in that town. He marched on the night of the 20th from some villages where he was posted in front of the enemy at Majorga, with the Icth and 15th hussars. The 10th marched straight to the town, whilst Lord Paget, with the 15th, endeavoured to turn it. Unfortunately he fell in with a patrole, one of whom escaped and gave the alarm. By this means the French had time to form on the outside of the town, before Lord Paget got round. He immediately charged them, beat them, and took from 140 to 150 prisoners, amongst whom were two Lieutenant Colonels and II officers, with the loss on our part of six or eight men, and perhaps 20 wounded. "There have been taken by the cavalry from 400 to 500 French, besides a considerable number killed; - this since we began our march from Salamanca.On his march from Sahagun, on the 20th, Lord Paget, with two squadrons of the roth, attacked a detachment of cavalry at Majorga, killed 20, and took above 100 prisoners. Our cavalry is very superior in quality to any the French have; and the right spirit has been infused into them by the example and instruction of their two leaders, Lord Paget and Brig. Gen. Stewart."

"Astorga, Dec. 31.1808.

"I arrived here yesterday; Lieut Gen. Fraser, with his division, will be at VilJa Franca this day, and will proceed on to Lugo. Lieut.-General Hope, with his division, stopped yesterday two leagues from this, and proceeds this morning, followed by Sir David Baird, The two flank brigades go by the road to Penferada. I shall follow, with the reserve and cavalry, to Villa Franca, either this night or to-morrow morning, according as I hear of the approach of the French. The morning I marched from Benevente, seven squadrons of Bonaparte's guards passed the river at a ford above the bridge. They were attack

ed by Brig. Gen. Stewart, at the head of the piquets of the 18th and 3d German light dragoons, and driven across the ford. Their colonel, a general of division, Lefebvre, was taken, together with about 70 officers and men. The affair was well contested. The number with which Brig. Gen. Stewart attacked were inferior to the French; it is the corps of the greatest character in their army; but the superiority of the Bri

tish was, I am told, very conspicuous. I enclose, for your Lordship's satisfac tion, Lord Paget's report of it."

Benevente, Dec. 29. "SIR-I have the honour to inform you, that about nine o'clock this morning, I received a report that the enemy's cavalry was in the act of crossing the river at the ford near the bridge. I immediately sent down the piquets of the night under Lieut. Col. Otway, of the 18th. Having left orders that the cavalry should repair to their alarm posts, I went forward to reconnoitre, and found four squadrons of the imperial guard forming and skirmishing with the piquets, and other cavalry in the act of passing. I sent for the roth hussars, who having arrived, Brigadier-General Stewart immediately placed himself at the head of the piquets, and, with the utmost gallantry, attacked. The toth hussars supported in the most perfect order. The result of the affair, asfar as I have yet been able to collect, is about 80 killed, 25 wounded, 70 prisoners, and about the same number of hore

ses.

"It is impossible for me to avoid speak. ing in the highest terms of all those engaged. Lieut. Col. Otway and Major Bagwell headed the respective night piquets. The latter is slightly wounded. The utmost zeal was conspicuous in the whole of my Staff; and I had many volunteers from head-quarters, and other officers of your army. Amongst the pri soners is the General of division Lefebvre, (who commands the cavalry of the imperial guard,) and two Captains. Our loss is, I fear, nearly 50 men killed and wounded, I will send a return the moment I can collect the reports.

"I have forwarded the prisoners to Baniza. On the other side of the river the enemy formed again, and at this instant three guns of Capt. Donovan's troop arrived, which did considerable execution." PAGET.

PORTUGAL.

We are concerned to find that the northern provinces of Portugal have been in an unsettled state, on account of some market regulations issued by the Bishop. The British troops who are stationed in that quarter, have been ex

posed to some expression of the public dissatisfaction, in consequence of their supporting the Provisional Government. It required, we understand, all the authority and influence of the Bishop of Oporto and Sir Robert Wilson, who commands the English garrison, to restrain the populace from outrage.

The following proclamation was issued on the occasion.

PROCLAMATION.

