The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-02-12 00:00:00

PARIS, F. 4.7.

PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE. •
Notwithstanding the impudence with whiel! the
French Journals assert the contrary, it is certain
that the tide of Majesty has been discussed in the
Senate; that LANGUZNF As spoke against it, and that
it has, for a moment, been dropped. It is also cer-
tain that I.s.nou INEAS has been threatened, if he
should speak again to the same purport.
Among the novelties introduced by the Consular
Government, is the mode of paying its debts. It
has a large sum of money to pay the English Go-
vernment, on account of French prisoners, for the
liquidation of which, it is going to adopt a measure
which is more remarkable for its ingenuity than Its
justice. Previous to the revolution, a considerable
snm was lodged in the English funds by the Go-
vernment of t'• Canton of Berne. It was lodged
in the name of the two 4vorrs. These offices
having been abolished during the revolution, and
the English Government not choosing to pay
the money to their successors, whom they did not
acknowledge, it has remained in the funds. The
French Government has resolved that there shall
again be two Avoyers in the Canton of Berne, ex-
pressly for the purpose of assigning over their right
to the money above-mentioned ; which they destine
to pay the English Government, tor feeding their
prisoners.

BONAPARTE IS to appoint to all the offices cf the
State under the new constitution of Sw•itaerland !

That constitution LI likely to be a very curious
piece of manufacture. Ro.ocattit and Drcm Et:-
I.:1E14 French senators, are the principal workmen.
After receiving fixity or fifty projects of constituzions
from the Swiss deputies, they lay them all aside
without reading [heal, call for their maps, consult
Coxes Travels, and with eiese helps, determine
with the utmost facility, the principles which are to
operate the happiness of the people of Helvetia !

While the French Government is thus sporting
with the interests and feelings of whole nations, it
neglects performing its engagements to individuals.
It may be recollected that Malta was delivered to
the French by virtue of a capitulation. The terms
of this capitulation were settled in Paris, with the
knights in the French interest, before BONAPARTE
embarked. The Grand Master was to have a
German Principality, and to receive three millions
of livres. But he has, to this moment, received no
more than twenty-five thousand livres ; and as to
the German principality, it does not seem to be
even thought of. Many persons, indeed, will he of
opinion, that the Grand Master deserved no better
treatment. But his criminality in having betrayal
his trust, cannot justify the French Government fur
not performing its engagements.
The conversation; of Paris, at present, turn very
much upon snares, which, it is said, the agents of
Government are contriving against MoitEmi and.
CARNOT.

Mrs. INCHBALD'S translation of The Judgment of
Solomon, which was to have been brought forward
at Covent Garden Theatre, under the title of An
Ancient Story, is, it seems, to be laid aside. The
Voi r of Nature, a translation of the same piece,
having been already before the public, the effest is,
of course, forestalled, and the latter, we find, is to
be represented at Covent Garden Theatre, with new
splendour of scenery.
A very curious machine is now construaing by
Mr. JAMISON, of Charing-cross, well known by his
many ingenious mechanical inventions. It is a car-
riage calculated to move without horses, even against
the steepest bill ; and from an experiment made, on
a small scale, the inventor has not the least doubt
of its success.

Yesterday, about eleven o'clock in the forenoon,
the neighbourhood of the Poultry was alarmed by
loud explosion, occasioned by the bursting of a still
in the laboratory of Messrs. HANROTT, BURK IT T,
and Co. chemists. The servants of these gentlemen
had been distilling nutmeg-water, and the furnace
becoming ever-heated, the head of the still flew off,
with a most violent explosion ; the sky-light of the
laboratory was broken, and several panes of glass in
the shop-windows, as well as the window-frames,
were shattered to pieces by the concussion. The
noise and smoke occasioned by this accident drew
several fire-engines to the spot, as well as a prodi-
gious crowd of speetators ; but we are happy to
state, that no injury of consequence ensued, and
that no blame whatever can attach to any indivi-
dual concerned.
The report of the cession of Cochin to the Frenci
is positively contradiaed in Holland.
Lady BEECH A M PRocroß yesterday took a hoTi-,,
in Wimpole-street, for the season.
Mr. JOHN .K r.m nix left Madrid on the 2Sth
on his return to London. Illr. KEM BEE intends be-
ing in town about the Ist of March.
Miss DE CA M P continues in so indifferent a state
of health, that she is not expected to resume her pro-
fessional ditties for the remainder of the season.

On Friday last, Lieutenant Colonel Dv KE, and so-
veral other Officers of the West Kent Regiment of
Militia, waited on Lord RoMNZY, at the Mote, and
in the name of all the Officers of that respectable
corps, presensed- his Lordship with a very elegant
sword. _ _

The English Government, it is true, has sent out
orders to surrender the Cape of Good Hope to the
Dutch, but no transports have been sent to bring
home the British troops. In the course of October a
counter order was dispatched, but the Dutch had
already been disembarked and admitted. It is row
said that the English troops occupy the principal
places, and that, in order to comply with the coun-
ter order, they have remained at the Cape,of which
they form the garrison, in conjunction with the
Dutch, with whom they maintain a good under-
standing.

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