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It U S 
1806, and instantly set out for St. Petersburg!} to procure 
the ratification of his master. The terms of this convention 
were laid before the privy council by Alexander; but they 
appeared so derogatory to the interests of Russia, that the 
emperor refused them his sanction, and declared that the 
counsellor of state, d'Oubril, when he signed the convention, 
had not only departed from the instructions he had received, 
but had acted directly contrary to the sense and intention of the 
Commission with which he had been intrusted. His imperial 
majesty, however, signified his willingness to renew the 
negociations for peace, but only on such terms as were con¬ 
sistent with the dignity of his crown, and the interests of 
his empire. 
In the mean time, the king of Prussia began, when it 
was too late, to see the folly and imprudence of the neu¬ 
trality which he had so long maintained, and he at length 
prepared to oppose his now feeble efforts to the growing 
power of France. He brought together in the summer of 
this year, an army of at least 200,000 men, near Weimar 
and Jena, while the French myriads assembled in Franconia, 
and on the frontiers of Saxony. Previous to the commence¬ 
ment of hostilities, his Prussian majesty issued a spirited 
manifesto, in which he explained his motives for abandon¬ 
ing his plan of neutrality, and appealed to Europe for the 
justice of his cause. The king of Prussia entered into an 
alliance with the emperor Alexander, and with the king of 
Sweden, and it was expected, that these united forces would 
at length compel Napoleon to listen to equitable terms of 
pacification. These expectations were, however, miserably 
disappointed. The same extraordinary success still attended 
the arms of France, and the north of Europe was again 
condemned to submit in sileuce-to her yoke. 
The wars in which Russia became engaged against France, 
have already received our notice under the articles France, 
London, and Paris. In the article London, pp. 294-8, 
where the invasion of Russia and the disastrous retreat of the 
French are related, we have said that the famous burning of 
Moscow was effected by order of the governor. This, it 
seems, is not precisely the fact. Rostopchin has disclaimed 
it, and Colonel Boutourlier attributes it, authoritatively, to 
a grand personage —we presume Alexander. 
The war which Russia carried on against Sweden, will be 
considered in the history of the latter country. It is enough 
to notice here, that in 1810, a peace was concluded with 
Sweden, by which Russia acquired Finland as far as the 
river Torneo with the Aland islands. In 1810, a new form 
was given to the imperial council, and by a manifesto, a part 
of Gallicia w'as taken under protection. In 1811, consider¬ 
able changes took place with the ministers and the colleges, 
and the beautiful cathedral of the mother of God of Kazan, 
which was founded by Paul, and built after the plan of a 
Russian bondsman, was consecrated. 
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 pow'ers afterwards joined it. That 
part of Gallicia acquired by Russia from Austria in 1809, 
was returned to that power, and the greatest part of the 
principality of Warsaw was 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 added to his other numerous titles, that of King 
of Poland. 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 
1816, the emperor visited part of his dominions, and issued 
an ukaz, henceforth forbidding punishment by tearing out 
the nostrils. In the winter of 1817-18, the imperial court was 
held at Moscow, and ever since, as before, at Petersburgh. 
The government of Russia since the general peace of Eu¬ 
rope has been occupied chiefly with the organization of ifs 
immense military force. The plan which has been adopted 
is that of Military Colonization. Count Araktcheef, who 
had risen from the ranks, solely by his great talents, to become 
a general of artillery, and to be one of the chief military 
counsellors attached to the person of the emperor, is said to 
S I A. 
have first suggested this system. Its peculiar nature will be 
at once perceived by the following summary: 1st. For the 
formation of these military colonies, no part of the inhabi¬ 
tants is sent out of the empire, there being a great super¬ 
abundance of territory in proportion to the population. 2d. 
The peasantry, who are already civil slaves, by this plan, 
are absolutely made both civil and military slaves, and are 
in the mean time burthened with the support of regular 
troops ; and indeed, in time, nearly the whole army is to be 
formed from among them. 3d. As they are governed by a 
code of laws peculiar to themselves, so they are not directly 
dependent upon the general legislature of the country, nor 
are they independent of it, because all their laws emanate 
from a committee at Petersburgh; which, after receiving his 
imperial majesty’s signature, are put in force. 4th. Like 
some of the Roman colonies, they are both of an agricultural 
and of a military nature. 
The objects the Russian government has chiefly in view 
by the establishment of the military colonies, some of which 
are peculiar, are chiefly the following :—1st. The increase of 
the native population in certain districts, by the transfer and 
fixture to them of part of the existing regular troops, and 
even of peasantry when requisite, and, of course, by the 
progeny of both. 2d. The extension of knowledge and 
civilization. 3d. The saving of the greatest part of the pay 
of the whole army to the crown. 4th. The organization of 
an immense army to be employed in agriculture in time of 
peace, and to form nearly the whole land force of the empire 
in time of war. 
Military colonies are already in part organized, and no 
doubt will be more extensively organized, in a line stretching 
from near Petersburgh, along the borders of Poland, and 
towards the boundaries of Turkey : the chief points where 
Russia now requires to have powerful forces, whether with a 
view to make an irruption into other countries, or for the de¬ 
fence of her own frontiers, for she is neither to be regarded 
as inaccessible, unattackable, nor unconquerable. 
The system of colonization will be best understood by a 
detail of the course adopted to colonize a single regiment. 
The emperor issues an ukaz, in which are indicated the crown 
villages which are to become military colonies. In the vil¬ 
lages so designated, (which are inhabited by crown-peasants, 
and consequently are at the emperor’s disposal,) the name, 
age, property, and family of each householder are registered ; 
those who are above fifty years old are chosen to form what 
are called the Master-colonists. Houses are built for them in 
lieu of those they inhabited, forming a street or streets of 
cottages similar to one another, each separated from the 
neighbouring cottage by a court-yard, and each master- 
colonist receives fifteen deciatins, about forty English acres ; 
with this condition annexed, that he is to support a soldier, 
his family, if he has one, and his horse, if cavalry are colo¬ 
nized in the village; he receiving the benefit of the soldier’s 
assistance in the cultivation of the land and other duties of 
husbandry, when not engaged in his military duties. In 
seed-time and harvest-time, it is understood that the soldiers 
are to be little exercised, in order to leave them free for the 
labours of the field. As many of the present agriculturalist 
soldiers have formed part of the regular army, the master- 
colonists need scarcely expect much assistance from their 
exertions. When a new progeny shall have taken their 
places, who have been trained from their youth to agricul¬ 
ture and to arms, perhaps the dissimilar union may become 
assimilated. 
The soldier who becomes domesticated in the house of the 
master-colonist, shares his table, and assists him in his labour, 
is called Agriculturalist soldier. Close to the house of the 
master-colonist is built one exactly similar, which is occupied 
by the Reserve, who may be considered as the soldier’s 
second self. He is chosen by the colonel of the regiment 
colonized from the peasants, and is usually a son or relation 
of the masler*colonist. The Reserve is instructed in every 
part of a soldier’s duty, and qualified in every respect to 
take the place of his prototype, or to form one of an army 
of reserve in case of danger. He too assists, when wanted, in 
