The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1832-12-14 00:00:00

iFOAtIeN INTZLEatC4tkitai
HOLLAND ANI BELGILSM.
BEIGE OF THE CITAIrEi.
We continue our Extracts from the Tidies Corfespoir-
dent's account of the proceedings in this affair.
ANTWERP, DEC. 5, WEDNESDAY Nl6 HT.—SOII.IeBritORS who
succeeded in placing themselves in a most elevated position;
whence during the day they could look into the citaM and tha
adjoining forts, hate with pleasure—for they appear to wish
well the Dutch, out of mere opposition to the French, and from
sympathy for the assailed—observed through their telescopes
the Dutch soldiers cooking calmly under their casements, while
a few of the cannoniers in the bastion Paceto, where some of
the guns were dismounted yesterday evening, seemed fully at
their ease under the same protection. The French officers are
in high spirits, having, as they say, succeeded with their zig-
zag in crowning the crest of the glacis of Fort St. Laurent,
where at half-past 4 there was, as it appears,_ a smart fusilade
between the troops in the trenches and the defenders of the fort.
The French officers state that the defence is feeble (defense
male); yet they admit that it will be a good task to take the
citadel in 15 days from this. Officer§ who recollect the eva-
mination of the fortress by the British ehgineer's in 1814, state
that the report of the British was that the citadel might hdld
out 21 days front the first shot. There seems to be a shit of
tacit convention respecting the cityyet: the citadel has nut,
directed a gun this way, although some of the shells, bursting
in the air, fall rather awkwardly for the lookers on. The gates
of the city, with the exception of those within the range of the
citadel, have been this day open as usual. On the Mechlin
road, near the gate of the city, the wall-pieces (biscayiens) from
the citadel have left considerable marks on the ttees and housds.
It is said that General Desprez having alighted -there yestdr-
day, a shell was directed from the citadel at him and suite,
which luckily did no mischief. There is an intention to-mor-
row to place live heavy mortars near the gate, which will play on
the citadel under the protection of the parapet:
DECEMBER 6, THURSDAY MORNING.-110 firing on bail]:
sides has been exceedingly brisk during the tight. At diffb
rent times a sharp fusillade was heard. There is a rutnont
current, which I believe is founded on mere supposition, that
the French had assaulted Fort St. Laurent, and had been
repulsed with a considerable loss. The silence of yesterday in
that fort is said to have been a feint.
10 o'caocx.—l have made inquiries respecting the abOie
rumour, and find it unfounded. The French advanced theil
works to very near the ditch of St. Laurent, which has been
found not deep, and they are now preparing to fill it viith
fasciues, and to undermine and blow up the counterscarp, so as io
form an entrance into the fort. During the night the fire of
musketry was very sharp on that point; the French workmen
suffered considerably.
11 o'cLock"—The French troops at Burcht, on the left bank,
have begun a warm fire on the gun-boats in the Scheldt. They
have also formed a battery on the right bank; near Melkhuyse,
which plays on • the gun-boats. • A steam-boat has commenced
an atack on Fort St. Marie, near Callo. It is supposed that
this fort wished to prevent the steam-boat from coming up the
river.—The firing at and from the citadel is very sharp.
HALF-PAST 12 O'CLOCK.—I have been to look at the river,
where the ships remain in the same place as yesterday•evening.
',art St. Marie is stated to have firea this morning -two or three
shots at the steam-boat or other small craft that passed by. At
3)archt the firing continues at the gun-boats between that fort
aau the citadel.—The firing continues trom the citadel.' The
assault of St., Laurent is expected to-night.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, 4 O'CLOCK.—A brisk cannonade is
just heard in the direction. of St. Marie and Calloo.. We per-
ceive frigate descending towards Lillo. The appearance of
the horizon denotes that there is firing going on in that quarter.
5 o'caocx.—The French workmen approached to the covered
way, and endeavoured to crown it, but the enemy- in great num-
bers appeared on the covered way, and by a brisk fusillade
repulsed them. The occupation of the Lunette St. Laurent is
taerefore again postponed.
HALF-PAST 5 o'cLoc4.—Fire has broke out again in severa
parts of the citadel, but the exertions of the soldiers has broug
it under.

