Star. — London, England, 1801-06-09 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF FORDS, MONDAY, JUNE 8. Mr. ADAM and Mr. CULLEN were heard for the Repos. dent in the Appeal Caufe Bruce v. Crum, and Mr. Alexander In reply IA the Apprllant ; after which the further confidera dem eg the mute vr.ls put off to Thurfaay nest. The Report of the Scotch Militia Officers' His was received, and after an amendment made in one Ulaufe by Lord Hobart, weed to. The Ettports of the Seket Committee of the Houk of Cosn moas of their Sunding Orders on Enelofore 1111 h, were ordered toile referred to the Lords' Committees on Enclofures. The Revolt of the Seledt Committee of the Houk of Com- Mons on the Eligibility of Clergymen to lit in the Monte of Commons, was brought up by Mailer Wilmot, and ordered to be pi inted.•AdjOtade& HIS MAJIISTY'S lIIISSAIS E. The Order for taking his lvtajefty's Meffage in to conficieration having been'read, The SiCSIITALY of Slays (Lord Hobart) rofe and Paid, it would not be neceffary for him to de tain 'their Lordihipi by any fpeeeh on the fabled of the Meffige under confideration, or the Addrefs he meant to move upon it, the Menge (peaking for itfelf. Their Lordflrips were all aware, that it had been a refleflion on our army, who had dif tingulihed themfelves lately by the molt brilliant condo& in the field, liat a Public Inftitution or College for the education of Gentlemen defined for a military life in the (deuce of that profeifion, was not provided in this country. The goodcon fequences that muft neceffarily refult from fuel an inilitution were too obvious to Rand in need of ; and although there were Lords in that Houfe who had underftocid the pradice of their profelEort fufficiently to have been able not to feel the want of fcientific acquirement while they were in the fervice, yet of late years the defed had been felt, which made it extremely defitous that fome inflitntinn of pradical fcience in the Art Military Ihould be inilituted. Feeling this, the illuftnous perfon at the head of the army had attempted to make an experiment for this objea, and a tempo rary fchool was appointed, the good effed of which had been fenfibly felt in Egypt. This having been rcprefented to his Majeftyll with that paternal re• gard to the benefit of his fubjedls, which has ever di ftinguiftted his condud, his Majefty has been gra eioufly to take the fubjed into his Royal confederation, and had commanded the Meffage before the Houfe to be brought down to Parlia ment. His Lorcifhip Paid it would be unneceffary to add any thing further, and he would therefore move the Addrefs. The Addrefs having been read, The Earl of CAZNARVON objected to the Ad , drefs, as committing the Houfe to a pofitive adoption of the plan, whether they approved it or not, when the detail of it fhould be Rated to the Houfe. He underftood from the Noble Secretary of State, that he only meant to affure his Majelly in the Adtlrefs, that the Houfe thanked his Ma. jelly for his gracious communication, and would take the fubjelt into their conlideration when pro perly explained to them. The SECRETARY of STATE explained, that the Addrefs did not pledge any one Noble Lord to an approbation of any fpecific plan of a Military • Innittition, but to Tome propolition on that fobjeit which might meet with general approbation in • that Houfe. • Marquis Towseusvn raid, the fubjed of the Meffige and the Addrefs met with his hearty con currence ; fo fully was he perfuaded of the necef fity and utility of a Military School or College, that many years ago, when he had the honour to be at the head of the Ordnance, he had himfelf, in concert with other military men of rank in their profeffion, fubmitted a plan for the purpofe to Go vernment, and fuggeßed the - provety of purchaf ing the house of Sir Gregory Page Turner, at Blackheath, which premifes might have been bought cheap, and were undeniably calculated for an extenfive application of the obje&, the park and grounds being.peculiarly adapted for artillery ex ereifes, and praCtical experiments. At that time, his Lordfhip raid, he had been over-ruled by per fons poffeffed of greater influence and authority than himfelf, but had the plan been adopted, he aras perfuaded the Houfe would by this time have derived effential advantages from the inititution ; he therefore was glad to find, that fomething like it was about to be brought forward, and gave his