Lords Sitting of 29 January 1810

GENERAL ORDERS RESPECTING THE BATTLE OF TALAVERA.—
Earl Grey,referring to what had been said by the earl of Liverpool, on Friday night, respecting the impression made by the receipt of intelligence of the Battle of Talavera, and the General Orders issued upon that occasion; wished to be informed, who the Military advisers of his Majesty were; the noble earl made use of that term, in stating by whose advice those General Orders were issued.
The Earl of Liverpoolsaid, that the term military advisers, applied to the Commander in Chief and his Staff, but he did not mean to state, that it was solely by their

211
advice that the General Orders, referred to, were issued; but, on the contrary, he stated that his Majesty's ministers were responsible for that measure, it having been adopted with their concurrence.
Earl Greythought the statement of the noble earl not sufficiently satisfactory, as it did not explain by whose advice the General Orders were issued. If those orders were merely the act of his Majesty's ministers, then the impression, which the noble earl talked of, was merely that which they themselves had created.
The Earl of Liverpoolcontended that it was not a proper question to ask, at whose suggestion any measure was adopted. He had already stated, that his Majesty's ministers were responsible for the Orders alluded to. His Majesty's military advisers would not, of course, direct the adoption of any measure without the permission of his Majesty's government, nor would the latter adopt any military measure without the concurrence of the former.
Earl Greyobserved, that he must then be satisfied with understanding that his Majesty's military advisers and his Majesty's ministers had both agreed in issuing the General Orders.
The conversation here dropped.

EXPEDITION TO THE SCHELDT.
The Earl of Liverpoolpresented a number of Papers, consisting of Military Correspondence, &c. relative to this Expedition, and observed, that the greater part of the Papers would be ready for delivery on Wednesday.
The Marquis of Lansdowne,referring to the notice he had given on a former day for Thursday next, for a motion of inquiry respecting the Campaign, said, that the House of Commons having since determined to institute an inquiry, and which he was bound to suppose would be a strict and effectual inquiry into the causes and consequences of the calamitous Expedition to the Scheldt, and it having been suggested to him, that as the result of that Inquiry might be to bring the authors of those calamities, whoever they were, judicially before that House, it would not be proper to adopt any proceeding which might tend to prejudge a question on which they might be afterwards called upon judicially to decide; he therefore moved to discharge the order for the attendance of their lordships on Thursday, reserving to himself the right of again bringing forward the question at a future period, if circumstances should render it necessary. At the same
212
time, as it was requisite they should have every possible information before them, he wished to give notice of his intention to move on Monday for some further Papers in addition to those produced by ministers.