Star. — London, England, 1801-03-28 00:00:00

111 4 feqttent confent of Minifters he attributed Mt to nod faith, but to the fucceffes of the French in I ta ly, which rendered the acquifition of troops of little value, and to the reprefentattons made by Sir John Douglas of the formidable pofition of the Army of the Eatl. The Right Hon. Gentleman wished the French out of Lgypt : but, would it nut be fomething orange, if one man withed ano ther out of a room, to bar the windows and lock the doors? In Egypt, however, the French were, and there he feared they would for ever remain. I-IL appealed to the Right Hon. Gentleman now at head of his Majetly's councils. I have already, laid he, heard much from that Right Honourable Gentleman to confole me. He expreffed himfelf Jecidedly friendly to immediate negotiation, and declared himfelf languine as to the tfrue of it. In u ppofition to the declaration of certain Gentle men, that he aeled upon their principles, I have heard him with difdain affirm, that he adhered to vu feet, and was conneCted with no party—l have heard him feverely reprehend the fcurrility and abufe itb which it has been the habit of certain Gentlemen to load the Rulers of France. After etpreffing at tonic length his approbation of the fentiment s delivered by Mr. Addington, on Wcd ncfday night; he laid, he regretted very much that nOtwithftanding thefc he had oppofed an inquiry. It was ftrange that he did not wills the ftate of the wife' to be examined when he took the command, that it might have been teen whether he embarked in a found bottom or in a mere wreck with gaudy colours, unable to meet the coining form. He fhould be (till more furprized and mortified if the Right Honourable Gentleman (honk' fay that a cafe for inquiry had not been made out in the pre fent inflance. If he extended the broad fhield of his influence to face his predeceffors, he would not aft an independent part, but would make himfelf a Iharer in the guilt with which he had not been originally Rained. Lord HAWKESSIIItY read over a lift of papers which he contented fhould be laid before the Houfe. After a few obfervations with regard to Sir Sidney Smith's initiations he then fpoke to the following to cf :—As an alltifion has been made by the Ho nourable Gentleman to the new Minitler, I think it right, Sir, to fay a few words upon this fubjea. I am fully aware of the difficulties with which this country has to ftruggle: Our fituation is indeed Critical. I truft, however, that by prudence, tem perance, and energy, we ffiall be extricated from oar prefent fittiation. Whoeter fairly confiders the flate of affairs in this country, and in Europe, can not pollibiy fuppofe that I was ambitious to fill my prefent fituation. Had I coufulted My own cafe and tranquillity of mind, I (hould moil tatainly have declined it. But I accepted it from a fence of public duty, and while I fill it, I hope I than dif charge its funftions with al iduity and diligence. I do not look upon myfelf as ttonnd to give any far ther explanation of my motives. As to the fpeech of my Right Hon. Friend, I believe that he Rated this onll., that we were not blind inftrumenu in the bands of other*, but that we would purfue that line of condud which from circumßances Should Teem to us molt defirable. I have no hefitation in faying, and I believe I may fay the fame for us all, that we fully approve of thole efforts which have been made to root out jacobinifm from thiscountry, and that we approve of the principles on which the war Was undertaken and has been carried on. The Noble Lord then proceeded to Rate that he Rewire ditapproved of the inquiry, becaufe lie thought if there was any fubjeEt calling for inquiry, it fhould be brought before the Houk by a diflind and fpecific motion. • Mr. PITT rofe to repel the charge brought againft him of now being humbled. He had often defended himfelf from the charge of arrogance, and he would now as obftinately maintain that not withflanding his weak reply, he