402 
for in the market. | In one instance 
it was discovered, that to conceal 
this iniquity, a bribe of 87,000]. had 
becn given ;. in another a bribe of 
35,0001. ‘Vessels, houses, stores, 
&c. were usually hired at most ex- 
travagant rates, in consequence of 
fraudulent contracts, where others 
might have been obtained much 
cheaper. But worse than either of 
these iniquities was the diabolical 
fraud of suffering the merchants and 
contractors to furnish his majesty’s 
troaps with inferior and bad rum, 
and other articles, at an extravagant 
rate, by which the lives of the troops 
wereendangered, as well as the coun- 
try defrauded. And, for the purpose 
of committing these practices, all 
free competition for the supply of 
articles was prevented ; and every 
obstacle was put in the way, even 
of the purchase of bills on the trea- 
sury. They were dated in one island 
and négociated in another; and they 
were sold at a much more advanta- 
geous exchange than that at which 
the officers debited themselves in 
their accounts. 
The following instance of cold- 
blooded economy, in Bonaparte, is 
mentioned as a fact: 
When the English force, under 
sir J. B. Warren, had put into St. 
Jago, after the capture of the Ma- 
vyengo and Belle Poule, admiral Li- 
nois requeed of sir John permis- 
sion to assemble the French officers, 
for the purpose of reading to them 
an imperial edict, which he had by 
him for some time, and which ma- 
terially affected his and their in- 
terests. The English admiral hav- 
‘ing accordingly assented to this de- 
mand, with all that urbanity and 
politeness which distinguish him, the 
French officers were got together, to 
the amount of nearly 70, when the 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1806. : 
instrument in question was read to 
them by admiral Linois. It began 
by reciting, that his imperial ma- 
jesty, Bonaparte, having had serious 
cause of chagrin and displeasure, at 
the repeated checks and disasters his 
naval force had hitherto experienced 
in the contest with England, was de- 
termined that it should undergo a 
thorough reform, Then, after many 
regulations for the better ordering 
and conducting his navy in time of 
hostility with other powers, and for 
the excitement of his sailors to he 
roic deeds, it concluded by stating, 
that in future all officers of his 
navy, who were captured by the 
enemy, should be from that moment 
reduced to one-fourth of their actual 
pay: ‘* And you, gentlemen, 
therefore,”’ continued Linois, ‘¢ with 
myself, are hereby so reduced, and 
we must shift, as well as we can, 
with the little that remains !” 
Suockine Massacre.— Account of 
the Massacre of the Officers and Crew 
of the Ship Atahualpa, communicated 
by Capt. Isaacs of the Montezuma.— 
*¢ Theship, Atahualpa, had beenlying 
at anchor in Sturgis cove, up, Mill- 
bank Sound, three days. The na~ 
tives had, during that time, been . 
remarkably civil. On the 12th of 
June, 1805, they came off in several 
canoes, and desired captain Porter 
to purchase their skins; and about 
ten o’clock, Calete, the chief of one 
of their tribes, desired captain Por- 
ter to look over the side, and see 
the number of skins in his canoe. 
Capt. P. was complying, but was 
obliged to bend over the rail, when 
the chief threw his eoat over his 
head, stabbed him twice between his 
shoulders, threw him overboard, and 
gave the signal for a general attack. 
‘¢ Mr. John Hill, the chief mate, 
was shot through the body, but ran 
below 
