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Mr. Stewart the master, and the pilot. He adds, that it was not to be expected that a ship should have been so long at different periods under the fire of the Enemy's various batteries and vessels without some loss, but he is thankful it is not greater than by the account subjoined. The ship is damaged little in the hull, but more in the masts, yards, and rigging. The officer wounded (Lieutenant William Fletcher), he is glad to say, will soon be restored. The letter then concludes:]-A line of battle ship, with sails bent, and top-gallant-yards across, lay in the harbour of L'Orient, spectator of the operations of the day at the entrance of it; but the wind did not serve till night for her coming to the support of her friends: every assistance, however, was afforded them of boats, men, &c. from the port, directed, as I apprehend, by the Admiral in person. I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed) H. HOTHAM, Captain. Rear-Admiral Sir H. Neale, Bart. &c.

[Here follows a list of 4 seamen and 1 marine killed; and one officer (Lieut. Fletcher) 3 petty officers, 19 seamen, and 5 marines wounded; 4 dangerously, 10 severely, and 14 slightly.]

Admiralty-office, May 30. A letter from Capt. Somerville, of H. M. S. the Rota, gives an account of the capture, on the 22d inst. by the boats of that ship, under the directions of Lieut. Turner, of L'Espadon French privateer, of St. Maloes, pierced for ten guns, three mounted, and manned with 45 men. The Rota had one man killed and five wounded; the privateer, seven killed, and four wounded.

Admiralty-office, June 2. Admiral Sir R. Bickerton, Commander in Chief at Portsmouth, has transmitted a letter from Lieut. Treacy, commanding his Majesty's cutter Linnet, giving an account of his having, on the 29th of last month, captured off the Start, Le Petit Charles French privateer, of St. Maloes, mauned with 26 men, armed with small arms, sailed the preceding day from Roscoff: had not made any capture.

Admiralty-office, June 6. Admiral Young has transmitted a letter from Lieut. Samuel Burgess, commanding the Pincher gun vessel, giving an account of the capture, on the 11th of last month, of a French armed lugger, carrying one 12pounder and small arms, and a crew of 47 men, by the boats of the Pincher and Exertion gun-brigs, after she had run on sbore near Cuxhaven.

Admiralty-office, June 13. Rear-Admiral Sir T. Williams has transmitted a Jetter from Lieut. England, commanding

his Majesty's gun vessel Flamer, giving an account of his having, on the 1st inst. captured, off the Horne Reef, La Pauline, a French privateer, of three guns and 13 men, out three days from Amsterdam without making any capture.

LONDON GAZette ExtraoRDINARY.

Downing-street, June 17. Major Currie, Aid-de-camp to Lieut.-general Sir Rowland Hill, arrived this evening with a Dispatch, of which the following is an extract, addressed to the Earl of Liverpool, by General the Earl of Wellington, dated Fuente Guinaldo, 28th May.

When I found that the Enemy had retired from this frontier, on the 24th of April, I directed Lieut.-gen. Sir Rowland Hill to carry into execution the operations against the enemy's posts and establishments at the passage of the Tagus at Almarez. Owing to the necessary preparations for this expedition, Lieut.-gen. Sir Rowland Hill could not begin his march with part of the 2nd division of infantry till the 12th inst. and he attained the objects of his expedition on the 19th, by taking by storm Forts Napoleon and Ragusa, and the tetes-du-pont and other works, by which the enemy's bridge was guarded, by destroying those forts and works, and the enemy's bridge and establishments, aud by taking their magazines, and 259 prisoners, and eighteen pieces of cannon.

[Lord Wellington then requests his Lordship's attention to Lieut.-gen. Sir R. Hill's report of his brilliant exploit, the difficulties with which he had to contend, and his persevering in attaining the objects pointed out by his instructions. Too much, he observes, cannot be said of the brave officers and troops who took by storm, without the assistance of cannon, such works as the enemy's forts on both banks of the Tagus, fully garrisoned, in good order, and defended by 18 pieces of cannon. His Lordship says that the enemy received every intelligence of Sir R. Hill's march; that the troops under Gen. Drouet made a movement to their left, and arrival upon the Guadiana, at Modellin, on the 17th inst. aud, on the following day, drove in the picquets of Lieut.-gen. Sir William Erskine's division of cavalry, which had remained in Lower Estremadura. Marshal Soult likewise moved from the blockade of Cadiz towards Cordova, without making the expected attack upon Tariffa, and the troops which had marched from Seville into the Condada de Niebla returned to Seville nearly about the same time; but Lieut.-gen. Sir Rowland Hill had attained his object on the 19th, and had returned to Truxillo, and was beyond all risk of being attacked by a superior force on the 21st. The enemy's troops

