Star. — London, England, 1812-03-11 00:00:00

FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE. CROWN-OFFICE, MARCH 10. sIESIII/11t RETURNED TO SERVE IN THIS PRESENT PARLIAMENT. _ _ Borough of Dundalk—Frederick William Trench, of Haywood, in the Queen's County, Esq. in the room of Thomas Hughan, Y.sq. dr.ceased, WHITEHALL, MARCH 10. His Royal Highness the Prince Regent ha. been gratiously pleased. In the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, to nomi nate and appoint the Right Honourable Henry Wellesley, his Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Spain, to be one of the Knights Companions of the most Ho nourable Order of the Bath. CARLTON-HOUSE, MARCH 10. His Royal Highness the Prince Regent has been graeinusly pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, to make the following appointments. VICE-CHAMBERLA/N, The Earl of Yarmouth. TO DE LORDS OF lIIS MAJESTY'S BEDCHAMBER, The Most Hon. the Marquis of Headfurd. The Right Hun. Lord Viscount Melbauru. The Right Hon. Lord HeatbfirliL The Right Hon. Lord James Murray. 7 he Right Hen. Lord Viscount Pettrsham. FIRST DROOM AND MASTER OF THE ROBES, Nassau Thomas, Esq. GROOMS OF Tin ISOCHASIBLR, General Charles Leigh. General F. Stephens. General T. Slouthter Sranwlx. Honourable Henry Studio. e. Lieutenant-General Sir J. Cradoel. Lieutenant-General William KeppeL Colonel Wilson Bradyll. CLZRIC-MARSHAL AND GRIEF EQUERRY, Colonel Benjamin Bloomfield. EQUERR/ES, Major-General Eammond. Lieub•nant-Colinel William Congreve. Major-General Bayley, Cold•trcam Guar.ls. Nun. Frederic Howard, 10th Light Dragoons. Co!oriel Vivian, 7th Dragoons. ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, MARCH 10. Copy of a Letter from Rear-Admiral Fremantle to John Wil son Croker, Esq. dated on board his Majesty's ship Milford, Palermo Bay, January 11, 181'2. Sit —I have the honour to inclose, for the information of the Right Honourable the Lords Comnsissioners of the Admiralty, the copy of a letter transmitted to me by Captain Rowley, of his Majesty's ship Eagle, detailing the carure of the French fri gate Pomune, and Persanne storeshlp, lay his Majesty's ships Active, Alceste, and Unite, on the 29th of Nov. 1811. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) T. F. FREMANTLE. P. S. Captain Rowley, in his letter to me of the 19th ultimo, also mentions the loss of the French frigate Flora.—" She was going from Trieste to Venice; was caught with a strong borer, and stranded off Chiozza, when every soul on board perished, with the exception of five or six." T. F. F. His Majesty's ship Alceste, off Lissa, Dec. 4, 1811. SlR—The enemy's squadrcn from Corfu, going to Trieste, were met with, on the 29th ult. by three of his Majesty's ships under my orders. The Pcrsanne was chased and taken by the Unite, after a leng run; the Pauline and Pomone chased by the Alceste and Active, and, after a mo.t severe action of two hours and forty minutes, the Pomone was taken, totally dismasted, and Pauline escaped, owing to the ceste having fv..r maintop-mast shot away. The Al ceste has 2i) killed and wounded ; the Active, about :32; and I lament to say, Captain Gordon has lust a leg, and his First Lieutenant an arm. The details of the action I shall have the honour of transmitting by the first man of war going down. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) MURRAY MAXWELL, Captain. Charles Rowley, Ess. Captain of his Majesty's ship Eagle, Senior Officer at Corfu, &c. ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, MARCH 10. • Commodore Penrose, at Gibraltar, has transmit. ted to John Wilson Croker, Esq. a letter from Lieu- tenant Bartholomew, commanding his Majesty's gun brig Richmond, giving an account of his having, on the .sth of laNt month, attacked, in a bay near Vera, on the coast. of Grenada, a French privateer called l'lotrepide, of 18 guns and 180 men. On the roond opening her fire upon the privateer, her crew set fire to her, stud took to their boats ; the vessel was then taken possession of, her cable cut, and she w.s-blotight out more than a mile when she blew up, within ten minutes after she had been abandoned. • (For Military Promotions, Bankrupts, &c. see the last page.] P.IRLIAMENT.fRr PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCHIo. The Roxburgh Peerage Cause was again postponed to Fri day next. Mr. Barnwall laid clat.m to the Kingaland Peerage. Witnesses were rambled. A Message from the Commons was delivered, requesting a Conference with their Lords!' pt, in the Painted Chamber, in consequence of which, Lords AYLESPo 0, LIVERPOOL, MANS.. ▪ LAUDERDALE, MANCHESTER, HARRowRy, the Bishop