The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-16 00:00:00

:hL latittOft

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.
FOR THE. BENEFIT OF MR. MACREAII Y.
This Emit's, TUESDAY, May I rt, aia be performed bliakspeare's
Tragedy of
OTHELLO.
Othello, Mr. Marrearly • Ingo, Mr. Volume. De.dmond, Mu. W. Wed.
After whirr the Romantle Fairy Tale of
OKEBON ; Or, THE CHARMED HORN.
Oberon, 81119 Vlotvnt ; Sir noon of Guyonne, Mr. Delmer( ; Sir Aubert,
Mr. T. Blanchard. The Pllnce.... Amanda, Miss Smithsou.
To-filorrow, ith The Rendezvous.

COVENT-GARDEN TII EATRE.
This Evening, TUESDAY, Bitty 16, will be performed a Grand
litninamie nod Fairy Opera of
°HERON ; or, THE ELF-EOM'S OATH.
The principal Characters by Me,,rs. Brabant, Cooper, Iftiruset, C.
Blond, J. Isaac., and linker; Misses Eaton, H. Cawse; Madame Ves-
ta., Airs. Vining, and Mrs. Davenport.
After whirl, the rinionitir Meln-Drama Of
ROBINSON CRI:sOE ; •
TI11: 511111 BI
Robinson Crusoe, Mr. Farley; Friday, Mr. J. S. Grimaldi. meth, Mrs.
Vining.
Tomorrow. 011ernn, and Three Deep.

The BRITISU PRESS commenced publishing yesterday morning
at *quarter past six o'clock. •

LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1826.

The French papers receivtd last nigl:t contained no-
thing of importance. The news from Portugal, which we
published yesterday, is given in part in the Pitote of the
13th inst. It is there mentioned that the preparations for
the departure of th. Deputation to the Brazils had been
recommenced ; but the subsequent difficulties, from the
tendered resignations of the chiefs of the Deputation, arc
not alluded to.

The tribunal of Seville is said to have issued circulars to
the police of the province, ordering lists of strangers and
suspicious persons to be drawn up. On referring to the
British Press of the I 3th April, it will be found that cir-
culars of a similar nature had been issued long ago, awd
we suspect that those now spoken of are the same as those
mentioned in our paper of that date.
(From the Veridigne of Montpellier.)

A rich proprietor of Ciudad Rodrigo was prosecuted and impri.
coned several times ass liberalist. Lately, having been again ar.
retied, the tribunal of Valladolid, af.er confining him several
months, condemned him to a year's imprisonment and a fine. On
being condemned he presented a memorial to the King, to solicit ■
diminution of the punishment. as he had been imprisoned a very
long time, and was condemned only for his political opinions. The
Minister dismissed the petition, with a decision condemning him to
two years imprisonment and douhle the former fine.
FRENCH Fustba.—PAßlS. MAY 13.—Five per Cents. M.
Mc. ; Three per Cents. 641. 60c. ; Rentes de Naples 73f. 90c. ;
Rears d'Lspagne 7 ; Royal i✓panish Loan 44f. Oic. Exchange
on London—One 31ontli 2M. bac.; Three Months 23f. 40c.—
Cour, Asthentique.

We have to announce to our readers, with sincere and
deep regret, the fall of the fortress of Missolonglii into
the hands of the Infidel, after one of the bravest and most
protracted defences, with the least possiole real means of
resistance, which history has recorded. It is said that, so
early as the 2d of April, terms were offered to the besieged ;
and, if we may believe the accounts, such terms as few,
reduced to such dreadful extremities, would be Inclined to
reject. But they were rejected; and after a brave but
fruitless attempt, on the.,part of a small division of the
garrison, to cut its way through the enemy's lines, the
Turks are said to have carried the town—when, no doubt,
the carnage was indiscriminate and general. How long is
this sanguinary warfare to be allowed to afflict and disgrace
humanity ? and how long will the nations, calling them-
selves Christian, behold such horrors, without any effort—
even by way of remonstrance—to put a stop to such revolt-
ing horrors?
The folloiving is the account of this disastrous event
which has reached this country. The French Papers, last
received, are quite silent on the subject:—
Despatches were received yesterday, at the Colonic! Office. from
Major,General the Honourable Frederick Ponsonby, the Lord
High Commissioner, pro tempore, of the lonian Islands, announc-
ing that the fate of the long.disputed fortress of illissalonghi was
finally decided, on the night of the 22d and 23d ultimo.

It appears that the garrismi, having become desperate from the
total want of provisions, and the failure of the Greek fleet, under
Admiral Mimi's, to throw supplies into the town, determined to
retire from the place. A sortie was accordingly made by 1100 men,
under two Chieftains, with the hope to gain possession of one of the
batteries upon the sea shore, which was defended by a large body of
Araks; and the town was partially set fire to, at the same time,
wiili the view of direrting the attention of the besiegers.
It was hoped that by this attack a way would be opened for the
remainder of the garrison ; but this plan had been foreseen by the
Turk., and their posit; so strongly reinforced, that after attempting
In vain to force a passage, by carrying the battery, the body, led by
the two Chieftains, dispersed, and endeavoured to save themselves
by gaining the mountains.

