171] ter? I rather think we shall; for, though does any thing to please them, any thing for their good. Now, it is quite shameful for us, who have, in language so bitter and abusive, been so long writing and preaching against the Spanish Inquisition; for us, whose priests have made this terrible in-greater part of the community, to the taxstitution a topic of never-ending attack on ing and funding system, that they endeathe Roman Catholic religion; it is shame- vour to stifle the dictates of their own ful, it is quite scandalous for us to affect senses, and, by dint of perseverance, they, not to perceive, that this institution, which at last, succeed in the self-delusive and we pretended to hold in such horror, and self-destructive task. This is well known which we made no effort to abolish, has been to the artful wretches, whose business it is to dress up and serve out the never-ending abolished by Buonaparte. Next, there are all our out-cries against Monkery; all our series of falshoods which disgrace the pubphilippics against that nest of Drones; alllic press and the nation at large; and, yet, our various writings about their impostures, while this is going on amongst ourselves; their frauds, and the numerous evils, civil while it is as notorious as the existence of as well as political, produced by their ex- light or air, our public prints have the asistence. Well, Buonaparté has dispersed surance, the cool and unconscionable imtwo-thirds of these in Spain; he has done pudence, to accuse the French press of away two-thirds of this enormous evil; publishing garbled translations of English and, yet, we affect not to perceive it; documents. This is very decent on the part and we have the miserable and bootless of those prints, who plead guilty to the hypocrisy to appear quite astonished, that suppressing of twenty two documents out of the people of Spain do not rise as one man twenty seven; this is very decent in those to assassinate the French, and to demand prints, which never gave a fair translation the restoration of their former king! of any one French document, wherein our The falshoods that are told us about Spain royal family, or the ministers, were named; are so palpable, that one would think it but, which, upon such occasions, have uniimpossible for thein to deceive any human formly suppressed' such passages, under being; but, really, if we can believe these the pretence that they were personal and falshoods, we ought to be deceived and abusive; this is very decent in those prints, defrauded, and ought, in the end, to suffer which constantly omit all those parts of all the consequences of our folly. What the French bulletins, which contain any proof have we ever had of any zeal that fact calculated to produce an impression the people of Spain feel in the cause, for favourable to the character of our enemy. which we are fighting? Can any man pro-I do not pretend to decide the question, duce us one single fact in support of all the assertions relative to this zeal? If he can, let us hear him; but, until then, we may safely conclude, that there is not the shadow of a foundation for such assertions.” How long are we to be duped in this way? Though we see the Emperor Napoleon leaving nothing but a sort of detachment of his army in Spain, we see the joint forces of England and the Junta kept in awe by the French, and gaining, in the course of eight months, little or no ground upon them; and all this in the heart of Spain, the French being still in possession of the capital: though we have these facts clearly before our eyes, still are we insulted with the assertions, that the people of Spain, that the eleven millions of people, who inhabit Spain, mortally hate the French, and are enthusiastic in the cause of England and Ferdinand the Seventh! How long are we thus to be insulted! Are we to go on in this way even unto the end of the chap whether all of every such document ought to be translated and published, though, for my part, if I were compelled to choose, I should not hesitate a moment in saying, publish all;" but, of this I am quite sure, that, while we omnit part of the French documents, upon the ground of their being personal against our king, his family, or ministers, it is to discover a most scandalous disregard for justice to endeavour to excite a belief of a tyranny's prevailing in France, merely because the prints there omit those parts of our documents that are personal against Napoleon. I remember, that, when, in answer to some of our official accusations against Buonaparté, in which he was roundly charged with usurpation in France, and with being a foreigner, at the same time, he made some very ugly and unmannerly remarks, those remarks were omitted in the translations made by our prints. And, shall we, then; shall these same prints of ours, upon the ground of similar omissions in the French prints, argue, that there is a grinding despotism existing in that country? They might, for me, if it were not, that it was a source of most dangerous deception, leading us to hope for some aid, on a future day, at least, from discontents prevailing in France, which discontents exist no where but in the wishes of the enemies of Napoleon.It never can be too often, repeated, that there is no ground for such hope, or at least, that there has not appeared the smallest proof of it. This, then, is the amount of the force; 103,700 men, 854 ships of war and transports, and 6,610 pieces of heavy cannon! Where are now the Morning Chronicle and his clamorous brethren, who complain, of want of vigour in the present ministry? -Now, as to the end compared with. these means, if, as is said to be the case, the Expedition is destined to destroy thirteen ships of war, built by Napoleon at Antwerp (and the building of ships there, was until the eve of the Expedition a subject, of ridicule with our news-papers ;) if this be the object of the Expedition, it must be confessed, that the means are quite sufficient for the purpose, or, at least, sufficiently expensive. The bare provisioning of the Expedition, the bare food, at the stated allowance, will cost more than 10,000l. a day; the hire of the transports will cost 6,000l. a day more; and, this is not nearly half the expence; so that sup THE EXPEDITION.