Star.
London, England, 1806-05-30 00:00:00

EAST INDES.

Among the articles of mifcellaneous intelligence,
and inferior importance, lately received from India,
advices from Bengal, dated the 18th and 3oth Nov.
lall, communicate the following uopleafaut, and, to
the BritiOs merchant, in that country, intereHing
particulars, of an alarming occurrence at Rangoon,
in the month of Otlober lag.

Rangoon is a city of Pegu, lying a considerable
diftance from the lea, on a river fo far navigable for
the largeft (hips ; and has for many years pall carried
on an extenfive commerce with all the Britifh fettle.
menu, especially Calcutta, to which its chief article
of export is teak timber and plank for (hip building.
Many large and fine (hips are alfo built at Rangoon,
by Britifh fubjefts, on account of the advantages
afforded to them by the plenty and cheapners of thole
materials. It is rubjett to the King of Ava ; one
of the Weftern Provinces of whole dominions joins
the EaR India Company's territory of Chittagong,
near the Eaftern mouths of the Ganges. A good
underfianding with the Court of Ava has therefore
both in a political and commercial view, been fo
fediiloufly cultivated by the Supreme Government
in Bengal, that their harmony hitherto fuffered
only temporary interruptions, which have been
eafily accommodated ; and we fincerely hope, that
the differences threatened by the following circum.
fiances have been long fince conciliated;
His Majefty's floop the Albatrofs, Captain Mur-
ray Gordon, had been cruizing lime time off Ran.
goon• Bar, watching the French privateer la Pucelle,
which had taken refuge in the river, or put into that
port for fupplies : while employed on that fervice, a
sail under Burmah colours (the colours of Pegu,
fo called fince its conqueft by their Burmah neigh-
bours) appeared in the offing, which Captain Gordon
boarded, and found to be from the tile of France, sari
from the Ifland of Cor Nicobar, with a cargo of co-
coa nut:, &c. bound to Rangoon. Some defeft or
irregularity in her papers exciting a fufpicion of the
property, that Officer felt it his duty to take poffeffion
of the (hip.
He accordingly put a Lieutenant with rime men
on b3ard of her, with direftions to proceed up the
river to the place of her dellinalinn ; with a view, it
is raid, " of allowing the Burmah owners to dirpore
of the cargo, and load her with timber for Calcutta,"
where it was intended that the property fhould pars
the usual Admiralty procefs of adjudication.
To this the local Adminiftration of Rangoon
would not content, Willing on the cafe being tried
on the fpot by their laws. Captain Gostris, on the
other hand, refitted their claim, and demanded a
pilot ; but, whether to conduft the prize down the
river, or to carry 412 the Albatrofs, we are not in•
formed. The pilot, however, was refuted, and pro-
ceedings on both fides were fufpended for a few days ;
at length, on the night of the 22d of Oftober, the
Albatrofs went, or fent her boats, up to the town,
and cut the fhip from her moorings. AU the Britifh
fubjetts then at Rangoon were inttantly feized, and
thrown into dole confinement ; their property was
threatened with confifcation ; and they were inform•
ed that even their lives would, in all probability, be
put to hazard, if the (hip were not immediately re-
Itored.

Under thefe dinreffing circumftances, they refolved
to addrefs a letter to Capt. Gordon, defcribing their
fituation,and still more difaftrous confequences which
they apprehended, and imploring him to take mea-
fures for their relief.

