cent, K. B. &c. &c. &c. dated at Sea, January 6, 1798. I beg to acquaint you, that yesterday, proceeding to cruize, in obedience to your orders, I fell in with, twenty leagues W. N. W. of the rock of Lisbon, Le Benjamin French ship privateer, belonging to Bourdeaux, pierced for20 guns, but mounting 16 four and six pounders (ten of which he threw overboard), and 132 men, which I captured after a chase of thirty-six hours; the Alcmene, Lively, and Thalia, under the orders of capt. Hope, joined company during the chase. The privateer sails extremely well, and is a very desirable ship for his majesty's service: she is copperbottomed and perfectly new, this being her first cruize, during which she captured the Governor Bruce, English brig, from Bristol, bound to Faro; a Portuguese schooner; and was beat off by an English letter of marque. I have the honour, to be, &c. THOMAS ROGERS. Admiralty Office, Jan. 30, 1798. Copy of a Letter from Capt. Moore, of his majesty's ship Melampus, to Evan Nepean, Esq. dated in Cawsand Bay, the 27th of January, 1798. SIR, You will please to inform my lords commissioners of the admiralty, that, on the 23d inst. in lat. 50. deg. north, long. 12 deg. west, after a close but short action, we captured La Volage, a French ship corvette, lent to the merchants, mounting 20 nine pounders, and 2 eighteen-pounders, and 195 men, commanded by citizen Desageneaux, captain of a frigate. I am sorry to say, that two of the Melampus's seamen were mortally wounded, and are since dead, and three more dangerously wound ed. The enemy had four killed and eight wounded. The officers and ship's company of his majesty's ship under my command behaved perfectly to my satifaction. La Volage was three weeks from Nantz, fitted for a three-months cruize, but had only taken an American ship, and destroyed an Eng lish brig from Belfast, bound to Lisbon with coals. The captain and all the officers of La Volage are navy officers, with a congé for three months. I am, &c. GRAHAM MOORE. This gazette also contains accounts of the captures of the following French privateers: Le Bayonnois brig, of 6 guns and 40 men, by his majesty's ship Blanche, capt. Hotham; Le Dragon schooner, of 12 guns and 80 men; and Le Dixhuit de Fructidor sloop, of 10 guns and 75 men, by his majesty's ship Tamer, captain Western; and La Venturer, mounting 2 three-pounders, 6 swivels, and small arms, pierced for 8 guns, carrying 33 men, by the Penelope cutter, capt. Burdwood; also, two Spanish privateer luggers, and a schooner, by the Speedy, captain Downman. 30. A court of proprietors was held at the East-India House, to take into consideration the intended establishment of a government on the island of Ceylon in the East Indies. The court having assembled, a long conversation took place, between the gentlemen who had appointed the court to be held, and several of the directors. It was contended by sir Stephen Lushington, that it would be proper the proceedings of the directors with his majesty's ministers upon the business, should be previously read.— He conceived, that by reading those pro proceedings, the gentlemen who had called the court, might possibly be induced to abandon the purposes for which they had called it. At all events, whatever might be the result, he trusted the gentlemen present would refrain from those florid declamations, which, upon a question like this, might do considerable detriment, but could be productive of no good. Mr. J. Adair, major Scott, and several other gentlemen, spoke to the point of order, whether the proceedings of the directors should be read. The chairman being unable to take the sense of the court from the show of hands, a division took place, when the majority was 91 against 58 in favour of the nine proprietors stating their purpose, previous to the directors reading their proceedings. Mr. Huddlestone then rose. He began by stating, that in bringing forward the present subject, he was not actuated by any motives of a party nature, by any considerations of general or particular disapprobation of the conduct of his majesty's ministers with regard to the affairs of India; on the contrary, he should be ever ready to give every aid to their endeavours for the public advantage. In times like these, when the country was at war with a most implacable enemy, determined to take every advantage of our situation, it would ill become any man to act in opposition to the measures of government, merely from a motive of party spirit; at the same time he saw no reason why men should approve, without distinction, what ever that government thought proper to adopt. In no instance did he disprove of its conduct more than in the intended establishment at the newly-acquired island of Ceylon. The attempt to establish a government there in the name of his majesty, distinct and independent of the East-India company, was a departure from the spirit of the charters granted to that company; a deviation from the system by which the affairs of India had ever been conducted; a manifest violation of the independence of the its rights and privileges. He maincompany, and an infringement of tained that the right of the EastIndia company to the govern ment of the