of CHICHESTER, and the Bishop of KILDARE, proceeded as a Deputation from their Lordships to hold the sail Conference. On their return, which occurred soon after, the Earl of AYLEs- Eons read the IS eport of the Conference, by which it appeared, that the Commons did slot agree to an Amendment in the Not tingham Frame Breaking Bill, made by their Lordships, respect ing fines and imprisonment. After the Report had been again read, by the Clerk at the table, it was ordered to be taken into consideration to•morrow. The Expiring Laws Bill, the Masts and Naval Timber Bill, and the Lune; y Bill were brought up Irons the Commons and read the first time. M.. Richmond from tha Customs, presented some accounts respecting Imports, and the form of Licences. Ordered to lie on ihe tahl:. The Btlli on the table were forwarded a stage. 'Ceuns.:l were hoard on the second reading of a Bill for erect ing a County Gaol at Cupar Fife i Mr. Adam, jun. on behalf of Mr Adam And other het nors of the county, Fella:torts azainst the Bill; Mr. Nraconnochie and Mr. Harrison for the Bill; and Mr. Adam, jun. ir, reply. The L,rd Chancellor made some ob urvations Ott the Ell, stating himself to be not at present accu rately informed as to what effect the Dill might produce in the general law of Scotland; but on th.?. atigzes:ien if the Earl of Lauderdale, that any discussion on the Nu might take place on the third reading, and that information might in the mean time lie obtain ti in the Committee, the Lord Chancellor agreed to the second reading now—and the Bill was read a teco:id time, and crnitruitted for to morrow, but with an understanding, In consequence of a suggestion from the Earl of I....uderdale, which w is agreed to by the Earl of Morton, that the Committee skonld opt Meet for business lid Friday.—Arijourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. CROKER postponed till to-morrow the Committee on the Marine Mutiny bill. A P•erron from th, Office of the Inapt ctor-General of Imports and Exports resented an Account of the quantity of Spirits im port' d from Holland and Flanders in the yLaxs 1810 and 1811.— On:tr. d to I e on the table. Mr A. PIGO FT obtained leave to bring in a Bill for the relict pf Ip!a .t Sul On in the CCIUM of Equity, schu may be entitled to to k and Annuities in thp Public or other Funds, transfera l* to the Sam of En*lautl, Thq Honuurahle Mewber then brought up the BM, which wat read a first time,.and ordered to be read a second Cate to•morrow. A Message from the Lords announced their Lordships' assent to the Drury-lane Theatre Bill, with several Amendments, to which they desired the concurrence of this House. Lord WALPOLE appeared at the Bar, and stated, that the House of Peers having agreed to the conference desired by this House, were waiting In the Painted Chamber. At the desire of the SPEAKER, Lord War.rote, Mr. RTDill, Mr. C. WTN NI, and other Members, proceeded for the con ference. On their return, LordWatrota stated, that they had communicated to their Lordships the objections of this House to the Amendments of the Frame-Work Bill. The Wanderers Bill was read the third time and passed. Mr. MELLISH presented a Petition from the Master Boot and Shoe-makers in the Ms tropolis, praying for an atnentiment of the Act which relates to the prevention of Combination among their Journeymen. Ordered to lie on the table. The Dublin Coal Bill went through a Committee. To report to-morrow. Mr. W. POLE brought in the Irish Sugar Drawback Bill.— Read a first, and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow. A new Writ was ordered to be issued for the election of a Member for the Borough of Lisburne, in the room of Lord Yarmouth, who had accepted the Office of Lord Chamberlain. SINECURE PLACES. Mr. BA NKES did not think it necessary to trouble the House on the present occasion, with observations of any sort of length upon this subject. The Bill which he was about to bring in, (if he should obtain leave to do so,) was of the same nature as that which passed this House the Session before last ; but which was thrown out in the Lords ; he now proposed it in a way that would be less liable to meet obstruction there. He therefore moved,—" That leave be given to bring in a Bill, to make Provisions, for a limited time, respecting certain Grants of Offices." The Motion was agreed to. The Right Honour able Gentleman then brought in the Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Thursday nekt. FOREIGNERS. Lord FOLKSTONE, pursuant to notice, rose to submit a Motion respecting the Foreigners now serv. ing in the British Army. It was Ins intention to confine his observations to