The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-10-11 00:00:00

THE FRENCH GEMS D'AIWES.

Before the Revolution, this corps was called 1-11
MireChill4llC, and composed of OM men. The
corps of Gros d'rfromes amount at present to 25,000
men, of whom 20,000 are on horseback, and 5,000
on foot. To these have lately been added 3.000
chosen men, seleaed from the agents of the secret
police, and known by the name of Gres d'Artees
d'Ettr. These have five livres each a day (four
shillings and ta-a-pence) ; whilst the others have
only half-a-crown, or three livres. The Gres
d' Armes are quartered. and doing duty all over
France; and every tw.s leagues, or six miles, some
of them are found. They pats ole the high and bye-
r iads night and Jay; stop every person travelling
on font to look at his pass, and every one in car-
riages, postchaises, or diligence% as often as they
change horses, and oftener, it they are so inclined,
as they have no account to give of their condua,
but to their general officer, who depends eattrely
upon the Minister of the Police, from whom he re-
ceives confidential orders or instruaions. To him
are sent all the descriptions of criminal or suspended
persons. ansi he distributes them to every brigade
nod..r his command, and they are posted up inside
in alt the corps de garde.* of the Genf d',:rues all
over France. On the frontier departments, or in
these provinces where the constitution is suspended,
the vigilance 7.ntl the Gear dAenter are doubled;
bit they are exceedis.gly troublesome to all foreign
travellers not accnstomed to the organised slavery
of mAdern France, and ignorant of the numerous
firmalitics required to make a pass 1(00.1 in that
fr.? country ; from which the Gras d'ilrmrs take
advantage to extort money, and to detain them un-
til they have purchased their liberty. hey escort
all prisoners every where in France to the tilts:mats,
to the pities, or to the scaffold. 'They guard the
prisons and houses of St 'dim, and assist the police
agents in making domiciliary visits, or in arresting
guilty or suspected persons. They are chosen from
the most desperate charaiters in the army; must
know how to read and write, and cannot be ac-
cepted without having made three campaigns, and
received ^Wounds.

The Orns d'Armes rr Eii:e belong to the sferet, or,
as it is s ,metimes called. haute police. and are the
confid-ntial servants of the Nlaiister. Direttors, all 1
Members, of the Secret Police Otfice. T..ey
employed on the ml.ftrusty, ns well as nn the most
desperate, unihrtaki;igs and etpeditions. They
esc4rteil the Dike of ENGIIII En from Strasburgh to
Peri% guarded hi:n at Vincennes, and were presenf
et his midnight murder. They are the esclusive
guards of the Temple, and other state prisons, the
actors in torture, the distributors of the poisonous
draughts, and the secret executioners of those %us-
petun.,te individitols or fatuities, whom boss-
PAR I Foucan't, and Ila.• l.'s measures of ety
r:luire to remove or to concrol. In what revolu-
tion try tyrants call $,4,d coup: d'etat, as butchering,
or poisoning, or drowning ea esaysr, they Aid Cithil-
sleety employed. they must have been five years
*ruts, or, which is the same. spies of the secret po-
lice. before they can be received amonz o‘ll, 4IPIIts
tr Elite ; and given proofs nut only of dexterity. but
of that barbarous mind requisite to e unixiit those
enormous erimest widcli the vengeance and satety of
rirrolutionavy tyrants demand. 'lley are calks! in
France, 'rift en; ts or 13 .• • -

The dresses of ail the Gear I.lrouT are the same ;
dark blue VMS with rs:d lap.ls, and with white
buttons; waistcoats and breeches of yellow cloth.
The uniforms of the GC/JA J'Aposes sf Elite are of
finer cloth ; but these, except upon guard, are
mostly dressA in coloured clothes, to enable them to
observe and rer.ort more easily what is going for-
ward. Many of them are waiters in col Fee houses,
at restaurateurs, and in hotels. they frequent all
the theatres, gardens, and other place: of resort.
In the gambling hours theo do duly night and day.
in coloured clothes.—/ Sestrre7er a so M tin —`..X)
Fruaidor, year 12; or Cith September. 180•.)

