enemy was repulfed, and General Hotze still maintains his posts in frond of the entrenched camp, extending from the Reebach, by the village: of Maubach to Franckenthal.

My Lord,

IT is with the greatest fatisfaction I have the honour of announcing to your Lordship, that official reports were this day received by the Arch. duke, from Generals Alvinzy and Davidovich, wherein it appears that the offenfive operations in Italy have been moft fuccefsfully commenced.

I fhould not prefume to addrefs your Lordfhip upon this fubject, were it not that if Colonel Graham is, as I believe he must be, with Marshal Wurmfer in Mantua, he cannot as yet have had it in his power to correfpond with your Lordflip.

General Alvinzy's report is dated Caldo Ferro, Nov. 7. General Davidovich's at Trente, the 8th inftant.

After the fecond operation, undertaken for the relief of Mantua thofe corps of Marthal Wurmier's army, which could not penetrate, retired; the one under General Quafdanovich to the Venetian Frioul; the other, under General Davidovich, up the valley of the Adige, to wards Neumarkt.

These corps, were fuccefsfully reinforced by confiderable numbers of fresh troops; and General Alvinzy was appointed to command the whole of the army, until it fhould effect its re-union with Marshal Wurmfer.

After the arrival of the reinforcements at the places of their deftina. tion, General Alvinzy, who in perfon had undertaken the conduct of the corps in the Frioul, arranged a plan of operations, of which the following is a fketch.

His own corps was to advance through the Trevifane towards Baffano, and, after forcing the paffages of the Brenta, to proceed towards the Adige, whilft General Davidovich fhould defcend the valley by which that river runs down from the mountains of the Tyrol, forcing the pofitions of Trente, Rovoredo, &c.

On the 3d of this month, upon the approach of part of General Alvinzy's advanced guard, the enemy abandoned Caftel Franco; and on the 4th, the Austrian corps advanced in two columns to the Brenta ; the one to Baffano (of which they took poffeffion) and the other of nearly equal force (under Lieutenant-general Proverra) to Ponteniva.

General Alvinzy halted on the 5th inftant, and fpent that day in reconnoitering the pofition of the enemy. He found the French army encamped in three lines, in front of Vicenza.

On the 6th, as General Alvinzy was on the point of pushing forward his advanced guard, Buonaparte, who had marched in the night, com. menced a moft fevere attack upon his whole line. The action began with General Proverra's corps about feven in the morning, and very hortly afterwards the enemy alfo advanced againft Baffano.

Generał.

-General Alvinzy reports, that the enemy's attacks, though made with the greatest impetuofity, were conftantly and completely repelled; and that night put an end to the affair, without either party having gained or loft any ground: but an indisputable proof of the Auftrians having had the advantage in this action is, that when General Alvinzy next morning was preparing to renew it, he found that the enemy had completely retreated. He reports, that they directed their march towards Lifiera.

General Proverra's bridge over the Brenta having been destroyed in the course of the morning of the 6th, his column could not cross the river till towards noon on the 7th, and General Alvinzy's whole corps yarrived late in the evening of that day at the camp of Caldo-Ferro.

General Davidovich had in the mean time driven back the corps oppofed to him, and made a thousand prifoners, and taken poffeffion of Trente, as was mentioned in his former report.

On the fame day that the above-mentioned fevere action was fought on the Brenta, General Davidovich attacked the enemy in the ftrong pafs of Caliano, a little to the northward of Rovoredo. The French had entrenched their pofition, and occupied, in confiderable force, the caftles of Baffano and La Pietra, which, as I understand, command the pafs.

The ftrength of the pofition was fuch, that, notwithstanding his repeated efforts, General Davidovich could not force it on the 6th; but on the following day he renewed his attack.

The corps on the right of the Adige established batteries on the heights of Nomi, which fired with confiderable effect; the troops on the left of the river attacked the caftles and intrenchments with perfe vering bravery, and the enemy was at length completely defeated," with the lofs of five cannons, eight ammunition waggons, and a thoufand prifoners. General Davidovich fuppofes the enemy's lofs, in killed and wounded, to have been very confiderable, and ftates his own to have amounted to four hundred men, killed, wounded, and miffing.

I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed)

ROBERT CRAUFURD.

From the LONDON GAZETTE, Nov. 29, 1796.

Parliament-fireet, November 29.

A DISPATCH from the Governor and Council of Madras, dated Fort St. George, June 22, 1796, of which the following is a copy, has been received by the Court of Directors of the Eaft India Company, and by them communicated to the Right Hon. Henry Dundas, one of his Majesty's principal fecretaries of ftate.

HONOURABLE SIRS,

WE have particular fatisfaction in offering to you our fincere congra tulations on the complete fuccefs which has attended the operations of Rear-admiral Rainier in the eastern feas; and judging that an early com munication of this event might be of material uie to his Majesty's mi

nilters,

niffers, we have determined to forward this letter by the route of Bufforah.

It appears by the rear-admiral's dispatches, dated the 27th of March and 11th of April last, and which reached us on the 18th inftant, by the Orpheus frigate, that the British troops were in poffeffion of the idlands of Amboyoa and Banda, with their feveral dependencies, compriting, as it was thought, the whole of the Dutch iflands, excepting Formate, yielding cloves, nutmegs, and mace. This acquifition has been attained without the fmalleft lofs on our fide.

Amboyna and its dependencies were delivered up on the 16th of February, and Banda and its dependencies on the 8th of March. Copies of the capitulations are incloted.

