vindicate the honour of his country, as well as to rescue his own character from unmerited reproach; and the powerful armament now under his command left no doubt relative to the result of a contest. On reaching the Lizard a signal was made for the East Indiamen to proceed on their voyage, under convoy of six sail of the line and a frigate, which were not to separate from them until their arrival off Cape Finisterre. Having received information on the nineteenth of May that the Brest fleet was at sea, Lord Howe. deemed it proper to effect a junction with the squadron lately detached under rear-admiral Montague to refit and water; but on hearing, two days after, that the enemy had been seen a few leagues further to the westward, he immediately altered his course and steered towards them. LORD HOWE'S VICTORY. JEAN Bon St. André, who had been employed at Brest to infuse a spirit of democracy into the seamen, acted on this occasion as a national commis. sioner, having embarked on board the flag ship, carrying one hundred and twenty guns, and designated La Montagne, after the ruling party in the Convention. On the twenty-eighth of May, at eight o'clock in the morning, in north latitude 47° 33', W. Long. 14° 10', the rival fleets descried each other exactly at the same time; the wind blew strong from the south-west, accompanied by a very rough sea, and the French possessed the weathergage. After the advanced frigates had given intimation of this event Earl Howe continued his course, while the French admiral endeavoured as much as possible to assume a regular order of battie upon the starboard tack, a circumstance which greatly facilitated the approach of the English. As the conduct of the enemy, who had now hauled their wind, indicated an intention to avoid a close fight, the British commander displayed the signal for a general chase, and, to prevent their escape, he soon after detached Rear-Admiral Pasley, with a flying squadron, to make an impression on their rear: that officer accordingly, near the close of the day, attacked the Revolutionnaire, a three-decked ship of one hundred and ten guns, which happened to be the sternmost in the line, but without any decisive success on either side. The rival fleets, consisting of twenty-six sail of the line on the part of the French, and twenty-five on that of the British, remained within sight of each other during the whole night, on the starboard tack, and in a parallel direction, with the French still to windward; but next morning, the twentyninth, Admiral Villaret-Joyeuse, flushed with the hopes of a victory, wore from van to rear, and instead of flinching from the action, edged down in a line a-head to engage the van of the British fleet. Taking advantage of so favourable an opportunity, Lord Howe renewed the signal for passing the enemy's line, and succeeded with some difficulty in obtaining the weather-gage, while the enemy were repulsed by the Barfleur, and two other threedeckers, in an attempt to cut off the Queen and Royal George. At length Villaret tacked again by signal; and, after a distant cannonade, stood away in order of battle on the larboard tack, followed by the whole of the British fleet. The second day's action proved equally indecisive as the former, and a thick fog, that intervened during this night and the greater part of the succeeding day, prevented the renewal of the engagement. In the mean time Rear-Admiral Neilly joined the French commanderin-chief with a reinforcement of three sail of the line and two frigates: this accession of strength enabled him to detach his crippled ships; and the dawu of the successive day exhibited the two fleets drawn up in order of battle, and prepared to renew the contest. The British admiral, perceiving that there was time sufficient for the various ships' companies to take refreshment, made a signal for breakfast, which, by procrastinating the action, induced the enemy to believe that their antagonists wished to decline the engagement: but they were greatly disappointed; for in about half an hour lord Howe gave orders for steering the Royal Chariotte alongside the French admiral, which was effected at nine o'clock in the morning; and, while some of the English commanders penetrated the line of battle and engaged to leeward, others occupied such stations as allowed them to combat severe was with their antagonists to windward. So close and the contest, that the fate of this day depended but little on the exertion of nautical skill: all was hard fighting. In about fifty minutes after the action had commenced in the centre, Admiral Villaret-Joyeuse determined to relinquish the contest: for he now perceived several of his ships' dismasted, and one of seventy-four guns about to sink; he at the same time found that six were captured: a great slaughter had also taken place on board his own vessel, in which his captain and many of the crew were killed, while the national commissioner, with most of his officers, were wounded: he accordingly crowded off with all the canvass he could spread, and was immediately followed by most of the ships in his van that were not completely crippled: two or three of these, although dismantled, also got away soon after, under a temporary