1803. ] 
and rapine. During a fiege, they have 
been known to dettroy the trenches and 
the works that covered them, in order to 
fteal the earth-bags, and fell them for a 
few pence. ; : 
The cavalry was in great repute during 
the wars of Spain and Italy. Like the 
infantry they have degenerated, and are 
inferior to thofe of other nations. 
The liftleffnefs and ignorance which has 
pervaded their other troops, are vilible 
alfo in the Spanith corps of artillery and 
engineers. Their guns ave clumty, hea- 
vy, and badly kept up. The canoneers 
are capable of improvement—they are 
pole fled of coolnefs and firmnefs. 
Piomotion in Spain is very flow, 
and goes entirely by inferet at Court. 
The moft importunate generally fucceeds, 
while merit, which has no credit with thole. 
in power, muft expect tocrouch in fub- 
altern commiffions. It fometimes hap- 
pens, that an officer who claims the rank 
of major, obtains that of lieutenant-colo- 
nel, becaufe an offcious clerk” at the 
War-office, after making refearches, dif- 
covers examples favourable to thofe whofe 
intereft he wifhes to advance.* 
The Spanifh army is capable of being 
brought to excellence, fooner and more 
eafily than many others, becaufe it poffeffes 
in itfelf courage, high points of honour, 
a {pirit of fubordination, and firmnefs in 
undergoing hardfhips: at prcfent it is 
every where in an evident ftate of infe- 
riority, calculated to humiliate a nation, 
at once brave, haughty, and naturally 
fitted for war. The ignorance and pre- 
fumption of the Spaniards fave them, per- 
haps, from acknowledging or feeling this 
Jamentable truth! 
THE BRITISH ARMY. 
The Britith are, indubitably, the mot 
intrepid nation in Europe. None braves. 
death, or fees its approach with fo much 
coolnefs and indifference. The fpirit of 
adventure which diftinguifhes them, their 
valour in action, their frequent fuicides, 
and the firmneis with which their very 
* This iniquitous practice is not confined 
to Spain; other countries could exhibit the 
fame inftances of injuftice; all growing out 
of thofe eternal banes to real inerit, favour- 
itiim, pecuniary means, and. parliamentary 
influence. In juftice, however, to the pre- 
fent Commander in Chief, let it be faid, that 
t.4 impartial attention to the real interefts of 
the Britith army was never more ftrongly 
evinced than in the wifgom of fome late re- 
gulations. The doétrine of precedsnis is, how- 
ever, fi prevalent, Tranflawr. 
Spanifh and Britifo Armies. 
41] 
criminals undergo the moft fummary ex- 
“ecutions, prove that intrepidity is a na- 
tional. characteriftic. They are not faa- 
guinary: if they were, they would be the 
noft ferocious people poffible;, they would 
mutually deftroy one another; thev are 
more afraid of fhedding the blood of an. 
other than their own. This evinces true 
courage; for the fear of death is certainly 
lefs powerful in Britain than in all other 
countries. 
The foldiery of this country are as in- 
trepid on jand 2s their failors are at fea. 
Though the ill fuccefs the former have 
often had on the Continent might induce 
unreflefiing people to think otherwife. 
Courage is not confined to any particular 
element ; ability and experience may con- 
tribute to victories at fea, and the want of 
them to defeats by land. It is impoffible 
that the failors of this nation, who rule 
at fea, fhould, when tranfported on fhore, 
be able to contend with regular troops. 
We fhould rather fay, that the fame 
French who are courageous in_ brigades, 
are cowardly at fea, becaufe the Englith 
are, upon that element, in every re{peét 
fuperior: the difafters of the Britifh on 
the Continent arife from other caufes, 
which we fhall proceed to point out. 
The ancient wars of France, the ac- 
tions of Crecy, Poiters, and Agincourr, 
the battle of the Spurs, the War of Suc- 
ceflion, thofe of 1740, and the Seven Years 
war, prove, throughout the world, that 
the courage and fuccefles of the Englifh are 
not limited to fea-engagements. 
The lofs of the poffeffions England 
once held in France, and her union with 
Scotland, has induced her to carry her 
views and exertions beyond feas: hence 
her excellent navy, fo that her army has 
become but a fecondary confideration, 
Woenever the Britihh troops have ap- 
peared on the Continent during this war, 
it has been in fmal! numbers, compara- 
tively with thoie of France and Auftria: 
obliged to carry on a war in the four 
quarters of the globe, her troops have 
been {cattered, yet the totality is confi- 
- derable. 
Thoroughly verfed in naval tadtics, they 
have not (antil the clofe of the late war) 
had a fyfem for an army. The ifolated 
fituation, and the parcelling out of their 
troops, prevent their having any unity 
or enfemble. Few of the foldiers who 
have avoided the dangers of war, efcape 
the influence of climate: the army is, 
therctore, neceflarily compofed of recruits. 
Mo Englifh Generals (almoft every 
Commanding Officer indeed), inftead of 
- con- 
