they were done up; nothing could save them.

From their boats we had little dread, the boat channel winds through rocks, a nervous passage in the time of peace, but infinitely more so when exposed for half an hour to showers of grape from the fort above, and batteries below; and if they miss the passage and touch the rocks over they go. The weather was very fine; but, being the change of the moon, a gale was hourly expected; and the gale was experienced with such violence, a week after the enemy were gone,

that, ignorant as they were of our roads, they could not have rode it

out.

At six o'clock the following morning the enemy disappeared; when our commissioner proceeded to punish the plunderers. He seized four chiefs of the Buggusses to answer for the good behaviour of their people; they are to pay half the amount of the plundered property, and the ever-treacherous Malays the other half; and we are, barring our loss and damage, as well as can be expected; but, in point of security, well able to revenge ourselves upon the foe if he should ever think fit to give us the opportunity by coming within our reach.

Curious Circumstance.

A circumstance somewhat singular is exemplified in the vessel that has brought the Turkish ambassador to Bombay. From the Muzzuffer having been for many years laid up, a number of swallows, encouraged by the undisturbed state of the vessel, have been accustomed to build their nests annually in various parts of the ship: the Muzzuffer sailing from Bushire in the nesting season, when the birds had commenced or completed their annual labor, the swallows followed her the whole of the way to Bombay; have since continued, and are now to be seen in numbers about the Muzzuffer, but not about any other vessel in the harbour.

Para. 2d. Although under "the present situation of affairs "at your presidency, we do not "think it necessary that a com"mander in chief, as heretofore, "should be appointed; yet, wishing "at all times to confer every rea"sonable distinction on the senior "officer, commanding the army, "and also considering that his ad"vice in council may be of advantage to our affairs generally, but more particularly so on questions "of a professsional nature, we "have determined that the senior "officer, at your presidency, shall, "as commander of the forces, "have a seat in council, and rank as such near to the governor for "the time being."

Para. 3d. " Major general Ni"colls, as commanding officer of "the forces, is therefore to be "called to a seat in council; but "this is not to cause any vacancy "in the general staff of your army, "nor is any additional staff to be "allowed to general Nicolls on "this account.'

Administration of Oaths to

Heathens.

The following opinions in regard to what oaths ought to be administered to heathens, or Indians, within the jurisdiction of the respective courts in India, as given in the year 1747, by the most eminent counsellors of the day; subsequently to the granting of the charter for the erecting of law courts in this country, we have never seen in print.

Mr. Brown, the company's standing counsel, in an opinion of his, says,

"If the witness voluntarily takes the oath of his country from the hands of a bramine, or in the

"

pagodas, in order to give a sanction to his testimony, before he comes to attest a fact, all that you can do, is to afford a greater share of credit to his evidence according to the solemnity and the nature of the oath taken, and the degree of reverence in which it is held by the Indians; and from this measure, and the probability of the fact testified, the court must form a judgment upon the whole case, according to their real belief of the witness."

And sir John Dudley Ryder, attorney general, and sir John Strange, solicitor general, and Mr. Browne, in a joint opinion, say,

"We think it safest for the court to admit the evidence of heathen witnesses, in such cases as have been usual since the charter, and upon such oaths as are commonly taken by them, in case of evidence, according to their respective religions; but to be particularly careful not to oblige them to take such oaths as their customs render it infamous for them to take."

And the same gentlemen, in answer to another question, say,

"We are of opinion the court cannot compel the taking of the pagoda oath, and if the court upon the party's resusal to take, or should, without entering into the merits of the cause, make a decree against the party, we apprehend it would be an error and a foundation for an appeal; and if the mayor's court should endeavour, by censure, to compel the party to take it, it will be a just ground of complaint against the court as a misbehaviour in their office."

And the then attorney and solicitor general, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Browning, in a joint opinion, say,

"If the mayor's court shall insist on an Indian putting in his

answer,

answer, or being sworn as a witness in a manner inconsistent with the religion of his cast, it will be proper to bring that matter before the governor and council by appeal."

Major-general Oliver Nicolls has been sworn-in as first member of council at this presidency; on which occasion, a salute of 15 guns were fired from the saluting batteries.

Appointment of a Committee to ad"dress the Governor-general. At a numerous and respectable meeting of the British inhabitants of this settlement, held at the town hall, in pursuance of a requisition previously circulated for that purpose, Mr. Edward Nash, the sheriff, opened the business of the day with the following speech:

Gentlemen,

"You must be well aware of the object for which I have had the honor of convening the present meeting, and which, agreeably to my intimation, is to consider of an address to his excellency the most noble the governor-general, on the subject of the late happy termination of hostilities, and the distinguished success of our arms in India.

"Whilst I have to observe that it remains with you, Gentlemen, to nominate a chairman to preside in this assembly, permit me to remark, that I shall, with much satisfaction, long retain the remembrance of its having fallen within my province to convene you on this memorable

occasion.

"I cannot, however, relinguish the chair, Gentlemen, without embracing the favorable opportunity, which this meeting affords me, of expressing the high sentiments I entertain, and which, I am assured,

every Briton must entertain of the great and exalted talents that have been displayed in the operations of the late campaign, which have been as glorious as rapid, and as brilliant as decisive."

Mr. Henshaw having been requested to take the chair, the attention of the meeting was immediately attracted by a suitable and impressive speech, delivered by Mr. Thriepland, and replete with that correctness of diction, and elegance of language so invariably displayed on every subject which that gentleman discusses who concluded by moving, that a committee should be immediately appointed to consider of an appropriate address to his excellency the most noble the governor-general, on the occasion of the late happy termination of hostilities in India; which motion being seconded, the following gentlemen were requested to act as members:

Robert Henshaw, esq. Robert Anderson, esq. Major-general John Bellasis. Major-general Richard Jones. Helenus Scott, esq. Lieut. Colonel Watson, 75th reg. J. A. Grant, esq. Simon Halliday, esq. S. M. Thriepland, esq. William Dowdeswell, esq. William Kennedy, esq. Charles Forbes, esq. Patrick Hadow, esq. Major - general Bellasis then moved that as the honorable majorgeneral Wellesley was now at the presidency, the eligible opportunity should be embraced, of presenting an address, also, to that gallant and able officer, expressive of the high admiration which the British inhabitants of this settlement entertained of the important and active services he had rendered

to