have retired into Cordova. Lord Wellington then proceeds: "Your Lordship is aware that the road of Alinarez affords the only good military communication across the Tagus, and from the Tagus to the Guadiana, below Toledo. The permanent bridges below the bridge of Arzobispo have been destroyed during the war, by one or other of the belligerents, and the Enemy have found it impossible to repair them. Their bridge, which Lieut.-gen. Sir R. Hill has destroyed, was one of boats; and I doubt their having the means of replacing it.-The communications from the bridges of Arzobispo and Talavera to the Guadiana, are very difficult, and cannot be deemed military communications for a large army. The result then of Lieut. gen. Sir Rowland Hill's expedition has been to cut off the shortest and best communication between the armies of the South and of Portugal.

Since the accounts have been received of Lieut.-gen. Sir R. Hill's expedition, the Enemy's troops have likewise been put in motion in Old and New Castile; the 1st division, under Gen. Foy, and a division of the Army of the Centre, under Gen. D'Armagnac, crossed the Tagus by the bridge of Arzobispo on the 21st; and have moved by the road of Deleytosa, to relieve or withdraw the post which still remained in the tower of Mirabete. The whole of the Army of Portugal have likewise made a movement to their left; the 2d division being on the Tagus, and Marshal Marmont's head-quarters have been removed from Salamanca to Fontieros.By a letter from Sir Howard Douglas, of the 24th inst. I learn that the troops under General Bonnet, after having made two plundering excursions towards the frontiers of Gallicia, had again entered the Asturias, and was, on the 17th, in possession of Oviedo, Gijun, and Grado.--In the mean time, the troops under Gen. Mendizabel are in possession of the town of Burgos, the enemy still keeping the castle; and in all parts of the country, the boldness and activity of the chiefs of Guerillas are increasing; and their operations against the enemy are becoming daily more important.-I forward this dispatch by Major Currie, Aidde-camp to Lieut.-gen. Sir Rowland Hill, whom I beg leave to recommend to your Lordship's notice and protection.

My Lord, Truxillo, May 21. I have the satisfaction to acquaint your Lordship, that your instructions relative to the capture and destruction of the enemy's works at Almarez have been most fully carried into effect by a detachment of troops under my orders, which marched from Almandralejo on the 12th inst.-The bridge was, as your Lordship knows, protected by strong works thrown up by the French on both sides of the river, and fur

ther covered on the Southern side by the castle and redoubts of Mirabete about a league off, commanding the pass of that name, through which runs the road to Madrid, being the only one passable for carriages of any description by which the bridge can be approached.-The works on the left bank of the river, were a tete-dupant built of masonry, and strongly en trenched, and on the high ground above it, a large and well constructed fort, called Napoleon, with an interior entrenchment, and loop-holed tower in its centre. This fort contained nine pieces of cannon, with a garrison of between four and five hundred men. There being also on the opposite side of the river, on a height immediately above the bridge, a very complete fort recently constructed, which flanked and added much to its defence.On the morn ing of the 16th, the troops reached Jaraicejo, and the same evening marched in three columns: the left column, commanded by Lieut.-gen, Chowne (28th and 34th regs. under Col. Wilson, and the 6th Portuguese Cacadores,) towards the castle of Mirabete; the right column, under Major-gen. Howard, (50th, 71st, and 92d regs.) which I accompanied myself, to a pass in the mountains, through which a most difficult and circuitous foot-path leads by the village of Romangordo to the bridge; the centre columu, under Majorgen. Long (6th and 18th Portuguese infantry, under Col. Ashworth, and 13th light dragoons, with the artillery,) advanced upon the high road to the pass of Mirabete.-The two flank columns were provided with ladders, and it was intends ed that either of them should proceed to escalade the forts against, which they were directed, had circumstances proved favourable; the difficulties, however, which each had to encounter on its march were such, that it was impossible for them to reach their respective points before daybreak; I judged it best, therefore, as there was no longer possibility of surprise, to defer the attack, until we should be better acquainted with the nature and position of the works, and the troops bivou acked on the Leina.

