The National Register.
London, England, 1811-09-22 00:00:00

NATIONAL REGISTER•

French frigates which had appeared off Rio de Ja-
neiro, sprung her main-mast, and was, in conse-
quence, obliged to go into Bahia to repair her da-
mage.

The activity of the Boulogne flotilla has, we un-
derstand, attracted a good deal of the attention of
Government. Report says, that Colonel Congreve
is shortly to pay a visit to that station, with some of
his Majesty's cruizers, and to try the experiment
of sending a few of his rockets among these small
craft.
A letter from an Officer in one of our line-of-
battle ships, off Flushing, states, that three of the
enemy's ships in the Scheldt, came out on Wednes-
day se'nnight to reconnoitre our advanced line, but
were compelled by our ships to return to their an-
chorage. It was the opinion in the fleet, that the
enemy would endeavour to elude us during the pre-
sent easterly winds ; and in consequence of their
late movements, the whole of our fleet has. gone
closer in ; so that we may, perhaps, look for im-
portaAt news from this station.
some accounts have been received from Ham-
burg]) by a Gentleman who is atrived from Sweden.
He contii ms the former account, of a disturbance
'having taken place, and the rescue of a Gentleman
who had been ordered to be shot for holding a cor-
respondence with Fngland. He also states'that any
person without zespect to age or circumstances,
having any knowledge of, or having ever been em-
ployed at sea, was sent to man the Scheldt fleet.
Several old Captains and Masters of vessels who
had retired from the service on a scanty pittance
were not excluded.
Extract of a letter from Gottenburgh, dated Sep-
tember 7 :--" The Sound is now completely block-
aded by two French privateers, who have late"y
captured many Americans and Swedes. Five of
the latter were. the other day retaken from the
. Frenchmen by their own (the Swedes) gun-boats,
and Ile prize-masters and all hands made prisoners
of war, and sent to Malmo Gaol. Twenty French
gun-boats have lately come through the Holstein
Canal to watch the stragglers that may be coming
from the Russian ports, &c. after the British fleet
leave the Baltic.—Forty more are expected at Ro-
stock,"
A Cadiz Mail arrived on Tuesday, brought by
the Chichester packet, with papers and letters, the
latter to the date of the tld inst. The intelligence
brought is in some respects very important. Soult,
with a considerable body of troops from Seville
and the neighbourhood, on hearing of the expedi-
tion under Blake, marched rapidly to the western
frontiers of Grenada, but did not arrive in time to
prevent the junction of the Spanish Commander
vith General, Friere. Not far from Lerea an action
took place, and*the conflict was continued during
three how s, between the forces under Soult and
the combined army under Blake and General Friere.
by some mismanagement, from the want of co-•
opei at ion of some of the Spanish regiments, almost
the whole of the contest was sustained by the Wal-
loon and Spanish guards,. which were nearly cut
off; and the total loss sustained by the Patriots is
computed .at about 3000 men. Much applause is
given to the Guards for their courage and discipline.

It is asserted that on both sides victory was claimed ;
but the pretension of the Spaniards is rendered more
questionable, by the retreat, which was continued
for about 37 league., in the direction of Valencia ;
and we are informed that General Blake has actu-
ally entered that city.
Several of the letters by the Cadiz Mail assert,
that the Cortes have decreed a new levy of 30,000
Spanish troops, to be taken into the pay of this
country. One-third of the Officers are to be

British.
A good deal of discuision took place some time
ago in the Cortes, with regard to the exclusive right
of admission to military and naval schools enjoyed
by the sons of the Nobility. This exclusive privi-
lege, our readers will recollect, was reprobated by
many of the enlightened Members of that body, as
invidious at any time, but particularly impolitic
iil
the present condition of Spain, which called for the
united efforts of all Spaniards without distinction.-
- Their arguments prevailed ; and the Cortes have
issued a Decree, by which Spaniards possessing the
requisite qualifications are to be admitted into mi-
litary and naval schools, and as Cadets in the army,
without producing proofs of Nobility.
General Abadia has written to the junta of Gali-
cia, giving some particulars of the battle of Molina
Seca. The intention of the enemy in their advance
from Benavente, was, he observes, to march ra-
pidly upon Lugo, which they meant to fortify, and
then proceed upon Corunna, which was to be taken
by a coup-de-main. In the above action, it is stated,
that the French lost General Corsin, and the Colo-
nel of the 723 ; the Colonels of the 2,7 th, 31th, and
of the regiment of the Vistula, being wounded.—
General Abadia speaks highly of the bravery of his
troops, but laments their deficiency in equipments,
particularly shoes. It seems certain that the French
have again retired beyond Astorga, either in conse-
quence of the threatened advance of Lord Welling-
ton, or the menacing position which General Aba-
dia took on their left, and the numbers of Galician
peasantry who were in arms.
Mails from Malta and Gibraltar arrived on Wed-
nesday. The accounts by the latter represent the
defeat of the Spanish army at Baza as having been
attended with much smaller loss to the Patriots
than was in the first instance represented. The
enemy themselves are stated to enumerate the loss
of the Spaniards at no more than 300 men killed,
and 500 prisoners, with one piece of cannon.—
Truly happy shall we be to find this statement cor-
rect. The private advices state, that General
Blake was on his way from Baza to Valencia, with
his Staff, in order to concert measures with General
Charles O'Donnell, as to the future operations to
be undertaken, when Marshal Soult made the at;
tack. Blake, of course, had no share. in the en-
gagement : he reached Valencia on the
.17th ult.
By these letters we are happy to learn, that the
cause of the Patriots vas considered by no means
desperate; on the contrary, thousands were flock-
ing to the Royal Standard, and the greatest enthu-
siasm prevailed among all classes.
'Whilst- the Patriots in Catalonia remain unde-
pressed by their late disasters, the Patriots in Ar-
ragon have acquired fresh force, and over-run the
..whole province. The French troops destined for