its value and extent, is relinquifhed by the prefent fucceffor without any equivalent; Delmenhorft, and the county of Oldenburgh, being in no degree to be confidered as fuch. It must however be acknowledged, that these duchies are of infinitely greater confequence and value to Denmark than to Ruffia; and that this ceffion removes a bone of endless contention from between those states.

The defpotifm of the Ruffian government, can only fecure obedience, while the rods and the axes are immediately before the eyes of the people; but as foon as diftance or any other circum ftance, fcreens them from the immediate exertion of power, all difcipline, order, and fubmiffion are at an end, and thofe who were immediately before its most abject slaves, become at once the most arrogant contemners of all laws and obligations. To this untoward difpofition, (which, where religion does not rivet the chains, in the infeparable attendant of defpotifm) the Ruffians owe a new war, which has this year broken out in the Crimea; where the Don Coffacks, with others of their fubjects, having revolted, and joined with the Tartars, and those few Turks who were left in the country, have become fo formidable as nearly to mafter the whole, and thus have rendered abortive, all their former fucceffes in that peninfula.

A rebellion of a more dangerous nature has lately broken out in the borders of the kingdom of Cafan, owing, it is faid, to the extraordinary impofitions laid on for the fupport of the war, and the continual draughts of men carried off for the fupply of the armies. For this purpose, notwithstanding the great improvements in knowledge and fcience which have taken place in Ruffia, it was not yet thought too late, to raise a new Demetrius from the dead. A Coffack, whofe name is Pugatfcheff, has affumed the pame and character of the late unfortunate Emperor Peter the Third. He pretends that he made his escape, through an extraordinary intervention of Providence, from the murderers who were deftined for his deftruction; and that the report of his death, was only a fiction coined by the court, to compofe the minds of the people, and reconcile them to the prefent unlawful government, by being cut off from all hopes of a better.

This impoftor, who pretends to the ateft fanétity, affumes the garb of a

patriarch, and beftows his benedictions on the people, with the air of a new apoftle. He declares that he has no views for his own intereft, he being entirely weaned from the vanities of the world, and the remainder of his life devoted wholly to piety; and that as foon as he has placed his dear fon upon the throne, he will again retire to lead the life of a hermit. Notwithstanding the groffness of this impofture, the pitiableness and marvellous circumstances of the tale, operating upon the discontent and ignorance of the people, procured him an infinite number of followers, among whom, it is faid, were many of the nobility of the government of Oremburg, where the troubles began, as well as of the adjoining countries. This matter was regarded in fo ferious a degree in Petersburg, Dec. 23d, that a manifefto was published against Pugatfcheff, and his adherents, in which the reafon of the people was appealed to, for their guard against fuch delufions. Gen. Bibikow, and feveral bodies of troops have also been fent to fupprefs the infurrection; but as this matter only originated near the close of the prefent year, and is not yet finally determined, the particular detail will appear in its proper place upon a future occafion.

1773.

It is not probable that these rebellions will be attended with any extraordinary confequences; they however fhew the precarious ftate of power in that empire; and it is remarkable that they are the effects of a war, which was probably undertaken to prevent fuch commotions.

The campaign this year upon the Danube, though not productive of advantage, muft, from its nature and distance, have been more expenfive to Ruffia than any two of the preceding. Upon the whole, in whatever light this war is confidered, when feparated from the glare of its victories, whether with respect to the wafte of treasure, to depopulation, to the lofs of Holein, to internal difturbances, or with regard to the removing of ancient landmarks, and boundaries, and overthrowing the established fyftem of the North, thereby fetting a precedent for the future breach of all faith and alliance, and forming precarious, unnatural, and dangerous arrangements and connexions; in every point of view, it appears to have been highly ruinous and deftructive to Ruffia; and that no probable fuccefs or advantage to be

hoped

hoped from it, will in any degree compenfate for the evils which it has alrea dy brought, and the greater, which it is likely to entail upon that empire.

Upon a review of the general state of affairs at prefent, it feems probable, that a speedy and final conclufion of the war, cannot be unacceptable to the court of Peterburg; and it may be reasonably imagined, that if the negociations for a peace are renewed, the will prove moderate in her demands. The marriage of the Great Duke, with a princefs of Heffe Darmstadt, and fifter to the Princefs of Pruffia, is of no other political confequence, than as it may be fuppofed to operate in ftrengthening the connexion between the courts of Petersburg and Berlim. The confanguinity of princes is, however, only productive of effect, when their interefts happen to draw in the fame line.

