and, those who believed you, could not pos-" and with the exception of four passes, is sibly imagine, that hope was a word appli- completely inaccessible to cavalry or cable to the situation or prospects of either artillery. Redoubts and forts have been army; and, now all at once, you speak "constructed for the defence of these as doubtingly as if you had never expressed "points, which are protected and fortified one single sentiment of confidence.--It "with nearly 200 pieces of cannon, indeis curious enough, too, that this doubting fit "pendent of the field trains. The recomes upon you after the season for doubt- "doubts, too, are so advantageously staing is past with all those who doubted be- "tioned, as, by their commanding posi fore; after the official dispatches have, in "tion, to provide for the two-fold object the most circumstantial manner, described "of annoyance and defence. In the rear to us the situation of the enemy to be such "of these formidable works, large detach. as, I believe, no army in the world ever "ments of infantry are posted. They are yet escaped from. We now see Massena "effectually protected by the redoubts, with a superior army in front of him" and maintain a position from which any guarded by a triple line of fortresses well "attack made by the enemy between mounted with cannon and flanked by gun "them may be immediately repelled. boats; we see that army situated amongst "The second line of defence is supported friends, having an abundant supply of" by moveable columns, consisting each provisions and stores of all sorts; we see "of between 5, and 10,000 men, infantry that army in good health and high spirits," and cavalry; who, as circumstances and anxious for the onset, to which they may render necessary, can advance or are encouraged by their constant success "act on either flank of the allied army. in numerous skirmishes with the enemy; "A number of men of war's launches, while, on the other hand, we see the ene- provided each with two carronades, efmy in a defenceless position, without "fectually cover the right flank at Alhancovering for his troops, destitute of pro- "dra. The second line of defence which visions of every description, beset in his " is considered as even stronger than the rear and upon his flanks by our troops and "first, begins at Alhandra, extending those of our allies, having the possession "thence by Bacellos and Mafra to the sea. of not an inch of ground except that on "A strong corps in the centre, advanced which his army stands, and, to crown the "to within half a league of Sobral, (which whole has an army daily wasting away, "is in possession of the French), is comlike butter before the sun, with sickness "manded by the gallant Brigadier-Gen. and desertion. And yet the Morning Pack, whose head-quarters are in the Post has nothing better than hopes for its grand centre redoubt. For the purpose Fashionable readers! It has no longer "of communicating, with the greatest perfect confidence of success; it has only" celerity, all intelligence of the enemy's a very considerable portion of confidence; "movements, a telegraph has been estait is not blind to dangers; and it can see "blished in this redoubt, which, from its a comparison of difficulties and advan- "central and commanding position, is adtages The Morning Post news-paper mirably suited to this important object. of to day (Friday) makes the allied army --The following is very nearly a coramount to 105,000 men, besides 20,000 "rect statement of the force of the Allied Portuguese militia in the rear of Massena. 'Army :But, let us take the whole account; for it will be of the greatest consequence in time. It is not published as a hearsay; but, as authentic information, possessed by the conductor of the paper. It speaks in detail. It names the particular corps, and the particular Commanders. I beg the reader to pay attention to this; for this is, I think, what we shall be able to hold these venal gentlemen to." The position which "Lord Wellington's army occupies, extending from the sea, near Torres Vedras, "to Alhandra, is so strong by nature, that it may. be considered as almost impreg"nable. This is the first line of defence, " 66 "British Troops "Portuguese (Regulars) " Spaniards 3.5,000 45,000 10,000 5,000 10,000 « Total ............ 105,000 "Massena's force may be estimated at "about 60,000. To the above statement 66 of the force of the Allies should be "added the militia in the rear of the French, who are commanded by Silveira, "and amount to about 20,000 men.”. Now, here are no less than 80 thousand regulars, English and Portuguese (as good ment of the hope that distress would "force him to retreat? This DETES"TABLE SPIRIT, which seems to view "the operations of an enemy, and parti"cularly of Buonaparté, with complacence; which has nothing but candour and re"spect for the traitor who has abused the "reputation won for him by the enthusiasm for equal laws, to set himself above 66 troops as any in the world," and the French have but 60 thousand in all! It is nonsense to talk of a battle in such a state of things and, it is not to be believed, as I said in my last Number, that our Commander can refrain one hour from the attack upon any other ground, than that of being morally certain finally to capture the whole without any battle at all; or, in the words of my motto," to fight their stub-the laws, nay, to trample all law, human born guts to death." In other words; to and divine, beneath the bestial hoof of reduce them to a state, in which they military despotism; which has ever a will have only the choice of surrender or "readiness to palliate or forget all iniquistarvation.