Capt. Whittingham to sir H. Dalrymple. Utrera, June 29, 1808.
“The president approved of the idea, condemned the policy which had led Spain to attempt to establish manufactories by force, and showed clearly that the result had been the loss of a considerable branch of the revenue, the increase of smuggling, and consequently an enormous expense, in the payment of nearly one hundred thousand custom or rather excise officers, distributed about the country, and the ruin of numberless families seduced by the prospect of immediate profit to engage in illicit traffic.”
Lord William Bentinck to sir H. Dalrymple. Madrid, Oct. 2, 1808.
“A passage of lord Castlereagh’s letter, of which I received from you a copy, instructed you, if possible, to ascertain the intentions of the Spanish government after the expulsion of the French. Though not positively directed by you to ask this information, yet the occasion appeared to make the question so natural, and seemingly of course, and even necessary, that I availed myself of it, and gave to general Castaños, to be laid before count Florida Blanca, a memorandum, of which I enclose a copy, marked A.”
Extract from the copy marked A.
“It seems probable in such case that no diversion could be more effectual or more formidable to Buonaparte than the march of a large combined British and Spanish army over the Pyrenees, into that part of France where there are no fortified places to resist their passage into the very heart of the country, and into that part where great disaffection is still believed to exist.”
Major Fletcher, royal engineers, to sir John Moore. Betanzos, Jan. 5, 1809.
“I have the honour to report to your excellency that, in obedience to your orders, I have examined the neck of land between the harbour of Ferrol and the bridge of Puente de Humo. This ground does not appear to possess any position that has not several defects.” ... “I did not find any ground so decidedly advantageous, and containing a small space, as to render it tenable for the vanguard of an army to cover the embarkation of the main body.” ... “I should have sent this report much sooner, but found it impossible to procure post horses until my arrival at Lugo, and since that time I have had very bad ones.”
Ditto to Ditto. Coruña, Jan. 6, 1809.