Star. — London, England, 1808-10-27 00:00:00

S.PAI.V. ~ j, J CORUNNA, GC fOLER 14. • I By an English :,loop which arrived here yestesday I from the coast of Bilboa, intelligence has been ie wired, that our army was on the point of giving bat- 1 tie to the ertenly.—Corunna Diary, Oct. 14. I EXTRAORDINARY GAZETTE, OCTOBER 6. ' 1 The Most Serene Council of the Kingdom having received, on the 3d of this month, a report from Ge neral Blake of the 27th of September, whereby he acquainted their Highnesses, that the centre of the enemy's army was falling back to Vittoria ; by which retreat he afforded our army an opportunity to extend its advanced posts, and occupy very important points, and their Highnesses having learned that very disas trous accounts were circulated in this place, of which they had no kind of information, but had reason rat Per to believe the contrary, they thought it right to Publish, with that noble frankness which becomes the Sovereign Council, the favourable intelligence which they had received, and their well-grounded hopes of still greater advantages. The retreat of the enemy was a feint, intended to draw our attention to another part, and fall with treble their strength on the troops we had in Bilboa. This was the plan of Marshal Ney, who commands the whole army of the centre, which was destined for that operation, but the vigilance and foresight of Marquis de Portazgo disconcerted Ney's plan. REPORT RECSIVED YESTERDAY, THE STH OF OCTOBER, BY THE MOST SERENE COUNCIL OF THE KINGDOM, PROM THE GENE N CHIEF OP OUR ARMY. s A o " The corps of the centre, which, as I informed your Highnesses, under the date of the 27th instant, marched to Vittoria, moved from that town to Bil boa, commanded by its General in Chief, Marshal Ney, with an intention of falling op our fourth divi sion, with at least treble its strength. The said divi sion, however, evacuated that place in good time, and retreated with all its artillery and baggage, in the best order, to Balmaneda, and its environs, which it ; still occupies. The third division had, the same day, marched to Ordaina, to succour the fourth, taking no notice of a column of the enemy's troops which was watching its movements from a position at a short distance from the road, and with whose ad vanced posts our tirailleurs were frequently engaged. Brigadier-General Don Francisco Riguelme was marching to Bilboa when he was informed of the eva cuation of that town, and its occupation by the enemy. In conseqnence of this information he altered his route and directed his march to such points as afforded him an opportunity either to support Portazgo, or form a junction with him. The post he occupied last was that of Cquendo. I communicate it to your High nesses for your information. " God preserve your Highnesses many years. (Signed) " JO 1(1101 BLAKE. " "Head-quarters, Quinicoces, Sept. 30, 1: 03." To the Most Serene Council of the Kingdom of Gallicia. BURGO DE ORMA, SEPT. 24. The whole army of General Cuesta has joined here the division of Andalusia, and in Soria, a few days since, they took 200 French cavalry prisoners ; the troops of Castile, kept prisoners in Lisbon, are ex pected here. SEPT. 29.—Our van has already left us for Soria : this day the first division marched from this place, to morrow the second *ill march, and immediately after the remainder of the army.—Corunna Diary. SANTANO, SEPT. 27. We receive this moment positive advice, that Jo seph Napoleon slept the night before in a village near Durango (five leagues from Bilboa). The town took the alarm, and the division of 6000 men, commanded by the Marquis de Portazgo, put itself in motion, • because it was reported that 5000 French were in Du rango, and threatened to form another attack on Bil boa. It is said, that Joseph is endeavouring to gain a tpost on the coast, in order to proceed to France, because his retreat thither by Vera and Irun is cut off by the army of Arragon.—(The same Paper.) MADRID, OCTOBER 1. With a view of imparting more activity and vigour to the War Department, a Military Committee has been appointed, consisting of the five following Ge nerals—Den Castands, the Marquis de Castelar, Don Mork, DOA Sangro, and the Marquis of Falavios.