The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1807-12-23 00:00:00

0 ~~ bon during his Royal Highness's absence from Au.. rope. this morning the Portuguese fleet left the Tagus. I had the honour to accompany the Prince in hit passage over the bar. The fleet consisted of eight sail of the tine, four large frigates, several armed brigs, sloops, mid corvettes, and a *umber of Brazil ships, amounting, I believe, to about thirty-six sail in all. They passed through the British squadron, and His Majesty's ships fired a salute of 21 guns. which was returned with an equal number. A snore interesting speSacle than that afforded by the junitioo of the two fleets has been rarely beheld. On quitting the Prince Regent's ship, I repaired on board of the Hibernia, but returned immediate• ly, accompanied by Sir Sidney Smith, whom I pre sented to the Prince, and who was received by his Royal Highness with the most marked and gracious condescension. I have the tumour to inclose Lists • of the ships of war which were known to have left Lisbon this morning, and which were in sight a few hours ago. Th..re remain at Lisbon boar ships of the line, and the tame number of frigates, bat only one of each soic i, serviceable. I have thought it expedient to lose no time in communicating to His Majesty's Government the important intelligence contained in this dispatch. I have tl'erefore to apnlogise for the hasty and imper iled manner in which it is written. I have the bo. HMV to be, &c. STRANGFORD. ildaurattOfficr, Dereitikr 111, 1807. Dispatches, of wnsch the tollowing are extrafts andpios. were received at this of fi ce on Saturday last, b 5! Captain Yeo, of His Majesty's sloop the Coafiance, from Rear-Admiral Sir W. S. Smith, ad dressed to theL Boa. William Wellesley Pole. His hil si rsty'a ship !liberals, 22 leagues West .1 . the Tagus, Dee. 1, 1407. SI ft—ln a former dispatch, dated the 22d No. veseher, wi,b a postscript of the 26t11, I conveyed to you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the proofs contidned in various documents of the Portuguese Government being so much influenced by terror of the French arms, as to have acquiesced to certain demands of France. rating against Great Britain. The distribut ion tithe Portuguese lu•ce was made wholly on the coast, while the land side was lel- totally anguard ed. British subjeds of all tiescriptims were detain ed ; and it therefore became necessary to inform the Portuguese Government, that the case had arisen which reqiiired, in obedience to my instrudions, that I should declare the Lagos an a State of block . ade ; and Lord Straugford agreeing with me that hostility should be met by hostility, the blockade was instituted, and the instrodioas we had received were aced upon to their full extent ; still, however, bearing in recollection the first objee adopted by His bl.jesty's Government of opening a re stage for the head of the Portuguese Government, menaced as it was by the powerful arm, _ and baneful ii.flu!nce tit the enemy, I thought at tiny duty to adopt the means open to us, of endea vouring to induce the ?since Regent or Portugal to reconsider his desision tt to unite himself with the Continent of Europe." and to recoiled that he bad possessions on that of America, affording an ample balance for any sacrifice he might make here, and from wl.ieh he would be cut off bythe nature o f: ma ratime warfare, the terinittation of which could not be didated by the combination of the coati nental povons of Europe. In this view, Lord Sts ar gforsi having received an acquiess. rice to the pro;sositon which bad been made • 7 us, to his Lot &hip to land aodconfer with the Pin ce Its g nt under the guarantee of a flag of truce, 1 furnished his Lordship with that con veyance and security, in ordei that he migin give N use Pintail that confidence which hie word of bower as the King's Minister Plenipotentiary, united with that of a braids Admiral, could • not fail to inspire tossardsianthicing His Royal High ness to tt row himself sad his fleet into the arms of Gieat Britain. in petted reliaseg on the King's overlooking a forced ad of apparent hostility against his flag and subjcils, and establishing lies itsiyal Highness's Government in his ultra-marine possessions, as originals 'atomised. I have now the heartfelt satistadson of an:wincing to you, that onr bopet and expedations have been realised to the utmost elteat. On the morning of the 119th, the Pertuguese fleet (as per List annexed) came ' out of the Tiiei,us och His Royal Highness th e Prince of Brasil and