The National Register. — London, England, 1808-04-11 00:00:00

APRIL lt. ni India, had assembled a body of troops in ' the course of the last year, and proceeded to lay waste the proNiaces of Agra and Delhi. A force was sent against cmisiting of Sepoys,and de tachments from European regiments. OU N DIA did not attempt to face thc British teoops in the field, but threw himself into a very strong fort tear Allyg,hur, called Kitspore, or Camoona, where he sustained a siege which lasted one month. Our army arrived before the fort on the 23d of October, and a breach having been effected, it was taken by storm on the 24th of Noietnber. The number of the enemy who defended this place is supposed to have been triple that of our troops. The convict was extremely obstinate, and the loss of the enemy exceeded 1000 men. Our loss, we are sorry to sa , , is also considerable. We have not yet received any copy of the return of the privates killed and wounded, but their number is estimated at 500. The following is a list of the otiicers who have fallen or been wounded, which we have riasoa to believe is correct : killed mid wounded at Camoona., in the district of Allygbur, in the t eded Provinces: Staff, killed—Lieutenant -Colonel Duff, Brigade-Major Fraser. Wounded dangerously—Major Lieutenant W. Filo. Ills Majesty's 11(.1 foot—Killed, Captain Radcliffe, Capt. Thir , ; Captain Roberton, 21st ltegt. Native infantry ; Capt. Brown, Ist Battalion Native infantry ; Lieut. Sneyd, ditto: Lieut. Nlactend, 2J Battalion 27tit Native Infantry : E n si g n .ione,, Engineers ; Lieut. Defile, Ist Battalion 231 Native In fairy ; Lieut. It:unsay died of his wounds. Lieutenants Wilson, Campbell, Harvey, and Dundengstope, of his Majesty's 17th Foot, severely ; Lieut. Harrison, do. danger ously ; Lieut. D. C. Livingstone,2lst Regt. Native lnfantry,and Nlucartney, , I lib do ; Copts. Fraser and Mathews, Ist Bat. 9th Native Infantry, slightly ; Lieut. Rolland, do. danger (mi. Lieut. T. Brooke, Ist battaliond N. 1. wounded. Capt. Perkins, Lientrnant Dunsterville, Ist battalion Tith N. 1. %sounded severely. Lieutenant Corbett, ditto, ditto, slightl Lieutenant Dennis, 2<l battalion 27th N. 1. severely ; Denty, ditto, ditto, slightly ; Ensign Vetch, ditto, ditto, ditto ; Ei-ign Fordyce, Engineers, ditto, slightly ; Lieut. Swinton, Pioneers, ditto, severely ; I.ieut. Anderson, ditto, do. slightly ; Lieut. Wilkie, Ist battalion tith N. 1. ditto, severely ; Lieu t. W . M`Quhae, ditto, wounded. Dispatches were received by Ministers from Admiral Sir CHARLES CovroN, oil' Lisbon, on Saturday last, by the Co quette sloop of war. They bring the important informa tion that General JosioT sent out a flag of truce from Lis bon, with a message, which was delivered by a deputatin,. of some of the principal persons of Portugal, to acquaint the British Admiral that there were not more than fourteen days provisions for the whole population of Portugal—but that he had secured the subsistence of his own army for six months. tie therefore thought it fit to communicate the state of the country to the Admiral, as upon the English name and character would rest the crime of starving a whole people. This fact of universal scarcity was verified by Mr. MicuxEL sc•rAito, and the other Members of the Deputation,who stated, that the kingdom was totally drain ed—that numbers were dying in the streets by famine—and that the French General had, by the means employed on his arrival, secured iii his own hands all the grain which re mulled in the hands both of the dealers and farmers. In tins most interesting and responsible situation is our gallant Commander placed. It is not consistent with the generot character of a British seaman to make a war of devastation oil the helpless and innocent—but there he I', probably without instruction, and for the urgency of the inomen without means. It ma. a short and obvious alswer to the insidious message of Julso'r, that the invading enemy of Portugal must, in the eyes of Europe, be recognized as the oppressor of the country. And we understand that he forthwith proposed, that on the French army withdrawingfrom the territory, the em bargo would be r ais e d, To this the reply was, that it was nut for the French army that