complete concurrence to the Addrefs. . The Earl of SUFFOLK faid, he alto gave his concurrence to the Addrefs, if we were to have a Standing Army, a fcientific and prat:Heal know- Je.ll4e niche duty of an officer in all fituations that might prefent themfelves in a campaign could not but be important and ufeful. Difcipline among folciiers was every thing, and its good effeas had b-en manifcft in the prefent war. The Addrefs was voted. The SECRETARY of STATE then .prelented a Mefrage from his Majelly, hoping that the Houfe of Lords would concur in enabling his Majefly to provide for the exigencies of the Government during the recefi of Parliament, as the time was near it hand when his Malay expelled to be able to . p .. pt an end to the Sedion. alte Earl of Detrital , faid, that asthe Minifter . was Pent, he had expofte.! to hear, and hopedhe should pre hear from him, fume 'account of the prof. pet of public affairs, which Parliament were enti tied to be made acqukinted with. It was gene. Tally underflood that fomething like a negociatioa .vas going on with the French republic, and al though the affairs wi th the Northern Powers wore at relent rather 2 favourable afprift, they might take an adterfc turn —Some time fence he bad great bitmiiity taken the liberty to endeavour so awaken the Haute to a fenfe of its importance and dignity, and had hoped that he might have rn able to haw. induc,:d their Lordfhips to af rt their independence in the Conftitution. If no anfwer was given to the queftion he had put, it would be evident that Milliners meant to Malt Parliament as a cypher and nothing more. •• Lord Hoaasr faid, he had net been command- communication as the Noble When he bad fuels commands, • be - affured that le would notice.! •*. • hen obterved, that he pot to meant to let no name., edto make any fuch Co Lord refit-red to. Wh I,laa Noble Lord might grav &se and timely no Lord CLIVTAM •then bad:eland it yru meal HOUSP. OF CO!vINI01. A Meets from the Lords requeßed the Hoaremould emu. taut:team to their. Lortifhips the Reports of the Committees relative to the cligibilitt of PQrfons in Holy Orders to fit in the Houle of Commons. Lord HAWK/BRUIN Witbdrew his notice relative to the Troops at Minorca. Some converfatioa arofe relative to the remaining Articles of ' Supply and the Fait India Budget; when Mr. W. DUNDAS having agreed to poßpone the latter till Friday, the CHANCEL- Loa of the EICMCVIR (aid the notice he had given thould ftaud,for Wednefday. A Meffage from the Lords informed the Houfe his Majefty had appointed two o'clock to-morrow, at Kew, to receive the Addrefs of both Houfes (relative to the promulgation of the Statutes). The Secretary at War, Meffm Abbott, Corry, and Steele, were then appointed to accompany the Lords with the Paid Addrefs. Sir W. SCOTT moved for a Committee of the whole Houfe to-morrow, to confider of enabling his Mikity to grant to the Judges of the Vice-Admiralty Courts at Jamaica, Martinique,. and Halifax, certain Annual Cotnpeofations under certain regulations. The kith DR - qualification Bill went through. a Committee, and the Report was ordered to be received cc—marrow. The Bill to regulate the Offices of Public Notaries was read 'a feermitime, and on the motion of Mr. Lu silts GTON referred to a private Committee, in order, as he fold, to have the Bill rendered more completely applic able to the local elrcumitances of Ireland and Scotland, to which the operation of the meafure was, contrary to Its original deign, to be extended. Mr. Aaacerr moved that the 'Hai Eledtion Bill thould be read a fecood time. After fame obfervations by Sir JOHN SINCLAIR, as to the propriety of affunilatipg the qualifications necetlary for Englith Members to thole perpoled by the prefect Bill; which idea Mr. ABSOTT oppofed as entirely uuneeeffary, the Bill was read a feeond time, and committed for to-morrow. The kith Spirit licence Bill, the frith Expiring Laws Bill, and frith Diftillery Bill, were reads third time and palled. On the motion of Mr. Bawoo e, a Committee was appointed to confider the handing orders relative to !net:Cure Bills, with• diredtioos to communicate with the Lords' Committee on the fame fubj.dt. Mr. Be. AGO, brought up the Report of* Committee on the Importation of Tea into Ireland free of Duty. The Refolu tions were read and agreed to, and a Bill ordered purfuant thereto. _ ------. Mr. BRA COE prefented a Bill for the more drafts] recovery of Debts due to the Crown, and for the better Adminiftration of Juftice throughout all parts of the United Kingdom ; which was read a brit and ordered to be read a fscond time to-morrow. 