a matter of such very high importance, with the respective departments, a meästire necessary on account of his majesty's absence, and that of the prince, and my state of health not permitting me to proceed as expeditiously as I wish, I engage to send to-morrow, before twelve o'clock, the articles relative to the capitulation; and have, in the mean time, the honour to be, &c. (Signed) ΡΕΙΜΑΝ. Lord Cathcart, &c. Head-quarters before Copenhagen, September 6.- SIR,-Having communicated to admiral Gambier your letter received this morning, together with those of last night, I have to acquaint you, that we will consent to treat with you for the capitulation of Copenhagen, on the basis of your delivering up the Danish fleet. But as you have not forwarded articles of capitulation, officers of rank, in the sea and land service of his Britannic majesty, shall be sent forthwith, to prepare articles with you, or with the officers you may appoint, and which may, if possible, unite the objects you have in view, in regard to the occupation of Copenhagen, with the performance of the service entrusted to us. (Signed) CATHCART, Lieut-gen. Major-general Peiman, &c. Copenhagen, September 6.-MY LORD,-I accept of your proposal with respect to the delivering up of his majesty's fleet, as the fundamental basis of negociation; but with this provisó, that no other English troops enter the city than those commissaries, officers, and military men, who shall be stipulated and agreed on in the course of the said negociations. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) ΡΕΙΜΑΝ. Lord Cathcart, &c. Copenhagen, September 6.-MY LORD,-As soon as you shall be pleased to appoint a neutral place out of the town, where to meet on both sides, for regulating the articles of capitulation, officers provided with full powers for negociating shall be sent, and in the interim the armistice is considered as subsisting till contrary orders shall be given. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) PEIMAN. Lord Cathcart, &c. Head-quarters before Copenhagen, September 6.-SIR,-The officers appointed to treat with you, are major-general the right honourable sir Arthur Wellesley, K. B. sir Home Popham, captain of the fleet, and lieutenant-colonel Murray, deputyquarter-master-general of the army. These officers are waiting at the barrier, and will meet the officers named by you, at any place you may appoint for immediate discussion, between our advanced posts and your lines. Orders were given to desist from the bombardment, and to cease firing the moment your first letter was received, but there has been no armistice concluded; a proof of which is, that a house in the suburbs has been set on fire within these few minutes by your people, close to our centinels. As we have already stated more than once, we can admit of no delay in this business, and therefore it will immediately appear, whether the articles proposed are of such a nature as to warrant an armistice. His Excellency Major-general Peiman. I have the honour to be, &c. CATHCART, Lieut-gen. SPANISH CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING GENERAL BERESFORD. Madrid, August 11.- - The papers announced, some time back, the arrival in England of major-general Carr. Beresford, who was made prisoner at the re-conquest of Buenos Ayres, by the troops of his Catholic majesty; who, finding himself at liberty, on his word of honour, fled, in company with colonel Pack, to the territory occupied by the English. From thence he wrote to the first alcade of Buenos Ayres, Don Martin Alzaga, telling him, amongst other things, "You are not ignorant of the manner in which I have been treated; the little attention paid to all the promises made me in word and writing; that I have been sent into the interiour of the country, contrary to the express condition of being sent to Europe; that my papers were taken from me, and centinels placed in my room. Under these circumstances, what should I not have hazarded to effect my escape? Without doubt, you have heard of the generosity with which the English have treated the inhabitants of this town (Monte Video ;) you yourselves experienced the same treatment from me, and are well aware of the manner in which I have been repaid." Major Campbell, who carried this letter to Buenos Ayres, with a flag of truce, carried also two others from admiral Stirling and general Auchmuty, one for the royal audiencia of the above city, and the other for the cabildo, this letter was no more than a copy of the first: in these they mention," that having treated the inhabitants of Monte Video with the greatest kindness and humanity, they hoped that the English prisoners would be treated in the like manner, by a nation so well known for its honour and good faith as the Spanish nation." They go on, by telling us they have been deceived; they know, from good authority, that in the face of a solemn capitulation, their prisoners have been illtreated; some of them assassinated, deprived of their pay, and conducted into the interiour, where they suffer the greatest hardships. They go on to say,-" We are under the painful necessity of telling you, that unless the capitulation of Buenos is punctually fulfilled, and the prisoners returned to their former station, we must retaliate, by sending the Spaniards, in our possession, to England. We have just causes of complaint against the inhabitants of Buenos Ayres; but when we consider how much that city has suffered, our resentment ceases, and we wish to relieve it of further calamities. Let us avoid the painful necessity of marching against it, cutting it up, and being witnesses of its ruin. We offer you your laws, your religion, and your property, under the protection of the English government." To these insidious letters, dictated by the most barefaced sophistry, the following answers were given, inspired by the most ardent loyalty which shall always be the distinguishing proof of the Spaniards. ANSWER OF THE ROYAL AUDENCIA TO GENERALS STIRLING AND AUCHMUTY. 