The Sun. — London, England, 1823-09-10 00:00:00

\VEST INDIA SLAVERY. Some idea of the feelings of the Inhabitants of. IFrinidad, on the proposed measures for ame liorating the state of the slaves, may be formed from the following papers : (cirtctit,Att.) Oovernment House, 3uir.3,• 1823. Biro - -; have the honour herewith to transmit for.your infor mation and that of the slave p ro p r i e t o rs of your queter, a copy of a dispatch received from his .a.lajesty's Secretary of atate, together with copies of the enclosures therein .refereel IS, and a copy:ye, Mr. Canning'il speech of the lath of Ma Air. Buxton's niOtiOti in the House of Commons. • ' I have assured the Earl Bathurst, that th e proprietors of slaves in this colony wiU feel every dispoitition to promote ti , e hAsoone views of his altNiesty's ilovernment ; and 1 fpel cop. Merit thatitou'will confirrii thisimprosion,by tile report which 14annot fail to receive: tram, your attention to the object of • tigs`Comniunication. the ttatutesi, -under-the chap of the Depositarin-Ge. neral,,and on thole or ,many individuals, it. has been found my' practicable to .substitute for the sound of the whip the use of a bell or conch, and to . forbid the driver from carrAing it into the field, I apt induced to believe that no inconvenience will result to ate.labour or discipline of estates, from adopting" this improvement. • I have, therefore, only to request you would favour me with your suggestions, and those ,of,any of the moat respectable planters of your quarter, .as to, the mo st lenient punishment which can be introduced or the female slaves that may . be found to require correction in the service of the estates. have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient hunthic Servant, (Signed) • RA Ll' IVO() D FORD. , ~To th Commandant of the-quarter of Arouea. 'TIN WAD. 44 Ills _Excellency Sirlialpkolarnes Wm?Ardi Bart. Gover nor arid commander,in;eldlf in, and- over Me said Mend and fis Dependencies, •;ntittdadt,of The same, 4c. The Addreas of the Planters • ot. the quarter of Arouca hotnbly showed', that Whereas a Meeting of the Planters of tlt4 said quarter has hcen this tlxV.held, in coaseqUence of the letter of your Excel kncy directed tif she Commandant of the timid quarter, at which rneettng certain regulations were unanimously agreed, a copy whereof the Commandant has: been requested to forward to gether with this address. In Conformity to those resolutions, said especially of the late resolution made, your Excellency is nest respectfully reqiietted to take the same intk consideration, and earnestly prayed todirect and authorize the Commandants of the respective quarters to call upon the proprietors to send two proprietors of their choice, to meet in Port of Spain, on a key to be appointed for such a meeting, to communicate the views and sentiments or suggestions of the several quarters, and to come to some general recommendation or suggestion of measures for the amelioration of the slave population. Resolved,—That any change which relates to the discipline of slavery requires the utmost caution that can be used, under the most mature deliberation. That the recommendation or suggestion of particular mea. -urea ought to be the result, not merely of the separate contd. fieration of proprietors in each quarter. but of the general consi deration of such measures by the whole colony. That unanimity in such recommendations or suggestions is not only indispensable to the safety with which they may he adopted, as the whole experience and wisdom of the colony will be collectively obtained, but it will afford stronger pound for the adoption and-enforcement of such recommendations or sulk. gsstions as may be found necessary. It is therefore lastly . resolved , that it is expedient that the pro Tietora of slaves in the respective quarters should com municate With each other, in order to come to some general suggestions to be respectfully submitted to His Excellency the 9uvemor, as most expedient and safe, before any particular measures may be adopted ; and to that end that His Excellency the Governor be addressed, and requested to direct and autho rize the commandants of the respective quarters to call upon the_propiietors to send two proprietors•of their choice, to meet in Port of Spain on a day to be appointed for such a meeting, to communicate the views and sentiments or suggestions of the neveral quarters, and to come to some . gerteral recommendation or suggestion of measures fur the anlePOrAttOn of the slave .po :„ pulitt)on. LAW from 41tadrone --, a Plaritr, art It le my opinion that the proposal emit:alma in his 17,ricel. lenty's rural it ought not to be acceded to : if we are to be ruined, let it not be with our own consent. It is also my firm persuasion, that the slave population of the Island is -as happy as possible ; far more so than the lower j classes at hOrne; fed, clothed, attended in sicknese by the best medical attendance, every comfort allowed them that their situ. ation raeitiresthey are placed above the reach of want; and, by the right of compl aint against their master, they are secured from oppression an 111-treatment. In schools,- children of both sexes, of the first rank end qua lit y--the navy, the army, many of whom belong to respectable isre.subjeet to the lash ; the white, the free-coloured proprietors of....bothAexes, in • ths island, are liable to stripes rot exceeding 40, while their slaves can only receive 25. It is a very :angular rue, that the mistress should be subject to the lash and the slave not ; and that the