$0 93.

stopped, and its Engltsh crew discharged [t is equally certain that the English ships in the waters of Holland are ordered off, or at least warned to prepare themselves for such an order. We perceive that pon- toons are preparing at Antwerp, where ﬁghting on both banks of the river is ex- pected; and both in Holland and Belgi- um reviews, marchings, and countermarch- ings, and all things symptomatic of war, are daily going forward. Those, there- fore, who are on the look out for hostilli- ties, have the prima facie evidencein favor oftheir opinion. On the other hand, it is said, that as for the movements of the Dutch and Belgians, they are not of any great moment, because, though both par- ties are preparing for combat, it will not depend on them to decide when the contest will begin. As for the other appearances --why, the Batavier may be merely detain- ed for the purpOSe of bringing over des- patches ; the departure of the English,and the warning oﬂ'the coast, no more than measures of precaution : and with respect to the sailing of the ﬂeet at Spithead, or the marching ofthe grand Army of the North, these believers in peace contend that these events have been so often post- poned that another postponement would not strike them as being miraculous.

Here, then, are the pros and cons of the affair, which we lay before our readers with ajudicial impartiality. The war, on our part, appears so absurd, so unjustiﬁa- ble, so monstrous, that we continue scep- tical. The French Ministry, may perhaps desire to gratify their countrymen—always vain, and greedy of military glory—by a coup de theatre about the time of opening their Chamber--just as Perier did in the Ancona business ; but as the Chambers will meet in little more than a week, there is scarcely time for any thing striking. \Ve hope too, that there is good sense enough in some portion of the French Chambers, to render so profligate a measure as getting up a war by way of a clap-trap, the source of more than ordinary annoyance to a Min- ister-«and in fact, we see symptoms of such a spirit in their Opposition Journals. But even if the French Ministers have such an excuse or temptation. what is there to excuse our Ministers r We ask, in the name of Heaven, what English interest,— commercial, national, or political—is to be attained by forcing the harsh terms of an unjust treaty on the King of the Nether- lands ? Suppose our arms successful in this unholy war, what do we gain ? The bitter hostillity of the offended Dutch, who are ourbest customers—the alienation of the Northern Powers, and the aggrandize- ment of France. In return—nothing—ab- soluter nothing ! -or, at most, some fan- Cied advantages in the navigation of the Scheldt, of which we can be deprived hereafter, at a moment’s notice, by the

THE BRITISH AMERICAN.

French, then the masters of the river. For these results we are going to ﬁght—and while our decreasing Exchequer cannot maintain our peace establishments, raising armies and navies, as if we were in the full tide of ﬁnancial prosperity.

It is quite evident that the King of the Netherlands would not expose himself to the risks of a war with France and Eng- land, unless he had some backers—unless he was quite certain that he would have the active assistance of Prussia and Russia,and the good wishes of Austria, if not her direct co-operation. We ﬁnd accordingly, that our old friends, Prince Lieven and Count Matuchevitz have declared off from the Conference, and that the Count has bolted (to use a Newmarket phrase which his Ex- cellency will understand) for Russia. The Prussian has ofﬁcially announced that the movement of the French into Belgium on the south, will be a signal for the marching of their troops from the north. What Aus- tria means to do, we can only conjecture; but there must be a most amazing change in her policy, ifshe tamely consents to the annexation, actual or virtual, of Flanders to France. William the Dutchman, there- fore, need not be afraid of being left with- out allies in case there should be a ﬁght ; but as we have said from the beginning, there will be none .’ It is a game ofbrag ; and if the Dutch King keeps a bold face, the odds are greatly in his favour that the op— posite party will not venture on a trick.

If, however, we should be mistaken,and that contrary to justice, fair dealing, and plain policy, we should be precipitated in- to a war, the ﬁrst act ofthe King of the Ne- therlands must clearly be the bombardment of Antwerp. The great tactitions of the Ministerial press have been computing how many days it would take to get military possession of the citadel of Antwerp by the French: and in the teeth of all military experience, and the recorded opinion of Carnot, they decide that it can be done in twelve days. If it were d0ne under the most favorable circumstances, and in the most favorable weather, in six weeks, it would be a great military achievement, but in the present season the thing is impossi- ble, ifthe city he bravely defended, in less than three months, even without any as— sistance from armies outside. But we re- quest these same engineers to compute how long it would take General Chasse to bat- ter down Antwerp—how long that city could resist his guns—and we answer for them, not twelve hours!

Inna—Accounts from Rome, of the 18th ult. speak of the drought being so se- vere as to seriously menace the existence of the cattle, which depend on the pas- tures for their support. Letters from Syra- cuse, of the 4th inst, contain similar com- plaints, and also mention that Sicily has been infested this year with extraordinary swarms of locusts.

179‘

We understand on good authority, tbat Lord Tenterden has actually sent in his re- signation Sir Thomas Denman is named as his successor.--Standard.

It is rumored in the Ministerial circles, that the Rev. Sidney Smith is preparing a project of Church Reform, which will be submitted to the Cabinet in the course of the present month.

The following list of anticipated English county members has been handed about in the highest quarters. It is calculated up to the 26th October, and supposed to be very nearly if not absolutely correct :-—

Whigs, Radicals. Tories. Waverers.

90 5 95 15 Ministerial majorities on the whole coun- ties, 53. Scotland will, it is believed, fur- nish 43 Whigs, 2Radicals, l Tory ; being a majority for Ministers of 33. Of Irelan no estimate can yet be made ; and the English boroughs are also uncertain, tho’ very few of them will return Tories, and still fewer Waverers.—Spectator.

Death of Sir John Leslie.—-This distin- guished Philosopher,died at his seat, [Coats near Largo, in Fife,] on Saturday last.

It is rumored that the Duke of Rich- mond is about to enter on the viceroyalty of Ireland—Sir John Cam Hobhouse to ac- company his Grace as Chief Secretary.——- Dublin Register.

Gunmen—In part of our last number we announced the breaking out of the cho- lera at Guernsey, and the shocking rava- ges it had made in the course of a few days. We are now happy to state, that the Virulence of the disorder was so much abated at the date of the last accounts from the Island, that the deaths were reduced to an average ofonly two a day.

The last bulletin of the Pacha of Egypt, is dated Antioch, Aug 3. The following is its substance : “ In recapitulation we have taken, up to this day, in the several actions we have had with the enemy, eighty pieces of cannon and one mortar, as well as a considerable quantity of ammunition of all sorts. The number of killed and pri- soners we have made is 13,000, without in- cluding the fugitives, the number of which is immense. In the affair of Bylan we only lost in killed and wounded 20 men.”

Information was obtained yesterday af- ternoon, that on the 29d, 23d, and 24th Sept, a heavy gale was experienced atCon- stantinpln, and just after a large ﬂeet had sailed for the Black Sea. A vessel arrived at Marseilles. which left Constantinople subsequently, reported that forty vessels had been lost in the Black Sea. The last letters from Odessa made no mention of bad weather.

Railroads.-—The l'ong projected rail way from Birmingham to London is again to be brought before the Legislature. It is expec- ted that the railway will be- continued frOm Birmingham to Liverpool, and from thence to Edinburgh.