The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1810-03-27 00:00:00

With respect to the congaed of Walclieten, that
object was by on weans contemptible, fur it Mealy-
tit the destruction of the port of Flushing ; and if
such a thing were effected, the objtet was by no
sneers dt apicable ;' its reduction had best thought
of nod determined upon by ninny precediug Ad-
ministrational; and uto the Medical Department,
dust bud been considered with the utmost zeal and
attention ; the prophecy concerning the health of
the army was unfounded. Antwerp was as healthy a
climate as any with which the English were ac-
quainted, and the preparations against the attacks
of unfairourable climate were great. If Walcheren
Wei unwholesome, Ministers were to not be charged
Kith having committed the lives of the army to the
tort uption of the climate. But the true question
W:1!,, whether the advante4e deeivable from the Ex-
ia.ditatii, justified the risk ? Wh.• it was considet-
cd that the fate of the Continent depended upon
the exertion of England, what risks would operate
when opposed to such advantages ? The Expedition
being of magnitude, expense must have attended it.
The City of London, when it Caine down with its
complaints, stated, that the expense was le millions,
but the charge of expenditure was gradually dimi-
nished to about 5 or Ii millions; even this reduced
account was erroneous. But it should be considered
that the circumstance of keeping men at home,
and sending them out upon this occasion, form-
ed a difference iu the expenditure of only one mil-
lion, and of coarse the expense could not be con-
sidered as making strougly against the conduct or
estimation of those who originated the measure.—
The military risk was Next to be considered, and
in fact the main question. He allowed that if the
probability of- success had not been great.. such an
undertaking wool I have been highly objectionable;
but when the glaring prospect see success presented
itself, authenticated by the best and most ac-
curate information, us to the relative means of the
two contending armies ; when it was understood
that the greatest force of the enemy did not exceed
30,000 men inclusive of sailors and the workmen at
the arsenals, and that our army, exclusive of those,
amounted to itpe anis of 35,000, and our navy to
2:4(40 ; these were indeed such circumstances as
would give the operations a very different appear-
ance from tt: it which they exhibited, to the op.
po.era of so justifiable, so patriotic a measure. He
felt it but justice to state, that had these 30.000 of
the enemy come in contact with 7,000 of British
troepe, the latter would be greatly victorious. It
was in the evidence before the House, that the
Sct. At was so i•r open, that there existed a great
probabi'ity of the co-operation of the vessels in
the hizlier purt of it. The Officers concerned
acknowledged the probability of this co-operation.
The Noble Levi ihen entered into a statement of
the practical o•ty of taking Antwerp by a emp-de-
Mai N. It w a the opinion of General Brownrigg iiticl
Sir W,,.. Erskine. He /peke much of the autho-
rity of those officers, and also of the person ex-
amined before the Secret Committee. Every bm!y
who considered the situation of Antwerp, in decay
and neglected, the size of it, its exposure to attack,
must join in the opinion, that socb a mode of con-
duct would have been attended with success. He
then proceeded to state General Brownrigg's opi-
nion as to bombarding the town, which that officer
feel rcpre.ented as easier, and of are probable
silo, rte., than the bombardment of several other
too: iis : he instanced Copenhagen, as one vastly
more difficult to be attacked iu this mariner, but
which yielded ter it. But if Antwerp even did not
surrender upon being bombarded. that would not
ineveut the ulterior objects of the Expedition from
being are ulisiied. The Node Lord then ac-
minded for the report, tl.at eleven thousand men
were in Holland, tidvaiolog to the relief of
therm-my. They we: e sent to quell the insurrection
in Germany, which was at that time raging with
great violence, 4iid France could not have spared a
man of them-to assist in ani other enterprise. It
hail been sail, that the Expatition was foreseen by
the and apt they were consequently pre-
pared fur its reception. :Inch an assertion was
without grounds, for they were taken by complete
surprise. Lord CastlerraAli concluded by saying,
that if the late measure was the last act of
Its life, he would he prm:•l in acknowledging it.
Had lie shrunk from eta it an undertaking, what
a task would lie have bad to screen himself
from the resentment of that House, which would
be justly exasperated against such a conduct.
—When the naval and military strength of the
country was considered, it would have been a
degradation to be influenced by any mathematical
principle. Were Nelson's victories directed by any
thing but a rational and liberal spirit of enterprise ?
Was Stuart or Wolfe under the operation of such
unexampled economy, under such restrictious of
priatnce, alien they obtained their deathless fame ?
The late Expedition was undertaken with equal vi-
gour, end the interest of the Continent, as well as of
the country, was concerned. lie found it a light task
to defend the conduct of Ministers upon this occa-
sion ; and with respect to the Hesiollitione, he would
give his most decided opposition to them.—(Loud
cheers !)

Mr. Pontoons, (after souse cries of adjourn)
said, that the Noble Lord had 'deserved. that it
was the spirit of the side of the House to which he
was attached, to represent what was by no mean•
favourable to any person connected with the Minis-
tmrl He was not warranted in saying so, for
he (Lord Castlereagh) had experienced a conduct
from that side of the Home of much lenity. He
would come to the assertions respecting the military
advice upon the subject of this Expedition ; in the
opinion of some. the success was doubtful ; same
thought that the case was desperate, and none that
success was probable. But the Noble Lord said.
that the officers were not acquainted with the par-
ticular circumstances of the Expedition. Why
then was the opinion of ignorant men taken ?
But it had been said that the great object of the
Expedition was to aid the efforts of AIWA*.
Such a thing, if it was the object, was directly op-
posed to the instructions which his Lordship had
given ; because, the instructions which Lord
Chatham's lied received, were to attack the meet
and the arsenals of Antwerp, at the same time
combining whatever might be favourable to Austria.
He had said that the scheme upon which the coon-
try was bent, had never been undertaken. Did he
mean to ray, that the officers neglected their duty
The Noble Lord expr.se-cl great humanity inwards
the Germans, greater than he hod really felt for the
Italians, or for his own • uu. trynies. He had blamed