"Thus it is, that foreigners, by the means of a vile excrementitious fubftance, derive from this empire the most solid profits and advantages; but that our countrymen fhould blindly pursue this deftructive and enfnaring vice, even till death is the confequence, without being undeceived, is indeed a fact, odious and deplorable in the highest degree.

"Being now defirous of oppofing the growing evil, for which it appeared neceffary to revert to the fources from which it fprung, we difcover, by careful inveftigation, that the article of opium is imported by foreigners, and gains admittance into the empire through the Bocca Tigris, whence, either by the pilot-veffels and armed guard-boats that are ftationed there, it is conveyed up the river to Shen-fhin (Dane's Island), or, by the means of small craft, it is landed by degrees at Macao, and thence conveyed privately to the capital, while the custom-house officers and guards, at the different ftations, though well acquainted with the tranfaction, fuffer it to pals without examination or inquiry, being doubtlessly bribed to a large amount for that purpose.

"If the utmoft endeavours are not now made to cut away the root and branches of this evil, to what extent may they not proceed? We therefore publish thefe general orders, for the information of all the mandarins, civil and military, at the different ftations and diftricts of this province, that they may vigoroufly examine into and punish the commiffion of this of fence whenever it occurs; and at the fame time we defire of his Excellency the Hoppo, to iffue pofitive orders and injunctions to the officers, attendants, and guards, of the feveral custom-houfes in his department, that fhould henceforth any pilot-velfels, guard-boats, or fisher men, privately take on board thefe pieces of mould or earth denominated opium, a ftrict fearch and investigation fhall be made, and the offenders apprehended and conveyed to the presence of the magistrate, to undergo the punishment that may be thought adequate to their guilt.

"If, notwithstanding the fe our orders, bribes are again accepted, and the paffage of this article connived at, it shall be traced with the utmost exactnefs and rigour, in the diftricts and flations through which it had been tranfported, that no pains may have been fpared to produce a thorough reformation and amendment in thefe refpects. Should any further mode or regulation appear, that might tend to enforce pr render more effectual thefe prohibitions

and reftrictions, we request of his Excel lency the Hopi o to give us due informa tion thereof, in his reply to this our communication to him."

On receiving the foregoing letter, we made due inquiries refpecting the introduction of the fubftance denominated opium, and finding that it is indeed im ported into this country by foreign veffels, wherefore we have illued orders to the fuperintendant of the cuflom-house at the port of Macao, to be communicated to the chief foreign refidents, and the com manders of veffels belonging to that city, notifying our determination to prohibit the entrance of the article of opium into that port, as well as our general orders to make every exertion to discover and inform us of it, whenever it takes place.

Having replied to his Excellency_the Fooyuen's communication, I proceed to extend the above orders to the Hong-mer. chants, to which it behoves them to pay firict and unreserved obedience, and com municate them to the Chief Supercargo of Foreign Nations, that they may enforce the obfervance of our prohibition of the importation of opium on board the fhips of their refpective nations. But fhould nevertheless any fhip hereafter import the article, none of the Hong-merchants will be fo imprudent or abfurd as to become fe curity for the fhip, or undertake the dif pofal of her cargo, as I fhould, in fuch an event, immediately report their conduct to the Viceroy and Fooyuen, by whom the merchants will be rigorously examined, and punished for the offence, without any mitigation or excufe being admitted. The Hong-merchants fhall, according to cuf tom, reply hereto, and make known to us their obedience to our commands.

Given at Canton, the 16th day of the 11th Moon of the 4th year of KIAS KING.

JUNE.

MADRAS, June 4, 1800. A peon was ftabbed in the body, in or near to the new Calcutta gaol, on Wednesday laft, by a perfon of the name of R, who being baffled in an attempt to escape from prifon, rafhly committed the action alluded to.

In the commencement of the year 1779, R was apprehended for publishing, or causing to be published,

well as to the prifoner, that there fhould be a fair investigation of the matter upon a public trial:-the fole inquiry of the grand jury fhould be, whether the defendant gave the Aroke, and whether the deceafed died in confequence of it. By confining their confiderations to thofe points, and if proved, by finding a bill for murder, juftice is much more likely to be attained when the cafe comes before the petty jury, than it could poffibly be, fuppofing the grand jury to have found the bill only for manslaughter; for upon an indictment fo found, a verdict of acquittal would not fecure the prifoner against the event of a future trial for murder, at a period when perhaps, from lapfe of time, he may have been deprived of his evidence, either from death or otherwife, and may be put to make his defence under every poffible difadvantage.

