The National Register.
London, England, 1809-04-23 00:00:00

APRIL 23.

The joy, however, was considerably damped, by a report
that the gallant Capt. CoettnAtit fell in the action; but this
proved to be a mistake.
The Gazette Extraordinary, which will be found in
another part of our raper, was pirblished at nine o'clock.
We never remember an occasion, in which the town was
more animated, in which the success was Thore
and had so little to alloy it.

WAR BETWEEN AUSTRIA AND FRANCE.
What we had foreseen, indeed, what we have dreaded,
has at length occurred, and after years of vacillation, of
alternate decision and irresolution, of menace on one side,
and an equivocal submission on the other, France and
Austria are again committed, and have again resorted to
the last appeal of nations. This resort, in whatever point
of view it is to be considered, is of a most important nature,
and may eventually lead to consequences which may again
entirely vary the face of Europe. The calamities of the
Continent, and the passive submission which resulted from
them, had began to give an air of tranquillity : there were
certainly murmurs, and perhaps curses, not lotul. but deep,
but people seemed reconciled to their degradation,• and as-
sumed at least the external appearance of a patient expec-
tation of better times. Austria has at length taken her
resolution, and .whatever there is of the disaffected and
turbulent, must now rally around her.
The Austrian proclamation is very strongly characterised
with the present actual disposition of Austria,—with her
hopes and her fears,—with her desperate effort and with
her due sense of its perilous nature. The Archduke
CIIARLES is too great a General not to know the peril to
which he puts his country—he too welt understands the
relative situation of France and. Austria, to have any other
hopes, but on the most valiant efforts of a united nation
and soldiery, seconded by that assistance which Providence,
in an honest cause, often bestows on the weak when
opposed to the strong. It would be uncandid in the most
extreme degree, to congratulate the British public on an
event which at best is perilous in the extreme. We have
never dealt in such general delusion, and we will not now
begin. Austria has our wishes, our most ardent hopes;.
but our hopes are trembling, and our Wishes are blended
with our apprehensions. We feel for Austria, as, in simi-
lar circumstances, we should feel for ourselves. Our feel-
ings, on such an occasion, should not depress our energy—
we would do all that we could, and look to the protecting
hand of Heaven to second our efforts.
There are one or two circumstances in favour of Austria.
In the first place, the German Confederacy, at present in
alliance, indeed in actual incorporation with France, may
-very naturally be presumed to have more sympathy for
Austria, than for the Emperor NAPOLCON. This Confede-
racy was very skilfully put together by France; hut it was
put together at a time and period when Austr:a was in a
different situation to what she now exhibits. Austria,
powerful and ambitious, the supreme power in Germany,
was an object of terror, and therefore of envy, to all the
other German Princes. They were pleased, therefore, to
see her humbled, and in the moment of the gratification of
their envy forgot the interests of their own safety. They
forgot that if Austria, by her superior relative power,
trespassed on. them herselt,—if she occasionally assumed a
tone, and perhaps an active power, which was contrary to
their privileges,—they forgot, we say, that she was enabled
by the same power to become their protector, that she was
their natural barrier against foreigners, and thateven a state
of jealousy and domestic rivalry with a powerful neighbour,
was better than absolute subjection under •a, 'foreigner.
They forgot this at the time, but have doubtless become
wiser by experience. Austria, therefore, may look with
expectation to this quarter, and it is evident that she enter-
tains these hopes from the very language. of the Procla-
maim

•

.i

" Year lrlnotshnti ;never Clow for Foreign interests and Fo-
reign nointousisests. not on you shall the curse alight to annihi-
late innocent pations;• and over the bodies of the slaughtered de-
fenders of their coniitry to pave the way fur a foreigner to the
usurped throne. A happier lot awaits you ; the liberty of Lit-
rope has taken refuge under oar banners. Your victories will
loose its fetters, and your brothers in Germany, yet in the ran:.3
of the, enemy, 'long for their deliverance. Yoe are engaged in a
just cause; othemise I should not appear at your head."
This is an evident allusion to the Gorman Confederates
in the Freich Armies', and we scarcely think that this allu-
sion would !mire been made, unless there was some reason.

able hope that it will he verified.
The personal abilities of the Archduke Cnantik;may
awaken a reasonable hope, that whatever can be done bf
human effort, will be•done by him. The Archduke ttrAnini
is confessedly the most able General 'in hurope, and 'had' the
natural timidity of the Emperor fn.kscfs, suffered him to
have his tieelscope,*he would have precluded the necessity
of signing the Peace of Presburgli.—lt must be Still within
the memory of all our Readers, that the Archduke CHARLES
had advanced within three days Imaisah.of Vienna, when the
Emperor FRANCIS wag induced. to ,s9l,icit ran Armistice.—
The. Emperor FRANCIS is doubtless possessed of some
amiable qttalities,—he, is beloved by his Veeple forhis gen-
tleness, *1,14 still more far the . patriotic aftectionihich he
has alma, exhibited ~towards his country.—But the Em.
peror unfortunately been placed in situations
for which he is, peculiarly unfitted. In a stale of peace,,
and lama' tranquillity, thero.could not have heen a better
Sovereign, but theaeasou of peril is not suited to a Prince;
whose olery quality, natural and acquired, is pacific.
SO
We may expect' LP bear by,l tim next :arrivaist. Ofit
BONAP:ttrri has put himselfat Ile bead of • his arinseis,„
Spain has becOme comparatively of little mement. Now is,
the time for the Spaniards and Portuguese to work • out
their own deliverance. Lathan avail themselves of it, or
be slaves fur ever.

-
a
Many Foreign Papers have arrived in the course of the
late week, they are strictly however Dutch, and therefore
being only a kind of second hand intelligetice. The open-
inc. of the Dutch ports promises almost to deluge us with
these' journals. '
The affairs of Spain, as they may be collected from these
Papers, are rather unfavourable; it is stated that General
SEBASTI ANT has defeated the army of Andalusia, and taken
Cindad Real, whilst the Duke of BELLuNo'has routed .Ge-
neral CUESTAS, . and in consequence obtained posseision of
Merida. These accounts arc given in the Dutch papers a 4.
extracted from The Morilteur. In' contradiction :0 thee;
statements, it has been asserted that government have re.
ceived intelligence by Captain SCHONBERG, • of the Loire,
that three actions had occurred between °Marshal Soeur
and Rommva, in which the latter was completely defeated,.
and in consequence compelled us to fail back upon Por-
tugal. Upon the collation of the two accounts, it must be ac-
knowledged that the French intelligence is more circum-
stantial, more particular. The Dutch
.papers, quoting
from The.Vonitenr, specify circumstances and particulars,
whilst the alledged information by Captain SCHONBERG
is but a mere naked statement. The French alledged
victories, moreover, have certain visible facts. Ciudid
Real is said to be in possession of General SE.sairriast, and
Merida, of General CC ESTA.
The proceedings of Pulioment in the course 'of the
week have. been unusually ,animated and interestiug. Tha
second reading of Mr. Pencev A L.'s Bill, was attended with a
most impoitant Debate. iu which Lord FoLisToper. took
that briiliant.and leading station, to which he is called by
the almost unanimous voice of the 'Country.—According
to the statement of his Lordship, and indeed by the con-
fession of the CHANCELLOR of the Excueou ER there seems
to he ample room fur a Reform in Parliament.. We are
I not the advocates for innovation in turbulent t met:, hut