With explanatory text printed in three columns below the plate. Perceval, as Don Quixote, stands in front of the Treasury, giving his orders for the forthcoming session. Facing him, Ministerial members (right) stand at attention, clasping rolled documents, all inscribed 'Ministerial Military Exercise Aye No', as if they were muskets; one is in Highland dress. A further phalanx in the background is on Perceval's left. He wears armour, with Mambrino's helmet (the barber's basin) and holds erect a tilting lance, which serves as staff for the Royal Standard. His left hand, holding a 'Muster Roll', sac lancel pas cher rests on his hip. Behind him, pen in hand, and with a pen behind the ear, the two Treasury Secretaries stand stiffly, each with a large book, one 'Names of Staunch Men', the other 'Names of Deserters'. On the extreme left and in the foreground George Rose stoops over a large 'Military Chest', filled with bank notes, which he holds out towards the Ministerial troops. On the ground beside him lies a rose labelled 'A Rose in January'. Behind him, lurking in a gateway, is Melville, in Highland dress, with two similarly clad Scots peering over his shoulder. He says: "An Ye should want a set of braw fellows fit for ony service, I ha them here ready for ye". On Perceval's left is a mounted officer (Montrose) holding a paper inscribed 'Treaty for an Armistice for 14 days if Necessary'. Beside him is a mounted trumpeter. sac lancel pas cher Perceval says: "Now my Lads lets see if you are perfect in your Exercise!!! You will stick close right or wrong". All answer "Aye. Nor refuse a good place when it is offered". All answer "No. Of course all I say is truth". All answer "Aye, Nor you wont let the Enemy Contradit me". All answer "No". Perceval: "That will do very well and my Aid de Camps shall register you accordingly remember there is something good at the bottom of the Ches [sic]".
The text is headed: 'Intelligence Extraordinary. Head Quarters, Camp, D g s t [Downing Street], "January" 19th, 1810. General Orders "Parole", "Steady". "Countersign", "Pension."' It begins: 'Field Marshal P l, Commander in Chief of his M y's forces, directs the army to hold itself in readiness to march on . . . the 23d inst. having received certain intelligence that the enemy who are in great force, and possess'd of considerable stores, ammunition, from the Island of Walcheren, Spain, sac lancel pas cher and Portugal, meditate an attack upon his lines at Fort Trea . . . 'Field Marshal, the Marquis of T perary . . . will command the Household Troops, and the Irish Brigade, . . . every eye will be directed towards him, as he will give the word of command from his "high horse". . . .' [Evidently Marquis Wellesley, Foreign Secretary under Perceval, who was haughtily aloof from his colleagues.] 'Lieutenant General the E l of Ch m will not be in the field "early". His post will be near "The Royal Standard". Major General the E l C n will, as usual remain with the "heavy" artillery. . . . [Camden remained President of the Council under Perceval.] General E l B h t will have the care of the forage. . [Bathurst remained President of the Board of Trade.] Brigadier General the E l of W d, from his experience, attention, and elegant manners, will have under his charge the soldiers' wives. . . . [Westmorland was Lord Privy Seal.] Generals, E l of L r l General L d H r by, and Colonel R d R d r, who are usually invalids, will attend the medical staff. That indefatigable officer General L d M lg ve is always ready to take any post. . . . Should the Vis t M ve [sic, intended for Melville] accept of the rank of Field Marshal, "which has been offered to him", he will . . . command the "Scotch brigade". . . . The D e of M e. will of course be attended by "his Trumpeter, on a white horse". Captains, Sir V y G bbs and Pl will act as Aid de Camps to Lieutenant General El n. . . . The "Mayor of the City" is supposed not to be well affected to the K ng's troops; he must be kept in irons . . . lest he deliver [the keys] to the enemy, who are reported to be in high spirits after the late victory at the battle of Ox d. Generals C le h and C g from their rashness, cannot be employed with safety, and will probably shew themselves with a small force upon neutral ground, till they see how the battle is likely to turn. . . . The military chest will be confided to that experienced veteran, Adjutant General George R e. . . .'
Parliament was summoned for 23 Jan., and Perceval's new and weak Ministry, formed during the long recess after Portland's resignation, see No. 11383, were faced with the certainty of attack for the Walcheren Expedition, see No. 11364, and the Spanish campaign from a strong Opposition, encouraged by Grenville's victory at Oxford, see No. 11384. For the duel and resignation of Canning and Castlereagh see No. 11370, Canning deliberately adopted a neutral position, hoping to hold a balance between the parties. See Aspinall, 'The Canningite Party', 'Trans. Roy. Hist. Soc.', 1934, p. 192,sac lancel pas cher Melville was too unpopular for office (cf. No. 10979), but his son became Irish Secretary. Liverpool was Secretary for War; Harrowby, owing to ill health, held no office but remained in the Cabinet. Mulgrave, the First Lord, discredited by Walcheren, resigned in the spring on the ground of ill health, becoming Master General of the Ordnance (in the Cabinet). Montrose was Master of the Horse and Lord Justice General. Gibbs and Plumer remained Attorney and Solicitor General. Rose, a wealthy sinecurist, popularly associated with Treasury jobs as Treasury Secretary (1784 1801), cf. 7872 (1791), retained his offices of Treasurer of the Navy and Vice President of the Board of Trade. For a full list see 'Ann. Reg.', 1810, p. 425. The City made an address to the King on 14 Dec. 1809, urging an inquiry into the Walcheren disaster; the Livery passed resolutions condemning the King's advisers on 9 Jan. See Sharpe, 'London and the Kingdom', iii. 272 4. For Thomas Smith, the Lord Mayor, see No. 11554. For placemen cf. No. 11537, For the weakness of the Ministry see Nos. 11527, 11530, 11542. After gaining ground it was again shaken in December by the King's illness, see No. 11580.
Associated with: Right Hon George Rose Associated with: Right Hon Sir Thomas Plumer Associated with: Henry Phipps, 1st Earl of Mulgrave Associated with: James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose Associated with: John Jeffreys Pratt, 1st Marquess Camden Associated with: Richard Colley Wellesley, Marquess Wellesley Associated with: Right Hon Sir Vicary Gibbs Associated with: Charles Arbuthnot Associated with: George III, King of the United Kingdom Associated with: John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmorland Associated with: Right Hon Spencer Perceval Associated with: Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville Associated with: Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh and 2nd Marquess of Londonderry Associated with: Dudley Ryder, 2nd Earl of Harrowby Associated with: Charles Long, Baron Farnborough Associated with: John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon Associated with: George Canning Associated with: Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst Associated with: Gen John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham Associated with: Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool Associated with: The Hon. Richard Ryder Associated with: Thomas Smith Associated with: Richard Wharton
British Museum collection data is also available in the W3C open data standard,
RDF, allowing it to join and relate to a growing body of linked data published by organisations around the world.
View this object
Support the Museum:The Museum makes its collection database available to be used by scholars around the world. Donations will help support curatorial, documentation and digitisation projects.