Late Foreign News.
NE'V-YORK, April 6.
Yesterday arrived the British Packet Roe
buck, in 48 day from Falmouth—by her nue
have received the follonuing particulars t
' PARIS, February 4,
Declaration of WAR
AGAINST
ENGLAND and HOLLAND.
. IN the feflion of the convention of the
firft of February, BrilTot read the report
which the convention had ordered their
committtee of general defence to make
concerning the political situation of France
refpefting England, and which is so drawn
up as to be evidently intended as their
Manifefto, to juftify them in being the
fiift to declare war.
The decree which followed this report,
and which contains the declaration of
war, sets forth the following grievances :
THE DECREE.
The National convention having heard
the report of its committee of general de
fence, on the conduft of the English go
vernment towards France.
Confideriug that rhe King of England
has ordered his Ambaflador to withdraw
himfelf from France, and refufed to ac
knowledge the provisional executive coun
cil, created by the legiHative Assembly.
That the Cabinet ot St. Jameses at the
fame epocn, discontinued its correspon
dence with the Ambaflador of France, on
pretence of the suspension of the ci-de
vant King of the French.
That unce the opening of the National
convention it has refufed to answer the
accustomed correspondence between the
two States, as allo to acknowledge the
powers of that convention.
That it has refufed to acknowledge the
.Ambaflador of the French republic, al
though holding credentials from it.
. That it has endeavored to obftruft the
different purchases of corn, arms and o
ther merchandize, made either by French
citizens, or by the agents of the French
republic.
That it has laid an embargo upon di
vers vessels and boats laden with corn for
France, whilst, contrary to the treaty of
1786, the exportation of corn was per
mitted to other countries.
That, in order more effectually to oh
ftruft the commercial operations of the
Republic, in England, it has by means of
an aft of Pailiament, prohibited the cir
culation of Aflignats.
That, in violation of the 4th article of
the treaty of 1786, it also has caused, in
the course of the month of January last,
an aft to pass, by which all French citi
zens, residing in or coming to England,
are Subjeft to the most inquisitorial vexa
tions, and dangerous formalities. *
That, at the fame time, and contrary
to the tenor of article ift of the treaty of
peace of 1783, it has granted protection
and pecuniary fuccours to the emigrants,
and even to the chief of thdfe rebels who
have born arms against France ; that it
keeps up a daily correspondence, evidently
direfted against the French revolution ;
and that it also receives the chiefs of the
rebels of the French Weft-India colonies.
That in the fame hostile Spirit, and
without provocation, and whilst all mari
time powers were at peace with England,
the cabinet of St. James’s has given or
ders for a considerable armament at sea,
as well as an augmentation of its land
forces.
That that armament was instituted at
the very moment when the English Mi
nister perfectited with inveteracy, those
Who supported in England, the princi
ples of the French revolution, and em
ployed all possible means, both in and
out of Parliament, to cover the French
Republic with ignominy, and to draw
upon it, the execration both of England,
and all Europe.
That the objeft of that armament, des
tined against Fiance, has not even been
dissembled in the Parliament of En
gland.
That although the provisional executive
Council has employed every neccffary mea
sure to prefcrvc peace and fraternity with
the English nation, and has given no o
the*' answer to the calumnies and viola
tions of treaties, than rcrnonft rances
founded on piimiplcs of justice, and ex
p relied with the dignity of freemen, the
English .Minister lias ncverthelcfs pcrfcvc
red w his fyftcm of malevolence and hoL
tiKfy• continued his armaments, and sent
a iquadrou into the bclicldt to interrupt
the operations of France in the low coun
tries.
1 hat on tne news of the execution oi
Louis, he has carried his outrages agaihfi
the French Republic to such a pitch, a:
to order the Ambaflador of France t<
quit, within eight days, the territory if
Great-Britain.
That the King of England at that epocl
tooK an opportunity of appointing dif
ferent generals to his land forces, as al ft
to demand of the parliament of England
a considerable addition to both his
and land forces, and to give orders fbr
the fitting out of gun-boats.
1 hat the intelligence of the Kingof
England with the enemies of France, aid
particularly with the Emperbr and wth
PruHia, has been confirmed by a treaty
concluded on with the former, in tie
month of January last.
That he, the King of England, fcas
drawn into the lame league the Stadthold
er of the United Provinces, who has^ in
the course of the French revolution.; and
nuLwithftanding his profefled neutrality,
treated with contempt theagentsof France,
welcomed the emigrants,vexatioufly treat
ed the French patriots, interrupted their
business, set at liberty, contrary to known
custom, and thg requisition of the French
ministry, forgers of the aflignats, and
that, lately, to concur with the hostile de
signs of the Court of Lordon, he has
commanded an armament b* sea, named
an Admiral, ordered the Dutch veflels to
join the English squadron, epened a loan
to supply the expenses of a war, obftrufted
the exportations of France, whilst he
favored the supply of the Pruflians and
Austrians magazines, and lastly, consi
dering that all these circumstances leave
no longer a hope to rhe French Republic
df obtaining, by amicable negociation, a
redress for these injuries ; and that all
the afts of the British Court, and of Hol
land, are afts of hostility, and equivalent
to a declaration of war :
The National Convention decrees as
follows :
Art 1 cle I.