moment chosen for such exemption is the very one that, by the late regulation*, we are subjected to corporal punislime,nt. ...ft is wel l known to every proprietor of slave! , that the most trzubordinate part of their gang ore the feMales ; take from them the fear of receiving merited thastisement, their influence over the men, their bad advice and bed example, will indubit akly expo se their owners to daily insults, to the loss,of pro perty, of life- . -in abort, to the total subversion of this island. i-itnt no'-advocate for oppressien ; yet 1 Mien I ceri see nn, nu , riettute for the present mode of correction; confinement to a 4ifsve r , qmse from labour ; to us it le ,a hats of time; the tread.; n ill. is also lease date s Ad will most likely be attended with expence. While our slaves 'ire' under confinement, or treading, . who i 3 to supply their places •in onr fields ? How are we pay our debts—how pay our mos . ?' -ft is moreover my opinion that an Address, ought to be pre, sented to his Excellency, reapectfully stating our just rcurons fur not wading to measures prejudicial to our interests, to the pew of the colony, and not calculated to make the slaves happier. (Extract of a Letter porn a Planter in Trinidad, dated.idyl2.) I ea.% give you no idea of the 'general consternation produced Isere by the motion of Mr. Buxton ; and though,Alr, Gi . tuning's amendment has been adopted, still the unfortunate planters who i.llVt vested their all in West India property, look with horror anddissrial at the aloud ready to burst on them. God alone can avitthe axe now lifted up by NVilberforee, Buxton, and Co.-- stsbe of the slaves ofthis island requires no int erference by F)other country; I don't mean to say that instances of in jultier, end wine of cruelty towards the slaves, by managers, stave net occurred ; but I say that the provisions already ma4e Or the good treatment and comforts of the slaves were suaetant, and that on all complaints of ill treatment the tri bunals never faded to give ample satisfaction. The prohibi tion of punishing by dogging female slaves was quite unne ceseary ; .of late years it has namely ever been resorted to, but the right that the waiter had to are the whip kept them in s.voe„ and prevented the necessity of resorting to. it. That riatt tieing removed, will rouse in them a spirit of mutiny , whkekon`ght to be kept down, cyan for the welfare of the class 042; t• *tem thou pion* , ge ntlemen .erronenualy Imagine out to serve. .oi4.sylitem laid down by Sir Tho rh '; had been rWiliy_cnforwi, tbere would be no room f4t ittielioretion of the slue condition in this ialand, •No =disputed the right of property in a negro, or his dis. 4 0Y41 as ha thought proper. ; 1 leave been seven years On TnYfrOpe4y 4" during that time vary few of the,slaves have been pan,Abed at all ; those that have, never fortheir,,work, but either far ineolene4 or disobedience. Baying been bred a military mix', I know how e4.sztitial it is to keep down all mutinous be. havieur in such a description of people. I shall say no more at present. God help us The following postscript to a letter, dated Xris Jaded .lily IB'l3, furnishes a proof of the ,efgct (!iris measures are protlucing on time maim. fatturii44 7 2Siti • totr.mercial int4rests of Great Bri- tuin En Lutnicant -Ina lette,je Lvov;utte communication de Sir R, Wovirnrd, pour ?instruction des habitats de mnn district. .I.;'apret L letter. du Lord Bathurst, 41 remit tine roue touchons xu inerneat'le plus critique, et a I aneantissentent de nos far. tuns* t d'spres eels, je voila pric de rpgarder tomes les de. tuna* quit je vim 3 etvar; Isis commit non avenue. de I na p as _ sersi du taut . prefermit quit 1114 farnille trouvo chez virus quel ques peu rpm puittae y 4VOir,po-F achetter le premier motceau du pun. Arrive a mon Lige, is vie tint pet; slit de c.host, la Inert recst rien ; Isla supporterat prererence q &etre a charge a qtd- Tie ce sat t aitud vous voyez ma derniere resolution es:, ,que vous pit nt'envoycz aucun cs objets quit jc vous AVOi3 411131de. • m • rematng Itttii!r is from another i4lond, tik"? , tnt the subject in a different point of 1-4roitct of a Le Ver date.? Yrlris, July 18,1823. Ail iteipy to say tllnt the Legixlature of • this island have 1pt:c.0444 the wishes of the Aiintstem, in gdopting most of the regulations recommended for the onv...lioration of the . ot the negroes, and have every disposition to,concedethe whole, as soon 8* practicable. No changei , in tbecimdFtof Oie.olaVe population has yet been Inatrifotin 41.4.:44# 11 4. Va l A o o. l lLucl,f, r e,, of the late discussions in Alavliameutt tPid 4 / *I '14113 o ' 'opinion they will never consider any thins; that may be `done' for, them as a boon, that has for its f!nintletion gle suppression of their Sunday market, or c.ompellinchetti to nittify. , hipch, very much, ought to be done in the w ( of itistfifehok before these points are enforced. I can sprot tlissialhaly k biV sll4 subject, because, during 18 yeara r I:ave barn' 'far the West Indies, Ihave never owned a idave, - --; all my servants have been hired. The taking away the cart-whip; and changing the name of the driver to that of cuptain.'has been-me:Ay a subject of laughter to most of the gangs, at the expence of the driver, whom they consider degraded. There never was a subject more misunderstood by the people of England than that of slavery iii,the West Indies. PARIS PAPERS. REPORT OF liAn.Sit-AL TB miKE or COWEGLIANO To V.XCF.I.LENCI"rIiE DitxTriTEP. OF WAR. • TOTI4tEDENI3ARRA. AtrO. 30. ":111onseigner,—Wishing