The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-10-11 00:00:00

BR ITISU OPERATIONS IN SOAIN.

The Monileur of September 28, contains the
follooing observations, in the form of notes, on
The London Gazette of Saturday, td of Septum.
ber, contaiiiiiig the dispatches frooi Lurd Wel.
litigtoo, datedleytosa.—On the paragraph
" When I catered Spain, I bad a eamainttientiaa with Ge-
*rat Guests, through She Robert Wilson and Colonel Roche,
warning the occupation of the l'aeno de Banos, And the
Paerto de Perairs."—( London G'gssite.)

We wish Lord Wellington to command the
English armies; with his character he win suff-r
some great catastrophe. It appears that he has
neither spies nor any accurate information, which
is astonishing, in a country where England has so
many partizans.
"I preferred In go from thinking that the British triwps were
mmt likely to do the bwiario e:rectuAlly," &C.--ttiondvn
Gaseire. )

NOTE Or THE MONITVIR.—WC are willing to
believe that thew dispositions were made; for we
see in one of his dispatches, that ho thought he
had only todo with 10 or 12,000 h'renc•h; audit
was possible that he might march, with 20,000
men, against a corps, which, in his op;nion, con.
sisted only of 10 or 12,000 ; but he should have
gained better information on his march, and he
would have learned that this corps of 12,000 rn-vi
amovinteil to 70,000. He had his retreat cut off,
and was too fortunate to be able to throw himself,
in order to escape, into impracticable toads._._
General WelleAry is inexcusable for not having
known that the corps of the Dukes of Dalmatia,
Elchingen, and Treviso, amoitoted to 70,000
men ; and fur having thought that he could cover
his left flank against this formidable army, by
leaving two battalions at Puerto (Jane.... What
ignorance

" 1 acknowledge thst these reason; did not appear to me
tattieiest for giving up so importaat a pat falavera.."-
-( London (:ette.)
Nova otr TIIE Mosittevo...-General Cuesta
did right to leave Talavera ; if he had delayed, he
would have been lust. Ho did wrong to leave two
divisions and 40 pieces of artillery un the Tagus;
he lust them : and this post, which was the rear-
guard, was a post of honour. General Wellesley
ought to have occupied it. It is scknowledril in
war, that an advanced guard, or a rear-guard,
according to the operations. is the post most im-
portant to defend. But General Wellesley had
taken the lead; and, acccording to the laudable
practice of his elation, had left to his allies the
post of danger.
" The enemy, stated to be 30,000 strong, but at all events
comiNting of tape carps of Snub sad Nev."—( Undue Gas.)
Nova or TILE NIONITtIIa....We see, that even
at the time %heti he wrote, the English General
did nut know the force of the French. He speaks
only of the corps of the Dukes of Dalmatia and
Elchingen, and appears to have no keowledge of
the corps of the Duke of Treviso, twenty-Gee
battalions strong, and which, since their entrance
into have not been inferior to the best
troops in Europe. If Lord Wellesley frequently
commits similar errors in war, he talky one day
pay dearly for them.
" We had reason to expect the advance of Victor's corps
to Talavera, as soon a: Gen. (*siesta's march 'Louie he known;
and after heavier 12,U,A) wen to watch Ventrat.. and altnwhlA
from 10 to 11,000 kdled !Old 14 &ended in the actius, this
corps would have antouoted to `.44,ooo."—(Lesulea Gaseite.)
NOTE or THIII Moxeratia..--This is a bingular
calculation which Lord Wellesley makes of the
first and fourth corps, and the reserve. The first
corps is composed of 36 battalions, the (Loath of
30; the reserve of 20 battalions, and the cavoiry,
of 40 squadrons. Lord Wellesley had therefore
around him 170 battalions, and 80 yr 90 aqua.
drams, and he expeeted to conquer Madrid with
20,000 Men ! We do not speak of the Spaniards ;
they may be reckoned as of consequence for plain-
daring Isolated persons, or for defending them-
selves behind a wall ; but very little necolint can
be mad,: them hi a regular battle, as the Eng.
lish may have been convinced. If Lord Welles.
Icy had had, besides his 20,000 men, the whole
army of Lord Chatham, a hich • went to bury it-
self in the marshes of the Isle of Waleheren, he
could have derived nothing from his expedition
but disgrace, confusion, and defeat. If the Eng.
lish mean to dispute Spain with France, they must
land an army, if not equal to the French army,
at least two.thirds as strong, that is to say, of at
least 150,000 men, for the Spaniards cannot be
reckoned for more than one-third in a regular
battle.
Nothing can be more advantageous to France
than to have the English engage in land. wen; for
then, instead of conquering England by sea, we
shall conquer her on the Continent. Such a con.
test chews to admiration what those are who direct
the Cabinet of Landon.

Tlkeosistncles advised the Athenians to abandon
their citadel'', and take range on board their ships.