Star. — London, England, 1805-05-23 00:00:00

Mr. 1. H. BROWNE thought this medlar* did not fo peculiarty: con :ern the Univerfity of Oxford, but the whole Ecelefiaitical, LL ihlifLinen , . It was a meafure of general and not of local ap-: ii;lc.ition, and therefore he did not fee why every clergyvian might not cl,im the fame indulgence and delay as that Univerfity now did. Mr. ALEXANDER otit:Eted to the Bill. The Hoilk rid . .vrd to .like it into further canfideration on Moe day neat, and ordered it to be printed In the Committee of Supply, the CHANCELLOR of the EX. CH Egil ER moved for a grant of at,oool. to the Crinan Canal, and a grant of cc,oool. to the Northern Canal, from Invernefs to the Weftern Sea. Both of which were agreed to. The CHANCELLOR then moved the ufual grants for the cif deers of the Houk ; 3051. for deficiencies to the Serjeaut at Arms, &c. 7501. for ftationary, and other fume, for expences in printing nirnals, ace. which were carried son. con. and the report ordered to be received to. morrow. Mr. HUSKISSON obtained leave to bring in a Bill to enable Commiffioners in certain cafes to grant vouchers without being Stamped according to Act of Parliament. A hlefrage from the Lords announced their Lordfhipe affent to fevcral Private Bills for Inclofures, &c. PAYMASTER'S orrscs RILL. The Houfe went into a Committee on the Bill, when a conven. arofe between Dr. Lawrence and Mr. Rafe, which tame '', t, d in the adoption of a fiiygellion of Dr. Lawrence. for info t claufe to enforce the return of oill:ial original vouchers. The report was ordered for Friday.. The Houfe rcfolccd to gadn:o a *Committee to-morrow on the kith Stamps. Mr. SHAW, Mehber for Dublin, prefcnted a Petition from the Bakers of Dublin ' which was referred to a Committee of all the Inch Members, Scc. On the motion of Mr..IIUSKISSON,. the Mute refolved to yo into a Committee to-ism:row on the Poft Horfe Farming Duty Bill. On the motion of Mr. HUSBISSON, the Houfe rcfolvcd to go into a Committee of Ways and Means on The rcraitting orders bang edge through, f..e Hirife adjourned at Icirca o'clock. LONDON. THURSDAY, MAY :3. A:CINSION—Hoar Thiuttsonr. The opition thX the Combined Fleets have never returned to Cadiz fince they left that port on the .oth feems rather to be firengthened than invalidated, by the bllnwing communication by the Lords of the Admiralty, as an anfwer to an application made by a refpeetable body of merchants, for information re. freeting them Or if they were in that port on the 22d, it would appear they failed again the fame night. COPY OF THE WASP'S REPORT. " Monday, April 21, Sun-fe t. The toWn of Rota, bearing N. E by E. about two miles, faw it anchor in the Roads of Cadiz, a 8 fail of men of rue, so fail apparently of the line, with top gallant yards mots, and 'Ws bent, except two very large Spanifb, no tonallant yards up; one of them Vice-Admiral's. Eight flip= fl , iqg. viz one Spanifh, at the main—one French (a:.. a Cummodor-'s broad pendant) at the fore .—and three Spanifh, two at the wizen—the outer ship very large, with a French flag at the fore, at anat.r very near the Porpoifes." COPY OF THE RETRACT FRO:1 THE ¶OURNAL (), H. M. CUTTER THE VIPFR. " Tuefday, April 13, 1805. Light airs and stre weather. P. M. at three, abreaft of the town of St. Mary's, ohferved two I.ne-of-battle chips, each with a red flag at the fore, and Englith colours at their enfign ftaffs—the one bad her topfails bent, the other had no fails 1 alfo nine poLt cres and several intalkr veffels with pendants. The colours [could not well rake out. Difplayed our number, which was not an (veered; hauled to the wind. At five we plainly perceived they were enemies. A fort at Sr. Mary's teed four !hots at us; half paft tacked. A.M. at ten (poke a bark from Malaga bound to at. Lucar, from sr_hotre we gained intelligence, that on the 9th the French fleet from Toulon, confiding of it fail of the line, have-to off Cadiz, dueswigs fleet, of 3 f.il of the line, joined them on the path. They bore away to the Weftward (the wind then blotting frefh to the Eallward), with 19 fail of the line, befida frigates and (mall atrituwing to thirty, with 23,0r0 trOsps. This man gained this intelligence from the matter of a Dana yard that was ft Cadiz at that period. Monday, 6th May, frefh breezes and .