The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

MADRID. June 21.

The Duke de Crillon who is appointed to the command of the troops employed to reduce Gibraltar, departed from this city on the 12th instant for Cadiz, whence he is to go to Algeciras. As soon as the Count d'Artois shall arrive, the siege will be pushed with the greatest vigour. In the mean time we may see, by the following letter, what immense preparations are making in order to give the last stroke to that redoubtable fortress.

"I have (says the author, who is arrived at Cadiz) just been through the camp of St. Roch, which may be called a city surrounded with a camp. The troops which compose it have constructed wooden barracks, which from their uniformity and regular arrangement, exhibit a very pleasing appearance. The houses of the officers are almost all built with brick, with a small garden to each, in which are flowers and vegetables cultivated. The nine battalions which lately arrived from Minorca, are all in tents, and don't appear desirous of a more commodious situation. Great expectations are formed from the judgment, bravery and activity of the Duc de Crillon, whose arrival is looked for with an impatience which shews how honorably he is esteemed. In the interim, plenty is to be seen every where, attended with health and joy: the soldiers inured to hardship and fatigue, perform wonders. Ten thousand men have hitherto done the duty of forty thousand: and it has frequently happened, that a party of the brigades de service have remained two days together in the trenches. The Spanish are perhaps the only soldiers of Europe who are capable of sustaining fatigue so painful, so constant, and hitherto accompanied with so little success. Habit has familiarized them to danger; they go into the trenches and the most advanced posts with as little concern as troops are seen to mount guard in garrison. The vessels arrived from Minorca, upwards of 100 in number, have brought an immense quantity of ammunition of every kind. It appears that the Court spares nothing in preparing for a terrible and decisive attack. The advanced works and lines are already furnished with near 200 pieces of cannon and mortars; and besides 150 pieces of ordnance, which I have seen in the park of artillery, many more are expected. In returning from Algeciras, I found the road almost cover'd with carts, loaded with huge pieces of wood, which will be made use of for the floating batteries. The ways also contained vast numbers of soldiers, sailors and labourers, who were going to the camp. The firing of the enemy is not great: when they are fired upon from the Spanish lines, as is the case from time to time, they return an answer. Some provision vessels got into the place during my stay at Ceuta and Algeciras; but nothing discourages the Spaniards; they are willing to expose themselves to every danger, to follow the Duc de Crillon, and to finish, under this adored Gen. a siege which has lasted so long. I saw at Algeciras ten vessels which left Cadiz three weeks ago; they are cut down and dismasted, in order to be made floating batteries of; and are lined to such a degree of thickness as to resist cannon balls. As soon as every thing shall be compleated, Gibraltar will be battered by land and sea at the same time: 70 pieces of ordnance will make upwards of 20 thousand discharges in a day. The havock which this terrible fire will occasion, must very soon render a general assault practicable, which the enemy will not be able to resist. It appears that the floating batteries will be stationed between the two Moles and that the North part of the town will be destroyed by the cross fire of these batteries and that of the advanced works on the isthmus of the Porte de Terre."