Star. — London, England, 1804-10-06 00:00:00

BLOCKADING SQUADROKS. We yelterday endeavoured to put the Public right, repetting the unfounded rumours that have been circulated by fume of our Contemporaries, of the refult of the attack made on Tuesday evening on the French flotilla at Boulogne. We thought the fads had become fo notorious that no one could repeat, much leis credit them, and yet we found the fame attempt that had been made the evening before, re peated again yeflerddy, to import on the credulity of the Public, and raife an unfounded expetlation, that an official publ cation would loon confirm the accounts that had been fo pompoufly communicated to the Public. The following we gave verbatim from a paper of laR night, as a fpecimen of the import- Cons that are prattifed upon the Public : . The attack was made by mean's of a new-invented engine of deftrudTtion called a coffer or fmack, of which one of our cored pondents has fundthed us with a defeription. There were three coffers or (marls which were cat tied in in the darknefs of the night, and placed between the fhorc and the enemy's VCITCIL By a parti cular contrivance in the nature of clockwork, thefe coffers can be nude to explode at any given time, in fix minutes or fix hours. As Coon as they had been placed in their proper Ration, the clock work was let *going, and the men that towed them in, left them. This was effeeted about :tall pail ten o'clock an Tuefday night. The ddes were very favourable—the night unufually dark. 'fhe expedition bad been kept fo ferret that the enemy did not enter- Min the flighteit fufpicion. The coffer. exploded with the moil tremendous voile ; it (mined u if a volcano had on a fuddri Mira from (he earth. What mutt have been the effeet of loch an ex plofitm :iron the um 'peeling and unprevaied enemy ! They were panic (truck: the fire caught their acne's, and teemed to have been eoeununicated to each of them by magic. In the audit of their contufion and terror, the fleet:him were fort in among them ; one, from tome accident, bur(t too loon : •,n -either was boarded the en. my as loon as the got in ; a vaR number of boats, with foldiers, were lien round her: they eonfidered her a. a valuable prize; the exploded, and Lon dreds of the ens.-my were blown into the air: the other fire Mips blew up immediately afterwards, and did great mifehiet— In this fituation the enemy knew not what to do—they fired in °volcano, and without the leaft method tw direetion The crew 4 of many of their veffels jumped into the lea, and abandonedtbeir sips to their fate. Many of their brigs and bosti were on fire in feveral places, in thar yards and in their rigging; others attempted to get back into the harbour, and in the attempt did great damage to each other." • A longer extras of fuch nonfenfe could afford no gratification to our Readers. %It is a tiffue of mere invention from beginning to end. The public, we are lure, will be better pleated to receive an account of what really happened, though (holt of their pa triotic wifhes; and we are happy in havic t , the mar to do this. The particulars detaltd by t? , mend to whom we are indebted fol the foliowing letter, were received from the mouth of au Officer engaged in the attack: SANDGATE I OCTOBEI 5. "A military )Meer anived here this morning, who had been a witnefs of the aq.mpt made on TuefJay night to burn the enemy's flotilla in the Road uf Bu logne, the refult of which is Rated to have been qui , e tmfuccefsful—though every thing was as favourable as could be wifhed for inch an e derprife. The night was extremely dark, the lea (month, and a gentle breeze from the N.W. blew dircaly to wards the enemy's fqttadron, confining of so brigs, a large praam, and 49 luggers, anchored in a line from Portel, acrofs the entrance of the harbour, to the Tower of Oder ; our fquadron