Star. — London, England, 1808-11-18 00:00:00

[i SPAIN. LETTER PROM GENERAL BLAKE TO THE SUPREME JUNTA, DATED " Samoa, October 20. a Most Excellent Seignor !—On the 24th I deter =pined to make a general reconnoitring of the position of the enemy on this point, with the view of dislodg ing them from it after haying acquaiated myself with their position and force. " For this purpose, I ordered to march to Galde cano the 3d division, except one battalion, which I left at Miravalles, and the reserve at Rebuzua, with which troops, united to the vanguard, I hastened to the heights which are opposite to Sornosa. T!-- van guard, supported immediately by the 3d division, advanced to the vicinity of that village, driving back the advanced posts, in spite of the exertions which the enemy made to support them. " In this action we had from thirty to thirty-five woundea but we know that the loss of the French was much greater, who again concentrated them selves on two mountains by the side of the village, with a number of troops. On this and on an adjoining height their vanguard remained till the approach of night, without doing any thing further. " Our troops remained at Bivac, in their respec tive positions, and passed the night very badly, in consequence of the rain, and because the bad roads had retarded the arrival of all supplies of provisions. On the 25th the weather became better, and bread and wine, with other provisions, arrived, with which the troops were refreshed. " The 4th division, which had been posted two days before at Rigostia and its neighbourhood, to straiten the enemy and cut off his supplies, yesterday placed themselves in a position to attack the right of the enemy, while the vanguard and 3d division oppo sed their left, and the Ist division and the reserve the centre. " The army being in this position, the enemy re tired hastily in the obscurity of the night to Duran go ; and as won as this movement was observed, di visions of the light troops were marched in pursuit of them, to harass them, and all the divisions hastened to the evacuated posts, the vanguard being consider ably advanced. gg If it had been in my power to communicate the direction of the enemy's march to General Acevedo, who was posted with his troops to cut off the commu nication of Durango with Victoria, I flatter myself, that they would not only have been obliged to retire very speedily from Durango, but that we should have been able to gain additional advantages. " I trust that the operations hitherto effected will meet with the approbation of the Supreme Junta.— The valour and good disposition of the troops and their respective officers, as well as the activity and skill of the different Commanders of Divisions, de serve every praise, as well as their fortitude, in not only enduring with patience, but even with pleasure, the privations and hardships attending a campaign of this kind. (Signed) JOAQUIM SLAM" ALGESIRAS, NOVEMBER 3. By this post we have no Gibraltar Gazette, owing to some delay in its delivery; but we have received the agreeable intelligence that various English trans- Forts have arrived in that harbour, with 3.500 Spanish soldiers belonging to those whom the French had dis armed at Lisbon, who are now on their wig. to Cata lonia, completel y armed by the English. They also take with them 20,000 muskets. The trans ports put into Gibraltar, in order to take is provisions fur the navigation to Tarragona, as they could not be furnished with them in Portugal. These troops are under the command of Field-Marshal Don Gre goria Laguna. GENERAL CASTANOS' ARMY. By the recent arrivals from Spain letters have been received from Calaorra, on the Ebro, dated the 28th ult. which state that General CASTANCS arrived at that place, where the Head-quarters of the Central Army were established, on the 23d from Saragossa. A Council of War was immediately held, and if was determined that the army of the centre should change its position, and occupy the left bank of the Alagon from Villafranca to Sanguessa, leaving 2500 men at Lagrono, to check any incursions of the French across the Ebro. General CASTANOS proceeded from Cala orra to Lagrono on the 25th. On that day the ene my attacked the Spanish advanced posts on the left bank of the Ebro, which, after a smart cannonade, fell back. The cannonade was renewed on the 26th, and several of the enemy's shells fell in the town. of Lagrono. General CASTANOS left that place about noon to return to Calaorra, giving orders to General Prorrarazia not to abandon the town, unless the enemy should advance in force. At the distance of a league from Lagrono, he received advice that the French had formed an ambuscade on the road. His escort consisted only of 100 infantry and 30 cavalry. The road by which he proceeded followed the wind ing of .the Ebro. The enemy had lined the hills which also skirt the course of the river, at a little distance, with a body of light infantry, which, from the moment of the General's appearance, kept up a constant fire, often at a distance not exceeding 300 yards. 