gree of protection and fafety. His great defign is faid to be, to make himfelf master of the Red-Sea; to open the port of Suez to all nations, but particularly to the Europeans, and to make Egypt once more the great center of commerce. Though this conduct and these views, fhew an extent of thought and ability that indicate nothing of the barbarian, and befpeak a mind equal to the founding of an empire; yet if the Port can conclude a tolerable peace with Ruffia, there feems no great probability that this new government will be lafting. The people over whom Ali Bey has affumed the rule, are effeminate, cruel, treacherous, and daftardly; who for a long fucceffion of ages have been the eafy prey of every barbarous invader, and corrupted with every vice, that debafes human nature. If it could be imagined that fuch a people would act like men in the defence of their rights, their own malice and treachery would probably afterwards execute, what the enemy was incapable of effecting in the field. It could be only the total fubverfion of the Ottoman empire, that could afford a prospect of fuccefs to this undertaking. CHA P. V. Unhappy ftate of Poland; the plague breaks out in that country. Germany. Conduct of the Emperor. Of the King of Pruffia. Pruffian troops enter the territories of Dantzick, Changes in the Miniftry at Copenhagen. Danish expidition against Algiers. Sweden. Difference between the ftates of Holland and the Elector Palatine. POLA OLAND ftill continues to groan under all the calamities of a war, in which her fhare is only to fuffer. While labouring under the yoke of foreign cruelty and oppreffion, and convulfed in every part by the domeftic rage of her citizens, thefe complicated evils have this year been increased, by the addition of that most dreadful_out an inhabitant. fcourge the peftilence. This dif temper broke out in fome villages on the frontiers of Turky, from whence it foon fpread into the adjoining provinces of Poland, and made the most cruel ravages in Podolia, Volhinia, and the Uk-, raine. Having penetrated into the ftrong frontier city of Kaminieck, where it made great havock among the garrifon as well as the inhabi tants, the furvivors totally abandoned that important fortrefs, which continued exposed and deserted for feveral months, neither Ruffians nor natives venturing to take poffeffion of it. All the peasants of a village belonging to Prince Czartoriki were fwept off in one day, and nine Monafteries were left with It would feem that this fatal fcourge of mankind, in the prefent lawless ftate of that country, continually fcoured by independent, or oppofite bodies of armed men, together with the conftant communication occafioned by the taking of prifoners and plunder, and the carrying off provifions, could not by any human means have been reftrained in its progrefs. The lines however that were drawn, and the great care taken to prevent its fpreading, have providentially fucceeded, and confined its rage to thofe provinces where it firft began, where it is faid to have fwept off 250,000 of the people. By the latest accounts, the fevere cold of the winter has effectually checked its fury; happy if the returning heat of the fummer, operating upon the mifery and diftreffes of the people, does not again call forth its latent feeds into action. The continued loffes of the confederates, have by no means leffened their exorbitances, nor even to appearance their numbers; on the contrary, they seem to multiply and acquire new ftrength by repeated deftruction, are in poffeffion of feveral provinces, and that extenfive country prefents nothing but endlefs fcenes of ruin and defolation. If we are furprized at the aftonifhing perfeverance which ftill produces confederacies, we cannot be lefs fo, that the country fhould in any manner be capable of fupporting them: it might be imagined that in fuch a state of infecurity and anarchy, where there is fo little hope of enjoying the future crop, the hufbandmen would wholly abandon the cultivation of the earth. It appears by a calculation faid to be accurate, that the confederates had exacted above a year ago from the inhabitants of the province of Great Poland only, fince the firft commencement of hoftilities, above 16 millions of florins: to which if we add the provifions and forage furnished to the Ruffians, the plunder and ruin of private families, and the lofs fuftained from the great number of exiles, who carried off their most valuable move ables, fome idea may be formed of the deplorable state of the country. The great Germanic powers, still obferve the fame myfterious conduct with refpect to the affairs of Poland, and the events of the prefent war, which we have before more than once taken notice of. The breaking out of the plague, has afforded an opportunity to the Emperor as well as the King of Pruffia, to form lines compofed of great bodies of troops along the frontiers of that country. The clofe connection that at prefent fubfifts between thefe Princes, the mutual completion of their forces, the attention they pay to their respective military departments, and the excellent condition of their armies, feem to indicate fome great defign in view. The Emperor, in pursuance of his former conduct at Milan, the good effects of