The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1804-07-06 00:00:00

6~" AVE !kIikSICIAL AND MILITARY SITUATION Of FRANCE. That the scarcity of money is great in France, sad that the war h unpopular, all persons who have lately visited that country confirm. The treasures extorted from tributary nations, the family of Bo naparte regard as their paternal inheritance ; very little of it comes into circulation, and the armies of the Corsican an! therefore entirely paid by the French people. Many persons think that Govern 'tient will again resort to that seizure of capitals :,u1 incomes ; that supplement to credit by cheat ing ; and those usurpations so varied on property, by which it dissipated the wealth of ancient France, consumed the produce of the times present, and spent that of the future. But does the republic still contain spoils enough ; has she renewed a suf ficiency of produElions to feed the gigantic wants of her Sovereign ? All these problems might be answered by a great variety of opposite hypotheses, all perhaps It equally plausible. We already sec this strap ee Government adding, to its requisition of soldiers, a requisition of the people's cloath o Ed honest savings. By the last decree concerning conscripts, it calls on every department to provids recruits, and to furnish each recruit with shirts, shoes, and money to the value of thirty-siz Lyres ; here population and property are struck by the same edift. But will the devoted young men march to death? Will the nation make no resistance to this revolutionary plunder ? He who should take upon himself to resolve these questions. must have a great deal of confidence in his penetration ; he should possess the thermometer of Bonaparte's power, and the nation's slavery ; two things which experience teaches us to be incom sensurate. It is, nevertheless, possible to compare the stock of military and pecuniary power of France in I 7!)2, with that of the present day. At the beginning of the for mer war, she had a million of national guards,andthe wrecks of her old army: at this time she has an army 500,(X)0 men, including the forced conscriptions. Iler population, in 179:, had suffered only by emi gration and by elrrc murders, which, for three years, laid her provinces and towns under blood. She has closed the wounds which the last war made, by an accumulation of eight or nine millions of foreigners crlleited into her circumference, and upon whom her requisition, are exercised still more unmercifully than upon her own citizens. Tile former National Guards mostly served without pay, as our volun- teens, and the burden of those immense embodied hordes was therefore as light as the assignats paper ; an army then was more easily paicipan a battalion sow. Had Bonaparte thrice as mac, conscripts as hr. .evolutionary predecessors had national guards, and levies in mass, he would not, for any length of time, be able to feed, pay, and arm, above a propor tionate number of them, according to the difference between his utmost possible revenue now, and the inexhaustible ruillion., of paper money. The resource of that immense juggling; of that traffic of confiscations ; of fraudulent mortgages ; the bearer, drawn on the pub totally failed ; and the B.tuk of circulate only at Paris, and even small amount. So much then are in 1792. So much less too, produce of spoliation, on per. that fund of merchandise, riches of the nobility and clergy, establishments and treasuries of lux ' fourteen ages of the monarchy, and wasted in twelve years by the republic. . present to the system of public eon notwithstanding their extent, and the mi .. which they are colleted, if the French financiers be true, Bona have never been able to raise them ordinary expences. Supposing the doicii to he but so many buffooneries, the saaspensionofagreat number of it the receipts are not eqoal to ms ; because, though the arm' . Senators, Tribunes, and Public Paris, are regularly paid, the army the Ci%il and Military Fanc tals, Public S.:he - lois, /cc. have them, and same have remained months. It is also by coati. Bonaparte means to provide for the , xpt.nces of war, of a defensive war ; as it continues so, throw. upon support of her ravenous soldiers. In, the scarcity of money, and :f in kr.uiee, so loudly com axle listened to by her ter icious DIX Irt ea the Latt, except At its . ever popular is Fr ance. In her