The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-20 00:00:00

THE SU

------"•
plain, in the best possible parade order. No sooner had the
Carlists reached the houses than they valiantly began
to fire away from behind them. It was a decided
case of pusillanimity and bravado on both sides. I was
close to of General Oraa, who commanded in conse-
quence of General Espartero's illness during the whole
affair. He was justly incensed at the conduct of the ca-
valry, by which so fine an opportunity had been lost of cut-
ting off the whole Carlist column. He dispatched an aide-
de-camp to reprimand the officer commanding, who sent
a message back saying that all he begged was that the Ge-
neral would release him from the command of a set of cow-
ards, who, at the critical moment, and when he was cheer-
ing them on to attack the enemy, refused to advance."
History records many instances of armies which were
seized with a sudden panic at the sight of an enemy,
and who fled, when to stand would have been to con-
quer ; but our memory serves us but indifferently,
if history record an instance of arrant poltroonery
equal to this. It is SMOLLET'S duel between the
Physician and the Painter magnified, and realized
in the instance of two armies. The Chistinos
curvetted their horses, and the Carlists levelled
their, muskets—the belligerents on both sides with
*their teeth chattering like a pair of castanets, and
quaking with terror lest their opponents should not
be the first to scamper off beyond the range of a fire
of musketry. The cowardice of the QUEEN'S troops,
and the indecision of ESPARTERO, are the two great
causes of the long protraction of the siege of Bilboa.
ESPARTERO is fit for nothing but the office of a drill-
serjeant. He has no grasp of mind, and no de-
cision of character. He is only a great soldier
in his appearance, which is replete with martial
dignity. His features have all the rigidity of marble,
and his heart is a stranger to every compassionate feel-
ing ; but he has none of the requisites for a great Ge-
neral. He might have relieved Bilboa three weeks
ago, and he would have done so had he not mo-
mentarily changed the plan of his operations. Per-
sonally ESPARTERO is a brave man, but he labours
under the fatal defect in a soldier, of never precisely
knowing his own mind. More than this, his loyalty
is not above suspicion ; and he has more than once
ventured upon a clumsy imitation of the intrigues of
CORDOVA with a view to influence the policy of the

Cabinet.
The latest advices from Portugalette are of the 12th
inst. On the following day ESPARTERO was to make
another dash upon Bilboa, when he engaged either to
relieve it or to perish in the attempt. We fear there
are few of the QUEEN'S generals reserved for a death
'so glorious. Nevertheless, it is possible that he will
endeavour to retrieve his character by compelling the
Carlists to raise the siege; and if he can force his men
to fight he will certainly succeed.
The Spanish Government has guaranteed the pay-
ment of pensions to the officers and men of the, Bri-
tish Legion who have been wounded, or may receive
wounds., in the service of her Catholic Majesty. Pen-
sions are likewise granted to the widows of such as
have falien,Thr may fall, before the disbanding of that
force. This arrangement, so favourable to the troops,
was effected by Colonel GODFREY with MENDIZA-
BA L during his late mission to the Spanish capital.
As funds are wanted to supply the immediate wants
of the men, it is understood that our Govern-
ment will supply them in the meantime, rather
than suffer the Carlists to possess themselves of
the strong garrison of San Sebastian—which they
could not be prevented from doing were the Legion to
evacuate the town. As to the 10,0001. advanced by
MENDIZABAL to defray the expenses of the Legion,
nothing more need be said than that ten times as much
would fall short of liquidating the Legion's pecuniary
claims upon the Spanish Exchequer.

The Paris papers of Sunday have hll been received.
The Moniteur thus concludes the telegraphic dispatch
of the 13th inst., of which the first part appeared in
our leading columns of yesterday
You will see what you can do for
the Turks and the Spahis.
" The works necessary for the repair of the great part
of the fortifications of Guelma will cost nothing, and will be
executed by the troops, who are all animated by zeal and
goodwill. Guelma is 18 post leagues from. Bona, and 20
from Constantina. It is an advantageous step towards
Constantina, and will serve as a means for weakening—
for destroying Achmet's power, and in obtaining easy pos-
session of the capital.
" TOULON, DEC. 13, 4 O'CLOCK, F. 1.1
" His Royal Highness the Duke de Nemours has ar-
rived in good health on board the Sphinx, which cast an-
chor at three o'clock. The length of the quarantine is not
yet determined on. The Prince engaged a sanitary guard
at Mahon."
In consequence of its being stated in public that
General DE RIGNY was the officer alluded to in
Marshal CLAUSEL'S despatch, as evincing cowardice
in the course of the expedition against Constantina,
the General has requested the Minister of War to in-
stitute an inquiry into his military conduct. There
was a rumour in Paris on Sunday that General TREZEL
had died of the wounds he received during the ex-

pedition.
The recal of Marshal CLAUSEL is again affirmed ;
and also that the Government has resolved upon ano-
ther expedition against Constantina. Did we not pre-
dict this ? Did we not assure our readers that the
recal of the Marshal was the great object of the KING
throughout this affair ? We were confident that the
expedition was secretly urged on, in the hope that it
would prove unsuccessful. Thus the KING, to dis-
grace an African Viceroy, sacrifices the lives of four
thousand of as gallant soldiers as ever paced the fields
of France I And all to effect by an intrigue what an
honest statesman would accomplish by a sentence paci-
fically penned in his Cabinet.
The following important article relative to the affairs
of Spain is copied from a Paris Journal of Sunday :
" We are told that Mr. Ellice has had an explanation with
the French Government, in the name of the British
Cabinet, on several points relating to the affairs in
Spain, and which will be submitted to the sanction of
Parliament. It appears that Mr. Villiers has con-
cluded with M. de Calatrava a convention, in addition
to the treaty of the quadruple alliance in two articles
The first obliging the British Government to clothe,
feed, and pay an English legion of 10,000 men ; the second,
insuring to the Government of the Queen, as long as the
Pretender shall not be expelled the Spanish territory, a
monthly subsidy of 40,0001. (one million of francs), the pay-
ment of which is to commence on the Ist of next February,
if previously the Parliament gives its assent to this con-
vention. In that case it has even been promised verbally
that the subsidy shall be increased next spring to 60,0001.
(1,500,000 fr.) The convention which regards the legion is,
it is said, on the point of execution ; that corps will soon be
re-organized, and put on the footing agreed upon. It is
also said that a secret article exists by which England has
reserved to itself the power of keeping a garrison at St.
Sebastian, till the entire payment of what Spain may owe
her by the new convention. Many add that the journey of
the Duke of Orleans to Brussels is connected with the affairs
of the Peninsula."
'We have no authority for pronouncing the above
statement true or false, and will therefore decline, for
the present, to give expression to our opinions're-
speeting it. We do trust, however, that if our Go-
(vieerlinvien:nsaintp
resolve, even at the eleventh hour, to
from the Carlists, her aid will be given
in the slilayp u
e of men
of
rather than in that of money.
A n t
forty thousand pounds, or even
of twice that amount, would be of no more use than a
subsidy of an hundred reals--so long as Spain is left
osoi
to depend upon the loyalty of her Generals, and the
bravery of her troops. Spain wants soldiers much
money—searce as is that more than she wants
com-
modity in the Peninsula.

In consequence of an exchange of property having
taken place between the Dean and Chapter and the Warden
and Fellows of Winchester, an entire new range of build-
ings are about to be erected for the accommodation of the
scholars of that ancient establishment. The College have
agreed to appropriate 5,0001. to this purpose, and the re-
mainder is expected to be made up by subscription among
the Wykehamists.