anchor, and the fire was returned from one of the 50 gun fhips, but with very little execution on either fide. Mr. Bofcawen now ordered the floop to reconnoitre the coaft quite up to the port; and the reported, on her return, that the had been fired upon by eight different batteries planted along the fhore, as well as from the forts at the entrance of the harbour, where a large fhip of two tiers lay at anchor, with her broadfide acrofs it; and that there were twelve other fhips at anchor within the harbour, four of which were of force, and equipped for fervice. As foon as it was dark the barges of the fix line of battle fhips were fent to found, and on their return reported that a reef of rocks ran all along about 20 yards from the shore, which rendered it impoffible for boats to land, except at the entrance of the rivers overagainftwhich the fleet was at anchor, or at the harbour itself; here they had difcovered, that the channel leading into it was not more than 100 fathom wide, and that this entrance would be subject to the greatest difficulties by the oppofition of the fouth-eaft wind.. Upon receiving this intelligence, the admiral called a council of war, compofed of the principal land and fea officers, and it was refolved, that, as they were ignorant of the ftrength of the enemy, three armed boats fhould be fent to endeavour to land in the night, and take by furprise a man from the fhore, from whom intelligence might probably be obtained: this was attempted, but in vain. The next morning, the 25th of June, the council of war affembled again, and were of opinion, that although their force was fufficient to reduce the island, yet the attack, and the maintenance of it when taken, would not only retard, but might probably difable the armament from undertaking the fiege of Pondicherry, which Mr. Bofcawen was inructed to confider as the principal object of his deftination: it was therefore refolved to proceed to the coaft of Coromandel without delay, that the fquadron might arrive there in time to act before the change of the monfoon in October. The inland would certainly have been reduced, if the conqueft of it had been the principal object of the armament; for the whole of the French force confifted only of 500 regular troops, 200 European inhabitants difciplined as militia, 1500 Caffre flaves on whofe fervice and attachment the French had little reliance, and 1000 failors belonging to the fhips. If the wind, as it generally does, blew always against the entrance of the northern harbour, it would indeed be impracticable to reduce it with fhips working against a contrary wind in a narrow channel, and expofed without refiftance to the fire of the enemy's fhips and batteries. But it has been discovered that the fouth-eaft wind generally blows with leaft ftrength about fun rife; and it alfo happens, on four or five days at intervals in the course of a month, that early in the morning this wind ceafes in the northern part of the island for an hour or two, when a breeze rifes, although faintly, from the north-west: during which a fhip ftationed at the entrance of the channel, to avail herself of this breeze, may enter the harbour, and ply her cannon under fail. The fleet left the island the 27th of June, when the Dutch ships, now joined by one of their comrades, which had parted company during the paffage, quitted the English, and failed away for Batavia; and Mr. Bofcawen fteered for the coalt of Coromandel, by the neareft paffage, between the islands and fhoals that lie to the north of Mauritius; he arrived on the 29th of July at Fort St. David, where he found the fquadron under admiral Griffin, who refigned the command to him, and a few days after proceeded with a fixty gun fhip and two frigates to Trincanomaly, from whence in the monta of January he fet fail with them to England. The junction of the two fquadrons formed the greatest marine force belonging to any one European nation that had ever been feen together in the Eaft Indies; for it confifted of more than 30 fhips, none of which were of lefs than 500 tons burden, and 13 of them men of war of the line. Every perfon attached to the English caufe, who beheld this formidable force, was elated with joy, from expectation of its fuccefs, and no one doubted that the lofs of Madrafs would be revenged by the capture of Pondicherry. Preparations had been made at Fort St. David to enable Mr. Bofcawen to proceed to action without delay; and on the 8th of Auguft the army began to march. Twelve independent companies of 100 men each, 800 marines belonging to the fhips, with 80 artillery-men, compofed the regular troops in the king's fervice: the company's troops confifted of a battalion of 750 men, of which 300 were Topaffes, together with 70 artillery-men: the Dutch at Negapatam fent a reinforcement of 120 Europeans: and there were on board the thips, ready to be landed, 1000 feamen, who had been taught the manual exercife at fea: in all 3720 Euro peans 1782. The Hiftory of the Empire of Indoftan: Ma peans, and 300 Topaffes, to which were The company's agents