to ascertain. correctly the nature of the obstacles which opposed the blockade of Tarragona, round Which the enemy occupies several strong positions, I deeided on a general reconnoissance. " The affair which had taken place at Altafulla did not alter my arrangements, and the troops marched on the 211th. I directed the movement of those on Vallee in person, end Gen. Berg•e commanded the troops which marched from Altafulla. " The hour of marching was so fixed, that all the troops Might reach the point assigned to them at the same time. " The brigade of Tromelin, consisting of the 16th and 60th regiments of the line, a squadron .. of the 6th hussars, and another of the . lBth chasseers, and two field-pieces, marched on Mount Olivo. " Ten companies of the Bth of the line, with two field.pieces, and the troops of the Royal. Spanish division, marched under the orders of Baron d'Eroles towards Aladona de Lcrito. " General Berge proceeded in the same direction, with the brigade of Achard, consisting of theilBth of the Line, and the Ist Light Infantry. " General Montgarde marched from Altafalla by the great road, witheen companies of the 31st of the Line, two battalions' of the 3d, commanded by General Fautin des Odoarte, the oth regiment of mounted Chasseurs, and two pieces of cannon. A cannonier of the enemy tired a few shots on this column, but he was Soon silenced by the discharge of our artillery. " The position of Madona de 7Lerito was occupied by the. enemy ; and at 9 o'clock in the morning I had ordered it to be attacked. The complmy of voltigeure of the Ist Light Infantry, and the:advanced guard of Reran d'Eroles approached it first by two different points, ,of were supported by the Ist Light Infantry, led by its Colonel, Baron Revel, when they pursued the enemy. This regiment carried succesively two breastworks, which the enemy had occupied with considerable force—the one between the sea and Loma, the other between the latter point and Tarragona. • The ten companies of the Bth regiment of the Line assisted in the second attack. General Fleury, Commander-in-Chief of the Engineers, and General Deprez, Chief of the Staff, March , ed at their head, with the Colonel of the Bth. " The troops were neither arrested by the fire from the gar. rison, by the steepness of the declivities they had to descend , nor'liy the rocks they had to climb over. During this attack two companies of voltigeum of the Royal Spanish troops, and one battalion of the 16th of the bine, which had dispatched to r .pve on the flanks and rear of the enemy, hastened his retreat. 'lle brigade of Tromelin,With some Spanish and French, ex. yelled the enemy from the fort of Mount Oliva, notwithstand ing they were exposed to a brisk fire from the town atid . the fort. " On all the points our columns aisproached, from the ram.' parts to the gates,' they maintained their position, until the on. tea of the reconnoissance was fully attained. • " Between three and foueo'cleck I ordered the retreat; which was conducted with as much order wethe attack. " The enemy attempted to disturb the brigades of Tromehn and Achard, but lie was briskly repulsed, and cured of pursed.. log us by an ambuscade formed by a, Colonelof the lit Infantry. In the evening the troops returned to their respective posi tions. Our loss has been 17 men killed and tie wounded. It is certain that the enemy, in the affairs of the '27th anti '.'Bth, has hid 100 killed, anti more thin 300 wounded. " I have the honour, &c. " Marshal Duke de Conegliano, MONCEV." (From the Echo du Midi.] RuTeEttrt, Auo. 26.—The forts of Urgel keep up a ter. rible,fire on the town, so that if they continue the latter will be a heap of reins. Ertar,,ANr Aua . 21.—Nothing impoitant from St. Sebastian. It is' confidently said that the besieged have replied to the vs. rious summons, that they will only surrender to an order of King Ferdinised. The wounded of St. Sobaetian are brought . , to our Military hospital, The maladies 14 general are trifling. There le a,little dlssentery occasioned bx the apples , which our soldiers eat in .defiance of the prohibition issued. The fruit is extremely abundant, and there are many trees within the camp. As to the disposition of our soldiers, it letwes . nothing to be desired. (From the Journal des 7)e4eits.) PICTERSBUUGII, Auo. 18.—According to certain int4l4l- gence the report first circulated in the „English, and then spreail in other foreign papers, that a Russisig i fieet was to sail for the Mediterranean to take possession of inorca and Ma joria, is oely an invention dictated by evolence. The Cronstadt fleet, this as in former years, confines itself to cruis e ing in the Baltic. Some persons assert that it will pass some time in the Danish port, hut at all events it will not pass the Sound. ,f Prom Me' Consatutionuel.l Pwestasnunou, Atm. 15.