The Sun.
London, England, 1810-02-01 00:00:00

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Flat thatevil would -not contintre be, exit much. . Withits the banks; but le ease of it kale or wind it ilttens,esfil 'Cienpietion.
'longer. When he brought for Ward his motion on that ' Would be bazardouilfor the transports; whtch are in - peditions. I remain,
4llbject he trusted that every honest man, of what- general bat ill prepared to ride in the open sea.
ever party he might be, wouldgive him his support. i Q. Can the investing force in this ease proceed
Lord A. HAMILTON offered a few observations, i on at:once to blockade the island, leaving the army
after which ' Ito follow when it can; or will the enemy have
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL took a general view ! this interval to draw reinforcements from the ail*
(It the state of the question. 'As far as relates to ' cent garrisons, and to be prepared to
;oppose the
number, he was' for the greater,, and would prefer ; landing.—A. The line-of-battle ships may take their
a Committee of 21 persoris to one of 15. The next station in the mouth of the Scheldt; and a division
question was, whether or not the greater part of the e might be placed in the Rotnpoot c.hentiello guard
;vierribers who were of the Committee last Session the side of Helvoetsluys.
should be removed ? Supposing an equal portion t Q. What is the probable period which mast i
0f honour andlntegrity tolee'poSsessed by the Gen- I elapse after the fleet appears off the coast, suppos-
Ilornen whose names appearedsin the two lists; yet ! ing the weather favourable, before the channels can
still it must be. acknowledged that experience on the be buoyed, andehe investing force lake up its block-
, •
.'llbjeEt, which was in so high a degree necessary, ading positions ?—A. The channels must be buoyed,
leave the Comthittee of last Session an 'advantage over , by anchoring vessels, before the ships can proceed
:that proposed; 'and was a fair. ground of preference. to the place of disembarkation, and we must calcu-
9n what grounds were those Gentlemen to be re- ' late that the landing cannot be made before 48 hours '
taored? Why, on a personal charge brought against after the arrival of the fleet. The latter part re-' I
(heat, accusing them of being:hostile to the purpoSes Speting the blockading positions is already an-
for
which they were appointed. To the propriety of swered. . .
such a decision he never could subscribe, because Q. Supposing the enemy should be found within 1
each sentiments were imputed to them by one indivie ' the island in greater force than was expeCted, and i
!loal. To remove them.he contended would under that after the men of war and, transports have taken I
isteh circumstances be casting a stigma on them fot eip their positioOs for effecting a debarkation, the t,
Personal unfitness and improper conduct. In jese ' . landing should either be foend.impradticable, or hay- !
rice to them the Honourable Gentle.nan ought to . ing been attempted, shall have been failed in, could 1
,bring forward specific charges.. This statement., the ships maintain ehose positions for any length of
L'nwever, had been most satisfactorily Contradicts. i time, the enemy being in,possession of the coast, or
ed by another Honeurable Gentleman. It might, could they with the same wind they entered be with •
e asked if what had fallen from. bun and trout drawn to an anchorage out of reach of the enemy's
,i)
'lnt Right Honourable Friend,, was not jecoesist- • fire, or could they put to stet ?—A. The 'landing
tilt with that they aeserted on a for Mer occasion 'must he successful ; the retreat would be extremely
t,, procure'
the removal 'of another Committee ? hazardous, and could not be effected without great
f!e would answer this question ,by..desiting the f loss.
Idolise tnrecolleet hoW that Committee had.heen Q. Can the reqnisitati Pilots be obtained, or can
formed. The nomination had been taken away from the navy undertake this part of the service without
the worthy Merither who brought the subject for- - their aid ?—A. Pilots may be lebteined, we 'cannot
‘ve°lll2 and the greater part of them were nornina:ed ' do without their aid, but if small vessels are placed
"Y the Minister of the day. A new Parliament ha,l in the channels, so great a number will not be re-
