The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1810-06-09 00:00:00

Poore' b the fee Gt t t multi. totem! then
of sending the limited army of Sir Arthur Wel-
lesley, they Might, front the great resources of
the countty at their disposal. to hove sent a
Moe sufficient at once to have driven Soult fmm
the North of Portugal; to have kept him, and
Marshal Ney, in check ; and to hate co-operated
with Clemita, against Victor, who, with his urmy,
wets at that time, reduced to the !inmost distress.
But hers the Usual policy of Ministers appeared.
Their flaming zeal to do every thing at once was
conspicuous. Spain was not a wide enough field
for them, but they must, ut the same moment,
grasp at banns, ships, islands, and kingdoms. To
restore a kingdom--...t0 destroy a basin—to seise
an island—to capture shipping all together, they
dissipated their force in every quarter, and they
failed its every object. Besides the army in Spain,
they must hate another perishing, ingloriously, in
the Scheid, sad a third on an island, in the Bay ,
of Naples, t. the great delight of the king of
Naples, who could see them thus so use.
lessly diverted from important services. Un-
like the Completer of the Continent, who had
gained every thing by concentrating hiiTorces, and
directing them to one object at a time ; our Minis.
ters in their vigour would prosecute every object at
the sane time, and the event had 'her] the wis-
dom of their policy ! But there was li.tle ground
to suppose that Miiiisteis could have held the
opinion to justify this course, mid by the way he
had m observe that Cuesta did not consider the ex-
pulsion of Soult from Portugeth as the Lest mode
of commencing the co-operation with Spina—
However, en the 18th May Sir it. Wellesley
marched to assist Curesta, and Soult, crossing the
mountains, occupied Orenzo, and by getting pus.
session of the depots, thpre was tumbled to con-
tinue the catupaign.—At that time Carrera was
at Vigo, at the head of 10.000 ; totally midi-
gaged and inactive, as Ney had marched into
Gailicia, and this was another proof that no co-
operation was to be hoped for in Spain, or Carrera
might have marched on St.Otalla and prevented this
event. But to return to the co-operation in the South :
Their Lordships would hear with surprise, thut in-
stead of advancing to Placentia, by the shortest
erne. in order to cut oft the retreat of Victor, as
was afterwaids stated by him to be ins. design, Sir
A. Wellesley was obliged, for want of supplies, to
march ninety-seven leagues, rather, than sixty.
seven. This was owing to his being obliged to take
the route nearest the coast, as if lee had taken the
interior route, Ms supplies could not have reached
hint. Even as it was, instead of accomplishing
the ninety-seven leagues in eighteen days, which
was the moderate calculation. it was seven weeks
before the army arrived at Meanie, and during thil
period Victor had retreated, and, being joined by
reinforcements fro n the atones of King Joseph, and
Sebastiassi, was enabled In retool into the field with
that army with who h he afterwards disputed the
battle of Tatavers. Thus, when a rapid march was
so riereesaary, it appeared that our army, from the
want of supplies, was compelled to march thirty
leagues round. and tint only so, but the papers
.hewed that even marching as near their supplies on
the toast as they could, they were stopped at
Cotmbra and Alerartes for the want of shots and of
money to pay the men. lit the two letters from
Sir A. Wellesley to General Cued*, these were
the reasons assigned for not joining him earlier,
who was at that time maintaining an untamed COM.
tlict with 'Victor whose Mice was strengtheueil every
day. After all this, led Virtil the loch Mill ltithofJuly,
Sir A. Wellesley readied the point of co-opeistion„
and it was commenced under the wor.t of auspices.
Conics could not be induced to enter into the plans
the English General thinieglet most advantageous ;
and he was, therefore, obliged to go into the mea-
sures oldie Spaniards. What they were. appeared
from the result, though the general plan was not
so distinetly detailed, as to have snore of it under-
stood. than that it was a continued system of co-
operation with the armies of Cuesta and Veoegas.