different places in India was secured to them, not only by their former charters, but was unequivocally acknowledged upon the last renewal of them; and that it was an unjust stretch of power to wrest from them their exclusive right to the government of the East ment on the island of Ceylon. He Indies, by appointing an establishwas well assured such an appointment would not only be destructive of the independence of the company, but also detrimental to the interests of this country; and he hoped the court of directors not only had resisted the innovation, but that they would continue to resist it by every possible means, and would use their utmost power to induce his majesty's ministers to relinquish their design. After making a very able speech, he concluded by moving several resolutions, the substance of which was to the effect, "That this court considers the appointment by his Majesty's ministers of the Hon. Frederick North to the government of the island of Ceylon, as a measure injurious to the interests, and to the hitherto conceived rights of the East-India company, and as a sudden and alarming innovation on a system under which the British interests in posing the foregoing resolutions. He trusted now those resolutions had been put, there could be no objections to reading the proceed ings. India have been administered for the directors been read, there would nearly a century past; which system have been no necessity for pro has proved not less beneficial to the public than to the East-India company, and was expressly and repeatedly recognised and admitted, both by his majesty's ministers and the court of directors, in the course of the negociation for the late renewal of the company's charter." He moved another resolution, recommending the directors to apply to his majesty's ministers to induce them to abandon the measure, and in case of their refusal, to petition his majesty to that effect. The resolutions were read, upon which Mr. Twining rose to second them. He entered into a general detail of the privileges of the EastIndia company, as secured by charter, and particularly adverted to the language used by Mr. Dundas when their charter was renew ed. He had said, that the affairs of India had succeeded so well under the management of the East-India company, that no alteration in that system should at any time take place. He next read a variety of papers, to prove the exclusive right of the company to the government of the country. He afterwards observed, that the advantages to be derived from the island of Ceylon were trivial; that, in fact, the possession of it had been hitherto injurious; that the company had purchased an immense quantity of spices, which still continued on their hands, the duties on which amounted to 275,0001. liable to be demanded at any time by government. He concluded by observing, it was incumbent on the directors to show they had done every thing in their power to prevent the pre With respect to what had been mentioned concerning the spices, he was sorry to observe a very improvident bargain had been made by the company's servants. The duty was upwards of 300,0001. on those spices; but he could assure the court it was not intended by government to take those duties in advance, but only as the articles were consumed. He trusted the reading their proceedings would put an end to the discussion. The proceedings of the court of directors, containing a preliminary correspondence with Mr. Dundas; the opinion of the company's counsel in favour of the king's legal right to appoint a governor; minute of a conversation between the chairs and Mr. Dundas, with a subsequent resolution of the court of directors, recommending, under all the circumstances, an acquiescence in the appointment; also a letter from Mr. Dundas to the chairs, dated the 29th instant, protesting in very strong and pointed ternis against any dereliction of the powers of the crown to appointTM a governor for Ceylon; having been read by the clerk; Sir Francis Baring said he was of a different opinion from the counsel whose sentiments had been just read. He conceived the present establishment was only adopted for the purpose of throwing patronage into the hands of Mr. Dundas and his majesty's ministers. This cannot be an appointment to provide for any particular party, unless The chairman said, he was of they know not how else to provide opinion, had the proceedings of for the persons they are about to sent measure. send send out. It has been stated, that the establishment is to be very small; what was the suite of lord Mornington? that, indeed, must be in the recollection of the court. What now is to be the suite of the Hou, Mr. North? He is to have a secretary, a private secretary, a sub-secretary, who is to have an assistant secretary, two clerks, and three gentlemen to learn the languages. Why not send a person conversant in the languages, and maintain him your selves? The deputy chairman (Mr. Bosanquet) contended, at considerable length, that the right of the appointment was in the crown, as much so as the appointment of a governor to Botany Bay, or any other place. He thought it safe in the hands of government, and could not see that it was