The National Register.
London, England, 1811-07-21 00:00:00

'AL REGIST

remembered : a heavy squall of and rain took place abovx
the same time. The brig Sarah, of Stinderland, was struck
with it off the South Foreland, and lost main-top and top-gallant
masts, and the head of his main-mast : happily no lives were
lost. Passed up Channel several vessels from the Westward.

P. S. The Cordelia is just returned from off Boulogne: by her
we learn that the firing began there this morning before day-
light, and some fishermen who were spoke to say that BUON*"
PAR T e is arrived at Boulogne to view the Tower building there*
and that it is ordered to be run up 600 feet high.

French Papers to the 17th inst. have been rt.
ceived. They contain no news from Spain.
The Moniteur of the 14th, after quoting an ar-
ticle from the English newspapers, stating that some
British troops had sailed from Cadiz to assist in
the defence of Tarragona, adds the following note:

" These troops in reality arrived before Tarragona eight dap
previous to its capture. The garrison summoned them to its
aid—but in vain. They thought proper to remain in the roads.
They had the glory of remaining spectators of two assaults, and
of the caz)ture of the plr.-e."

The 111onittur of Tuesday last contains the Report
of a Council of Inquiry into the causes and circum..
stances of the surrender of the Isle of France. The
report is of considerable length, and we must con.
fine ourselves to a few extracts from it.

L The report begins by stating the population of
the island at 14,000 whites and free negroes, and
60,000 slaves. It then proceeds thus:-
4, General DrechEn had been Captain-General of the Wand,
as well as of the adjoining French colonies, 'since September,
1803. They were flourishing under his government. His ar-
tillery was numerous, and sufficiently supplied against an enemy
who could not prolong his attacks. On the Ist of November,
1810, his total force amounted to about 2.300 men. There wen►
also about Beo National Guards scattered over the different
quarters of the Island; but of these only a third was able to carry
arms."

The Report then proceeds to detail the different measures
adopted by 13/LCAtti after the capture of the Isle of Bourbon.
which principally consisted in concentrating his force at Port
Napoleon, as the most central and commanditg point. It (Les
states the British force employed in the capture at 1.:3,590, of
whom 14,850 were Europeans !!

After detailing the landing and advance of our
troops, together with their preparations fur a gene-
ral attack, the Report proceeds thus:—
" General DICAPN then considering the great inferiority is
number of the French troops; the proximity of the enemy, who
was only 1,500 toises from a weak line 1,200 toises in let.gth, ill
furnished with troops ; the new debarkation, which the enemy
probably meant to act upon Grande Riviere, 800 takes from a
place where he had only 200 men to oppose to it; the improba-
bility of sufficiently beating the enemy, to force him to re-em-
bark; ILA being without provisions and resources; persuaded
that he had done all in his power to execute the orders of his
Sovereign, and preserve untouched the glory and honour of th•
French name; seeing that by a capitulation he might restore to
his country 2,000 brave men, soldiers ..nd seamen, he resolved
to demand a cessation of hostilities, and negotiated and concluded
a capitulation on the 3d of December.
• " General DECAEN cou►d not hope to defend the Isle of
France, parttcul irly after the capture of the Isle Buonapiirw,
having at most only 2,000 men to oppose to an intiniiely gt eater
number, and being almost without provisions: this want of

Ad. 41,

456

every thing, the result of imperious circumstances, was not his
and.could not he imputed to him in any respect.
" That General maintained the colony in a prospercus state,
Dry his cars and by the encouragement given to the marine
twider his orders. It may even be presumed, that with le:,s
activity and success in his plans against the English, he would
have caused them less inquietude, and consequently that they
would not Lave thought of collecting the most powerful means
for obtaining possession of an island, from which he, incessantly
harassed them. In fire, this General had talien good measures,
and made wise arrangements, for defendlng the colony with the
feeble means which were at his disposal.

" The Council of Enquiry therefore think, that the capture of
the isle of France must be imputed to the want of troops, of sup-
plies, and of money, which circumstances did not permit the
mother country to send out to it:
(Signed) Marshal SERRURIEA, PreS,
Counts DE.) EA N,
LA NIA RTILLIERE, and
GASSENDI."
The Moniteur also contains a very long Report
on the state of the French finances, delivered to the
Legislative Body by M. Mor,LE4us. We can only
extract a few passages, which relate to the naval
and military expences of France.

Paris, July 4.

" You will find, Gentlemen, in the Budget for the Marine
service, an augmentation of 35 millions when compared with
th.:t of 1810. This augmentation appear moderate, when
coinidLred in reference to the ma! itirne force which we have
acquired, and the measures which are in preparation to increase
it still more. The union of Holland has furnished 10,000 sea-
men, and 13 ships of the line; an extent of 300 le:!gues of coast
has. been added t.. the Empire; a great number of ships k.f
the line are buildinzi the maritiiiie corFeription goes on with
stucce.s.

