The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-01-08 00:00:00

(Extract of a Private Letter.)

Since yesterday, and to-day, various reports Lave
been in circulation of an aElion having been fought
between the Russian and French armies in Poland,
in which iome state the loss of the French at wear
thirty thousand men, while others estimate that of
the Russians at near fifty thousand ; but the latest
accounts from Berlin, which come down to the 28th
inst. do not confirm any intelligence of this kind ;
on the convary, the French army in Poland is re-
presented as having suffered so much from epidemic
and contagious disorders, aggravated by the fre-
Tient fall of rain, as not to be capable of undertak-
ing any offensive operations with safety.

HAMBURON, DEC. 29.
(Private Levu.)

Yesterday morning, the Deputation of this City
returned from Posen, where, on the 14th inst. they
had an audience of the Emperor Napoleon, which
lasted near an hour. Their mission seems to have
been unsuccessful, although every persuasive was
used to convince him of the great importance of the
free commerce of Hamburgh, to the chief trading
towns in France. The Deputies proved to him,
by a list of acceptances, that the commercial cities
of the French empite, re.eived, last year, no :ess
than 20,000,000 of marks barter), through the
immediate channel of Hamburgh. Notwith-
standing so forcible an argument, Napoleon referred
the business to Talleyrand, whom the Syndic Door-
man followed to Warsaw, in hopes, by farther re-
presentations, to induce him to move the Emperor
to be less rigorous to the Hamburghers ; it is said
that Napoleon, in his converratim with the deputies,
spoke very violently against England ; declaring,
that the chief übjed of the measures he had adopted,
in regard to their city, was to distress the English
and their trade.

The Italian troops quartered in this city were em-
barked for Harburgh, in lianover, the day before
yesterday, being replaced by a bataillon of Dutch
troops that arrived the preceding day, which have
since been increased to 1,100 men, and this num-
ber is expeded to be still augmented ; they will, it
is said, remain here two months, and a part of them
is to form the garrison of Lubeck, whose Com-
mandant, Gencral Buget, has received orders to
march to Poland, with the two batallions of Italian
troops under his command ; many of the troops
here are ill of fevers, and are immediately removed
to the great hospital without the city. A house has
been prepared for the receotion of the unfortunate
Duke of Mecklenburgh Schwerin, who is expeded
here.

IMANDINSURGII. DEC. £3.
A traveller of distintlios, who bas just arrived
from the head•sluartere of the Emperor Napoleon,
►rings th..- sews, that a decisive battle was to take

place to-day or to-morrow, between the Rutslnt
and Frencli ; every thing was ready for this ptir.
pose. The Russians have occupied a very strong
position. Tke Emperor set cut with the utmost
expedition f,r Thorn, where almoa all the Frenek
army was colleted since the Ilth. It is not, hoe.
ever, thought, that this battle can be 83 near at
hand. Several vessels laden with arms, ammu:,,.
tion, etc. set out to-day, under an escort hest
Berlin for Posen. Central Ouclinu sets out to-day
or to-morrow, for the same place.
nrc. 50.
We learn that Napoleon arrived at Warsaw el
the 19th instant, wise,- Prince Murat was confiaed
to his bed, by a cold and fever.
The French have rebuilt the bridge over the Vis.
tula, and established hie du pouts on the Bog, the
Narew, and at thorn. whic!, later place surrenzlsr.
ed on the 7th inst. Skirmishes daily take place be-
tween the Russian and French out-posts on the
Narew, in which the success is alternate. Tie
Cossacks are said to have a decided superiority over
the French horse.

Kosciusko, who left Paris on the 15th, was ex,
peeled, by the beginning of January, to put himself
at the head of the Polish Confederation.

General Bcnningsen, with 73,000 men, retreating
before the French to the Narew, destroys all the
provisions, and takes with him all those Poles wts
are able to serve in the army, so that the wh-:e
country between Praga and Putusk, oa the Nitre%
is made a complete desolate waste. In the hosci.
tals at Warsaw, great numbers of soldiers and oS-
cets die daily of the flax, and other diseases, one of
which is accompanied with a general leprosy. and
fre:id cfluvia of putrid matter, from all parts of the
body, and is deemed incurable.

FROM THE HAMEURCH CORRE
OF DECKMBFR 29.

