Political Extracts.

Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 5, 23 May 1848, Page 2

Political Extracts.

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON ON THE STATE OF OUR NATIONAL DEFENCES. Sir.—There is now in circulation among a very few and almost by UNKNOWN i letter of indescribable importance, by a w.utK'i "ho, almoat forty years .neo, thenwrgt« us well « lie lo"i;Mt—mi n»'y >uit tit 6t.Y(•

and now, in his 77th year, writes even better than ie did then- , . His theme is the condition of this country as regards invasion, and his statements may make the stoutest Leart tremble. He enters into every names, from personal observation, the most likely places for debarkation-be prove, the ease with which it might be effected—he displays the nullity of our defence. We have no militia-very few and very distant "guUrsfrom 9 000 to 10,000 alone available at home—little artillery, no arms in store. He says with infinite pathos—" I have now lived seventy-seven years, anil hved in honor: God grant I may not live o see the rouse, quenccs of refusing the plans of defence which 1 have in vain submitted to ihree ministers. He afterwards proreeds to demand means the most moderate, and with them he undertakes to secure: us. His termß are 150,000 militia, and some 10,000 or 12 000 additional soldiers of the line. I, In all these disclosures there is no secret but to ourselves Our enemy knows the weakness of every comnanv 'squadron and battery, the distant stations (eitra CamaU and Indos) of every battallion a 5 „,,., »hev aie knowr at the Horse Guards. V ith an Ambassador at the Cap.til, and a Consul in every port, there can be nothing hid. We arc no longer ' 'gainst invasion and the band of ivar safe.' The country, morcoter, requires to be told, that it is no longer insular—that it is connected with the Continent by a causeway of steam—that it contains, perhaps, the least war-like population of any in Europe, untrained and untaught ,*n arms, and slow to barn their u<e. ' Letus contrast ilictiuits of a thirty-two years peace with the state of tne invader's. H is African campaigns have been made by every regiment of his 350,000 men in rotation. These have been inured to every dimmer, as to eveiy privation, an! they have contracted habits .if bloodshed and Jevastatiou quite unknown in Europe for ceutulies. This foi midab'.c force is supported by a militia ol 800,000 men, many of whom, on the coast at least, would be tempted to follow the regular army, to share in the spoils of the richest prey that ever offered itself to the cupiditv and revenge of an enemy. That such passions prevail on the oppisite coast, not ouly in the brrasts of its grenadiers, bat among its statesmen, philosophers, and poets, is proved too fully in the works of Lacretelle. a"dThiers, and even De Torquevillc himself, who in his recent work (• Louts X\.) .'isplays an animosity to this country mo.t lamentable on the part of so great a writer. He dwells upon their fabled naval triumphs, and gnvely says that a Freucu frigate of 30 guns, took an English ot. I pass over the implacable animosity oi that press, which now writes us angrily as if the last war was still ragmg. It can neither forgive nor forget our successes by sea and land, and though they themselves, over other notions, obtained still greater triumphs, yet an expiation on our part, seems demanded, and this at the first cannonshot, will be soujht in Kent or Sussex. There is in this country no spirit at all corresp-n - in" to that of France —nc rancour, uo malevolence. We lo?e peace, and we shut our eves to every provocation. We are content with a state of uvcennty unknown to ~ny other people in the wurld, nor do we believe that au'unappeased enemy is ever on the natch for an occi stall to pour his legions among us. and to strike us, not at Calcutta nor Jamaica, but in London or Dublin. The great Duke, couvers.ut with this, and well marking the course of things, alone raises a Prophet's voice. He in vam calls upon this and two other governments to take most ordinary precautions. No mi nister has yet had the hirdihocd to come to the House with this document in his haud, and throw himself upon the country, imploring it to make provision eg inst a hurricane that may ore* k over us in an hour, whilst our squadrons are at Lisbm or et Malta. All th»t would be required would be an in.uiance of sometwo it three per out up, n tt.e gr a'est accumulations of wealth ever yet h-.