Star.
London, England, 1808-10-01 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

~:

The following letter from an intelligent British
Officer, in Portugal, will, perbups, throW some addi-
tional light on the blunders Which led to the late dis-
graceful Convention with JeNOT :

" Camp, 7 Miles North of Lisbon, September 11.
a I am seiry that no opportunity presented itself

to me of wriiing to you since my last, oil' the Start,

in the Channel. The baffling winds and calms,
prevailed for a long time after, have given many of
us cause to lament we were not sooner in Portugal.
As the principal part of the business was decided
previously to our landing, and the dispatchc?. of course
immediately forwarded, you will, long ere this can
reach you, have all te accounts of the actions of the
17th and 21st ult. It will, therefore, be of no use my
detailing any part on these heads. 1 have only, in
common with all ha?, to regret that Sir HARRY Butt.
'LARD landed so soon. Ha(' he been one day larcor,
that gallant fellow, Sir A. NVELLEstar, would have
had one of the most decisive victories ever obtained,
that of the 21st. After beating them Most completely,
and just on the eve of following up his conquest, did
Sir H. 13,:naRD make his appearance ; to whom of
course, Sir A. WELLESLIgY was obliged, by duty,: to
aiply for orders, when he was told, that he had done
dry well, but that it was don:erotic to follow up too
quickly—to halt, and encamp where he was,. and
wait the landing of Sir Jottm Moone's reinforcements.
This obstacle to Sir A. Watt:FALEY'S fame •wassnutit
. .
to be regretted; • - •
" Sir A. WELLESLEV.had.7OOO of his army never

is action.that day, and was determined to be in Lis-
bon before he gave up the pursuit. -Justcrr .wouid
therefore have been obliged to surreedir at disEietionl:
in place of which (shame be it said.!) he has obtained
Terms, of which you will also by this time be in pos-
session;-- and -which,--in nianT, .will

never add much lustre to the British Records:

. .
• We. cannot approach nearer Lisbon till the time
by the Capitulation has expired, which will be in a
few days. The whole of the British Army is now
encamped, extending from the left lure to the Tagus,
a few miles up from Fort Julien. The only thing,
therefore, that I can pretest in The shape of news, is
t!., distribution.of the same, which I subjoin. .
The French Army is now very busy embarking ;
4000 went on board at Lisbon yesterday,. and it is
said, and I believe too true, that theyare.taking an

. . .
immense deal of baggage with them, full of their
plunder, &c. &c. It has been repeatedly reportee,
that the inhabitants of Lisbon sent out to the CUM.
minder in Chief, complaining of the outrageous man-
ner in which they were robbed and plundered. The

prptilace exclaim, that if this be all the protection the
Litish mean to give, they hat better have remained

at home ! The British Adjutant-General was sent in,
concerning the misunderstanding, since wliich.time
have not heard so much of it., It is a, pity that vie
luve so many old Wows, in our. service. .Had the
command been properly bestowed on Sir J.Moonz,
and, undcr him, HOPE, WILLESLEY, SREY.CICIII PAGEtt
n.l a few more very able men, now with us, much
would have been done that is not done. It is apsitively
reported, that these brave Officers whom I have men-
tioned, or the gestter part of tkeni,.kave applied for
leave to return to England. •

Brigildier-G!..31g31 4!+;TIWTHER• left us. a few
days ago, for Almeida, on the frontiers of Spain,
supposed to he looking our for a strong positiosi. It
is rumoured that inc.re• than 5,000 British-tnottle.z.rc
miaow him ; but it is not the opinion. here **;pur
Arrny.will go into Spain. If Austria has detdared

or intends soon to declare, against France, it is sup-
posed vie shall go into Italy : but all these things we
must wait for till Dispatches anive from our Go-