The National Register.
London, England, 1811-11-03 00:00:00

.) 7,1 -1 . •
itt-lst..64lklAL REGISTER.
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vanees towards Badajdoz. We understand, pontoons and- other •
apparatus, are in forwardness in that neighbourhood, as if
scent through the Aientejo was intended.:: We are *strengthen-
ing .lvas, and have no idea that the eneturfaitafford sufficient
of either men or stores to commence , anytofnnsillerrrations.
We have accounts, of the 12th, from Gibraltar.
With 5000 regulars, and a snob of irregulars, at that time occu-
pied a strong position in view of the place; he was threatened
by 8000 French, and 'anattack was expected on the 13th. If he is
beaten, he will retire nnderthe guns of that place, where he will
te safe. The Ist battalion of the S9th has arrived from the Me-
diterranean. Some of our dragoons are returning home, as in
future only three squadrons of each regiment are to be in the
Peninsula. It is said that the Governor of Ciudad Rodrigo went
to take the air with two confidential Officers, and all these ever!
taken by the guerillas."
LISBON, OCT. 19.-.4
the 9th of October •
The French continue to have some troops in Merida and
Almendralejo, and the remainder in Zafra. They • have not
brought any troops from Andalusia. •
We have not yet received anyaccounts of the return of IVIAI.
MIN T'S anUl.
The French who are in Badajox bad lately but 10 or 12 cowst
and about 400 head of sheep : they, in consequence, went out
and robbed, and brought .in 1000 head, the greater part from
the neighbourhood of Olivenza. In the preceding month there
deserted from the French garrison of Badajox, 150-soldiers and
two pflicers, on account of the fatigues they suffered, and be-
ing always on half rations. - •
The new Governor, • PENO, has arrived, and taken the com-
mand in the room of PutLIPON.
Letters from Cadiz, of the Sd.inst. state, that BALLASTEROS,
in another action on. the 29th, defeated 4000 •Freneh, and that
on thee2.7th, marched from Seville without its being
known what direction he has taken. Some Spaniards, who ac-
cianpanied the French to Ciudad Rodrigo, in the quality of
vaggoners, and have returned to the neighbourhood of Castello
'ranco, affirm, that they suffered a considerable loss, principally
in cavalry, in the two combats maintained against the Anglo-
yortuguese Army, on the 25th and 27th ult. between the
Agneela and the Coa. Agreeable to intelligence from the North
of Portugal, Marshal OUDINOT is expected in Valladolid ; he
comes from Holland to take the command of the Army of
BISSIERES, lately directed by DORSEN NE, but he has not yet
.rrived.
The Spanish Papers which have been brought by
the same mail, contain several reports from the
Spanish Generals, but it does not appear that they
have gained any advantage which will materially
affect the chances of the war. It is, perhaps, ex-
cusable in the actual state of Spanish affairs, that.
their newspapers should deal a little largely in the
characteristic grandiloquence of Castile ; and, there-
fore, some allowance must be made in the perusal
of their narratives. If these papers had been
-fiorthy of credit, there would not now have re-
mained a Frenchman on the Peninsula. Under all
the circumstances, however, the Spaniards certainly.
maintain their cause most nobly.

transmitted from Elvas on

Navy. The account we insert has been taken from
the American Journal The Columbian ; and from
the 7eneral complexion of the evidence, it is easy to
foresee what will be the decision of the Court of In-
quiry. All the Officers of the United States fri-
gate President, who were on board at the time of
the action with the Little Belt, were examined, and
have been in. the same story. All but three have
sworn that the first shot was fired from the Little
Belt. Of the three who gave a qualified evidence
in this point, the acting Captain of the President,
CHARLES LUDLOW, says, " from his position he
was uncertain vrhich fired the first gun." The first
Lieutenant, JOHN ORDE CREIGHTON, deposes, " a
sbot was fired, as he believes, from the Little Belt."
The acting Chaplain, HENRY DENNISON, Says, after
the second hail from the President, " then a
than,
he
thinks, from the Belt, as he
.felt no jar in edent." The evidence of this latter gentleman, as
he was on the quarter-deck, where he could easily
discern from which ship the first gun was fired, is
of considerable impoitance. If the gun had been
fired from the Little Belt, he must have seen it dis.
tinctly ; -yet his evidence is reasoned not positive, for
he only thinks the first shot was from the Belt, as he
felt no Jar in the President. But it would he a waste
of time to. stop to examine the question now upon
the conflicting statements on both • sides. There is
a mistake in some quarter, for it would be to fall
into the indecency of the American Journalists, to
insist that so many individuals as have been exa-
mined before the Court of Inquiry, have been guilty
of deliberate and wilful-perjury. The thing is not
credible—it is trot possible. The first gun, we have
not the smallest sdoubt, was fired .from the Presi-
dent, but must have been by mistake, and certainly
without authority And it is very possible too, .that
at such a moment, the attention of all the Officers
may have been taken up with the circumstances of
their situation as to prevent them
.from adverting
particularlrto the side from whicfi the first shot was
discharged. It is greatly to be lamented, that this
decided variance should exist between the state-
ments of the British and American' Officers ;
as no ingenuity can ever reconcile them. Without
attempting, th,2refore, to enter into an examination
of their comparative credibility, we shall only add.,
that on grounds of probability it was extremely sun-
likely that Captain BINGHAM would fire the first
shot. He had the case of the Chesapeake in his
distinct recollection, and the recal of Admiral
BERKELEY, for having authorised the attack upon
that vessel, fully in view ; and it is therefore highly
improbable, that he would repeat an act for which
a superior Officer had been previously removed from
the station. It does not, however, seem to be of much
consequence, except as to the personal credibility of
the Officers on both sides, how this business may
terminate. The policy of the American Government
seems to point at a crisis, which will give rise to
events that must fling the circumstances of the
affair between the President and the Little Belt
into insignificance and oblivion. Though Mr.
FORSTER is said to be preparing for a long stay in
America, we do not augur the more favourably of
the probable issue of his negotiation The prepa-
rations for a long. residence might sometimes be
resorted to as an mgenious diplomatic device to