Star. — London, England, 1809-04-15 00:00:00

VOYDENCL,' RELATIVE TO SPAIN. .wsrr C o rrespondence between General MooRE and thr most interesting of any thing which has yet :tcti to the public upon the subject of the unfortunate i n Spin, and the motives that prompted the British t i : c choice of those measures which have had so me •L Nult : Letter from Lieut.-General Sir ions Mona! K. B. • • lion. JOHN H. FRERE, dated Salamanca,Novena. sOs. ,nversation which Mr. Stuart states you to l with -----, and the remonstrances with in have followed it, are perhaps as much as 4 , ^c by you in your situation. The effect u pon _, and the measures which he said :rmined, arc very good, if we were looking s i x months hence; but the situation in which 1 :3 11s for something more efficient and ener- Jadrid is threatened ; the French have de me army, have passed the Ebro, and are ad in superior numbers against another, which composition and strength promises no resis must either retire or be overwhelmed; no led force exists in this country ; I perceive nr or any determined spirit amongst the The French cavalry, even in parties as weak or twelve men, enter the villages in Leon, leighbouring provinces, and raise contribu mut opposition. a state of things quite different from that by the British Government, when they de to send troops to the assistance of Spain. It :xrected that these were to cope alone with ,e force of France, but, as auxiliaries, to aid who were believed to be enthusiastic, deter- Id prepared for resistance. It becomes there lesticn, whether the British army should re ie attacked in its turn, or retire from a coon e the contest, from whatever circumstance, unequal ? to throw no responsibility off myself which belongs to me. The question is not purely -y one, but belongs at least as much to you to decide upon it. Your communications Spanish Government, and the opportunities had of judging the general state of the coup le you to form as just an estimate of the re kv!:ich is likely to be offered ; you are per :er acquainted with the views of the British and the question is what would that Cabinet •ere they upon the spot to determine ? It is importance that this should be thoroughly' -d : it is comparatively of very little cense ,. v.hom shall rest the greatest responsibility ; !lin:; to take the whole, or a part, but I am ion, to have your opinion. The movements 'tench give us little time for discussion. As ;lie British army has formed its junction, I nn the supposition that Castanos either i retires, march upon Madrid, and throw heart of Spain, and thus tam all rlic I,,rtunes of the Spanish nation, et .,k upon Portugal. In the latter case my resource', in Lisbon, cover a there is a British interest, act as a di oar of Spain, if the French cleiach a force .old am ready to return to the assistance p; - :iiiards, should drcumstances again render rching into Spain, I detach myself from my Le.), and should probably be able to take with re :),:ta smail portion of the military stores I have 71'::;;It forward : in which case I should not he equal f r.:!ime to much contest ; but every thing would he • •-• from Lisbon to Cacli2, and from thence to join 7.;. The movement into Spain is one of greater ha as my retreat to Cadiz or Gibraltar must be tny uncertain ; I should be entirely in the power of Spaniards ; but perhaps this LS worthy of risk, if G•A'ernment and people of Spain are thought to sufficient energy and means to recover from defeats, and, by collecting in the South, be able, • . the aid of the British army, to resist and finally :pel the formidable attack which is prepared them. It is impossible not to wish, and it is • the mere difficult not to hope, that the Spaniards •he at last successful in a struggle which dces so much honour. They are a fine people, but .cli kar the opportunity is now past, and that no they :ire likely to make will be sufficient, or in • v.) the armies they must engage ; upon yibject, 1.- ,, vever, I cannot be very decided, and be mo.tt happy to find myself mistaken. of a Letter from the Right lion. J. li. FR ER F. to Lieitt. • -.1 :sir Jou S MOORE, K.li. dated Aran;uez, Yov. 30, I SOS, \Vizh respect to a retreat upon Portugal, i wish to r :ire myself to a simple political opinion, which, 17 7, ,, ing other considerations not to be decidedly -: might, I think, determine for a retreat upon .