never was lets humbled. No alteration had taken place upon the exiles, and he fhould be grieved indeed, if they were more ready to grant the paper out of office than in office. He never oppofed the produftion of a pa per buvit one or two grounds, either becaufe no Parliamentary ground had been made out by tile perfon who moved for it, or becaufe it might be inconVenient or dangerous to make it public. He thought that in this iitftance Parliamentary ground had been made, and as no great inconvenience would follow from the papas being made public, he was happy to vote for the prodattion of them— had he remained hi office he tufted he fhould have done the fame. He maintained there was no one who knew what full powers were that would main tain Sir Sidney Smith was in poffeffion of them.— ThougA he had had power, Minifters could have no fulPicion he would exercife it I and the moment they knew he haAdone what legitimately he could not do, they Mated orders that the Convention Mould be adhered to. Our condo& ;and of be ing an inftance of ill-faith, was a ftriking proof to the world of the honour and integrity of the Bri tifh nation, as the glorious exploits of Sir Sidney Smith were of the gallantry of the Britifh arms. After a great variety of other obfervations, Mr. Pitt concluded by delivering a molt eloquent pa negyric on this meritorious officer. He commend ed Mr. Jones's zeal in trying to procure hint an annuity at the India Houle ; but he thought he fhould be rewarded, not as the negotiator at El ifch, but as the defender dfAcre. Sir WILLIAMS PULTI.NIY thought that the pa pert offered to be produced would communicate very important information, but withed that the Noble Lord fhould more clearly explain how far tl.:1 would promote the °Ned of the motion? Mr. GIORGI! Foessonav admitted that in the Pap ers which the Noble Lord was willing to pro duce, alosoft all were contained which would be effential for the foundation of judgment to the Hunk. He could not, however, agree with (eve rtl of the riitions which a Right Hon. Gentle men (Mr. Pitt) had advanced in the courfe of the debate.. The Right Hon. Gentleman had Paid that he poft.f.d ac little humility at this moment as at any period of his pu blic life. As the Right Hon. Gentleman had pleated to fay Co, he was hound to give credit to his afertion ; but he was at the fame time bound to Rate that nothing but filch a declaration could have convinced him that :hate were the feelings be new indulged. He could not help laying, h - ,wever, that notwithftanding this difavowal of humility, the reafon now alledgcd for the produdion of the papers was one of the molt extraordinary he bad ever heard dated, when taken in connedion with the Right Hon. Gentle man's former affertions. It was laid that the French Government had publifhed certain letters which tended in force degree to implicate the cha t-lEler of this country, and that the produCtiOn of the Papers in quellion was neceffary to vindicate its honour. But what fort of language was this in the mouth of the Right Hon. Gent. who had lent years in reprobating whatever was contieeted with the French Government ; who had afcribed to it every thing atrocious, and who had reprefentcd its Rate merits as utterly unworthy of all credit or regard ? Was it confiftent then for a Right Honourable Gentleman who had held loch language to come forward now, and to fay that a charge made by this very Government, In long the topic of his de clamations* and the theme of his abute, was a la ficient reafon for the produdion of papers, which had for their objet to free the country from the imputation of a criminal violation of good faith ? The affertions of a Government whole Ratements had hitherto been defcribed as unworthy of the trnallea regard, the Right Honourable Gentleman affured the Houk was a fufficient reafon to pro duce the papers, while the fatal consequences of the violation of the Convention ; while the ex pence of fitting out an army for the