The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1809-01-05 00:00:00

I V INDIA. , CALCUTTA, MAT 25# UM'', The continuance 61' tae wet cloudy west her, ' during the past and presort week, authorises the state of the commencement of the periodical rains of the present season, to be tukeu from Monday se' iiii ight, the 15th current. This early occurrence oldie rainy season, &vivo' ' to be recorded. it has entirely overturned the t'em ries of many of our most sage and i . enei able meteor ologists, who resolutely colitelitl, dust die earlier or later commencement of the rains, is regulated by the preceding southerly wuulr. From the lateness of the setting-in of the winds, and from their scao tiness in the present season, it was confidently pro dieted that we could have no rain till late iii the month. The facts have proved exactly the re%CfSt.. The winds, in the early part of the :Alnis.non, have been reistarkubly moderate, and the r sins hive com iticaced considerably earlier than has been known for liftreil or twenty years past. • Tile sinuntity of runt that 1141 Ldlen, during Ilse last ten days, has had the beneficial rjert of rabic"- in 4 1/u price #' rice and other grain, and has hap pily pot to flight the hopes of monopolisers and focr,tallue., who were secretly enjoying the expect ations of famine. PORTLIGUESE PAPERS. OFFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. Lissom. tier. 16. Don Josef Palafox, General-in-(.'bier of the ariny of Arragon, made, under date of the 2cl iti.t. following report to the Supreme Ceram! waif :—" The enemy, from 12 to 14,0ti0 strong, supp rued by 51000 horse, attacked, on the Ist instant; the extensive line of the Canal of Sa ragossa. The bridge, defended by the intrepid Arragoitese; was three tunes taken and re taken. The divisioti of Asturian troops, which serves in this army. babitvid with the utmost gallantry, and attacked the enemy with such nu commou intrepidity and spirit, that they com pletely routed and compelled litm to retreat with the inmost precipitation, notwithstanding his great sup&icrity in nainlwr. He left two thousand k;lled on the field of bottle, and was convinced, by his complete defeat, that if he lately obtained some advantages, he airs merely indebted for them to casualties arising from circumstances, and to the want of sullordinatiou and diseinhue, winch pre . railed among sonic of our troops. Let thew imitate th- perseverance of toe-A,rogonese, and their obe dience to their Ueilerwls sod (Alias; sod the enemy • will soon experience, that neither the rapidity of his innveineids, with his boasted superiority in tactics, ens sold tie a nat i on w Welt has sworn to live and die free. Spatiiards ! let us filial our sacred oath. God, the King, the country, our wives and chil dren expect it front us. Let us not frustrate their hopes, the hopes of all F.otope, which has liar eyes fixed on us, with admiration wid alley. lentil's, bulb Dee. DOW (Lisboa Gazette, De 7. 16.) BSDAJUZ, DEC. 9. BaJoi.z. Diary of this day ,ontaiiis the fol. lowiag article —Hy the last letters from Madrid we were alicooly made acquainted with the state of dllfence of that capital, soul the ardour with which! persons of Loth sexes occupied the batteries. The tnitLulaasta of the inhabitants was such, that ladies and gewiemen of the first &idiot-tom, without being called upon lay the Goieriment, hastened to the gates of Atoclia and Toledo, to woe k at the foitileations, which were cotistsuctid at those Rates, is a Inch situatiou, fur fi ono bring dispirited by the near approach of an enemy, also, at the expense of much blood, bas penetrat ed into the heart of the conotry, in order to render its ruin wore unavoidable, that enraged people made. oath to revenge thg hero s of Num:loth' sod Saragos.A. All the inhabitants of Madrid 'm eanie soldiers. and those of the neighbouring places hastened to their waist:ince on the first notice; they rescued the capital. An English man who yesterday passed tli:ough this place on his way to Lisbon, communicated to us the pleas ing intelligence that 6000 Frenchmen, who had the audacity to penetrate into that town, by one of the bridges, were repulsed with great slaughter.