any advantage to the East-India company. Mr. Jones Adair contended that it was not a question of prerogative, but of patronage; and concluded by moving that the discussion be adjourned to a future day. Mr. Rous informed the court, that his opinion had not been formed upon the charter of 1758, or upon the opinions of the attorney and solicitor general of that day; but upon the spirit of the various acts of parliament made for the regulation of the government of India. Mr. Jackson opposed the motion of Mr. Adair, in a speech of much length, in which he contended, that by this appointment the trade of the East-India company would be considerably injured. That as the graut was exclusively theirs, so ought to be the appointment of a government. It had been so for more than 150 years past. A simi lar contest took place after the capture of Pondicherry by an union of forces; but lord Pigot claimed Pondicherry for the East-India company. Sir J. Lindsey at that period went out, and exercised his powers in favour of the crown. Where now, asks the nabob, is the power of this great company, who have so long governed in India? The popularity of the company was about to experience a rapid decline, when sir J. Lindsey was called home, by which measure India was saved. He went into considerable length as to the general tendency of the appointments on the East-India company's concerns, and concluded by moving the following amendment: "That this court do agree in opinion with the court of directors in their resolution of the 25th inst. but, at the same time, that this court agree with their court of directors on the inexpediency of taking any further steps at present, after reference to the written declaration of the right hon. Henry Dundas, in his letter of the 16th inst. read this day, they confidently rely on their care and vigilance, that this temporary appointment shall not be drawn into a precedent for establishments, which, if made permanent, must materially affect the rights and interests of the company under the present charter." Mr. Henchman seconded the amendment. The chairman read an extract of a letter from Mr. Dundas, in which it stated, that the government of the island of Ceylon was to be given up to the India company on the conclusion of peace, and that they, in the mean time, were to have the exclusive trade of the island. Sir Francis Baring suggested the propriety of both the original reso lutions, -Mercury, at Sea, Jan. 15. My Lord, :lutions, as måde by Mr. Huddle-. stone, and Mr. Jackson's amendment being adjourned, upon the I had the honour to acquaint propriety of which a long conversa- you, in my letter of the 6th inst. tion took place between Mr. al- of having captured Le Benjamin derman Lushington, Mr. Twining, French ship privateer, belonging to the deputy chairman, Mr. Hench-Bourdeaux. I have now the sa.man, lord Kinnaird, sir Stephen tisfaction to inform your lordship, Lushington, Mr. Huddlestone, Mr. Grant, sir Francis Baring, Mr. Randle Jackson, Mr. Durant, and Mr. Knox. Admiralty Office, Feb. 6, 1798. Copy of a Letter from Admiral the Earl of St. Vincent, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels employed on the Coast of Portugal, to Evan Nes pean, Esq. dated on board the Ville de Paris in the Tagus, on the 20th of January, 1798. SIR, I inclose letters from the captains of L'Aigle, Alcmene, and Mercury, Speedy and King's-Fisher sloops, reciting the captures of French and Spanish privateers, made by the ships and sloops un der their commands. The judgment displayed by captain Pierrepont, joined to his spirited conduct, and that of the officers and crew of his majesty's sloop King's-Fisher, in the action with the Betsey, does; credit to them, and honour to his majesty's arms; and the activity of all the cruisers under my com-, mand is worthy of commendation. that, this morning, Cape Finisterre bearing east half north 40 leagues, we discovered two sail to leeward, and, upon chasing them, soon found they were armed vessels. They continued near together until the Mercury cahie almost within gun shot of the sternmost, intende ing, as I supposed, to support each other; but, upon being close pressed, they steered different courses, and I was enabled to come up with only one of them, after a chase of eight hours, who fired a few shot, and struck his colours. She proves to be Les Trois Sœurs French brig privateer, belonging to Rochelle, pierced for 18 guns, but mounting 16 six-pounders, and 100 men, copper-bottomed, sails remarkably well, and only five days out of port on her first cruize. I have the honour to be, &c. THO. ROGERS. King's-Fisher, Tagus, Jan. 12. My Lord, I have the honour to acquaint your lordship, that on the morning of the 8th instant, the Burlings bearing, east, distant fifty leagues, at day-light we discovered a ship in our weather quarter, and soon after perceived her to bear up, and stand towards us; at nine we tacked, and at half past she hoisted French colours, and began firing, which we returned as we passed.on> different tacks, but at too great a distance to do much execution? she then wore: finding we could. not weather her as I wished, we shortened sail for her to get abreast (B) of |