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I trust that these reasons will vindicate me from the charge of presumption, in maintaining an opinion contradictory to that professed by so many most respectable officers: for, even if the reasons be essentially erroneous, if they are conclusive to my mind (as I conscientiously affirm them to be), it is a necessary consequence that I must disapprove the convention. Dec. 27. MOIRA, General.

rectly affecting the interests or feelings of the Spanish and Portuguese nations.

At the close of the inquiry, the king, abstaining from any observations upon other parts of the convention, repeats his disapprobation of those articles; his majesty deeming it necessary that his sentiments should be clearly understood, as to the impropriety and danger of the unauthorised admission, into military conventions, of articles of such a description,

His Majesty's Opinion on the Con- which, especially when incauti

vention of Cintra.

The following are the terms in which his majesty has expressed his disapprobation to sir H. Dalrymple, of certain parts of the convention of Cintra.

The king has taken into his consideration the report of the board of inquiry, together with the documents and opinions thereunto annexed.

While his majesty adopts the unanimous opinion of the board, that no farther military proceeding is necessary to be had upon the transactions referred to their investigation, his majesty does not intend thereby to convey an expression of his majesty's satisfaction at the terms and conditions of the armistice and convention.

When those instruments were first laid before his majesty, the king, reserving for investigation those parts of the definitive convention in which his majesty's immediate interests were concerned, caused it to be signified to sir Hew Dalrymple, by his majesty's secretary of state, that his majesty, nevertheless, felt himself compelled at once to express his disapprobation of those articles, in which stipulations were made, di

ously framed, may lead to the most injurious consequences.

His majesty cannot forbear further to observe, that lieutenantgeneral sir Hew Dalrymple's delaying to transmit for his information the armistice concluded on the 22d August, until the 4th of September, when he, at the same time, transmitted the ratified convention, was calculated to produce great public inconvenience, and that such inconvenience did in fact result therefrom.

Admiralty-office, Dec. 13. A dispatch has been received from

general Stuart, at Messina, containing an inclosure from lieutenant Bryce, which details the particulars of a successful attack made on Diamante harbour, by a small expedition supported by the Halcyon and Weazel sloops, &c.

Off Diamante, Sept. S. Sir, I do myself the honour to acquaint you, that the detachment you were pleased to put under my orders has successfully executed the service in view, by capturing, in conjunction with captain Pearce, of the royal navy, a flotilla of 38 sail of the enemy's vessels, of which

four

four are large gun-boats, under the town of Diamante, where they had been blockaded with much perseverance by captain Prescott, of the Weazel. On our arrival, I found the position of the enemy very respectable, as the town of Diamante, which covered the vessels, ranged on the right and left of it, stands on a peninsula nearly inaccessible on three sides; the fourth is protected by different inclosures; and there is, besides, a building of considerable strength commanding the whole. After the building had been cannonaded for some time by captains Pearce and Rescold, of the royal navy, and the chevalier de Balsamo, commander of a Sicilian galliot, who were indefatigable in their exertions, 250 men of the regiment of Malta, under major Hammill, and 100 of the 58th regiment under captain O'Brien, were landed at day-break this morning, about half a mile to the northward of the town, accompanied by a howitzer and two three-pounders, commanded by captain Campbell of the royal artillery. The enemy, who consisted of about 400 men of the civic guard, with a proportion of French troops, were gradually forced back through the underwood upon the town; which, however, they did not attempt to defend, but took to, the mountains: and we were enabled to turn their batteries, of four heavy guns, on the beach to the southward of the town, without sustaining any loss, when the whole of their vessels fell into our hands. I beg leave to express great satisfaction with the judicious conduct of major Hammill; and thanks are due to captain Campbell, commanding the artillery, captain O'Brien, commanding the 58th, and lieut. Lawson of the en

gineers, who did me the favour to attend me on shore.

ALEX. BRYCE, Lt.-col. R. E,

LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL PUBLIC ACTS

Passed in the second Session of the

fourth Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 48th of George III.

An act for regulating the issuing and paying off of exchequer bills.

