The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-07-06 00:00:00

INVASION.

Letters received yesterday from Deal communi-
cate the following information respeaing the pre-
parations for invasion at Boulogne and its vicinity :
On the 2sl inst. a boat was observed by our squa-
dron to the westward of Boulogne, at a greater dis-
tance from the land than that to which fishing boats
go in general. The signal being made to chase, the
Locrut came up with her, ar el found in her two
deserters from the French Army. They had taken
a fishing boat from Porte' at ten o'clock the evening
before, with a view of joining our fleet then at an-
chor in Boulogne Bay; but being unacquainted with
the art of managing a boat, and having towed
against tide till they were almost exhausted, they
drifted to the situations in which they were found about
three o'clock in the afternoon. According to the
accounts given by these deserters, there are hun-
dred thousand men encamped at Ambleteuse, Vi-
, mereux, and on the right and left of Etaples ; and at
Boulogne there are, in the harb..ur and without it,
one thousand flat-bottomed boats, tuggers, brigs, and
transports. The 26th Regiment of Light Infantry are
encamped behind Boulogne, and perform no other
service than working in the harbour and forts.—
They state, likewise, that no more preparations are
making for the ineasioa of this country. The ves-
sels have had on board there these ten months past,
pieces of ordnance, for land service ; but they do
not know when the attempt will be made. They
contradict the rep:rt of the Coronation of Bona-
parte, and assert that he will not be crowned : if
he is, it is expt•!ted the people of Paris will revolt :
even a great many of his own countrymen are
against it. One of these deserters says, he was a
Drum-major in the sth regiment of Artillery, the
other w•as a 'erjeant in the same regiment, and both
state, that they were dissatisfied on being disgraced
in the regiment, hut on what account we have not
been able to learn : they add, that great discontent
prevails thrnugh•'ut the whole army."
The same letters inform us that the enemy has tilt
been very lately observed to he making any dispo-
sition for coming out ; but when our fleet is off Bou-
logne, there are always about forty-six brigs and se-
venty-six tuggers lying at anchor, under proteaion
of their batteries. A great number of soldiers have
been observed exercising on the coast ; but as far as
our cruisers are able to judge, the troops seen on
this side of the eminence behind Boulogne do not
exceed ten thousand.

" Should the war continue." says a private letter
from Paris, " our trade will be entirely annihi-
lated. Our merchants and manufacturers arc al-
seedy in the greatest distress, every where. for
want of ready money ; all confidence being at an end,
and little is done but for cash. Several new
and unexpecled failures have diminished what
little confidence remained. The discount on the
bills of our first houses (no other are discounted),
has arisen lion) ►{ and 2 per cent. to 3 and Si per
cent. in the month ; even upon these. if of longer
date than two months, four per cent. in the month
must be paid. Hare we not reason to desire the
end of the war ?"

Th.• Loyal Whitezhapel Volunteers had yesterday
field day under the command of Major MAR-
sum.... They mustered SOO strong. who went
through their military exercise with great precision.
This corps are now upon permanent duty, and
mount guard regularly at their head-quarters in the
Tenter Ground, Geodman's Fields.

On 'Thursday, the 21st, the Aird, Strati%lass,
Urquhart, and Dorres battalion of Inverness-shire
volunteer infantry, 400 rank and file, by orders of
the Earl of Motea, Commander-in-Chief, marched
into Fort Geolge, undo the commend of the Hon.
Colonel TAW , .! e, where they remain on
permanent d, et. They are a fine body
of young na , . justice to mention that
they most ch, . , ,rwArd; for, on being
mustered in t - e sick onTy were absent
—a proved s, • .cal of all ranks to meet
the enemies : . a . • icouutry•

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