The National Register. — London, England, 1808-08-21 00:00:00

IF • ,(0 ■ ;~` __ r Ili I ~. TILE NATIONAL REGISTER. 832 I Gisneral, and those who look on success as tile criterion of ability, may consider him as distinguished a Statesman ; but when the vast advantages he possessed over the Allies, are taken into consideration, his victiaries at Lim, Auster litz, and Jena, must cease to excite admiration. The army conimanded Massena was never computed at more than , 60,000 1 This distinguished officer was ordeled to act on the defensive ; and it. is natural to suppose that Bonaparte was too jealous of his reputation to intrust him with a 11101 c numerous force. To oppose the attack which the Russians and Swedes, in conjunction with Lord Cathcart, threatened to u r ike on lloliand, orders were given to collect an army of .100,00 U men. We know it, however, to Le a positive fact, that fi5,000, notwithstanding every exertion, were never assembled for Lhat purpose; and we are happy to hear that our statement on lius particular point coincides, with %cry immaterial dillerence, with that of Lord Cath cart. In summing up, therefore, tLe different armies which were. einployed agatast Austria, and for the detence fume, vie shall find they amounted to about 250,000. lit lore We proceed further, it will be necessary to revert to lige condlict observed by Bonaparte in all the wars be has been engaged in. If any thing is to he particularly ad mired in hie military operations, it is the audacity with which he leaves a number of points exposed, in order to bear down with his whole mass where the danger is most immieent ; calculating very justly that any partial defea:, he may soslain in any of those places will he easily reme died, after he has disithled the princip:l antagonist. Per sons who nave tray died ninth in France, ca'.not have fail ed. to observe, that in. time of war scarce a soldier is to be e 4,01 in the interior ; and after the peace of Vresloirg our Readers wilt not have forgotten the reproaches Bonaparte made our Coserument, that it made no attempt against Boulogne, as eery soldier had been witlarazen frant the .coasii. His reproach was well founded ; for there were not s,OOO men left for its defence. We had been fre quently informed, and we have our information from the best authority, that t%0,000 were not left for the defence of the coasts, during the whole course of the Austrian war. This,account we the more easily credit, as it was conform able to sound policy, and perfectly coinciding with the uniform conduct and character of Bonaparte. He knew -that Europe estimated his armies much higher than they really were; and he calculated as a sound politician, when he supposed this country would make no attempt against Brabant, as long as he was successful against Austria. His audacity, therefore, so far from deserving to be considered as rashness, was the most consummate wisdom ; and the result justified his combinations. He did not overlook, in like manner, the demonstrations which Prussia began to make about that time. Is there any reason then to suppose that a man, whose great abilities are universally acknow ledged, would have left—useless soldiers in the interior, wl.ol their presence was so necessary in Germany. We are thereforejostified in drawing the conclusiou, that all his ar mies at that time, in which we have included his Dutch and Italian A axilaries, with the gees d'arnierie. did not amount to 300,000 meu. This opinion is irrefragably proved by the difficulty which Mortier had, during the Prussian war, of coliectiag a sufficient force to resist a small army of about 14,000 Swedes in Pomerania, and his inability to keep Col bert, in constant blockade, whose garrison was in the habit of mali g excursions of several leagues from the fortress, in one of which they made General Victor prisoner. It is ruessary orce more to observe that the French had only 100,000 - Russians to oppose in Poland. However, not w tastanding their Rhenish Confederates, their Dutch, Italian and Spanish Auxiliaries, it is astonishing how very few n9l they left for the defence of the country between the Rhine and Vista., a circumstance which will strongly prw.e tl.e incapacity and criminal indifference of the e Idmiiistration. They looked with as much apathy ou the last struggle of European independence, as if it