Star. — London, England, 1807-12-19 00:00:00

PORTUGUESE ROYAL FAMILY. After the preading page was at prefs, a melfenger arrived at the Admiralty with difpatches announ cing that the Now Blip of war has arrived at Ply mouth with intelligence that the Royal Family of Portugal has failed from the Tagus in twenty-feven NO, and is not/ on its way to the Brazils. The Royal Family is accompanied by a number of loyal adherents of the Nobility. It is alto reported at the Admiralty, that Sir SIDNEY SMITH went into the Tagus, and brought away the whole of the Ruffian Fleet, and whatever Portuguefe Men of War had been left there. DECLARATION OF THE KING. LONDON GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19. DECLARATION. The Declaration iffued at St. Peterfburgh, by his Majefty the Emperor of all the Ruffias, has excited in his Majefty's mind the ftrongeft kr:rations of alto. nifhment and regret. His Majefty was not unaware of the nature of thole fecret engagements which had been impofed upon Ruffia in the conferences of 'Hilt. But his Majefty' had entertained the hope, that a review of the tranf aaions of that unfortunate negotiation, and a juft etiolate of its effeas upon the glory of the Ruffian name, and upon the interefts of the Ruffian Empire, would have induced his Imperial Majefty to extricate himfelf from the embarraffment of thole new counfels and connexions which he had adopted in a moment of defpondency and alarm, and to return to a policy more congenial to the principles which he has fo invariably profeffed, and more conducive to the honourof his Crown, and to the profperity of his dominions. This hope has dictated to his Majefty the itmoft forbearance and moderation in alt his diplomatic in. tercourfe with the Court of St. Peterfburgh fence the peace of Tilfit. His Majefty had moth caufe of fufpicion, and juft ground of complaint. But he abftained from the language of reproach. His Majefty deemed it ne ceffary to require fpecific explanation with refpea to thole arrangements with France, the concealment Of which ft om his Majefty could not but confirm the irnpreftion already received of their charaaer and tendency. But his Majefty, neverthelefs, direaed the demand of that explanation to be made, not only without afperity or the indication of any hoftile dir pofition, but with that confiderate regard to the feelings and fituation of the Emperor of Rolla, which refulted frOm the recolleaion of former friendfhip, and from confidence interrupted but not deftroyed. The Declaration of the Emperor of Ruffia proves that the rbjea of his Majefty's forbearance and moderati• n has not been attained. It proves, un happily, that the influence of that power, which is equally and effentially the Enemy both of Great -Britain and of Ruffia, has acquired a decided afeen dency in the Connfels of the Cabinet of St. Peterf .burgh ; and has been able to excite- - a caufelefs enmity benween two nations, where long eflabliflted connec tion, and whole mutual interefts prefcribed the molt intimate union and cooperation. His Majefty deeply laments the extenfion of the culamities of war. But called upon. as he is, to defend himfelf againft an as of unprov )ked hollility, Iris Majefty is anxious to refute in the face of the world the pretexts by which that aft is attempted to h e juftified. • The Declaration afferts - that his Majefty the Em peror of Ruffia has twice taken up arms in a caufe tit which the intereft of Great Britain was more direet than his own ; and founds upon this affertion the charge againft Great Britain of having neglated to fe cond and fupport the military operations of Ruffia. His Majefty willingly does juftice to the motives dthich originally engaged Ruffin in the great ftruggle againft France. His Majefty avows with equal res. diners the intereft which Great Britain has uniformly taken in the fates and fortunes of the Powers of the Continent. But it would finely be difficult to prove that Great Britain, who was herfelf in a nate of Way with Pruffia when the war broke out between Prtiffia and France, had an intereft and a duty more dire& in.efpoufing the Pruilian quarrel than the Em per or of Ruffia, the Ally of his Pruffian Majefly, the Prineaor of the North of Europe, and the guarantee of the Germanic Conflitution. It is not in a public Declaration that his Majefty Gan difcufs the policy of having at any particular period of the war effeCted, or omitted to effea, dif. embarkations of troops on the coatis of Naples.