Star.
London, England, 1803-10-26 00:00:00

wm. WICKHAM.

Right lion. the I.OIIID Mwvoa.
To the above we have to add, that there are now
off the South and South weft coaft of Ireland, four
fail of the line, feven flout frigates,befides a number
of (mailer (hips of war ; a force fuperior to any which

the enemy can fend againft that country.
We may expett Life alarms of this kind from time
to time, and the country fhnuld lay its account, that
this will be the cafe : but it will be Game time yet
before any aanal attempt can 1w made by the enemy,
even if nothing fbould occur to alter or derange his
plans. In the mean time, the preparations for in-
vading us are carrying on with as much alacrity, as
the deranged Rate of the French finances will admit.
By a perfon now in England, arrived within there
few days from Paris, we learn that BOMA►ARTE was
at Boulogne nine days ago, and that he was occupied
in reviewing the troops defined for the Invafion of
this country. The chief mancruvre confined in
entering the boats, putting off to a (mall
returning and landing with regularity and expedi-
tion. Our informer faw a boat, containing about
too men, return and land the whole in rather lets
than five minutes—each boat drew a a inches of water
as near as poißble. and confeqnently came very dole
into the fhore. The men were loa.'ed with all the
accoutrements and provifions (for three days) which
they are to be provided with, when the expedition
really takes place. and were full of ardour and entliu.
tam. The Fier:. Cosset. was very attentive to the
Winds, beßowing praifes ar•d reprimands as he faw
occafion. He is fence gone further on the Coati to.
wards Holland, reviewing other ports in the fame
manner.

The fame perfon rays. that the number of boats
prepared is far greater than is generally imagined
here, being above 4000. and that there is no truth
in their not being able to keep the fea. That the
accounts refpelling the Rate of the enemy's prepari.
rations Ibould darer, can furprize no one.
The prevailing opinion among the French. accord-
ing to tke report of the perfon above allnded to, is,
that the boats are to proceed horn a great number of
points at once ; and though their dellinatinn nn our
coati is to be indicated, yet they are to land where
they bell can : that there is to be no waiting, hug
all to punt on as fall as pollible. and lam' with all
the expedition they are aide :—that they will not at.
tempt to bring field artillery. but unit to their arms
and their courage for fuccefs.
An attempt will be made on Ireland at the fame
time, with verels of another ennflruelinn. Shops,
frigates, tranfports. and (hips of every fize. Fated for
a longer voyage, with great quantities of aims for
the friends they expea to meet there.
That are great numbers of Mgt traitors in Paris
who are et-intuited as to the belt meattlior attacking
their country ; but though they are listened to on this
had. they are generally hated and defpifcd.
The armaments in this country are not altrige:her
unknown to the people in France, and it gives us
mush pieafure to Rate, that a measure which we have
often tirenuotifly recommended, :Aid linpe forin to fee
completely organized through every pert rifthe king-
dom, necari an,. the ercmy tismh emealinef.. 'll.e ikre
,2f king r:eirunferrd i men alma with 'cut' rn.re
aepr,irlyrou elan all our esker treptvalioru : they fay
they make no account of raw foldiers armed o.ith
niuferets, whom they can tidily repel, and pene•
trate into the interior. 'lke pillage of Loudon is
the favourite theme ; but, by an imacemin•shle igno-
rance of Enghth affairs, they r).:iik that at the new
year they will find the greatell bnrty, the public Te-
rmites being then at the Tieaforr, or in the llatiia ! !
All this is lslliog tbr skin of the bear befor he is

killed, but neverthelers it is impertast to know, as
be ::z the mode of thinking of thole who are bent on
our

The opinion of the perfon from whom the above
information was derived, is, that the depth of winter
will be the time cliofen for the exped tion, as foldiers
little inured to fatigue will then be molt cafily over-
come.

In the Courier Je I 6r,irel of lan night there are two
letters, which are raid to have excited a very ftrong
degree of intereft among military men at Paris. The
one of them is from General bfoas•u to General
DUROC, explaining his views of the projened invason
of this country ; and the other is the reply of 1)u-
Roc, after fubmitting the letter to the infpeaion of
the CH trr Cos su c, who had made him an offer of a
dillinguifhed command in the expedition. We lay
before our Readers the principal part of theft letters,
without at all meaning to offer any opinion in favour
of their authenticity.