had been a predatory war between the Deys of Algiers . suul•Tustiai though every hotter frost Ir. Thoratos must AUCI'ST 21. have convinced them that a diversion of about 30,0ue between the Ems and Weser, particularly aft:.r the of Eylau, would• have raised Hanover, lletsiv, per haps Holland. But let us abandon that disivraceful ; and hasten to our conclusion. From the facts we hale alleged, supported by the late events in Spain, aliti the unaccounlab:e indiilerence of Bonaparte relative to the Austrian armaments, we are convinced wa risk nothing in maintaining that the French army, Hatch ;led Halians included, does not consist of more than TWO HUHIIIALD AN• FIFTY THOUSAND MEN. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. PROM THIS SPANISH PAPERS. SPAIN. Sr. y AGO, JUNE 49.—The Supreme Junta or this Prinripa• lity hasten to communicate to this kingdom the ittfortßitlit , tl they have received from our Deputies in Breit Britain, ‘s, ;one tto vernment otlers a succour not only to this Print h a t every other Principnlity of this kingdom, ns will be writ hy it annexed Copy of the Letter of the English Minister to our De puties : HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S DECLARATION TO 1111; ENVOYS OF ASTURIAS. Office of Foreign Affairs, Nth June. MY Loans—l have laid before my Sovereign the Letter which you were authorised by the Junta if the Principality of Astu rias to deliver to me, together with the powets ntrusted to you by the Junta, entreating, in their wne, his ,Majesty's assistamc. Ills 'Majesty has desired me to assure your Excellencies that he feels the wart:test interest in the resolution of the Principality of Asturias to sustain against the atrocious Usnrper of France, a contest in favour of the independence of the Sp. wish Monarchy : That his MRjesty is disposed to grant every kind of assistance t• efforts so magnanimous and praiseworthy. His Majesty has, therefore, ordered me to declar:•, that me lime shall be lost in embarking for the port of Cajon the suc cours that you require, as being the most pressingly uemsary ; he will besides send a naval force capable of protecting the coast of Asturias against auv'attempt which France may make, and of introducing troops by sea into the country-116 Majesty will make further efforts in support of so just a cause. llis Majesty has also ordered me declare to your nxeellencies, Iris readiness to extend the same succours to every other part of ~the Spanish Nlonarchy, which may he animActl by the same spirit a' the iniu.bitants of AsiuriaQ, as well as his Majesty's sin cere desires to renew those ties of friendship which subsisted se long between tile two nations, and to direct his united efforts against an power which may es ince hostile intentions against Spain, as well as Great Britain. 1, recommend to sour Excellencies to communicate as on as possible to the Junta the manner in which his Majr,t:• has re ceived the proposals transmitted by your Excellencies. A sis syl has been got ready at Portsmouth, to carry any person wise may think proper to dispatch. I beg your Excellencies to accept the assurances of my high consideration. (Signed) Cliconoic C.4Aximc. PROCLAMATION OF ADMIP.AL COTTON. "Co 1 MRA, ur.Y IR.—The undersigned Admiral c,,otmand• lug the Fleet of his Britannic Majesty on the coast of Portm;al o loses not a moment to make known, that he has received an el. press from the Lo) a 1 Inhabitants of Sitter, and to assure them, as well as every true and loyal PortuguOse engaged in a just, ho nourable, and glorious cause, such as the re-establishment of its rightful Prince, that all the support lyiug in the power of his Britannic Isl:sjesty's Fleet shall be given. " Capt. Smith commanding his Britannic Alajestv's ship Co mus, is charged to deliver this express, and iast'•ucted to proceed to• Sines, in order to lend a prompt and immediate wsistance. " The British Admiral undersigned can assure the inhabi• tants of Sioes, of the whole kingdom of Portugal, that the most energetic, valorous, and decisive efforts have been displayed with the completest success to frustrate the perfidious deluges of the French against the independence and eveu the existence of this nation. The French ships in Cttdiz have been battered ant compelled to surrender to the brave bparsioxin; the lleg la are '- ~R`" V 4 k; 2 1,1 ii..... ►av~~;:.