Page:Repository of Arts, Series 1, Volume 01, 1809, January-June.djvu/45

 but were afterwards obliged to return lo tbeir old positions. On the side of Finland, the Swedish armies have fought with considerable spirit, and have often defeated the Russian armies; but they were never able to repair the losses that had been sustained in the first irruption of the Russian army, which advancing unexpectedly, and with an immense superiority of force, occupied the whole of Southern Finland, and captured the strong town of Sweaburgh, in the first two months of the war. The Swedish troops have, however, shewn the most distinguished bravery, and the Russians appear unequal to the execution of their threat of marching to Stockholm. When it was known in England, that the Emperor of Russia had thus unexpectedly declared war against our ally, and that Sweden Mas threatened on all sides by enemies, no time was lost by the present ministers to send a considerable force to his assistance. Alexander had chosen the season of winter for his attack, both because the morasses of Finland are then frozen over and present no obstacles to the march of an army, and because at that season of the year no British auxiliary force could enter the Baltic. The fortress of Sweaburgh for the same reasons was unable to offer any effectual resistance, and the grand Swedish flotilla, which was locked up in the harbour by frost, fell into the hands of the Russians. No sooner, however, was the Baltic open to a British fleet, than it was entered, not only by a considerable naval force, but an expedition consisting of near 1500 men, under the command of Sir John Moore, arrived at Gottenburgh. This force was sent unasked for, but the danger of Sweden appeared to require it. At the time of their arrival a great difference of opinion arose between the King of Sweden and the British general about the mode of employing these troops: all that is publicly known of the that the King of Sweden, considering his frontiers safe on the side of Norway, and not fearing an invasion from Copenhagen, wished to employ the British troops in Finland, upon expeditions which appeared to Sir John Moore to be very imprudent. The King of Sweden was irritated at the opposition to his views, and the British army returned. It has never been publicly stated what were the proposed expeditions of which Sir John Moore disapproved, but it was evident, that upon the arrival of the British force at Gottenburgh, Sweden was not on that side exposed to so much danger as was apprehended, and that the continuance of a British force in that neighbourhood would be unnecessary. The return of the British expedition did not, however, alter the disposition of the King of Sweden, who continued the war with great firmness, and accepted with thankfulness the naval assistance which this country afforded him.

The great event, however, which marks the history of the year 1808, and which (if Providence so wills it) may form a new æra in the history of the world, is, the rising of the Spanish nation against Bonaparte. Although the French troops have a second time entered Madrid, the final issue of that struggle has not been yet determined; and if the just cause of Spain should ultimately prevail, the independence of No. I. Vol. I. F