The National Register.
London, England, 1808-02-15 00:00:00

FEB. 15.

atout 8,000 men, is to be joined by the 08th regi-
ment from Bei-mm.l3, the 99th, 101st, and 10th Ve-
teran Battalion, at Halifax. Besides these reiNforce-
meats, we hind, by the lwit accounts from Halifax, that the
most actiie preparations %ere making for arming the mi-
litia, and piacins the frontiers in a proper state of defence.

We are still without any intelligence respecting the
Rocafort gquadron. The last time the enemy were seen,
ac.orting to the accounts which have reached the :Willi-
rally, was, soon after they sailed, on the pith ultimo, when
they wcee observed by the Eurydice. Sir J. T. De ciovonTu
is understood to have gone in quest of this squadron to the
West lathes. Sir RICHARD STRACTIAN was to proceed to
the Straits of Gibraltar, in order to ascertain whether the
enemy had gone up the Mediterranean. In case he should
rind that they had taken another course, he would then
hasten to Madeira, in the hope of obtaining some informa-
tion respecting them at that Island.

Letters which have been received from Heligoland,
speak much of the activity with which BONAPARTE is
proceeding in his Northern ports in equipping a marine;
and his exertions are probably not conliaed to that guar- '
ter. These letters state, that there are now lying at Flush-
ing eleven sale of the line, of which nine were recently
built at Antwerp. At Rotterdam there are five, also new.
At Helvoetsluys, there arc three actually afloat. At
Antwerp, five are on the stocks ; they will be ready for
iwrvice in May. These vessels are built of Cermet) oak.
At Antwerp, where such facilities are afforded forship-
biiililing, as many vessels can be equipped in the course of
a twelvemonth, as there are slips in the capacious docks,
provided only three months notice be given for seasoning
the wood.

On Monday another interesting debate took place in the
House of Lords, on the motion of the Duke of NORFOLK
for certain papers illustrative of the expedition to Copen-
hagen. There were two rimel features in the discussion of
that night. Marquis WELLESLEY, for the first time since his
return from India, took a share in the debate, and in an
elaborate speech defended the conduct of Ministers on
the attack on the Danish capital. As his arguments,
however, presented merely the defence which has been so
often repeated, it is unnecessary for us to load the subject
with superfluous commentary. The other extraordinary
circumstance in the debate, was one of flinch more im-
portance; the statement of the sentiments of Lord DuT-
iilNsoN, whose late situation rendered him master of know-
ledge so peculiarly interesting for the decision of this mo-
Lientons question. As the narrative which he delivered of
the instructive conferences which he held with the EMPR.
non of Ittisslc, the one subsequent to the treaty of Tilsit,
the other to the arrival of intelligence respecting the bom-
bardment of Copenhar„-,en, forms the subject of the poli-
tical disquisition in the first columns of this Paper, we
;lave no occasion here lo extend our remarks.

The property which accrues to His 3IAJESTT from cer-
hill captures made at sea, has come under the discussion
of Parliament, as this property has hitherto been exempt
from the controul of Parliament ; as it appears, that in a pro-
tracted and complicated war like that in which we have been
so long involved, this property may rise to a very great
amount; and alit is a vital principle of the Constitution, that
no cousidc rable sums should remain at the disposal of the Ex-
ecutive Power, exempt from the controul of Parliament, all
parties seem to have joined in approving of the inquiry
into the amount and application of this money, though
some difference existed as to the mode in which it should
take place.

Accounts have been received of the capture of the Danish
%Vest-India Islands. This, however, is not a subject of
'peculiar triumph. They offered no resistance ; and though
they may be of some weight in the scale of compensation