Order of the Emperor of Ruffia laying an Embargo on English Vefels.---(From the Court Gazette.) Petersburgh, Nov. 18 and 23. THE HE crews of two English fhips in the harbour of Narva, on the arrival of a military force to put them under arreft, in confequence of the embargo laid on them, having made refiftance, fired piftols, and forced a Ruffian failor into the water, and afterwards weighed anchor, and failed away; his Imperial Majefty has been pleased to order that the remainder of the veffels in that harbour fhall be burned. His Imperial Majefty having received from his chamberlain, Italinskoi, at Palermo, an account of the taking of Malta, has been pleased to direct that the following note fhall be tranfmitted to all the diplomatic corps refiding at his court by the minifter prefiding in the college for foreign affairs, Count Rostoptschin, and the Vice-chancellor, Count Panin: "His Majesty the Emperor of all the Ruffias having received the circumftantial account of the furrender of Malta, by which it is fully confirmed that the English generals, notwithstanding repeated representations of his Imperial Majefty's minifter, and the minifters of the King of the Two Sicilies, have taken pos feffion of Valetta and the island of Malta in the name of the King of Britain, and hoifted the English flag alone; his Majesty fees with juft difpleasure fuch a breach of good faith, and has refolved that the embargo laid on all the English veffels in the Ruffian harbours fhall not be taken off till the conditions of the convention concluded in the year 1798 fhall be punctually fulfilled," Letter from Mr. Shairp, relative to the British Prifoners in Ruffia. VARIOUS reports having been circulated refpecting the unfor tunate British fubjects now in Ruffia, I fend you the follow ing authentic information. The perfons of the British merchants have hitherto remained unmolested; and what ready money they had in their poffeffion has not been feized; but their warehouses are fealed, and all their property is under fequefter. All the Britifh fhips and their cargoes are feized by the Ruffian government. The captains and crews are marched into the interior of the country, in companies of one captain and ten or twelve feamen. They are diftributed in above a hundred different towns, at one hundred to one thoufand miles diftance from the capital. The Ruffian government allows for their fubfiftence daily five copeaks in money (about three halfpence), a small measure of rye flour, and one of buck wheat. VOL. X. X x My My brother and fome other British merchants at St. Peterfburgh, advanced about forty thousand rubles (a ruble is about half a crown) for their better accommodation, from which he furnished every captain with two hundred rubles for the ufe of himself and ten men, and bought for every man a fheep's-fkin coat, a fur cap, a fafh, a pair of gloves, fome warm fhoes, and two pair of stockings. Kibitkas, or common carts of the country, are bought for most of the captain's and fome old men; the reft walk, and the peafants furnifh horfes for the baggage. On the 2rft of November, fifty captains and five hundred failors were thus difpatched from St. Petersburgh, and the remainder were daily fetting off on their melancholy journey. No. 73, Gower Street, STEPHEN SHAIRP, Note delivered by Citizen Buys, the Minifter of the Batavian Republic, to his Swedish Majefty, publifhed at Stockholm, November 30. TH HE Batavian republic, being aware of the character of her enemy, and to what point the pretends to exercife her dominion over the feas, even with refpect to neutral and allied powers, has hitherto abstained, through a regard for peace, to enforce thofe rights which the might in juftice have reclaimed. But as this enemy has no longer fet any bounds to her pride or to her infatiable avarice, the Batavian government would deem itself criminally refponfible to the nation, the interefts of which are confided to its care, if it did not raife its voice in order to obtain reparation for fo many outrages. As to you, Sire, Europe has its eyes upon you, and expects with impatience the prompt fatisfaction which is due to you. If the English government, deaf to the voice of honour, and to the representations of your Majefty, do not make, before the expiration of one year, the reparation which is demanded, the Batavian government will find itfelf reduced to the harsh neceffity of concerting with its allies the neceffary means for fecuring its ports from any violence fimilar to that which has been exercised against the Swedith flag. The undersigned flatters himfelf that his Swedish Majefty will communicate to the Batavian government the refult of his application to the court of London. He wishes to his Majesty the most complete fuccefs, as his Majefty will thereby acquire a new right to the public efteem, and to the gratitude of a republic which he has always honoured by his good will. (Signed) BUYS. Subfiance Subftance of the Anfwer. THE chancellor of the Swedish court has answered by a note, in which he thanks the Batavian government, in the name of his mafter, for the part which the former has taken refpecting the infult offered to the Swedish flag. His Majefty then proceeds to declare, that, with respect to the term of a year, pointed out for the purpofe of obtaining a reparation from England, he does not think himself by any means circumfcribed in point of time. If unexpected obftacles fhould interfere to prevent the removal of the exifting difficulties, he fhould not deem himfelf any more refponfible for any abufe of the Swedish flag, which the belligerent powers may choose to employ by way of reprifals against England, more than he does for the abufe which Great Britain has committed against Spain. It is probable, however, that the court of London, for its own fafety, will prevent fimilar irregularities in future. But if the fear of fuch events fhould lead fome states to measures more or lefs rigorous, the Batavian government have given too many proofs of the wifdom of its adminiration, to fuffer his Swedish Majefty to believe that it will have recourse to any measures which in their confequences may tend to involve the neutral powers. Speech of the Prefident of the United States of America, on the Meeting of both Houfes of Congress in the Senate Chamber at Washington, on the 22d of November. Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the House of Reprefentatives, IMMEDIATELY after the adjournment of Congrefs, at their laft feffion in Philadelphia, I gave directions, in compliance with the laws, for the removal of the public offices, records, and property. Thefe directions have been executed, and the public officers have fince refided and conducted the ordinary bufinefs of the government in this place. I congratulate the people of the United States on the affembling of Congress at the permanent feat of their government, and I congratulate you, Gentlemen, on the profpect of a refidence not to be changed. Although there is caufe to apprehend that accommodations are not now fo complete as might be wifhed, yet there is great reafon to believe that this inconvenience will ceafe with the prefent feffion. It would be unbecoming the reprefentatives of the nation to affemble, for the first time in this folemn temple, without looking up to the Supreme Ruler of the univerfe, and imploring his bleffing, May this territory be the refidence of virtue and happiness! In this city may that piety and virtue, that wisdom and magnanimity, X X 2 that that conftancy and felf-government, which adorned the great character whose name it bears, be for ever held in veneration! Here, and throughout our country, may fimple manners, pure morals, and true religion, flourish for ever! It is with you, Gentlemen, to confider whether the local powers over the diftrict of Columbia, vefted by the conftitution in the Congrefs of the United States, fhall be immediately exercifed. If in your opinion this important truft ought now to be executed, you cannot fail, while performing it, to take into view the future probable fituation of the territory, for the happinefs of which you are about to provide. You will confider it as the capital of a great nation, advancing with unexampled rapidity in arts, in commerce, in wealth, and in population; and poffeffing within itself thofe energies and refources, which, if not thrown away, or lamentably mif-directed, fecure to it a long courfe of profperity and felf-government. In compliance with a law of the laft feffion of Congrefs, the officers and foldiers of the temporary army have been discharged. It affords real pleasure to recollect the honourable teftimony they gave of the patriotic motives which brought them into the fervice of their country, by the readiness and regularity with which they returned to the ftation of private citizens. It is, in every point of view, of such primary importance to carry the laws into prompt and faithful execution, and to render that part of the administration of juftice, which the conftitution and laws devolve on the federal courts, as convenient to the people as may confift with their prefent circumftances, that I cannot omit once more to recommend to your serious confideration the judiciary system of the United States. No fubject is more interesting than this to the public happiness, and to none can thofe improvements, which may have been fuggefted by experience, be more beneficially applied. A treaty of amity and commerce with the King of Pruffia has been concluded and ratified. The ratifications have been exchanged, and I have directed the treaty to be promulgated by proclamation. The difficulties which fufpended the execution of the fixth article of our treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation with Great Britain, have not yet been removed. The negotiation on this fubject is ftill depending. As it must be for the intereft and honour of both nations to adjust this difference with good faith, I indulge confidently the expectation, that the fincere endeavours of the government of the United States to bring it to an amicable termination, will not be disappointed. The envoys extraordinary and minifters plenipotentiary from the United States to France were received by the First Con. ful with the refpect due to their character, and three perfons with equal equal powers were appointed to treat with them. Although at the date of the laft official intelligence the negotiation had not ter minated, yet it is to be hoped, that our efforts to effect an accommodation will at length meet with a fuccefs proportioned to the fincerity with which they have been fo often repeated. While our beft endeavours for the prefervation of harmony with all nations will continue to be ufed, the experience of the worldour own experience-admonish us of the infecurity of trusting too confidently to their fuccefs. We cannot, without committing a dangerous imprudence, abandon thofe measures of felf-protection, which are adapted to our fituation, and to which, notwithstanding' our pacific policy, the violence and injuftice of others may again compel us to refort. While our vast extent of fea-coaft, the com mercial and agricultural habits of our people, the great capital they will continue to truft on the ocean, fuggeft the system of defence which will be most beneficial to ourselves-our diftance from Europe, and our refources for maritime ftrength, will enable us to employ it with effect. Seafonable and fyftematic arrangements, fo far as our refources will juftify, for a navy adapted to defenfive war, and which may, in cafe of neceflity, be quickly brought into use, seem to be as much recommended by a wife and true economy, as by a juft regard for our future tranquillity, for the fafety of our thores, and for the protection of our property committed to the ocean. The prefent navy of the United States, called fuddenly into exiftence by a great national exigency, has raifed us in our own efteem, and, by the protection afforded to our commerce, has effected, to the extent of our expectations, the objects for which it was created. In connexion with a navy ought to be contemplated the fortification of fome of our principal feaports and harbours. A variety of confiderations, which will readily fuggeft themfelves, urge an attention to this measure of precaution. To give fecurity to our principal ports, confiderable fums have already been expended, but the works remain incomplete. It is for Congrefs to determine whether additional appropriations thall be made, in order to render competent to the intended purpofes the fortifications which have been commenced. The manufacture of arms within the United States ftill invites the attention of the national legillature. At a confiderable expense to the public, this manufactory has been brought to such a state of maturity, as, with continued encouragement, will fuperfede the neceffity of future importations from foreign countries. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Reprefentatives, I fhall direct the estimates of the appropriations neceffary for the enfuing year, together with an account of the public revenue and expenditures, to a late period, to be laid before you. I ob |