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this government by his excellency Senhor Francisco Antonio da Veiga Cabral da Cantara Pimentel, Great Cross of the order of St. Bento de Avis, &c. &c. of the council of his royal highness the prince regent of Portugal, lieutenant-general of the army of Portugal, governor and captain-general of the Portuguese settlements in the East Indies and his excellency having further been pleased to request and commission the honorable Jonathan Duncan, governor of Bombay, to invest you with the same, it is with much satisfaction that I have accordingly the honor, in the name and in behalf of the governor in council of this presidency, to comply with his excellency's application; offering to you, at the same time, the congratulations of this government on the present honorable mark and testimony of the prince of Portugal's acceptance and high sense of your services, in various instances of great political importance, wherein the interests of our united kingdom, and of Portugal, have been materially advanced."

The ceremonials of investiture having been thereon performed by the honorable the governor, Mr. de Souza returned his acknowledgments in the terms of the annexed address. To the Honorable Jonathan Duncan, Esq. President and Governor in Council.

A Brief History of the Order of Christ, conferred on Miguel de Lima e Souza, Esq.

The order of Christ, commonly called of Christus, in Portugal, was instituted by Dennis, the sixteenth king of Portugal, in the year 1317; in order to excite the nobility of that kingdom to oppose the attempts of the Moors; which institution was confirmed by Pope John, the 14th of March, 1319. This order had been under the controul of twelve grand masters, when Pope Adrian 6th, in the year 1522, conferred the administration of it on John 3d. In 1551, Pope Julus 3d vested in the crown, a perpetual right to the grand mastership; from which time the kings of Portugal have taken the title of perpetual administrators of the order, which consisted of 417 commanderies. After the separation of thirty-seven, which they possessed in Africa, the Convent of Thomas became the chief of the order. Before the

grand

grand mastership was united to the crown, it was by election of the knights who are now under the same regulations, and enjoy the same privileges as those of the order of Calatrava, in Spain. According to the statutes, the candidate should prove his nobleness of blood for four generations; but this is generally dispensed with by the sovereign.

The badge of the order is a cross pattegules, charged with a gross argent, pendant to a collar of gold, composed of three rows of chains.-On common days the knights also wear round their necks a scarlet ribbon with the badge of the order pendant.

Curious Discovery on the Antiquity

of Vaccination in India. The fact stated in the following translation of a written memorandum from the Nawaub Mirza Mehady Ali Khan, who was long resident at Benares, that the effects of Vaccination has been long known in that celebrated quarter of India, is referred to the investigation of those who have the opportunity and ability, since they cannot want the inclination, to prosecute so interesting an enquiry. The undoubted intimation of this fact, that Vaccination has been practised among the worshippers of Bhowanny will not detract an iota from the merits of the Jennerian discovery; the fortuitous and happy circumstance that led to the discovery in Europe, has been unquestionably and most satisfactorily proved, whilst the anxiety, study, perseverance and indefatigable exertions which have been applied by its benevolent professor to ensure the conviction of the world, in the unbounded benefits of the discovery, have entitled him to the lasting gratitude of

mankind. The full ascertainment of the fact will only go to afford an additional instance of primeval Oriental knowledge, whether acquired or accidental is to be hereafter proved; it will only open an additional, neglected mine for the curious and the learned; and will be another proof only that the East has been the seat of wisdom, "where learning flourished, and "the arts were prized;" however much the neglect with which this knowledge has been treated in this country, may reflect upon the modern degeneracy, or the prejudices of the Indian character; which may, however, be all accounted for from the effects of the various revolutions to which their country has, for so many ages, been a prey; leaving thence room to the liberal construction of the unbiassed of every nation to conclude, that before the introduction of a foreign sway into Hindustan and the Deccan, its Hindu inhabitants were versed in the arts and sciences, far beyond the other parts of the world at the same remote period of time.

Translation of a written Memorandum from the Nawaub Mirza Mehady Ali Khan.