The present year has been fortunate to the Ottoman empire; and though the events of the war have only afforded negative advantages, they are of fuch a nature as to be of the greatest importance. The abilities of a great minifter, and the enterprizing spirit of a brave adventurer, have given a new colour to all their affairs. Egypt is recovered, Ali Bey no more, order restored in the coafts of the Leffer Afia, and their troops have fhaken off their panic, and are at length taught to behold an enemy with a steady countenance. And though the infurrection in Syria is ftill kept alive by the Chiek Daher, it can now be attended with no dangerous confequences; and the face of things is fo much changed for the better, in the capital, the provinces, and the army, that it may be fuppofed, it will not a little contribute to the re-establishment of peace.

No opinion can yet be formed, of the effect that the death of the Grand Signior (which took place foon after the close of the year) may have upon public affairs. As little can be faid as to the character of his fucceffor. Princes are always exalted beyond the condition of humanity at their first acceffion; and wonderful things are reported and expected from them. New reigns are generally vigorous in their beginning; and as it is not probable, that a prince at his firft coming out of a feraglio, in which he had been confined for forty years, will have many opinions of his own upon public affairs; it may be imagined that he will for fome time be guided by thofe

whom he finds already in their poffeffion and management. By what has hitherto app ared, he is making fuch preparations, as indicate a profecut on of the war with redoubled vigour.

It would be a matter of no little dif

ficulty, to form even any conjecture, upon the conduct of the two great Germanic powers. Their inceffant preparations for war, and augmentations of their armies, without any apparent object, present us with a mystery, which can only be unfolded by its effects. The great encampments formed by the Emperor, and the movements of his troops on the Turkish frontiers, made it imagined that he intended to take an active part in the war upon the Danube; and it is not impoffible that this apprehenfion had fome influence upon the conduct of the Ottomans in the courfe of the campaign. As no hoftilities have taken place, it may not perhaps be unreasonable to imagine, that these motions were only intended to in timidate the Porte, and thereby induce it to enter into fuch terms of accommodation as would have answered the views of the court of Petersburg. It muft at the fame time be acknowledged, that it is far from being a certainty, than any such co-incidence of friendship and fentiment, actually fubfifts between any two of the partitioning powers, except in what immediately relates to their flares of Poland.

Among the evils engendered by the prefent age, there is no one perhaps more fatal in its tendency, or contagious in its example, than that which is now become fashionable in Germany and the North, of reviving or fetting up of obfolete and antiquated claims and titles. The dangerous fuccefs which has already attended this conduct, will extend the evil, if not timely and effectually checked, to the loofening of all fecurity, and the rendering all property precarious. A claim of this nature, upon the city of Hamburgh, has lately been started, and put in at Vienna, by Count Schomberg. As the title of the Hamburghers to their liberties, befides an original purchase feveral times acknowledged and confirmed, and a public declaration by the diet of the empire in the year 1510, by which Hamburgh was acknowledged a free and imperial city, was ftrengthened by a prefcription of five hundred years standing, fuch an attempt at any other period, would only have afforded matter for

mirth

mirth or ridicule. The cafe is now however very different; and the Hamburghers having underflood, that a neighbouring monarch was in treaty to purchase the Count's title, and had probably urged him to the fetting up of the claim, the fate of Dantzick ftruck them in all its terrors, and has given them no infufficient caufe for the most grievous apprehenfions.

A claim in fome degree of the fame nature, though not attended with the fame terror, has been made by the King of Pruffia upon the States of Holland. This claim confifts in a debt, of above a century standing, and amounting to more than four millions of florins, which is pretended to be owing from feveral cities belonging to the Republic, in the dutchy of Cleves, to the houfe of Brandenburgh, On the other fide it was faid, that this fuppofed debt, with the titles on which it was founded, had been exprefly abolished by the treaty concluded in Auguft 1698, between the Elector of Brandenburgh, Frederic the First, and their High Mightineffes. As the demand for payment was however very preffing, it caufed fome alarm in Holland; memorials were prefented, and anfwers returned; but the affair does not yet feem to be determined.

An exchange of territory has been much talked of, between the King of Pruffia and the Duke of Mecklenburgh Schwerin, by which the latter refigns his principality, and receives the King's part of the duchy of Cleves in return. Though it may be highly illegible to a weak prince, to get out of the talons of an overgrown neighbour, who furrounds, oppreffes, and overwhelms him upon every occafion, and that the value of the equivalent is not fo much confidered in fuch a fituation, as the immediate eafe and fecurity that attend it; yet such an Exchange, in the prefent state of affairs, would establish a moft dangerous precedent in Germany. Propofals would toon be made to other weaker princes, to induce them to accept of equivalents, and fuch means would be taken with thofe who were not compliable, to render their inheritances uneafy and of no ufe to them, that in a little time they would deem it a happiness to obtain any exchange. Such measures are probably the first that will be taken, to prepare the way for a total change of fyitem in Germany.

