The Sun.
London, England, 1833-02-18 00:00:00

OPORTO, FEB. 4.

Now for the few facts that have occurred since my last of the
`29th. Admiral Sartorius has not conic on shore, but there are
accounts from him. It is denied that the fleet did not obey the
signal to them when made, but that, on the contrary, they bore
down on the instant. The fact of mutiny is, however, indis-
putable, and 15,000 dollars are in readiness to be sent out to
appease the discontent, but the weather has been so bad as not
to allow of the transmission of the money. The army has been
newly organized, as you will perceive by the Cronica, No, 29.
The Duke of Terceira is to command the Ist division, consist-
ing of three brigades, with the Queen's Lancers, and a
brigade of. light artillery of 4 guns, howitzers and 3 hill guns.
The 2d division, under Count Saldanha, to consist also of three
brigades of infantry, with the 10th cavalry (about 50 horses), and
the same proportion of artillery as the first. The 3d division,
to be commanded by General Stubbs, to consist of two bri-
' gades, the first consisting of the British, and second of the Ist
and 2d regiments Queen's Light Infantry, with the 11th ca-
valry (about 50 horses), and a brigade of artillery oft six and
4 nine pounders and 2 howitzers, with the reserve park of field
artillery. The Queen's Light Infantry consist of the French
and other foreigners. The Ist is composed chiefly of French,
the 2d of Belgians, Germans, and people of almost every nation,
save English, Portuguese, and French. This latter regiment
does not seem likely to prove very beneficial, as several deser-
tions have taken place from it, whole pickets having gone over
together. Telles Jordan had a flag fixed near Lordello as the
point at which all the British and French were to present them-
selves ; at least so he made his people believe. This was dis-
covered, and means taken to prevent any mischievous conse-
quences, but some, I regret to confess, have resulted. The
enemy must have agents both active and daring in the neigh_
bourhood of the Fez and Lordello, but none I fear so injurious
as the want of pay, and the quality of provisions within our lines.
This will be manifest when you learn that the contagion has
spread to the British battalions, from which parties of four,
three, and six, have deserted on Thursday, Friday, and Satur-
day nights. On the other hand, while seine of the enemy were
amusing themselves on Wednesday plundering a house at Lor_
dello, they were surprised by a picket of French and striven off,
leaving three of their number dead. Captain George, of the
navy, with a feeling which does him credit, has volunteered,
in consideration of the present exigencies to serve without pay.
He is to have the command of the gunboats now preparing,
the first of which is called the Solignac. Captain Warner, of
whose new artillery great hopes were entertained, has made
a similar offer, with the gratuitous expenditure of all his
materiel, provided he is allowed the proper means of putting
his plans in execution ; if not, lie goes home. I much wish
that some of the vessels with fodder, which are off, could land
even part of their cargoes, as that brought from England is
exhausted, and Indian grass, with oats damaged by seas rater,
produce a bad effect upon the horses. Fresh decrees have been
published against forestallers, and no one is now allowed to
purchase aught that may be landed until it arrives within the
city. I mentioned some time ago that a subscription fur the
poor was on foot, and am now happy to say that means have
been taken to supply them with food, an object most desira-
ble, especially when cholera has begun to commit its ravages.
The Government has given the Carmelite convent as a depot,
and the preparations are now nearly complete for the distribu-
tion of soup, &c. Speaking of cholera, I must observe that
the Consul will not give clean bills of health any longer,
and this has caused some murmurs; but of course he must
do his duty. Admiral Parker having heard of the distressed
condition of the poor, sent one hundred cruzados as his
subscription towards their relief. The officers of the
squadron here (1;(1 not wait for his example to come forward in
the same good cause. As to provisions, they continue ex.
tremely high, and of inferior quality : poor beef cannot be had
under 15 or 10 vintems the pound; it has not been for some
time, except very rarely, served out in rations; the substitute
is baccalao. There has been a small rise in the price of this
latter article, but nothing to indicate approaching scarcity,
which would not be the case were the reports well founded, that
there is not more than three weeks' consumption in the town.
No doubt the feeding exclusively upon this food and rice must
cause a great inroad upon the stock in hand, but I trust there
still remains enough for the subsistence of the army and the
population to last a considerable time yet. There is almost a
fleet of ships with stores off the coast ; and as the weather has
moderated this morning, we may soon hope for a supply. The
enemy will, I know, take every pains to prevent this, and
mortars have been placed in both the Cabodello batteries with
this view. There are, as nearly as may be, three quarters of a
mile from the landing-place under the light-house, the Sam-
payo rather more than a mile, and the Castel do Quejo at the
other side on the beach three-quarters of a mile. There are no
guns upon the Castro hill, the summit of which is about a
third of a mile from the shore, nor do the enemy seem disposed
to erect any works there, ah.hough they have a great number of
men digging intrenchments to flank the valley, that must be
crossed, to attack it, or the Quejo. Miguel's troops, in every
respect save that of provisions, are infinitely worse off than
those of Don Pedro. Except a few pet regiments, they are
in a wretched plight as to clothes and shoes, while the troops
here are well and warmly secured from the weather; and as
to pay, the Miguelites have not received any for five months.
They were, I have the best reason for believing, on the eve
of open revolt, on this account, but I much fear the desertions,

