The Statesman. — London, England, 1810-02-02 00:00:00

1 II , I 1 t i I, li' 4 t 1, i f ' TI44NRS TO LORD WELLINGTON. The CHANCELLOR of the UCH EgUER, ia dialog to move the Thanks of the House. to Lord WeillN for his Skill and valour, so eminently display i n the battle of Talavera, could not re. fain from expressite; regret at the symptoms of opposition which were manifested in that House, and which had been previously manifested else. where. lie thought it could not be denied that the action for which he was about to move ; their thanks, was one of the most splendid that had ever graced our annals. When the numbers of the enemy with which we had to cootend were taken . into consideration, as also the state they were in, far unlike the po Spaniards over whom the French had frequently triumphed, naked and un. disciplined, the force opposed to nor abrnif was composee.of veteran troops who were the boast 'of' our enemy ; when these circumstances were cast., sidered, the merits of the action would, he true. , ted, appear in a proper light. He wished thew to bear in mind, the advantages that must itH cessaiily result front it to this country, as they must be aware how essential it was to our, inle ter. at to maintain the reputation of our armies; boa It for taloar in the field and fur skill and,: wisdu:o in the Cum handers. When they consi• demi the policy and the importance .of that,. and the justice of rewarding bravery, he hoped the Ii lase would nut hesitate to give the hono rable testi 'lofty of applause due to military cx. et:Bence. lie wished those who might feel di:. posed to oppose the motion, to consider if their !totality were not, in some measure, theadrsering of party di&rences. That such Gehl, might not inflernce. the vote they were to give, he was aoxious to abstain front witching nit any topic on which a difference of opinion might exist. Ile would for the present leave the policy of the Expedition to Spain and Portugal entirely out of the •1 %oaten, aiel only call Voir attention to the Battle of Taltvera, iu which the skill of the Ge neral was only equalled by the valour of the troops, and Ale velour of the troops by the skill of the General. In doing this he wished it distinctly to be understood, that he did not shrink from an inquiry into thit policy and conduct of that Expedition. He did not wish that to b! held from discussion. At any time he would be prepared to defend the conduct and oven to maintain the utility of that campaign. Thecir eunistatices of it were so recent, that it was hardly necessary to state them anew. After expellitie the. enemy from Portugal, Len! Wellington marched from the North of Portugal to the Tagus. Ile arrived there on the 11th or 12th of JUlle, end on the '27th broke up to go to Placentia. He formed, a junction with the force under Cuesta, with whom lie had several conferencei, and a plan• of , operation was then concerted. It was proposed stet only to drive the enemy beyond the Alberche, but to expel the French by a combined operation (ruin the South of Spain, while Vanegas, whose force was included in the plan, was to push on toa: wards Madrid. This plan unfortunately was ne. ger carried into execution.; its !Attire, however, cuul.l not be ascribed to any misconduct on the part of Lord Wellington. He now curie to speak of the battle of Talavere. Ou the oieht of the 27. h of J'sly the French attacked the division en. d , r the command of Gen. Hill. The mutter is which that attack was repelled, and the enemy re. pulstul at the point of the bayunet,was well known, as was the subsequent defeat of the enemy, and most be fresh in the memory of every one. Every part of the operation was characterised by corre, spending skill and valour; and it ended glo riously, ended in a repulse, and in a complete victory over an enemy, double the number of oar army. The Spaniards afforded little as. 'Waite in this battle. Whatever might bethought of it here, no doubt was entertained of its merits in Spaio, Portugal, and he might add in France. It was en achievement that called for the best ?batiks of the House; and he wished as Uon. Gentlemen opposite, who was not then in hisplacte, would consider how well he might exert that elm. quence of which be was is so eminent. a degree possessed, by doing justice to the skill and va lour displays; in that action, and calling on the House for an unanimous vote of thanks to the gallant ()dicer by whom it was achieved. He would wish to recal to his mind what he so 'ably urged, when moving fur thanks to the General who gained the battle of Maida, wham he so deeply impressed on the House floe importance of paying a proper degree of attention to the escon. ragemcnt of military merit. That merit such as was shown its the plains of Maids hatrbeen exetn. plifictl in the fields of Talavera. The two ac tions were similar, and he hasped that lion. Gcn. Omen, feeling that circumstance as he did, would concur in calling on the House for that honour which was so well deserved by the conqueror of Talavera. Theitight Hoe. Gentleman concluded by movine, " That tae Thanks of that house should be given to Lord Wellington for the distinguished ability displayed by !din on the 27th and 28th ofittly. 