Star.
London, England, 1829-08-21 00:00:00

FRIDAY EVENING. AUGUST 21, 1829.

ORDER OF MALTA.

Mao " History of the Grand Masters of St. John of
rassisin and of Malta," by M. de Villeneuve liargemoot,
lates the origin of this celebrated Order, and its early
Vous and warlike proceedings. At first it was weak and dis-
tarded, but afterwards it became powerful and brilliant under

Gerard Took, who was, however, more a monk than a soldier.
It made a more rapid progress still in renown and glory nodes
Mellon de Villeneuve, whose deeds the author takes pleasure in
accounting, as those of the most illustrious member of his family.
The Order had afterwards a list of chiefs who were all distin-
guished heroes, from Godgiven, of Gram, to Peter d'Aulnuson,
Who sustained with so much valour and success the siege of
Rhodes, and saw, before the walls of that city, better defended by
the courage of the Grand Master and his Knights than even by
its ramparts, the pride of the conqueror of Constantinople hem-
bled, and the efforts of the most powerful armament defeated
which had ever sailed on the seas of Ads since the Beets of Xerxes.
Theseoond volume opens with the second siege of Rhodes,whick
Villiers de ride Adam sustained with not less bravery, but with
less success. A successor of blahomed not less able or warlike than
himself, the Great Wyman, led against Rhodes a lett still more
formidable than the former. He commanded this expedition In
person, and pursued his object with all the ardour of a man accus-
tomed to conquer, and with all the fury of a pride provoked by the
resistance offered by so feeble an adversary. If we may believe
historians, who sometimes exaggerate a little, Solyman lost in this
long siege 64,000 men, cut down by the sword of the enemy, and
50,000 men carried of by the plague and other malignant diseases.
But this handful of Noble Knights exhausted themselves in their
herds exertions; treason, too, mixed itself with them, and l'lsle
Adam was at last obliged to capitulate. The brave Solyman did
►omage to his bravery : " It is not without pain," he exclaimed,
" that I compel this Christian, at his advanced age, to leave the
abode he has so well defended." We have seen civilised and
Christian conquerors who have shown less humanity.
But, always the implacable enemy of the Knights of St. John of
Jerusalem, forty years later, Solyman attacked them in Malta, the
last asylum which the Sovereigns of Europe had assigned them—
the heroic rock, as one of our poets calls it, which they rendered
illustrious for more than two centuries. Their third siege was not
less memorable, nor less abundant in prodigies of audacity and va-
lour than the two others; and the Grand Muter Lavalette, as
brave as d'Aubusson, and d'lsle Adam, was also as fortunate as
the first ; fur be saved Malta.
How are the times changed! Two centuries and a half later
Bonaparte presents himself before Malta, and sends an Aide-de-
camp to take possession of k—happy, according to the saying of
one of hls oaken, that ha found somebody within to open the gates
foe him. Were the Knights then less brave? No; bat they were
less SUed with the spirit of the Order, and less united ; they had
less power also over the inhabitants of the city ; and, above all,
they were worse commanded. What a difference between Lava-
lette and Hompeseh ! Some allege that the last Grand Master be-
trayed the Order, and sold himself. N. de Villeneuve does not
believe hint to have been a traitor; he only thinks be was weak
and foolish. If Hompesch did sell himself, he was badly paid ; fee
be died in misery, at Montpellier, and was buried, like the meanest
of men, without any inscription over his tomb. But, indeed, It
would have been a cutting irony, as the author observes, I. bare
engraved there the motto of his atms—" Frangor non Sector" (I
may be broken, but I will not bend). This unfortunate Grand
Master was neither the oak nor the willow ; but he had the bad
Trailed of both ; be bent like the one and was broken like the
otter.--Jourisal dee Dikes.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM LISBON.

