The Sun.
London, England, 1826-12-28 00:00:00

LOCH ETTRICK.

Loch Ettrick has been long celebrated for its many wonders,
and chaunted in many a lay for its picturesque appearance. But
neither celebrity nor song has given it that immortality which it
gained it few nights ago. Those, who are acquainted with the
parish of Closebutn, will know that an embankment was made
several years since on the southern extremity of the Loeb, for the
ptirpose of having a constant supply of water for -ths.machinery,
at Closeburn Litrp.workr. On the evening of Wednesday sten-
night, about seven o'clock, the embankment gave way, and an fin-
mense body of water rushed down the glen, sweeping all before it.
The loth covers an area of fintrteen acres, and at that time,
had an average depth of seven feet of water pressing against the
enibinkment; so that, when an outlet wee forced, 197,000 cubic
yard* of water, in the space of four minutes, issued from the loch.
Its course was at first much inclined, and tharefrre very rapid—
tearing up,' and sweeping away the heathery turf; the till, and
frvein the very rocks ; some of the rocks were thirty and forty
stones in weight, and such was the torrent's power, that they
seemed like very feathers in this awful rush of waters; dikes,
and projecting pieces of ground twenty fret in height, were
!tietfectual barriers.• They tied before it, for devastation was
it,, tarch.• After a course of one mile, it reached 44vc/iy rait's
.1,444_011kb is very strait and crooked, and then its wrath
increased. The lieu is about one hundred feet deep, and
in some places uot more than SO feet wide. The chasm could
nut enutinn the torrent, and adown it, it roared anti gurgled,
crested with many a wreath, of spray, sweeping over the upland in
long and loud sounding billows. With the tone and majestic
sound thereof the trees shook with sad affright.—the groom, trews
bled; as if under an earthquake's throe—and the glen echoed, in
a full and deep-toned spies!, Ae angry and blustering vociferation*
of the unbridled torrent. The Whole valley heard the unearthly
sound, and, though full of terror .end dismay to the bleating
sheep, was the harbinger of weal to the inhlklanis around. TwO
or three houses stand at the opening of the glen ; pRtl fortunately
for the in-dwellers, a joiner, who at present resides In one of
there, was out of doors at the time; hearing the sound, rte ran
in, ,anti. alarmed the others. The father was then seen running
front iiestructian with his children in his arms, and the mother
with the lisping babe at her Ineast : they all narrowly escaped.
death, ik-Wadlng through an are: of the torrent, which came
reund The east end of the house—a moment longer, anti they would
have ,berome . the - playthings of the flood; out of danger, they
stood nn the hill side, anti, in silent horror, eyed a 4A•ewiful and
destructive, yet a sublime and gloriene Beene. The torrent struck
the byre, which contained three cows' and two swine, and swept
them all sway ; the roof gloated down the Read for twenty yards;
the swine and one cow, in some way, got safely out ; but the
other two fell victims. A hay-titaek and hail-yard wart 41g0 car-
ried off, of which no vestige is to be wen. The dwelling-iionse
was:saved, by having a milk-house built to its back, which ward.
frd off the strength of the current.
- -