been assembled, the-Cemtnittee must at least have quired.
`l;en re-cast ; was it then utifar to call for a new. t .Q. What interruption to the blockading force
?.'olnnaittee, and draw an equal number of Members ; nee be apprehended trom the enemy' fleet in the
t,ana each party? That was the fad, and heerusted 1: Texel, or from the flotilla pasitig aloirg shore from
that charge would be considered es 'having been is Boulogne, or elsewhere during the operation ?--
la'ay answered. Could such a Committee be corn- 1 A. None from the Texel with westerly winds, and
Pared with that of last gession, which had so anx- 1 the Boulogne flotilla must be guarded against by an
litlsly laboured to give satisfaetion ? Conld'it fairly ! adequate lolce. The inland eavigation ebout Wal-
Pe said of that Committee that it had done nothing, 1 Cheren, howcver, furnishes great numbers of craft
\Thee its useful labours were before the Hcnse, and , of easy di-Auglit of -water, and very fit to les convert-
the revenue had derived no inconsiderable advantage ' ed into gun-vessels, of which the enemy Would
er°lllit ?It remained only to decide what new Mem- most likely avail himself. We ,must guard also
bets should he added. With respea to the u:-..erva.. against' Cue arrival of succours from Helvoeesluys by
'ions at an Hon. Baronet, it did not apply to the old the inland channels.
Committee, as twobrits Members were fOr Irelend. 1, • - * The List refer!z,i to not returned. t
It might be proper, however, to ccn4der whether or Additional queries put to Sir J.A.M.S SAUMAREZ and
442 t two should be added for Scetland. At all events 1 ' ' Cape. Oe !N, with their conjoint Lluswers thereto.
the Committee; f• last Session should not be di, I Q. What facility will there be fur putting the
vaced, unless some specific charge were brought it troops:
on shore, could the ships silence the batteries
against them. Could it be expeeted that Hon. and 1 which would bear upon the landing-place ?—A..At'
' 141 dependent Gentlemen 'would- gratuitously devote i the spot where the landing of the. troops would be
1
they time to the public service,- if on suclegrounds- ',. proposed, the water is of sufficient dspili to allow
' were to be ignominiously removed ? of ships to approach near enough to the shore to
Ur. D. titowte defended the 'former Committee. ' scour the beach and silence the batteries. There
Mr. H: THORNTON explained: - : : I are. sand hills at the place which would afford tato-
, Thee question was then, put from the'Chair. On i teation to the enemy from the fire of the ships. It
the, following. Gentlemen being nominated for the ! would be . advisable to make a feint at the Point of
e(?.narnittee : ' - .1 East Capel with enesfourth of the force, and when
• . • Mr. Bankcs, l Mr. Biddul ph, . • - the main body of tilt army had established itself on
MT. H. Thornton, I Mr. Sturges Bourne. the island; that reserve might be landed near East
The three first were unanimously agreed to ; but, 1- papel.
°tithe fourth, ' I .Q. What number of stamen could be given to
The.CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved as ! forward the guns on shore till horses could be
'__l amendment the name of MreHawkius Browne. ~ landed ?-seAs. A'nurnher adequate to the service.re-
..
On this the gallery was cleared, and, a divisien e quired. .
tpot4,.
place, when the numbers were— I 1 Q. Would. the force stated in answer to query
For the Amendment, or for Mr. H. Brown -98 i Ist, be sufficient to prevent the passage of reinforce-
' Against it, 'or for Mr. Sturges Bourne - - . 107 'i
mews, supposing the land batteries to be in pos-
Majority against the Amendment --9 ! seasion of the trueps ?—A. Of this there can be no
Strangers were not again admitted. We under, doubt. - ' -
ma
nal two more divisions took place,, one in copse- 1 Q. What part of the island should the one land-
tence of Mr. Leycester being nominated against ; ing of the whole army be attempted ?—A. 'Near to
`qr. Cavendish, when the lumbers were— 1 Zoutland, between it and Dykeshook, with the
Fol. Mr. teyeester
~ For Mr. Cavendish
, The other on Mr. D. Brown and Mr. Alderman i Secret intelligence front Flushing.
‘.:- "Ilse, when there appeared, i [This /slumber consists of a detailed statement of the ships
For Mr. D. Brown
.„,' For Mr. Alderman Combe - - - - 1:7
The House then adjourned at 'Eleven o'clock. Letter from —to