expultion of the French from Egypt ; while the probability of the French army having obtained a permanent fettlement in that country was no reafon what ever for their produdion ! How the Right Ho nourable Gentleman could reconcile this to con• fiftencr he was unable to difcover, but be left it for the Right Honourable Gentleman to fettle this queftion. No more could he agree with the Right Honourable Gentleman in Isis pofition, that Sir Sidney Smith was vetted with no power to conclude a treaty or Conyention which he judged to be advantageous to the interefts of his country. He was- willing, indeed, to allow that he was not the Commander in Chief, but that Lord Keith held the principal command. He would Rate, however, explicitly, that this gallant officer had the chief command on the coaft of Egypt ; that he had the principal Mare in the management of thole troops which were compofed of our Turkifh allies. In the ettercile of this com mand, if thefe allies were ready to confent to a convention, he did merely what -was natural, in ftipulating for the interelts of thislcountry. The Right Honourable Gentleman had, however, talked much of the eminent good faith of this country in obferving the paffports which were granted after they were informed that fuch a Convention bad been ellablifbed ; but on this part of the fubjcft he was not inclined to agree with the Right Honour able Gentleman's definition of good faith. How it might be aced, had this good faith been dd! played After the French had aftually given up, in terms of the Convention, many ftrong polls which they had previoufly occupied, after a part of the troops had aftually embarked on their re turn to France, the authority of good faith had been fo much refpated, that when intercepted by Englifh eruifers, they were carried to Toulon, ut to any other port of France in terms of the Con vention—No ; they were allowed to proceed, not to the place of their dellination, but were landed again in the place whence they came. So much was that good faith of which the Right Honour able Gentleman boated obferved after the period that the Convention was fettled. He was not pre -pared, indeed, now to fay, that he fimuld give a vote on the produftion of thefe papers to criminate Minifters. He had not yet read the papers, but he mould conceive it his duty to perufe them atten tively, to enable him to give a fair judgment on the queftion. Mr. Pier, ht explanation, obferved, that he did not fay the charge made by the French Go vernment was the caufe of his affent to the pro dation of the papers. He had Rated other rea lons, but men might have impeded ideas of them who law through the eyes of M. Tallien, however good they might have returned from Egypt. Mr. Fox, on the other hand, forcibly maintain ed that the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Ponfonby) had fairly combated the arguments which had been Rated on the fubjeft of the fcrupulous oblervance er good faith. It was impollible, he argued, to conceive that, confidering the fituation of Lord Elgin, he Would not be called upon by the Turks to grant paffports to the French who wished to re turn to their own country, in terms of the Con vention, and it was the duty, therefore, of Mini fters to refpea their pafports in the moll facred manner. Yet when was it that Minifters thought proper to difcover their fcrupulous regard to good th ? Though they could not deny that our Mini her might have granted pafports, fo far were they from refpetling thefe pledges of fecurity, that many of the troops returning under this fccurity, were immediately fent back to the country they had agreed to evacuate. Mr. Pier explained, infinuating that his argu ments and language had been mifinterpreted. On this Mr. Fox role, and in the moll dire& terms difclaimed the charge of ever %%irking to mifinterpret the arguments of any Member of the Houle, and concluded by enforcing his former Ikatement. . . . . Mr. NICHOLLS (poke at fome length in favour of the motion