The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1810-03-16 00:00:00

G 11,11) 1 LOUP E.

Guadeloupe, an island of the West Indies, and
"vie of the lariv.st of those called the Leeward
Islands, is about :250 miles in circumference. It
is represented as ItIVIIIIVti ildn Iwo parts by a channel,
stoma a league und a half over, called Me Salt
Meer, navigeble Only for canoes, which runs north
and south, Will (Amin iiiiii cans wan the sea on
both, by a large bay at each end, of which that on
the Nurth'is celled Grand Cal de sew ; aud on the
South Petit Cal tie Sae. The east part of the
island is called Grand Terre, and is about nine-
teen leagues from Antigua point, on the North
West to the point of Guadeloupe, on the South
East, and about nine leagues and • half in the
where broadest. This part is about forty
leagues in circomferen, e. The west part. which
is properly Guadeloupe, according to Laet, is sub-
divided by a ri.lge of mountains into Capesterre,
on the west, and Satsesterre on the east; this is
twelve leagues from north to south, awl seven and
a half where broadest, and about four leagues in
circuit. Both parts would be joined by an isthmus,
a league and a half in breadth. were it not cut
through by the river. Labat says, that the French
were obliged to abendon Grandsterre, in 1696, by
reason of the frequent incursions and depreda-
tion• committed there by the English, from
Antigua and Montserrat. Besides, this part is des-
titute of fresh water; which is so plentiful in the
other (properly called Guadeloupe. as having been
first discovered and inhaliiied) that it has enough
to supply the nei4iitiouring islands. He makes
the letter ve leagues its compass, and both
,slants together atio.it ninety. The salt-river, he
says, i• 'shout fifty tinsel, or 300 re. t, CIVET at its
mouth, towards the Great Cod de Sac, from whence
it grows narrower, so that, in some places, it is not
shove ninety feet over. Its deist(' is likewise as
unequal as its breadth, for, in some places, it .01
carry a ,•Inis of .sou tons, and in others hardly beer
4 weasel r f fifty. It is a smooth clear stream, shove
two leagues from the one Cal de Sac to the other,
and finely shaded for the most part with mangroves.
The air here is e•erc clear and healthy; and not so
hot as iu Martinique. Here is also plenty of water,
and as good as the will is rich, which last is not infe-
rior to Martinique ; it is equally cultiiated. and its
pruritue is the same.

The French Iwgin to send colonies to Goad drupe,
about the year 1631. But it made no gre it figure,
till the last century, since the be4iuning of which
it has vastly increased. and the French have forti-
fied it with several regular forts. This island o-as
first discovered by Christopher Columbus, who
gave it the name it now bears, from the resemblance
it 'was supposed to have to the mountain so called
to Old Spain. His landing was opposed by the
women of the island, with their bows and arrows ;
but they were soon dispersed by the fire-arms of
the Spai:i ads, 'slim obtained an easy pool' ssion of
the island. They found the houses stored
with large quantities of cotton, spun and unspent,
and weaving it ; mention is likewise mode
of iron biiiss ...4 ai.nws, and cotton hammocks.
A itimig the se4e' ..Ile productions ■re the tree which
yields the cepa, ha halmm ; the milk-shrub, which
yields a balsamic liquor like milk ; the utoubane-
tree, width bears a yellow plumb. used by the na-
tives to fatten their hogs ; the rorbary-tree, which
beers a gum similar to amber; a kind of cinnamon-
tree, aloes, and awn lal•wood ; Cocoa, ca.
f. c, and cotton. Among the birds discovered in
the island, acre patriots, partridges, turtle-doves,
herons, ■nd falcons, but the most extraordinary
is that callci the devil-bird ; it is a fishing
bird of passage, of tl:e size of a young pullet,
with a plumage of jet black. The bees are black,
small, and without sting, the honey 'lever
hardens, hut is tastily s of the cousistenee of rd.—
Au insect, of an offens.ve smell, call•, d ravet, is very
troublesome in this islautl, gnawing paper, books,
and furniture ; and wou:il be intolerible, were it
not for a large spider, which entangles them in it.
web, anal oda rwise destroys them. On a very lofty
mountain is a con.iderai.!e ii is culled the
sulphur mounts:li. lu the vsar 177.5. the exports
of Uttadaloupe sicrt quintals of sugar,
63,0.29 of coffee, 1,.1.; of indigo, 1,4m4 of cocoa,
and 6,193 of cotton, h 6.'11(3 links Cud other Itr.
tides, and without including the butte. oil), Muir-
tinique and other islands. lo the yu sr 1759 Gus-
daloupe was taken by the English, and r.stored at
the peace in 1763. Long Ct. 34. to, .54. ts. W.
Ferro. Lot. 15. 55. to lb. 47. N.

LON DON,
FRIDAY. MARIII !6.

CAPFURE OF GUADALOrPt.

