The National Register. — London, England, 1811-12-01 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. SPANISH GUERILLAS. The Spnisli Guerillas perambulate in small parties, accord ing in number to the object they have in view. Their unceas ing thirst for spoil makes them extremely active in learning where the enemy are contemplating to convey baiiage or pro visions; and the perfect knowledge these Guerillas have of every track of the country gives them a decided advantage, in being able to watch and waylay the enemy's transports. They are unremitting in their labours, night and day, when they have any object in view ; and their information is generally correctly obtained. The dress and look of these marauders (as the enemy term them) arc enough to inspire dread t they wear an immense cap, covered with fur, which is tied by a black belt under the chin, a lo.se dark jacket is thrown carelessly over their shouldrre. and at the side of their horses hangs the destructive weapon of terror, a lance, which measures about ten feet; the sharp point fixes into a leather tube, which is suspended from the saddle to the off shoulder of the horse, on the right side; no the centre of the .handle of the weapon is a strap affixed, to secure it from impeding the animal's progress, or inconveni encing the rider; and when necessity requires the use of the weapon, it is unslung with the greatest facility; their immense whiskers, and goatskin boots, give those natives a most striking and terrific appearance; and the hardy way in which they sub sist (as an onion, a piece of bread, or a bunch of grapes, is tei them a meal of luxury and content) enables them to undergo any privation, and renders them fit for the harassing nature of warfare, so destructive and annoying to the enemy. MISCELLANIES. POWDER MILLS AT WALTHAM AB3EY.—A dreadful explo sion took place on Wednesday morning at eleven o'clock, at the Government Powdvr Mills, at Waltham Abbey. The con cussion was di,tinctly felt in and around the metropolis, more particularly iu Stepney, Hackney, and 41ackwall. Two mills, together with a corning house, and other buildings, were blown to atoms, and we lament to s:ty, eight valuable lives were in volved in their destruction.—The following are the names of the sufferers :—Parker, Stevings, Grapes, Goates, Belcher, Wak Chappel, and Wilsher.—The only survivin; persoic on Thursday night was Wilsher, but he was not expected to live. They were all married men with families, except GOMt3S. The adjoining river had been drawn for the dead bodies, .nit only three of theni, anda part of one, had been found on Thursday night. We are informed, that the remains of one of them were found in the river, fast adhering to a post, which the unfortu nate man, it is supposed, clasped for protection in the moment of danger. The terrified inhabitants of Waltham Abbey fled from their homes, dreading the explosion of the magazine, on which a piece of fire actually lodged, but was instantaneously extinguished : bad the magazine exploded as well as the mills, the greatest part of the town must have been destroyed. The seizure of the coronation-robes and regalia of tie ' peror of Hay ti has been released by the Lords of the Trea sury, so far as the rights and interests of the Crown are con cerned, on condition of making a compensation to the seizing officer. An experiment was lately made on board the Victory, Sir J. Sauniarcz's flag-ship, of discharging guns without the use of fire; it was produced by a slight pressure of the linger on a pre pared tube put into the vent of the gun ; the effect was instan taneous and cerWii, and completely prevented the accidents that so frequently happen in action from the loose powder that is spilt on the deck, It the invention of the ingenious Captain Manby, of Yarmouth. Twenty-two Fi ench Officers, who were on their parole at Wincanton, in Sornetshire, have lately made their escape. On Monday last, three French Officers at Bishop's Waltham, having exceeded their distance from the town, and their hour of being abroad, were observed, by a countryman returning from labour, to get over agate into a turnip field. As he stood watch ing them, one of them came up, and endeavoured to snatch ills bill-hook out of his hand, but in snatching it back, two of the Frenchman's fingers were cut off. The other two then ran up, and made the same attempt; but the countryman defending him self with his bill, cut off the thumb of the second, and wounded the thir'l in the head. It appearing that the Frenchmen had no intention of escaping, but merely went into the field to purloin a few turnips, ;seating has been done against them; and for their wounds they mist thank their imprudence. Wednesday se'unight, a man named Smith, servant to Cap tain Wouler, of the Durham Local Militia, far a wager of 5.1. walked GI wiles in 12 hours and 43 minutes; 17 minutes within tile time allowed. The 1.:1,t miles he walked in 31 minutes,. tieJa‘li the road was bad. - 'war' I - PA-N.4oe FINE ARTS. • TO THE EDITOR OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER. SlR—Your having already done me the honour of inserting several communications made by me on various subjects of Art, emboldens me to suppose that you will perhaps not think the following altogether unworthy your observation, at least as far as it may tend to lead your attention to a subject which some how or other seems to have escaped your notLe ; the subject I allude to, has appeared in a Weekly Paper of the 17th of this month, under the title of " Fiue Arts;" or a Monument of Lord Nelson, now bringing forward byßenjaminWest,Esq. ; and perhaps you will pardon me, when I inform you, that I thought it right to communicate my ideas in a letter to the Editor of that Paper—first, rather than to you, because I could not suppose that curious article could possibly be produced from the pen of any Editor, and I considered it fair that lv should have an op portunity of correcting so erroneous and singular a description as was given of that work ; and as I took some pains to set that Gentleman right, with respect to the history of the origin and progress of that wonderful performance, I did imagine he might have deigned to notice that hint, especially as I asked for correction, if I was in error. What, Sir, can it be true, that the President of the Royal Academy is doing that, which, if it is to have the effect which is placed to its account in that Paper, must tend to sap the interests of the Arts in this country to their very vitals ? Had I ventured to give my orinion on the late work of that Gentleman, so celebrated in public prints, I should presently have been favoured with the old hint, " Shoemaker stick to your Last." But as the President of the Royal Academy, by profes sion a Painter, has ventured on the Sculptor's art, I am sure that the same indulgent public will glow me all the favour I ask, that is to say, read me and condemn me if I deserve it. The chief fault I find with that beautiful description is, that it is not true, and therefore I am not willing to suppose that it comes from the comptrollership of Mr. J. Sealy, the ge nius of Mr. West, or the art which I know is possessed in an eminent degree by Mr. Panzetta, and in order to your forming a proper judgment of the merits of that performance, I shall beg leave to submit as much as I know to be fact, relating to that Prodigy of Art. A small model of a Basso Relieeo, for one of the pediments of Greenwich Hospital, was made by a genius of the first rate, who has, / will not say fur want of encourage ment, lately le ft this country, I mean that excellent Sculptor, Mr. De Vare, the person who executed the Frontispiece of the Life Insurance Office, in Lombard-street. From the above mentioned model, a large Basso Relievo was undertaken by Mr. Panzetta, who is a regular Sculptor, and a man who has had very extensive practise in all the branches of that principal Art, that 41.1 which Painters in vain attempt. How much, there fore, of the merit of that work belongs to Mr. West, I shall leave for some more able pen than mine to record, and am con fident, that the description given of it in the Paper alluded to, is altogether erroneous. I shall not intrude further at present, than merely to state, that as we have lately been honoured by the attachment of a Professor of Sculpture to our Academy of Arts, I believe the only Gentleman who bears that title in Europe, I trust the Professor will condescend to favour the public, and particularly us Artists, with his sentiments on that undertaking ; but if that should not fortunately be the case, and that no other person will undertake the task, I will venture to trouble you again with a few remarks, should I observe that this hint is thought worthy of filling a place in your useful Paper. I cannot perceive that my name will be of the least conse quence. but as I am not ashamed, neither will I withhold it if you should deem it at all necessary. But for the present chaff beg to subgeribe myself your obliged lilervnut, an ENGLISH SCULP TOR. - • 4 - . r•` '*__,_'_ . ~~