TURKEY.

ON the 23d of December, 1796, Mahomet Coggea, envoy

from Hamonde Pacha, Bey of Tunis, prefented by the mi nifter of foreign affairs, was admitted to an audience of the Executive Directory. He produced a letter from the Bey to the prefident, containing affurances of his attachment to the interests of the Republic, and his defire to efface the fubjects of complaint occafioned by fome disagreeable circumftances, and to renew the. ancient friendship and confidence which connected the two ftates.

The prefident replied, by affuring him of the most perfect reciprocity of friendly fentiments on the part of the Republic.

PAR

PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.

By the King, a Proclamation.

GEORGE R.

WHEREAS our Parliament, which we fummoned to meet at Weltminster on Tuesday the twelfth day of July last, ftands prorogued to Thursday the fifteenth day of this inftant September: we, with the advice of our Privy Council, do, for divers weighty reasons, hereby publish and declare, that the said Parliament thall be further prorogued, on the faid fifteenth day of September, to Tuefday the twenty-feventh day of this inftant September. And we have given order to our Chancellor of Great Britain to prepare a writ patent under our great feal for proroguing the fame accordingly: and we do further hereby, with the advice aforefaid, declare our royal will and pleasure that the faid Parliament fhall, on the faid twenty-feventh day of this inftant September, be held and fit for the dispatch of divers urgent and important affairs; and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Knights, Citizens, and Burgeffes, and the Commiffioners for Shires and Burghs of the Houfe of Commons, are hereby required and commanded to give their attendance accordingly at Westminster, on the faid twenty-feventh day of this inftant September.

Given at our Court at Weymouth, the third day of Sep-
tember, in the thirty-fixth year of our reign.
God fave the King,

Dublin, Sept. 15. By the Lord Lieutenant-General and General Governor of Ireland,

a Proclamation.

CAMDEN.

WHEREAS his Majefty hath fignified unto us his royal pleafure, that the Parliament of this kingdom be prorogued to Tuesday the 11th day of October next, then to fit for the dispatch of bufinefs: we do, therefore publish and declare, that the faid Parliament, which now ftands prorogued to Monday the 19th day of September inft. be, and accordingly the faid Parliament is hereby further prorogued to Tuefday the 11th day of October next, and the fame fhall be then held at Dublin, and for the dispatch of business; whereof the Lords Spiritual and Temporal,

and

and the Commons in this prefent Parliament, are to take notice, and give their attendance accordingly.

Given at his Majefty's Caftle of Dublin, the 13th day of
September, 1796.

By his Excellency's command,

God fave the King.

E. COOKE.

His Majesty's most gracious Speech to both Houfes of Parliament, on Thurfday the 6th of October, 1796.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

IT T is a peculiar fatisfaction to me, in the prefent conjuncture of affairs, to recur to your advice, after the recent opportunity which has been given for collecting the fenfe of my people, engaged in a difficult and arduous conteft, for the prefervation of all that is mofl dear to us.

I have omitted no endeavours for fetting on foot negotiations to reftore peace to Europe, and to fecure for the future the general tranquillity. The fteps which I have taken for this purpose have at length opened the way to an immediate and direct negotiation, the iffue of which muft either produce the defirable end of a juft, honourable, and folid peace for us, and for our allies, or must prove, beyond difpute, to what canfe alone the prolongation of the calamities of war must be ascribed.

I fhall immediately fend a perfon to Paris, with full powers to treat for this object, and it is my anxious with that this measure may lead to the restoration of general peace: but you must be fenfible that nothing can so much contribute to give effect to this defire, as your manifefting that we poffefs both the determination and the refources to oppofe, with increafed activity and energy, the farther efforts with which we may have to contend.

You will feel this peculiarly neceffary at a moment when the enemy has openly manifefted the intention of attempting a defcent on thefe kingdoms. It cannot be doubted what would be the iffue of fuch an enterprize; but it befits your wifdom to neglect no precautions that may either preclude the attempt, or fecure the speedieft means of turning it to the confufion and ruin of the

enemy.

In reviewing the events of the year, you will have obferved that, by the fkill and exertions of my navy, our extensive and increafing commerce has been protected to a degree almost beyond example, and the fleets of the enemy have, for the greatest part of the year, been blocked up in their own ports.