• buy, wind S.E. P. M. brought to and boarded the Speculator cutter privateer of Guernfey. The inttlligence I gained from the matter was, that on the 3d it.ftant, in ht. 44. 10ng.15. W. from the matt head obferved t 7 fail, which appeared to be line of bat tle Chips, fleeting about S. W. At two Gil in, and made CAM At noun the Land's End N.N.E 67 leagues." It is reported that Government have fence received information that on the ad of May the Combined Fleets were not iti Cadiz. We are inclined to believe that there mull be fome miilake in the report of the WASP, as to the enemy being in Cadiz on the 22d April. The moll prevalent opinion now is, that they never did return after failing on the loth. It is alfo reported that Lord NELsom not finding the combined f t quadrons at Cadiz, had come home for inftruaions, and was oil' Scilly. This, certainly is not true. We do not believe that Government have had any difpatches from Lord NtLsow after his pat ling the Strcights of Gibraltar. They have furely, however, taken the precaution long fince, of fending out inflruaions for him, on his arriving there, in or der to enable him to co-operate with the other parts of our naval force, and to direct his exertions where they will be molt required. Letters from Gibraltar, dated the 29th of April, received in town yeflerday, make no mention of the combined fleets having returned to Cadiz, or of Lord NELSON'S fleet. Private letters have been received from France, which Elate, that the combined Toulon and Cadiz fquadrons are not intended to aa in concert, or to proceed to the fame dellinatioa ; that the °Neel of the French was to get out the Spaniards, that the latter might proceed to the Well Indies; but that the deflination of the Toulon fquadron is the Eaft Indies, and that the fquadrons having failed together till they got into a certain latitude, were then to feparate.— This information would have appeared more credible, if we had not learnt within thefe two days, that at the very time when the combined fleets failed from Cadiz, the French fleet at Ferrol was alfo attempting to put to tea ; and we alfo know that the (hips iu the Texel have lately been more than ufually aaive getting ready for tea. From all thefe circumflances we cannot but confider .t hi;11Iy probable, as we !Wed yeacrdry, that the Fleets may have intended to !teal round • by the Nortit tf Scotland to bring out the Dutch fleet, and then come down the Channel. It is poill ble, however, that their ultimate movement might depend on the event of their being )(kited by the (qua dron from Ferrol, in which having been difappoint ed, they may have a very different deftination. We are happy to find that the force under Admi ral CULLING WOOD, properly aored and provifioned for a long voyage, has failzd from Plymouth (See our port letters). Of its deftination, however, we know nothing. Difpaiche:arrived at the Admiralty this morning from Lord KRITH, Rating, that the enemy on the op polite coati are in motion : our blockading fquadron keeps a watchful eye on them. We have received Dutch papers to the t9th Another Gottenburgh Mail has al.o arrived. It appears from the foreign Journals that as little is known on the Continent as in England, refpe.ting the daination of the combined fleets. By the Paris intelligence which comes down to the 14th, we find that a report had prevailed there for fome days that the force which failed from Cadiz on the loth ult. had proceeded for Lifbon and taken poffeflion of that city ; and that an Eriglifh convoy of five Chips of the lint, from fixty to eighty merchant *rips and trauf. ports, and about four thoufand troops, bound to Gi braltar and Malta, had been captured by them. The fame report, we find, was in general circulation on the Continent ; we have, however, reafon to know i that no reliance was to be placed on it ; and it ap• pears that it was generally difcredited at Paris on the ILth inftant. Boitaram was expelted to arrive at Milan on the 94 of this month. All the troops in the Milanefe were to be encamped at Caftiglione, during the fo journ of the Emperor and King in that City. On the itch infant, . M. SCHIMMILTINNINCK, in his quality d Grand Penfionary, opened the fig Sell lions of the E.ates General under the recent Batavian Conftitution. His fpeech, which is of