instant, of our Oporto claims, and it appears to me that all is going on as we could wish. I enclose an extract of his letter to me of the 10th, from which you will see that, although against his opinion and contrary to his wishes, he makes no opposition to the claim of the ships employed in the blockade of the Douro, which of course includes yours. I conclude, that the property being once condemned as prize, or for salvage, there can be no dispute between us about it. Believe me, &c.

Vice Admiral

the Hon. G. Berkeley.

⚫ WELLINGTON.

Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B., to Lieut. Colonel Fletcher, Commanding Royal Engineer.

'MY DEAR SIR,

·

Viseu, 3rd April, 1810. The intention of Government in sending out the officers of Engineers lately arrived, is to enable us to give some security to Setuval, Palmela, and principally to Peniche. The object in respect to the two first, is to be able to hold them some time as places of refuge for the inhabitants of the country, who might wish, or to whom it might be desirable to evacuate the country. The object in occupying and improving the last mentioned place, is the same; but I think it not impossible that Government may be disposed to go a step farther in respect to Peniche, and to make an arrangement for occupying it permanently.

In respect to Peniche, it appears to me that the works which it would be desirable to execute there, are:

First. Something in the way of a counterscarp to cover the existing line wall.

Secondly. To build up the breach in the existing wall.

Thirdly. To make the parapets of a proper height throughout, to fill up the rampart in the bastions, and to make a good rampart communication from each.

Fourthly. To secure effectually the breach on the left of the line either by a stockade or the completion of the wall.

Fifthly. The construction of a redoubt upon the high ground in the rear of the left of the line, which, by crossing its fire with the citadel on the right, would prevent the storm of the line, even though it should be breached.

If Government should determine to do any thing perma

nent at Peniche, these measures will have been a commencement of them; and I request you to employ one or more of the officers under your command upon them, without loss of time.

6

If it should occur to you that any thing else ought to be done at either of these places, in the view which I have taken of them, of course I expect to receive from you any suggestion that you may think will be useful.

'Lieut. Colonel Fletcher.'

Believe me, &c.

WELLINGTON.

Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B., to Brigadier General

'MY DEAR GENERAL,

R. Craufurd.

Viseu, 4th April, 1810. I received last night your letter of the 1st, which ought to have reached me on the evening of the 2nd.

The enemy's corps south of the Tagus have occupied Caceres, and extended themselves along the Salor in front of Hill's corps. I suspect that they have occupied this position only because Caceres is the part of Estremadura which has been least exhausted since the last harvest, and that they can find subsistence there; and they are in tolerable security, as it is not easy to attack them. It must be observed, however, that this is the position which they would take with the corps in Estremadura, if they intended to undertake any operation on this side, and were desirous of preventing us from availing ourselves of the assistance of Hill's corps. However, I believe that they have very little communication between one of their corps and the others, less intelligence of our strength and situation, and no combination.

The Austrian marriage is a terrible event, and must prevent any great movement on the continent for the present. Still, I do not despair of seeing at some time or other a check to the Bonaparte system. Recent transactions in Holland show that it is all hollow within, and that it is so inconsistent with the wishes, the interests, and even the existence of civilized society, that he cannot trust even his brothers to carry it into execution.

6

If the Spaniards had acted with common prudence, we should be in a very different situation in the Peninsula, but I fear there are now no hopes. The Government are terribly

weak, and I think it probable will be beaten upon the Walcheren question. It is impossible to say what will be the consequence. I think the King may be able to form a Government without having recourse to Lord Grenville; but there will be no strength in that Government, and the members will have no satisfaction in conducting public affairs.

As General Cox sends information to the Portuguese Government, as well as to me, I beg you to send him Ruman's letters, and any others that may go through your hands addressed to him or to me. I write to him not to delay the departure of the dragoon with your communication.

Believe me, &c.

'WELLINGTON.

Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B., to Brigadier General

MY DEAR GENERAL,

R. Craufurd.

'Viseu, 5th April, 1810. I informed you yesterday of the position the French had taken up on the Salor; I have now to inform you that they quitted it again on the 31st. These people are in motion perpetually! They marched towards Merida, probably because the Marquis de la Romana had taken the position in the Conventual at Merida, which I recommended to him to seize, by which the communication between the French corps in Lower Estremadura was cut off with the corps on the other side of the Guadiana.

Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B., to Vice Admiral
the Hon. G. Berkeley.

SIR,

6

'Viseu, 5th April, 1810. Having occasion to send to Cadiz one squadron of the 13th light dragoons, with their horses, and four corporals of the same regiment, with their horses, belonging to the other three squadrons of the same regiment, which will remain at Lisbon, I shall be much obliged to you if you will direct the Agent of Transports to provide transports for their conveyance, and if you will send them to Cadiz under convoy as soon as they shall be embarked.

'Vice Admiral

the Hon, G. Berkeley.

'I have the honor to be, &c.

'WELLINGTON.

Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B., to Colonel Peacocke.

'SIR,

Viseu, 5th April, 1810.

I have had the honor of receiving your letter of the 2nd April, and I am much obliged to you for the report which it contains. I beg that the 3rd battalion of the Royals, the 1st battalion of the 9th, and 2nd battalion of the 38th regiment, may be equipped in the usual manner, and prepared to march when orders shall be dispatched from head quarters for that purpose.

These corps are in the mean time to be quartered either in barracks, or in convents, or encamped in the most healthy situations in the town or the neighbourhood of Lisbon; and the commanding and other officers of regiments must adopt all means to prevent irregularities, which will only tend to augment the number of sick, and aggravate the disorders of those already sick, or in a state of convalescence.

• Great care must be taken to prevent the ophthalmia from spreading, from which disorder the army in Portugal has hitherto been quite free.

6 It is impossible for me to allow any men to join the army without arms and accoutrements. It is very proper that the officers commanding regiments should fix upon those men to be officers' servants and bât men who are least capable of bearing the ordinary fatigues of the service; but they must all have their arms, and all obey the standing orders of the army upon this subject.

After all, I believe it will be found, that if attention be paid by the officers to the food of the soldiers; if they prevented them from straggling from their corps on a march, or from their quarters or camp, in search of wine or plunder after the march is made; and if the soldiers are regularly organized and told off into the several parties to be sent for those articles of food, fuel, &c., which they require; and that the officers superintend the execution of these duties, it will be found that but few soldiers are so young, and still fewer so old and infirm, that they cannot make those marches and perform those duties which the service requires from them.

I beg that, upon the receipt of this letter, one squadron of the 13th light dragoons, and four corporals belonging to the three other squadrons of the same regiment, with their

horses, &c., may be embarked to go to Cadiz, as soon as the Agent of Transports shall have prepared vessels to receive them. The four corporals must be good horsemen, and men well acquainted with the sword exercise; and these men, on their arrival at Cadiz, are to be put under the direction of Major General Whittingham. The three other squadrons of the 13th light dragoons are to be equipped, and in readiness to take the field, but are to remain at Lisbon till further orders.'

'Colonel Peacocke."

'I have the honor to be, &c.

• WELLINGTON.

Lieut. General Viscount Wellington, K.B., to C. Stuart, Esq.

MY DEAR SIR, Viseu, 5th April, 1810. 'I have received your letter of the 2nd, and I am glad to find that the Government intend to issue a proclamation, as well as circulate the letter which you before sent me; as the inhabitants and inferior order of magistrates and officers require to be reminded of their duties, as well as their superiors.

'I do not believe the estimate of August, 1809, is the first estimate which was sent home to the British Government, and which I saw in the Secretary of State's Office. It was framed either in January or February, shortly after Mr. Villiers arrived in Portugal.

The 30,000 stand of arms and Picton's rifles, &c., are for the Portuguese troops, and I have given them over to Marshal Beresford. I only hope that we shall get them issued in time.

6

I enclose a letter from Mr. O'Meara to the Commissary General, regarding pay for the Portuguese troops in Cadiz. The best mode of settling for this pay would be for me to order the issue monthly to the commanding officer of the regiment, and the sum issued would be so much paid to you by the Commissary General, and to the Portuguese Government by you; and so much subtracted from the amount of their subsidy, and from your demand upon the Commissary General for the two sevenths. The commanding officer of the regiment would then settle his accounts for the sum he received in the usual manner with the Portuguese Government.

Let me know if this mode of settlement will suit you and