I atii,:&c.
To Lord Mulgrave.

dated 20th February,

1809.

EXPEDITION TO THE SCHELDT.

MY LORD—I could wish to draw your attention
at this Moment to two objects, which I trust would
be .a great benefit to the country the (me commercial,
the other of a different nature : the latter is the
destruttion of the French fleet in the harbour .of
Flushing. I 'have lately had some conversation
with several persons particularly well: acquainted
'with the situation in which the French fleet lays.at
Flushing. Their guns have been ,taken -out, triad
their topmasts struck, and three of those ships'
crews, being ',)anos, were about.to be marched to
Brest, bat toey- mutinied, and I am not certain if
that has been again attempted. These :vessels lie so
close togetikk it; the basin or dock- at:•Flushing,
whiCh is much like our London Do:At; on thelliver
side, except is no wall round it, but there
is a fort Oi entering which is mostly manned by
Dutchmen, and -1 should think would not be able
to make any gn ai resistance: About this time last
year, the persons in Flushing were in hourly expect-
ation of an expedition of- this kind from, England,
I am told from persons well acqua;wed, the whole
of iho Island may.. be taken without great difficulty.
It is an o.:Jje.-,1 very desirable to be obtained, and
might prevent considerable mischief, if these ships
should slip out unperceived by our cruisers, which
I am informed is their intention to do early in the
nextinonth, if possible.
. Any information or intelligence I can get worth
your attention, I shall be happy to communicate, it
on consideration it should be the wish of Govern-
ment-to attempt the destinaion of these vessels.
•There are eight 74's and one 36, -all new, and a
36 and 24 which sometimes lie in the Roads; the
names of four of the 74's are the Koniugsberg, the
Dantzig, the Stettin, and the Berlin; there are also
in Antwerp nine more on the stocks, and in
sing three. They are very fine ships to look at, but
the timber with which they are built is very bad in
quality ; one of these vessels being hove down to
cdpper, was nearly strained to pieces.
• I shall make no further comment on the propriety
of undertaking these expeditions, but leave it to your
superior judgment; but on either being alaput to take
place, l'shall mostreadily.turniSh you with any fur-
' thet information MI my power, that can possibly b.:
obtained on the si.ttico,_ to. assist in lanilitating tbiz

•
tit p
'AS LAID WORE BOTIL HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

LAST NIGHT.
Queries. put by the Lords COrnmissioners of the Ad-
nairalty to Sir JAMES SALIMA KEZ and Capt. OWEN;
With their conjunct replies,
Q. What proportion of "this force is deemed re..
qutstte to invest the Island of Aralcheren, and watch
i'l`t enemy's ships in Flushing ; and what would
enlain applicable to protea.and in the disetii-
b spkation of the troops ?—A. The line 'of battle
41:,138-fle shOuld proceed in the first instance (especially
`. enemy's vessels are in a forward state) to take
71Positioti in the entrance of the Schelc! , to prevent
escape of the ships in- Flushing, on the arrival
kinforcernents from Antwerp.
• -4,'Lle Lignd could not be imes:ed until the troops
\,7 eN in possession of Fort den Haak, Ca:npver,
rnYinutten, St. Joost's Island, and even of the
Zastie of Itarnekin4. All the, remaining force
t. 9uld therefore be applicable in the „first instance
assist in the disembarkation of the troops, and
._"ver the landing at the different points of at.."
lack.

t• (4. Wimt number of troops, including a propor-
:til,?4 of artillery, &c. with the means thus dispose.-
bule, can the navy undertake to put on shore in one
t tlidY at each place of landing, supposing two attacks
be'made,on opposite' sides .ot the isl And at the
tactile time It must depend upon the number
flat boats employed upon the expedition, but
Zofil the proxinlilY to the short, a body-of 5000
tfeni, might be speedily landed, including a portion
.„"ghtartillery.
vessels
of any draught of water could not well be
111)1°Y ed on the side of Campveer, and off East
staepe), the landing, though perhaps TraOicable,
cr not so good or certain.
2,, • As to the naval investiture Is already
"Zered in the reply to the Ist cincry.
in, -Snl)Posing the weather unfavourable-for a land-
wri.%t3ti 'lie first.arrival of the fleet off the coast, in
salt aliollorage can die ttanspotts rem" in in
1111.til the weather becornes.: moderate ?—A.
t.\

