The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1809-12-08 00:00:00

F I I LORD COLUNGWOOD'S FLEET. VICRACT OP A LEITER VitoN A GENTLEMAN, ON O,IID THE toI.94SUS. "1/ M. a. cetwssus, eif lamas, NOV, t,tatg. ate DEAR Six—l sun very happy to And there is au opportunity of writing to England by a ship which is going home with Lord CoLtaximousi'ili dispatches, and I shall not let it pass animist writing to you, especially as !hare some good news to com municate. On the night of the 22d of October. (cruising' off Barcelona) we observed a ship to wind ward, coining down wrier all sail, and tiring gulls ; and ou her nearer approach. we bad the pleasure of seeing she had the night signal up for the enemy's fleet bating put to sea. The Admiral immediately made the signal to cl.•ar for action, and make all sail iii chase to windward ; which you may be sure was complied with. with the greatest alacrity. ••••••At day-light. we observed a frigate to wind ward, let fly her top-gallant sheets and tire a gun, which is the signal tor a strange fleet being in sight. At eight p. in. we saw them Irmo the toast bead, and soou found it was the etiritty ' s fleet. We beet to quarters, and made all sail in these. It appears they little expected to have fallen in with us, as, when we first saw them, they were coining dowu before the wind ; but, upon seeing us, they immediately fended their wind to the eastward, un der a heavy press of sail, and we after them, with every stiteh of sail we could-carry. 0:i our coming • utarar to them, we could mike out three ships of the line and two trigates, with a convoy of about twenty sail of merchant snips. • We were coming up with theirs very fast; bat, night coming on, and testing they avert escape in the dark, the Ad. *Marl made the sigma fur the weather division of the fleet to continuo the chaise to windward, while we (the lee division) went off to Barcelona, to pre vent then) getting in tittle, us we supposed it was i their isitention to have relieved that (dace; but we did not see any thing of them afterwards. But, however, the weather division joined us on the 30th, bringing the pleasing intelligenee of their having de stroyed the enemy's squadron, except one frigate, which, by her superior suiting, made her escape.— Our ships chased them so cluse, that the enemy were obliged to run ashore, to prevent their ships falling into nor Minds. Two of them blew up, with a dreedfal explosion ; the other, and the fri gate, remain on shore, on their basin-ends. with all their mastsgone, and by this time are destroyed.— The convoy made their escape into Roses Bay.— But while there is a British fleet afloat, the enemy's ships are safe in very few harbours, much less at sea. We cult live of Omni out last night, and hurtled three, two of which were laden with powder, and of course blowing up, they made a famous dust in die air. Very kw people were loot, as they made their escape on shore. The other slips we do not kilo* any thitig of, but I dare say, they will be picked up by some of our cruisers before they reach Toulon. The lose on our wad rather heavy, as we bad to tut the ships out front taml-r a very hearty battery. One of the ship's haat, ...PI 11110W11 utt along-title the powder-ship when she blew tip. We took and de stroyed in all 15 mil, Nome of wl.icli were sunk iu the hay, so that the French have been completely bitelkral in their attempt to relieve Barcelona.