the whole of the Royal Irst. mily of 3rai;staaa is, board, together with many of his faithful Counsellort and adherents, as well as other persons attached to his present fortunes. ' This fleet of eight 6.4 t. nt t:ie tine ; WIN frigates, two brigs, and one schooner, with a crowd of large • armed merchant slaps, arranged itstlt under the promeiern of that of His Majesty, while the Brine or a reciprocal salute et . twenty-one guns announced the friendly meeting of those who but the day be fore were on terms of hostility ; the scene impres sing every beholder (except the French army on - the hills) with the most Item emotions of gratitude to Providence, that there yet misted a Power in the world able, as well as walla& to proud the op pressed. I have the hamar to be, Ilic. W. SIDMIT SUlTlf• List of the Paatugueee Peet that COMO OUR of the Tagus ire tne 29tli of Neveseer, taxi. Pe own* Real, 84 Runs; Roinha de Portugal, 74 ; Conde Htl , ' JO, 74; Medusa, 74; Alfonso. de Albiquerquir, 54 ; it D .1.40 do Cease. us ; Priocipe de Saud, 74; Marton) do root" N. Frigates—Minerva. 44 gun.; llntrvalid, 36; Urania, 32; Lod we saner. Wing nets. yet icia our it. litip—Visedor, -.1/ gun. ; V argaiiee, 20 ; Lebre, 22. Sebedner--Cariusa, sit seas. (Signed) Joao. YOZL MOOT. TOttita4, Major•Gesteral. (Copy) W. Si nasty Stains. Lid Sla,ary's ship llitternia, 22 lingoes . w.st in the Tessa, the 1, IMO. - f Ste,--In nether dispatch of this day's date, I - have transmitted a list of the Portu g uese fl eet tnt came oat of the Tagus on the 24th ultimo. wiiich I received that day from the hands of the Admiral essossitoding .t, when I went on hoard the Priacipe a ma ig, to pay my visit pt reseed and congrantlltion ',His Royal Highneiji the Prince of Brasil...who was embarked in th ship. I here iodate tbitii i :t rut Those lel t Minas e aheace of bat onef e ail t.h fourlosgretted ] the Pottegnise (the JACO ,le COM she ailleg under repair : her guns have i ,~ been employed to arm the Freitas, 64, a new ship, and one of these which came out with the Prince.' `lhe other three are mere hulks ; and there is also one ship on the stocks, the Principe Regente, bat she is only in frame. The Prince said every thing that the most cordial feelings of gratitude tiswards, and confidence in, His Majesty and the British Nation might be sop posed to dilate. 1 have by signal, for we have no other node of communicating in this weather, direßed Captain Moore in the Marlborough, with the London, Mo narch, and Bedford, to stay by the body of the Por tuguese beet, and render it every assistance. I keep in the Hibernia, close to the Prince's ship. I cannot as yet send the Fosidrin ant, Plantagenet, and Conqueror, on to Admiral Purvis, according to their Lordships' order of the I 4th, which, I trust, will be the less felt as an inconvenience off Cadiz, as they appear to have been ordered thither, with reference to the Russians being within the Straits, before it was known they were on my station. I have the honour to be, tc. W.S.SetTII. List of the Portuguese ships that remained in Lisbon : S.Sebastiao, of 04 guns--unservicesble without a thorough repair. Maria Prima, of 74 guns—unierviceable , ordered to ba mad* into a floating battery, but nut yet fitted. Vasco de Gann, of 74 gum—under repair, and nearly ready. Princess de Hein, of 64 guns —coudenoKa; ordered to bo fitted as a Floating Ilattary. 'tiptoe...Fel , ix, of 4$ guns..—in neat of thorough repair. Amason, of 44 guile—in 'iced of ditto. Pena., of 44 guns—io need of ditto. Triton, of 4a ditto--s 4t repair. VaMoy, of 30 dittoevidgo. W. SIDNEY SMITH. liibernia, at all, la! 37. 47 bug 14. N. Dye* 1407. Ora-3 have the satisfaßion to acquaint you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that I .ucceeded in colleting the whole of the Portuguese fleet, except a brig, after the gale, and that the weather was such as to allow the necessary repairs and such distribution of su pernumerarjes and resources to be made, as to enable Vice-Admiral Don Manuel d' /lc unite Sotto mayor to report to me yesterday all the ships capable of performing the voyage to Rio except one line of battle ship, which he reque.ted might be conduEted to an English port. 1 meant to escort her part of the way, but she did not quit the fleet with me last night as settled. I hope, how ever, she may arrive safe, as the is not in a bad state, being substituted for the Martino de Frejus, which was at first destined to go to Englaed, in conse gitence of a fresh arrangement male yesterday on the latter being found in the best state