The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-12-25 00:00:00

PORT'UOA't.

.

T a toncortor observations upon the advantages !Cicely en ite
delis:A by England, from the removal of 4he rest dusts
Portuguese Government to, the Brazils/ are ex:reeled from
BIAILAND'S Modem Europe.
In contemplating those important scenes its
which great Britain is so essentially interested, so
deeply engaged. Portugal claims, in an eminent
degree, the attention of an English observer. The
entitiesl state of that country has peculiar claiins to
our regard, on account of the multiplicity and im-
portance of its connttions with England, its long
and faithful alliance, and the benefits arising awn
their commercial intercourse. By the best-informed
writers on the manufanures end trade of Great
Britain, it has been observed, that Portugal and her
Colonies constitute one of the greatest and best
markets. As Portugal, has scarcely any ma-
nor:satires, and Brazil is one of the richest,
the most extensive, and the most populous
of all the European settlement:, the demand for
the manufaiured gods of this country is always
great from that quarter, and must he increased in
proportion to the improvement an .1 the increased
wealth and population of the Portuguese Colonies.
Porto; d also, by means alter settlements in Congo,
Angola, and other parts of Africa, affords, a mar-
ket to B itish goods, and opens a channel for their
introdunion into sever :I parts of the African con-
tinent. These considerations are both a powerful
and national inducement to Great Britain to ime-
,rest herself in whatever relates to the safety and
prosperity of such an ally.
_

The extent of Portugal, and the number of her
inhabitants, are inconsiderable, wben compared
with the corresponding circumstances of other
countries on the Continent of Europe. Her mili-
tary strength is conseqirently small, and she cannot
be supposed able to Tioaintain a contest with any of
the great Continental Powers. Her only sure reli-
ance :s on Great Britain. To her alliance with this
country Portugal owes het independence, and even
her political existence.
When Portugal was in the exulting period of iher
splendour, and when her commerce was just at-
taining to its highest pitch, England did not derive
from her commercial connexions with that king-
dom, the same advantages as she has dnee in latter
times, for want of the means of furnishing the re-
articlts of trade. The manufatturing sys-
tem of Great Britain was then in its infancy. The
Netherlands, at that time, supplied Portugal with
inanufaaured goods, for the use of her numerous
and extensive colonies, and the wealth which
Bowed from the Portuguese settlements into
the mother country, was drawn from thence to
Antwerp, Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, and other
commercial and mannfafturing towns in the Belgic
provinces. The oppressive and tyrannical measures
of Philip 11. in driving these provinces to tevolt,
and -compelling their manufadurers and artisans to
seek a peaceable asylum in England, and other
conntiies, bereaved the Netherlands of this advan-
tage. And while he chewed himself the implaca-
ble enemy of this cOuntry, he injudiciously, and
unintentionally, conferred upon it a benefit of the
greatest magnitude. Had nut the despotism and
tyranny of Philip obliged the manufaaurers of the
N therlai.ls to fly for refuge into England, and
other foreign C. unties, and at lase caused the t0t...1
separation of those provinces from the Spanish
llifiusarchy, the pro,:ig, an: mass of wealth dra vn
(ram the Pc,thriese, as well as the S,, settle-

ments,would I Ave been conc:ntrat.rd mabiii his o.en
dominions, instead of being almost
prised Tutu Facign cntitries, aud par:kularly into
gland, a country ag.tinst which 11-: professed
the Most rancorous and detcrnir,td y.
'Tis baldly pr.ssiLl,, in crln'ii...!etirg t! esc covnt,,
to aruid making sonssieleaiors on the vondedul
elisp..q-aatiuns of tilaelik-con:tonlir.g novidence,
which overrules the court.:As an.l deter-
mines the issuz of all mundan.:

The history of mankind abotuhls with instances
of plan of aggrandisement, t gnu. J by ci.e most
NaretlPPrinces, and the most prof.mni
conctrtcd ssith the greatest sagacity, and plomis-

Fig indisputable success, %%MO have, I y unforeseen
causes, not only been totally disconee; od, even
cone, rted to the ruin of the projes:hors, by the in-
scrutable &cress of Him who has dr:lased, that he
confoun.: the wisJons of the ma.: ; I. e. when
'aging in opposition to his will ; v.!lo never
fails of accomplishing his promise.
Philip 11. has been generally a Tru-
dges( and a palitic Priree. He was, beyond all .nan-
n'eT of doubt, superlatively ambitious ; and, not-
v:ithstanding his irjudicious mcastrees, he ra;ght be
sell skilled in state affairs. He snord at unenn-
troulable power, end universal sv.;,). Fascinated
by his predominant passion, and led astray .by that
meteor of political ngwanclisemint, which haadaz•
:led the ey-i, and slouched tho tiederstarrdi* of
many fitst-rate politicians ; his inxdinati ambi-
tion drew a era before the coruerrtences of. his con-

