happened to give me greater satisfaction than the result of this inquiry into Sir Richard Phillips's affairs. It has not, however, surprized me; for I was morally certain, that he would not deliberately assert what he even suspected to be false. As to the difference between his estimate and that of the actual account, it is to be observed, that the account makes the contingent surplus nearly seventy thousand pounds; and, even this must, with all allowances that have been made, be greatly short of what the amount will be, when the management of the property returns again into his own hands.—I repeat, that, SIR RICHARD PHILLIPS has conferred great obligations upon public liberty, and upon literature; the public, and literary men in particular, are his debtors; and, I have not the smallest doubt that he, whom nothing subdues, will yet have additional claims to the gratitude of both. the time) the joy, which was expressed by the COURIER and by the other ministerial news-papers, when they communicated the intelligence, that we had got on our side ALI MAHOMET (See Register, Vol. XIV, page 203,) who," to shew that " he knows all," called the French dogs, and encouraged the Spaniards to cut their throats, and to make them squeak like pigs! The COURIER called this a very spirited proclamation.The next thing to encourage us in this war was the TURTLE PATRIOT feast, at the City of London Tavern, where, in order to shew that they had "a stomach for the fight," they had amongst 400 of them, 2,500 pounds weight of Turtle, 40 haunches of Venison, besides four times as much, perhaps, of other things? It was at this feast, not like the feast of ALEXANDER " for Persia won,' but a feast at the beginning for a war, and for victories yet to come; it was at this feast (See Register, Vol. XIV. page 225) that the war for king Ferdinand was, in fact, first announced, in a toast to "King "Ferdinand VII."--That a war, which set out with such good cheer should have any crosses and plagues in its progress may, possibly, be a subject of astonishment and in the field: it embraces whatment with some persons; but, be that as it may, the fact is so, and we must abide by the consequences. SIR RICHARD PHILLIPS.In page 880, ́of this volume, I took the liberty, for the reasons there stated, to insert an article respecting this gentleman, and to that article I now beg leave to refer the reader. Sir Richard, in the letter there copied from the Morning Post, expressed his confident expectation, that, after paying every creditor twenty shillings in the pound, he should have a clear surplus of seventy or eighty thousand pounds. His ac BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.--This may seem an odd sort of a title to a topic, coming under the general title of PouTICS. But, Politics, is a word that does not confine itself to the transactions in partia ever is of public interest in commerce, in finance, in rural affairs, and especially in the administration of justice. In this last light there have few things of more cousequence taken place, of late, than the recent trial of an action of damages against a Clergyman of the name of Beresford, for cutting and destroying a very famous picture, called "Beauty and the Beast," and the 'doctrines, brought forward upon which trial, are worthy of particular attention. -Those doctrines I have not room to lay before my readers here; but, I shall take an early opportunity of discharging this duty.In the mean while, the PLAINTIFF, a Ma. DUBOST, who, it appears, is a very eminent French Painter, has pub lished, in the Morning Post of to-day, a letter which I am sure the impartial and just reader will be glad to see inscried here. It is as follows:-"Sir;-As I counts have now been made up by an Accountant chosen, I believe, bythe Assignees; he has had his third meeting before the Commissioners of Bankrupts; and, after making the largest possible allowances against him, it appears from those accounts, that he has a clear surplus of fifty" had no opportunity of replying on the seven thousand pounds. This information I "occasion of the late trial, I feel myself have from my own Printer, MR. HANSARD," called on to publish the correspondence who is one of the creditors. It is stated also, but I do not assert it upon the same authority, that, during Sir Richard's career of about 14 or 15 years, he has paid about fifty thousand pounds to AUTHORS, includ" ing, perhaps, ENGRAVERS and other ARTISTS, I must confess, that few things have "between me and Mr. Hope, which, toge "ther with my Appeal published against the "calumnies of a Sunday Paper, will con vey to the public some idea of the cause of my quarrel with that Gentleman. "The Press being the only medium through which I can defend myself, I WM. COBBETT. State Prison, Newgate, Tuesday, OFFICIAL PAPERS. SICILY.-Dispatch from Sir John Stuart, Adjutant General Major General Campbell's (Concluded from p. 1152.) "trust your liberality will give insertion | the gratitude of all those whose talents are "to the few following facts. It will ap- not of a sort to be trucked against victuals, pear by them at least, that I am neither drink, and lodging. "the "BEGGAR nor the RUFFIAN" I "have been described. It is imperative "on me to state that I am a native of Lyons; that my family was of the first respectability and fortune in France, previous to the Revolution; part of "which fortune was lost in the general "confusion of that period. I was well known at Paris, during the imprisonment "of sir Sidney Smith, not only as an artist, "but as a gentleman who mixed in the "best society, and as a sportsman of no "little celerity. The present coachman "of sir Sidney Smith was my groom for "two years, and if I advance an untruth, "he is in this country to contradict my as"sertion. I came to England as an "amateur of horses and as a professional "man, to study the finest models of that "animal to be seen in the world. The attentions which I received from "numbers of the most respectable peo"ple in this country, induced me to "make my stay longer; and I have now unfortunately a cause pending in the Court of Chancery, the protracted termination of which delays my departure. "I have attracted the obloquy of many, by defending myself against the severe injury inflicted on me, I have, I hope, a "mind able to despise the undeserved slanders by which I have been assailed. