He prefented to me the original of his powers, fealed with the feal of Great Britain, and certified the copy which he had before prefented to me unfigned; and which I had laid before the Directory. I reciprocally exhibited to him my powers, and gave him a certified copy It was agreed that the originals fhould be exchanged upon the definitive fettle ment of the articles, and before their fignature. 1.ord We entered into difcuffion: Malmesbury prefented to me the Memorial, which I laid before the Directory. I obferved to him, that, fpeaking in the name of the Allies of Great Britain, and stipulating for their interefts, he was, doubtlefs, furnished with their powers and inftructions. He answered me, that he was not; but that, when the Directory fhould have explained itself upon the principle laid down in his Memorial, he would expedite Couriers to give to the different Courts an account of the Negociations, and to receive their orders. I demanded of him if he could, at leaft, fpecify the principle of conceffion in what concerned the Republic and the Government of Great Britain? He replied, that after the Directory fhould have explained itself, he would fend a Courier and demand inftructions on this point. I then thought it my duty to fay to Lord Malmel bury, that I would lay his Memorial before the Directory; that I would take its orders, and impart to him its answer. (Signed) CHA. DELACROIX. ANSWER OF THE DIRECTORY. THE Executive Directory orders theMinifter for Foreign Affairs to make the following anfwer to Lord Malmesbury: The Executive Directory see with pain, that at the moment when they had reafon to hope for the very speedy return of Peace between the French Republic and his Britannic Majefty, the propofition of Lord Malmesbury offers nothing but dilatory or very distant means of bringing the Nego ciation to a conclufion. The Directory observe, that if Lord Malnetbury would have treated separately, as he was formally authorized by the tenor of his Credentials, the Negociations might have been confiderably abridged: that the neceffity of balancing with the interefts of the two Powers thofe of the Allies of Great Britain, multiplies the combinations, increafes the difficulties, tends to the formation of a Congrefs, the forms of which it is known are always tardy, and requires the acceffion of Powers, which hitherto have difplayed no delire of accommodation, and have not given to Lord Malmesbury him. felf, according to his own declaration, any power to ftipulate for them. Thus, without prejudging the intentions of Lord Malmesbury; without drawing any conclufion from the circumstance of his declaration not appearing to accord with his credentials; without fuppofing that he had received any fecret instructions which would destroy the effect of his offenfible powers; without pretending, in short, to affert, that the British Government have had a double object in view-to prevent, by general propofitions, the partial propofitions of other Powers, and to obtain from the people of England the means of continuing the war, by throwing upon the Republic the odium of a delay occafioned by themselves; the Executive Directory cannot but perceive, that the propofition of Lord Malmesbury is nothing more than a renewal, under more amicabre forms, of the propofitions made last year by M. Wickham, and that it presents but a distant hope of peace. The Executive Directory farther obferve, with regard to the principle of ceflion advanced by Lord Malmesbury, that such principle, prefented in a vague and isolated manner, cannot ferve as the basis of nego ciation; that the first points of contideration are, the common neceflity of a juft and folid peace, the political equilibrium which abfolute ceffions might destroy, and then the means which the Belligerent Powers may poffefs-the one to retain conquefts made at a time when it was supported by a great number of Allies now detached from the coalition; and the other, to recover them at a time when those who were at firft its enemies, have, almost all, either become its allies or neater. Nevertheless, the Executive Directory, animated with an ardent defire of potting a ftop to the fcourge of War, and to prove that they will not reject any means of reconciliation, declare, that as foon as Lord Malmesbury hall exhibit to the Minister for Foreign Affairs fufficient powers from the Allies of Great Britain for ftipulating for their refpective interests, accompanied by a promife on their part to fubfcribe to whatever fhall be concluded in their names, the Executive Directory will give a speedy anfwer to the specific propositions which fhall be fubmitted to them, and that the difficulties fhall be removed, as far as may be confiftent with the fafety and dig. nity of the French Republic. (Signed) REVEILLERE-LEPAUX, Prefident. LA GARDE, General Secretary. FOREIGN FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. [FROM THE LONDON GAZETTES.] ASCHAFFENBURG, SEPT. 8, 1796, ROM the returns which have been made it appears, that in the action of he 3, 3200 men were made prifoners, Exclufive of the number that were killed and brought in by the military and pea Tants; two ftandards were likewife taken; 127 French ammunition waggons, and 15 pieces of cannon, among which were fix field pieces that were found in the Citadel of Wurtzburg, The enemy at Schweinfurth left 90 pieces of cannon, and 69 at Freudenberg, leveral magazines in the town of Wurtzburg, and in the Citadel a large cheft, containing fpecie, mandats, and affignats. ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, SEPT. 27, 1796, Extract of a Letter from Vice-Admiral King fmill, Commander in Chief of bis Majefty's Ships and Veffels at Cork, to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated on board bis Majef's Shit, Santa Margania, the 18th and 20th of September 1796. YOU will be pleafed to inform their Lordships, that L'Indemnité, a fast-sailing brig privateer, out of Bourdeaux, pierced for fourteen guns, mounting ter, and fixty-eight men, arrived here the day before yesterday, fent in by his Majefty's hips Diana, Cerberus, and Scanorfe September 20, 1796. Pleafe to inform my Lords Commif, hioners of the Admiralty, that his Majefty's floop Penguin arrived here yefterday, and brought in Le Taupe à L'Oeuil, French privateer brig, as will appear more particularly by the inclofed accounts from Captain Pulling. Penguin, Cove of Cork, September 12, L'Oeuil) giving up the lugger to the prifoners they had on board from the different prizes, fince which they have been cruizing in the Channel, and had taken the brig Liverpool, of Liverpool, from Lisbon; 1 however have the fatisfaction to inform you that none of her prizes efcaped the Penguin, as you will fee by the lift I have the honour to inclofe: The lugger, at the time the enemy abandoned her, had been eighteen days from Breft. I have the honour to be, &c. Robert Kingfmill, Efq Vice- der. Iris, Samuel Walters, Mafter, of and from Swanfea, bound to Cork, laden with coals, taken the 11th of September, retaken the 12th. Betfey, William Biggs, Mafter, from Exeter, belonging to Teignmouth, bound to Milford, laden with pottery, taken the 12th of September, ran, fomed; ranfomer and bond retaken in the Mary the 18th. Mary, John Laughton, Mafter, from Leghorn, belonging to Liverpool, bound to Bristol, laden with merchandize, taken the 13th of September, re taken the 18th. Liverpool, - Underwood, Mafter, from Lisbon, belonging to Liverpool, bound to Bristol, laden with cotton, taken the 16th of September, retaken the 16th. LEIPSIG, SEPTEMBER 18. AN Eftafette from Ratibon is just arrived at this place, informing us, that on the 11th inftant, the Auftrian Generals Frolich and the Prince Furstenberg had made a fuccefsful attack on the enemy's forces affembled near Munich, and forced them to a precipitate retreat, with the loss of about 2000 men killed and wounded, and of 1500 taken prifoners, This victory was chiefly decided by a skilful manoeuvre of General Hotze, in confequence of which he had effected a paffage over the Danube, near Dona ADMIRALTY OFFICE, OCT. 8, 1795. Copy of a Letter from Commodore Sir John Borlafe Warren to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated La Pomone, Falmouth Habour, Oct. 3. 1796. IBGyu will communicate to their Lordships, that in conquence of the activity of Ca. in Woe, whote Letter is enclofed, in company with the Argus lugger, the privateer mentioned in my laft was this day brought into Carrick Road. Copy of a Letter from Captain John C. White, Commander of bis Majejiv`s floop the Sylph, to Commodore Sir John Bartafe Warren. SIR, In obedience to your orders, received on Friday evening, directing me to pro ceed off the Lizard, in fearch of an enemy's cutter that had been feen on the conft, we immediately got under weigh, in company with the Argus lugger, and at daylight on the following day, the Lizard bearing N. N. E.cight leagues; I had the pleature (among many veilcis) to difcover the above cutter standing to the eastward, anil after a chace of four hours, the Sylph came up with and cap. tured the Phonix French privateer, of four guns and 32 men; a new and re. markably fat failing veffel, on her first eruize from Cherbourg. She had been out fix days, and had taken between the Land's End and Lizard, four prizes, (three floops and a brig) which were ordered to make the first convenient port in France. The crews of the floops had been put on board a neutral veffel to be landed in England; thofe belong. ing to the Brig were the only Engli found on board her. After shifting the prifoners, we ftood to the S. E. in hopes of falling in with the brig, which they had taken only the preceding day, but we were not fo fortunate as to intercept her; and as your orders ftrictly requir ed me to return to Falmouth on Sunday morning, I have loft no time to gain this port. I have the honour to be, &c. MEMEL, SEPT. 30. ALIGHT-HOUSE, has been lately erected at this place, and was opened on the aft inft. It