The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-05-23 00:00:00

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE, MAT 2t.

Copy of a L•tter from Commodore Sir SIDNEY SMITH, to I
Lord KEITH, dated Antelope, at Aaciior, off o,terid
My LORD, May 17, Ibo 4.
Information frrom all quarters, and the evident
state of readinesss in which the enemy's armaments
were in Helvoet, Flushing, and Ostend, indicating
the probability of a general movement from those
ports, I reinforced Captain Manby, off Helvoet.
with one Ship, and dire red Captain Hancock, of
the Cruiser, stationed in shore, to combine his ope-
rations and the Rattler's, with e squadron of gun-
boats stationed off Ostend.
The Antelope, Penelope, and Aimable, occupied
a centrical position in sight both of Flushing and
Ostend, in anxious expeaation of the enemy's ap-
panage. Yesterday, at half-past five. A. M. I
received information from Captain Hancock, then
off Ostend, that the enemy's flotilla was hauling
out of that pier, and had already twenty-one one-
masted vessels, and one schooner cutside in the
roads ; and at half-past seven the same morning,
I had the satisfaaion to see the Flushing Flotilla
of fifty-nine sail, viz. two ship-rigged praams,
nineteen schooners, and thirty-eight schuyts. steer-
' , ing along shore from that port towards Ostend,
under circumstances which allowed me to hope I
should be able to bring them to aaion The signal
was made to the Cruiser and Rattler for an enemy,
in the E. S. E. to call their attention from Ostend ;
the squadron weighed the moment the flood made,
and allowed of the heavier ships following them
over the banks ; the signals to chase and to engage
ware obeyed with alacrity. spirit, and judgment.
by the at and experienced ()Ulcers your Lordship
hrs done me the honour to place under my orders.
Captains Hancock and Mason attacked this formi-
dable line with the greatest gallantry and address,
attaching themselves particularly to the two Praams,
both of them of greater force than themselves, inde-
pendent of the cross-fire from the schooners and
schuyts ; I sent the Aimable, by signal, to support
them. The Penelope (havi ig an able pilot, Mr.
Thornton), on signal being madeho engage, Captain
Broughton worked up to the centre ot the enemy's
line, as near as the shoal water would allow, while
the Antelope went round the Stroom band to 'cut
the van off from Ostend ; unfortunately our gun-
boats were not in sight, having, as I have under-
stood, since devoted their attention to preventing the
Ostend division front moving westward.
The enemy attempted to gat back to Flushing;
but, being harassed by the Cruiser and the Rattler,
and the wind coming more easterly against them,
thev were obliged to run the gauntlet to the west-
ward, keeping to the beach, under the pro-
teaion of the bat
Having found a passage fur the Antelope within
the Stroom-sand, she was enabled so bring her
broadside to bear on the headmost schooners before
they got the length of Ostend. The Leader struck
immediately, and her crew deserted her. She was
however recovered by the followers ; the artillery
front the 'town and camp, and the rowing gun-
boats from the Pier, kept up a constant and
well direaed fire for their support ; our shot, how-
ever, which went over the schooners, going on shore
among the horse artillery, interrupted, it in a degree;
gill however it was from the shore we received the
greatest annoyance; fur the schooners and schuyts
crowding along could not bring their prow guns to
bear without altering their course towards us, which
they could sot venture hand their side guns, though
numerous and well ,ezved, were very light. In this
manner the Penel,pe and Antelope engaged every
part of their lunz him from four till eight, while
the Aimable, Cruiser, and Rattler, continued to press
their rear. Since two o'clock the sternmost Praam
struck her colours and ran on shore; brit the artillery-
men from the army got on board, and she rsnewed
her fire on the Aimable with the precision of a land
battery. from which that ship suffered much : Cap-
tain Bolton speaks much in praise of Lieutenant Ma-
ther, who is wounded.
Several of the schooners and schurts immediately
under the fire of the ships were driven on shore in
like manner, and recovered by the army. At
eight, the tide falling, and leaving us in little more
water than we drew, we were reluStantly obliged to
haul off into deeper water to keep afloat, and the
enemy's vessels that were not on shore, or too much
shattered, were thus able to reash Ostend ; these
and the Ostend division have hauled into the bacon.
I have anchored in such a position as to keep an
eye on them ; and I shall endeavour to close with
them again, if they move into deeper water. I have
to.rsgret that, from the depth of the water in which
these vessel move, gun-boats alone can act against
them with effea. Four have joined me. and 7 have
sent them in to see what they can do with the praam
that is on shore. .1 have great satisfaaian in bear-
ing testimony to your Lordship of the gallant and
steady conduet of the Captains. Commanders, Of-
ficers' Seamen, and Marines, under my orders. Cap-
tains Hancock and Mason bore the brunt ot the at-
tack, and continued it for six hours against a great
superiority of fire, particularly from the army on
shore. the howitzer-shells annoying them much.
These Officers deserve the highest praise I can give
them. They speak of the coudua of their Lieutenants,
Officers, and crews, in terms of warm panegyric
Messrs. Budd and Dalyell, from the A atelope, :sifted
in the absence of two Lieutenants of those ships.
Lieutenants Garrety and Patful, commanling the
Favourite and Stag cutters. did their best w CI their
small guns against greater numbers of greater ca-
libre. Lieutenant Hillier, of .ti- Antelope, gays
me all the assistrnce and supp,a-•
deck his ill state of health . •
tenant Stokes. and Mr. Sieger. . w • ••t__••••• quar.er-

