The National Register.
London, England, 1809-09-17 00:00:00

shall once have gained a looting in eitaer country, there i•
not a single fortress in its internal parts to oppose his pro-

greys.
It may be truly objected, that in the present state of out
navy, and of our wealth, these dangers are remote. But
what is the respite of a few years, to, such of us who are
young, or who have posterity for whose welfare we; are in,
terested ? Upon such au occasion let no frail hope be
placed upon our navy, or our wealth. History speaks too
intelligibly fur us not to know, that beyond a certain point
the laud has always governed the sea, and iron has always
mastered gold, of which the of Carthage.by the
Romans furnishes the double ,example. Nothing then is
safe but precaution, where precaution and whilst precau.:
tion can be.useful. It will be too late to think of it when
the opportunity of employing it is past. If we leave any
thing till to-morrow that weean do to-day, we shall almost
deserve to be surpried. If the ins7car situation of Great
Britain, and i tmai
_strength, has si inuch abated our jea4
lousies and 941:inainediate.feers, if.we are too confident to
be apprehensive of danger on our own shores, let us look,
to what way
.happen, during suck a struggle, from other
quarters. But before we proceed to this part of our, subject,
let.us examine our real situation more in detail.--.oer po-:
potation does not, perhaps, exceed twelve, millions;. and)
this amount is weakened by. being divided between. two'
islands. one:ef which, at. least, CU., ouly.be.iiefeaktk, Riot
difficulty. Its land forces bear no propos. Lien to Mimes
which can be mustered against it under the circumstances.
we have previously supposed. A navy must ,form its prin-
cipal defence, and here, in case of actual invasion, we. come,
to the uncertain operation of winds and waves before al-.
luded to, and likewise to the ignorance of the precise,
spot, •as in the time of the Danes, to which an
hostile fleet from the northern shores may choose,
to . direct its attack, whether on our east or west
coast. We should be equally embarrassed to deter-.
mine whether a southern fleet is to portend invasion
to Great Britain or Ireland,. at the.same lime thet a strong
guard must be placed upon the operations that may be go-
ing on in the-ports of the Low: Ceunt ries in the East. The!
materials and foundation for all these hostile arrangements.
are to be found in the various ports of the Baltic, the Low.
°Countries, France, the Mediterranean, Sic. ; or, perhaps,,
,they are to be had in the will of despotism alone, when that
:will is directed to the attainment of one object; for Itu.oe.s.,
;PART-E, who has made ALII;XANDER his model, and the an,
tients his study, will cherish the ambition and pride in ex... 1
coed in naval :natters the :redden efforts of Rome and Ptri.:
thage, of Athens and Macedon,,•as.much..as he certainly hes ,
surpassed them in military genius,
..protnptitride, and
exertion. •
The distance too, as we have before observed; is shorty,..
and therefore requires less expeuce and skill;. but if tits.
ports of the Baltic are closed to us, if Am.eriarbe estrauc..;
ed, from whence than_ wilkcixe the masa of opposing
itoW; pertaps, but of a progressively increasing navy is
the -hands of the Tyrant. But let us look a little to :7 al