The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-07-09 00:00:00

A TIIIENING FRENCH PATRIOT.

price.

A gang of thieves is now before the criminal
tribunal at Lyons. They were taken in the maga.
sine of a rich merchant there, Citizen Fliniela, in
the very ad of carrying away several bales of silk.
Their Chief, called Dufour, has subsisted by thieving
and cheating, fur sixteen years past, or since Axe
bcginr.ing of the ltevolutiun. In 1:114 however, ha
suddenly became a famous Jacobin, and a staunch
patriot ; and in 1793, AA 7794, he was one of the
revolutionary Judges, who condemned so many Lio.
nese people to death, and who confiscated their pro-
perty. Of these confiscations, he appropriated tc
himself to the amount of four millions of livres
lti.i,llatll. went w Paris, bought an hotel, kept hit

El

mistress, invited all foreign Ministers and ftshion-
able people to his balls, routs, assemblies, this, &c.
married a cousin of Rewbtl, from whom he was
divorced in 1799, to court a young Mademoiselle
Beauhantois, a niece to our Empress; but in the
interval, having met with other rogues mole
clever than himself, he was carried to ram-
bling houses, and plundered of his pillage. Being
reduced to the ado quo, in which the Revo.
lotion_found him, he colleaed together all diw
co;,tented terrorists or Jacobins out of place, and
etned a gang of thieves, coiners, and forgers, and
restored to these patriots places destined for them by
nature, and which it bad been a blessing for France
if they never bad quitted. Some of his accomplices
have already perished, others occupy the pris:•ns and
the galhes ; but Dufour himself had hitherto es-
caped the searches of the police, when a faith-
less feniale betrayed her faithless lover. His plan
for his Lilt roObery was excellent. He had hired
se►eral boats ot, the River Rhone, on the quay of
which Flinielz's magazine is situated. He bad
posted at twenty steps distance between each ten
sentries in case of alarm, and entered therefore
boldly, at 9 o'clock in the evening of the 19th May,
the magazine with false keys. The hired boats were

under the care of 22 other accomplices, of whom
be ordered six to join him, and twelve persons with
him in the magazine, a.id to assist in packing up its
cements. At a certain signal, however. five Police
agents. and eight gen, d'arntes, concealed in a
small closet, rushed forwards itid captured
Dufour and those thieves within doors, whilst
other police agents and zest traques seized the
remainder of them on the quay and in the boats.
He had the impudence, before the tribunal, to claim
intimate acquaintance with one Emperor and Em-
press, having treated them both, and being treated
by them, in April 1798• lie even pretended to pos-
sess the Emperor's promise of a place in the Tri-

Waster, but the 'wave/ice, or rever.ion, though
signed Bonaparte, was orstUy a forgery, svhiLh the
tack will force him to confess. lie has ackisna -
Waged before the 'rri'aunal. that, besides the
four millions he, 04 • Petrie', appropriated to

_ •
himself at Lyons ten years ago. Reu•br: had pro-
awed Lim opportunity, by contra& for die army
MI navy, to gain three milllioris more, wh:ch sums
were lost by him within eighteen months, at the
gambling tables at Paris. He is only 34 years of age,
and will probably pass the remainders:of his drys in
the sallies, should be not obtain the pardon of the
Emperor, for which he hopes.
Yesterday, one of the new-invented carriages.
tailed velecifere, drawn by four horses, passed very
quickly through the Elysian Fields. It carried no
lees than thirtpfive pa►sengers, and will be no
longer than 36 hours going from Reis to Lyons. a
distance of Ito leagues. or 330 English miles. this
envious invention promises to be of the greatest ad-
vantage, both for our commercial and military
transports. The inventor has obtained an imperial
Patent.

