Star.
London, England, 1808-11-21 00:00:00

VILLA FRANCA, OCTOBER ;$.

On the 21st inst. the Regiment of Savoy from Va-
lencia, arrived at the head-planers here, and the
day before yesterday the clirsion of the Marquis Sa-
zan entered Leridu,
The situation of the inhabitants of Barcelona, en-
slaved and oppressed by the tyrannical yoke of the
enemy, becomes every day more distressful. The
contributions no longer are Sufficient to satisfy the
avarice of their plunderers, who have recourse to do-
miciliary visits, and practice their robbery under the
colour of policy ; of this nature is the following de-
cree
:
The General of Division Lechi, superior Com-
mander, decrees as follows
Art. I. No person, of whatever rank, shall keep in
house or any other place a greater quantity of
rice and oil than shall be sufficient for the consump-
tion of his family alone for two months, without giv-
ins information of it within three days to the Com-
missary General of the Police.
IL Such quantities of rice and oil as may he found,
not having been notified so the Commissary General
of the Police within the said time, shall be seized and
taken from the concealers.
111. Whoever shall 2.!scover and give information
to the Commissary General of the Police after the
:aid term, of any quantities of rice and oil, -shall re-
ceive one-fifth of the quanti6es so discovered, as a
!cward, and his name shall not ihr waile known.
The Commissary (2,eneral of thd VO4-412111
f,, the price at
;fa the said commodities shall be
fUld durum tie said two months. Every person who
sh.Llk te diSCovered to have sold rice and oil, and at a
-:Ther price than that at which they shall be fixed
during the said two months, shall suffer a fine of
4'5,0(M suelidas.
Brcetimi, Oct. 11. (Signal) LICIT.
iippsaved by tbs General Cosisasnoler in Chief,
, APSIIIIIIII6