three heads : first, to Fo reign Officers in Native Corps ; secondly, to Privates under the same circumstances • and thirdly, to Fo reign Officers on the Staff. He would not say there were more Foreigners in our service than Ministers were justified in retaining, but he would generally state, that on the breaking up of the war, the number did not exceed 5000; it now amounted to 30,000,- 6000 of which had been added within the last twelve months. It was not his wish to set up his opinion against the opinion of Parliament, but he would call the attention of the House to two Acts, namely, the 34th and 40th of the King, which authorises his Ma jesty to receive into his service a certain number of Foreigners. The provisions of these Acts had not been strictly adhered to; they merely authorised the retention of 16,000 men ; whereas, there had taken place an increase in number of such magnitude, that he could not but observe it with considerable jealousy. The foreign troops were formed in a manner distinct from our forces ; they had a staff, a depot of their own ; in short, they had the whole appearance of an army by itself. The Act did not justify an estab lishment of this nature, or the conferring of commis. sions on Foreign Officers which gave them rank su perior to the Officers in our own army. He adverted to Baron Linsingen, who commands the Eastern District, and observed, there were other German Officers who hold Staff appointments in Kent, Sus sex, and Ireland. The history of the 60th regiment, which by Act of Parliament is allowed to be filled up by foreigners, was rather remarkable. In the 29th of Geo. 11. a statute passed, which empowered the King to take into his service, for the defence of Mary land and Pennsylvania, such foreigners who were Protestants, and resident in the British provinces of America seven years. The number of Officers was limited to 50, of Engineers to 20, and it was express. ly enjoined, that the regiment should be commanded by a person born a British subject. This corps, in consequence of its good behaviour, was rewarded by the 3d of the King, which enabled any of its Officers to hold Civil Situations in America; but, by the 39th and 40th, the provisions of the different Acts were extended ; and any foreigner was allowed to enter the regiment, without regard to the considera tion of residence or religion, and in fact every thing was done away, except that they should only serve in America. Notwithstanding, the Noble Lord found that one of the Officers of this 60th regiment held a Staff appointment in Sussex, and another was placed at the depot at Lymington. He felt a-great objec tion against the introduction of Foreign Officers into native troops. He now saw, in every Gazette, pro anctions from the Ge r m an Le g ion to the 10th Hus sars ; upon this subject, the Noble Lord opposite, (Lord Palmerston) on a former night, did not give him a satisfactory answer; he bad since heard that 40 German deserters from the French army, had been marched from the prison at Dartmoor, to fill up the 10th Hussars. In this regiment, and in the 15th lie understood there existed a regulation, (but he hoped to hear his assertion contradicted,) namely, that fo reigners and deserters would gladly be received, but that Irishmen were always refused. If this was the case, it could not be too strongly reprobated by the House, the Government, and the Cotlntry.—(Near, hear.)—There was another circumstance to which he wished to allude. In the Nottingham Paper a para graph appeared, which directed the soldiery, on the appearance of a riot, not to wait for a Civil Magi strate, but to proceed immediately 'to quell the dis turbance. He did not know how a private dragoon could be supposed to understand the nature of the law : this was a power dangerous in the hands of any soldier ; but particularly so in the case of a German, who was ignorant of the language and customs of the country. He maintained that such a power was dangerous, notwithstanding what had been urged .by the Learned Judge of the Common Pleas, in the argument in the Court of Exchequer Chamber, upon the case of Sir Francis Burdett and the late Serjeant at arms, There was another, thing which struck him forcibly, namely, the trials which had been re cently held upon persons for deserting from our ships and going over to the enemy. He did not mean to dispute the propriety of the prosecutions, but he would observe, that it did not look well, that we should hold out lucre to Foreigners to do that for which we were prosecuting and hangin our own sailors. He wished to all u d e to one ex traordinary wpointment, although it had no ;elation