— But the inftance of the war with the Porte is Qill snort fingularly chorea to illuftrate the charge again ft Great Britain of indifference to the interelts of her silly : a war undertaken by Great Brit sin at the infligation of Italia, and folely for the purpofe of :maintaining Ruffian interefts againft the influence of iFrance. • If, however, the P.:ace of Tilfit is indeed to be confiderect as the confequence and the punifhment of the imputed inaaivity of Great Britain, his Majefly cannot but regret that the Emperor of Ruffia fhould hive reforted to fo precipitate and fatal a meafure, at the moment when he - had received diflina affur an'ess that his Majefty was making the molt flrenu ot/ s exertions to fulfil the wifhes and expeaations of hi s Ally (affura.ices which his Imperial Majefty ri ceived and acknowledged with apparent confidence .a nd fatisfaaion) ; and when his Majefty was, in fad, .Iprepared to employ for the advancement of the common obje6s of the war, thole forces which, after the Peace of Tilfit, he was under the neceffity of employing to difconcert a combination direeted againft his own immediate interefts and fecurity. The vexation of Ruffianoommerce by Great Bri. fain is, in troth, little more than an imaginary grievance.. Upon a diligent examination, made by his Majeftv's command, of the Records of the Britifh Court of Admiralty, there has been difcovered only a folitary inftance in the courfe of the prefent war, of the condemnation •f a veil really Ruffian : a veffel which had carried naval StentS to a port of the common enemy. There are but few instances of Ruffian veffels detained : and none in which juftice Las been refuted to a party regularly complaining of I Inch detention. It is theritfore matter of turprife as well as of concern to his Majefly, that the Emperor of Ruffia fhould have condefcended to bring forward a complaint which, as it cannot be feriouliy felt by thole in whole behalf it is urged; might appear to be intended to countenance thofe araggerated declama. tions, by which France perfcveringly endeavours to inflame the jealoufy of other countries, and to niftily her own inveterate animofity againfl Great Britain. The Peace of Tilfit was followed by an offer of mediation on the part of the Emperor of RufThs, for the conclufion of a Peace between Great Britain and France; which it is afferted that his Majeßy r e f u f e d. His Majeßy did not refufe the mediation pf the Emperor of Rullia : although the offer of it was accompanied by circumilances of concealment, which might well have juilified his refufal. .The Articles of the Treaty of Talk were not commitni cited to his Majefly; and fpecifically that Article of the Treaty in virtue of which the mediation was propofed, and which prefcribed a limited time for tie return of his Mejefly's anfwer to that propofal. And his Majefly was thus led into an apparent cons• pliance with a limitation fo offenfive to the dignity of an independent Sovereign. But the anfwer fo returned by his Majefly was not a refufal. It was a conditional acceptance. The conditions required by his Majeßy were—a Itatement of the bafis upon which the enemy was difpofed to treat; and a corn munication of the articles of the peice of Tilfit. The fira of there conditions was precifety the fame which the Emperor of Rums had hirnfelf annexed not four months before to his own acceptance of the proffered mediation of the Emperor of Auftria. The fecond was one which his Majeßy would have had a right to require, even as the Ally of his Imperial Majesty; hut which it would have been highly improvident to , omit, when he was invited to confi le to his Imperial hlajcfly the care of his honour and of bis interefts. But even if there conditions (neither of which has I been fulfilled, although the fulfilment of them has I been repeatedly required by his Majefly's Ambalrador at St. Peterlburgh) had not been in themfelves per fatly natural and neceffary : there were not wanting confiderations which might have warranted his Ma jetty in endeavouring, with more than ordinary anxi ety, to afcertain the views and intentions of the Emperor of Ruflia, and the precife nature and dila of the new relations