'The General continued under this fire for above a mile, never altering his horse's pace, which was that of a walk. The road then turning off from the river, left him no longer exposed. After the General's arrival at Calaorra, hereceived advice that Colonel Cauz, with the regiment of Volunteers of Cadiz, had been surrounded in Lerin, and taken pri soners, after a most gallant defence. The Colonel was supported by a squadron of cavalry and the Vo lunteers of Spain ; and had he retired with the ca valry when the enemy's force became too powerful to be resisted, his country would not have to lament the loss of an Officer whose only fault was an excess of bravery. HiL ',Attalla), w hose gallant devotion deserved a better fate, consisted of only 400 men.— General GNNIANET, who commanded at Lodosa, found it impossible to rescue them without risking a general action against a far superior force. He ac cordingly fell back, and took up a strong position at La Tone. The troops at Lagrcno, under General hanaxsa.t.t, began thdr retreat to Nalda on the ' at ten at night. On the evening of the 27th Spanish Infantry, and 200 cavalry , marched :cupy the mountains from Ansigo to Nalda. MADAM, °MBES. I% Seignor Morla is arrived at Aranjuez ; and Signor Saavelra is hourly expected there, as be was to leave Seville on the 24th ; General Llamas has also arriv. ed at the same place. The Adjutant Don Vincentallore has been ordered to retire from-Almagro, for the enjoyment of his pa. tive air. General the Conde de Compigne has left this for Logrona, in order to take the command of his divi. sion. General Reding also sets out for Catalonia, Within the last three days 178 waggons have passed through herelfrom Seville' with clothes and other ne cessaries for the army of ri Andalusia. It appears that the Supreme Central Junta, will be transported from Aranjuez to Madrid on the 20th of November. OCT. 29. —The light troops, composing the first division cf Estramadura, with 12 pieces of cannon, 4 howitzers, and 24 ammunition waggons, passed through this capital on their march to Burgos, The horse and artillery are particularly excellent, and the troops aro all ix high spirits. A battalion of Volun. teers of Liaina, also passed for Burgos, and by the expedition with which they march, it appears that the Government designs tQ attack the enemy with the greatest possible force and impetuosity. THE EVENING STAR. LONDON. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Consols for money 6611—for account 661--Omniusn 4 per Cent. 81: 1 ,i—Excheq. Bills, Gs. to Ss. pm. . THE WAR IN SPAIN. The Fox►touND, of 13 guns, has arrived at Ply mouth from Spain. It gives us much pleasure to be able to assure the Public that they need be under no apprehensions re specting the issue of the contest between NEY and BLAKE, at the beginning of the present month, as it is now ascertained, that,after a temporary advantage gained by the former, the latter obtained an important victory. The official reports of the late actions in Biscay, that have been transmitted to the Spanish Government, establish a very important fact, namely, that General Bums attacked the enemy on the sth instant, and not en the 4th, as has been stated, and completely defeated them. The extent of his victory was not ascertained, as there are no later accounts from him than of the morning of the 6th, when he put the whole of his army in motion in pursuit of the enemy. They also dispel the regret occasioned by the rumou r that 700 of the Spaniih troops from the Baltic had been cut to pieces. There was not a regiment of these engaged in the battle of the 31st. They did not join General BLAKE'S army until after its return from 8i1b0a...