The Sun.
London, England, 1833-03-09 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM OPORTO<

(Abridged from the Times Private Correspondent.)
" OPORTO, THURSDAY, FEB. 9.1.

" It gives me pleasure to say that in one, and the main point
of view, looked to by the military men here, our position is im-
proved. lam informed by the most competent judges that the
communication with the Foz is secure, and cannot be cut off'
by the enemy, however he may annoy us in the transport of
stores, &c. The Yellow Quinta and other points are every
hour becoming stronger, and work goes on both day and night.
General Saldanha commands the line from Carvalhido to the
Foz, and he makes the men labour hard, while at the same
time they do it cheerfully, as he is very popular, and the men
are greatly animated by his constant presence and agreeable
manner. It is not the present intention of Marshal Solignac to
attack the enemy, but to content himself with securing free ac-
cess to the sea until the expected reinforcement of 2,500 men
shall have landed, when he will be in a position to take the field
with effect. The Lord of the Isles, with 200 men, and
believe other ships with troops, were in Vigo Bay, and
we may now expect them hourly, and the attempt to land
must necessarily bring on an action. In the mean time,
the enemy proceed with their works on every side The
*hots from Furada, which pass the Marca, reach a quarter
of the town hitherto tolerably secure (the Cadofeita)
to which the Emperor shifted his residence, as well as most of
the Government offices, when the shells compelled his depar-
ture from the Carrancas Palace ; and yesterday several 181 b.
bullets struck the houses, one into the windows of the Found-
li Hospital, and one into a door opposite the Consul's, while
many passed over into the higher part of the town. An officer
was wounded and a man killed at the Corrego, and two
men were wounded at the Terra Marca. To-day we are quiet,
perhaps in preparation for some attack to-morrow, the anniver-
sary of Miguel's return to Portugal in 18:3. The condition of
the town cannot, as you may be sure, improve, and that of the
poor is deplorable, although the distribution of food has in some
degree relieved them. The statement made last night by Go-
vernment was, that there still remained six months' stock of
rice, and 140 bullocks A most extraordinary proclamation
appeared a day or two since, under the present circumstances,
namely an order fixing the maximum price for all the
necessaries of life, and one directly at variance with
the practice of the Government themselves. Oil,
for instance, is not to exceed three testoons the
quartillo, while the Government would give four with
pleasure, could they procure any. The result is what might
have been expected. The small shopkeepers have shut up
their houses, denying they possess anything, and then as a
remedy for this, information or espionnage is allowed, and
wherever any of these are discovered, they are to be sold
at this maximum. By a decree of the day after the fixing of
the maximum this is not to extend to any goods hereafter to
be landed. A despatch from Viscount Santarem to Mr. Hopp.
ner, at Lisbon, has caused some discussion here, and a meeting
of the parties chiefly interested was held yesterday at the Con.
sul's, to take the subject into consideration. It relates to the
application made to Miguel's Government to allow the ship-
ment of wines from Villa Nova. Miguel's Government, with
a hypocritical desire to testify their anxiety • for the welfare
of British interests, consent to allow the wines to be shipped.
The Savage, with mails from Lisbon, arrived off the bar yes-
terday, but it was impossible to communicate with. her. The
Hope transport, with coals for the squadron, has also arrived.
Miguel's General said, that the Hope could not be allowed to
come in, because as similar refusals had been made to other
nations, such a permission would lead to just reclamation from
them, and that it would be in fact a raising of the blockade as
to all nations. She would, however, be permitted to unload
at Ovar or Villa de Conde, from whence the Echo steamer could
draw, as occasion required, fresh supplies for the squadron.
Two Englishmen were yesterday apprehended in the act ofgoing
over, but I am glad to tell you, that as a body they are much
more contented than for a long time past. All who work at
the new intrenchments receive four vintems a dayadditional,
and this, with constant employment, keeps them in excellent
humour. fhe " morale" of the rest of the troops is also ex-
cellent, and if we can but succeed in landing provisions and
men, we shall still hold out without any fear from assault. I
have not time to add more, as the Echo is under weigh.

“ G. D.,.

(From the Morning Herald.)
" FALMOUTH, MARCH 7.

" His Majesty's schooner Pike, Lieutenant Brooking, ar-
rived this afternoon from Lisbon, whence she sailed on the
27th ; she called off Oporto on the following day, and commu-
nicated with his Majesty's ship Druid, then lying off the bar,
and received from her the mail, which the last packet was to
have brought home to the date of the 21st ult. No written de-
tails of events have been received by this vessel subsequently to
that date, a continuance of bad weather prevailed, and the effects
of it had been much feltby the Pedroite army, as it had proved
a prevention to supplies of fresh meat being landed, and they
have for some time been compelled to make use of bread, rice,
1 dry fish, as the only provisions for subsistence. Notwith-
standing the deprivations of the Constitutional army, their
ardour for the cause is equal to what it ever has been, and they
folly calculate on their future attempts proving successful
tines, Sickness to an alarming extent is still said to prevail
in the Royalist Army ; amongst the troops at Aveiro it had
proved very fatal.
Sartorius, with his fleet, had arrived at Corunna. On their
entrance the Spanish authorities issued orders for their im-
mediate departure, and, in the event of non-compliance,
threatened to fire on them ; but, through a remonstrance
made by the Captain of his Majesty's ship St. Vincent, then in
that port, they were at last allowed to remain there for shelter.