we ll to compare tlie following extract of a letter,
dated Pondichery, July the 27th. The letter was
received by La Nyviphe, a French frigate ot war,
that left the IHe of France the 24th of last Sept.
and arrived at L'Orientthe 12th January.
" The army of Geiteral Meadows having be
gun its march the 10th or 12th of this month, as
if to proceed to CoinikoutoH*, for the purpose ot
attacking that of Tippo Sultan, commanded by the
Prince hiinfelf, the Madras Gazette of the 9th of
fuly, informed us, that on the 14th, a conlidera-
Lle firing was heard at a few leagues diltant Ca
rour, and that there was no doubt but that there
mud have been a brisk engagement between the
vanguards of the two armies. It was not before
the 27th that we were fully informed of the par
ticulars of this attack. Occnlar witnelles report
them to be as follow : The southern English ar
my having attempted to take a road, which led
to a defile, through which they intended to pass
in order to cross the mountains, without being
obliged to meet TipporSultan at Coimboutour,
and to pour in their forces into the extensive
plains of Seringapatnam, the capital of Mi fore—
the Nabob met them with his feletft forces, chose
liis situation as an experienced general, and de
ceived the English by opposing them, to appear
ance, with a battery of 2 or 3 pieces of cannon
only : But in one night augmented it to IJ, and
raised two more of equal force, as wings to sup
port the firft ; but concealed them behind bushes.
lie also placed in ambuscade in the plain of Jou
ary, at the bottom of the defile, a considerable
body of cavalry, and of Caytoquiers. The British
on the 14th July, advanced to force themselves a
paflage ; but were surprised to find the refinance
j»reat, and were obliged to fall back. General
Meadows then drew up his army in three columns,
and again advanced up to the batteries, which
he attempted to take by a (fault. The rolumn
which was directed to make up to the firft bat
tery, obliged to pass by the plains of Jouary,
to reach it : Two or three thousand hand-gre- j
nades here, cause much confufion in the column
arid the cavalry of Tippo at this instant came out
from their ambuscade, fell upon the column, at
tacked it vigorously, and prevented its rallying.
The two other columns were in the fame manner
driven back. Tippo-Sultan was posted behind
these batteries, with 12,ooochofen men, infantry,
and cavalry, and his army wjsd. awn up in order
of battle, at about a league from the place of
action. His son and Sayb-Saheb's commanded the
centre battery ; the other two were commanded
by Lally, andanother general of reputation. The
action, tho brisk, lasted 3or 4 hours. General
Meadows was obliged to fall back three leagues,
to encamp in a fafe place : He has loft in this at
tack his bravest troops. Provisions are fcaree in
liis army, and the price of then enormous. The
light cavalry of Tippo intercepts every thing
that attempts to pass between Trichenapala and
Carour. It is added, that Madras, which the
news of this action reached on tlie22d, is in great
consternation ; and that the loan of J lacs of pa
godas, which t lie English company is in great
want of, it is possible, may not succeed. This,
loan was opened at Madras, upon an interest of
10 per cent, the principal to be redeemed in two
years: Under the express condition, that if the
company is unable to pay at the expiration of that
rime, measures will be taken, fucVi as will best
fuir the convenience and advantage of the cre
>»
It is well known that the National Aflembly
had very sanguine expectations of relief to the
Finances from the patriotic gift and the volun
tary contribution of the fourth ofevery citizen's
income: Indeed, it was publicly alferted that
the contribution of Paris alone would amount to
30,000,000 of livres, about 1,250,000!. llerling.
How were these expectations answered ? It ap
pears by the last accouut Mr. Neckar presented
to the National Aflembly, 31ft July, 1790, that
the receipts of the patriotic gift amounted to 110
more than 361,000 livres, and of the voluntary
contribution 9,721,000 livres : so that the patri
otifin of all France, urged by all its ofators,
to fubfci ibe in support of its new born liberty,
produced about 420,000!. Englilh money, a sum
considerably less than our annual malt tax:
My rabies meet it is, I set down —
" Pauiois wish more to plunder than to pay
" At lealt, I'm sure it may be so in France."
Last week, during several days, the thermome
ter of popular fermentation at Paris, was at the
highefi. Several causes Angularly concur; ed to
p oduce this efFeA.viz. the departure of Mefdanies
— the abolition of the Droits d'Entree, the high
gtax lately imposed on industry—the dettrucflion
of the gaming houses, the turning a drift thou
fandsoffliarpers, and seizing their gambli'ng ta
bles and ca(h—the intrigues of various clubs, but
particularly that oPthe Jacobins, whose tyranny
is become intolerable.
M. <Ie la Fayette expetfted every moment an
explosion which would have laid the capital in
ruins. To his vigilance, coolness, and intrepi
dity, the inhabitants of Paris are, a second time,
indebted for their fafetv.
