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

TILE NATIONAL REGISTER.

832

I

Gisneral, and those who look on success as tile criterion of
ability, may consider him as distinguished a Statesman ;
but when the vast advantages he possessed over the Allies,
are taken into consideration, his victiaries at Lim, Auster-
litz, and Jena, must cease to excite admiration. The army
conimanded Massena was never computed at more than ,
60,0001 This distinguished officer was ordeled to act on
the defensive ; and it. is natural to suppose that Bonaparte
was too jealous of his reputation to intrust him with a 11101 c
numerous force. To oppose the attack which the Russians
and Swedes, in conjunction with Lord Cathcart, threatened
to urike on lloliand, orders were given to collect an army
of .100,00 U men. We know it, however, to Le a positive
fact, that fi5,000, notwithstanding every exertion, were
never assembled for Lhat purpose; and we are happy to
hear that our statement on lius particular point coincides,
with %cry immaterial dillerence, with that of Lord Cath-
cart. In summing up, therefore, tLe different armies which
were. einployed agatast Austria, and for the detence
fume, vie shall find they amounted to about 250,000.
lit lore We proceed further, it will be necessary to revert
to lige condlict observed by Bonaparte in all the wars be
has been engaged in. If any thing is to he particularly ad-
mired in hie military operations, it is the audacity with
which he leaves a number of points exposed, in order to
bear down with his whole mass where the danger is most
immieent ; calculating very justly that any partial defea:,
he may soslain in any of those places will he easily reme-
died, after he has disithled the princip:l antagonist. Per-
sons who nave tray died ninth in France, ca'.not have fail-
ed. to observe, that in. time of war scarce a soldier is to be
e 4,01 in the interior ; and after the peace of Vresloirg our
Readers wilt not have forgotten the reproaches Bonaparte
made our Coserument, that it made no attempt against
Boulogne, as eery soldier had been witlarazen frant
the .coasii. His reproach was well founded ; for there
were not s,OOO men left for its defence. We had been fre-
quently informed, and we have our information from the
best authority, that t%0,000 were not left for the defence of
the coasts, during the whole course of the Austrian war.
This,account we the more easily credit, as it was conform-
able to sound policy, and perfectly coinciding with the
uniform conduct and character of Bonaparte. He knew
-that Europe estimated his armies much higher than they
really were; and he calculated as a sound politician, when
he supposed this country would make no attempt against
Brabant, as long as he was successful against Austria. His
audacity, therefore, so far from deserving to be considered
as rashness, was the most consummate wisdom ; and the
result justified his combinations. He did not overlook, in
like manner, the demonstrations which Prussia began to
make about that time. Is there any reason then to suppose
that a man, whose great abilities are universally acknow-
ledged, would have left—useless soldiers in the interior,
wl.ol their presence was so necessary in Germany. We are
thereforejostified in drawing the conclusiou, that all his ar-
mies at that time, in which we have included his Dutch and
Italian A axilaries, with the gees d'arnierie. did not amount
to 300,000 meu. This opinion is irrefragably proved by the
difficulty which Mortier had, during the Prussian war, of
coliectiag a sufficient force to resist a small army of about
14,000 Swedes in Pomerania, and his inability to keep Col-
bert, in constant blockade, whose garrison was in the habit
of mali g excursions of several leagues from the fortress,
in one of which they made General Victor prisoner. It is
ruessary orce more to observe that the French had only
100,000 -Russians to oppose in Poland. However, not-
w tastanding their Rhenish Confederates, their Dutch,
Italian and Spanish Auxiliaries, it is astonishing how very
few n9l they left for the defence of the country between
the Rhine and Vista., a circumstance which will strongly
prw.e tl.e incapacity and criminal indifference of the
e Idmiiistration. They looked with as much apathy
ou the last struggle of European independence, as if it
had been a predatory war between the Deys of Algiers
. suul•Tustiai though every hotter frost Ir. Thoratos must

AUCI'ST 21.

have convinced them that a diversion of about 30,0ue
between the Ems and Weser, particularly aft:.r the
of Eylau, would• have raised Hanover, lletsiv, per-
haps Holland. But let us abandon that disivraceful ;
and hasten to our conclusion. From the facts we hale
alleged, supported by the late events in Spain, aliti the
unaccounlab:e indiilerence of Bonaparte relative to the
Austrian armaments, we are convinced wa risk nothing in
maintaining that the French army, Hatch ;led Halians
included, does not consist of more than TWO HUHIIIALD AN•
FIFTY THOUSAND MEN.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

PROM THIS SPANISH PAPERS.

