The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-10-21 00:00:00

LONDON,
TUESDAY, Ocrocift 31.

WAR BETWEEN PRANCE AND PRUSSIA.
The report of the eonsmencement of hostilities
between France and Prussia, so often repeated, and
so much doubted, is, at length, confirmed. The
4amburgh Mail, due on Sunday. has not arrived r.
Silt we have received, by a vessel from the Elbe, the
Hamliurgh Papers to the I nth instant, which place
this important question beyond all doubt or dispute.
nu Bth of Ottaber was the day fixed by public
opinion for this great event, and it took place ac-
cordingly. On that day the first, shot was fired, a
shot that will resound through the world, and pro-
bably decide the destinies of Europe. From the.
intelligence of last weck, the French appeared to. be
accumulating their force upon their right wing, and
consolidating it with their centre, between Wart-
burg and Bamberg, at which place SOULT had
arrived with his corps lions the South. They
seemed to have for their otieft to turn the Prus-
sian left, under Prince HoacN I. our, which ex.
tended to Hoff, or to cut it off Irons the cenue, un-
der the Duke of BauNswice, at Erfurt, the head-
quarters of the King of Paosssa. With one of
these views, 16,000 men of the divisior.sot Dayousr
and So int advanced to the extremity of the Prussian
left, at Huff, which town they entered on the Bth.
Ihe small corps of Tau crimes,. stationed there, had
preeiously fallen back, timely north, to Schleita,
, from whence it was expeEted, on the yth, to fall still
farther back upon Noustadt, by which movement
the Prussian wing would become closely. concen-
trated under Prince llouestool, whose head-
quarters were at Jena, in the sear of the centre
at Erfurt. This retrograde movement from Hoff,
was effeEted without aoy loss, and appears to have
been made upon the same principle which iodated
the French to consolidate their centre and right.
[t has also, the advantage of bringing the Prussians
nearer to the Russians, and accelerating their junc-
tion. The French are thus the assailants ; aad as it is
obviously their policy to attack the Prussians single-
handed, they have probably followed up the blow.
In executing this movement, the French are said
to have lost t 0 info iof coarse there was only a
slight skirmish between the rear of TAUITIZZIS
and the visa of the corps that entered •Holf.—
It appears, however, as if part of tie Pnusian cen-
tre had also an adion with the French, as General
tivowlCK'll hussars, who were represented as part Of
it, are said to have distinguished themselves, and
taken 800 prisoners.
PRUSSIAN bid 4ylnsTo.
The great length of the Manifesto, or Declaration
of War of the King of Ileum& against France,
and the lateness of the hour at which we received it,
prevent us front giving more than a part this day.
We 441 give the remainder to-morrow. This im-
portant document is contained in the Supplement to
the ifamialsb Correvondadva of the I 7th of OCtober,
an 4 is dated from the llead-quarters at Ertat th, on
the 9th( the day after the adual commencement of
hostilftles. The pan which we have given of it
is sufficient ,to thew that it is a perspicuous, libe-
ral, and dignified production. It 4ees back
to the beginning of the Revolution, in the year
1792; recites 411 the violations of the different treaties

successavFly concluded, the Treaty of Lancedle, the
rreety of Amiens, the Peace of Presburg, and the va•
inus stipulations made with Prussia ; the abolition of
the German Constitution, by which " Princes, who
had never offended France' were deprived of their
independence' and made the vassals of others, thCITI-.

uut consulting the ElditlMlL Of GILLbANY, from
whom a Crown was wrested, or Russia so lately be.
come a guarantee of the German League, or Prus-
sia, intiipately interested in that League, was a
monstrous proceeding. Wars and continued vistloties
have i0f1)011MOS produced great and remarkable
catastrophes ; but such an example in time of Peace
WAS never betore given to the world."
The Manifesto then proceeds to recite at length
the conduit of Boniie ARIL with reSpat to Cleves,
Wesel, Hanover, Ste.
S• It was no longer doubtful that Navol.com had
determined to overwhelm Prussia with war, or
to render her for ever incapable of war, since
it was evi•lent that he was leading her from humi-
liation to humiliation, till she should be reduced to
such a state of political degradation and feebleness,
that she could have no ether will than that of her
forrnidfble neighbour."
The last doubts at length disappeared ; troops
marched :ram the iatsrior of France to•-.,rds the

