Star. — London, England, 1812-03-12 00:00:00

BATH AND BRISTOL CANAL AND BRISTOL WATER-WORM. HE COMMITTEE of MANAGEMENT of the BATH and BRISTOL CANAL and BRISTOL ATE,t-WORKS, not having appointed any time for holding he next General Quarterly Meeting of the said Committee, WE, tarl-lersigned, by virtue and in exercise of the powers and au • *rid s by the At of Parliament passed for making the said anal and Water-works, in us vested, onyx VeolN.rto the th thy of tjsis instant, March, and the London Cofree-house, udy,ate-bill,London, as the time and place for holding the next eueral Quarterly Meeting of the said Committees And we do ereby give Notice, that.the next Generral Quarterly Meeting of he said Committee will be accordingly held at the time and lace aforesaid. WARD and MERRIMAN, Principal Clerks to the Company of Propnetors of the Bath and Bristel Canal and Bristol Water-Works. l's thorough, 11th March, 1812. FRENCH PAPERS. IFEICLAJ, NEWS FROM THE IMPERIAL ARMIES IN SPAIN. ARMY OF ARRAGON. PORT OF THE DUKE OF ALBUFERA TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF NEUFCHATEL AND WA.. ItIAJOR•GENERAL. Head-quarters, Valencia, Feb. 27, 1812. Monseigneur—The fort of Peniscola, which during e sieges of Saguntuin and Valencia had obliged e to make a detachment on my rear, to cover the ommunications of the army, has since been the ob ect of my principal attention. I have hitherto con ned myself to observing it, not being . able to block de it on account of its natural situation. It is ituated on a detached rock in the sea, near the high 'ad, one league from Benicarlos, and is joined to e Continent only by a tongue of sand, thirty toises road, and sixty long. An old castle of the Tem i•lers, built on the summit, is surrounded by the city, hich kontains 2000 inhabitants, and a pretty exten ive fortification, defended by several ranges of bat . eries. Four gun-boats increased the defence, and annonaded the coast on both sides ; this rendered e approaches, which were already very diffkult on uch ground, almost impossible. A garrison of 1000 • en 'defended the place,. under the orders of Briga. • ier Garcia Navarro, a zealot, whom I had already ade prisoner at Fa lcet, last year, and who had suc eeded in _escaping. Five English vessels were ruizing in the offing, and carried on a communica . on with the place, which by that means received continual supplies from without. Atter the tall of Valencia, I caused Peniscola to be invested. About the 28th of January, the General of Division, 'Severoli, with two battalions of the 14th, two of the first Italian line, and one of the second of the Vistula, commenced, by my order, the operations of the kiege. The General of Artillery, Valee, proceeded to fix the situation of the batteries; and on the 28th commenced a bombardment, which has been maintained with activity during eight days. On the night of the 31st of January, or Ist of Febru ary, the trenches were opened by 1000 labourers, to the length of 215 wises ; the batteries of attack were instantly raised, in order to silence the fire of the enemy, and to establish afterwards more closely the batteries intended to make a breach. The engineers continued their approaches, advancing on the left bastion ; eighteen pieces of cannon were placed in battery ; the mortars continued to firb day and night, and sunk a gun-boat : the enemy returned a heavy fire of ball and grape shot. The 2dlof February, Lieutenant Prunel, an officer of my staff, whom I had sent with instructions, hav ing been admitted into the fortress, reported an an swer, and some propositions, which were immediately sent to me. The preamble was remarkable, and of a nature to announce the submission of the place. The Governor, in a very animated conversation, expressed his true sentiments, and his hatred of the English, who urged him, with threats, to give up the fort to them. He did not hesitate to prefer the French, and has acknowledged the existing Government as the only system proper to put an end to Pagonie of his country. I sent back immediately the proposed ca pitulation, with my answers in the margin. I added a letter to the Governor. In the interval the works were continued, and the fire was resumed's:luring 24 hours, but the modified capitulation that I had for warded was approved, and the Governor, by accept ing it, put an end to liosOlities. On the 4th, at noon, Peniscola surrendered to the tro.iss of the Emperor, We have found sixty-six pieces of cannon, provisions for two months, and a considerable quantity of ammunition, particularly in shot and