The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-04-15 00:00:00

f cu be continued

The Mucptis CORPW A LLIS, with his Secretary.
Ceogrot Aarecaossev Rosie.snm, Esq. and some
culler valemen, lets town on Saturday for Port,-
month, where they are to embark tor the East
ladies. The Marla frigate, in which they take
their passage. is a v.•ry fine ship, and has thirty ad-
ditional hands I ti 110 Ari.
Mr...rill)TT Lk set nut for Scotland on Friday.
having previttudy aCC3t ding 4r ;cpurt, ►old out of
the Fun is to a large amount.
The Kum has !ten pleased to present Timm A$
ZOUCII, Cirrk, Nlaster of Arts, to the ziecond Pre-
bend, founded in the Cathedral Church of Christ
and the Bhised Virgin Mary, in Durham, now
w.id by the promotion of Dr. Hi pin Y BATnta.r,
tse last Prebend thereof, to the See of Nur with.

GRAND FESTIV.IL.
-....--

His Excellency Chevalier DE Sncza, the Portu-
guese Ambassador, on Saturday morning had a
grand SeleCtion of Sacred :slum: performed at his
Chapel in South Street. It consisted principally (h.
Anthems appropriate to the Ites•ival tile day.
it was intended 10 . elthrate, and the:, w •te gisvoiss
the finest style by Madam G AMIN I. Mr Do wives.
Master KLLLNEC, and several other ptofeesiiitial per-
formtrs of merit. The I.e:format-ice was attended
by 300 nobility. A most excellent Serm,nr
preached by the Rev. Mr. F VICK. The Chat el was
fitted up in the highest style of magnificence, and
illuminated by one hundred wax tapers. It WAS
one of the most grand and solemn sitettacles we
have witnessed. When the service was °vet, shout
one hundred and fifty of the auditors, by special
invitation, retired to his Excellency's house, where
a most sumptuous breakfast was prepared for tjh•nr
in two rooms. At their cntraace Int.) the Great
Room they were received by his Excelleacy and
suite. In the centre the grand table was an el-
Eric slab of the finest white marble, of the most
exquisite polish, four feet long, inlaid in vandykes,
with the finest median and jasper, edged round
with burnished gold : it was supported by gold feet.
In the middle is a jasper fount, filled with conse-
crated water; and rising from the center is a Liege
white marble figure upon a pedestal, which is so,.
rounded by twelve sea-horses, must beautifully exe-
cuted. A teachcorner is a representation of the Twelve
Apostles. On the slab were placed several agate
and jasper cups tilled with aromatic incense ; and
over the table was suspended a most beautifu cot
glass lamp. At each end of the slab was a most
beautiful bronze figure standing on a pedestal of I
burnished gold, and supporting a brancn with twelve t
wax tapers The breakfast was served on gift plate,
and, to height.n the effelt, on the entrance of the
compauy, the room was almost in a state of
darkness, and before the company were seated,
as if by magic, the incense cups. lamps,
tapers, &c. blazed forth, and dazzled the behold-
ers with their effulgence, reflated by the carnelian,
silver, and gold ornaments and decorations. The
breakiltst consisted of all the delicacies of the sea-
s ; the chnicest wines and rarest fruits. At see
end of the sect nd room was places, in a glass case,
Dom CAILLOZO, the dwarf, to nisiform. From hit
attitude and appearance, the company were led to be-
lieve this little stranger a wax figure; whca the door
of the glass case being opened, he leaped on a
dumb waiter, performed the six divisions of the
sword exercise, and p tid his compliments to the il-
lustrious and noble circle, consistin:s
itt, Rana t Inhness the Dike larence,' Prince Castel-
ciesti— The Duehrs.rs of St. ‘ltuo's, Hamilton, and Somers.t
—The Dukes Ds Berri, Somerset, and Dauti.gny—Tie Sar.
A atbas.ador, Count Do Frent,Connr,st De VAndeville,
and Counts VA,t'lis and Stahremberg—Lanio frt Carpenter,
‘Volderburn, and Peat --The Hoc. Miss Drummond, Mad.
I.- Wino, Si. Sidne. Smith, Mr. and .!its. Lopez, Co'. ii.l
MA.ler, Mr aid Chionery, Johnston, the Young
Kosems, and Mr aid Mrs. HAty.

THE EAITLE OF AGINCOURT.

