Star. — London, England, 1805-05-17 00:00:00

tiler's legacy to the Officer, to himielf, and to his ncpbc-.7. I;at as no part of the legacy could accrue to his mother's right, nor to his own, until all the debt, of hi, father, and more elpecially this arrear, was cleared off, the whole of Lord Holland's per. funal effalshld been paid over to the new executors !ix the rurrite, and not ore fixpenct had been receiv ed by hirm,ll or the other let::,tees to this hour. Mr. GEORGE PONSONLY laid, that the Right Hon.Gemleman aaed from the pureft public motives, he could not d,:tibt. Bo!, though he had been long in office, he had met with no abule to reform, or even tt, inquire into,.till a late difcovery ; and then, In lively is his z.al, to greatly is it revived by the enor rr.ity of that ahur.!, that lie is now willing to go back forty years, to iniuire into that which had alteady beta invefligated and da.i..;•:d upon. Mr. ROSE, relied upon the propriety of the ob. fttvations lit had made. He did not deny that many things were wrong, and very reprehenfible, that 3:2i411t hive occurred in the condat of Lord Melville, but certainly not to ay: 14s of a (billing by the public. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQPER villled to know what-was, in the fenfe of the tom _ . roitt 2 fe, to be the real ,:ha after of the Bill ? He him felf conceived the only 'rtffand fair objett of the en- quiry to be the deteinn ;It - Any abates that really do ctift, with a view to the adopti ,, n of remedial mea• . _ lures, and the prevention in toture of fuch ahufes ; but he appeaied to the candour of the Committee, wilether fuch a Bill as the amendment propofed by the Honotirable Gentleman, world render the pre terit Bill, namely, a Bill to enquire retrofpetlively into the whole expendi•ures of the army for a feries of years palt, without any charge of criminality, any allegatirs againfl any individual in any department, or any allegation that any proof whatever exitled of criminality or -mirconduel any where, but merely with a view to leek out for caufes of complaint, or trifling charges of irregularity. He would not pie tend to fay no irregularity had occurred, no defalca tions or frauds had taken place, in the enormous ex pendi:ure of a great nation like this, during the crude r.t a vet y expertive and wide-extended war. The urmoCt (ketch of the moil conforumate talents, oc enpiA in the management of public affairs, could not, by any exertion of vigilance of which man is ea ; prevent toe occurrence of fume irregularities. Bin what men of cliaraatr and talents, with any feelin7s of Icotilrility or hotionr, could be tempted by al.y catolument , , however high, attached to ..ny fltuatioa, to undertake itn!rortatit departments, if they we :a apprehend that at the end of ten, fifteen. or twenty rear', the whole of their ac_.tints and .flicial ptocee,:ings are to be ranfacked, in order to fcatch for caufts of complaint for niticondu& or it regu larity ; after numberlers circuintlancei, material to their vindication, are effaced from memory, and many of the molt material witneffes no longer in exillence He thought, therefore, enquiry into the pall, to any remote period, was wholly tilde's in any remedial point of view ;an that it was only to exiiticg abufcs that enquiry Iliould he direiltd, in order to 'ntent remedy and future pre Mr. Whitbread, Mr. Grey, Mr. Fox, and Mr. Giles, fopporzed the amendment propofed, upon the go nod that the inveltigatiun in this cafe, as in that of the Coinmifilaners nf Naval Inquiry, was princi pally intended for pait ahufes, as well with a view to the jail prinitbnient of delinquents, if any ihould be difcovered, as to the preveion of filch abufes in fu ture. Under the head of Bat racks in particular, the expendittires had been of a novel and molt enormous extent, and (hong rumours were in circulation that great abates had been committed in that department. The public mind wonid not be fati F.ed without the fuLell enquiry, and in fad it was due to charaeters of the public officers concerned, ro whom mikondrift