The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-12-03 00:00:00

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.
SPAN !SU PAPERS.

VICII, OCT. 31.
Our Junta tins received the following letter front
that of Nlaureaut, dated the !ill/ Mat.:—
" The French being apprided.tliat we were send-
nu; a convoy of ammunition to CM. Don Francisco
111thaps, made an attempt to intercept it, advoseing '
for that purpose to n 'thin three tuiles of S:dsidel
but, thank Conti the escort being informed of
Vic design of the enemy, disappointed it by fall-
ing back::

T0..1M09, OCT. 31.
EXTRACT PROM ♦ POLVATE
"The letters rreeivld by your house here, foam

your votrepood..ots at Mahon, coutuiu the follow-
. 'viz advice. Viiii need not now expect the 5000
English who were coining from Sicily, river they
veurived orders, on the voyage, to put back, in con-
•Jiinenee of the Neapolitaus having applied far their
assistance to shake nIF the yoke of the ['match. All
the troops that were in Sicily, both English nod Si-
cilians, have alrea ly landed on the Continent. We
conceive, that at this moment that kingdom is in a
state of general insurrection, sets expect that the
French them• will be totally exterminated.'
" Thi, afternoon arrived in this harbour, in six
days, from St.. Padre, hi liardiusu, the S. Jim/
lace*, Marlin Mona, master. lie affirms, that at
'.t. Pedro positive accounts had been received of the
Landing of the English and Sicilian troops in the
I.lololola or Naples, of their having been joined by
the Ca:at:trims, and of their acting in the most vi-
gorous manner against the usurper, Murat, with au
united force of $0.0041 men. He adds, that the
Spanish consul at St. Pedro directed him to com-
tuunicate this nitalligctice on his arrival in Spain."
ARANAJEZ, NOV. 14.
The Secretary of State for the War Department
has received the following dispatches from Lieut.-
(len. Don Joaquim Blake, dated at Valtnaseila on
► the 7th and nth inst. :
MOsT ENLELLENT SEIONON....In order. to se-
cure the means of re-concentrating my forces, a
matter of importance upon all occasions, and more
particularly under die Clfe tanues of my army
being attacked by such supe►i►r numbers, and to

•pproxhaate the:. fluty road by which 1 could pru;••

core the metes of stiliaistence, 1 deteri ss itt etlou the
4 3.1 iii,ttatit, to unite the different divisions, in.... Wi-
ling that of the North. which had just reached the
eiriiiity of the little town of Nava. All effected a
juurtiou, with the exception of the second division
of (;sllicia, and a part of foe troops of Asturias,
fortning a corps under the coinusiod of his Excel-
leiity U. Vincent Acevedo. This corps was a:-

tacked by the enemy in superior force on the 3d
int/tont, between Ll.sweno and Menegarai ; and the
etieitsy, though vigorously repulsed, took a position
between the corps under Seignur Acevedo, mod the
army, apparently, and according to the informa-
too I received, with the expectation of u reinforce-
ment, in order to prevent Acevedo front effecting a
junction with me. This information reached "tie
ou the moruuttl of the 4th. 1 intently saw the ne-
cessity of a decisive movement against the enemy ;
anal accordingly gave orders that, the same night,
the ;c1 division, commended by firigadirr U.
Francisco Riptelme, with one of the corps of
Asturias, under the orders of Fit:ld-Marshal D.
Gregorio Quirt*, should proceed in quest of, and
attack time corps of the enemy thst intercepted the
passage of Acevedo ; that the 4th division and the
advanced guard should march for Valmaseda, with
the view of attacking whatever troops of the enemy
they might fall its with ; that the tinit, and reserve,
slionl.l proceed, under my immediate -mainland, to
Govilejoela, to cut oft the communication between
the different French divisions; and, finally, that the
corps of the North should remain posted at 'Berm)
IN a general reserve.
" At the very instant of commencing our march,
I received advice that the corps of Seignor Acevedo
End been able to change its position, and had taken
up a uew and very advantageous one between Gor-

iirjuela, Velma-edit, and Orrantia, but that the
'twiny, in erin.i.lerahle nuitaber were still occu-
...it'd in watching it. movement.. This new claim-
s. tine of Seigtior del Amaral" neersserily led to
owe alteration its tnine. The troops under Seig-
ws Qairos and Rigacline were accordant:ly er-
red to attack the enemy., which, from the infla-
tions they had shewa, and the tuforsnatinis ofthe
ootutry, were supposed to he at Arcinitga. Their
amo lowly ass conceived to be at Orrantia, and I li
.k unoa the tusk of Ji,loalging them,
the tint, the advaii,:ed guard, and the reserve.
le fourth. under the rommand, cd i?tterint, of
igailaer Don Esteban Perlier, owing to the indis-
Atkin of 'Marquis Art Portazgo, paroled their
loom! dertiamtuon to Valuta:wale, but under a cau-
-1 of not attacking should they fall in with a im-
am. form..

