Star.
London, England, 1807-12-19 00:00:00

PORTUGUESE ROYAL FAMILY.

After the preading page was at prefs, a melfenger
arrived at the Admiralty with difpatches announ
cing that the Now Blip of war has arrived at Ply-
mouth with intelligence that the Royal Family of
Portugal has failed from the Tagus in twenty-feven
NO, and is not/ on its way to the Brazils. The
Royal Family is accompanied by a number of loyal
adherents of the Nobility.
It is alto reported at the Admiralty, that Sir
SIDNEY SMITH went into the Tagus, and brought
away the whole of the Ruffian Fleet, and whatever
Portuguefe Men of War had been left there.

DECLARATION OF THE KING.

LONDON GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY,

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19.

DECLARATION.
The Declaration iffued at St. Peterfburgh, by his
Majefty the Emperor of all the Ruffias, has excited
in his Majefty's mind the ftrongeft kr:rations of alto.
nifhment and regret.
His Majefty was not unaware of the nature of thole
fecret engagements which had been impofed upon
Ruffia in the conferences of 'Hilt. But his Majefty'
had entertained the hope, that a review of the tranf-
aaions of that unfortunate negotiation, and a juft
etiolate of its effeas upon the glory of the Ruffian
name, and upon the interefts of the Ruffian Empire,
would have induced his Imperial Majefty to extricate
himfelf from the embarraffment of thole new counfels
and connexions which he had adopted in a moment
of defpondency and alarm, and to return to a policy
more congenial to the principles which he has fo
invariably profeffed, and more conducive to the
honourof his Crown, and to the profperity of his
dominions.
This hope has dictated to his Majefty the itmoft
forbearance and moderation in alt his diplomatic in.
tercourfe with the Court of St. Peterfburgh fence the
peace of Tilfit.
His Majefty had moth caufe of fufpicion, and juft
ground of complaint. But he abftained from the
language of reproach. His Majefty deemed it ne-
ceffary to require fpecific explanation with refpea
to thole arrangements with France, the concealment
Of which ft om his Majefty could not but confirm the
irnpreftion already received of their charaaer and
tendency. But his Majefty, neverthelefs, direaed the
demand of that explanation to be made, not only
without afperity or the indication of any hoftile dir
pofition, but with that confiderate regard to the
feelings and fituation of the Emperor of Rolla, which
refulted frOm the recolleaion of former friendfhip,
and from confidence interrupted but not deftroyed.
The Declaration of the Emperor of Ruffia proves
that the rbjea of his Majefty's forbearance and
moderati• n has not been attained. It proves, un-
happily, that the influence of that power, which is
equally and effentially the Enemy both of Great
-Britain and of Ruffia, has acquired a decided afeen-
dency in the Connfels of the Cabinet of St. Peterf-
.burgh ; and has been able to excite--a caufelefs enmity
benween two nations, where long eflabliflted connec-
tion, and whole mutual interefts prefcribed the molt
intimate union and cooperation.
His Majefty deeply laments the extenfion of the
culamities of war. But called upon. as he is, to
defend himfelf againft an as of unprov )ked hollility,
Iris Majefty is anxious to refute in the face of the
world the pretexts by which that aft is attempted to
h e juftified.
• The Declaration afferts-that his Majefty the Em-
peror of Ruffia has twice taken up arms in a caufe
tit which the intereft of Great Britain was more direet
than his own ; and founds upon this affertion the
charge againft Great Britain of having neglated to
fe cond and fupport the military operations of Ruffia.
His Majefty willingly does juftice to the motives
dthich originally engaged Ruffin in the great ftruggle
againft France. His Majefty avows with equal res.
diners the intereft which Great Britain has uniformly
taken in the fates and fortunes of the Powers of the
Continent. But it would finely be difficult to prove
that Great Britain, who was herfelf in a nate of
Way with Pruffia when the war broke out between
Prtiffia and France, had an intereft and a duty more
dire& in.efpoufing the Pruilian quarrel than the Em-
per or of Ruffia, the Ally of his Pruffian Majefly, the
Prineaor of the North of Europe, and the guarantee
of the Germanic Conflitution.
It is not in a public Declaration that his Majefty
Gan difcufs the policy of having at any particular
period of the war effeCted, or omitted to effea, dif.
embarkations of troops on the coatis of Naples.—
But the inftance of the war with the Porte is Qill
snort fingularly chorea to illuftrate the charge again ft
Great Britain of indifference to the interelts of her
silly : a war undertaken by Great Brit sin at the
infligation of Italia, and folely for the purpofe of
:maintaining Ruffian interefts againft the influence of
iFrance.
• If, however, the P.:ace of Tilfit is indeed to be
confiderect as the confequence and the punifhment of
the imputed inaaivity of Great Britain, his Majefly
cannot but regret that the Emperor of Ruffia fhould
hive reforted to fo precipitate and fatal a meafure,
at the moment when he-had received diflina affur-
an'ess that his Majefty was making the molt flrenu-
ot/ s exertions to fulfil the wifhes and expeaations of
hi s Ally (affura.ices which his Imperial Majefty
ri ceived and acknowledged with apparent confidence
.a nd fatisfaaion) ; and when his Majefty was, in fad,
.Iprepared to employ for the advancement of the
common obje6s of the war, thole forces which, after
the Peace of Tilfit, he was under the neceffity of
employing to difconcert a combination direeted
againft his own immediate interefts and fecurity.
The vexation of Ruffianoommerce by Great Bri.
fain is, in troth, little more than an imaginary
grievance.. Upon a diligent examination, made by
his Majeftv's command, of the Records of the Britifh
Court of Admiralty, there has been difcovered only
a folitary inftance in the courfe of the prefent war,
of the condemnation •f a veil really Ruffian : a
veffel which had carried naval StentS to a port of the
common enemy. There are but few instances of
Ruffian veffels detained : and none in which juftice
Las been refuted to a party regularly complaining of