The letter of Moarav begins by expreaing the
opinion which he entertains generally of maritime
expeditions. He conceives their refult to be in every
cafe fo uncertain, that they ought in no inflance to
be undertaken, except where they are etrential to the
prefervation of national fecurity and honour. In the
prefent fituation of France, he fees on circumflances
' which at all warrant the rill: of a great proportion of
her land forces in an expedition where there are a
thoufand chances to one that they will perifb, toge-
ther with the varels in which they are to .be convey-
ed to an enemy's shore. He alludes to the pin ligious
lois of men in St. Domingo, and contraas the pie.
fent (late of the French army with what it was at the
cnnclution of the late war. " Then," lays he, "we
had the fined army in Europe, the bell materials for
u recruiting a force weakened by a war of eleven years
, continuance. In place of this we have now corps
almoa fnlely compoled of conferipts, among whom
veteran foldiers can only be diflinguifhed like ruins
which atteft the grandeur and the magnificence ef edi-
fices defimyed by time. At this moment, if lam to
judge by the immenfe preparation. which are going
forward by the concentration of our troops on the
corals oppofite the reareß Ihores of England, if I am
to be guided in my judgment from the declarations
made by the Government, and to the reports which
it accredits, nothing la's is now in contemplation than
a defperate entermize, the pruffibie refult of which
may be the ruin of England, but the almolt certain
confequence of which will be to make ns a Conti-
nental Power, and utterly to annihilate our navy.—
It may be allowed when this expedition involves In
many hazardous and complicated intereas. to con-
fider whether we were in a polition In critical re-
lative to England, as to be under the neceffity of
(wearing her deltruAion, and preparing our ruin.—
We were powerful and rersperaed cin the Continent.
We direded (perhaps with too much impettiolity)
all its political concerns We were beyond the reach
of the Englifh marine, and for a confidcrable period
above the reach of the intrigues of her Minders.—
In this really Rrnng, energetic and impofing fours
tion, what necellity was there for oar tainting to an
expedition which could only be author ized by cala-
mities which nearly confirmed our refs-trees, or by
defpair which left us no choice of means. lam far
from difapprtiving of the cnthufirdm excited againa
a nation always a rival and nut %infrequently an ene-
my. Ido not cenfitre the efforts and the facrifices
which it infpires. I think, however, that to the de-
velimement of thefe dimmitions the *overnrilent
'night to confine iile:f, and employ itfelf in the redo-
ration of our mar ine. Tn go farther, to cxpole to
the greaten perils our armies, even at the outlet of
their reorganization, mull infallibly expnfe us to be
attacked by the continental powers, which are jealous
of us, and narrowly watch all our motions. It is
to bring us back to the difailrous circumllances in
which we were placed when Lostarait re, arrived front
Egypt, and from which, on the 'Atli Brumaire, he
delivered us. We are every day told that we are re-
turned to civilization, that we have been replaced on
the fire rank of literal order. Yet it is at this period
that an expedition is announced, worthy in its prin
ciples n. thrift wandering hordes which difpute with
their neigl.bours the porigrion of the foil they inha-
bit, or of thole ravage tribes who look to nothing
in war but the plunder which they are to obtain,
I and nothing in its refult but the deltrudion of the
tribe againa which their fury is diresled. But thee
are the extranrdinary ideas which arc now circulated
among the giddier% to obtain from their avidity the
performance of a service which coals) not be obtained
from genuine courage. Ido not pretend to difpitte
the rights which conquelt beanies, wr to examine
whether they might to be extended in proportion to
the difficulty and danger with which they are oh.
rained. But is it politic to announce than before the '
expedition is under taken ? Is it pendent to prcient
them before the eyes of thole who is ill bask forward
from Inch reprefent lion% to a valt feene of pillage
and ailliaination ? It is dnuibtlefs contrary to the
willies of the Fit sr Cu mitre, that. lurch repretenta-
lions Ihuinlif be circulated—that flich means are em-
ployed to comipt the minds of taw brave warriors,
and to fubilitute the defile of gain for the honour of
military gimy. It is to you, General, that I cntrult
the honourable talk of huforming him of there in-
triguirs, and 11,1.!ming him how irallaing they are
to all foldiers who coo unue faithful to the laws of
hi:nnirr. i have Ipi.keir a itii liberty and confidence,
but I believe I have 14...1 nothing which can give of-
fence. It would be tn entertain a very unworthy
opinion of the Chief of the Goveinment to fuppole
that any one would eyprrle himfelf to ride by telling
hint hut is jtift and true."
The reply of Driaoc was in the following terms :
" I have jraft Ilibmitted your letter to the inipec:
tirun of the Fur sr Cosign. It is with pain that 'I
load it back rti yr.o agiesably to hi, orders. The
General Fiat Cn,tul irinritas me to inform yon, that
he iccognizes in it neither the language of a Ft ench-
man nor the charaNer of a diilinguiihe.l hiddier.—
He (ctn's it you hack, that by soistfalf dabs)) in 3
the witnels tif an error, which lie wilhcs to forgct,
you may be alfurud that it is very far from his is ins
to tarnifli sour y or ni:frepiefent your intentions.
Tit Gcneral hurl) Outdid fin •liar Militias me to in.
farm ),,u, liar he , , aaruoits of a private interview
.after !mash: iihich hill take place in the aath
current."

Butt' 'letters ar: d.tted the ttit of E -ptarber.