Star.
London, England, 1808-04-13 00:00:00

FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE.

DOWNING-STREET, APRIL 11, 1808.
Dispatches of which the following are Copies, were Yester-
day received by Viscount Castlereagh, one of his Majesty's Prin-
cipal Secretaries of State, from Major-General Sherbrooke,
commanding his Majesty's Troops in Sicily.

Messina, Februati 8, 1808.
My Lord—As an opportunity offers of writing to
England by a private ship, which runs without con-
voy, I profit of the conveyance toinform your Lord-
ship, that his Sicilian Majesty's garrison of Reggio
surrendered to the French on the 3d instant. General

Regnier's operations in Calabria will now, conse-
quently, be directed against Scylla alone; which
place has been invested for nearly six weeks. He
bas been so fortunate as to possess himself of four
Sicilian gun-boats, each carrying a twenty-four
poniader, all of which he has landed. Our greatest
efforts Piave, for a length of time past, been made tot
prevent his bringing battering cannon into this part
of Calabria ; but fortune, by throwing these into his
hands, has rendered our endeavours nugatory.
i ,ka in, former letters I have given ypur Lord-
ship my opinion of what the probaWe fate. of Scylla
must be, when the enemy can bring guns 9f heavy
metal into bath vies against it at breaching distance, it
is needless for tine now to say mere upon the tubjea.
- I -ant extternely stery to inform Tam: Lordship,
that in endtaveuring to recover dteSicilian gun-boats
into the enemy's hands, on the evening of
the 30th ultinie,' the Delight sloop of war most un-
f irtunately got on shore onzheCalabrian coast. It
being found impossible to get her off, she was next
day burnt, to prevent her being of further use to the
enemy.'
It is with the most heartfelt concern I add, 'that
on this melancholy occasion Captain Handfield, (with
several of his ship's company) was killed; and that
Captain Seccombe, of the Glatton (who was at the
time on board the Delight), was very dangerously
wounded, and, with the remainder, made prisoners.
Captain Seccombe was permitted, the next day, to
come over to Messina on his parole, but on the 3d
instant he died of his wounds. I lave she honour
*to be, &c. (Signed) J. C. SuramooKE, Maj. Gen.
Messina, February VS, 1808.
My Lord—l have the honour to state for your
Lordship's information, that I have found it expe-
dient, and, to the best of myjndgment, for the good
of his Majesty's service, to withdraw the British
troops from the castle of Scylla, which was evacu-
ated accordingly by my order on the 17th instant •
the place was immediately entered by the French
trooßs ; and it is now in their possession.
I beg leave also to lay before your Lordship the
inclosed report made to me by Lieutenant-Colonel
Robertson, late Commandant of Scylla, as it con-.
tains a detailed account of the events as they occur-
red, from the 31st December last (theeday on which
the enemy came before the plane), until the time of
its evacuation ; which measure, I am led to hope,
will not only appear to your Lordship to have been
absolutely necessary under the existing tircinnstances,
but that our troops were not withdrawn until no other
Cleans remained of preventing the brave garrison
felling into the enemy's hands. I likewise transmit
A return of the killed and wounded of the detach-
ments forming the British garrison of Scylla during
fle siege.
Having already, on a former occasion, had the
honour of submitting my opinion, that the Castle of
Scylla would be no longer tenable whenever the
enemy should succeed in bringing battering guns
against it, the fall of this place will excite no sur-
prise in your Lordship's mind, when you perceive the
very formidable force with which it was attacked,
• and the very ample means with which the enemy was.
provided to possess himself of it.
Much reliance has been heretofore placed upon the
assistance which might be afforded by the gun and
mortar boats in the defence of Scylla, and of the an-
noyance they might give the enemy in carrying on his
approaches ; but, unfortunately, the weather from the
11th to the 17th was so stormy, that it was quite im-
possible for them to be employed with any hopes of
advantage.
On the morning of the 15th instant, Lieutenant-
Colonel Robertson having informed me, by telegraph,
that the parapet of the work was destroyed, and that
all his guns were either dismounted or disabled, I felt
very anxious indeed to withdraw the troops, but a con-
tinuance of the gale rendered this impracticable till
the 17th, when, during a temporary lull (every ne-
cessary arrangement having been previously made),
the transports' boats, protected by the men of war's
launches, ran over from the Faros, and succeeded in
bringing away the whole of the garrison, who effected
their retreat by the sea staircase to tke boats, when
they were exposed to a most tremendous galling fire
both of grape and musketry from the apemy, till such
time as they could pull out of the reach of it. lam
hippy to add, that the loss of the troops in this ex-
posed situation was only four killed and five woun-
ded, and that oftheseamen olie killed and ten wounded.
Captain Otway of the navy, whn commands the
ships of war stationed here, entrusted the execution of
this very dangerous piece of service to Capt. Trollope,
of the Electra. More judgment, coolness, and intre-
pidity was never displayed on any occasion ; and I
feel myself particularly indebted to Capt. Trollope,
and to the officers and seamen serving under him, to
whiiie gallant exertions I owe the preservation of the
arr., son.
The gallantry and good conduct of the officers and
men employed in the defence of Scylla Castle merit
my highest approbation. More could not be expec-
ted from any men than they have performed. Lieu-
tenant Colonel Robertson, who commanded, I beg
leave to recommend in tho strongest terms to 'your
Lordship's notice and protection. The ability, zeal,
and gallantry displayed by him in the defenee of this
little fortress, deserves my warmest praise and com-
mendation.
When your Lordship comes to consider what She
numbers of the enemy were before Scylla, with a
strong supporting army at hand, from which he could
draw reinforcements at pleasure, I trust it will appear
your. Lordship that prudence. would not have war-
y anted: my making a diversion in favour of Scylla, by
i.sking a landing on the Calabrian shore.
The only remaining effort therefore that I could
make, was to prevent the brave garrison falling into
vie enemy's hands ; and this, with the co-operation
assistance of the naval force under Capt. Otway,