Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

"Fourthly, The part of the English coaft threatened by the known point of departure, will be more carefully fortified, and the number of troops and artillery augmented.

"Fifthly, The wind that may be favourable at the point of departure, may probably become adverfe to the junction of the fleet which is to convoy it.

"Sixthly, The English fleet, being aware of the preparations, may optionally attack the French fleet, either before or after this junction, with the convoy with which it must be embarraffed. In either of thefe cafes, fhould the French fleet be defeated, whether the convoy remain in the ports, or be deftroved after the defeat, the expedition will fail, and every probability favours the prefumption, that the French would be beaten.

"Seventhly, If the convoyed army fhould gain the English coaft, and attempt a landing, either before or after the engagement, its fate will depend on the illue of that engage. ment; and it will meet a touter refiftance on fhore, as the English will be encouraged by the proximity of their fleet.

"Should the French be unfuccefsful, ruined by fo grand an effort, defpoiled of their last naval refources, let them fay what they please, they will never more attempt fo rash an enterprize; and, clothed with difgrace and fhame, they will terminate a war by which they have acquired fo much glory: then will their laurels fade; their own, and the colonies of their allies, will become the prey of their imperious adverfary; and, probably, thofe powers on whom they have imposed conditions fo very fevere, profiting of their difafter, will attack them anew.

"The other method of attempting a defcent on England is partial. It may be executed from various points at once, or elfe in fucceffion. It requires neither large tranfports, nor fhips of the line to efcort them. The preparations along the coaft from Holland to Breft, menace more points, attract lefs notice, are less expenfive, and more practicable.

"Gun-boats, bomb-boats, frigates and corvettes, can only avail against the batteries on the coafts. Chaffe-marées, and boats with decks, may with ease convey the troops, the artillery, and their carriages, as ballaft, together with ammunition, and eight days provifion. Between Breft and Dunkirk there are upwards of 1500 of these chaffe-marées, and almost as many between Dunkirk and Eaft Friefland. Each of thefe

boats

boats may carry 100 men, with one piece of cannon, its carriage and ammunition in the hold, for 24 hours. These boats can run a-ground without danger, and land their troops with great facility. They fail excellently well; the men are bold, and the masters are perfectly well acquainted with the English coaft. Two hundred of these boats may eafily be collected at any part of the coaft in three days. In the same space of time the troops may be collected at a given point; the embarkation of difmounted artillery, of horfes with their forage, ammunition, dry provifions and medicines; and also the difembarkation of the fame, can be executed in three hours.

"Forty gun-boats of the new model, each carrying two twelve pounders, with four horfes, form the advanced guard, and may be drawn afhore, even by means of their falfe keels. By the help of their fire they cover the fhore, and render their landing certain and undisturbed. Ten bags of fand for each man, as many pallifades and pick-axes, are the means of intrenchment.

"Ten thoufand foot and five hundred horfe may easily be conveyed to England in this fleet, as the period of departure will depend on their own choice; cruizers will find it difficult to intercept them. A divifion of gun-boats may remain with the troops, the others may return to the point of departure with the chaffe-marées, and be employed every night in bringing provifions for the intrenched camp, which, the enemies fhips, not daring to hazard themselves in fhoal-water, and to the red hot shot of the camp batteries and gun-boats, cannot approach.

"The fouthern and eastern coast of England being greatly indented, prefent numerous points fufceptible of fuch a defcent. Of the importance of this, the English themselves are probably not aware. On many parts of the English coaft this mode of landing may be at once employed, with great fecrecy, celerity and fuccefs.

"It may be objected that a body of 10,000 men is a mere handful, which cannot oppose, with the smallest profpect of fuccefs, the multitudinous armies which the English will bring against them. This would be true, could that multitude inftantly be brought to act against the French before they were entrenched. But this can never be, and when once entrenched, they must be befieged in a regular manner.

"An

"An equal number of men in the entrenchments at Fort Kehl, stopped, for two months, a numerous and victorious army, better killed in war than the English, and provided with able engineers, good befieging artillery, and expert cannoneers. The English have no right to flatter themselves with the idea of carrying the entrenchments lined with 10,000 French, accustomed to war, and a formidable artillery, at one and the firft onset.

"If once engaged in the delays of a fiege, inexperienced, without fkilful generals, engineers, or fiege artillery, dreading the like invafions on other parts of the coaft, which they durit not leave unprotected, the patriotic fire of the military will foon be quenched, expences will increase, trade will perish, bankruptcies, failures of payment, the confternation of the towns, of the country, and of manufacturers; especially the difaffection of the people, and the revolutionary spirit, will haften diforder and confufion. Then, even before a defeat, the resource of the English will be a moft humiliating and dearly bought peace, in cafe the French, who have hitherto not poffeffed virtue enough to fet limits to their victories, have, at laft, moderation enough to confent to it.

"Let us fuppofe the most favourable thing for England, that the French be driven off in their first attempt: this will affuredly not happen at the moment of landing. Every man, acquainted with common tactics, is affured that it is not poffible to prevent a landing. If it takes place at all, it must be after the fiege of their entrenchments, which will have been ftormed, and themfelves either put to the fword, or made prifoners. What is the lofs of 10,000 men to France, when the reflects that it has coft England an equal number? She will rectify her plans, and commence again.

"Let us conclude then, Firft, That a defcent, en masse, on England or Ireland, must be attended with infinite difficulties and inconveniencies; but that it is phyfically impoffible; that an army, compofed of 60 or 80,000 men, when once landed in England, may fubfift without requiring to be victualled by fea; that the genius of the English nation, from the afcendant which democracy is every where gaining, will meet with partizans and refources in a rich, abundant, and open country; that fuch an army is powerful enough to march to London, fubdue England, level royalty to the duft, and change the conftitution.

"Secondly,

"Secondly, That one or more partial defcents are easier to accomplish, will-produce nearly the fame effect, and form the advanced guard of the grand descent, by fecuring, in the first place, a firm footing in the kingdom.

"Thirdly, That all England is kept in alarm by the menace alone of this grand descent; that by fatiguing cruises, by arming the coafts, and a ftanding-army, it is ruined. And that during fo long a period as France can continue to exhibit the phantom, England cannot fupport her present state of perplexity.

"Fourthly, That the threat of a grand defcent can only ceafe, either by a general warfare against France, which would draw the forces intended for this project, or, more properly, this phantom, elsewhere; or by an univerfal peace;―That one or the other must be decided at Ratftadt; and that thus the fate of England depends entirely on the refult of negociations there.

"Under the chapter on Denmark, we have proved that the interefts of the maritime powers require, not only that the projected descent on England be unfuccessful, but that it wholly ceafe to exist. Such is the intereft alfo of the continental powers. The general bankruptcy which would enfue, all the fpecie of Europe in the poffeffion of an enemy, infatiable and uncontrolled, all the power both by land and fea united in it, would fet no bounds to that characteristic ambition and rapacity, which, it is well known, has ever increafed in proportion to its fuccefs. The fall of every throne, the extinction of every civil, political and religious conftitution, would be the fatal confequence. Democracy would devour all Europe, and, in the end, devour itself."

Ellinor; or, the World as it is. By Mary Ann Hanway. 4 vols. 185. Lane, 1798.

IN the prefent ftate of literature, Ellinor is not defti

tute of attractions. She fees a little of life, is fomewhat Quixotic, but then the makes amends for all, by marrying a good, fenfible old gentleman. Her compa nions are likewife interefting, and their adventures are amusingly told.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« ПредишнаНапред »