— (Corunna Diary, October 8.) SARAGOSSA, SEPT. 27. It is impossible to depict in adequate colours the afflicting yet imposing aspect of this invincible and int.morable town ; upwards of half of its buildings are destroyed by cannon balls and flames. The Eng- 1 lish General Doyle could hardly recover from his astonishment, when he saw the walls which served as bulwarks to its gallant defenders. "Is it possible 1 1 (he exclaimed) that the conquerors of Dantzic, Ultra, and Magdeburgh, should have sunk with dismay be fore those feeble ramparts ?" and calling afterwards a heroine, who stepping into the place - of her hus band, an artilleryman, who dropped down dead at her feet, and served his gun during a severe action, he embraced and complimented her with a fine pre sent. Our enemies, who attacked with so much haugh tiness and pride, were astonished at our firmness. A French General said to one of our men taken priso ner, " After 25 years service, I never witne-ed any suc h thing; here it is necessary to fight f.om house to house, from window to window." It is a remark able circumstance, that the head-quarters of both Commanders in Chief were within the precinct of the same walls, whence Letehvre, struck with terror at the sight of so many killed Frenchmen, wrote to our illustrious Palafo7, in these terms : lrs, Santa En- telling them that Spain was p erfectly Tier s gad than would be no occasion for fig hting It is reported, that within the last three days, MOO men have arrived from Majorca, and will be followed by the cavalry in that island. The French engage in frequent skirmishes with our troops ; no doubt, loecauie they are apprised of the expected arrival of the troops from Majofca, and wish to weaken our strength. before we are joined by them. —(Oviedo Gazette, October 1.) COPY OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY SENOR JOSE ANTONIO SAN PAYO, A CAPTAIN IN THE PORTUGUESE INFANTRY ItT LISBON, TO HIS FIEND AT VERIN, DON MANUEL DE . VEIN Y " Lisbon, Sept. 17. " Having been in the district of Chaves, and ac quainted with most of the occurrences in the province of Traslasmontes, I lose no time in giving you some account of what has come to my knowledge. " On the 11th arrived there a corps of 5000 men from the allied army, leaving two regiments at the camp Santa Ana; and two others in that of Ourique. To-day our camp is at Santa Ana and in the country between Arios and La Cruz de Taboada. " The Intendant General of Police Lucas de Sca bra y Silva began to exercise his office, as did also Mr. Herman, whose business it is to examine the ac counts of the Treasury. " On Monday the Russian squadron left the Ta gus, except two small vessels which could not be na vigated. • 4 , The establishment of the Regency will.immedi ately take place, and may be expected to be organiz ed in the course of the next week. " The French are evacuating Peniche, a part of the garrison left it on the 11th, and joined the other French troops in the district of Parza. " The loss of the French in the battles fought pre vious to the capitulation, according to lists which I have myself seen, are as follows : " Killed-2 Colonels, 34 Officers, 140 inferior Officers, 2050 Soldiers. " Wounded-2 Generals, 22 Officers, 35 Inferior officers, 1044 Soldiers. Prhoners in the two actions—l General, I Chief of Battalion, 42 Officers, and 2590 Soldierss—in the whole 6639. Pieces of Artillery lost-31. Delivered by Capitulation—Junot General-in-Chief, and 3 Ge nerals of Division, 667 Officers, 53 Surgeons, 118 Assistant-Sur geons, 2808 waggons, 82 boxes of cartridges, t 2 tumbrils, 20 cannons ' 17 gun-carriages 23 , 526 Soldiers Infantry, 1 063 Caval ry, 161 Conductors of Artillery. " This day all this abominable rabble embarked ; and immediately all the Portuguese• colours were displayed from all the castles, churchei, and many private houses. Repeated discharges of artillery were fired, and the bells rung. The day was passed in congratulations and mutual embraces, lietween the Portuguese, English, and Spaniards. At four is the evening, we had the satisfaction to see Junot embai k, in the dress of a peasant, accompanied by .several . English Officers, and followed by thousands of per sons uttering the most opprobrious icivectivcs.. The. night was rendered splendid by a general' iiiiunina tion and fire-works. " It is ;clown that the gnater'part of what tliey r have plundered is to be repaid from the funds of the bank of Flanders. To make good the damage they have done to the Palace of Mafra, will alone require a million of crusadoes. " The Spanish and Portuguese troops have appoin ted the 17th inst. for their entrance into this. capital, and triumphal arches are erecting. " Almeida is not yet evacuated, but troops have gone thither to bring away the prisoners.—Of Yelves we know nothing. NorE,--" By a letter on the same subject received from Don Antonio Vicente Teixeira de San Payo, Administrator-General of Provisions at Chaves, of the date of the 29th, it appears that the Government established by the Prince Regent in his absence was re-established on the 28th, and that one of thepria cipal persons in it is the Archbishop of Oporto ; that the number of rations delivered to the French, inclu ding women, children, and servants, amounted to 25,000.