TURKEY.

ON the 23d of December, 1796, Mahomet Coggea, envoy from Hamonde Pacha, Bey of Tunis, presented by the minifter of foreign affairs, was admitted to an audience of the Executive Directory. He produced a letter from the Bey to the president, containing assurances of his attachment to the interests of the Republic, and his defire to efface the subjects of complaint occafioned by some disagreeable circumstances, and to renew the. ancient friendship and confidence which connected the two states. The president replied, by afsfuring him of the most perfect reciprocity of friendly sentiments on the part of the Republic.

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PAR

PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.

GEORGE R.

By the King, a Proclamation.

WHEREAS our Parliament, which we fummoned to meet at Westminster on Tuesday the twelfth day of July last, stands prorogued to Thursday the fifteenth day of this instant September: we, with the advice of our Privy Council, do, for divers weighty reasons, hereby publish and declare, that the faid Parliament thall be further prorogued, on the faid fifteenth day of September, to Tuesday the twenty-feventh day of this inftant September. And we have given order to our Chancellor of Great Britain to prepare a writ patent under our great feal for proroguing the fame accordingly and we do further hereby, with the advice aforefaid, declare our royal will and pleasure that the said Parliament shall, on the faid twenty-feventh day of this instant September, be held and fit for the dispatch of divers urgent and important affairs; and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Knights, Citizens, and Burgeffes, and the Commissioners for Shires and Burghs of the House of Commons, are hereby required and com manded to give their attendance accordingly at Westminster, on the faid twenty-seventh day of this instant September.

Given at our Court at Weymouth, the third day of September, in the thirty-fixth year of our reign.

God fave the King.

Dublin, Sept. 15.

By the Lord Lieutenant-General and General Governor of Ireland,

CAMDEN.

a Proclamation.

WHEREAS his Majesty hath fignified unto us his royal plea

fure, that the Parliament of this kingdom be prorogued to Tuesday the 11th day of October next, then to fit for the dispatch of business: we do therefore publish and declare, that the faid Parliament, which now stands prorogued to Monday the 19th day of September inft. be, and accordingly the faid Parliament is hereby further prorogued to Tuesday the 11th day of October next, and the fame shall be then held at Dublin, and for the dispatch of business; whereof the Lords Spiritual and Temporal,

and

and the Commons in this present Parliament, are to take notice, and give their attendance accordingly.

Given at his Majesty's Castle of Dublin, the 13th day of

September, 1796.

By his Excellency's command,

God save the King.

E. COOKE,'

His Majesty's most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, an Thursday the 6th of October, 1796.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

IT is a peculiar fatisfaction to me, in the present conjuncture of affairs, to recur to your advice, after the recent opportunity which has been given for collecting the sense of my people, engaged in a difficult and arduous conteft, for the prefervation of all that is mosl dear to us.

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I have omitted no endeavours for fetting on foot negotiations to restore peace to Europe, and to fecure for the future the general tranquillity. The steps which I have taken for this purpose have at length opened the way to an immediate and direct negotiation, the issue of which must either produce the defirable end of a just, honourable, and folid peace for us, and for our allies, or must prove, beyond dispute, to what cause alone the prolongation of the calamities of war must be ascribed.

I shall immediately send a person to Paris, with full powers to treat for this object, and it is my anxious with that this measure may lead to the restoration of general peace: but you must be sensible that nothing can so much contribute to give effect to this defire, as your manifesting that we possess both the determination and the resources to oppofe, with increased activity and energy, the farther efforts with which we may have to contend.

You will feel this peculiarly neceffary at a moment when the enemy has openly manifested the intention of attempting a descent on these kingdoms. It cannot be doubted what would be the issue of such an enterprize; but it befits your wisdom to neglect no precautions that may either preclude the attempt, or secure the speediest means of turning it to the confufion and ruin of the enemy.

In reviewing the events of the year, you will have observed that, by the skill and exertions of my navy, our extensive and increasing commerce has been protected to a degree almost beyond example, and the fleets of the enemy have, for the greatest part of the year, been blocked up in their own ports.