had been imputed, and who ought to itand vindicat ed upon the MIA invelligation, if thole tumours mould be unfounded. The CHANCELLOR of the FACHEQNER had no objeClion to accede to the ptinciple even of retrofretive enquiry, but thought it fhould be left entirely to the difcretion of the Commillioners, and not imperatively impofed upon them, hecaufe in that cafe they would be bound to into the whole exa mination of al! accounts, even where there never was the flighteft fuggellion of or default. He thought therefore the du:y of invefligation Ihould be imperative only as to exiting abufes, and perfeCily difcretionary as to the pail. He then moved ano ther amendment in the words,—" and, where the CarnmAoners (hall deem it neeeffary, into fuch abufes as may have exitted." This was fnppurted by the Attorney and Solicitor General, and fume tier Members. Mr. Serjeant BEST cnitlidered the amendment to CCUI:!; fcine reatOnable limitation in point of time ; tld Inch mull he the coital irCtion put upon it by any Coto t of Law, or by the Cnnimilli The ATTORNEY GENERAL fair!, that his Learned Friend had mentioned no precife Mr. SMITH preferred tiling the words of tl.e Aft appintro the Naval Comminute, s, which had al ready been afted upon. After a few words from Mr. Burton, Mr. N. Cal ec!t, Mr. Grey, Mr. Role, and Mr. W. Smith, The CHANCELLOR oldie EXCHECIVER oh f.:rved, that the words .• as now erid," had been • tpi.f.;l•.) be ameruh:d by the addition of" or have Lined ;" and propofed to amend this tarther by lay ing " fuch 'r eve esilled, or !hall feetn proper to t:,ern to In- enw,:ted into." ELLISON iltid a few words in fupport of the amendment. Mr. WHITBREAD objelted to it, as the Corn mitlioners of Isaval Enquiry had adled with difcre tion under the Aa appointing them. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought the argument of the left fpeaker in favour of the amendment. Mr. BOURNE thought the Naval Comrniffioners had considered the At as purely imperative. M. FOX thought experience on filch fubjeds bet ter than argument, and particularly in the choice of words in an Aft of Parliament, where there was any matter of doubt. He, therefore, preferred taking the words that had been ufed before. He thought he Ad Ihmild be imperative in the fin inflance, to enquire into abufes where they do exit. Under rite lad Aft, as to time, the Commiffioners had gone bid: a relfonable time, not, indeed, to the arrear of .:;;e F. Seymour, in Charles the Second. Sir. W. BURROUGHS contended, that the ought to be 0E1)111'4 and particular. Great ....,...,. ...... inquifitorial pOwers:are entrnfled to the Cormnifflon ; and there were not strong officiil grounds laid for this Commigion, a. there was in the cafe of the Navy. Mr. FOX thought the duty of enquiry lhould be made imperative ; .then the difcretion given re fpeCting the examination of abur:s that had taken place. Mr. H. ADDINGTON raid, that he was not at all fatisfied by the arguments he had heard from the Hon. Gentleman who fpoke lafl (Mr. Fox). Accor ding to him, the experience of the conduit of the Na val Commiflioners, of whom no• one could expeeL him to (peak but in the moll favourable terms, was enough to prove, that no other Commiffinners could poffibly go beyond what difcretion would warrant, under an imperative claufe of an At of Parliament. He entirely approved of the alteration propofed by his Right Honourable Friend, and thought it a great improvement on the Former Alt, and that it would completely anfwer all the fame purpofes. Nrhaps, in giving this opinion, he might be charged with mean ing to give protection to thole who might be fofpalcd of public delinquency ; a charge which had been molt I unjullly and unwarra:.tably made againtt him, and thole with whom he acted, in confequci.ce nt a vote Oven on a former occafion. Of that vote he had not repented ; and was fatisfied, with great deference to the opinion of a majority of the Houfe, that it was a correct and a just one. The debate on that nccafinn had not been un the merits of the cafe; if it had he fhould not