• !! s - .r.:ntr, country in the neighbenrhood :..7rfAict! to Portui , al, supposing, of !ri Lt. already determined upon as If, however. you do me tiv. n 1 ,2 ru;pecting the general state c,f the means of resistance to be ex . • i•, I -,hould lav that the Provinces which • i!f.•rt, - ) srsen, are of all :;pain the least dis r.i.iiitary spirit. • •1 ..: of the late events they have been and have seen their country occupied the strcligcr party ; and in&Ed it .:I...!ite them. Living in open towns, in v•ithont either arms or horses, they have • • 2 means of defence or escape. But even • - • the towns have been abandoned at :he . 1 (.1 Frenth—that no Magistrate has ever • • ver to take an oath of allegiance ; nor it been able to enlist a single soldier. . ...V. LI this country has, however, belonged, in • t•• the party which was superior in cavalry. mremities of the kingdom, weaker powers • enabled to preserve their independence for .. r~. ,• . every thing that I can learn of the disposition '.:ier pr , ..vinces, they seem t') be possessed by a7dent and determined spirit, which even in • cf the defeat of t!!e levies which they are • •- li,r Olt general defence of the kingdom, would •-rr. in.'indually to continue a desperate resis •.• C)C direction of their separate Juntas, assiAance as England could afford them. muss, I apprehend, be the wish and intention fJ• ...rant , nt, on every account, to prevent things • mouglit to this extremity. There seem R PQA T ' c, 11 , r , } Ft o the d to tl Sr 3 iF I -r it' Cr c h o Z . • ester nor : 1 , ?7 T . , ;( .;,-nversa ov• had with you have b ,:one by —.-d.:c0.1 upon • determine( :cry....nts six mo .ire, calls fo Madrid one arm o r,:ing in super i:crn co/Ivol vr , c , , ,1-nt must c: :.or for I . IIC F ( :1, , y el or tWe 7 ,3 t h, n eighbe widlout op r:ik is a stat( ed by till d to sem c recte • :•;le force y: ho vi and prep questica, attac whe:e the c teom unegi to thrt r 7operly belong a military ene, me to del the Spank r-r. have had of enable you '.letter acq C ..;;:et, and th Ln.,:ct, were the • rnnch impel : it v.hon ! and \Odin.; tc TC,v In . ;:nit:. to t!•.t , French ::s the Brii 1:p on the cr reti: :I: ... • m,,rehin•J „Lt., and a sm.til .it forwar .!iine to ml Lisb to be two modes of acting with this view, one which I you state justly to be of greater hazard, in as much as we place ourselves effectively in the power of the Spaniards ; but, as you observe at the same time with great truth, this may be worthy of risk, if the people of Spain and their Government have sufficient energy to recover from their late defeats. Of the people I have no doubt; the Government are new, but they are resolute, and, I believe, every man de termined to perish with their country. They will not at least set the example of weakness and timidity which the ruling powers and higher orders in other states of Europe have exhibited. The military sys tem is certainly defective, but I am persuaded that your representation on this, as well as all other points, would be listened to with the greatest deference. If you should determine to march into Spain, exclu sive of the importance of covering the capital, there are, I think, these advantages which would result from hastening the measure. We have now in Cas tile an army of 20,000 men, upon which Castanos is falling back. The reinforcements are daily passing through from the provinces, and the addition of the British would give a force, very much;l should think, superior to any thing which the French would be able to assemble by that time, especially having a strong country in arms against them on their left, the whole way from the Pyrenees. There is, besides, at present a great delay in the arrival of the reinforce. ments which were promised them, and which, if they had been sent, would, by this time, have composed an enormous force. There are reports that the resis tance to the conscription has been much more obsti nate than usual, and the pastoral letter of the Bishop of Carcassone seems to imply as much. Every great effort on the part of France has been preceded by an interval of weakness or internal distur bance; an advantage therefore which should be ob. tained at this moment would be of double importance, inasmuch as it would render a conscription for a third attempt upon Spain infinitely difficult. If, on the other hand, the French with their present forces are allowed to maintain their present advantages, and to await the completion of their conscription, they would pour into Spain with a number of troops which would give them the immediate possession, of the capital, and the central provinces. The war would then be reduced to an absolute competition between the two countries, in standing out against the waste of popu lation, enormous as it would be on Lo h sides. I can not but think, then fore, that considerations both of policy and generosity call upon us for an immediate effort.