flotilla silenced a small battery in the Bay of Bulls; and next day, the enemy excited great astonishment by throwing red-hot shot as far as the British squadron; a distance from Santa-Catalina, incredible as it may appear, of at least three miles: this was, probably, effected by reversing the gun on the carriage, and thereby giving it an extraordinary elevation. During the night, the atmosphere was singularly lighted by the fuses of crossing shells, from Puntales to the opposite shore.
While the French were employed in fortifying their numerous posts, the Spaniards were receiving considerable remittances from South America: and the British indefatigable in procuring ample supplies of provisions for the garrison of Cadiz, and in keeping up a constant communication with the south of Portugal, Tariffa, Gibraltar, and Tangier. On the 24th of Sept., the San-Pedro-d’Alcantara, 64, arrived from Lima, with a valuable cargo, and specie to the amount of several millions of dollars. The Cortes being then, for the first time, assembled, this coincidence was naturally hailed by the patriots as a most auspicious omen.
Previous to the meeting of the Cortes, the political and military government of Cadiz and its suburbs had been en trusted to a Junta, composed chiefly, if not wholly, of merchants; and it was presumed by the feeble Regency of Spain, that they would not fail to adopt the most proper measures for the public security; they, however, proved themselves to be far otherwise than disinterested servants of their country. From the very commencement of their authority, they strove by all means to acquire the exclusive management of the public revenue; employed the national funds in commerce; and appropriated the profits thereof to their own use. One of their first acts was to obtain the removal of the high-spirited Alburquerque from the command of the army in La-Isla-de-Lecon, and, had they retained their power, it is probable that Napoleon Buonaparte would have obtained possession of this most important point in the kingdom. Fortunately, however, the Provisional Regency was dissolved by the Cortes; and the authority of the Junta transferred to an Executive Council, consisting of three
