The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-12-23 00:00:00

bon during his Royal Highness's absence from Au..
rope.
this morning the Portuguese fleet left the Tagus.
I had the honour to accompany the Prince in hit
passage over the bar. The fleet consisted of eight
sail of the tine, four large frigates, several armed
brigs, sloops, mid corvettes, and a *umber of Brazil
ships, amounting, I believe, to about thirty-six sail
in all. They passed through the British squadron,
and His Majesty's ships fired a salute of 21 guns.
which was returned with an equal number. A
snore interesting speSacle than that afforded by the
junitioo of the two fleets has been rarely beheld.
On quitting the Prince Regent's ship, I repaired
on board of the Hibernia, but returned immediate•
ly, accompanied by Sir Sidney Smith, whom I pre-
sented to the Prince, and who was received by his
Royal Highness with the most marked and gracious
condescension.
I have the tumour to inclose Lists • of the ships
of war which were known to have left Lisbon this
morning, and which were in sight a few hours ago.
Th..re remain at Lisbon boar ships of the line, and
the tame number of frigates, bat only one of each

soic i, serviceable.
I have thought it expedient to lose no time in
communicating to His Majesty's Government the
important intelligence contained in this dispatch. I
have tl'erefore to apnlogise for the hasty and imper-
iled manner in which it is written. I have the bo.
HMV to be, &c. STRANGFORD.

ildaurattOfficr, Dereitikr 111, 1807.
Dispatches, of wnsch the tollowing are extrafts
andpios. were received at this office on Saturday
last, b 5! Captain Yeo, of His Majesty's sloop the
Coafiance, from Rear-Admiral Sir W. S. Smith, ad-
dressed to theL Boa. William Wellesley Pole.

His hilsirsty'a ship !liberals, 22 leagues
West .1. the Tagus, Dee. 1, 1407.
SI ft—ln a former dispatch, dated the 22d No.
veseher, wi,b a postscript of the 26t11, I conveyed to
you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty, the proofs contidned in various
documents of the Portuguese Government being
so much influenced by terror of the French arms,
as to have acquiesced to certain demands of France.
rating against Great Britain. The distribution
tithe Portuguese lu•ce was made wholly on the
coast, while the land side was lel- totally anguard-
ed. British subjeds of all tiescriptims were detain-
ed ; and it therefore became necessary to inform
the Portuguese Government, that the case had arisen
which reqiiired, in obedience to my instrudions,
that I should declare the Lagos an a State of block-
. ade ; and Lord Straugford agreeing with me that
hostility should be met by hostility, the blockade
was instituted, and the instrodioas we had received
were aced upon to their full extent ; still, however,
bearing in recollection the first objee adopted by
His bl.jesty's Government of opening a re-
stage for the head of the Portuguese Government,
menaced as it was by the powerful arm,
_ and baneful ii.flu!nce tit the enemy, I thought at
tiny duty to adopt the means open to us, of endea-
vouring to induce the ?since Regent or Portugal to
reconsider his desision tt to unite himself with the
Continent of Europe." and to recoiled that he bad
possessions on that of America, affording an ample
balance for any sacrifice he might make here, and
from wl.ieh he would be cut off bythe nature of: ma-
ratime warfare, the terinittation of which could
not be didated by the combination of the coati-
nental povons of Europe.
In this view, Lord Sts ar gforsi having received
an acquiess. rice to the pro;sositon which bad been
made • 7 us, to his Lot &hip to land aodconfer with
the Pin ce Its g nt under the guarantee of a flag
of truce, 1 furnished his Lordship with that con-
veyance and security, in ordei that he migin give
N use Pintail that confidence which hie word of
bower as the King's Minister Plenipotentiary,
united with that of a braids Admiral, could • not
fail to inspire tossardsianthicing His Royal High-
ness to tt row himself sad his fleet into the arms
of Gieat Britain. in petted reliaseg on the King's
overlooking a forced ad of apparent hostility
against his flag and subjcils, and establishing lies
itsiyal Highness's Government in his ultra-marine
possessions, as originals 'atomised. I have now the
heartfelt satistadson of an:wincing to you, that
onr bopet and expedations have been realised to
the utmost elteat. On the morning of the 119th,
the Pertuguese fleet (as per List annexed) came
' out of the Tiiei,us och His Royal Highness the
Prince of Brasil and the whole of the Royal Irst.
mily of 3rai;staaa is, board, together with many of
his faithful Counsellort and adherents, as well as
other persons attached to his present fortunes.
' This fleet of eight 6.4 t. nt t:ie tine; WIN frigates,
two brigs, and one schooner, with a crowd of large
• armed merchant slaps, arranged itstlt under the
promeiern of that of His Majesty, while the Brine
or a reciprocal salute et. twenty-one guns announced
the friendly meeting of those who but the day be-
fore were on terms of hostility ; the scene impres-
sing every beholder (except the French army on
- the hills) with the most Item emotions of gratitude
to Providence, that there yet misted a Power in the
world able, as well as walla& to proud the op-
pressed. I have the hamar to be, Ilic.
W. SIDMIT SUlTlf•
List of the Paatugueee Peet that COMO OUR of the Tagus ire
tne 29tli of Neveseer, taxi.
Pe own* Real, 84 Runs; Roinha de Portugal, 74 ; Conde
Htl , 'JO, 74; Medusa, 74; Alfonso. de Albiquerquir, 54 ;
it D .1.40 do Cease. us ; Priocipe de Saud, 74; Marton) do
root" N.
Frigates—Minerva. 44 gun.; llntrvalid, 36; Urania, 32;
Lod we saner. Wing nets. yet icia our it.
litip—Visedor, -.1/ gun. ; V argaiiee, 20 ; Lebre, 22.
Sebedner--Cariusa, sit seas.
(Signed) Joao. YOZL MOOT. TOttita4,
Major•Gesteral.
(Copy) W. Si nasty Stains.
Lid Sla,ary's ship llitternia, 22 lingoes
. w.st in the Tessa, the 1, IMO.
- f Ste,--In nether dispatch of this day's date, I
- have transmitted a list of the Portuguese fleet tnt
came oat of the Tagus on the 24th ultimo. wiiich
I received that day from the hands of the Admiral
essossitoding .t, when I went on hoard the Priacipe
amaig, to pay my visit pt reseed and congrantlltion
',His Royal Highneiji the Prince of Brasil...who
was embarked in th ship. I here iodate tbitiii:t
rut Those lel t Minas e aheace of bat onef e
ailt.h
fourlosgretted ]the Pottegnise (the JACO
,le COM she ailleg under repair : her guns have

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