The Enquirer

There is no doubt of hostilities having commenced upon the continent, and this information we communicated last night in part of our impression. The Dutch papers, to the 18th, which arrived last night, make no mention of this event, though they full of the movements of troops, confess that the last hopes of peace have vanished, and state that the French minister has left Vienna. The account of the commencement of hostilities is contained in private letters. The first blow was in a quarter where we did not expect it. General Marmont, the commander in chief of the French army in Dalmatia, resolved to make an attempt to surprise Trieste, a most important point. He advanced in a heavy storm of snow with about twenty thousand men. But this movement was suspected by the Austrians, who had time to take the necessary precautions, and advanced from Trieste to meet the enemy. They came up with them at no great distance from the town, and an obstinate engagement took place, in which the French were defeated with considerable loss, and were pursued by the Austrians some miles.

The capture of Trieste would have been of immense importance to the French.

Bonaparte has often said to us, "the treaty of Amiens, and nothing but the treaty of Amiens--Great Britain shall have nothing to do with the continent."--Let us then reply to him, "France shall have nothing to do with the Islands--If he is able to prevent us from interfering with the continent, we will prevent him from interfering with the Islands--He shall have nothing to do with either of the Indies--Great Britain shall be Lord of the Isles."

Being decisively of opinion, that France ought never to possess again a foot of land in the W. Indies, we trust that Ministers will take the earliest opportunity, after the capture of Martinique and Guadaloupe, to declare that she shall not: and to make known their determination never to give back these Islands.