Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-12-09
VIRGINIA. ARGUS.
Il Z c IT M 0 ND.
MONDAY. DEcENsER 1911.
fP The Late News.
voe THE hncrs.

G1 HE Late News.
The arr1al at Eew-yorK of the ship Martha
capt. Gwvitsrsfn 55 DAYS from Liverpool, fur
nishcs fresh food for the quidnuncs. 1t appears
that tao British have grown sanguinc in the ex-
pectation OF 4 northern continental coalition a
gainst France. Napoleon, suspicioSs, it would
seem, ct the fidelity of the king Of PrussiS, has
put a question 10 him which must extort an an
swcr decisive OIL fate. VIII yon (quoth Ma
poleon) deliver into my hands Colberg and
Gradients 2 The London editor tells us that
this question startled his Prussian majesty WHO
Thought that the Imperial Barber was shaving
his crown too close. Wy do not pltee great re-
in truth; lis geographical hVQ@ledge docs not
appear ~ the very Hrst order Goldberg is
not OF tha> fatast import2fce asa military post
for the p't poses of confidential operations but
It's being &atcd on III Baltic, a.sea open to
British trade, explains at once why sponaparte
wishes to gain possession ofit. In alfprobabIi-
ty the King of Prussia, BY connivance, has rem
dcrcd Goldberg smuggling depot for British
manufactures, and thus far infringed Napoleon'S
continental system. The reason for requiring
the delivery of Graudcntz is not go apparent,
unless, indeed, it be to complete the chain Of
FrenclIposts on the yistnia and entirely 10 COM
mand the passage ofthat river. We think, too,
that the emperor of the Frcnchmay wishto put
it ont of the power of chance to play him
ttiCN aiN lial Nv ODls1nlus, new cages OK l1lln
from Prussia, he intends to shew the Russians
that if they will make war upon him, they have
nothingip the way of aid to expect from their
ncighbTstiis Prussians But why is it that the
Britishprintsappcar so sangunc in their hopes
OF a northern Spalition They shcw no plausi-
bic estimate offorce: on the contrary, Turkey
is st'll at war with Russia, which war employs
on the Danube almost all the disposable force Of
the latter; and the confederation of the Rhine
the military force of Which Bonaparte yields at
viii, is so cut out and contrived, that militia
ry road is open to the French from the kingdom
of Saxony, one of the members of the confedera-
ton, to the Duchv Of Warsaw, the territory of
which extends to the Niemen: This extension
ofth Rhenish confaderacy, together with the
positions which the French hold on the yistu-
la, must eiIectually paralyse Prussia Where,
then, is Russia to look for an ally for an ally,
and more than one, is necessary to carry on two
wars at once-a war with the Turks, and war
with the French. There is, in truth, no effec-
tive ally for Russia in contest against Bona
parte. And what can Russia do alone We
have already seen her exerting herself in con-
Junction with Austria and in conjunction with
Prussia, without success and when she stands
by herself with Austria against her, (and the
English editors admit that Austria is to furnish
the French with contingent she can abso-
lutely do nothing. Reason being against il,
| however, is no proof that Russia Will not make
the experiment. If she does, We prognosticate
for her humiliation and disaster. We mention
ed on former occasion that while RomanzoF
rcmainSi Rat the head OF affairs there would be
no war withsF rancc and We see no mention of
his retiremeI!te There does not seem to be e.
ven rumor OF his retreat (; 1m Office and this
| circumstance, much more illustrative of Russian
| politics than the turbid paragraphs of a London
editor, puts n sort of negative upon the whole
affair. lndeel, there seems to be some design in
IN 4t.rA IL. a.
of northern coalitions and we should not be
surprizcd If the real intention was, to divert the
public OF Britain from the inspection of disas-
| ters and blunders at home to imaginary convul-
sions abroad In truth, the British government,
by its acts, exhibits conclusive proof of serious
alarm az the threatened invasion of the islands Of
Jersey and Guernsey by French force of so, 900
| men. These islands lie at no great distance
| from the coast OF France, are still governed by
the old Norman laws, and most of the inhabi-
| tants speak the French language At this mo-
mcnt, too, the baneful effects of the British pa.
| peT-moncy system arc felt there, and the people
| are very much depressed The English com
| manders there are on the alert, and the cabinet
| o London, carrying, its fears nearer home thar
| these islands, have determined TO lessen the
number of French prisoners at Portsmouth and
| Plymouth by sending them to Scotland The
precaution may not be amiss. Should the
| French get possession of Jersey and Guernsey
| they may go on: And what occasion SO f:vora
| BILE as the time when the British have crowded
almost the whole of their disposabls military
| force into Portugal The fact, at any rate
proves one thing, which is, that the British arc
not so Indifferent to the threat Of INVASION as
they pretend to be. Neither is the British go
vernment easy on the score of the Antwerp
| fleet; they watch and calculate every stcrf O
Bonspapse's march through Holland, and by tht
aukwefdncss and absurdity of their ridicule be
tray heir apprehensions.
The news from France is friendly TO The u
States. Mr.. Barlow was received and treated
with great attention our ships were suffered
to proceed without moestation from French
vessels of war and there was no doubt re
manning in France of the repeal Of the Der Iii
and Milan DEGREES as far as they affected neu
trail commerce. The Eaglish knew all this Der
fectly well, but there has been no revocation O
the orders in council. IN reality, every para
graph from England relating to America ind
Gates deep-rooted hostility towards u.s. 200
spindle-maker, who was coming over 20 Chi
country to follow his trade in peace and qu:et
ness, free from British taxes, British pStlper
ism, British baPerisn, and from the insoIenc
Of the rabble Of mobiles, was seized bya polio,
officer and thrust into prison. The mans in
genuity would have been. perhaps, no great adj
vantage to US but the circumstance fiayis N
Poliey ethBritaia towards the United States
new BPitAh order in council, stamped with III
same selfish principles that prevails in thci
staadinAcmmercia code, proclains the ex
clusion, Sfltr April next, of all vessels not Bri
fish, from the Cape of GOod-IIopc and It's de