The Sun.
London, England, 1809-03-23 00:00:00

'The amennt of fate which it is pi.opote to erri.
-
ploy in Spain will fall very little Short el 40,000
men; it is to consist of 30,000 infantry, rank and
file, 6000 cavalry, and, the necessary proportion of
foot and horse-artillery, waggon train, Btc. the whole
to be;asserObled under the orders of Sir John Moore
on the borders of
,Gallicia and Leon, from whence,
they may operate in the open country .Ds soon as the
necessary proportion of horses and mules can- be
procured, to render • them movable ; leaving it 'to
the Spanish :nrmies; nor having -a due propor,
lion of cavalry, to at on their flanks in the Moun-
tains, Sir David Baird, with t2,0u0 men, is ordered
immediately to sail for Corunna.
Sir John Moore is' to move the remainder of the
force required to complete the 30,000 infantry from
Portugal, either by land or sea, as he may find most
convenient, sending the two regiments of cavalry
under Brigadier-General Stewart through the inte-
rior. '.l he. rest of the cavalry will be sent from
hence as speedily as circumstances will permit. It
would haVe been more satisfactory,' had our army
been equipped for service, to have disembarked it at
.St. Ander°, or some other point nearer the enemy ;
but as it is Of equal importance to the Spaniards, as
it is to us that the army should not be partially
`committed or brought into' conta& with the enemy
till the means of tnoving' end following up an ad-
vantage are secured; and as the navigation on,the
coast of Asturias becomes extremely precarious to-
wards the close of the year, it was the decided opi-
nion of all military Men,' and of none more titan the
Marquis de la liotnana, whose sentiments on this
,subjea are stated in the accompaning memorandum,
and will be expressed on his urriVal in Spain, as fully
approving of the decision that has been taken to
make Cannata our principal depot, and to operate
from thence.

To render the Northern provinces the more se-
cure whilst our Army is assembling, and to co-ope-
rate with the other Spanish armies in circumscribing
the enemy's position on the Ebro, the Marquis has
determined to proceed with his own corps, amount,
ing nearly to 10,000 men, to St. Audero, and he
proposes on his arrival' there, by the incorporation of
the armed peasantry of the Asturias and the Mon-
tana, to augment their numbers to at least 20,000
men, which, with the Asturian army and Blake's,
will carry the force in that quarter to 60 or 70,000
Men,
.exclusive of the armies operating towards the
front and left of the enemy's line. Pairl not en-
abled to .send you any precise calculation of the num-
ber of horses and mules .ste shall want; the cav, fry,
artillery, and waggon train will be provided from
.hence; the stores and baggage of the, army, the
cOminissariat, &C. must be equipped •in Spain.
have sent a Commissary into the Northern provinces,
to e.olle4' what can be bad. •
Sir Put(' Baird is directed on his arrival at Co-
mina to equip his corps, if possible, from the re-
sources of Gallicia and the North of Portugal. Sir
John Moore, when he has arranged the movement
of his army from Portugal, will probably superin-
tend the equipment on the spot. I have only in the
mean time to request you will communicate with
those in authority on the best means of rendering
this important force serviceable as (may as possible,
and that you will cause orders to be sent into the
provinces of Gallieia, &c. to facilitate thequipment
of the army, and to ensure them a good reception.
The Marquis of Romania. has written to make his
Government pertealy understand the principles
upon which our decisionhas been taken, and to ex-
plain to them why they must not exped the British
troops to take the field in detached corps. I have, *c.
_ _ (Signed)- crASTLgREAGH.
. _ _

, Your Lord;hii; will firetbably see Mr. *Lula
at Madrid, who was seat from the Foreign Depart-
Mem as 'a Diplomatic Agent to' COrunna: Under
the information received - by him that a Central Go 7
verument was forming at Madrid, he thought it ex-
pedient to proceed- thither, although no furnished
with'regular instra.tions to that purpose. He may
have .Jurtnectsuch = arrangements' with the Centro!
Government as it may be material you should be, up.
prized of; and it will be' equally necessary that be
should be possessed of the objects of your Mission,
and of my' instru6tions to you, ao that be may be
the better enabled to furtirer your views,*yuo that
counterattiou may be avoided.
I have the honotir to be, &c. .
• (Signed) CASTLIAZAGH.,
Major.Genetal lutd W. ifetainck.

COPX• OF A LETTOR FROH VISCOUNT CASTLIIREACift

TO I.OHD VilZl. DENTIN.CK.

MY LOR,t),

Downing-street, oa 1, dos.

In my last dispatch. I stated very generally that it
appeared as most advantageous to the common cause,
and most suited to the composition of, the British
army, that it should advance through Leon and the
Castilles, when equipped, towards the enemy, sup-
ported on its tiatiks by the Spanish armies.
As the corps under the Marquis de la Itomana and
General Castanos are likely, irom the superior pro-
disciplined add veteran soldiers which
they contain,. to be more efticien't, and more capable
of chewing themselvei on the plains of Castile against
French troops, than any 'of the other Spanish ar-
mies, I venture to suggest to you whether it might
~not be desirable, in any plan of operations, that you
should endeaVouri if possihle, to Lriug the corps
under General Castanos itnniediately in contata with
the British. op their right flank, and the corps tinder
General Romanis on their left.

I am* more induced to suggest this as the pre-
ferable arraugement, from the confidence I feel in
the characters and views of both those °tart's, who•
join to their devotion to the common cause themt-
most.contidence and good-will to .Great Britain, bit-'
mixed with any jealousy or separate views. They are
besides both Otficers of *high military reptita—
lion, and, I believe, - of a prthleable temper,
which is a consideration of the utmost itnpot
where operations arc to be carried on by concert be-
,
feweeti the Generals? rather than by a 'paramount
and cocitivutin command.

General Castanos has besides a larger body of ca-
valry than any °ther provincial army,, which, joined
to the British cav,ilvy, would very amply provide for
the services of the three corps.
I beg you will understand that I am only throw-
ing outideas to bu considered by those who el (IA
decide the question,on the spot.
I have only further to request that your Lordship