Ex~

of ei

ther or both

amongthe conscrintionS. evtecl. tear
-chosen froth . . . .' - ' • 1..
' Ti-
.
are formedintoilitary order; :IS. well as into libonr;'
inn Order. There are a company to each ship build.'no , • - ...."... s .
"'every
under the superintendance of a Captain ; -and to
..,1 List of the French Naval •force in Flushing; dated every two ships there is a superintending builder; •
Februaiy c 7, 1809 e--.. . - and every Sunday they are -execiseed to mi.itary
Pultusk, 71' manned by Danes; Czesar, 74, FrenCh ; discipline. The work is carried on with amazing
pueriiesciin, 74, French ,• Ville de Berlin, 74, French • ' Char- rapidity, but perfealy performed. "At • Flushing, lemagne, 74, French; Commerce de Lyon, 74, French; Ad-
miral- cid A oversnis, ' 74, 1- rench ; I)antzig, 74, manned by' in the inset], are the following 74' • glib . ships )
DJnes.—Neer snips, Dalmatie, 74, French ;- and L'Albany, ► Charlemagne, CoMmerce de Lyon, .Anversois; .Du=
'N. I•rench. —Friptes, Vriesiand, 36, Dutch; andpi,et,The- . .
ueielm Dantzic, and la Ville de Berlin, with a new
tis, 36, llutch,--S loops of war, two Dutch, and t*F-tench q ,
.., . .
eun-pf,gs. . . .
His Majesty's Sloop Skylark, off best Capel, ships, a frigate and a brig ; in the Roads are the
. March, 3, 1809. Princess Caroline frigate and a brig belonging to the
Sia--I have the honour to .acquaint you, by the ' French. .
- At ilamskeys are seven, gun-boats, with one Oft
A&ive cutter, dispatched for the purpose, that I was
on the prow, as has been observed of the flotilla, at
this day joined (by signal previously concerted be-
tween us) by the . ,Mr. —, Master, off 1 Flushing. Distributed among all those, vessels at
,
ds hing (French and Dutch), there are cot 890
West Capel, who was last night on shore for some Fl
time at C-ampveer, from whom I received -the in- nten ail descriptions.'
There are at Catuvere about 40 sail of smugglers,
formation; which I beg leave to coMmunicate to you.
- The enemy's fleet in Flushing consists of the fol- and belonging to them, 'from 300 to 350 Pruitt:
English seamen,' who, as well as the Dut.eh; would
lowing force :—Ten ships oi the line (including a
50 gun-.Shie), two frigates, and a few smaller yes- rejoice -to see the French removed from their fa-
vourite smuggling port, which they have converted
sels; the line of battle ships are fitting slowly ; dur-
into an arsenal, and which arbitrary cenversion 13-
ins the last week they were employed' getting iron .
baliast, water casks, and gnu carriages on board : the created great disgust. .
frigates are rigged and nearly ready for sea, and it is The French are' ditching . round the land side of
supposed the beet will be ready to bawl out of the Ithe town, but there are still two gates pen ; they
harbour about the latter end of the present month.. . intend fortifying the on that site (though they.
The• line of battle ship on the stocks at Flushing is . ell', ne,:.:l- make it strong). on a presumptiont that the •
not in a forward state, but the greater part of thee le.ezii.di will land at West Capel. To •the sea side
'•at Antwerp, it is believed, will be ready to -come they have paid, coo attention, so that the taking ae.ay
down about July or August next. The Danish I the 'ships- at Flushing is 3, •matter perfectly practi-
Officers in the fleet are very discontented, several of t cable, and in I.roportion, to the advantage the risque
whom have deserted. No reinforcements of troops ; is eery small. In my humble opinion, any armee
have arrived on the island; their numbers at present 1 ment intended for this service should be composed
are supposed to be about 4000, beside the Btughers. .1 of fast sailing ..0 gun ships, fast sailing large frigates,
' I beg leave to correa the information I trans- I and large brigs, with a proportionate nurn'oer- of
mitted to you in
.my letter .dated the 2.B"th ult. by, I troops to hold possession of the island, .('bile thit
Lieutenant Naps, of the Poll cutter, of- the arrival 1. ships, stores; &c. were removing... 'Were I not
of a ntubber ut. small armed vesseli from the west- I confident of the advantage andcet twin su A.:eSs of this
ward ; six schooners only haviug come round Igtst j Expedition, I would not recommend it ; far, lesi
week from Wend. The nature of Mr. • - 'S I would I offer my services to be the first to share 'in
business on the coast requiring him to- have frequent i all the da.gers that can attend it. -
communication with the shore, I sletil be enabled, t.
t I shall haVe the honour of bubm itting . the plan
if the weather continues favourable, t I transmit yod ,
of
i attack, which I would Propose as. soon as it is
intimation of arty material:occurrence that may bap- ~ . , , . . . .
Witsnea ; in the mean time, I can assure yon and
pen. I have at present only the Fancy cutter with their
Lotalships, that I know of Sufficient hinnb..'t
me, • • .
1 of praaieal pilots from Deal and Dover who woutti
volunteer-their services..
I have the honour to be, Sir, .. . .
Your humble Servartte

