The Annual Register, Or, A View of the History, Politics, and Literature for ...

THE

CONTENTS.

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HISTORY OF EUROPE.

CHA P. · I.

Retrofpective 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. Sabim 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 hospodar of Moldavia, having escaped, under a charge of treason, into the Ruffian territories, is re-demanded by the Porte; but the court of Petersburgh refuses 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 minifter, on his return from Cherfon, finds a total change in the countenance and difpofition of the Porte, and a set 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 minister, 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 castle 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 Petersburgh at this unexpected measure. Not prepared for immediate war. Long manifefto against the Turks. Ruffian Jhip of the line driven by tempeft from

the

Dic

the Black Sea into the harbour of Conftantinople, and taken. Ill fuccefs of the Turks in the few attempts which they made, towards the clofe of the year, upon the new Ruffian frontiers. New propbet, Sheik Manfour, repeatedly defeated, and his partizans finally ruined, by prince Potemkin's army. Turkish vice-admiral, though a brave and able feaman, being prevented by the diffentions in his fleet from performing any of the actions that were expected, in the Black Sea, lofes his head at his return. Brave garrifon of Oczakow, after feveral gallant attempts to recover Kinburne, are fo nearly cut off in their laft attack, that Te Deum is Jung for it at Peterburgh, as if it had been a great and decifive victory. Shabab Guerai appointed by the Porte khan of the Tartars. Deplorable ftate of that people. Unexampled depopulation of the Crimea. State of that beautiful peninsula. Natives fell their eftates for any price they can procure, in o der to abandón 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 fpectacle exhibited by the grand vizir, in honour of the Indian embaffy. Turkish ambasador at Spain magnificently received. Wavering and equivocal conduct of that court with respect to the war. Conduct of France with respect to the war: declares he cannot take any other part in it than as a mediator minifter to the Porte fludiously 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 his refolution to fupport his 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 foedding of blood. [I

Her

CHAP. 11.

Emperor. Ineffectual attempt to furprize Belgrade. Similar attempt on Gradifca defeated. Auftrians commence hoftilities. War declared it

Vienna. Court of Warsaw refufes a paffage to the Imperial troops, in the purfuit of their military operations. Republic of Venice adheres inflexibly 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. Probable motives for this conduct. Her final determination being commucated to the Emperor at Triefte, by a deputation of the fenate, is by him highly 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 ftorm Dubicza; are attacked next day in their trenches: their works defroyed; and obliged to abandon the fiege, and repafs the Unna. Defperate 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 Auftrian fide. Great diffatisfaction in the camps and at Vienna, increafed by the tardinefs of the Ruffians, whose 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 haftily 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 drawn from Vienna, and 30,000 recruits haftily ordered to supply thefe loffes. Prodigious afte of treafure and men in the course 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 town, magazines, and arfenal being deftroyed by a dreadful fire of artillery and bombs, the Serafquier is fummoned to surrender, but refujes. Ruins of Choczim heroically defended by the gallant Serafquier 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 Austrians near Orfova. Continued loffes and misfortunes. That fine country overrun and ruined. Rout of the Emperor's army on his retreat from Karanfibes. Marshal Laudohn takes the command of the army in Croatia, where he reduces Dubicza and Novi, after most 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 con• cluded between the Auftrian and Turkish Commanders on the Danube. Manifefto ifued by the Grand Signior, to encourage the Hungarians to shake off the Auftrian yoke, occafioned the Emperor to promife them a refloration of their conftitution and rights. Proceedings at Conftantinople relative to the Cam paign, 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. Powerful quadron equipped for the Medi

terranean.

terranean. Light fquadron or flotilla under the command of the Prince of Nafau, prepared on the Black Sea Allied empires feem to have relied too 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 ftates. Spain. France. Northern powers. Holland. Pruffia. England. Great difappointment to Rufia, and check given to the Mediterranean expedition, through the declared neutrality of England and Holland, and the reftraint laid upon its Jeamen and Shipping from entering into foreign service by the former. Sixty British officers in the Ruffian naval fervice go in a body to lay down their commiffions, upon the appointment of Paul Jones to a command in the feet at CronStadt. 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 engagements 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 Nassau. Unusual length of the fiege and obftinacy of the defence. Winter approaches, and little progress yet made. Exceffive coldness of the winter reduces the befiegers to great diftrefs. Ruffian cavalry, incapable any longer of enduring the extremity of the weather, defert their infantry, and abandon the fiege. Mutiny apprebended in the camp. Prince Potemkin, as the last refort, orders a general bombardment and cannonade with red-hot balls. Shell falls on the grand powder-magazine, which blows up with fo terrible an explosion, as to deftroy a great part of the wall. Long and bloody engagement in the fireets and boufes. Town taken with dreadful flaughter. Great defigns of Rafia against the Ottoman empire interrupted by the war with Sweden. Caufes and motives which operated upon the Savedish fovereign in adopting that unexpected measure. Army fent to Finland: fleet fails from Carlferoon. Note 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 commence. Ruffian manifefio. Severe naval actions between the Ruffians and Swedes. Victory claimed on both fides. Great valour displayed by the Swedes, who were much inferior in force. Admiral Greig attacks the Swedes in the Road of Seaburg, and burns a ship of the line. Rufians become mafters of the midland feas within the Sound; take a Swedish flotilla laden with Provifions for the fleet 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 font home in irons for misbehaviour in the late fea fight, condemned for life to the gallies. Swedish manifefto. Great difappointments and mortifications experienced by the king, through the difaffection of the principal officers of the army, which renders 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 himself from Finland, in order to oppose the irruption of the Danes on the fide of Norway.

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CHAP.

CHA P. IV.

Caufes of the early meeting of parliament declared in the king's Speech; difputes
in the United Provinces; intended interference of France; declaration of the
court of Great Britain; treaty with Heffe Caffel; fuccefs of the Pruffian forces;
final accommodation. Speech of Lord Fielding upon the works of Cherburgh ;
of Mr. Fox upon continental alliances; upon the difpofitions of the French court ;
upon the fubfidiary treaty; the increase of the army; and the appointment of
admiral Pigot. Mr. Pitt's reply to Mr. Fox on thofe fubjects. Speeches in
the house of lords; of the Bishop of Llandaff, upon our right of interference
in Holland, and upon the balance of power; of Lord Stormont, upon the fame

Jubject, and the negligence of minifters. Addreffes in both houses, nem con.

State Papers laid before Parliament. Mr. Fox complains of the retention of

the French notification; anfwered by Mr. Pitt; motion for an addrefs for that

paper negatived. Debate on the fubfidiary treaty; objections of Mr. Fox;

Mr. Pi: defence; opinion of Mr. Burke upon foreign alliances, and upon the

merits of cetreaty. Debate on the cugmentation of the land forces; objected to

by Mr. Fitzpatrick and Mr. Fox; defended by Mr. Pitt. Debate on the

ordnance estimates; on the plan of fortifying the Weft India islands; on the

government manufacture of gunpowder. On the new corps of artificers. Ac-

count of the impeachment of Mr. Haftings and Sir Elijah Impey in the feventh

chapter.

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