The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-09-13 00:00:00

•

PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE.

PRACTICABILITY or RETAINING VIALCH EREN•
Tzareza, Stn. 10.
" As the erection of batteries along the roast opposite tr
firreland has already actually commenced, there can be ao
illeaht of the determination of Ministers to retain this island, if

t►ey tn.o. That determination indeed. is sow generally admit
ted, but upon what ground, it re,ts, bow far ilseyorc just and
reasonable, or what probability otters of success. the oxen•
intelligent persons with mhos% I have convened bete, ser:-,
quite unable to discover. In considering Ibis question,
first observation that naturally occurs to one's mind, is tbi
that all the alarm w►ich has pervaded Liqglasst ftirtlst

tur or five years.with regard to the praetiminiky of as lava •
is
on, and which alelna our Gna ern mat has heesoe Milintrieue
lie circulatiag, must be quite groundless, bay area eh:Wash.,.
be impracticable oo the part of the meaty to invade Wei.
seiterep. Lagland is separated from Bastogne., from the near-
'at point of the french coast from which there is a ;rehab,.
lily ire any attempt at Mission being made, at West 4 orb*
miks. Walcheren is separated from Beaked by a chauari
Oat wider in some place than about three quarters of a mile.
England may be defended against as iavagieta by her great aa•
vat force ; a ship of the lbw amoot sail threw!' tbe chac
eel which divides Wale.heren from lievriand ; a frirte or a
brig casual work in it at low wales I say etas a gaa-boat
in danger of being strarded. That part of the channel to
hich I apply !tai. obcrvalloo, borders about sem miles 4
this coast, between this town and fteismaitalll... La mast.
pees it ttliodt two, thrafilites %ids,
but it yarrows cotbiderably a. yea Geosdaad.
Along lei little Island, which is only -trout ila!-
canto by assatural email, that is fordable aibbliester„.the
distance acres to Beveiand, h, as I have ilfilpdy sated,
about three quarters of & mile. At low weak b consider-
wily les. very littloYaider indeed than uve Thames ut Wek-
oolaster-hrldge, mad net by any arenas so deep. The at.lec.
r bee, who are gap:anted ebb Op channel% *assert toat it is
any ate or ma feet deep it several ports at law witket. Tigs
arrow and shallow clausal i. abed it mak art a MN is
length. Now, %nether mach kaoline' e..ii ream any seri-
es obstacle to hien, who cons with melt magical Animalism
throw bridges sates the rapid maga of Sat Datite, I skull
leave it to Mee of codinsoa sense to deride.
N An iatelligeittaaval Qtliar Ism amomrd mo, that tbeene-
mya by simply throve, a rope or awe acres the sleek water
ands eltanael, merely by this expedleet might contrive. with
a very few busts, to take a Large force ever in the coarse of
A @Wilk Wed.
" That no material asoistaace can be derived from our
awry for the defence of the island, la the qu iris r upon w Inca
1 have bees observing, is here admitted as ass ladispatabla
feet. No out pretends that ;frigate or brig could work la
it at ins water, and Oiyt mea gnashed, use ter: liable to be
stranded, I know from my own °banana. When our we-
als ',nuked do wo the clawed I allude to, I saw severel of
the gun-boats stranded. Indeed, the great* part of thca
were in that state at low water, although the almost pains
had bees taken to mead the enamel before any of the Kan-
hilati or transports sidled into it, and a rave of boats bad
been placed alms as buoys. The Innis .tuna of this thwart
re extremely iatrieste, and is rendered gill more so by the
occasion'. shifting of the sands, which ruler their position
sometime. twice or thrice a sear. This iat head, iadeedi
et ident, from the tine communed by our vessels in passes, la
the fret lenience from Termer to the West Scheldt. The
gr. met part of the transports, lay even the gap-boost, were
from three to five dr*: cram seitief their way Ukase a adetion,
out *ore than VII Ti(" Ds delay olltria4iug up
the gun-boat- by this navigation, has always bees *signed as
th- •(*.WWI ahr the intercourse between Castled mid flush-
inz was so long open. Certainly. as sem as the ;pm-hoots
reached rite Scoeldi, that intercuone was stopped.
" ..tut Ps,' frost sets in, what is to became of elba
bats me May venture ta stud min this chaotic! ? I urn awl*
tau iris 'Wont fray:lgnite across. The ice is geoerall s btu.
hes by the tide; but shall our boats or brigs h e %mined to
ti.kes of .ce, su drifted dawn a nyrruer cholisel ? and what is
to ,e peeled in case it i,eutirely frusn ! Sack eases haws
occurred. In INS mi 1793. the lee was taco that several
pet ens primed overt.; lievelaod from this town, which is on?
of the widest parts .1!. tne c isnnel. Toe le. , eowever, has
never hero strong enough to heir artillery, at last withia the
meat try of th.• [resent re germ 113 : but n-nen 11a ap it to once
giasid his I oirlin; in this 11120, nl I not fee! mu:::
dilatant.. i . bringing over his artllle. y . •
" Rat even though nor nay. may. tor neahle, ander the
eireametaines I have .sued. to elfer material ad:Osamu-a
In lie inia,ion. if this island froth Berri:sad, it may be sail
th set an iova-iw• will be guarded regal at by the mutter
atid the is wire of the batteries, which k is proposed to erect
ales! the roast. Laireit I have he ird this asserted by spina
palioe bac; hut t..rtainly ant by thee wan have oath great
military experi.-ice or capacity of °Merry ion. Per if bat-
ter•es r..ul • etfectuilly v. levitated Bowsparte how limited
wo4 bi- mil rtry progress !nice been ? ludeed if boiled
could (ii .secure defence ap.isist him, a c might estalilloh a
p./4itia.. cm any part of tbe Fresco itrniory, ns well/eat Wal.
(+emit; th.-ti is, if he afforded us leisure to byuenci
I trey much doubt whether he will oak W as tint lielsareevra
here. Pretest appearances ser ta pate, that &tete. A treed,
oar troops have compleael. eyataaaledlama;Reve and such It
the rapidit. of the eueuty's metteluesb. the. oar army nal
scarcely embark •d wean the Dutra Blast era- h ,at d at Amis.
Oar amuses comiai down the Et ehrlida.distinc !yeast ii ; 7att
011 A depend ;Iva it that such a spectiele w s viewed by them
with pecutior cimarii. latent the. wet ta it vireo ass me
gallant 'mope, elm are usfOrivaoteis conflation& is the mia-
esailect of their Commanders. As "the 'ramp its .ass the
MO of War, the sailors not anfrequeol. ekciasus frip in the
aoes-huies*. N D—a your eyes, yuu are ti.. lag as you ..id from
the !fielder.", - - - - -

