Star. — London, England, 1829-08-31 00:00:00

F witness to depose to their guilt. The Eden, 26, Cantata Owen, rifted at Fernando Po on the 10th of June from Sierra Leone, the crew of which had suffered in a dreadful degree from a malignant fever they had caught at the latter frightful settle ment. On her passage from Sierra Leone. we lament to say, she buried 47 (including acting Captain Baddeeiy. her Surgeon, Dr. Burn,.his two Assistants, and the Carpenter). On her arrival at Fernando Po, she landed the remainder of the crew who were infected; these were soon afterwards restored to health. The Sybille, Commodore Collier, who wish the ship's company was well, arrived there on the 18th of June, but finding it sickly, sailed again on the following day, to cruise off Whydah, in search of the large slaver, for which the Commodore has been so long anxiously looking out. This slaver is represented to be about the size of the North Star. Lieutenant Ayrey, of the Syhille,is promoted to the command of the Medina, vice Commander Rowe, invalided.— Lieutenant Parrey, of the North Star, succeeded Commander Downes (who was promoted for his gallantry) to the Black Joke, tender to the Sybille. The latter Offker returned to England in the Lord Suffield. The Champion, Captain Scott, was at Ascension on the 10th July. She bad been to Fernando Po, and although her crew was then healthy, she had lost Mr. Ritheroe, the surgeon, Mr. Brickwood, midshipman. and vivo marines. Dr. Sr. John and Dr. Field, both of the Colonial Establishment, were also dead. By a letter of a recent date, from in inteWgent officer of our squadron at Constantinople. we learn that the Russian squadron, consisting of eighteen ships, was lying in sight of our own, and that in the night previous to the date of this communication, they effected a landing on the Asiatic shore ; the batteries, how ever, opening upon them, they re-embarked' without doing any mischief. It is credited by a portion of Turkish politicians, that the Grand Seignior is not using his utmost exertions to de fend his dominions ; that contemplating the entrance of the Russians into Constantinople, he will readily, when that event occurs, relinquish the disputed principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, pay the expenses of the Russian campaign, and then avail himself of the presence and support of the Russian army to re model both his civil and military institutions. The Turks are apprehensive of destruction to their ships by fire vessels. The ser vices of Capt. Hancbet, who had given 9,0001. for the Hylton Jo liffe steam vessel, were at once rejected by the Capitan Pacha. Lord Strangford has been ordered to proceed to the Court of king Miguel of Portugal. The Briton frigate, Hon. Capt. Gor don, was ordered on Thursday to proceed to Lisbon with hie Ex. cellency.—Hasispskire Tekgreph. ..:. E EVENING STAR. o t e = l... z f ol e V.& l° ,V e l, GAT, ImgWv (k))Z/gthEk LOW DON. MONDAY, I PRICE OF STOCKS LiIGUST 31. AT TWO O'CLOCK. Bank Stock 5 per Cent. Red. 896 5 per Ct. Con% 886 I 56 per Cent. 1818, 154 per Cent. Red. 981 a j 4 per Ct. New, 106.4 4 per Cent. 1826, 1056 I Long Ann. 20 19 15-16 irdla Stock, FOItRIGN FUND; Brazilian Bonds r s p. Ct. 39 Do. Acct. 59 D rid) p. Ct. India Bonds 61 416 South Sea Stock 661 Old Annuities New Ditto £lOOO Itzebeq. Bills, 66 4 6 £5OO Ditto 68 4 6 £lOO and £2OO Ditto 66 5 6 Bank for Acct. Consols for Acct. 881 91 , TWO O'CLOCK. Petuv. Bds. 6 p C. 10 91 Ditto Acct Ituis.lltls, 1822, 5 p C. 102 Do. Acct. 69j le I Do Acct. BRITISH AND FOREIGN SHARES. TWO O'CLOCK. Brazilian, imperial Ditto Natiooal Protector Fire SHAWL PAID. 3S SO 73 25 75 105 20 2 An Si. An opinion has been expressed—even in some of the popular journals—that the transactions in the East of Europe afford no ground for alarm that its general tran quillity will be disturbed. Ignorance of the commonest connexion between cause and effect, or interestedness— rendered purblind by party spirit—can alone argue thus. The repose of Europe must be disturbed, and that as im mediately as unavoidably, or she must submit, for her love of ease, to the bond of a general vassalage imposed by Russia, whose dangerous and unnatural aggrandise ment now touches the crowning hour of its completion. Do the writers who argue in this way pretend that the occupation of Constantinople will not be the signal for an appeal to arms ? Or do they fancy that the Russian—drunk with conquest, and• encamp ing under its walls—will be negociated back to the fens of Saint Petersburgh unindemnified, unag grandised ? Is it in human nature even, to expect it from him ? No ; the extermination of European Turkey is accomplished. It is too late to prop, and it is idle to think of re-establishing, the empire of the Ottomans : the general concernment, now, must be its geographical allotment. We know there are not wanting here ob jectors, who would interpose that all this is anticipatory declamation ; that MAHMOUD is still Sovereign of Turkey, and that NICHOLAS is a most moderate Prince. who only sent General DIEBITSCH across the Balkan, to rectify a slight misconception of a clause in the Treaty of