The National Register.
London, England, 1808-11-21 00:00:00

NOY. 21.

pie's) account ! These facts be bad found it necessary for him
to explain in vindication of his character, before he entered on
the narrative of his proCeedibp, after he joined the army in
Portugal.
a few words in
Sir Arthur Wellesley begged to say answer to
what he had jurt heard. He regretted exceedingly, that any
thing should have appeared in any of the public prints, which
could be supposed to have tbe effect of serving him at the ex.
pence of the conduct or character of Sir H. Dalrymple. He
declared most sincerely, that no such' tatement b
and ev
er
been
inserted with his knowledge • or. appobation ; and co
equally pledge himself, that none such had ever come through
the kuon ledge or concurrence of any of his friends or relations.
lie agreed in what be had just heard, that he had been present
at, and taken a part under the Commander in Chief, in adjust-
ing the Preliminaries of the Convention. He had signed Odle'
Preliminaries inconsequence of the desire of the Commander in
Chief, but not in consequence of any command or compulsion
exercised over him oh that occasion. He had agreed with the
Commander in Chief ou the principle of these Articles, though
he had differed from him in some of the details.
The publication of the above statements we conceive to be no
infraction of the desire of the Court of Inquiry. These state-
ments might, 'unquestionably, have been made by the parties
concerned, extrajudicially. • They can prejudice no party, as
both Sir H. Dalrymple and Sir Arthur Wellesley are perfectly
agreed as to the principle of the Convention.
Sir H. Dalrymple sat at the side of the Court. He was ac-
companied by General Sir Charles Green, and three Officers of
his Staff. He looked extremely well, is a soldier-looking Man,
in the prime of life, and seemed to be iu good spirits.
Sir A. Wellesley sat behind the President. He was accom:
puttied by Major Tucker, and another Officer of his Staff.
The Duke of Cumbeliand sat within the bar. A number of
Ladies were present, some of them very elegantly dressed.
Among the auditory were Generals SirT. Trine, Phipps, Sir
J. Craddock., the Hon. Capt. Legge, and many other Naval and
Military Officers.
The Court adjourned till Saturclay•morniug.

THIRD DAY.

SATIJRD‘S, NOV. 19.

The Court took their seats in a few minutes after the opening
of the doors.
Sir Hew Dalrymple and .Sir Arthur Wellesley were present
as on the preceding day, as were also the nukes of Cambridge,
timberland, Lord Kinnaird, and several Officers. •
The business commenced by Sir A. Wellesley stating his wish
to deliver in a paper confirmatory of his statement on the pre-
ceding day. Sir Arthur read the paper, which stated to sub-
stance the saute as his declaration on .11mrsday, he was not
„rd?ccd, much less compelled, to sign the Armistice—that no au-
thority was given by him or any of relations or mends. to ally
~f the Publishers of Newspapers, to make a contrary statement.
Ile also repeated that he agreed in the principles of permitting
:he French to evacuate Portugal, only differing with the Coal.
mauler in Chief respecting some points of detail.
The Paper containing this ,otatenteut was delis ered by Sir Ar-
thur to tile. PrLsident.
r !rubor also expressed his regret that an expression in one
cf Ills Liters read on Thursdas, should have Lone forth to the
Public, as coaveying a reflection upon the Commissariat em-
ployed in the Army in Portugal. Ile never meant to state that
the individuals employed in the Coututis..ariat were wanting in
z?al or deficient in exertion--his only object was to shew gene-
:allY the expedieacy of making some alteration in the mode of
conduct Mg the Commissarial De par Itent.
A Paler containing this statement 51115 also delivered by Sir
Arthur to the President.
Inc dadge Adsocatu then real some dispatches from Sir Hew
Dalr,mple 111 Lord Castlereagh, one dated the 34 of September,
%chid' was published in the Gazette; others stating, that the
t,•rins of the Armistice had been communicated to the Portuguese
(general, hut who had not objected t,, them until after the'con-
elusion of the Negotiation, and the .Convention bad beer signed.
A "ler in trench, from the Portuguese General, objecting to
the terms of the Covention, and an amiwer front Sir Hew Dal-
rv.:iple, stating, that the gold faith of the Country was p:edged
t.) carry these conditions into vitect. Sid= other letters were
htso read relating to points of detail.