An act for continuing to his ma jesty certain duties on malt, sugar, tobacco, and snuff, in Great Britain; and on pensions and offices in England; and for repealing so much of certain acts as relate to certain duties of sixpence and one shilling respectively on offices and pensions, and for regranting the said duties of sixpence and one shilling respectively, and the said other duties, for the service of the year 1808.

An act for empowering the governor and company of the bank of England to advance the sum of three millions, towards the supply for the service of the year 1808.

An act to authorise the advanc ing, for the public service, upon certain conditions, a proportion of the balance remaining in the bank of England for payment of unclaimed dividends, annuities, and lottery prizes; and for regulating the allowances to be paid for the management of the national debt.

An act for repealing an act made in the 47th year of his present mia. jesty, intituled, "An act for suspending the operation of an act of the 36th year of his present majesty, for the further support and maintenance of curates within the church of England, and for other purposes in the said act mentioned,

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so far as relates to the avoidance of benefices by the incumbents thereof having accepted augmented curacies.

An act for raising the sum of 10,500,000l. by exchequer bills, for the service of Great Britain for the year 1808.

An act for permitting the importation of goods from the Portuguese territories on the continent of South America in Portuguese ships.

An act to amend and continue, until the 25th of March, 1809, so much of an act of the 47th year of his present majesty as allows certain bounties on British plantation raw sugar exported.

An act for settling and securing a certain annuity on viscount Lake, and the two next persons to whom the title of viscount Lake shall descend, in consideration of the eminent services of the late general viscount Lake.

An act for making perpetual several laws relating to permitting the exportation of tobacco pipe clay from Great Britain to the British sugar colonies in the West Indies; the importation of salt from Europe into Quebec in America; and the prohibiting of foreignwrought silks and velvets.

An act to continue several laws relating to the granting a bounty on the importation into Great Britain of hemp, and rough and undressed flax, from his majesty's colonies in America; and to the more effectually encouraging the manufacture of flax and cotton in Great Britain until the 25th of March, 1810; and for granting a bounty upon certain species of British and Irish linens exported from Great Britain, and taking off the duties on importation into Great Britain of foreign raw linen yarns

made of flax, until the 25th of March. 1811.

An act for further continuing, until three months after the ratification of a definitive treaty of peace, an act made in the 44th year of his present majesty, for permitting the importation into Great Britain of hides and other articles in foreign ships.

An act to prohibit, until the end of the next session of parliament, the exportation of Jesuits' bark and cotton wool from Ireland.

An act to extend the provisions of an act, made in the 45th year of his present majesty's reign, for preventing the counterfeiting of certain silver tokens to certain other tokens which may be issued by the governor and company of the bank of Ireland, and to promote the circulation of the said last-mentioned tokens.

An act to prohibit, until the end of the next session of parliament, the exportation of Jesuits' bark from Great Britain.

An act to prohibit, until the end of the next session of parliament, the exportation of cotton wool from Great Britain.

An act for imposing, until the end of the next session of parliament, a duty on cotton wool, the growth of the British colonies, exported from Great Britain.

An act for making valid certain orders in council, and warrants of the commissioners of the treasury, for the entry and warehousing of certain goods imported in neutral vessels, and for indemnifying all persons concerned therein; for the remitting of forfeitures in certain cases; and for enabling his majesty to allow, during the continuance of hostilities, and until two months after the commence. ment of the next session of parlia

men'.

ment, the importation of goods from countries from which the British flag is excluded, in any vessels whatever.

An act to grant to his majesty certain duties and taxes in Ireland, in respect of carriages, dogs, fire hearths, horses, male servants, and windows, in lieu of former duties and taxes, in respect of the like articles.

An act to prevent the exportation of wood to Ireland, before bond given for the due landing thereof.

An act for quitting possessions and confirming defective titles in Ireland, and limiting the right of the crown to sue in manner therein mentioned; and for the relief of incumbents in respect of arrears due to the crown during the incumbency of their predecessors.

An act for accelerating the making up, examination, and audit, of the accounts of the paymaster general of his majesty's forces.