inhabitants judged it to be inetitabie ; they Attached to it the nefety of Franc% and the ►up ; they f,►seured it with thrir wishes, their hopes, and their passions. Success determined the undecided, plunder inspired beggars and adventurers, and the glare of false gloiy into*. icated vanity and youth. The body of the people, hoping to perpetuate their independence, and enjoy equality, considered the war as a tournament at the expence of the Aristocrats. Now the eyes of the nation are opened, and it is no longer deceived, as to the objed and consequences of hostilities perpe tuated. Enthusiasm and illusion are no more ; and the songs of triumph have given way to fruitless, but universal sighs for repose. Thus Bonaparte lies under the double disadvantage, which was not the case with his predecessors, of continuing the war against the public will and opinion, and of raising the chief supplies for it from the purses of his subjects. This correspondence of the situation of the French finances, with the military state of the Re public, will retain its whole influence, in case the armies, reduced to the defensive, should meet with a defeat, and should not be able to subsist by farther invasions. Military charaCters, wt.n, during the present year, have visited the French encampments, assure us, besides, that, notwithstanding the endea vours of Bonaparte and his Generals, the soldiers of the army of England are very different men from the conquerors of Italy and Germany. Great changes have been wrought in thcii employment, in their spirit, and in their composition. The body of National Guards, from which they were formerly supplied, was organised in a military manner ; was more or less exercised, full of willing subjects, vain of its new situation, impatient to dis play its skill, and animated with the hopes of re wards, and by a taste for revolutionary licentious ness. The requisition men, who succeeded these battalions of Militia, did not succeed either to their zeal or emulation; but a hatred of foreigners; a prospeit of agrarian settlements; the frequency of preferments, of vielories, and even despair itself, supplied in them the place of ardour. Care was before they were incorporated in the armies, to assemble t„, places where their bodies were iisdplined, and where even their minds were trained. At present we see bodies of conscripts hunted, and driven, with swords and bayonets, from their families, from among the woods and mountains; in sensible to the Frepori hnsamr, and much more so to the safety of the Republic, and the importunities of its tyrant ; undeceived in their old illusions, and thrust in crowds, and hastily, into the ranks of re giments, without any previous instrtglion. In this heterogeneous mixture of soldiers, a common spirit will no doubt soon prevail, and the new corners be moulded by the veterans ; but among these, the old stimulants will he looked for in vain. The return of severe discipline has slackened that spring of in dependence, which precipitated them into the ram parts of the Revolution. As the objet and aim varied, their ardour lost its enthusiasm, which time cools, and which is distinguished as soon as its principle ceases to he the same. Can Bona parte now think of holdi,lg out liberty and equa lity to soldiers, who have just taken the oath., of allegiance of subjefts ? Carr he Ferinade them that French armies in Italy, Hanover, I lolhuul, and Switzerland, are fighting for the safety of their coun try and for their fellow citizens, to whom they are be come almost strangers? Is :t the love of glory that is to be depended upon? This sentiment is to be kept up by difficulties and dangers. Accustom troops to vielories without battles, to invasions with out resistance, and to plunder without pretence, and you will very sown have a band of robbers, but no soldiers. By thus wearing out all the moral springs which formerly ia,fted on themilitary, 01(.ir t t din ll in-ulnas have been materialised, and eleir cm , ll.ition nia,le to degenerate into habit and a List of pillage. They fight to commit havoc, and aim at ciiincriet oily to amass booty; and the cite it and impunity of the pillage committed h tve reduc.td all the passions a the army to that of plundering in order to dissipate. Ate we to expea orn 'itch assemblages, patience, perseverance, tnfics tbie cuurAge. and the unshaken ardour which real dangers, and