Star.
London, England, 1809-01-26 00:00:00

might be said to the eeitraiyt an enemy greadir aCtiOn• gel Fikiriklded. by a high eomplirnent to the
perior to hint in numbers ; and if the Noble Lord [superio' enti of Sir Arthur Wellesley, and said
would examine the documents, he would find it to be ilialthe whole of his conduct had been a splendid ca
so. He was sorry, however, to say, that instead of reer of glory. •He must, therefore, oppose the amend-
being received with enthusiasm on his arrival in this ment.
country, as he deserved to be, he was conducted be- General STEWART spoke in very high terms of
fore a tribunal as a culprit, which tribunal had de- the superior talents of Sir Arthur Wellesley, and said,'
termined that only equal praise was due to him who that he was strengthened in the sentiments he had
had bravely fought the battles of his country, and formed of him by the opinion of as good and brave
beaten the enemy, as to him who had checked him an Officer as this country could ever boast to have had
in his career of glory. The disasters of the cam. in its service. He meant Brio•adier-General Anstru-
paign that was just concluded he thought were wholly tiler, who had unfortunately ?allen a sacrifice to the
owing to the superseding of Sir A. Wellesley ; for if great and over-exertions he had made in the recent
he had continued in the command, the Convention of retreat of our army through Gallicia. That gallant
Cintra would never have taken place ; but, on the General, he said, had told him that it was impossible
contrary, iiistead of the retreat lately made from for man to conceive what astonishing exertions Sir
Gallicia, he firmly believed our troops would have Arthur Wellesley had sustained through the whole
been employed in driving the French over the Pyren- campaign; but however great and numerous the dif-
nees. He had been a witness to the whole of the ficulties which presented themselves, the resources of
conduct of the distinguished General, to whom the his mind were always superior to them, and enabled
Thanks of the House were then proposed to be vot- him to ward off all. He thought, therefore, it would
fed ; and in his opinion it deserved every encomium ! be wrong to join Sir Harry Burrard in the vote of
[ which language could bestow on it. If, in the course thanks, trough he had the highest respect for that
of what he had said, any expression had fallen from gallant Officer.
him that might be offensive to the friends of the gal- Mr-. ADAM gave 'he warmest praises to the con.
lant Officer who had superseded him, he would as- duct of Sir A. Wellesley, to General Ferguson, and
sure them, he did not mean to convey the smallest the other gallant Officers employed in the Expedition
cen.aure on any thing they had done, but merely to to Portugal, and thought nothing could be more de-
' express his sentiments as to the conduct and gallantry serving a vote of Thanks than the victory obtained at
of the distinguished General who so well had earned Vimiera. He gave his decided vote for the nrocion,
and deserved the high reward intended to be confer- and hoped his ',ion. Friend, from whom he seldom
red on him by the Thanks of the' House. disagreed in opinion, would reconsider the matter, and
Tir Honourable Mr. LAMBE said, it must be withdraw his ttmendments, rather than interrupt the
remembered that at the close of the battle of Vimiera, unanimity of the vote, which he had acknowledged
differences of opinion had prevailed as to the future to have his unqualified approbation.
proceedings of the army. A Board of G:aaeral Ofli- Mr. WHITBREAD said, that rather than his
cers, appointed for the purpose of inquirng into the amendment should have the effect which his Honeur:
matter, had since determined, that they could not say able Friend had suggested, of interrupting the ura-
to whom blame was imputable. and to whom it was nimity of the vote, he would, with the leave cr the
not. A Vote of the. Thanks of the House to the gal- House, withdraw his amendment.
lant General who commanded at Vimiera, would, in This was agreed to, and the resolution cf a Vote
his opinion, be an approbation of his conduct during of Thanks to Sir Arartrua WELLESLEY was then put,
the whole campaign ; and as a Board of General and carried, with the sole dissentient voice of Lord
Officers had declared, they could not distinguish be- FoLaEsroNit.
tween the merits of the several Generals concerned in , The Thanks of the House were next voted to Major
the Armistice and Convention which followed the , Generals SPENCER, Hue, and FERCCSON ; and to
battle of Vimiera, he could not give his assent to a Brigadier Generals AUCHMUTY, NIGHTINGALE, FARE,
Vote of Thanks as then moved. and Bowes, and the Officers under their command.
