principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, to the ministers of neutral powers residing at this court, that his majesty has thought proper, for the defence of his dominions, and the protection of his subjects, to take the most effectual measures for the blockade of the entrance of the port of Havre-deGrace, and the other ports of the Seine; and that from this time all the measures authorised by the law of nations, and the respective treaties between his majesty and the different neutral powers, will be adopted and executed with respect to all vessels which may attempt to violate the said blockade. Kingston, Jamaica.-A most horrid conspiracy among the negroes, by which it was intended to massacre all the whites without exception, and which was just on the point of taking place, has been providentially discovered just time enough to save us all from utter destruction, and (June 22) this day two of the ringleaders have been executed, and numbers taken up. EAST-INDIES. Shanuwaz Delhee, Jan. 14. Khan represented to his majesty, that Maharaja Sendheea Bahadgor had approached Indoor, whence he has dispatched some detachments of his troops to besiege all the fortresses in the possession of the holkurs, who depending solely upon their own strength, have dared to take the field against their numerous enemies. He also states, that his highness the peishwa wrote a letter to Sendheea, sending word that he will come to Sendheea's camp by sea, with a large body of forces, to his assistance, in order to extirpate the hoikurs, and reestablish himself so firmly at Poo [September, na, as to frustrate in future all the machinations of the enemies to his government. The latest letters from the Deccan, which have reached Delhee, contain, agreeably to the representations of Shahnuwaz Khan to his majesty, the following particulars:-Holkar is in the most irksome situation possible, in consequence of that pecuniary distress 'which in India is almost inseparable from the collection of such a numerous army as he has now on the field round his standard. Futh Sihr Manea, with his division of the troops, has been unconsiderable distance, in a southder the necessity of moving to a ern direction, for the subsistence of refuses to obey Holkar's orders for his people; and he now actually the concentration of all his forces in the environs of Poona, unless speedy and effectual measures be adopted by that chief to relieve the pressing wants of the whole army. The puthan surdors, Meer Khan and Shuhamut Khan, seem alike indisposed to brave the hardships of a campaign any longer, under SO stances, which have probably con- perfect safety, under the protection par Copy of a Letter from Captain Rear-Admiral Sir J. T. Duckworth, K. B. His Majesty's Ship Cumberland, between Jean Rubel and Cape Nichola Mole, 30th June. Sir, Having parted with the convoy, as I had the honour of informing you in my letter of yesterday, I stretched in with the squadron, during the night, for St. Domingo: soon after daylight, a large sail was seen near the Tortugas, steering down Cape Nicola Mole, and from the cut of sails I judged her to be a French ship of war; the Cumberland, with the Vanguard, were soon close up to her, the latter on the starboard side, and the former on the larboard bow: in this position she received a few shot from the Vanguard, and, having fired one, struck to his majesty's squadron, and was immediately taken possession of. She proved to be the Creole, a remarkably fine national French frigate, of 44 guns, carrying 18 pounders, and commanded by citi zen Le Bastard, from Cape Francois, bound to Port-au-Prince, at sea one day, having general Morgan (the second in command at St. Domingo) and staff, with 530 troops, on board, the crew of the frigate consisting only of 150 men, two of whom were badly wounded. While we were taking possession of the prize, a small national schooner, commanded by a lieutenant, came into the squadron, and was taken: she came from Cape Francois, and bound to Port-au-Prince, having on board 100 bloodhounds from Cuba, intended to accompany the army serving against the blacks. I have the honour to be, &c. H. W. BAYNTUN. Rear-Adm. Sir J. T. Duckworth, K. B. 22. An overland express arrived at the India-house yesterday, with the important intelligence of the capture of Poonah, the capital of the Mahratta States. It appears, that on general Wellesley's taking the field, the Mahratta general sent to inform him, that if his march was continued, he would burn the capital to which our army was directing its attention. General Wellesley, however, being determined