A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.Campbell, James
History
A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.
Campbell, James
Great Britain. Army
After Great Britain had acknowledged the independence of the several
States, if the true spirit of this treaty were not to be strictly
adhered to, it must have been obvious at the time, that it would be
impossible for her to defend her remaining North American possessions;
much less be able at any future period to make them sufficiently
powerful to cope with the United States. But surely with the Treaty,
and the various documents alluded to by Mr. Waddilove, in their hands,
a commission, composed of able military men, sent out to that part of
the world, could so well define the boundary between the two countries,
as to leave no further doubts upon the minds of our Government, as
to the line of conduct to be with justice pursued towards the United
States and also towards our North American possessions; and they
would then be enabled also to act with that firmness and decision
with which these republicans should be met in all our dealings with
them. The idea of umpires ought not for a moment be tolerated--the
treaty and the features of the country render them quite unnecessary.
Without having any ambitious views, Great Britain evidently wants
this disputed territory, if it were only for the security of her North
American Provinces; and it might reasonably be expected that this point
could be amicably arranged, if there is a sincere wish for peace, and
any thing like good will towards us to be found in the United States.
If therefore we are provoked to war, by simply working on both flanks
of any body of troops hazarded by the States into the country alluded
to, their fate may be pretty easily guessed or calculated upon; for
we could have no difficulty in acting at once from Quebec, Halifax,
&c.; and if hereafter emigration from the United Kingdom were duly
and liberally encouraged, as it should be, into a country rightfully
belonging to the British Empire, abounding in small lakes and fine
rivers, we might soon begin to talk not only of our valuable but also
of our powerful American colonies; especially if convicts, in place
of being all sent to New Holland, were employed to make good roads to
connect the countries lying between the Atlantic and the St. Lawrence.
These convicts should never upon any account be allowed to become
settlers.
Having so far entered upon the subject, I think I ought to proceed
in what I hope may be useful; and whilst I speak from observations
made upon the spot, I must take the liberty of reminding the reader
that during the period occupied by "improvements" in the States; the
Canadas, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, &c., though somewhat retarded by
late events, have not been standing still.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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