The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-09-27 00:00:00

•
44 If this plan should be thortghl proper and
praeticahle, would it not, on its continuance,
perfection, and 'memo, obviate, in t great de.
pee, the necessity fur coastitik.convoys, and
thereby increase the facility and dispatch of busi.
tirss, and greatly relieve the attentions of convoys
required for the protection of the-coasting trade?
St And a., in fine, hardly any thing seems now
left to Freirelt maritime exertion, but the spolia.
lions in their power, by capltires, with wretched
instrumento, on the British seas alone, surely
the most elfe.-tual means of defence are required to
disappoint this itch fur plunder, which grows 6y
practice into a habit, and is inflamed by success to
hardier exertions and multiplied efforts.
" writer can sioepoie that he offers nothing
new, or tint long before and well considered, and
that he proposes either what is already practised,
las farces possible, or is, by some nautical or other
impediment, impracticable, or would not be Oka.
I cious. He, perhaps, understands a technical sub-
' acct only in a popular, superficial manner : he
thinks, however, his observation, which is exten..
sive and long-continued ; his interest in the sub.
jest, which has been great ; and his experience of
suffering, which has been severe, do not deceive
him, nor exagerate his notion of the importance
i of the matter, and of the necessity of all the de.
fence and protection which can be given to an in.
t (crest so extensive and important in national ad-
vantage and marithne asceildaney."

MELANCIIOLV EVENT'.

A circumstance of a nature peculiarly distres.
sing happened some mouths back at nor settlement
in the Bay of Ilondurai :—Lieut. flazlegrove, of
the sth West India regiment, being on duty, and
having occasion to pass a bridge recently erected
(to visit his guard), which was without railing, the
night being extremely dark, he unfortunately slip-
ped off into the river. Captain hl‘Kay, of the
same regiment, being at the quarter; of 'a brother
officer in the neighbourhood of the bridge, from
‘ihich Lieut. Ilazlegruve had jest-gone, and hear-
ing the plunge, instantly flew to his assistance, by
attempting to cross the bridge for lights, when,
most melancholy to relate, he also missed his
way, and was precipitated into the river, and
drowned.

The boliel of these unfortunate young men,
nether of whom had reached the age of twenty-
fire, al ere next day found. It appoired Captain
M‘Kav had tw•o of his ribs broken, w hich must
hare happcn.•d from. his striking some part of the
bridge in his fall, and which no doubt contributed
to his death, as he was a most excellent swim.
mer. I3o►h them) Offirerii 'sere; married about a
year back to sisters, and w limn they have left with

4FFECTING OCCUMENCE..

The following affecting occurrence took place
during the disastrous retreat of General Moore's
army from Spain last year :
An Officer of one of the British regiments,
overcome with fatigue and hunger, and no longer
able to keep up with his companions, hail dropped
behind. Ile espied a tuft of trees in a field ad-
joining the road, towards which he crawled, with
the view of resting his weary limbs !vestry from the
tabres of the pursuing enemy. On 11:s coming
near to the tree., he perceived a woman, seeming-
ly a soldier's wife, stretched upon the ground, and
a little infant lying near her. Ile approached to
administer such assistance as Av.is in his power. It
was too late—the baud of d:•ath. was upon her,
and she was scarcely able to utter these words-
-44 God bless you, it is all ever," when site ex-
Aired. The oflicer sat down beside her, he felt
her hand, it was clay cold, he had nothing to sue.
cour her with ; a brook was Dear, he filled his
hat with water, and besprinkled her faoe and',
hands ; all was id vain, and fie was convinced she
was utterly gone. •
Having rested himself so as to be able again to
go on, he tied the little infant in the poor e omen's
handkerchief, and having fastened it to his back,
he purstird his march ; in this condition, procuring
what sustenance he could for himself and the little
orphan, he at last, after a lung and wretched jour-
ney, reached the port of Vigo,'
.which at that
time happened to lee unoccupied by the French ;
there he got on board a transport, and at last
reached England with his little charge.
His regiment, or rather the remnant of it, bad
arrived before him, and he joined it, still accom.
panied by the infant. Ile has it (it is a boy) al-
ways with him, and has one of the women of the
regiment to nurse it; and he declares, that this
little ut isl)an, whom heaven threw upon his pro.
tectine, shall, let 'his future fortune through life
he good or bail, share it with him.

In consequence of the refusal of the Sultan of
Solob to comply with some late requisitions pr
the Dutch to h:tio a fortitiA settlement on the
coast, with certain
.other privileges, which the I
former thought incompatible with the safety of
his territories, preparations aro making at Batavia
to send wit an expedition against the above island.
On a Lite investigation of the affairs of the Nabob
of the Carnatte, it appears, that alarning forgeries
hare been receftay discovered among the Agents
of sonic of the Native Princes, to the amount of
20 millions of pagodas. This nefarious business
is said to have been effected through the medium
of one of the Begun's, who had obtuirned posses.'
siun of the Seal of the late Nabob. The judicial
proceedings iniritutcd on this occasion are contain.
ed in a voluminosn% man of papers received by the
'ships of the last fleet.
It was reported when the last ships left India,
that Deputies from the Spanish Patriots bad ar-
rind at Manilla, in order to toonteraet any .at.
(empti of the enemy to seduce the •pdidgite from
dheir altegi:iner ; that they were well.reeeived, and
that it vas the determination of the country to
reject the overtimes 'of tho'Bataviast Gmterwasent,
from whom a mission was expected at that place.