Fadl 
1803.] 
allies, almof all the ills that can be in- 
fisted on a conquered nation. , They 
have been forced to take part in a war on 
which they wifhed to lock on as neutrals. 
They are compelled to, furnifh and to 
maintain a great body of native Dutch 
troops, whom they would much rather 
employ in their hofbandry, manutactures, 
and fitheries. They have been made to 
receive French garrifons in all their ftrong 
towns, to put their fea-ports into the hands 
of the French, and to expofe their whole 
country, in fome manner, as-a fcene of 
paflage_and encampment to the armies of 
France. Their trede is, at the fame time, 
ruined, and their ports are, on account 
of their alliance with France, blocked up, 
by the Englifh, at fea. The inhabitants 
of the Belgic provinces of France fuffer 
_ much by the levies of confcripts, by the 
interruption which the war gives to their 
manufactures and trade, and by the greater 
rigour with which they are governed, as 
being departments but newly added to the 
republic. Along the whole fea-coat of 
thefe departments of theBatavianRepublic 
and of thofe parts of ancient France which 
are adjacent to the Englifh channel, it 
is faid, that the total number of the troops 
which the Firft Conful of France has in 
readinefs to be employed againft England, 
including thofe which though not on the 
coat might be {peedily marched to it, can- 
not be lefs than 300,000 men. At Dun- 
kirk, a number of gun-boats are in readi- 
nels. Inceflant diligence is ufed to ex. 
ercife the men in the different French har- 
bours on the channel, in -vorking the guns, 
and in all the neceffary management of 
\the boats which bear them. Two thouland 
eight hundred men are faid to be now, 
every day, at work, enlarging and repair- 
ing the fortifications at Boulogne. By 
the inconveniences and hardthips neceffa- 
rily attending the aflemblage ot fo many 
troops in temporary encampments, con- 
tagious dileafes kave been extenfively 
fpreed among the French troops near 
Boulogne, Calais, and Dunkirk: and 
we have information which we believe to 
be true, thac the numbers which die every 
day are very confiderable. On-tie fide of 
Spain and Portugal, fome threatening 
movements of the troops of France have 
been made lately. That which is called 
the army of the Pyrenees has been aug- 
mented to the number of 60,000 men. 
The Confular Government remains, in 
the mean time, unfhaken. France has 
fuffered fo much by revolutions, that fub- 
miffion to almoft any government, would, 
_ time in France. 
State of Public Affairs in Ofober, 1803. 371 
for the prefent, be there thought prefer, 
able to a ftruggle for change, that might 
lead to civil war. But, the difficulty in 
finding fupplies for the public expendi- 
ture in that country are now exceedingly 
great: the ruin which the war has broughe 
upon the trade and manufactures, is dee 
and extenfive: and, except the old foldiers 
and officers, thofe who, as contractors and 
trade{men, derive large emoluments from 
the fupply of the neceflaries for the war 
to the army and the government, and the 
‘mere rabble who echo the voice of govern- 
ment, and are the miferable followers of 
the camp. The Royalift and the Je. 
cobin parties are both confiderable at this 
each of them a counterpoile to the other. 
The Firft Conful is, undoubtedly, a man 
of commanding intrepidity and talents. 
Bur, he wants that gracious, fafcinating 
affability without which no chief ruler can 
be long acceptable to fuch a nation as the 
French. Much of that afcendency which 
he is ftill enabled to maintain over public 
opinion in France, is owing to the degree 
in which his power has, hitherto, grati- 
fied French vanity and ambition, by ex. 
tending the, military glory and political 
power of the nation. 
RUSSIA, 
Next, after France, the greateft power on 
the Continent, confulis its own true inter. 
efts in avoiding to take any part in the 
prefent conteft between Great Britain and 
France. Its true policy is precilely that 
which it now purfues—to improve the 
culture and civilization of .its people and 
of its immenie domains, and to maintain. 
only fuch a force, naval and military, 
as is reguifite to give energy and au- 
thority to its internal government, and, at 
the fame time, to make it fecure againtt 
contempt or attack from any of its neigh 
bours. We have no fear that Ruffia will 
by any intrigue, be led to take part in the 
war with France: for, the trade, the 
manufactures, and even the agriculture of 
Ruffia are, to fuch a degree, carried on 
with Britith capital, that hoftilities with 
Britain would immediately difreis the 
government and nation to an extent the 
moft dangerous, and which Alexander 
and his minilters are not at all likely to 
hazard. Nor is it probable that Denmark 
and Sweden, now foremarkably fubject to 
the aicendency of Ruflia, and exifting in 
fuch a rivalry between themlelves, will do 
otherwife than remain in a wile neutrality 
during the remainder of this war. The 
aflurances of France, that no encroach. 
ments 
But, they feem to form. 
