Star. — London, England, 1809-04-13 00:00:00

'RLIAMENTARr PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF COMMONS, APRIL 12. COMBE presented a Petition from a number of res. Titers against the removal of the cattle markes from Ordered to lie on the table. On the motion of Mr. GRATI , the Royal Dublin Insuranez Company Bill was read a second time. The Temple-Bar Lottery Bill ts as read a second time. Ordered to be committed to-morrow. Mr. Yo R r moved the second reading of the West Warton In closure Bill, which was oppose. by Mr. WHARTON, and a division took place—Ayes 37—Noes CO. On our readmission to the gallery, we understood that Sir C. HAMILTOv had complained of a breach of privilege, the precise nature of which we could not learn, but from what fell from the SPRAK ER in reply, namely, that the Hon. Member was perfecly right in complaining to the Hou-e, and that the Sheriffs were re sponsible for the acts of their officers, we presume that the com plaint referred to his being arrested on his way to the House. A new writ was ordered for the Borough of Saltash in the room of Mr. Pedley. The Brograve Divorce Bill went through a Conunittee, when several witnesses were examined, and the Report ordered to morrow. _ _ _ _ Lord CA srLei EACH presented a Return of the Casualties of the British Army in the late Spaaish Campaign. Ordered to IP. printed. Mr. Ca EIVY gave notice of an intended motion for to-morrow, relative to the production of some Papers on the four and a half per cent. duty. Mr. Iit:MUSSON brought up the Report of the Commissioners respecting the State of Windsor Forest, and the adjoining woods. Ordered to be printed. On the motion of Mr. 1-1/NRT MARTIN, an account was or dered of the balances remaining in the hands of the High Court of Admiralty. Lord Ossuxrrotr moved for an account of all Offices regulated or abolished pursuant to the recommendations of the Commis sioners of Account in 1782, and of the Committee of Finance, 1797 ; and also an account of ail Offices created since that period, and the authority under which the creation took place. ',Ube Noble Lord also moved for a return of the number of Offices created iisce the same period, under the Commissioners of the Treasury and in the Excise, under the salary of £2OO pet annum. The se veral motions were agreed to. There was another motion relative to Colonial Appointments, and to persons residing in this country holding sinecure places in the Colonies, which was withdrawn on the suggestion of Mr. Thornton, as the desired information would be derived from a Report which the Committee of Finance would shortly lay before the House. — On the motiotrof Mr. Hu sICISSON, the two bills for £5O pro duced on the late Investigation of the Duke of York, by the exe cutors of Messrs. Parker and Birkett, were ordered to be returned to Mr. Coke, their Law Agent. On the motion of Lord FOLKESTONE, the Papers belonging to Ker.nett's Bankruptcy, produced on the same occasion, were ordered to be returned to Mr. Archibald Duff, of, 'I basics Inn. Mr. HUSKISSON presented an Account of the Sums a Money advanced from the Civil List, and not replaced by Parliament.— Ordered to lie on the table. _ _ _ Sir GEORGE HILL gave notice for Friday of smotion for leave to bring in a Bill to continue the Act for Encouraging Benefit So cieties in Ireland. The Scotch Creditors' Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. The Scotch Records Bill was committed. Report to-morrow. Sir 'cm NEWPORT moved for a Copy of the Instructions of the Lord lieutenant of Ireland to the Board of Customs tbr car rying into die ct the Propositions of the Commissioners of Inquiry of 1806-7. Ordered. The Irish Constables' Eill was ordered to be committed on this day se'nnight. . . . Mr. HjsKissoN moved for an account of the sums issued by Majesty pursuant to At.t.ires,,es of the House. Ordered. THE DUBLIN PAVING BILL. Mr. ROBERT SHAW rose, pursuant to notice, to move for the production of certain Papers, rela tive to the conduct of the Paving and Lighting Board of the City of Dublin. He thought that those papers contained information that would materially affect the judgment of the House in deciding on the merits of the Bill now pending ; and as the Citizens were not only averse to enlarging the powers of that Board to so extravagant a degree, but very anxious to repeal several of the powers already granted to that Board by the 47th of the King, as appeared from their proceedings at several of their cexporate and parochial meetings. He begged permission shortly to state the facts that had induced him to call for these Papers. And in doing so, he particularly wished that the House we bear in mind, that the Citizens of Dublin are now paying, under the 47th of the King, heavy and enormous taxes for the sup. port of this new establishment, and that common jus tice requires, that, if they are to pay a great deal more than formerly, the services they were to recoil in return ought to be in the same proportion. It ap peared, however, that the Commissionel . s of this Board were more active in levying the taxes than, in rendering sunk services; for