1810.] — — Monthly C omnrercial Report. O91 
At Calcutta, on the 4th of February, sir so long and so bravely defended the fortress 
Alexander Seton, of Abercorn, bart. - of Matagorda. — ‘This fortress had been very 
During the defence of Fort Matagorda, injudiciously dismantled in part, previous to 
Cadiz, Mejor Lefevre,. royal engineers, bya the arrivalof the French. Sensible, too late 
cannen-dall. By his death the army hasitost of the importance of its position,- as itvcom- 
a most intelligent officer, Upon every occa- mands the entrance inte the ianer harbour, « 
sion in which his services were demanded, he it was resolved to defend it; principally with 
evinced the utmost brivery and zeal; but it a view to retard the approach of the French 
was chiefly at the battle of Maida that he dis- towards Cadiz. The detachment employed 
played those qualities. The talents he ma- for this purpose succeeded in keeping posses= 
nitested in a distinct command which. was sion of the fort for about three weeks. The - 
entrusted to him in that ever-memorabie French emp!oved nearly fifteen ‘days in cone 
battle, en itled him tothe honour of ame- structing their batteries; and the first they 
dal, which was intenced to be conferred only opened was at the distance of about 120 
on officers of superior rank; but bis claims yards.’ Their second battery opened-at the 
- were undeniable, and the reward which was distance of about 800 yards : they succeeded 
due to his gallant exertions, was in justice in makimga breach, and it was their-intention 
granted, as a fair distinction which he had to have stormed it, The little garrison had - 
earned on that glorious day... The reputation suffered so much, haying lost about half its 
he had acquired attracted the notice of his ‘number in killed and wonnded, that ic be- 
Majesty’s governmeht; and be was, with ‘came necessary for the remainder to evacuaie 
great propriety, selected as an officer in every the piace. Major Lefevre recommended. that. 
respect qualified to give the Spaniards the aid come gun-boats should be employed against 
oF his talents, and to obtain such intelligence the French batteries, beth to annoy: the: 
respecting the state of things in Spain, as enemy, and te divert their: fire during the’ 
could be relied upon for thd: extent and the evacuation. This, however, was untortu- 
accuracy of its details. Inthe perfermance natély omitted. The French, therefore, 
of both these services, he gave the utmost still kept up a tremendous fire upon the fort, 
gatisfaction. Major Lefevre may be truly The evacuation was effected in good orders 
Said to have existed only for the service. and Major Lefevre, continuing in it to the 
His passion fox the army predominated over . last, was, at the moment of retiring from it, 
every other, and almost every thought of his struck between tne shoulders by‘a 32- pound 
mind. was concentrated in that single point. shot, and instantly killed. 
He at last fell a victim to his heroic gal- Lately, in the West Indies, in ine 21th 
Jantry. General Graham, who entertained year, Mr. George Gould, surgeon, in the 
_ajust conception of his merit, had command- Royal Navy, and eldest son of Mr. Wm. G, 
¢d him co bring off the detachment that had - ef Blandford. 
MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT. 
BHrriss TrapvE AND MANUFACTURES.-=The consternation which has, for some time 
past, prevailed in the commercial world, is gradually subsiding; and we perceive, with do 
small pleasure, that the gazettes of the lasc month do not at oae us with such swollen ca- 
talogues of bankrupts as have lately alarmed the trading part of the community.’ In the 
provincial towns confidence appears to be on the “Aang and the banking-houses which have 
<s weathered the storm,” are in as high credit as ever.» ‘Phe manufacturing interest has not 
received any melioration’since our last, and in some towns, more especially Manchester and 
Birmingham, considerable distress still prevails among the working classes. Some consid-a 
rable failures in the West India line, have taken place at Liverpool; but these have long 
been anticipated, and it is hoped that they will not ultimately prove etenaterical either to 
the provision dealers of Ireland, or the manufacturers of Lancashire and Staffordshire, who 
ate the principal creditors of the defaulters alluded to. 
East Inpies ANp Curwa.—The Earl Howe, Lady Lushingtor, and Sir William Pult- _ 
ney, East Indiamen, from Bengal, and the Charles Grant, from Bombay, arrived within 
the current month. The cargoes OE these vessels are well assorted, and-consist of the fol- 
lowing commodities: viz Bengal Piece Goods, 10,594 pieces of sails 3 and 50,043 pieces of 
calico. Prohibited cottons, calicoes, and silks of sundry descriptions, 30,331 pieces. Com- 
pany’ s Drugs, er. Sugar, 5,171 bags,. saltpetre, 11,578 ditto. Raw silk, 766 bales, hemp, 
(on account of government) 1,149 ditto. Banzboo machinery, ¥ boxes, and kemoo shells, 
& ditto. Privilege Drugs, Ge. Sitisows 2,646 chests, cotton yarn, 78 bales; vermilion, 66 
boxes; lac lake, 35 chests ; 3 tale, 4 ditto ; sal ammoniac, 46 ditto; hemp, 2, 444. bales; cof- 
fee, 540 bags; pepper, 4,579 ditto, and 1 box; camphor, 150/chests; cassia buds, 19 
skins, and 15 “chests ; 3 cassia lignea, & ditto; arrow-roete 21 ditto ; drugs, 14 ditto; cotton, 
; e f 120 bales 5 