-a. They thought we were lying off Port Malicia, when they put to sea. " I am your's affectionately, BRITISH PRESS. LON DON, FRIDAY. DU:IBMA 8. Reports have been prevalent, for twine days, of a continuums at Seville, in which several of the Junta, including Pistarux. the brother of the hero of Sa ragossa, were seized Ly the populace as traitors fit their country ; while other aceitits link ce a sus picion, that the violence has been exercised under the influence of the J u nta, upon the leaders of the populate parry not in the Government. The hest-informed circles incline to the former opinion. A change has been a Mug time in contemplation, and it will not surprise us to find, that many of the Members of this imbecile Cabi net have been removed. When the Marquis Wet. Ittsi.LY visa at Seville, information, we understand, was communicated to liiin,that a plot had been form ed to seise the whole of the Junta in the middle of the night, while they were engaged in Council—to put to death some, and to send off others to South America-.to declare • Regency, and to place at its 1 bead the old Cardinal BOURBON, the Duke De 1 .1 N FAINTA Oct, the Marquis Dc kOM•NA, and two others, and that the Duke's regiment of guards, then at Seville, were to be the principal actors in the plot. 'Die Marquis could not of course suffer such a design to he carried into execu tion without givitig notice to the. Joist., which lie did immediately. The Junta were in • dreadfull state of thing, and threw themselves upon his Lordship. who promised to go instantly to the Duke DE IA NrANTA UO. but urged the imperious necessity of their attending to the popular wislie4, convoking the Cortes, and making several reforms . la the administration of affairs. This was promised, and the. Marquis had a conference with the Duke Dc L'IWYANTADO. *no exerted his influence so effectually, with the regiment of guards, that his &sign was not carried into execution. The Junta, relieved from the danger that had alarmed them, row/lied to remove the Duke's regiment, and to introduce other troupe, upon whom they could de pend. They then shewed a reluctance to fulfil the promises they had made—Tile greatest indignation was again excited agoutis• them, and the Marquis Du ltommt is underst.oal to have made • long speech to them, in which he upbraided them in the most bitter terms. Ender these circumstances, mad to appease the popular discontent, it was agreed t i convene the Cortes. It appears from a letter Irma on talker or board thr. C'aussus, of 74 guar, 1110. of Lord Ctn.:Aso twooti's bet, inserted in another part deur paper, that that/crews of the French convoy, which sought refuge to the 11. n• of Rosas, escaped on shore, and that, at the time alien the enemy sailed from Tou , lois, they suppo,cd that the British squadron was lying oft Port Mahon. The fallowing account was posted last morning at Lt.ntro'b:--- "The Bombay, Lord Castlereagh, and Upton Cavite, East India ships, have arrived in the Downs : they sailed from Bombay the 27th July, and (rota St. Helena the 1 ith October.—The Lord Coghlragh brings an account of four Indiainen hiii..ll 4 tams attacked in the Bay of Bengal; two ,o 1 them are taken . ; out is driven ou shore, and the fuJrth escaped, wises unknown. The two captured ships are carried into the Alauritius, by the Caroline French frigate." The Purser of the Lord Castlereagh, country • ship, arrived yesterday afternoon, who gives the following intelligence, which contradicts part of the above statement, 'that they spoke the Nerei.le frigate, off the Cape, which ship had keen off the isle of Bourbon, where the Streatham and another ship lay, nuder a strong battery. The islands of Mauritius, &c. were under a close blockade." Another account, to the following effect. was re. erivral at the Eat India !louse:— " The Lion man of war, of 64 guns, arrived yes terday in the Downs, with the Bombay, sailed from Bombay the isth, of June ; Lard Castlereagh and Lipton Castle, country ships, sailed from Bombay about the 27th of July. The {Parley, from China, parted, on Monday last, in a gale of wind ;-she was then very leaky. They lift St. Helena on the 11th of October.—Accounts are maid to have been receive,: at Bombay, that, of four extra ships which had sailed from Bengal, two were takvo, one lost in Bengal river, and one arrived at Prince of Wales' Island. " The expedition to the southward was to sail from Bombay the latter end of June, under con voy of the Cornelia frigate. "The expedition to the Persian Gulph had been countermanded. innd the troops were to proceed from Bombay, the beginaing of May, fur Bengal. in several trsovorts, with the Desaystes, under convoy of Ills NI AJ F.STV's ship Drake." • There is no account of the four skips that hate been so lung missing. We congratulate the country, on the first sym?