Mr. Stuart to sir John Moore, Seville, Jan. 2, 1809. "Morla's treason is abused, but passed over; and the arrival of money from Mexico, which is really the arrival of spoil for the French, seems to have extinguished every sentiment the bad views and the desperate state of things ought to have created."

Mr. Stuart to sir John Moore, Jan. 10, 1809.

"Castaños, Heredia, Castelar, and Galluzzo, are all here. These unfortunate officers are either prisoners or culprits, waiting the decision of government on their conduct in the late transactions. If the state of affairs should allow the government to continue in existence they will probably wait many months, for no determination is to be expected from people who have in no one instance punished guilt or rewarded merit since they ruled the country. The junta indeed, to say the truth, is at present absolutely null, and although they represent the sovereign authority I have never witnessed the exercise of their power for the public good."

Mr. Frere to sir John Moore. Las Santos, Dec. 16, 1808.

"The subject of the ships in Cadiz had not escaped me, but I thought it so very dangerous to suggest to the junta any idea except that of living and dying on Spanish ground, that I avoided the mention of any subject that could seem to imply that I entertain any other prospects."

SECTION VII.-RELATING TO THE PASSIVE STATE OF THE

PEOPLE.

Sir John Moore's Journal, Dec. 9, 1808.

"In this part the people are passive. We find the greatest difficulty to get people to bring in information.

Sir John Moore to Mr. Frere. Sahagun, Dec. 23, 1808.

"If the Spaniards are enthusiastic or much interested in this cause, their conduct is the most extraordinary that was ever exhibited."

Sir John Moore to lord Castlereagh, Dec. 31, 1808, Astorga.

"I arrived here yesterday, where, contrary to his promise, and to my expectation, I found the marquis la Romana, with a great part of his troops. Nobody can describe his troops to be worse

than he does, and he complains as much as we do of the indifference of the inhabitants, his disappointment at their want of enthusiasm ; and said to me in direct terms, that had he known how things were, he neither would have accepted the command nor have returned to Spain. With all this, however, he talks of attacks and movements which are quite absurd, and then returns to the helpless state of his army and of the country.”

Mr. Stuart to sir John Moore, Nov. 17, 1808. "The tranquillity of Madrid is truly wonderful."

Sir David Baird to sir John Moore, Dec. 6. "Destitute as we are of magazines, and without receiving even a show of assistance either from the government or inhabitants of the country, who, on the contrary, in many instances, even thwarted our plans and measures; we could not have advanced without exposing ourselves to almost certain destruction."

Sir David Baird to lord Castlereagh, Nov. 22, 1808, Astorga. "Major Stuart of the 95th regiment, who was despatched in front of this place to obtain information, reports that the inhabitants appear perfectly depressed by their losses, and seem to abandon all hope of making a successful resistance."

Captain Carrol to sir John Moore, Dec. 17, 1808.

"On my arrival at Oviedo all was confusion and dismay; the confidence between the people, the army, and the junta destroyed." "Is it to be expected that the peasantry can be as hearty in the cause of patriotism as if they were treated with justice."

Lieut. Boothby to sir J. Moore. La Puebla, Jan. 1, 1809.

"The Spanish soldiers now here (about 700) are merely on their way to the marquis de la Romana; and as to any neighbouring passes, there are no people whom I can call upon to occupy them, or should expect to defend them, however naturally strong they may be, for I see no people who are thinking of the enemy's advance with any sentiments beyond passive dislike, and hopes of protection from God and the English army."

The prince of Neufchatel to the duke of Dalmatia, Dec. 10, 1808.

"The city of Madrid is quite tranquil, the shops are all open, the public amusements are resumed."

VOL. I.

e

General Thouvenot to the prince of Neufchatel. St. Sebastian,

29th Nov. 1808.

"The successes obtained by the armies of the emperor, and those which are also foreseen, begin to make a sensible impression upon the authorities of the country, who become from day to day more affable towards the French, and more disposed to consider the king as their legitimate sovereign."

The commandant Meslin to the prince of Neufchatel. Vittoria, 29th Nov. 1808.

"The public feeling is still bad, still incredulous of our successes." "As to the tranquillity of the country, it

appears certain.”

Mr. Frere to sir John Moore. Merida, Dec. 14, 1808.

"A thousand barriers would be interposed against that deluge of panic which sometimes overwhelms a whole nation, and of which at one time I was afraid I saw the beginning in this country." "The extinction of the popular enthusiasm in this country, and the means which exist for reviving it, would lead to a very long discussion."

SECTION VIII.-MISCELLANEOUS.

