The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-07-25 00:00:00

LONDON:

SATURDAY. JULY 451 1818.

Several of the letters received by the Leward
Island Mail, confirm the previous statements of the
&feat of the Spanish squadron by Admiral BRION.—
Letters from St. Thomas's, dated the 16th •It., mee.
tion, that accounts bed reached the island of a tom-
plete•victory gained by Admiral Bniorr .over the na-
val force of the Spaniards, in consequence of which,
the Patriots there had given a grand entertainment,
to which the British volunteers who were on the spot
were invited. This must he the same action to
which reference has already been made, on the au-
thority of letters from Trinidad, of the 10th (June).
Scarcely any particulars of the action are iommuni.
sated, but it is stated that Admiral Baum was at-
tacked on his way to the Main, with the Emerald, of
24 guns, two brigs, and three schooners, laden with
arms and ammunition. The result was the complete
destruction of the Royalist fleet, which will frus-
trate the object of the Spanish Go►ernment at sea as
much as it has been defeated at laud.

We suppose we shall soon be involved in the South
American contest, by grounds of dispute furnished
by the conduct of our own Government. Our Ministers
have taken an important step in relation to the
piratical acts committed under cover of the existing
war between Spain and her Eoutb American Pro-
vinces. The order issued to ou► Admirals on foreign
stations, will be found in another column. Some
measure to check the interruptions given to
trade by the depredations committed upon vessels
uncle; pretence of this hostility was certuitily
necessary—it is the interest of all Governments
to suppress illegal acts—and those of the
South American Provinces have not been wanting in
their endeavours to lessen the evils thus complained
of—but it is a fact, well understood, that many of
the outrages thus denounced are the acts of North
Americans, and that it will be a most difficult matter
to discriminate between authorities and the interests
involved in this retiree'. The smallest abuse of the ex-
ercise of the power necessary to suppress such prac-
tices, may revive a question that has been but very
ill settled between us and the Americans, namely,
the right assumed by British cruizers to detain or
interfere with the ships of other States on the free
waters of the ocean. It is a fact, honourable to the pro-
vinces whore flags have been thus assumed, that the
Government of Buenos Ayres and Venezuela have
strongly denounced these piratical acts and essump-
lions of their flags ; and that Admiral BRION lately
corresponded with our Admiral on the Windward
station, and sent him a list and description all the pri-
vateers commissioned under the Republic of Were.
seek. Lately !recaptured a schooner without a com-
mission, and treated her as a pirate, as be bad duo.
several others on former occasions.

It would seem from the American intelligence,
that General JACIC,9O/4 had obtained possession of the
fortress of Pensacola, but not without great resist.
once. It is said be took it by storm on the 2lst
Map This is an important proceeding on the part
of the Government of the United States. The unex-
pected resistance offered by the Spaniatdsaod the
conselpsent shedding of Spanish blood, '0614 give a
new aspect to the question relative to the occupation
of West Florida, and would, of coarse, call for fur.
they deliberation on the part of the &moire, as to
the measures to be pursued by General JAOILSON.
Having already obtained St. Mark's by menace, and
Pensacola by force, it is not probable that the Ame.
lions will stop short in their career. By the neat
arrivals we may expect to hear that preparations
were accordingly making for an attack on Fort
Conde, at Mobile, the reduction of, which would
put them in possession of the whole maritime coast
of West Florida. But as it is considerably stronger
than tbe fort at Pensacola, it might be requisite to
„rollolorce Jactson's army before commencing opera.
tissie against it.; and this, perhaps, is one of the
points upon which the American Ministers may have
deemed it necessary to have a personal consultation
with the PROIDENT.

We feel a mere the ordinary interest in every
proceeding of the American Republic, the only ee.
care asylum sow epee me Outfaced theGlobofor per-
meated ma; sad slant.the only experii■ental proof