Year. 1803 1804 No. of Ships. -- 363 -- 421 -- 1806-477 Finished Landing. 14 Jan. 1804 29 Dec. 1804 22 Jan. 1806 2 Feb. 1807 1807---503 - - - 24 Dec. 1807 by which it will appear, that such has been the increase of the West-India trade, that 65 ships have been unloaded this season in addition to the greatest number ever before received, and 174 ships more than the average number of the preceding five years. In the period between the beginning of July and the beginning of December, a space of five months, when circumstances of the greatest difficulty occurred, upwards of 460 ships were unloaded, exclu goes consisting of 159,804 hhds. and trs. of Sugar.-26,917 puns. and hhds., Rum. more connected with some late discussions concerning the conduct of your Establishment. If the Warehousing System be productive of great practical benefit both to internal and foreign commerce, it must not be overlooked, that so far as the WestIndia trade is concerned, it could not have been carried into effect, without some Establishment equivalent to that which thus originated. It is well known that during many years of his administration, the advantages that might result from that system both to the revenue and to the trade, had presented themselves to the comprehensive mind of that able minister, the late Mr. Pitt, and that he only suspended its adoption, until some adequate improvement should be made in the Port of London, under which it might be safely carried into effect. Your Establishment had hard-sive of smaller vessels and craft, with carly begun its operation before the provisions of that system were enacted by the legislature, the advantages of which, great 31,675 hhds. and trs., 125,480 bags, as they are, have been necessarily attended Coffee.-10,855 bales, 487 pockets, &c. by some additional delay and embarras- Cotton.-35 casks, 2732 bags, Pimento.— ment to business, which the Company has 351 casks, 2,411 bags, Ginger.-822 casks, endeavoured to meet with promptitude, and 7,228 bags, Cocoa.-1,797 casks, Wine. with the requisite additions to their Estab-Making a total of 11,342 bales, 137,851 lishment. The benefits accruing to the West-India body generally, and the degree of accommodation and dispatch afforded by the Company, your Committee conceive will be best illustrated by a few concise statements, as they are desirous that on disputed points an appeal may be made solely to the evidence of facts. They will here premise, that whatever advantages it shall appear have been obtained for the trade, are secured to it without any additional expence being incurred; the Company on its formation having undertaken for the term of their charter, to provide all the accommodation which the Dock System affords, and to perform all the services and labour necessary to ships and goods at importation, for the charges then current at the port, although such charges had been previously and almost annually advancing. In order to shew how far the means and resources of the Company have been properly applied, and the dispatch given to ships, your Committee will first call the attention of the Court to an account, shewing the number of ships employed in the West-India trade which have been discharged in the Docks in the last six years, with the dates at which the business of each season appears to have been respectively completed. bags, 221,401 casks, and from the 10th Oct. to the 28th Nov. 150 ships were entirely unloaded at the quays. This being the precise period when it was stated to the lords of the treasury, that owing to the negligence of the directors, only 8 or 9 ships were at that time unloaded weekly, and proceeding on that calculation, that 108 ships then in the docks would necessarily be delayed some months, (we must presume not less than three), and on such, and other equally unfounded pretexts, was grounded an application for an infringement of the Company's privileges. Whereas the fact is, that these 108 ships, with the addition of others subsequently admitted, were unloaded in the month of November, such only excepted as were delayed by causes not dependant on the Company.-The general state of the business performed by the Company during the last year will stand thus:-598 ships have been unloaded, and 106 smaller vessels and craft;-of the above number of 598 ships, 593 were completed upon the 3d Dec. 1808. Thus so early as the close of the month of November, the great body of shipping in the West-India trade were completely cleared of their cargoes; an instance of dispatch singular and unexampled, and evidently proving the su periority of your Establishment, particu- Į the interests of the revenue, and the acJarly under the embarrassing circumstancommodation of the trade, and not in any ces of an extraordinary accumulation of produce on hand, occasioned by an almost total stagnation of export: if these advantages be contrasted with the delays, impediments, losses, and abuses, which must have arisen under the former system, their value will be incalculable.-During the utmost pressure, and under peculiar circumstances of the season, the Company did undertake to provide at its own expence, and beyond its exclusive means, an extraordinary provision of warehouse room, but it did not become necessary to resort to it, beyond an accommodation for 5747 casks and 4137 boxes, and 511 barrels of prize or foreign sugar, and thus may the dispatch given to the shipping in such a season, afford the best proof of the adequacy of the Company's resources to the general exigencies of the trade; but it may be proper to add the following statement of the quantity of goods, actually lodged within your warehouses at one time, exclusive of the articles on the quays: 102,647 hhds. and trs., 11,612 chests and brls. of Sugar-14,681 puns. and hhds, Rum. - 38,239 hhds. and trs., 190,408 bags, Coffee.-1,411 bales, 164 pockets, &c., Cotton.-24 casks, 3,168 bags, Piemento.—201 casks, 1,006 bags, Ginger. 1,100 casks, 13,257 bags, Cocoa.-1,786 casks, Wine.