I Inch detention. It is theritfore matter of turprife as
well as of concern to his Majefly, that the Emperor
of Ruffia fhould have condefcended to bring forward
a complaint which, as it cannot be feriouliy felt by
thole in whole behalf it is urged; might appear to be
intended to countenance thofe araggerated declama.
tions, by which France perfcveringly endeavours to
inflame the jealoufy of other countries, and to niftily
her own inveterate animofity againfl Great Britain.
The Peace of Tilfit was followed by an offer of
mediation on the part of the Emperor of RufThs, for
the conclufion of a Peace between Great Britain and
France; which it is afferted that his Majeßy refufed.
His Majeßy did not refufe the mediation pf the
Emperor of Rullia : although the offer of it was
accompanied by circumilances of concealment,
which might well have juilified his refufal. .The
Articles of the Treaty of Talk were not commitni
cited to his Majefly; and fpecifically that Article
of the Treaty in virtue of which the mediation was
propofed, and which prefcribed a limited time for
tie return of his Mejefly's anfwer to that propofal.
And his Majefly was thus led into an apparent cons•
pliance with a limitation fo offenfive to the dignity
of an independent Sovereign. But the anfwer fo
returned by his Majefly was not a refufal. It was
a conditional acceptance. The conditions required
by his Majeßy were—a Itatement of the bafis upon
which the enemy was difpofed to treat; and a corn
munication of the articles of the peice of Tilfit. The
fira of there conditions was precifety the fame which
the Emperor of Rums had hirnfelf annexed not four
months before to his own acceptance of the proffered
mediation of the Emperor of Auftria. The fecond
was one which his Majeßy would have had a right
to require, even as the Ally of his Imperial Majesty;
hut which it would have been highly improvident to ,
omit, when he was invited to confi le to his Imperial
hlajcfly the care of his honour and of bis interefts.
But even if there conditions (neither of which has I
been fulfilled, although the fulfilment of them has I
been repeatedly required by his Majefly's Ambalrador
at St. Peterlburgh) had not been in themfelves per
fatly natural and neceffary : there were not wanting
confiderations which might have warranted his Ma
jetty in endeavouring, with more than ordinary anxi
ety, to afcertain the views and intentions of the
Emperor of Ruflia, and the precife nature and dila
of the new relations which his Imperial Majefly had
contracted.

The complete abandonment of the interefts of the
King of Pruffia (who had twice rejected propthls of
feparate peace, from a aria adherence to his engage-
ments with his Imperial Ally), and the charaaer of
thole provifions which the Emperor of Rana was
contented to make for his own interells in the negoti-
ations of Tilfit, prefented no encouraging profpth of
the refult of any exertions which his Imperial ISlajelly
[night be difpofed to employ in favour of Great
Britain.

