him, persevere to the very last moment in defence of the last take, which the French had left in India. The blockade being therefore chofen as the most eligible for the time, was continued with the best difpofitions, and the moft extraordinary patience on both fides, for full feven months. In this time the garrison and inhabitants suffered forely by famine. Colonel Coote, in order to aug ment their distress, erected batteries at a diftance, not with a view of ruining the walls, but to harrass the enemy by an increase of garrifon duty. At length when the weather appeared fettled, four batteries were raised at some diftance to enfilade the streets of Pondicherry, whilst others were advanced nearer in order to play upon the works. Thefe operations, though the fiege was not yet formally undertaken, commenced on the 26th of November, 1760, but as the feafon of the rains and winds was not yet quite over, much was fuffered from storms, which ruined the batteries and approaches. They were however always repaired with the utmost alacrity and fpeed, and the fiege fuffered no intermiffion. So that the be fieged, who eagerly expected the arrival of their fleet to their relief, were reduced to the most extreme diftrefs. They lived on camels, elephants, dogs, and cats. The extreme scarcity and dearnefs, even of this wretched provifion, increased their mifery. Sixteen roupees (half crowns) had been paid for the flesh of a dog. In the midst of this distress, their hopes were fuddenly revived, and thofe of the besiegers, notwithstanding the progrefs they had made, almoft totally depreffed. On the ift of January, 1761, one of thofe terrible ftorms, fo frequent in the Indian fen, and fo ruinous, drove the English fquadron from before Pondicherry. Two ships of the line were wrecked, and their crews, with the exception of two or three men, entirely perished. Two others of the fame clafs were driven on fhore, and beat to pieces. The men fortunately efcaped. The real damage which our fleet fuftained on this occafion, together, with the idea of a far greater, fuggefted by their own defires, and juftified by the violence of the storm, elevated to the highest pitch the fpirits of the garrison, sunk by difcafe, famine, fatigue, and an interrupted train of adverfe fortune. General Lally feeing the port clear, fent an exprefs without delay to the French agent in the neighbouring neutral fettlements, that this was the time to throw in fuccours; he feemed fanguine and full of vigour. The following letter, which was intercepted, may tend to furnish some idea of the character of this fingular man. "Mr. RAYMOND, "The English fquadron is no more, fir; out of the twelve fhips they had in our road, feven are loft, crews and all, the four others difmafted; and it appears there is no more than one frigate that hath escaped; therefore don't lose an inftant to fend us chelingoes upon chelingoes loaded with rice: the Dutch having nothing to fear now: befides (according to the law of nations) they are only to fend us no provifions themselves, and we are no more blocked up by the fea. "The faving of Pondicherry hath been in your power once already; if you mifs the prefent opportunity, it will be entirely your fault: do not forget allo some small chelingoes: offer great rewards: I expect feventeen thoufand Morattoes within these fourteen days. In short, rifque all, attempt all, force all, and fend us fome rice, fhould it be but half a garfe at a time. Signed, LALLY,” But Admiral Stevens, and those who commanded under him, exerting themfelves with unparalleled diligence and ce lerity, appeared again before Pondicherry in less than four days after the ftorm, with eleven fhips of the line and one frigate, and the blockade was as compleat as ever. No fuccours had been thrown in, and Admiral Stevens in order to prevent the ill imprefiion which the late difafter might have occafioned, fent a meffage to the neighbouring Dutch and Danifh fettlements, of the good condition and ftrength of the remainder of his fleet, and affured them he would make prize of fuch veffels as he found infringing the neutrality, by attempting to supply the enemy. Notwithstanding this mortifying difappointment, M. Lally made no propofal to furrender. The fiege was carried on with redoubled alacrity; and at length a large battery being advanced within four hundred and fifty yards of the rampart, a breach being effected, and not more than one day's provifion of any kind remain ing, Original Letter of Lady M. W. Montague: 1766. ing, a fignal was made for a ceffation; the principal of the Jefuits, together with two civilians came out, and offered terms of capitulation. The governor preferving all his haughtiness, which neither his errors nor misfortunes could in the leaft abate, declined to offer any terms; he fent out, on Jan. 15, a paper full of invectives against the English, for the breach of treaties relative to India; he alledged that thofe breaches difqualified him from propofing any terms; and in confequence, be rather fuffered our troops to take poffeffion of the place than formally furrendered it. As the Governor refused to capitulate, the propofal of the inhabitants was little regarded, and the city of Pondicherry, with a garrison of about fourteen hundred European foldiers, a vast quantity of military ftores, and great riches, were given up at difcretion to our victorious arms. In confequence of the furrender of Pondicherry, and the capitulation, General Lally was brought over to England in one of our fhips: and, it is remarkable, that, during the whole voyage, he was ever inquifitive and eager after inftructions, enquiring after the ules of every part of the veffel, even from the loweft failor. When he arrived at London, he was informed by his friends here of the danger that threatened him on his return to Paris. However, he disdained fuch precautions, and, perhaps, convinced of his own in nocence, he refolved