The Political History of England – Vol XI

34

In the following year Napoleon consented to evacuate all the Prussian fortresses except three, on condition that the Prussian army should not exceed a total of 40,000 men.

35

Annual Register, xlix. (1807), 249-70, 731-38; Rose, in English Historical Review, xi. (1896), 82-92.

36

Captain Mahan, The Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire, ii., 272-357, shows that the policy of the orders in council was essential to British safety.

37

The course of this war is related continuously in chap. v. (#pgepubid00025)

38

Rose, Life of Napoleon I., ii., 190, note.

39

The best account of the quarrel, especially in its relation to the composition of the cabinet, is to be found in Walpole's Life of Perceval, vol. i., chap. ix., and vol. ii., chap. i. Lewis, Administrations, pp. 314-15, finds a double ground for Canning's resignation in his failure to obtain the removal of Castlereagh from the war office and in the refusal of the king and cabinet to allow him to succeed Portland as prime minister. It is quite clear, however, that at the time of Canning's resignation no decision had been come to about a successor to Portland. Some correspondence had passed between Canning and Perceval, in which each had refused to serve under the other, but that this correspondence was unknown to the cabinet as a whole is proved by Mulgrave's letters to Lord Lonsdale of September 11 and 15 (Phipps, Memoir of Ward, pp. 210-17); in the former of these he discusses Canning's probable conduct without referring to this correspondence, while in the latter he only knows of such negotiations as subsequent to the resignations of September 6 and 8. So, too, Eldon's letter to his wife of September 11 (Twiss, Life of Eldon, ii., 88-90), places the whole correspondence between Canning and Perceval after Portland's resignation on September 6. The king was not informed of Canning's views as to a successor to Portland till September 13, and the cabinet minute of September 18, advising co-operation with Grenville and Grey, mentions the selection of Canning as prime minister as a course open to the king.

40

This is the date commonly given. The Annual Register, li. (1809), 239, gives the 22nd, while Perceval refers to the result of the duel in a letter dated the 20th (Colchester, Diary, ii., 209). It is clear, however, that Canning did not receive Castlereagh's challenge till the morning of the 20th (see his letter in Annual Register, loc. cit., 505, also his detailed statement to Camden, ibid., 525), and therefore the duel cannot have taken place till the 21st. Lord Folkestone in a letter dated the 21st refers to the duel as having been fought at "7 o'clock this morning" (Creevey Papers, i., 96).

41

For the whole crisis see Walpole, Life of Perceval, ii., 157-96, and for Sheridan's share in the transactions, Moore, Life of Sheridan, ii., 382-409.

42

Napier, Peninsular War (3rd edition), i., 123.

43

For Moore's campaign see Napier, Peninsular War, i., pp. xxi. – xxv., lvii. – lxxvi., 330-44, 431-542, and Oman, Peninsular War, i., 486-602; and compare Moore's Diary, edited by Maurice, ii., 272-398. Sir F. Maurice has not completely answered Professor Oman's criticisms.

44

Wellington, Dispatches, iv., 261-63 (March 7, 1809).

45

For the exact figures see Oman, Peninsular War, ii., 645-48.

46

Wellington, Dispatches, iv., 536 (July 29, 1809).

47

For Masséna's lines of march see T. J. Andrews in English Historical Review, xvi. (1901), 474-92.

48

The battle is picturesquely described by Napier, Peninsular War, iii., 536-66. See also ibid., pp. xxxv. – li.

49

Wellington, Supplementary Dispatches, vii., 318-19.

50

Napier, Peninsular War (first edition), v., 513.

51

Wellington, Dispatches, x., 473 (June 29, 1813).

52

Ibid., x., 519 (July 9, 1813).

53

See p. 105 (#Page_105).

54

George, Napoleon's Invasion of Russia, p. 33.

55

James, British Naval History, iv., 470-84.

56

See above, p. 58 (#Page_58).

57

See Cambridge Modern History, vii., 336, 338.

58

For details of the naval warfare of this year see James, British Naval History, vi., 115-202.