The National Register.
London, England, 1812-08-16 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

RUSSIA AND FRANCE.

The Russian cam:raign is everyday growing morc interest- 11
ing, and the favourable consequences of the defensive system
more apparent. It is true that the shock of armies has hi-
therto been suspended, and that although partial engage-
ments have occurred between detached corps, yet no deci-
sive action, up to the latest accounts, had been fought : It
is true that Russia has abandoned several millions of her late
subjects, who have joined the enemy, and several hundred
miles of territory, which he has re-cast, with the Duchy of
Warsaw, into a Kingdom it is true that he had succeeded
by the impetuosity of his advance in dividing the Russian
army into two potions, and rendering the intrenched camp
at Drissa useless. But it is equally evident, that, limn all
these apparent advantages. he has derived no real good.
The partial engagements have only served to abate the con-
tdence of his troops, who have met not only with resistance,
tut with discomfiture, The territory he has gained is de-
vastated, and yields him no support: the population by
which he has been joined is inexperienced and unarmed,
and exhausts his own supplies; whilst the Russians, contend-
ing
wi +hitt the ancient limits of their empire, fear no rising of
the people, but can rely on their zealous co-operation. The
Russian army had been divided, but it is plain that the force
under BAGRATION and ALEXANDER, whilst separated, was
in itself too powerful to allow of its being attacked singly
with any prospect of success, and has repelled, with loss,
every attack by which its march had been obstructed. The
intrenched camp at Duissa has been evacuated, hut the re-
treat of ALEXANDER from the posts he had fortified, has ena-
bled him to effect his junction with Pi ince BAGRATION.
• The boasted manoeuvres of the French have therefore availed
them nothing. At the end of a month's campaign they
And themselves on the other side of a ravaged province
with diminished numbers, straightened for provisions,
fatigued and dispirited by a vain pursuit, and opposed
Al a concentrated force, equal, if not superior to their
.own, advantageously posted, abundantly supplied with
food, and eager to engage and repel the invaders of
their country. The course of the war is, however, changed,
And instead of rolling along the coast of the Baltic towards
St Petersburgh, it moves, deep inland, towards the ancient
capital of Russia. This is perhaps the only object which
NAPOLEON has attained; but it is not one which can ulti-
mately secure his success. By passing between ALEXANDER
and the Baltic, he thinks he has deprived him of the expect-
ed co•operation of the Swedes in that quarter, and will
succeed in transferring the seat of war into the south, where
a milder winter will not check his progress, and the Turks
may, by their advance, place his opponent between two fires.
lie does not think it possible, perhaps, that a Swedish army
should land in Pomerania, and light up the torch of iasur
section in his rear. He relies on the fidelity of the King of
Dsettsaltsc ; but the rumoured correspondence lately carried
on, it is said, between that Sovereign and Mr. THORNTON,
may, especially if we should offer to restore the Danish fleet,
show how short-lived are the affections of his allies. He
depends on the co-operation of Turkey, but as it is now offs
cially known that the Porte has ratified the treaty of peace
avitkitussia, he will find an increase of foes, instead of his ex-
pected accession of friends, and will only by penetrating more
deeply into the wilds of the Russian Empire, contribute to

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AUG. 16.

render his ruin both unavoidable and complete. The die,
however, is cast. Retreat on his part would be equal to
defeat, and would he the signal for Europe to rise. He
must proceed or he must fall at once. He must proceed—.
and Pultowa may prove, a second time, the grave of ambi.
This is not a fanciful view of the probable results of
the catnraign in the North. It is founded on the contents
of the Ft ench eighth and ninth, and of the Russian bulletins,
which will be found in another part of our columns. The
forced acknowledgments of the former, and the plain and
modest statements of the latter, afiind ample cause for confi
deuce and hope. It was our intention to have extended
our observations on the consequences of the Russian War,
beyond their present limits, but the ample confirmation of
the glorious victory gained by our arms in Spain, has left us
no room for the discussion of other subjects, no feeling but
that of patriotic and enthusiastic exultation.

One of the consequences of tl:c Peace between this Coun.
try and Russia is, as was to he expected, the restoration of
Peace with our Ally, Spain. The Emperor ALEXANDER,
who at Tikit and Erfurth agreed to the Subjugation of
Spans, and in 1808 acknowledged JOSEPH as the lawful So-
vereign of that Country, has now, we understand, recogni,ed
FERDINAND VII. as King of Spain. This wa,,, no doubt,
one of the conditions on which we agreed to treat with
Russia. ALEXANDER has also ordered the immediate de-
p trture of Frenchmen from his territories. In this ordt r
arc included the subjects of the various members of the con-
federation of the Rhine.

It is stated, on the authority of letters received in town
from the Ba!tic, that a most calamitous and destructive oc-
currence toLl place at Riga, on the 25th ult. The garrison
of the city, it appears, amounted to 17,000 men, and, in
contemplation of a visit from the enemy, the demolition of
the suburbs was resolved on as a measure of self defence.
In the course of the night of the 25th an alarm was given,
and intelligence communicated to the Governor of the ar-
rival of the enemy within a short distance from the town.
The garrison was immediately under arms, and the pre-de-
termiated resolution of destroying the subto bs was imme-
diately carried into terrible execution. The parts intended
to be demolished were set fire to, and the flames raged with
such violence, and spread with such rapidity, that in spite
of every effort to extinguish or arrest their progress, above
200 houses, not comprehended in the suburbs, were de-
stroyed, and, horrible to add, 2000 persons are said to
have perished on the occasion ! We trust this statement is
greatly exaggerated.
Directions have been received at Portsmouth, to delay
the sailing of Sir JoHt‘ WARREN'S squadron until farther
orders. This measure is supposed to have been adopted
until the arrival of dispatches from Mr. FOSTER at New
York, which may daily be expected.
The 'fax on Shoe Leather begins to operate in a
most serious manner. The makers and venders of shoes
now refuse to make a serviceable pair of shoes for le's
than 16s. and they say that the price will be shortly in-
creased to 18s. The tanners had orders to pay the duties
given by the Act after the 15th of July.
REVIEW OF THE TENTH HUSSARS.—The review of this
well-mounted and highly-disciplined regiment. is to take
place to-morrow, on Hounslow Heath. His Royal High-
ness the PRINCE REGENT will be on the ground at twelve
o'clock; and as her MAJESTY and the PRINCESSES will ho-
nour it with their presence, a guard of honour is to be fur-
nished by the Lifc Guards, who are appointed to keep the
ground, instead of the 23d Dragoons. as originally order