The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-05-27
EUROPEAN SKETCHES.
No. s.
SHIyTFIN(; or THE SOUND

| The latett accounts from Europe have alto
nifhed us by the Intelligence, that Pruifia has
confented to fhut all her ports againft the Bri-
tin. All her refoIutions in their favor; the
iiattering communication of their minilter Ba-
ron Hardenberg TO the Engliih minlter, &c that
after the sn1t fortunate occurrences in Moravia,
the utmofl circum(bei7ioa was indifpenfble' !;
that the mott valiant armies could not always
command the faaoars of fortune that there
fore It was ut only the ntereit of Pruf1ia but
alto the general interef, to prevent her from
being attacked at that moment, when the whole
weight of war would fall upon her, and be-
fore any cooperation evifb other pozvers could be
formed /; that in cafe her froobs mould be de-
tented, the Ian ray ofbobe qvond be esfingmi6-
ed :" all thete hattering indications are forgot
ten. 1t is not eafy to- ailign the sfccret cauies
which have produced this change of policy
but therecan not bea doubtthat Bonaparte is the
hero of the drama /; that it is his intrigue which
has induced Prufiia to depart from her eta
bliihcd fyifem of neutrality. -
It's an idle expectation that Bonaparte will
top here in the accomplishment of his plans.
The object nearef his heart is the reduction of
the Britifh commerce; and the voluntary hu-
initiation of Pruiiia has thrown fome of the
means of efecting this object, into his power
He will not ref fatisfed with fiutting the Brtilh
commerce out of all the ports of Prunia his
Baltic. Let him but authorize PruiIia TO threat
en- Denmark with the conquea Of HolRein, or
let Prufiia occupy it on the conditions of hold
ing IT until Denmark ihall acqu;efce in his de-
mands, and his demands mutt be complied
with. Denmark will be obliged to fl,ut the
Sound againft all Britifh veffels, and they will
ct courfe be excluded from every port of the
Baltic, whether owned by Denmark, Sweden,
Pruffia or Ruffia.
o. L r.
iitIcians at the commencement of the prefent
war, that France dare not execute this project
for fear of provoking the refentment of RufIia.
lhey laid, that the trade, which Rulfia carries
on with Great Britain is nearly equivalent or
even, perhaps. more than equivalent, to that
which ihe carries on with all the reft of Europe;
x that this trade is almoft efentia to her prof.
per1ty, for whllt Great Britain fupplied them
with her own manufactures, ihc took off vaft
quantities of their hemp, iron aud timber.
But this fort of reaioning does not apply to
the prefent relations of Europe. Ruffia and
France are actually at war, whatever may be
thought of the pacific manner in which they
conduct it. Ruliia was party to the third
coalition but ihe was not party TO the peace
or Preiburg. Rutfia is even now making great
preparations in Poland, for the purpofe, it is be-
lieved, of attacking or re6fting the French, who
IN their turn will fcarcely regard the impref1ion
Wnicn the fhuttIng OF the Sound will have upon
the Rufiians.-As to Pruffia, fhe has lately cx-
hibied hertef too much the complainant valIal
or the French Emperor, to raife any objections
to his wihes. She has already confented to
ihut up all her ports againft the Britif and
will fcarcey object to fhutting them out of all
the ofber ports of the Baltic.
But England will not be the only nation to
fiffer by the thutting of the Baltic. When the
Elbe was clofed agant her velIels, at the COM
mencement of the prefent war, Che did not fit
down the paiiive victim of her enemy; for (be
blockaded the mouth of that river. Since her
own vefels were prevented from entering if,
The determined to cut off all other veffels from
that privilege. No doubt ll,e will purfue the We
ry came courfe, if the Elbe is once more fhut a.
gaiult her, as the lateft accounts from England
ieem to intimate. 1t will be her intereft to
purfue the very fame policy in cafe the Baltic is
fhut upon her; meafure, which her naval fu
perioritywll enable her to carry into execution
in fpite every oppofition. Let Denmark then
exclude her veflcls from the Sound, Great Bril-
tain can as eaiiIy exclude the vehels of every
other nation. Inarad of blockading Bouloene,
or the Elbe, Jingle port or Jingle river
the whole Baltic Tea, with all its rivers and its
ports, will be laid under blockade.