_ great was the torrent's velocity, and so short its duration,
that though eight, feet deep on the outside of the house, the water
wile only one foot deep within. A farmer In the neighbour
bood, bearfq the sound, and becoming .acquainted with its
Cii.tlltr, inettewl a horse, end gviloped a distance of two miles
ail() a half, es quicisly as whip could drive, to alarm the inhabi-
tants of Blackwood vinage; hut, notwithstanding his speed, it
was there before him, and in making a passage through the
bridge, it undermined part of the north buttress, and has done
it considerable injury. The fanner crossing the bridge, kod
the water deep the "alter; Of ASS village. On his arrival at
the first door, be met, to use his reputed words, " with a
lunch valued article of netturnal use, mat gravely and cere-
moniously attended with two sunsy, well-akluno4 alderman.
cheeses." But more he saw not, for he was stir;aun4ed
by a' host of frantic, inquisitive vitiators, in
a perfect surfeit of
tribulation—some viewing it as a wassail of nature coming down
upon them for their wielodnen--oth" deekking it the prelude
of a general opening up of the deep. " Will the Bush,;
however, returning from the Dumfries market, with light 441.0
carelessness, laughed at their rueful faces, and told them,
" that- Loch Ettrick had just come down as aSPutilth seam
ger, and would save them a round, sound Saturday-night's la-
hour." > Wellm-day, and very right he was ; fig it fIPt only
washed their doors, but also many of their garments stowed up IA
lock-fruit Isresse4w-yea, more, a Wouinlo, hearing the sound of
earning
.waters, ran to the door, and, doing all obeisance to the,
*trawl, floundered flatly on her back ; and as a grand "finale,
an irrational linen chest, awed by the might and tn4esty of' the
/stream, bowed awl bent itself to the ground, and gave up its ro-ifk-
white sou/ to the spirit of Loch Ettriek'+i waters. The damages
;nay he justly estimated at hOO/.

Our correspondent, we understand, has considesAiy over-
estimated the damage *loue by the bursting of Loeb. Ettrick,—
We have authority for saying that 1701. will cover the whole In
incurred..,..Ed.l

" The fretted soul of Willy Wilkin now escaped frona a w3tery
:Gab, rioted in dreadful desolation, and gloried in this ruinous
retrit►utitsn for hi* long, though not unheard-of bondage. It is
.*yea Said, that when the embankment burst, every hill and glen
resounded, the dernonisk—ery—" West done, Wilkie, now's the
iiwur "—Vide Hogg', Poem* fur illustration.....Durifries.tYpurisr.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRENCH PAPERS.
(From the Journal des Debars.)

PARIS, DEC. 24.—We have before observed how much
it is to be regretted, that, in the important circumstances
of the moment, the speeches in the Chamber of Peers have
not been printed. Hence the misinterpretations which
every body more or less informed has given of these
speeches.

What particularly distinguishes the policy of M. tie
Chateanbriand in the Tribune, is a mixture of- constitu-
tional and chivalrous ideas, which particularly sympathise
with the national character, but which, separated from
each other, are liable to objections, and do not thew the
whole man.
Thus, for instane' -ovi the same speech in which the
Noble Peer seems to doubt whether the easus firderis was
arrived for England, we think, we are sure, that there exists
a passage on the Portuguese Charter, conceived nearly in
the following terms :

" I shall never recognize in soldiers the right to make
awl to destroy political institutions—to proclaim and to
overthrow Kings. I like the Portuguese Charter better
than the English Ministers themselves, who speak of it
almost with derision, and who have thought tit to recal Sir
Charles Stuart from his mission for baying conveyed this
Charter to Lisbon. I think that independence supports
independence—that one free people is a guarantee for
another free people. I think that a generous Constitution
cannot be overthrown, in any part of the world, without
striking a blow at the whole human race."

It is impossible to speak with more frankness and
elevation.

(From the Quotidienne of Mon*, Dec. 26.)

PARIS, DEC. 24.—Nobody any longer doubts of the
importance of the events in Portugal. The same journals
which pretended that the enterprize of the Marquis of
Chaves was only an intrigue, begin to perceive how ridi,
culous this expression is. We now see them obliged to
confess the extraordinary progress of the Portuguese
Royalists, and the no less rapid defection► of the English
party at Lisbon.

Every day, every moment, brings us nearer to the de-
nouement of a drama, which is less surprising on account
of the scenes which it has presented, than for the im-
mensity of its results.

We said yesterday, after the letters of our Correspond-
ents, that the Royalist division of the Province of Tras-os-
Montes, after the taking of Braga, had resolved to leave
Oporto, in order to advance more rapidly against Coimbra.
What may have given rise to this account, which we have
repeated, is, the occupation (now very certain) of Coimbra,
which took place on the 11th or 12th of December; but
letters, written on the 15th on the frontiers of Portugal,
affirm that at the same time the Marquess of Chaves had
entered Oporto, the inhabitants of which came out to meet
him, after the embarkation of the Enghalt, who were in
the city.