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, ANTOINE DUBOST.- London, Dec. "10, 1810." I have not room for many words; but I think it right to say, that the proceedings on, and the result of, the trial indduced me to read the " Appeal" of MR. DUBOST, and, that, for my own part, I never read any publication with a more perfect conviction of the truth of it, from one end to the other. The facts, which are numerous, are very curious and not less curious than interesting; and, what greatly recommends the work in my eyes, they are stated in an explicit manner; in a manner that exposes them to easy detection, if false. The reasoning is fair and forcible; and, merely as a composition, the pamphlet bas, in my opinion, great merit. If written by a foreigner, it surpasses, as such, any thing I ever read. The manner in which the writer treats the idea of an obligation incurred by him in having resided a few days in the House of a Dutch Merchant, bespeaks the man of real talents and of honour, and demands To Lieutenant-Colonel Adam, of the 21st regiment, I was peculiarly indebted. His thorough knowledge of the country and passes would have enabled us to anticipate and check the enemy, had he endeavoured to move further than Mili.--1 was accompanied by my Aid-de-camp, Cap-tain A'Court, whose active exertions were conspicuous to all. I have also to mention, in terms of acknowledgment, Captains Hill and Freuller, Assistant-Adjutantgenerals, and Lieutenant Burke, Aide-decamp to Major-general Spencer. The whole of the conduct of the troops was cheerful and animated; and the best disposition in aid of us was exhibited by the peasantry of the country, who, with arms, and every other weapon of offence they could collect, flocked to our immediate assistance; and, what is most consolatory, we have not to regret the loss of a single officer killed or wounded. Two men of the 21st regiment, and one rifleman, were slightly wounded in this singular incursion of the enemy.-I have not been able accurately to ascertain the loss of the enemy. Two officers of the Corsican battalion are among their wounded, of which there were many, as well as killed, upon the field. His most material loss must have been upon his retreat, and in the boats, which were completely within the range, not only of our field-guns, but also of our musketry; oné boat was sunk, one deserted to us, and many were disabled. Reports have also been received that several dead bodies have floated on shore near the scene of action. The peasantry have likewise brought in as prisoners a considerable number, who concealed themselves in the country. PORTUGAL.—Copy of a Letter from Marshal | General Lord Wellington to his Excellency Don Miguel Pereira Forjaz.-20th Oct. 1810. Most Excellent Sir,-Since the letter which I addressed to your Excellency on the 13th instant, the enemy has been employed principally in reconnoitring the positions,occupied by our troops, and in fortifying his own. To accomplish the first object he has skirmished with the troops which form our advanced posts, and who have always behaved well. On the 14th the enemy attacked with infantry, supported by artillery, a small detachment of the 71st regiment, which formed the advanced guard of Sir Brent Spencer's division, near Sobral de Monte Agraco, and that for the purpose of covering a reconnoissance made by one of his parties. Our detachment, having at its head the Honourable Colonel Cadogan and Lieut.Colonel Reynell, charged the enemy with the most distinguished gallantry, and compelled him to retire on the above-mentioned place. The whole of the 8th corps of the French army, and part of the 6th, arrived that evening on the plain near Sobral, and in consequence Sir B. Spencer's division was under the necessity of falling back from the advanced situation which it occupied. The gun-boats on the Tagus, commanded by Lieutenant Berkeley, and those with which Admiral Berkeley supports the right of the army near Alhandra, were engaged at the same time, and fired on the parties of the enemy employed in reconnoitring on that side, and were very useful. I have also the satisfaction of informing your Excellency, that the account which I transmitted in my former letter, of the 13th, relative to the march of two detachments of the troops under the command of General Bacellar, is since confirmed. Colonel Trant arrived near Coimbra on the 7th instant, and immediately attacked the advanced posts which the enemy had without the city, which he cut off and prevented them from entering the city, against which he marched rapidly. The resistance the enemy nade did not last long. He took SO officers prisoners, and 5,000 men, for the most part sick and wounded. I have the honour to enclose to your Excellency a copy of Colonel Trant's letter to Marshai Beresford, and also a copy of the Marshal's letter to me on occasion of this success. On the following day Brigadier General Miller and Colonel Wilson arunder their command. They have since rived at Coimbra, with the detachments taken nearly 350 prisoners, soldiers who had straggled from their regiments during the march, for the purpose of getting pro visions.