It is at length discovered, what was at the time fufpected, that the difpute refpecting the frontier forts on the Miami's river, in America, was fomented entirely by French emiffaries, and their poifoned hirelings in different States, under the direction of the French minifter Fauchet, which is proved by the correfpondence of that minister, lately intercepted. Major Campbell, who commanded the British at those posts, conducted himfelf throughout the whole of that bufinefs in fo firm, yet so temperate a manner, avoiding all improper conceffions on the one hand, and declining all hof tile aggreffion on the other, that even the American Secretary, Mr Randolph, then under French influence, was compelled reluctantly to acknowledge his meritorious conduct. Their plan appears to have been, to irritate the British fettlers to act hoftilely towards them, and then make that hoftility a pretence for declaring war. Fortunately for both countries, the British commander was aware of their intentions, and conduct. ed himself, notwithstanding the wanton aggreffions and ill-founded charges of General Wayne, and the clamour of the French party, in fuch a way as to procure an amicable termination to fo un. pleafant a difpute. The Amsterdam Packet, Henderfon, arrived in the Clyde, from New York, brings American newspapers to the end of December. The intercepted letters of the French ambaffador Fauchet, are published, and from them it appears, thai Fauchet was inftrumental in foment ing the late rebellion in the Weftern States against the Government, and that he had endeavoured to raise a party to overthrow the Government of the United States. Fauchet, upon the difcovery of this letter, had very prudently made his escape from America. Randolph had refigned. Thefe papers infinuate, that the French party was ftrong in Virginia; but, notwithstanding all the intrigues of the French faction to overturn the American conftitution, a very great majority in all the States, among whom were almost all the refpectable people, were refolved firmly to fupport the conftitution. In moft of the States, refolutions had been paffed, highly applauding the conduct of their venerable Prefident Washington; reprobating the infidious arts which had been used against him; and approving of the treaty of amity and commerce between Great Bri tain and the United States, as mutually beneficial to both countries. In Fauchet's dispatches, above alluded to, is the following remarkable paffage : "It appears to me, that thofe men (the Popular Societies), with Randolph at their head, were beginning to decide on their party. About two or three days before the proclamation was published by the Western States, Mr Randolph came to fee me with an air of great eagernefs, and made to me the overtures, of which I have given you an account in my No 6. Thus, with fome thousands of dollars, the republic could have decided on civil war, or on peace: thus the confciences of the pretended patriots of America have already their prices." WEST INDIES. By advices from Jamaica, dated the end of November, we are forry to learn, that the petty, but deftructive war with the Maroons in that ifland, was by no means at an end, notwithstanding of the prudent measures adopted by Lord Balcarras the Governor, and the fpirited exertions of the regulars and militia engaged in that fervice, which is attended with both difficulty and danger. The enemy, although often routed, have been fometimes fuccefsful against detached parties, exhibiting inftances of favage ferocity. The body of the unfortunate Colonel Fitch had been found with his bowels cut out, and his head placed in the cavity. In the defile where Colonel Fitch unfortunately fell, the Maroons had nailed two heads on trees oppofite to each other, with their mouths kept open by pieces of wood placed in them. An attempt had been made by the French to excite a dangerous commotion at at Martinico. On Dec. 8th, 300 French troops landed there from an American veffel, which had alfo put on fhore nearly one thoufand stand of arms, with the defign of arming the blacks, or people of colour, or other perfons who might join them. Two British companies were inftantly dispatched to attack them; but after a fharp action, they were compel led to fail back with a confiderable lofs. This failure, however, only roufed our commanders to greater exertions, and a very large body of the French militia marched to meet them. On their way, they fhot fourteen of their own men, in whom they difcovered fymptoms of a difpofition to join the enemy. Thefe two little French armies met, and a moft fevere conflict took place, during which there was a terrible carnage. Between thirty and forty republicans being furrounded, laid down their arms, and were immediately shot. The few who efcaped ran into the woods and concealed themselves, but the British commander has gone out with four hundred chofen men in fearch of them. Part of the troops which lately arrived at the Windward iflands were difpatched to the relief of St Vincent's, and fucceeded in retaking the whole of that ifland from the French. LONDON. TRIAL OF STONE FOR HIGH TREASON. The twelve following gentlemen were impanelled to decide on the trial:John Leader, Efq; John Mayhew, Efq; John Etherington, Efq; Thomas Cole, Efq; Charles Minier, Efq; Daniel Dyfon, Efq; Thomas Burnet, Efq; William Somner, Efq; John Lockyer, Efq; Peter Taylor, Efq; Ifaac Dimfdale, Efq; The indictment confifted of the preamble, and of two counts. The preamble and firft count ftated, that, by eleven o-. vert acts, the faid William Stone was guilty of compaffing the death of the King; of confpiring to levy war within his dominions; of inviting the perfons exercifing the powers of government in France to invade thefe kingdoms.