The enquirer — Richmond, Va., 1808-02-19 00:00:00, page 2

VI The difficulties dial happened after
the t*rnt\ of Petersburg being dune away by
tlic rcstitutiui oi the mouths of tUev-utuiru,
tind the present com eiitiun, the Emperor of
the French engages to cause Uruunau to bt
e • acuatcd bv h;s troops and those of his al
1-cs, au.U s~ id place-to be delivered tip to the
Austi ian troops one month at farthest after
tin exchange of the ratifications.
v ii- The present convention shall be ra
tified as snjm as possible, and the ratificati
ons exchanged in l-aris in a month at fur
thest.
F or.tuinblcuu, Oct. 10,1307.
Eig.ted,
B. N umpire de Cliuntpagny, Clement
VVencvsUts, Count of Metternicli,
VVirtcinburg.
\V ehave approved jutd do approve the a
|v»ve convention, all and every article there
in contained—we declare that it is accepted,
ratified, confirmed, and we promise, that it
shall he faithfully observed.
In taith ot which we have signed, with our
hands, countersigned and put our seal to the
present act. 1
Fontainbieuu, Nov. 9,1S07.
£:S'*d, NAPOLEON.
I he Paris Argus, of December 10, contains
tne President sa message- to. congress at the
coinmencentetit of the- present session.—
i he follow ing are tlic veanurko of tile edi
tm-;
\Yc hav e just received American pa
pers to the SOth October. 'File most import
cut article »t their contents is the nte-ssage
t.etV, to congress, at the opening of its session^
Ly the president Jefferson. This-message
gin s tlic most favorable .idea of the situation
ct the United States, and of tire improve
ments made ir. the finauces and }*oUcy of the
country. It describes in the most lively co
lors, the indignation with which -tlic-Oiitra- i
gesoi the British navy have filled the breasts
A <i>e Americans, -and announces a deter
mined resolution in the Uni.-ed States not to
» on ent themselves with the half-satisfaction
v/hicli the British govemmentoftered to them,
f or the purpose oi eluding the difficulties of
the -moment.”
cb.YTlwYUjtTK)JSr
Of Extralti from laic London Pa/icr».
London, Nov. 28.
All Colonial produce is stated to fetch ve
i _v high prices at Hamburgh ; yet we under
stand that rite popular feeling at Amster
dam and Rotterdam is decidedly in favour
of Bonaparte.
.a new ivuaiti is to foe established at the
Admiralty, tor the purpose ut examining
maps, charts, <kc'. and collecting nautical in
to.licence or the use ot the Navy. TJhc nicm
I'-e.s ..re to be, bir Robert Barlow, Deputy
l.omproiler of tlie Navy; Janies Bowen, I
.’P a. commissioner of 1’fansports; Cap
t.uus Sir Home Pophum, Hurd, and Coloni
liihc. i hey are to be assisted in their exa
minations by Alex. Dulrymp’e, lii.sq.thc pre
sent If j drograpiier to the Admiralty.
November SO.
The Danes complain most bitterly of the
dilapidations committed by the British, and
r: their plunders.—Without supposing that
car soldiers have manifested any peculiar
rapacity i:i Zealand, n must go to the heart
ol everyone concerned for the honor of the
country, to find the very reproaches which we
oiii c just.v hurled against our enemies, now
heaped on our own heads. How of.en has
our pi ess groaned beneath the weight ot ac
cusing matter; describing the French us
s acking the towns and villages of the C onti
nent ox their plate, and stealing even their
bedding, to supply a tumultuous army. How
‘•‘Ren have we traced Bonaparte in hij march
by a line oi devastation, and represented him
as rasing to tne ground what he could not
convert into profit. I.et any one compare
these censures with the complaints of the
Danes, in another part of our paper, and
they will find that by their new system mii
nisteVs have already made rapid pi'Ogrcsss
i“ rivalling the glory of Napoleon.
Admiral Keate’s squadron broke up on
Friday from St. Helen’s.