In the former year, the) had the testimony of Sir
John Moore, Coload IVaittiughiun. and Colonel
Spites, that tile Spani.li armies ought to be better
disespliued. and the Government more efficient,
before co-operation was pos.ible. Now, let them
look at the papers, and :re in what state they were
when the system of co-operation was renewed.--
The first thing they had to look at was the sup-
plies which were so essential to the operations of a
British army on foreign service. And here they
had the testimony of the principal person concerti-
ed, Sir A. Wellesley—;page 1 nth of his Caere*.
pondeticel—that no speedy improvement in the
mode of furnishing the supplies was to be expeced;
that the impracticability of 'Ointments them was
owing to the want of authority met the Government
—the state of the country—the timidity of Magis-
trates, and the indolence of the people. The neat
matter worthy of their Lordship.' attention. was the
character of the officer at the licarl of the Spanish
army with which we were to co-operate. General
I t7tieste. On that point. he had the testimony of
Mr. Frere, arid of Marquis Welle.ley. Mr. Frere.
in page of his Correspondence, stated. that
there wee a suspicino that General Celesta me-
ditated a serious plan of revenge against the
Junta, (or 14,111 C affront he had sustained from
them about half a year before; which plan he
would now lie more able to execute, as the
army tinder General Blake had been disper-ed.—
He also stated that Venegas was utterly incapable
of any command. Again. the Noble Marquis op-
posite, iii page is of his Correspondence, said, that
Cueing was deficient in every quality for a general,
except in personal courage, and that the impracti-
cability of his temper rendered it impossible. The
third ',object deserving of consideretion, was the
state of the Spanish Government. And here their.
Lerelships would find the prospect as discouraging
as the pre eerloug two. Mr. Frere (page 44) feared
thnt the 31ilitary Junta would, from their incapa-
city, defeat the whole of the combined operations;
and the description of the Spanish Government,
given by the Noble Marquis (page lit)), was still
worse, lie characterised it as wanting energy and
strength ; and. from its incapability. not supported
by popular opinion. It was (he said) an anomaly of
all IGoterinuents, without poseessing the good
qualities or advantages of any one. From these
facts, supported Ivy the papers on tier Table,
it appeared that Sir A. Wellesley and his arm)
were sent to co-operate with a General unfit to
command, and suspected of meditating a a‘rioni

fur their neceStary supplies. It was tinder such
plait of
leptnd orPnYaeliteGoveargenntiltit,ll.lt.t:iwtrlk.rk'srnt others
fur
eircurbstances, and utter all the experience they
bad, that Ministers would tubmit a British army
to the risk of destruction, end to those calamities
end digesters which they did actually endure. The
result was what they might have expected. end
-what Ministers might have known front the inform-
ation they possessed before sending out the Expe-
dition. Mr. Frere bad furnished their with abun-
dant circumstances on which to form a jhdgitsent,
though lie had never come to right conclusions on
his own facts. Uninstructed, however, by these
dispatches. and unimproved by the futul example
of the preceding year, they had pursued the seine
policy which had led them into so many other dis-
astrous Expeditions. As a Noble Lord at the
head of the Admiralty had told a gallant naval
Officer, Who was stating the difficulties of an enter-
prise to him, aGo sad fay ;" sn hud Government
CO this occasion, onlooking all the dangers and
difficulties he had enumerated, the risk of the [bi-
fida army, and the honour of the nation, told Sir
A. Wellesley to go and try. But though Minis-
tate" could overlook the character of the Spanish
Genera[, the inefficucy of the Spanish Government,
and the prentriouniese of supplies. Sir A. %Vines-
, ley,•iti three days after he joined Cocoa, began to
. eaperienee every want, as might have been antici-
pates!. Deficient its vapplire, lie advanced to 'l's-
eras where he was obliged. even fur the safety of
his army, to depend on the fidelity and eli,cipline
of Veniegas, and his army. as well as Celesta. and
•In both he was disappointed. Vettegas did not, as
tuts projected, advance from La Mancha and the
onountaitious district. end the passes of the Puerto
de Betio, which covered the flank of our army,
were, by these means, felt undefended. to lie taken
ruses-ion of by Soult. The Battle of Talavera
was fought on the _Bth arid 49111 of July, end whet-
ewer might he his opinion of the policy before en-
tering upon the campaign. of this battle he must
say, that it redounded to the praise and honour of
its brave Commander. However lie lamented the
sation's best blood thus wastefully and improvi-
dently shed, he considered the day as a day of
glory to the General, officers, and men, en-
gaged, and to the eountry. But what were
the consequences of the battle ? 'they were
those of defeat rather than of victory, from the
Ml6's he had already stated. Our army had no
intelligence, or means o' procuring it; mid two
days after the battle of Wavers, they did nor know
whether the enemy was in their neighbourhood or
not. What alight have been foreseen happened.