The Turks then poured into the town and put to the sword, or
made prisoners, all who opposed them.

The loss sustained by the Turks on this occasion is not reported ;
but the obstinacy of the conflict may be estimated by the fact, that
although between 2 and 3,000 Greeks perithed in the town, and at
the foot of the mountain, only 150 are reported to have been taken
alive. Of the women and children, a considerable number are said
to have destroyed themselves, or to have been drowned; but above
3,000 have been returned as prisoners.

The alarm created by their dispersion was quickly communicated
w those who were to follow on this hazardous enterprise, who now
abandoned their poets, and sought shelter in small numbers in the
most tenable places in the-neighbourhood of the town. In the
midst of the confusion, the Turkish troops rushed on from the sea
and land side, and took possession of the fortifications, to which,
as a signal of victory. they set fire.

On the 9d of April, the two Commanders, Ibrahim Puha and
the &miller, had, it appears, sent a aummon', to the town with an
offer of terms, and a promise to the inhabitants that their lives
should be spared on giving up their arms ; and that they should be
at liberty to proceed to any part of the Turkish dominions, but
these proposals were peremptorily rejected.

Official accounts have been received from Calcutta re-
specting the operations of the army under Lord Com e Ea-
NF:RE, before the fortress of Bburtpore. The accounts
come no later, however, than the 23d December, on which
day our troops had nearly completed their first parallel, at
a distance of about 800 yards from the place. Lord Com-
nERMERE expected that by the next morning he should be
able to open a mortar battery of twenty pieces, and another
of six, eighteen-pounders, against the north-east angle of
the town. Ilia Lordship, with that humanity which ever
distinguishes British soldiers far more than even their tran-
scendent valour, had sent a flag of truce to the usurper,
DooeruNT SALT., offering a safe asylum to the women and
children, in order to spare the useless waste of innocent
lives. This letter was written on the 21st of December,
but at the date of his Lordship's last despatches no answer
hail been received. The private letters hint that the distrust
natural to the Indian character may hinder DoonJuNT
SALL from accepting so humane, and (to binicell) so
advantageous a proposal ; for with so many useless
mouths to feed, he could not expect to hold out so
long as if he were to accede to the generous request of his
tibble-minded adversary. If he should ultitbately refuse

THE ..BRITISH PRESS.

to do this act of humanity, he will indeed (as is well re-
marked by one of the writers of the private letters) have on
his head a tremendous responsibility. It is said that a
patty hes been formed within the fortress against the
Usurper, at the head of which is his own brother. This
accords well with the proverbial fickleness and treachery of
the Indian character; but without any such unnatural, and
on our part we are sure unsought fur, aid, we rely on the
knoan and determined valour of our troops, and the con-
summate skill of their distinguished Commander, for the
speedy reduction of a fortress which once before, we must
confess, baffled a gallant army, under a brave and expe-
rienced leader. .

IVe can scarcely venture to remark on the terms of the
Burmese Treaty, with the present imperfect information
which we possess respecting the geographical position and
boundaries of the ceded territories. The fact of the Sia-
mese being included as partici in the Treaty seems to im-
ply that their country is no longer to be considered as tribu-
tary to, far less as forming a part of, the Burmese Empire.
In that ease we cannot conceive to what Burmese ports the
article in the Treaty, giving such privileges to our shipping
in those ports, and conceding the like advantages to Bur-
mese vessels in the ports of British India, can by possibility
be understood to refer,if Pegu and its coast be no longer to
continue subject to the King of A.VA. But we are still
more strengthened in this opinion by the sketch of the
Treaty itself, such at least as it has yet reached this
country; for in it we find no mention of Pegu, as one of
the provinces, or rather kingdoms, ceded to the East India
Company. We therefore think it fair to infer that
Rangoon, and what other ports belong to Pegu, will
still remain in the power of the Burmese. Some
of our contemporaries have also hazarded very incon-
siderate remarks on the terms of the Treaty, objecting,
in particular, that our frontier is not improved by
our new acquisitions. It will be recollected-that Arracan
(one of the kingdoms newly ceded to us) is protected
by a line of almost impracticable mountains, joining
the range which in part forms our Bengal frontier,
extending from thence to the sea, and separating our
dominions from Pegu. These, as an exterior line with an
interior defence to retire to, like.that presented by the old
frontier of Chittagong, will form a barrier capable of
bidding defiance to powers far more formidable than any
which are likely soon to attack us in Eastern India.—
Cachar, Munnipore, &c. are situated beyond the barrier,
and are accordingly placed under dependent Rajahs, who
will form a sort of outposts to our Indian dominions.
Assam, which is separated from Bengal by a line of moun-
tains, is itself bounded on the north and east by the ranges
of Duleh, Lundah, and Namrup; while the cession of
the provinces of Mergui, 'favoy, and Zea, secures us
a variety of points for supporting our new allies, the
Siamese, who, with our occasional assistance, will alone
prove sufficient to counterbalance the Burmese power in
that quarter.