-Second count ftates, that the faid William Stone was adhering to, aiding, and affifting the perfons exercising the powers of government in France. Extracts were produced, which were taken from Stone's papers, and from letters written to him by his brother. They related to the intentions of the French to land in this country with an army near London," and with another near Newcastle, to deftroy the coal trade, the nursery of our feamen. After the evidence was clofed, Mr Erskine addreffed the jury in a very eloquent fpeech for the prifoner; he was followed by Mr Solicitor General on the part of the Crown. Lord Kenynon gave the jury a fhort t argumentative charge. The indictment, he faid, confifted of two counts. The firit was, compaffing and imagining the death of the King; and the fecond charged the prifoner with adhering to the King's enemies. As no manner of evidence had appeared, that could, in any refpect, fupport the first count, it was to be left entirely out of the queftion, and all their confideration fhould be directed to the fecond alone. With refpect to the law on the fubject, it was clearly high treafon to fend fuch intelligence by letter, or otherwife, to the King's enemies, as would give them any advantage in the conteft with his Majefty. Almost all the letters produced in evidence, his Lordship remarked, appeared to refer to trade only; and not, as has been fuppofed, to convey any hidden political meaning, except, perhaps, that in which mention was made of the family at Shields, which had been fuppofed fymbolic of the French Government. Of all the written evidence, two papers only were of any material impor tance in the caufe. Thofe emphatical papers he would lay before them. They had been found in the poffeffion of the prifoner, and had been written, the one by Mr W. Smith, and the other by H. Stone, from whom it had been fent to the prifoner, through the medium of Jackfon. Under several circumstances, the writing of fuch papers would be no legal crime; but, however ufeful they might have become to the enemy, if an evil intention did not accompany the writting of them, it would amount to a ftrong degree of indifcretion, but not to high treason. The jury were, nevertheless, attentively to confider the motives with which they had been kept in the prifoner's cuftody; and, if it fhould fhould appear to them, that they had manufactory, have lost their lives, and the been fo for the purpose of tranfmitting flames from the mill communicating to information of the ftate of the country a boat in the mill river, in which were to France, in order to be serviceable to thirty barrels of gun-powder, fet fire to the government, then no doubt could the whole, which blew up with a terriremain of the criminality. His Lordship ble explofion-the man who had the then proceeded to ftate the oral evidence, care of the veffel being shattered to in a brief, but very clear and diftinct pieces, and the boat blown out of the manner; during the courfe of which he water. obferved, that copies of the above-mentioned papers had been found on Jack fon, in Ireland, and the originals on the prifoner at the bar, at the time of his apprehenfion. It was for them to confider, whether he had them for any improper or traiterous purposes. The jury, after deliberating two hours and a quarter, returned a veridict of Not Guilty. When this verdict was given, there was a great deal of noise and huzzaing in the Court, which was very crowded, and an elderly gentleman of the name of R. Thompson, who was particularly diftinguifhed, was fined 201. by the Lord Chief Juftice. Mr Thompfon addreffed the Court, and faid, he hoped they would excufe his folly and imprudence, because he could not guide his feelings. His Lordship faid, fince that was the cafe, it was proper that the law fhould interfere to affift him to regulate thofe feelings, and to teach him to conduct himfelf with decency in a court of juftice. Mr Thempfen then offered the Court a check for this money: but was told, they did not deal in checks, and that be nuft either pay the money or be committed--He was taken into cuf tody. From every part of the island we receive accounts of the devaftation occafioned by the late high winds, which, in many places, were attended with fevere forms of thunder and lightning, by which much damage has been done, particularly in the counties of York, Cumberland, and Northumberland. 