Star. — London, England, 1804-04-24 00:00:00

- - • ....- . d . 1 41 ` 1 "i e— e, • r 14 . r 14.. • ;.: .., , 41 ,-- _ - _. • . 7,..1 •-a .- . . .. 1 . .• ! A. II ...r . ...s ti rk. . ....La . a I•ir .-___, ~, . . ' gl, S: it •p,_ i • ii,.._ ; ,..-.. 1 t 11 r ' . . . • - •iiii Av.` • • lIUMIUnt 475°1 TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1804. f ' - " " 111••••• •• • I • BAST-INDIA ROUSE. April se, 1804. - ryrs4 COURT OF DIRECTORS of tht 1 - 171NITED COMPANT MERCHANTS ENG LAND, tredier to the EAST INDIES,de her give maze, That the tune fired for receiving Tenders for the hire of fuch Ships which have performed their eontraded number of voyages In tic Company's fervice, for two additional voyages, is mauled to Wodoefday the 9th of Ma next. WILLIAM RAMSAT, &enemy. the language of many Gentlemen who hear me,when I fay that this was the prevalent feeling in the coun try. Thole who know my charailer will not think it neceffary for me to alien that I am as zealous as any man in defence of the country frcim all foreign attack, and as ready, in the moment of danger, to forget the caufe that led to it, but I mug deprecate all milconliruition of my conduit in fo Though I am ready to make any facrifice for the in dependence of the Empire, I muff not therefore be confidered as an abettor of the raffinefs, ambition, or difingenuous councils that led us into the dangers.— Perhaps, Sir, there may be perfons who think that the danger of invafion was not fo imminent as the cry would have made us believe, and certainly the apprelienfion of an immediate attack was not uni. serially felt. This, however, does not change, in any refpeet, the nature ofthe exertion which wasmade by the country. It was not a panic of invafion that feized the people—not the dread of being over-run by the enemy, for in the . mon alarming moment, they had jug confidence in theurfelves--Gut an uni verfal feeling that it was wife and pindent to be pre. pared ; and a pretty general conviition, that, in the incapacity of Minifters, they mull look to themfelves. But independently of all real ground for alarm, it was impoffible for the country to fee the parade that was made by Minifters, and the noife that was excited of Come dreadful and' gigantic mifcbief with which we were threatened, without being in tome fort terrified into a belief of the reality. I certainly would have junified any Gentleman, like Sir Chriftopher Hat ton, to have addreffed the Minitter in the very words that be ufes : " Ah, my noble friend, when I behold " Yon tented plains in martial fymmetry " Array'd --- " I cannot but furrnife—Forgive, my friend, " If the ramjedture's ralb-1 cannot but " Sunnite—The Rate fame danger apprehend. !" I have no objecflion to this language, and I fob fcribe to all the reports which have been made on the threats of invalion, but with two provifons : t. That we (hall be prepared to meet it, if real ; and - s. that fuck language (hall not be ufed to excite needlefs ter ror. If there are ferious apprebenlions that the ene my has meditated the plan of an invafion, and made or is making formidable preparations for that pur pole, and that be has weighed in his mind all the pro. liabilities of Pleb an enterprize, it becomes indifpen pfible for this country to devife the means of effeetual defence. We mull not contest ourfelves with tem porary nratagems, nor repofe in any temporary defence. We mull not reckon on his coming in the year 3, or 4, or 5, becaufe if he has meditated the feheme, he will not limit himfelf to the time.— The plan once confidered and determined on, the attempt may be made hereafter,and therefore we have no alternati re. To temporary danger we fhould do right to oppofe temporarymeans; but to permanent defigns of annoyance we mull plaid: permanent remedies. —lt ii my objeit, Sir, to draw the attention of the Houle to this view of the fubjed. It certainly does appear, that the French confider by their preparations the enterprife of an invalion of this country a praili cable attempt. It cannot be concealed that they have gone to a great extent of preparation, and a confiderable part of this may be regarded, as meant for the ptirpore of permanent annoyance. The na tion is called upon, therefore, to devife the means of permanent fafety. My motion, however, will not extend to the general fyflem of Defence, which it is effential to provide, but to that of the army only.