at Fort St. Da- way. This blundering difafler greatly affectect the spirits of the men. However, it was determined to perfif in reducing Ariancopang, and the difciplined failors, with eight pieces of battering cannon, were landed from the ships. The French, knowing the advantage of gaining time 573 at this feafon of the year, prudently de- The fame day a large quantity of gun- ed in repairing the fort, in which it was determined to leave a garrifon; for it was apprehended, that during the fiege a detachment of the enemy's troops might again take poffeflion of it, and from hence be enabled to intercept convoys, or harraís the army. (To be continued.) A compleat View of the Origin and Progrefs of the Political Diffentions of Geneva to the prefent Time. By a real Traveller, awho had exact and infallible Sources of Information. (Continued from p. 543.) BOUT this time, feveral changes And Textititig in the government took place. The bifhop yielded up to the 1yndics and council, the right which he formerly poffeffed of judging civil caufes. The grand council of 200 was alfo inftitated, in imitation probably of fimilar eftablishments in the government of the two cantons. At laft the period of the reformation arrived, which at the same time gave ecclefiaitical freedom and civil liberty to the republic. The authority of the bifhop, which had been long upon the decline, at laft gave way, and this remnant of power and prerogative devolved upon the people at large. Great as this revolution was, it di not yet produce either peace or fecurity to the republic. The ambition of its hereditary enemies fill continued unabated, but the flate had this advantage, that their endeavours of defence had now the vigour and energy of a free and independent people. The caufes that produced this great revolution in Geneva, were fimilar to thofe that promoted it in other places. The darkness which had for fo long a time hung over the human mind, came at laft gradually to pafs away, and mankind perceived that no teftimony, no authority whatever, ought to make them believe what was contrary to the first principles of their reafon, and the evidence of their fenfes. The feeds of this new fyftem were fown by Farrel, known by the name of the violent, a young Frenchman, called Froment, and two Francifcan monks, apoftates from the church of Rome. The doctrine of these reformers met with the most favourable reception among a people warmed by the enthusiasm of liberty, and impatient to throw off restraint of every kind. Some violences committed by the clergy, and imprudent menaces on the part of the bishop, encreafed the partifins, and frengthened the faction of thofe religious innovators. Before the overthrow of the old, and previous to the introduction of the new fyftem of religion, a confiderable time was spent in difpute and altercation. The crifis, however, at laft came, and it was finally determined in two fucceffive councils, that the opinions and modes of worfhip propofed by the reformers, thould be received and adopted. Upon this decifion, the Catholic canton of Fribourg thought proper to drop the alliance with the republic, but this want was supplied by the canton of Zurich, which sometime afterwards, in conjunction with Berne, formed a very clofe and intimate treaty for mutual fupport and defence. This new fyftem lately adopted, was improved and perfected by the celebrated Jolent Cal win, who established a regular form of ecclefiaftical difcipline, and contributed likewife by the promulgation of feveral wife laws, to fix the civil confiitution of the state. From this period Geneva increased 17pidly in fame, riches and commerce. It was confidered as the centre and a um of French and Italian Proteftants, who came there as to a city of refuge, in order to avoid the rage of bigotry and of fuperftition, which in their own unhappy countries were too powerful to be overturned by the dictates of found reafon and philofophy. At this fame time was inflituted an academy of literature, and Geneva, in confequence of this foundation, has produced feveral men of letters, whofe names are justly celebrated in the annals of literature. Notwithstanding these revolutions fo favourable to the ftate, the refless and ambitious princes of the house of Savoy continued still to keep the republic in continual alarms. In the year 1588, Charles Emmanuel declared war againit France, and this fmall flate was again involved in hoftilities. The victorious arms however of Henry IV. constrained the duke to fue for peace, and a new treaty figned at Lyons in 1600 declared Geneva a fovereign power, and an ally in the Helvetic confederation.