CORFU, MAY 9.
The I.i.t Courier that arrived here from Russia

brought ..rders, by virtue of which the maintenance
of the Russian Forces, in the Republic of the Seven
Islands, whether land or sea, shall in future be en.
tirely at the charge of His Imperial Majesty. Till
now an annual sum of one hundred and twelity
thousand crowns was paid from the Treasury of the
Republic of the Seven I-lands, as the half of the pay
of these fosters. The Emperor Alexander also
thanked the Republic for the offer of eretting him a
monument, as had been decreed by their Legislative
Body, requesting that the funds destined for that
°hied should be laid out on some work of public
utility.

forgiooness for the crimes of the trooper who fills
his throne.

A message from His Mansr r was delivered to
the House of Commons on Saturday, " requesting
the House to enable him to take ad such measures
as may be necessary to dissappoint or defeat any en-
terprise or design of his enemies, &c." Ihe pezu-
liar terms in which this message is conceived, have
exc.ted much speculation and solicitude. If
we confine ourselves to a sti id interpretation of
the words; we are justified in concluding, that
something more than money is sought for. The
Ktuo, by his prerogative, may use all the strength
of the country, as he shall think fit, for its defence,
in ease of emergency; but he may wish to have that
right confirmed by the sanCtion of Parliament.
Among the various conjeCtures hazarded upon this
subjeet, some think the Minister wishes to employ the
Volunteers upon more alive And extendcd s.i vice.
Upon a perusal of the Provincial Papers, we find that
almost all the Corps have gene through the probatio-
nary process of what is called perma rent duty, f-:- va-
rious period;. Some plan to render them still more
useful and efficient, will be naturally the next objet
of Government.

How long are we to endure the perfidy and de-
ceitful neutrality of Spain ? A letter from Alicant,
of the 24th of May, says, "The French privateer,
Espera lice, Captain NICHOLAS CANOVA, of 10 guns
and 59 men, chased into Altea Bay, the Gib-
raltar letters of marque, Ti.. Brothers, Captain
GIZA! DI ; and Cicero, Captain Slink, both
laden with tobacco and bale goods ; and though
they got, to an anchor under the tower of Al-
bin, in that bay, and within gun-shot of the
castle of Altea, they were captured; this hap-
pened on the 21st of May, and the next day
the same privateer boarded, in the Road of V;1-
lagosa (15 leagues East of this), the Gibraltar
Letter of Marque, Miaow, Captain LAVISH, also
loaded with tobacco and bale goods. The above Gib.
raltar vessels are all latine rigged, and are brought
into this bay. They were boundE from Gibraltar to
Malta. The Castle at Altea fired a few shot at the
privateer; but at Villagosa not a gun was fired, the
Spanish Commander avoiding to offend the
French. This is the same privateer that captured
on the coast of Barcelona a small English cutter,
with dispatches for Lord Nri.sow's Beet."

A private letter from the Hague, of the Ist inst.
says, « We are uncertain how soon the expedi-
tion ag.tinst England will be undertaken, still al-
though every thing is ready, and several regiments
have been embarked for more than a fortnight, on
board the fleet in the Texel. On the other hand,
nearly one hundred merchantmen, put into requisi-
tion,or hired last autumn, have been restored to ti atle
gradually, so that the whole number of transports
aflually employed, and at anchor in the Texel, do
not amount to more than eighty. The armed ves-
sels, as frigates, gunboats, and cutters, &c. have
been. augmented everywhere on the coast, oa ac-
count of the repeated attempts of the English cruis-
ers. In the Meuse alone, one frigate, five gun-
boats, and three cutters, are stationed, in addition to
the number employed last May. Of the fourteen
thou.aild men at the Helder and in North H d.. a • ,
eight thousand are embarked, the remainder are yet
encamped, but in such a state that they may
be taken on board in a few hours. The camp
near Utrecht, under General MARNIOIT, contains
only IMMO men, mostly French ; of whom 1500
men are at Amsterdam, 1,200 at Rotterdam, and
MOO at the Hague. Several corps of French re-
cruits or conscripts, to the amount of 14,000 men,
have passed through Holland for H mover, within
these last four weeks. The business of the in-
demnity to the Prince of Ort•unr., for his family
property in Holland, is now settled. and the PIINC
ratification is only wanted to make it public. Be-
sides three millions of florins in ready money, His
Serene Highness is to receive two millions and a
half as a private indemnification, partly in yearly in-
stalments, and partly in an annuity, which has to
run for one hundred years. It is reported that the
French Government does not approve of this ar-
rangement, wishing to have it unsettled until a ne-
gociation with England for peace, that it may pay
its share either in money, or by restoring the Dutch
settlements lately conquered."

