The National Register. — London, England, 1811-06-16 00:00:00

■ THE NATIONAL REGISTER cur ping, eon Caution, anti ILara. SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 1811. N° IRI . POLITICAL DISQUISITION. No. 167. RUMOURS OF WAR LN THE NORTH. The sound of arms re-echoes throughout the North, S ay most of the private letters, which, notwith standing the rigorous execution of BUONA PA RTE'S Decrees, find their way to this country from almost every quarter of Europe. Flints to the same pur pose are Oven in many of the Continental Papers, and contradicted in ethers, which endeavour to dissipate every apprehension of the renewal of war, by specious explanations of the movement of troops_ which cannot be denied. France, they acknow ledge, his assembled an immese force, composed of French, Prussians, and Austrians, in Poland' and Prussia, but they assert that her only object is to guard the coasts of the Baltic, threatened as they are by powerful British armaments. According to tethers, however, Russia has an army of no less than 1.50,000 men collecting in the neighbourhood of the Polish friontiers, and as the portion .of - the • ..•, Baltic coasts in her possession is not extensive • enough to require the presence of such a force for its defence, its destination, they contend, must be of an offens;ve nature. Whilst So many rumours and counter-statements prove how deeply the conti nental mind is agitated by the fear, or the hope, of a war betweer France and Russia ; tle declaration of one of our Ministers, whilst moving the thanks of the Commons to the brave Army and Com mander who fought the battle of Albuera, deserves particular attention, as it stamps some officiality on what was hitherto considered as vague, and pro bably unfounded reports. Intending to refute the oft renewed assertions of those who, disapp6inted at the turn of the war in the Peninsula, always attempt to mar the joy of every - triumph, by threatening our victorious troops with no less than annihilation, dealt by NAPOLtON, at . the head of all the forces of his Empire, called together by. our very successes ; the CHANCELLOt of the EXCHECitiER in . loaned us that he trusted N A POLEON would be un able to crowd Spain with his boasted legions, PS they would, most likely, be seriously employed in diffeent quarter. Such a declaration from a.Mi zister in his official capacity, and addressing one of the first assemblies in the nation, cannot Ve4 IV. PRICE 914. founded on the mere rumours which have reached the general ear. It must have been authorised by certain information, or else he would not have spoken so confidently ; and when we nmember the hint which an Ex-Minister (Mr. CANNING), who s'ill may be supposed to retain s',me knowledge of the secrets of State, gave on a former occasion, in the shape of the following advice to his Majesty's Government, that be wished the triumphs of the British arms should be allowed time to produce their full eff.xt, before war should be re-kindled in other parts of Europe ; and that' he hoped Russia should nut be hurried into a contest with France, which might terminate by a fresh Austerlitz or Friedland ; we cannot doubt but secret negocia tinns have been successfully carried on with the Court of Petersburgh, the result of which will shortly appear. In a former number before, we believe, Mr. CANNING had represented the renewal of hostilities between France and Russia, as untimely at the present moment, and avowed his apprehension that it might occasion the ruin of. the Russian Empire, and the downfall of every hope of future Conti nental independence, we expressed a reasoned opi nion with which his own exactly coincides. We said Russia had suffered the favourable opportunity to glide by unnoticed, and that Austria had now become too closely yoked with France not to march in her train against any opponent who might rise in arms in the North. We pointed out Sweden, now an acknowledged vassal of NAPOLEON, since governed by one of his Generals, ready at the first signal to pour her recruited forces into Finland, and whilst all the strength of the Russian Empire is marshalled on the Polish frrtntiers, to threaten its very capital. We finally observed, that if ALEXANDER went to 'war, it would be with reluctance, and only because he should be compelled to it by NAPOLEON) who, in order to procure a specious pretence for evacuating the greatest part of Spain, and to redeem the honour of his arms lost in the Peninsula, wishes to turn them against a less dangerous enemy. Should, therefore, the die be cast, and Russia plunged into a new contest, the impolicy of such a step at the present time, cannot be imputed to our Administra tion. Should ALEXANDER'S Throne be shattered iii a new conflict, he cannot reproach us with hay him to rush into ruin. The application 'lave b , . • 1, • -••• . At . 7. " • X • • 1e94.11 •'s • ••• ..~~