stands on the N. E. or Cour land Side of the entrance into the har bour, on an eminence, round in form, and planted with various fhrubs; thirty feet higher than, and 500 paces diftant from, the surface of the sea; and it is, in itfelf, 25 feet high, with its fronting N.W. The apparatus confifts of five large and four leffer, concave mirrors, with as many large candles, and a double patent lamp; and the lights may be feen at all points of the compafs from S. to N. E. to the distance of about 13 Englith miles, Ships having the Light-houfe S. E diftance about two miles, will find good anchorage ground in 10 fathom found. ings. When the light has been approached to within the distance of four miles, it bears the appearance of the blaze of a coal fire; and of three miles of a rifing full moon; but at the diffance of about two miles, the feparate light of each refractor may be clearly diftinguished. ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, OCT. 13, 1796, Pellew, Bart. Captain of_bis Majety's HAVING, by the recapture of the brig Queen of Naples, from Lisbon to Cork, received information of two fchooner privateers, which infeft the feas in the neighbourhood of Corunna, and that one of them had, two days before, take en taken a valuable brig from Bristol, laden with bale goods, which the fuppofed could not be arrived at her deftination, which was Corunna, I immediately puthed for that port, and was happy enough this day to capture one of the fchooners, the Ariel, of Boston, from Bourdeaux 14 days, mounting 12 guns and 75 men; the other fchooner, called Le Vengeur, of the fame force, I am in hopes we hall meet with. The Bristol brig however is, I hear, arrived at Ferrol, into which port have driven two frigates. ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, OCT. 15. Extract of a Letter from Captain Mowat, of bis Majelly's Ship Affiftance, dated Halifax, Sept. 14, 1796, to Mr. Nepean. I HAVE the honour to acquaint you, for the information of my Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, that on the 8th of last month, about four leagues Eaft South Eaft of Cape Henry, the Thibe, who had been fent to look out in the East North East quarter, a Ittle after five in the morning made the fignal for three strange ships being in the Eaft South Eaft. The Bermuda, who had been in chace of a brig the evening before in that quarter, and who was fe. ven or eight miles nearer the ftrange hips than any of the fquadron, the Thibe excepted, repeated or made the fignal, that the ships feen were enemy's thips; upon which the Admiral immediately made the fignal for a general chace. The fquadron was then com pofed of the flag hip, the Affiftance, Thetis, Thibe, Topaze, and Bermuda. Sovery light was the breeze, and withal partial, that the thips did not fteer for fome time. The Topaze was the first that had the breeze, the Thetis, being at fome diftance from her, was the next, and the flag fhip foon after; the Affif tance, being to leeward, and aftern, did not obey her helm before the Topaze was eight or nine miles advanced, the Thetis and Refolution about half that distance. The fquadron continued in purfuit, and about half past five o'clock in the evening the Topaze brought the nearest ship to action, upon which the Teturned a broadfide, and hauled down her colours. The Bermuda being near, bore down to the prize, and the Affiftance's fignal was made to take pollet fion of her. The flag-ship and the frigates, without a moment's lofs of time, continued in chace of the other two fri❤ gates. The Admiral's verbal meffage to me, by Captain Maxtone, was to proceed to Halifax with the prize. Upon my taking poffeffion of her, I found her to be L'Elizabeth, mounting 36 guns, 24 12-pounders on her main-deck, and 12 nines on her quarter-deck and forecaftle, a large thip, faid to be about thoufand tons. DOWNING-STREET, OCT. 18, 1795, DISPATCHES, of which the follow ing are copies, have been received from Captain Anftruther and Robert Craufurd, Efq. by the Right Hon. Lord Grenville, his Majefty's Principal Sccretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Head-Quarters of his Royal Highnefs the Archduke Charles, Haen, Sept. 19, 1796. MY LORD, His Royal Highness the Archduke, leaving a confiderable corps in referve at Windecken, marched with the main body on the 12th to Friedberg. From thence General Kray pushed on with a ftrong advanced guard towards Wetzlar, on the approach of which the enemy abandoned the town, and took post on the heights behind it. General Hotze was detached at the same time towards Weilbourg, but was not able to make himself mafter of the place. His Royal Highness, whofe chief operations feemed hitherto to be directed on Wetzlar, now turned to the left, and, following the great road to Lin bourg, encamped on the 14th inft. near Weyer. His object was to form a junc tion with the corps under General Neu, which was advancing from Schwalback, and to endeavour to penetrate the centre of the enemy's line at the points