The Sun.
London, England, 1806-06-21 00:00:00

bEiVERd MIRANDA.

The attention of Mankind has been so strongly excited by the
bold and extraordinary E xpedition of this enterprizing C ha"-
ra4er, that we eptisider it as our duty to afford the. Public
all the infornlation we can gain on the subjeol, in order
that they may_ be fully qware of the nature of the measure,
and be able to form some opinion respeding its probable
result, arising from the 'physical situation of that part of
the wor,ldi and the means of defence proVided by the Go,
vernrnent to which it belonged. For this purpose we pre-
sent our Readers with the following Extraits from a work
recently published in France, by M. DE Foils, a French
Commercial Agent, who travelled through those Provinces
in the years 18op.z-3.and 4, and entered u pon the most-com-
prehensive and accurate investigation of all that related to
them, by order of the French Government, and who seems
to have executed his task with remarkable industhy and,
precision, and to such an extent as to have left nothing
unobserved' that was intitled to attention.

The defence of Venezuela, Maracaibo, Varenas,
Guiana,'Cumana, and the' Island of Marguerita,'is
entrusted to the Captain-General' residing at Car-
raccas. The immediate Governors have the right of
adopting, provisionally, such measures as circum-
stances may require ; but, they are responsible to the
Captain-General, whose . orders are to be ultimately,
obeyed. It appears upon the • first view, that Pro-
vinces aeling upon the same plan would 'be able to
make a more efficacious defence than, if each Pro-
vince aced separately. That, certainly, would be
the case if these Provinces were Sufficiently near
to each other to' give mutual assistance, but the
mense' distance which separates them renders the
junction of their forces a very slow and a very diffi-
cult measure. It would, therefore, perhaps, be
much better if each Governor was allowed to aft
according to his own judgment, and not to wait for
the orders of the Captain-General, who may, per-
halos, be at a distance of 300 leagues from the Pro-.
wince.

Any attempt made by an enemy upon these Pro-
vinces would undoubtedly, in the first instance, be
from the sea ; and hoWever weak their maritime
strength might be, it would certainly be superior to
that which proteEts these coasts, where :Spain has
only a few Sloops, for the purpose of preventing
smuggling, which would be easily put to flight by a
'single Frigate; There is nothing then to be hoped
for by sea ; let us inquire what resistance they could
oppoSe by land to an attack upon their ,Ports. Porto
Cavello, which is 55 leagues to the east of Caro, is
certainly the best. defended, Port in the Provinces
under the authority of the Captain-General: .of, the
Carraccas. It is construeted with equal .skill and
strength, and situated upon a small Island to the
north-east of the city, and furnished with a nume-
rous artillery. There is no fixed Garrison at Porto
Cavello; in time of peace a Company of the 'Regi-
ment of Carraccas does duty there, and is relieved
every year. In time of war the Troops of the Line
are doubled, and reinforced by the Militia of Valance
and the Valieys.of Arrago ;, but in case of necessity
all the Militia would repair thither, anti
deight days
3000 men might be colleCted. Perhaps more might
be hoped for from the courage and aaivity of the in-
habitants of Porto Cavello than from the Militia,

whose junEtion is always slow, and whose courage
is at least equivocal. Porto Cavello owed its safety,
in 1743, to the Biscayens who were established in
that. Port, and those who are established there at
present certainly would not display less courage than
their ancestors. An English Squadron," says the
Ecclesiastical History of Venezuela, " attacked
Porto Cavello on the 27th APri1,1743, but the artillery
was so well served by the Biscayens, who were set-
fled in the town, that the English were repulsed with
loss."

