صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

and these were more or lefs harfhly expreffed, according to the tempers of the different governors. The Scots trufting to far different treatment, and to the fupplies which they expected from thofe colonies, had not brought provifions enough with them; they fell into difeafes, from bad food, and from want of food. Bat the more generous Savages, by

hunting and fifhing for them, gave them that relief which fellow Bri tons refufed. They lingered eight months, awaiting, but in vain, for affiftance from Scotland, and almoft all of them either died out,erquitted the fettlement. Paterson, who had been the first that entered the fhip at Leith, was the last who went on board at Darien.”

THE

[blocks in formation]

Retrospective view of affairs in the year 1787, which led to, or preceded the rupture between the great powers on the borders of Europe and Afia. Ruined fate of the Tartars. Sahim Guerai, their late khan, who had betrayed and fold his country to the Ruffians, flies from their dominion, and Surrenders himself to the grand fignior. Porte makes great preparations for war. Circular letter from the grand fignior to the feven claffes of the militia. Mauro Cordato, the hofpodar of Moldavia, having efcaped, under a charge of treason, into the Ruffian territories, is re-demanded by the Porte; but the court of Peterburgh refufes to deliver him up, and treats the demand as an infult or injury. Captain Pacha recalled from Egypt, on account of the war, to the great prejudice of the empire. He returns, with great treafures for the public fervice, to Conftantinople. Ruffian minifier, on his return from Cherfon, finds a total change in the countenance and difpofition of the Porte, and a fet of propofitions, which he had left to be adopted as the bafis of a new treaty between the two empires, are rejected with disdain. M. Bulgakow, the Ruffian minifter, being fummoned to a grand divan, is prefented with a written inftrument, containing a fet of counter propofitions, which he is required to fign directly, as the only alternative of immediate war. Spirited refufal of the Ruffian minifter occafions his being committed prifoner to the caftle of the Seven Towers. Declaration of war against Ruffia. Queftion of policy difcuffed, as to the propriety of the Porte's precipitating a war at this juncture. Aftonishment of the court of Peterburgh at this unexpected measure. Not prepared for immediate war. Long manifefto against the Turks. Ruffian Jhip of the line driven by tempeft from

the

the Black Sea into the harbour of Conftantinople, and taken. Il fuccefs
of the Turks in the few attempts which they made, towards the close of the
year, upon the new Ruffian frontiers. New prophet, Sheik Manfeur, re-
peatedly defeated, and his partizans finally ruined, by prince Potemkin's
army. Turkifh vice-admiral, though a brave and able feaman, being pre-
vented by the diffentions in bis fleet from performing any of the actions that
were expected, in the Black Sea, lofes his head at his return.
Braw gar
rifon of Oczakow, after feveral gallant attempts to recover Kinburne, ave

fo nearly cut off in their laft attack, that Te Deum is fung for it at Pt-

terburgh, as if it had been a great and decifive victory. Shabab Guerai

appointed by the Porte khan of the Tartars, Deplorable flate of that people.

Unexampled depopulation of the Crimea. State of that beautiful peninfula.

Natives fell their eftates for any price they can procure, in o der to abandın

the country. A number of English, confiding in the faith of the empress,

become purchafers. form fettlements, and have already commenced great and

expenfive works for the cultivation and improvement of the country.

tatorial powers granted by the grand fignior to his minifter and general,

the grand vizir, in order to enable him to conduct the war with effect.

Indian ambasador from Tippoo Saib treated with extraordinary honours and

refpect, at Conftantinople. Magnificent military spectacle exhibited by the

grand vizir, in honour of the Indian embassy. Turkish ambassader at

Spain magnificently received. Wavering and equivocal conduct of that

court with respect to the war. Conduct of France with refpe&t to the

war: declares he cannot take any other part in it than as a mediator

minifter to the Porte Audiously endeavouring to bring about a reconciliation

between her and Ruffia, propofes a ceffation of arms for three months, as

indifpenfably neceffary to afford time for negociation; but the divan declare

the propofal inadmisible, as being partially favourable to the enemy, and

directly the reverfe to them. Emperor of Germany declares bis refolution

to fupport bis ally, Ruffia, with 80,000 men, being the force he was bound

to furnish her with by treaty; but offered his mediation, merely to prevent

the fhedding of blood.

[ocr errors]

Emperor. Ineffectual attempt to furprize Belgrade. Similar attempt en
Gradifea defeated. Auftrians commence hoftilities. War declared t

Pro-

Vienna. Court of Warjaw refufes a paffage to the Imperial troops, in
the pursuit of their military operations. Republic of Venice adheres in-
flexibly to her determination of not being drawn into the war, and of not
lending one of her ports to the Ruffians for the use of their fleets.
bable motives for this condu&. Her final determination being comma-
cated to the Emperor at Triefe, by a deputation of the fenate, is by bim
bighly refented, and the deputies treated with extraordinary baughtiness. He
opens a fubfcription for a large loan in the Low Countries, but with little
fuccefs. Emperor joins the grand army on the Danube, and is prefent at the