-The following is the substance of 26th, 4(00 to Dec THE OFFICIAL REPORT. " On the 51st of October, four divisions of Gene ral BLAKE'S army were attacked by 25,000 French. After fighting as hecall*,..valiapt Spaniards during the whole day, General BLAKE, in order to prevent being surrounded, determined to fall back and to form a junction with the divisions of the Asturias and the Marquis de la ROMAN A. The retreat was conducted in the best order, without the loss of cannon, colours, or prisoners. They halted during the night of the Ist of November, at Bilboa. General BLAKE having re solved to take post at Valmaseda, the army marched on the 2d inst. for another position, where it was joined by the Asturians, the troops of the North, and the 4th division of Gallicia ; a small detachment having been left at Bilboa. On the 3d, the French appeared be fore that city in great force, and the few troops that were there evacuated it in good order, and fell back on Valmaseda. , e In the action of the 31st, allthe divisions displayed the greatest gallantry, in maintaining their position against a very superior force during the whole day, with unexampled energy, and left the field of battle with reluctance ; the enemy, notwithstanding his su periority, was unable to gain a foot of ground. The loss of the Spaniards was considerable, but that of the French much greater ; so that they were incapable of molesting the Spaniards in their retreat, which was effected in the most orderly wanner, without the loss of a single knapsack. 4 ' The army being concentrated at Valmaseda, Ge neral BLAKE received information, on the 4th, that a division of the enemy, consisting of 10,000 men, was marching on the heights of Ontara, with a view of cutting off a division of his army posted in that place. He therefore put his troops in motion at day-break of the sth, and at one o'clock attacked the enemy. Af ter an obstinate battle, which lasted till dark, he com pletely put them to the rout, with great slaughter, and the loss of many prisoners, one howitzer, two ammunition waggons, and a considerable quantity of provisions. Till eleven o'clock of the night of the sth, when the dispatch was sent off, prisoners and baggage continued to be brought in. The number land rank of the prisoners cannot be exactly stated, as our troops continued the pursuit, and there were the best founded hopes they would be able to capture a great part of the French division, who, finding their retreat by the high road cut off, defiled by the edge of the mountains, skirting the valfies, in which direc ' tion they were closely pursued. On the morning of the 6th, all the army marched forward, and earnestly solicited permission to enter Bilboa at the point of the bayonet. We an.xiously await the result of this en- L terprize, which, there is every reason to hope, will prove successful." By the official return of General BLAKE'S army published in th e Mao Viet Gazette of the 21st ult. it ap pears, that the number of efeetive men on the 9th of October was short of 23,000; the sick, absent, ser vants, the artillery of reserve (a marine battalion), •ad those appointed to wain the recruits, amounting o more than 3000 men, which, joined to the above number, constitutes the whole of the strength gene rally assigned. in this are not included the division of the Asturias, amounting to 8000 men, and the troops from the North that have since joined. It is therefore obvious, that in the action of the 31st Gene. ral BLAKE had only 17,000 men ; for, deducting from the 23,000 the 4000 of the 4th division who were not in the action, those who garrisoned Bilboa, and the outposts in the rear and on the flanks, there remain only 17,000; and these were destitute both of cavalry and artillery, the nature of the country not allowing that description of force to act.—lt is, therefore, evi. dent that the force of the Patriots in the late contest was considerably inferior to that of Nsv—a circum stance which says much for their steadiness, resolu tion, and valour, and affords the most flattering hopes that they will finally triumph over their adversary. To what is stated in the above report we have only farther to add, that Major Cannot, in his dispatches to Government, affirms, that no troops ever con ducted themselves with greater valour and intrepi dity than the Spanish soldiers; and as a proof of the patience with which they endured privation and fa tigue, he states, that during the above time the Spa nish army had no other supply of provisions than a scanty ration of bread, furnished them at Gilboa on the night of the Ist, and some articles of provisions which they collected its the neighbouring mountains 3 notwithstanding which, the greatest regularity and cheerfulness prey fled : their minds being wholly in tent on attacking the enemy, and calling on, the Ge neral to lead them to Bilboa, to carry it at the point of the bayonet. The illustrious Brass, who has acquired so much glory since the commencement of his