Star. — London, England, 1810-06-27 00:00:00

THE ARMY. OTTRATIONS OF TILE BRITISH ARMY IN THE GREEK ISLANDS. The following is a letter from a British Officer, c--.lloycl on the above service: ST. MAURA, APRIL 17. I. ; in , r you of September 10, 1809, (pub i. tl,e STAR) I informed you we had taken t :.- by Cie tail instead of the head, by occupy.. irti Larne aird Cephalonia, instead of landing at St. Manra, which at that time would have immediately surrendered, and that then a corporal's guard would } a ye been sufficient for both the former islands; but, as ;: was not then done, we gave General Camus.until 20 1 1 1 of March to make what preparations he tbonqht roper to receive us ; and, on the 21st of March an expedition sailed from Zante, under Bri gadier-General Oswald, consisting of detachments from the 35th Regiment, Royal Corsican Rangers% Royal Calabrese, Grecian Light Infantry Corps, two companies of De Rolls, and 60 Artillery and E n gineers, the whole consisting. of 2303 men ; the same afternoon being favoured with a fair wind, we air' ored in the bey at• St. Maura (60 miles distant f-nra Zante), s'sc miles from the town : we• were con vovul by the I\l7gnificent - of 74, Captain Eyre ; yell , : Poole frigate, Captain —; Imogene sloop of, war, and two gun-brigs. The Montague, of 74, was tn have accompanied us, but she was run ashore near the Morca, in the evening of the 20th, on a Ref of rocks that carried away her false keel, and injured her copper, which obliged her to remain at Zante. On the 22d in the morning the troops landed cis by where the ships were anchored, and were in:rood by Marines from the Magnificent, Belle Pottle, and those taken out of the Montague, at Zante. The troops marched at ten o'clock, accom panied by two fichl•pieces, and at one o'clock ar rived at the head of the town. During the time our troops were landing, General Camus, the Corn wander of the French troops, was on a hill recon r.oitring us, and wlier he discovered carr numbers , he :cttnlied to the town, ordered lri•s troops into the fortress or castle, and wrote t.r the chief Magistrate, saying, the superiority of the En ;lisp forces would him and his corps to retire into it : he had rroviotady sent into it 150 head of cattle. Shortly after car troops arrived at the head of the town, j they were ordered oil to the kit of it, by the side of the I,o , attri or Taut:dation ; and after marching two auks, they arrived at the Isthmus, which, at that plac:, is about 150 yards wide, and distant four miles fro:n the castle. At this spot was a large old butg tery, but only two guns mounted, which was soon evacuated. troops then advanced two miles on thr! Isthmus, where it is not above thirty yards aide. At this place was erected a new battery by the French, mounted with four guns, but which they had not time to complete : behind it was a vineyard with sonic olive trees in front. They had not time to dig a ditch ; if they had done it, it would have cost us very dear ; and as it was, we did not obtain it at a cheap rate. It was defended by the French Albanians ; who, to do them justice, behaved well. It was about three o'clock when Brigadier-General Oswald put hira3f2lf at the head of the Royal Cala brese and Grecian Light Infantry Corps (Alba nians); and, together with his Staff, led them on to the attack, at which time the Leonidas opened her fire oh the battery, which was returned from it, and every shot of which struck her. At this period the bat t7y orened a heavy fire on the troops, and it is re ported that the Albanians dropped on the sand, and that the Calabrese appeared very sli t ,. The General seeing what was going on, sent off for the Marines and De Rolls, who xvere in the rear, who coming up. advanced and carried the battery, which obliged the enemy to retire, which they did in good order ; and it is thou g ht they had but one man killed, a Captain of the Albanians. Ira this attack the killed and wounded was as follows • 55th, Ropl CaLbrese-3 Oliicprs and 20 Pr;sfates wounded; I Privates killed. Grc 6 an Light Infantry, De atoll's-6 OM:ers and 25 rank and file spe.4r.ded; 2 men killed. At this time the Royal Corsican Rangers, in towns marched on the bridge (formerly an aqueduct) which leads from the town to within .a quarter of a mile of the castle, and is about a mile in length. It was meant, as a feint, to draw off the Alb:inians. from their new battery, attacked by General Oswald— U l .'4 advanced and -retreated three times ; the last time Lieutenant Beauchamp ]rata musket ball lodg 7 ed in his shoulder ; a Serjeant ar d three privates were wounded, and one killed. The Frenel. then advanced on the bridge, which is only three feet , wide, and took 24 , Cors::ans prisoners, on which the business ended. The whole of the Medical Gentlemen were on the other side of the Inundation, with the excep tion of Surgeon .Sanders, of the Corsicans, who was in the to to receive all the wounded men into the !lospital. While the Corsicans were on the bridge, tl:e castle opened a heavy fire on thenL MAnctr 21.