- touts of natiouel feeling end indignation, which were manifested in the decision of On: question, it Giold hall, on Tuesday. Mr. W AITHMA N, acting as a tri bune of the people, but without faction or intempe rance, touched, in a masterly, argumentative, and convincing manner, those topics of inquiry and inves tigation, which, whatever efforts may be made to samurai or to extinguish them, will, from their mag nitude, and the calamities that they lieve inflicted on us, ultimately force attention. The udoption of the Expedition to tValeheiett, the selection of the Commander to whom its execution was entrust ed, std the Mean:tory, procrastination, or igno- Mier, demonstrated in every stage of its progress, have net only involved this country in an ellolllloll7 expense, in a loss of many thousand men, and exposed it to ridicule, as a Government; the chains of Austria have been rivetted by it, and the entire 'subjugation of Spain aud Portugal, may, not improbably, flow front the same source. What Ca-. binet, except one, of which the Duke of Puirmatto constituted the nominal head ; of which an Earl CAMDCN was the President ; and in which the whole Executive Power may lie said to have rested with two Secretaries of State, one of whom had obtained a promise fur the eventual expul sion and disinissiou of the other; while he al lowed this devoted Minister to, plan and execute the Expedition in tpiestioti-..What Adu►iuistra tion, except one, such its Mr. CANNING describes them, servile, iuterested, and capable of any act, however disingenuous, which litight enable them to cling to office, would hove allowed Lord CAITLII ILEAGU to send an army to Walcheren, ander such ■ leader its Lord CHATHAM ! That omen enjoying city hollallrO, alod boob' with the profits of I . oallll or contracts, should oppose all testimonies of the just indigoation felt by their fellow.citixens at these acts, natural. That Ministers, who, because they have substituted Lord Witt... Envy and Mr. v nv.a. in the place of the two Ditelli4 Secretaries; and because they have invested Mr. rEaCITA I. with the Duke of PuatLattu's office, consider themselves es • ►e-invigorated Cabinet, should endeavour to shelter Lord CHATHAM and themselves; we know to be in the guttural •nd or dinary course of things. But, we are persuaded, that neither influence, corruption, nor intrigue, though they may postpone, can present • full in quiry. If DA I.IITNITI.L, for the Convention of Oars. which. 'however inglorious and uuworthy, fell Air short, iu its destructive results, of the re treat from the Scheldt, was nevertheless brought before ■ Court of Military Inquiry ; can Lord CHATHAM escape? The thing is impossible. His actual situation. as a Cabittet Minister, is disliked by the country. That he should condone to hold the office of Master-General of the Oidaance, may well excite astonishment. His very litiotination br the command of the army destined:fur the coast of . •=~ Holland, parlbsea every movement, and decided the fate of the empire. It is unquestionable, diet NAPOLEON. notwithe standiog his sublime talents, Ilia velocity, and his first successes on the Danube, had, nevertheless, adventured too far, and had co emitted all his tic.; • quisitinns to hazard,. when he attempted, on the L 2tith of May, to pass that river, in order to attack the Austrians. From the period of his repulse and defeat, at Aspern, to that of his victory at Wagrath, on the fitli of July, intervened a space of near six weeks, during the whole of which his fortune to tered, and when it might have been arrested, it - not overturned. That the military councils of FAA NOS wanted energy, decision, spirit and promptitude, is not to be disputed. Never hail such au opportunity, for. attacking Lamellar repelling their Corsican foe, presented itself ! Nor do we