The National Register. — London, England, 1808-01-04 00:00:00

TIE NATIONAL REGISTER. A Deputation from the American Merchants waited upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Saturday se'nnight, to obtain information as to some points connected with the late Orders of Council, and particularly to ascertain whether it was intended to impose any tax on articles of American produce, on board such American ships as should, pursuant to their Orders, touch at British ports. The inquiry of the Deputation was principally directed to the article of Cotton, and the answer of Mr. Perceval was quite decisive, that Ministers do intend to propose a duty upon that article. Upon asking, whether such American ;nips as should not, in consequence of the French Decree, feel it safe to proceed to an enemy's port, after having touched in this country, would be allowed a licence to sail in any other direction ? the answer was, that no licence would be granted to any other than the port of such ship's original destination. The object of the expedition under General Spencer and Su . C. Cotton, we are informed, is not a very distant one; and we therefore conclude that this force will join Sir Sidney's and General Moore's. It is said we shall soon hear of Ceuta being in possession of the British. Four camps, consisting of 15,000 men each, besides Yeo manry, arc to be immediately formed in several districts in Ireland. One, it is said, is to be fixed in Athlone, another in Aughnacloy, a third at Bandon, and a fourth in Strabane. The convoy arrived at Spithead from Gibraltar, was on Wednesday put under quarantine at the Mother Bank. It was only 13 days ou the passage. Generals Sir John Moore, Paget. Fraser, Wynyard, and Oakes, landed on Thursday. The troops arrived amount to between eight and nine thousand men. They consist of all the guards that were in Sicily; the 20th, 42d, 78th, and the second battalion of the 35th regiments, besides artillery and engineers. This force was probably to co-operate with Sir Sidney Smith in secur ing the possession of the Portuguese navy. The Captain of a vessel from Cadiz states, that previous to his departure from that city, it bad been entirely eva cuated by the Spanish troops, the great body of which had proceeded to Portugal, under the command of the Mar quis di Solano, who is Governor of Cadiz. The remainder of the Spanish troops had, in conjuction with a French force, gone on board the French and Spanish ships in the harbour, whidi, with six months provision on hoard, were ready for sea, and daily expected to sail. The inhabitants were, as our informant states, considerably agitated by the apprehension of an attack from an English fleet and army. The Captain we allude to also adds, that four emi nent merchants have been recently arrested at Cadiz, upon a charge of having spoken disrespectful of the Prince of Peace. This arrest took place immediatel♦ before the Captajn's departure. Such an event would imply the undi minished power of the Prince of Peace. Many are the efforts which Bonaparte has made to dimi nish the comforts of our countrymen. He has endeavoured even to deprive the town of its usual pleasures, by laving an embargo on opera dancers and singers; and b‘ making war upon the milliners who even transmit their fashions. But we can shew him our independence in these as well as in other articles. We have voices as sweet, and feet as nimble as any that can be imported. Our milliners declare, that their traffic was never more flourishing than at present ; and Mr. Millard, of Southampton-street. Strand, assures us, that the demand for his fashionable straw hats is be come greater than he can almost supply. A West Indian Gentleman, in a fit of despondency, put an end to his existence at the llummums. The Coroner's inry, which sat on the body, brought in a verdict of Lunacy. JAN: 4; THE COURT AND WORLD OF FASHION. Friday morning, after breakfast, his Majesty rode on horseback in Windsor Park, by Cranbourne, till half past twelve o'clock, accompanied by the Dukes of Kent and Cambridge, Princesses Augusta, Sophia, and Amelia, at. tended by Lady Ely, Count Munster, Generals Manning. ham and Cartwright. Colonels Upton and Taylor. Friday at twelve o'clock, the Duke of Kent arrived at Windsor. All the Royal Dukes were expected in the course of the afternoon, to done with her Majesty and the Princesses. The following is said to be an original Letter from Lady Craven, to one of her Theatrical female friends, who asked how she liked her change of situation. MY DEAR Y. No doubt you are interested in the question by asking me so soon my opinion of " Matrimony"—it would be " Love's Labour Lost," indeed if I disliked it in the " Honey Moon."—lf you continue such a prude, as to retain your old opinion of " Marriage a la mode" and still consider it as foolish, I would advise you by all means to catch the " Folly as it Flies," provided you hit upon some sober spark mho has sown his " Oats"—" trial's all," you know —however, if upon " Review" you should'ist like the state, why you may cause " The Devil to Pay" in the " School for Scandal;" and of course, the result of your " Wedding Day" Ni ill then form a very pretty " Winter's Tale" ! Thus, at all events, like a fashionable woman, nu will " Raise the Wind." Do not " Wonder" at trifling, for yon know " Laugh when you Can" has been ever my maxim. Hut to be serious—follow my advice—in " Three Weeks after Marriage" speak of —" As you Like it;" and if you are disappointed call me a " Country Girl" " Too Friendly by Half." 11 ith such charms as you possess; I know all you want is " the Will." --Once married, you may, quite in the fashion, act as you choose ; and if y our spouse proves "a frouoked Husband," why you may take your on u " 7teceve," and make him a " duos e."—lf now (notwithstanding all I have said) you re main ob-tinate and single, perhaps, in nine months hence, as " Timb's a Tell-Tale," I may produce an additional inducement. Adieu, your's, D. If, as Swift says, God has decreed revenge against pun ning, the late George Selwyn, was unfortunate indeed. So confident was he of his powers in this way, that he once bet a friend five guineas that he would produce a pun on any/ given subject—" Done," replies his friend, "pun on The King."—" Damn it, man, (rejoined the witty George), you know . just as well as I do that the King's no subject"! When Garrick in the zenith of his powers took his friool Dr. Johnson, to view his valuable estates which, by a late decree his widow has been ejected from, the emotion they caused in the mind of the great moralist was singular, " Ah David, David, David, (exclaimed the Doctor, tapping the shoulder of our immortal Itoscius) these are the things which make a death bed terrible" ! ! ! On the rumour of a coalition, an opposition wit lately observed, that, he was sure Lord Ilowick never would desert principles which he had grown Grey in.. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. EXT11:101RDIN ARV PEDESTIM rNDERTAKING.----A per son of the name of Yardley, a victualler, in Berkshire, n ho, it has heel) stated, recently sprung forth, to astonish the am a tents of agile sport., , and to rival the pedestrians of the da y , undertook, on Wednesday se - nnight, to perform VO miles in two hours and a half, for a stake of 50 guineas. Be started on a piece of ground about 4 miles from Croydon at 10 o'clock, yes terday morning, to go a mile to and from; he ran 2 wiles 12