VOL. V.

Sf.

The

The operations in the Eaft and Weft Indies have been highly honourable to the British arms, and productive of great national advantage; and the valour and good conduct of my forces, both by fea and land, have been eminently confpicuous.

The fortune of war on the continent has been more various; and the progrefs of the French armies threatened, at one period, the utmost danger to all Europe; but from the honourable and dignified perfeverance of my ally the Emperor, and from the intrepidity, difcipline, and invincible fpirit of the Auftrian forces, under the aufpicious conduct of the Archduke Charles, fuch a turn has lately been given to the courfe of the war, as may infpire a well-grounded confidence that the final refult of the campaign will prove more difaftrous to the enemy than its commencement and progrefs for a time were favourable to their hopes.

The apparently hoftile difpofitions and conduct of the court of Madrid have led to difcuffions, of which I am not yet enabled to acquaint you with the final refult; but I am confident that whatever may be their iffue, I fhall have given to Europe a farther proof of my moderation and forbearance; and I can have no doubt of your determination to defend against every aggreffion the dignity, rights, and interefts, of the British empire.

Gentlemen of the Houfe of Commons,

I rely on your zeal and public fpirit for fuch fupplies as you may think neceffary for the fervice of the year. It is a great fatisfaction to me to obferve, that, notwithstanding the temporary embarrassments which have been experienced, the ftate of the commerce, manufactures, and revenue of the country, proves the real extent and folidity of our refources, and furnishes you with fuch means as must be equal to any exertions which the present crisis may require.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The diftreffes, which were in the last year experienced from the fcarcity of corn, are now, by the bleffing of God, happily removed, and an abundant harvest affords the pleafing profpect of relief in that important article to the labouring claffes of the community. Our internal tranquillity has alfo continued undisturbed; the general attachment of my people to the British conftitution has appeared on every occafion, and the endeavours of thofe who withed to introduce anarchy and confufion into this country, have been repreffed by the energy and wifdom of the laws,

To defeat all the defigns of our enemies, to restore to my people the bleffings of a fecure and honourable peace, to maintain inviolate their religion, laws, and liberty, and to deliver down unimpaired to the latest pofterity the glory and happiness of thefe

thefe kingdoms, is the conftant wifh of my heart, and the uniform end of all my actions. In every measure that can conduce to thefe objects, I am confident of receiving the firm, zealous, and affectionate fupport of my Parliament.

'

In the Houfe of Commons Lord Morpeth moved the following Addrefs:

The humble Addrefs of the Houfe of Commons to the King.`·

Moft gracious Sovereign,

WE, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, the Commons of Great Britain, in Parliament affembled, beg leave. to return your Majesty our humble and unanimous thanks for your moft gracious fpeech from the throne.

We are truly fenfible of your Majefty's parental regard for the intereft of your fubjects, in having omitted no endeavours for fetting on foot negotiations to reftore peace to Europe, and to fecure for the future the general tranquillity; and we rejoice to learn, that the steps which have been taken for this purpose have at length opened the way to an immediate and direct negotiation, which, we doubt not, will be fo conducted on your Majesty's part, as either to produce the defirable end of a juft, honourable, and folid peace, for us and for our allies, or to prove beyond difpute to what caufe alone the prolongation of the calamities of war must be afcribed.

We cordially join with your Majefty in an anxious wish that the ftep, which your Majefty propofes to take, of fending a perfon to Paris with full powers to treat, may lead to the restora tion of general peace; but we are fully fenfible that nothing can fo much contribute to give effect to this defire, as manifesting that we poffefs both the determination and the refources to oppofe, with increased activity and energy, the further efforts with whichwe may have to contend;, and we must indeed feel this to be peculiarly neceffary when an, intention has been openly manifested of attempting a defcent on these kingdoms; and, although it cannot be doubted what would be the iffue of fuch an enterprize, we deem it an indifpenfable duty to neglect no precautions that may either preclude the attempt, or fecure the fpeedieft means of turning it to the confufion and ruin of the enemy.

In reviewing the events of the year we have not failed to obferve,

a juft fatisfaction, that, by the fkill and exertions of your ty's navy, our extenfive and increafing commerce has been cted to a degree almoft beyond example; and that the fleets

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