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harbour of Brest, 16th Thermidor, Aug. 4, Year 12, 1804.

My Lord,-in my dispatch of the 14th I had the ho: our to inform you that the squadron of observation had sailed. I announced to you that we had discovered in the Yroise only two frigates, which retired before ours, but I supposed the enemy's fleet to be at no great distance from the island of Ushant, and that in all probability the fog which then prevailed had prevented the watch-posts from discovering them, and informing us by signal. My opinion in this respect was the better founded, as in the evening of the 14th, having proceeded towards Point St. Andrew, I heard in the offing a great number of cannon fired in broadsides, which in the English navy is very commonly a signal for rallying. During the night of the 14th we kept a good look out, and were always prepared either to take a position in the pass, or to return to Brest-On the morning of the 15th, we discovered at intervals through the haze, five sail, which we judged to be two of the line, one frigate and two smaller vessels. The wind was too weak and uncertain to put all the ships under sail, but all our frigates had orders to reconnoitre the enemy. The enemy in their turn gave chace to our vessels, and in the evening approached in to examine our position. A ship of Se guns came even within cannon shot of our squadron. This assurance left me no doubt that a superior force was com ing up. The fog still continued, and we could scarcely see the vessels at the distance of two leagues. The frigates had orders. to follow the enemy's division, and to en deavour before night, to reconnoitre as far out to sea as possible. All the ships were entirely ready to return to the pass, when the headmost frigate made a signal of seeing the enemy's fleer, to the number of 15 sail, crowding all sail towards us. pected it would be sufficiently dark to prevent our preparations for sailing being seen. All the vessels were under sail the moment my order was issued, and they manœuvered in concert with great precision. The wind was faint, and the night very dark; thick banks of fog often concealed from us the coast, and yet there was not the smallest confusion in the squadron, and at ten at night we were all anchored in the road of Brest, without the least accident.-In the night the enemy made various signals by the firing of cannon in the road which we had quitted, and at day light two frigates, with their cutters were still in that spot, with a view, no doubt, to examine

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whether we had left there our anchors, and to take up the buoys. The enemy's fleet was seen at the same time, to the number of nineteen vessels, several frigates and sloops. The squadron of observation cons tinues ready for sailing on the first noticej and your excellency may rest assured that we will do whatever is possible.-Health and respect,-GANTHEAUME.

Vice-Admiral Villeneuve, Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, Commandant of the Squadron of Rocbfort, to his Excellency my Lord Minister of the Marine. On board the Majestueus, in the Road of the Isle of Aix, 16b Thermidor (Aug. 4) Year 12.) My Lord-The day before yesterday the Jemappe and Suffrein, with the frigates Armide and La Gloire, got under sail. For several days they saw no English vessels but a frigate. These vessels chased her out of sight of the coast, and were coming up with her, but they soon discovered five sail, and immediately tacked about. Yes. tertlay five vessels, two frigates and a cor vette of the enemy were seen.- -Health and respect,-VILLENEUVE.

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Vice-Admiral Latouche Treville, Grand Oftcer of the Legion of Honour, Grand Officer of the Empire, Inspector General of the Mirine, and Commander in Chief of the Squa. dron of his Imperial Majesty in the Medi terranean, to bis Excellency Vice Admiral Dacres, Minister of the Marine and Colsnies: -Or board Le Bucentaure, in th: Road of Toulon, 19th Thermidor (Aug-7) 12th Year of the Republic, and the 1st of "the Reign of Napoleon, 1804 ·

General, I have the honour to acquaint you, that after a cruize of three days, the division under the command of rear-admi ral Damanoir returned. This officer informs me that he performed continual evo lutions, and is satisfied with the precision and manœuvres of all his captains. The squadron kept always at the di tance of sis or seven leagues from the land. The sig nal men placed on the coast having yester day discovered six of the enemy's ships, I ordered out the Neptune to render our squadron equal, but the English proceeded S. S. E., and were not seen by our ships from the mast head.I salute you with re spect,-LATOUCHÉ TREVILLE.

Answer of the Ottoman Porte to the Circular Note of General Brune (see p. 233), dated Constantinople, August 9, 1804.