-i.ped up b, man. It is mdc: d toe nut that the appeal, unless the French Admir.l Maori the sea, would be unheeded, that thei.Tionis so lusolteo in ihe gathering cf riches that it c moot avert its eye from tin in, nor consider, how much without deJtnce the-e treasures he in e\ery quarter, V't every li |-e of prolonged peace hangs on the thread of one hie. i-nd c'nnee, or M'rUiess, or the dagger, may sever it at arn moment. A declaration ot va-, and a pfject j of invading England, would rr oke any succeeding government popular. The garrisonof Paris alone, 50.000 strong, would luini-h immediate means. Two rail- j roadshave been opened to Havre and Boulogne within I a week, bc-ides the one through Lisle aud Arras. An embaiaoat Havre would obtain transport for as many men as would shake England to its centre, and in sixty hours they might he landed at Southampton and Portsmouth; 1000 guards in London, and three block-ships in the ports would be our defence, but h«d we even time and warning;, we could only assemble the imposing strength of Irum 3,000 to 10,000 men of the line. " Xon mews hie sermo." This is the estimate of the wisest and the bravest, of the foremost man of this age be who, of all other Commandeis, has best shown his anilities for defensive warfare, and through them laid the foundations of the world's liberty. If he is wrong on this subject, who presumes to be right? If he calls for a defensive armour shall we be deaf as adders, intent upon our pelf, our speculations, our investments, which are destined perhaps to pay a war contribution ? Can such a man be supposed to urge precaution without good reason ? His It»e has been passed in the service of his country, and it has been long and observant. It all that he in his great moderation aßks fur the public security was granted, we should then possess just onetenth of the means which our formidable neighbour thinks indispensable for his safety. There are many, however, who in spite of his authority, will deem all this a chimera—men so puffed by ihe victories oi r he last war, that they have foreotten itsrt.rr-cs till the hour that Wilington took the eunirnaud—meu who scarcely recollect the contention -,«! Xoith Holland, the disastrous retreat from Dunkirk \ to Westphalia, the dis,;race3 of Pultcney, Vhitloih, and I'revos' They will scarcely aJmit that if (his countr) breeds a noble ruce of salditiy, she dues not rear great Generals. Cumberland and Closter Seven t xi« not for them, nor Cornwalhs njr Thev remain as confident as if "the perfect machine'' that roaicWd Irum Lisbon ti Toulouse was still embodied, and they C \claim—' We have alivajs beaten the French, end alitajt shall.' Let us, then, tike no piecautiou, prepare nuatuis.foiestc no dangt r—above all train no militia, add nothing to our weak artillery—keep the navy low fur it 15 rUrgeab'e—ltt uslillourccflns full, rnake our excinrpes, ;.ame in railro J?, and slog of Indian battles and pastvietoms. foretcllin _" 1 dure one—for vvc hold o'nsclu- invincible, ihoii-h unarmed an- 1 ; untlepa.eJ. L.i,i, B |.ure our puisis till the I reach ' „-■„;. is 1..- rd . f al Havre We may then believe tb- I ,'. ._ei ■: . . i ' t. .-> -I wil, permit a hj, to be raiseri wl, 1, the li. t i, i...i-. u ~, 1U Mcditcriau-aii. ; (iive ii. ' .t i :utk '•.!„• .., J ,„„ „ ; w , LjlT , u .hi.i ..,-!■■ I ■ui .:>.- vi'lim -iid Yv.t.rl.o (their hi, i.mus) vvi.l d.-vi. ;i. 1 stt.re, ■ eoe.o.tim-, vpliu . Mojito do to ;■..■ r.urulN ' Hut. gentlemen, jou in., -e'l.rrli- . lMie.nurli.le. a.,d tie veiybattltyou iivui,.- an 51. tl„ VetV ll.vlU'.i 'l. t" tUI! 1,,. lO'l. 111. to Can- I ■eltliei,, il,.ittl.e> -lecoin.-. I - I" i il .ee them by I i-io jiuj ii, •••hole d.-jjiow v.i )tui«ll thai tbvy mv.nl'e

