The Sun.
London, England, 1817-09-19 00:00:00

INTERESTING CONINIUNICATION

FROM ST. HELENA.

(From the Morning Chronicle of this Day.)

The foll.mv i lig Memorandum of Observations
made by tivorfanaira in a conversation with some
Entf,lol Gentlealea lAtely at St. Helena, has been
transmitted to us from that ,bland. We have the

most positive :assurances given to us of the narra.
tive being accurate (though we have not all tha
passed at length) 3 and it is worthy of the parti.
cular attention of the Public. If it should turn

out that any passages are in the slightest degree
incorrect, we shall make it our business to point
out and rectify the mistake :

MEMORANDUM OF OBSERVATIONS MADE by Btlo
NAPARTE IN A CONVERSATION WITH SOMi GEN

TLEMEN WHO. LATELY TOUCHED AT ST. HELENA,

IN THEIR WAY TO ENGLAND.
" After the usual salutations; Buonaparte d-
offed to Gardanne's mission, by observing, that
he had shewu the road from Constantinople to
Persia—then rapidly adverting to India, he asked
what the Russiapa• were about on their Asiatic
Fronrier ? Aod.with little attention to the re-
.•
proceeded to speak of the powers of the
different ,Sovereigns, and of their views. The
Russians, he said, were the most formidable people
in Europe-sEnghind and France had not the same
military advantages,, although their troops had
more mural power than any of the other nations.
A Frenchman on becoming a soldier leaves a better_
country than any that he can be called to serve in—
and the Englishman-in general finds himself worse
off abroad than at home—so that only the refuse
of the population is inclined io enter the army.
The Mission, on the contrary, ceases to be a
miserable slave, and becomes literally a free-
man when he quits Russia. He improves his
Condition ; he finds coincorts which he never
could enjoy at home ; and consequently Alex-
ander might increase his Army to airy amount
upon service out of his own dominions, mid if he
oronised Poland well, he would secure the com-
mand of Europe, • Alexander's object had always
been to take Constantinople, but he, Napoleon,
had tli,•incdy told him that he never would permit.
the Greek Cross ro be placed on the CCOWn of the
Czar. Atistria was willing to assist the views of
Russia, if she 'herself was to be guaranteed in the
possessionat heProvinces con iguousto the' Turkish
frontier—so that France and England would he left
alone to defend Turkey In speaking of the power of
liwsia for objects of conquest, he said the Cos-
sacks were formidable, not so much from their
numbers as their peculiar Ability to endure priva-
tions in traversing unknown countries. They
also resembled the Bedouin Arabs in the gift of
visior—so great iu this respect was the faculty of
the Bedoui is, that when in Egypt upon an occa-
sion when he wished by means of his telescope to
observe a body of men that appeared on the Ho-
rizon, he had scarcely levelled his glass when a
Bedouin near him recognized %sill) the naked eye
another Bedouin, and described his dress, &c. so
as to distingnish 'the tribe to which he belonged.
" England, lie said, could never beeome a Con-
tinental Power. Forty-five thousand men, with
all Ihe bravery of the elation, could never give her
authority on the Continent. A naval and corns
mercial system was alone adapted to her situation,
and could alone preserve her from the nth' with
which she was threatened. - Lord Wellesley was
right in saying that her distress was permanent.
Lord Castlereagh had made himself a Courtier to
the Sovereigns, and had neglected, the interests of
E:tgland. England was like the dog looking at
its shadow in the water, and who dropt the meat
out of its mouth. If there had been aw able Mi-
nister in the British Cabinet at the arrangement
of the affairs of Europe, the terms. of the peace
would have been very different from those con-
cluded on. The utmost possible extension of com-
merce, and a total relinquishment of -cern tinental
military ambition, could alone rescue • England
from its present difficulties. • The King of Por-
tugal should have been made to grant five years'
exclusive privilege of trade with the Brazils, as
the price of his Portuguese Throne.
" In former times, the English Ministers had
made peace like merchants, and bad filled the
pockets of their country. The resent Ministers
had set up for Gentlemen, and had ruined them,
selves.

" In the year 1783, England threatened to go
to war again, if France did nut agree to the Com-
mercial Ti eaty, which speedily ruined her. The
French Ministers were obliged to accede to
the demand, as they had no money, though the
consequences were foreseen. 'Theo-documents
in the Bureau des Affaires Etrangeres would prove
this anecdote. England, in throwing away the
advantage of her naval power, acted like Francis
at Pavia, who having stationed a battery of
45 pieces of .cannon (in those days a numerous
force of artillery), and which battery would have
assured hint the, victory, interposed ittrts'elf and
his Bens 'd'armerie between the guni airtzl the
hostile line, so that t hey could not fse; and
drawing his magnificent grand sabre, he lost the'
battle„ The naval blockade was like rubbing the
body with oil to prevent perspiration, and then'
suffering (as my face does at this, moment, - said
Buonaparte) an eruption from the want
tof it.--
If England made use of her maritime superio
rity, she might send Ambassadors to command
Foreign Courts. Now she was insulted with pro-
ltibitory Decrees in every petty State. IVith forty-
five thousand men, he repeated again and again,
England can never become a Continental Power
besides, the attempt would be fatal to that free
Constitution in which the English so justly pride
themselves, and which, in truth, has been the
source of her extraordinary power, commensurate
with her extent.' What had been the result orlier
military efforts-4 She had got possession of his
person, and-en opportunity to shew her want of:
generosity. She had disturbed the legitimacy of
Thrones, since he was the lawful Sovereign of
France. He wished for general peace, us it was
his true interest, and the only way by whiCh lie
could be relieved /TOM the rock on which he was
now confined.

" He then entered into a long personal tirade
against Governor Lowe, on the treatment he had