Star.
London, England, 1803-09-13 00:00:00

CADIZ, JULY 29

It is by no r.le:lns an e;fy matter to give a correct
ecfeription of-the intentions and meafittes of a Go.
vernment which betrays great weaknefs and inde-
cifion ; and where the People themfelves, loft to every
fink of genuine patriotifin, have become either cal.
I ius to their fate, or, what is worfe, if pollible, detir•
ou., of a change, without polieffing any of thofe ener-
r.„in or virtues, which could give them the 'call chance
of profiting by it.
'it was Tome time ago the general opinion that the
Spani(h Government would, as foon as the treafure
fhips fhould be fafely in port, obey the mandate of
France, and inftantly declare • againft England.—
'Without this neceirary fupply, to command it would
have been requiring an impoffibility ; for filch has
been the deranged Rate of the finances, either in con•
sequence of the diallers of the late war, or of mil.
management (probably both) that the navy in ge-
neral has had no pay for there three years pall The
army have alto a long arrear doe to them i and,
what will found Orange to the ears of Britons, no
(Ater dares even to memorialise for his pay, under
pain of dealt.
At this time, however, if we dnrft calculate any
thing on the ascafures of a Government indeeifave.
and void of energy, we fhoold cmclude it has now
se:olved, if it cannot keep out of the war, to codes-
%me ee guiptaig its independence, by refu.fiqg to

eia•operate with ranee k any defigns that may be
meditated againft Portugal.
This appears, at the prefent moment, to be the
line of conduit Spain wifhes to follow, for great ex-
ertions are making to raife men for the army, in
which every company is ordered to be augmented to
160 men, which, with their new levies, will make
the whole of the land force amount to about aoo,ooo
men; and at the fame time they are difmantling their
navy !—a meafure which would certainly not be re-
torted to if they wifbcd to fecond the views of the
French in their deigns againß England—for, without
a navy, what can they 'hope to do in fuch a war ?
In short, their means can only enable them to go a
certain length, and that not very far. Since their
late importation of bullion, which amounts to about
twenty-four millions of dollars, they have begun to
pay off Lome of the arrears to their navy and army—
but fomething elfe is wanted—they are almoll deflitute
of every kind of warlike floret, efpecially naval ftores.
Their arfenals are, literally (peaking, abfolutely
empty, and they have refafed to buy any of the
cargoes which the Swedes and Danes have lately of-
fered them for purchafe.
Many of the thinking people here ate however of
opinion, that they wall never venture to go to war
with France, but will ultimately find themfelves
obliged to comply with every demand of the French
Government. Betides the particulars mentioned
above, there are other circumftances on which they
found their opinion. At the commencement of the
laft war, Spain, like the other powers of Europe,
joined against France ; and it is well known, that by
the fuccefs which attended the French arms, the Spa-
nifh Government at laft fought fafety in a peace with
France. By that very peace it may be confidered
as having (eater' its own deftruetion—French emif•
faries over-ran the whole kingdom—French prin-
ciples were circulated with a zeal and ardour
that baffles all defeription. The Government,
paralyzed by fear, happy at the momentary re-
fpite from diffolution, fearful of offending their new.
made friends, and hoping, perhaps, that a fitter fea-
fon would arrive at a future period for repreffing that
fpirit, fufered its influence to fpread, till its hydra
form now defies its power. It is only by French
fufferance—by French reftraint, that it is kept with-
in any bounds ; and both the French and Spanifh Go-
vernments are equally well acquainted with the cir-
cumfiance. To be brief, the infedion has fpread
over Spain from one end to the other, through
both cities and villages—even the great mafs
of the peafantry are under its influence :—the ar-
my and the navy are not free from it; and what is
more ftrange, even the Clergy, whole complete ruin
is infeparable from a revolution, are fo blind and
infatuated as to with for one. At 'call flack is the
general teftimony of the beck informed here, and I
fear it is but too well founded. Thofe who are able
to think, fee a volcano ready to (wallow up the Rate,
and view it as a dreadful but unavoidable evil. Thofe
who cannot think are fo flupid as to desire it, and
confider all the evils that have been brought upon
them by the late war, as fo many crimes chargeable
againft their own Government.
From all this you will judge of the probability of
Spain being able to oppofe the wilier of France,
fhould the litter ferionfly prop,..i any attempt agaiall
Portugal. Thole connetled with the Court talk of
oppofing them if they fhould, but nothing is raid of
any fuch propofal having been yet made.