The National Register.
London, England, 1811-02-17 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

same observation may apply to the facility with
which the colonies of France yield to our arms.
Those which nature had rendered nearly impregno.
ble, and which human trt had armed with the addi-
tional strength which they were susceptible of ac-
quiring, have, when attacked, fallen almost with-
out a struggle. Among the latter the Isle of France
ranks pre-eminent. Its natural fortifications are so
strong, and its steep coasts were lined with so many
forts and batteries, manned and defended by a nu-
merous garrison, that NAPOLEON, -vainly confident in
its security, assured all Europe, in one of his yearly
Exposels, that no less than 30,000 Englishmen would
be requisite to make any impression upon it. It•had
long become the outpost of France in the Indian
ocean. There her most adventurous cruizers found
a shelter for themselves and a market for their prizes.
There her most skilful seamen were formed, as their
distance from the centre of our naval force relieved
them from an incessant blockade, and enabled them
by their activity and exertions to acquire experience.
Their cruizing' ground was the most favourable in
the universe. Placed in the direct line with our
communication with India, they hovered round our
fleets, and either succeeded in cutting off most of
the vessels which straggled beyond the protection of
the convoy, or capturing the extra ships which went
singly to our several East Indian Presidencies. Con-
scious of the advantages which the geographical po-
sition of the Isle of France afforded for annoying
our trade, and resolved to improve them, NAPO-
LEON supplied it with such a number of large fri-
gates as, for a short time, to acquire a naval supe-
riority in the Indian Seas. This momentary success,
however, only led to increased disappointment on
his part. The importance of this island was well
known to our Government, and an extended plan
of operations was adopted for its reduction. The
island of Bourbon was first taken, after a short, but
unavailing resistance, and was made the point of
rendezvous for the troops detach©d from our various
possessions at the Cape and in the East Indies. The
unfortunate capture and destruction of four of our
frigates, preceded and followed by that of several.
Indiamen and transports, delayed, but did not pre-
vent our intended attack. The unexampled exer-
tions of our Naval Officers tore from the enemy the
prizes he had grasped, refitted them for our service,
and shortly restored our usual superiority. To-
wards the end of last November, all the troops
which had been collected at Bourbon re-embanked,
and on the '29th were landed on the rocky coasts of
the Isle of France without any opposition on the
part of the enemy, who forsook their forts and bat-
teries. Having become masters of several advan-
tageous positions, our men continued to advance,


and at last reached the French lines, when a sharp
action ensued, in which the enemy lost their guns
and retreated with some loss. General ABERCROMBY,
who directed all our military operations, was dili-
gently employed in attempting to improve this suc-
cess, when he unexpectedly received an offer from
the Commander in Chief of the island to capitu-
late. The terms were, it is true, too extravagant
to be deemed admissible, but others were proposed
which, although rather favourable to the French,
were wisely accepted, as they put us in complete
possession of that important colony, and the whole
of its naval force which was very con,iderable, be-
sides the numerous merchantmen which its ports
contained, without any further waste of human
blood. If the means of defence which the French
General possessed have not been over-rated by the
writer of the annual Expose, there is :no doubt but
at his return, notwithstanding the favourable nature
of the terms which he obtained, according to which
neither he nor his troops are considered as prisoners
o► war, his conduct v% ill be submitted to the consi-
deration of a summary Council of War, and the
disappointment of NAPOLEON'S hopes will be visited
on his head.