wean, nor attempt to defend, the pusillanimity and debility, which characterised the Austrian II iite. refitment, Generals, and Ministers, who allowed Bo NAPARTE, unmolested, to reconstruct his bridges, to subject the Danube anew to his confirm', and finally to carry victory with him into the heart of Moravia. These disastrous and humiliating facts are in evidence. But the peace of Vienna never could have been concluded, unless pe, by our delays, our diasensious, and our want of all information, had contributed to render the sitweion of Austria hopeless. It required the imbecility of such a Cabinet as oars; sustained by the inanity of such • Commander as we selected, to ceufirtu victory on &beside of NhpoLhoN, and to enable him, by ter ' "sr, to dictate the peace that followed. Had we sent the army to !Mime in June, while Sir ARTHUR Wet.l.Esi.xy advanced into Castile, JOSKPII roust have been shut in, between the British and Spanish forces. Spain must have been liberated.— Had we directed the Expedition to the Elbe, all the north-west provinces of Germany would have risen against their oppressors. Or, if the Scheldt, and Antwerp, and Walchereu, and nothing else. would satisfy Lord CASTLEREAGH. it is well known that, durrig the whole month of June, no farce ex iateil between the Al.iese and the Scheldt, for the protection ci' Holland or of Flanders. Without taking up a single trans Fort for the conveyauce of Hoops across the Ger:ltan Ocean, twenty thousand soldiers, put on board twenty soil of the line, and five thousand artillery, conveyed in teu frigates, would have reached the opposite shore, with a westerly wind, front any part of the coast of Kent, or of Essex. Ili 24 hours. Tney might, in Jane, have hauled, unopposed, almost any where. from Blankenherg, a few miles north of (Mend. round to the mouth of the Scheldt itself. For it has been demonstrated, that the batteries of Flushing, Sind on Cadsand, though they might have impeded, could not prevent the passage of our fleet. Whe ther the ships of BONAPARTE had been drawn up and moored, below or above Antwerp, our troops, without being moneyed by the guns of that city, would, by a rapid march, have destroyed them, teen if they could not have been approached by the British fleet. The cuterprize would, at least, have been brilliant, useful, and successfid. But, can uti lity, national gloiy, or success, ever attend the deli berations, or accompany the measures, of such a Ca binet as that described in the statement of Mr. CANNING. who, as an actor in the scene, must be allowed competent to draw a faithful picture ? A Common Hall is lobe held, on Thursday nest, to c misider the late disgraceful and calamitous Ex peditions, by which the blood and treasure of the comm!: have becu so shamefully sacrificed, iu coo wequerice of a requisition to the Lon: Mayor. The King has appointed Nlondav next, at Wind sor, to be waited upon by the Sheriffs, to know when His Majesty will be pleased to receive the City Address. We stated, yesterday. that an attempt is making to rescind the resolution of the last Court of Corn. mon Council—A requisition, we understand. luta been set on foot, by Mr. Sheriff Atkins, in come. quence of which, the Lord Mayor has appointed a Court of Common Council fur Wednesday next. We have been informed, that some Wards have signed requi,itions for Ward Meetings, to iustruct their Cowmnu Council to support the proceed ings of la.t Court, which cannot but be followed ksy all those Wards that have any clams to independ ence, and value the honour and character of the country. The pulirs of Marquis Wetts.si.es. assert, .1 that his departure from Spoilt was con'.idercd public calamity, and that it we. at tirst intended. by the populace, to prevent his embarking for England, so anxious were they to keep hini in Spaiii.' . —This is nut the essence, but the dreg► 4.1 the grossest flattery. It uot, let us see what the Marquis will du for the poiailace of his can country The Rev. Dr. H Att, P. T. C. D. has been elected Vice