Oracle post — Portsmouth, N.H., 1804-02-07 00:00:00, page 2

.fet^^^^c^^
"In the prefecution of the canted in which w e
are engaged, it fall be, as it haaevee been, my firft
abjed to execute as becomes me, the great trust
committed to my charge. —'Embarked with my
brave and loyal people in one common cause, it is
my fated determination, if the occasion should arise,
to ihare their exertion and their dangers in the de
fence of our Confutation, our Religion, our Laws
and Independence. To the activity and valor of
my fleets and armies to the^eal and unconquerable
Spirit of my faithful fubjeds I confide the honor
of my crown and all thole valuable interests which
are involved in the issue of this momentous couteft.
" Actuated by these fentimenrs, and humbly im
ploring the Blessings of Divine Providence, I look
forward with a firm conviction, that if, contrary to
all just explanation, the enecy Should elude the
vigilance of my numerous fleets and cruizers, and
attempt to execute their presumptuous threat of
invading our coasts, the consequences will be to
them difeomfiture, confuion, and difgrace^; and
that our's will not only be the glory of surmount
ing present difficulties, and repelling immediate
danger, but the solid and permanent advantage of
fixing the fafety and independence of the kingdom
on the balls of acknowledged strength, the result
of its own tried energy and resources."
o-
Gallic Fraternity.
mamburgm, Nov. 4.
Our city has been for these two last days in great
Gonfufion and embarrassment, from which it is not
likely that it will be able to extricate itfelf without
confiderahk; facrifies. What has been long formfeed
& foretold by all who havepaid aby attention to poli
tical matter,is length come to pass. The French hav
ing entirely stripped Hanover of every thing that
it was possible for them to get at, and having cer
tainly fqout upon the principle of maintaining the
army of Hanover at the -expence of other people,
no matter of whom, finding now that no more is
to be got in that quarter, have applied to the Hane
Towns, as bring the nearest the we*keft, and most
able to furnifh them with money.—They have ac
cordingly, made a formal demand of a very large,
sum (as it is laid, of four millions of dollars,) in .
the drape of a loan,for which they offer to mortgage
the Duchy of Laoenburg. The French minister.
Citizen Reindardt, has also presented a long incul
patory memoir to the Senate, wherein he complains
that people are here employed to recruit for England,
and has named Several persons as being engaged in
this recruiting ; that a ship or. hoard of which
feme nundred persons are going as fettlers' to Amer.
<ica, is really defined for -England, and that the said
settlers are Englilh'recruits, and many other com
plaints of a similar nature, and equally founded in
justice and truth. Lift night the Senate wasaifero.
bled, and again this morning, as were also the Al
dermen and Council of 60 but nothing was de
cided, and, therefore, nothing can be positively
known, the Senators, &c. being bound to difebfe
no part of the deliberations, till after a decision has
taken plAll that has known is, that the pro
pofaltabrM-memioned were deliberated on, and, as
is generally believed, rejeded pravifionally. Tb.
morrow is a general meeting of the citizens, when
it will be decided what is to be done. Itis moll
probable that the city will be forced to comply
rather than expole itfelf to be put under military
execution.
Gen.3ertbier,who has been here on this business for
this few days past, was upon change the day before
yefteiday, & endeavored to puffuade the merchants
to come into this measure. They represented to
him that it was not possible in the preient date of
things, for them to agree to such a step; that he
knew, as well as they could tell him, that their trade
was at a total stand, &c. To all this, it seems, he
could fyl no better answer than to fay.
46 lifaut faire quelque ehfe pur la Grande Na&r."
The English minister. Sir George Rumbold, is
laid to have advised the rejection of the propofols.,
In the mean time a thousand reports, all equally
falfe are fprCad and devoured with an avidty which
is altonifiling even to an Englishman.' Now we
are told, that 10,000 French troops are on th/ir
march, and will be here the day after to-morrow ;
that the French have lelzed a large number of wag
gons coming* from Lubeck with English goods
and many other news of this nature. Some think ,
we shall have a Prussian garrison or a Danilh ane,
to protea us ; but considering the condud of all
parties to this time, it does not seem probable that
Pruflia in particular, having delays its interference
so long, should now come forward, when it is, per
haps, too late. It is here pretty generally believed
that Russia will soon declare war against France ;
but here again the fame fatality, which has accom
panied till this time all the measures of the Contin-.
at, extends its deftruaive influence.