coma or Aretimr .0 claks24,
THIRD DAY.
(Cottehteied from the Sr.tx ty* Seorday het4)
The next letter that was read, was dated from
head.quarters, 30th of September, from Sir Hew Dal.
rymple to Lord Castlereagh, wherein the General in
Chief says, that after communicating with Sir Harry
Burrard, he had taken no steps with the Regency, as
to detaching the Portuguese troops on actual service,
as in their present state no effectual assistance could
be derived from them.
A letter of the 28th of August from Sir Hew Dal-
rymple to Lieutenant-Colonel Murray was read,
giving the latter authority to negotiate with General
Kellerman.
Also a letter from the same, and of the same date,
to Admiral Siniavin, stating Admiral Cotton's ob-
jection to a particular condition of the proposed treaty,
A letter from General Murray to the Commander
in Chief, informing him that the Portuguese troops
had begun to march. This letter, which was dated
the 27th of August, was succeeded by another of the
following day, from the latter to the former.
Another from Lieutenant-Colonel Murray to Sir
Hew Dalrymple, of the preceding date, contains a
proposition that the writer should go in person to the
British Admiral, to confer with him on the subject of
the Treaty, and suggested, that Captain Dalrymple
should be the bearer of the copy of the treaty to this
country.
Other parts of the public dispatches were then read,
which were followed by a letter from the Commander
in Chief to Lieutenant-Colonel Murray, of the day fol-
lowing, explaining the means of execution of certain
articles of the Convention, adverting to the omission
of a word in the third article, as to the embarkation,
and stating the impossibility to comply strictlywrith the
article for the removal of the French, from the defi-
ciency of horses. The letter then proceeds to state
some proposed amendments of the articles, and some
further arrangements as to embarkation of the ene-
my's troops, to be adjusted by the Commissioners ap-
pointed to negotiate the business. It is also said, that
Article 13 is inadmissible, and some comments are
made on Article 17, referring to the protection of
strangers in Portugal in their persons and property,
and as to the time to be allowed them to dispose of
the latter, and withdraw from the kingdom.
A letter to Lord Proby, one of the Commissioners
for the Naval Department, complained of the em-
barkation of property by the French, on board the
Russian ships.
Another from Major-General Stuart to Sir Hew
Dalrymple, spoke of a • particular class of property,
to the amount of 22,0001. which was carrying off,
contrary to the rules of war. Tbis property consisted
of the Public Museum, the Royal Library, and some
other articles of the like description.
A letter from General Beresford to Sir Hew Dal-
rymple, of the sth of September, 1808, respected
the situation of the Spanish prisoners in the harbour,
and other particulars of the negotiation with General
1 Kellerman.
A letter from the same to the same, and- of the
same date, recommended that the French troops
should proceed to the South side of the Tagus.
A letter from the same to the same of the 7th of
that month, observes, that all the civil revenue ap-
propriated by the French to their own purposes,
should be immediately replaced.
Some other letters were read, both in French and
English, adverting to topics of minor importance.
A. variety of letters were then read from General
Kellerman to General Beresford and other British of-
ficers, with the answers. General Kellerman at first
intended that every thing actually in the possession
of the French at the time of the Convention, ought
to be considered as their private property. The Bri-
tish Commander, however, constantly refused toad-
mit such a construction of the articles of the Conven-
tion, and insisted that whatever had been obtained
by plunder and confiscation should be restored. On
this construction of the articles, they would not allow
that the horses which were taken from the Royal
stables at Lisbon should be considered Frenchreoz
perty, nor that any thing taken from the churches,
or from individuals, which could be identified, should
be considered as private property of the French undo.
the terms of the Convention.
The next document that was read was the Frock-
mation by the British and French Commissioners
who were appointed for the express purpose of see-
ing this article of the Convention executed according
to the construction put upon it by the British Cons-
manders.—[This document has been already befote
the Public.)
Next followed some letters between General Beres-
ford and Sir Hew Dalrymple, informing him of eva-
sions of the article by the French, of their placing
some of their plunder in what they called their mili-
tary chest, and in carrying off money concealed lit
their regimental dresses.
Sir Hew Dalrymple, in his answer to General B♦
resford, declared, that he was determined that no ae*
tide of the Convention should be violated by
French ; that their conduct, on this occasion, had been
most shameful, and had evinced a want of probity
and honour, which was most disgraceful to them.
It seemed to be their intention to go away, leaving
all their debts unpaid, and carrying off a cotisiderabk
part of their plunder, by calling it public money, and
saying it belonged to their military chest. Aso
plunder that could be identified, it must be restored.
He regretted, however, much, that part of their plun-
der, which was in money, it would be difficult, if not
impossible, to identify.
The next document was a copy of the letter of Sir
Hew Dalrymple to Lord Castlereagh, containing a
copy of the Armistice.
Then followed a number of letters which passed
between the Portuguese General (Frier.) and Sir
Hew Dah7mple, relative to the terms of the Jinni..
tice and Convention.
Immediately after the Armistice, the Portuguese
General wrote to Sir Hugh Dalrymple, informing
lonformity to the terms of this Armis-
tice, he had given orders that the troops, who were
advancing from Beira,, shook! keep their positions.—
He could not however avoid suitms, that there were
some articles in the Armistice winch involved consi-
derations of the utmost importance with respect to
the honour and interests of the British and Porta-
guese nations. He therefore sent an Officer, who was
entirely in his confidence, to confer with Sir Hew
Dalrymple upon those. poigts. _

• Dalrytri_ple shortly after irroto to Gintral
Nem, to inform 'Am that the French General had
aensplelned severely of the Portuguese troops, to the
number of two thousand, having advanced beyond
the line of demarkation specified in the Armistice,
and requesting him to persuade the Portuguese to fall
back. The French General was even mating prepa-
rations to attack them, if they continued in defiance
of the terms of the Armistice, to' occupy that posi-

