Star.
London, England, 1823-01-29 00:00:00

FROM TILE COURIER FRANCAIS.

Notwithstanding the probability of war, three
months of alarm and unquietnesshave partly destroyed
the work of six years of peace. A few days disturbance
have been.sufficient to cause so much damage to the
public finances and to private fortunes, -that several
years can hardly repair it. The hostile attitude taken
ith regard to Spain, has all at once shut against
France a market of eleven millions of customers, to
gratify, England, whicji, better advised, has secured
to herself, by a treaty of commerce, the advantages
that we have voluntarily thrown away. The spring
of industry is stopped, the activity of commerce is
paralysed, public credit has been shaken, the sources
Of wealth are shut, and futurity, formerly so full of
hope, has nothing now to offer but a prospect on
which good citizens hardly dare to work.
Let France be compared at present with what it
was six months ago, and the evil which has already
been done will be evident, as well as that which may
be anticipated. If the mere probability of war has
already produced such eflects, who will undertake to
calculate the -succession of disasters which war will
actually bring ? Who will dare to affirm that, two
mikihs.after the commencement of hostilities, France
will net entirely have lost the fruit* of six years peace-
ful labowand will not find herself in .a.worse situa-
thin die* she was in 1AI6? .

Fosont, Minister of the ICtikt. of the Nether-
lands.* the Court of Fiance. has presented in appli-
cation:l6.th. Miatister. of Foreign Atairs, for the. pro-
setution of the 'Editor of the Ultra Paper, called the
rhytioizu Blanc, on account of an article relative to
the Gurerutnint Of the-Netherliuds.

E EVE 51 1.-$(.l qSTA R

ioN,OoN.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1523.
AL4statt's Acctsswm.—Holiday at the Bank.
TIIE FUNDS.
STUCK EXCHANGE, HALF-PAST T ELV E.
%I:presses from Paris this morning bring the French Funds
en Monday at 781. 15c. and the Spanish Bonds at 41. Consols
opened at 76i, and Spanish Bonds at 41i—fell to 40,,i 401& 40}.
A great deal of business has been done this morning, and there
were some good buyers. A report prevailed that a new Spanish
Loan had been taken by a Spanish House in the City, but on
further inquiry we cannot trace it to any authentic sou-co.--
Consuls are, up to this hour, 76i.
FORMIC TIMM

,Current Prices :—Cbilian 70*, New Spanish 401 i, Old 44,
We* Prussian 75k, Old Russian 74k, Danish 79, Neaps-
iltasi 72b, Colombian 551, Spanish Scrip i 5.

This.being the Anniversary of his MAJESTY'S Ac-
cession to the Throne of these Realms, the day *as
observed with the usual demonstrations of joy. The
(loyal Standard was hoisted at the Tower. The seve-
ral Churches in the Metropolis displayed their flags,
as did the ships in the River and the different Docks.
At one o'clock the Park and Tower guns were fired.

The indecision which has so long marked the con-
duct of the French Cabinet, is probably by this time
terminated, and the Speech of the KING to the Cham-
bers yesterday has, perhaps, decided the great—the
important question of Peace or War. We say per-
haps, for we think it not at all improbable that the
Royal Message to the two Chambers may not close
the door of friendly negotiation with Spain ; and we
are strengthened in this opinion by the circumstance,
that on the 16th instant, Count de LAGARDE, the
French Ambassador, had not left Madrid, nor has
the Spanish Ambassador at Paris, the Duc de Lo-
RENZI), even asked for his passports.
Some of the French Journals and private letters
from Park are far from considering war as inevitable;
and, notwithstanding the confident assertions of the
Ultra Journals, and the military preparations in
France, the Ministry has not yet made any positive
declaration of its views. Considerable reliance is
placed on the pacific conduct of the B,itish Cabinet,
and the firmness with which it has hitherto resisted
the league against Spain. The hope that our inter-
ference might still prevent war, has created a liVely
sensation in Paris, and the funds in consequence
have risen.