In a short time all the ports of Russia will be ;
ffiut up by the ice and the fleet, consequently ren
dered useless. In the mean rime 'whether Russia
. declares war or not, it is very generally apprehen
ded, and that upon very good grounds, that as fobu
as the Ruffian fleets adually are blocked up the
French will without delay, occupy all the ports of
the Baltic sea, at lead those of Mecklenburg and
Holstein : the inhabitants of both which countries
are by no means ealvunder their present Drofpefy.j
The news from Hanover is indeed of a nature'
not very tranquilizing for those who fee themselves,I
exposed to (hare the fame fate—Betides the robber.l
ies and exadionson a grand scale, the profits ofj
which mdflly go to enrich Generals, Commissaries,
&c. as the great nation (the Commiffary-Generai
Michaud has amassed already upwards of two mill
ions of livres,) the inhabitants art exposed to a
theufsud vexations, which are never heard as ex
cept individually & by chance; for example, several
French Officers have married young women in
Hanover, who have tinea difeovered that their new
hulbsads have wives and children in France. A
few days ago, a party of seo French fokliers fod,l
denly furrouaW a hoafe, where a company wasl
dancing, to celebrate a waddintar feme ether fe&i-1
val, and some of than entering the affably room, I
weutuptoaHanoveriau Officer, who was dancing, 1
and without faying the why or the wherefore, put a
pistol to his head, and blew out his brains, became,
as they laid, afterwards, they believed that he was
employed to recruit for England; aw aeeufatien,
which, it seems, was totally groundless. Under a
similar pretext of looking for English recruiting offi
un, they lately cause to a public house on $ ter
ritory of lambargh, where, set fading the matter ,
aid miftreh,andlt being denied by the foe that any
such persons were there, they, without more ado,
mot him dead on the spat.
0
Tranquility of Ireland.
'LONDON, NOV. ts.
The Dublin Mail of the 25th ult. which arri
ved this morning, has brought the pleating intel
licence, that so completely convinced i s Govern-:
meat of the secure state of the country, that it
has relieved from permanent duty the whole of
the City of Dublin Yeomanry and volunteers, &;
two thirds of the country corps. A general
feareh for arms and ammunition took place
throughout the metropolis last Thursday, but ;
no difeavery of importance was made—Privatej
accounts date, that several material disclosures :
have been made by Quigley ; and that in confe-|
quence of information given by him tw— Noble
men having been implicated in the late tnfurrec
tion, one of them made his escape in his own plea
sure-boat to the coast offrance. The South of
Ireland has been placed in an excellent date ts
defence. The coast are guarded by a firing na
val force, and the interior in that quarter is pro
te&ed by a numerous and well disciplined army
-composed of troops of the line and yeomanry.
Change of Ruffian Politick
. , c fc- T 9
Intelligence has been received of 1 complete
change in the Ruffian Ministry. It rafts solely
upon the authority of the following extrad of a
letter from Hamburgh of a date more recent by
two days than thejaccounts brought by the last
mail. “ Yesterday afternoon a Courier arrived
here from St. Peter (burgh,with official intelli
gence of an entire change in theßuffian Ministry.
Woronzow is out, and his brother, the Ambassa
dor at your court, it is expected, will be imme
diately lent for. What this change portends,we
cannot exa&lyfay, but trust it will be favorable
to England and her cause, Sir John Borlafs War
ren, the Enlist Ambassador, immediately on its
taking place, difpatehed a meflenger to his court
with intelligence. *—
Subject of Invasion— Continued.
Nov. 16.
T^fpatches were yesterday received at the Ad
miralty from Admiral Cornwallis,effUfhant,by
which it appears, that so far from the enemy be
ing at sea, they have not yet made any attempt
to come out. Their preparations in that quar
ter are in such for wardnefs,that it may be presum
ed, if they really intend to put to sea, that they
are now only watching for a favorable moment
to About.—Oar fleet off Brest has withstood
the violent gales whidh have of late prevailed,
and continues to maintain that vigilant position,
which we trust, will <ffeaually @brtruft the de
signs of the enemy, in whatever way he may
wish to employ the principal remains of the ba
v^hpower of France.