- Let us hear no more, then, "ties to which prosperity has wedded itabout hopes, and about a comparison of diffi- "self; this detestable spirit may be seen culties and dangers; for, one of two things "in every one almost of the SPEECHES must be either this statement of posi-" and writings of the OPPOSITION. tions and forces is grossly false, shame-"They never seem to be heart and hand fully false; or, it would be indelible dis- "with the country. They never appear to grace and infamy upon our arms, were "be thoroughly happy at any British triwe to suffer the French army to escape; "umph. To fight double our numbers if we suffered scarcely a man of them to "was rashness. But we beat them! No get away to tell the story, "matter; and the General who did this, "they will soon, no doubt, accuse of overPARTIES. The public have heard," much caution. The clue to all this is, during the last two years, a great deal of "THAT THEY ARE NOT IN PLACE; railing against those, who put the two" and as every success of our arms serves to parties upon a level. Nobody did this, "consolidate, as it ought to do, the Ptill facts bade them do it. The voice of power "of the Ministers their opponents, they truth demanded it; and then it was done. "never contemplate, with pure and un"mixed satisfaction, any event which "must render their hopes of getting into It" place more desperate."One might ask here, who it was that, in reality, caused Napoleon to set himself above the laws; One might ask this venal gentleman who it was that first set up the out-cry against equal laws, that prevented such laws from being established in France or any where else; one might ask him who, in fact, it was that compelled the French either to submit to the subduing and subdividing of their country, or to the restoration of those whom they had put down, or to the elevation of some such chief as Napoleon; one might ask the venal gentleman this, but, it would be foreign from our subject, which relates to the character of the two parties of candidates for power in this kingdom. But, what I am now about to notice, is, a paragraph in one of the party papers, the COURIER, of the 22nd instant. would, at least, be fair to give the parties full credit for what they say of one another. We are not the inventors of the accusations. They are mutual between the parties; and yet both parties join; they rally round one another, whenever we make an attack upon that corruption, which produces what they affect to condemn in each other, and which always must and always will produce it, so long as corruption is suffered to exist. The paragraph that I am about to cite was called fortir by some remarks of the Morning Chronicle upon the prospects of our army in Portugal; and the COURIER, after observing, that the OPPOSITION print, as he calls the Morning Chronicle, speaks with gaiety upon Massena's wonderful powers of abstinence, proceeds thus: Is it possible for the meanest understanding to mistake this language? Does any man speak with gaiety of an event "which he deprecates? Will not every "one think that they (the Opposition) triumph in the ability of the enemy to pro "tract his resistance? that they contemplate with satisfaction the disappoint " -We are here told, by a writer of the INS, that the Opposition, or OUTS, are actuated by that detestable spirit, which induces them to view the successes of an enemy, and particularly Buonaparte, with complacence; that this detestable spirit is seen in almost every one of the speeches of the Opposition; that they never seem to go hand in hand with the country; that they Hever appear to be happy at their country's triumphs [he does not name them; that 7 80 the sole cause of all this is, THAT THEY "ceived from Lieutenant-General CampARE NOT IN PLACE; and that, as "bell, dated Gibraltar, Oct. 23, it appears every success of our arms [name! nume!] "that a detachment had been made from serves to consolidate the power of the Mi- "the garrisons of that fortress and of nisters, the Opposition never contemplate those "Ceuta, with the object of destroying a successes with real satisfaction. There. "number of privateers and gun-boats fitted There is the picture, which is drawn of" out by the French at Malaga, as well as one of the parties by a regular venal "for the purpose of harrassing the enemy's writer of the other party. There is the " posts in that neighbourhood. This depicture, which this writer gives of the Op.tachment, consisting of 370 British, 470 position, who consist of about two fifths of "Germant deseriers, and 630 Spanish troops, the House of Peers, and very nearly one half" was placed under the command of Ma of the House of Commons.It is very "jor-General Lord Blaney; the naval part strange, but it is not more strange than "of the expedition was conducted by true, that accusations of this sort, coming" Captain Hope, of his Majesty's ship from one set against the other, never appear "Topaze, and the whole proceeded upon to give any offence at all. Both sides ap- "the 13th ult. to Frengerola, when a false pear to take' it in good purt. But, the mo- "attack was to be made, with a view of ment any one, arguing from these mutual "drawing away the enemy's principal accusations, suggests that both parties are " force from Malaga. This object seems alike, there is such a buzzing and murmur. "to have been answered, but unfortunately ing and such black looks and such jostling "the Commander of