At an early hour, last morning, Captain STA rt-
Flat., of the navy, and Captain Witonr, of the
army, urrived in town ; the former with dispute hen
from Admiral COCHRANE, and the latter with dis-
patches from General BICLWITH, containing the
details of the capture of Guadeloupe. The gntte-
ful intelligence was communicated, about twelve
o'clock, to the LORD NI A V OR, by the following
official Bulletins, which were prated up OR the
front of the Mansion-House:—
" Downing•street, March 15.
" Me LO2D—I have the honour to inform your
Lordship, gat Captain WILDA,' arrived at my
Office, Lest night, from Liceit.-General Sir Geom.,
BECKWITH, with the account of the surrender of
the Island of Gtfnlaloupe by capitulation, on the
6th February, after a short but severe contest, very
creditable to His MAJESTY'S service.

" The loss, on the part or IGs MoJesra's ser-
vice, consists of 4 Liettietiants, 3 Serjeants, and 43
rack and tile killed; and shout .250 wounded.
" I have the honour to he, &c.
" LtsEItPOOL."
" To the Right Hoo. the Lord Mayor."

" Admiralty-OSce, March tr., 1810.

"MT LORD—I have the conduction of acqnaint-
ing your Lordship. that the Island of Guadeloupe
has surrendered to His 51 AJESTY'II forces, after
some residence on the part of the enemy.

" The last division of the forces was landed on
the 30th of January, and the final capitulation,
by which General Eacour and the whole garri-
son became prisoners of war, was signed on the
sth of February.
" It adds considerably to the satisfaction which I
feel in communicating to tour Loralship this im-
portant acquisition, to be able to acquaint you, that
it has been effer.ted without any less ou the part of
MAJRSTY.S naval service.

" 1 hare the honour to be, My Lord,
" Yours, &c. Me 1,1.111111.VE."
" To the Right Hoe. the Loeil Nlayor "

About two o'cloc't, the Park and Tower gnu
were filed, in honour of the event, and proclaimed
the fall of the last of BON &PASTE'S colonies and
commerce. The public have been- long apprised
that an Expedition was fitting out against that lm-
portent, and last remainiii4 colony of the French,
in the West Indies. It sailed in two divisioes. On
the nd January, the first division left Marti-
nique, and anchored at Doit ttica on the 23J.
There it was joined by the remainder of the force
on the itsth, and on the 46th the two divisions *ailed
with Commodore BALLARD, and, on the same day,
anchored at the &tinter, some small islands on the
south-ea 4 coast of Guadalunpe. On the 2eth, the
first division, under the Commander-in-Chief, land-
ed at Port St. Mary's, on the eastern coast, stud
soon after 'proceeded to Trois Rivieres. a WWI) on
the same side to the south. On the 3oth, the td
division, under General Haacourr, landed at Des
Habitons, and advanced direct against the right of
the enemy. ERNOUF, the Commander-in-Chief,
and Governor of Guadeloupe., was apprised of
our intention, and had concentiated all his force,
amounting to about four thousand men, at Basse-
Terre. Soon after lauding, the battalion, under
Colonel STEWART, was opposed, but without suc•
cess, and the enemy were driven bat k. On the
Feb. a detachment of six hundred and fifty men,
more than one-half Wads, under Lieut.-Colonel
BUCHAN, was tint across the River des Peres, and
took post on the ridge next to Eaxot F'S position.
In the morning the enemy made a sortie, and had
very nearly driven him off, in consequence of the
part of our detachment which consisted of the fo-
reigners haviii4 given way. Culimel BCC/lAN end
the other Officers rallied the re-o, who stout brave-
ly, and, from the etrailineas of the 46:ii, :tad the
riflemen of the West India Ilninsens, were en.iblc:l
to charge the enemy, and chive them muter th,•
guns of Bellair.

After some other slight affairs and
general engagement took place on the 3d Fe'ern
in which the Frenrh troops behaved wit:t great
steadiness. The action ass short, severe. and
decisive. British gallantry and chsciiiline
and the enemy were defeated with the loss of 500
men.—Many blacks and all the Militia deserted
from the enemy ; and, on our part. the York
Rangers suffered snneh from getting co, se to
the famous bridge of arc its to ERROL; A'S position.
In the rvelling of thut (lit), the reserve, 'ider Ge-
neral WALE, haying turned and beaten the enemy's
left in the mountains. ERNM: v's sonilion became
so critical, that, on the mornings of the 4th and
sth, he hoisie I flays of truce at all his posts. On
the St h, General HARCOURT and Commodore.
BALLARD met Colonel Foorms LEA tmtstmit. and
agreed upon terms or capitulation, a loch were ra-
tified early on the 'nor 1111 l gof the lith. Our loss
esnin 44.11 at att killed, including four Lieute-
tioios, a a •!zilt wounded. Among the latter are
Hai r meal WALE mul Major iIIKNDLISOII ;
Rti,: ‘‘t .i•,tle,s'and that the great majority of the
anion • I are slight cases.—There was OP opportu.