to effect its capture, made a forced march of 60 miles in one day, and arrived at Poonah in sufficient time to prevent the enemy's being apprised of his progress. On the near approach of the British troops, the Mahratta chief made a precipitate and confused retreat, and the place was, in consequence, carried without the slightest opposition. The overland express also announces the resignation of general Stuart, as commander in chief, and second in council at Fort St. George. ral Macdowall on the possession of the capital of the kingdom of Candy by his majesty's troops; and on the speedy and successful advancement of the important business with which he is charged, the progress of which, his excellency is persuaded, would have been very different, had it not been for the energy, activity, and judgement, displayed by the major-general, and the excellent discipline and spirit maintained by him in the army. His excellency requests majorgeneral Macdowall to accept of his thanks, and to communicate them to colonel Baillie, lieutenant-colonel Barbut, and all the officers who have so meritoriously seconded him; and at the same time to express to the non-commissioned officers and privates his high approbation of their good conduct and intrepidity. OCTOBER 15. Hanover, Oct. 4.-Yesterday the 2d battalion of the 34th half brigade marched from hence, and another battalion from Hameln, into the territory of Gottingen. The occupation of Gottingen and Goubenhagen has taken place, partly because the inhabitants have refused to pay the war tax, and partly to lessen the burden of the other parts of the country. The Hanoverian legion is increased to about 500 men. Nine thousand great coats have been demanded for the French army. 19. On the 4th instant, the rebel general Russel, and another prisoner, were brought into Drogheda from Dublin, in a post-chaise, accompanied by major Sirr, under an escort of the Queen's Bays, commanded by Captain Spicer. Russel was removed at the Tholsel into another carriage, and escorted to Dundalk, where he was to remain that night, by a detachment from the same regiment, and a party of the Loyal Drogheda cavalry, both commanded by captain Smyth. Kingston, Jamaica, July 30.-The Vanguard, of 74 guns, James Walker, esq., commander, arrived yesterday at Port Royal, accompanied by the French ship Le Duquesne, of 74 guns, taken off St. Domingo, on the 25th instant, after a chace of 24 hours. In the action one seaman was killed and one wounded on board the Vanguard. We are sorry to state, that in hoisting out the boats to take possession, a lieutenant, a promising young man, was unfortunately drowned. 26. Last night, at eleven o'clock, a dreadful, accident happened at the foot of Blackfriars-bridge. The driver of a hackney-coach being intoxicated, mounted the box, accompanied by a woman; when being unable to guide the horses, the animals, which were both blind, set off at full gallop over the bridge, and ran with the greatest violence against the iron rails of Mr. Fowler's house, the sign of the Cross Keys. The shock was so great, that the rails gave way, and both the horses fell into the areå, writhing with the most horrid torture on the spikes, which suspended their hinder parts for a considerable time. They were both killed, and the coach, which also followed them down the area, was shattered to pieces. The coachman and the woman were previously thrown off the box into the road: the coach went over the latter, and dislocated her arm: the man was taken up beastly drunk, insensible of any injury. The woman was conveyed immediately to a surgeon. Mr. Fowler's house is much much damaged, and a considerable time elapsed before the dead animals could be dragged out of the area. 28. The Leeward Island mail of yesterday brought letters, containing an account of the failure of an expedition sent by the French against the arsenal and port of Antigua. Seven hundred troops were embarked in thirteen vessels from Guadaloupe. The Emerald frigate fell in with them, captured three, and drove the rest back to Guadaloupe, chasing them under the French batteries, which did some damage to the masts and yards of the frigate. NOVEMBER. Dublin, Nov. 2.-On Monday, a quantity of arms were seised in a house in Blackhall-row, near Nicholas-street, by major Sirr, attended by a military guard-a cart was fully laden with muskets, &c. It was some time before the place of concealment was discovered. A smith of the name of Walter May, of Stillorgan, has been taken into custody, on a charge of being a pike-maker for insurgents, and having been active in the disturb. ances on the 23d of July.