sition of the Government, in which manner the French armies had always been well supplied as long as the Government chose to supply them, than by contracts made with individuals by the Commissary-General.-Commerce has not the same activity in Spain as elsewhere, and the Spaniards are accustomed to such requisitions, and to yield immediate obedience to them.-The formation of a Board of Supply for the Spanish armies by the Central Government seems to afford the most certain and the cheapest mode of providing the English armies in a country to which we are strangers, and in which the people seem to have peculiar habits and feelings. The separate agency of the English Commissary-General would necessarily create a competition in the market, that must enhance the value of all articles. This agency might also very much interfere with the arrangements of the Spanish Board of Supply. The answer of General Castanos is dictated by great caution and delicacy. He wishes that the English Commissary-General should be the active agent, not from thinking it the best mode of supplying the army, because he thinks it impossible for him to proceed without the aid and information of the Board of Supply, but from being anxious that in the event of any failure in the supplies, the blame should not be attributed to the Spa 12. Besides magazines, the means of transport will be also wanted, and can they be obtained? nish Government. General Castanos, however, advises that a Commissary should be sent without delay for the purpose of communicating with the Board of Supply. I will procure further information on this subject, and forward it in the course of three or four days to Sir Hew Dalrymple.] 12. The officers employed to reconnoitre the proposed route of march, will be able to furnish a correct ་ report upon the means of transport for the magazines of the auxiliary army, and upon their report will be determined that which may be most convenient for the good service of the army with the least injury to the country. [Note-General Castanos, in conversation, stated that he had no ap prehension of the want of provisions, but feared there might be some difficulty in the means of transport. He recommended that whatever Portugal could supply of this sort should be brought with the army. This will be matter of arrangement with the Commissary that may be sent and the Board of Supply.] Position and Force of the French Army. The right at Miranda, the left at Milagro : In Catalonia. At Barcelona, about At Perpignan, from 4 to 7,000 8,000 Position and Force of the Spanish Army. Army upon the left, now commanded by General Blake, but to be commanded by the Marquis de la Romana upon his arrival, occupies Bilboa, Frias, Trespaderne, Orduna, and consists of about Division of the M. de la Romana, when it arrives, 10,000 *40,000 *Of this, as is supposed, about 30,000 Regulars. Army of the Centre, commanded by General Castanos. Army of Andalusia, in the absense of General Castanos, commanded by Lieut.-General Penas, two divisions at Soria, 13,000; two divisions at Madrid and Ocana, one stage from Madrid, 12,000 Army of Estremadura, on its march from Badajos to Castile, 16,000 Men. About 40,000 Regulars, of which 5,000 are Cavalry. The army of Arragon, commanded by Generál Palafox, occupies Saragossa, and extends as far as Sanguessa 、 The army of Catalonia, commanded by General Bines, blockades Barcelona, and has a corps advanced towards France 20,000 A reinforcement of 10,000 men has already marched from Arragon, and an order has been sent to General Reding, to march with 10,000 men from Granada. No. XXI. Extract of a Letter from Major-General Lord William Bentinck to Lord Viscount Castlereagh, dated Madrid, October 18th, 1808. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's letter, dated 30th September, brought to me by the messenger, Fisher, on the 16th October. I have great pleasure in perceiving that the arrangements for the co-operation of the British troops, concerted in London with the Marquis de la Romana, entirely agree with those proposed in Madrid. Mr. Stuart having carried on the communication with the Central Government respecting the refusal of the Junta of Corrunna to allow the disembarkation of the British troops, without orders from Madrid, it belongs to him to state to you what has passed. It seems, however, incumbent upon me to explain, that it is not owing to any neglect of mine, that the nccessary orders were not long since dispatched. Upon the appointment of Colonel Lopez to superintend all arrangements connected with the march of the British troops from Portugal into Spain, we went down together to Arenhuez for the purpose of seeing Count Florida Blanca, and of procuring without delay the dispatch of Colonel Lopez, and the transmission of the necessary orders and authority to all Intendants and Officers concerned with the subsistence of the army. And amongst the rest it was proposed to the Count, that as a body of troops might disembark both at Corunna and St. Andero without previous notice, it would be necessary to issue orders to the Juntas there, to provide for the accommodation and maintenance of the troops. The Count promised us that this should be done. On the 14th, I received a letter from Sir John Moore, acquainting me, for the first time, of the intention of sending Sir David Baird's force to Corunna. I sent off immediately to Mr. Stuart, who delivered an official communication of the circumstance to the Central Government. Colonel Lopez, who was in Madrid, wrote also to the same effect. Upon the receipt of your Lordship's letter, I went down with Mr. Stuart to Arenhuez, to ascertain whether orders had been dispatched to Corunna, never doubting but that they had been already sent. We could not learn positively that they had, but a promise was given that they should. I rather believe that no communication whatever was made, until the receipt of the last intelligence from Corunna. Mr. Stuart can better explain to you than I am able to do the cause of such extraordinary neglect upon a point of so much importance. I expect every moment the arrival of Mr. Kennedy, the commissary for the arrangement of magazines, &c. for the army. I have taken the liberty of instructing Captain Roche, who is well acquainted with the language and the north of Spain, to accompany the Spanish officers and commissaries placed under the orders of Colonel Lopez, going to Almeida. His knowledge of the details and wants of the British army, so different from those of the Spaniards, will enable him to give very useful information. I have suggested to Sir John Moore, that Captain Roche, after the execution of this service, may be permitted to return to the Spanish army. His prudent and conciliating conduct has made him acceptable to all the Spanish Authorities with whom he has had to do. No. XXII. Copy of a Letter from Lord William Bentinck to Lord Viscount Castlereagh, dated Madrid, 27th October, 1808. MY DEAR LORD, (Three Enclosures.) Madrid, October 27th, 1808. I HAVE the pleasure of transmitting for your information, the copy of a letter I have this day sent to Sir John Moore, to which I have at present nothing further to add. |