-
INN ; the intent to attack th main was elm and
certain. The King ordered a Note to be transmitted
by General Knobeladorff, containing the condition,
on which he was ready to come to an accomoiLda.
Lion. These conditions were-
1. That the French troops should evacuate German,.
2. That Fame should oppose no obstacles to the format'',l
of the. Northern Confederacy; and that this Confeileiat,tri
might embrace all the larger end smaller States nut inclosed
in the Fundamental Act of tbe Confederation of the Rhine.
S. That a nenociation should immediately be commenced
for the adjustment of all objets re depute, a Preliminary Ar-
ticle of which should be the restoration of three Abbeys, at,4
the separation of the town of Wesel from the French empire.
" These conditions speak for themselves: they
sheet how moderate the King has been in his de.
mends, even at this moment ; and how much the
maintenance of Peace, it France wishes Peace, de.
pends upon hetself.
"The term, peremptorily fixed by the King for the
decision of peace or war ha's elapsed. His Majesty
has not received the answer of the Cabinet of St.
Ciond,or rather the preparations made around him,
daily give that answer. The King can confide the
safety and honour of the crown only to arms. He
leads to honourabie combat an army worthy of is'
former glory. He reigns over a people, cd ahem
he may be proud; and while he 'is ready to shed
his blood for them, hit kitnws - what he may
expeafrom their, energy and affeftion. Prieces, the
honour of the Gemara name, have joined their
banners with his ; and a Sovereign, who honour;
with his virtues one of the first thsones in the word,
is penetrated with the justice of his cause. His
arms are blessed by the voice of his people. With
so many motives to be conscious of her strength,
Prussia may be permited continually to confide in
her high destiny."
We trust that we shall soots have it in our power
to announce a glorious victory over the Span',sh
Beet. The Curteret packet, arrived at Falmouth IQ
Friday, with Mails from Malta and Gibraltar, lie.
brought the following interesting account
" On the Ist of 08ober, at Pa a. as. Cadiz bare
N. N. D. diitant 4 levees, on smfaring it perceived
the Spanish Beet of 1,2 ma, supposed of the line,
four Leader weigh, and the others preparing to
sail; 7 a. as. saw Lord costasicwison's fleet of 9
sail of the line, a schooner, and a cotter; at 11
a. ay. a boat from the Ait, man of war
came aloogside the Carteret. The Clificer said,
the Spanish Fleet was coming out, and that Lor
Cot ttrowoon had tecatipted positive information of
their determination to put to eta. On the 24, the
Carteret saw a line nf battle ship standing its fur
the Fleet, which would makeiswed Col.t.twawacw's
fame ten ships of the line."
Letters from our fleet of Brost, state, that three
sail of the line and two frigates, full of treops,
have made their escape from that port.
The Spanish fleet. and the small Brest squadrna
are bath; is all probability, dretined foe South
America.
The Carteret packet sailed from Matte on the 13;h
last. General Stuaiar had arrived there -from Si-
cily, en the 10th. Every part of the Two C 414-
Inixs has been abandoned to the French, except
Scylla. in which we still have a garrison. Thus,
there appears to be no foundation rot the report
of a second great vidlery over the French in that
quarttr.
His MAJtSTY is expected in town tomorrow.
Sir Piill.L.li Stamens has staved his otii,e as
one of the Lords of the Admit:elm We understand
he intends to apply to the Kteo far a pension.
A Cabinet Council met yesterday, et two o'clock,
at Viscount Howtc's office, which was attended by
all the Members, except E Fivzsviasiaia and
Lard Ea sea aonovoa. The Conned sat till half-
past four o'clock. The Earl of litosissin attended
the office during the sitting of the Couacil.
Yesterday, Mr. Deane, who so narrowly escaped
the fairy of the French, about two years since, had
an interview with Lord Gacsvii.t.e.
Mr. FL/tat/SOW, the Barrister, is appointed Secre-
tary to Mr gasr.imr, our Ambassador in aline:lca.
The leatnedsGentlemae lett town a yew days since.
to proceed ea hie voyage.
Mr. BULLOCK, the late Deputy Commissary Go-
ner:A, under Sir LI:loOx WATSOAi if appointed Com-
missary General, at Buenos Ayres. He left his
house, in Sloane-street, yesterday, to proceed to
that place.
The Ilritish Declaration. setting forth the
mo-
tives which have inpeneedj the opeeing, the pro-
gress, and the termination of the late Negrciatioe
with Trance, will, it is said, speedily be lets/ before
the Public.
A new expedition) of considerahle importance. is
preparing at Portamonth, and wilt be under the coo-
dua of Sir SiliftliAL lICiOD and the Hsu. Captain
Sroesoan.
The llama man of war, and 3h/esp. frigate,
, I (part of Sir Iticn'ario Sfeaciaes squad: on) %%err.
, I on the 3lst of August, in lat. 30. long. 70. steen.ig
for the Chesapeak. •
' The Commissioners of the Custom House hove
received an Order of Connell, authorizing rat
permit (in addition to the quantify allowed h'
4tl of use i'13.1 of the present King) an additional
I quantity of Cnrn, &c. to be exported Irons the Port
uI Landon to the West Indies. 'for the Mouths of No-
vernber aed Dreember next ; viz. Wheat 50, lift
W. Peas 300, 0.. t. 41...00, Barley 3000, and Wail
tOO Quarters each ; Wileat and 1.1,,er 1015, Oat-
! , disc:tits tz't, :tu.t btit. a Foss .use.