Capt. Kee FoRT r R has finished his grand histori-
cal and pwloramic piebire of the battle of Agincourt.
Upon that glorious and well-fought d.or, the French
were treble in number to the F.nglish army, led on
by our gaunt I ltaay the Fifth, who, in the ;aide
of vi Cory, congratulated his troops with the fond
and familiar name of “ I lig brave band of brothers."
To hold up a ph:Wie of the gl ,ry of their ancestors
as an incentive to their descendants to emulate their
martial fame ; and to impress upon the heat is of
Britons, the superiority of die strength and prowess
which they derive from n iture, over their deadly
foe, is at all times a meritorious undr raking ;
but the poet's and the painter's fancy was never
so happily or laudably employed upon the
subjeCt. as at the prrieat moment. The execu-
tion of this work is nut less admi-ahle than
the design. The artist has contrived to bring
all the great warriors who distinguished themselves
upon that glorious day into the foreground of the
picture, where they are prominently exhibited in the
most interesting situations, all differing from each
other in endless variety The centre represents
?Cog! /learn defending his brother the Dui, of Glow
eater, who had fallen to the ground severely
wounded, with three va.iant W. Ichmen upon his
right, woo rescued His MAJLSTY from the com-
bined attack of a party W. the enemy, led on by the
Duke of Alenron. Behind, through the midst of
dust and spears, appears the second line of the
French army ; and up ° the hill more remote
their retr and cam . Another large groope in
the foreground to the left, represents the Con-
stable of France mounted upon a white charger,
defending himsel from Sir Ifinhoos Wodrhouir, who
is attacking him with a battle axe ; and behind him
in green are the ills of :trawl,/ and Wartrick, en-
gaging a party of the enemy, led on by the Con-
• Hake and Da,ip/ori. We have seleiFied these two
groupes out of a great variety, as specimens of bril-
liant colourng, spirit, an i interest.—The horses are
admirably painted, and full of fire and Anima-
tion.—The diversity of the weapons, consisting of
pikes, swords, battle-axes, and bows, contribute
greatly to give variety to the scene, and enable the
artist to represent his warriors in an infinite diversity
of attitudes. To the left of the field of battle is a
beautiful hill; and on the top of it stands the Castle
of Agincourt, from which this famed engagement
derives its name. The right of the picture is an
extensive view of a charming country, through which
the beautiful river Somme winds its serpentine
course. The verdure of the fields, the placidity of
the water, and the calm, innocent, and tranquil ex-
pression of the rural scene, afford a striking contrast
with the sanguine colours and the heat and fury of
tho battle. nit whole painting is thus composed
of three pieces, of which the Battle is the centre,
and the Castle of Agincourt, and the river Somme
the two wings. These two latter possess so many
prevai;ing beauties, they deserve to be considered
more as principals than as accessories to the picture.
Tlns Piece a innot fail to prove highly attrative,
and to amply •ard the Artist fur his industry,
loyalty, and Wen,

- - -
Ol•I t had sent A ver% fine 114rtrAit of Little NTT T
to the Royal Academy, tOr the ensuing. lishibitien
hut the father of the buy. who had given his per.
mission, has recanted it, without any assigned rea.
son, and the pietare does not App./V.

.1* ' •

PRINCE OF WALES's ISLAND.

EIITIACTS FROM MEI! NESPECTIIM MAC?: 01
WALIS'I ISLAND, LAID IEFORIL TIIL llolig

Cam saut4l.

Liter Arms L.l.d Viscount Melville, to the Marquis Wellesley;

_
•
dated trth,y, 11A/4
MY USA:ILI/RD, Admiralty, 4th July, leo4.
The .hot ooze 1 1 arty wrote to your Lordslip, by all toter-
lattl elll have prepared yo„ I Lae letter ea,.
which 1 Jot owe to troull.l you, en the aut,,ject of building
ships of u•• Itt butte. •k ie olormit tin-my years room 1 fir t
hal rxratirm to c•irsoill:r that subjett; and I hod itnizh
eun-
•rr.ation wilt Sat Citadel ylidlletmt Open it, whzu he wa.
Count.tr,ttter et the Ntty. M, eon,lectio.i with the ..,hninotra.
'Apt of India hroutiott the team ilea taro eetagt,erilly

:11d uoinions, both a, tn the utiliry and prActo Oda,
tit.: plat., have atevel var,d. 1 ant perte!rly aware that
.smoy of the statement which were ;awl before me were tow
s inviiite, and many of them CAIIIO fru.' verso., who had given
only a superficial attention. to the subject; but the general
opinion was a. pre Went, end the fine Teak winch so

frequelitly came to this country, impre.sce me with a strong
cohvicuon, that with n view burl, to iiiilitaty and cunantereial
!,uriiiises, this couht:y mu.% Vine day avail ilia of the gratin Jle
resource it hail fur ship Wilding 111 the pOtel et India. Witch
,iiy Diindas, 'owned ition ladle about
twelve Imolai. ago, I IVJS •lesituns, tor my urrn adislxCo , 10
talk over tile -ii-nett mir.uteily with him. The 11.11,CAl&ollitie

het held at 800-May gave him the Lieat means of information;
and was the more devirous to converse with hint, as he was
the reverse or being sanguine in his ideas on the subject, and
hooded to C iutiterhaiance what I might conceive to he the too
.angiline representations of others. I hail a full conversation
woo Min last summer in Sc.dland; and I send you No. I, a
minute of that voiver.ati.in I likewise send you a copy of a
memorandum I have lam, received from him, No. It.