I am, &c. •
(Signed) ' ' JAMES BOXER.
Vice. Admiral Campbell, &c.

Letter from Vice-Admiral CAMPBELL to Lord MUL-
GRAVE, dated Gth March, 1809.

MY I,OAP—..Since had the honoUr of writing
you List on the subject of the ships and troops at
Flushing, a person has arrived from thence, who
left it 'about six days since. He states, a great
number of troops had arrived in. the neighbourhood;
that they were busily employed in fitting cut the
ships of war in the dock, and. they would be all
completed in about three weeks; that four brigs
were lying- there, loaded with provisions for the
West Inches, ready to sail the first opportunity.

For the lion, W. Wellesley Po1e;

(ko. CAMPJ3ELt.

Substance of Intelligence received from the Deserter
from West Capel, on the Bth inst. mentioned in.
Captain INV.K.EaLIE's Letter of the 13th. •
The motive fordeserting was on account of being
ill-fed, and a desire to enter into the English service. 1
The generality of the foreign troops are -dissatisfied,
and are inclined to desert. There:are four batta-
lions in• Flushing and its vicinity ; two French, and •
Iwo :composed of Germans, Dutch, Spanish, and
Irish. There is a camp at West Capel of six htin-
dred men. Buonapare was expe, ,?..d at Flu.h-
ing daily. A firing was heard ytlterday, which
they think was on account. of his arrival. The
marines of the squadron were doing duty with the
troops at-Flushing, but have lately gone up the river
to be embarked in the ships, or, as some report, to
go to the army in Austria. Two ships of war. lay Of
the town .0t Flushing obey are small shins ; to sail.
of the line higher up the river ; knows ...little about
them, but heard they were ready for sea. The town of
Flushing is well Lmtified; the inhabitants expeded
an :attack-from the English some time ago. The
French General Mounet resides in the toles n, and is
now dangerously ill, and Generaltelement conimands
the troops at Middleburght. General Austin com-
mands, and resides in the town.

E. J. STRAcuAN•

Venerable, May 19, 1809.

&c. &c.

