one these hostilities can be terminated, and the intercourse of the two countries réewed. His majesty has already had occasion to assert, that justice has in no instance been enied to the claims of his imperial majesty's subjects. The termination of the war with Denmark has been so anxiously sought by his ajesty, that it cannot be necessary for his majesty to renew any professions upon that bject. But his majesty is at a loss to reconcile the emperor of Russia's present xiety for the completion of such an arrangement, with his imperial majesty's recent fusal to contribute his good offices for effecting it. The requisition of his imperial majesty for the immediate conclusion, by his maesty, of a peace with France, is as extraordinary in the substance, as it is offensive in he manner. His majesty has at no time declined to treat with France, when France as professed a willingness to treat on an admissible basis. And the emperor of Russia annot fail to remember, that the last negociation between Great Britain and France was broken off upon points immediately affecting, not his majesty's own interests, ut those of his imperial ally. But his majesty neither understands, nor will he dmit, the pretension of the emperor of Russia to dictate the time or the mode of his najesty's pacific negociations with other powers. It never will be endured by his najesty, that any government shall indemnify itself for the humiliation of subserviency to France, by the adoption of an insulting and peremptory tone towards Great Britain. His majesty proclaims anew those principles of maritime law, against which the rmed neutrality, under the auspices of the empress Catharine, was originally directed; and against which the present hostilities of Russia are denounced. Those principles have been recognized and acted upon in the best periods of the history of Europe; and acted upon by no power with more strictness and severity, than by Russia herself, n the reign of the empress Catharine. Those principles it is the right and the duty of his majesty to maintain and against every confederacy his majesty is determined, under the blessing of Divine Providence, to maintain them. They have at all times contributed essentially to the support of the maritime power of Great Britain; but they are become incalculably more valuable and important at a period when the maritime power of Great Britain constitutes the sole remaining bulwark against the overwhelming usurpations of France; the only refuge to which other nations may yet resort, in happier times, for assistance and protection. When the opportunity for peace between Great Britain and Russia shall arrive, his majesty will embrace it with eagerness. The arrangements of such a negociation will not be difficult or complicated. His majesty, as he has nothing to concede, so he has nothing to require: satisfied if Russia shall manifest a disposition to return to her ancient feelings of friendship towards Great Britain; to a just consideration of her own true interests, and to a sense of her own dignity as an independent nation.— Westminster, Dec. 18, 1807. At the Court at the Queen's Falace, the 18th of December, 1807, present, the King's most excellent Majesty in council. His majesty having taken into consideration the injurious and hostile proceedings of the emperor of all the Russias, as set forth in the Declaration of this date, issued by his majesty's command; and being determined to take such measures as are necessary for vindicating the honour of his crown, and procuring reparation and satisfaction, his majesty therefore is pleased, by and with the advice of his privy council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, that general reprisals be granted against the ships, goods and subjects of the emperor of all the Russias, (save and except any vessels to which his majesty's licence has been granted, or which have been directed to be released from the embargo, and have not since arrived at any foreign part) so that as well his majesty's feets and ships, as also all other ships and vessels that shall be commissionated by letters of marque, or general reprisals, or otherwise, by his majesty's commissioners for executing the office of lord high admiral of Great Britain, shall and may lawfully seize all ships, vessels, and goods belonging to the emperor of all the Russias, or his subjects, or others inhabiting within the territories of all the Russias, and bring the same to judgment, in any of the courts of Admiralty within Supplement to xo, XXVI,---VOL, IIL his majesty's dominions; and, to that end, his majesty's advocate-general, with the advocate of the Admiralty, are forthwith to prepare the draft of a commission, and present the same to his majesty, at this board, authorizing the commissioners for executing the office of lord high admiral, or any person or persons by them empowered and appointed, to issue forth and grant letters of marque and reprisals to any of his majesty's subjects, or others, whom the said commissioners shall deem fitly qualified in that behalf, for the apprehending, seizing, and taking the ships, vessels, and goods belonging to Russia, and the vassals and subjects of the emperor of all the Russias, or any inhabiting within his countries, territories, or dominions, (except as aforesaid ;) and that such powers and clauses be inserted in the said commission as have been usual, and are according to former precedents; and his majesty's