An express w as sent o/Tlast night to Wool
wich, w ith orders to expedite two ship loads
of Congreve’s rockets for one of the expe
ditious in contemplation of government. Mr.
Congreve will accompany the expedition,
for the purpose of superintending the ap
plication ot these destructive engines, as
in the attack on Copenhagen.
'1 lie Cardinal ot \ork has bequeathed to
hi* R®v al Highness the Prince of Wiles the
order constantly worn by King Charles 1. and
a va.uFoic ring, which was also worn by the
ituciti:t Kings of Scotland on the day of;
their Coronation.
Uccember 1.
Something in A'amr s—The news of the
rejection of the late treaty by the Americans
was brought by the Wasp ; the remonstrance
Inspecting the attack of the Chesapeake was
brought by the Revenge—and now the Ra
ven vomes with dismal croakiitks from I\»r
Ggal!
■ linthh Aavy.— The amount of the Bri
tish Naval Forte to this day is as follows:_
.vt sea, 86ships ct the line, 9 from 50 to40
yv.r~; 100 frigates, 1 i,' stoops, Ac. and 163
gun-hvigs, mid t.thcr vessels. Total 517._
Ju port and silting, 23 ships of the 5 line,
from 50 to 44 guns; 55 frigates, 62 sloops,
Ac. and 62 gun-brigs ami other \ essels. Til
th! 21*2-(iu.ird-hhips, Hospital-ships, Ac,
2 3 ships cf the line, 5 from 50 to 44 puns,
ii frigates, and 4 sloops, Ac. Total, 43—!
Ihiildiog, 54 bhips of the line, 24 frigates, iy
*’oi p», Ac. aril 12 gun-brigs and other vet
M Is- Total, U'9.— In ordinary, 46 ships of
e .in,, 12 from 5b to 4 :• -mis, 57 frigates,
49 sir ps. Ac and 17 gur.-brigs and. other
Vessel:,. 1 nial, iSl—Grand toval, 1,067.
December 14.
On the 7th ait. the Russian Minister of
M .trine made the following report of the a
n . uitt and disposition of the Imperial Na
vy
.st. I he Great Fleet of the Baltic, ron
s.t.llhgi-t >9 M* el., and curving 22f>0 guns,
vi/.—20 sloops < f the line, ’l.5S3 gur:» ; 14
ftifgatto. 426 ditto: 6 rotters, 130 ditto; 19
f: mallei* vessels, 116 ditto.
2(1. Baltic Galley Fleet, 41 sml,7!0 guns,
vi/. 20 galleys, 220 guns: 23 batteries, 166
ditto ; 61 gun boats, 162 ditto; C.l yaw is
?»d. Flack Sea Fleet, 41 sail, 1226 guns,
vi/.—12 slops of the line, 9IH guns; 4 fri-’
gateH. 162 ditto: 7 brigs, 52ditto; 13small
armed vessels, 91 ditto.
4th. R >v ir.g Fleet of the Black Fea, 40
gun boats, carrying 52 guns find 40 falconets.
.»th. l’.otilra in the Caspian Sea, 6 vi s
fcela cairving To gnus.
6th. Tiie rmtilia <,f Ocltozk, 1! vessels
earn ing 36 guns.
. h A* V.t.i,\\ jlilpv nf the line, cjirrvjujr
7f.O g-ins, the precise stations of which are
m i mcr.ti nt 1. neither j:v the wiMlcr u:,
fcv., pjv. pca.,^5 .*.
' \ V
L
uiLiuiiLK iu uu
Total—33 sail of the line; 84 frigates;
39 cutters, brigs, ike. smaller vessels 226,
cart ing in all 4,428 pieces of cannou.
The Swedish Heel at present consists of 12
sail ol the line und 8 frigates, besides cut
ters, galleys, &c. here are two ships of the
iiuc budding.
The British navy at present comprises 261
sail of the line, 33 titties, 238 frigates. 330
sloops ol war, brigsv &c. besides an immense
number of cutlers, and other armed vessels.
political review.
From the l.iverfiool Chronicle qf Decem
ber 9.