Nov. air—A Inter from Cork, dated the rah
inst. Reports, on the authority of a Kiqfale pilot
thatthe Diamond of fl guns, has captured a
French frigate which, in company with a 74guh
ffiip, some time since, failed fem L'Orient 'up
pofed for Ireland. The particulars of thf ent
are not mentioned ; neither is it feg tc at
port theprize has beenfent, n^r-#^ Asib ^ e
of the line of battle ship. We ffiall be hucfc ? .-,
ified to find the report confirmed. Lod H art
has written a letter t® the Lords of the,dn al
ty, declaring that the French General Noguer,
taken at St. Lucia, Cannot be permitted to re
turn to France, until th'ofe fubje&s of lis Britan
nic Majesty who had gone to France airing the
interval of Peace, and who were detained as pris
oners of war, contrary to the usage of civilized
nations should be r^eafed. ;
Nov. 2g—26.—On the fubje& of thethreaten
ened invasion, we are still without my thing
new to offer to our readers. The public mind
continues to be diftraded with the sane variety
of conjectural fpeculatioa, and the fame want of
real information as heretofore. The time now
draws very near, which the politicians of this
country-have long fixed on for ffie great attempt,
end if feme of them are to be relied on, we shall
soon be relieved frost all farther fufpenee. The
latter end of November, or the beginning of De
cember, hat often been said to be the period be
yond which the First Confulis determined not to
defer the failing of the expedition. Indeed the
weather is now as favorable as he can rcafouably
expea. Our fleets are blown off the French coast,
the sights are long and dark, and the fame wind
which compels our (hips to leave the enemy's
Ihores, will blow his armament to ours. The
long wished for opportunity is at length arrived
and we soon shall fee what great events it is
defined to produce.
The naval force of ffie enemy in the harbour
of Brest, including the ships in the inner road,is
said to amount to 19 fail of different descriptions,
not more than nine or ten of which, we believe
are of the line, besides which there are several
tTanfports; about 71 gun-boats, and a number ,f
what are called cannoniers, carrying two guns,
and calculated for the conveyance of about 100
men each. They are dated to be all fall of troops
and the number embarked and encamped in the
neighbored, are, computed at no less than
120,600 men. These statements in all probabil
ity, greatly exaggerate the fads ; but be this as
it may, there is nodoubt of Brest being the point
in which the greatert exertions of the enemy
have been made.
There are building at Boulogne floating bat
teries to carry 90 guns each, and three verylarge
cables have been conveyed for these vessels from
[ Dunkirk. The cables are 27 inches thick, and
t weigh dbove seven tons each.
Nov. 27.—Orders are underwood t&havs been
Ifent from Paris to thefeveraldepartmentsof France
-to discontinue the building of gun-boats. We
know that the camps near Boulogne have been
broken up, and the soldiers directed to march to
the weftern coart. Uncommon efforts are mak
ing by the French to equip their fleet at Brest ;
and it is generally believed that the ships, &c."
there are to be crowded with troops, and the
,fy& favorable fyfy# feted to rake ataQf
•nlreland.^ The flat bottomed craft in the differ
ent ports, ills presumed, will be carefully pie
ferved for an ultimate attempt on England. Ad.
Cornwallis has thus far been able to keep his Ra
tion off Brest, motwithftandiqg a number of se
vere storms have been experienced. It is almost
8 months since he was in port. The enemy can
only hope to get out when he is driven from the
coart by a hurricane—which must es course also
be a dangerous time for them to put to sea. The
^French vessels at Brest are Rated at 9 or ten fail
, the line, 9 or 10 frigates, several transports, a
bout 70 gun-boats, and a number of cannoniers,
;each of which fatter vessels is said to be able to
;carry 100 men.%
Vice Admiral Bligh is appointed to command
; on the coast of Scotland. ',
~
BOU LOCWe, -NOT. 7.
BUniflr, of Marine,_-Extralfrom General orders
of the National Flotilla under the command of AeL.
miral BruP,B^logr b e Nov 2.
The four days that the flotilla remained out
ofharbourv gave an idea of their force when
moored in a line. The enemy's vessels werea
fraid to approach within cannot (hot; they kept
couftantly at a distance of one or two leagues
without accepting the offer of battle which we
made to them while at anchor. The effect of thel
movement made by the flotilla was to engage the I
■attention of the English squadron at Boulogne, :
while several divisions of gun-boats or (loop- ,were
coming from the North and South to join ns;
our vessels gained also in this for tie in regard to
I the celerity es their nautical manoeuvres ; they
acquire a habit of -proceeding with speed, and
without confnfion, frvm the : port to thebay, and
from the bay to the port.
The Chief of the general Staffof the national Flotilla.
(Signed) LAFOND.
- Miscellaneous Paragraphs.
1 LONDON, MOT. 11.
Four ships of the line have been ordered to pro
ceed with all possible dispatch to join Lord Nel
son's squadron off Toulon. It is believed, that
the French, while they keepthreatening our own
coasts, a&ually meditate another expedition to
Egypt. If they should set out, itis to be hoped
they will net be fortunate enough as on the last
occasion to reach that country without our fleet
being able to fall in with them an the passage.
Some dispatches from the-First Consul to Gen.
Rochambeau,who commands the remnant ofthe
French force in St. Domingo, has been lately in-,
tercepted by one of our cruisers. dm these dif
-patebes Bonaparte is said to have informed Gen.
