192] 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



speedily s-upplicate a monarch at the 

 hands of Bonaparte : whether he 

 ■will grant this request in liis own 

 person, or in that of his yet nn- 

 Crowned brethren, the next year 

 will most probably determine. 



In the south of Europe, the in- 

 fluence and power of Franco may 

 now be said to have reached their 

 utmost height. We have already 

 shewn the steps by which Spain was 

 compelled to forego her neutrality, 

 and engage in the war against Eng. 

 Jand as a principal. In the course 

 o-f the year great activity was shewn 

 by the former power in the equip- 

 ment of her marine, and she was, at 

 one moment, enabled to join the 

 French fleets with very nnmerous 

 and well-appointed squadrons of 

 vessels of war. Their destination 

 and fate we shall have occasion to 

 mention, when we come to the 

 narrative of the events of the war as 

 carried on by Great Britain upon 

 the seas, and against the colonies of 

 her enemies. The close of the 

 .year, however, left Spain in a still 

 more unfortunate situation than at 

 its commencement. Her commerce 

 totally at a stand — her ships of the 

 line destroyed or carried into an 

 enemy's pott, — and her revenues 

 arbitrarily drawn from her to sup- 

 ply the wants of Bonaparte — 

 while, interiorly, the greatest dissa- 

 tisfaftion prevailed, and the utmost 

 disgust was excited at the increased 

 power and ailthorify of (he Prince 

 of Peace, to whom the entire go- 

 ternment of the country was dele- 

 gated by the feeble monarch who 

 tills the throne. 



The principal nobles, who felt 

 their Own degradation in the rise of 

 this minion, were of course discon- 

 tented, and fled from the court, 

 whilst he, to support his ill-got pow- 



er, openly intrigued with the French i | 

 emperor, who, it was said, now mcdi- I. 

 tated a partition oi the Spanish ter- 

 ritories in favour of his obedient 

 creature. 



It pcrliaps better suited the views 

 of Bonaparte to allow Portugal to » 

 maintain her neutrality, than to com- | 

 pel her (o renounce it, else, doubt- 

 less, a French force wouM long since 

 have been marched through Sj)ain, 

 to have attacked and overrun her. 

 But probably he deemed it. upon the 

 whole, more advantageous to France 

 to allow her to become the medium, 

 through her neutrality, of the safe 

 transmission of the treasures of Spa- 

 nish America to Europe, of ulwch so 

 great a proportion already found its 

 way into France, and recruited his 

 empty coffers. Nor was he insensible 

 to the apprehension, that should 

 France seize upon Portugal, Brazil, j 

 the real source of Portuguese wealth ' 

 and importance, would be taken in- 

 to the profec'ion of (rreat Britain, 

 and thus serve to swell the dominion 

 and consequence of his most dread- 

 ed and m.ost formidable rival, in- 

 stead of striking a mortal blow at 

 her commerce, wliich. at first sight, I 

 might be apprehened from the mea- 

 sure. But the insatiable ruler of 

 the Freirch nation, if he suspended 

 the blow, was yet unwilling to con- 

 tent himself with the barren n)eed of 

 praise-worthy moderation, but com- 

 pelled Portugal, from time to time^ 

 to purchase her security by large 

 l>ecuniary contributions to his wants. 

 Upon the whole, the condition of 

 Portugal, however precarious, waS 

 yet enviable, wbeii compared with 

 that of many ofhcr of the Europeaa 

 states, during the present year. 



By the annexation of Genoa to 

 the French dominion, and the as- 

 sumption of the crown of Italy, Bo' 



naparte 



