The Sun.
London, England, 1810-02-16 00:00:00

THE INQUIRY.

MIN.UTES_OF EVIDEN,CU.,
C Taken before the oimtiii ter 61 Cie wiloielibitse;3.ppointed
to consider of the l'olicy and Conduct of the late. LApecti-,
tion to the Scheldt.

•'
SIXTH DAY, Fes. t 2.• '
The Right Hon. Sir 10 aN ANsTR.UTH!LR, Dart. in the
• -Chair.
Capt.. Sir -HOME Por'n.ui; u Member of tire House
t. • , at„./ending: place, ,
Exanot,py the. (2,:rnioirtee.;
Have you broeight welt you the Memoranda you
referred tb oil ynur.ftifiher'e'xarniniition have..
Have: the goodueas Jo:produce thetra.
[Sir HomePopharnlelivered in the Memoranda
referred to; Which' were read.]
, • " arapion tiDA.
" As! already'shewo to fiord 'Mtilgrave
theAetailed. plate of Wady on the Island of **ha-
rem,
:his Majeaty:s.Gover.enaent areaed tale
to pieeaae its 1798, and which I afterwards ;hewed
- to 'Mr. Sullivan in 'lBO3, ' sent to 'me to
meet Pieliegrn,-Domourier;' Tinsot,' and Scutag, it
will onle now be,licce-sary for me to snake-such al-.
tetations as circumstances, ande the eater of the
forCe to be omplitykd 'will hattiraliy-sugg st, Which
cannotain any Mintier, interfere with the basis.or
principle on' which first prOpositiOn was founded.
These alterations will be made.on the original pa-
per, 1 t the may be distingtished in the scale of
arrangement Whichis there proposed', The present
entet 'adze, however, as explainedsto-me, greater
" 'objects,. in view than the possession of Walcheren
arid the destruction of the., naval depots on that
island; for 11 mast be considered'as cornhiniiia the
destruction of the Antwerp fleet; and • its arsenals,
with those .of the :island above-mentionod; .but it
wile essential to the seCond operation that the first
should be secured a'inatiner as to secure the
safety of the flea on its return.
" In an object of such-magnitude there must be
a variety of opinions on the mode of attack; and it
will be assuming too much to imagine, that any in-
. dividual of one professi.;n is competent to shape the
arrangements in such a manner as to leave no room
for observation orimprovement ; but-if any of the
ideas' which I venture to sublnit;. founded on the
best'recollefliOn of the local knowledge Which I pos-
sesaed in 17gTeshOuld promise any advantage to-the
Commanders in Chief I shall feel myself particu-
larly gratified.
In .the Memorandum I gave Sir Richard Bick-
erton, on the best mode which- occurred to me of
attacking the eeem'y'afieet when it lay at Terneu.se,
,I proposed that them should be-three ,;istina squa-
drons, which were to act iuclepentleilt, though as
to the main objen'co-'elleaatina whh'eacli other.
The sanfe mita, nearly must be fellowed up in the
present enierprize; but there roust be four princi-
pal squadrons', having each a Fen t:cular objea, and
from which the'niinor details of that object will tar-
turally bratteli put: The squadrons will be—
' f‘ The, squadron_ for.Waieherce, the, seuedron
for'
,pilotage,. tltt sdi.ta►lron to attack the enemy's
-flotilla; and the advanced 'squadron, ter Antwerp.
" I understand, that 3,5;600 etleNiVe •111:11' are
ready for this service{ and .30 sail. of:the. line,-20
frigates, sloops, and 30 gtltY-Wgs, besides gun-
boats;' mortar vesseli, fire-ship;,
, " This' is a force of snclis•magaitude,eand the
point etaoperatiothat so shOrtfa distance;torn Eng=
land, that it is obsoletely necessary every arrange:
-talent should be made betore a single man.ls embark-
ed; and the Comtnanding'olficers of the several
brigades and aiivisions should be so perfealy ac-
luainted with the duty assigned to them, as to make
them feet satisfied ,of succuss.
" MeV-aver, No. 1. is the Detail for Walcheren ; •
No. 2, the Detail tor Pilotage ; No. 3, the English
Flotilla ; and'No. 4, the Detail for Antwerp.
" Before I close this Paper, I must aSsume, that
20,000 Men wtllbe sufficient for the reduetion of
Walcheren and.fievelancl ; indeed I hope that little
resistance will be made, when the, nature and.extent
of the force is known to the enemy. • It will be of
great importance to have, (4000 effeClive men ern-.
borked,sepatate, and, kept as a reserve,. but ready
to proceed up the Scheldt as sooneas,the Comman-
der in Chief sees a moral certainty of succeeding in
his attack of the .Island.of' Walcheren ; because that
detachment will be equal 'to the first objee9 of stir-
prize, and will be supported by-the disposable Me,il,
after securing Walcheren _and Beeeland..
" I will proUead to the tnipute detaila every
department, as soon as 1 clot informaid that the Mea-
sure is deckled upon,- at'd at-Teemed' •Vith Whom I
may communicate conficientatil y. Althi;ugh I 'ha r e
dwelt so much -upon- this subjea, I think; that in •
point of consequence to the general cause, it will
trot be of -auCli importance as 'another operatic-%
av hiclt may succeed :this; if suCcessf ; and with •
manifold advantages consequently, n'sulting • from
that success, I mean the •Weser ; if tire progress-of
&hill's partisans continues to improve as much as it
baS done in, t he last two Months. But on this sub-
jet ia here will be sufficient time-for me to offer such
observations as have occurred to
.me. . •
No, I.—As-I have already olcietvedeit will not -
be. necessary very materially to alter the principle of
tray original proposiiton for the attack:of Walcheren,
we rife informed that any met erial alterations:
haVe taken pis ce on.the island since it Was proposed;
the only variation of consequence which :ever .oc- 7
curred to me was, to make the
.eastern attack one
of More consequence, thatit may embrace most of
the points calculated on to:branch our from the west-
ern one,, making that more of a divisional column
Of demonstration than one ofadired attack.... By this
mcpus, atidantly lo4ieg to the postession of Wal-
cheren, theatorae, would be, more coecentrated„ But
when our ; views are to extend b,:yond this point,
then, I think, adclitiorlal teasons will occur for
adopting my amended opinion, - independent of , the-
,
• force that-avill.bereqeired for North Beveland. .
" It must remain for the opinion of:the General,,
and it maybe matter worthy of extreme consicle7
rat ion, how
far b6.!lii4s:it will be expedierit to ex-
tend his line of insular operations; I mean whether.
North Bevelandia, or is nat, a .poineof consequence
to the great-and extended scale to-which tire preseht,
eat edition it: proposed to be carried., Itemy humble,
411),,
Woo, •
the s.;ssion of North Beveland pos
bt: iit:enci al with mueleincretsed difficultynr labour,