By the Intendant-General of Police. "Portuguese!- Where does your fury transport you? Do you suppose that the English are become French? No, my dear countrymen, the English are not come here in the character of conquerors, as the Frenchmen did; they come to free us from the slavery that oppressed us. If we deny this truth, we must be reproached as an ungrateful people. The English did not enter Portugal from any motives of ambition: their motives are more generous, wise, and politic: They know very well that views of aggrandisement always tend to destroy the equilibrium that forms the fundamental law of nations. What Great Britain aims at is only the restitution of all countries to their lawful Sove

reigns. Ah, incomparable George, how great will be thy glory in future times! Where is the Sovereign in Europe that does not at present owe his crown to thee? Thy name shall ever shine in the Portuguese annals-Excuse then, Oh mighty King, the indiscreet zeal of a people, who love their Sovereign, and whose feelings are partly analogous to thy views. Remain quiet then, O ye inhabitants of the most faithful and loyal city in Portugal; it is to you, ye in*habitants of Porto, that I speak, for those honourable epithets are indispu tably your right. Consider that the glorious cause which you have undertaken can only be obstructed and retarded by yain and tumultuous mobs. This is what the common enemy wishes for, and a civil war would only retard their total destruction. Let us then unite ourselves to our faithful allies, the Eng. lish and the Spaniards, in order to overthrow that hellish monster. The union of these three nations will scorn all Frenchmen's threats, their intrigues, and perfidy. We shall then have the glory of being instrumental in the speedy o

verthrow of the tyrant, in bringing about a general peace, and in restoring our august Prince to his lawful throne. This is the just cause that calls aloud for your vengeance, and in which you ought to display all your courage, your love, and your fidelity. Long live Portugal; long live Great Britain: long live Spain. "J. F. R. G."

Oporto, Oct. 31.

The accounts from this quarter since are very satisfactory. The whole country was not only in a state of subordination, but the effects of the energy lately displayed by the Government had begun to be felt all over the kingdom. The disaffected and suspected were every where taken into custody; and the people were making the most active exertions for their own defence, and for the common cause.

The Portugueze Government has issued a proclamation calling upon the whole nation, from 15 to 60, to rise en masse for the defence of their country, and to oppose an insurmountable barrier against the French. Another has been issued, requiring the whole people to arm themselves in every manner in their power, and especially with pikes of six or seven feet in length. The limited levies, formerly ordered, are, however, we believe, far from being completed.

Gen. Sir John Cradock arrived at Lisbon on the 12th Dec. in the Lavinia frigate, to take the command of the British army, which amounted to about 9000 men. We understand he was to march for Spain about the end of that month.

SWEDEN AND RUSSIA...

The gallant Swedes have at length been obliged to abandon Finland to the superior force of the invaders. The following is the last dispatch from General Klesker, commanding the northern Finnish army, to his Swedish Majesty, of date 24th November :

"Your Majesty's army, under my command, has since retreated to Pyhajocki and Yppiri, where the Russians formed an attack on the rear, and thus compelled the army to fall back to Parjocki, and took on the 17th a position near Sykajocki. Rivolax and Pausola were occupied by our troops; but in

con

consequence of the enemy's corps being reinforced to 20,000 men, and furnished with sixty pieces heavy ordnance, and your Majesty's army having been reduced to 7000 men by losses in the field and sickness, it became imspossible to maintain our position, and I thought it advisable to open again a negotiation for an armistice, the result of which was the convention which I hereby have the honour to lay at your Majesty's feet."

This convention we need say nothing of, but that it is a full engagement on the part of the Swedes to evacuate the whole of Finland. By an additional article it was proposed, that the armistice between the two armies should continue for a month after the Swedes had passed the Finnish frontier, or until the 12th January 1809; 15 days notice of its cessation to be given. The Russian General replied, that although as Commander in chief he must decline the con. clusion of a formal armistice, yet he engaged his word of honour that he would not recommence hostile operations against the Swedes till 14 days after their army should have taken up the positions stipulated in the convention.

It appears from private letters, that the people in Sweden are no way de pressed by the loss of Finland; one of them says:-"The terms of the convention are very honourable to the Swedes, considering the state of the two armies. The loss of Finland du ring this war has long been expected, and the above intelligence has, therefore, not occasioned the sensation here which might have been supposed. I beg you will not allow yourself to be alarmed by any foolish reports of the Russians penetrating farther into Sweden."

We have likewise received a copy of the report made by the Governor of Bornholm, giving the following account of a recent bombardment of the fortress of Christianhoe, in that island, by the English:

"On the 24th November two British ships of the line, one of them a three decker, a frigate, a brig, and three bombs, each carrying two mortars, were descried from the heights. The wind south-west. About seven o'clock the bombs took a station about 400 yards from the east-side of the fortress, and he, at half past eleven, had thrown 300 shells.

At nine o'clock the large ships advanced in a line, and, after repeated dischar ges on the fortress, passed out of reach of our fire to the eastward, the wind continuing from the south. When the vessels had ceased firing, they moved to the north east of the fortress, and departed. None of the garrison were killed, but six Swedes and a woman were killed by a shell which fell in the prison. The Commandant Konivas wounded in the legs; six soldiers and three strangers were likewise wounded. It is admitted that the fortress was much damaged, as were several ships in the harbour."

