The National Register. — London, England, 1811-12-01 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER- for himself." Captain TATE adds, "that the French were reported to have entered Gijon on the 7th inst. but that this information rests entirely upon the as sertion of those persons who took the alarm upon the report being first circulated." Should this information be correct, it is not of a nature to lead us to apprehend much danger from a movement which the French have already per formed 10 or 20 times since the beginning:of the Spa nish war, without deriving more than a temporary advantage from it, which they were soon compelled to relinquish. In the present instance their advan tage will even be more trifling, as it appears that the vessels in the harbour have been alarmed in time, and will be able to effect their escape without losing their cargoes. From Portugal no intelligence has been received, and the Official Dispatch, containing the account of General HILL'S brilliant action with the French under GIRARD, is still wanting. The next prominent report carne from that quarter which has so frequently informed us that hostilities were on the eve of breaking out between Russia and France. The Anholt mail has brought a fresh ac count of an engagement between the French rand Prussians, in which much blood had been shed, but the cause of which was not clearly ascertained. To this rumour it is useless to say that little credit can be attached. It is more than probable that NAPO LEON would not have returned to his capital had he expected any hestilities on tiiepart of Prussia. • Reported changes in Administration next awaken ed the fears and hopes of party men, and anxiety marked the countenance of every politician. As we are assured they are 'unfounded, we shall not en ter into a &tail of the resignations and alliances talked of between the heads of parties, and leave it to the great revealer of secrets, Time, to unfold mysteries into which the glance of the vulgar would in vain try to penetrate. A Mail arrived from Anhoit on Friday, bringing intelligence from Stockholm to the 12th inst. and from Copenhagen to the rth. The accounts from Stockholm mention an article of intelligence, which none of the previous advices prepared us for, that BUONAPARTE hard required 8000 troops from the . 4 ‘i hil ledkil Government, to be employed in Spain. If such a demand has been made, it must have beers at the time when the issue of the discusssions with Russia and l'russia was still doubtful. Had a war • been the consequence, it would ob viously. hive been the interest, as it must have been the wish, of the FRENCH EMPEROR to send all the foreign troops he could muster into Spain, and keep all his French troops for the north ern campaign.- The 'war in the Peninsula too is unpopular with the French soldiery, and when re moved fr.inrt their native country, it would be im material to foreign troops where they may be em ployed. If we are to give any credit to this ar ticle of intelligence, we must take it in conjunction with the accompaniment, that the demand was re. fused, Ist, because Sweden, not .being a Member of the Confederation of the Rhine, bets not obliged to furnish any quota to the service of France, and, 2dly, because Sweden had no more troops than were necessary for her own security, and there fore could not supply the number demanded. This answer would indicate an independent feeling in BERNADOTTE, if it be true that such a - demand was preferred and answered in such a spirit. - it is certain that such an occurrence ill accords With 'the recent rumours of a joint requisition of the cession of Finland made to Russia on the part of Sweden and France. The intelligence from Copenhagen relates solely to the requisition made some time since to the mercantile class for a-loan of four mil lions Banco to be raked by voluntary contribution, and applied to the support of public credit. The contribution, it appears, filled slowly, and the COmmissioners for managing it having reported this tact to the Kisct, he issued a Proclamation. acknowledging the loyalty of those who had sub scribed ; declaring, that if the loan were fOr the State, he would only feel a sensation of pity for those who omitted to contribute ; but that, as it was for the support of private credit, those who had property, if they did not contribute in proportion within eight days, should be compelled by the Commissioners to pay in proportion to their pro perty, and not be allowed interest, as the voluntary contributors were. The Commissioners on the part of England, destined for South America, are to embark at Portsmouth in a few days, on board the Grampus man of war, Captain WILLIAM HANWILL, which ship has been peculiarly fitted at Chatham for their accommodation. Commodore COCKBURNE, one of the Commissioners, hoists his broad pendant in her, and will have the chief command in the Rio Plata. A Letter has been received from Oporto of the 6th ultimo, brought by a ship which kit the Douro on that day. The letter, after mentioning the gal lant affair of General HILL, near Metida, pi oceeds as follows : _ _ _ - - - " The accounts that have reached us of the number of pri. goners taken are various ; but in none are they stated at less than 1)00 men, and the utmost I have heard mentioned is 1;00. The guerillas, which must have been extremely active in the pursuit, will, no doubt, increase the amount, unless indeed, which is not improbable, they refuse to give quarter. It hay been re ported that General GIRARD has been captured by them, hut there seems to be much confusion as to the name. You have probably already received the official details from Li s bon. 44 A day or two since some gentlemen arrived here from the northern districts, who quieted the fears felt a fortnight or three weeks ago, that the enemy would make a descent upon us. They tell us, that from disease and distress for provisions, which are everywhere short, MAItMON r is in no condition to move withoutsustaioing a defeat from Lord WELLINGION. " Alsiiniit's army, which guards the North, although very deficient in discipline as well as in almost every thing else, has taken -possession of several places abautloned by the French, and has been otherwise extremely useful." Private accounts from Bourdeaux announce the passage of considerable bodies of troops for Spain, and among them the Imperial Guards. Hence it is inferred, that BUONAPARTE in person means to as sume the direction of the wlir in that country. 40