confidefable length, contains little that would be regarded either as new or intereltink. The deplorable Rate of the Dutch finances form the principal feature in his ad-1 drefs, and it is reluttantly avowed, that the receipts I ate fcarcely fuEficient to defray the intereft of the debt. He deprecates the idea of any failure in their pecuniary engagements, and propofes to obviate the inconveniencies refulting from the &frit, by introduc ing,order and economy into the national expenditure. A letter from Hamburgh, dated May 4, Rates as follows :--The King of Pruffia, a fern weeks ago, tranfmitted the infignia of the French Order of thi Legion of Honour to the reigning Duke of Brunswick. His Serene Highnefs, however, in- Randy returned them, with a letter to his Prullian Majefly, expreffing his obligations for this intended additional mark of his Majefty's favour, but begging leave to decline accepting it, becaufe in his quality of Knight of the molt noble and ancient Order of the Garter, he was prevented from receiving any badge of chivalry inttituted by a power at war with the So vereign of that Order. The Emperor of Germany, the moment he was apprifed that the French Am balrador at Vienna had orders to prefent the infignia of the Legion of Honour to his brothers the Arch duke CH AItLE s and FERDINAND, created them Xnights of the Golden Fleece, by which they are prevented from accepting any Order of a more recent date. There was a report very current in town yefterday, that a revolt had taken place in Sweden under the influ ence of France. It was even Paid, that the perfon of the King had been put under confinement. We true there is little or no foundation for this report. It is very peflible, however, that the intrigues of France may be at work to produce tome fermentation to engage the attention of the King at home. There is no doubt that, if any ferious commotion were to take place, the King would be fuppotted by Ruffia. Formerly Ruffle fupported the Republican party, and France the Royal. Circumaances, however, have changed. Indeed, no perfon who has attended to what has for ionic time been going on among the Northern Powers, can doubt, for a moment, that the Court of tockholm has taken a tingle ftep in any part of its Diplomatic iatercourfe with France, without confult ing the Court of St. Peter (burgh. Difpatches were this morning received at the Ad miralty, from Sir SAMUEL Hoop on the Leeward Ifland Ration—have not yet been able to learn the particulars. Three expreffes for different parts of Ireland were fent off in the courfe of yeflerday. Of the object of tilde communications nothing has tranfpired. An Order has paired for extending the embargo to all (hips bound to Ireland. A letter from Xuma, ( Bahamas) dared the 3d of April, Rates as follows It is reported here, that right or nine fail of thc line, (French) with (loops and brigs, in all 25 fail, have arrived at the Havannah." Gottenburgh papers to the I tilt init. have been re ceived. On the preceding day the order for with drawing the troops affembled on the frontiers of Swedifis Pomerania, was publifhed in the Stockholm Gazette. They are to be encamped for the fummer in the province of Scania. COVENT GARDEN.—LaII night Mrs. I.ITCHFIELD, as the well deferves, had a very crowded and brilliant bode to her benefit. The two tint tiers of boxes were fplendidly fined, and moll parrs of the Theatre overflowed at the tiling of the cortlin. Covrtcrar r. Idtt.ts has been de clared duly elided for COventry, by a area: majority over Mr. PARC Y. WEST INDIA MEETING. Yefterday a very numerous and refpellabte meeting of the Weft India Merchants, refident in London, .was held at the London Tavern, for the purpofe of taking into confideration the late occurrences in the Welt India Elands, and for other fpecial purpofes. Lord 1 3 / 1 11Hym in the Chair. A fier the Requifition, figned by a great number of 1 Gentlemen prefent, was read ; Mr, Masonic rote, and, in a moft impreffive fpeech, addreffed the Meeting. He adverted to th e very important purpofe for which they were ahem bled, and prelfed the neceflity of taking fume mea lures, with refped to their colonial polreffions. He laid he had tome refolutions to propofe to the Meet ing, expreffive of their acknowledgments to the offi cers and foldiers, who had In bravely