The flames of a religious war, once lighted, are
not easily flopped in their progress. Only fix
Bifliops liaveyet taken the civic oath. Those who
have not, have been fuperceded in their functions.
THE FRENCH NAVY,
At present consists of
Ships of the line, 74
Ditto on the flocks, 1°
Frigates, " 2
Ditto on the flocks, 6
Ships of the line in commission, 21
Frigates ditto,
28
Corvettes, 8
Brigs,
Flutes,
Total number of seamen,
CONSISTENCY OF MR. BURKE
" The greater number of the Deputies sent to
the Congress were lawyers—this study renders
men acute, inquifitive,dextrous, prompt in attack,
ready in defence, full of resources." See Mr.
Burke's speech on his conciliatory motion in 177J,
page 31.
" J LK 'S e my surprise, when I found that a
great proportion of the Aflembly vras composed
of Practitioners in the Law. From the moment
1 read the lift, I saw diftincftly, and very nearly
as it happened, all that was to follow." Re
flections on the Revolution in France, p. 31.
How happens it, that a profeffion, which in the
year 1 775, qualified an-American for legiflaiion,
lliould,in theyear 1 790, difqualify a Frenchman !
The partizans of Leopold have just published
an appeal to the Belgic Nation at large, against
the unjust proscription which the States of cer
tain Provinces were desirous of pronouncing
against the ancient servants of the Prince. In
this piece, they invoke the justice of the nation,
and demand that the moll respectable citizens of
each municipality declare their sentiments be
fore the Magistrates, whether the services of
these persecuted friends of government were or
were not agreeable to them. This public appeal
to the people is a pointed instance jf how much
the tone of the haughty House of Austria is chan
ged with regard to its fubjecfts.
A loom has been invented in Ireland to weave
cott<m and linen, by which two webs can be
woven at the fame time by one weaver, with
more ease and expedition, and, (as it is report
ed) with more perfe<ftion, than one web can be
woven in a common loom. A committee of the
Irifii House of Commons have made a report
highly in iis favour.
The corps commanded by General Suwarow,
has been in winter quarters since the 12th of
that month, and the Ruffian fleet in the Black
Sea, cnder the command of Vice Admiral Ufcha
knw, returned to the port of Sebaftople, on the
26th of December.
Yelterday Mr. Attorney General came into
Court at the old Bailey, and prayed the judgment
of the Court ujion a man who was con vitled on Sa
turday lafl of a misdemeanor 111 printing and pub
lishing certain obscene and icandalous prints and
libels, and he was.accordingly fentencedfor the
fame, to pay a fine of 6s. Bd. be imprisoned twelve
months in Newgate, and afterwards to fiud secu
rity for his good behaviour for three years.
The Pandora (loop, now inlearchof the pirate
Christian, has, probably, by this time, secured
this traiior to his King and country : the last ac
counts of iiim were, that he had entrenched
hiinfelf in one of rlie Friendly islands mounted
the Bounty's guns, consisting of eight four poun
ders, on two redoubts, and having plenty of
powder and ball, appeared confident, that no
force sent into those seas, would be able to dis
lodge him.
' A correspondent who happened to be in West
minster Hall when the high tide broke in on our
aftoniflied Lawyers—describes the court of King's
Bench in a chai acfteriftic manner •
The Judges looked alarmed when Mr. Bear
croft alledged, that judgment could not take
place on lawyers by water, as they were to un
dergo a fiery ordeal.
Mr. Law said a Collect nearly through ; not
having wholly forgotten his father's instructions.
Mr. Erflcine began a speech from Shakefpeai c
but recollecting the necessity of something reli
gious, he had recourse to the Scottilli mode of
extemporary prayer. It is wonderful, words
(hould be wanting to a man who has so many of
them on all occasions.
Mingay opened his mouth, and out burst an
oath, " that the Devil mutt have his due."
The firfl. boat that appeared for their relief
was an old inan ; and a general cry of' Charon'
frightened the whole court, least they should be
ferried over to the other world.
The " Reflections" of Burke on the French
Revolution, have drawn forth a swarm of pow
erful disputants. The names of Priestly, Tow
ers, Rous, Sheridan, Price, Capel LofFt, Dr.
Geddes, Major Scott, one German, and half the
members of the Nationl Meinbly, are already
mentioned. Mrs. M -.caui.iv Graham and Mrs.
Uarbauj.d, have also entered the lifts against
him, and drawn their grsy goose quills in defence
of the violated rights of men !
