The National Register.
London, England, 1811-10-27 00:00:00

PRINTED AND PUBLISIIRD AT NO. 5, PICKETT-STREET, STRAND, NEAR TEMPLE BAR.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1811.

N°. 200.

POLITICAL DISQUISITION.

No. 187.
ESCAPE OF FRENCH PRISONERS.

Whilst the operations of war remain suspended
on the b'inks of the Coa, and our arch enemy
spends his-time in hearing the adulatory Addresses
of his Bataviap subjects, let us glance at homc
occurrences, and trace the most remarkable. L. ,
Importance does not always reside in an elevated
sphere. The bustle of office and the pomp of
power are frequently intended to conceal its ab-
sence. We shall therefore glean the sttbject of our
remarks from a department which is generally con-
sidered as an; inferior one, although we are in-
debted to it for internal security. We mean the
Police Department. The exertions of its indefati-
gable agents have lately been directed, and we re-
joice to find, with success, to check, and we trust,
ultimately to prevent a secret act of disloyalty,
which by its frequency, threatened to become most
serious in its consequences. It was.discovered some
time ago, that an unusual number of French Priso-
ners on parole were missing. Hitherto they had been
easily retaken, as, on account of the'ir imperfect
knowledge of our language, and their general igno-
rance of the-roadt, •they could not proceed to any
distance without betraying themselves. But now
the case seemed on a sudden reversed. In vain was
the most active search made in the neighbourhood
of the towns and districts within which they had
been confined--:no trace of them could be found:
Diligent and more extended inquiries met with the
same result, and a particular degree of attention
having been attracted by this circumstance, the
most able police officers were detached to discover
both the means employed, and the men by whom
they hael been adopted to effect these repeated es-
capes. It was at last perceived that the places
within the boundaries of the French prisoners on
parole were haunted by a large number of caravans
and covered carts, such as usually attend fairs, or
convey goods from the country to town markets.
It was also observed, that instead of pursuing the
direct roads, they always moved through cross
ways, and generally in the night. During the day
they remained hid tn the woods. It was imme-
diately suspected that the French Officers had
availed themselves of tbese conveyancesafter
jrol► tV. No. CC.

7.651,1,7F117g11/
Asl
64,7 pi•jl-4:, S;',,,
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Pnrer. 94.

their owners, and had ►hus eluded the vigilance of
their pursuers. Some of these vehicles were stopped
in consequence, and f►n cibly searched, and in all of
them French prisoners were found concealed.
These, on examinitiun, prove to h.►ve belon,!ed
to districts, in some instances, several hundred miles
from the place where they were retaken. Secre•ed.
in this manner, all their wants were supplied by the
-d►ivers, who were the only, persons visihie an..l :rll
•the chances of discovet y depending on defective
pronunciation, foreign appearance, and the personal
description given in the public prints were thus
avoided. When on the sea-side they were carried
over by Smugglers to the oppoite coast, who pro-
bably received a reward from the French Govern.
ment for every Frenchman they conveyed, propor-
tionate to his rank. The traitors engaged in these
nefarious transactions, who have fallen into the
hands, of justice, are shortly going to take their
trial for their offence, and the recaptured Officers
have been sent to To:hili•felds Bridewell, to learn,
in close confinement, that respect for their word
of honour, which ought more particularly to dis-
tinguish military men.

It is astonishing that in a country like this, wl.ere
the feeling of rivality and jealousy, which, more pow.

erfol than our barrier of waves, ims during many
Centuries kept us not only independent of our irn-
bitions neighbour, but on a footing of -pr tuf equa-
lity with him", even in the unexampled fullness of
his might—it is astonishing that in a country
where that feeling pervades all classes of people,
and where the Briton born in the lowest s;here
is conscious of superiority over the slaves of
France, men should be found, who saciifice for
the gold of the latter, not only their duty and'
loyalty to their King, but the very prejudices coeval
with their powers of thought and feeling. Such
conduct is not only illegal and fi:tgitioils, but it is,
degrading. It is not only an act of treachery to
their country, but an act of injustice towai ds their
Countrymen, who at this moment languish in the
prisons of France. How can tlioce unfortunate men
ever hope to regain their liberty, if those French
Officers who might he exchanged for them, are set
free without any exch inge in this secret arid disloyal
manner? By the corruption of an insignifi::ant and
useless clown, it may happen, that the captivity of
-ave Officer may be prolonged, and that his cola.