Star.
London, England, 1808-09-24 00:00:00

SPAIN.

FROM THE OVIEDO GAZETTE, SEPT. 3.
Letter from Major Phillip Keatinge Roche, one of his Britannic
Majesty's Military Commissioners, addressed to the Supreme
Assembly of the Province! of Asturias.
" MOST EXCELLENT Sits!
" I feel it my duty to avail myself of the earliest opportunity
to acquaint you, that having on the 13th ultimo received a press-
ing solicitation from the Supreme Junta of Bilboa, requesting as
well my presence there, as an immediate supply of arms, ammu-
nition, and money, I lost not a moment in taking the necessary
arrangements to comply with their wishes, and was fortunately
enabled to get under way from the port of Gijon, in his Majesty's
ship Seine, at day-break, on the morning of the 14th following,
having under convoy an English brig laden with an abundant
supply of military stores of every description, taking also with me
200,000 dollars, for the use of the Province of Biscay.
" Early on the morning of the 16th, we brought-to off the port
of Bilbos, and I instantly dispatched a Spanish Officer with a let-
ter to theaunta, informing them of my arrival; but soon, to my
great mortification, learned, that a French corps, to the amount
of.near five thousand men, was at the same moment entering the
town, having defeated, though not without considerable loss, and
after a very spirited resistance, a body of about two thousaid of
the armed inhabitants.
" Under these circumstances, I immediately formed the reso-
lution of attempting to rally and arm the people, and with this
view disembarked at Castro, a town four leagues to the West-
ward ; but the enemy receiving information of my design, in-
stantly pushed forward their cavalry, and it was not until the
evening of the 22d, that, at the earnest entreaties of the Magis-
trates ana people, I quitted the town, the French having threaten-
ed to burn it to the ground.
" I however brought off with me 2500 stand of new Spanish
arms, captured from the enemy, and which I have the honour to
present to this Supreme Junta.
" The numerous atrocities committed by the French in Bilboa
exceed all belief, and surpass in their nature all the former acts
of murder, plunder, and violence, which has stamped with eter-
nal infamy the French name through Spain ; and will, I trust and
hope, actuate every good Spaniard to prefer a glorious death to
witnessing a repetition of such disgrace to his country.
" I have the honour to be, most Excellent Sirs,
" Your respectful and obedient humble servant,
" P. K. ROCHE,
" One of his Britannic Majesty's Commissioners."
ADDRESS OF MAJOR ROCHB TO THE BISSAYA.VS.
" BILAVE AND NOBLE BISCAYANS

" The eyes of all Europe are upon you!—The moment of your
deliverance is at hand !—The sacred flame of patriotism and of
loyalty, so dear to every Spanish heart, rapidly spreading over
this great kingdom, has burst forth in your enlightened province.
Already are you panting to share with your gallant and noble
countrymen in arms, the honour of expelling from your territory
die vile slaves of the most ambitious tyrant that ever disgraced the
page of history; who, under the sacred snack of friendship, has
tiisM•nAired and dethroned your King, and repaid the generous
hospitality of the Spanish nation, by the cold-blooded murder cf
your countrymen, the vinta:L-2n of your wives and daughters, and
the plunder and robbery not only of your property, but of your
very temples.
" 'The eyes of all Europe and of the world are at length open-
ed; and it falls to the glorious lot of Spain to give to future ages
a lasting example and proof of what a nation may do, determlued
to preserve its independence an I its honour.
" England, ever the generous, the ancient, and faithful friend
of Spain, could not be indifferent to the cruel destiny intended
for you, nor to the gallant and noble exertions you are making
for your very existence : she has therefore, with the characteristic
magnanimity which belong, to her, stood forward in the hour of
need and of danger, and with one universal sentiment, from the
King to the bwest of his subjects, devoted to your deliverance
the powerful aid of her fleets, her armies, and her treasure. One
of the humbler, but not least zealous of his Majesty's set Tants in
your cduse, has the honour, by his Royal order and in his Royal
name, to come amongst you, with the fullest assurances of his
Majesty's gracious intentions of affording you every assistance
and supply you shall stand in need of; and already there is upon
your coast ,a powerful squadron for the protection of your com-
merce and your shores. If a Spaniard is to he found, so vile an
egotist as not to fly, at the sacred call of honour, to the standard
of his CoD and of his King, let him look to those nations who
have iron iniously submitted to the bondage of the Usurper, and
read, in their degradation, the slavery and fate inevitably pre-
pared for bis own.. Let him not think that a shameful and cri-
minal neutrality will save him or his province from the gripe of
this morster,-who is familiar with ingratitude.
" Noble and gallant Discoyars! preserve your ancient charac-
ter for bravery and 'heroism. Be true to yourselves ; be unani.
mous and faithful in defence of your COD, your King, and every
thing dear Ito the heart of man !
" La every man suppose, that the deliverance and salvation of
Spain depends upon his individual arm; rely upon it, PROVI•
DENCIE, liming the justice of your cause, will crown your exer-
*no %jai victory; and future ages will bless the Spanish name
sad nation, os the saviours of the human race. (Signed)
" P. K. Roche,
" One of his Britannic Majesty's Commissioners."

GERONA„ A1:101/ST 19.
On the Scl Inst. a poor madman disappeared from
this city, and, on the sth, presented himself to the
most illustrious Junta, delivering to them certain pro-
clamations and papers 'in French and Spanish, with
the following letter :

4RMY OF THE EASTERN PYRENEES.
Head Quarters, before Gerona, Aug. 5, 1508.
To the Members composing the Junta of Govern-
ment in Gerona :

Ger&Leman—His Excellency the General in Chief Duhestne,
having hitherto dismissed to their homes, without any injury or
hurt, all the peasants whom his soldiers hive brought to him,
though they have been for the most part taken with arms in their
hands, he has given me orders to restore to your city this man,
who came out of it the day before yesterday, and has been taken
by the advanced guards. Though every thing indicates that this
person has come forth without the walls as a spy, or to disperse
proclamations, yet the principles of humanity which characte-
rise his Excellency the General in Chief, have induced him rather
to permit one guilty person to escape, than to punish a man who
is, perhaps, innocent. On this account he has ordered me to send
him to you, and I beg you, Gentlemen, to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of this. I have the honour to be, &c.
DEVAUX,
Chief of the Staff, and Major-General of the
besieging Army.

The illustrious Junta of Gerona having considered
the preceding letter, and the printed papers which
were to be insinuated along with it, resolved
to send them back accompanied with others, which
should give information to the French army as to
what they were perhaps ignorant of, and that they
might know as soon as possible that the Spanish na-
tion was very far from permitting itself to be deluded
by their fantastic illusions, indosing at the same time
the following address :