This rise is, however, attributed by the Journal des
Debats to another cause—the confidence of war.
This Journal asserts that the soldiers are quite eager
for the commencement of hostilities, and that " they
crowd round their Officers to demand as a favour the
honour of combating and conquering under the white
flag." French enthusiasm is sometimes a little de-
ceptive; we recollect in what glowing terms the en-
thusiasm of the French military, in behalf of the
white flag, was described when NAPOLEON landed
from Elba, and yet we saw that great man drive the
BouassoNs from France without firing a single mus-
ket :—not a regiment, nay not a single soldier could
be found to arrest the progress of the Conqueror, or
to preserve the lily and white flag from succumbing
to the eagle.
Private letters from Paris, however, give a very
different account of the enthusiasm of the French
Army: they state that the whole population of France
is opposed to war with Spain, and that disaffection
pervades the French Army to such an extent as to
alarm even the Ultras, mad as they are, as to the re-
stilt of war. Every well-informed person, not blinded
by prejudice, or wilfully perverting facts, who knows
anything of the state of public feeling in France,
considers the commencement of a war against Spain
as the suicide of the BOURBON Dynasty.
Louts XVIII. who possesses more sense and less
ambition than any of the Sovereigns of the Holy
Alliance, is known to be averse to war, and would
gladly pass the remainder of his life in quiet; but the,
clamorous Ultras, who profess extraordinary loy-
alty, urge him to the contest; particularly the priest-
hood, who cry out most lustily for war. A private
letter from Paris of Saturday last says, the Church
of France is at present a Church militant in the full
'force of the term, and that " The conversations of
Messrs. Abbe de la AIENAGIti Quar.xw, Archbishop of
Paris, and LATEL, Confessor of the Count d'AR-
TOIS, are of a much more warlike and blood-thirsty
nature than those of the Marshals of France; the
latter, with very few exceptions, preach peace, whilst
the former g speak plain cannon, fire, and smoke,
and bounce,' so that one is tempted to ask' what
cannoneer begot these lusty bloods?' Strange age
of contradiction in which we live, when the
soldier, whose trade is war, counsels peace, and
the priest, whose bounden duty it is to main-
tain love and good-will amongst mankind, breathes
nothing but fire, massacre, and destruction ! There
are printed hand-bills distributed at the doors of all
the Churches, calling upon the faithful to perform a
parantaine—that is, forty days masses and• prayers
for the re-establishment of the good old cause of des-
potism and the Liquisition in Spain, and the-destruc.
Lion of all their enemies—of course, of all thoie who
I entertain liberal and enlightened views for the lune.
lioration of mankind.

By a New Ytitir Piper of the 20th ult. we• have
some important intelligence fiuM Peru. It ii there

stated,.o24-according tostitice2 ratitiveid.42;Guara"
quil on thallOth of Septanibetto LA. Sanwa, the late •
Viceroy and Commander :If thlesirtiole
which retreated into theinterrioi SAN *mars,
entry into Lima, had declared hsgsself indepepdent
of Spain, and that one division of his army was within
one day's march of Lima. Pisco was in the pos-
session of LA SERNA'S troops. • SAN MARTIN arrived
at Callao from Guayaquil on the 19th of Augua.—
On returning to Lima, he expressed disapprobation
of the change in the Administration that had taken
place in his absence, by the removal of the Secretary
of State, MoNTEAGUDO, and deposed from office ail
the remaining Members of the Government. This
was considered an extremely unpopular act of SAN
MARTIN'S, particularly with regard to the Marquis
of TORRE TAGLE, the Supreme Magistrate, who was
' highly esteemed and respected by the inhabitants of
Lima, and to have much increased the danger of his
, situation, arising from the change of LA SERRA'S
sentiments. Admiral BLANCO, with the Peruvian
, squadron, was at Callao on the stli of September,
, where an expedition was preparing against Arequipa
and Arica, in which the troops supplied as auxiliaries
by BOLIVAR were to be employed. This force had
in part arrived, and the remainder (5000 in all) were
daily expected at Callao from Guayaquil.

THE KING.

BRIGHTON, JANUARY 27.

' Th• answer to inquiries to learn the state of his
MAJESTY'S health is—" His MAJESTY is as well as he
was yesterday."
The hard frost, which has lasted so long, has now
given way to a rapid thaw, and it has rained almost
without ceasing the whole day, which has given to
the place a most dreary and dismal appearance.