probable defeats re. qaire ? Are such to ups, when vanquished, to be led back for any length tit time to 13.1:tles, to which they never marched but ugh the ii. pc of plundering, de fenceless enemies \Ve ilse impetairoty of their attacks; so Is e conceive too their defection and depression when routed. We have entered at length into all ; these particu lars, which prove both the real arua relative finan cial and military situation of Prance, and the ne cessity Bonaparte is under to unidettake speedily his so long threatened invasion, 'is:cause his disarmed slaves are, from their poverty, unable long to support the burden of a defensive 'war ; and his soldiers de mand immediate plundstsr or immediate peace. Let us, therefore, never case an instant, to be upon our guard; and then 'lye Are convinced that the former easy triumphal orches of the Corsican will soon be crushed int. rf - Ae Just, or changed lots funeral /no- , • LONDON, FRIDAY, JULY G. The Hamburgh Mails of the 26th and 29th lasts arrived yesterday. Their contents, which are in serted in our first page, shew that Bordararre has succeeded in his intrigues to reconcile Austria and Prussia to his late violation of the German Empire, and his assumption of the Imperial dia dem. LA FORET, his Minister in Prussia, has al ready presented his credentials to the Prussian Monarch, as representative of the Estrzaoa of the French. It is, however, some satisfaftion to perceive, that the Ft ends Minister has left Russia, and that Bo x AP A ItTL is only represented there as First Consul by a Clidige des iffitirrs. These Mails have also brought a copy of the note presented by the Russian Minister at Ratisbon, remonstrating against the vio lation of the ter, itory of Baden, by the seizure of the Duke of EN ow LK, at Ettenbeim. It is a bold and manly article; and, though not followed up by the same spirit with which it was die:fated, clearly chews that the Russian Monarch will not soon forgive or forget that foul offence. Bon 's military slaves in Tuscany having arrested last month all British subjefts at Leghorn, Lord Nz Lion threaten ed to blockade and bombard that city. The me nace had the de.ired elfca : the prisoners were set at liberty. Letters from Venice say, that the POPE is to resign; and that Bon AAAAA z's uncle, Cardinal Frau, is to be his successor. This is not impro bable. A barbarous adventurer, who has forced Emperors and Kings to salute him as an equal, oi rather to acknowledge bins as a superior, will meet with little opposition in proclaiming his base and wicked relative the head of the Roman Catholic Church. A private letter from Puss, dated June 21, says, " The American Minister, LIV INGsroN,has returned with good bills, fur fifteen millions of byres ; but he was, notwithstanding, not received by TALLer AA►D in the manner he expeded, after his financial and political expedition to England ; because, more money, and a better issue, were hoped fur here. On Lis N4STON'S fast conference, after his arrival here, he remained closeted wi:h TALLEYRANO, for six hours, and a courier was sent to the ENIPEROk im mediately afterwards, who ordered TAL L Lir RAND to wait upon His M a.rksx v. The rumour of peace, caused by Lir INGSTOteI journey, was received with a satisfaftion every where, not agreeable to the con querors el England in pato; even the proud warriors on our coast began to express a desire of rather negociating with, than combating the shop-keepers, because they began to think, from the intrigues of their Sovereign for a peace, that his means to de stroy modern Carthage did nut correspond with his desire. This has caused the paragraph in the Mo nuear, denying what is very well known here, and which, a month ago, Government did not conceal, that Mr. L v NGS I'UN was sent pcur 'CAM& le town', " to gonad the Cabinet," as TALLLVIIAND himself said. But what confirms the particulars of the mission of Mr. LIVINGSTON is, that another neu tral Minister was asked to undertake it, but re fused until he could obtain permission from his Court; regarding, as most politicians here do, these missions merely as intrigues, to lull England into a fatal security when the blow is intended to be struck." An overland Dispatch wits yesterday received at the East India House, but we do not learn that either the private letters or official aJ•ices bring any thing new. The letters from Bombay are slated loth January. fourteen days prior to the dispatches hich were received some time since. The Middlesex scrutiny having terminated on Wed nesday, the consmiuee met yesterday, and declared a majority of Ss votes in favour of Mr. Ms 'NW* The latter relying upon this majority, has abandoned his petition, complaining of a violation of the treat ing and bribery a.