the troops was induced and such rallying and such making a stand "to make a serious attack upon the town against popular encroachment, that the "of Frengerola, to which the light artilwhole mass seems in commotion. What "lery was inadequate, and time being lost can the reason of this be? If two men ac- "in the attempt, the enemy's troops arcuse each other of folly, or of corruption; "rived from Malaga, and attacked such or of any thing else, no matter what, each "part of our force as was ashore suddenly may be angry with the other, and, possi- "and successfully. It appears that the bly, with good cause; but, surely it would "troops were thrown into confusion from be very unnatural for them to join in "mistaking a party of French cavalry for endeavouring to tear to pieces a third " Spaniards, and these being allowed to man, because he gave pretty full credit to "approach unresisted, surrounded and the tassertions of them both.Alas! the "made prisoners Lord Blaney, with seve true reason of a junction apparently so "ral other Officers, and dispersed the amnatural is this, that those, who, upon ❝ troops. Lieutenant-Colonel Grant artheir own assertions, believe both parties "riving with the flank companies of the to be alike, adopt a course of reasoning, "82d regiment, he succeeded with this which, if acted upon, would take away that "regiment, and a part of the Spanish refor which parties but too often contend; would "giment of Toledo, in checking the adtake away the meat which faction feeds upon; and hence such persons always bave been, and always will be vilified by those who prefer their own interests to the interests of their country.--Let us hope, however, that these workings of faction are drawing towards a close. Long and severely has the country suffered from them. Fatal has been their effects; and still more fatal will they be, if the cause be not speedily put an end to. vance of the French, and in enabling "most of the dispersed troops to re-em"bark. The loss of Major Grant, of the "89th regiment, who was mortally wound"ed in the first transactions of the expe dition, is particularly regretted. The "total amount of loss sustained by the de"tachment from Gibraltar consists of one "Officer and nine privates killed; one of"ficer and 20 privates wounded; seven "Officers, five serjeants, and 162 rank and 'file, missing-of whom 115 were FO REIGN DESERTERS.-The names of "the Officers are as follows:-Killed"Major Grant, 89th regiment.-Wounded SPANISH WAR.In my last number, at page 978, an account was inserted of the expedition from Gibraltar, under LORD BLANEY. Another account has since ap- -Lieut. Read, 82d regunent.-Missing peared, and, it would seem, of an official "Major-General Lord Blaney, Capt. mature.It is as follows, and it is, in "Annesley, Lieut. Sheehy, Ensigns Watts, more than one point of view, of consider-Moulson, and Hooper, of the 89th regiáble importance." By a dispatch re- "ment. Lieut. Stanim, foreign corps." BREAD PRICES.There appears to be something going on about the price of bread, which, I should imagine, is likely to lead to consequences of importance; and, therefore, the matter is worthy of public attention.The account of the matter, as given in most of the news-papers, and especially in the Morning Post of the 22nd instant, is as follows: "We have more than once stated "that some nefarious practices must have "been resorted to, to enable the dealers "in flour to keep up the price of that article "so much beyond the proportion of that "of wheat; and as often expressed our "conviction that the worthy Lord Mayor "would not be inattentive to so iniquitous "a system, and so crying a grievance. "We are now rejoiced to find that his "Lordship is actively employed in the "laudable pursuit of bringing to punish"ment the authors of the evil, and we have no doubt of his laudable exertions being speedily crowned with success. Yesterday a number of master bakers "were brought before his Lordship for not having made weekly returns of the price "of flour, and some of them were charged "with making false returns of the same, " in order to keep up the price of bread. "The penalty for each offence of this na"ture is 201. It was urged that the en"forcement of this penalty would go to "ruin some poor men; but his Lordship "very properly observed, that however 66 -Here, you see, reader, that the blame is laid upon Lord Blaney, without the smallest hesitation. The Morning Post, of the 23d inst. from which I take this article, does not give it in the form of a Dispatch, published from Downing Street; but, as you will observe, it clearly says, that a Dispatch to this effect has been received.How comes this Dispatch not, then, to appear in the Gazette? It relates to an affair of as great importance as any that has happened for a long while past. Or, is it to be understood, that none but good news is published in the Gazette; and that we are to praise all the acts and deeds therein recorded?---We shall, however, I suppose, have Lord Blaney's account. He is, I have heard, a very gallant man, and a man who has, perhaps, seen as much foreigu and actual service as any officer in the army, having been, I have been told, in upwards of twenty expeditions. One ought not, upon light" grounds, to presume, that a failure such as that here recorded, proceeded solely from the fault of such a commander, and especially when we see, that, of 162 missing, 115 were German deserters, who had been received into our service.