advocate-general, with the advocate of the Admiralty, are also forthwith to prepare the draft of a commisssion, and present the same to his majesty, at this board, authorising the said commissioners for executing the office of lord high admiral, to will and require the high court of admiralty of Great Britain, and the lieutenant and judge of the said court, his surro gate, or surrogates, as also the several courts of admiralty within his majesty's domi nions, to take cognizance of, and judicially proceed upon all, and all manner of cap tures, seizures, prizes, and reprisals of all ships and goods that are, or shall be, taken, and to hear and determine the same, and according to the course of admiralty, and the laws of nations, to adjudge and condemn all such ships, vessels, and goods, as shall belong to Russia, or the vassals and subjects of the emperor of all the Russias, or to any others inhabiting within any of his countries, territories, and dʊminions, (except as aforesaid ;) and that such powers and clauses be inserted in the said commission is have been usual, and are according to former precedents; and they are likewise to prepare, and lay before his majesty, at this board, a draft of such instructions as may be proper to be sent to the courts of admiralty in his majesty's foreign governments and plantations, for their guidance herein; as also another draft of instructions for ■uch ships as shall be commissionated for the purposes above-mentioned. CAMDEN, P. MULGRAVE. ST. HELEN's. EMIGRATION OF THE COURT OF POTURGAL. TUESDAY, DEC. 22, 1807. Foreign office, Dec. 19, 1807.-A dispatch, of which the following is a copy, has been this day received from lord viscount Strangford, his majesty's minister plenipo tentiary at the court of Lisbon, by the right honourable George Canning, his majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs: His majesty's ship Hibernia, off the Tagus, Nov. 29, 1807. SIR, I have the honour of announcing to you, that the prince-regent of Portug has effected the wise and magnanimous purpose of retiring from a kingdom which le could no longer retain, except as the vassal of France; and that his royal highness and family, accompanied by most of his ships of war, and by a multitude of Es faithful subjects and adherents, have this day departed from Lisbon, and are now ca their way to the Brazils, under the escort of a British fleet. This grand and memorable event is not to be attributed only to the sudden alarm excited by the appearance of a French army within the frontiers of Portugal. I: has been the genuine result of the system of persevering confidence and moderatia adopted by his majesty towards that country; for the ultimate success of which I ha, in a manner, rendered myself responsible; and which, in obedience to your instruc tions, I had uniformly continued to support, even under appearances of the most couraging nature. I had frequently and distinctly stated to the cabinet of Lisbon, that in agreeing n Difresent the exclusion of British commerce from the ports of Portugal, his majest usted he means of forbearance; that in making that concession to the pecuof the prince-regent's situation, his majesty had done all that friend ship, and the remembrance of ancient alliance, could justly require; but that a single step beyond the line of modified hostility, thus most reluctantly consented to, must necessarily lead to the extremity of actual war. The prince-regent, however, suffered himself, for a moment, to forget that, in the present state of Europe, no country could be permitted to be an enemy to England with impunity; and that however much his majesty might be disposed to make allowance for the deficiency of the means possessed by Portugal of resistance to the power of France, neither his own dignity, nor the interests of his people, would permit his majesty to accept that excuse for a compliance with the full extent of her unprincipled demands. On the 8th instant, his royal highness was induced to sign an order for the detention of the few British subjects, and of the inconsiderable portion of British property, which yet remained at Lisbon. On the publication of this order I caused the arms of England to be removed from the gates of my residence, demanded my passports, presented a final remonstrance against the recent conduct of the court of Lisbon, and proceeded to the squadron commanded by sir Sidney Smith, which arrived off the coast of Portugal some days after I had received my passports, and which I joined on the 17th instant." I immediately suggested to sir Sidney Smith the expediency of establishing the most rigorous blockade at the mouth of the Tagus; and I had the high satisfaction of afterwards finding, that I had thus anticipated the intentions of his majesty; your dispatches (which I received by the messenger, Sylvester, on the 23d) directing me to authorize that measure, in case the Portuguese government should pass the bouuds which his majesty had thought fit to set to his forbearance, and attempt to take any farther step injurious to the honour or interests of Great Britain. Those dispatches were drawn up under the idea that I was still resident at Lisbon, and though I did not receive them until I had actually taken my departure from that court, still, upon a careful consideration of the tenor of your instructions, I thought that it would be right to act as if that case had not occurred. I resolved, therefore, to proceed forthwith