Star. — London, England, 1811-10-18 00:00:00

:- ter of the Prussian forces it was ascertained, that they amounted to upwards of 140,000 men, trained, disci Oiled, and fit to perform duty in the field, but not is a state of equipment. While matters were in that tituation, and the eyes of the Continent were conspi cuously looking for the commencement of hostilities, a courier arrived from Paris, bearing such a modifica tion of tha claims of the French Ruler, respecting the Prussian fortresses, as superseded the necessity of an immediate rupture, and it was presumed that tran quillity would not be interrupted during the winter season. Under these circumstances, precautions, how ever, were taken by Prussia, and the army, although clisrnised to its quarters, was not disbanded. The information from Petersburgh is to the middle of September. Trade was so dull as to be approach. ing to a condition of total inactivity. The Exchange was at 141. By a letter from Riga we learn, that a notice had been received there from Sir JAMES SAUMAREZ, which arrived on the 2111 ult. informing the Merchants that the convoy would sail from the place of rendezvous between the Ist and 15th October. Many of the ships were dismantling at Riga, partly from not being able to procure cargoes in time for the convoy, and partly from the low price of freight, which was little more than el per ton. In Hanno Bay there were about' 150 ships waiting for the convoy. Some vessels, during the tempestuous weather, mat with considerable damage near Carlscrona. It is apprehended, that on the disappearance of the English ships of war from the Baltic, a very conside. table roasting trade will be carried on between the different States, for which ample preparations were making. The navigation for such a purpose on the western side of the Baltic, in mild seasons, can be continued till Christmas; but on the opposite shore it closes three weeks or a month earlier. THE KING. WT*DSOIIy 'Ocroatue 17.••-• The KINo remains is the same state as be was yesterday : he has taken the ex ercise of walking in his suite of rooms to-day. Yesterday an Officer arrived at the Admiralty with dispatches from the Mediterranean, and after wards proceeded to Lord LIVERPOOL'S Office in Downing-street. Yesterday the Earl of Livutroot, left town for Coomb Wood. Yesterday Mr. and Mrs. Yoexe gave a grand dinner at their house at the Admiralty. A letter from Dublin, of the 14th instant, says, The LORD CHIEF JUSTICIt has retuined the infor mations against the Catholic Electors and Delegates, who were held to bail, to the Court of King's Bench. Their trial, of course, if proceeded on, will take place at the Bar of that Court, and not at the Commission. It is more than probable, however, that the point of law will be previously decided on arguing the infor mations, which the ATTORN EY•CrILN ERA L has lately caused notice to be served on Lord Fiticat and the Hon. Mr. IlaantweLL, of his intention to apply for against them on the first day of next Term." CovENT-GanneN.—The new Musical Drama of Kahle:lath, or The Slaw: Tribute, was performed last night, for the second time. Much opposition, how , ever, was experienced, on its being announced-for a 'repetition. The Farce of The Miser was exceedingly well played. A person speaking favourably of the Botany Bay Theatricals, observed, that the ner . ,6riners had been se lected by very COMlleitfli Judge: i A Schoolmaster, notorious for his professional phraseology, being asked by an admirer of his daligh. tees literary attainments, if she was a songster? he replied, 64 No, Sir ; vocative caret." A very beautiful phenomenon appeared in the hea vens on Wednesday night : it arose from the tail of the Comet being intersected by a very luminous shot star (as it is commonly called). For several seconds the Coma was divided at about right angles, by the very brilliant line of fire proceeding from this meteoric exhalation, and the effect was as singularly fine as can well be imagined. 'THE Comar.