The Sun. — London, England, 1804-01-04 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS. The Letter f the COUNTRY CF.NTLEMAN is uluier com•idera. :ion. It revives much,correill,m MAILS. •R a Iv MD. opt. H4niburgh 4 - - - o PRICE OF STOCKS, THIS DAY AT TWELVE O . CLOCK. - 531 Red. Ann. 54i l Omni= - Comols - THE SUN. LOLLN: QUIS DICiAL rALsu:,t AVALAT ? LONDON, JANUARY 4,1804. TH E idea of an immediate Invasion being at tempted, seems daily to gain ground in all places along the Coast, and there were yesterday appear ances from the Heights of Dever, which fully jus tify the belief. The Signal for an Enemy being out was flying at the Signal House at East Hill until dark yesterday evening. Movements both at Ca/gif and EJlii)gne were seen from the Hills yesterday afternoon. In consequence, all the Troops on that part of the Coast were on the alert, and received orders to be in readiness for scr- vice at a moment's notice. A report likewise strongly prevailed yesterday at Portsmouth, of the Enemy ha7ing embarked, and early yesterday the Fleet at Sr. Helens was ordered to be in readiness to start ; and it was even said, that the West India Convoy had been recalled. The same report prevailed in the Isle of Wight, and all the Military, both Regulars and Volunteers, were ordered to be in readiness. The accounts from Dover arc so decisive with re_ sped to movements having been observed at Ca Lis and Bou/opre, that little doubt can be entertained of the Enemy very speedily making his long-threat ened attempt. Indeed, if it is not made now, it must most likely be adjourned for the winter, as it is natural to conclude that the Ports of Holland must soon be closed by the ice, and we apprehend that the Chief Consul depends very much, if not princi pally, upon the Armaments which are prepared in the Ports of Flashitig, Rotterdam, &C. We seri. ously thing that we may expert every day to hear of the Invading Army being upon the Seas. From the situation of the wind since Sunday, no doubt can be entertained of Admiral C _ORNW ALLIS having regainel his station off Brest. If the French Si r ..iron should have sailed during the short and unavoidable suspension of the Blockade, there can be little doubt of their being encountered by our vigilant and experienced Admiral, or by some of the Squadrons stationed for the prote6tion ,of Ireland. So sanguine indeed are we with re. sped to the fate of the French Fleet, if it has ven tured out, that we are almost led to wish that it may have done so. ,~~ k •. It was reported upon 'Change this Forenoon, that the Brest Fleet was at Sea, but the report was not generally 'credited. Yesterday afternoon Dutch journals reached town to the 18th oh. and last night we receiv_ed Illoniteurs to the 14th. A Rotterdam Paper of the 24i11 however, is in town, as arc Aloiliteurs to the 221. They contain nothing important, giving no insight whatever into the plans of the Enemy. BONA. PARTE, we believe, was still :It Paris on the loth. • Letters from Genoa speak of considerable dis_ contents having arisen in the Ligurian Republic, in 'consequence of the interruption their Com - niieree .experiences through the means of their con nexion with France. Extraordinary powers have therelote been given to the Chief Magistrates to punish the malcontents in a summary way. These Letters express in strong terms the apprehensions the Genoese labou: under from the neighbourhood of the British Fleet. - From the Hague of the z zth ult. we learn that orders bad been issued by the Batavian Council of Marine to the respeElive Naval Commanders to summon all Offi cers and others abseot on leave, to repair, without loss of time, to their Ships, and to grant no furloughs in future. The National Ships and Vessels were also ordered to be kept in readiness to be employed on aaual service at a moment's notice. It is likewise `rated in Letters from the Hague, of the 16th, that the Batavian Troops destined to aft against Eng. land, were then about to march for the purpose of being closer to the Ports of embarkation. Stiveral C oro were to enter the province of Holland, and to rennin at Delft, Leyden, Haarlem, and Amster. darn, for the purpose of forming a line to embark in succession, as soon as the requisite orders should arrive. American Papers