—The Staff Surgeons and all the wounded were embarked, and'i9Me people thought a re-embarkation was intended. , MARCH 25.—An order was issued for the stores, ammunition, &c. &c. to be disembarked. Mama! 26.—The Swallow sloop of war, Captain Richards, arrived from Messina, and sailed the same day ; it is said to require bombs, ammunition, &c. MARCH 2‘5, TO APLIL, 7.—The Montague arrived itOz;Zante ; the Imogene sailed for Corfu ; and the troops were preparing &seines, arc& la.. Bce, and etc ting a battery of nine guns to the right of the town, distant a mile and a half from the cnistle. A few men were wounded,and a carabineer of the Corsicans killed, SURD, Y, APRIL B.—Two mortars, two howitzers, and a five gun battery, were opened on the Castle, together with the two gun 32. pounder battery, on the right of the town. The fire was kept up the greatest part of the day by the French and English, but not,with much effect . On this day M a j or Cla r ke of t he 3.5 th was wounded, and a seaman of the Montague. This morning ar rived five transports, with a reinforcement of 800 men ; but unfortunately the Magnum Bonum, with four mortars and ammunition, i% missing. -APRIL 9th. The firing commenced at sii. o'clock, 300 rounds are just landed for the 2 gun battery— Before our arrival we were told the place would be given up to us, and. that the garrison were very dis satisfied, and would come over to us—the citadel is garrisoned by an Italian regiment, consisting of 500 men, and one company of French artillerymen. They all stand firm to their guns, 'and fire very brisk at our bitteries—not one of them have deserted. The moun tains in Albania are immensely high, and are co vered with snow. The weather here is very mild , and we have showers of rain as in England, in April. This is a pleasant Island, producing olives and bad wine, and has no harbour ; it depends on Albania for provisions, the nearest part to which is distant only two stones cast. Last night a private of the 35th, an artificer, was killed by a shell from the Castle, while asleep, distant a mile and half ; and a shell fell in our battery, which wounded two seamen. Yesterday and to-day the fire continued until 12 o'clock, and as soon as the dinner was over, each party recommenced firing. The fashionable morning lounge is at the Colonel's of the Corsicans, whose house is the last towards the Castle. The French have not yet fired a shot at the town, which contains 1200 inhabitants. This place cannot, iu any point of view, be of much service to the English. Should we take it, it will in duce the French to enter Albania, and conquer the Morea ; when we shall be obliged to evacuate this, Zante, and Cephalonia. The French have sent into Corfu a regiment of suo men, and a supply of money. They will now bid us defiance for this summer. This day arrived the Magnum Bonum transport, from Messina, with stores, and four large mortars. This evening a bomb entered our battery, killed two artil lerymen, wounded three, and three seamen. APRIL 10th. Firing commenced as usual—busy landing guns and four large mortars, ammunition, &c. Two balls entered a house next to the Hospital. APRIL 1 1 th. A very heavy firing commenced at day-light from our three batteries and gun-boats; a French Colonel of Engineers arrived in the Castle, staid two days, and returned again to Corfu. The French have evacuated Taxu Island, near Corfu, to Ire-inforce the latter. Arum 12th. A second flag of truce was sent into the Castle, to know if they would surrender; nothing particular has occurred this day ; two mortars were mounted. APRIL 13th. We had in the whole 5 howitzers, six mortars, and nine guns mounted, which kept up a heavy firing until the 16th, at mid-day, when a flag of truce was sent out of the Castle, and in the even ing a capitulation took place. Avail, 17th. Early in the morning onr troops took possession of this wretched ruinous Castle ; the houses are ruined, as there is not one habitable; a`shell fell on the 13th in a church which contained their bread magazine, when the whole was destroyed, which hastened the surrender. Most of the guns were injured or dismounted ; they hal three mortars which dismounted, and as the place could not be de fended any longer, the French General was perfectly justified in giving it up. Our tars are very sorry for it, as they have now had a month's holiday (as they call it) on shore, and wished to have remained a month longer. The French marched out this day from the fortress, having previously grounded their arms, and embark ed on board the transports as prisoners of war, with the exception of the General and Officers, who are allowed to return to Italy on their parole. The pri soners go to Malta, and are a find set of good-look ing soldiers. General Camus did not appear in the square until after the French Garrison marched out ; the reason assigned for it is, that five months pay was due to his troops. It is said he kept himself mostly in the bomb-proof. APRIL 18. This day Major Clarke, of the 35th, died of his wounds; he is the only one of the wounded that has died. During the siege the French had one officer and 25 men killed, and 82 men wounded. The British had one Quarter -Master and 22 men (sailors, soldiers, and marines) killed ; and 130 ditto wounded. APRIL 19tli. The French Officers embarked to-day. LOCAL Micerm.