The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

Boston, June 22.

Bella! horrida bella!

Through the goodness of a respectable correspondent, we have been favoured with a London paper, of May 6 brought in the Brig Thomas, Capt. Thayer, from England, who arrived on Saturday—which was sent down express to the Downs, where Capt. Thayer lay: and received just before he sailed. From this paper we have made the following copious extracts of IMPORTANT INTELLIGENCE.

SPANISH WAR.

LONDON, May 6.

HOUSE OF LORDS—May 5.

The Duke of Leeds informed the House that he had a Message from his Majesty to deliver to their Lordships, which Message was as follows:

THE KING'S MESSAGE.

"His Majesty having received information that two ships under the British flag, and navigated by British sailors, and also that two other ships that have not as yet been sufficiently ascertained, were captured in the Nootka Sound, on the Western Coast of North America, by two ships commanded by Spanish Officers, the cargoes of which were seized, and the sailors taken prisoners, and sent into a Spanish Port.

"That before this official information was received, it was known that one ship belonging to this country had been captured; an application for which had been made to the Court of Spain by the British Ambassador at Madrid, to have her and her cargo restored. That orders were accordingly given by that Court for this purpose, but that before this, the Viceroy of Mexico had restored this ship, under the idea that the officers were ignorant of the rights of Spain, and because he had received orders from his Court to show every regard to the British Nation.

"That the Spaniards claimed an exclusive privilege to the trade, navigation, and fisheries of those coasts;—That the capture of these British ships which had not been restored had been mentioned to the Spanish Ambassador to state to his Court;—That the same business had been laid before the Court of Spain by our Ambassador at Madrid, but that no satisfaction or restitution had been made by that Court. That his Britannic Majesty was extremely anxious that the same harmony & friendship should subsist between the two Courts as on former occasions; at the same time being informed that several armaments were now equipping in the ports of Spain—he recommended it to his faithful Commons to take into their consideration the increase of the armaments of this country, so as to enable him to support and maintain the honour and dignity of his Crown, and the real interests of his people."

His GRACE, after the Message was read by the Clerk, said to their Lordships, that as this was a matter of great importance, he should move that all the Lords be summoned for to-morrow, to take this Message into consideration. He added, that the honor of the British nation was concerned, and that he had no manner of doubt but Parliament would support the dignity of the Crown, and the consequent interest and welfare of Great-Britain.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—May 5.

MESSAGE FROM THE KING.

The Hon. Chancellor of the Exchequer brought up a Message from the KING, which was read by Mr. Speaker—the same as stated in the Lords.

Mr. PITT then moved, that his Majesty's Message might be taken into consideration to-morrow.

Mr. Fox said, he should imitate the example of the Right Hon. Gentleman, who had made no observations on this message; at the same time there were things stated in it, which, when compared with several other things that had been advanced in that House during this Session, must produce remarks from every Member in it.

As many erroneous accounts of the particulars of the cause of his Majesty's message to both Houses of Parliament yesterday, will probably be circulated, we have a particular satisfaction in being enabled to lay before the public, a statement of the whole transaction which has given rise to this message, as far as prudence can permit it to be made public. In doing so we must observe that we are warranted in what we say by the FIRST AUTHORITY.

THE CAUSE.

A plan of discovery and commerce on the North-West coast of America, having been meditated by a Company of Gentlemen in London and India. Mr. Meares, a very able and intelligent officer belonging to his Majesty's service, was fixed on, together with another Gentleman to superintend this expedition.

In the year 1786, two vessels were fitted out from Bengal to make this voyage, one of which, after leaving China, has never been heard of to the present moment:—the other, in which was Mr. Meares, after having been for several months on the North-West coast of America, during part of which time the ship was blocked up by the ice, returned back to China, with a very valuable cargo of furs. In the course of this expedition, Mr. Meares had seen sufficient to convince him that a very lucrative branch of trade might be followed on this coast, the natives being friendly and willing to form an intercourse.

In the years 1788 and '89, four vessels were fitted out from China to pursue the advantages and discoveries made by Mr. Meares on his former voyage, and the trade continued with the utmost success, and was becoming a matter of great national advantage. In the course of trading on the coast, Mr. Meares found a place convenient for ship-building, and actually built and fitted out a vessel, the first thing of the kind ever attempted in that part of the world, which he destined for the purpose of exploring the Archipelago of St. Lazarus, and the Straits of Juan de Fuca.

