HISTORICAL AFFAIRS. TURKY and Russ I A. "Hague, Jan. 19. According to the lateft accounts from Bucharest, the negotiations for peace promife the moft happy confequences. It is confirmed, that the Turks have confented to the independency of Crimea, and the free navigation of the Black fea; and the Ruffian plenipotentiaries have proposed to the Turks to extend this navigation to the English and Dutch, but no anfwer has yet been made to this propofal."

"Conftantinople, Dec. 3. Since accounts have been received from Buchareft, of the armiftice being prolonged to the 21ft of March next, all the preparations for an approaching campaign are crafed, which makes us hope that a peace will be concluded on before that time."

Peterburg, Jan. 10. We have the pleafing intelligence to convey to you, that we have almost a certainty of the pacific ending of all differences between Ruffia and the Porte. Within these few days a Turkith courier, with a guard of twenty fpahis, arrived here, with an affurance from the Grand Signor and the divan, that they have acceded to all the terms demanded by the Empress, and flattered themselves that the armiftice would meet with no more obftructions, but be happily concluded on both fides. This news was immediately made public, and occafioned great rejoicings."

POLAN D.

"Warfaw, Dec. 16. They write from Przeminft, that provifions there are at an immenfe price; and to increase the mifery of the inhabitants, the lands are fo infefted with mice, that the wheat and rye in the ground are devoured by them, infomuch that in fome places they have been obliged to fow their corn three times over. These animals likewife deftroy great quantities of hay and corn in the barns; and there are fuch multitudes of them, that it feems as if they were collected there from all parts of Europe."

"Warfaw, Dec. 19. The foreign troops, which ftill remain in this capital, are a very great oppreffion on its inhabitants. The number of Pruffians amounts to near 9000, the Imperialifts 10,000, and the Ruffians 5000; the former are

quartered in the city, and fuburbs of the city, but the Ruffians are in the cantonments within a few miles; and the provisions which used to arrive daily from thofe places, and were the chief fubfiftence of the citizens of Warsaw, are now monopolized by the military, who compel the peasants to take what price they pleafe to give; fo that the poor Polanders are in a dreadful fituation."

"Warsaw, Dec, 22. The payment of the fubfidy of 2000 ducats, established by King Auguftus III. arifing from the falt-works at Wilicfka, to maintain an hofpital in this city, and which fubfidy was confirmed by the prefent government, was fufpended on the feizure of thofe falt-works by the Austrians; but the King, notwithstanding the great diminution in his finances, has given an inconteftable proof of his goodness of heart, by caufing the 2000 ducats to be paid to the said hospital out of his privy purfe."

-66

-

Warfaw, Dec. 23. The minifters of the King having given him an account of the uniform declarations presented lately by the Barons de Rewitski and de Stackelberg, envoys from the courts of Vienna and Petersburg, and M. Benoit, minister from that of Pruffia, to accelerate the holding a general affembly of the nation, the miniftry hath delivered, on the part of his Majefty, to the above envoys an anfwer, which is in fubftance as follows. “That the King being informed by the declarations of the courts of Petersburg, Vienna, and Berlin, of their defire relative to the convocation of the diet, and at the fame time warned of the inconveniencies which delays would be productive of, is inclined to fatisfy them in that refpect; with the view, not only of removing every pretext for an aggravation of the misfortunes which afflict Poland, but also with the hope, that this mark of regard will affect the three powers, and difpofe them to terminate them as foon as poffible, and in the most just and advantageous manner for the republic. In confequence of which his Majefty hath publifhed circular letters for the convocation of the grand affembly of the fenate, which muft indifpenfably precede the diet, and which is fixed to be on the 8th of February next. The interval between this convocation and the circular letters is fo fhort, as to be hardly fufficient to give time enough for the Nobility at a

diftance

diftance to attend. Given at Warsaw, this 14th of December, 1772."

"London, Jan. 14. The following is the purport of the circular letters iffued by the King of Poland for convoking the fenatus confilium, on the 8th of February next.

STANISLAUS AUGUSTUS, &c. &c. &c. Animated with the pureft zeal, and with the moft indefatigable attention for the good of this country, we think it our duty to falute the Republic from that throne, which Divine Providence, by the means of a free and conftitutional election, hath been pleafed to commit to our care. We formed the moft flattering expectation, that we fhould have peaceably reigned over a people equally deferving and dear to us, though we were well apprifed, that a country could be never happy till the governing powers had learned to apply themselves with activity and vigilance in uniting maturity with deliberation, and authority with law. Having difcovered both thofe qualities united in the high fenate or council of state, we refolved, after the example of our illuftrious predeceffors in the throne, to hold fuch an affembly in the capital of our dominions once aweek; but fate, envious of our promifed profperity, fo nourished and fcattered the feeds of ambition and difcord, as to defeat our purposes, and render every wife intention of that patriotic affembly totally unprofitable. It is not at all neceffary to recapitulate the feveral steps, or investigate the numerous means, by which this country has been brought to the diftrefsful extremity to which we now behold it reduced; the uniform declarations of the three powers, followed by a public notification of their final intentions, on their poffeffing themfelves of the provinces belonging to the republic, having been already laid before fuch of you as were prefent in the affembly convoked on the 6:h of last October, and in which we protefted, in the moft folemn manner, against thofe proceedings, as contrary to the laws and prerogatives of this ancient kingdom. It was at the fame time agreed to convoke a diet, according to actual circumftances; previous to which it was neceffary to affemble a fenatus confilium; which being fixed to be held on the 8th of February, it is our pleature, by thefe circular letters, that you return, and attend us on that day; by which means you may have-it.

