The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-01-03 00:00:00

.

,I
•

THE BRITISH PRESS.

LONDON,
TUESDAY, JANUARY 3.

We give, at length, tins day, the Report of the
Board of Inquiry upon the Convection of Custra,
All the causes and consequetwes of that measure
were submitted to the Loan!, and imele proper
subjt ets for it. consideration: Among Cle
the country, gr ling its opinion upon potolie
aad private accounts, conceived that blame might
probably attach to the Ministers who planned the
expedition. That the fears of the enquiry were
well foninhql, the Report of the Board, end. the
1%41tt As of some of the Mt:mire:li, clearly evince.—
t • three Ge:l.rals are all honourably acquitted.
a. I t Inquiry is pi tinou.tecil m oecß scary ;-...
ecrough the whole or the Report, the " ureat
w.i.n of Cavalry" in the Skins!) army is repeatedly
urged. The extraordinary circumstance" of
three Genetals tumbling over each other on
the field of battle, is dwelt upon, and the
defect in the Conitaissariat Department is also
conftsed. Now- these three grent defects apply
only to Ministers, but the Report of the Board is
confined to the Cetierrili. Had it meant to
hove pronounced upon the conduct of Iklinist,:rs,
it must, if acting consistently, have declared
them culpable upon the very grounds and for the
very reasons upon which it has acquitted the Gc-
send& Want of room obliges us to defer our fur-
ther observations ou this 'retirement suitject.

The town was thrown into great fermentation,
yesterday morning. by pretended intelligence of
great importance from Spain. la the city it oa►
currently reported that the British troops had cm-
tained a splennui victory over the French, whoe«
4i4S are estisuatcd at front 10 to 15,000 in killed,
ornisailed, and prisoners. No person, h •wever,
corn ; ear how, or from whence this intelligence
vitae. We understand that the whole story ori-
ginated in a letter which was brought to Lord
CA:TLEI.CACH'S Office, probably sent over lion
Is.pain by the bait mail. It ass written by one
b.IAY, as artilleryman, to his wife, and is dated
from logo, on the 17th December. It talks of a
plorious victory having been obtained over the
French, and mentions various particulars. But,
as Government has received dispatches front Sir
DAVID BAIRD, elated " Villafioila," on the same
day, the 17th, and as Lugo lies near 80 mike be-
. the absurdity of the radiation needs
ao further comment or refutation. The substance
of the intelligence received by Government, yester-
day. is, we believe, contained in the following

110wiliffm-WEEVE, ./SO. Z, lea 9.
" Lettere of the itith Dicetaber, datrd Toro, have bees re-
ceived from lieutenant-Graven! Sir Jo v 111:sosc, who was
NKR flawing his junction with Sir DA YID B t ER ID, and was
ft Erci.i.•Er wtth the hope of falling in with Mamba! Sottur,
who lead barn nuttiest to wake himself waster of Leos
sod Lokora. thigaili,r4;eto wl eIIAREEE STEWART, with
put of the isth best Dragoons, had surprised and takeis
debit bonne of cavalry and hifintry at fired*, with *bunt
So,oaol. in value, of cuttoo, which the Fernels had collected.
he/ had also taken u patiote of 411 ()dicer stsclda Illewposs.
disputclies, of which thr shove is stopp.ised
to lka the sol"fiesice, were receited, yesterday, at
Lsord CAbTLEREAOW4 (MCC.