The sublime porte has received a note presented by its friend, the French ambas

Supplement to No. 13, Fol. VI.-Price 10d.

sador, and understands its contents-it says: Napoleon Bonaparte, the first, consul, is elected an emperor of the French; this dignity shall continue hereditary with his children and descendants, or, in default of such issue, then it shall descend to the legitimate children of Joseph and Louis Bonaparte.— Farther, that the representatives of the French empire in foreign countries have orders, until they obtain their new credentials, to abstain from all official communication, with the exception of those which require an immediate discussion for the continuance of the friendship subsisting between them and France. The sublime porte, according to its usual frankness, has rejoiced in the advancement to dignity, honour, and glory, of this, as well as of every other friendly power. The sublime porte declares, therefore, to its friend the French ambassador, that it has heard with real pleasure a measure which makes faster those ties which unite it with France, and which are nearly connected with the internal security and tranquillity of the French empire. With regard to the communication, that this note is not to be regarded as official, until its sentiments are known; and the necessary changes which have taken place are approved of; the above answers this observation. With satisfaction the sublime porte shall always regard every measure, which confirms its so fortunately subsisting friendship with France.

Note transmitted by order of bis Swedish Majesty to M. Caillard, the French ChargédAffaires at Stockholm, Sept. 7, 1804.

His majesty the King of Sweden has received a report of the improper, the insolent, and the ridiculous observations which Monsieur Napoleon Buonaparté has allowed to be inserted in his Moniteur of the 14th of August, under the article Ratisbon.--The tone, the style, and even the subject of this article, are all of so extraordinary a nature, that his majesty has been yet hardly able to comprehend the object of such an act of political extravagance. If it has been done in the hope of misleading the public as to the conduct of his majesty, as it appears from the uncommon pains that are taken to draw a line of separation between his majesty and his subjects, let the world understand, that any instigation to that effect never could have been less likely to succeed than at this moment, or than it always will, with a people whose interests are bound up with those of a sovereign, who has never separated his prosperhy from theirs, and who so happy when he contributes to

never feels

the

glory

and to the happiness of his subjects.

-As

his majesty cannot, consistent with his own dignity, or the honour of his crown, permit any official intercourse, after such an insult, he has ordered me, Sir, to communicate to you, that, from this day, all diplomatic intercourse of every kind, both private and public, is immediately to cease between the French legation at Stockholm and his majesty's government. As a sentence in the article above-mentioned seems to imply that the French government is disposed to admit that the continuance of the commercial intercourse between Sweden and France would be attended with some advantages, his majesty, on his part, is willing to permit the same, from those sentiments of esteem which he has always entertained for the French people; sentiments which he has inherited from his ancestors, and which owe their origin to far happier times.(Signed) T. D. EHRENHEIM.

FOREIGN OFFICIAL PAPERS. E Report of the Engagements of the 8th and 9th Fructidor, (26th and 27th August), between a part of the French Flotilla stationed before Boulogne, and the English Squadron.

On the 8th of Fructidor (Aug. 26), at noon, the line of the Imperial Flotilla was composed of 62 boats of the first class, 42 of the second, six bombarding boats, and 36 pinnaces. The enemy were at anchor at the distance of one league and a half, on a line parallel with ours-their force consisted of two ships of the line, two frigates of 44, seven sloops of war with three masts, two luggers and a cutter. The wind blew from the N. N. E. a little fresh; the weather was very fine, and the sea but little agitated, when at two o'clock, P. M. one of the enemy's sloops of wat, with three masts, manouvred to observe our line. They remained at a long cannon shot distance, and fired several broadsides directed against our boats, The Admiral made a signal to the first division of gun boats, commanded by Capt, Le Ray, to weigh anchor, and to advance from the line, in order to drive back the sloop of war. This order was executed with celerity, and scarcely was the division under weigh, bearing down upon the sloop of war, before she fell back on her squadron. The sea at that moment opposed us, and the tide was just beginning to be felt. The division received orders to tack and keep to windward, which they effected with such success, as to be in a little time more than a league out from the right of our line. In the mean time the enemy had formed a detachment composed of one frigate of 44, one sloop of 21,

