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CHRONOLOGICAL SKETCH

OF THE

MOST REMARKABLE EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1809.

THE year 1809 has been a year of mighty import; war has desolated every quarter of Europe, from the frozen ocean to the furthest south. The glorious struggles of Spain have marked many a day with bloody records for remoter times. British valour has been pre-eminently conspicuons: British exertions pre-eminently great; and British blood and treasure pre-eminently lavished in arduous conflicts, of which few have satisfied the hopes and expectations of the country. The following summary shews the varied scene, and discloses the progress of events during the year:

JANUARY.

1. Bonaparte reaches Astorga, with the army from Madrid, in order to cut off the retreat of Sir John Moore.

3. Accounts received of a dreadful revolution in Turkey, in which Mustapha, the Grand Seignor, is slain; together with the whole of the troops disciplined in the European manner.

5. Peace between England and the Sublime Porte concluded.

14. The Island of Cayenne surrenders to the British.

16. Glorious but fatal battle of Corunna, which, after an unexampled retreat, and beating the enemy on several occasions, terminates the campaign in Spain under the gallant Sir John Moore, who was killed soon after the battle began.

21. Part of St. James's Palace destroyed by fire. 27. The House of Commons resolve to investigate the conduct of his R. H. the Duke of York, as Commander in Chief.

FEBRUARY.

8. The Spanish Junta publish a decree, directing the Spanish troops to give no quarter to such of the French troops as had committed certain excesses in that country.

13. Cevallos, the Spanish Ambassador, arrives in London.

21. Saragossa taken by the French, after one of the most glorious defences recorded in the annals of history.

24. Drury-Lane Theatre burnt down.

24. The Island of Martinique captured by his Majesty's sea and land forces.

28. Lord Falkland killed in a duel by Mr. Powell.

MARCH.

1. Austria puts her troops on the War Establishment.

15. Gustavus IV. King of Sweden, arrested and deprived of the functions-of government.

is. The Duke of York resigns his situation of Commander in Chief,

25. The Portuguese take Chaves from the French, with prisoners.

2. Vigo retaken by the Spaniards, aided by two British frigates, and 1300 French prisoners, who were in the town, sent to England.

27. A violent eruption of Mount Etna.

APRIL.

11. Four French ships of the line destroyed in Basque Roads by the boats of the British fleet, under the command of Lord Cochrane.

14. The Hautpoult French ship of war captured in attempting to escape from the Saints, where it and several more French ships had been blockadeḍ by Sir Alexander Cochrane.

17. The Island of Saints, in the West Indies, captured by the forces under General Maitland. 20. Battle of Abensberg between the French and Austrians.

23. After the French and Austrian armies had had several skirmishes, the latter retreated upon Bohemia, and the former took Ratisbon.

MAY.

1. The Duke of Sudermania created King of Sweden.

11. Mr. Maddox brings forward a charge of corruption against Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Per

ceval in the House of Comatous.

12. Sir Arthur Wellesley, after beating the forces under Marshal Soult, delivers Oporto, where he found a large quantity of French ordnance.

12. The French take possession of Vienna.

17. Bonaparte, by a decree, united the Papal States to the French empire; and puts an end to the temporal jurisdiction of the Sovereign Pontiff. 18. The port of Trieste taken by the Freuch under Macdonald.

21. & 22. Fattle of Aspern, in which the French army, under Bonaparte, is defeated by the Austrians under Prince Charles; the loss on both sides was immense.

31. Stralsund assaulted and taken by the Dutch troops, and Colonel Schill and one-third of his brave followers killed, after he had raised contributions upon the territories of Jerome Bonaparte.

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1. Trial of Miss Mary Yorke, who was capitally indicted for maliciously firing a gun at R. Coombs, 3. Wright, te upholsterer, recovers a bill against Colonel Wardle for upwards of £1200, for furniture to Mrs. Clarke.

8. Defeat of the Austrian army at Wagram, 6. The Archduke Charles, at Vienna, published after the severest couflict during that and the tw

a declaration of war against France.

preceding days.

8. Reduction of the French settlement of Sene- epoch similar to this has only occurred in our hisgal and Gorce.

12. Armistice concluded between the French and Austrian armies.

20. Cobbet, the reformer and stickler for freedoin and the rights of man, convicted of cruelty and oppression to a poor boy in his service.

tory twice in twelve centuries, viz. in the reigns of Henry III, and Edward 11.

25. Glorious achievement in the Bay of Rosas. The Toulon squadron is destroyed, three sail of the line and a frigate by Admiral Martin, and afterwards the armed ships and transports des

99. Sailed from the Downs the Grand Expedi-tined for the relief of Barcelona by the boats from tion to Holland, under Lord Chatham.

25. Lord Gambier's trial on charges brought against him by Lord Cochrane, connected with the attack in Basque Roads; he is acquitted.

28. Defeat of the French at Talavera by the combined British and Spanish armies under Sir A. Wellesley and General Cuesta.

AUGUST.

1. Meeting of the Court of Common Council, for the purpose of coming to a division on a motion for rescinding the Vote of Thanks to Col. Wardle, in which resolutions were adopted confirming the former vote.