have shrunk from giving an unreferved and explicit opinion: it was merely, whether the whole of the charges ought, or ought not, to be re ferred ro a Committee. It had appeared to him molt becoming the moderation, the liberality, and the jul. tice of the Hook, fo to have decided ; and no polli- 1 ble inconvenience could have refulted from it. It would have been analogous to all criminal proceed ings in Courts of justice, where no decifion was et er taken before all the charges had been gone through, even though part of the charges had been ad•niqed to be wit by the defendant. He could not help ad i-crt in g to this fubjeCt, nn which he thought there had bi•en mirreprefentation, for which there was no pi et en ce or foundation. Admiral MARKHAM fupported the amendment ci Mr. Giles, and thought 1792 a rearonable period to go back to. On a divition the numbers appeared for Mr. Giles's arnendrneni 42.—Againft it 9G. —Majority s+. _ . Seeer.:l other ametnlmen.s were propoled and withdrawn. Mr. Gil.l•.S moved air.. to Wert the word " lawful . ' before the word " q•teltions," with a view to expunge the next claufe. which was firml tr to what W 34 termed the /./1G clank. After a few words ii.nn the Chancellor of the Excheque: the motion was withdrawn. Another amettelnient was made by Mr. Giles, and was carried with forte aft: rations propollel by Mr. Grey, the object of which was to get at particulars, loch as in the cafe of Mr Sprott; Mr. Bragge, tit,d Mr. Banks fpiaking in fupport of it. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE ER propered, that the Bill he Loaded for two years. and fix weeks atter the opening of the Se.lon of Parliament, and that no Commitfioner fhnuld ac• erpt any civil office or profit during the fame time —Carried. 'the Bill having paired through the Committee, was ordered to be reported tomorrow. The CHANCELLOR of the FXCHEW2F.R ohferved, that it would he neceffary to make tome amendment on bringing up the report rcfpir , 'ting the retmfprelive view the Commillionera might take, and gave mo le.. of his intention to move fuels amendment. 'rite frith Water Supply Bill was committed for to•mnrrow,and tfie Stamp Duty Bill for Monday.—Adjourned at at u'eluek. LONDON. FRIDAY, MAY 1.7. PRINCESS or WALES'S BIRTH-DAT. PNICF. OF STOCKS 'JESTER rxv: 3 per C. Red. An 57it Imp. 3 per Cctit. 561 3 per Cent. Conf. Alin. 38. N. I Imp. Ann. ni 4 per Cent C. 7jii Fxclier. IP. dif IS. pre. par 3 per Cent. 241ey Omnitan :2- 1 3 prem 3 pcs Cent. 1797 L. Ann. 16 9-1(1. 1 Conf. hir .11,14) , 31% In ILL Bonds, 13.. 2S.dir. Pads papers to the 9th, and Dutch journals to the 1 t th, arrived ye flerday. The r f rit furs take no notice of the return of the Combined fleets, witicli, however, mull have been known at Paris before the yth. Let ters from Madrid (peak in myfleti,,us terms of tome mighty blow that was to be (truck at tLe interells of this country by the Combined Powers; and it ap pears that the Spaniards make every efFort of which they ale capable, to co-operate with their ally. A letter from Marfeilles mentions that orders had been given, at Toulon, for providing an immenle quantity of bikuit, and other fea limes, from which it was in• ferred, that a large fleet was expelled there. The French Government have publithed in the .110,,;: air of the ift and fuppiement, feveral letters f. and on board one of the prizes taken by Admiral LiNots. They are prefaced by the following para. graphs :-.- " Nth, April 30. " Colonel DARSONVAL, whn arrived from the Hie de Fiance in the corvette Diligente, has brought dif patches from the Captain General Dr. CA N. " Among the prizes taken by Rear Admiral 1,2- tics was a veffcl having on board feveral official dif patches. We &tell the wretched pralice of print ing letters found on heard (hips, het as this praaice has bran introduced by the Ergliffi, who were Co lhamelefs as to publith private correfrondence, and even letters written from Egypt by hufbands to their wives, experience has proved that a monfler like England tnufl be attacked with the fame arms as thofe which the employs, otherwife (hew ill claim the ufe of them as an exclufive right. " The greatefl divifton prevails among the Englith in India ; their finances are in the greatefl diforder ; the war they carry on is difaftrous to them, and is (till in full force. 