The National convention declares, in
the name of the French nation, that by
reason of the multiplied afts of hostility
and aggression above mentioned, the
French Republic is at War with the King
of England and the Stadtholder of the U
nited Provinces.
Article 11.
The National convention charges the
Provincial Executive Council to employ
such forces as it may seem neceflary to
repulse all attack, and to support the in
dependence, dignity and interests of the
French Republic.
Article 111.
The National convention authorizes
the Executive Provisional Council, to
dispose of the naval forces of the Repub
lic, as the interest of the State shall seem
to require, and revokes all preceding dis
posal of the fame by any former Decree.
On the proposition of Barbaroux it was
decreed,
That the woods of Corsica should be
instantly cut, and transported to Toulon.
That twenty-five millions should be
granted to the Minister for the purchase
of foreign corn.
Fabre D’Eglantines proposed, that an
address should be made to the English
Nation on the war.
This was decreed by the convention,
and Barbere, Condorcet, and Thomas
Paine, were charged with the composi
tion of it. .
Marat afeended the Tribune to claim
a repeal of this Decree. M He said, that
as (he English papers would not publish
it, it could only be distributed to thc^peo
ple by Jugglers, that the people, acctif
tomed to Took up to its laws, would look
upon those means as illicit, and pay no
attention, or place no confidence in it.
The President consulted the Aflembly.
The issue was doubtful.
Marat withdrew his proposition.
In the Seflions of the 2d, a letter was
read from citizen Digne, Consul of
the French Republic at Rome, to the ma
rine minister, announcing the death of
citizen Baffeville, secretary to the embafty,
who had been killed by the people in a
popular infuneftion on the 13th of Ja
nuary, Ihc infurreftion arose in conse
quence of the placing of the arms of the
Republic of France over the Consul’s
gate. The populace were very much en
raged against the French, they murdered
the Secretary, burnt down and pillaged
the house ot Mouite the Banker, wherein
he took refuge, and the Palace of the A
cademy of France. They afterwards pro
ceeded to the quarter of the Jews, think
ing they were the fupyorters of the French,
the guards prer .»ted them froth com
mitting any outrage. The Convention
decreed, that public and ample vengeance
fhotild be taken for the crimes com
mitted.
An official note was afterwards read,
from the Court of Rome, refpefting the
admiflion of the Arms of the Republic of
France, in which it was urged, that the
repeated indignities offered to his Hoiinefs
the Pope, whole effigy had been publicly
ignominiously burnt at Paris, Marseilles,
&c. would not fuffer it to receive the Arms
of the Republic. The French were the
firft to violate the Rights of another na
tion, and no reparations had been made.
The Court of Rome therefore, as the
Arms of the Pope are not fuffered to be
seen in France, will not receive those of
the Republic.
A premium was decreed to such pri
vateers as take veflels laden with corn.
The feflion terminated by a Decree, or
dering jhe eieftion of anew Minister of
War instead of Pache.
LOND ON, February 7 —B.
Seventeen new regiments of infantry
have received their rout to the sea-coast
Letters were received yesterday, by a
principal houfein this city, via. Fhifhing,
from France, which Rated in substance,
two most important decrees of the Na
tional Convention.
By the fii ft, every person in France was
ordered to give an exaft account of his
property, on oath, to Commiflioners ap
pointed for that purpose, and to contri
bute in a stated proportion to the neces
sities of the Republic. For the amount
they are to be looked on as creditors to
the Rate, and to have securities on the
national property.
The second orders peremptorily, that
every man in the realm of France, capa
ble of bearing arms, shall hold himfelf
in readiness to serve when called upon.
On the 28th of last month, Monsieur,
the eldest brother of the late king of
France, was formally complimented as
the Regent of France, on the part of the
Empress of P.uflia, by the Count de Ro
manzo, who held the charafter of envoy
extraordinary from her Imperial Majesty
last year at Coblentz. It is said that the
fame ceremony was to be performed on
the next day, in the name of the Em
peror and the King of Pruflia. Since the
unfortunate retreat of the combined ar
mies last year, from the plains of Cham
pagne, the French Princes have taken
refuge in the fma.ll town of Ham, on the
river Lippe, in the circle of Westphalia,
in Germany.
The latest letters from Cologne, men
tion, that the French Princes had on the
19th of January, invited Marshals de
Broglio, and de Castries, to come and
reside near them. Ihe Regent will soon
form a Council of State.
The Spanish courier, whose arrival we
yesterday announced, has brought over
the news of the final decision of the court
of Madrid, to declare war against France ;
but the declaration itfelf was not to take
place for some days after his departure.
The King of Spain has ordered 20 fail of
the line, and 24 frigates to be immediat
ly armed.
The Empress of Rufila, has offered to en
ter into a ftrift alliance with our court to
renew the Treaty of commerce, which for
merly existed between the two Nations.
