The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1808-09-26 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS: LON LYON, MONDAY, SF.►TSnSES 26. Sato,'lay morning the Lavinia, Capt. J. HAW tors., arrived et Portsmouth, 'from Admiral Tuoit%uoaupats's squadron, off Toulon. She is nutter quarieutl4. She left the station off Toulon, Nst the 9th ult. where she hits been cruising nearly ‘2.15 wet kit, as one of the in-chore squadron of fri gates. • She sale the canny's Beet at Toulon, every day, twi-e, and sometimes Often( r They consist eff ten roil cf the line (two of which are three-deck err.) and seven fri t %steA, in every respret ready for sea. 6ANTIII:AVX:: ccintbatviA iu ehief, har t .4 nutlet him two Rear-Admirals. Two Rus ka. gbt in there from Porto lr the island of Elba, some months . the Lavinia saw them go in. They were immediately refitted and made ready for sea hut now, from mina cause, they are dis mantled, and moved into thz. Basin. The Spar tan, Capt. bRENTON, was the in-shore frigate with the Lavinia. The French 111:e-of-battle ships (the Ilzinib:s! generally one? chased the iu•shore swne- Arun almost every flay, hot never to any divance ifreat the harbour. They have lately launched at Toulon, tiro ships of ilre line. one of 80 guns, and the other, celled the Aetterlitz. of 120 guns. Minim' Tuisassoanutas was criiiiing about ten kagues south of Toulon, with twelve sail of the line; a line-of-battle ship was always kept, day and night, advanced in-shore, to repeat the signals (rent the frigates. Lord Cotistat.- Moab sailed from Gibraltar mi the 31st ult. to tesultse the command oil Toulon, taking with hint the Ocean, (flag-shin,) Terrible, 74. Lord Haan, • PAULLT; Nord!motherland, 74, Capt. Hititttoe. ; hind the Excellent, 74, Captain WEsE....The Cask jtear-Admiral Sir RILRARD STRALRAN, Captain ItILHARGiON; Maßa, Captain OTWAY: Eagle, 'Captain ROW.I.LT; Formidable, Captain FANTR -1111N; R o od Warrior, Captain STRANGER, cv to cow- to Enleant', The Laconia lift Gibraltar three week* Since, widuti the Fame, 74, Captain BENNET ; Repulse, 74. Hoe. Caot. Lao Gr.; Ailat, Itear-Ad loin! Pt:Reis, Capt. &salmi; and the Bulwark, /P 4. Ho, . Capt. l'aamt KO. were lying there.-- , -The Fame and 80/track were to follow Lord CoLLINO %coos. The !tops! .Snverrign,Cesar, ,Renown, Spar tide. Caatiedaad, Eagle, Gleams, Warrior. and aloha. we crstisin4 off Toulon, wheti the Larinia .11agrcrat had wiled to the ray of ; hoses. to veliove tie .isiowtogoe ; an d Kent, to truise off Genoa. The Ceitgpess, hear-Admiral Masan' ; and the Siff • tl, Coot. (tattrtra, railed from Port Itssiso.s. the MIN UIG to join Artiniral Tunas mottos: a.m.—The Lacinia spoke nothing on her prassa4w from I.ilsraltar, except on the 9th inst. alts ?Myrtle sloop. Copt. IN Net, off Lisbon, by which hip' the Lavinia sent dim maybes for Sir C. Clproa. at Lidson, which sins received how:Lord CILIA ow wOuD; sand digit. hana frons General Uipllttatot!Mitt Gibraltar. for Si. Haw lbsaaart.r.: left St. t hes the morning the Lariaio spoksiilrcr: the rave es and exactions of the French in th a t neigh boo:H 11l ood. eft• after .the *losing of the Con- vention, were very great. A French General of Division had ►auttd exactions, amounting to 1,506 pounds sterling, to he u►ade, which to exasperated the Portuguese, that a Portuguese General, with &000 men, had determined to attack hint bn tho night the ,l/dale sailed. The Letitia sailed hunt Toulon on the 9th silt, arrived at Port Mahon the 11th, sailed again the 17th, arrived at Cilbraltar on the t4th, mid 6iiiled again on the 21.1 instant. The Spanish wlnad►ou at Minorca had sailed for Car thagena ; two of ihenv had sailed for South Ame rico. The Lavish, took the ('Jewess of fFest sviorlared front Tuulon to Gilmaitar, end the has brought home Capt. SHIELD, who is appointed Paying -Commissioner at Portsmouth ; Cupt. J. N. litmus, of the esi/ossus; and about 30 invalid eacers sod wen. Caittnin ALEXANDLII, is acting commander of the Colossus. The f:ottenburgh mail, due ou Wednesday, ar rived on Saturday, with letters ami papers to the 17th itistant.—A Icttcr of the 16th. states, that the British and Swedish squadrons having made ar rangements for attacking the Russian fleet at its anchorage in Rogerwick bay, du: Russian Admiral *rot • flog of truce to Sir JANES SALM IREZ, with oftre of conditional surrender. The statement is no means improbable, but we fear it is forme ture.