The National Register.
London, England, 1808-04-11 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL. REGISTER.

APRIL H.

NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

FA LmorTn, APRIL R.—Yesterday arrrived the Prlnc;-.s
tlizabeth packet, Capt. Kidd, with mails from the Mediterra-
nean; left Gibraltar On the '27th ult. at %%hick time no accounts
had :west recei%ed there of any action between Sir H. Strachan's
awl the combined enemy's beet in the Mediterranean; on the
contrary it was generally discredited at Gibraltar; that the
Rochefort Squadron had even entered the Mediterranean; the
authority rests front the Captain or an American vessel, on thc
report: of which gentleman very little reliance can be placed.
Ilis Majest)'s ship Antelope, of 50 guns, with the Expedition
ender Gcneral Spencer, arrived in ten days; about four regi-
ments remained at Gibraltar, and the remainder proceeded for
hits Majesty's ships foutiroyant, SO :gms, Sir S. Smith,
z id ./tgatnemon, sailed from Gibralter on the I:ith .larch, sup-
posed for the Brazils. The Prince Regent and family arrived
at 1:io de Janeiro, after a passage of 39 days, and landed on
the Sat inst. amidst the acclamation of all ranks of people.

AcrlnN nErw wit CAIC.LE AND TWO FRENCH rtIIGATI:s.
Accounts were on Thursday received of a most gallant action
having been fought off L'Orient, between his Majesty's frigate
I,'Aigle of 36 guns, and two French ships of' war, of .11 guns
each. The latter were the Seine and lialieene, which were on
their return to France from the West ladies. L'Aigle fell
in with them in the iii,zht of the Kith ult. and maw ithstanding
the great disparity of force, gallantly i (tad, ed The con-
bict was obstinate, and resolutely maintained by our frigate for
a considerable time, w lien the enemy were obliged to sec!. safety
in flight, and shelter themselves under the batteries .if 1. Orient,
L'AL,le being too much injured in her masts and rigging to pur-
site them w ith etfect. We had one man killed and seven wound-
ed in tlds gallant action ; among the latter is Captain 11 olfe,
but we are happy to hear the wound is not dungerons.
Fresh accounts, received at the Out-ports, state, tliat one of
the French Itigatrs, attacked by A igle, has actually been
taken, and that L'lnipetueux, of i I guns, was in company.
r fear, however, that this intelligence I% ill not be confirme.d.
The dispatches before received by Goyerinnent, state, that as
soon as L'Aigle had brought one Of them to action, and the
latter perceived she must be taken, she set her sails, even her
steering sails, and ran directly stein on upon the hle of Groais,
which is off L'Orient. All her top-masts immediately went
over her side, and her nil zen by the board, and she seemed the
next morming to be a perfect wreck, the sea breaking over her,
and herself upoit her beam-ends. A shift of wind unfortunately
rendered it impossible for L'Aigle to set tire to her, and the
enemy sending some craft out of L'Orient, lightened her in such
a manlier that she floated WI, and .succeeded in getting into
L'Orient. The other frigate escaped by out-sailing L'lm-
tueux, which was in company with L'Ai6le had
Mae mon wounded, Capt. IN olle
eit linens SLOOP OF WAR.
The following is all account of 811 engagement between the'
Childers sloop, Capt. Dillon, and a Danish vessel of superior
farce:— On the FM ult. at fumy. P. M. when standing ill for the
coast of Norway, the Childers discovered a galliot laden with
oil and tilt in shore, w hick was seeking the small port of Midge
fur safety. Mr. Wilson, acting master, accompanied by Mr.
Knight, mate; Mr. M'Nicholl, gunner; and Mr. Le Neve, pur-
ser, Ste. although opposed by the hihahitants With musketry.
whilst others hurled down stows upon the men from the top of
the precipice, under which the vessel lay secured, yet • they.
brought her out without any loss.—Scarcely had this been done,
whim a large brig was observed coining out of El itterac, that
bore down with confidence, with the design of iescuhig the
prize. An action soon commeuced at half gull-shot range,
distant from the shore half a toile, and 1111 the Dane (who car-
ried long IS-po:•.;iders) receiving the first broadside, he caught
fire forward, but kept so near the land, that the Childers could
not neather hisn, w ho therefore enticed him about three mile
further and passed tinder his Ice, as close as it could he d
without tauching, and poured round anti grape upon his iwcks,
whack did the Dane ranch damage, fear that the groans of th
wounded could be distinctly heard; his guns also did theChil-
ders material injury, most of the shot taking her between wind
aril water; and on the Dane making, y,sil, the Childers found it
impossible to follow, for she had live feet water iu her hold,
tlc nia:2,azilie afloat, lower mast wainided, bowsprit tied
niaimnast balls', and the pumps increasing on them in such a
Way as to make it doubtful whether the people would be able
to prevent tic; vessel s' in Mg.

n

'%."vs

OLD BAILLY.
On Friday Mary Frances J ones was tried for the wilful mur-
der of her female bastard child. The prisoner lived servant
%v ith u I.atty named flewetson, the daughter of a Mrs. liurkitt.
On the evening of the 3,1 of March, Mrs. ilurkit and family
went from hothe, during their absence, the prisoner coat-
!dallied that she was ill, and %rent to bed. 'l'he servants be-
longing to Mrs. P.. attorded her every assistance, and suTiciong
were entertained that ;he prisoner had been brought-to-bet,.
She mas questioned on the Subject, and denied haying been IY
the situation before mentioned. Dr. Smith, a S!!rgetni, being
sent for, intimated an opinion that the prisoner had been lately
delivered, and after a search had taken place in the room, a black
trunk was found under the prisoner's bed, eontaininga new born
dead infant, wrapped in a gown formerly worn by the 1--isoner.
(hi the throat of the child a wound appeared three inches in
length, from the car to the under part of the jaw, and a pair of
scissars was discovered near the bed, stained vs ith blood. The
trunk also contained baby I inen,w hick was placed over the bundle.
Under these appearances the Coroner's Jury found a verdict of
murder against the prisoner, and she was committed fur trial.
The prisoner alledged ill her defence, that she had inflicted the
wound, in an effort to save herself daring the time of her de-
livery, without the slightest intention to destroy the infant. The
eSidence of two Surgeons also proved that the situation of the
infant might render it necessary to apply a sharp instrument.
l'he Jury acquitted her of the murder, but found her guilty of
concealing her pregnancy, which subjects her to imprisonment.