The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-03-10 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

LO DON,
THURSDAY, 111m0:0 10.

The, CstattEr.s.ot of the EXCIIEQUXU stated;'
la►t night. in tliwentritnittee of Ways and deans,
Win intention to defer the Loan until after the
Etster Recess, a vd that the amount would tint
exceed eight millions. This co.-responds exactly
with a statement lately made in this paper.

It has been reported that Gnveroutent have re-
ceived accounts from America, stating, that war
has been declared against this cematry. We do
not believe that Government have received any
such accounts.

We haie received letters and papers from Gib-
raltar, to the I nit last. So early as the slim of
January, it was generally lerstood in that quar-
ter, that Ceuta, on the African side of the Streights,
was the destination of the Expedition under (pen.
Srseeta. The Spaniards had, •in consequence.
thrown reinforcements into the place. Its whole
force was, on the 4th of February, about &tut) ef-
fective men, and it was io ••c cry other respect well
provided against 1111 attack. About 3000 of General
Srtscea's force had arrivtd at Gibraltar, on the
2.3 d of January. Great preparations war making
by the French and Spoutiards iu the neighbourhood
ofrribraltar, for the siege of that fortress ; Lint this
i► just such a pretence for assembling a French
army in Spain, to revolutionise that country, as the

invasion of England affbrded to collect an army at
Boulogne to destroy Prussia, and place Rus.ua
among the %easels of France.

The Oude Question was brought forward last
night in the 'louse of Commons, and produced •
long discussion. Ou the motion for en adjourn-
ment of the debate by Mr. Wm. Ssvru. the feeling
of the House was entirely with him. Mr. PEIRCE-
VAL expressed his willingness to accede to it, pro-
sided the day for the renewal was not ,reinote,
or did not interfere with the very importaa.t mea-
sures in their progress through the !louse. Tues-
day was then fixed for the renewal, and from every
appearance manifested by the House, it was evi-
dent that the late policy pursued in India, during
the government of Marquis W XLLLSCEY, will un-
dergo a very serious investigation.

We hare received Dutch Papers to the 3d inst.
containing Paris news to the 26th last. The New-
politan Moniteur states, that on the night of the
2,6 th of January, a corps of about tioo men, partly
English, landed from Sicily, at Canatello and Vil-

la S.n Giovanni, oa the coast of Calabria, but were
defeated and pursued to the sea, where several of
them were made prisoners. On the 30th, four
English gun-boats and two transports, were at-

rs
tacked at Porticello, on the same enust, nod board-
ed, when some resstrls put out from Messina, to
assist the English, one of which, a brig of 33 guns,

got on shore, and fell into the hands of the French.
tier Captain was killed, sad her Lieutenant wound-
ed in her defence, which lasted two days. The
English hail also advanced to Reggio, and thrown
up entrenchments, but it surrendered to the French
an the 2d Feb. Ou this occasion you prisoners and
14 pieces of cannon fell into the hands of the French.
The Neapolitan .11oniteitr dignifies this petty war-
fare with the title of it the resumption of heo-
tilities in Calabria." The English, our read-
er, will recollect, still occupy the strong fort
of Sc•;hla on the Calabrian side of the Straits
of Messina ; and this little warfare was evi-
dently netliMi; more than • descent of a few
men and vessels from Sicily, for the purpose of dis-
persiug some preparations on the Calabrian coast
for an attack upon Scylla, or, perhat s, Sicily.—
Seyra is about ten miles N. E. of Reggio.

Yestenls7... a Court of Directors was held at the
East loft• House. when Captain GEORGE HOOPER,
of the ship Sir William Hensley, took his final leave
of the Con-t, previous to departing for Madras and
Bengal. Tl.e Court adjourned at sis o'clock, till
to-morrow.