6 O'CLOCK.—The fire of the cannon., which has been very brisk,
has-ceased, and that or the mortars has commenced. ;
9.o'cl:or:K.—A terrific explosion has just taken
°place in the
Citadel. Sortie say it is'caused by the rush or waters which the
French have opened; others say it is a mine sprung by the
Dutch against the French in entering the Lunette, but the
greater number believe it is an explosion of a powder waggon,
FRIDAY, DEC. 7TH, 9 IN THE INIORNING.—This. morning the
works on the counterscarp are 'continued. The batteries en the
left, which were found too distant from the Toledo bastion, have
been ordered to adVauce, and two of them have already been
placed in their new position.
O'CLOC.K.—ThU works of the sap have been continued in
the night.of the Would the enemy Has sent many. bombs and
howitzers against our workmen. 1 hey' are preparing to-Make
•the lodgnient at the extreme right of the second parallel, to take
the covered way of tne bastion No. '2, in the rear. The Dutch
garrison have mounted their ramparts, and are engaged in a
brisk tire with the troops. A signal announces that the Dutch
beet has descended the Scbehlt, and are now out of sight. •
11 o'er:Om—The Dutch continue to fire their musketry with
great briskness, and they are equally active with their artillery.
AFTERNOON, 3 o'cLocx.—The city is in some confusion. A,
young man, has had his head shot off in the Rue de la earner;
another was killed by a shell in his own house.
4 O'CLOCK.—The fire has broken out for the seventh time in
the left wing of.the large barracks. An explosion has taken
place, which appears to proceed from a waggon containing
shells. The Fort Montebello received orders to establish plat-
forms for six mortars. Belgians are employed in this -service.
A wen-supported fire from muskets and grenades from the rain-
parts have -forced the workmen of the counter-garde to cease
from their labours for the moment.
6 o'cLocx:—The bombs, we perceive, are, for the e greater part,
directed towards Fort Montebello. ,
11 o'cLocx,-Alunr.—The Dutch have commenced playing on
the batteries of the centre parallel, from a battery of mortars
which they have established on the Lunette St. Laurent.
DEC. 8, SATURDAY MORNING, 1 O'CLOCK,—The firing of the
Dutch during the night wounded and killed 40 French soldiers.
It is still sharp on both sides. The siege is acknowledged to
proceed slowly, but surely—en regle.

2 o'cLock.—A strong firing of muskets is. engaged between
the soldiers placed in the trench of the counter-garde and the
Dutch in the curtain of the bastion of Toledo. The night has
passed without any, event of importance. .The dirdction of
several batteries or mortars on hurt Montebello renders it not
quite safe to pass the chausse on the MeChlin raid. A bomb
fell on a windmill, another fell in a house, and a great num-
ber on bcish the right and left of the road.

8 o'cLocx.—The tire from the batteries has recommenced
with vigour. The Dutch answer from their covered batteries,
established on the right flank of the bastion of Alba, projecting
from that of Toledo.

9 O'CLOCK.—The waggons have conducted the bombs to Fort
Montebello. The mortars are in battery'since the night, and
will commence firing at noon..L:During the last two hours
the firing has been Yar more vehement than before on• both
sides. It• is supposed that the
.Dutch have been enabled to
trace the French works. Fortunately fOr the French, the pro.
greys of their approaches has enabled them to move some of
their batteries.

10 o'cLocit.L---The cannonade is redoubled on both sideg, and
the fire of the' musketry has also increaged against our Work-
Men. A rrnin' was wounded on the Mechlin road on entering
the town. A bullet brok the leg of a horse On the same road.
11 o'cLomi.—At this moment, while they arc relieving guard
in the trenches, the Dutch are using all their force of shot and
shells against them.

I have been to hick at the river, where all is tranquil. I
heard some few shots from Fort St. Marie as is',S'apposed,
boom along the water. They are said to be destinCct to pre-
vent some small craft from coining up the Scheldt. 1 saw the
Dutch *and French .sentinels converse freely together at some
distance from Fort Austweel. The French have erected some
Strong batteries on the left- dike, which, with Fort St. Marie,
will elfectuallY'o4vent all coMnirinication by the river.—lt is
asserted, on geed:authority, that Chasse sent Ve'sterday ail his
wounded over to the Tete `de Flanders, which. is Considered a
good proof that he does nbt 'intend to attack the city, as the
eavy batteries on the gitay would soon deStrey that fort. •
Noom.—l have just met a Frauds officer who was last night
on duty near. the Lunette St. Laurent. He says the hutch
Made a little sortie of from 12 to 15 men, who began to fire as
rifletnen. Three of them ivere killed. It appears that the
object of` these triflin_g sorties is to engage the French in par-
s-nit, so as to bring them within range, of the masked batteries,,,
which as soon as they approach, would serve theM with dis-.
Charges of grape. .Fort Montebello is discharging bombs.
This brave battery at length answers to the Dutch, who yes-
L,,irday nearly 'covered it with Shells.
nit,ocx.—`fiferife appears in two plates.in the Mtge bar-
,tacks. • - • . • , • • •.