defended the Ifland of Dominica, from the late attacks of the ene my; and expatiated with great eloquence upon the gallant and meritorious conduft 6f General Plummy, to whom, in the fir( inflame, he moved the warmed thanks; which was agreed to unanimously. He next called the attention of the Meeting to the gallant and almoll unprecedented condua ofthe offi cers in his Majefly's fervice, and thofe ferving in the colonial forces, to whom In much was due for their fpirited refinance of an enemy of fo very fuperior a force, in their attack on St. Rupert', the 22d of Fe bruary lan. He then moved the thanks of the meet ing to thole gallant heroes, which was unanimously carried. After Come converfation between Mr. MANNINO, Mr. Lower, Mr. GEORGE HISBERT, Mr. HAS KIT, and fome other Gentlemen, it was alfo agreed that the Chairman fhould tranfmit a letter from the Meeting to General Prevolt, expreffive of their acknowledg ments to the non commillioned ()Ricers and privates belonging to his Majedy's regular forces, and alfo to the non-commillioned officers and privates comporiug the Colonial forces of the Ifland of Dominica. for their very gallant and fpirited relitlance of the enemy on the 22d of February, to be communicated to them by that General in the warmed terms. This motion was alfo unanimottfly cart ied. Mr. httatra two then obferved, that a farther tribute of their gratitude was due to General Prevo(f, as a fmall token of their obligations for his fervices ; he had originally intended to propole, that a fword (the moll appropriate gift to a brave officer) &mild be voted to him, as was ufual in moll cafes of the fame nature; but this had been anticipated by the Patri otic Society at Lloyd's, which had already voted him a (word of confiderable value; he therefore thought, the next moil acceptable gift would be a piece of plate, kith an appropriate infcriptian ; and moved: that the fame, of the value of 2CO guineas, fhould be prepared, under the infpedion of the Chairman and a Committee to be appointed for that purpofe, and prefeated to that gallant General; the expence of which fhould be. defrayed out of the general funds. Mr. LAW obferved, that there funds were in a very profperous Rate, and, therefore propofed, that the value of the piece of plate, inflead of being zoo, fhould be 300 guineas. After a few obfervations, the refolution, with this amendment, was unanimoufly agreed to. Mr. Lotto then called the attention of the Meeting to another fubjed, relative to a communication which he had had by their dircdinns with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, upon the fubjed of the average prices of fugars and rice, in reference to the new duties upon thole articles. After time converfation with the Miniller and Mr. Hufkiffon, he received for an fwer, that the propofitions fent in by the Weft India Merchants, were not ful6 , :iently fpeciiic ; and, until more particular and precife prlporitions were laid be fore him, he could not fs)rin any conclufion upon the fubjed. He, therefore propofed, that there propod dons fhould be referred to the Standing Committee, for the purpofe of their confider ing the matter, and ailing accordingly. He then dated, that he alfo had a communication with the Minifler relative to the late attack upon our Wed Indian poffellions, and the meafures adopted by Government for the better fe curity and defence of thole 'Rands. To all his ob. fervations and interrogatories upon that fubjed, 4 , e had received only a gereral anfwer, that Govern ment had taken the necefiltry Reps for the fecurity and protection of the Weft Indies, without going into any particular information upon that head. Mr. HAWKEY role and addreffed the Meeting. He thought the fubjeet before them fhould be treated on a much more extenfive and comprehenlive fcale ; and called upon them to lay all the circumftances at large before Government and the whole kingdom. He cnnfidered that the late unfortunate events which oc curred in the Weft Indies were entirely owing to two caufes: ill, the want of unanimity a m ring ft themfelves; and, 2dly, the grofs neglect of Government, with regard to the defence of thole Minds againft the at tacks of a foreign enemy. In the fit it place, with re gard to the quellion before them, on the fuhjed of the average prices, he