The Sun.
London, England, 1803-10-22 00:00:00

•4 ridiculous report is circulated in some of the
Pipers, of the. 'French Gun-boats going to pieces
upon an experiment being made ofsfiring their guns.
note tv!io :caw believe such„an absurd.story, are
very easily dehitietr;
,The,4faS
,we believe to he,.,
that the plati of Invasion kneeessarily changed from
the change-of season. It was some time' ago the in.,
tention of BONAPARTE to take- adVaOttig of our
unprepared state, and tnake an immediate Ittitasion,
and for this purpose open boats woe construned,
which, in fine weather and smooth seas, could
have transported a few Troops in tolerable safe.
ty, but in proportion as the Invasion has been
delayed, and as the winter approaches, the means
for the transport of his Troops must he varied, The
open boats are idid aside, and the French are now
con;truditig larger boats With decks, better, calcu..;
lated to re,ist tt ternpeettioni AeAstm, and to con vey
the Troops Lord Kam', we, utiderstand,
made these observations when he was over upon the
French Coast reconnoitring about a fortnight ago.
As (we do not :pretend t 9 be in the secret; of the
Chief. Consul, we cannot pretend to say at who;'
precise time:the Invasion will be attempted, hut we
should suppose that the longer it is delayed;the more,
formidable it will be. 13 it an uhreasonahlestippc,-
'sition that the French will wait till they have fitted
uut the Spanish and -Portuguese Fleets, and having
joined these to their ow is, mike with a litrge Naval
Force their long meditated Descent in Ireland ? in
,
this cue we shall ont look for the friyasion till
brualy or Match. Ar any rate, w 4 cannot but tepro...
hatejthat equal prtsof of ignorance and folly, which
some of oar cotemporarles exhibit, in fiXing prr;r is:
perioa4 in which the Invasi6n is to be-made, iLt
raking, on necrssarify ti c, liulrlie expeelation and, ex.
hau;riog tin. National by false iul toptrfluclus
;li4lll. 1.'11,1 threat of Invasion mai 'hang over our
heads,*for some months' to corn4-Let us calmly
await: its art ival, and meanwhile lose no ,means oc
opportunity of improving arid maturing our mea.
,surcs of' Defence.

The ext,:nt of the Order sent down from the
Treasury on' Tharaly to the Custam,house, and
forwarded Ow. same evsning to the Out-Pints,
was Mier ly, V, understand, to. prohibit the
cleating (gut of any British. Ve'ssels for Spain or Rol._
tug,d, until/ a. Convoy should be appointed, Or at
lcitst until further orders. From this,circumstancer'
various inferences have been drawn, all, how.ever,
concentrating in the opinion that it is intl%ative
either in a nearer or more remote degree a ap.
proachiog kosciiitirs with those two Powers, That
it must be considered as a preparatory measure. to,
the commencement of hostilities, there can be little
doubt.

We have repeatedly urged the necessity of treat..
ing Spain in every pnint of view as an Enemy, and
Ministers bey adopting those suggestions thus late
(at least if we may conclude so (torn the present
peasute) have acknowledged their justice, no-
thing having since occurred but what might and
must have been, foreseen by every man who at all
observet, the situation of Europe with the eye of
a Statesman. By thus deferring the measure, they
have iterifieed Portugal, who might have still re_
mined cite Piithful Ally of this
stilt morethisiCo
untrystinuAnwicn-
d
fluenced by French Councils, and
by French arms, had the energy of our Ministers
kept pace with the events which were 4414 oc.
curing before their eyes. We, are now feirceil into
the contest under every diNativailtage,"which ice
might at foraier periOd hive entere,l it;to with
every prospett of sui:t:ess; foe the honourable'
nurvote of uteservini a faithful A,liv from detain.