Gottenburgh, but was not permitted to land. Sir John Moore repaired to Stockholm to communicate his orders, and to concert measures for the security of Sweden. He there found, to his surprise, that though the Swedish army was quite insufficient for even defensive operations, his majesty's thoughts were wholly intent on conquest. It was first proposed, that the British should remain in their ships, till some Swedish regiments should be collected at Got tenburgh, and that the combined forces should land, and conquer Zealand. Upon an examination of the plan, it was found and admitted, that the island of Zealand, besides several strong fortresses, contained a regular force, far superior to any that could be brought to bear against it and also, that the island of Funen was full of Freuch and Spanish troops, which could not be prevented from crossing over in small parties. It was next propos. ed that the British alone should land on Finland, storm a fortress, and take a position there. But Sir John Moore represented, that ten thousand British troops were wholly insufficient to encounter the principal force of the Russian empire, which could quickly be brought against them at a point so near Petersburgh. ---Sir John escaped from the resentanent of his Swedish majesty in disguise, and conformably to his instructions, brought back his little army to England. In consequence of the disastrous and menacing aspect of affairs in Sweden, Lewis XVIII. of France, with the queen and the duchess of Angoulême, took refuge, in the month of August, in England.

As the Russians acquired an extension of territory on the one hand

by the acquisition of Swedish Fin laud, they still kept a steady eye on the long-meditated project of extending their empire to the Bosphorus, by the acquisition of Mol davia, Wallachia, and Bessarabia. The number of their troops in Moldavia and Wallachia, in the autumn of 1808, was raised to upwards of 80,000 men. To face these a great number of Turkish troops marched from time to time from Constantinople and other places, to the Danube: and of these no inconsiderable number had been trained in the European manner, and taught the use of the bayonet. The reigning sultan had been deposed, and a new one placed on the throne, under the influence of Mustapha Bairactar, a rigor ous, bold, and, for a Turk, an en lightened man. Notwithstanding the many examples of the destruc tion of those who attempted inno vations, he dared, with an energy that shewed no mercy, to give of fence to the janissaries, by the in troduction of important regulations into the army, which he proceeded in new modelling, as well as increas ing its numbers. He was equally attentive to the strength and improvement of the Turkish fleet. He demanded a certain number of hands, not only from all trading vessels, but also from fishing boats. The career of Bairactar, in proportion to its vigour and audacity, was of short duration: on the 14th of November, at day-break, the janissaries fell upon the siemens, principal officers of the Nizommi Gedid.* and massacred all the partizans of of the grand vizier that came in their way. The siemens were forced to submit, after a long resistance. On the 15th, the janissaries assaulted the high walls of the seraglio. Imme

diately

diately on this, the grand vizier strangled the unfortunate Mustapha IV, who was a prisoner there, blew himself up in his own palace with gun-powder, of which he had purposely provided a large quantity before-hand, to prevent his falling alive into the hands of his enemies. This was the third revolution that had happened at Constantinople in the space of eighteen months: never before had the turbulent imbecility of the Turkish government been exhibited in so striking a

manner.

In Italy the most prominent events were the transference of the crown of Naples to Murat, Buonaparte's brother-in-law, the grand duke of Berg; the usurpation of the papal throne, and annexation of Rome, with all the ecclesiastical states, Placentia, Parma, and Anconia, to the French empire. The cardinals were banished from Rome, but allowed no inconsiderable pensions. The person of his holiness was secured in a state of confinement. Buonaparte said, that he only took back what had been given to the church for the support of religion and promotion of piety: but as the munificent donations of his predecessor, Charlemagne, had been used for very different purposes, it was very fit that they should be recalled. The kingdom of Christ, he observed, like a sound divine, was not of this world.

