Swiss Military Power

1753

The greatest Part of their Country is the most rugged in its Appearance, and naturally the most barren in its Soil of any in Europe; and yet by Dint of Labour and Cultivation, they render it tolerably fruitful. All their Cities are well built, populous, and most of their Inhabitants live pretty much at their Ease, which is owing partly to their Industry, and partly to their Frugality. The Gentry of Switzerland, notwithstanding what is commonly reported of them, are, generally speaking, tolerably educated, and from their seeing foreign Countries, commonly well bred. Their Traders have great Privileges, and some of them are in wealthy Circumstances; and as for their Peasants, they are very hardy and laborious. As their Women are justily reputed very honest as well as very good House-wives, so they are generally speaking very prolifick, and their Country being but narrow, this lays them under an absolute Necessity of sending out Numbers every Year to seek their Bread in foreign Countries. As they are naturally of a martial Disposition, and accustomed to Arms from their Youth, they usually seek some foreign Service or other; those of the Popish Cantons go into the French and Spanish Pay; those of the Protestants, and not a few of the Popish likewise, into that of the States General; but wherever they are, they have the Honour to be accounted as good Troops as any in the World. After some Years Service more or less, according to their Contracts, the private Men return home, though their Corps remain still in foreign Service, and are from time to time filled up with fresh Recruits. It is owing to these People that have served abroad, both Officers and Soldiers, that the Swiss are never at a loss for as large and well disciplined an Army as any Government in Europe can raise, which are at the same time the Guardians of their own Liberty, and the Protectors of their Neighbours Freedom. Neither is their Power grounded only on Opinion, for they have defended themselves at different Times against most of the great Powers in Europe, and though they have been sometimes outwitted, yet they were never beaten, or reduced to demand Peace by any Power whatever; so that they may be justly considered, taking in their Situation and their Militia, as the most unconquerable People in Europe.

It is very difficult, perhaps hardly possible, to make a just Computation of the Force of the Swiss. Some say, that the Canton of Bern alone can bring into the Field one hundred thousand Men; but those who say this allow, that they could not maintain them for any Time. Things are much changed with this Nation from what they were formerly; for they have now several good Fortresses, though heretofore they had none. Many of the Gentry of Switzerland are very able Statesmen, as well as experienced Officers, and such in former Times were very scarce. Several of the Cantons are now very rich, and besides vast Sums that they have locked up at home, have also great Wealth in foreign Banks, and particularly in our Funds. Every great City is well furnished with Artillery, and at Bern and Zurich they have Field and Battering Trains of Brass Cannon, than which there are few better in Europe. Yet with all this Force they are not in the least formidable to those that live near them, since they are without doubt the very best Neighbours in the World; so void of Ambition, that they have no Idea of Conquest, such Lovers of Justice, that the very Report of Oppression will bring them to the Relief of the Distressed. By this means the City of Geneva has been often, and will probably be always protected against two very formidable Powers, one the most enterprizing, and the other the most ambitious in Europe.

Those who have treated of the Interest of the Swiss, seem to think that they may be some Time or other in Danger from France; but of this there seems to be at present very little Appearance. For in the first place, it is not easy to conceive why the French should quarrel with them, since as themselves allow, and indeed all the World knows, the Swiss Troops in their Pay make the Flower of their Infantry. It is in the next place very difficult to apprehend why the Swiss should quarrel with the French, from whom it is certain they receive considerable Advantages. It is true, that the Swiss are open on the Side of the Franche Compte; and it has been thought a great Overfight in this Nation to let the French become Masters of it; but in all Probability they depended upon their natural Strength; and within less than half a Century, when France talked very big, and threatened in relation to the Sovereignty of Neufchatel and Valingen, the Swiss were so far from showing any Concern about it, that they were ready to have taken up Arms, if Lewis XIV. had not immediately changed his Language.

As for the House of Austria, they will never attack or offend the Swiss for fear of throwing them into the Arms of France, and there is no other Potentate in Condition to disturb them. The only Point of their Interest which they seem not perfectly to understand, is the Power they have of protecting Italy; for if the Princes of this Country could be brought to enter into a Treaty of perpetual Neutrality, and could prevail upon the Swiss Cantons, in Consideration of an annual Subsidy, to join in it, and keep up a constant Body of Troops, to give Weight to that Neutrality, the Ballance there might be effectually settled; but private Interests, and the ambitious Views of small Princes as well as great, render this a thing not so much to be hoped for as wished.

Campbell. The Present State of Europe; Explaining the Interests, Connections, Political and Commercial Views of its Several Powers, Comprehending also, A clear and Concise History of each Country, so far as to show the Nature of their Present Constitutions. (London: 1753), pp. 465-467.