them contrary to the policy of the English nation. Peace, then, is at once the interest of the people of the continent, as it is the interest of the people of Great Britain. have learnt the sentiments of the King of Sweden, and those of the government of Spain, I shall not fail to receive the commands of his Majesty for such communications as it may be necessary to make upon the ulterior objects of the letter of Count Romanzoff. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) GEORGE CANNING. No. VIII. the same as No. VII. addressed to M. We unite in intreating your Majesty to listen to the voice of humanity, silencing that of the passions; to seek, with the intention of arriving at that object, to conciliate all interests, and by that means to preserve all the powers which exist, and to insure the happiness of Europe and of this de Champagny.. generation, at the head of which Providence has placed us. (Signed) ALEXANDER.-NAPOLEON. No. III. is a duplicate of No. I. signed Champagny. No. IV. is a duplicate of No. II. with the signature of Napoleon first. No. V. is a letter from Mr. Secretary Canning to the Russian Ambassador, at Paris, dated Foreign Office, Oct. 22, 1808, acknowledging the receipt of Count de Romanzoff's letter. No. VI. is a letter from Mr. Secretary Canning to M. de Champagny, dated Foreign Office, 22d October, 1808, to the same effect. No. VII. (Translation.)-Letter from Mr. Secretary Canning to the Russian Ambassador, at Paris, dated Foreign Office, 28th October, 1808. Sir,-Having laid before the King my master the two letters which his excellency the Count Nicolas de Romanzoff has transmitted to me from Erfurth, I have received his Majesty's commands to reply to that which is addressed to him, by the official note which I have the honour to inclose to your excellency. However desirous his Majesty might be to reply directly to his Majesty the Emperor of Russia, you cannot but feel, Sir, that from the unusual manner in which the letters signed by his Imperial Majesty were drawn up, and which has entirely deprived them of the character of a private and personal communication, his Majesty has found it impossible to adopt that mark of respect towards the Emperor of Russia, without at the same time acknowledging titles which his Majesty never has acknowledged. No. IX. Official Note.. The King has uniformly declared his readiness and desire to enter into negociations for a general peace on terms consistent with the honour of his Majesty's crown, with fidelity to his engagements, and with the permanent repose and security of Europe. His Majesty repeats that declaration. If the condition of the continent be one of agitation and of wretchedness, if many states have been overthrown, and more are still menaced with subversion, it is a consolation to the King to reflect, that no part of the convulsions which have already been experienced, or of those which are threatened for the future, can be in any de-' gree imputable to his Majesty. The King is most willing to acknowledge that all such dreadful changes are indeed contrary to the policy of Great Britain. If the cause of so much misery is to be found in the stagnation of commercial intercourse-although his Majesty cannot be expected to hear, with unqualified regret, that the system devised for the destruction of the commerce of his subjects has recoiled upon its authors, or its instruments -yet it is neither in the disposition of his Majesty, nor in the character of the people over whom he reigns, to rejoice in the privations and unhappiness even of the nations which are combined against him. His Majesty anxiously desires the termination of the sufferings of the continent. The war in which his Majesty is engaged, was entered into by his Majesty for the immediate object of national safety. It has been prolonged only because no secure and honourable means of terminating it have hitherto been afforded by his enemies. But in the progress of a war, begun for self-defence, new obligations have been imposed upon his Majesty, in behalf of powers whom the ag I am commanded to add to the contents of the official note, that his Majesty will hasten to communicate to his Majesty the King of Sweden, and to the existing government of Spain, the proposalsgressions of a common enemy have compelled to which have been made to him. Your excellency will perceive that it is absolutely necessary that his Majesty should receive an immediate assurance, that France acknowledges the government of Spain as party to any negocia tion. That such is the intention of the Emperor of Russia his Majesty cannot doubt. make common cause with his Majesty, or who have solicited his Majesty's assistance and support in the vindication of their national independence. The interests of the crown of Portugal and of his Sicilian Majesty are confided to his Majesty's friendship and protection. With the King of Sweden his Majesty is connected by ties of the closest alliance, and by stiHis Majesty recollects with satisfaction