and it may be' of ,some consequence tcoas6ertarn by. i
Ahq,pcissyssion of it,. how it may be made usetUl,
the purpose of a permanent (It letice.of. the Island..
of Walch,lten, ..by ihereaSing 'tite difiiCulty which
`the enemy would -have in making any attack upon. ,'
it, .hy tiinking vesgels in the -chaandlai • overflow ing
:any part of the island„; or inundating altogether .the
small Island of•lVOl'v'ersdyke;whiCh 'Would prese9t
the strongest Possibltliite of diffenceifci that 'quarter
of • attack. 'ew I believe'doubt toe tel..
nability of the island while !,,be navjgati9n-is open,
provided. Government %visit-es to retain it ; but many
will probably 'que-Stion it in a'seVde'winter. IdO
not' however doubt it' under theinforssion 1, have
.at preSent. Let'me bear theobstacles, on the.spot,
and then if I cannot devise:e6nyincing,e)ipedients to
remove them,' I 'will iinni6aiately relinquish the
opinion have •at'"preSent on that4-subjea.
" The Island of South Beveland we must pos-
sess for a short'time, lengthined however in propor-
tion to. the increased difficulties which- we can raise
to Check the progress of the enemy.on fliit. side,—
The IStarkl •of Cadsand is al-lot-her— consideration.
Part of that may, I beiieve,'be overflowed ; and 'al-
though it is. a spot where the enemy may collect a
large force, yet it cannot coiled vessels -in py
number On the oath side with safety, hilt Most have
recourse `to the -channel of S!uys, of the 'creek's on
the .t.-ast, side, which- will naturally iriCrease. its length
of ,naviga inn, and cannot be well done without our
knowledge:.
,
i
In Abe- original proposition;' the' army Was
vided,into'theee main column'S, the east; west, south
or centre.. Now I propose that the-western should
be materially reduced, and the eastern increased;
in
short, the attack Campveere 'to be pritripally
from 'the eastward. Wlteit the three points of
arnpveere,- Flushing, and Armoydep, are in pos"-
sessiott, I believe the island may be rousidered to be.
ours, for ifte resistance ‘'..Vhielt-Altdd!ehtirg can th'n
possibly • make will 'arriOnnt 'to `nothitig.; ' indeed,
FluOling,fs the main objett,. and into this, place
I ,hope a"detta(Jfed column of observation will
be' able' to drive'. all the Military force of the

