Star.
London, England, 1810-02-28 00:00:00

Supposing those two or three and twenty thousand men to have
arrived at Santvliot within four days from the sailing of the Ex-
pedition, and to have landed • under favourable circumstances,
what portion of that force does your Lordship think would ai that
time have been necessary to cover the communication with Sant-
'lief, threatened, as it would be, from Lille and Bergen-op-
Zoom, supposing the intention was to have marched direct upon
Antwerp have stated that no distinct plan had been formed
for the operation against Antwerp. It is extremely difficult to
give an opinion upon a supposed question, and under circumstan-
ces which never existed; it must have been by the circumstances
that I found to exist upon my landing at Santvliet, that I must
bare governed the distribution of the Army, as well as every other
consideration. _ _ _

If your Lordship had been able to effect the 'anal"; of the
whole force originally intended to he landed there by the 6th of
August, would it have been possible to have marched to Ant-
werp, without leaving a force to mask Lillo and Bergen-op-
'Loom ?—i-By the 6th of August 1 should not think it possible
that the whole of that force could have arrived, and been lauded
there with its artillery, cavalry, and provisions; I do not think I
have stated that it could in that time. Some of the divisions, I
believe, did not leave the Downs till the snth of July, two of
the corps did not arrive till the 91st of July off Wakheren.
Under the most favourable circumstances, what fslhe earliest
day, from the sailing of the Expedition, on which your Lordship
conceived it to hr posible that the whole of that fovea might
have been landed in Santvliet ?---It is very difficult for me to an-
swer that question, because I do not feel myself a very compe-
tent judge of the time it would take for the armament to arrive
at Santvliet : if that was stated, I can form a judgment as to the
time at which .he armament might be likely to be moveable.
Your I.ordahip having stated, that under the most favourable
circumstances the passage might have been effected in loin days:
taking that as the basis of your supposition, on what day does
your Lordship think that it wasatossible the whole of that force
might have been landed at Santvliet do not apprehend the
whale of the armament could have performed it its four days—
they sailed at different times; the *hole of the armament could
rot have arrived certainly in four days, there was a considerable
difference in the time of their sailing.
Sepposffig that to have been the time employed in the passage,
sailing at the times at which they did sail, on what day might that
force'have been assembled at Santvliet t---Supposing that to be the
case:tliiiii might have arrived by the fourth or fifth of August; I
believe tilt lart sailed on the 30th of July; I sailed myself on tht
According to your Lordship's most sanguine expectations, on
what day of August did you think it prubable, that under the
most farourable circumstances throw two (ir three and twenty
Thousand rn;ght have been *disembarked et flartvllet ?—I do not
feel myself competent to speak to thefirne of tb. it arrival ; I can
state how long I think possibly they might be disembarkitig; but
it is rather a naval question than one I conceive rtyself able to
speak to, as to the time they would have taken in sallying.
Supposing the whole of that armament to has a arrived on the
fourth of August, in what time would the whole of that arma-
ment have been disembarked, and have been ready to aummence
its march to Antwerp ?—That must depend very much, in the
first instance, on the nature of the landing-pbce; and, secondly,
on the naval means that were furnished to land the troops. But,
supposing the landing-place to be favourable, and assuming also
that there were sufficient naval means there, I should suppose
that perhaps the infantry and cavalry might have been landed in
• two or three days. and I suppose the heavy ordnance would pro-
bably,have taken three or four cf.Tys; I should think so; but it is
impos.ible to speak with any certainty, as I am not acquainted
with the nature of the place; so nttich`svuukl depend on the na-
ture of the landing-place.
Does your Lordship mean that the whole might have been ef-
fected within three or four days, or that the heavy ordnance
would have taken three or four days in addition to the time ne-
sessary to disembark the troops ?—Tkat must have depended en-
tirely upon the naval means, but I should dila the whole might
have been disembat ked at the same time, and i believe there was
sufficient means to have done so.
Taking the shortest period, and supposing that on the seventh
of Auattst the army had been ready to march, would it at that
time have been possible to have marched to Antwerp, without