the live-pulations which unite their counsels for peace as ly interest which his Imperial Majesty has always well as for war. manifested for the welfare and dignity of the Spanish monarchy, and he wants no other assurance that his Imperial Majesty cannot have been induced to sanction, by his concurrence or by his approbation, usurpations, the principle of which is not less unjust than their example is dangerous to all legitimate sovereigns. As soon as the answers on this point shall have been received, and as soon as his Majesty shall To Spain his Majesty is not yet bound by any formal instrument; but his Majesty has, in the face of the world, contracted with that nation engagements not less sacred and not less binding upon his Majesty's mind, than the most solema treaties. His Majesty, therefore, assumes that, in an overture made to his Majesty for entering into negociations for a general peace, the relations sub No. XI. (Translation.)-The same from M. de Champagny to Mr. Secretary Canning, dated Paris, 31st October, 1808. Received Nov. 4th. No. XII.(Translation.)--Letter from Count Nicolas de Romanzoff to Mr. Secretary Canning, dated Paris, 16th-28th November, 1808, received December 6th, inclosing the following: No, XIII.—(Translation.)—Note. The undersigned, minister for foreign affairs of his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, зs the honour to reply to the Note of the 28th October, signed by Mr. Canning, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to his Majesty the King of Great Britain, and addressed by his excellency to the Russian ambassador at Paris. That the admission of the sovereigns in alliance with England, to a congress, cannot be a point of any difficulty, and that Russia and France consent to it. But this principle by no means extends to the necessity of admitting the plenipotentiaries of the Spanish insurgents; the Emperor of Russia cannot admit them. His empire, in similar circumstances and England can recollect one particular instance has always been true to the same principle. Moreover, he has already acknowledged the. King Joseph Napoleon. He has announced to his Britannic Majesty, that he was united with the Emperor of the French for peace as well as for war; and his Imperial Majesty here repeats that declaration. He is resolved not to separate his interests from those of that monarch; but they are both ready to conclude a peace, provided that it be just, honourable, and equal for all parties. The undersigned sees with pleasure, that, in this difference of opinion respecting the Spaniards, nothing presents itself which can either prevent or delay the opening of a congress. He derives his persuasion in this respect from that which his Britannic Majesty has himself confided to the two Emperors, that he is bound by no positive engagement with those who have taken up arms in Spain. jesty may please to point out; to admit to the congress the plenipotentiaries of the sovereigns in alliance with Great Britain, to treat upon the basis of the uti possidetis, and upon that of the respective power of the belligerent parties: in fine, to accept any basis which may have for its object the conclusion of a peace, in which all parties shall find honour, justice, and equality. (Signed) COUNT NICOLAS DE ROMANZOFF. No. XIV. (Translation.)-Letter from M. de Champagny to Mr. Secretary Canning, dated Paris, 28th November, 1808; received December 6th, enclosing his answer. No. XV. (Translation.)—Note. The undersigned has laid before the Emperor his master, the Note of his excellency Mr. Canning. If it were true that the evils of war were felt only on the continent, certainly there would be little hope of attaining peace. The two Emperors had flattered themselves that the object of their measure would not have been misinterpreted in London. Could the English ministry have ascribed it to weakness or to necessity, when every impartial statesman must recognize in the spirit of peace and moderation by which it is dictated, the characteristics of power and true greatness? France and Russia can carry on the war so long as the court of London shall not recur to just and equitable dispositions; and they are resolved to do so. How is it possible for the French government to entertain the proposal which has been made to it, of admitting to the negociation the Spanish insurgents? WHAT WOULD THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT HAVE SAID, HAD IT BEEN PROPOSED TO THEM ΤΟ ADMIT THE CATHOLIC INSURGENTS OF IRELAND? FRANCE, WITHOUT HAVING ANY TREATIES WITH THEM, HAS BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEM, HAS MADE THEM PROMISES, AND HAS FREQUENTLY SENT THEM SUCCOURS. Could such a proposal have found a place in a note, the object of which ought to have been not to irritate, but to endeavour to effect a mutual conciliation and good understanding? England will find herself under a strange mistake, if, contrary to the experience of the past, she still entertains the idea of contending