Lords Sitting of 21 April 1807

CAPTURE OF MONTE VIDEO.
The Earl of Moirarose, to call the attention of the house to certain observations and erroneous reports that had been sent abroad respecting a deficiency in the quantum of ammunition with which the troops were furnished in the attack on Monte Video. Nothing could be more cruel and mischievous than the dissemination of such rumours, without any concomitant explanation to account for the circumstance they alluded to. What must the soldiers feel, if they were taught to believe that they were sent into the field to encounter all its dangers, and expose their lives, without being provided with the usual and adequate means that might render their valour efficacious, and give them an equality of chance with the enemy? So far from that being the case, he believed he might venture to assert, that so far from the troops being left without a due proportion of ammunition, he was pretty certain, that a some-what greater proportion of ammunition than what had been allotted to a similar service (the capture of the Cape of Good Hope),

503
had been furnished to the troops who stormed Monte Video, but who were not destined for that service. Indeed, the difference of the nature of the two expeditions would shew, that the proportion of ammunition was larger on the part of those who were not destined for an expected attack. But these matters would be placed in their proper light by the return to the motion which he should now have the honour of submitting to their lordships. The noble earl then concluded with moving an humble address to his majesty, praying that he would be graciously pleased to order, "That there be laid before the house an account of the quantity of ammunition shipped on board the expedition, under the command of sir S. Auchmuty, and of the quantity usually furnished for similar expeditions".
The Earl of Gallowayconceived himself to be somewhat the cause of the observations thrown out by the noble lord who spoke last. It was true, that he had animadverted on the deficiency of ammunition under which the brave troops laboured who had so gallantly stormed Monte Video. In making that observation he had rather in view to reflect additional lustre on that achievement, than to aim any attack by a side wind, or otherwise, on the late administration. No doubt, the inevitable inference from his remarks was a censure so far on the late ministry, but he did not single out any department of that government, much less any individual, as the peculiar object of his animadversion. If, however, the cap seemed to fit the noble earl, it was for that noble earl further to explain himself: he certainly was surprised that any noble lord, who belonged to the late administration, could have so far let himself down as to justify his conduct by squeezing it upon that of his predecessors in office, whom it was the constant study and practice of the late administration to disparage and decry in the public estimation.
Earl Spencerdefended the character of the late ministry, and observed, that the noble earl (Galloway) should have waited the return to the motion, before he proceeded to animadvert upon the conduct of the late government. For his own part, he never disparaged the merits of the capture of the Cape of Good Hope; on the contrary, he was among those, who valued that possession much higher than any, perhaps, of the present ministry.
The Earl of Moirain explanation, observed, that the deficiency of ammunition, alluded to in the dispatches, was not owing
504
to the actual want of that article, but to the difficulty of introducing it within the trenches.
The Earl of Galloway would leave to the house to judge of the defence set up by the noble lords opposite. He should stand upon the ground he had originally taken, and content himself with observing, that the general, employed by the late administration, had complained of the situation in which they had placed him; the officer,who achieved the capture of the Cape, had performed his duty, and made no complaint against any one.—After a few words in explanation, the motion was agreed to.