The restlessness of this ambition, which, when there was no opportunity for making real accessions to the FreNch empire, employed itself in the nominal annexation of ter tories, which in fact had been before annexed, was displayed by the decree of the 5th of August ; by which the territo ries belonging to the kingdom of Italy, situated, on the left bank of the river that flows between Parma and Modena, were united to France, and its course, from its mouth to its source, was to be the future boundary between France and Italy, the boundary then proceeding along the Apennines• to the frontiers of Tuscany.
On the 19th of September, Bonaparte left Compcigne on a tour to the coast ; visiting Boulogne, where he caused the attack on the English frigate, noticed in the History of 13nITAIN, and thence proceeding to Ostend, Flushing, and Antwerp, where he minutely examined all the works that were going on in the dock yards, and the ships that were building. From Antwerp he went to Amsterdam, whence, on the 13th of October, he issued a decree for assembling in council the deputies to the legislative body from the Dutch departments. In consequence of this meeting, a number of decrees were issued, the most important of which were to the following purpose : The departments and their boundaries—the introduction of the French sys tem of taxation into Holland, on the 1st of January 1812— the establishment of two imperial manufactories of tobacco —roads with their tolls—canals—aqueducts for conveying water from Amsterdam to the Hague—the proportion of the budget in Holland for the year 1810, by which the re venue is fixed at 95 millions of !lyres, and the expcnces at ill millions—the establishment of two academies and se condary schools on the French plan, &c. Bonaparte return ed to Paris on the 1 1 th of November ; and soon afterwards issued an order for the immediate call of 120,000 conscripts of the year 1812.
This increase of his forces was occasioned by the dis putes which, during 1811, had arisen between the Empe ror of Russia and Bonaparte : the former, by the treaty of Tilsit, had agreed to exclude British goods from his do minions ; but the consequences of this measure were so ex tremely prejudicial to the finances of his empire, already nearly exhausted, and to the interest of his nobles, many of whom depended entirely on the interchange of the pro duce of their estates for the merehandize of England, that Alexander was induced to connive at the infraction of the treaty in this respect. This gave umbrage to Bonaparte ; and as Alexander, moreover, would not yield up Finland to Sweden., which Bonaparte required him to do, the dif ference was increased and exasperated. The whole year 1811 passed in negotiations and discussions between France and Russia ; but as neither party was prepared for war, hostilities were deferred. Bonaparte still saw the pe
ninsula not only unsubdued, but requiring almost con stantly fresh troops ; and the Emperor Alexander, fatally convinced of the ruin attending the commencement of hos tilities, before every thing was planned and prepared, re solved not to commit himself hastily.
But though Bonaparte was afraid to act in a decidedly hostile manner towards the Emperor of Russia, the King of Prussia received no such scrupulous treatment from him. Indeed he seemed resolved to humble that monarch as much as possible ; and obliged him, much against his will, to join the confederacy of the Rhine, and to place a considerable body of his troops under the orders of General Rapp, the French commander on the southern coast of the Baltic. This confederation was now extremely powerful : At the beginning of this year, the states composing it con tained a territory of 5703 square leagues, with a population of nearly 15 millions ; and the contingent of troops, which its 39 members furnished, was fixed at 118,682 men : these were taken, in the autumn of 1811, into the pay of France. See CONFEDERATION OF THE RHINE.
As the history of the war in Spain, which is given under the article BRITAIN, terminates with the reduction of Ciu dad Rodrigo, in January 1812, we shall resume and conti nue it in this place.
The preservation of Ciudad Rodrigo being of the ut most consequence to the French, Marshal Marmont march ed to its relief; before he arrived, however, it surrendered. Lord Wellington's next enterprise was Badajos, which had been for some time blockaded by General Hill. This place was commanded by Philippon, a distinguished officer in the French service, especially as an engineer, and he left no means untried by which he could strengthen the fortifica tions, or impede the progress of the besiegers. Nothing, however, could withstand the valour of the British, who carried the place by storm, after suffering a severe loss, on the 7th of April. Soult had pushed forward to relieve this place, but as soon as he learned its fate, he commenced his retreat: his rear was closely followed by the British ca valry, and suffered considerably. On the 1 lth of April he evacuated the province of Estremadura entirely. In the mean time, Marmont had sat down before Ciudad Rodrigo, in the hopes of drawing of Lord Wellington from the siege of Badajos ; but not succeeding in his object, and learning that his Lordship was advancing into Castile, he broke up from Ciudad Rodrigo, and advanced as far as Castel Blan co ; but from this place he again retreated.