— Lisboa Gazette, liter 17.) I ~.1 k ~. ` ~ ~i yi MADRID, NOY. 22. Oar Gazette of this day contains two letters from the Viceroy of Mexico, Don Jose &horn tarsi, to the Governor of Cadiz, Don Thomas !Marla; the substance of which is as follows : ateltiCO, Asg. 24, IRO*. "I wish you the most perfect Health, and that you may proceed 10 the important affairs which you have undertaken, with the utmost dili gence and success. All this kingdom is ani mated with the best sentiments. and will con tinue so till our inoii;irdis are restored to Spain, and we have the satiafaction we so minis desire of being under their orders. I have determined to scud this ship to eive informa,ion of every skiing to the Juntas, and assure than of our paternity and good disposition to assist them with pee **** iary supplies, if we cairox do it with troo ps ; not Oast we are in want of them, for we have both cavalry and infantry in very good condition. I have many things to comminsicate to you, but little time tie write, having much to do ' that we may be prepar ed for eve ry event. "Joss D'lTuitatomuit. tt Mexico, ferteitther 4." " I return you tiny thanks for the good opinion you have formed of us, in making no doubt that this kingshoin still retains, and will retain its fidelity to its legitimate Sovereign, and that it will bate with looney. and every thing an its power to the es,sistance of the. peninsula, as the people of this kingdom will never forget their oath., nor the acclamation of " Lone live Ferdinand VIT." in which all most willingly and ardently join. " During the six years that I have resided in this kingdom. I have had frequent proofs of the love of the people to their Sovereigne—proofs which have frequently drawn from ray eyes toenail' sa tisfaction. I can likewise declare and as s ure you. that in case Spain should he last, (a leech may Gud in his mercy never permit) Ills Maiesty will always have his kingdom of Mexito faithful to him, rent iiiii g in which lie will be greater than all the sovereigos of Europe. I wish I could accompany you in the defence of so good a cause; but a.. las we may likewise be attacked by the enemy. iiiiice it is very . prolmble that he will esidealiour to peewee himself of this kiniploin, superior to all others in the worh,l, we shall hare au opportunity of imitatittg your heroic conduct. " ITURRIG.III.II." 7WE ICA R. POSITION! OF THE. .IRAIIES IN SPAIN. FRENCH (*AND ARMIES. Sou ves corps, near guldanha, under orders, it is supposed, to mate an attack upon Callicia, aid; in tent to ert iu the rear of the British army mid cut off ifs roireitl to Corunna or Vigo, is estimated at - 30,000 Grnmal.iir S OT, St Burgos, with the troops which he brought with him from Portugal, est:mated at - 10,000 The ..sth and tth dirisions of the Grand Army, on the slit, item. Vittoria, making tol„Terier - 30,000 The four divisious of the Ditkes of BILLY NO. (oral •, D , INTZIC, nod Marshal NEY, at and near Madrid, under the immediate command of Don A- P A %Tr, iiisalea at Division ofravalry sent on to l'alsvera - Roim's division g.ne to Cuenca Total of die Freud, Grand Array in Spain - BRITISH ARMY. Sir ./otin Mooieo ilivisiun Sir DA VID DAi D's - 6,,rt00 - - I ati,uuu 17, 00 13,u00 These two divisions were forotiuti ejuuctiun mt the 17th last, between Salamanca midi Bent-velar, at Toro, with intent, according to "minr act:minim, to advaioce Irk• Valltelolid to fiIIIII3, CM the Douro, awl thus interpose between Mwlwl and Burgos. This, however, wont(' br a very perilon: movement, as at Araiula they would 1111 l.! on their right the French force in the vicinity of Nlintriil. and on their left the French force ut Illargos unit Vittorio, with Sou LT's division in their rear, be tween them and their te,ciu:Te., Sith,cilitent ac counts, however. *unitive a la_lief, t hut this plan, if ever en•ertained, has been British troops marching from Lisboa a:..1 °part° to reinforce. Toone and B•itto in,no9 Total British force SPANISH ARMY. Division of the Marquis Rom• A, at Leon on the I;th, proceeding to joie Moon:: and BA IR D DiaiSion of MOPILA and Put A, CAGTA Sus, suppostd to have funned a junction on the line be tween Madrid and the Sierra Morena - - 40,000 Army of Arragnn, under PA L• 101, at SlUll7,o9ltia ou the nd December • 4U.UtIO 3.,,00.) 14,000 Total - 64,(Mig The only embodied Spanish corps in a pn,ition to mite with the British troops under Mona': and BAIRD, was that of 12.0111 AS A. 