The National Register. — London, England, 1811-11-10 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. by legal evidence, whether each person, thus cir cumstanced, was such a man as the law required ; rarnely, probus et legalis homo. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said, that Mr. KIRWAN Was not entitled to make a challenge to the polls, because, until an indictment should be found, he could not be said to be in Court. Mr. M'NALLY said, that the SOLICITOR-GENERAL had acknowledged that a Bill of Indictment had been prepared against Mr. KIRWAN. Mr. Justice DAY said, that the Court had judicial cognizance of Mr. KIRWAN, inasmuch as he had been brought into Court by his bail. Mr. BURROWES argued, that Mr. KittwaN had a right to make a challenge to individuals, on account of the influence of the Crown, otherwise a dozen of scullions might be sent from the Castle to sit in judg ment on him ! Mr. Justice DAY said, that Mr. KIRWAN was in terested to have a pure Jury. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said, he was taken by surprise, and requested that the case should be ad journed until the following day. The Counsel for the Delegates having consented, the Court postponed their decision, but permitted . the High Sheriffs, at their request, to enlarge the panne], lest there should be a defect of Jurors if the challenges to the polls should be allowed ! FRENCH PRIVATEERS. .NotWithstandi6g all the precautions that have been taken by the Admiralty to protect the vessels sailing up Channel, and to defeat the attempts of the enemy's pri vateers to capture them, we regret to learn by letters from Dover received on Wednesday, that two privateers were so close in shore off Port on Tuesday as to be fir within the range of the guns from the batteries. Their object in running thus in under the land, was to make prize of a light brigat the time proceeding along the coast under cover of the batteries. The privateers did not deist from their attempt till after one of them had nearly grounded from having approached too closely to the shore, and until some well-directed dis charges of artillery from the batteries obliged them to seek immediate safety in a larger offing.— Though disappointed in this instance, they were not long in want of another object of attack, which be. came an easier prey to their activity and enterprise. The first vessel they attempted within the view of hundreds upon the cliffs ; and, before the mortified spectators lost sight of the French privateers, they beheld them firing vollies into a large ship just come up, which, in spite of a tremendous and well directed fire from the batteries, rendered unavailing by the great swell, they ultimately captured. It is with great pain and indignation we are obliged to record these instances of successful enterprise upon the part of the enemy's insignificant privateers, and of' ineffectual protection on the part of our irresisti ble. cruisers. - The Gazette of last night contains a Proclama. tion for the further prorogation of Parliament to the 7th of January next, when they will meet for the dispatch of business. A degree of expectation seems to be entertained that the Scheldt fleet will put to sea. A vigilant look-out is therefore kept, to observe its motions. — The fleet in the Downs, which was obliged to quit the blockade of Flushing on account of the season, continues in the Downs, and is ready to sail at a moment's notice. Such is the precaution used, that no Officer, on any pretence whatever, is suffered to go on shore. We have received Jamaica papers to the 3d of September, by a merchant vessel, which contain nothing of a political or an interesting nature. With relation to shipping intelligence; the Duke of Dant. zic privateer, whose activity has been before alluded to, continues to commit the greatest depredations on commerse. She took the Planter, from London, in lat. 17. N. long. 51. 20. by a sort of stratagem. She imposed upon the Planter, as a ship from Li. vei pool ; and availed herself of a favourable oppor. trinity of coming up close, and pouring into her a heavy broadside. After plundering the Planter of every thing valuable, the privateer gave up the ship to her Captain. The Duke of Dantzic had taken several British ships. The Tottenham„ she captured, was sent to France. The Lady Penrhyn, and the Thames, of London, together with a Spanish schooner, and a schooner from Bar. badoes, she burnt. Notwithstanding, the tumours which have been in circulation, no Officer has arrived from Portugal, nor have any accounts been received from the Army since the last dispatches. Intelligence, however, is every moment expected, but it is not likely to be of any very great interest or importance. A vessel is arrived in the Downs, which sailed from Gijon on the 31st ult. Some letters of the same date have been received in town, but they con tain no intelligence from Spain. It was supposed, at the depafture of the last Mail from Lisbon, that MA n MONT intended to move to the Southward. This intention, it is slid, he has carried into execution, having passed the Tagus, and taken up a position near Caceres, where , General GIRARD was posted. Probably the diffi culty of procuring supplies about Placentia may have rendered the change of position necessary. It is not likely that at this season of the year he will make any serious attempt against the Alentejo. If the above account be correct, Lord WELLINGTON will make a corresponding movement. There has been lately some discussion in the Cortes as to the disposal of French property in the Island of Cuba. By a ship from the Havannah we learn that the question is practically decided by the Governor of the Island. It is stated through this channel that the property belonging to the subjects of France, which was sequestrated by the Spanish Government at Cuba, had been restored to its ori. ginal proprietors. The Pylades, which sailed from the Nore the 18th ult. with a fleet for the Baltic, has on board the crews of two ships, whom she picked up in the I North Seas. . .