The Sun.
London, England, 1803-09-29 00:00:00

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THE SUN.

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LONDON, SEPTEMBER )9, 1803.

YestEttp4Y two Vessels reached the Downs,
the Coontar of Elgin Armed Cuttitr, and the Tar.
tar Revenue Cotter, with Dispatches for Admiral
I.,lrti KEITH from the Squadron employed in the
B :rnbardment of Calail. The account which' they
brit% is, that on Tuesday night the Town of Ca.
laic was on fire in two or three different places.—
It does not appear, however, that the Gun.boats
in the Harbour had received much damage ; for
yesterday morning a Flotilla'of these Boats, to the
number of twenty or more, came out, of the Hat.

hor, with an intention apparently of standing away
to the Eastward, but perceiving some of our Squa.
',lron in that quarter, they altered their destination,
and shaped their course for Bolope. Our Ships

pursued, and eoon came up with them, and a very
warm Cannonading commenced, which probably was
cont►noed till night; and the result of which we

hope wilt be the destrudion of the Enemy's Flotilla,
The following are the Letters which .we have this
morning received from our Correspondent& at Dower
and Arai, upon this subjeEl.

Dom', Sept. 28.

This morning a Flotilla of Gun-boats (about 25
in number), were seen to come out of Calais liar.
boor, and appeared at ferst to have an intention to
piloceed to the Eastward, but very soon afterwards
(I;robably from some of the Squadron which yester.
day bombarded Calais appearing in sight in the
E istward), they were • seen shaping their course
along.shOre 'towards Boulogne, They were soon
discovered by the •Squadron, and between eleven
and lwelve o'clock a firing was commenced on
them by the headmost Vessels, and'. shortly af.
texwards the whole of the Squadron was observed to
be firing upon them very briskly. The gOn..boats
could plainly be perceived within our Ships, and the
latter standing as close in as possible, notwithstand.
ing a tremendous fire kept up by the numerous Forts
along the French Coast. From every point of land
I.vhieb the Squadron approached, fresh flatteries
were seen to open on them. The fire from the
Squadron was kept up with uncommon spirit. One
or the Frigates and a Gun-brig were constantly en-
veloped in smoke. Without exaggeration, the
whole of the French Coast, extending front the
cliff's at the westward of Calais to the entrance into
Boulogne Bay, was one,contioued line of smoke, and
the wind being to the Eastward, almost every gun
was heard at Dover. About half past two, the
Squadron, which was then standing into Boulogne
Bay, in full chase of the Boats, and still keeping up
an unremitting fire, began to dhappear. No doubt
is'entertained here, but that most of the Gun-boats
will he driven on shore, or destroyed. •

The Signal of the Enemy being in sight, has been
flying ever since morning ; an4l it is reported that a
considerable ernhekation has taken place at Ostend,
but we know not on what foundation. A very great
alarm ar7t hustle have however prevailed all day in
the 'Fawn, which has pot been a little increased by
tine Volunteer Artillery and Sea Fencibles having
been called to their Alarm Posts. Certain that if
!lie Enemy were in a state of reparation, and had
In!lY made up his.mind to the attempt, the present
wind and weather are the moss favourable for. his
purpose he can wish.

„~...

Deal, Sip:. 28.

Arrived the Countess of Elgill Armed Cutter, and
the Tartar ReVentie Cutter, with Dispatches for the
Adniiral from the Squadron bombarding Calais :
they bring an account that the Town: wag on fire
brat night in two or three different places ; and this
rriJining the qun-vessels came out of the.flarbour,
and the Sluadron were engaging them ; there were
supposed to be about twenty of them. A very
bedvy cannonading is still kept up, the smokes of
Which is plainly seen ,frucn hence.

AN mta seems to have prevailed for the last day
or two, that BODLArARTII seriously intends very
wectlily to put his threat of Invasion into execution,
tp", the prevalence of this idea may be imputed
the considerable depression which yesterday took
nce. in the F►►nds. It will likewise be teen, that
the:.,citOutostrince of a small Flotilla of gun-boats
enmity Out of Calais, joined to a report that a
lafger had sailed from Osiend, occasioned at Dover
2:iesort to the wise, aid we doubt not, efficacious
tiledistirts of defence which have been established on
that part of the Coast. The Sea Fenci¢les and the,.
Volunteers repaired to their respdtive alarm.