Soult marched down the mountainous district, pos-
sessed himself of the feebly-defeurled passes of the
Puerto de Banqut, and threateued to cut off the
retreat of the British army after its victory. But
the letter of Sir A. Wellesley, of Ist August, more
forcibly described his situation. than any words he
could ilbe. This letter, too, was received be Mimi-
eters at the seine time with the dispatches contain-
lag the account of the battle of Talavera ; though
they, fur some reason best known to them-
e/elves, took c ire to withhold it frost the public.
Here the Noble Marquis minutely detailed the
measures pursued for securing the passes, which
were quite inadequate to their importance, and
• more so, as it was known to Mr. Fiere soil
Speni.li Government, trout an intercepted
• ler of Soule., what were his design', and
ledso known. at the head-quarters of Cuesta's
.army, on the first or second week of July, that, in
pursuance of that design, he hail reerheel Zamora,
on the 4.5 th June, at the head of 18.000. By these
WNW Sir A. Wellesley was obliged to renquisls
the kid of Talavera, and to leave his wounded
•eisder the protection of Costs. Sir A. Wellesley
had *here ards expressed his surprise at Cuesta s
retreat ; but how could he expect any other con-
duct from that army. slush he himself described,
(p. pe) as having misbehaved, in the presence of the
enemy, at Talavera, awl thrown away their sums,
friehtened in the sound of their own fire, when none of
their IldVVePllfir, were opposed to them or near
them' Surely these troops were not to be de-
pended on, and how could he complain of them
for having abandoned his sick ? It was • painful
part of his ditty to 'Nell on the misconduct of the
Siteiti,la troops, with the feelings he entertained on
the eubject. But these things were no reflections
on the Mittens!, mistimed character. but on the fitse
system which had been adopted of forming the
people unto regular armies, which they could not
immediately Le fit for, hating for • length of time
ceased to be a military people. In other cases they
bad displayed acts of the most splendid heroines
ever recorded,—flat it was net this individual /spirit
*hint had converted• the walls of Seragoem aid
estrum into •Intoet impregnable fortifications.
It was not this partial energy and animation that-
would enable them, as armies., to meet the great-
est military force in Europe, and commanded by
the most skilful generals. It *us not possible to
expect this much from a people disposed to be
free, but not haling enjuryed Met freedom before
which would tit them for such a struggle. It was
(music, not to the misconduct of the Spanish nee'
time but of those who could suppose that a junta
of permits composed a geverniuent, and that a
crowd of men was a regular army, calculated to
trice the phalanx of regulars poured upon them
by France. He was ready still to confide in
the Spatted% people, and to believe much might
yet be dune by their efforts. A spirit yet
prevailed among them, elute,' would niche the
possession of their country very inconvenient to
their oppression., and at best nothing more than a
military possession, as far as their armies covered.
Ile 'meld not dwell on the serious calumnies which
haul marked the two months posterior to the battle
of Talavera. The army had sustained every spe-
cies of misfortune--the went of necessaries and bread
—without aid from the country—and their teas
ended in an encampment in the most stuwholesome
munlit
for
duty s w a y
sittsatioe, where thousands, spared from battle and
fectingts weree. wereswept
by sickneri--9000
l o that
n Novembers
oveen beorootba: t 0
all
the difference which took place Decnaher sad
January, was. the reduction
.orOnon of
I,lll::iNuiosbtevetrqkyuietnoosirp. turnedsadto thhise niecon-
current ac:etint (page 90) of the nattier, ineapee
batty, and base corruption ef the Swinish Govern-
meet. He also animadverted, in severe terms,
on the useless situation iu st,ith our Nltnisur (Mr.