particularly of the English, and the evil reports which runa-
ways always give of their last quarters, may prevent any ex-
plosion from taking.place.
On Saturday another and nearly a fatal mistake, to give it
the mildest term, occurred. Captain Belcher, with one of the
Etna'e boats, landed at the Foz, and crossed to the light-house,
for the purpose of endeavouring to put the officer, with his
despatches, on board the Rhadamanthus, and to bring in, i
possible, the mails left by the Savage. Having in vain at_
tempted to effect their object, the party returned to their tort
near the Foz, and were not agreeably-surprised by-three shots
from the Sampaio battery, one of which went very close to the
boat, and another barely cleared the heads of the men amidships.
They stood immediately over to the battery, where Captain Bel.
cher landed, and reproached the officer in command with
the outrage which had been committed. A remonstrance
was sent by the senior officer to General Lemos, but Santa
Martha, although at the north side, anticipated the arrival of
the complaint, as he sent a letter of apology, with a copy
of the officer's report from the battery, before he could have
had Captain Glascock's letter. The sum of it was this—
that a Brazilian boat had shortly before gone to the same place,
at which they fired ; that soon afterwards a boat under sail, and
without any flags visible to them, came from the spot, and
they fired to bring her to. This was reiterated by General
Lemos the same evening, with the assurance that exclusive of
good feeling there was nothing his King's Government took
such pains to prevent as in any way compromising themselves
with the British Government, and that it it was not possible
to distinguish whether there were any flags when they were
rolled up or covered by a sail. The General went farther, in
which, however, I don't agree with him, though lam sure he
was sincere as to the policy, namely, that they had suffered
rebel vessels to pass both in and out of the river sooner than
hazard any species of dispute with the British Government.
The real state of the matter I believe to have been pretty
nearly, as they gave it; a Brazilian boat did go down ; the
bar boat had not before carried sail, the flags were fastened
to the leeches of the sails, and that they might not be per.
ceptible to the people on the batteries. I can only say it was
very lucky that there was no loss of life.
The list of sequestrations for the month of January amount
to 158, and, with those in December, make in all 254. The
English Ist battalion has mutinied again to.day.
FEBRUARY s.—Desertion again from the English, and
to a greater extent than on any previous occasion. So far
has the practice gone, that the men openly tell their officers
that they will go over. I suppose, in consequence of this, that
the British are now on guard allong the qnay walls. The.offi-
cers of the Scotch battalion have volunteered their services
without pay. From the constant repetition of these mutinies
• the Government are at length exerting themselves seriously
to clear off the arrears.—Times.

LISBON. FEB. 4.

OFFICIAL.-(COPY.)

" Most Illustrious and Excellent Senhor,—l have the honour
to transmit to your Excellency, to be communicated to his
Malesty, the report made to me by the Major-General com-
manding the Second Division of the centre, of the 24th of this
month. The rebels having advanced by the road from Oporto
to Foz, began a well supported fire to protect a reconnoissance
on our extreme right, upon which their left made a terrible
fire, with the view of decoying in our out-posts, and of bat-
tering Fort Queigo ; but having advanced in the direction of
Lordillo and Navogilde, only so far as our videttes retreated
on their respective piquets, the latter maintained their posi-
tions till some of our light troops and the Ist Regiment of
Elvas, part of that of Braganza, and the Militia of Francozo,
advancing to the music of the Royal hymn, repulsed and pur-
sued them to the house called Do Pasteleine, towards Oporto,
and to the position of La Foz, and this under a brisk fire of
artillery. The broken ground hindered our cavalry from
taking an earlier part.

" The enemy left behind a good many killed and wounded,
and nine prisoners, including a surgeon of the English regi-
mer.t. Their loss is estimated at 150 to 200 men. We have to
lament the loss of the brave Major H. da Silva Teixeira Pinto,
of the Royalist Volunteers of Merandella, who fell while bravely
advancing to the enemy, as he had often done before.
" The corps engaged behaved with greater bravery if possible
than before.

" The Viscount de SANTA MARTHA,
" Commander.in-Chief.
" Head-quarters, Agoas Santa, Jan. 29.
"'l'o his Excellency, Conde da Barbacina."
(The report of Major-General Tellez Jordao gives the same
particulars, only more in detail.)
It says also, " Our right on the Monte Costro to Fort Queigo,
was assailed from the beginning of the action by a heavy fire
from the enemy's ships ; that fort seemed to be their chief ob-
ject ; it kept up such a well-directed fire, that it did them some
damage, and dismasted one of the frigates. We know that
they landed some wounded."

The report states the loss of the Royal army at 20 killed, 4
wounded, 32 slightly wounded, and three contused.—Lisbon
Gazette, Feb. 5.
LISBON, FEB. S.—Accounts from Braga of the sth, an.
nounce that his Majesty and the Infantas continue to enjoy
good health.--Lisbon Gazette, Feb. g.
(The Gazette contains no further accounts, official or private,
from the army.)