To. recent arrival, from Ctiroman, thoti4h they
come down to so lute a period as the 27th of De-
cember, and tnougli Licieurtart was apparently
master of Madrid full three
weeks previois 4 to that
time, Set afford ns isearcely any clear, or satisfa, -
tory, or iutelligihie information, respectiag the AV-
14,1eat elate of etrairs. They shed a dim deceptive
light over all the operations. leaving us marry in
the same,: state of ignorance and uneertaitity as ire
were in before they arrived. 64 Official and dt ini-
%Aerial Ilniletias," which are most mita:Mem,
though most precarious grounds of belief', as they
may Ib4l issued to-clay flout any of the public offices,
cud disavowed to-morrow, without ceremony, since
they are destitute ;Irony signature, date, or mark
of authenticity; these communications rather in-
crease than diminish the political darkness. 'Piero
are, however, some stepping stones on which to
110'04 the torrent, if, ufirr all, we may safely place
oar foot on them. iflie position of Moose and
that of listen are defined. So is the situation
or-,..iipied by the Vallician army under Rouses.
These respective Inks,* authorise us to hope and to
::•;sitaie, that, after ao long a period of irresolution,
nit of unveils'', 'luring which N A POLLUX, with his
eltara-teitstie velocity and derision, has penetrated
to the metropolis, and entered it; we are about to
a lopt otTensie operations. But how are we to fill
nit, in our imaginations, or how are we to acceunt •
f.,, thh chasm of • teen days, between the Ath of
December, when the 111th Ilulletin I. wren us, anti
„„, ~,; di of the same mouth, when the Cornana
~,ail 'Aim away ? Was the whole interval a blank ?
What Ito, Leon floor at Madrid, after tl.e city
submitted ? Hare neither Mr. Facat. vr:in we.
1 'f gi:ivt-4. coarsely iii miles from itiadritl ; nor
Lord Wit.t.lAM I;4STINCE• alto was---sse kocw
:vs nfiere ; g:con Gosermitent any Miasma, so out
this trod interesting of :11 paints? host we have
r•enarse to anotlyin 3.14 letters farm Trioxide, or
-• 'y on private rumminuottions, to afford some
lht ? Ur do 51414tras reserve and withhold any

-

authentic statements *L, , they witty hussars ?
The fact itself is most estraordistiny ; more cape-
cially us 'we may almost be assorts, thin tu•4ottots
from Madrid, dottn to the lath, that is; ten days
later titan the last Bulletin, may, or must linve
reached Paris by the eath, even through the ordi-
nary channels. Consequently, if NAPOI.F.ON had
felt the saute desire to expedite their contents
to this country, winch impelled him to send
over the thr?t lest Bulletins, we • might, before
this time, hsve known all the coosequences
and results of the suloZiission of the Capital.—
Such a silence certainly seems to augur favour-
ably for the great cause in which we are all
engaged. We do not by Liu), means arioqate to be
able, from any sources of information which are
open to us, to supply the void of which we com-
plain; but we have had opportunities to know,
that -Government is antler some embarrassment
how to reconcile the very eimtrielietery and
widely- opposed amounts traustaitted them from
the diplumatie and from the military authori-
ties now in Spain. •We are assured that Mr.
FitERE writes in terms of t•atiguine confidence
relatiie to the spirit of the people, the re-
slimmer of the eountry. and the final issue of She
contest. On the other hand, Sir JOHN Mooaa,
we believe, entertains, and has transmitted to Mi-
nister*, much less encouraging or exhilirating opi-
nions. It is however passible to recoticile, in some
measure, :hese discordant Phoenicia*, by supposing
that the public mind is more energetic and more
strongly pronounced at Madrid, or in New Castile,
than in Lton, or in Sidatuanea.. But these are not the
only points upon which the Itlinieter and the Com-
nialider-iii-Chiel hate, as we understand, com-
pletely dithered. '1 he former urged and exhorted
that the British forces um] r General Mooae
shoved Airtime leaving Bailin to follow. The
latter coneeiriiig such a disjunction of his a: my to
he most ilarierons and unjustifiable, declined to
adopt that step. We believe that the public opi-
mon entertaiiied of Sir JOHN MOORE will rescue
hint from any imputution of undue caution. In
fact. however much we may regret that Niadrid was
ahans•ated to its fate, yet when we consider the
immense superiority of Boatel...tree, particularly iu
cat airy, how can ac, with the degree of .informa-
tit). wind' we possess, suffer even a shade of cen-
sure •o'plass AP:OSS our minds respectiag the line of
conduct embraced by our Commander in Spain?
If, a• there seems •carat to hope, the Freodi have
oetai di flitted at Itoreis, in Catalonia, and are se-
ly greased in Barcelona; if PAI.AFOX COTO'
maialh at Sant :0345, us we know he den; if the
;iriiiipm of Cviera mos, of Moat.*, and of so many
er Spanish Generals, arc still collected under
iicir respective leaders; while Mooae, BAIRD,
tic llostam a, are advancing across Leon, towards
l'uhalcia and Valladolid ; ',hove all, if, as we have
mason to believe, the Spanish people, and even
the l'ortegnese, are not suliclued, but will resist
their Hagitious invader, and will not abandon their
bleeding country to the vindictive tyranny of a
aorthlet.i Italian; then there is every foundation
for hope. Till we know, however, with more cer-
tainty, the results of BONAPARTE'S entry into the
capital of Spain, we eau only reason on uncertain
data, and may find all our most apparently
conelusions overturned by the next ac-
co•wts from Maibid or from Corunna. To those
we look comae,/ with equal eagereemi and soli-
cit ode.

