We are aTureJ that a letter dated the sth April
Has been received by a gentleman .of this city, which
fays that the preliminaries of a general peace have
/been agreed on—The principal conditions of which
1 arc, that the Rhine (hall be the boundary of the
French Republic—that the Emperor (hall be in
demnified at the expence as Holland, that the Eng
lish (hall restore all their conquests made from
Fiance, and shall not retain those made from H"l
---i land in India ; but that notwithstanding this pacific
\ perfpeftive, France has dispatched General Ro
chambeau with 17 fail of the line and troops to
take poffeffiort 6f the Spartiflt partof St. Domingo.
Cki the sth May, it does ncjt appear that the.
EnAfhhad made any attempt on puadaloupe.
E\tra& of a Letter* •
from an American gentleman in France, dated Paris,
24th March, 1796, to his friend in Philadelphia.
" I yet remain without the pleasure 'of a line from
yon, asd now have only time to fay to you'got to fend
any property here, as the prices are much falleto, and
no profpe&s of sale at prefeiit. I
" Yesterday a decree pafled for the iiluing of Man
dates, to be received in all cases as specie, which is for
bidden to be bought, fold, or dealt in, in any way.
You are only to buy or fell in Mandates, und=r the pe
nalty of 4 years imprisonment in chains, and a heavy
ffue —an equal punishment on him wh» refufes to re
cede when tendered. The debts due I expeil will bow
soon be paid, as the paper will iflu* in a few days."
Foreign Intelligence.
By the Snow HebK, Capt. Gat, in F.r'y Nine days
from London, we have received Englijh papers to
the Bth of /Iprd, from <wich the following articles
•' art extracted.
' LONDON* April 7.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Tuesday, Aprils.
TAX UPON DOGS.
Mr. Lygon prefonted a petition from the M?yor,
Aldermen, &c. of the city as Worcester, praying
for a Tax to belaid on Dogs.
The House resolved itfelf into a Committee up.
off a petition from the county of Leicetter, ptay
ing for a Tax upon Dogs.
Mr. Dent Hated his reasons, as well as those of
others whom he had consulted, for suggesting this
■Tax. He declared that his only intention was 'the
benefit and relief of the poor, who required every
attention and support to be given them ,in these
times of scarcity and dearnefs as provisions. This
tax would go in relief of the poor-rates, and to
wards the better ft»ftenance of the poor. The irn
menfe consumption of provisions by dogs, was con
firmed by letters he had received from all parts of the
country. The dreadful disorder of the hydropho
bia was also owing to the increafeof dogs—no few
er than thirty-three objects had been btought into
the inhrmary at Mancheller during the last yeai,
with thi&diforder. This tax wai filiated ,y many.
Since the year 1755, various petitions had been
presented to the House in favor of the tajt*Murr -of
doge. The great.consumption of good and whole
£irffe provisions by dogs was a matter' of national
alarm ; flour, barley, and oatmeal, and
broken victuals frbm the tablefaf tfye affluent were
beftowed-upon these animals in (lead of being given
to the poor. He declared, that the number of
dogs had encreafed" lately to such a degree as to
eaafe not only annoyance but alarm. Sam? parts
of the country, he understood, were divided into
distriCts for the fake of rearing these animals. In
fa£t, Great Britain appeared to be one grand liofpi
tal for dogs. Mr. Dent wished to enquire into the
number of dogs, and the produce of this proposed
tax. He had good reafoti to believe, that the po
pulation of this country amounted to ten millions ;
computing one family as compofmg five persons, he
thought the average of one dog to a family, not too
large ; m this cafe there would be two millions of
dogs. Suppofißg that the operation of this t*x
should reduce the two millions to one 1 , he would
propolfe to lay on a tax, without distinCtion, of
two and sixpence on each dog, which would amount
to.the sum of 125,0001. a year. After stating tiis
grounds for taking the population of this kingdom
at 10 millions, an«i calculating the increase of po
pulation at different periods, from the time of the
Conquest to the present, Mr. Dent proceeded to
state that this tax would be bath popular and ufeful.
He was happy to find, that what had so long been
a severe burden to the poor, might now be turned
to their advantage. What Mungo said in the Pad
lock to the hamper, "1 have carried you long e
nough, you (hall now carry m'e," . might be well
applied to the operation of this tax on the poor :
" We have fed you long enough at our expense,
you (hall now feed us." The destruCtion of sheep
by dogs, which he had formerly stated at 15,000
annually, he had since karnt amounted to 50,000.
