The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-05 00:00:00

would have tended so much to the inconvenience of the '
French themselves, that we cannot help suspecting some
misunderstanding had occurred, and that the in'erruption
was under a wrong conception of the purpose of the work.
ing party.
This is the more probable, as Sir Sidney Smith, who
reports the circumstance, was not at this time disposed to
put the best construction on any action of Bonaparte's,
who, on the other hand, regarded the British seamen with
peculiar dislike, and even malignity. The cause of per-
sonal quarrel betwixt them was rather singular.
Bonaparte had addressed the subjects of Achmet
Djezzar's Pachalic in terms inviting them to revolt and
join the French; yet was much offended when, imitating
his own policy, the Pacha and Sir Sidney Smith caused
letters to be sent into his camp before Acre, urging his
soldiers to mutiny and desertion. Sir Sidney also pub-
lished a proclamation to the Druses, and other inhabitants
of the country, calling on them to trust the faith of a
Christian knight, rather than that of an unprincipled rene-
gade. Nettled at these insults, Bonaparte declared that
the English Commodore was mad ; and, according to his ac-
count, Sir Sidney replied by sending him a challenge.
The French General scornfully refused this invitation,
.unless the challenger would bring Marlborough to meet
him, but offered to send one of his grenadiers to indulge
the Englishman's desire of single combat. The good taste
of the challenge may be doubted, if, indeed, such was ever
sent ; but the scorn of the reply ought to have been mi-
tigated, considering it was addressed to one in consequence
of whose dauntless and determined opposition Bonaparte's
favourite object had failed, and who was presently to com-
pel him for the first time to an inglorious retreat.
Another calumny, circulated by Napoleon, against the
English Commodore, was, that Sir Sidney Smith had ea-
deavourod to expose his French prisoners to the infee
tion of the plague, by placing them in vessels where
that dreadful contagion prevailed. This charge had no
other foundation than in Bonaparte's wish, by spreading
such a scandal, to break off all communication between
the Commodore and the discontented of his own array.
After the heat excited by their angry collision had long
Fubsided, it is amusing to find Napoleon, when in the
island of St. Helena, declaring, that his opinion of Sir
Sidney Smith was altered for the better, since he had
become acquainted with the rest of his countrymen, and
that he now considered him as a worthy sort of man—for
an Englishman 1

The- siege of Acre bad now continued sixty days since
the opening of the trenches. The besiegers had marched
no less than eight times to the assault, while eleven despe-
rate sallies were evidence of the obstinacy of the defence.
Several of the best French Generals were killed ; among
the rest Caffarelli (3), for whom Bonaparte had particu-
lar esteem ; and the army was greatly reduced by the
sword and the plague, which raged at once among their
devoted bands. Retreat became inevitable. Yet Bona-
parte endeavoured to give it such a colouring as might
make the measure seem voluntary. Sometimes he an-
nounced that his purpose of going to Acre was sufficiently
accomplished when be had Lettered down the palace of the
Pacha; at other times he affirmed he had lift the whole
town a heap of ruins ; and, finally, be informed the Direc-
tory that he could easily have taken the place, but the
plague staging with its walls, and it being impossible to
prevent the troops from seizing on infected clothes for
part of their booty, he had rather declined the capture
of Acre than run the risk of introducing this horrid ma-
lady among his soldiers. What his real feelings must
have been, while covering his chagrin with such flimsy
pretexts, may be conjectured from the following frank
avowal to his attendants in St. Helena. Sdeaking of
the dependence of the most important affairs on the most
trivial, he remarks, that the mistake of the captain
of a frigate, who bore away, instead cf his forcing his pas-
sage to the place of his destination, had prevented the face
of the world from being totally changed. " Acre," he
said, "would otherwise have been taken—the French army
would have flown to Damascus and Aleppo—in a twinkling
of an c:e they would have been on the Euphrates—the
Syrian Christians would have joined us—the Druscs, the
Armenians, would have united with us." Some one re-
plied, " We might have been reinforced to the number of
a hundred thousand men." " Say six hundred thousand,"
said the Emperor, " who can calculate the amount ? I
would have reached Constantinople and the ludies—l
would have changed the face of the world. " (4)
(I) Philippeaux died during the siege, of a fever
brought OR by fatigue. Bonaparte spoke of him with
more respect than he usually showed to those who had
been successful in opposing him. One reason might be,
that the merit given to Philippeaux was subtracted in some
deg, ee from Sir Sydney Smith. The former was a
Frenchman and dead—the latter alive, and an Englishman.
(2) Related by Miot, as communicated to him by Murat.
(3) Caffarelli was shot in the elbow, and died of the
amputation of the limb. He had before lost a leg, which
induced the French soldiers, who disliked him, as one of
the principal contrivers of the Egyptian expedition, say,
when they saw him hobble past, " He, at least, need care
little about the matter—he is sure to have ONE foot in
France." He had some days' delirium before he died;
but Count Las Cases reports, that whenever Bonaparte
was announced, his presence—nay, his name alone—
seemed to cure the wanderings of the patient's spirit, and
that this phenomenon was renewed so often as the General
made him a visit.

