Star. — London, England, 1809-01-06 00:00:00

THE ARMY. I4ajor-General FERGUSON left town yesterday for loud:, to embark for Spain. 'The same exertions are making in Ireland and 'land as in this country to hurry off the troops..- ARTHUR. WELLESLEY is infusing energy into the artments in Ireland. The troops from that guar. w ill sail from Cork to Falmouth, where they will q those from this country. As an Officer, Sir mat is looked up to in every quarter ; in Ireland, has so entirely the confidence of the soldiers, that a ll ow ed, the whole body of the Irish Militia, with oestro us ardour peculiar to their country, would genero us R eg iments With him, td fight the battles of the sot Spaniards. c o lonel M'QUARRIE with the 72d Highlanders em rked at Leith, are daily looked for at Portsmouth. The Army will learn with regret, that that de- Sty highly-popular Officer, General SPENCER, not go with the Expedition now starting. The El of this is said to be, that his presence is ab- Wel)! necessary at an expected General Court . a valuable officer, who Major-General SUERmoor, eras always been actively employed, and who has seen muc h nal service, commands that part of the Expe , l & L ion which goes from this country in place of Ma. jor z ene ral SPENCER. General SIIERRROOK is the friend of Sir ARTHUR WELLESLEY, and was Com mander in Chief in Sicily, before the gallant Sir JOHN STEWART went out there. . Yesterday the horses of the Guards were embarked at Portsmouth, therefore there will be nothing to , prevent the sailing of the Expedition. Wednesday the Hon. Brigadier-General CammtaLL, 1 of the Guards arrived at Portsmouth, and, for the present, he commands the troops embarked. Major-Generals SUERBROOX and Tasos left town this day for Portsmouth. Besides Major-General Musa**, COTTON, DTOTT, Tip Ulnas Brigadier-0.:0.nm, and Doa URN, From motives of delicacy as well as from doubts en the subject, we have of late refrained from men tioning the reports of either of one of four General Officers, mentioned in the higher circles, as intended for the Chief Command of our Armies in Spain. Lieutinant-Colonel WALKER, who acquired im mortal honour in the command of the 50th Regi ment, in the battle of Vimeira, has been ordered to join the gallant band of heroes in Spain. We confidently hope, that to-morrow the Expedi tion at Portsmouth will sail for Falmouth, where they will meet the troops from Scotland, Ireland, &c. ho delay will occur for their ultimate sailing for the re ported destination, where an army of 15,000 men is to act under that most able Leader Sir ARTFIUR WELLESLEY. Notice has been given by the Transport Board that they are in want of ships of sufficient space between the decks to convey horses, for which 255. per ton per month arc offered for a service of three months, to be at Deptford or Portsmouth on the 14th inst. Letters from Lisbon, of the date of the 21st ult. mention, that the transports containing the 14th Light Dragoons, were safely arrived in the 'fagus. The following is a correct statement of the British !orces at present in Spain and Portugal : CAVALRY-7th, 10th, 14th, 15th, 18th, and 20th, , Light Dragoons ; and Sd regiment of German Light Dragoons. Ism-Ins-Two Battalions of Guards : Ist, 2d, 3d, 4th, sth, 6th, and 9th Foot, (2d bitt.) 9th and 14th (2d ham) 20th, 23d, (2d batt.) 26th, 27th (3d batt.) 28th, 29th, 31st (2d bait.) 32d, 36th, 38th, 40th, 42d, 43d, ditto (2d batt.) 456, 50th, 51st, 52d, ditto (2d ham) 59th, 60th, (2d batt.) ditto (sth batt. Rifle), 71st, 76th, 79th, 81st, 82d, 91st, 92d, 95th, ditto, (2d batt. Rifle) 97th, and Ist Batt. of Royal Veterans. tautans-The Ist, 2d, 3d, and 7th, Battalions of the Line ; and Ist and 2cl Batts. Light Infantry. Horse and Foot Artillery, Engineers, Staff Corps, Waggon Train, and Commissariat. GENERAL OFFICERS. Lieut. general Sir Jolty CRADDOCK, K. B. Conunander In Chief Lleat.Gen. Sir Jour. MOORE, K.B. ALEX. M. FIAT Li Sir D. BAIRD, K. C. Lord PAGET. Hun. Joan Hors Mal. Geri. Lord W.BINTINCa Hon. J. Banstalca MAN/M.OIIAM M'FAvLANI Hon. E. PAGIT • 11. W nand HILL Baaasroan LET I D. OTT W. H. CLINTON. SLAD! FAN! DISNEY • ANSTRUTNRIL R. STUART J. C. Carturolte Hon.C. W. STIMART ROPERT CSAvrOas. raptain Enowtt.t., of Greenwich Hospital, has, 4:i understand, been appointed to succeed the late `'drain Bouitexiaa, as Lieutenant-Governor of that I:!