Star.
London, England, 1808-11-25 00:00:00

Q. Do TOW recollect that the first proposition made
by General Kellerman in the negotiation of the ar.
mistice respecting the Russian fleet would have • one
to allow the Russian fleet to return out of Porn al ?
—A. I cannot say that I exactly remember if su h a
proposition was made.; but I am sure, if made, it
was not strongly urged, or long discussed, else it
nitht have made an impression on my memory.
General Fiaouson was then examined. He landed
with Sir A. Wellesley, and had been present at the
battle of Vimiera. From the time of the landing to
the battle, the supply of provisions had been regular,
and upin the list, there was a supply of three days
biscuit in the camp. As to the gene:-.11 nature of the
country occupied by the British .tt the time of b.l
it was certainly unfavourable. He did not know the
strzngth r,f the forts upon the Tagus, and of the de-
fit :es of Lisbon ; but he believed the castle of Lisbon

to be of no great strength, and not capable of much
resistance. The enemy were certainly possessed of
considerable resources in their po;:zior.s in the neigh-
baurbood of Lisbon Qt..', on th? Tagus ; and if they
resolved to cross over to the sc,ath side of the Tagus,
there was no passibility of preventing them. .
He was ;hen asked—Suppose the Armistice had
been rejected upon the.22d, and the French attacked
in their po,itions, whether it was not his opinion, that
from the known character of the French General,
and the mode in which French armies were accus-
tomed to conduct themselves, the city of Lisbon wt uld
not have been in great danger of destruction ?—Gene.
ral Ferguson replied, that he had no reason to sup-
pose that a French army and a French Comm u der
would have acted at all differently from wh it any
other army or any other commander would have Bone
in similar circumstances.

In answer to another question be said, that he could
have no doubt, but that if a British army had been
circumstanced in the same way that the French army
was, the city of Lisbon must have suffered consider-
ably before they would give it up, or surrender them.
selves prisoners of war.
He was then asked, Did not the Convention imme
diately deliver Portugal from the French armies, open
the harbour of Lisbon to our fle p eserve the city
o' Lisbon and Portugal from great evils, release a
considerable number of Spanish prisoners, and remove
from the Spaniards the apprehension of unot's enter..
ing Spain ? He replied, that it did liberate Por-
tugal from the French, but not immediately, as the
French troops remained there for a considerable time
after the Convention. it certainly did ultimately re-
lieve Portugal from French troops ; it prevented the
evils which otherwise must have inevitably fallen upon
the city of Lisbon, but he could not say that he be.
lieved that, after the surrender of General Dupont,
the Spaniards could have any serious apprehensions
from Junot's army. As to the Convention itself, he
found it impossible for him to give an opinion, whe-
ther the objects accomplished by it could, or could
not, have been obtained more speedily in another w ty.
The enemy were certainly much disheartened at the
result of the battle of Vimiera.

Being asked as to the artillery landed at Mondego,
he state,l, that there was none larger than 9-pounders
in the army, and certainly it was not usual to attack'
forts with such light guns. He repeated, that it was
imprssible to prevent the French from crossing the
Tagus ; but as to their retreating to Almeida, he did
not think that very practicable ; 'but from the moment
that Sir John Moore's division arrived at Marcera, it
was quite impossible.
Sir Hew Dalrymple was then asked on what day
the Convention,was transmitted, and whether he pans-
mitted it in French or in English ? He answered that
he traumitied it. on tSe 3d of September, and that it
was sin French.
Govral :3Fencer was then called as a witness, and
being shew'i the written questions, he preferred giv-
ing his answers in writing. He was accordingly fur-
nished with a copy of the questions.
General Spencer then gave in a milit.r report.of
the strength of the forts, which commanded the Tagus,
It appeared, th.lt fort St. Julien was of very consider-
-able strength, and could receive a garrison of 12,000
men. There were several tanks in it, which give
' an abundant supply of water. The strength of all
the other forts and batteries on the Tagus was alto
stated in this report.
The Court then adjourned to Saturday.