66 Gentlemen, -When this tribunal considers the origin and motives that have obliged your excellencies to address your letter of the 26th of Feb. ult. we are neither astonished at your entreaties, nor alarmed at your threats. The shameful flight of general W. C. Beresford and colonel Pack, our prisoners, who have abandoned their honour, breaking the word they gave, and stealing clandestinely to Monte Video, is the cause that your excellencies appear covered with all the garb of falsehood your letter contains. The very honour of your excellencies would fain confess it; and we are willing to do you the justice we cannot deny. In the first place, it is false, that when this city was re-conquered there was the smallest agreement or condition, that merited that name between our commander and major-general Beresford. Capitulations can never be made without both parties having their arms, during an interval of suspension to arrange the articles, and during which time both parties agree. Nothing of this happened in our case, even the very major-general himself cannot deny, if he proceeds in good faith, that he surrendered at discretion, and that he never exercised any demonstration admitted in civilized nations to prove it, without necessity of recurring to other justifications. If the said major-general capitulated, what was his reason for publicly throwing away his sword, as he did, in despair, when he found the flag of truce which he sent out was of no avail? What was his reason for ordering our own colours to be raised in the fortress where he was shut up, and whose walls we were that moment assailing? If afterwards there appeared any capitulation, that was a private agreement posterior to the reduction; it was the effect of art practised by the major-general, who surprised the generosity and good faith of Don Santiago Liniers, whom he made believe, some days after the re-conquest, that such a paper would have no other effect than that of excusing him with his court; and finally, having left this affair to the decision of our sovereign, we can alter nothing; and for the same reason the English prisoners cannot leave the place they are in. The bad treatment of the officers and soldiers is another falsehood, with which your excellencies have been surprised and deceived. With respect to the former, and particularly the major-general, his treatment was such as he could not procure from any other nation: the pay of the soldiers was very punctual: their baggage was restored to them entire, notwithstanding it was known to contain part of the money taken on their entrance into Buenos Ayres; they lived at perfect liberty, which they abused, and from our indulgencies, the injuries that have resulted are not few. It was necessary to remove them from this city, because we noticed in them a conduct very improper for men of honour; but always granting every comfort that was within our reach. The major-general was sent to Lujan, a town not far distant from this capital, with seven or eight other officers of his own choice; and then his occupations were the same as in this city. His continual business was seduction, exercising artifice and dissimulation over every one, fomenting a party of insubordination and independence, (however without effect) and placing himself in the situ ation of a state prisoner; and this was what obliged us to send him, with the officers who accompanied him, to a more distant country, carrying our considerations for his 66 To their Excellencies the Commandant Generals. "I am sorry that the first time I have the honour of writing to your excellencies, the subject should be, expostulation with your excellencies about the conduct of two officers of your nation, niajor-general Beresford, and the colonel of the 71st regiment; who, forgetting the dictates of honour, have fled, contrary to their word, and the oath they gave on the 5th of September last; the first, with the stain of having fomented an insurrection in this country, in which the greater part of his vile accomplices, under the guidance of the law, soon suffered for their horrible guilt, having had no other effect but that of raising to a higher pitch, the great enthusiasm of the inhabitants of this city, already willing and disposed to bury themselves, under the ruins of their houses, before they would be subjected to any other dominion than that of their legitimate sovereign. The pretext of the pretended capitulation, that Mr. Carr Beresford alleges, your excellencies will find vanish at sight of the annexed paper; and I address this, for the sole purpose of demanding of your excellencies, according to the rights of war, these two prisoners, who I hope from your integrity will be delivered; or at least I shall have fulfilled my duty by demanding them, leaving the military world to judge on which side justice lies. I shall not answer Mr. Beresford, not having any thing to add to what I have already expressed to your excellencies, whom I beg to acquaint, that the determination of this town is fixed and irrevocable, as its inhabitants have already given proof to defend themselves to the last extremity; and being well prepared to make a memorable defence, your excellencies will forbear making fresh intimations, as they shall receive no answer; the force of arms and courage alone must now decide our fate, God prepreserve your excellencies many years. Buenos Ayres, March 2, 1807. " SANTIAGO LINIERS." DUTCH DECREE AGAINST ENGLISH COMMERCE. The following royal decree, dated the 28th of August, was published here this day: Hague, September 3.-Louis Napoleon, by the grace of God and the constitution of the kingdom, king of Holland, considering that, consistent with the true interests of our kingdom, it is our duty, by all the means in our power, to co-operate in the desired execution of the great measures adopted by the emperor and king, against the common enemy, for the purpose of obtaining a general peace, and the independence of the seas; considering that some subaltern agents have rendered themselves criminal by want of firmness, and neglect in the execution of the measures directed by our decree of the 15th of December, 1806; considering the artifice and bad faith which have been employed in several ports of the enemy, with respect to the papers of neutral vessels, and by which the health of Europe was put to hazard, by making out letters of quarantine: considering, finally, that all those irregularities ought to be terminated at a moment so critical for the enemy of the whole continent, and in particular of all commercial states; and that the honour and the dearest interests of our subjects would be compromised, were the strict execution of the laws and decrees passed for this purpose overlooked; we have, therefore, decreed as follows: Art. 1. The agents arrested in consequence of the orders of our minister of justice and police, shall be brought before the competent courts to answer for their conduct according to the laws. 2. The vessels stopped in our harbours, a list of which is subjoined, shall be decided upon by the competent tribunals... 