He read letters from Chethire and Devonshire 5 in
one letter an account was given of upwards of 400
(heep being killed by one dog ; and that 200 men,
with dogs, went in pursuit of it, and aconfiderablere
ward offered for its apprehension. Another dog had
been found destroying (heep iu the neighbourhood of
Walmer Cattle, and when he mentioned the inferip
tion on the collar of ** Right Honorable," would
leave it to the Committee to fill up the blank.
—With refpe£t to the eonfumption of corn and
provisions he dated, that allowing a dog to confurne
as mnch as cost one penny a day, the sum total a
mounted to 700,0001. more than was paid for the
relief of the aged poor. If that fur» were laid out
in buying meal and Sour, it would purchase.
3,400,000 and odd pounds weight, and would very
much alleviate the diltrefTes caused by the present
ftarcity. In a 1 letter'from Kingilon it was stated,
that in the neighbouring parishes, nine out of ten
of the (heeps heads and appurtenances were bo't
Up for the use of dogs, so that no poor perfou
had any chance of procuring them for their fami
lifcs. He declared that the quantity of flour con
sumed iu the support of dogs was so gteat as to ex
cite anonilhmeat: one gentleman very-well-koown
mide a contract vjuth his meatman to the amount
•f 8001. a year to serve his dogs. A pack of fox
- hounds, which could pot be kept for less than
10001. a year, being obliged in theiv return fiom a
chace to ftopt at a country town,every baker's (hop
was ranfackfd to supply them with bread, and it
happened 011 such Occafioiis that not a
loaf was left for the inhabitants.
Mr. Dent dated, that the Board of Agriculture
had been confultad, and from various reports it
had. received from its correfpondcnts i* some of the
Northern Counties, it appeared that (heep fuffered
considerably from the ravages of dogs, and that the
farmer thought himfelf happy if only one Half of
his (heep. were saved. One gentleman's flock of
(heep had been driven by dogs into the sea, and but
few escaped ; while others, driven by those animals
into pools and ditches, were numerous beyond con
ception. He fuggeiled, whether an additional tax
on unkennelled hounds, which did more mifchief
than could J>e calculated, might not be prpper, but
he thought that an exception from the tax ought
however to be made in favor of dogs necefFarily
kept by blind men. Mr. Dent concluded an able
ipeech, in which he displayed much knowledge of
the fubjeft, by moving, " Ttait this committee do
resolve, that a duty of 2s. 6d. per ann. be imjtofed
on dogs of every defefiptien."
Sir Rob. Salu&ury seconded the motion.
Mr. Pitt declared, that as he did not wi(h unne
cessarily to take up the attention of the Houlii, he
(hould only fay a few words on the fubjeCt. He was
ready to admit, that there was nothing unseason
able or improper in the principle of the tax brought
forward by the Hon. Gentleman, but he feared
that such a tax, by the proposed mode of layii#g it
on, would go to the extirpation of the canjne spe
cies. In the plan of taxation then held out, nothing
was felt for the owners of the dogs, particnlarly
for the poorer clafles, who placed many comforts in
the pgflelfijn of those animals, who Were in many
iivftances found ufeful and even necessary to labour.
He perfectly agreed in the principle, as far as it
went to take per centage on dogs, but at the fame
time wi(hed, that houses not i\jbje£t to the affefled
taxes (hould be exempted from the tax. Every
person living in such houses, and keeping a dog,
(hou'd pay no more than is. per annum. But he
eould by no means admit that the amount of the
tax in general ought to be applied to parochial pur
poles. The exigencies of the State were certainly
entitled, and had a motl undeniable right to th®
praduft of a tax on dogs, as well as to that of any
other tax; nor could he fee why an exception
(hould be made in the present inftaace to tße gene
ral system of taxation. He had, however, no ob
jedtien to let the duty of is. to which the poor
and living in houses notaflefTed would
be fubjeift, go to the relief of the poor. With ref
pe£t to that which was to be paid by those living
in affelTed houses, he was ofopinion that it should
amount to 3s. There could be no difficaltyin col
lecting this it would be levied in the fame
way as afiefled taxes were. He would propose,
that the prodnft of this fax (hould be differently*'
applied, 2s. to the services of the public, and is. to
the wants of the poor. But though he generally
proposed that the tax (hould amount to 3s. there
were many exceptions which, might take place in
|-ifiS P rogTrfr-af ii.il, game under the
conlideratiori of trie' Ho life, and
which would probably admit of a just diminution
of that sum, when they offered themselves to dif
cuflion. It was then urtaacefTaiy for h<m to enter
into a detail of the didindtions which it might be
proper to adop' ; and he would content himfelf
with moving " That a sum not exceeding 3s. fee
paid on dpgs of all defcriptjons." This, Mr. Pitt
observed, was a general proposition, which might
afterwards be modified with refp tl to ihe dirninH
tion of the sum, as the neceflity or justice of the
cafe required.
