Star. — London, England, 1809-04-01 00:00:00

NAVAL ATELLIGENCE. FALMOUTH, MARCH 29. A r rived the Spanish schooner Constancia, from rijon, in five days ; the Captain reports, that the N Ar qui , do la Romana's troops have had an engage ren: with the French, and taken 1500 prisoners.— s;,!;,.,lhis Majesty's ship COSSACK for Plymouth, and t he Duke of Kent packet for the Mediterranean. PLYMOUTH, MARCH 30. Came in the Caledonia, Captain JAMES RtAn, from Greenock, bound to Malta, laden with coffee, cocoa, an d sugar; she was captured by the Nouvelle Gironde F r ench privateer, of 14 guns, and 84 men, and recap tured, the oath inst. by the MINERVA, of 38 guns.— Alco came in the Commerce, Capt. COLE, from Malta with currants, cotton, silk, and anchoVies, last from Dartmouth ; and the SPRIGHTLY cutter from the east ward. Sailed the IMPERIEUSE, of 38 guns, Lord c ocHRAN E, to the westward ; Harriet, Capt. BEAG.. t ruotc, for Waterford ; John and Elizabeth, Capt. liuttrttx, for Alderney ; Friendship, Capt. Coon, H. Madeira. Passed by a fleet to the westward, said to be fo: Newfoundland. Wind E. PLYMOUTH-DOCK, MARCH 20. The troops which arrived here on Tuesday in the comus, from Ferrol, give a most deplorable ac ct-t of the patriotism of the Spaniards : they would T.i:her give, nor sell to our men for money, the corn :: necessaries of life. The report that Lord COCHRANE had put to sea in cns equence of a challenge from a French frigate, is r: -,founded. His ship, the IMPERIEUSE, which sailed lesterday, has on board a large quantity of bombs, - :ta rs, and battering ordnance. The report at the Admiral's office here is, that she is gone for Roche f3rt ; but, in truth, her real destination is not known. The report circulated some time ago of the cap t.7> of seven merchantmen by the Admiral Mortin Ileach privateer, is unfounded. That vessel is now prize in our port. PORTSMOUTH, MARCH si. Arrived the Charles schooner from the Dovnts, and Lark schooner from ditto, for Lisbon.—Wind N. E. DEAL, MARCH Si. Arrived, and sailed for India, the Metcalf. Ar r.ved the Robert, NICHOLSON, for St. Domingo.— Wind East. YARMOUTH, MARCH 31. Sailed the CHANTICLEER sloop of war, with a Mes senger with dispatches for Gottenburgh. Arrived the ALEXANDRIA frigate, with a Danish merchant man, her prize, and the CALYPSO sloop of war, from a cruize.—Remain in the Roads the Roebuck, Vice Admiral DOUGLAS; Aboukir, Princess Caroline, and Basilisk gun-brig.—Wind E. blows strong. GREENOCK, MACH 29. The Aurora, Boyd, of this port, arrived at Charles 50th January. On the 27th she was run on board fby a new ship, her stern to their starboard bow, ‘.iiich was completely stove in, but by working both ~Imps, and getting the deck covered with canvas, L.ld, and copper, they made that port on the 30th, a; before-mentioned. Alexis, Livingston, of this prt, arrived at Wilmington from Liverpool, 31st Dnember, after a passage of 13 weeks, with loss of tr.bts and rigging. FROM LLOYD'S LIST. A VESP. Yn, MARCH 31.—Arrived the Wilberforce, Unger; • Harris ; Dorothy, Rivis ; Neptunus, Dahillcr ; Crawford; and Fortuna, Roper, from Gottenburgh. President, Burgess, from Boston to Cuba, detained by the in sloop of war ; the Maria,—, from Curacoa to St. Croix, by the Thrush sloop of war, arrived at Jamaica the 21► t Iphigenia, —, from Bayonne to Guadaloupe, of 6 guns, ,-d t men, arrived at Jamaica the 23d January, prize to the i..ilchite frigate. The Jams, --, from St. Bartholomew's to Baltimore, ar .ci at Jamaica the 28th January, detained by the Sappho sloop war. The IN convert brig of war, arrive! at Jamaica the 21st from Marycabu ; on the 12th fell in with the Carr, Wilson, London to Curacoa. The Quiz, from Malta, was left at Gibraltar the 15th instant, refitting, having lost her main and wizen masts. She was ex- It:t , :d to sail about the 20th. Lorenzo, —, from the Buz'ls, is captured. The Cap aia at P lymou.th. Zephyr, Neuman, from Car!sham. is •tr.nded in the Baltic. 7.1 t Felton, Rcgcrs, from Teneriffc to Bristol, is captured and .E . ;ttea it, Nov. 4.—The Calcutta, is captured off Gan ?r—tie Henry Wellesley, and the Garges are captured—the .4argaret has been taken, and retaken by the Ceylon. The Waltbarnstow, Asia, General Stewart, Sir Stephen Lush :nktrn, Ocean, Devayncs, Tottenham, and Union, outward 1--rte India:men, were all well on cith November, in lat. 33. 