The admiral fpeaks in the handsomest manner of the activity and alacrity with which every duty was performed by the forces under his command, both naval and military; and dwells particularly on the perfect harmony which all along fubfifted between the officers and men in both fervices. It behoves us on this occafion to convey to you the high tenfe we entertain of the able and spirited conduct difplayed by Rearadmiral Rainier, whofe hearty co-operation with us in every measure conducive to the public weal demands our warmeft acknowledgements; and whilst we feel affured of your entire approbation of all the means employed by this government, to give effect to the arrangements framed by his Majefty's minifters for fecuring the Dutch fettlements in India, it is, nevertheless, incumbent upon us to declare, that the accompliment of this great object has been chiefly obtained by the zealous and cheerful fupport which we have had the good fortune to expe rience from the officer entrusted with the execution of it.

We fhall do ourselves the honour of tranfmitting, by the first sea conveyance, copies of all the papers received from the admiral, which will enable you to form an accurate opinion of the value of those islands. At prefent we can only give you a fummary of his proceedings.

The admiral found in the, treafury at Amboyna 81,112 rix dollars, and in ftore 515,940 pounds weight of cloves; in the treasury at Banda 66,675 rix dollars, and in store 84,777 pounds of nutmegs, and 19,587 pounds of mace, befides merchandize and other stores at each place, upon which no value had been then put.

We are preparing to fend a reinforcement of troops for the better protection of thofe valuable iflands; and, as the admiral has advifed us that he is fhort of provilions, and in want of a fupply of naval and military ftores, it is our intention to forward an adequate ftock of every neceffary article.

We have great pleafure in acquainting you, that the Company's poffeflions on this coaft are in a flate of perfect tranquillity; and that we have no reason to believe that any defigns are in agitation by the native powers hoftile to your interefts.

We have the honour to be, &c.

Capitulation of Amboyna, tranflated from the original Dutch, Feb. 15, 1796.

NOT finding ourfelves equal to withstand the great force with which we have been furprized, we the underfigned governor and council do hereby give up this fettlement, with all its dependencies, and place the fame under the protection of his Britannic Majefty, upon the conditions mentioned to us in the letter of the Right Hon. the Governor of Madras; and that is, upon condition that we may keep all our private property, and be allowed a reafonable fubfiftence; that the inhabitants be guaranteed in the fecure poffeffion of their private properties; and that the fenior and junior fervants of the civil eftablishment, the clergy, the military, and marine, receive their ufual pay.

It is upon the above conditions that we fhall, to-morrow morning, give over all the guards of the fort to the troops of his Britannic Ma jefty, after receiving the ratification of this inftrument by his excellency the commodore.

Done at Amboyna, in the caftle of Victoria, on the above date.

(Signed)

(Dutch Co. Seal)

A. CORNABE.
B. SMISSART.
T. OSTROWSKI.
ENEAS MACKAY.
ERON FYZABAD.

Approved of and acceded to,

(Signed).

(English Seal)

P. RAINIER.
W. C. LENNON,
Secretary.

"Capitulation agreed upon between his Excellency Peter Rainier, Efg. Commodore, commanding the Sea and Land Forces of his Britannic Majefty in thefe Seas, and F. Van Boeckholtz, Governor of Banda, &c. &.

IN confideration of our great want of provifions, and the great force with which the British have appeared before this fettlement, and to refift which would bring destruction and defolation on the harmless inhabitants of this place, we therefore think it prudent, for the fake of humanity, and from our confidence in the honour and generofity of the English, to accept of the terms offered to us, and to deliver into their hands this fort and fettlement, with all its dependencies, upon the following conditions, viz.

That private property be kept fecure to every individual of this fettlement, whether in or out of the company's fervice; that the fervants of the company, civil and military, be kept in their refpective ftations, as far as may be thought neceffary for the adminiftration of juftice; and the civil government of the place, the governor alone particularly excepted, as the government must, of course, be vested in the English; that the military continue to receive their pay, and are not to be forced into the British service contrary to their wishes; and the civil -fervants also to be continued on their prefent pay; and fuch an allow lowance made for the provifion of the governor as his excellency the commander of the British forces may think adequate. The governor, however, and any other fervants of the company, fhall be permitted to

retire from the service, either to Batavia or elsewhere, whenever a convenient opportunity fhall offer.

Upon thefe conditions we, the undersigned, confent to deliver up Fort Naffau, the fettlement of Banda, and all its dependencies, to the troops of his Britannic Majefty to-morrow morning, upon receiving a copy of this capitulation, ratified and figned by his excellency the Britifh commander. The keys of all the public property, and all accounts properly authenticated, fhall be immediately delivered over to the Britifh, and the government entirely vefted in them.

Fort Nalau, Banda, Neira, March 8, 1796.

From the LONDON GAZETTE, Dec. 17, 1796.

Admiralty Office, Dec. 17.

Copy of a Letter from Rear-admiral Bazely, Commanding Officer of his Majefty's Ships and Veffels in the Downs, to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated on board bis Majefty's Ship Overyssel, the 14th of December, 1796.

SIR,

I HAVE just received a letter from Lieutenant Webb, commanding the Marechal De Cobourg cutter, acquainting me that, on the night of the 12th inftant, off Dungeness, he fell in with, and, after a chace of two hours, captured a French lugfail privateer of two guns and eighteen men, named the Espoire, which had left Boulogne the day before, but had not taken any thing.

I am, Sir, &c.

JOHN BAZELY.

From the LONDON GAZETTE, Dec. 20, 1796.

Parliament Street, Dec, 20.

DISPATCHES, of which the following is a Copy, have been re ceived by the Right Hon. Henry Dundas, one of his Majefty's principal fecretaries of state.