Letters from Gotten burgh report that an
embargo has been laid ou all Swedish ves
sels in the Russian ports. The Gottenburgh
mail brought Hamburgh papers to the 18tn
ult. 1 he Swedish Consul at Copenhagen has
been arrested for Corresponding with .a cap
tain in the English fleet. The king of Swe
den has, in consequence, confined the Danish
Consul to his house at Maltno.
D) an article from Trieste, we learn that
the French troops hitherto stationed in Is
tria, and the whole country of Venice, .aro
nearly all in motion to proceed to Dalmatia,
by forced marches. The fate of Turkey
will not, we apprehend, much longer.be a
subject of speculation merely. The light
ning from the eyes of the French eagle may'
***» **c expected to dim the tustye of the
I urkish crescent. We contemplate, iu the
downfall of the present system, the meliora
tion of the fpeople of Turkey. They have
been too long considered as the appendages
to the soil, and their existence of no further
importance titan as being the property of
the government. „
. The grand duke Constantine is about to
visit Ronapurtc at Payifc.
1 he negociations between France and
Austria were finally concluded at Fontain
bieau on the 13th October. Couriers were
accordingly sent .to Brannau and bilcsia, with
orders for the Trench troops to return to
II ranee.
About sixty persons have been apprehen
ded in Spain, implicated in the late conspi
racy, several of-whom have been beheaded.
Among these are tile Duke de Medinaceli,
the Duke de L’Tefantado, and the Marquis
de Las Amiralas. Fhese were all persons of
very eminent distinction, and of considera
ble influence. Berthier is said to be at Ma
drid, and the first column of the French ar
niy to have reached Lisbon.
Whatever is our opinion respecting the
Lmnish expedition, we.have reason to think
that Russia would have found other causes of
quai rcl against us. 1 his has no doubt acce
uaaiai ss. vv e sincerely regret
that suc h a calamity has be!al*£n us. espe
cially at a time when unless than fifty Bri
tu»h vessels -are in the Russian ports, and
prevented by the rigor of the season from
leaving that country. A more serious cala
iiiitv could hardly have befallen us. From
every port in the continent we are thus at
last excluded. Sweden alone remaining to
aggravate, by its inferiority in the contrast,
the sense of the important injury inflicted
on us, of vvnich the whole continent besides
pi esents so impressive an evidence.
Our country is, at the present, in a very
awful situation: not very dissimilar to what
it was in the early part of the year 1801,
when the last northern confederacy w as for
med against us; but there is no reason to
expect that any similar events will inter
vene to dissipate the impending storm. The
power of Bonaparte was then immature; it
is now fixad. Prussia and Austria were then
independent powers; they are now subject
to 1 ranee. At that period Denmark was re
luctantly dragged into the league by France
and Russia. 1 he ^njusticc of England has
now rendered her the zealous and w illing *1
ly ot t ranee, the inveterate enemy of'this
country* Russia was then governed by a fu
rious madman, or. whose constancy no reli
ance could be placed, and whose excesses
must, in the nature of things, have sooner or
la*er, terminated in his deposition ; and the
successor to his crown was known to be fa
vorable to England; but the reverse of all
this is the case now. The emperor Alexan
der is beloved by his subjects; is oi a mild
cautious disposition, and, warned by the late
of his father, will keep a vigilant eye on
those in whose breasts such a conspiracy is
the most likely to be hatched; and even
should a similar fate await him, his legal
.... ".. vw UU3 t-UUIl*
try. Such is the difference between our situ
ation in the year 1801; and 1807. To which
must be added, that there is no public cha
racter at the head of affairs to which the
nation look up with confidence, not even
with as much as they did toMr. Pitt. In this
distressing comparison it ought not to be for
gotten, that our national honor was then un
tainted—die latal expedition against Den
mark had not sullied the fair fame of Eng
land : That expedition which has converted
the whole north of Europe from neutrals, if
not from friends, into open and implacable
enemies. Such is the melancholy result of
that masterpiece of policy, the expedition a
gainst Copenhagen, undertaken at the com
nufnd of our present administration, who will,
it is to f>r feared, contrive to involve us in hos
tilities with the whole world; and who must,
w hen we are reduced to the briuk of ruin,
adopt other measures, i r give place to other
men to prevent the accomplishment of our
country ’.sc ninplele disgrace and ruin.
