Star. — London, England, 1807-01-31 00:00:00

INDIA. The very large fleet about to fail for this quarter with fo large a body of troops, will be convoyed by one or two line of battle Chips, betides frigates.— They now wait for the Cuffneis from the Downs. _ . Lord MINTO will fail immediately, and Lord CA -I,tHOM very fpeedily, for their refpedive Govern meets. WEST INDIES. We received feveral days ago the letter of our Correfpondent from the Well Indies, which came by the tart packet ; but as it contained nothing very i nce oing, we have not before prefented any part of it. The troops are all tolerably healthy, with the ex ception of the 16th and 64th regiments. The isth regiment, which this time laft year loft in very many men, is at prefent in high health, and Gill continues quartered at Barbadoes. Troops are Rill looked for from this country : there are many indications of an intention on the part of the enemy to fit out expeditions from Martinique and Guadaloupe, where they have contrived to get many *ten. But the Commander in Chief, General Bow- YU, is much on the alert, and if he had a fufficient force, we might remain eafy regarding the fate of all our colonies. Our Readers will recolleft, that two regiments were lately fent out to the Well Indies, viz, the ill battalion of the 54th, and the 3d battalion of the. 6oth, but this handfull mull be quite inadequate to fruflrate any attempt of the French, if they are really fetious. THE ARMY. Sir Jona DOYLI, Bart. who lately made a figure in the Debate on the Army Ellimates, is Lieutenant General in the Army, Colonel of the 87th Regiment, or, the Prince of Wales's Royal Irifh heroes, and diftinguifhed himfelf with Lord MOIRA in the Ame ran war; and on the Continent in 1794, greatly in the affair at Alloti, with his brave regiment, which he had jolt then railed. The la and 2d Garrison Battalions Rill remain embarked in the tranfports at Portfmouth. The 01 Battalkn of the 89th, General WHITE` LOCK'S Regiment, is under orders to march for the Kentifli Coati. So numerous are the detachments now about to embark for the Cape and India, that sco of them have been km over to Hilfea, and the neighbouring country, for whom no accommodation could be pro cured in the Ifle of Wight. There are about woo fine Yorkfhire lads going out for the 84th, General BARNARD'S Regiment in Ma labar. We have heard a report that Government intend to fend out, under a dittinguifhed Officer, a force fufficient to determine the fate of South America. Whenever Lord MOIRA affumes the diration of the Barrack Department, we confidently unit, that he will keep a (harp eye over thofe appoin:ed Agcnts i n the purchafe of (torts. The great defideratum of Barrack Mailers to the Artillery, has lately been obtained under the prefent Matter General. We hear that a (Zcarter Mailer General is about to be appointed to the Artillery This, as well as the magnificent Hofpital diablifh ment now carrying on, this branch of the fetvice owes entirely to the Earl of MOIRA. The report is again afloat, that feveral regiments of our Heavy Cavalry are about to be employed. The Bays, or ad Dragoon Guards are under orders to march from Southampton to Nottingham. The 7th Dragoon Guards cape& to be relieved in the Dublin duty by the Royals. Among feveral regiments of infantry expected from Ireland, the 26th, 2d battalion, 39!h, and 63d, are expetted immediately. That dillinguifhed regiment, the 26th, or Came ronians, Lord ELPHINSTONE'S, goes to Scotland— the 39h and 63d propably to the Kentifh coati ; the zlt battalion of the 39th is with the Army of Sicily. Thera arc now at Maldonado, or perhaps at Moue rdeo— The 9th Light Dragoons The 45th Reg. of Infantry atiL detachment 47th ditto 38th Reg or Infantry 87th ditto ♦cth ditto 95th ditto, 5 companies. This comprifes the reinforcement from the Cape, and the force under Brigadier General Sir SAMUEL ACHMUTY ; but without a further reinforcement from this country, we fear that the whole is unequal to accompldh what was originally projeeted. If in- tended only to revolutionize the country, the above is a force more than adequate. The laft accounts from the Weft India Elands renier it not imprubable that a force muft be fent tLithcr. The Braave French bigger privateer, of 16 guns and 40 men, is captured by his Nl. , jetty'. fhip Crui za, and fent iuto Yarmouth. The