knowir; sod waiting in doily neer:ono% 01164*
iPitie) pieced I who, Aroth ti
rival Ms sueretsor.doSog all-tht time ti; '4
lawn in Spells were in pridgress.itati tiolthc. oLlrtittau: exercise the functions of hlimpter with effect, ati,-
fluetice the residing of atipp!ies to tile army. Hat
Wellealet, when he did arrive, he acknowledg.
tik,k
a correct view of the state of alLirs, and tract'
most properly in the retnoustrances ht Mails to try
GbieofLrurangleonit;pobiliterwi,thwivichlsokentwt:sheiterclii
.itheecetitervhair:ig.atieuieudf.oitio,hig2i!,
fore recommended the seialimed Such a pews',
the Government of Spa: ? They were taunted o 4
their proposition.
asked, Would you send • lecturer Oa pole:
economy to another waren, and to force
Lions on en isidepuusient government ? Yet, skit
all, the seine plus Ira l been adopted, and 1,0
person then the Noble Alaror.s two:ate laid se.
dertaken this lectureship. But al oho thee se
this? It use after the ateond Briteh army Irv,
ken risked on Spatilds ground, Lid compelled irt
retreat, and abandon the comas', 10 a state of vs.
trrialled culamity—oncountled is al! Voir ot!-.41
euterprizes, whether in Portugal, 10 Su.tt;n, ri
rt
Walcherett. The lititi,.h army wna reireassidt
the frouticrs, and however great the vt,
sonde by the Noble Marrone, They were 41: tilv4o.
kg, for at that period no good was prae:teslh.....
Hi, twit disp.rttli asithin • fortnight Brier toi•
his opinion explicitly. that no lintirli tint,!„„
ever riumerotte, could be usefully enti:loyett
Simi'', *bile that country s as iu its preetatt
Upon the whole the conclusion to which they Ines
come was, that no surceus could be expected's'
Split), trusting to sat* a Corerument ; u,auunit
so constituted, cud so commanded, or iO a cos.
pain where it wry known bill plies meld lat 14
procured to enable the army to Net. That new..
tens must have known no cliauge had taken plant
since tee preceding rear, so fa!Olir cxrmlrhuv to
warrout Illtrn in rislZ:ng the fate of another :may
on the same ground wheel, hid provsd so erlaatn
toils to the gadlent Sir John Moore and his army:.
And that without provoling or loordogle
Lure, or beim; warned by the horrors id the p.c.,
they lied plunged headlong into the
stinger, and experienced still greater must emir.,
The brave Moore and bu Cowper:ate is
glory might have rotated their dying mowers
witO the coosolation. that. thongh they
aserifiees to the rashness and ireipa. sty t.i
cistern, their Wilt tppy fate would lie so so's
• warning. and inculcate so use& o les•nno
ne future British General or soldier stia,:lq
rent to perish in so unwise en attempt. toct.(k,l
ma • trust iu Spanish en-operation. that. elm
even in the very next year after they di-d,
stets, as precipate and rash as before. again eta,
try die same esperimeot. With them, dream
dream ensiled. and every dream ended iii Litter
opysotuttmetit, till the world rang with the tau
sound. Ltt their Lordships look at the Pali.,
and the defeats that had been setter'• neishod
they would be able to see whether the stadia: tt..!
.they had voted had been wisely or pmpurly tver.y
ed. Ile did cliersh the hope, mod woolitche,,:a
It to the le-t, that if ever Farrope was word, Ilse
country would be an important agent le that great
event. But it could genet lip acCulloPlikhed l.y moi
expertitioits likelliese,efithessit consultant:the noses
of our ; mkt destro)ing our own terce.-by
vtd tog it on different hazards. The aestralale (Nett
von only to be achieved bra prudent van of At
resources with which Providence llod bic^":l at
Such was not the use made by His 'Mal, sty's pie.
rent Counsellor% soil it war important that alai?
Lortlehips should be convinced of this, Iron ha
inerifficiericy of What they hid siren irtr,aipt.
