The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-03-10
EUROPE.
NoRFoLK, March 6.

Foreiss IteHigencc.-Ycstevdav arrived
here the. British ship .Aur2ra, Cart. Smith,
from Liverpool. The passage of this ship
has been long, the latest papers brought by
her are of the 22d of December, with which
we have been favored BY capt. Smith, and
from which some extracts are made for this
days L-dgcr. The latest London dates are
to the Goth Of December, and although these
sccounts- are net pleasing to the friends OF
the Spanish patriots, they serve to relieve
us from the state of suspence, into which Con-
Trajectory reports had placed us, for the last
ten or fifteen days.
The thirteenth buHetin had been received
in England, which announces the arrival of
Bonaparte in Madrid. This event. it APP
pears, had not depressed the Spanish patri-
OTIS, the more as it w as not preceded by any
battle. other than what has been detailed
up to the twelfth bulletin, if we except an af-
fair at Somosierra, to which no consequence
is attached. .
1t does not appear that the British troops
had been engaged, by the French on their
Todt Go Madrid.
: Upon the authority of a letter from Ply
mouth, dated the 18th December, it is sta
ted the British army had been engaged,
and were victorious, but this account rests
upon authority too slender to merit conf
deHcc.
Accounts from the British army in Spain
had been received to the 9TH of December,
to which date it had not been engaged we
may therefore set down all the accounts, we
have lately received of an engagement be-
tween the French and British and Spanish
armies, as fabrications.
Upon reviewing the intelligence which we
now announce, although there is nothing
consoling, their is nothing to produce des-
pair. The possession of the capital, could
not be prevented but by hazardiug the fate
of the cause by q general action, which it
appears to have been the determination of
the Spaniards to avoid. We repeat what
we have often before said, that the march
of an enemy through a country does not
insure a conquest. The Spaniards appear
to follow the course recommended to them,
in the commencement of their contest.
The very imperfect details which our pa
pers contain, do not enable us to know what
force Bonaparte hadleft in his rear, to keep
in check the British armies Of Sir John Moore
and Sir David Baird, with the Spanish army
under Romano and Blake, on his right, and
the armies of Castanos and Palafox on his
left. That there was no engagement after
the date of the 18th bulletin, is certain, be-
cause the next, the 18th, is dated near Ma
drid, ia which no actionis noticed-We
should not be surprised to find that Bona
parte unable to bring the Spaniards to n
general action, had determined to advance
rapidly on to Madrid. in order to see what
effect that movement would produce if it
should not produce the desired effect, he can
only retreat again. In fact, Bonaparte is
now only in the situation, which Murat was
when at Madrid last year, but very differ
ent indeed is the situation of the Spaniards.
Then they had no armies, or allies, & seem
ed devoted to destruction. The Spanish
Cause viii not be so soon decided as many
have supposed.
The British have gained some triHing adj
vantagcs upon the coast of Italy, but not
worth detailing in an Americas Journal.
1t is with real regret that we notice the
affairs of Sweden /; the immense power of
Russia, has compelled the gallant king of
Sweden to evacuate Findland.
PRIcEs OF Stocks goth Dec. in London, 3
per cent. 65 rs p. cent.
CORN EXCHANGE, at Liverpool, 20di De
cember,
English Wheat, 15s to 1854. for 20
pounds.
American do. 1881. 10 15s. CO..
Flour 72s. per sack of 1870 pounds,-a5out
sos. sterling Ter y45rerican 6arreL--Ledg-
err.