— In the many difficulties which &fail us at this ma ment, and which it would be tedioos and wearifonse to particularife, I with to keep the view of the Houk to a fyllem of permanent defence by land. I do not with to incumber the quediin by enquiring this day into the difficulties that prefs upon us refpeaing the finances of the country—nnr the difficulty arifing from the want of currency in Ireland—nor the circumflance of the exillence to this day of Martial Law in that country—l with to avoid all other topics of enquiry this day, except that of the ellablilhment of loch a rlan of military defence as Shall be equal to the holuile defigns of the enemy, however formi dable and however protraAed they maybe. I with to bring the difcuffion into as narrow a compafs as poflible, and therefore to confine myfelf to the mere quctlion of internal defence. I do not even mean to ' mix with it any obfervations on the naval defence of the country; nor (hall I attempt to revive the difeuf lions that have taken place on the Volunteer queftion. That fuhjeft has been fo frequently before the Houle, that I can only fay what I have before fo often ex preffed, that the Volunteer Body merit the mon grateful thanks of their country for the exertions they' have made, and that on the motion with which I (hall conclude for a Committee to confider of the bell means of a permanent military defence, the alacrity, fpirit, and perfeverance of the Volunteers will be a good ground for truft'ng to the fyllem which I mean to fuggell. In moving for a Committee generally to confider, I leave it to other Gentlemen to throw out %%hat particular objees it ought to embrace. It t, in iirlie the Houf:, at the outlet, that loch a Com mittee will have two eliftina objeds--t. The folid inctege of the regii!ar military force, and to remove the impediment. th.ft have flood in the way of its 11:C recruitment. 2 . The formation of an irregular Sot awoliary I a Permanent kind. As to the firit, it is impcijihle lir the Houk at this time in the ertablifhment is nearly afeertained, and it is thetefore in the poser of any military man, accuf tomed to there details, to calculate the force of rank and file. It is idle, therefore, to attempt to make a fecret to Parliament only of that which is no fecret, and which can be no feeret to others. But Minifters think it quite fufficient to fay, that the regular force is fully-equal to what it was at the end of the laft war. I can only fay for myfelf, that it is difficult to believe this affertion, and alluding particularly to Ireland, in which they affect the regular force to be equal, I fairly fay, I do not believe it, if you take into the account of regulars, the Militia and Britifh Feneible regiments then in Ireland. At the end of the laft war, the amount of the military force in Ire land of there deferiptions, was between 5o and 60,000 men. Is it poffible to believe that there is at this OM an equal . number? With refpeet to aceeffary force. filch as artillery, guns, bodes, and drivers, it isreorinderably higher than at the end of the laft war,i if we are to trait to Minifters' fpeeches; hot as I am incredulous on the fubjed, I wills it to be made I apparent by documents laid before the Committee. —.Before I go on, however, 1 mutt advert to an ob fervation that may be made, that 1 of all men ought not to complain that the ranks Ihould be thin, becaufc I was for keeping down the peace ellabliffiment. It is molt true that I was for keeping down the peace ellablifhment, and I was fo upon the grounds taken by Minifters themfelves. They 'did not demand a greater eßahlilliment than they obtained—they gave the Houle the molt folemn affitrances of continuance of peace, and theregue the ground was (pacifically different from what it is now, and I am juaified in laying what I have always maintained. that the atco nomy of a low effablifhment in a time of a profound peace is the lure and belt means of enabling us to provide an adequate fence in the time of war. 'But in time of peace that old conditutional force the militia, in favour of which fo many of my moll refpenable friends are fuch warm admirers, was recommended as excellent in its principle, and I know that there perfons think we ought ever to have in view that force as our chief dependence for internal defenee.