whatever branch of the fervice it may be fhewn. And in order to evince to the native troops the more generally, that an active exertion of duty fhall not in any way escape the notice of government, the commanding officer of the forces, with the fame approbation of the hon. the Governor in council, further directs that this diftinction be extended to the havildars who were prefent, and who may have confpicuously exerted themselves on the fame occafion, with this difference, that the badge shall be of filver, to be worn on the right arm. Lieutenant-colonel Williamfon, commanding officer of the first battalion third regiment, will tranfmit to the adjutant-general, by the first opportunity, the names of the havildars that may be pointed out to him as entitled to the above distinction. The above order to be publicly read and explained on the parade of every native corps in the fervice. R. GORDON, Adj. Gen. FORT WILLIAM, Aug. 26, 1800. This morning difpatches were received by the most noble the Governor-general from his Excellency Vice-Admiral Rainier, dated the 11th Auguft 1800, on board of the Suffolk in Madras roads, from which the following is an extract: "I have the fatisfaction to inform your excellency, that his Majefty's hip Arrogant, Captain Ed. ward Ofborne, anchored in the roads this morning, with L'Uni French privateer, of 30 guns and 250 men, (when taken had 216 on board, the reft fent away in prizes,) which Captain Oborne captured, the 4th initant, off Mafulipatam, command. ed by Monfieur Jean Francois Hodoul; at the fame time retook her prize, the fhip Friendship, from Cal. cutta. The brig Bee, another prize to the privateer, then in sight, ef. fected her efcape. L'Uni left the Mauritius the 4th of May, and had taken, exclufive of the above, an English priva. teer from the Cape of Good Hope, named the Harriet, and the hip Helen, from hence bound to China. L'Uni failed from Mauritius in company with two fmaller privateers, the object of whose cruize, as far as I have yet learnt, was to proceed to Batavia, and from thence to the eastward, though fome of the prifoners have faid, one was to have gone to the Gulf of Perfia. As far as the relation of prifoners may be attended to, there does not appear to have been any more privateers fitted out than the three abovementioned." By command of the most noble the Governor-general in council, G. H. BARLOW, Chief Sec. to Gov. In entering Bencoolen Roads, the Arniston had a rencontre with a French privateer, of which the fol. lowing are the particulars : The French privateer failed into Bencoolen roads with the Arnifton, the former having American colours hoifted at the mizen-peak, preparing to anchor with those colours ftill flying. Several boats had put off, but could not fetch the fuppofed American; and a boat with the dif patches and letters from the Arif ton had proceeded to the fhore; from which circumftance the enemy conjectured that the captain had landed, and that the fhip had been weakened by the departure of fome of her hands. Waiting therefore till a fhort time after the dinner bell had rung, the French national colours were in a moment displayed, where where the American had before been flying; fhe then fired a complete broadfide, which was as inftantaneously returned by the Arniston from thirteen twelve-pounders, at that time loaded with double-headed fhot: the privateer finding the Indiaman prepared at all points to receive her, cut her cables and made fail to the fouthward; the Arniston alfo cut her cables, and crouded fail after her, but could not come up with her. The Arniston failed from England in company with the Bombay Indiaman, long fince arrived; had been at St. Helena; and fome days after the action in Bencoolen roads, took her departure for the Streights of Malacca, in profecution of her voyage to China, giving protection to the American fhip Grace as far as Acheen, where they parted company. The Arnifton, at the time of the action, is reported to have had 80,000l. in fpecie on board, and to have been but badly manned, when compared with the other Indiamen of the prefent feafon, her crew being nearly two-thirds foreigners. From the mode and boldness of the attack, we are led to fuppofe the privateer to be no other than the Confiance, now commanded by Surcouf: her force was conjectured to have been twenty-two twelve pounders; the was full of men. A monument is now erecting to the of the late Colonel memory Bruce, which, when finished, is in tended to remind the penfive reader of the honourable actions of that praife-worthy character. The late colopel's brother officers, at a dif tance from the prefidency, may be pleafed to be reminded of fervices, in which, with the deceased, they may have been engaged; and to the junior officer, emulous to tread in the path which leads to honourable diftinction, a bright example will doubtlefs be acceptable; we have therefore extracted the following from the epitaph: Over the Remains of Lieutenant Colonel ROBERT BRUCE, Commandant of the 3d Battalion of Bengal Artillery; Who, in 1771, while yet a youth, Opened an honourable Career of Service, In the Cooch Beyhar expedition; Led the Native Artillery, In the memorable march across From 1778 to 1781; At the recommendation of Gov. Gen. Haftings, TiH that time deemed impregnable; There