Akerman. To these objectors we reply, that—sup posing the SULTAN to be still undethroned, and his throne continued to him by the sufferance of Russia— the Ottoman dominion will not the less effectually have been overturned : Nee dame= imperil fregit minus, imposuitque Turpe jugum Victor fracto, si perbreve tocsin Subjectis pareat populis,solioque ruentL Not that even such an arrangement as this can take place, because the kingdoms interested in repressing Russia will End now, that something more than a conventional line of demarcation will be necessary to secure themselves —a barrier-guard between that power and their own pos sessions, which Turkey can never again present—but for which, if ever there existed a political necessity, there is a tenfold necessity now. To minds capable of the least re flection, we say it is evident that Turkey can never again ! become that barrier-guard. Whatever of external empire 1 might be relinquished to her by Russia, would only be the trappings and the symbols—without the solid strength and consistency—of power. These are departed from her for ever. But her geography, her territory re , main ; her provinces teeming with cultivation ; her marts of commerce—her capital, alone an emporium—and her available physical population. Rich prizes these, for contending nations ; and. who can doubt that the contention will arise ? One will be for bestriding Romania—another, the Danubian principalities on both sides—another, unliberated Greece. But how if Russia, profiting by the superiority of her position, and ! the march which she has stolen upon the kingdoms, lay I claim to the entire herself ? Is it England that will drive her back ? or France and England together, sup posing them coalesced for such a purpose ? We do not i a ffi rm that her repression is yet impracticable, but every ' hour's delay will aggravate the difficulty of the enter prise, and the beet blood and treasure of banded Europe I —if she be allowed to nestle in her conquests but for one winter—might be expended to dislodge her in vain. By letters in town from Semlin, it appears that the army of DIEBITSCII reached Kirk-kilissa at the latest by the 3d of August, which place is about the same distance froM Constantinople as Bath is from London : it is the meeting-point of the great high roads which lead, one of them to Adrianople—the second city of the Empire— another to the capital. At this period the consternation throughout the SULTAN'S dominions had become uni versal, and his army is represented as beitig " wholly dissolved." Di ZBITSCII is making a triumphal progress, rather than a march through hostile provinces ; there iut no organisation, no resistance. Adrianople was without defence, and—what is worse—ready to receive him with open arms ; and before Constantinople there was only a fortified camp, capable of containing 20,000 men: disaffection and disunion in both cities. Suck was the position of things on the 3d of August, at Kirk-kilissa, every circumstance combining to favour the victorious General: he dispatched, accordingly, a division of ca valry and light artillery to take possession of Adrianople, and marched with the main army direct upon the Byzantine Capital. On the 13th, it is believed that its vanguard were under the walls. In the mean time, the Noble Duke and the Noble Earl are relying upon Count GUILLEMI NOT and Mr. ROBERT GORDON: veamos, Cara= ! The expedition sent by Don Ml° 17EL against Terceira was more formidable than has been generally imagined : it consisted of sixteen men-of-war, besides six trans ports, among which latter—proh ! pastor were seve ral English ! The havoc and destruction among this shipping, as well as the slaughter of the men,' was much greater than we were first led to believe : indeed, cut of the 3,500 men composing the expedition, it is not thought that five hundred got off from the island alive. Four instead of two gun-boats—as we said on Saturday—fell into the hands of the QUEEN'S party, carrying eighteen and twenty-four pounders, and a complement of 150 men each. The Conde DE FICA': 110, whose father fell gallantly while leading his regi ment at the battle of Arapiles, distinguished himself greatly in the engagement. This young nobleman— who was leading a life of gaiety and amusement at Paris—voluntary abandoned its fascinations as soon as he heard of the landing of VILLA FLOR, and has tened to share the dangers and fate of his honoured countryman. He joined the volunteers as a private soldier, and led the attack with bayonet in hand, which dislodged the Miguelites immediately after they had formed on landing, from their position upon an important eminence. The behaviour of the volunteers is above all praise : in fact, they bore the brunt of the battle. Colonel CALDAS, of the 21st Regiment, and Brevet-Major SIAMENS, were among the killed on the Queen's side. Colonel CALDAS was already greatly distinguished in the Guerilla warfare in the Minho. The following was the Order of the Day issued by Count VILLA FLOR A as soon as the Usurper's squadron approached the island of Terceira : " ORDER OF THE DAY. " The appearance in the offing of a considerable