which had been fo happily experienced by the inhabitants of that dutchy, has fet apart one day in the Week at Vienna, for receiving petitions and complaints from all his fubjects, without any the fmalleft diftinction as to birth or rank; and the officers of the court have exprefs orders, not to turn away any person whatever who may come to implore his protection, let their condition be ever fo low. He at the fame time nobly declared, that it behoved him to do juftice, and that it was his invariable intention to render it to all the world, without refpect of perfons. The camp and grand review this year at Neuftad in Moravia, feemed calculated for the entertainment and receptionof the king of Pruffia, who paid a vifit to the Emperor at that place. The meeting between thefe great Monarchs was in 2 Sept.3. appearance appearance fo cordial and affectionate as greatly to affect the beholders, particularly the troops, many of whom remembered, and had experienced, the fatal confequences of the animofity that had fo long fubfifted between the two families. The people were difpofed to imagine, that other caufes befides pleasure or curiofity, had conduced to the late vifits between thefe Princes; and that the war between the neighbouring powers, to which neither of them could be indifferent, was the ultimate object of them. The vifit paid by Prince Henry of Pruffia to the Court of Petersburg, feemed in fome degree to countenance this opinion; and made it not appear impoffible, that fuch a partition of territory might be agreed upon between the three courts, as would be highly advantageous to them, and which in the prefent circumstances must have been fubmitted to, as well by the Port as the republic of Poland. The city, of Dantzic, and regal Pruffia, were objects of the most important and alluring nature to one of the parties; nor were the provinces of Moldavia and Walachia, lefs fo to another; while Ruffia might have been amply compenfated on the fide of Tartary and the coafts of the Black Sea. However this may be, ftates that have great power feldom want ambition; and the Emperor is now faid to have the finest and best difciplined army, that ever the houfe of Auftria was poffeffed of. With this force, and the affections of the people, which he fo eminently poffeffes, he may well be fuppofed to form great defigns, and the prefent fituation of affairs, feems in a par ticular manner to afford an oppor tunity for their completion. The city of Dantzick had an occafion this year, of experiencing one of the many misfortunes to which a small state, which has great and formidable neighbours is frequently expofed. A body of PrufSept. 29. fian troops made a fudden irruption at two o'clock in the morning into the territories of that city, where they furprized feveral of the out-pofts, feized the cannon, and made the men prifoners. They were afterwards reinforced to the number of five thousand, and encamped about four miles from the city, where they continued fome weeks, but observed an exact difcipline. This violent transaction could not fail of being fufficiently alarming to the Dantzickers, who having fecured their gates, applied to all the foreign Minifters to write to their refpective courts, to implore their protection, or interceffion in their favour. It feems that the Magiftrates had forbidden the Pruffian recruiting officers to levy men within their free city; and the Postmafter had refused to pafs fome cafks of filver which came for the Pruffian refident, without examination. The complaint founded on the last of thefe caufes was the more groundless, as the poft-office belongs to the King of Poland, and the Magiftrates have no manner of authority over it. The confequence was, that in about a month, the city, upon agreeing to pay 75,000 ducats, and fubfcribing to certain conditions, was admitted to depute two counsellors to make a fubmiffion to his Pruffian Majefty. The conditions were: ft. That they fhould fettle and pay without delay, all the demands made by the King's fubjects, on the city or burghers:-2d. That the Pruffians Pruffians fhould have liberty to enlift recruits, agreeable to the treaty of Whelavar :-3d. That they fhall not harbour any Pruffian deferters: -4th. That the money configned to the Pruffian refident, fhall not be liable to infpection :-and 5th. That the inhabitants fhall comport themselves in fuch a manner, as not to give any future caufe of complaint to his Pruffian Majefty. At the fame time all the Pruffian fubjects that were refidents of Dantzick, were peremptorily ordered to return to their refpective countries. Nothing could be more arbitrary, nor attended with circumftances of greater cruelty than this act. Many of these people. had married, had formed all their connections, had acquired confiderable fortunes, and had spent the principal part of their lives in that great trading city: So that this order carried along with it all the pungent ftings of banishment from a native country, at the most critical periods, and in the most interefling fituations of life. Several quick and unexpected revolutions, have taken place this year in the Danish miniftry. Count Holke, the great favourite of the King, and fuppofed to poffefs an unbounded afcendency over him, was fuddenly, to