The National Register.
London, England, 1809-11-26 00:00:00

7.50

We have received a letter fr►►m a Subscriber, who resides. at
Stone nonce.* Ile has signed hi: name ;:o unintelligibly, that we
inn►,t bet: to !nye his mune erarectly written, and sent by letter
post paid—we will then forward hi►n the Index, &c.
Commlnicatio, scientific, classical, or tniscellancous infor-
mation, will be thankfully recelved.

TUE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Lontmit,

SUNDAY. NOVEMBETt 26, 1809..

POLITICAL EVENT; OF THE WEEK.

• No official confirmation of the naval victory gained ia
the Mediterranean has been received. But every account
transmitted from the opposite shores tends to corroborate
the first reports we received on that • subject. That a
battle has been fought, cannot be doubted. That it has
been followed by a brilliant and decisive victory, is ex-
tremely probable ; and that it will produce the twofold
effect of annihilating the French navy, and hastening the
surrender of the important fortress of Barcelona, we con-
fideutly hope. The accounts differ, as may be expect-
ed, upon the circumstances and event of the engage-
ment. Some state that only a part of the French
fleet, which escorted a numerous convoy.destined for Bar-
celona, were engaged, and that they were totally captured
and destroyed, together with the whole of the con-
voy. Another report states, that fifteen sail of the line
sailed in two divisions, with a number of transports, hav-
ing on board 20,000 troops; and that only one division
was destined for the coast of Spain; whilst the other,
which was more numerous, made sail for Sicily, in order
to invade that kingdom. 'ibis report we disbelieve, par-
ticularly that part which mentions that only the lesser di-
vision was met by our fleet. The last is the more proba-
ble, which says, that the whole of the Toulon fleet sailed
from that harbour, in order to reinforce and provision
Barcelona, where the greatest scarcity prevailed ; and that
they were disappointed in the execution of this project, by
the vigilance mid masterly dispositions of. the gallant Lord
comdsrowoon. It has been said, with some degree of
confidence, that the enemy lost ten sail of the line in this
attempt. May we soon be able to communicate the par-
ticulars of an engagement, which, if true to the extent
r ported, proves that the shade of the Immortal NELSON
still hovers round the theatre of his immortality ; and in-
itres his former comrades, with the genius and courage
which distinguished him above the rest of mankind !

The latest accounts from Spain are not particularly
ommunicative upon the head of Military occurrences ;
whilst they contain some allusions to the stale report of
the Dissolution of the Supreme Junta. 'A cessition of
hostilities seems to have been tacitly agreed to in La Man-
cha, Estremadura, and Leon; for the hostile armies in
those proyinces seem to make no movement indicative of
pffensi* e, uperations. The enemy appear to wait for
reinforcements, before they resume h?itilities ; and, in

NOV. 26.

conformity to this plan, have strengthened their positions
by a concentration of their force. The weather, at this
season of the year, is particularly unfavourable in the Pe-
ninsula, for military operations; and this may account for
the inaction of our troops, as well as for that of the Spani-
ards. However, the brave Catalans preserve their long-
established reputation for bravery and love of freedom, and
maintain an incessant and harrassing warfare with the in-
vaders. The gallant and indefatigable exertions of that
distinguished rovince, has cost the French an immense loss
of men; and we arc happy to be able to contradict the re-
ported defeat of BLAKE, and the fall of Gerona, which were
mentioned some days ago.
Time Spaniards in the other provinces do not appear to be
i nactive. In those nearest to France, the greatest enthusi-
asm seems to prevail. Exclusive of Catalonia; Arragon,
Navarre, Old Castile, and Biscay, begin to recover from
their late stupor, and carry on, in small parties, an unre-
mitting and terrific war against the enemy. These desul-
tory attacks compel the latter to draw closer together, and
to retire into fortified towns, by which means the circle of
Spanish independence increases considerably ; and, in fact,
comprises the whole extent of country, with the exception
of the fortresses occupied by the enemy, or the immediate
spots allotted for the encampment of their troops. It is
extremely dubious, whether BiJONAPARTE, with all his re-
sources, moral and physical, will be able to suppress this
spirit of resistance. At least, before he is able to effect it, .
it will cost him one half of his present army, and convert
the Peninsula into an immense slaughter-house. We per-
ceive symptoms of an invincible resolution in the inhabi-
tants, not to submit to his nefarious pretcasions. He
must adopt a dreadful system of coercion, and maintain an
immense army to support it, to form even a reasonable
expectation of suppressing the opposition he has now, and
shall have for a considerable time, to encounter. A stronger,
more comprehensive, and intense resistance to his views
exists there, than in all the rest of the Continent; and he
will be obliged to shed more blood, to encounter greater
difficulties, to make more painful sacrifices, tin overcoming
it, than he would, in overturning the remaining vestige,'
of independence in Europe. We are greatly mistaken also,
if this contest has not involved hire in greater embarras-
ments, and occasions him far greater anxiety than is ge-
nerally imagined. He may return to that country with a
new force of 100,000 men ;—he may succeed in leading it
to the walls of Cadiz and Lisbon; but before he is able to,
do either, he will have lost more than half his army,
whilst .the eastern, northern, and western provinces
will continue to brave. his menaces, and spurn at sub-
jection. A.march to the foot of the ramparts of Gib-
raltar does .not imply the conquest of a people, every
one of whom detests hint intensely, and will abhor him
with greater inveteracy in proportion to his success. In
the present exhausted state of the country, it is difficult to
carry on offensive operations, on a large and active scale ;
and if lie defer the opening. of the campaign to the ap-
proach of a milder season, the mildness of the weather will
be as favourable to the Spaniards as him ; as their mountains
will offer them an independence they may not find iu that