num ber of vessels leaves no doubt that the adherents of the rebellion meditate an attack on the town. The Com- mander-in-Chief seizes the first moment to announce this to his gallant comrades. The eyes of Europe and the whole world are upon you, as well as those of our be loved Queen. Every thing is in our favour :—our cause is sacred, our coasts are nearly every where inaccessible, our defence free from difficulty—every thing rests on your valour and discipline. Should the bands of the Usurper presume to defile our island, they will have rea son to repent their temerity. Our country will applaud, and we shall offer to our legitimate Sovereign the immor tal laurels of the purest and truest glory. " 50th July. "Couiit VILLA FLOR. (Couatenigned) " MINIMS, Staff Major." CITY. Twnvie o'CLocc. Although it is a double post-day, we have but very few arrivals this morning, and they are not of mach importance. The Consol Market, which left off on Saturday at ittli 9 for the Account, opened at 881 I, and may be quoted at present 88j buyers ; and for Mooey alli f, with little doing as yet. The fall of the French Renter is attributed to the private letters by the express from Paris this morning, to the approaching settlement of the account there, and not to any political information. In the Foreign Market not a feature at present worth observation. CITY, HALF-PAST ONE O'CLOCK. The Coosol market bas improved since the early pan of the morning, when they were 88a g for the Account ; but up to this hour they are 89} to g, owing to a report that an armistke had already taken place between the Russians and Turks. The Foreign market is very inactive. with little or nothing doing Accounts have been received by express from Con stantinople, bringing the important information of the arrival there of the Prussian Ambassador Extraordinary, General MUFFLIN, who was most graciously received by the GRAND SULTAN; and after a conference of some time with the SULTAN, he succeeded in proving to him the great danger which threatened his person and empire, at the same time soliciting of the SULTAN to spare the further effusion of blood, by entering into a negociation for peace with the Russians, which his High ness at length complied with ; in consequence of which, when the accounts left Constantinople, some arrange ment, or an armistice, was expected shortly to take place. Jamaica Papers have been received in town at the South American Coffee House to the 12th July. They do not contain any fresh accounts in regard to the Spanish Expedition for the Coast of Mexico. The Courant of the 9th July says, "We regret to ob serve that the George the Fourth arrived here yesterday from Saint Thomas, in ballast." Flour was scarce and high at the date of her sailing ; but large importations were daily expected from the United States ; .the scarcity of flour in the island is un precedented ; and, unless a seasonable supply arrives, we shall soon be without a barrel of flour. Small sales were effected yesterday at 8 pound, OFFICIAL DISPATCH OF THE COUNT DR VILLA FLOR TO HIS EXCEL LISNCY THE MARQUIS DR PALMELLA. Aaaaa (rzacsiaa). Auo. IS, 11119. TILANSLATIO4t. MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND EXCELLENT SlR,••••After I had addressed to your Excellency my last dispatch, in which I informed you that the greatest part of the block ading squadron had withdrawn, and had only left two brigs of observation, things remained in this state without al teration until the 29th of July, on the evening of which day there appeared to the eastward a great number of ships approaching the land, and on the following morning it was recognized to be the enemy's squadron, consisting of 22 sail—namely, 1 line of battle ship, 3 frigates, 2 corvettes, 4 brigs, 4 government transports, and several others of different sizes, some of them being armed. Hereupon I made my dispositions to give the enemy a proper reception, and having garrisoned all the accessible points of the island, and stationed videttes on those of difficult access—as well as garrisons in the castles of St. John Baptist and St. Sebastian—l formed a flying column to occupy the overlooking heights on the W. S. W. and N. W. parts of the island, to support immediately any point which the enemy might shew a disposition to attack on that part of the coast, and united into a central column the principal part of the forces, which I kept with me to march upon the first point seriously attacked, and to decide the victory. The blockading squadron, either because the calms and the winds from the S. and S.E. which prevailed on the first days of their appearance, embarrassed their operations, or perhaps confiding in the false news and slanderous reports which had been wickedly spread, as to the good spirit and disposition of this loyal population, were waiting for internal disturbances to facilitate their enterprise, or finally, in order to combine different means of attack, which they yet wanted, continued tack ing on the south and south-east coast of the island until the 10th of August, having on the preceding (lays re ceived from 20 to 30 open boats of different sizes, which were