200] 
lity proposed to withdraw the coun- 
try from the supremacy of Poland, 
and to put it under that of Russia. 
The principalmembers of the grand 
council made a faint opposition to 
this alteration, by observing, that, 
before they proceeded to a reso- 
lution, it would be expedient to 
wait the return of the duke. The, 
Oberburgraff Hoven rose up, and 
spoke a long time in favour of Rus- 
sia. Some counsellors expressed 
themselves of his opinion, and others 
reproached them with treason, The 
dispute grew warm on both sides; 
challenges were reciprocally given, 
and swords were about to be drawn, 
when the Russian general, Paklen, 
appeared inthe assembly. His pre- 
sence restored tranquillity. No one 
presumed to raise his voice against 
Russia; and the proposal of the 
nobles was adopted. The next day 
the aét was drawn up, by which 
Courland, Semigallia, and the circle 
of Pilten, made a formal surrender 
of themselves so the empress of Rus- 
sia; and it was carried to Peters- 
burgh, where the duke of Cour. 
land learnt, from the mouth of his 
own: subjeéts, that they themselves 
had deprived him of his dominions. 
The empress immediately sent a 
governor thither. 
However, some discontent remain- 
ed in Courland: discontent brought 
on proscription ; and the possessions 
of the proscribed were given to the 
courtiers of Catharine. The fa. 
yourite, Plato Zuboff, and his bro- 
ther, Valerian, obtained a great part 
of those rich and shameful spoils, 
The acquisition of Courland to 
Russia, was of great importance. It 
produces much corn, as well as tim- 
ber: in both of which articles it 
carries on a great Commerce ; and 
it has several ports adyantageously 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1796. 
situated on the Baltic, among which 
are Libau and Vindau: the first 2 
flourishing and commercial city; the 
second, likely to become one day 
the station. of the Russian fleets. 
The port of Vindau, which is never 
obstruéted by ice, by a littleimprove- 
ment, might be rendered capable 
of containing a hundred ships of 
the line. 
At the same time that she quietly 
usurped the sovereignty of Cour 
land, she sent out her arms against 
Persia. Under pretence of defend 
ing Lof-Ali-Khan, of the race of 
the Sophis, she aimed at the pos- 
session of the Persian provinces, 
which border on the Caspian. Va- 
lerian Zuboff, at the head of a numes 
rous army, penetrated into the pro-_ 
vince of Daghestan, and advanced 
to lay siege to Derbent. His first 
attack was direéted, against a high 
tower, which defended the place; 
and, after having made himself 
master of it, and put the whole 
garrison to the sword, he was pre- 
paring to make an assault upon the 
tewn. The Persians, intimidated 
by former successes, and the impe- 
_tuosity of the Russians, cried out 
for quarter ; and the commandant, 
a venerable old man, of the amazing 
age of one hundred and twenty 
years, and the same who, at the 
commencement of the present cen- 
tury, had surrendered Derbent to 
Peter I. came now to deliver the 
keys to Valerian Zuboff. 
Aga Mahmed was advancing - 
with succours to the relief of Der- 
bent, when he heard that the place 
was already in the hands of the 
Russians. Valerian Zuboff came 
forth from the place to offer him 
battle, in which viétory declared 
for the Persians, who forced their 
enemies to return into Derbent. 
Cath>- 