— No man, however, will fay, that a Militia can be altogether equal to a regular army, Glace an army that has not leen wallal fervice cannot be equal to an army that has feen it. For the great purpofe, there fore, of a peimanent defence againa the meditated plan of attack, the increafe of the regular force, or the provifion of an elementary force, which would always come in aid of it, is the defideratum to be obtained. And what I complain of is, that our ef forts have not been wifely devoted to that purpofe.— Every regulation has been calculated to counteract the recruiting of the Army, and with the impedi• ments in the way of the regulars, it is morally impof fible that they Ihould get men. It is natural to think, that on the breaking out of a war there nrili always be tome contraction of the manufactures of a nation, fome diminution of the commerce, fome parts of its . population thrown out of employment, and that con fequently men are to be had by the regular army without much difficulty. So it would be perhaps upon a good fyftem ; but when I am told that this has happened, and tat men are to he got by the re gulars at ten guineas, when the Army of Referve are giving 50, I mull fay I do not believe it. Human nature is the fame at all times, and I cannot believe that the people of this country are Co little capable of 'calculation, or fo loath, as to accept of the fmaller fnm when ;he greater is to be had. It is in vain to refill plain and Pimple truths. Men are not to be bubbled by theories which contradift human reafon. You matt put an end to every foolifh impediment that (lands in the way of recruiting the regular force. if you expea it to fueceed. You cannot hope to get men by the ordinary bounty which the Regulars offer. while a competition is maintained fo excel: five ; and it is not that inequality only which you have to remove,_ but a much more ferious ob fl acle, and upon the folly of which I never heard one tingle military man to differ, I mean the monftrous error of enlifting men for life. Is it not a molt fingular thing, that this fhould be the only country in - Europe in which this pratlice prevails ? In all the great military ellahlifhments on the Conticent no fuch thing is attempted. In countries the molt defporie, where Governments of tyranny demand the fervice of unconditional fubmiffion, and where it may be fuppored the Government would give the greaten facility to perpetuating the fervice, no fuch thing has been attempted. But in the (teen country in Europe, in that country which boalts of the vigilance arid care which it exercifes by law over the perrins and properties of the people, is it not monftrous that this Ihould be the only place where men are fo enlifted ? In England the law impofcs reftraints upon perfons with refine to the alienation of their property. A man in many cafes cannot dill pole of his property, and no man under the age cf as can alienate any part of his elate. Nay, molt unwirely in my mind, both fixes are rearaincd from difpofsng of their perfons in marriage long atter they 1 hpve obtained an age when nature didates to th,:m the propriety of doing to. But though they cannot give awa y their properties, nor even yield to the lioiieft and generous affections of the heart in dirpol:ng of their perfons in marriage, without the coll. nt of their parents, they may by law, in this lice Lunt, fell thenitelves at ary age into military bondage for their natural lives ! it is a monttrotis te.l,•citin. It is a Clain upon our mil,Ltry code, An.% like every other grits and abiind pre lice, it ferves to impede lull ead of pr , •rnoting I,rvi,:c. For iskit is it hut 11.1, contrast liar lilt that renders this kg s it e fo terrific to every parent and to every re! ttive ? Every Gentle man molt have had fi event e.pp.o &unities i•t teeing the etith it ha.; upon Ow tathers ! rr ;hers, even is the very lowed cl stns of i.'cierv.