were on their ofual anchorage on the bank. " At about eight o'clock, fix Hoops, fitted for the purpofe, and filled with combullibles, were put in motion towards the enemy ; they were conduad by Naval Officers of tried courage and ability : having arrived within a certain diaance, they were let on fire, and abandoned. About half pall ten the fun burn into flames, and Coon blew up, with a mon tremendous explotion, as did the five other; in fucceffion : unfortunately, however, the tide basing made to the eanward, they did not arrive with in that dillance of the enemy that was expelled, when the explorion took place, and confequen:ly the, damage done may be eonfidcred as nothing, as when day-light made its appearance, oaly three of the ene my's veffels were miffing, which might have got under weigh during the night. The fight is defcribed as being awfully grand aml fublime. The enemy were foon aware of oar inten tion!, and a moil tremendous fire of (hot and !bells was kept up from nine o'clock 6;1 near two, but with out any effea. The enemy's veffels continued at an chor all Wednefday evening, when a Itrong wind fit ting in from the seaward, which obliged cur fbips to quit their nation, made them likewife get under weigh, with an intention of entering the harbour the night tide. It is the opinion of our fcamen, that any further attempt of d_•flroying the enemy's ve;f,l by :ire•thtps, can only be attended with great caper:cc, and the lots of many valuable lives." "DEAL, OrTOBFR 5. "The eipedition agalall the enemy's flotilla at I3ou logn:, h.,s, we arc tarry to fay, in a ;;rest Inzafure failed. None cf the °nicer; who were there, and c have teen fs.veral,believe that any ferrous damage was done to the enemy. When daylight came, their number was found to be the fame as on the Jr.i bcf,,re, de:piing three gun boats. 'nick it is f..,11 f . .. 11 may have been dar,yed, hut it is equally pro f, that time of ::),nn might have gme i:ttn the Ni v4l 111 . .:11 I:CTC Jrc I it pi Ic.l At ;11. accounts wilich have appeared in ii:rne of the Len ch:n Jhrug tip their fhoul.k7s .01J v'ifit they had bzen ttuelJ the eltcnt ci ore-t unly %die have (laud; for in that thzy hay. had hopes of being able eventually to deflroy the whole. But as things !land, their only with is, that the French would come out. " Slice my Lift the LFCPARD man of war, Rear Ad miral Louis, with the EURYILLUS frigate, and (everal other fhips of war, fire-(hips, &c. have arrived here from Dungenefs." Difpatchesavere yellerday received from Lord NEL SON, which confirm the letter given in our 'aft from Mr. MATH Isom. His Lordlhip flates, that on the Loth July, feveral yards were manned from his fleet and fent to attack tome veffels lying at Vendura, about thirteen in number. They fucceeded in deftroy ing eleven of them, the fire from the batteries pre venting our gallant tars from bringing them off. The particulars of this affair, and of the attack on the enemy's flotilla at Boulogne, will appear in the London Gazette this evening. Yellerday we received accounts from Fermi up to the 19th ult. which do nut by any means counte nance the ouinion of immediate holtilities with Spain. The (hips which were fitting out in that harbour, with great aCtivity, are laid up. They were faid to be intended to convey troops to Bifcay, to quell an inforration, which, as we time time (ince men tioned, had happened there, but counter orders had arrived that thefe forces (bould repair thither by land. The docks, however, are preparing at Ferrol to receive feveral (hips expeOed from Cadiz, in or der to undergo a repair. We underitand alto, from very good authority, that difconteats prevail among the crews of the French (hips in that harbour ; and that two Officers of the fquadron have refufed to obey the orders of the Emperor. They were accor dingly put under arre( for their difubedience, and were to be feta immediately to Paris. FIiRIOL, SEPT. 16.