President of the Royal Dublin Society, in the room of the late Archbishop of Dustin. Yesterday, we understand, concluded tbc final evacuation of Flushing, and close, the last scene of that melancholy tragedy, the Walclieten k:spedi tion. The incapacity with which this enterprize war conducted, has only been surpassed by the ignorance in which it was conceived. —Se un wholesome has the Island been always consider ed by the Dutch, that when troops are o►dered from Illaerlem, er Amsterdam, to garrison it, they take leave of their friends with the same melan choly forebodings, as if they were going to the most unwholesome island in the Nest-ladies, in the must sickly times. Of one Dutch regiment which arrived in Walcheren, nun strong, about three years ago. there remained only to it the time of Lord Cacrynat'sdescent,and yet it had received Jun recruits from the s;ontineot it) the interval. ' • LAf, Caile Spectre *as performed here list night: The. part of O.Yasond was sustained by Mr. Raymond. His powers are pecilliarty tteU anapted to characters of this class, and, in the presurit one. lie appeartii to advantage ; but no propiiery of action or delivery could obtou for I *Annual:lied Ni l o °halloo during the awe first acts lies entre sworn ales, and his exit w every scene, were bil lowed by a hiss, apparently front anemic, the saw., party iii the house. Priesuituag dint it untold he persevered in to theond 'of the play, tale. Hat mos.& when thus **sailed in the 4th act, cause forward, and midi , . aSmi the audience w a speech ro the hol lowing ..dace " GENT: t rig"! AND kart had the bot , o4r of pm-forming before a British public for tea bars, aril, cat it this present occasion, have hail the good foctrine to Le ho. •outied with your apprubsibitio. Tie mule of the rteepuen, which I bare this Light experienced, can be only matter c ft on• jet-tine—hut I must cookie, that it lois nut hero, ow my port, totally unexpected. 6 was tufo r,nrd , before I ratite rhino to the house, that, in cousiquelice of my having expressed au opiniou upon the contests that prevail with itspect to Cu. veutsGariten 'theatre, I 'night expect to be opposed std thwarted in my prifessioual isisting. Whether that be just, I leave to the Mena of as honourable public to deride, without fear at incurring its displeasure. 1 rsu uuly say, that If the disapprobation he limited by my' performaute, and that my elertiong to please have been sinfortunafe, it as any duty to bow to your judgment ; but, if it proceeds hero a private party, actuated by au unworthy motive, iu that case, Gentleinen and Ladies, I must threw myself epee roar aud riaira . your protection." This address , was delivered with a modesty that could not offend, and also with a force and Steins-, well calculated to produce effect. It was re ce ive 'd with an unanimous burst of applause from every part of the holier, end not a murmur was heard during the rest of the plat'.—The part of Aitgela was sustained by Mrs. Edwin ; she played *nu spirit. but it wanted simplicity and feeling. Mr. Powell was much too loud io It' el! iaaid ; all ap pearance of strength and vigour, in a man, who statibred fourteen years of sorrows and esiptitity, takes from the interest which his injuries are Cilitll.• lated to excite. A Mr. Vaughan made his first ap pearance in liassait—lle is a tolerably good figure. and shout size; et' his feature* tio opinion could be formed, as HEIMA is a blackmail. There is a jirk its WI; delivery, accompanied with a jirk in his action; aPhich he must hay aside. As h e h as started iu a 'subordinate character, we may presume he does not rate his merits high. The excellence of Mrs. Powell, Its the ghost of Evelina, the public are well acquainted with. Her pertain is consider ably thinner than formerly, and better suited to 'the character. The descent was remarkably well ma. paged ; and although a very large theatre may be considered 'necessary to give full effect to spectacles of this kind, the delusion was complete. Vl'ith the trivial- ititerrarpOen