The National Register.
London, England, 1808-05-15 00:00:00

TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, on Friday night, pro-
posed in the House or Commons, a plan fur couvertiag
three per vents. consols. and reduced, into life annuities,
according to an equitably estimated scale of purchase.—
These annuities are to be paid out of the sinking fund,
which will thus be made to redeem at the present price of
the funds all sums converted into annuities', whereas those
SLIMS, if they should remain in the.funds, must be redeem-
able by Government only at a much higherprice, because
the operation of the sinking fund and the restoration of
peace, seem likely to. create a constant increase in the
value of stocks. Perhaps the advantages of this plan will
nut be very extensive, because any body who hai a mind
to employ his money in buying annuities, may buy them
at present on good security : but every relief is to be ap-
pro‘ed, however partial, and we think the sinking fund is
well employed in such a scheme. The only persons likely
to sutfer materially, are the proprietors of the insurance
offices, who will find, but in very few cases, an inclination
on the part of the public for prefering the security of
their offices to that of Government.

•

There seems to be no longer any doubt, from the intel-
ligence brought by some tiritish ships, that the Rochefort
'Squadron has returned from its cruize to Toulon. The
French Papers announce, that Gantheaume entered Tou-
lon on the evening of the 10th.


Bonaparte has laid an embargo upon. all American ves-
sels in the French ports : a measure which is stated to have
been in conformity with the Bayonne Decree. We under-
stand that pains have been taken in the drawing up of the
Decree, to make it appear a proceeding less hostile- to
America than was at first conceived. However, there is
something ridiculous in the pretence that this act is to be
esteemed a nseasure of kind consideration towards Ame-
rica but Bonaparte says, that the precaution is necessary
for preventing her property from being seized by the Bri-
tish, who would certainly way-lay them on the high seas.
General Klingspor, by a report dated 11th April, gives
intelligence of a skirmish between his troops and the enemy
in Finland, which was attended with no remarkable result.
In a second report, dated the 20th, he relates a slight ac-
tion, which terminated in the retreat of the enemy.
It was supposed at Gottenburgh, that the Swedish army
in Finland had suffered severely in an action near Bralin-
stvdt. In Norway, General Arnifeldt had driven the ene-
my across the Gloinine, and was pursuing his advantages.
An engagement took place, on the 26th of April, in sight of
Stromstadt, among twenty-eight Norway coasting vessels,
four Swedish gun-boats, and one mortar boat : the follow-
ing is the Cottenburgh account of the action:—

At half-pabt five o'clock the Norway flotilla appeared,
mounting guns from 6 to 21-pounders. Four of our gun-boat,,
;and one mortar, towed to meet them, about half way, half a
gun-shot from the town. The engagement was begun by our
gun-boats, and continued under an incessant shower of halls, for
the space of one hour and forty minutes. It terminated so that
our boats gave the last fire. In the presence of the spectators,
t woof the enemy's vessels were sunk, w ith their crews and every
thing on board ; three of them they towed away, and one was
missing, which doubtless has been sunk. On our ►ide there
were four killed, and two men so much wounded that the
died shortly after; seven were slightly wounded."
In the Foreign News we have given the principle articles
of the last Gottenburgh Mails, which relate to the Russian
invasion of Gothland.

Dutch Papers to the 10th inst. arrived yesterday after-
noon. A letter from Milan, dated April 25, is inserted,
'which says, it is now confirmed that Admiral Gantlicannie
left part of his fleet behind him at Corfu. General Du-
bread. who has arrived from that Island, on board the bri-
gantine Friedland, states, that there has been left the liranie
Iripte, of 44 guns, two corvettes of 32 guns each, six brigs.
and two galliots. And also accouuts from Ilulsingfors,


dated March V 3, which state, that a division of the Russian
army is advancing to Wasa, on the gulph of Bothnia. It
is supposed the Swedes will be cut oil by this division.
'The retreat of the Swedes is so rapid, that they have not
even time to spike their cannon, far less carry them off:

• ANOTHER Ex PEDITION.—Report is afloat in military cir-
cles, that a Grand Expedition will soon start, to consist of
20,000 men. Sir Arthur Wellesley or General lieresford
to command it; with a brevet rank.
Among the corps the following are to go :-2d, or Queen's
Regiment; 3d, or Duck; sth, ttith, or Canieronians; 40th,
-45th, 71st, Sstli, and 95th. Some Cavalry go in this el-
pedition, and a very large Stair.
The Expedition under General Prevost arrived at Hali-
fax on the 7th of March.

It appears from the return of the number of men want.
ing to complete the Volunteers in Great Britain up to their
original establishment, that the deficiency altogether is
:18,655.
Au order has been issued to increase the number of the
Royal Marines serving in the Navy, as follows :-25 to a
ship of the first rate, 20 to a second rate, 15 to a third
rate, 10 to a fourth rate and large frigatt.s, and in pro-
portion to smaller ships.
Accounts from Oporto reached town on Friday. They
are dated up to the Sd inst. It appears that the famine in
Portugal is not so severe as the English have been led to
conceive it. It also appears, that the French allow ship-
ments of wine to be made, under certain regulations. (hie
of the principal is, that the merchant, or shipper, is to
pay an additional duty uponwine, at the rate of 365. per
puncheon.
Tuscany is now divided into three Departments; namely,
Florence, Siena, and Leghorn; which are subdivided into
several Prefectures. The Privy Council is abolished, with
all other Public Boards of the former Government, so that
no traces are left of the antient form.
• A Mail from Tortola arrived on Thursday night !in
twenty-eight days. We arc sorry to find, that Port &Ls-
pagne, in the Island of Trinidad, has been consumed by
tire. The cause of this dreadful disaster has not transpired.
file Mail left the islands all sell.
The Catholics of Switzerland and the Pope are at this
moment at variance. The small Council of Lucerne have
addres,,ed a Memorial to his Holiness, to permit the abo-
lition of monasteries within theirlerritorv.
A Commercial Treaty between Bavaria and Italy has
been agreed upon, but not ratified. While the present
obstructions in the way of navigation continue, this treaty
will be of great importance to the whole of Hal), Ger-
many, &c.
The late Admiral Rainier has left property to the
amount of nearly 6250,000/. ; and after providing amply
for his near relations, he made the Wowing bequest :
" 1 bequeath one-tenth part of my personal property to the
Chancellor of the Exchequer for the time being, towards the
reduction of the National Debt, in acknowledgment of the gene-
rous bounty of the national establishment of the Royal Navy,
ill which I have acquired the principal part of the fortune I
now have, which has exceeded nty merit and pretensions."
Letters from Iron, dated the 25th of April assert, thll,
through the interference of France, the Prince of the Peace
has been set at liberty. It is added, that the unfortunate
Prince, when takell out of his prison, was without a shirt,
and had a beard several inches long.
The Court of Sweden went into mourning on the :26th
ult. for six weeks, for the late King of Denmark,
tian VII. who was uncle to the king of Sweden.
The Queen of Holland has been safely delivered of a son,
on which occasion great public rejoicings took place.
The serious spectacle now exhibiting at that elegant
'Theatre in Catherine-street, equals any performances of
the summer amusements. The story is taken from that
celebrated poet Valerius Hams, and the maaner in which
it is got up does credit to the llanagers.