I,‘ In, the new-disposition; 2000 troo;:s will he
req-uisite for ale eastern 8000 the,centre,
and 2000/to march Trost- Zootiand fir- the purpose
before mentioned,. when it is ascertain,Nl that the
force of the island will not admit-of-any &tact) i e: .t
superior to this Column ; and' 2000- to land as early
as,possible on Beveland; to prevent theArotips going
Up .the. Slough being at all annoyed by -any heavy
guns which may be brought down for that pur-
pose; not that I-have thb-ieitst apprehension of such
a thing, but it will be well tcY be prepared, and these
troops Will be ready to. make their progress-after-
wards to the
.essenti tl positions of the_ island, and
the. `subseqUent arrangemet4 Which' may be made
by the G.-netal it that q‘larter.
On the firsrview,of this subje&, it may np,
pear strange that the force proposed for the present
attack-should be *so' for greater than that under
which't he original 'proposition was`, made in 179 e.
111;.,i794:thete•Were very few troops on the
believe only 200 French, and the enemy did not
aipear nt
,that moment to attach so much import-
atice to it as they have since done ; it will therefore
be right to calculate on the island being pot into a
better stale of defence against surprise, that the tor-
tific,ift'uns have been repaired, that fi• may
"hilve bcen placed in d:tierent parts of the sand-
hills and on the dykes; with ternrbrary breast-
Wt.rks, palisadO6.s and 'travefieg.. tinder' this Sup•
position, the uumtter of field-pieces for landing Wtll
of course be ircreased, -with all the implements
ready for throwing up works, sand-bags in abun.
dance, and sailors to draw the guns, with -a va-
riety of other arrangements which will be here-
after .mentioned, independent of the general de,
tails in the original .plan. But when accurate in-
formation has been.obtained, and it appears that
any strong works have been ere6led in Zotitladd
Bay, it may then become a question, whether a

new, dispo,ition for landing should not be made.
But.l do not think that the principle of sixteen
thousand men for the investiture of the island
can be altered, and two. tlicntsand or more 0 skirt

the whole i;tand, which I suppose will be done
in twen..y-lour hours, by doing. it •in different di-
re6tioli'i, where an open communication can be
obtained to form a junction; -for as soon as the
troops are all locked up in Flushing, then such de-.
tachulents as can be spared according to the force-in
Flushing, may be immediately sent forwaid to join
the Antwerp Division, and that may be -done from
Beve1;1114 relieving -the posts in succession froM
Walcheren, by which means the two or three

thousand men on Beveldnd might be at &Intl/liet as
soon as the main body; and the whole of this
can be done by telegraph ; same communications
m ty be made by the pilotage squadron, so that every
movement may be communicated between the ex-
treme parts or the army in five minutes;
" The bombarding :squadron will in course be
increased, and be noticed in the paper speaking of
the. flotilla. The season pr.,:sents great advantages to
the invading army, by giving great facilities or com-
munication from' the superior state of the roads: I
may presume ten sail Of the will be left in an
clfe6iive state; but the lower-deck guns; • except
four, with. the carronades,' and the foremost and af-
terrnost guns on the main-deck, should all. be taken
out from the oilier ships; they should be disi!ncurit-
bered of stores as much as possible; keeping no--
thing•on board but those articles which are absolute-
ly necessary for a short voyage. •
It so seldom happens-that regimenls are of the
same strength/or indeed ships of precisely the saale-
-eapkity for receiving men, that it will be ditlicultto-
form a precise scheme of. embarkation till the re-
turtiS are obtained, and the names of the ships given •
When the line-oPmttle-ships have their guns
taken out, and their complements consequently re-
duced, ir wlll'enable the Aclmtraby to prepare mioe
On an at r-rage, a 'calculation may be
piadt,i..that a line-of-battle-ship; with a frigate and
a Sloop, or two sloops, will embark a regiluent, with
aptepbrtionate'attillerY":, I' mean
.field-pieces be-
longing to it;•oi to the nurnber of reghr et's which
will cornpose a 6rigacie.. For nix itale, it (our regi-
tnentsfwith their artillerymen and any-diSM,tunted
cavalry which !nay be ettadhed to them; should
amountto troll-0200 to 3500 men; it will 'require
four line-of-battle-slrips, withhur 'frigates and four

