on the fubject of them." This motion was feconded by Mr. Impey, and fupported by Mr. Scott, Mr. Johnftone, Mr. Peter Moore, and Mr. Prinfep. Mr. Twining moved an amendment, the purport of which was, "That this court do confirm the unanimous refolutions of the court of directors on the 4th of February laft; and that the court of directors do, without delay, act on the principles detailed in thofe refolutions." This amendment was feconded by Mr. Chisholm, and fupported by Mr. Inglis, an American merchant, fir Stephen Lufhington, fir Francis Baring, Mr. Jones Adair, Mr. R. Thornton, Mr. Durant, fir Hugh Inglis, and Mr. Bofanquet. It was obferved, by different fpeakers on the fide of the amendments, and even by Mr. D. Scott, though on that of the original motion, that of the forty-three proprietors who had called the meeting of the court, many of them were concerned in the private trade to and from India, and confequently that their opinions could not have the fame weight as those of impartial and difinterefted perfons. But this objection was treated lightly, as foreign to the merits of the queftion, A fummary statement of the advantages to be derived from a free trade with India, may be given in the words of Mr. Peter Moore, in the prefent debate. The forty-three proprietors, he faid, came forward, on the part of the mercantile interefts of England with this petition to the court. The vaft empire acquired in India, yields abundantly more products of mercantile enterprize, than the company choose to avail themfelves of. Allow us to try our skill, and employ our induftry in

fuch articles as you reject, at prefent allowed to foreigners, our rivals or enemies. Licence us in this abandoned commerce, fubordinate to your authority, regulations, and controling jurifdiction. We will implicitly conform to them, pay all your dues, and the duties of the ftate. This indulgence will fill the docks of England with fhipping, the warehoufes of the company with goods, and replenith their exhaufted coffers with money. It will convert your fpare rooms into an opulent cuftom-houfe; prove a moft valuable nursery for feamen; improve the legal income; and unite us amongst ourselves in thus profperoufly conducting thofe portions of eaftern commerce, loft to our nation, but of which our enemies and rivals feel the full value.” It was contended, on the other fide, that, by the measure propofed, a door would be opened to various innovations and dangers, fome of which, though not the whole, might be anticipated, and which would ultimately involve the colonization of India. India, Mr. Chisholm ob. ferved, was a country rich in foil, genial in climate, extremely popu lous, unrivalled in manufactures of the most valuable kind, cultivated to an uncommon degree by its natives, who were perfectly civilized, enlightened, and religious. not every man fee, that, if colonization in India were not rigidly guarded againft, it would take a much fhorter time to enable India to affert her independance than it coft America? Mr. Henchman's motion, on a divifion of the court, was negatived, by 133 votes against 80. A ballot, on the amendment, was demanded in the name of nine

Did

proprietors. On Friday, June 5th,

the

the ballot took place: when Mr. Henchman's motion was finally loft.

A different fate attended fir William Pulteney's motion in the house of commons; which, though opposed by fir Francis Baring and Mr. Thornton, was carried without a divifion.

Sir Francis Baring faid, that the tendency of this motion, and thofe with which it would be probably followed up, would be, to make that storm burft, which had been forming for fome time, over the heads of the East-India-company.

Mr. Dundas, after many profef fions of regard, and anxious concern for the ftability and profperity of the Eaft-India-company, faid, among various other remarks, that the trade of this country was getting too great for its fhipping; that the timber in Great Britain was failing; and that, he should be very glad if perfons in India could be prevailed on to tranfmit their wealth to this country in the shape of fhips. He hoped that he fhould live to see the time when the ports of England would be filled with fhips of war built in India, a country where there are immenfe forefts of every kind of timber, and which would be utterly ufelefs if not fo employed.

While the legislature manifefted, a difpofition to favour a free trade between this country and India, the proceedings of the court of direc

tors, in the courfe of the fummer, indicated a refolution, on their part, to maintain, with the greatest ftri&tnefs the exclufive rights of the company.

The parliament was prorogued by commiffion, on the 2d of July.

As this was the first feffion of the imperial parliament, a very confiderable degree of curiofity had been excited concerning the influence that the introduction of fo many Irish members might have ou the courfe of affairs, and general complexion of parliament. The bufinefs of parliament, as our readers must have perceived, was very much increased. A great acceffion of ability and eloquence was made to the common flock. There did not appear, as in truth there was not the fmalleft reafon, any fymp toms of national fufpicion, jealoufy, or animofity. The Irith members were not inattentive to the interefts of their native country, nor yet to thofe of Great Britain, and the general profperity and fecurity of the empire. The British members were actuated by a fimilar fpirit. The minds of the legiflators, British and Irish, were prepared for a coalefcence by long habits of reciprocal intereft, intercourfe, and af fection. It was a union, but not a union of ftrangers. All bufiness was tranfaced with temper, mo deration, and candour.