Thepropofal has been cheerfully accepted.
As soon as the season opens in the Baltic,
we may expeft 10 fee a fleet of Ruffian
men of war in the English channel, and
some thousand troops on board it, to co
operate with our fleet against France.
A number of gun boats are said to be
cbllefted at the several French ports along
the channel, particularly Cherbourgh ;
which are to serve the double purpole of
attacking merchant veflels, and of carry
ing and disembarking troops. They are
so contrived, that from these gun boats
they can fire red hot shot.
The Portuguese have ordered some new
regiments to be raised ; and it is believed
that the Prince of Braizil will enter into
the coalition against France.
February 9.
Last Monday a French lugger, called
the St. Julien, taken by the Wasp cutter,
was carried into Pool.
Intelligence is said to have been receiv
ed yesterday from Harwich, which states
the arrival of a veflel at that port from
Helveot fluys, which brings aflurance,
that a deputation from the Stadtholder
had been sent to Antwerp, for the pur
pose of treating, so as to prevent the fur
ther progress of Dumouner ; this depu
tation it should seem had been instruc
ted to fay, that the States-General bad
never' fought any afliftancs of their AL
lies, but through the medium of nego
ciation.
It is added,that on this ground of nego
ciation terms had been offered, demand
ing the exciufive pi ivileges of the Scheldt,
and on the grant of this, and fume other
matters of iefs importance, the States-
Geneial flood pledged to acknowledge
the French Republic. The French Gen
eral was only called upon to wait the
return of a courier from England, who
had been sent to lay these proposals before
the British Cabinet.
This intelligence brought to Helvoet
fluys, came not from Amsterdam or the
Hague, but from Antwerp ; which cir
cumstance takes something from the cre
dit which may be due to it. •
Capt. Courier, of the Brabant, of Hull,
who arrived there last Saturday morning,
from Offend, after a passage of only 30
hours, brings inieEigence, that M. Du
mourier was at that place last week, and
remained there two days, accompanied
by one of M. Egalite’s ions only. His
place o i abode, during his stay theie, was
Mh&e C eneral Poll Office ; he made a
demand of ^ooo guilders from the public
box to afH.il him in his presen t exigencies ;
but the magistrates declared, that having
lately grained him a supply of 60,00 a
guilders, it was not in their power to
comply with his request. He returned
from Oftend to Antwerp*, to join his ar
my, which he said confiffed of 180,000
men, and previous to his departure de
clared, that if a war with England, took
place, he should immediately march his
army into Amsterdam, which city was
ready to receive him, and there plant the
Tree of Liberty ; and in May or June
he hoped to do the fame in London.
The military French emigrants are all
preparing to quit this metropolis. They
are to repair to Holland, where a legion
is railing for them, and carry with them
the wishes of every honest man for their
success and prosperity.
February ii .
A REPORT.
It was this day reported on the Ex
change, that one of his Maiefty’s Frigates
had taken two French privateers, .and car
ried theminto Sciciily, but no other parti
culars are come to hand.
The prcfent ftafF of the British army,
except the Generals*;, is to be considera
bly increased. Eight Lieutenant Generals
and eight Major-Generals will soon Le
nominated, which will make it th'elargeft
ftaff ever known in Britain.
.It is also said, that 100 more Indepen
dent companies will be railed, as soon as
the present, which are nearly complete,
shall have been draughted, to fill up the
old regiments ; and that three additional
troops are to be added to each regiment
of dragoons -This is a much greater
augmentation than that which took place
in the American war, and which confin
ed merely of one additional troop to each
regiment. These were afterwards formed
into four new regiments of light dragoons.
The plan of a Scotch militia is, it is
laid, for the present laid aside, in conse
quence of representations from that coun
try, of the inconvenience of the measure.
Fencible regiments are however to be
railed. The Duke of Gordon is to have
one for Aberdeenfinre ; Sir Jamet Grant
for the diftrid of Murrayfhire ; Mr. Mac
kenzie, of Seaford, for Rofelhire ; and
Lord Gomer, for the county of Souther
land.
The Hon. Major Fitzroy is appointed
Captain of a company in the Coldflream
regiment of foot guards.
The French part of St. Domingo will
be the firit objed of the Spaniards in th^ir
impending war with France ; - there can
be little doubt of their success.
The French Executive Council are ad
ing a new and extraordinary part with
relped to this country. The law of na
tions is in every minute inflancc violated.
The packet boats that carried over M.
Rheinard, and a part of M. Chauvelin’s
baggage and his horses, are detained in
Calais harbor.
The East- India men outward bound,
are equipped with all the preparations of
defence, cuflomary in time of war. They
have therefore little to apprehend from
the French frigates and privateers.
Two veflels have failed this week from
Dover to Calais ; but neither, though
the weather is favorable, have yet return
ed. The number now detained at Calais
arc, two Foft-Office packets, and three
paifage boats.
The detention of our veflels in the
French ports appears not merely to bean
embargo, but contrary to the laws of na
tions, to amount to an absolute seizure.
Advices said to have come by the way of
Guernsey, state, that French foidiers are