—The Abby. Lemony, who, taught Buonaparte mathematics et the ,School of Brienne, died lately in this capital, aged 60. Although the Ex-Emperor made ,him very Brilliant offers to tempt him to' return to France, he preferred remaining in Russia. [Frani the Courier Franpals.] • n pro NAV, A Ma.3O.,4PnIVATECORUESPQNDtNcE.I —The French Generals in Catalonia have hastened to cause the Ordonnance of Andujar to he strictly executed, which has occa. sioned great consternation amongst the priests, the monks, and their adherents. The men of the Faith are very much discon tented, and Courten, who commands the Royalists at the blockade of Figueras, cries aloud against it. Complaints have been made against his troops. Several inhabitants of Figueras, and of the neighbouring villages, have disappeared_, and it is supposed they have been sacrificed to revenge. Every thing which tends to make the Constitutionalists and the French be , reconciled to each other, displeases the men of the Faith. The conduct of Courten with respect to General Maringonne, ' after the conference on the 23d between the French and Constitutionalists, , leaves no doubt as to the spirit ' which animates the partizans of the Regency. This officer' tietnauded of the General that he should be informed of the motives and objects of the conference, which was "refused. —The conference took piece at noon, and there was a sort of armistice all the evening, of the 2,34 between our troops and those . of the fort. Several Inhabitants were in `feet authorised to go on the glee's to speak to their relations pr friends, on the tops of the ramparts. This did not please Courten. The next day, without receiving any orders from General Alaringonne, be Caused all the troops of the Faith to commence firing at day-break against the wall pf the castle. It is said that the disputes have rim so high between his troops and our army, that on St. Louis' Day nova single officer of the Army of the Faith attended at the feast given by Geri. Maringonne. The Colonel of the 11th' Regiment of the Line is dead, in consequence of the wounds he received in the at of the 14th. The LicUtemint*Colonel of the same Regiment, wounded in the same affair, is in a dangerous state. All the superior Officers of this Regiment were wounded. THE TttocAne►to ANTI CADIZ.---The ,folloWifig. an account of the relative distances of the dif ferent fortresses : La Isla de Leon, April 10, 1810. Yards. From left bastion of the fort at Cadiz to Matagorda 3,888 Ditto dittp to new breast-work of enemy 4,418 Ditto dittp to first battery of enemy 4,886 Ditto ditto to second battery of enemy 6,203 From Mole-hetul to iti4Utilorgis - ' - - 4,233 Ditto to new breast-work of enemy - 4,700 Ditto to first battery of enemy - - 6,216 Ditto to second battery of enemy - - 5,5113 From Market-place . to Matagorda - 4,490 Ditto to nt-w breast-work of enemy - 4,900 Ditto to first battery of enemy - .5,390 Ditto to second battery of enemy - 5,706 From head of the town to Matagorda - 4,100 Ditto to new breast-work of enemy 4,800 Ditto to first battery of enemy . 6,090 Ditto to second battery of enemy 5,668 Front Matagorda to Puntalca - - - - 1,330 (Signed) MTN. NICHOLLS, 2d Captain, Royal Engineers. To Capt. Birch, Commander of the Royal Engineers, LITERARY NOTICE• MEMOIRS of Cie BAUD)," D KOLLI, yelative ta his secret YT'fission in MO, for liberating . FEttpiaram) VII., King of ' , Spain, from captitity at Valency, written by himself. To which are added , Memoirs of the Queen of ETRURIA, written by herself. The treachery by which- BUONAPARTE pos.. sessed himself of tb.e person of the King of S P AIN : will be stigmatized by History as long as the infamous Usurper of France is remem bered. The. attempt to effect ,the deliverance of the unfortunate Monarch by the author.of these Memoirs was. obviously the result of the most honourable feelings; hut, all circumstances considered, :there was little reason to hope that it would be successful. Baron Komi seemed to have made such arrangements as might perhaps have succeeded if BUG NAPAritt: and his agents had not been the most' susPicious and most artful of mankind. The Baron, however, failed in his noble enterprize, and suffered many years of r, cruel imprisonment during the reign of the usurper. The narrative is " a round unvarnished tale," and appears to be supported by intrinsic. truth as well as _by the distinguished living authorities to which he re fers. His sufferings have been severe, and he bore them with that fortitude which could only arise from the testimony of a good.. con science, and a conviction that he was engaged in an undertaking huoanne and honourable. We know not if the 13arou be living, but if he is we trust that be is placed in .such a situation as will in some degree compensate fur his suffering, and reward his adventurous spirit and persevering humanity. The Memoirs cif the Queen of Etruria exhibits , suctou series of artifice, falsehood, de, ception, and barbarity, as shew that all the gran deur of BuoNAPAILTE'S elevation could not raise him above the meanness of his origin,and the vul gar brutality of his disposition. The sufferingSof this Princess also were borne with exemplary pa tience. A portrait of the King of SpA.IN is pre fixed .to this work, and the vignette presents the Donjon of Vincennes, in which Baron COW and many qther victims Of Corsican usurpation were held in cruel captivity. INTELLIGENCE FROM BAYONNE. . BAYONNE, A [TO. 31.--The letter from Madrid of the 26t1 contain, first, an answer from the Regency relative to the va rious applicatiotet.which have been made to it by the owners of estates sold by order of the Cortes: These proprietors claimed, besides the estatai themselves, the standing eropo : it has been decided that these belong to the new possessors, but that, when, they are got off the ground, the old proprie tors resume all their rights. &comily, a long Royal Decree, the object of which is the re-establishment oft all Seigneriale Jurisdictions. This tai u a. s e t ctulst Decree is , dated 1814, with some additions made ba y s --the, Regency to adapt it to thwpresent circumstances. It not Roue. yet prcelrtced any elf*ect. sub mitted,te.lansdwenntedata. t;roripiesyoserilehnbaltectouantb! belles I for their political opinions. There is a report that ell