-Making a total of 11,612 chests, &c. 1,575 bales, 207,839 bags, 158,678 casks. Let this statement be compared with all the accommodation existing at the port, for the housing of West-India produce, previous to the formation of the docks, which according to the best computation in respect to the article of Sugar only, was not capable of containing beyond one third of the quantity, which has been actually deposited in your warehouses. The system of providing distinctly for the shipping of goods to the West-Indies, and the security afforded thereby both to the ships and goods, belongs peculiarly to your Establishment; and, to a system so recent and dependant upon corresponding regulations of the revenue boards, it cannot reasonably be reproached that it is yet susceptible of improvement; sufficient however has appeared to shew that this part of your Establishment, is one, which must eventually prove of essential benefit to the West-India trade of the port. The regulations of the Company have all been framed in strict consistency with its solid and permanent interests, by a constant and primary regard to the security of property, case directed by narrow views of present profit, in contradistinction to those more essential objects. With the laws and regulations of the revenue departments it is necessary that the Company should cooperate, and sometimes it has been accused of disappointments, and delays, originating solely in that conuexion. But in respect to that part of the system, over which your Directors have controul, they are ready at all times to adopt suggestions for improvement, whenever they shall be found upon attentive consideration to be compatible with the great objects of the institution. The principles by which the Court of Directors have uniformly governed their conduct, have been those of sound discretion in the application of the funds of the Company, a liberal construction, and performance, of its engagements with the public, and a scrupulous impartiality in the administration of business.-How far these objects have been faithfully pursued, and successfully accomplished, may best be evinced: as to the first by the prosperous state of your finances; as to the second by the details furnished by, and the facts connected with this report; and, as to the last, it may fairly be demanded whether one single instance of deviation can be produced. ENGLAND.King's Speech (by Commission) at the opening of the Session of Parliament, on the 19th January, 1809. MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, We are commanded by his Majesty to acquaint you, that he has assembled you together in the firm persuasion that you will concur with him in opinion that the only way of obtaining a safe and honourable peace, is by a vigorous prosecution of the war.His Majesty has ordered to be laid before you the Copy of the Overtures made to him by France and Russia, from Erfurth, together with the Correspondence which ensued, and the Declaration of his Majesty's sentiments on that occasion.-His Majesty trusts you will participate in his feelings on rejecting overtures of peace, the preliminary condition of which was, to abandon the people of Spain in the struggle they are now making for their independence.-His Majesty has commanded us to express to you the satisfaction he felt at the brilliant commencement of the campaign which restored his ancient ally, but he had reason to regret the manner in which it was terminated by a Convention, of several parts of which he had found it necessary to express his disapprobation. His Majesty has lately renewed the assurances of support to the Spanish government, in support of their national independence, which he voluntarily gave at the commencement of the struggle they are now making, and which he has no doubt will terminate triumphantly, should they persevere in support of their legitimate Sovereign, and should the nation be true to themselves. The assurances his majesty has given to the Spanish government, have been reduced to a Treaty of friendship and alliance, which will be laid before you as soon as the ratifications have been exchanged.-His Majesty trusts you will enable him to continue his support of the king of Sweden in the struggle he is making, he having concurred with his Majesty in rejecting any overtures from the enemy, which had as a preliminary condition, the sacrifice of the Spanish nation. the royal order of the 30th Oct. 1808, upon field marshal D. Pedro Gariby, until the dispatches brought by the Providence shall have been opened. He is actually in possession of the supreme authority. Be calm and tranquil; you are now governed by an accredited chief, with whose prudence you are acquainted. Confide in the vigilance of the Royal Acuerdo; all will turn out to your advantage. Impatience can only serve to divide men's minds, and to occasion mischiefs which may perhaps be irremediable. The said provisional chief, the Royal Acuerdo, and the other concurring authorities, give you every assurance that can be wished for.-By command of his excellency, the President, with the Royal Acuerdo, the most illustrious seignor Archbishop, and the other Authorities.-FRANCISCO XIMENEZ. Dispatch from the General in chief of the Army of Catalonia, to the Minister at War, 27th Nov. 1808. Most excellent seignor-According to GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, the intention, of which I apprised your His Majesty has ordered to be laid before excellency in my dispatch of the 29th ult. you the estimates for the public service, the general attack took place yesterday and trusts you will provide him the means on all the posts occupied by the enemy of carrying on the war with vigour.