24. Between eight and nine o'clock, the powder mills, belonging to Mr Hill at Hounflow, owing to the wheels of the mill not being properly fupplied with oil, took fire, and blew up with a dread ful explosion, which not only terrified the innabitants of the place, but alarm ed the cities of London and Weftminfter. The houfes of the people feveral miles round the metropolis experienced the effects of this powerful concuffion. Three men, who were at work in the VOL. LVIII. Flymouth, Jan. 26. The gale of wind of this day has been productive of the moft melancholy event that has occurred at this place for many years paft. The Dutton Eaft Indiaman, Capt. Sampfon, which arrived here yesterday afternoon, from Admiral Chriftian's fleet, brought up in the found, the tide being too low at that time for her to get into Catwater: in the courfe of the night, the wind veered to the S. S. W. and blew a very heavy ftorm, attended with a tremendous fea. The Dutton rode out the gale very well, until this morning about nine o'clock, when he began to drive towards the rocks at the weit end of Mount Batten; about a quarter paft eleven, fhe was fo near the fhore as to ftrike, and the only alternative that then remained was to flip the cables, and make an attempt to run for Catwater, as the going afhore at Mount Batten would have been inevitable deftruction to every foul on board her, it being im poffible to afford them any relief from that place. Fortunately, by fetting the foretop-fail and ftay fail, her head wore round towards the garrifon, and she cleared the Batten Point; but the rudder being unhung, the fhip was not under any command, and the stood on until fhe reached the fhore, just_abreat of the citadel flag-ftaff, where fhe ftruck, and foon after bulged and filled with water. The people on board immediately began to cut away the mafts, to eafe the ship's rolling, and alfo to form a bridge or ftage between the ship and the fhore, on which to attempt to fave their lives; but the fea running very high, the thip made fo heavy a lurch to wards the rocks, that the mafts fell with very great violence, fo as to break in their fall, and, in confequence, to become ufelefs for the purpofe intended. Notwithstanding this, many of the foldiers and crew of the Dutton, got out of the fhip on the wreck, the fea, at the fame time, breaking over them every moment; and as no affiftance could be given from the fhore, they were in the T moft most imminent danger of being drowned: many others would have followed, if the officers had not prevented them. Several of those who were on the wreck, after being almoft spent by fatigue, got into the fhip again, but four or five of them, who were hanging by ropes under the main chains, unfortunately perihed, by means of the main maft falling from the fide of the fhip on them, at the time fhe made a heavy roll from the shore: neither of thefe unfortunate creatures ever appeared again. Another man was crushed to death, by the bowfprit falling on him. Thefe are the only per. fons who have loft their lives in attemptfng to reach the shore, though for hours it was expected that the greater part of the people on board, confifting in the whole of about 500, would have perished. The gale continued with the greatest violence, attended with heavy thunder, lightning, and rain, until about two o'clock, when it began to moderate, and ropes were then fo fixed between the fhip and the fhore, as to enable the people on the rocks to haul them from the fhip; many had near perifhed in this way, from being fo long fufpended, and fo drenched with water, before they could be got hold of. About three o' clock the gale had so much abated, as to enable boats, with great difficulty, to get near her on the fide from the fhore, and about 300 of the foldiers were taken out in this manner, including upwards of 80 fick, who were conveyed in carts to the hofpital, many of them apparently in a dying state. At the time the fhip ftruck, Captain Sampfon was afhore, but, at the hazard of his life, a-, but two o'clock, P. M. he infifted on being hauled on board, by a rope lathed round his body: this cheared the fpirits of the crew and foldiers, and each waited with the utmoft patience his turn to be hauled afhore. Many of them were in a state of nakednefs, and fo bruised, as to be unable to ftand when landed. Some of the crew and troops got below, where they started fome calks of rum, whereby they got much intoxicated, and fome are faid to have perifhed there. The greateft exertions were used by the inhabitants of the town, many of whom exposed their lives, and were in danger of being washed off the rocks. At five o'clock, P. M. the fhip was full of water, daming against the rocks: She fell ever about ten minutes after the last of the crew were taken out. About 12 or 14 of the fick were fo ill in their hammocks as to be unable to get on deck; these unfortunately perished. The crew of the Aurora transport hath been saved by an American veffel. She was one of the fleet under Admiral Chriftian, and was fuppofed to be loft. Captain Hodge of the Sedgely, an American veffel, arrived at Cowes on the ad instant, fell in with the wreck of the above fhip, when he took the maiter, erew, officers, foldiers, &c. in all about 150 in number, on board the Sedgely. They are fafe arrived at Cowes. At the time this friendly fhip came up, the Aurora was scarcely afloat, and every further effort to prolong a painful existence, had been given up by the people on board. All The particulars of the dreadful devaftations made along the coaft by the late forms would occupy many pages. accounts agree, that the like has not happened in the memory of any perfon live ing. The following paragraph of a letter from Whitehaven may give a specimen of the magnitude of the ftorm, and the effects that refulted from it. Jan. 26. On Saturday we had one of the most dreadful ftorms of wind and rain that ever was known in this part. It continued the whole day and night. The tide, from ten to eleven o'clock at night, rose to a height never experienced fince the