An act to suspend the granting of offices in reversion, or for joint lives with benefit of survivorship, for one year after the passing of this act, and from thence until six weeks after the commencement of the then next session of parliament. An act for raising the sum of three millions by exchequer bills, for the service of Great Britain for the year 1808.

An act for raising the sum of 1,500,000l. by exchequer bills, for the service of Great Britain for the year 1808.

An act for repealing the duties of assessed taxes, and granting new duties in lieu thereof, and also for repealing the stamp duties on game certificates, and granting new duties in lieu thereof.

An act for amending the law with regard to the course of pro

ceeding on indictments and infor mations in the court of king's bench in certain cases: for authorising the execution in Scotland of certain warrants issued for offences committed in England; and for requiring officers taking bail in the king's suit to assign the bail bonds to the king.

An act for enabling his majesty to settle an annuity on her royal highness the duchess of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel.

An act for repealing an act passed in the 1st year of king James the 1st, intituled, "An act concerning tanners, curriers, shoemakers, and other artificers occupying the cutting of leather;" and also for repealing and amending certain parts of several other acts of parliament relating thereto.

An act to continue, until the end of the next session of parliament, an act of the 45th year of his present majesty, for appointing commissioners to inquire into the public expenditure, and the conduct of the public business in the military departments therein mentioned.

An act to amend an act made in the 46th year of his present majesty, for enabling his majesty to accept the services of volunteers from the militia of Ireland.

An act for enforcing the residence of spiritual persons on their benefices in Ireland.

An act for granting an additional duty on copper imported into Great Britain, until the 5th of April, 1811, and from thence to the end of the then next session of parliament.

An act to provide that the British ships which shall be captured by the enemy, and shall afterwards become the property of British subjects, shall not be intituled to the privilege of British ships.

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An act to amend so much of two acts of this session of parlialiament, for carrying into execution certain orders in council, as relates to the duties on goods exported from the warehouses in which they have been secured on importation, and on certain prize goods imported into Great Britain or Ireland.

An act for providing suitable interment in church yards or parochial burying grounds in England for such dead human bodies as may be cast on shore from the sea, in cases of wreck or otherwise.

An act for raising the sum of 10,500,000l. by way of annuities.

An act to enable his majesty to vest the right of appointment of master of the free school of Londonderry, in the city and county of Londonderry, in the bishop of Derry for the time being.

An act to regulate the trade between Great Britain and the United States of America, until the end of the next session of parliament.

An act for repealing the rates and taxes taken by licensed hackney coachmen, and for establishing others in lieu thereof; and for amending several laws relating to hackney coaches..

An act to restrain the negocia tion of promissory notes and inland bills of exchange, under a limited sum, in England.

An act for enabling the commissioners appointed to examine accounts of public expenditure in the barrack office more speedily and effectually to investigate the said accounts.

An act to enable the commissioners for auditing public accounts, and the commissioners for the affairs of barracks respectively, to send and receive letters and

packets on the business of their offices free of postage.

An act to repeal so much of an act, made in the 47th year of his present majesty, for charging the sum of 12,200,000l. raised for the service of Great Britain for the year 1807, upon the duties of customs and excise granted to his majesty, during the continuance of the present war, as relates to money issued for charges of manage ment of stock redeemed.

An act to repeal so much of an act of the 1st year of king James I. as relates to the penalties on shooting at hares; and also to repeal an act of the 3d year of king George I. relating to game-keepers.

An act for repealing so much of an act made in the parliament of Scotland, in the fourth session of the first parliament of queen Anne, intituled, "Act for preserving the game," as relates to the shooting of hares.

An act for the better care and maintenance of lunatics, being paupers or criminals in England.

An act for further extending the provisions of several acts, for esta blishing the bank of Ireland; and for empowering the governor and company of the said bank to advance the sum of 1,250,000l. Irish currency, towards the service of the year 1808.

An act to remedy the inconve nience which has arisen, and may arise, from the expiration of acts, before the passing of acts to continue the same.

An act for enabling his majesty to establish a permanent local militia force, under certain restric tions, for the defence of the realm.

An act for raising the sum of 500,000l. by treasury bills for the service of Ireland for the year 1808.

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