-His without the limits of Barcelona, from all Majesty has the pleasure of assuring you of which he was immediately dislodged, that notwithstanding the exertions of the and compelled to take refuge under the enemy to diminish our resources, the re- guns of the fortress, with the exception of venue continues to flourish to an extent the advantageous position of St. Pedro Marthe most satisfactory, and his Majesty be- tir which is the most commanding. The lieves that the contest may be carried on communication with this post being comwithout any great or immediate addition pletely cut off, in consequence of our line to the burthens of his people. being advanced to Hospitalet, Esplugas, MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, His Majes-Sarria, Gracia, and Horta, as your excellency ty congratulates you on the complete suc. cess of the plan for establishing a Local Militia. And his Majesty trusts you will take such steps for the increase of the regular army as may enable him to pursue the campaign with vigour, without weakening the means of defence at home. SPANISH REVOLUTION.-Proclamation issued in Mexico, 16th Sept. 1808. INHABITANTS Of Mexico, of all classes and conditions! Necessity is not subject to common laws. The city has seized the person of his excellency the Viceroy. His removal has been imperiously demanded by reasons of utility and general convenience. In the course of last night, the Royal Acuerdo, the most illustrious seignor, the Archbishop, and the other authorities, were convoked. They have submitted to the urgency of affairs; and the said Viceroy being divested of his authority, it has devolved, conformably to will perceive from the plan which I have the honour to send you, I, upon this ground, summoned the commandant to surrender. He refused compliance, and I immediately gave orders for an attack; but at half past 12 o'clock this day he surrendered himself and his garrison prisoners of war, consisting of 10 privates and two oflicers. We found in the place four 4-pounders and one 2-pounder, with magazines of ammunition and stores. At the same time a firing was commenced from the right and centre of our line, and the enemy were repulsed as far as the walls of Barcelona, from which it will not now be an easy task for them to advance again. I now (four in the afternoon) forward this to your excellency in the mean time by a special messenger, for the satisfaction of his Majesty, until, by receiving the statements of the generals and commanders of columns, I shall be enabled to transmit to your excellency the details of the operations of these two days. Our line occupies the above-mentioned posts, and I have fixed the head-quarters of the army in this town, which is about a league's distance from it, &c. &c. JUAN MIGUEL DE VIVES. O'Neill's Report to Palafox respecting the battle of Tudela, 8 Dec. 1808. "IN consequence of the actual situation of this city, threatened with a siege by the enemy, it has been until now found impossible to lay before the public an official account of the details of the attack and obstinate battle fought at Tudela on the 23rd ult.; a battle equally fatal and glorious to this army, which, supported only by its own strength and its own valour, maintained the contest for eight hours in the midst of the most dreadful fire. It is impossible to convey an adequate idea of the number of heroic achievements performed by the officers and soldiers, whilst one-half of the army was defending their posts with discharges of musketry, and the other were maintaining the contest with the bayonet, until the number of the slain on both sides left scarcely room for action, and both the contending armies retired. The captain-general of this excellent army of reserve has received the following detailed dispatch from lieut.gen. Don Juan O'Neil, who commanded the troops in the engagement, from Illucca, whither he retired with field marshal D. Felippe St. March.-Most excellent seignor; A few hours after my conference with your excellency at Caperoso, respecting the good condition of the troops under my command, at that most important point, full of ardour and enthusiasm, from the superiority which they conceived themselves to possess over the enemy, who for so long a period had not dared to attack us, and from advantages of greater magnitude which they anticipated in the direction of Pampeluna; and when your excellency, convinced of the necessity of not permitting a favourable opportunity to pass, for executing designs in which I cordially concurred, proceeded to consult with the captain-general of the army of the centre, I received a dispatch from the captain-general of the army of the centre, and the representative of the supreme central Junta, D. Francisco Palafox, dated the 21st inst. informing me of the extreme urgency that all my troops should immediately put themselves in motion, and proceed by way of Tudeia, to the right of the line, which was to be formed upon Cascante and Tarragona, as far as the heights of Moncayo; and charging me not to lose a moment, since they had given orders for the march of the army of the centre, and were on the point of attacking and defeating the enemy, in order to save that army; an object, the attainment of which would be of the greatest importance for Spain, and totally disconcert the plans of the enemy. Surprised at the novelty of this dispatch, so completely at variance with the plan we had agreed upon at Caparoeo the day before, I sent to inform your excellency, and before I received your answer, your dispatch, dated at Tudela on the same day (the 21st), reached me, directing, that in consequence of what the captain-general of the centre had stated to you, I should, the instant I received it, march with the whole of my army, and the troops belonging to the centre attached to it, for Tudela, there to fix my head-quarters, it being understood that the troops that occupied the posts of Cintriunego, Calahorra, and the other parts of the Ebro, were already on their march for Borja and Tarrazona, and consequently that any delay might be very injurious, and expose the army to be turned in that quarter. On the same day, as my troops were just setting off, I received your excellency's answer, confirming your previous order, in consequence of the army of the centre having already commenced its movement. I cannot