The Sun.
London, England, 1839-12-17 00:00:00

SPAIN.

HEAD-QUARTERS OF ESPARTERO, LAS MATas, Nov.
30.—The war continues to wear a most serious aspect
Although the distance from Saragossa to Las Matas is
hardly thirty leiwues, it took us six days to traverse it.
What retarded our march was, the innumerable precau-
tions which we were obliged to take in order to avoid
falling, among the roving parties of Cabrera that are
hovering about in every direction. When you have ad-
vanced two leagues from Saragossa, the road ceases
to be safe. No convoy can be trusted without a
guard of fifteen hundred or two thousand men. Several
divisions of Espartero's army are cchelonnes, stationed
along the road in order to keep up a constant watch
lest Cabrera should pounce upon the convois. When
we got to Fuentas we could form some idea of the ex-
traordinary precautions which the Christinos are obliged
to take. Every height was crowded with horsemen, all
ready to give the alarm the moment they perceived the
slightest agitation in the Carlist lines. Whole regiments
were quartered in the valleys adjacent to the head-
quarters of Espartero. Notwithstanding these vigilant
measures, not a day passes but what there are surprises.
Hardly have the Christinos moved from a spot when it
is occupied by the Carlist guerillas. The audacity of
these is so great, that they have recently stormed a for-
tified bourg situated within the Christino lines.
" On the 26th the following were the positions occu-
pied by Cabrera's forces :
Cabrera himself had just arrived at Belmonte with
four battalions ; Langostera, one of his Lieutenants,
bad just stormed Estreuel.

" Belmonte is but two leagues from our head-quar-
ters, so that the capture of Estruel will force us to
make a forward movement in order to drive Cabrera
back.

" No one thinks of attacking either Morella or Can-
tavieja, or in fact any fortified point occupied by the
Carlists. The attempt would be useless ; for the state
of the country acd the activity of our antagonists are
such that we dare not concentrate a sufficient number
of troops for that purpose. Our eccentric divisions
would be instantly assailed by one of those roving par-
ties which are constantly prowling about in search of an
opportunity.
" I am able to affirm that nothing serious will be at-
tempted for three months. Our avant garde at Las
Matas are engaged in throwing up entrenchments, a
proof, if proof were wanting, that Espartero meditates
no forward movement just now.

" Colonel Wild, our Commissary, is about to leave
for London. The Colonel has not been on good terms
with Espartero lately ; probably on account of the
latter having declared himself in favour of the moderate
party, to whom the Colonel, as well as our Embassy at
Madrid, are violently opposed. This unfortunate coun-
try has other difficulties to contend with than those that
spring from its domestic dissensions. At Madrid there
are two foreign parties at work, each struggling for in-
fluence. The French party favour the Moderados,
while the party of Lord Palmerston have long since
taken the Exaltados under their protection.
" The Queen, whose puppet Espartero is, never
takes a steps without consulting the King of the French,
30 that there is little chance of our interests predominat-
ing, unless indeed the Exaltados should gain the upper
hand at the approaching elections. Were this even the
case the Queen has gone too far to retreat. The
chances, therefore, are, that we shall have a coup d'etat
if the minority of the last Chamber receive not an ac-
cession of strength at the elections."—Evening Paper.

MORNING MAIL TO SOUTHAMPTON.—WC
perceive by the Hampshire Independent that a day
mail is to commence running to Southampton to-
morrow, the 17th, by the railway at ten, and to
reach Southampton at three. The mail will leave
Southampton at eight in the morning, and arrive
in London at one.
THE DAY MAIL TO OXFORD.-The autho-
rities here have received instructions that a day mail
will, on and after Tuesday next, leave London at ten
o'clock in the morning, bringing letters from the other
aide of London, Windsor, Maidenhead, and Henley,
arriving here about half-past two in the afternoon, and
the delivery will take place at three. The mail will
leave Cheltenham at nine in the morning, bringing
letters from that town, Northleach, Burford, and Wit-
nay, and leave Oxford at one for London ; all letters to
go by which mail must be in the Post-office here by
half-past twelve, at which time the box will be closed.
The above arrangement will be of great service to the
inhabitants of this town, and their thanks are due to
the public spirit that animated their neighbours of Chel-
tenham so far as to arouse the Post-office authorities
and obtain so great a boon for them.—Orford Paper.
PLANS OF THE CHARTIST6.-The evidence
taken before the Magistrates during the protracted ex-
aminations of the Chartist prisoners, though entering
minutely into the details of their operations, was remark-
ably silent as to their plans and schemes. One of the
witnesses, however, who was examined before the Grand
Jury on Wednesday last, stated, we understand, in effect
as follows attended a Chartist meeting on Sunday,
the 3d of November ; Jones the watchmaker was pre-
sent, and addressing the meeting, told them that as
soon as he had collected his men together (five or six
thousand, well armed), he should capture Mr. Roberts,
superintendent of pullet', aiso Jordan his assistant—
then break open the ironmongers' shops at Pontypool
and take the arms—go to Pontypool Park, seize Mr.
Leigh the Lord Lieutenant, and all the arms they could
find there ; then would also visit Lantarnam Abbey, and
likewise take any arms they could find there ; from
thence proceed on to Newport and join the Blackwood
men, and attack the town, and upon its surrender, a
proclamation would be posted to the following effect :
We, the Executive Government of England, call upon
all to support the Charter ; and signed " John Frost,
President." The witness could not remember more of
what Jones stated that the proclamation would contain,
but it was to the effect, after calling on all to support
the Charter, that it would give further instructions how
they sv,ire to proceed to establish it as the law of the

Tire Military Gazelle says—" We have the
best reason to know that the absurd paragraphs which
have gone the round of the papers relative to Colonel
Gurwood's couduct at Ciudad Rodrigo are wholly un-
authorised by that officer, who, like every true soldier, is
annoyed and disgusted by the exaggerations thus put
forth."

Should the health of the Queen Dowager con-
tinue to improve, we understand that her Majesty will
again make a round of visits early in the ensuing sum-
mer. Her Majesty has already accepted invitations
from the Duke of Devonshire and Marquis of Exeter.
Derby Mercury.
SUPPOSED DEATH FROM DESTITUTION.—
On Saturday an inquest was held at the Cumberland
Arms, City-road, on the body of Martin Malloy, aged
thirty-bight, whose death was supposed to have taken
place from want of food. it appeared that he had for
some years supported himself by hawking braces and
other trifling articles, but that he had for the last two
or three months been unable to earn as much as would
procure the necessaries of life. He had latterly been
reduced to mere skin and bone for want of food. He
was admitted, on a second application on the same day,
to St. Andrew's (Holborn) workhouse, that being the
parish to which he had a legal claim. He was received
into the workhouse at half-past eight in the evening,
and at ten he died. A post mortem examination took
place, when it was stated by the surgeon of the parish
that the deceased died of a diseased state of the lungs
and liver, his death being accelerated by a want of food.
He (the surgeon) thought, however, that had the de_
ceased been admitted into the workhouse when he first
applied for admission his life might have been prolonged.
Mr. Wilks, the relieving officer, not being present, to
state on what grounds he had refused to admit the de-
ceased into the workhouse in the first instance, the in-
quiry was adjourned till a future day.
A rumour is in very general circulation in this
borough, that E. G. Barnard, Esq., one of the pre-
sent Members, is on the eve of accepting the Chiltern
Hundreds, it being understood that the numerously
signed requisition, made to Captain D. Dunilas, R.N.,
Clerk of the Ordnance, the particulars of which we
gave in our last, had reference to this arrangement.—
colwkh Advertiser.