Respecting our relations with America,
nothing certain can he inferred from the pre
sident's message. Nothing will be finally re
solved on until the last dispatches from” our
government shall have been received by the
President of the U. Stated.
The Trosfieet before us.—Ministers have
nt length succeeded in involving us in war
with nearly the whole civilized world. The
noble acquitted speculator, who, in secrat,
is said to move the puppets of the state, ami
all the idle Crew who batten on the miseries
of tlie people, may think light of the dis
tresses of the country ; the faction behind
the throne, more powerful than the throne
itself, and a.l the exuviae, of thcjjbutc and
Melville ■factions, who still curse the na
tion with their counsels, may smile at the
country’s ruin, while they grasp its treasure ;
but who, tiiat has m spark of the ainor patrix
| glowing in his bosom, can contemplate the
prospect before ns without horror? We art
jat war with Austria, Kn*«ia, France, Tur
key, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Prussia,
Naples, Helvetia, Etruria, Italy, the ecclc
|*ia$tica1 states, the states of Germany, Hol
land, Liguria, Ltjr Cn, Ragusa, and the Ioni
an Republic. Sweden mint immediately o
bfcy the mandate? of Russia, ami become our
enemy ; and appearances stiongly indicate
that Amelia will to n\ declare against ns,
if she has not a!ready^-Our manufactures
aie closed—our commerce de-tfoyed ; our!
eft-Ckt arc empty. How Log this »t«*t y/
conteiiipldtiou mournful—aud, tlic prospect
! terrible.
Another of the Yorkshire district meet
ings, making the eighth, was last week held
at P'ltlsey, for the purpose of taking into con
sideration the propriety ®f petitioning for
peace, when tiie expedience and necessity of
petitions were unanimously admitted, and a
number of resolutions entered into.
It has alway s been the policy of the desigli
ing partisans of administration, to represent
% <>.se who disapprove the measures of minis
ters as the enemies to their country. The1
opposers of tiie American war were all, in
their estimation, disafleeted.men. The ad
vocates for peace, In the last war, were, with
out discrimination, all jacobins, and a few
fiery xeulotis are now labouring to produce
divisions aud suspicion in tiie country by rais
ing a similar cry against the friemlsuf peace.
But the time for playing Off this stu e trick is
passed ; dike one of the old manoeuvres prac
tised by sharpers, it has been worn thread-,
bare, and the deception is described through
iis fettered covering. It will soon be seen
who are the real enemies of tlicir 'country :
whether the men who support’ hieasuies
which add every month,, nay klinost ®very
week, another to the catalogue of our alrea*
dy numerous and formidable .enemies J" Or
those w ho Wish to put a stop to the miseries
and ruin of w ar. There is only one way, ei
ther of obtaining a peace, or of calling' into
action the Congregated energies of the coun
try and that is by petitions to the throne fin
peace ; and yet the shallow pretenders to
exclusive loyalty oppose petitioning by all the
little artifices iii tlicir power.
SALEM, February 6.
IMPOR TA.YT A\fc W&!
Ey Capt. Chase, who arrived last evening
from Malaga, which he left January 7, we
received the very important and pleasing in
formation contained In the follow mg Circu
lar :—
Capt. C. also informs us, that it was ex
pected at Malaga, that th® French would
attack Gibraltar in a few days.
CIRCULAR.
(COPY.)
ALGiEKSi Dec. JO, 180?.
Sib,
\ ou have undoubtedly, before this, heatrl
that three American vessels had been detain
ed by a frigate of this place, in consequence
of the annuities for two years past, not hav
ing been sent from the U. States in Naval and
Military Stores, as stipulated by treaty, not
withstanding the amount thereof, has been
repeatedly offered in cash.