Letters from our Peet off Brest have been received
of so late a date as the Yd inst. They mention, that
from the different appearance and manoeuvres of
the enemy, it is supposed they will won put to
sea; a supposition which several neutral vessels from
France confirm, having heard it positively stated,
both at Bourdeaux and at L'Orient, that orders
have been sent from Paris to risk an engagement,
and that, in consequence, the troops in the vicinity
of Brest, within a circle of twelve leagues,
have received instinetions from General Au.
0111.ZAV, to concentrate themselves nearer to

that town, that they may be ready to embark

at a moment's notice. Every day the number
of French ships in the outer harbour at Brest
changes. On the 27th ult. there were 21 ships of
the line, and thirteen frigates and cutters. On the
lath, only I 7 skips of the line, and nine frigates and
cutters. On the 29th, 27 ships ache line, and six-
teen frigates and cutters. On the 30th, the same
number continued; but, on the Ist instant, only 24
ships of the line, and fourteen frigates and cutters,
were counted by our cruisers. These changes and
wianauvres are evidently performed to deceive our
cruisers as to the real strength of the French fleet.
But let it be ever so numerous, our brave Admiral,
Officers, and crews, are all in high spirits, ready to
receive them, and to punish their rashness.

A letter from Lisbon, dated June 13, says. 6, We
have a report here, by a vessel arrived two
days ago from Bengal, that Linots's squadron has
burnt seven sail of East Indiamen, and captured
two, at Prince of Wales's Island."

The above unpleasant intelligence was posted up
at Ltovo's on Saturday, and forwarded from
thence to the India House, and other Public Offices,
but it was by no means generally credited. The
ships taken could only be the China Fleet home-
ward bound, and they were not expeaed to put
into Prince of Wales's Island. No further parti-
culars have been received in town, and we have
little doubt but the report will prove unfounded,
at least to the extent mentioned. It is probable
that the rumour may have originated in the affair at
Bencoolen.

The above report has occasioned a considerable
degree of anxiety in the city.

By the Cumberland, ♦iz Liverpool, we have re-
ceived Barbadoes papers to the 12th of May,
by which we learn that the first homeward convoy
will sail from Demarara on the 7th, and will call
at the different islands for such ships as are ready,
on its way to the rendezvous.
Col. MACLEAN sailed from Barbadoes with a de-
tachment of troops under his command on the 7th
of April: their destination was not known, but
supposed against Martinique.

Saturday morning arrived a Mail from Lisbon,
brought to Falmouth, by the Prince If Welrs
packet, in seventeen days passage.
Saturday, JAMCS OLDIIAM OLDHAM. Esq• ci-
tizen and needlemaker, paid the usual tine of 6001.
and 20 marks, to be excused serving the office of
Sheriff of this City and County of Middlesex, to
which he was eletied o❑ the 2al of July hut.
This day the Loan M A vue will hold a Court of
Aldermen, to receive the answer of the other Sher iff
eleet, and to issue the usual precepts for another
Common Hall ; and on Thursday, a Court of Com-
mon Council will be held for the dispatch of public
business.

This day the dividends will commence paying to
the bankers; and to-morrow, to the public in
general.
'ir FRANCIS BURT/ZIT has established his petition
against Mr. MAINWARI4,, complaining of a viola-
tion of the Treating Ad The Committee, it is
expected, will make their report this day or to-mor-
row, when a new writ will be issued. Mr. MAIN..
WARISG being disqualified to start again, Sir
FRANCIS BURDETT will probably be the only can.
didate.