—That the Military Government, till the Re gency should be organized, was under ie direction of the English General Hope, who superintended the tranquillity of the city. That during fi ve days, from the 14th to the 20th, there were constant rejoicing, music, and entertainments, with loud acclamations of " Long live the Prince Regent, and the Kings Ferdi nand VII. and George III." and a general illtunina• tion every night. MADRID, OCTOBER 1. It is said that one -of the first proceedings of the Supreme Central Junta, was to direct to the Emperor of the. French, a formal demand of the person of our beloved Sovereign Don Ferdinand VII. and hisßoyal Family ; asserting to Napoleon the treacheries he had committed, and declaring, solemnly, war against him in the name of its Sovereign and the Spanish nation. SORIA, SEPT. f 24. The French have evacuated Milagro, having car ried with them from Alfaro, Balhera, La Bardena, and other towns, a number of flocks of sheep, oxen, horses, &c. which they had stolen. From Parppe-, luna eight Generals have set out for France. General Lefebvre was attacked at the inn of Pueyo ; he was in great danger of being taken, but escaped at last,' having left behind him eight or ten horses. RIVADEO, SEPT. so. This day two transports entered this port, part of the convoy which is bringing the troops from the North, which had gone out of their course yesterday on account of the weather. In number they were about SOO, chiefly cavalry, but dismounted, as they left their horses behind them when they embarked. There was also a piquet of the Princess's infantry.— They are all in high spirits, warlike, well clad, and in good condition. On their disembarkation they evin -ed the test kissing the earth, and ur Head-quartet tgrasia-- __- 1 et.._ _ great._ joy, __...g , ....1, ittering fitulation." exclamations of attachment to our Catholic and un- ANawER—" Head-quarters, Saragossa—War and happy Monarch Ferdinand VII. and to our country. Death—PAL AFOX." '..lt was a day of joy and jubilee. (Oviedo Gazette of October S.) LORIDA, SEPT. 24. REUS, SEPTEMBER 3. Colonel Don Pedro O'Daly, of the regiment of til- The column of 2000 French, which, it is said, tonia, and Governor of Rosas, has transmitted the came to Perpignan to take possession of the Castle following dispatch to the illustrious Junta of Gerona : of San Fernando, were attacked by Miqueletes and " Lord Cochrane, and the Captain of another British Somatenes, and several parties of regular troops, frigate, have captured a• convoy consisting of six yes which were posted on our frontiers. After an obsti- eels, viz. one brig, two polacres, and three others, of nate combat, the French were obliged to retire, with whose description I am not inflrmed. They were the loss of from 4 to 500 men. • proceedini , from Marseilles for Cette, and were cap- We are assured, that in their retreat the soldiers tared off the mouth of the Rodano. Two of them, killed their Officers, for having deceived them, by I the brig and a polacre, anchored yesterday in our bay; Trace and C • another, which is in charge of one of the frigates, is expected here to-day-or to-morrow ; a fourth, having gone on shore on the French coast, was burnt by the English : and the two others have been carried to Gibraltar. None of them had cargoes. The two Captains above alluded to have occupied the attention of the enemy, and kept them in a state of alarm in the vicinity of Roussillon. Rotas, Sept. 18." GRANADA, SEPT. 24. A party of English and some Spaniards went by sea before Perpignan, to a port named Salanca, and having bombarded it, landed and carried away 'MO head of sheep, 100 oxen, and a great quantity of corn. As soon as this was known at Perpignan, the Na tional Guard attempted to drive our forces away ; but an English frigate approached the coast, and put ' them to flight. Our troops took a battery, and enter ed two towns, which they set on fire, declaring it to be a specimen of what they intended to do in all France, in return for the good services the French had rendered to their friends and allies the Spaniards. soda. Th e artillery and baggage Were in the Erg; pt Rue • and then the troops marched all night, in silence and dog e ~,; r rettacting themselves •in the naarow passes, and at the ()rid; the more dan,gerous as the whole of the road along the dot; is only Mead enough for the passage of two carts. " At Sodupe 1 received information of the troops detach e d my . support from the 3d division. 