1109, in the glorious battle of Ta lavers, n hick tenaivated io the repulse and difeat of a supe rior enemy." Lord MILTON could not concur with the Right Hon. Gentleman upposite: he could not con sider this as •an insulated question, and 'e (sold therefore move au aineteltinitit. Ile did not wish to anticipate the discussion' on the policy of time late Expedition ; but lie could not look on the present motion but as intimately connected with the events of the campaign 4 He *as well aware bow necessary it was to maintain the reputation of the army ; hut he could not think the line of pursued by the Honourable Gentleman likely to produce the wished-for effect. They had got. intu a bell habit of voting their thanks on all occa sions, till they had in a great degree lost their va. lee. It was impossible for any one to contemplate th e events of the late campaign, and not think them disastrous. It was not cm/ugh to entitle leoNi Wellington to thanks that he hail extricated army from a most desperate situation by his skill and valour, Ile might never to have placed it in such a situation. All Administrations were feat, of thanking their Getterals, thinking the praises bestowed on them, reflected lustre on them seises. lie did not know that the present naotiou originated in each a 4(411;4 bat wen 1~ MI similar motions emanated from such former occasions. He admitted that Me bi Talavera was glorious—he acknowledged the's 11; of the Commander,' and the valour of the teisops ; bet hertboutlat a Genital Wass not, entitles} tit the' 'fbanks or that llonse merely for behaving well on the day of battle. ,He voted Thaolts for the battle of Violent with all his heart ; but had he thought the Thanks voted for the valour displayed by Sir A. Wellesley in that ba l ttle would have. causediho battle of Talarera (from a thirst for personal 0)- 11), he would have paused before he,,gwve his vote. Lord IVelliugtun appeared trhileiily-tase fought merely for his Peerage. Did the Right Hon. Gentleman oppbsitu wish them to is out of the question that the result of the battle had. canted Lord Wellington to retreat, leaving 3500 sick behind, 1500 of whom fell into the.handi of the enemy ? Did he wish them not to remember that that army had never since resumed active operations ? Not one dispatch from Lord IVel.: lington had been published since that of tbu 2trt of August, dated 'frnaillo. Did that circuit. stance arise from his having sent none, or were the dispatches he sent of . such a . nature that it was thought proper nut to communicate them to the ? An air of mystery hung over the whole campaign. Lord Wellington was not an inactive man, and how his having lain dormant 'so long could be satisfactorily accounted fur, he was at a loss to imagine. After a few further remarks, the Noble Lord concluded by moving an amendment to the following effect : Teat the whale alike origival motion be taken away after the word " That." for the purpose of adding, " the Thanks of the !louse be given to the Officers and Soldiers under Lnrd Wellington, for the nod lunted courage they displayed in re pulsing the attack of the enemy at Talavera, on the 27th and .24th of July, 1809; hut while •theYacknowledge their disci pline and valour, they have to regret that Lord Wellington c mid derive noadvantages from their prowess, being compelled a few dais afterwards to recross the Tagu', at the bridge of Arzobispo. leaving 8.530 sick and wounded behind, 1,500 of whom tell into the hands of the enemy, and finallz to retreat upon Portugal." . Mr. VERNON thought if tho question had been merely as to valour and skill, little differ. ence of opinion would have beau expressed. 13ut it was not sufficient to entitle Lord Wellington to the Thanks of that House, to say he had displayed great skill and yak's'. at Talavera, as he might be asked, what business hail he at Talavera ? When -Citesta fleciined taking his part in the proposed ope: ralion,.Locil Wellington should have said " I have done my duty, the moment is lost through your failing to co.operate with me in it proper manner, and I have now only to provide fur the safety of my own army." lie had never thosesangnine hopes of the Spanish cause that many seemed to indulge, and which he thought must have proceeded rather from desire than from sober reason. Wiwi, we considered the resources of Spain opposed to these of France, we hail no reason to believe their leligiun, King, or coustitutiou, would attlwate 'the . Spaniards so fermi to oppose the,viewr of iiii.