These vessels are the ship Eag'e, of New
York, Nathaniel Thaler, master, from Bris
tol to Palermo, cargo glass bottles; brig Vi
olet, of Boston, Janies Merrct, master, from
Oporto to Leghorn, cargo sugar, hides, indi
go, &c. and schooner Mary Ann, of New
ark, Ichabod Sheffield, master, from the
Straits of Belle-Isle to Leghorn, cargo, fish.
The two former have beta in this port up
wards of 40 days.
The schooner has not arrived, and is sup
posed to have made for some other port.
The people on board these vessels have
been treated very well, and ho pillage ofauy
kind has been committed.
1 have now the honor to inform you, that 1
have adjusted this business with the Dey,
who has received the amount of two years
annuities due, in cash, and the vessels are li
berated, and that our commerce will receive
no further molestation from the cruizers of
this Regency.
1 pray you will have the goodness to give
this as much publicity as. possible, for the
beijelit of all concerned therein.
I have the honpj- to be very respectfully, I
Sir, your most obedient servant.
¥r TOBIAS LEAR.
YVm. Kirkpatrick, Esq.
Consul of the United States of
America, at Malaga.
POSTCR1PT.
T_T , Dec. 17, 1807.
\V e have this moment heard by an arrival
from Leghorn, that the schooner before men
tioned has arrived ,in Naples, having been re
taken by the Captain and part of the crew
lett on board, wh,o threw overboard four of
the captors, and put four others into the boat:
to shift for themselves.
1 nave myself received no advice of this, I
and on application to the Dev, who first sent:
me the information, he assures me, that it!
shall not alter the arrangements made yes
terday, and that our vessels may navigate
without fear of molestation.
At present all their cruizers are in port.
I have the honor to be, &lc.
TOBIAS LEAR.
A True Cofiy.
Malaga, 5th January, 1808.
Wm. KIRKPATRICK.
DOMESTIC.
From Colvin’# Weekly Register.
DESERTERS.
It will beat once recollected without the
trouble of entering into particulars, that the
present administration wa» much abused by
certain party-writers, for not delivering up
to the British when demanded, those deser
ters for the recovery of whom the attack on
I the C'hcsnpcak was made by the frigate Leo
pard. It will also be remembered, that those
deserters claimed to be Americans citizens,
and as such demanded the protection of their
government; that the administration enter
ed into a strict enquiry as to the justice of
their claim lor its interference in their lye
half; and expressed its willingness, in case
they were ascertained to be impostors, to
render every sn refaction proper in the case
to the English government. It will not be
forgotten.either, that much odium was at
tempted to be thrown upon the administra
tion for supporting the pretensions of those
men, in the first instance, on their own de
claration; and fictitious instances were cit
ed, wherein British officers had promptly
surrendered American deserters on the first
demand for them. Asa conclusive icply to
ali these charges and insinuations, I offer the
following documents. They exhibit a case
directly under the eyes of the lords of the
admiralty, sauctioned by their official man
date. Four men, who had regularly entered
on board an 'American ship of war deserted
in a British port; two of them claimed pro
tection from an English impress officer; they
were demanded in .a formal manner ; refer
ence was made tq the lords commissioners of
the British Admiralty, and enquiry was-by
them directed to be held, not w hether they
had deserted, butwhether they were Rritinh
tubjcclt ? The enquiry was entered upon ;
and without a particle of testimony other
than the mere statements of the two men; (
and witliouf otb^r voucher save tlie solitary * I
"'■•V kmj DUUVI i’aiJJCCU, ttlllVIC"
tallied. Such are the UidEptr.nble Vact^.—
Lrt the American people compare the two
cases, which are pvecisel. similar, judge hi
the rectitude of conduct that marked the
proceedings of administration; uud say whe
ther there was auy toicruble pretext what
ever, on British doctrine ii*e(f, for the at
tack upon the Chesapeak.
