MONTHLY REGISTER, FOR MAY, 1809. PARLIAMENTARY REGISTER. HOUSE OF LORDS. Friday, April 14. Lord Auckland rose, and made some observations on the late treaty with Spain, and on the late expedition. The returns of casualties, he said, though far exceeding what it was asserted they would be found to amount to, werc, he suspected, very defective. They amounted to the enormous loss of nearly 7,200; but in this no allowance he imagined was made for the immense number of persons, not strictly soldiers, who were always attached to an army. There was a defect also in the returns of the cavalry. The number employed in Spain, exclusive of the waggon train, amounted to upwards of 4000, out of which he understood not above 370 horses were brought home. Returns too should be made of the number of men who died in the hospitals since their return. His lordship hoped he should obtain such information from ministers, as would preclude the necessity of his making any motion on the subject. Lord Liverpool said, that with respect to the returns of the casualties, they were as comprehensive as they possibly could be. They included the losses in the battles of Roleira and Vimiera, the campaign in Spain, and in short of all the losses, from the time of the sailing of the different expeditions to their return. tone reassumed .It should also be recol. lected, that by taking possession of Martinique, we created another drain for our military force, the waste of which must thus be still further increas ed in that wasteful climate. The motion of Lord Liverpool was agreed to nem.con. Tuesday, April 18. Lord Viscount Sidmouth wished to know if it was the intention of ministers to make any motion respecting the Spanish treaty. The Earl of Liverpool answered in the negative. Lord Viscount Sidmouth observed, that the house had been called upon, on the first day of the session, to express their satisfaction that such a treaty had been concluded, and now it appeared they were not to have the opportu nity of discussing its provisions. The Earl of Liverpool said, that the treaty not having been accompanied by a message from his Majesty, it was not the usage of his Majesty's ministers to intend it, but was open to any noble make any motion upon it, nor did they lord to bring forward any proposition upon the subject. Wednesday, April 19. Lord Auckland adverted to the re turns of the loss sustained by our troops in Spain, and observed, that no notice had been taken of the number of deserters from the enemy who had joined our army, he should therefore move for a return of the number of persons so recruited in Spain. The Earl of Liverpool had no objection to the motion. Thursday, April 20. The Lord Chancellor, in the absence of the Earl of Liverpool, laid on the table a return of the number of recruits raised by the German Legion, subsequent to its landing in Portugal, Friday, April 21. The order of the day being read,Earl Grey said, he felt that his talents were unequal to the arduous task which duty compelled him to undertake. He, therefore, solicited a more than usual degree of patience, and threw himself on the indulgence of the house. It was unnecessary to recall to their lordship's remembrance the universal burst of enthusiasm that shook this country, when the first intelligence of the Spanish revolution reached our shores. He was not one of those who thought that ministers, at that moment, were lying on a bed of roses. Their situation was fraught with difficulties and dangers, but their conduct bad not been such as to conquer the one and ward of the other. But in order to fight the last battle of our independence, and to snatch the wreath of triumph from our foe, a wise economy of our means, and not a lavish prodiga lity of our resources was required. He recollected the glowing pictures that had been given of the patriotism of the Spaniards, and the exaggeration of their military forces, which was said to have amounted to 400,000 soldiers, with a reserve of more than 600,000 men. All the Spanish armies, even in August, were not equal to the French. Blake had about 30,000 men, Palafox 12,000, Castanos 26,000 all badly clothed, and in want of arms, and the French upwards of 100,000. As to the spirit displayed by the Spaniards, he would refer their lordships to a letter of Sir John Moore, dated the 24th of November, in which he stated, that it had been entirely damped by their first de feats. His lordship approved of the expedition to Portugal, had it been looked upon merely as a first step; as it tended to encourage both kingdoms. Ministers ought to have followed a regular plan, sprung from mature consideration, and tried information. But how had they disposed of the forces of this country. They had first sent Sir John Moore with 11,000 men to Sweden, to assist that small kingdom against the gigantic power of its assailants, France, Russia, and Denmark. They had sent Sir J. Moore into Spain, scarcely knowing what he should do, and leaving him in total ignorance of their intentions. The disgraceful result of that expedition was well known. Towards the close of his lordship's speech he reverted to what he termed the cant of modern patriotism &c. [noticed in our last Review.] The noble lord concluded by moving, "That an humble address be presented to his Majesty, expressing to his Majesty an opinion, that the disgrace which attended the expedition to Spain was in consequence of the want of sufficient information on the part of his Majesty's ministers, with respect to the state of affairs in that country, and their neglect in not forming a plan of operation, and of those means which alone could have enabled the British arms to be of importance to the Spanish cause." Lord Liverpool, in an ingenious and comprehensive speech, replied to the noble lord. He used many of the arguments already so familiar to those who have heard the grounds upon which his Majesty's ministers defend their measures with regard to Spain. In considering the question of plan so much talked of, it ought to be recollected, what the state of Spain was when the insurrection broke out.