The Sun.
London, England, 1805-06-14 00:00:00

Ow
extremity or Italy, tur,
Dlic3 could be perpetually larked within their own
Harbours. But, the most important point we have
gained by it is, the prevention of the Enemy from
sailing,'at any given time, to a particula4, destination.
Thal Public have repeatedly, received authentic intel-
ligence Of the frequent disappointments which the
Enemy has undergone in consequence of theßlock-
Me. "It is impossible for any Government to affirm
positively that it/firiii prevent the sailing of an Ene-
my's Squadron ; all that it can pretend to, is, to
render his attempt hazardous, by taking suCh pre-
cautions as shall make his escape as difficult 7s pos-
sible.

There is a material difference between a Naval
and-a Land Blockade. In the case of- a .besieged
ToWit, or a Province environed by Foreign Armies,
an adequate Force and great circumspe&ion are all
that is necessary; but in a-Naval. Blockade, to Force
and circumspelrlion must be addedfaPottrabkweathiv.
If, then, with the causes which depend on ourselves,
and the cause that does not depend on us, we have
► maintaned a long and sticcessful Blockade,-surely
-
some share of credit must be allowed to the Govern-
ment by whose direaimm it has been executed.
At least, it is equally false and unjust to accuse them
_ of inattentkn, and a want of vigilance, information,
and precaution.
In farq thee imputations were never tittered Tuntil
it had been known that the Rochefort Bquadron had
arrivea in the West Indies. Then the very policy'
which had effeCted so much good began to be -re-
viled ; and Ministers were pronounced culpable for
having suffered the sailing of a Fleet, which their
accusers had declared, for the last two years, they
could not prevent from sailing. We mast again re-
" peat, that the continuance.of the Blockade has been,
latterly, less with a view to secure us from InVasion,
than to defeat the execution of any plgia which the
-Enemy might have proje&ed against any portion of
the British Dominions. Every one must be sensible'
that the assailing party possesses many advantages
over. the 'assailed. He is perk& master to choose
when and where he will attack; and therefore he
may be said to have the start:of his adversary in re-
spef to time and place. This we have uniformly
experienced in every war for the lass century ; and
it has been proved, that as long as the Enemy has
any Ships to send out, the greatest naval snperiority
cannot prevent him from occasionally eluding Its
v:gilance.

• The schemes of the French Cabinet have been"
several times thvarted in tho coure of the 'present
War, by the. presence of our Fleets.; and it has
thereby incurred the enormous expepee of Expedi-
tions without beind able to accomplish them. On
the -shores of the°Mediterranean,, as well anon the
shores of the Atlantic, considerable bodies of Trohps
h ave been mouldering away in an in aelive life, or mere;
ly in the taisiness of eMbarkation and disembarkation,
while the stores and equipage reqUisite for the different
Ex•peditions haNTbeen,gradually wasted or eitpcuded.
But, apart from the expenditure, we have also frus-
trated and deranged his political schemes at times
when they were. best gaited to hiSwishes. No one;
however, can undertake to Say, thit this measure
shall he always successful ; therefore, the consolation
Which every dispassionate mind feels, is, that every
thing has been done which could have been done.
The justice of these!remarks. has been demonstra-
ted by the departure of the French Squadron from
Rochefort. The moment that intelligente of its
departure had been, authenticated, Admiral COCW"
BANE, was dispatched with a competent force in
,pur—
suit of it. Surely it,will not be alledged, that,the
Admiralty ought,in addition.to the nurnber of Ships
employed in cruizing off- the Ports of France,. to
have sent Ilying Squadrons in mid sea, to sail about,
for the cholla. of meeting any of the escaped Ships
of the Enemy. This; wopld have been worse than
no Blockade at all ; and the injury which the Men
of-Wax might have sustained would have been much
greater, and the means of repairing them more dif-
ficult. All; therefme, that the Country have a ri;lit
to expeet from Administration is, not that thy),
shall attempt' impossibilities, but that they shall pur-
sue the most efficacious, means---first, to prevent
the probability of the Enemy's escape—and second-
to avert the mischief -which his escape may oc-.
easiont

If the ronlna (.)f the "Government be examined,
by •this4mle, it -will he. found, that they have said-
ly fulfilled ever,' dutrwe could. have expeEted from
them.; The condu6t and vigilance of our brave
Cornmanders.have nOt been impeached ; why then
should the government be criminated for. an event
those Cammanders could
.not prevent ? They
executed tc the best of their • ability the orders of
Administration, and, if with their acknowledged
skill, intrepidity,: and 'watchfulness, they :have not,
been able to hinder the sailing of the French Squa-
dron, We cannot see hOw any imputation of'inegli-
gence Can be affixed to the.,Members of Govern-
ment.