Rochambe?: that the French Treasury was quite
inadequate so "furnifh him with any further pe
cuniary supplies," and that he must th refore en
deavor to provide for his army in the colony it
was appointed to defend.
The mode of railing such provision was poin
ted out to the General ; a^ the advice contain
ed in the dispatch was that in order to prevent
" noisy complaints," or “ troublesome claims,"
at a future period, 'to any property he might
think it necessary to appropriate, he should take
care to have tfe -proprietors “ set aside that is
murdered ! ! —The atrocities of former Tyrants
fade before this Matter Monger.
Much has been said in the papers for several
days, of mifupderrtanding exiting between the
British and American governments, refpeding
the interpretation of certain articles of the trea
ty of 7.94. That explanations on the fubjed
have taken place we know, but confidently Gate
that no raifunder (lan ding whatever is likely to
take place on the fubjea.—No two countries in
the world, at this moment; feel a more natural .
inclination to remain in Peace with each other
than Great Britain and America. In regard to
the revision of the above treaty, which is now on
foot, we trust we shall very fhoitly be enabled to
give the most fafefa^ery information.
Packet.
The following is a rranflation of a paftuinade
parted on the base of the Statue es Piftor,, on
Bonaparte's having complied prith the laughable
petitions of his fatrellitesjiot to%mbark his fhcred
person for the invasion of England :
Car prayers ore beard! no akerfe file
On fasfeaUtofi our miflty elf,
wince, to fretefl the Gallic State,
die deignr^r&at Soul—to save HiMSEL,!
Ship Prcfpc r hy, ztrill at Oporto, November 1, fl days
passage from Philadelphia. She brought Mens. Louis de
Coueffin, charged with numerous dispatches, frem Jerome
Bonaparte. By pretending to have the yellow-fever, Lou
is efeaped being taken on board a Eritifh cruize; at sea.
Furths Foreign News, received by the
lag Mails.
Measures of Defence.
LONDON, NOV, 22.
Letters from Shorncliff Camp, after mention
ing the review which took place on Monday laft,'
give us an account of a moftimportant invention,
by Major Sharpnel, of the Artillery, which was
tried on that day. It was that of throwing how
itzer (hells with rrjiiket balls out of 24 pounder;
to annoy troops approaching the (pore in boats.
It answered the most sanguine expirations of ev.
ery person present. It has the effect of grape (hot,
afterwards of a shell, and scatters to a great dis
tance. It is the mod deftruftive mode of annoy
ance that ever, was contrived.
Every thing is preparing, we can Rate from
the bed information, for His Majesty's hoisting
his standard the moment the alagm is given of an
enemy appearing on the coast. The field equip
age of His Majesty is in readiness, and the no.
ceffary arrangements are making in the depart
ment of the matter of the horse.
Every necessary arrangement is taken, for
immediately blowing up the chief arch of Cochef
ter Bridge, in case of an enemy's approach. Chat
ham Lines, were such an event to take place,
would form no doubt, the principle bulwark of
the Capital. fr o—:—
Bombardment of French ports.
Nov. 19. —Another and immediate bombard
-meat of such of the enemy's ports as haTe-any
gun-boats deluded in them, or in a slate of pre''
paration, is now determined on. Boulogne is
said to be the principal object of attack.® The
Leopard, of 50 guns, capt. Morris who is ap.
pointed Commodore of the firft squadron to be
employed is just now in fight, with the Ambuf.
cade frigate, and making for the Downs. I have
talked with an officer belonging to the Leopard
who waits her arrival here, and he has told me
that capt. Morris previous to the failing of hisftip
from the Nore, summoned all hands on deck, Ar
in the moftimpreffive and animating terms defea
ted to them the importance and difficulties of the
expedition in which they were about to be em
ployed ; he concluded with expressing his reli
ance on their steadiness and valour. This reli
ance the crew juftified by a prompt and unani
mous exclamation of their readiness to meet ev
ery po^le danger in a cause foglerious. It is
understood that this attack will be far more se
rious than any that have preceded it. It appears
that in former bombardments our (hips have fir
ed at too great a diftaace from the French coast
materially to injure their harbour, (hipping for
towns. In order, therefore, to do more execu
tion in this instance, our cruizers are to ftanJ
closer in Ihore, which of course will expose them
Ito1 to the annoyance of the enemy's batteries—a cir-
Icumrtance which must give corifiderabbe anxiety*
Ito1 to every Briton who feels felicitous for the pre-'
fervatioa of the lives of his countrymen ; but no
one uho juttl) appreciates their gallantry can 4
feel any fear as to the ultimate issue of the con
te& Ahe objed is certainly of such importance
as to be worthy of great rife, if not of great
Sacrifices.
