908 
means of ‘obtaining relief to the diftreffes 
of the republic. ta 
SPAIN. 
After alapfe of feveral months, the Bri- 
tifh Cabinet have returned an anfwer to 
the Spanifh declaration of war. In this 
anfwer the Britifh court affert, “‘ That a 
fimple reference to that declaration, and a 
bare enumeration of the bafe and frivolous 
charges which it contains, would be fuf- 
ficient to fatisfy all reafonable and impar- 
tial minds, that no part of the conduét of 
Great Britain towards Spain has afforded - 
the fmalleft ground of complaint. That 
the only difficulty of a detailed reply arifes 
not from the ftrength and importance of 
the complaints aliedged, but from their 
weaknefs and futility. That the acts of 
hoft:lity attributed to his majeity inthe 
man‘fefto of Spain are matters either in- 
nocent or ind ferent in their nature, or of 
imputed intentions, of which no proof is 
‘adduced, nor any effect alledged,” &c. - 
HOLLAND. 
Outhe rsth of November, the National 
Convention of the Batavian Republic final- 
ly read the remainaer of the new confiitu 
tion. They then decreed that the national 
printer fiould print, at the Icaft expence 
pofiibie, a fufficient number of copies of it, 
to be diftributed among the inhabirants of 
the republic. . 
On the 17th of November the repre- 
-fentative KasTRELE gave, in along fpeech, 
his opinion upon the new conftirntion. 
He cenfured that part of the plan which 
divided the republicinto nine independent 
departments or provinces, which divifion, 
he conceived, would militate againft that 
unity which fhould be the object of every 
good government. — 
' Citizen Witpots cenfured the fyftem 
of finance fet forth in the conftitution, and 
complained alfo of the want of unity in the 
new plan. He aliedged that it was deh 
cient in affording fecurity to the liberties of 
the people, and not calculated to fupport 
the rights of man. Aye 
GERMANY, 
The moft fingular and interefting oc- 
currence which has taken place im this 
part of the world, is the diplomatic cor- 
refpondence, which has lately been pup- 
lifhed, between the emperor and the king 
of Great Britain, in his capacity of elec- 
Public Affairs.—Spain .>. Holland, fc. 
[Dec. 
tor of Hanover. On the elector being 
urged by the chief of the empire to for- 
ward his quota for the defence of the com- 
mon caufe, under the denomination of the 
Roman Months, the former, it appears in 
a note, dated onthe 17th of O&tober, has 
pleadd his utter inability to comply with 
the impersl command—adding, that he, 
with feveral other ftates of Germany, had 
thought it neceffary to conclude a peace 
‘with the French, to prevent the falling of 
his territories as a wreck among the gene- 
ral ruins of theempire. “Many arguments 
are urged, in the courfe of the note, againft 
the continuance of this “* unfortunate war,” 
and the whole exhibits the moft com- 
plete contraft to the language and-conduét 
of the Britifh miniftry. 
Russta. 
An important event has lately befallen 
the Ruttian empire. Her imperial ma- 
jefty expired on the evening of the :7th 
of November ; and the grand duke, Paul 
Petrowitich, has fucceeded in the go- 
vernment. Various conjeétures have al- 
ready been formed of the changes which 
the death of this Semzramis of the Lorth 
may cifeét,in the politics of Europe. The 
prevailing opinion appears to be, that the 
benevolent difpofition of the fucceffor of 
Katkerine will induce him to cultivate the 
gentle arts of peace, with more zeal and 
fuccefs than his ambitious mother, 
[2 our Supplementary Number will ap=— 
pear a copious Life of the Emprefs, with 
original Anecdoies of the Court of Ruffia, 
subich we expect will prove bighly interefi- 
ing to the Public.] i 
West INDIEs. 
By the laf difpatches from major-genee 
ral Gordon Forbes, commanding his ma- 
jefty’s troops in the ifland of St. Domingo, 
government were informed that the fitua- 
tion of our troops in that land, in Oéto-- 
ber laft, was better than it had beenat any 
time fince they had been in poffeifion of any 
part of it.. Thartthe fuccefs of the very 
judicious arrangements made by major 
general Bowyer, at Jeremie, and the divi- 
fions among the enemy in the fouth part 
of the ifland, where almoft all the republi- 
can whites had been maflaered fince their 
defeat, had aflured the fafety.of the im- 
portant quarter of the Grand Ame. 
' St. Mares and Mole St. Nicolas were 
alfo in a fiate of perfeét fecurity. 
PUBLIC 
