Star. — London, England, 1818-04-29 00:00:00

to until the present, no widow n on account of tny other pe belonged to her; and how could if the army relied on the con niourable provision ?—{Near.) tat the situation of the country :onomy. He was one of those and retrenchment necessary the State. But was it just to Widows harsh restraints like 1 ced, when others, without so fair inued to receive their pensions I condition whatever ?—( Hear, he hoped, would consider the wn merits. He did not mean to is between the Navy and Army, idious, and at present unneces -ev-r, observe , that in the Army I achased, in the Navy it was not e ierefore, were the more invio lable,beciuse they were always in the co ntem p lation c f t he purchasers. He was sorry to have heard it s al som ewhere, that the sums which would be stop- pert by the new regulatioNn. ram the Army, should le handed over era the . ear hear)s wa s a measure equa lly ungracious cc:both the ser-: vices. It was worthy of iemar that in no one of t he various and useful Reports o f the Finance Com mittee, was this regulation, or any thing -e it, re 7 considered the commended—(lean he ar )' They reported on number 17, A r my Estimates. They which referred to the Chelsea Asylum. ey pa . ssed over number 18, which r eferred to Widows' Pensions, an d w ent on tc number 19, in the consideration of w hich they recom mended to the attention of the H ow e the great latinale to which bounty warrants were extended. This topic, however, had nothing do with the iegulation n ow under the notice of the H am . The seventh Report of the Committee al luded to the regulation simply as a thing done. Un der these circumstance, considering that no recom reedation was made upon the subject from the Fl- 1 reece Committee, considering the chaiacter of our Amin which was more exalted than that of any artn y of any country whatever, ha hoped that the old liberal allowance would be continued—(hear, kee , —The I louse would recollect, that formerly these furs were granted by Parliament without the quas i a--fhear, hear, hear) Mr. J. SMITH observed, that there was one class of officers, at least, to whom this new regulation ioald be a manifest injustice. He meant those of b o rse.artillery, who each gave up a certain pora tan of his pay, to make up a fund for pensioning their widow s—(/ tear, hear.) —Many of their wives w2rsons of family and education, and certainly, ia a moral view, their pensions should not be re fvt.l. to them. Mr. F. LETI3, as a member cf the Finance Corn rtit-ee, felt it recessary to observe, that the measure ovstion certainly never originated with them— (licar, hear, heat.)—The Committee had been fully raze that there had been many unpleasant disputes between officers of the army and navy on this sub ject. The rule as to both was the same, but the in terpretation of it was different, and ag. inst the navy. None deserved rewards better than the navy—(hear, Atari ;—but it was certain that the rewafds which wenr given to them, were given in a spirit totally eifferent from that with which they were granted to the army. The Committee inquired upon what this diqerence was grounded. They found that in the navy, pensions were strictly confined to cases of ne cessity, while no such limitation existed in the army; and the general feeling of the Committee was, that it was most desirable to do away, if possible, a cause of so much heart-burning to both the services. The expression of that feeling produced from the Noble *Lord opposite (Lord Palmerston) something of a pro mise that an investigation should be made, and some randy applied by Government ; and hence the sub ject lay over forahe future consideration of the Com mittee—(Hear, hear, hear.) Lord PALMERSTON acknowledged, that the subject was one of an unpleasant nature to his own feelings, and to the feelings of all those who should ham to administer the bounty in question. The war rant originally issued, precluded from pensions Offi cers' Widows having twice the amount of the pension, through any other channel, for their support. The more recent order, however, extended the limitation to four times the amount of the pension, and it was teitessly stated to be not applicable to any Officers who were now married. It would appear, therefore, that no breach of faith had been committed towards the Officers of the Army. As to the two corps of winery which had been alluded to, they were alto gether under the controul of the Board of Ordnance, and were regulated in a different manner. His Ho tamable Friend had shewn that from the earliest