of the 24th. November have been received. A New-Y,rk Journal of the t 7th of November states, on the authority of a .passenger in the &lip Piz'', from Cape Francois, that Port-de- Paix, in St. Domingo, has been taken by storm by the Briands, and soo soldiers made prisoners, hut that til l were well treated by the Negroes. Ro. CHAIN/5 E Au was still at the Cape. The places sur rendered to the British have all been given up to the Br e;:inds, the captors claiming merely the Ord. nance qd Ships of War found in them. A Paper of the 2lst of the same month, mentions the arrival of a Captain READ at Charleston, in nineteen days from Cape Francoie, who reported that that place • was reduced to the most desperate situation ; 'that tie Brigands were within three piles o f the City, and that in several skirmishes they had carried every thing before them. A letter intercepted by the British Ship the Van guard, mentions that R-OCHAMBEAII had not pro visions more than sufficient for the consumption of eight or ten days ; the only meat they had was the flesh of mules. There were three Frigates at the Cape, which would of course immediately on the evacuation; which was inevitable, fall into the hands of our Blockading Squadron. The town St. Domingo was in a situation nearly as disastrous, and was almost wholly destitute of troops. There are letters from St. Jago de Cuba, which give a most afiliding piCture of the situation of Port au-Prince. No less than eight hundred fugitives from that place had arrived- in various vessels. Before their departure DEssALINEs, the Black Chief, had sum. mooed the Town to surrender, and in case of refusal had determined to besiege it with ten thousand men. There were about two thousand barrels of flour in the stores ; and General LAVAL ET, who commanded, was determined to hold out to the last extremity. Before the surrender of St. Marc to our troops, a great number of the inhabitants attempted to make their escape to Port-au-Prince. On their way they were assailed by the Blacks, and great numbers of them were destroyed. The fever has 'completely ceased its ravages in all parts of the United States. The American Papers are filled with documents relative to the present state of Louisiana, which have been presented to Congress by the President. It appears that the motion for the produdion of the Treaty between the French Republic and Spain, and of the instrument chewing that the Spanish Go , vernment had ordered Louisiana to be delivered to the Commissary or other Agent of France, was ne gatived, after several very animated discussions. In one of these Journals a circumstance of rather a curious nature is alluded to, but we are inclined to think, from the manner in which it is mentioned, that it is not entitled to credit. It is stated that the President, a considerable time before the close of the last Session, had in his poss ess i on a T reaty negotiated by Mr. PINCKNEY with the Court of Spain, by which it is stipulated that his Catholic Majesty 'slfairilay the claim of American merchants for variotts ads of outrage committed by Spanish cruizers. It-is hardly to besupposed, that if such a Treaty had existed, it would have been concealed by the Executive Government. In consequence of the frost yesterday, the Royal Deer was not turned out. His MAJESTY and PRINCESS SOPHIA, attended by Lord W ALS INGHAM, Sir WM. and Lady PITT, and .Generals MANNERS and SP ENCER, took an air. ing in Windsor Great Park. HER MAJESTY and PRINCESS ELIZABETH took an airing to Frogn4ore. PRINCESSES AucusTA. and SOPHIA of GLOU. C ESTER. rode to Cumberland Lodge, and viewed the beautiful Piftures, &c. from Hanover. PRINC ess AMELtA took an airing on the. Maiden. head Road. The account of the death of Generals GRINFI EL D and CLEPHANE, brought by the last Leeward Island Mail, will prove, we fear, to be perfeetly corred. The Letters which state the melancholy fad add, that Mrs. GR INY I LLD and her Niece had also fallen victims to the yellow fever, and that a considerable mortality prevailed among the Troops. On Wednesday last the Rotherham Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Colonel WALKER, parad ed in full uniform, and received their Colours at the hands of the Countess of Err iNc4A.m, on the de_ livery of which, the Regiment