sail hoisted on the occasion; for the enemy had, as usual, chiefly aimed at the rigging, and the victors were by this time disabled from pursuing the vanquished: the Queen Charlotte, in particular, was at this period nearly unmanageable, having lost her foretopmast in action; this was soon after followed by the maintopmast, which fell over the side; while the Brunswick, which had lost her mizenmast, and the Queen, also disabled, drifted to leeward, and were exposed to considerable danger from the retreating fleet. Two eighty and five seventy-four gun ships, however, still remained in possession of the victors; but one of the latter, La Vengeur, went down soon after she was taken possession of, and, though many of the French were saved on this occasion by the humanity of their adversaries, above three hundred went to the bottom. The slaughter on board the French fleet was so great, that in the captured ships alone it amounted to one thousand two hundred and seventy. The British total loss was nine hundred and four. Admiral Montague, who had repaired to England, was immediately despatched to join Earl Howe, and sailed for Brest, partly with a view to fall in with the commander-in-chief, and partly on purpose to pick up any crippled ships, which, in case of an action, might take shelter in that port: he accordingly encountered some of the retreating squadron, and chased them into the outer road. On the succeeding day he descried the main body under Villaret-Joyeuse; but, notwithstanding the late fatal conflict, that commander formed an admirable line of battle, and gave chase; while the fleet from America, consisting of one hundred and sixty sail of merchantmen, supposed to be worth several millions sterling, but invaluable on account of the distressed state of France, arrived in safety on the twelfth of June. The victory of the first of June conferred great glory on the admiral, and was received at home with uncommon rejoicing. Large sums of money were subscribed for the benefit of the widows and children of those killed in action. Rear-admirals Bowyer and Pasley were created baronets, and received a pension of one thousand pounds each per annum. Admirals Graves and Sir Alexander Hood had the honours of the peerage conferred upon them. Earl Howe was presented with a diamond-hilted sword of great value, by the king in person, on board the Queen Charlotte, at Spithead; and also with a golden chain, to which was suspended a medal, with Victory crowning Britannia on the obverse, and on the reverse a wreath of oak and laurel, encircling his lordship's name, and the date of the action. In December, 1796, his Majesty was also pleased to transmit gold chains and medals to the flag-officers and captains, who were reported by Lord Howe to have signalized themselves during the battle with the French fleet. On the twenty-third of April Sir John Borlase Warren captured two French frigates off Guern sey, after two hours' fighting. In August he pursued five other French ships of war off Scilly, and, driving two of them under the batteries of the Gamelle rocks, would have proceeded to burn them; but, with a generosity worthy of his courage, abstained from the last rigours of war against an unfortunate enemy, whose wounded must have perished had he set their vessels on fire. CAPTURE OF MARTINIQUE, &c. armament to act against the colonies of France in to all the privileges enjoyed by the white inhabithe West Indies. On the third of November, 1793, tants. The declaration of rights promulgated by this expedition sailed; the land forces, consisted of the National Assembly increased the ferment about six thousand troops, under the command of which the first intelligence of the revolution had Sir Charles Grey; and the naval armament, con. produced in the islands; and violent disturbances sisting of four ships of war, nine frigates, a bomb- and contests were apprehended. Deputies from ketch, a few gun-boats, and several store-ships, the different districts of the French part of St. Dounder Sir John Jervis. Having rendezvoused in mingo met, by the king's order, to prevent tumults Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes, they sailed on the third and reform abuses; but their endeavours were of February, 1794, to the attack of Martinico, which opposed by the partisans of the old regimé, and surrendered, after a resolute resistance of seven the governor dissolved the Assembly. Many of weeks. Fort Royal was carried by escalade, with the representatives sailed to France to justify their extraordinary exertions of valour, particularly on conduct; and, during their absence, Ogé, an enthe part of Captain Faulknor, of the Zebra, who terprising mulatto, found means to excite an insurentered the harbour through the fire of all the bat-rection; but it was quickly suppressed, and his teries, and laid his sloop alongside the walls, which life was sacrificed to public justice. The claims of he scaled in defiance of repeated volleys of grape his brethren, however, were confirmed by a decree shot. As soon as the reduction of Martinico had of the ruling assembly of the parent state, which been effected, the troops were re-embarked, and admitted them to all the privileges of French