Before and after Waterloo: Letters from Edward Stanley, sometime Bishop of Norwich (1802; 1814; 1816) — John Shaqi
Before and after Waterloo: Letters from Edward Stanley, sometime Bishop of Norwich (1802; 1814; 1816)Stanley, Edward
History
Before and after Waterloo: Letters from Edward Stanley, sometime Bishop of Norwich (1802; 1814; 1816)
Stanley, Edward
Europe -- Description and travel; France -- History -- Consulate and First Empire, 1799-1815
and the Spanish lines and arrived at Gibraltar on 20th, out of patience
with the Spaniards and everything belonging to Spain. Indeed, the
Country is a disgrace to Europe. I wish indolence was the only vice of
the inhabitants, but added to laziness they are in general mean in their
ideas, the women licentious in their manners, and both sexes sanguinary
to a degree scarcely credible. In Malaga particularly, few nights pass
without some murders. Those who have any regard for their safety must
after dark carry a sword and a lantern. You may form some idea of the
people when there was one fellow at Granada who had with his own hand
committed no less than 22 Murders. Nothing could be more gratifying to
an Englishman than finding wherever he goes the manufactures of his own
Country. This in Spain is particularly the case; there is scarcely a
single article of any description which this people can make for
themselves, consequently English goods are sure of meeting with a quick
sale. Perhaps it may be from prejudice, but certainly the idea I had of
England before I left it has been raised many degrees since I have had
an opportunity of comparing it with other countries. But now for some
news respecting Gibraltar itself, which has during my absence been a
scene of Confusion, first by a dreadful gale of wind, and secondly from
a much more serious cause, a spirit of Mutiny in the Garrison. By the
former 16 or 18 vessels were either lost or driven on shore; by the
latter some lives were sacrificed before tranquillity was restored, and
3 men have since suffered death by the Verdict of a Court Martial. No
doubt you will see something of it in the papers; I cannot now enter
into a detail as it would take some time. The 2 Regts. principally, and
I believe I may say only, concerned were the Royals, which is the
Duke's[14] own Regt., and the 25th; fortunately they did not act in
concert. The other Regts. of the Garrison, the 2nd, 8th, 23rd, and 54th,
particularly the latter, behaved well. The design was to seize the Duke
and put him on board a ship and send him to England. He is disliked on
account of his great severity: whether he carries discipline to an
unnecessary degree military men know better than myself. Despatches have
been sent to England, and I believe some of the men concerned; the
greatest anxiety prevails to know what answers or orders will be
returned. Of War and the rumours of War, tho' we it seems are nearer the
scene of action than those who dwell at home, little is known, and what
little is seems to be more inclined to peace than the English papers
allow. It is here said, on what grounds I know not, that the Spaniards
have entirely ceded Minorca to their good neighbours the French. We have
but a small Naval force in the bay; and a few frigates and ships of
war, one of the latter the _Bittern_, I believe, arrived yesterday from
England, but without any particular news. Many gun boats were fitting
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