shells. I have the honour of addressing to you the Capi tulation rtnd Returns off' the state of the artillery and Jnagazines, also the plan, with a view of Peniscola. During the continuation of the works and the fire we have sustained but a small loss in killed and 'wounded. Among the former are, the Captain of Artillery, Baillot. General Count Severoli has dis played great activity ; he speaks in high terms of d4e ardour and courage of the Officers, and troops. The . circumstances which attended the reduction of Peni scola, and the submission of the Governor, Garcia Navarro, form a conquest from which I expect to .derive the best effects. Every thing here (except Alicant, where an English General, named Roch, has taken the command) tends to put an end to the war. It is considered as finished. The inhabitants are well disposed towards us, even up to the very gates of Alicant. (Signed) 'THE DUKE OF ALBIJ,ERA. LETTER FROM THE MARSHAL COMMANDING THE ARMY OF ARRAGON, TO DO2i PEDRO GARCIA NAVARRO, BRIGADIER, COMMANDING THE FORT OF PENISCOLA. Valencia, February 2 . I reply to the proposition for a capitulation, which you have made to General Count Severoli, and I am resolved to accept the principal basis, because I see, with pleasure, that you and the Military Junta enter tain the sentiments of all good Spaniards . I also jr. mise to treat you in such a wanner as to prove to you the esteem wh ch I have for those mili tary Sp..',lards who are rally the enemies of the Znglish Minister. authorise the General of Division, Count Severeli, to reteiVt: you, ..112(1 to allow you, as well as your Of- Seers, to go to Valencia, Tortesa, or any other place you may desire. I am perfectly well acluainted with 'your present situation. as a part of 'our letters addressed to to e have fallen into my hands. , :. e. , REPLY OP THE ISHIGAD/ER DON TORO EIARCIO KAVARRE TO THE MARSHAL DF THE' EMPIRE, COMMANDING IN CHIEF THE ARMY OF ARRACiON. Pealseoh, Feb. 3. The letter dated the 2d, which you have addressed to me, has afforded me much pleasure, and I only wish for opportunities to prove the sincerity of the principlis I have manifested. I have followed with 4e41, I may say with fury, the party which I thought just, but now that I perceive the necessity for us all uniting ourselves to our King, to render our country less unhappy, I offer you to serve him with the same enthusiasm. Your Excellency may be sure of me ; the snrren. der of a strong place which has provisions, and all that is necessary for a long defence, can only be the effect of a full conviction, and serves as a pledge for my promises. I salute you with the utmost respect. CAPITULATION. The Governor and the Military Junta of the for tress of Peniscola, persuaded that the true Spaniards are those who, unitilig themselves to King Joseph Napoleon, endeavour to render their unhappy coun try less unfortunate, offer to deliver the place on the following conditions : 1. The individuals of the garrison to be free to retire wherever they wish.—Answer, Free to return to their families, or enter into the•service of his Catholic Majesty. IL Property to be respected, and the inhabitants not to be molested on account of their opinions. —Answer. Granted. 111. The authorities, civil and military, to preserve their re spective employs.—Answer. Granted, if fit for their employs. (The 4th and sth merely relate to the ratification of the capi tulation, and taking possession of the place.) • __ (Signed) PRIIRO GARCIA NAVARRO. _ The Marshal Count Soca yr. Statement of the Cannon and principal Objects of Artillery in Peniscola, on the 4th of February, the Day of its su r r e nd er , after Eight Days Bombardment. Brass Pieces-27 cannons, 5 howitzers, 9 mortars, and 2 car ron ades. Iron Pieces-21 cannon., 2 mortars.—Total of pieces of Artil lery, 66. Projectiles-10,100 bullets, 3,200 bombs, 1000 howitzer shells, 200 hand grenades. Ammunition-110,000 lbs. of gun-powder, 8000 lbs. of lead iu pigs, 130,000 infantry cartridges. • Spanish Muskets-1000. Signed by the General of Division, Baron of the Empire ' and Commander of Artillery, YALU. Peniscola, Feb. 4, 1812. MADRID, FEBRUARY 9. The best intentions are manifested at present by the inhabitants of the kingdom of Valencia. They acknowledge that their true interest is attachment and good faith to the Government. They oppose themselves to dispersed soldiers and brigands, and deliver up willingly their arms. •It results from their wise conduct, that the communications between the most extensive points of the kingdom are free and unmolested. It is hoped that