Molly (an American) ADAMS, from the coat} of Spain, is captured and car-lied into Algeciras. The Leith packet, B4Ooaf, from Leith to London; the Star, lit LlDkitSt , i4. from Grangemouth for Lon don ; the Leander, NIC HILSON • of and from Shields for Londe n ; the Commerce, CauLBERG, from Me mel for Hull t the Ant, Sit NG sum, and the Guar dian, G4FENWIY, from Copenhagen fcr London ; have been captured by French privateers, the former was burnt and the four latter re•captured by his tliijetly's (hip Cluizcr, and tent into Yarmouth. AMERICA. BUENOS AYRES. Geheral BERESVORD, and the Officers of ..his brave little army, continued prifoners in the town of Buenos Ayres at the date of the 1,111 accounts; and we are happy to Bate, that the gallant General, and his im• mediate companions, were in good health. The pri vates and Non-commillioned Officers had all been marched into the interior, in parties of five and ten' each.—The following is a correct copy of the Reply of the Englifh General to the Surtinions of the Spa. nifh Commander EPLiI . Sia-1 have received your letter, Rating that the chance of arms is uncertain ; that you lame the fuperiority in nunilstrs I have no doubt, and the comparifun of difcipline is very minced fary for me to niake.—l did not conceive I had entered this town without oppofition, after haviisg twice defeated an enemy t and wifhing Rill to maintain the rfteem of my country, and the troops under my orders, I have only to inform you, that I than defend myfelf as long as prudence permits. " Fet the calamities which tall upon this town no one will feel more fenfibly than I (hall, yet I have the confolation, that if all its inhabitants adted according to good faith and honour, filch cala mity would have been far diltant. " I remain, Sir, your humble Servant, (Signed) " w. C. BLRESTOILD." Colonel Liniers, &c. &c. &c. MAI.DOi4ADO. We have been f:tvoWreciviiththe folbsving letter from an Officer, which affords many intertiting ad ditional particulars of the cApture of this place : COPY OF A LETTER FR24 AN OFFICER. IN THE 38TH REGIMENT OF FloT, DATED " Maldonado, Nov. 4, tBO6. " Here we have been thole laft few da)s ; every thing was ar ranged for the attack of Monte Video t y form, under the com mand of Colonel VASSA LL.....UnfOrrUllatell the !hips could not get near enough to make a breach, and front our having no guns, it was not pratticable to carry it by land, the town being regularly fortified, and an innumerable number of heavy guns mounted. We got under weigh, and came eft here, which is fourteen leagues from Monte Video. Four Companies of the 38th, with fome Dragoons, headed by Colonel Vn ss AL 1., landed, and advanced to wards the town, which is only a mile from the beach. The ene. my foon opened a Ere of grape and round thot at us, without in juring us in the fmalleft degree. Our Colonel treated them with the utmoft contempt, as he would not allow the men to firea an gle (hot, hut advanced to take the guns with the bayonet. When we got within about forty yards of them, they difcharged a how• itzcr loaded with grape at us, and only killed one of the Grena dier.. Our brave fellows then muted forward, and drove the enemy from their guns in great cunfufion, leaving about feventy behind, who were bayonetted in the charge, which was continued up the Itreet, when three of our Grenadiers were badly wounded front the windows. A Spanifh Officer fired at Colonel VAISA LL, who was in the ad of Caving his life, but fortunately mitred him, though the mifcreant put his piftol fo clofe, as to (torch the Colo nel's pantaloons. The Colonel had no piftol, and I was too far front him, employed in binding up the wounds of one of the mesa who was (hut through the body and arm, to render the affiftance I could have wilted. Our gallant fellows behaved 14e heroes— though the town was carried with the bayonet, not a woman, child, or old man were hurt. Our further operations are not known, at leaf to me; we arc molt anxious for futficient reinforcements front Fngland, to usable us to releafe General BERL S FORD. and if we arc fortunate enough to tiled it, we will do it in goodityle.