to leave Impreffions of Talents, Honour, and Domestic Virtues, On his Friends, and on his Family, Permanent on their memories and its gratitude; But in 1792, when his country called On his ftrong fenfe of military honour, Refumed the active duties of the Field; Was fent in 1793, by Lord Cornwallis, To conduct the Bengal Artillery, Ordered for the fiege of Pondicherry; Commanded in 1794, the whole Artillery In the decifive Battle of Beetorch, in Rohilcund, With the public thanks of General Sir Robert Abercrombie ; Continuing in the Field; From this æra till 4th November 1796, When at Diggah, near Dinapore, At the Age of 42, A fatal Difcate, incident to the Climate, Deprived the Service of an Excellent Officer, And Society of one of its brighteft OrnamentsThis mute memorial of the heart Is infcribed, Perfian Language and Literature, Hinduftance Language, The Regulations and Laws enacted by the Governor - general in Council, &c. for Lt. Colonel Wm. Kirkpatrick, Frs. Gladwin, and Neil Benj. Edmontone, Efqrs. J.Gilchrift, Elq. George Hillaro Barlow, Elq. the Civil Government of the British Territories in India, J Greek, Latin, and En- The Rev. Clauglish Claffics, dius Buchanan. Fort William, Sept. 18. 1800. The most noble the Governorgeneral has appointed the Rev. David Brown, Provost, the Rev. C. Buchanan, Vice Provoft, G. H. Bar. low, Efq. N. B. Edmonstone, Efq. and Lieutenant Colonel W. Kirk patrick, to be the council for the immediate government, internal re. gulation and difcipline of the col. lege of Fort William. By order of the moft noble the Governor-general, apartments are preparing at Calcutta, for the temporary accommodation of the fupe. rior officers of the college of Fort William, for the chambers of fuch of the ftudents as cannot be lodged in the writers' buildings, for the library, and for the public halls. The public table for the ufe of ftudents will be opened in the month of November, and due notice will be given of the day appointed for that purpose. The lectures in the Arabic, Hinduftanec, and Perfian languages, will commence in the month of Novem. ber; due notice will be given of the refpective days fixed for the lectures. The firft regular term of the col. lege of Fort William will open on the 6th day of February 1801. SEPTEMBER, From the Calcutta Morning Poft. Sept. 12. 1800. At the commencement of the year 1798, when the gallant, humane, and ever to be lamented Captain Edward Cooke was cruizing with his Majefty's fhip La Sybille to the eastward of the Streights of Malacca, he fent on fhore a party for wood and water at Pollock Har bour, which place, we are given to understand, is fituated within feven or eight miles of the port of Magin danao (or Mindanao), the fouthern. most of the Phillipine Islands. The whole of this party were unfortu. nately cut off; a circumftance which was attributed by the officers of the Sybille to the orders or contrivance of the Sultan of Magindanao. For the perpetration of this act of atrocity, no adequate motive could in. deed be affigned. Captain Cooke had at different times received over. tures from this Sultan to wood and water at his port; but either from adventitious circumstances, or from prudential motives, had as often declined them. This alone, it was imagined, had excited the jealousy, and provoked the refentment of the Sultan. We have not been able to afcertain what endeavours were used for the restoration of these people, previous to the departure of the Sybille; but if we may found a reasonable belief upon the well known character of her late excellent commander, no expedient was left untried, that prudence could dictate, that humanity could fug. geft, or that valour could accomplifh. It would appear, however, that the Sybille had left her station on thofe feas, before any fatisfactory intelligence could be obtained of her unfortunate boat's crew: but their fuppofed fate and fufferings, whatever the imaginations of the reft of their friends on board might have painted them, left a painful impreflion on the breaft of their ge nerous commander. In August 1798, when Captain Lynch, at that time in command of the Brifk, was bound on a trading voyage to the eastward, Cap. tain Cooke earnestly entreated that he would use every poffible endeavour to afcertain the fate of his loft and regretted feamen, fuggefting to him, at the fame time, the means that appeared beft calculated to promote the fuccefs and fulfil the object of his inquiry. In purfuance of this humane intention, Captain Lynch ufed repeated efforts, in the month of November following, to make the port of Magindanao; but owing to a fevere ftrefs of weather, found it impoffible, at that period, to effect his purpose. In November laft, however, Captain Lynch, in command of the Bangalore, bound to Amboyna, touched at Sooloo, a fmall island S. W. of Magindanao, and nearly midway between it and the Inland of Borneo. Here Captain Lynch had the good fortune to meet with a prince, or chief, belonging to Magindanao, from whom he learnt that nine Europeans were at that time in captivity, under the fultan of that island, who used them as flaves, but was willing to ranfom them to any English veffel that might eventually touch there. On receiving this information, Captain Lynch immediately failed for Magindanao, where