44 The European army of the Englith in India does not amount to 12,000 men ; fo great are the lotea they have Whined. " The letters of the Marquis of WSLLESLEY are encedinglycurious, and [hew the great embarratlment of the Company !" A private letter from Paris Rates the arrival of a Ruffian Ambairador in that city, charged Wiih a pro pofition for an accommodation between this country and France.. According to report, it propofes that . Bonaracro'c title, as Emperor of France, fhall he r acknowledged ; that England flail retain Malta, and Ruffia the Seven Illands ; and that BONAPAP.TE fhall retail: Tome farther compenfations for thefe cancer irons. . It' thefe terms were refilled, the letter adds, that the. Ruffian Ambefador was inftrufted to inform the French Government, that the treaty of alliance, 1 offenftve and defenfive, between England and Ruifia, would be immediately carried into effect. A report was very prevalent in the city yefterday, that Lord NELSON had had an action with the com• bined fleet before ;ts return into Cadiz. We w :re not able to trace the fottrce of the rumour to any thing but a letter written from the Well end of the town to his partner in the ciiy, by a highly rdpeaable merchant. The following is a copy : " I have jolt mA Captain Fleming, .who informs me, that he has ken a Letter at Lord C.'s. from a Lieutenant on board the Leviathan, dated off Sehaftia (which lie. between Cadiz and the Gut). This Officer, among other things, lays, ' I than not at tempt to enter into the particulars of the k) we have had with the , ny, as Lord Nelfon's difpatches, which he has km home, give a full detail of it'." The Izttcr above referred to is Paid to have been I put on bor d of a fhip which has reached this coup try helot e Lord Nst.som's difpatches. There was lame chfpcifition yefterday in the City to doubt the intelligence of the return of the Com bined Fleet ; but we difoover n' rearm for fulpicion on tl:at head. There was a whifper, indeed, that Mi. !litters had received farther information ; and, it was laid, the Combined Fleet were, not in Cadiz on the 23d, but had put to fea. We could not find any au thority for this rumour. As the enemy were ready for fea on the 22d, when reconnoitered by the WASP, it is by no means improbable, however, that they have again failed. Al, however, is mere conjedure, and we muft have a little patience till regular accounts be received from fame of our Commanders. As to the details in French p..p , :rs %hen they give any, they are not to be de. pended upon, being often puhlifhed only to miflcad. This morning advices were received at the Admi ralty, from Lord G A RDN ER, brOtlght to Plymouth by the DISPATCH cutter, which left the fleet under his Lordlhip's c^mmAnd off Breit, all well. Advices are all', laid to have been received from Admiral lir to HT. We do not believe that any late accounts of the combined fleet have been received by this vef. fa—(See our Plymouth lever.) LA night, in the Nonce of Commons, Mr. CRFY I t3. , 1c occalion to alk the Minifter, whether it was likely tht.t any communication would be made to the Houle loon on the fubje& of thole negociations with l.).eign powers, the fuceefs of which has been am icipated with fo much hope ? Mr. PITT anfwered, that they were not yet in that Date that would jollity a communica tion to the Houfe, as that communication mull he im perfeel,and might be prejudicial to the public interelt. He laid nothing more, though atked by Mr. Fox if could Rate whether they were in filch a train as alight lead to a fpcedy communication ? A communication was made to the Houle of Com mons laft night by Mr. LITCESTER, the Chairman of the Selea Committee, Hating that the regulations aid rtiltiaions tinder which the Lordc, at the c.,n -f. ence, bad agreed to allow Lord Mr er ILLE to be examined, were loch as, in the opinion of the Com-1 mittee,_would prevent them examining Lord MEL VILLA fo as to promote the ohje& of the enquiry.