We cannot expect any further accounts from the Baltic or Sweden for some time, as the ice has set strongly in in the Sound and at Gottenburgh.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

* The Gazette contains a dispatch from

ac

Lord Collingwood, containing an count of the services of the Imperieuse, Lord Cochrane, on the coast of Languedoc. The dispatch and enclosures are in substance as follow:

The first enclosure is a laconic letter from Lord Cochrane, dated Imperieuse, Gulph of Lyons, Sept. 28. as follows :"With varying opposition, but unvaried success, the newly constructed semaphoric telegraphs, which are of the ut most consequence to the safety of the numerous convoys that pass along the coast of France, have been blown up, and completely demolished, together with their telegraph-houses, 14 barracks of the gens d'armes, one battery, and the strong tower on the lake Fratignan. To a number of officers (whom Lord C. enumerates) is due whatever credit may arise from such mischief, and for having with so small a force drawn about 2000 troops from the important fortress of Figueras in Spain, to the defence of their own coast. We had a man singed in blowing up a battery. The French had a commanding officer of troops killed, with many others not

known."

The other enclosure is a letter from Capt. Rodgers, of his Majesty's ship Kent, dated August 2. containing the details of a gallant action by the boats of the Kent and Wizard, which we cannot not abridge; it is as follows; -" I beg leave to acquaint you, that yesterday, running along the coast from Genoa towards Cape del Melle, we dis covered a convoy of to sail of coasters deeply laden, under the protection of a gun-boat, at anchor close to the beach abreast of the town of Noli; and as there appeared a fair prospect of bringing them out by a prompt attack, before the enemy had time to collect his force, I instantly determined to send in the boats of the Kent and Wizard; and as there was but little wind, I directed Capt. Ferris, of the Wizard, to tow in and cover the boats, which immediately put off, and with great expedition soon towed her close to the vessels, when it was found impossible, to bring them out without landing, most of them being fastened to the shore by ropes from their keels and mast-heads; the boats therefore pulled to the beach with great resolution, exposed to the fire of two guns in the bow of the gunboat, two field pieces placed in a grove which flanked the beach, a heavy gun in front of the town, and a continued fire of musketry from the houses; but these were no check to the ardour and intrepidity of British seamen and marines, who leaped from the boats, and rushed upon the enemy with a fearless zeal that was not to be resisted.

"The gun in front of the town was soon taken and spiked by Lieut. Chasman, second. of the Kent, who commanded the seamen, and Lieut. Hanlon, of the royal marines; and the enemy, who had drawn up a considerable force of regular troops in the grove to defend the two field-pieces, was dislodged by Captain Rea, who commanded the royal marines, and Lieut. Grant of that corps, who took possession of the field-pieces, and brought them off. In the mean

:

keep the enemy in check, both in the advance and retreat of the boats. We had only two men killed. The enemy left many dead on the ground. The gun-boat was a national vessel, with a complement of 45 men." A postscript mentions, that the boats of the same vessels had brought out, without loss, from under the guns of a fort near Leghorn, where they had taken shelter, three laden vessels, and burnt a fourth, which was aground.

The Gazette also contains dispatches from Admiral Cochrane, in the West Indies, announcing the following captures by his cruizers:-By the Circe frigate, after an action of 12 or 15 minutes, under the protection of a battery, which she gained before the Circe came up, the Palineur French national brig, of 14 24-pounder carronades, and two six pounder guns. She had but 79 men on board, most of whom were troops of the 82d regiment. We had one man killed and one wounded, the enemy seven killed and eight wounded. -By the Pompee, after a long chace, the Pylade, French corvette, of 1424pounder carronades and two long ninepounders, and 109 men, three years old, in perfect good state, fit for his Majesty's service, and the fastest sailer the French have in those seas.