•4 I au* ut a loss to what I should ascribe the re-
ittiun taken by the French to draw off their
:es from the corps of Acevedo ; but certain it is,
.1 at Orrantia and Areiniega we met only with
(mots of their retreat, which they had effected
• same night; and thus the divisions, which it
our object to disengage, happily joined as.
e fourth division. however, ■as wore fortunate
,n the rest; for, reaching the environs of lial-
weda, where there were 7,uno of the enemy pu-
dic colutunio ot• the (.4.t: 'rid of Division %Alin,

they attacked them with the greatest impetnosity,
drove them oat of the ►owu, and pursued them
more than a league, when they halted in COM!.
(pence of night coming on. The enemy fled in
the ntaiost disorder, having 'offered u very great
loss in kilted awl a led ; we also took 40 of
diens prisoners, among a 1101.0 was an officer ; and
they left in our hands a 4-pounder, and two ammu-
nition waggons, iu a serviceable condition; live
baggage or provision waggons, some of them be-
looging to their General's establishment ; papers
also belonging to the latter, and an immense num..
her of other articles of boat). What muck con.
trilanted to decide tl:is brilliant 'affair, was the
rapidity and ardour with which some corps of the
Asturiams, mid of the secoud division of Gallicia de-
scended upon Valinastila, the instant they observed
the contest which the fourth division were commen-
cing. This, and the above-mentioned corps, have
acquired an indisput.tble right to the esteem of
their fellow-eninitrytnetia claim which indeed be-
longs indiscriminately to all our inimitable soldiers,
who, cont illy its the open air since the 23d
nit. during rainy nights, and the most inclement
+weather, all without huts, and a great part of them
without clothes, or eVell shoes or stockings, and,
what is more, passim; whole days without food, un-
derweut with alacrity the greatest fatigue,, exhi-
biting not the smallest symptom of dissatisfaction
tinder such extrannlin try privittioivs, and manili.st-
ing Ito other wish than that of destroystig the rilem)
by the sactitice of their own lives.

" The above I have transmitted to your Ewel-
lettey, that you way be pleased to tinnuniniea:e
the same to His Majesty. May God preserve your
E‘relleney many years.

" Valmaserla, Nov 7, sdu9. JOAQI, I H BLAKE.
Secretary of State for the War Deem talent."

" ?Inn FICELI.F.NT
•• Being without positive information of the
force and situation of the enemy, which it was in-
dispensably necessary I should obtain, with a view
to regulate my operations, I marched yesterday
• with the first and second divisions, in the direction
of Gueoes, and ordered the advanced guard to
proceed by Garailiatela as far as Spatula.. The
body of troops under my immediate command very
soon fell iii with four French regianentt, forming
on effective force of 8000 men, awl a firing took
platee. which lasted the whole of the Jay, without
any advantage mi either side. Towaicts dusk. the
enemy fell back a little. anal we suspended the
movements winds we bad begun to make from right
to left; aid' the view of attacking them iu a new
direction.
" We should have executed our meditated attack
this morning, with every provect of success, had
not the extreme inclemency of the night, and the
exhausted condition of the troops, Irwin want of
food and intolerable fatigue, compelled me to en-
deavour to procure for them some shelter, rest, amid
refreshment. I, therefore, marched them back to
head-quarters herr a little before day-break.
•• The force of the enemy has been ascertained,
be the declarations of some of the prisoners, and
also that Marshal Lefebvre commanded in the action.
I learn that the vanguard ass attacked .1000
wen, and that after maintaining their ground with
their usual tirinuess, night also put au end to the
conflict.
" Its communicating the above to your Excel.

lenoy. and requesting that you will have the good-
MIS to submit the same to Ills Majesty's consider-
ation, I eausret lerrit mention, in terms ot the warm-
est conuoillption, the gallantry, clinstaney, pa-
tience under fatigue and privations, and distinguish-
ed patriotism, manifested by the Generals, Chiefs,
Olifiers, and soldiers.
%*. I ought not to omit to state, that in the num-
ber of the sounded is Seignor Birch, Captain in the
serv:ec of His Britannic Majesty, an officer of dis-
tinguished and cool resolution, also could not
ka'e the held mail he was carried off by the troops.
I was also assisted by the Licetensut-Colonel Seig-
nor Carrot, wbe, for three months, has been with
this army in that capacity, taking a part iu emery
engagement, and iu all of them giving an example
of valour.

" May God preserve your Excellency many
4.1 JOAQ1:1011 BLAKE."

" Ilca4-quarters at l'olesoods, Nov. o, !sof.

" The Must Excellent &tenor, the Secretary
of Slate fur the War Department'

AAA A UEZ. NUT. 17.