the furprize of the world, without any motives publicly affigned,degraded from all his employments, and banished the court. Several other great changes, as rapidly, and almoft as unexpectedly, have fince taking place at this court: the Counts Moltke, Thott, Reventlau, and M. de Rofencrantz, have been difmiffed from their employments, without a penfion, or other mark of favour to any of them, except M. Rofencrantz. General Philofophow, the Ruffian Minister, quitted this court abruptly, and without taking leave, immediately upon these last changes, which took place just at the close of the year. The cause of these movements has not yet tranfpired. It is faid that the French intereft has of late gained ground confiderably at Copenhagen; and from the fudden departure of the Ruffian minifter, it might not feem unwarrantable to hazard a conjecture, that the intrigues of that bufy court had fome thare in this change of Minifters. The King however continues the fame patriotic conduct towards his people, which has hitherto diftinguifhed his reign; as a new proof of which, as well as of his difpofition to the encouragement of arts, fciences, and learning, he has this year freed the prefs from all reftraints, and by à refcript dated at the caftle of Hirfcholm, exempts all Books publifhed in his dominions from any kind of cenfure. The ill fuccefs of the expedition which the Danes undertook this year againft Algiers, is a recent inftance, that large fhips, heavy cannon, and a number of failors, will not conftitute an ufeful and effectual navy, without that military bravery and kill, which is only to be acquired in actual fervice. The fquadron fent upon this expedition was conducted by Admiral Kaas, and confifted of four fhips of the line, two frigates, two bomb veffels and a firefhip. The Admiral having anchored in the road Aug. 3. of Algiers, hoifted a white flag, after which he entered into a fruitless negociation with the Dey, who was fo much difpleafed with a letter he ha had received from him, that he ordered the Algerine colours to be hoifted, and feveral cannon fhot to to be fired at the Danes; but they being at fuch a distance as to be out of all danger, ftill continued in the fame pacific difpofition, without returning a fingle shot, and the white flag flying. This ftrange appearance of war and peace, of avowed threat, and of real inaction, continued on the fide of the Danes for five whole days, though the Algerines fired at them feveral times with great fury, but without effect, as they were never within reach of their hot. In the mean time the Algerines fitted out fix gallies and galliots, who made a bold attempt, in the night, to bring off the Danish bomb-veffels, in which, however, they failed of fuccefs. The inhabitants of the city were notwithstanding in great confufion, as the longer the cloud was gathering, the more dreadful they apprehended would be its effects when it burft; they accordingly deferted the place in great numbers, and retired with their most valuable moveables to the woods and mountains. On the 6th morning, the admiral hoilted the bloody flag, and the cannonade and bombardment at length began, which was immediately anfwered with great brifknefs by all the caftles and forts about the city, and continued all day, but without a fingle fhot having taken place on either fide. In the evening, the admiral again hung out the white flag; and the Algerine gallies made another attempt in the night, with great refolution, to bring off the bomb veffels, but were overpowered by the fuperior fire of the Heet, which continued till morning. This fort of engage ment was carried on to the 12th day, during which time the Bar t barians made feveral spirited, though ineffectual attempts, as well by their gallies, as by a raft, or floating battery, which they conftructed, to have made the Danes repent of their vifit. On that day, the admiral hung out a white flag, and fent a floop towards the fhore, under the fame peaceable enfign, which was met by the captain of the port, in a bark, who came to know the cause of its approach. A letter from the admiral was then delivered to the captain, which he was charged to deliver into the Dey's own hands, but which he foon after brought back, with an account that the Dey refused to receive it. The Danes lingered two days longer, during which time, the Algerines were ftruggling with the weather, though it blew a ftorm, to endeavour to bring the raft to bear upon them. At length, on the 15th Day, the fleet weighed anchor in the morning, and put an end to this unaccountable expedition. Sweden has been productive of nothing very interefting this year. A fum of money haying been allotted by the ftates, to enable the Princes of Sweden to gratify their curiosity, of making a tour to fee the principal nations of Europe; the Prince Royal and his next brother, Adolphus Frederic, fet out in the latter end of the year upon that laudable defign.fedis bus A new ordinance relative to pomp and luxury has been iffued, by which the feverity of the former, of 1765, has been much relaxed. All wines, however, except thofe of France, the Rhine, and Portugal, as well as punch, ftill continue to be prohibited; as are worked ruffles, velvets, and filk laces upon liveries. The |