Lord Porchester,before he moved the order of the day, rose to give notice, that on Monday he would move for certain papers, which he thought were necessary to render those already before the House complete. In those before them two or three objects were named as those proposed to be obtained by the Expedition; while one part of the force was to be stationed as a garrison in Walcheren, the other was to proceed to accomplish such of the ulterior objects of the Expedition as might appear practicable. But could it be thought, that when the Expedition sailed, that no plan, no instructions, save those in the general orders, were given? From the papers before them it appeared, that a very few days after the noble lord opposite had stated that in consequence of the seasonable fall of Flushing every obstacle to the accomplishment of the ulterior objects of the Expedition was removed, the whole of those objects were abandoned. Could it be thought that the general had received no instructions in the interval to influence his conduct? He was of opinion that such communications must have existed, and as they were not produced, he must consider those papers before the House as defective 306 and incomplete; he should therefore give notice, that on Monday he would move, That certain papers relating to the late Expedition to the Scheldt be laid before the House.
Lord Castlereaghtook the earliest opportunity of promoting the inquiry. When that subject was adverted to before he was unfortunately absent, and nothing had been said till then that could justify him in coming forward with that information it might be in his power to give. He was then prepared to state, that the War office did not contain all that was necessary to give the noble lord the information he required. It was impossible for persons employed on such a service to act wholly from documents, and all the information that could be derived from documents would not proceed from the war department; it would be his duty hereafter to state where such information might be found. The inquiry, it would appear at the outset, naturally divided itself into two branches, and he wished to know to which the House first proposed to direct their attention. With respect to the policy of the Expedition, but a comparatively small portion of information could be derived from papers that might be laid before the House. Those considerations which influenced his Majesty's government would have some weight with them when deciding on the policy of the measure into which they were about to inquire. He would have to consider if the country was so circumstanced that such an effort might be made without too much impairing our resources. The presumable expence was also to be considered, and whether the calculations had been exceeded. The situation in which we stood with our allies was also to be remembered, though that consideration, with respect to Austria, might be too delicate a subject to be openly discussed; but of that his Majesty's ministers were the most competent judges. The House was probably not aware of the great extent of evidence necessary to enable them to decide on the policy, and to judge of the grounds on which the late Expedition was undertaken. He should feel it to be his duty to call for such documents and such evidence as might be required, as the inquiry proceeded. He supposed from the evidence the noble lord had summoned, that it was his intention first to proceed to the execution of the Expedition. If that were the case, and if the policy or expediency of the measure were 307 not at first brought before the House, he should feel it to be his duty to move at the same period of the inquiry for information on that subject. It would be presumption in him to lay before the House the case of the commanders or of ministers. He was glad the noble lord could not find the plan and the instructions he expected in the papers before the House. The grounds of the instructions on which the army were to act, were contained under the Sign Manual, and were of a general nature. They did not pretend to travel far into the detail of what was to regulate the conduct of the general. On the face of the admiralty instructions it would be seen they went more into the detail. The reason was, the admiralty being a professional Board were capable of instructing their officers how to act, which ministers could not do when sending out a general officer with a military force. It would be travelling further into the subject than he at present proposed doing, were he to go at large into the generally understood principle on which it was undertaken; but at some period of the inquiry he should state to the House the nature of the service, the course taken in the execution of it, and the consideration whence his approbation proceeded, when he slated that that which had interfered with the ulterior objects of the Expedition had been removed by the fall of Flushing. The ulterior objects were undoubtedly Antwerp, and the shipping, arsenals, magazines, &c. in its vicinity. He should state his opinion of what had been done, and be ready to hold the officer from blame who had commanded the armament if it should appear he had done his duty. He wished to ask the noble lord if he intended first to call evidence as to the policy or the execution? He had no wish to express on the subject. He wished entirely to conform to that mode of inquiry which the House in its wisdom should consider the best. He wished for the fullest inquiry to be made into his conduct, that it might be seen how far his influence had been exerted in advising the Expedition.
Lord Porchestersaid, that as it might not be possible to separate the policy from the execution he proposed to go by time. Beginning with the subjects connected with the documents of the earliest date, he thought they might commence with the policy, proceed with the conduct, and close with the evacuation of Walcheren.
Sir F. Burdettthought the orders of the 308 commander in chief to the officers under him appeared wanting. The production of the military journal of the staff officers he thought might supply the deficiency.
§ Mr. Crokergave notice that he should on Monday move for certain papers relating to the Expedition; which had been omitted in the returns laid on the table. These papers would serve to make the whole complete, in order to a proper understanding of the question so far as related to the share which the admiralty board had in the Expedition.
Mr. C. Wynnwished to know if the commander in chief of the Expedition had been instructed to proceed immediately to Antwerp, or if it was part of his orders to besiege Flushing first?
§ Mr. Tierneythought any papers that it might be necessary for them to have produced could be moved for in the Committee.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerwas of opinion they might be referred to a Secret Committee, who could decide what papers ought to be produced. He then gave notice that on Monday he would move for the appointment of such a Committee.
§ Mr. Tierneysaid, he thought those who had the sense of the House in their favour had a right to determine in what manner the inquiry should be carried on. He was for appointing a Committee that night that no time might be lost.
Mr. Canningwas anxious to give the Inquiry the greatest possible effect. He had formerly suggested the propriety of referring the military evidences to other tribunals, and he gave it as his opinion that it would have been better so to have done. He would state, in a very few words, what he thought it would be most becoming the House to inquire into. There were three points to which he thought their attention should be directed. The first was the policy of the Expedition. This was the most extended question, since it comprehended the situation in which Great Britain was placed with the other powers of Europe. For this he felt himself in the highest degree responsible. The military and naval proceedings, though he viewed them with the most favourable eye, he could not think himself responsible for. He did not consider himself at all answerable for the evacuation of Walcheren at the same time, 309 while saying this, he most distinctly desired to be understood as not giving an opinion either the one way or the other. It might be that the House would be of opinion, that blame attached itself no where; but if it should appear that blame did attach somewhere, if he were too active in eliciting discoveries to the prejudice of others, it might appear that he wished to throw the blame off himself by placing the misconduct of others in a most luminous point of view. He would therefore punctually give his attendance throughout the inquiry, and give every explanation of his own conduct; but it was his intention to avoid as much as possible taking an active part, where he was not personally concerned.
§ The House, on the motion of lord Porchester, then resolved itself into the Committee.
Mr. Yorkenow moved the standing order for exclusion of strangers, which was of course enforced, and the Gallery cleared.*