Iretcz SIXPENCE.

direeted the fire on the lower and main-decks with
coolness and precision. It would be the highest
injustice if I omitted to mention the intrepid con-
do& of Mr. Lewis, the Master, Mr. Nun, and Mr.
Webb, Pilots, on whose steadiness, skill, and at..
tention, particularly the former, I shall ever feel •
myself indebted, for havig brought the Antelope
into action within the Sands, where, certainly,
the enemy eould not expel to be met by a ship of
her sire ; and for having allowud her to continae
engaged with Commodore Verhuel to the last mi-
nnte it was possible to remain in such shoal water,
with a falling tide. It is but justice to say the ene-
my's Commodore pursued a, steady course notwith-
standing out fire, and returned it with spirit to the
last.

I could not detach open boats into the enemy's
line to pick up those vessels which had struck, and
were deserted, mixed as they were with Close trill
firing. Captain Hancock sent me one scl.uyt that
had hauled out of the line and surrendered. She
had a Lieutenant and twenty-three soldiers of the
48th regiment, with five Dutch seamen on board.
She is so useful here I cann'it part with her yet.
Mactsed ii a l of Oar lOU, which, though great.
is less than might have been expeded, trwhig to the
enemy's directing their fire at our masts. The Ratt-
ler and Cruiser have of course suffered most in the
latter respell, bet are nearly ready for service again.
The smoke would not allow us to see the are .% of
our shot on the enemy ; but their loss, considering
the number of them under cur guns for so long,
must be great in proportion. We see the mast-heads
above water of three of the schooners and one of the
schups which were sunk.
I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) W. SMNBT SSt:TII.
The R?l,,ltt. llonooraSle Lord K-itil, K. B.
Commander in Clii..f. Ste ac See
Retort' of kilkel and Wounded on board His Mtjesty's Shire
and Vessels under the ourlA:s of Commodore Sir Willi...a
Sidney Smith, lint Ste. ,n ~tiro with the Enemy's Fletdla
en its passage from Flushing to Ostend, May IG.
Ant. itise--2 seamen and 1 private alarm,. w.tunded.

warunk killed, and 4 bearuen wounded.

Aiinable--Mr. anis&4e, Master Matz, Mr. .I,ll,tson. N: 1-
shipman, 4 &amen, and I boy. killzd • Lieutena:,t NV. hlatiu.r,
Mr. Shsvrell, Purser, Mr. Conger, Midshipman, and 11 .ca-
Men, %sounded. _ _ _

Cruiser-1 seaman, killed; Mr. George nit, clerk, ar. t
3 seam,n, wounded.
Rattler-2 .minim killed, and 5 mown wounded.
Tirtil-2 Potty Officer., 10 seamen, and 1 boy, kited; 1 Lieu.
te.iAnt, 1 Purser, • Petty Ufficstn, 25 seamen, and 1 priiate
nms.ne, wounded

(Signed) W. SIDNEY Ss/T•.
To toe sigh Hon. 1.,0,1 Keith

FROM THE FRENCH PAPERS.

SLMLIN, AIMIL 10.

The insurgent Servians, under the command of
Ozeni-Georges, have occupied this day the suburbs
of Belgrade and a part of the town itself. The
Deys are retired into the'citadel, and all communi-
cation is cut off from them with the country. Tiivy
forced the Pacha to remove with them into the cit..-
del, where be is kept a prisoner. On the sth the
Turks made a wink, but were repulsed with the lo:s
of 99 killed on the spot. The Dey, Poczoglu, one
of their Chiefs, was in the number of the slain.
The Dey, Kutsticuli, with 400 men and his trea—
sures, tried to escape to AViddin, but he was sur-
rounded near Krajojeoze by 50(E) servians, and
made a prisoner.
Letters from Constantinople say, that EIS Bey ar-
rived at Alexandria on board the English frigate,
the Arrus, six days after the murder of Ali Pacha
at El Arisch. and that as soon as he was informed
of it he highly disapproved of the crime, declaring,
at the same time, his determination to adhere to
those articles of pacification. concluded under the
mediation of England with the Sublime Porte.

°Rossi:As, MA Y 11.
The l'th inst. at two o'clock in the morning, the
English, who have always nine or ten ships cruis-
ing before the Island of Cadsand, attempted, with
six armed boats, to reconnoitre the canal near
Blankenherg, and to burn the sluices ; but the
guards in the batteries observing them, forced
than to a sudden retreat by firing twenty guns it
them loaded with grape shot, and which, no doubt,
made great execution, though they did not sink
their boats. Tire next day, at one o'clock in the
morning, they returned, but met with a similar re-
eeption. Government has ordered a company of
flying artillery to reinforce the troops on that part
Of OUr Co44.—Prarle dC 11,1/SVIII .)