During the period of my abode in the district of Benares, my eldest son being taken ill of a bad kind of the small рох, and my friends interesting themselves for my comfort and his relief, one of them, named Slookum Chund, a Hindu, pointed out to me that there was in the city of Benares, one Alep Choby, a Brahmin from Oude, whose practice was chiefly confined to this malady. Him, therefore, I lost no time in sending for to the town of Ghazeepoor, where I dwelt; and he arrived on

the

the ninth day of the eruption; on seeing which, he observed that if the eruption had not taken place he would have endeavoured to facilitate and render it easy; but that now it was too late. On asking Choby what his proccess was, he said, "From the matter of the pustule on the cow, I keep a thread drenched, which enables me, at pleasure, to cause an easy eruption on any child; adoring, at the same time, Bhowanny, (who is other wise called Debee, Mata, and Seetla, and who has the direction of this malady) as well in my own person as by causing the father of the child to perform the like ceremonies; after which, I run the drenched string into a needle, and, drawing it through between the skin and flesh of the child's upper arm, leave it there, performing the same operation in both arms, which, always ensures an easy eruption; on the first appearance of which the child's father or guardian renews his worship to Bhowanny; and as the animal this goddess rides on, is an ass, it is customary for such parent or guardian to fill his lap with grain, which an ass is sent to eat up-which observances ensure the propitious direction of Bhowanny, so that only a very few pustules make their appearance; nor does any one die under this process!" Thus far did I learn from Alep Choby.

Upon referring on this subject to a native, well versed in the learning and customs of the Hindus, he told me that the practice thus described by Choby was not general among them; but confined to those who were attached to the

worship of Bhowanny, and adored her with implicit faith; and upon my asking the person, whether he was aware how the matter of the pustule got from the cow, and whether all cows had such pustules, or only those of a certain description? he answered, that on these points he possessed no information; but had certainly understood that the cows had these pustules break out on them, and that from the matter thereof children were infected; acknowledging, however, that he spoke not this much from ocular knowledge, but from report.

Loss of the ship Fanny.

The apprehensions which have long been entertained for the safety of the ship Fanny, captain Robertson, are fully realized; a letter having been received from that gentleman, dated Malacca, 13th February, in which is communicated the total loss of the ship in question, together with her cargo, on the 26th November last, having struck on a reef, in latitude 9° 44 north, and longitude 114 E. on her passage to China. Her foremast, rudder, starboard main-chain, main top-mast, &c. were lost in a typhoon, on the 23d September, and the following day the ship was drove on the coast of Hainan, and from thence round the Paracels.— We have not yet been made acquainted with any further particulars, nor have we any information respecting the safety of the crew, but as captain Robertson does not mention any thing to the contrary, we would fain hope that none of them are lost.

Ship Page.

The late French privateer, Gen. De Caen, prize to his majesty's ship Caroline, has been purchased by captain Mackintosh, formerly commander of the Sarah, of this port, and has been named the Page," in compliment, no doubt, to the gallant officer who captured her. On this occasion, also, it is with much pleasure we mention, that captain Mackintosh has completely recovered from the effects of the accident he met with here, while displaying a laudable degree of activity and exertion at the memorable conflagration of the 17th of February, 1803.

A very honorable testimonial has been paid by the several Insurance Offices of Calcutta, to the services rendered by captain Page, of his majesty's ship Caroline, his officers and men, in their late check upon the depredations of the enemy, an acknowledgement, which displays the just sense that the mercantile interests entertain of such meritorious exertions.

Unknown Wreck.

Yesterday arrived in the river, the grab ship, Kushro, captain John Kitson, from Bombay, on the 7th December, last from Ganjam, on the 7th February.

Captain Kitson, on his passage, saw the wreck of a vessel 10 miles S. S. W. of Jaggernaut Pagoda.She had been burnt from the main hatch-way aft to the water's edge, was loaded with teak timber, and appeared to have been floating about some time; was a two-masted

General Orders, by his excellency the most noble the governor and captain, general.

Fort William, March 29.

The colours now presented to the Calcutta militia, will remind the corps of the purposes for which it was embodied. Our established power in India precludes all apprehension of the success of any enemy, but every well-disposed subject will be prepared to defend the government from which he derives protection; and in the progress of the hostilities with an active and enterprizing enemy, occasions must be expected to arise, which may demand the personal exertion of every British inhabitant of India. A state of active, preparation for defence may deter the attack, and must frustrate the success of the enemy. The respectable gentlemen who have enrolled their names in the Calcutta militia, must be sensible of the security which this settlement would. derive in any emergency from the diligent attention of every British, subject to acquire the ready use of arms, and from the discipline and efficiency of such a body of our countrymen, armed and arrayed in

defence