Star.
London, England, 1811-10-22 00:00:00

sorry AMERICA.

and every thing of importance for preserving the ge-
neral liberty, or retarding the progress of the enemy.
Its a postscript he adds, that it was a friar named
Manuel Ascorro, acting as chaplain to the army, who
produced the flight of the troops ; and begs, that this
friar may, if possible, be removed from the army.
BUIENOE-AYRES, JULY 25.
The Junta of Government have received a com-
munication from the Provincial Junta of La Paz,
which informs us of the reunion of the divisions of our
army in the town of La Paz, and of the measures
which are taking to repair the slight loss which they
l'ad sustained. In that town there are assembled 500
troops of the line, besides the division of Cocharn-

[ln order to understand the following details, it is
necessary to observe, that the Junta of Buenos Ayres
had sent an army to the assistance of the Junta of
Potosi, which they called the auxiliary army of Peru.
The troops of Potosi were commanded by BALCARCE;
and those of Buenos Ayres, by the Deputy CAS rELLt.
The army which they had to oppose was commanded
by one GAYONECHE ; and as our readers will observe,
the united troops of Buenos Ayres and Potosi seem
to have been completely dispersed.]
BUENOS AYRES EXTRAORDINARY GAZETTE,
JULY 2f2.

By a courier who arrived in this city on the night ham-ba ; and the inhabitants have recovered from the
of the 19th, the Junta have received the following alarm into which the preceding disaster had thrown
accounts of the action, which our army on the De-
them.
saguardero was compelled to fight on the 20th of Ai o. I.—Farther dispatches and some private let-
June last, six days before the armistice of forty days
ters hare been received respecting the battle of the 1,
had expired. I Desaguedero. They state, that the enemy has re- '
The situation of our enemies must, indeed, be des-
treated, full of terror, to his head-quarters, leaving I
perate, when they break thtough all the laws and more than 1000 men dead en the field of battle ; and
compacts which have been hitherto respected by the
that only the unexpected cowardice of some officers, '
most barbarous nations, in order to take advantage
who allowed themselves to be seized with a shameful
of a surprise to obtain some superiority, though but panic in the critical moment for deciding the action,
of short duration, over the decided energy of our could hare deprived us of a complete victory.
troops. The Government submits with pleasure the The enemy began the attack with 8000 men, and
original letters to the view of the inhabitants, that the fire lasted six hours. The contest was sustained
they may all form a true notion of the event, and with vigour by the right and left divisions alone, and
that all alarms may be dissipated; the public mind
the artillery, under the command of D. Felipe Pe-
remaining tranquil with regard to the ultimate result reyra de Lucent-, the centre division having diverged
of our enterprises, there being no ground for alarm very quickly, through the terror and flight of its offi-
on account of a slight misfortune, rather the effect cers. The brave laicena, Velez, and Bozo, were
of surprize and treachery, than of the enemy's su- killed, and Villanueva, Corte, five artillerymen, and a
periority. 'number of soldiers, were wounded ; and, notwith-
LETTER PROM SON JUAN casTennt TO THE JUNTA. standing their fire of musketry, the enemy did not yen-
" Macha, June U.
to advance one step.
44 Most Excellent Senor—ln consequence of an
The enemy's loss exceeded 900 men ; and ours is
attack by a large division of the enemy upon an ad- I ascertained to have been no more than those of the
vanced post of our camp of Huaqui, I advanced suc- above-mentioned officers, 40 or 50 soldiers killed and
cessively two divisions of the army, commanded by wounded of the division of Viamont, and as many
Colonels Viamont and Diaz Velez, on the 18th and others of that of Diaz Velez. The enemy then pos-
19th ; the third division, under the command of Lieu- teased himself of our camp without pursuing us ; but
tenant-Colonel Bolanos, remaining ready to march. soon after quitted it precipitately on the appearance
44 On the morning of the 20th I received informs- : of Rivero, who, with 4000 cavalry, presented himself
tion from Colonel Viamont, that he was attacked by on one side, as if with the intention of cutting off their
four numerous columns ; upon which the generale was rear-gazed. He had the satisfaction of forcing them
beat, and Brigadier Balcarce marched off the third back 17 leagues, and then returned, leaving an ad-
division, which was posted in the centre. We had vanced guard, which also rejoined him on the 24th,
already formed line with part of our divisions, when I with information that there was no likelihood of the
the enemy opened their fire of artillery, the first balls enemy's re-appearance. Our army in this state is as.
of which passed over my head ; and our cannon re- gambling in La PAS and Oruro, and is to be reinfota
turned their fire with firmness. ced by 12,000 Cochabambinos.
" The third division was comp-sed of the regiment [The above is followed by Lists of the OZaery tent fleilteiffie
of Patricians of la Paz, and of three companies of the and Wounded, Etc.]
fusileers of Cochambaba. Before the fire of musketry
commenced, we already observed that the la I'az CORRESPONDENCE irrwSteN CAPTAIN HEYWcOO, or Hts
