The National Register. — London, England, 1808-05-22 00:00:00

MAY 22. that he has been bribed to the surrender. Perhaps it was ' wrong in the Admiral to capitulate ; and as far as we have any right to give an opinion, on a subject which military men alone can be competent to decide, we certainly think that his conduct is to be blamed—but to our minds there is something excessively ridiculous in the constant allega tions of treachery that follow our defeats and those of our allies. is England really as invincible as the modern plays represent her, and has she, like the load-stone, not only a virtue in herself, but a faculty of imparting virtue to those that are in contact with her, so that she and her al lies can be conquered only by treachery ? Let not the English people lay this flattering unction to their souls. We and our allies want skill, not courage, nor honesty. When we have placed our military system on such a foot ing that we may bring up good officers of our own, and gain the means of properly assisting our allies, we shall see no more instances of Russian and French gold prevailing against British, Austrian, or Swedish steel. Private letters state, that the Swedes have been defeated in Norway, and .driven back to their own frontier. For the truth of this tatemeut we do not vouch. The Soleby frigate is arrived at Plymouth from Rio de Janeiro. She has brought intelligence that the PRINCE REGENT had arrived at the Brazils. Commodore Moonr, who went out with him, had been knighted ; a new order of honour had been instituted, and the people were alto grsether in good spirits. Before she sailed the Survilla n te frigate had arrived from England, having on board Mr.. HILL, our Secretary of Legation. In Portugal the condition of the people seems very pitiable. The following is an extract of a private letter:— LISBON, Aram 28, 1808. " It is impossible for any person, unless he is an eye-witness, to turn: an opinion of the miserable state of this place. Since the departure of the Royal Family 19,000 inhabitants havie left thecountry. Numbers have destroyed themselves; and others when reduced to the extremity of distress, have become prosti tutes. All those, with the exception of a few Who were em ployed in the lirario Custom-house, and other public tribunals, have been discharged; and even the few who remained have had their salaries reduced to half what they earned before. The soldiers are put into the convent:, and the officers quarter ed on the inhabitants. The church plate has been carried tb the Nita, and coined, and is to constitute a part of the contribution of forty millions. The French troops are reviewed every Sun day, in the Rocio, by the General in Chief. The Portuguese arms are all abolished, and those of France now only appear; this is the present situation of things here. Portuguese Journals received on Friday, announce the elevation of General JCNOT to the dignity of Marquis of Abrantes. The title is taken from a road through which the General effected a painful but glorious march. He has issued a Decree relating to the Emigrants, and forbid ding all communication with the British Squadron. The Portuguese Minister in this country is said to have communicated to Mr. Canning the agreeable information ' that his Government holds itself responsible to the subjects of his Britannic Majesty for all the losses which they . sus tained by the acts of the Portuguese Government prior to the Prince Regent's quitting, Lisbon ' but particularly for those which we re occasi o ned by the decree of the Bth of November last. This is certainly very noble conduct on the part of our worthy ally, and we hope that the suffi ciency of his means will keep pace with the houourable ;envy of such au engagement. The following is the account circulated of the pending negotiation between Mr. CANNING, and the American Minister, Mr. PinscisNcy : " Mr. CANNIXG offered to place America on the footing of the most fa“nired nations, in her commerce with and through 7 7 7 rrn ItP6ll3llllt. 331 England ; that an arrangement should be made respecting tke carriage of the produce of the West indta colonies to &Noy= ports, without touching in Great Britain; but, lastly, that tier* would be no relinquishment on our part of the right of searching merchantmen for deserters." Mr. PINCKNEY, it is said, having no authority to con clude a treaty on these terms, transmitted them to his Go vernment. It is still reported that the differences are ill a fair way for adjustment. MICIICII.IIII=IIIIIMa ible progress has been made in the House of Commons, in a Committee, upon the Local Militia Bill ; one new clause of importance has been proposed and agreed to; the compulsory service is to extend to all the male po pulation between 18 and 30, instead of 35, as originally iutended ; but volunteers, up to the age of 40, may enter into this force. Lord Castlereagh said, that it was not the• intention of Government to train the men raised under it, for 20 days successively, but to divide the space into two or more periods, to suit local and other conveniences, and to be fixed at the discretion of the Lords Lieutenants of Coanties. We understand that it is the intention of Government to reduce a considerable portion of the British Cavalry, which are now useless as to Continental service, and since the general establishment of Volunteer Corps are almost so in England. The Merchants and Ship Owners of Liverpool have, it is said, been informed, that an Order from the Customs has been obtained, for the removal of foreign cotton wool coastways, under proper certificates ; and also, that in con sequence of an Order of the Privy Council, directions are forwarded to the Collector and Comptroller of the port of London, not to require the bonds hitherto demanded of 20/. per ton for British ships bound to the Brazils. The Osage, with Mr. Pinckney, junior, and Mr. Lewis, charged with dispatches for the American Government, was delayed at Falmouth by an unpleasant circumstance. Her stores were seized, and it was not until after an expla nation between Mr. Pinckney and Mr. Canning that they were. restored, and the vessel sailed. By the Hope cutter, which is just arrived in England from St. Domingo, we learn, that information having reached Jeremie, about the middle of last March, that Petion's forces were in possession of Port de Paix, an illu mination immediately took place in that town, and its vicinity, upon the occasion. The Captain of the Hope, however, states, that immediately before his sailing, which was on the 30th of March, the cause of this rejoicing was discovered to be unfounded, as Port de Paix still continued ' in the possession of General Christophe. We learn that a sort of hemp has been produced in Ge neral Christophe's. provinces in St. Domingo, very little in terior to, and capable of answering all the purposes of the best Russian hemp. Government is said to have made an experiment upon both kinds on Thursday last, and to have found that the Russian hemp did not exceed that grown in the Ilaytian dominions in point of strength by more than one eighth. A great extent of country around Cape Fran cois will be sown next season, for the use of the British nation. The Princess of Wales has a large new room fitting up in the complete Chinese style, at her house on Blackheath, for which the most eminent artists are employed. Her Royal Highness assisted in planning the arrangements, and, when completed, it will form a room of the most whimsical description. Ilse Pope's Nuncio arrived in town on Friday se'nnight. The Archbishop of Nisibi is nearly related to the Prince Regent of Portugal. The venerable Prelate, who is up wards of 70 years of age, sailed from Lisbon in a Portu &nese ship, b ound to the Azore Islands, with the intention of proceeding, as soon as possible, to the Brazils ; hut the vessel having been much damaged, the Nuncio, with other passengers, and the owner of the ship, thought it advisable, for the safety of their lives,to retura to l'ortugal; fortu- e it ,~ ,