—s- Our lots was two Grenadiers killed, and 23 wounded." NifUTlGya INTELLIGENCE. PI.YMOU fH, JANUARY ag. Arrived the Hannnurgh (hip Sea Nymphe, H. P. YaNca mailer, fron► Hamburgh, laden with linen, &c. bound to Oporto, detained by the Betfey private Ihip of war, of this port : alto the Dantzick [hip Eli zabeth, LANDGREEN mailer, from Dantzick, laden %HI wood, for his Majefly's Dock Ya►d at this port. Sailed the MARS, of 74 guns, for the Channel fleet. JAN. 29.—Arrived his Majefly's DRUID, of 32 guns, from Portfmnuth : American [hip Clyde, AL CORN mailer, from New York, bound to Amllerdam, laden with coffee and fugar, detained by the DAPS'S a gun brig. PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 19. Sailed the Dauntlefs praam, with a convoy for the Downs ; BARBARY cutter, for Plymouth ; and the Thornton, THORNHILL, for St. Michael's. Jas. 3o. —Arrived his Majel (hip CRACK* ft, from a cruize ; and feveral outward bound veirels, from the eatiward. Sailed his Majelty's (hip SEA HORS E, for Plymouth; and the Cum.)°, on a cruize. Wind S. E. DEAL, JAN. 29. Sailed the SPITIDWELL brig of war, on a cruize. Came down from Sheernefs, the THE-ASHER fire vef fel. Arrived the 13zu.List.z sloop of war, from a cruize. Wind N. N. W. JAN. 3o. —Arrived his M.rjefty's 114 KITS, from a cruize. Came down from the River, the Cumberland, Captain FERRIER, bound to the Ealt Indies. Arrived the Valorous praam, from Portfmouth, with a con voys which are failed for the River. Wind W. S. W. tiovEa, JANUARY 19. Arrived the Bztr.r - rra floop, from a cruize ; and THRASHPR gun bri, h , from the Nore. Sailed the Ticstta and SPEEDWELL gun brigs, on a cruize off the coalt of France ; Deptford lighter, for the River. Yetlerday a Court Martial was held on board his Majefiy4 fhip PRINCESS OF ORANGE, •on Lieutenant JOHN DEBEN HAM, Commander of the FURIOUS gun brig, on a charge of not doing his duty in endeay.'ur• ing to retake two veffels which had !seen captured by the enemy, which was not doled till this morning ; when the charge not being proved, Lieutenant DE. BENHAM was honourably acquitted. YARMOUTH, JAN. j Arrived the CONSTANT and AGRESSOR gon brigs, and the PR IN CISS A UGUST• cutter, Lieutenant Si -Racer, with a flcop rigged privateer (French) : the privateer has been too fuccefslul, for the has made feveral captures, one of which a Dane, was retaken and brought in with her. Ships of war remain as per lath Wind S. W. MILFORD, JAN. 28. Arrived the Lucy of this port, Jona EDWARDS mailer. She was captured by le C.onfiance French fchooner on Saturday laft, on her voyage from Youghall for Southampton, about Mid Channel, be tween Youghall and the Land's End ; and at that time in company with the Centurion, RICHARDS ; and Union, Evans. The latter veffels were, by or ders from the paVateer, burned, and the matter and crew fent on board the Lucy, with a Mr. ROBERT SON and his people, who it Items were mailer and crew of the Hebe, of CAI d,ff, which veffel the had captured eleven days before, and to whom the Com mander took upou hirotelf to bellow, as a gift, the Lucy. The privateer was on the look out for provi. lion vefrels, and manifetted great difappointment on finding all ate afuregoing to be laden with oars.— Captain Enweaos learnt,' from them, t;n1:. fz.veir privateers, whom they often fpoke, vitt . ; cklc in the neighbourhood, from St. naves. 'l~vill tE, M,ICCC,VII. The new plan of Finance ha., fni its Ok:ea, to Pro , vide the means of maintaining the honour and inde pendence of the Britith Empire, during the necefrary continuance of the war ; with.hlt pertep , ibly in. creafingthe kurthens of the country, and wit:: ma nifeft benefit to the intereits of the public creditor. The propofed meafure is grounded on the flourdh ing flare of the permanent *revenue ; on the great produce cf the war taxes ; on the high and accutnu lasing amount of the Sinking Fund ; and on tome inferior aids to be derived from revenue let free by annuities originally granted for a term of years, and now expiring. Thef e ci rc umfl a nces, fo favour. able to the introduelion and maintenance of a new fyßem, are jußly to be attributed to the wife, provi dent, and fpitited exertion., which have had the con ctlrreht fupport of Parliarnent atd of the people, dur int the whole eventful period of the lo years. The plan is adapted to meet a fcAle of expenditure neatly equal to that of 'tit year 1806 ; and it affumes, that during the war, the annual produce of the per. maitent and temporary revenues will continue equal; to the produce of the fame year 1806. ft