—lf, however, this view of the subject should not appar sufficiently clear or conclusive to induce you to take a step, which would, I am convinced (since you do me the honour to refer to me on that subject), ni ,, s2t with the approbation ef his Majesty's Gcorenum.nr. I would venture to recommend retaining the pos:tion Astorga. The retreat from that place to Corunna would, as far as an unmilitary man may be allov.;ed to judge, be a matter of less difficulty than through l',,rtugal to Lisbon ; and we might in that poition \v.:it for the reinforcements of cavalry from England, which would enable the army to act in the flat country, which opens immediately from that })oint, and extends through the whole of Leon and Old Castile. I have already troußled you with my political rea son on this head ; I mention this, however, in my humble opinion only, as the least objectionable of two modes of retreat ; the object, I should con ceive, would be, to unite a force capable of re pulsing the French before they receive reinforce.' znents. The covering and protecting Madrid is surely a matter of great moment for effect in Spain, and much more in France and in the rest of Europe. It would be a point of the utmost importance for Bo naparte to be able to publish a decree, or to date a letter ft-4m Madrid. The people of the town are full of resolution, and determined to defend it in spite of it. situation, which is judged to be an unfavourable one. This determination ought surely to be encou , raged by a shew of support. The siege of Madrid by a pretender to the throne, would be a circumstanc e decisive against his claim, even if in other respects it had been a just one.—(To le continued.) 'I IIE EVENING STAR. Of affairs in the South of Spain, we have not yet heard any thing distinctly through this channel. At Lisbon, it was apprehended, that the army of General VICTOR was pushing on, by way of Badajoz. There have been further dispatches from Sir Ro omy'. WlLsos; whose position among the mountains ,to the south of Salamanca is of great importance, now that Portugal is so imminently threatened.— Marshal BERESFORD has sent Sir ROBERT a reinforce ment of 2500 men ; and he has also forwarded to the assistance of General CLF-STA a like number, who are to take post on the line of the Thietar. This movement is made in order to produce some effect upon the impending conflict between General CUESTA and Marshal VICTOR. The General, at is said, in the accounts from Sir ROBERT WILSON'S corps, is resolved to attack the Marshal, if not attacked by him. Other accounts from Spain have represented CUE;TA as re tiring before VICTOR, and leaving the road to Cadiz open to him. The Portuguese Legion, under the care of Lieu tenant-Colonels GRANT and MAINE, continues to oc cupy the country as before. General MAUPETIT left Salamanca, with about 5000 men, to reconnoitre Sir RO3ERT WILSON, but soon retired. PRIVATE LETTER-LISEON, APRIL 3. " I avail myself of the Iris frigate pin^. to Friglaml, mkt you know that we have taken our passage in the Walsinghain packet, expected to sail in the course of the week. The reason of my adopting this resolution is, that I consider the fate of this country drawing near ; and I fear that this city willbe very soon involved in the same calamity as Oporto. The French first appeared be fore that place on the 27th ult. but made no serious attack till the 29th, when about 9000 entered it, with scarcely any resistance, the armed populace flying before them in all directions. They would find about 200 pieces of artillery, much of which is brass, and an immense booty, for the bar having been had, no ship had been able to sail, consequently all the shipping (among which were 16 English vessels, almost all loaded) has fallen into their hands. It is not in my power to give the particulars of this affair, as I be lieve no one has arrived here since the French have taken posse s sion of thauilace ; but the circumstances which occurred pre viously to their arrival are horrible in the erreme. " On the 21st, tae mob murdered Joan da Cunha, of Bade ninka, Major of the i!cl Regiment ; and on the 22d, they went to prison, where they dragged Luis de Oliviera out of his bed, and instantly dispatched him with their knives—fourteen others, who were confined there on suspicion of being attached to the French, were shot; the dead bodies w:re drawn in triumph through the streets, across the bridge, and then thrown into the riv.