An unpleasant collision between the British armed brig Columbine, commanded
by Captain Elliot, and some Portuguese snips off the coast of Africa, is mentioned in the Lisbon newspapers. Before giving an opi- nion as to the conduct of either party, we must have the statements of bath. As yet only the Portuguese version has nppeared. The Lisbon Diet rio Govern° of the 11th instant pretends to supply the Government account of' time affair—" The Government has received intelligence front Angola of an event wherein an officer of the British Navy appears to have done his best to exhibit in which he excelled, whether in his inso- lence or in his madness. In virtue of the convention of the 20th of May last, between Admiral Noronha and Captain Tucker, Captain Elliot, in commaud of the British brig columbine, entered the Zaire, and took various vessels there, beeanso they probably were in contra- vention of the decree of the 10th of December 1Sil ; but he neither found a motive nor a pretext to proceed similarly towards the Portuguese brig Neptuno, of Lisbon, and the schooner Angerone. of Angola, which were in the same port. After the lapse of several days, the Neptuno was boarded and taken possession of, during the night, by the boats be- longing to the Columbine; which shortly after, having received some shots tired by the Meeks, likewise took possession of the Augerona. After having been guilty of several other acts of violence, the Columbine set sail, along with the two vessels just captured, and falling in with the Pnquete de Loanda, detained her during twenty-four hours. Captain Elliot sent on board of her the crews of the Neptuno and Angerona ; and within sight of the said Paquete de Luanda, in order that the Cap- tain, passengers. and crew might NT iDICSS the affront, time Columbiee placed herself between the two, on one of which the Portuguese colours were still flying., connnencing a destructive fire on them until they were both sunk ! This fact, which does not go beyond an individual attempt, and which merely exhibits the brutal audacity of those who practised it, is nevertheless so glaringly scandalous, because of the cowardly in- sult offered to the Portuguese flag, that her Majesty's Government, in order to uphold the national dignity, cannot forego the demanding a most complete satisfaction from the British Government. Her Ma- jesty's Government trusts that this satisfaction will be offered, not only on account of the confidence it places in the rectitude of its august ally, but because the very dignity of Great Britain highly requires that ex- cesses of the sort, committed by its subjects, shall not doe-suffered to paw with impunity. The guilty parties have, in the present instance, vio- lated all principles of justice, the good faith of treaties and conventions, and constituted themselves judges as well as executors, in the most atrocious and arbitrary manner, on objects and interests which are re- gulated by special provisions ; and, above all, the flag of a friendly na- tion was most wantonly as well as ignobly insulted.
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