ordered from the Island of St. George, and which were distributed amongst the different ships. On the 10th of August, the wind having veered to the South West, the whole squadron steered to the South East, and keeping close to the wind, I per ceived in the evening that the position they were in with respect to the wind enabled them to attack with a fair wind Villa da Praya, and with a light wind the Bays to the west of this city and castle. I then formed a new column, which, with a few guns, I directed to oc cupy St. Sebastian, to be able promptly to succour Villa da Praya, the garrison of which was confided to the brave battalion of the Queen's Volunteers, under • the command of Major of Cacadores No. 9, MANOEL QUIN DE MENESES ; and I ordered the Commander of the district to the left of Villa da Praya, Lieutenant-Co lonel of Infantry No. 16, PEDRO JOSE FREDERIC°, to extend his force on the heights, commanding that Bay oti the left side. At day-break the following morning, the squadron, the better to conceal their designs, and deceive me, ap-: peered close under land in front of the bays to the west of Angra and of the Castle ; but at full day the wind blew fresher, and showers obscuring the horizon, they sud denly changed their course, and gliding rapidly along the coast, appeared suddenly in the Bay of Villa de Prays, where the happy and glorious action took place, a de scription of which I submit to your Excellency, that you may be pleased to convey it to the knowledge of her MAJESTY. The proximity to the land, in which the squadron, favoured by the wind, was enabled to double the Cape of Prays ; and the mists and showers which at that time obscured the horizon, concealed from the defenders of the Bay of Villa da Praya every movement of the hostile squadron ; and only at eleven in the morning, when the fog cleared off, and the wind calmed, was the line-of-battle ship discovered which formed the vanguard of the squa dron, and this at the time she was entering the bay, followed by all the ships of the squadron, with the excep tion of the corvette left off the port of Angra. The battery of the port began the fire : it was immedi ately answered by the Seventy-four and other ships of the squadron, which continuing their motion, penetrated as far as the water allowed them, cast anchor, took in their sails, and kept up without interruption a most vigorous cannonade. The fort, commanded by Ensign Si mos ALBU QUERQUE, of the infantry, No. 3, following up its fire with the greatest judgment—whilst the enemy thundered upon our batteries and entrenchments with but little effect—soon did considerable damage to the line of-battle ship, destroyed part of her mast and quarter deck, and wounded many persons on board. It was therefore in vain that the enemy, by the inces sant fire of a hundred cannons, tried to intimidate the volunteers of the Queen Dowwn MARIA 11. who, hi therto, alone in this arduous crisis, were attacked with such impetuosity and violence. At first, their attention was directed to the whole line of defence confided to them, and they waited with that sang froid and subordi nation which characterizes true soldiers, and does honour even to veterans, while the disembarkation was going forward. By four o'clock in the afternoon the enemy, without ceasing his fire from the ships for a single moment, sent a column of troops in the launches, which attacked with rapidity and courage the point where the Fort of Espirito Santo stands, and where an accumulation of large stones of basalt and great heaps of lava rolled down, from a straight at the base of a perpendicular cliff. Major Mzwzzzs immediately sent apart of his volun teers to support this point, uniting with it the force posted in the adjoining district close to the base of the Fort, and those brave soldiers—under the fire of the bat teries on board and from two gun boats that pro tected the landing—commenced such a sharp and well-directed ire of atusquebT, that they succeeded damaged n driving back some of the barges much Nevertheless, the greater part of the enemy's force casting themselves boldly and at all risks upon the rocks, and climbing the Fort of Espirito Santo, which was now evacuated, succeeded in throwing. some men into the interior of that port, whilst a few others—at some distance from them.... got • up the scarp or cliff. The design of the enemy was to gain possession of the fort and the crest of the rock, and to occupy with his force the heights on ow left, in order to protect his ulterior operations; but the valour of the volunteers frustrated this plan ; for, climb ing rapidly the heights which commands the Fort, they jumped into it, bayonet in hand, and dislodging their enemy, precipitated them upon the rocks on which they landed, and re-garrisoned the place themselves. The enemy at this time, partly occupied by the destruc tive fire which poured upon their launches, and partly in launching a second column against the right flank of our line, recalled their launches on board, which left their first force—composed of the flower of their troops, a n d almost entirely consisting of grenadiers and cavadores between