Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-05-23
The Invasion Panic in England.

present We have nothing 10 expect from them.
The Invasion Panic in England.
Il hs scarcely three years spce the Elglsh peo
pie startled with the apprehension that France de.
signed to attempt the conquest Of Great Britain. The
idea Of shp-armor sighted BY the Admiralty bu.
taken up BY the Emperor of France, who proceeded,
with characteristic energy, to ties! its efficacy The vast
Improvement in steam propulsion and horizontal shell
firing obviously changed the character of marine war
ware, and justified fears to which British bosoms had
heretofore been strangers. The Indignation with which
England denounced the authorities of Frsrce-tha cam
paiga plan which apprehended-the resistance BY
which it be counteracted, and the heroic deter
minaiOn to employ every rather than submit to
urju5tihlble invasion, applicable TO our own
case, tina. struck with wonder that a nation,
posed to similar aggression should not have manifested
at least sympathy with Observations dropped in
an article published in the London Quarterly and cir
cunsarces which have accompanied this war, incline
Us 70 suspect tina, England has aud more looked
to an sliarce with the United States as a means OF re
sstiDg any Continental demonstrations against her. and
that the display OF military energy and popular obedience
exhibited by the latter during the present war has dis
posed Eugsnd to regard the restoration Of Federal
power and territory as in reality adding to her own
ability to resist the armies of Europe Il is BY means
impossible that the world may before long, England
and tbs Yankee Government allied against France and
the Southern Conederacy The continued neutrality of
z gland is however, more to be expected at present.
We quote, at some length from the London Quarterly
Rsvisr
at is Of course a frightiul misfortune that ve-a
-.
il immediate proximity 10 neghbor of such different
tastes. We must bear our fate as best can, and
leard consider the levy for the support OF
army and navy the rent pay for the peaceful
possession Of island and OF our settlements abroad
- Unfortunately We have been already forced to
mortgage our property TO the extent OF eight hun
drsd millions for this very purpose
TIE following plan OF campaign, suggested IS that
upon which the invasion would be conducted resembles
20 much that apparently pursued by Scott and AcClel
and that it cannot fail to be interesting, il not insiruo
i've Il At least shows very forcibly the difficulties OF de-
endlns an extended csss; from enemy having choice
Of the point of attack
"Let be assumed for instance that having obtain.
ed the command of .he Channel, the invading army
divided into four corps % about 600 men each Ole Of
tlt-, consisting Of from 90 OOO 60 600 infantry, may
ce embarked Oh board the tTl1sp0rts with their
and ammunition tEen'y days provisions, and their
rHuCllUu tOO9 ONLY. IL Will not, 10 tue uTsL instance,
be REQUISITE % ll3 over than very limited nun
Der o. .yaTy all I small PARK Of artillery Suppos1g
the rs bearing :h force appears one day IN Peyensey
Btv aud ranges .sr Just Ol' OF reach OF the guns
shore a. K prep rug 70 dissubark the troops the
OloNinE m9rlilg. Oi course every sNertiol ia m,le
O. send iOsl every possible man to oppose the landing
Tie day b-esks-the French .e, s there-tu. the
telegraph announces that they are anchored in TOrbay
and bu-.Y er gagged 10 landing the army. Before night
tai they all o. shor, aud have 20 eusrenched them
slyes b. eating the isthmr5 between Toyquay
and Dartmouth that 100 600 mea could not iisl,1Ce
them Slhou. siege There let US leave them,
ing lCisurey their artillery and cavalry with the requisite
stores In the meanwhile another corps Of 50 900 is
embark ed and buded-it may be at HTwich some
Place on the Suffolk coast There some defenCss At
the former place but Of very contemplate character
easily des oyed by an ron-pAted fdgste ,atiDg bat
terri and the psu la once occupied very easily
strengthened. third like manner, may be thrown on
shore somewhere between ShOrehsm and Sslsea. This
corps would peyhaps the most difficult, TO land bu, it
would be meat im poriant TO ia Portsmouth aud any
troops or militia thst be collected there. There is
s fourth corps Oi % 400 men, which NAV be thrown
on vncheye. Of these three the enemy intends
advance froE and this accomplished he is IT orce in
DOS :ion 10 move forward and sumo the Offensive Il
i no, pretended that all this could be effected without
soma loss bat Il would hardly exceed a few thousand
men. which would not be thought OF in such campaigI
nor could it be done in less time than fortnight
three vsakJ-but that, too, is hardly OF much conse-
q1eac5 in such en- operation
The subject is one on which there will be consdsrs-
be dill renee OF opinion among military men but the
probability seems TO be, that having strengthened his
sf wing 20 the extent Of loo 900 men, he would move
forward from the The roads excellent, forage
abundant aud there ia NOS single obs scle Of any sort
10 The way The 2gp miles may be passed over in tea
o. twelve llvs without fatigue. Waen the army reach
"a reading G. might either form unctioa With the Chi
cAes er division or leave ta for Other purposes and
or London in tNO columns Uy the Old Bath and Oxford
rasd- While the Colchester division might advance
orri Gt,,l and threaten London from the northeast
Il ,uis or u lar Plan vers adopted, what ,uii
be done TO resist &c ~
Having shown the difficulty OF saving the Capital
AGAINST such a combination Of columns the visv Gays
"Tne only thing an English General could DO in such
case would DC 10 abandon the Capital aud all the couu
try the South Of London, retrestng to the North
By adopting Fabian line Of policy might eventually
save the State from actual extinction"
After sAking up and dsproviug the efficiency OF seve.
raj modes Of deferee, the Review concludes:
"Uoless every citizen will now arm himself or assist
uegsbOr 10 10 80 unless every servant Of the State
will spp!y bis whole energies see how the danger NAV
hes, be met and unless every statesman will forget all
m no. rences of opinion, aud apply his whole power
% prepare for the great sruggle-it may happen that
tie Hst spark OF liberty that exists 10 Europe may be
roiden cut and the British be lost from among
those Of the great nations Of the EARTH in catastrophe
slch has appalled, the world since the downfall of
the Roman Empire"
DEFENCE OF DREwRY'S BLUFF.
Lry...-