The same pope, Pius VII. that had gone to crown Napoleon at Patis, and agreed to the subversion of the Gallican church, and the dimination of the apostolical power, by the establishment of the concordat, in this terrible crisis, assumed the courage and the character of a martyr. He protested, by a public

manifesto, against the irreligious and unjust proceeding of the em peror of the French towards the holy apostolical see. He formally excommunicated him. In proclamations addressed to the Spanish, Portugueze, and all other Catholic nations, he exhorted them to the defence of the altar and the throne, at the hazard of their lives, as well as the expence of their fortune, The affecting passage in the Evangelists, describing the remorse of the disciple and apostle Peter, at his having denied his Saviour, was finely and pathetically applied by the Roman Catholic to Pius VII. "And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the words of Jesus, how he had said unto him, before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice; and Peter went out, and wept bitterly."

It seemed matter of astonishment to many, that so subtle and refined a politician as Buonaparte, should incur the hazard of exciting the indignation, and a spirit of resistance to his aggressions, in all Catholic countries, by the spoliation and imprisonment of the pope. But Buonaparte's power had by this time risen to so enormous a pitch, that he did not think it necessary to mamage or keep any terms with the opinions and prejudices of men or nations. His general plan was, to arm and direct one half of the world against the other: ruffians and villains against men of good principles and peaceable dispositions and habits; and to make every thing bend under the weight of military despotism. It is a maxim of Machiavel's, that when a prince wants to establish his power ou changes, he should leave nothing of the old system, but make all

things

things new. Buonaparte, who is no doubt well acquainted with Machiavel, appears not to have considered himself as secure until all the venerable institutions of society had been trodden under foot.-It is possible to overrun and subjugate nations by a war against both morality and religion: but whether a vast empire is to be long preserved without both, is a problem that experience has not yet resolved. The foundation of Buonaparte's empire is military force and ingenious combination; the spoils of proprietors distributed among military adventurers; and the efforts of states and kingdoms against one another, dextrously turned to the destruction of the whole. But this career of destruction seems to be calculated, by its very nature, to come, at no great distance of time, to a termination. The altar indeed was restored, in some fashion, by the concordat, but not religion. Lucian Buonaparte and Portalis, recommending the concordat to the assembly, said, that "Religion was an useful instrument in the hands of government, as well as a consolation to weak minds and timorous consciences." Such a nation as the French cannot venerate a system of pomp and ceremony, avowedly adapted merely to such purposes; and considered by the legislature as mere mummery. The Roman Catholic clergy, too, have been vilified and brought into contempt; not by the ruling powers of France, but by themselves: by swearing, abjuring, and swearing again, according to circumstances, and by the blasphemous adulation of so many bishops and archbishops, who

in their pastoral letters, as well as their sermons on public occasions, do not hesitate to call Buonaparte a "new Cyrus whom God has chosen and supports for the accomplishment of his impenetrable designswhom God brought back from Egypt, in order to make him the man of his right-hand. This is the doing of the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes."

In British India, the company's ministers made great progress in reducing, according to directions from home, the public expenditure, with other improvements; and in conciliating the favour of the Persians: both of them subjects to which our attention will be particularly called by events of 1809.

An attempt was made by the government of Bengal to secure the possession of the Portugueze settlement of Macao for the prince regent, under British protection, inthe same manner, or by similar arrangements, as Madeira had been. But the emperor of China sent or ders to the governor of the district, within which Macao is situated, not to allow the English company's ships to trade, until such concessions and apologies should be made, for the attempt to station a military force in that island, as might be amply sufficient for the purpose of inducing him to pardon them:concessions were made to the celestial empire; and harmony was reestablished.+

The Americans still held out against the British orders in council: and Britain still held out against the American embargo.

CHRONICLE.

JANUARY.

st. The British THE state of Navy.- the British na. , according to the returns up to e present day, is as follows:here are in commission 795 ships war, of which 144 are of the ie, 20 from 50 to 44 guns, 178 igates, 226 sloops of war, 227 med brigs, &c. Besides which ere are building and in ordinary, ips which make the total amount the British navy, exclusive of itters and other small vessels, 000 ships of war, including 253 the line, 29 from 50 tò 44 guns, 31 frigatos, 299 sloops, 258 armed rigs.