The Gazette also announces the follow gallant capture by the Onyx sloop, Captain Gill, who carried his prize to Hull Roads:

SIR-" I beg to inform you, that on the morning of the 1st Jan. at daylight, when in lat. 53. 30. long, 3. we discovered a strange brig on the lee-bow, standing to the southward, on which we made the private signal. She immediately showed Dutch colours, and hove to, as if prepared for battle. We kept our wind until eight o'clock, when be

by of the Kent, and Lieut. Bisset of the Wizard, who had equally distinguished themselves in driving the enemy from the beach, were actively employed in taking possession of the gun-boat, and freeing the vessels from their fasts to the shore; and I had soon the satisfaction to see our people embark, and the whole of the vessels coming put under the protecting fire of the Wizard, which, by the judicious conduct of Captain Ferris, contributed very essentially to

brought her to close action. The enemy attempted several times to rake us, but, from our superior sailing, we were enabled to foil every attempt. At half past ten she struck her colours, being much cut up in her sails and rigging, and having most of her guns disabled by the superior fire kept up by the Onyx, which, considering the very heavy sea, displayed a cool and steady conduct, far beyond any thing I could expect from so young a ship's company,

and

and merits my warmest commendations, She proved to be the Dutch national brig Manly, formerly British, and captured by the Dutch in the river Ems. She mounts twelve 18-pounder carronades, and four long brass 6-pounders, with a complement of 94 men,commanded by Capr.-Lieut. J. W. Honeyman, of the Dutch navy.

"I am happy to say our loss is triffing, having only three wounded, and the enemy five killed and six wounded. I feel more pleasure in announcing her capture, as she sailed from the Texel, in company with another brig, for the sole purpose of annoying and intercep ting our trade with Heligoland. She has made one small capture from Embden, laden with oats, supposed to be for England."

The following particulars respecting the capture of his Majesty's schooner Rook were communicated in a letter from the master, who succeeded Lieut. Lawrence in the command:

"The Rook sailed from Plymouth with dispatches for Jamaica, and after taking in a quantity of specie, sailed again for England on the 15th of August. On the 18th of Aug. at day light, she fell in with two French schooners, and immediately cleared for action; on the largest vessel coming alongside with En. glish colours, and not answering when hailed, but immediately hoisting French colours, Lieutenant Lawrence shot the French captain, when a most desperate action commenced; after an hour's hard fighting, Lieutenant L. received his last wound by a musket-ball, and the Rook was immediately carried by boarding, the French officers repeatedly calling to the men to give no quarter. Mr Stew. art, the master, received seven most desperate wounds with a cutlass, of which he recovered, but died afterwards of the yellow fever. Mr George Reid, an officer in the Royal Artillery, after 20 years service in Jamaica, returning to his native country in the Rook, with a very considerable property, was inhumanly killed by the enemy in boarding. The survivors were stripped naked, put in their boat, and turned adrift, but by the exertions of four, who were not wounded, they reached land, and were most hospitably received by the natives. The Rook was so much damaged that the enemy set fire to her."

We have some particulars of the loss of the Crescent frigate, in a letter to Mr John Munro, Quartermaster of the Fortarshire Muitia, from his son, Mr John Munro, late master's mate on board the Crescent. They are in substance as follows:

"The Crescent was wrecked off Jutland. The Master, Mr Weaver of the Marines, Mr Massor, Mi Lavender, Mr Houghton senior, and Mr Waker the boatswain, are the only officers saved ; all the rest perished; only 53 men were saved. We are treated well, and I shall endeavour to send this by a vessel going with prisoners. We expect to be sent to Weiburgh in a few days, and hope we shall be exchanged soon. I was saved in the joby-boat. It was wonderful how Mr Weaver escaped on the raft, with Mr Lavender and Mr Masson, midshipmen. They were often washed off the raft by the sea breaking over them, but recovered themselves, and cleared the ship, when in the greatest danger. Their exertions were great. The Captain ordered Mr Weaver to take charge. Please publish the following list of the officers lost, for the information of their friends: - Capt. Tem. ple, Lieut. Kerwin, Lieut. Maclean, Lieut. Stokes, R. N.; Lieut. Snodie, Royal Marines; Mr Hosier, pursuer; Mr Rolff, surgeon; Mess. Anson, Wallace, Haker, O'Donnel, Willis, Wytte, Houghton jun. Spurgeon, Knight, midshipmen; Mr Colter, carpenter; Mr Williams, gunner; Mr Bradford, passen. ger; one child and six women; besides 191 seamen and marines. All that went on the second raft perished. The ship struck at ten o'clock at night on the 6th Dec. and went to pieces about five next evening. We arrived here (Oldburgh) the third day, and met with great kindness. The exertions of the officers and men, from the time the ship struck till she went to pieces, are beyond description. Two pilots were drowned."

The brig Carnation, of 18 guns, was lost, after a severe action, in which she accidentally run ashore under the guns of some batteries at Martinique, when she was taken possession of by her enemy, le Palineur, of 18 guns, which also has since been taken by his Majesty's ship Circe, and carried into Antigua. Every officer on board the Carnation was killed.

SCOT