-Colonel Wilson has since advanced with a party of infantry and cavalry to Condeixa, and at the same time Brigadier-General Miller occupies Coim bra.-I send your Excellency enclosed a copy of a letter from Marshal Beresford, relative to these events.-A detachment of the garrison of Peniche, ordered out by Brigadier-General Blunt, has been equally successful, having taken 48 prisoners belonging to the enemy's rear-guard, and killing nine more than the number of the prisoners. Lieutenant-Colonel Waters, who has also attacked the rear-guard of the enemy, has made a number of priso ners.-The difficulties that the enemy experiences in procuring provisions, owing to his having invaded the country without establishing magazines, and without adopting means for securing his rear, or his communications with Spain, have imposed upon him the necessity of allowing his soldiers to straggle to procure provisions; in consequence of which not a day passes without a number of prisoners and de serters being brought in.-Every thing remains tranquil in the north of Portugal, according to the last accounts I received. PORTUGAL.-Copy of a Letter from General Beresford, to General Lord Wellington. (Head-Quarters, Fort of Sobral, Oct. 17.) My Lord,-I have the honour to inform your Lordship, that by letters from Brigadier-general Miller, dated Coimbra, I have been informed that our troops of the north entered that city on the 8th, I appears that Colonel Trant, from whom I have not yet received dispatches, was the first who entered that town with the troops of Oporto, and that Brigadier-general Miller and Colonel Wilson, with the troops of the Minho, and the cavalry, fol lowed the enemy on the line of his march to the foot of the ridge of Caramuelo, Brigadier-general Miller has made pri soners 350 of the enemy's army, who had straggled from the rest, and who were found robbing; and he is continually com ing up with others. Colonel Wilson, with his advanced guard, entered Condeixa on the 10th, or 11th instant. The prisoners were sent to Oporto. Second Letter-Casal Cochim, Oct. 20. My Lord-Since I sent your Lordship the information received from General Miller, relative to the retaking of Coimbra, I have received from Colonel Trant a more circumstantial detail of that event, a copy of which I have the honour to send inclosed to your lordship.-The number of prisoners mentioned in the account of Colonel Trant appears to be greater than was supposed from the first details; while General Miller has added to them 3 or 400, whom he took plundering in the vicinity of Coimbra, who therefore must be added to the number of prisoners that were taken by Colonel Trant.-The circumstances and the manner in which Col. Trant retook Coimbra are a new proof of the activity and prudence with which he always fulfils the instructions that are given to him, and which doubtless deserve the approbation of your Lordship. PORTUGAL-Extract of an Official Letter from Marshal General Lord Wellington, to his Excellency Don Miguel Pereira Forjas, dated Head-Quarters, Pero Negro, Oct. 27, 1810. Most Excellent Sir-The enemy continue to occupy the same positions (in front of our army) which I mentioned to your Excellency in my former dispatches of the 20th instant. I nevertheless dispatched some troops to the side of Santarem, knowing that Gen. Loison, on the 23d, had marched for the same place,, with the division under his command, and it appears, according to intelligence received from the Commanding Officer at Abrantes, under date of the 24th instant. that an enemy's corps of infantry and cavalry entered Thomar on that day.-All the information receives from prisoners and deserters, which have arrived at this army, concur in constantly, relating the miseries and difficulties which the enemy suffers in consequence of the great scarcity in all kinds of provisions.-They also state, that they were preparing materials for the construction of a bridge over the Tagus, but though we have a good view of that river from different points of the position which this army occupied, and officers and other individuals employed on the left bank of that river to observe the movements of the enemy, I have not been able to discover the place, where this construction is carrying on, nor the part of the river to which it is to be applied, if it should be completed. The enemy likewise appear verv anxious to obtain or construct boats, and with this view endeavoured on the 24th inst. to dislodge a party of ordenanzas (militia) from the post at Chamusea, in order to obtain possession of some boats that were there, but they did not succeed. On the side of Ramalhal and of Obidos, the excursions of the enemy's detach ments are so confined and checked, that he, in fact, possesses no ground in the country except that on which his army is posted.-By General Silveira's last reports, dated the 17th inst. it appears that every thing remains quiet on the northern fron tiers, nor had the said General received any intelligence of any troops having marched into Castile. The flying, parties have become more bold and enterprising than they ever were, They formed a junction in the environs, of Valladolid, at the beginning of October, to the number of 1,500 men, in order to take a convoy of had levied in the country; they proved money and contributions which the enemy however unsuccessful in that enterprize. I have the honour to remain with particu lar consideration your Excellency's most obedient servant. HOLLAND. Decree of Napoleon for burning English merchandize.