year 1771, being not less than twenty two feet at the end of the Old Qay; and the waves, from the great violence of the wind, were toffed with incredible fury over all the works of the harbour, and feemed to threaten them with entire demolition. The bulwark has fuffered confiderably; the New Quay is faid to be entirely destroyed, and the parapet wall between the fea and Mr Rumney's houfe, at the foot of Duke-street, is washed down; the family was taken out of the windows into boats. Boats plied in the market-place, to take the inhabitants out of feveral of the houses. That part was inundated for four hours, and at one time the tide flowed to yards up King-freet, where no perfon living ever faw it before. During all this time, the gufts of wind were tremendous, and with little intermiffion, from S. S. W. The confternation was general, and the scene altogether horrible and alarming beyond defcription. The following is the Emperor's anfwer fwer to the Letter of the Diet, congratulating him on his late victories, dated Dec. 22. 1795: "We have perused the contents of the letter of congratulation and of thanks, which the General Diet has very humbly addreffed to us, under date of the 27th ult. This folemn expreffion of the moft lively gratitude for the extraordinary facrifices, and the generous efforts which we have made, for the energetic and perfevering affiftance which we have furnished, and for our indefatigable folicitude for the fafety and prefervation of the country and conftitution of the German Empire-the noble and patriotic expreffion of the fincere part which the Diet takes in the brilliant and ever-memorable victories we have obtained, under the protection of the Most High, by our unconquerable firmnefs, and the bravery of our armies, have excited in us the moft agreeable fentiments. We order you, in confequence, to teftify in our name, to the general Diet of the Empire, our fatisfaction as Supreme Chief of the Germanic Body. The fate of Germany would have been decided by the lofs of the richest, moft populous, and moft confiderable provinces, if the enemy, full of confidence in their project of fchifm, tending to favour the full execution of their plan of aggrandifement and conqueft, had fucceeded in ftriking the laft blow, which they were preparing against the German Empire. rected against the Empire of Germany, and the constitution. At the fame time it refults from the faithful exposure of the actual state of the political relations contained in the decree of ratification, and principally in the reply of the committee of public fafety to the firft overtures of peace, made by us, in our name, and in that of the Empire, that it is the decided expreffion of patriotifm, harmony, warlike valour, and perfeverance; that can alone bring the enemy to a juft and permanent peace; and it is only with arms in our hands, that we can accelerate the peace of the Empire, which we so ardently de fire. We explained ourselves in a very detailed manner on this fubject, according to the importance of the object, in the decree of commiffion which we fent to the Diet on the 19th of November laft year. We join to it the very remarkable proclamation of the reprefentative of the French people, Meriin of Thionville, to the inhabitants of the left bank of the Rhine, of which be have juft received information. This proclamation fur nishes a new and irrefragable proof of the formal and decided project of the =enemy to take all the left bank of the Phine as the boundaries of their conquefs, and to lay as a bafis for the approaching peace, the difmemberment of that part of the body politic of Ger many. However agreeable the folemn expreffion of the gratitude and congratulations that have been expreffed to us may be, we fhall think it proper nevertheless to fet very ftri&t limits to the just confidence which we have in the patriotism of the States of the Empire, if in the part which they take on one hand in the glorious victories gained, and on the other in every thing that may affure the prefervation and profperity of Germany, we do not recognize the conviction of the indifpenfible neceffity, and the renewal of the conflitutional affurance, of cooperating with the greatest energy in this fo important and decifive moment, by the general union and the most vigorous exercife of all the armed force of Germany, in the defence and support of its liberty and conflitution, and this for the purpofe of accelerating a peace which fhall not dishonour the German name, and of putting an end to all the inevita ble burthens and evils of a war to which the Empire was forced. No one can mifunderitand the rectitude of our views in thefe fentiments, which we manifeft with confidence in our quality of Supreme Head of the Empire, and which you will communicate without delay, to the Counsellors, Ambaffadors, and Minifters of the General Diet of the Empire." The victories gained by my Generals fince the middle of October are fo much the more important, inafmuch as they have turned afide the mortal blow di The Executive Directory at Paris obferve great form and ftate in their official intercourfe with the minifters of foreign powers. They lately gave a splendid public audience for the purpose of receiving M. d'Orfini, ambaffador from the Duke of Tufcany, in room of Carletti, whote conduct he disavowed in the name of his court, and hoped it would not interrupt the good underftanding bộ |