488 



RUSSIA. 



Russia. is05, in which the combined Austrian and Russian 

 s *^Y - ** / troops were defeated ; the battle of Jena, in which the 

 Prussians w^ere signally overcome; the defeat of the 

 Russians at Pultusk ; the dreadful contest of Eylau, 

 in which both parties claimed the victory ; the surren- 

 der of Dantzic to the French ; the defeat of the Rus- 

 sians in various engagements, and their complete dis- 

 comfiture at the battle of Freidland ; and the subse- 

 quent treaty of peace between Russia and France, 

 which was concluded at Tilsit in 1807, where Napo- 

 leon and Alexander had a meeting ; are events which 

 are particularly described under FRANCE. During 

 this war, in the year 1806, an enormous national 

 militia of 612,000 was raised. Under BRITAIN are 

 mentioned the causes that led to a rupture between 

 Russia and that country, and which the latter ascribes 

 to Britain's not having given sufficient assistance a- 

 gainst the French, as well as to the seizure of the 

 Danish fleet. An embargo was, in consequence, laid 



1808. upon all British vessels. Sweden graving refused to 

 comply with the requests of France and Russia, .to 

 abandon her alliance with Great Britain, Russia 

 marched an army into Sweden, which, though checked 

 in its progress of hostility, proved but too successful. 

 In 1808 the two emperors, Napoleon and Alexander, 



1809. held a second meeting near Erfurt. In 1809 the 

 juncture between Russia and Austria was broken, be- 

 cause this power had carried on war against France. 

 Peace was concluded with Sweden, by which Russia 

 acquired Finland as far as the river Torneo with the 



1810. Aland islands. In 1810 a new form was given to the 

 imperial council, and by a manifesto, a part of Gallicia 



1811. was taken under protection. In 1811 considerable 

 changes took place with the ministers and the colleges, 

 and the beautiful cathedral of the mother of Gocl of 

 Kazan, which was founded by Paul, and built after 

 the plan of a Russian bondsman, was consecrated. 

 The army of the grand vizier, consisting of 35,000 

 men, became prisoners to the Russians, who were pro- 

 tecting Imeritia and Bessarabia, and peace was con- 



1812. eluded in 1812. Shortly afterwards peace was like- 

 wise concluded between Britain and Russia, and then 

 commenced the preparations for the grand struggle of 

 the European powers, one of the most memorable 

 in the annals of time. .Under the article FRANCE, 

 is a minute account of the disputes between that 

 country and Russia ; of Napoleon's immense pre- 

 parations for the invasion of Russia in 1812 ; of his 

 advance to Wilna; of the battles of Witebsk, Smolensk, 

 and Borodino ; of the entrance of the French into 

 Moscow, and their operations and miserable situation 

 there ; of Buonaparte's retreat and awful disasters; and 

 of the Joss of his enormous and fine army. Here we 

 may remark that the Burning (f Moscow, which the 

 French attributed to the Russians, and which the Rus- 

 sians attributed to the French with the greatest obsti- 

 nacy for many years, is at length avowed by the Rus- 

 sians. Dr. Lyall endeavoured by a series of arguments 

 to show that the French burned Moscow, and he blames 

 Rostoptchin, who, in a pamphlet, disclaims the honour 

 of being the head of the incendiaries. But Colonel Bou- 

 tourlinhas set the matter at rest, by telling us that Mos- 

 cow was burnt by the arrangement of un grand person- 

 ti-age. Who this great person was, whether Prince Kutu- 



zof, or the emperor Alexander, we are not informed ; Russia, 

 though we are assured it was not Rostoptchin. w~ y~^> 



The institution of the Bible Society at Petersburg?], 

 under the immediate protection of the emperor in 

 1812, is a memorable event. From it branches have 

 spread into the remotest regions even of Siberia, and 

 their number is daily augmenting. Its success has 

 been wonderful, and we trust its effect in humanizing 

 the peasantry will be felt in distant ages. 



The history of the campaigns 1812-13- 14-15 is j si 3.1.5. 

 given under FRANCE, and therefore we shall not renew 

 the subject here.* We cannot dwell upon the fate 

 of Buonaparte, whose mighty ambition seemed as un- 

 checked as unbounded, whose success appeared as 

 marvellous as his projects were gigantic, and whose 

 fall, as contrasted with his elevation, throws every 

 other example of human vicissitude into the shade. 



In consequence of the congress of Vienna, that part 1815.21. 

 of Gallicia acquired by Russia from Austria in 1809,. 

 returned to that power, and the greatest part of 

 the principality of Warsaw was then ceded to Russia. 

 Poland, or that part of it over which the emperor of 

 Russia extends his sway, has since been called the 

 Kingdom of Poland, and Alexander has added to his 

 other numerous titles, that of King of Poland. See 

 POLAND. 



At Paris a general treaty of peace was concluded by 

 the associated sovereigns, between Russia, Austria, 

 England, and Prussia, on the one side, and France on 

 the other ; in virtue of which the ancient boundaries of 

 France, as in 1790, were again adopted, and 150,000 

 of the troops of the allies were left in that kingdom 

 for five years in possession of seventeen fortresses, un- 

 til the return of order and tranquillity. In 1815, the 

 Holy Alliance, as it is called, was formed between the 

 emperors of Russia, Austria, and the king of Prussia, and 

 some other powers afterwards joined it. On the return 

 of Alexander to his capital, the new exchange, a large 

 and handsome edifice, was opened at Petersburgh with 

 great ceremony, by his majesty. In 181 6, the em- 

 peror visited part of his dominions, and issued an 

 ukaz, henceforth forbidding punishment by tearing 

 out the nostrils. In the winter 1817-18, the imperial 

 court was held at Moscow, and ever since, as before, 

 at Petersburgh. 



Our limits do not permit us to enter into the affairs 

 of the different congresses of the sovereigns of the 

 Holy Alliance, at Aix-la-Chapelle, Vienna, Verona, 

 Laybau, &c. ; nor to discuss the interference of 

 Russia in the affairs of Italy, Spain, and Portugal. 

 Those with Turkey and Sweden will be particularly 

 related under these titles. In the mean time, it may be 

 mentioned, there is every appearance that the long 

 existing and protracted arrangements for a treaty of 

 peace with Turkey will be speedily brought to a con- 

 clusion, chiefly through the interference and influence 

 of the British ambassador at the Porte, Lord Strangford. 

 Among the chief affairs of Alexander's reign 

 are to be reckoned the abolition of the secret state 

 chancery, which is now converted into the Bible Socie- 

 ty at Moscow salutary changes and amendments of the 

 laws the confirmation of the rights of the nobles the 

 permission given to the nobility to emancipate their 

 peasants, and to grant them leases of land where they 



* A number of works, besides Labaume's, containing histories of these events, have been published in France, but very lately a most 

 interesting and tolerably impartial work has made its appearance, from the pen of a Russian, entitled " Histoire Militalre de la Campagnc 

 de Russie en 1812, par le Colonel Boutourlin, Aide-de-camp de S. M. VEmpereur de Rustic." And since this article was put to press, 

 the best account of the Expedition to Russia in 1812, has been published by Count de Segur. It isa most entertaining work, and exhibit* 

 *n excellent picture of Napoleon's mind. 



