The National Register. — London, England, 1811-06-23 00:00:00

THE N lions extraordinary at the disposal of my Ministers of War, to defray the expences of new armaments which then appeared necessary, I find myself in the fortunate situation of not having any new taxes to impose upon my people—l shall not increase any tax—l have no want of any augmentation in the imposts." The sitting being terminated, his Majesty rose and retired amidst acclamations. Pita's, Iv Ns 18.—On the 16th, at eight at night, there was a grand banquet at the Thuilleries. Their Majesties dined in public. After the banquet, a concert was executed on the Terrace of the Palace. Their Majesties afterwards, visited the Court Theatre, and saw the Opera of Dido, represented far the first time. The gardens and Palace were magnificently illuminated. The same papers also contain the first meeting and proceedings of the National Council assembled at Paris. ENCOUNTER BETWEEN AMERICAN AND BRITISH VESSELS OF WAR. The unexpected encounter between the United States frigate, the President, and the Little Belt, British ship of war, has created a new sort of dis content, which will probably retard• the conclusion of the differences which have so long existed be tween this country and America. According to. every statement which has hitherto reached us, it appears that the President was the aggressor, al though this is said to be denied by ker Commander, and, in this case, the right of complaint lies clearly on our side. That the Americans feel themselves in the wrong, may be easily concluded from the cool ness with which they reason on the occasion. Had the first shot been really fired by a British vessel, we should have once .more heard of " atrocious aggression," " tyrannical usurpation," is violated neutrality and insulted independence." The outcry for war with Great Britain would have been re newed, and every demagogue would have glowed with military phrenzy. Instead of this, we find in most of the American papers dispassionate obser. vations on the subject ; on which, it is evident, no charge of blame can be founded against Captain BINGHAM, as the P4triots, for America also boasts that amiable race, who, as usual, strenuously en deavour by the perversion of truth, to revive the spirit of hostility towards us in all its full force, in stead of availing themselves pf this unfortunate event, pass it by in silence, and renew the charge against our naval Commanders of impressing na tives of the United States. An instance of this nature is given, we know not with what truth, in the case of one HALLET HAMBLIN, impressed from the schooner Eagle, HAWES, from Alexandria. Tie is stated to be a native of Barnstaple, in the pro vince of Massachusets ; and the boarding officer, on being asked the name of.. the frigate, and_ of the Captain, is said to have replied, that 4g he did not tell names." From the moderation displayed by the political hunters of America, on the subject of the encounter of their frigate and our sloop, we therefore, although Capt. BINGHAM'S statement has not yet beea received, cannot hesitate to conclude,, that be was the attacked party, not the . aggressor, and has dis played, although vainly, agaist a vastly superior force, that British spirit which, in all the seas, and at all times, flames forth unquenched and unquench able. We cannot help thinking, however, that had the issue of the contest proved unfavourable to the President, the blind impulse of national vanity, for it is too shallow to deserve the name of national feeling, which but too frequently hurries the Ame ricans into inconsistency and injustice, would have caused them to disregard ;he truth of the case, and thus to make, not the hostile act, but their &feat, a ground both for impertinence and war. The contents of the private letters, as they gra dually transpire, vary, respecting the vessel by which the first gun was fired. We apprehend it to be nearly certain, that the British officer disavows this act of aggression ; and such disavowal is, at least, sufficient to falsify the principal account which has yet been received ; wherein he is stated to have acknowledged the firing of the first gun, and to have justified it upon the suspicion that the vessel which he was speaking was a French one. Capt. BINGHAM is, we believe, not a man who will be found in two stories. A person who lays claim to impartiality, and who has taken considerable pains to ascertain the truth, writes to England, that he had conversed with the officer who had been sent on board the Little Belt after the action ; and that this officer, when the question of the first shot was there disputed (for it appears to have been disputed even on' board the vessels engaged), heard Captain BINGHAM declare, that it did not proceed from his ship. The officer of the President, it is proper to state, is understood to have asserted the direct con. trary, both on board the British sloop and to the writer of the letter which we quote. ATIONAL REGISTER. ?I . . RUSSIA AND FRANCE. The prospect of a war between France an a l Russia, rapidly vanishes away. We lately fre qnently expressed our opinion that the favourable opportunity of resuming hostilities was gone by for the preent. ALEXA%DLR seems to have on this oc casion, displayed more foresight than usual. It is said, however, that the vague rumours of his hostile intentions, if not intentionally circulated for the purpose, have accidentally proved most useful to him ; by enabling him to obtain from NAPOLEON,