Particulars of the Loss of the nson Frigate. The following farer particulars of the melancholy ss of this ship are given, chiefly a the authority of the officers who ere saved: The Anson sailed com Falmouth on Christmas-eve or her station off the Black locks, as one of the look-out rigates of the Channel fleet. In he violent storm of Monday, lowing about W. to S. W. she tood across the entrance of the Channel, towards Scilly, made the and's-End, which they mistook or the Lizard, and bere up, as hey thought, for Falmouth. Still VOL. L.

doubtful, however, in the evening of Monday, Captain Lydiard stood off again to the southward; when a consultation being held, it was once more resolved to bear up for Falmouth. Running eastward and northward, still under the fatal persuasion that the Lizard was on the north-west of them, they did not discover the mistake till the man on the look-out a-head, called out "breakers!" The ship was instantaneously broached to, and the best bower let go, which happily brought her up; but, the rapi. dity with which the cable had veered out made it impossible to serve it, and it soon parted in the hawse. hole. The sheet anchor was then let go, which also brought up the ship; but after riding end on for a short time, this cable parted from the same cause, about eight in the morning, and the ship went plump on shore, upon the ridge of sand which separates the Loc-pool from the Pay. Never did the sea run more tremendously high. It broke over the ship's masts, which soon went by the board; the main-mast forming a floating raft from the ship to the shore; and the greater part of those who escaped, passed by this medium. One of the men saved, reports, that Captain Lydi. ard was near him on the main.

A

mast;

mast; but he seemed to have lost the use of his faculties, with horror of the scene, and soon disappeared. We have not room to go further into particulars, nor language that will convey an adequate picture of the terrific view that presented itself; but justice demands that we notice the conduct of a worthy member of a sect but too much vi. lifed.

At a time when no one appeared on the ship's deck, and it was supposed the work of death had ceased, a Methodist preacher, venturing his life through the surf, got on board, over the wreck of the main mast, to see if any more remained -some honest hearts followed him. They found several persons still below, who could not get up; among whom were two women and two children, The worthy preacher and his party saved the two women and some of the men, but the children were irretrievably lost. About two p.m. the ship went to pieces; when a few more men, who for some crime had been confined in irons below, emerged from the wreck-one of these was saved. By three o'clock, no appearance of the vessel remained. She was an old ship (a 64, we believe, cut down) which accounts for her beating to pieces so soon on a sandy bottom.

The men who survived, were conveyed to Helston, about two miles distant, where they were taken care of by the magistrates, and afterwards sent to Falmouth in charge of the regulating captain at that port. We are aware that general report has stated the number drowned to be greater than we have given it but of the missing, we understand many are deserters, who

scampered off as soon as they reached the shore. Among the offi cers saved, we heard of the following :-Capt. Sullivan, a passenger; Messrs. Hill and Braily, midshipmen; Mr. Ross, assistant surgeon ; and some others.

Glasgow, Jan. 2. Notice." In consequence of an application from a considerable number of respect. able gentlemen, I request a meeting of the merchants and manufacturers of this city, in the town-hall, on Thursday next, at one o'clock, p.m. for the purpose of consider. ing the propriety of expressing to his majesty, at this important crisis, their firm determination to support by every means in their power his just rights and the interests of the British empire, and at the same time to congratulate his majesty on the vigorous and active line of con. duct which has been pursued in the prosecution of the war, and upon the brilliant successes with which those energetic measures have so happily been crowned, notwith. standing the strong confederacies which have been formed against us.

"JAMES MACKENZIE,

"Lord Provost." Longevity.-A Mrs. Mary Trapson is now living in Kent-street, Liverpool, in good health and spi. rits, at the advanced age of 110 years, having been born in Scot. land the 1st of January, 1698. She had lived in the reign of five súc. cessive monarchs, beginning with king William. She bore a distinguished part in the battle of Det. tingen, Culloden, Fontenoy, &c. under the duke of Cumberland.

Lately was shot, by George Pringle, at Staingale, near DanbyLodge, (the sporting-seat of the right hon. lord viscount Downe)

an