-r. After having wreaked their vengeance on these te , fortunate wretches, the mob threw open the prison doors, and released all the pri soners withou: exception, consequently those nefarious villains are again let loose on the public. " It is reported here, that the Fr..nch have about 20,000 men in the Nor.h of Portugal, and we expyct that General Victor, who has un loubtedly gained a complete vie: over Cu tea, will enter Porttral by Alrantara, wit it an at - my of 30,000 men; there is, besides, a force of ;o.; at tirlalialca. I therefore fear our troops, consisting of no more than 15,(.0 effe,:tive, can do but little. Most of our friends at Oporto estaped before the French entered; those who, I fear, are ta'en are Mr. and Mrs. R. and Miss H. and our good friend the Doctor, who conceived himself bound to stay, because he had offend his services in the line of his profesAon." By Poi tuguese Papers to the Scl inst. it appears that while the main French army which entered Portugal from (',allicia, was collecting its force to seize upon Oporto, the Portuguese were able to retake Chavas, where, it is said, the enemy lost in killed and woun ded 500 men. The following are the principal Ex tracts from these Papers : " LISBON, MARCH C 9. " Dispatches have been received from Brigadier-General FRAN- I CISCO DA SILVEIRA PENT° DA FONSRCA. dated the 21st inst. at , Chaves, stating, that he has retaken that place, with the lois on the part of the enemy of 300 killed, 200 wounded, and as many I , prisoners. The rest of the French, in number from 500 to 6C03 I had retired to the Fort of S. Francisco, where they had 9 or 10 guns; but the Brigadier• General expected that they could not hold out above two days. A confirmation has also been received of the report that the Marquis Roma ka has obtained some ad vantages over a corps of 6000 French in Astorga. " According to advices from Spanish Estremadura of the 22d,, GeneralVlCTOß had passed the bridge of Arcebispo, and General CuasTA had retreated in good order to Medellin. There are letters of a later date, which state, that on the 3.3.1, General CUItTA totally destroyed a corps of 1000 French cavalry, and took from 600 to 70J prisoners." AMERICA. Since our last, the dispatches by the Pacific, Cap tain S rAwroN, arrived at Falmouth in eighteen days from New York, reached town. We were prepared by accounts received yesterday afternoon, brought by the Sally, from Charleston, to anticipate their na ture, but we can now state their contents with consi derable confidence. The American Congress has enacted that, from and after the 15th ult. the Embargo should be taken off so far as regarded vessels bound from America to friendly or Neutral ports ; but that the same shall continue in force, against all intercourse with Great ' Britain and France and their dependencies. But, tnark the countries and powers enumerated among the friendly or Neutral States. The Embargo is taken off from all vessels that may clear out for China, Madeira, the Barbary ports in the Mediter ranean, Spain, Portugal, HOLLAND, and South America. The Non-intercourse Bill against France and Eng. land has passed into a law, and is to be in force ' from the 15th of May. Several vessels sailed from New York about the same time with the Pacific ; and of course some of those cleared out for Bollard, or some of the other neutral ports, may be expected in British ports every day. LONDON. SATURDAY, APRIL 15. PRICE or S COCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Conols, for money, 674 , —Ditto Reduced 674. After the STAR was put to press yesterday, we were enabled to announce the nature of the ac counts brought from PORTUGAL By the Tins man of war, which had arrived at Ports mouth. She left the Tagus on the 3d inst. and the dispatches for Government, dated the 2d, contain the ti r ipi.nt intelligence that Oporto had surrendered to the French, with little or no resistance ; and that in consequence, the merchants, and many of the in habitants of Lisbon, were