Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-12-22
Nnvcnler To-


1--WE feel great pleasure IN announcing T., the
public the safe arrival oftie home ward bound
India fleet, under convoy ofthc africa. of 81
guns. They passed Portsmouth last nigi:t,
and we have no doubt reached the DowA. ear
ly this morning. The Acct left St. Helena on
the Sd Of September.
General Whitclock was on Morda,. last put
under an arrest, preparatory To his trial by L
court martial. The charges will be preferred
against him by Sir Samuel Archnuty. They
are seventeen.
The ships ofthe line going upon 4 secret ex-
petition are all in readiness for sr;ling. They
are at Plymouth. The light infantry Of tic
German Legion commenced their narci, from
Deal on Monday last for Portsmouth,, where. IL
is supposed, they embark TO proceed TO Fly
mouth. Novefob-r -
BoNApARTE's BLocEADE.--We stated
yesterday, that proclamation Will DC i,nmedi
atcly signed BY his majesty, declaring Traucc.
and every other country uhIerher cOntroul and
influence, in state OF s:cge, prohibiting ell =
tcrcourse with her or them and forbiddin.s an
ships to enter her or their har5ors, except such
rs have cleared hst from port in Great Br,
tam, or aport in the colonies beloning u Great
Britain. This is the strong uersure whichthc
present chancellor of the excheuuer frequent
iy urged during the late administration, as
absolutely necessary to meet Bonaprrte's
biockading decree. We may therefore pre-
sumo, that 1t It did not appear TO some of his
coadlutors as a measure of doubtful poli
cv, 1T would have beer long since adorted;
II viii, no doubt, eut oa France from al inter-
course with three quarters OF the globe, and
prevent her from receiving any OF the CON-
modi,ies or produce of Asi africa and Amc-
RIGA. The only objection to the measure.
is the consequent injury to our trade :; but
this objection is treated, in thctreasnry
Journals, as a mere chimera. s'Our tratle.S
they say "would suffer indeed, il the arti-
cies in which we deal, if cur own produce
tons, * the produce of cur colonies, wer>
mere luXuries, which nations might dis
pense with. But is that the foct? Are not
the productions Of the colonies absolutely
necessary to the Continent! Can Bona
parte prevent the continent from having
them Can any decree he can issue, in,
duce the people of the continent to dispense
with the use of sugar, Of coffee, of cotton,
OF linen, of indigo, Of logwocd, of drugs,
OF hardware, and variety of other art
cles! He may render the introduction Of
them more difficult, and the circulation Of
them more circuitous, but still thev will
reach every part ofthe continent. But it
may be sad, if the continent will not dis
pcnse with the use OF sugar, Of coffee, of
Cotton, ofindigo, of logwood, sc where is
the great necessity FOR this measure Be
cause neutral nations know that these ar
tIcles the produce of our colonies are liza
bic to seizure and confiscation in the enc
my's ports; they therefore purchase them
IN he co on es OF the enemy, and the enc
my are thus supplied with them, not bv
the British ships nor by the British Colo
mes, but by a merican SLIPS and b. French
and Spanish colonies But if we interdics
that trade, if we say that no ship shall
convey to French port any colonial pro-
ductlon but cur own, we shall then oblige
the continent to take them from US, the
continent not being able, as we have al
ready stated 10 do without them"
Now all this may be very fine logic,
but we fear it is rot fact. The IN
terences may be true, but unfortunately
the premises are false. In the first place.
the productions of our colonies are not all
articles absolutely necessary tn the conti-
rent and in the next place, if their cir
culatlon upon the continent be rendered
more difficult and cifcuitous, they cannot
circulate to the same extent, and with the
same facility, after. as before the restraints.
1t follows therefore, that the consumption
VIII be less; but we trust the reduction
VIII not be so great rs tho enemy expects.
II is we fear, too much to attempt to prove.
that our trade win not suffer at ALL
IG}o5e.
Sir Sydney Smith, arrived on Monday
Evening at Plymouth, and immediately
holsted his flag on board the London, of 90
guns.
His Majesty is expected in town, this
day TO hold private Levee at Privy Coun-
cil at the Queens Palace.
At2 o'clock yesterday afternoon, a Ca
binet Council assembled at the Foreign Of
ice. Their deliberations lasted until half
after four. The members present were
the lord chancellor, earls WestmoreIand
and Camden, lords 1awkesbury and Null
grave, andthc chancellor of the Exche-
luer. Earl Bathurst was admitted to the
conference; from which it may be drawn.
-hatlt related to the rumored project of n
general blockade, as the noble lord is at
The head OF the board of trade. After the
Council broke up, Mr.. Wilberforce had
an audience of the cabinet ministers.
Mr.. q. II Rose, who is charged with a
particular mission TO the government ofthe
United States, sailed on Monday, the 9th.
rom Huntington, in the Statyra frigate.
NORFOLK, December II.