1 have posted The 4 2 'manneratreadg eesiuunAcated to your Excellency. Th e etp of the great force which the enemy have in Whoa at Pinson sonfirmed.—May God preserve the life, &c. (Signed)- " MARQUIS Dt PORTAZGO." REPLY OF ILLS ITCELT.Irs/CY THE CAPTAIN-Cm:nu • THE PROVINCE [SEVILLE] AND RoVERNoR Op Tan FORTRESS [CADIZ] TO A DISPATCH FROM "IRE aora l. TRIBUNAL OF THE CONSULhIIIP. By your official note of yesterday's date, I am ; n. formed of your representations to the Supreme 3 024 '' concerning the injury which may arise from thei r per , mitting English goods to enter this harbour, and th e precautions which you say should be taken, lest theizA,,, sustained should not be greater than the benuft confer r d As I am, for my part, far from opposing this in n , sure, and on the contrary think it very useful, I wi s h to state the reasons upon which my opinion is founded in order that your superior political and cornru erc i„ information may dissipate my errors, and that th e y may not cause the injury you apprehend. The first object of the nation, the Junta, and o f every Spaniard, ought to be the formation and sup. port of an army capable of resisting the enemy ; an d you cannot be ignorant that all the resour ces hi t h erto found are not sufficient for this great and first am en . sity. The donations which were offered during the first consternation were very limited even in this ci t y, and hardly sufficient to supply the first wants._ Since, personal interest and egotism have raised thei r heads, and the ordinary contributions are . scarcely raised, the necessity increases ; the wants of the sol. diers are still greater ; there is no money to pay them —and you who represent a powerf u l b o d y appear igno. rant of all this, and strive to shut up a source whence supplies may be furnished to the national treasury. Were this expedient to obtain ready money in other respects ruinous, I should still think that, with a view to save the country, it ought to be adopted; as in complicated diseases, the most mortal and. den. gerous are attended to, and the .others neglected. But, you will say, we ought to be careful that in applying a specific remedy to cure the mortal disease, we do not at the same time bring on a slow death by the injury done to the frame. Every wise physician will certainly admit this. As you have not been pleased to state what the evils are which will arise from the measure objected to, my little experience in these matters has not ens abled me to find other than the following : I. The commerce of Gibraltar will suffer, since the Engin% vessels will no longer discharge there their cargoes of contraband goods, in order that they may be smuggled thence direttly and along the toasts, throughout all Andalusia 2. They who took the charge of these goods, and who are mild smugglers, will be no longer able to pursue their honest callird, and be forced to take ter a musket or a sword. 3. The dependents of the Customhouse will become less tar merous, and will not be so well maintained. 4. Their agents, understrappers and all connected with tkii branch of public service, will be in j ured. 5. Military spirit will decline, from the want of the continual conflicts with the smugglers. 6. Fewer Awes will be sent to our settlements on the coast if Africa, if there be fewer defaulters; and lawyers will lose a great deal, for want of suits of that kind, which proves so lucrative to them. But I will leave the irony which serves to spew some of the subordinate advantages of this Measure, in order to state the only solid inconvenience which can arise from it. This is the decay of our manufactures and corn. merce, in consequence of the introduction of British cottons. Happy Spain, if this assertion were not illusory ! I verily believe, that, it can obtain credit but with those who know nothing of the matter, and are unable to use their faculty of thinking. Where are those cotton manufactories ? At Port St. Mary, and at Alava, destroyed and shut up, because owing to the high price of the workmanship, the articles are so dear, that they suit no class of purchasers. In Catalonia, the trade merely consists in purchasing re. fuse pieces, as I have witnessed it, in the British ma. aufactories ; stamping them with bad wooden stamps; and selling them as national goods, thus draining, with the bad and coarse goods, the specie of other provinces. And besides, if, by admitting British s, Andalusia obtains an abatement of the ashes levied in England upon the importation of her own products, must we lose those advantages for the abovementioned one enjoyed by Catalonia? It will be added, that the Company of the Philippines will suffer by it. By no means, if it be administered with skill and probity.. Its direct trade, further favoured by the insignificancy of the duties levied upon it, will prevail over the indirect and heavily taied commerce of the English in China gOods. But although, in consequence of your Lordshig avocations, yon should not know, that the introduction of the goods we are speaking of, is general, although unlawful; that the shops all over Andalusia are stocked with them ; and that, besides, every idle woman goes about the houses to retail them ; do your Lordships shut your eyes not to see that your wives, dough. tens, and even maid-seems, wear nothing else.