regiment was wavering ; and, without firing at all, I BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S SHIP NERVY% AND HIS EXCEL-
they wete dropping our of the line, their officers being LENCY DON F. X. ELIO, VICEROY AND GOVERNOR OF
the first to do so. They chewed themselves still MONTE VIDEO, ETC. ETC.; AND CAPTAIN HAYWOOD'S
greater cowards when the tire of musketry comment- LETTERS TO THE Inttrisat MERCHANTS AT licsMOS
ed ; and all our efforts, persuasion, and even the last AYREs.
severity to induce them to make a stand, were una-
vailing. Under pretext that they did not like the
business, or that they had no cartridges (which I my-
self saw some of them throw away and conceal), or
that their gun-locks were out of order, they would not
fight
" The enemy made a charge, and some of the
companies went over to them, and even fired upon
us ; while others began ,their retreat, or rather a
shameful and disorderly flight' ; the reserve could not
keep them to their duty, for they had the audacity to
march between their files. The artillery of their di-
vision was thus lost ; and the two advanced divisions
of Viamont and Diaz Velez, after sustaining a vigo-
rous attack for four hours, retreated to the camp at
?dacha, having sustained some loss, of which I can-
not yet give you the details. At this moment Gen
Rivero, who commanded the reserve of the cavalry,
observing the signals of attack, came up to the point
of action, and was enabled to cover the reunion of
the divisions, and to oblige the enemy to ietire to
their camp. The latter suffered a JOSS so considerable,
that, according to all accounts, it was at least triple
our own. We are collecting the dispersed by the
routes of Potosi, Plata, and Despoblado ; after which
we shall retire to head-quarters, for the parpo4ol
reinforcing the army, and of acting according to
circumstances.
• " This reverse, though it has weakened our force,
has increased 'enthusiasm ; so that we may look for-
ward to better success in future over an atrocious,
faithless, and arrogant enemy, who are anxious to re- I
duce the people to servitude, and to unite their fate
with that of the mother-country.
(Signed) " JUAN JOSE CASTELLI."
Then follows a letter from Don Antonio Balcarce,
who commanded this army, to the Provisional Junta
of Potosi, in which he ascribes the misfortunes of the
day to the panic with which the division of the patri-
cians of La Paz were seized at the moment of enter-
ing into action. - He estimates his loss at only 400
men ;. while That of the enemy, who had aot advan-
ced from their old position, was double that number.
He says, that he will make every exertion to collect
the dispersed, and then will withdraw his army to the
lower provinces. This reliant Officer gives the fol-
lowing singular account of his own conduct on the
day of battle :
•f Having remained upon t 1; e heights on the day '
of the attack, without receiving any accounts from
the officers who commanded the divisions on my left,
and a report spread by thefugitives soon arriving,
that they had been 'completely routed, I set out on
niy retreat to Oruro, which I conceived to be the best
point for reassembling the troops, which I observed
were marching in a dispersed state ; but an ecclesi-
astic of the province of La Paz, who had been ba-
nished thither, and other enemies of our cause, sound-
ed such an alarm among the people, that had I not
off with precipitation accompanied•by the Senor
gone
(Castelli), we should have been victims of
their fury ; and as under those circumstances we had
not a single soldier to reckon upon, nor had the least
knowledge of the army, we were compelled to make
the must painful marches that can be imagined,
without horses, or any assistance, or sleeping a single
night, with the view of reaching some sale point
from whence we might take the measures dictated by
necessity."
He concludes with saying, that on his arrival at
the army, for which he would set out as speedily as
his unfortunate situation permitted, lie would give
the Junta exact information with regard to its state,

[COPT]
SIR—We, the undersigned British merchants, resident at
Buenos Ayres, beg permission respectfully to address your Es-
cellency upon the subject of commercial intercourse subsisting
between the mercha-ts of Great Britain and the provinces of the
Rio de la Plata. We are the more confident, that the objects
which we have to lay before your Excellency will engage your
attention from the sense that an enlightened and liberal system
has actuated the Government In their eanduct so manifestly hos-
pitable towards individuals of the British nation ; and that the
British merchants at Buenos Ayres, with a feeliag of gratitude
towards the Government and inhabitants with whom they reside,
are anxious to promote so interesting an association of commer-
cial interests and amity between both nations, as may lead to
their establishmeht upon a permanent basis, and for the utility

of both. - -
With that view, we have to refer to the Act of the Govern-
ment of these provinces of the 6th of Ntvember, 1609, which
permits a provisional trade to British vessels in the Rio de la
Plya, for the iatroductioa of merchandize, under certain limita-
tions as are expressed in the said Act. Many valuable cargoes
have in consetrience been introduced at Buenos Ayres, which
have produced a considerable revenue to the country, and have
' promoted the means of exporting, on an extensive scale, the pro-
, duce of these provinces; the fruits of the industry of its irlsw-
blunts.

