Star. — London, England, 1811-05-15 00:00:00

had no doubt if the measure were left to 'itself, it would be adopted to a considerable extent. One ef fect, however, it the measure was carried, must be expected from it, namely. that _all Gentlemen of landed property would in a short time withdraw them selves from the Militia. The Hon. Gentleman, how ever, declared himself not hostile to the measure, though he should closely observe, in the progress of the Bill, the regulations as respected the Catholic sol dier attending his religious worship. Sir J. NEWPORT thought the circumstance last alluded to by his Hon. Friend (Mr. Whitbread), s hould be defined clearly, previous to passing the Bill. General TA RLETON supported the measure, as did Colonel BASTA RD. The question was then put and agreed to, and Mr. Secretary R YDER, &c. were ordered to prepare and bring in a Bill accordingly. Mr. MAR RYA TT moved for sundry papers, re lative to the present form of Government and Admi nistration of Justice in the Island of Trinidad.— Ordered. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he had not opposed the production of the papers just moved for, though lie considered the motion as impolitic ; it would be necessary, however, that ano ther document should be before the House, namely, the Petition of the Free Inhabitants of Colour on the Island, against the extension of the Laws of this Country to that Island. He would move for that document, and when the Hon. Gentleman had com pared it with those he had already moved ter, it would be for him to determine whether he would bring his proposed motion forward—The paper moved for was then ordered. Mr. MARRYAT moved for several Papers rela tive to the Island of Trinidad ; the object of which was to shew that the British Constitution had not been extended to that Island. Ordered. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he felt it necessary to move for other papers, that should contradict the documents moved for by the Hon. Gentleman. These were the petitions from the inhabitants of colour against any plan of altering the ancient Constitution of that island. Ordered. Mr. LUSHINGTON brought up the Report of the Committee on the Bullion Report ; and, on the euestion for agreeing to the Resolutions voted on the preceding day, Mr. G. JOHNSTONE observed, that in pointing out the great depreciation of paper, Gentlemen had not taken notice of the great quantity of country bank notes in circulation. He believed the amount of the country circulation for some years past was between 20 and 30 millions. These notes must have added to the general currency of the kingdom, so that the whole effective currency of the kingdom was not far short of .50 millions. The amount ought, on a fair calculation, to be taken at 43 millions, and this was a sum far greater than what the calculation had been some years ago. He was perfectly confident that the depreciation of our currency was die result of an over isiue, and not of any circumstances arising out of our trade. Therefore, something was necessary to be done. But he knew that it was impossible to fix on any time for the resumption of payments in cash. He thought some measure might be adopted which might diminish the Bank circulation, and thus dimi nish the country circulation. It was evident that paper could never be a substitute for gold,and silver. The history of the world proved that whenever, in any country, a substitute was adopted for gold and silver circulation, a depreciation went on gradually, until at last the nation became bankrupt. The boasted stability of the Bank of England could not be an ex ception to this general observation ' • because the Bank of England was identified with the Government ; and its currency must, to all intents and purposes, be con sidered as government currency. In opposition to those who said that the present system was necessary to enable us to carry on the war, he would contend that it tended every year to weaken our resources, and diminish our means of contending against the enemy. Mr. FULLER—" Sir, in my opinion there has not been a greater humbug brought under the consideration of Parliament, since the celebrated affair relating to the Duke of York, than the business now before you. There is no such thing, Sir, as a depreciation of paper currency ; and the idea has been brought forward by a malignant set, who take a pleasure in undervaluing the resources of the country. I say there is no depre ciation ; for no man who is to receive a debt of £5O will refuse to take £5O worth of notes in payment. — The gold has risen in price—.let the price of the guinea be raised in proportion, and then the Bank-note will have its true value, and then the hoarders of guineas will soon bolt them out—(A loud laugh)—and all com plaints will be removed. As to the people of the coun try, they are fully satisfied with the system as it now exists—they will take paper; they will take any thing; aye, they will take tallow