The National Register. — London, England, 1811-05-05 00:00:00

ouirri 44 4 4 / .1 4 .14 44, • "11r- 0 74 been far greater on her side. The campaign would have opened at a time when all the means of France were turned into another and distant channel ; when some of the fortified places of the kingly vassals were disarmed ; and when, in consequence, the Russian troops might have penetrated deep into Poland, if not into Prussia or Saxony, before a suf ficient force could be collected to oepose them. — But supposing that France could have suddenly called up an army from the earth, and made a stand on the right banit.of the Vistula, or even repelled the invaders, the lateness of the season and the seve rity of the Weather would once more have compelled her hosts to winter in Poland, instead of prosecuting their successes, and carrying the devastations of war into the bosom of Russia. ALLXANDER would have had time to recruit his army, and enlarge his means of defence,.whilst increased exertions on our part, in the Peninsula, would have prevented the removal of troops from that quarter. Meanwhile, the wavering policy of Austria might have been deeided, either through the influence of our nego tiations or the protnising prospects of the concern, and the ambition and power of BUONAPARTE might have been hurled back within narrower limits. At this moment all these important advantages are lost. Driven out of Portugal, and threatened with expulsion from the greatest part of Spain, the French armies must resign a prey, which, though long within their grasp, they have not yet been able to secure. Such an acknowledgement of weak ness and incapacity, on their part, would at once overthrow the stupendous fortress in which NAPC LEJTN'S power lies secure, in public opinion. Ever since the commencement of the Spanish war, he has never ceased to tell the world, that our interposition inthe affairsof thePeninsnla,will cause our ruin, and that our troops will be driven into the sea. Such de nunciationshavehitherto proved vain; but should the failure of his predictions be attended with their re coil upon himself ; the' shock given to his Throne would revive the hope of liberation in the minds of his slaves, and, in a short time, hosts of enemies would rise against him in every pal t of the Conti nent. Unable totally to remove tire dangers by which he is menaced, he endeavours to avert the greatest peril and expose himself only to the conse quences of the least. To acknowledge his inability to subdue the Peninsula would be ruin ; to continue his attempts at reducing it would, after the late dis asters :)f his armies, be fruitless ; to abandon the undertalift would be to avow incapacity , and the only path for escape, which le has found in this maze of difficulties, is to create a superior necessity his troops from the Peninsula, If a sufficient number to guard lei he removal of iiiiir. tos .t , • N A ton . - "llt._ • s.o. 1 4,--- . ...... i. . 4 7 . ,;I 4`' , .:w.• •- \ -.,i. • .-4_ I ..;-. 6 ;C , N ' 0 —.magi THE NATK)N AL REGISTER. ........ thc left bank of the Ebro, and thus to save the cre dit boei of his predictions and °fills military powe-. With such a plea a war with Russia would supply him. Ile would tell the world, that unable to fulfil our promises to the Spaniards, &c. by the force of arms to wrench their country from his grasp, we have seduced the good faith of the Cabinet of St. Petersburgh, and compelled him, by the diver sion of his means, to delay the total pacification o f the Peninsula. He would unblushingly renewhis boast of taking prisoners or destioying our armies in Spain and Portugal, as soon as he should have punished the perfidiousness of his late Ally, and deceived by his specious misrepresentations, the world would once more prove his dupe, and remain his victim. But, it may be objected, he wuld then h co a uldve only made an exchange of Perils ? o The latter not be compared with the former. Secure of the co operation of Austria : assisted by Sweden in Fin land, by Turkey on the Danube, and commencing his operations in Poland on the very frontiers of Russia, within which the first battle might be fought ; at the opening of spring in those northern climes, and consequently at the most favourable season for invading the territories of his friend ALEXANDER, little doubt can be entertained but he would penetrate to St. Petersburgh more easily than he did in former campaigns to Vi , :nna. It must also be remembered that he has net lost sight of his favourite plan of closing the Sound, with; the assistance of Sweden and Den mark, as the late attempt on Anholt sufficiently proves, in order to deprive Russia of the support she might receive from our fleets and the landing of a British army on the coasts of the Baltic. Under every point of view, we therefore exactly coincide with Mr. CANNING in the opinion that a war be tween France and Russia, at the present time would be premature, and attended with the ruin of the latter. We also think, that, aware of the advan tages which she would obtain in such a contest, in ' which she would hope to retrieve her military cha racter, already lessened in the eyes of the world. France is now exerting every nerve to compel the reluctant and timid ALEXANDER to unsheath the sword and thus hasten his own destruction. A vessel has arrived from Lisbon, which left tila Tagus on the 27th. When she sailed, it was re ported that Lord WELLINGTON had advanced to wards Andalusia at the head of 7000 English aud Portuguese cavalry, and a large body of horse ar tillery, in conjunction with the army of General B:nolsFoaD. The whole force was to co-operate with the Spanish army under General BLAKE, from Cadiz. The contents of the Spanizth papers, given above, strongly corroborate this report. The most important operatims may shortly be expected to take place in the 6outh of Spain. a • -- .~ r.-ft,L4.4O)AJ