successfully upon the continent, against the armies of France. What hope can she now have, especially as France is irrevocably united with Russia? The undersigned is commanded to repeat the proposal, to admit to the negociation all the allies of the King of England, whether it be the King who reigns in the Brazils; whether it be the King who reigns in Sweden; or whether it be the King who reigns in Sicily: and to take for the basis of the negociation the uti possidetis. He is com After fifteen years of war, Europe has a right to demand peace. The interest of all the powers, including that of England, is to render it general: humanity commands it; and such a desire, sure. ly, cannot be foreign to the feelings of his Bri-manded to express the hope that, not losing sight tannic Majesty. How can it be, that he alone can withdraw himself from such an object, and refuse to terminate the miseries of suffering humanity? The undersigned consequently renews, in the name of the Emperor his august master, the proposal already made, to send plenipotentiaries to any city on the continent which his Britannic Ma of the inevitable results of the force of states, it will be remembered, that between great powers there is no solid peace but that which is at the same time equal and honourable for all parties. The undersigned requests his excellency Mr. Canning to accept the assurances of his highest consideration. (Signed) CHAMPAGNY, No. XVI.-(Translation.)-Letter from Mr. | cerely regrets that this desire of his Majesty is disSecretary Canning to Count Nicolas de Roman-appointed. zoff, dated Foreign Office, 7th December, 1808, acknowledging the receipt of his letter. No. XVII.-Official Note, dated Foreign Office, 9th December, 1808. The undersigned, his Majesty's principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has laid before the King his master the Note transmitted to him by his excellency the Count Nicholas de Romanzoff, Minister for Foreign Affairs of his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, dated on the 16th (28th) of November. The King learns, with astonishment and regret, the expectation which appears to have been entertained, that his Majesty should consent to commence a negociation for general peace by the previous abandonment of the cause of the Spanish nation and of the legitimate monarchy of Spain, in deference to an usurpation which has no parallel in the history of the world. His Majesty had hoped that the participation of the Emperor of Russia in the overtures made to his Majesty would have afforded a security to his Majesty against the proposal of a condition so unjust in its effect, and so fatal in its example. Nor can his Majesty conceive by what obligation of duty or of interest, or by what principal of Russian policy his Imperial Majesty can have found himself compelled to acknowledge the right assumed by France, to depose and imprison friendly sovereigns, and forcibly to transfer to herself the allegiance of loyal and independent nations. If these be indeed the principles to which the Emperor of Russia has inviloably attached himself; to which his Imperial Majesty has pledged the character and resources of his empire; which he has united himself with France to establish by war, and to maintain in peace, deeply does his Majesty lament a determination by which the sufferings of Europe must be aggravated and prolonged: but not to his Majesty is to be attributed the continuance of the calamities of war, by the disappointment of all hope of such a peace as would be compatible with justice and with honour. The undersigned, &c. (Signed) GEORGE CANNING. No. XVIII.-Letter from Mr. Secretary Canning to M. de Champagny, dated Foreign Office, 7th December, 1808, acknowledging the receipt of his letter. No. XIX.-Official Note, dated Foreign Office, 9th December, 1808. The undersigned, his Majesty's principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has laid before the King his master the Note transmitted to him by his excellency M. de Champagny, dated the 28th November. He is especially commanded by his Majesty to abstain from noticing any of those topics and expressions insulting to his Majesty, to his allies, and to the Spanish nation, with which the Of ficial Note transmitted by M. de Champagny. abounds. But his Majesty is determined not to abandon the cause of the Spanish nation, and of the legitiFrance to exclude from the negociation the Cenmate monarchy of Spain; and the pretension of tral and Supreme Government, acting in the name of his Catholic Majesty Ferdinand the Seventh, is one, which his Majesty could not admit, without acquiescing in an usurpation which has no parallel in the history of the world. The undersigned, &c. (Signed) GEORGE CANNING. No. XX. (Translation.)-Letter from Count Nicolas de Romanzoff to Mr. Secretary Canning, dated Paris, 1st (13th) December, 1808; received December 17th, promising to forward Mr. Canning's Note to the Emperor of Russia. No. XXI.-(Translation.)