64 Let every Frenchman, lit every f fend of his country, rejoice
at seeing tll‘ Government make such gi eat efforts to hasten the
termination of a war which our enemies would wish to
!rake eternal. Proud of their momentary superiority upon the
seas, .they reject all the measures which might re',tori peace
to the world; but they will. soon be compelled to support,
tipon that very element which they wish to comiwind, com-
bats from which French valour will derive as much glory as
advantage.

"The expences of the war department were fixed, in alt.
Budget of 1610, at 350 millions ; the actual expenditure
amounted to 391 millions; 460 millions are proposed for the
rar 1811.
" His MAJESTY himself announced to you, at the opening of
your Session, that in the first quarter of this year 100 millions
v.traordinary had been placed at the disposal of the War Minis-
ter, to cover the expellees of the new armaments which then
appeared necessary. It is thus that his MAJ es TY has explained
the ca1...3e of the augtnentation of the war-budget for this year;
al:d you it'ive admired, Gentlemen, the wise foresight of a 50v..1)
v..1) ) prepares those means for guarding himself against
the ntnst kliqatit dancers.

" Eight hundred thousard men are under arms ; all the strong
places are in the boA state ; others are constructing with the
greatest activity, to consolidate the defence of the frontiers, and
to securt,t the tranquillity of future generations.
46 If the war beyond the Pyrenees demands eztraordinary
expellees, the fruits of these sacrifices cannot be doubtful.—
England, by making the people of Spain mistake their true inte-
rests, may still prolong, perhaps for some time, this unequal
struggle; but her object, that of overturning the continental
system, shall never be attained. Reduced to herself, and aban-
doned by all her allies, she is already exhausting her last re-
sources, and the blood of her own children is shed in a foreign
czt:se. It was from the 'height 0 his throe, that the most LLD-

rious of MOnai-chs predicted to us a -most glorious issue. His
immovable will has been always calculated upon the extent of
his means. Let us confidently hope, that the moment is not far
distant when the liberty of the seas, and the repose of the world
shall be conquered upon the fields of the Peninsula."

The Whaler is arrived at Plymouth from Gibral•
tar. She left Admiral Keates at sea on the 18th
ult. She has not brought any confirmation of the
action in the Bay of Rosas, as reported during the
week.

The young Prince of ORANGE had arrived at
Lisbon with the last fleet from England ; and his
Highness immediately set out for the head-quarters
of the British army.
The Fisgard conveying the Portuguese Minister
to Russia has arrived off Revel. The inhabitants
are said to have expressed much joy at the sight of
a British frigate in their waters. We understand
that this ship will not be admitted to enter the Neva,
but that a Russian vessel will receive the Minister
on board to conduct him to the capital.
We have received an official account of a most,
gallant and successful attack en a nunierous French
escort by the Spanish corps commanded by Gene-
ral MINA, almost at the gates of Vittoria. The
French corps was most desperately cut up ; the
Spanish prisoners whom they were escorting wete
retaken ; arid an immense booty fell into the hands
of the brave Patriots. .

The French have entirely evacuated Astorga and
Leon, which were occupied by Gen. 3ANTOCILDES.
The possession of these towns has enabled that Ge-
neral greatly to increase his
.army ; and the deser-
tions from the enemy are stated to be numerous.
Lord STANHOPE'S Bill was on Friday night read
a third time and passed : after which the House of
Commons adjourned to Tuesday, when the Bill will
receive the Royal Assetn, and on Wednesday Par-
liament is expected to he prorogued.
On Friday after the Prince Regent's Council had
concluded the state business, the Recorcer of Lon-
(tan was admitted, and made his Report, when
Richard Armytage and Charles Thomas were or-
dered fcr exec'itic'n on Wedne.day next.
The point of renclyzvous for Sir JOSEPH YORKE'S
squadron is Bermuda.
The Governor of the State of Massachusetts, in
his Address to the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives, declares, that the measures of Great Bri,
tain towards America, " for a series of years, have
been marked by every species of insult, injury, and
injustice." He proceeds to censure England, and
apologise for, or rather to vindicate the conduct of
BUONAPARTE. The Governor, towards the con-
clusion of his speech, declares, that ,g of late years
the dismemberment of our union has been an avowed
object in the Ministerial Papers of Great Britain,
and to effect it a war has been urged against these
„Yates." The Senate and House of Representa-
tives marked their unanimous approbation of this
philippic against England, by ordering 5000 copies
of the Governor's speech to be printed. At a pub-
lic dinner the Lieut.. Governor of Massachusetts
gave the following toast :•••"41 Free commerce with the
consent of foreign nations—if not, at the cannon's
month !" To hear these Americans talk, we would
suppose they were a great naval power. They re-
mind us of the fable of the flog and.the ox.