%titbition. Captain BOURCHIER died on Friday last, consequence of a wound he received 35 years since, ::orn the effects of which he tietrer been perfectly re • overel The Captains of the Navy at Portsmouth and Ply !Louth, have come to the determination of addressing trlc Admiralty, praying for an increase of pay. In support of this request they allege the increased price if every necessary of life, and every article of dress, which renders it difficult for them to keep a table for iikir officers, or to make as offccr•like appearance. DAUR2 =LANE THEdTRE. Last night a Comedy, entitled Man and Wife 1. or More &eras than One, the first dramatic production of a gentleman of the name of BISHOP, was perforMed at this Theatre for the first time, and most favour ably received.—The principal characters were-6. Lord Austenceurt - Mr. HOLLAND Sir Rowland Austencourt Mr. Powtti. Charles Austencourt - Mr. ELLISTON Sir Willoughby Worret - Mr. DOIVTON Abel Grouse - Mr. WILOO6HTON Cornelius O'Dedimus - Mr. Joums•roNs Ponder ' - - Mr. MATHEws Lady Worm • . Mrs. HARLOW& Helen . • - - Mrs. Jo anam Fanny . - - Mrs. H. SIDDONS Tiffany Mrs. SCOTT. Such are the Personages of the Drama'as they first present themselves to the audience. Maje l'ortsll ll The sir AR' .epartri er kill meet th s tiaireJ he has S if allow a genell gO as R patriot Color b ar ked The served' , lots not season solately M a rtial, Majo b as alvz much r &rod I jor friend fonder STEW &1 Yeste at Port prevent Wedr of the present, Major this day Be From TILE FABLE, Lord efustencourt, the nephew of Sir Rowland, solicit! the band of Hcten, the daughter of Sir Willoughby Worret, aigreat fortune. at a time when he has won the affections of Fanny, the daughter of Abel Grouse, and seduced her by a pretended marriage, to which only ClDediinui, an Irish attorney, and his clerk Ponder, had been privy. Meanwhile, Charles altieteneorrt, the son of Sir Row land, a young naval officer, beloved by Helm, returns from sea, and confronts his cousin, who basely, during his absence, had en deavoured to rob him of the mistress of his heart ; the preten sions of Lord Austenroure, are favoured by Sir Willoughby and his Lady, a couple mutually and incessantly persecuting each other, while they are strenuously opposed lay the father of Fanny, who considers his daughter as properly the wife of his Lord- ROwland uses all his efforts to bring about the union of his nephew with Helm, to the exclusion of his son, from an apparent consciousness of having mis-appropriated a great part of his Lordship's fortune during his minority, he having been his guardian.—The grand secret of the story, howlover is, that Charles is the real Lord alaiknourt, his cousin, the soli of Sir Rowland, having been sobstituted for him by his father, when both infants.—This secret is only known to Groure, who under that assumed name has lived in obscurity for a number of years ; he, however, comes forward towards the end of the Play in his proper name and character, that of Faulkner, formerly the friend and confidant of Sir Rowland, but who was supposed by the latter to be dead. The veil of mystery is thus !moved, the guilty are relieved of the weight of their ini quity, and the virtuous are made happy, as it turns out also that the honest attorney had procured a real, in:.ead of a fictitious, priest and licence, in the affair of the private marriage, contrary to the plan of his mock Lordship.—The Piot,: ends with a general interchange of forgiveness, and a renewal of confidence between all parties. The business of this Comedy is conducted through every succeeding act with great skill—the incidents are natural, and the interest is strongly kept up to the very last scene. The dialogue is very sprightly, the langualge not unlike that of Mr. Sheridan, indeed many passages reminded us of that gentleman's Rivals, particularly where the characters of Sir Wil loughby, Charles, and Helen were brought forward, which appear to have been sketched with an eye to Sir Anthony Absolute, FaulAland and Julia. The priest and licence are evidently borrowed from GOLDSMITH'S novel of 6 The Vicar of Wakefield,' but are fairly objects of dramatic adoption. If