was addressed in an appropriate speech by their Colonel, in the course of which he observed,'" at the close of the last War these Colours were entrusted to my care by the late Regiment of Rothetham Volunteers untarnish ed, unsullied ; they are now unfurled again as Ban ners under which we may probably soon fight in a cause dearest to every Englishman, the defence of our Country ; they are now placed under your pro teCtion, and I contilently trust, under Divine Pro vidence, that our determined exertions will ever defend them unblemished." The Regiment was inTeEted by Colonel GoucH, who, with the Earl Of EFFINGHAM, BACON FRANK, Esq. (Vice Lieutenants of the West Riding o f t he County), and a numerous assemblage of Military Officers, were pleased to express the most unquali. fied approbation of the forwardness and discipli ne of the Regiment. During the manoeuvres the ground was kept by the Rotherham Troop of Yeomanry Cavalry, who politely offered their ser vices on the occasion. After the business of the day was finished, Lord and Lady EFFINGHAM, Mr. FRANK, together with a number of Magistrates and Officers, dined with the Colonel,- and a dinner was provided at the several Inns in the Town for the whole Corps, and the evening was spent in convi viality and good hunwur. Yesterday, morning, at half past ten o'clock' George Augustus Matthews, a Drummer of the 3d Regiment of.the Royal East India Volunteers, was tied up to the halberts, in the Company's yard, at New Street Warehouse ; previous to which the Regi ment, Band, &c. and Officers, were drawn up in close order, Mr. BUREAU, Surgeon to the Brigade, attend ing. The sentence of the Court Martial having been read, the substance of which was, that though the crime of desertion, heightened by several ag gravated circumstances, deserved the punishment of Soo lashes, yet, in consideration of the extreme youth of the offender, and in hopes of his good condu& in future, the Court had mitigated it to jo lashes, One of _the drummers then proceeded to in_ flit the lashes, when, after four strokes had been given, Major SMITH ordered the boy to he untied, and stated, that in compassion of his youth, and its being his first offence, Colonel ROB SETS had been pleased to remit the remainder of the sentence, The lad's father is a grenadier in the brigade, and expressed himself thoroughly satisfied with the jus, lice of the sentence, and equally grateful for the lenity shewn to his son, N./11 1 AL NEWS. From the LOND9.2V GAZETTE, Tan. 3, 1803. AdmiraltylCffice, Jan. 3, 1804. Copy of a Letter from Commodore Hood, Com mander in cbicf of His Majesty's Ships and Ves sels in the Leeward Islands, to Sir E‘va,4 Ne pean, Bart. dated on board Mr Majesty's. Ship Centaur, of Guadaloxpe, the 6th of No-umber, 1803. silt, I have the HOnour to inclose, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, Copy of a Letter I received from Captain Graves, of His Majesty's Ship Blenheim, giving an account of the capture of a Privateer by the Boats of that Ship, in Fort Royal Bay, Martinique. The capture• of two more of the Enemy's Pri vateers is set forth in a Letter from Captain Young. husband, of the Osprey. The brave and handsome condud of Lieutenant Henderson, and those in the Boats under his Command, is truly meritorious; and I trust such display of the gallantry of our Officers and Men will soon make these Piccaroons repent their temerity. On the 26th ult. between Tobago and Grenada, the Centaur, after a chase of seven hours, captured the Vigilante Schooner Privateer, of two guns and forty men, well armed with Musketry ; the capture of this Vessel is particularly fortunate, as she has, from her supe rior sailing and management, done much injury to the trade. I have also the satisfaftion to acquaint you of the re -capture of the Brig Earl Sr. Vincent, from Dub lin bound to Barhadoes, and a Swedish Schooner by His Majesty's Sloop St. Lucia ; they had been cap tured three days before by the L'Harmonie Priva teer, of Martinique, and who only escaped the vigi lance of Captain Shipley, by throwing her guns overboard, and sawing down her gunwales. I have the Honor to be, &c. SAM. HOOD. Blenheim, of Martinique, SIR, 16th Sept. 1803. Yesterday at two P. M. I discovered a small Schooner Privateer, apparently