— Nay, that man) men do so,lcur Lordships included? So that the opposition of your Lo after of that after all, comes to this—that it is an evil, thaoodt kind should not be smuggled in, but l a wfully admitted upon paying heavy dut i es. I he art ily w i s h m y l o gic g should prove fallacious. As this opportunity offers, and I am addressing you, I cannot help'putting a few questions to yo,i - Lordships, with a wish to be enlightened, and to get certain doubts cleared up, which j cannot solve by myself. • 1. Although we have no 'cotton or flax manufactures to clothe ourselves *ith, wt: prohibited the introduction of cottons, most of which belong to the English, and admitted linen-clothl which more exclusively belong to the French commerce. Why should we not pursue an opposite course, now that we are the friends of the former, and the implacable enemies of the latter? " 2. If we exclude cottons, while, under the present circum stances, linen cloths can only be smuggled in; we and the Ame ricans must either clothe ourselves with contraband articlawhich pay no duty, or go =had. Can ;titre be, in either case, a law ful commerce ? " S. Seeing that we have many manufactories of woollen cloth, and the best wools in Spain, why do not your Lordships oppose the introduction of woollen cloths and yarn, though you do that of cottons, of which there are scarcely any manufactories ? " 4. In short, why is no objection made against the lawful introduction of linen cloths, although there be, in greater sr smaller number, linen manufactories in every. province ? are not foreign wines prohibited, the consumption of which de creases that of au» ; while porter is excluded, which can never be an equivalent to wine t These are the reasons which influenced the Su. preme Junta and . myself to adopt the measure you VALLAFRANCA, SEPTEMBER 22. The Gazeta de Cataluna contains a Proclamation by General Duhesme, issued on the 13th instant, and consisting of seventeen articles, the principal of which are the following : I. In the name of his Majesty the Emperor of the French, King of Italy, the city of Barcelona is declared is, a state of der. 2. In consequence of this declaration, the Commander in Chief of the French army is the sole supreme authority, to whom all the Spanish Authorities, civil and military, in Barcelona, are im mediately subordinate; the said General, so far as regards them, representing the Government. 10. The General Junta shall form an Junta, which shall, in concert with the Commissary General, and the Chief of the Staff, ascertain the sum total of the supplies requisite for the French army, and the other public services for the city, and present the same to the General Junta, with a statement of the Ways and Means for raising such supplies. Should the Ge neral Junta take no proceeding relative to the demands which may be made, the General in Chief win impose a contribution extra ordinary, payable into the military chest of the army, for which shall be personally responsible the Members of the General Junta, five hundred of the most opulent citizens, all the Consuls, and the Stewards of the Colleges and Corporations of the City. 11. AU the contributions imposed, or to be imposed, shall be enforced by the French army; consequently such as refuse to pay those of the current month, shall be surcharged at double the sum; and French soldiers shall be placed in their houses at free quay. tars, until they have entirely made good their payments. 