of Limbourg and Dietz, whilft General Kray turned it by the left from Wetzlar, and General Milius kept in check the right, posted near Naffau. On advancing to reconnoitre the ene my, his Royal Highness found him very advantageously potted, and a confidera ble force on the heights in front of Limbourg; and as from the reports received from the advanced corps there was every occation to believe that he meant to dif pute the paffage of the Lahn, it was judged adviseable to defer the attack till the co-operation of General Neu was more certain, and till the reserve, which was now ordered up from Windecken, fhould arrive. Early on the 6th his Royal High ncfs nefs advanced against the front of the enemy's pofition, whilft General Neu, from Kirberg, turned it. The enemy, who faw himself in danger of being cut off, abandoned the heights with precipi. tation, and, being clofely purfued, was obliged to take shelter behind the Lahn. leaving the Auftrians masters of Dietz and Limbourg. The tirailleurs defended themfelves, however, in the fuburbs of the latter, with fo much, obftinacy that night came on before it was putible to diflodge them. From the refiftance made at Limbourg the Archduke was in hopes that the enemy meant to rifque an action in the pofition of Hadamar, and in confequence the whole army affembled before daybreak on the 17th betwixt Dietz and Limbourg, from which points it was determined that a general attack should be made. A very thick mitt which prevailed in the morning prevented the troops from advancing fo early as was intended; and when it cleared away the enemy was feen in full retreat, and already at fuch a diftençe as to leave no hope of bringing him to action. He abandoned fucceffively, in the course of the day, all his pofts on the Lahn; thote of the left and centre retiring towards the Sieg, and the divifion of the right, and the corps which blockaded Ehrenbreitftein, throwing themfelves into the Tete de Pont at Neuwied, and the entrenchments on the left bank of the Khine. No time was loft by the different Aufrian corps in pafling the Lahn in pur fuit of the enemy. General Kray was on the 19th at Herboon, and puthis on towards Dellenbourg and Siegen. The advanced guard of his Royal Highnefs's column is this day at Hochftebach, in the direction of Alte-Kirck; and General Neu is in the neighbourhood of Neuwied. The pains which the enemy has bettowed in forufying the latter place prefent difficulties which it will perhaps require time to overcome, but which, in the mean time, will not in any degree retard the progrets of the army. The feeble refiftance which the French have made in a poft fo importan: and fo advantageous as that behind the Lahn, and which they certainly had refolved to defend, confirms, in the frongeft manner, the reprefentation which I have had the honour of making to your Lordship of the fituation of their army. Diforders of every kind have ariten to tach a height amongst them, that Jourdan thought it neceffary to demand extraordinary and unlimited powers of the Directory, without which it would be impoffible for him to restore difcipline and fubordination. This re quett was not only refufed by the Di. rectory, but he himfelf is removed from the command, which is conferred on Beurnonville. This circumflance has added much to the difcontent of all claffes of the army. A number of the Officers of the highest rank and reputa tion have given in their refignations, and the defertion amongst the foldiery is prodigious. Under thefe circum ftances, it is rather to be wished than expected, that the enemy may attempt to make another fiand on this fide of the Rhine. I feel infinite fatisfaction in being able to ftate to your Lordship, that, from the favourable accounts received of the fi tuation of Colonel Craufurd, there is every reafon to hope that he will be enabled to refume the functions of this miton much fooner than was at first expected. I have the honour to be, &c. Head Quarters of his Royal Highness the MY LORD, A Report is just received from Licu, tenant-General Hotze, in which he ftates, that in advancing vefterday even. ing towards lock@ebach, he found means to bring on a ferious affair with the rear guard of the enemy, which terminated entirely in favour of the Auftrians. Marceau, Generalf a Divifion, and diftinguified amongst the French for his activity and enterprize, is wounded and taken prifoner. His two Aides de Camp have fhared the fame fate, and his Adjutant-General was left dead on the field, A confiderable number of inferior officers and privates are like wife brought in. The enemy continues his retreat with the utmost precipitation. It is generally fuppofed, however, that he will affemble his whole force in the firong poûtion of kareth, and there make another ftand. This has induced the Archduke to bring nearer to the main body the corps under General Kray, who, in*confequence, encamps to day at Hackenburg. His Royal Highness will be this evening at Wahode, and the advanced guard of. |