which his Imperial Majefly had contracted. The complete abandonment of the interefts of the King of Pruffia (who had twice rejected propthls of feparate peace, from a aria adherence to his engage ments with his Imperial Ally), and the charaaer of thole provifions which the Emperor of Rana was contented to make for his own interells in the negoti ations of Tilfit, prefented no encouraging profpth of the refult of any exertions which his Imperial ISlajelly [night be difpofed to employ in favour of Great Britain. It is not, while the French army Rill occupies and lays wane the remaining dominions of the King of Pruifia, in fpite of the Itipulations of the Pruffian Treaty of Tilfit ; while contributions are arbitrarily eraeted by France from that remnant t f the Pruffian Monarchy fuch as, in its entire and motet Roo tithing Rate, the Pruffian Monarchy would have been unable to difcharge ; white the forrender is demanded, in time of peace, of Pruffian for treffes, .-hich had not been reduced during the war ; and while the power of France is exercifed over Pruffia with fuch fhamelefs tyranny, as to defignate and demand for irritant death, individuals, fribjeeti of his Pruflian Majelly, and refident in his dominions, upon a charge of difrefpeet towards the French Government—it is not while all thefe things are done and fuffered, under the eyes of the Emperor of Ruffia, and without his interference on behalf of his ally, that his Majefly can feel himfelf called upon to account to Europe, for having hcfitated to•repofe an unconditional confidence in the efficacy •uf his Imperial Majely's mediation. Nor, even if that mediation had taken full effeet, if a peace had been concluded under it, and that peace guaranteed by his Imperial Majeßy,could his Majefly have placed implicit reliance on the liability of any foch arrangement, after having feen the Emperor of Ruffia openly transfer to France the Sovereignty of the lonian Republic, the independence•of which his Imperial Majtily had recently and folemnly guaran teed. But while the alledged rejeftion of the Emperor of Ruffle's mediation, between Great B: itain and France, is Rated as a jug ground of his Imperial Majefly's tefentment ;• his Majefly's requell of that mediation, for the re•eßabli[hment of peace between Great Bti tain and Denmark, is reprefented as an infult which it was beyond the bounds of his Imperial Majtßy's moderation to endure. His Majefly feels himfelf under no obligation to offer any atonement or apology to the Em peror of Ruffia for the expedition againft Copen hagen. It is not for thole who were parties to the fecret arrangements of Tilfit, to demand fatisfadion for a meafure to which thole arrangements gave rife, and by which one of the objects of them has been happily defeated. His Majelly's jollification of the Expedition againft Copenhagen i► before the WorlJ. The declaration of the Emperor of Ruffia would fupply whatever was wanting in it, if any thing could be wanting, to convince the molt incredulous of the urgency of that neceffity under which his Majefty ailed. But until the 'Ruffian declaration was publiffied, his Welly had no reafon to fufped that any opinions which the Emperor of Ruffia might entertain of the tranfadions at Copenhagen could be filch as to pre clude his Imperial Majelly from undertaking, at the requeft of Great Britain, that fame office of media tor, which he had affirmed with fo much alacrity on the behalf of France. Nor can his Majefly forget that the firft fymptoms of reviving confidence, fince the peace of Tiltit, the only prr.fped of fuccefs in the endeavours of his MAjelly's Antbafrador to reftore the ancient good undetuanding between Great Bri tain and Ruflia, appeared when the intelligence of the liege of Copenhagen had been recently received at St Peterfburgh. The inviolability of the Baltic Sea, and the reci• procal guaranties of the Powers that border upon it, guaranties Paid to have been contracted with the knowledge of the Britifh Government, are Rated as aggravations of his Majefty's proceedings in the Bal. tic. It cannot be intended to teprefent his Majefty as having at any time acquiefced in the principles upon which the inviolability of the Baltic is maintained e, • . however his Majefly may, at particular periods, have forborn, for (pedal reafons influencing his canduet