Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-05-23


cocoa, tortoise-shell. &c. will now probably form
Iinch OF the cargoes Of vessels trading to Hayt
fall off. e'o''
$4,000 slaves, men, women and children, were i'm
ported into Rio during the year 1929.
From the .Nes YonS Daily .qdrer,issr, of .r.yls.
we nave been furnished, by gentleman Of intel
gence, and who has enjoyed opportunities TO iudpe
IN person concerning the subject of which he writes
with the following Interesting communication.
:, MILITARY POWER OF RUSSIA.
DIT, EutorIthere is nothing in the American
newspapers which think extravaran,y oycrrated
as the military power Of Russia. She is confidently
talked OF as the p-eponderating power of Europe
as the one that holds the balance of DESTINY in her
nands, and can lower elevate nations at her nod
ms opinion is no doubt founded Oh the great ueo-
graphical extent of her territory and ON the mn
iericai amount OF her population; but upon enquiry
" VIII be found that neither Of these adyan,ages
constitutes military power, although they unqueston,
ably form part Of the elements of which ,,;l;.nrr
power Is composed.
at present Russia labours under four rrcat djsnd-
Santage.. and three of these must be overcome be-
tore she can be great military power. The first is
.he great geographical extent other thiniy inhabited
territory, which renders the operation Of COLLECTING
her armies both tedious and expensive, the second is
the want OF money 20 equip and support her armies
when they are collected thirdly, the want oftalcnI
hoth IN tho cabinet and In the field, to organize her
armies SET them IN motion, aud guide them TO victo-
tory; ana fourhy, the want offresdnm for go lone Ms
four-tiiths of her population are Serf or slaves
bought and sold with the soil on which thav arc horn
1t impossible that her armies ever can possess that
energy which renders armies terrible in the hour Of
battle
In former times, when war was II rude art. and SOL
dershp consisted in botal crocity barbarous hordes
oVerran or subjugated civilized nations. But tho tri-
amphs OF barbarism have long since passed away.
ana war has now become science, in which the
Fir notin nlr
Russia has wealth TO acquire science TO learn. and
freedom TO achieve before she can oyerrun o- die
tate To the rest of Europe.
1t Is true, the great geographical extent OF the
Russian empire may serve her bulwar!t against
Successful invasion for If the invading army arc few
they will be defeated, and If they are numerous thew
VIII be starved From this circumstance combined
WIN othors, Russia acquired military renown by de-
Ieat'hg the hali-staryed half-frozen, veterans of
france. But Russia had other auXiliaries besides
famine anu frost: for during the whole of that ,ncm
oraole contest, her troops were, in great measure
paid clothed, and armed at the expense of 1pland
Million after million of British gold was sent in sub
sides to i&issia, and her armies were ACCOMPANIED
by Lord Cathcart, Sir Robert Wilson, and other dis
tnguished British officers, who assisted in regulating
the military maneuvreS.
But 1t does not constitute q nation 20 be a great
military power, because she can ultimately rennlse
her assai!an;s-in other words, defend herself from
beng conquered. Before uation can possess in
deilbe Claims to the nppcaton of q great military
pcwcr, she must be able To protect her weak and.
overawc her nsolcnt neighbours and Russia at pre-
sent, docs not possess the power OF doing SO. She
Is nearly ignorant of the arts as well as the sciences
so that 1t may fairly be dou led whether or not she
possesses suiGciency Of skill to manufacture mus
kets for the use of her forces and she depends
on the Carron Iron Foundry, in Scotland, for her
cannon, shot and shells. IIer commissariat is like
wise III very imperfect state, and her medical staff
is not in the best condition
Yet, with althesc visible disadvantages again sther
Russia IL confidently talked Of the dangerous rival
of France, or England-as the growing mower TINT
IS likely to humble British pride Il certainly is not
easy TO ca culatc the chances Of future evcAts par
tcularly the chances of war; and war beteen Russia
and England, sngle-handcd, is an uutred experiment.
but be il tried when it will. will venture TO predict Il
WI turn out n Illuminating ono for Russia. We
have already seen her leagucd with Bonaparte in 4
war against England, and her power was unavaino:
so light did she seem, that England scarcely felt her
weight 10 the opposite scale. II is cqUnlly true that
England cannot and probably never will attempt 10
conquer Russia but England can blockade her norris
destroy her navy, and her trade erect Poland into an
independent kingdom, proclaim freedom to the Rus.
sian Ser, and arm them against their tyran,s: while
England does not present n single vulnerable point
which Russia can attack, with hopes of ultimate
success.
II has beon said that Russia may attack the British
possessions III india; but when we rccollcct that the
British arc almost adorcd by one hundred aud twenty
millions Of HndOds equally as scientific ns the Rus
bubIc that Russia would pausc before she commences
that attack Besides, the British East India Company
maintain n standing army Of five hundred thousand
IIndoos, equipped and disciplined in the very best
European manner. and commanded by British officers
Of the first sciences that any invasion of India by
Russin, in her present state, would be hopeless.
Politicians may talk they wln and make what
assertions they please IN support Of their fayoure
theories, hut they never will convince any reasonable
man, acquainted with the science of war, that the
Russian army, composed os il is, Of slaves and Cos
sacks, can be imposing Her last years campaign
on the Danube, is another proof that the foundation
OF her military rcnown, like that Of tho world hangs
upon nothing; and it is more than probable that she
VIII be worsted in the present contest with Turkey
at al events, France or England thrown into tho
scale against her, would at once destroy the balance.
II may be an amusing speculation to array Russia and
England ono against tho othcr--but Russia knows
better. She will not 90 to war with England She
did not even dare to form her blockade OF the Hcles
pont, without the permission Of England; and tho
moment that England says, sio mist stop her opera
tons against tho Tursk, she will do So for so long
as England possesses twenty times the science,