— This) , mint bare it stony they hay: heard of the, c, I ^:!. • to 1 tc. And unit what but that by the nature of this engageinents.Made by a youth in a giddy moment, they confider him newt off from their family for ever; cut off from the en joyment of all the quiet bleffings they intended for him, or from the exertions by which their own toils were to be eafed, and their old age proteded. Be caufe they confider his enlifling for life as tantamount to civil annihilation; but would it be fo if the commit were limited to a certain, and that a fbort period ? On the contrary, would it not difpofe many a parent. not merely in the lowa clalfcs of fociety, but even. farmers and tradefmen, to confect to a fun's entering into the fervice, or of viewing his entrance with com placency, if thinking him perhaps a little too unaeady for their quiet occupations, they knew that his mili tary career would be over in a 'certain number of years, and that he might then return to them with a mind improved by the knowledge of the world, and with habits ufeful to his fame life? If 4be abfard praftice were done away, is it to be apprehended that any confiderable number of goad men would be /oft at the expiration of their terms I and is there any jolt realim to dread that they dionid dilband in numbers at one time ? Againfl both evils eafy prorifions might be made. Good foldiers would not,be likely to'quit the kr vice. Men are fond of that in which they es cel—a new bounty—hope hf promotion—or perhaps in tome cafes an increafe of pay would be irrefitlible temptation. And as to a general dilbanding that might be ea fi ly•avoided, and would of courfe be fo if the nature of cradling was made uniform. New modes mull undoubtedly be tried—for hitherto no plan had fueeeeded. The breach of the peace was announced fo long ago as the beginning of March. and hankies began in May ha U'e are now within three weeks of a twelvemonth at actual war, and what tutees have we made in creding a regular army ? It is (aid—that one great evil is removed by putting an end to the abufe of rank. Officers cannot get now more than, one llcp. This is fornething, but with all poffiblelefped for the vigilance with which office is admit-anted at this time, I do not think it Wale altogether to check the abufe of rank. There will be evalion of the rules, if the leak loop-hole is permitted. that which is fo pernicious to the fervice. Nothing effectual can be done in the way of recruiting the regular army, without radical reforms. There molt be no competition for men—no buying them by ex travagant bounties, and no enliaing for life. The army of Referve mull be totally fufpended, and the militia be (offered quietly to melt down to its proper level. With rein& to an acceffory force, I think there fhould be a more general armament than that of the volunteers.—l will not fay to what length the fyflem might have gone indeed, if it had not been checked by Government in every way, and by every fpecies of perfecution. They rellatri their right of relignation until they were compelled to yield it, and in the fame manner they fought every privilege for which the volunteers contended, and to which they were entitled by the alts under which they enrolled themfelves. • In this way the Government certainly laboured to their ntmoll to damp the zeal of the vo- lunteers, if their zeal could be damped by any thing which Minillers could do.—But, without intringing on the volunteer fyftem, I with to go farther, and to propofe a general arming of the peafantry of the United Kingdom—a force which though not fo good as the volunteers, as to fighting in battalion, will yet be of infinite value for the kind of attack with which we are threatened. Ido not will to propofe the training of the peafantry to the ufe of arms in the hope of ufing them as an army; but it is a great thing to embody all the phyfical force of the country, and to form it into a (tape which might be contri butory to the regular force. I (bond never have done if I were to attempt to enumerate all thead. vantages which would atife from arming the pea fantry, and from employing them locally an the de fence of their own immediate homes and neighbour. hoods. Thole who have fees the confequences of an armed peafantry in the cafe of an invading foe, can alone form an idea of the ineftimabk value of filch a force. It fete a nation aftually at ea!e again& the mo&defperate attack of an enemy. An armed pea (Autry with their geographical knowledge of their own territory, is irrefiftsble. It is the natural