--If this be not an authentic dispatch, it will not be easy for the publisher of this article to justify his conduct, and, be it not forgotten, that it was only the day before, that this same Morning Post had declared that Lord Viscount Talavera would be fully justified in refusing to serve the country, merely because Mr. Perry had made some critical remarks, not upon his conduct of the war, but upon his Dispatch.-—How tender the man of venality is here! How very tender; and yet, he has not the least hesitation in imputing the whole of a failure to Lord Blaney, who is peculiarly entitled to a suspension of judgment against him, seeing that he is now a prisoner with the enemy, and, of course, unable to answer the attacks made upon his character. It was at first said, as I showed in my last, that the failure was owing to the illbehaviour of the foreign deserters received into our pay. An attempt is now made to explain this away; but, it is even now confessed, that 115 of them are amongst the missing. I trust that we are to have a full account of this affair; that we shall have a detailed account of the missing, in particular, and be informed of how many British troops were amongst them; and, I trust, that we shall soon have Lord Blaney's account of the causes of the failure. " severely it might operate upon indivi"duals, he had a superior consideration "to govern his conduct, that of doing "justice to the Public, and his duty he "was resolved to perform. At the same "time bis Lordship expressed himself of "opinion that the prime transgressors "were the mealmen, and in order to sift the business to the bottom, he ordered "several of these Gentlemen to be sum"moned before him."It is a question that has often been discussed, whether an assize of bread, which, in fact, is a muximun, as far as relates to that article, be a regu lation founded in sound principles; but, there can be no doubt, that, as long as such regulation exists, the information for making the assize ought to be correct, and, of course, that those who neglect to give such information, or give false information, are criminal and ought to be the punished.As to the attacks upon bakers and mealmen; as to the accusations against them for keeping up the price; this is no concern of mine; the credit and the "Lock and Key. The house having been newly painted and decorated, the Manager raised the price of admission; the "boxes from 3s. to 4s. and the pit from 2s. to "2s. 6d. with an additional sixpence on the "half-price admission to the boxes. A great "number of orders were distributed among "the Manager's friends, and the first three "acts of the play went off tolerably tran"quil; but on the admission of half-price, a dreadful scene of riot and confusion "commenced, which could not be ex"ceeded by the height of the O. P. war in the metropolis. It was quite impos. "sible to hear a word of the performance. Apples, oranges, halfpence, sticks, and even glass bottles, flew about in "every direction, to the imminent risque "of a number of lives. The most active among the advocates of O. P. were a "body of sailors, headed by several midshipmen, who all seemed determined to conquer or die. Matters at last began to wear so serious an aspect, that a military detachment was sent for and intrò"duced on the stage. No sconer, however, "had they made their appearance, than "the sailors rushed on the stage in a body, advantage, if any should arise, of making OLD PRICES. PLYMOUTH PLAY-HOUSE. There are other commodities as will as bread that people wish to have at Old Prices; and, I should suppose, that those who are for old prices in the one case, will be for old prices in all cases.--A Playhouse row does not seem, at first sight, to belong to politics; but, odd as it may sound, it really does form an incident of no trifling nature in the political history of these times; and, the reflecting mind will not fail to perceive, in the following description of a scene on the Plymouth stage, circumstances strongly characteristic of the present state of things, and as strongly indicative of what we have to expect, unless there be great wisdom indeed exercised in the management of the nation's affairs." Plymouth Dock. Monday night (19th November instant) "the Theatre at Plymouth Dock opened "for the first time this season, with the "tragedy of Jane Shore, and the farce of the and regardless of the fixed bayonets, they drove the soldiers from the stage, and "kept possession of it themselves for a "considerable time. Other parties of them "took their stations in the Pit and Boxes, and there appeared every disposition "both in them and the other advocates of "O. P. to do serious mischief to the house, "which had already felt the effects of their " vengeance. At last the Manager finding the opposition to the new prices so general and strong, came forward, and, having with difficulty obtained a hearing, informed the audience that the prices "of admission should be reduced to their former standard. This speech was hailed "with three cheers, and the audience shortly after separated. Several per"sons were severely bruised, but no lives "were lost."--Here we see the whole thing complete.--The man who has amusement to sell raises his price to keep pace with the value of money and with the price of food, clothes, lodging and fire; those who have to pay this advance of price, being conveniently assembled, resist the demand, assail the vendor, and demolish his property; and what next? The peace officer and the law? Perhaps it was so; but, these are immediately followed, we sce, by a soldier and the bayonet. These are assaulted by |