The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-10-13

af:er approach Though The prefcnt nepoc;st:p-,
may terminate in peace, our reflections will better pr,
pare ,fs for encoun,ering difficulties and !vr l.
DOPING the paper mea!ures Of war.
Is 1t probable that war will really take place be-
tween the two countries! is the firth qcvition which
the anxiety Of every will diiroie him 10 conder
Reckoning. abhraefedy; fuch event does no, APP
pelrprobable. Ihceondton of Spain sbynome STA
vourable Fate of holilities. The flcriees which
The would encounter, by no means uncomfortable q
the acquiGtions which fhe might make would not GER
tainy be very exteriiye. She would conduer no tn
ritoyy The u. States, have no foreign poileilions
which me could invade. Nor have | 10 exalted Al,
opinion of their national courage. to believe that
they would preIume fet ahotie foot upon our own
| fhore, Unable to make themieve, matters OF any
part of territory, of any thing which was con-
tanned within our boundaries, they would neceiiarily
eonne their exertons toeOnrsyeai depredatons. But
thefe depredations would perhaps be very ex-
tenfive. Their navy might certainly blockade our
ports, the Spaniai minilter infatuated. But wha,
benefit would they derive from this policy They
might indeed nicf an injury upon us, but they would
gain very little ,hemicives. They would indeed ar
ref our commerce, bu. they would capture very
few of our veiiels. The spanih government can
fcarcey have 70 contemplate idea of maenani-
nifty to believe that this temporary Inconvenience
would induce to make peace favourable to their
Pretenions. IF we entered into the war with full
view Of this difficulty before us, iould fcarcely
content to reinqufh the objects of that war when
this Inconvenience fhould really aha us. The derre-
dations of the Spaniards would thus be principally
confined the high feas, and the COATS of the w
Indies Yet even here our danger is not very impo-
fling. can fcarcely venture compare the force of
Spanfh privateer, with that of New-England mer-
chairman equipt with arms, ammunition and fea-
men. The principal part Of their depredations mutt
thu. be carried by their national vefiels Yet thel
few in proportion to the number Of vefIels would
do little execution ard even many of item might
foon bee ONE the fpoil national igates fome of
which would no doubt be recalled from the Medter-
ation to difply the fame nvincible gaantry,
which has 70 ucceisfully diftinguihed them
The is6is, which the Spaniards might fuftain would
certainly be greater than their ae9nifions. 1t is
extremely probable that E. and w. Florida would
at once be taken from them. The Notifications of
their principal fight and their garrifons
final undifciplined, and devoid of military ardour 10
the year 1890, the troops and leves St. Auguftne
the chief town of E. Florida, did not exceed 600
Penfacoa, the capital of w. Florida, contained $50
troops--The Mobile and Tombgbee had only $50
on their Banks. From the con1ueit of the Florida.
the American army might PATS to the invaion and oc-
cupation of Mexico.
That ill-governed and il-defended territory could
fcarccy refif determined and dlcipned army Our
tiunphs might be extended the ocean, as well as
over the continent Tbt time baI Leen, when the Spa
when their invincble Armada could even threaten IN
invaiion of the Englilh flores. But fate feems to
have infueda deadly torpor into the whole power of
Spain. Its head is weak its whole circulation en-
feebled and every ditant limb every organ of tie
public body which formerly indicated health activity
and force, is now wthered up powerefs. Its marine
has felt this general ,orpor its faors ply fckly
OAR and its ornaments would attempt in vain to en-
counter the active and Gdlful mariners of the United
States.
Concious of its weakness and the infecurity of
every thing which holds its fway, the Court of
Madrid, therefore, will icarcely 4atars to endaneer
its foreign poiieions and its commerce, by engaging
in war with the United States
The following communication is the Iaft one
of the kind, which will be admitted into this pa
per; not becaule the editor deems fi1ch enoui-
ries frivolous or uieef, but becaufe he is of OPT
MON, that newspaper is by no means a fit We
hicle for conveying them to an American pub
lie.
It may be ncceGary to prenife the ufe of the
different Ggns which occur in the following
communication.
A figure before letter as SC, means that the
number which ftands for is to be taken as
many times as the figure contains units.
a ftraight line as - is the ign of fubfraction
between the two quantities it divides.
An in its natural politions the lign of addition
When it is placed in this form y it becomes
the fgn of multiplication.
ftraight line between two letters or numbers
as ---isdefcriptive ofafrafion, or it fl1ows that
the upper number is to be divided by the
lower.
A ferries of numbers or letters with a ftraight
line over them, as fhows that the ope-
2it4X3,
rations indicated by the (igns between them
are to be performed with thofe quantities,
before you proceed to any new operation,
which the fucceeding lign may exprefs. Thus
in the preceding exprellion the 2 s, 4 are to
be multiplied together betore the is added
to their product. This exprefIion is COME
quently equal to IL.
= Is the fgn of equality between the two
quantities it divides.