the fecurity of his army; and is now returned to Berlin to confider more at leiture the measures neceffary to be taken in his prefent hazardous fitua tion. While his majefty was bufied with his army, his minifters were not idle, in vindicating his character from the calumnies that were every where thrown out against him by his enemies. At Ratifbon a letter was published reproaching his majefty with misreprefenting the victory at Lowofchutz, and accufing him of propagating the moft notorious falfhoods. The magiftrates, inftead of fuppreffing this injurious libel, publickly patronized it by taking the printer of it under their protection. In vain did the electoral minister of Brandenburgh complain; the letter continued to be difperfed; and the venders remain unpunished. The imperialifts ftuck at nothing to render his majefty's name odious. The anfwer they caufed to be delivered to the dyet of the empire to the king of Pruffia's motives, &c. contains, befides the groffeft prevarication, the moft virulent invectives: to give a sketch of the whole piece, let the following quotation fuffice: crows are every where fet up; and by all thofe artifices he throws duft in the eyes of the public in order to blind them or divert their fight from what is acting in Saxony and Bohemia against two of the principal ftates of the empire: where fo many thousand proteftants have l een ftript, in the former of those countries, of their liberty and properties; and where the flames of war, are fpreading from country to country. From a pretended greatnefs of foul, and with a pomp of words, it is given out that the king of Pruffia is ready to facrifice his perfon and dominions, rather than fuffer the liberties and prerogatives of his dear co-eftates to be destroyed: but may he not be reproached, that these precious liberties are in much greater danger from him, than from any perfon whatsoever? He certainly has not the welfare of the empire fo much at heart, that with a view to it alone he fhould conclude, as he pretends, his well known treaty with England and Hanover. He was induced to this by his policy and artful defigns: he wanted to gain favour in the eyes of France and Great Britain, and to keep the archducal house "The king of Pruffia, fay they, of Auftria continually in exercife. muft not imagine that the court of This is the true motive of that conVienna doth not know with what ani- vention; juft as the hopes of appromofity he has, fince the peace of Dref-priating to himself a fair district of den, ftirred up other powers against Bohemia and fome other advantages, her. The hoftile projects, which he induced him to break the peace in cherished in his breast, were to feem 1744the confequences of that zeal with which he pretened to be filled for the fupport of the proteftant religion, which was difturbed or threatned by none: whereas the perfons of beft fenfe of that very religion are convinced, that if only the fupport of religion were in queftion, the king of Pruffia would not facrifice one private foldier to that caufe. Nevertheless, in thefe unhappy times, his Pruffian majefty charges his minifter at Ratifbon and his other emiffaries to make an offer of his affiftance to the proteftant eftates, who it is pretended are oppreffed; fcare To fpeak properly, the king of Pruffia doth not know himself what led him to the fteps he has just taken. In the conclufion of his manifefto, which is the only place where he has not difguifed the truth, he acknow. ledges that he began hoftilities. All the fuppofitions with which he endeavours to remove this ftain, are merely imaginary. The methods he employs are evafions and ftratagems. The project of the Pruffians to attack the houfe of Auftria a fourth time is of a more antient date than the pub lic has been informed of. It was with a view pointed time for humbling the proud, and confounding their mitchievous devices." For a proof of the pure and innocent views of this upright queen, we refer the reader to the authentic documents juft published, of which enough will be found to thew with what juftice he can appeal to heaven, who has violated all that men hold facred upon a view to this that the facred law Her majefty confidently promife, hertelf that her faithful allies will furnish her with the neceffary fuccours; and the doubts not that all other potentates, feeing how much the law of nations and the majesty of fovereigns is violated, will efpoufe the caufe of the party offended. She hopes that in particular, her co-eftates of the empire will remember their focial obligations, and the danger they themfelves are in. They will doubtlefs give proofs of their zeal for their country, and evince how dear they hold the fupport of their ineftimable liberties: they will thew that German blood ftill runs in their veins; they will take vigorous refolutions against the difturber of the public peace; they will unite all their forces to fupport their independency, to restore their country its former tranquility, and to the laws their luftre and vigour, as becometh German bravery and the dignity of the empire. Her imperial and royal majefty fets them the example. With these pure and innocent views, the lifts up her eyes to him who alone ftrengtheneth hofts, revengeth innocence, and giveth a blefng to arms employed folely for its defence, to him who knows the ap We shall here close our account of the military operations in Germany for the prefent, as both armies are at length gone into winter quarters, where their light horfe continue to harafs each other without any other vifible advantage than the brutal fatisfaction which refults from the murder of a few individuals, In Ruflia, the greatest preparations are making for an early compaign. Troops are marching from all qua ters, even, at this inclement season, towards Courland, and the frontiers of Pomerania. And it is given out that her Czarian majefty has engaged to fall upon the back of the Prumian monarch, with an army of 100,000 men, while