The Sun.
London, England, 1809-09-16 00:00:00

Lord CnATHA landed at peal yesterday. morn-
ing. R. KEATS also arrived in the Superb, of
74 guns, with six sail of the line, bringing with
them about 5000 troops. When the squadron left
the Scheldt, the French troops in the neighbour-
hood were fast increasing, and the flotilla of gun-
boats, brigs, &c. amounting to pear XOO sail, were
coming down the river.

The Public will read with much pleasure the re-.
snit of the proceedings of the Common Council yes-
terday, for the purpose of testifying their respe6.l and
affeEtiOn for His MAJESTY, on entering the 50th year
of his Reign. A general spirit of loyalty was mani-
fested by the Members in general. Mr. WAITH-
MAN, however, whom nothing will satisfy, indnlgd
himself, as usual, in a long tedious harangue, which
consisted chiefly of personalities and though he
professed great loyalty and respea for His MAJESTY,
yet he resolutely denied that His MAJESTY had any
merit in those aaions which have chiefly evinced:his •
attachment for the Constitution, and regard for the
rights of the people. Mr. WAJTHMAN, imputed no-
thing but feelings of an interested nature to all who
differed in opinion with him, and copiously inter-
larded his speech with allusions to turtle, and venison,
In fait, he proved himself throughout, by his topics,
his language, and his manners, a mere pat-house.
politician. The good sense and zealous loyalty of
the Court in general,. however, rendered this hack-
neyed and vulgar oration of ,no effea ; and the
Motion for celebrating the, Fjftieth Anniversary of
His MAJESTY'S Accession to the Throne, which be
has adorned with every virtue, was carried unani-
mously.

It is confidently reported that the British Army
is not at present to' be withdrawu from Post-
TUGAL, but that, on the other hand, considerable
reinforcements are to be sent to Lord WELLINGTON.

We are convinced of the propriety of this measure,.
and we are confirmed in our opinion by the. lote arii,
vats from the Continent, which at least prove that
the work of BUONAPARTE is not Bs yet completed in

Germany.
At no time in our,history, has this Country been
possessed of so large a regular and disposable force
as at the preser4 Moment. Not fewer than 80,000
infantry have been-of late employed upon active ser-
vices in Europe,. without weakening our defences in
distant parts but, on the other hand, an unusually
large force having been upon service in America and
the West Indies.

There does not appear any great objea to which
this very large force can now be directed with •tf-
fe6t ; if; therefore, we retain it at all, (and we be-
lieve,that none of our Statesmen advise its reduc-
tion,) we must either keep the whole in this coun-
try, or otherwise employ it in 'situations from
whence* can more'easily be applied to any object
which contingencies may produce.
Putting, therefore, for the moment, out of the con-
sideration, the peculiar sil nations of Spain and Porto.
gal, it would appear to us as in itself a lvisable that a
porion of our force should be disposed of in any,part
of _Europe or the Mt.diterranean that might be open
to us, provided only, that such force could be sub-
sisted, and that, in case of need, it • could be with-
out difficulty recalled. Whatever may, be said by
systematic politicians, who pretend to foresee every
thing, much of our success must depend ul on events,
of which perhaps not the smallest, probability may
be perceived two months before they happen
In this general point of view, therefore, and under
the circumstance already mentioned; of no great ob-
jed of attack at present existing, we conceive that
the retention of •British troops in the- Mediterranean
audio Portugal, may be shewn to be a prudent and
politic measure.
But it is by no means necessary to have recourse to
these genetial argumentsi in order to persuade ourselves
of the expediency of the measures now supposed to be
decided upon, in relation to the Army now in Portugal.
That Army is, as we ,have already -stated, perfeelly,.4,
secure against the enemy, as long as the uncertain state - -
of affairs in Germany shall confine his strength with-
in its present limits. The Vicinity of the Coast
too, makes our force independent of the resources of
the Country, for the
.necessary supplies. Now, with-
out being at all sangUine; either as to the protra6led .
detention of the French armies in Germany; or as to
the success of any further struggles on the part of
the Spaniards,we do conceive that• as long as there re-,
mains the least hope upon the former point, or as long
as the armies and population of Spain are enabled to
operate in the smallest possible degree against the
vaders, the presence of a British force is extremely de-
sirable in Portugal: If Spain weresuljugated, Portu-
gal could not be defended, (such, at least, we under-
stand to be the opinion of competent judges,) but
SPAIN is not subjugated,' and we apprehend that an
army of twenty-five or thirty thousand British is
competent to the defence of Portugal new ; or at
least of its principal points.
Even, therefore, if we considered the affairs of
Spain as so perfe6tly hopeless, as to render the neigh-
bourhood of our troops of no advantage whatever,
we should think the Country called upon to make
an exertion for the sake of PORTUGAL herself.
But surely it can scarcely be contended, thati.
while.the continuance of the good understanding be-
tween Russia and France. remains ,doubtful—while.
the renewal of the war with Austria is still, at least,
possit/e, and while the Tyroleans and (if we areto be-
lieve reports), the Luxemburghers and others, are in
'a state of brave resistance—while, in short, there is
any hope Whatevet of the French force in Spain be-
lt% continually reduced, or not increased, there:is •
not still such an opening .i-Jr an advantageous em-
plOymer.t' of nur troops ttie-Peninsula, 'as to justify
us for not at 'l'lllS pot-Tient recalling a single than: ' .