gree of protection and fafety, His great defign is faid to be, to make himself master of the Red-Sea; to open the port of Suez to all nations, but particularly to the Europeans, and to make Egypt once more the great center of commerce. Though this conduct and thefe views, fhew an extent of thought and ability that indicate nothing of the barbarian, and befpeak a mind equal to the founding of an empire; yet if the Porte can conclude a tolerable peace with Ruffia, there feems no great probability that this new government will be laft ing. The people over whom Ali

Bey has affumed the rule, are effeminate, cruel, treacherous, and dastardly; who, for a long fucceffion of ages, have been the easy prey of every barbarous, invader, and corrupted with every vice, that debafes human nature. If it could be imagined that fuch a peopie would act like men in the defence of their rights, their own malice and treachery would probably afterwards execute, what the enemy was incapable of effecting in the field. It could be only the total fubverfion of the Ottoman empire, that could afford a prospect of fuccefs to this undertaking.

OLAND fill continues to groan under all the caiamities of a war, in which her fhare is only to fuffer. While labouring under the yoke of foreign cruelty and oppreffion, and convulfed in every part by the domeftic rage of her citizens, these complicated evils have this year been increased, by the addition of that moft dreadful fcourge the peftilence. This dif temper broke out in fome villages on the frontiers of Turky, from whence it foon fpread into the adjoining provinces of Poland, and made the most cruel ravages in Podolia, Volhinia, and the Ukraine. Having penetrated into the ftrong frontier city of Kaminieck, where it made great havock among the garrison as well as the inhabi

tants, the furvivors totally abandoned that important fortrefs, which continued expofed and deferted for feveral months, neither Ruffians nor natives venturing to take poffeffion of it. All the peafants of a village belonging to Prince Czartoriki were swept off in one day, and nine monafteries were left without an inhabitant.

It would feem that this fatal fcourge of mankind, in the prefent lawless ftate of that country, continually fcoured by independent, or oppofite bodies of armed men, together with the conftant communication occafioned by the taking of prisoners and plunder, and the carrying off provifions, could not by any human means have been restrained in its progrefs. The

lines however that were drawn, and the great care taken to prevent its fpreading, have providentially fucceeded, and confined its rage to thofe provinces where it firft began, where it is faid to have fwept off 250,000 of the people. By the lateft accounts, the fevere cold of the winter has effectually checked its fury; happy if the returning heat of the fummer, operating upon the mifery and diftreffes of the people, does not again call forth its latent feeds into action.

:

The continued loffes of the confederates have by no means leffened their exorbitances, nor even in appearance their numbers; on the contrary, they fecm to multiply and acquire new ftrength by repeated deftruction, are in poffeffion of feveral provinces, and that extenfive country prefents nothing but end lefs fcenes of ruin and defolation. If we are furprized at the aftonif ing perfeverance which ftill produces confederacies, we cannot be lefs fo, that the country fhould in any manner be capable of fupporting them it might be imagined that in fuch a ftate of infecurity and anarchy, where there is fo little hope of enjoying the future crop, the husbandmen would wholly abandon the cultivation of the earth. It appears by a calculation faid to be accurate, that the confederates had exacted above a year ago from the inhabitants of the province of Great Poland only, fince the first commencement of hoftilities, above 16 millions of florins: to which if we add the provifions and forage furnished to the Ruffians, the plunder and ruin of private families, and the lofs fuftained from the great number of exiles, who carried off their most valuable move

ables, fome idea may be formed of the deplorable state of the country.

The great Germanic powers, ftill obferve the fame myfterious conduct with respect to the affairs of Poland, and the events of the prefent war, which we have before more than once taken notice of. The breaking out of the plague, has afforded an opportunity to the Emperor as well as the King of Prussia, to form lines compofed of great bodies of troops along the frontiers of that country. The clofe connection that at prefent fubfifts between thefe Princes, the mutual completion of their forces, the attention they pay to their respective military departments, and the excellent condition of their armies, feem to indicate fome great defign in view.

The Emperor, in purfuance of his former conduct at Milan, the good effects of which had been fo happily experienced by the inhabitants of that dutchy, has fet apart one day in the week at Vienna, for receiving petitions and complaints from all his fubjects, without any the smallest distinction as to birth or rank; and the officers of the court have exprefs orders, not to turn away any perfon whatever who may come to implore his protection, let their condition be ever fo low. He at the same time nobly declared, that it behoved him to do juftice, and that it was his invariable intention to render it to all the world, without refpect of perfons.