149

The Judge-Advocate having finished reading these official dis-
patches, another person commenced reading, in a very low tone
of voice, a series of correspondence relating to several minor
details connected with the army of Portugal.
A variety of Documents were read, written by► Sir Hew Dal.
rymple and General Freire, principally relating to the pleader
which the French had embarked.
In one of these letters Sir Hew Dalrymple eepresees his stir-
prize that so large a sum as 40,0001. mentioned in the protest,
should have been carried all, and declares his intention of order-
ing restitution.
Then Mowed a Proclamation, signed by General Freire,
against the Convention. It states, that there could not have
been a measure entered into more favourable to the French, or
more hurtful to the cause of Europe; that the English army
was to be considered in no other light than as auxiliary to the
Portuguese; that the stipulations therein contained were such
as never could be agreed to, unless it were that Portugal was a
conquered coantry. It concludes with protesting *trona
against the conditions of the treaty.

Wednesday, about twelve o'clock, His Majesty arrived
at the Queen's Palace from Windsor, where he was received'
by the Dukes of York, Kent and Cumberland. At two
o'clock his Majesty held a private LeNee.
His Majesty held a Privy Council, at which Sir Charles
Brisbane was introduced, and sworn in Governor of tbo

Island of St. Vincent.
. His Majestir gave audiences to the Duke of Portland, and
the other Ministers present, and Mr. Ryder, who laid be-
fore his Majesty the proceedings of some Courts-Martial.
A Messenger nrrived from the coast on Tuesday night
be came to town in consequence of a communication front
Boulogne, said to relate to the exchange of prisoners. la
the course of the last week no less than three communica-
tions of a similar kind were interchanged between Dover
and Boulogne.
The report which so generally prevailed on Thursday,
of an intention to auenible Parliameat in the beginning
of December, we find, on inquiry, to be void of foun-
dation. No time is yet fixed, hut we have reason to
believe it will be conveaed before the middle of January.
A Meeting of the Freemen and inhabitants of the ity
of Rochester was held en Tuesday esenice-, to iwii:./01
his Majesty to conveite Parliament, for the pp, i.ose ut
inquiring into the Convention at Cintra. The _Address
was almost unanimously. adopted. •
Weditesv a Ciillrt or Directors was Lehi at the Cast India
House, v% hen the undermentioned Captains were $N urn into
the command of their respective ships, viz.
Capiiiiii W. Campbell, Nottingham; and Capt. J. Carnegi
Baring, for Alailriis and Bengal,
Capt. J. Haliburton, taattna; and Capt. M. Riches, Thames,
for China direct.
Capt. Win. Hamilton, Lady Castlereagh, for St. Helena and
Bengal.
A Naval Action is reported to have taken, place in •the
Mediterranean ; but the report at present rests on no au-
thentic lotitidation.—lt is mentioned in a letter from Ply-
mouth, which says—
" A Curunna Gazette of the 9th instant states an iinpartant
circumstance, if true, viz. that our squadron and the Russian
squadron had met in the Straits, and after a severe action, we had
two seventy-fours stink. The Rugsians bad five sail of the line
taken, four frigates, four brigantines, and one cutter. The Edi-
tor adds at the bottom of the paragraph, This is tow:"
No alteration in the price of Bread this week.
Seven small pieces of cannon were lately presented by
his Majesty to the Duke of Rutland, to be mounted at
Belveir-Cas!le.
•
The King of Holland on his birth-day distributed a con-
siderable sum of money among his subjects. having re-
' duced them to beggary, he very kindly gives them charity.
• The Summer season at Brighton is expected to last till
the first of April, when W inter will commence in Lon-
don.
'lllc broker AN ho valued twelve Emperors at the low
price, of 51. must have certainly takeu his estimate from
the Emperors of the ;recent race. •