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three brigs of 18, and a cutter of 16 guns, to attack our division, and oppose their rallying. At three o'clock the French division, on a signal being made to that effect, instead of remaining on the defensive, went to meet the enemy; the action commenced at half gun shot, and the firing soon became genéral. At this moment his Majesty the Eperor enibarked in a boat with the Admiral, to direct more closely the movements of the flotilla. His Majesty was accompanied by

The

the Ministers of War and of Marine.
enemy at first stood off, but they soon re-
sumed their line, and, tacking towards the
land, came again to attack the right of the
flotilla, artwo-thirds cannon shot. This dis-
tance was soon diminished by an order given
by the Emperor to come to close quarters
with the enemy. The Admiral made all
the boats come into a close front line, steer-
ing towards the enemy. This movement
brought the two lines within less than half
cannon shot, and a very hot fire commenced
between them. The enemy sustained it for
two hours with great firmness; but it was
all at once observed that the enemy's stoop
of war, in consequence of signals which she

out of action. The frigate herself tacked,
'abandoned the field of battle, and was fol-
lowed by her división, entirely disabled. Our
gun boats and several armed pinnaces pur-
sted her, canmooading her in the retreat.
The cutter, which formed part of the Eng-
fish line, had not time to join her squadron;
she was so roughly handled by our fire, that
she suck about three quarters of a league
from the anchorage of her consorts, in the
sight of an immense crowd, who had come
to the coast in order to witness the combat.
"At this moment the tide being already very
strong, and carrying the flotilla to leeward,
the Admiral made the signal to manœuvre,
in order to retake their stations in the line.
It was then half past six o'clock, and soon
afterwards our vessels anchored in good or-
der, in the posts which they should occupy
in the roads. At 4 o'clock P. M. the fourth
division, commanded by Captain Pevriex,
had also orders to make sail and to work to
windward, in order to join the first division.
In executing that movement, they had an
opportunity of cannonading the headmost
vessels of the enemy; they manoeuvred very
well; their fite was extremely hot, and con
tributed greatly to the retreat of the enemy.
This division received orders to return to an-
chor at the same time with the first, and,
like it, retook its position. A section of the
Prussian mortar pinnaces, commanded by
Lieut. Maison Blanche, bore down upon the

It

"enemy with our first division of gun boats, and, by the audacity and intelligence of its manœuvres, constantly cannonaded the enemy at a very short distance, during the whole time of the action. Another section of the same pinnaces, commanded by Lieut. La salle, which could not get out of port till three o'clock, succeeded by its efforts and good manœuvres, in coming up with the énemy during the action, and having also come to close action, fought him to advantage. Several boats of this kind, commanded by young officers of the marine, went within 200 fathoms of the English frigate, as well as of other ships, and thus placed themselves in a position to board, if the freshness of the wind had fallen. In general the Admiral has only praises to bestow on the conduct of all the divisions, all of which had a share in the engagements of that day. He speaks highly of the attention which has been paid to his signals, and of the precision with which his orders have been executed was impossible for him to remark, from his Majesty's boat, in which he was embarked, the vessels which had the greatest right to te testimonies of his satisfaction; bat he was able to distinguish the bold and well sup ported manœuvres of the section of pinnaces, commanded by Lieut. Mason Blanche, which fought from the commencement to the ter mination of both actions. That commandant has rendered a very favourable account to the Admiral of the two Ensigns Massien and Vatinel, each commanding one of the pinnaces of his division, and of Bernard, com manding the Prussian Mortar Pinnace No. 68, which approached nearest the enemy, where she maintained herself with a firm ness and courage deserving the highest praise, His Majesty the Emperor, as well as the Admiral, remarked, particularly at the conclusion of the engagement, when the enemy were in retreat, the fine conduct of Ensign Morin, on board the gun boat No. 108; of the Ensigns Bourdon and Delauny, both commanding pinnaces, all of whom re-conducted the English frigate to the anchoring ground of her squadron, cannonading her at a very short distance. During the course of the engagements which took place on that day, the batteries on the coast kept up an equally hot and well directed fire on the enemy, as often as they came within reach. Before going ashore, the Emperor visited part of our line; he put various questions relative to the events of the combat to those who had taken part in it; and finally, after having gone on board the gun-boat No. 108, of which the deck had been split by a 32lb. ball, his Majesty disembarked in