candle: (a laugh) in lieu of gold. I am sorry I do not now see in his place a Right Hon. Geatlernan (Mr. Sheridan) who, on former oc easions, distinguished himself by his opposition to fac tious and mischievous designs against the safety of the untre ; whose spirited and patriotic conduct at the time when a mutiny prevailed through our fleet, contri. buted to put a stop to it : lam sorry he is nothere now, for if he was, I am sure he would nobly and manfully oppose this d.uk and underhand attack that has been made against the credit of the country. As to the present system of credit, there is no fear of it. It will go on, and it shall go on. We will shew our ene mies that we can circulate any thing, and that if we e!tuse we may make oyster-shells pass for money ! (A loud laugh.) It is by keeping up such a system as now exists in the country, that we shall be able to keep Bonaparte at bay, and very soon put him under Oar lett. I ion sorry that so many nights have been waste] here in debating on, the business ; that there has been such haranguing, such struggling and meat. Nsi all to nu put pose. I hope it will now be put an eld to, and that it at last may turn out to be no more Ca the nonsensical quarrel which took place last year, Sir, between you and myself !" Mr. C. ADAMS argued against the conclusions Contained in the Report of the Committee ; and ex pressed himself hostile to the Resolutions originally proposed by Mr. Homer. Mr. Ti - iONIPSON thought there was nothing ex traordinary that the rate of exchange should be Against us, or that the Bullion should leave the country, con sidering the extraordinary and unnatural state of the affairs of the Continent. But any man pleased with toe successes which our arms have lately met with ataJa.l, must expect th4t this unatural state of things . r could not long exist, if it did, we certainly could not long exist under it. Gold and Mier, and Bank-notes, were not the riches of a nation ; nor could any man say, that when they were taken away, .we were de ' prived of our riches ; we had our lands, and the va rious produce of our labour, as our real riches. For Dr. A. Smith had declared, that labour was the pro per standard ; yet that had not been noticed by any Gentleman on the Committee. The situation in which we were now placed, he maintained, was a new one, and required new and extraordinary measures. The agitation of this question had been productive of much evil, but he was sure it would now be set at rest. When he took a man's.promissory note, he did not consider how much gold or silver that man might have in his pocket, but what real property he pos sessed. No Gentleman had condescended to explain what would be the effect in bringing back the rate of exchange in favour of this country ; but he was sure that in these times the reduction of Bank issues would not have any such effect, particularly considering the immediate effect such a reduction would certainty have on our manufactures and improvements of all kinds. He did not think that we should, on account of the situation in which we are placed, withdra t our army from abroad, considering the successes it has accom plished, because we had no alternative but to pursue the present system, into which we were forced by our implacable enemy. He thought that it would be much in favour of the country that country Bankers should be obliged to lodge 50 or 8 60,000 in Go vernment securities, for the purpose of securing the payment of their debts. He thought we ought to persist in our present conduct, rather than revert to any untried measure, like that recommended by the Committee._ Mr. MARRYATT in commenting on the speech of an Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Fuller), said, that he was willing to leave to that Gentleman his oyster shells, provided he would leave to him (Mr. Mar ryatt) more gold and silver. A Noble Lord (Castle reagh) in speaking of our Northern fellow-subjects, the Scots, had called them what no man could deny them to be, a most moral and ingenious people.— His proof of that assertion was, however, rather whimsical. He had said that not a peasant could be found in Scotland whowould prefer ruin to Bank notes, if so, he could assure the Noble Lord that their coun trymen in London were to be distinguished by a very different sort of magnanimity ; for here the difficulty would be to get them to take paper where they could get guineas. The Noble Lord, however, might have drawn more striking facts from amongst his own countrymen. In Ireland there was no tating up a newspaper, without seeing advertisements, vying with each other in offering guineas, doubloons, and dollars for sale. He read two of those from a paper he held in his hand, one signed O'Keefe, 113, Exchange,' Cork ; the other signed Helly, in the same city, where both profess to offer each of them higher prices f. r guineas than any other man in Ireland. (A laugh.) Mr. SIMEON contended that Bank-notes were not depreciated, and