- expitete with seeress. He did not whh Ministers to abandon Spain in the extremity of her distress ; he would have them scud arms, clothes, Money, uay, even troops, provided they could act on the dust, or maintain a constant communication with ,e fleet ; but they ought not to be sent into. the tountry to depiod for subsistence on a Govern ment without cuntronl, and act with an army that algid beast tto Mr. M. MONTA.GUE defended Ministers, and vindicated Lord Wellipwon from the charges pre 'tweed aphist him.. It would be toijast to refuse to Lord Wellington those Thanks which had often been given on occasions greatly inferior to the brilliant :ash. of Ttlavera. Tito etfeets of the Expedition he contended wonld he beneficiel to England. It would have been well had no party feel. ing opposed the present motion: Such conduct woold not be grateful t ► the country; and Gelato. he firmly believed, would .find thernselvni deceived if they expected thus to ingratiate theta. selves with the people. Mr. LEMON supported the Amendment. General TARLE I'ON opposed the motion of the Right Hon. Gentlemam, Quid trusted he shoul4 be allowed to otter a few words in his own de. fence, 'for every day's experience shewed the ne. cessity of public trial. Thu Hon. General then' proceeded to lament the state of inaction to which, he was condemned, which he declared was not his own (salt, but was to be attributed to Ministers, who were not disposed to employ him. Though his tottering limbs and trembling tusk would stasis' carry him to foreign service, yet he was prepared to defend the soil of Great Britain with the last drop of his blood. Whatever opinions he might otter, they were dictated solely by the love of his , country ; and therefore, as a military matt, he was bound, on military topics, to declare hit semi. meets. With respect to the march of Lord Wel lington from the confines of Portugal to the South of Spain, he went over all his formes: observations, condemning his ~Lortlship tor havkiis irtittedthe position he had oceupietl l to encounter s withtiut the Inecessary supplies, such a ntaiimOriog army as the French, and contended that though the enemy ' were repulsed, an victory had heen obtained. He described the dispatch of Lord Wellington as vain. glorious, partial, and incur : rect.—N.l.e he was called to order by Mr. Montague.l* - ---He could not admit that the battle of Talavera was to be compared, as some writece had stated, with the battles of Agincourt, Cressey, anti Poietiers. By the battle of Agincourt • a Crown was gained ; by that of Talasera a Crown wits lust. After the former, did the Kiog leave. his wounded to be made prisoners, or extric;:te him. self from peril by flight ? lle then prueoutled to make a comparison between the actions of the Duke of Marlborough and those of Lord. We llington ; and cueelnilcd by saying, that though be could not conseittrn thank the Ntiltle Lord, he was willing to tin every justice to the bravery and valour of the officers and army under Ma coin luand, whose courage bad never been exceeded in the military history of the country. Lord CASTLEREAGH took a very ctsmpre. hensive view of the whale of tle , operations of tite British army under Lur&l Wellington; lfr cuu. .trt tbat the int great object obtained, was 64soe: . a*iguisitlon the Spaniards had, in getting ssi Ak of the command of the Tagus. This aequisition netmdy afforded the advauta4n to Qi Spallill6ll of thet,possession, but was fully within the spirit .of his instructions, as defending th frontier ot", Portugal. the Noble Lord, in mostiottclkis aqd impressive manner, proceed:. to 'tethe progress of that army, first against. Soult's army - in. the north, and after his defeat against /hat of Victor, until the hostil.. armies mot at Talavera. That victory he epitomized as one of the most splendid upon military record, cont_ bining the highest personal heroism, with the most correct and systematic. observance of all those . principles, which those best conversant with mod e rn warfare; had uniformly acted upon. , Mr. WHITBREAD congratulated the real friends of Lord Wellington upon having found in the last speaker at least. one sincere defender of that gallant General. Up to the period of Tala— vera, he (Mr. W.) was always inclined to consi- der him as a distinguished sAcer ; but in appreli _ sting hi s claims to the Thanks of Parliament upon the present occasion, it was impossible to east the veil of oblivion over the affects which followed. it was impossible to forget;that though his .gallant brethren in arms were the participators of his site. cess, that they were also the victims of his teme. rity. The Honourable Member took a- View of the whole campaign, and in answer to the Noble Lord, contended that the movementS of Lord Wet. lington neither tended to advance the interests of the Spaniards, or Cu support the reputation of the British army, even putting out of the question the particular disasters of that batiks. • . Colonel L. CRAUFURDexpreesed his decided conviction that the vote of ,that House was never more justly deserved than by Lord Wellington.. General STEWART, hi a manner which ex. cited the approbation of both sides of the