The Sun.
London, England, 1823-04-08 00:00:00

FRENCH FLEET IN TILE WEST INDIES•

We extract the following important intelligence
from the Dublin correspondent, received this
morning.— Although the British force is inferior
to the French in number of guns and the rate of
the ships, it is sufficient for giving a good account

of the latter, if any thing hostile be in con-
templation. Commodore 0 W EN'S squadron is
in the best condition. The French are chief-
ly old ships, and are not in the best possible
state for action. It is highly probable that the
French squadron will make an attempt upon
Cuba ; . but sas the occupation of that Island
would give absolute command over the trade
with the Leeward Islands, we have not the least
• to
doubt that Commodore OWEN has instructions
resist any enterprize which may be undertaken
against that pdssession of Spain. Greilt Britain
cannot suffer Cuba to fall into the hands of any
great Naval Power.

CORK, APRIL 4.
Intelligence from the 'West Indies has just reached 110, the
ers at once.
intrinsic importance of which must strike our read
The brig Hawk, Jour; ROE, master, has arrived in our he-
bour in thirty days from Barbadoes. A little before she sailed
a French spy-boat from Martinique arrived, obviously dis-
patched to reconnoitre the strength of our naval force on tint
station. This purpose did'not escape the vigilance of Coro'
dore OWEN, who immediately
sent the Forte frigate to ing
tinique, to ascertain the number of French ships of war V
in that Harbour. The report of the French force made by
the
RomulusFo is a o
74 ;Vestal,
:
, Vestal, 64 ; Jean d'Acre, 66; licrmione, 4't,,t
Thetis, 44 ; Neride, 44 ; Mozelle, 44 ; L'Oenie, 44 ;
L'Egerl"
Air-

44.
Besides the above formidable squadron, in a time of ilve/,
the following French frigates, of the largest class, west hail,'
expected : —Guerierr, Circe, and Cleopatra.
It is difficult to suppose that the French Government would
maintain so powerful a naval force in the West Indies, with
out having some decided political object in View ; and as we au
not choose to suspect it of being so preposterous in all its speca-
lations and projects as to meditate a quarrel on the ocean with
England, we arc led to conjecture that some design is metlitsuti
against Cuba--and we confess,for our parts, that we do believe tl'e
acquisition of this noble Island to be at bottom is main incite.
ment to the quarrel with Spain. But in this we apprehend thae
French Government will be utterly disappointed—for Eng!
cannot permit such a territory as Cuba to be appropria th
ted I,
the will of the Cabinet of the Thuileries—notwithstanding
our naval force at Barbadocs is inferioT to that of the French a

The following vessels compose the British
Martinique. t Dar'
•
bado'es, and on the
At Barbad
,„. . oes—The Gloucester, 74, -11 ' 'O6 surence;
48, "31T J. Cochrane; Ph t ,38 Stuart ; Eden,. 514
and Hellican, 10, Darki 4 cm
' '26,
On the Station—Pyramus, ns.
38, Newcome ; Valorous,
~.,,
,Murray_.; Eske (slonpl2B,Lee 'Warren ; Bellette (brii,!),Lu
and Ica."'"
',can ; Surinam, 18, ' 1 -10, Rich ;
re ey; Bustard,
10, Matthews. ,clops,
The brig Hawk spoke in lat. 28. long. 46. the brig , tc,
master, bolo',
of a,
17
from Madeira, G114114112'
Cuba, 17 days from her port. ' squadron a

theZirANo:Ancit —B-I.—.—The Greek
le Guiph of Corinth still continues, but 0
up by these
welve vessels which formed the squadron, on t
two and a fire-ship remain'. The blockade iceP.
9 several_
ships is merely nominal, a
vessels have entered the Gulf, and delivered
arrived safe. Some English, vessels bare
at Patras with cargoes of provisions.
13lockade
BREST, MARCH es.—Several frigates are
011 T
atthen out
this Port, among the
Flora, whici
will sail in a few days.

sufficient authority
Sir."re have been t his Egce. uiyl► the
..._—..esso.--._..i6forrned
that
ileacY
THOMAS MAITLAND is abont to reliwilos out
Government of the lonian Isles, but we Inltiiis
to
report.
The M • at;►tit's'
Madrid papers contain a notice 0,0101
that_ the Board for the management of the No' ail
Loans has removed to Seville, and directing
„tit
personso who have business with the estublistolhe
t write to the managers in that city where,tily
obligations icta
of the Board will be Pli-
f - tell u 3 ed.. vouch for the truth of
t be
Amory,
„ the curious events of the day, n'ilt.' hi
reckonedir the appearance of a l'aroPl)/%bi to
coyis XVIII., giving an account of a!►P 1/I,.6viiicl,
.I°blentz, 1791. It describes the mode in 01
t►e escaped from the Luxembourg 111;1"ce.11 lie
relates all the incidents of his journeY ti
l!
the Austrian territory• : LtO re'
We bear that it has become expedien-to the
appoint Sir JOHN MALCOLM AMIRISSO"Lr
Court of Persia.—(Harnpshire TelegraPP./1 who
has
SOUTHA.MPTON, Aran. 5.—A G 01001,31,0,1
_ just arrived here from a tour through France, braTioy 0
ligence that it i 1 exceedingly probable the French a v 0101
never cross the Pyrenees, as it is likely they 111/19'.11i14,,t°
work on their hands elsewhere ,1 they w►ll pent.l 0 '-'
Perform. He describes the peop,l , wherever he w„, 0 sig..in
ceedingly diitaffected to the war, eand (which is A .111):Tt lel,,
of the times" under such a Government) as rot arrto` '4 1-
their opinion. The very idea of their GoverninenVo,
war with England is universally laughed at by the LisiciDO'
DREADFUL ATTEMPT AT MURDER ASP ,'"ir AlO4
—As Sir CHARLES BASIFYLDE WO '!;tertill
Montague-square, about half-past four Yes trine•
he was shot at by n man' whopoel‘et'
diately drawing another pistol frony'i„ th°
placed the muzzle in his mouth and P":l.iieif
Lis I)°``) ' t
upper part of his head away. 1_ ~stroe /
lies at the Westmoreland Antis, Get,;rgi;:, .100,9,
Manchster-square, picked up it '.` 0,0,e 0"
and a man of the name of Johnsoo
°sea not to
entered Sir Charles's side, but is sill a, bane,
be mortal, as he was enabled to voi'llier,.--
Ws boodlgerc
stemming the blood with a •
Jealousy is the imputed cause.