The Emperor of ea II AN r has acknowledged
the new Emperor of the FaEstcss, in his quality of
King of 1-11. NO A RT and Somesst A ; but, as Emperor
of GERM %WV, lie has reared the subjeft to the Diet
of R.tti,bun.

Sir Ja secs SAL'I4•REZ was on Wednesday ping
at Guernsey, with the Diumcdc, S,, sat, and King's-
of.h!". An opinion prevailed there and at Jersey,
stated to have originated in accounts from the Con-
tinent, that the French meditated an immediate at-
tempt on those islands One of the boats of the
Swims lately landed on the French coast, and sur-
prised the people belonging to a signal-post, made
them prisoners, and carried them, their signals, &c.
on board the Admiral.

The Master of a neutral vessel, which left Am-
sterdam on the lit instant, reports, that the Duts:h
fleet in the Texel was in readiness to put to se.t,
many of the transports were lying within the Bit.
Sand, others in the Amstel Diep : some troops, lie
understood, were embarked, but be was unable to
ascertain the point.
Lieutenant Sa t. Davies, of His Majesty's
ship Trusty, perceiving at day-light, on Monday
last, some of the enemy's small boats close off Cape
Grisnez, and judging they might be annoyed, was
dispatched in a boat for that purpose. He suc-
ceeded in bringing out a boat, marked No. 25, from
tinder the batteries, which kept up an incessant
firing. It proves that the Captain, Jlllll Duo v ES,
of the gun-boat, No. 25, of the second class, coin-
posing a part of the enemy's flotilla, Lad come along
shore in his long-boat with four seamen for the pur-
pose of fishing ; he was, with the seamen, sent di-
redly to Admiral Loess, at Dungeness.
The disaffeaedCandians, lately sent to the Isle of
France, praying the assistance of the French to de-
liver them from the tyranny of their Adigars, and
promising, in return, to aid in giving France the
sovereignty of Ceylon. We understand, by letters
from Madras, that the French had fitted out a :mall
expedition for the purpose, when the success the
British in that island induced them to relinquish the
enterprise.
The late splendid success of the British in India
has excited so mud' alarm in all the neighbouring
states, that our Government has found it necessary
to adopt means to suppress their disquietude. The
alarm was so great in Tibet, that the Governor-
General has sent an embassy from Bengal to the
DILAt LAMA, with assurances of continued friend-
ship, and to renew and improve the treaties of amity
between the two powers.

. .
‘I thanked the Re-public for the offer of ereAing him a
monument, as had been decreed by their Legislative
Body, requesting that the fonds destined for that
objed should be laid out on some work of public
utility.
THE BIIITIII PR EsS•
......--------- -- - —an
i
LON 1)0N,
MONDAY. Jot v 9.
—.....m...
' • We understand Government have received a Paris
paper of the Stith last, which gives an account of
1 . the execution of Gtoeors, and e'even of the al-
leged conspirators, his companions in misfortune,
upon the 2fith. These twelve unhappy men were
previously removed from the Bicetre, in which they
• j had been previously confined, to the Conciergerie,
/' from which they were carried to the Place du Greve,
• where they were guillotined at twelve o'clock,
amidst an immense concourse of speetators.—
Gtoaors were the first who suffered. He died
A with all that firmness which distinguished his
1 charatter through life. The rapidly growing pope-
' 1 tarity of Gaoaocs and his associates is said to have
hastened the execution of their sentence. All Paris
' . had began to feel a lively interest in their fate.—
Among the fair sex, GtOIGES caps, GRORGES bon-
nets were all the fashion. These viftims were among
t
the number of those Frenchmen, true to their reli-
t sins as well as to their King. A priest attended them
II li previous to their execution, and they died imploring
: the blessing of Heaven upon Louis XVIII. and