posts, and ;very thing was in r.eadsoess tor ,at
warm reception of the Enemy, The wind 'and
weather were both favourable for his attempt, but
we much doubt that he is yet in a state of readi-
ness to make it. These gun-boats which came out
of Calais, are probably the same which a few days
ago got into that Harbour, favoured by the mo.
mentary absence of our Cruisers from that particu,
lar part of the Coast. They ventured out yester-
day mornin4, to shew our Squadron, no doubt, that
their Bombardment had not had the desired died
of destroying the whole
.of them, and they pro.
bably wished to se4e the interval of a eessa.,
tian of the Attack upon them, to get into a
place of greater security, If these are the feel-
ings of Frenchmen, and such the line of con.
dud which they are compelled to adopt, for
what different circumstances must they not wait
till they can carry into cffed their boasted plan of
Invasion ? We conclude that the Bombardment of
Calais Harbour was not so effectual and complete
as was probably expeded, from the circumstance
of so many of the French Gun-boats issuing after it
from that Port, but we have no doubt of some
damage having been dooe to the Enemy's prepara,
lions, From these Boats, however, being obliged,
upon their corning out, to alter their destination
upon our Ships making their appearance, we are
confirmed in our opinion that secgr;ty was more the
()hied of their movement than annoyance to us,
It has uniformly been nor object, however, to
warn our Countrymen against the dangers of a false
security. Let us continue to ad here as if the pre.
paratit.ms of the Enemy were in reality formidable,
so shall we he prepared for his most vigorous and
desperate efforts, and-place our Country in a state of
the most assured safety. The Spirit of the Nation
is roused, anti it wants :but-proper judgment and.
vigour to direct• it to the most glorious achieve.
ments. Of the suceessful,-Defence of the Country
against all hostile attetriet, we feel ;he strongesi
confidence, but we hOpe the high and martial Spirit
of the Nation Will not be confined within the stag,
pang limits of mere Defensive Operations,

Some further Letter, ate issued by Qovemment,
on the subjettt of the VOLUNTESRs, and the Opinion
of the Crown Lawyers has been taken upon thc
proper construaion of the Mts which Ministers
themselves framed and introduced. That Opinion
is distinguished by impactiality and sound sense.r.
the only litnsatipd that can arise upon this occasion
in the mind of any man, is surprize that it should
be necessary to have resort .to Legal Opinion and
Advice for the construnion of an Mt of Parliaments
which should rave been level to the meanest ca-
pacity

No person is entitled to Exempion from MN!,
unless his name shall have been regularly returned in
the Muster-Rohl transmitted to the Lord Lieute.
nant, or Clerk of .the General Meetings of the
County, at the times, in the manner, and certified
by his Commandant upon //coroArr, as prescribed by
the sEscutes 4zat, c. and 4.3 d, C. tar, of
present Majesty,

In the present Circular, •of the Secretary of
State to the Lords Lieutenants of Counties, it is
strongly stated, as indeed it ought to be, that a
non.compliance with the established Regulations,
and 4.negled of attendance at Muster and titercise,
are to be considered 84 a clereliaion of the Ser.-
viee, and that consequently all Exemptions, 4.9
plying to persons so acing, cease. When call_
ed out into Mlnal Service, Volunteers become of
course subjdt to all the Provisions anti Penal.
ties of the Mutiny Mt. This Letter likewise
itiktes, that notwithstanding, th! difficulty of pro.
'viding Arms and Ammunition for such a lare
increase o( the Miliutry Force of the Kingdom, such
have been the exertions of the Ordnance, that a con.
siderable proportion of Muskets are now in a course
of delivery ; and that Sabres and Pistols lot the Ca,.
valry, and Pikes to any amount, may now be obtain.
ed upon a proper application.
We will .confess, we could Wish that the Pike
were more generally Adopted. To those Corps that
are only now forming, and of these there are 'a, con.
siderable number, we would recommend' the aril).
lion of the Pike, for their rear tank particularly.
If the Invasion is to he made, it will probably be
made soon, before the raw Corps of Volunteets'can
acquire a sufficient knowledge of the Musket to
enable them to be of real utility in the field. If
their font rank only were composed of tuniketry,
and their rear of Pike men, we think they would
jdier more useful, and they would find such applica.,
tion of their physical strength more comenient to
themselves. We be leave to impress this renvirk
upon the consideration of the Officers and Leaders
of such Volunteer Corps as are yet only is
,•their infancy ; and these, to answer the purpose,
of their formation, have certainly not a moment to,
lose in acquiting 40tne knowledge 'At least, of miii.
tary evolutiom