is under. Rood, that any further or unforefeen charge, or any deficiency of revenue, (hall be leparatel) and fpeci ally provided for. Keeping there premifes in view, it is pinFinfed, that the war loans for the years 1807, 1808, and 1809, than be twelve millions annually ; for the year 1810, fourteen millions ; and for each of the ten following years, (lateen millions. Thofe feveral loans, amounting for the fourteen years to 210 millions, are to be made a charge on the war taxes, which arc eflimated to produce 21 millions annually.' The charge thus thrown on the war tales is meant to be at the rate of ten per cent. on each loan. Every fuch loan will therefore pledge fo much of the war taxes as will be equal to meet this charge :—that is, a loan of twelve millions will pledge i,200,0001. of the war taxes. And in each year, if the war thould be continued, a further portion of the war taxes w ill, in the fame manner, be pledged. And confequently, at the end of fourteen years, if the war Ihould lag fa long, 21 millions, the whole produce of the war taxes, would be pledged for the total of the loans, which would at that time have amounted to 210 millions. The ten per cent. charge thus accompanying each loan will be applied to pay the intereft of the loan, and to form a Sinking Fond, which Sinking Fund will evidently be more than five per cent. on fuch of the feveral loans as Ball be obtained at a lets rate of interelt than five per cent. It is well known, that a five per cent. Sinking Fund, accumulating at compound interctl, will re deem any fum of capital debt in fourteen years.— Confeguently, the feveral portions of the war taxes, propofed to be pledged for the feveral loans above mentioned, will have redeemed their relpeetive loans, and be fucceffively liberated in periods of fourteen years from the date of each faith loan. The portions of war taxes-thus liberated, may, if the war fhould (1 ill be prolonged, become applicable in a revolving (cries, and may be again pledged for new loans. It is, however, (hewn by the printed calculations and tables, that, whatever may be the continuance of the operation, the property tax will not be payable beyond the period for which it is now granted by the 46 Geo. 3. ch. 65. but will, in every cafe, be in force only during the war, and until the tiath ay of April next after the ratification of a definitive Treaty of Peace, and no longer. It is next to be obferved, that the charge for the intereft and Sinking Fund of the propofed loans, be ing taken from the annual produce of the war taxes, a deficiency egu..l to that charge will be created in the amount of the temporary revenue applicable to the war expenditure. Supplementary Loans will be requite to make good that deficiency. Thole fupplementary loans mutt increafe in pro portion to the increafing deficiency, if the war fhould be continued, but the whole amount of the loans will never amount, even in a period of twenty years war from the prefent time, to more than five millions in any year, beyond the amount to which the Sinking Fund of that year will have been railed by this plan. It is propofed that the fupplementary loans Ihould be formed on the eftablithed fyttem of a Sinking Fund of one per cent. on the nominal capital. The charge fo created will be provided for, during the firft three years, by the expiring annuities ; and during that period the country will have the great benefit of an exemption from all additional burthens. A new liming may thus be given to the energy of our commerce : at all events it will obtain a fecu rity from the increafed preffures which it mutt other wife experience. From 18to, and for the fix following years, a charge muff be provided for, amounting on the ave rage of thole (even years to not more than 293,0001. annually : a (um in itfelf fo fmall, in companion with the great additions which have neeelfarily been made to the taxes in each year, for the laft fourteen years, that it can fcarcely be felt, and cannot create any difficulty as to the means of providing for it : But even this comparatively (mall amount may pro bably be much diminifhed by the increafing produce of the aftual revenues, and by regulations for their further improvement. And thus provilion is made, on the fcale of actual expenditure, for ten years of war, if it (honk/ be ne ceffary, without any additional