the port of Boulogne, and ascended to his head quarters at the Tour d'Ordre, where he passed the night. That day, which cost the enemy one of their vessels and its crew, without counting the other men which they must have lost, as well on board the frigate as of the other vessels, almost all of which were disabled, leaves us only to regret oue man killed on board the gun-boat No. 108; seven others were wounded, one of them very badly. As to our vessels, they suffered in their sails and hulls; but none of them sustained considerable injury, because their little height above water presenting but a very small surface to the enemy, the balls passed over them, or fell near without striking them. On the following day, the 9th, the enemy's squadron had been reinforced in the night by a frigate and several sloops of war.-The wind blew moderately from the S. W. The Admiral availed himself of the rest of the tide to make the 3d division of boats, of the first class, commanded by Capt. Guinguand, as well as a section of pinnaces carrying Prussian mortars, commanded by Lieut. Lasalle, to get under weigh. These vessels worked very promptly to windward, and formed in the order of battle to the S. W. of de L'Heurt. The enemy immediately detached two frigates of 44 guns, and four small brigs of war, which approached our division; these went to meet the enemy, and the combat commenced. The enemy, incessantly manoeuvring to keep themselves at long cannon shot, and having resumed the tack which would conduct them to their squadron, our division received orders to come to close action. In executing of this order, all the vessels composing it bore down at once upon the English, and the action soon became more waim; but the enemy, always eluding a decisive engagement, allowed themselves to be drawn to. wards their squadron by carrying sail, and thus left ours the field of battle. Half an hour afterwards, the Admiral, fearing that, with the wind which blew, the flood would not permit our vessels to resume their sta tions in the line, made them the signal to tack, in order to get higher up. This manouvre having got them sufficiently to windward, each took his post at the anchoring ground, according to the orders of the Admiral. There was but one man wounded, and none killed in this little engagement. Some of our boats received a slight damage in their hulls; but we may presume that the enemy, who, towards the conclusion of the contest only fought retreating, has suffered much more severely.

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RUSSIA AND FRANCE.

Copy of a demi official paper, published and circulated on the Continent, by way of an swer, on the part of Russia, to the late observations in the French paper, the Moniteur,

There is no reason why the formation of an army of .5 or 6000 Russians, in the Republic of the Seven Islands, should give rise to much political conjecture. Such a measure is undoubtedly a very inferior part of that general system which Russia, thinks it incumbent on her to follow at this mo ment. The attention of the political world should not be directed to an expedition of 6000 men; it is the whole of the system that we are to look to. -Twelve months are scarcely elapsed, since Alexander the First ordered that 111,000 men should be raised in his Empire; and that levy has been so effectually executed, that they are, at this day, formed into regiments, and per fectly disciplined. This levy has increased the Russian military force to upwards of 400,000 soldiers, and 60,000 seamen, Add to these, 50,000 irregular troops, which are already embodied, and 100,000 more, which may be assembled in a short time, consisting of Kalmucks, Bashkiers, and the different hordes of Tartars, every man of whom, upon the promise of being allowed to plunder, would enrol himself: with such a force at its command, can it be asked, if Russia have a right to the character she assumes, in an age when the power of the strongest is the only one that is respected?

-It must be acknowledged, morally speaking, that it is to France that Russia is indebted for the brilliant situation which she now occupies, and which cannot be denied to be of the very first order. The period from whence this commanding and prominent position was occupied by Russia, may be dated from the commencement of that system of tyranny and injustice, which France has established; a system of invasion, of rapine, and of oppression, which has been exercised wherever its power could reach; and above all, since it became apparent that its ambitious views were directed to no less an object than the attainment of Universal Monarchy. Since that time Russia has become the shield of the weak, and Alexander, seated on his throne, has assumed the character of the protector and arbiter of empires. Can France compel her to lay aside this dignified character? Let her not deceive herself in imagining