operations, was present in the hottest parts of the battle exposing his person like a private soldier, wherever necessity re quired, and cheering and animating the troops. He would ■ot entrust to any one else the command of the division which covered the retreat, but conducted it in person. In the same manner he superintended, on their arrival at Bilboa, the distribution of the scanty ration furnished to the troops; his own food consisting only of the common rations ; and this rule he observed so strictly,' that from the Ist to the 3d, during the tem porary scarcity, he was the last to receive his allow ance, and his only sustenance was a piece of ammuni tion bread given to him by his servant. Major CARROL states, that the retrograde movemen• on the Ist, besides the object of forming a junction with the division in the rear, was also adopted with a view to the concerted operations of the armies of the centre and the right, and that the Gallicians expected to return in a few days to recover the ground they had lost, which expectation was fulfilled by their march forward on the following days. PORTUGAL. The accounts which arrived yesterday from Lisbon co me down a fortnight later than any previously re ceived. General MOORE was still there, but wa ex pected to follow the army in the course of three or four days. It is impossible that the forces can be concentrated at Valladolid (the place appointed for the intended junction with the troops landed at Co. runna) at the time mentioned, the 15th inst. There are no certain advices that anypart of General MOORE'S army had reached Salamanca. There was reason to apprehend from former ac counts, that the authority of the Regency would not be generally recognized. The advices now received from Oporto state, that the inhabitants of the Nor thern Provinces have come to the resolution of not obeying any orders proceeding from the Regency at Lisbon. NAVAL ACTION. The Comma Gazette of the 3d inst. states, that an action has taken place in the Mediterranean, between ten sail of the line, British, and fifteen sail Russian line of battle ships. The account is given on the authority of one of the Portuguese men of war, cruizing against the Algerine pirates. Two 84's of the English are said to have been sunk, and 900 men killed ; but the action ended in the total annihilation and capture of the Russians. The account ends with these words—" zeta noticia ett cierta, shit informa tion is certain." Should the above account prove substantially true, We think it highly probable that, when the real facts come to be known, the Toulon fleet will prove to be that over which this victory has been gained—not a Russian squadron. Yesterday a Cabinet Council was held which sat from two till six o'clock. The following Members were present—Earl CAstnnw, the Duke of POIIT LAND, Mr. CANNINO, Lords HAWKEBBURY and CAS. TLEREAGH, the LORD CHANCELLOR, Mr. PEACIIVAL, and Lord MULORAVE. Yesterday morning Mr. PURER, one of his MA JESTIOB Messengers, arrived at Lord CASTLZEIAGH'S Office, with Dtspatches from Mr, FRIAR, our Am bassador to the Supreme Junta at Aranjuer. The purport of these dispatches did not transpire, but they were reported to be of great importance, and a Cabinet Council, will s& afterwards sat at the Foreign Office, was said to have been convened for the purpose of taking them into consideration. The Council was attended by all the Cabinet Minister. NAUTICAL INTELLIGE, TORBAY, NOVEMBER I, Yesterday arrived his Majesty's shi t from Portsmouth, This day arrived Fleet from off Brest, consisting of his (CALEDONIA, Si. GEORGE, ROYAL Gl. ILAIEE, DREADNQUGHT,DONNEGAL, CiEsA34 A.LCMI(34II, and NIMROD and BETSEY CIitSETL PLYMOUTH, NOVEMBER Came in the DRAGON, of 74 guns, i nel Fleet. Also, the FOXIMUND, of Spain; the French schooner la Nantz, bound to Martinique, laden arid flour, captured by the NAIAD, of the NArteissus, of 28 guns. The Al is ashore in Millbay, within this harbour is beat off, and she lies in a clanger( ) ; wind blows a gale from the Seuthu, the Amu, of 38 guns, from a cruise. COWES, NOV. 17. Yesterday morning, the wind dously from S.S.W. the transport Elizabeth, LEISIIMAN master, from Corunna, Rocks under St. Catherine's.hill, on of the Isle of Wight, and went, alm4 to pieces. The Captain and eight seamen , their lives, but nine of the crew unhappill not an atom of the vessel is preserved. teeth had conveyerl some of JuNor'- chelle, and had proceeded to Corunna and on returning to Spithead she dreadful calamity. PORTSMOUTH, NOVEMBER Arrived his Majesty's brig LINNET. Sailed the C05(21:66T gun-brig for convoy. His Majesty's ship CAMILLA, f or the Mediterranean, still remains Roads.