taking of Schabatz. Prince Lichtenftein's troops repulfed in their attempt to form Dubicza; are attacked next day in their trenches: their works deftroyed; and obliged to abandon the fiege, and repafs the Unna. Desperate valour difplayed by the Turks in this campaign. Wife fyftem adopted by the Grand Vizir in the conduct of the war. Wears out his enemy by continual attack, small action, and unremitted duty. Checks at Dubicza and other places, change the character of the war, which becomes defenfive and languid on the Austrian fide. Great diffatisfaction in the camps and at Vienna, increafed by the tardiness of the Ruffians, whofe junction had been long in vain expected. Not leffened by the innovations and reforms introduced by the Emperor. Prince of Cobourg repeatedly attacked with great fury by the Turks. Emperor prepares at length for the fiege of Belgrade, which had been held out as the first object of the campaign. Collects a prodigious artillery, and throws three bridges over the Saave for that purpose. Grand Vizir, at the head of the grand Ottoman army, marches hastily from Siliftria, to interrupt bis defign. Encamps on a most advantageous pofition on the Danube. Emperor breaks down his bridges, entrenches his troops, and adds new works to his already ftrong camp near Semlin. Sickness and a dreadful mortality, attended by a prodigious defertion in the Imperial armies. Three regiments diawn from Vienna, and 30,000 recruits haftily ordered to fupply thefe loffes. Prodigicus waste of treasure and men in the courfe of the campaign. Recruits eagerly fought in all quarters. King of Sardinia forbids any to be raised in his dominions. Prince of Saxe Cobourg, being at length joined by a Ruffian body of forces under general Soltikow, they jointly commence the fiege of Choczim. The torn, magazines, and arsenal being deftroyed by a dreadful fire of artillery and bombs, the Serafquier is fummoned to furrender, but refujes. Ruins of Choczim heroically defended by the gallant Sera/quier and his intrepid garrison until the end of September. Grand Vizir lays bridges over the Danube at Cladova, and invades the Bannat of Temefwar. Defeat of the Auftrians near Orfova. Continued loffes and misfortunes. That fine country overrun and ruined. Rout of the Emperor's army on his retreat from Karanfebes. Marfbal Laudobn takes the command of the army in Croatia, where be reduces Dubicza and Novi, after moft obftinate defences. Heavy rains, and the approach of winter, oblige the Grand Vizir to evacuate the Bannat. Emperor's return to Vienna, after writing a general letter to his army. Armistice concluded between the Auftrian and Turkish Commanders on the Danube. Manifefto ijued by the Grand Signior, to encourage the Hungarians to shake off the Auftrian yoke, occafioned the Emperor to promise them a refloration of their conftitution and rights. Proceedings at Conftantinople relative to the Campaign, the evacuation of the Bannat, and the Conduct of the Grand

Vizir.

[27

CHA P. III.

Preparations of Ruffia for conducting the war, directed to the fide of the Black Sea. Suppofed caufes or motives for her failure of co-operation with the Auftrians on the Danube. on the Danube. Powerful fquadron equipped for the Medi

terranean

[ocr errors]

terranean. Light Squadron or flotilla, under the command of the Prince of Nafau, prepared on the Black Sea. Allied empires feem to have relied to much upon the fuppofed fupineness of other powers, in the adoption of their prefent ambitious defigns. General apparent difpofition of the powers and fates of Europe with respect to the war. Italian flates. Spain. France. Northern powers. Holland. Prufia. England. Great disappointment to Rufia, and check given to the Mediterranean expedition, through the declared neutrality of England and Holland, and the refraint laid upon its Seamen and Shipping from entering into foreign fervice by the former. Sixty British officers in the Rufian naval fervice go in a body to lay down their came misions, upon the appointment of Paul Jones to a command in the fleet at Cronftadt That adventurer fent to the Black Sea. Vaft Ruffian army appears on the borders of the Bog. General Soltikow marches to join the Prince of Cobourg Prince Potemkin advances to befiege Oczakow. Several engage ments between the Ruffian and Turkish flotillas at the mouth of the Nieper, in which the latter are conftantly defeated. Siege of Oczakow commenced; flotilla deftroyed, and town bombarded by the Prince of Nafau. Unufua! length of the fiege and obstinacy of the defence. Winter approaches, and little progrefs yet made. Exceffive coldness of the winter reduces the behegers to great diftrefs. Ruffian cavalry, incapable any longer of enduring the extremity of the weather, defert their infantry, and abandon the fiege. Mutiny apprehended in the camp. Prince Potemkin, as the laft refort, orders a general bombardment and cannonade with red-hot balls. Shell falls upon the grand powder-magazine, which blows up with fo terrible an explofion, as to deftroy a great part of the wall. Long and bloody engagement in the freets and boufes. Town taken with dreadful flaughter. Great defigns of Rafia against the Ottoman empire interrupted by the war with Saweden. Caufes and motives which operated upon the Swedish fovereign in adopting that unexpected measure. Army fent to Finland: fleet fails from Carlferoon. Nate prefented by the Ruffian minifter at Stockholm, greatly refented by the King. Anfwer to it. Circular note to the foreign minifters. Count Razamowski ordered to depart the kingdom. King proceeds to Finland. Hoftilities comRuffian manifefto. Severe naval actions between the Ruffians and Swedes. Victory claimed on both fides. Great valour difplayed by the Swedes, who were much inferior in force. Admiral Greig attacks the Swedes in the Road of Swcaburg, and burns a tip of the line. Ruffians become mafiers of the midland feas within the Sound; take a Swedish flotilla laden with Provifions for the flect and army. Joy at Petersburgh. Honours paid to admiral Greig. Empress writes a letter to him with her own band. His death and pompous funeral. Delinquent officers, who had been fent home in irons for misbehaviour in the late fea fight, condemned for life to the gallies. Swedish manifefto. Great dijappointments and mortifications experienced by the king, through the difaffection of the principal officers of the army, which resders the campaign ineffective on the fide of Finland. Obliged to abandon the army to the care of his brother the duke of Oftrogothia, and to depart fuddenly bimfelf from Finland, in order to oppofe the irruption of the Danes on the fide of Norway.

mence.

[56

CHAP.

« السابقةمتابعة »