I determined on endeavouring to penetrate to the bridge by the mountain path leading through the village of Romangordo, although by that means I should be deprived of the use of my artillery. On the evening of the 18th I moved with Ma jor-gen. Howard's brigade, and the 6th Portuguese reg. for the operation, provided with scaling ladders, &c. Although the distance marched did not exceed five or six miles, the difficulties of the road were such, that with the united exertions of officers and men, the column could not be formed for the attack before daylight. Confiding however, in the valour of the

troops

troops, I ordered the immediate assault of Fort Napoleon. My confidence was fully justified by the event.-The first battalion of the 50th and one wing of the 71st reg. regardless of the Enemy's artillery and musquetry, escaladed the work in three places, nearly at the same time. The Enemy seemed at first determined, and his fire was destructive, but the ardour of our troops was irresistible, and the garrison was driven at the point of the bayonet, through the several entrenchments of the fort and tete-du-pont, across the bridge, which having been cut by those on the opposite side of the river, many leaped into the river, and thus perished. The impression made upon the Enemy's troops was such, that panick

soon

communicated itself to those on the right bank of the river, and Fort Ra gusa was instantly abandoned, the garrison flying in the greatest confusion towards Naval Moral.—I cannot sufficiently praise the conduct of the 50th and 71st regs. to whom the assault fell. The cool and steady manner in which they formed and advanced, and the intrepidity with which they mounted the ladders, and carried the place, was worthy of those distinguished corps, and the officers who led them. [Lieut. Gen. Sir R. Hill then states, that the impossibility of advancing prevented the 92d reg. under Lieut.-col. Cameron, and the remainder of the 71st, under Lieut.-col. Cadogan, from distinguishing themselves. The 6th Portuguese infantry, and two companies of the 60th, under Col. Ashworth, formed the reserve to this attack.

The operations were favoured by a diversion made by Lieut.-gen. Chowne, against the Castle of Mirabete, which succeeded in inducing the Enemy to believe that the forts near the bridge would not be attacked until the pass had been forced, and way made for the English artillery. Almarez, it appears, was considered by the Enemy in the light of a most important station; but its destruction was most complete. The towers of masonry, in Forts Napoleon and Ragusa, were entirely levelled; the ramparts of both in great measure destroyed; and the whole apparatus of the bridge, together with the workshops, magazines, and every piece of timber which could be found, entirely destroyed. A colour, belonging to the 4th batt. of the Corps Etranges, was taken by the 71st reg. A most arduous part of the operations fell to Major-gen. Howard, who led his brigade to the assault in a most gallant ABSTRACT OF

FRANCE.

manner: he was ably assisted by his Staff Brigade and Major Wemyss, 50th, and Lieut. Battersby, 23d Lt. Drag. Majorgen. Long assisted materially; Lieut.col. Stewart and Major Harrison of the 50th, and Major Cother, 71st, commanded the three attacks, and led them in a most gallant and spirited manner. Lieut.-col. Dickson, with a brigade of 24-pounders, exerted himself in the attack and destruction of the place, during which Lieut Thiele, R. German Art. a gallant officer, was blown up; Lieut. Wright, of the R. Engineers, rendered essential service, as did Lieut. Hollier, 29th reg. Capt. Candler, of the 50th, (the only officer killed in the assault) has left a large family to deplore his loss. He was one of the first to mount the ladder, and fell upon the parapet, after giving a distinguished example to his men. The dispatch concludes with praises of Lieut.-col. Rooke, Assist. Adj.-gen. Lieut.-col. Offeney, Assist. Q. Mast. General, who attended though severely indisposed, and Capt. Thorn, Dep. Assist. Q. M. General.-The Marquis de Almeida, member of the Junta of Estremadura, accompanied the expedition, and, as well as the population, reudered every assistance.] (Signed) R. HILL, Lt.-gen.

The return of prisoners is 250, including the Governor, 1 Lieut.-col. and 15 officers. -The grand total of the Allied loss was→→→ 1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 1 serjeant, 30 rank and file, killed; 2 Captains, 6 Lieutenants, 5 Ensigns, 10 serjeants, 1 drummer, 120 rank and file, wounded.-18 pieces of cannon were taken, a great quantity of powder, in barrels, blown up, besides 120,000 cartridges, 300 shells, 20 pontoon boats, composing the bridge, with timber, with 60 carriages for removing the same, destroyed. In the forts were 29,961 rations of biscuit, 65,961 rice, 1618 wine, 27,184 brandy, 16,848 live cattle, and 18,086 salt meat.