by the Act of last Ses sion, they were empowered to raise the tax on each house to any sum not exceeling -1-s. 6d. in the pound, on the valuation of Minister's money, and this power they carried into effect upon their very first meeting after the Act, by assessing to the full amount allow ed by the Act ; and yet, though this increase was more than double the former tax, the first step of the Commissioners was to take down nearly half the number of lamps in a city not too well lighted before. One of the papers he should move for would contain a return of the number of those lamps, and when Gentlemen read that paper, they would, no doubt, think with him, that it was rather a novel mode of improving the lighting of the city, to put out half tl.e number of its lamps. Nor could he think it the most reasonable proceeding towards the Citizens first to make them pay double, and then to abridge their accommodation one half. And inde. ' of the remain. ing half, the lamps were so badly fed with oil, that they were in general all out by one or two in the morning, so that the city was. in total darkness from that hour till the return of day-light. It was wholly unnecessary for him to comment upon the inconve niencies and dangers resulting from a neglect of this sort. The next pa}'cr he intended to move for was a return of the expences incurred in opening a sewer in CApel-street, one of the most populous streets in the city. It seemed that the Commissioners were ery anxious to carry into effect a favourite project of their own ; this pr.iject was to make a sewer with ledges to support main pipes, and large enough for men to work in. And here he begged that the House would observe, that this project had been submitted to the ablest and rni.st mil:ea engineers in either country, who had one and all, after the maturest consideration, condemned it as intolerably expen sive, most absurd, and absolutely impracticable.— Onewould have expected, that, after such an opinion from the best judges, the Commissioners would have paused before they would have wantonly squandered away the public money in useless experiments ; but so .., far from it, they immediately proceeded to open an 'unmoor stilph in one of the most frequented streets, widening-tbesulph until the very foundations of the uses were in danger, and the houses themselves were shut out from all access by the quantity of carth thrown up on each side, and all business actu-: • ally suspended for three months, in one of the most! trading streets in the city of Dublin. So severely warthis nuisance felt, that the Corporation petitioned the Lord Lieutenant, and his Grace, with all his characteristic politeness and attention, interfered and put a stop to the work, till the propriety of continu ing it should be farther considered. The opening of this sewer to the extent of about thirty yards cost little sh'brt of £lOOO. The length of the pipes in Dublin exceeds fifty miles, so that this circumstance in itself confirms the report of the engineers, when they stated the expellee to be intolerable ; and that they were equally justified in reporting the project as i absurd was evident from this consideration, that the water passing through pipes so placed must be una voidably contaminated by the filth of the sewer, and of course be rendered unfit for the use of the inhabi tants. And as it was to avoid an evil of this sort that the London engineers, in laying pipes, always lay them as far from a sewer as possible ; and when obliged to cross a sewer, the pipes were always made of metal. The remaining papers he had to move for would, he was sorry .to say, prove to the House how little inclined the Commissioners have shiwn -themselves to consult the wishes of the citizens, from whom they were levying such enormous taxes. The circumstances which led to the correspondence, of which these papers would be a copy, were simply these—The Commissioners of the Ballast Board, a most respectable body, had just completed a wall on the Quay of Dublin, much to the ornament and se. curity of that part of the city, and not without consi derable expence to the inhabitants ; scarcely had it been finished, when the Commissioners of Paving erected a paling under the windows of the Ballast Office, in the hand'omest part of the city, and against the new wall enclosing a sort of depot for sand for a paving, though, at the other side of the street there was a vacant piece of ground equally near the work carrying on, and the occupation of which could have been productive of no inconvenience whatever. The Ballast Office Commissioners wrote to them, requir ing the removal of the depot upon two grounds— that it was a great nuisance to the street itself, and that it .seriously endangered the new wall, by the weight that it imposed upon it. The Commissioners of Wide Streets, conceiving it to be their duty to pre vent such a nuisance in so public a situation, made two applications to the same effect. The very extra ordinary answers, to give them no worse name, which communicated to these two most respectable autho rities the unqualified refusal of the Paving Board, will be