-•-" The Englifh fquadron for ionic time evidently entertained fufpicions that the naval armammts were intended to co-operate with the French—(of which two men of war and the Dutch fhip atpeav , ' ready to depart, having bent their fails, and mad: feveral garconading prepara- GM, )--4t being reported that the affairs of Bifcay were fettled. Thcie Ships of war, however, were ordered aglM into the arfenals, in confequence, it is laid, of a :t.monfirance from the Britilh Charge d'Af fairv.. Troops were marching from all quarters to vi,,rds Bifcay ; and the regiments at Ferrol and Co runna were under orders to march by different routs on the igth, 25th, and 28th September ; the diitance was eflimated at eighty.fix leagues." Ftitaoe, SEPT. 17..-.." You may rely upon this important fad, that the two Blips of war which were equipping with the i,-reatelt expedition, have fuddenly been difinantled, and retired into the arfe nals. This change of affairs, report States, has arifen frm the fufpicions of the Baitifh, expreffed in an impreflive manner, to the great fear of the Spaniards, who apprehended Come ferions and immediate ope rations againfl them. The men, however, have not been difcharged, and the retaining Inch a number ready for an emergency may be productive of ano ther remonflrance, when nn doubt the B;:tith Com manders at the mouth of Ferrol will be perfectly fa tisfied. The caufe given for the equipment of the two (hips of war now mentioned, was the intention of Government to employ them in the conveyance of troops. &c. to Bilboa to ant in the redu'Etion of the infurgents. But thole in the intereff of the Bri_ I tith Government entertained fufpicions of a different nature, and therefore were nut very fcrupulous to curers their Liniments on the necaflon. 'Fite im i pending form, however, l.as feen:ingly fubfided for the moment ; and the Spaniards fay, that if England 1 forces Imailities, the fault mull be attributed to her atm:, as the Spann Gcvet atoent is very arctic to war." One of the cutters belonging to our fleet off Brea obfervcd, on the z6th ult. a ronvcy of fifty French coallers, nc.:r the port of Duoalan, nct far from Concarncau, which it chafed, and forced to take under the yroteetion of the batteries. The place being very bad anchorage, and the wind fair, this convoy failed in the night, under the efeort of four Ertl rate gun boat:, bt:t were perceived at day by our cotter, and purfued immediately as far as the river of Pout d'Avea, where the French bat• teries began to open a heavy fire, but without any effeet. At high water, the convoy moved nearer to the 010 re, under the firong battery of Rice, and our cutter call anchor at the didance of a league, with intent to cut our, during the night, fome of the French thips, for which purple, forty of its crew had already volunteered. Wh..m they were to fet out on the expedition, a finall boat was obferved at a ditlance, rowing with its oars muffled towards our cutter. It had on board two Mermen, formerly Chouans, known to the French pilot on board our fnip, who came to inform us, that the Commandant of Concarneln, fufr;.! .. .ng • ur intent to cut out bottle of the merchantmen, brta put on board the outer mofl two of the 16th regiment of du. line ( L ae, !creel in the s icinity ; and that, betides, one cam; any of tly ing arti!lr.ty had arrived on the coati rioteel this cr.avoy, and :he Gunners of the .:':tb to any rf the Gar.' Co:es had embarked board cV'.o iLot:t merchantmen Lver tl air s of at tiilery, and placed is t! c midit the Fter.J. , f,, th.,t it would be raih to make at.y attempt ai:eiatt their!, which cattil our czuizer to debit. NAUTICAL thTELLIGENCr. Duhlin Waterford MAILS THIS D.l AVE DV[. Jamaica LY.