•
don.
A letter was then read from Sir Hew Dalrymple
to Lieutenant-Colonel Murray, expressing great sur.
prize at hearing that the French had eau ri -off some
of the stores, and declaring it should have been pre-
vented if he had been informed of it in time.
Next followed some letters between Sir Hew Dal-
rymple and General Friere, in consequence of the
finaall Convention, the terms of which were communi-
cated to hint on the 2d of September.
GeneralFriere' after some expressions which shelved
dissatisfaction at the terms of the Convention, stated
to Sir Hew Dalrymple that he was informed that the
Pooch were pursuing at Lisbon the most barefaced
system of plunder, and they were robbintitt:Tte churches,
as well as private individuals, and that considered
this plunder as coming under the term o " their pri-
vate property," which was secured to them by the
Convention. •
Sir Hew Dalrymple answered the letter the same
day, and informed the Portuguese General that as
to the latter objects of his letter, he certainly should
not fail to give due attention to such a serious in.
fringement of the treaty,lf it were attempted by the
French ; it being his strict intention to require a strict
fulfilment of it in all its articles.
A memorial of General Friere, pointing out the
inconveniences resulting from the Convention, followed
these letters. The Convention was in several respects
calculated to create distrust in the minds of the people
of Portugal with regard to the intentions of their Bri-
tish allies, and the French would undoubtedly take
advantage of these circumstances to sow distention
between them, and endeavour to have it believed
that the British acted not as auxiliaries but as masters.
In order to destroy this Impression, it was necessary
that a declaration should be made of the design of the
British to restore the kingdom to the Prince Regent. '
The British only came as auxiliaries, and as such they
ought to act. The treaty, therefore, should have
been made in concert with the Provisional Govern-
ment, whereas it bad been concluded without a suffi-
cient deference to any of the Portuguese constituted
authorities. He particularly objected to the 16th and
17th articles, and complained that no stipulation had
been made as to the restoration of the Portuguese
Government. It was necessary, therefore, to declare,
that the occupation cf the garrisons, arsenals, &c.
was solely provisional ; and that all should be deli-I
vexed to the Prince Regent, or the Government re-1
presenting him, as soon as the • danger was over.
Much embarrassment, it was added, must arise in
embarking the French troops, pursuant to the terms
of the Convention, as the inhabitants of Lisbon, still
smarting under the consequences of French oppres-
sion, might be apt to break through every obstacle to
avenge themselves of their enemies. A protest of
General Friere against the Convention, to the same
Affect as the Memorial, was then read. This protest
has been.already given to the public.
Sir Hew in answer, said, that the General ought to
have stated these objections when he had transmitted
the armistice to him before the Convention had been
concluded. He denied, however, that there was any
foundation for such objections. But, as injurious re-
ports might be disseminated by the enemy, he declared
that the -British acted merely as the allies of the Prince
Regent, and strict attention should be paid to the se-
curity of the Government. As to the objection that
no stipulation had been made respecting the restora-
tion of the Government, the French General was not
a person who could be allowed to have nay authority
whatever on that head. General Friere wrote a let-
ter to Sir Hew of the same date (6th September),
observing, that he felt it his duty to make the obser-
vations which he had submitted to Sir Hew, but at
the same •time expressing himself highly satisfied with
ithe contents of Sir Hew 's letter.

