State of Public Affairs. 
mage to the harbour, bafon, &c. At 
twelve o’clock, however, 
poured in great numbers upon the invad- 
ers, and the wind at the fame time be- 
coming unfavourable, fo as to prevent 
their reimbarking, they were all com- 
pelled to furrender prifoners of war, to 
the number of about fifteen hundred men, 
after having liad about one hundred killed 
and as many wounded. 
FRANCE. . 
In the Council of Five Hundred, on 
the 12th of April, Citizen Escuasse- 
RIAUX the elder made a long and elabo- 
rate report upon the fubjeét of coloniza- 
tion, in which he pointed out the rife and 
progrefs of it from ancient to modern 
times; as he proceeded, he urged the be- 
nefits which mankind had repeated from 
€olonization, and pointed out the places 
which late difcoveries had laid open for 
future exertions of this Kind. He de- 
{cribed Egypt as inhabited by half civi- 
lized tribes, famous for its fertility, and 
as a place which induftry might reftore to 
a healthful temperature, and to the culti- 
vation of the moft valuable productions ; 
feparated only from the new acquifition 
of France by a narrow fea. “Can there 
be,” faid EscuassERIAUX, ‘*a more 
fuitable enterprize for a nation, which has 
already given liberty to Europe, and 
emancipated America, than to completely 
regenerate a country, which was the firft 
theatre of civilization in the'univerfe ; to 
call back the {ciences, induftry, and the 
arts, to the place of their maturity, and 
to lay the foundation of a new Thebes, 
or another Memphis?’ He contended that 
Ruilia, in eftablifhing colonies upon the 
Black fea, fet a proper example to the 
French republic, to form fimilar eftablith- 
ments in Afia and Africa, particularly 
in a quarter, which would render her 
Adriatic iflands of fuch value and import- 
ance. After having pointed out at great 

the gazette writer toaffert, that the blowing 
up of works at Oftend would interrupt the 
communication between Holland, France, 
and Flanders! It will appear, on the flight- 
eft infpection of the map, that the canal which 
runs to Oftend is but a collateral branch of the 
grand Flanders canal, which does not approach 
nearer than 64 miles of Oftend, and confe- 
quently could be in no refpett injured by the 
blowing up the flood gates at the. termination 
of the collateral branch. Weficls pafiing 
along the grand trunk, 
Nieuport and Dunkirk, do not approach near- 
er to Ofténd than at the point of junction, 
Which, as before itated, is fix miles diftant. 
The real objet of this expedition appears, 
therefore, to be ftill involved in myftery. 
the French’ - 
from Bruges to . 
length the advantages of colonization, he 
oblerved, that a colony ought not to be 
-formed by the tranimigration of a great 
part of a nation. The expulfion of the 
Moors, and the revocation of the edict of 
Nantz, proved how much too great an 
emigration tended to enfeeble a country. 
«¢ What kind of government muft that 
be,” faid he, “which always depopu- 
lates the ftate in order to tranguillize it ?°* 
The Executive Directory, on the gth 
of May, affembled in order to decide by 
lot,, conformably to the conftitution, 
which of them fhould quit that important 
office. The neceflary balls were prepared 
with great folemnity, and the lot fell upon 
FRANCOIs DE NEUFCHATEAU to leave 
the Diregtory. Upon this decifion being 
announced, Gen. BERTHIER, THREIL= 
HARD,  /PALLEYRAND;. and’ CAN- 
BACERES, became candidates for the va- 
cant feat. 
The great bufinefs of the eleQions was 
finifhed about the end of April, and on 
the fecond of May the Directory fent a 
meflage to the Council of Five Hundred 
upon this fubject. After enumerating 
the various efforts which the enemies of 
the republic had made upon familar occa- 
fions, to introduce royalifts and anarchifts 
into the legiflative affemblies, the meflage 
afferts, “ that if ever there were a period 
in which the republic might appear fupe- 
rior to the~perfidious hopes fo often con- 
ceived for its deftruétion, and fo often dif- 
appointed, it would be when, triumphant 
without, and feated upon the innumera- 
bie trophies which fhe has gained, the 
reckons almoft as many victories as {ol- 
diers. Yet notwithftanding this, there 
does, exift an anarchical confpiracy to 
make the primary and electoral afiemblies 
the nurferies of future plots.” The Di- 
reétory next proceeded to ftate the revival 
of anarchy from the re-eftablifhment . of 
conftitutional circles; they particularly 
point out Stratfburgh, Perpignan, La 
Sarcne, Metz, Vermoul, and Paris, as 
places where the elections were influenced 
by the intrigues of the anarchifts. The 
meffage concludes with hoping, that the 
council will not permit men loaded with 
every crime to fit in the legiflaturé; and 
that they would mark with reprobation 
thofe infamous clisices, equally deroga- 
tory from the dignity of the republic and 
their own independence. 
A committee was appointed to nmke a 
report upon this meflage; on the 7th of 
May a report was accordingly made and 
brought up. It fkated the neceffity of ex- 
cluding from the*legiflature the partizans 
of the two great parties which agitated 
