The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-04-22 00:00:00

talon& to &ward further supplies, chiefly or
coffee, to the mother country. Generally :peak-
ing. the Islands are healthy, and lire be, pat iu
excellent defence. Sotue alarm wax excited
through thew lately', oil a suppot.ition that Sir
Samuel Hood war deAtited logaiust Ciotti, hut aft
apprehcabioilb dibappearecl, as boon as it wax it iciA
that Madeira was the object uf the experlitieni
under !Inn.

A report, but tbroug7l what c:i.innvi it it de-
rivv.l we cauuot aseerta:n, is in cireJlai.oti, tarot
16 sail of tlie Juin:ilea trade, lately wine from
hence under convoy of the ..lage/h., hive Leen
captured. We de boe believe titat it downer any

Sii,re our lair, the Triaidad an-3 Tobago trrdc
have 111111C4 uud.r co.woj of Ilia Niajesty's si :ii
Port if Spain; ali,l the iicudftur tank frarLet,
'ruder convoy of the Ileusar.

MACCH A.

Dispatches were received here. on Suudny intuit-
ing, by Rear-Admin.! Sir Alexander Cuehrane, from
Captain Selby, of Hie Majesty's ship Ceiberus,
from .Ilarigalante, informing hint of the capture of
that Wand by a small squadron nailer his com-
mand. consisting of the Cerberms, Circe, and Ca-
milla frigates, and Erpreer brig ; a detachment of
seamen 4114 marines from the frigatesomountinglo
two hundred men, headed by Captain Pigot, of the
Circe, honing effected a landing there, without any
opposition, on the morning of the :31 ins tam, and
carried the town, before the enemy was preiiareci to
make any effectual resistance. The island was lite-
rally taken by surprise. and much in the Luanne: oi.
Coracwa, although nut to be put in competition
with that very gallant achievement; and was CI U.
dertaken, as appears, without any previons concert
with, or instroctiollf (ruin, the Bear-Adutinti. The
only defence attempted was with a light field-piece,
commanding the principal street, but which the
enemy were driven from with pikes and fixed bayo-
nets, before they could hind it a second time ; and
being closely pressed, surrend.ereil at iliweretiou.—
All the means of defence which the island posse...sea
consisted of only one 4-ponatle:, three tea, tn•
lees, and three 24's, (Lsposed in six different batte-
ries along the coast ; and with 230 wand of arms,
and about 130 barrels of powder, is the whole re-
turn of ordnance and ammunition.

Zilarigidante i% but an inconsiderable island, of
rather a circular form, being about five leagues long
and four broad. It is remarkably fertile, produc-
ing coffee and cotton in abundance, and some
sugar ; but more from its locality of situation, be-
ing S.E. of Guadeloupe. and contignona to Point-
a-Petre. is any acquiaition to he i:erivisl from the
powlesbiou of it, the moat effectual blockade of Unit
port (the chief revert of the enemy's privateers) be-
ing now its our power.

Sir Alexander Cochrane, with the four ships
of the line (Belkiste, Bag-ship, Kasuiies, Yerk,
and Deptce) detained here for the last fortnight,
sailed from throe. en Sunday evening. We un-
derstand that the Admiral touches at Msrigaiatite,
and from thence proceeds among tl.e islands to
leeward; but do not hear whether the squadron
resumes a station off 'lartinique, or that there is
any further prolialiilitf of their faliing .o with, in
these seas, that of the enemy. Several of our
frigates sad smaller vessels have been Laely
dif-
patched tocruim to windward of this island, and
in other directions. w here the enemy's privateers are
supposed to be.