Karaczai (who commanded a corps of 6000 men near Novi, to observe the chief debouché from Genoa), stating that he had been attacked by very superior numbers of the enemy, and, after a very severe engagement, had been obliged to retire, with considerable loss, to Alexandria, where he had taken up a position behind the Bormida. General Kray marched this morning with a considerable reinforcement, and I hope will arrive time enough to prevent the enemy from making any further progress. A resolution has been taken, on the part of the commander in chief, immediately to embody the Piedmontese army; these troops are to be placed, in every respect, upon their ancient footing; they are to take the oath of fidelity to the king of Sardinia only, and are in no manner whatever to be made subject to Austrian discipline. The Piedmontese troops have behaved in the most gallant manner. Numbers of deserters coine in daily, who all describe the distress of the enemy for want of provisions, to be extreme.

W. BENTINCK. Head-quarters, Centalo, Nov. 6. My Lord,

In my last I acquainted you, that, in consequence of information having been received, that a large detachment of the enemy was coming from the side of Savoy, the army made a movement to its right. The French having taken Pignerol and Susa, and having advanced to Salucco, threatening our communication with Turin, general Melas thought it necessary to march still farther to his right; and a camp was chosen between Bra and Fossano. These operations when connected with the system of defence only upon which this army had so long been acting, deceived the

French into a belief that the Austrians were in full retreat. The evacuation of Mondovi, which was determined upon for the purpose of adding a very considerable force to the army, confirmed still more this opinion. Elated with these hopes, they advanced on all points and on the third took possession of Savigliano. On the 4th, the enemy marched in three columns, to attack the Austrian army. The 1st. column marched from Savigliano by Ma. renne, the second by Genola, and the third marched to the attack of Fossano, which had been put in a state of defence, and was occupied by a considerable garrison. It happened, that the Austrian army moved with the same intent, at the same time, and in the same number of columns, and upon the same roads. Lieutenant-general Out commanded the right column; lieutenant-general Elsnitz the centre; and major-general Gottersheim the left. The two armies met at Marenne and Genola. It was not till after a very severe engagement that general Ott obliged the enemy to fall back from Marenne; a part retired to Genola, and a part to Savigliano. General Ott pursued the enemy to the latter place, where he took three cannon, and above 1000 prisoners. The column of gen. Elsnitz, that was destined for the attack of Genola, met with a much more formidable resistance. The action lasted for several hours; and it was not till the arrival of the column of gen. Ott from Savigliano, upon the rear of the French, that victory declared in favour of the Austrians. The two columns immediately proceeded in pursuit of the enemy: gen. Ott by Villa Falette, and general Elsnitz by Valedigi. The army halted at night at Centalo. The column of general Gottersheim repulsed the French (L4)

from

from Fossano to Murazzo. It will appear surprising, that while our army was at Centalo, a division of the French army remained between Murazzo aud Ronchi, with the Stura in their ear, over which there was no bridge. Early in the morning of the 5th, the army marched in two columns to Ronchi and Murazzo. The enemy, surprised, made no resistance, and 200 prisoners were taken without any loss. It appears, that the French army was completely defeated, and that this division was left there without orders. The Austrians have made in the two days, above 3000 prisoners. The army, being extremely fa tigued remained at Ronchi; but this morning general Melas having determined to follow up his success with the greatest vigour, the army marched in two columns; one upon the intrenched camp of the Madona del Almo, and the other upon Casaglia: the enemy retreated every where upon our approach. It is reported that the French are retiring over the mountains. It is impossible to do justice to the valour and perseverance of the Austrian army. The operations of the army, prior and subsequent to this affair, when considered in a military point of view, entitle the commander in chief to the admiration of the whole world. Accounts were yesterday received from general Kray, that he had attacked the enemy near Alexandria, and had obliged them to retire to Pozzolo Formigoio, with the loss of 1000 prisoners.