—lliod W. S. W. ARI. DIM z z liamburgh z 0 I 1 Gooenburgh 1 0 I 0 Llfbon o 0 PENZANCE, OCT. 4.—Since my laft the Padflow, of Padftow, &rays,/ s, from Cardiff, bound to Lon. don, put back in order to replace her top-mail.— Arrived yeflerday the Prince of Wales, London tra der, TRELLUDDRI, with funthics (or this place; and this day the Pruilian galliot the Fortuna, of and for Embden, Capt. J. J. RPHEMAN and the Elearum, of and fur Koningfberg, Capt. C. STARERS the for mer from St. Martin's, with fah, in didrefs, and the latter from Liverpool, with coffee, &c. The latter narrowly efcaped being a wreck laft evening off the Land's end, having got al m oft on the Long fh ps before the Captain difcovered her danger, by reafon of the thick fog ; a pilot fortunately boarded her in time to take her off the (bore, and brought her to this port, where the only waits a fair wind to proceed for Koningfberg. PLYMOUTH, Ott.. 4. Came in the Ruffian brig Cefarwitz Conftantin Pawlowitz, of Riga. Capt. Sy- BRANDI BARRER, from Riga, laden with mans for the Dock-yard. Sailed the Mom TAG Us, of 74 guns, to join the Channel fleet. Came in the Maria Catherina galley, NEIL Casa mailer, from Droback, with timber and deals for this port :—Alfo the NIMROD, of 18 guns, from a cruise. Sailed the RANGER. cutter, of 12 guns, on a cruise. PORTSMOUTH, OCT. S:AttiYed the NANCY Cut. ter with diroatches from Gibraltar ;—and the brig Polante, —, from Li(bon, bound to Cherbourg, detained by the Dugs of CLARE/ICE cutter. Dropt down to St. Helsn's his Majefly's (hip SWIFTSUILL.— The Awr fchooner is appointed convoy fm the Downs. The TRIVEIPH, of 74 guns, Sir ROBERT BARLOW; and the MAIDSTON a frigate, the Hon. Capt. Est.totr, are coming home with a convoy from the Mediterranean. Wind N. W. aDaet., OCT. 5.--ArrivedPEsructa Hoop of war, with a convoy from Cork ; alto the lienstaat armed (hip with a convoy from Plymouth, which are failed for the River, with the Good Intent, Banitar, from Gibraltar. P. S. Jug arrived PAstiaasz frigate from a cruize, and remains in the Downs with the (hips as per lag. —Wind N. N. W. YARMOUTH, Ocr. s.—Wednefday morning paTed a fleet under convoy, bound to the Eall.—Yeaerday morning a fleet under convoy, fuppofed from the East,paired this port. This day arrived the ETNA. LION frigate, Capt. STUART, from Leith, and the VIXEN gun hrig, from a croite. The flips of war litre are the Mosimouris, of 64 guns, Capt. Haar ; AMETHYST and ETHALION frigates; nn e armed (hip, brig, and butter.—This morning a brig, coal laden, foundered on the Cockle ; the crew fortunately are faved. Wind S. W. Etstraset, SE►T. 22.—The Ruffian fqnaclron, commanded by Rear Admiral LonNtAr.re, which cruised in the North Sea, is returned. A frigate and a brig, both with fome trifling damage, arrived here on the roth, and failed fo.,n after for Copenhagen, and laft night three Ruffian (hips of the line, and one frigate, arrived in our Roads. The upward-bound fail as form as cleared ; the PROVIDFIICI armed fhip fails the &ft fair wind, with the downward-bound ; and a few days after her, the LEITH armed (hip with the nett fleet. FROM LLOYD'S LIST. GRAVESCNCI, OCIORER s.—P.dhel Ey. the Trimmer, King dom, hone Malta: Clarendon, 1-do-rifon, from Cadiz; Hannah a nd s ari h, —, from Charante ; Fhth y, Nowland, from Cork ; Nickolas and Ann, Gavot:. from Norway ; Dainacr, Hacker ; Vouog I lar an, Flack: Burnt; 'row CASA:ins, Lena : and t ilo Mercurius. from Ernhelco—S...4d the Role. Loll'. 1. 