13. The beads of Ecclesiastical Corporations, and the Commit sioners for managing the property of Churches, Parochial Cures, dm with the superiors otOrders of both sexes, remain responsible for all the plate in the churches at the time of the arrival of the French troops in Baredena; consequently there being no doubt i that there were inventories of the said plate at that period, the above mentioned persons shall be compelled to present the same, with the articles therein enumerated, to the Intendant General .she.manent they are required so to do. 14. The punishment of death shall be inflicted on all persons attempting to carry out of the city gold or silver, by sea or land. The same punishment shall be inflicted on all persons carrying off grain or other articles of provision in large quantities, or storing them up for the purposes of monopoly, and augmenting the priet." • A person worthy of credit states, that on the 15th, at eight in the morning, a party of Grenadier Velites appeared in the Plaza de Palacia at Barcelona, where being drawn up in a line fronting the guard of the Royal Walloon Guards, at the gate of the Captain General's Palace, they ware ordered to rest on their arms. It was also remarked that parties of French infantry and cavalry were posted at the entrances of the different streets, and other points contiguous to the Palace. Matters being in this state of prepara tion, about nine o'clock a coach drove tip to the gate of the Palace, where Goosens, the Commandant of the Walloons, and the inseparable companion of Lechi in every public transaction, alighted. Them was scarcely tune for ascending the staircase, when Goosens came out again, accompanied by General Ezpeleta. Being first joined by Osma, an Artillery Officer, and then by two French Officers, the whole party set off for the citadel, conducting Ezpeleta as ti prisoner ; the coach immediately followed them, and then a party of French troops with drums beating. LERIDA, SHPT. so. The gallant Colonel de Francisco Milans, Com mandant of the Division of Moncada, has transmit ted the following dispatch, dated the 23d instant, to the Junta of Mandressa. . . a 44 Yesterday morning at six o'clock I was attack. ed at five different points by a body of the enemy, consisting of 2000 infantry, and 1200 cavalry, with sir pieces of cannon. In my dispatch of yesterday I only mentioned four pieces ; but they had two at the passage of San Andres, of which they could make no use. The enemy were compelled to fly with pre cipitation, and take shelter under the protection of their guns • and the cavalry were driven from Rio Besos by t he incessant fire of musketry kept up by my brave Miquelettes, who despised the fire of their cannon. We have already found 47 dead among 4, the brushwood, and they haa great nimber wound ed. The exact number I ca n not state imtil accounts are received from Barcelo _The enemy were commanded by General Lechi, a circumstance from which I derive particular satisfaction, as he must by this time be convinced, that those whom they call Brigands, know how to fight and destroy those troops, who boast of being accustomed to perpetual victory." CORUNNA, OCT. 11. 1 _ _ . _ _ His Excellency General Blake, em the 4th instant, transmitted to the Most Serene Government the fol lowing dispatches:— " Morr Saler; r Sclustoas—The !named dispatches will duly inform your Highnesses of the particulars of the evacuation of Bilboa ; the march and operations of the ThirdDivislon, which advanced to the assistance of the Fourth ; and of the action sus tained by a detachment of troops under the command of Brigadier Don Ramon OreU, on the evening of the ist instant. The noble enthusiasm which animates our Officers and soldiers, is a most flattering presage of further successes. May God preserve your Highness many years. " JOAQUIN BLAKE. " Head-quarters, Quincoces, Oct. 4, 1808.' “ To the Most Serene and Faithful Government of Galicia." LETTER TO DON JOAQUIN BLARE. 1, Since the 20th ult. en which day the troops occupied the city of Bilboa, various reconnoitring parties were sent in the di rection of Durango; it being conjectured that the enemy were concentering themselves at that point, marching from Guipo•cos through trmoa, and from Alava, by way of Oehendlano. The enemy daily approached our advanced posts. " On the 26th, about one o'clock, they appeared in great force coming in the direction of Durango and Ordeal, and the interme diate heights, and compelling our advanced posts total' beck upon the New Bridge. All the troops of the division and the artillery took a position which covered the town, being anxious that it should not be the theatre of action. The enemy were held in check by the lire of the advanced posts, who were protected by the ar tillery. Some movements by b attalion of our troops also contri buted to stop their progress ; and on the approach of night prepa rations were made for retreating upon the town of Balmaseds, being suspicious that their force, which could not be less than 12,000 infantry and 1800 cavalr y, would attempt to surround my army on the side of Sodupe, half way between Dam and Baba. Cl u It r 0 I 1