1803.] 
What is obferved in the aboye quo- 
tation from Raleigh's Hiftory of . the 
World, concerning the folly of rett- 
ing the main defence of a country on at- 
tempts to obftru& the paffage of moun- 
tains and rivers, is equally applicable to 
the fyftem of taking fhelter behind cir- 
cumvallations. Thefe being carried, as 
they ufually are, the fpirits of the befieged 
are broken, and the invaders, to borrow 
a phrafe from Raleigh, ¢* with a conquer- 
ing air’’ pour in at the breach like a tor- 
rent.* To raife redoubts and caft up en- 
trenchments at proper places, may be ex- 
pedient for obftructing or retarding the 
progrefs of an enemy, and render it dif- 
ficult for him to penetrate into the coun- 
ty ; but not to extend a regular chain of 
fortifications around our coa{t from Yar- 
mouth Roads to the South Foreland, or 
a complete circumvallation around Lon- 
don and Southwark ; lines which would 
require the whole population of the coun- 
try to occupy them. I rather depend, 
with General Tarleton, ‘* on the well- 
Known f,irii_ and valour of Englifhmen, 
on the exertions of the people, and on the 
great fupertority which we fhould derive 
from our cavalry again the invaders— 
on that kind of force which leads and 
points the attack, and not one entrenched be- 
hind lines; a force called in military phrafe- 
ology a manceuvring army.”’ The famedoc- 
trine was ably fupported in the Houfe of 
Commons, by Sir William Erfkine, who 
juftly obferved that ‘ field-works with- 
out an adequate number of men to fup- 
port them would be of little avail; and 
that to man them properly would be to 
* The controverfy about the fortification and 
the field fyftem was carried on with great 
ability as well as keennefs, mot to fay ani- 
mofity, both in parliament and publications 
of the prefs in 1785, when the Duke of Rich- 
mond, then Ma/ter General of the Ordnance, 
propofed to fortify the whole ifland of Great 
Britain. A bill for the fame purpofe introduced 
through his Grace’s influence into the Houfe of 
Commons,in1737, was rejeéted, by the cafting 
voice of Mr. Cornwall, the Speaker. Among 
the various publications wilich tended to open 
the eyes of the nation to the pernicious effets 
of that meafure, financial and political, as well 
as military, one written by Licut. J. Glenie of 
the ingineers, and again publithed by Wilkie, 
was particularly diftinguithed for the com- 
prehenfivenefs of its views, and the clearnets 
of its demonftrations. The value of this 
pamphlet, which was in every hand, to the 
nation wasincalculable. ‘jo Mr. Glenie 
himfelf, the confequence was, that he judged 
it expedient to quit the fervice, 
Account of Taunton 
the energy of one controlling mind. 
5235 
detach the army, and render it unable ta 
prevent a defcent, or the progrefs of an 
invading army. To thefe confiderations 
in favour of the Fabian mode of warfare, 
in our circumftances, I might add that of 
the unforfeen accidents on which the event 
of great and pitched battles turns,and how 
much it is in the power of a confummate ge- 
neral to improve thefe into viétory. When 
the difproportion between contending ar- 
mies,in point of numbers or equipment, is 
not exceffive, nay even, where it is excelflive 
on one fide, if the {maller army amount to 
50 or 60,000 men, the greatelt that can be 
wielded as one engine, the decifion of the 
confl:@ depends net on phyfical force, but 
Be- 
fore, therefore, an invaded nation give up 
all the advantages which they undoubted- 
ly have over the enemy, in the poffeffion of 
the country, they muft be affured, beyond 
all doubt, that their general,in experience, 
military fkill, refources in himfelf, and an 
impofing influence on the minds of the 
foldiers, is fuperior to the general that 
leads cn the enemy. He muft poflefs a 
genius more fertile in expedients, and 
more intuitive difcernment, to make a pro. 
per and prompt choice on all occafions. 
He fhould know better how to chufe his 
pofitions, how to take advantage of 
that favourabie moment which happens in 
all battles, and which, as it is neglefied 
or improved, leads to defeat or victory. . 
In all thefe refpects he thould be decidedly 
fuperigr to the invader ; for, if he is only 
equal, the enemy is complimented with a 
prompt decifion, and an equal chance of 
fuccefs, which is the very thing he mué 
wifh for. Fasius, 
Odfober 5, 1803. 
Sa 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
The PRESENT STATE 6f TAUNTON, if 
the COUNTY of SOMERSET. 
ANTUN, Tawnton, Thonton, or, 
in the modern ftyle, Taunton, de- 
rives its name from the river Thone, or 
Tone ; which becomes navigable at this 
place, afterwards unites itielf with the 
Parret; and in conjunction with ‘that 
river and the Brent, forms a bay that emp-~ 
ties itfelf into the Briftol Channel. The 
town ftands on, the great road, from a3 
Land’s-end in Cornwajl, to the north o 
England, lying 33 miles north-eaft of 
Exeter, and 11 fouth of Bridgwater. 
The fituation rendering it the thorough. 
fare from Briftol and Bath to Exeter and 
Plymouth, it is enlivened witha continual 
iucceffion of travellers, paffing through 
iton pleafure or bufnefs, Its diltance 
frora 