CITY, MoWDAY EVENIXO.

Whit-Monday WAS kel.t very rigidly, and very few speculators
collected on the Royal Exchange for the transaction of Stock
Business. The fee bargains that were entered into there, in
consequence of the Stock Exchanges being closed-for the holidays,
were done at Saturday's quotations. To-morrow will probably be
an equally idle day; as the weather proves so fine ; but when the
House opens again, there will be extensive speculations entered
into ; for the contests between the Bulls and the speculatorwfor a
fall, will, for many reasons, be severe.

Accounts from Bahia, to.the 13th March, say dtat the
Emperor and his Court remain in that place, but no details
of the manner of their reception are given. There wa3
much confusion at Bahia, on account of the want of cir-
culating medium, particularly in copper. l'roduce was at
very low prices, and there was great stagnation generally in
trade.

Lord Charles Somerset, Governor of the Cape of Good
Hope, has arrived in the Atlas, China ship.
ELECTION TOR WESTMORLAND.—Last night the
friends of Mr. Brougham assembled at the City of London
Tavern, for the purpose of adopting measures for returning
that gentleman to Parliament for the county. Several
resolutions were passed, expressive of the determination of
the electors to oppose the Lowther interest ; and a Com-
mittee was appointed to uct in London upon the subject,
and a subscription to defray all the expenses of the election
commenced.

SOCIETY OF ARTS.-It may not be out of reason in us
to remark, that, pending the distress that is so universal
amongst the silk manufacturers at Spite!fields, Maccles-
field, and other manufacturing places, the various Institu-
tions of the Metropolis, established for the promotion and
encouragement of genius and industry, are nal inattentive to
the general pressure. The Committee of Manufactures,
at the Society of Arts, were employed on Monday evening
last upon SILK, the produce of worms of British growth—
an investigation likely to lead to an. important result.
Among other witnesses examined were Mr. Braun, a na-
tive of Italy, whose evidence was very valuable; Mr.
Jones, and Mr. IVinkworth, one of the Chairmen of that
Committee. The candidate's name is Pettifer. The Com-
mittee recommended to the Society to award the large
silver medal to the candidate, for the silk so submitted
to them. •

llts•rnessen Pooa.—A Meeting of the Inhabitants of
St. Andrew's, Holborn, is convened for the purpose of
adopting means of cooperation with the Commitee esta-
blished in the City, for relief of the distressed manufac-
turers. It is to be held at ten o'clock on Wednesday
morning, at the New Vestry Room, St. Andrew's-court.—
We know" not whether this is part of a general plan, but if
it be not, we take the liberty warmly to recommend its
adoption to all the parishes of the Metropolis, and through-
out Hugland. The subscription already raised is gene-
rously large ; but, with reference to the numbers it is in-
tended to relieve,it is not enough, and must be considerably
increased. " England expects every man to do his duty."
Let every man in every parish of England do his duty, and
want will be relieved.

COAST BLOCKADE AND Satuooeras.—Early in the
morning of Thursday last, a large party of smugglers bad
assembled near Dynichurch, and ,a boat, laden (u is sup-
posed) with tubs of spirits, being observed to approach the
shore, nearly opposite to I)ymchurch, the smugglers com-
menced •chei ring, and rushed upon the coast, thteatening
defiance to the se ntinels.of the Blockade; who, perceiving
such an overwhelming force, gave the alarm, when, a party
of marines coining to their assistance, a general firing took
place. The smugglers retreated into the marshes, fol-
lowed by 'the 'Blockade, and to their -knowledge of the
ground were indebted for their ultimate escape. Two of
the Blockade seamen were wounded ;. one severely in the
arm, which may cause amputation, and the other in the
face, by slug.shots. There can be no doubt but that some
of the smugglers must have been•wouoded, if not killed.
One of their niuskets was picked up, loaded—abandoned,
no doubt, by the bearer of it on account of wounds. The
boat, with her cargo, was obliged to be put to sea again,
without effecting a lauding; and, notwithstanding the
vigilanccof Lieutenants ‘Vestbrook, Mudge, and M'Leod,
who were afloat in their galleys on the spot, from the dark-
ness of the night effected their escape. We have also
heard that a run of five hundred tuba took place on the
Sussex coast last week, not far from Hastings, the smug-
glers losing only eleven tubs. This was also effected by
force, and with such a superiority in number, that they
completely overpowered the Blockade force, during the
little time which it required to work a cargo.—Cinque
Purls Herald.

E ait re st.—ln the article respecting the termination of
the Burmese war, instead of " we have received stmng security for
the future. if not full security for the put," read " full indenniity
for the put." The erre% however, from the rosy obvious mow
of the passage, almost wreath huff.

) • 4',4Plav
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