A correspondence was next read, between Sir Hew
and the Portuguese Officer Souza, on the subject of
punishing certain persons who bad been active in pro-
moting the views of the French during the time they
were in possession of Lisbon, and of restoring the Go.
vertu:rent. Sir Hew objected to such punishments,
on the ground that it would be highly impolitic to
keep alive animosities, by entering into an examina-
tion of past offences. The Regency, he said, would
be restored after the French had evacuated the city.
Some letters were introduced here, which passed be-
tween Sir Hew and General Friere, in which the for-
mer expressed his approbation of the resolution of
Friere. not to bring the Portuguese troops into Lisbon
till the French were one, and the latter referred Sir
Hew to the Junta of Oporto, on the subject of the
Government of Portugal.
A letter from Sir Arthur Wellesley to Lord Cas-
tlereagh' written in consequence of an assertion in a
dispatch from Sir Hew Dalrymple, as it appeared
in the Gazette, was then read. The assertion was,
a that the several articles of the suspension of arms
were agreed ußon and signed by Sir Arthur Welles-
-1 ley." The letter stated that Sir Arthur had signed 1
the Armistice at the desire of the Commander in
Chief; but, that he did not consider himself as re-
sponsible for the whole of its provisions. He cer-
tainly had concurred in the principle of the Conven-
tion. as under all the circumstances, the French had
a fair claim to tarns. They had possession of the
strong holds, with an army united, and might have
certainly held out for a considerable time. The Bri-
tish army was straitened for supplies. and the diffi-
culty would be augmented by the increase of num-
bers. No arrangements could be made for the mirth
of troops into Spam, till the French had evacuated
Portugal, and . . tore the question, whether terms
were or were not to be allowed, materially affected
the future operations of the army.
Sir Haw DALRYSIPLa said, that he believed there
were In several instances a difference between the
wordi in his dispatcher, as originally written, and as
, inserted in the Gazette. In the present instance there
appeareNdeftobe the original material tralspsi tion of words.—
He therefore wished dispatch and the
Gazette to be compared. Upon this comparison it
appeared, that instead of a the several articles were
agreed upon and signed by Sir Arthur Wellesley," as
Muted ma the Gnaw, the words of Qs, dupe*

