r8o1.] 
letter to the Chief Conful, in the hand- 
writing of the Emperor Paul, and the con- 
folidation!|of the union between the two 
ftates appears from its following regula- 
tions refpeCting Ruffian fhips : All veflels 
of the Republic, and all cruizers bearing 
the French flag, are forbidden to interrupt 
the fhips of war, or the commerce of the 
Emperor of ali the Ruflias, cr his fubjetts. 
On the contrary it is direéted, that aid 
French veflels fhall afford fuccour and af- 
fittance to the thips of Ruffia. All prizes 
of Ruffian veffels which may be made after 
February the 19th, fhall be declared nuli- 
by the Council of Prizes. 
One of the moft important pieces of in- 
telligence however to us is the failing of 
a part-of the Breit fleet. On the 27th of 
January, Cape Finifterre, diftant EB. half 
N. 35 leagues, the Concorde frigate dif- 
covered at nine at night feven' large fhips, 
about two miles to windward, under ealy 
fail, fleering to the weftward ; and being 
on oppofite tacks, two bore up tor her. 
One, however, ina fhort time refumed her . 
courfe.and joined her fleet ; the other con- 
tinuing in chace, the Concorde ftood on till 
they fuppofed the fleet diftant about hx 
miles, when having brought to, they made 
the private fignal, which not being an- 
{fwered, convinced them fhe was an enemy. 
The commander of La Concorde fays, 
¢¢ When fle was within hail he nad ob- 
ferved her tobe a frigate of very large di- 
menfions ; but further obferyations were 
prevented by a volley of mufquetry, and 
an order to ftrixe to a French frigate.” 
She then ranced un cv 7 a 
er ae. wae tHE ee fide, te 
t&lving And returning their fire as the paff- 
ed, till fhe fhot fo far a-head as to brine 
them on her quarter; in which pofition 
they kept her warmly and clofely engaged 
for about half an hour, when the enemy's 
fire entirely ceafed, he receiving their 
broadfides, which brought his boat and 
other wreck from his ftern and quarters 
into the water, without returning a fhot. 
From this they concluded that his people 
had deferted their quarters, and that he 
had furrendered, but they found that on 
the contrary his attention was engaged in 
making his efcape, and his fleet {oon ap- 
pearing to windward, obliged them to re- 
linquifh the purtuit and fteer for England. 
Thereis little reafon to doubt of this {qua- 
dron’s deftination being for Egypt, to- 
wards which quarter Boneparte has di- 
rected no fmall-part of his attention, ever 
dince his poffeffion of the Chief Confulate. 
It is probable alfo that this is the fquadron 
which has been for fome time in readinefs 
under the command of Admiral Gan- 
State of Puolic Affairs in February, 1801. 
173 
theaume, who conducted Bonaparte from 
Egypt, has been eleéted a Counfellor of 
State, and poffefles the Chief Confui’s full 
confidence. This {quadron may fafely 
pafs through the Mediterranean, for we 
have nothing to oppofe it; but it has yet 
no {mall degree of danger to encounter om 
the Egyptian coaft, as Lord Keith is ftui 
cruizing in that quarter. 
EGYPT. 
The Mercury frigate, which lately ar- 
rived at Gibraltar from the coaft of Egypt, 
has brought intelligence,dated Yatfa Bay, 
and off Arab’s Tower, Alexandria, Sep- 
tember the 30th. . The Grand Vizier is 
tated to be fillat Jaffa, with 10,¢éd0 men, 
whom General Koehler with forty-fix Bri- 
tith, fix officers included, were inftructing 
to march in double line, their artillery in 
the intervals, and the cavalry upoa the 
wings ; but though there was much faid 
of advancing againft the enemy, the Vi~ 
zier appeared more occupied in preparing 
to make a fland in Syria, than in attack~ 
ing Egypt. Numerous works were erett~ 
ing about Jaffa, to render it a place of 
arms ; and Captain Lacey was employed 
in erecting regular baftions about ElArifh. 
HisHighnefs the Vizier expeéted reinforce- 
ments; but if they were evgn to arrive he 
could not act. again the French. for three 
rfonths, without a confiderable numbep of 
fmall and active veflels of war, in confe- - 
_quence of the uncommon inundations of 
the Nile. 
General Mev-- 
-~atUlg 
having been joined hy 
suurad Bey, who had fo ae eae tite 
French in Upper Egypt, and by numerous 
Copts, &c. appeared determined to re¢ain 
a conquelt, of which it was evident all the 
powers of the Porte could not difpoflets 
him, He had ftrongly fortified, it is faid, 
Alcxandria, Damietta, and Roigtta, upoa 
the entrance to the Nile, and. the only 
ports in Egypt, and had not only com- 
pleted the lines, &c. began by Colonel 
Bromley, at Aboukir, but added others te 
them, rendering all thefe places fo ftrone 
as to bid defiance to any army of the 
Turks, ‘a 
The latet accounts from England,‘and 
which were received off Alexandria the 
2sth of September, were dated the 16th 
of June. Intelligence had been received, 
that our troops had retired from: the Red 
K 
Sea; but hopes were entertained that a 
body of troops from India, * who, from 
being accuftcmed to the fame {corchine 
fun, were better adapted than foldiers oe 
mediately from England to contend with 
the French, now feafoned to the climate.” 
would arrive at Suez, and make a diver-. 
a fion, 