F
was reported onSisuclay at Ratn.:gate, Deal and
Dour, that the Flushing squadron, consisting of
nine tail of the line, of 74 guns each, 411111 several
fri ;aka, had taken advantage of the late easterly
winds, and put to !tea. All was hustle and activity
among our shipping in Us, Downs, in consequence
of this report. The quadrant antler Sir RICUMID
STELA CH tx, immediately prepared to go in pursuit
of tl; enemy, and a number of pilots, from Dover,
went on board the several ships. According to the
latest accounts received at Deal, irises understood
that the Flashing sqnadron had only mule a move-
ment, which indicated an intention to put to sea.

The forte embarked, in the course of last svirk,
at flantsgate, amounted to 2,701.1 men. Some of the
traosports arrived on Sunday. at Portsaiouth.
Extr..rt of a letter fruits Madrid 110-
NAIPARCI. addressed MOILLA, as represented in the
Frene [:inlet,. the hitter never 1/11Ce chengrel
countenance ; but as boon as the exhortation was
Nlautta replied iii a imist manly tone of
voice, suitabk to hid dignity... I urn a Spimiard,
and am hostile to tile usurpation of Frenchmen and
Italian:J-4 came nut here to receive your re-
• proarlies ; I have done not duty, as a man dial a
soldier. to my Kind and eiountrv—my life I set at
nought; but. whist I live. I shall
.perseterr in my
. conduct, and a hith I sheet both Just and honour-
alrle."

Extract of* Letter from Cortuma. ilatetl 1)e-
-e,:mip.r 25 t am may arpesal that nom- of our
urmy have het his.* eii2:iged except the 15th light
tit agoons, who fell in ao ts Jito Freoeh cavalry, and
made them primuent. They are arrived here. I
have travelled six days up the country ; the people
are not alarmed, but are ill under urms. and march-
iaK Its jOlll the mf Our two u.sposi joniesl on
the 121 h, as ..d the l'ortugnese mud 3latrtis Ho-
It AS A, malona together 81.000 men. The whole
populat:ott of the country are on the alert, and aik.
pen/ unanimous in the common r 411114,...
. A letter ftotu Cosanna, of the 23th ult. co:rising
the folictirioit postscript—°• 'Eke lAth Light I tra-
goovis Mill in 300 French caral7 ; this is the
skirmiaL"

---. _


i Tnr
4r 3:
A AA
THE ROYAL FAMILY.
On Saturday morning. about eight o'c'o,:k, his
Royal Highness the Dukeof Voll4'lol town, nibir
travelling carriage, fur Windbir. Hi-4 Itoyai iTtigia-
ness took with lain the volin:pi:mi,us Prueeeding a and
Report of the Coort of Inquiry njn tte: Convention
of Chant. They were so e: t: emely large, that it
was necessary to form them into two pant.S, evil
weighing nearly twenty pounds. as Royal lligh-
new iirrm ved at Windsor soon after ten o'clock. lam
a short time after, his Royal Highness had an inter-
view with liii MAJESTY, and laid time Proceedings
and Report before him. His Royal Highness pro-
ceeded to read them, and continued to du it. du-
ring the whole of the day, except at His Aixasstry's
dinner-time; and at fonr o'clock, the dining hour
of Her MAJESTY and the PIIKCESSIES, when
his Royal Highness dined with them. iIieMA-
JESTY informed the Duke he should consider
of the business tilt Sunday, and desired his Royal
Highness to attend him again oil that day, it
being his Royal Highness's indention to ~o to Oat-
lands that night. The giusxx desired him to
bring the Duchess with hint. On Sunday morning
their 'Royal highnesses airived at Windsor, from
Outlands. Their Royal Highnessetihaving invited a
n
large party to dinner o that day, in consequence
of its being their Royal Parents' wish to see them
at Windsor, appointeil Lady Saturn, and one of his
Royal Highness's Aides-du-Camp, to preside at the
table. to entertain their guests.
A four o'clock the ROYAL FAMILY gat down to
dinner, and His MAJESTY, in compliment tea the
Duchess of YORK, sat at table the whole time, Al-
though he had previously dined about one o'clock ;
His MAJESTY partook of the confectionery, dessert,
and wines, and we have great pleasure iii saying, hs
appeared in most excellent health and spirits.
There were presect, besides Their MAJEsTtEs, the
Duke and Duchess of YORK, and tire Pittam.sscs
the Onkes of CVMBERLAND and CAMBRIDGE.
• In the evening the Roy A L FA N i I. v partook of tea
and coffee, during which time tier MaixsTY's
Enid played several pieces of sacred Laurie from
the works of Harper..