31. ! , ,ng. 14. 25. W. CAPE OP Goon HOPE, JAN. 9.2.—Yesterday arrived the Leo tard man of war from a cruize. She spoke the Diana, from Ma draw, about 18 days since, with loss of foremast and bowsprit, in revere gale £2d November, in lat. In. S. lon. 90. E. in which gale th convoy suffered more or less. His lllajesty's chip Thais was riterday dispatched by Admiral Berrie, to leok after the Diana, sad the following ships which are missing, viz. Experimer.t, Slory, zne. Lerd Nelson. The Hoop, (Dutch) laden with naval and military stores, prize ins Majesty's ship Lightning; the Pacifique, (French) from the as of l.rance, laden with rice and live stock, prize to ----; the Twee Gysberts, (a Dane) from Batavia, laden with rice, priz. to -- the Souflum, (French) from off Madagascar, stindries, prize to —; the Marshal Daendels, (French) 'in Isles of France, laden with naval stores, prize to his v sty s ship Otter; the Fanny, (Preach) from Madagascar, with rice, prize to the Fcperance, (French) from cf France, with cotton and sar.dries, prize to —; !bt Pracru, (French) from the Isles of France, with coffee, prize • arrived at the Cape of Good Hope between the 24th of ';'!•..ner and 20th December. MARCU 15.—The Tilsit privateer, of St. Maloes, has . •'''.7 and carried into Roscoff, two English vessels ; one laden , yindry merehandize, the other in ballisA. They are valued e ...to,noo francs. The same privateer, during her cruize, cap ' - i•! and burnt several vessels.—The Rigmove, from Liverpool tra.clon, is taken by the Grand Duke de Berg privateer, and into Fecamp.—The Berwick, Griffiths, from London to tdoes, is taken and carried into Cuadaloupe.--The Thames, ••• a. from Strinam to London, was taken and burnt 14th • •'• f• .::her, by the Surveillante French brig of war, of 16 guns, :• 1 .4i) men, from Virginia to France.--The Neptune, Cuff, Halifax to Hayti, was taken 16th October last, by the • • privateer the Superieure, belonging to St. Domingo.—The !rntr.g, Addys, from Heligoland to London, was captured 10th Ly the Tilsit French privateer, and carried into Helvoet. TI-1E ARMY. A NEW EXPEDITION, It will, we are assured, give the greatest pleasure to the country, as well as to the army, to hear that Sir ARTHUR WELLESLEY is to be at the head of this, and will carry out with him Generals CRAWFORD, Dyorr, and other popular leaders. The 3d Dra goon Guards, 4th and 16th Dragoons, are now em barking. Many other corps, the 4th Dragoon Guards, the 9th and 13th Dragoons, the Scots Royals, the 42d or Royal Highlanders, 43d Rifle Corps, 68th and 77th Regiments go. Sir JOHN CRADDOCK and some of the other Gene rals in Portugal are expected home. WEST INDIES. The Journal of our intelligent Correspondent in the West Indies has been anxiously expected by us, and unaccountably delayed for some days. The conclu ding part is dated at Martinique, 10th February.— Aftev much detail of the starting of the Expedition from Barbadoes, and of the preparations, our Corres pondent tells us, that the Expedition sailed on the 30th January, in two divisions. The first Division was under Lieutenant General Sir GEORGE PREVOST, Bart. It consisted of The FIRST BRIGADE, Commanded by Brigadier-General HOUGHTO N ; and included, The Royal Fuzileers, The Welch Fuzileers, and of The Ist West India Regiment, five Companies. The SECOND BRIGADE, Commanded by the Hon. Brigadier-General Coxvixxx; including, The Sth, or King's Regiment, The 13th Regiment, and of The Ist West India Regiment, four Companies. The UGHT BRIGADE, Commanded by Major CAMPBELL; consisted of, The Light Companies of six Regiments. The RESERVE of Sir GEORGE Pa svorr's Division, Commanded by Brigadier-General NICUOLSON ; con s i s t e dl of, The 60th Regiment (700 strong), The 25th Regiment, and of The 4th West India Regiment, flank Companies. Major-General MAITLAND got the second Grand Division of the Army, which consisted of The THIRD BRIGADE, Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel BAR was: in it were, The 63d Regiment, The 15th Regiment (sank Companies), The 46th Regiment (ditto), The Bth West India Regiment (four Companies). The FOURTH BRIGADE, Under Lieutenant-Colossi Aux.: in It were, The 15th Regiment of Foot, The York Light Infantry Volunteers, and The Royal York Rangers. The FIFTH BRIGADE, Under Lieutenant-Colonel M'Nota: in it were. The 90th Regiment, or Perthshire Highlanders, and The 3d West India Regiment. It would appear, that the weather had proved very unfavourable for operations, from the first landing in Martinique. On the first night after a landing had been effected, and Sir GEORGE PREVOST with his force, had advanced five miles into the country,the night was so very bad, and the roads so cut up, that they were obliged to send back the guns, after having carried them three miles with them. 