SPAIN.

Sr. y AGO, JUNE 49.—The Supreme Junta or this Prinripa•
lity hasten to communicate to this kingdom the ittfortßitlit,tl they
have received from our Deputies in Breit Britain, ‘s, ;one tto-
vernment otlers a succour not only to this Print hat
every other Principnlity of this kingdom, ns will be writ hy it
annexed Copy of the Letter of the English Minister to our De-
puties :

HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S DECLARATION TO
1111; ENVOYS OF ASTURIAS.

Office of Foreign Affairs, Nth June.

MY Loans—l have laid before my Sovereign the Letter which
you were authorised by the Junta if the Principality of Astu-
rias to deliver to me, together with the powets ntrusted to you
by the Junta, entreating, in their wne, his ,Majesty's assistamc.
Ills 'Majesty has desired me to assure your Excellencies that he
feels the wart:test interest in the resolution of the Principality of
Asturias to sustain against the atrocious Usnrper of France, a
contest in favour of the independence of the Sp. wish Monarchy :
That his MRjesty is disposed to grant every kind of assistance t•
efforts so magnanimous and praiseworthy.
His Majesty has, therefore, ordered me to declar:•, that me
lime shall be lost in embarking for the port of Cajon the suc-
cours that you require, as being the most pressingly uemsary ;
he will besides send a naval force capable of protecting the coast
of Asturias against auv'attempt which France may make, and
of introducing troops by sea into the country-116 Majesty will
make further efforts in support of so just a cause.
llis Majesty has also ordered me declare to your nxeellencies,
Iris readiness to extend the same succours to every other part of
~the Spanish Nlonarchy, which may he animActl by the same
spirit a' the iniu.bitants of AsiuriaQ, as well as his Majesty's sin-
cere desires to renew those ties of friendship which subsisted se
long between tile two nations, and to direct his united efforts
against an power which may es ince hostile intentions against
Spain, as well as Great Britain.
1, recommend to sour Excellencies to communicate as on as
possible to the Junta the manner in which his Majr,t:• has re-
ceived the proposals transmitted by your Excellencies. A sis-
syl has been got ready at Portsmouth, to carry any person wise
may think proper to dispatch.
I beg your Excellencies to accept the assurances of my high
consideration.

(Signed)

Cliconoic C.4Aximc.

PROCLAMATION OF ADMIP.AL COTTON.
"Co 1 MRA, ur.Y IR.—The undersigned Admiral c,,otmand•
lug the Fleet of his Britannic Majesty on the coast of Portm;alo
loses not a moment to make known, that he has received an el.
press from the Lo) a 1 Inhabitants of Sitter, and to assure them,
as well as every true and loyal PortuguOse engaged in a just, ho-
nourable, and glorious cause, such as the re-establishment of its
rightful Prince, that all the support lyiug in the power of his
Britannic Isl:sjesty's Fleet shall be given.
" Capt. Smith commanding his Britannic Alajestv's ship Co
mus, is charged to deliver this express, and iast'•ucted to proceed
to• Sines, in order to lend a prompt and immediate wsistance.
" The British Admiral undersigned can assure the inhabi•
tants of Sioes, of the whole kingdom of Portugal, that the most
energetic, valorous, and decisive efforts have been displayed
with the completest success to frustrate the perfidious deluges of
the French against the independence and eveu the existence of
this nation. The French ships in Cttdiz have been battered ant
compelled to surrender to the brave bparsioxin; the llegla are

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'MUM

AUGUST 21.

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