The Sun.
London, England, 1807-04-22 00:00:00

MONTE VIDEO

The Earl of 11101RJ rose,., to call the attention of
.the House to certain observations and erroneous re-
ports that had been sent abroad respeding a defi-
ciency in the quantum of ammunition .with which the
troops were furnished in the attack on Monte Video.
Nothing.could be more cruel and mischievous than
the dissemination of such rumours, without any
concomitant explanation to account for the cir-
cumstance they alluded to. What must the Soldiers
feel, if they are taught to believe that they were sent
into the field to encounter all its dangers, and expose
their bees, without being provided with the usual
and adequate means that might render their valour
elJicacious, and give them an equality of chance
with the enemy ? So far from that being the case,
he believed he might venture to assert, that so
far from the troops being left without a due pro-
portion of ammunition, he was pretty certain that
somewhat greater proportion of ammunition
than what had been allotted to a similar ser-
vice (the Capture of the Cape of Good I-lope) had
been furnished to the troops who stormed Alonte
Video ; but who Were not destined for that service.
Indeed the difference of the nature of the two Ex-
peditions would chew, that the proportion of animu-
nition was larger on the part of those who were not
destined for an expelled attack. But these matters
would be placed in their proper light, by the return
to the Motion which he now would have the ho-
nour of submitting to their Lordships. The Noble
'Earl then concluded with moving au humble Address
to his Majesty, praying he would be graciously
pleased to order " That there be laid before the
House an Account of the Quantity of Ammunition
shipped on board the Expedition under the Coin-
mand of Sir S. Auchmuty, and of the quantity
usually furnished for similar Expeditions."
The Earl (y. GALLOWAY conceived himself to
be somewhat the cause of the observations thrown
out by the Noble Lord who spoke last. It was
true, that he had animadverted on the deficiency of
ammunition under which the brave troops laboured,
who had so gallantly stormed Monte Video. In
making that observation, he had rather in view
to retie& additional lustre on that achievement,
than to aim any attack • by a side wind, or other-
wise, as a Noble Lord (Holland) seemed disposed to.
think, on the late Administration. No doubt the
inevitable inference fro n his remark was a censure.
so tar on the late Ministry, but be did not single out
any department of that Government, much less any
individual, as the peculiar objet of his Haimadver-
sion. If, however, the cap seemed to fit the Noble
Earl (Moira), it was for that Noble Earl further to
explain himself : he certainly was surprised that any
Noble Lord, who belonged to the late Administra-
tion, could have so far let himself down as to justify,
Lis eondnet by squeezing it upon that of his prede-
cessors in office, whom it was the constant study
and practice of the late Administration to disparage
and decry in the Public estimation.
Earl SPE.VCER defended the ehara(iter of the
Lae Ministry, and observed that the Noble Earl
(Galloway) should have waited the return to the
Motion, before he proceeded to animadvert upon
the condua of the late Govermnent. For his own
part, he had never disparaged the merits of toe, cap-
ture of the Cape of Good Hope ; on the contrary,
he was among those who valued that possession much
higher t taut any perhaps of the present Mini.try.
Lora` .110/Rai, in explanation, observed that the
deficiency of ammunition, alluded to in the dis-
patches, was not owing to the actual want of that
article, but to the difficulty of introducing it within
he trenches. •
The Earl of -'3.4 L T.. 0 WAY would leave to the
House to judge of the defence setup by the Noble
Lords opposite him. He should stand upon the
ground he had originally taken, and content him-
self with observing, that the General employed by
the late Administration had complained of ti;e situa-
tion in which they had placed him ; the Otlicer who
achieved the capture of the Cape had performed his
duty, and made no complaint against any one.
Lord HOLLAND thought such discussions were
wholly alien to the question brought before the
House, and calculated °illy for invidious purposes.
However two Administratioies might differ from
each other in the leading principles of their conduct,
it. was puerile to think that they must, in the mi-
nuteness of smaller objects, necessarily differ from
their predecessors.
Ater a few words more in explanation between
Lords MoIRA, itaraoa, and GALLOWAY, the mo-
tion was put and agreed to.