Star.
London, England, 1808-03-04 00:00:00

BRITISH SQUADROh.

• • " OFF LISBON, JAN. 31.
- et OAT Madras ander the command of Sir Charles Cotton con-
alas al ten of the Tine and two frigates, besid.,s some small
craft : namely, the Hibernia, (flag ship) FoudrOyant, (Sir Sidney
Sr It x's Bag ship) tonquesor,Defence,Agarnemnon , Ruby, Ganges,
Plantagenet, Minotaur, and Alfred ; and the Solebay and Nymph
frigat Tin- Alfred cnutinues at a distance with the convoy.
"'1 here are nine Russ= men cf war and one Turkish ship of
the line in the Tagus, which, we are aspired, experience the grea-
ti,t distress for want of provisions and stores, so that we calculate
upon the necessity of their putting to sea. We are much in want
or wate?, and yet Sir Charles does not think it prudent to weaken
his foree,by sending part of 'the squadron in quest of some.
• " Sir Sidney Smith is still here, waiting for the arrival of the
Victory, with an Expedition from England, in order to proceed
with it to Sicily.
" On the 90th inst. we experienced a dreadful gale, which dis-
persed the squadron, and 'rove the straggling ships to the south-
Ward. At this moment they have not all regained their station.
" We boarded a fisherman yesterday who had come out of
Lisbon the night before. The fellow exhibited famine in his face.
The first thing he asked for was victuals and drink. He affirms
moat positively that the people were all starving on shore ; that
the French end Russians monopolized every thing. Eight sail of
the Russian ships of the line and two frigates were ready for sea,
and were moored above Belem Castle, bu, they had not a pound
of salt provisions on board. The remnant of the ci-decant Portu-
guese navy consists of three sail of the line, three frigates, and a
xebec. The French colours were flying on board, but they were
without masts. This man also averred, that in the course of the
last and present week upwards of 400 Fitkich,had been killed, by
various means, by the natives, who are determined to die rather
by the sword than by hunger. The natives were become despe-
rate, and continual broils were taking place.
" The fisherman estimated the French troops In Portugal at
34,000, of which 10,000 ware in Lisbon. The man would take
no English money, for fear it should be foundupon him, and be-
cause he durst not expend it in Lisbon."
" OFF THE TAGUS, FEB. 9.
" I have this instant returned from Gibraltar, where I went
with dispatches. I learnt there that 72,000 infantry and 10,000
cavalry (French', save passed the Iran, between the 18th October and
the 18th January : 15,000 troops were expected in Madrid by the
22d January, and the French Emperor was to enter it the latter
end of the month.
" Six sail of French line of battle ships and one brig werseee

off Cape de Gat the 28th of January, steering east by south, under
a press of sail. This intelligence is in the possession of Admiral
Purvis and Sir Richard Strachan : the latter I met off Cape St.
Vincent's, on Sunday List, the 7th inst. with seven sail of the line
and one frigate ; and I believe be intends going first to Gibraltar,
and then farther."

" Fcn.l3.

" The Lively arrived here last Friday, and on Saturday the 6th
inst. Sir Richard Strachan passed, on his way to Cadiz, after the
Rochefort gentry. If he hears nothing of them, he means to re-
turn to his station.
" There are continual flags of truce coming out, but I do not
learn on what business they are employed.
" The Russians are still above Belem ; four of them are in a
bad state, and can hardly be deemed sea-worthy. General k-
not taxes the Portuguese to their last penny, and has taken away
all their church-plate and ornaments. This, he says, is by way of
punishing them for the refractory spirit they have shewn. The
plunder of Portugal, according to the system carrying on, will
soon be finished, and the country will be rendered as bare
as any petty state on the Continent that has been subject to
French rapacity. There are 7000 Spanish troops at St. Übe's, and
the utmost hatred subsists between them and the French. We
have matte an equal distribution of the water we bad left, and no
ship has above three weeks supply. However, the Plantagenet
is gene to Bayonne, and the Isis, which lately joined, to Vigo, to
pror ure water. The Defence having separated io the late gales,
has prococtled, as it is supposed, to the Western Islands; she had
about 20 days water on board at the time. The Conqueror has
also been missing since th gales, so that we are now left with
only seven sail of the line. As the Expedition from England has
not vet made its appearance, we are still accompanied by Sir Sid-
ney Smith. From the experience we have lately had, we find
that it is a most difficult task to continue the blockade of this port
Had weather.

I,l‘ut"lis brig has just telegraphed, to say that the Roche-
: -an has passed the Gut of Gibraltar."

daesday an Inquisition was taken at the Weav-
- Arms, on the Newington road, on the body of
rilur Arnold James, who expired in his bed on the
pr -ceding day. It appeared that the deceased, who
was a wealthy grazier, had the day at a con-
vivial meeting of friends, and was conveyed to his
residence in a state of inebriation, that rendered him
senseless. In about an hour after he had been put-to
bed, it was discovered that he was dead. Surgical
assistance was immediately procured, but it proved
ineffectual--Verdict.—Died by excessive drinking.
The same evening, at seven o'clock, an Inquest
. was held at the Marquis of Granby, Castle-street, Oz-
ford-market, on the body of M. le Comte de FLlT-
rime, formerly a Colonel of distinguished merit, in '
the service of Loma XVI. who was found dead the
preceding day, at his apartments, No. 59, in the same
street. Agnes Laura, who attended about the person
of the deceased, for the last three weeks, deposed that
he had been ill about a fortnight; that he was about
a week confined to his room ; but on Monday last,
finding himself somewhat better than he had been,
gave the witness permission to go home to her family
until the following afternoon. She did so, and upon
her return, found the door fastened. She called re-
peatedly, but received no answer. By the advice of
the landlady of the house, she brought the Marquis
de Fitz4ames, an intimate friend of-the deceased, to
the house. He sent for a smith, and" had the door
broken open.
The deceased was then seen with his clothes on; sit-
ting up in his chair, with his head reclining on one
shoulder. His hand and stomach were warm. Sticks
were laid in the grate for lighting a fire, but it was
not lighted • a mould candle was found to be burnt
out, as it stood upon the hearth. There was no ap-
pearance of violence whatever, by which the cause of
death could be even surmised. icholas Daniel, (a
Frenchman) and J. Homer, the landlord of the house,
'in which the deceased had lodged, corroborated the
testimony of the former witness.--Verdiced by
the Visitation of GOD.
A few days ago, a. fine child of Mr. Simpson, Wei
ter in Dingwall, accidentally fell into a lame boiling
pan, and was so dreadfully scalded that it died in four
days thereafter.