the (lenevflo of the 4 01 1 11 desoult have been discharged. • 4.11. the troops thot cats be spitted from Madrid have reteixed ordera to proceed by forced . tuacelies to Audelusie• et eiml,Penle of Ilulans of the 7th is ordered to Cirliz in ten days. , Oeneral, Quessobt. with his treepsi, eniong 0911 3 / 4 c that go to A ntlartitiit4, The re-captured 'teasel, which we Mentioned hi fie, enterol: cur port yesterday. ' , lt is !laid to have on board Sever:4 ortho officers who were at the . passage of the Ilidansoa. W e have teen one whose right 11711:111 amputated.. , Sixty thousand sacks, to be tilled with earth, were rent yesterday and this morning to be employed in the siege of Pampeluoa. MttPRID, AUG, 25, .1x TecE , F,vrtmeo.s—We have been fur these three days in. a state of much anxiety, nothwithstand big the ; efforts of the Authorities. A; one time we were t o ld ttf the approaching congiusionol the negociations—of the capi. titration of Corunna—of the defeat of Milans and Lloberas—all which excite the ardour of the partisans of the Faith, while the Liberals, on their tide., do not.fail,to publish bulletins and re ports of 'en alerminviature—ssometimee that ;the Prince tiring withohis ermy-eseuetintes, that :.Japes Banos, with five or set thousand men, is approaching the capital.; then again, that the Army in Catalonia has gained great advantages over the French, iVe fear the Prinee hays •beeo disappointed at the Cortes refuting to trot, ithaving.been.very generally reported that they would consent to negemateas boon as his Royal High ness waspri,the apt. .Spine people talk of his having expressed some - displeasure at not tindingaitepreparations to attack Cadiz in amore forward state, it is certain that the blockade has been much more strict since the ! 18th, and that no vessel, no matter pf what natipn, suffered to enter under any pretext whatever. . To Referee the blockade thetasll more effectually, from ships of war were expeeted front s Valiterranean avid Corunna. General Molitor had not quitted fns positions - in the kingdom of liraneda on the 20th, though his presence before Cadiz •would be sodesirable; and this, perhaps, has given rise to a reixat that th e submission of Itallasteros was only a suspension of arms, and that it is possible beauty recommence hostilities. Zayas still oc eup:ed Malaga : , and the positions of .Ronda and Marhella ; his guerillas sometimes shewthemselvee near Ecija. The right of the Gulidalqnivir is infested by Constitutional guerillas, whose paint . d - appu ; i s the a joz. That place also sends out parties into the province of Madrid, and which keep up a communi cation with Ciudad Rodrigo. The uneasiness excited by these circumstances is heightened by rayons that Lopez Banos is at Talavera with 6,000 men, and threatens the capital. Castel doS Rio: and Amor have shown themselves at Arenjuez and the Pardo. These alarms have been relieved by the junction of Morino with the French, and the taking of Corunna. The Doke of Reggio has sent order* to General Bourek to detach immediately 3,000 men to Estrernadttra, by way of Alm:tree. The warfare in Catalonia is excessively harassing to our troops; and it may be long before we are masters of that pro vince, where the enemy nut only has a considerable force in the field, but is in • possession of some very strong fortresses; for besides Barcelona, Tarrago n a i s i n a fo r m id a ble state of defence, and ..Montblane is now also very well fortified. 'Lie three 4iscayan provinces and Navarre, or rather the whole sett bank of the Ebro, from Santander to Saragosa, is the part of the kingdom where the French have the firmest footing. The inhabitants remain quiet spectators of the contest, in which theyfind their advantage. St. Sebastian has vrovisione for the month of September only; &intone is befter Paropeluna,' which is furi ously bombarded, def e nd s itself well. There are 7,000 men before that place. The sick and wounded are sent to Tolosa and Ernan, to be forw ar ded to France. ,he three provinces and Navarre have protested against every arrangement with the Cortes which might overthrow their privileges. There is a report that the Duke of Reggio is going to make a sortie with part of our garrison, but as he has here only about 3,000 men at his disposal, h e cannot go far. The Regency has given orders n arr owly to watch all foreigners residing in this capittd; especially the English. , The total amount of t h e A ge e the r'renen army in Spin, including the fourth corps, was on the 15th of this mouth— Infantry Cavalry . , I 61) - ,:?,00 :Total . , 75,30 The sick and wounded.are said to be U,140 PILUtSIAN A RMY .—jt appears by an official account, published i n B e rlin e arly this year, that a grea t e r m ilitary force in that there is actually country than there was in 1806, when the French hind possession. We were not quite prepared for that fact, I n 1806, the number of Battalions of Infantry w as t 33 : t h e number hi 1822., wa56 246. The C ava I ry Li 1816, consisted in 67 companies (troops) : i ll 182 e, the number was 135 companies, o r t roo ps. The Eng ineers et th e former period am oun t e d to 6 there Were 18 companies. co mpanies : in 182'2, The number of Ar. tillery in 1806, w a s 167 companies; In 1822, there were 350 companies. COVENT GARDEN THEATRE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Piee'ea Cotent Gerdes, Scpt .6, 1823 Sin--1 am relitctantly eompelled to make a few observations by reason of a letter !without a eigneturet, which I found in the publicp i eints, on lly return to town, on