- On the 22d 06tober, 1730, the English failed in
an attack which they made upon Guiara, which is
situated at 25 leagues to the east of Porto Cavello.
Nevertheless, that Port was never so well fortified
as it is at present; Destined to guard Carraccas, from
which it is only five 'Short leagues distant, every
means of defence has-been employed upon it. It is
surrounded with batteries and forts; and seems ca-
pable of resisting the most daring, enemy. But eyed
if the enemy Were masters of Guiara, he would
still have many difficulties to surmount before he
Could gain possession of Carraccas, as the road be-
.tween is very diffit 1t to pass, and is strongly de-
fended. It was in contemplation to ,constru&. ano-
ther road, but the plan was given up, on the idea
that it would endanger the safety of Carraccas. Ex
perience, however, has shewn, that it is possible to
get from Guiara to Carraccas without going by the
present road; for, in 1594, Sir F. DRAKE landed at
Guiara, 'and advanced to Carraccas, with a handful
of men, without meeting any resistance, because the
garrison of the latter city, who were -sent to dispute
his passage, posted themselves on the road between
it and Guiara, under the per Suasion that the enemy
could not get to Carraccas by any other way. DRAKE,
however, convinced them of the contrary, for he got
possession of Carraccas, and ,remained there eight
days, that is to say, as long as was necessary to pil-
lage.the city, which had then been built about thirty
years.

The city of Cumana Which is about 100-league§
to the east of •La Guiard, is very difficult of ac-
cess to an enemy.• , Situatectat the distance of ac
non' shot froth the sea, it has.little to apprsehend from
An attack by shipping. In- case of a diseinbarkation,
a fort situated upon a hill, to the east of the city,
would oppose very serious obstacles to
.their ap-'
proach. - Besides ahY three companies Of 'Troops Of
the Line which form the garrison, the Militia, com-
poSed of eleven companies of Whites, two of Artil-
lery,- two of Cavalry, eleven of Men,of Colour, three
of Blacrlnfantry, half a company of Artillery; and
`the inhabitants of the city and, its environs, Would
oppose' to the enemy a-body of more than sob° men.
The English made an attempt to gain possession of
it, in 1741, but, after an thion of four hours, they
gave up the attack. The _lsland of Marguerital. is •
situated abont four leagues to the north of Cumana,
and is strongly -.defended' by nature. • The garrison'
consists of a company of Trobps of the Line, foui
companies of White Militia, one of Artillery, One of
Cavalry, and four companies of -Infantry of Men of
Colour.' This Island is. net valuable .from its pro-
•
du Lions ; its soil will not.admit of cultivation, ex-
cept in a few spots.where cotton is grown, but as a
military and commercial polition it is very desirable.

All that has been said relates only to an attack of
the Ports by an enemy, but in case of a disembark-
ation, it is sufficient to compare the extent of the
Coast with the population to form
.an idea of the re-
sistance' which 'an enemy' would meet with who
would attempt an invasion. Reason enlightened by
experience is far from considering the forts of ma-
ritime cities as essentially useful to the defence of a
country. The garrison of all these 'cities cost an im-
mense sum in time of peace they ought then it,
least in time of war to guard the country from all in
stilts from an enemy. But all they can do is to annoy.
the enemy and keep him at some distance from them.
If any sacred convention could be established amohg
nations by which
.invasions Were always to coin-.,
mence by an attack of fortified places, or if the Ports'
afforded no other places for disembarkation', un-
doubtedly every attention ought to be peid to fOrts,
batteries, andredoubts. But upon a coast where there
is a distance of 60 or 160 leagues between the Ports,
and when the. ntermediate space affords innumera=
ble facilities, for disembarking, all, the- heavy 'artillery
in the Sea Torts is not only useless but injurious, be--
cause it is necessary that the artillery-men d shoul
remain with them, who might render essential ser-
vice'by repairing to the spot where the -enemy had
landed. In consequence of the 'ReVolution which
took place in tactics; in the war which concluded
the last century, the maxim of -notleaving fortified
places in the rear, and of always. securing a retreat
before a battle was hazarded, is no longer regarded,
and the success of the French arms is a proof of the
justice of the reformation. If ibis new method ap-
plies to a country ,liie Europe, crowded v-ith Cities
in which .art has been' exhausted to make them im-
pregnable, how mud' more strongly does it apply
to a country which has only fortifications on the
coast, and situated at an immense distance from each
other, and where it will require entire months to
communicate with each other in the most favourable.
seasons. To attack the Ports of the sea- is only to.
attack points which are best defended—whereas in
landing at some distance they will neither have ar-
tillery nor troops to fear ; while the Vessel's which
have covered the disembarkation, by afterwards
cruizing before the Ports, will detain the troops in
them, and consequently diminish. the force "that can
be opposed to the invading army. Thus the Enemy:
may penetrate into the interior, augment his. forces
every day by new conquests, and by cutting off the
comthunication between ,the interior and tiw Ports.
blockaded by the Squadron, compel the latter to:
surrender by famine. This mode of attack, however,
would not succeed in the English or French colo-
nies for very obvious reasons. It is now time to say
a' few words 'of the armed Force in the province of
carraccas.