-I)ispatehrs were, on Saturday, icceitcd at ilte Admiralty from Sir .1 mats Satis.trtu, we uo tit•rstand to the Ii th, hut they do not mention the reported ue4ueiation. It Wallin that tlw it weitm squadron bud Os board a body of troops, which were to have been employed in an enterprise against the Island 146°dd:slid. and that they had beeu lauded on East or Little Rego!, where they had construct ed some works to &fetid the Russian anchorage. The enemy were lyiite (-ie.., to the ersturn o stve. bdow the flirt, is tie or seven fathom water. lc allied stradran was at anchor in the mouth of the bay, between the light-bore and 1.4 e whore, to the aortbrard of Little Ro;,,c. It *ma reliortA, nn the impltrity or a verse] ar rived in the i 1444( iqt4tsburgh, that an actnag had bissa faught . in Heir:wick Bay, in lehinh the Russians toot six sail cf Bat we apprelleud the statement to be utideservingcres dit. The private letters by the Mail Bonn our fleet are of the 10th ; at that time the 13us.i,►ns hail struck their yards and topmasts, and hail moored close to the shore. Rogerwick Bay, from the mouth . to Port Baltic, is, between six and seven leagues ; opposite the fort,- which is the narrowest part, it is about four miles broad, sad is open to the North and Norths West. The private letters from Sweden, however, speak confidently of a iie4ociation. We have received Dutch papers to the end) instant, eont9iiiiing. the' •Paiis 111311 i to the 13th. BONA PARTg hail not left - that city, hut the occes aary•arrrangernents arsiltile to have bccit made for that purpose. The Fluiltiog Paper gates that gtrasburgh is his place OrdeNtination, and that the Kings of WESTPHALIA, B 4VA Ri A. WileTtallsa ati. and other Members of the Rhenish Confederation, are to meet him there. The Dutch papers, as usual, throw no light upon the affairs of Spain. The French army iu end country, including the Swiss and Italian troupe, is estimated at 73,000 men, at the commencement of the prwient mouth. Their operations, it is said, were only delayed by the clemency of King Jo- SLP/I, anxious to afford an opportunity to his de luded subjects to repair their error, and return to their duty and allegiance. • The movements of troops in every direction on the continent, continue to indicate the early re newal of hostilities.—Austria is on every side sur rounded by hostile armies—a numerous Russian corps is assembled on the frontiers of Gallicia—two large French divisions in Silesia menace Moravia.; the 6'sxon contingent has approached the frontiers of Bohemia;—the extensive camps at Erforth, Malshain, Bamberg, &c. cud on the Rhine, threaten Austria. A large body of Bavarians is assembled in the Tyrol. It it to be joined by a corps of Ita lian troops, in the event of a war, and to penetrate into Saltzburgh; while the French army in the Friuli, augmented to nearly, 50,0u0 men, threaten Stine. Austria, on her part, has assumed an imposing attitude, apd appears to view these formidable pre panttions without dismay. An esterniive promotion has taken place in her Arm Niue Generals have been raised to the rank of eielel Marshals, and nineteen Officers to the rank of Generals. The Anitrian army has been divided into eight division•, each commanded by a Field Marshal, under the chief command of the Archduke Cam.: Ea, who is Generalissimo, Mi nister at War, and Supreme in all the matters of Military jurisdiction. The eight.itawpi of the army have been thus disposed of 2d divison, Archdukes Jona and FIRDIN•ND ; the 3d, to Count Bat. ; ath, Baron Zarin bth, Martinis CHILATETTEII I 6th, Prince SCHWANTZEN. V/Pit: : 7th, Prince Ltarritarrats ; Bth, Count GIULAT commands under the Archduke JOHN. • The Duke of SUDTHHANIA haa..assumed the command of the Swedish army on the frontiers of Norway, and it is supposed, from thiscircumstance, that dm expedition against that country will be re newed. Amidst the variety of opinions entertained rela tive to the culpability of the respective Generals commanding in Portugal, th sentiment of indig nation at the maitre and terms of the Convention itself, is common to every individual. IVhether WELLESLEY Of DALRYMPLE were most censura ble—whether any degree of apology can, or cannot be set up for the former, of whether Sir Hew must ',ultra the Undivided ignominy of such a treaty, the calamity itself remain eqsally irremediable. Ingenuity has been exhausted in attempting to as sign motives or causes adequate to such an effect. In order to explain an act apparently so contradic