Lord CASTLEREAGH exnlained. I A resolution was then agreed to, expressive of the
Colonel GROSVENOR spoke highly in praise of approbation of that House, of the conduct of the
the gallantry and superior talents of Sir Arthur Wel- Non-commissioned Officers and privates.
lesley, and gave his hearty assent to the motion. i INCREASE OF 111 E ARMY.
Mr. WHITBREAD said, he could not suffer this i Lord CASTLEREAGH rose, pursuant to a no-
question to go to a vote without offering a few obser- lice on a former night, to call the attention of the
Ivations. He complimented the Noble Lord for the House to the necessity of increasing stilt farther the
'-candid and liberal manner in which he had brought regular and disposable force of the country ; and al-
[forward his motion, which had, he said, his unquali- • though he felt that the subject was of great magni•
fled assent. He was sorry that, on the present occa- tude and importance, he did not think •it would he
sion, some things had been said which would better necessary for him then to trouble the House at any
have been let alone; and he hoped all would abstain great length. In the Speech which had been deli-
, from uttering any thing which might be construed vercd from the Throne at the commencement of the
[ into an insinuation or stigma on the character of any Session, there was no topic as hich appeared to he
gallant Officer. He alluded to Sir Harry Burrard, received with greater pleasure, and in which Parlia.
who, instead of checking Sir Arthur 'Wellesley in his nient would be more disposed zealously to concur,
career, as had been insinuated by an Honourable ; than that part of the Speech which declared his Ma-
Gentleman on the floor (Mr. Blachford), had done [ jesty's intention to augment, 'by every pract. cable
every thing in his power to forward his success. On • means, the military force of the country. It was
such a day ass this, when so many families were la- evident that events might possibly occur which would
menting the losses they had sustained by the disasters make it absolutely necessary for the country to have
which recently attended our army in Spain, that gal- a considerable military foi ce at its .disposal ; and it
lant General, he understood, had the misfortune to was necessary that there, should be a solid founda-
bewail theloss of a son, who had died the death of tion of military strength at home, in order that the
honour in the hit-le of Corunna ; and he thought I best interests of the country might not be sacrificed
that when a vote of thanks was proposed, the best. jor endangered, while we were discharging the
wa.y.fier the House to proceed would be to join Sir H.' duty we owe to other nations, of succouring them
Burrard in that vote. if after what had passed, the as far as it shall be in our power. The principle of
House did not give thanks to him who was at the mo- I the measure was, as lie believed, generally admitted ;
ment of the victory actually commander in Chief, he and the only difference of opinion that he apprehend.
thought they would not do trim justice. In all cases of ed was, with respect to the best and most effectual
a Vote of Thanks, it was usual to join the Commander means of procuring the increase that was necessary in
in Chief. Sir Hyde Parker, who had the ( o nmand in oar army. As he trusted the House would grant him
chief at Copenhagen, committed the whole attack to leave to bring in his Bill, he should have opportunities
the direction and execution of Lord Nelson. ;Oa his hereafter to' enter more fully into a defence of the
return home, he received no honours, but he was in- i measure which he intended to propose. He did not
eluded in the Vote of Thanks of both Houses. Sir wish, on the present occasion, to go into any general
Harry Burrard arrived At the head-quarters of the arguments, but merely to put the House in possession
army the evening before the battle of Vimiera, but of the general outline of the plan he wished to submit
would not interfere with the plan of Sir Arthur Wel- ! to the consideration of Parliament. He was happy to;
lesley, and therefore delegated to him his authority, i state to the House that this plan did not rest upon his',
and as Commander in Chief ha ought, as had al- j judgment and opinion merely, or that Of his Majesty's
ways been.the case, to be included in the Vote of Ministers, but upon experience, which had recently
Thanks He did not say this from any partiality to proved that the principle upon which it was founded
that gallant General, for he had not the honour of i was the most effectual, and by far the most expedi•
the slightest acquaintance with him. He did not tious means of supplying a deficiency in the regu-
know how the Court of Inquiry had formed their liar military force of the country. In 1807 the plan
judgment ; but he did from authority know, that one ! was adopted of allowing a certain number of men
Member of that Court had said, that if he was corn- to volunteer from the Militia into the regular Army,
pelled to give an opinion between the two gallant Ge- ! and it was attended with the most beneficial con-
nerals, as to their conduct, it would rather be against i sequences. It had been now aseertaillad, that on
Sir Arthur Wellesley than Sir Harry Burrard. He I every extraordinary crisis a considerable supply could
wished, therefore, to move an amendment, that Sir; be obtained for the regular army, by availing our-
Harry Burrard might be included in the Vote, and selves of the zeal and spirit which were always mania
receive the Thanks of the House for his conduct. fested upon such occasions by the Militia, v.f.o were
The CHANCELLOR 'of the EXCHEQUER always willing to volunteer when there was a great
said, that if the Honourable Gentleman persisted in ! and permanent necessity for increasing the dispose.