time there was a discretion in the Crown with re gard to the distribution of those pensions, and the Officers of the Army should have considered what ever contracts they entered into, that still it was competent to the Crown to refuse the pension. Great anxiety was espressed to know from whence this measure proceeded. He could give the information required—it was one of those measures of economy and retrenchment which government found it. neces sary to adopt—(hear, hear). It extended equally to the Navy as to the Army. To the former au order, he . believed, was thi s d a y i ssue d, exc l u di ng fr o m pen sions the Widows of Naval Officers, who had in other property four times th e amoun t of the pensions.— liherever a limit was fixed, he knew there might be cases of hardship ; but some limit was necessary in enter to prevent persons from thinking themselves peculiarly aggrieved. Nothing could be more un iltaxint than the execution of these orders, 01 of the orders for diminishing the pensions granted to wound ed officers, or of those precluding the sisters of fallen officers from receiving any bounty ; but there were emulations for which the House alone was re,pon ale—(l fear, hear). They were forced on Govern ment b./ the language of the House—(Loud cheers , ' .. r t s;r4 . Orpo , :ition Benches). They were adopted, iaa respect tc the opinions of the Commitce of Fi r`47:,:o, to v.hom the House had delegated these in (Prim Of one thin, at least, there was no doubt, that there was for the last hundred years a discre l?aly power in the Crown, of giving or refusing ce•P • pens ,, :ns. If the principle was net acted upon, "Tas!.• - m iaadvei t..ace—(hear, hear. He should re, agree in the motion. tnloa , :l STANHOPE said, that i.l-e *ea einre in .tf:oa was wholly unworthy of a ,aie.at r, aion These pension; were Called a charity ; he was sure they deserved a better name, and that the widows of officers would much more cheerfully receive half the sum, if granted as a reward for services, thin as a mere eleemosynary gift—(l-frar, hear.) These measures operated against widows, haVing in other property, four times the amount of the pensions--but they might have that amount; and still not have enough for their families ; and even if some of them had a sufficiency, it was surely better that a few rich should have that which they did not want, than that' a single v.idow should be pressed down "by unde served and unjust indigence—(hear, hear, hear.) He confessed, that he had some professional partiality ; at the same time he would, hehoped, be always found to do justice to the navy. It was wished to assimilate the navy with the army. He could have no objection to any measure for that purpose, bur he hoped iswould be in a better way than by assimilating them in hard ships. It was not probable, however, an assimilation could be effected, so long as commissions were pur chased in one service, and only to be gradually ear ned in the other. Ile agreed in the necessity of eco nomy. But that only was the real and sound economy which looked out for the security and honour of the national defence—that was a false economy which, by depriving the meritorious soldier of that prospect to which he confided for the support of his family, would compromise the interests, and degxade the character of the country—(Hear, hear.) —True eco nomy was a virtue. It retrenched from the luxuries of the rich, but it would never condescend to conta minate itself with the mites which fell from the tables of the poor—( This speech teas loudly oheered.) Mr. CROKER thought it necessary to observe, that the fund from whiCh pensions were given to the widows of Naval Officers, was formed of sums which were - deducted from all the Officers of the Navy. In order to explain this, it was necessary to inform the House, that out of every hundred men granted - for the Navy, there was one man echo was called the widow's man—(A laugh.) He was afiditiosu man— (A loud laugh.) The Honourable Secretary was happy that the subject afforded merriment to the House. The fact was, that out of the hundred men, only nineti : nine men were effective—the hundredth' was a fictitious man—((ontinued roars of laughter.) The pay of the hundredth man went to the fund for widows pensions, and the administration of that fund was confided to a corporation of Naval Officers: they were obliged to divide the sum in such a way as to pension only those who were most in want of it. Some objection was made to the introduction of 'the word " charity:" but it was the expression which was used in the original warrant. From the limitation of the sum, a limitation in its administration was necessary, and the measure under the contemplation of the House went to establish a similar limitation in the army.