of his 'Honourable Friend who brought forward the fubjeB, pointed out the di4 aftrotts confequences which had refulted from the violation oldie Convention of EI-Arifch, and con tended that it was a fit fuhjc& of inquiry to afcer tain the caufes of an event which bad entailed ex pence and trouble on the country. Mr. Hoseovsr was unwilling to go into any length into the fubjett, hut could not help etprel ling his curenie fin prife at the reafon offered by the Es-Minillers for the produftion of tittle Pa pers on the prefint occafion, which had fo often been moved for beftwe without effeet. It was laid that a charge was brought forward by . the French Government which the proshation of the ' Papers was neceffary to repel. But was it for gotten that, as often as any ftatemefitt of the FreacbGaverameat had been urgedjaa grand of inquiry, to often had it been cohtznded that tl,:tl Ratements could not be depended on, and even no fit fubjeas of inquiry ? It was further a fair mid: Lion to afk why, if thefe charges were luppoled to be a fit grotthd for the produCtion of papers, they were not produced at a much earlier period of the Sefton ? As the charges appeared in the Moniteur of the sgth of January, and no motion had been madefor theproduetion of the documents by which they were to be rep'ellecl, it was fair to argue that filch a Motion never would have originated with the late Minifters. Mr. ME reit LFE laid, that as an allution had been made to the Eall India Company, he mutt obferve, that a great deal more tlrefs vas laid on the dangers arifing from the French in Egypt than there was any ground for. There was no trembling fit in the Court of Direetors, as had been Rife:led. file event hereafter will prove, that it never had been the in- tention of Bonaparte to make any attempt againft the Englifh potleffions in the Eatt Indies, and if he ever had any Inch intention, it would have been impoffible for him to hat.e carried it into cf fee : he could never have tranfportcd his army through the Indian Ocean : for betides the proba bility of being intercepted by Britifh flips of war, he could never procure a fufficicnt number of tranf ports to convey his t 5,000 troops (it would require 30,000 tons of (hipping to do fn) : and ftill more difficult would it be for him to get his army to In dia by land. Betides, the very circumilance of his proceeding to attack Acre, proved that he had no Inch intention, for be wouldotherwife have proceed. ed direCily to Suez. As long, therefore, as England continued miltrefs of the lea, flue could never be al feted by the occupatiiin of Egypt by the French. Mr. ROBSON was very warm in fupport of the Motion : adverted to the orders fent out to Lord Keith by the late Minillers, which he held of them (elves to be a fufficient ground of their impeach- ment ; and concluded by pointing out the enor mous expense of the expedition which had failed againft the trench in Egypt, by which no lcfs than the produce of fix or eight years of the Income ' Tax would be confumcd. Kr. JoNrs in reply litia, the Direetors were charged with making wry faces when they heated of Bonaparte's invation of Egypt. A. h' under-- Rood that the papers relative to Egypt -::ere to be produced, he was, on that condition, r:.Ady to withdraw his motion. Mr. Parr Gid, that no fuch compromife was made'whh the Hon. Gentleman. Mr. Tr ERNEY laid, that if that was the cafe, the debate ought to be adjourned ; hecanfe many Gen tlemen, who otherv.ife wouid have remained to fupport his Hon. Friend's motion, went away, from an idea that fuch a coniromife had been made. After this a converfttinn cnfued betwixt Mr. Tierney, Lord Hawkefbury, Mr. Sheridan, and Sir F. Burdett, in the course of which the proprie ty of an adjournment of the debate till Monday WAS fugge Red, and a motion madefor that purpole. The queflion was put on this motion, which was negatived without a divifion, as was alfo the original motion for a Committee of Inquiry. Lord Hawaa sauay's motion for the pmdnc- Lion of a variety of papers relative to this fubjca was then put 'rid carried. LONDON. SATURDAY, MARCH A PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Confab 581—for acc.sl3H—Oniniom 61. PRICK Ok STOCKS YhZ.TEKDAY : Imp. Ann. n 3-t6l Oninium 61 51 6 Bank for Ace. t6O India for Acc. 194 Qat. for April sBl*l Bank Stock 3 pi' Cent. Ned. that 3 per C. Coal. 541. 