[i:oi>y.1
United State* */tip wasp, December )
2c/, 1807, jYeetr-York. ' S
The Honorable K. Smith;
Sir—Incompliance with yours of the
25th ot November, I have the honor to ac
quaint you with the.circumstances relative
to the deserters from the U. S. ship Wasp,
under my command. On the 29th of July
last, when watering at East Cowes, foi.rmen
effected theif escape from the officer in
charge of the party. Everv measure was
taken for 'their apprehension, but nothiug
could be heard .©f them through the island.
On the day subsequent,, as going to Ports
mouth tbrouglw Hyde, 1 was informed that
John Bond uud Th»na$ Jones, two of the de
serters, were at that moment In the posses
sion of the officer charged with the impress
service' at the latter place.
• Having occasion to wait on rear-admiral
Coffin the same day', 1 made a personal ap
plication for.the within named, then subject
to h;s order—die informed nic tluit he would
immediately- make arrangements for tlveir
delivery on board th* Wasp; but seeing him
a few hours after, hp regretted that U*ey had.
been taken from Hyde on board the Kqyal
William, the then guard ship at Spithead,
precluded the possibility .of delivering them
up without the concurrence of the lords of
the adihiralty ; andthat immediate commu
nication should be nmdetothem on the sub
ject; and the day but one following he would
fqrnish me with their reply.
On the 31st weighed for sea, and as pass
ing through Spithead I sent lieutenant Hen
ry to require of the'admiral a reply to my
former application, when the accompanying
communication, which 1 have the honor to
forward you, was received by him.
1 have the honor to be. Sir,
Most respectfully.
Your most ob’t serv’t.
(Signed) JOHN SMITH.
[copy.]. -
Royal William, at Spit bead,
July 31st, 1807.
Sih—In consequence of vour application
on the subject of the two men, who had de
serted from the U. S. sloop under your c'om
niand, and who declare themselves to be Bri
tish subjects, I lost no time in requesting the
.direction of the lords commissioners oi the
admiralty thereon ; and am in return com
manded by their lordships “to make imme
diate enquiry respecting the truth of the as-'
sertion made by the deserters, that they are
British subjects, and to inform you that I am
ready to transmit any representation that you
hiaybe disposed to make of their being Ame
rican citizens.”
I am, Sir,
Your most obedient humble se'rv’t.
(Signed) ISAAC COFFIN,
Rear Admiral commanding ut Spiihead in
the absence of Admiral Montagu.
John Smith, Esq. commander of
the U. States' Sloop of War
lYasp.
- [copy.]
Royal William, at Spit head.
•1 31st of Julv, 1807.
Sir—Having, agreeably to the directions
of the lords commissioners of the admiralty,
caused the deserters from the JLJ. S. sloop pt'
war Wasp, under your command, to be
strictly examined and interrogated l»y capt.
the honorable C. Boyle, of his majesty’s ship
Royal William, I herewith inclose you ato
py of h*s report for your information.
1 am. Sir,
Your most ob’t humble serv’t,
(Signed) ISAAC COFFIN.
Rear Admiral, &c.
John Smith, Esq. Communder of the
U. S. Sloop of War Wasp.
[copy.]
Royal William, Spit head.
Juty, iou/.
John Bonsor, J Sik—In obedience to
Thomas Jones, 5 your order of this day’s1
date, to call before me and strictly examine !
as to the truth of the men named in the mar- i
gii), being British subjects, who have left the 1
U. S. sloop of war Wasp, I beg leave to in- j
lorin you that after closely interogating those j
men, 1 firmly believe them to be British sub- !
jeuts, seeing no reason whatever to doubt
their assertions, which are as follows.
J. Bonsor said he was horn at Retford, in
Nottinghamshire, that he has a mother now
living there who keeps the paper-mills, is
thirty-five years of age, and was baptised in
the church of West Retford, is 5 feet 9 in
ches and J-4 in stature, of a tresh complex!- •
pn, left England after being paid oil' iu the
Triton frigate at the expiration of last war,
since which time he has resided in and near
New-York, until his entry on board the U. |
S. sloop Wasp, in orabout April last, when
he received four month’s advance at twelve
dollars per month, the dollar of value in cur
rency eight shillings, having received also
some slops during the time he has been on
board; that when sent on shore with u wa
tering party at Cowes, he left that place,
went tM Hyde, andcallcdon the officer of the
rendezvous there to protect him as a British ‘
subject.
