1812.) 
of Almeida, or is one of decided retreat; 
but 1 have every reason to hope, that they 
wilt not succeed in the first, and that they 
will be obliged to have recourse to the last. 
Their superiority in cavalry is very great, 
ewing to’ the weak state of our horses from 
recent fatigue and scarcity of forage; and the 
reduction of numbers in the Portuguese 
brigade of cayalry with this part of the army, 
in exchange for a British brigade sent into 
Estremadura with, Marshal Sir William Be- 
resford, owing to the failure of the measures 
reported to have been adopted to supply the 
horses and men with food on the service. 
The.result of a general action brought on by 
P: attack upon the enemy by us might, under 
these circumstances, have been doubtful ; 
and if the enemy had chosen to avold it, or 
ifthey had metit, they would have taken ad- 
vantage of the collection of our troops to fight 
this action, to throw relief into Almeida. 
“From the great.superiority of force to 
which we have been opposed upon this oc- 
casion your lordship will judge of the conduct 
of the officers and troops. The actions were 
partial, but very severe; and our loss has 
been great, The enemy’s loss has also been 
great ; and they left 400 killed in the village 
of Fuentes de Honor, and we have many 
Prisoners. 
_U particularly request your lordship’s at- 
tention to the conduct of Lientenant-colonel 
iiams, Lieutenant-colonel Cameron, and 
the Hoa. Lieutenant-colonel Cadogan, and to 
that of Colonel Mackinnon, and Lieutenant- 
colonel Kelly of the 24th regiment, and of 
the several officers commanding battalions of 
of the line and of light infantry, which sup- 
ported the troops in Fuentesde Honor. Like- 
‘wise to that of Major M‘Intosh of the 85th 
regiment; of Lieutenant-colonel Nixon of 
the %4 Cacadores; of Lieutenant-colonel 
Eustace of the Chasseurs Britanniques ; and 
of Lord Blantyre. _ 
. Throughout these operations I have received 
the §rgatest assistance from Licutenant-gene- 
ral_Sir Brent Spencer, and aJl the general 
_ Officers of the army 3 and from the adjutant 
and quarter master-general, anc the officers 
of their several departments, and those of 
amy personal staff. 
From intelligence from Marshal Sir Wil- 
liam Beresford, I learn that he has invested 
Badajoz, on the left of the Guadiana 3 and 
is moving their stores for the attack of the 
place, , 
__T have the honour to inform you thes the 
intelligence has been confirmed, that Joseph 
onaparte passed Valladolid, un bis way to 
Paris, onthe 27th of April. It is not de- 
nied by the French officers that he is gone 
‘$0 Paris, 
.. (Signed) WELLINGTON. 
aioe é _ Villa’ Fermosa, Way 10, 1811. 
My Lorp, epeaicn! : 
The enemy retired on the 8th to the Woods 
between Espeja Gallegos and Fuentes de Hoe 
Montury Mag. No. 213, 
State of Public Affairs in May. 
473 
nor,. in which position the whole army were 
collected on that» day and »yesterday, with 
the exception of that part of the second corps 
which continued opposite Alameda. © Last 
niglit the whote broke up and retired across 
the Azava, covering their retreat by their 
numerous’ cavalry; and chis iay the w.ole 
have retired across the Agueda, leaving Als 
meida to its fate. mo piys 
The second corps retired by the bridge of ' 
Barba del Pueno, andthe ford of Vala? Espino 
on the Agueda. , C 
Our advanced) posts are upon; the Azava 
and on the Lower Agueda; and the army 
will be to-morrow in the cantonments on the 
Duas Casas. 
(Signed) WELLINGTON. 
GREAT BRITAIN. n 
“At home, the legislatare has conti- 
nued its activity, but without nieecting 
the wishes of a large portion of the pub- 
lic.. Str SamuEL Romitey’s jadicious 
and humane Bills for diminishing the 
punishment of Death, were rejected ia 
the House of Lords, after passing in the 
Commons. . Lord .Sidmouth’s attempt 
to infringe on the Toleration Act, has, 
- however, beet rejected, and the debate 
was distinguished by some liberal opi- 
nions of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 
which do great honour to that amiable 
charchman. In the Commons ‘the mi- 
nister required a loan of twelve millions, 
which he effected in the city on better’ 
terms than, could have been expected. 
Taxes to raise about one million were 
laid chiefly. on, wash. Various unsuc- 
cessful motions were made for reforms 
of abuses by Messrs, Brand, Burdett, 
Folkestone, Whitbread, and others. |. 
‘During the current, month -and, for 
many mouths past, the public mind has, 
been deeply occupied by. the state-of. 
the currency. Guineas, with reference 
to paper, have risen to 27s, or 28s.; arid. 
Bank notes, with reference to suinedas, 
have consequently fallen below 15s. and 
in foreign countries are not estimated 
higher than 12s... Most commodities, in 
consequence, are acquiring a paper and 
a cash price ; and even the public funds, 
the paper price of which is 66, have at 
a> cash price, fallen to 60! Gold and 
silver are, however, scarcely to be pro- 
cured for paper with any,coneession, and 
they have; im fact, totally disappeared 
from circulation, all small ‘transactions 
taking place in copper money, and all 
retail trade being at a stand ‘for, want of 
smail change. ya 
There appearing to be no fimit to the 
depreciation of paper money, if means 
were not adopted to prevent it, Parlia- 
ment took into cousideration on the 6th, 
3P the 