--I had resolved never to write a word upon this subject; but, really, when one considers the magnitude of the thing, it would argue a species of political contumely to pass over its existence, in silence, and to leave thereof no trace whatever in a work entitled a Political Register.——On the supposition that it may be a subject of a future day, I will first give a succmet history of it, and then ofler some reflections as to the end it appears, and is said, to have in view, proportioned to the means it contains.It is now nearly about two months since the troops began to collect in order to be embarked on this undertaking. The Expedition sailed from our shores on different days; but, the time of its sailing may be considered to have been the 28th of July.posing the ships to be all seventy-fours, Its achievements will, of course, be re- and to have cost a thousand pound a gun, the corded in the proper place amongst the Or. expence of our armament already amounts FICIAL PAPERS; and, therefore, I shall now to twice as much as the said 13 ships proceed to put upon record an account of are worth.-But, there are some persons, its strength, which, according to the best in-who, so far from expecting more than the deformation that I am able to obtain, is as struction of these vessels to be accomplishfollows ed, appear to be quite satisfied with what is MEN. already done; and are even afraid, that for 2,600 want of that astonishing foresight, pru3,000 dence, caution, and wisdom, so visible in 2,873 most of the officers, lately employed in 34,982 Basque Roads, our Expedition may, pos140 sibly, attempt too much, and, thereby, be "annoyed," instead of coming back safe, sound, and unruffled.Now, in order to 43,700 remove all alarm from the minds of such persons, we have only to take a little closer view of the comparative magnitude of our force. The Island of Walcheren, the whole of which we have, by this time, captured, is said to be about 8 or 9 miles in diameter, and, as its form is nearly circular, it is, of course, from 24 to 27 miles in circumference. Now, the ships, which we have sent against it, taking them from the point of the bowsprit to that of the jibboom, measure 22 miles, 5 furlongs, and - 103,700 67 yards; so that, if they were tied fast Cavalry LAND FORCES. Artillery Guards Infantry of the line Waggon-train NAVAL FORCE. 41 Ships of the line averaging 600 men 60 Frigates and Brigs, averaging 200 men 150 Armed Cutters, Revenue men Total number of Men 100 20,400 21,000 6,000 6,600 to one another, and placed all round the | Walcheren. I beg you to mind that; for, island, they would be within a very few the moment they set their foot upon the yards of touching each other, and one main land, there my calculations cease. might go round the island from deck to I can beat the Walchereners by computa deck without the help of a boat.-That tion; I can beat them either by measureis one view of the thing. Another is, ment or by weight; but, if you get me that our ships, if swung at anchor, would, upon the continent, my arithmetic is done with barely anchorage room enough, for.As the ministers must have had reach from England to Walcheren; and the means of ascertaining the situation of our men, if placed in a single rank, the Scheldt, from its mouth to Antwerp, within arms length of one another, would it is not probable, I think, that, with such reach from England to Walcheren, and a force, the destruction of the ships and round the island of Walcheren besides. arsenal can fail, especially if, as is said The men, thus placed, would reach 124 to be the case, the French have no army, English miles, consequently, if drawn up of any consequence, near the spot. But, three deep, and in pretty close order, they mercy on as does such an enterprize, dewould form a complete wall round the mand such a force? To take a place like ' whole island!Are there still those who Flushing, and the island on which it entertain "apprehensions for the safety of stands, used to be a service for a line of our gallant army?" Cone, then, let us battle ship, a frigate, a sloop or two, and a set their hearts at rest. To such persons couple of battalions of soldiers. It is, howbe it known, that the population of Wal- ever, agreed that this is only a prelimicheren, the whole of the population, men, nary step; but, if such a service as the deswomen, and children, is stated at 20,000. truction of the ships in the Scheldt and This being the case, the enemy might, the arsenal at Antwerp, if such a service upon a pinch, supposing us to lose all our requires such a force, and that, too, at a arms and ammunition, and not to possess time when Napoleon's armies are all enany other mode of destruction, the enemy gaged elsewhere, what is to become of us, might, I say, be eaten in the space of about when he has settled the affairs of the confive or six days, as will appear most satis- tinent?This port of Antwerp is of factorily from the following calculation. very great importance, I know; but, we Our men are allowed, each day, 1 lb. of can do no more than just demolish the meat, 1lb. of bread, and about a couple ships and works? We cannot