OCR Text |
Show ( ~6] m~ii%.11waf that as few Troops a's 'tis faid we had thefe~· they were too many to fublift; and that they. mull: have ftarv'd if they t had not fougbr: Now if the Coilntry wonrt furnifh Necelfaries, whence are they to be fetch'd? W hy,either from England or Italy ;'l:xoept fome· fmall Matter that may be had from the Coafts, of Africk. · And is not this a pretty Method co fub1ift an Army ? Ask thofe who know any thing of o·ur Flanders-Armies, wllat would become of them, if Bread and Forage were to be broUj!,ht to them by Sea, from Places 30• so, or 1oo Leag11es from them? Ask them, what Straits they are put to, when only a little Bad Weather has fpoilt the Roads, tho' their Magazines be but four or five Leagues from them ? Ask: them, how inconvenient in general 'tis for them, when they can't be fupply'd by Water with the Tlrings they want, tho' Flanders be the fin eft Country in the World to fubfift an Army in, 'tis fo fruitful in Corn, fo full of good Towns, and affords fo great a Quantity ofWheel-c'arriage. Ask but thefe Queftions and you will be prefently convinc'd, how dif~ ficult it mull: be to fubfift an Army in C<•taloni& when a great Part of their Sublill:ance mull: b; brought by Sea, and from Places fo remote · and the )ittle the Country it felf affords m~ft be fetch'i:i often-times a great way and overfucll ' Mountains, as no Carriages can 7pafs • all muft be hrouglit hy Mules, which coft a great deal, and are not to be had for Money in fuch Numbers, as a very moderate Ar~y has occafion for .. In lhor~, to fubfift any Army in this Coontry IS very difficult ; they muft often be'·in g1"eat ~auger of ftarving, w bile they depend on Winds · and and Seas for their Provifions; and to fubfill: .a great one, which thefe Ge~derncn would feem to argue for, is abfolutely lmpoffi?le. . Let us now fee how it fta nds With France In this J>Cint: Even as well as t hey can wi lh; for "~,tiS' a very lhort Pa!fdge from Marfeilles and 1Qu-. 101i .to Ro{es and other Ports on that fide \>t S{lain, and the Provinces of France that lye n~a>. ref!: to their own Ports, are extreamly fruitful fo that Magazines may be ereded in them wi~h all the cafe imaginable ; and when the Winds won't let their Ships come out, which does not happen verv often, they have a Refervc in Cafe ofNeceffity, and can fupply their Troops by Land. Such a prodigious Advantage has France over us in making War on that fide, even upon Suppofition of maintaining but a moderate Army there, that !hall act Offcnfively and be to make great Marches in fo barren a Country; and if we would fend a greaE one thither,(ootthat I think any Army could be very great by the Time it was there) thefe Inconveniences would increafe in a double Proportion at leaft ; that is, fendi ng twice the Number would be attended with four times the E>ifadvantages, thrice the Number with fix times, and fo on ; but this is fo plain, that I can'l think it needs any farth~:r lllull:rat ion: .Need I add,how hard it is to recruit the Troops in this Service, which one may be fure fin d~ no Voluntiers; and thofe the Law would give to ir, will of two Evils be glad to choo[e the lcaft,and to .. preventbeing fentto Spain,willli!hhemfdves in .anyothtr Setvice. Befides, when thefe Recruits aretr!lis'/i,how !hall they be fcnt ? In fmall NumberS• bl'Othe Packet-boats? But how often are J"u • E :1. they r |