'On the second day Sir GEORGE pushed on a few miles, and without meeting with an enemy. On the morning of the third day, the enemy first made their appearance • they came out and attacked our people in the middle of some very narrow passes. It had rained the whole of the prece ding night, and our people had been expected on that as well as the two former nights, and the roads were in the very worst possible state. However, Colonel PAKENHAId, at the head of the English Fuzileers, most gallantly met the attack of the French : in this he was most ably supported by Major ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL, and his light battalion—between them they not only received the attack of the enemy, and repulsed him, but they pursued and pushed I , ;m on his redoubts, and advanced to the principal fort, Bourbon. At this time various corps were coming up to assist, but the business was decided long before they arrived, by the corps under Lieutenant-Colonel PAKENHANI and Major CAMPBELL ; and these Offi cers have gained the very highest credit by their gal lantry and conduct. Next morning there was some skirmishing. At three o'clock, P. M. General BECK wa the Commander in Chief, on reconnoitring, thought that some advantage might be gained by throwing forward our advanced parties, and gave orders accordingly to Lieutenant-General Sir GEORGE PREVOST, who moved some of his brigades. Oa Brigadier-General COLVILLE 'S brigade re ceiving the order, Major MAXWELL instantly pushed on the King's Regiment ; this he did in the most hand some manner ; but to the regret of the army, was unluckily wounded himself. At this moment, very fortunately, Lieut. Colonel PAKENHAM, with the Fu zileers, came up in his usual gallant and able man ner, and it was very hotly contested, but Major CAMPBELL again coring up with his light battalion to support Colonel PAKENHAM, so furious an onset was made, that the French gave way at all points. Our people went far beyond where G en e r als HOUGH -I TON and COLVILLE had directed them to go to. Our people, under those gallant fellows Lieut.-Colonel PAKENHAM and Major CAMPBELL, followed the enemy to:their redoubts, would haveentered along with them, and have carried them, but for the want of ammuni tion, which had been all expended. It was therefore thought best that our people should return to their old position, leaving the King's regiment under Ma jor ROBERTON, a good deal advanced on the right flank. In this affair, the whole army grieved to find those two fine fellows, Colonel PAKENHAM and Ma jor ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL, wounded, and a very fine spirited fellow, Captain SINCLAIR, of the 25th Light Infantry, killed. In the above battle our people had been very fortunate, the total killed and wounded not exceeding 400; it was ascertained that the enemy lost more than double that number, 1000 was supposed. At one time this expedition was nearly given up ; the enemy had very correct information of this: on hearing of it VILLARET dismissed all the Militia.— The day after we landed he sent after them in all directions. The enemy expected that we should have made our appearance at a different part of the island, and only heard of our approach when they met the Fuzileers. The conclusion of our correspondent's letteris not so pleasant; he said that from the seve rity of the season our troops began to suffer, and that the Doctors foretold there would be much sickness among them, when the campaign was over. OBSERVATIONS ON ?RE BARRACKS OF THIS COUNTRY, IN RESFECT TO THE COMFORT OF THE ARMY ; WITH STRICTURES ON THE DUTIES, &C. OF THE OFFICERS EMPLOYED 01 THAT DEPARTMENT. " It is inconceivable what