-Duted Fontainbleau, 19 Oct. 1810. Having considered the fourth and fifil articles of our Berlin. Decree, of the 21st November, 1806, We have decreed, and do decree as follows:-Art, 1. All merchandize, of whatever sort, proceeding from English manufacture, and which is prohibited, existing at this moment either. in the real entrepots, or in the warehouses of our customs, of whatever description it may be, shall be publicly burnt.-2: In future, all prohibited merchandize of English manufacture, proceeding either from our customs, or from seizures that may be made, shall be burnt.-3. All probibited merchandize of English mas nufacture, which shall be found in Holland, in the grand Duchy of Berg, in the Hans seatic Towns, and, generally from the Mein to the sea, shall be seized and burnt. 4. All the English merchandize to be found in our kingdom of Italy, under whatever description it may come, shall be seized and burnt.-5. All the. English merchandize which shall be found in our Illyrian provinces, shall be seized and burnt.-6. All the English merchandize where necessary, the Military Officers of the district.--II. From the day of the publication of this decree, or at least the period at which it is made known at each which shall be found in the kingdom of Naples, shall be seized and burnt-7. All the English merchandize which shall be found in the provinces of Spain, occupied by our troops shall be seized and burnt.-place respectively, no merchant or agent 8. All the English merchandize which shall be found in the towns, and within the reach of places occupied by our troops, shall be seized and burnt. PRUSSIA-King's Decree against English and Colonial goods.-23 Oct 1810. We Frederick William by the grace of God King of Prussia, &c. By our Edict of the 10th instant, we ordered the suspension of the decree of the general Continental Tariff till the 20th only of this month, with respect to the colonial produce introduced to our States for consumption, in the conviction that whatever of those articles might be remaining could only proceed from the old stores, or originate in some of the late confiscations -As, however, intelligence received in the mean time from the Commissaries sent to examine the state of the sea-ports, has given just reason to suspect that there are actually in several places depôts more or less to be found of colonial produce, independently of what may be owing to the old stock; and as by this intelligence also, we are assured that in a variety of places the vigilance of our excise and custom-house officers and mercantile commissaries has led to the detection of considerable quantities of colonial wares, imported through the avarice of interested speculators, or kept back, from various pretences, for home consumption, we have therefore determined, by a general and unavoidable regulation, to prevent at the same time the loss threatened to our Exchequer, and those arts which in our States have been so obstinately attempted against the Continental system. We, therefore, decree as follows:-I. On sight of this, our excise officers employed in the several States of our Monarchy, are ordered to seize all colonial produce, and such wares as seem, from their quality, to be of English manufacture. From this regulation are excepted the old stores of refined sugars, as well as the raw and fabricated, as also the present stock of the inland dealers and merchants.-The Principal Officer of Excise in each place respectively is charged with the execution of this order, and must carry it into immediate operation, seconded by the most considerable merchants, and shall dare to act contrary thereto, or to dispose of the goods so prohibited, or per. mit them to be imported either in his own or any other name under pain of confis ca'ion. Those manufactures seized in deposited in a public magazine.-11. Also the ports, or in the inland towns, are to be those merchants or agents whom the Excise officers do not suspect of having any Colonial wares, though not examined, must announce the same 24 hours after the pub-". lication of this decree, under pain of confiscation.-IV. Such goods as are seized on their way are to be laid under confiscation, either at the place of their ultimate deştination, or at the first barrier they come to.V. For the deciding ofall questions with respect to the goods seized, in order that the owner may not sustain any unnecessary injury the Director of Excise is desired to take the subject under consideration without loss of time, assisted by such Officers as will be pointed out, and must transmit an account thereof within three days afterwards to the Minister of Finance. Inferior Officers are to give intelligence of the discoveries they make to the Provin cial Officer.--VI. This intelligence shall contain-1. The name of the merchant, shipper, or agent of whom the goods have been seized.-2. The place where they have been seized.-3. Their quantity in number or gross and net weight.-4. Then quality.-5. What demand of consump tion, or what danger incurred in the merchant, shipper, or agent, and what might be the profits he was to expect.-6. The way and manner in which the goods are seized.-7. The several circumstances that render it probable that such goods may be introduced at home, to the prejudice of English commerce.-The other three sections of this Proclamation are intended to regulate the conduct of the Commissioners in their ultimate decision, on the goods seized as above, and in what instances the owner may have restitution, or a compensation; the whole conformably to the spirit of the General Continental Tariff. |