taxes, except to the inconsiderable amount above (fated. At the dole of that period, taking the three per cents at 60, and re ducing the whole of the public debt at that rate to a money capital, the combined amount of the public debts will be 387,360,0001. and the combined amount of the feveral Sinking Funds then ezifting will be 22,720,9001.: Whereas the pretent amount o f the whole public debt taken on the fame fcale of calcu lation is' 351, 1 793,0001. arid the prefent amount of the Sinking "Fund is no mire than 6,335,0001. If the war fhould (till be continued beyond the ten years thus provided for, it is pia-poled to take in aid of the public burthens certain exceffeato accrue from the prefent Sinking Fond. That Fund, which Mr. Pitt, (the great Author of a fyttem that e .11 immor talize his name) originally propofed to limit to font millions annually, will, with the very large additions derived to it from this new Plan, have accumulated in t 817 to fo large au amount as 24 millions !telling. In the application of (Lich a foal, neither the true , . . -'-'---'llel Pe' If ili .. principles or ir. Pitt's fyllem, nor any kit view of the real interellr, of the public, or t yen of the Stock holdbr himfell, can be confederal as any longer op pofink an ohllacle to the means of obtaining atfuch i .a moment Tome aid in alleviation of the burthens - and necetlities of the country. But it is not propofed in any cafe to apply to the charge of new loans a larger portion of the Sinking Fund than fuch as will always leave an amount of• Sinking Fund equal to the in• terefi payable on fuch part of the preen' debt as Mall remain unredeemed. Nor is it meant that this or any other operation of finance (hall ever p•eveot the redemption of a fum equal to the pi efot debt in as fhort a period as that in which it would have been re deemed, if this new plan had not been brought for ward. Nor will the final redemption of any fop plementary loans be poltponed beyond the period of 45 years pretcribed by the Aft of 179 z for the ex tiation of all future loans. While each of the an nual War Loatis will he fatcceffively redeemed in 14 years from tine date of its creation, fo long as war flail continue ; and whenever peace (hall come, will be redeemed always within a period far Ihr - tit of the 45 years required by the above mentioned Aft. In the relish therein re of the whole meafure, there will not be impofed any new Taxes for the firfk three years from this time. New takes of lefs than 30n,n001. on an Ave, age of feven years from 1810, to I 8 t 6, both inclufive, are all that will be neceffary, in order to procure for the country the full benefit and advan tages of the plan here defcribed ; which will conti nue for twenty years ; during the IA ten of which again no new taxes whatever will be requited.. It appears, therefore, that Parliament will di en abled to provide for the prolonged expenditure of a necefray war, without violating any right or interefi whatever, and without imputing further burthens on the country, except to a fmall and limited amount : and thefe purpofes will be attained with benefit to th public creditor, and in firiet conformity both to the wife principles on which the Sinking Fund was eßa blilled, and to the revere! Ads of Parliament by which it has been regulated. It is admitted that if the war fhould be prolonged, certain portions of the War Taxes, with the excep tion of the Property Tax, will be more or leis pledg ed for periods, in no cafe exceeding fourteen years. How far tome parts of thole taxes are of a delcrip lion to remain in force after the war, and what may be the provifion to be made hereafter for a Peace Eflablifhment, probably tnuch larger than in lot mer periods of peace, are conlideratiuns which at prefect need not be anticipated. It is reafonable to affume, that the means and re fources which can now maintain the prolonged ex penditure of an extenfive war, will be invigorated and increafed by the return of peace, and will then he found amply fufficient for the exigencies of the public fervice. Thole exigencies mutt at all events be comparatively fmall, whatever may fill be the • !rouble and precarious circumflances of Europe. Undoubtedly there prevails in the country a dif petition to make any further facrifices that the fafety. independence, and honour cf the nation may re quire: but it would be an abufe of that difpofition, to apply it to unneceffary and ovetftrained exertions. And it mutt not pafs unobferved, that in the fuppo titian of a continued war, if the loans for the annual expenditure fhould be raifed according to the fyflem hitherto purfued, permanent taxes mutt be impolcd, amounting in the period airumed, to 13 millions ad ditional revenue. Such an addition would add hea vily to the public burthcns, and would be More felt after the return of peace than a temporary continu ance of the War Taxes. In the mean time, andjamidlt the other evils of war, the country would be fub idled to the accumulated preffure of all the old Revenues, and of the War Taxes, and of new Per• manent Taxes. The means of effeEtuating a plan of fuch ;mulct* importance, aril*: partly from the extent to which the fyftem of the Sinking Fund has already been cart ied in purfuance of the intentions of its Author ; and partly from the great exertio n made by Parliament, during the war, to raife the War Taxes to their pre fent very large amount. It now apnears that the ftrong meafure adopted in the laft Se. o .n, by which all the War Taxes, and particularly the Pioperty- Tax, were fo much augmented, was a Rep taken not merely with a view to provide for prefent neceilities, but'in order to lay the foundation of a fyilem which should be adequate to the full exigencies of this un expeaed crifis, and fhould combine the two appa rently irreconcileable objeas, of relieving the public • from all future preffure of taxation, and of exhibit ing to the enemy refources by which we may' dety his implacable hoftility to whatever pctiod it may be prolonged. To have done this, is certainly a recompense for many facrifices and privations. This is a confiders lion which will enable the country to fubmit with chearfulnefs to its prefent burthens, knowing that al though they may be continued in part, for alimitcd time, they will now be no further increafed. The following are the Reflbitiont moved by tFe• CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEIVER in the Houle of Common., on l'hinfday night lait : That the feveral Duties of Cuftoma granted to his Majefty by 43 Geo. 111. c. yo, by the 44 Geo. 111. c. s 3„ and by the 46th GCLI. 111. c. 39, and alfo the feveral Duties of Excite granted to his Ma- PAY by the 43 Geo. 111. e. gi , and by the 4h Geo. 111. C. 42, flail be further granted and continued, and dull be rayahle in fuch proportions, and for fuch further terms as may be dire red by any Adror Ads of Parliament be rt after to be paffed for defraying the charge of any Loan or Loans to be charged thereupon in maniac/ hereinafter mentioned, that is to fay : That on every Loan to he rade./ on the credit of the laid fere:rat Duties, or any of them, and charged thereupon, there (hail be let apart, out of the produce or the Paid Duties, and appropriated to the Confolidated Fund of Great Britain, an Annual Sum equal to Ten Pounds per Comm en the amount of the fum to be railed by every fuch LO3ll, our of which Annual Sum the interelt and charges of management of fuch Loan (tall, in the firft initance, be defrayed, and a fum equal to the relidue theieof (hall be paid ha each year by equal quarterly paymtnts into the Bank of England,. and placed to the account or the CommiMoners for the Reducttiou of the National Debt, and Mall be by them applied in the purchale or r demption of fuch Public Annuities, charged on the Confuli • dated Fund of Great Britain, as they (tail deem molt expedietit, until by the operation thereof an amount of Capital Stock of filch Annuities, equal to the Capital Stnck created in confoquenct of every fuch Loan rapedively, ft all have been purchafed or re deemed, and that whenever and fo ('on as filch amount of Capi • tai Stock (tall have been fo piarchafed or redeemed, the aforefaid annual rum' mail be at the difporal of Peen:tamer. . _ _ . That the fevcral duties gremed to his M.jafty on the Profits arifing from Property, Proletfi'lal, Trades, and Offices, by the AEts uf 4.511 Geo. 111. c.tla.rt.h Geo. HI e. 15. and 46th Gcu. ill. c. 65. &ell b.. arplicatile an kte manner :or defraying the charge of any fuck Loan or Loans, fo long as the f. id daties cOntinue payable by virtue of the Lid Arta, and no longer. That the total asnocnt o! any Loma sa Loan. to be Co railed Ci urn mei. . -