LETTER,

To the Deputy Lieutenants and Magistrates, of the County of Norfolk, on the present alarming situation of the Country: also an ADDRESS to the Norfolk Farmers, and persons of all descriptions, capable of bearing arms, by MAJOR-GENERAL MONEY.

IT were a folly, Gentlemen, to suppose, that you are insensible of the actual situation of this Country; it were a still greater, to suppose that you look on with indifference-yet, from some cause or other, a supineness or indifference seems to pervade at this awful moment all ranks of people. Do you not know the enemy are now preparing to invade you? You may say you have been told they are, and have been told so often--and yet they have never dared to do it. But were the enemy ever until the latter end of the last war, in possession of such an extensive line of coast as they are at present? of harbours, and the means of wafting over an army? Had not the enemy occasion for all their troops to oppose the Emperor, &c. during the last war? and have they any declared enemy now in Europe but the English? and can they have any other object in view to annoy us but the invasion of England, or Ireland, or both? Indeed

So.

I have not the least doubt of their intentions to do it. I know that there is an army now formed or forming in Holland, whose object is Invasion; when I tell you this, believe me, I have good reason for telling you It is pretty clear that his Majesty's Ministers know it full well, and if they do not know it, and the force of that army destined for England, they are certainly not fit for their situations— how far they are fit, time will soon discover. I have been told, Gentlemen, it is for them to provide for the defence of the Country. But suppose they are not capable of bringing as many men into the field as the exigency of the times requires, which is certainly present situation; are we to console ourselves with loading them with reproaches after all the evil has happened to us that is likely to happen? Pretty consolation that will be! when perhaps no blame attaches to them. It is not a question now, Gentlemen, whether we ought to have gone to war, or not, but the question is whether we shall tamely look on and see this Country made a Province to France, or even made the Theatre of War? I have no scruple in saying, this is an awful crisis; it may appear more so in my eyes than in yours, for I am perfectly of Mr. WINDHAM's opinion, that your Militia will at the first onset be unequal to a

their

contest with veteran troops, if of such the army of France be composed. I know what raw soldiers are, in' any country; when put in the situation of troops of the line, they are not to be depended upon, a single cannon shot will sometimes send them to the right about; there are two descriptions of troops that are more subject to panic than any other, viz. Troops who have never been in action, and men accustomed to be beaten. It has been my lot to have been in three armies that have been beaten, that at Saratoga, that at Brabant, where we had 40,000 men, and not a man could be made to halt and form, in a retreat of 30 miles, also in the army under Dumouriez, in Champaigne, and nothing but the confidence they received from the junction of 30,000 men, under Kellerman, pre vented them from disbanding altogether. These are reasons, Gentlemen, why I say this is an awful moment, should the enemy effect a landing in force.

Do you wish to have others? I will give you them. Look at our regiments, in both Cavalry and Infantry, and you will not see a man scarcely above 25 years of age, except those in foreign garrisons; most of them who had served in Flanders, &c. &c. are discharged; a man of thirty or five and thirty, has been and is considered an old man, and he is sent about his business to make room for a boy of 17. Believe me 10,000 old soldiers, or such as are now called so, are better than 20,000 young ones.-I am no alarmist, Gentlemen, or I could point out other causes of alarm of as great a magnitude; I wish only to confirm what has already been said in and out of parliament, that we are in a situation truly perilous, and probably on the eve of great events; but, Gentle

men, I wish to do away, in part, the alarm such a description of our military force may occasion; yet at the same time I wish to make you sensible of your danger. I have to tell you, that many of the French regiments I saw last summer in France and Flanders, were no better than ours; the enemy has also discharged most of those men who had been long on service, and claimed their discharge; many of their regiments were composed only of boys.. Do not, Gentlemen, flatter yourselves with the notion that we are perfectly safe while we are masters of the sea; that is only one anchor, and who would think himself safe in a gale of wind, when he knew that there was not another to let go, if that, by which the vessel was held, gave way. What is there to prevent the enemy from coming over when the wind blows fresh from the east or south east, and your fleet is off the Helder? That wind that will bring the enemy from Flushing, from the Scheldt, will prevent your fleet working up the channel; buť would it be safe for them to quit their station off the Helder, and let another division of the enemy's forces out?

Having in some respect eorroborated the floating rumour, that this Country is in great danger from the enterprizing and determined spirit of the enemy, it would be great folly, Gentlemen, in us, patiently to wait till the roofs of our houses were on fire, before we thought of extinguishing the flames.-If I lived in the interior part of England, probably I should not have given my thoughts on this subject; not that I could justify myself in resting a quiet spectator of a public calamity; but we here in a very different situation from an inland country. Do not fancy that the sand banks off the coast, and our navy, is a sufficient protection: the

enemy