The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-08-14 00:00:00

4 ~

"Initsoces require./ t sand to. h le- counted every
114 as a vbaory, in; which the enemy would be
slowly digging their own graves, while the Russians
would be enabled to advance, and* to cover the
capital, which was incapable of defence.
The plan adopted by Napoleon must have failed.
had it been executed with less courage. What
ought to have proved the rock of this enterprise,
was the very thing that decided the campaign. It
was not till g 22 days after. the appearance of the
French on the Danube and the Lech, that the
Russians, who had, with inconceivable rapidity.
traversed the half of Europe, reached the otber ex-
tremity of Bavaria. Had Mack, instead of expe-
diting his disgrace, but possessed the courage to
hold out twenty days longer, Ulm had been reliev-
ed, the campaign had taken a different turn, and
two great nations, who could not uni:e amid mis-
fortune, had been joined under the auspices of
victory. Men have clamoured about treachery,
and even called the courage of certain Powers in
question; but people only deceived themselves,
without intending to deceive arty one. Veterans,
who were tried le fifteen campaigns, might lose
their laurels, without, however, lowering their

noble charader.
A capital fault was committed by the Russian
army, but this fault springs from such a noble prin-
ciple, that it may be considered as a kind of glory.
When Austria no !Pager possessed an army to cover
her Capital, they should have formed a rampart,
they should have defended, wit pout listening to her t
at the same time that they paid respeCt to unforta-
nate warriors, tobrave indiv;doals, and a Sovereign
worahy of regard, they should not bare Poll awed,
implicitly. such plans as migh, be prescribed ta
them, but have judged of the Present. from the
past. After the sudden demolition of a mighty
army, after the abandonment of Vienna, they ',isist
have been justified in treating an awed so
Sovereign under their safeguard. To actkiit them-
selves of an eqoally honourable and necessary
charge, with due dignity, they should have listene.l
only to the rig d dictates of polity. and not to the
voice of the most magnanimous
The Russians. deceived in all their expeetations,
and, we may even lay, ia all their hopes, doubtless
obeyed, too hastily, the impulse of a sensibility,
which was so much the more proud anti the nvire
lively, as the heart of him who conducted them was
generous. His troops had come to Austerlitz to
save Vienna ; that they had marched from Peters
burgh for the salvation of Europe was forgotten ; a
retreat was ordered ; and the Austrian Monarchy
was abandoned to its fate.—The Inn?. mr Al. under
had joined only as an ally ; in quit:ing the theatrt
of the war, upon the signature of the Conran:am
by Francis 11. the day after the battle
he Oka consistently with the part he had assumeil
The Coalition, which was formed to re.cue States
that were now too far distant to be defended, could
not now be revived, but by an open, decisive Al-
liance with Prussia. From the moment 'that the
deliverance of Austria, which had surrendered at
discretion to the French. was hopeless, the Russians
could di) nothing better than to take advantage of
the Convention which opened them a convenient
way through Hungary, instead of direetnig their
roue thro.,;h a country which they had exhaused
in their first passage.

The French Federative State, with its immea-
surable extent, will lose that cohesion which always
reidered France so powerful. Since France has
given up the boundaries which Nature and Art made
it so difficult to pass, she has acquired more States
to be protefled, without obtaining a single additional
soldier, on whom she can confidently rely. To pre.
serve Naples, the Kingdom of Italy and Holland,
to controul Spain, to carry into effeel the changes
in the German Empire, French armies are requisite.
Time alone can efface the distiattions of customs, of
dispositions, of languages, upon which the antipa-
, thies of nations are grounded : the unions dictated
or decreed by Power or by Fate, are maintained
only by compulsion or success. To this it must be
added, that such a wide extended military system,
must exhaust the finances. N,w, it is true, nothing
but the naval force of England can contest the
Diftatorship of Europe, which France is striving to
acquire ; by ships alone can a blow now be struck.
The Federative Zone which she has fairmed. covers
all her frontiers, but fifteeen hundred leagues of
COast, which her marine cannot protel, remain ex-
posed ; Coalesced Europe may surround her with
its fleets, and menace her in a thoesand points,
which her armies cannot possibly defend.
France may cut and carve the South of Europe
at her will and pLasurc. She may raise Dukedoms
into Kingdoms, and reduce Kingdoms to Duchies.
She may dethrone lesitimate Princes, and put in
their place favourite Generals and artful Courtiers;
but that is the extent of her power. The fintS of
England circumscribe her doinittion, and limit hes
exertions.—They cot her off from Africa, Asia,
land America.