(4) Las Cases' " Journal de la Vie Privee, &c., de
Napoleon," tome i., partie seconde, p. 384. The extra-
vagance of Napoleon's plan unavoidably reminds us of the
vanity of human wishes. The cause to which he ascribes
it is the mistake of a captain of a frigate, who, instead of
forcing his way to Acre against the opposition of two ships
of the line, was unfortunately taken by them. This is a
mode of reasoning which Napoleon was very ready to
adept. The miscarriage of_his plans was seldom imputed
by Lim to the successful wisdom or valour of an enemy,
but to some accidental circumstance or blunder, which
deranged the scheme which must otherwise have been
infallible. Some of his best Generals were of a different
opinion, and considered the rashness of the attack upon
Acre as involving the certainty of failure. Kleber is re-
ported to have said that the Turks defended themselves
with the skill of Christians, and that the French attacked
like Turks.

MAJOR MORSE COOPER.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sts,—Major M. Cooper being prohibited from the discus-
sion of any point which may be considered a military one,
I, as a friend of Major Morse Cooper, take the liberty of
explaining one or two points which it appears are misun-
derstood by civilians, although perfectly clear to all mili-
tary men, viz. the apparent inconsistency of the Major's
two letters, as implied by the Morning Post.
Captain Morse Cooper was gazetted on the 10th Jan.,
1840 (after having been eighteen months under Lord Car-
digan's command), to an unattached Majority. On the
following day, the Ilth January, the Major wrote a letter
to the late Major Jenkins, offering him a large sum to ex-
change, which would have made him an effective Major of
the 11th Light Dragoons.
In the letter of the ith November, 1840, Major Morse
Cooper distinctly and pointedly says, " from experience I
hold the opinion that no Captain' or ' Subaltern' of ordi-
nary spirit and gentlemanly feeling is safe," &c.
This is the gist of the two letters.
Now:although at first sight these may be an apparent
inconsistency to civilians, that a man can serve as a Major,
and cannot serve as a " Captain or Subaltern," it does
not appear very difficult to explain how perfectly consistent
the two facts are. The Lieutenant-Colonel is a Field-
officer. The Major is also a Field-officer; they are,
therefore, coadjutors, and more nearly equal in respon-
sibility. It is not probable that a Lieutenant-Colonel
should annoy his Major ; whatever might be his inclina-
tion, he would not, from the closer approximation of the
two grades. The " Captains" and " Subalterns" had
better submit.

It is for this reason that Major Morse Cooper so exclu-
sively asserts that no " Captain or Subaltern" is safc , &c.
Sucb is the explanation, as briefly submitted as possible,
of the alleged inconsistency.
I am at a loss to imagine what the life or death of
Major Jenkins has to do with the matter, as the fact of
Major Cooper's offer to Major Jenkins was known to every
officers of the 11th Light Dragoons then present with the
regiment. I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

VINDEX.

THE MARKETS.-(THIS DAY.)

NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL.

The supplies of Meat were not larger, the demand ra-
ther brisk, and prices in some instances rather higher.
Beef, 2s 10d to 4s; Mutton, 2s 8d to 4s 2d; Veal, 3s 8d
to 5s ; and Pork, 3s 2d to 5s 2d pzr stone of Blbs. Game
and Poultry in large supply ; trade better than has been
known for some weeks past; but prices did not materially
vary from our last. Eggs in abundant supply at 5s to 63
for French, and 6s to 8s for English, per 120.
WHITECHAPEL MEAT MARKET.
The demand was dull, and prices were mostly lower,
on account of a large supply, a portion of which remained
unsold at the close of business. Beef and Mutton, as com-
pared with last week, was Id. to 2d. , and Pork 4d. per
stone lower ; Beef, 2s. Bd. to 3s. 10d. ; Mutton, 2s. 4d.
to 3s. 10d. ; Veal, 4s, to ss. 2d. ; Pork, 33. Bd. to ss. per
tone.