she can. Russia is not in the situation of
an actor, who puts on the purple to play
the part of a King; she is not an upstart,
who appears what she really is not; the at-
titude of the lion befits her, because she pos-
sesses both his force and his dignity; she is
a Colossal power, whose eyes have been
unsealed by the faults of others, and view-
ed, in her true light, a Colossus of the most
formidable description.--Whether Rus-
sia will unite herself to Prussia or to Aus
tria, whether she attaches herself to Eng-
land, or stands alone, she must always be
respectable, and among the first order of
powers respectable, as long she shall follow
a system of justice and disinterestedness,
and that, confident in her strength, she shall
openly resist a plan of universal despotism,
and lay open to the world the violation of
rights the most sacred; that impious viola-
tion, which has been so well described in
the strong but temperate note, which was
presented at Ratisbon.--Russia, it must
be admitted, can never be a considerable
gainer by indulging a desire of conquest.
She is extensive enough already; her boun-
daries are such, that she need not wish for
any alteration in them; but she may be a
gainer, and so may Europe, by the conse-
quences of any war that the plain dealing
and foresight of her Sovereign may induce
him to declare.--Alexander is naturally
of a mild and amiable disposition, but in
whatever concerns the principles of jus-
tice, he is decided almost to obstinacy; and
they know him but little, who imagine that
the note to the Diet of Ratisbon, was sug-
gested by Markow, and his adherents, in-
veterate as their hatred is supposed to be.-
What is the great danger to which a war
with France would expose the Russian Em-
pire? It does not follow that the Russian
army is to march to Paris. No, nor can the
French reach Petersburgh, Moscow, or the
Crimea, since they are not able to detach a
single ship, the whole of their navy being
blockaded and confined to their ports. As
to battles and marches, brave as the French
are, they are but men like others-they
cannot exceed the limits which the laws of
nature have placed to human efforts.-Will
it be said, that the commerce of Russia will
be affected by a rupture with France? Cer-
tainly not-for with what articles does she
supply that country? None directly.
What does she import from thence? Arti-
cles of luxury, which are prohibited. It is
true, she receives some wine from France;
but with that article she is, at present,
plentifully supplied-and even if she were
not; she could do without it, as she did

Will it be

during the former rapture.
asserted that France could do izfinite mis-
chief to Russia, by the troubles that her
emissaries could excite in the interior of
the country? Of all the errors in political
calculation, this would be one of the great-

est.

The people of Russia are those which, approach nearest to a state of nature, except the savages; and they are the only people in the universe who neither know how to read or write, but still they are not barbarians. They know no government but their own, which they fear and respect. They honour their Sovereign with the title of a God upon earth. They have no other civilization than the practical one which their sovereigns thought it useful and necessary to introduce. Masons, carpenters, joiners, locksmiths, armourers, and artisans of all sorts, and all excellent in their kind, are to be found in Russia in abundance, and still they know not how to read or write. The strangers who reside in Russia are re garded by the natives as a parcel of leeches who absorb their wealth. After this description, let the emissaries and instigators of France attempt to excite divisions in that country, and they will find that the govern ment, with a single blast can eradicate them. It is certainly true that the popu lation of Russia, compared with its extent, is rather small; but this, however, admits of some explanation. In the first place, the population is not equally distributed through the empire; and again, there are parts of Russia which are absolutely uninhabitable. Besides, where is the necessity of augment ing the population of the country? I is the duty of a Sovereign to make his eo le hap py, but it is not so clear that it is his duty to increase the number of them. In a moral point of view, war is assuredly a very great calamity; but in a political consideration, it is sometimes a necessary evil, and much ---- -The Russian force good results from it. at this moment paid and provided, and actually under arms, is even more than sufficient to encourage their Sovereign to declare war. It is said that the military strength of this country is embattled on the Persian and Tartarian frontiers; quite the contrary. On the whole line between the Caspian and the Sea of Ochoty, there are only 7 or 8000 men, and there is no necessity for a man more if we look to the situa tion of the country, the number of forts, the immense deserts, and the disposition of the contiguous countries. In time of peace, between the Caspian and the Black Sea, there be about 12 may or 13,000 men; but at present there are from 20 to 25.000

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