A& 'thigh proied, IC' every rttpeiff, diametrically
oppoie to what he eAr. disastrous. in the el-
e teens* lto biomer kin and equally adsobillkage-
ous to thoeut enemies. whom he most desired
met. IVray not Philip-be. in this respeft, denomi-
nated the prototype of a celebrated perserage of the
present day ? and might not theekcifts of his inju-
dicious proceedings have operated as a salutary eau-
. tion to the •politicAl Colossus of our times ? As the
tyranny and ambition of Philip laid the foundation
of the greatness and power of England, the mi.
li7ary preparations and menaces of the Emperor of
France, instead of depressing, have raised that
Power to the highest pitch, and roused her energy
in a manner unprecedented at any former period.
The enterprising projels, and formidable menaces,
of the French Government, have made Great
Britain acqeainted with her own strength,
beyond all former experiments ; and caused
her to exhibit a dispfay of naval and military
strength, unexampled in the annals of the nation,
and able to bid defiance to all the rest of the world.
Thus, when the Supreme Ruler has decreed the fall
of nations, or of individuals, a judicial infatuation
pervades their councils, turns their deep-laid and
well-concerted schemes to their own disaster, and
converts into foolishness the wisdom of the Ahitho-
phels of every age.
If, however, the ungovernable ambition of that
Power should resolve on the conquest of Portugal ;
and Spin, allured by the promises, or awed by
the meraces, of France,should consept to the march
of the invading army through her 'territories, the
most sanguine speSator can hardly entertain a doubt
of the eventual subjugation of the devoted country.
France would pour in so formidable a force, army
after army, if necessary, that it would be impossible
for the Portuguese, even with the assistance of Eng-
land, to make a successful resistance against such
an accumulating mass of invaders. Should such
an event take place, Portugal hesestill one resource
left, such as few of the kingdoms of. Europe pos-
sess. In the very worst reverse of fortune, Brazil
will afford her the means of securing bar independ-
ence. That rich and ettensive country might be
a safe retreat for the Portuguese Government, the.
Nobility, and principal inhabitants, in the last ex-
tremity, and in the most desperate situation of na-
tional affairs. That colony, extending from the
equator to 55 deg. S. lat. and from :15 to 6..) •
‘‘.. long. being not lets than two thousand fear
hundred miles in length from North to South, and
seven hundred miles in breadth from E. to W. af-
fords room for more than ten times the Lumber of
inhabitants which Portugal contains, if they co*
All he conveyed thither ; the seat of Government,
and the wealth of the nation, might be removed into
that country, and a new Portuguese kingdom be
established in America, which, in process of time,
would, urquestiecally, become far more wealthy
and powerful, well as far more extensive, than the
present European kingdom.
The removal of the seat of the Portuguese Go-
vernmeut from tie cld to the new continent, may,
perhaps, stem a prejeft of romantic speculation ;
but it is not impessible that a period may ;strpes
when it will be found eligible, or even necessary.
It would be a bold decisive measure, and charac-
teristieAl of an enterprising spirit of independence.
Seidl migration would certainly be attended with
great difficulties, but it would not be iznpradficable•
I 1 etot y rum emus instances of the migrAtioas
(1 vast bodies of men, in the earlier ages of the
w 113; bet it must be confessed they took place pr:n-
cipAlly or solely among those uncivilized nations
and neanderin:o trihes, who had not acquired any I
permanent estal li,hment, or fixed property, of eon-
siderahle value, and who had no large and se althy
towns or cell pee essions to leave bah.nd. Thee I
valuable considerations strongly attach the inha-
bitants of a civilised nation to the soil, and on this
account, the removal of such a nation as the Por-
tuguese, tr. any ether nation of modern Europe,
would be far more difficult, as well as far more te-
pugnAnt to tLe inclinations of the people, than the
migrations of the Goths, the Vandals, and other
Northern nations, in the times of antiqii',y, or those

of the Tarar ttibes in a later r,,ri(),!. The m;ma-
tion of the Portuguese to America, 'multi not, how.

ever, mret with such formidable obstacles as thou
adventu•e•s had to surmount, when they migrated

in rumorous boldest, with their wives, thcir children,
and their all ; they had often a passage to force by
the sword, without the prospect of any possessions
e,tr settlements, but such as thq could acquire by
desperate courage and uncertain war. In this resped
the. Portuguese, if reduced to the necessity of trans-
ferring the seat of Government from Europe to
America, would have the advantage of retreating
to a fl mrishing colony, at present in their
own possession, without the hasord of war or
the trouble of concriest I but they would re-
quire shipping, which was act necessary to the
emigration of the uncivilised nations of former
age., for thbse were rammed by land, and ge-

. , , • , ,
madly to salits Imerioeemimriet, at at leastto
such. as were miry remote. It L ~
- 4 jr
poor, to bOotit noosible, At op. •
vary
.., 4- ,
Portugal • mstrasport themeekeo.lo!.4btkiow I
the suppositsonould be romantic t the seat Of o-
iltfllintilty the east opoloot of the inlarbitawee, and
the greats; part of the wealth of the country
might be conveyed to that settlement, and it is net
to be imagined, that the whole body of any 'nation
ever emigrated from its ancient seat. When we
are told of the emigratip.n of the Goths, &c. we are
only to suppose them to consilt oldie leaders and
principal persons, with the warriors and the moss
enterprising and adventurous part of the people,
wi..h their families ; and must take it for granted
that a very great number, perhaps even a consider-
able majority of the people, was left behind ; and a
similar emigration of the Portuguese might be ef-
felled'. All that is valuable in Portugal, exclusive
of the landed property, might, under the protedlion
of a British naval force, be conveyed beyond the
Atlantic, where a new kingdom might be formed,
which, in alliance with Great Britain, might bid
defiance to European hostility.

