The National Register. — London, England, 1809-10-08 00:00:00

TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER. 616., PRIVATE CORRESPONDEKCE. ••••••■lo:aft..- . " MIDDL G*, SETT. our movements at pre sent seem to evince a deter►nination on the part of Ministers to make the experiment how tar the Island of Waicheren is tenable against any force the enemy may have it in his power to bring against it, and for this purpose every exer tion is making in erecting batteries to prevent anfiittack in the neighbourhood of the narrowest part of the Slooe, between Jutland and South Beveland. Twelve '4-pounders are already mounted there, and the gun-boats supplied with Shrapnell's shells, have proceeded to the tame point, to be ready to act, should any movement take place from the channel between South and North Ileveland. Additional guns are mounting on the sea defences at Armvert, and the parapets at the salient auzles of all the bastiniii at Flushing are to be raised consHera;)iy. Yet it is still the opinion of those best calculated La judge on the-necasion. that it cannot be the intention of Government to retain an fr island where there are several ♦ulcserable points, and on which the enemy will have it in their power to make a de barkation in spite of every el Tort on our part to prevent its It was still a few days since supposed that the distance be tweenArmvere and North Beveland was at least two mile. and a half, and that our shipping between that and the ex tremity of Jutland would remain in safety, and be ready to frustrate any attempt of the enemy in that direction. Expe riment, has, however, discovered the fallacy of th e suppo sition, and lhe distance between the dyke at North );eve-- land and Armvere has been ascertained - to be only a mile and a quarter, the enemy, therefore, by erecting strong inortar and get] batteri e s oil the dyke would prerent any of our ships from remaining above Vere, render that for tress untenable, and give an opportunity to the enemy's flotilla to make 'good a landing on that point, without our receiving any asses ance front our navy.' In a short time the enemy will, no doubt, have such batteries erected along the Slooe, as to render it impossible for our gun boats to remain where we are at present itationed, and thereby leave the entire of the East part of Watcher= to the pro tection of the land batteries that we may erect. In addition to this, the enemy hat'e most extensive means of annoying us from Cadsand, and Cie West. Scheldt, by sending out fire ships, &c. atroeg our fleet ; the consequence of which will be that we shall lose our ships by their running aground, in attempting to avoid destruction, " I have in what has been stated, supposed our troops to be ins an effective state, and in possession of an island having communications by various roads to every point that can be attacked. It is, however, a melancholy fact to state, that the situation of our troops is most deplorable— pent up in barracks and hospitals, without roofs in some instances, and intirely without windows, in many without bedding, without a fire-place in any room; two-thirds of the whole force in a dangerous state of sickness, and the remaining third so harassed by their attendance on the sick, and the duties of the different garrisons, as to form a I;ic. thee of the lowest state of misery and despair. Guard to day, work party to-morrow, and picquet after the working party, is frequently the routine oldtity. There is in no in stance to be seen any of those scenes of merriment, or ' gaiety, so often observed in England ; dejection is pictured in every countenance, and the interval hetween the different duties is almost invariably appropriated to sleep.—Should the enemy attempt any thing at present, it is impossible to oly what might be the consequence. Notwithstanding the nember gone to England, the sick in Watcher= amount to imp who require at least 2000 to attend them—this re• duces our effective force to a mere handful, totally incapa ble of opposing a serious attack. What is to be our situa tion when the enemy has completed her means of attack k God only knows! There wilt then be perpetual marching and counter "marching to and from the differentvinis menaced; it must always be by Light, and through roads scarcely pusable OCT. 8; at present, and in another month overflowed in numerous places, and not, to be distinguished from the fields through which they pass. As to crosing any part of the island, ex cept by the roads t allude to, is impossible. Should Minis try persevere in retaining-the island during the winter—the lon in men will, if any reliance is to be placed in long ex perience, be great beyond any thing upon record, and every . individual who may 6e lucky enough to escape the present attack, will he almost certain of failing a'vic;im to some of the winter di?enaes, many of which, from the debilizated state in rhich ;hey must then be, will prove fatal in three instances out of forir. You may be surprised when I tell you, that iu the week from the 10th to the lith inst. 400 men have died in Walcheren ; yet it is a fact you may rely on, end it is the decided opinion of medical MCI' that the mor talty will still be greater dcring the next fortnight. What prospect it must be to those doomed to remain here you may easily judge. Minkte•s, 1 have strong reason s V for thinking, have had forcible representations made, as to the ne:7essity of evaciiaiitir, the island —time wll show what at. tention they are likely to pay to them." NEW 7'11E4 fRE, G'OVENT-GAIRnEN. The New Theatre was re-opened on Wednesday with a re. petition of the Beggar's Opera, and is he a Prince ?—The tumult and uproar, which under some cover of reason had been so perseveringly kept up during the first week the Theatre opened, was on Wednesday attempted to be re newed by a description of porsons who seem to be so per tinaciously resolved to continue the clamour, that no ale. peal to re7:son and decorum seems of force to correct their 4 misconception, or disarm their resentmea. On the first blush of the business, we were onrsetves among those who thought that, the already supposed profits of the conccrn rendered unjustifiable the proposed advance of prices, ai:d we were besides indignant at the idea of intruding foreigrt ers on the English stage, to the exeiosioa of genuine nat:vo talents. But when we found the- latter point most hand somely conceded to the public sense and taste, an,l the pro prietors at the some time wil!iug to submit their accounts to the most rigid scrutiny, we could not help applauding them for the concession, while we subscribed to the ell:lily of their proposal in revel to the dile in vest igai ion Of their ac counts. Among the most obstreperous in the uproar, the most notorious and contemptible of the radical reformers were conspicuous. In 'the breeze of every occasional row they seem to snuff the approach Of a revolutionary tempest. But we rejoiced to observe that their wishes were in a great measure frustrated, and that they were seconded by very few, if any, of the more re si,ectable part of the andience. On the drawing up of the curtain, God Sart the King was called for as usual, and the spectators joined in the chorus. l!rr. Kemble, in compliance with a very general call, soon came forward, and endeavoured to enter into some explanation ; but the vocArations in the Pit prevented us from catching a single sentence of what he uttered. After many ineifec'ual attempts to obtain a hearing, he retired, and the play Began. Then commx.inced the wonted war of groans, hisses, hide. ons howling s, and cries o'1' „ Off ! off!" which was swelled to the most discordant din by cat-calls, rattles, horns, trumpet., hells, &c. Numerous hats and handkerchiAt were waved n the Pit in approbation of the conduct of the Proprietors, and these testimonies of encournement and applause were powerfully seconded by the Boxes. Some of the more noisy and disorderly were seized by the peace-officers and taken out of the home; and in midst of the confv ilm which this produced, many ladies were alarmed, ail some were carried out of the Bores in fainting. tits. 504 h Ladies as did remain, shocking to relate, had their ears as- • sliled by infamously indecent expressions, such as were r haps never before hea. din any civilized assemblage. Th must shucking laeguage was principally direchstl to the coy-