_
" LISBON, Am S.
" It is evident to every one, that Miguel only acceded to the
removal of the former monstrous Intendant of Police, Banta, by
some great political foreign influence, and that an hottest and upright
man s►ould.be allowed for some days to hold that situation, in order
that it might be said abroad that the system was totally changed,
that moderation and justice was the order of the day, and that
this was the natural disposition of Miguel. But if this might
be said abroad, nobody could believe it here, when observing
that, notwithstanding the dismission of Baratta, his protector,
the Count de Basto, still held the portfolio of the Home De•
partment, and that the new Intendant Veiga was bound to
have by his side the Dezembargador Belfort, the private Intend-
ant of the Queen. Mr. Veiga did certainly begin to act accord-
ing to his views of real justice ; but while be was doing so, and
whilst the judicial commission, of which he had lately been
President, was liberating numerous innocent prisoners, orders were
dispatched every where, by private instructions of the Queen, for
the Magistrates to encourage the Royal Volunteers (who, you
know, are the scum of the population) to turn void the liberation
of these unfortunate men : and these orders hive been strictly fol-
lowed. On Mr. Veiga seeing this shameful anarchy, and his orders
disobeyed every where, he prepared an ordinance, by which those
who opposed the execution of the law, and troubled the persons
acquitted, should be imprisoned immediately. Of this the Queen
was informed by Miguel himself, who had approved nominally the
ns ; and in consequence the Queen, in her passion, wrote to
the Intendant-General or Police the following letter :
" ' Informed that by an ordinance that is to appear, power is given
to the enemies of the altar to imprison those who in their opinion
may insult them, I let you know that whatever you'll attempt
against the character of those who are the only true Royalists, will
bring upon you my indignation, and that you must dread my re-
sentment. (Signed) THE E M PRESS-QUEEN.'
This letter being shown to Miguel, he said, ' Well, we must
not oppose the wishes of my beloved mother;' and Mr. Yelp has
ceased, and caused the Judicial Commission to cease, the acquittal
and liberation of prisoners, as they are much safer in prison than
when exposed to the horrid anarchical persecutions of the Royal
Volunteers.

" That the Queen's party is triumphant, every thing above
stated shows it; but this wants also a document to prove it, and
the Queen herself has taken tare to furnish it to the Casette, that
the whole world may not doubt of it. You know that since the
return of Miguel he has been granting to every application the
faculty of wearing a sort of order, in which his likeness Is the
centrepiece; and this is :mu of rallying sign for the troops and
his partisans The followers of Chaves into Spain requested to
have a riband affixed to the order different to those who had got
left the Kingdom, but this was refused. They threatened to wear
it in spite of the refusal, but the Queen, availing herself of her
power, resolved to give herself an order, bearing her likeness. to
her partisans and those who might wish to have a riband more to
their button•hides. The Gazette of the gth instant informs us that
her Majesty has begun her most gracious grants of this nature,
and thus bee special party will now be mote evident.
" Printed proclamadons in her favour, and abasing Miguel as a
Freemason, have appeared lately ; but it is weU known that they
are meant to frighten him from the moderate system followed by
the Minister Matto., and the Intendant of Police Veigs.
" Of the two unfortunate victims last sentenced at Oporto, Le•
mull and Monis, the former to transportation for life, and the latter
to the gallows, the last was pardoned the punishment of death, to
go along with the other to Africa. On the news of the pardon
having arrived at Oporto, there were great rejoicings in the pri-
sone mid among same of the inhabitants. of course in praise of
ryligt}el; but they were considered as factious,- and 30 inhabitants
• were arrested in consequence, and the prisoners confined closer
for having shown sympathy and sati-faction at an act of mercy.
Thisig new, as is all that relates to Miguel and his
.foreigi'
tecturo. •
• Th., expedition which sailed last June front St. Michael. and
for the attack of-Terceira, no news of its arrival have yet bees re-
ceived. 13y the last accounts from St. Michael's, it had had already
36 days of voyage—a most sztroordlinty Moicmc in this mast*. '

GERMAN PAPERS.

