The National Register.
London, England, 1809-08-20 00:00:00

AliG. 20.

THE NATIONAL REGTnER.

CAL LURE 0/e FLUSHING.

MIDDLEBURGII, TUESDAY ArTERNOON,
AUGUST lb, ISO.
Flushing, after having been exposed, during the two
last nights, to a most tremendous bombardment, offered to
surrender at halt past two this' morning. The place has
not yet been formally taken possession of by Ore British
troops, but the delay has arisen, not from any supposition
that the garrison could possibly hold out longer, or any
consequent ditliculty respecting terms, but for the purpose
of adjusting satisfactorily some details of minor impor-
tance, which, though not essential to the merits, are ne-
cessary to the execution of the conditions of surrender.—
The garrison are to be prisoners of war ; and, indeed, such
bad been the progress made by the British naval and laud
foreei, against the works of the fortress, that the enemy
could not hope to obtain any terms than those of an un-
conditional surrender.—lt is understood that the 95th, and
the German regiment of Colonel Halkett, will take pos-
session of the gates of the town at six o'clock this evening,
when the British flag will be hoisted on the ramparts, and
the whole of this Wand shall then be completely iu pos-
session of the British army.. The terrible havoc made
by the bombardment of Sunday, in the town of Flushing,
induced the Governor to Atfer, yesterday, terms of capitu-
lation.

The. offer, however, was not considered admissible,
and consequently the bombardment was resumed with
equal vigour, tint more effect, last night, and the firing
did not cease till half-past two o'clock this morning, when
terms of nearly unconditional nler v:ere proposed by
the garrion. 'The nature of the enemy's -offer yesterday
has not transpired, but the rejection of it, in the :mist
peremptory manner, is said to have arisen from the de-
mand on the part of the French Governor of more favour-
able terms for the Irishmen in the garrison of Flushing,
than the British General could with propriety grant, or
the Frenchmen had any right to. expect. That hoist is
cow, however, settled, and the fortune of war has con-
firmed to British valour the unqualified reduction of the
place.
it is not yet possible to collect any materials to form n
correct estimate of the loss on the pail of the. French, or of
the extent of the injury sustained by the town. That must
be the business of actual observation and detailed inquiry.
IL is most satisfactory, however, to be able to state, that
the hiss of the British army is comparatively small, when
the strength -of the enemy's works, the obstinacy of their
resistance, and the eager impetuosity of our troops in the
contest, are taken into consideration. The whole of our
loss does not exceed eight or nine hundred in killed,
wounded, and missing. The loss on the part of the line-of-
hiode ships, which had a must important acid a most ex-
posed post assigned to them, is not 7et known ; but from
the incessant fire, and the consequent havoc and confusion
amongst the defeuders of the batteries opposed to them, it
is fair to conclude that it could not have been inconsider-
able.

With the town tumbling about them in ruins, and a well
directed and accumulated fire against the batteries, it was
scarcely possible for the enemy to return the fire s...ith equal
Air adequate effect. The sips, therefore, though most ex-
posed, :could scarcely have suffered very materially under
such circumstances; and the value of the acquisition, no
less than the splendour of the conquest, must he greatly
leightvued by the inferiority of the sacrifice made for its
attainment.

It very effort was made durinr, the course of last week
to compleke the batteriest iu order that no delay should
tube place in the attack of Vie town, as soon as the ships of
viral' destined to co.operatc vith the army shouid come it
to their station. By in(iefatigvb!e and mit-emitted exertions
-on the part of both services, the Iv hole of the preparations
none compietle at kia early Dour ge uaday. About kaff-patt