Indeed that empire seems to be in as

precarious a fituation, as it has been at any time fince its foundation. The equilibrium is entirely overthrown; and it must be only by a series of the most extraordinary events, that it can be restored. The fate of the venal and arbitrary Polifh nobility, presents a mirror to the German princes which they could not too long nor too attentively ftudy.

The total abolition of the Jefuits after they had for above two hundred years made fo much noife, and by their intrigues created fo much confufion in the world, though it has been fo long expected, is fo remarkable an event, that it will stamp the prefent year as a diftinguifhed æra. The reduction of the ecclefiaftical power, is now become fo general in all the Roman Catholic ftates, that it is no longer a particularity in any one; and those encroachments which a few years ago, would have made the greatest noise, and have been confidered as matters of the moft alarming nature, are now paffed over in filence as things of course. Even the ecclefiaftical princes are following the example of the fecular; and the Bifuop of Liege having met with fome oppofition, in his attempts to fecularize a convent of monks in his own territories, has appealed to the Emperor, as Lord Paramount, upon that occafion. The event, with respect to the monks, is not doubted.

As there seems to be a fashion in all things, even în virtues and vices, fo it appears in nothing more remarkable, than in ecclefiaftical affairs. While it was the mode of the times, to confer honours, power, and poffeffions upon the church, the was overwhelmed with them; piety degenerated into a vice; and private men ruined their families, and Kings their countries, only to make her too rich and too potent. When this unnatural power and grandeur, had produced the diftempers incident to them, and it was thought neceflary to pluck off the adventitious plumage, the tide of fashion took the contrary courfe with equal rapidity, and feems now to proceed with an eagerness, that threatens to leave only the skeleton behind.

The great commercial failures, which threw fuch a damp last year upon all bufinefs in this country, arrived at their utmost extent, about the beginning of the prefent in Holland; and were of fo alarming a nature, and fo extenfive in their influence, as, to threaten a mortal

blow

blow to all public and private credit throughout Europe. Thefe failures were the effect of an artificial credit, and of great fpeculative dealings in trade, as well as in the public funds of different countries; and though attended with an immenfe lofs to individuals, of no lefs perhaps than ten millions fterling, took nothing out of the general flock, neither money nor goods being thereby leffened. They would however, by leffening the value of those commodities, have been as pernicious in their effects, as if the lofs had been real, and nothing but the most judicious and timely remedies, could prevent this fatal confequence.

It is not to be wondered at, that the Republic of Holland, fo long the emporium of trade, thould have pursued the wifest measures upon this occafion; and that in a country of merchants, a number of private men, from their long acquaintance in monied matters, and knowledge of the viciffitudes attending commerce, fhould have acted a manly, fpirited, and generous part, for the fupport of public and private credit. But it was particularly fortunate, that without any time for pre-concert, fimilar measures should have been adopted by most of the other trading nations; by which means the fatal confequences that were apprehended, were in a great degree prevented, and the mifchief restrained from becoming fo general as it would otherwife have done, Of fome of these particulars we shall take notice in their proper places.

The dearth, which had fo long afflicted different parts of Europe, has this year been grievoufly felt in feveral countries, Germany, Bohemia, and Sweden, have prefented scenes of the greatelit calamity, and multitudes have perifhed in that miferabie extremity, of wanting the plainest and most common neceffaries of, life. France, though in a leffer degree, has been a confiderable fharer in this misfortune; and the diftréffes of the people have occafioned riots and difturbances in feveral of the provinces. Nor has the taking off the bounty on exportation in England, with all the other measures that have been adopted to answer the fame purpose, been fufficient to remedy the evils proceeding from inclement Ikies, and unusual seasons.

No equal period of time, fince navigation and commerce have brought diftant nations acquainted with the affairs of each other, has prefented fuch a num

ber of earthquakes, in remote and different parts of the world, as the prefent year. From the arctic regions to the center of Africa, and from the extreme eastern, to the western Indies, the globe was every where convulfed, and nature feemed ftruggling in fome doubtful crifis. It has however pleased Providence, that the mischiefs have in no degree correfponded with the apparent danger, and have been infinitely greater at feafons, when the fhocks have been few in number, and confined in their extent.