the plot in general, of which this event is the object and conclusion, does not excite any very powerful curiosity, the reason why the excitement of curiosity is not among its greatest merits, is, that we see in the early part 0 the play, what explanations, and events will take place, though we not know exactly through whom those explanations will be made. The smaller incidents are all managed in a judicious and tasteful, as well as entertaining manner ; and the dialogue is in many instances polisheal to a very striking bril lancy. Mr. ELLISTON was a very able represen tative of Charles ; his manner, if it has not the perfect elegance of a highly-bred man of fashion, has all the ease that can be acquired for a naval officer who has been educated as a gentleman. Mrs. JORDAN, in Helen, was pleasing, but not quite well bred enough ; all her ladies break out into the tricks of her hoydens, but thus she contrives, even in her defects, to remind us of her excellences. Mr. DOWTON'S performance of his IVilloughby was chaste, natural, and highly amusing; and Mrs. HENRY SIDDONS, though she had but little to do as the wife of the false Peer, did that little so sweetly, as to make every body regret that such a creature should be thrown away on Lord Autism:rt. Mr. MarmEivs was quaint and diverting as the clerk, who, though he effects no material pur pose of the plot, contributes to the liveliness of several scenes. The acting of JOHNSTONE, Waoucut :cox, and Mrs. SCOTT, were also deserving of the highest praise; of which, with the Author of the Comedy, they parti cipated in a way which must have been highly grati fying to all of them. The Prologue was, what Prologues have, seldom been of late, very neat and pointed. It ddeit on the difficulty of producing new dramatic features, parti cularly in matrimonial life. The following lines had much effect s " What, Man and Wife! I'm sure you'll all exclaim, " Can any novelty be found in them ? " If he should draw them of mild placid feature, " You'll say they're certainly quite out of nature ; " Or should he make them fight like dog and cat, " I'm sure you'll my, there's nothing new in that!' • • _ This was admirably delivered by MATHEWS. The Epilogue was rather trite. It turned on the stale point of supposing the author the culprit, and the au dience the jury, with candour as their foreman. The pr.werful intercession of Mrs. JORDAN was however unnecessary. We did not hear throughout the piece a single dissentient voice ; when the curtain fell, the house resounded with three distinct peal of applause ; and, when the piece was given out for a second re presentation, these applauses were repeated. A solemn dinner, which is usually preceded by reading of prayers, wan lately postponed to an hour so perfectly fashionable, that the officiating clergy man desired to know whether be was to read the morning or evening service ? A few days since, a hare being pursued by a dog, in the parish of Ruardean, Gloucestershire, the sport attracted the attention of ANN JONES, a pauper, in the 99th year of her age ! who followed the chase, andt hearing the hare cry, she ran in upon the dog, beat him el his prey, and bore poor puss off in triumph ! FROMTHE LAST SPANISH P AP.kRS. OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS, ElPAited SY Don Joarmin Mergelina, Captain of the Frigate la Real Armada, Secretary of the Supreme Junta. This morning, at three o'clock, arrived Don Joa quin Mergelina, Secretary, &c. and communicated the following, being duly authorised by the Central Junta to facilitate every means that may contribute towards the better service of our beloved Sovereign Ferdinand VII. He has ordered me to march im mediately to Seville the battalions of marines destin ed for the army, ant that all the French prisoners shall be kept in vessels separate from their Officers.