to ascertain the effect produced by the blockade of Lisbon, and to propose to the Portuguese government, as the only condition upon which that blockade could cease, the alternative (stated by you) either of surrendering the fleet to his majesty, or of immediately employing it to remove the prince-regent and his family to the Brazils. I took upon myself this responsibility in renewing negociations after my public functions had actually ceased, convinced that, although it was the fixed determination of his majesty not to suffer the fleet of Portugal to fall into the possession of his enemies, still his majesty's first object continued to be the application of that fleet to the original purpose of saving the royal family of Braganza from the tyranny of France. I accordingly requested an audience of the prince-regent, together with due assurances of protection and security; and upon receiving his royal highness's answer, I proceeded to Lisbon on the 27th, in his majesty's ship- Confiance, bearing a flag of truce. I had, inmediately, most interesting communications with the court of Lisbon, the particulars of which shall be fully detailed in a future dispatch. It suffices to mention in this place, that the prince-regent wisely directed all his apprehensions to a French army, and all his hopes to an English feet: that he received the most explicit assurances from me that his majesty would generously overlook those acts of unwil ling and momentary hostility to which bis royal highness's consent had been extorted; and that I promised to his royal highness, on the faith of my sovereign, that the British squadron, before the Tagus, should be employed to protect his retreat from Lisbon, and his voyage to the Brazils. A decree was published yesterday, in which the prince-regent announced his intention of retiring to the city of Rio de Janeiro, until the conclusion of a general peace; and of appointing a regency to transact the administration of government at Lisbon, during his royal highness's absence from Europe. This morning the Portuguese fleet left the Tagus. I had the honour to accompany the prince in his passage over the bar. The fleet consisted of eight sail of the line, four large frigates, several arned brigs, sloops, and corvettes, and a number of Brazil ships, amounting, I believe, to about thirty-six sail in all. They passed through the British squadron, and his majesty's ships fired a salute of twenty-one guns, which was returned with an equa number. A more interesting spectacle than that afforded by the junction of the two fleets has been rarely beheld. On quitting the prince-regent's ship, I repaired on board of the Hibernia, but feturned immediately, accompanied by sir Sidney Smith, whom I presented to the prince, and who was received by his royal highness with the most marked and gracious condescension. I have the honour to enclose lists* of the ships of war which were known to have left Lisbon this morning, and which were in sight a few hours ago. There remain at Lisbon four ships of the line, and the same number of frigates, but only one of each sort is serviceable. I have thought it expedient to lose no time in communicating to his majesty's government, the important intelligence contained in this dispatch. I have therefore to apologise for the hasty and imperfect manner in which it is written. STRANGFORD. I have the honour to be, &c. Admiralty office, Dec. 21, 1807.-Dispatches, of which the following are extracts and copies, were received at this office, on Saturday last, by captain Yeo, of his majesty's sloop the Confiance, from rear-admiral sir William Sidney Smith, addressed to the honourable William Wellesley Pole. His majesty's ship Hibernia, 22 leagues west of the Tagus, Dec. 1, 1807. SIR,-In a former dispatch, dated the 22d November, with a postscript of the 26th, I conveyed to you, for the information of my lords commissioners of the admiralty, the proofs contained in various documents of the Portuguese government being so much influenced by terror of the French arms, as to have acquiesced to certain demands of France, operating against Great Britain. The distribution of the Portuguese force was made wholly on the coast, while the land side was left totally unguarded. British subjects, of all descriptions, were detained; and it therefore became necessary to inform the Portuguese government, that the case had arisen which required, in obedience to my instructions, that I should declare the Tagus in a state of blockade; and lord Strangford agreeing with me, that hostility should be met by hostility, the blockade was instituted, and the instructions we had received were acted upon to their full extent; still, however, bearing in recollection the first object adopted by his majesty's government, of opening a refuge for the head of the Portuguese government, menaced as it was by the powerful arm, and baneful influence of the enemy, I thought it my duty to adopt the means open to us, of endeavouring to induce the prince-regent of Portugal to reconsider his decision" to unite him self with the continent of Europe," and to recollect that he had possessions on that of America, affording an ample balance for any sacrifice he might make here, and from which he would be cut off by the nature of maritime warfare, the termination of which could not be dictated by the combination of the continental powers of Europe. In this view, lord Strangford having received an acquiescence