Elizabeth Town Gazette

LATEST FROM THE SPANISH MAIN.

Norfolk, Oct. 14.

Capt. Brickley, of the schr. Marmion, who arrived here last evening from Laguira, states, that at the time of his sailing. Sept. 8th, the Patriots were besieging Cumana with a force of 2000 men. The Royalists however were numerous and well supplied with provisions and military stores, both of which, it was understood, the Patriots stood much in need of. It was the general opinion that no fighting would take place until December, about which time they calculated that the plains would be sufficiently dry for their operations.

A report had reached Laguira, just before the M. sailed, which was currently believed, that two English vessels, laden with provisions and munitions of war, for the relief of the Patriots, had arrived in the Oronoko, from some of the Islands; but were intercepted on their way up the river and captured by a squadron of Spanish flecheras, (a sort of gun-boats.) As soon, however, as the intelligence of their capture reached Trinidad, a brig of war was immediately dispatched by the British Admiral to demand their release, and proceeded to Guayra, a small town in the Gulf of Para, into which the flecheras had carried the two vessels. The Spaniards, however, refused to give them up, when the brig, as if determined to have them at all hazards, commenced firing on the Spanish flotilla; and Admiral Brion coming up at the same time with his squadron, joined in the attack; and nearly all the flecheras were, in a short time, either taken or sunk. The town of Guayra was then taken possession of by Admiral Brion, and the two English vessels restored to the captain of the brig.--Reading Room Books.

We suspect there are some misrepresentations of facts in the above statement; which is the more likely, as the account comes from the Spanish town of Laguira. We have more direct and positive information of the transactions at Guayra from another source, which enables us to say, that the Spanish flotilla was taken by Brion's squadron alone ; that instead of a brig of war it was the British frigate Scamander which applied for the release of the two English vessels, and that so far from her firing into the Spaniards she kept aloof during the engagement, which, indeed, her neutral character compelled her to do. The " brig of war" which commenced the attack on the flotilla, was one of Brion's squadron, which was taken by the Spaniards during the action, and afterwards recaptured by Admiral Brion.

Herald.