The National Register. — London, England, 1812-05-10 00:00:00

MAY 10. A istavy firing wa- heard on Thursday morning from the French coast. It was not known whether it was a salute, or the firing of the batteries or flotilla upon some of our cruizers. It k not improbable that BUON APART might vist the coast before he proceeds to his army, and that this may be a: salute in honour of his visit. Yesterday se'nnight, the Skylark sl op of war, Captain nxpß, :rid the Apelles sloop of war, Captain HOFFMAN ) Ullicllll I lately got ashore on the enemy's coast to the N. E. of Etaplea, owing •to a very sudden fog coming on, and the vend blowing directly on the coast. Finding it im possible to get off again, Captain BotER, after seeing alt the crew safe on board the boats, directed the Skylark to be blown up, to prevent he) from falling into the hands of the enemy. Captain BOXER and his crew were afterward picked up by some of our cruizers. The Apelles remained agron 'd, but, it will be seen from the following letter, has since been rescued from the enemy : " DEAL, MAY s.—His Nlajesty's sloop ( f war Apellea arrived this morning clistna-leal, in the Downs. We must attribute the recovery of her, in the fir , t instance, to the exertions of the enemy : the Command ant at Bo - logne directed WO soldiers and sailors to proceed to the vessel and endeavour to get her off, in which they succeeded; but our brave tars, not willing they sb.mld bear away the prize, three boats volun teered from his ;; t ajesey's sloops Castilian, Itcdpole, and Phipps schooner, and made a dash amongst the Frenchmen, who were so much surprised, that they moult , a pra:cipitate retreat, leaving only four on board, who were taken prisoners, and the Apelles was brought off in triu . ph ! On board was a vast number ref muskets, &c. which the French soldiers brought -wit!, th --rs Captain Hoffman. the Purser, Surgeon, and 19 men were talc:•ra prisoners; he remainder of the crew, and also the crew of the Skylark, are arrived safe." THE NATInNAT. RF(ISTER. MISCELLANIES. A Court of Common Council was held on Tuesday, at Guildhall, when the answer of the Prince Regent to the Address of the Court, praying a redress of grievances, was ordered to be entered on the Jour nals.-The Act lately passed for improving the Navigation of the Thames, was referred to the Navigation Committee to carry into exe INDIA Houses—Tuesday a General Court of Directors was held at the India Hduse, to take the final opinions of the Proprietors on the sub ject of the renewal of their t *hurter, when several Resolutions were passed declaratory of the unanimous determination of the Company not to relinquish any part of the privileges they enjoy at present. The late performance of Dr. Cr o t c h' s n ew Oratorio of Palestine was crowned with the m . )st brilliant suci•ess. The Rooms were never known to he so full The Tickets were Al disposed of early on Tuesda morning, but, until the Rooms were completely filled, the company would not he refused admissioo.and many were afterward: disappointed of hearing this performance. Every part of the Oratorio was highly approved, and at th • conclusion the Composer w a loudly called upon to repeat the whole, Which We hear he will do on Tuesday, May 26. It is said, that many thousands of persons have, either by terror or delusion, been induced to take the oath alluded to by Mr. Ryder in the House of Commons, on Tuesday evening. A very hot press tookplace on Thursday upon the River, when upwards Of 3eo able hands were procured. In con-equence f protection being withdrawn from the River Fencibles, who were disbanded on Sunday last, none of them have since ventured to appear on the River ; the whole of the business below Bridge, through this circumstance, is at a stand, and the Baltic fleet outward._ is detained, not being able to pro cure the men necessary for the voyage. Efforts are making to regain the protections withdrawn tram the Fencibles. • 011 Thursday a S parring Exhibition took place at the Fives:Court, for the benefit of British Prisoner:, in France. The Court was in:i ntensely crowded at an early hour by the most respectable assemblage ever before witnessed within its walls. Amongst the company were twenty Nobkman, and many Members of the House of Commons; and the receipts amounted to 1301. Police Officers were stationed at the door to prevent mischisf. BOXINO --.l'wo fighting men were pitted on a plat on the London side of Uxbridge : Maltby, who beat Young Crib at Thisselton Gap, weighs 13st 61b. and Cope, the latter of whom was introduced vt ith the qualifications of tried and determined courage and bottom, with 13st. lib. weight. He is of a respectable stock from Shrok.shire. The battle drew together several thousand *spectators. and it had excited more than common.interest. At one o'clock the pugilists shelved, and exhibited in a roped ring, with Cropley second to Mal• by, and Padlington J nes to Cope. Betting even on the event.