Soot. after uine o'clock, the Duke and Diiche,4
of YORK left Windsor—His Royal. Highness for
London, where he arrived shout twelve o'clock.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess went to Outlands.
It is understood that Ma MASENTY COMOloi•
catcd to the Duke of Volts. his royal sentiments
upon the proceedings of the Court of Inquiry upon
the Conveutiou of Chum, before he kit Windsor
on Sunday.
The Duke of Yost: transacted business, yester-
day, at his Office in the Horse Guards, and in the
evening sent off an express to Hiri NlALmsrv, at
Windsor.

Mr. THOMPSON retuned, last night, to his
house in Grosvetior-squure, from his seat in York-
shire, for the season, arid will soon enliven the tit-
shionahle circles with splendid dinners and concerts.,
The Earl of Many hits been deprived, for th.s
fortnight pilot, of his usual sport of stag-hunting
on account of the inclemency of the weather. Ili,.
Lordship intends, this day, turning out a line •tag
at Wailiou Heath.
The PORTIA/DM AMBASSADOR gaie a grand
dinner, yesterday, at his house, ill South Andlt)-
stieet. to several of the Portuguese Nobility.
His Royal Highness Munstnua returned to
town, yesterday, and in the evening entertained a
select party at dinner, at his house, tu South
A udlcy-street.
The Marchioness of lIFRTFORD had a select
part), last evening, at her house, in Nlaiichester-
/opiate. It was attended by til.• Countess Dowager
of SErrox„ General and Mrs. ST. Jour, Mr.
JANES, and several other Eashionables.
The Duke and Duchess of BEDFORD will give a
grand dinner, this day, at Woburn Abbey. Their
Graces sent, yesterday, an invitation be express to
the Countess Durniger of SErrom. Ifer Ladyship
sill leave town, this morning, to join the festive
parry.

PAUL METHUEN, Esq. is entertaining an elegant
assemblage of Nobility, at Confirm] House, Near
Cliippeuharn, Wilts.
slis• VAIME left town, yesterday morning, to
delight the gay inhabitants of Bath with her
sweet sung and fascinating mice. She will re-
main there dining the rest of the Subscription
Concerts, which conclude the end of this month.
Mrs. ETRE, who wade MO favourable a debut
hot season at Drury-lime Theatre, comes forwani
this night in the part of Mn.s Candour, in Mr. Sun-
SUDAN'S Comedy of The School for Scandal, as
successor to Maw I'ure, the original performer of
the part.
There is a new candidate for fame in Tragedy
playing at the Edinburgh Theatre, a Mr. Sow-
tars ; he was to perform Macbeth to Miss WM.-
TOlk's lady Macbeth, ou Thursday tii4lit last.
By the latest accounts frtibiSpain, Lord and Lady
HOLLAND were at Vigo, to which place they had
got aids great difficulty ; from Vigo they proposed
continuing their route, in letters, through Oporto
and Coimbra to Lisbon.
The Duke of Gusteesesa stood sponsor to the
infant son of Lord A/moll:a. The christening
took plaCe tabula a fortnight since. The engage..
anent. of his Highness preveuting him from being
present, he stood by l'r"Y'
The Drum i of The Exile has been got up with
gnat splendour at the Maui:ln-sr er 'theatre. TbEt
pints are tilled as follow
Coast Calmar . PAlnge. '