the same happy effects will extend to the bordering provinces. On the night of the first or second of this month, 100 dragoons of the 18th regiment, with an equal number of soldiers of the regiment of Castille, both dispatched by the expert Governor of Segovia, and commanded by Major Bourbake, were conducted with so much ability and secrecy against a detach ment of the Band of Abril, which occupied Mazo leja, that they succeeded in taking the chief, Pedro Pablo, and Lieutenant D'Abril, with seven of his followers, 17 horses, and killed or dispersed the rest of the band. The Marquis of Rio Milanos covered himself with glory on the 7th, by delivering the province of Gua dalaxara, of which he is governor, of brigands, who had committed, during a considerable time, the most dreadful ravages. At the head of 700 infantry and 400 cavalry he has destroyed, at one blow, the different bands of robbers, forming a corps of 3,500 men, under the command of L'Empecinado ; 1127 men, among which are 25 o ffi cers, have been talcqn prisoners ; the remainder have been either killed, or have remained wounded on the field of battle. P4RLI4MEN7:4Rr PROCE,EDIIVGSVvi!I' Y'l: HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 11. - The House met at half-put four, and Lord CHOLMONDE LEY laid on the Table the Answer of his Royal Highne(s the Prince Regent to an Address from their Lordships. '1 he expiring Laws Bill ind Lottery Amendment Bill were read a second time. The Oak Bark Bill went through a Committee, and was or dered to be reported to-morrow. The other Bills before the House were forwarded. A Message informed their Lordships that the Commons bad agreed to the Amend :lent of the Drury-lane Theatre Bill "Ike Wanderers Bill and several Private Bills were brought up from the Commons and read the first time. THE NOTTINGHAM FRAME-BREAKING The Earl of LIVERPOOL moved the Order of the Day for taking into consideration the Conference with the Commons re specting the objecteft Amendment by the Lords in this BilL The Clerk read at the Table the Report of the Conference. The Earl of LIVERPOOL then said, he had risen to propose to the House not to insist on the Amendment, on the ground that it was not of sufficient impo r t ance to r i s k the loss of the Bill. He did not conceive it altogether necessary. The state of the case was this : The Bill had been returned to the Commons, and the power was given in it to fine and imprison. In answer to some observations respecting the operation of punishment, he bad pro posed, after the words " fine and imprisonment" to add, or right,. From the best information, and the view he had since taken of the subject,he did not consider the Amendment criminally necessary, therefore the Bill ought not to be lost by it. The LORD CHANCELLOR then put the question, namely, That a Message should be sent to the Commons, informing them, that the Lords did not insist on the objected A m endment. Agreed. THE PRINCE REGENT, AND LORDS GREY AND GRENVILLE. Lord BORINGDON rose, and stated, that he held a printed paper in his hand, to which he wished to call the attention of the House. It purported to be a letter from the Prince Regent to his Royal Bro ther the Duke of York, and bore the signature of his Royal Highness the Prince. The object of it was to make certain propositions to tw o Noble Lords, Mem bers of that House, whom he snw in their places ; but as it related to matters of the highest political imp , rtance, it formed a subject well worthy the no tice and consideration of their Lordships. Seeing the Noble Secretary (Lord Liverpool) in the House, he would take the liberty of Asking him whether this printed paper was henuine, and really a letter from h'sßoyal Highness the Prince Regent, as it purported to be ? or if the Noble Secretary should be prevented by any technical difficulty from giving a direct an swer to that question, he should ed with his barely not denying its being A r d' uthen iic—it would be right to have • t distinctly ascertained and rec gnised befur unded a motion up= the taper in question, which it was his inten tion to do on an early day. . The Earl of LIVERPOOL. ..Phis is a question to which, I apprehend, the Noble Lord has no right whatever to require an answer from me, and therefore I shall most certainly give none. Lord BORINGDON observed, that the Noble ' Secretary had, in fact, answered the question, for it was enough for his purpose that the authenticity of the letter had not been denied. He had now only to ask the two Noble Lords to whom he had alluded, , whether a printed paper which