Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1799-08-19
ORGANIZATION OF TIE ARM.

! Mr.. Dundas faid, he role to make the mo.
ton Of which his right Hon. Friend, mr.. Ptt)
had given notice yeferday.-The internal
ltrength of the country was at prefent in the
mott respectable Gate it was ever in, and was
| more than futhcieRt to anfger all the purPoies
of national defence. But in confequeuce of
the manner in which that force was dhpofed,
the government was dfabled from purifying
any ohenive operations it was lis obj-a,
therefore, on the prefent oeeaiion, to bring
forward propoGtion which fhould remedy
this defea. To any perfon who would take
view of the affairs that were now PafLng in
Europe, the advantages that would ariie from
force acting ofentively NUT appear incalcu-
table,. He wifhed it might not be underitood
| that he was running after wild exteniive plans
of commerce, or romantic expsdiiions.-No
fueh thing-he only wanted to carry into effeet
the fame extenion of oGenGve operations which
had already RATED the glory Of the Britilh
name to 70 high pitch of greatness which had
completely dearoyed the commerec Of the
enemy, and made the Brth Navy triumphant
in every part of the world 1t was by fnch
operations that all the foreign poGeIions Of this
country were now in fuch a fate Of fecurity
and that the Ealf Ind es were already rendered
impregnable againf every attempt of foreign
enemy.-If fuch operations bad not been be-
gun, the country would not have 10 boat OF
thoie great advantages and at the time they
were begun, he had received many attacks in
that Houfe for fen1ing the force Of the country
on foreign expeditions. He bore all thoie at.
tacks, and never was diverted from his purpofe,
eonfcous as he was tina, the plans he projected
would be ultimately beneficial and every man
mutt be now convinced that it wa, to them
the country now owed the proud fituation in
which ihe food. He would admit, that in
confequence Of the exertions that NUT follow
the plan he was then about to propole, the efii.
Gent force of the country would be lefs than
what it was at prefent, but it was not his inten-
lion 70 weaken the general frength Of the
country for that which fhould be taken away
from the Militia, would be added TO the Rand-
ing army there would even then remain for
the defence of the country an armed body OF
200 900 men. He thought it neceGary to
mention this circumstance, in order that men
might fleep quietly on their beds.
There was another body Of men whom their
own zeal for their country and contribution had
induced to take up arms in its defence. twas
unueceHary for him to make any oblervations
on This moi Respectable force for within the
two lat years, whoever chofe to crafty his eyes
with fighs of thofe who made fuch grand
appearance, and manifeRed their loyalty and
attachment to their ioveregu, mua have OBJ
ferved that the metropolis alone furnilhed up
watds of 8ooo armed men for its defence
But this was not all, every city, town, and dif-
tria throughout the kingdom has produced a
proportionable lhare Of armed volunteers, the
whole amounted to 10000 men. As every
man therefore NUT be convinced that there was
fnaicient force for the defence of the country,
the next objea was TO apply fome oft to aeive
operations. He would rot enter into a minute
detail of the fplendid objects that were 10 be
attained by fnch exertions but let any man
turn his eyes from the Texel to the Tagus, and
he mutt, in the prefens htuation Of affairs, per-
ceivc that there was hardly ipot whia his