" Right Hon. Visc. Castlereagh; Ice.

scoops (Altering' this minor dbfill'hadcorclttig
strength or:capaciry).' to' embirk tfib bitiitle;::• The
Commanding- -Officer of the. division- of 'ships on-,
board of ', cli this brigade is erntl:lrk,..,d, :
aceountable'for prese-r'vi-6g'systern, order;' gild
larity the•embarkatiob and disefilbarkation of the`'
brigades, and will -41 furnished with all the means
necessary to accomplish this point. • It must :be evi-
cfent• tdevery °Seer-hi the aramy, of hoir muLli
pottanCeit is to.attend to a phint essential, and
my. say sa.Mdispeissa,ble, to •the,suceess and credit
of an'expedition. • These.
„combinations vvere'parti-
cutarlY attended to at CoPehltaisven c atid-i.vherr. I
first submitted"tlie idelworbrigadesiand-divisions to
the Commanders in chief, they saw ihe.advantagds
likOy to be
:derived lion). it, and were convinced
ti-n any' nUtiiber of men; from .a subaltern's guard
lip to the strength of the'wii6le`arrny., rnigfit'frSV6'
been etobarked ;or disembarked, or move&to any,
particular spot,. according to the joc,alarrangc4ients,
lea.scpOsit)le
_The minute details
of ktfiis Isj•tem A.v4l tie eitlaineeintdue time.' The
praclicat adsantages of it at Copenhagen did, 'I
lieve, strike every pers,n :and 1 am not aware that
anY'accident whatever, even of the most titling na-
ture,' happened to 'a mail or' a hors•-:.
whule'of the service. the•COMmandets
and all the
.:for their cunftrma-
tionof this short st3ternent, which I trust will not
he'redriSidered an' uninteresting UiglicSsion, rt a too-
['tient when an expedition- is: about; to be-Under-
taken, which, if success ;:n1 various parts, will
astonkh all Europe."
[NOs. 2,3; and 4, to'be given in continuation.]

". Chailes-itreet, St.' James's-sOare, June z 3, 7'809.
"MY LORD, ' • . .

. .
" It did not occur to me on Sondavo.mention,
Chit as fast asthe roinfOrcernents could be Spared
from the operations on Walcher'eti,AlieywoOld na-
turally relieve the. wevertrtre:gimems,oh:
and the eastern would by signals cross (tom Bat Liz
to
.Bailtvliet, their posts beingmccupieo by the ,k.est- .
ern regirrients'sirceessively ; by which-arrangernenf
the reinf rcements in series would join 'the 'Ahr.:•
werp column within an hour after they Could be
spared from Walcheren. AS' I, hope
.your Lordship
is satisfied it-4 mind is- never at rest any sub-
ject 1 take up until it is'completed, • yon will I arm -
sure excuse the anxiety I express. upon the present '
oc. aston. Vsee the season athancing fast, and if we
are imperceptibly led on till the Nlidsnantn-er tine
weather is past, -we' shall have the most dreadful of..
difficulties, the elernents, to -encounter; and
those difficulties will be materially increased by the •
number of transports Which 'will I fear attend this ex- •!
pedition. Transports are-the greatest. clog 'to-every
sort of expedition, particularly those. in I.vhiCti
promptness and celerity are so. essential to success;,`
on this persUa4inn it was, Alia: I much pressed the
dismantling a great prOportion'at the line-ot-bartle-
ships, aoctembar king the troops in brig-:des in pro-
portionate clivki ns of men of war, with all their
apPoietinents and equipirrents, and the number of
horses; ready 'for -thew tcizo into action" the very
first :instant of their-latidinv When I have the.ho-:
'tour of seeing ;your Lordship again, I thinkl shall
better'able to satisfy 'you of the expediency of: •
this measure,-rspecially'w&li it applies to all obje6t,
the sucieess of which should not be hazarded by- too, t
stria a consideration of matters of mere formality.
I expect a person in a few days in town; from whom-
we shall derive much -informatio'n as to the state of
the landing'places in the river, which will be a' con-
siderable relief to me, as 1 da not like to
.place im-
plicit-confidence in my,own recoll*tion after such a,
lapse of time. I. again venture' to press on your
Lordship how..important it is to save even an hour,
and to seize- tbefavourable moment-which is pre-
served to us for accomplishing ah undertaking not
inferior in naiiboal Impottance CO. 'any on which the
resources of this 'empire have ever been employed.
." I. have the honour to be,
" Lord, &c. • •