at the time, to a 4 in contradidlion to them. Such for. bearance never could have applied but to a (late of peace and real neutrality in the North; and his Ma jetty mon affuredly could not be expetfted to recur to it, after France has been fuffered to ellablillt herfelf in undifputed Sovereignty along the whole coati of the Baltic Sea, from Dantzig to Lubeck. But the higher the value which the Emperor of Ruffia places on the engagements refpeaing the tran• quillity of the Baltic, which he defcribes himfelf as in heriting from his immediate predeceffors the Emprels Catherine and the Emperor Paul, the lets juffly can his Imperial Majefly relent the appeal made to him by his Majefly as the guarantee of the peace to be concluded between Great Britain and Denmark. In making that appeal, with the utmoff confidence and fincerity, his Majelly neither intended, nor can he imagine that he offered, any infult to the Emperor of Ruffia. Nor can his Majetly conceive that, in propofing to the Princ e Roy a l terms of peace, loch as the malt fuccefsful war on the part of Denmark could hardly have been expeeted to extort from Great Britain, his Majeffy rendered himfelf liable to the imputation, either of exafperating the refentment, or of outraging the dignity of Denmark. Rio &Nay has thus replied to all the different acenfations by which the Ruffian Government la bours to jutlify the rupture of a connection which has fublifled for ages, with reciprocal advantage to Great Britain ani Ruffia ; and attempts to difgui'e the operation of that external influence by which Ruffia is driven into unjutt holtilities for interefts not her own. The Ruffian Declaration proceeds to annmnce the feveral conditions on which alone there holtilities can be terminated, and the intercom-re of the two cltin• tries ren!wed. • His Majefty has already had occafian to afrert that jullice ia nn inflance been destied to the claims of his imperial Majefiy's fubjeCt.t. The termination i f the war with Denmark has been fa anxioully fought by his Majefty, that it can not be necefrary for hi; Majefly to renew any pro feflions upon that fubjeCt. But his Majedy is at a lots to reconcile the Em?eror of Ruffles prefent anxiety for 'he completion of fuck an arrangement, wioa his Inmetial Majelly's recent refufal to cmtri bute his good offices for effefting it . The Requifition of his Imperial Welty for the immediate conclufion, by his Majefty, of a Peace with France, is as extraordinary in the fibflance, as, it is offenfive in the manner. His Majefty has at no time declined to treat with France, when France has profefred a williognefs to treat on an achniffible balls. And the Emperor of Ruffle cannot fail to remember that the IA Negociation between Great Britain and France was broken r ff. opal points immediately affecting, not his I`,lajelly's own interelts, but thole of his Imperial Ally. But his Majefiy neither under- Rands, nor will he admit, the pretenfion of the Em peror of Ruffia to diClate the time, or the mode, of his Majefty's pacific Negociations with other Powers. It never will be endured by his Majefty that any Go vernment [hall indemnify itfelf for the humiliation of fubferviency to France; by the adoption of an in fu!ting and peremptory tone towards Great Britain. His Majelly proclaims anew thole prinCiples of Maritime Law, againa which the armed neutrality, under the aufpices of the Emprefs Cathetine, was originally directed ; and aktinft which the prefent hcailities of RutDa are denounced. Thole principles have been recognized and acted upon_ in the bell periods of the Mao!) , r f Europe: and acted upon by no power with mote fhianefs and fevetity than by Ruffia heitelf in the Reign of the Emprefs Ca tharine. 