The National Register.
London, England, 1808-08-21 00:00:00

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No. 34.

SUNDAY, AI

POLITICAL DISQUIStION. zoo.
NUMBER THIRTY-FOUR. to::1 c.
RIAIL STATE OF THE FRENCH ARMY; Willi A
CONIIIMIATIVE VIEW OF THE AUSTRIAN, RUS-
SIAN, AND PRUSSIAN MILITARY FORCES.

There is no feature more prominent in the character of

man than a propensity to exaggeration. Whenever he
speaks of his country, her institutions, local advantages
and military establishments, no measure is adopted in the
indulgence of this inclination, as he thinks it ennobled by
the mark it assumes of patriotism. The history of our
time recommends particular caution to the political writer
in the speculations he would found on these effusions of
national self-10%e. If this circumspection be necessary in
our examination of the accounts published on any of these
subjects by the individuals or governments of most countries,
it would be particularly so with regard to the French. What
was the eirect of folly or vanity in the ode, was, on the
part of the latter, the highest refinement of Machevialism.
11.-Ae take a retrospective view of the last ten years we are
atenished at the boldness and success of these, eaaggera-
tions, as well as at the credulity and weakness with 'which
they were received by other nations. After having been
repeatedly deceived in this respect, it might be presumed,
that some degree of witticism would be adopted; but they
continued from year to year to credit the statements of a
goverument, which had an interest, and manifested une-
quivocal intcutious of a design to deceive. The grossest
falsehoods were received as self-evident truths : and these
besotted governments maintained diplomatic agents in ,
France, one would be inclined to suppose, more for the
purpose of attending the levees and making a part of the
Consular and Imperial State of Bonaparte, than of collect-
ing intelligence relative to the projects and resources of
that restless and enterprising man. The supineness, inca-
pacity, and trifling submissive deportment of most of the
Envoys and Ambassadors at Paris, were subjects of equal
indignation and contempt to every man who visited that
capital. The superiority, which Bonaparte arrogated in
his relations with the Monarchs ofiturope, made them ap-
prehensive of sending any man who might be obnoxious to
him, on account of his talents, patriotism and penetration. ,
Even the harmless, obsequious mortals, who attended his
levees as representatives of their Sovereign, were con.
,tautly surrounded by his spies, and to avoid giving him I,
diss.itisfaction, they confired the important duties of their
missism to the punctilio of constant attendance at the
Thuilleries and to the reputation of connoisseurs. They
all, with very few exceptions, seemed to vie in baseness..
The insecurity of the post gave them likewise justifiable
cause for supposing that any dispatches they might send
through that channel, would fall into the hands of the ty-
rant ; and their messengers 'were frequently murdered and
robbed of th.eir papers. Even their hotels were not secure.
'hefidetity of their servants Ulu/ had Nasuis 19 supsact,
as. LIA 2 rei•gol.

10.641.41

rpi

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I, attb Laths.
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UST 21, 1808 • Pie let 84

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at no means would be left untried to indhce them to betray
the confidence of their masters.
After these observations, which are only a faint deScripv
tion of the immorality and insolence of the one. and th•
debasement and inaction of theAther, every doubt will
vanish about the absolute ignoraele in which every govern 4
meta must remain: relative to the finances and armies of
}Waft. This was one of the great causes of the blunders,
miscalculatiosmagni disasters of the Continent. Under such
restrictions, moral as well as personal, it was absolutely
impracticable for any ostensible agent, let his talents and
zeal be ever so great, to make communications to his go.
vernment which could be relied on. A veil of impenetra-
ble mystery was, at the same time, thrown over the finances
and the number of conscripts that are annually raised.
The exact amount of the ones and the number of the
latter have never been satisfactorily ascertained ; for it
would betray more than ignorance, it would be a mirk of
the grossest stupidity, to take as the rule of our calcula.
tions, the communications made to the Senate and Coro
Legislatif: The regiments were never stationary. They
were continually marching from one place to another. or
confined within the lines of a camp, where the police was
so severe that no means were left to the most intelligent
and enterprising to culkct information.
But the conduct of the French government Was theme.
trically opposite. Its Ambassadors to the Courts of Maa
drid, Vieuna, Berlin, &c. were men, consummate ie the

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arts of intrigue and equally skilled in peace and war. Their
national characteristic pertness gave them 4 latitude of ine )0i
quiry, which would not be overlooked in any other-Amy .1
and, in coetempt of all the laws and usages of nations, thelr
maintained an intercourse with every disaffected isdivided
in the army or in a civil capacity, took them literally paw
their protection+ and by their means, and with the
of emissaries, who were scattered in every provin..
were able to transmit a more exact knowledge ofibe A
trian, and other armies than the weak cabinet' '
themselves. The superiority which this gave the French
in their military operations will be easily conceived. Their
combinations were 'consetfuently bold and certain; and-
their movements had fri that regularity and proMptitud• -.
which were al ylkissed in the plans and motions of the
allies. , This On fusion and uncertainty on the part of the
latter. emortOned all the disasters sustained by Melas, Mack,
and the take of Brunstrick. A few days previous to the
battle of ',lens no determined plan of operation had been
adopted 14 the Prussian Generals; and *bat was decide 4
in one couecil of war was rejected in the neat. No certma
information was received of the motion or designs of the
French, till *e advanced guards of the left ling were cat
to pieces ue*r Saalfeld ; and the magazines at • Naumhurg
were taken byrDavoust. As soon as the former occurrence
was known at head-quarters, it was debated a considerable
time, whetheli the army should quit its position ; bat the
disorder in the councils of war held for this purpose was*
great, that na'resolution was taken, till even retreat IMicalb,
,wpractisable by the nieveenut of Pay oust's corps in their