the subject of Mr. Brandon's disiniesal. This document, I take it for granted, is geniiinee althtnigh it would be better if it were sanctioned by the signature of the lessees. In this statement they have intro duced my name, and, as I think, with as little gtexl taste as marks their progress througleeit this dispute. " The lessees have ventured to assert, that the whole course of proceeding was adopted by .my advice : That I acted for him ; that every thing was done by my advice ; that I would support him ; tha t 1 wes his friend, and that he should not want money, &c. &c." The lessees are certainly entitled to the faculty of guessing tolerably well; for althpugh these sentiments are generally in u nison with my intentions, yet all that - I ventured to state to their newly elected Treasurer, when he deigned to allow twenty-four hours to. remove himself, his wife, and - five children, with their fUrniture, wearing ware, &c. I did say, " that he should find he bad a. friend who avoid see that justice was done, to him ; that it might be expensive to dispute their right to turn him into the. streets, . which I would cheerfully sus tain ; and that I would be, his friend so long as I was persuaded of his entire innocence." Thus far and no flirther I plead guilty ; but, by way of rendering my inter ference itomewhat questionable, 1 am represented as a Proprie tot. and Member of the Sub-Committee of Drury-lane Theatre. Now, in the - name common sense, I would ask, what has this to do with my humble attempt at defending him from per secution, .as unprovoked as it is without parallel towerds a velmible servant?' These Gentlemen appear to have a great predilection to publish all letters that have passed on this sub- I sobjett--perhaps they will indulge the public with the corre spondence that took plece with myself, in which it will appear (in answer tO an insinuation that in good set terms means, I have no right to defend the weak-against the noefeeful),. that edrnitted their right, but questioned the paicy of exercising it by such arbitrary means as would discharge a man unheard. —There Maybe a small portion of the public who will inquire and be desirous to know why I have. become a party to this dispute. I will atate it without hesitation..- On learning three Or four weeke since that Mr:Brandon' was dismissal, and without any 'pretext, at a moment's notice, I wrote to Mr. Kemble, with whom: I have. been intimately acquainted for more "than 20 years :. He immediately came to me, and after some pause admitted the factor his dismissal. I intrtated him to give me some reason for this unexpected measure, assuring him that if it arose out of dishonesty or dissaffection to the Lessees, I had not one word to offer in his favour; but that if it was merely the effect of caprice arising out of a desire to get rid of all the servants who had been so long attached to Mr. Harris, then, in such a case, I intreatcd him to pause before he became a party to an act of cruelty, in which I assured him the public would take a lively. interest. This meeting ended by a promise that he would use his best efforts to procure an in terview, at which Capt. Forbes, as well as Mr. Brandon, would be present; he did so, and, the veteran, and I pre sented ourselves to them in ComMittee. The find observation 'was nut of a very encouraging nature : it was to desire Brandon to retire, as they preferred seeing me alone. Now this en tirely defeated the purpose I had in view, as from a slight knowledge of Lavater, I could have more re a dil y discovered Brandon's guilt or innocence by the off.hand manner in which he would have been required to defend himself against the pared list of charges the Lessees had to bring forward (or it must always be remembered he was kept in the dark as to the nature or extent of them, until heboldly ,liallenged them to the proof) ; nor could Iget private communication of the nature or extent of theM. Upon which I said to Capt. Forbes—let me conjure you to (jive to this invaluable servant the 2001. a year for his life, for if it is refused, be assured you will find it more difficult to treat with the public when their minds may be irri. and after thetatedco, n ti t i , a i n en tt e i e th r n . , * y a s it elf* t . o, e :house, I told him that could only lie accomplished by his giv ,hsemmton.thdoiCannkpmotf.tiFiottOrgbuiesthia4vis. would take. especial: . care 'that old _veteran should tight with a the Lessees declared war 1 n u u g t r house :.:hint previously e over 1 - .2 0 , 4 ° o e w b / 5 . e a r : few days a step was taken to dispossess him of his house and aY : el l a e rt r i; e l ar e fp n rfr i °l l F e i t ni l rfill'ed our con fe rence, In a very ho me . which '1 visit for the- lake of humanity, the Lessees can, ebew their. took 'lto 'part in ; for to thrust a man at 70, diet years hard and faithful services, out of his house, and 'to possess themselves of' his few chairs and tables, . . 4 ,411111.11, Ilke,hirnielf, had grown old in serviee.beuitys **much cruelty and oppression, that I am bound to suppose them innocent of this outrage, and conclude it to be the act of their servant, ltobertmon; who took the lead, and headed the„ gang who entered his dwelling. It is suggested by the Conirnitte`e, in somewhat equivocal terms, that I have under taken a great deal for Mr. Brandon. I am nut aware that I owe to them any explanation on this point; but as it has be wipe muter of public discussion, I will most willingly state tuy , motiVeS, and I trust, that on a fair comparison with those which have induced the committee to thrust from them in his latter days, a, faithful and:ittiehed servant—my motives will yery e mucle et variance with theirs. It is within the knowledge of niany persons who move in..the theatrical he inisphare, that for the last tWentY-tive years I was honoured by' slut regard and friendship; of the late Proprietor of the Theaere, and subsequently with the late Director of this PrOperty.