Dora. r
Cu.ireotte mrs.Gsantsc.
.I.erifsa Aire taut's^.
They hare also got up the romance of (tire Beard,
with all its decoration,: Mrs. C;Ansttit is the Fa-
tima, and Miss LAILIZMAN enables sweetly in Bede.
Mr. Met.vrti has Mao strived there. and was to
make his appearance Mat night in th- character or
Will Steady, in the farce of The Purse; or, The
Brutal's, Tar.
Tice lion. Mr. SrtrrAnr, Mr. Anntx, and Mr.
Ba.)wa, hare %•.izeervileJ t 1 r, MA:LINI. Mr. Moony.
and Mr. BUDGIi. as Cowitz.itccit.eni far victualling
IlisMs.issites Navy.

wimourmni- -
:THEATRTS.
. .
- •
Dituitte-Lens.
SHAKIPEAXE'S Trarisly: of Romeo and Julia
was performed, here lust ;tight. Mrs. 11. Stlittox•
tilled the part -of ofts/iat aids all the delicacy,
sweetnees, and interest of this author. It is a part
for which Nature has .Oortookd her with every,re-
quisite.tif make it a perhitt'Veigesentivtion—the
satin:m.4 her eotostananit,;:PW litAtteueve of her
accenta,•and her insists's:aura kiwi, where neces-
sary, eathel forth the most re/damns avidnuse.—
Mr. ELtisTort was the ititnteo of • the night—
and if he did not possess all the softness of the au-
thor, he was not deficient in the spirit. Mr. B.tiS•
"'WM. is always excellent in Mercurio. The who:e
play went off with the greatest success. Kn the
Paiitomisne Mr. RoaLar took Mr. D'Eavtutt:'s
part of ilethineon Creme, and was very well received
throughout. The house was quite full.
HAYMARKET.
bast night the Trarely of Hamlet drew a very
crowded and fashionable audience to this house.—
The Hamlet of Mr. YOUNG is highly creditable to
his srbilties: it was sound. and excited louil
plaudits in various parts, particularly in the scene
with the Queen, who had a very able representa-
tive to Mrs. ST. LEDGER. The Geueetfiggrr ttf
Mr. FMCS', was admirably :disponi:de There wno
a plentiful assemblage of children to eiiny the
Christmas tricks of Mother Conte and het merry
associvites.—Amoug the Fashitniables present.
were Lady IinceiSiCHAISSIIIRE, Lady THEOUOsYA
CRADOCK, and several others.

BATH, DECENEER 31.