—A letter from a Correspondent on the subject of the Comet, says The tail of the Comet so often mentioned in your Paper lately, ap. pears to be made exactly of such stuff as Ossian sup posed the souls of his heroes to be. He believed they wore material, but so thin, that the stars shone through them. " Son of Semo," replied the Chief, " the ghost of Crugal came from the cave of his hill, the stars dimtwinkled through his form, and his voice was like the sound of a distant stream."—OsstAx. The old Lady who . thought to secure herself from the effects of the Comet, by taking refuge in a butt of water, has been driven to desperation by the opi. nion of an able astronomer, that the heat of this new visitant, should he approach the earth, would be so great as to caws the , water to bd. The poor dame now sees no alternative between being boiled and being roasted. An old woman in the Infirmary at Salisbury has not slept since the Comet first made its appearance; what is still more extraordinary, laudanum has no elect upon her. The grand plan of making one spacious street in continuation of Portland-place in a straight line (taking down Foley House), through Mortimer, Margaret, and Swallow Streets, to Pall-Mall, through which CARLTON House will appear in the centre, is to be carried into execution early in the next spring. A musket -lock cover has beet► invented by an Offi cer of the Royal Marines, which affords a complete preservation of the priming for many hours under the heaviest rain; and possesses other advantages superior , to any contrivance of the kind hitherto adopted. It has met with the approbation of all the Officers who hire seen it tried ; and 4000 are now preparing, at the evened . of Government, to be sent to Portugal for the use of the light troops of LordVirewsurrores Army. ,~ ~. THE ARMY. A number of fine young men, recruits for the Ar tillery, were yesterday landed at Woolwich, from on board the Lonion and Edinburgh Company's smack Pilot, Capt. SANDERSON, from Leith.—Upwards of 30 volunteers, for different regiments now in Scot land, were this day embarked at Tilbury Fart, on board the Leith, Capt. MARSHALL, belonging to the same Company. The dress of the Officers of the Line is, in future, to correspond exactly with that of the men, as to co lour and form : the only difference will be in the quality of the materials. The infantry soldiers serving in Portugal are in future to wear grey cloth pantaloons, with short gai ters of the same colour, instead of - breeches and leg gings, as formerly. EXTRACT Of A LETTER FROM AN OFFICER IN LORD WELLINGTON'S ARMY. " Rovina, September 21. 44 I travelled from Lisbon to Nive in company with Captain The latter place is our head-quar ters, and distant about a league and a half from the frontiers. Nearly all the way from Lisbon here, ex cept in a very few instances, is a continued scene of depopulation and misery ; almost every village, par ticularly those by which the French retreated, are en tirely destroyed. The churches seem to have been a particular scene of devastation, they are quite in ruins, even the graves opened, and bodies and coffins strewed about in every direction ; it is impossible to say what misery the French have caused in this wretched country. The only town during my march through a great portion of the country, that bore any sign of returning prosperity was Santarem, it is the boundary of the lines, and is a noble position. That you may be enabled to trace my route on the map, I shall name some of the principal towns from Lisbon, all along the banks of the Tagus, to Abrantes, through Villa Franca, Azembaja, Santarem, Goligao ;—near the latter place we crossed the Zizere on a bridge of boats, and reached Abrantes. I again crossed on a bridge of boats, over the Tagus, to Gaviao,. then Nive, Castello Branco, Peira, Macor, Sabugal, and Nive. Some of the way was over dreadful roads, along high mountains, over tremendous precipices. —You, being accustomed to English roads, can have no idea of the way, nor can any thing I can write give you a sufficient idea of these miserable roads. There is scarcely any siga of cultivation from Abran tes. Here is one continued scene of barren atoun tains, sial, sand, and stones ; and yet in these bar ren places the olive, orange, and lemon-trees, and almost every scarce and valuable hot-house plant, flourish