—After a battle of 26 minutes, and every Second *a = spent in real fightim , . Cope could not be got off h:s secoPd's knee, when called, after the 12th round, consequently lost the battle. The Winner is 4 very game man, whose appetite cannot easily 444 the disvlqtsi viery symptom of manliness, DRAMA TIC REGISTER. LYCEUM.-THE DEVIL'S BRIDGE.- . 2q The fertility of the Operatic an Melodramatic muse is not yet el hausted. Scarcely had she sprung mines on the Covent-Garden Stage and filled it w itl. the din of war, when she extended the sphere of her magic power to the Lyceum, and as horses could not manoeuvre with• effect on so limited a field, contented herself with the blowing ep of it bridge. To make up, however, for the deficiency of quadrupeds, hhe interwove more sense and interest in her composition, clothed it in all the charms of melody, supported it with the powerful talents of BRA HAM, Mrs. DICKONS, Mrs. BLAND and Miss KELLY, and gave it he attractive name of The Devil's Bridge, a grand and operatic Ro mance, in three acts. Wednesday last, her production was ushered into public n )tice. and suppoi ted by public favour, it has since continued to be acted and to please. Like most of our modern dramas, this Opera contains many escapes, but these are novel and skilfully managed with out straining probability too far. A young Piedmontese Countess (Mrs. DICICONs) had married a Sicilian Nobleman (Mr. BRAHAM) secretly, on account of the enmity that subsisted between her mother, a haughty Marchioness, and the family of the Count. Recalled to take possession of his estates by the death of his father, he had been captured by * Corsair, before he knew that his marriage had produced a son, and after spending five years in captivity. returns to the neighbourhood of his wife's habitation, disguised as a painter, and sheltered under the report of his death, to ascrtain both her conduct and her fate... —A boy, whom he sees at the inn where he takes up his lodg ing, recalls her features powerfully to his mind, but the impression is Soo-1 dissipated on learning that in three days she is to marry Banos Toralvi, ( Mr.RAY Mo N D) a man supposed to have murdered his first wile trough jealousy. Here the action of the piece begins. To avoid the odious match the Countess flies at night from her mother's castle is Marer/WS (Mr. LOVEGROVE) inn, where her son resides, and her hus band now dwells unknown. Scarcely is she arrived, when the Barn* i Toralvi and his suite, on their way to the castle, seek shelter from the ' .torm under the same roof. After much embarrassment and a narfaw escape, the Countess and her son set off before day-break, with the good Marcelli, for Antonio's cottage one the other side of the Devil's Bridge. • lhe child, overpowered with fatigue, is laid to rest on a bank and falls asleep ; meanwhile pursuers from the castle overtake the fugitives, and Rottzvina (the Countess) has only time to conceal herself in a cavern. !Marcelli denies having had a fema'e in his company, but the calls of the child for its supposed aunt, on being awakened, betray the secret without revealing the place of her concealment, and both are taken to the castle to be examined. Busavina, ignorant of their fate, seeks for them in vain ; and is at last led to Antonio's cottage by a young Rustic (Mr. ROVEDINO, jull ), whom she meets with Marcelli's sister. Mean while Baron Toralvi has discovere.l Count Yellin° in the Painter, and carries him by a secret way to the castle, where he plunges him into a dungeon, and orders him ro be murdered. His rescue at the moment the dagger was raised to strike his breast is skilfully managed; and the scene in which Marcelli is examined by the Baron, and in which the child innocently contradicts the tale framed by Marcelli for the occa sion, is well planned, and perhaps the most interesting in the piece. Both are set at liberty, and join the Countess at Antonio's cottage, where Perna° also seeks a refuge, and has no sooner fotnid his wife and his child, when his pursuers, with the Baron at their head, appear at the top of the bridge. At the moment they are about to pass it, Marcell! sets fire to the powder magazine which Antonio kept to supply hunter*. amongst the tips. The bridge is blown up with the Boron and his suite, the rocks are shattered, a rain of crags torn by the force of the explocton choke up the torrent, and the fugitives, now safe, render thanks to Heaven for their deliverance. The seriousness of this plot, is relieved by the contradiction of Mdr eelli's jealous wife (Mrs. BLAND), the passion of his foolish servant (Ox►Si:RRY), for his sister (Miss KELLY), and her love for a young rus tic (Mr. ROYEDINO,.jun.) The Music is composed by Messrs. BRA• HAM and Hoax, is generally good. The Overture by the latter, con tains some pretty passages. Some of the songs teem with expression and melody, and• possess a melancholy sweetness that Ateals to the heart. These were sung by Mr. BRARAM with ni 're than usual simplicity and taste. Most of those that fall to tile share of sirs. Picito NI are more brilliant, but perhaps less pleasing. Tberrequite a