Foreign & Colonial News - Cumberland and Westmorland Newspaper Transcriptions

Foreign & Colonial News

UNITED STATES.

The 'Patrick Henry', CAPTAIN DELANO, arrived in Liverpool, on Monday
evening, bringing advices from New York to the 7th of October, the day of
her sailing. The preparations for the presidential contest continued with
increasing violence. the Whig, or Clay party, had carried the elections in
Maryland; but, as their majority had fallen from about 5,000 to little more
than 500 since the last election, this was regarded as proof of weakness
rather than of strength.

MR. ROBERT TYLER has published another of his wordy epistles in favour of
repeal, in which he blasphemously compares the opposition offered to the
repeal movement to that offered to our Saviour during his sojourn on earth.

These papers contain a letter signed by CAPTAIN P. C. DUMAS, of the American
Brig 'Cyrus, complaining, in the most angry terms, of the search of his
vessel, on the coast of Africa, by the commander of the English cruizer
'Alert'. He gives the particulars of a long squabble, in which he states
that the American flag was trampled under foot by the English officer, and
his papers taken from his trunk, and forcibly detained by him. In
consequence of this, he and his crew abandoned the vessel, which, the
account of another American captain states, was soon after left by the
English officer, taken possession of by a Portuguese slave merchant, and
filled with a cargo of negroes.

There seems little doubt that the 'Cyrus' had been brought to the African
coast under American colours, to be there sold by her worthy captain as a
slaver, and that the whole merits of this case will turn out on the fact of
whether the bargain had been completed or not.

The circumstance of the papers having been detained by the British officer,
renders it probably that it had; that the 'Cyrus', when searched, had
ceased to be an American vessel; and that the captain's papers will furnish
evidence of the fact.
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SPAIN.
Private letters state that the Spanish government had received despatches
from the frontier, announcing the arrest of several Spanish officers of
superior rank who were preparing to commence a civil war in Spain.

It appears, likewise, that BRIGADIER LEMERICH had quitted Valladolid, and no
trace of him had been discovered. It would seem that the plan of a
simultaneous insurrection had been formed in the provinces of Girona and
Tarragona. Notwithstanding the capture of many of the chiefs, another
dangerous personage, YUINTANA DE PONTE DE MELINA, had succeeded in crossing
the French frontier, and had actually entered the Ampudan with a party of
insurgents.

The government, in order to defeat the object of the insurgents, had
despatched a regiment of infantry, forming part of the garrison of Madred to
Logrono, and a regiment of cavalry to Valladolid.

The committee appointed to draw up the address in reply to the royal speech,
met on the 20th inst. and adopted the basis upon which it was to be
conceived. The majority of the committee had expressed itself zealously in
favour of the project of reform.

The address of the committee of the senate was to be presented on the
following day; and it was generally supposed that a strong opposition would
be manifested in that quarter, as it could not be supposed that any
legislative body would consent without resistance to its political suicide.

It was, however, the general opinion, that the reform bill would be
eventually adopted in both the chambers. The generally received opinion
was, that the most violent and interesting debate would be reserved for the
article respecting the Queen's marriage.

The manifesto of the DUKE OF VICTORY, which was published by the Madrid
opposition journals of the 18th inst., and in which the phrase by which the
duke offers his sword to maintain the constitution, coincides so completely
with the period chosen to present the reform of the constitution, had
produced considerable sensation amongst his friends.
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ALGIERS, OCT. 20 - DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH.

After forwarding my letter this afternoon, I learned from good authority
full particulars of the action of the 17th. The post-office being shut, I
send this by a private hand, and trust it will arrive in time for the
Marseilles courier. You cannot fail to have remarked that in my former
correspondence I informed you that a great agitation reigned in the east,
and that the Kabyles were assembling in great numbers.

I did not mislead you, the Kabyles have not only taken the offensive against
the French, but unfortunately, in the first rencontre they have been
victorious; it appears also certain the GENERAL COMMAIR has not been
successful in his attempt to subdue several hostile tribes.

On the 14th GENERAL COMMAIR, at the head of two battalions of infantry,
three squadrons of cavalry, and a battery of mountain artillery, scoured the
country in the neighbourhood of Dellijs, burning and destroying every
village in his route, and returned to Dellijs on the 15th without falling in
with the enemy.

The next day advices were received by him that the Kabyles in considerable
force were marching on Dellijs, when the General sallied forth to meet them,
in the hope that his presence would cause them to retire.

He was disappointed, for on coming up with them on the 19th, he found them
prepared to receive him. The Kabyles had possession of all the heights, and
had placed several of their men in ambuscade.

The French were now assailed on all sides with a heavy fire of musketry;
undaunted they advanced, and succeeded in getting possession of one of the
most formidable positions of the enemy.

At this moment the Kabyles received a strong reinforcement, and the general
was obliged to retreat, passing through a long and narrow gorge, and exposed
to the murderous fire of the enemy.

On reaching the valley the general formed his troops in line, determined to
prevent the Kabyles from advancing. This manoeuvre was crowned with
success, and the enemy retired with considerable loss.

In this unfortunate affair, the loss of the French, according to certain
reports, exceeds 80 men killed, and 200 wounded; amongst whom are 20
officers.

The killed and wounded of the Kabyles are estimated at about 500, but this
is mere conjecture. I should say their loss is not so great as is generally
imagined, for they were defended by their ambuscades, and had possession of
the heights from whence they rolled heavy stones on the French.

MARSHAL BUGEAUD, the instant he obtained full particulars of this disastrous
affair determined to command in person a serious attack on the Kabyles. He
leaves us to-morrow morning at the head of four battalions of infantry; he
has also shipped on board the steamers some mountain artillery, a great
quantity of ammunition, and 160,000 rations of biscuits.

This evening the steam-packet from Dellijs brought to Algiers 143 soldiers
and 9 serjeants, wounded in the action of the 17th.
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