The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-06-23

VINO n'''e dtefiipteS 10 enter their ports, have
been TENT into Antigua for trial.-Late reports
ALTO fate, that the armed vei!es of France have
threatened to make an attack upon one or two
of the Bntijh colonies.
III. The Eneliih have fcattered their fhips of
war over the ocean, to capture the veiiels and
| interrupt the trade of France. MANY rich vcf.
iels from the Eah-Indes, and many from the
Wet, have been taken. Many fhips of war,
which were defined to the reinforcement of the
Weit-lndia illands, or to the convoy of her
merchant veilels, or to the capture ofthe Engiiih
! veiiels, have experienced the fame fate. To in
terrupt her coating trade Sir Sidney Smith has
tic coat
III. The French have made firccefsfu at
tempt upon the Electorate of Hanover. What
VIII be the ultimate deitination of this country,
cannot be afccrtained until the corcluion of the
war. Whatever he its fate, however, the prof
perty OF England feems to require that its con-
neetion with the reigning family, flould be COM
pletely diiiolved. It's lols cannever diminih the
weight OF England in the balance of Europe,
whit IT may remove many fourceS of iealoufy
and OF war with the States that furround it. En-
gland VII! have iio lefs reafon torcoice at its e.
Emancipation from this cancerous burden, than
the unfortunate captives Of Mezentius, who
were mercilefsly bound TO the dead and putri-
| flying bodies.
Nv. The relation of war has fhutup the portsof
france againtt Biitiih vefiels. Holland has been
compelled to adopt the fame policy. Almoft
all the ports othe north-weft of Germany have
been cloicd asainf them, by the exertion Of
that power IN the hands of ihc French, which
| the acquiition of Hanover has given them on
the Eioe. They are excluded from feveral of the
important ports of the Mediterranean fea. This
promotion extends to Britifh yeffels only. But
In the ports of Holland and France more fe-
we're policy has been exerted. Not finsle
Piece OF Englih goods, and not Jingle produc-
tion or an Engiih colony, is admitted, even in
neutral veiiel.
This fpeculative plan of the conduct of the
preient war, feems then to have comprehended
aimoit all the events which have actually arifen.
indeed the fame, or very nearly the fame COM
bination OF events, might have been predicted
to exit, 10 long as the relative ftuation of the
| TWO parties had continued the fame, and 70 long
as the Other poqver5 Of Europe had kept aloof
from the CONTEXT. France would not have pro-
badly ventured to attack the Englifh on the oce-
an, from the want of a maritime power Eng
land would not have dared to encounter France
on the continent, from the Inequality of her re-
fources on land. But this narrow and calcu-
lating theory appears to have been faliifed g. tet
at nought by the genius or ternerity of the Firf
Conful OF Francs. Concurrent circumstances
ieem TO denonftrate, that he is about to make
third point IN this war, infinitely more inpor-
tant than all the ref. His ardent aud enthuf.
attic courage has meditated the invaiion of Eng
land.
In vain do we turn over the records of hif
tory. IN iearch CT fofe fftatteIcd lights which
may direct us to the fate of this exfraordinar,
project. In vain do we put together the pro.
found iabours of Hume, the ingenious defcripti-
ons OF SnoIiet, and the lsbolious compilation,
OF RufeL to afiif us in forming fome conjecture
on the unfolding of this awful cataftrophe
Analogy is iiient. Not a Jingle invaion is tc
be found IN the whole hiftory of England, thai
Is exactly hmiiar in ITS mott important features
ne lnyahon OF William the Conoueror, of In,
Spanith Armada, and ofLouis ~. on ireland
contain at once both the nearef points of refem
olance, and the ftrongeh marks of difciiminati
on. The leaft reflection will be fuf,icient to con
vince us that the ultimate fate of this perilou,
i rToleet, would depend partly upon thehIccsfs
fui landing OF the troops, and partly upon the
relation in which they may fand to the inhabi-
tants OF England.-A fleet more powerful than
the navy OF Harold, was calculated to enfure tc
me troops OF William fuccefsful deficient, or q
rare retreat. The death of his rival in the frn
battle, and the want of competent fuccefor
rewarded this daring adventurer with the En-.
glth crown.-Bonaparte has no invincibIe Ar
mada to protect his troops and facilitate his de-
lcent.-Ih ne Invation OF Louis XIV. was afiiftec
oy beet iiiifciently large to cope with the ma
: Wy OF England: 1t was made on the coat O.
ireland it was encouraged by the hopes ant
the wlfheS OF a large body of its inhabitants
But the prefent inva(on is unaided by thefe re
4 iources Report fays that it is 20 be made OF
the coat of England it is to be made on ;
country refolnte and united it is TO be mad,
IN fiat-bottomed boats, which will be forcec
to truft their entire iafety to dark night and
favourable breeze.
From the volumes of experience we turn t.
the columns of newspapers, and to the caIcrIla
tons of probability. The imagination is buff
IN collecting all the various facts which ma,
terve TO enlighten the deductions of the under
itandlng. But the understanding is perpiexed b,
their uncertainty, their variety and number
Man does not exercife the prerogative of Jupi
ter we do not hold the balance OF fate. Gu
minds paute; we are condemned to wait witt
trembling anxiety for the developemcnt of thi
1ntereitins drama and we remain deeply pene
{ trated with the conviction, that the contrar,
chances OF the contendng nations are too NIGEL,
poiied for us to determine the revolutions OF f,i
tni1ty. On the one 6de, we behold the hero O
Lodi and Marengo pointing out to his enthuiiai
TIC followers the white COATS of Britain, and dit
playing to their enraptured inagiuations all TIL
giorles OF conquef, and all the treafures Of Lon
don. We hear the ihouts of 100000 warrior
confirming his refOlufions anil I,re,tt,;o,, 4 &;