Letter from, Captain BoeTote.to Sir R. STRACHAN)
dated Fisgard, East Capes. Roads, 7th July, 1809.
SlR—Honoured by the execution of your orders
of the 30th ult. and 2d inst. I embrace the earliest
opportunity of examining those points to which my
attention was particularly direatd, and feel great
saiisfadion in stating, teat the correctness of my
former reports are fully confirmed by the present
observations. The examination of the Welling
Channel proves it 'to be safe, and sufficiently capa-
cious for any enterprise. The fortifications On the
Island of Cadsand eonsisteas far as I have been able
to discover, of twe- small batteriese one apparently
of five, the other of thirteen guns; the landing is
good on, any part of the shore. The coast betweeei
East and West Capel is precisely as I lett it. On
West Capel Point is a Fleur d'Eau battery of seven
or eight guns, and to the North of the Church is
another, about a cable's length from the beach, of
Seven guns en barbet, and I do not think there is
any gun mounted between this' battery and East
Capel. Proceeding to Camvete, a little above
House Point, is a small battery of three or five
grins, and at Camvere there is another of about
seven ; neither do I sec any difficulty of landing or
navigation on any part or the coast.
Inclosed is a sketch of the shoals and coast, with
the stations of the vessels as,l mean to place them.
Agreeably to your desire, I shall give my opinion
on the proper points of landing and attacking Flush-
ing-:—this will depend on the wind.
, If the attack is made.with the wind southerly (as
far as S. S. W.),
,the Welling Channel will be most
advisable for the large ships to pass up, as afte.e
_passing the Elboog those intended to batter Flush-
ing can bear up to their stations, as well as the ships
that cover_ the troops - landing about Zoukiand, of
Which there can be leo :difficulty if the weather is-
moderate ; at the same time. the divisions assigned
for landing and attacking Camvere and West. Capes
will have a smooth beach between. West and .East
Capel. If the attack is made with the wind nor-
therly, the Dnerlco will be the best channel.for the
.ships to advance up. But,, if it blows fresh; the
whole of the debarkment
.must be made between
West Lapel and Flushing; and nothing can be'done
on the East Capel Side, unless a division sail
.up at
once. to Camvere, through the Veer Get; provided
the attack is made with the wind this way (nonhev,
ly), a strong portion of heavy armed light draught
Of watenvessets should be appropriated for the attack
'of West Capel ; they can lie close' to the shore; and
this point secures, the troops and stores, might bd
landed at the jetties in smooth water :' there is a
passage of four fathoms through the East eGat, and
when inside the Calloo, eigh or ten fathoms all the
way alopg shore to Flushing; all the .sinuggleri are
well acquainted with this passage, and I shad ew-=
.deavour to find it out.' Vessels of light draught can
pass at high water over the banks.. There will be
one advantage in attacking with the Wind northerly,
the ships damaged in battering. Flushing telly bear
away to relit, and be succeeded without (lithe:illy
by. the reserve, which may be kept anchored out cf
.gun-shot in the Deerioo:

Memorandurri of ObserVations made by at
the Ports of BOulogne, Calais„ Dunkirk? Wend,
• Antwerp, and the Island of Flushing
At Boulogne there are about 600 craft of diligent
descriptlims that compose the flotilla, but they are
in such a state of Wreck, as well in theirrig&ing,as
in their bottOms, which arc worm-eaten, that they
will require to be nearly rebuilt to bt. of service.
At Calais there are about 70 craft of the flotilla in the
same state. At Dunkirk there are two old frigates,
and about 90 vessels of the flotilla in the inner ba-
son ; and'tlyere are in 'the outer bason above 50. fine
merchant vessels, fit for transports, mmy of which
are prizes taken trom.the English. At Ostend there
ate about '4O small vessels of the flotilla, and a few
merchant vessels which are in a very bad•state.
In consequence of repeated disputes which haVe
taken place - between the IYU;ch arid Feench Ofii-
ce-s employed on this flotilla service, a. considerable
division of the.Dutrh flotilla have returned to Hol-
land through the Canals. At Antwerp there are
rabout Is vessels of the • flotilla; but they are un-
serviceable-; and at. Flushing there are Only seven
ofabout 30 tons with one gun in the bow.

Ships 'of War on the Stocks at Antwerp, and Ob-

sf2mtions on the Arsenal

You wil retceive by the sketr:h, I bad int only
placed a vessel on Thornton's Ridge, but also and
on tne Hinder;. this is to enab!e the large ships to
pass in safety between tho.e shoals, should they
have to cross over to Blackenbury, to proceed through
the Welling. •
If the attack from the northward is decided upon,
the. best place of ren&zvous would, be the 17 fa-
thom,' Or. at' Brei Bank; they might the;:e, pass, be.,
"tween the. Stone -Pranks, .trbugh the Stone Deep
round the Rassen and up the PuerlooLarld.the bit-
Writ* ii4Sels through the East Gat to the West
Capel 3 the divisiOn to Camvere round the 13aujart
-to the Veer Gat. From all the ihformation I hard

At Antwerp :there are on the Stocks tei.Bo-gun
ships, and three of them are' nearly fitnshe.l, thoogh
it is probable they will not be launched this vt inter.
The situation chOsen by Buonaparte for the building
Of ships of war was occupied by 1500 houses in the
.hegiuoing of 1804, and Was,the most ancient part
of the coy of Antwerp; but it is at present r2duced
to Ways and slips, br ships, and is capable oti being
extended to the placing of 20 ships of the line on
the stocks at the same time, and their resOnicessfor
building, from the Black Forett through the Rhine,
are inexhaustible.. The nveChankt—eipproyed on
the building thaw ships are all lotlng men', and are