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London, England, 1810-03-30 00:00:00

pealed 'an immaterial consideration. The idea
of the Minister. appeared to be, to send the
army by Ostend. Afterwards, however, upon
consulting with the Generals, they had mitigated
the idea, and instituted a combined military and
naval operatkn. It might, therefore, be stated, to
those who prainded to undervalue military opinion,
that if such opinion was not resorted to, and adopt-
ed, in tin present instance, the army would have
been sent to Ostend; that is, it world have been
placed in a situation, ib which, according to one au-
thority, they must have risked, and to others, they
must have destroyed it. Generals Browitrigg arid
Dimling had so delivered their judgments, cod Sir
John Hope had stated, that as suer B. he haul land-
ed, he found that the object was utterly impracti-
cable; but what was the opiaion which Lord Rosa-
lyn had delivered? he hod been asked whether he
thought that the lateness of the expedition had
prevented its success? and his answer was, that he
d it to hare been at all times impracticable.
Sir Wm. Erskine had said that Antwerp might
have been taken in one week. Lord Chatham had
confessed that he hail doubts, but that they were
borne down by the Admiralty; end Sir Richard
Strachau had expressed his apprehensions, and set
fortli'the danger of attempting the navigation of a
river, wholly unknown to our naval forces. But it had
been said that we had acted by intelligence from
abroad ; that intelligence lied been stated in part
to have been received from an officer. One of the
documents bore the date of I SW, the other of 1805,
and another, no date whatsoever; in addition to
those, there was one dated December 1804, which
was no other than an extrect from an army list,
which was found upon an officer taken at Cadsand
(a &with !) According to this, it had appeared that
France was not prepared immediately, that shy
could rat muster forces to any amount for a week ;
that was fair enough, it Cu saying, in effect, if you
tire not prepared is that space of time, all hopes of
but cesa ate in vain. Hear, hear) But why should
we send an expedition tothe an Runt of 40 thousand
men upon such futility of info'm atin.,? ( Hear, hear,)
It had been *Wert also, that some ii.:orrnation had
been received from or very souog man, in the year
1805; it was not stated ....c•lict he was a young
matt in the year alluded to, or a young Ulan at
present, and an infant at diet permd„ The sum of
his information, hosreeir, was, that if there were
works at Antwerp. they had escaped his observa-
tiou.-1 lawgh.l—He had heard from a friend,
that there were five thousand regular troops there;
but it might ha perfectly true, that, on the 3d of
July, they bad no troops whiesoever, aid yet, on
the ash of August. were perfectly prevred. Lord
Castlereagh's letter to Sir Amid Du."las had stat-
ed. that there never was so sm iii a number of
troops as at present in o! ,ce. Sir David
funds, therefore, went 1,, tln assumption
which was stated WINN/ the !thority of Ministers.
For the opinion,. therefore. ...sea upon this as-
sumption, the Minister,' • deeply responaible.
When those men *treed t there wereafew or no
troops, they had stated gist was not the fact; but
the blame did not rest solely with them. On the
contrary, perhaps. the greater portion of it was to
be attached to Ministers, for reposing such blind
confidence and untlistinguisbing reliance, notwith-
standing all those opinions which represented Ant.
werp as so enfeebled. Sir Richard Stmehan bad
said, that Government was deceived ; he had said
so from experience; and their ignorance of the state
of Fort Lillo was equally manifest in the result.
Another of their informants had stated, that be was
at Antwerp about eighteen years ago, and had
heard, two years before, of the defenceless state of
that town. He entered here into a minute COCO.
!slims of the amount of the forces at Antwerp, from
which he concluded that it was in a state of complete
preparation. Lillo was said to have been weak, but
the contitiy was proved. 0116111 d was reported to
It aye been exposed ; but the Marquis of Huntley
found, by experience, that the intelligence was false.
Wli it he m:•riii 'older from all this was, t hat the opt.
nion of Ge!:. Brownrigg did not justify Ministers in
acting contrary to all other opinions. Bat the cir-
cumstances under which the Expeditiou sailed,
were the most ill-judg, 4 and unfortunate that
could be conceived; it smiled at a time who the
elements were most unfaseurable, and when every
chalice of weather and of climate opposed the suc-
cess of the undertaking. If they attempted
to renew the 'war 1! Austria again. they would
only be inducing her to renew her misfortunes,
and to commence that which they themselves
had deprecated in the North of Europe; but there
was another objection, and that was the plague.
They had waited till that was at the greatest height,
and theu sent off the expedition. Sir Richard
Strachan declaring that he knew nothing of the
navigation of those parts, (hear, hear;) declaring
also, that he had made no arrangement, because he
was unacquainted Null the place ; anal yet so intent
was the Ministry in the pursuit of its favourite ape.
culation, that it pereevered in the project of taking
Antwerp by a map-de-main. The expedition had
deed in its birth, Governmerit was ntis-informed, but
had not the judgment to detect the mil-information ;
where at expected to have met rite force, it hail en-
countrre4 many; and in addition to this, it had ex-
posed the army to such calamitous disorders, that
one of the reasons stated, for not attacking Fort
Lill°, was the sickly state to which that
artily was reduced in consequence. Perhaps,
as the Noble Lord hail ohserved, it might
not be necessary to measure our forces with a ina-
thematical accuracy, when we were shout to send
them to the held; but, in the present instance, they
had Lot only an enemy. brit a plague to oppose. It
Was na excuse for Ministers to say, that they de-
wnded upon the spirit of the army, when they ex-
posed that army not may to danger hut disease.
Nor was the progress of the Expedition inconsist-
ent with the circumstances under which it was at-
tempted; upon the 27th of August, the place was
considered to be untenable, and, on October 17,
it was debated even whether they could transport
their sick ; there woe such a corresponding ignor-
ance between the Governments of Austria and of
England, that one did not know that peace was
mask, and the other did net kora+ that the army
was in an hospital. Upon the whale, the conduct
of the Government was se bad, that nothing could
be worse. but the comfit/I of the PArliement which
would excuse it. Alliuinn arid been made to bed
Ch.ithant, but the fact a that instead of risking,
he had schooled no czrose au army, even is censph-