citilanded on the island of St. Lucia, which capitulated zens on the fifteenth of May, 1791. When a new on the fourth of April; and upon the eleventh of colonial assembly deliberated on the conduct which the same month the fleet and army arrived off prudence required at this crisis, the slaves in the Guadaloupe, which, after a short but brave defence, neighbourhood of Cape Francois attacked the whites, surrendered, with its dependencies, on the twenti- murdered a great number of them, and destroyed eth. After these glorious successes Sir Charles the plantations. The insurrection soon spread to Grey returned to Martinico leaving General Dun- other districts; and though many hundreds of the das, to command at Guadaloupe. About this time negroes and their confederates were slain in battle a French squadron appeared off the island, from or perished by famine, they seemed to multiply like which a body of troops landing under the command the heads of the hydra. Commissioners were sent of a most daring and skilful leader, Victor Hugues, from France to heal the disorders of the colony; attacked Fort Fleur d'Epée, which they carried by but they produced, by their misconduct, a civil war storm; and the English retreated with considera- among the whites, and invited to their aid a body ble loss to Fort Louis: this was also soon evacuat- of rebel negroes, who perpetrated a horrible series ed, and the troops, shattered and disheartened, of massacres at Cape Francois, and in June, 1793, took refuge in Basseterre. Sir Charles Grey, on burnt the greater part of the town. the first intelligence of this attempt, sailed from St. Kitt's with all the force he could collect, and, landing on the island of Guadaloupe, on the nineteenth of June, made an attempt on the post of Point-a Petre on the second of July. After great efforts of valour, however, he was repulsed, with the loss of six hundred men. Upon this the forces were reembarked, and Basseterre, after a long and vigorous resistance, with the whole island and its dependencies, reverted to its former possessors. Not long after the loss of the island, the brave Captain Faulknor, who had so eminently contributed to the reduction of Martinico, lost his life in an engagement with a frigate near Marie-Galente. More than seventy men are said to have been kill. ed in the French vessel, and above one hundred wounded; while only twenty-nine suffered in the victorious ship. ACQUISITIONS IN ST. DOMINGO. ST. Domingo in a remarkable degree, had suffered the mischievous effects of the French revolu. tion. When the people in the mother country asserted their right to freedom, the claims of the colonial subjects of France were also recognised; and a society, called Les Amis des Noirs, (Friends of the Negroes,) warmly supported the pretensions of the slaves to emancipation, and of the mulattoes The convulsions of the colony induced many of the planters to solicit succour from the British government; and major-general Williamson was ordered to detach an armament from Jamaica, to take possession of those settlements which the people might be disposed to surrender. Lieutenantcolonel Whitelocke sailed in consequence to Jeremie, and received the submission of the inhabitants; the town and harbour of St. Nicolas were also given up to the English; and to these possessions Leogane, and other towns and districts, were soon added. An expedition was undertaken for the reduction of Cape Tiburon; and a bribe was offered to general Lavaux for the surrender of Port de Paix. The enterprise succeeded, and the town was taken on the second of February, 1794. The fort of Acul was stormed by the English; but at Bombard they were repelled with loss. They defended Cape Tiburon against an army of blacks and mulattoes, who were routed with considerable slaughter. The arrival of a reinforcement from Great Britain, under brigadier-general Whyte, elevated the hopes of the English, and preparations were made for the conquest of Port-au-Prince. Fort Bizotton was taken at the point of the bayonet. The unhealthiness of the climate now occasioned a great mortality among the troops, and checked the extension of their conquests: they soon after lost Leogane and Tiburon. Kk 250 CHAPTER XXVII. State of the French Government-Sanguinary proceedings-Progress of the French in Holland-Escape of the Stadtholder-Embassy to China-Sweden and Denmark-Disputes with America-Meeting of Parliament-Proceedings-Earl Fitzwilliam, lord-lieutenant of Ireland, recalled, and consequent discontents of the Catholics-Marriage of the Prince of Wales-Arrangement respecting his DebtsAcquittal of Warren Hastings-Prorogation of Parliament-Naval affairs-Occurrences in the West Indies-The French government concludes Peace with Prussia, Spain, Hanover, Hesse, &c.