Lieutenant-General Don Joachim Blake has re-
pnited from Espiiiiria. under date of the 10th in-
stant, that finding it imposs►ble to maintain him-
self in Biscay, on account of the scarcity of provi-
sions. he resolved to move to the above place and
its environs, in order to procure provisions, and al-
low his troops some moments of reprise. When l►e
made the necessary preparations to carry that reso-
ution into direct, the enemy appeared before Val-
mused. 14 to 15,000 strong, which place was oc-
cupied by the first and second divisions, and the
Avtiiiiau troops. Several detachments were sent
to skirmish with the enemy, while the main body
was falling back to Nova. The 3d division, posted
at Orr:tuna, was at the tonne time attacked by a
numerous French corps, which, no doubt, intenikil
to occupy the road of Nova, and cut of' the retreat
of our troops; but the enemy was defeated, mid
the third division joined the army in Nova, the
whole of which tiled ott for Evinolia des Loa

Mouteros, covering the retreat of the North divi.
vim'', commanded Lay Brigadier-General Count de
la Humana.
Toe said General Blake reports from Reynosa,
ander date of the I ith, that at nine in the morning
liis army was attacked by very superior forces ; but
our troops, both officers and men, maintained their
position with the utmost gallantry, until the Rill of
night, and the enemy was repulsed on all sides ;
bat laing considerably reinforced by Irish troops,
and availing himself of his vast superiority in num-
ber, he attacked again, the following day, General
Blake's army, still fatigued by the glorious exer-
tions of the preceding day, said, making some im-
prrrisiou on our left, the centre and right fell hack to
Si. Ander°, and took post in Reynosa, where the
whole Army rallied ; Marquis de la Romans as-
sumed the cuirvuatid. (Madrid Casette,
.%or. 1./

TVDEI._4, NOV. 6.

Ye4erilay, at three o'clock ill the afternoon, his
Excellency Don Joseph de Palafox and Major-
Ceneral Doyle, arrived iii thi4 place, and proceed-
ed to the house af the brother of the former, Don
Eranci.ico ['Alarm, where, iii the evening. a uteeti lig
of General• aus held. The next morning they re-
turned to Saragoio.a.
Tao Physicians, who made ter escape from
Panipelutia, state, that the French have there up-
wards of 50041 sick, and that f An to 4'4 die
daily. All travellers alto come, fieIII avarre con-
Arm the intelligence.—(lbid.)

TARRAGONA. NOV. 7.

The head-quarters of this army were, the 3d
inst. removed from NlHafnium to Martnuk, a town
sitiniteon the banks of the I.lidiregar. Seine of the
troops occupied the heights on the left banks of
the river. A column of Provincial Grenadiers,
with from 4 to 6 pieces of caution, and 2 howitzers,
the squadrons of horse volunteers of Catalonia, and
about 5000 miquelets, under the orders of General
Laguna, have marched to take up a position on
the banks of the river Besos, one league west of
Bureelo:ia, by which movement that town is closely
beinined in.

The coli,taut rare of our faithful allies, the
English, to furtii-h us with arms, ammunition, and
artillery, has procured us the pleasure of assisting
the Arragonese with MO muskets and 300,000
cartridges. We entertain no doubt but that we
shall soon be able to commence offeksive operations
against the •ile rabble who defile our capital.—
(

The Supreme Junta of Government has pub-
lished an edict, by which leave has been given for
all Jesuits to returu to Spaiu.—(/bid.)
COM:N MA,
By letteri received in the course of ye _
!rims that Col. 1)on Enrique Canseco has %reserved.
the artillery of the army of Extremadura. and in
like manner that the Lieut. Col. Don Mipiel Val-
ledor hes conducted to Lem& the artillery and am-
inunitiou from Reynaita. Considering the, activity
and adJrLis necessary for thrift particular services,
we 111111 a hut highly praise those worthy officers,
and in general all those of the Royal corps of ar-
tillery, who conducted themselves so gallantly ;
without meaning by this eulogitim to deptiie the
other officers and soldiers ci the array of the praise
so justly due to them.

.6.

The retreat of our army to Leon has deranged
all the plans of the enemy, who, the moment they
shall know our junction with tin Luglish ariny,
and the reititiweements which we shall send with
the utmost dispatch, must abolition all the cones-
tri lit occupies, unless he would be cut oft; and
obliged to surrender. This point of reunion was
the only one we ought to have chosen, in case the
enemy penetrated by Burgos, as we have not ca-
valry to enable us to engage in the plains; but
when the two armies bays joined, we shall have
cavalry, and that very respectable. The organiza-
tion and reunion will be effected without loss of
time ; and, clearing the plains, we will march imme-
diately to dislodge thesis from Burgos, and all the
country they occupy from that to the Bidassoa. Let
us then have courage H aid constancy, sail make every
exertion, (list the reinforcements may not be de-
layed all itiatant.--IDiavi• sir la Coronas, Nose:.
ter 20.)