preparing once more to embark for the purpose of quitting their country. The following particulars are detailed in private letters received by the Isis : r On the 27th ult. the French appeared before the walls of Oporto, and brought their guns to bear upon the city. The prospect was so unpromising, that several British and Portuguese merchants quitted the scene of danger, and repaired to Lisbon, where Mr. HARRIS, and a number of Englishmen, arrived on the 2d instant. The Portuguese returned the fire of the enemy, till the 29th, when the city surrendered. The force of The motive of the American provision is obvious the enemy immediately before it amounted to 10,000 men, and their rear-guard, at no great distance, con sisted of 6000 men. enough ; but though it indicates so affronting a par tiality to our enemy, we still hope that it will be met by us with temper and firmness ; for exclusive of the It is supposed that about 18 ships, having on board unfair prepossessions which it argues on the part of 3000 pipes of wine, were in the harbour when the the Americans, it can neither essentially injure Eng- French took possession of the place. On the 27th, land, nor benefit France, without our permission. when the Bishop left Oporto, the state of the weather If Holland is a free State, she is at all events a f ree was such, that no vessel could possibly cross the bar. ) Belligerent ; she is at war with England : and, having The Bisht p of OPouTo, we are happy to hear, has enacted the Berlin Decree, she, together with France (no matter whether independently or not ),ha s d ec l are d not fallen into the hands of the enemy. The last ac counts of him leave h:m at Ciimbra. I us in a state of blockade, and therefore has rendered/aer- self liable to the provisions of otr Orders in Council for to suppose that we should resent so insolent a decla ration when issued by France, and overlook it when coming from Holland, in a supposed state of inde pendence, is evidently absurd. I'l owever, our Orders in Council, of which we now mil:. than ever perceive the utility, arc fully adequate to the occasion. Whe ther Holland is free or otherwise, no American vessel' can be suffered to reach her ports, without first visit ing England, or submitting, to the seircli of our cruizers. We shal l ) here however observe now, gene rally, as we have often saki before, tiiat the sebstitu tion of the Non-intercourse for the Embaigo Act, is only a specious pretext to liberate the shipping of America from her own harbours, when they will mak.: no scruple of going wherever they are likely to be ad mitted : to England, if vie please ; and to Fraxe— if we please. American vessels, acccrding to the new law, will since the 15th of list month, have been permated to quit that country for any other ports, except those of France and England, having first given a bond to double the amount of ship and c.irgo, that they will not iniliag-e upor/ the law in question. In the elections the federal party seems to prevails and the Newspapers teem with abuse aga•nst Fraice. —Letters from Americans, who are prisoners in Frame, describe their er edition as being most dephi rabic. From Bourdeaux the picture drawn of the state of commerce is truly dreadful. The wine a.d brandy dealers ar.: not able to cover the expellees of cultivation. FRENCH FRIGATES CAPTURED. We have the pleasure to announce the capture of no less than three of the enemy's frigates, in diffe. rent qnar:ers. A New \relic Paper Of the Igd ult. received by the PACIFIC, anncurces the arrival at Bermuda, of his Majesty's ship HORATIO, of 36 guns, Capt. SCOTT, and the DRIVER sloop of war, with a large French frigate, their prize, totally dismasted. The Cornwallis packet, which has arrived at Fal• mouth, with mails from the Windward islands, has brought accounts that, after the fall cf Fort Boui.ben, Martirico, his Majesty's ship LATUNA captured a large French frigate, which came to St. Pierre, not know.ng that that place was in possession of the British. The gallant Captain SEYMOU, of the AMETHYST, has added to the glory he has already acquired by the capture of anothcsr very tine French frigate, being the second taken by the same o.licer within these few months ; and, what is singular, after a night acticn, which was contested with the utmost obstinacy on the part of the French. The particulars arc contained in the following -letter : " PLYMOUTH, APR!L 13. " It is with very great pleasure we have to announce to the pub. lic the capture of another beautiful French fri?a,e, of the first class, by that gallant and very fortt.nate officer, Captain MICHAEL SE YMOUR, of the Amethyst, 36 guns, who s., recently captured the Thetis, of 44 guns, after a kng, obstinate, and well toueit action. 