It has recently hee.unv my duty to examine this:object to
tl e b atom, with a view to the practical use of tie system ;
far the st.•te of oak timber in Great Britain, and t ie difficulty
of finding an equivalent substitute for it, either in mpe Ur
America, joined tJ our iner,asing derrisodt fir the navy, have
r.milered it a mot r of indiiipensablo necessity to look to India
.for rnal,lllll . . _

That your Lordshi;i may be fully infor,ned on the subject, 1
send you a COMrip.awleme I have recently had with the Navy
Board, from the perusal of which you will per-eive the great
aisinuttance ul the Ose.:SUrY on which 1 am addre•Sing you, and
it will 'uterine the necessity of troubling you with so bag a de-
tail as might otherwise have been necessary. With the same
view, 1 send yoU some memorandums, which. withia these
few clays, have been put in-n lily hands by Mr. Philip Dundas
They are &awn up by a Mr. Tats, recently retarsed from in.
dia, ant wliu.e attmtion has been accurately drawn to the par•
ticit,ars hie d.ddi;s, from his Icing himself cog led in the Mor-
n as iifship baialing in India. His details are certainty m rt
minute trim' an) I have formerly received, and are more Ma:-
factory, as being fonarled on 'miscue! observati in. I had a
very long conversation with him y ,steiday at Wimbledon, in
Ares-nee of Sir Andrew liainond, and my nephew, Mr. Pni.ip
pandas; and I expect, in a very few days, to receive from
him, in writing, his answers to inane minas I desired him to
consid,r. Prams what has already passed, I ant satisfied that at
Bombay we have the means of building ships of the line, at
least to the rate of 64 gans, and at Cochin we may build frigates
x 144 grin. to aey amount. If we should not be able to carry it
f urther, these of themselves &region resources, and deserving of
I arrangements tieing made for carrying them into irnsnedia.e
. ex.:.oCon. lam Invent!, however, that the system may I e
I carved infinitely further, and that either at Rangoon, in Peva,
' or at Prince of Wales's !Atm:, a.l arrangement may be mole
:forbes tbuplialdcienfg:h4ipsb„oi f,d,7,:egeu.nstib,,joirhmeveenitiirlasrigeitt.anA,:etrhieinWutuho.::
of teak, in Pero, are said to be almost inexhaustible, the
respects, would be at Raiignou, in the neie'ibourhood of the
Woods; and if the irsl does not mislead me, the country
there seems to be wood‘rrfully intersectei by riven, which of
• course must be highly useful in bringing the wood to the coast.
I wou'd have delayed writing to yoMit Lordship till I had
finished all the investigaticts I eau make in this county, init
till I had settled all the minute details with the Admiralty and
Navy Boards; but as Sir Edward renew, with the convoe an:-
der his charge, must sad in the course of this week, I em
under the necessity of conveying to MU, without any further
,dll,,,the result of the enquiries I Ilene already owde, and the
tr* to which this throne-4 is; but you May expect fo heat
trona me again Tory soon, and I inake no doubt, if an: thing
is necessary ts. be conveyed to you offlciali , it will sweet
with r. ready concurrence cud aid, both from Lord Ca-r e-
rnigh and the East -India Company. I know well the the
ardour of your Lordship's mind, and the elithossum yon foal in
~very thing enzistial to the public interest!, will animate you o
adopt with zeal every thing that occurs to yourselt, or that
nay be suggested to you, tor the purpose of ;ornarding this
important national concern. I hope; if t Monk% he expedient
to make an (stab: +lament (Or ship-building at Rangoon, and
thew are no physical, difficulties in the way of it, your Lo.l-
- will have nit difficulty in An amicable arrangement with the
King of Prgy. Mr. Tate seems to think there wi'l be none;
:sad I am harry to understand from him, that even wdh the
Attiric—e to be rat at the dulleient stations he has nientioned,
we shall not ba under difficulties in that respect. 1 need not
trouble your LurdshM mo.e at present;
But remain. my dear Lord, youeo, very truly,
The ?diatoms Wellesley, kg. (Signed) MELVILLE.