destroy of pounds of peas, butter, &c. besides cocoa the immense forests, whence the ship or burgoo. Taking their food, therefore, timber comes; nor can we by such deat 4lb. a man each day, the total weight struction, greatly retard the progress of eaten a day would be 414,SC0lbs. And, Napoleon in forming a navy. It is good if we take the inhabitants at 100 lb. each, to destroy these ships and this arsenal; children and all, one with another, it will very good; but the means are, beyond be seen, that the total of their weight all bounds, too large. It is evident, that, (2,000,000 lbs.) fails considerably short of if it requires such means to effect such an that of the weight of fire day's eatables for object, we must be beaten in the end. the soldiers and sailors employed by us in -The news-papers, calling themselves thisexpedition.What might be done, if Opposition papers, affect to believe, that necessary, in the way of spoiling the harvest the ministers have sent out this superabunof the Walchereners, by shutting out the dant force, in order to render failure imsun from their fields with the canvass of our possible, lest by a failure they should lose ships, I cannot take upon me precisely to their places. Oh, no! This makes no part ascertain; but, my opinion decidedly is, of their motive. They kept their places that the whole of the wheat fields, at least safely enough in spite of the fate of the (supposing the Walchereners to sow in our Expedition in Spain; in spite of such proportions) might be ruined in that way; disgrace and calamity as was never before and, certain I am, that we have, in this experienced by an army of any nation, in Expedition, a sufficiency of cordage to tie spite of such a routing, such confusion in up and bring off in tow, every thing stand- flight, such havoc and such destruction, ing upon the face of the earth in the island. that, from that day to this, I believe, no re-Bush your fears, then, you who en-gular official return of the killed, wounded, tertain "apprehensions" for the safety and missing, has ever been published. of the army, or the fleet, as long, I mean, Why, in spite of all this, the ministers had as they confine themselves to the island of a majority of nearly two to one; aye, that, too, upon this very question of the terprize would be wholly free from risk. Expedition to Spain. Need they, after They are a hard-hearted and bloodythat, fear that any failure, naval or milita- minded race of men. They would not ry, will drive them from their places? mind, the least in the world, sending John They know better; and, therefore it is Earl of Chatham home again with what is with no such view, that they have fitted called a flea in his ear. Yes, yes; if they out this immense force.My opinion should reach Antwerp first, and with a is, that they had what they thought a strong body of troops, I would not lay very fine game to play. They believed fifty to one that the object, small as it is, in the reality of insurrections in the North will be accomplished at all. Of one of Germany; and all the neatly-dished thing, however, we may be pretty cerup stories about the "gallant SCHILL" tain, that Lord Chatham will take care (they are all gallant fellows who will to keep open his retreat; and, therefight on our side, as long as they remain fore, worst come to worst, there can be on our side) and the " gallant Duke of no danger of any loss on our part, esBRUNSWICK OELS." They seem to have pecially if our naval men should be inbelieved all these, and for reasons too spired by the example of those most piuevident to mention, to have resolved upon dent officers, the commanders off' Basque a grand effort for the recovery of Hanover; Roads, who seem, from the evidence taken which measure they combined, by the before the Court-Martial, lately held at advice of Sir Home Popham (who I Portsmouth, to have foreseen danger in all have heard, bas always been a great ad- its shapes and sizes; to have been, in this vocate for an expedition against Walche-respect, gifted with a sort of second sight; ren) the present operations with that to have had ocular intimacy with not-yetagainst the French in Hanover. The bat-existing evils, as pigs are said to see the tle of Wagram, and the armistice, which rising wind.—Upon the whole, we may, immediately followed it, having defeated I think, look forward with confidence to the project as far as related to Hanover, the destruction of the ships in the Scheldt it remained either to do nothing at all, to and of the arsenal at Antwerp; but, any reland all the facines and gabions and thing further, 1, for my part, do not exsand-bags, and (which would have been pect; and, as to our keeping the island of a very serious matter indeed) to baulk the Walcheren, we can no more do it 'till next ardent zeal of all the Staff and the Com- March, than we can get and keep Paris, missaries and the Quartermasters and the which, at this time of day, even lord LiPaymasters and the Contractors, &c. &c. verpool will hardly think practicable, &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. without at least, much more trouble than, &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. &c. it remained, it would be worth while to take about it. either to do this, or to make war upon The French can go over to this island upon Walcheren and Antwerp. As to the po- the ice; and if they could not, the force licy, or the justice, of an Expedition for constantly kept up there, and fed from the sake of the North of Germany, and England, must be very great indeed. particularly for Hanover, I shall leave Every stick of fuel must be carried from those for he reader to discuss; but, the England. In short, it. would take