830
11
S
25,129
PARIS, February 17,
The two extremities of France, Britanny and"'
Alsace, are in a 1110 ft convulsed liate, and boiU
for the fame reason—in the former province,' well
known for the bravery of its inhabitants and their
little knowledge of the French dialeift, the peo
ple consider religion as injured, as annihilated
by the laws enacted on the civil constitution of
the clergy ; they think that their children wilt
not be baptised, and that the patient, ftruggli n >r
against the afiault of death, will be deprived of
the spiritual comfort he would at a former period
have foliciied and obtained from ihe Minister of
the Altar. "We will, fay they, keep onr good
Bifliop among us, and he (hall continue in his pa
lace at Vannes ; we will have our Redtors and
our Chapter, onr Clergy (hall be honorably us e d .
we will pay them their tythes ; we regre: the
suppression of the monasteries, and we deem wor
thy of public indignation all such as buy what is
misnamed national property." Thus was the
matter laid before the AU'embly on the 14th, and
it gavp rife tothe following decree : " The King
is prayed immediately to fend into that province
troops, to quell the disturbances that diflradt it
and commifiioners to calm the people's fury;"
and the Aflembly enacfts, " that the Bilhops of
Morbihaun, of Leon, and of Vannes, do attend
the House." It is imagined here, by both par
ties, that the Bishops will not be allowed to come
up to Paris, and that the foldierswill ineet with
a warm reception from the hot-headed Bretons.
11l Alsace, the people consider the religion of
their fathers as and feeni inclined to
risk their all tooppofe those whom they consider
as the tyrants of their conlcience. On the 9th
the Archives of the Cathedral were taken awav,
and the foletnn inflallation of the Chapter of
Stratfburgh took place the day following, in the
presence of the Cardinal de Rohan, at a town
called Off'einboury, four leagues from Stratfburg,
but in the Imperial territory : His Eminence of
Rohan gave a splendid repafton the occaiion.
In the fitting of Monday evening, the AfTem
bly annulled one of the most bare-faced contracts
that soothing intrigue ever extorted from the
weakness of a diflolute Court, and against which
the public voice criedout aloud, though theßaf
tile reared its gloomy head, and the police I'pies
were on the watch to seize every found—the ali
enation of the domain of Fenetanges in favor of
the celebrated M. and Madame de Polignac, on
payment of one million and two hundred thous
and livres, which funi was never paid into the
public treasury. The domain, with all its ap
purtenances, reverts to the nation, and will be
fold accordingly ; and at the fame time an indem
nification granted to M. de Polignac of 800,oo*
livres, was decreed void—the proper law officer
was enjoined to sue M. de Polignac, and the in
strument of the depredation, M. de Calonne
for the principal andintereft of that funi. Du
ring the debate M. C. Lameth imagining himfelf
aimed at by an insinuation of M. de Caftine, said,
" my name is in the red book, my mother re
ceived sixty thousand livres; I think my mother,
the wife of a soldier, a soldier's daughter, and
the sister of soldiers who merited well of their
country, and fuffered much during the admini
stration of Abbe Terray, deserved the indem
nification ; but as the spirit of party upbraids
inefo'-it, 1 here declare myfelf ready to refund
that funi, though as a soldier, my fortune is but
fm all."
MILAN, January 26.
M. d'Artois, afrer having received a positive an
swer from the Emperor—Tha: he could not per
mit him to come to Vienna, but that he might
chufe for his residence any other town in his do
minions—set out for Venice ; in his way thither
he was escorted by the imperial guard as far a»
Bergamo, where the Republic's foldicrs took that
task upon them, and saw him fafe to the capital.
There he intends to spend the Carnival, and vi
sit in the Spring the Southern parts ef Italy- The
Emperor is likewise expeifted at that time at Flo
rence, and his intention is, after having visited
his Italian dominions, to pass through those of
the Netherlands before he returns to his Impe
rial residence."
PITTSBURGH, March 26. . . .
Extract of a letter from Enfigo Jacob Melcher, of the Ift Unite
States Regiment, to the Printer, dated Mouth of Wabafn.
" J have been informed by a boat going down the rlve T> l at a
malicious and falfe report has bem spread of my conduct on tie
morning ot the 23d ult. when attacked by a large party o n
dians, in the river Wabafh, and in company with Mr. Vigo s oat.
I will now reverse the matter, and do affureyou, that in ' ca , t
my behaving contrary to what a military man ought to 0,
we fought as hard as it was poflible for about 12 or 15 minu e
Before I cleared the point of the I (land, which was verY narr< \
and (hallow, my boat was on fliore, and I was °blig e a |° P
her off under a heavy fire, the distance not more than w
yards. Mr. Vigo's boat was then about 30 yards above niC '
as soon as the firing began, they to a man laid down in t icir
and did not fire but two or three (hot,on which I ordere
my men, ffom those that were fighting, to man the oar *' , c
•keep the boat from (Iriking the ground ; in this manner
and rowed until I got from out the island, when I taw t
floating down towards the point of the island, and about t y
forty Indians go on board her, on which I ordeie my .
take to their oars, and made the best of my way < own '
and at du(k I arrived at the mouth, having had one man Kiiic
two wounded,