France with near an equal number attacks him in front. Thus befet by the Ruffians on the north, by the Auftrians on the east, and by the French on the weft, this illuftrious prince, fo far from being intimidated, is preparing not only to defend his own dominions, but to carry the flames of war into his enemy's country; and by the valour of his troops, and the love they bear him, entertains the moft fanguine hopes of accomplishing his defigns, which is, that of establishing in Germany a firm, lafting, and equitable peace. While the eyes of the public were wholly directed to the events of the war in Europe and America they were diverted for a moment to another object by a letter from admiral Watson dated in Geriah harbour the grand rendezvous of the famous Angria, in which he informs the Admiralty, that he arrived off that place, the 11th of February February, with the hips under-mentioned, where he was informed Tulagee Angria was treating with the Morattoes to furrender the place to them. In confequence of this intelligence, the vice admiral fent him a fummons the next morning to furrender the town and fort to him, but receiving no answer in the time he propofed, and finding the Morattoes (from whom he has received no afliftance) were trifling with him, he weighed in the afternoon, and stood into the harbour in two divifions, in the order as under-mentioned: the enemy fired at the fhips as they paffed their batteries; but as foon as they were got by them, and were properly placed, they began fuch a fire as foon filenced their batteries, and likewife the fire from their grabs. Soon after four o'clock a fhell was thrown into the restoration, an armed hip which Angria fometime ago took from the Eatt India company, which fet her on fire, and very foon after his whole fleet fhared the fame fate, and are all entirely deftroyed. In the night the vice admiral landed all his troops, fufpecting the enemy would endeavour to let in the Morattoes, which fuppofition was verified by a deferter who informed Mr. Watson that Argria (who himself was not in the fort) had fent orders to his brother-inlaw, who commanded the garrifon, on no account to fuffer the English to come.in. On the 13th in the afternoon, after feveral meffages had paffed to no purpofe, the vice admiral renew'd the attack, and in about twenty minutes they flung out a flag of truce, but the ad *His Majesty's division. Kingsfither loop Bridgwater 24 guns Tyger 60 Kent 70 Company's divifion Drake Bomb Warren Bomb Triumph Bomb Protector, Eaft-India) Viper Bomb. fnip, 40 guns miral infifting that his troops fhould be let in, and their colours hauled down, and they not complying with his demand, he repeated his attack with great vigour, and the enemy very foon called out for mercy, which our troops were near enough to hear very diftinctly. An officer with 60 men marched in to the fort that night, and the next morning all our forces. great The vice admiral reports, that all his officers and men behaved with fpirit; that our lots was very incontiderable, as well with respect to men as to the damage done to the ships, infomuch that he fhould have been able to put to fea again in 24 hours, had there been a neceility for to doing. They found upwards of 200 guns in the place, 6 brafs mortars, and a very large quantity of ammunition of all kinds; and in money and effects about 120,000l. or 130,000l. The grabs, which were burnt, confifted of eight ketches and one fhip. befides two others which were building, one of which was to carry 40 guns; and a confiderable number of fmall veffels called gallivats. There were in the fort about 2000 people, 300 of whom bore arms. Among the prifoners are, Angria's wife and children, his mother, his brotherin-law, and the commander in chief of his grabs. The vice-admiral has left about of the Eaft-India company's European 300 troops in the garrifon, and as many fea-poys, and three or four of the company's armed veffels in the harbour, for the defence of the place, as it is judged to be extreamly well fituated for the intereft of the company, and. very tenable. Other accounts fay farther, that the forces landed (under the command of Col. Clive) were 1091 Europeans and 365 blacks, in all, 1456 men; that Angria was kept a prifoner by the Morattoes, with whom he went to treat, about three or four days before the arrival of the fleet; and that great fearch was making for an immenfe quantity 'of 1 of gold, which it was fuppofed he had fecreted, it being known, that he had, at various times, taken large quantities, and it being faid, that he had put feveral people to death who were supposed to have affifted him in fecreting it. Letters from on board the Tyger man of war, dated in Bombay harbour, confirm, in fome measure, the above conjecture. Five days after we took Geriah fort, fay they, we and the Bridgwater were dispatched for Bombay with all the fick and wounded men in the fleet, and to repair the little damage we fuftained in our hulls and rigging. We had fent on board of us 84 boxes of money, 224 bales of goods, fix chefts of wrought plate, and fix Arabian horfes; the Bridgwater had money and goods alfo. Before our departure from Geriah, we fold four elephants to Roymage-Poft, the Moratta general, for 100,000l. and we have heard fince we came here, that the admiral has found two tons of gold, one of filver, two tons and a half of elephants teeth, and one ton of quickfilver, befides feveral bales of rich goods. The money we brought here with us weighed ten tons You must know that Angria was trapann'd in a most treacherous manner by the Morattoes, and made their prifoner, who have continually threatened to cut off his head, in order to extort a confeffion from him where his riches lie concealed, which makes them very defirous of our quitting the garrifon, in hopes of poffeffing themfelves of it; but I am fully convinced admiral Watfon will not leave one ftone unturned to find all the treasure before he quits the place; and