Yesterday, at two o'clock, a Cabinet Council was
held at the Foreign Office, Downing-street, which
was attended by the LORD CHANCELLOR and all the
Cabinet Ministers, with the exception of the Earl of
WESTMORLAND and Mr. BRAGGY BATHURST, who
were absent from London. The Duke of WELLING-
TON arrived in town express, for the purpose of at-
tending the Council, after the assembling of the
Cabinet Ministers. The CHANCELLOR of the ExcHE-1
QUER was prevented from attending the Cabinet by
his indisposition being increased so as to confine him
to his room nearly the whole of the day,. The Cabi-
net dinner which the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
had appointed for this day, was postponed in conse-
quence. The Cabinet Council sat in deliberation till
past four o'clock.
Lord COLCHESTER is appointed Secretary of State
for the Colonies, in the room of Lord BATHURST,
who receives the Presidency of the Council. Lord
HARM:MET retires.

Yesterday was the day appointed for the Duke of
YORK'S holding a Military Levee, bat-which did ni,t
take place, owing-to his Royal Highness not having
sufficiently recovered fronslfit-seiere cold, although
his Royal Highness has attended daily from the com-
mencement of his indisposition to his public business
as Commander-in-Chief, with Sir HERBERT TAYLOR
and other official Gentlemen, at York house, and
therefore no impediment has occurred to his Royal
Highness's public duties; but the Medical Gentlemen
appointed to attend his Royal Highness have been in-
attendance two and three times in a day, and still the
answer to the inquiries continues, "the Duke is better."
The Duke of CLARENCE arrived is town yesterday
from Bushy Park.
Monday evening, Mr. &Lynn'', the King's Mes-
senger, left town with dispatches from Mr. CANNING,
his Majesty's principal Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, to his Majesty's Ambassador at the Court
of France.

Yesterday, a Court of Aldermen was held at Guild-
hall, for the purpose of bearing and determining upon
the several Appeals against serving the -offices of
Constable and Inquest. GEORGE NORTON, Esq. at-
tended, and surrendered his office of Common Pleader
to the City. The Sheriff nominated .lAmits SPENCER,
citizen and fan-maker, to be the Keeper of the Debtors'
Prison in London and Middlesex, and the Court re-
ferred it to a Committee to inquire into his qualifica-
tion, and to report.
Monday night, after the family of a Gentleman in
Hans-place, Sloane-street, Chelsea, had gone to bed,
the area was opened, and the kitchen door was quickly
shut. An alarm immediately prevailed throughout
the house, and it was instantly searched by its spirited
proprietor ; when, after a short time, a very elegantly
dressed young man walked deliberately forth from
the coal-cellar, and was secured. During a conver-
sation afterwards between the proprietor of the house
and his captive, it turned out that the latter had been
frequently in the habit of paying his amorous nocturnal
visits to the Lady's maid, who, when called on, re-
luctantly confessed the fact ; and the gay Lotharia
felt extreme gratification in receiving his liberation.
MR. Fox's BIRTH-DAY.—Friday last, about eighty
Gentlemen of high respectability in the City of Glas-
gow and neighbourhood assembled in the Black Bull
Inn, to dine together and commemorate the birth.
day of the late Right Hon. CHARLES JAME& Fox.
Mr. SPIERS, of Calcreuch, in the Chair. Sir J. MAX-
WELL, of Polloc, Bart. croupier. The evening Was
spent with the greatest conviviality., fifty-two " bamper
toasts" being given from the Chair. The utmost re,
spect and loyalty was observed towards the KING,
and no fault found with his Ministers. JOHN MAx-
WELL, younger of Pallet, M.P. made'an admirable
and impressive speech in favour of the Greeks, and
their noble struggle for freedom and independence.
llossm's NEWCIRATORIO.—The first rehearsal irf
Cyrus in Babylon has taken place at Drury-Lane,
when the new orchestra was erected it is of the mist
splendid description, corresponding with the 'kik
limit,' of the llouse. • The music: adds -greatly to
Rosartit'i tiputationl the overture is very Original,
acid pardialirly eilecttire. Some of the duets -and,
trios are likewise 'extrelnely' beautiful i the band-and
the atitieeitensive *ideal list' year,
a!re 'etceitively poirtiftil,"lll3e *lick artangement
does great'eredif to Mr. Bocnsit. The vocal parts
.sire sostaintid by 'BRtAttAtil, Mts. SALMON, Miss TREE,
lid Madame Valid's.; Mist l'oVe-t;iiid 'NELSON.