-Operations in La Vendée, and unsuccessful result of an expedition to Quiberon Bay-Insurrection in Paris -Death of the Dauphin-New French Constitution-Return of the English army from the ContinentHostile operations on the Rhine-War between England and Holland--Capture of the Cape of Good Hope, and other Dutch Settlements-Unpopularity of the War-Outrage against the King-Address in consequence-Speech from the throne-Address-Bills against Treason and Sedition-Scarcity of Corn-Supplies-Birth of Princess Charlotte-Dissolution of Parliament. STATE OF FRENCH GOVERNMENT-SAN GUINARY PROCEEDINGS. N France a faction arose denominated the Cordeliers, at the head of which were Hebert, Ronsin, Anacharsis Clootz, and others, who, to conciliate the populace, adopted the wildest theories, decriod all religion, preached equality in the ab surdest extent, and recommended publicly an Agrarian law. In the beginning of March, the table of of the rights of man, in the hall of the Cordeliers, was covered with black crape; and Hebert, from the tribune of the society, affirmed that tyranny This was sufficient to existed in the republic. arouse the jealousy of Robespierre. Virtue and ferocity were declared in the convention, by Cou thon, to be the requisite order of the day. On the twenty-fifth of March Hebert, Danton, and nineteen others, were, on a charge of conspiracy against the constitution, brought before the revolutionary tribunal, and, of course, condemned to the guillotine. These executions were followed by those of Fabre d'Eglantine, and other popular deputies of the Convention, on pretence of their having engaged in counter-revolutionary projects. It deserves notice that St. Just, in the report presented on this occasion, makes the profession of atheism a principal charge against Fabre d'Eglantine. The execution of Danton and his fellow-sufferers, who fell under the fatal axe of the guillotine on the second of April, was followed by that of general Arthur Dillon, who had formerly commanded that division of the French army which, in the campaign of 1792, had so gallantly repulsed the Prussians. The princess Elizabeth, sister to Louis XVI. was charged with having conspired to restore rovalty; not a witness was produced, nor a single attempt made to substantiate any one fact alleged against her; she was, nevertheless, condemned to death, with twenty-four of her reputed accomplices. Barrere brought forward the infamous decree for allowing no quarter to the English or Hanoverian troops but the French officers and soldiery refused to execute this abominable mandate, and the commander-in-chief of the British forces declined to retaliate the threatened cruelty. Bourdon de L'Oise, a member of the conventional assembly, demanded that the decree which affirmed the inviolability of the national representatives should be again established, and that no member should be brought before the revolutionary tribunal but in consequence of a decree of accusation passed by the assembly itself, instead of an order from the committee of safety, where Robespierre, and the vile instruments of his tyranny, Couthon and St. Just, were absolute. This was accordingly dereed, and from this time the party formed agaiust Robespierre rapidly increased; even his celebrated After his fall the Jacobin club was entirely demolished; the remains of the Girondist party were restored to their seats in the convention; and Dumas, president of the revolutionary tribunal, Fonquier Tinville, the public accuser, Carriere, conventional commissioner, the destroyer of La Vendée; and various others of the same description, were brought to the scaffold. Hundreds were released from prison, who, but for the death of Robespierre, would probably have fallen victims to the reign of terror; and the infamous decree of the convention, for refusing quarter to the English and Hanove rian soldiery, was annulled. PROGRESS OF THE FRENCH IN HOLLAND -ESCAPE OF THE STADTHOLDER. PICHEGRU waited till the frost should set in, in order to commence a winter campaign on the frontiers of Holland. The duke of York endeavoured in vain to rouse the Dutch to resistance, and his royal highness, therefore, returned to England. In the course of a week the Maese and the Waal being frozen over, on the twenty-seventh a strong column of French crossed the former of those rivers, while another corps made themselves masters of the Bommel. Pichegru did not make his grand movement till the tenth of January, 1795, when the main body of his forces crossed the Waal at different points, and made a general attack upon the lines of the allies, extending between Nimeguen and Arnheim, under the command of general Walmoden. The allies were defeated in every quarter, and a precipitate retreat was ordered to wards Amersfort and Deventer. Utrecht, Rotterdam, and Dort, surrendered to the French without resistance; the Stadtholder escaped from Scheveling: general Pichegru made his public entry into Amsterdam; and, by order of the States-general, every other fortress in the republic opened its gates to the French. On the twenty-seventh of January the provisional representatives of the people of Holland assembled, and a decree passed for the to tal abolition of the stadtholderate, and for the es teblishment, under the protection of the republic of France, of a new provisional government for the united provinces,' which were now denominated the Batavian republic. EMBASSY TO CHINA. the suspension of the habeas corpus act for a limited time. This measure being carried in the commons by a considerable majority, the bill was transmitted to the lords, and passed that assembly also, but not without a protest against