- -Much is had been said on the subject, he doubted very much whether the Navy were not better off as to Widows Pensions. An Officer in the Navy, whe ther he was on full or on half-pay, when he married, entitled his widow to the pension. In the Army it was differcnt. Formerly, if an Officer of the Army died while on half-pay, his widow was not entitled to a pension. In 184 Xi a regulation was made, by which the widows of officers who died while on haN pay were allowed the pension ; but up to this very hour, if an officer married while he was on half-pay,' his widow would have no claim on the fund. No' nich distinctions existed iu the Navy. He thought the subject on the whole deserving of inquiry; and for one, he should wish to see it referred to the Fi nance Committee—(hear, hear). Mr. CALCRAFT thought it stranv enough, that I although a member of the Finan c e Committee (Mr. F. Lewis), had so much to state to the House on this subject, yet nothing appeared upon it in any of the Reports of that Committee—(hear, hear.) --The Noble Lord opposite had said, that the House was responsible for the measure in question. What! be cause the House pressed upon the attention of Go-' vernment the necessity of economy, was it therefore responsible ior a regulatio n which emanated from , the Prince Regent ?—(hear, hear.) —The House never recommended such niggardly economy as this. I He would ask the Noble Lord, whether he had ever heard, either himself or any of his friends advise, that the Funds for Officers' Widows Pensions, should be reduced ? No—they never thought of a piece of economy so paltry--(hear, hear.)- 7 When. Ministers resolved to keep up a large military establishment, they did not attempt to defend it by argument, and yet by the reduction of one unnecessary battalion, they would save more than they could possibly hope for by a measure of this kind—(hear, hear.) — There were many disagreeable points of difference between the Navy and the Army ; in fact, they were alike in nothing, save the glorious services which they had rendered to their country--(hear, hear)--Officers in the Army had purchased their commissions on the faith that the pensions would be continued, and the same reason which existed for not breaking faith kith the Officers who had married, should a'so ope rate in favour of those who had purchased their commissions—(hear, hear.)-.-The sum sought to be saved by this measure might be saved in a hundred other ways. 'there was not a large establishment but I might furnish its contribution to this fund, not as a charity or a be anty, but as a just reward to the Officer's Widows--(hear, hear.) Mr. WILBERFORCE concurred in the Motion. lie thought the justice of the case applied to all, and if Officers who were now married should be exemp ted from the operation of the measure, there was no reason nor justice in refusing a similar privilege to those who had purchased their commissions--(hear). It was the duty of the House to encourage every ' , feeling which would bind the Officer closer to his country, and remind him of his character as a hus band and a father. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER con fessed that the measure was a part of a great s ystem of economy—( hear, hear)—recommenaed by ParH Barnette, and adopted by Government. When that economy was pressed so strongly upon their attention,' they thought it their duty to see that a doctrine of ' I restraint which was always acknowledged, should be rendered efficacious. But if it appeared to be the pleasure of Parliament, that the fund in question should be administered with greater liberality, he should not object to it—( Cries of hear, hear). —Yet he thought it might be productive of much inwriveni ence, to entrench upon the discretion which the Crc a Lad cf issuing regulations for the Army. The Motion before the noise seethed to hint too feeiiiii; tory, and as if it dictated, rather than requested— (Ater, hsonr);=He saw there was a general and a strong feeling in the House against the measure, but before he could express himself further about it, it was necessary, as a preliminary step, that the Mo tion should be withdrawn; Mr. LYTTLETON expressed his great satisfac tion at what he had just heard from the Right Host. Gentleman. He should be sorry to interpose any thing of a harsh description, and was willing to with draw, or to modify his motion, in any manner which would meet the wishes of the Chancellor of the Ex chequer. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,' that the subject would come better from the Crown. (Cries "1 - " Withdraw"—" Withdraw.") Mr. LYTTLETON.—" If the Right llon. Gentle man will engage to advise the Crown to withdraw the regulatton,l shall instantly withdraw the motion." —(hear, hear). The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER.—" I presume I was understood to have pledged myself to g►ve that advice to the Crown":—(hear, her).—the motion was then withdrawn. LOAN BILL. Mr. GRENFELL was anxious to know, whether the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer would consent to postpone the further consideration of thy' Loan Bill, till there was a probability of obtaining a better attendance of Members. If -the Right Iron. Gen leman was determined to bring it on that night, he should be under the necessity of moving, that the House be counted, as he was desirous of delivering his opinion on the subject, conceiving it td be of the highest importance. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER re plied, that he was always disposed to give every op portunity for the discussion of any financial measure ; [ he should therefore postpone the farther proceedings lon the Bill in question till to-morrow. new cut:Rents' RILL. • On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCIIE gum', the House went into a Committee on the New Church& Bill. After a minute discussion of several of the clauses in the Committee, the House resumed, the Chairman reported progress, and asked leave to sit again on Thursday, which was agreed to. COTTON FACTORY REGULATION. The House resolved itself into a Committee on the Cotton Factory Labour Regulation Bill. On the clause that the operation of the Bill com mence four months after the Ist of September next, or on the Ist of January, an amendment was pro posed, extending the time for the commencement of the operation of the Bill, for eight months after the Ist of September, instead of four. Mr. W. SMITH objected to the amendment. By such changes the effect of the Bill might be entirely frittered away. For the advantage, and by the in terference of the opposers of the Bill, the hours of labour, at first proposed to be ten, were increased to eAen ; and now eight months were required instead' of four, by the Manufacturers, to prepare for the commencement of tlw operation of the Bill. He i strongly objected to such an extensive acquiescence. with the wishes of those who had not only opposed parts of the measure, but the very principle on which it proceeded, and who, when they could not carry their first point, exacted all that they could hope to succeed in attuning. • Mr. PEEL did not see that the amendment was so unreasonable as it had been represented : especially when it was considered that the Bill was likely to pass at a much later period of the Session than had at first been contemplated. He thought eight months not too long for the manufacturers to alter their sys tem of labour. There was another reason for the ex tension of the time. It was understood that the Bill affected differently factories worked by water, and factories where the machinery was moved by steam engines. This time might be employed by those who used water to erect engines, as the latter would not suffer so much from the Bill as the former. Mr. W. SMITH suggested, that this argument in favour of the amendment might be obviated, by al lowing only four months from the Ist of September next for the factories driven by steam to prepare for the operation of the Bill, and an extension of four months more for those driven by water. Mr. GORDON concurred in the amendment, both' because it was not unreasonable in itself, and because ' an agreement was a symptom of conciliation between the supporters and the opponents of the Bill, the lat. ter consenting on this condition, not to urge their ob jections to the principle. It was then agreed to, that the operation of the bill should not commence till the Ist of January, 1819. The next clause was, that no child should be em ployed under the age of nine years—on which, Mr. SMITH proposed an amendment to make the age 10 years. The House then divided— For the original clause - - 29 1 1 For the amendment —t7 Majority It was then agreed that no person under 16 years of age should be employed in cotton-factories for more i than eleven hours in a day. Mr. W. SMITH objected to the postponement of thy date for the commencement of the operation of the bill till