4 per Cent.Conf. Mut t per C. Navy pal 969t} kap. 3 per C. 57 t This morning arrived the Hamburgh Mail of the 13th, which being of a date prior to th.tt re ceived on Thurfday, the intelligence it brings is of little importance. This morning a Mail was received in town from Halifax, with Letters of the 28th of February, brought to Portfmouth in the Hu: D frigate. It is now generally believed that a negotiation for peace will foon be entered upon between this Country and Franee.—Mr. OTTo, by the veffel arrived from Calais, received a difpatch from the French government, in anfwer to let ters which he fent off lail week, and which are fuppofed to have contained an intimation. that the Britifh blinitiers arc defirous of fending a Nego tiator to Paris, or any cther place more conveni ent, for the purpofe of putting an end to the prdent conteft between the two countries. The Rig ht Hon. I/S•AC CORRY has hcen re turned to erve in Parliament for llnntl.dk. WILLIAM ELLIOT, Efq. (late Irifh Secretary at War) is returned for the borough of Portarlington. The celebrated Monfieur TALLIES, appeared laft night in the gallery of the Houfe of Commons, ac companied by Mr. Scorr, the Barri fler. As !Lon as he was perceived from the Houfe, bufinefs teem ed entirely fufpended, and the eyes of all the Mem bers were fixed on this extraordinary charae'ler. The Members' gallery was immediately crowded to furvey him. He appeared to linen with touch attention to Mr. Scott, while he defcribed to him the mode of proceeding in the Houle, and pointed out the principal Members. He frequently made oblervations. Mr. SHERIDAN cane tip to the Gallery, and was introduced to him. He was addreircel by feveral Members, among whom were General TALLITON, &c. After remaining tome time, he went to the Houle of Peers, who.* he attraaed an equal de gr-e of notice. M. TALL'S, ii•about five feet ten inches ; his face not uthandforne ; his colour tinged by the climate of Egypt ; his countenance grave and obfttvsust, and his eye remarkably acute. Harems about forty years of age. NAUTICAL lATELLICFNCE MAILS THIS D.Y.—Wind W. S. W. t.RIVLD vet flamhuro,, March 13, 1 t Mardi 24, 0 Waterford 4 Donagl..idet. ' March 24, 0 N Guernfey, larch ss, O. Jerky, Match tfi, 0 I Halifax, Fc.b...1:, 0 The HUSSAR frigate is arrived it Cork: !he parted with the following thips, which under her convoy from Portfmouth on ill:• lir,u ary, as follows: HENRY ADDING Io• )i Indiamen ; Rio Nova, A PPLF.BV ; LUKE ; Suffolk, Itor.ts .ow ; I.3m.wsi and RLANF, I'ir India; and CirCC;.W;Ch, LAW, for the parts,'. uni,,ally, all well, ill lat. 2 , 1. 3. lon7. 20. 3. a r.tde wind.—The IC bithy, of 1...v0t10n, hound to Afri ca, joined at and farted a , at: , ve. 'IIIC NOTTI (IHAM :!!,(1 CeenAi lndiamen ; Experiment, Wittrr ; Sit Edv„ir,!! - I.sinilion, Ro- HINSON; Pcrfeverance, ; and VCIVIS, BISHOP, for India ; 1),1!1::d t!,e 1::tv of Bifcay on the autl. Jan , : urn ; a violti,; North wind commenced the :_d ; and nit doo'n is et - tr: tined, but th.tt they made a fate and expedition. Tort bAY, MARCH 26.—Tnecciay, arrived ROYAL Sovaxtinn, - of too guns, Vice-Admiral HAR • v, PRINCES s ROY AI , of 98 guns, Rear -Unlit-al GOWE %, and thi: Fisoti.tau (frigate), 4.; guns, Capt. T. B. MIR rin, from Plymouth, An) the SIP !US, of 36 guns, Capt. R. KiNc, horn a cruife.—A French privateer yeilerday appe ired off this place, and was chased by tome of our cruizers, hut the particulars we are not able to announce. FALMOUTH, M %RCN 25.—Yclicrttly palled this port for London, the American brig Riling 'States, or Portland, Captain I ).tNi EL BRACDEN, ft HID Charletion, after a paffli t e of 41 days, laden with tobacco and rice : en the r9th init. in long. 16. lat. 49. 