the re Expedition being prepared, it was, I think, venue and produce of one of our counties right to employ it, especially as the ob- to keep that little island for any length of jects now in view are, in themselves, really time. That, therefore, is a project too desirable. Therefore, I do not find fault mad, I think, to be thought of. With the with the magnitude of the force. It was destruction of the ships and the arsenal, intended for a greater purpose, and there and with the demolition of Flushing, we is no harm in applying it to a less, espe- must content ourselves; but, upon the accially as there appears to be not the complishment of these objects we may, I smallest doubt of its success. It is, in- think, safely rely. deed, like setting a pack of hounds upon a rat. It cannot escape. The ships and arsenal must be destroyed, unless the intention were not to do it; and this we cannot believe. Yet, if Buonaparté were to reach Antwerp himself, or if one of his Dukes were to reach it, with a strong body of men, I would not answer, that the en NAVAL PRIZES.-A correspondent informs me, that the Africaine frigate, CAPT. MANBY, early in this war, sent in her boats to take or destroy all the large fishingdecked boats at DIEPPE; that they succeeded, brought 24 of them over to Portsmouth, and burnt as many more; "that, "after long delay, the 24 were sold for 700 "pounds, out of which 600 pounds went "in law and other charges; and that "while one man of law got for the con"demnation of each boat nine pounds ten shillings, the sailors, who were fired at by "the French for five hours, did not get, "for each, the price of a glass of grog. rogatory to the character of the Court, to sulfer the Notice of a Motion to stand over, to rescind from the which proposes Journals of its proceedings, a Vote passed on the 6th of April Jast, after the fullest deliberation, expressing the thanks and gratitude of the Court to G. L. Wardie, It really is high time, that the minis- esq. for the zeal, intrepidity and patriotters, or the parliament, or the king, or ism, which he so eminently evinced by exsomebody having the power to do it, should hibiting and substantiating serious charges make an alteration in these matters. against the late Commander in Chief,' What, in the name of common sense, pre-do hereby request your lordship to call, vents the establishing of a simple and prompt mode of decision in such cases? Why should there not, in war time, be a couple of commissioners at cach of the ports, with power to examine the papers and decide at once, without fee or reward, being paid by the public and not by the parties having cases before them? This system of court-fees is a thing most hostile to justice. And, besides, is there common sense in making those who take prizes pay the judges and lawyers, when the money so paid takes from the inducement not only to do services by sea, but also from the inducement to enter the upon an early day, an especial Court of Common Council, for the purpose of considering the same." [The Requisition being read, his lordship stated that he had received a letter from Mr. JAMES DIXON; a letter, the reading of which afforded no small degree of amusement to almost the whole Court.] "New Bridge street, 31st July 1809. My Lord Mayor;—I am much, surprised at the summons your lordship has issued for a Special Court of Common Council, to be held to-morrow, to take into consideration the notice which I gave at the last Court, of my intention to bring navy.- This is a subject of fearful im-forward, after the Recess, a motion to exportance to the nation, and especially at this time. And what is there that stands in the way of a reform of the abuse? there any man, no matter who he be, that will say, that the thing is right? Will any one say, that it is not wrong? Why, then, not amend it ? Is WM. COBBETT. Botley, Thursday, 10th August, 1809. punge from the Journals the Resolution of the Thanks of the Court, on the 6th of April last, to Mr. Wardle.—I did not at that time, nor do I wish at present, to preclude the party interested the opportunity of re-establishing himself in the good opinion of his fellow-citizens, by the appeal he intends to make to the justice of the country, in the prosecution he has publicly declared he will institute for Per PROCEEDINGS of a SPECIAL COURT of Coм-jury, against the witnesses who were ex MON COUNCIL of the CITY of LONDON. On Tuesday, the 1st of August, was held by summons from the Lord Mayor, a Special Court of Common Council, in consequence of a Requisition for that purpose signed by several Members of the Court. At half past 12 his lordship took the Chair, and shortly addressed the Meeting, by stating that the Members of the Court had been summoned by his direction, in consequence of the following Requisi tion:- "My Lord;-We, the undersigned Members of the Court of Common Couneil, deeming it highly improper and de amined, on the part of the Plaintiff, in a recent Trial at Westminster.-As the interval of the Recess for which the Court of Common Council was, as usual, adjourned, will, as I understand, afford him that opportunity, I thought it right, under the circumstances in which the corporation was placed, by the Vote of Thanks, to give the notice, reserving to myself the alternative of bringing it forward at the first Court after the Recess, or not, intending, in that respect, to be guided altogether by the result of the prosecution for Perjury, if instituted.I therefore beg leave to inform your lordship, that I sha!i not attend the Court on Tuesday. I am, my Lord, &c. JAMES DIXON." [The laughter occasioned by the general contents of this unique production having, after some short lapse of time, subsided,] |