January next. Sir R. PEEL thought it necessary to take some time in order to prepare for conforming to the new regulations of the Bill. The clause was then agreed The other clauses were then agreed to, and the report ordered .o be received this day. The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at a quarter past two. The estates and hop-grounds at Farnham, belong ing to the late Mr. TRIMMER, were sold by auction yesterday se'nnight at the Bush Inn, and the hop grounds brought the following extraordinary high prices:--A freehold hop-ground, measuring two roods and 26 perches, 400/. Ditto, three acres and eight perches, 1,900/. Ditto ; one acre, one rooJ, and 20 perches, SA/. On the Sd instant there was found in the Braes of Glenfine, in the united parish of Locligoiihcad and Kilmorich, the body of an old man, alic , it six feet in height. From his clothes he had the ap pearance of a pauper. It is supposed that he was overpowered with a storm, and lay for some time under the snow; there was tu,thing about him by, which his name or country Lc trALcd. LA* IA-kkiiiolikik COURT OF CHANCERY, APRIL orL WARD di? COURT---JUDONIENT • TEMPEST V. ORD ; OR TAYLOR V. ANTRIM: Judgment in this important case being to be pro= bounced this morning, the Cotirt, loon after nine o'Clock, was crowded to sleets, Lord STEV7ART,•Se; feral of the Nobility, and other persons of distinction, were present. The Lone, CuencecLoittoOlt hii *Sit on the Bench exactly at ten. His Lordship began by recapitulating all the facts of the case as they had come before him in Court, or were furnished by documents or otherwise, and as he proceede 1, made such observations, as in his judgment, the exposition warranted. His Lordship said he had carefully investigated 'all the facts of this most interesting case, and had beside seen and conversed with one of the principal Parties (Lady F.,. Tempest). He thought there was marked imprudence in the e ionilnct of Lady Antrim; but le had not discovered btioroof of the 'alleged coilu sion on the part of Lord - Stewart. He regretted ex.; ceedingry that charges of such a nature had been raised, and so publicly raised, against that Noble man, without-any just foundation which he could dis cover during his inquiry. Whether upon the decisien to whichsthe Court might hereafter come, a match between Liii d Stewart and Lady Tempest might or !night not be deemed eligible, was not necessary to anupateby inquiry or declaration now. To ex press his own opinion, honestly, he did not see that it would be a match so ineligible. He was of (ll nionehowever, that there were various facts in the case which required strict investigation ; and, under all the circumstances, he thought it right to send it to the Master, who would make his report. His Lordship was also of opinion, that, considering the imprudent line of conduct adopted by Lady Antrim, her Ladyship should be interdicted in any farther communication with her daughter pending tiie in quiry into the case. When his Lordship announced this, Sir SAMCM ROMILLY rose, and suggested to his Lordship, that probibly this measure might be somewhat qualified. He had no objection, on the part of his clients, to suffer Lady Antrim to visit Lady Tempest in the presence of Mrs. Cayes, the Governess of her Lacl}4tp. The LORD .CHANCELLOR said, he had given this part of the subject mature consideration, and had de termined that all intercourse, for the present, roust cease between the parties, and until the Court should make a contrary order. If Lady Antrim felt herself aggrieved at this, or any other proceeding of the Court, it was competent for her to come before the Court, and state such grievance. His Lordship finally ordered that the case be sent to the Master to report thereon, and that all intercourse he prevented between Lady Antrim and her.daughter, Lady Tem pest. The case then terminated for the preA..t. His Lordship was more than two hours in prone ir - cing his judgment. COURT OF KINCI:8 BEWH, APRIL se. SMITH AND OTHERS V. PLUMMER AND OTHERS. In this case an action had been brought by t` .e plaintiffs, as assignees of John Kirkpati ick, a beef:- rupt, against the de endants, as c( n ..pees of a car, , , ) of sugar and rum , which h ad been brou g ht from !re Christopter's, in the West Indies, to recover fie ea. them the freightage of the vessel This case had before been tried, and is at present no otherwise ire portant than for the following decision of the Con: - ; : Lord ELLENDOROUGH held, that money laid - oet for repairing the vessel, and the wages, was a mere debt between the