Thomas Jones states that he was born in
Bristol, his father’s name Edward, his mo
ther's Mary : He docs not know when he was
baptised, as he was very young when lie left
Bristol. He quitted Liverpool in the year
1801 in the Gen. Kepple privateer brig, '
which vessel was captured bv the Medea
Spanish frigate and carried to Buenos Ayres,
where he remained a prisoner nine months,
then entered himself on board the Oliver Eli
worth, a ship belonging td New-York, and
has sailed in American vessels from that
period until his entry on hoard the Wasp in
April last. He then received neither boun
ty nor advance, ns he could not procure hail
for making his appearance on board when
required, (the ship at that time not being j
ready to receive men ) Previous to his go- i
ing out in the Gen. Kepple he had been nme |
years in Newfoundland, working in the em-I
ploy of John Butler, of Burien, who was own- J
erof the three fishing boats. He is 34 yearn,
of age, 5 feet 7 } inches in stature, of a fresh
complexion with a scar on his right thumb,
marked with ink on both arms, having q-ir
Saviour on the cross on the right, a mermaid
with several other marks, on the left. He left
the Wasp on the same duty that John Bonsor j
lid, proceeded to Hyde and claimed the pro
tection of the rendezvous office there. He. was '
ilso supplied with slops during his servitude
m board the Wasp. These men further state
hat John Henley and John Faulduor, calling
' u v.ii
1 am, iir, your oij’i. servant,
(Signed) C. BOYLE,
Isaac Iohin, Rear jidmirui, 15*c.
Extract of a letter from Lisbon, dated 29:U
jVovcntbcr, 1J1U7, 9 o'cIock, morning.
“ At the moment I am w riting, the Portu
guese squadron, consisting of b line ot bat
tie ships, 2 frig ites and 4 smaller vcsseis, are
under weigh. Che Prince Regent and the
whole Royal Family are on board ; the Duke
ol Cardeval, first Prince of the blood, M.
id’Aranjo, and the minister of marine and
foreign affuirs, the marquis of Po.nb.il, aud
several other nobility, with a number ol of
ficers of government, servants. gcc. &c. Few
[in* no soldicre, except the marine .carp*, have
embarked. The preparation for euibaika
tion began the twenty-fourth, since which,
they have worked uigiit and day or ratheF
[since the 25th to f.'t on board; and every
thing which related to the embarkation has
been in great contusion. Appcurunces seem
to indicate that the government was taken
by surprise. Nol even salted provisions tot
the ships’ me whs on board; but little ship ’
bread was prepared, so that they have been
obliged to purchase flour and put un board in
stead of it. The ships have gone away ve
ry short of salt provisions, and the bulk of
them not half maimed. The Prince as well
as the nobility have had only time to take
their most valuable movable effects, leaving
all their fortunes behind. On the 22d notice
I was received by the Prince that the French •'
| army was about entering this kingdom. Thie
caused him very considerable alarm and a.
general stir at the palaqe. The 24th a Bri
tish frigate entered as a flag of truCe, and
the same day a faint report reached the pub
lic of his intentions to embark—That night
a grand council of state was held, and the
next day an order was received at the arse
nal to embark all the provisions, and to pre
pare the ships immediately, for sea. They
also that day began to embark the Prince*
eftects, but the ministers and nubilitv did not
l)egin to pack up till the 25th and 26ih. The
first of these days the flag of truce went out.
Whether tikis sudden resolution was owing
to the marching of the French army, or to
the dispatches brought by the frigate, is not
known, but probably to both. There art now
several British line of battle ships in the
! offing, whq.it is supposed will accompany the
Prince to the Brazills. Till however the en
closed proclamation (translated in haste) was
published yesterday, and it was understood,
that the cannon in several forts were‘piked,
and the gunpowder thrown into the river, it
was nut generally believed that the Prii.xe
w ould go, and until the ships were under
w eigh, many well informed people believed
that he would remain. It is supposed tliat
the value of, ,he diamonds taken with the*
; Prince is about an hundred millions
lars,and that he took thirty millions of dol
lars in specie, plate, &.c.”_Ac/. Jut.
