Hi,

If someone could help, I would be very grateful.

I'm currently looking thru' Soriano vols iii & v, parte ii, and WD vii (1837)

In WD vii, on pp 592-594

Wellington writes to the Rt. Hon. John Villiers Elvas, (25th May, 1811), to acknowledge a letter from Villiers (“of yesterday”, p 592 ) and continues to inform him at great length about the unhelpful conduct of the "Principal Souza" (sic) relating to intrigues to remove Bereford from his position, opposing and / or delaying the implementation of the plan for the defence of Portugal and advocating an offensive war against the French army of Portugal on the frontiers of Potugal.

There is nothing new in all of this of course, but I’m trying to establish exactly in what capacity / office Viliers would be writing to Wellington and vice versa (and why W might assume that Stuart will not have informed Villiers of the same) ...

Compare the above letter with that from Wellington to Liverpool (WD vii (1837) pp 609-612
… “Your lordship will have observed from the despatches of his Majesty’s minister at Lisbon, to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, that Mr. Stuart did not consider himself authorized (nor did I) even to announce to the Portugese Government the recent increase in the subsidy, till he should have prevailed upon them to introduce such reforms in the several civil departments of the Portuguese army, as should insure to the army and to the cause all the benefits of the increase …. He is referring (carefully) here to financial irregularities - i.e. the subsidy being received but pay / subsistence not being forwarded to the troops etc pp 609-10.

The letter immediately above confirms (I think) that Stuart is minister in Lisbon, so in what office / capacity is Villiers in Portugal? (I take it he is in Portugal, most probably Lisbon, with Wellington referring to a letter "of yesterday”).

Any help much appreciated

Anthony