intelligence, were honoured by the fullest approbation of the Governor-General in Council. Marquess Cornwallis determined to take the first opportunity of coming himself to the Coast; and, as no frigate could be spared to convey him, he requested the Triton Indiaman might be sent for that purpose. She sailed from Bengal on the 31st of last month, and I expect her return in a few days. I have the honour to be, &c. Right Hon. Henry Dundas, Whitehall, January 24, 1794. THE Dispatches, of which the following are Copies, were this morning received over land from India, by the Court of Directors for Affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies : Copy of a Letter from the Governor and Council of Madras, to the Court of Directors, dated Fort St. George, August 24, 1793. HONOURABLE SIRS, WE have great satisfaction in reporting to your Honourable Court that Pondicherry was surrendered to the army under Colonel Brathwaite on the morning of the 23d instant. As we forward this address viâ Bombay, we shall embrace another opportunity of giving you a detailed account of the operations of the army. It will be sufficient to mention here, that not a moment was lost after our receipt of the intelligence of the war, (which reached us on the 1st of June, in a letter from the British Consul at Alexandria), in making preparations for the siege. An enfilading battery was opened against the Fort on the 20th instant; and on the 22d, a battery opened on the face to be attacked, and in a short time completely silenced the enemy's enemy's guns. That same evening the Governor sent out a deputation, with proposals to surrender, and early the next morning our troops took possession of the place. We have the honour to transmit a copy of Colonel Brathwaite's last dispatch, with copy of the articles of capitulation, and to offer our warmest congratulations to you on an event so honourable, and important to your interests in this country. All the French settlements in Bengal, as well as those on the two Coasts, have been surrendered to the British arms. We have the honour to be, Sirs, &c. CHA. OAKELEY. E. W. FALLOFIELD. To the Honourable Sir Charles Oakeley, Bart. Governor in Council. HONOURABLE SIR, CAPTAIN BRATHWAITE, my Aide-de-Camp, will have the honour to deliver this to you; it encloses copies of my correspondence with Monsieur de Chermont, and a copy of the terms which humanity alone induced me to grant to the French Garri son, who, in many instances, behaved very ill; : but it seems they were under little or no controul of their officers, who were hourly in apprehension for their own lives and this day I was greatly alarmed by repeated information that some of them had surrounded the Governor's house, and menaced his life, and pressing me to push forward the troops, which was accordingly done, and I had the pleasure to learn, that, though matters had for some time worn a disagreeable appearance, they had never had recourse to their arms, or any act of violence; they were mostly drunk, and straggling about in various directions, but without arms; however they have been Camp, on the Red Hills, P. S. Admiral Cornwallis did me the honour dine with me this day, and I shall to-morrow sen to him a duplicate of the capitulation for his signa ture, if he pleases to sign it, and shall get one i exchange from Monsieur Chermont also, for th Admiral. To General Brathwaite Commanding in Chief th English Army. SIR, HUMANITY, and the interests of this Colony have engaged me to propose a capitulation: I ask in consequence, four and twenty hours to reduce i to form, during which time you will establish, a well as me, a perfect suspension of arms, and ceas to continue your works against the place, as I shal cease to continue mine in its defence. I have the honour to be, Sir, &c. (Signed) Pondicherry, August 22, 1793. CHERMONT To Mr. Chermont, Governor of Pondicherry, &c. &c. SIR, HUMANITY, and the real interest of the City of Pondicherry, induced me to offer you the mos honourable and humane terms on my appearing before this place, with such a superiority of force as entitled me to say, that humanity alone induced m to make those offers. You You, Sir, contrary to the dictates of humanity, and the real interests of the Colony undery our command, rejected those terms, and, without any probability of defence, continued to fire upon my people; to do as much mischief as you could; and now that my batteries are opened you begin to think of humanity, that is, for your own people, for you have indicated none for those under my command; but, thank God, they are not in a situation to require it. Matters being thus circumstanced, I will give you till tomorrow morning at eight o'clock to surrender at discretion, and trust to the known humanity and generosity of the English Nation. Till then I will cease to fire, unless fired upon, but I will not cease to work; and if a shot is fired from you before the surrender of the place, all further application will be unnecessary. If the place is surrendered, the whole may depend upon security to their lives, and that liberal treatment which the English Nation always shews to its prisoners in short, they shall be treated as prisoners of war surrendering themselves into the hands of a brave and honourable people. Precisely at eight o'clock to-morrow morning I shall begin to fire, with no intention of ceasing till I am established in the full possession of Pondicherry. You have once, Sir, refused a fair and honourable offer; this is the second, and I believe a third is never made. I have the honour to be, Sir, &c. (Signed) Camp, before Pondicherry, SIR, JOHN BRATHWAITE. To General Brathwaite. THE eruel situation in which myself and a number of brave men have found themselves, and which I believed was known to you, has forced us to the conduct we have held. I send you an Officer of merit, whom I beseech you to hear. I hope he will be able to obtain from you a capitulation, and the twenty-four hours I have asked. I have the honour to be, Sir, &c. (Signed) CHERMONT. Pondicherry, August 22, 1793. To Mr. Chermont, Governor of Pondicherry, &c. &c. I HAVE said in my letter to Monsieur Chermont, that, in surrendering at discretion, he might confide in the humanity and generosity of a brave nation; but as he desires assurances to quiet the minds of such as are alarmed at the idea of surrendering at discretion. I. I promise that if the place, with all public property, stores, ammunition, arms, ordnance, treasure, and provisions, is faithfully delivered up, all private property belonging to individuals shall be saved and inviolable; it being understood that arms, warlike or naval stores, though in the hands of private merchants, must be considered as public property, and faithfully delivered up as such. The II. The place must be surrendered to the troops that I shall send to take possession, as soon as they appear at the Madras and Vellenour Gates. English troops, and the Native troops in the British service, shall behave with good order and discipline: the French troops must do the same. III. The garrison must lodge their arms in the arsenal, and march out without arms or colours. They will be considered as prisoners of war, and treated humanely as such. They shall be marched to Aria Coupang, (the Native troops excepted, who shall have liberty to go where they please), and lodged and fed there till tents, &c. can be prepared to send them to Madras; and I pledge myself they shall be sent to Europe by the first opportunity. E 2 IV. |