found in the papers he now intended moving for. The Grand Jury also wrote, and, indignant at a similar refusal, presented it as a nuisance. The Paving Board entered a traverse against the present ment ; and thus the public mercy designed for the improvement of the city of Dublin; and placed in the hands of those Commissioners for that purpose, may be thrown away in defending their wanton and out rageous insults upon the citizens who supplied that money. The papers he now moved for, he was con vinced, would satisfy the House, that, so far from extending the powers of this Board, they should re scind many of those they already possess. The Ho- Inourable Gentleman then corcluded with moving— •that there be Lid before the House a return of the numbtYr of lamps taken down within the City of Dublin since the month of August 1807 ; also a return of the expences already incurred in making a sewer in Capel-street, in the said City ; and, thirdly, a capy of the correspondence between the Commissioners of Wide Sweets, the Ballast Office of Dublin, and the Grand Jury of the City of Dublin, on the one part. and the Commissioners of Pav ing and Lighting, on the other, so far as said correspondence re• sated to a certain nuisance on Aston's Quay, Dublin. . . The motions were then severally agreed to, with out any opposition. PAR. } Alderman pect able butt Smithfield. WAR-OFFICE. Lord FOLKSTONE, ill rising to move for certain Papers referring to the conduct of John Ogle, Esq. who, in the year 1801, Ind passed his Accounts rela tive to a Levy he had raised, declared his anxiety to avoid the dilemma eith , Tl . of bringing forward a tion without a statement of Parliamentary grounds ; or, on the oth^r 11!tad, of making accusations which l i zhe par: i ate-cted by them was incapable of explain ing or contradicting. 'What he understood on this subject was, that in the year 1798 Col. Ogle received, letters of servicc to rat: c a ievy. In 1801, his accounts were given in :1 the War 0&e. It appeared, ini consequence of the intOrmat ion of a person of the nitne of Reid, that the s. accounts of Col. Ogle were frau dulently made out. That the enlistments of the men were antedated, and that forged receipts were pro duced by Col. Ogle. The result of this information was, an order to the Attorney-General to prosecute Colonel Ogle. Th? prosecution was instituted, and the Defendant put in a plea of Not Guilty. That plea Colonel Ogle afterwards withdrew, and was of course convicted. But there the matter rested, and no judgment was Tr mounced upon the conviction. At present, he should only move, that a copy of the information filed by his Majesty's Attorney General in the year 1801, against John Ogle,. Esq. be laid before the Bosse. Mr. YORKE state:? that theikcircumstauce allud ed co came within his department when in offie.— The circumstances were not very fresh in his recol lection, but ha did remember that steps were taken' afterwards to investigate Colonel Ogle's accounts, and a reference was made to General Gwynn. In consequence of the reference, a bond was passed by Colonel Ogle, which to this day existed at the War- Office against him. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER did not object to the production of the Papers moved for by the Noble Lord, at the same time that he did not see to what ultimate benefit their production could lead. The only effect which could follow was, that in all cases where a conviction took place, that the utmost rigour of the law ought to be put in force. But the fact in the present case would prove that by the arrangements, which took place, the public were indemnified for the overpayments which had been made to Colonel Ogle; an indemnity which the country could not receive from any ine inflicted upon him by the judgment of the Court of King's Bench. Lcrd FOLKSTONE observed, that it was his in tention to make the production of those papers the ground-work for a motion, calling upon the Attor ney-General to report why judgment was not passed. The motion was then agreed tn. Lord FOLKSTONE next moved fur the produc tion of the copies of all memorials presented by Col. Ogle to the War-Oilice, since the year 1801, together with the answers returned. and the proceedings of the Wal-Difice thereupc n. MR. 'BEAUCHAMP RlbL. Sir JOHN NEWPORT, in moving for the pro duction of the Warrant promoting Mr. Beauchamp Hill from the office of S6rveyor of Excise to an In spector-General in the same department, adverted to the strange circumstances attendant on that promo tion. That officer had been proved,from his own testimony, to have violated an Act of Parliament which rendered him incapable of holding any civil or military situation under the Crown; yet his Majesty's Government, in defiance of this positive act of the Legislature, had promoted, to a very high situation in the Excise, this transgressor, who, from the Report of the Committee of Finance, appeared to have been jn the constant practice of taking, illegally, twenty guineas per month from every Distiller in his walk as Surveyor. Mr. FOSTER stated the practice to be almost ge. neral, and that it was now