14r. VANSITTART brought in a Bill to regulate the Trade of Malta; which was read a Ertl time, and ordered to be read a &coed time to-morrow. COPYRIGHT IN IRELAND. Mr. Cotter, in coafequenee of his notice on Friday, rote to make 64 motion on the fubjed of Copyright in Ireland. He Warred, that the Policy of the Parliament of England had given to authors a property in their literary produdlons: this was not the cafe in Ireland. In this country, by the Ad of Queen Anne, authors were allowed the Copyright of their works for fourteen years; and by an Ad of his prefent Ma jetty, the privilege was granted to the two Univerfities in per pettuty. The object of the meafure he had to propofe wag, to give to authors in Ireland the !erne term is dish. works as au thors in England ; and to grant to the Ustraelity atDahlls the fame privilege as that enjoyed by the Uslassithas Odle sow try. Ha was authorifed to fay, that tbs. would be received with the e :S . 6.o =CC= gratitude by the Univerfit4 k was Issasaary to fay more upon a fubjed The sigh was &6r able, not cagy is Welt, but Oro es le wassidolibleas albelbte the habits of tlsetwo countries , ha ssary nes& Nt Nowa by moving for leave to bring Is a Ell hit dm farther Snow ragement of Learning in the Ceiba* Mspalsof Great Debbi and Ireland, by (scoring the Copyright al to the authors of fuel Books for the time thatle Idea Mr. Knox, the reprefentative of the Univerfity of Dublin, returned thanks in the name of that Lambed Body, for the at tention of the Hon. (imam= to its biterees, and thole of Ire land in generaL MISR MEMBERS EXEMPTION, DUTY BILL. On the Order of tht Day for the commktal of this Dill, Mr. Asstrrx role to move that the Order mould be dlf charged, with a view to follow it by a motion, that the Bill mould be withdrawn, as upon examination he found that it contained fame very exceptionable provifions, which it was his intention to omit. The motion being put, tl.c. Bill, after Come remarks from Dr. Lamaism', Mr. Tanen, and Mr. Coley, was with drawn. and leave given for a new Hill to be brought in. Mr. Costar brought in a Bill to exempt the frith Members and otban from the payment of certain Duties, which was read firft time, and ordered is be read a fecund time, and printed. BRICKS AND PROM lONS. Mr. VANSITTAIT gave notice that he Ihould to-morrow move the Houle to rcfolve into a Committee to confider on the proprie•y of placing an additional duty on Bricks made in Great Britain of a cettain fize--alfo for a Committee to confider of exempting certain artklcs of Provifion which had been import ed into this country during the late fcarcity, tiara the payment of Audtion Duties. DR. CAMPBELL'S DIVORCE BILL. -. The Houk refolved into a Committee on this BM, when Lame converfation took pLace u to the propriety of prof ing the meafure in fo thins tioufe and it was agreed, that the Chair man fhould report progrefs, and alk leave to fit again, which was ordered. VOTE OF CREDIT. Lord linwicessuer prefented the following Meffage from hii Majeity : G. R. As the State of public bufmefs may loon enable his Mikity to put an end to the pretext Seffion of Parliament, hie Mikity thinks proper to recommend to the Hoare of Commons to nuke fuch further provffion as may be neccfrary to defray thine taperers which have been incurred, and if which no fpe cific ettunates have been laid before hutment ; and to take fuck other matures aa the exigencies of affairs ntay more. The Ceasicit.t.oa of the Excasosisa moved, that . this Meil:ige thouid be referred to the Com. mittee of Supply. Mr. Garr fait!. he should not object to the Mar. Cage being referred to the Committee of Supply, but as it mentioned the approaching termination of Parliament, and this - Vote of Credit might' be a meafure which, inflead of affording a hope of peace, ratherimplied that a war, more eaten. five Mite operation, was to be continued, he wifhed to know whether the Chancellor of the Exche quer meant to terminate the prelim felfion with. out making any communication to the Houfe on the fubjei of the negotiations between his Ma. jelly and the enemy, by which the Houle might be enabled to judge of the fincerity of thole pro. feffions from which the Hour; had derived fuch