'l'hofe principles it is the right and the duty of his I Majelty to maintain—rind againti every confederacy his M 'jelly is deter mined, under the bletfing of Di vine Providence, to maintain them They have at all times contributed cfrentially to the fuppor t of the Maiitime Power of Great Britain—but they are become incalculably mote valuable and important at a period when the Maritime Ptwer of Great Bli tain conflitutes the tole remaining bulwark againft ;he overwhelming ufurpations of France; the only refuge to which other nations may yet refort, in happier times, for affillance and proteftion. When the opportunity for peace between Great Britain and Rotlia fhall arrive, his Majelty will ern. brace it with eagernefs. The arrangements of fuch a negociation will not be difficult or complicated. Hi, Majelty, as he has nothing to concede, fo he has no. thing to requite : fatisfied, if Ruffle (ball manifelt a difpofition to return to her ancient feelings of ft iend• (bip towards Great Britain ; to a juft confederation of her own true interefls ; and to a fenfe of her own dignity, as an independent Nation. ‘Vt:ltarinfter, December 18, tBo7. At the Court at Windfor, the 18th of December, 1807, Prefent, the King's Moft Excellent Majefly in Council, His Majetly having taken into confiderati, n the injurious and hollile proceedings of the Emperor df ■ll the Ruflias, as let forth in the Declaration of shis date, iffued by his Majefty's command ; and being determined to take fuch meafures as are neceffary for vindicating the honour of his Crown, and procuring reparation and fatufaelion, his Majefty therefore is pleafed, by and with the advice of his Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, that general tepri. zals be granted againft the (hips, goods, and fubjefts of the Emperor of all the Rufflas, (lave and except any veffels to which his Majefly's licence has been granted, or which have been diraled to be releafed from the embargo, and have not Croce arrived at any foreign port), fo that as well his Majefly's fleets and (hips, as alfo all other fhips and veffels that (hall be cornmiffioned by letters of marque or general repri fall, or otherwife, by his Majefly's Commiflioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain, (hall and may law•fully feize all (hips, veffels, and grods belonging to the Emperor of all the Ruffles, or his fubjeas, nr others inhabiting within the territoties of the Emperor of all the Ruflias, and bring the fame to judgment in any of the Courts of Admiralty wi.hin his Majefly's dominions; and, to that end, his Majefly's Advocate General, with the Advocate of the Admiralty, are forthwith to prepare the draft of a Commiffion, and prefent the fame to his Majefly ar this Board, authorifing the Commiffioners for executing the r face of Lord High Admiral, or any perfon or perfons by them empow • ered and appointed, to Me forth and grant letters of marque and reprifals to any of his Msjsily's Cub. jets, or others, whom the faid Commitlioners Atall deem fitly qualified in thatibehalf, for the apprehend ing, feizing, and taking the (hips, velfels, and goods belonging to Raffia, and the vaffals and fubjeets of the Emperor of all the Raffia', or any inhabiting within his countries, territories, or dominions, (except as aforefaid) ; and that fuch powers and claufes be inferted in the faid Comtnifflon as hare been afual, and are according to former precedents ; and his Majelly's Advocate General, pith the Advocate of the Admiralty, are alto forthwith to prepare the draft of a Commiffion, and prefent the fame to his Majeßy at this Board, authorizing the laid Commiffioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral, to will and require the High Court of Admiralty of Great Blitain, and th e L ieutenant and Judge of the faid Court, his Surrogate or Sur rogate', as alfo the feveralCourts ofAdmiralty within his Majeßy's dominions, to t a ke cogn i zance o f , and judicially proceed upon, all and all manner of cap tures, feizures, prizes, and reprizals of all 'hips and goods that are or (hall be taken, and t hear and determine the fame, and, according to the courte of Admiralty, and the laws of nations, to adinJo and condemn all filch Chips, veffels, and goods as (hall belong to Ruffia, or the vaffals and lubjztzts of the Emperor of all - the Rallis, or to any others in. habiting within any of his countries, territories, and dominions, (except as aforefaid;) and that filch powers and claufes be inferted in the laid Cammif fion as have been ufual, and are according to former • precedents ; and they are likewife to prepare, and lay before his Majefty at this Board, a draft of fuch intlruetions as may be proper to be Cent to the Courts of Admiralty in his Majefty's foreign governments and plantations, for their guidance herein ; as alto another draft of intiruetions for fuch (hip, as 'hall be commillionated for the purpofe abovemzntinned. CAMDEN, P. WESTMORLAND, C. P. 8: HAWKESSURY. MULGRAVE. SP HELEN'S SP. PERCEVAL. GEORGE CANNING. Yeflerday, at two o'clock, his Majefly held a Privy Council in the Council Chamber, in Windfor which fat till half paft three o'clock. There were prefent Earls Camden and Welimorland ; Lords Hawkefbary, Mulgrave, and St Helen's; Mefrrs. Canning and Pcrceval. After the Council, his Ma jelly gave audiences to Earl Camden, Lord Hawkef• bury, and Mr. Canning. Mr. Fawkener, the Clerk of the Conncil, attended Mr. Canning arrived at Wiodfor on Thurfday • after, and remained there left night. Lady Hawkefbory went with Lord Haakeffsury to Windfor, and they remained there lan hight.