COLOGNE, MAY E.
The inhal,itants here, at Aix-hi.Chapelle, an 4
l'revcs, have presented their worthy Bishop %ICI
an elegant coach. The prelate, in accepting *i Is
gratitude this present, delivered into the hands of the
Conamis,:tries a gum of 3120 livres to be emplovcd
as they thought proper. Supposing the intent of the
Bishop, they ordered this sum to be distributed
to the poor on the day of Bonapane's coronation.

■AOQI, MAY 1.5.
A very serious quarrel has broken out at Alk.
mar between the soldiers of the regiment of Wal-
deck and the 13th battalion of infantry. Several
persons have lost their lives. Government has
taken severe measures to prevent these scenes from
being renewed.
Government has consented to the demand
Gerard Matmont, and cur contingent in the in-
vasion of Englan•l will be augmented with too
battalions of llatavian grenadiers. l'he .s:h batta-
lion of infantry in garrison here, d:•stioeJ for t:l.,
same erne tition, has received counter orders, and
will rem sin here.

Atutin some few months no Ins than 15,0'
stench con,cripts rave passed thrt..lg% the t a
of :/AIM AI 11Cf f 1-1.1114.Ver, W;:ert' they ats
41 ..t J, a0..1
A:. ia !. that the his benkett
the beauti.ul c tbtle Liken. near Brussell% and
• .I,ts it. future to pass sometimes . z sum—

moimmIiAMMIIII

PASTS, MAT 12.

The following publication of the Prefe(ts of Po-
Ike has been posted up in all public places "1.
All persons who were involved in the civil wars in
the IVestern Departments, and .0 their pacification
received their amnesty, and who at present reside
either at Paris, or in the several communes of the
Department of the Seine, or in the communes of
Sevres, Meudon, and St. Cloud, or in the Depart-
ment of Seine and Oise, are ordered to present them-
selves at the Sec. General's office of the prefecture of
the police, to make their declaration and exhibit their
efts of 'amnesty, passes, cards of safety, or permis-
sions to reside in France. 2. Their declarations are
to contain their names, Christian names, their
places of residence before and after the revolution ;
the places where they have, or had any property;
the motives to their present residence, or the object
and causes which have brought them to Paris, to
the communes of the department of the Seine, and
to those of Sevres, Maudon, and St. Cloud. 3.
.The above-meutioned individuals continue to re-
main under the particular inspection of the police
agents, and are not permitted to change their lodg-
ings without the written permission of the prefect of
the police, under pain of being arrested as nupOicd,
or traatnerted as inesdpated with the conspirators,. 4.
The office destined to receive these declarations,
will be open from nine o'clock in the morning till
four o'clock in the afternoon, and from six o'clock
till nine at night. 5. This regulation is to be im-
mediately published in all the communes, under the
jurisdiction of the prefect of the police. The sub-
prefees of St. Denis and of Sceaux, die police com-
missaries and officers of peace at Paris, and the
mayors of the rural communes, are ordered to pub-
lish the present regulation immediately, and within
twenty-four hours inform the prefect of the police of
their obedience."

A Intel rom Baltimore, contains the following
particulars from St. Domingo Since the bri-
gand Des alines has usurped the authority at St.
Domingo, nothing has happened which does not
eontribute to augment the disasters of that wretched
colony, plunged in troubles and confusion, hy want
if adherence to the "taker country. The court and the
council of Dessalines are composed, in a great part,
of those brigands and intriguers, who have assisted
in, or contributed to, all the fatal catastrophes of
which St. Domingo has been the theatre for these
last twelve years. They are wally Frenchmen
from Europe, who arrived in the colony with no
other fortune than their talents for intrigue, and
without any other objet than to enrich themselves
by every means offered to their cupidity. They
have, therefore, attached themselves to every per-
son whe becomes popular, and successively to all
the chiefs of different parties. It is in this manner,
that these cowardly Frenchmen have cajoled vile
slaves, and sold their pens and councils to brigands,
covered with blood and plunder. It is in conse-
of the speculation of these wretch,s, that
Dessalines is surrounded by white Europeans, who
do not blush to be his ministers, secretaries. satel-
lites, creatures, and to make common cause with
the antropophagi from Africa, against their own
countrymen. These men are, thereiore, certainly
more culpable than the negroes of St. Domingo.
Not withstanding all this, those men are not only
remelted, but grown immensely rich; and cnnti-
slue almost daily to send money, or transpoit their
property to the Continent of At•ierica. S.tveral
rich houses at New York, Norlilk, and
have great sun.* belonging to them. Would is not
be just of our Government to seize upon these
riches r '...(Jservol de Commerce.)