20. (he (poke thc American vefill Willi:an and J.ut, of New Bedford, Copt Srivi.x s, from New . Veik for Dublin, totally d•C,i,arled in a gale of wind on the 18th Jar::ary Lat ; (he failed front New York on the dof o:nary, laden with flay, feed, and fkins, too cafl.i of which the was obliged to throw overboard.—Captain BROODER fupphed her with fpnr. Arrived the Providence of this port, after a par. fige uf 14 day, Captain WitLiasts, from St. Michaels for London, ladrn with fruit,. put in here for want of w' ter : by her we learn the lois of the brig / lames, Captain C E Lsrv, an Englifh fchooner, a Daniin dogg,a, and an American brig, at St. Michael's a few days bef o re failed.—Palfed this port this day, the American fltip Charles Carter, Captain TOMKINS, from Not folk, with 3,000 bar rels of flour, for London, after a paffage of 31 days.—Remain by contrary wind, the LADY Ho ak/Cr packet, for America ; AUCKLAND ditto, for the Leeward Hands; and the EARL GOWER ditto, for Lifbon. Sailed the American (hip Two Friends, Captain M'NEIL, for Charlefton, and the (hip Bet Friend, Captain MARTRULL, for Britlol. PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 27.—This morning ar rived the limn, of 28 guns, Captain LAacoM, from Halifax; flue failed the tft day of this month, with the Sultana, merchant !hip, and Prudenta brig, under her convoy, from the above place, but parted with both retie's in a gale of wind on the day following, off the banks of Newfoundland. —By the above frigate we learn, that the Asst. Rica, of 6.1. guns, (truck upon a reef of rocks, called the Farnagos, but was Allied by an Ame rican brig. Some time after the HIND and Suit- PRIZE hove in fight, and by great exertions got her oft; and condueled her rata into Port Royal harbour, where the now lies, and is to be con verted into a prifon•fhip. The HIND brought home Capt. BINGHAM, and part of the crew of the ARE RICA ; the remainder were left at Jamaica and Halifax. YARMOUTH, MARCH 27.—Yellerday P. M. fail ed the LEYDEN and ASSISTANt E rtrr of war, on a cruize.—This day arrived the Dias/. packet, Captain Dr, r. r, with mails or the 3th ind. and paiii:ngers, from Cu xha ren.—T lie N tth Sea fleet, under the command of Admiral Di s sox, is under failing orders to cruize off the Coaft of Holland.— Arrived PEsvi sots (loop, and the GOOD DESIGN. Sailed the AGINCOURT MAO of war, the his fri. gate, and two gun-boats. FROM LLOYDS LIST. DEAR, MARCH 27.—SAiled the NEMESIA and HALDER frigates on a cruize.—Arrived and failed for the river, the Fame, GOODRICH, from New Orlcins.—Wind S. S. W. GRAViSEND, MARCH 25.—Paf1'ed by the Kitty, HvoliPs ; and Difparcli, Jescams, from Ccrk; Friends, —; rritannin, PiLF ; Reliance, —; and Mary, —, from Limerick ; AIfred,CROKTR; Beticy, HUNT ; Nile, RICHARWON ; hlariciva, TooLF ; and Albion, —, from Waterford ; —, from Bot Ion; America, —, from Philadelphi.t ; William, TOWN, from Salem ; and Daphne, —, from Charleflon.--Sailed the Betsey, HALL, for Balbadoes ; and Niarit, for Berbice. MARCH 26.--Pa(rCil l,p the Britannia, WIL LIAMS, and Molettn, --, from Liihon ; Pet:r, Mrrysis, from St. Michael's; Erntsticn l'ackct, Wicoo4ast, from Hamhurgh, and B:mhamis, Bsi:rH, from New York.—Sailed the Progrefs, Bonsiß, for St. Kitt's ; Union, Mfrcac.rt, and Proteus, Niron, for Surinam ; and Feirora, SroasV, for Dunerara; ErterFriz:., —, for Halifax ; \Varlev, Wiz:ow, fnr in dIA ; Ann, Nartrt, for Trinida:i; Little John. Fs Ito is, FM Jamaica; Luritania, Baows, for Orort); Eli zabeth, —, for Qucbcc; Maryland, WE:a, for New York; and WilTiam, ALLEN, for Tcbago. Maio; ay.—Pall by the Duke of Portland, PITMAN, and Kent. /kits Iv, from the South Seas. Sailed the Endeavour, Hostas:, for Junaien t Harvey's Defire, NFALE, for Surinam; Juno, STEPHENS, for New York ; George, HATwARD I , f or Halifax; Waffoll, PULLEN, fpr Derbice ; and Caw', Matrix, for Curacoa.