ciliating terms; the aim of which was, to attach him to the partizans of France. With virtuous indignation he repelled the attempt on his patriotism, published the seductive letter, and accompanied it with a protest against the interference of France, and a zealous exhortation to his flock to resist all attempts that might be made to lessen their regards to their country, or dissolve their allegiance to their legitimate sovereign. This conduct, followed up by a series of actions, all directed to the same end, the independence of his country, pointed him out as one of the most proper persons that could be selected; and the appointment has given the most general satisfaction.

Castaños, another of the Regents, is too well known to you, by what I have already communicated relating him, to need my saying more. Saavedra, notwithstanding his age, still displays his firmness and his patriotism; and the last days of the existence of the late government at Seville, gave the best proofs of his disinterestedness. Instead of securing his valuable private property, by sending it to this city for safety, his time was occupied in calming the populace, in preserving the public records, and the public treasure. And as there was a scarcity of vessels, that which he had hired for the embarkation of his own effects, was devoted to the purpose of embarking the public property.

Escaño, another of the regents, was known at Madrid as a man of application in the office he held as the minister of marine; the duties of which he executed with assiduity and fidelity; but being better known among the respectable fugitives than among the

natives of Andalusia, the appointment has been acceded to rather than wished for.

A person of the name of De Leon, of whom I can learn nothing, was nominated as the fifth regent. But the appointment not being agreeable to the Junta of Cadiz, he was set aside, and Lardizabal finally settled in the office. This man's pretensions are principally founded on the circumstance of his having been selected in America as a deputy to the Cortes; and being favoured by the people of Cadiz, who suppose he will resist all attempts to give to America that freedom of commerce which they dread, he has been nominated rather to concilitate them than from any known character, either for talents or patriotism.

After the members of the central Junta had yielded up their power to the Regency, it was necessary to exercise all the influence of the British name before Mr. Frere could prevail on the Junta of Cadiz to submit to their authority. The spirit of monopoly towards America was alarmed; the dread of losing their newly acquired power was excited; and only the firmness of the British Minister could have obtained acquiescence in a plan, which was indispensably necessary for the security of what yet remains unsubdued of Spain, for the combination of those parts of the country under one head, and especially for the management of those pecuniary supplies which America was expected to furnish. Three days of intrigue, of discussion, and of deliberation, were occupied before the Regency was acknowledged as the supreme power: and I think there is too much reason to apprehend, that, notwithstand

ing their acquiescence, the Junta of Cadiz, with its corporation spirit, will attempt to exercise an influence over the Regency, which, if it does not deprive them of power, will so cramp them in the exercise of it, that, instead of being the supreme, they will become the subordinate body.

THE French have at length made their appearance in considerable force. On the 5th, they entered Port St. Mary's, at noon; and as they were expected, those inhabitants who were afloat in boats in the river, as soon as the head of the column was visible on the hill above that city, moved down, and the approach of the enemy was made known here by the crowds of small craft which were standing across the bay; the arrival of which announced the intelligence more decidedly.

As it was of the utmost importance that every boat should be removed from the opposite shore, and no means left for the enemy to construct a flotilla, encouragement had been held out to the owners of these small vessels, to repair hither when they did arrive: so little attention had been paid to the former professions that considerable difficulties and delays occurred, before the people who had escaped in them could obtain permission to land even on the wharfs, and they were under the necessity of remaining in the open boats, exposed to

the inclemency of the weather, till the Junta could find leisure to issue the necessary orders for their landing.

As soon as the enemy entered the city of St. Mary's, their first effort was to secure the boats, which, fortunately for the defence of Cadiz, had all escaped. A party of horse belonging to the Duke of Albuquerque's army, were the only troops in the place; after some slight skirmishing, they retired over the bridge of boats, across the river Santi Petri, which they immediately destroyed, and retreated to Puerto Real. The French, with their accustomed celerity, have pushed their parties in every direction. A body of English seamen, employed in completing the destruction of St. Catharine's fort, were surprised before their work was ended, and with difficulty escaped to the shipping, leaving behind them their gunpowder and their tools. Other French parties have established themselves on the ruins of Fort Matagorda, the nearest battery to Cadiz, and are already endeavouring to collect the ruined materials, with which to re-construct the fortifications; and should they succeed, they will soon be enabled to annoy the shipping, and in some slight degree the city itself; since the engineers calculate, that with the largest land mortars, they may be enabled to throw shells to the land gate of Cadiz.

The attempts of the enemy to re-establish themselves in Matagorda, have been gallantly resisted, both by the British and Spanish naval forces. An old 80-gun ship is moored near it as a floating battery, and an incessant cannonade from her, as well as from the English gun boats, is kept up, the object of which seems to be the demolition of the new works which the enemy construct within the