le
ally an infection of despondency and disgrace. The motive assigned for
all this, was the great importance of gaining time; fear of an open
beach and of equinoctial gales for the shipping; fear that
reinforcements could not be landed; fear of famine;--fear of every thing
but dishonour! (_See Appendix B_.)

The nation had expected that the French would surrender immediately at
discretion; and, supposing that Sir Arthur Wellesley had told them the
whole truth, they had a right to form this expectation. It has since
appeared, from the evidence given before the Board of Inquiry, that Sir
Arthur Wellesley earnestly exhorted his successor in command (Sir Harry
Burrard) to pursue the defeated enemy at the battle of Vimiera; and
that, if this had been done, the affair, in Sir Arthur Wellesley's
opinion, would have had a much more satisfactory termination. But,
waiving any considerations of this advice, or of the fault which might
be committed in not following it; and taking up the matter from the time
when Sir Hew Dalrymple entered upon the command, and when the two
adverse armies were in that condition, relatively to each other, that
none of the Generals has pleaded any difference of opinion as to their
ability to advance against the enemy, I will ask what confirmation has
appeared before the Board of Inquiry, of the reasonableness of the
causes, assigned by Sir Hew Dalrymple in his letter, for deeming a
Convention adviseable. A want of cavalry, (for which they who occasioned
it are heavily censurable,) has indeed been proved; and certain failures
of duty in the Commissariat department with respect to horses, &c.; but
these deficiencies, though furnishing reasons against advancing upon the
enemy in the open field, had ceased to be of moment, when the business
was to expel him from the forts to which he might have the power of
retreating. It is proved, that, though there are difficulties in landing
upon that coast, (and what military or marine operation can be carried
on without difficulty?) there was not the slightest reason to apprehend
that the army, which was then abundantly supplied, would suffer
hereafter from want of provisions; proved also that heavy ordnance, for
the purpose of attacking the forts, was ready on ship-board, to be
landed when and where it might be needed. Therefore, so far from being
exculpated by the facts which have been laid before the Board of
Inquiry, Sir Hew Dalrymple and the other Generals, who