to stand a trial at home. He had fcarce fet foot on French ground 425 fupply the prisons with bread, and three It is not an eafy matter for us to pro- Original Letter from Lady MARY W. I "My dear girl, HAVE fo violent a cold, that I never was lefs qualified in my life for infpecting the heavenly bodies, and must content myself with the vulgar warmth of my dreffing-room, to a corner of which I fhall be confined all this evening, and very glad to fee you, if you can attend me any time after your more learned employment. If the moon is inhabited by mortals like us, and the most important tranf actions among them, are nothing more than kingdoms turned into commonwealths, and common-wealths into kingdoms, and thefe mighty events are produced there, as they are here, by tyranny or luft, I have no defire of being acquainted with its inhabitants, but can look down upon them as they do upon us: I have peeped behind the scenes here, more than contributes to my ease, and by examining the wires and mechanifm of the thew, the entertainment has long fince cealed: who is any longer entertained with a hocus-pocus-man, when he knows how the tricks are performed? In fhort, my dear girl, our most pleafing purfuits become carrion by the time they are hunted down: I would not put you ους out of conceit with the world you are -but just beginning to enter into; but to prepare you to bear thofe disappointments common to all, but moft feverely felt by thofe of your caft and mine, for I would willingly tack myfelf to any thing that is half fo good as I know you to be, and wish myself.” The report of the board of general officers appointed for afcertaining the prices to be paid for commissions in the army. Dragoon-Guards and Dragoons. Tfrom the beginningfeveral HIS board had feveral meetings, Lieutenant-Colonel till the beginning of February 1766.We have compared what we here infert with an authentic copy of the report. The first column contains the names of the Commiffions; the fecond, the Prices to be paid for them refpectively; and the third, the Difference in value between the feveral commiffions in fucceffion; i. e. the fum an officer intending to purchase a higher commiffion is to pay over and above the price he is to receive for the one he holds. In the lowest commiffion there can be no difference. The price of it, and the differences between all the reft, make up precifely the price of the higheft. Firft and Second Troops of Horfe-Guards. Major Lieutenant 4700 1100 3600 1100 Foot Guards. Lieutenant-Colonel Enfign L. 4700 6700 400 6300, 2800 } 2600 1100 1500 600 900 900 L. 6700 Marching Regiments of Foot. Lieutenant-Colonel L. 3500 In Regiments of Fufileers which have First Lieutenant 5400 1200 3100, 100 3000 1300 1700 300 1400 1400 The Board direct, that if any deficiency fhould arife by the commiffions of Cornet, Enfign, or Second Lieutenant, not producing the price allowed by this regulation, the lofs fhould be fuftained by the L. 5400 officer who obtains leave to fell. When 605,608 19 11,291 8 £ 392,183 6 5 Feb. 15. For 17,306 men, guards, &c. including 2513 invalids, 2,321 14 10 out of favings remaining of grants of For penfions to reduced officers widows, For reduced officers of land forces and marines, For Chelfea penfioners, March 13. For extra expences of land forces, 7 &c. to 24 Jan. 1766, not provided for $404,310 16 6 18. To pay and cloathing of the militia, 74,777 14 27. To discharge unfatisfed claims and demands for expences in To the Landgrave of Heffe Caffel, to complete the payment SUNDRY SERVICES. Feb. 15. To the Trustees of the British Museum, March 13. For paying bank Exchequer Bills made out by virtue For paying Exchequer bills iffued pursuant to act last feffion, 7,993 IT 1,614 138,674 96 For fundry expences for ditto, in 1750, 1751, 1752, 1762, For Georgia, 3,986 For Eaft-Florida, 5,250 For Weft-Florida, 5,300 For expences attending general furveys in North-America, 1,784. 5,550 24. For maintaining and fupporting the British forts, &c. in Africa 13,000 27. To the Foundling Hofpital, 33,892 10 To be applied in reduction of ditto, the faving 1,167 10 DEFICIENCIES. March 13. 'To replace the like fum iffued for making good the deficiency on the 5th of July 1765, of duties on offices, penfions, houfes and windows, To ditto, for paying 4 per cent. annuities for the year ending 29th Sept. 1765, granted in respect of navy, victualling and transport bills, and ordnance debentures, To ditto, for paying the charges of management of the faid annuities for two years and an half, due 29th Sept. 1765, To ditto for making good the deficiency on the 10th of Oct. 1765, of additional duties on wines, cyder, and perry, 18. To ditto, to discharge for one quarter, from 19th of Sept. 1765, the annuities attending fuch part of the joint ftock, eftablished by act 3 Geo. III. in refpect of feveral navy, victualling, and tranfport bills, and ordnance debentures, as were redeemed pursuant to act of last feffion, April 26. To make good the deficiency of last year's grants, Out of the Sinking Fund, 1,500,000 29. Money remaining in the Exchequer granted laft feffion for de- Moneys remaining in the Exchequer for the difpofition of The New Bath Guide: or, Memoirs of the B-R-D Family, In a Series of poetical Epifles. 410. 5s. Dadley. Reprinted by J. Exfhaw in 8vo. Price 15. id. T HERE is a fpecies of humour in thefe droll Epifles, which has the greater force, as it feems to proceed from a fimple and unembellished character, the hopeful offspring of a confiderable family in the North, who comes to Bath for the cure of thofe crudities of mind and body, which an entire exclufion from the world, and the good cookery of a tender mother, had occafioned. Along with him comes his filter Prudence, and her maid Tabitha, together with a pert piece of the family, who gives the following account of her fellow-travellers: 181,000 60,000 O Total 8,521,000 o For Lady B-N-R-D, my aunt, My |