for the voy age ni the two. I bstve detached Captain Moore in the Marlborough, with the London. Monate)), and Bedford, to attend the Portuguese fleet to the Bra zils. I have thought it my duty, in addition to the usual order,to take the above ships under his orders, to give Capt. Moore one to hoist a broad pendant after passing Madeira. in order to give him greater weight and consequence in the performance of the important and unusually delicate duties I have con fided to him. I feel the most petfetit reliance in that Officer's judgment, Ability, and zeal. The Portuguese ships did not, after their repar titian. want more provisions or slops front us than the list inclosed, which I supplied from this ship and the Conqueror. This dispatch will be delivered by Captain Yen. of His Majesty's sloop Confiance, who has shewn great address and zeal in opening the communica tions by fleg of truce, which it was the interest of those in poser, who were against the meoaute of emigration, to obstrult. Lord Strangford speaks of his coastal in terms of warm approbation ; on this ground I beg leave to recommend him to their Lordships, to whom his general merits as an officer are al. eady well known. Having been in Lisbon without restraint during the intercourse, he is qua lified to answer arty questions their Lordships may wish to put to him. I have the honoor to be, ire. W. S. Suite. Msrow•sDuM. The Diana merchant vessel. having on board about sixty British sobjeas, who had been detained in consequence of the embargo. came out of the Tagos in company with the Prwttsguese fleet. and it is supposed that she bore up for England at the commencement of the gale. THE BRITISH PRESS. LON DON, WEDNESDAY..I)Lciimazi 23. Dispatches were received yesterday at Viscount CASI L 1411.1614% Of lice, Item Sir Huns DAL.. a v mrt.r. Deputy-Governor of Gibraltar. Alter his Lordship had read them he went to the Foreign Office, and consulted with several of his Ceilleoguee. Hi► Lordship then carried them to his Royal High ness the Duke of Yosic, with whom he remained for a considerable tune. Tie following is said to be the substance of their contents: " About the 11en of November, 11.440 isanch troops entered Madrid. The people rent upon them, but being unprepared, were repulsed, losing 1000 men. The French then gave out they came to sup. pert the Prince of AGTuseas,Of which tranquillity was restored. Some reports were that the Pumice of PeACe was se:zed, others that be had fled. al A letter from BORARARTE to Is. Prince .of ASTURIAS was published, saying, he had been abused and betrayed ; that he was the only person fit to govern the conatry ; that he would put 100,000 troops under his command, ice. " The Prince of Ail URIAS is Generalissimo, Don CARLOS, Grassi Admiral, all the PRINCR of Peace's friends are rcmived from comm ind, Don SOL A t4O recallci from Celia, and the CLiet Engi acer sent to Madrid in an est. . . The French ale co occupy all the Spanish IF ports, and the Spaniards are to be sent into Por tugal." We have also received letters and papers from Gibraltar, to the Vith, confirming this intelligence. The private letters state. that the French army in Spain amounts to 90,000 men, and that it is confi dently reported they are immediately to commence the siege of Gibraltar. No preparations, however, bad been made by the Spaniards, for the attack of that fortress, but the greatest caution and vigilance were, notwithstanding, adopted by the garrison against fraud. treachery, and surprise. Among the means which prudence dictated fur its safety, k the following Proclamation, which has been pub ' liked in the Gibraltar paper : PROCLANI A 'HON. .77 " GIISPALT•ft, 0cr.12, 1807. " In future, all letters, which are intended to be sent from this gartison to Spain, either by land or water, are to be first brought to the Secretary's Office, for examination, during of hours ; and any person, who shall, after this warning, be de tested in attempting to send, or convey, any let ter to Spain, that shall not have been previously brought to the Secretary's Office, will be consi dered as a Spy, who is bolding correspondence with the enemy, and punished accordingly. All letters also that are brought to the garrison from Spain, either by land or water, are Cu be sent to the Secretary's Office for examination, previous to their being cielivered ; and the Prattiute Master is hereby direfted to warn the patrons and crews of ' all vessels or boats, that may arrive here from any port of Spain, that if they shall attempt to deliver any letters they may