just returned from her Cruize, and endeavouring to get into Port Royal ; it :being nearly calm,• I diresled Lieute nant Furberl,' of His Majesty's Ship Benheim, under my- Coitirnand, to take the Pinnace, and Lieutenant' CamPbell, the Barge, and to cut her off; she was rowing witty her sweeps, but the goats ne vertheless came up with her in about an hour and a half, and in a • most spirited manner, under the Fire of Grape and Musketry, boarded and carried her. I am happy to add, that no lives were lost ; the Enemy had one man wounded; she is called the Fortune::; mounts two carriage guns, and had 29 men on board. I am, &c. Commod ore H ood, &c. &c. &c. THO. GRAVES. His Majesty's Sloop Ospre SIR, y, of Martinique, Otiober 31 , 1803. I beg-leave to aceptaint you, that on the 26th instant I discovered a suspicious Sail under the land of Trinidad, and immediately chaced ; but o arriving withi n a b out four miles of her it fell cairn n ; and as I was now convinced she was an Enemy's Privateer from the number of Sweeps she was row ing, and having no chance of coming up to her in the Osprey, I sent three Boats to attack her, under the command of Lieutenant Robert Henderson ; the Cutter in which he was, rowing much faster than the other Boats, he, without waiting to be joined by them, in the most brave and determined manner, and under a heavy fire from the guns and mus ketry of the Schooner, boarded and captured the French Schooner Privateer La Resource, mounting four four.pounders; and having on board Forty three men, two Of:'whom were killed and twelve wounded. Lieutenant Henderson, with three Seamen, are slightly wounded, and one dangerously ; th e C u t ter had only 17 Seamen in her, who all behaved with the utmost bravery. • I have further to inform you, that having put Lieutenant Collier, and 16 Men on board the Prize, he next day chaced and captured La Mimi French Schooner Privateer, of one gun and 21 men. I am, &c. GEORGE YOUNGHUSBAND. PLYMOUTH, JAN. 2..—Sailed the Neptune, Co. lossus, and Dragon Men of War, to join the Chan _ nel Fleet. Arrived the Atalanta Sloop of War from a Cruize, in distress. PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 3•--This day we have had a strong report of the Enemy having really embark. ed, and early in the morning the Fleet at St. He. lens were ordered to be ready to start, and it was said that an express had gone to order back the outward,bound West.lndia Fleet which sailed yes. terday morning. The same alarm was entertained in the Isle of Wight, where all the Regular Military and Vdun- Leers were ordered to be in readiness at a moment's warning. The Hound Sloop of War is appointed Convoy to the West Indies, to take the Ships which had re. ceived damage, and could not he got ready. FALMOUTH, JAR. I.—Sailed this day His Ma jesty's Brig Seagull, of - 18 guns, Capt. BOURKE, having under her convoy The following vessels, with Troops on hoard for Ireland : Lord Nelson, Comet, Mercury, Cockworth, Melpomene, Tellicherry,Princess Royal, Grant, Aurora, Minorca, Nile, and Canada; also sailed the American'Ships Suffolk., Moore, for Bourdeaux ; Perseverance, Dixon, for lvortblk ; lemima and Fanny, White, for Belfast ; and the Swedish Ships An. rora, Dunberg, and Sarah, Dunberg, for Naples. Arrived the Brig Swallow, Capt. BREDIDy I from Newfoundland, with fish ; parted from the Mari Stoop of War, with a40...kt 4o Sail under her Convoy, fourtean days since, in a gale of wind, and on the z3d ult. carried away her fore-mast, main-top -mast, and bowsprit. Yesterday arrived the Queen Charlotte Packet, MUDGE, With Mails from Jamaica, 39 days pas. sage ; sailed from thence under Convoy of His Ma. jesty '5 Schooner Pickle, which took, on the.3.oth of November off Cape ''fijaeroon, a French Ship. rigged boar, having on board . a Captain and Lieu. tenant in the French Army, making their escape from cape Francois, and were bound to Cuba. 3oth ult. Scilly, bearing North-east three or four leagues, the Packet spoke His Majesty's Brig Penguin in great distress, having lost her fore. mast and main-top-mast in the gale of zsth ult. Also arrived last night, the Brig Susannah, of and from Bristol, bound to Lisbon : sailed under convoy of His Majesty's Ship Diana, 38 guns, some time since : the whole Fleet were dispersed in a heavy gale of wind ; the Susannah has been beating about ever since off the coast of Spain, but getting very leaky, was at last obliged to bear up; the Brig Catharine, Capt. REAntJRN, from Dant. zic, with wheat, very leaky, and must unload. The Packets with outward Mails, are expefted to sail to-morrow. SHEERNESS,. J. 3.