most luxuriantly, and in some places form ing the most wild romantic views that can be ima gined. For every day of my march, the heat Was almost insufferable, and these last two torrents of rain have come down, and it now resembles a very cold March English day. Lord Wellington's head-quar ters are at Fuentes de Guinaldo, three leagues south of Cividad Rodrigo ; he has with him six divisions of the army, and three brigades of cavalry. The light division is .ia advance towards Civialad. I inaagipe, Lord Wellington will not invest Cividad Rodrigo. The battering train consists of seventy pieces of heavy ordnance, each require 20 bollocks to get it alongs and with carts, ammunition, Scc. &c. required 500 bullocks; it, when on the move, readied near a league ate, a halt. They came from Oporto, up the Douro, to Lamego, thence proceeded to Villa d.! Ponte, and Francoso, where they received orders to halt. Unless with a certainty of success, to move such ! an immense body, would be dangerous; in case of a sudden retreat all would be lost. I fear nothing can be done this some time. The last return of men and horses at combat amounted to 17,000, and 700 0 fti-1 cers—a dreadful number. The 12th have nearly One half in hospital. Part of General Hilt's division, consisting of the Buffs and 57th, both very strong, being reinforced from their two battalions, are at Castello Branco ; also the 29th, 31st, and 66th.— These three form one provisional brigade, and are not more than 450 strong. An attack was expected upon the bridge of Boats (near Villa Vellia) over the Tagus. By very great labour they were got iso far up the river : it they were destroyed, our supplies from the extensive Abrantes depot would be cut off. Apprehending this has caused the move to Castello Branco, an order came to us yesterday, to send our , bullocks and carts to Nive, for the conveyance of the sick to the rear, and for us, with three days rations' of meat, biscuit, and rice, to be ready to march at a , moment ; three days provisions also for the horses. We expected to move during the night, but did not. Our forage here consists of rushes and straw, for which we have sometimes to send two leagues, and an allowance of 101bs. of corn a day : with our work and food the nags do not look quite so fat and sleek as in England. From sickness we were relieved from the advance, which, with the Royals, under General Slade, we had made with General Alton's brigade, the 11th and Ist Germans. " Murrell', October 1. " I have not had a moment to myself since the prior date of this letter, Monday, 23—We marched to Ituera, in Spain, and iivemaid under the trees, that is, the heavens were our only covering.—Toes. day, advanced to Campello, where we had the same accommodation that we had the night before.—Wed nesday, 25—We were on horseback an hour before day, and returned to our breakfast ; we were scarcely back when, without our drinine, we again mounted ; the French being advancing, a Lieutenant was sent forward to reconnoitre, and to report the movements to Gen. Pack and Slade. He saw the French about a mile in his front driven down a hill near Elbadon, which they endeavoured to possess themselves of four times. At last we retired; the 3d and 4th divisions, with the 11th and Ist Germans, were warmly enga ged ; the cavalry (the 12th) charged them 8 times. —Having again joined the brigade on the plains of Gninaldo we advanced to attack them : they de clined it, we remained in our position all night, and the whole of die next day, when at nine P. M. (Thursday, 26th) we retreated to Albegeria,liveeec'd, we were scarcely mounted on Friday, when some French patroles came on ; we skirmished with them the whole of the day ; the balls from the infantry whistled about very thick ; we fell back behind Al. &yaws, aad had some slight skirmishes. Saturday v7r7" , ,47 V and Sunday morning, we all being quiet, we bedded near Soito, and, Monday 29th, according to orders, came here into cantonments. The 12th had only two men wounded and four prisoners. The. enemy retired to Guinaldo, our late head-quartets. We have of this brigade two squadrons to the point of Villa Mayor. Marmont commanded the French ;—their force is between 70 and 80,000 men, with 8000 ca valry, including lancers and Imperial Guards, these looked beautiful in line." NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PLYMOUTH, OCTOBER lc The MENstAvs frigate arrived here this afternoon, from Portsmouth, with Lord WILLIAM BENTINCK on board, bound to Sicily ; she will sail as soon as the wind shifts—it is now W.S.W Sailed, the ELIZA and JANE tender, for Liverpool; NEPTUNE (2) ditto, for Dublin; FANCY cutter, with letters, &c. for the `fleet off Brest ; and the WHITING schooner, with a Dock-yard lighter, with stores for Falmouth. PORTSMOUTH, OCTOBER 17. No arrivals. Sailed his Majesty's ship WOLVERINE, with a convoy for Guernsey ; R OEBUCK and Swill., with the Quebec convoy, but are brought to again in Cowes Roads ; GANNET and ZEPHYR, on a cruise. The ESCORT and ANT are gone down to Cowes Roads.—Wind S. W. DEAL, OCTOBER 17. Arrived last night, after post, his Majesty's ships SAX DOMINGO, BELLEROPHON, DEFIANCE, Noma, POICTIERS, ELEPHANT, EDINIURGH, THESEUS, VA LIANT, EGMONT, and MARLBOROUGH, ill of the line, from off Flushing: Sailed his Majesty's ships Imes, TUEUX, Mars, and LEOPARD, for Portsmouth. FROM LLOYD'S BOOKS. The Juno, Groves, front London to Smyrna, was in Portland Roads un the. Bth instant, on her way to Falmouth, after having been driven hack to the Downs four times. The Nucton packet, from Malta, wts at Gibraltar the Gth The brig Advrn•ure, —, of Sunderland, is on shore near Lonvestoffe, and will be a wreck. The Success, Shaw, of Maryport, from Drogheda, is WO near the Mull of Galway, and all on board perished. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. NIEWMARILIT SECOND OCTOBER MEETING, 1811. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17. Sweepstakes of legs. each for S-yr. olds, lit. i 011). each. Twoir. aid Course. Sir J. Shelly's Mock Bird General Gower's f. by Dick Andrew; out of They - 2 Ld. G. li. Cavendish's sister to Black Diamond Colonel Udney's Black Cherry Mr. Lloyd's Macao It to I on Mock Bird. The Second Class of the Gotland Stakes of 30p. each. R. M. Duke of Ruthuid's Sorcery, 3 yrs. old, 7st. Sib. Sir C. Bui.bury's Rival, 3 yrs. old, 7s. Gen. Gower's Donna Clara, 4 yrs. old, Bst. 31h. Kinnaird names a colt by Mr. .leaole, 4 yrs. old, 7st. la). 4 Mr. 'Wilson names Discount, 6 yrs. old, Sst. 91b. Ld Jersey's Antonio, 4 I n.uld, sat. 91b. Lsl U. H. Cavendish's Fiorival, 5 yrs. old, 9st. 71b. The Judge could place but four. 5 to 2 apt Sorcery, 4 to 1 apt Rival, 2 to t agst Florivat TrelolloWing Lying declared forteit'viltlliti the time prescribed, are to pay only i Oro. each. IA Foley names Pope, 5 yrs. old, 9st. 71h. Sir J. Shelley osanies Invalid, 6 yrs. old, 9st. sib. Mr. Wyndham names Chester, 6 yrs. old, 9.t i lb. Ld Stowell name* Britannia, 5 yrs old, S.A. 1 alb. Ld Stowell names Breslow, 4 yrs. old, ri.t. I.d F. G. Osborn names c. by Delpini, bought of the Duke of Hamilton % 4 yrs. ell, trot. Mr. Payne names Colonel Udney's hl g. Black Cherry, by Whiskey, 3 yrs. old, Est. I 01b. Mr. Craven's Sting Tail, 3 yrs. old, e-a. 7th. Mr.'l'wysden's Stripling, 10n. rec. from Mr. Carpue's Her. mit, 9st. .1 wo-yr old Course, ioogii. Io the action of BA LLESTcsos with part of Sru.n.T's army, a Lieutenant• Colonel w'as taken prisoner, the person who took Colonel Lord BLANEY at Malaga, last year. Fur this service, he was promoted from Captain to Lieutenant-Colonel. BALLESTENOE Was GI opinion, that if SOULT advanced with his whole army, he should be under the necessity of tetreating. He wrote to the Chief Magistrates of Algesiras and St. Roque, informing them of the probability of his being obliged to retreat on those towns ; and recom mending them to retire under the guns of Gibraltar. a 4 We have received some farther information relative to the foreigners that arrived at Plymouth in the STORK sloop of war, as mentioned in a former Paper. The Gentleman who set off for London is an English Nobleman, stated to have been detained as a prisoner in France ever since the recommencement of hostili7 ties. The other two, who arrived with him, are still detained on board the STORK, till the pleasure of Go vernment be known respecting them. They are Frenchmen, and assisted the above personage to make his escape on board an American vesf.el, which was fallen in with by the STORK off Scilly, and brought by her to Plymouth. It is said they have important information, to communicate to Government : but the greatest secrecy is maintained on the subject. THE POPE.