PIITEII.S2LIROD.
On the 28th Nov. Field-Marshal Count Kan.a4-
skoy set out from this city for the army.
Another Imperial Ukase, relative to the reernh.
ui the army, has been published here, altering
the number of recruits to be raised, from foar to
five out of every 50u souls, and to be taken to the
age of 36.

PRESBVIGit, DEC. 13.
Advices have been received here, that ;':e kvt.
sins, 50,000 strong, h..ve taken possession of SW.
davia and Walachia, as friends and allies of the
Sublime Porte , that they have advmced as far u
Widdin, and united with the Serv;ang, who are
about 40,000 strong, under the command of Czerni
George.

Accounts from Warsaw, of the I st of December,
say, at General Beningsen, who commands 73,000
men, bad then his head.quarters at Pulstusk, ii
Russian Polank beyond the Vistula, on the Nailer.
The King of Prussia had been these eight days laefo::.
TONICINOII4, DM 30.
. .

All private letters from the neighbourhood of
the French armies, agree in representing the scar.
city and sickness which reigns amongst them, to be
extreme. The Empress Josephine, and the Queen
of Holland, have, it seems, flAd from the contagion.
General Benningsen, with SO,OGO men, is near
Warsaw, harassing the French, whose misery and
distress give them no stomach for fighting; in
truth, we are assured from all quarters, that the af-
fairs of Napoleon are desperate.

BANKS GE TIII MAINE, DEC. 20.
The account of the surrender of Cattarn, acciar,!.
ing to the latest letters from Trieste, is not con•
firmed ; the Russians and Cattaresa still maintain
themselves there.

Hitherto only one Prussian fortress in Silesia has
fallen, viz. Grossglogat.; those still in possession of
the Prussians are Breslau, Schtveidnetz, Silberberg,
Glatz, Breig, and Cosel.
In Russia, according to the Public Journals,
above 100,000 recruits have been raised, since the
issuing of the last Ukaise, and the greatest military
preparations are making throughout the country.
It is worthy of remark, that the troops of the
Rhenish Confederation form a middle line, the front
and rear of which are covered or secured by Frenab
troops, as certain 'points are assigned them to oc-
cupy. The two principal corps of Bavarian and
Wurtemberg troops are in Silesia. The troops of
the Prince Primate are at Erfurt; those of Baden at
Stettin; those of Wurzburg, Darmstadt, and Na—
no, at Spandau ; and those of Bug, lsenburg, and
Hohenzollern, at Magdeburg, &c. The eighth prin-
cipal corps, under Marshal Mortier, united witlithe
Dutch!army of the North, occupies East Friezeland,
Mecklenburg, &c. ; and thus forms the left wing
and rear of the Grand Army.
Several Hungarian regiments have receiveJ or-
ders to march for Poland.
STATE
PROCLAMATION TO TOL ISKASITANTI or 12[11114.
Erase Inhabitant, of Silesia..—Anwilag the mournful events
which have taken place, an the course of the present was, there
is net winch has su much fitted with ref the bean of Me
Majesty, at to see a col:site:3h', part of his provincea and f•i•tt

where almost all Ihe French
ce the I tth. It is not, how.
iis bAttle cm be S) near at
I laden with arms, ammuri.
day. under an escort float
neral Oudiou sets out to-day
same place.

SLILSWICK, nee. 30.
Teen arrived at Warsaw on
• Prince Murat was confined
nd fever.

built the bridge over the Vis-
te du pouts on the Beg, the
which latter place surrer..!tr.
irnrishes daily take place Ist-
id French out-posts on the
success is alternate. Ti.e
ye a decided superiority over

Paris on the Mk, was ex,
g of January, to put hinutlf
sh Confederation.

• with 73,000 men, retreat
the Narew, destroys all as
vith him all those Poles arts
the army, so that the whole
and Putusk, on the Nat%
.solace waste. In the hospi.
lumbers of soldiers andoi'.
ix, and other diseases, one
with a general leprosy. alai
matter, (rem all parts or the
curable.

TiIN
ro'', between the Russ!ats
,just be
ling was ready for tl.is put
owl,
have occupied a very
strop cum)
entirely
:or set cut with die lattllOrt ,rced