It is not, while the French army Rill occupies and
lays wane the remaining dominions of the King of
Pruifia, in fpite of the Itipulations of the Pruffian
Treaty of Tilfit ; while contributions are arbitrarily
eraeted by France from that remnant t f the Pruffian
Monarchy fuch as, in its entire and motet Roo-
tithing Rate, the Pruffian Monarchy would have
been unable to difcharge ; white the forrender
is demanded, in time of peace, of Pruffian for-
treffes, .-hich had not been reduced during the
war ; and while the power of France is exercifed
over Pruffia with fuch fhamelefs tyranny, as to
defignate and demand for irritant death, individuals,
fribjeeti of his Pruflian Majelly, and refident in his
dominions, upon a charge of difrefpeet towards the
French Government—it is not while all thefe things
are done and fuffered, under the eyes of the Emperor
of Ruffia, and without his interference on behalf of
his ally, that his Majefly can feel himfelf called upon
to account to Europe, for having hcfitated to•repofe
an unconditional confidence in the efficacy •uf his
Imperial Majely's mediation.
Nor, even if that mediation had taken full effeet,
if a peace had been concluded under it, and that peace
guaranteed by his Imperial Majeßy,could his Majefly
have placed implicit reliance on the liability of any
foch arrangement, after having feen the Emperor of
Ruffia openly transfer to France the Sovereignty of
the lonian Republic, the independence•of which his
Imperial Majtily had recently and folemnly guaran-
teed.

But while the alledged rejeftion of the Emperor of
Ruffle's mediation, between Great B: itain and France,
is Rated as a jug ground of his Imperial Majefly's
tefentment ;• his Majefly's requell of that mediation,
for the re•eßabli[hment of peace between Great Bti-
tain and Denmark, is reprefented as an infult which
it was beyond the bounds of his Imperial Majtßy's
moderation to endure.

His Majefly feels himfelf under no obligation
to offer any atonement or apology to the Em-
peror
of Ruffia for the expedition againft Copen-
hagen. It is not for thole who were parties to the
fecret arrangements of Tilfit, to demand fatisfadion
for a meafure to which thole arrangements gave rife,
and by which one of the objects of them has been
happily defeated.
His Majelly's jollification of the Expedition againft
Copenhagen i► before the WorlJ. The declaration
of the Emperor of Ruffia would fupply whatever
was wanting in it, if any thing could be wanting, to
convince the molt incredulous of the urgency of that
neceffity under which his Majefty ailed.
But until the 'Ruffian declaration was publiffied,
his Welly had no reafon to fufped that any opinions
which the Emperor of Ruffia might entertain of the
tranfadions at Copenhagen could be filch as to pre-
clude his Imperial Majelly from undertaking, at the
requeft of Great Britain, that fame office of media-
tor, which he had affirmed with fo much alacrity
on the behalf of France. Nor can his Majefly forget
that the firft fymptoms of reviving confidence, fince
the peace of Tiltit, the only prr.fped of fuccefs in the
endeavours of his MAjelly's Antbafrador to reftore
the ancient good undetuanding between Great Bri-
tain and Ruflia, appeared when the intelligence of
the liege of Copenhagen had been recently received
at St Peterfburgh.
The inviolability of the Baltic Sea, and the reci•
procal guaranties of the Powers that border upon it,
guaranties Paid to have been contracted with the
knowledge of the Britifh Government, are Rated as
aggravations of his Majefty's proceedings in the Bal.
tic. It cannot be intended to teprefent his Majefty
as having at any time acquiefced in the principles upon
which the inviolability of the Baltic is maintained e,