Mr.'Buxton was ofopinion, that a poor man who
kept a dog, and paid the tax, eould not come with
any propriety to the parifli for relief. The Right
Hon. Gentleman had oiiferved, that the poor found
many comforts in the pofleffion of those animals,
but it was also undeniable, that they kept dogs for
very improper purposes.
Mr. llMberforce declared, that notwithstanding
he had originally profefled himfelf an enemy to the
tax, he found from every poflible information he
eould eolledt, that it would anfwermany beneficial
purposes. Humanity was deeply interest in the
success of the tax, as cases of Hydrophobia, which
but too frequently occurred, would be considerably
dimini(hed. And though it might decreafc the
corhforts of children, it would bring forth more «;f
---fential comforts, as they would, by its operation,
be less exposed to the fatal canfequences of that
dreadful malady.
wlr. Lechmere thought that an equal tax would
not answer the objedt proposed by the friends of the
measure. Those gentlemen who kept packsoffox
hounds, harrries, and setting dogs, should be taxed
in proportion. And, though he"was aware that he
(h<iuld call down on his head the vengeance of'the
whole association of Dowagers, he could not help
declaring, that lap-dogs (hould be taxed in a great
er proportion. What Was fufficient to furnifh food
for whole families, vvas'ridicnloufly spent on those
itfelefs animals ; and it was 110 uncommon thing to
fee valets fix feet high going with lap-dogs to take
the air in the Green Park, for the purposes of whet
ting their appetites to regale on delicacies and
dainties, the axpence of which might be so mush
more humanely employed.
Sir G. P. Turner was convinced that the inhab
itants of the county of Leicester were to a man U
naniniou9, not only in.desiring, but in praying for.
,the tax. With refpe& to the execution }of dogs,
which feefned to be seriously apprehended, he had
no objedtion to the introduction of a clause in the
bill, inflicting a punilhment on those who (hould
hang them. The.numberef dogs in the kingdom •
was very considerable, and was a molt alarmin'g
grievance. A gang of Giplies had heen lately seen.
near Oxford, attended by a posse comitatns of these
animals ; they were followed*by no less than *3. —
When he was a boy he well remembered that they
were very trcublefome in church, and petfons were
employed to whip them out j and a dog had even
the impudence to bark in that house at the very
time when a ndble Lord was engaged in a iroft im
portant duty, that of opening the Budget. The
reply of that ingenious minilter was not easily for
gotten ; who, when asked what new member it
was (hat interrupted him, replied, " it was a mem
ber tor Bnrkjhire." Sir G. P. Turner concluded,
by declaring, that he triumphed at finding the tait
was in i general sense thought to he necelfary.wheth'
er the produdl waj applied to the revenue of the
country of to th? wmta of the pror. It had 6een
talked of in his father s time, and it ffoould-now be
realized; it was necetfary to strike while the iron
was hot.
Capt. Berkley said a few words.
Mr. Bent and Lechmere explained.
The original motion was negatived, and Mr.
Pitt's mction agreed to without a division.
The Houle having resumed, Mr. Hcbart bro't
Up- the report, which was ordered to be received to
morrbw.
Gen. Snuth moved that there be laid before the
house in account of corn imported, and bounties
pain thereon ia the month of March. -Agreed to. ,
Adjatirned.
The intelligence of tranquility being fully reftorec i j
in Sardinia, which was inferred in the Florence
Gazette is contradicted in the moll politive terms by ,
the last letters from Corsica of the 27th ult. whicfy
state, that the inhabitants are dill divided into difl
ferent factions, and that numbers of them have pro
ceeded In open infurre&ion to St. Boniface; that,
the Viceroy is arretted ; and that the insurgents art
to put themfelve'sunder theprote&ion of the French
Republic. _ *
The Imperial army, under the orders of Gen
eral Beaulieti, is ta consist of 50,000 men, compa
fing 46 battalions of foot, and 36 squadrons of
horse. The Piedmontefe army consists of 40,000
men.
Yesterday 250,000!. sterling in Exchecquer bills :
were iflued by Government ; which in the present
scarcity of money, has run them up to a very high
discount.
As r proef among many .others of the present
great scarcity of money, one of the 20,0001. pri-,
zes was discounted 4 few days since at the enor-«
mous rate ot 40 percent. The prize.is payable in
three mouths, and was fold for iß,®ool. fterlingj
only. J
PORTSMOUTH, April $.