.~


The members of the York-house Catch.cl gave.
their first splendid entertainment to the Lathes, ou
Friday evening last. The room was crowded with •
all tl.e ,Volrlesse and Fashionable, of this gay city,
long before seven o'clock. With reward to the
performance, i shall only say, that, independent of
the regular singers, the powerful unrivalled talents
of STOZACE, Mrs. ASIIE, Mini SHARP, 3li-a MCL.
VILLE. RALZEINI, and BRAHAI, were •exerted
with the happiest effect. 111adain CATALAN' wits
present, and appeared to Le in excellent iiruitit and
spirits. It is rumoured that she iutenns giving
Concerts here and at Bristol, if the proprietors
of the Opera-House do not accede to her terms.
Perhaps it may please Mr. Capone's* frierids to in-
ferno them, that duriug die three weeks he staid at
Bath, uni performed at this Theatre, he was on.y.
once iridivposed, and that Was•in the part of Rieherd
the Third. In his second ae*tie, whim he killed King .
!leery, a person in the gallery conceiting it was -
Lot done well, cried out " That's not like the Duke
of Gloucester," Coot came forward to the (rout
of the stage, and putting on one of his initeritaaile
sneering looks, answered. " That a net like. s Ens
fish auditor." This. le 'delighted the itinienco.
that the man naa turned. out of the lanese, fwd
COOK : went on without further interruption.
Mrs. Dttgotis, front the Covent-(garden Com-.
pany, makes her first appearance at Pri-tol on
Monday, and at Bath on Titesday, in the chaa
rector of Resetta, in Lill' C in ea Mr. Dt..
MOND. Jun. has produced on excellent after-pieces
called Tlic Irina Mask. There are SeNCIal berautie
fel scenes, painted by GRIEVE. and aurae inaeniaur
machinery, by OtreNs. Mr. BENNET lia4 :aided
greatly to Ins well-earned fame, by compriaing two
!only for the piece : they. style him in the Theatre
SACCHIN I the Younger..
LORI) CARDNISR.
An express, we noderstand, arrived in man ye.terrisT,
front Bath, stating the death of his Lordship. whu Mud bc.si •
PI that city for stone time for the benefit r t his in ell!, Ili
Lordship was in his 66th year; he was 'visa at Uttaarter, in
Staffordshire; his tither was • Licutenast-Culor.cl is the
tub Regiment oe Dragoon Guards, and a uatis e i Cole-
raine, in the North of Ireland. Lord Gordiae, eaueneured
his naval career on the tat of Ala), 1765, uu I,Uald
Sledway, of •.0 guns, colonnaded by Captain Peter Dennis;
he was in that ship is .he .veep,,.. with the
La;le, they took the Due 149144.0 e, cif ti•l rums. On the
7th of Basch, 176.', he *as advanced In • Liontenant, and
appointed to the Belton., of 74, one; he was al 'meant. he
nine Onrions actions, iu all of tibias be 4.lsplayed each .
courage, *lll, sad magnimitaiity, as were re. seek.' elfin:ate-
ly by his Sovereign, with the appoiatnicut of degatil .if the
Blue, 3lsjor-General of the Variacs, crusted a Rerun if the
Tutees Kingdom., aud had the honour of mreAvtur Oran the
hand of His Ilaje..ty a gold th. ion in anprolastio• wf his
conduct no the 19th of Mlll, and ist of Jute, pea He
married is the year t7tio, Mies Hide, ofJanctica, and has •
left by her Ladyship, who s mesh. s hint, a viry isautendo
Coady, including two sons iii the nave.
.•ss-wworse..sissui
The Growler gun-brig, Lieutenant CriossuAir,
arrii ell ut Plymouth let Saturday ntaromg, affil
brought the following Circular, which had loam
transmitted from off Minim., by Captain II %PDT.
tri, of His Melody's ship Oder:rot, iih a resew
that it might be generully made humeri to the
Commander.; of all His :Majesty's ships and vessel;
bound to Spanish ports:—
rail-ern. off Baby., Der. 22.
SI EXEDRAS DC M.
The French entered St. Anthem ua the troth alt. it two..
o'clock—French enter% d St..ineunio, Nov •t, wiHl a Circe
ef 'goo trace—Frene!l ut Neonssinta Vine ..or, with afore
Id !ilk) 01111-.-Freffeh at Aleut latrst namoviots—
British, under Sir David at Astorga, sad an. .1:—
Marquis of Bowmen, with Genes,sl I sith, Si 3 e
Grneral Battastansi, with R strong fiwee, at
oted between the Myer de Seilas and Vincrute.
These ',Nlemarahile are to he maul.. k.u,wn to
any of His NlArerrev's yir.i may uwet, am,: all
resee'di laMlll.l to either of the Omar -.lseutioned
ports are to be arquAinted of their l.aulb is imen.•
session of the enemy.
Gijon to beapproacited with caution.
(Signed) D. Hay:ovum,. •
Extract of a letter from Falmouth. dai...l
" Late last evening arrived the Diva:. i 'act et,
Copt. Mail* front Corimita, a trio!) arle
left on the. atilt in t. at which one ate, ..nuts wale
received. that the French, after sta toe attar ks,
bast of *kick wee a most saugninery one: h..d merle
themselves masters of .Nlaulliel it was sivd that the
unruly lost in the different uttaek.. about- ao.ooo
men. 'The armies tutder Sir D. Baird and Sir J.
Moore had formed a juaction at elladoird en 17th
' ;net. mid were repulty".44vencing toward Madrid.
The army under the I:irtivis dr la liworea wars
following; they were full 33,te00 men, well data •
The Siwatieh Genesi Benito ds i&
Juan, his been banged at Talavera, by the
he coranmoded, iiiivtaig Loren discovered toralllT ,
correspondence with the et ems. On the rope bah
put round his neck, he confessed that several what
olllcersof rank in the Spetaishenny were cosicenheile'