The National Register. — London, England, 1812-02-16 00:00:00

FEB 16. . ‘• Twelve men perished on board the frigate in conseqitence of an explosion.—(Monileur, Feb. 7.) ,‘ The same paper contains three letters front Admiral DE WINTER to the Minister of the Marine and Colonies, by which it appears, the illaudia was commanded by G. H. SEYMOUR, Esq. who, with the crew, consisting of from 170 to 180 men, has been saved." The following extract of a letter from Plymouth, dated the 13th inst. contains some intelligence which we trust will prove unfounded. 66 Arrived in ten days from Corinna, the Spanish brig Diligente, Capt. ANTONIO DE CAREACIA, with a cargo of nuts for London. It vas reported at Corinna, that private letters had been received there from St. Sebastian's, in which it 'was stated, that the Surveiltante fri gate had been forced into that port in a gale of wind, the batteries at the same time firing upon her, which was returned with great spirit ; but at length she was compelled to surrender, and all the crew were ria,le prisoners. Ido not vouch for this information; but such was the rumour at Corinna, when the Diligente left that place." SPAIN. No Official accounts have been received from Spain or Portugal since our last. Information, however, has reached this Country, from the North of Spain, of rather a favourable and satisfactory nature. By a vessel which has arrived at Plymouth from Corunna, some Letters and Papers have been received, which come down to the 3d inst. and communicate the gratifying intelligence, that 4,n receipt of the accounts of the capture of Ciudad Rodrigo, the French troops had evacuated the province , of Asturias. There is no doubt but they had been re- I called by MARBIONT, who collected all his force in the province of Leon to check our farther progress or at. tempt to retake the fortress, which he was unable to re lieve after having divided his army to reinforce SUCIIET. No sooner was intelligence received of the fall of Ciudad Rodrigo, than Generals BONNET and GAUTIER took prompt and effectual measures to secure their retreat. The former proceeded, with the corps under his corn nmnd, by the road of Dilissa, the latter, by another route, towards Leon ; and such was the expedition with which they moved, that though they commenced their march on the 23d ult. they had, within two days after, corn pl'tely evacuated the province of Asturias. General PORLIER who has the command of the army of Asturias, and was posted at Oviedo, as soon as he heard of the retreat of the enemy's force, put his troops in motion to follow their track, and harrass them in their progress. He had, according to accounts received from him in his march, succeeded in coming up with and dis tressing their rear, but the severity of the season, and the impassable state of the mountains, it was feared, would prevent him from seriously annoying them, and perhaps expose his own troops to much inconvenience, if not to serious loss. Of MARNIONTPS operations subsequent to the loss of Ciudad Rodrigo, we have no very 'precise accounts•; but the Corinna Paper states, that the vanguard of his army was defeated at Puerto de Banos, on the 24th of last month, by Lord WELLINoToN, and that he had retired from Salamanca, to wwhich city his Lordship was advanc ing, and taken post at Medina del Campo. The last dis. patches received by our Government from him were dat ed on the 20th. His headquarters were then at Gallegos. FRANCE AND RUSSIA. Letters, it appears, have been received in town from Paris, of so late a date as the 31st ult. Thcy are said to bring intelligence, that the affairs of the North have reach ed their crisis, and that the French Emperor had already THE NATIONAL [MONTER. • - 104, - signified his determination to proceed from Paris to Po land on the 20th instant. A visit from BUONAPARTE to - that quarter, under all the circumstances, late and pre sent, of the times, could not be mistaken. Whilst the affairs of the Powers most immediately interested in the contest, which is rapidly approaching, appear enveloped in doubt and-uncertainty, it is not un- , natural that the views of Austria should be implicated. ,• Whilst the Imperial Guards are said to have set uat from s' Paris to Poland, the Austrian Armies arc said- to be in •• motion to repossess themselves of the part of Galicia ceded to Russia by a late treaty. Whether there be truth or not in this latter part of the account, it is clear that the right acquired by violent spoliation or lawless dismemberment of - territory is never much respected, or in the estimation • of the world ought not to be respected. ANHOLT MAIL. The contents of thia Mail inform us of the occupation of Swedish Pomerania, without any previous -notification, . by the French. Whether this extraordinary proceeding have arisen from immediate hostility tl Sweden, or from a desire to be better prepared for a war with any othir rower, it is equally to us and to the Swedos a matter of serious and important concern. The possession of Stral sund at this moment, however, can only opot ate to over awe, if not to intimidate and control the Court of Stock- - h elm. Whilst the severe weather continues to keep the Baltic-closed against our trade, our commerce can suffer no. inconvenience from the occupation of that territory by , 1 the French. A letter on this interesting subject, of which j the following is an extract has been placed on the board 1 at Lloyd's : " Gottcnburgli, Feb. 3. " Two days ago, the news reached this place, that F'rench troops have again entered Swedish Pomerania. We are very desirous to Leant what the consequence of this outrage will he." " Other letters state, that 6000 French troops have entered Swedish Pomerania, and that the Swedish troops had mired to Ruben. The convoy destined for Stralsund had also put back, but whether on account.' of the ice, or the entrance of the French, is not quite certain." It was last night reported, but without any authenti. i sated authority, that Sweden had declared war against.. France, on account of the occupation of Stralsund. This, rumour is not credited. GENERAL GIRARD. It is now said, that the four foreigner; who were brought recently to London, under the surveillance of a King's Messenger from Plymouth, are French .otHcers of dis tinction, being no humbler personages than General Gtn... ARD and three of his Aides de-Camp. They were brought over from Corunna in the Hermes, and were received by the Messenger on their landing, by whom they were con. ducted to town, and. treated with the most marked re. spect. It appears, that Government was apprised of their coming by their having sent a Messenger to the out-port to await their arrival. CHANGES OF ADMINISTRATION._ The expressions of the CIiANCELLOR of the EXPTIEQUER, in the House of Commons on Thursday night, respect ing golden dreams of changes of Administration, have been the topic of general conversation since ; but instead of extinguishing hopes, or discouraging speculations, they have given rise to a greater variety of rumours of changes, and classifications and combinations of public men, than existed at any previous period. As the time is so near 'when the real state of the case will be .mide apparent, it would be us less to stop to exarWiDa: the merits or the absurdities of the different az rangements talked of. We t I I