The camp and grand review this year at Neuftad in Moravia, feemed calculated for the entertainment and reception of the king of Pruffia, who paid a vifit to the Emperor at that place. The meeting between Sept.3.

these great monarchs was in

appearance

appearance fo cordial and affectionate as greatly to affect the beholders, particularly the troops, many of whom remembered, and had experienced, the fatal confequences of the animofity that had fo long fubfifted between the two families.

The people were difpofed to imagine, that other caufes befides pleasure or curiosity, had conduced to the late vifits between these Princes; and that the war between the neighbouring powers, to which neither of them could be indifferent, was the ultimate object of them. The vifit paid by Prince Henry of Pruffia to the Court of Petersburgh, feemed in fome degree to countenance this opinion; and made it not appear impoffible, that fuch a pártition of territory might be agreed upon between the three courts, as would be highly advantageous to them, and which in the prefent circumstances must have been fubmitted to, as well by the Porte as the republic of Poland. The City of Dantzick, and regal Pruffia, were objects of the most important and alluring nature to one of the parties; nor were the provinces of Moldavia and Walachia, lefs fo to another; while Ruffia might have been amply compenfated on the fide of Tartary and the coafts of the Black Sea.

However this may be, ftates that have great power seldom want ambition; and the Emperor is now faid to have the finest and beft difciplined army, that ever the house of Auftria was poffeffed of. With this force, and the affections of the people, which he fo eminently poffeffes, he may well be fuppofed to form great defigns, and the prefent fituation of affairs, feems in a particular manner to afford an opportunity for their completion.

The city of Dantzick had an occafion this year, of experiencing one of the many misfortunes to which a fmall ftate, which has great and formidable neighbours is frequently expofed. A body of Pruffian troops made a fudden Sept. 29. irruption at two o'clock in the morning into the territories of that city, where they furprized feveral of the out-pofts, feized the cannon, and made the men prifoners. They were afterwards reinforced to the number of five thousand, and encamped about four miles from the city, where they continued fome weeks, but obferved an exact discipline.

This violent tranfaction could not fail of being fufficiently alarming to the Dantzickers, who having fecured their gates, applied to all the foreign Minifters to write to their refpective courts, to implore their protection, or interceffion in their favour. It feems that the Magiftrates had forbidden the Pruffian recruiting officers to levy men within their free city; and the Poftmafter had refused to pass fome cafks of filver, which came for the Prufian refident, without examination. The complaint founded on the laft of thefe caufes was the more groundless, as the poft-office belongs to the King of Poland, and the Magiftrates have no manner of authority over it.

The confequence was, that in about a month, the city, upon agreeing to pay 75,000 ducats, and fubfcribing to certain conditions, was admitted to depute two counsellors to make a fubmiffion to his Pruffian Majefty. The conditions were t ift. That they fhould fettle and pay without delay, all the demands made by the King's fubjects, on the city or burghers:-2d. That the

Pruffians

Pruffians fhould have liberty to enlift recruits, agreeable to the treaty of Whelavar:-3d. That they fhall not harbour any Pruffian deferters: 4th. That the money configned to the Pruffian refident, fhall not be liable to infpection:-and 5th. That the inhabitants fhall comport themselves in fuch a manner, as not to give any future caufe of complaint to his Pruffian Majefty.

At the fame time all the Pruffian fubjects that were refidents of Dantzick, were peremptorily ordered to return to their refpective countries. Nothing could be more arbitrary, nor attended with circumstances of greater cruelty than this act. Many of thefe people had married, had formed all their connections, had acquired confiderable fortunes, and had spent the principal part of their lives in that great trading city: fo that this order carried along with it all the pungent ftings of banishment from a native country, at the moft critical periods, and in the most interefting fituations of life.

