The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-01-26 00:00:00

TILE BRITISH Plit ESN

LONDON,
SATURDAY, JANUARY 2G.

A report prevailed yesterday in the city, that
another. Messenger had arrived from France, but we
could not trace it to any authentic source. Thurs-
day was settling day it the Stock Exchange, and
yesterday two defaulters were declared. but their
differences do not exceed 20,0001.

We yesterday laid the Declaration of our Go-
vernment against Spain, and the correspondence
accompanying it, before our readers. With the
exception of a few words in some of the letters,
which are merely surplusage, and some passages
that were ooly repetitions, our Paper was a faith-
ful and complete copy of the Official Papers
submitted to both Houses of Parliament. Our
case being wow fairly before the public, fur-
nishes an interesting source of discussion, "and is the
general topic of conversation, in every political
circle. Had the Declaration been an exagger-
ated or coloured summary of the Correspondence ;
had we found in it any points mistated ; any unwar-
rantable inferences from fads, or any apparent dis-
position to magnify trifles, or estimate matters of
importance below their true weight and value, it
would become us to strip the case of all sophistry,
and lay it, in a plain and unvarnished dress, before ii
our readers. But if the Declaration has any pre-
vailing charater, it is that of plainness, candour, and
simplicity. To present a fair and precise view of
the truth, appears to have been die sole obje6l of the
writer ; and, in its pursuit, it is almost a matter of
regret, that so little aid is sought from the beauties
of composition. This course, in a had cause, might
be bl-ameable ; but the advocate, who disdains all
foreign ornament, gives perhaps the best proof, that
he has all the merits upon his side. The Treaty of
St. Ildephonse is obviously the foundation of the
present rupture. By that Treaty, Spain covenanted
to furnish a certain contingent of naval and military
force, for the prosecution of any war in which the
French Republic might think proper to entg►age,
thereby binding herself in a state of abject and un-
qualified vassalage to France. Had this Treaty
been carried into execution, Spain must, of necessity,
have committed herself in open hostilities with
England; but, to avoid this result, a subsequent
Convention was agreed upon, by which she bound
herself to pay to France a certain sum, is liea

of the stipulated naval and military succours.—
There was one charaaerlstic difference between these
two compafis. The Treaty of Bt4ldephonso was
2 public article. The Convention was a secret ,
agreement. With the inception of the substitution
of a pecuniary subsidy fora military and naval force,
England was left its total ignorance of it, and all ex-
planation, as well of the amount of the money, as of
every other part of the convention, was evaded or
refused. Without then going into the detail upon
this subjeli, and that of the armaments in the port
of Ferrol, the two great leading points of the case,
we ask, what is the true light in which Spain was
to be viewed in relation to, England? She could
only be a friend, a neutral, or an enemy. Friend-
ship she did not pretend, enmity
,she disowned, and
neutrality she professed. And how did she prove
the sincerity of her professions ? She stipulates to
furnish our enemy with money, i• the sinews of
war," to an extent which she refuses to define. She,
in the same convention, agrees to other articles, the
nature of which she refuses, to disclose. Spanish
ships are removed from their stocks, to make roor_n
for,French ships, wanting repair; and French seamen
are marched across Spain, to man the French squa-
dron in Ferrol. Spain herself arms, and, when called
on to explain, assigns as a cause, that the ships of the
line fitting out were intended to -onvey troops into
Biscay. Spain had no enemy upon the sea ; hy
then use armed ships for the purpose ; or ashy use
ships at all, when the obvious course was to send
her troops by land, as she afterwards did ? The
insurgents in Biscay were not in possession of any
strong place upon the coast, assailable only by sea,
and the idea of waiting to equip a squadron, in a case
of intestine troubles, which, above all others, will not
admit delay, is almost beneath serious notice. The
concealment, therefore, of the real motive, was, :n
itself, a just ground of suspicion; but, coupled with
all the other circumstances of the case, left little
doubt but that the armaments were fitting out in
contemplation of hostilities with England. If this,
then, be the condua of Spain, when purely neutral,
what are we to expel from her, now that she is
hostile ? She will continue to furnish pecuniary suc-
cours to France ; she will fit out armaments in her
ports, and supply the ships of France in her harbours
with every species of naval stores. But she did all
this, and a great deal more, when she professed herself
neutral. France, herself, that has been professedly
at war with us, has not given stronger proofs of hos-
ti:ity. If she has fitted out a flotilla at Boulogne,
so has Spain equipped a squadron at Ferrol.
If hostile BONAtAIITt has abused England, the
neutral Patrice of Price has not been sparing
of his reflation, upon her candour and inte-
grity.—Neutral Spain, it is tree, had not
dared to send out a firet to attack our squadron
off Ferrol, neither has hostile BowAAAara attacked
Admiral CORNWALLis off Brest. Even this, which
is only a partial enumeration of our grounds of com-
plaint against Spain, sufficiently proves the justice of
the war on our part, supposing the anion off Cape St.
Mary, and the Spanish declaration of war, had never
taken place. The measure of our endurance was
full on the day our Minister quitted Madrid, and the
aelion off Cape St. Mary does not Ara the merits of
the case. Itonlygave the Spanish Declaration of War
precedence of the English. Those, however, who
would make the ation off Cape St. Mary part of the
case, and contend that the door was not closed against
peace by Mr. Fame's departure, say, de Cod forbid
that the departure of an Ambassador from the Court
to which he was accredited should be tantamount
to a declaration of war." It would indeed be a mat-
ter of regret if the departure of an Ambassador
should in every case work such an elle& But if an
Ambassador has remonstranced against the proceed-
ings of a Foreign Court—if he has repeatedly de-
clared that he will consider a perseverance in them
a declaration of war—if he has exhausted month
after month in demands of explanation, and made
the compliance with these demands the condition
of peace, and if all these entreaties have been an-
swered only by evasion. or neglect; and if, in all
these demands and declarations, he has been only
the organ of his Court, we see no reason why
his departure, under such circumstances, should not
be equivalent to a declaration of war. What a pitiful
boaster must that Minister be, who instmas as Am-
bassador to declare, that if certain terms are not
complied with, war must follow ; and yet, in the
event of refusal, continues to cultivate peace ! How
idle, in the nation so refusing, to complain of want
of notice ! It surely could not be necessary for
England to send a bellman into every town of Spain,
to announce that which the Spanish Government
was apprised must follow its refusal.