—Vitind W. DEAL, NOVEMBER Arrived the Abraham, CORDED:, and remains in the Downs with the GRAVMND, Nov. 16—Passed by, the Stat, Oporto.—Sailed the Traveller, Coulson, for Cotton, for Oporto; the Mars, Mitchell, _ Juno, Fisher, for St. Kitts; the Isetiosie, PIO*, the Bellona, Tonge, for Malta ; the Harmer ' Michael's; the Dorothy Forster, sowden, and the Princess of Wales, 114 1 1Sinlay, for The Joan, Ssarn, from Quebec, which Ins pat ashore on Tarbert Point, island of Jura, as formai) mentioned, has been got off, end arrived at Glee* on Saturday. Monday, arrived at OMAN'S Hole% E the Rilht Hon. Lord and Lady CATHCARTt e g ' mily ; die Most Noble the Marquis of Ty/ImA and Ladies HAYS, Sir GEORGE WARRZME, But and ROBERT PRESTON, Esq. Left the same place—Miss PRESTON, of Firma; ALEXANDER HOUSTON, Esq. of Clerkington Gent. ral D. IVE..NeYss, and Colonel Cooks. A Court Martial has been held on board the SAP VADOR Drt. MUNDO . , on Lieutenant TINDAL, of tilt CRANE schooner, his officers and crew, for the los of that vessel. They were all honourably acquitted At a meeting of Lieutenancy, which took placeis the parish School-house of Mauchline, In Ayrshin, a very considerable number of handsome stout young men were enrolled for the parishes of Mascb. line and Sorn, to serve in the Local Militia. The various Expeditions which have been seined and which are now preparing for the Continent, tan occasioned a very large demand for the &ma STYPTIC SOLUTION. It is professionally acknowledr ed to be the most kind and useful present that canX made to a relative or friend going on service. 1 those accidents which frequently occur in the absent: of the Surgeon, or where the attention of the Medial Man is too much divided, the sufferer, if provida with the Stypic, can stop the effusion of blood frog the largest wound. It occasions no irritation or fiammation whatever, but on the contrary dispose the wound to heal in a manner the most kindly, t in slight cases no other dressing has been fool a` cessary. This important Medicine, with novas cases demonstrating its efficacy, is to be had ai Chevalier RUSPINI, Pall-Mall, or of the Val under his special appointment, The Trinity House at Newcastle has laid dos 'buoys, pointing out some of the rocks and shoals near the Fern Islam of great utility to ships passing be and the main land, where frequent cidents have happened for want of Early on Saturday morning a board the ship Devonshire, lying Greenock, but by the active exertions pilot, aided by the crew and several was soon got under, without doing damage to the vessel. The Captas on hoard, and asleep, at the time Between nine and ten o'clock P se'nnight, a fire broke out through Crawford's house, in Bell-street, Gla , ened destruction to all the adjoining, commenced iu a warping room, ant whole of the extensive garrets, ant. part of the next storey, when, about was got trader. Coax ,EXCHANGE, MAiIE-4 , 0114 ,The supply of Wheat to-day is this trade continues dull sale, at prices—Barley likewise—White Peas and Ohl Beans of the two kinds give way m Pa"' Now Ticks in plenty, about 525. to 58s. po o r —The supplies of Oats are again short, thereof deny—Prices of Floor as C "Amiga. !CENCI, 01 ,1 R 16. s ship la FLEco 1,001 i . ved the ch at 4 his Majesty's shi p ° I L Gamic!, Tom,, it Cssaa, Autzt, y cutters . , re BER 16. ed as, from the Qui, "•13 of 18guns L. 044 ' of la Louise, f rott :;1 1 . ; sz tc den with pnni „, e t D, of 38 guns, ,ce Apollo tram •ght arbour; her rr..4 `ri d, erous state, a i 1 . 1 th artl.--Came a ce • rent d blowing tempt, ..e B Th at4Ewnlmali:th:noastsd:et:isinwa:--th!alk°Ntity°tlionatel.tavedPa3l our : 1 1 unhappily ry peri shed . ell ed or's cavalry to $O. 1 4 A ::orunnA for ordets ivngl she expetienced the cd" aornt ;MBER 17. T an! 1 4NET, from a mist 'or Guernsey, with: z` er ktILLAs with *Om pe mains in Yarract A dr :R 17, ecc d ix, from Mogadoti eslt the ships as per in lie Stas,Thalopsoo,f" 1, for Cadiz; tin ed, la, for Dominica; tu „th e pumps,* ,he -wit anumay, Geese, fm R G e en, the NenN pec foe Jennies, , ale nas t yu e most danger° 2rl ands; which wilt' ra between the ishas ntly many fatal* f such directions. Ft fire broke out * t in Cart's -dyke Nil - lions of Mr. Sole, c ral other persou4, g any very mem. } gain and crew vine of the first alarm' ?. M. on Thursdal, rough the roof 1 Hasgow, and than' ing tenements. It and burnt down and a coital p bout one o'clock/ Novmati 111 s rather short, IP' t at somewhat JO Peas rather dog'