Captains Campbell and Kidd, two of the (offerers,
were accordingly deputed, by permidion of the Bur-
mah Miniller, to prefent the joint addrefs of all the
Britifh prifeners to Captain Gordon, on board the
Albatrofs. This million having produced no effect,
they were allowed to go down to the Albatrofs
a lecond time, with a further reprefentation from
the Britifh fubjeets, carrying alfo a letter from the
Minifier. Captain Gordon, however, felt it incum-
bent on him to withhand thefe united applications,
which he feemed to think it incompatible with his
duty to attend to, until fume atonement had been
made by rile Burmah Officers for the infult which he
conceived had been offered to his Majefty's flag. The
Burmahs, on the other hand, infided, that reparation
was due to the violated laws of Rangoon.
The negociation having thus failed, the Britifh fob.
jells were treated with additional rigour, being (hut
up in a dark godown (warehoure), and allowed only
water to drink. Their houfes and property were at
the mercy of the irritated 13urmahs. The rudders of
the Englifh (hips were all taken off ; and la Pucelle
privateer was even forced, with part of their guns,
and fuch of the crews as were not Englifh, to aflift
in repelling any attempt which the Albatrofs might
make againft the town. The bottles at the river fide,
feveral of which belonged,to the Englifh, were pulled
down, and batteries confirulted on their (cite. A
number of fire rafts were alfo prepared to burn any
Sip that might attempt to move up or down the river.
Fetters for the legs were introduced to the godown,
where the Englifh were confined ; and they were ii
formed that any ad of holiday nn the part of Caf,r.
Gordon, would infallibly be retaliated on them try
the forfeiture of their lives.
Under thefe circumitances, they once more sti-
tioned for permidion again to implore Captain G or-
don's confideriation ; and Captains Kidd and Gi Apt

were deputed to the Albatrors. with authority to
propofe to him the reflituiion of the fhip in difpme,
they becoming refpoafible to him for any rum of
money which he might reafon.thly think her w,rth.
Captain Gordon very humanely expreffed his cons%•rn
at their unhappy fituatinn, and profeffed aimfelt
ready to rifle his life to ferve them ; but declined all
compromife of that nature. He at the fame time ad.
vifed the Deputies to proceed in the prize to Calcutta,
and Rate their grievances to the Suprerne G 'vers.
repent ; a hp which had been previoufly recommend.
ed to them by the Burmah Minificr, who even offered
to provide them with a fmall veffrl for the porpofe.
Captains Kidd and Grant, after wavering for tome
time in the moll painful date of irref ,lution, at IA
determined that one of them fhnuld rej •in th-Ir com-
panions m prifon, and the other proceed to Calrut•a
in the prize, to affil the prize•mafter, if neceffer y, ::a
making a proper reprefentation to the Britilh Govern-
ment. Capt. Kidd accordingly undertools that diry,
and arrived in the Hoogly (the Calcutta river) oa
the ,Bth of November.
The !area advices from Calcutta nn this rubjed 24
da:ed the aoth of that month. It was not then kn',vin
what Reps would be purfued by the Bengal Govern-
ment in this unfortunate care ; but it was furmifed,
that they would unload the prize, value the (hip and
cargo, and return her to the Rangoon Government,
with propofitions of a friendly tenor ; including an
offer to pay any damages or lots fuflained by the
owner in confequence of her detention ; becoming at
the fame time refponfsSle to time Admiral for the
value of the cargo, fhould the capture appear, after
proper invefligation, to have been legal.
The (hips at Rangoon when thi. affair happened,
were the Earl Cornwallis, Capt. Kidd, half loaded ;
and all her cargo purchafed—The Marchionefs Wel-
led,' Capt. J. Campbell, cargo partly purchafed—
The General Wellefley, Capt. J. Burn, ready for fea
—The Commerce, Captain C. Eaton, ready to take
in her cargo—The Strathfpey, Capt. J. Grant, jai
launched, cargo all purchafed, but ufed by the Bar-
mahs in conftrufling the batteries, and two new fhips
on the Rocks.
The following is an extra& of a letter from Guze-
rat, by the left overland packet from Bombay :
It appears neceffary dill to maintain a chain of
pods on the N. W. frontiers, notwithflanding the ab-
jell (late to which Holkar has been reduced by fick-
nefs and defertion among his troops. It is confident-
ly afferted, that this Chief expefled tome reinforce-
, rnents and military Rotes from the Gulph of Cutch,
but that he has been difappoinred by the vigilance of
our cruizers in thofe fees. Some French adventurers
have adually reached him, and it is ruppifed that he
has been induced by them to make a (land in the
Panjub, and endeavoured to perfuade the Seicks to,
rally round his Randard ; but not having in his
power the means of bribing them to his purpofe, and
there being no profpeet of remuneration by plunder,
they have almoft deferted his caufe, and will proba-
bly give him up to the Britilh Government, unlefs he
prevents them by a voluntary furrender. Our next
communication will probably give as account of fuch
an event."