POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY NIGHT.
News of the actual bombardment of Tangier reached town yesterday, and was distributed to the public piecemeal, in successive editions of the daily papers ; the accounts being amplified this morning. The Journal des Debats of Thursday professed to give the substance of the following official despatch ; which was published later in the day, in its- original form, by the Moniteur- ., Perpienan,13th August, Five o'clock, p.m.
"THE PRINCE DE 50114 VILLE TO THE MINISTER OF MARINE.
" Before Tangier, 7th August. " On the 4th instant, a reply to the ultimatum of M. de Nion was received,. but was not of a nature to be accepted.
" On the 5th, I was informed that Mr. Hay was in a place of safety; [ac- cording to the Journal des Debuts, the French Admiral's ship.] " On the morning of the 6th, I attacked the fortifications of Tangier. Eighty pieces of artillery returned the fire. In about an hour their fire was silenced, and their batteries dismantled.
" Our loss in men is trifling, and the injury sustained of little consequence. " The quarter inhabited by the European Consuls has been respected."
One account says that Mr. Drummond Hay was " saved,"—as if he had been in danger ; but that appears to be a mistranslation of the statement that he was " in safety." The correspondent of the Timer observes, that Sir Edward Owen was assured, on the morning of the 5th, that all looked pacific ; whereas the communication which induced the Prince to bombard the town had been received on the 4th : this seems to imply either some mental reservation or extraordinary change of purpose. The Toulonnais quotes a letter dated at Tangier on the 2d instant, which describes the Moors as quite prepared with a deliberate plan of treating their assailants-
", We see them every day," says the correspondent of the Toulon journal, " exercising on the coast their infantry, cavalry, and artillery, to the sound of the tamtam, and with banners unfurled. At night they retire to their camp in the mountains. The town seems to have been abandoned by its inhabitants, who have sought refuge in a small wood in the neighbourhood, where they sleep under tents. During the night, their fires indicate that that part of the coast, which is protected by a small fort lately erected, is inhabited. The forts. and batteries offer an imposing aspect ; but the town, situate in a ravine on the verge of the sea, is entirely open ; a feeble rampart surrounds it and divides it into two parts; the houses appear to be in a good state of repair, and pretty regular. If we can judge from appearances, the Moors do not intend to oppose a vigorous resistance; but they are determined, as far as we can ascertain, to prevent our landing; which would defeat the object of our expedition, if their opposition proved successful."
The news caused a fall in the French Funds, on Thursday, from 81 francs 55 centimes to 81 francs 271 centimes.
The accounts from Toulon of the 10th instant announce the arrival in that harbour of the English steamer Acheron, which left Malta on the 6th. An officer, the bearer of despatches, landed from her, and imme- diately proceeded in a post-chaise for Calais, via Marseilles.
The Semaphore de Marseilles, of the 12th instant, announces the de- parture of the Alger ship of the line from Toulon, with orders to join the naval division commanded by Admiral Parseval Deschenes, before Tunis.
" Before the 15th," writes the correspondent of the Semaphore, " France will have on the coast of Barbary eight ships of the line. We have besides, a frigate, La Belle Poule, several steam-frigates and corvettes, a great number of steamers of a lesser power, transport-corvettes, lighters, and brigs. Since the expedition against Algiers in 1830, France never bad so considerable a naval force on the African coast."
The writer for the Times says, he asked whether vessels of other countries, especially of Sweden, were to take part in the attack on Mo- rocco ; but he received no answer : for he had heard that " exertions are being made to unite as much as possible France to all the other maritime Powers of Europe '; to advance which project a common attack upon a common enemy would very much contribute."
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