— We do not know whether any farther application to the Lords on the fubje& will be made. Yeilerday her Majtsvy held a drawin!, room at St. James's Palace, which was attended by the Prin. celres ELIZASETH, MARY, SOPHIA, and AMELIA; the Lord Chancellor, the Archhifhlp of Tuam, the Se cretaries of Srce, their Excellencies the Danilh, Ritf- Can, Sardinian. Swedith, Neapolitan, and Portuguefe ii:obaffadors ; the Lord Mayor of London, and there were prefent the Dean o: Worceller, the Lord Chief Baron MiDorraeo. The following numerous Prcfentations to her MA• JI3TY took place : Lady Sarah Spencer, by her Mother, Countefs Spencer. Lady Mary pinch, by k r Mother, Countef; of Aylesford. Major Miller, of the Royal 1 - forfe Guard:. by the Earl tit Murton. I.aq Clanricard, by the Marchiunefs of Sligo. Mrs Murray, by ker mother. The Hon. Mrs. George Knox,by Mrs. Knox. 1.11,4 Jane Montgomery, by her mother, the Counter's of Ezlin. town. Lady Charim'e Clive, by Lady Potris. Mite Neville, by Mr*. Neville. Mr*. Winter,the lady Mayorefs. by Lady Price. Lord Garlic*, on his being appointed a Lord of the Admiralty. Lady ElizaLeth Douglas and Lady Katherine Dougl.*,, by the Comitcfs of Morton. Mrs. Chetwynd, on her marriage. I.ord liawke,by the Earl of Darlington. Lady Hawke and the Hon. Mrs. Sloane, by the Countcfs Temple. Mfg Robirdon, daughter of Major General Robicfon, and niece to the Pwrl of Pawls, by the Counters of POIAS. _ _ _ The Counters of Oxford. Mils Mi.yncl, Visa Meyncl. Mr. G. Rich, by his li.ther, the Rev. Sir C Rich. MAI Louifa Rich, by her 'nether, Lady Rich. Mr. Hanbury and Mr. Stacithoufe, by the h.ari of Effex. The Earl and Counters of Charientont on their marriage. Mr. Edward liofcawcn, by his lather, Lord Falmouth, upon his promotion in the Colidltrcam Regiment of Guards. The Hon. Henry 1? yder, by the Lord Chancellor, upon his be log appointed a Welih Judge. Captain Lind, of the Royal Navy, Commander of the Centurion, upon his receiving the honour of Knighthood. Sir Drunimosid and 1 ady Smith upon their marriage. Lady Ormond and Lady Cbarlemont„ by the Marchloners of Sligo. Colonel, Mit. and Mifs W. Stratford. Adm rat Peckham, by Admiral Nugent. Mr. Chetwynd, by his father, Vifenunt Cbetwynd. Mils Hayes and Lady Louifa Harvey, by the Counters of Tent- Mr. Lloyd, by Captain Harvey. captain Cherry and Lieutenant Thoyt, of the Royal Horfe Guy cis, by Earl Morton. Mifs Sophia Vanfittart, by Lady Palk. The Hun. Mrs. Burrows, by the Lady In Wafting. The Hon. mirs A. Lake, by the fame. Mift. Mills, by the Marchioncfs est Hertford. Mr.. Stratton, by +be Du. bets of Marlborough. Sir John Colpoys, upon his appointment at Greenwich Hoftital. The Drawing Kum WAS very numerous and fplen didly attended. M.4RK-LANE. CORN EXCHANGE, MAY 17. We have not man/ fretli famples of Wheat arrived to day, but a good fupplv, chiefly foreign; a con. fiderable part of the late arrivals not being in good condition, they go off at lefs than general quoted p: ices ; and the little of fine is rather dearer—and fine Barley is fcarce at better price —Beans of both forts are more brill; tale—and higher prices are afked for Oats—no Rape Seed—flour continues ia full flock ; that with other articles appear at (mail iluetuation. GENERAL CURRENCY AS UNDER. Vneat, 574 7os. 7Ss. per qr. Grsy Pesk 4tts to 43 1 . :in, Ditto, ots. 965. od. Beam , 4ss. 48s. ad. lye 5 01 . Sot. od. 'lick Ditto sos. 445. od 11Ar1ey,53.. 41s. od. Oats, 244.28%. 3os. Malt, 664. 7u. od. Poland ditto. 304. 511 6d. Mike Peale, 425. 484. od. Rape Sccd, oos. oos. PRICE OF FLOUR. Fine Flour 755. to 78s. Scconds 655. to 751. per task. NAU7ICAL INTELLIGENCE. FALMOUTH, MAT 14.