his amendment, it would be impossible to come to a able force. We had now so far profited by the oxpe-
vote on the present motion, without the resolution ; rience which had been derived from the success of the
being brought forward in a different mode, and this last experiment, to feel a confidence that we might
must fall to the ground. If any thing could induce ; always rely upon the spirit of the Militia on such oc-
the Howe to join in the amendment, he was sure i casions ; and out of 28,000 which were permitted to
nothing could more incline them to do so than the voluajteer from the Militia into the line, more than
melancholy event which the Honourable Gentleman 27,000 actually did volunteer within the space of
had mentioned, of the severe loss which the gallant twelve months. They were certainly, from their dis-
General had sustained. It wasehowever, clear that cipline and previous service, the very best recruits
Sir Harry Barrard had, in his dispatches, separated which the army could have got. Many of them had
himself from Sir Arthur Wellesley in the whole trans- I since participated in the glorious battles of Vimiera
['action, and gave him credit for the whole plan and and Corunna, and there were doubtless many privates
execution of the victory. In doing this, he thought now in the Militia panting to distinguish themselves
Sir Harry Burrard had acted with great gallantry, against the enemy. There could be no doubt of the
generosity, and forbearance, and, therefore, joining eicacy of such a measure, although there might
him in the thanks would, he thought, rather hurt his possibly be some difference of opinion with respect
feelings. With respect to the case of Sir Hyde Par- to the policy of it. There could be no doubt but that I
ker, as Commander in Chief at Copenhagen, it was permitting volunteering• from the Militia was the men-
very different. The House at that time thanked Sir sure which would, in the least possible time, produce
[ Hyde Parker for the dispositions he had made for I the greatest number of effective recruits for the re-
the attack of Copenhagen, and for appointing Lord gular army. If there must be any deficiency in our'
Nelson to execute his plan. Sir Harry Burrard, on military establishments, it was better that such defi-
the contrary, had acknowledged that the dispositions cicncy should be in the irregular part of it. Upon
were nothing but Sir Arthur Wellesley's. The House the last occasion, however, the deficiency which had
could not, therefore, thank him on that ground with- been produced in the Militia, from allowing so many
out hurting his feelings. He censured the cold man- of them to volunteer int) the line, had been speedily
ner in which Lord Folkstone had contrasted the num- supplied. Within the 'short space of six months
hers of the two armies, and insisted that though there (thanks to the great zeal of the different counties)
[might be more Englishmen on the field that day than not less than 41,000 men were raised in Great Bri-
Frenchmen, yet not so many were brought to engage;. tam and Ireland, and had actually joined their head-
for out of eight brigades three were not brought into quarters. This certainly WA.S g ki4v7 pressure upon

. . . .
the country at that time, but the 'Witt shewed the '
great resources which the country possesses. This
additional pressure should not however be laid on the
nation, except in the case of obvious necessity ; and
it was the bounden duty of his Majesty's Ministers to
adopt every modification which would diminish, the J
pressure. The extent to which he now proposed to
limit the volunteering into the line would be, that no ,
regiment of Militia should be reduced to less thati
three-fifths of its present force, and instead of 36,000
men to be raised in England to supply the deficiency,
he should now propose only 24,000. He apprehended
that it would be impossible to get rid of the ballet al- . '
together ; but still an effort might be made to obtain
men by a milder process, and to relieve the counties
from the great pressure which they had been expo-
sed to formerly. For this purpose he should propose
that a great part, if not the whole of the expence of rais-
ing the men should be defrayed uot by the counties,btit I
by the public.—( Loud sties of hear, hear!)—He should
propose that the public should pay the bounty for en-
listing,not altogether as high a bounty as wouldbegiven
for enlistiag for more general service, but what he
thought would be a sufficient bounty ; about ten guineas.
If the voluntary enlistment did not succeed, and that
the country should be compelled to have recourse to
a ballot, it was his intention, in that case, to propose
chat the bounty of ten guineas should be given to the
balloted man, to assist him in procuring a substitute.