ince with petiular f 1 eling. The present Lord Chat-
ham had presented a paper to the King, praying
for secrecy, and mould they, the Parliament cf Eiti,•
latid go farther, and e3tahii•h the irrespoitsibilttolF
Alinnters, that injuring, in a tea•fold dtgrer,'•the
constitution of the country?

Mr. CANNING said, that as the Right Host.
Gent. had called upon the House, to visit upon the
authors of the. Expedition the calamities which had
resulted from it ; lie, us one of tho-e authors, ft it
himself called upon to answer. Ile should state,
what, in his opinion, would not only go to excuse,
but to justify and prove its propriety. Before the
House proceeded to decide no the pi inciple upon
which the advice was given, they should coesider it
not as an insulated question, as a concern iii winch
England alone wits long interested, but as port of
system of war, in which they had been long en-
gaged, and he feared, were long likely 'to be en-
gaged, that of a general struggle against particular
usurpation, that of the cause of all Europe, against
a power which was acting for the destruction of
all that was free, and generous, and exalted. Ile
trusted that he should not be rejected by the Ilona!
fur contending, that a cation, standing in Well a situ-
ation as this, and acting in such a cause, should
consider for the other nations of Europe ; nay, that
it should not barely confine itself to the good of
those with whom it was especially connected, hut
should extend its advantages and assistance to those
in whom • spirit had an-eu favourable to the general
cause. Th. y were not cow merely fighting in their
own cause, not wily against him, their old enemy,
but against those whose hands were against
wink their minds were for us. He belived it would
natively lie disputed, that the best councils were
those which combined with tiee aid of foreign pow-
ers. the security of our own. It a_ppeared, by the
papers, that the question of the Expedition to the
Scheldt did not originate in the Austrian war, it
was not advised barely by the present Government,
but had long been under the consideration
of another Government. He would assure the
Hon. Gentlemen opposite. that when he alluded to
this circumstance, it was with the utmost' respect
fort speech, which, he must say, was one of the
greatest he had ever heard in that House • though,
by some accident, it was only heard'by themselves.
Upon that occasion, the Hon. Member, on retiring
from office, had laid down to his successors, the
nceessity of attending to Antwerp, and the Scheldt.
Ile who had looked, not only with the eye of a
Statesman, hut of a Statesman presiding over that
particular department, had left his iejunction and
authority, that Antwerp and the Scheldt were ob.
jects which, consistently with the interests of this
country, could not be overlooked. But there was
a vast difference between the state of Antwerp then,
end at the time when this Expedition was under-
taken. They now heard the boasts of the enemy.
with respect to his growing navy, so that, eveu
upon a question of economy. they were bound
to make an attempt upon that quarter, if it was
for no other purpose than to dispense with, or
slither to employ more beneficially, the fleets which
were occupied in watching that quarter. Besides '-
this, the Austrian war required aid. There were
only two mode, ; by direct operation and by assist-
ance. He ridiculed the wild and monstrous notion
that Trieste should form the object. He denied
that the co-operaCen could be most effectually per-
farmed in Italy. The retreat of the Archduke John
rendered that unavailing. There remained only an-
other way of assistance, and that was by diversion.
The attempt at Naples was abandoned, upon the
principle that it would excite iusurrection, without
being able to afford it any effectual support. '1 be
North of Germany, after being maturely weighed,
was given up, upon the same principle. It was not
necessary to abjure all advantage ourselves, in order
to support en ally. At one time when the Russian
and Prussian army w as entire, and before the spirit
was subdued, it might have been advantageous to
attempt the North of Germany, but now it was
otherwise, Prussia was broken up as a state—the
weapon was struck from her hand S in all the other
Governments. though the people were discontented,
yet they were not in a situation to co-operate;
and, if this country was to succeed in exciting
them to insurrection, it would only hare the
effect, mikes adequate assistance could he af-
forded, of subjecting them to a greater and more
rigorous despotism. If the Prussian troops could
have been brought to act, it would only operate to
furnish Bonaparte with a pretence for wresting the
shadow of a crown which he had vet allowed to
their Monarch. He (Mr. Canning) complimented
the Duke of Brunswick in strong terms; but slated
that there were advantages for which this country
might pay too dear itself, and for which it might
expose others to calamities too bitter and too
tasting. He knew of no advantic4e l,lcety to he
derived by Austria, which could justly such an
attempt as that of the North of eirrosauy.—
The Expedition to the Scheldt was undertaken for
our own objects, and also for thus. of Austria. Ile
had seen, in one of the French Papers, the Motif-
/ewe words attributed to so huintle an individual
as himself, which lie had never nettle use of; he
had been represented there, es having said, that the
Expedition was sent out upon a supposition that
Flanders would rise in its support ; he had belt' no
such language; he had enteitumed no such senti-
ment.. We did not go there, seckitie for insurrec-
tion ; our object was lepitimate, hostile war—
(Hear, Aear.)—He had been led to advert to the
Muitilemr, which was no ordinary Paper, but
might be considered us the organ of the French
Government, and in that Paper was to he
found the moat unequivocal tesitannie that the
French government was taken pry surprise. The
French Minister of War, supposed that the expe-
dition ass originally fitted out for Spain, but that
it afterwards turned to Waleheren ; so that there
wa. the testimony of the Frew h lovernment
itself, after all the complaints of del4y, that we had
taken them by surprise on this important occession.
The utmost that a civil gore' ttttt ent could do, upon
an occasion when a military service was to be en-
gaged, was to point out the object of etiterprize.
to give sufficient support to the undertaking, cud
to hold themselves in a reasonable sad adequate
resoni.sibility. But the idea ofeffecting the reduc-
tion of the town, by other means than I,r militery
opera(' , was absurd. hlnch hail been said about
the evidence of Colonel Gordon ; grt at •trt,nt 11,1• I
been laid upon his assertion, that the elite s. was
a desperate ours and his ',ogle ti-itanooy Mss