'the ship that we have now to speak of, is called the Niemen, of 44 guns, and 380 men, which the Amt thyst fell in with in the night of the 6th instant, and, after a re lying and ch se fight of five hours an forty minutes, the French Captain struck his colours to British bravery. • The Amethyst arrived ht r.t. this meraing, with the loss of her main-masts nui_tt•ma:t,.tnd otherwise disabled, and left her prize to the westward of this port, totally dismasted, in tow of the Emerald, of 33 guns, which ship hove in sight just after the action had ceased, coaseqaently may participate in the profit, but cannot share in the glory, which we understand is exclusively the Amethyst's : den :g the actibr, she had 6 men killed, and 23 wounded, among whom we have the pleasure to say, that there is no Officer killed, and only one wounded, who is the gun er who was gunner's mate at the capture of the Thetis. The Nie. men was from Bourdeaux, and bound to the Isle of France, is quite new, not having been off the stocks above three weeks, at d in addition to her stores, which are in great abundance, for a long voyage, she has on board a valut.ble cargo, to reward the brave, Tars that have been engaged in this arduous conflict. The hie. men had about 47 men killed and 73 wounded : she was discovered by the Amethyst and Emerald frigates, and chaced the whole of the day preceding the action, when towards evening, the Ame thyst ran the Emerald out of sight, and it is supposed that if the night had not come on, the Amethyst would not have got tup with her, owing to her very superior sailing. She was I brought to close action about one o'clock in the morning which tted upwards of four hours, when she struck ; but the main. inaq f the Amethyst went over the side, before the Niemen struck, at which the Frenchmen gave three cheers, though it had no other effect on the British tars, than to stimulate their exer tions to victory. All the Lieutenants of the Amethyst, and abut forty of her crew, were absent in prizes, and she had on board a great many Frenchmen." PLYMOUTH-DOCK, APRIL Is. Accounts hare just been rn:eived here, that the Virginie fri gate his taken two v.duahle French pr . zes, off ircland. There has been a tr4ling affair in .1 as(uir Roads between the hoa.s . crews of the Unicorn and the enemy, in which the Third Lieutenant of that was killed: it wi,s an attempt N cut out an eacmy'a vessel 1,1r4; did not succecti. PLYMOUTH, APR IL 13. This morning arrived the Eclair, of fi: gun., Captain GOOD wr:, from Martiricce, last from Moriaix, in France, where she went as a cartel, a. we unders'aiiil, to held a French CUlonel charged with dispatches from the late Governer of M..rtinique: she as filed from Martinique the 2.1 ult. a- Wald: time the island was in cur pesses,ion. One frigate, with the Carnation brig of 'war, and several other vessels, were la:-::t beiore the capture.— hrings an account of - the Wilburn, a nri:l.l ship of Lon drn, of :WI: tons, 'tilt mahogany, being captured by a French privateer, and caret d t•Ito Came in from the N . b estward, the squadron under Sir J. T. DUCKWORTH, Ceptoin DoNN, cote , isting of Royal George - - Adriairil DUCKWORTH, 100 Guns, /Captain Du NN, Adlilir.lScirtutar, 98 Captain SALT, - 88 Capt. HILLYAR, - 93 S. CLAY , 84 Sir It. K:NO, 71 L. A w FORD, 74 Hon. H. BLACKWOOD, 74 Sir J. S. YWRR.A. Dreadnought - - St. George Temeraire Achille Impetueux Warspite Christian VII. - - m m 4 0 .. FALMOUTH, Au:2ll. 12. Arrived the American ship Pacific, Capt Lin STANTON, in 18 days passage, from New-York :an Ameri c an Messenger came over in her, chargedwith dispatches for their Minister in London 1 , the Cornwallis packet, Capt. ANTHONY, with Mails from ti e Windward Islands, t 9 days from St. Thomas's. His Maks. y's ship I.atona, 98 guns, had (Inured a large French frigate, which had arrived at St. Pierre, not knowing it was in possession of the English. Captain Hanchet, of his Alajesty's brig Raven, landed w he h r i e ch in h t e he im m m id edi tlle a o te f ly las w t en nig t h ur t, w in itild p is es pt t London.ackes nom Seat°, with fc ur fat _ : ; 1111 II ■