The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-02-28 00:00:00

THE BRlTlrfili PRESS.

FRIDAY. FEE,UARY 28.

At three o'clock yes erday, Captain DOWNM
of His MAJESTY'S ship Diomede, arrived at the
Admiralty with an account of the capitulation of
the Cape cf Good Hope ti, His MAJESTY'S arms.
The bells of Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's
church were rung ; the Pa•k and rower guns were
Lied in honour of the occasion ; and the First Lord
of the Admiralty shewed his respell for the City,
by sending the following satisfadory communica-
tion to the the Loan MAYOR :

ADNIIiRAI TY-OFFICE, iEI. 27.
Mr. Crey has the honour to transmit to the Lord
-Mayor the inclosed Account of the success of His
M...iesty's forces, under the c onmend of Sir David
Baird and Sir Home Popham.

" Admira;ty, Feb. 27.
Capt 11):+onotan, of Ffis Majesty's ship Di..inerte, arrived
this afternoon, wittt dispatches from Sir H. Vr„hatu, dated at
the Cape of Good Hope, Jan. 19
" The accounts brought by the Officer 'tate, that the squad-
ton, under Sir flame Popham's command, arrived of the
Cape nn the 4th, that the landmg of the troops was effeaesi
en the 6th, and that, after an aiftion on the 6th, in which the
Enemy kit 700, and Hn %Mesty's troops about 23 killed and
ettainkit, a Capituiati.-in was si;ned on the 10th, by which the
cape Tsen rid its dzirettd.th.i,s were surrendered to His Ma-
jesty's arms.

" General Janten, who eemmen-ted the Eneme'e Terto?e,
retired, with the remainder of his Toren, into the interior
td the Otuatry.

A t,ur Copy. (C rued) "JAMES SHAW,
" Mar ason-houre, Ft. 4 Nt4yor.
Hai( put Four

This event diffused much pleasure through the
town, but could nun ea- ite much .urprise. As evi-
dence that Government ant;e:pated it with cnnfi.
dente, we la•ely announced that some large trans.
pre, wish prnvisirns, had been sent (torn Ports.
in nut) for that destination. A general idea prevailed,
founded, perhaps, upon the almost certain expalla.
lion of u.er acquisition of this colony, that an unclvr-
stanchng subsisted between our Government and
the Commander of the Cape, and tha' the place
would be surrendered without resistance. While
we lament the loss of our brave tronps, however
small, it is $ matter of congratulation that this
WAS not the case. It is much more grateful and
desirable to have obtained it by the va'nur of our
iurry, than by the treachery of its defenders.

46 evening paper of yesterday announces the re-
ceipt of a letter from Fahnou:h. dattd February
24tb, which say. :—" Aa account was receivt d
bete, this morning, of the loss of His Maksty's ship
brectwa, of 74 guns, on the hle of Rhee; only the
Cip:a:n and elf men were saved."

The N.l. lugger arrived, nn Tuesday, at Ply-
sitoch, from off Bres• : she has brought an account,
which, we trust, will not prove use, of the loss
of the Loess frigate, of 5 guns, on the Ssintes.
Th- receivei the intelligence from an Ameri-
can, which is net, we 'snow, from experience, the
best authority. The people of the 'fire did not cre-
dit the report.

The fleet which sailed from Cork, nn the even-
ing of the I fith inst. returned the next dar. except
the Squirm' sloop of war. and fourteen s ill, which
had not returned on the 23d.

The new Ministry has commenced its career well.
The Right Hon. the Cu•t.ctt.t.os of the Esc,' s-
ive*, last night, moved for, and obtained leave, in
the House of Commons, to bring in a Sill for the
better regulation of the office of Treasurer of the
Ordnance. "1 he pradice heretofore tad been," he
nai!. " for these Officers to retain large balances of
the pohlic money in their hands, and the principal
obiftrt of the preser.t measure was, to give the public
sufficient security for the due a pplication of such sums,
and impose such penalties on non-compliance with
the intended eel, as were done by a former cue upon
Treasurers of the Navy." He also gave notice,
" that the present measure was only a part of the
s!stetn he meant to propose far subjeding to similar
reiclations, Po-t-Office, the Excise, the Cus-
t'rilft and every other Board connate,' with the
receipt or expenditure of the public money." A
ticent regniation in the Office of the Paymaster-
ll:-7etal of the Forces, is another proof of the
411;ety of the present Government to corret,
r.ie manifold abuses which have but too long ex-
'red in the expenditure of the puhlie revenue
--It had been the pradice of the Army Agerts
into their hands the issues from the Pay-Ot-
t"e, for Staff-pay and Contingencies, whenever tho.e
li•vres were made, and to retain the money ; and it
• is been some time before the several Staff Officers,
those to whom it was appropriated. could get
tol money out of their possess:on ; by which con-
e-a, much profit was made by the Agent; ;
beeril set vice considerably injured; and iLdiv