fAtisfattion?. The CHANCELLOR of the ExcalQVIR obferved, that with refpea to the fineerity of theft profef (ions which the Honourable Gentlentan fa id he had made fo much to the fatisfattgion of the Houk, he was glad to find his proftflions had given fads fattion, anti no his fo, that the Houfe fkoold have given him credit for his fincerity. How far it might be deferable or prudent to lay before the Houle the Rate of the negociation between his Majefty and the enemy, he was really not at pre• fent enabled to fay; but the Honourable Gentle man and the Houfe might be afnred, that as loon as any thing dccifife did take place, he fhould think hie duty to advi4 his Maje,ily immediately to snake a efunmuuicativo to 'Parliament upon the fubjett ; or if, without affetting the negotiations , fuch communication could be !Rade; his Majefty thould certainly be advifed to snake it. The Ho nourable Gentleman had founded a fuppofition from his Majelly's mane, that the operations of the war were to be extended ; but he begged that no fuel thing might be concluded from the mef , rage of this day. As to the probable amount of the fum he ihould feel it his duty to propofe, large as it was, it could by no means juQify any fuel; motion. Indeed be had no fcruple in now declar ing, that he meant to propofc a vote of 2,000,0001. The neceffity of fuch a fum arofe from the in creafed demands for naval fervice ; it had been found by the accounts of the Admiralty and Tran fport Board that the expences of the naval de partment, in confequence of the extraordinary preparations at fea, had greatly exceeded the efti mates laid before Parliament, and his Majeity's confidential fervants had, from the information of thofe Boards, been led t o believe that the prefent grants would be infu ffi cient for the fervices of the year. It was, therefore, to naval fervices the fum required was intended to be applied.—The Meffage was referred to the Committee of Supply. MIL/VARY COLLEGE. The Houfe having• refolved itfelf into a Com mime of Supply, • , The SECRETARY at WAR Paid, it was his duty to call the attention of the Committee to the fubjeet of his Majefty's Meffage relative to the eflablifh. ment of a College for Military inftruelion and edu cation, and • for grounding in'the rudiments of mi. litary fcienee, thole who may afterwarishold com. iniffions in the army. Another collateral objeet pr o . pofed in this inftitution was, to affift Military Officers of longer (landing in going through the efficient duties of their Ration, particularly officers on the Staff, in the Quarter -Mailer's department.;l 1 He Rated this to be an important branch of the fer. vice, to which belonged all the regulations relativ " to encampments, &c. This part of the inftituti propofed to affift the profef fi onal ftudies of thirty Officers who were to be attached to the Staff of the . army. This branch of propofed Military inftrnis. tion appeared to him to be conceived on juft mili tary principles, and would comprehend direeions for the choice of camps and politions; the belt me . of attacking or defence • of advancing or retreat. in . g ; and was calculated to afford confiderable fee.. vice to thiCommander inChief of an army in form ing his military arrangements. At High Wycombe an ufeful inftitution ofthis nature hadbeen formed, under, General Jarry, but upon too limited a kale. The plan now propofed, was much of the li fame nature as that for the formation of the Staff in the Pruffian, Auftrian, and French armies ; and it came alfo recommended by the Commander in Chief, and a Corps of Genera Officers. The Ju nior department of it, it was propofed, thould cost a of goo young men, the Eons of officers who had done their country fervice, with an appoint of proper Profeffors ; and as the Inßitution was to be entirely of a Military nature, it was pro poled to be governed by the difcipline ufually kept tip by his Majefty's forces, with fuch regulations as were adapted to the Rate of youth. The experi ence of the Taft ten years bad taught us, that if an army was to be kept up for felf-delenee, it ought to be upon the principle of the fcientific infirudion was of the officers who compofed it, without which neither difcipline nor valour would prove of effen tial fervice. It was the refult of all modern ex perience that war was reduced to a fcience, and mull be cultivated as fuch ; nor could much ad vantage be derived from Military