Fruitless fue of the Negociations for a Peace at Bucharest. Nature of the War on the Danube. Wife Conduct of the Grand Vizir. State of the Army under General Romanzow. Ruffians pals the River; Engagement; Nature of the Country: Difficulties on the March to Siliftria. Attack on the Turkish Encampment. Retreat from Siliftria. General Weifman killed. Ruffians repass the Danube State and Inaction of both Armies, Latter Campaign in Bulgaria. Turks defeated in different Engagements. Attempt upon Varna; the Ruffians re-pulfed. Siege of Siliftria; brave Defence; the Siege raised, and the Ruffians again obliged to repays the Danube. Hoffein Bey. War in the Crimea. Ruffian Operations in the Levant; Alliance and Connection with Ali Bey and the Chick Daher; unsuccessful Attempts: -Condu&t with respect to the Venetians "Observations on the Mediterranean War.

TH

HE negociations carried on at Buchareft for a peace, were as fruitless in the illue, as the congrefs at Foczani had been before. It seems probable that this event was equally forefeen and intended by each of the contending parties: and that each had its diftinct motives, for gaining fo long a pause, in the midft of a war that called forth all its attention and powers: either thereby to provide the better for its renewal, or to make ufe of that time in the adjustment of other difficult arrangements, which could not be fo well attended' to in the din and hurry of arms.

dence to its troops. On the other hand, the court of Petersburg thereby gained time to fettle the new arangements in Poland, to adjust difficult points with the other partitioning powers, to obferve the countenance borne by the rest of Europe upon fo extraordinary an innovation, and to negociate loans, and recruit its armies for the renewal of the war.

No authentic account of these negociations has yet been laid before the public, nor would the detail be very interefting. The great, or oftensible bar to an accommodation, is faid to have been, the pretended independency infifted upon by Ruffa for the Crimea, at the fame time, that fhe alfo infifted upon the keeping of two strong fortified garrifons in it, which from their nature and fituation, must render the inhabitants of that peninfula totally dependent on her, and cut them off from their natural and hereditary friends and allies. It is also faid, that the Turks had in this, as well as in the former negociation, laid it down as a fundamental principle never to be departed from, to preferve the independency of Poland, and the union of all its parts inviolate. This feems to be confirmed, by a letter which was written by the Grand Vizir, during the height of the conferences at Buchareft, to the confederacy in Poland, in which he affures them and the Poles in general, in the name and upon the irrevocable word of his master, that he never would abandon them, nor enter into any peace, till their country was restored to its rights and independency, and they again enjoyed the government of a free republic, according to its ancient laws and conftitution.

As this letter was publicly fhewn in Poland, and no difavowal of it was required from the Grand Vizir, nor any breach of the conferences took place in confequence of it, we may be fatisfied that the Porte had not agreed to the difmemberment of that country, and that as the partitioning powers had already gone fuch lengths towards the completion of that defign, as nothing but neceffity could make them recede from, it is evident that the peace could have been but little thought of at the congrefs. It is faid, that the navigation on the Black Sea, was another infurmountable obftacle to an accommodation, the Ruffians not only infifting on that right in its utmoft extent, but also on a free liberty of trade,

through the Dardanelles, into the Mediterranean, in all the coats of Greece and the Archipelago, and even in the ports of Egypt and Syria. As these were the great obitacles to the fuccefs of the congrefs at Foczani, it becomes a matter of difficulty to conceive, what the commiffioners at Bucharest could treat upon: or upon wha: ground a fresh negociation could have been entered into, without the removal of fome of those impediments which were found infuperable in the former; and feems only to be accounted for, by supposing that an armistice being equally neceffary to both parties, was all that was looked for by either,

March 22d.

1773%

Previous, however, to the breaking up of the conferences at Bucharest, the Turkish commiffioners propofed a prolongation of them, as well as of the armistice, to the latter end of the enfuing month of June, which being refufed by those of Ruffia, and the time limited for the negociations being now elapfed, the commiffioners retired, and both fides accordingly prepared for the opening of the campaign. As the Danube was the boundary between, the hoftile armies, it became of course the scene of continued action; its wide extended waters, its islands, and its banks, afforded endless opportunities for that defultory kind of war, which confifo of furprizes by night, and ambufcades by day, of alternate flight and purfuit, and in which, from the vicinity of the hoftile troops, and the facility of embarkation and defcent, neither reft nor fecurity is to be obtained on either fide: A bloody ruinous kind of war, which foon devours great armies; and in which lives are loft without effect, and courage exerted without honour.

This deftructive kind of war, was not however, a matter of choice with the Ruffians; and the Turks were too fkilfully commanded, to forego the advantages which the nature of the country and the river afforded. To them, who were at home, and abounded with men,the lofs of lives, if attended with no other confequence, was productive of no real weakness; while on the fide of the Ruffians every lofs was irreparable, or at beft, could fcarcely be fupplied fooner than at the end of the campaign. In fuch circumstance, it would be wrong to judge from events; nor were the Ruffian generals blameable, for using their utmost

efforts