The following it given in the -A&aiew as the
copy of the undertaking upon which Sir J. CRAW-
CURD obtained pernticin to leave Valenciennes.

Mein' received perrniitiod from the kiloliter of War to rn
Aixda-Chapelle, I fovroally undertake upon ner word of /4 0.
nolo to return to ‘'elencienme to two mullahs from tit. Cur
of the dee of my departure.
(Signed) THE CHEVALIER CR .10.1.7,(7R1).

tt is obvious that the above is a forgery: Sir
J axes, we presume, could have known how to sprit
bas otittn name; at all events, it is not mail fsr
Baronet,- when signing hi. name, to tack bis title to
it : yet such is the chanty forgery, 0..: weak pre-
text for new measures of rigour against the unfor-
tunate English captives in France, with whom the
Corsican Tyrant no doubt kept his word howmr,
when be promised them prole Lion and hospitality.
We have heard it related as a rumour common in
the Ministerial circles, that another trial of the.,
burning and blowing up system will be made in
Drest Road, and near the Isle of Aix, upon the
French squadrons there, buripan as imin:o•eS and
a more extensive scale than that attempted on the
Ist and 2d inst. near Boulogne. It is even said.
that some infernal machices are ordered to he con.
stru.Fted at Gibraltar, for dispatching those Ferrell
heroes in the Road of 'Toulon, V. 1%), with all their
boastieg. dare not came out 161 isj riot fairly their (VW-
ersilu enemies on the main

liVe understand that when the %Lip, lately arrived
left Madras, nu ships remained there sles:inud for
Europe.
As no accounts were received at St Helena on the
13th August, reveling the .atete of the Atheir
cluntry ship, it is concluded that the repro—ntajon
of her capture given in the ir is curreEt.
Camel Si tvsiesusis who so highly digiaguished
himself in the late contest in hubs, is a passenger
on board the fleet arrived from India, and is ex-
peeked in town in the course of this day.
The Richmond, Arriericanbrig, which arrived with
the East India fleet, was detained at St. Helena,
in conse,;uence of her having on hoard naval stores.
which were supposed to have been sent out purpose-
ly to assist the French squadron in India, as she wax
destined diren to the Mauritian

The late Mr. Po vials, the learned translator of
Eschy 'us, &c. has left a mar .scrip; work, consisting
of biographical notices of Norfolk Literati from the
time of Qv:en ELIZA int ti to the pre,ent For
the honour of the empty, as well AS of thy ingeo.iius
iuthor, we hopeh cis work will be giv;n to rlui

CItY BUSINESS.

A Court of Common Council was hell at Guild-
hall yesterday, at which were present the Liao
MA volt, and six Aldermen.

A motion was made and carried unanintontSys
that GtoK SCHOLEY and WILLIAM Do Ntvi e,
Esqrs. Sheriffs, be permitted to ut in the Court,
they not being members thereof.
The Court, in consideration of Jona LA n Ira La
Morre, Esq. Citizen and Wheelwright, lately
eleCted Sheriff of this -City. tcici County of Middle-
sex, having paid into the Chamber of London the
sum of 404)1. and 20 marks, discharged him from the
said eleetion.

The LORD MA VOR eleti signified in writing (pur-
suant to tat of Common Council) his acceptan:e of
the said office.

The vacancy of the principal Lind ScSet Coal Meter,
by the death of EllW ARD PA 1'15114 EST is ordered
to he filled up at the Court of Common Council, to
be tirAden on Tuesday week.
A Resolution passed against the West India Dock
fareft.rrs, on behalf of this Court taking any sal. try
for their .ervices (for which see front of th.o PA xrl.
T:1 .1 t for seeding the Watch Rate, on Cie
several Wards of this City, for the year oesatiiiij.
passed.