'file three united would amount to 70,000 men, a force more than equal any of the three great bodies into which the French army was divided ; we mean the body under BONAPARTE. near Madrid, the body be tween Burgos and Vittoria inclusive, and the di vision of Marshal Sout.T. THE BRITISH PRESS. LONDON, THURSDAY, JANUARY S. NEW VICTORY BY PALAFOX. The Niabe,Capt. LORI NO. arrived on Tuesday at Portsmouth.from Lisbon, with dispatches for Go vernineet. By her we have received letters acid pa pers from that capital to the gist of December. Their contente are of great importance. From the 16th Bulletin of the Freach army, *inch stated the arrival of Marshal We's corps at Guadalaxara "coming from Saragossa;' and several concurrent turnouts in the Spat.ish Papers, sauguine hopes were entertained, that it had been the fate of that brave acid loyal city to have di Ainguished itself once more. by the defeat of the enemy under its walls. Those hopes have been realised, and PALAVOI has gather ed fresh laurels. The Supreme Junta published. at Truxillo, an extract front the official Report made to them by that brave and • fortutiate Geueml. The Report is dated the td of Decem ber, and states, that on the Ist a French force of from 12 to 15,000 itbruotry, supported by awn cavalry, attacked the exteusit e line of the canal of Saragossa. Thrice was the bride, defended by the brave Arragonese, taken and re-taken, but victory at length declared in favour of the Spaniards. The enemy fled with precipitation, leaving 2000 dead upon the field of battle. The division of Asturian troops, serving in the Arragonese artily, greatly distinguished itself upon this occasion. Its bra very is said to have decided the fate of the day.— It appears from this account, that the Supreme Junta was at Truxillo, on the loth, but private letters state, that they have renewed lo St. Mary's, near Celli,, iii order to be out of the of BONA twat, whose cavalry might make a battik's inroad to Badajos or even to Seville. We acknowledge that we were not wit! t apprehensions for their safety. The corps of cavalry, which he dispatched on his ar rival at Madrid, it will he remembered, proceeded to Talavera, in the ►trait road for Truxillo. There is strong ground to presume that it was dispatched for the purpose of seising ►he Junta. The Por tuguese Papers also contain intelligence from Bit deka' to the 10th of December, giving au account of the enthusiasm of the citizens of Madrid, and the preparations made to resist the French. The bitelligence from Madrid in these papers is not of a later date than the 29th of November. Official dispatches had been at that date received from Mexico, with the assurance of the loyalty of that portion of the Spanish dominions, and its deer initiation to support the cau,e of Fsaotaarro the V Ilth. The Encounter gun-lotg, is arrived at Ply,. mouth, from Vigo, which else left on the ,17th ult. A Nlemenger had arrived from Sir 11Av In BAIRD'S army, which was left at Ltentveato oil tlit 17th, where it had arrived on the lath, and received or- (lets to hult. General Nluoat: was to have an inter- view with Sir DAVID BAIRD 0.1 the 17th. It is re- ported, on the authority of letters brought by the Encounter. that the English Generals had deter mined nut to advance in the direction of Arauda, as they are supposed to have originally intended, but to fall back towards, Vigo. This new resolve ap pears to have been adopted with a view to prevent Somr's division front getting into their rear. The Encounter has also brought a repetition of the ru- mow that the Spaniards had risen upon the French, after their entrance into Madrid, and massacred 15,000 of them, and that a French corps of -20(:0 men had been completely defeated by au Englith regiment of cavalry. This report has not, however, obtained credit. If any subject, except one, namely, the fate of Spain, in which our own welfare, anti even our ex istence, are so deeply involved, can excite a lively interest iu our minds at the present moment, it is Cie Report of the Member% of the late Board of 111.. tpairy, oti the transaction. in Portugal. Never, vett:lndy, did any result inure di appoint the ex. peetatimis of a nation, than does that which wee unanimously delivered in by the sereu General Of ficers, on the ind of December. %Veil 'night the Doke -of Vont:, in terms approaching to censure, order their to resume their deliberstinini, bind to give winie opinion on the acts, not on the frefings, of the three Commanders who bueeeetleti each other haure Lisboa. This royal touch, like that of huts, EL'S sitar jai MILTON, has urn le rush of the seven Members of the Court start up la his own proper shape, and immi diately restored to them the use of their prerionsly suspended faculties.