Names of Officers killed and wounded: Killed.-King's German Artillery.-Lieut. Thiele, blown up, and Capt. Candler, 50th reg. -Wounded-Royal Engineers, Lieut. Wright, slightly; 50th foot, Capt. Sandys, severely; Lieut. Hemsworth, severe... ly; Lieut. Paterson, slightly; Lieut. Richardson, severely; Ensign Goddard, severely; Ensigns Crofton and Godfrey, slightly; 71st foot, Capt. Grant, dangerously, (since dead); Lieut. Lockwood, severely; Lieut. Ross and Ensign M'Kenzie, slightly; 6th Caçadores, Periera Cotinho, severely.

FOREIGN OCCURRENCES.

The French Papers have at length brought the important, though not unexpected, intelligence of a Declaration of War by France against Russia. They furnish as with the first five Bulletins of GEST. MAG. July, 1812.

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the Answer of Lord Castlereagh to the

same.

The First Bulletin recapitulates the causes of complaints exhibited by France against Russia.

The Second Bulletin, which is dated Wilkowiski, 22d ult. states that all prospect of an accommodation is at an end, and concludes with the following Proclamation:

"SOLDIERS!-The second war of Poland has commenced.-The first was brought to a close at Friedland and Tilsit. At Tilsit, Russia swore eternal alliance with France and war with England. She now violates her oaths. She refuses to give any explanation of her strange conduct, until the Eagles of France shall have repassed the Rhine, leaving, by such a movement, our Allies at his mercy. Russia is dragged along by a fatality! Her destinies must be accomplished. Should she then consider us degenerate? Are we no longer to be looked upon as the soldiers of Austerlitz? She offers us the alternative of disbonour or war. The choice cannot admit of hesitation. Let us then march forward! Let us pass the Niemen ! Let us carry the war into her territory! The second war of Poland will be as glorious to the French arms as the first: but the peace which we shall conclude will be its own guarantee, and will put an end to that proud and haughty influence which Russia has for fifty years exercised in the affairs of Europe.

"At our Head-quarters at Wilkowiski, June 22, 1812."

The

A Third Bulletin is dated from Kowno, on the 26th ult. On the night of the 23d ult. three bridges were thrown across the Niemen, and at noon the next day Kowno was taken possession of, and in the evening Buonaparte entered the town. Russians retired as the French advanced. These occurrences are not to be considered as evidences of the success of the Enemy; on the contrary, they are the natural results of the plan of the campaign laid down by the Russiads, who mean to act on the defensive, and, by laying waste the country as they evacuate it, leave the enemy no resources wherewith to subsist their immense force.

The Fourth Bulletin is dated from Wilna; which fell into the hands of the French without any action. The magazines established in this city the Russians fired, on their retreat from it. The Bulletin, no doubt with some exaggeration, states them to have already destroyed property to the amount of 20,000,000 of roubles. Buonaparte cannot conceal his chagrin at being thus thwarted and disappointed of his booty.

skirmishes, but no general battle. The attempts to interpose between the Russian corps, and cut off their retreat, have entirely failed; and Gen. Wittgenstein, Prince Bagration, Gen. Doctorrow, and the Hetman Platow, with his Cossacks, retreated in good order towards the Dwina, after destroying the magazines. Buonaparte says, that he has lost some thousands of horses through the change of weather s bnt from this admission it may be concluded that his loss has been much greater, but more probably owing to the want of forage.

The Correspondence alluded to above, relative to the points in dispute between Russia and France, occupies several columns of the Moniteur. The grand accusation of France against Russia is, that the latter has infringed the Treaty of Tilsit, by the admission of English and Colonial produce into her ports. The annexation of the Duchy of Oldenburgh to the French Empire is spoken of, as a necessary consequence of the previous annexation of the Hanse Towns; and the remonstrances made by Russia against that act of usurpation are treated as injurious to the honour of France. Every effort appears to have been made by Russia, short of absolute submission, to avert hostilities; but the Emperor Alexander would not treat with Buonaparte while Prussian territories were occupied by French troops.

THE LATE OVERTURES FOR NegotiatiON WITH FRANCE.

It appears that at the period when Buonaparte despaired of bending the Emperor Alexander to his purposes, and was probably apprehensive of another Coalition in the North, he made overtures for negociating a peace with this country, on the basis of the uti possidetis. In making this advance, he appears to have had two objects in view; first, to alarm the Northern Powers; and secondly, to entrap the English Government, by subsequently explaining that by the present dynasty of Spain, he meant not the family of Charles IV. but his brother Joseph. Only two letters passed on this occasion, the proposal, and reply by Lord Castlereagh, who could obtain no explanation. The first letter, as extracted from the French Journals, is written by the Duke of Bassant, under date April 17, 1812, and addressed to Lord Castlereagh, to be forwarded by the Commandant on the Dover station. The French Minister says:

"The calamities under which Spain, and the vast regions of Spanish America suffer, should naturally excite the inter of all nations, and inspire them with an equal anxiety for their termination. —I will express myself, Sir, in a manner which the 6th July. There have been some slight your Excellency will find conformable to

The Fifth Bulletin is dated from Wilna on

the

the sincerity of the step which I am authorised to take; and nothing will better eviuce the sincerity and sublimity of it than the precise terms of the language which I have been directed to use. What views and motives should induce me to envelope myself in formalities suitable to weakness, which alone can find its interest in deceit ?-The affairs of the Peninsula, and the Two Sicilies, are the points of diffe rence which appear least to admit of being adjusted. I am authorised to propose to you an arrangement of them on the following basis:-The integrity of Spain shall be guaranteed. France shall renounce all idea of extending her dominions beyond the Pyrennees. The present dynasty shall be declared independent, and Spain shall be governed by a National Constitution of her Cortes.-The independence and integrity of Portugal shall be also guaranteed, and the House of Braganza shall have the Sovereign authority. The kingdom of Naples shall remain in possession of the present Monarch, and the kingdom of Sicily shall be guaranteed to the present family of Sicily.—As a consequence of these stipulations, Spain, Portugal, and Sicily, shall be evacuated by the French and English land and naval forces.-With respect to the other objects of discussion, they may be negociated upon this basis, that each power shall retain that of which the other could not deprive it by war."

Lord Castlereagh in his reply to the Duke of Bassano, says :-" Your Excellency's Letter of the 17th of this month has been received and laid before the Prince Regent. His Royal Highness felt that he owed it to his honour, before he should authorise me to enter into any explanation upon the overture which your Excellency has transmitted, to ascertain the precise meaning attached by the Government of France to the following passage of your Excellency's Letter: the actual Dynasty shall be declared independent, and Spain governed by the national Constitution of the Cortes.-If, as his Royal Highness fears, the meaning of this proposition is, that the Royal Authority of Spain, and the Government established by the Cortes, shall be recognized as residing in the brother of the head of the French Governinent, and the Cortes formed under his authority, and not in the legitimate Sovereign, Ferdinand the Seventh, and his heirs, and the Extraordinary Assembly of the Cortes, now invested with the power of the Government in that kingdom, in his name, and by bis authority-I am ◆commanded frankly and explicitly to declare to your Excellency, that the obligations of good faith do not permit his Royal Highness to receive a proposition for peace founded on such a basis-But

if the expressions cited above apply to the actual government of Spain, which exercises the Sovereign authority in the name of Ferdinand the VIIth, upon an assurance of your Excellency to that effect, the Prince Regent will feel himself disposed to enter into a full explanation upon the basis which has been transmitted, in order to be taken into cousideration by his Royal Highness; and it being his most earnest wish to contribute, in concert with his allies, to the repose of Europe, and to bring about a peace, which may be at once honourable not only for Great Britain and France, but also for those States which are in relations of amity with each of those powers." To this note Lord Castlereagh received no answer from the French Government.

RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF POLAND,

The French Papers contain a report from a Committee appointed by the General Diet assembled at Warsaw, addressed, in fact to the Polish nation, reminding it of the insults and injuries it has suffered from Russia, who, they say, "has for a century past been advancing with the stride of a giant towards countries that had scarcely heard her very name; and when Pultowa seemed only to have decided between Charles and Peter, Europe was conquered almost at the same moment with Sweden-Poland has at length totally disappeared without guilt, as without revenge. People of Poland, force has enchained you, but force can break your chains, and they shall be broken. That Prince whose calculations embrace the future with as much facility as the present, the founder of a vast Empire, knows that there must be a barrier, eternal and impenetrable against the invasion of igno rance and barbarism: he knows that there must be a frontier which shall separate polished nations from savage. New Sigismonds and new Sobieskis shall arise; and the world shall learn, that to produce the fruit of all the nobler virtues, the soil of Poland has only to be tilled by the hands of Freemen. Your Committee has the honour of presenting the following Act of Confederation :

"The Diet constitutes itself a General Confederation of Poland. The General Confederation, exercising, in all their plenitude, the powers belonging to the General Association of the Nation, declares, that the Kingdom of Poland, and the Body of the Polish Nation, are re-established. A deputation shall be sent to his Majesty, the Emperor Napoleon, King of Italy, te present to him the Acts of the Confederation, and to implore him to cover with his powerful protection the cradle of Polish regeneration."-There are fifteen more articles for carrying into effect the above object,

and

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