tory to the situation in which we must be supposed to have stood after the brilliaut action at Virueira ; it has been said, not withont some appearance of reason, that though we reprised the enemy on that (lay, we by no means defeated him : in other words, that we gained no victory at Vimeira, though Sir Airtime asserted, and the army believed, tbai we had acquired a complete victory. Assuredly it had 'so resemblance.nor boreany analogy to BONA PARTE'S victories; nor even to those of A age- CIIMIIIIIII, or of Stuart, in Egypt and in Cala bria. A victory in which not twenty prisoners, nor even one solitary stand of colour, was taken from the enemy, certainly left the conquerors and the vanquished nearly where they were before the en gagement. If this should turn out to be the fact, we have been completely under an illusion. No doubt JUNOT will, at some futnre time, give the world his version of this extraordinary victory, and more extraordinary Convention. Many persons there !ire who assert, that. how ever loudly MinketUm *ay affeet, or pretend to re echo the expression-.( condemnation at this Tr, aty ; yea that it wiN. appear neither WELLES-. LEY our DALairierier are really culpable, since they only executed the positive directions of the Cabinet, Tlifire orders were, say they, sit all events, and almost by ag►eeing to any conditions, to effect the evacuation of Portugal, in the view of extentlie:; cur prompt military assistance to the Apaiiiiirds, Though we neither assert, nor can persuade ourselves, that even Ills Maitaty's pre tent Miohiters,.ineauly as we concrlve of their abi lities., wouldirentnre to mold out such instructions; yet ite tmst,that, foribe honour of the English ithine and nution, so compromised in Portugal, three facts will be completely investigated as soon as Parlia ment is met. We believe that men of all parties omit concur in this wish. But, in the case of Ad mind heretst., in 1778, when he was tried for the unfortunate transactions of the t7th of July, so memorable in .our navel history, he was not al lowed to produce his instructions. The public will, however, no doubt, ascertain where the crimi nality lies, and inflict exemplary punishment on its authors, whatever be their rank or political si tuation. If this satisfaction is not given to our allies, we must not hope fur the cordial co-oper ation of the Portuguese, nor even of the Spa niards, its the common cause of opposing BONA. PARTE. He will derive his best assistance from our incapacity, errors, and misconduct. IVlieli we contrast the articles of the Convention of Vilueira, with those of the Capitulatiou of An dujar ; and when we peruse the language of CAS. TAROS, in his narrative, published on the 7th of August, by the Supreme Junta of Seville, coin paring it with the letter of Sir Hew DALRYMPLE, ptiblished in our Extraordinary Gazette, on the 16th instant, we then perceive, in all its extent, the splendour of the former, and the digrace of the latter, transaction. " This army, so superior to ours of Bayleu," says the Andalusian Commander, "has not only been beaten and rented, but has been constrained to lay down its arms, and give up its artillery ; and has suffered the lowest military degrudatien, which the French have been hitherto accustomed to impose on all the other nations of Europe; and the Imperial Eagles, the proud in signia of their triumphs, have become the trophies of the Spanish army of Andalusia, on the fields of Baykal." The Count Dc C•I.DARVES, com manding the army of Gerona, in his dispatches to the Captain-General of Catalonia, dated the 18th of August, detailing his victory over the Frenck, et:presses himself in similar terms Gerona," says he, , 4 is delivered ; Duass►ts is humbled ; tile garrison of Barcelona extremely weakened; our woos fl ushe..l with an ardour suited to the ad vantages they have obtained, and the Eagles of the Great Napoleon laid prostrate in the dust, and be smeared with the blood of his legions." Let it likewise be remembered, ellset the Spani ards effected these decisive victoria*, at acquired these signal advantages, with undisciplined troops, peasants, rniquelets, and smugglers, while we have seat the flower of the British forces to the attack of RYNOT, whom we prodigiously out-numbered.