1•1. J I o.a; )looney. Char, for fa;t4rnfcy ; aLel the Hambru' Eterfc, Horwedgc„ fnr Tonningew bUBUN, OCTOBEI4 This morning the 3d, or King's Oven Dragoon% commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Mummy, were reviewed in the Fifteen Acres by the Commander of of the Forces. Yeßerday, Alderman Melt rorrn Jammu Eras Avant ' in Lord Mayor of the city of Dublin, before his Ex. cellency the Earl of HAR The Sheriff, Meffrs. THOR PS and BLOINADI, wire (worn into office at the Seffions houfe in Green-Greet. The Recorder, previous to the ufual oaths being adminiflered to the new Chief Magidrate, delivered a fuitable fpeech, with very great effeft. Baron MCLELLAN° afterwards made the accerf tomed Charge, in which he gave a cletr and confpi. cuous outline of the condut which it was incumbent on the prefent Chief Magiltrate to pttrfue. The City Regalia, was, as ulna], fplendid and lu dicrous ; a mixture of all qualities that never veils to excite in the popular vifage Rrong fymptoms of wonder and rifibility. The mock Battle-axe, the yearling footmen, and, above all, the things caUed Beadles, who would have difgraced Falßafrs re cruits, contrafled with the Aldermen and Sheriffs, gave a (hiking inflame of human difproportion. The Loan MAYOR'S liveries are extremely rich; fcarlet, with gold taffels—his coach of a dark colour; the nen, a lion rampant on a mural crown and ' underneath, the popular n ow", " Placa Ann PLas ry," in plebs torah. Sheriff 131.0xmais's carriage is extremely head tome, the colour dark ; the motto, " Virtues a Fedor &ate," i. e. With Virtue and Faith. Sheriff 'Notts's ca riage is alto of a dark colour; the motto. " Dadra Dentin,: me exaltavir," i. e. The LORD exalted me with his right hand. • In the evening, after the Sheriffs were (worn into office, the Lord Mayor was accompanied in the State Carriage to the Mayoralty Hpufe by Alderman THORP", who was greeted by a grateful populace with a thoufand prayers and acclamations ; the be nizons of thankfulnefs fur a Multitude of favours con ferred on the fuffering poor, and regiftered for ever in their hearts. According to cullom, the LORD LIRUTINANT_pitr took of a fumptuoirs entertainment .with the Chief Migiftrate at the Mention Houfe. Mr. FRANCIS W •, one of the Attornies, is appointed Under Sheriff Mr. Roster Jae/KIN, one of the Attornies, is Se- cretary to the prefent Lord Mayor. Mr. HUSIPNR&? Burts.a. whole fplendid equi pages and Beet cattle were formerly the theme of public admiration, is, we underhand, about to quit this country, and rade in Englandil 101 A that will be experienced by ta,e . lovers of wit, harmony, and amiable mariners. On Wednefday night !aft, fome villain fired a (hot into the dwelling-houfe of Mr. Srawno►l Gasman, in Booteritownlime, which was near proving fatal to one of the family. On Friday talk, a woman feducel a child of Mr. Weldon's, in George-lireet, from the dcor by giv ing her an apple. She brought her down to an entry in Crown-alley, and (hipped her of all bat an under petticoat, in which fituation fhe was found by a woman in the houfe, who brought her to 4. Mrs. Moorhead, in the neighbourhood, who humanely clothed her, and fent her home to her difeostfolate parents. Hewer MEAD; OGLE, Erg. r . ew Mayor of Dror heda, gave his official entertainment this day. The Earl of HARRINGTON arrived in town loft night from Brighton, whore he bad been on a rift to the Prince of WALES. THEATRE, COVENT GARDEN.-...14P. Conga night experienced a favourable reception in Sir Perri /lax Mac Sycophant, in 7 4 : Ma" of Ike World, it be' his firtt appearance this leaf in. He appeared in health, and played with great fpitit.—Tarsaat ang the lons in Robin Hold, in the Farce, pleaangly, and afted with cafe. IN cxxocim was as ufual pre-eminent in the part of Edwin; and Mrs. M gave the audience a fa vourable proof of what (be h ta done, and Rill can do. in the lively Clarinda. The names of many perfons of fathion apptared in the box books. RiTlEW.—Thurfday an Infpeßion Review and Sham Fight of the following Volunteer Cor ps of In fantry, belonging to the Western part of the Environs of the Metropolis, took place at Ealing Common, in isliddltfer, a fpot admirably wail calculated for fuck A put pole, viz. C b:fwidt„ Turnhan, rem. Fulham Twickenham, Brent ford likworth, and • Ea!iog Afton. General DALWINTER was the reviewing General, and Brigadier Central DALRYMPLE the lolpethog officer. After a minute infpeetion was m ,Je from right to left of the Brigade by c.