20 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1810. 



object; and also that no other 

 point could have been selected 

 where the force which it was in 

 the power of this country to send, 

 could have rendered more service 

 to the common cause. He then 

 shewed the advantages to have 

 been expected, if the expedition 

 had succeeded. If it were true, 

 as some gentlemen stated, that 

 Buonaparte was never to be di- 

 verted from the grand objects of 

 his policy, by any expedition 

 that this country could send out, 

 such an objection would not be 

 applicable particularly to the 

 isle of Walcheren, but to all ex- 

 peditions. If, however, it were 

 true, that no expeditions of ours 

 could divert Buonaparte from 

 his other projects, could we not 

 give some material annoyance to 

 an enemy ? — As to the north of 

 Germany, we had no right to 

 stimulate other people to strug- 

 gle, unless we were previously 

 determined to support them with 

 our utmost means, whether it 

 might suit our convenience or 

 not. And it would have been 

 most impolitic to have come to 

 such a determination in the pre- 

 sent state of Europe. Ifwectuld 

 have sent a great and substantial 

 army, such as that which traversed 

 Germany in the thirty years' war, 

 under Gustavus Adolphus, and 

 afterwards his captains, carrying 

 along with it its own magazines, 

 then, perhaps, the north of Ger- 

 many might have been the proper 

 destination. 



With regard to Spain, Mr. 

 Canning observed, that we did not 

 pretend to commit ourselves to the 

 same extent that the Spanish na- 

 tion was committed. It was al- 

 ways understood that the British 

 army was lent to them as a trust 



to be restored, not as a loan to be 

 expended. At present there was 

 no question about this country 

 raising a general confederacy 

 against France. That, in the pre- 

 sent posture of affairs, would be 

 an idle speculation. But if any 

 country was resolved to make an 

 effort to break its chains, that 

 country became our ally. It had 

 been said, why not endeavour to 

 effect an internal change in Spain? 

 Any condition almost might be 

 coupled with assistance with 

 less danger than an attempt at 

 internal amelioration. As to an 

 inquiry into the affairs of Spain, 

 however, he could give no opi- 

 nion for or against it. If mi- 

 nisters thought it proper, he 

 had no objection. He feared, 

 however, that an inquiry into 

 the expedition to Spain, which 

 might throw blame upon the Spa- 

 niards for want of co-operation, 

 might injure the interests of this 

 country in its future connection 

 with Spain. — He did not mean 

 to speak against lord Welles- 

 ley, when he said, that the 

 march to Talavera was his own 

 act. He approved of it, and of 

 the honours conferred on that 

 gallant oflicer. We ought not 

 to undervalue tlie hero's lau- 

 rels, even though they were bar- 

 ren. 



Mr. Whitbread said, that Mr. 

 Camiing had spoken on the pre- 

 sent subject with his accustomed 

 fluency ; but when his speech was 

 analysed, it would appear that he 

 meant only to justify the expedi- 

 tion which did take place, by com- 

 paring it with expeditions which 

 did not take place. The expedi- 

 tion was so far from attracting tiie 

 attention of Buonaparte to the 

 most vulnerable parts of Iiis em- 