--,Several doubts have lately arisen whether any Officer, Non-commissioned Officer, or Private in the Local Militia, can be tried or punished after the disembodying of the reginient,..batralitittiorl corps to which he, muy belong, or Th period Of m6O in g and exercising - of such regiment shall have ew4 pired, or the same shall have been dispersed after tltq suppression of any riot or turnelt, for 414;cifretikq comm i t t e d during the period of such regiment embodied fortraming and exercise, or assembled for the suppression of riots and tumults. To remove these doubts we insert the following ; 13'y the New Act concerning the Local Militia, It is enacted, " 'that every Officer, liott.tommissioned °Stet, or Private of anylliectl who shall, during the period . of the . regintent,.battalitia, or corps, to .tvhicli he belongs,• being - embodied for training and exercise, or assembled for the suppression of any riot or tumult, have been guilty of any offence against any act in force for the punishment of mutiny and desertion, or any articles of war made in pursuance of any such act, and shall lave been put un:lzr arrest for such offence, or shall have been reported to any Officer of the regiment, battalion, or carps, to have committed such offence before the disembodying or dispersing of the regiment, &c. may afierwark te tried by any Ge. neral or 'Regimental Court Martial, ant!, if found guilty,may be punished for stir': offence, although the regiment to which he belongs shall not then he em bodied, in like manner as any officer, serjeant, corpo ral, drummer, or private man of the Regular Militia, may be tried during the period of the Regular Militia being assembled." On Monday, the 23'tli inst. the Cambridgeshire militia, which have been quartered in London and the neighbourhood for several weeks, marched from Barnet and Hatfield, on their route to Hull. Thursday and Friday last, the 2d battalion of the 52d Regiment of the line, marched into Ashford bar rack from Chatham. The 38th P.egiment of Foot, at Shorncliffe, are vnder orders for embarkation. LAIV IAVFELLIGENCE. COURT OF SESSION—FIRST DIVISION. EDisnußciii, JUNE 23. Roxatmon CAusx —Thursday last the Court give judgment on another plea in this important case. The right to the great Roxburgh estates, it should he known, depends upon the interpretation of a clause in the original deed of entail, executed by Robert • Earl of Roxburgh, in 1618. By that deed, the Earl, having no son alive, had called to the succession Sir William Drummond, his grandson (by a daughter deceased), on condition of Sir William marrying one of :11iis bur grand-daughters, the daughters of his only son, Harry Lord Ker, deceased, and the destination extended to the heirs-male of the. marriane. Sir William Drummond (who was a son of the then Earl I of Perth) accordingly married his cousin, Lady Jane Ker, the eldest of Lord Harry's daughters, and be. ; came the second Earl of Roxburgh. The succession has continued in the persons of the heirs male of this marriage down to the death of the last Duke, in!, 1805, the family having got their title extended, by a; patent of dukedom, in the year 1707. By the entail! in 1648, Earl Robert appointed, that, failing heirs.; male of the body of Sir William Drummond and Lady Jane Ker, (and these were extinct at the death of the last Duke) the estates should belong to the eldest dochter of the said umql. Harry Lord Ker, with out division, and yr heiris male, she always mareing, or being married till an gentleman of honour!. and lawful-descent, wha sail perform the conditions above and under written : qlks all failzeing and yr s:tidis Hires male, to our nearest and lawful airis male qtsomever." . Upon the death of Duke William, in 1805, there were several competitors for the estate. Sir James Innes claimed under the above clause, as the direct descendant of Lady Margaret Ker, third daughter of Lord Harry ; as did also General Ker, as the heir male general of the first Earl Robert. Mr. Bellenden Gawler also claimed, as having got a right from the last Duke William, who, having conceived that the en:ail terminated in his person, had disponed the estates to Mr. Gawler. A vast deal of litigation fol lowed on these competitions.