it, signed by the dukes of Norfolk and Bedford, and the earls of Pitt delivered to the house of commons a message from his majesty, intimating that a loan to the amount of four million six hundred thousand pounds would be wanted to aid the exertions of the emperor of Germany during the next campaign, on the credit of his hereditary dominions, which would probably require the guarantee of the British government. On the question that the national faith be pledged for the sum required, considerable discussion arose, in the course of which Fox said that the recent defalcation of the king of Prussia, immediately after pocketing the English gold, ought to operate as a caution against all advances of money to German princes; and he had no confidence in the efficacy of the proposed loan; Sir William Pulteney entertained a high opinion of its probable utility; lord Grenville had so much reliance on the promised exertions of his imperial majesty, that he would rather consent to make a present of the desired sum than lose the chance of expected benefit; the marquis of Lansdowne disapproved all connections with German princes; but the proposition was agreed to by large majori ties, and the loan was shipped to the continent in sterling gold. THE prevailing desire of commercial advantage in Great Britain, concurring with a wish to secure the friendship of a potentate whose influence extend-Lauderdale and Guilford. ed to territories bordering on those of the English East India company, induced the king to send an ambassador to treat with the Chinese court; and earl Macartney, who had acquired reputation as governor of Madras, with a suite comprising several men ef science and skilful artists, sailed under the conduct of Sir Erasmus Gower. He reached the Yellow Sea in safety, passed up the White River to Tong-Choo-Foo, and thence proceeded by land to the metropolis of China. Tchien-Lung, the aged emperor, who had already governed that vast empire with uninterrupted success and reputation more than half a century, was then at the palace of Zhe-hol, beyond the celebrated wall which had been erected as a barrier against the incursions of the Tartars. There the ambassador delivered a let ter from the British sovereign, in a box of gold, adorned with jewels, which was graciously received; but a spirit of jealousy disinclined the emperor to a treaty, and, after the exchange of mutual presents, it was hinted that the departure of the strangers would be agreeable. On the ninth of October, 1793, his excellency and suite left Pekin and proceeded to Tong-Tchew, whence they were conveyed by a variety of rivers and canals from the northern to the southern extremity of China, reaching Canton in safety, after a variety of amusing adventures, on the eighteenth of December; and in January following they embarked at Macao for England. On the twenty-third of February the minister submitted his annual statement of the supplies and ways and means to the consideration of the house. The number of men voted for the service of the year was, one hundred and fifty thousand landmen, including militia; eighty-five thousand seamen, and SWEDEN AND DENMARK-DISPUTES WITH fifteen thousand marines; the expenditure amount AMERICA. SWEDEN and Denmark still persevered in their determination of observing a perfect impartiality during the present war; and on the twenty-seventh of March, a convention was concluded between them, by which they agreed to protect the freedom of commerce in the Baltic, on the principles of the armed neutrality of 1780, equipping jointly a fleet of sixteen ships of the line for that service; and, by the tenth article, the Baltic was declared to be a neutral sea, absolutely and altogether inacces sible to the armed ships of the different and distant belligerent powers. Jay, chief justice of the United States of Ame rica, arrived about this period in England, as minister plenipotentiary, to adjust the existing differences between that republic and the British gov ernment. Soon after the commencement of the war, orders were given for stopping all American vessels carrying corn to France, and detaining their cargoes, paying for them and the freights. This proceeding, which was resented by the Americans as an infraction of their independence, was followed by an order for seizing all American ships carrying provisions and stores to the French colonies, and also for obliging American ships sailing from the British islands, to give security to land their cargoes in British or neutral ports. This order having occasioned the seizure of six hundred American vessels within five months, that governnent showed its resentment by an embargo of thirty days on the British shipping. In addition to these grievances the memorial delivered by Jay to the British court complained of the severity used to American seamen, and of their being compelled to serve on board English men of war. Although these differences were finally attended with very serious effects, they were for the present compromised, both parties being pacifically disposed, and a treaty of amity and commerce between the two countries was signed in November. MEETING OF PARLIAMENT PROCEEDINGS 1795.