The Baron Boo■ arrived yesterday, with dis-
patches of importance from the Court of St. Peters-
burgh.
Dr. C. M. Strrrots is promoted to the See of Can-
terbury, and Dr. J. Tuella* is to be the new Bishop
of Norwich.

llis Gib-.len, Guitormsom from Lisbon, for
London, is lost on the North Bull, Dublin.

_

FESTIVITIES.
On Friday the 11th inst. a Grand 818 alad sap.
per were given to the Corporafon, Horgoems, and
principal inhabitants of Ludlow, in Shr!pshire, sad
its vicinity, by the Earl of Fowls. The Sipper.
consisting of every delicacy of the season, wines.
sweetmeats, Ike. Among the ettrimities on the te.
bit, was an enormous piece of mast beef, cowered
with laded, with the motto, 00 Oh 1 the R•ist Hai
of 011 England," very ingeniously entwined among
the branches. The Ball began at nine o'clock, and
was kept up with the utmost vivacity till 6.e the
next morning. His Lordship, with his amiable
Consort, and dveir lovely daughters, Ladies Has.
gigT and CH /11LOTTZ (Alva, were present. ilex
Ladyship was dressed in a most beautiful India mus.
lin, with a profusion of diamonds on her head. Ene
was drawn into Ludlow, in her carriage. by twelve
Indian mules, richly caparisoned. The renuinder of
the Supper, with plenty of bread and cheese, v%
the next day distributed to the poor inhabitant of
the town.
AMATEUR CUNCE

RT.
„„ .
• prospermis institution had a very crowded
meeting on Thursday evening, at liv os's Roo!
Tottenham street. 'The instrumental music
principally new, and manuscript, procured b;
member of the institution, lately from Germany;
and, although the pieces had never been seen before
by the performers, they played them with great
roorrenness. Among thd new music there' was a
• symphony /o (Anse, by Waist ;sit v ; a symphony by
'FEY ass ; and a trio for a flute, &toe, and bassoon,
by Davitart a. We never heard Mrs. Moon rain to
greater advantage. She spoke a Ileenittive, and
sting an Italian Air in the most finished stile, And
she enraptured eves y one present, the performers as
well as the company. In The Soldier eir'd of 111. e's
Alarms, she sung inferior to none hot Mrs. tit,.
LINGTON. Mess's. Eves S. \VATTs, and the EL.
LIOTS, sung two charming Glees, lit ne br e Cop, and
Shakespear s crabbed Age, the music by Srststss in
their usual excellent stile ; in the latter cher s, ere
deservedly encored. Mr. MOONS ern playe.l t .7y
excellent Concerto on the vio,in, and produced some
most charming tones—it was rather too long—he
was much applauded.

