TUE NATIONAL REGISTER. Island with the force sent against it, that idea was aban doned, and the more general one prevailed, that the expe dition was meditated against Java. The following is the extract of a letter from Demerara, dated January 20, 1808 : " I have to inform you that an embargo was yesterday laid on all shipping:, merely to prevent the Americans from getting away till we see for which side they declare." From this extract, which was on Monday exhibited at Lloyd's, it would seem, that the Governors of our Colo nies assume, or are invested with a very extraordinary power indeed. Perhaps this proceeding may be the re sult of imperfect instruttion from our Government at home, or of forward zeal on the part of the Colonial Governor. Let us hope, that sich a measure will not tend to exaspe rate the feelings of the Americans. We remember a simi lar proceeding some time since on the part of the Gover nors of Grenada and St. l'incents, Maas it took place under circumstances somewhat different from those which now exist, and as it continued but a day or two, it did not ex cite much attention. Captain Duncan, who for some time past has had a command in the Portuguese naval service, had the good fortune, about the end of February, to escape on hoard the Russian squadron in the Tagus, from whence he further succeeded in getting on board a vessel of our blockading Sleet, and is now arrived in England. This officer remained on board the Russian squadron till the 19th ult.; he of course had ample means of ascertaining the state of opinion, and disposition of the Russian officers there. Captain Duncan states, that they are anxious to leave that uncomfortable station, could they do it with safety. The Russians had suffered greatly from the want of necessaries of all kinds. Junot had forbidden any supplies being sent to them ; nor had they been enabled for some time, to procure from the stores of Portugal an ounce of fresh vrovisions of any kind. In the meanwhile the inhabitants of Lisbon were reduced to the necessity of making bread of peas, beans, and all the inferior sorts of grain, which, silien mixed together, were scarcely eatable; and even of this kind the supply was scanty.--Several Councils had been held on hoard the R usssian squadron, to consider of the measures to be pursued at such an emergency. At one time it was proposed, that the Russian 11 , 0 should put to sea, consisting of nine sail of the line and a frigate, and risk an engagement with the F,m,Tlish ; but on reflecting that every one of their ships were damaged in their masts, the plan was abandhned as impracticable. Besides this, the crews, for want of proper nourishmeAt, were in a very sickle state.—Thn plan that had met the sense of the majority as the less evil of the two, was that of hying up their ships in the Tagus. and of marching their crews overland to St. Petersburgh. This project had not been carried into exe cution on the departure of Captain Duncan ; but he is of opinion that it must soon take place, from necessity. Mr. Gambier, the late Consul at Lisbon, is appointed Consul at the Brazils, and kill embark, in a few esys, on board the Presidente frigate, Capt. Mackenzie, for that place. On Saturday the hottest press ever known took place on the river Thames, when au unprecedented number of able seaman were procured for his Majesty's service. A flotilla of small smacks was surrounded by one of the canzs, and the whole of the hands, amountin to upwards of 100, were carried off. A curious discovery, which involved the reputation of a young lady of character, was made in Pall-Mall, on Sun day night. An officious hackney-coachman set down a gent!cman, and the young lady in question, in Pall-Mall, between eleven and twelve o'clock, and the coachman 'de manded two shillings for his fare; the gentleman having given him eighteen-pence, the coachman, dissatisfied, se cretly followed his passengers ; and, after an afectionate parting, the young lady knocked at the door of a respec table house in Pall-Mall, not many yards from the spot APRIL 11. here the coach had stopped. T e coachma nfi accostedth e lady at the door for another sixpence, which s h e re f used to give ; and, on the door being opened, and the coachman still pressing for his money, and still being refused, he ap. pealed to two persons belonging to the house, whether the time he had waited, together with such a distance from a certain house, of notoriety for the accommodation of Le sexes, in the vicinity of Soho-square, did not entitle him to a two shilling fare. The lady fainted on her faux p at being related ; and the meddling coachman was dismissed with his sixpence.—The lady's gallant is the son of a Lord. Early on Thursday morning eleven French prisoners made their escape from the Vigilante prison ship in Portsmouth harbour, by swimming from her, alongside of a frigate in ordinary, and took her boat from astern; from thence they proceeded to one of the King's buoy boats (a fast sailing vessel, being coppered), secured the men, three in number, below, belonging to her, and about a quarter be fore five o'clock went out of the harbour. It being a ves sel belonging to Government, was not hailed from the watch-house, (though observed going out), and, no doubt, ere this have gained the French coast. Two of them, in attempting to get alongside of the frigate in ordinary,stuck in the mud, one of whom was found dead, and the other much exhausted, who was taken back to the prison ship. It is strongly rumoured that the prisoners who had effected their escape have since been taken, from the following curious circumstances : the four Englishmen below, came to a determination to cut the mast asunder, in consequence of which, the vessel was overtaken by a ship dispatched for that purpose, and carried into the port of Chichester. THE COURT AND WORLD OF FASHION. Wednesday, at two o'clock, his Majesty had a privali, levee at the Queen's Palace. The following had the honour of being presented : Master George Allan, by the Earl of Harcourt, on his being appointed a Page of Honour to her Majesty ; the Bishop of Limerick, on his promotion ; the Duke of Newcastle, on his marriage ; Major-General Cotton, on his promotion ; Lieut.- General Mattwell, on his being appointed Colonel Of the 3d Ve term; Battalion. Major-General Payne delivered to his Majesty the Order of the Knight of the Bath, worn by the late Lord LiNing ton. His Majesty held a Privy Council, and gave audiences to Ihe Cabinet :Ministers present, among %shoal was the Duke of Portland. Thursday, at two o'clock,' her Majesty held a Drawing room at St. James's Palace, which, for the time of year, was but thinly attended. The following were among the presentations to her Majesty : Major-General Campbell, upon his being appointed to the command of the sth Garrison Battalion, and being removed to the Staff; Master George Allen, by the Earl of Harcourt, upon his being appointed a Page of Honour to her Majesty ; Admi ral Sir James Saumarez, upon his being appointed to a com mand; the Duke and Duchess of Newcastle, upon their mar riage; Captain Hope, upon his being appointed first Captain to Admiral Sir James Saumarez; Lord Napier, upon his being appointed his Majesty's Lord High Commissioner to the Gene ral Assembly of the Church of Scotland; Rear-Admiral Sawyer, upon his promotion ; Lieutenant-Colonel French, upon his promotion and appointment upon the Staff in America ; Gen. N. Balfour, upon his promotion ; the Rev. Dr. King, upon his being appointed a Prebend of Westminster Abbey ; General Bertie, upon his being appointed Colonel of the 89th regiment, in the room of Mr. Whitelocke ; E irl Ca-an, upon his being appointed Colonel of the 77th regiment of foot; the Bis top of Limerick, upon his promotion to that ftishoprick, by the Earl of Moira ; Viscountess Hawarden, upon coming to her title ; Major-General Cotton, upon his promotion ; Baron Wrangel , by the Swedish Ambassador; the Rev. Dr. Goodall, -of Eton College, upon his being appointed a Canon of in the room of time late Dr. Duval. the Master 236 APR aNN Tom tioued The of tke r •~ , (. MO ~-~.~- NV i Th .111 Tt 'mit. W flow, ieavl t;. desti Indi ship Sir Cart Lori fur and Afitc Hot um& (ion ner, Cas Ber Uni 'lnc Ivi CI Sa