to military affairs, that of Count Munst er t o b e one of Com missioners for managing his Majesty's private pro perty. He would not pretend to give any legal opi nion upon the subject, for 1e believed it was known by the House that no alien could purchase lands Or property in trust for another. Of his Majesty's pri vate property Parliament knew nothing, yet it was to be managed by a person who WAS not related by any ties of consanguinity with this kingdom. These were matters calculated to excite a well-founded jea lousy. The Noble Lord concluded by moving,- 44 That there be laid before the House a Return of all Persons born out of England, Scotland, Ireland, and the Dominions of his Majesty, except such as are of British Parents, serving in the British Forces, but not in Foreign Corps." Colonel PALMER bore testimony to the merits and services of the German Officers who had been principally alluded to. Sir J. SEBRIGHT objected to the employing of Foreign Officers with British troops. Lord PALMERSTONstated his readiness to meet the observations of the Noble Lord on the ground of law. If he (Lord Folkston) would look to the Sd section of the 46th of the King, he would find, that it distinctly authorised .he granting of commissions tn Foreign Officers and Engineers without any restric tion whatever. He maintained that no one could contend that it was improper to employ on the Staff at home, an Officer possessed of military talents, and who had distinguished himself in the service of this country. The Officer to whom the Noble Lord had alluded as commanding the Eastern District, was only limited to the German Depot, the mistake ori ginated in Baron Linsingen's name being placed first in the list, which was owing to the superior rank which he held. He did not see why Foreigners shoul4 not be required to assist in the prevention of felony, as well as any other set of men, nor could he appre hend any danger to our liberties from their retention in our armies. They were highly necessary to fill up the casualties of war, and out of the 16,000 in our service, the greater part was abroad. He had no ob jection to the motion as far as it regarded numbers, but he conceived that a return of the names would be attended with injury to the families of the Officers who resided at present on the Continent. Sir J. NEWi'ORT expressed his surprise at the, manner in which the Noble Lorei had alluded to the Act 46th of the King; if he had read the preamble, which is the key of the Statute, he would have fund l that the whole of the Act was expressly contrary to his statements. These were times in which we should not deviate from the regulations of our ancestors, ex cept in cases which were particularly submitted to the Legislature. The Hon. Baronet, contrasting the spirit which animated the Ministry of a Chatham with the' degeneracy of the present day, said, that it was the pride and glory of that great man to shew that the country was independent on foreigners for support ; that the country's best support was in the valour of its own people, and, to reduce his sentiments to prat- 1 tice, he boldly dismissed all fore,ign troops from the kingdom. By these means the spirits of the people were roused, and a much surer defence was estab lished than could be derived from foreign assistance. Sir FRANCIS BURDETT expressed some sur- 1 prize that those principles which he bad always been accustomed to regard as established and incontrov.tr task, should now be represented as altogether obso lete and inapplicable to the circumstances of the pre sea time. He was himself so little versed in modern lore of the Right Honourable Gentlemen, as still to retain the belief that the true means of upholding the country when surrounded with difficulties and dan gers, was to adhere steadily to the fundamental laws. But it seemed that this was a new era indeed. From all that he knew of the history of the country, he held it to have always been the distinguishing feature and universal chat acteristic of Englishmen to feel a jea lousy of foreigners, and particularly of armed fo. reigners being introduced into this service. In Magna Charta it was stipulated by the Barons in arms, as a previous condition to the laying them down, that the 2000 foreigners then in the kingdom should be imme diately sent out df it. If we looked to later periods, passing over many important intervening stares, and coming down to that xra of struggle and difficulty, the reign of Charles I. dignified, indeed, by some with the title of Martyr, but who appeared to him to be only a martyr to his own obstinacy, if the House would refer to the famous remonstrance