534 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



her, through the cloak of a strict 

 amity and alliance ; but the hydra 

 will lose its heads, and the ema- 

 ciated body will soon be consumed. 

 Minorquians, you have risen at the 

 call of patriotism, which was heard 

 from the most remote parts of the 

 Peninsula, and of Europe. 



You swore allegiance to and 

 proclaimed the great Ferdinand the 

 Vllth. You have offered to make 

 the utmost sacrifice for the country, 

 and for your legitimate sovereign, 

 and by an admirable union, obe- 

 dience, and discreet tranquillity, 

 you have formed a shield which 

 will protect your island from the 

 chains which have crippled the ex- 

 ertions of Spain against those men, 

 who are transformed into furies for 

 their iniquitous despot, and have 

 nothing to do but to direct your 

 efforts, since I am invested with the 

 honour of being your chief, or 

 rather your companion and friend. 

 Fill your hearts with ardent loyalty 

 and virtue, and you will become 

 invincible. 



I am happy to be among you — 

 and I shall only hint, that if any 

 disgraceful individual of this land 

 shall suffer himself to calculate up- 

 on his own personal situation, and 

 believes the illusive stories of the 

 senseless and besotted Frenchmen, 

 let him go as a spurious child, and 

 find his disgrace and ruin among 

 the slaves ; but if he remain among 

 us, he shall suffer all the infamy 

 and the punishment which his 

 heinous offence deserves. But I do 

 not believe that there is a single in- 

 dividual among the forty thousand 

 who inhabit this island, who can 

 commit such an offence. We are 

 all Spaniards, and beloved subjects 

 of Ferdinand, and will be so till our 

 last breath. 



Minorquians, justice and equity 

 form mj' character ; harmony and 

 obedience towards the government 

 are what I expect, without your 

 giving ear to the papers, or discus- 

 sions on what ambition or a sediti- 

 ous spirit would call rights and po- 

 litics. To protect you by the most 

 sincere friendship will be my prin- 

 cipal object. Eternal hatred to the 

 tyranny of France; war and chris- 

 tian compassion to his unhappy 

 slaves ; honour and gratitude to our 

 generous allies, the English ; love 

 and constant loyalty to our country! 



(Signed) Luis Gonzaga de 

 Villa VA y Aibar. 

 Mahon, Dec. 22. 



General Orders.— Saturday, 

 Bee. 30. 



The following regulations have 

 been substituted for those notified 

 in the general order of the 20th 

 March last, which had been found 

 not sufficiently explanatory of his 

 majesty's intentions : — 



" No officer shall be promoted 

 to the rank of a captain until he 

 has been three years a subaltern. 



No officer shall be promoted to 

 the rank of major until he has been 

 seven years in the service, of which 

 he shall have been at least two 

 years a captain; and no major shall 

 be appointed to the rank of lieut.- 

 col. until he has been nine years in 

 the service. 



No officer shall be allowed to 

 fill any staff appointment (that of 

 aid-dc-camp excepted*) until he has 

 been four years in the service. 



No subaltern officer shall be con- 

 sidered eligible to hold the appoint- 

 ment of aid-de-camp until he has 

 been present with his regiment at 

 least one year." 