Master an d the owners, for which neither the freight or cargo were liable, witho - it a specific contract; and the other Judges concurs ..g with his Lordship in this opinion, the verdict for 1.:.e whole sum of 620/.confirmed. ADMIRALTY COURT, APRIL se. VILLE DE VARSOVIR. This was an application to the Court on behalf of Lord Cochrane, praying that it would be pleased, when the . cause came on for hearing, to request the assistance of Trinity Masters, upon the grounds that the evidence was 'contained in a large number of affidavits, replete with nautical questions ; that there were four or five charts, anekeight or ten ships' logs produced, and that . the cas e turned on the relati:e position of various vessels at particular times, as al o on the distances of several points on the Coast c.i . Mit, '%ll width would• be unintelligible to ii e Court, without the assistance which is now Kays J. This was objected to on the other side, as being u:i usual ip questions of prize, and totally unnecessary in the present question, which arose on a disputed right to share in some head-money ; that if it should appear, upon the evidence being read, that their a.- sistance was requisite, it would then be time enotre z! li to make the application. Sir WILLIAM SCOTT said, that an application for the assistance of Trinity Masters, in a matter of prize, was not very common, but that it is impossible to say that questions might not arise in which their ai tendance would be most material. I have had tl:e papers before me, and think it is a case on which nautical points are very likely to arise. The Trinity Masters will not carry their inquis ies farther th,ea those points which actually belong to their province. It is very possible that they may be of considerable use; and if not, the disputed property is too lalge to make the additional expense an o b j ect. Lcr Tri nity Masters be applied to , t o attend on the sc::-:.nd I ' Session of next Term. co. The honour, delicacy, and inviolable secrecy cc.:l - with the Medical Board for the cure of p r e v ,,•). ing diseases, are manifested from the public corF dence it has acquired. : Since the Medical Board . k.is been established, at Charlotte-house, Great Charlc:7 , '- street, Blackfriars-road , and Woodstock-street, i • ford-street, upwards of Thirty Thousand 1).16-.:, •• both sexes have been restored to perfect heap:., of whom had lingered for years under the nic,-;.p.!nv ful and obstinate diseases, were pronounced incurable by respectable practitioners, and several discharged from I lospitals—such are the effects resulting frori corr.:)ineLl talents !! Messrs. CuerEn and Co. of Me dial and Surgical celebrity, aft ti;rty years expc.- rience in this Metropolis, are coisulteil daily at bv.ri houses until nine at night, and the poor have adv . ,. gratis, on Tuesday, 'llitifsday, and Sunday morning until 1‘..! o'clock.—Patients at a dist..:ace, de crihi their case, inunediat ly , attended to. All letters ti• directed to Charlotte-house; ltlacl `: i rs-mad. ► : - . arc all'A'2lCd 1`..111.:h do nr , t teat L 6 r tes !Urn that time os refused the pension alloy sources which be tie Wase surised, tie of muchsan hot H e was fully aware tha o iled strongly for ecot Sevho thought economy the well-being of th A pse on the Offi.ers' now promulgated to reward. conth without any limit or kal.The Hou , v, he clesnon upon its own make any comparisons t hey were always invid wary. He should, hove Commissions were pun so. The pensions, the to do House. luded to • der them r nel:tlati • Ainty, army 0 1 old lihc S z — ( Mr. J • cf cilia u(5. , .1,1 1. .n bon t'.7l of le their w a- r:3:e p: of a n ftse.l. y, Mr. i•L gur! • (hear • male ns hetwe( itct• tenpre C 3 None Lear) ▪ 6EII t'ne at diger by tosv ion cessi x as and Lees it the of so trim was lord Ile nose iect 1 mitt iota sub'y per. feeli kaa rant 4 in cers d t thrc b • cal oth. ra 11. ttt mos ab only !ha Lblic, the hicb. in nose ear') an Prr - rut. ti: Aare e es )f the co cad at vhicn re per- , re c 3: al .yes tc the . la eine. k the pur %you'. fthe T m ves rntion int f mid° at the W I N e. ' ' rtth 3e 5 51 ' us afte - lily for .ch s% iely th • eq uire . officci :f ~.. I r i l I I 1 f . 1 4 r i ti l l i '. • 1 f 1 ( i l 1 , ~a I 1 l i 1 II 1 (, , g 4 II .. It , 0, I , i k 1 , ,li t f i ). • , ~ 11. t . 4 ' A i f i l 1 1 I , I • 1 i i r r . , 1 A 1 : ' , i 1 • 1 ti -• 1 . t • t ) 1, 1 • I l k V 01 • , I s I ° . i; • , • 1 i ' fli t i i . a f ''', ; ,1 . , , P 4 1 1 I 4 f i I. t ; • J • i • ~ / i• i C • I i • it , i 1 A t , t ' . I . 0 . fe, '4 • I 1 $ , i