The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-11-01
RICHMOND, FRIDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER ]. 1905


On the oth.~ hand, fhould hoaility at,ual,,
I re-commence on the continent il is to be ORE
iumed that the winter will be occaped in pre-
parafion, and the arrangement of fyftems ar,
means of attack by the combined powers.
kuiiia determines to act, Auitria cannot be neu
trs' asthe paliage of an army of Rufia unre
hhed' viii be coniidered as a violation of tn,
neutrality. 1t is no. the interef of Auftria tt
engage, but her ituation renders her involve
ment inevitable. The war would then be car
RED into the heart of Germany, and the Da
voutts, Soults, Marmonts, and Augereaus o
france, would emulate the glorics of the Jour
dams, and the Hocbes, and the Moreaus, on thai
celebrated theatre of military devaftation.
Inc plains OF Italy would once again feel the
tread of hottie legions, her valleys reverberate
the tones OF horror, and her rivers blufi witt,
| human blood.
The efforts OF the grand moving power would
neceharily be direeed to keep the war as remote
from Great-Britan as practicable as mott con-
geniaf to her views ofpolcy and commerce, and
as mort Pernicious to France. The countries
on the Mediterranean would therefore be the
principal theatre of war nnleis the French
chiet drterr,socdto attack her riva! ar homc.
mould cndeavour to make a diverEon either b,,
felened deficient or an actual inyaEon of Ire
land meaiure by no means imprasticable,
whom IT would be profciIedly intended to fuc.
cour as heretofore. An invafion of ireland at
ms time though It would certainly find allies
IN the deipair OF the people of that oppreIed
nation, would not obtain 70 cordial, general, s.
confident an aid as when the banners Of France
waved only in the name of free nation. The
iriih could expect no better fate under the prs-
lieut. rulers of France than Holland or Switzcr-
land; and perhaps the people after all their
nruegles under the hope of emancipation from
their tyranny of 600 years, might find themfelves
reduced TO more llvcteratc bondage (if polIi-
oiel as the price of peace and concefiion.
One trait appears palpable in all the proceed
ngs OF the French ruler. He has turned his at
lention to The marine. Reference to the won
Gers performed by Colbert in the organization
or the French marine, under Louis XIV. has
been confantly made by politicians, Gallican
and An'I-Gallican. 1t took Colbert four years
to collect fifty !iips of war of all defcriptions
But there had been previous effort made BY
Richelieu, in the preparation of materials and
artiiicers from Holland. The French rulers of
the prefent day have retrieved difafers unrre-
cedented III the annals of the world, in iIlurter
fpace.
4 he French marine may be faid to have Ion
Its vital power by the detection of its naval COM
manders. The defruction of the naval srienal
at Ioulon and the battle of the Mile, feened to
renaer all the expectations of France from her
navy for ever hopeels. Yet by fyhem novel
and bold, men have been formed to the rudi-
ments of feamanihip without quitting her har-
bours. We allude to the contribution of eun-
boats, praams, &c. and the difcipline introduced
inthe management of thefe craft. In this con-
'1rivance, the variety of objects which have been
ootalned are ma lefs remarkable than the gene
raj effect of forming clafs of men prepared
with hab'ts of activity on the water. TO be re-
moved to the more enlarged fphere of naval dii-
cipilne. In accomplishing this main objra-
theie have been lkewiie accomplished; work
men IN naval architecture have been formed
the fruits OF their induitry has been attributed
IN the boiom of the fOciety to which they be-
long; and they have kept their adverilry in
coiiitant tate OF alarm and at an expence little
lhort of an actual warfare
During this period, thirty feven ral of the
line, nave been launched and greater number
are at this moment on the nocks, many near
launching; and by the junction of the navy OF
Spain, the fyftem of blockade appears to be
rendered totally frnitlefs and nugatory.
The fyltem of French tactics on the ocean,
appears to be of the Fabian kind and from
fome hints thrown out in the Mopitenr. il would
ieem, that every object was expected to bea-
chieved oy delay and by attracting the alverfi-
ry; while the prosrefs of naval difciplne aud the
encreaie OF Hips of force were purified with a
zeal inceliant and aftonilhing.
The only appearent hopes which the COM
oined powers can entertain, NUT not be from
their prowcfs in the field, nor from their fuc-
ceis againtt fuch fyltem on the ocean ;--nor
from the colonies of France, which are no lon
ger obttac!es to her enterprises nor deductions
from the unity of her force--but from fome
hopes OF organizing force qvifbiu tie boj5m Of
France which may cooperate with the powers
combined; or from fome calculations that may
be made upon the dormant but not the dcRroyed
!ove cfH6ertg, which certainly largely prevails
in the armies of France.
Of the tirit ground of hope we can only fay
that they have been before repeatedly entertan.
ed and bafTled.
Of the latter we offer no opinion.