tter
end of August, and defiling through Dauphine towards Briancon, was
joined by the prince of Conti, at the head of twenty thousand French
auxiliaries. Thus reinforced, he attacked the Piedmontese lines at
Chateau Dauphine; but was repulsed in several attempts, and obliged
to retreat with considerable loss. The French established their winter
quarters in Dauphine and Provence; and the Spaniards maintained their
footing in Savoy.

TRANSACTIONS OF THE BRITISH FLEET.

The British fleet, commanded by admiral Matthews, overawed all the
states that bordered on the Mediterranean. This officer, about the end
of June, tinder-standing that fourteen xebecks, laden with artillery and
ammunition for the Spanish army, had arrived at Genoa, sailed thither
from the road of Hieres, and demanded of the republic that they would
either oblige these vessels with the stores to quit their harbour, or
sequester their lading until a general peace should bo established.
After some dispute, it was agreed that the cannon and stores should be
deposited in the castle of Bonifacio, situated on a rock at the south
end of Corsica; and that the xebecks should have leave to retire without
molestation. The Corsicans had some years before revolted, and shaken
off the dominion of the Genoese, under which their island had remained
for many centuries. They found themselves oppressed, and resolved to
assert their freedom. They conferred the sovereign authority on a German
adventurer, who was solemnly proclaimed by the name of king Theodore.
He had supplied them with some arms and ammunition, which he had brought
from Tunis; and amused them with promises of being assisted by foreign
powers in retrieving their independency; but as these promises were not
performed, they treated him so roughly, that he had thought proper to
quit the island, and they submitted again to their old masters. The
troubles of Corsica were now revived. Theodore revisited his kingdom,
and was recognised by the principal chiefs of the island. He published
a manifesto; he granted a general pardon to all his subjects who should
return to their obedience; he pretended to be countenanced and supported
by the king of Great Britain and the queen of Hungary. He was certainly
thought a proper instrument to perplex and harass the Genoese, and
supplied at this juncture with a sum of money to purchase arms for the
Corsicans; but a change soon happened in the British ministry, and
then he wa