— Another object, which may be considered as an auxi liary to this, to be adopted by the Commandant-Ge neral of the Marine, with all that zeal and activity which are peculiar to his character, will be the imme diate execution of all such verbal orders as the said Don Joaquin de Mergelina shall think proper to issue. Your Excellency has only to give orders for the exe cuting of corresponding dispositions relative to the disposal of these prisoners. —May GOD preserve you many years. (Signed) The Prince de MONTFORT& Puerto de Santa Maria, Dec. /, 1808. To Don Joseph Virues, Governor of Cadiz. The Supreme Junta transmits the letter inclosed to 1 your Excellency for your own information, and for that of the Junta of this city, to whom you will have 'the goodness to commun i cate i t w i t h out d e l ay . I n this letter the absolute necessity of taking arms, and avenging this city, is made indisputably manifest, comprehending in the same the conditions prescribed. The Junta and your Excellency, it is hoped, will use all possible celerity and activity in carrying into exe cution such measures as may contribute to the com mon cause in which this city is engaged. As this place, from the importance of its situation, ought to be put in the best state of defence, your Excellency will attend to this point with all that application and prudent foresight which the case demands. Your Excellency will communicate the same information to the Admirals and Commanders of the British ships of war, which may be found in this Bay, or near the coast, in order that they, being informed of the measures intended, may assist us with such succours as may be at hand. Your Excellency may assure them that the ports of Despena, Perros, and others, being fortified, it is also intended to collect an army with the utmost dispatch for the defence of Andalusia, with the troops, artillery, &c. necessary for that object. To this end it will be proper to employ in that army officers, serjeants, and others, of approved va lour and skill. And if the security of this place will permit the measure, your Excellency will be pleased to send away all persons of that description, includ ing those who have withdrawn themselves, and are distributed through this city and its environs. You will also do the same with the officers and troops of the artillery, together with such engineers as your Ex cellency may judge useful to the service. In all these -particulars your Excellency will be careful to keep a ! good'understanding with the Junta of this city, since we are at present unacquainted with the real state and place of residence of the Supreme Central Junta. GOD preserve you many years. MANUEL GIL C. M. SEM:JR, Governor of Cadiz. Palacio del Real Akazar de Seville, Dec. 6. The Supreme Junta has also transmitted the fol lowin)i Royal Decree :••••••• 44 'I he Supreme Junta, considering the urgent ne cessity that every person should enlist who is able to carry arms, and that they should repair hither with the utmost celerity, orders that, besides every person enrolled, all the married men and widowers without children ; all the nobles in the class of cadets shall contribute to the supply of all necessary assistance : that every order of minors not holding any eccle siastical benefice, or performing any constant office in the Church, all the novices who have n,ot taken up that profession, together with all persons who may wish to take up arms as volunteers, of whatever class, estate, or profession, they may be, though even ex empted by titles, should repair to this city as soon as possible, bringing with them all their firearms or others which may be useful. This order is to be dis tributed and made public in all the jurisdictions of the different Juntas, and to be transmitted from the one to the other with the utmost dispatch, in order that without the least delay they may reach even the; most remote village in the kingdom. 4 , The Juntas and the proper officers between this city and Madrid, will assemble one part of the peOple enrolled at Ee ga, and the others at Corduba. All pei sons concerned in the execution of these orders are charged to conduct themselves with the utmost care and accuracy, as otherwise, any omission whatever will be punished as a most serious crime committed against the country, our religion, and the King. " MANUEL MARIA DE AGUILAR, SeC. " Fol do del Real Alcazar, Seville, Dec. 6,1808. " Junta and the Governor of Cadiz." 