The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-10-03 00:00:00

INDIA.

The public must have read with pleasure, the as-
surance given by the Chairman of the East India
Company, that the war with Holkar was not likely
to be of long duration. In the year 1797, the per-
son of this chieftain was, at the instance of Scindia,
secured by the IZajah of flew, previous to his as-
suming the authority in Maliva. Holkar, however,
found means to escape, and fled to Mehaysur, on
the Nerhudda, and assembled forces, with which
he gained several advantages over the troops of
Scindia ; the latter about this time seized the person
of Khundeh Rao, who had disputed the possessions
of the Holkar family with Jerwunt Rao, with a
view, no doubt, to obtain absolute controul over
their concern, and to approptiate the revenues to
his own use; from which time a violent contest
continued between Jerwunt Ran, Holkar, and
Scindia, till the year 1802, when the former changed
the plan of his operations, and, colleiling additional
strength daily, determined on attacking the so.
vereign authority at Poonah. The weakness of the
Peishwa's government, from his long,. contest with
Scindia, had left him no means of opposing Holkar,
whet naturally concluded, that the most severe blow
against Scindiah's power was to destroy his ascend-
ancy at Poonah, and to convert the name of the
Peishwa into an instrument for his own aggran-
disement.

On the 25th Oetober, 1801, Holkar became mas-
ter of Pocmah, has ing driven the Peishwa from his
territories, who proceeded to the island of BAswin,
and there concluded that treaty with -ur • :overn.
inent, which occasioned the late war in India

By this account it will appear, that it is to the in-
terest of the Mahratta Chiefs, with whom we have
lately made peact. to Assist the British arms, as fir
*slays in their power, in subduing a restless subjea
of the Peishwa, who no sooner cattle into power,
than he sheaved symptoms of insatiable ambition.
The condna of our government in India, in hold-
ing out to the Stindia and the Blab of Berar, the
promise o: an equal share in the division of Holkir's
possessiin:s, appears highly politic, and well adapted
to recoorile the minds of these newly acquired al-
lies to our interests ; while it proves to them, that
the obj-A of the British Government is unt the
wanton aggrandisement of territory, but the•e,ta-
b:ishment of such a system in the East, as will in
future prevent a repetition of those dreadful and
bloody wars, with which the History of India has
hither to abounded.

LOSS OF THE KING GEORGE CUTTER.

attract of a Letter from aa Officer on Board one of the

Squadien off Howe, dead Selo. 27.
" Every thing here reiszins as when I last wrote
you, as far as relates to these Impend m:1 .0:414m5,
w!to dare not yet trust themselves beyrnid the reach
of their batteries. I am sorry to have to state the
:osa of one of our cutters (the /Cots! George), which
got aground when in the aft of destroying one of
the enemy's coasters, •Nhich she had forced on shore;
4C.1, after u.ing every effort to get her off, but to no
purpose, they were under the necessity of destroy-
ing ber by fire to prevent her falling into the hands
of the enemy. We were too far off in the large ships
to aff.rd a..y :Issistance; indeed, had we been neater,
it wed.' 'hit have been possible to h.tve kept the ene-
my in check, as we cuuid nut appr.,ach within gun-
shot for the shallowness of the water, and being s
strong ehh Noe and east wind, the boats of the squ-
airon cuuU not have arrived in time to afford any as-
sistance, as the Frenchmen were all is motion, and
in less than an hour, fourteen of char brigs and lug-
ger' had completely surrounded them; but notwith-
standing this, ..he was completely on fire before the
last boat quitted her, as we could perceive by our spy
glasses. The dastard. then sheered off tram the
cutter, and pursued the boats for four or five miles,
keeping up an incessant fire of round, grape, and
nsesquetry, latterly within pistol shot, which lite-
rally covered the boats ; and, had it not been for the
gailanqrmusner in which.the Locust gun-brig stood in
and covered them, I am convinced-, in ten minutes
more taey must hase been all destroyed or taken;
but, sooner than risk an anion, though only with
two gun-brigs, they thought it most advisable to
abandon the pursuit. Too much praise cannot be
bestowed on the officer . nd crew of the Krug George,
for the gallant and deter mined manner in which the
wb:ile business was conJudeJ; however, it is only
anwhrr instance of the sueerior courage and address
of fir iish seamen. Not a man is killed or wounded,
which utterly astonishes me, as I never witnessed a
more galling fire."

On the 19th last. an important canse was tri-
before the Sherif Depute of Renfrew, and a
Special Jury of Lsniholders of the C, uo:r.
brought by :_k itCHIIIALD Snags, of hl•hrrghe,
Esq. agairst the Lord Provost, ttfagistrces, a•id
Counc•l of Glasgow, the Parliament.try "frustees
on the river Clyde. Mr. Seises complained,
that, by tracking boars on the side of the river.
his grounds had been injured, the beauty of his
parks, walks, and policy spoiled, he claimed da.
roars to the amount of 10,0001. The Magistrates
mai..tained that the Clyde was a taAlie met", not a
revues atram ; that they bad a right to make the
tracks alluded o, for the pu'ilie benefit, and that Mr.
SPIt sts had r.ot suZered the damage he complained
of; but, on the contrary. he had received an ad-
di.ional quantity of Land fr..m the ope--ations on the
river. After the exam nstion of witnesses was con-
clsded, the Sheriff Depute summed up the evidence
in a candid aid impartial manner. L'he Jury re.
tir:led a verdict, finding by a plurality of voices,
the 1 rustee, lisbie to Mi. Setae% and his hens, in
the sitm of 15ii. rr annum, during the time chat
tracking vessels by horses upon the river Clyde, by
means of a path along his lands, shall be continued
by the Trustees, besides expacei.