W. BENTINCK.

The gazette of Nov. 30 contains a letter from lieutenant Bond, of the Netley schooner, to earl St. Vincent, dated Oporto, Oct. 17th, relating his having recaptured a brig from Gibraltar, laden with brandy; as also a Spanish privateer the El Orely, y los Tres Amigos,

of eight guns, and fifty- two men. Also, a letter from lieutenant Frissel, of the Fanny hired lugger, stating the capture of a French privateer, from Granville (swivels and small arms, and thirteen men), by hoisting French colours, to which the privateer fled from the pursuit of a British schooner. And likewise from lieutenant Laynon, commanding the hired cutter Kent, which gives an account of his having captured, on the 26th instant, a French lugger privateer, from Calais, of four guns, swivels, small arms, and twenty-four men.

DECEMBER.

6. This day a meeting took place at the London Tavern, to take into consideration measures for the relief of the poo! of London and Westminster, and the borough of Southwark.

Mr. Devaynes, who was voted to the chair, opened the business of the meeting, stating its object to be to come to certain resolutions for entering into a subscription for the relief of the industrious poor, for the application in a proper manner of such subscription. He adverted to the subscription entered into for a similar purpose in 1795; and observed, that very considerable benefit had resulted from it; it had relieved thousands, and, by filling their bellies, mended their morals. The meeting would therefore pe ceive, that to continue that subscription would be to continue relief to the class he alluded to.

Mr. Edward Forster, in a pertinent speech, gave a detailed acount of the number of persons who had been benefited by the subscription. of 1795; and stated, that the be ject mot immediately sought for was, to afford relief to the industri ous working)poor, which was onl to be done by selling provisions ve

then

them at reduced prices. It was in this manner that the committee for the appropriation of the fund of 1795 had proceeded; and owing to this it was, that such general good had resulted from the labours of that body. The erection of souphouses had particularly contributed to extend the benefits of this fund, insomuch, that in the course of the winter and spring months of the year 1798, 481,336 meals were distributed at three soup-houses in Spital fields, &c. to about 8400 families, at an expense of only 895. 12s. to the funds subscribed, exclusive of the first cost of the erections and repairs, &c. And in the months ending April 27, 1799, the number of persons who received benefit from the fund was 40,000; the number of meals distributed 750,918; of all which, the aggregate expense had been only 34761. 8. 10d. These were signal benefits, and could not be reflected on without feeling how great must be the good such instititutions were capable of producing, if generally encouraged. He wished, therefore, to see souphouses established in greater numbers; in the mean-time, much might be done to relieve the poor, by continuing the subscriptions of 1795. He then moved several resolutions which were put and agreed to.

Admiralty Office, Dec. 7. This gazette gives accounts of the following captures: by the Driver, captain Dunbar, Le Barras schooner privateer, fourteen guns, commanded by citizen Fromentin.By the Jalouse, on the same day, the Fantaise, a new copper bottomed lugger of fourteen guns and sixty men; she had, the day before, taken four laden colliers, close in with Flamborough-head, one of

which captain Temple had re-taken. -By the Racoon, captain Robert Lloyd, Le Vrai Decide French lugger privateer, of fourteen guns, four swivels, and fifty men; and also L'Intrepide lugger privateer, of sixteen guns and sixty men, commanded by citizen Saillard, and considered the largest and best sailer from Calais, after a smart action, in which captain Lloyd and one man of the Racoon were wounded, and thirteen killed and wounded in L'Intrepide. By the Atalante, captain Griffiths, Le Succès of Boulogne, François Mattieu Blondin master, of six carriage-guns and forty-eight men; she had taken a brig from Belfast laden with sundries.

[This gazette also contains a proclamation for giving currency to a new copper coinage of twopenny, penny, halfpenny, and farthing pieces. The penny pieces to weigh one ounce avoirdupois, and the two-penny pieces two ounces. No person obliged to take more than one shilling of this money in one payment.]

Admiralty Office, Dec. 10. This gazette contains an account of the capture of a republican French privateer, of twenty men, with small arms from Boulogne, by the Camperdown, lieutenant Wildey.-Also by the Speedwell, lieutenant Tomlinson, (the Valiant in company), L'Heureuse Espérance French privateer, of fourteen guns; had only twenty-four men on board, baving gained four prizes during her last cruise; and L'Heureux Spéculateur, of fourteen 6-pounders and fifty-eight men, a remarkable fast-sailing vessel, which has done much mischief to the English trade.