-Every man knew that no regular plan of united government had been formed, but that each province was governed by its respective junta. Under such circumstances, therefore, to concert with any one of those juntas a regular plan of military operations was impossible. What more could have been done under the peculiar disadvantages which presented themselves in the outset of these transactions, he knew not. The noble lord having replied with ability to many of the minor charges of blame imputed to his Majesty's government, next adverted to that which formed the principal one, namely, the want of a sufficient number of cavalry to co-ope rate with the other troops. On this subject, much misrepresentation and misunderstanding prevailed. Noble lords seemed to be uninformed that any difficulties attended the embarkation and transportation of cavalry, otherwise he was sure they would not speak so familiarly upon a subject of such importance. If they would but consider how difficult it was to procure forage for a body of cavalry capable of rendering any real service upon a foreign station, their lordships would be a little disposed to relax in the severity of complaints. But still less ought they to hold such language, if the nature of the service, and the country in which those troops were destined to act, were considered. The next point he adverted to, was the charge of dilatoriness in the movement of the troops towards Spain; to which be replied, that the imputation was unfounded and erroneous; and he asserted, upon the authority of the documents before the house, that orders were sent on the 22d of August to Sir Hew Dalrynple, some days before the signing of the convention of Cintra, commanding him to make every preparation for his march into Spain. The noble lord having, at some length, combated the strong points of Earl Grey's motion, and contrasted the documents with his assertions, made a powerful appeal to the sense of the house, and augured from their decision a complete exculpation of his Majesty's government from any share of that blame so directly imputed to their conduct with respect to Spanish affairs. Lord Moura spoke at considerable length in support of the motion, as did Lord Sidmouth. Lord Mulgrave defended the conduct of administration. Lord Erskine, in a speech of great eloquence, reprobated the conduct of ministers, and supported the motion. The Earl of Westmoreland supported ministers. The Earl of Darnley wished to know from the noble secretary of state, whether it was the intention of ministers to recall Mr. Frere. He had heard that there was such an intention, and if so he should be satisfied; but if not, he considered the conduct of Mr. Frere to have been so improper towards Sir John Moore, that he should feel it his duty to call the attention of their lordships to the subject. The Earl of Liverpool said he was ready to vouch for the zeal and ability of Mr. Frere, and was convinced his intentions were good, but he had said on a former occasion, and was now of opinion, as were also his colleagues, that Mr. Frere had, so far as related to Friday, April 28. The royal assent was given by commission to 14 public, and several private bills. Lord Auckland gave notice of his intention to move on Tuesday next for a bill on the subject of divorce; and said it was his intention to propose a clause to prevent the parties from marrying, ' Lord Grenville rose to inquire if the report of the orders in council being rescinded were true? Lord Liverpool said some regulations were in contemplation. The house went into a committee on the local militia bill; and after a short debate went through the several clauses. The report to be received on Monday, to which day the house adjourned. Lord Folkestone moved for copies of proceedings instituted in the court of King's Bench by the Attorney General against John Ogle, Esq. in 1800 or 1801. He stated, that he had understood that Colonel Ogle, in 1800 or 1801, had received a letter for raising a levy of men in Ireland; and that in many accounts presented at the war office, Col. Ogle had been found guilty of malpractices, which rendered him liable to the charge of forgery and perjury. That the Attorney General had filed an information against Col. Ogle, to which he bad entered a plea of not guilty, which plea was however withdrawn afterwards, and judgment by default went against him, so that he stood convicted of those crimes since 1801, and had never been brought up for judgment, nor had any further proceedings been heard on the subject.-The motion was agreed to. Sir J. Newport, pursuant to notice, moved that there be laid before the house a copy of the order or warrant appointing Beauchamp Hill, Esq. inspector general of excise in Ireland, which appointment was contrary to law. Agreed to. Thursday, April 13. Lord A. Hamilton rose to give notice, that in consequence of the disclosures that had been made in the report of the East India committee, he should, on to morrow se'nnight, submit to the house a motion respecting the saine; and as the disclosures were of so voluminous a nature, he thought it necessary distinctly to state, that on that day he should call the attention of the house to that part exclusively relating to the conduct of a noble lord (Castlereagh) high in his Majesty's government. The house having gone into a committee on the local militia bill, Lord Castlereagh observed, that as many counties, not from negligence, but from accidental circumstances, had not been able to complete their number, he would propose that the old bounty should be continued till the 1st of January next, instead of the 10th of May, as before intended. This would give time for the completion of the quotas in every quarter, at the old bounty paid by the public. This was agreed to. Lord Castlereagh then proposed that the yeomanry cavalry officers should rauk after the local militia officers as those did after the regular militia.Agreed to. In answer to a question from Mr. Macleod, Lord Castlereagh said, that the remaining volunteer corps were to rank as before, Upon the point of training, in some cases, beyond the limits of the county, his lordship said, that this was proposed merely for the convenience of certain corps which might be at a great distance from their own county townɛ. An a mendment was accordingly introduced, stating distinctly