% against Sir Foams IL: REMIT. but Sir Families* has presented a similar petition against Mr. islassiwaa um. Goveanment, it is said, have received positive intelligence of the enemy's design to attempt a land ing, as nruly as possible.at the same time, in .lersey and Guernsey. Dispatches were sent off ye ster d a y to both these islands. All the troops along the op posite line of the French coast. from Coutance to Viuville, have been in constant m o vem ent d ur i ng the whole of last week. and reinforcements had ar rived from the interior. The MinNewr, arrived at Plymouth, left the Chan nel fk.et, all well, crusiing off Brest on Saturday last. By her we learn the cause Of the report that the French fleet intended to put to sea. A thick fog had prevailed three days, during which the French ships could not be seen; but as many sig nal guns were heard, it was supposed the eaenr% were preparing to take advantage of the fog, and put to sea. This intelligence of course reaclied London; and, as it was known there are many troops embarked at Brest, the conclusion was na turally drawn that an attempt at Invasi..n instantly be made. But when the n a ♦her cleared up, the French Beet were discovered s.ilr in port as usual. the ♦hips having Duly shifted their tarths. • .. sr. Loan LOTAL wEsrmiiiiirxit'veLninftti At half past.ten o'clock yexaetday month* t hi s highly disciplined Regiment niuswred un the ; EMI thence they marched to Kil burn Wells, to fire for an elegant Silver Cup, glve.i by their highly eateemed Colonel, Lori AN ittlitr, and won by a Mr. Woos; of the seventh compapy. In viewing the Guard Room, which is so mu c h admired, we cannot but express our satisfadion t o anti every thing so neat, and in perfel order. The arch s Are so well arranged and numbered, that each member may instantly find his own musket, An d in suchexcellent condition, that deserves much prAise for the attention of the Committee. We could but admire, at the upper end of the room, a trait of our most gracious horsebacl, at the other end, one ct Hat Royal Highness i! Com iciness' is Cuter, which, we understand, we:: presented to the Regiment by their worthy Pres,. dent, Mr. E. H antsu, of Pall-Mall, who resigle.l that situation yesterday, with a neat speech, in he stated, that the good discipline and unanimity in the Regiment would enable them (if the should be permitted to land) to go forth :IS a /11i&:,,' lioq, and in the strength of Divine Providenc., conquer or die, like true Britons, in defence oft e best of KINGS, and their Country. Wednesday evening, about six o'clock, His MA !MY, accompanied by Princesses SOPHIA ai Am et tA, rode through Richmond. Her Msr SST and the Princesses AUL/I/al-A. Etutasirsi, a . a Mita:, followed in three phaetons. On their multi, about eight o'clock, they visited the Duke of Cs c. stet aiso, at his house on Kew Green, and tis,k tea, during which llis Royal Highness's band played at the door. Yesterday morning, soon after breakfast, t!.e Rov FAMILY walked in Kew Gardens. Yesterday morning, Mr. FonEa, Mr. BLrs. turn, and the Luau CNANCELLOS, uanc.ieled bu siness with Mr. }lir r, at his house in Downing street. Yesterday morning. Lord DUNCAN tranatej business with Sir JOHN CULPUYS at the Ac[mink ) . General DE LANCEY has resigned his situation as Barrack Master General, in consequence of .11 health. Report mentions General Hewttrash.. successor. The En fish Minister at Vienna, the Honnuribte A RTH t a PAUAT, his sent his Secretary, Mr. Mt:- A a r, with dispatches for London. The E2ll of ‘‘. iscHra.st A'S house, in South -street, is undergoing a complete repair. The Lord Archbishop of YORK is now at his Palace at Bishopthorpe. Major and Mrs. GROVES, Lady MOILITON, Mr. LEW IS And family, Sec. are among ' the recent e. rivals at Bristol tint Wells. Mr. R t 1 , 1441 ND if playing at Hythe. Mr. DWYER and Mr. Suc IT are part of M.Cxx•ny's auxiliary force at the liirminghwa Theatre. The following is an extt ad of a letter from Wey mouth: "Though this place is at present thin