• .
however his Majefly may, at particular periods, have
forborn, for (pedal reafons influencing his canduet at
the time, to a 4 in contradidlion to them. Such for.
bearance never could have applied but to a (late of
peace and real neutrality in the North; and his Ma-
jetty mon affuredly could not be expetfted to recur to
it, after France has been fuffered to ellablillt herfelf
in undifputed Sovereignty along the whole coati of
the Baltic Sea, from Dantzig to Lubeck.
But the higher the value which the Emperor of
Ruffia places on the engagements refpeaing the tran•
quillity of the Baltic, which he defcribes himfelf as in-
heriting from his immediate predeceffors the Emprels
Catherine and the Emperor Paul, the lets juffly can
his Imperial Majefly relent the appeal made to him
by his Majefly as the guarantee of the peace to be
concluded between Great Britain and Denmark. In
making that appeal, with the utmoff confidence and
fincerity, his Majelly neither intended, nor can he
imagine that he offered, any infult to the Emperor
of Ruffia. Nor can his Majetly conceive that, in
propofing to the Prince Royal terms of peace, loch
as the malt fuccefsful war on the part of Denmark
could hardly have been expeeted to extort from Great
Britain, his Majeffy rendered himfelf liable to the
imputation, either of exafperating the refentment, or
of outraging the dignity of Denmark.
Rio &Nay has thus replied to all the different
acenfations by which the Ruffian Government la-
bours to jutlify the rupture of a connection which has
fublifled for ages, with reciprocal advantage to
Great Britain ani Ruffia ; and attempts to difgui'e
the operation of that external influence by which
Ruffia is driven into unjutt holtilities for interefts not
her own.

The Ruffian Declaration proceeds to annmnce the
feveral conditions on which alone there holtilities can
be terminated, and the intercom-re of the two cltin•
tries ren!wed. •

His Majefty has already had occafian to afrert
that jullice ia nn inflance been destied to the
claims of his imperial Majefiy's fubjeCt.t.
The termination i f the war with Denmark has
been fa anxioully fought by his Majefty, that it can
not be necefrary for hi; Majefly to renew any pro
feflions upon that fubjeCt. But his Majedy is at a
lots to reconcile the Em?eror of Ruffles prefent
anxiety for 'he completion of fuck an arrangement,
wioa his Inmetial Majelly's recent refufal to cmtri-
bute his good offices for effefting it.
The Requifition of his Imperial Welty for the
immediate conclufion, by his Majefty, of a Peace
with France, is as extraordinary in the fibflance, as,
it is offenfive in the manner. His Majefty has at no
time declined to treat with France, when France has
profefred a williognefs to treat on an achniffible balls.
And the Emperor of Ruffle cannot fail to remember
that the IA Negociation between Great Britain and
France was broken r ff. opal points immediately
affecting, not his I`,lajelly's own interelts, but thole
of his Imperial Ally. But his Majefiy neither under-
Rands, nor will he admit, the pretenfion of the Em-
peror of Ruffia to diClate the time, or the mode, of his
Majefty's pacific Negociations with other Powers.
It never will be endured by his Majefty that any Go-
vernment [hall indemnify itfelf for the humiliation
of fubferviency to France; by the adoption of an in-
fu!ting and peremptory tone towards Great Britain.
His Majelly proclaims anew thole prinCiples of
Maritime Law, againa which the armed neutrality,
under the aufpices of the Emprefs Cathetine, was
originally directed ; and aktinft which the prefent
hcailities of RutDa are denounced. Thole principles
have been recognized and acted upon_ in the bell
periods of the Mao!), r f Europe: and acted upon
by no power with mote fhianefs and fevetity than
by Ruffia heitelf in the Reign of the Emprefs Ca-
tharine.

'l'hofe principles it is the right and the duty of his I
Majelty to maintain—rind againti every confederacy
his M 'jelly is deter mined, under the bletfing of Di
vine Providence, to maintain them They have at
all times contributed cfrentially to the fuppor t of the
Maiitime Power of Great Britain—but they are
become incalculably mote valuable and important at
a period when the Maritime Ptwer of Great Bli-
tain conflitutes the tole remaining bulwark againft ;he
overwhelming ufurpations of France; the only refuge
to which other nations may yet refort, in happier
times, for affillance and proteftion.
When the opportunity for peace between Great
Britain and Rotlia fhall arrive, his Majelty will ern.
brace it with eagernefs. The arrangements of fuch
a negociation will not be difficult or complicated. Hi,
Majelty, as he has nothing to concede, fo he has no.
thing to requite : fatisfied, if Ruffle (ball manifelt a
difpofition to return to her ancient feelings of ft iend•
(bip towards Great Britain ; to a juft confederation
of her own true interefls ; and to a fenfe of her own
dignity, as an independent Nation.
‘Vt:ltarinfter, December 18, tBo7.