were Is the several articles agreed upon
tween Sir Hew Dalrymple Sir Harry
Arthur Wellesley, and General Kell
crirgn
signed by Sir Arthur Wellesley."
Sir ARTHUR WRILLMRT then said,
that letter, he never meant to cast the
upon Sir Hew Dalrymple. His
merely to set Government right, upon
regard to which they might have been
inaccuracy bf exprecsion.
An account of the number of troops
wand of Sir Hew Dalrymple in Porta
read, as also the copy of a letter from
ray, accepting the conditions of the '
out the stipulation as to the Russian lie.
Dalrymple stated, that Junot had written
him on the subject, which seemed to
negotiation for the evacuation of ,
French, and that respecting thl Russian
go band in hand ; and that if the one'
should be at an end. This did not
IMurray's letter, and he had written ie him to tee.
cilc the two statements. But Colonel Idurrayr,,,-
swer had, by some mistake or other, been lost.- 7-1-1
instructions to Sir Arthur Wellesley and Sir Re,
Dalrymple were then read, and also the
copy a 4
dispatch, with instructions from the Comman‘e,,,.
.
Chief, the Duke of York, to Sir Harry ti 3
Buirand,
;her with Sir Harry's answer. Se.
The reading of the written doeumentsbeieg finished,
Sir ARTHUR WELLIMIXT rose and obineed, dut
' having received instructions to attend the bow, he
had most cheerfully complied. He had already twee
in copies of his dispatches, detailing his promlirips
during the time he had the chief command of the
army in Portugal. He was perfectly willing to resthi;
case on these dispatches, and to leave it to the Count°
form its opinion from them. But as it was the wisbof
the Court that he should give a narrative of his proceed.
ings he had no objection. He then, from a paper ebidi
he held in his hand,read a narrative of his proceeding,.
'from the time that he first took the command(
1
the army. It stated, that he sailed in the Don
Itaolri from Cork on the 12th of July, and arrived It
1 nna on the 20th. He landed there ; and hd
frequent conferences with the Supreme Junta of ell,
licia. He was then informed, that the army ;I fib
tile and Gallicia, under the command of Ganda
iesta and Blake, had been defeated at Rio Seco, bile
French, under the command of Marshal Bessienek
offered the Junta of Gallicia the assistance of idtet
i under his command, but was told by them rep*,
• that they did not want men,but only money, ;name;
ammunition. They at the same time expressed cheat.
• most anxiety that the French should be driven flea
!Portugal, and declared that this would be the nen
1 valuable service which the British troops could renderl
to the cause of Spain. They also recommended lir
Ito go with his troops to the north of Portugal,
order to assist, as much as possible, the insurr
1
which had taken place in the neighbourhood of C.
After these conferences had Mien place, he lei
runna on the 22d, and joined the next day his Beet
Cape Finisterre. They then went to Oporto, lie
' he landed, and had several conferences with theßishre
The Bishop informed him that the Pertuguen fee
consisted of about 5000 men, regulars and OA
besides about 1500 Spaniards, atid nearly lee*
Portuguese, scattered over the coantry. *lei
promised, to furnish mules fbr tat conveyesatdia
artillery and ammunition waggons. After huise
received all the informaeion be could get at OP"
he left his forces off that fit, and sailed on the 2M
to join Admiral Sir Charles Cotton, and croak Ind
him about the means of entering the Tips, end at+
tacking the forts in the neighbourhood of I.isksee
When he was off Lisbon, he received a letter from O.
neral Spencer, who waited his orders, but it was at tie
same time uncertain, whether in the situation the
Andalusia was (Dupont not having they sone
dead) he would not act more for the comma wee
in ' ' in his situation: off Cadiz. The ha
of Saville, wever, did not consider the poems
of Genoa' spencer es abSOltltelY necessary for 41
operations then forward in Andalusia. It ere
his (Sir Arthur 'W 's) opinion that the fril
object was to drive the French out of Portugal; t
neither of the two corps could do much good, Ft%
separately, and that it was necessary that they dog
be united. He therefore gave orders to Genesi
Spencer to join him. The first information which le
had received of the strength of the French is Pceti
was, that they amounted to about sixteen or senates
thousand men, of which about fourteen thousand tee
in Lisbon, and the forts in the neighbourhood, and dui
the remainder were dispersed in serail garrisons iliii
different strong places. He had heard that thereelo
about 600 in garrison in Almeida, and about an 44
number in the forts of Elras and Evera. Pled.
ever, afterwards learned that there were near Ohlij
Under these circumstances, he conceived that it ova
be extremely dangerous to attempt a landing as" j
of the small bays to the north of the Tagus, whel I
would be immediately exposed to an attack fral
main body of the French army. He Menke o
solved that the landing should be effectedat WOO
Bay, where he could speedily coo orate with the to
to near force, which had advanced to Coimboo
he was off Mondego Bay; he received a lese
from Lord Castlereagh, suiting that 5000 ma OM
proceeding to join him,r-under General AiltsZ
and that above 10,000 more were to arrive.
Sir John Moore. He also received an act?
Castanos's victory over Dupont, and also of
Loison having been detached with four or five
sand French, to the province of Alentejo, to tor
,_.
an insurrection in the South of Portugal. ode
these cirounstances, he thought a diseabelb.
might be safely effected at Mondego Bet,i,
binding was, however, attended with ca
difficulties, on account of the surf. His force VT!
on the sth and 6th, and Geperal Spencer landed,
the 7th and Bth. As soon as the necessary
meats were completed, he determined to
ward to Lisbon. Having then ascertained the
of the enemy, he wrote a letter to Sir Harry _
on the Bth, recommending a certain plan
tions for the corps that be was to bring into
Oe the 9th the advanced guard of the army
forward. Upon that day he received the arroolg;
Joseph Bonaparte having left Madrid, and slo,
letter from Colonel Doyle, at Coruna,
it appear probable that Kirshal Bessieres would Po
0,
an noption into the North of Portugal. It rj_LEA
''sary to gain some important advantages beit:
ea could have time to carry such a flas Pr
which oir.

c

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Pritten a lent: to Be
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appear in Coln" the
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