that in your wi.dom, stela a line of policy will he adopted ar .411
combine, under the present circumstances, the promotion of .he
revenues of the country, with those advantages which the mer-
chant,. hope to experience from the favousgbig diiiegittus and
well-known liberality of your Excellency.
We have the honour to be, with the highest consideration, year
Excellency's mos obedient aad bumble servant,
(Signed)
[Here follow the signatures of thirty-four Merchants.:
To the Mud 'Excellent the President and Provls.unal
Junta of Government of Buena Apts.

(COPY )
His Majesty's strip Nereus, off Buenes-Ayres,
June SS, 1811.
Stet—At the request of the British merchants re-
siding in Buenos Ayres, I do myself the honour of
laying before your Excellency an Address,
they have drawn up on the subject of the Comme:
cell' Intercourse, permitted at 'present to subsist be.
tween the Merchants of Great Britain and the...:
provinces.
• The publicly professed motive of the Government
existing here in 1809, which first permitted provisio.
nally, and pre teisilisre, British property to be im.
ported into the Rio de la Plata, was not such as one
would have expected from a Viceroy, full, perhaps,
(as far as 1 know) of the high, dignified blood of the
most honourable and ancient Grandees of Spain.
From its avowed political selfishness, it was by ao
Means calculated to produce, in the minds ot my
countrymen, either that respect or that sense of obli-
gation and gratitude which they profess (and I ain-
cerely believe doLbecause they ought) to feel towards
the present Government, and the hospitable inhabl.
tants of Buenos Ayres.
Fully disposed, too, as I am, from having also ex-
perienced attentions, marked by civility and good.
will, to acquiesce in the sentiments of my country.
men here, and, convinced as I am, from my own ob.
servations since my arrival, that a policy snore wise,
generous, liberal, and enlightened, actuates the Coun-
cils of your Excellency, when men of extended views
are met to plan for future public good as well as
present, I must feel confident that this Address will
be received tavourably, and be etamined with atten.
don and candour.
As a rough, unlettered seaman, whose life, from
my youth up until now, has been spent in the naval set.
vice of my King and country, in every quarter of the
globe, I confess my ignorance cf mercantile affaSrs ;
and it therefore would but ill become me to m tee
any sort of comment on the matter ot this Address,
or to pretend to judge of its merits.
I may be allowed, however, to observe, that it
principally tends to endeavour to point out to tenet,;
Excellency some disabilities which the British met-
chants here labour under, particularly the obliga-
tion laid on them by a former Government of em-
ploying Spanish consignees—the unequal rates of
duties on sui.di y articles of goods, (the hardship of
which, it appears, was represented to rue Excel-
lency some time ago), and the ex.essive and uncer-
tain veluation of .ethers. Advantages, th ey say, would
result to individuals and the State, by the establish-
ment of a duty in transit; and finally praying, that
your Excellency will be pleased to apply such reme-
dies, as the British merchants seem to be assured must
prove greatly advantageous to the Revenues of this
Government, as well as to the individuals engaged
in this commerce.
There is, as far as I can judge, truth, honesty and
fairness in the statements of this Address ; and led
fully assured, Mat it cannot be committed to better
hands for a final opinion as to the justice, propriety,
and good policy of granting what these Gentlemee
solicit, than into those of your Excellency.
In the mean time, I look forward with a well.
grounded hope, that soon a Consul will become a
better advocate here for my countrymen than I can
hope to be ; and that all commercial interests wills
ere long, be well understood, and naturally, volun-
tarily, and liberally mix and combine, to promote the
incorporated good of the merchants of Great Britain
and these Americans.
I have the honour to be, your Excellency's most
humble and obedient servant,
That these advantages have not been equally participated by I (Signed) P. nEIiN 00D.
the British merchants, has arisen from different causes, partly
To Lis Eicelkncy the President of the Junta of Pro-
occasioned by too extensive enterprise in the origin, the intro- i
;
vistoual Gaverioneut,ftc. Buenos Ayres.
Election of various articles little known, or unsuitable to the
wants of the country; but more materially felt by the unequal (COPY.)
sates of duties established in the Arancel. Their onerous opera- His Majesty's ship Nt.reus. off Bnenia Ayres,
thin upon particular woollens, and a variety of articles where the July tri, tali.
valuations have been out of all proportion to goods of similar I GINTLIM/X—By way of reply to letters which I have been
classes and valve ; and also anicks of cotton manufacture, and ' favoured with from several Gentlemen resident in this city, stairs
others that were formerly classed as illicit, for the,want of a due tbt detention of British ships and vessels in the harbour of Monte
regulation of their true value, have been liable to different and Video, by Don P. X. Etto, the Viceroy, I beg leave to enclose
indefinite valuations at the Casiom-house, of which numerous • for general information a copy o f a letter I have sumo time ago