-Letter from M. de Champagny to Mr. Secretary Canning, dated Paris, 13th December, 1808; received December 17th, promising to forward Mr. Canning's Note to Buonaparte. The PANORAMA would deviate from that sedateness of character by which it has been distinguished, were it to enter at large into what might be said on the subject of this correspondence by the British nation. Our public officers, who have, no doubt, additional information, which they do not communicate to the world, have spoken their sentiments on the sub ject; and to echo what they have said, is not consistent with our independence of opinion. We do most heartily repeat our wishes, that the Spaniards may have prepared for a LONG resistance; and that their, affairs may be entrusted to hands incapable of TREACHERY. We may add, that at length the man whom our best intelligence had pointed out, as most qualified to head the Spanish nation, and to guide the state in troublesome times, occupies a station of command. We mean the Duke de l'Infantado. Of this nobleman it has been said, in our hearing, by those who knew him personally; "He can if he will!-and being the next "in rank after the Duke of Medina Cœli, "who is universally regarded as incapable, "to him the Spanish nation may look for a head and leader." The forced resort of this nobleman to Bayonne, was considered by our informant as a serious evil : but, we suspect, that it was not in the issue injurious to the Spanish cause. Waiting the result of the whole, for only a partial view of existing circumstances is voice to that of our countrymen, in dewithin our power at present, we add our His Majesty was desirous to have treated for a peace which might have arranged the respective interests of all the powers engaged in the war on principles of equal justice; and his Majesty sin-claring, explicitly, that SPAIN MUST BE SUPPORTED!-The man who may deliver that country may start up when we do not expect him.-Spain is very likely to prove the grave of the Frenchmen who are transported thither by the violence of ambition. In a word, Buonaparte has got into Spain; but, he has not yet got out of it. We cannot say that any great disappointment has succeeded the termination of the correspondence with Paris, because no very ardent hopes were excited by it, from the first; and when it was known that Buonaparte had quitted Paris before he could be informed of the result, every ray of hope was extinct. What, then, is the duty of Britain in such a conjuncture? To PREPARE FOR THE VERY WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN. To anticipate in preparation the time when Buonaparte may be master of Spain; but not of the Spanish resources, ships, &c. to suppose he has put in motion his meditated descent upon Ireland; and that he means there to meet and annihilate our power,-Now, what should we wish we had done in such circumstances?Taught all our active population the use of arms-roused the patriotic sentiments which glow in the bosom of Britons; and have contributed all that is possible to the completion of unanimity among us. We certainly should attribute the greatest importance to the last of these particulars but we well know that Britons see things in lights so different, that what appears bright to one appears obscure to another. To conciliate all opinions exceeds our hopes nothing short of the sight of a French army on British ground will effect that wonder. But, that our population may be taught the use of arms, has been our repeated suggestion and even remonstrance. Our advice will prevail in timeIn the meanwhile, the proposals made by government to attain this end, by degrees, deserve attention, and we have thought it our duty to procure a copy of Lord Castleeagh's intended regulations on this subject, which we present to our readers without further comment. Heads of a Bill to allow a certain Proportion of the Militia of Great Britain, to enlist voluntarily into the Regular Forces. Whereas it is necessary that the most effectual measures should be taken for augmenting his Majesty's regular forces; and it is therefore expedient to allow so many of the militia of Great Britain as will leave serving, including corporals, three-fifths of the num ber of the establishment in rank and file of each regiment of militia, to enlist into his Majesty's regular forces, under certain provi sions and restrictions; and to enable his Majesty to accept the services of the men so voluntarily enlisting: Be it enacted, that His Majesty may appoint regiments of the regular forces in which militia men may enlist. -Commanding officer to ascertain the numbers willing to enlist, up to the number allowed.-His Majesty may appoint officers to approve or reject the men. Men enlisted into the regulars, may be transferred to the service.-Commanding officer of every regi marines but men so enlisted may refuse that ment, out of which the proportion limited shall not enlist, shall draw out his men, and read his Majesty's order, and explain the terms of enrolment, and shall cause the names of the men who shall then voluntarily declare their intention of enlisting to be written down; excess shall be reduced by ballot to the number authorised to enlist.