The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-12-22 00:00:00

I .ON DO N,
SATURDAY. DEctussa 22.

Europe has never since its civilisation presented
such an organised anarchy in its system of
politics, as that which in oar days makes so
many nations wretched, without making one
happy. Russia, Austria, and Prussia, jealous of and
isolated from each other, though equally detesting
and su<peaing ltevolutionary France, ate kept se.
parate by the intrigues, more than by the power of
the latter, and prevented from forming an union so
necessary for their comm n preservation, as well as
for the tranquillity and happ.ness of the world.
Sweden and Denmark are in the same relative situa-
tion with each other, and with all other European
States. The anarchy aMong the Members of the
German Empire is still greater, and affeas sot
only its palitical conneUinns, but its territorial poi.
sessions. If the influence and power of France should
continue to increase, as they have hitherto done,
in some few years the tottering Turkish Empire will,
in its ruins, present her with new me.eis to indemni-
fy and degrade selfish Nieces, and treacherous
Counsellors. Italy, Switzerland, lolland, Spain,
and Portugal, may be regarded as French depart.
ments, and will be decreed as such, or as French
military stations, the day when Great Britain shall
cease to rule the main .
The war into which we are now on the eve of
entering with Spain has induced us to make
these mnsarlts, and to call to the attention of
,mr readers a moral and political truth, that,
:hough at enmity with Spain, our vineries are as
necessary for her existence, as an independent State,
I% her defeats, in !ler contest with us, are the only
•neans to prevent her front sharing the fate of Italy,
s•od to preserve Madrid from experiencing the same
tyranny as Turin. Unable to oppose France in
Europe, mme than England in America, this unfor-
mate nation is, against its in :lination and interest,
ibliged, united with her destroyers, to combat her
preservers. The Spanish Cabinet is well aware of
this, but it has not spirit enough to endure the con-
sequences of a Peace with England, the temporary
incursion or occupation of some Spanish provinces
by France. The certain advantages which filially
would result from such an event, the most narrow.
minded politician may however larva. Neither
Russia, Austria, nor Prussia, would yet suffer Bo-
NAPAtrx to lay waste Spain; though a day may
come, when, from the ignorance or treachery of the
Spanish Counsellor, the Usurper may so have es-
tablished his authority in that country, that Spanish
soldiers, like the Italians, will fight against their de-
liverers, whilst, with the resources of Spain, he is able
to support fresh armies in Germany, and to vanquish
all resistance to his plan of universal tyranny. The
generosity of England will, no doubt, spare Spain
as much as possible during the present, as it
did during the last war; but, at a pacification,
Spain will remain in the same unsettled si-
tuation as at the period of the peace of Amiens
—Without her consent, but at the expense of her
colonies, BOTNACAtrt will again sign treaties
with Great Britain ; and, during a peace, as well as
during a war, Spain will be agitated by his emissa-
ries, insulted and humiliated by his demands ; and,
by forced conventions, under the name of loans, or
tributes, plundered of the riches of her mines in
America.

On the other band, bad Spain cordially entered
into 4 league with England and Russia, against the
Usurper, should she even at first have experienced
some momentary disasters ; a future peace would
have insured a future independence. At present,
all countries occupied by the Corsican bandittis suf-
fer, with impatience, his yoke. Were he under the
necesiity of withdrawing or dividing his forces,ltaly,
Switzerland, and Holland, would not long remain
quiet ; and, shculd he experience deleats, even in

Fiance his authority wonld be shaken. But, sue
cessful or routed, it is imposiible that Austria and
Prussia could long remain idle speaators. In the
former case, their own safety requires that Spain
should cnntinue at least nominally independent
and, in the latter case, they have so :many outrages
to revenge, and so many evils to fear, that they
would, with more sincerity and cordiality, send their
soldiers to crush an usurped throne, than they have
sent Ambassadors to assist at the Coronation.

As we stated yesterday, no letters of marque will
be issued against Spain until the return of Mr. B.
FRERE from Madrid. The following is a copy of
the Order of Council for laying an embargo upon
Spanish ships in our harbours:
1. At the Couar at the ,ireen's Palace, the 19th
of December, 180-1, Present, The Krso's Most
Excellent MAJESTY in Council.
wileres4 information has been received that an Esaisargo
has been enteral to be :ail inyin all British ships in the ports of
the kingdom of Spain it is this des ordered by his Majesty,
by end with the advice of his l'r.sy Council, that no shins or
veswis b.-longing to ary of Ili, Majesty's sublecis be per.
mined to enter and etas,. out for any uf the ports of Spain, until
further order : And I lis Majesty is further pleased to order,
that a General Emba:ge or Stop be male of all Snanish ships
and vessels whatsoever, now within, or which hereafter shall
tonic into ■ny of the ports harbours, or roads within the
United Kingdom of Great B itain and Ir3land„ together with all
persons and effects Oil board the said ships mud vessels; but that
the utmost care be taken for the preserrauon of all and every
part of the cargoes on hoard any of the said ships, so that no
damage or entbezzlensent whatever bo scanned.