you. Be provident, be wise, fore-armed and safe. Give five per cent, of your vast profits—above all, turn not from the counsel of the great warrior, grown grey in serving you at home and abroad, in peace as in war. He now seeks to render you a greater service than any other that a long life of glory has enabled him to con-> fer. He asks, as ever, nothing for himself—he only desires the security of his country. Deny him not his last request and pious prayer. Your obedient seivant, "P.' The letter, of which I have only given a few of the hmK is long and goes into every part of the subject. *' Quod nescirc malum, et quod masiiue perttuet ad It is addressed to Sir John Burgoyne.

In an able article on the above letter, the Chronicle remarks! — England and England's greatness, in all iti main elements have been and were felt to he secure, long years alter 1815. Not so the other nations of Europe. They were at peace, but it was impossible for them to feel secure. Internally they were divided and discontented. Externally they were menaced. A sense of insecurity wrapt their future in gloom. Suspicion and terror never left the pillows on which their ru ers reposed their aching aud wearied heads. They have, have multiplied, manifold, their re-ouroes and their strength. Their capitals have been cirt by new fortifications—iheir coasts and frontiers bristle with batteries—their dockyards and arsenals aie improved and multiplied—lheir Generals in strategic skill, their troops and sailors in discipline, their engineers in science, their statesmen in foresight and diplomatic power, have all made incredible advances. Even supposing it were the fact, which it is not, that England bad made parallel advances, adopted similar precautions, or amassed offensive and defensive mateiinl to the same extent, in any one department, she would still be very far from being as ready tor war as 3ny of her C, ntinental compeers. England's empire issca tered piece, meal over th" world. Their dominions and dependencies, wi'h few exceptions, form compact masses of territory, whose security and uvailahility for offence and defence, the improvements in locomotion immensely increase. The fleets and scantyarmies of England are scattered like her empire. The' fleets and armies of her Coutinentai rivals are concentiated, or ready to be concenlrated in huge masses, tit for conibin.il and overwhelming action in any part of Ewoic at a fortnight's notice. Surely this is a state of things which it would be disgra,eful to ihe Legislature, and criminal in the G vernment any longer to neglect. The warn ings of the wisest and most experienced men the nut ion possesses have long been uttered without effect in the heedless ears of a people whose tendency it has always been to occupy themselves too exclusively with present iuterests. Ihe leading minds and leading men of the nation must take the matter np, and do one of two things,—either satisfy themselves and the nation that its war-like appliances are adequate to the duties and responsibilities which a European war would bring up. on England, or else take instant and efficient measures to supply the deficiency.

