The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

LONDON, June 7.

On Tuesday night, at a quarter before eight o'clock Mr. Flint, one of the Duke of Leeds Messengers, arrived at the Secretary of State's Office, Whitehall, with letters from his Majesty's Secretary to the Embassy at the Court of Spain. The letters were immediately carried to his Grace at his house in Grosvenor-square, who came to the Office at nine o'clock, and summoned a Council, which met soon after, and was attended by most of the Cabinet Ministers. The Council sat until eleven o'clock, when the Duke sent letters to all the foreign Ministers at their respective residences in town. Mr. Basilico, the other Messenger, who is to bring the final answer, is not yet arrived.

Yesterday morning, at ten o'clock, another Council was held at the Duke of Leeds Office, which was attended by all the Cabinet Ministers; at two of the clock the Council broke up, when the result was laid before the King at the Levee at St. James's by the Duke of Leeds.

This messenger was dispatched to Gibraltar the moment that our Cabinet had decided to resent the insult offered to the British flag on the Western Coast of America, and to demand satisfaction for it from the Court of Spain.

He returned from Gibraltar, by the way of Madrid and brought with him letters from Mr. Frasier, our Minister and Plenipotentiary at that Court, containing some sort of reply to the demands of the British Government, communicated in the dispatches sent out by Basilico, who had been arrived at Madrid several days.

The answer he brings is throughout evasive, and does not in the smallest degree decide the grand question of war and peace. A kind of forbearance seems to be requested on the part of the Spanish Government, which acknowledges itself not to be so bigotted to its own ideas of an exclusive right to the West Coast of America, as to set its face against conviction, if Great Britain can prove a title to trade in those parts.

The final answer of the Court of Spain is however deferred until the arrival of Mr. Fitzherbert, who was met about four days journey from Madrid and immediately on whose arrival there, the answer is to be given, and to be sent home by Basilico, who cannot be expected in London until towards the 10th instant.

The most vigorous exertions are making at Chatham to equip the ships under orders. Fifteen hundred impressed seamen are at this time on board the Sandwich guardship at the Nore, which are immediately to be distributed among the vessels proceeding to sea.

The contracts for victualling stores, &c. are upon a scale of three fold magnitude to those of the last armament; and, when we add to this, that all the fire ships are refitting with the utmost dispatch, there can be little doubt that the event must be a speedy declaration of war.

Description of the Queen Charlotte,
Lately Launched at Chatham.
Feet. In.
Numb. yds. canvas in her sails, 17,000

The Spaniards have at present in the ports of Cadiz, Ferrol, and Carthagena 71 sail of the line, and 48 frigates—

The formidable naval preparations of Spain, abundantly demonstrate that her object is not frivolous, not her enmity contemptible.

Height from taffrel to the keel	56	0
Length on the gun deck	190	0
Length of keel for tonnage	156	2
Extreme breadth	52	5
Breadth moulded	51	8
Depth in the hold	22	4
Draught of water forward	14	11
Ditto, aft	19	3
Burthen of tons	2,286