" HO3IE POPFIAM ."

Sir HONIE POPHAM —I have, in my band notes of
the precise Conversation .-I,Vhibli passed betAVeen Lord
Mulgrave and myself on ,t he .4111-.of,lnne, which- I
am ready to give- in, if it.is the pleasure of the Cotn,
mittee that they should be inserted in the Minutes,
instead of the statemerits. I'made from rricniory ; the
statements are the satire in substance; there are no
material variations.

(The Chairman ova i directed to report progress,
and ask lease to sit 2.;viin).. •

-Bo W-STREET.-,-- A man of theliame. -of Edward .
Powell was examined on WeciAesday evening.,
charged with stealing grcit coats, hats, parcels;and ,
other articles, out of several hotels, an wag com-
mitred for further examination on Wednesday. next. •

A few nights since-, Brenhatn Lodge, near-Nor-
thampton, was robbed of 700 guineas, and, tw,o
hundred poundg in country bank-notes.
A very curious circumstance occurred lately near
Meigle, in Scotland, which has had' the etfea of
confirming - in that neighbonrhood-a species 'of super-
stition which prevails more or less in every part uf
the country. , The overs,eer of a bleach field hoard,,
or thought..he heard one day, a' dreadful shriek at
a-pavticulai"pa'it of the machinery whiCh was then
going.. •. He knew the voice-to be that of one of the-,
young women, who. was-employed: at the work, cud
ran immediately to the spot, apprehending that
same accident had befallen her. He was much
surprised,, however, to ,find that neither ishe, nor
indeed.Any,,body- else, was within- the house. On.
going, out, he discovered her at a ciistant plirt of
the field, ocenpied about. something aloiig with some
other Women-; he went up 'to ber, and iluestioned
herif
.she bad been near the machinery,: towhich.;
she replica in the negative; he then telated,,rhe.
pirticulars Of what ,had happened. The*.cirelntn
stance made a deep. impression 'on the poor. ,girl's•,
mind,. and not wit hstanding, tll4 :ridicule of herco/01-.1
ienions, she grew ,very . melancholy Irvin the .ich.a,
that what the eVerseer had heard was
`Dint lasted foi-several ‘iveeks:. She' had 'not`
recovered her cheerh4ness many days,
pening to pass pear the whet-i from hick the shriek
had appeared to issue, it laid hod of her, and killed"
her instantaneously

•

I-0141)(1N Pcigled'br It I FL\ it l< IS, or No. 4, Martl'ett. court, Bow-street ;.gld Pl:blishe,l A VII 81. NI Alt MI G It SC k !PPS, Soutti.malt
At/the StiN-OFFICE, I:';.tro, 112, Strazd; where Acireilisemenes, 9rderS fora.thè Paper, Letters for.the t.ditor, &e, (post-paia),.Erius.t

4r, 471. i • _ .

brit ti. ,77—""`""'
Fr 3 rs.
this 41) tllB-Siith/gs-of Prios were rcsurned.