—An article from Sardinia, dated Au gust $, says :. 4 ‘ A person worthy of credit, who has just arrived from Genoa, gives the following account relative to the person of the Holy Father. His Ho liness was still in Savona about the middle of July ; his guards were numerous, and admitted no person to see him ; his Holiness came every day to a win dow, in order to give his benediction to the people, who received it with much respect. But when the above person was setting out for Sardinia, eight days had elapsed since the windows of his habitation were opened. The guard remained as usual; but it 'soul the general opinion that his Holiness had been rano., ved to another place, and that the guard had been re:. tained to excite no suspicion in the people, who were penetrated with the most profound veneration for his sacred person." A fatal accident had like to have happened at the Mills at Wandsworth. A relation of the family being on a visit was amusing himself with fishing at die tail of the Mili, and having hooked a jack of five pounds weight, was preparing to land him, when, over-reach ing himself, he fell into the water. A large New foundland dog instantly jumped in after him, and seizing him by the hair, kept him above water till the servants came to his assistance. He had still kept hold of the line with the pike at the end of it, which bit two of his fingers dreadfully. ~. . .~--. ; . . • 4 COMMON ceourmil.. • 4 1 • Mr •••••••• A Court of Common Council was held yesterday. NRW PLAN INSTZAD OF TIM CITY NWT ON LORD MAYOR'S DAY. Mr. Dixow begged to put a question to the Lord Mayor elect, in the answer to which he considered the whole of the metropolis interested, arid particularly the ladies, who had been accustomed to look for ward to the Lord Mayor's Day as a novelty, in which they and their friends were peculiarly interested, being the day above all others in which the City of London was supposed to exhibit its hospitality, net only to the leading characters in this country, but also to all strangers of eminence who might hatpen to he resi dent in London. The question he had to put was this, whether the report he had heard was correct, namely, that it was the intention of the Lord Mayor Elect, under.the plea of the continued indisposition of his 'Majesty, to discontinue the Anniversary Dinner accustomed to be given on the 9th of November Alderman HUNTER (the Lord Mayor Elect) had • no hesitation in saying, that it had been his intention, after consulting with his Worthy Friends, who had undertaken the office of Sheriff for the ensuing year, to suspend, at least, the dinner usually given on Lord Mayor's Day, and that on account of the continued indisposition of our Gracieus Sovereign. This reso lution had been come to on his part, however, with ! out any intention to persevere in it, if not agreeable to the general wish of that Court. He had not em braced the plan which it had been his intention to adopt, in consequence of any expectation that either the character of his Mayoralty would thereby be en creased, or his expences be diminished. On the con. trary, he was satisfied that his popularity, his vanity, and even his pocket, would be best consultedby barring the usual Anniversary Dinner, instead of the plai which he had adopted, and as to which it had been his intention to take the sense of that Court—letters containing the leading features of it having been in preparation, which he expected would have been in their hands to-morrow morning. He now only wished to have the pleasure of the Court, to obey it. He then read the outline of his plan, which consisted, in stead of the public Anniversary Dinner, of parties of 300, at the Mansion-hone, once a fortnight, to din ner, the Lady Mayoress having, on the evenings of , the same days, a ball or two, at least, to which en tertainments each