1808.] 
off, and.compelled tosurrender.. On the. 
97th, General Blake reconnoitred the 
position of the enemy, and determined to 
attack. them with all possible speed; so 
. that the-next arrival will in all probabi- 
lity-bring us accounts of the utmost in- 
-portante from that quarter. The ariny, 
‘under the command of Blake, is: esti- 
nated at fifty thousand men, mostly in- 
fantry’ that under Castanos is nearly 
sixty thousand, including a great number 
of cavalry. An army from Catalonia, 
amounting to between thirty and forty 
thousand, under the command of Vivas, 
had also preceeded to join the main 
. body. Thearmy of Arragon, which con- 
tinued to advance, had been strengthened 
by great nunibers of recruits, who flocked 
voluntarily from all parts of that province, 
to'share in the glory which was expected 
soon to result from the joint exertions of 
the patriotic forces. 
The British forces now in Spain are to 
rendezvous at Valladolid. When assem- 
bled, they will amount to nearly forty 
thousand men. - There are besides to be 
ten thousand men stationed in Portugal, 
under the command of Sir J. Craddock. 
Aranjuez, OF. 15.—Among the important 
and urgent objects which claim the atten- 
tion of the Supreme Central Junta of the 
Kingdom, it will not lose sight of the en- 
¢ouragement which should be given to agri- 
culture, the arts, commerce, and navigation, 
the main springs of national wealth. They 
will, with this view, avail themselves of all 
the means which existing circumstances may 
afford. Attending to the invariable princi- 
ples of justice and equity, they will “not dis- 
regard the obligations contracted by che 
frown, and which form the patrimony of a 
considerable number of families. They will 
take care that the allowances to widows, 
pensions, annuities, the interest of the vales, 
: pois x demands of a similar fature, shall 
be paid with due punctuality, notwithstand- 
ing the immense funds necessary for subsist- 
ing, arming, and clothing the troops. They 
will take an exact account of the public 
debt, and the produce of the annual revenues; 
carefully attend to the distribution of them ; 
establish complete economy in all the 
branches of financial administration ; radi- 
cally remove all the abuses introduced there- 
im by the old government ; and: successively 
suppress the innumerable useless or unne- 
cessary offices ; simpliiying, as far as possi- 
ble, the revenue system, and placing it un- 
der the directioa of men distinguished for 
“geal, activity, and pattiotism. ‘The retrench- 
Ments effected in the enormous expences of 
the royal household, aud those to which the 
nation was put by the ambitious favourite, 
the cause of all the evils we are now suffere 
* State of Public Affairs in November. 
481 
ing, will considerably diminish the imposts 
on the towns and villages, and the toil of 
their worthy inhabitants. They will be ap- 
propriated to the maintenance of our heroic 
defenders, instead of supporting thé pride and 
corruption of a Godoland hissatellites. ‘The 
sale of the property of all those who have 
leagued themselves with the common enemy, 
and those whose prior cenduct has justly in- 
curred the same confiscation, will conside- 
rably augment the revenues of the state ; 
and the Supreme Junta, as a proof of the pu- 
rity of its sentiments, will annually publish 
a printed statement, Containing the sum to- 
tal of the funds accruing from the revenues, 
donatives, and contributions of Spain and the 
Indies, with the repartition thereof, provid~ 
ing forthe equal and impartial collection of 
the imposts. ‘The Junta solemnly recog~ 
nizes the national debt, and notifies, that as 
to all credits and accounts with the Royai 
Hacienda, yet unliquidated, ot though liqui- 
dated, still susceptible of further correction, 
it will proceed to eXamine and correct them 
previous to their being allowed and passed ; 
and for the information and. direction of the 
public, the Junta has ordered these presents 
to be communicated to the council, and circus 
lated in every part of the nation.” 
*¢ On the Slst of October, four divisions 
of General Blake's army were attacked by 
25,000 French. After fighting as became 
valiant Spaniards during the whole day, Gee 
heral Blake, in order to prevent being sure 
rounded, determined to fali back and to form 
a junction with the divisions of the Asturias 
and the Marquis dela Romana’ The tetreat 
was conducted in the best order, without the 
loss of cannon, colours, oF prisoners, They 
halted during the night of the ist of Novem- 
ber, at Bilboa. General Blake having resoj- 
ved to take post at Walmaseda, the army 
marched onthe 2d instant for another posie 
tion, where it was joined by the Asturians, 
the troops of the North, and the 4th division 
of Gallicia; a emall detachment having been 
left at Bilboa. On the 3d, the French ap- 
peared before that city in great force, and 
the few troops tliat were there, évacuated it 
in good order, and tell »:ck on Valmaseda, 
‘© In the action of the 31st, all the divisions 
displayed thé greatest gallantry, in maintain= 
ing their position against a very superior force 
during the whole day, with unexampled ener- 
gy, and left the field of battle with’ reluce 
tance ; the enemy, notwithstanding his su- 
periority, was unable to gain a foot of ground. 
The loss of the Spaniards was considerable, 
but that of the French much greater; so that 
they were incapable of molesting the Spa- 
niards in their reweat, which’ Was effected 
im the most orderly manner, without the loss 
of a single knapsack. a ale 
‘¢ The army being concentrated at Valma- 
seda, General Blake received information, on 
the 4th, that a division of the eaemy, con- 
hit , sisting 