bring for this &arrison, with out their being first sent to the Secretary's Office for examination, they will be sonsideted as spies, and treated accordingly. All letters intended to be sent to Tetuan, or Tangiers, or any part of Barbary, or that may be brought from thence, are in like manner to be brought to the Secretary's Office for examination. "By command, IL %TRION r, A. Secretary." Mr. Serjeant MOORS has left Dublin for Lime rick, for the purpose of examining into the nature of some outrages recendy committed in that county, six or seven of the perpetrators of which are in cus tody. Flit objea is to ascertain whether the nature of their crimes is etches requires a Special Com mission, or any exercise of the extraordinary powers vested by the late Ads in Government ? It is uni versally believed that these crimes are totally un conneted with politics. The Estraerdinary Ga:rite expeaed on Monday, was not publi►bed until yesterday. A true Copy of it is given in our preceding columns. It 'hews, that in effeaing the escape of the Portuguese Navy with the RoeAL FAMILY of Portugal, the country is more indebted to Lord Svaamoroa o and the ar rival of Sir Stor:av SWITH of the Tagus, than the most favourable report taught us to suppose. It was an undertaking dificult in the estreme, and which nothing but the most consummate address has been able to achieve. " There was a moment," says Lord STRANGIIOIO, " when the Parses Re- OINT suffered himself to forget that no country could be permitted to be an enemy to England with impunity." His order for the detention of British property, and the Manifesto, declaring the deter mination of Portugal to unite with France against England, were not for the purpose of gaining time to enable the Court to make the necessary prepara• tions for emigration. They were sets of real, open, and undisguised hostility, and Lord Sr aasoroao had, in consequence, demanded his passports, left Lisbon, and repaired on board the squadron of Sir SIDNEY SMITE. —Here the door of recon ciliation appeared to have closed, and the fail ure of English address complete. A rigorous blockade was established at the mouth of the Fa ris, kg Lord S ***** mats, though no longer vested with a diplomatic capacity, availing himself of the proteCtion of a Flag of Truces retailed to Lisbon, and renewed the negotiation with the Patrice Raster, to whom he offered the alterna tive either of surrendering the fleet to His Barr AN.- NM MAJESTY, or of immediately employing it to reaseire the Roar. FAMILY to the Brazils : And it was at this moment British strength and justice triumphed over French rapacity and fraud. " The Puget ItECIINT," says Lord S AAAAA VOID, " wise ly dirndls* all his apprehensions m a Fermis army, and all his hopes to an English fleet." He con fided in the assurances of his Lordship, and placed himself under the proteSion of England. On the morning of the 29th the Portuguese let came nut of the. Tagus, affording, as Sir SID HIT SMITH says in his letter, a " scene im pressing every beholder (except the French army on the hills) with the most lively emotions of gratitude to Providence, that there yet existed a Power in the world, able, se well as .willing, to protea the op pressed." It thus appears that part of the French army had aEleally d wrived at Lisbon at the depot tare of the feet. The latter was not sn no serous previous accounts stated. Lord SritA crams states it at 36, including the Brazil ships. His Lorsishie's letter is elegantly written, and will be read wid s great interest. Dispatches, dated the I dth instant, vrer- rectived yesterday at the Admiralty, from Lord G arm.; of Ushant. Its &et continued all wa . Tos enemy had made no movement. Dispatches were received yesterday at the Admi ralty, from ear squadron upon the Irish 'Lain's; the contents of which were communicated to t.fi nisters ; and in consequence an express was sent af from the Admiralty and Dnwning-street, last n; c ;lrt, for !inland. We have received Mitch Papers to the I lith inst. They contain nothing of the least interest, except a treaty concluded between France and Austria. with the substance of which the public ate ■lready ac quair ted. They also contain an address from the Legislative Body to King Lours, in reply to his Message. By this address it appears that the Kra o's message was accompanied with a copy of a treaty between France and Holland, lately coo— eluded at Paris. His Musser is espened is town. this day, to hold a Private Levee and Privy Council, at the Queen's Palace. Yesterday afteranon the Duke o