Star.
London, England, 1823-10-06 00:00:00

COLOMBIA.

Letters from the island of St. Thomas, dated the
25th of August, bring the important intelligence of
the recapture of Maracaibo by the Colombians, and
the final evacuation of the territory by the Spanish
General Morales, who bad sailed for Cuba with the
force under his command, in virtue of a convention
previously entered into with the Colombians. Morales
engaged never to serve in future against the Colombians
unless exchanged—a condition which we apprehend
cannot be fulfilledeas we are not aware of any officer
of equal rank having been captured by the Spaniards.
It follows from the abandonment of the contest by
Morales, that Puerto Civello, the siege of which was
raised a few months back for want of sufficient force
to continue the blockade by sea, must necessarily sur-
render to the Colombians; thus leaving them the entire
and unmolested possession of one of the finest portions
of the old Spanish monarchy. This intelligence is
peculiarly opportune at the present moment, as it estab-
lishes an independence de facto on the part of the
Colombians, just before they will have been acknow-
ledged by Spain to be independent de:jure. All the
Spanish vessels of war in the lake of Maracaibo have
been delivered up to the Colombians.
From aßaltimore paper of the 3d ult. we extract the
following account of two victories obtained over the
Spaniards by the Colombians, which led without doubt
to the capitulation of Morales. _ _ _

On the 6th of August the Spanish frigate Constitution
and corvette Ceres arrived at Curacoa from Maracaibo;
they communicate the following intelligence:—" That
on the 24th of July, Commodores Padilla and Beluche,
commanding the Colombian squadron, consisting of the
brigs Independencia and Mars, and schooners Spartana
and Constitution, with several smaller vessels, attacked
the Spanish flotilla, under the command of Commodore
Laborde, consisting of one brig, three schooners, and
twenty-five gun-boats. The action was severe, and
ended in the almost total destruction of the Spanish
squadron—the brig and schooner were blown up, and
the rest captured or destroyed, with the exception of
the schooner Especuladora, in which Commodore
Laborde made his escape to his ships lying outside the
bar. The Spaniards confess the loss of 1,500 men,
amongst whom they count 160 officers; out of 100
men landed from the Commodore's ship only 11 re-
turned. The corvette Ceres landed also 100 men, but
as she is detained to leeward by the current, it is not
known what number she lost. Her detention to lee-
ward, where she has cast anchor, is supposed to be
occasioned by a want of men to work her.
General Morales remained in Maracaibo with about
800 men, and short of provisions: but it is supposed he
has been forced to surrender before this. His second
and third in command had arrived at Curacoa in thti fri•'
gate, now repairing her spars and rigging in that place.
We further learn that Morales had sent part of his
force across to Alta Gracia, with the view, as sup-
posed, of effecting an escape, or of making a diversion
in that quarter; but being promptly met by a Colom-
bian corps, which repulsed them at every point, and
having, after a severe action, sustained considerable loss,
the Spaniards, with the remains of their force, returned
to Maracaibo. It was thought Morales might himself,
in some small vessel, effect his escape to Curacoa, but
that what remained of his troops must fall into the
hands of the Republicans.
It was also understood at Curacoa, that Commodore
Laborde had put himself at the head of the squadron
on the lake, more from the entreaty of Morales, who
expressed his confidence of success, than from the con-
viction in his own mind of the prudence or policy of
such a measure.

The following extract of a private letter from
Gibraltar, dated Sept. 7, on the subject of Generals
Itteoo's exactions at Malaga, appeared in a Morning
Paper.—" I arrived here about a fortnight ago from
Malaga, which place I left inconsequence of the violent
conduct of General Diego, from the effects of which-
even British subjects were not exempted. That General
has been particularly severe on the English, by throw-
ing them into prison for the purpose of extorting large
sums of money from them. The Cortes before their
dissolution having declared the whole of Spain under
martial law, eve their Generals full powers to eitort
money where they please: and ltiego's conduct has
been most. infamous at Malaga; but the tyranny and
robbery had not time to be extended to such a scale as
at Alicant, Carthagena, and Barcelona, where the
greatest atrocities have been committed. On Sir LV.
A'Couris learning, at Gibraltar, all the particulars of
this man's conduct, and that our countrymen were
actually in the common gaol, the Tribune frigate was
sent there to imperiously demand their release; and it
is said Captain Guion communicated personally with
!tier, and the British subjects were set at liberty..
Ho* ever, the French division of Count Loverdo made
its appearance, and Riego scampered off with his troops,
towards Velez, having previously levied and robbed
upwards of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in
money, and about another such a sum in Church and
(it is said) other plate ; he shot eight men there without
trial, and the tranquillity of the. place was quite re.'
stored. When I left, my house wXs in possession of a
large body of soldiers, who had been put there to force,
me to pay the conti ibutions, but which I. would tiht
do, and I am the only one who has not; suffered 4lh
put ,e and person; he not only imprisoned, but threatened
to shoot all who did not pay:'