592 
momentary hostility to which his Royal High- 
1 
ness’s consent had been extorted; and that I 
promised to his Royal Highness, on the faith _ 
of my Sovereign, that the British squadron 
before the Tagus should be employed to pro- 
tect his yeereat from Lisbon, and his voyage 
to the Brazils. My ie 
A decree was published yesterday, in which 
the Prince Regent announced his intention 
of retiring to the city of Rio de Janeiro until 
the conclusion of a general peace, and of ap- 
pointing aregency to transact the adminisfra- 
tion of government at Lisbon during his Royal 
Highness’s absence from Europe. 
This morning the Portuguese fieet left the 
Tagus. I had the honour to accompany the 
Prince in his passage over thé par, fhe 
fleet consisted’ of eight sail of the linc, four 
large frigates, several armed brigs, sloops, and 
corve:tes, and a number of Brazil ships, 
amounting, I believe, to about thirty-six sail 
in all. ‘They passed through the Britisn 
squadron, aad his Majesty’s sbips fired a sa~ 
lute of twenty-one guns, which was returned 
with an equalnumber. A more interesting 
spectacle than that afforded by the junction 
of the two fleets has been rarely beheld. 
On quitting the Prince Regent's ship, I 
repaired on board of the Hibernia, but_re- 
turned immediately, accompanied by Sir S d 
nev Smith, whom I presented to the Prince, 
ard who was received by his Royal Highness 
with the most marked and graciqus conde- 
scension. 
I have the honour to inclose lists of the 
ships of war which were known to have det 
Lisbon this morning, and whieh were In signet 
a few hours ago. There remain at Lisbon 
four ships of the line, and the same number 
of frigates, but only one of each sort is ser- 
viceable. 
{ have thought it expedient to lose no 
time in communicating to his Majesty's go- 
yernment the important intelligence con- 
tained in this dispatch. I hare therefore to 
apologise for the hasty and imperiect manner 
in which it is written.—1 have the honour 
to be, &<s STRANGFORD. 
Proclamation of the Prince Regent. 
«< Having endeavoured, by all the means 
in my power, to maintain the neulrafity 
hitherto. enjoyed by my faithful and be- 
loved subjects, and having exhausted my 
royal treasury, and mede other sacrifices, pro- 
ceeding even to the extremity of shutting the 
ports of my dominions against the subjects of 
my ancient royal ally, the King of Great Bri- 
tein, thus exposing the commerce of my peo- 
ple to total ruin, and consequently suffering 
the greatest losses in the collection of the re- 
venues of the crown; I find that troops of the 
emperor of the French and king of Italy, 
(with whom I had united myself on the Con- 
tinent, in the hope of being tree from further 
molestation) are actually marching’ into the 
interior of my kingdom, and ate on their way 
vo this capital; and desiring to avoid the 
State of Public Affairs in December. 
(Jan. 1, 
fatal consequences of a defence, which would be 
more dangerous than profitable, serving only 
to occasion an effusion of blood dreadful to hue . 
manity, and to inflame the animosity of the 
troops which have entered this kingdom, un- 
dera declaration and promise that they will 
not commit any the smallest hostility; and 
knowing aiso that these’ troops are most par- 
ticularly destined against my royal person, 
and that my faithful subjects would be un- 
der less apprehensions were I abs=nt from this 
have resolved, for the welfare of 
my subjects, to retreat, with the Queen my 
mother, and all my royal family, to my do- 
minions in America, there to establish my- 
self in the city of Rio de janeiro until a ge- 
neral peace ; and moreover, considering the 
importance ‘of leaving the gevernment of 
these kingdoms in tlat’goed order which is 
for their advantage and for that of my peopie 
(a matter which I am essentially bound to 
provide for), and having duly reflected on all 
the circumstances of the moment, I have 
resolved to nominate to be Gevernor and Re- 
gent of these kingdoms, during my absence, 
my truly beloved cousin, the Margu’s D? Abran- 
tio Francisco da Cunha de Menezes, iicutenant 
general of my forces ; the Principal Castro fone 
of my council, and a rigidor de justicia)3 
Pectroda Me.ler Breynez, aiso of my council, 
who willact as president of my treasury du- 
ring the incapacity of Luis de Yas Concellose 
SeGzis (whic is unzble to fili that function at 
present, on account of illness) ; Don Fraucisco 
de Noronka, president of the board of cons 
science and religious orders. aad im the ab- 
sente of any of them, the Conde De Castro 
Mazim, {grend huntsiman, whom] have no- 
minated president o? the senate, with the assist- 
ance of the secretaries thereof; tne Conde de 
Sampayo, and in his absence, Don Miguel 
Terira Forgaz; aud of my attorney-general, 
Jocco Antonio Saller de Mendenea; on ac- 
count oi the great confidence I have in them, 
and of the experience which they possess in 
matiers of government: being certain that 
mv people and kingdom will be governed 
and direcced in such a manner that my con- 
science will be discharged, and that this 
Regency will entirely fulfl its duty, so long 
as it shall please God that I shall be absent 
from this capital; edministering justice with 
impartiality ; distributing rewards and pus 
nishments as they may be merited. And 
these regents and administrators will farther 
hold this to be my. pleasuse, and fulfl my 
order in the form thus mentioned, and in 
conformity to the insrructions signed by me, 
and accompanying this decree, which they 
will communicate to the proper departments. - 
¢Signed) ‘¢ Tue Prince.” 
‘© Palace of ibe Ajunda, 27th Nev. 1807.” 
AMERICA. . 
On Tuesday, Oct. 27, the President of 
the United States cominunicated, by 
Mr, Coles; his secretary, the following 
Message to both Houses of Congress :-— 
Ze 
Kingagom, 2 