СНАР

Of the departure of Buonaparte from Egypt, the fucceffion of Kleber in the command of the French army there, the convention of ElArifh, the non-fulfilment of that treaty, a confequent engagement, in which the Turks were defeated, and the death of Kleber, by affaffination, we have taken a bird's-eye profpect in our last volume. The narrative of events, from the departure of Buonaparte we now refume, on a scale more particular.

The difficulties that environed the new commander-in-chief were of the most complicated and trying nature. The foldiers were difcontented, the generals were divided, the whole army was in a state of the greateft perplexity. The privations of the army do not appear to have been great: but their fufferings from the climate, and frequent alerts from the Mamalukes and Arabs, were very confiderable. A longing defire too.of returning to France, a pallion incident to the French, was very generally prevalent. As to the officers, there was a party' who confidered the colonization and retention of Egypt, after the communication was cut off with France, by the naval victory of Aboukir, as a hopeless and extravagant project. They were divided into colonifits and anticolanifts.

In this arduous fituation, general Kleber was bound by the inftructions of his predeceffors, to purfue, in many respects, a policy, than which nothing could be more humiliating to a generous officer. Stifling, however, his particular feelings, he foothed and animated the troops, and affiduoufly endeavoured to pursue the path that had been marked out to him, though

frequently oppofed both to his judgement and reflection.

at

The negotiation had been tempted with the Porte, through the medium of the Effendi, by Buonaparte; and many circumftances confpired to render the profecution of it, on the part of Kleber, advilable. The vizir was advancing from Damafcus, at the head of a numerous army; England was already active, and Ruffia in motion against the French: the greater portion of whom, had long been difgufted with the climate, and were now farther difpirited by the abandonment of their general, and the accounts they had begun to receive of the misfortunes of the republic.

Under thefe circumftances, and ignorant of the fuccefs of Buonaparte, Kleber was induced to ac-cede to a treaty for the evacuation of Egypt, which was concluded at El-Arith, January 24, 1800. Whatever praife may be dee to the exertions of fir Sydney Smith, and much is certainly due, the confequences refulting from the measure furnish fufficient caufe for regret, that any confideration fhould have induced him to exceed the powers intrufted to him by government. One radical defect is alfo obfervable in the treaty of El-Arith, and is rendered remarkable by the fkill otherwise difplayed by fir Sydney Smith, throughout the negotiation. There was no hold on the French; nothing by which they could be compelled to obferve and fulfil their engagements. It is, indeed, probable, that this circumftance was not unobferved by Kleber, who acted with the deepest policy, and who, waiting events, was anxious to keep himself in a fituation either to

break

break or confirm the conditions of the convention. Even before the arrival of those instructions from the English government, which annulled the treaty of El-Arid, the French commander was endeavouring to find an occafion of quarrel with the Turks, in complaining, that the fapplies they had engaged to furnish for the fubfiftence of the French troops did not arrive; and declaring, at the fame time, that he would affert his right by force of arms: though the article by which the French were to give in a ftatement of their wants, had not yet been delivered to the Turks. Such was the language held by Kleber, on the 25th of February, while the terms on which only the French were to be permitted to evacuate Egypt, were not communicated to him till the 16th of March! Merely to gain time for the concentration of his forces before Cario, Kleber now propofed a conference to the Ottoman minifters, under the pretext of effecting an amicable arrangement till fome explanation fhould take place between the French and British governments. Having obtained his object, by a temporary fufpenfion

of hoftilities, he gave in fuch de mands as he knew muft inevitably lead to the immediate renewal of the war. His ultimatum was of courfe rejected. On the 19th of March he convened a council of war, the refult of whole deliberations, accompanied by a letter from lord Keith, announcing the refufal of the Britith miniftry to fanction any fuch convention as that of El-Arish, was communicated to the army in the following addrefs:

anxious to

Soldiers! To fuch inflts, we thall reply by victories: prepare for battle."+ Informed, at length, of the "fuccefful destinies" of Buonaparte, Kleber was efface the unfavourable impression that his firft difpatches were calculated to infpire against the conful, by firuggling for the prefervation of the French interefts in Egypt.

After a tedious march, begun in November, 1799, the grand vizir (Jofeph Bahaw) encamped near Catich on the 5th of February, 1800, at about feven miles and a half, or three hours, diftance from El-Arish, which fort had capitulated to the Turks, preparatory to the late negotiation. His army amounted numerically to 80,000; though he

of war."