manoeuvres, if we were deficient in (kill to defend ourfelves agajnft the envy and malicious intentions of the enemy, who watched in order to attack, and if poffible to deftroy us at every poffible opportunity, All thofe nations who bad negleded the Rudy of mili tary fcience had funk into n Rate of abjefl depen dance on others more Ikilful, whilft in proportion as a nation had cultivated military arts, it had been found expedient to form eftabliftimeats of this nature with a view to preferve and extend the knowledge of military fcience. Neither difcipline nor ceconomy could be introduced in an army where military knowledge and fcience were wanting. It might be anted whether there was any thing in the local fituation of Great Britain or Ireland to render fuch an inftitution ufeful or neceffary ? He acknowledged that an infular fituation rendered us lefs exposed to attacks, added to which that the high Rate of difcipline as well as undaunted valour of our navy, had let us more at cafe from the apprehenfion of invasion ; but at the fame time be was perfuaded that no prudent man would fup pole, that the fleet alone could undertake, at all times, and under all circumftances, effedually to protect the widely extended emits of Great Bri tain and Ireland from infult at all points. An army of tome kind was abfolutely neceirary for home defence ; and it ought to be in fuch a (late, and to be fo inftruded, as to enable it to encounter any_inviding enemy. Here the Sic AAAAA r at WAIL proceeded to pafs high encomiums on the illations Prince, the gal lant Commander in Chief in this country, Who might be Paid to have new-created the army within a few years; and whole zeal, diligence, and pa triotic views could be exceeded by none. He was at once the Protedor of the deferring Officer, and the Soldier's Friend. Zeal, alacrity, and enter prise were the charaderiftics of Britifh Officers; loyalty, and a molt determined courage dillin guthed both Officers and Men, which had never filtered a Rain, and he trifled never would.--. All that was wanting to Britill Officers was a more frequent opportunity of obtaining a feientific knowledge of their profeffion. It . was true there had been men of great and uncommon genius in thisprofeffion, a Marlborough, a Caftan, a Wolfe, a Stuart, and an Abercromby ; but it was to an Inftitution of the nature now propoftd, that the Country mutt look for an able fupply of fuch Officers. The fyftem of modern British education did not afford fufficient opportunity to young men intended for the fcience of arms to attain a know ledge of the rudiments of their profeffion. In the Navy, a young man entered early into a courfe Of inftrudions, and mutt pafs through a rigid exa mination by Competent judges, before be could receive a Lieutenant's coniznifcon ; but in the Army tae cafe was different. A yonng man en. treed into the Army at s 6 or t 8 years of age, whilft the public fchools had afforded him little more than a knowledge of grammar and the dead ' languages. In the op inion of many O ffi cers, an Inftitution of this nature was the only thing want. ing to the Britifh Army. With this advantage, young Officers would emulate their brethren on the fea, and be equally entitled to the gratitude and confidence of their country. Such an Inflitu tion was not novel. There was the Royal Naval Academy at Portfmouth, and the Royal Inftitu. tion.at Woolwich for Cadets in the Artillery and Engineers; but however important there had proved, they could only be confidered as futrordi. nate parts of a whole, and if the Academy for Ar tillery, Ike. had been found fo ufeful, how much more would this now propofed, which had refped to the gmeral Staff of the Army! Some judg nient Might be formed of the utility of fuch an Efiablifkment from what had been cgirded upon a very limited reale at High Wycombe, at the fmall annual expence of isoa. Of the Officers'educated there, nine had been found qualified to atlas ant. ants to the Quarter-Malierieneral of the Army ; and of thefe, four were now. with the army of Egypt, and had been found of the molt important fervice ; befides thefe, fix remained qualified to join the Staff of the Army. The benefits of this Inftitution had alieady extended to nineteen Offi cers, who had joined their regiments, and twenty.. four now remained there under a courfe of inftrud. tion. An objection to the propofed plan might poffibly be flatted upon a