Yesterday morning, about nine o'clock, the KING ,
left Kew for Windsor.
Yesterday morning the Dokes of Yoct, Er.Nr,
and C A MBEIDGE, •isited Her MaJtsr v and the
Patiscesses.
About twelve o'clock Her M cIITT the
Patricians left the QuasH's House for Windsor.
On Tuesday the ILIT•L FAMILY will return to
town, and in the evening honour Covent Gat.t-a
Theatre with their presence, to see the new Comedy
again. and fierifwd Bridge.
On Thursday Her Mussy v is expesrted to held
a drawing room.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Suuts h moureJ
the Court of King's Bench with a visit yesterday.
The Princess of W•i. es gave an elegant *LIM
on Wednesday last, to a large party of fashionable% •
at her house at Blackheath.
Lord Sr. Hti.gres gave a superb dinner
day at his house in Curaou.street, to the
Ministers; and in the evening her Ladyship gate a
grand rout.
The Earl and Countess of BRISTOL left tows
yesterday for their seat at lekv•orth Park, Suffolk.
The remains of the Archbishop of'C• pi:moat
were yesterday deposited in Lambeth Church. with
all the funeral pomp attendmg such occasions. The
Dean of WEST MINSTER, and great number of No.
! ility and Clergy, attended.
Viscount GAIMSTOM and family returned to
Grosvonor•scinare on WAnesday, from Gorham.
bury, Heits, for the season
The Duke and Duchesiof BEDTORO are- gone to
Woburn, for a fortnight.
The Marquis of BucKlNua aM and family returned
`1 Mall k. Buas,

to Pall . on Thursday, from Stowe Park, ,
for toe season.
Lady A v Luta, whose death we annoureed last
w,ek, was not the widow of Sir For row A Lute,
but of Ha.lr Lord Art.+4 (after whose death.
in 1785, she successively married Mr. Howsr.t.
Parc% and Mr. BowLss), and•mother of the prevent
Lord Av cam
Loid and Lady CASTLEREAGH, Lady S. Slaw-
s sr, the 1-lon. Cenral and Lady C. Sivia%
with a large party of fashionable% dined on Thurs.
day with the Earl and Countess of DAHJILIIT, at
their house in Berkeley-square.
CHERRY was very successful in Le,d neelte, oa
Thursday night, particularly in r: e tile with
Pinny, who had an interesting teprcs slaw/a in
Mrs. Matt Hews.

The new Opera of Za -re, which is soon to be
brought forward at the King's Theatre, will have
the recommendation of good poetry as well as of
good music, for the words are taken from VOL- •
r AI Rell Tragedy.
The Earl of FINGAL. Lord LISMORI, Mr. Swirl Li,
and several Irish Members, arrived in town on
Thursday.
Lord HUTCHINSON. Mr. BURIOIVE, Mr. S.
SNLYO, and several Members, dioed on Thuraiy,
with Mr. ADAMSON, at his house, in Somcrs-•r-
street.
Master Barry 00 Thursday returned to toma
from Bushy Park, the seat of the Duke of Cita-
acmes..
Srsensn Kau ate, it is said. has offered fifty
guineas per night, for the reversion of the nay
Row.sus.
The Earl of 'Atacama presented yesterday a su-
perb and valuable sword from the city of Limerick
to Sir .1 At 4 gi Dur. r. His Lordship was pleased to
say, that he was highly flattered in being deputed by
the Citizens of Limerick to present the sword to s
General he so much valued and esteemed. The
hilt and the scabbard are of gold, engraven North
emblematic figures, amoag which we observed the
heads of the lion and mastiff, descriptive of courage.
fidelity, and watchfulness: upon the back of the
•blade, is the following inscription: "This sword
was presented to Lieutenant General Sir Ji Nti
Derr, by the Citizens of Limerick, as a testimony of
the grateful sense they entertain of his many public
and private virtues, so eminently displayed anrng
them during a command in a most eventful period
, of five years."

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