of corn. pany, wtexpeet soon to be much fuller, Lord CR kl• I. EY and Lord Scut.tvhavealready taken hou,e.. The KING and Roy at. FAMILY, it is thought, will be here by the end of the month. And Dr. ioi• MON Ds, Physician Extraordinary to the IC has taken a house at Upway, a small village very near this place." In the Est of recent arrivals at Cheltenham, are The Bishop of Downe, Hun. J. Slasiey, Sir R.ibeit and lady Lawrie, Sir W. Dunkin Sir Juha Thera,Lidy Col.asui Mu. Reim, kLijur G.:ldwin, Major bladuni, Capia:.4 Holland, Robart, and Erskine. In the list of recent arrivals at Bath are, Lord Liiford, Lord Kilvrardan, Lady Rodney, Major Lloyd, Major M'lnto.h, Dr. Harvey, Kew. Mr. and Mrs. bete, Res. Mr. Mayo, Ito Mr Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Mamie and fion,l! On Friday Afternoon, the Right Hon. the Luso Aovot: ATE as rl yeti in Edinburgh from Loodoo. Arrived last week at Glasgow, the Earl and uf Fenton, and Limy Jean M.nteortiev•. the Lail and Counters of Cowan and Mug Moneelwrinv, the F and Cuunte, E r rid, L•ud Na., and Mj‘g Elliot of Sr W Y , iik, Mr I..dioe and Captain D 2111,111 ; Colonel and Mn. Muir of Caldwell. Wednesday was marries Lat Bathwick churcihnerr Bath. by the Rev. Dr. GOD/WET, J•MESSTIIPHI.M. ESC'. of Camerton-house, to Mrs. Born, _widow of HUQH BoYD I Esq. M . P. for the county of Antrim, and niece to Lord Viscount GOSYORD. Tuesday died :at Shirehampton, greatly lamented. WILLIAM WILLIAMS HEWErT, Esq. Lite d Ttinity-college, Cambridge, son of the late lion. Was. Wit.t.t HIWITT, and nephew to the pre. sent Lord LIWIORP. The Emnress JOSKPUINE is soon expeaed at Brussels, whence she will gu to Aia-la-Chapelle. and Spa. Many ladies, the wises of Gen.rals, and other persons of distinflion, will use the hada about the same time, and accompany the Eurstss on her return to Brussels. Letters from the borders of the Maine, dated June 23, say, "That the Consort of the EmPetvl NAPOLEO% 11.14 Wilt, As a present to Vienna, A highly finished toilette of gold, set mini with UTE: diamonds, and covered with the richest Brawl' lace. The laces, which made a large parcel. lull' shut up in a gold b..iz of the very best manship." There is a custom which has eti‘tel from time immetnalial in the parish of Lanivet, near Dods is s namely, that on the day a l ;r the annual feat. cer tain persons peregrinate the palish, and the Man they find most intuaicated, they put into a wired' barrow, and wheel him round the place; giveg him also the title of Abler qr . Lanivdt, which 41 ' bears until the feast conies round again. On Saturday se'ennigbt, I.aJy Joussrost pc rented the Companies of N'ohinteer Infaestry, ll ! 3 " by Sir R. B. .louwsrONc, Bart. at Hackaess, *at' Very elegant Banner. About eleven o'clock the lunteers were drawn up in a lime on the front Q S'r Ric"( A a1) . 1 Manias immediately I odT)ou"I 4. 6 ; uncoiled by Sir itielli•OD and 1.11111ilY• APPrI":" up.-41 the ptatform. Af ter t h e B anner bad cL,r,,:cr;:ted by the Rev. T. luvir, it wAs pts"*"' - '7 b. her LA l; ,hip to Jois:4 Busty, Es+ The ' ; ''' C;; :an., with au animated and patriotic SI ar, after as appropriate repl!• n `''' t it wits a suitat:e to the ; Iv.. 1 inexhaustible ruillo;n The resource o t,hof at traffic of confiscations ; t and bills payable to the . lic credulity, has totall, 1 1 .! France and its bills circa ! there to a less very thasmall inat his , from the want of the prt , soma property, of tit wrought metals, riches of the public establisbrc ttry' plundered amassed and wasted fourt een in Reduced at present ti tributions, notwithstandi bury rigour with whit reports of the French pane's ministers have ns l to the level of his erdiaer complaints of a Joint to it isstill proved, by these urgent demands, that th the current occasions ; upon the wait, tlic Sem tundionaries at Pans, a of the interior, and the Commies. the I Inspital,, large sums due to them, i • unpaid for eighteen mon . , bations, that Bonaparte • weirdos *Loa, .11 expt•nces of and w FTh i w e h ic the h , u a i, s l .ol n e r.ZS it supper This etplains, in pan, t the extent of puvertf i plained of, and so little Ruler. As to the war, not I , commencement, was ILM 1791, one-hall of her ii necessary or in/Thalia I cease of liberty, the of port .4 the Republic.; t 1 TO CoItRESPONDENTs. Conimunication Eros the I.iag's fls cA hull be attentled.to. THE BRITISH PRRESS•