The National Register.
London, England, 1811-12-15 00:00:00

Tilt NATIONAL

At that time, no intelligence of the surrender of Va-
lencia had reached Paris, nor hod any been commu-
nicated relative to the affairs of Spain. It is proba-
ble that had BONNET penetrated in Asturias, as has
been represented, this enterprise would have been a
favourite subject of declamation in the French
Papers.
Considerable reinforcements are about to be sent
to our Army in Portugal. It is also said, that se.
veral ships are soon. to sail with a large supply of
ordnance stores. Some transports loaded with
small arms 'are to sail from Portsmouth ; one of
which, it is said, has 20,000 muskets, destined for
the guerillas on the Spanish frontier. This activity
in forwarding supplies is of great importance at the
present crisis.
Advices from Castile state, that there has been a
considerable movement among the French troops
belonging to the garrison of Valladolid. About
5000 men had taken the direction of Arevalo, and
3000 that of Medina del Campo, so that -only 700
were left for the protection of Valladolid. The
object of these movements was not correctly ascer-
tained, but it was supposed to be to protect Ciudad
Rodrigo frOm any molestation by the British army. i
By the last Mail several private letters were re-
ceived from Cadiz upon the subject of the Juntas
of Ladies about to be established in that city, for
the purpose of affording all possible succours to the
army ; and the avidity with which the project has
been adopted, is highly. creditable to the female pa-
triotism of -Spain. These Juntas are to devote their
whole attention to the meahs of providing the army
with clothing, and to the establishment of a fund
to meet any extraordinary exigency. The follow-
ing is an extract of a Letter from a Lady who is
appointed President of one of the Juntas :
" Patriotic Juntas of Ladies have been established here in
ttie name of Ferdinand VII. who undertake the clothing of the
Fourth Army, and to maintain funds capable of meeting any
emergency. There are to be two Presidents, and each Parish
is to have a Commissary, who is to collect subscriptions. and
conduct all correspondence relative to her parish. I have been
proposed to the Regency as one of the Presidents, and have
been app.roved of ; so that with all my other concerns, you will
' readily conceive I shall have enough upon my hands. The
meetings are to take place in a private saloon belonging to the
Women's Hospital. No Gentlemen are to be admitted to our
deliberations."
Nothing can be a better answer to the charges of
the French Government, than the manner in which
the Fiench prisoners are treated at Dartmoor prison.
They are allowed to work in the country surround•
ing the prison, and return at night in the most
cheerful manner. Escape is very rare, as the gangs
of ri isoners bind themselves to each other to prevent
it as much as possible, for if one escapes, the whole
gang to which he belongs are prevented from going
to work for a considerable time.
By private levers received from Charlestown, we
have an account of his Majesty's sloop Emulous
having detained a French brig, and finally con-
demned her as a legal prize ; on board her were
dispatches from the French Consul at Charlestown,
addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs at Paris.
Most important circumstances have transpired by
the interception of those dispatches, and a British
naval force had been dispatched to protect British
property situated in that quarter of the Globe ; the
mere minote particulars of which, we apprehend,
`will shortly be made Nblie.

GIST

A private letter frord VerJun says, that the Com-
mandant of the depot at Verdun, CousrLLo, Corn.
mandant of the gens d'armes, has lately blown his
brains out. This is the fourth Officer of the gens
d'armes who has made away with himself, not hay-
img fortitude enough to stand a Court of Inquiry
Gen. WIRION, Commandant at Verdun—a Lieute-
nant of gens d'armes, at Sarre Louis—a ditto ditto
at Verdun—who have destroyed themselves--r-A
superior Officer from Paris was sent to Verdun, to
inquire into the sufferings of the British Officers,
which occasioned the fate of those men. The
Midshipmen of the Royal Navy are all en their
parole, and released out of the citadel. The Pri-
soners of War are perfectly satisfied with the new
Commandant, he having given them permission to
go ten leagues out of the city, on their parole—an in-
dulgence not before granted by any Commandant.
Lieutenant CONNELL, of the Royal Navy, died of
his wounds in a duel ; likewise a Midshipman. The
noted gaming banker, BALBIE, and his associate,
have been condemned for swindling Sir B.
of 59,000 francs, to the great joy of every English-
man in France, and to -the credit of the Correc-
tional Tribunal at Verdun.

The most recent accounts from Sicily, received
from Malta, state, that every thing remained in the
same situation in that Island. The return of Lord
WM. BENTINCK was looked for with much imps.
tierce. As his Lordship had passed Gibraltar in
the itlenelaus when the Comet sailei from that port,
he must son after have reached his destination.
"I here were rumours at Malta, of disturbances in the
kingdom of Naples, but they rest on no authentic
authority.

Pn the 24th ult. a torrent of rain fell at Gibral.
tar resembling a water-spout. St. George's Tower
was struck by the lightning, and great part of it
thrown down ; upwards of seven inches of rain
fell in twenty-four hours, and many houses and
cellars were overflowed. Considerable mischief was
occasioned in the warehouses. All the Manchester
goods in the lower apartments were covered with
the water, and rendered of little or no value. A.
large quantity of oil and other articles were mate.
rially injured.
The Belise was struck with lightning in Bideford
harbour, on the 4th inst. which passed .down the
fore-top-gallant-mast, broke every thing in its pAs-
*sage down into the hold, tearing up the forecastle
and part of the main deck, and finally passed out of
her broadsides, bursting the bends, also part of the
planks in her bottom.
Wednesday, a Court-martial was hell on board
the Salvador del Mundo, in Hamoaze. for he trial
of two seamen belonging to the Abercrombie, ac-
cused of cowardice and disobedience of orders, whilst
put suing the enemy, in the barge of that ship, on
the French coast. They were both found Guilty,
' and sentenced to receive 500 lashes e:lcit round the
fleet. The Court then pi oceeded t., try the muti-
neers and murderers belonging to the Diana and
Growler. for the murder of Mr. WINSLAND, Mr.
BOLEN. and Mr. ANDREWS; but from the lateness
of the hour, only one witness was examined, and
the further proceedings adjourned.

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