> 
280 
By an ignorance of, or an infufficient 
yegard to, this important truth, thoufands 
of women and children are diurnally de- 
firoyed. ’ 
Intemperance is a relative thing. There 
are fituations, in which more than one 
glafs of wine ought to be confidered as a 
debauch. 
State of Public Affairs in March, 1804. 
[ April ‘Ey 
To the conftitution of man, artificial 
and unneceffary incentive is injurious ; to 
that of woman, incalculably more fo; 
and to that of one in the predicament 
above alluded to, it involves the almoft 
inevitable mifchief of tavo-fold deftruc- 
tion. ; J. Reip. 
Southampton-row, March 2.6, 1804. 
STATE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, 
In March, 1804. 
—_=_ 
N the courfe of the month of March, 
tie anxiety of the people for the 
reftoration of the King’s health has been 
gradually alleviated. It is, now, almoft 
entirely at an end, by his Majefty’s com- 
picte recovery. Thofe difheulties have 
already ceafed, which his indifpofition put 
in the way of the diipatch of the public 
bufinefs: his affent has been given by 
comm: ffion to feveral bills in Parliament : 
his fignature has been prefixed to different 
military appointments, and other atts of 
government to which his fign-manual was 
neceflary :_ and he has been, for a confi- 
derable part of the month, im fuch con- 
valefcence, as to have had interviews 
re{pe@ing the great affairs of the State, 
with fome of his chief minifters. 
Government meanwhile continues its 
preparations with inceflant vigilance, to 
refit any foreign invafion. An embargo, 
with what precife views was uncertain, 
detained merchant-fhips bound for the 
North, in our ports, for fome part of 
the month. The French and Datch ports, 
are, now, more clofely than ever, blocked 
wp: aad, a plan has been propoied by 
Mr, Richard Phillips, and is about to be 
carried into effect, for filling up thole 
ports, at leaf in part, with ftones, and with 
the hulks of old veflels, fo as to make 
it dificult, if not impoffible, for even 
any fort of fhips or fimall craft, that can 
be armed for invafion, to make their way 
out of them. It has been conceived, 
that, fince harbours are, in many in- 
tances, ruined by tides and currents of 
the fea, the depofition of fand from rivers, 
earthquakes, and other natural accidents; 
the fame effe&t may be accomplithed by 
-artificial means, by thofe who are maiters 
of the exterior fea. It is, in mo& places, 
but a point, comparatively, of a narrow 
channel, that is to be filled up: and the 
agitation of fea which fapsa mole, and 
reduces it toa pile of rubbifh, generally 
tends to augment a fand-bank, or any 
fimilar obfructicn that.is once begun in 
aport. Befides, to block up the ports 
of France and Holland, if this can, in- 
deed, be effected, by artificial fand-banks 
and funken rocks, would more effectua!ly 
cripple the power of our enemies, would 
reduce them more certainly to an ablolute 
inability of invading our territory, rival- 
ling our commerce, or coping with our 
fhips of war, than if we could burn half 
the towns in France, and flay, without 
lofs to ourfelves, one or two hundred 
thoufand of the fight'ng men: and, 
therefore, if the purpofe can be certainly 
atchieved, there is no expence nor toil, 
at which its confequences would not be 
cheaply earned. : 
Sir Sidzey Smith is now fationed off 
Flufhing ;) and has moored his own 
fhip in a fituation the moft favourable to 
the annoyance of the enemy, and which 
fhews. that he has refolved to omit nothing 
that the moft heroic gallantry can per- 
form in order utterly to deftroy any force 
which they may endeavour to fend out 
from that port. Lord Neljon, ftill keeps 
his ftation off Toulon; and is perfectly 
matter of the entrance into that port. 
His laf letters announce the capture of 
fome fmall thips from the enemy. The 
Mermaid and Atalanta frigates, have fajl- 
ed, as a-convoy, with a fleet of merchant- 
fhips, for the Welt Indies. Notwith- 
ftanding the numbers of our cruizers, 
and the force and judicious diitribution 
of our fquadrons; the coafting trade of 
this country has keen, lately, much an- 
noyed by privateers from France and’ 
Holland, between Dungenefs and Beachy 
Head. The news from Ceplom reprefent 
the condition of the Britth Government 
in that ifland, as continually more and 
more ‘perilous. “The troops of Candy 
have defcended, in great foree, to the 
very fea-coaft. They betiege thofe prin- 
cipal. pofts of the fettlemenc where our 
countrymen are to make their laft ftand. 
There is even danger, that the Governor: 
and thofe who are with him may have 
been 
e 