3. Siege of Flushing commenced by the British. 9. A meeting of the Freeholders of the county of Middlesex at Hackney, to consider of the propriety of petitioning for a Reform in Parliament.

16. Surreader of Flushing to the British arins. 18. Joseph Bonaparte by decree suppresses religious orders in Spain, abolishes the class of grandees, and all old titles.

27. Gallant attack on the fort and shipping of Cortolezzo, between Venice and Trieste, by the crew of the Amp'on, in which the fort is blown up and all the vessels destroyed or taken.

SEPTEMBER.

4. Eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

16. Arrived in London the Earl of Chatham, from the island of Walcheren.

17. Treaty of Peace between Sweden and Russia concluded.

17. Eleven of Schill's Officers tried by a military tribunal at Wessel, and executed as robbers. is. The new Theatre of Covent-Garden opened for the reception of the public.

21. Duel fought between Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Canning, in which our Minister for Foreigu Affairs is wounded by our Minister of War.

23. Increasing riot at Covent-Garden Theatre; it closes for the purpose of referring the points in dispute (raising the price of admissiou) to a Select Committee.

24. Received intelligence of the conclusion of the war in Travancore.

25. The celebrated fortress of Ismail surrenders to the Russians without resistance.

25. Lord Grenville and Load Grey invited to co-operate in the formation of a new Administration.

OCTOBER.

4. Mr. Perceval kissed hands on being appointed First Lord of the Treasury.

4. Covent-Garden Theatre re-opened; serious and alarming frays in the Pit.

11. Lord Bathurst kissed hands as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

14. Peace signed between France and Austria. 19. The defeat of the French in Spain by the Duke del Parque.

25. The day of Jubilee, on which his Majesty entered upon the fiftieth year of his reign." An

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our ships under Captain Hallowell.

30. Duke of Portland died at Burlington-house, in the 72d year of his age.

NOVEMBER.

1. Battle of St. Colama; Elake's position forced by Castiglione, in Catalonia.

3. Mr. Kemble made his motion in the Common Council for rescinding the resolutions of the Court respecting the Vote of Thanks to Col. Wardle, which was negatived.

13. Rupture of the Negociation in America, in consequence of an altercation between Mr. Smith, Secretary of State to the United States, and Mr. Jackson, who had succeeded Mir. Erskine as British Minister.

14. Bonaparte arrives in Paris with the Kings of Westphalia, Saxony, and other vassals in his

train.

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3. Bonaparte, in an address to the Legislative Body, developes his future prospects.

5. The Common Council of London agrees to Ian Address to the King, which is afterwards rejected, as containing language personally disrespectful to his Majesty.

.3. Trial relative to Covent-Garden Theatre, between Henry Clifford, Esq. and Mr. Brandon. Verdict in favour of Mr. Clifford, which renews the almost subsided tumults at the Theatre.

Jands of Zante, Cephalonia, Ithaca, and Cerigo to his Majesty's arms.

3. Accounts received of the surrender of the

7. A dreadful Wreck of ships in the Seaford quarter, 32 seamen lost.

10. The arsenal and works about the bason of Flushing destroyed.

11. Court of King's Bench. The indictment of Mary Anne Clarke and Daniel and Francis Wright, for a conspiracy against Col. Wardle. Verdict Not Guilty.

14. Termination of the disturbances at CoventGarden Theatre.

14. Lord Grenville elected Chancellor of the University of Oxford.

15. The Empress Josephine and the Emperor Napoleon dissolve their marriage.

18. Subscription in behalf of Colonel Wardle opened at the Crown and Anchor Tavern.

20. The Persian Ambassador, his Excellency Mirza Abdul Hassan, presented his credentials to his Majesty.

23. Evacuation of Walcheren by the British forces.

23. The navigation of the Canal from the river Thames to the town of Croydon was opened.

London: Printed by and for J. BELL, Southampton-street, Strand.

FOR FEBRUARY, 1810.

A New Series.

CONTAINING

A NEW SYSTEM OF BOTANY,

BY

DR. THORNTON;

AND

A SERIES OF ORIGINAL MUSIC,

BY MR. HOOK.

EMBELLISHMENTS.

1. An Elegant PORTRAIT of her GRACE THE DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE,

2. Three WHOLE-LENGTH FIGURES in the FASHIONS of the SEASON, COLOURED, 3. An ORIGINAL SONG, set to Music for the Harp and Piano-forte; composed exclusively for this Work, by Mr. Hook.

4. Two elegant and new PATTERNS for NEEDLE-WORK.

CONTENTS.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF ILLUS BEAUTIES OF THE BRITISH POETS.

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PRINTED BY AND FOR JOHN BELL, PROPRIETOR OF THE WEEKLY MESSENGER, SOUTHAMPTON-STREET, STRAND, MARCH 1,

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ALL Persons desirous of commencing Subscribers to the New Series of this Work, are respectfully informed, that an EXTRA QUANTITY of the First Number of the New Series was published, for their convenience, and which may be had of every Bookseller in town and country.

The article on "C

continued in our next.

Prophecy," and the "Select Maxims of Lord Hale," will be

.

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