" S. CtrrTRELL."

The Spanish Register ship 1)ido, laden with trea-
sure from South America, and the schooner La
Linda, detained by the Pd.gard, have arrived at
Penzance. The Fusard has detained thirteen other
Spanish vessels.

On Thursday and yesterday, at two o'clock. the
RUSSIAN AMIASSADOIL transaCted business at Lord
Hsu& aowa v's Office, for a considerable time.

Yesterday a Court of Diresors was held at the
East India House. when Join Ikea, Esq. was
sworn and took his seat as a I)ireaor of the Com-
PanT•
WiLLIAIS GRATHUIiST, Esq. was appointed
Transfer Accoununt in the room of Joni PLPPER
coax, Esq. deceased.
The following Cot:unanders were sworn into the
command of their respeaive ships, stationed as
undermentioned, viz.—.

Captain Samuel Landon, City of London, Bombay.
Ca.estn Anthony Murray (in the room of Captain Burrows,
resisiied•. Earl Howe, Madras. _ _

S•rrrart (in His rums of Captain Graham, ret.gn,d),
Windham, Ceylon 446,1 Madras.

The Court icijJurned at six o'clock till Tuesday
next.

There are at present in Ireland fotty-cintthon.
sand troops of the line and militia ready to tile the
field immediately, over and above fourteen thousand
nv-is set apart for ordinary and incidental duties.—
There is also a numerous body of Yeomanry per-
feely competent to the preservation of local tran-
qo.toty, and the prevention a disorders, which all
countries may be expeaed to produce when they
become the theatre of war.

Letters have been received from Barcelona, by
the way of I lolland, of the date of the 21st ult. by
one of the first mercantile houses, which state, that
no embargo had been ordered in that port at that
period. The;t trade, Loa ever, is represented as
having experienced considerable interruption from
Lord Nasso a's cruisers, who were almost daily cap-
turing Spanish vessels in sight of the port.
Capt. PLAII FIN is appointed to the command of
the Awctope, of SO guns, in the room of Sir HON.
PUPII•th appointed to the Addeo N. of 64 guns, at
Woolwich.

The Ewleerveur, Coasts. is on short near Wey-
mouth. and full of water.

I'll Shari filmier, from Shields for London,
is on shore near Salttleet.

The W HuNe, from Hmduras for London,
is captured, and carried into the I lay.umah.

A vessel bound from South America to Old Spain,
has been detained by the ship Arepterre, of Greenock,
Joan WKint av master. She was sent for Clyde
under the e.induet of said shi?'s second mate, and
some of her crew, and, in her way in by the North
Channel, was taken charge of by Hic Mastsrv's
ship Brilliant, who has put in with her to Isle Oron-
say, in the Isle of Sky.
A letter received in Hull from the owner of a
vessel that has just ar.ived at London from Smyrna.
Rates, that when the vessel left Gibraltar on the
I ith ult. the Captain was told by the Pratique mas-
ter, that the town and garrison were then in grind
health, not a single death hating occurred fir
sorr.e days.
A letter from Sheerness, dated Thursday, says—
" A great number of merchant vessels have been
obliged to run into the harbour, with the loss of
their cables and anchors. The 1/e/oin r brig, Capt
Elt.t.r., from London to South Shields, in ballast, in
coming up the Swin with them, struck so violently
on the Mapelin Sand, as to carry assay her rudder,
after which she struck again, and then fortunately
got into deep water ; but the wind was so tre-
mendous and kept increasing, that she became quite
unmanageable; and after pasing the Nine, she
again got on short on the China Rock, between this
plat: and Minster, where she now lies ; and there
remaiiu little or no probability, that she will ever
be got off."
On ThursdAr the Royal Westminster regiment of
Volunteers, tender the c••mmand of Major Tw i SING,
in c -mseqeence of Cse accident al JAMES anima t-
sar,. Esq. their Co: mel, was inspected by Col. J err-
it insov, after which, they had a liekl-day,when they
acquitted themselves with their usual precision ; and
c -aclnded with voting to their Maier, than when
there cannot be a more deserving Officer. a sword,
value ;GI. and pa': of pistols, jUI.