firength to which of all others, a free people in a cultivated country ought to look. Every thing elle maw fail us. The Volunteer fyttem may relax. As ti.e immediate danger difappears--as the threatened ins ation i.. pro. traaed, the volunteers may roe: .o‘ay. Your re gular army would be too small to guard every part of fo extenfive a coal—but in a country f• ad.ipted to defence—fo populous an armed peafantry taking advantage of every hill—of every valley—of every lane--ot every hedgc—acquainted with every torn and pals, would mute it impoffible for an enemy to advance, or it advanced, to return. Ido not (peak of them as of an army to figiit bears; I (peak of that tuner and more fatal :p.c.-s i t .t•rck, v.hich they would be indridted to make on .05 enemy, in which they would give them no rcipit.:, and from which the enemy could ha , c I:r. ',lre it. la every view of the fillijeet it would be a m,•ti p. literal th:ng to inflitute distort ot I..trec. In ca:el of emergency how much e..fier w..uld it he to df.:ipline men who had been pre viontiv uf,d to t..rne acre of weapon, than to dilcipline men who had never bai,died a fire. luck, and who knew no: even fr. which end to hold or whether to di.tw the lock or the trigger ? la the way ,•1 r ecruitiilg tt.e .LTM) asi,,it all t!..T men ..t tl.e kingdom were by a general law r t” the tale of aims, thou,,,ii in the molt , !lerr.. , .!ive way, bf th a, to no. my and time. I,•nv n -..e PARLI•IMENTART PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, MONDAY, APRIL s 3. Connie' were heard In the cafe of Hunter v. the Earl of Rieman!. The Itlib Linen Manufatture Bill, and feveral private Bills were received from the Commons, and read a flat time. The kith Militia Augmentation Bill sus reported, and ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. The third reading of the bilk Militia Transfer Bill wu port- Toned until to-motrow ...Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. DILLON gave notice, that he would. on Wednerday nest, move for lave to bring In a BM A° maw UM Rowan Catholics !teas eettain penalties to which they would be babk when brought into this aobntr►. Mr. laeretari YORICIt brought up a Bill for paying and cloth ing the Militia of Great Britain. Read a hilt time, and ordered to be read a fecood time to-morrow. iir:leJetary ---- VOBaimo;;;,that the amendments made by the Houk of Lords in the Volunteer Bill, be fubmitted to the cots- Mention Of sfeket Committee; and that a precedent for Nth a ocedure. which occurred in the year 17 57, as to a Militia Bill, d be read from the Recants. The precedent he alluded to was aCcordingly read by the Clerk, and a feledt Committee was appointed, and ordered to report to the Hoare what they might think proper to be Jane; after mature ccelidcration. - . . On the motion of Mr. Secretary YORKE, theHoufe went into a Committee oft the Militia °Been' BUL The report was or dered to be received to-morrow. On the motion of Mr SH RIDAN, the order for the emu- Bandon of the petition from the Borough of Lifkeard, which flood for to-morrow, was difeharged, and poftpoaed till Thurfday neat. Mr. ffINNAIRD moved, that an humble Addrefs be prefented to Itis Majefty, praying, that there be hid before the Houfr, a lift of all Officers on the half pay, lifting uifhing their leveret ranks, and fpeeifying thole upon the Staff, and thole who aft unemployed and fit for ferrice...-Ordered. MOTION ON THE DEFENCE 11; THE NATION. Mr. FOX rofe; and addreffed himfelf to the Chair in fubflance as follows :--“ I am afraid, Sir, that I !hall find it neeeffary to make tome preliminary ob fervations before I proceed to Rate my motion to the Honk on the military defence of the country. There preliminary obfervations are rendered tieceffary by the conftrueion which has been pat by many perfons on the zeal which has been manifefied by the people in fupport of the war. That great zeal has undoubt edly been manifefted by all defcripticms of perfons, is a truth which I have great plealbre to obferve ; but the attempt to conftrue this seal into an approbation of the principle of the war itfelf, or of the condo& of his Majefly's Minifters in involving the country in that war, is what I will not permit to pats ono/derv ed ; for it is not a fair connruetion, nor can it be