could not but oblerve, that there were no part of his Majefty's fubjeds already In over burthened as the Weft India Merchants. For his own part, as a planter of the Ifland of Grenada, he felt it in a very confiderable degree—every man who knew him, was well allured he was a man mod firmly attached to his country and government, and he would molt willingly, at any time, give not only 50, but too per Cent. of his property, towards its welfare and fecurity—but he could not pafs over the idea which had gone abroad with refped to the Weft India Merchants, without fome obferva don. The public had formed the notion, from the various mifreprefentations that had gone forth, that, let what misfortune foever happen to that part of the globe, either by hurricanes, infurreelions, or at tacks of the enemy, no matter which, the Well India Merchants were able to bear all ; they were rich enatigh to fullain all fuch loffes ; and, what between the Slave Trade, and various other local circumftances, which had been molt grofly mif reprefented, they were held in general difrepute.— No allowances whatever were made for the failure of crops (which fo frequently occurred) from the nature of the climate, the infurredion of Raves, or the attacks of an enemy ; the latter of which had fo recently happened ; and, taking all the circum fiances into confideration. the Wed India proprietors were already overburthened more than they well could bear; he therefore was of opinion, that fome mtaiirres fhould be adopted, in order to lay the whole matter before Government, and the public, and to convince the world that the Wert Indian MerchAnts were grcrs!y mirreprefented, calumniated, and aholed. The nt tt p gut Le referred to was, the ineafisrei adopted by Government for the pre.teelion of the Weft Indian Mad.; and upon takir ga L,..-- neral view of the ibbjcZt, he a ntendcd, th it in :A mol ever; inflance there 1% as a grofs negleCt on the part of the Government of this country towards thnfe moll valuable poffeffions. He begged leave to die, if the French Iquadron, which had fo lately vilited thole parts, had the flightell idea that the Government of this country had been fo dilatory and negligent in taking (Ups for their defence, and that fo long a term could have elapfed, fince their firft appearance in that quarter, without any effort being made, or any farce fent out to refill them, whether they would have been fatisfied with the few depredations they had committed, or whether they would not have followed it by much more ferious and decifive ope rations ? Even at the prefent moment, there was . no certainty whatever es to the deflination of the Toulon fleet, nor any affurance from his Majefly's Minifters, that any pofitive Reps have been taken to augment the forces in the 'Well Indies, and in the ' event of their purfuing their courfe to that quarter s what was to be expected ? He was one of the Taft men in the world who would willingly depreciate the :+ condo& of Government ; he had never been in the habit of doing fo, but quite the contrary. However, in the prefent care, he could not but mak e th o l e oh!. fervations, and he did not fo entirely blame Govern. ment ; for, he again repeated, the primitive caufe • of the prefent alarming dilemma in which they were involved, arofc from the want of unanimity amongft themfelves ; he, therefore, thought, that, under all the circumftances of the cafe, it was abfolutely nectfrary they fbnold adopt fotne plan, to lay the fajta, in the tolled manner, before the country at large ; frr which purpofe he moved, " That the fub. .' jett thould be taken into contideration, and means adopted for effeet;ng that moil defirable objeZt." . Mr. Gaosos lissai.a r perfeely coincided in the oblervations made by the Hon. Gentleman ; but he confidered the fiat aka of the meeting war recpecl. ing the average prices, which fhould be fettled.— Hereafter themotion might be very well made ; and i in the mean time, he moved that a Committee fhould be appointed to devife the belt way of bringing the fubjeel before the public. Mr. HANRIT Paid, he had not the - leali objedion to withdraw his motion for the prefent—but expreffed his firm intention of bringing the fubjeft forward on a future day, of which he would hereafter give notice —he per fealy agreed in the motion propofed by the Hon. Gentleman, which was accordingly carried unanimoufly. _ The meeting, after Come limber general con►cr Cation, broke up. NAUTIC4L INTELLIGENCE. PLYMOUTH, MAY 21.