Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-05-14

| TO get out OF their own ports !! ouppoSe,
/ for instance, the port OF Boulogne, as the
nearest, except Calais, to our shores, and
a principal fsort ofrendezoous }1r the ene-
!, mrs fonha. Those much accustomed to
the sailing of numerous vessels out OF a
small port, with narrow mouth, will not
think that l allow too much time in suppos-
ing, that each vessel will require one minute
to get out of the port of Roulogne now ii
| it be true that the enemy have collected
FIVE hundred vessels in that port, it will,
according to the above estimation, require
/ five hundred minutes, or eight h0uys and
twenty minutes for them to quit their own
port. But Boulogne isa dry harbor, and
has never water sufficient to float vessel,
| however small and contemplate, tor eight
h0urs and t1venty min4tes together they
! cannot consequently all get out l2o'1e tfGe
How many then can? The harbor OF bou-
| logne as-before observed, is dry at low wa
ter, indeed at two thirds ebb. Tor the shore
is left dry long way without It's mouth
the entrance is long and narrow, between
two piers, like the neck OF bottle and IN
this channel there will not be water suttl.
Gent to float the fotilla, for more than
| fur hou5,s IN each tide, hat IS the two last
hours of the food, and the first two hours
! of the ebb consequently, accordlngto the
above calculation, as to the time required
for the sailing Of the fotilla, not more than
$40 vessels, or rather less titan one tat, car
| pct out Of part IN one tide.
have hitherto taken it for granted, that
the wind is fair and sufficiently strong to
| enable the enemy's vessels to stem the tide
during the last tuo hours Ro0d; but should
it not be sufficiently strong, or if it be calm,
not more, rather less than one fourth Of the
enemy's vessels, would be able to get out
in one tide.
GAS to Bonaparte's talking of r01ving
all his vessels out of port, and rozOing them
across tie channel, it may be well enough
when addressed to French soldiers, but
folly, when addressed to English seanaen.
We now come to the second point, viz. that
! of their crossing the sea.
6 IDLY. On the enemy's crossing the
sea.
6 The fleets which it has been supposed
might have escaped from the ports Of Brest
and of the Texel, nay arrive at their assn
med respective destinations, and may Pos
sibhy there do much mischief; but from the
vigilance and activity of our numerous
cruizers, employed in watching and COM
municating intelligence Of the enemy'S mo-
tons, the probability Of their being fallen
in with by some OF our squadrons before
they reach the places of their destinat'op5
is greatly in our t1D0r, and if they'once meet
there is an end to that part ofthe enemys
undertaking.
CT will now enquire what obstacles there
are to the passage of the enelny's vessels
from the ports OF the channel opposite to
England.
:" consider in the first place, that each
vessel is on itipassage from the moment It
q2its a French part, Notwithstanding the
length of time which may be requisite for
them to 7Oait j9r the junction Of others n9t
yet out Of the harbor.
Ifthey come singly we devour them
like shrimps; and they cannot all, even IN
der the most favorable circumstances, get
out in one tide, as | have shewn above.
Here then arise three questions:
list. Whether the enemy's vessels
will endeavour to push oyer for our shores,
with all sail, singly, as they quit their own
ports
eddy. Whether they will as they get
out of their ports, come off the harbors
mouth, and wait for all those which can get
oft that tide, and then push over for our
shores? Or,
" 5dly. Whether those which have