The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-10-20

shcr transport laden with shoes, for the use
81 the Portuguese srsss : the whole Of which,
ecgether With the aftns were lahtied the tiay
they artivedIs and the next day 5uOO Portu-
yuese troops marched from Ororto tor Vigo,
who were chiefly Sommanded' by British Of
hcers. Several detachments of Portuguese
regiments, amounting together to about 5000
.men were left to garrison Oporto, the grea-
ter part OF which were not armed. lmme-
stately on intelligence being received at O.
porto OF the victory gained by orr troops at
Itiavera, general illumination took place
Tor three nights, About HOO Portuguese
troops who left Oporto to join the British ar
my, few days before the action took place,
fell in with q division of the Preach army,
who massacred the whole Of them.
The city Of Antwerp. which is supposed
TO be the ultimate object uf the expedition,
forms no part Of the former territories of
Holland; it is situated about 40 miles S e.
of Flushing, on the east side of the Scheldt,
which is here of sufficient depth and width
to admit vessels of great burden close to the
quay. The commerce of this city rather
more than two centuries ago, was superior
TO any other state in Europe. $500 merchant
vessels arriving in its port in one year In
1850 the value of the merchandise imported
that year amounted to 1875 millions. Bmt
when the United Provinces threw off the
spanish yoke, having got possession of the
entrance cs the Scheldt they sunk obstruc-
tions in the channel to prevent free navi-
CATION. The town is surrounded by wall
and regular Notifications. The navigation
OF the river was declared free in August,
1894
: Last week William Constable and Richard
Cockcroft, two manufacturers, were appre
hended at Hull. for preparingto leave this
kingdom for America.
TIE dominions of Hanover. to the amount
o. TWO millions of livres yearly, have been
and Ministers. The following have the lar
Gest grants -
Berthier. Bernadotte, Mortier, Duroc, Ney,
Augereau. Massena, Caulincourt, Davoust.
Soult, Lefebvre, Lebrun, Besseres, Junot.
Victor, Fouche, Champagny, DEGREES, and
Cretet.
The annual conference Of the Methodists
held thisy year at Manchester, terminated on
Thursday, 259 preachers attended Actual
increase of Members during the past year,
1%,200-6,200 in England and ireland, and
5000 in America. The number of preachers
received at conference. after the four pro-
stationary years, exclusive of those i'm the
districts, was 20 and the number of new
ehape4s opened since last conference, is sta
Ted 10 be considerable.
Notwithstanding the confident statements
which have been circulated during the last
two or three days, OF the little prospect, or
rather ofthe total abandonment of further
operations up the Scheldt, we are enabled
20 assure our readers that the whole of the
fotillla, with all the transports, and several
sail OF the line, were according to undoubted
edviccs OF Thursday last, proceeding towards
fort Lilo. Sir X. Strachan and lord Gardner
were on that day, at Bathx, and admiral
Keats, and sir Home Popham were within a
few miles of fort Lilo.
1t, rs it has been reported. new plan of |
operations against the enemy's naval depot
and shipping at Antwerp has been sent home |
for the consideration of government. it would |
evidently follow, that material difference !
Of opinion has existed among the principal !
officers of the expedition, or that the opera
lions to be undertaken were likely to be at |
tended with risks and difficulties, for all the |
results of which they did not conceive it with |
Va their exact line Of duty to be altogether |
responsible. With respect to the consulta
tions which COL Congreve is said to have |
had. and to have returned expressly for that |
purpose with ministers, on the powerful ef- |
hcacy OF his rockets in efecting the destruc- |
sion Of the enemy's shipping, the statement
Is too absurd and preposterous to require any
Heightened comment. Gould the gentle |
mans rockets have accomplished that OBJ. |
ject, they would, no doubt, have. been en-
Ployed without taking the opinion of the ca |
binet. To" sink, burn, and destroy" were
the very words of the commission under
which our expedition was sent to the Scheldt
AND is 1t not ridiculous to suppose that the
commanders in chief have wished to take |
the opinion Of those who sent them, whether |
they were to execute that for which they |
were sent The difficulties ofapproachng to
Antwerp, the great preparations IN AIDE by the |
enemy. the strong force they have in tn at |
quarter, not colonel c ongreve's rockets, ap-
pear to be the leading points of considerati |
on. They certaiAly Dusr be extremely for |
nidable to call for the Intervention and sane |
zion Of government. A military or naval |
commander, who is DESTROYS OF shifting from
himself responsibility in any case, must be |
convinced he has perils & obstacles of no I'M |
common kind to contend with and surmount. |
It is, however,, impossible that the delay or
indecision can last beyond the present week. |
Dispatches were, yesterday sent off to lord |
ehatham and sir Richard Strachan.
The following letter supplies some new par |
siculars respecting the state of affairs in WaIche-
REM
FLUSHING, Aug. g.
"The rumors aHoat here are so various and
contradictory as to induce person to doubt the |
most probable statement, though proceeding from |
the best authority. Whether the main object of |
the Expedition, viz. the seizure Of the enemy's |
feet, will be attempted or not, depends as we |
here understand, upon the expected decision of !
the Cabinet. The transports and ships of war !
Ia hOx dol H. ". = 4,