leaving a strong tleachment to mask the force in Bergen-op-
Zoom and Lillis ?—I am not qaite aware what the force iu Set.-
gen-op-Zoom was at that particular time; it certainly would
have required to be masked; Lillo would have required tinder
those cittunts antes very little I should apprehend at that time.
Would it not have been a necesiary precaution to have left a
esalderable detachment in the neighbourhood of Santvliet, to
have protected the rear and the communications of the Army ?
Not a very large one if Bergen-op-Zoom was masked and South
Ideveland occupied.
Would it not have required a considerable detachment to have
masked Bergen •or-Zoom on the 7th or nth of August ?—it is
very difficult to form an opinion upon that subject ; it must have
depended wholly upon circumstances with which I am unacquain-
ted, so we nober landed.
Previously to your Lordship's sailing, had you concerted any
plan of operaticels with Sir Richard Strachan P—We had had*
repeated conversations upon the subject, and, I thought, per-
holy understood each other, as to the mode of prosecuting the
enterprise. •
Has you Lordship any reason to think now that there was any
misunderstanding upon the subject?—No. I have none.
Can your Lordship state the number of fortified towns within
SO miles of kntwerp really cannot.
Can your Lordship state the number of fortified towns within
60 miles of Autvrerp ?—No I cannot.
Beft-re your Lordship sailed upon this tipedition was the opi-
nion of Colonel Gordon given to your Lordship for your perusal?
—I have saki that I saw all the Military opinions that were given
it tom not given mine in any pat titular way distinct from any of
the others.
Were the opinions of Colonel Gordon, of General Calvert, of
Sir DaviCl(Dundas, and of General Browttrigg, or copies of those
opinions, given to your I.ordship I—l thick they wen, I am
pretty sure I had them, but I AG not at this moment recollect from
whom I bad them, but probably from the Secretary of State fur
the War Department.
Did your Lordship consult with Sir David Dundas upon the
subject of his opinion ?—I have already add. that I had general
conversations with Sir David Dundas oa the subject of his opi-
Dion, but nothing more. .
Does your Lordship recollect in the opinioffof Sir David Dun-
das, the following sentence: " In whatever way Antwerp is to
be approached or taken, the service is one of very great risk, and
in which the safe return of the army so employed may be very
precarious ?"—I remember that passage certainly.
Does your Lordship recollect having any particular crtniterst-
tion with Sir David Dundas upon the subject of that opimon be
so expreased?Not particularly.
Does your 'Amdahl') recollect that you had any conversation
with General Calvert upon the subject of his opinion ?—I rather
think net. .
Does your Lordship recollect in the opinion of General Cal-
vert the following passage: " It must, however, be remarked,
that the citadel of Antwerp is formidable, and the works of the
coon itself such as would demand regular approaches and a train
of artillery, which could not be transported without much time
and labour, unless we could secure the navigation of the Scheldt,
which could only be assured by the possession of the forts ott the
left as well as on the right bank of the river ?"-1 recollect that
passage; I saw General Calvert very often on the subject of the
equipments, hut had no particular conversation with him upon
the subject of his opinion.
Diss your Lordship recollett having any conversation with
Colonel Gordon on phe subject of his opinion ?—I bad saute con-
versation with him ; but mere tonversation oily, not any official
intercourse wilt, him.
Did that conversation between Colonel Golden and your Lord-
ship amount to s discussion of Om opinion, or tiny port of the opi-
nion of Colonel Gordon t—To &certain degree, it did perhaps.
Will your Lordship have the goodness to state what passed in
that eouversation, in discussing the opinion to the degree in
width it was discussed ?—I really do not recollect it sufficient-
Pa to he able to state it; I saw Colonel Gordon oaten, but
there is no particular day to which I refer, nor do I allude
to any particular conversation ; I saw bins often on the subject
le the F tradition, and of course talked with him on the whole
sulsjers of the Expedition.
11ii1 your Lordship at any time call upon Colonel Gordon,
po'ntediy, for any explanation of the opinion he bad so delivered?
did n**t.
When your Lordship was First Lord of the Admiralty was any
project submitted to your consideration, in your then official situ-
ation, far thelittack of the island of Walcheren i—l have no re-
membrance that any was. , •
Had the first project which your Lordship has stated to have
been lc rased fur the attack of At.twerp the sanction of gout

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