State of Public Affairs in December, 
[Jan.- 1, 
have exceeded thirteen millions and a half 
of dollars, and have enabled us to defray the 
Current expences, including the interest on 
the public debt, and to re-emburse more than 
five millions of dollars of the principal, with¬ 
out -recurring to the loan authorised by the 
act of the last session. The temporary loan 
obtain'd in the latter end of the year 1810, 
has also been re embursed, and is not included 
in that amount. 
The decrease of revenue, arising from the 
situation of our commerce and the extraordi¬ 
nary expences which have, and may, become 
necessary, must be taken into view, in making 
commensurate provisions for the ensuing year. 
And I recommend to your consideration, the 
propriety of ensuring a sufficiency of annual 
revenue, at least, to defray the ordinary ex- 
pences of government, and to pay the interest 
cn the public debt, including that oa new 
loans wliich may be authorised. 
I cannot close this communication without 
expressing my deep sense of the crisis in which 
you are assembled, my confidence in a wise 
and honorable result of your deliberations, 
and assurances of the faithful zeal with which 
my co-operating duties will be discharged ; 
invoking, at the same time, the blessing of 
heaven on our beloved country, and on all the 
means- that may be employed, in vindicating 
itsrights, and advancing its welfare. 
(Signed) James Madison. 
TFcshlngfcr., Nc^j. 5, 18Jl. 
east I^'DIES. 
ihe following Letters from Liente- 
nant-Geneifil Sir Samuel Auciimuty, 
to the Secretary of State, describing 
the capture of" Bat.avia and Java, 
the last ports on the Dutch empire in 
India ! 
Wehe’vnede. Auz^ 31,1811. 
My Lord, 
I have the honor to acknowledge the re- 
feipt of vour lordship’s Dispatches of tne 4th 
September last, which reached me after mv 
landing on this island. 
As the expedition against Java was under¬ 
taken by directions from the Right Honor¬ 
able Lord Minto, Governor-General of India, 
he has required me to detail to him the ope¬ 
rations of the troops. Your lordship wiil 
however, I trust, pardon the liberty I take' 
in enclosing a copy of my letter, and will 
permit me to add the loi.owing general re¬ 
port. 
We landed on the 4th instant, wuthin 
twelve^ miles of Batavia, which was taken 
possession of o.n the 8th, without opposition. 
On the 10th, the troops had a sharp affair at 
W’ekevieede with the Elite of General Jan¬ 
sens army, which terminated in driving 
inem^into their strong position at Cornells. 
On tine 20th, we assaulted the works at Cor- 
lelisj which were carried, and the whole 
1 
army, upwards of ten fchousand disciplined 
men, were either killed, taken, or dispersed, 
with the exception of a small party of horse 
that escaped with General Jansens. We 
killed about two thousand, took three gene¬ 
rals, and five thousand prisoners, a.'td are 
nov’- in possession of the whole country west 
of Cheribpn. 
Your lordship is acquainted with the rea¬ 
sons that induced me to attempt a landing in 
the neighbourhood of Batavia, It was effect¬ 
ed without opposition at the village of Chi!- 
lingching, twelve miles east of the city, on 
the 4th instant. My intention was to pro¬ 
ceed from thence bv the direct road to Cor- 
nelis, where the enemy’s force w-as said to 
be assembled in a strongly fortified position, 
and to place the city of Batavia in my rear, 
from whence alone I could expect to derive 
supplies equal to the arduous contest we were 
engag ed in. As some time was required to 
make preparations for an inland movement, 
I judged it proper to reconnoitre the road bv 
the coast leading to Batavia, and observe how 
far it Would be practicable to penetrate by 
that route. I was aware that it was extremely 
strong, and, if well defended, nearly im¬ 
practicable. Advancing with part of tlie ar¬ 
my, I had the satisfaction to find that it was 
not disputed with us, and the only obstacls 
to our progress was occasioned by the destruc¬ 
tion of the bridge over the Anjoul river. I 
approached the river on the 6th, and observ¬ 
ing during that evening a large fire in Bata¬ 
via, I concluded it was the intention of the 
enemy to evacuate the city : and with thh 
impression I directed the advance of the army 
under Colonel Gillespie, to pass the river in 
boats, on the succeeding night. They lod¬ 
ged themselves in the suburbs of the city, 
and a temporary bridge was hastily construct¬ 
ed on the morning of the 8th, capable of 
supporting light artillery. On that day the 
Burghers of Batavia applied for protection, 
and surrendered the city without opposition, 
tlie garrison having retreated to Weltev- 
reede. • 
The possession of Batavia was of the utmost 
importance. Though large store houses of 
public property were burnt by the enemy, 
previous to their retreat, and every effort 
made to destroy the remainder, we were for¬ 
tunate in preserving some valuable grana.'ies 
and other stores. The city, although aban¬ 
doned by the principal inhabitants, was filled 
With an industrious race of people, who could 
be particularly useful to the army. Provi¬ 
sions were in abundance, aud an easv com¬ 
munication preserved with the fleet. 
In the night of the 8th, a feeble attempt 
was made by the enemy to cut off a small 
guard I had sent for the security of the place, 
but the troops of the advance had, unknown 
to them, reinforced the party early in the 
evening, and the attack was repulsed. The 
3.dvanc^ 
