The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

In the month of July last. a French ship came into the road of Madras. The commander was in debt; and he mortgaged his vessel for a part of her value to obtain money to clear himself. Mr, Whittle, a member of the council, was the person who advanced the money, to the amount of 4000 pagodas : He therefore sent a person on board the ship to take charge of her till he was paid, and the mortgage redeemed. The Frenchman went, a few nights after, on board, and slipping his cable, went out to sea.------Mr. Whittle, upon this, applied to Sir John Lindsay, who gave an armed force, under Mr. Whittle's direction. The party consisted of an officer and twelve men. They set out in a vessel, overtook the ship upon the high seas, boarded her, and struck the French colours. Mr. Law, and the French in India, consider this as a declaration of hostilities, there being goods on board the ship belonging to merchants in Pondicherry.-----The correspondence is hot between Admiral Harland and the French Governor. The Court of France are informed of the whole, in the most striking colours; and if the French had really any designs on the East-Indies. this will serve them as a plausible pretext.