he also held in his hand, and purporting to be their answer to the com munication from his Royal Highness the Prince Re gent, was or was net genuine, and in reality the an-' swer of the Noble Lords whose signature it bore ? If this question should be answered in the affirmative, he should then give notice of a motion on the subject for Friday se'mught. In this proceeding he was ac tuated by no other consideration than a sincere at tachment to his Royal Highness, and a zealous re gard to the best interests of his country. He would further observe, that he was satisfied in his inmost conscience that his Royal Highness was perfectly sin cere in the communication—that it was the first wish of his heart to bring the correspondence in question to a successful issue, and to establish an Administra tion on a broad and liberal basis—a circumstance most anxiously to be desired in the present critical situation or the country. There were parts of the let ter by which some had been led to a different conclu sion—but his own firm conviction was, that the sin cere wish of his Royal Highness was such as he had ' stated. With regard to the answer of the Noble Lords, there were some parts of it which he believed had been very much misunderstood, and it might he of some consequence to have matters set to rights, even in that respect. The issue of this correspondence' was well known to all their Lordships, and a more calamitous' issue it could not well have had—an issue most deeply to be regretted in respect of the interests of the public, and one which even threatened the in tegrity of the empire. Under these circumstances, and with this impression, he could not help thinking that, however feeble the quarter from which the ef fort came, some attempt ought to be made to stem the torrent. Such were his reasons for intending to submit to their Lordships the propriety of addressing his %Royal Highness the Prince Regent to form an Ad ministra tion upon such a broad, firm, liberal and effiLient basis as would produce confidence at home, and respect abroad. If, when the matter cam. to be particulsrly considered, any other form of proceeding should be found more desirable, he should have no objection to concur in any alteration *1 his motion, not inconsis tent with its object. Lord GRENVILLE would reserve what he might have to say on the particulars of the correspondence, till the question came regularly before them ; but he , fett no reluctance nor hesitation in openly declaring, in the face of their Lordships and of the country, that, with the exception, perhaps, of a few clerical errors, the prilited answer (purporting to be signed by his Noble Friend and himself) was perfectly ge nuine and authentic. It contained, as far as it went, his unbiassed sentiments on the present situation of the country—sentiments which, he wished openly to avow, and of the soundness of which, the experience of every day more and more convinced him. No other, indeed, could have been sent by him as a grate ful servant of his Royal Highness, and a subject re solved to be faithful to his public duties. Earl GREY had nothing to add to what had been said by his Noble Friend. He concurred with him in declaring, that, with the exception of a few clerical errors, the printed answer was genuine and authentic.' He thought it right, however, to state, that he did not authorise the publication, and how the letter and the answer found their way into the , public prints he knew not. He, however, fully concurred in the sen timents expressed in that answer, conceiving them to be those which it was his duty to concur in de claring. • The Duke of NORFOLK regretted that an ear. 'ter day was nut chosen for this Motion, as it would be inconvenient for him to attend on Friday se'n night ; but whatever might be the inconvenience, he should attend. The subject he thought one of the the very last importance; and if Friday se'nnight was more convenient for any other Noble Lord t h an an earlier day, he w a s perfectly willing that his own con venience should give way. Lord BORINGDON had no objection to take any day that was most c o n ven i ent f or all their Lordships, It was then agreed, that the Motion should stand for Thursday se'nnight, the 19th instant, and that the Lords should be summoned for that day. Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. WHITBREAD moved that the Amendments of the Lords ' to the Drury-lane Play-house Bill should be taken into conside ration. The Amendments were agreed to without any obser •ation. The Order of the House for going into a Committee of Ways and Means was postponed till Friday. The remaining Orders were postponed, with the exception of Sir Aarnua PIGGOTT'S Bill respecting Infant Suitors in Chan cery, which was read a second time, and ordered to be commit tedto•morro w. 1 he Irish Sugar Drawback Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. A Message from the Lords signified, that they lid not insist on theitbsmendments in the Frame-breakers Bill. Mr. CALCRAFT presented a Petition from the Sawyer+, Smiths, and Bakers in the Victualling Department, praying a rise of Wages on account of the pressure of the times. Ile Petition was read, but could nut be received, as it was not recommended by any of his Majesty's Ministers. Mr. WHITBREAD moved for certain Papers, chiefly Letters from the Navy Board to the Admiralty, containing statements of an eminent Engineer on the subject of the Plymouth Sound Breakwater Bill, and upon other subjects connected with it; but the Secretary to the Admiralty; Mr. Caoitta objecting to their production, on the gro un d s o f impropriety and irrelevancy, the motion for their production passed la the negative.—The 'Mover seemed actuated by a desire to satisfy the Gentlemen whose plans had been offered to the consideration of the Admiralty. MARRIAGE ACT. Mr. WILSON having moved that the title of this Act should be read to thi House, and that the Act itself, which is to ba found in the 26th volume of the Journals, page sgs, - should be entered as read, commented on the Act itself, giving the history of its origin, the abuses which gave rise to it, the oppt.sition it met with m the dine of enactment, the defects in the bill, and the hardshi‘s which have followed in many cases, particularly in the cases of the marriage of illegitimate children when under age, and without the consent of a legal guardian, which, a-. the law stands at present, is liable to great obscurity ; and having gives) a hint of the remedy which he intends to propose, moved for leave to bring iu a Bill to explain and amend the Ytisli of George the Second, commonly called •he Marriage Act. The Motion was seconded by Mr. Moaitica, and leave was given. The principal Amendment we andeptand t bee that Mar • flare, whicS. If made new under certain eirestnatancrt, are v o id. able at any time, may be legalized by, if no t o bj ected to 'nab tbfte years Mr. WILSON brought in the 11111, which was read sire, tad ordered to be rends second time on the nib of AFL The Bly was ordered to be printed. CONVICTS ON BOARD TIIX BUM. M. ABERCROMBIE, according to notice, tote to movp . for certain Returns respecting the Convicts confined in the hulks, and prefaced his Motion with ' a statement of the reasons upon which it was ground ed. The arguments advanced by the Honourable and Learned Gentleman being near;; the same as were urged when this subject was incis.leatally dis cussed a few nights ago, u n d er t h e head olihe Army Estimates, renders it unnecessary to state them now aag. any considerable length. On that occasion it was xam tioned that a very considerable number of convicts were pardoned on condition of enteriug into t h e A t .. my, and that 140 were sent to one regiment alo ft it was now contended, that admitting the principle of commuting punishment in this manner, still m ax it was liable to great abuse. • That it was necessary to ascertain the manner.of selection, the persons by whom it was made, the nature of the offenc,es %t at were committed, whether they were first off and what portion of punishment those perso ns h a t already undergone. The subject he considered tif great importance, as well from its bearing on the pc: nal laws of the country, as upon the discipluse 44 the army; he therefore moved for— • " A Return of all Convicts ordered for transporters* o ne , theist of January, 11110, weather by orignal daunts rase. mutation for capital offences; for the number sent to the Anse; and for the umber at trot pardons granted dimiliat unit" Ifr. Secretary RYDER .opposed the Motion, and contended, that so far from abuse eaihting in fns re spect, the state of the hulks, the mauagLmein of the Convicts, and their improvement in industry And nio. rality, were highly unproved, chiefly by the v e ry praise-worthy exertions of Mr. Justice Graham. As a proof of the great improvement in the habiu of the convicts, be would shew many petitions ot meatus praying for the release of servants convicted by theni. selves, and offering again to taste vieni into their ser. vice, %%telt was always a necessary couaitioa to their pardon, as ett.wertUllellt would Dever