I am credibly informed, that Angria has wrote privately about it to the adm. that as he has ufed his wives and children with fo much clemency and humanity it would give him great pleasure to be his prifoner; and that if he would demand him from the Morattoe general, he would difcover to him where all his riches are concealled. In confequence thereof, admiral Watlon has demanded him, but the Morattoe general has refused to de liver him up, or even to fupply the ad miral with water and freth provifions; to that till he does give him up, we fhall keep poffeffion of the fort; and moft people imagine that we fal make war against the Morattoes our prefent allies. The defcription given of this fort is as follows: as follows: "It is prodigious ftrongly fortified by nature, and inacceffible to the land, fituated on a folid rock and peninfula, having but one entrance into it, and that fo ftrongly fortified, that it was immediately owing to the naval force that went against it, that ever we made ourfelves masters of it. It is connected with the continent by a fmall neck of land about fifty yards broad, very irregular in its fortificati ons, and in the Moorish manner, with round towers inftead of baftions, where they only mounted five guns on each. The circumference of the fort is fuppofed to be but fmail. The rampart was about 26 feet high, and 16 in thickness. The parapet or breast-work, not above five feet in height, and the fame thickness. The outer wall was clofe to the water's edge, and, I believe, in height from the furface of it, 30 feet facing the fea, and near 50 towards the land. Within this is a ditch asdeep asthe wall is high, and from thence runs up a hill, where the old fortifications stood before this man's predeceffors, on which they had a few guns mounted facing the fea and the entrance of the harbour, about a third higher than the parapet wall from the ditch." Lieut. Downing, who was prefent at an unfuccessful attack upon this place in 1717, fays that Geriah is 12 hours fail from Bombay; that the harbour was ftrongly fortified on both fides; that the rocks were very high, and fo flippery that men could hardly ftand without fupport; that after bombarding the caftle for two days, they found it impregnable for having on the first attack beat down two or three houses, they afterwards found that their fhells fell on the hard rocks, and bruft burst without blowing up; and that at that time a very formidable fleet of An Address to the Right Hon. W. P. Efq. TH HE adminiftration of public affairs being now committed to you and to your friends, by our gracious Sovereign, for the relief of an injured people, we believe you will candidly receive advice and admonition, efpecially from those whofe benefit and welfare you have undertaken to procure. In doing this, we only make ufe of our natural right in laying before you our grievances, and the manner in which we hope to be redreffed. Diligence and frugality in the managers of the revenue, and other officers, would, we are perfuaded, be more than half the prefent land-tax. The cuftoms themselves, under as good a regulation as the excife, would produce near half this fum; and the abolishing ufelefs places and penfions enjoyed by fome, and reducing the exorbitant falaries and gain, of others, would raife the other half; or, if there fhould be any deficiency, it might be eafily fupplied by applying to the finking fund one half of all the merchant fhips taken from the enemy by our men of war. This laft would be of real benefit to the fervice, experience having abundantly demonftrated, that nothing conduces more to the spoiling of an officer, than growing rich. And, with regard to the other part of the requeft, we would hope, that mere pity to our diftreffes will incline you and your friends to do all in your power to reftrain the number and fize of placemen, that they may no longer riot in idleness, debauchery, gaming, and gluttony on the fpoils of an impoverished people. We alfo prefume to flatter ourselves, that the fcan dalous protection given to fmugglers will no longer exift, fince he no longer rules, to oblige whofe tenants, it hath been faid, this deftructive commerce hath been countenanced. As we are now engaged in a war, which is an appeal to the Almighty, the fuccefs must intirely depend upon his favour; but, Can we hope to regain his favour, who is the Lord of hofts, unless fome effectual methods be taken for difcouraging the fins of thenation ? Can we hope, that He will bless the councils of thofe who confeffedly defpife his laws, and live in open contempt of religion; who spent that time in gaming and debauchery, which should be devoted to religious duties, as well as that which they owe to the fervice of their country? Can we expect, that God will go forth with our fleets and armies, while both the men and Officers of our regiments are filled with profaneness, and every man of war is a little hell of impiety? But no reformation can be expected, no fuccefs hoped for, till great gaming-houses are fuppreffed, and the Magiftrates encouraged by fuch examples to extirpate the fmaller; till profeffed irreligion, and open wickedness, is made a bar to civil and military promotions; till the cuftom of felling chaplainfhips of regiments to wealthy clergymen, who intirely neglect the duty, till the chaplains of our men of war are put on a more refpectable footing; and till more care is taken in appointing them, as well as other minifters of religion. Though we are not fo fanguine as to imagine, that our many and great corruptions can be easily, fuddenly, or intirely cured, yet we conjure you to confider, by what kind of conduct your predeceffors involved us in our prefent diftreffes, and, by pursuing oppofite measures, to give us all the relief in your power. One, who fat many years at the helm of affairs, and every year brought Britain nearer to her ruin, fecured himfelf in power by bribery and corrup tion. His diftinguishing talent was to know |