— Three of there ems now distinguish between the ilrmistice and the Contention, which not one could di-611410y do before : though it might Ile inferred. from an ol,seure allusion in the first Report, that some of the :11cail}ers had latent scruples " specting the fitness of the Con►ention in the eels- live siiaation of the two armies." General Nt ►atLLs and Lois! Piatattoxv., lo,th, it seems, con demn the Cooveution, though they approve, or rather justify the Armistice. But, Earl Mottta, with more manly decision of ehuracter, more con sisisterwi, and at more length, enters into the sub ject, finally disapproving bath these acts or mea sures. It is difficult to read his opinion, and the reasons or motives on which it rests, without agree n g with him in every sentiment. tie, in fact. only repeats and re-eclices the impression universally received and entertained on the subject. lie will rise, we venture to say, in the opinions of Isis coun trymen, he they of what party they may, iu comae queries of that opinion. The objects before the Court were obviously three: the conduct of lICRRARD, in not pursuing the advantage gained at iu►eit : the armistice, as a joint measure of llatatessei..6 and of LEY : lastly, the Convelitio., which was solely Liatrtemeases net. Relative to the first, however much we may regret that a victory so well begun, was not followed up; jet, if we consider lIVRAARD'S situation, arriving ou the field during the action, and compelled to all immediate decison ou a poi n t of such magnitude and importance, we shall pro bably hesitate to condemn. Even to censiire, we ►nay be slow, wheu it is certain that there are many military men, who believe that General Feneesom was too far advanced, and that there would have been some degree of ts inerity in pet ruining loin to push on to Torres Vedras, uncertain whether he could have been properly sustained. Not that we mean to adopt that opinion ; but w e feel and know that it is one entertained by very able and nape?. judic. d men. As such we respect it ; and while we still lament the line of conduct pursued by Ilea- RSRD, we nevertheless acquit him personally of any fault, except au error in judgment, which must even remain problematical. Of the armistice it is more difficult to pronounce either a condemnation, or an acquittal ; but we incline towards the former sentiment. If JLNOT had not been distressed, wouhl he keys scut to pro pose a stispeusion of hostilities Assuredly not. The great FREDERIC 1”4411 to say, that when in the field, it faint toujours faire, iv qui l'ousenti eraiuts, other words, that " we should ulways attempt that which the enemy deprecates." Never was the application of that mash') more striking and forcible than on the above occasion. That WEL- LesLLY, who had seen a supposed victory snatched. as it were, from his grasp on the preceding day. should, us ti.rthelesa, support lict.teestax's pro position, was natural. And that DALRYMPLE, newly arrived, should accede to it, may claim excuse, if not challenge approbation. The utility, or the crier of the armistice, may be matter of doubt. Rut how justify the Conven tion Eight days had elapsed, a new British army had landed intermediately, of le,Goo men. Ju NOT had received no such succours ; and his troops, defeated, as well as dispirited, were, as Earl MOIRA observes, " broken in spirit, and hop less in cucum- n,. - 1 stances." Does any taftn . believe that the French Commander, thus situated, and attandoned by floe NAPARTE, would not hose acceded to other terra'? Have we forgotten, or do we not know, the general indignation and contempt, felt among our own Of ficers, soldiers, and sailors, in the must energetic tern's, at so unworthy and humiliating u tension tion of theespedition ? Look at the reeeption givers Ly NAPOLEON tOJLINOT mind to DUPONT ! He well knew how to appreciate the respective merits of his own Officers. as well as those of Caussaucie ansl of DALBYMPLW.. The effects of the Convention were even worse than the conditions; and the uelm tion of Rochelle for the port to which JENOT aid his first division were to be transported, instead of I L'Orient or Belleisc, seems to prove either nut? incapacity, or most culpable imate'ution. home one we to pass other than a sentence of condetuuation on such a treaty ? In tusking these observations, we may say wish TA CATLS. " Milti. G4O. Othu, V•teilitss, nee nt:ficiu nec eagnite."