(To be continued.)

'IV▪ Tali BRITISH PRESS Hill, in a few days, be
printed "pox a beautiful new Type, cast on purpose
by Mr. THORNIS, of Barbican.

THE BRITISH PRESS.

LONDON,
FRIDAY, DFCEM OZR

Accounts have been received at the Admiralty,
that the fleet under the command of Sir C. COT-
TON had been seen, all well, clear of the Channel,
steering a southerly course. The ships have feur
months provision on board, and the troops left all
their heavy baggage behind. The Sth Regiment,
at Portsmouth, which expefted to form a part of
the expedition, was ordered, on Monday, into bar-
racks. Neither its destination, nor that of the 7th,
which is also at Portsmouth, are yet known. Of
the other troops now at that port, same of them, it
is raid, will shortly embark for the West Indica.

We gave, yesterday, an account of the political
dinner given by the POITVOUICR AMBASSADOR, ill
honour of the Birth-day of the Queen of PcursoAL.
Dan Rudely. end Zia Speeds un she 22e1 Septtaber,"
we mentioned as one of the toasts drank upon the
occasion with enthusiasm. Don RODRIGO is the
brother Ito Count Dc SCZA, the Portuguese Am-
bassador at our Court, and accompanies the Royal
Emigrants to the Brazils. The speech alluded to
was one is which he strongly urged the measure of
emigration, and the necessity of adhering to Eng-
land in all extremities.

The following is a List of Merchant ships that
have received sailing Orders, under command of
His M Amy v's frigate Amphiost. Capt. Hosre,
bound for Gibraltar and Malta :
London, Rover, Helena, William, Neptune, Doug's', Isis,
hiersurr, New thligertte, L Betsey and Sally, En-
devour, Mediteneneen, Astley, Dolphin, William. Robert
and Sally, Sarah Arm, Frederick, Thetis, Phoenix, Gallant
Schemer, Three Brothels, Ilawkesbury, Ambrosio, and Tho-
mas and Mary.

- Letters from the Conqverr, of 74. guns, Captain
.1. PELLFAV, dated the 7th instant, state her being
all well at that petiod, and that Sir S. SMITH, with
five sail of the lire, and three frigates, were closely
bl-ck.idirg the Tagil', but exile led to be shortly
juiced, by same more ships from England.
Captain Ye.o did nit leave town ;iota yesterday,
when he proceeded to Plymouth. lie is the bearer
of disrechcs for Sir SIDNEY SMITH.

Cr SIDI ST. M A *TIN Da Femr, Ambassador from
the King of SARDINIA to our Court, lately pre-
sented a remonstrance ta Government, in which he
complains that our cruiser. in the Mediterranean
brae Itsquently violated the neutrality of Sardinia,
by carrying off Frstich vessels, wrecked upon the
coast of that island, and pursuing their crews on
shore; and that the Fasscis Copal, r., in Sardinia,
had demanded his passports, and threatened His
SA RDI' lAN MAJESTY widi hostilities, in case repa-
ration as refused, and this system of aggression
should be continued. Government have, in come-
(pence of this representaticn, ordered, that instruc-

tions thruld be sent to our naval forces in the Me-
diterranean, to prevent a repetition of these irjuries,
and to provide for the security of the Island against
any attack on the part of France.

A Petition for a convoy to be appointed for the
proteCtion of the remaining homeward-bound Baltic
trade, left in Car'sham and other Swcdish ports,
wet lately forwarded from Huil :—The Petition
was signed by 70 merchants and shipowners; the
unexpefted departure of Captain Fa•zt:a, from the
Sound, with all the ships of war under his command,
having excited a considerable sensation. The fol-
lowing letter, from Mr. STAKINOLTII. 000 of the

,--

•
• ...
Melt for HO, to *both the Petition wet for.
warded, was received there In answer, ea Thursday
rooming: --
" London, December 15,1807
SIR-4 have laid your letter, with its inclosure,
the Lends of the A.l!niratty,, arpi I here.ruaaon to thyak i„.,
will instantly alopt every praB icahle measure for the proter.,,,a
of the Rrish ships remaining in the it Iltic. Captain F:aen
appsam to has* left Nation much earth* than was eirpt:fted ;
and the worst consequence. are to be sprehen
I liar,: tae honour to be, &r,
J. STANIFORT/I.