PONDICHERRY, a city on the sea-coast of the south of India, in the province of the Carnatic, and once the most splendid city in the East. But it has never recovered from the destruction inflicted on it by the British in 1761. It stands on a sandy plain, not far from the sea-shore, which produces only palm-trees, millet, and a few herbs. It was formerly a village, which, with a slip of land about five miles in length, was purchased by the French from the king of Bejapore in 1672. Under their rule it became a populous and thriving settlement. It was taken by the Dutch in 1693, who improved the town and enlarged the fortifications. It was restored at the peace of Ryswick to the French; and in the course of half a century a handsome and regular town was built, the houses in general being two stories high, with flat roofs, and colonnades in front. The town, thus improved and enlarged, became the capital of the French settlements in the East. Having no natural advantages as a commercial town, when the French were expelled from India it fell into decay. When it was occupied by the British in 1761, the fortifications were completely destroyed, and the ditch was filled up by the earth of the glacis. These devastations were also extended, by the animosity of the Madras government, to the buildings, public as well as private; and it is mentioned by Lord Valentia, that the Jesuits’ College, and some of the public buildings, still remain, memorials of their resentment. The private houses, however, have been completely repaired, and the same traveller considers Pondicherry as the handsomest town he had seen in India, with the exception of Calcutta. It is better fitted for a maritime station than Madras, as, during the south-west monsoon, the season of naval warfare, it is to the windward, which was found by the French to be of great advantage during the wars of the last century. In the middle of the square are still seen the pillars and other ornaments of a pagoda of black stone richly ornamented with carving. They remain strewed on the ground, no unfit emblem, Lord Valentia adds, of the fallen power of the French in this country. On the 26th of August Pondicherry was besieged by Admiral Boscawen, who was compelled to raise the siege in the following October, after losing about 1000 Europeans, Μ. Lally landed at this place in 1758, and succeeded Dupleix as governor, when an action was commenced between [7:18:347]the British and the French, which ended in the total ruin of the French power in India, and Pondicherry surrendered to Colonel Coote on the 16th of January 1761. At the peace of 1763 this fortress was restored to the French, with the fortifications in a very dilapidated condition. By the skill of the French engineers the fortifications were repaired and considerably strengthened. In 1778 Pondicherry surrendered to Colonel Munro, after an obstinate defence. At the peace of 1783 it again devolved to the French; and on the breaking out of hostilities surrendered to the British on the 23d of August 1793. It was restored at the peace of Amiens, when the population was estimated at 25,000, and the revenue at 40,000 pagodas. Bonaparte sent out as a garrison 1400 European troops, with a large military staff, in the view, it was supposed, of prosecuting schemes of ambition in India; but whatever were his plans, they were frustrated by the short duration of the peace, and Pondicherry was again occupied by the British in 1803. Pondicherry still continues the capital of the French settlements·in India, but is no longer considered as a place of consequence, either politically or commercially. The travelling distance from Madras is 100 miles, from Seringapatam 260, from Hyderabad 452, from Delhi 1400, from Calcutta 1130, from Naj-poor 773, from Poonah 707. Long. 74. 0. E. Lat. 18.30. N.