the application was made, for that they had ample means of subsistence ; but for the Veorle who had been abandoned by their owa Sovereign. _ "Posit4ortr- THE NATIONAL REGISTER. The gallant Admiral had no discretionary powers-41e in stantly dispatched the Coquette with the important advices —and it is now for our Government to determine what course they shall pursue in this very delicate situation. This dreadful famine is not confined to Portugal, for Ministers also receiNed dispatches from our fleet °a' Cadiz, britlging an account of most serious disturbances having ' taken place in Madrid. The people, alaruied at the pro spect of want, and learning from every I)art of the king dom that the grain as bought up for the use of the French (for we understand the French do not seize but buy from the Farmers, under a threat, however, that if they conceal or keep it. back from the market, it will be cooliscated), there is an actual insurrection ; but the people have no one to direct their et arts—and the consequence will be a hor rible and useless eliusion of blood. There is a Bill which has passed the House of Commons. and which is now depending in the lords, calculated to alter the course of proceeding . * on indictments and infOrma don* in the Courts of King's Lench in certain ca*rs:— Bythis Bill it is proposed to enact—" That whenever an, person shall he clAarged with any offence by indictment or in -' fortnati(m in the Court of King's Bench, not bring treason or " felony, i heJinoge may is.:ue his warrant, and cause such Iversen " to be apprehended, in order to his or her beip; bound to rile " King %id' sufficient sureties, in such sum as in the said " warrant shall be expressed, with condition to appear in the " said Court, and to answer, &c.—and in case of rie:;lect or re • fusel, it shall he law ful for the Judge to commit such person to Ow common gaol of the county, city, or place, there to " remain, &c. And in case he or she shall not enter a plea or " demurrer in the said Court to such indictment or information, " it shall be lawful for the prosecutor to cause an appearance, " and also the plea of not to be entered in the said Court, •'and to proceed to trial thereon, as if the Defendant had appeared and pleaded not guilty.—And there is a clause to no " thorize the execution in :Scotland of warrants isue.l iu Lith r " &c. &c. &c. It is a cruel measure to try any man for an offence in his absence ; and it is equaly dreadful to authorize the im prisonment_ of any friendless man whose poverty precludes him from procuring facts, merely because lie may have called his neighbour a rogue, or in negligence committed a nuisance. 1 o almost all poor men, whether guilty or not ' , nifty, this Bill will produce imprisonment ; and as to the fear lest critninals should abscond, it may he urged that stances of flight for petty offences very rarely occur; what they do, the banishment itself is generally sufficient pen ance. This extension of punishment, for surely this is rather a measure of preliminary punishment than of needful pre caution, would be dangerous enough, even if limited to • cases of indictment; but that an Englishman should be dragged, perhaps twenty or thirty miles, from his home, lieu mere information, is revolting to every principle of nherty and the Constitution. We earnestly hope t hat some of the Law Lords will check this lfilt iu the Upper House. . Yesterday the Bank begun paying the Dividcnds to :he Public at large, due the sth inst. Some letters have been • received from Madras. Our, Gated the .22d of October, is more explicit on the subject of Sir Edward Pellew's secret expedition to the Eastward, :han any previonsly received. It is stated that Sir Edward left Madras on the 10th of October, in the Culloden, ac cuiripanied by the Powerful, Dasher, and :samaram men of var, and the Worcester and Byrangore, used as transports. tie was accompanied by 500 men of his Majestfs Nth regi ment, a company of artillery and pioneers. It was said he was to proceed from Penang . , where he was to be joined !)y more troops from Bengal. It was first surmised that •he object of attack was Manilla, which was taken by the English iu ; but, on comparing the strength of the W 04. :~ ; i r,~; 1 ,A -