The principal advantage expected to result from the capture of
Leiria, is the fall of Coimbra into the hands of the victors. This place possesses no means of resistance. We are again informed that sickness prevails to a dreadful extent in the garrison of Santarem, and that numbers constantly desert from it to the Pedroite army.
A Lisbon correspondent of the Courier complains in rather Inter terms of the conduct of Admiral NAPIER; who is charged avith joining the faction of Admiral PARKER and the Duke of PALMELLA, with a view to embarrass the Portuguese Ministry.
" The conduct of Admiral Napier has been for sonic months, and is still, ut- terly incomprehensible to me. With three frigates which had been often in a state bordering on mutiny, be captured with very little difficulty, in July last, the squadron of Don Miguel; yet, though an immens9 sumsince been ex-
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pendtd uron the marine (gri ater than the entire expenses ihirin.T the previous year and a h ill), what has I:e done since, though with so great an ;iilditional 'force undur his command ? Absolutely nothing."
lie fancies that a Miguelile fleet under Captain Eworr is in existence, and that it is necessary for him to remain near Lisbon for its protection.
" have no hesitation in saying, that Admiral Parker, the Duke de Palmella, and others of the faction opposed to the pi esent Administration, play upon him like a child ; their object being to thwart and embai rass the oiperations of the ( verninent, to such a degree as to rendm an application for foreign assistance indis- pensable, under an impression that whenever such a period should arrive, it would be more easy for them to displace their competitois and return to power."
We are not surprised that the gallant, straightforward sailor, is puzzled how to act among such a set of designing intriguers.