placed in competition with, or n„,,t,
is hitzliest eltisnation thou the united
iiittCh a phatiria of well-grouudesi issforinii.lo.l
'and usicluerUirijaUi truth. The mit v
rat trovestrigg twos': by the Hossossr..ble fieotlens,l
oppoAlte, eousideresi of no weight or imports
heiiring nothing of veracity to
pris'bnlsibiy to justify it. liot said
tlits';szag,osisi the opinions of Sir t 1
or Ctr t! s w hove testivisth,e to
4sta -e of their project. They .d'oAitl
alitrigiiiitly lin the judgment of exprrktive, u,.,, „ ,
the strength cf talent, when it oas r.ottniosi. •,,,,
their talents isaa never bean pot to the tvs:•
their juilginent had never been imtureil.
t:ot MAI, nllll WiPicomiletent to judge, vise ,
son whiow eptition should be considered
Wit'? Cesserul Browns igg wits the man, is 'N..
tliCirstv, even sirs,tle and 111114111110Yttli, ,

down all those otnldiord to thr attack
efforts of justice and policy; hot it east •
coned.- to tome tl.e however oniu.l
who.h influenced their plans, if the encl..; ~,

tetided with groilicatiou. It lidd [Jetta S“;

the world stood upon an elephant, owl the
upon a tottui►e, but what the tortoise stood OF
nobody knew. General Brownrigg was the torte.
His opinions were considered ungrounded; i,,t
why they were, nobody could sty, no reason coui.l
be a•signed for a doubt of their iigeuuotsntt►,
proof was brought forward of their wemknes* or
unatithenticity. With respect to Lord Chatham,
lie had his complete opinton upon the ente►prnr,
und they contoured x long string of proofs (tithe
probability of eucceel. It was evident to even•
body of militury kilos ledge, that the town of !GI..
were could not have been token without
operations, anti by the timely intervention of
such object would most assuredly have been ...-
complislied. Gentlemen were determined nit to
acknowledge this. The instance of Copenhagen.
which was a proof of smelt a position, was rejo,;..i.
1 hat city, it seemed to the Hun. 11,1
been taken by too much surprise. There ex:.•rd,
ut the time of its bombardment, a slocci•* of in-
dignation in the bosoms of the inhabitants
defenders of• it. The indignation was iodeed ti
strange nature, ae it facilitated the totretaler.
There were innumerable instance. of the succel., of
such measures. In the lust French campaign,
inourier penetrated to Flanders, at the time
till the garrisons were fully supplied, and in t;•,:
flush of vigour and determined resistance. lie
stood before his enemy with au inferior urine;
he tflreater.ed, acted, and compered. it
might be said, that un instance in site rrectli Po-
Yoko ion ass no proof. He would then give ti.,
stature or Prague, and of S% eltrill2. 0 birn had tr.;,
alw•uvbttderau•el capable of the most put ei
sucreisfid defence, but which had, by the 011?..;. e.