f C . - -USIREOL AND came to town from Windsor. Yesterday. the Duke of Yoe% held a public day. at his Office, in the Horse Guards. Sir Aar HER PAGET attended, and had an audience of his Royal Highness, upon his return from Constantinople. Lords HI•TMVIELD and FORBES. General WAIT. sow, arid a neureber of other militat y officers of die- tintilion were present. Lord CastAAAAAow had an audience of bis Royal Highness ler a considerable time. His Lord ship is much recovered in his health. It was said, yesterday, the Qua err and P arse asses would accompany His MAJESTY to town this day. fro oi na l ‘ m Vi o n n d d so. Monday morning the Duke of Yoe x arrived at Windsor, from °attends, and transafted business with His Mature the whole of the morning. till one o'clack. when His. Mai erre went to dinner. His Royal Highness stopped and dined with the Queer+ and Pettiest's% at four o'clock, and in the evening set off for London. Yesterday morning the Princesses AUGUSTA, SO• este and Arager•, with several attendants, rode on horseback, in Windsor Park, from half past eleven o'clock till half past one. Captain Yen, yesterday, received his Cammision as Post Captain, from the Admiralty. Mr. Su aw. the Admiralty Messenger, was wade: orders. last night, for Ireland. Mr. CLYNE., the Admit dry Messenger, left town, last night. with dispatches for Plymouth. Mr. WI a eta re ac a, we are concerned to ow. is much indisposed at his house at Broomfield, Clap ham. Mr. Caesium gave a dinner yesterday to Local AWILESIURY, &S. at his house in Stankope.street. May-fair. Viscount CAS LLLLLL OM entertained at dinner. yesterday, at his horse in St. James's-square, a party, consisting of Lord Mus.oaarre, Ead Casings, &c. The Duke of PORTLAND gave a grand diner s yesterday, at his house in Piccadilly. Mrs. Cavity's elegant and lively Comedy of The Bege's 4testageso, was performed last night et Drury-Lane Theatre. Mrs. Joanaa sustained the part of the fascinating Letitia Hardy, with all hee usual archness, Naivete and excellence. Her song •• Will yea marry nee, Rey pertly Mail l" was most rapturously eweerrit.--The whole Comedy was ad mirably supported, sod received the most uu bounded applause. The Portuguese Ambassador's chapel, in South-, street, was yesterday very fully attended, and se- , veral anthems were sung, being the Anniversary . the Queen of PORTUGAL'S Birth Day.—His Este lency gave a grand dinner to the Portuguese No.' lity in the evening, at the Thatched-house Tave in St. James's-street. The Sophie, Capt. WILL' A MS, from Monte V cant - or Bristol, arrived at Milford on the 18th in She sailed in company with 73 sail, I r which being dull sailers, parted south of the line under convoy of a gun-brig. The Sophia parte from the rest of the fleet t,ta the Ilth. in lat. 49, long. 8. W. E.S.E. The Bank of England are now delivering th State Lottery 'tickets; therefore those peesons wit are desirous of procuring favoini:e Numbers, mu. immediately apply to the Licensed Lottery Office Scheme contains 23,000 Tickets s all the Prig afloat (a circumstance which has not taken place k many years past) Begins drawing next March. The Vivien/. Snows. from Potersburgh fa London, is captured otf Bornholm. Above 1000 ship letters frontliolland were yeite day delivered at the Po.t-ollice. They were btong. over in aii eel seinen. The contents of these letters ! number of which we have seen. afford further stances of the rigour with which it is determined t execute the prohibitory Decree against our co merce. All the merchants throughout Holland se peeled of holding any mercantile intercourse wi this country, have been placed under the serf: labs( of the police ; and enormous fines have • imposed upon such as have had the rnisfortn to be convieled. We have seen a hater from R. terdam, of the lath instant. which states, that a a of no lets than 80,000 guilders was demand a merchant in very humble circumstances. in city, for violating the Anti-Cummercisl Devi but being unable to pay the has. he contrived escape from arrest, and fled from the c otiutry, lean his property at the mercy of the Goveroure t nt. vend other merchants at Rotterdam. end a ports in Holland, who had been put snider of in consequence of charges similar to that of Gentleman, h ere, we understaati. :Waited to miler expedient for safety. • four mak Cons lett t coon' throi that , ever, of h in st 'crib *nem bassi passi woul bosp prisa feed, •t a Were siac •star cum than Was /cepa lie v wpm meri was lour lea v h-441 tore hot dur der. dati et I. anel at/ the infra 1-)1 trail this