Conflitutional ground, that the Houle ought always to have a Conftitu tional influence over the Army ; but the propofed grant would no more take this influence out of their hands than any other Annual Vote for the Supply of the Army. Such a Syflcmatical tution was more neceffary now than ever, when France, our inveterate Enemy, had obtained four fold means of carrying on War againft us, and from the formidable afped of the political horizon of Europe, when Peace itfelf, under prefent eir cumftances, can be but a hollow Armed Truce; and when the envy, hatred / and.uncharitablenef ; of almoft all Europe continued to perfecute this Country. Was it not then incumbent on Parlia. ment to ftrengthen both the arms of our public feenrity. Mr. Yeast then moved" that a fum not exceeding go,oool. be granted to his Majefty for the purehafe of lands, and for building a Military College, for the ferrite of the year t 8ot." Mr. Jonas withed the Hon. Gentleman had not made ufe of language which feeined to militate againft that of the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the fubjedt of peace. He had no material ohjetlict to the motion, but bethought a fimilar Inflitution ought to be eftablilbed .for the inftrudion of Officers in the Navy. Mr. MARTIN Paid he was fUrptired to hear the Hon. Gentleman (Secretary at War) allude to a public (landing army in this country, which was perfedly unconftitutional. He withed- tofee the time when there fhould be nothing to. defend Ql4 England but her Navy and her Militia. • The SICRITARY at Wan Paid, the propofed In flitution had no connection with a (landing army, fince, if the Houfe chore to difcontinue the Army they might difcontinue this Inflitution Rifts, Me.Wissaaroacx fupported the motion, which was agreed to. The SICIRTARY at WAR Paid, it W. in agita. lion to inereafe the number of Soldiers' Children to be educated from soo to rood; end it was found that this could be done at a comparatively moderate eapence. This fum of ,o,ocol. had al ready been granted.; and it was now found that an additibnal fum of iloool. would be fufficient to complete the necelTary additions to the Buildings, and the arrangements for the number . propofed to be added to the Inftitution. He laid the expose?. of the whole would not exceed the anniral rum of ao,oool. He thought it was derogatory to the dignity of that Houfe that foldiers fhould be under the necaity of contributing any thing towards fuch an iniliturion ; it was therefore intended that the runt heretofore contributed by them fhould be difcontinued. He then moved...." That a cum not exceeding 84721.9 d. be granted to his Majefty fur the purpofe of enlarging the Premifes and other wife encreafing the Royal Inflitution for Soldiers' Children." Mr. WINDHAM Lad, the plan was exaely fimilar to that he had the honour to propofe to the Houfe Lift year; but on a larger kale, which he was glad to find. He approved of the regulatiOn for dif continuing the aid drawn from the fQldiers for the Inaitution. Mr. WILBERFORCE. allied what was the preeife nature of the Initinition? The &mammy at WA& faid it was for the edu cation of the children of foldiers; and that a pre. ference was to be given to orphans. • Mr. O'HARA did not approve 'nf creating dif. tinaions betvieen foldieis and their fellow fubjeds, which the preftnt ineaftire he thought had a ten. dency to do. Dr. Lawa sacs thought it not altogether confti rtutional to divide the foldiers from their fellow cl titens ; yet as a meafure of public humanity, be , . would not oppofe it. The SICIRTART at WAIL raid, that Boys at the age of 14 were to have-an tiptiOn of becoming fol diers or being put to trade. After a few other obfervations from Mr.Wtsp. HAM, Mr. WICBRILRORC‘ Dr. LAWRIIICR, and Mr: Cr s fiatt4 e the motion was put, and agreecho. laDIRIPIITIF Mr. Baapc a broufht up the Report of the In demnity Bill. The Sramtva having put the queftion far taking the Report into conliciemtion. Sir F. Buanart faid, he held in his hand a Peti• tion from a perfor. of the name of Gentle Bilth* praying that the Bill might not be pat d into a law. l'he Petition was read, and was r to thole prelented on Friday. Sir F. &taus?? again role, and faid, he bad another Petition &gala she Bill, fimilar to that be had jull prefenteci. Mr. Bakst faid, he could not confent to the tenting of of fo many Petitions, whan his MajaY'l Minifters bad not an opportunity of anfwering the