supported the Resolutions. Mr. W. SMITH stated a fact within his own know ledge, that a gentleman, not far from London, had occasion to order a pipe of wine, which amounted to £llO, instead of which he offered' 0 guineas, which were accepted. In another case a person sold 600 gui neas at an advance of 12i per cent. taking Bank-notes. From this it appeared to him, as clear as the sun at noon day, that the Bank notes weredepreciated. He thought, however, that the conduct of the Bank Directors had been viewed in two opposite extremes ; some Gen tlemen praising them too much, others censuring them more than they deserved. Yet still he thought they should be obliged to pay in specie, which would be only a refunding of part of those ,profits which ' they have been accumulating since 1797. He could not see any probable termination of the war; he them. fore was of opinion that the cash payments ought to be resumed ; else the depreciation of Bank-notes will be increased, and the prices of all sorts of com• modities will be so advanced as to reduce all our powers of carrying on the war and resisting the enemy. The Resolutions were then read a second time. Mr. HORNER moved, as an amendment to the first Resolution, that the whole of it be left out, for the purpose of introducing his own first Resolution, which was negatived without a division. Mr. PONSONBY could not let the resolution re- I specting the prerogative of the Crpwn to change the money, or alter its legal value, pass unnoticed. This seems to say, that it was the right of the Crown to alter the standard, and send out any coin he should please, as the legitimate coin of the realm. This he (Mr. Ponsonby) denied; in his opinion the King did not possess the power of mixing gold with alloy in his Mint, in any proportion he pleased, and after- , wards uttering it as the standard money of the king. i dom. He allowed, however, that the Crown possessed I a.prerogative almost equal, namely, a power of raising the denomination of the coin whenever he thought fit. This resolution, he felt it his duty to oppose. This opinion was also supported by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir V. Gibbs, kc. and opposed by I Mr. Horner, Mr. W. Wynne, &c. ' Mr. TIERNEY proposed to add to the Resolu tion the following words And that it is now ne cessary to declare the same." Mr. CANNING said, the prerogative respecting the question of peace and war, to which the preroga tive relating to the coin had been compared, differed from it materially. The prerogative of war and peace was unlimited, and wholly in the crown • but the prerogative respecting the, coin had been limited by the interference of Parliament. He had an amend ment to propose, which he thought would answer every purpose, vir to insert, " and that the weight of money was regulated by the 14th of George III." If that amendment were adopted, he would give his support to the Resolution. Mr. PONSONBY explained. The amendment of Mr. Timmy was then nega tived without a division. Mr. CANNINQ's amendment was then put, and after some observations from Mr. Vansittart, Mr. Horner, and Mr. Perceval, was also negatived, and the Resolution agreed to. On putting the next Resolution, Mr. TIERNEY proposed that an adjournment should take place, as he had amendments to propose upon the second and two last Resolutions. After a few words from Mr. Perceval, Mr. Tierney, and Mr. Ponsonby, the further consideration of the debate was, at half past two o'clock, adjourned till this day. THE EVENING STAR. • LONDON. WEDNESDAY, MAY 15. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CIACK. Cons. money 631—fur account. 3 pa. Cent. Reduced 6 in 4 pa.. C. tit. 791-5 per Cent. Navy 964 f. Lacheq. Is. to is. prem.—Sunda 22.. 2 prem. DISPATCHES FROM LORD WELLINGTON. a Downing-street, M.ty 15, 1811. " A Dispatch has been received from Lord Wu.- LiNuTox, dated Villa Formosa, May 1, in which he states, that having received information that the enemy were encreasing their force oa the Agueda, he arrived there on the 23th. The enemy had, on the 23d, attacked the pickets of the Allied Army on the Azava, but were repulsed with great gallantry. On this occasion Lieutenant PRITCIIA RD and 17 men were wounded. The enemy repeated their attack on the 27th, and were again repulsed. " The Ist May they reconnoitred the bank of the Agueda with eight squadrons of cavalry and tlltee battalions of infantry ; they did not make any at tempt to pass the river, nor did they attack the pic kets nn the bridge of Marialva. They have collected a large force at Ciudad Rodrigo, and Marshal MAS• SENA and the head-quarters of the army are at that place. The river Agueda is not fordable for infantry, but it is for cavalry." A Heligoland mail which arrived this morning, has brought us the following intelligence : HELIGOLAND, MAY 1. A Gentleman arrived here to-day, who was pre sent in Amsterdam at the time of the late disturb ances. He stated, that previous to his departure the