difficulties the meanest of our Sailors and Soldiers endure without murmuring or regret." GOLDSMITH. The soldier is so much exposed to hardships and privations on actual service, that, it may be fairly presumed, his situation at home should be made as comfortable as circumstances will allow. The pros pect of future ease and comfort to the soldier softens the flinty and steel couch of war,' the rigour of the seasons, shortens his marches, and bears him up in his sufferings. Like the way-worn traveller he pursues his weary journey with chearfulness, when he knows that the close of the day will bring him to his own snug dwelling, to enjoy the blessings of re pose. Before the British Army had been so greatly aug mented as it now is, there were but few Barracks in Great Britain, and those were almost all of a perma- I nent nature. The troops were either billeted in towns, or encamped during the summer. In the course of the last fifteen years, the number of barracks and can tonments has been so much multiplied in this coun try, that there is now scarcely a town of any note, near which there is not a soldier's barrack. By far the greater number of barracks are of a temporary construction, being principally built of light wood, and consequently less comfortable than those built of more substantial materials. Besides the great apparent diminution in the expence of tem porary barracks, the principal object for preferring temporary buildings, seems to have been the saving of time in building them, which is an Am of some consideration, for it would otherwise have been im practicable to have erected permanent barracks, suffi cient for the ready accommodation of so large and sudden an encrease as was then made to the army, so soon as could have been wished. It still, however, remains to be acknowledged whether the erection of temporary barracks, under the disadvantages at tending the troops who occupy them, and the great expence of keeping them in repair, has ultimately been an economical plan, or whether the building of permanent barracks would not have been equally or more saving in expence to the country in the end ? The object of these remarks is more particularly to enquire, whether the barracks of Great Britain an swer the purpose for which they were suppose, to have been erected in every respect, that, is the comfort and accommodation of the soldiers who occupy them, and to point out what appears to be the remediable er rors, and defects attending them. That barracks, if properly constructed, and pro vided, are in every respect better for the reception of troops than private dwellings, or billets in public houses, admits of no doubt : but we shall be able to shew that many of the temporary barracks are infe rior in point of comfort, to the men, and that they are very deficient in other respects. The disadvantages attending barracks in general, but more immediately attending those of a tempo rary description, seem to arise from a great and fun damental error in their construction. We allude pat ticularly to the barracks for the soldiers, the build ings of which have been constructed according to plans almost as various as their numbers. Some are composed of a large pile of tottering structure, others of low buildings, and others of separate or detached rooms. Yet, however various the shape and size of the buildings are, they almost invariably agree in two points, viz. that, in almost every instance the soldiers are not afforded a sufficient space to live and breathe, consistently with the purposes of health, and gene ral convenience, and that they are scarcely proof against the violence of the weather. This is, at least, the case with the infantry barracks : add to this, that they are not always situated on the most healthy or proper spots, nor is the quantity of ground allotted to them sufficient for the necessities and discipline of the troops. In some barracks the space of ground inclosed is so very scanty, that the buildings are crowded on one another without order or regularity, so that we sometimes see soldiers barracks, cooking houses, hospitals, officers rooms, privies, and tay lors shops, all within the distance of only a few yards; at the same time the parade-ground is so very limited, that there is often scarcely room for a third part