The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-02 00:00:00

BELGIUM AND HOLLAND.

• MILITARY PREPARATIONS.
BRUSSELS, JAN. 30.—The troops of the two countries stand prepsreel
for combat, and ne pains are spared on either side to render their aortic°
equally effective. Both are in excellent order, and 'animated with $
similar spirit ; but if the Dutch now imagine that they can penetrate
into the country and carry victory in their train, as they did on a fernier
occasion, they and their partisans deceive themselves most grossly. The
positions occupied by the Dutch are nearly similar to what they were
Previous to their attack upon Belgium in 1831, with this clif"
ference, that their masses are more concentrated towards their
left and centre. Their extreme right rests upon Bergen.op-Zoom,
which they have, however, only two battalions.
Their right and left centre occupies Rozeodaal and Breda. Their
head-quarters and centre are cantoned in Tilburg and its vicinity, 10
communication with Eindhoven, where the Duke of Saxe- Weisuir 1s
posted with eleven battalions, two brigades of cavalry, and four br''
gades of guns (called the Corps of Observation). Their left rests
upon Helmont and the neighbourhood, and they have recently'
thrown two battalions into Graave, in order to watch Venloo. The
total force of this first line consis's of 34 battalions of infantry,
four brigades of cavalry, and 10 field batteries. A second line, con.
sisting of '2;3 battalions and six batteries is echeloned in reserve to
the right and left of Bois-le-Duc. The whole of these troops can
be concentrated on the extreme frontier in two or three marches'
It must be observed that the marshes called Le Marais de Peel'
which extend from near Helmont to the Meuse,. render any military
operations on that quarter impossible, and thus serve to cover
the left flatsk of the Dutch and the right of the Belgian,'
The forces of the latter, which consist of about sixty battalions of )13"
fantry, and four brigades of cavalry, with a numerous and efficient ar'
tillery, are echeloned within two marches of any given point of con-
centration. The left occupies Turnhout, with its advances at Wog.
straten, Poppet, &c., and its reserves at Ilerenthals. The centre 0
posted at Diest, with its reserves at Louvain and Tirlemont. The ee'
vanced corps under General Magnan, consisting of twelve battalion,'
five batteries, and two brigades of cavalry, are staticned at the Bever"
leo camp. The right rests upon Hasselt. A corps is posted at Tougre,
watching Maestricht, and the extreme right, uuder General Daises
garrisons Venloo. Ample magazines and stores are formed at the most
eligible points, and it would be easy to concentrate 40,000 infantry,
5,000 cavalry, and twelve battalions of eight guns each, within fort,'
eight hours. The Belgic headquarters are still at Brussels, but Are
re,dy to move to the front upon the slightest symptom of aggression.

THE WEATHEtt.—The frost, which commenced
on Tuesday night, still continues with some severity, and bee
been attended with a snow-storm, mere violent than has been
remembered for several years. It commenced on Wednesdai
night about ten o'clock, and continued until about two o'clock
on Thursday morning, the wind blowing a perfect hurricane
from the N. N. W., accompanied by drifts of light fleecy snort
so violent that foot passenger sin the roads round town were
scarcely able to stand up against them. During the early part
of Thursday morning it froze most intensely, the mercurf
sinking as low as 16 degrees, being 16 degrees below freezing
•I, ,oint During Thursday several very heavy falls of snow took
place, which rendered the roads so heavy and slippery, that
yesterday morning the omnibusses and coaches from Blackwall)
Isleworth, Richmond, Hampstead, Highgate, &c., were corn'
Hied to have additional lt,in-es. So early as Thursday after-
noon numbers of fool-hardy persons ventured on the ice on the
round pond and the long water in Kensington-gardens, also
on the ornamental wat,.rs in St.' James's and the Regent,
Parks, but they were inanediaely driven off by the men be"
longing to the Royal Humane Society, who with the greateSt
promptitude were despatched to the spot, on Mr. William*
the superintendent, leiirning that the waters were alreadi
frozen over. During yesterday, notwithstanding the dange"
roes state of the ice, being principally composed of frozen
snow, i.umbz.rs of skaters exiebited their evolutions on the lee'
several of whom got immersed in the water, but were speed'
ily extricated by the men of the Royal Humane Society, whi
were in attendance in strong numbers.