— It would be too humiliating, and it is unnecessary to quote the words of the Convention concluded by our Generals. They are too deeply engraven on the memory, and too deeply impressed on the feelings of every man throughout Great Britain, to need recapitulation. They are, indeed, equally insulting to the Majesty of the Throne, and to the honour of the Sovereign, as they are disgraceful to the character of the army and of the nation. At Closter-seven, at Saratoga, at Worgaum, at York Town, and at the Helder, we were beaten or sur rounded. At Vimeira we are taught to believe that we were victorious. If in that persuasion we have been deceived, it is time that se should know it ; but, in every event, inquiry• and punishment must light on those who have thus dishonoured the country. To-morrow we shall, if not interrupted by more urgent matter, direct our own and our reader's attention towards the North Eastern Pro vinces of Spain. On that theatre, the greatest events are about to take place, which will decide, not only the immediate fate of Spain, but eventu ally, perhaps, the fate of NAPOLLON himself. The Gazette, of last night, contains an Order of the Kinn, in Council, for the restoration of the Portuguese property which has beta under de tention since the french.loOk. poomposioo of that country. ~ • ' • Saturday aboraiag. Capt. Dc Curiri and auo ther Gentleman' arrived sit the PoaTuGuEsc Ats- BAss,looß's, in twelve days-from Oporto, vial Bristol. The Ambassador immediately communi cated to Ministers the purport of their dispatches, and a Messenger was shortly after sent to Windsor with the intelligence. A variety of reports prevailed in the city on the subject of these dispatcbra ;—by some it was stated, that the Portuguese troops, indignant at the term* granted to the enmity, had attacked cud killed 800 of them ; end by others, that the Por tuguese General, FERIERA, had declared his deter minati.on to oppose the fulfilment of the term* of the Convention. The complaints of the Portuguese, we undi•r stand, are not confined to the Convention. Other circumstances have occurred to excite their disgust and indignation. By some unhappy blunder the British troops, who were scot to take possession of the PortaguPse forts, hoisted their own, instead of the colours of that nation. The consequence was, that the populace became highly incensed, and it was found prudent to substitute th- Portuguese for the British flag. Another cause of dissatistiu fiou was, the little use that was made of the Portuguese . army in the lute operations. It was a sentiment as loudly expre.-..d ss wine:rally entertained, that their troop* were purposely so Placed on the day of Ow - battle of ViinVint as to prevent them ticipaling in theaction. in order that the ►loodsi engrossthe whale of the glory, jealousy prevails, no cordiality cut subsid. afraid that we tang at last leave this thenisielves. . . The communieatiOns which have rerd ie d the subject do not go to the extent of tit' these statements; hut we are authorised to sat the Gentlemen in question hare strong remonstrance frem the Cenet'ais a n d of Portugal against the execution of the and that so greitt a degree of fertuettt and i &nation had arisen in that army, that, is appease the tumult, Gen. Featea♦ had necessary to declare, in General o..lers, • effort would be used to prevent the fulG the Convention. Several Officers ai,d prit been tried for their conduct vt; this ti eea , i ,,„ , uo sentence bad been passed attlltipit The'enalaarkation of the Freud! troops tad suspended by orders from the Britis, in consequence of representations that the had vitiated the Convention by fillinetJui plunder, subsequent to its conclusion—, other instances to that effect, it is stated that PEDRO D'AIIELEA, a mercliont, had, thed the date of the treaty, beau plundered of pro the amount of 10,000 dollars, including s aw sally plate—that Segnior Faastsatoer, bad been ordered to pay 6,000 dollars, and thrown into prison until his friends had raised astm. Upon his liberation, he demanded Secretary to General Ju NOT, the cause of this and imprisonment, when he was answered that contribution was to enable the General the bravery which his troops had displayed battles of the 17th and to nearly 50,000 dollars has taken from an English Gentleman long resident in Portugal ; and case, fully authenticated, have urged to the British Commanders, them& to delay the fultiltuent French Officers, on the contrary the Convention would not be allowed for the consideration were importunate to hasten it. We understand, that, so late as the 9th, no tachments hod been made from the British • An expedition had been planned, we