The squadron under the command of Vice Ad
miral Colpoys, that yesterday evening dropped down
to St. Helen's, preparatory to failing 011 a cruize,
came back this morning in consequence of an Ad
miralty order, to enable enable AdmiratColpoys to
be of the Court of Inquiry 00 Admiral Cornwallis,
which commences to morrow 'morning.
Admiral L >rd Bridport and Admiral Pole arri
ved this day; they a-e to be members of the said
Conrt f which will consist of ten Admirals with Lord
Howe, dident. <• - \
I
The followiug are the Flag Officers and Com.
manders summoned to form the Court.
Flag-Officers.
Earl Howe, Admiral of the Fleet,
SirPi'er Parker, Bart. Admiral of the White.
.Lord Bridport, ditto.
G. Vand-eput, Esq. Vice Admiral of the White.
ftH- a™* D - t
Sir iCogcp Curtis, Bant. Kear Admiral of the-
Red.
John Colpoys, Esq. Vice Admiral of the Blue,
H. Harvey Esq. ditto.
R R. Bligh, Esq. ditto.
C. M. Pole, Esq. Rear Admiral of the Blue.
Captains.
E. E. Nugent, Esq.
Ch. Powel Hamilton, ,Esq.
Edmund Dod, Esq. '
Sir George Home, Bart.
Judge Advocate, Sir George Jackson, Bart.
We understand that the Miniiler has fettled his
taxes, in lieu of that laid upon calicoes, which made
part of the budget. The taxes are on dogs ; and
an heavy toll upon all Gentlemen's Carriages which
pals through turnpikes.
The Committee for enquiring into thf causes ot
the present scarcity of money, in submitting their
propofitiou to Mr. Pitt, had no intention of making
his or their judgement final on this important ope
ration. After learning the minister's sentiments, it
i 3 intended to call a general meeting of the mer
chants of London, to know their opinion, and whe
ther it is likely to atifwerthat general good effect
which is the object of the proposed plan.
We understand that the paper to be ifiued is to
be at fix months date, but redeemable at fight (the
fame as Bank-NStes,) if the holders prefer it.—
The solidity of this paper is to be fandtioned by the
(ignature of a certain number of the mod refpe&a
ble merchants and others, who may be friendly to
the plan ; awd to give this paper a greater degree of
currency, it is to bear ; a premium of 11. 18s. per
cent. The reason of the notes being drawn at fix
months dtrttr, 'is in order not to interfere with the
Bank Charter, which precludes any body of men
from issuing notes payable within that period.
We are informed by a letter from Hamburgh of
the lit inft. that Prince Frederick of Orange is ar
rived in that city, and after a (lay at a few hours,
proceeded on his journey to Vienna.
On the 10th inft. arrived at Augfblirgh from Ve
rona, the Duke of Duras, on "his way to London,,
where he is to reside as the Miniiler of Louis XVIII.
Letters from 1 Urin of the 9th ult. advise that
the most vigorous preparations continue to be made
for the ensuing campaign ;that strong reinforcements
. are expeSed from Germany ; that the French have
been obligfcd by the late severe froft to fall back,
witliout making any attempt against Ceva, which, it
was feared thiy intended to attack ; and that the
Genoese endeavor to put the fortrefs of G'avi in the
mod refpeftable state of defence. _
In the Sitting of the Council of Elders of tha
27th ult. -.Lifonddelebat maintained, that the dit 1
count of the Territorial Mandates amounted to 75
per cent. He.Was interrupted by violent murmurs
■and grofsjy iofuked, but nobody undertook to prove
the untruth of his alfertiod. Notwithstanding the
rigorous law tending to support thecredit of that
paper-money, (t is not likely to meet with more fuc-J
cess than the affignats.
Sir James Bland Bnfgefs, of rhyming notoriety,
thctgh he attempts the talk of elegant poetry, is,
wc underrated tfce author of the wretched Prologue
to Vartigern, which it as devoid of fine taile, as the
play is of the beauties of Shakfpeare.
FRANCKFORT, March 28.
We are allured in a German Print, that the
French are preparing to evacuate Dufleldorff, which
is to be occupied by Prtifliau troops. The fort
refles of Konigllein and Falkenftein, are putting in~
the best rtate of defence.
The General of artillery, Count de Werneck, !a
rrrived here to uk« on him the a;overnmeni of this
City. "
The inhabitants of ManheirfrhaTe been ordered
to lay in provisions for 6 months. The lines which
the Aufttians have erc&ed ne<ir Manheim, contain
upwards of twenty principal batteries, and the envi*
rons of Rheingritfoheirt", &c. ha'va been put unde;r
water, by which TtvrraJ thotifand acres of land have
been rendered olelefs for this year. The Imperial
armies on the Rhine have received 90,000 cwts. of
provisions, and 19 millions of cartridges are ready.