suffer such men to be thrown loose on society. "rtie slumbers uuw scat to the army were tar interior to what were salt on t ornur ckcA4 au; SW were sent at oat tinie formerly. and with respect to employing them in this manna, experience proved its propriety : Three excellent effi cient regiments, now on the establishment, all Glebes rendered important services, and were as- remarkable 'for the strictest discipline as for the most beanie nicer. The African Corps and the York Rangers had thus distinguished themselves, and had received the high. est approbation of their commanders, the litter parti cularly at Guadeloupe from Genteel Beckwith. The General Orders, which he read, were highly flattering, both to their courage and d.scipline. 'the effects, moral and political, which followed tram this lenient spirit, he described as very advantageous to the individuals, and to the country, and those good effects were more likely to be increased by throwing . a veil over their former offences, and burying thee in oblivion. Upon those grounds, he would therefora. 4 oppose inquiry. If there were any particular cue of abu..e, he was willing to meet the Learned and Ho. nourable Gentleman on that, but for the sake of the country, and the pledge held out to those men, be . would go no farther. Mr. ‘V. WYNNE was for, employing them in 06. • parate corps, but w ou ld not infer them to be miter with *other soldiers. It was also wrong to send such a body as one hundred and forty publicly to one re. girnent. Something had been mentioned of secrecy in doing this,•bui. tins kind of secrecy resembled the placing ot 120,000 men, by Major Sturgeon, cat ant. buscade at Knightsbridge. Mr. STURQLO - I3OURNE spoke against the Ma tion. He thought that every facility should be held forth to those ~,en to become useful to ultimata and to their country, and lamented we difficulty there was to find them proper employment. lie hoped that the Motion would be . witildravrn. _ _ General FE RGUSOI4 spoke in of the Me. tion, condemned the puolicity with which those one hundred and forty crinvicts had been marched into the barracks of one regiment, the hardships it imposed on officers, and mentioned an instance of a person so transferred, above fifty years old, formerly an office. and ordered to be transported for forgery. This ha thought a great abuse. Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY argued iu favour of the motion, the granting of it could be attended with no mischief, and possibly might with great advaa. cage.. The general policy he thought a proper mu* sure for discussion, and, as the motion did not desire names, he saw no objection to it. It was important to know the numbers, their crimes, the yeare„ th e Z had served, and o t h er p art i cu l ars , w hi c h wou ld "' brought .to light by the motion. The excess Golf. not the principle, was found fault with, and he tho o Jr it somewhat surp r i s i ng t h at suc h a num b er sh ' made up at once for exemplary conduct. The Pi t ' rogative of mercy was rightly placed, but it ought to be guarded from abuse; and if pardons are root it should not appear that it proceeded from favour.— There were some. instances cf pardons supplied to him, for which he could not account on any pri' ciple ; one, that of a servant, who was transported to Botany Bay for robbing Ms master, hut who was Intr . doped before he landed, and returned in the same ship that carried him oftt ; another, that of a teas pardiined after one fortnight's residence on the These things surely ought to be inquired into. Mr. WILBERFORCE observed, that mercy had been so generally tempered with justice in this rope' try, and so much pains had been taken, partiertkvil under the Right Hon. Gentleman, to exercise the Royal Prerogative without any bias from layout or partiality, that he saw no ground for any tetioll Cla this subject. With respect to the enlistment of te• victs, there were malty cases in which it might best' tended with advantage to the Public, while it sai those unfortunate men an opportunity orsefornstely and acquiring a new character. It had been at 101 tried as an experiment, and was now found to A Commanding Officer, A friend of his, had int him, that, on receiving a certain number of of th,s description, he drew them up in a emse hina a g e: informed thcm, t h a t, if th e y c o n ducted th ProPerly; no notice should be taken of their duct, nor their situation in any shape lie should enterrain, on that account, no wit! are nil i tCti :boil m e i; lie co subjec the di to do Erred; and to cipline stowed M Thera—