I Spain, but it had been deemed inexpedient weaken our forces hi Portugal, while it doubtful svliethee the conduct of the enemy not imposed on us the necessity to renew hosiil against him : or whether, in the event of the fal• fitment of the Convention, our whole force might not be necessary to compel the Portuguese to - mit to its execetion. The French Officers, we hear, have given several splendid entertainments, to whisk they invited the British Officers ; but our informant adds, that those invitations had been invariably declined. The Clergy were successfully exerting thetinelves amongst all classes of the people, is order to pre vent the enemy from carrying away the booty they have amassed by the numberless acts of bacolegt and robbery they have been guilty of. The French army, which was, et the time d signing the Convention, at the North of Lisbon, a, according to the accounts received, yesterday, re moved to the left bank of the Tagus, and is at Ce• zimbra, on the coast of Portugal, close to Cape Eqpichel. It is worthy of remark, that letters to the 104 received yesterday from Oporto, express the norauce of the merchants respecting the terms of the Convention signed on the 24th ult. Thor the more extraordinary, as it is only three days journey from Lisbon to Oporto. Why the usual intercourse was stopped or impeded, remained no- accounted for, at a time too when it was beheved there was a regular communication made to the Junta. • The following. article is extracted from Goat's Lirerpoa Advertiser. received on Saturday:—" e are favoured a ith the following extract of a letter los respectable house i■ this town, from their corm , spondent in Jamaica. from which it appears that a great trade is already carried ou between the Spew ish settlements and our West India Islaada. Tbt advantogcs of this must soon be seniibly felt, 5 $ the consumption of ou► exports, and particularif of cotton goods, awing fail to be greatly W creased :-- LIWOrTOII, JCLT 31, Isis. " Ten days ago an express vessel arrived here in .2: dr" from Cadiz, with dispatches to this Government, and ars omits of the resolution in Spoilt, which hate already open ed an intercourse between this island sad all the ni ..ghbour- Mg Spanish colonies of Cella and the Main, IJr lima Um memo purchases bare already been made 11 good' , fur Vera Cris; Cart 161411111 3 , the Caracas, sad Cdr, mul • barb Will open a very large rent (us the manufactures of Mno deceits, iu *Lids the &instal fur these iur.p..lll consists, •ix punted cottons, coloured sayer, to of ail buoy, Dritiah atus:ins, p.atillas, ratios stockings, hats, Oc. "The loth'', ofSpasirh traders to ibis part, these Sew days, hews en great, se to have drained the mai kr t." Violent dispute", which, it is believed, al" IM attended with tame impurtaut changes .inosig the 11.vinheN of t h e Cabinet. are said to have take ptute on the subject of tilt. I lrw 1)A I.M MP, E • s ;tip. poiettnent to tlw c•Jeitmand of the army i i F"r tupd. from whithao many misted upes !lave lowed. event them f rom raler that the bo he %hwy. Where' is I' Clrl suip4ist. v.., leaw: this pe o pl e ea h have reedu.,l v ail lie extent of r ol tuthe•rised to I:t%, t of here brou t 0 ,„ e Gene;'Lls 4114 vution of the tr ferrue:a end inso • 1 rtny, th a t, io order ERA 11411 fOUpdt m 1 Oilers, a sk ti eat the fulGhueot tl tl leers and priNt t .o 4l of thin 4cc a3 , o „ , at t li,,,,t them. •encli troops lid to ey:rnn st a t e d icts t omm at thte r e includinguti e tit ind ‘i British :l ° es , i aF: name that a itudorcebttiy: id, had, th e day the tRANDE 7 sun Aletld r , ,000 dollars, and l os :.was ds j e demanded inailie answereddn 0 o s : th i st4 the cause of this it the General to o had displayed in* 1 :.--A sum at:manta ' in like mannerbee 01311 named %cm § and numerous oder tve been so ;trough indent, as to corned of the treaty. T o , sry, tapprehetuire tht executed if time,. a of its stipulations, tie as the 9th, no de. m the British maw.— zed, we under.tando• I eared inexpecheat ts ii, while it remained :t of the enemy had ty to renew hostilities the event of the fsl. ur whole force Ini 4 ht e Portuguese to sub. !ar, have given several vhielt they iorited the nformuut adds, that ariably declined. The exerting them:elm °pie, iu order to pre- away the booty t liey less acts of sacrilege guilty of. was, et the time d e North of Lisbon, is, iceised, yesterday, re- Tagus, and is at Ce• :ugal, close to Cape tat letters to the 10th,