$748. A N exprefs arrived from Fal

Jan. 7.

mouth with advice, that M. de la Bourdenaye, late commander in chief of the French king's fhips in India, was feized the 4th inftant, on board a Dutch fhip, called the Statianfe Friendship, captain Decker, bound from St. Euftatia to Holland. The above hip put into Falmouth the 22d paft, by contrary winds, and it being difcovered that this gentleman was on board her, application was made to captain Bladwell, commander of his Majefly's fhip the Mercury, who went, with a proper number of men, to fearch the fhip for him: the commodore at first denied himself, but on examining his packets he was discovered, and, with his fecretary and another officer, was brought athore; and, on their parole, had the liberty of the town of Falmouth.

He was the commanding officer when the French took Madrass or Fort St. George, where he got great riches, which he put on board a Portuguese fhip at St. Paul de Loagana, where he put in to victual and water the French men of war, on his voyage from India to Martinice; at which island

he arrived with the French squadron of five men of war, the beginning of September laft, and quitted his command, and went to St. Euftatia to get a paffage for Holland.

The reason of this his conduct was said to be, that having been formerly employed on fome confiderable ftation by the French Eaft-India company, he had embezzled a large fum, to the amount, of a million of livres; but by the influence of his brotherin-law, who was then a perfon of great confequence in the direction of the faid company, he was fo far from fuffering difgrace, that he was continued in employment, and promoted from time to time, till at length he was appointed to command the fquadron that failed to take Fort St. George. However, before he could finish his expedition and return home, his friend loft his influence, and even his employment in the Eaft-India company: and fo fearing the ftorm would again break out against him, having before converted all the spoil of Fort St. George into diamonds, he took the courfe above-mentioned, towards the end of the month, he was brought up to London.