Having endeavored by every possible
means to conserve a neutrality, which until
the present time, my faithful and beloved
subjects have enjoyed, and notwithstanding
| my having drained my royal treasury, and
every other sacrifices which I have subjected
mJ svif, arriving to the excess of shuttifi'’
the ports of my kingdom to the subjects of
my ancient and faithful ally the kiug of G.
Britain, thereby exposing the commerce of
my subjects to total ruin ; and suffering by
tins motive grea: prejudice in the revenues
oi my kingdom; 1 find that in the interior
of my kingdom are marching troops cf the
emperor ot the Fl ench and king of Italy, to
whom 1 had united myself on the continent,
in the persuasion of being no'unger disturb
ed; and that the same are directing their
inu. cli for this capital ; and I Wishing to.
avoid the horrible consequences which may
ensue from a defence w nich would be more
hurtful than beneficial, serving only to shed
blood to tliw- destruction of humanity, and
probably to excite in a greater degree the
dissention of troops who have conic to this
kingdom, with the declaration and promise
not to commit the least hostility. Knowing
likewise that they aie directed very purlieu
will) against my royai person.; and that my
faithful subjects w ill be lessdisturbed, 1 ab
senting myself from this kingdom. 1 have
resolved lor the benefit of nvy subjects, to
p iss with the queen, niv lady und mother,’ &
with all the royal family for the\States’ ct
America, and ostnbl sh myself in the city of
the river of January until a general peace.
And considering further how much it bahovev
to leave the government of these kingdoms
in that order which is essential for the good
of them and of my subjects as a thing to.
which I am so essential, y obliged. Having
in this every consideration which in a similar
case are present tome : 1 am pleased toap
point to govern in my absence and to rule
these my kingdoms the Marquis of Abran
tes, my uearly beloved cousin, Francisco da
Cunhu de Menenzes, lieutenant general of
my armies, the Prince Castro, of my coun
cil, and regidof of justice, Pedro de Mello.
Brcynecr, of my council, who will serve as
president o: my royal treasury, in the ab
sence and impediment of Luis cic Vascan
celias bouza, who is unable from sickness ;
Don Francisco de Noronha, ieuicnaut gene
ral of my armies and pres dent of the Meza
da Conscieueiu Ordens; and in the deficien
cy of cither of them, tfie Count Mentciro
Mir, who! have appointed president of the
beitudo da Camera, with the assistance of
the two secretaries, the Count Sampaio, and
in his room Don Miguel Pereira Foijaz, and
of the Uctfcmbartfador de J/aro, and iny
Procurator of the crown, Joao Antonia bat
ter e Meudocu, from the great confidence
which I have in all of them, and great ex
perience which they have had in the affairs
of this government. Being certain that my
kingdom and people will be governed and
ruled in a manner that my conscience will
heat ease, and that the said governors will
entirely fulfill their obligation during the
time that (iod is pleased thnt 1 shall be ab
sent from this capital, administering justice
with impartiality, distributing rewards and
punishments according to the merits of each
one ot them. The said governors will thus
understand and fulfill in the manner afore
said, and in conformity with tftC instructions
which will be signed by me w ith thj^ dpcrce ;
and they wili make the necessary partici
pations to the competent departments. Pa
lace of Nossa Senhora da Ajnda, the 26th
Nov. 1807, with the signature of the Princo
Kcgcnt, O. L. Instructions referred to in
my royal decree of the 26th Nov. 1807.
The governors which I thought fit fo ap
point by my royal decree of this date, to go
vern these kingdoms during my absence, will
have the accustomed noth administered tf»
them by the Cardin 1 Patriarch, and will
>c diligent, watchful active and vigilant in
ihtf administration of justice, distributing ii
with impartiality, and conserving in rigorous
observance the laws of this kingdom.