fup ported by any lair reafoning or found deduction. The zeal which has been difplayed by the people of England, is moil honourable to weir feelings ; it does not fpring from any approbation of the war, much lefs from any approbation of the meafures of Government, but that motive which will ever he in. fkparable from the breaft of Englifkmen, that of a determined 11-Solution to refill the menaces of a foreign enemy. Their zeal has been difplayed in the maintenance of all that was dear to them, in the de fence of their country againft the threats of invafion and in the (unpin of its glory, and may in truth bc termed a zeal fhewn in fell-defence. It is not a proof' that they either confider the war as originally necef fary, or that they approve of the fpirit and temper of thole negotiations by which it was brought on. I, in common with every one of my fellow fubjeas, partake of the zeal which I have defcribed, and I know that that fpecies of zeal is not Singular to myfelf. However unwifely, however unneceffarily we plunge into the war, that war was immediately followed by the threat of invalion, and the country was brought into the moil imminent danger, according to the belief of all ranks of people, by the formidable preparations of the enemy. It that cafe is it poflible for any man to interpret the zeal which burn forth into any other motive that that of fell-defence? The country at large Rood forward to proteel thernfelves and families againft the danger, whatever might be the caufe from which it (prong. If this fort of zeal is to be argued upon as a proof of the popularity of the war, or if Minifters are allowed to confider it as a proof of the approbation of their meafnres, then we may fairly fay that it is only neceffary for Government to plunge the nation into the greaten poffible danger, in order to obtain the nniverfal fupport of the people. The charafier of the people of England is petfealy un derftood ; they will always be found ready in the moment of danger, and the greater and mere deplorable the Rate of calamity in which the kingdom may be involved, the greater and more zealous will bc their exertions for its deliverance. It is impoili hi:, therefore, that Knitters can flatter themfelves with the idea that the manly and virtuous nand which the people have made in a cafe of life or death, was any Shape conneCied with the caufes of the war, the ncgociations with which it was accompanied, or ' tn. tinic at which it was brought on. Jo truth, no I ptom of approbation has been (hewn in any part ' ^t the country, nor was it even received in Pa'rlia sr,nt with any decided marks of applaufe t—for in the fir!! addrefs Minifl.•ts did obtain the I.i..jtion of the linufc, yet it w as in very general turns, and theti, in a fuofequent elt.bve, were rola• by many confickrable perfnns, with obje.. - oo;:s to the condun of the t.egr , ...iationK,fo as to (hew that it %cab the general opt..ion that the war have , been and I Iht tcLUe contend. that . frorn the commencement el t!.e war to the prefent moment, whatever rfi . play of rpit it, ex and ve .1 h aa hecii made by the country, his nothing to do w ith the cane of the war, and mach icf. with the c-ndun of Nt,i item :tol it might be (hewn that the exetti 'lave been m....!c by !Le people arnf: nut Li •ocapacity f therrielves. n on the C, me ft r- . and di.:end 4 sr. iu:c 1 freak hit:talit,t.ii rui; u.wo tv every ct know the tell Mate of it. They have no documents borate them upi.:l which they can afcertain the hate of the regn!ar :only. Gentlemen who have good 11 inf. , rmation diFer fu cdentially from Mini. elirnaze aelr.cL they make of the amount it IT my, t!. it it i, impoffible to judcc to. the at4riii,ns which nle diirdcdthcv preiring ti ? 1 kr.•m• Cv!l t: c m. incn pretend t, e hi% e h:rn mole tit I . :O.. We. the returns r•f the ysh A t t ,, licer. of Focht Now why is there .c 1. t. douh ;AiII not sicti,l n ,, t %salt tctt, t be, % .19d r 1 - . 4 "i c fiii•jya cr my V.l . yin Tl.e ntirrb• r f ~~ ~.,~:c e.tz.sr tcls ! tnty eArrun krcel! :► b.Pt •i , z Tl.c expellee of pay Ivr h.a tz: A:_{ tvh, b •Til '‘,./ to every :e of De‘wr. who is of sub- ,s•+ NOR. lava, Price or. gnu ; Pimple or the cct,re Rfel• •nd from which 4 'potency at,d rho have ites.P." 1 . rue rthotic 4 1 , 1111 I LIOlo