RUSSIA, AS IT REALLY IS. 427 



Russia at the instigation, and after the plan of General Araktschief 

 were to be put in activity without any additional expense. But let us 

 suppose that he could both raise and keep such an army, if we look 

 at the extent of the Russian frontiers on the side of Europe, the 

 distances and the points that can be attacked, we shall be convinced 

 that even with a million of soldiers the Czar is not proportionately 

 so strong 1 as the other continental powers. 



The Russian navy both under Alexander and Nicholas has been 

 certainly much improved and encreased ; and it must be acknow- 

 ledged that Russia holds indeed at present a secondary rank amongst 

 the maritime powers; but out of the Baltic and Black Seas its fleets 

 could not contend with any success against the other maritime nations. 



With regard to his merely financial resources there is little doubt 

 that the autocrat of all the Russias may be considered the poorest 

 potentate of Europe, notwithstanding his sixty millions of subjects, 

 and his 7,000,000 square miles of territory; and in this wretched 

 state the Muscovite czars will continue as long as their subjects re- 

 main in their present moral condition. 



^ Having so far exposed the present real state of Russia, let us now 

 see whether past historical events cannot safely guide us through the 

 labyrinth of false inductions and absurd suppositions which have 

 been lately advanced with regard to Russia. 



All the resources of Russia, both defensive and offensive, were 

 certainly put to the test when Napoleon threatened its subjugation 

 in 1812. Let us therefore historically examine how the Russian 

 autocrat of that epoch intended to defend his empire and repulse the 

 French aggressors after having had nearly two years warning. 



The Russians were informed by numerous proclamations of the 

 project of Napoleon, and their patriotism was energetically excited 

 against the French. The Muscovite clergy supported this appeal of 

 Alexander by preaching a crusade against Napoleon and his army. 

 England not only supplied the Russian army with arms and ammu- 

 nition, but increasing her national debt, filled the rusty coffers of the 

 Russian treasury with gold. However, after having employed all 

 means in its power, it was at length with great difficulty that Russia 

 succeeded in concentrating a respectable army on its attacked frontier, 

 which was commanded by two able generals, Barclay de Tolly and 

 Bragation. Before Witepsk the Russians seemed willing to oppose 

 the Imperial army of France; but at the approach of Napoleon 



