News was received yesterday from Portugal of a very important
bearing, but in a most imperfect and doubtful shape; and so it remains.
The master of a smack, which left the Tagus on the 11th instant, has furnished some further information from that quarter. It appears that the success of the Queen's troops was very doubtful; although no news had strived of any decisive engagement between:Saldanha and the Popular army. The British squadron was in a state of instant preparation for receiving and protecting the Queen and family, if it should be deemed necessary; and no sailors or marines bad landed.
A file of' Oporto papers supplies news from the insurgent side to the 9th instant; and from these it appears that the Popular forces had had some small successes over the Queen's troops. It is stated that the forces under the Conde de Setubal had lost about a hundred men before Evora, in- cluding one aide-de-camp and two officers.
But the most important point is also the most doubtful. The account given by the master of the smack mentions that " the American frigate which had sailed for Oporto was not only not allowed to enter, but had been fired upon by the batteries and totally dismasted, and had been towed into a neighbouring port." It seems probable that this ship was the Eng- lish frigate America, commanded by the Honourable Captain Gordon, which had (been ordered by Admiral Parker to Oporto: but the statement alto- gether wants confirmation.
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