Downing-street, Dec. 13. The following dispatch was received

from

from the right hon. lord Wm. Bentinck by lord Grenville.

Head-quarters, Murazzo, Nov. 20.
My Lord,

It gives me great satisfaction to be able to state to your lordship, that it is the determination of the commander in chief to undertake immediately the siege of Coni, and push it on with all possible vigour. This resolution has been adopted in consequence of the events which have taken place since the battle of the 4th, and which prove the defeat of the enemy on that day to have been most complete. The prisoners taken on the 4th and 5th amount to 4,300, which number is much greater than was at first supposed. The Austrians lost 2,000 in killed and wounded. On the 11th, the division of general Ott attacked that part of the enemy which remained at Borgo Saint Dalmazzo, and drove them as far as Robillante. On the same day, major general Somasiva pursued the French in the valley of the Stura as far as Demonte, of which he took possession, and made 100 prisoners. Major-general Gottersheim also obliged the French to evacuate the villages of La Chiusa, Boves, and Poveragna. General Championet had assembled his whole force at Mondovi, and upon the mountains behind the river Ellero, as far as Monasterlo. As long as he occupied this position, it was impossible to undertake the siege of Coni. General Melas therefore gave orders that a general attack should be made on the 13th. A letter from Championet to St. Cyr had been intercepted, which showed that the latter was not able to pursue the advantage he had gained over general Kray, in the last action which I had the honour of stating to your lordship. For this reason, the division of general Metrowski,

which had marched as far as Cherasco, for the purpose of reinforcing general Kray, was ordered to return to the camp of the Trinita on the 12th, and to form the left of the attack on the town of Mondovi. The remainder of the army marched in two columns. The one by La Chiusa, upon Monasterlo; the other by Villa Nova, upon the centre of the enemy's line. From the difficulties of the roads, the attacks were not made till very late, and the enemy, without making much resistance, abandoned all his positions. The people of Mondovi opened the gates of the lower town to the Austrians. The French army retired to Vico, and evacuated the citadel of Mondovi in the night. General Championet is retreating towards Ormia, and major-general Bellegarde is sent with a considerable corps in his pursuit. The Austrian army marches this day to Beinette, and will to-morrow take up the necessary positions to cover the siege. I never yet have seen inveteracy and detestation of the French so general, and carried to such lengths, as it is here; the whole people are armed; and, beaded by a priest, perform the most wonderful exploits. In the beginning of the campaign they took both Ceva and Mondovi from the French; and in the action of yesterday, a body of 15 000 prevented a very strong column of the enemy from marching by a particular road; the coun try being mountainous is peculiarly favourable to their irregular mode of fighting. The siege will begin in the course of ten days.

W. BENTINCK.

[This gazette contains a letter from lieutenant Bond of the Netley schooner, which mentions the capture of two Spanish lugger privateers off the port of Lisbon, on the

14th and 28th of November; also, a lugger taken on the 24th by the Castor. Lieutenant Bond likewise announces the recapture of two brigs from Newfoundland.-A list of vessels, seven in number, cap. tured by the squadron employed at Minorca between August 2d and September 4th, 1799, laden with several thousand reams of paper, corn (including about 400 quarters of wheat), wine, and pine timber.

And a list of ships captured, recaptured, and detained, by the squadron cruising off the Mauritius, eight in number, laden with rum, paddy, naval stores, bale goods, sugar, &c.]

14. The sword which had been voted to earl St. Vincent, by the corporation of London, was this day delivered to his lordship by Richard Clark, esq. the present chamberlain, with an appropriate speech.

Females 8883

Died under 2 Years 5211 Between 2 and 5 1790 5 and 10 10 and 20

644

573

(Males 9046 Females 9088

18,1341

Inc. in Bur. 4this year 21.

105-