The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-04-09 00:00:00

FRENCH DEULARATION TO THE-SPANIARDS.

•
'mum OP • LETTER FROM Pays, AVM 7.
"The King yesterday received a letter from the Prince
Commander-in-Chief, stating that on Sunday the 6th of.
April (yesterday) he was to enter the Spanish territory
as the head of his army. The troops were to defile
before him on the banks of the Bidassoa, and to cross
that river in succession. The first despatch of his Royal
Highness, in which he will give an account of Ms having
entered Spain, may be expected in two days. It will be
immediately communicated to both Chambers in a Royal
message; together with the manifesto or proclamation, de-
blaring to the army, to Spain, and to Europe, the cause
and objects of the invasion. Of this proclamation I send
you a copy:—
" PROCLAMATION.
" MIS OURS D'ANGIOU ARMS, ORNRRAL IN CHIRP OP TDB
OP TUS PT RIINIIRS, TO THIS SPANIARDS.
"The King of France, by recalling his Ambassador from
Madrid, hoped that the Spanish Government, warned of its
dangers, would return to more moderate sentiments, and
would cease to be deaf to the counsels of benevolence and
Cason. Two monthi and a half have passed away, and
his Majesty has in vain expected the establishment in Spain
of an order of things compatible with the safety of neigh-
bouring States.
" The french Government has for two entire years en-
• dared, with a forbearance without example, the most unme-
rited provocations; the revolutionary faction which has
destroyed the royal authority In yore country—which holds
your King captive—which calls for his dethronement—
which menaces his life and that of his family, has carries be-
yond your frontiers its guilty efforts. It has tried all means
to corrupt the army of his Most Christian Majesty, and to
excite troubles in Franc., in the same manner as it had suc-
ceeded by the contagion of its doctrines and of its example
to produce the insurrection of Naples and Piedmont. De-
ceived in its expectations, it has invited traitors, condemned
by our tribunals, to consummate under the protection of
triumphant rebellion the plots which they had formed against
their country. It is time to put a stop to the anarchy which
tears Spain in pieces, which takes from it the power of set-
tling Its colonial disputes, which separates it from Europe,
which has broken all its relations with the august Sovereigns
whom the same Intentions and the same views unite with
his Most Christian Majesty, and which compromises the re-
pose and interests of France.
Spaniards! France is not at war with your country.
Sprang from the same blood as your kings. I can have no
wish but for your independence, your happiness, your glory.
I am going to cross the Pyrenees at the head of 100.000
Frenchmen ; but it is in order to unite myself to the Spa-
niards, friends of order and of the laws, to assist them in
setting free their captive King, in raising again the alter
and the throne, in rescuing priests from proscriptions, men
of property from spoliation, and the whole people from the
domination of an ambitious few, who, while they pro-
claim liberty, are preparing only the slavery and ruin of
Spain.
" Spaniards ! Everything will be done for you and with
you. The French are not. and wish not to be, any thing
but your auxiliaries. Your standard alone shall float over
your cities: the provinces traversed by our soldiers shall
be administered In the name of Ferdinand by Spanish au-
thorities ; tho t discipline shall be observed; every
thing necessary for the service of the army shall be paid for
with scrupulous punctuality ; we do not pretend either to
I apose laws on you, or to occupy your country; we wish
nothing but your deliverance; as soon as we shall have ob-
tained it, we will return to our country, happy to have pre-
served a generous people from the miseries• produced by
revolution, and which experienc,e,has taught us but too well
to appreciate.
" Head-quarters at Bayonne. April % 1923.
•• LOUIS ANTOINE.
"By his Royal Highness the Prince General-in-Chief, the
Counsellor of State, Civil Commissioner of his Most
Christian Majesty. " MARTIGNAC."

FORCE OF THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH SQUAD-
RONS IN THE WEST INDIES.
—.ow—

Conc. Arun. 4.—The report of the French force made
by the Forte is as follows :
Romulus, 74 ; Vestal, 66; Jean d'Acre. 06; Hendon.,
44 ; Thetis. 44 ; Neride, 44; Moselle, 4.4 ; l'Genie, 44 ;
l'Egerie, 44.
Besides the above formidable squadron, Ina time of peace,
the following French frigates, of the largest class, were
hourly expected :--Guerriere, Circe, and Cleopatra.
It is difficult to suppose that the French Government would
maintain so powerful a naval force in the West Indies, with-
out ;laving some decided political object in view ; and as we
do not choose to suspect it of being so preposterous in all its
speculations and projects as to meditate a quarrel on the
ocean with England, we ere led to eonjeseure that some de-
sign is meditated against Cuba—and we confess, for our
parts, that we do believe the acquisition of this noble Island
to be at bottom a main incitement to the quarrel with Spain.
But is this we apprehend the French Government will be ut-
terly disappointed—for England caanot permit such a terri-i
tory as Cuba to be appropriated at the will of the Cabinet of
the Tuileries—notwithstanding that our naval force at
Barbados. is inferior to that of the French at Martinique.
The following vessels compose the British squadron at
Barbadoes, and on the station :
At Barbadoes—The Gloucester. 74, Sir Edw. Owen ;
Forte, 48, Sir J. Cochrane ; Phteton, 98, Stuart ; Eden, 26,
Lawrence; and Hellican, 10, Darkieg..
On the Station—Pyramus, 38, Nes cone ; Valorous, 26,
Murray; Eske (sloop), 18. Lee Warren; Bellette (brig),
90, Leith ; Sorbian, IS, Croley ; Bustard, 10, Rich; and
Icarus. 10, Matthews.
The brig Hawk spoke In lat. 26. long. O. the brig Cy-
Cops, of Whitehaven, from Madeira, Graham, master, bound
to Caba, 17 days from her port.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

-...,......-

Dux, AratzB.—Came down frost the river yesterday,
the Sorry. Garbath, for Honduras; Ilopewell, Pelee, for
New Brunswick; sad sailed in course of last night with the
rest of the outward bound for their different. destinations,
with a fair breete at East, except the Wm. Miles Indianian,
which vessel did not sail till after post this morning.—Wind
E. and N.
PORTSMOUTII, APRIL S.—Passed by dowti Channel, the
Charles Forbes, Boyden, for Bomhay; also, Flora, for
Smyrna; Heroine, lileott.fbr Cadiz, having sprung her main-
mast ; Mary, Ellen, Guile, for St. Michael's and Quebec.—
The Richard, Williamson, from the Downs, for Demerara,
came in for passengers, took them on board and sailed.—
Wind N. 11: •
PxymouTn, Arau. 7.—Arrived the Dwarf, man of war,
utter, from Jersey, end Breton frigate from Portsmouth; a
schooner is now coming in under quarantine; sailed the Ea-
gle, Pratt, for St. John's, N. B.; Vigilant, Fox, for St.
John's, N. B.; Essex, Wise, for Havre; and Spartan,
Bask, for St. Mary's.—Wind N.B.
Fszwovxm, Aram 7.—Arrived the Gen. Brock, Ham-
mead, from Trepute, in seventy-three days from Jersey.—
• Wind N.E.
The Ante, Young, from Montrose to Shields, wu lost
on the Fern Islands on Friday, crew and part of the stores
sued.
Th. Marla, Largie, from Aberdeen to London. was lost
/*Stucky morning on the Shipwash sand. Crew sawed.