that men were not to be removed to the adjacent counties unless on application of the lord licutenant, stating, that this would be more convenient for themselves. Several new clauses of no particular importance were added. After which the house resumed. Report received, and ordered to be further considered on Monday. Friday, April 14. Daniel Butler (a sheriff's officer) was committed to Newgate, having been guilty of a breach of the privilege of the house, in illegally arresting Sir C. Hamilton, a member of that honourable house. Mr. R. Ward, from the lords of the admiralty, informed the house, that their lordships had thought fit to order a court martial to be held, on the first of May, at Portsmouth, on Rear Admiral Eliab Harvey, a member of the house, for breach of discipline, and that their lordships had issued their warrant to the marshal of the admiralty, for taking Admiral Harvey into custody. Sir F. Burdett rose to make his mo tion respecting Chelsea hospital. He said he felt a considerable difficulty in introducing the subject to the house, from the impossibility of describing in words what required to be seen to be understood. He would endeavour, how ever, to explain to the house the reasons which principally impelled him to object to the grant which had been made to Colonel Gordon. He considered Chelsea hospital as a noble monument of the munificence and benevolence of the country, and regarded as a sort of sa crilege whatever went to diminish its splendour. The piece of land allotted to Colonel Gordon was a fine spacious piece of ground, contiguous to the river, and the erection of a house upon it would speil a magnificent prospect. He every act of the government of the country with so jealous and so jaundiced an eye, that every thing his Majesty's ministers did, was construed by him into a job. Did the hon. baronet wish to take for himself and friends all the merit of feeling for the situation of the veterans of Chelsea hospital who had bled in the service of their country? He could assure him that others were as anxious for their comfort, their welfare, and their respectability, as he could be. Ministers, before they sanctioned the grant to Col. Gordon, had made proper inquiries on the subject. They called to their assistance those persons who were most likely to give them information on the subject, the medical attendants of the hospital, and the surveyor general of the crown. bad examined the place with great care, and he was convinced that the erection of a house in that situation would materially detract from the grandeur of Chelsea hospital. The situation of the projected infirmary was behind Colonel Gordon's house, from which it was to be shut out by a wall eight feet high, and, and the house would completely intercept it from the river. An infirmary, he thought, ought to be erected in the most airy situation that could be found, and none could be better for such a building than the banks of a river, where a fresh stream of air is almost always to be found. But in the present instance it seemed as if the public utility was sacrificed to gratify a private individual, and he could not help considering it as a rank job! The hon. baronet expressed his surprise that the officers Sir F. Burdett replied at some length of Chelsea hospital had not remonstra- to the observation of Mr. Perceval, and ted against the project, that the physi- some of the preceding speakers. He cian and surgeon had not declared their said, he viewed his Majesty's ministers disapprobation of the plan. Every thing, with no jaundiced eye; he respected he thought ought to be done for the them as much any other ministers; but comfort and satisfaction of those brave he was ready to acknowledge that he men, who deserved so well of their viewed their conduct with a jealous eye, country as the pensioners of that esta-Nothing but his duty led him to no blishment, and he could not help cousiderng it impolitic, at a moment like the present, when we depended so much on our military force, to do any thing that might seem like neglect to the comfort of the establishment, and convenience to the veteran soldier. The honourable baronet concluded with observing, that he conceived the matter a mere job, and therefore he wished for the production of the proper documents to enable the house to form a judgment upon the subject. He then moved, that there be laid before the house a copy of the warrant, dated the 11th of March, 1809, from the treasury to the surveyor general of the crown lands, directing him to prepare the lease of certain lands at Chelsea. Sir Oswald Moseley stated,that he had accompanied Sir F. Burdett to view the alterations, and he found that Colonel Gordon's house would occupy that part of the ground between the infirmary and the Thanies, being separated by a wall eight feet high, which entirely prevent ed the free circulation of air. Mr. Perceval said, that there was nothing whatever in the transaction which he had the slightest wish should be concealed. He could not, however, help paying, that the hon, baronet viewed tice the subject, and when the documents were laid upon the table, he should probably feel it further his duty to call gentlemen to the bar, in order that the house might form an opinion on the subject from the examination of witness. Sooner than see the place disfigured as it was, he would cheerfully give the 521. a year, for which it was leased, out of his own pocket, and he was confident there were many men in London who would give a much larger sum for it. He called the business a job before from public rumour, and saw no reason now for altering his opinion; he therefore persisted in his motion, which was carried men, con. Lord Castlereagh moved the thanks of the house to the commanders and the military and naval officers, soldiers, and seamen, who recently signalized themselves by their bravery and skill in the capture of the island of Martinique, which was agreed to. On the third reading of the annual innkeepers' allowance bill, Mr. Shaw Lefevre said, that the rates of allowance had not been increased since 1800, though the prices of many articles had. risen so much since then. He should therefore move for the introduction of a |