-THE parliament assembled on the thirtieth of December; and in the speech from the throne while the disasters of the late campaign were admit. ted, the necessity of persisting in the war was strong ly urged, as additional vigour and additional efforts were the only possible means of producing a suc ccssful result. Amendments were moved in both houses to the address. On the fifteenth of January the attorney general brought in a bill to continue ed to twenty-seven million five hundred and forty EARL FITZWILLIAM RECALLED FROM IRE- The THE affairs of Ireland formed one of the most important subjects that engaged the attention of the present parliament. Some malecontents had entered into secret connections with the French revolutionists, and a plan for separating the island from the British dominions was strongly suspected, when earl Fitzwilliam, a nobleman distinguished for his mild and conciliatory conduct, was placed at the head of the government-an appointment peculiarly acceptable to the Irish nation. Irish parliament assembled on the twenty-second of January, 1795, and, after voting to the new vice roy an address expressive of the general satisfaction, agreed, without hesitation to the most ample sup plies ever granted in that kingdom. The lord-lieutenant, finding it impracticable to defer deciding on the demands of the catholics for the removal of the remaining disabilities under which they still conti nued to labour, employed in his transactions with the leading members of that body the celebratod Grattan, in whom the catholics universally confided. A bill for their further relief was consequently introduced into the Irish parliament, and the utmost joy was diffused through the country, in the ex,pectation of this enlarged toleration, when intelligence arrived in Dublin that the British ministry avowed themselves adverse to the measure. The lord-lieutenant, after holding the government only three months, was displaced, and lord Camden appointed in his stead. The recal of Earl Fitzwilliam cast a deep gloom over Ireland; and the arrival of his successor in the capital, on the thirty-first of March, was accompanied by so marked an ebullition of popular dis content, that the intervention of the military was found necessary. On the thirteenth of April the Irish parliament assembled. On the twenty-fourth Grattan presented his memorable bill for catholic emancipation; but it was rejected, and from this period the political association, styled the Society of United Irishmen, rapidly extended itself over the whole country. All the catholics, and a large proportion of the protestants of the kingdom, joined this community; and the leaders began to entertain dangerous designs. Agents were sent to negotiate with the national convention; acts of sedi tion, rapine, and murder, were perpetrated by the most desperate; while, on the other hand, the violent supporters of the system of exclusion confederated together under the name of Orangemen. Mutual injuries soon engendered a most inveterate hatred between these two descriptions of men, one of which was beyond comparison superior in number, and the other in property, in legal authority, and military force; and these dissensions rapidly increased, till the whole land exhibited a scene of terror, consternation, and blood. MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCE OF WALES HIS DEBTS ARRANGED. AN event, auspicious in its commencement, though unfortunate in its results, as it affected both the illustrious parties, occurred on the eighth of April, in the marriage of the prince of Wales with the princess Caroline, daughter of the duke of Brunswick, and the dutchess Augusta of England, and niece to his majesty. Lord Malmsbury was em ployed to conduct the royal bride from her father's court. On her arrival in England she was received with every mark of distinction due to her royal birth and illustrious alliance, and the nuptials were celebrated with great magnificence. It was generally understood, that in forming this connection, his royal highness was influenced by the promise of au ample provision for the discharge of his debts, which had increased to a vast amount; and this is the more probable from his known attachment at the time to Mrs. Fitzherbert, with whom it was even stated that the marriage ceremony, though in. valid by law, had taken place. On the twenty-seventh of April, a message from his majesty to the commons announced the royal marriage, and expressed the king's conviction that a suitable provision would be made for the establish ment of the prince and princess. The message pro ceeded to state that his royal highness was under pecuniary encumbrances, and recommended to parliament the gradual extinction of his debts, by applying to that purpose a part of his income, and the revenues of the dutchy of Cornwall. After some discussion, the house, on the suggestion of the chancellor of the exchequer, determined that one hundred and twenty-five thousand pounds, toge ther with the rents of the dutchy of Cornwall, es timated at thirteen thousand pounds, should be set tled upon the prince, of which, seventy-eight thousand pounds should be applied annually to the liqui dation of his debts, amounting, at this period, to up wards of six hundred thousand