44 The Supreme Junta have authorized their Secre tary, Don Joaquin de Mergelina, to treat with the Governor of Cadiz, and to come to a conclusion re lative to the number of French prisoners which may be sent and kept in the forts of that place, and the vessels in the Bay, where they must be considered as being less dangerous than in the Province, but with a total separation between the Chiefs, the Officers, and the troops. An account of the number of these prisoners, &c. to be remitted as soon as possible. " MANUEL GIL, C. M. " Real Alcazar, Seville, Dec. 6, 1808." In consequence of these orders, and that a mo ment should not .be lost ip their execution, Senor Joaquin de Mergelina, accompanied by the Com mandant General of the Marine Department, several other Officers, Members of the Junta, &c. &c. have visited the Isle of Leon, the result of which has been, the immediate mooring of four of his Majesty's ships in a proper situation for the reception anC. depot of the French prisoners intended to occupy them without delay. All the battalions of marines and the brigades of artillery in this port, 300 men excepted, who are to be incorporated with the new levies, are making dispositions for leaving this place. The forces that remain will form a battalion, which, with a Corps of Volunteers already formed, will be sufficient to oc cupy such points as are entrusted to my care, with the funds necessary for their support. His Excellency the Commandant General of the Marizie Department has expressed his particular si tjsfaction in consequence of the prompt execution of these orders from the Supreme Junta, and has - % charged me' to bestow the strictest attention fulfilment of the whole. This day the Junta and Government of have proposed, for the purpose of giving the publicity to their intentions ; first, that every shall be printed for the information of the Secondly, that as it will not be proper to lodL dividual of the prisoners in the forts of Cadiz, certain number of vessels be disposed of in manner as to receive all, or any of those inch' whom the Government may think proper to , situation so secure and convenient.—Thirdly, garrison of this place shall be completed to the of 3000 men, as it has been announced by the .. Junta.—Fourthly, that it shall be announced -public that the Governor of Cadiz has not reeeir other information besides that which he has • lic, and that when such information as he mw shall be interesting, he will not conceal one and the same spirit animates all classes, unalterable determination to serve the country, either triumph over our enemies, or perish. therefore the duty of all persons, while en; their united efforts to effect the common not to interrupt the attention of Governmenk vain fears and apprehensions, measures being to ensure the public safety without tumr traction. The Junta of this city have also informer. lic, through their President, of the diferen, which were communicated yesterday by cretary, Don Joaquin Mergelina, and cf sure adopted in consequence ; and, it has , posed by the Junta, as a proper measure—first, manifest to the said President, that they highly gratified by his zeal, and the efficacy conduct under these circumstances. Secondk the said orders be printed, with the explanaticas . proposals of the Junta, &c. &c. for the informatii and satisfaction of the public. Thirdly, thr to the want of muskets sufficient to make up ber necessary for the garrison, the departure new levies shall be deferred until the Supreme , of Seville shall be consulted respecting its determina tion, and its resolution shall be made known • ther the intended enrolment will be proper carried into execution in this city, or whether mode more convenient can be adopted for ing the purposes of this most important Fourthly, that in the interim a general enrohni commence, without delay, among all clases this city and its dependencies, from 15 to 60 age, capable of be ar i ng ai m s , an d o f serv i ng the walls with such arms as may be procured. that in conformity to the orders already transmitted by the President, proper measures shall be appropriating the number of vessels, in the Cadiz, for the reception of such French as the Supreme Government of the Provint determine to confine. Sixthly, that in every remaining, as to the execution of these orders, most speedy and punctual means may be used, assistance only being required, correspondent the state of the place, with existing am. and the pressing urgency with which these tant aids are required