cases can be adduced. The general want of information which sent to his Excellency on skis subject.
the Bntiah laboured under upon these matters for a length of , I take this opportunity likewise of acquainting the subjects of
time, owing to that complicated mode of levying the duties, has his Britannic Majesty, that it has been officially intimated to me,
been the occasion of much loss to individuals, who have been de. by his Excellency the Viceroy, by letter, 13,-46;4 date tho ilath
prived of the benefit of re-embarking their property under a mis- 1 ult. that it is his determination to bombard Buenos Ayres.
dente transit duty. I have the honour to be, &c. e. *Brains.
The particular hardship of the operation of the duties on cer-
To the British Merchants residing at and near
tain articles was represented to your Excellency in behalf of the to Buenos Ayres.
British merchants by Lieutenant Ramsay, of his Majesty's ship (COPY.)
Misletoe, on the 10th ot July, 1810; at which period your Ex- His Majesty's ship Nereus, off Buenos Ayres,
celkncy assured him, that au enquiry would be instituted to the Sla, 24th June, fill .
effect of ascertaining the facts; and that such measures would be It has been represented to me, that a cruizer of his
taken as should combine the advantages of the merchant, the re. most Catholic Majesty, s:aiioned by your Exceltaicy
ceipts of the Treasury, and the respect due to the laws.
The experience of eighteen months, in which British metes
to blockade the port of BuenosAyres, has commanded
~ chants hive bee engaged in the provisional trade of Sueswe a British merchant vessel to go into the port of Monte
Ayres, has demonstrated hitherto, that It is, in its effects, an so- , Video, as appears by notations made on his papers
profitable pursuit. The disabilities attached to British indivi• by Don Juan de Bust°, her commander. I take fir
duals by that part of the Act of the 6th of November, 1609, granted, of course, that your Excellency could not
which imposes the necessity, that cargoes are only to be intro. , •• , •
doted by a Spanish consignee, and produce to be exported in the have given to Captain Busto any instructions so coa
same manner, by adding this expence to their specuiationt, and trary to the law ot nations and the established rule,
with the other circumstances already referred 'to now that they of blockade ; but that this officer has exceeded his
are generally known abroad, have produced the ;Feet of nearly power through ignorance' in this particular. I there-
a total stagnation of British importations to the river Plate, .
it necessary only to acquaint your Excel-
which is very obvious by the circumstance of vessels of late Sr. !ore thine
riving ptincipally in ballast; and the general tendency of our cor- lency with the fact, that your Excellency may have
respondence being of so discouraging a nature as to afford but the opportunity of informing the officers command-
small prospect of trade once commenced, which is literally dis• ing the naval forces of his Most Catholic /0 ajtity to
countenanced under its actual form, to the manifest injury of the
the Rio de la Plata, that British vessels, after being
revenues of these provinces, arising frontßritish trade, as it is to .
the individuals engaged in it. legally warned of the blockade of Buenos Ayres, are
The transit duty has been found, by long experience in the not to be compelled to go into :any port whatsoever,
most enlightened countries, to produce a very ostasiderable in- but more especially that of a town in a state of siege
crease to the revenue. 'To Buenos Ayres the system of trans.t and bombardment, where they may be liable to great
to the Provinces without the limit of this government would be inconvenience, and incalculable lois and in yto
of incalculable benefit. It would secure to this port an emporium,
from which the Continent of South America could be supplied themselves tnd proprietors.—Therefore, under the
either by land-carriage or by sea; and it would be the means of presetit state of things at Monte Video, it becomes my
calling into activity a greater number of the kshoorjrl class ; and duty to interkre in behalf of vessels belonging du the
by facilitating the deposit of a variety of the productions of the subjects Of his Britannic Majesty, now at ancten is
country, create new branches of trade, still in their infant' or
little known. that harbour, that there may be r.o restraint laid ler
The unequal rates of duties on many articles, as established in your Excellency on their desires and inelinatitas 10
the Arancel; the excessive and uncertain valuations of marry quit it ; and that such of them as have partly Laded
others, particularly of cotton goods, and those that formerly were their cargoes may, if unsold, be allowed to ',Ake the
not admitted to entry ; the advantages that would result to the
State, and to individuals, from the establishment of a transit duty; same on board again, if they wish it, subject of course
to the legal customary port charges ; lot, in the pus-
the disadvantages to the British merchants from the disabahches
utondieurtguitwhicthv
thatheycommknow labour;
m ofaryqouPorinuctta which
ikacy ,wialeiterare
aeladowesced, Bible (though perhaps improbable) event of an asent:.
. . capture of Kate Video by assailants, all lkitlh