-A certain person of this town in the ironmongery trade, not far from Pilllane, we hear, declared this week to a gentleman who had business with him in his line, that he has not had one of his usual twenty men (smiths) at work for him for several days; how they are employed, or spending their time, it is hoped the conservators of the peace of that district will be vigilant to as certain. William Hamilton, a native of Enniskillen, for whose apprehension 8001. has been offered, (5001. by general sir Charles Ross's pro1803. clamation, as commandant of the Thirty-six prisoners were lodged 13. A most beautiful vivid meteor descended this evening, about eight o'clock, taking a south-west direction; and the whole atmosphere, for the instant, appeared illumined with a flame of blue light. Its appearance was exactly that of a fire-work, called a Bengal-light, of a bright blue flame; it was not so large as has been stated, nor was its appearance accompanied by any heat or noise. This phænomenon is not calculated to excite that terror and dread which in the dark ages of superstition the designing were wont to raise. A comparision of well-authenticated facts authorises a conclusion that similar events are by no means uncommon: but by happening in the day-time, or after the inhabitants have in general retired to (E) rest, they are observed but by few; and and the relation, if made, is disregarded: and it is, perhaps, as much owing to the time of the evening in which this meteor appeared, as to its magnitude and brilliancy, that it has excited so much curiosity. From the circumstance of its appearance at Dover, Cranbrook, Chelmsford, Lewes, Brighthelmstone, and Southampton, compared with its appearance in London, it seems that the body which occasioned this light was moving with incredible swiftness at a vast height above the earth, in a direction nearly W. or S. W. and in a line passing to the southward of the coast of Essex. Accordingly we expect in due course of time to hear that it was seen in France, and probably further in a S. W. direction; and in the contrary direction across England, Wales, and perhaps Ireland. It was observed near the Horse-guards, in Westminster, to pass about 28 or 30 degrees to the southward of the zenith, and about 28 or 29 minutes after the hour of eight by that clock, which is well and constantly regulated to true or near time; the whole time which the light occasioned by the meteor lasted, was not estimated to exceed five or six seconds. From the great height at which this meteor was moving, and its great velocity, we have but little expectation of hearing of its fall; or of any of those masses of iron and stony matters which have, in so many well-authenticated instances, fallen from the atmosphere, and buried themselves in the earth, on the bursting or extinction of many similar meteors. Should, however, the noise of the fall of any such masses be heard, or the holes be discovered in any part, we hope that the curious will not fail to thoroughly investigate the facts, for the purpose of encreasing our knowledge on this very curious subject. 15. A dreadful scene happened at Whitstable, on Friday night, near the oyster ground. The boat of the gun-brig called the Hackett, with ten men in it, was going to Feversham, but the weather being bad, they returned; and going alongside of the ship, the sails of the boat backed, and in a moment she upset. Seven out of the crew were drowned; one of the other three swam to the stern of the ship, and saved his life; the other two swam to the buoy, called the Cullinbin buoy, and were taken off by another boat that belonged to the jolly-boat. Among the sufferers were the doctor and a midshipsman, two fine men. The ship fired guns of distress, and hoisted a black flag. CAPTURE OF DEMARARA. Admiralty-Office, November 15. Copy of a Dispatch from Commodore Samuel Hood, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels at the Leeward Islands, to Sir Evan Nepean, Bart.; dated on board his Majesty's Ship Centaur, off Demarara, 20th September 1803. Sir, Thinking it of the utmost importance to the mercantile interest the earliest information should be sent of the surrender of this colony, and that of Essequibo, to his majesty's forces, I beg leave to acquaint you, for the information of the lords commissioners of the admiralty, the capitulation was signed on board the Heureux, yesterday morning; in the evening the Hornet and Netley entered the river, and two hundred troops took pos session of Fort William Frederick, and this day the colonies surrendered. The Hippomenes ship corvette, of |