—This day a Court. Ma rtial was held on board of His Majesty's Bomb.ves. sel the Fury, in this Harbour, consisting of the following Members, viz. the Hon. ALLAN HYDE GARDNER, President, Captains MITCHEL, BERES FORD, Lord PROSY, ATKINS, VESEY, Lord Wm. STEWART, RENOV, BAYLEY, DICKSON, ARGLES, and BOYS; when they proceeded to the trial of Mr. James Nesbitt, Boatswain of His 'Majesty's Sloop Dart, on the Charges exhibited against him by Captain BROWNRIGG, of the said Sloop, "of being " repeatedly, ,drunk, neglettful of his duty, but par " ticularly on the 26th of last month." The Court was of opinion that the Charges were proved, and sentenced the said Mr. James Nesbitt to be dismi!ised his present employment as Boatswain of the Dare. Mr. Roberts Master, and Mr. Driver Gunner of the Dart, were reprimanded by the President, in the name of the Courr,,for having given an incor.' red evidence. DEAL, JAN. 3.—Sailed L' Aintable, on a Cruizo off West-Capel ; Merlin Sloop and jackal! G u n. brig, on a Cruize off the Coast of France. The Santa Margaritta came down from the Nara last night, and remains. The Ilindostan came down horn the- Nore this afternoon, and sailed for Spithead. In the Downs—Monarch, Utrecht, Leda, Santa Mar. 7 garitta, Perseus, Curlew, Harpy, Starling, Locust, Mariner - , Basilisk, bloodhound, and Ariadne. The ///uariosr, of 74 guns, Capt. Sir CHA. MILTON, Bart. sailed from Woolwich a few days since for Long Reach, to take in her guns. On the tgth ult. His Majesty's Ship Ganges sailed from the anchorage at Beerhaven, to reinforce the Squadron ender Siren. PELLEW, off Ferrol. The Britannia, Malta, and Ardent, are hourly ex peaed. A Letter from Kingston, dated Ott. 22, says " We understand that Admiral DUCtWORTH has received intelligence that the Hercule, of 74 guns, which unfortunately got on shore on a bank urf Cape Francois, and was obliged to throw sixty of her guns overboard, has been got off by great t xertion• All the guns except three have been recovered, and she has received so little damage that she will im mediately join the Squadron cruizing off the Caps without refitting." THE ROY AL MARINES. PLYMOUTH, 1AN..2. ON Saturday, Dec. 31, 1803, the Officers of the= Royal Marines, at their Mess-roorn in the Barracks here, gave a splendid Dinner to their late Corm. manning Officer, Lieutenant-General BoWATE ar whom His MA J ESTY has been graciously pleased to permit, on his application, to retire on his Full Pay. • The dinner and wines were excellent, and the company displayed that hilarity which good cheer generally produces, though mixed with a regret that they were parting with a Commanding Officer who had fulfilled the duties of his office with firmness, and integrity. After the King and Queen's health • had been drank, the following toast was given by the President Colonel ANDER.soN, with three times three-4 , General BOWATER, and may he in health and happiness, long enjoy that retirement he has solicited, and by his services merited from his coun try:" Several other loyal arid public toasts were drank, as Earl ST. VINCENT and the Navy, &c. itc• when General BOWATER begged to be permitted to give a toast ; taking that opportunity to e xpress his approbation and thanks to the Officers he vl'as parting with, for the honour they now did him, and for the alacrity and zeal with ‘vhiCh they had at all times executed his orders, and to.which must be attributed incalculable benefit to_ His Majesty'a Service ; that language faintly (old what he wished* as language on this occasion was too weak to e% - press what he felt : he then gave his Successor! " Colonel BRIGHT, and Success to the Plymoutr i l Division." The company s at till a late hour, a n . o then separated with the harmony in which they n n t! each individual hoping his career of public life mig ht conclude with equal . ctedit and honour to himself, "...; his Corps then markitig their approbation o f 10 " P anti tied services, 1