(Mr. IlenryHarres) I have been in the closest terms efintm ' iacy • from each of than I have leaned, that during a progress of fifty-five years, the attachment and integrity—the complete .devotedness of the veteran Brandon, were without parallel: I have:had; during thet period, opportunities most frequent to corroborate this favourable report, and going back to tile days of Sheridan, I can well remember his assuring me that half the advantage, and much of the ascendancy that Co vent Garden Theatre then possessed, might be traced to the une compton activity and solicitude of Itrandon. At the rival The atre his exertions have been always duly felt and apprecieted. tusk then if such as man, with a character unsullied for fifty five long years, and the highest testimonials of regard and esteem of his employers dunng the whole of that period, does not entitle him, when on the verge of the grave, to the sym pathy of those who have felt, and are now willing to acknowe ledge., his services ! And if a stronger proof could be required by those who may be sceptical overmuch, I would urge his poverty proof as strong as Holy Writ"— this honest fellow, with a salary quite inadequate to support himself and family (601. a year), could not leave lived, or even vege tated, without the aid of those friends who knew how to appreciate his proverbial civility and attention. But re mauling honest to the back bone, he finds himself, at the age of seventy, without a' guinea, dismissed without the least pretence, anti turned into the streets to seek a new mode of procuring for his few remaining years the bare means of subsist. ance. I ask again, could I refuse my humble means to assist In such a dilemma a man so erielly treated ; and I leave the pro priety of my conduct to the decision of those who can feel for distress arid poverty, brought on without a stain being able to be fixed on his character. It has been Mr. Brandon's duty to correct the mis-statement of the Lessees in respect to the confining his•civility to those only who paid him for it. lam sure he has accomplished this to the satisfaction of' every one, and to the complete discomfiture of his - enemies; and this brings me to a subject I had not intended to touch upon, viz. that Mr. Brandon elways has been the servant of the public much more than 'his more immediate em ployer. And if I prove this, I shall not fail' to shew the great propriety of the extraordinary solicitude which marks the public feeling in this dieptite. Mr. Brandon's salary of 601. a-year, with a small house to reside in for the convenience of being constantly on the spot, will appear to every one attend eeB t., from f 0 e so lev gt o e ar t es i otiiieenn remuneration equal to the full expectations of a ticket porter, certain but not ar all adequate to the situation of Box Book and House Keeper for one of the Patent Theatres ; in the former capacity. h ti e on h n am ev th er the latter b ent - et h y l : th o T i se pa l: t m ill fe o ly ne n o f e t t h w e o p o r ' o c p loc et k ty , d in om on o i r e e r v t e h r a d t id h l e te m re i t g ir h e t from ail apprehension arising from fire ; but this is not all— it' an Actor or Actress was ill (a me of every day's oc currence), Brandon, and not the Manager, was sought, and the Play changed, or a substitute for the Performer who was ill, has a thousand and a thousand times been effected by his earnestness and activity ; this, it will be admitted, is a ser vitude of no common order, and vet he received for it 1101. a year. The public, however, it has been urged, always Pa tronised his benefit—be it so ; but did the proprietors assist him on thin occasion ! No ; they charged 200 guineas for his night, tit so advanced a period that they could not hope for hatfthis sum on a slack right, and this is precisely as much as Mr. Kemble pays for a benefit in the best part of the season : it is, therefore, ridiculous to suppose h e owes an y gratitude to the leases on this score. To his late em pl o y ers he owes the acknowledgments of a the/mend acts of kindness, and for their constant expression of their high opinion of his iii sty and disinterested services ; but the lessees have said, " 14rhat have we to do with this ?" Having made en arrangement for ma n a ging this property for a short period of eight years, they unhesitatingly proclaim that fifty-five years of ser vitude, and with health and capacity that render him in his peculiar Uric of duty far above any competitor that could be procured, and' without it fault, unless it be of attach ment, extending even to the very walls of the Theatre, is to he turned adrift, with an insincere offer of 2001. a year (of Which they themselves intended to pay only 60/.,) and no semi rlty whatever proposed for any part of' it; I trust and verily believe the bare recital of' these (acts will Ise quite sufficient to enlist the public in his active service. Such disinterested and. faithful attachment for more than half a century is no when else to be fo - ,:nd on record ; it is worthy of being held out as an incitement to others, who on the brink of the grave may not be so unfortunate as to fall into the hands of