So soon as the Leopard reaches theDowns,(he
is to collect such vessels as are appointed to ac
company her to Durigenefs, which is her farther
deitination, and which is the rendezvous of all the
vellels to be employed in the intended bombard
ment. -If wind and tide should be favorable, it
is expected that the Leopard, &c. will proceed to
Dungeneis without delay. Among the vessels to
be .placed under her command are, I understand
'^° ^ e d a t Affibufcade, Amethyst, and Fortune,
frigates ; the Harpy., Bloodhound, Basilisk, and
Archer,gen-brigs; ftrfeus,Locnffand Sulpher,
bomos. According to the flatement of some per
sons who profefs to-be aware of the plan of opq,;
ration, it is intended to bombard Boulogne, Ca>
lais, Havre, Gravelines, and Dieppe, at the fame
time : ; but the opinion which -seems most proba
ble is, that they will commence the attack upon
, Boulogne, and after having accomplished their
object will proceed to the other ports. The
probability of this plan a^fes i,ut of the circum
dance that Boulogne i's known to be the principal
depot of the gun-boats upon that part ofthe coast.
0
On the fubje& of Invasion.
"BREST, NOV. TO.
We learn by letters from St. Mali of the 6th
Nov. that the Minister of Marine arrived there fe
proceeding night, in thirty-fix hours from Paris.
An order was immediately gb "or tbr firing of
that part of the flotilla which was 1b • Q there.
Citizen Deeres, after two & L ;; - ? vent to
visa the workfliops of the rt All the,
w o T kro m n attended, ;;|ikac,' T ± *
arfcquently a holiday. The • c^gd,!
from Jia ft, at which it ' I been 'or time) t o
(nuth-eart. Even the r er, elements operate in c\r
favour.\
Twenty men are alternately taken frofe each com-\
pany of the regiments encamped at Boulogne, anti|
embarked on board the flat-bottomed boats, for the 1
purpose of learning to row and work the guns, a I
duty which they acquit themselves of with great
fpiritimd precision.
BOULOGNE, NOV. 6.
The First Confel arrived here on Friday last, a.
bout one o'clock in the morning. He was already
embarked and mid-wav in the harbour before his
arrival was known. He continued on the water
until midnight, in examining the different prepara
tions. On Saturday, at four in the morning, the
van of the flotilla, confiding of more than 100
veils, went into the roads. At ten about a dozen
of the Edglis vessels, among which were several
seventy-sours, bote down, and all of them grazed
our line. A cannonade then took pl^ge. Our
flotilla kept up an excellent fire, & our batteries were
all able to diicbarge a great number of (hells. One
of the enemy's vessels was difmafted ; and, bom the
movements which weperceived, th-re is reason to
believe that a (bell fell on board a Innate. On our
fide one man had bis legs carried off in one ofthe
beats- The enemy,inftead of continuing their tack
drew'off. A division of galley boats advanced to-"
wards them, and followed them for more than half
an hear, filuting them with twenty-four-pound
(hot. A ball firtick a final! boat in the rear of our
line, but without killing any person. The crew
were saved, and the boat was got of the next tide.
Two additional divifioos of the flotilla have joined
us; one from Dunkirk, and the other from Havre.
The enemy was unable to prevent their arrival. The
- First Conlul has been in the roads the gr ater part
of the^day, and visited the greater part of the ves
sels.—A great number of ports are iconftruaing on
our coast ; a great number of vessels are building ; (
forts are ere&ing on rocks in the m\ft of tie
waves; and all these enterprizes, so different in
their nature, are carried on with uncommon ac
tivity.— The Fftft Consul slept in his hut, or por
table house in the camp to the right of t^ town,
where he received the civil and military authorities.
' By the latest Mails.
___—-_ —, —__— _ " • =—
, Washington, Jan. aft
The President and Senate have RATIFIED the CON
VENTION between the UNITED STATES & SPAIN,
of the lith of August, lira, laid' by the President before
the Senate during the last ftsoo,and not then definitive
aded upon. *
This Convention ftipuhte« for the indemnification of
those who have sustained losses, damages or injuries in con
sequence of exoriattof individuals of either nation durfog
the late war Contrary to the cutting Treaty on the l&wa
of nations
It provider for a board of Cotomiffionen to con 6ft of
five members, two to be appointed by each governn+t;
and the fifth by common eonfent, or in case of difagrec
went to he defigoated byHot.
The, are tQ focet at Madrid; and for the space of
d,Q month torn the day of their meß4Ag, are asfo.