describe to your excellency the sensation felt by the troops under my command, in consequence of this retrogade movement, as all of them, previously animated by the preceding fortunate movements, found all their hopes frustrated, and saw themselves removed from the advanced situation that they always occupied in front of the enemy. An event so unexpected disheartened them; and in order to inspire them with the same degree of ardour which they had hitherto manifested, and to prevent the fatal consequences of which I was apprehensive, I exerted my authority, accompanying it with the most energetic persuasion, and shewing then the order of that evening, according to which the safety of the whole army depended upon our retrogade movement, and in short, telling them that it was the result of the express orders of your excellency, and must be obeyed. This representation, in some degree, tranquillized them, and I proceeded with my troops to Tudela, where your excellency, the seignor representative, and the captain general of the army of the centre, were already arrived. A nine in the morning of the following day (238), position had retreated. This intelligence astonished me the more, as the captaingeneral had sent me no information of this event, a circumstance which appeared to me impossible; but a firing being heard in the rear of the olive plantations, I was convinced of the fact. In this melancholy situation, the division of general la Pena not having moved, and that which was announced as his division proving to be a corps of the enemy, of about 8000 infantry, and 2000 cavalry, I gave directions for retreating in the best possible order; placing the 2d regiment of Valencia in an oblique position to cover the retreat of our troops. The troops were surrounded on all sides, but they gallantly cut their way with the bayonet. I put myself at their head, and left gen. St. March, with the cavalry to protect this daring and only resource that was left to us. The general discharged this trust with the same exactness that he did every other duty confided to him during the action. I can assure your excellency, that I never witnessed an occasion in which all the officers and soldiers more completely performed their duty; but of those who were under my orders, I ought to make particular mention of the third battalion of the royal Spanish guards, and the regiments of Castile, Segorbia, and Turia. D. M. Velasco, com col. Don F. Perena sent to inform me, that | two columns of the enemy were deploying in front of Ablitas. In consequence of this intelligence, and the captain-general of the army of the centre having, the preceding evening, informed me, that the enemy had entered Cintrinnego, I ordered the generale to be beaten, apprising, at the same time, the captain-general, that as commander in chief, he might make the necessary dispositions. He ordered some reinforcements to advance, and soon after caused gen. St. March to do the same on the left, sending various corps of my division to the heights of Santa Barbara, to reinforce that important point, and to support the troops already occupying it belonging to the division of general Rova. As he left me on the high road with the remainder of my troops, I sent to him my aid-de-camp, D. B. Gelabert, to ascertain what I was to do, as the engagement was already begun. His answer was, that I should proceed to the centre of the line, where he was posted. Soon after, he ordered the remainder of the troops to join him, and he assigned me the command of the whole of the left wing. When I arrived, I found the heights on the left already occupied by the enemy, who threatened to turn us; but having received his order to attack them, and an assurance that the division of gen. La Pena would advance to my assistance, I determined to exe-mander of the artillery of my division; cute the attack by echellons of battalions. D. A. Ulloa, commander of general St. The battalion of the royal Spanish guards March's; D. J. Monino; D. R. del Pino, commenced itwith such unexampled gallan- who though surrounded by the enemy, try, that the enemy instantly abandoned that spiked a part of the artillery which they important post, leaving the field of battle could not bring off, are very much entitled covered with dead bodies. The same suc- to consideration for having entirely decess attended the attack in front, by the stroyed three columns of the enemy.-The regiments of the volunteers of Castile and enemy's loss cannot be less than 8,000 Segorbia. While I was indulging in the men, as we may assure ourselves, when they satisfaction produced by our success, and admitted it exceeded 4,000. I have not considering the battle gained, two orderly yet received all the returns of the loss on officers of cavalry came to desire me, on our side, but I doubt whether it amounts the part of the captain-general, not to be to 2000 in killed, wounded, and missing. I alarmed by the appearance of a column have the satisfaction of having saved half of infantry, with a considerable body of of the artillery, which was brought off by cavalry, who were advancing on the the routes almost impracticable, and of having left, as they were the troops of general been a near spectator of every thing that la Pena coming from Cascante. Con- passed to the last moment. I can assure gratulating myself upon this aid, which you, that in this unfortunate event all would have decided the battle in our fa- those under my command have done their vour, I rode along my left to direct gene- duty to their king and country; and that ral St. March to continue the attack in the had the captain-general ordered the army same order, when that general surprised of the centre to support us, it would, beme by telling me it was necessary weyond all doubt, have been the most glorious should retreat, as our right had been forced, day for his majesty's arms, of any recorded that the enemy were in Tudela, and that all in the history of this war. the troops that occupied the centre of one |