of the garrison to be fairly drawn out on ordinary occa sions, for inspecting the condition of the men. To complete this picture, we shall take this occasion to mention that many of them are unprovided with the requisite out-buildings, and proper conveniences for the troops. These we shall enumerate hereafter more fully . We shall next turn our attention to the interior di vision of barracks; and here it may be observed that no rule appears to have been held in view in the dis tribution of the space for the sleeping apartments, for we find these rooms in some barracks so small as to contain only six or eight men, while in others they are so large, as, with little difficulty, to accommo date a battalion of infantry. These remarkable extremes cannot be both equally wise and proper, particularly when it is recollected that the rmallest rooms have, we believe, always fires ; and that the largest description of sleeping-roops, calculated for `2OO or 300 men, have none at all, but in place there of the walls and roofs of the buildings are perforated with holes, wind-tubes, and other ingenious devices for the free admission of cold air, rain, and snow, into the sleeping-rooms, which are, in other words, better adapted for the climate of the West Indies than for that of an English winter. It cannot, how ever, be denied that this high degree of ventilation has its peculiar uses. It preserves the rooms perfectly sweet and cool in all seasons ; relieves the men from a heat which would be otherwise oppressive from the load of bedding allowed to them in the winter. Be sides, the sokHers have it in their power to ascertain the state of the weather without rising from their beds, an advantage not to be entirely overlooked, as satisfying curiosity. (To Le cont . nod. ) Thursday a pitched battle was fought at Heyleld Common, Hants, bvtween Davey and a n..tive of Lansdowne, of the name of Hinton. It was a most desperate contest, and lasted sixty minutes without shifting. The men were both dreadfully beat ; Davey was conquered by some hits not to be stopper', '.f a tre mendous kind, which his adversary placed on the left side of his lace, in almost every round. Davey fought at the body, and succeeded in planting most of his blows. The match was for 200 guineas. C RRICKFERGUS. ASisltg Monday last, at the As ices of Carrickfergus, tlie important cause, Lessee E trl o F Massareene v. Georg. Dorn and the Countess of Massar:..ene, his wife, determined in favour of tit! former. EXETER. r There were fifty-four causes entered for trial at this place, and nearly fifty prisoners. Among the cases which most attracted the cur:.isity of the public, was one of a very novel nature. It was an action brought by Mr. Corham, formerly an Ensign in the Devon- shire Militia, against Mr. and Mrs. Bulteel, to re cover damages for a breach of promise of marriage, made by Mrs. Bulteel, formerly Miss Pinson, to the plaintiff. Some female friends of Miss Pinson were called as witnesses, who proved that Mr. Corham and Miss P. were in the habit for several years of meeting each other, and corresponding by letter, without the privity or consent of the lady's father— and a packet of love-letters, written by the lady were also read in Court, which, in conformity to all pre cedents on such occasions, breathed sentiments of the most ardent and unalterable love. The last letter which was read, contained the cruel sentence of dis missal, which the lady stated herself to pass in com pliance with the wishes of her father. - For the Defendant, Mr. Serjeant LENS made a most eloquent and impressive speech, resting the de fence principally upon the ground that the Plaintiff had behaved so ill that he was not entitled to call for any compensation in damages ; and he stated that • Mr. Corham had strictly challenged Mr. Pinson to fight him upon no other ground than because he had refused his consent to the match—and had shewn himself so brutally eager for the accomplishment of his desires, that he would have been content to lead his victim to thealtar, garnished with the blood of her father. The case in evidence did not turn out to be ex actly what the Learned Serjeant was instructed to state ; but it did appear, from a witness who was called, that a violent altercation had taken place between