Towards the middle of last year this trade had become so flourishing and extensive, through the activity and prudent management of Mr. Meares, that factories and trading houses were began to be erected the same as at Hudson's Bay, and several discoveries were made in different parts of that coast of America and the Straits of the Archipelago, where no Europeans had ever ventured.—A Colony was nearly formed near Nootka Sound, as a factory for the trade, when a small Squadron of Spanish ships of war, commanded by a naval-officer, and a man of high rank, seized on two of the vessels, and in spite of every remonstrance, he has sent the crews of them to Mexico in Irons.

Thus has this valuable trade been nipped in its infancy, though we trust that the means that have been taken to crush it, will be the forerunner of its future success and prosperity. At the time of this seizure, Mr. Meares was fortunately at China, superintending the extension of this enterprising and beneficial commerce, for the principal article of barter being Furs, which are so highly valuable in China, the trade was profitable beyond conception. Being furnished with every particular circumstance of the transaction, he came home lately in the Ganges East-Indiaman, from China, and has since submitted a state of the case to Mr. GRENVILLE, who communicated it to his Majesty.

GENERAL PRESS.

The consequences naturally resulting from this behaviour of the Court of Spain have been, a message from his Majesty, as stated in our Parliamentary Intelligence of this day, and an exertion on the part of the Members of Administration, to make proper preparations for resenting the insult offered to the British flag by the capture of those vessels. Accordingly, Press-Warrants were issued on Tuesday, at two o'clock, and at one o'clock yesterday morning a very smart and general press took place on the River, and in the course of four hours, almost every merchant ship between London and Gravesend was stripped of its crew.

By the returns made to the Admiralty yesterday, the number of men secured in the River on Tuesday night amounts to near 2000. No doubt this number is considerably increased by a general press throughout every seaport in the kingdom.

NAVAL ARMAMENT

On Tuesday morning, an express arrived at Admiral Rodney's Arms, at Portsmouth, ordering the Southampton, Pegasus, Nautilus, Termagant, Flirt, and Drake ships to sail on that night, on SPECIAL SERVICE. The Captains of the Guard-ships were likewise ordered to sleep on board, and the Hebe was directed to follow the Pegasus, &c. the next morning.

Besides these orders, the Admiralty Board thought proper yesterday, to order the following ships to be immediately put in commission:

Royal Sovereign 100. Victory 100.
Formidable 98. Princess Royal 98. Gibraltar 80. Egmont 74. Valiant 74.
Warrior 74. Robust 74. Alexander 74
Alfred 74: Courageux 74: Canada 74.
Arethusa 38. Minerva 38. La Nymphe 36. La Prudente 36. Melampus 36.
Iphigenia 32. Winchelsea 32. Hinde 28. Hussar 28. Cyclops 28. Boreas 28. Daphne 20. Typhon, fire ship 12.

A frigate has already been dispatched to Gibraltar—and it is supposed that a squadron will immediately follow it.

MOTIVES OF SPAIN.

It appears to be a prevalent idea among the best informed people, that the Court of Spain, dreading an insurrection on the principles which have stirred up the rebellion in France, has thought it prudent to divert the attention of her people from that purpose by a war with Great-Britain, the only generous enemy on whom she could rely, when peace was proclaimed, for a just restitution of what might be taken from her.

As to France, that country is unable to make good any part of the Family Compact, for, after the people's being obliged to pawn their very buckles to support the credit of their State, no hope of assistance can be expected from that shadow of a government.

The gambling going forward in the Alley, is great beyond conception. On Tuesday the 3 per cent consols were at 79. On the opening of yesterday's market, the consols were done at 75, and in the course of the day they fluctuated from that price to 76—75½—75, and towards the close of the market they fell to 74¼.

On Tuesday policies of Insurance were opened at Lloyd's Coffee-House, on a premium of ten per cent. that Press Warrants were not issued within seven days. These have of course been recovered. Yesterday policies were done at Lloyd's, at ten, and afterwards at twenty per cent. to ensure that there should be a declaration of War against Spain within six calendar months.

The present dispute between the National Assembly and the CHATELET, is of a nature to produce consequences of the utmost importance to France. The MARQUIS DE LA FAYETTE, it is said, supports the pretensions of the latter.

Extract of a letter from London, May 6.

"A fleet is ordered to be fitted out of 13 ships of the line, and 15 frigates,—Five frigates have also sailed with different dispatches to various quarters, and a WAR appears near at hand with SPAIN—The measures of Parliament this night may better explain the business.—My own opinion is, that it appears likely we shall—I wish America may profit by the follies of others."