Lord Collingwood to sir H. Dalrymple. Ocean, Cadiz, June 23,

1808.

"At Minorca and Majorca they describe themselves to be strong, and having nothing to apprehend. However, they made the proposal for entering into a convention with us for their defence, and in the course of it demanded money, arms, and the protection of the fleet. When, in return for them, it was required that their fleet should be given up to us, to be held for their king Ferdinand, or that a part of them should join our squadron against the enemy, they rejected all those proposals: so that whatever we did for them was to be solely for the honour of having their friendship."

Captain Whittingham to sir Hew Dalrymple, June 12, 1808.

"12th June. I returned to Xerez at three o'clock, A. M. The general sent for me and requested I would go without delay to Gibraltar, and inform lieut.-general sir Hew Dalrymple that he at present occupied Carmona with 3000 men (regulars), having

his head-quarters at Utrera, where his regular force would amount to 12,000 men; that it was not his intention to attempt to defend Seville; that the heavy train of artillery, consisting of 80 pieces, was already embarked for Cadiz, under the pretext that they were wanting for the defence of its works; and that every thing was prepared for burning the harness, timbers, &c. &c. of the field pieces; that he intended to fall gradually back upon Cadiz, if forced to retreat; and that he did not at present desire that any English troops should be landed till their numbers should amount to 8 or 10,000 men, lest the ardour of the people should oblige him to commence an offensive system of warfare before the concentration of a considerable Spanish and English force should afford reasonable hopes of success."

Capt. Whittingham to sir H. Dalrymple. Utrera, June 29, 1808.

"The president approved of the idea, condemned the policy which had led Spain to attempt to establish manufactories by force, and showed clearly that the result had been the loss of a considerable branch of the revenue, the increase of smuggling, and consequently an enormous expense, in the payment of nearly one hundred thousand custom or rather excise officers, distributed about the country, and the ruin of numberless families seduced by the prospect of immediate profit to engage in illicit traffic." Lord William Bentinck to sir H. Dalrymple. Madrid, Oct. 2, 1808.

"A passage of lord Castlereagh's letter, of which I received from you a copy, instructed you, if possible, to ascertain the intentions of the Spanish government after the expulsion of the French. Though not positively directed by you to ask this information, yet the occasion appeared to make the question so natural, and seemingly of course, and even necessary, that I availed myself of it, and gave to general Castanos, to be laid before count Florida Blanca, a memorandum, of which I enclose a copy, marked A."

Extract from the copy marked A.

"It seems probable in such case that no diversion could be more effectual or more formidable to Buonaparte than the march of a large combined British and Spanish army over the Pyrenees, into that part of France where there are no fortified places to resist their passage into the very heart of the country, and into that part where great disaffection is still believed to exist."

Major Fletcher, royal engineers, to sir John Moore.

Jan. 5, 1809.

Betanzos,

"I have the honour to report to your excellency that, in obedience to your orders, I have examined the neck of land between the harbour of Ferrol and the bridge of Puente de Humo. This ground does not appear to possess any position that has not several defects." "I did not find any ground so decidedly advantageous, and containing a small space, as to render it tenable for the van-guard of an army to cover the embarkation of the main body." "I should have sent this report much sooner, but found it impossible to procure post horses until my arrival at Lugo, and since that time I have had very bad ones."

Ditto to Ditto. Coruña, Jan. 6, 1809.

"I am therefore led to suggest, that as Coruña is fortified, reveted, and tolerably flanked (though the ground about it is certainly not favourable), as it could not be carried by a coup-demain if properly defended, as it contains a great quantity of cover for men; and as, even against artillery, it might make resistance for some days, it may be worth consideration whether, under present circumstances, it may not be desirable to occupy it in preference to the peninsula of Betanzos, should the army not turn off for Vigo."

No. XIV.

JUSTIFICATORY EXTRACTS FROM SIR JOHN MOORE'S

CORRESPONDENCE.

Sir J. Moore to Mr. Frere. Salamanca, Nov. 27, 1808.

"The movements of the French give us little time for discussion. As soon as the British army has formed a junction I must, upon the supposition that Castaños is either beaten or retreated, march upon Madrid, and throw myself into the heart of Spain, and thus run all risks and share the fortunes of the Spanish nation, or I must fall back upon Portugal." . . . « The movement into Spain is one of greater hazard, as my retreat to Cadiz or Gibraltar must be very uncertain. I shall be entirely in the power of the Spaniards, but perhaps this is worthy of risk, if the government and people of Spain are thought to have still sufficient energy, and the means to recover from their defeats;