of 1641, they would find that one of the grand grievances then complained of was the employment of foreign troops, and this afterwards formel one of the charges against that misguided monarch. If we referred to the pe riod of the Reformation and the brilliant reign of Elizabeth, who had certainly to contend with enemies as numerous and powerful comparatively as those who now threaten our independence, when Spain, assisted by the machinations of the Guises, threatened the liberties of Europe ; when Scotland was divided, and Ireland yet more disturbed than at present, that wise Queen placed not her dependence on foreigners, but appealed to the Constitution and to the people, in whose hearts she reigned, for assistance against her enemies. (Hear, hear. ) It was said, that these fo reigners were merely Germans, and he was ready io confess, that he saw more danger in a few mercenaries within these walls than in the employment of thou sands out of it. (Hear, hear.) The Hon. Colonel (Palmer) had eulogized Colonel Quintin, but al though this might be perfectly well merited, he thought the benefit of his services in teaching a new mode of riding might have been procured without raising him over the heads of native officers. But while we were thus admitting foreigners, was it not extraordinary that any regulation should subsist against the enlistment of Irishmen ? and would it not be a mote expedient policy to reconcile that large body of his Majesty's subjects, and call in their aid under the pressure of so many difficulties? (Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord who had attempted an an t swer to the motion, had treated the Act of Settlement as a repealed Act, but the preamble read by the Hon. Baronet (Sir J. Newport) was pretty satisfactory on this head. Much as was talked of the Constitution, the Right Honourable Gentleman on the other side did not seem very able to state what it was, Is; his opinion, the Act of Settlement was a contract be tween the Crown and the people of these realms, equally binding upon both, and on which the right of allegiance essentially depended. As to the prac tice orenlisting foreigners at the same time that the Government was prosecuting our own seamen for high treason in serving under the enemy, it appeared to him to be altogether unjustifiable. (Near, hear.) He could not perceive the analogy between this case and the offences, constituting, on other occasions, the crime of high treason ; and he hoped this considers tion might serve to prevent the mention of th e sailors lately tried and convicted. (Hear,hser.), With respect to the material part of the ques t i o4 b e was inclined to argue very differently, fines the sideration of the perilous and distressed state of the country. He would say is such circumstances, ad. here to your fundamental laws, remove these g • ances which are notorious, and which excite the ann. sours and the loud complaints of the L "Ple, and strengthen their affections towards. you I. an tare _ misting attention to their interests and desires Instead of all this, it was now recommended to us to dismiu the Act of Settlement as inconvenient, and to guard against the establishment of a foreign deepoustn, by the erection of a domestic one among ourselves. His had now only just to notice the objection of the Noble Lord, grounded on the danger of publication, and would beg leave to ask, were they not already in the Army List ?—( fear, hear.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, the question was not, whether the Acts of the 44th and 46th of the present reign ought to i be lnb re i pealed ? —but, whether they justifi e d t h e pract i ce now adopted ? Did the facts of the case m a d e out b efore the House justify the description of the e Baronet, (Sir Francis Burdett) in stat i ng all the fences of the Constitution broken down ? As to what had been said with respect to the iaspolicy of admit. Ling foreigners, while prosecuting our own seamen, suppose the cue of our having employed the troops under Marquis Romana, who had been forced into the enemy's service, instead of sending them to Spain, would this have been improper ? Now the clause in the Act of Settlement itself, prohibiting the employ. mmt of foreigners, was subsequently introduced, for the purpose of guarding against a particular contin. gency. It was true, as stated by th e H on . B aronet (Sir John Newport) that the preamble was the key of the statute, but he could not think it was to lock up the fair interpretation of any particular clause, un. controuled by any definition in the preamble. The Right Hon. Gentleman then read a clause in the third