which we have noticed, the piecrt. er/at. The audience was crowded and fashionable, including her Royal Ilighsiess the Princess of Wake and party, and se veral other persona of distinction. • Dr. SAUNDeas, and two other physicians, yester. dry attended Her Royal Highoress l'ance's Awe eta, and were of opinion that her Royal Highness's complaint pvecetided Yuma an enopyemig, or matter in ,the thorax ; and not an hepatetes, ur indium runtion of the liver, as was at first imagined. Lord Kt ri rrAl en has let his house in Lower Gros venor-street, rind imai••porchaeiil a house in Nor folk. His Lordship intends removing to it in the course of three weeks, and will remelt* there for two years. • • Lord Eutagsatir will leave town this day on a visit to the Lark of Essex, at Cashiobory. The Countess el Mxxisoitocom and her daugh ter,' Lady Moamar; left Burton, Lincolnshire. on Tuesday, for nativity, near Perry bridge, Yorkshire, the seat of the Earl of MEIHOItutIGII The Countess of %V liiiTaIOILL•NU will leave KIRKMAN'S Hotel, this day, on a visit to the Earl and Countess of JensEY, at their seat, Middleton Stoney . , near Bicester, Oxfordshire, where her Lady ship intends stopping a fortnight, and will then pr. • ceed into Devonshire, to pass the Christmas holi days. Among the curious pebbles in Mr. &sumac's Museum. is a white eafr-eye, of extraordinary beauty ; it is greatly admired by the tabbies. Lord FRLDERICK iNlos - r•ous returned, on Mon day, to his house in Berkeley-square. }lit Lo.d. ship dined yesw.day with the Duke of Mr.itcruns.. at his house iu Crosrenor-square. Two Ceara. Con. actions are entered for trial, in the Court of King's Bench, this day—both eery distressing cases. Bath arrivals— Viscountess Nilson, tidy Glenbervie, Lady L. Leans, Lord and Lady Gardner, Him. Air and Mit. handed!, Hun. Mrs. and three Moses Fane, Hun_ Mrs. "rhuson, Sir Win. Brabasuu,Nir E and Miss Jaynes, Sir Horace Mann ' Admi ral Crawley, Colonel Mackenzie, Colonel flusr.ird, Colonel Futter, Colonel, Mrs. and Miss Marshall, Colonel Corwin:- haine, Cut. Cooke, Lieut.-Col. Cope, Dr and Mrs Forking. ton, par. Mr aid Mrs Williams, Ace. kir. Mis Legge, Rey. Mr Terry, Her. Mr_ Bowls% Ker. Mr. Gartlad, Star. Mr. M arklua, Km Mr. McNeil, lies. S. Huldawritthy, Capt. and Mis. Aribur, Capitols and Mrs. fiel:aires ' Capt.N ebb, Capt. Du Molltlll, Capt. Mainwaring, Cupt. Bratty, Capt. Nieto:ikon. Capt. llivonlorr, Capt. ltuirei is, Capt. C King, Crpt. C.11.10a, Capt. Hardy, Lida, Poacll, L.tut. Bradshaw, Lieut. Kellett, Mr. 41. d Mill. Puller, 31. anti MIS. Mr and Mn. Grafton, Mr. a... 1 310. Shrppard, Mr. and Miss ItAre Mr. Arid Cbl.llollll, Mr. uod bole, Ylf and Mr:, Hatch, 3f r.aod Mrs BeUWllfir . .:, Mr. and Mrs. Hammer, Mr. and Mrs. Ayton , Mr. and Mrs. Lucas, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson ' Mr and Miss W. Smyth, Mr. and Mrs. Presiun, Mr. and sfin Brooke, Mr. Mrs. and Miss Cram/. tun, Mrs and tau Misses Fisher, Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, 41r. and Mrs. Dr Laney, Mr. Milk, Mr Kisg, Mr. Maddes, Mr. Rsnilall, Air. Underwood, Mr Struts.; Mr. M ACWICOII7I. Mr. Powell, Mr. Laonhert, Mr. Unlit, air. Collins, Mr. Ed. monk, Mr Marro., Mr Morris, Mr Hole, Mr. Ticket'. Mr. While, Mr. Penn, Mr Co.riaer, Mr. Wyatt, Mr Cam. mins ' Mr. Ile,wer, Mr. Lane, Wr Brompturs, Mr. Wyk., Mr. Pearuse, Mr. Sheppard, Mr Mayo, Mr. !kw* Mt Moody, Mr. Wilkie, Mr. Blseolitsrne, Mr Penriad.Coekc, Mr. Andlry, Mr. Fox, 14. - . M. Crompt ~,,, Mrs Merry, Mrs. Hemming, Mrs Jenniuss, Mrs llarite, 311s.WIsitekend, Mrs. Mrs Whatley, Mrs. Whyte, Mrs Dovne, Mr.. Hut. ton, Mrs Nes** Met filronins, Mrs. GrwrOiaiii, Mi.. Rol. den, Mrs. Shad, , Copplustr, Nu. Clearer.* Miss es r Dunwiile, Mrs. Uelamem, Mot, Itvaril, Mho Niredle, M.lll. Wells. Miss wyu.S, Mug Maw Heiman. di. ?INS Santry, Miss Lemma, Mier Howell , Miss Fraser. Muss Tcrusuo, Miss Park, Masa Lindsay, Muss C. Li Lloyd, IN. I,i) . _,I, k 4)‹.., i• - i. -- stiviar-,c 1 ;0 - 6-.),xv.::q4 - TI A I - a 1 - - I 4:it:rum ,THE.IfRE.