— 
SKETCHES OF THE STRENGTH AND FORCE.OF FRANCE AND RUSSIA, 
that the consul did propose to the court of 
Petersburgh to leave Moldavia, Walachia, Bes- 
garabia, Bosnia and Servia, to the disposal 
of Russia and Austria, on condition that 
France might possess Candia, Negropont, 
and other Greck islands in the Archipelago. 
But Russia would as soon see France in pos- 
session of the canal of Constantinople and the 
Crimea, as suffer her to fix her feet on posts 
that might soon command the comiaunica- 
tion between the Black and Mediterranean 
seas. ‘To propose an entire partition of the 
European dominions of the Turks, to whom 
give ‘Thrace and Constantinople? Besides, 
Russia will never agree to a division that 
shall leave the Grecian islands to France; 
nor can it be expected that the consulate will 
leave the Bosphorus to Russia. 
“Thus between these two governments 
matters seem to comenearly toacrisis. Consi- 
dering the characters of ak respectively, and 
the powers and attitude of the two empires, 
if the consul possess only the half of those 
transcendent talents which his panegyrists 
are willing to allow him, he must certainly 
see, that their present cordiality cannot be of 
Jonz duration.* And he is no doubt like- 
Wise aware, that while Great Britain can 
owerfully interfere, to risk @ quarrel with 
Bora would be imprudent and da gerous. 
«© Tn this situation it appears to us, and 
indeed daily occurrences seem to confirm our 
opinion, that the plan of the chief consul is, 
to manage the court of Petersburgh until he 
disengase his rear; that is, until he shall tie 
lown the British government to passive inac- 
tivity.” 
There is a prophetic tone in these spi- 
rited remarks, which subsequent events 
have verified : France is often successful 
in the field, and g/aways in the cabinet. 
She has not quarrelled with Russia, but 
is notorious that each regards the other 
a most vigilant and suspicious eye. 
author, in common with every Bri- 
, deprecates the treaty of Amiens, or 
rather he laments the necessity of acced- 
ing to the disgraceful terms of it. He 
contends that 
$15 
‘© At no period of the war was the situa- 
tion of France so critical as just when the 
preeninies of London were signed. Te 
iave lost the battle of Marengo, might have 
lost the progress of the campaign, but the 
consequence would have been nothing more. 
At the juncture we refer to, the existence of 
the republic, the destiny of France, hun 
upon the will of an irritated and all-powerful 
enemy. The British navy was completely 
mistress of the ocean, of the Gulph of Mexieo, 
the Baltic, Mediterranean and Indian seas ; 
from the Point of Florida to Cape Horn, 
and from Madagascar to Japan, every island, 
port, and place, were undér our command, 
and at our disposal ; as were also the conti- 
nent of Africa, Egypt, Syria, Natolia, Cys 
rus, Candia, the Morea and Grecian islands, 
Malta, Sicily, and Lisbon. No nation ever 
stood in such a posture. And sue for peace l 
A frank declaration to the world, and a libe- 
ral proposition to the court of Petersburgh 
and to the United States, woald have ine 
stantancously rallied all the sovereigns of Eu- 
rope and America (the king of Spain not ex- 
cepted) around the British HH ee Then 
we might have consolidated our maritime 
empire, every state that bordered on the sea 
would have become our natural ally, and all 
civilized nations our cordial and constant 
friends. And France, republic or monarchy, 
no, matter which, might have been finally re- 
manded within the Timits of her own legal 
dominions. These Bonaparte saw, and b 
an address, (or perhaps from our want of a 
dress) he snatched away the fruit of all our 
toils. ‘The very means we then possessed 
to have interwoven the interests of Europe 
and America with our own the consul is 
now dealing out to unite the world in enmity 
against us.” 
Of the solicitude of the First Consul 
to reduce the power, and particularly the 
naval power of Great Britain, there cer- 
tainly can be no doubt: he is possessed 
of no ordinary talent, spirit, or perse- 
verance: that he will make some despe- 
rate attempt is probable, but where the 
existence of the British empire is at stake 
* «Tt is truly pitiful to see public ministers and men charged with thedefence of nations, 
cajoling 
themselves in, the hope, that Russia and France will quarrel and fight! Quarrel they 
certainly will, but when that event takes place, woe to their neighbours! While at peace 
their mutual preponderance requires only dependency and obedience: at war their hostilities 
will pone upon the eastern continent submission and slavery. 
«Ww 
yen the Czar and the Consul draw forth their legions in hostile array, mediation, 
armed coalitions, neutral cqnventions, and demarkation-lines, will be of little avail. Those 
powers have long been unused to cabinet warfare, and to courtier étiquetée inthe field. The 
ntervention of other states Wy hasten their own subjection, but cannot ward off their fate. 
“he chieftains of Russia and 
atin, or say their prayers in greek: th 
rance will meet nearly on the centre of the world: the object 
their quarrel will not be a bishoprick, a sugar-island, nor who shall read t 
heir mass in 
will fight for the possession of the Hel- 
pont and Bosphorus, two posts on which hangs now suspended the empire of our eastern 
hemisphere. Such contending parties will not come out to skirmish and then mutually re- 
tire; nor will they fight for conquests to give away j the one will keep the field, and with it 
the dictaiorship of the world.” 
