182 
firft extremely unfortunate. His troops 
were routed: the Britith prefled on, 
without, oppofition, into the interior parts 
of his dominions; bis capital was taken. 
But, in the ardour of fuccefs, the con- 
querors had advanced teo far, had dif 
perfed themfelves throughout a wider 
extent of pofts, than their force was fuf- 
ficient to maintain, had taken no account 
of the difeafes to which they fhould be 
liable in thofe inland and uncleared terri- 
tories, of the {nares to which they muft 
be expofed by their ignorance cf the 
local advantages and difadvantages, or 
of the difficulties by which they muft 
there fuffer in regard to the means of 
fubiiftence. They have been, in confe- 
quence of this, befet by the King of 
Candy’s forces, at their moft advanced 
ftation in’ the new conquefts. Major 
Davie, the commanding officer, was com- 
pelled, perhaps by difiiculties of which 
we are not yet fufficiently informed, 
perhaps by mere pufillanimity, to a mifer- 
able furrender. No» fooner were the 
Britith trooops, Whites and Malays, dif- 
armed by the capitulation, and the 
Candians mafters of the place, than the 
conditions were bafely violated. The 
whites except Major Davie, and one or’ 
two other officers were faithlefsly maffa- 
cred; and the Malays were compelled to 
enter inio the King of Candy’s fervices. 
Some of thefe Malays, true to their firit 
engagements, deferted, at the earlieft 
opportunity, and made their efcape down 
the country. Governor North, upon 
receiving the news, fent orders to with- 
draw the troops from others of the ad- 
vanced pofts. At fome of thefe, where 
our foldiers were already furrounded by 
the troops of Candy, they: gallantly cut 
their way through the midit. of them, 
The natives* deicended flowly, towards 
the Britith fettlement: and the Governor, 
with his Council, and thofe who were 
with them, were in fome ccniternation.— 
This is the fubftance of the lait official 
difpatches from Governor North.—Confi- 
derable reinforcements were, however, 
fent out, early laft fummer, to joim the 
army in Ceylon. And thofe would pro- 
bably arrive in time to fave the colony 
from further misfortune, or even to re- 
cover all that had been by the late dif 
after, loft. 
By the delays to remove fhe Britith 
ftores from the Cape of Good Hope, after 
the cefhion of. that fettlement under the 
Peace of Amiens, a portion of thofe (tores, 
to the vaive of between one and two imn- 
dred thoufand pounds fterling, has been 
Siate of Public Affairs in February, 1804. [March 1, 
ea) q 
left to confifcation for the benefit of the 
Dutch. ee ae | 
_A number of French gun-brigs and | 
other armed veffels of the enemy, have, 
within thefe four weeks, been taken off — 
Boulogne, and on other parts of the 
French ard Dutch coats. ° 
Of the Army of Referve, ordered by 
an act of the laft feffion, of parliament, 
34,162 fichtinge men have been actually 
levied. There is ftill a deficiency of © 
15,422 men. a 
The alarm relative to the Volunteers, — 
is atanend. A decifion of the court of © 
king’s bench, has afcertained that their 
fervice cannot, on the conditions on whicls 
it was originally accepted, be made com- 
pulfory. , 
M. Rochambeau, and a number of 
other French: officers, prifoners of war, 
from St. Domingo, are now at Chefter- 
field, Afhbourne, and other places, adja- - 
cent to thefe. ‘ 
The contefted ele&tion for Middlefex 
has come under the confideracion cf the 
Honufe of Commons, fince its meeting af.~ 
ter the Chriftmas adjournment. The pe- 
titioners againt the election of Sir Francis 
Burdett had negle&ted to deferibe their 
intereft as electors, in the petition, in a 
manner agreeable to the provifions of the 
aét of parliament, which relates exprefsly 
to this object. Mr: Fox made a motion, 
that their petition, thus defettive in a 
formality, which he held to be indifpen- 
fible, thould not be proceeded upon, by 
the Houle. A confiderasle number of 
thofe who are the molt favourable in their 
fentiments to his wifhes and principles, 
fupported his motion. It was, however, 
rejected by agreat majority. A commit- 
tee was appointed for the election. It 
proceeds in the inveltigation; and the 
trial will {carce be foon at an end, ? 
On the quettion, whether the law fhould 
be renewed to reftrict the banks in Ireland, 
again, for a limited time, from making 
payments in money; fome interefting de- 
bate has been repeatedly excited in the 
Houle of Commons. Mr. Corry, Mr. 
Forfter, Lord Archibald Hamilton, Mr. 
Johnftone, and feveral other members, took 
part in it. In the difcuffion a number - 
of ftriking faé&s were mentioned, evincing: 
Ireland to fuffer grievoufly, at this mo- 
ment, by the fearcity of actual cath, ard 
by a balance of exchange enormoufly. 
again that country. But, nothing was 
fuggetted to juftify the meafure of leaving 
the Irifh banks to make their payments in 
money, while the bank of England gives © 
only bills. ‘The renewal of the rettric- 
: : tion, 
