The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-12-24 00:00:00

A NEW EDITION.:

This par'ssms price 8•: the r„toth Edition sof
THE It LE E 'BOO KE PI NG ;
cosnioeising a S',stein of Merchants Arepusiis, fonmiled on
real fluille.o,t, apd adapted Ili modern Practice; w kis an Ap-
peirli% on E chatters, Bankinz. and other Connutercinl Sithjetts.
.By P. KELLY, LL.
Master of the Finsbury-square A v.:lrony. f. moinn.
Po hued fir J. Jiiiinson and Co. Si.. Paul', Clistrch-yard.

Mr. Lo; kx.,L has tately• been infbriaed,..by a Gen.,
tlentankjust refitcncd from Di I atrli, that great
irregatrity prevails ther-e,
.respeatingtXe deli.
very of English Nrwspapers, and in particular
Mc S tiT rsm a tc for which others urc frequently—
substitated.—He tharefore requests, that • such
N'absciibe rs to TUE STATESMAN as may 'be dii.
. _
ted in the regular receipt of their Papers,
.oe the goodness to far o=ar him with the
s of their Correspondents in England
~award the. Xewspapers, that measures.
e taken . to prevent the like.dis'app ot4.

appoi.
h.

who

m (IN

ments
.11r. Lo.

in future.

'ELL availshimself of the present oppor-
to make his best ackuowledgasents to his
is in IRELAND, far the favours conferred
him) and assures them, tke'g may rely
his exertions in future to promote the
c of Irdlandi in conjunction setth that of
,nd, as they must stand or fall together.

"nil

1 rie.

upon
upon
selfu
Engle

STATI
DIN

GAOL, Newmir,
.inber 44, NIO.

• - LONDON:
MONDAY, DECEIT= 24, 1810.

STATE OF HIS MAJESTY'S HEALTH.

•-- - -
" IVindsor•Casfle, bee. 24. .
•
C 6 nig MAJtITY has had a sleepfesi night) and Is
not so well today
" 11. R. REtNdLDS.
41' H. lIALFORD.
•. "W. III•:BERDEN. •
"R. WILLIS." •
•

The following is tho Bullelin skean yesterday :
" Dec. 5.9.

4g His Ma-sEsty i 6 trot quit 6 go well this morn-
ing, although lie bad several hunts sleep ye‘terday
evening:
' H. R. REYNOLDS.,
• • " 11. HALTOM):
•
,111. BAILLIF..
W: iiERF.RDEN: •
R. WILLIS.'

The following very important letters *erc
brought by the last Packet from the British Ilead.
Quarters, in Porta/sal. There is tittle need to make
much comment on them. Wilt this • movement of
MASSENA also be called a retreat ?-

" Had-Quarters, Caries., Nov. 20.

" MASSENA has completely wasted every thing
near his position in front, of the British lines, He
has 'retirerto o new and fertile country, between
Santarent and the river Zetere. Tagus covers
his right from insult; the river Zezere and a moon-
taindits country protects his rear.; Ite.hass strong
ground in his front; and his
.right is- not. likely. to
be seriously attacked, as a movement et. the British
army to that lank, might place the fate of the ca-
pital at the hazard "of a battle.
" The peasantry, on all oecasiens; prove them.
Betel full of patriotism* and continue, whenever
kis in their power, the practice of abandoning
their htinies and property, rather than associate
with the enemy. Certainly 111Assex A cannot, with
his present force, attempt any thing. Ile will,,
therefore, wait in hiS positiost for reinforcements."
.1'
" Cortaro, Nov. 30,:1810.
" Every body in England will; no doubt, be
Much surprised to hear, . that the great battle, so'
much t xpeeted.at Villa Franca, has not yet been
fought ; nor du I think there is any reliability
that ;my wilt for some lime. We left Zebriera on
the 15th instant, the whole of the French army
hiving retired, .during the night, and so silently,
that they were 'jilt missed till daylight, when not a
'vestige of them remained—so moth for the good
look-oat of our advanced- piques"! which were
within pistol,shot of them.—We advanced that day
to a height on this side Soubril, and occupied•huis
which the French had left. in the morning. • On the
10Th, we passed Alanguer, which si•as the head.
quarters of MASse:ct, to it tillage called Musea
Nova, where we halted on the 170 ; and on
the 18th moved forward to Cartixo, where we
found Lord IVei,Ltno•rotir, whose head.quer-
ters are still here, on this day.—General
'HILL, with hiS'ilivision, crusted the Tagus near
Villa Nova, and has, we are told, proceeded up
the right bank towards Abrantes. • We found that
the French rearguard occupied the strong position
pf Santateni, and that they were to lie attacked the
following morning by the left division under
gadier-Getieral CeA %venue, a .brigide of Porto.
geese, under Biigadier.General Net, and Sir W.
Eits.atnit's brigade, supported by the remainder of
Sir BityWr Siterrese's* division. Accordingly, on
themorning of the 19th, we moved forward to.
ward the points of attack, in full expectation of
honor add eau, when we ftutid time enemy drawn
ep ready is receive us, antra pparentli determined to
stand.a dusting.. The poaitiottis.one of the strong-,
est that min be conceited; Santarem, nit,the top of
a riling°. of bills,,very high anii.almost perpendictif
lar, with a !owe rano in front, Who're thiiit% first
Was drawn up, it the foot of which, runs the
Bit) Mayne, a branch of the Tagtis, and a latge
portion of iwaropy ground, %hick
.is only to be
crossed by two eanzeiwerioind, • with', Ihe
across the rivers art completely • comMandeir by tile
guns of the enemy ; this was 'the •centre
point.—
The attack *as to have commenced by General
Citaieromn, on our right—anti General PACK.,
with the Portuguese, on left, to nail their
flanks : the centre was for the brigade of Guards,
and Sir • -Wm. Eascint!s. Fortunately, I think,'
for Ili all, it was delayed by General PACic slot be.
ing elle to, get forward a gun, %thick Was to have
giten the signal to commence ; for on General
SPEN'ci:ft, going up, he was almost petrideil at. the
idol, and declarer} it impracticable.
.. •
" Lord Wtt.t.t Ndrow remained on a hill in 'front. '
till dusk, when, finding the task too difficult, and
;.that the enemy. was in greater force than, he expected,
which" we since• know to be the case, the troops
were-moved Off in different directions. .We are to
support Col. ELDER'S battalion of Portuguese Casa-
dons (light troops), who is to defend the bridge I
mentionedabovePonte de Clerlsar in ease of at.
tack ; but that is for the present' rendered impussi.
ble, by the heavy rains we have had, which have
swelled the deers to suet a degree, that neither Cr.
my can get at the other, let their Incliaationt be
ever so good,