Star.
London, England, 1810-03-21 00:00:00

SCHELDT EXPEDITION.

The Minutes of vidence of Tuesday se'nnight,
contain the explanatory examination of Lord Vis-
count Castlereagh, Rear-Admiral Sir R. J. Strachan,
Bart. Lieutenant-General Don, and Cipta;ii Puget,
and the -examination of Major-General Macleod, and
Colonel Fyers. Lord Castlereagh's conception with
respect to naval co-operation was, that the naval
force directed to enter the West Scheldt and take a
position to the S.E. of. Flushing, was fot the double
purpose of cutting off the communication between
purpose of cutting off the communicatkin between
Cadsand and Flushing, and of being prepared to co-
operate with the troops in an attack on Flushing.—
The equipments of the army were framed upon the
requisition of the person in the chief command. His
Lordship conceived the probability of success against
Antwerp not to depend so much upon regulatopera-
tions as upon a rapid movement. He relied upon
the information received at or about the time of the
sailing of the expedition of the weak state of Antwerp-
Sir R. Strachan examined.—Were you called upon
by the Admiralty for a narrative of your proceedings,
on your return from the Scheldt ?—No, I never was
called upon officially for any narrative ; but it was
suggested to me, that I might as well have one ready,
in case it should be required; at the same time it was
signified to me that that was not at official desire. I
was preparing a narrative, and expressed a wish to
know what the nature of the narrative-was that Lord
Chatham was preparing, whether it contained charges
against me or not ? I never could get information
upon this subject, and of course, as T was not offici-
ally ordered to prepare my narrative, I was in no
hurry to finish it. t went over to Walcheren, and
upon my return, the narrative still remaining uufi•
nished, and indeed quite in an imperfect state, I was
told that now it would not be expected from me, or
it might not be required. I never considered it at all
as 1131 official thing.
Is it in your. xecollection when you were advised
to prepare a narrative ?—Early in October it was
suggested to me that such a thing might be required
fmm me ; was not advised to prepare one. I can-
not recollect the precise words of the conversation
that passed. lam afraid of asserting any thing po-
sitively, lest I should make a mistatement, but that
was the substance. •

Who suggested to you the expediency of prepar-
ing a narrative of that sort ?—Lord Midgrave, but
not Lord Midgrave by himself; I think Mr. Pale
was present at the time.
Did you ever chew the narrative in the unfinished
skate you represent it to have been ?—Never to any
person except my,Socrefary, who I am sure would
not communicate the contents to. any one, and. only
to him since my return to England ; nor did I au-
thorize it to be shewn, and I do not believe any per-
son has ever seen it, except the persons who assisted
in seriting it ; none of his Majesty's Ministers have
ever seen it.
How came you to know that Lord Chatham
was preparing a narrative ?—I read it in the newspa-
per - I understood that Lord Chatham had given it
to the King, from what I read in the newspaper;
indeed it was in every body's mouth at that time,
when I came home ; and my friends, not at all con-
nected with the Administration, advised me to be
. very cautions in wording my narrative, because it
was supposed Lord Chatham's contained charges
against me.
Who gave you that advice ?—lt was no person at
all connected with the. Administration, or in any
public situation at this moment.
Did you not thew your statement to Sir Home
Popham ?—Yes, because Sir Home Popham, who
had taken so active a part in the expedition, was as-
sisting me with his notes in preparing this narrative,
bit ctigi not at all interfere with regard to the matters
remained in it ; that is, I mean he did not influence
me as to any thing I meant to assert in it, except
correcting the dates, and putting it in that, form fitto
be presented to his Majesty, as I expected it would
have been ; bat it never was finished ; and I do not
consider that I haie'any narrative : at the same time,
if the Committee think a Narrative can give them
fuller information, I shall be very ready to pre-
pare one, if they please to give me time. lam sure
that I do not wish to withhold any information what-
ever from the Committee.
Do you recollect atwhat time you chewed the Narra-
tive in question to Sit:Home Popham?—Soon after my
return from Waloheren; early in the month of October
I communicated to SieHome Popham my wish to pri-
pare a Narrative, and as he was exceedingly correct
with his dates and his notes, and having been in my
confidence from the beginning of the expedition till
our retire to England, I requested of him to give rile
his assistance in preparing this Narrative, and he ac-
cordingly assisted me in the preparation of it ;--but
ftom circumstances I afterwards did not find it ne-
cessary to finish it, and •Sir Home Popham returned
thb paper into my hands : I have answered this more
fully than might be otherwise proper, that the Com-
mittee may be in full possession of the circumstances
rom the beginning to the end.
Do you recollect at what time you received the in-
timation that you not proceed to finish your Nana-
tiro ?—I never received any intimation that effect,
but upon my mentioning something about the Nar-
rative, when I returned from Walcheren in Decem-
ber last, I was told that it was not likely to be. re-
quired now.
Who told 'you that it was not likely to be required
new ?—Lord Mulgrave • I cannot answer for the
precise words ; but I understood the meaning, that it
had been so long. delayed, or something to that effect,
that at this late time it warnot wanted.
• Lieutenant General DON saw persons who infor-
med him, that if the army had arrived during the
first week in August at Santvliet, and had pushed on
to Lillo and Antwerp, and the fleet with a part of
the army had forced a passage between Lillo and
Liefkenshoeik, and attacked the town on the river
side, it was thought the expedition would have been
successful.
Captain Puorr understood, that if the armament .1
had been enabled to push on at once to Santvliet,
there would have been every probability of success.
Major General MICLLOD, Commanding, Officer of
the artillery on the expedition, thought that if the
bombardment of Antwerp could have been commen-
ced on the 9th or 10th of August the town might
have been destroyed if it did' not surrender.
Colonel Fusee, Chief Engineer on the 'expedition,

s. •

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