— We are happy to fay his Majtily Invited remarkably well yefterday, and appeared in excellent fpirits. It is undertlood that, in confervence of the notice given in the Houfc of Commons at the dole of the lafi Sefton, refpeeing the days to be appointed is the approaching SeffiQn for prefenting Private Fed lions, Bolls and Reports, the days expected to be fixed will be nearly the fame as thofe in the Spring of 1807, viz. For Petitions, 27th February ; Bills, 26th March ; Reports, t WI May. The Denbigh Militia arrived in 'Canterbury yef terday, on their march from Sheernefe to Margate. It is Lieutenant Colonel GE9RG6 Stair's, of the Sad Regiment, the carps ft honourably noticed in the orders an 4 difpatches of Lord Carncaer, who was knighted by his Majelly on Wednefd ay fe'nnight, 'for his fervices before Copenhagen, and not Lieu. tenant Colonel Sown!, of the 28th, as erroneoully Rated in different papers. Perfons balloted for the Militia, when they engzge a fobflitu..e, matt not pay more than five pis the bounty, upon his enrolment, and the rem •I 'der is to be depofited with the Clerks of the Subd ; Meetings, to be paid to the fubttitute when he fh et( have joined the regiment. The French lugger privateer the Providence, of 1¢ guns, which was captured by the Afirea and Royalift, and fent into the Downs on Monday, has been manned with ..o feamen and 15 marines, and has failed for the coa(l of France, in company with the in the hope of decoying I , me more of the enemy's veffel , , of this defcriptian, into our hands. The Danes in Catwater, Plymouth, were on Telef_ day in a lime of mutiny ; they threatened to fet fire to the (hipping, and, no doubt, would have put their 'threat into execution, had it n been for the piquet guards fent to watch their motions, and keep them in order. On Wcdnefday a great number of them were put on board lighrers and launches, and carried up Hamnaze, where they were confined on hoard the Niece, Which is fitted for a temporary prifon (hip, till the Es. FIRM E is completed. Court.r (\lit riar..—Thurfday, in Clrelfea Col'ege, a Court .Martial, compofed of General and Field Officers, proceeded on the trial of Sir CIiARLSI HOTHAM, Colonel of the B.:verily Buffs, or the Ealt York Regiment of Militia. The charges, which were fifteen in number, being diflinale read by Mr RYDER, the Judge Advocate, R. LECA!tD, Senior Captain of the fame regiment, who preferred them, addreffed the Honourable Court in a fhort but elegant fpeech. He fairly avowed that lie had no motive in corn. mencing this profecution awainn his fupetior Of f icer and Cnlonel, but a fettle of duty, which as an Officer he felt bimfelf bound to difcharge to his King and country. There charges, though different as to time and place, were of the fame dere' iption and nature; they were charges of irregularity and drunkennefs, diferaceful and degrading in any man, but in an Officer of fuperior rank, fortune, and 'family, they would inevitably bring difgrace on the Corps with which they were conneded—invidious as the tang was, and however unequal to the difcharge of it, the profecutor would be platy of grofs direlitEtion of duty, if he r eglened to pert ,rm it, becaufe they were all contrary to the Mutiny AO, the A ticles of War, • and the Orders of the Commander in Chief. He W as well aware he had to contend , against fisperior rank and fortune; but he did not (brink ; he had a body of evidence to fttbltantiate all tilde charge, which could not be impeached or contraoiaed. After ih s examination of fever al witnelfes c n .the two &it charges, the Court adjourned at three o'el .ck.— the . Earl of Eurroa, Colonel of the Welt Ssilfolk is Fractal' of the Court. 1 l