The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

Sept. 4.

Letters are received from Gibraltar, of the 2d of August. At that time the inhabitants and garrison were in perfect health. The Spanish camp seemed to be daily increased; the tents and marquees within sight of the garrison amounted to about 700, and it was calculated that they contained about 15,000 men. No fear, however, was entertained of any speedy attack. These letters were brought by the Mediterranean Fleet, arrived at the Motherbank, under convoy of the Prevoyante. The vessels arrived are the Justina, Rooke; Mount Royal, Drewe; Hope, White; Providence brig, and two light transports. Sir Richard Bickerton arrived at Gibraltar on the 26th July, with four ships of the line, his own ship, the Queen included. Sir Richard, being under the necessity of leaving his station off Carthagena, for want of water, went to Oran: but was unable to get any there, in consequence of the disturbed state of the country. The Carthagena squadron, eight sail strong, who never stirred from their harbor so long as Sir Richard continued in the neighborhood, came out as soon as he had withdrawn. On the 27th ult. at five o'clock, a division of 17 Spanish gun boats formed in a line at some distance from the garrison, threw two shells and a few shot among the shipping, which did no injury, and then retired. It afterwards appeared that the attack was conducted by the Spanish admiral don Bruno de Ezesa in person, in full hopes of being able to burn Sir Richard Bickerton's squadron, by means of red hot shot; but in loading with red hot shot a second time, an officer and two men were blown to pieces on board of the gun boats, which struck such a panic into the whole line, that no persuasions of their officers could induce them to try any further loading with red hot shot, which was the cause of their precipitate retreat. The same accounts add, that since their return to Algesiras, four men more have lost their lives in practising the firing with red hot shot, which has so damped the spirits of the crews of the gun boats, that it is very doubtful whether they will ever attempt that mode of attack again.