—Where the country gentleman should find that the
expence fell upon the public, and not upon the coun,
ties, he bad great hopes that their local exertions
in support of the measure would be more effectual.,
—He was very sanguine in believing, that by this
means a sufficient number of men might be got,
without any material or very sensible pressure upon
the country. If, however, his hope was disappointed,
and a ballot should he absolutely necessary, even in that
case the pressure of ballot upon individuals would be
snitch diminished by the assistance which they would
receive from the public purse. Having thus put the.
House in possession of the general features of the plan.
;Aid' he intended to submit to the consideration of
Parliament, he should not enter into any general ob-
servations upon the present occasion ; but hoping that
he would in future stages of the Bil have opportuni- •
,ies enough to answer any objections which might be
made to the plan, he should now content himself witty
moving, that leave be given to Lang in a Bill to ale
low a certain aumber of the Militia to enter into the
regular Army. ~
Mr. TIERNEY said, he could not approve any'
increase of the. army, on the ground of a larger,
number of men being wanted for foreign ser-
vice, as he did not know on what foreign service;
our armies could now be usefully employed. He
thought thet before the House agreed to give a
larger disposable force to Government, they ought
to have an account from Ministers of what they had
done with that great force which had been voted
abroad two years ago. The I louse should also know
what deficiency there was in that which the Noble
Lord then called a sufficient disposable force, or
how that deficiency was occasioned. Before he
couid vote for imposing any farther burdens on the
country, he must be informed of the necessity of it,
and he must also consider the hands who were to
administer the military resources of the country.—'
With all the praise which had been so justly confer-
red on our gallant Officers, against whom there was
not the slightest imputation, still every man felt that
England had never suffered such a discomfiture as
had lately befallen it under the administration of the
Noble Lord. He rose at present merely to guard
himself against the supposition, that it wes his opinion
that a greater disposable force ought to be entrustedeo
those Ministers who had managed so badly what tliey
had hitherto had under their direction.
Sir T. TURTON could not consent to one six-
pence increase in the burdens of the country, until the
absolute necessity should be proved. They had voted
last Session for 183,000 men, and yet, when it came
to sendihg an army to the relief of Spain, not more
than 25000 men could be collected. The army had
displayed valour, but, as usual, it was only in resisting
she attacks of the enemy. Their valour was sufficient
to secure their retreat, but not to gain the fruits of
victory. He did not find more than 30,000 men had
been employed in Spain and Portugal. . He therefore
could not see what use Ministers made of the dispo- ,
sable force, about which they talked so much, and he
should therefore oppose the present Bill in every stage.
The sum voted for our army last year, including ord-
nance, was 23 millions ; and when so great a vote
could only produce 36,000 men to oppose the enemy,
'he coasidered it unnecessary to vote any increase of
the public burdens upon this account.
Lord MILTON said, it was unnecessary for iiim to
remind the House, that about 17 months ago they
debated a similar proposition. At that time the No-
ble Lord (Castlereagh) expressly stated, that it was
a measure only to be resorted to upon an extraordi-
nary occasion, but that it was not to be looked to as a
general system for supplying the army. Now it ap-
peared that it was to be adopted as a regular system
for supplying the army ; and the principle upon which
these Bills went, was nothing less than raising the re- .
gular army by a conscription on the people of this
country. He wished to know for what purpose the
Noble Lord wanted greater disposable armies.? Did he
mean to send another army to Spain, to endeavour to turn
back the tide of Bonaparte's successes, or di.: he mean
to send another expedition to Sweden, to return as
the last did, the ridicule of the world ? He. hoped,
however, that if another expedition was sent to Swe-
den, it would not be a hostile expedition against that
country. He thought it absolutely necessary for that
House, as representatives of the nation, to enquire
into the conduct of the last campaign in Portugal, in.
to the expedition to Sweden, and into ,the conduct of
Ministers with respect to Spain. Hi..could not see
why the Noble Lord wanted more diet:fineable troops,
or to what part of the world he could send them, with
advantage to the country. He considered that in the
present situation of affairs, instead of sending large ar-
mies to foreign countries, we ought to shut ourselves up
within ourselves, and think of that description of force
which would be most useful in the defence of our own
country.' Such being his view Of the true policy of
the country, he felt it his duty to express his opinion
upon the present occasion ; and he could not consent
to incres ss the burdens of the country, for the sake of
putting a large disposable force in the hands of his
Idajest s present Ministers.
Mr. ERBERT was of opinion that greater re-
se oula fse placed on the service of the l'Ohia