I he Imperial artillery of reserve, which was ported
on the Lahn, have received orders to proceed to
Mentz, and the troops between Neuwied and Wetz
laer are also making retrograde movements.
XjONDOK, April-5. -V
Yesterday a variety <jf letteisand difpatc'ies Werd
reccived'at Mi. Du«d»iand Lord Gienville'e of-'
sices ; and also at the German office, St. James's,!
from the; continent ; which were conveyed by a
tSeffcnger to the King at Wiftdfor. Tlicy are- all *
said uniformly to (ignify that a mediation is cef- I
tainly on foot, and that a pacification among the J
present belligerent powers is to be expedted in the/
coarse of (he summer.
The Prince and Prln eel's of O range are, we un*
derftand, returned to Hampton Court, after feeing
their daughter-in law and her infant child embark
for Germany.
The Emperor is to have a loan from England. The'
precise sum is not publicly known : fo*ne lay tour,
others five millions.' And many believe thai the
campaign will not be opened, on his part, until he
receives the money ; and that this is the caule ul\
the prclenf delay in opening the campaign. y
April 6.
Another German mill arrived yesterday. It!
brings as usual, intimations of fuch t a discordant op
posite tendency, that whether the fp;'culations of ]
the reader be for war or peace, he will find matter J
to juflify his opinion.
PARIS, April I.
It ha 3 been confidently reported that the armiftiee
betwean our armies and that of the Aufttians on
the Rhine, has been prolonged for four months. It
has been farther said, that citizen Bather, firft
Freiach secretary of legatian is Switzerland, had
just arrived in Paris, with important dispatches from
Barthelemi. If these two taiis be true, we may
conclude that serious negociations are about to be
opened.
FRANKFORT, March' 22.
Zurick and Bern, have formally acknowledged
the French Republic.
April r. \
irlhe. -vr ct k tnf*p have
been- dispatched from hence 10 Paris, whose dif- j
patches-concern the negociationt sot J
CHARLESTON, M«ry 20.
The following particulars,are furnilhed bv Capt»
Philips of the brig Aurora, who arrived the day
before yesterday from Surijiam.
On the 2d i.ift. being then in lat. 21, long. 68,
fell in with a fleet of 11 fail of armed ships ; (hort
ly after was spoke t« by the commodore, who sent
his boat aboard the Aurora. It proved to be a -
fleet from France, with troops on board, bound to
Cape Francais. The officer who came on board
informed, that they had captured in the European
fcas, II fail of transports, with troops and Itores
on board, from England bound foi Jamaica j wh ch
they had sent for France.
Capt. Philips fays, that 8 fhips*oF the line ap
peared to him to be 74 and 64 gun ftiips, which
had been cut down, and had one tier of guns ; two
others were frigates ; the other was a large trans
port. They appeared very full of men. The offi
cer staid but a few minutes on board of the Auro
ra ; he expe&ed they would make their port in two
pr three days.
Cleared.
Brig Brutus, Fanning N. York
Elizabeth, Shoemaker Hamburgh
Sloop George, Hafkall New-Port
PORT OF PHILADELPHIA
ARKiyED. days
Ship Fame, JoneS, Surinam 36
Catharine, Starbuck, "Liverpool -52
James, Vernon, Port-dePaix 15
§outhCarolina,Garman, ChaiUfton 6
Snow Hebe, Gay, Lond'jn 49
Peggy, Cunningham, Havre 52
Brig Beaver, Cooke, Surinam 29
Abby, Elliott, i Nantz 49
A&eon, Burnhant, Dublin 45
Peggy, Kilby, Jamaica 22
Schooner Polly and Sally, - Teneriffe 55
John, Coffin, Boston 8
Na'iicy, M'Dowell, Virginia 8
Dolphin, Potts, Norfolk 2.
The Ship Boston Packet, Tsnnant from Phila
delphia to London was cast alhore on the 15th Feb.
at Sti Valieres on the coast of France. Tne Ship,
the greater part wf the cargo, the captain and ctew
were saved.
Capt. Jones, of the Fame, spoke a schooner from
Tortcla, who informed him they fell in with a
French fleet of 12 fail of the line off Turk's Island.
The arrival of a French fleet at the Cape, 4 day*
before the James left Port.de-Paix< is mentioned by
the captain of that (hip as a report there. ,
ft*A NT E D,
Several Apprentices to the Printing-
Bufinef? Apply at the Office of the Gazette of the
United States, No. JI9» Chefnut-ftreet. $