VIENNA, Ave. 9.
The mail from Constantinople of July IS, which has just ar-
rived here, brings word that the most unfavourable reports were
in circulation there, respecting the Turkish army in Ada. A great
battle near Er:trout:a was spoken of, in which four Dachas and
some thousands of Turks were made prisoners, and many cannon,
with ammunition, &c. are said to have fallen into the hands of the
Russians. As the date of this battle is not stated, it is not certain
whether these are the same affairs mentioned in the Ru.sian bul-
ledn from Tiflis, received here yesterday, or whether the report
spread in Constantinople, according to 'shirts Erzeroam itself is
said to have fallen into the hands of the Russians, refers to later
events.

Transom was bombarded on the sea-side by a division of the
Russian fleet. The fortress of Van, situated on the lake of the
saw name. is reported in Constantinople to have been delivered
up to the Russians, through the treachery of the schismatic Ar-
menians.

It seems that at the time when the mail came away, the passage
of the Russians over the Kanitchlk, and their appearance on the
Balkan, were not known at Constantinople, or that the Porte had
kept the news secret.
The military preparations on the part of the Turks were going
on with increased activity, and the Sultan bad given orders to for-
tify, without loss of time, Adrianople, Kirk Kilts's. Sophie, sod
Nina. The Porte had received intelligence that the Pacha of
Scutari had arrived in:the vicinity of Widdin with 20,000 Alba-
nians. A Russian fleet of sixteen sail had been cruising for SCUM
days off the mooch of the Bosphorus.
On the 20th July, the Danish Minister, Baron Von Hubich, had
his audience of introduction of the Sultan, in the meadow of ika-
jukdere. To-day M. Roger, the Pill/4611 Ambassador, had his
audience of the Caimacan. M. Roger's audience of the Sultan is
fixed for the day After to-morrow.
TRIESTE, Auo. 4.
Accounts from Corfu say, that the Greek troops have mutinied
against Count Augustin Capo d'lstrias, for no other reason than
that he wanted to induce them to return to the Marra, and give
tip the conquests they had made in Livadia,Thessaly, and Albania.
The Count was therefore obliged to leave them in their positions,
and order and discipline are now restored in the Greek army. The
President, therefore, insists on the greater extent of the Greek
frontiers. HERMANSTADT, Ave. 6.
Accinints deserving of credit say that the contagion in the Prin.
cipalities continues to carry off more victims, and to spread wider,
so that to the three sanitary cordons already established a fourth is
to he added.—Agenseine Zeitung. Aug. 14.
VIENNA, Aua. B.—Metalliques, 99J.—Bank Shares, 1,135 f.
FROM THE ELBE, Aun. 7.
It is said that the German Diet has decided between the King
of Hanover and the Duke of Brunswick. and that the decision is
not favourable to Brunswick, which, it is said, is enjoined to give
full satisfaction to the other party. The complaint made by the
estates of Brunswick against the Duke will probably not be decided
upon during the present Session of the Diet, as the vacation is
drawing near. BERLIN, Auc. 7.
The accounts from Constantinople are still unfavourable to peace,
but it is thought that war cannot lung continue, because the finances
of the Porte are exhausted. The three chief sources of revenue
were, the toll oo the Danube, the duties paid on the Bosphorus
and the Dardanelles, and the poll-tax of the Greeks. The last has
not been paid these eight years ; the others have ceased for these
two years. and it is believed that the unfavourable turn which the
affairs of Turkey have now decidedly taken, will affect the remit•
tances of money from abroad.—Natresslessrg Corroponstext, Aug. 12.

COLOMBIA.
From the Guceta de Colombia, dated Bogota, June 14.

COLOMBIA ANI) PERU.
Don Pedro Goal, the Minister Plenipotentiary from Colombia
to the United States of Mexico, has been taken prisoner by the
Peruvians when on his return to his country. The pacific mission
Senor Gual was employed in would have sufficed to liberate him
• fella a similar treatment in any other country out of Pere.
Quito, April 26.
TO TN! SECRETARY AT WAS.
Sir,—Though I suppose that the Secretary-General of his Ex-
celleney the Liberator gave you intelligence of the force of tbe Pe-
ruvian army, when arriving on their territory, I conceive I might
to communicate to you what has reached me.
Since the Peruvians undertook their march front Aron, they
were joined at Yungilla by reinforcements of various picked de-
tachments, consisting of upwards of 400 men. At Loja, upwards
of 200 convalescents from the hospitals joined their rearguard,
when they did not in all amount to 3,000 men in that city.
Having continued their march, they suffered fresh dispersions,
and although they received reinforcements on their passage through
Purrs, and although the depots and recreiting parties estabhshed
there joined them, they could scarcely muster !,000 foot and 600
horse, the former of whom were in a meet complete state of demo-
ralisation.

