The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-06-24 00:00:00

recommend it ; but if it steoldvat, he was then for
personal service. WINS lin went to a Cum-
ammo, perhaps an. akeewloa, might be sue-
Rested. that would obviate
very di
As the Bill now stood, the Rae was equal upon all
men The fine was eOl. upon an who were ballotted
for; but with regard to the higher classes, there were
many who would rather pay 901. at once than take
arty trouble to procure a substitute. He therefore
thought the fine ought to inaseee in proportion to
the rank of the person paying it If each a mode
as this was adopted, perhaps a system of compul-
sion might not be necessary. It would have
the effect of indacing every one to use his ut-
most to procure a substitute, and of render-
ing every individual a recruiting officer. He
should repress for the present what other senti-
?Tents and opinions he might entertain. What he
wished to enforce was, what he trusted they
all agreed in, that it was not necessary to ea
considerable augmentation of our force. On this
point there did not appear to be a trace of division
or difference of sentiment in the House. He thought
we ought to look to a defensive force first, and an
offensive force when the other was sufficient to
insure our safety. He wished the House to look to
that which was first in order of time. This Bill. if
properly modified. he was persuaded, would give
the country a well-grounded hope of raising a much
largerarezr for our internal defence, and eventually
for gen purposes, than could be done by any
other system whatever. He knew that no man burnt
with truer warmth and disinterested zeal and patri-
otism than his Hon. Friend, and well assured he was
that no one would more readily promote any system
that afforded a hope of providing for our defence
at home, and relieving the desperate and degraded
situation of Europe. If other nations were not
wanting to thomselves ; if they were not lost to every
tense of their enslaved state ; if they were not de-
termined to prostitute themselves before an ambi-
tions conqueror, but were resolved to make those
exertions which might restore their former indepen-
dence, that his Hon. Friend would not punish their
teal by opposing the only system which can place
the chance of exerting themselves with success with-
in their reach. If he did oppose it, he was convinced
it must be because he was really actuated by a
contrary impression. In that case, he trusted, he
would consent to the Bill going to a Committee,
where his objeaions might possibly be obviated.
The SECRETARY at WAR. stated, that he had
prepared a clause for classing the lines upon pet sons
declining personal service.
Mr. WINDHANI said, that, considering the si.
tuation in which the force intended to be raised was
placed, he did not think it sufficient for the safety
and defence of the country. He thought, that even
a less force brought into the line gradually, com-
bined with other eirtumstanees, Into the detail of
which be should not then eater, would place the
country in a safer state than could be effeaed by the
greater force now in contemplation. We had heard
much of the-urgency of the danger, and of the ne-
cessity for expedition ; but what, lie asked, appeared
eo be the idea's entertained of the nature of this ur-
gency and expedition ? It was proposed to meet
them by means that were not of immediate opera.
tion. With every regard for the constitution, be
was not prepared to say that he would not peeler a
compulsqty m thod of raising force adequate to the
crisis, if it sh odd not interfere with the increase of
the army of the line. The danger was said to be
immediate ; but should it comer upon us even so late
as a distance of two months, what. he would ask, i n
the name of common sense, is to be our situation ?
The Bill was not yet passed, and the House had
not yet advanced beyond the theory. How long
must it take before the machinery 'MUM be at work,
before the force to be raised should be perfectly dis-
ciplined, and in an efficient state ? These were que*
o-tiono the answer to which could afford little confi-
ilea.), or satisfaaion. In fag, the enemy might
come upon us, not only, before the force to be raised
should be in a state of discipline, but in the very
middle of the first ballot for levying it. And what
will be the nature of this force when raised ? It
will be a discordant force, composed of men taken
away from their business and their familizs, full of
soreness and dissatisfection ; and yet such was the
force that was to constitute our last hone, and to be
called the Army of Reserve of England. This is the
army that is to step in after every other shall be de-
feated, and upon which the fate of the country is
ultimately to depend. A small regular force was
better than a large irregular force, of the descrip-
tion now proposed, because the former might be
used fir any service ; whereas the hitter was to be
locked up for home defence : besides, should a re-
gular fore not prove victorious in an eng.igernent,
less evil results from their defeat. They do not, there-
fore, become less qualified to renew the contest, when
an opportunity offers. No great, or, at least, no deci-
sive impression could therefore be mind.: upon the
country by one defeat of a regular force. He would
now call the attention of the House to La Vendee,
which was the scene of so much contest in the late
ivar. What was the resistance made by the brave
inhabitants of that country? While the arms of
France were sweepingi all the world before them,
/hey remained unsu ued from the commencement
of the war.until the year 1796. Their rtrength was in
their weakness; they beet beneath the storm; but,
having force to bear it, they rose again after the blast
had passed, and were not subdued, until most of the
States of Europe had fallen. That is the sort of
war which we should be able to carry on in ibis
country. He did not, however, mean any reflec-
tion upon any description of force now existing.
His opinion was, that we should have all the regular
force we could possibly raise, but he condemned
the principle of eking it out by means that were in-
sufficient. We ought to be able to carry on a Vende-
nn war in this country, for in our ability to do so
were to be placed our surest hopes of ultimate success.
lfuch had been said of our having an army ready
to oppose the enemy at landing, at whatever spot
they should make the attempt, and of an Army of
Reserve, in case of defeat in the firs instance ;
but with all these means, he was sure the country
Was in great danger. In considering the nature of
the war, he bad uniformly declared it to be his opi-
nion that there was no evil so great as that of dissem-
bling the extent of the danger ; should a descent be
made upon different points, and should we ha• • no-
thing to depend upon for our ultimate succe, but
the Army of Reserve, our prospect was dr..::
At should. be understood by she enemy that ewes Ito
the event of a successful landing, whatever mischief
thee- might effect, and whatever havoc and dev aster
Oion they might spread, their work was not y•
aad their object was still far fTOZO being aecouytists.
• '