information of the strength and situation of the army," 7 and in
1812 he bewailed that he was constantly hampered by the mis
chief occasioned by the English newspapers, “ For the latter," he said , " while deceiving the public with stories of victories
never gained , battles never fought, enthusiasm and vigor which had no existence , did most assiduously enlighten the enemy as
to the numbers, situation , movements, and reinforcements of the Allies.” 8 In the following year he found a new grievance in
that " Discourses and writings against the British abounded in Lisbon and Rio Janeiro, and were re -echoed or surpassed by the
London newspapers, whose statements overflowing with false hood,could be traced to the Portuguese embassy in that capital.” 9
The troubles in the Portuguese situation he indeed charged to the English newspapers that " did much mischief by their asser tions, but he never suspected they could by their omissions alienate the Portuguese nation and government. The latter com plained that their troops were not praised in parliament, nothing could be more different from a debate within the house than the representation of it in the newspapers ; — the latter seldom stated
an event or transaction as it really occurred , unless when they absolutely copied what was written for them ; and even then their observations branched out so far from the text that they
appeared absolutely incapable of understanding much less of stating the truth on any subject. The Portuguese people should therefore be cautious of taking English newspapers as a text of
the estimation in which the Portuguese army was held in Eng land, where its character stood high and was rising daily .” 10 The situation in Spain was no better, for the vexatious disputes with it were increasing daily , and if the omissions or assertions of newspapers were to be the causes of disagreement with the Portuguese , the Iron Duke could only hurl at the offending papers the dire threat, “ I will quit the Peninsula for ever!” 11 7W . F. P . Napier, History of the War in the Peninsula , II, 366 . 8 Ib ., IV , 125.
" Ib ., IV , 461. 10 16., IV , 464 -465. 11 Ib., IV , 465. The contemptuous attitude of the Duke of Wellington towards the press
is well illustrated in Napier, IV , Appendix VIII B , which gives two letters written by the Duke of Feltre, Minister of War, to King Joseph . These