Several quick and unexpected revolutions, have taken place this year in the Danish miniftry. Count Holke, the great favourite of the King, and fuppofed to poffefs an unbounded afcendency over him, was fuddenly, to the furprize of the world, without any motives publicly affigned, degraded from all his employments, and banished the court. Several other great changes, as rapidly, and almoft as unexpectedly, have fince taken place at this court: the Counts, Moltke, Thott, Reventlau, and M. de Rofencrantz, have been difmified from their employments, without a penfion, or other mark of favour to any of them, except M. Rofencrantz. General Philofophow, the Bufian Minifter,

quitted this court abruptly, and without taking leave, immediately upon thefe laft changes, which took place juft at the clofe of the year.

The cause of these movements has not yet tranfpired. It is faid that the French intereft has of late gained ground confiderably at Copenhagen; and from the sudden departure of the Ruffian minister, it might not feem unwarrantable to hazard a conjecture, that the intrigues of that bufy court had fome thare in this change of Minifters. The King however continues the fame patriotic conduct towards his people, which has hitherto diftinguished his reign; as a new proof of which, as well as of his difpofition to the encouragement of arts, fciences, and learning, he has this year freed the prefs from all restraints, and by a rescript dated at the caftle of Hirfcholm, exempts all Books published in his dominions, from any kind of cenfure.

The ill fuccefs of the expedition which the Danes undertook this year against Algiers, is a recent inftance, that large fhips, heavy cannon, and a number of failors, will not conftitute an useful and effectual navy, without that military bravery and fkill, which is only to be ac quired in actual fervice. The fquadron fent upon this expedition was conducted by Admiral Kaas, and confifted of four hips of the line, two frigates, two boinb veffels and a firefhip. The Admiral having anchored in the road of Aug. 3. Algiers, hoifted a white flag, after which he entered into a fruitless negociation with the Dey, who was fo much difpleafed with a letter he had received from him, that he ordered the Algerine colours to be hoifted, and several cannon fhot

to be fired at the Danes; but they being at fuch a diftance as to be out of all danger, ftill continued in the fame pacific difpofition, without returning a fingle fhot, and the white flag flying.

This ftrange appearance of war and peace, of avowed threat, and of real inaction, continued on the fide of the Danes for five whole days, though the Algerines fired at them feveral times with great fury, but without effect, as they were never within reach of their hot. In the mean time the Algerines fitted out fix gallies and galliots, who made a bold attempt, in the night, to bring off the Danish bomb-veffels, in which, however, they failed of fuccefs. The inhabitants of the city were notwithstanding in great confufion, as the longer the cloud was gathering, the more dreadful they apprehended would be its effects when it burt; they accordingly deferted the place in great numbers, and retired with their molt valuable moveables to the woods and mountains.

On the 6th morning, the admiral hoifted the bloody flag, and the cannonade and bombardment at length began, which was immediately anfwered with great brifkness by all the castles and forts about the city, and continued all day, but without a fingle fhot having taken place on either fide. In the evening, the admiral again hung out the white flag; and the Algerine gallies made another attempt in the night, with great refolution, to bring off the bomb veffels, but were overpowered by the fuperior fire of the fleet, which continued till morning. This fort of engagement was carried on to the 12th day, during which time the Bar

as

barians made feveral spirited, though ineffectual attempts, well by their gallies, as by a raft, or floating battery, which they conftructed, to have made the Danes repent of their visit.

On that day, the admiral hung out a white flag, and fent a floop towards the fhore, under the fame peaceable enfign, which was met by the captain of the port, in a bark, who came to know the caufe of its approach. A letter from the admiral was then delivered to the captain, which he was charged to deliver into the Dey's own hands, but which he foon after brought back, with an account that the Dey refufed to receive it. The Danes lingered two days longer, during which time, the Algerines were ftruggling with the weather, though it blew a ftorm, to endeavour to bring the raft to bear upon them. At length, on the 15th day, the fleet weighed anchor in the morning, and put an end to this unaccountable expedition.

Sweden has been productive of nothing very interesting this year. A fum of money having been allotted by the ftates, to enable the Princes of Sweden to gratify their curiofity, of making a tour to fee the principal nations of Europe; the Prince Royal and his next brother, Adolphus Frederick, fet out in the latter end of the year upon that laudable defign.

A new ordinance relative to pomp and luxury has been iffued, by which the feverity of the former, of 1765, has been much relaxed. All wines, however, except thofe of France, the Rhine, and Portugal, as well as punch, ftill continue to be prohibited; as are worked ruffies, velvets, and filk laces upon liveries.

The