In addition to all this, your Lordship will have observed that the title of Majesty was more general in its application in Spain than it is in England. In England it belongs exclusively to the King; in Spain, it was likewise given to the Camera del Consejo Real and to the Consejo de Guerra. I ought to beg your Lordship’s pardon for hazarding these hasty opinions, which I submit with great sincerity to your more enlightened judgment.

A fungous growth of political pamphlets and periodical publications issue daily from the press. We have the Conciso, the Tertulia, the Buen Español, the political Telescope, and I believe the political Microscope and the political Spectacles; none of these have any merit except the Conciso, which gives the best diary we have yet had of the proceedings of the Cortes; but we have likewise the Semanario, revived by Quintana, which maintains its ancient reputation, and the Patriot in the Cortes, as yet chiefly distinguished for its boldness. Some numbers of these last I shall do myself the pleasure to send to your Lordship by the first good opportunity. I should have requested of Mr. Wellesley or Mr. Vaughan to take charge of any parcel or packet for you, but they reside at present in the Isla, whither I seldom go; and which is so crowded that I could not procure in it a house or accommodation of any kind. We are and have been in daily expectation that the Cortes will transfer their sittings to this city. The Cortes have committed and are daily committing a great many errors; but they are the errors of inexperience, and as they have upright intentions and are not indocile they will, I hope, soon correct such mistakes as they may inadvertently fall into, more especially when the forms are once established which are to regulate their future proceedings; and I am happy to say that this necessary regulation, the want of which has been already on many occasions severely felt, will soon take place.

I have seen exaggerated accounts in the English papers of the yellow fever which prevailed here; it was not virulent nor general, and has now, I believe, entirely vanished.

The French have at last succeeded in throwing a few nine-inch shells within our walls from their battery on the cabezuela of the Trocadero. One fell near the signal tower, almost in the centre of the city, and distant from the cabezuela about 2500 French toises, greater by 200 toises than any range of a shell formerly known. Not more than a dozen altogether fell within the walls; they fortunately did no damage and occasioned very little alarm. I am assured by Artillery officers that the charge of powder necessary to throw a shell to such a distance is so great, that after a few discharges the mortar will be rendered entirely useless. A few shells were first fired two or three days ago, a few more the next day, and they have since been silent. We are informed that one of their mortars burst.

A general enlistment is now carrying on here and rigorously executing, of all unmarried men without exception from the age of 16 to 45. Men we can find in abundance, but where we can get the means of clothing, arming, and subsisting them, unless we receive very liberal aid from England, it is difficult for me to conceive; two days ago, notwithstanding every measure of economy that has been adopted and is adopting, there was not a dollar in the treasury. The Government had applied a few weeks ago to the Junta of Cadiz for the loan of a million of dollars, to be repaid upon the arrival of the Bulwark from Vera Cruz; this the Junta had the scandalous indecency to refuse, except upon the condition that the regulation and collection of the customs of the port of Cadiz should be committed exclusively to their management, with other stipulations, the effect of which would have been to erect the Junta into a little petty sovereignty. This proposition was rejected with indignation, and the conduct of the Junta, upon this occasion, has justly rendered them extremely unpopular. Yesterday morning, the Government, being absolutely without a dollar, made application to the Consulado, and a meeting of the most respectable merchants being called most of whom never had any concern with the Junta, a great many very patriotic speeches were made, the million of dollars was immediately granted, without interest or condition of any kind and to be repaid whenever it was convenient for the Government. The Bulwark fortunately arrived in the evening, but has not brought so much money as was expected, only a million and a half dollars for the public treasury and about two millions private property.

I am sure I must have now tired your Lordship completely with this long and uninteresting letter, to which I shall here put a close, and have the honour to be most truly,

Your most obedt. Servt.

R. Campbell.

INDEX

(The figures in italics refer to the notes only)