—This morning failed from Cawfand Lay, the DREADNOUGHT, of 913 guns, It.- sra ious,of 74 guns, MINOTAUI, of 74. guns, MARS, of 74. guns, RAI4 ILLIAS, of 74 sans, Baci.saorisos, of 74 guns, CULL, stis, of 74. Our, TONSTANT, of SO guns, ACHILLS, of 8o guns, Its PULSE, of 74 guns, and RAISOWASLE, of 64 guns, all to the weltward, with a fine breeze at E. S. E. which will alto enable the French• fleet to put to tea if they feel difpofed.— Came in the NeMEsic, of 28 guns, from the eaftward, with, a fleet under convoy : CH aka tit gun b:ig, from Portfmoutb : Taowea ;not armed fhip from Ireland : and the Danifh barque Maren Rofencrontz, FALHEN BURG H mailer, from Frederickftsdt, with timber, for his Majefty's yard. Paled by, the Ills, of soguns, wiih the fleet for Newfoundland. PORTSWWTH, MAY 21.—Sailed this morning his Majefty's fhips TRIUMPH and LEDA, with a fleet of tranfports under convoy for Cork : fince which a boat was difpatched to order the following fhips, viz. the Duke of Ilronte, Anna, Alert, Henry, Symme- try, Three Sitters, Unity, Archimedes and Ganges, to return to Spithead, till further orders—three of which have only returned, and it is not expeEled the remainder will be overtaken. Arrived the Jamaica. from the Downs. Sailed his Majefly'sfhips Eurittyce, Merlin, ri evoyante, and Locull, with the fleet under convoy for the Mediterranean ; Defender gun brig, for Guernfey ; Tickler gun brig on a cruize ; alto the Ills man of war, and the Rattler flop of war for Newfoundland, leaving the convoy behind, after giving them inflrations.—Wind Eaflerly. DEAL, MAY 22.--SAiled the ATALANTA and HUM sea Chops of war, with the Royalift and Otbourn tranfports, and feveral outward bound vac's under convoy, for Portfmouth ; MARINER gun brig, with difpatches for the fqoadron off (Mend; Devarre- TION and LUCIFER bombs, on a cruize. Wind S. E. i s M=. FROM LLOYD'S LIST. GRAVMWD, MAY 2 L—Pa Ted by, the Timbers Keller, Brigge, from Norway ; Hercules, Underberg ; Winter, Falk ; and Mu betlacht, Norman, from D.unz!e. Letters have been received from the fquadron and convoy under the command of Sir THOMAS TROU BRIDGE, dated the 7th init. lat.o. long. 2 I. all well. When they were thirty leagues S. W. of Ufhant, the Admiral herd of the departure of the Toulon fleet, and shaped his courfe accordingly. The fleet had met with bad weather, much wet and cold. The Camden and Devonlhire Et Indiamen had loft their fore top mans, and vete not refitted when the ad vices came away. Extra& of a letter from on board one of the fri gates under the orders of Lordlslsasort, dated on their palfage to Gibraltar, Cape de•Gatt, about go leagues Well, April 21 : - - . it Is afcertaincd, that the enemy's fleet puffed Gibraltar on the gth initant, confining of t i fail of the line, 7 frigates, and three brigs—cn the loth they arrived off Cadiz, where they were joined by the Spanifla with five fail of tile :lac, and one frigate, in lefs th..ti three hours, and all proceeded to the Weftward, with a frelh E.Aterly wind. Sir joint Oant's fquadron, confining of s fail of the line, and a or; frigates, eight in all, were in fight iron• Cadiz at the time the enemy were lying-to off that place. (Jur Chief certainly had an opinion the enemy won bound Ealtward, and for that reafon remained to the fouthward of Sardinia to intercept them. It is unfortunate, that at the very time our fleet had ftrong North-Weil breezes, the enemy carried a frefh ilafterly gale—this has given them fo great a !tart, that it prceluda all lives of our ovt.etaking them. The fleet are gt vire to the WeftwArd as fait u variaNle winis will allow them. The .Amazon 1.1 fent to Lifbon for information. The general opinion is, that the enemy are gone to !retard, and i ho'e the Fifgsrd, who failed from Gil - hours after the enemy pared, bound off Ulbant and ' tt may yet a-head of 'het, Gentlernee information. Captain Capcl, of the Phtrbe, is left Mediterranean, with t:. - Le of row frigates and k•t his command. Captain So:Leron I. Rationed at Excellent." Gll;raltar w five and Ireland with ten to give timely t to cruize in ale •me !loops undet Naples with the [Taw own