-Unmindful of the faith of treaties, this fime prince having his eyes always fixed on his prey, determined to make one laft effort against that place. In the dead filence and darkness of a winter right, when the inhabitants, unfufpecting of danger, bad quietly given themselves up to repofe, this infidious prince caufed his troops fecretly to march towards the walls of the city. The fealing ladders were inftantly applied, and feveral of the foldiers had gained the top of the ramparts, when a fortunate incident difcovered the dan ger. ger. The citizens being roufed ran to arms, and arrived in time to repel the enemy. This tratagem, unfuccefsful as it was infamous, was, upon the whole, advantageous to the republic. The fear of becoming odious to his neighbours, engaged the duke of Savoy to fign a treaty of peace at St. Julian in 1603, under the mediation of the Swiss cantous. This treaty was both folid and durable. The anniversary of this memorable event has been regularly celebrated in that city with great devotion and folemnity. The facts are carefully recapitulated, and every fucceffive generation, while they are taught to fet a value upon liberty, are led at the fame time to deteft the perfidy of princes. Though the great and imminent dangers to which the republic was expofed from without, were now fufficiently guarded against by the late treaties and alliances, the ftate was fecretly difturbed by fecret intrigues and confpiracies fet on foot by the court of Turin. And during the whole course of the feventeenth century, the government was occafionally employed in difcovering and bringing to punifhment thefe fecret and concealed enemies of the republic. 'Tis precifely at that period, when all external and foreign dangers had entirely ceafed, that we are to fix the commencement of the internal diffentions in the republic, that is, about the beginning of this prefent century. But before I proceed to point out the fate of parties, it will be neceffary to give a sketch of the government of that republic. The territory of Geneva is both limited in extent and irregular in form. Taking the city as a centre, its limits do not exceed above half a mile on one fide,`while in another direction they are equal to a distance of fix miles. Befides this, there are a few infulated fpots, unconnected with its other territory, and fimilar to feveral of those provincial divifions of land in England, the abfurdity of which we take notice of, while we are ignorant of the caule. The population of the city is reckoned to amount to 25,000 fouls, and its adjacent territory to 5000 more, in all 30,000 within the bounds of the republic. To understand properly the nature of this government, particular attention ought to be paid to the different characters, qualities and conditions of the people; for without knowing these diftincti ons, it will be impoffible to comprehend their controverfies. There appear, therefore, to be four claffes, under one or other of which every individual in the ftate may be included. 1. Habitan, Inhabitant. 2. Bourgeois, Burgess. 3. Natifs, Natives. 4. Citoyen, Citizen.-With refpect to the If. Inhabitants: this denomination comprehends all trangers who come and live within the bounds of the republic, either for a limited time or for life. They have no fhare in the legiflature, or can enter into any of the offices of the magistracy. Upon their arrival they declare their allegiance, and are in return protected and defended. 2. The character of Bourgeois is reckoned more honourable and advantageous than the former. It gives particular privileges in the profecution of trade and commerce, which the former are deprived of. It is a rank which is acquired either by favour or by money. A tranger who comes to fettle at Geneva, and withes to carry on his trade without any kind of reftriction, upon paying a certain fixed fum of money, is admitted into the Bourgeois. That title may be conferred in an honorary way upon those who do not even refide in the place, and there are several Englishmen who have only made a temporary ftay at Geneva, who are invested with this charater. The Bourgeois cannot hold any office in the magiftracy, but has a vote in the general affembly of the people. 3. The third defcription of people in this republic, is the Natif, who appears to be different from the Habitan, from the circumftance alone of his being born in the place. He has no more political power and capacity in the state than he has in the British legislature he is, in fact, a ranger in the midst of that country where he was born and educated. The important capacity of bearing public offices, as well of forming part of the legiflature, is reftricted to the fourth and laft defcription of people: viz. 4. Citoyen. To be of this clafs it is neceffary to be born in the republic, and to be the fan of a Citoyen or a Bourgeois, or of a Natif, whofe father and grand-father have had the fame character. For it is not the fon but the grandfon of a Natif who has the privilege of Citoyen by birth. The number of this clafs is reckoned to amount to 18co. This view of the different qualities and conditions of the citizens, will clearly point out what is not generally understood or attended to, that the prefent controverfy is not the unanimous voice of the people against being obliged to obey the orders of an aristocracy, but rather a difpute whether 1800 or 200 citizens fhall have moft power in the government of the republic. Thele preliminary points being fettied, we |