3. Reckoning from the date of the present decree, all vessels entering inwards shall give a double security, which shall remain until the legality of their papers be fully acknowledged, and until it be proved that these vessels have touched at no enemy's port. 4. In case the papers should be false, or it should appear that, contrary to the declaration of the captain, the ship had touched at an enemy's port, the double security shall be immediately demanded of the sureties, and the amount paid into the public treasury. 5. As soon as the security shall be settled, the delivery of the ships may take place, in presence of the persons appointed to superintend it by the minister of finance, who shall take care that the owners do not unload any articles which may be presumed to be English merchandize. 6. If it should be proved that the goods are of English manufacture, or have come from an enemy's port, they shall not only be confiscated, for the benefit of the public treasury, but the double security shall also be levied, and the ship shall be obliged immediately to put to sea; and the same shall, in case of bad weather, have no shelter, except under the strictest precautions. 7. All correspondence, journals, &c. which come in a neutral flag, shall be seized and burnt. 8. All passengers or travellers who cannot prove that they do not come from the British isles, shall immediately be sent out of the kingdom. 9. All prohibitory regulations respecting the commerce with England remain in full force, in so far as they are not altered by the present decree. 10. All who contravene the present regulations, shall be tried and punished for disobeying the laws. 11. Our minister of finance is solely and personally answerable for the strict execution of these regulations. Our minister of war shall place at his disposal such troops and vessels as he may demand. Printed and published by G. SIDNEY, No. 1, Northumberland-Street, Strand; Sold by H. T. HODGSON, Wimpole-street; J. BELL, Sweeting's-alley, Cornhill; and by all the News-venders in Town and Country. Vol. III. No. 14. Saturday, October 3, 1807. Price 10d. 273 HISTORICAL DIGEST. Having sufficiently commented upon all the circumstances connected with the expeditions to Spanish America and to Copenhagen, we are now at liberty to resume our historical narrative, as well as to review the transactions which have occurred during those discussions. The importance of the unusual number of official papers which it was absolutely necessary to insert, materially curtailed our limits; but lest their contents should have been passed over by my readers, it will be proper to embody them in this number, and to offer such remarks upon them as their nature requires. SWEDEN. After the disgraceful treaty of Tilsit, the king of Sweden still persevered in that zealous attachment to the public cause, and to those principles of public faith, which have pre-eminently distinguished his conduct since he embarked with us in the grand alliance against the disturber of the peace of Europe. Neither the misfortunes of some of the members, nor the versatility of others who composed this confederacy, deterred him from a stedfast adherence to the line of public duty, which he had marked out for himself. As a member of the German empire, he continued to wave the sacred standard of independence from the walls of the only fortress which remained to illustrate the ancient grandeur of that once mighty confederation. This pertinacious devotion to public principles has been reproved as a species of romantic gallantry, which only served to protract, without averting, the total overthrow of the empire of Germany. But, surely, it is prudent, if calamity must come, to avert its effects as long as possible; and the example affords an instructive lesson to mankind; for, when we compare the resolute determination of the king of Sweden with the tame and compromising disposition of some of his royal colleagues, we shall, at least, derive this consolation from it, that there "does exist a sovereign, who, with inadequate means to cope with the conqueror of many nations, maintained his honour, the most sacred deposit with which kings are entrusted. The surrender of Stralsund before all the means of its defence had been exhausted, does not invalidate the force of this truth; since while it retained its independence, it served as a Pharos to direct the energies of the Germans, so long as the spirit of manly resistance animated their hearts; and when it was evident that every spark of patriotism was extinguished, it was no longer necessary to hold a fortress which could not have been tenable, and which, in the event of a desperate struggle, must have been reduced to cinders. Accordingly, at the intercession of the burghers of Stralsund, who wished that their town might be spared the consequences of a bombardiment, his Swedish majesty left them to act agreeably to their own discretion; but he took care, however, by a judicious feint, to withdraw all his troops from the fortress, to render its artillery useless to the enemy, to embark all the military stores which could be conveniently removed from it, or to make the remnant wholly unserviceable to the enemy. Previous to this event, the king of Sweden expressed his approbation of the conduct of the British troops, during the time they served with the Swedish army; and all the ports in Swedish Pomerania were closely blockaded by Swedish ships of war. True to his engagement, Gustavus defended Stralsund as long as the preservation of it had any political or military view; but he sacrificed to the wishes and interests of his subjects the glory of a longer defence, in order to concentrate his forces on the island of Rugen, and to maintain in his last refuge of German liberty, those principles and that system from which he has never departed. Not wishing, on any account, to enter into an agreement with the enemy respecting Stralsund, the king gave it up to the magistrates and the burghers, leaving them alone to capitulate with the general of the besjeging |