According to these letters, the occupation of Oporto had
taken place without bloodshed—all parties being agreed to
prevent the arrival of the British troops, and to hinder
them from taking possession of the forts. However, it is
affirmed that the populace had plundered several houses,
formerly inhabited by the English, who have fled.

Since Oporto and Coimbra have at the same time ac-
knowledged the authority of the Infant Don Miguel, it is
evident that it was not the column of the Marquess of
Chaves which entered the latter ; it is probable, therefore,
that it is the column of the Marquess de Monteleagre,
coming by way of Lamego, or that of Brigadier Magessi,
coming from Abrantes, which has taken possession of
Coimbra, unless that city, as letters from Madrid of the
18th affirm, had, of its own accord'," deelared for the
Royalists before their arrival. The -saint: letters from
Madrid say, that the Queen-Motlier' was expected at
Coimbra, where the new liegenettortt the Jan►ta at Go-
vernment will be provisionally esfablished.

Thus, on the 12th December, Oohnbra and Oporto, the
two most important cities in Portugal after Lisbon, no
longer recognise the author ity of the Regency, and the
latter had no army to reduce them to obedience; nay,
more, the Regency itself was menaced in Lisbon, where
the exasperation of the people and the anxiety, of the Go-
vernment were at the height; it is, therefore, not impos-
sible, that at the time the English expedition sailed from
Portsmouth--that is to say, on the 20th December—the
capital of Portugal had thrown off the yoke of England,
and effected the overthrow of the Constitution. In this
case, the English expedition would not be able to land,
either at Oporto or Lisbon. Besides, this armada, on
which the Cabinet of St. James's depends so much to re-
tain Portugal under its domination, has sailed in the most
unfavourable season of the year. The nights are long, and
the days obscured by fogs. The vessels will be obliged
frequently to bring- up, which will protract the voyage ;
there is, besides every appearance that the wind is not fa-
vourable ; who knows if the expedition will not be obliged
to put into some port on the way ? Mr. Canning having
compared himself to the God of the Winds, it would not
be surprising if the true rEolui, jealous of this kind of
usurpation, should open his bags to disperse the English
vessels, were it only to display his power, and cause his
legitimacy to be recognised.

(From the Jourtial de Paris.)

P44NtirpßT ON THE ODER, DEC. 17.--(Private Let-
ter).--Letters from several merchants at Pera, state
that the steps taken by the Ambassadors of the Great
Powers to terminate the affairs of Greece, begin to be so
active as to give a hope that this important negociation
win end satisfactorily.

111spain, DEc. 14.—(From a Private Letter).—Twa
extraordinary couriers came to the English Legation—one
yesterday, the Wher the day before. Since that time, the
negociatlons have resumed; the activity has been sus-
pended since the end of last month; and if we may be-
lieve the reports that have been spread since the arrival
of these pullers, it should seem that we shall soon see the
end of the differences, which, since the invasion of the
Portuguese refugees, have divided Spain,
.England, and
Portugal.

By the English Journals brought by these couriers, we
are made gevainted with the message of the King of
England to the Parliament, Mr. Cunning's speech, and
the preparations making to send troops to Portugal; but
all this, far from producing an unfavonrable sensation, has
tended to convince everybody that the friendly relations
between the three countries will not be interrupted. On
the other hand, it is affirmed, that the instructions re-
ceived by 'Mr. !..finb, by those couriers, enjoin him to
commence fresh negotiations, to induce our Government
to make same agreement with our ancient Colonies. In
all tlie negotiations relative to Portugal, I think Mr.
Lamb will succeed; but as for the Colonies, however
skilful this negarisor rpsq be, I do not believe that he can
flatter himself with the hope of success,