—Arrived the Swedifb fhip Swenfka Flaggon, Capt. SCHARTAN, from Vinaras. with wine, &c. Yeflerday about to leagues N. N. E. off Ulbant, fpoke Lord GARD/IEIO3 fleet, 16 fail of the line, nine frigates, &c. The Dolphin, Captain Mos►ee ; and Mary, Captain HAGILL, from Gi- Lr..itar, under convoy of his Majefty's fhip Av emcee, of 16 gnns, Captain WHITE, after a pairage of 36 days. Nine fail feperated yefterday off Scilly for Brillci, Liverpool, &c. The fleet left Gibraltar the fame day the French fleet paired the Gut, and were in fight of them, but the French never attempted to chace. The Prince of Wales packet, which arrived yeierday from Lifbon in nine days, brings an ac. cvunt that the Combined Fleets returned to Cadiz on the zzd ult. The Auckland packet had been fent by Lord FITZGERALD to CIUIZI off Cadiz, with k eret orders.—Sailed the Diana packet, Sr. Ausvx, with mails for Lifbon. The Weft India fleet will fad to .norrow morning. Wind E. ANOTHER LETTER, SAME DATE. Arrived the brig Jothua, Captain Mon mt., from Naples, ha from Gibraltar, in 36 days ; alfo the brig Mary, Capt. Himont., from Gibraltar for Exeter: they carne trader convoy of the AYNNGER floop of war. The fleet confined in all of thirty.fix fail, nine of which have parted fe.r Ireland, Briftol, and Lt. Iverpool : the remainder 25 fail, with the AVENGER, I are now off this port, and it is expelled will be in by the morning. They came through the Gut a-head, and in fight of the French fleet, which did not attempt to moleft them, but went into Cadiz. Arrived the Swedith fhip Swanfkea, FLAGG , N,fromVinaros, with wine and tallow, for orders : fhe fpoke, yeflerday Lord GAM:MIA'S fleet, about to leagues N. N. E of Ufhant, confining of 25 fail, 15 or 16 of which were of the line. It was reported at Vinaros, that en the Loth ult. Admiral Lord Ns LSON, with his fleet, were off Barcelona, and fent a flag of truce on (bore, and then proceeded for Toulon, not knowing the Fleet were out of the Streighrs.—Wind S. E. PLYMOUTH, MAY 15. —Came in the DISPATCH, 0 18 guns, from a cruize off the Coati of Portugal : on the tft of May, near Lifboo, the fell in with his Niajerty's fhip QUEEN, of 98 guns, Admiral KNIGHT, and the DRAGOON, of 74 guns, with the fleet under their convoy, all well, and proceeding on their voyage : the DISPATCH brought difpatches for Go vernment, from Admiral KNIGHT, which were landed and forwarded immediately : the fpoke a vet fel four days fubfequent to the 111, that had feen the fleet, and no accident had happened at that period : the DI*PATCH dies not bring any account of the combined fleet of France and Spain, other than that they are failed from Cadiz. Came in the Portu guefe brig Bomfin, from St. Michaels, bound to London, laden with fruit, after a pairage of twenty days.—Sailed the INSOLENT, of i 6 guns, for Mali fax. Came in the SAFIGUAILD gun•brig, from a i crnize. PORTSMOUTH, MAY VS.—Arrived the Hiram, ; Rialto, Hero, and the Flanders tranfports, under convoy of a cutter from Jerfey. Sailed the ENDY• tlinN frigate to the weftward, and Acasza fligate, with a convoy for the Downs. Dropt down to St. Helen's, his Mapes (hips his, Pallas, Ratter, and Harpy.—Wind Welterley. Deat., Mar t6—Came down from Sheerneft the ARCHER and BRUIZER gun brigs, with fupernume raries, which are put on boars:Y*4le UTRECHT guard' thip : the Bruizer and Archer have fince failed on al cruize off the French coati. Arrived the Humber;, armed ibip, with a convoy from Falmouth, which'i . are failed for the River; alto, his Majefty's !hip/ Railleur, Speedy, Alert, Devallation, Lucifer, anet feveral others from off the French coaft. Wind S.W. YARMOUTH, MAY t6.—This day arrived the.' BsAvia (loop of war, Drw.s or Kenr armed (hip,,! FERRETTER gun brig, and SWAN cutter: the SWAN 1 has captured two large boys, laden with butter,' cheek, and beer, from the Tezel, bound to Barer lona : arrived alio a fchooner, laden with wine and brandy, prize to the CRUIZER, Captain Hascoce. ! The Chips of war here are the Mosottizo, blazer I TOR, and Blayne, Imps; DIJIIE OF KENT, armei (hip ; Cer SOR and FERRETTaa, gun brigs; and SWAI cutter. The Elizabeth fmuggling vtail, and tb, Pylades and °reties Dutch privateers. captured In the Mosq9lTo, are come into this port ; the cam of the Liiaabeth cootaitted 849 halves ofgeneva, ant 7o Wiles of tobacco. Wittl S. W. it