{From the Spectator.] Reflection Ims much reassured the public on the subject of our exposure to invasion. Although our nearest neighbour burns with military ardour—although Louis Philippe has some inscrutable projects rivalling: those of Lou's Quatoize or Napoleon—although lie has a land bristling with foils, an arui) of 330,000 men drilled in Africa, a garrison of 30.U00 men in his capital, a militia of Soo.ooo men, a son eager to invade England with steam-tiunsporls, and no end to ofiieers eauer to carve out fortunes with their swords i although we have the best part of oar annv alnoad, our fleet eveiywhere but at home —dodging slaveis on the West of Africa; although every countiy in Europe has strengthened it* formications since the peace, and England is more exposed than before by reason of changes in Ihe system of navigation which tend to neutralize the advantages ot our insular position; although, if a biave and strong people, our wealth makes us a tempting object of attack, and our factory system is supposed to have sipped the vigour of our- population;—yes, rn spile ot all these thinga, there rs comfort lor us yet. In the first place, ample security, in feeling at least, is discovered in utter disbelief of all danger and all assertion to that effect. One journal denies the danger. Another, the Jloriun-j I'ust, declares that tt is a'("habitual adulation" ol Srr Kohert Feel which moves the Spectator to talk on the subject j for, as surely as Bony filled the Butchers' shops with large blue fires. Sir Robert Peel is at the bottom of every misdeed, in the loozymozy-inspned view of our worthy censor, -ind therefore when we are writing about present neglects xve ought to atlack Sir Robert Peel. It rs but reasonable, then, th.it a daily paper should be maintained orr purpose to unto Arrti-Peei. Accordingly, Sir Uobe.t is now con victed by the Post of not providing forts and men in ISI3, when he had a surplus both .if levenrre and political power. We confess that wo know no defence against that charge, and must so far persevere m our adulation as to admit that Sir Robert Peel shares with the two other of the "three Ministers" the blame of that neglect. Another journal, however, the Stamlur,/, supplies welcome consolation b) dorr) mg that lire Duke of Wellington ever w rote to Srr John liurgoyue about the matter: it is all a fabrication ; our contemporary is ijurte sure that " l>" has been hoaxing CYi,u,«e/e and country. r.ut even if the danger did exist, v»e should bo I amply piuvrded agaiust rt. Though .Uugoaud came to Albucca for Angelica the fan, we have ne lack of devices to turn hrm back. In Ihe iiist place, there are the IJonlogne, the M.u >au.-,aiul Ileum Ba. steam-boats t.. mlcicept the "uam-polts. Passengers ha%e the gieitest co'ilidem-e in Captain Large; ins intrepidity in t.rcm_' a rion-paiing passenger, vr the enraged multitude on the w rid shores u r Heme Hay. iw.ll kuon... <_'.. plain Time n . lc« on.)-.. . the . ther'advantage ol piau.ee in face.; i!.c riencl.. i through the endless ..p.-u-,,.,,,-.., I ~„lig. ill. - ■ Mlliclr Kliglishm -I, elie.Mllitel ,m. Hu:i l.uiuiiig at Weu-'liugc-u.' t. 1.. 1 .-. K.-I. ,-. i, n.lvistoodtlrar Lold U..:!r-r-ie has I u !-,■ . .- li - piece, and j;.».' "I p..-ton. "> il.-il Clk, '• it • strict oHteis to the loi.tii-m I. r -is- i',- ~..1 having le.ul to Ihe I'.tl.lul >..n .. i ■' ■ .'- .ucountot the diflicully ». Inch h . ~■ !■- . , HI thai liCjghtoUthoo,! . =J th ' i-M I '•! lie |

const is safe- And the intippidily of the bathers at Margate anil Home Bay is known ; to say nothing of the large body of waiters at the Folkestone Pavilion. Bugeiuid, landed, would have to face a deputation consisting of Joseph Stuige, and oilier members of the Peace Association, who would represent to him the wickedness of v. ar ; and how he would get over that dillicully, we do tint plainly see, especially as Mr. Elihu Burritl has kmdly consented 10 represent the United Stales in the deputation. But slioulJ that resource fail. Richard Cohden and Joseph Bright will meet the Marshall at Maiuttoiiu, with strong representations as to the economical waste of war : Mr. Bright will be prepared to |slio»', statistically, the cost of every victory ; and Mi. CoMen will adduce an overwhelming array of opinion throughout Europe in fa for of free tiade as pieferable to glon. These suggestions will throw senous obstacles in the way nl W, Bugeaud's logical progress tuHvmds London. However, tempted piospectively by the promised title " Duke of 1 lie Isle of Dogs," he may persevere irr. his unhallowed march. Lord Bioogham and Dr. Bow ring might then try what a flier;.ily visit could ellect; and while the .A division oT police Kept the enemy in check. Queen Victoria might go, under the care of prince Albert, by the back-way of the Southampton rail! oad to Trepurf, to see w hat a renewal of hltuJ embraces and osculations could do with King Louis Philippe—should he be alive, or inclined for lual sou of entertainment; contingencies, however, which we have no authority to promise with any certainty. At ilic wofst, the Sanatory Commission might send Mr, Edw in Chadw ick to assure the Marshal how unwholesome London is—" subject to la grippe," he could say with perfect truth. In fact, we bave no erid of such safeguards to resist any enemy that may choose to invade us. i