he arrived on the 10th of that month. The above intelligence was now confirmed, with the additional intimation, that three of the boat's crew, which had originally confifted of twelve, were flain in the encounter; and that of the remain ing nine, one had expired the day preceding that of his arrival. Captain Lynch having obtained an audience of the fultan, and fued for the liberation of the eight fur VOL. 3. viving captives, his native Majefty, after fome deliberation, demanded 1200 dollars, as the price of their ranfom: and in a few hours (fo rapid is the growth of extortion!) increafed his demand to 1500; which fum, to elude the infatiability of reflecting avarice, Captain Lynch immediately paid. He then ventured to land five or fix thousand dollars worth of piece goods, on the faith of an agreement with the fultan, that he fhould receive a ftipulated quantity of wax in barter. After the landing of thefe goods, the day being too far advanced to tranfact any further bufinefs, Captain Lynch defired that the redeemed captives might be permitted to accompany him on board; but to his great concern and aftonishment at fo iniquitous a violation of the treaty, only four of the men were fet at liberty for that pur. pofe. With those four, however, he proceeded on board, and early the next morning fent on fhore two officers to bring off the remaining four men, or investigate the cause of their detention. The goods alfo they were defired to bring back to the fhip, unless the propofed barter should be fulfilled without delay. After much fruitless entreaty these gentlemen returned on board, and reported to Captain Lynch, that they had finally been difmiffed, un、 der a pretence that it was customary to treat with none but the commander of a veffel. This difplay of artifice naturally created in the mind of Captain Lynch much ferious apprehenfion. Being well acquainted with the fanguinary difpofition of the people he had to deal with, it was not without fome hesitation that he again ventured to put himself in their power. His apprehenfions were alfo grounded on an intimation +C that that he had received, of the natives having learnt that the veffel had ftill 300 bales on board, on hearing which they had exhibited fome alarming fymptoms of a treacherous defign to cut her off. The united impulfe of humanity and refolution at length, however, overcame all fcruples. On reach ing the fhore, he was met by feveral of the chiefs, whofe manner of receiving him, and behaviour throughout, were calculated to excite the moft unwelcome fufpicions., Affuming a haughty tone of complaint, they infifted that the fum which had been paid to the fultan was inconfiderable, and by no means equivalent to the expence they had been at, in maintaining the Europeans fo many months. With a degree of abruptnefs bordering on menace, they demanded a loan of 2000 dollars! promifing to repay it when Captain Lynch fhould next touch at their port. Upon thefe conditions alone were the four remaining captives to be liberated, and the goods reftored. The cir. cumftances attending this modeft propofal were fuch, however, as convinced Captain Lynch that nothing but an immediate compliance with it could either refcue his unhappy countrymen from bondage, or extricate himself from the moft imminent danger of his life. When there is no alternative, a decifion is quickly made. Captain Lynch, therefore, inftantly compromifed with the neceffity of leaving in their poffeffion piece goods to the amount of 2000 dollars; and with the utmost difficulty, fkill, and management, fucceeded in getting the other four Europeans and the remainder of his goods on board; the native chiefs having first obtained from him a very ferious promife, that he would come on fhore the enfuing day, and bring a fresh quantity of goods to barter. Thanks to heaven that treachery and credulity are not always in. compatible! Captain Lynch quietly weighed and flood off in the night, having previoufly learnt that the fultan had refolved on attempting the next day to get poffeffion of the fhip. On his way to Amboyna, Capt. Lynch fel! in with his Majefty's fhip Orpheus, and had the generous fatisfaction of delivering over the eight feamen whom he had thus nobly redeemed from the most dif trefsful captivity. ment. thus This narrative requires no com, But we cannot refrain from the pleasure of obferving, that which every reader will doubtlefs anticipate. He, who has bravely rifked his life and fortune in the fervice of his country, and for the honour of humanity, has a juft claim to the gratitude, the applaufe, and the admiration of man, kind, Head Quarters, Choultry Plain, 24th Sept. 1800. G. O. BY MAJOR GEN. BRAITHWAITE, The operations of the force employed under the hon. Colonel Wellefley on the frontier of Myfore have been frequently marked by circumftances which demanded and obtained the applaufe of the com. mander of the army in chief; but in no inftance has judgment in the plan, and gallantry in the execution of a military movement, been fo eminently confpicuous as in the conclufion of the campaign on the 10th inftant, when the rebel chief, Dhoondia Waug, baffled by the judicious difpofition of Colonel Ste. venfon's detachment, in his attempt to efcape in a northern direction, was intercepted in his retreat at Coonagal |