forgetful masters ; and if I am not greatly mistaken, the eclat with which a newly decorated house was intended to usher in the third season of " Committee Management," will be sadly frustrated, unless good sense should in the interim prevail, rLdeither restore him to his proper place, or give him this paltry annuity, for the few short years that may yet be spared to him. The poor fel low is all but broken heartek and I doubt much, if he is not encouraged by the public, he will' go down with his grey hairs in a few short months to a premature grave. I trust, however, I have appreciated their feelings better, and that they (whose servant he always had been) will nut desert him in this time of need. To conclude—The Defence of Brandon will be admitteti by every one as most satisfactory ; it is a triumphant refutation of every charge—" a plain unvarnished talc, that needs not the foreign aid of ornament."—it illustrates most forcibly the opinion of his innocence which I ventured to give to the Lessees, and leaves them, as I think, without a pretext for an unparal leled act of cruelty. It may prove a wholesome lesson to future Directors of a Public Theatre, that in England every man is accounted innocent until his guilt is proved, and that where good sense presides, it will for the future be thought essential to inquire before they pronounce; for, had this necessary pre caution been adopted, the Public would have been spared this detail, and the leases continue in the enjoyment of Public favour. As the case stands, the Public wilt) seldom interfere unless a very strong case is made out, will make this their own, and with a lively recollection of his innocence (nose proved to demonstration) will lead their , powerful aid to see that even handed justice be dealt out to the poor and destitute, as well as to the rich and powerful.-1 rel7et es.ceedingly to have tres passed so low on your patience. I remain, Sir, your very obedient Servant, G. H. ROBINS. PRICE 0 T(11.3 DIY AT F STOCKS ONE Wei3OCK. India Stock India 14onds South Sea Stock Ohl Annuities E.Ex.l3ils 34 38 pr. Ditto Swan Bank for Act. India for Con. Acct... _ Cons. forAcc.... ....... 8M Bank Stock 3 per Cent. Red. , shut 3 percent. Cons. ....... 3i per Cent. 97 i t N Old w 92 s t 4 45 per per Cents. eet. 1797 Bank Long Ann. ... shut Imp. 3 per Cents. PRICE or FOREIGN STOCKS ix LONDON, SEPT. IQ, AT ONE O'CLOCK. French f Five per Cents. 00. 'Scrip, 21 pr. Six per Cents. 00. Russian Five per Cents. (Metallic) 00. Ditto New 831. Five per Cent. Bonds, 00. Five per Cents. ( Metallic) 00. {Five per Cent. Bonds, 1820, 00. Spanish Ditto 1821, 341. Ditto 1822, 284. PritsAiiin I Five per Cent. Bonds, 00. 1. Ditto New, 00. D.tnish Five per Cent. Bonds, 00. Chili 71. Columbian Six per Cent. Bondi, 53i. Peruvian New Loan,. 00. ~. f Bank Shares .1;21 15s. Seven per Cent. 00. American Six per Cent. 93i-1011 • Five per Cent. - 98-100. lThree per Cent. 70. Nespolitim Austrisn HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-510R Row. Morning, 5 minutes atter 6. I Evening, 31 minutes after 6- THE SUN. SOLEN Otrut DiCEUE FAI.►U9I AUDEAT LONDON, WEDIVPSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 181.3. Our Express yesterday enabled 1111 to anticipate the bnportant intelligence contained in the Paris Papers received in usual course. We have no fur ther arrival of French Papers by express this day. Private mercantile Expresses, however, have brought the prices of the funds at Paris as follows : French Rentes 90f. 40c.; Scrip 2} pr. ; and Spanish 43. The priiate letters assert that intelli gence had been received of the suburbs of Pam peluna having been carried, and that there was a report that the fortress itself bad surrendered. A letter from a respectable and well-informed party in Paris sfit6s, that the Duke of ASGOULEME, after the capture of the Trocadero, sent a flag of truce into Cadiz, but that the result was unknown. It was also said in Paris that Sir WILLIANI A'CouaT had sent a frigate to Cadiz %vial propositions, which were rejected.—The Duke of A Igo ou is understood to be preparing for un attack on the Puntales. CITV, Twelve o'Clock.---Consols opened at 82i, and got up to 827- for the Account, with some business dOing in the earlier part of the morning. Fo REIGN MA It K ET.—Spanish Bonds opened at 341, rose to 34j, but declined again, with a great deal doing and a brisk market. The Select Committee of the IfouseA3f Com mons, appointed to consider of the means of im proving and maintaining the Foreign Trade' of the Country, presented in the last Session a RP" port on the West India Dock., and on the ilur‘ - tion of continuing or abolishine, the exchp:i privileges of the West India Dock Conti'"'Y The Report was accompanied by the :";; notes of the. Voluminous Evidence taken !if the Committee, and by copies of varioni documents, &C. &c. The whole was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed , and has just been issued from the press. Ou r Readers, who are aware that the fanciful notions and speculations on ihe advantages of unli freedom of Trade, have unfortunately obtained en ascendancy in Parliament, are of cOursey i re7 pared for the recommendation of the Committe e ' that the privileges of the West India Dock Com' patty shall cease, and that the public shall ." put in possession, with the least possible delay , of the bene fi ts of a full and free .competition neamongstctedw ith tdheiffterraednet of f oc th k e p ort Establishments ofindicnito.ll ft is acknowledged in the Report that the sys tem of the West India Docks has been re" OP.