_ ',l.!* clitiWA TT. moni.rb:s,
--..-Thi viiie-Ahl:--aiin4 'l3-totighi'' by th 6 pi lint iff, 3
6111 i St, agiinst.the"dgfeneEnt;Wbb is .1 rcspe,- able
tehdnitiiliitii-, foi"-'''tlie"i.iltli' ref 521. 10s." being the
}: A4i6tirit of''atsetroF arittitft44l. teeth, which he SOP'
filled him witb, and't qt. "Ips. due for attending his
I Tittif!. 1111 teali.' vivig"dßivei6(iliii'tli defeodfilit
t in persf)b, nrid:st.iCin at `th6isariite •tiitne'by the plain'
tiff. But the.y.wereafterards returned by the de;
I fetlilthi fas ilnser4iebie; affil -there(' poffi be • p !Et 'oil fF
I .brbtiglitl' his'-'atiidtt.• SM,rerir' PrafesSikinal Getille7
r men were called i'l s Pi. t f 11'plaintiff's de' 1,,,. 9 )or. ..o ,le
er
I. niNfia.L-The Jtiry .retitritiell a verditi for the pi iill"'
Damagesii,
Daages 521. ins. the defendant having p..iid" th'
other terit iiiiieh's iiiiideoth-e

LEATT: AS:9I.ZES:

. , OXFORD•CIRCUIT. ,
Before Mr. justice Lawrence and Mt. Baron Wood.
;Berks.-bite : ' Mirih 5- Rtidding:
Oxfordshire 7 Oxicat-l. •
11,roz,v,ters!n.re 1, Wori:ester. • .
louccstershile iAire4te'r.
, • Monmouth IVtori+tdJth.
Fler,:sf r,l --- 20 r.rylor4l.
Stimpsnire Shrewshui-y.,
Staffordshire ----- zS Staftx•J:
VVES`rtl6;' CI R CU; 'l`,
Before Mr. Baron Granath-3 and Sir A. Chanthre; Kilt.
Stitziharripton• ht;reh. 5 ' Castle,
Wilts to New Sirturn
' Dorset i 5 1.)
Devon /9 Castle., Eii,e/er.
City .ioci County, same•day ,r the t; uildhal I.
Cornwrill ?6' Latineestorr.
Sc,niersct • 'Taunton.
• •
• Nil WAN!) :CI R CUT T. -
H •
Befiiterthe =Right 'on. I. ,1,1 F, 11, nbdiough'and Hon. Air'
tiSt lny
North dopton -March s, af.:lslortliamptoit.
R4itlandlOice:---Ittareit .91;_ at Oakham.
Lincolnshire. -March to, at-Lincoln.
City. qt Lincoln„,3,llltreti ,19, ,
t6,•in- Nottingham.
Town of Nottitighain- •March '
Der)Jyshite-•:M arch 201 sr. Derby.
Lelciershire - Nlareh_74, at
I.lorthigh',Ot
City of Covet kry.,-Maielll9,,ar Coventry.
Warwickshire—:,larch 29,- at Warw:ck..

On the 4th inst. an inquest was t !ken at Bral-
frd, on' the 1360 of Stn'lth, a lad II years
of age,. son-of Sarah S2nith, d ird 611
Wedne,da, hi ConSeqh-tice of a Iv, and receiv,4 •
the'Thtirq-day: pi•oceding.by; niPans of a 0,11, 111,(10,-•
111Pnt. Used as a which ‘‘'n; tin'ocvn by the
.
rnothcr, and stock hi the head of the lad. 11'5,
Jury„retutticd vetdiA of Willt,l a,.,aitit ire
robther, who is committed, on tt'te Coroners in-_
que,t, for trial at:next assizes.
-Yesterday m ruing:early, the h'onse of a
ler in Wilcleruess4row, Clerken IA as 'atientted„,
to;be'bi-oken open, but the•thieves were rreventect
froth' effeaing their purpose, .13:y the N'vxcliftlitles's4 61
a dbii• • • _
o
It is with great:happiness, though with their usual.
good fortune, BRA Ns,Cor,iir,-. and .CO. have tu: ail
oounce they' on Wednesday sold,No. 37:34, a prize
of 20,01, ,16-. Sixteenth Shares; 4564,
of .5000 f. iii 2 Qqarters and 8 Si,xtet2ntlis ; besities: -
4 '.of btlo, Sic..&c..AVhere the fortunate hoLclersituay..
receive their
money on demand, and view [llea caw- .
paratiVe account of capitals for many years...

SHIP NEWS.

GRAVESEND,. FEBRUA R
Sniyina.
Sailed—the Ann kind Entabeth, Guwing,, Cadiz•