Mauve, stated certain movements Or that army, in which lie had the honour to have a command, which, in a peculiar' degree, illustrated the resotires of Lord Wellington's mind, forced into certain un. expected cir..unistanca by the course taken by the Spanish armies previoas to the battle. of Tal. lavara. Mr. WINDHAM observed, that felt it his deity on this occasion to dam. in opinion from those with whom he usually acted, as he meant to, support. the motion. Tliat• the action of Tata were was a victor y , was generally confessed—was actually undeniable ; anti alth - awb a retreat fol lowed, he could by no means cousid,.,r, that cir. ciimstance as a reason for depreciating the cha. racter of the achievement, 4 because upon that', ground the victories of Agioc:iort and Poirtiers were entitled to no praise. The victory of TAta. vera, in point of gain, be thought of more vAltee to the country than a whole Archipelago of sugar' islands, from the important example, of,. valour which it furnished to our own people an t} to Eu rope. Mr. LYTT,LETON followed on the same side, expressing a wish that hii Right Honourable Friend would generally rather consult his first feelings than the refinement of his understanding, and then few men of good sense would be disposed toquarrel with his decision. General MATHEW was also an advocate fur the Motion, and was happy in this opportunity of applauding the conduct of his gallant country assn. Alle4iag to Lord Castlereagh. the [foci. INfieer expressed . a wish that the Noble Lard shanold not, for his own credit, and for the benefit ti( his country, ever again become a Minister— for his own credit, because the Noble Lord, from his display of thit night, seemed more capable of eloque.ncu in another situation—and for the be ' oefit of the country,. because it never could con duce to that end to have that Noble Lord in. vesttgl any power in a free Guverineent loud cry of hear, hear !] General TAR LETON explained. Mr. PONSONBY mas adverse to the Motion, but yet he had no wish to press the question to , a division. Mr. CANNING spoke with considerable ar dour in favour of the Motion, and the merits of the Noble Lord to whom it referrihl. Lord FOLKESTONE stated his objections to the Motion. Sir THOMAS TURTOg, after some observa. them, recommended the Noble Lord to withdraw his Amendment. • The question being called for, strangers were minded, but we understand that the Amendment was withdrawn. Adjourned. . . • . PAPERS • • RELATING TO THE EXPEDITION TO THE SCHELDT, - 7. 7 ; - 7 7- -7 [Continued froas oar Paper of Yesterday.] . 'l• (Second Inclosnre.) : f • • • emoranilum of Obiervations.made by —, the Ports of Boulogne, Calais, .Dunkirk, 04- ton,, Antnerp, and the Island of Flushing:4 At Boulognelhere are about GOO craft 0f.111114... cut descriptions, that compose the flotilla ; but slie s t ars in such a stale of wreck, as *Ell in , their rigging as in their hettont% which are worm. eaten, that they will squire be nearly rebuilt to be of service. • • • • At Calais there are about 70 craft of the flotilla in the same state. At Dunkirk there are two old friqateh and about 90 vessels of the flotilla indlic.iimer basun ; and there are ip the outer basun, above 50 fine 'merchant- vessels, fit fur transports, many, of• which are prizes taken froto•the English. At Ostend there are about ,U) small vessels of the flotilla, and a few merchant vessels, winch arc in a very bad state. In consequetie.c of repeated divutei, whiOt have taken place between the 'Dutch and Frmilh officers empl•iyed on this flotilla *mince, a fletaal derahla division of the Dutch flotillsf•have raturnad to Holland through the canals. . • At Antwerp; there ire about 15 -vereseJs of tb but they - are uumerriocabic ; and at Flubbe., . . .7 • • int there are only 7 1 et abou t 30 tau t with gun in the bow. Ships of War on the stocks at Ant If erp , • observations on the arsenal:- _At Antwerp tlsere itre on the stocks ten (no it gun ships, and three:''of them are nearly finial.; though it is probable they will not be laudeL's this winter. The situation chosen by B —l l parte for the building• df ships of war w 11 1 Ailed by one thousand live bemire houses as ; - ', l _ beginning of 1801, and was th e st art sticker tZsl of the city of Antwerp ; but ins at present (laced to ways and slips for ships, and is 44 ums , i , ri ' of being extended to the, placi sg o f v 55 ..„ (% 1 77 of . the line un the stocks at the shit ti411;•• "41 r their resources for building, from the Black F u ' through the Rhine, are inexhaustibl e . T he int ,:,"! ides employed in the building these shi t) ! `" 4 . area young men, and arc chosen from am ong the coil scri order, l'ti° a l I s s wellleviedls Th e y into a l abouring o f j ur r i n n ) gi n e l i r e ; d i itd.