Their infantry is reduced to four battalions, a single one of which
was formed out of the wreck of five battalions, which Gen. Lamar
marched into Colombia upwards of 4,000 men strong ; and the
other three are the remnants of three battalions, which Gen. Ga-
marra brought into the field, each being then 1,000 men strong;
The cavalry has remained in the best state of preservation, be
came it never was in our power to beat it if, the broken territory
of the Assuai. GOD preserve your Excellency.
(Signed) ANTONIO JOSE SUCRE.
A new Tariff of Customs has been published at Cart bagel's, on
the 35th of June, the original of which was issued by Simon Bolivar,
the. Liberator and President on the Bth of May, at Quito ; in the
preomble of which it is stated, that this measure was resorted to,
because the expenditure. of the Republic was increased by the
necessity of defending it against Spain. which obstinately persisted
in Its pretensions of dominion, as well as by the urgency of re-
pelling the unjust aggression of Peru —The length of this—to com-
merce—so interesting a document. prevents our laying it before our
readers to day.
LATE4T PROM Ltma.—A letter received by a commercial house
itt Baltimore, with which the Editor of the Patriot has been fa-
voured, dated Lima, April Ist, says—This country is at present in
the most deplorable state—money has lately disappeared, we may
say almost entirely, and the mines, the only resource, are not
worked, or likely to be. The market also has been over-stocked
lately with every thing. English, German, French, and American
prosiest' have fallen from 25 a 50 per cent. and to add to our
distresses, the country is engaged in a war. which, we fear, will be
Its ruin. If the Eliza, of Baltimore, is admitted, the flour will do
well, as it is the only parcel on sale afloat—the other cargoes we
have just closed at 12 dollars per barrel on board.
The Spanish brig Bolador, Captain Reis, sailed front this pert
cm Tuesday, for Havanna. For several days previous to her de-
parture she lay at anchor in the East River, near the Brooklyn
shore, for the purpose of taking in gunpowder, and, from her
rakish appearance, attracted a good deal of observation. She
returned to port yesterday morning, with the loss of her fore-
mast and bowsprit, and considerable other damage, and an-
chored in the East Rivet, near Peck Slip. It was soon after
reported, on the authority, as was said, of a Gentleman who had
witnessed the transaction, that she was followed to sea by the
Revenue cutter, the commander of which had watched her
movements for several days, and, when they got outside, she
wits bailed by the cutter. and ordered to heave-to, which she
Ciptain of the brig refused to do ; that a gun was then fired from
the cutter a-head of her, which was answered by one from the brig
fired into the cutter. Two broadsides were then poured into her,
which completely riddled her, and she was taken in tow and
brought up to the city. The apparent authenticity of the report
very naturally induced a belief in its accuracy, and caused consi-
derable sensation throughout the lower part of the city, and many
persons proceeded to the wharf to see the riddled brig. But, un-
fortunately for the lovers of the marvellous, the story was soon
knocked in the head by a plain and simple relation of facts. It ap-
pears that the Bolador and schooner United States sailed in company
for Havannah, and,after getting some distance outside theHook,they
fired a salute of one gun each. and proceeded on their voyage, the
schooner taking the lead. When about twenty miles teem the
Hook, the brig, being under a heavy press of sail, was struck by a
sudden and violent squall from off the land, which caused the da-
mage, as stated above. The Captain of the schooner, seeing ber
situation, immediately
,rep.ired to her assistance, towed her up
to 'III Quarantine Ground,' and the brig then came up with the
flood dire:
The account copied by us from the Mereantik Advertiser some
days sinter, of a plan by Sir Isaac Coffin to fit out a brig at Bastin.
to be used " for the instruction of young men in nautical science,"