•• Now. ml Abe enemy can bring any aninuot of Awe ha
pleases iota Bevelasid,•aml construct batteries within mate at
the banks of stealing. 11 is rather improbable th 1 he will
allow our it orkiaglerties to proceed undistwbed in int.''r ape.
maim. We mast tasked eine-elate upon a must ania•••ing
weeny hi this/traction. Our troops and nut b .acv trill be
exposed to perpetual amoraiste. 'he enemy nu% rr et his
eseirks a herever Inurieras Mares rot. We rilimot %rehire
Spas env hirvir.iisa into Bereimid Si. distort) him, amt least with
,tar fears proposed team sedwitell in *ilia Hand. Fur bow can
15,01)) -es unman I. attack the tierce, from which our tkii.
Aerate-MEM 11.10111) hose thrombi it rodeo& to 11) 1 B'. itl.
twat of fact we baste wit a i en. se... bo Is Of ra.he tams
MOO or.B.lßffanian—oitive than half mar own being is the haspi-
missile. age **rat emir mai weateure rrall, wit haat a wadi-
miens number of olficvri to direct weir operations. 'for sth
7:7lmre at this measetvrTfnillters epic sick ; the 'l9th,
iriil the Irid, 12. likleed every r•giinetit here is
similarly. circurnstasoed. Sack, in feet si the alarming pro-
prob. 4of . those eldiendc cninplailltS which affect our Immo,
and which are melon:sly merle. as tie native* state, in the
,ants a October, Quit it jheememy pastriun his attack un-
til I then lie lig /pm ' fly to without as army In an, _mete to
tajtp Ps; helot. v distal% ilinissen pers.st in maintain-
sl.,
4,4 secN a pavitsen
(se
es plue our army, to di ,tructioni—
Titey cannot meet, ht iguoraat of the eircuiu-sances I have
!gi.ited, if they h..ve t &kr,' May ,ruble to Worn' themselves.
14 if they hasp talon) ii4equitto inutile. the. out be
*lc, re of some) isog more se' Wits They mast be aware that
ithe whole of use lioa.ogiic IlatilLi, which has boo coesittrrerl
copnble of cii..veyiag INA/ J mess to toe Loglish coast, may
he brotulht into the Scheldt. by the canal of (diem, to co-
operate, if neces..irb, in Lie invation of W.sicheren. But L
'sh.4ll re amt gals &object in my nest."
karakcv OR A LETTER FROM 511 OIPTICIER Of PLINK-
I tat:, scer. b.
• " The whole of our artv.u,red squadron, that were up the
. Scheldt, have come dost.i. Oar &roles hareem ...vied Bete-
land, and the Preach again lobes possemiou of it. We keep
Wskiteren at ioest.fir Me winder, end ere making @eery pre-
paration for its safety by sorronadow it alto fun b0w..., Is'e.
Fhe troops Is garrison are vet sh .I) 1 it is leported oo art
a number than hint are stlh,is Walckeren. A Beet of paw
ports sails this day far Dmlnad. with troops; and I wilder-
! Aand Flashing, Middieboro. &e. am to be garrisiiised with
,16...00. 'the enemy have at lainsmmt flotilla up the river at
LOW. 1 had as opportunity of teeing Owen every day
t sere for thr,vi %felts past, and sinreltly filmes she opportsi-
'aitv was sot gives os ',attack them. Wt tire! t, retort:
home very soya.'