°re. mini. tr,; arc a company to earls ship building, under a i ll' superintendence of a Captain ; and to every t ships there is a. superintending builder ; an d er " Sunday they arc exercised to military discipti7 The work is catried on with amazing r .g t ' -• apt i e but perfectly performed. At Fleshing, i n l ' h ' t 74andguonn tillheiPlst:oc.Chk: .basiss,• are the following magne, Commerce de Lyon, Ansersuis, C a . D wi n t y h ii a e i s i s e li 4 u, Du ts h ot r ai ri c gtate ; two 74 gun ships, a frigate, and a brig; i t , •, roadi are the Princess Caroline frigate, and a • belonging to the French. • At Ramskeys . arc? gunboats, with onegot th e prow l as has been observed of the Penn 4 Flushing. . Distributed among all those 'melt. Flushing (French and Dutch) there are g B:as viers of all descriptions. There arc at Cain vere about 40 sail of sm ug glers, and beloneing to them, from 300 to 3, prime English seamen, who, as well as the Da r k would rejoice to seethe Freach removed free' nett favourite smuggling port, a hich they have co. warted into a naval arsenal, and which arbitor coniersion -has created great 'disgust. The French ate stitching round the lan of the towni• but there are still two gates opcl. .they intend fortifying the town on that lid (though they. can nevoi.anake it strong), usi a m , „ motion th ee the•bogla s h will lend,at West (; t . pel. Tp't he sea:side) thehave paid no anemia,. so that the teking awity alte !Ship% of Flushing K t matter perfectly practicable ) and iii properties to tile advantage, the risque ii very small. Li my bumble opinion, any armament inteett t a for this service shoultlini Ciimposed of fast-4 'Net 50 gun-ships, fast sailing I.irgit frigates, and lup brigs, with a proportionate somber of troopsee hold posse , sion of the_island, while the shqe, ,stores, &c. were removing. Were I not fully cnitrolent of ' the abet:dap' : ai m c er t a i n sneewl '44lns Expedition, I would; not reesunintessel it; far less would I offer at services to, be the first - to share la' all therdanitd , dial can attend it. .... I shall hare the Itononr of submitting the pits of attack Which I would propose, as soon u it a •fitaithed ; in the . wan time I can assure you ail their Lordships ) that I know of a sufficient number of practical pilots from Deal and Dover, Isla would Volunteer their services. • No. 33: 1 -Issclositros from Sir Richard Stream.. (First Inclosure.) Stilistanee of the intelligence received from Mr. • , and Mr. , two gentlemen who Ind been some time prisoners, and escaped from Flaw,' and on the litla instant got off from Watcher.. a small boat. They came from Arras, and tra: veiled by way of Ghent to Phillippiae, on thee& nal of Ghent, and embarked there on the 29th II •'April, andsrossed the river Scheldt is the cvenieg 'Of that day, and landed at a small village in Sesta+ t.ftevelantl, from %Janice they went to Campvere,ia the island of Walchersol.. When they were era. Yang the Scheldt they observed five ships high an/la river, and widely separated ; one had a Vice-Adel. run's flag. They remarked these ships being fn asunder, and were told that several of the ships of the enemy had gone higher up the river, and some as high as Lille, to avoid the English bre. ships.• As they apprehended all attack on the island of Walcheren, and en the ships of war is the river, a great number of gun-vessels had arrived from the ports to the westward, and snore were expected. Ten thousand men had arrived on the Cadsand side, and ten thouiand more were on tint march, intended for.tive defence of IValchert t On that island the people wive employed in re. pairing the works at • Campvcre and Flushing. — „These' gentlemen resided at Campeau', and %urea Middleburgh on the 11th instant, but obliged to leave the town from the strictness 'of the Mai they wereSpprehensive of being taken up ; the! returned and remained at Campvere ;. they saw the King there on the 13th instant. They were tot• thaton embargo had been laid on ill• privateers frt. the purpose of getting men to maw the squattrot.] !'bete were few troops arlVlitllttehtter, bin U Flushing three thousand F renc h an d some Del& troops ; latterly troops bad been ..stationed Altai the coast to prevent the emuggling trade with Est% land. They were told by a gentleman of mpg' 'ability that he counted 2800 French troops toll,' ratle at Flushing at a review. (Second Inclosure referred to in No. 33.) Oa the 19th instant a boat ?ruin his Maies t O 'ship Danemark examined a Itottordam to . The ,master informed tia OfliCvr a the D ttiem,trk that the ships at Ilelvuel and Goree were ordered up to-Williamstadt, .avoid the English fire.vesscls s expected to hetal .against them. (Third Inclosure, referred to in N0.,33.) Intelligence received from Capt. Pater) of all Prineers Caroline, the 17th inst. At Amsterditn.—T w 0 new frigate% lower so ot !: ;. tight uew schooners, completo *and Inin nej i ,tie sloop of 11 100 .4 ditto, ditto, !latch, v itt the wizen ; a large ship cut down to a t t ' , lug ha fiery ; taeuty ..ti34l 34.-lio Landers as a e."- vessel. PEW J go' [N c ,D 0 b e vc F' six th( K! es- al tpl th 0I th PF