VOL. V.

Sf.

The

The operations in the East and West Indies have been highly honourable to the British arms, and productive of great national advantage; and the valour and good conduct of my forces, both by fea and land, have been eminently confpicuous.

The fortune of war on the continent has been more various; and the progress of the French armies threatened, at one period, the utmost danger to all Europe; but from the honourable and dignified perfeverance of my ally the Emperor, and from the intrepidity, discipline, and invincible spirit of the Austrian forces, under the auspicious conduct of the Archduke Charles, such a turn has lately been given to the course of the war, as may inspire a well-grounded confidence that the final refult of the campaign will prove more disastrous to the enemy than its commencement and progress for a time were favourable to their hopes.

The apparently hoftile difpofitions and conduct of the court of Madrid have led to discussions, of which I am not yet enabled to acquaint you with the final result; but I am confident that whatever may be their issue, I shall have given to Europe a farther proof of my moderation and forbearance; and I can have no doubt of your determination to defend against every aggreffion the dignity, rights, and interests, of the British empire.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

I rely on your zeal and public spirit for fuch supplies as you may think necessary for the service of the year. It is a great fatisfaction to me to observe, that, notwithstanding the temporary embarrassments which have been experienced, the state of the commerce, manufactures, and revenue of the country, proves the real extent and folidity of our resources, and furnishes you with fuch means as must be equal to any exertions which the present crifis may require,

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The distresses, which were in the last year experienced from the scarcity of corn, are now, by the bleffing of God, happily removed, and an abundant harvest affords the pleasing prospect of relief in that important article to the labouring claffes of the community. Our internal tranquillity has also continued undisturbed; the general attachment of my people to the British constitution has appeared on every occafion, and the endeavours of those who withed to introduce anarchy and confufion into this country, have been repressed by the energy and wisdom of the laws.

To defeat all the designs of our enemies, to restore to my people the blessings of a secure and honourable peace, to maintain inviolate their religion, laws, and liberty, and to deliver down unimpaired to the latest posterity the glory and happiness of these kingdoms, is the constant wish of my heart, and the uniform end of all my actions. In every measure that can conduce to these objects, I am confident of receiving the firm, zealous, and affectionate support of my Parliament.

In the House of Commons Lord Morpeth moved the following

Address:

The humble Address of the House of Commons to the King.

Most gracious Sovereign,

WE, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of Great Britain, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to return your Majesty our humble and unanimous thanks for your most gracious speech from the throne.

We are truly sensible of your Majesty's parental regard for the interest of your subjects, in having omitted no endeavours for fetting on foot negotiations to restore peace to Europe, and to fecure for the future the general tranquillity; and we rejoice to learn, that the steps which have been taken for this purpose have at length opened the way to an immediate and direct negotiation, which, we doubt not, will be so conducted on your Majesty's part, as either to produce the defirable end of a just, honourable, and folid peace, for us and for our allies, or to prove beyond difpute to what cause alone the prolongation of the calamities of war must be ascribed.

We cordially join with your Majesty in an anxious with that the step, which your Majesty proposes to take, of fending a perfon to Paris with full powers to treat, may lead to the restoration of general peace; but we are fully sensible that nothing can so much contribute to give effect to this defire, as manifesting that we possess both the determination and the resources to oppose, with increased activity and energy, the further efforts with which we may have to contend; and we must indeed feel this to be peculiarly neceffary when an intention has been openly manifested of attempting a defcent on these kingdoms; and, although it cannot be doubted what would be the issue of fuch an enterprize, we deem it an indispensable duty to neglect no precautions that may either preclude the attempt, or secure the speediest means of turning it to the confufion and ruin of the enemy.

In reviewing the events of the year we have not failed to observe, a just fatisfaction, that, by the skill and exertions of your dy's navy, our extenfive and increasing commerce has been sted to a degree almost beyond example; and that the fleets

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