most strict measures had been adopted to prevent any thing like a recurrence of insurrection. A suf ficient number of troops had been called in to over awe the populace, and police regulations inforced with the utmost rigour. Not above three persons were allowed to be seen together in the streets, and the Magistrates were held responsible for any riot or tumult that might take place. A letter from Memel, received by the Anholt mail of yesterday, distinctly says—"• Do not believe word of what you hear of war between the two Em perors—there is no foundation for such rumours, but in the hopes and wishes of ignorant and interested parties." The Swedes have been thrown into great conster nation by the appearance of our fleet in the Baltic, it having been reported that there were troops on board for the purposes of invasion. The batteries on the coast have, therefore, been repaired and reinforced. We are sorry to learn that British property has been seized in the Swedish pot ts to a great amount. The folloWing communication contains the particulars of this event : 1 " CARLSHAMS, APRIL 2s. " An order has come here to unload all the sequestrated ships having colonial and manufactured goods on board, and to land the cargoes, in order that they may be seat up the country to be delivered at the King's ware houses. Military and labourers are put In the vessels to enforce the order, and to assist in the prompt execution of it." Another letter adds, that 4 , the Captains of all ves sels laden with British goods are sent off at a moment's notice, without the payment of freight, or any thing." The French have provided the fortress of Dantzic with an army of 16,000 men, and very heavy contri butions of corn and wine Are levying in the Prussian states and elsewhere, in order to supply the wants of the forces in that city and the surrounding country. The following relates to the operations of our Fleet in the Baltic; is GOTrENBURGH, MAY 6. " Sir JAMr$ SAUNIAUIIL2, with the British fleet, still conti nues off this port. He has brought with him an Order in Coun cil dated the 13th of April, to detain ships, and it is singular that those alio are incapable of obtaining sailing orders from the Ad miral which have licences of the 12th of that month, six days subsequent to the order with which he is provided. These ships have grain and timber on board, to which commodities thator der applies. " We understand that matters are made up between Russia and F rance:. The speech of N.APOLEON to the French merchants, Ahich was given exchitisids in the STAR of Saturday, has excited a considerable degree of interest, although doubts have been thrown out in some cotemporary prints of its authenticity. We have only to tissure our readers, that it c o ne to us in a most unquestion able shape, having been furnished by a British Mer chant of as high probity and honour as any man in the kingdom, and we have reason to know that it is of equal authenticity with any public document from France that ever reached this country. Accounts received direct from Paris, confirm the intelligence which we communicated to our Readers exclusively on Monday, of immense reinforcements being on their way to the Peninsula. It is added, in the same accounts, that NAPOLEON is more than ever determined on pursuing the war in Spain and Portu gal, having, as it is said, dismissed the Minister CHANI PAONY for presuming to represent the difficulties of continuing the war in the Peninsula. Papers and Letters frrim Holland to the 7th inst. I arrived yesterday, by which we are informed, that a new Decree has been issued, the object of which is, to prevent as much as possible, the marriage of the young men, in order that more facility may be given to the cr mpleuon of the conscription. All men under the sage of 30, are prohibited from mar rying, arid all those above that age, must produce 14 witnesses to attest that the age of the claimant is full 30 years. 7111,7 LOAN. The following are the terms upon which the Loan is to be taken :—AtiO in the 3 per Cents. Reduced ; £ 4 20 Consols ; and £2O, 4 per Cents. Biddim;s it? the Long Annuities, £3 per cent. discount on prompt payments. Biddings tr , be on Monday morning. The HORATIO frigate has returned to Heligoland, after au unsuccessful attempt against two Ficiiel gun-boats. Count G"Troite, the Ex-King of Swe.len, has landed from the frigate, and taken up his resi dence at the house of EDWARD NicrioLvs, Esq. The 9lst Regiment, which was ordered to hold it. self in readiness to embark for Canada, is counter. manded, and its supposed destinati.4l is Portugal. The fleet under the command of Admiral FERII IER arrived in Haz;iy Bay )esterday —Wind S. by E. TORBAY, MAY 13. Passed down Channel this Gwen, on, his Majesty's frigates Ai.Farr and JASON, with the Newfoundland, Outbec, alld Portugal fleets, consisting of at least 150 sail ; there were two or three other men of war with them, but not near enough to distinguish their num• burs from Berry-head signal port. PLYMOUTH, MAY 13. I stated yesterday the saiiinq of the transports for Lisbon, under convoy of the FAvot•tttrF and INTEt.