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ment of these predatory acts of hostility, there have been fully as many privateers, and other vefsels, captured from the French by our cruisers, as the French have captured from us; and among these last, there has been no vefsel of value.

The news of the death of the king of France, has been received in all foreign countries, with a sensation of horror. From a few places in France, addrefses have been sent to the National Convention approving of that deed. But reports from the army of the Pyrenees, state, that after receiving the news of that event, the desertions had become so frequent, that they were under great apprehensions of the consequences.

In the report of the war committee, it was stated, that of the 500,000 men decreed to be raised for the army, there were 300,000 wanting. This occasioned many ineffectual proposals to be made for raising these men; and some strong decrees were made for inforcing the levies; but upon more mature consideration, these decrees were next day rescinded.

General Custine still continues nearly inactive in Mentz. Some slight firmishes have taken place between the Prussians and him, but nothing decisive has happened on either side.

Dumourier, with that activity which characterises him, having visited Brufsels on his way to Antwerp, and exacted from the Belgians a sum of L. 250.000 has already taken the field, and entered the United Provinces, directing his route towards Breda, Two small forts of no moment have been taken. On entering Holland, he published a manifesto, inviting the people of Holland to join him as their truest and best friend, and to abandon the Stadtholder, who had abused and betrayed them. It is evident they have all along reckoned on the afsistance of a powerful party in Holland to co operate with them; nor was it without reason that they might have expected this; for it is well known that there has long existed in the United Provinces, a very powerful party, that are inimical to the office of Stadtholder; but by the latest advices from Holland, this party does not seem to be at present disposed to exert their influence in favour of the French. The treatment that the Belgians have suffered under the dominion of France has satisfied them, that it is safest to keep such friends at a distance; and all parties, it is said, are now eagerly preparing to oppose their progress. The country is already in part inundated, with a view to stop the progrefs of the French arms. It would not however be in the least surprising, that, considering the impetuosity of the French, and the ardour

of their leader; and the necefsary slownefs of the warlike motions of a political body, constituted as the United Provinces are, if the French fhould meet with some succefs at the commencement of hostilities.

Italy.

A fracas has happened at Rome, which has made a considerable noise. The French resident in that city, having been very active in propagating the new opinions of his nation, respecting liberty and equality, by instituting societies, and fomenting cabals in that city, had given great umbrage to the populace; and when he proceeded to take away the Arms of the king of France, from the door of his hotel, and erect in its stead, the Arms of the Republic, he met with some interruption from the mob. This induced him to go to court and demand an audience. Cardinal Zelada who received him, having communicated his demand to the Pope, which was urged in the most insolent manner, accompanied with a threat, that unless the people who had presumed to interrupt him, were immediately punished, a body of 50,000 men were ready to vindicate his rights But this message having been received with more coolness than he expected, he retired in discontent, and with his suite paraded the streets in his coach, having his servants dressed in the National cockade, and waving as if in defiance, the red cap of equality from the windows. The mob became at last so outrageous, as to pelt him with stones, and drive him for protection into his banker's house, whither they pursued and overtook him; and in the violence of their phrenzy, put him to death;-the rest of his party fortunately escaped. The people having discovered a disposition strongly inimical to the French, and a tendency to meet in a tumultuous manner, it was with great difficulty that the Pope's guards were able to preserve the peace for some days afterwards; but quiet seems now to be restored to that capital. The name of the unfortunate person whose ill judged patriotism occasioned this disaster, so fatal to himself, was M. Bafseville. The National Convention, immediately on receiving news of that event, declared war against the Pope.

One of the most disastrous circumstances that has yet occurred to France, since the retreat of the duke of Brunswick, respects the squadron in the Mediterranean, under the commanded of M. Truguet, which had rode triumphant in those seas during the latter part of last summer. It is certain he meditated an attack upon the island of Sardinia; and one account says, he had actually made a descent there in the be

ginning of December, but that he had been beat off with the lofs of 1500 men killed; that immediately upon the back of that defeat, he was overtaken with a violent storm, on the fifth of December, in which his whole fleet, consisting of about twenty vefsels, was dispersed, many of them sunk, and others were seen dismasted in great distrefs; but this news has never yet been confirmed, nor is it till the present hour known with any degree of certainty what has become of that squadron. That they did suffer by a storm on the fifth of December, seems to be admitted on all hands; and this news is particularly confirmed by a letter from a fhipmaster now at Leghorn to his owners in Leith, who says he passed through the middle of the fleet on that day, in a storm, and saw many of the vessels in great distress, and that three of them went down while he was within view of them. What has become of the others is not yet known, some of them were said to have come into the Bay of Naples, soon after in a very distressed condition; but neither has this report been confirmed. It was said in the

Gazette, that certain accounts had been received, that the flag. ship, with Truguet on board, had sunk; but since that time, there have been reports in the French papers that he had been seen elsewhere. In fhort, nothing certain can as yet be gathered respecting this squadron, but that it did suffer by a storm; nor does it seem to have entered into any European port, or it must have since been heard of.

Sweden.

Some popular commotions, (it is said,) have taken place in Sweden, on an attempt being made to punish by law, a man of a popular character, who had published a book containing doctrines that were judged to be of a seditious tendency. It is certain that ever since the last revolution in Sweden, when the king made himself absolute, there has been a strong party lurking in the state inimical to the royal family, who will be glad to embrace every opportunity that may occur to embrail the government with the people, who will in this case, as usual, only become the tools of a party for effecting their own purposes.

DOMESTIC.
Britain.

SINCE the meeting of Parliament, the hands of administrati on have been much strengthened by the general concurrence of the nation, with the measures they have proposed to adopt with respect to France; and by the accefsion of many of the most powerful members of opposition. Still, however, Mess.

Fox, and Sheridan, and Grey, with a few others, in the lower house; and lords Lansdowne, Lauderdale, Stanhope, and Derby, in the House of Peers, make a spirited opposition, though few in number. Every vote, however, is easily carried in favour of administration; and never were such spirited efforts seen in this country without doors, for manning the navy; nor was it ever known that half the number of seamen were obtained, without imprefsing, in the same space of time, in any circumstances of the country. In Scotland, in particular, the loyalty of individuals has been displayed in a manner altogether unexampled in the annals of this country. A few months ago, many associations were formed for the purpose of supporting the Constitution, and supprefsing seditious writings, the members of which declared, that they were ready to support government on every proper occasion with their purse and persons. These were considered as words of course that had no meaning. But no sooner had France declared war against Britain, than innumerable bodies of men, freeholders, merchants, magistrates in their corporate or individual capacity, stepped forward, offering bounties upon bounties, to seamen who choose to enter to his majesty's service; so that, in some places, an able bodied seaman, when all these bounties are collected together, can obtain little short of L. 20 of bounty money. This high encouragement, joined to the circumstance that no privateers are now htting out in Britain, and connec ted with the expectation that the war cannot be of long duration, induces seamen to enter with a rapidity never before known in this country; so that all idea of imprefsing seamen here is at present totally suspended. Near two hundred men claimed the bounty money from the town of Edinburgh, during the last week only. During former wars scarce as many used to enter there during the course of the year. The seamen facetiously say, "This is the best mode of prefsing ;" and the report of Brifsot to the National Convention, in which he recommends that every man who has two coats, fhould give one of them to his neighbour, and that they fhould kill all their dogs, and live two days of the week on potatoes and rice, has had great effect on the minds of our seamen, who say, they are determined to fight to the last, rather than be taken prisoners; because they are certain they fhould be immediately stripped to afford clothes to the naked Frenchmen; and fed upon boiled frogs alone, or be starved for want of food.

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