The Force in the Carraccas consists of—
One Company of Grenadiers 71 Men.
Eleven Compailies of Ir usileers, eaelt 77
Total --g IS

A rtiliery.

One Company - too .
1' wu ditto of White Militia - ' 200
Four ditto of Men of Colo it - 403
Two ditto of blacks - zoo -
Total 933
Militia.
One Battalion of Whites, 9 Companies 8 t
One Squadron of Whites • - too
One Battalion of Men of Colour - 720
Total -1630
• s Valenee

One Battalion of Whites - • Bto
Two ditto of Men of Colour - ' •
s• Total / -r530
'The Valleys of A'rragoa Militia.
One Battalion of Whites - • ' Sio.
One ditto ofsMen of Colour 7zo
. • Total' ts3o
San Carlos Militia.
•

One Company of Cavalry • - so
Total of the Force in the Carraccas 6558
IN 'CUNIAN.4.. •
• P Troo s of the Line. •
Three Companies - • 2.xt

* Which MIRANDA was in ,possession of when.the late
accou. to Canmt frOni Admiral Co CHR NE. •
+ Where. Y.I,R A ND"). ;ppeats, to have experienced no re-
sistance.

Artillery:
One Company of ArtilleryMeti
Two ditto of White Militia
One and a half ditto of Men of Colour
Total
• .
Militia.
Twelve CornPanies of Whites
Two of Cavalry ditto . -
Eleven. Corn panics of Men of Colour
One and a 'half of Cavalry • -
Total
Total iil CuMatii • ;•

po
100
15,4
----454

four Comp Mies

MARACAIBO.
Troops .of the Lille.

Ar-lerf.
One Company of Men of
_Colour

c I~4ilitia.

Five Companies of Whites
Font' ditto of Men of Colour

Total in Maracaibo

Three Companies

Total

LA GUIANA.
Troops of the Line.

Artillery.
One Company of Artillery

Militia.

Four Companies of WThitcs
One Company of Artillery
Four Corhpanies of Infantry, Mea of
Colour IP dB

Total in• Guiana

Total

to.)
99?

7; ,
-72245

too

4Sq
360
----Sl°

36.
iso
36,
---870

ISLAND OF MARGUEP,ITA.
Troops of the Line.

One Company

• Artillery.
Four Companies of Men of Colour

Militia:

Four" Companies of Whites
One ditto Cavalry •
„. _

Four ditto of Meii of Colour

Total

7 in

TOtal in Marguerita
General Total of the Military Force of all
descriptions. - - _

~~~:

zz,:,?,

lIkP

1247

Alen, 13,059'

CAMBRIDGE, Ju NB- .20.

THE Members' four Prizes, value 15 guineiS each,
are this year adjudged to Mr. R. TREVELYAN, of St.
.fc;hn's College, and Mr. WRAY, of. Trinity College,
Senior Bachelors.; the subje6t, E tot deperditis
?gamin Literarian apud Gr eczi et Rdinanos Monu:
inentis, qucenam.pra: ceteris si►ct desideranda? And.
fo-Mr. WM. LQNGLEY, of St. John's, and Mr. WM.
GRANT C,AUTLEY, of Pembroke, 3.l.liddle Bachelors ;
the subje4, Utramn certamina publice Gri:ecia spec-
tata plus utilitatis an jamni secu►n adtulerint ?-

The late Sir WM. BROWisTE'S three gold medals,.
value five gnineas each, are adjudged aA follows
to Mr. Cl-kkELES JAMES BLOMFIELi), of Trinity Col-
lege,
,for the Greek Ode ; .to Mr. THOMAS HUGHES,
of St. John's, for the__Latin Ode; and td Mr. Jo-
SEP.II KfRKMAN MILLER, of Trinity College, for the
Epigrams.

A letter from. Haddington, dated the loth inst.
relates the folloWing remarkable. circumstance
A yoting
,boy of.this place, with some of his
school-fellows,.haying-:frequently discoVered an owl
on -the top of our old Church steeple, and not doubt
ing of ,its having enest there, attempted, by climb-
ing..the wall.iuthe -day time, to get at . it, but his at=
tempts-proved fruitless. The impression, however;
of such a precious- prize being yet attainable, contir
tilling to aauate this boy's mind, even in the most
profound.. sleep,' ho. arose in the night, ascend
ed the Gothic edifice, carried off the favourite objea
of his most earnest desire,' returned by the Windovi
through which it appears he had sallied, placed.the
nest upon a chair, and wenfto bed. In the morri-
ing he- recollected a pleasant dream of a wonderftil
adventure, and was altogether astonished, as well as
overjoyed, to find it realized, in • the discovery of thd
owl's nes(!7---The boy does not exceed
.ten years of
age."

Yesterday afternoon COlonel's CAMPBELL'S ba-
rouche, and Sir W. W. WYNNE'S curricle; came in
contact with each other,
,at the top of St. James's-
street. The curricle was overturned,. but fortunate-
ly no person in it received any serious injury. The
traces of the barouche, however; were broken,, and
,the four high blooded horses that drew it ran off in
the most ungovernable manner down the street. To-
wards•the bottom 'of, the street they ran against a
hackney-coach with such violence as to break the
pole, the perch, and the hinder axle-tree ;' the coach-
man was knocked off his J3ox, but did not receive
any Material injury; CoI.CAmPriELL and Mr. CAU
FIELD, who were on the box of the batonche, were
dashed down upon the pavement, and, Mr. C:
in particular, was most severely hurt. The hOrses
continued to run furiously on, until their progress was
arrested by the carriage running up against a post.
They were then laid hold of; and all further ill.cori-
sequences were prevented.
Mr. HOLLAND, whose death we Mentioned a few
days ago, has left at least a good specimen of
architedural skill in Druty Lane Theatre.

There is now hanging on a tree in a garden be
longing to the Earl of WARWICK, at Turnham-
Green, apples of the last year's growth, as perfeet as
they were last September. What renders the appear-
ance more curious, is their being surrounded by those
of the present season. '
Literal Copy of a Letter from A DramaticAutbor
to the Manager of a Country Theatre :

AX'
" Sir, Dinclose you a deep Tragedy, which ; ~.opctlV
aled, 1 am sure, on the lowest calculation, will (haw mil-.
lions of tears- from any audience in Gr6t Britain, nut eyen.
the inhabitants of Rik-shire excepted.'

The critics say, that many of our m9dern Plays are
-calculated for the closet—but they do not tell us what
Luse.

A Sheriff's Officer, on being lately asked what
he meant by continually saying that he was u'distin-
eruished member of an harmonious society, answered;
that he belonged to a catch club.'
Whatever measures may be finally adopted
spe&ing the 'Slave Trade, it is evident that BONM.
PARTE cannot be expeeied to co-operate in-any plan
for' its abolition, as he is every day employed in
spreading bondage.
A fire broke out early yesterday morning at a little
wooden house in the Grange-row, Bermondsey, in-
habited by a journeyman tanner; it raged with great
fury for some time, and was got under -at
.length
With bo loss of lives; but two children were most
shockingly burnt, so much so, as to render-it neces.-
sary to send them to St. Thomas's HoSpital, wi:!)
little hopes of recovery.