by the Supreme Gov , The whole is accordingly made known pulation of this city, for the purposes before Jas.t..pri The Mansion of Captain Wadd, at Stilton, was burnt down on Tuesday night, and furni property to the amount of several hundred consumed. It was occasioned by a beam kitchen chimney catching fire. The fami: with difficulty, as all were in bed when the out. On Friday night, great part of the fan lately erected by W. Martin, Esq. at John! tween Cork and Youghall, was maliciousl, supposed, set fire to, and a considerable part burned, with four cows and two horses. diaries are supposed to be some persons convicted before Mr. M. of having stolen of young trees in the neighbourhood. MANSION-HOUSE.—Yesterday W. Reilly, charged with stealing a pocket-book, contau and other notes to the amount of 801. the pi, Mr. Rodwich, a stock-broker, who lodged house of the prisoner's aunt, was again brow when, failing to account for the manner in • became possessed of the property found according to his promise, he was sent on Tender. John Evans, alias Evershaw, was found in house of Mr. Clark, of Basinghall-street, nesday evening, under suspicious circumstances, taken to the Compter. Against this prisoner a Mr. Rutter, a linen-draper, in the City. stated that on the 4th of April last, his premi robbed of property to the amount of SOOl. searching the prisoner's apartments, in Seward• Goswell-street, a quantity of articles simil2- he had been robbed of, were found, which, prisoner's wife, (he having absconded) to Worship-street Office ; when, not being sitively to identify them, owing to the marks cut otf, she was, necessarily, discharged , hearing that the prisoner was in custody, a search was made, when a piece of muslin, could swear to be his property, together picklock-keys, and a quantity of woollen goods, posed to have been stolen from a warehot._ day-street, were found. The prisoner mad( fence, aad was fully committed. HATTOM-GARDEN.—Hiant Julio,, and El were brought to the Office for making a vi( at Pentonville, on Wednesday evening Robert Nixon was wounded in the back with by Jones, who took an opportunity to escape the night officers. Nixon is confined to the wound he received. Julion was committed re-examination. Three labotiting gardeners were committed House of Correction under the vagrant act, ging in the streets. They requested to be to go into a public house to get some refreshmi betere they were locked up, which was comb where they shared ss. ezch, being the their morning's begging. The Ticket No. 12,035, drawn on Saturday prize of 85000, was sold in Shares at Swr - Offices, No. 11, Poultry ; No. 12, Charing and No. 31, Alclgate High-street. —No. 8,684, of 41009, and No. 17,830, a prize of £5OO, also sold in Shares at their Offices. tion to the If this city the utmost e. very thing Public.— dge any in- diz, that a in such a individuals o place in a ly, that the the number le Supreme aced to the eceived any made pub- nay receive it, as but es, and one ltry, till we rish. It is I, engaged in n salvation, iment with being taken wit or dis- ed the pub. rent orders their Se- the mea. s been pro- e—first, to have been :acy of his mdly, that cations and nformation lat relative p the num. are of the eme Junta determina- nown whe- oper to be lether any r answer- service.— meat shall s of men in SO years of ing within 4. Fifthly, raismitted I; taken fcr the Bay of 1 prisoners vince may very thing • irders, the used, such Went with :umstances ese impor. rerrunent. to the po. e indicated. 1 VIREUS. :on, Hunts, 1 I rniture and I ed pounds am in the 1 I , 4 ily escaped e fire broke ,rm offices, astown, be- sly, as it is irt of them The incen- who were a a number who vood aining bank property of lged in th::: I rought up ; in which lie I upon him, n board the I f in the ware- !t, on Wed- stances, and ler appeared r-road, who emises were 001. that in ward -street, filar to those :It, with the were taken ng able po- narks being 1 ; but, on 'subsequent 1, which he with several goods, sup- fuse, in Fri- nade no de- Elias Jones violent riot last, when ith a knife, .scape from his bed by emitted for itted to tl.e for beg- le indulged !freshment, iplied with, amount of rrday last a I IFT & CO.'S ring Cross ; 684, a prize 1500, were