section, in order to shew that the only distinction be. tween it and the two former WAS, that the latter justified the present practice, and authorized its continuance. Some might think it justifiable to allow the enlistment of foreigners into separate regiments, and yet be at opinion that they ought not to b: engrafted into Bri. tish regiments. It the Noble Lord thought fit, be might attempt to get the 3d section repealed. AU that he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) contended for was, that as the law stood, Government wee justifiable in enlisting foreigners into British regi. ments. But admitting that foreigners ought not to be admitted into British regiments, still the extent to which they were admitted was of material conse quence. If this prevailed only to a =all meat there might be the less reason for altering the law. There was another subject introduced by the Noble Lord which he was not prepared to expect, as no notice had been given of it, and it had no necessary come. tion with his motion, and that was the appointment of Count Monster to be one of the Trustees of his Majesty's private property. He acknowledged him. self if that nomination were a violation of the law, to be alone accountable for ft, having distinctly sad individually recommended that Gentleman to the W. tuation ; for being himself in perfect ignorance tithe extent of his Majesty's private property. and thinking that part of it might be connected with the Hanove rian dominions, it occurred to him, that hardly a person could be appointed more likely to give Itikof• mation concerning it than the individual in question, from the situation which he had lately held. flee House should think this nomination illegal, it 'mid at least be al:owed, that what he had done was very natural. At any rate it was unconnected with din present discussion. He doubted whether it was pos. able to return all the foreigners employed in our sa vice, as many of them might be unknown, even to their officers • and it would be necessary to send to Portug and ; to the East and West Indies, before a complete return could be made. General TARLETON observed, that a return was sent to the War Office every year, containing the name, age, place of birth, and nature of service of every man in a regiment. With respect to the employment of foreign troops abroad, he thought. in the present state of the world, we could not hare too many of them ; but with respect to taking than into English regiments, he was in direct oppo tuna to such a measure. Mixing Germans and together into one regiment, was like mixing bas metals with gold and silver. The highest testinso 'F had been borne to the superiority of English soldi.rs in former times, by such men as Manila! Turco: and Marshal Villars • and this superiority we had still maintained. Would Britain ever allow iuelf to be over-run, and its character to be debased, in the mariner of Prussia and Aus'esa ? He VMS of opini" therefore, that Government might take as many fa reigners as they please into pay, but let them still be called mercenaries. Lord A RCHI BALD HAMILTON compltinsi of the hardship of inserting foreign Officers into Brii tish corps, at a time when there were many Britia Officers willing and anxious to be employed, Md. who could not get employment. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that these Foreign Officers would cease io hoid commissions within a limited time after the termini. tion of the war, Captain BENNET said, that two or three yeas , ago he had seen a good deal of the Peninsula, end when in Gibraltar he saw about six hundred men ill our service there, who had be!onged to Dupwes army, among whom a great number were Pulsia ls ' They told litm so themselves. He would ask a gel. lint Colonel neat. him I Palmer)„why foreigners cal taken into the 10th regiment, in preference to Iri!i'• men ? Was such an indignity to be put upon the I$ people, that they were to be considered as unfit t° serve their country ? This was' really something ° e ' Road human patience to bear. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER knew nothing of the circumstance mentioned b 7 Honourable Gentleman. Colonel PALMIER said, the reason wky thei b! i , not enlisted Irishmen was, that a great numb ers ' ways deserted to the enemy, and it was difficul% or / them back again. A Lord fOLICSTONE in reply observed, dol l° must be contending at fearful odds ifke con on the construction of an Act of Pasikasig S k Right Hon. Gentleman, (the Chasailar of 11, chequer) whose lee hat*: made hhsso 0 a i e . ni d lui lii Or ch. to chi bup 1 the ..M 0 111 Ip au Ai It Is abo ai d ' i t:rt