to the proposition which had been made by us, for his lordship to land and confer with the prince regent, under the guarantee of a flag of truce, I furnished his lordship with that conveyance and security, in order that he might give to the prince that confidence which his word of honour, as the king's minister plenipotentiary, united with that of a British admiral, could not fail to inspire towards inducing his royal highness to throw himself and his fleet into the arms of Great Britain, in perfect reliance on the king's overlooking a forced act of apparent hostility against his flag and subjects, and establishing his royal highness's government in his ultra-marine possessions as originally promised. I have how the heartfelt satisfaction of announcing to you, that our hopes and expectations have been realized to the utmost extent. On the morning of the 29th, the Portuguese fleet (as per list annexed) came out of the Tagus with his royal highness the prince of Brazil, and the whole of the royal family of Braganza on board, together with many of his faithful counsellors and adherents, as well as other persons attached to his present fortunes. This fleet of eight sail of the line, four frigates, two brigs, and one schooner, with a crowd of large armed merchant ships, arranged itself under the protection of that of * See rear-admiral si Sidney Smith's dispatches. his majesty, while the firing of a reciprocal salute of twenty-one guns announced the friendly meeting of those who, but the day before, were on terms of hostility; the scene impressing every beholder (except the French army on the hills) with the most lively emotions of gratitude to Providence, that there yet existed a power in the world able, as well as willing, to protect the oppressed. I have the honour to be, &c. W. SIDNEY SMITH. List of the Portuguese Fleet that came out of the Tagus on the 29th of November, 1807. Principe Real, of 84 guns. Rainha de Portugal, of 74 guns. Conde Henrique, of 74 guns. Meduza, of 74 guns. Affonso d'Albuquerque, of 64 guns. D. Joac de Castro, of 64 guns. Principe de Brazil, of 74 guns. Martino de Freitas, of 61 guns. 1 Frigates.-Minerva, of 44 guns. Golsinho, of 36 guns. Urania, of 32 guns. And one other, name not as yet known. Brigs.-Voador, of 22 guns. Vinganea, of 20 guns. Lebre, of 22 guns. (Signed) JOAQ. JOZE MONT. TORRES, Major-General. His Majesty's Ship Hibernia, 22 Leagues West of the Tagus, Dec. 1, 1807. SIR,-In another dispatch of this day's date, I have transmitted a list of the Portuguese fleet that care out of the Tagus on the 29th ultimo, which I received that day from the hands of the Admiral commanding it, when I went on board the Principe Reale to pay my visit of respect and congratulation to his royal highness the Prince of Brazil, who was embarked in that ship. I here enclose a list of those left behind. The absence of buc one of the four ships is regretted by the Portuguese (the Vasco de Gama) she being under repair. Her guns have been employed to arm the Freitas, sixty-four, a new ship, and one of those which came out with the prince. The other three are mere hulks; and there is also one ship on the stocks, the Principe Regente, but she is only in frame The prince said every thing that the most cordial feelings of gratitude towards, and confidence in, his Majesty and the British nation might be supposed to dictate. I have by signal (for we have no other mode of communicating in this weather) directed captain Moore, in the Marlborough, with the London, Monarch, and Bedford, to stay by the body of the Portuguese fleet, and render it every assistance. I keep in the Hibernia close to the prince's ship. I cannot as yet send the Foudroyant, Plantagenet, and Conqueror, on to admiral Purvis, according to their lordships order of the 14th, which, I trust, will be the less felt as an inconvenience off Cadiz, as they appear to have been ordered thither with reference to the Russians being within the Straits, before it was known they were on my station. I have the honour to be, &c. W. SIDNEY SMITH. List of the Portuguese ships that remained in Lisbon. St.Sebastiao, of 64 guns-unserviceable without a thorough repair. Maria Prima, of 74 guns-unserviceable; ordered to be made into a floating battery, but not yet fitted. Vasco de Gama, of 74 guns-under repair, and nearly ready. Princesa da Beira, of 64 guns-condemned; ordered to be fitted as a floating battery. Frigates.-Fenix, of 48 guns-in need of thorough repair. -in need of ditto. Perola, of 44 guns-in need of ditto. repair. Veney, of 30 guns-past repair. Amazona, of 44 guns Tritao, of 40 guns-past (Copy) W. SIDNEY SMITH. Hibernia, at Sea, Lat. 37° 47' Long. 14° 17' Dec. 6, 1807. SIR-I have the satisfaction to acquaint you, for the information of my lords commissioners of the admiralty, that I succeeded in collecting the whole of the Portuguese fleet, except a brig, after the gale, and that the weather was such as to allow the necessary repairs, and such distribution of supernumeraries and resources to be made, as to enable vice-admiral Don Manuel d'Acunha Sottomayor to report to me yesterday all the ships capable of performing the voyage to Rio Janeiro, except one line of battle ship, which he requested might be conducted to an English port. I meant to escort her part of the way, but she did not quit the fleet with me last night as settled. I hope, however, she may arrive safe, as she is not in a bad state, being substituted for |