remedied by an increase of the salaries of the Surveyors—an increase which guarded against the bad collection of the revenue. In every other instance, Mr. Hill was known to be a very active Officer. Mr. C ROA KER begged leave to say one word, as due to the character of the Parson (a laugh) alluded to. He was one of the most distinguished Officers ; and it was to be recollected, that when the salary of Surveyor was only 401. or 601. a year, in order to support a large family in the City of Dublin, persons in his situation were necessitated to increase their small income by emoluments. Sir JOHN NEWPORT contended that the ap pointment was an improper one ; and it was not alone in this instance that Mr. Hill proved his inca pability. Mr. CROAKER—I beg leave to call the Right Ho nourable Baronet to order, in nouhmaking a second speech. The SPEAKER—The Right Honourable Baronet was perfectly' in order. (ikar, hear.) • The motion of Sir John Newport was then agreed to ; as was another for certain Papers connected with the Linen Board of Ireland. , The Report was received, and leave given to bring in the Bill.—Adjottrned. THE EVENING STAR. LONDON THURSDAY, APRIL 13. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK: Consols, for money, 671 68—for April 68M—On.nium 1 pre. Exchequer Bills, 14s. prem. Yesterday afternoon Government received the offi cial advices of the surrender of Fort Bourbon, Mar tinico ; and also-of the surrender of the French force at Vigo to the Spanish .and British arms.—The Park and Tower guns were fired on the occasion at four o'clock ; and this morning the Dispatches were pub lished in the following LONDON GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY, TITURSDAY, APRIL 13. DOWNING-STREET, APRIL i 2. Captain Preedy, Aide-de-Camp to Licutenat i n-General Beck with, Commander of his Majesty's Troops in the Leeward Islands, arrived at One o'Clock this day, with Dispatches from the Lieu tenant-General, to Lord Viscount Castlereagh,one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, of which the following are copies : Head-Quarters, Martinique, Feb. 15, 1809. My Lonn—l have the honour to submit to your Lordship's consideration the details of our taking pos session of St. Pierre upon the 9th,'the occupation of the French Hospitals in the town of Fort Royal upon the 10th, and the surprise of a French picquet close to the Bouille redoubt upon the night of the Ilth. In my general report of the action of the 2d, time did not admit of my exßressing my regret at the loss of Capt. Sinclair, of the 25th light infantry, a very respectable officer, who fell at the head of his com pany in the course of duty ; and Ensign Adamson, of the Scl West India light infantry, was omitted to be included in the list of the wounded. I have, Etc. (Signed) GEo. BEX'KWITH, Corn. Forces. Camp la Coste, Feb. 9, 1809. Sin—l have the honour to transmit to you a report from Lieutenant. Colonel Barnes, who commands the third brigade, containing the particulars of his taking possession of St. Pierre, with the Capitulation agreed on between him and the Commandant of the National Guards ; also copy of the summons sent by me ; this I trust, will receive your approbation. _ _ _ _ Lieutenant-colonel Barnes has executed this service with promptitude and judgment, and I am perfectly confident his measures will be productive of the best effects to the public service, in that populous town. I have the honour to be, dec. (Signed) FRED. MAITLAND, Maj. Gen. His Excellency Lieutenant-General Beckwith, Commander of the Furces. St. Pierre, February 8, 1809. SIR—In obedience to the orders I had the honour to receive from you, I proceeded with the detach- ment of the 63d Regiment, commanded by Major O'Rourke, on board his Majesty's sloops Pelorus and Cherub, off Corbet, where the troops were disem barked, and marched without delay towards St. Pierre. About a mile from the town, I found a body of the Militia posted, and immediately sent Major O'Rourke i forward with a Flag of Truce, offering them terms on which their own surrender and that of the town would be accepted, which I have herewith the satis- faction to transmit to your Excellency. for the ratifi cation of the Commanders in Chief by Sea and Land. I cannot conclude without acquainting you with the very zealous and active exertions of Major O'Rourke, and the steady and orderly conduct of the detachment of the 63d Regiment, and of availing myself of this opportunity of expressing my thanks to Captains King and Tucker, of the Royal Navy. I feel much pleasure in bearing testimony to the very active attention of Captain De Courcy, of the Quarter-Master-General and Barrack Department, in taking possession of the barracks, as well as in pr e . paring an inventory of the ordnance stores, —Likewise to the conduct of Dr. Burke in tali::, charge of all concerns relating to the Medical I),'. partment, and of Lieutenant Hamilton of the Regiment, officiating as Major of Brigade, wh n all occasions merits my entire approbation.—l .14N the honour to be, &c. (Signed) G. BARSk:St Liellt..ool. His Excellency Major-General Maitland, &c. &c. ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION, Entered Into between Major O'RouaKt, 63d Reginwl:r, on !; part of his Britannic Majesty, and Mons. dT...3rit dam of the Town of St. Piefre, Martinique, on the Nr: French Government, •for the Surrender of the .1 1, c.,l* Pierre, and its Dependencies. Heights of St. Mark, Feb. 8, t e.) Art. I.—The troops of the line to surrender thentselve 3 0 . tiers of war, and the militia or national guards to lay duwi. IL(c arms and return to their domestic occupations. Art. ll.—Tbe fortifications and public buildings of cr( : • . • scripticn to be surrendered in tle state kitty now are. Art. public property on shore, and all ships and vt,s , :, and property of whatsoever nature afloat, to be likewite sum ;. . dered. Art. IV.—The inhabitants and people of all descriptions to duct themselves peaceably, and in conformity to the oak:, 4:; regulations of the Commandant ad interim, under a full assurano that their private property will be protected, and their true terests considered, by the respective Commanders in Chit sea land of his Britannic Majesty's f orceb i n the i r dcfinitt.i: and regulations, by founded on the basis of the proclamation already pul,. lished. (Signed) D'EsenEs, Commandant la Garde Nationale. E. O'RounKE, Major, attached to Rti (Approved) LA Gn Kota ZRA tr, Corn. en 2de la Garde Nationale. E. &taxes, Lieut. Col. commanding. WILLIAM . FI 1 ROT, Captain of his Britannic Ma.- jesty's ship Aulu4., and Senior Officer oft Saint Pierre. Camp la Coste, Feb. 8,18 u :;. SlR—Lieutenant-Colonel Barnes, uho command! a brigade in the army under the command of Licutc. nant-General Beckwith, proceeds to St. Pierre, to take possession cf the town in the name of his Britan. nic Majesty. I therefore summon you to surrender the forts and batteries to the troops under his command, being part of my division. Inclosed is a Proclamation issued by the Comman ders in Chief. This Proclamation is the basis upon which you are expected to capitulate ; but the de. tailed conditions can only be explained when the c tpl tulatiOn takes plate, at the surrender of the besieged. In the mean time I require, by Order of the Com mander in Chief, that you receive the troops sent, and that you observe a faithful and loyal conduct towards the British Army ; and this I demand under pain, in case of refusal, of severe measures being taken against you. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) FIMLN. MAIT4.AND, Maj. Gen. To the Commandant of A. Pierre. Camp la Coste, Feb. 10, 1809, Six A.M. SlR—Lieutenant-Colonel M'Nair, commanding the sth brigade, was detached last night at twelve o'clock, with 300 men of the 90th regiment, for the service you had desired relative to the enemy's hospitals. I had taken the necessary precautions to communi cate with Major Henderson, and that no mistak:s should happen with cur outposts. What was ordered has been well performed. I have the honour to be, 8:c. (Signed) F. MAITLAND, M. G. ituten ant-General Beckwith, Commander of the Forces, &c. ftc. Martinico, Feb. 11, 18C9. SlR—Having yesterday evening reconnoitered ti:c enemy's advanced picquct, I decided upon attempt ing the surprise of it in the course of the night, gave directions accordingly to Major Pearson, coni manding the light battalion, a copy of whose repert upon this subject I have the honour to inclo!t: for your Excellency's information. I have, &c. (Signed) G. NEN - 05T. To Lieutenant-General Beckwith. • February 11, 1809. SIR—In obedience to your orders of yesterday, I proceeded with the two flank companies of the 25th Regiment, in order, if possible, to surprise the ad• vanced picquet of the enemy, which, I am happy to say, was effected after a very intricate and difficult march of two hours. The enemy left five or six killed on the ground, and the rest made a most precipitate retreat to their fort. I beg leave to state, that the officers and men of the 25th Regiment behaved in a most steady and gallant manner, and am happy to add, that no ca sualty occurred on our side., I have, Szc. (Signed) T. PEARSON, Maj.-Com. Light Infantry Bast, Head-quarters, Martinique, Feb. 28, IPS. MY Lotto—ln my letter of the 15th instant, 1 had the honour to transmit to your Lordship the detaiic of our operations to the 11th preceding, from th 4: period until the 19th we were incessantly employed in the construction of gun and mortar batteries, and in the landing cannon, mortars, and howitzers. with their ammunition and stores, in. dragging them to the several points selected by the engineers, and in the completion of the works, and in mounting the ord• naace. The exertions of Commodoie Cockburn, and other Naval Officers under his orders upon the right, and of Captains Barton and Nesham of the Navy upon the left, in forwarding these services, were most conspicuous. The enemy during the intervil fired upon our encampments with shot and s hells, but fortunately with little effect, and his picque: when pressed, constantly fell back under the prom: , I don of his works. On the 19th, at half past four in tie afternoon , we opened froth :ix points upon the enemy's fortre,,,