At the Court at Windfor, the 18th of December,
1807, Prefent, the King's Moft Excellent Majefly
in Council,
His Majetly having taken into confiderati, n the
injurious and hollile proceedings of the Emperor df
■ll the Ruflias, as let forth in the Declaration of shis
date, iffued by his Majefty's command ; and being
determined to take fuch meafures as are neceffary for
vindicating the honour of his Crown, and procuring
reparation and fatufaelion, his Majefty therefore is
pleafed, by and with the advice of his Privy Council,
to order, and it is hereby ordered, that general tepri.
zals be granted againft the (hips, goods, and fubjefts
of the Emperor of all the Rufflas, (lave and except
any veffels to which his Majefly's licence has been
granted, or which have been diraled to be releafed
from the embargo, and have not Croce arrived at any
foreign port), fo that as well his Majefly's fleets and
(hips, as alfo all other fhips and veffels that (hall be
cornmiffioned by letters of marque or general repri-
fall, or otherwife, by his Majefly's Commiflioners for
executing the office of Lord High Admiral of Great
Britain, (hall and may law•fully feize all (hips, veffels,
and grods belonging to the Emperor of all the Ruffles,
or his fubjeas, nr others inhabiting within the
territoties of the Emperor of all the Ruflias, and
bring the fame to judgment in any of the Courts of
Admiralty wi.hin his Majefly's dominions; and, to
that end, his Majefly's Advocate General, with the
Advocate of the Admiralty, are forthwith to
prepare the draft of a Commiffion, and prefent the
fame to his Majefly ar this Board, authorifing the
Commiffioners for executing the r face of Lord High
Admiral, or any perfon or perfons by them empow-

•
ered and appointed, to Me forth and grant letters of
marque and reprifals to any of his Msjsily's Cub.
jets, or others, whom the faid Commitlioners Atall
deem fitly qualified in thatibehalf, for the apprehend-
ing, feizing, and taking the (hips, velfels, and goods
belonging to Raffia, and the vaffals and fubjeets of
the Emperor of all the Raffia', or any inhabiting
within his countries, territories, or dominions,
(except as aforefaid) ; and that fuch powers and
claufes be inferted in the faid Comtnifflon as hare
been afual, and are according to former precedents ;
and his Majelly's Advocate General, pith the
Advocate of the Admiralty, are alto forthwith to
prepare the draft of a Commiffion, and prefent the
fame to his Majeßy at this Board, authorizing the
laid Commiffioners for executing the Office of Lord
High Admiral, to will and require the High Court
of Admiralty of Great Blitain, and the Lieutenant
and Judge of the faid Court, his Surrogate or Sur-
rogate', as alfo the feveralCourts ofAdmiralty within
his Majeßy's dominions, to take cognizance of, and
judicially proceed upon, all and all manner of cap-
tures, feizures, prizes, and reprizals of all 'hips
and goods that are or (hall be taken, and t hear
and determine the fame, and, according to the courte
of Admiralty, and the laws of nations, to adinJo-
and condemn all filch Chips, veffels, and goods as
(hall belong to Ruffia, or the vaffals and lubjztzts of
the Emperor of all-the Rallis, or to any others in.
habiting within any of his countries, territories,
and dominions, (except as aforefaid;) and that filch
powers and claufes be inferted in the laid Cammif-
fion as have been ufual, and are according to former •
precedents ; and they are likewife to prepare, and
lay before his Majefty at this Board, a draft of fuch
intlruetions as may be proper to be Cent to the Courts
of Admiralty in his Majefty's foreign governments
and plantations, for their guidance herein ; as alto
another draft of intiruetions for fuch (hip, as 'hall be
commillionated for the purpofe abovemzntinned.

CAMDEN, P.
WESTMORLAND, C. P. 8:
HAWKESSURY.
MULGRAVE.
SP HELEN'S
SP. PERCEVAL.
GEORGE CANNING.