"One offence," his lordship ob. ferved, "was new to this court the cafe of piracy, charged to have been committed near Ganjam Prior to the ftatute paffed in the year 1798, the jurifdiétion of the court was confined to the provinces; but by that ftatute, marine felonies committed upon any of the high feas are made triable by a jury of Calcutta. the grand jury, therefore, as to this offence, would not confider the proof defective, though it should appear to have been perpetrated without the provinces, the ordina. ry range of the criminal jurifdiction of the court." His lordship concluded his charge by obferving, that "there were no further cafes in the calendar calling for particular at. tention; and as to the general du. ties of a grand juror, the gentlemen he was addreffing were fo well informed, that it would be an idle wafte of public time to expatiate upon them."

3

The fame day the grand jury found a bill of indictment against a native woman, for the murder of her fervant, a girl of eight or nine years of age. The trial came on the fol lowing day, before the petty jury, and a verdict of guilty being returned, fentence of death was paffed on the convict.

The fentence was carried into execution on Thursday afternoon. The criminal met her fate with fortitude and refignation. From the prifon to the place of execution fhe was greatly agitated, and feemed inconfolable. On reaching the place of fuffering, the violence of her grief fubfided. She became immediately compofed, and furveyed the apparatus of death with fleadiness. Hav. ing drank a cup of water, fhe addreffed a few words to the furround. ing multitude, and made a falam, as a final adieu to this world. executioner propofing to affift her on the cart, fhe repreffed his hand, and afcended the fteps with firmnefs.

The

June 11.

able

the Criterion; and thus keeping the Louis (then diftant not more than feventy yards) directly between the enemy and the Criterion, he brought that ship a little forward of our ftarboard beam; nor did he dif. charge a fingle gun (except one cohorn from her tafferel-rail), or af. ford us the smallest affistance, notwithstanding he might very easily have rendered us the most effectual aid, either by dropping a-ftern, or fhooting a-head, and engaging the enemy in fuch pofition. On the contrary, when the enemy had engaged with the Louis, the Criterion's colours were inftantly ftruck; nor were they again hoifted until, from the difabled condition of the privateer, Captain W. was encouraged to feek for fafety in flight. When this was difcovered by the enemy (then in complete poffeffion of the Louis), a broadfide was fired from that ship into the Criterion, and a return of the fame was made by Capt. Wickes.

The privateer, which proved to be La Clariffe, was pierced for, and (at the commencement of the cruize,) mounted 18 guns, feven of which had been thrown overboard, while fhe was (a few days before) chafed by La Sybelle: fhe had between 70 and 80 men, of whom (according to their own account) feven were killed, and two wounded. The Louis fuffered in killed three, and in wounded feven.

The tranfactions recorded in the preceding statement were witneffed by the undersigned, who are now in Calcutta.

JER. W. BRONAUGH, Afift.
Sup. Cargo.

RICHARD PITT, 1ft Officer. BENONI WHITE, 2d Officer. To eftablish the truth of the most important part of the aforegoing statement, if any thing further could

be required, I need only call in the evidence contained in the very ex. tract in queftion: For, from the curious expreffions, "when the Louis bore up, we alfo bore up and engaged with all our force, &c." com. bined with what immediately fol. lows, viz. "As we were thus engaged, we were alarmed at feeing the Louis' cannon difcharged at us, &c." any one in the smallest degree converfant with nautical affairs would naturally conclude that, as the two fhips (Criterion and Louis) were on the fame tack, they could not poffibly have been in a ftation dif ferent from that I have described.

Omitting further comments, I leave the public to decide whether the extract from the Criterion's logbook contains fuch evidence as "will rescue Capt. Wickes from any unfavourable infinuations, and fhews that he and the people of the Criterion conducted themselves with bravery and judgment." I am, Sir, &c. &c.

J. W. BRONAUGH, Supercargo, Jhip Louis.