—If the number who shall enlist shall not be the due proportion, a further enlistment may take place. -For appointing further periods for enlisting the full proportion.-As soon as the number enlisted is ascertained, they shall be discharged, and if approved, attested; and shall (as soon as conveniently may be) be transferred to some officer of such regiment of his Majesty's regular forces, as his Majesty may have appointed to receive them.-Lord lieutenant to transmit to the Privy Council the number of shall be entitled to enlist until he shall have men discharged.-No person in confinement suffered the sentence of a court martial.-No private militia man shall be entitled to his discharge, or to enlist under this act, who shall have been in confinement, or who shall have been sentenced to any punishment by any court martial, for any offence committed within the space of calendar months before the time of his so offering to enlist, unless he shall obtain the consent of the commanding officer of the regiment of militia in which he shall be serving at the time.-Adjutants, clerk, or regimental clerk, or drummer, or musician in the band of the regiment of militia, or armourer, or artillery man, or måtross, shall not enlist without the consent of the commanding officer. Allowing commanding officers to discharge upon sufficient cause. Persons discharged refusing to enlist, or not approved of, they shall continue to belong to the regiment from which discharged. Officers not authorised to enlist, or persuade to enlist any militia men, other than such as shall have been duly discharged.His Majesty may issue ofders to lord lieutenant and commanding officers, for executing act.— No person shall be drafted from the regiment in which he enlisted unless wholly and abso- From the English militia.-Into the Royal Artillery, for limited service, 77; for unlimited service, 70. Into regiments of the line, for limited service, 12,552; for unlimited service, 1,504. Into the Royal Marines, for limited service, 401; for unlimited service, 658. Total, 15,262. From the Scotch militia.-Into the Artillery, for limited service, 77; for unlimited service, 75. Into Regiments of the Line, for limited service, 3,233; for unlimited service, 323. Into the marines, for limited service, 56; for unlimited service, 126. Total, 3,890. From the Irish militia.-Into the Regiments of the Line, for limited service, 4,163; for unlimited service, 3,955. Into the marines, for unlimited service, 235. Total, artillery, 299, Line, 25,730; Marines, 1,476. General total, 27,505; deficient, 883. State of the Militia in Great-Britain, according to a General Return made up in the Adjutant-General's Office, June, 1808. Effective strength of the Militia in Great Britain, August, 1807, previous to the operation of the acts of the 47th Geo. III. chap. 57: serjeants, 2,993; corporals, 2,636; drummers, 1,589; privates, 50,943; total, 58,161.-Number of men added to the militia by the ballot, under the act of the 47th Geo. III. chap. 71, 34,659; returned from desertion, 466; substitutes for men discharged, 267. Encrease between 1st August 1807 and 1st June 1803, 35,392; total, 93,553.—| Number of men volunteered from the militia, under the act of the 47 Geo. III, chap. 57, 18,763; discharged, 4,397; dead, 1,291; deserted, 1,267. Decrease between 1st August 1807 and 1st June 1808, 25,718. Effective strength on 1st June 1808: serjeants, 3,414; corporals, 3,183; dfuminers, 1,636; privates, 59.602; total, 67,835. It appears also, that 1,576 men have joined the militia since June 1, 1808: add the number reported to have joined previous to the 1st June, 34,659, gives a total of 36,235 men.-In the number 1,576, are included a certain number of men who have joined as substitutes for men discharged. State of the Recruiting, under the Act of the 47th of the King, chap. 56, for increas ing the Militia of Ireland, from Returns and Reports received at the War-Office. Number to be raised.... 9.905 Reported to have been levied......... 9.169 Deficiency...... Dec. 12, 1908. ... 736 HARRY CALVERT, A. G. Adjutant-General's Office, And that the effective force,in rank HARRY CALVERT, A. G. We may be allowed to congratulate the inhabitants of this little island on such a demonstrative proof of their power, and of the effect of measures taken to secure their independence and dignity, as a people. It may be true, for aught we know, that France, with its subjugated sovereignties, has double this number of men in arms: but those are more than counterbalanced by the immense number of British seamen and marines: with various bodies of our volunteers, and local militia. THESE, TOO, ARE FREEMEN, OF THE SAME TEMPER, AS THOSE WHOм *We allude here only to our own times, Egypt, Maida, and, lastly, Corunna.-See London Gazette, p. 1025, of this number. |