the orders arrived for the fleet to sail, every man, at all accustomed to the water, was impressed to man the navy; the carnage of that day consequently fell principally on the population of Cadiz, and numerous widows and orphans have to lament the loss of their husbands and fathers in that memorable action.

I have frequently heard people relating, with indescribable emotions, the fears, the hopes, the agitations, and the mournings, which occupied those few, but interesting days when the united fleets of France and Spain sailed from Cadiz, amidst the prayers and benedictions of the people, with the vain expectation of vanquishing the foe who had so long held them imprisoned within their own fortifications. The day they sailed all was expectation and anxiety. The succeeding day increased the suspense, and wound up the feelings of the people almost to a state of phrenzy. The third day brought intelligence that the hostile fleets were approaching each other, with all the preparations of determined hostility. The ships were not visible from the ramparts, but the crowds of citizens assembled there had their ears assailed by the roaring of the distant cannon; the anxiety of the females bordered on insanity, but more of despair than of hope was visible in every countenance. At this dreadful moment, a sound, louder than any that had preceded it and attended with a column of dark smoke, announced that a ship had exploded. The madness of the people was turned to rage against England; and exclamations burst forth, denouncing instant death to every man who spoke the language of their enemies. Two Americans, who had mixed with the people, fled, and hid themselves, to avoid this ebullition of popular fury, which, however, subsided into the calmness of despair, when the

thunder of the cannon ceased. They had no hope of conquest, no cheering expectations of greeting their victorious countrymen, nor of sharing triumphal laurels with those who had been engaged in the conflict; each only hoped that the objects of his own affection were safe, and in that hope found some resource against the anticipated disgrace of the country.

The storm that succeeded the battle tended only to keep alive, through the night, the horrors of the day, and to prepare them for the melancholy spectacle of the ensuing morning, when the wrecks of their floating bulwarks were seen on shore, and some, that had escaped the battle and the storm, entering the bay to shelter themselves from the pursuit of their victorious enemy.

The feelings of strong sensibility, which had so agitated the minds of the people during the conflict, were now directed to the tender offices of humanity towards their wounded countrymen; the softer sex attended on the wharfs to assist them in landing, to convey them to the convents and the hospitals, while the priests were administering the last offices of religion to those whose departing spirits took their flight before they could reach the asylums appointed for their reception. When the first emotions had subsided, the people of Cadiz strongly manifested their contempt of the French, whom they accused of having deserted them in the hour of battle; and the attention of Lord Collingwood to the wounded Spanish prisoners, induced them to contrast the conduct of their generous enemies with that of their treacherous allies.

THE fortifications of this city, on the land side, are well constructed; there is only one entrance, called the land gate, the face of which is very narrow, so that, if the water be smooth, gunboats may flank an approaching army on both sides. The walls near the gate are so constructed, that though, from the extent of the glacis, they do not appear lofty, yet no part of the city is visible without the land-gate. The fortifications are all bomb-proof, and casemated, and the glacis is mined throughout; which, added to the narrowness of the front, makes it capable of a very vigorous defence.

In order, however, to prevent the possibility of an attack on the city itself, a new battery is canstructing across the isthmus, which, when finished, will render the approach extremely difficult. The spot on which it is erecting is at such a distance from the city, that, until it be taken, an enemy. cannot construct mortar batteries near enough to throw shells into the town. This work, however, which was planned when the opposition to France commenced, and which

then proceeded with great vigour, now languishes, like most other Spanish efforts; and unless the defeat of the army of La Mancha should render it necessary, it perhaps may never be completed. The expence of this battery has been enormous; the soil being sandy, they have been obliged to construct a foundation of solid masonry seventy-five feet under the surface. The part above ground is formed of sand bags, which are walled up to the top of the parapet; a ditch is to be formed in front, and if proper defences be placed to prevent cavalry from turning the flanks, when the tide is low, this Cortadura, as it is called, will add considerably to the security of this important place.

When I visited this battery a few days ago, there were not many men at work excepting a few convicts, who, instead of being sent as usual to Ceuta, are now condemned to labour on the fortifications. I returned from the Cortadura by Puntales, where the rope manufactory for the navy is carried on, but for want of hemp every thing is at a stand. At this point a fort is situated, which, with the assistance of Fort Matagorda, on the opposite side of the bay, would be a great annoyance to any fleet that might attempt to force its way to the arsenal at Caracas. It was at this spot that Lord Essex landed with the English army in the year 1596, when he succeeded in his gallant attempt to take this city, an event which has demonstrated the practicability of effecting a landing, with a superior fleet, between the land gate and the new battery at the Cortadura.

Cadiz at present has no garrison, the duty is performed by volunteers, of which there are about four thousand within the city, better armed, and better disciplined than any of the regular regiments I

have seen. A regiment of regulars has been formed here by Colonel Mazaredo, who has taken great pains to discipline them; they are a fine body of men, but not having arms they cannot yet proceed to join the

army.

The commerce of Cadiz is very extensive, but it is a subject so well known, that a few observations upon it will be sufficient. The merchant ships built in Spain of late years have been so few, that it was impossible to carry on even the little trade they had during the war with England, without employing vessels which were not of Spanish construction, which, however, the laws most imperiously forbade. In consequence of an application from the merchants of this place, stating that there was not a sufficiency of Spanish shipping, permission for two years was granted to Spaniards for purchasing, and employing in their trade, ships constructed by friendly nations. This time expired about six months ago; but the law was not thought of till a new collector of the customs lately came to Cadiz, and now all the ships destined for America, not built in Spain, and they are nearly the whole, are detained till the Junta has sufficient leisure, from other more pressing occupations, to attend to the affairs of commerce.

The principal trade of Cadiz is to the American settlements, which may be more properly considered as colonies belonging to this city than to the kingdom of Spain. Almost every thing from America centers here; and the principal imports from the other parts of Europe are only brought to this place to be shipped afterwards to the transatlantic ports. The merchants of Cadiz may therefore be properly considered as the factors of the manufacturers of