Marquis WELLESLEY Print E-mail
The Cumberland Pacquet - 25 Feb 1812
Marquis WELLESLEY's Mission to Spain

The following are the accounts which Mr. Richard WELLESLEY explained, in his
Speech to the House of Commons on Monday night, relative to the Noble
Marquis's expence during his Embassy to Spain in 1809: --

Total amount of expenditure was £16,903 17 10

Of this sum there was paid, being the
value of various articles purchased
for the Embassy, and afterwards sold
by the Marquis on the public account 3,003 17 8
. -----------------
Net charge on the public 13,900 0 2

To provide for this expenditure there
was received from the treasury, at
different periods by bills, &c. &c. 14,113 2 8

Deduct treasury fees 625 15 0
. ------------------
Actual money received by the Marquis 13,460 7 8

Compare this with the expenditure
after the sale of effects 13,900 0 2

Deficiency of receipt from the treasury,
to meet the expenditure 459 12 6

This is the account between the Public and the Marquis WELLESLEY. In
addition, it is a positive fact, that the Embassy cost Marquis WELLESLEY
between 4 and 5000L. from his private fortune.

It is also to be recollected, that Lord WELLESLEY received neither
remuneration for his services, nor plate, equipage, money, nor salary.

It has been already stated that the sum actually received by the Marquis was
13,460L. 7s. 8d.

This comprised the expences of the whole Mission, including Secretaries, and
every person attached to the Embassy. In this sum of 13,460L 7s. 8d. are
also included many charges which have no relation to the Marquis WELLESLEY
personally, which would have been incurred by any other person, and which
are as follow: --

1st, Banker's Commission at Seville £ 68 17 0
2d, Ditto Agents in England 105 0 0
3d, Effects left at Seville for sale; but
seized by the French -- value 500 0 0
4th, Couriers usually defrayed from
Messengers' Fund at the Foreign Office 421 0 5
5th, Loss by Exchange 834 0 0
. ----------------
. 1928 17 5

If this sum be deducted from the sum of 13,460L. 7s. 8d. received by the
Marquis, it will appear that the actual expence for which alone he can be
deemed responsible, was 11,531L. 10s. 3d.

Mr. WELLESLEY stated the expence in round numbers to be 12,000L.

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The maths in the first calculation is a little dodgy in my opinion, but in
any case it seems the marquis actually paid for his efforts rather than
being rewarded!

Petra
 
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