The mnre,tpo, indeed, as they were in snare
sure parties in these LelallailitS. l.r lottsilltg
without notice. the error- of the founts. eisrupsi,e,.
On these groundr, he would cencluile by mot, t
two Resolutions. They were to the fellOstillg rtr'"'
1. That it appears I. this Howse, after the mast :masts
etamittatloa ref the papers laid before them, retest. to tle
late Casspaign in Spans, that the safety of the anny
prny.L.dd, withouteetty ndueicelem.seiia im hit
lyristewd,d and
airy i
andra.,l7.,;s
Riar.
atilt, and that the whole ad malls the retreat al tht COY
ed. That. ',rarities to metering eat this Campalea. Xi
Motets did not proem? the memory saformatiou of the
state of Spain' or ails military resources—of the sepplol
that could tots/forded, ice. as the smog obvious poky) ras
)sired; sad that the result of this ro4hueso sod isrol"
wos • motet 'be most calamitous&

Marq
uis Wett.itit.ce—" My Loafs the pmion't:we
with which the Noble Mainnis enclitile'd Isis ter) 41d...f..y
nannies, and very eloquent speech, costae the tliaLl :44.•
Jetts which tuned' the crowed of those mamma ate eintqA
shell this night maintain in respect In the Sparest' Campsla
The Noble Morgue very properly observed, that nes tin
inhabitants of Slain erre roused to • seslitance of for 1,611 ri.a.
'tun us France, there was presented pi prospect nose roost•
able than soy which bad Aram niece the french Iteruho...
of employirset the effutis of obis injured nation, wet only is the
F.
own define., hot in rer!erming the minim of Envoys. 'la
Noble M arqo is might also have aided, that sock Arprinled vr
on the cuoduet of this country, when sal • sp:rit eons.
*sled by the pimple of Apsie, that not only the nth pe adorer 4
the penensida was at stake, bet it reentely affected the 11101.
rot, of Britain. The spirit which at that litue anitoste4rhe
Spanish people segenrd better torten, to Europe, sal if it
had been only resistant to the dowintatin of Franco.,"
• insideration Of the state of Escape, we were called man
to cherish this attempt at isitkprodeoce; it was oar booth,'
duty to foster, to foment, sad to blow lute its fattest bin.
that notional indigoation against the ambition trod mare,
thin of our enemy. It has been staled, that the "i''./"'.4"
events whirl' have transpired, folly justify the resehlw"
which hate buss proposed. NO moat more than r
'smote!' the unfortunate events of the Spanish Ma I
mu mesa more Menne the fate of Si, Julin Mane'sta
Corneas ; no man non estimates the abilities sad be
of that (ifISCMI i no inn can feel mon sorrow for he in
leockuly death,. sod that of the Wave taws who burls
Moder bi• command. My Lords, I regret that tr
mote nook accrued to the envenom, =replier font' f
petted exultation to' our woos, which ere evil" "t .1'
onder-rate ; far the valour which we soldiers there 40
pls)ed redounded to the glory of tent Brasier. AA
whatever was or might hove bees the tarlisppe Milt '
the brittle of Cornetts, one could have bete so siJetmisa! ,
none mold have heir Male destructive le net,' Oul'lif!!'
eiple which was concerned in the nose of Sp
than '1
hod produced a dereliction of car deteentr;o:on to twee.
rate with the efforts of that country i non could We he. '.
more evestuelly lajurioes to the netts sad espectsessit :r
all Europe. And yet, if I INlderstaad the Pleble 111a0....i
right, he would heir ravosonteaded to this could. ), at 1...
time, to cease her enilenows in tefttillog ll' 31.:n,
..
diced dominion of the Freed' Government. My LA....
I shall sow ad. ert to those tonsures ishieli were 1,111"'^d t'
Ministers in the subsequent pot of lite catnpaiya N
—46..,,,,
jneard to Lord Wethegton, the :Noble Nonni. etion
spoke of hint in that meman, oboli t°
is'.'i tilr. k,..k:
evinced • potriciple of generosity *hick nvocleh.l
minima his condor. upon all seeselmee. At the !dr..
tine, 1 mutt observe, that I think the mire to 151.101. ht