tent operatinn of military' attack, hers rrductd :,
state of dependence. in the like bummer, the
tress of Lerida, when high in warlike : ,
was, in a fortnight, toweled by siege lir the DM: .f
Orleans. Why, the should Gentlemen usnrt,
that the question abounded with 1/11Cil grOf. 11111,TV•
babi!ities. It would, indeed, be highly criminal to
act tuider circumstances of expected iniprobabi. tt ;
brit none concerned upon the present occiisiwi
could be accused of such a conduet. 3lathernaticil
arguments trete; those which had been offered in
the course of the discussion of the present ques-
tion ; but when he considered the occasion upon
whicb those arguments had, been advaiscril, lie
abjured the application of any such. But shat
was the hinge upon which the enterprise
The necessity which forced the army uut of the
right direction, which direction was to Ca,!.
stud. Could any one deny, that, if the Expedi-
tion had arrived in time, the projet would net
have succeeded. He saw, from the countenance
of an Hon. Gentleman opposite, that lie hail a se-
vere jodge; one who looked upon him, as not naly
responsible for the liiiure, hut. accountable, that a
wonderful and unprecedented success had not at.
tended it ; so that he had not only to nlliviate the
sorrows arising from ill fortune, but alsn to appease
unprovoked resentment and discontent. To the
House' he untild look, and not to those partial
judger4Yor justice; and, he was continced, that the
motivelliy which he hail been influenced would
not he overlooked ; those motives, which were net
attributable to any thing but the love of his coun-
try. He complained, that those Gentleman bad
owe way of viewing their own traniection,, nod
another way of tiewing those of others. The 1:c-
-hilies of Bonaparte had often been heard tt;
had often been repeated by those Gentlemen, as
great and unparalleled, but they had never
matised his conduct at Lob's. But what would
be said, if an army of France was in f
any part of this country ? that the Tyr,:o. e; : r
kept that part in dependence Import "".•
taw! subj. et to his frown ? a hoof be had 015
victorirus troops in the I IN. of Wigle?—

Gear, from the •opposition Benches.)—What .."..•
upon touch ocraNtno, be the lortlog. of r.tt'al •k
The pos.eto•ion of tqictt a 1,14ce, tty the cortn,
would be, by no mo-ans eto prtni,•,, to to Go v.
Briton aq OP 11.1.%.1....'011 of A otv. co p

•
have been to Fraii,e ; and was it nothing M.!.
*it!. the tam! (...•t of success this ri.tvrp:
WRS muiemtvleim, and t'ust, had the blow cu'
it would have been a great defeat bm the r ••••
France. Lem any man be placed to time •.•..,t• •
of one of the idnieCtr.ri of this enterprise, u!..1
hint be uslit-.1 whether, in such a oituatioo,

•
have come to 51 dect•lt)tt to to the vine of open'
Much blame had been a►tributed to .11tni•I•'ri r
ictidirn¢ out any Es.pe,litinia to ouch a chine..
the authority of a leatmd man lad bean id, • •
as a reason fur alonalohing such a project ;
thought that oinnion proved too much, fh, : •
held no army ilould ever be rent t . FL::

a corn Imit,n ah..h rperatid anti
the propriety of an attatk upon a
ul $ll other". It tars the benefit of En4l.ie
posse... The m,etrie t f t Innate ati.l of •
t‘ete cr.triuttly etemplitied ; hut the f!,
al.iitild nut derent iterif ; it rboill,l
sir-red toy what ttnure the Wert India bland- I.
Levu to ; ILrt 4 111116112, •o di4!
ruing to t KOLL., r. repitte %. it:l ttri or. amt.
eager.. %Yale:het:en i,ad been the object of 11;,,,
drier, of R att irk : aye, and of ;
It wag nnr hell so pestifernu., it
thrimmd tornint more irnp,otiiiit. It haul I.er, "
respecting tiwt tOar.d, trial tht SAiss regi 'll

1.