—The Court of Session ultimately determined in favour of Sir James limes, and this decision was iiflirmed, in effect, by certain resolutions of the House of Lords. Lady Essex Ker, the eldest sister of Duke John,l who died in 1804, had made a claim to the title in the Committee of Privileges. Her Ladyship now brought an action in the Court of Session, to have it found and declared that she had right to the estates also, in virtue of the above clause. Her principal plea was, that she was the heir female of the family,l (of which there Was no doubt), and that the term, " eldest daughter," used in the above clause, was, in', the law language of the time at which the entail Vas made, syn.minions, or of the import with 44 heir female." Very ingenious papers were put in upon this plea, and long pleadings took place about a fort night ago. On Thursday the Court, after full opi nions from each of the Judges, gave judgment, una nimously repelling the pleas of Lady Essex Ker, on finding she could not claim the estates under the entail. COURT OF KING'S BENCa, JUNE 26. GLADSTONE V. GILDAKT. A special point had, in this case, been reserved for argument, namely, whether the Liverpool Dock Company had a right to charge duties both in and out, as for two voyages, where a vessel, having taken the benefit of the Liverrol Docks, on a voyage to America, had delivered her cargo at Halifax—had thence proceeded with another cargo to Demerara, having delivered her Halifax cargo, Where she took . in another cargo for England, with which she pro ceeded to Liverpool, the port from whence she origi nally proceeded on her voyage? Mr. CLARKE, for the plaintiff, contended that this was a double voyage. Touching at two ports, where the duties were the same, and delivering cargoes at each, he argued, formed an intermission of, and de parture from, the original voyage, which ought to be held as from some one port in any particular division or quarter of the world, and back again to the same port from whence the vessel originally sailed. Here, however, the: vessel had sailed to Halifax, where she delivered her cargo, and, instead of taking in another cargo at Halifax, and thence returning to Liverpool,. had proceeded to Demerara, where she took in a fresh cargo, from whence she proceeded on a fresh voyage to Liverpool ; by which, he contended, the duties inward, as well as outward, had been incurred. ' The Court *as of - opinion, that the voyage out . and home comprehended the whole of any particular 4voyage, and w as not terminated in consequence of Lthe vessel touching,. and even talcing in a fresh cargo r'at any interinediate'phrt. .133 d the" vessel gone to. Nay port where tl c :Iv of charge was higher than at 'that to which the clearance had been made, that mould have formed a seppate question ; or, bad the •yessel returned to Ail. other . port in this country, where she might be supposed ' to be domiciled, from thence have gone back to Amer:ca, and then return. al to-the port of Liverpool then the chew, es for voyage horoe, would have arisen. BLAKEY v. ASHLEY, ESQ. the MtOrtrerGenetal moved for a rule to cltew eau*, why die bill of costs, in this action, s;!ollia .not bz referred back to the master fur him to review his taxation. The plaintitr, the Attorney-General said, was an admirer of paintii.gs, but, utifot tduntcly, he confined his admiration wholly to those:which were his own property ; and some of the:c he recommend ed to the notice of the defendant, describing them as being the production of some of the ntnst eininent Masters of the art. They, in fact, however, as much• resembled the works of those artists to whom they were ascribed by the plaintiff, as the figures con tained in them did the ancient heroes whim they were intended to represent. Notwithstanding this, the defendant, who unfortunately possessed no judg ment, avid hud a very great reliance on the taste of Mr: Blakey, took several of them at very high prices, on his rec(anmendation, and gave him a bond fur a considerable sum in payment for elem. In process of time, however, he discovered how much he had been deceived, and proceeded to resist die payment of the bond ; but being afterwards informed his re medy would lie in the Court of Equity, at periott when, according to the original agreement the parties, certain interest became due upon the the defendant moved the Court, that, upon of the same, amounting to £l7. Bs. into Cul ceedings should be staid. A rule was gran payment of the costs, when the costs were amount to £4O. The manner in which these , been incurred, was what the defendant objec, witnesses had been brought up from Liverpool prove the execution of the bond, though it been the intention of the defendant to disput and the expence of bringing up those witnesses charged to the defendant ; a charge which t! tiff could have no right to make. Lord ELL ENBOROUGH •••••Held you not imposed notice of trial on the plaintiff ? ATTCHIN EY GENERAL—We certainlyhad, tri Lord ELLENBOROUGIL—Then the plain obliged to bring up the witnesses ; he coul( what would be your mode of defence, and himself, called on him to be provided against every means in his power. Unless you hat vits to the contrary, we must believe that the has exercised his discretion in his taxation. ATTORNEY GENERALMy Lord, I have no vits.