the young lady's father and Mr. Corham, in which the former had used very abusive language, and himself gave a challenge, which was accepted by the latter ; it also appeared, that the scene passed in the presence of the young lady, who continued for three years afterwards her affection for the Plaintiff, and gave him hopes of marriage, unt . l the letter above alluded to was sent. Mr. JEKYLL made an able reply, commenting upon the difference between the statements of the Defen dant's Counsel and the case as proved in evidence, and particularly calling the attention of the Jury to the date of the quarrel between the gentlemen, and the subsequent conduct of the lady. The Jury, after some deliberation, gave a verdict for the Plaintiff with £4OO damages. MAIDSTONE, MARCH 30 ? CIVIL SIDE.-THE ICING V. STEWART. This was an indictment against the Defendant, an Officer in the London Militia, residing at Greenwich, for a Libel upon Mr. Best, as Treasurer of the Go- vernors of the Poor of Greenwich. The libel was contained in a paper printed and dis. tributed by Mr. Martin, a silversmith, in the town of Greenwich, previous to an election of Governors of the Poor, upon the resignation of Dr. Burney and Mr. Enderby. This paper stated, that the election was about to be held, and recommended the parishio ners to vote for a list of names, most of them of the most respectable persons in Greenwich, but warning the parishioners not to vote for the list supported by the parish-officers. RP I. I To this list was added a Nota-bene, that the per sons supported by the parish-officers had permitted the Treasurer to keep his accounts unsettled for 20 years ; that the persons recommended by them in the hand-bill had been instrumental in diminishing the poor rates ; but that the other list had permitted the Treasurer to receive an annuity of £l6 a-year, pay. able to a Mr. Ross, or Robson, and to charge the parish with it, although no part of the money had been paid over, and to receive the annuity even for three years after the annuitant was dead. The paper also stated, that the Treasurer had been allowed to keep large balances in his hands. Mr. GARROW stated the case to the Jury, and pro. duced evidence to prove the publication of the libel, and also evidence to explain the nature of the pay ment of Mrs. Ross's annuity, and why it was not paid to her, although the money remained in the Treasurer's hands, which was owing to this circum stance. The parish wished to borrow money, which they could only do by the Treasurer giving his own bond for the payment of the annuity, and although she was entitled to the money, she, being a lunatic, could give him no discharge for the receipt of it.— The publication of the libel was proved by the De fendant delivering one of the papers to a parishioner, who was reading a copy posted up in a shop-winclbw, and telling him not to waste his time by reading, but tn take it home and read it at his leisure. Mr. Serjeant BEST, for the Defendant, contended, that this being an election, the Defendant had aright to publish that which he really believed to be true, and proceeded to state evidence, by which he should shew that the balances in the hands of the Treasurer had increased from .€l9O a q iarttr to 81 712 during the twenty years allude I to; but that in the year 1806, by the patriot:c ex-rtio is of the Defendant and his friends, these balances had been reduced to 41. There was an averment in the indictment, that Mr. Best had truly and duly accounted for all sums of money in his possession, and he should negative that averment, or at least drew such a probability of er ror on the part of the Treasurer, as to make it fair for the Defendant to have published the paper in question, with a belief that it was true. Upon proceeding to call evidence, The LORD CIVEF BARON refused to hear evidence in proof of the truth of a libel, and said it could only go in mitigation of punishment. Upon which Mr. berjeant BEST stated, that he should reserve it till the Term, when he should have it stated upon affidavit in the Court of King's Bench, and should have the books of acccunt inspected by the Master.—Verdic-, Guilty. i~ THE KING v. MARTIN. fn this case, for the same libel, there was also a vet dict of guilty.—The Home Circuit ti ~,~,- - a i~