thout bloodshed. As yet none has been spilt, according to
the best evidence I have been able to obtain, notwithstanding what the
foreign newspapers have said to the contrary. The convocation of the
States General has now become inevitable. Whenever the time shall be
announced certainly, it will keep the nation quiet till they meet.
According to present probabilities, this must be in the course of the
next summer; but to what movements their meeting and measures may give
occasion, cannot be foreseen. Should a foreign war take place, still
they must assemble the States General, because they cannot, but by
their aid, obtain money to carry it on. Monsieur de Malesherbes will, I
believe, retire from the King's Council. He has been much opposed to
the late acts of authority. The Baron de Breteuil has resigned his
secretaryship of the domestic department; certainly not for the same
reasons, as he is known to have been of opinion, that the King had
compromitted too much of his authority. The real reason has probably
been, an impatience of acting under a principal minister. His successor
is M. de Villedeuil, lately Comptroller General.

The ambassadors of Tippoo Saib have arrived here. If their mission has
any other object than that of pomp and ceremony, it is not yet made
known. Though this court has not avowed that they are in possession of
Trincomale, yet the report is believed, and that possession was taken by
General Conway, in consequence of orders given in the moment that they
thought a war certain. The dispute with the States General of the United
Netherlands, on account of the insult to M. de St. Priest, does not tend
as yet towards a settlement. He has obtained leave to go to the waters,
and perhaps from thence he may come to Paris, to await events. Sweden
has commenced hostilities against Russia, by the taking a little
fortress by land. This having been their intention, it is wonderful,
that when their fleet lately met three Russian ships of one hundred guns
each, they saluted instead of taking them. The Empress has declared war
against them in her turn. It is well understood, that Sweden is set
on by England, and paid by the Turks. The prospect of Russia has much
brightened by some late successes. Their fleet of galleys and gun-boats,
twenty-seven in number, having been attacked by fifty-seven Turkish
vessels of the same kind, commanded by the Captain Pacha, these were
repulsed, with the loss of three vessels. In the