Canning and the Spanish Patriots in i8oS 43 last should be placed under the control of a generalissimo. Thus the primacy claimed by the great province of the south was one of suggestion and initiative rather than of direct control. No other course was possible in a land where the provincial spirit was so strong, and where Madrid and other central points were strongly held by the French. It is clear, however, that Canning was always apprehensive of Spanish provincialism, and that the British agents whom he sent out struggled persistently to bring about the formation of a central government. The difficulties in their way were enormous, as may be seen by despatches sent to Canning by Stuart. The British envoy, who enjoyed an authority superior to that of Hunter or Duff, reported on July 21 that on his arrival at Corunna on the previous day, Sir Arthur Wellesley and he met with a most enthusiastic welcome both from the junta of Galicia and the populace of the town. The people were not dispirited or dismayed because of the severe defeat inflicted on Cuesta and Blake by Bessieres at Rio Seco on July 14; for opposed to the French stood the relics of the Spanish forces ; and the mountains of Galicia would be a safe barrier in case of further misfortunes in the field. The following sentences in Stuart's first despatch are especially noteworthy : Xo wish for military succour on our part has been manifested by any individual of the Junta with whom I have conversed ; they declare that the population of Galicia (which they state to be no less than two million) is fully adequate to supply their waste of men; they say that money and arms are all the country stands in need of to ensure a suc- cessful continuance of the war. He states that no sure news had arrived from other parts of Spain though there were rumors of victories gained over the French at Saragossa, as also in the provinces of Valencia and Andalusia. Stuart adds : " The excessive enthusiasm of every individual I have yet seen induces them to believe whatever may be reported in their favour, however improbable ". There is something ironical in the fact that Stuart penned these words on the very day when 23,700 Frenchmen and Swiss under Dupont surrendered to the Andalusian forces at Baylen. On Jul}- 28 Stuart forwarded to his chief further proofs of the strength of provincial feelings in the north of Spain. Galicia, As- turias, and Leon, he wrote, could not agree as to the number of depu- ties which each of those provinces should send to a common junta, the meeting of which was strongly urged by the British envoy. Feelings ran high between Cuesta and the deputies of Leon and