the abyss of the sea, and an inaccessible cliff defended by some brave fuzilleers. At this time, the central column which I had put in motion at the first indication of attack, after goin g over a great extent of road—assaulted in flank by the batteries of the line of battle ships and frigates —entered Villa Praya. The first column of the invaders, bereft of their Commander and other Officers mortally wounded, assailed by a shower of musketry and isolated at the base of ' the cliff, were now completely routed and discouraged ; and the soldiers, exasperated, called out for the boats to re-embark ; but they called in vain, and continued to suffer from the continual fire from our side, whilst the ships played their artillery on the shore without ceasing. Let me now direct the attention of your Excellency to the spectacle which presented itself to me, on my arrival at the field of battle—a spectacle the most sublime that can be witnessed in war, and which probably does not occur once in a thousand combats. The cannon of the squadron were playing on all parts of the beach, and the adjoining hills, and our little forts, with a very limited number of guns served by the coast artillerymen, were answering some hundred mouths of flame by which they were assailed ; whilst on the ridges of the acclivity the small line of volunteers was displaying simultaneously the greatest courage and the most sublime generosity. The invaders, abandoned on the rocks, unable either to extend themselves or to escape, and persuaded that we, imitating the orders which they had received, would re fuse them quarters, were driven to exasperation : the boldest fired at the ridge of the barrier, but soon wounded, sheltered themselves among the rocks which the sea was gradually invading, as the tide was coming in, and the less intrepid concealed themselves in the caves. The horrible condition of these unfortunate men, dragged hither for the most part by the violence and tyranny of the Usurper, now moved the hearts of the generous volun teers, and seeing in these conquered foes only a band of unhappy victims, they called out to them from the top of the cliff not to fire, but to surrender, for they had nothing to fear unarmed. They then fastened ropes, and threw them down the cliff. Others, taking off their shoes, and descending in this manner down the rocks, extended their hands, and drew their enemies from the abyss, who at length threw down their arms—all this was done by our brave fellows, unper turbed either by the fire of the cannon and musketry, or the cannister shot poured upon them from a brig-of-war: who —after conducting their prisoners to a place of safety— flew again to the army, binding up more than one wound with their handkerchiefs, which their enemies had received. As soon as the central column entered the field of bat tle, I ordered two companies of the sth battalion of Cllca• dores to support the volunteers on the left, and I extended the rest of the force along the right side of 'the Bay, against which the enemy was disposing his second attack. In effect scarcely were my dispositions taken, when under the shelter of the man of war and frigates, a second column was embarked, and the launches appear ing in succession, threatened our right ; but the first fire of our field artillery from the battery, under the command of Captain VILARINIIO, having sunk the nearest launch, and the nett having disordered their whole line, the launches retreated and covered themselves under line-of-battle ship, whilst the cry of victory resounded along our line. The rest of my artillery and mortars, which had been delayed by the difficulty of the roads, now came up, and their first discharge threatened the squadron with a new danger. It was, however, now night, the tide was full, and the line of battle ship, which at low water had grounded, floated again. The calm which prevailed during the evening was succeeded by a light breeze—and then the Admiral's ship, seeing the at tack on our right frustrated, completely abandoned the flower of his troops, and making signals for the rest of the squadron to cut their cables, sailed precipitately out of the bay, and put to sea : an operation which they could not all have effected if time bad allowed me to bring to the batteries of Praia a greater number of pieces of a large calibre, or if the mortars had arrived sooner. The enenky.lost this day the whole of the force with which they attacked our left, which amounted, according to my observation and the testimony of the prisoners, to from 800 to 1,000 men, of whom 388 were made pri- Boners, and the rest killed, for the most part, upon the rocks, and drowned, as appears by the number of dead bodies already cast ashore. They lost several officers, amongst whom were Lieut.- Colonel AZERLDO, second in command of the expedi tion, an d Commander of the first brigade, and Major D. GIL All wes DA COSTA. The former of these officers, mortally wounded, was witness of our complete vic tory, but expired a few moments after, manifesting his surprise at the generosity with which he saw his comrades treated, and by which he himself was succoured. I , I 1