—Rule refused. Yesterday, a Mrs. Lazarus was charged Mansion-house, with having left a small bee stranger, containing some valuable property. it was supposed was dishonestly come by. T woman, who had been a little deranged, assistance of a Solicitor, explained to his Lol that she had been separated from her husbat, some years ; that the contents of this little box chiefly gold, silver, and bank-notes, with some and handkerchiefs, hut she could not exact), amount ; but that it was her own, and, she worth above £5O. The contents of the boa been examined, proved to be worth above £l5O and notes, which proving to be her own, was - and she was discharged. One of Meux's draymen was yesterday comm from Hatton Garden Office, for riding on " of his dray. J. Kane, belonging to the 9th Dragoons, terday fully committed from Queen -square charged with stealing a del Bank of Englanu. and sundry pawnbrokers' duplicates, the property T. Phillips. J. Baffin was yesterday charged, at Marlborou street Office, with stealing g'94 from his master . Tufton, Esq. No. 24, Sackville-street, and _ to the dwelling-house. The prosecutor hid prisoner, who was his valet, to get cash for . £lOO, and having taken R 8 from it, he deposi, remaining 892 in a box, and the prisoner alone where the money was kept. The prosecr from home, and at about four o'clock in. the the house was discovered to be on fire; but, exertions of the neighbours, it was got under, out .destroying the room. Some fire, it turned had been introduced under the boards of immediately under a table, on which vra: containing the money. A couch filled wit was also discovered on fire,' in another part room. At the first alarm the prisoner was • ding his boxes over to the top of the next 1 he slept in the garret. The box which money was not burnt, but had been broken the contents stolen. On examining the premr stolen property was found in a cannister, in ney of the back kitchen, and a chissel was in this kitchen. Foy, the officer, proved chissel fitted the cavity in the box which broken open ; he also found eight of Mr, shirts in the priioner's possession. He was mined. Conaxc.,—Sarah Stenuell, Elizabeth Jones, . Madill, three soldiers wives, were charged milton, an officer of the Marlborough-stri Office, with feloniously coining a large counterfeit shillings and sixpences. It appeared, from Hamilton's evidence, consequence of information, he, in company other officers, and one of the City marsh:" to a house in Field-lane, Holborn, which they and on breaking open a room upon the - they discovered the prisoners, two of seated at a little round table, and the other the window-stool, nursing a child. The pris , ' thrown into such consternation by the abru, of the officers, .that they shrieked aloud, °ye:turned the table. One of the officers prisoners, while the others searched the the table was found a large quantity of of copper, about the size of a sixpence, at the edges ; and several pieces of scourin, strewed about. In a cupboard, and other 1. the room, were also found some aqua fortis, ern tartar, several pieces of leather, and a punching with which some of the pieces of metal were, All these materials, together with the prieoners, secured and taken to the Poultry Compter. The other officers corroborated Hamilton's dence, and each produced some token of guilt. Elinor bladed). was discharged at tion of Mr. Powell, tile Solicitor of the other two prisoners were remanded for further nation on Friday. -: 4.1111 g Llll5, no judg- e taste of gh pricer, and for a II process :11 he had payment ed his re- t a period he:Weer' the bond, payment ant, pro. ued upon found to costs bad jected to ; Tpool, tO had never ,ute it ; esses was the plain- osed short my Lord. iota was Id not tell . • 1 duty to st you, by. the affida- lie Master no arrida- ed at the 3x with a :y, which rids poor with the Lordship, sband for box were some lace ly tell the Jtt thought; ox having ,50 in cash s returned, :ommitted, L ate shafts s, was yes. are Office, ;land note, • ?roperty o f xlborough. aster, setting fire • id sent the r a check of posited the alone knew • , cutor slept he morning but, by the ' i nder, with- awned out, the room, as the box with papers part of the is seen hart- honse, as :h held the :n open and remises, the in the chim- s also found ed that the had been • tr. Tufton's Ls fully com- • cr, and Maar ged by Ha- .stteet Police quantity of tnce, that in my with two ialmen, went they entered, second floor, whom were her sitting on wisoners were erupt entrance I, and almost rs secured the to room. On f circular bits and rounded :ouring paper other parts of rortic, cream of lunching iron, • were stamped. ,ri*oners, wire ter. smilton's eri- f the prisoners at the sues- : Mint. Further asp. :r