Gentleman, accustomed to be in vited to the Lord Mayor's Dinner, should receive tickets of invitation. Mr. DIXON was by no means sati,fiad with this sut stitute for the ancient City Feast, which he was anixi ous to see kept up in its accustomed splendour. Mr. Wrient.e thought that after the entertainment 1 given by the Prince Regent, which, in point of meat and eleg.mce WAS never equalled in this or any other country, there could be no fear that the annual and lung-established dinner dale City of London sltQulai seem unbecoming. Mr. Qum argued strongly on the sime side, ex pressing his astonishment that the present Lord Mayor , and late Sheriffs should not have taken an opportu nity of satisfying the Corporation that their frrget fulness of the 9th November did not proceed from any regard to their own pockets. Mr. Alderman HUNT= declared that he cheerfully acce‘teNi to the wishes of the Court, and that the LQr4 ' Mayor's Day should be kept as USUAL Mr. Sheriff BIRCH concurred in opinion with the Lord Mayor Elect, and it was understood that the . Lord Mayor's Day should be kept as usual. A meniolial train 'the Scottish Hospital, praying the aid of the Court, was prtiented and teed, and a notice of motion given for the Chamberlain to sub. scribe a sum in support of that charity, as the gift of the Court, which will be considered on a future day. . MILDNESS OF TNt Cl.lll4llT2.—is Mr. Ashelfond, gar. dener of Taunton, has in his grounds apple-trees in pert ect blossom for a second time this year, and others with apples on them larger than a pigeons egg, also a sewn. crop. There is a cherry-tree us the same town in a similar state. A man belonging to the Devon Militia, recently returned from duty at Dartmoor Prison, has been taken into custody, on a charge of attempting to pass forged Bank of England notes, several of which were found in his possession. They are extremely well !executed ; and are sold by the French prisoners at ss. each, tl, £2, and 45 inclusive. A math hitherto considered respectable, who keeps a broker's shop in Plymouth, together with his wile, have been taken into custody for utteting bad silver : A. 26 of counterfeit money =WAS found an his house, • concealed under the flour. The house of Mrs. Etherington, No. 2, George's. place, Maryla-bonne, was broken, and entered be. I twist the hours of twelve and four o'clock on Tues. • day, and robbed of plate, &c. to the amouut of AVOO. The family had not gone to bed before twelve o'clock, and the robbery was discovered at the hour stated.— The thieves effected an entrance by picking the lock of the outer-door, and they committed their depreda. tions on the ground floor alone. One of those singular animals the Tapier, or Hippo potamus of the New World, is just arrived at the Royal Menagerie, Exeter Change, where he is now exhibi ted with the multitude of other rare and curious qua drupeds and Birds of the first class in Nature. The Exhibition can now boast of the finest specimen ofEle phants, Lions, Bengal Tigers, Panthers, and Ostriches, ever seen in Europe ; besides the singular Peruvian ani. mals the Lama and Vicuna ; the Arabian Camel ; the American Elk ; the Ursine Sloth of the East Indies ; the Hyena, the Leopards,theJaguar, thegrand Casso wary from the island of Java ; the tender Pelican, Emews, Ceres Crown Cranes, Great Vulture, and upwardi of Three Hundred other curious and inter- esting Animals, in the finest condition. MARK-Lars.—The Market to-day again has few fresh arrivals of Wheat, with but short supplies on hand, and last prices are fully supported, fine old in demand—Barley and Malt in short supply, and rather dearer—ln White and Grey Peas and Beans of each sort, little variation—There are very few arrivals of Oats, and also short remaining quantities; sales there of are quoted higher—Flour continues at late prices. CIANSIAL CURIIIISICT Al UNDAR : Wheat 655. 100 s. 114 s. beam, 4ss. 545. Fine ditto, 1161. 1201. • TO ditto, 445. 521. Rye, 4 44 . 506. Oats ' ins. 356. 314. Bri, 431.- Us. 04. Poland ditto, Ws. 4ft. 404. Malt, tift. ha. Potato. atto, 4.15. 444. WWII Poo (Boilers) eft Ws. Raps 864 AO 442. Floe Fleur, 968. to 100orftl0000do e Ws. to 1144._ 44 1 . _