Yeflerday, at two o'clock, his Majefly held a Privy
Council in the Council Chamber, in Windfor
which fat till half paft three o'clock. There were
prefent Earls Camden and Welimorland ; Lords
Hawkefbary, Mulgrave, and St Helen's; Mefrrs.
Canning and Pcrceval. After the Council, his Ma-
jelly gave audiences to Earl Camden, Lord Hawkef•
bury, and Mr. Canning. Mr. Fawkener, the Clerk
of the Conncil, attended

Mr. Canning arrived at Wiodfor on Thurfday •
after, and remained there left night.
Lady Hawkefbory went with Lord Haakeffsury
to Windfor, and they remained there lan hight.—
We are happy to fay his Majtily Invited remarkably
well yefterday, and appeared in excellent fpirits.
It is undertlood that, in confervence of the notice
given in the Houfc of Commons at the dole of the
lafi Sefton, refpeeing the days to be appointed is
the approaching SeffiQn for prefenting Private Fed-
lions, Bolls and Reports, the days expected to be
fixed will be nearly the fame as thofe in the Spring of
1807, viz.
For Petitions, 27th February ;
Bills, 26th March ;
Reports, t WI May.
The Denbigh Militia arrived in 'Canterbury yef-
terday, on their march from Sheernefe to Margate.

It is Lieutenant Colonel GE9RG6 Stair's, of the
Sad Regiment, the carps ft honourably noticed in
the orders an 4 difpatches of Lord Carncaer, who
was knighted by his Majelly on Wednefd ay fe'nnight,
'for his fervices before Copenhagen, and not Lieu.
tenant Colonel Sown!, of the 28th, as erroneoully
Rated in different papers.
Perfons balloted for the Militia, when they engzge
a fobflitu..e, matt not pay more than five pis
the bounty, upon his enrolment, and the rem •I 'der
is to be depofited with the Clerks of the Subd ;
Meetings, to be paid to the fubttitute when he fh et(
have joined the regiment.
The French lugger privateer the Providence, of
1¢ guns, which was captured by the Afirea and
Royalift, and fent into the Downs on Monday, has
been manned with ..o feamen and 15 marines, and
has failed for the coa(l of France, in company with
the in the hope of decoying I,me more of
the enemy's veffel,, of this defcriptian, into our hands.
The Danes in Catwater, Plymouth, were on Telef_
day in a lime of mutiny ; they threatened to fet fire
to the (hipping, and, no doubt, would have put their
'threat into execution, had it n been for the piquet
guards fent to watch their motions, and keep them in
order. On Wcdnefday a great number of them were
put on board lighrers and launches, and carried up
Hamnaze, where they were confined on hoard the
Niece, Which is fitted for a temporary prifon (hip,
till the Es. FIRM E is completed.
Court.r (\lit riar..—Thurfday, in Clrelfea Col'ege,
a Court .Martial, compofed of General and Field
Officers, proceeded on the trial of Sir CIiARLSI
HOTHAM, Colonel of the B.:verily Buffs, or the Ealt
York Regiment of Militia. The charges, which were
fifteen in number, being diflinale read by Mr RYDER,
the Judge Advocate, R. LECA!tD, Senior Captain
of the fame regiment, who preferred them, addreffed
the Honourable Court in a fhort but elegant fpeech.
He fairly avowed that lie had no motive in corn.
mencing this profecution awainn his fupetior Officer
and Cnlonel, but a fettle of duty, which as an Officer
he felt bimfelf bound to difcharge to his King and
country. There charges, though different as to time
and place, were of the fame dere' iption and nature;
they were charges of irregularity and drunkennefs,
diferaceful and degrading in any man, but in an
Officer of fuperior rank, fortune, and 'family, they
would inevitably bring difgrace on the Corps with
which they were conneded—invidious as the tang
was, and however unequal to the difcharge of it, the
profecutor would be platy of grofs direlitEtion of
duty, if he r eglened to pert ,rm it, becaufe they were
all contrary to the Mutiny AO, the A ticles of War,
• and the Orders of the Commander in Chief. He Was
well aware he had to contend, against fisperior rank
and fortune; but he did not (brink ; he had a body
of evidence to fttbltantiate all tilde charge, which
could not be impeached or contraoiaed. After ihs
examination of fever al witnelfes c n .the two &it
charges, the Court adjourned at three o'el .ck.— the
. Earl of Eurroa, Colonel of the Welt Ssilfolk
is Fractal' of the Court.

1