in your power to act for the profperity of your country in coneert with your monarch, whom Divine Providence hath placed and hitherto fupported on the throne, and miraculously faved from the hands of affaffins, when feemingly beyond the power of human fuccour. You all perceived, that we were indefatigable in preventing the evils under which this unhappy country groans, when they first commenced, till rafhnefs and calumny became too powerful, and till factious rage rofe to the pitch of declaring an interregnum, and entering into measures for depriving me of my life. Alas! what mifery this imprudence has caufed; and how much more fatal would it have been, if thofe audacious engagements had been as profperous as they were wicked and unlawful? But as we are refolved to do every thing in our power to remedy the evils with which this nation is threatened, we formally declare to the feveral confederacies, and to the members of which they were compofed, as if they were particularly fpecified, that if they do not, on the receipt of thefe authentic teftimonials of our final refolutions, return to their fidelity, they shall never obtain a pardon for their past offences againft the ftate, an afylum in their country, nor be ever hereafter intitled to affift at any of the national affemblies, but fhall be driven away from every thing that should be held dear by them, till their duty towards their fovereign fhall reconcile them to their injured King, and common father. Whofoever fhall re-. pent, and acknowledge his faults, and attribute the fource of all their misfortunes, both public and private, to a fecret hatred, and, without any other view but purely the good of his country, fhall co-operate with the King towards the restoration of its religion and liberties, fhall obtain once more our favour, forgiveness, and utmost protection. Such is the end we propose to ourselves by calling this affeinbly, which it is your duty to endeavour all in your power to accomplish, and will infure to you our good will. I pray God to take you under his protection.”

Warsaw, Jan. 10. Many of the Nobility and Gentry are conftantly arriving, in confequence of being fummoned to attend the approaching diet. Various are the conjectures founded on the precifeintent of this convention, many of them vague and ridiculous; but the moft ge

neral

DENMARK.

« Copenhagen, Fan. 5. The government having been apprifed that there had been difperfed among feveral perfons a collection of pieces relative to the proceffes against the Counts Struenfee and Brandt, hath iffued an order for feizing all the impreffion, and published a moft rigorous reftriction against any bookfellers, printers, or hawkers, who fhall dare to fell the fame."

GERMANY.

"Francfort, Dec. 20. We learn from Sclavonia, that the mortality which raged for fome time past among the cattle, has totally ceafed; and that they had found the greateft fuccefs in the ufe of petafite root, as well in recovering those who were ill, as in preferving others from catching the infection."

"Berlin, Dec. 3. Our warlike preparations are purfued with more than ufual vigour; and though we have a well-difciplined army of about 250,000 men ready to take the field, yet our King has lately taken into pay the Heffian and Brunfwick troops; and the Emperor, with whom our King is in a strict union and alliance, has likewife taken the Saxon and Palatine troops into pay. The fecrets of our cabinet, you know very well, are impenetrable; yet the beft politicians affirm, that this formidable armament cannot folely be meant to fecure the poffeffion in Poland, but that certainly our King and the Emperor will put in force their favourite scheme of anLihilating our ancient fyftem of government in Germany, and establish out of its ruins two formidable monarchies. The impotence of the different powers, and the tyranny and oppreffion of the German princes, bid fair for fuch an event foon to take place."

UNITED PROVINCES. Meff. Cliffords, very eminent bankers at Amfterdam, ftopt payment in the end of December; which gave a fhock that was felt in moft of the great trading towns in Europe. Soon after, the merchants of Holland were forbid to grant any more loans to foreign powers for a limited time.

"Amfterdam, Jan. 15. A plan has been propofed to, and approved of by, the magiftrates of this city, to prevent for the future fuch fatal failures as have VOL. XXXV.

happened lately, which are computed to amount to eleven millions of guilders. The fcheme propofed is, to establish a fund of three millions, from which all perfons may be supplied with the fums they want at a moderate interest upon proper fecurity. The privileged cashiers of this city exerted their utmost endeayours to render this fcheme abortive, but the public good has happily prevailed against all the intereft of those mercenaries."

A letter from Amfterdam, dated a few pofts later, fays, "Our magiftrates have juft now given a proof of their wife forefight, in allowing provifionally the fum of two millions of guilders (about 180,000 1.) taken out of the city-treafury, to be advanced on goods. or good bills, to such persons as may be in immediate want of money, at a moderate intereft, which will be applied to the ufe of the poor of all religions. The adminiftration and direction of this ufeful plan is intrusted to the management of fix commiffioners; and the principal merchants have agreed to indemnify the city for any lofs that may accrue."

FRANCE.

"Paris, Dec. 31. On Tuesday laft, about ten o'clock at night, a fire broke out in the Hotel Dieu, occafioned by the melting of tallow, which caught fire, and burnt with too much rapidity to be ftopt. The Governor of Paris, and all the chief magiftrates, attended, and ftrong detachments of guards were planted at all the avenues. Three rooms, occupied by fick people, were burnt; and a great number of the miferable objects therein loft their lives. The nuns fleeping-room, the laundry, and all the old chapel, fell a prey to the flames; which rage ftill; and feveral of the firemen and foldiers were killed. The cathedral of Notre Dame is filled with beds and fick people from the hofpital, who are vifited and relieved by ladies of the higheft diftinction. Great numbers of the fick are daily removed in covered carriages to the hofpital of St Louis, out of Paris. All the avenues to the Hotel Dieu are ftopt. It is now midnight, and the fire is not yet extinguifhed. We have, however, the fatisfaction to affure the public, that not near fo many lives are loft as was at firft reported."

"Paris, Jan. 8. Letters from Amiens advife, that a child of about four years G

old,