—We have recto...a neither benefit, nor injury, from Sir Altntoll. Sir HARRY, or Sir Um. Our duty, our principles, nod our feeliti."s, alone itnpel us.— It is for the country, cud for Parliament, when it meets, to determine, whether the Genera,' who made such a Conventionoor the Administration who entrusted to hint` the conduct of such an es ',edition, be most censurable ? We *hull not anti cipate their verdict. Some time ago, some of the most venal of the public prints, yieldii,g to the public voice, acknow ledged themselves ashamed to defend the Conven tion of Cintra, and, working themselves into a tit of virtue, abjured the cause. One of them, in deed, appeared quite indignant, and grieved at• the pert which it 113,1 been seduced to act respect ing Si* A tumult Wet.t.est.ev, and his share in that celebrated measure. Upon no farmer occasion was the public press ever disgraced by such a tissue of falsehood, one half in praise. of Sir ARTHUR WELLESLEY. and the other half calionniatisig Ge nerals LeeßAno and DALIZYMPLE. But when. by the evidence given before the Board of Inquiry, all this falsehood was exposed. When Sir Mann* %VELLESLEY, %he had, from his return to this coun try up to the moment of his examination, remain -eel'a silent and passive uoditor, if not reader, of all C calumny upon his brother officers, was obl geil to confess that all these putts upon himself, and all these ealumuira upon Sir 11.7. w DALRYMPLE, were gross falsehoods, and assured the Board that nei ther he nor his friends were privy to them. Then, mid not until then, were the Prints to which we allude seized with this fit of virtuous indignation. One of them, indeed, contradicted Sir Mimes WELLEsLEY in open sad direct terms, and boldly weeded that the columniolis and parasitical erti cies which disgraced their columns were furnished by well-known tiollowers and partizans of the WELLESLEY family, and inserted at their special instance and request. This apparent contrition and disposition towards amendment, augured fa vourably fur the public prem. We expected that the whole story would come out, and that corrup tion would receive a cheek by the exposure of the names of the parties whir had furnished this mass of falsehood and flattery, and paid for its insertion. Public rumour stated, that the articles alluded to, puffing Sir !LATIUM. and calumniating Sir Hew, were paid for at the rate of 51. a coluian. We expected to see the account published in proof of the statement; the lave:alluded to and Sir A.WIEL• LESLEY being completely at issue, the one having as serted that the article* had been inserted by his friends,andSirAerttua baying averred the centrary . This hope, we regret to state, has been disappointed. The disposition to reform, if ever seriously enter tained, has been laid aside, and the same system of puffing Sir A. WELLESLEY is renewed with tenfold zeal and activity. But although these venal print* should till their columns with puffs and psiregyriee on the gallant General. whose military talents and courage we are ready to acknowledge, there are sonic charges, and these of magnitude, which they will never be able to refute. They will never be able to shew that lie ought not to have endeavoured to effect a landing at St. Andero, or some other part of Spain, in the vicinity of the Theatre of War.— They will never be able to shew that he did not take au active part in the Armistice and Convention of Cintva, aml that although superseded by Sir Datavurt.z, the hitter had private instruc tions front Lord CASTLEREAGH, to avail himself of the beuetit of the advice and opinion of Sir Au _ Taw:, in his conduct. Yesterday a Court at Directors was held at the East India House. when the following Cltirlditt, were sworn into the command of their respectite viz.—Captain B. lticirsimion. Albium, des tined for China direct ; and Captain ALVX&IIIIMIL NASH. Marchioness of Exeter, for Madeira and Bombay. The Court adjourned at six o'slotk till to-morrow. The report that General Seasicsa has refused to surto. w Spain or Portugal. we understand. is to tally with‘tit foundation. The fact is. that in me senuence of the fatigues lie has undergone during the last year. his health is at present much impair. ed, and he has been ordered to Chelteuhaui, fur the benefit of the waters. The General. as soon as he shall be sufficiently recruited to undertake the fa• tizma of another campaign. will join the straiy.—a General SPENCER rimer. nt any period of his hie, declined any duty, or refused any service Ps which he was ordered. .•