- LIGENT. wind unfortunately shitted in the even. ing to S. W. in consequence of which they could not get down Channel, and were forced to return. They, however, all sailed at ten o'clock this morning, and have had a fair breeze ever since, at S.—Arrived la MANCHE, BOADICEA, and Diann frigatei, and ANT schooner from Portsmouth.—Sailed the Naßmssua frigate, for the Greenland Seas ; Favoutore sloop, and INTELLIGENT gun-brig, with 30 sail of transports, for Lisbon. Sailed also the, GIBRALTAR, SCEPTRE, and VENERABLE men of war, ROTA and ARMIDA fri gates, for off L'Orient ; GOLDFINCH sloop of war, for Cadiz ; and MULLET schooner, on a cruize. PORTSMOUTH, MAY 14. Arrived his Majesty's sloop CANNIT, from Guern• sey, and is appointed convoy for the Downs, as is also the FYLLA sloop of war ; arrived his Majesty's ship ROSARIO, with about 44/ sail under convoy from the Downs.—Sailed the Nat- MAHON, for Lisbon; and the Noma:, for the Downs.—Wind S.W. DEAL, MAY 14. Arrived his Majesty's ships NonoE, PLOVER, and TRINCULO—the two former from Portsmouth, and the latter from a cniize.—Sailed the R.Ayeu, for off Flushing.—Wind S.W. HARWICH, MAY 14. • Arrived this morning the Auckland pullet, with a mail from Heligoland. SHF.ERNESS, MAY 14. Sailed last evening the MANLY gun-brig, with 20, sail of vessels for Heligoland. NEWMARKET SECOND SPRING MEETING. Um. russbar, MAT 14. Lord C. Somerset's Sunbeam est. beat lord Oxford's Little Preston, Tat. 71b. R. M. sogs.-4 to lon Sunbeam. Mr. Lloyd's b. c. Macao, by Night, 7st. 716. heat Lord Jersey's Kangaroo, iso. 71b. '1•wo-yr-old C. 200p.-6 to 4 apt Macao. Handicap Plate of £5O by Subscription, being the third of the three £5O Plates for 3,4, .5, 6-yr•olds and aged horses. Across the Flat. Mr Watson's b. f. Dimity, 4 yrs old, So. - . 1 Mr. Howorth's gr. h. Nicholas, 5 yrs old, Ptst. r;lb. - s Lord C. Somerset's b. h. Sue!'eam, 6 yrr old, 9st. 11h. S Sto I ago Dimity-2 to I apt Nicholas. Mr. Andrew's Discount, B.t. 1.21 b. beat Mr. Shakespear's Sprite, 7st. 111 h. R. M. 200 gs. h. ft.-6 to 4on Di.count. £5O for 3-yr-olds, colts. Bst. 41b. filhes, Bat. It. M. Mr. Thompson 's br. c. by Walton, out of Dabehiek - 1 Sir F. Staadisk's br. c. by Mr. Teazle - - 2 Duke of Grafion's br. e. Nimrod - - 3 S to 4 apt Mr. Thomson's hr. c.-6 to 4 on Nimrod. Major WiCon's c. by Walton, beat Ld Lowther 's Norval, Sit. each. - fwo•yr-old C. 50gs.--5 to 4on M a jor Wilson's c. Yesterday his MAJESTY walked on the Terrace at Windsor from twelve till one, accompanied by Dr HEZERDEN and Mr. DUNDAS, and from two till tour, accompanied by General GWYNNE. In the interim, Her MAJESTY, Princesses ELIZABETH aA I M A RI, took an airing to Frngmore Lodge, and walked in the gardens. Princesses AUGUSTA and SOPHIA took their usual morning's ride in the Great Park, accompanied by Lady COLLIER and Colonel TAYLOR. We were incorrect yesterday when we stated that the PRINCE REGENT was to review the whole of the Volunteer Force on Tuesday, the Fourth of June.— The ,Ktso's Birth-day is to be celebrated t, I that day at Windsor; and on the following day, the Volunteers will be reviewed in. Hyde Park : after the review, the PRINCE REGENT will give a grand dinner and ball at Carlton House, not only in honour of the KING'S birth-day, but to mark his attention to the distressed state of the manufactures of this country ; and he has therefore mentioned, upon the cards of invitation, that he expects every Lady and Gentleman will ap pear.in a new dress of the manufacture of the United Kingdom. On Tuesday was married, by the Rev. Maurice Hiller Goodman, HENRY SIMONDS, Esq. 2d son of WILLI.tM BLACRALL SIMONDS, Esq. Receiver-General for, the County of Berks, to Miss GOODMAN, daughter Of JI/HN GOODMAN, Esq. Oare, Wilts. .The Ear of SH A FTESBU RY died yesterday, of a sud den attack of.she gout in his stomach. His Lordship was born 17th September, 1761. His Lordship, having died, without issue male, is succeeded in his titles by his brnther,. the Hon. CROPLEY ASHLEY Co6plit, Clerk of the Deliveries in the Ordnance, and anent the Representatives for Dorchester, now Earl of SH A FTELBU RT. The remains of Mr. Cu•+aset.wn were interred yesterday in Westminster Abbey, in Poets' Corner.— The Dean read an enlogium on his departed friend, with great feeling and emotion. F.AD.—Yesterday the LORD MAYOR, after in specting the rrurns, ordered the Quartern Loaf to continue at 14d. MARK-LANE.—This day there are several further arrivals of Wheat, with considerable quantities on hand ; the trade extrenieiy :till in sale, and prices ra ther give way—Barley likeseis.:—ltUz. in demand, and rather dearer—Peas and Beans, of eactidesr. " -- sq* tinn, again nearly at last prices—New Ticks 325. to 38s.—There are also considerable quantities of Oats on hand, and this trade heavy; at somewhat less in price—Flour without, variation.