Kentucky Gazette

EXTRACT TO THE EDITOR—DATED:
"Havanna, July 6."

"I am about to leave this place for Orleans in ten days, and use the opportunity that now offers to give you such information as can be had under the Spanish government. A new captain general has arrived; he is to command this island and dependencies—this created for some days a strong sensation among the planters and merchants, who had learned that he had brought with him an order from the adorable Ferdinand to close this port against all foreign bottoms. The alarm has, however, passed away—the old governor, Apodaca, understood the state of this colony better than the court of Madrid, and no doubt he soon convinced the new captain general that a force which, uniting all he brought with him, and those here before, do not exceed 1600 men fit for service, would not be sufficient to repress discontent in so extensive a colony; for, although there are here what may be called local militia, the Spanish authorities appear to apprehend that if there was any convulsion, they would act on the side of the people. Apodaca has conducted himself altogether in such a way as to be respected; and his departure, to take upon him the viceroyalty of Mexico, is much regretted. He was to have taken his passage in a frigate of 44 guns, which lay in this harbor, and which unfortunately took fire on the 4th of July, and was totally consumed, without a single article being saved. She was the finest 44 in the Spanish service, and her loss is valued at more than a million of dollars, exclusive of a vast quantity of valuable goods which were on board of her intended according to immemorial usage, to be smuggled in here. She is reported to have had some impressed Americans on board her.—However, this disaster, and the want of any other ship of sufficient strength to resist the swarms of citizens of the Columbian revolters, which invest these seas, will retard the departure of Apodaca. He was to take with him the skeletons of two regiments, one of which I saw marched as I was going on board; it was also going for embarkation, to one of the ports opposite the Havanna, called Caraccas—it was 180 strong. Two embargoes have been resorted to, in order to cover this formidable movement, and conceal it from the Columbian cruisers: the last embargo applied to Spanish vessels alone: but it was not necessary—few Spaniards venture out, and when they do, they seldom escape; for the cruisers of the revolters look into this harbor with impunity.

"It is not safe to enquire about the affairs on the continent; but as there is no regulation in force against hearing, I could not help hearing that the state of affairs in the neighborhood of Vera Cruz, and throughout Mexico, would render it unsafe for captain-general Apodaca to trust himself on terra firma, even if he could escape the republican cruisers. There is something going on which appears to threaten the expulsion of the royal adherents entirely—but I cannot ask a word of particulars."

Aurora.