-,rnpanies f each Corps; the whole formed and proceeded to pral:ce the IS ma turavres, which they went through with great pre• citing and elfeet. They wcre then put through the general review manoeuvres, marching, wheeling, forming duce and open columns, and deploying into line, charging, firing, &c. all which was well done with the exception of the Platoon firing, which in tome of the Corps was rather incorrect, at 4 o'clock the Brigade wheeled int 3 ene grand :ine, when the Generals took their Nation, the ufisl litotes were made, and the whole pail in review in ordinary and quick time, and then proceeded to their leveret quarters. It was currently reported at . 1-14mhnrgh. that M. . . D'Ouse t, ..he Ruffian Charge d'Affaitc:,had finally quitted tl.c French territory. This nue lii4ence we fulpcet to he premature, becalife the inf• tri:4: ion from the French territory, which has been recrivrii through 1-101 and, and which is roiterior, by come days, to ARRIVID. Cfr Dover, the Venus. CouT,hey ; and the Wir.ltm, M.Crea, from Itelfaft, Iniutul to Toni:inn—At Scarborough. Dove, Tweed, from Meniel—At Dontlet, Alexander, Souten, front ritto—At Cork, N.lfon, front li.r:.ilon—At Gutrnf•y, Charlotte, front (perm—At Liam, Surprife, r, Corr.cley; Commerce, Whitaker; queen, and the Alltion, fr,,ot London ; Rowe, from I•al. mouth; John, Wright, and the Choice, Steectifon, fr m I.lvcr pool ; Sitters, Newconit.e. troll IttlIto; ; Itair;. and the Golden Fletcc.Er.int, from I lult—At Oporto, Pliine. aed the Margarrt, Wilton, tr.rti ; Flora.% tale. ant! rite Nep:'•::r, Dinning, feint I*.T., r, Ann, IV•i , int,' FalreoL;ti ; Coninterte, IllanilloTtl; and the Atlat,Liddlr, from Norraftle; Gooch, from Curti ; Miri-:T. ; Th - te and the Ilertevtranic,.-troti,l. t:stni London—A: I'llatt ttelphia, Union, Thomas, from London- The longevity of Parr and Jen:.ins is tirisen to all ; but the extreme old age of Thomas Newman has cfcaped the attention rf the hilterian. ta• Islet to his memory is in 13ridlingr.in ChurCi-)ard, with this (hart t:42. " Tones, Ni N , , ar,d I c 3." The (ince K•.ts refaced in :7:1. to Enact ve the recol lelion of this remat 1..4We prolongation of human life. A large flote.fhip has been i itely purchsfed, for the nurpofe of corveying Itc•es, Ac. to the flttlement at New South WA., ; the veifel is to he cAlled the Lord Melville, and is carceled from Portf mouth in a (hot( time. A letter artures tie of the tr:Alt i.r the fillowing ! that which has readied us throutti Ciet roans, li' tae flatement :—" An Ametican vei1 . ..1, tailed the Mary ftom mentioning that ciectimilatic'e, politively Oates, ..t Norfolk, which failed from hi:ace the tech of filt, e that he was at Islentz fo late as the of Lilt hoinid fir St. Sehalliates, in Spaiti, m ballatl, mor•li, the d nn s' Lich their 1 tope, i ' MA je lilts. wa , , Iltefs of weather. after fprin;:mg a Lak, the Enita 1./ op 4 And the forced tout's.: filcher ii. il•e river rf Bourdeaus, .hich I arrived thete. Th.rz the. iti:oig t catkin the reached with extreme ditliciihy. Captain Int dilb:lieving alai report, nam.ly, that it was no without delay made .t aid but tv a iu. th W. 1% held i h".l .fie t^r the perfotral t t , Sin h, in the intcrini on at -4v,, 1 ., w ., t hy- ; o•ii lon, where be 11111 r..m i'as. his v;:1,1 and faire. to the C. nit f Rofii.e, but for that of ad every thing rotund on I, sird l'hae arhi- Fierch in that country at the period teary and inhuman in• , ...:c2i;n:s be e n con ti:: en:tom:try ielatiAls between the two Courts were filmed by the In anal. of t.'..tat ci;ttrlty." I itatrturted.