pounds; and that a law should be passed to prevent the heir-apparent in future from being involved in similar difficulties. These propositions met the concurrence of the house, and a jointure of fifty thousand pounds per annum was settled upon the princess of Wales, in the event of her surviving his royal highness. WARREN HASTINGS ACQUITTED—PARLIA MENT PROROGUED. THE trial of Hastings, which had lasted seven years, was now brought to a conclusion. After some debates on the mode of proceeding, it was resolved that the question should be separately put on sixteen points. The greatest number of peers who voted the defendant guilty in any one respect, did not exceed six: the votes of innocence, in some of the charges, were twenty-six; in others, twentythree; in one, nineteen. The chancellor intimated the decision of the court to Hastings on the twen ty-third of April, who received it in silence, bowed, and retired from the bar. The public in general seemed to be pleased with the acquittal of one who had suffered so long an ar. raignment, yet had conducted the affairs of his gov ernment with spirit and success; and who, though he had not always regarded the duties of morality, the dictates of virtuous policy, and the sentiments of humanity and moderation, had promoted the interests of his employers, secured their authority, and established their dominion. The East India company paid Hastings the costs of his trial, amounting to upwards of seventy thousand pounds, and likewise conferred upon him a pecuniary do nation. Parliament was prorogued on the twenty-seventh of June by a speech from the throne, which breathed the air of pacification, and declared it impossible to contemplate the internal situation of the enemy with whom we were contending without indulging a hope that the present circumstances of France might, in their effects, hasten the return of such a state of order and regular government as might be capable of maintaining the accustomed relations of peace and amity. NAVAL AFFAIRS-WEST INDIES. IN March an engagement took place in the Mediterranean, between two squadrons, nearly equal in force; the English commanded by Admiral Hotham, and the French by Richery, the latter of which was conveying a large body of troops to Corsica, for the recapture of that island. The Ca Ira, of eighty, and the Censeur, of seventy-four guns, struck to the English flag: on the other hand, the French captured the Berwick, of seventy-four guns, going out singly to join the fleet; and the Illustrious of the same rate, being much damaged in the fight, was driven on shore, and lost near Avenza. Soon after this another partial action took place near St. Fiorenzo; and the Alcide, a French ship of the line, struck her colours; but, from some fatal accident, blew up before she could be taken possession of by the English. The skilful retreat of admiral Cornwallis, with a small squadron of five ships of the line, from a far superior force, is entitled to be mentioned. On the sixteenth of June, near the Pen. marks, the Phaeton frigate made a signal for an enemy's fleet, consisting of thirteen line-of-battle ships. At nine the next morning the French began the attack, which was vigorously repelled by the English, who kept up a running fight the whole day, without suffering the enemy to gain the least advantage. At length, by throwing out signals as if to another British fleet in sight, the assailants were induced to sheer off. On the twenty-third, however, off Port L'Orient, the same French squadron actually fell in with another fleet, under lord Bridport, which captured three of them, the rest of the squadron only escaping into L'Orient by keeping close in shore. On the other hand, the French made, in the month of October, a capture of thirty merchantmen from the Mediterranean and Levant, with a ship of the line, constituting part of the convoy. They also made prize of part of a Jamaica fleet; and, indeed, both in this and the preceding year, the British trade suffered immensely from their attacks, while their own declining commerce presented few objects of reprisal for our cruisers and privateers. Notwithstanding their disparity of naval force, the French, after recovering the whole of Guadaoupe, attacked, with success, the fort of Tiburon, in St. Domingo, and made themselves masters of St. Eustatius. St. Lucia, after a violent and bloody conflict, was reluctantly evacuated by the governorgeneral, Stewart; and Grenada, Dominico, and St. Vincent's were preserved with great difficulty. In Jamaica a strife long subsisted with the Maroons, a tribe which on the surrender of the island by the Spaniards to the English, refused to submit to the latter, and had since occupied the mountainous part of the country. After many conflicts in which they were nearly exterminated, those who remained consented to be removed to Canada, where a portion of land was allotted to them. FRENCH MAKE PEACE WITH PRUSSIA, On the continent the French courted the king of Prussia into forbearance, and persuaded him that his safety and interest required peace. Haying annexed two great commercial cities, Dantzic and Thorn, together with some of the most fertile provinces of Poland, to his dominions, and despair |